Did Zack Britton become the conscience of the Yankees?

The Yankees owe Zack Britton a thank you. 

Last week, the Yankee union rep and bullpen lug nut took it upon himself to air out Domingo German's domestic violence charges at a time when nobody seemed all that hungry to take up the topic. Of German, Britton told reporters: 

"I don’t think he owes anything to me. I think it’s off-the-field stuff that he needs to take care of. Sometimes you don’t get to control who your teammates are, and that’s the situation. I don’t agree with what he did. I don’t think it has any place in the game or off the field at all.”

So it went. Before Britton spoke, German's case had neatly avoided the back pages. Ever since he raised it, the only question was when German would plead his case before the three modern pillars of judgement: the team, the media, and the fans. 

I have no idea how German's year will play out. But yesterday, he reached Phase II, apologizing to reporters for an incident that troubled people from its inception - a physical altercation with his girlfriend at a 2019 charity event, with baseball operatives watching. It was one of those situations where you wonder: If he does this in public, what happens in private?

So, yesterday, German apologized to the Gammonites. He's not out of the woods - more barely on the trail. He'll still hear the boos and catcalls, the foghorn-throated attacks that cut to his core. People are cruel. At Fenway, they'll be crueler.

But today, let's ponder the role that Britton - for better or worse - took on. By raising the issue of German - and by refusing to let him off the hook - Britton  forced the Yankees, the media and, most of all German to deal with the issue, straight up. 

German was always going to need to address the matter.  It might have happened in two weeks, or around opening day, or it might have even festered until his first start in a meaningful game. But it was always coming. If Britton hadn't raised it, it would have only grown in size and malevolence. He did the Yankees a favor.

Interesting how players evolve. The Yankees seem to have three clubhouse leaders, one for positions (Brett Gardner), one for starting pitchers (Gerrit Cole) and one for the bullpen (Britton.) Should we worry that all three are Wonder Bread white guys? Or am I just seeing it from that perspective? Dunno. But here's a thought: 

In 2021, the team will need Giancarlo Stanton to not only bat cleanup, play 130 games and drive in 100 runs - but to lead. For the time that he's been a Yankee, Stanton has been too  injury-prone to set an example for the rank and file. If Stanton can rise to the level of Gardy, of Cole, of Britton - he can earn every penny of his ridiculous contract. The Yankees need leadership. When Domingo German hears the catcalls, he needs to know his teammates have his back.