Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Mike Francesa says A-Rod might be to blame for split from YES

Mike Francesa confirmed Monday that he is leaving the YES Network after 12 years of simulcasting his afternoon show.

And, the Sports Pope says, his old pal Alex Rodriguez might be to blame.

"Was A-Rod an issue? I'm sure he was, at some level; I guarantee he was," Francesa said on the air Monday, a reference to the in-studio interview last month in which Rodriguez gave his side in his ongoing dispute with Major League Baseball over his 211-game suspension.

Francesa has had several notable interviews with the Yankees third baseman, the most controversial coming after A-Rod stormed out of the MLB hearing on his suspension appeal and right into Francesa's studio on Nov. 20.

During that interview, Rodriguez slammed Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig and said he wasn't happy with the Yankees.





Rodriguez and the Yankees, which own the network, have been on shaky terms as A-Rod has battled allegations of performance-enhancing drug violations.



Although he praised YES for being "great partners in every way" since 2002, he suggested YES and/or the Yankees eventually used money and editorial content to hasten his exit.

"It never is one reason," he said. "You'll see [reported] that economics is an issue . . . Economics is always an issue; that's just the way it is. Is it the only issue? No, it's not the only issue. There are other issues.

"Editorial control is definitely an issue; it always has been an issue. It's always been a touchy issue. It almost ended the show a couple of times through the years . . . It's always been an issue. If they tell you it's not an issue, they're not telling you the truth."


Francesa said he has known since the summer that YES would not renew its contract with his show. He said he hasn't started looking for a new home for his TV simulcast.

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