Yanks' Ottavino clarifies comments about 'The Babe'

One of reliever Adam Ottavino's first duties upon his official arrival after signing with the New York Yankees on Friday was to explain what seemed to be disparaging remarks he made about baseball legend Babe Ruth about a month ago. "I had an argument with a coach in Triple-A about Babe Ruth's effectiveness in today's game," Ottavino said then on MLB.com's "Statcast" podcast. "And this was like 10 years ago. I said, 'Look, Babe Ruth, with that swing, swinging that bat, I got him hitting a buck-40 with eight homers.'

"And he's like, 'Are you nuts? Babe Ruth would hit .370 with 60 homers.' And I'm like, I would strike Babe Ruth out every time. I'm not trying to disrespect him, rest in peace, shout out to Babe Ruth. But it was a different game. I mean, the guy ate hot dogs and drank beer and did whatever he did, and it was just a different game." After finalizing a $27 million deal Thursday night to join the Yankees corps of relievers who will set up closer Aroldis Chapman, Ottavino attempted to clarify his comments during a conference call on Friday.

"I was surprised that it went so viral," Ottavino said. "But I saw when they put the quote out of context out there why people would get so upset. I mean certainly I probably used a bad example of the point I was trying to make: the evolution of the pitching in baseball over baseball history. And Babe Ruth's probably a name that I shouldn't have used in this example. But I've got a lot of flak for it, mostly funny stuff, like my uncle telling me that he can't go anywhere without hearing about it. Things like that. "But I meant no disrespect. I'm a huge baseball historian and love the game, and it's not even something that can be proven anyway, so I find it a little funny."

Maybe Ottavino, 33, who came over the Colorado Rockies, says he was not trying to mess with Ruth's legacy, but will be making history by becoming the first player in club history to wear the number 0 in the famous Yankees pinstripes. "From my perspective it's the number I have had even before high school, it's just something I am comfortable with," said Ottavino, a Brooklyn native. "I realize every kind of fan recognition I get with the Yankees is contingent on me pitching well, so just try to focus on this and be myself and not make a big deal about the number."

--Field Level Media