A WFAN radio caller suggested on Thursday that the media plays a part in professional athletes underperforming in New York. And WFAN host Sal Licata did not take kindly to the comments.
WFAN caller Rich voiced his concerns that the city’s media scrutiny has a negative impact on young athletes, like New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe. Now in year three of his MLB career, the 24-year-old is still having struggles at the plate after being a top-10 prospect in baseball entering 2023.
Rich: “These kids are all young! They come up here, they don’t arrive here with that deer-in-the-headlights look! They leave New York with that deer-in-the-headlights look! And you guys have to take some responsibility! You guys badger them all day long on this station, and Facebook, and all social media outlets, and you don’t think these players read this? Accept some of the responsibility! They don’t come here that way! They leave here that way! Where is Gleyber Torres this year? He’s on the All-Star team! Why is that?”
Licata: “Rich, Rich, Rich, Rich, Rich, Rich, Rich… And that’s my fault?”
Rich: “But you want to point fingers! You know whose fault it is!…”
Licata: “Get lost! Get lost! Get lost!”
Rich: “Nah, nah, nah! You don’t want to hear-”
*Licata cuts the call*
Licata: “Get lost! Bye! Thank you! Get lost! Are you kidding? You’re blaming the fans on social media and media members for questioning guys when they’re not performing. Get lost! People say nasty things about us on social media! (Crybaby voice) I didn’t perform today because people were saying I should be fired and I suck, so I didn’t have a good show. I need to go to another town to thrive. I just can’t take it. Either ignore it, or suck it up! It’s not our fault that the players don’t perform up to the level of expectation! Did we ruin Aaron Judge? Did we ruin Juan Soto? Or Francisco Lindor? Or Gerrit Cole? Or CC Sabathia? I mean, how did the Yankees ever have a dynasty in the ’90s with social media… although, social media wasn’t around… how did the Yankees ever have a dynasty in the ’90s with sports talk radio? Oh, the horror!”
There’s no doubt that the media pressure is a different animal in New York, and to Rich’s point, Gleyber Torres looks like a different player for the Detroit Tigers this year after spending his seven previous MLB seasons with the Yankees.
Some athletes will embrace the spotlight and challenge, whereas the pressure and negative coverage might be a bit much for others, especially the younger players who haven’t been around anything like it. It’s one thing if you signed a contract to play in New York and put yourself in that position; it’s another if you were drafted by a New York franchise (as Volpe was) or were traded there (as Torres was).
It’s all a good reminder that professional athletes are human beings. You can do your best to block out the noise and criticism, but that can be difficult when it’s all over TV, radio, and social media.