Texas Rangers manager Chris Woodward learned what happens when you whine and complain in New York: You will get called out, and hard.
Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay did the honors this time. Why? Well, Woodward was a sore loser on Sunday after Gleyber Torres’ walk-off home run barely cleared the fence in right field. Woodward not only blamed Yankee Stadium for the loss, but was dead wrong.
"That's an easy out in 99% of ballparks… He just happened to hit it in a Little League ballpark." -Rangers manager Chris Woodward on Gleyber Torres' walk-off home run
Gleyber's 369-foot shot that traveled at 106.5 MPH would have been a home run at 26 of 30 MLB parks pic.twitter.com/obrxaZ2Vgj
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) May 8, 2022
Kay simply would not let that fly, even calling Woodward’s comment “weak sauce” during the second game of the Sunday doubleheader. Ahead of Monday afternoon’s make-up game, Kay took to Twitter to keep up the fight.
What a beautiful day for a ballgame at a “little league park.” @Yankees @Rangers at 1 pm on @YESNetwork . pic.twitter.com/fGkl4nOoVs
— Michael Kay (@RealMichaelKay) May 9, 2022
What a day here at Williamsport. pic.twitter.com/QFuqYriJhf
— Michael Kay (@RealMichaelKay) May 9, 2022
Does this accomplish nothing and harmless juvenile fun in the grand scheme? Sure, but that’s not the point. Kay is absolutely right to call out Woodward because as a baseball veterean, Woodward should simply know better. Remember, he spent 12 years playing as a utility infielder and even hit .385 at the new Yankee Stadium. He knows the ballpark inside and out as a player, coach, and now manager. It is literally his job to understand park factor to at least some extent.
Instead, Woodward gave into frustration and turned into all of Twitter. He blamed the ballpark instead of acknowledging his team got bested. Of course, now that he sees how wrong he was, he’s backpedaling.
Unfortunately, per ESPN, Woodward couldn’t even do that part correctly.
“Yankee Stadium is probably one of my favorite places to come,” he said. “But they’ve got a short right field. They always have — it was like that back at the old park, and that’s kind of what makes this place unique in a lot of ways.
Kay hasn’t responded to Woodward yet, but we all see through him. Woodward got caught being a crybaby, and is just mad that we know it.
