“Those are comments of an unhinged individual,” Shapiro said over the phone.
Shapiro was referring to Levine’s comments Betances was victimized by his agents in an attempt to change the salary arbitration market by requesting $5 million. The Yankees’ filing of $3 million won, which makes Betances the highest paid player among first-year arbitration-eligible pitchers who are premier setup men.
“The part that is disturbing is the whole concept that Dellin was used and misled,” Shapiro said. “Those are categorically false. Dellin is a well-informed player and understood everything about the case.”
When reached for comment about Shapiro’s attack, Levine declined to respond.
Betances was prepared to forget losing the case and focus on getting ready for the season. Then he heard what Levine said to reporters on a conference call, and the level of hurt Betances is feeling could lead him to avoid working more than one inning per game this season.
“Even though I disagree with the arbitrator’s decision, I was planning on putting everything behind me until I was aware of Randy Levine’s comments and saying I was a victim in this whole process,” Betances said Saturday during a press conference at George M. Steinbrenner Field. “They say how much they love me and then take me into a room and they trash me for an hour and a half, and I thought that was unfair. I felt I have done a lot for this organization. I have taken the ball time after time. Whenever they needed me, I was there for them. I never said, ‘No.’ Whenever [manager Joe] Girardi said, ‘You want the ball?’ I got it. I felt like this whole process was unfair.”