Tom Seaver: Reggie Jackson 'Sometimes Turns The Logical Part Of His Brain Off'
NEW YORK (WFAN) -- Reggie Jackson has received tons of criticism since questioning A-Rod's numbers and the Cooperstown credentials of Gary Carter -- not to mention others -- in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated.
Buffalo Bisons manager Wally Backman, Carter's teammate on the 1986 championship Mets, called the remarks "a disgrace." Even the Yankees told Jackson, who is employed by the club as a special adviser, to stay away from the clubhouse and team events.
Tom Seaver added his take Wednesday regarding his outspoken fellow Hall of Famer. Just like "Manny being Manny" was used for years to explain the antics of former Red Sox star Manny Ramirez, the Mets legend explained to the Buffalo News that "Reggie is Reggie."
"I like Reggie but Reggie sometimes turns the logical part of his brain off," Seaver said before his appearance as keynote speaker at the Triple-A All-Star luncheon. "And Reggie loves to talk. It just didn't make very much sense to me."
In the now-infamous interview with SI, Jackson questioned the legitimacy of some Hall of Fame players, including Carter and 2011 inductee Bert Blyleven. He also said the 2009 steroid confession of Yankees star Alex Rodriguez "does cloud some of his records."
"I didn't see Kirby Puckett as a Hall of Famer," Jackson said. "I didn't see Gary Carter as a Hall of Famer. I didn't see Don Sutton as a Hall of Famer. I didn't see Phil Niekro as a Hall of Famer. As much as I like Jim Rice, I'm not so sure he's a Hall of Famer."
Jackson has reportedly apologized to the Yankees and A-Rod, and told the New York Post he would speak with Carter's family.
"It will be interesting to see, won't it? Reggie will apologize. He's very diplomatic," said Seaver. "The other part of it is he believes very strongly about the institution. He wouldn't be saying that if it was just about himself I hope. And he's too bright not to be that way."
Is "Reggie being Reggie" the new "Manny being Manny"? Sound off in the comments below...
