This Means War! Kay v. Francesa

Recently, after more than a ten-year relationship with the YES Network, the Mike Francessa Show was not renewed. Many people have speculated that it may have had something to do with the “Sports Pope” having Alex Rodriguez on his show.

On that infamous day, A-Rod stormed out of the court room in anger because Bud Selig did not have to  testify. Then appearing on the show to bash the commissioner and the Yankees. However, it was denied that the interview had anything to do with the decision.

The Michael Kay Show now plays on the YES Network. Along with Kay, Don La Greca is his co-host. The show certainly started with a bang. Right after the intro, Kay is seen throwing an unopened Diet Coke in the garbage (pictured above). Francesa drank Diet Coke daily on his show so the Yankees announcer was taking a clear shot.

Francesa fired back saying it was a “Classless, loser move from two guys I have been burying in ratings for over a decade.” Things have stayed pretty calm up until this week when Francesa went a little over the top with one of his theories.

Kevin Long, Yankees hitting coach, recently made comments saying it bothered him that Robinson Cano didn’t run hard on ground balls. It has been well documented for years that Cano dogged it to first a times so really not to big of a deal unless you’re Mike Francesa. “The Yankees put him  up to say it,” Francesa said. “… I think the Yankees have been trying to discredit Cano since he left.” Absurd.

Long also praised Cano and said they have a very close relationship but Francesa left that part out. Kay heard these comments and added a few of his own. “It is so ludicrous to think if the Yankees were going to put someone up to it,  they would enlist a batting coach,” Kay said. “Does someone really think Hal Steinbrenner or Randy Levine picked up the phone, called Kevin Long and said, ‘We want you to rip Robinson Cano’? Anyone who says that is ill-informed.”

Things have been very heated between the two sports talk show hosts. Francesa obviously has very strong feelings against the Yankees. Even towards the end of his tenure on the network, he would at times take shots against them. I have to agree with Michael Kay on this one.

It seems like Francesa is trying to find anything to get at the Yankees with. I can’t imagine how anyone would think the Yankees would put Long up to doing this. You may want to pay attention to both shows in upcoming weeks, things could get interesting.

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