Posted on 10/07/2003 2:38:03 PM PDT by 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.''
Naahhhh. I work for a living. My name is Bloody Sam Rockefeller.
Most nights I'll be sitting around a campfire with a 12 pack of Miller High Life listening to Joe and Trupe call the game on the radio.
the people with no class were in the stands.
An unidentified Oakland Athletics (news) fan gets restrained after he and a group of other fans were seen taunting Boston Red Sox (news) Damian Jackson (news) after Jackson collided with Johnny Damon (news) in the seventh inning in game 5 of the American League (news) Division Series playoff game, Monday, Oct. 6, 2003 in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
tejada...STFU
This Sox offense is too good to kept down for this long. An explosion might be imminent. Sox in 6.
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