Butler Ignites War Of Words Retired Star’s Rap On Piazza Provokes Backlash By Dodgers

Angered by comments made by former Los Angeles Dodger Brett Butler about Mike Piazza in the Los Angeles Times, the organization rallied around its All-Star catcher Monday in Vero Beach, Fla., criticizing Butler and questioning his motives.

Coaches and players at Dodgertown were stunned by the story, in which the retired Butler described Piazza as a “moody, self-centered ‘90s player.” They especially disagreed with Butler’s assessment that Piazza, their franchise player, was to blame for the team’s recent late-season collapses.

“I don’t agree with anything Brett says,” manager Bill Russell said. “I don’t see what he sees at all. In Mike, you’re talking about a guy who has done a lot for our team. Mike has done a lot for the game of baseball.”

The players were swift and uniform in their condemnation of Butler.

“Where is he coming from with that?” second baseman Eric Young said. “I started out playing with Mike in single-A (at Vero Beach in 1990), and that’s not the Mike Piazza I know.

“Mike always gives it his all to win. Mike cares about winning, so I don’t know why (Butler) is saying all this stuff. I just don’t get it.”

Third baseman Todd Zeile also was troubled, saying Butler’s comments were wrong. Moreover, Zeile said Butler should have voiced his opinions to Piazza while they were teammates, instead of taking shots at Piazza after retiring.

“You don’t need to hear a voice from the grave,” he said. “If Brett felt that bad about this, why didn’t he say that to him face to face?”

Butler said the Dodgers “can’t build around Piazza because he is not a leader.” But several players said Piazza leads in his own way, adding that it’s not Butler’s place to critique Piazza’s style.

Butler criticized the Times story Monday, calling it a “senseless display of journalism,” but he didn’t dispute the accuracy of the quotes attributed to him.

Former manager Tom Lasorda, a longtime friend of both Butler and Piazza, said he plans to speak with Butler, possibly today.

Former Dodgers pitcher Tom Candiotti, now with the Oakland A’s, considered Brett Butler’s rip of Mike Piazza from Phoenix, Ariz., and said:

“I guess when you’re out of baseball you can say stuff like that, but you would think he’d have the time now to look at himself in the mirror.

“If you went to Mike, he’d probably tell you that Brett Butler was a lot of the problem, and a lot of people probably would.”