Perspectives: June 2, 2025

By Paul Semendinger

June 2, 2025

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When I first heard the news that the Yankees were considering moving Jazz Chisholm to third base, this season, I was dumbfounded. I stated that it was a ridiculous move (in so many words). A smart team does not move the better player off a position for an inferior player. Yesterday, we published a great article by EJ Fagan that explains exactly why the move makes little to no sense. E.J. makes the point better than I did. And he is absolutely correct.

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Once the Yankee start playing both DJ LeMahieu and Giancarlo Stanton in the lineup, they will go back to an unathletic station-to-station, all-or-nothing team. They will, in very large part, become the boring Yankees we have watched for the last many years. Both players are old (athletically). Both are way past their primes. Both will be taking at bats away from younger, more talented players who all might (hopefully) have futures in the game. LeMahieu and Stanton do not have futures in the game. Their stories are from the past. Only an organization that thinks backwards would make moves like that. This is terrible decision making. It simply is. In no world should Jazz Chisholm move his position to accomodate DJ Lemahieu. In no world should Giancarlo Stanton be taking at bats from Ben Rice and/or Jasson Dominguez. (And every fan, even those who will argue with me on these pages, knows this is true.)

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This is how we we often react as fans:

Scenario 1: The Yankees defeat the Brewers 20-9

"This team is so so so good. There is no stopping them. They're all all-stars. The Yankees are going all the way. This demonstrates how brilliant Aaron Boone is. Brian Cashman made such a well-rounded roster. This game proves how fantastic the Yankees are!!!"

Scenario 2: The Dodgers defeat the Yankees 18-2

"What, it's just one game. It means nothing. Everyone can have a bad day."

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The problem with the DJ LeMahieu/Jazz Chisholm conundrum is that Brian Cashman never addressed third base prior to the season. The Yankees went into the season trying all sorts of players there. Now that LeMahieu is back, the thought is, "Let's try Jazz at third again. It's no worse than the bad approach we began the year with." If the Yankees had acquired a Major League caliber third baseman, Jazz Chisholm would return and be playing at the position that he is best at, second base.

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I have frequently stated that the promotion by the entire sports industry in gambling is going to destroy sports. One day there will be a huge gambling situation that brings the legitimacy of all the games into question. Once sports lose their legitimacy, once people believe the games are rigged, that the outcomes are fixed (in large or even in small ways) the allure of the sport will go away. We watch sports because we believe what we're watching is real. Once that's in question, the purpose for watching sports and rooting is forever tarnished if not extinguished. Once that is lost, I don't believe it can come back. This isn't 1920 any longer when baseball took a stand against gambling. This is baseball (and the other sports) in bed with the gamblers.

That being said, the thing that might actually destroy professional sports are... the fans. Yes. The fans. Now, I'm not talking about the typical fans who go to games, root root root for the home team, buy a scorecard, get a hot dog, and go back home to the family after the game. I am talking about the fans that think that winning a championship gives them the right to riot, destroy things, and create all sorts of disturbances.

This just happened in France. A team won a soccer championship and chaos ensued. This has happened in many U.S. cities as well. Winning a championship does not give fans permission to destroy things. In no way is that an appropriate response to a team winning.

These kind of reactions will cause many fans to stay away from big games, to even stay away from the cities where the teams play when championships are on the line, and the like. The backlash could very well negatively impact on sports in general. And, if this continues happening, I think it will.

Think about it. If you ran a city, or a borough, or were in any position of leadership where there was a major sports franchise, and if you knew the fans would riot and cause untold property damage and even deaths if your local team won, would you want them to win? I wouldn't. As such, would I do things to promote or encourage that team? Cities and teams work hand-in-hand in so many ways. That will end if cities don't actually want the teams.

Imagine a day where a team threatens, "We are going to move out" and the governor, the mayor, and city officials says, "Thank goodness." The official of the next cities might also say, "Don't come here."

Now, of course I'm exaggerating a bit for effect, but the greater point still stands.

Sports are supposed to be fun. Championships are supposed to be happy. Riots are anything but fun and happy.

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D.J. LeMahieu had four hits and two runs batted in last night. That's great. Except, he can now go 0-for-560 and Aaron Boone will say, "He's right there, he had a four hit game not long ago."

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The Red Sox finally come to town at the end of the week. I don't love the baseball schedule because it minimizes the great old rivalries.

*** When I see Freddie Freeman, I am reminded that the Yankees passed on him to have Anthony Rizzo play first base. I think there would be championship flags in the Bronx if Freeman had been a Yankee.

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Let's Go Yankees!