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  • Is Josh Donaldson One of the All-Time Least Likeable Twins Player?


    Cody Christie

    Josh Donaldson was brought to Minnesota to help push a winning team to the next level. Instead, he has been part of multiple regrettable moments and he might be one of the all-time least likeable Twins players.

    Image courtesy of © Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

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    Minnesota’s front office had to know what they were getting when they signed Josh Donaldson. He had a proven track record of being outspoken, but he was coming off being named the NL Comeback Player of the Year. The Twins were willing to deal with his on and off field behavior if he helped push the team to postseason success. Now two years into his massive deal and the outcome has been unfavorable to say the least.

    Last season, Donaldson played in less than half of the team’s games and his most memorable moment might have been being ejected after hitting a home run. This year he has been much healthier, but he has become the crusader for all batters in the battle against sticky substances. He called out the Yankees Gerrit Cole and then struck out twice against him later that week. Just this week he showboated a first inning home run against Lucas Giolito in a game the Twins ended up losing. Then he ended up confronting him in the parking lot after the game.

    These moments aside, Donaldson’s on field performance has come as advertised as he has been one of the game’s top offensive third basemen while also playing solid defense. So, do the distractions outweigh his other value to the team? And does that put him in the conversation for one of the all-time least likeable Twins players?

    There are plenty of former Twins in the conversation for least likeable player in team history. Lance Lynn has been one of baseball’s best pitchers in recent years, but his Twins tenure was filled with poor performances and a poor attitude. From the beginning, he seemed upset with the free agent process and that frustration came out in his performance. However, his stay in a Twins uniform was short so that hardly puts him at the top of the least likeable list.

    Other candidates for the least likeable Twins player include multiple players from the Metrodome Era. Kyle Lohse took a baseball bat to Ron Gardenhire’s office door. Needless to say, his days in Minnesota were numbered after that incident. A.J. Pierzynski was part of one of the greatest Twins trades of all-time, but his attitude didn’t fit well in multiple clubhouses during his big-league career. Both players went on to have careers outside of Minnesota, but they left on a sour note.

    Stretching even further back, Chuck Knoblauch had an infamous end to his Twins career. Since the team moved to Minnesota, he ranks in the top-10 for WAR, which puts him ahead of names like Johan Santana, Jim Kaat, and Torii Hunter. Eventually, he demanded a trade from the Twins and took shots at the city on his way out of town. Then there was the famous hot dog throwing incident when he returned as an outfielder for the Yankees. His off the field issues probably mean he won’t be welcomed back in Minnesota any time soon.  

    Donaldson has rubbed some people the wrong way throughout his career. It’s hard to imagine him being in the same level as Knoblauch or Pierzynski, but there will be plenty of fans that aren’t happy with his attitude and the attention he is drawing on a last place team.

    How would you rank these players according to their likeability? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

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    I think Brock's got it. All JD's stuff is baseball related, no DUI's, arrests or atrocious social media comments (correct me if I'm wrong, but I haven't seen it). We're supposed the hate the White Sox and they're supposed to hate us. Baseball is better when there are heated rivalries. I want more JD antics. not less. Let's see if he can get the rest of the division to hate us and hope it lights a fire under the rest of the boys.

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    Donaldson is a pussycat compared to Pierzynski.  And of course, we can't forget Knoblauch.

    Carlos Silva made some provocative hand gestures along with some choice words after his first career shutout.  I guess Silva is as bad as Donaldson, then?  And what about Eddie Guardado, who liked to make gun gestures at the opposing team after getting saves for a short time?  

    I had not seen anything around here about Donaldson's likeability until this week.  What he did this week was nothing.  We are better off focusing on the eggs the Twins are laying on the field.

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    he confronted Giolito in the parking lot after the game? what a tool. not a single player in this disaster of a season has any room to mouth off or taunt anyone. 12 games under and have been totally embarrassed in just about every game played against the team we all expected to battle for the division. they should all be like church mice until the on-field results improve. whenever that is.

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    I like him!  While he's not been as healthy as I wish he were (we knew that risk going in) his play at 3B is better than any other options we have and he has also shown the ability to back it up when he trash talks.  He costs a lot, but so would most other quality 3B options out there. 

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    Donaldson saw Giolito in the parking lot after the game. Not to fight but to have a direct conversation. I think that’s awesome.  He says what he means.  Why would that make someone unlikeable??  He’s trying to fire up a team that’s had the most disappointing season thus far and I hope it works!  I just like the guy more now.

