Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Didi, we did know ye. And we liked ye uncommonly.

So Didi is gone.  And going strictly by the statistics, this makes sense.

He'll be 30 years old in February, our Didi, and last season was not a good one, even after he got back from his half-season on the DL.  The average was down to .238, and all too often he looked like Alfonso Soriano, flailing away at pitches he could neither hit nor lay off.

Let him go
Let him go
Let him go.

In the playoffs, despite that glorious grand slam against Minnesota, he usually looked even worse, overwhelmed by top pitching.  At his age the odds are against him regaining his old form, and isn't it past time to give the Yanks' very patient "kids" more of a shot?

Slot LeMahieu, nearly this year's MVP into second, give Ford a solid shot at first, and let Thairo the Pharaoh and Tyler Too take up the utility roles they seem born to play.  If the Yankees fall short again in 2020, chances are it will not be due to a lack of infield depth.

It all makes sense on paper.

Let him go
Let him go
Let him go.

And yet.  And yet.

Even the best ideas on paper have a tendency to go awry.  I don't know how the Phils will do with him next year, or how the Yanks will do without him.  But what we do know is that Didi Gregorius gave us one decent season and three excellent ones, before his injury-hobbled 2019.

He stepped into two of the hardest shoes to fill in the history of New York sports, and he did it all without any muss, fuss, or bother.

Taking over for Derek Jeter?  It's hard to think of anyone who stepped in so well for such a giant.  There's Mantle taking over for DiMaggio, and Elston Howard for Yogi, of course, but after that?  

Can we even remember who took over at center for Willis Reed, once the captain was finally done?  Who replaced Joe Willie at quarterback?

Even better, Sir Didi played the game with élan, with all the spirit and joy a young man should convey, making a small fortune to play baseball everyday.  His tweets were hilarious, and he always hustled, and he played shortstop better than Derek Jeter ever did.

In the first month of the 2018 season, it looked as if Didi might be possible of something greater than we'd ever imagined, batting .327, hitting 10 homers and drawing 18 walks, driving in 30 runs.  It looked like the beginning of an MVP season, and we asked ourselves if Didi could actually be a great ballplayer, not just a very, very good one.

Well, it didn't work out that way.  He reverted to being his streaky self, and then came the injury.

But let's never forget that even that injury came on a hustle play, to score the winning run that clinched a playoff spot.  Let's not forget that he played the whole of the postseason without shirking or complaint (lookin' at you, Giancarlo), and the smile never seemed to leave his face.

Here's lookin' at you, Didi Gregorius, and let's hope you're back in the Stadium for the World Series.








12 comments:

13bit said...

It's a little sad that, after this beautiful post, all I am left thinking about is - Richard Todd...

Ugh.

Permanent scar for life, that 40 years I spent rooting for the Jets. Luckily, football is dead to me now.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Thanks, Bitty. And yeah, Richard Todd.

As I remember, he would often run up some ridiculous yardage totals...but somehow manage to lose.

Anonymous said...

I'M GOING TO BE ROOTING FOR THE PHILS HOSS...

KICK THE SHIT OUT OF THOSE MISERABLE METS.

Anonymous said...

Yankees sign Cole for 324m according to ny post.

Doug K.

Carl J. Weitz said...

No more Food Stamps Hal!

Parson Tom said...

John Gianelli lined up at center after Willis. I don't think he actually replaced him.

Sir Didi got it done. Replaced Jeter's fossil with verve and youth. Probably our best all-around player for a few years. Good guy. Wishing him nothing but the best.

Anonymous said...

Hoss,

Unfortunately the news is coming fast and furious these days and this fitting and well written tribute to a great player and teammate is bound to be lost in the shuffle.

I second Parson Tom's sentiment.

Doug K.

Anonymous said...

I think it's a mistake. It probably would have been smarter to offer him the one year deal while we had the sole right to do so. He probably would've taken it. I think it was like 17 million. So we would've overpaid him by 3 mil, but with all the injuries we get, it probably would've been the smart move. Plus, we're now even more right handed in the lineup. Still a lot of work to do to get this team to a World Series caliber team.

The Hammer of God

smurfy said...

Horace, what hustle play to score a run was the cause of Didi's injury? In my recollection, he threw out his arm on a hustle-out relay to home, but finished out the game, somehow. Am I confused, or should we throw his hero party later?

Parson Tom said...

smurfy,
I believe it was a headfirst slide to score that caused the injury. could be wrong, but ...

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