We'll pay him $21 million this year, plus an $8 million buyout, and if Food Stamps Hal Steinbrenner doubles down on self-imposed austerity, Donaldson is the lead paddle in our paper canoe.
I try not to whine about player contracts. They're just feeding their families. It's the GMs and owners who deserve the boos.
But Donaldson has broken me. Last year, he was awful in April, troubling in May, terrible in the dog days and embarrassing in October. And at every step, Aaron Boone was there, telling us the horseshit under the tree meant there must be a pony in the back yard.
On that note, enjoy the Season in Boone-on-Donaldson Mush:
April 16, after loss to O's:
“I think he’s on the verge. I’m not worried about him. If we keep him healthy, he’ll have a big year for us.”
May 22, after JD called Chicago's Tim Anderson "Jackie," a borderline racist comment:
“Everyone thought it was a homer.”
Same night, on errant throw:
“I'd have to look back at it. If it's not on target, maybe. You guys know better than me. I haven't re-looked at the play. But I think you see him going up for a second there, and, you know, I thought he was quick to recognize it.”
Oct. 21, later in playoffs.
“At times he’s struggled [with] where you’re trying to cover a couple of different speeds, so you’re a little in-between with your timing... We’ve got to continue to trust that he’s got a chance to change the game for us and really produce one of those heavy at-bats.”
Nov 4, looking back.
"I know it was a grind for him offensively, I know it was a struggle like it was, frankly, for a lot of our guys in the postseason... It was just getting to that big hit or big swing that would really help get him rolling. That didn't happen."
Same day, on JD as starting 3B next year.
"As we sit here right now, absolutely. He’s been an offensive machine for the best part of his career. I think it was one of those years where he was searching for that consistency.”
Josh D drove me crazy this past season.
ReplyDeleteNo need to revisit why.
(Things are already challenging enough this week.)
The 2023 Yankees would be a better team without him on the roster.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Corporate speak...
ReplyDeleteYou could see that Donaldson couldn't hit the fastball anymore so he sped up his bat which made him susceptible to striking out on breaking balls that he should not have attempted to swing at. The end result was that he couldn't hit either pitch. Or the changeup.
ReplyDeleteHe's shot and the team is stuck with him for another year. Cashman got snookered again. I can just imagine Thad Levine's conversation with Cashman: " Really, you want Donaldson? He's untouchable. Wait...because I like you, Brian, just throw in Sanchez, Gio and cash and we've got a deal. Hell, I'll even throw in a great future catcher and IKF. I like you that much! Brian, you are a very astute shopper. Have I told you how that I admire your GM skills?"
Carl, you took the words right out of my cold, dead Donaldson brain.
ReplyDeleteYou might have forgotten/forgotten one thing that Levine said to Cashman, and that’s:
“And Brian . . . who’s your barber? I just love what you’ve been doing with your hair lately!”
"Levine...yes, he's wonderful! I found him on my trip to Thailand. My barber is called Mongkut."
ReplyDeleteJust hate the motherfucker. With apologies to his mother, who may be a very nice person.
ReplyDeleteAllow me to savor BS Boone: Um Ahh Like You Know, I believe my own bullshit. If a player bats .100, I will find something positive to say. My favorite announcers: Sam Rosen and Joe Mickaletti of The Rangers. It is always golden with them. I have to go. It's time to order bubble gum for the 2021 season.
ReplyDeleteTBH, I didn’t understand the JD trade from the get go. They could’ve moved Sanchez in a half dozen other ways. I suppose Cashman just wanted a big name in return, never mind the likely player regression and inflated cost. With Donaldson, it wasn’t just his poor performance but his insufferable arrogance, lack of hustle and bad attitude that turned the fan base against him. Boone is what is blithely referred to as a “players manager”, but his callow gaslighting of Donaldson’s performance was over the top, even for a feckless corporatist like him. Then again, being a corporatist shill and overall bullshit artist (the “artist” part needs work) is his raision d’etre, is it not?
ReplyDeleteHilarious, Carl Weitz!
ReplyDeleteAnd 999, the trade was all about what every Cashman trade is all about: making Cashman look like a genius.
Yes, for anyone of reasonable intelligence, simply jettisoning Sanchez would have been enough. Instead, he had to do the great big, super-duper, triple-reverse dunk that brought in super-cheap SS IKF and catcher-a-da-future, Biceptvedt.
Everyone with half a brain in their head could see that this was a mistake. Not Cooperstown Cashman! When he finally is inducted, I think we need to do a group trip up there and boo throughout his induction speech.
If I'm not using a stroller at that point, Horace, I'm in! I will even bring along a bag of tomatoes.
DeleteIf the horse shit is up to my nose, does that mean there's a herd of wild ponies out back?
ReplyDelete