Neal Huntington Clarifies Comments About Jose Tabata's Age
by Charlie Wilmoth on Feb 7, 2010 7:10 PM EST
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"All of the documentation he has used to obtain his visa from the U.S. government and his passport from the Venezuelan government indicates his reported age is accurate," Huntington said in an e-mail to the Tribune-Review. "Apart from unfounded speculation, there is nothing to indicate his age any different than reported. My point is that while we have reason to doubt his reported age, it is a non-issue to us."
We discussed this last week here.
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I don’t understand. If there’s nothing to indicate his age any different than reported, why does the team have reason to doubt his reported age?
As a clarification, it kind of sucks. He would’ve been better off saying nothing.
If theres nothing indicating his age is any different than what is indicated why does Huntington doubt his reported age?
Sounds really fishy…set aside the baseball side of it; what happens if an investigation proves Tabata is’nt the age he says he is on his visa, would’nt he risk losing his visa, and be deported, or face criminal charges?
On the baseball side, If it’s proven he’s older, could the Pirates prove the Yankees knew about it, and with held that information before the trade? Can Bud Seligs office step in? Give us some kind of restitution? Whether it be cash, or another player?
I think NH is just trying to acknowledge the speculation. He’s just the anti-DL — no spinning skills at all.
by WTM on Feb 7, 2010 8:16 PM EST up reply actions
This clarification is just plain weird. I guess we can just assume he is likely around 24 years old.
Why because he didn’t offer DNA evidence to the contrary? There are questions about every kid, why must we assume that all are lying. Maybe he is, but until its proven I’ll believe what is reported.
Taking forever...
It’s like waiting around for my ex-girlfriend to take me back. Except that Spring Training will come. My ex might never take me back.
You can't tell age from DNA.
In fact there are no ways to measure the exact age of a human. Even the bone scan test uses an X-ray to say that player X has the bones of a typical 17 year old or whatever. There is individual variation that can make an 18 year old look 17 in a bone scan test and vice versa.
One sentence too many...
That last line does not fit with the rest of his statement at all. If the speculation is unfounded, then where’s his “reason to doubt” Tabata’s age? It is very possible that Huntington bungled his words again, but there is cause for some skepticism after these last two statements. (Not “CONSPIRCAY!”-type stuff, but a follow-up would be helpful.)
by Kidspud on Feb 7, 2010 8:31 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
I would be very surprised
if the last line was anything except a fumbling of words or a mis-transcription. It would make no sense otherwise.
Except that Huntington put this in an email. Maybe he fumbled his words, but it’s doubtful, and it wasn’t a transcription issue. The fact that Huntington admits that “we have reason to doubt his reported age” — along with his previous statement — shows that deep down he thinks Tabata is several years older. Which would be a real shame.
Jose Tabata
is 2-3 years older than his reported age. He needs to be within 20 years of his wife’s age.
Can anyone answer these questions:
1. Is he still married?
2. Did he marry her before or after she claimed that she was pregnant?
"I choose to gamble with my life
Twice the risk, four times the prize
Nothing knocks me over"
by lighthouse913 on Feb 7, 2010 9:01 PM EST up reply actions
This is all Nutting's fault.
He’s too cheap to hire a detective to get to the bottom of this.
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
Yeah.
Steinbrenner hired a detective to spy on Dave Winfield. See? At least the Yankees spend money, unlike the Pirates who would be too cheap to do something like that.
Much ado.....
Just like the Bryce Harper quote and Mario buying the Pens, this is just the making of stories where there is nothing. There has been speculation of Tabata’s real age for years. NH acknowledges that. End of story. Bryce Harper will be evaluated as the year progresses. End of story. The Pirates aren’t for sale so Mario isn’t buying the team. End of story.
Will pitchers and catchers please report.
I agree
He could come up in June and hit 15 HR, and they would say he’s too old to hit 15 and he should be hitting 20. This is going to be an issue until he gets to Pittsburgh, and it really shouldn’t be.
If the Yankees and Pirates are satisfied, and MLB’s not asking any questions, then people need to let it go.
"Straight ball I hit very much, but curveball, bats are afraid." - Pedro Cerrano
what he meant to say
He was trying to answer a question but he used the wrong words. Sometimes when you use the wrong words, you say something that’s different from what you wanted to say if you used the right words.
'position flex-ability, yea baby' austin powers
but his words weren't spoken...
they were in an email. I can understand mis-speaking, but he would have had the chance to review his email before sending. If he didn’t, that’s just inexcusable carelessness, and NH doesn’t strike me as careless.
What I’m wondering, because I don’t know anything about the visa process is this: are his words an invitation to the INS to carefully scrutinize Tabata’s situation for possible fraud? I have read that since 9/11, the govt is a lot more serious about that sort of thing.
His statement reads like CYA should Tabata actually be older than originally thought, but is there a chance NH’s statement could bounce back and bite him?
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