BASEBALL
Buck Showalter
Manager Buck Showalter of the Yankees  delivered  his  own message minutes later   his  first regarding the stinging comments  he  directed toward Griffey in a New York Times Magazine article last Sunday.
In defending  his  stance on Griffey   Showalter  said  he  hopes  his  criticism of the superstar doesn't detract from Griffey's ability or work ethic. But "in some form I feel that way  " Showalter  said. "For me to be apologizing for something I feel  that's not right."
It's not Mariners versus Yankees in Seattle this weekend so much as Griffey versus  Showalter   perhaps the game's premier player against one of  its  brightest young managers in a lively discourse on the merits of respecting the game.
"I shouldn't say this publicly "  Showalter  was quoted as saying in the magazine story  "but a guy like Ken Griffey Jr.  the game's boring to him. He comes on the field  and his hat's on backward  and his shirttail's hanging out."
"To me  that's a lack of respect for the game "  Showalter  said. "Maybe I'm being too picky on these guys. I'm starting to say things like  'Back when I played.' I thought I'd never say those words."
 [TGT] delivered   [TGT]   own message minutes later    [TGT]   first regarding the stinging comments   [TGT]   directed toward Griffey in a New York Times Magazine article last Sunday.
In defending   [TGT]   stance on Griffey   Showalter  said   [TGT]   hopes   [TGT]   criticism of the superstar doesn't detract from Griffey's ability or work ethic. But "in some form I feel that way  "  [TGT] said. "For me to be apologizing for something I feel  that's not right."
It's not Mariners versus Yankees in Seattle this weekend so much as Griffey versus   [TGT]    perhaps the game's premier player against one of  its  brightest young managers in a lively discourse on the merits of respecting the game.
"I shouldn't say this publicly "   [TGT] was quoted as saying in the magazine story  "but a guy like Ken Griffey Jr.  the game's boring to him. He comes on the field  and his hat's on backward  and his shirttail's hanging out."
"To me  that's a lack of respect for the game "   [TGT] said. "Maybe I'm being too picky on these guys. I'm starting to say things like  'Back when I played.' I thought I'd never say those words."