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Monday, October 25, 2021

Report: Yankees’ Cole, Gardner had altercation after clubhouse prank

New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole wasn’t pleased with a prank teammate Brett Gardner pulled earlier this season, causing the pair to get into an altercation.

Cole got in Gardner’s face after the veteran outfielder paraded around the Yankees’ locker room with pine tar on his hat, a source told NJ.com’s Bob Klapisch.

Gardner was apparently trying to get a laugh out of Cole after MLB prohibited the use of sticky substances in June. The Yankees pitcher had been accused of using substances to aid his pitching before and after the ban.

It took a full day for Cole to calm down and apologize, but the matter was dropped, according to Klapisch’s sources.

Along with the incident involving Cole and Gardner, Klapisch also reported on outfielder Joey Gallo’s pregame dressing routine.

Gallo tweeted his displeasure about the story afterward.

Me: Literally gets dressed.

Media: Yup that’s why he sucks. https://t.co/5xaRjecvQf
— Joey Gallo (@JoeyGallo24) October 25, 2021

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: October 25, 2021 at 10:10 AM | 36 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: brett gardner, gerrit cole, yankees

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1. Nasty Nate Posted: October 25, 2021 at 10:24 AM (#6048824)

Could be concerning.

2. Rally Posted: October 25, 2021 at 10:40 AM (#6048828)

Tar-rage is a sure sign that the player had been using the banned substances.

3. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: October 25, 2021 at 11:06 AM (#6048835)

Makes Cole sound like an ass.

4. winnipegwhip Posted: October 25, 2021 at 11:13 AM (#6048840)

But did Cole surpass the level of outrage set regarding pine tar accusations previously set in The Bronx? That would be worth seeing.

5. Tom Nawrocki Posted: October 25, 2021 at 11:20 AM (#6048844)

That Gallo article is really something else. It's very easy to imagine the exact same situation used in an opposite way if the piece had been about a player the writer liked.

"How devoted is Derek Jeter to making sure he's at his peak performance? When Jeter puts on his uniform before a game, if anything feels the slightest bit uncomfortable, he will take everything off and start all over again, no matter how long it takes. That's how intent he is on pursuing perfection."

6. The Duke Posted: October 25, 2021 at 11:22 AM (#6048845)

The Gallo story is funny. Some players have really oddball routines. Maybe Gallo can get a bit part in a spoof movie on Major League Baseball.

7. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: October 25, 2021 at 11:55 AM (#6048861)

#5 is dead on

8. Rough Carrigan

Posted: October 25, 2021 at 12:03 PM (#6048864)

Yup. Wasn't there some story about Bobby Valentine how even as a kid he used to carefully iron his own shirts and lay them out for one day and the next day's wearing or some such thing? It was brought up to say what a sharp guy that Valentine was even as a kid. No wonder he was able to invent the wrap.

9. villageidiom Posted: October 25, 2021 at 01:49 PM (#6048911)

Makes Cole sound like an ass.

I mean, it makes Gardner sound like an ass, too. Probably more so than Cole. I mean, when it's a battle between "can't read the room" and "can't take a joke", the former is almost always the bigger #######.

10. Starring Bradley Scotchman as RMc Posted: October 25, 2021 at 03:23 PM (#6048930)

Is Gallo's .199 average in 2021 the lowest-ever for an All-Star?

11. Nasty Nate Posted: October 25, 2021 at 03:34 PM (#6048931)

Ozzie Smith also hit .199 as an all-star. There might be more like him: legacy SS or C picks late in their career.

12. Booey Posted: October 25, 2021 at 03:41 PM (#6048932)

Other close calls:

1991 - Mark McGwire, .201
2012 - Adam Dunn, .204

13. Walt Davis Posted: October 25, 2021 at 03:45 PM (#6048933)

Of course at the break he was hitting 239/402/522 (hey that's pretty good!) and a bit worse than that when the teams would have been selected.

In Steve Swisher's all-star year, he hit 236/275/326, a 65 OPS+ and 0 WAR.

14. My name is Votto, and I love to get Moppo Posted: October 25, 2021 at 03:54 PM (#6048935)

There's that old anecdote about John Wooden teaching his players how to put on their socks, maybe the Yankees need to bring Marques Johnson or Keith Wilkes into spring training.

15. Mayor Blomberg Posted: October 25, 2021 at 03:57 PM (#6048938)

I'm with vi on this one. BS thing to do to a teammate.

16. Starring Bradley Scotchman as RMc Posted: October 25, 2021 at 04:03 PM (#6048940)

Re 11: Gallo had 616 PA this year while Ozzie only had 182 PA in '95, when he hit .199. (Gallo is slightly ahead of Smith, .1988 to .1987.)

Gallo's 122 OPS+ is the highest for anyone with a sub-.200 average and at least 400 AB. (Carlos Pena, 2010 Rays, was 103 and .196.)

17. Walt Davis Posted: October 25, 2021 at 04:57 PM (#6048964)

I won't say which of Cole or Gardner was the bigger a-hole here without witnessing the incident (and knowing the guys). Gardner might have been light-hearted ribbing or being a jerk. Cole might have badly over-reacted or reacted understandably. Or it was all just "too soon" from Cole's perspective. Who knows?

But there's no doubt the reporter (or the editor who assigned them) is an a-hole here. A brief incident from mid-season that was taken care of a day later ("a FULL day later!!!!!") is as trivial as it gets. This sort of #### must happen in every clubhouse at least once a year -- 30+ men spending nearly every day together, eventually somebody is gonna get pissed at somebody. If it's all settled quickly then it's simply not an issue. A complete non-story.

