Ex-Yankee Jim Leyritz apologizes for scathing Old-Timers’ Day attack

Yankees’ Old-Timers’ Day is scheduled for Sunday, June 17, 2018 (6/17/18) at Yankee Stadium. Former catcher Jim Leyritz wasn’t on the invite list, and he attacked team president Randy Levine and senior vice president of marketing Debbie Tymon.

When the roster for the Yankees‘ Old-Timers’ Day was announced last week, former catcher Jim Leyritz was not on the list.

So the 1996 World Series hero turned to social media to rip the team’s front office for his exclusion, specifically president Randy Levine and senior VP of marketing Debbie Tymon.

However on Sunday, Leyritz walked back his comments, according to WLIE 540 AM:

“I am so apologetic to them right now. As a matter of fact, when I found out this went public, within seconds, I sent emails to Randy and Debbie both and I apologized and in no way did I mean for this to go public, and in no way did I mean for their names to be drawn out in public for this to happen.

“Because we already knew that I wasn’t invited. And it made me even more sick when I saw them put out a statement that said Randy wasn’t involved in Old-Timers’ Day, because I thought someone told me he was. So I owe Randy Levine and even bigger apology, because he has nothing to do with this.”

On Twitter, Leyritz, a Yankees playoff hero, called his exclusion from the event a “joke,” according to NJ Advance Media’s Brendan Kuty:

The 54-year-old retired catcher also liked a tweet that said, “Randy Levine IS THE WORST.”

And Leyritz liked a tweet that said: “The only slider Levine has hit is of the cheeseburger variety. If the guy (wasn’t) literally in bed (with) ownership for decades, the team would take a pulse from the fan base on what we thought of Randy Levine. Results. (Wouldn’t). Be. Positive.”

…

A Yankees spokesperson disputed Leyritz’s statement. 

“It’s disappointing that Jim has entered into this arena the way that he has,” the spokesman said. “This tweet is baseless and categorically false. Frankly, he should be thankful for his ties to this organization.”

What if Yanks had signed Verlander?

This year, Andy Pettitte will be making his first Old-Timers’ Day appearance. So, too, will current manager Aaron Boone, Jason Giambi and Nick Swisher. The game is scheduled for Sunday, June 17.

(NJ Advance Media’s Brendan Kuty contributed to this report.)

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.