David Wells has never been one to hold back — and he certainly didn’t on the airwaves of WFAN.
Joining “The Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata Show” on WFAN Monday afternoon, Wells — who has discussed wearing Babe Ruth’s 1934 hat during a 1997 game with the Yankees — shaded Tierney, who criticized the pitcher for violating the team’s uniform code.
“You’d be a great manager for the Yankees right now, because you’re a yes-to-everything guy,” Wells, 61, said. “You’re going to kiss their ass and do whatever they tell you to do.”
“No way. Stop it,” Tierney replied.
“You’re a yes man,” Wells said.
It was at this point that the mood of the interview shifted from joking to defensive for the hosts.
“You say that, I’m just going to say I’m not?” Tierney retorted. “I’d say that if you knew me – and by the way, your boy Coney [David Cone] “If anybody knows me, ask them, we were talking about you, about everything else. Ask Coney if I’m a man who says yes to everything. I can promise you I’m not.”
The three-time All-Star internalized the bitter remark but continued his attack, pointing out what he believed to be flawed logic.
“Okay, but you were going to criticize me earlier if I had [taken] “I better take care of myself,” Wells said. “Now you defend Joe Torre. Now you flip the switch here. I got you!”
“I’m not defending Joe Torre,” Tierney responded. “I’m adding context, number one. Number two, I’m a fan. That’s what makes you a fan favorite: You’re very flawed. I’m just highlighting some of the imperfections, because we’re having a good conversation. That’s all.”
Licata’s intervention seems to have done the trick, with the eclectic Wells embracing his uniqueness.
“I’m all for it. I think it’s great because it’s a good conversation,” Wells says. “I’ve done it my way and it’s worked for me. It doesn’t work for everybody, but it works for me.”
The initial dispute arose after Wells revealed that Torre had fined him $2,500 for wearing the memorabilia to a game.
Earlier in the conversation, Wells reinforced his dislike of Torre, who the pitcher said was the sole driving force behind his trade out of New York in 1999.
“It broke my heart. It was a dream come true to play for the Yankees,” Wells said. “The Yankees meant everything to me as a kid. To be traded, the first day of spring training, it rocked my world. I think it was Joe Torre, because he didn’t like me at all. I didn’t think he was a good manager, because he didn’t treat everybody the same.”
During his 21-year career, Wells played in pinstripes for four seasons, winning back-to-back titles in 1997 and 1998 while pitching a perfect game on May 17, 1998 – only the fourth in franchise history.
Despite his abrupt departure in 1999 — traded to the Blue Jays for Roger Clemens — Wells returned to New York for two seasons from 2002 to 2003.
Since retiring in 2007, Wells has not been afraid to speak his mind.
In the last month alone, the left-hander has publicly defended once-suspended Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer and said he almost fought George Steinbrenner.
