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16
04
2008
Hawkins rewards Yankee fans’ maturity
Posted by: Ben K. in Asides. Tagged: Horrendously Retarded, LaTroy HawkinsNice work, folks. We’ve booed LaTroy Hawkins into submission. I hope everyone feels good about that. Hawkins, previously wearing number 21, will switch to 22 tonight after fans couldn’t deal with someone else wearing the number seven years after Paul O’Neill retired. No word yet if the Omar Moreno or Jimmy Key fans plan on booing Hawkins for the switch.
Popularity: 3% [?]
RI-DIC-U-LOUS! Hawkins honors Roberto Clemente by wearing #21 and can’t walk on the field without being booed. I think Paul O’Neill will be embarrassed and dismayed at the switch.
Boooooo!!!
Ro-ger Cle-mens! Clap clap clapclapclap!
The part I dont understand is where has Big Paul been in all of this? Couldn’t he have been a role model and told the fans enough is enough? Or did he like all the attention?
when michael kay asked him his thoughts on #21 being worn, he clearly skirted the issue and never said that he was okay with someone else wearing it. it was classless of him to not give his blessing.
Gasp! A self-centered former ballplayer. Shocking.
As much as the fans are idiots, Paulie O. is responsible too.
He’s in the booth is he not? He’s still an active part of this team is he not?
All he’d have to do is release a statement saying, “Thanks for the gesture, but it is not my or your decision. Mr. Hawkins is an excellent player and leader. I am honored to have him wearing the number 21.”
That’s it. Done. Fans shut up.
I feel bad for Hawkins. It’s not like he DEMANDED the number. The Yankees gave it to Ensberg in Spring Training. Then Hawkins took it. I see no issue.
Stay classy NYC.
Hey, he’s been pitching pretty well lately! 4 straight good solid outings.
RichYF is right, as much as I loved Paulie, it ain’t like Hawkins asked for #3.
Poor LaTroy, this guy has been treated like crap by the fans ever since he stepped onto the field.
If O’neill was dissapointed by the number being issued, why does he have to say otherwise? I appreciate his honesty.
Also, why is everyone assuming that the number meant more to Hawkins than the fans? Hawkins never wore #21 to honor Clemente before, so it can’t be that important to him.
Had Joba or Hughes taken #21, there would be no problem. But, I can understand fans not wanting a one-year middle reliever to be the first after O’Neill to wear #21.
Hawkins is being paid millions…he doesn’t need sympathy because fans want don’t want him to wear #21!
That is a ridiculous argument and its beside the point. First of all, booing somebody for wearing a number, a unretired number of a non-hall of fame player who played more of his career as a non-Yankee, is stupid to begin with. Booing him and trying to make him screw up is even worse, in fact, its reprehensible and pretty much the opposite of being a fan.
Look, a # is a #. As a Yankee fan, you are a fan of the TEAM. Therefore, whoever is wearing that # you root for to succeed and do whatever it takes. Period. Players come and go, and there will be a lot more players much better than O’Neill coming through.
It’s not a matter of withholding sympathy to a player, its a matter of understanding the nature of the game. There are ways to honor Paul O’Neil, and blindly worshiping the # he wore on his uniform is not one of them.
This sets a precedent now, where these jackass fans are seen to have “won,” lending even more strength to this behavior and irrational belief. Who knows who will take the # next, but it will be a sad day if the Yankees retire O’Neill’s # and will completely devalue the whole act. He is simply not worthy. Period.
Apparently, a # isn’t just a #, otherwise we wouldn’t be having this debate. Also, that argument is a two street. If you think fans shouldn’t pay attention to numbers, neither should players.
As for whether O’Neill is worthy of the honor, well, I agree wit you, but that doesn’t mean other fans can’t feel differently. Booing is part of the game…just as you can boo to show displeaure with performance, you can booa player for a decision with which you don’t agree.
Yeah, I find this whole matter to be pretty embarassing as a Yankee fan.
I don’t understand, why are people now so supportive of Latroy Hawkins? For the commenter who said he’s been “treated like crap since he got here,” have you ever thought that just maybe he’s been booed not only for wearing 21, but for being a terrible pitcher? I don’t wanna hear how he’s had 4 good outings, Hawkins is a JOKE of a reliever and was an embarrassing signing by Cash to “forify” the pen. Also, if every other free agent Yankee since 2001 has elected not to take 21, why should Latroy Hawkins be the one to break that trend? It’s not like there’s 21 is the only available number, plus he’s not really honoring Clemente with the way he performs, it’s more like he disgraces the number. I’m not saying at all that O’Neill’s number should be retired, as much as I love him, but Hawkins asked for this mess when he switched to 21 AFTER Morgan Ensberg switched off of the number for this very reason.
