NEW TRADE TARGET FOR THE YANKEES?

The Yankees keep talking like they’re one “savvy move” away, but at this point the only thing they’re close to is another awkward press conference explaining why everything went sideways again. This isn’t a good team—it’s a collection of patches held together by hope, excuses, and whatever Brian Cashman scribbled on a napkin last winter.

And speaking of Cashman—his recent moves have all the precision of a blindfolded dart thrower. The Ryan McMahon experiment? That’s not a roster upgrade, that’s performance art. Watching McMahon hit right now feels like watching someone try to swat a mosquito with a pool noodle—lots of effort, zero results. The guy fell off a cliff, and honestly, so did his confidence.

Which brings us to a rare concept in the Bronx these days: a move that actually makes some sense.

Enter Willi Castro.

Now, no—this isn’t a blockbuster. He’s not walking through that door to save the season. But unlike some of Cashman’s recent “masterpieces,” Castro has a pulse and a purpose. The Colorado Rockies will likely be out of contention by the time the weather gets interesting, which makes Castro the exact kind of low-cost, high-utility piece they’ll flip for a lottery ticket prospect.

And here’s the key difference: Castro actually does things. He plays everywhere—second, short, third, first, all three outfield spots—basically wherever the Yankees have a problem (again… everywhere). He’s hitting .214, which isn’t exactly headline material, but compared to McMahon’s current “abstract art” approach at the plate, it’s practically Tony Gwynn.

Dig a little deeper and Castro’s numbers suggest he’s at least been functional, even a bit lucky, while McMahon’s stat line reads like a cry for help. Castro also holds his own against lefties, which for a bench piece is more than acceptable—it’s useful, which is a foreign concept for parts of this roster.

Let’s be clear: trading for Castro doesn’t fix the Yankees. It doesn’t turn them into contenders. It doesn’t even guarantee competence. But it does accomplish something revolutionary for this front office—it makes sense.

And right now, that alone would be a massive upgrade over whatever Brian Cashman has been cooking up lately.

ANTHONY VOLPE'S BATTING .228, GUYS

He's hardly Tony Gwynn, but he's trying.

Anthony Volpe gave Yankees fans a little something to smile about Sunday — even if he's still got a mountain to climb. The struggling shortstop showed a pulse during the doubleheader against the Blue Jays, collecting two hits in each game. Sure, most of the real fireworks came in Game 1 — a homer (his fifth of the year), a double, two RBIs, two runs scored, and a walk — but hey, when you're batting .228, you'll take anything that doesn't involve a weak grounder to second.

Credit where it's due: Volpe stepped up when the Yankees needed him. He didn’t exactly turn into Derek Jeter overnight, but a good day at the plate is a good day at the plate. Even with the hits, though, it's clear there's still a big hole to dig out of. His overall numbers remain underwhelming, and it's hard to see him right now as the franchise shortstop the Yankees dream of having.

To be fair, there are some encouraging signs buried underneath the mediocrity. Rotoballer says his average exit velocity has crept up, he notched the hardest-hit ball of his young career at 110.5 MPH, which, I'm going to be honest, as an old-time baseball guy, I don't see why this is important.  But also, when it comes to walks, he's been walking more (11.1% walk rate). But the problems are still there — chasing high fastballs, inconsistency, and a softer contact profile that makes you wonder if pitchers are still pretty comfortable facing him.

In short: Sunday was a much-needed step forward for Volpe. But if the Yankees are serious about winning, he’s going to need a lot more days like it — and a lot fewer empty at-bats — before anyone hands him the keys to the infield for good.

ROD CAREW & OTHER HALL OF FAMERS GO AFTER MANFRED ON "RUINING THE GAME"

Baseball can change back. Ted Simmons made that statement in his Hall of Fame speech in 2021 and it was incredible. He said:

“Our game can change back,” Simmons said. “Eventually, another George Brett will surface. He’ll hit .360. He’ll homer 40 times. He’ll drive in 160 runs. He’ll strike out 75 times. He’ll walk a hundred times. His on-base percentage will be .420. Our game is fluid. Hitters will begin to beat the defensive shifts, and the pendulum will swing back. The game evolves. It’s just a matter of time.”

