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JON VANKIN is a journalist and author. He’s the writer of 5 nonfiction books and 9 graphic novels. His writing has appeared in The New York Instances Journal, Salon, the L.A. Weekly and dozens of different publications and he has acquired quite a few awards and honors together with three New England Press Affiliation awards.
In connection together with his work, Vankin has made quite a few media appearances on such networks as CNN, CNBC, FOX, the BBC and the CBC in addition to tons of of radio stations and podcasts.
Vankin in his wide-ranging profession has additionally served as an editor of comedian books and newspapers. He’s the editor of the NEW YORK TIMES #1 BESTSELLING graphic novel GET JIRO! by the late, nice Anthony Bourdain. He co-wrote the hit Off Broadway musical FOREVER DUSTY, and served as a sportswriter and editor at The Day by day Yomiuri, the English-language version of Japan’s largest newspaper, the Yomiuri Shimbun, in Tokyo.
Contributing Sports activities Author
Many of the 62 remaining unsigned MLB free brokers have one factor in widespread that might account for why they haven’t discovered any takers in free company but — they’re outdated. No less than in baseball phrases. For instance, reliever David Robertson might be 40 in April. Slugger J.D. Martinez is 37. First baseman Anthony Rizzo is 35. Bullpen righty Joe Kelly is 36.
In actual fact, of these 62 unsigned free brokers solely 5 are youthful than 34 years outdated. And two of these are 31.
After which there’s Alex Verdugo.
At 28 years and 9 months outdated, the previous New York Yankees outfielder who struck out to end the 2024 World Series is the youngest free agent nonetheless with out a staff — a puzzling fall from grace for a six-year veteran who’s 2019 was the Los Angeles Dodgers No. 1 prospect.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Photos
Whereas Verdugo’s profession has been disappointingly mediocre up to now with a career OPS of .742, which interprets to an OPS+ of 101 (the MLB common OPS+ is about at 100), there isn’t a query that he’s a minimum of helpful outfielder nonetheless in his prime years. However the Yankees confirmed no real interest in retaining him.
Why has he discovered nobody to signal him?
Longtime MLB insider journalist Ken Rosenthal questioned the identical factor, talking on his “Fair Territory” podcast Friday. Rosenthal appeared to conclude that the reply could lie in Verdugo’s “completely different” character.
“I do not know what the issue is right here,” Rosenthal stated on the podcast, discussing Verdugo’s predicament. “Sure, he has a special character, however teammates appear to love him. Perhaps at instances, he can rub groups the improper approach, and positively didn’t end effectively with the Yankees, however is he a serious league outfielder? Can he assist some staff? Completely.”
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Verdugo has rubbed his supervisor the improper approach at instances. In 2023, his last 12 months with the Boston Pink Sox, supervisor Alex Cora benched him twice, the first time in June for a failure to hustle on the bottom paths, after which once more in August allegedly for exhibiting up late to the ballpark.
“He did not play as we speak,” Cora said at the time. “We now have to ensure all people’s obtainable each single day right here for us to get to wherever we’ll go. And that wasn’t the case. And as a supervisor, I’ve obtained to take cost of this, and I made a decision he wasn’t going to play.”
In New York in 2024, Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone took a special method. After Verdugo did not run out a floor ball, Boone defended the player.
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“He is beat up,” Boone stated. “He picks his spots to the place –when he must, he beats out the pressure play, beats out a double play, will get the infield hit. Typically I want it could look a bit of higher on sure ones.”
Making the thriller of Verdugo’s failure to discover a new staff in free company much more mysterious, on Friday Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that “earlier” within the offseason, the Pittsburgh Pirates “broached” the concept of signing Verdugo, “floating” a proposal within the $8 million vary.
However Heyman didn’t specify if the $8 million provide was ever formally made to Verdugo, or when. The Pirates wanted to fill a nook outfield position, however have since signed 37-year-old, 11-year veteran Tommy Pham to take that spot, so presumably the provide to Verdugo is now off the desk, if it was ever on the desk within the first place.
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In regards to the author
JON VANKIN is a journalist and author. He’s the writer of 5 nonfiction books and 9 graphic novels. His writing has appeared in The New York Instances Journal, Salon, the L.A. Weekly and dozens of different publications and he has acquired quite a few awards and honors together with three New England Press Affiliation awards.
In connection together with his work, Vankin has made quite a few media appearances on such networks as CNN, CNBC, FOX, the BBC and the CBC in addition to tons of of radio stations and podcasts.
Vankin in his wide-ranging profession has additionally served as an editor of comedian books and newspapers. He’s the editor of the NEW YORK TIMES #1 BESTSELLING graphic novel GET JIRO! by the late, nice Anthony Bourdain. He co-wrote the hit Off Broadway musical FOREVER DUSTY, and served as a sportswriter and editor at The Day by day Yomiuri, the English-language version of Japan’s largest newspaper, the Yomiuri Shimbun, in Tokyo.
JON VANKIN is a journalist and author. He’s the writer of 5 nonfiction books and 9 graphic novels. His …
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