That’s absurd. Hawkins is not a joke of a pitcher, the real joke are the fans that booed him relentlessly and people like you who think a 1-yr, $3.75M contract is an embarrasing signing.
So what, is no one ever allowed to wear number 21 again? The next time somebody tried to take that number, they’ll be booed too. It’s really a great way to honor O’Neill, by humiliating another player. Yankee fans are supposed to be better than this.
Have you seen Hawkins’ body of work? When has he ever been consistent during his career? It’s signings like these/lack of moves to improve the bullpen that keep Joba in the pen instead of starting, where he should be, as this site talks about all the time. But anyway, if Roger Clemens didn’t switch to 21, his number throughout his career, when O’Neill left, why should Latroy Hawkins wear it? And stop putting yourself on a pedastil by saying “Yankee fans should be better than this.” Paul O’Neill was one of the biggest reasons why the franchise was turned from a huge laughingstock in the late 80s-early 90s to the perennial power that it still is today. He epitomized everything that New Yorkers love in their athletes. OK, maybe it wasn’t handled in an ideal way, but fans are loyal to players who gave everything they had every day they stepped on the field.
And 2 more things, if you think this is going to make Yankee fans happy just bc he switched to 22, that’s ridiculous. They aren’t just gonna start cheering for him bc he relinquished O’Neill’s number. He still has to PITCH WELL, and if he continues sucking, he’ll get booed more. Also, if he stayed with 21 and pitched well instead of giving it up so quickly and blaming it on the wishes of the fans, I guarantee you Yankee fans would slowly but surely stop booing and chanting for O’Neill bc the number 1 priority Yanks fans care about is winning. I don’t wanna hear about how he “never had a chance.” Sure he did, and he still does, if he pitches well he will be cheered, whether he wears 21 or not. That’s really the bottom line
Have you seen Hawkins’ body of work? When has he ever been consistent during his career?
And when, exactly, was O’Neill consistent before joining the Yanks?
OK, maybe it wasn’t handled in an ideal way, but fans are loyal to players who gave everything they had every day they stepped on the field.
Hawkins was never given a chance to prove himself in that way; he was booed when they announced the players on Opening Day. It doesn’t matter what he does during the rest of his Yankee tenure, he’s the jerk that tried to take Paul O’Neill’s number from here on out.
And don’t accuse me of being up on a pedestal because I think Yankee fans shouldn’t have booed Hawkins. You’re the one who thinks fans should have a say in what number a player can wear.
O’Neill was 29 when he got here, Hawkins is 35 and has been a journeyman pitcher who has bounced from team to team bc of his ineffectiveness and lack of talent. To compare the 2’s consistencies or careers is just idiotic. As far as the fans having a say in who takes what number, it’s pretty obvious that the players have the ultimate say in selecting numbers and since 2001, not one free agent or player who has come to the Yanks has taken O’Neill’s number out of respect for what he accomplished here. So it’s not just the fans who have admiration for O’Neill. And finally, about your ridiculous point about how it doesn’t matter what Hawkins does for the rest of his Yankee tenure, let me remind you of a fellow named Tino Martinez. If you can’t remember, Tino was booed relentlessly when he got here, not only for not performing, but for being the immortal Don Mattingly’s replacement. You could’ve made the argument that in early April of 96, it doesn’t matter what Tino did the rest of his Yankee tenure bc he’ll be known as “the bum who replaced Donnie Baseball.” What did Tino do? Played his ass off and played well, turning the boos to cheers and winning over the fans, which brings me to my previous point - Yankee fans care about WINNING. If Latroy pitches to a 2.5 ERA for the year, I guarantee you he will be cheered when he enters a ballgame and when he’s on the mound. It’s not as hard as you’re making it out to be to win over NY fans.
And what, exactly has HE “accomplished” here? a .301 Yankee batting average? a mixed track record in the PS??? What, he personally won all those WS titles with his grit and anger?? Hogwash. If your argument stood, than every single Yankee on those teams needs the same treatment. Knoblauch, Wells, Clemens, Stanton, Nelson, Medoza, El Duque, Brocious, Martinez all had as much to do with it as O’Neill.
And clearly, all thee “fans” care about is not simply winning, its demonstrating irrational “loyalty” and “love” for a myth of “championship” players. Yeah, like that Tino Martinez, who “Played his ass off and played well” into getting benched in the 1996 WS for Cecil Fielder, and with a Yankee OPS+ right about league average. I mean, my God!!! If that doesn’t deserve to have a # retired, what does???
