Yankees: Tyler Austin’s father rips Greg Bird, who takes high road

As it turns out, it’s not just the parents of Little Leaguers that often lash out in frustration. The father of former Yankees prospect Tyler Austin recently let all of Twitter know his true feelings about Greg Bird.

The latest victim to find out what’s posted on the Internet stays there forever, even if you think you delete it is Chris Austin — father of former Yankees first baseman Tyler Austin.

Since being traded to the Twins as part of the Lance Lynn deal, Austin has done exceptionally well in a limited amount of time. In eight games, the 26-year-old is 10-for-27 (.370/.400/.741) with four runs scored, three home runs and six RBIs.

This recent stretch of productivity allowed the elder Austin to air his grievances via Twitter, criticizing Greg Bird, whom the Yankees have stayed committed to despite his struggles this season.

According to the New York Post, these are the transcripts of the now deleted tweets.

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“18 homerun for Tyler on the year but bird is the word,” Chris Austin wrote Aug. 11, when Tyler hit a two-run homer in his debut with the Twins… “Tyler has more hits with the twins in a week than bird has in a month with the Yankees,” Chris posted a week later, on a day Tyler had three hits, including one homer, in a Twins loss to the Tigers.

There was some more talk from Chris Austin, complaining about Yankees fans and how they couldn’t “sit back and enjoy the game.” However, now that Tyler plays in Minnesota, it’s pretty irrelevant.

As far as what is correct and incorrect from Austin’s father — 18 home runs is what Tyler has hit when you combine his 11 major league home runs and seven minor league ones. So that stat doesn’t really fly.

Both Bird and Austin are indeed tied with 11 long balls apiece. However, Austin has been far more consistent at the plate over the past seven games: 9-for-23 (.391 BA) as compared to Bird’s 3-for-26 (.115).

Even if Austin’s father is correct in his assessment of the statistical situation, it’s never a good idea to put your son, a major league baseball player, in such an awkward position.

And according to Phil Miller of the Star Tribune, Austin was “embarrassed,” saying what his father did was “unacceptable,” while instructing him to take down the tweet. Austin also said he plans on calling his former teammate, Bird, to apologize.

Following the Yankees 12-inning marathon with the Marlins in which the Yanks luckily pulled out 2-1, Bird sheepishly told the NJ.com this was the first he heard about the mocking.

Despite going 0-for-6 with three strikeouts in the contest, Bird acknowledged he and Tyler have a great relationship and places no blame on him whatsoever. Having never met Chirs Austin, Bird took the high road, saying he holds no animosity while continuing to wish nothing but the best for his former teammate.

“Parents … people get emotional about things and they say stuff… I’ve seen a lot of what he’s been through and he’s seen a lot of what I’ve been through, so I’m excited to see him in Minnesota when we go there next month.”