ButlerBulldog

Situations like this are illustrative of how out of touch owners and league officials are with the feelings and mindset of the average fan. The reverse is also true, as most fans can’t relate to the challenges faced by executives, but I wonder if the NHL and Coyotes ownership would’ve done more to resolve this situation without moving the team if they knew firsthand the pain that young woman was feeling.

Funny you mention this, as he was ripped by Sal Licata—whom I find extremely obnoxious—for this very reason just last week. For Soto to solidify himself as an MVP candidate, he needs to recognize the instances in which he should be more aggressive as opposed to taking a walk because he doesn’t see a pitch he likes. That he has such a well-defined approach at the plate is great, but the Yankees didn’t trade for him to walk with men on base. They traded for him to drive in men on base. I’ll be interested to see if he varies his tactics as the season goes on. I don’t know what to make of his batting average fluctuations, as he’s capable of hitting over .300 but hasn’t done so consistently. I don’t think his struggles in past seasons are shift-related, as he generally uses the entire field.

Based on Fitz’s recent comments, it sounds like a lot of people came into the season patting themselves on the back for what they accomplished in ‘22-23, thinking they could duplicate or even exceed that success merely by showing up. That such a mindset was allowed to take hold within the organization at all speaks to a lack of leadership by Fitz, Lindy, and others. As @MadDog2020 pointed out, I hope Fitz has learned something from this experience and is prepared to bring in a coach whose mindset reflects that. If he opts to bring back Green, we’ll know that he hasn’t.

“I would like to thank Travis Green for his leadership and, in particular, his willingness to take charge of the team during a difficult period of transition. We wish him the best in his chapter. Ours will begin in earnest with a search for a new coach and coaching staff.”

Hope all the guys who go to Worlds have a good experience but come back healthy and have time to rest and prepare for next season.

They were packaged, so the staff member who handed it to me probably had no idea which one I was getting, but I agree it would have made sense for me to end up with a Fitz pin, even though I don’t like him very much right now. LOL!

I was on the other side of a situation like this in February, when I attended the Devils-Predators game at which the latter’s team captains were honored. Fans entering the arena were randomly given a commemorative pin depicting the jersey of a Predators captain, and it was definitely weird being handed one while wearing a Nico Hischier jersey.

That, too. Seeing that group of Rangers fans posing on the Devils logo at center ice pissed me off.

Yes, that idea was discussed on this board a few months ago. I don’t mind opposing fans sitting wherever they want. I just don’t like the idea of the Rock being overrun by them.

Danny Tartabull was another guy who should never have been a Yankee, but I think his acquisition was necessitated in part by the Mets making a big splash by signing Bobby Bonilla and Eddie Murray and trading for Brett Saberhagen in ‘92 offseason. I was happy when he was finally shipped out of town three years later. Ruben Sierra was someone I liked, as he had a lot of big hits for the Yankees during their late-season run to the playoffs in ‘95, but I agree that his personality didn’t fit in the team’s clubhouse during his first tour in the Bronx. After the Yankees traded him for Cecil Fielder, he bounced around a lot and was actually out of baseball for a while before resurrecting his career by returning to the Texas Rangers in 2001. I think the limbo period humbled Ruben and made him realize that being a Major League player isn’t justification for being an a$$hole, no matter how good you are (or think you are).

I vaguely remember Klein, but I’ll never forget Mel Hall, who turned out to be a complete scumbag, both on and off the field. From his unremitting harassment of Bernie Williams to his affair with an underage high school student, he was an absolutely disgusting human being.

Nice! This should be a good opportunity for growth for both players.