No one said anything about retiring Tino’s number except for you. Also, so you think Tino wasn’t a valuable piece to the 96 team then just bc he had one rough postseason? Why did Yankee fans accept and cheer him then if he was as average as you make him out to be? And if he’s so average, you’re illustrating my point even further. That it doesn’t matter what number is on Hawkins’ back, and no1 is asking him to be a HOF’er either. All he has to do is do his job and help his team win games and he will be appreciated and cheered. The idea that 11 games into the season he has no chance of ever winning over Yankee fans is assinine. Also, I’m pretty sure Hawkins could’ve just stuck with 21 to continue honoring Clemente and shut the fans up by pitching well, like I’ve said earlier. But instead, he chose to give it up, which is fine, but Yankee fans don’t deserve to be reprimanded just bc he can’t handle a little booing in EARLY APRIL
It really doesn’t matter what he’s done in his career. He doesn’t deserve to be booed everytime he steps out onto the field simply because he chose to wore the number of a fan favorite. Yes, he had some bad outings at the beginning of the season but he was getting booed before he even made his first pitch. That’s entirely irrational and immature. You, as a fan, have no say over what number a player gets to wear. If the team felt Paul O’Neill deserved to have his number retired/not used, they’d have made it so. They didn’t, therefore the number is available to anyone.
LaTroy Hawkins did absolutely nothing to deserve the harsh reception he received on Opening Day, except wear a number that is for some reason revered and worshipped by some bloodthirsty “fans” Get over it, the number is going to get used again.
But really, I’m not even sure this has anything to do with the number at all, rather people pining for the “dynasty” years. It’s over, move on. This is a new breed of Yankees baseball and we should be cheering and supporting our current and future teams (and players), not pissing and moaning over the past.
Bottom line is Paul oneill was a huge reason we have the recent titles that we have.
He was and always will be my fav player of all time. Im not saying that the yanx must retire his number but it wouldnt be a crime if they did retire it.
Latroy went about things in a very profesional mammer
So did Scott Brocious, Mike Stanton, Jeff Nelson, Roger Clemens, The Straw, David Justice, Chuck Knoblauch, and a bunch of other guys. Don’t see anyone attempting to retire their #s. I don’t see anyone lining up to defend Dave Winfield’s #, and he was a Yankee for the same amount of time and was a better player than O’Neill. He had the misfortune of playing on Yankee teams that just couldn’t quite get it done, but thats no fault of his own…
Nothing wrong with the Deuce Deuce. He should walk around with tall boy miller lite cans as his trademark.
Atleast I would.
How dare he wear Jimmy Key’s number…I wasn’t going to go to the game tonight, but now I’ll be out in full force.
Forget Jimmy Key, how dare he disgrace Robinson Cano’s rookie year like that!
Or parts of Jorge Posada’s 1997 campaign.
Or my sophomore year JV basketball jersey number!!! BOOOOO!
or Reuben Droughns
Or Michael Jordan. I know he wore 23 but I don’t like the proximity. Does Hawkins really have the gall to think he is one away from being as good as Jordan!?!?
Hawkins is almost as good at baseball as Jordan was.
The booing was not the worst part of it.
The worst part was people chanting O’Neil’s name while Hawkins was trying to perform.
You do that not because you want to voice displeasure with performance but because you want to humiliate Hawkins. That was the goal of that mob “justice” - humiliation.
The chanting and booing started BEFORE Hawkins even threw a pitch.
And it started actually way before the regular season - it started in spring training when Ensberg got scared off from wearing it.
It’s just an embarrassment. Huge embarrassment.
Guys you have to be serious blaming Pauley because fans are booing someone else wearing his number. You guys need help.
Sorry, but as much as I love Paulie, it is not ‘his’ number. Many people have worn it before him and many will wear it after him as that baby in not getting retired.
The fact that Paul thinks there is still a possibility that it may be retired is why Paulie was silent on the issue. That, and he is an ex-jock looking for one last stroking from the fanboy contingent.
Hawkins IS a joke of a MLB pitcher. Like has been said before, Most Yankee fans do not think the number should be retired, just saved for a player who has a future with the organization(I.E Tabata, Austin jackson, etc), not a journeyman reliever.
Whatever. I’m proud to be a Yankee fan. If Hawkins establishes himself with clutch performances, he’ll be revered too. Would it be better to be like apathetic Dodger fans? We’re New Yorkers, dammit. All these PC modes of behavior at the ballpark are ridiculous. Sure, it’s a little over the top to boo a player for the number on their jersey, but so what? It’s misdirected NY passion, but it’s still NY passion, and I refuse to apologize for it.
I’m embarassed by what some Yankee fans boo people for. Booing people for not trying or caring is one thing, for being journeymen relievers is another. The argument also doesn’t stand as you almost always have journeymen relievers in the organisation, who also deserve to be Yankees.
Booing is easy and unimaginative. Who said being a fan was easy? Not booing is not apathetic. Would you also agree with Yankee Stadium being empty if the team isn’t playoff calibre?
Paul O’Neill epitomized the spirit and determination that the Yankees USED to stand for.The hand jiving and schucking and bumping going on today in that Yankee dugout is UNPROFESSIONAL.O’Neill was the heart and soul of those great Yankee teams,and if people can’t appreciate that,then they have very short memories,and should transfer their allegiance to the other part of town,where Kumbaya is a daily mantra.
Wait.
So being happy and enthusiastic and enjoying the game is unprofessional whereas throwing your hat, batting gloves and watercooler after an out is not? I loved O’Neill during his time in the Bronx, and I love him in the booth. But this is just a baseless claim.
Yeah, this is pretty much the worst argument I have ever seen. O’Neill is exactly the type of player that Yankees fans hate on other teams. He is Kevin Youkilis, bitching and whining and throwing temper tantrums whenever things don’t go his way.
Freaking O’Neill himself said he was embarrassed about those outbursts and tried to stop doing them…
That’s not really the argument. Of course O’Neill is a hero. Doesn’t make the fans right to boo Hawkins.
“If Hawkins establishes himself with clutch performances, he’ll be revered too.”
The guy shouldn’t need to become a revered player before he’s worthy of not being booed on the FIRST DAY OF HIS YANKEE CAREER.
There have been a wide variety of hall-of-the-very-good players on the Yankees over the years. Many were integral in a number of championship seasons. What makes Paul different than any of them? Nothing, except that he only retired seven years ago.
Who am I to argue with the voice of the people?
I’m fucking embarrassed to be a Yankees fan. I literally felt disgusting when I read the title of the thread because I knew what it would contain.
I’m also embarrassed to have called Paul O’Neill my first ever favorite Yankees player (Mariano was my first but just because he was also from Panama, the reason I became a Yankees fan, LoL) because he damn sure knew what was going on and he didn’t step in. It’s obvious he found it pretty cool that not one person has worn his number in pinstripes since he retired but come on Paul, you really couldn’t have swallowed your pride to help ot a fellow Yankee?
This is sad, I really feel disgusted about this whole thing.
Don’t be a fan then. The Yankees will go on without your support
Anyone who thinks that booing a player on the Yankees who hasn’t been a constant disappointment like Kyle Farnsworth or Carl Pavano is a fucking idiot.
No matter how many times I read that post, I still have no idea what you are trying to say. It’s time to play the “guess the missing word” sweepstakes!
Anyone who thinks its ok (there’s your missing word are you happy now?) to boo one of our players who hasn’t even had a chance to prove his worth this early in the season is a fucking idiot. Anyone who thinks that it’s wrong to wear the number 21 while it is still not retired and considers that justification to boo one of our players this early in the season is a fucking idiot. The number 21 does not equal Paul O’Neil. Yes, it was his number, but there have been plenty of players better than Paul O’Neil to wear that number that come to mind first. Like say, I don’t know a Hall of Famer/humanitarian and role model by the name of Roberto Clemente. Paul h iO’Neil was not and never will be the greatest player to wear that number and neither will LaTroy Hawkins. He will get zero sympathy from me getting booed for a bad performance, in fact, I don’t feel that bad for the guy for getting booed for wearing the number 21, he’s a baseball player who makes millions of dollars and what the hell does the number mean anyway?! Which is exactly my point. Who gives a flying fuck who wears what number LaTroy Hawkins wears? Why do you care enough to go through the effort of booing him consistently? It’s fucking stupid.
I’m a little confused on how Hawkins is a joke of major league pitcher. Ever since he’s been put in the bullpen he’s been very solid.
This whole thing is a non-story. Who the hell cares if LaTroy Hawkins is getting booed? Don’t wear Paul O’Neill’s number then.
I cannot get around all these people crying and moaning to show Hawkins some sympathy. Poor LaTroy getting booed. What a bunch of crap.
Accept this reality: There are lots of Yankee fans who think Paul O’Neill deserves to have his number retired. Paulie played 9 seasons for NYY,