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    I have ZERO issues with Donaldson.    This team has needed someone to light a fire under their proverbial asses for some time....unfortunately, this particular team is a 9th Ward hoarder's house during Hurricane Katrina.

    Delmon Young has to be near the top of any list of unlikeable Twins.  

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    It's been said by many others on this post, but I have to chip in.  I AM SO SICK OF MINNESOTA NICE!!  Why has this team consistently underperformed in the playoffs?  No heart, no fire, just roll over.  How can you criticize a player(the only one on the roster) who has called a player's meeting.  That is leadership - a trait so absent in recent Twin managers.  My two cents: Donaldson would make a great player manager.  Keep him until retirement.  We simply don't have anyone else like him.

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    11 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

    Is Twins Daily becoming a clickbait website before our very eyes? This is a bad take and it’s disappointing this was published. 

    As the Twins sink in underperformance, it would appear those that bloggers  do likewise. Carl Jung’s line was something like it is hard to think but easy to judge. 

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    1. i remember when the Twins acquired Larry Milbourne from the Yankees mid season, around '82 or so. For a young impressionable Twins fan such as myself, damn what a dick...

    2. Tom Herr? cried on the airplane, and didn't stop crying. Ever.... 

    3. But this list has to begin and end with Ricky Nolasco. 

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    I was very uncertain about JD because of limited play last year and then immediate injury this year. It's easy to complain about salaries, but at the end of the day it isn't my money. Only in the last month have I really been warming up to JD. Also, I don't understand how using spider tack on the ball is less cheaty than banging on trash cans. Both are cheating. I teach and if I catch a student cheating just once in the semester it's still.... cheating. Sometimes I find out several have done it several times and the result is the same as the ones who cheat just once. You could argue the trashtro's cheating was more elaborate than using a hidden, engineered substance on the ball, sure. However, at a base level both are BS.

    I was happy to see him call it out. You might disagree with the method of him doing so, but you can't hate the dude for saying what was happening is BS.

    Also, at least he's got a bit of fire in him.

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    Least likable, why because he shows a pulse?  Who cares if he is likable, he is in-tradable with his contract and he should be here for the next 2 years.  He is still a very good player.  Besides the majority of the Twin’s problems this year are the garbage pitchers they signed this offseason along with extending Dobnak for no good reason. 

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    14 hours ago, Fritzderkat said:

    Stupid article. If Donaldson is most unlikable, who among them is dearly loved?

    I'd say La Tortuga has the inside track.

     

    I'm glad you spelled unlikable correctly ... ;) 

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    Actually, this is the very reason I want to keep Donaldson. He's frank about everything. These guys are getting paid unimaginably high salaries to do one thing--win. Let's be a bit realistic--this is not twiddly-winks, we need more players with this kind of grit. (PS-He hasn't played up to his capabilities this year, but he would be the first one in line to tell you the fact plainly without any euphemisms or excuses.)

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    On 7/1/2021 at 5:13 PM, old nurse said:

    As the Twins sink in underperformance, it would appear those that bloggers  do likewise. Carl Jung’s line was something like it is hard to think but easy to judge. 

    His actual words were "it's hard to quote but easy to paraphrase." :)

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    On 7/1/2021 at 12:13 AM, mikelink45 said:

     What is our definition of worst?  

    Here's my definition: Hal McRae. IMHO as a player and as a manager he was a total (caudal terminus of the GI tract).

    There's this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIiYw53nGd0

    There is the Brett/McRae/Brye/Mauch incident. There are numerous articles on line about that. Gene Mauch had to be restrained to be prevented from physically engaging with McRae.

    There's this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kamDqL-AGzI Note one reporter's bloodied face.

    And I couldn't find this picture but I remember it clearly. There was a play at the plate during a game between the Twins and the Royals in 1977 with Glenn Borgmann preparing to tag McRae, who was trying to score. There was a photo in the Minneapolis paper the following day showing McRae sliding with his foot planted exactly on the side of Borgmann's left knee. I am 100% certain that it was intent to injure.

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    12 hours ago, ashbury said:

    His actual words were "it's hard to quote but easy to paraphrase." :)

    My quote was from the teachings led by a man of God, an educator, nurse and one heck of a person in addition to all of that. Who am I call the most honest person I know misquoting someone.

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