Thursday, February 19, 2026

Spencer Jones looks "uncomfortable." Considering his looming disappearance, he should.

Yesterday, in BP, before a gaggle of Gammonites, Yankee OF Spencer Jones looked "uncomfortable." 

What does that mean? 

Let's go to the videotape thesaurus... 

Uncomfortable: "Ill at ease..." disquieting... self-conscious... awkward... queasy... bloated... gassy... irregular..." 

Basically, Jones swung at a few and missed, amplifying a narrative that has shaded his career: He strikes out too much. MLB pitchers will exploit his huge strike zone - itself, the size of a housing project - and the Yanks should deal him for whatever they can get, probably a handful of magic beans, especially when he resembles somebody in a probiotic supplement commercial.  

Okay, let's do some old-school blaspheme. Everybody knows it's wrong to compare anybody with the great Aaron Judge. Still, Jones - at a Judgian 6'6" and 240 - conjures just such nonsense. The pair's leviathan-like presences would have conjured a gleam in the late P.T. Barnum's eyes. And both struggled in their early years. 

Last year, at age 24, in Scranton, Jones hit 19 HRs, batted .274 and fanned 109 times.

In 2016, at age 24, in Scranton, Judge hit 19 HRs, batted .270 and fanned 98 times.

Uncanny, right? Both are highly touted first-round picks. But 10 years ago, nobody foresaw Judge becoming the greatest slugger of his generation, the man who would chase down Roger Maris. There were doubters, who thought his huge strike zone would be exploited.  

We know what will probably happen soon. Unless the overcrowded outfield suffers multiple injuries - (not an impossibility) - Jones will be sent to Scranton or traded for pitching.  

If I were a small market GM - (hello, Milwaukee, I'm ready!) - I'd keep Brian Cashman on speed-dial. And whenever one of our 30-something, grungy bullpen vets throws a particular nasty session, I'd call the Yankees, show the videotape, and offer the guy for Spencer Jones. 

I'm doing you a favor, I'd tell Cash. This guy, Jones, he strikes out way too much. He looks - well - uncomfortable. Here, have another prune Danish... 

3 comments:

JM said...

Jones and Judge are both slow starters, career wise. I say, treat Jones the same way Judge was treated. Let him play. Let him develop.

AboveAverage said...

Let him eat Prune Danish

BTR999 said...

Play him or trade him.