Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

The Bronx Zoo Yankees Take Things Back To Those Tumultuous Days Of The ‘80s

Chris Sheridan Associated Press

George Steinbrenner is meddling again, Don Mattingly’s feelings are hurt, Darryl Strawberry hasn’t been called up yet and manager Buck Showalter is in the dark.

Welcome back to the Bronx Zoo, home of the New York Yankees.

There’s also middle finger-flipping Jack McDowell, the never-ending trade rumors concerning Danny Tartabull and the latest unfounded Steve Howe drug rumors.

There hasn’t been this much turmoil and tumult at Yankee Stadium since the late 1970s and early 1980s. It’s similar to Dave Winfield being run out of town, Billy Martin punching a marshmallow salesman and Reggie Jackson trying to punch Martin.

The controversy, paranoia and sniping is going full tilt. Tabloid headline writers are having a dream season and fans can soak up the daily Yankees soap opera before they check the standings.

And despite all the intrigue, the Yankees have won five straight and are within 5-1/2 games of first-place Boston in the A.L. East.

The past week has been a boon to those starved for controversy. The trouble began last Tuesday when McDowell was booed when he walked off the mound as New York lost both ends of a doubleheader to Chicago.

McDowell responded to the boos by thrusting his middle finger in the air. One paper labeled him “Jack Ass” before the furor died down when McDowell pitched well Sunday.

“I never thought it would become such a big ‘players vs. fans’ issue. When it got to that point it got real frustrating,” McDowell said.

Making matters worse, the winning pitchers for the White Sox were Jim Abbott and Dave Righetti - the last two Yankees to throw no-hitters.

Howe complained that someone in the organization spread a rumor that he had distributed amphetamines to teammates. Showalter acknowledged the situation and said it had been dealt with. Howe, suspended seven times for drug violations, strongly denied the allegation.

Mattingly, a Yankee since 1982, said he was finished “sharing my feelings” with the media because of the criticism. Most concerned his low run production (three homers, 24 RBIs and a .214 average with runners in scoring position). Mattingly believes Steinbrenner fueled the scrutiny.

“One of the things you can’t forget when you play here is that the field is your only weapon,” Mattingly said Sunday after his two-run home run sparked an 11-4 victory over Texas.

The fans gave Mattingly a standing ovation after the home run, littered the field with souvenir caps and received a curtain call from the captain.

“At least it was caps, not something else. Don’t we have Bat Day here?” Showalter joked.

Meanwhile, Tartabull hasn’t been traded, hasn’t played and hasn’t been put on the disabled list since injuring his rib cage. Steinbrenner wondered publicly if Tartabull was faking the injury because he didn’t want to get booed.

“I’m getting a little fed up with the whole situation of Stick (general manager Gene Michael) and Buck saying things in meetings and then being Mr. Nice Guys to the press about (Tartabull). They should stand up and say what they said at the meetings or there are going to be some serious consequences,” Steinbrenner said.

Showalter tried to duck the challenge.

“Tell you what I say about a person in a meeting?” Showalter asked, his voice rising. “A lot of things we talk about in private meetings aren’t constructive in public. Like your mother said, if you can’t say something good about someone …”

Michael has received lowball offers from other teams who know the Yankees are trying to get rid of Tartabull. Showalter explained not putting him on the 15-day disabled list the past 11 days by saying: “If we trade a guy on the disabled list, that’s five or so more days where the team that gets him can’t use him.”

Waiting for his Yankees’ debut at Triple-A Columbus is Strawberry, living under house arrest, hitting .333 and pounding the ball. He hit two more home runs Monday in a 15-2 win over Norfolk, his fourth and fifth while playing in the minors.

Negotiations with Strawberry’s agent, Bill Goodstein, encountered problems because Steinbrenner wants Strawberry to donate part of his $675,000 salary to Daytop Village, a drug treatment facility, and have a bank handle his finances.

“I’m trying to do what’s best for Darryl,” Steinbrenner said. “I think this young man has to realize he’s been given a great chance here … one some people say he didn’t deserve.”

But no one’s telling Showalter anything.

“As far as whether he’s ready or whether his contract situation is worked out, I just don’t know. He’s a Columbus Clipper as far as I know.”

On the field, one early-inning incident Sunday summed up what it’s like to play for the Yankees these days. Luis Polonia led off the first inning with a homer, then, during the next half-inning, lost a ball in the sun in left field. Two runs scored, Polonia was given an error and the fans booed.

In the next inning, they gave a mock cheer when he caught a fairly routine fly ball.

“Here, they get panicked for everything. I have trouble with a ball in the sun and they boo me? Then they give me a standing ovation?” Polonia asked with a smile. “I wanted to give them the finger, I gave them (a tip of) the cap.”