Orioles manager Buck Showalter means what he said about Alex Rodriguez on Thursday. But that doesn’t mean he wanted the world to hear it.
Showalter, who was quoted in USA Today as saying a Rodriguez suspension would unfairly help the Yankees, told CSNBaltimore on Friday that he didn’t believe he was speaking on the record at the time.
âIt wasnât meant for public consumption,” Showalter said. “You guys know, we sit around and talk all the time about baseball issues because we all kind of love our game and we look at things and we talk about it. Unfortunately, somebody decided to put it out there publicly.
âI said it, and someone decided to print it. Itâs unfortunate. What are you going to do?â
Showalter said earlier that with Rodriguez’s contract off the books, the Yankees would have the freedom to poach more high-priced free agents, using Orioles catcher Matt Wieters as an example. The manager clarified on Friday that the team would like to hold onto the 27-year-old, who was named an All-Star in 2011 and 2012, and Wieters said contract negotiations are the furthest thing from his mind right now.
âIâm worried about playing this year, worried about this playoff run weâre in right now. Buckâs got his way of saying things and being able to get across his point of view,â Wieters said.
âIâm happy to be here right now, and Iâm not thinking about where Iâm going to be playing in two years, thatâs for sure.â
