Lou Piniella has never been known for his way with words. The ex-manager is a master of the malaprop and his difficulty with the English language caused more than a few press conference chuckles during his skipper days.
What Piniella said while he provided commentary for the YES Network during Wednesday's Red Sox-Yankees game though, was far from funny.
After being asked in the eighth inning about last year's lopsided trade between the Toronto Blue Jays and Miami Marlins, Piniella's apparent initial impulse was to describe it as a sexual assault. And while Sweet Lou never technically used that description, he still completely stepped in it by even saying the word.
Here's a transcription of what Piniella said (via Larry Brown Sports) and here's the awkward audio via Deadspin:
“Well they just, I don’t want to use the word ‘raped,’ but they basically took a lot of talent from the Miami Marlins,” Piniella said. “Toronto will probably be picked to win the (AL East) by a lot of people.”
Here's the thing: Letting the word pass his lips constitutes using it, even if he followed it by saying that wasn't his intention. It's why Piniella — who currently draws paychecks to speak publicly for a living — might want to look into a better filter when describing a trade that was heavy on prospects for pros.
Because, yes, there are words so crude and offensive that they can't be laughed away as humorous misspeak from a crusty old lifer.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-bi...7041--mlb.html
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Thank you Kevin Kaduk for having the gonads to call this what it is.