Latest news with #Mientkiewicz
New York Post
01-08-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Jeff Passan goes to war with former MLB player on X
ESPN insider Jeff Passan and former MLB player Doug Mientkiewicz got into a roast-filled spat Thursday, and all of Baseball Twitter can bear witness. The fiery argument took place on X Friday, stemming from Passan's Thursday post that described newly acquired Pirates prospect Edgleen Perez as having 'excellent swing decisions.' 'Man what a time to be alive when a non baseball person writes 'excellent swing decisions' for a guy hitting .209 in A ball and is a career .241 hitter,' replied Mientkiewicz, who spent 12 seasons as a big-league first baseman. 'I swear some scouts and writers will say anything to sound somewhat intelligent to non baseball people.' Perez, a 19-year-old catcher, is one of the prospects Pittsburgh acquired from the Yankees in exchange for closer David Bednar ahead of Thursday's trade deadline. Passan, never one to hold back on his critics, quickly responded to Mientkiewicz. ESPN's Jeff Passan on Oct. 2, 2024. Getty Images 'That description came from a scout, Doug,' Passan wrote. 'Do you hate them, too, or are you just bitter because batting average is no longer the metric people care about and it's the only one you were ever good at? Stay bitter, guy.' Minetkiewicz, a 2004 World Series champion with the Red Sox, hit .271 across his MLB career, which included a seven-year stretch with the Twins and brief stints with the Mets (2005) and Yankees (2007). He responded by writing: 'Here is a line you should never forget. I can do what you do, you can't do what the players do. Bitter? Not at all. Without players you have no job. Without scouts you have zero knowledge. Don't forget it guy!' That set Passan off, and the reporter responded with back-to-back fiery posts. Doug Mientkiewicz with the Yankees on Oct. 4, 2007. AP First, he said, 'It's a good thing I'm trying not to play, Doug. The sad part is that you're trying to think, and you are absolutely terrible at it,' before later adding: 'You had a good career. You were a good ballplayer. You did things I never could. That doesn't give you license to say stupid things. I don't know a lot — so I ask people who do. You think you know a lot — and those who actually do laugh at you.' Mientkiewicz responded with the final word, for now, claiming that Passan got his feelings hurt, and that the insider should have credited whichever scout gave him the information about Perez's swing. 'Just give the people giving you info the credit like you give the players credit, Mientkiewicz posted. 'Simple.'
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Niles park upgrades near completion ahead of summer season
NILES, Ohio (WKBN) – A park improvement project in Niles is well underway as leaders there plan to celebrate at least part of it on Friday. The countdown is on — the City of Niles is about 60 days from cutting the ribbon on its new playground, splash pad and gazebo at Waddell Park. The goal is to celebrate its opening Memorial Day weekend. 'Seeing that we're in the home stretch, it's finally nice to see it all come together,' Mayor Steve Mientkiewicz said. Crews continued working on the project Thursday. Mientkiewicz says a new restroom facility and security cameras still need to be installed. 'When all the playground mulch goes in, all the landscaping, the final site work and grading, it's really going to look phenomenal,' Mientkiewicz said. It's all part of $4.6 million in upgrades to Waddell Park — $2.5 million of which was paid for with federal grant money. The improvements include drainage work, concrete repairs and field turf. 'We'll top it all off with a brand new road going through Waddell Park in Sharkey Drive,' Mientkiewicz said. He says excitement has been building around the project. People have already shown interest in renting the facilities and hosting tournaments. 'That's going to be the next step in this process — to really use Waddell Park as a destination, use it as an economic development driver,' Mientkiewicz said. Officials will be holding a first pitch ceremony at Wilder Field on the new turf ahead of the first varsity baseball game of the season Friday afternoon. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
