Athletics offended by Lowe's antics

AP ^ | 10/7/03 | JANIE McCAULEY

[Mr. Mojo]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Some of the Oakland Athletics were furious with Derek Lowe, accusing the Red Sox pitcher of making obscene gestures toward them after he struck out Terrence Long to finish Boston's 4-3 victory in the AL division series Monday night.

``It's a situation where if you did anything where you offended anyone, I'm sorry,'' Lowe said. ``I was swinging my arms around. I don't know what I did. I did the same crazy thing I do every game.''

The A's thought Lowe simulated a sexual act with his arms and made a gesture toward his crotch following the final out, sending Oakland shortstop Miguel Tejada into a rage in the clubhouse moments later.

``Derek Lowe is going to be paid back for that sign,'' Tejada screamed hysterically through the clubhouse, shouting expletives. ``My kid is in the stands. He's going to pay.''

Oakland general manager Billy Beane escorted the crying Tejada away.

Tejada was later told that Lowe apologized.

``I feel better now that I hear he apologizes,'' Tejada said after calming down. ``He was jumping around and making a scene. They have families up there, we have families up there.''

Tejada is one of the most emotional players on the A's, and this was probably his final game with them because he can become a free agent.

``He takes everything personally, wins and losses, and plays with his heart on his sleeve,'' first baseman Scott Hatteberg said of Tejada. ``He plays with everything he's got.''

Other A's players were offended.

``That's extremely unprofessional,'' center fielder Chris Singleton said. ``That's a shame that's the type of person he is. He was the only one who showed less than professionalism.''

Hatteberg spent seven seasons with the Red Sox and 11 in their organization. He and Lowe were teammates.

``To have that done is absolutely classless and unprofessional,'' Hatteberg said. ``I'm disappointed having known him. I don't think it was aimed at (Tejada), it was aimed at us. I know we show emotion, but I can't think of anything we've done to show them up.''

[Mr. Mojo]

"Derek Lowe is going to be paid back for that sign,'' Tejada screamed hysterically through the clubhouse, shouting expletives. "My kid is in the stands. He's going to pay.'' Oakland general manager Billy Beane escorted the crying Tejada away.

I'm certainly not going to defend Lowe's (alleged) actions, but Tejada is out of control. If his kid is going to remember anything about this series, it'll be that his dad batted .087 and committed a huge baserunning error that might've cost his team the series.

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[Big Guy and Rusty 99]

Sore losers on the part of the A's.

[arkfreepdom]

I sure didn't see anything.

[danneskjold]

Tejada = Sore / Loserman

[Hoverbug]

Oakland general manager Billy Beane escorted the crying Tejada away.

He was crying! Was he crying?? There's no crying in baseball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hb

[My2Cents]

Call it what you want, but you have to understand the frustration: four straight years in the playoffs - four straight eliminations in round one, after going five full games. I didn't see Lowe's gyrations after the final out, as I didn't watch the game (was at a meeting last night), but as an A's fan for over 30 years, I can tell you the frustration at being eliminated for the fourth year in a row is overwhemling. They only have themselves to blame. They, and their ownership, which keeps the A's competitive enough to make the playoffs, but won't spend the money to get them over the hump. Overwhelming frustration is what it is.

[Rennes Templar]

"To have that done is absolutely classless and unprofessional."

More and more professional athletes are behaving less and less professionally.

[geedee]

They still play professional baseball in the U.S.?

I stopped watching when Bowie Kuhn gave the keys to the bank to the robbers. Hell, it costs nine gazillion dollars for a family of four to just park at one of those taxpayer-subsidized whorehouses. And they now sell programs with white-out and an eraser so you can change the roster as trades are made on an hourly basis.

[Mears]

Sounds like Tejeda needs some R&R and the Red Sox guaranteed he will get it.


What a baby. Joe DiMaggio must be rolling over in his grave and Ted Williams must be rolling over in-----never mind!

[My2Cents]

That was Tejada's last game in Oakland. The cheapskates who own the team won't make him a competitive offer for a new contract. This background drama of his contract status with the A's, I'm sure, contributed to his emotional display. Call him what you want, but I'm sure whatever team you root for would love to have Tejada playing shortstop for them.

[Big Guy and Rusty 99]

Frustration? Frustration? I'm a Boston fan. Let me tell you about frustration . . . Do the names Bill Lee, Bucky Dent and Bill Buckner mean anything to you?

I am mired in frustration. Thirty-one years of so near, so far. It's a wonder I haven't gone bald from pulling out my hair every season.

[Mr. Mojo]

I'm sure whatever team you root for would love to have Tejada playing shortstop for them.

Actually, no. I'm a Yankee fan.

[PRND21]

I'm certainly not going to defend Lowe's (alleged) actions...

fwiw, he did it. (crotch-slam gesture aimed at the A bench)
Nomar will get plunked with a fastball next year because of it. (another reason to ban the DH)

[Hoverbug]

"Ted Williams must be rolling over in-----never mind!"

LOL!!

Yeah, and I forgot to put the < /Tom Hanks voice> tag in my last post.

Hb

[Ruth A.]

I must admit that I didn't watch it and don't know if the allegations are true.

...escorted the crying Tejada away.
and the headline both gave me the same impression of the A's: What a bunch of crybabys. I thought they used to be a tougher team, back in the days of Catfish Hunter.

How frustrated can you get when you get paid that much to play baseball for a living?

[Mr. Mojo]

four straight years in the playoffs - four straight eliminations in round one,

And, I believe, losing 9 straight elimination games .....an MLB record.

[Mr. Mojo]

Yeah, the Charlie Finley A's were made of much sterner stuff. .....Catfish, Vida, Fingers, Rudi, Bando, Tenace ......quite a collection of characters as well.

[IpaqMan]

Viewing Lowe's arm gestures after the strikeout on tape, I saw nothing that he doesn't ordinarily do after a big strikeout. He swung his fists around in a vertical circle similar but not quite the same as Tiger pumping his fist. On one such circle, he brought his fist downwards towards his midsection like a pump movement. This movement was not obvious or blatant like a Michael Jackson gesture.

Obviously, someone could misinterpret it but Lowe was not staring down anybody at the time. Many closer type pitchers have a celebratory gesture on making the big strikeout (Flash Gordon, Urbina come to mind) and it does upset the strikeout victim.

[danneskjold]

Call him what you want, but I'm sure whatever team you root for would love to have Tejada playing shortstop for them.

Not doubting he's a great player, just not very graceful at losing...