Never ‘joke’ about touchy New York. Texas Rangers’ Chris Woodward learns the hard way
No group of Americans celebrates their toughness more than New Yorkers, but in truth this pack is as sensitive as any other.
On Sunday, Texas Rangers manager Chris Woodward made a benign observation of the latest new Yankee Stadium: that it’s basically a version of Enron Field, and the tough New Yorkers don’t want to hear it.
In the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 1 of the Rangers’ double header against the Yankees, New York’s Gleyber Torres hit a walk-off home run to win, 2-1.
After the game, Woodward was asked about the home run and said: “Just a small ballpark, that’s an easy out in 99% of ballparks. The wind wasn’t helping today, obviously. … Just happened to hit it in a little-league ballpark to right field.”
Oh, Chris. Not the right choice of words.
This is an example of a manager sticking up for his guy, in this case Rangers pitcher John King, who served up the home run.
After Game 2 of the double header, Woodward said his comments were a joke and he called Yankee Stadium a cathedral.
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah. They’re never, ever going to let you or your entire family live this one down.
Woodward’s first reaction was the genuine reaction. He called Yankee Stadium a “little-league ballpark.”
He might as well have said Derek Jeter was overrated, Mickey Mantle was a bum, and Babe Ruth used HGH.
Chris Woodward was trending on Sunday, and into Monday morning, because of his “joke.” One of the better nicknames was “Chris Woodwhine.”
The New York Post’s headline was, “Chris Woodward whines about short porch after Gleyber Torres’ walk-off.”
Fox Sports MLB analyst Ben Verlander wrote on Twitter, “Can’t believe Rangers manager, Chris Woodward, complained about Gleyber’s walk off being hit in a ‘little league ballpark.’
“Were they hitting in a different ballpark in the Top of the 9th when they didn’t score? I don’t understand. It also would’ve been a homer in 26 parks.”
Torres’ home run traveled 369 feet. It was not a bomb, and it would have been a home run in 26 of the 30 MLB parks.
After the second game of the doubleheader, Yankees manager Aaron Boone told the media in attendance regarding Woodward’s comments, “His math’s wrong, 99% is impossible. There’s only 30 parks.”
This is the same sort of thing we heard when the Houston Astros moved into what was then called Enron Field, in 1999.
Players and managers ripped Enron because of the short left field.
New Yorkers can take a lot, but what they can never take from an outsider is any hint of anything other than, “It’s the greatest place on earth. Everything here is the best. Take all of my money.”
(My father was born in NYC; I am blessed with many relatives who still reside throughout the city.)
A New Yorker can make Woodward’s observations, or “joke,” and get away with it. But because Woodward is neither from New York, and, worse, he’s a Texan, he will be told to shut up with an assortment of colorful four letter words and expressions.
New Yorkers talk tough. But they’re like anybody else.
Sensitive about their house.
Yankee Stadium has a short right field porch, and Gleyber’s home run was not especially well hit but it was a home run.
And New York will never let Chris Woodward forget his “joke.”
This story was originally published May 9, 2022 at 9:34 AM.