And the reason he said it is simple. For one, he's a catcher, one of the most important jobs on the field... and for 2, baseball has been ruined and the real game of baseball that we know and love has changed for the worse. And the old timers and true baseball enthusiats are tired of it. We're tired of this commissioner and his cronies and all they are doing to ruin games, line pockets and find TV time to make money. I mean sure, it's a business... but it's also the most incredible game in the world full of talent, wit, strategy and hustle.  

Ted Simmons is and has been one of the smartest guys on the field. He like many are tired with the game right now, with the strikeouts, walks and home runs being mostly the only thing that happens. Watch that speech if you haven't already. It's amazing.

But it's more than Ted Simmons... it's about many who have played this game the right way and are just fed up. Mark Powell from Fansided writes:

"It's custom for the commissioner of baseball to have a private dinner with all the Hall of Famers in Cooperstown the weekend of the ceremony. Typically, the conversation is predictably about baseball, and the state of the game today.

In recent years, that conversation has become more contentious, and reached a boiling point in late July. Carew and a group of other Hall of Famers raised their voices about what they perceived to be issues with the game today. Manfred was clearly taken aback, and has since openly complained about Carew making that conversation public. Typically, that dinner has a 'what happens in Cooperstown, stays in Cooperstown' feel. Not this year."

Ken Rosenthal writes:

"...the Hall of Famers include the rise of defensive shifts and the offensive emphasis on launch angle, as well as rules changes such as the three-batter minimum and automatic runner on second base in extra innings. "

But here's the problem. MLB has no time limit and that's also something that Carew was annoyed about like many fans are. But MLB wants to change that, but only because of the TV dollars attached to it. If games linger, TV stations mess up schedules and so Manfred and his nerds found a way to do it so if these games fit in a certain amount of time, they get paid, TV doesn't lose and everybody wins.  But sadly... that's not baseball.

And then Powell said this: "Sadly, for Carew and many of the old heads in baseball, the game is merely moving forward in hopes of intriguing a new generation of viewers. Those who don't change with it are left behind, for better or worse."

Bad comment about being left behind. These baseball legends are not the "get off my lawn" folks Powell thinks they are. They are true baseball people, like you, like me. We don't want the change because it ruins the game. So being left behind doesn't make sense. We're baseball enthusiasts... traditionalists... loyalists to the way the game should be played.  It's a bad statement from someone that was never in Rod Carew or Ted Simmons shoes.

The fact that this spat with Carew and Manfred went public is huge. The fact that Manfred thinks he was probably disrespected is laughable. Bottom line... baseball DOES need to change back like Ted Simmons says. It not only effects MLB, it trickles down to College where even in D3 college scouts are looking for Big Boppers, not guys that hit for average. When compare guys, 6'4", 220 and hitting dingers compared to a guy that's 5'10", 160 and batting .360... they are now inclined to choose the big boy, because that's what MLB commands right now. But the .360 hitter is ACTUALLY baseball. Have we forgotten?    

What happened to the authentic hitter? Where's the George Brett? Will they ever come back... because hitting is a true craft, and guys like that are unique. I grew up idolizing Tony Gwynn, Don Mattingly and Wade Boggs because every year I knew they'd bat .350 and I was always amazed by that. Those days are over. If you don't believe me... just watch teams continually give chances to Aaron Hicks and Joey Gallo.

Baseball needs to change back. Rod Carew is right. Ted Simmons is right.  And once again, Rob Manfred sucks.

Buy a shirt. Support Bleeding Yankee Blue.  Manfred Clown shirts are here at the link. Go nuts!

YEAH, I'M ALL IN ON GREG ALLEN

Source: The Day

I barely know this Yankee team. From new starting pitchers to position players making their debut, the Yankees are making it work in the new normal following a COVID-19 spread across the team after the All Star Game last week. One shining star has to be Greg Allen who went 3 for 6 over the weekend against the first place Red Sox. The Yankees snagged two out of three against Boston, giving the team a much needed lift after players went down to injuries and the virus. Allen is in the center of it all and he's loving getting a shot at the big leagues after being shepherded for this moment by one of baseball's greatest players.

Source: WNYC

“Coach Gwynn had a monumental impact, and it was one that I probably unfortunately didn’t even realize the true impact of until I was no longer at San Diego State,” Allen said. “But it was an incredible blessing just having a chance to be there. Having this chance to be under his tutelage ... he was just a phenomenal coach, but even a better person. He loved his players, loved his family and loved to try and make everyone better. And he loved the game of baseball, loved to compete,” said Allen as reported by NJ.com. 

