MIKE'S TRUTHS NOT SELF-EVIDENT

We've all known this truth to be self-evident: Mike Francesa says a lot of inaccurate statements. This whole Ryan Church thing is getting to me. Mike has declared that Ryan Church is 'very unhappy in New York'. Someone told him this in the Mets dugout this summer. Yesterday, a couple of callers contradicted Mike on this assertion(FYI - this blog is reaching out to Church to get a statement). But he wasn't having it. It's ok when Mike has a strong opinion about the quality of a player and his bearing on a team. But when he starts making claims about a person's state of mind that he either won't substantiate or corroborate, this is when we get into a tricky spot.

Just this week, Mike without any hesitation declared Ichiro 'a very selfish player'. This was based on an article about a "un-named Mariner" who supposedly wanted to punch Ichiro because of this aforementioned selfishness. Did Mike bother to say that a teammate of Ichiro and his manager came out against this anonymous player on the record? No. Mike apparently has his finger on the pulse of Seattle sports. He speaks as if he's stood on first base when Ichiro has swung through the bunt sign and into a double play. This ain't basketball, Mike. A 'selfish' baseball player usually helps the team. I think Ichiro's 1800 hits have helped the team along the way.

And now Mike has Ryan Church to play Baseball Insider with. To use the show's terminology, 'Be careful, Mike'. Your words have an impact on this player. For some reason, people take your word as bond. Although your statements won't affect whether or not the Mets bring Church back, they will affect some fans' perception of Church. If he comes back, Church might be treated like Mike Hampton in some circles. But if there is anything we've learned about Mike is that he doesn't care. He makes statements without impunity. The only way to punish Mike for his inaccuracies is through ratings. As long as his show rates, he will not change his tune. What are the chances he gets on today and says, "I called my source last night on the Ryan Church thing. And he's confirmed it." Or even more improbable, "I asked Sal Licata to get Ryan Church on the show today so we can talk to him." Don't hold your breath. Instead, cover your ears.