It’s not a secret that Mariano Rivera is pitching his final year in pinstripes. It’s not a secret that Mariano is taking time out during each stop of the “Farwell Tour’ to thank baseball fans. It’s all a part of the job of being the classiest closer in baseball, but even the classiest men sometimes end up in predicaments with their own teammates–wait, what?
Well that’s exactly what happened yesterday before the Yankees/Royals game. Mariano was in the dugout, speaking with the media about the three families that he met with earlier in the day. One of the families lost a child in an airport sign accident earlier in the year. The second family had a 14-year old son who was a pitcher for his baseball team, and was also battling cancer. The third family had a baseball field built in their backyard for their wheelchair bound son, with assistance from the “Dream Team”. Mariano was telling the reporters about the emotional stories–and Joba Chamberlain was being a bit too loud for Mariano’s liking. Of course, Joba had his family in the stadium, the only time he’d see his family this season–but his family wouldn’t be a valid excuse for what happened next. Mariano Rivera told Joba if he could be quiet, since he was trying to get his thought across to the reporters.
Joba went back to signing autographs as Mo finished his interview with the media, telling the fans in a sardonic matter, “I look at it everyday. I have to be quiet, they’re finishing an interview.” After Mariano’s interview finished and Joba finished signing autographs, Joba went to the dugout where fans and media were standing, and shocked the baseball world when he reprimanded Mariano Rivera.
“Don’t ever shush me again.” Joba reportedly told Mo. Mo acknowledged Joba with a small smile, not wanting to get into an argument with him. Not while the media and fans were standing there. However, Joba wouldn’t let it go.
“Seriously. Don’t ever shush me again. I don’t get to see my family very often.” Joba made it a point that he wasn’t joking with Rivera. That was when Mariano Rivera respectfully responded while trying to diffuse the situation.
“I didn’t say not to talk to your family. That’s all right. You can talk to your family any time you want.” Joba ignored Mariano for the rest of the evening and was asked about the altercation after the game.
“I’m not talking about it. That’s between me and Mo.” Joba sniped. Mariano was more respectful when the media asked but he wasn’t going to go into detail.
“We’ll take care of it. We’re grownups and I know better than that. We’ll take care of that.”
After hearing about the altercation, some fans went to Twitter and expressed their disdain for Chamberlain, making it a point that Joba was wrong and Mo was right.
Looking forward to seeing how @yankeespr cleans up @joba_62‘s mess. #Yankees
— Meredith D. (@YankeeBeatCheck) May 12, 2013
“Don’t shush me.” — Joba Chamberlain Yankeeography — Brian Cheung (@brianspeaksnow) May 12, 2013
.@joba_62 Shhhhhh — William Blessing(@blessing4b98) May 12, 2013
@joba_62 wow, you have quickly become the most hated Yankee out there…but your own fans
— Eric deCaro (@LoveGolfBigTime) May 12, 2013
@joba_62 Enjoy your last year in pinstripes!!
— Tommy ONeill (@RealTommyONeill) May 12, 2013
Those were the tame tweets that I found about Joba…
Now, it’s up to you to decide. Who was right and who was wrong? Although, I’m not sure why I ask this since I already know most of your answers…and it most likely won’t be Mo that was wrong.
