The New York Yankees acquired Rangers’ minor-league infielder Russell Wilson for future considerations—Wilson is also a four-time Pro Bowl selection, a Super Bowl champion, and the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks.
In probably the biggest trade the New York Yankees made this offseason, the team received Russell Wilson from the Texas Rangers.
There is now a legitimate debate on who gives Wilson more protection – his offensive line with the Seahawks, or Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, as seen in this Twitter poll.
While Wilson does not plan on playing baseball professionally, the Yankees said he does plan on going to Spring Training in a tweet.
“I want to personally thank the Texas Rangers and Jon Daniels for drafting me and giving me the chance to experience professional baseball again,” said Wilson in a statement. “During my two springs with the Rangers, I was reminded just how much I love the game.”
According to ESPN, Wilson had long expressed a desire to play for the Yankees – Wilson albeit seemed to confirm that, saying “Always said we’d be a Yankee Pops!”
Wilson is not the first two-sport athlete to be a Yankee – Deion Sanders spent his first two MLB seasons in pinstripes.
Yankee fans will be able to see an extra hour of Wilson’s batting practice during the spring, as the team announced they will open the gates an hour earlier during Spring Training.
Okay, maybe it’s not for the QB. But the Yankees are giving their fans an opportunity to see Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton hit bombs out of George M. Steinbrenner Field throughout the spring.
This is not the first time the Yankees have opened the gates to its games an hour earlier. In 2009, the gates at Yankee Stadium opened three hours prior to first pitch throughout the season to give fans their first look at the new stadium. In 2014, the gates opened an hour earlier during the last home series of the year for fans to get their last glimpse of Derek Jeter taking batting practice.
The website of the Yankees home for Spring Training urges fans to “remember to bring your glove in case you get lucky!”
It’s also nice protection for balls flying 120-plus miles an hour at your face, so let’s hope these fans have some good hand-eye coordination.
Girardi’s New Gig
The Yankees will go into Spring Training without Joe Girardi for the first time since 2007, but Girardi has a new gig with the MLB Network.
Girardi made his debut with the network last night on MLB Tonight after 10 seasons of managing the Yankees.
“I’m loving being a part of this team, you can’t lose here,” said Girardi.
Girardi spoke of the Yankees’ acquisition of Russell Wilson and the potentially positive impact he can have in the clubhouse in Tampa.
“Spring Training can get really long. He could bring some real excitement and liven it up,” said the former Manager of the Year.
Girardi noted that “matchups are key” and his “favorite thing in the game of baseball,” and said he will watch the game still through the eyes of a player and manager during his time with the network.
He closed out his debut with Bill Ripken in Studio 42, speaking about the receiving aspect of being a catcher, which was an issue of Gary Sanchez’s last season.
Clint Frazier Raking
And finally, Clint Frazier is still raking. He also made it known he hates the Red Sox.
Take a look at this video he tweeted yesterday, hitting an absolute moonshot over a virtual Fenway Park.
just trying to keep the rivalry going pic.twitter.com/PkAPt2rhhI
— Clint Frazier (@clintfrazier) February 7, 2018
“Just trying to keep the rivalry going,” Frazier said in the tweet.
