Jim Rice Sets the Record Straight on Comments About Jeter, A-Rod
The drama began last week, at the Little League World Series.
Hall of Famer Jim Rice was talking to the young stars of tomorrow when he told them he thought that today's players can't compare to the players he played against during his heyday.
He threw in a couple of names -- Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez were the ones that garnered the most attention -- and everyone ran wild.
"You see a Manny Ramirez, you see an A-Rod, you see Jeter. ... Guys that I played against and with, these guys you're talking about cannot compare," Rice said.
After the ensuing media storm, Rice realized the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry would cast a certain light on his comments. He didn't mean to ruffle any feathers, and on Monday's edition of Red Sox Pregame, he set the record straight.
"What the kids are seeing on TV, those are they guys the kids [are trying to] emulate," Rice told NESN's Tom Caron. "And I think when you have that, you have a tendency of getting away from the way the game is played. The game is played one way: Go out there and play hard. That's all."
When Rice talked to the Little Leaguers, he encouraged them to play for a love of the game -- not for a love of money. He told them they weren't likely to make the kind of money guys like Jeter and A-Rod do, so that shouldn't be their motivation. That, he explained, is why he mentioned those players in particular.
"With today's kids, I think they want everything fast," Rice said. "But you really have to work at it. Nobody's going to give you anything, so by setting a good example -- by going out and working and doing the right things -- those are the things you're going to be able to accomplish in baseball."
And as for the speculation that Rice has a problem with the way Jeter plays the game, Rice had one thing to say: It's all ludicrous.
"Derek Jeter plays the game one way: He plays the game hard," Rice said. "You can look at his numbers -- the numbers speak for themselves. You look at how many games he played, how many hits he accumulates ... he sparks the ballclub. When you talk about the Yankees, you say Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees, not the New York Yankees and Derek Jeter."
You can watch Rice's full commentary here:
Comments (