Allen was recruited by San Diego's finest, Tony Gwynn, who at the time was the head coach for San Diego State. Recall that Gwynn died at the young age of 54, but lived to see his protege get drafted in the sixth round by the Cleveland Indians in 2014. Many of the qualities of Gwynn are found in the 28-year-old Allen who has been lighting it up since stepping in for Aaron Judge and the rest of the outfield on the IL pretty much indefinitely this season.

“He can really defend in the outfield,” Boone said. “He can run obviously. He’s given quality at-bats from both sides, even at-bats that haven’t ended in a result necessarily. It’s a big league at-bat. It’s competitive. It’s not a lot of chase. “He can help us,” reported NJ.com.

And help is what the Yankees need. From speed to small ball to quite frankly, consistent offense, the Yankees need to break away if they are going to be competitive and catch the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox for a shot at the post season. 

Right now Rougned Odor, Gleyber Torres, Ryan LaMarre and Greg Allen are holding up this Yankee team. And although I see these new numbers and strange guys in pinstripes right now, I am all in as they seem to be the spark the team needed to get things going. Let's go Yankees! 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

HERE'S AN IDEA: DON'T HIT INTO THE SHIFT!

Over the past few days, stemming for Joe Girardi’s comments, nearly everybody who covers or talks about the Yankees has made some sort of remark regarding ‘the shift’. Actually, BYB has a great commentary about it by Suzie Pinstripe.  Be sure to check out JOE SAYS 'NO MORE SHIFT'.  

Joe Girardi says he would ban it and many people have come to his defense. I see their argument to an extent... you know, that it has caused certain players batting averages to drop and what would have been hits are now ground outs. But here’s a novel idea: Don’t hit into the damn shift! 

As a baseball coach and baseball guy I love the shift. I deploy it with my youth teams and use it relatively effectively. While I don’t have the stats that the professionals do, I do have two eyes and a pretty good memory and know which players are pull happy, so I use it to my advantage.

While being a pull hitter is a not a bad thing necessarily, if you are solely a pull hitter you essentially eliminate half the field. One of the arguments given for banning the shift was the field is built that way for a reason. That’s true, but what if a guy like Mark Teixeira never hits the ball to the normal third base position when batting left handed? 

Do we just leave the third baseman there with no chance of ever getting the ball hit his way? I say no. The field was built that way for players to hit to all of it.

I don’t know how many times I’ve seen Tex or Brian McCann or any number of other left handed hitters try and take a pitch down and away, a good pitcher's pitch, and pull it. What happens nearly 100% of the time? The roll over it and it ends up being a 4-3 put out.

Now here comes this insane idea… Drive the ball to left-left center! Whoa! That is insane!

There was this pretty good hitter from the 1980’s and 1990’s who accumulated 3,141 hits over 20 seasons in the big leagues. He finished his career with a Hall of Fame .338 average and coined the phrase the 5.5 hole. The hole he is referring to is between the third baseman (position five) and the shortstop (position 6), thus the 5.5 hole. Tony Gwynn was a great hitter and hit the ball to all fields.

Us coaches, at least the standard coaches, teach players to think ‘hit the ball up the middle or the other way.’ I recently saw a video featuring Mike Trout:

In it, he says he focuses on driving the ball to right center every time he takes BP. In case you don’t know, he’s pretty good. It’s a great video and give you a pro’s view on an approach to hitting. Good hitters should have that mentality and when a pitcher does decide to come inside, turn on it and yank it to the pull side. But if you think pull, pull, pull, you lose half the field before you even give it a chance.

While it can be frustrating when a team deploys a shift and a guy like Tex hits a rocket one hopper to the second baseman who is playing in right field, there is half a baseball field completely wide the hell open on the left side of the infield. So wide open. There is not a soul playing over there. Why don’t these guys take that pitch on the outer half and just hit it that way?

It’s not rocket science.

  
By no means am I suggesting power hitter not try to drive the ball in the bleachers on their pull side, I’m just saying that’s not the way to hit in its entirety. Power hitters should look to drive the ball into the stands and guys like McCann and Tex do that. But they also bat below .250 now because that’s all they do.

