Three years ago, the Bronx Butchers played Anthony Rizzo for three months, following a basepath collision that left him concussed and unable to hit. It wrecked his season and career, and the Yankees fell out of first.
Two years ago, Anthony Volpe squandered a relatively hopeful first half after playing for months with a jammed shoulder. It ruined his shot at SS, and the Yankees floundered.
Now, we hear Austin Wells played most of 2026 playing through migraines stemming from foul tips to his facemask. He couldn't hit, and the Yankees - as usual - flopped.
What in the name of Jalen Hurts has happened to sports trainers?
Have we reached that financial hellscape where players cannot - or will not - confide in team trainers about their injuries?
Of course, players wanna play. I get it. The manly ethos tells them to ignore pain and button up, or you'll be traded to KC. Nobody wants to lose his job over an ingrown toenail.
But but BUT... Jumpin' Jehosavat and WTF? Are Yank trainers viewed as spies of management who cannot be trusted? Or are they so obsessed with running the horses that everybody simply pretends all is well?
Yankee trainers last fall had one job. ONE JOB: Get Aaron Judge back for the postseason. They failed.
Now we hear Wells was so compromised that he almost lost his career.
There is no reason why the New York Fucking Yankees cannot afford the best medical staff in pro sports.
But nothing works if players do not communicate with trainers.
One person bears the responsibility of maintaining an environment of communication.
The manager.
He failed.
And nothing is going to change.
Being traded to the Royals sounds pretty good. I don't know anything about the current Royals roster, but I bet they've got actual coaches and trainers there. And the Kansas City media might not engage in character assassinations at the behest of anonymous General Managers.
ReplyDeleteBut who are we kidding? Yankees players don't get traded for being injured and ineffective! They get traded for being young and having potential upside.
+1. Indeed, we almost never trade any player who sucks or is injury prone. If you want to stay here forever, that's the way to do it: stay injured or totally suck or both.
Deletea trade to kc would be a blessing for him both carreer wise and a boon(e!) to his mental health as well
ReplyDeleteLots of guys here would benefit greatly from being traded. The managing and coaching here is the worst in the majors.
DeleteI think the Yankees know about these injuries, but they just sweep 'em under the rug. It's not a communication problem between the players and the trainers.
ReplyDeleteRizzo was past his expiration date and should not have playing. Certainly not as a starter. At best, he was nothing but a pinch hitter in his last year. That's how they lost the 2024 World Series. Bad managing by Boone. Bad roster management by Cashman.
ReplyDeleteTrue, Hammer. And Cashman signed him instead of even thinking about Freddie Freeman—a free agent that year—because he was cheaper.
DeleteVolpe was overwhelmed by SS and should've been traded years ago or moved to 2B. They should've ironed out his swing and got his head straightened out. "You're a line drive hitter; spray the ball around, especially to the opposite field and stop swinging for the fences!" No can do. Again, bad managing and bad roster management. Fucking Boone and Cashman.
ReplyDeleteJudge, obviously trying to play through some kind of injury in the first month or two, struggling, didn't look right for one-third of the season. Still, nothing happens until he has to remove himself from the lineup and put himself on the fucking DL. Fucking amazing! Again, bad managing.
ReplyDeleteIn the Wild Card Series, Boone sits on his ass whilst Cam Schlittler throws 117 pitches. We'll see what damage that did. It might not show up until halfway through next year. Again, bad managing.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to believe that such an incompetent fool can be manager of the New York Yankees for ten years. Amazing! There's really no end in sight. Boone might be around for 20, 30, 40 years.
ReplyDeleteHoG,
DeleteThis is why yesterday's Laxative post featured a ALDS date of 2055 . . . .
Boone is a Yes boy for Ca$hman. He's doing a great job of that...
ReplyDeletea veritable boonedoggle!
ReplyDelete@hammer of god 10/57 good point!
ReplyDeleteI would take a summer in KC over one day in the Yankee Stadium clubhouse if I have to spend it with The Idiot and/or CashBrain.
ReplyDeleteSo, the Yankees ended their season—in a game they trailed by one run—with no one to pinch-run for Paul Goldschmidt, no one to pinch-hit save for Giancarlo Stanton, and Trent Grisham making the very last out.
ReplyDeleteBut Aaron Boone returns to manage—and all the media types lambaste...Yankees fans, for wanting more. The nonsense never stops.
Well said. el Duque.
ReplyDeleteAs a coach, I pray for the young'uns to get traded to a competent organization that can help them achieve their dreams. It will never happen with the Yankees. From top to bottom, their organization are a bunch of fucking morons, forever failing upwards, like the useless trust fund pieces of shit that they are. That's why I will never disparage Volpe, the Martian or any other doomed soul who gets drafted by the Yankees. They had no choice, except to go to college (and get buried in student debt), get a job bagging groceries or working on a construction site. It hurts me to see them fail, when it's obvious nobody taught them how to play the game.
While I focus my rage on the 'big five fucking idiots' of the Yankees (you know who they are), these malignant cancers hired all the other incompetent douchebags who can't do their jobs either. The trainers, coaches, development team, that idiot AI bot they call their 'analytics department' and those fatuous puff balls they call their 'PR department.'
Excuse me while I go kick a squirrel or graffiti the Republican headquarters in my neighborhood. (probably the later). Grrrrrr....
maybe boone will have hemmiroids dr!
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