GOOD NEWS FOR TOE!

Source: NBC

With all of this gloom and doom around cheating in baseball, I thought this was a positive piece of news for those of you who root for the underdog and hope for his success.  Ronald Torreyes is reuniting with his former skipper, Joe Girardi in Philadelphia for the 2020 season.

News out of Philadelphia Tuesday is that beloved Toe signed a minor league contract with the Phillies.  "Torreyes was a key member of the Yankees’ bench in 2016, 2017 and 2018. The 5-foot-7 infielder’s energy proved infectious as he riled up fans and teammates alike with each hit," reported NJ.com.

Source: AP

He will also reunite with former Yankee and teammate Didi Gregorius, who he filled in for during stints to the injured list in 2017-2018.  "Torreyes hit .281 with a .682 OPS in three seasons with the Yankees, playing mostly second base with shortstop and third base thrown in. He played just seven games in the majors with the Twins in 2019," reported NJ.com.

Source: AP

But Torreyes did not seem to impress new skipper Aaron Boone, was sent down to the minors and later was designated for assignment.  He eventually was traded to the Cubs and then shipped off to Minnesota where he played for their minor league team.

As a Yankee, he was a fan-favorite, and a major presence in the dugout. "His home run celebrations went viral and often included Aaron Judge lifting him in the air to high-five his teammates. He also pretended a shoebox was a video camera that he would train on teammates in the dugout as they celebrated, with teammates dubbing it the “Toe Night Show.”

Toe will fight for a roster spot, likely as a bench player come this spring.  Good for him!  I hope he earns a place in the lineup and gets to play for his old manager, Joe Girardi who always appreciated his contribution to the team.  “He’s a ballplayer,” Girardi said that summer on the cable show he hosted on the YES Network. “I mean that’s what he is.” Just a bit of good news amidst so much baseball controversy, for a guy who deserves to win.  Good luck, Toe!

--Suzie Pinstripe
 BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof