Just a Dumb Thing to Say

Tensions rose between the Yankees and White Sox this weekend.  It all started on Saturday when Josh Donaldson made what can only be classified as a stupid comment to Tim Anderson.  Anderson didn't take it well, so he made sure people knew what was said and that he didn't appreciate it.  Donaldson didn't deny it and offered a pretty weak explanation, which only made matters worse.  Ultimately, he was suspended one game by Major League Baseball, which seems appropriate.

The White Sox pitching coach doesn't think a fine and one-game suspension is enough, but that's what I think most people were expecting.  I'm not sure exactly what type of punishment he thinks Donaldson deserved, but it was never gonna be much more than two games.  And the fact that he was suspended at all speaks volumes.

For those of you who might've missed it, the incident I'm referring to happened in the first inning of Saturday's game, when Donaldson called Anderson "Jackie," in reference to Jackie Robinson.  He claims he was trying to make a joke, and it's something he and Anderson have joked about before, stemming from a 2019 Sports Illustrated article in which Anderson said he felt like "today's Jackie Robinson."

Whether they've joked about it in the past or not, Anderson didn't take it that way on Saturday.  He was offended, calling the comment "disrespectful" and "unnecessary."  Tony La Russa was the one who said it was "racist" in his postgame press conference, but it was clear Anderson felt that way, as well.

Aaron Boone didn't exactly defend Donaldson, either.  He acknowledged that there likely wasn't malicious intent (which is probably true), but still admitted Donaldson shouldn't have said it.  To his credit, Donaldson apologized.  It was too little, too late though.  The damage had already been done.

It's also worth noting that Donaldson and the White Sox have history, which probably came into play.  When he played for the Twins last season, he got into it with Lucas Giolito after homering off him in a game that was shortly after the MLB ban on sticky substances took effect.  And, earlier this season, there was a separate bench-clearing incident in Chicago when Anderson shoved Donaldson after a hard tag. 

That, evidently, is why Donaldson felt the need to "diffuse the tension" by making what he thought was a light-hearted joke.  It was, at best, a joke in very poor taste.  And just ask Chris Rock about how well telling a joke in poor taste that somebody else doesn't find very funny can go!  The difference, though, is that, in poor taste or not, Chris Rock's Jada Pinkett/GI Jane joke was obviously that.  A joke.  Anderson, meanwhile, had no idea if Donaldson was joking or not.

And, even if you gave Donaldson the benefit of the doubt, there's a time and a place.  Say you actually are friendly with an opponent and you want to joke around during batting practice.  No problem at all!  When you bring it into a game situation, though, you'd better be sure it'll be taken the way you intended.  Otherwise, things like this can happen.

What was even the point of saying it, too?  Because the chances of it blowing up in your face, like it did with Donaldson, are pretty freakin' high!  And, when it does blow up in your face, there's gonna be consequences.  So, like I said, malicious intent or not, it was just an incredibly dumb thing to say.  Especially in the middle of a game!

As soon as MLB said that they were investigating the incident, you knew a suspension was likely.  Especially since no one was disputing any details about what happened.  Both Donaldson and Anderson acknowledged what was said and told their side of the story.  That's why the investigation didn't take very long.  It took them all of two days to determine Donaldson's thoughtless comment warranted a one-game suspension.

Donaldson has appealed, which is his right under the CBA.  Since you can't reduce a one-game suspension, the only options MLB has on the appeal are to uphold the one-game ban or reduce it to just a fine.  Frankly, I don't think it will or should be reduced to just a fine.  Because that would send just as big of a message as the decision to suspend him did.  Only the opposite message!

Regardless of how the appeal plays out, Donaldson's suspension is MLB saying pretty clearly that racist comments are completely unacceptable.  Just like how Trevor Bauer's two-year ban also sent a pretty clear message.  I'm not trying to compare the two in any way.  Donaldon's comment and Bauer's behavior are in no way the same.  But they were both taken seriously, and MLB made similar conclusions.

In the grand scheme of things, one game is nothing.  Donaldson has already gotten plenty of days off over the first six months of the season, and he's currently on the COVID IL, so he'll miss a few days for that, too.  (The ironic thing is that if he had just accepted the suspension, the Yankees could've just waited a day to put him on the COVID IL and had him serve it on Monday.)  That's not the point, though.  The point is this is something that should not happen, and, if it does, there will be a price to pay.

So, I ask again...was it worth it?  The damage was done as soon as Donaldson opened his mouth, and, frankly, he was lucky to only get a one-game suspension.  Hopefully that's enough to get the point across.  Because it really is pretty simple.  As your mother always told you when you were little, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all."