Source
r/baseball•
MickeyLater

Do you cheer for sentiment over performance, or for performance over sentiment, in cases like this?

John Axford is an aging Canadian-born pitcher who's getting a chance with Canada's team. Great sentimental favourite to make the MLB team out of spring training. But he's probably not the best performer that the Jays could slot into that spot in their bullpen. How do you feel in cases like this, when your heart goes with one guy and your brain goes with someone else?

Posted Mar 11, 2018, 2:04 AM UTC

139
rockmann1997Chicago White Sox :cws1:•

Im cold and heartless for the most part. Unless my team is tanking, theres little place in baseball for sentimental value. Ron Washinggton leaving Nelson Cruz in RF so he could be on the field when they won a world series for example.

31
yankee1nation101New York Yankees :nyy3:•

Some sense of sentimentality. Like I know after next year keeping Brett Gardner probably isn’t smart as the Yankees have young outfielders like Frazier and Florial in their system, as well as a general log jam with Ellsbury still on the roster and Hicks, Judge, and Stanton.

But goddamnit I want that beautiful bald bastard to only ever play for the Yankees and seeing him in any other uniform would crush my soul.

12
AsnChillOakland Athletics•

No room for sentimentality on a poor team man.

8
FakeAccountTeeheeToronto Blue Jays•

I mean if today's performance means anything, why not both?

3
ErnestJoeCalifornia Angels•

No sentimentality from me. If it were up to me, Pujols would be batting 8th and would ride the bench when Ohtani is the DH, unless we're facing a lefty.

2
dont_yell_at_meSeattle Mariners•

I don’t understand how anyone can be excited about the Mariners signing Ichiro. So yeah performance over everything.

1
yankee1nation101New York Yankees :nyy3:•

If the Mariners expect to contend his veteran leadership will help out, as well as his general knowledge of hitting(think Beltran for the Astros last year), will help out greatly.

He also hit fairly well last year in the second half. .299/.384/.379 for a 40+ year old guy like Ichiro who will be a role player isn't too bad. He will be an asset one way or another, be it as a leader or as a role player with his bat and glove.

4
kyrbyrOakland Athletics•

The same could be said for Axford, he's a very amiable guy and would undoubtedly have a positive influence on the Jays clubhouse.

But, he still could be toast in terms of performance.

1
dont_yell_at_meSeattle Mariners•

What leadership can he bring that cano Felix seager cruz leake etc can’t? That’s just a way to try and justify signing him imo. That split was in 90 at bats. Don’t use his age as the justification. In whole he wasn’t good last year and is expect to be below average again.

0