Rafael Devers continues to address the media, saying his actions against the Marlins were ruled out of balance
SAN FRANCISCO — Rafael Devers’ translator, Giants’ Spanish announcer Erwin Higueros, was in the middle of translating his answer into English when the Giants’ first base coach interrupted him. He had something else to say.
“And, and, and, and, and, and, again,” Devers said in Spanish, concluding a Donald Trump-style tirade against the media.
“I think what it is, the media in general, you guys just put everything out of proportion. I think it’s a reflection that I don’t really talk to you. I don’t talk to the media. So because I don’t talk to the media, things like this happen. So you guys have to write everything and try to put everything out in proportion.”
It’s true: Devers doesn’t really talk to the media.
It’s not like he didn’t get a chance to explain himself and provide the clarity he wanted on Tuesday, two days after he publicly defied manager Tony Vitello by wagging his finger, trying to chase down a runner and heading back to the clubhouse.
Devers was asked after Sunday’s 2-1 loss to the Marlins to give his opinion.
He refused.
Matt Chapman and Vitello were left with an eyebrow-raising incident in the ninth inning of their third loss in three games in Miami. On Tuesday, president of baseball, Buster Posey, said he would like to see more accountability from his first baseman, who is expected to remain on the roster for eight more seasons.
“I think everyone should be their own person,” Posey said. But, he continued, “I think he finally understands that there has to be some accountability. Sometimes it’s not fun. It’s not fun standing in front of a camera or a microphone, but that’s what he’s going to have to work on.”
Devers, to his credit, answered questions five minutes before the Giants’ home opener against the A’s. More importantly, he also cleared the air with Vitello.
Devers’ explanation expanded on what Vitello said after Sunday’s game — that it wasn’t all communication and that he thought he was promoted over Jonah Cox because of the problem that led Vitello to DH earlier in the series.
Still, Posey described Devers’ actions as “the wrong move.”
“We’re all prone to missteps at times,” said the former baseball executive. “You can tell he’s frustrated. Look, the way the season went, everybody’s frustrated. I think that’s the result of the frustration.”
Devers said he was trying to let his manager know it was good to run, even though he still represented a worse option as a potential matchup than the speedy Cox, who is listed almost exclusively for that purpose.
Still, Devers said he’s sorry to Vitello, if he “feels like I’m disrespecting him.”
Vitello said after the game that he didn’t feel the need to talk to Devers about the incident, even though the star came out and undermined the authority of the rookie manager.
It wasn’t the first time: Devers turned down Red Sox manager Alex Cora’s offer to play first base, leading to his trade to the Giants last June.
Devers was asked if he understood that this was “a bad look.”
“No, I don’t think so,” he said. “I know the type of person I am, I know the type of person [Vitello] is something. Like I said, I didn’t mean to disrespect him.”
Optics alone have raised questions about Vitello’s respect within the clubhouse, especially from their most valuable and highly compensated player.
“I think he’s a great person, as a manager and as a person,” Devers said of Vitello, criticizing his actions until the heat. “Obviously he is getting a lot of information. But we all respect him and will continue to do the things he wants and lead us.”
Still, Vitello was pleased with Devers’ actions and said they sped up what would have been an uncomfortable six-hour flight back from Miami following the Marlins’ sweep.
“It was necessary,” Vitello said Tuesday. “We were going to talk. But it was a nice talk. It was good that he came back. We sat there and had a little fight. I told you where I stand on that boy.”
Vitello was clear about his feelings for Devers, who he said has a “great” relationship with his father, Greg. They often run into each other at the team hotel, Vitello said.
“I’m ready to fight him at any time. As a person, the way he treats my family, especially my father, I’ll go to fight any time with him off the field,” Vitello said, turning to his rolodex of movie references for a line from “The City.”
“If he comes to my house and says I need your help, [but] You can’t ask about it, we’re going to do damage, all I can say is who are we going to drive the car with?”
