Shane Victorino Unhappy With 'Mazz And Whoever That Other Guy Is'
BOSTON (CBS) -- Word travels pretty fast from Boston down to Fort Myers.
On Tuesday's show, Michael Felger and Tony Massarotti examined a comment made by Red Sox outfielder Shane Victorino, one that appeared to indicated the veteran was lobbying for the Sox to trade away younger outfielder Mookie Betts.
Here's what Victorino said earlier this week: "I understand you don't want to give up this prospect or that prospect. You're hoping this guy becomes a Cole Hamels. Hoping. Oh wait, that guy is there now. And even as a hitter. Why would you hope that guy becomes this hitter, when you have it right now? ... Like I said, at the end of the day, it's right here in front of you. Why are you hoping?"
Felger said Victorino was throwing the young players under the bus. Mazz said Victorino was calling for the Sox to get rid of a young player in order to save his job.
Well, Victorino caught wind of the story, and on Thursday morning, he let it be known that he vehemently disagrees with the two hosts, whom he referred to as "Mazz and that other guy."
"These individuals sit behind a mic and they take a story and they make it into a big fish rather than keeping it a little fish," Victorino said. "And all I said was, 'Hey, if we can go get Cole Hamels, if it's giving up two or three guys, I'm all for it.' I never said anybody's name. I never said any individual's name. And you guys are quick to assume with the assumption that because those guys [Mookie Betts, Blake Swihart] were the guys they were talking about [in trade rumors], I'm trying to call out my teammate or trying to get them shipped away. Guys, come on. That's the last thing this guy is trying to do."
Victorino, who's publicly spoken glowingly about Betts this spring, continued to do so on Thursday, pumping up his teammate's abilities.
"If there's one person that's an advocate of that individual which was named in the article, Mookie Betts, it's me," Victorino said. "I don't have any fear or feel like there's competition that I gotta get him shipped out of here. Come on, guys. That's. No no. That's the part for me, where individuals put words in your mouth, that sit behind a mic and say something. You know where I'll be. I'll be more than glad to talk to you about it," Victorino said. "But don't get behind a mic and be a coward and make a situation and put words in my mouth. Because not once in that article did I mention anyone's name. I said two or three prospects. Whatever. Could be anybody."
The veteran outfielder said he's personally been named in many trade rumors throughout his career.
"That's the part for me, it's like, Mazz and whoever this individual is, I don't know who these two clowns are, but my opinion is it's frustrating as an athlete that I have to come in the next day and justify myself. But I'm more than willing to do it, because you know why? I have no guilt trip on what I said. ...
"That's what they do. That's what they love to do. They want to make it bigger than what it is. I'm fine with answering it, that's why I'm here to answer it. Like I said, I hope I get to talk to these individuals face-to-face and tell them what I feel."
There's a good chance that Victorino gets discussed on Thursday afternoon's Felger and Massarotti Show, but executive producer James Stewart tweeted that the Sox outfielder likely won't choose to call in.
Listen to Victorino's comments, plus Dan Shaughnessy's appearance on Zolak and Bertrand, below:
Listen to Felger & Mazz's original discussion about Victorino below:
UPDATE: Victorino and Mazz had a phone conversation. Check out the details here.
