Joel Zumaya 'Can't Stand the Yankees'

Throughout the history of baseball, fans of the game have always sought out the players they could relate to. Sure, the superstars of the game receive a lot of love and adulation from their fans, but those fans also realize that they're never going to be able to hit 755 homers or hit .400. That's why there are always those cult favorites on every team. The scrappy guy who doesn't have the most talent, but through his hard work and dedication he gets the job done.

(For an example of this, just look at all those general managers who keep giving David Eckstein a job.)

Now in Detroit there's a pitcher who just about every baseball fan outside of the Bronx can relate to, not just Tigers fans. Turns out that like most of us, flame-thrower Joel Zumaya isn't much of a fan of the New York Yankees. In fact, he can't stand them.

"I can't stand the Yankees, man, and I'm going to go right after them," he said after an outing in which he hit 100 mph on the radar gun. "But that's just part of this game. I'm going to go right after guys."

When asked by John Keating of Fox Sports Detroit what he doesn't like about the Yankees, Zumaya said, "there are little things about them I can't stand. They're just the Yankees."

I'm guessing the little things Zumaya is referring to are those huge contracts and the 26 World Series trophies they currently possess. Not to mention the fact that they get to play in a city like New York while Zumaya is forced to toil away in Detroit.

Oh, and Alex Rodriguez. Everybody hates that guy. Even his teammates.

Zumaya didn't go on to give his opinion of the disabled list, but judging by the amount of time he's spent there in recent years, I feel confident in saying that he loves it.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

4-30-2009 @ 1:03PM

cusekid21 said...

This guy is a zero. He hates the Yankees? SO WHAT?! I hate him. He will waste away in Motown and stew about the Yankees...oh, until his agent calls him and says, "You have been traded to the Yankees." Watch him change his tune then. He hates them 'cause he ain't them!

4-30-2009 @ 1:05PM

Travis said...

Joel Zumaya doesn't have a leg to stand on....way to hurt your hand playing video games in the playoffs buddy. And you'll never be good since your are always on the disabled list. Joel Zumaya is a nobody in baseball

4-30-2009 @ 1:43PM

b said...

Fun Fact of the Day - Over the past 5 years, Zumaya has pitched in more World Series games than any Yankee pitchers.

4-30-2009 @ 2:02PM

Fun Fact......He has no ring to show. He is a low rated pitcher with no work ethic.

4-30-2009 @ 2:07PM

howie said...

That thing on his chin looks alot like a womens private parts. Go Yankees

4-30-2009 @ 2:26PM

NATHAN said...

Fun Fact....Nick Swisher has more K's in 2009 than Zumaya

4-30-2009 @ 2:51PM

Last I checked, Swisher only struck out Gabe Kapler. Zumaya just got off the DL and has pitched in 2 games without giving up a run, although striking out just 1.

I'm a Tigers fan so I won't feel bad when the Yankees are fighting off the Rays for 3rd place in July. Jokers.

4-30-2009 @ 4:07PM

Zumaya might have been an injury ridden joke the past 2 years, but he still dominated in 2006, which is more recent than any Yankee domination.

2006 DET
Games - 62
IP - 83.1
Hits - 56
Runs - 20
ER - 18
BB - 42
K - 97
ERA - 1.94
WHIP - 1.18
OPP BA - .187

Oh yeah...he was 22 and in his first season.

4-30-2009 @ 3:04PM

Joba Chamberlain

2007 NYY

Games-19
IP-24
Hits-12
Runs-2
ER-1
BB-0
k-34
ERA- 0.38
whip- 0.75
OPP BA- .145

oh yea...he was 21 and in his first season

and oh yea, he pitched the next two years, and oh yea, he is a SP now which is way more valuable than an often hurt RP

4-30-2009 @ 3:09PM

oh yea, and he was in the middle of a tight Pennant Race, and oh yea, he was in the much tougher AL east.

4-30-2009 @ 3:12PM

JAMES FIORELLO said...

