MINNEAPOLIS --- New York Yankees fans had grown to dislike reliever Tyler Clippard. He had pitched really poorly of late, making him quite unpopular. But a baseball team is like a family, and Clippard was part of the clubhouse that he joined nearly a year ago in a trade, spending more time with his fellow Yankees than anyone else in his life.
Clippard's teammates liked him.
So after Yankees manager Joe Girardi called him into his office following the team's 6-3 win over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday to tell Clippard he had been dealt, Clippard described the feeling as "gut-wrenching.