Pinella apologizes for choice of words

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TAMPA, Fla., March 21 (UPI) -- New York Yankees broadcaster Lou Pinella apologized for misspeaking in saying a baseball team was "raped" in a trade with another team.

Pinella, a former Yankees manager, discussed an off-season trade between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Florida Marlins with Ken Singleton on Wednesday's YES Network broadcast of a Yankees exhibition game, noting, "I don't want to use the word 'raped,' but they (Toronto) basically took a lot of talent from the Miami Marlins."

He later apologized for his choice of words, the New York Daily News reported Thursday.

A Yankee official said the team stood behind Pinella while recognizing he had made a mistake, the newspaper added.