Josh Donaldson stated Aaron Decide’s criticism of him within the aftermath of Donaldson’s admission that he referred to as White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson “Jackie” was tough to take.
“It was positively robust to listen to that,’’ Donaldson stated Wednesday. “I talked to my teammates as quickly because it occurred and allow them to know what my intentions had been. I believe all people responded to what I needed to say. I believe they know my coronary heart. That’s not my intention.”
Donaldson admitted to repeatedly calling Anderson, who's black, “Jackie.” Donaldson stated it was an try to defuse tensions between the 2 after they almost got here to blows when the groups met in Chicago final month.
“Joke or not, I don’t suppose it’s the proper factor to do there,’’ Decide stated final month of Donaldson’s interplay with Anderson.
Requested Wednesday about Donaldson’s standing with the staff, Decide stated, “[Donaldson’s] at all times welcome. He’s going to be a giant a part of us profitable the World Sequence if we’re going to get to the place we should be. Josh Donaldson’s going to be a giant a part of it, that’s why we went out and bought him.”
However Decide additionally famous that the 2 haven’t spoken in particular person because the incident, although they've talked on the cellphone.
“That’s one thing we’ll deal with internally and get it found out,’’ Decide stated. “He’s a giant chief on this room, and a variety of guys look as much as him. That was a tricky scenario he’s been in, and he’s on the injured record now and he’s getting back from that.”
Decide blamed the shortage of communication on the very fact Donaldson simply returned from the COVID-19 injured record, however added, “We’ve bought loads of time.”
Donaldson stated regardless of the criticism, he nonetheless feels “snug” within the Yankees’ clubhouse, however continues to be stung by the very fact it was thought-about a racial assertion.
“It’s extraordinarily hurtful … to have that accusation, not only for myself, however for my household,’’ Donaldson stated. “That’s positively not who I'm.”
He additionally stated he and Anderson haven’t spoken because the Might 22 incident. He continued to insist he and Anderson had been on the identical web page since Donaldson started calling him “Jackie” within the wake of the 2019 Sports activities Illustrated article wherein Anderson referred to himself as “at this time’s Jackie Robinson.”
“It was pleasant banter, backwards and forwards and he took it as that,’’ Donaldson stated. “I do know experiences say [Anderson said] no. Possibly we interpreted it otherwise.”
Donaldson added that regardless of his status with some across the league, he believes he has been well-received.
“I delight myself on being a great teammate,’’ Donaldson stated. “In all places I’ve [gone], each group I’ve been part of, minus Oakland, has provided me extensions and wished me to remain. … In all places I’ve [gone], I’ve received, and a part of profitable is having good staff chemistry.”
Controversy, although, has adopted Donaldson all through his profession.
And that is simply the newest instance.
“I don’t know why it bought to that time,’’ Donaldson stated of why the scenario with Anderson escalated. “We’ve talked and joked on the sector. Tim is a competitor and performs with a chip on his shoulder. To me, trying again on it, a variety of it stemmed from the play at third base [in Chicago].”
That’s when Donaldson, per week earlier, knocked Anderson off the bag in a play on the base, which additionally led to the gamers almost coming to blows.
“I attempted to get out in entrance of it [by saying], ‘My unhealthy’ throughout the recreation,’’ Donaldson stated. “I felt I had hashed it out, however the first recreation of the collection at residence, I attempted to increase an olive department saying, ‘Let’s clear the stress.’ It had nothing to do with attempting to carry him down or a race scenario. That’s not my intent. However speaking to guys, I shouldn’t have put myself or my staff in that scenario.”
Donaldson stated he’s interesting his one-game suspension as a result of he didn’t agree with the choice that led to the ban.
“My intentions weren’t what they had been blown out to be,’’ Donaldson stated. “An enormous a part of [the suspension] was [based on the fact] I incited the benches clearing when that was like 4 innings after [he and Anderson jawed with each other]. I don’t know the way I used to be inciting something. I walked as much as residence plate. And the catcher [Yasmani Grandal] confronted me at the moment. I don’t know the way that was my prerogative that they determined they wished to clear the benches. In my view, I didn’t do this.”
And he stated there was nothing racial about his “Jackie” time period.
“I do really feel unhealthy for the Robinson household,” Donaldson stated. “I by no means need them to really feel their identify ought to ever be regarded in a foul gentle.”
Extra reporting by Mark W. Sanchez
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