No Vacation Days During The Summer

When I was a graduate student studying journalism at Boston University, I worked at the Souvenir Store across the street from Fenway Park on Yawkey Way.  During baseball season, it was all hands on deck.  I worked every home stand.  There were no days off.  There was no vacation time.  It was long hours, long days and long nights.  It was fun, it fed my passion for the game but at the same time it was work.  So my question is this: “Why does Aaron Boone consistently give starters days off particularly when each series, even when the team they are playing is not in contention, is critical?  There are no vacation days during the summer; we need all hands on deck.

Aaron Boone needs to put his best team on the field, every night.  This includes having Giancarlo Stanton playing in the outfield, not non-outfielder, barely breaking .200 Neil Walker. These guys get paid a ridiculous amount of money to be taking days off when they’re in the midst of chasing the league leading Red Sox.  Sure the days are long, so are the days you work and I work.  We earn vacation time, but during the key parts of our year, we don’t take that time.  We take the time off during our off season.  So why is Aaron Boone sitting potential Rookie of the Year 21-year-old Gleyber Torres to play Tyler Wade or Neil Walker?

“Torres collected two hits, including a double and an RBI, during the first game of the day, but he’ll get a breather after playing in just his third game since coming off the disabled list. Tyler Wade draws the start at second base and will bat eighth,” reported CBS Sports.  I share fellow blogger Yanks Go Yard’s sentiment in this comment, “What in blazes is Brett Gardner and Miguel Andujar doing on the bench in favor of Tyler Wade and Shane Robinson?”  Yes, why in the blazes?

And then there’s practice and workouts canceled to give guys more rest, this one coming a week or so before the All Star Break.  “I think it’s just the late night last night and the heat. Normally, you play a weekend series, and that Sunday is a day game … and especially nowadays. The facilities — and especially our facilities — are so good that guys, we’ve got a couple guys out there doing their infield work right now with (infield coordinator Carlos Mendoza). Guys get the prep they need. We just thought it was a good day to, instead of having it where guys sometimes feel like they need to go to it, not even make it an option. Just we’re off the field today with the heat and the late night last night,“reported NJ.com.

We need to look long term.  We need to win not just against Boston, but against everyone, including the Orioles, the Rays, the Royals and any other team that comes our way between now and the end of season.  It is all hands on deck. No more vacation days, Aaron Boone.  We simply can’t afford it.

–Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof