[kq76]

I've bolded what I felt were the juicy parts.

Shea comes out swinging
July 20, 2006


Sportsnet.ca -- Shea Hillenbrand is going down swinging. A day after the former Jays DH was designated for assignment, Hillenbrand claimed that manager John Gibbons challenged him to a fist fight in the locker room. Hillenbrand added that a Jays' player who called him a cancer on the team should be ashamed of himself.

Speaking on Toronto all-sport radio station Fan 590, Hillenbrand also denied published reports that he wrote a negative message on the team chalkboard and ripped the Canadian flag from a helmet.

"It's an unfortunate thing that happened, but that's business, and it's the nature of our business. I just want to thank the organization for giving me the opportunity to play up here because it is a great place to play," said Hillenbrand in the interview.

The whole debacle started when a pre-game team meeting resulted in the dismissal of the player from the clubhouse, something Hillenbrand said was the result of a personal attack on him by manager Gibbons.

"It was a team meeting, and he singled me out and was cursing at me in front of the team. He challenged me to a fight, and wanted me to get up and punch him in the face. I am a grown man, and I am trying to set an example to my teammates so I just sat there and listened to what he had to say, along with the 25-30 other guys that were in the clubhouse."

The Toronto newspapers were ripe with conflicting opinions and interpretations of what happened between Hillenbrand and the Jays' organization. Hillenbrand, who has been traded two times prior in his major league career, was left out of the starting lineup for the second straight game versus Texas; adding credence to the belief that Jays' manager John Gibbons was not pleased with the DH's five-day absence to be with his wife in California.

The newspapers also indicated an anonymous teammate in the Jays' clubhouse referred to Hillenbrand as a "cancer" and his mood varied with his playing time.

"There is probably a good reason why that player did not state his name because he is hiding, and I have a very good suspicion of who that player is, and he should be ashamed to say something like that about his teammates because he is a self-proclaimed team leader."

Hillenbrand was named the Blue Jays MVP in 2005, a season where he hit .291, with 18 home runs and 82 RBI.

"This is the best place I have played. We always went out on the road, we had fun. But you know it is a new thing for Toronto, they went out and spent money last year and there is a lot of pressure to win, there is pressure on JP to win. So any incident is going to be heightened ... and unfortunately I think this case has been an example of that."

Hillenbrand's departure from the team could not come at a worse time as the Jays, who currently sit 5.5 games out of first-place in the tough AL East, welcome the Yankees to the Rogers Centre for the first of four on Thursday night.

Despite the "cancer" reference, Hillenbrand was rumoured to have ripped a Canadian flag off the side of his cap and wrote the words "sinking ship" on the clubhouse whiteboard. When asked about the allegations, Hillenbrand was quick to deny.

"The team is going to say what they have to say, I am just trying to state facts. The team said they designated me for assignment because I did refuse show up in the clubhouse, that is not true, during the tirade the manager told me to get out and leave and as long as he was there I'd never see the field again."

The Jays have 10 days to move Hillenbrand, as the league deadline is set for July 31. Earlier in the season he was rumoured to be on his way to Los Angeles for Angels second baseman Adam Kennedy.

As for any attempt at reconciliation, Hillenbrand told the FAN590 he is uncertain about his current position, but has not ruled out any options.

"I wanna play for the Toronto Blue Jays, I love the Blue Jays and I love being here."

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/art...20_135211_5176

Lots of stuff in there. I imagine the "self-proclaimed leader" he was referring to is Glaus. I can't imagine he'll ever be back, but it's at least nice to hear that he loved playing for the Jays.