While I respect other people’s opinion on the shift, it is not ruining baseball. It is an effective strategy aimed at giving your team a legal advantage. How could they enforce that rule anyway? I believe it would be very difficult and would cause a ton of headaches for umpires, managers and so on.

If these players and managers are so against the shift, counter it; flank it.

Don’t always hit the ball into the damn shift! That’s why they created the other half of the field.

BOOM! 

 --Dan Lucia
BYB Senior Writer
Twitter: @DManLucia




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LOVING WADE BOGGS

Every Yankees fan alive in 1996 will forever remember the Yankees first World Series win in almost two decades. Many will remember Jim Leyritz’s huge game tying home run in Game 4 in Atlanta. Many remember John Wetteland jumping into Joe Girardi’s arms following the final out.
 

But everyone surely remembers Wade Boggs riding on the back of the police horse as they did a victory lap around the perimeter of Yankee Stadium after he earned his much deserved, and only, World Series ring.

The YES Network and one of BYB’s favorites, Nancy Newman, recently did a story on Wade Boggs for Yankees Magazine and what he is currently up to with his life as part of their year-long 20th anniversary of the 1996 Championship.



Boggs is the baseball coach at Wharton High School in Tampa, Florida. As he said in the YES Network piece, he joined the coaching staff in 2002, leaving his job as the Tampa Bay Rays hitting coach, when his son entered high school and loved it so much he never left.

But what stands out to us Yankees fans is the undeniable contribution he had on the 1996 World Series team, and the years prior to that, as the Yankees went from bottom dwellers to champions.

We all know that Wade Boggs signed with the Yankees prior to the 1993 season after playing for the arch rival Boston Red Sox from 1982-1992. The Red Sox are honoring Boggs this summer by retiring his number, just the tenth number to be retired in Red Sox history. But don’t worry Wade, we don’t hold being on the Red Sox against you. You deserve the honor of having your number forever retired.

While with the Yankees, Boggs was one of the cornerstones of the lineup. While he never hit for a lot of power, Boggs was a hits and on base machine. He batted .311 with a .383 OBP during the Championship season and finished his career with .328 average and a .415 OBP while joining the exclusive 3,000 hit club. During his tenure with the Yankees, Boggs also won two gold gloves and made a diving stab I’ll always remember seeing in person during Jim Abbott’s no-hitter, keeping the no-no intact.

Beyond what he did on the field, one of his greatest attributes was what he did in the clubhouse. Boggs was revered for his leadership qualities and his approach at the plate was an everyday lesson for the younger Yankees as they began their climb to greatness. Boggs was named to his 12th-straight All-Star Game in 1996 as well.

I remember Boggs for his great, patience at-bats and terrific defense over the years. I was just a youngster when Boggs was with the Yankees, but as a fellow lefty, I always admired his ability to go deep into counts and hit the ball the other way. He and Tony Gwynn are two of the hitters that I remember being very controlled and simple with their approach. Boggs is a player you should want to emulate your game after.

Who knows if the Yankees would have achieved their late 1990’s success if it weren’t for Boggs being a clubhouse leader from 1993-1997. Luckily we never have to ask that question. Boggs was a great Yankee, a great Red Sox player and I’m sure a great baseball coach.

If it weren’t for him, Paul O’Neill, David Cone and the other vets, the Yankees may never have developed the team, from the clubhouse to the field, that won them four World Series Championships over just six seasons.

Wade Boggs was truly one of the great players and baseball people of his generation and watching him win the World Series while in pinstripes in something none of us will ever forget.



 --Dan Lucia
BYB Senior Writer
Twitter: @DManLucia


   




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MENTORING ATHLETES IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS

As a professor and administrative leader at a university in New Jersey, I have had the opportunity to teach and mentor students and other colleagues. The experience has been incredible for me and equally satisfying for the mentee. In fact, this week, we are sponsoring a Peer Coaching workshop for our education students, supervisors and other P-12 personnel. We are expecting over 200 people at the event that will provide an overview of peer coaching, what it is, what it does and how it can help move novice teachers to develop into seasoned/expert teachers.

According to the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), a major education organization here in the United States, "Peer coaching is a confidential process through which two or more professional colleagues work together to reflect on current practices; expand, refine, and build new skills; share ideas; teach one another; conduct classroom research; or solve problems in the workplace."  What does peer coaching or mentoring have to do with sports and specifically baseball?  I am getting to that.

