Turk Wendell - Speaking His Mind

Speaking His Mind

Wendell made a name for himself not only through his pitching and personality, but through his outspoken nature as well. One of the most notable examples came in 2004, during the heart of the public debate over Major League Baseball's steroid problem. When asked about Barry Bonds, one of the most controversial figures in the debate, Wendell said that Bonds "obviously" took steroids, noting the fact that Bonds's trainer had admitted to giving steroids to baseball players and that Bonds's physical appearance strongly suggested steroid use. Bonds responded aggressively, telling Wendell, "You got something to say, you come to my face and say it and we’ll deal with each other. Don’t talk through the media like you’re some tough guy."

This was not the first time Wendell had been known to ruffle some people's feathers, however. In early 2001, after Vladimir Guerrero (then playing for the Montreal Expos) took exception to being hit by Wendell, Wendell remarked, "If he doesn't like it, he can freakin' go back to the Dominican and find another line of work."

Less than a month later, Wendell was ejected from a game against the St. Louis Cardinals for throwing behind batter Mike Matheny. After the game, Wendell asked rhetorically, "When Ankiel is out there and he throws balls everywhere, why don't they throw him out of the game?"

On the eve of the 2000 World Series between the Yankees and the Mets, Wendell is quoted as having said "Yankee Stadium? I don't give a hoot about it. We've played there before. It won't be a surprise. The Yankees have tortured us for years and years, and beating them would be sweet for me." During the Yankees celebration of their win, it is reported that every five minutes, someone would call for a toast "To Turk Wendell!"

In numerous interviews, Wendell repeatedly told reporters that he wanted to play his last season in baseball for free. "I want my last season to be a testament to the game," said Wendell. "I only wanted a few things out of life -- a wife, children, to play baseball and to hunt deer." When he was informed that the Players Association (the union for major league players) would not allow him to play for free, Wendell said, "Then I'll drop out of the union when the time comes."

In March 2006, Wendell was quoted by the suburban Chicago Daily Herald as believing that former Cubs teammate Sammy Sosa "of course" used steroids. Wendell alleged that Sosa's home run totals increased significantly only after he began using steroids. He also stated that "everybody in baseball" (including coaches, managers, and owners) knew about steroid use by players such as Sosa, and that he agreed with the information in José Canseco's book Juiced.