AN 'ITALIAN THING': Bobby Valentine thought he was going to be asked about Santa Claus. Instead, his answers in a television interview at the New York Mets' Christmas party left him in the middle of another spat with Todd Hundley.
Valentine admits he made a "bad guess" when he speculated his former catcher blamed "an Italian thing" as the reason Hundley was replaced by Mike Piazza.Hundley, dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers last week after spending nine seasons in New York, has said Valentine had it in for him.
"Todd does a lot of that stuff," the Mets manager said Thursday. "It's an Italian thing. He thinks that I would do something because he's not Italian or because I am Italian. I think that's ridiculous."
Hundley flatly rejected Valentine's assertion.
"It is utterly ridiculous and how can you respond to such a psychotic statement?" he said. "The more Bobby Valentine speaks, the more people will realize why he has the reputation he has in the game."
ECKERSLEY RETIRES: Dennis Eckersley, who appeared in more major league games than any pitcher, didn't have the desire to stay in shape when the baseball season ended.
But what the 44-year-old pitcher didn't hear his body telling him became clear this week when the Red Sox refused to offer him salary arbitration: It was time to retire.
After 24 years of pitching in the major leagues, Eckersley said on Thursday that he has thrown his last fastball.
MARINERS MAKE OFFERS TO KID, AROD: The Seattle Mariners are showing their fans that they're sincere in their intention to keep Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez in new Safeco Field beyond the 2000 season.
On a day that the team made a small move by signing catcher Tom Lampkin to a $1.55 million, two-year contract, the bigger news was that the Mariners are talking about contract extensions to Griffey and Rodriguez.
The deals would be worth $60 million to $70 million each.
There was no announcement by the team of the offers, which were reported in Thursday's editions of The Seattle Times.
Griffey was offered a five-year contract and Rodriguez a seven-year deal during September talks, the newspaper said. Both are eligible for free agency after the 2000 season.