Recently I reconnected with my friend and colleague Father Robert Hagan, the Associate Director of Athletics at Villanova University.  You may remember me referencing him in a recent Hot Stove report.  One of his major jobs is to mentor student-athletes as chaplain for Villanova athletic programs. I had the opportunity to discuss the importance of mentoring in an interview this past weekend.  Here are some of our thoughts on the role mentoring has in sports today.

BYB: Why is it important to mentor athletes throughout the the trajectory of their careers? What are the outcomes of good mentoring?

Fr. Hagan: It has been said that there are 2 kinds of people in this world. "Those who are humble and those who are going to be." No one knows it all or has all the answers. It takes humility and trust to be open to others who can offer some direction and wisdom that can and does make a difference in our thinking, and performance, and life!

BYB: What does good mentoring look like? On the field? Court? Or in everyday life? 

Fr. Hagan: Good mentoring can take the form of a trusted friendship. Someone with whom we can share strengths and weaknesses in an open dialogue with no fear of judgment. A good mentor has the other person's well-being at heart and knows that it is not micro-managing a person as much as sharing good strategies and techniques for the other person to try and apply in their profession and life.

BYB: How does mentoring affect a team's performance? Who should mentor?

Fr. Hagan: Good mentoring can help instill or restore confidence which is a key ingredient to success. Often people struggle because their belief in themselves has faded. A good mentor is often someone who has attained some wisdom and or expertise in a particular field and is now willing to share it and give back so that others can reap the benefit of their experience. A good mentor however might not have all the degrees, credentials or accolades, but still has the ability to listen and convey wisdom and truth in a way that the mentee needs to hear in a particular moment.

 BYB: Can mentoring change a player's physical ability? Why or why not?

Fr. Hagan: We talk all the time here at Villanova about how "talent is overrated." Sure talent is necessary to succeed, but time after time it is not the most talented person or team that succeeds. We were not the fourth most talented team in the country in the 2009 when we went to the Final Four!

Rather it is the ones who possess the intangibles that come from good mentoring and personal growth: Confidence...unity...spirit that never gives up...internal disposition to handle adversity and set back and get back up...attitude...The sum of the parts is greater than the individuals. Good mentors help people realize their potential and develop the whole person. It takes mind body and spirit, and when we are working out on ALL these levels, we can realize our utmost potential as players and as people!

With pitchers and catchers reporting in a few days and opening day only 48 days away, it is interesting to discuss this topic of mentoring as it relates to a team's opportunity for success.  There has to be a culture for mentoring instilled in a team in order for mentoring to be successful and there has to be mentors willing to step up and mentor players, young and old.  We have a new team this year with the opportunity to develop new leaders and fresh new players.  Who is going to fulfill the void of Derek Jeter?  Who is going to take on the role of mentor?  Who will people be drawn to and how will mentoring occur?  These are important questions to ask and perhaps they have been asked among the leadership this off season.  Perhaps the players have asked the very same questions of themselves.

Over the years we have seen rich mentoring relationships in baseball.  Guys like Tony Gwynn, Reggie Jackson, Yogi Berra, Cal Ripken, Jr. among others have all taken on the role of mentor to those willing to accept them.  January was National Mentorship Month and according to the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, "It’s rewarding to be among the cadre of mentors who give to the lives of our scholar athletes each week with the realistic expectation that there will be a return on the investment manifested in the productive lives of our mentees!" For the Yankees and other teams who are struggling to create a team that gels all the way into the post season, developing a clubhouse that mentors is the biggest investment they can make.

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Senior Staff Writer
BYB Hot Stove Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof




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BYB HOT STOVE: VOLUME XV

We are in the final stretch of the spring training waiting period and I have cabin fever!  Saturday is the first official workout day for Yankees pitchers and catchers and I am hopeful that we see more than ARod drama when the rest of the team reports.

On to some Hot Stove news...The Los Angeles Dodgers could be a market for a steady, hard throwing relief pitcher.  According to the Los Angeles Dodger Public Relations Department, "This morning at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, Dodger pitcher Kenley Jansen underwent surgery to remove a growth from a bone in his left foot." He is expected to be out 8-12 weeks and is certain to miss the first month of baseball.  "There are still a couple of relievers on the free agent market with ninth-inning experience — like Francisco Rodriguez and Rafael Soriano — so look for the Dodgers to seriously explore those options," states NBC Sports.  Jansen had 44 saves in 49 attempts last season with the Dodgers with a 2.76 ERA. This is a tough blow for Don Mattingly and his team.