18. Nasty Nate Posted: October 25, 2021 at 05:04 PM (#6048967)

Why are the Yankees' owners leaking this story to smear Brett Gardner on his way out the door?

19. geonose Posted: October 25, 2021 at 05:13 PM (#6048969)

As an outsider, "a-hole" was already my impression of Gardner over the years, right wrong or otherwise, and I could be entirely wrong.

Sometimes jokes just fall flat.

20. the Hugh Jorgan returns Posted: October 25, 2021 at 05:59 PM (#6048977)

It's funny. Cole cheats(like lots and lots and lots of other pitchers) and he's angry about Gardner mocking him.

Maybe Cole should simulate an aging OF with declining bat speed who swings right through 95+ heat because he can't catch up to it...that would be funny too!

Everyone is taking all this way too seriously. There is serious banter between players all the time, this seems pretty tame.

And yeah, over the years, from a non Yankees fan perspective, Gardner comes across as a douche. However, I think this is funny and has me reconsidering my opinion of Mr. Gardner.

21. and Posted: October 25, 2021 at 06:38 PM (#6048985)

I’m always fascinated by the way defense/offense players almost aren’t on the same team.

Fwiw (not much), this story fits my impression of both players perfectly. One, a bit of a dick. The other overly sensitive.

As Walt said, they worked it out. In a just world, we never hear this story.

22. Starring Bradley Scotchman as RMc Posted: October 26, 2021 at 07:26 AM (#6049060)

I’m always fascinated by the way defense/offense players almost aren’t on the same team.

At least in baseball (and most other team sports), all or most of the players do both. But football is a different story; on the football teams I've been around, the offense and the defense are practically rival gangs.

23. jmurph Posted: October 26, 2021 at 08:03 AM (#6049065)

Why are the Yankees' owners leaking this story to smear Brett Gardner on his way out the door?

Definitely something to keep an eye on. Concerning.

24. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: October 26, 2021 at 08:20 AM (#6049068)

Fwiw (not much), this story fits my impression of both players perfectly. One, a bit of a dick. The other overly sensitive.

That's my sense too. Neither guy comes across particularly great here.

25. Pat Rapper's Delight (as quoted on MLB Network) Posted: October 26, 2021 at 09:14 AM (#6049073)

Still a YANKEE FAN TODAY TOMORROW FOREVER, Mr. Cole?

26. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: October 26, 2021 at 09:20 AM (#6049076)

Is Gallo's .199 average in 2021 the lowest-ever for an All-Star?

Max Scherzer hit .000/.000/.000 and made the all star team just this year! It wasn't like that when I was a kid dammit! Bring back Rick Rhoden!

27. villageidiom Posted: October 26, 2021 at 09:37 AM (#6049078)

Why are the Yankees' owners leaking this story to smear Brett Gardner on his way out the door?

This is well done. It's a decade of concern trollism toward the Red Sox turned around and served cold, like a tiramisu of spite. I am impressed. I feel a little bad for smiling every time I read it.

28. What did Billy Ripken have against ElRoy Face? Posted: October 26, 2021 at 10:25 AM (#6049085)

Still a YANKEE FAN TODAY TOMORROW FOREVER, Mr. Cole?

I wonder if he’s pissed enough to break out the Boras Corp. hat again.

29. escabeche Posted: October 26, 2021 at 10:42 AM (#6049088)

Dang it, as a diehard Yankee hater, that Gallo tweet is making me kinda like somebody who's on the Yankees.

30. dejarouehg Posted: October 26, 2021 at 10:46 AM (#6049090)

I remember being "outraged" that Davey Lopes had such a paltry batting average and being in the All Star Game. No idea when that was.

31. Tom Nawrocki Posted: October 26, 2021 at 11:13 AM (#6049104)

It was in 1981 when Lopes made the All-Star team with an eventual batting average of .206. The weird thing wasn't just that he was on the team; if memory serves, he was the leading vote-getter among all players.

32. Starring Bradley Scotchman as RMc Posted: October 26, 2021 at 11:32 AM (#6049113)

Max Scherzer hit .000/.000/.000 and made the all star team just this year!

Mariano Rivera never got a hit in his life and made twelve ASGs and the HOF! Unanimously!

Checkmate, atheists...!

33. vortex of dissipation Posted: October 26, 2021 at 01:37 PM (#6049152)

Reds shortstop Eddie Miller made the All-Star team in 1946 and hit .194.

34. Nasty Nate Posted: October 26, 2021 at 03:26 PM (#6049172)

Why are the Yankees' owners leaking this story to smear Brett Gardner on his way out the door?

This is well done. It's a decade of concern trollism toward the Red Sox turned around and served cold, like a tiramisu of spite. I am impressed. I feel a little bad for smiling every time I read it.

Thanks. I'm relieved it wasn't taken at face value!

35. The Honorable Ardo Posted: October 26, 2021 at 10:36 PM (#6049273)

Clearly, the reason why the Yankees haven't won a World Series lately has been a lack of clubhouse altercations.

36. My name is Votto, and I love to get Moppo Posted: October 26, 2021 at 10:45 PM (#6049275)

ang it, as a diehard Yankee hater, that Gallo tweet is making me kinda like somebody who's on the Yankees.

That’s the problem with the Yankees, it’s better than even odds that your favorite player will be on the Yankees at some point.

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Monday, October 25, 2021

Report: Yankees’ Cole, Gardner had altercation after clubhouse prank

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