IF YOU DONT LIKE USA YANKEES THEN GO BACK TO SOUTH AMERICA WHERE DO YOU BELONG ...

4-30-2009 @ 3:34PM

Brent said...

jesus you yankee fans are touchy, how is it hard to see that people dont like teams that just try to buy up all the talent in the league...people hating the yankees is not a new thing

4-30-2009 @ 10:14PM

spicsapian said...

let me tell all you yankee haters somthing... you get pissed because ny yankees hae the money to buy the talent... trust me if your home team can do the same they will.... we get guys because your teams dont take the chance....... your team bids close to what the yankees pay for players.. yankees just outbid the other teams by 1 or 2 million.. you want the player spend the money point blank,,,,

4-30-2009 @ 3:39PM

I don't think any of us our touchy. I'm honored to root for a team so feared and hated by everyone else. Derek Jeter said it best "When they stop booing us, that's when you know things have gone bad" We are from the greatest city in the world rooting for the greatest team in sports, you think we care what other people think? I am personally flattered that teams and fans hate us so much, it just means we are better.

4-30-2009 @ 4:11PM

Geezer said...

Best city in the world? Boston begs to differ.

Greatest team in sports? Not even close. Sure, they have a lot of World Series rings, but a lot of them were won when the rest of the league didn't have enough money to buy up all the talent. Now, though, the game has changed and the Yankees have yet to keep up. Home runs are nice but it's the pitching, stupid!

I will only consider the Yankees a threat, minor as it may be, when their pitching staff approaches dependability.

4-30-2009 @ 5:53PM

icerxl7890 said...

Yankees still suck. they think they can buy there problems away. instead of taking the time to actually coach players, they get out the checkbook. it shows look at their record ever since they got big bad A-roid. the modern age yankees are prime example of a downward spiral.

4-30-2009 @ 6:51PM

BIGAL said...

Please note, the author of the article also stated he hates the Yankees. That's his right, but talk about being stupid, if I were with the Yankees organization, I'd never talk to this so called sports reporter, let him get his quotes and info second hand, sort of like his love life. Come on, how can you be in a business that requires you to interreact with players and coaches of all teams, and declare in writing you hate the greatest team in sports history. That's just another part of the game today, a total lack of professional attitude by both sides.

4-30-2009 @ 10:17PM

the yankees have not won the world series in 10 12 years... so stop complaining that they buy up all the talent... but the yankees sure try every year to et back where they where 10 years ago.. and if they got the money i say go ahead and spend it.... yankees will be back as champs soon

5-01-2009 @ 3:03AM

longfordmac2 said...

"To the Yankee haters" - here are a few FACTS that might make you hate them more:
1.) They have unquestionably the MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE fans in baseball !
2.) NO SPORTS FRANCHISE IN the WORLD has had more GREAT names than the BRONX Bombers- Ruth, Gehrig, Lazzeri, DiMaggio, Dickey, Mantle, Berra, Ford, Maris, Mattingly, Jeter, Riviera to name a few (all were NOT free agents)
3.) NO team in the world history of sports has more CHAMPIONSHIPS !
4.) They are the "only" team that has their fraternity of retired players, great ones as well as utility players, come back to the Stadium for recognition. "Old Timers Day" is one of the greatest days in baseball. And makes the All Star Classic -ha, look like the folly it has become.
5.) It has the successful sports network channel in ALL of Sports www.yesnetwork.com
And from there the business pays the lucrative contracts. IF Ford, GM, Bankrupt Chrysler plowed profits back into keeping their product strong they would still be the champions of the auto industry.
6.) Lastly ....the NEW YORK Yankees draw more fans at home, and ON THE ROAD than any team in baseball. So they're putting money in the pockets of workers and ball clubs around America.

Get over it haters..... we win even when we're not hanging more championship flags.

5-01-2009 @ 8:30PM

mariano said...

To longfordmac2.........that was a fantastic reply to all the fools who deny that the Yankees are the greatest.....We all know its obvious envy of the greatest sports franchise in history

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