WEEI's Rob Bradford reports that "According to one source, at no point during the offseason did Boras hint that he was concerned Scherzer wouldn’t get his money, potentially leading to a more palatable reduced rate. In the end, the former Tigers hurler inked a seven-year, $210 million deal with the Nationals."  Bradford goes on to say that "Cole Hamels rumors or not, this potentially ace-less collection has already dug in on believing they are all the Red Sox need."  The collection he is referring to is  Clay Buchholz, Justin Masterson, Rick Porcello, Wade Miley and Joe Kelly.

According to MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko, after signing a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles yesterday, the team has invited 32-year-old utility infield Jayson Nix to spring training workouts.  Good for Jayson.  I always thought he added something to the injury-ridden Yankees.  I hope he does well but not against us.

Finally, a word of tribute to the late great player and mentor Tony Gwynn.  In an interview on the MLB Network with Ted Leitner, the voice of the San Diego Padres and the San Diego State Aztecs, Gwynn brought a sense of honor and presence to the young people of the sport of baseball.  Earlier this week, the Aztecs retired Gwynn's number in the opening game of the season.  "Leitner introduced the unveiling of a No. 19 out in right field to a standing ovation. There’s also a new mural above the right-field wall that depicts Gwynn alongside murals of Golden Spikes Award winners and former SDSU baseball players Stephen Strasburg and Travis Lee," reported a senior staff writer at The Daily Aztec.

Guys like Gwynn need to be remembered for what they brought to the game- hard work, determination and leadership.  These are three cornerstones to a successful team, both on and off the field.  So, let's remain hopeful for the Yankees this season as we enter in the final days before pitcher and catchers report.  That's Hot Stove...see you next week!

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Senior Staff Writer
BYB Hot Stove Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof



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HEY JOE MADDON? YOU MAD?

There are some names in the game of baseball that transcend a uniform, or any kind of rivalry. Jackie Robinson, Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken, Jr. to name a few. What they represented to the game is far more important than what uniform. They are legends in their own right, and as such, should be respected. Am I right here?

This weekend, the Yankees played the Tampa Bay Rays at the Trop. Not surprisingly, as it has been occurring all season thus far, Derek Jeter was met with a round of applause. Remember those names I said transcend the uniform? Yea, Jeter is one of them. But, what was more surprising was the fans at the Trop, cheering for Jeter during the ninth inning. Of course, Rays manager, Joe Maddon, was not at all pleased. According to CBS Sports (HERE):

"I understand that the people like Derek Jeter. But you've got to come out and root for the Rays, too, you understand. I mean, I totally understand what's going one. But I'm not going to sit here and defend all of that noise in the Yankees' favor in our ballpark. I'm not going to defend that. So we're going to come out and root for the Rays. We'd appreciate that."

Oh, do you really understand what is happening, Maddon?

Okay, let's take a look at it. Let's start with the simple fact that it is Derek Freakin' Jeter! He IS THE Captain! Have you noticed his career accomplishments lately? Also, the Yankees training camp is in Tampa, which brings in local fans as well. And there is our class-A Yankees in Tampa as well. And all the retirees from New York that settle in Florida. The team has a strong fan base in Tampa. It's really not uncommon that Jeter gets the fans recognition. Even if it is in Tampa. This is probably a debate he is not prepared to handle.

Hey, I get the frustration. You want the home crowd to root for your team. That's cool, but you really should consider not saying everything you are thinking. Sure, it must be tough for the home team to seemingly root against you. But there isn't a single baseball fan, that knows the worth of a player like Jeter that isn't going to cheer for him. It's just that simple.

And, hey! Let's be honest for a second. The Yankees being at the Trop was why it was sold out. So maybe you should be thanking Jeter. To the Rays fans, and all fans of other teams, that have showed our Captain such great respect this season, we thank you!

 Come on Joe... you're a baseball guy. Act like you've been there before!

--Erica Morales BYB Senior Writer 
Twitter: @e_morales1804

 
  

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