Thunder's Tabata regrets leaving team- Yankees

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Thunder's Tabata regrets leaving team

Saturday, May 03, 2008BY JOHN NALBONE

TRENTON -- Jose Tabata batted sixth and played right field against Portland last night, one day after the Thunder prospect finished serving a three-game suspension for storming out of the clubhouse and going home moments after striking out in the seventh inning of Saturday's 7-4 loss to New Britain.

Despondent over a horrendous slump that has dropped his batting average to a season-low .188, the 19-year-old Tabata was reinstated by the Yankees prior to going 0-for-3 in Thursday's 5-4 setback to Connecticut at Dodd Stadium.

"The expectations of who I am supposed to be and what I am supposed to do finally got to me," Tabata said through assistant coach and translator, Julius Matos. "I made an irrational decision. Maybe it was immaturity, inexperience or just that I didn't know how to handle what was happening. I just kept thinking I am not producing the way I should be and maybe I didn't belong here."

The suspension first was reported by Double-A blogger Mike Ashmore Sunday and confirmed by Yankees vice president of baseball operations Mark Newman prior to last night's game against the Sea Dogs.

With no home runs, 12 RBIs and just three extra-base hits heading into the weekend, Tabata slammed his bat down in frustration following the strikeout Saturday afternoon.

According to team sources, Tabata bolted from the dugout and headed to his locker, where the talented but struggling Venezuelan quickly gathered his things and left the stadium.

The game did not end until the 12th inning.

By then, Tabata was long gone.

"I just felt like I had to go," Tabata said in an exclusive interview with The Times yesterday. "It was a rash decision, but after talking to my wife, she asked me if this was really what I wanted to do and if leaving (the team) was the right decision to make. I thought about it a little and realized I am not a quitter. I was either going to face the consequences, learn from this and grow, or I was going to run away. So, here I am."

Tabata admitted he contemplated going so far as to ask the Yankees for his release, a request that most assuredly would have been denied.

Tabata first reconciled the potentially explosive situation with manager Tony Franklin, then his teammates, before rejoining the club in Norwich Tuesday.

"I was just really sad and upset ... mainly at myself," Tabata said. "But I realized that if I was man enough to quit on my teammates, then I would have to be double the man to come back and face them again, explain that I was sorry and make sure they knew it would not happen again. I am willing to do whatever it takes to earn their respect again."

Tabata drove in the game's first run last night with a second inning fielder's choice, before being thrown out attempting to steal second base. He flied out to right field in the bottom of the fifth, extending his hitless skid to 15 at bats.

The Thunder lost their top pitcher yesterday when reliever David Robertson was promoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Robertson, 23, was 0-0 with a 0.96 ERA, 26 strikeouts, six walks, two saves and held the opposition to a .133 batting average at Class-AA.

Right-hander Anthony Claggett officially was added to the Thunder roster from Single-A Tampa after beginning the season on the team's disabled list.

"He definitely got the job done, put up some amazing numbers and good things are going to happen for him," tonight's starter, Jason Jones, said. "(Robertson) wasn't a big prospect guy, but he pitched his way out of here by having good stuff and getting hitters out."

Claggett was held back in Florida after spring training due to a hamstring injury and will take Robertson's spot in the bullpen.

A nasty bout of the flu began making its way around the visiting clubhouse at Dodd Stadium and has yet to relent.

Starting center fielder Austin Jackson and pitchers Bo Hall, Eric Wordekemper and Josh Schmidt all were told to stay away from the ballpark yesterday.

Trainer Tim Lentych also was infected.

"We thought it was best they all stay away for the time-being," Franklin said. "It's obviously pretty contagious, and we were on the bus together for about six hours up and back to Norwich. Bo got it first then Wordekemper. We were OK up until (Thursday) night, when Tim called and told me him and Jackson were feeling pretty bad. This gives them a chance to rest, get some fluids in them and hopefully get back out here."

Contact John Nalbone at jnalbone@njtimes.com.

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