Miguel Tejada can’t buy a break. First it was steroids & HGH, then it was his age, and now it’s tipping pitches. The Astros shortstop is alleged to have tipped pitches to Tony Batista and Adrian Beltre while he was on the A’s. However, Eric Chavez actually said that he didn’t remember any incidents described by the New York Times. Tejada denied the allegations to MLB.com and said his accusers are “some guys who played with me on the A’s who are jealous.”
Via Mercury News:
ANAHEIM — The New York Times reported over the weekend that former A’s shortstop Miguel Tejada was suspected of tipping pitches to opponents, supposedly infuriating his Oakland teammates during the 2001 season.
If true, that adds some spice to a playoff season in which the A’s won 102 games and the AL wild card. But no solid evidence has been presented, and Tejada has denied everything.
The story also included speculation that Tejada purposely botched plays on balls hit by Toronto’s Tony Batista and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Adrian Beltre, both players with whom Tejada supposedly was close.
Things got so tense over the season, according to the story, that manager Art Howe called a team meeting to clear the air.
Eric Chavez, the lone remaining A’s player from that team, said he was unaware of any such suspicions about Tejada, who won the American League MVP award with Oakland in 2002.
Chavez also said he didn’t remember a meeting that centered on Tejada and the accusations.
“I don’t recall anything like that. That doesn’t mean it didn’t happen,” Chavez said by phone. “As far as I’m concerned, I don’t have a bad thing to say about (Tejada). If it came out that he was tipping pitches, that would change.”
Howe couldn’t be reached for comment.
A source who was with the team during the 2001 season acknowledged there was suspicion surrounding Tejada but that no proof has ever been presented.
Tags: baseball, eric chavez, houston astros, miguel tejada, MLB, oakland athletics, tipping pitches
