Yankees first baseman Jay Bruce has announced he’s retiring from baseball (via Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic). Today’s game against the Rays will be the final outing of Bruce’s 14-year MLB career.
“After 14 incredible seasons, I’ve decided to make the very difficult decision to retire from baseball. All I ever wanted to be ’when I grew up’ was a baseball player, and to say that I got to live out my dream would be the understatement of a lifetime. This sport gave me more than I could’ve ever asked for,” Bruce wrote as part of his announcement (the full statement is available at the above link).
A first-round pick of the Reds in 2005, Bruce would quickly become one of the sport’s most promising young talents. He was a top 100 prospect in each of his first three years in pro ball, eventually becoming Baseball America’s #1 farmhand entering the 2008 season. Bruce made his major league debut in May of that year and hit a decent .254/.314/.453, earning a fifth-place finish in National League Rookie of the Year balloting.
Two years later, Bruce settled in as the middle-of-the-order bat many evaluators expected he’d become. Between 2010-13, the left-handed slugger hit a very productive .262/.337/.489 (119 wRC+), earning back-to-back All-Star selections in 2011-12 and a pair of Silver Slugger awards and down-ballot MVP support in 2012-13. Bruce fell off a bit in 2014-15, but he rebounded offensively in 2016 and earned his third and final All-Star selection.
The bulk of Bruce’s career was spent with the Reds, but he continued to produce for a few years after leaving Cincinnati. He hit a career-high 36 home runs during a 2017 season split between the Mets and Indians and popped 26 homers as recently as 2019. He was an above-average hitter during his time with the Mets, as well as in his brief stints in Cleveland and Seattle.
Unfortunately, Bruce’s production has fallen off as he’s entered his 30’s, with increasing struggles to reach base at a passable clip. He didn’t perform well with the Phillies last year and had to settle for a minor-league deal with the Yankees over the offseason. A Spring Training injury to Luke Voit opened up an opportunity for Bruce to begin the year as New York’s first baseman, but he’s stumbled to a .118/.231/.235 line in 39 plate appearances as a Yankee.
Struggles in his final couple seasons notwithstanding, Bruce had a very strong career. Not including any stats he may accrue in this afternoon’s game, the Texas native concludes with a .244/.314/.467 slash line across 6642 MLB plate appearances, making him six percentage points better than the league average hitter by measure of weighted runs created plus.
Bruce had five separate seasons in which he was at least fifteen points above average at the plate. The well-respected veteran had 1455 hits, including 319 home runs, scored 839 times and drove in 951 runs. Altogether, Bruce was worth around 20 wins above replacement and accrued just shy of $103MM in career earnings, per Baseball Reference. MLBTR congratulates Bruce on a fine career and wishes him the best of luck in his future endeavors.
This is sudden. Very nice career for Bruce.
great team mate they saay
As a brewers fan, this makes me a little happy. He destroyed us when he was in Cinci all those years. Great career, I could see him coach someday if he desires.
A little surprising to say the least. Has he been that out of sorts to start the season?
Yes, yes he has.
very inconsistent yea. He needs regular playing time because he is so streaky. Last series against the jays he had a few blunders on the base paths so maybehe’s just recognized he’s not either not got the skill or motivation anymore, just a guess. Yank fans would know better
I think that at his age he just can’t get what he needs to be a major leaguer for 162 games. I was excited to see him on the Yankees and sad to see him struggle. He’s a good guy and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him pop up as a valuable coach somewhere soon. Good luck Jay !
He always was a whiner when he couldn’t sign with a Texas team since the Rangers and Astros weren’t interested, and used to HATE New York at first with the Mets. He barely tolerated it now, so he can finally go home to Texas and not have to complain anymore.
Too bad he couldn’t have done this BEFORE the season.
I never saw a negative thing said about Jay Bruce during his time in Cincinnati. I think most were sad to see him go and he seemed to really enjoy playing there. He was actually asking for an extension before he was traded away in their failed rebuild attempt
His nickname was “Affable Jay” for crying out loud. Dude was legitimately known primarily for being an incredibly nice guy
I think that is kind of Spengler’s schtick, @shmoe.
A lot of wildly inaccurate & negative takes in re to MLB players. It is certainly not for me. But: he did receive 4 upvotes for his erstwhile post.
So there’s that.
You notice there is one comment that is in stark contrast to the others. I ll give you a hint it is yours….
319 home runs, over 900 RBIs is pretty good
Streaky? Oooooh yes, possibly the streakiest of all hitters to play in the past ten years. Bruce simply has to play every day to get in his hitting groove. The Stankees won’t ever put up with that.
I believe he still may have something left.
Or not.
@Buckner- Stankees? Smh. At least the ball didn’t go thru my legs and cost me a World Series. Let’s see how long the RedSuks can stay in lst place?
Lolyanks
Lolyanks
Lolyanks
Lolyanks
You should be more worried about how long the Yankees are going to be in last place.
Lolyanks
Sure there is a little more to it. Out of respect to Bruce. I am sure the front office was prepared to release him. But asked him what would he rather do.
For a Vet like Bruce. Retiring sounds a bit better than “Jay Bruce was released by Yankees!
Release him? Until Voit returns the Yankees have no options at 1b in sight, short of wasting LeMaiheu there and making Odor at second base every day.
Which is exactly their plan.
Boone said as much yesterday.
Call up Mike Ford.
Call up Gittens!!! He was on a tear in ST.
@Joe Says-it will either be Ford or Wade. I’m thinking the kid Gittens will definitely get a chance in another organization unfortunately. He definitely has some pop in his bat, and would be worth a look.
I’m with that, @Joe.
Tomorrow he’ll be up.
Trade for Anthony Rizzo. He would love the short porch in right.
No problem, just send the Cubs Glyber Torres in return
This puts the Yankees in a horrible position so I doubt it. This probably propels Odor into starting at 2B. Think they’d rather keep DJL there and have Greg Bird back at this point… then again, they actually WANTED Odor for some reason.
But maybe they eventually turn to Ford at 1B. That’s a better option than Odor starting at 2B.
Career OPS+ of 108, about 108 million in the bank…pretty good player. But the train left the station a couple of years ago. Given his (reputed) character, and if he wants to stick around, I’m sure there’s a coaching position somewhere.
For the love of god, please stop looking at a players salary and saying “he banked all that”.
Jay Bruce absolutely does not have “about 108 million in the bank”, unless he invested wisely (many athletes dont).
Reported salaries do not include taxes, agents fees, alimony payments, child support, house payments etc. Fans love to hate Boras for making money, yet they do not ever remove his piece from players salaries, just so they can hate on both sides. Again, this is unhealthy and proves being a baseball fan is pretty much only about hate in 2021, because of stuff like this.
Stop reading these numbers and thinking they equal the amount of money in his bank account. It’s incorrect, and dishonest and a big problem in game right now as these players actually don’t have the amount reported, yet fans think they do and hate them more for it.
Calm down, dude. It’s just a shorthand way of talking about how much money a player has made. It’s much easier to add up his contracts and mention that than to do all of the taxes/math you’re suggesting. No one on earth looks at the raw numbers and thinks a player has that much money.
@rct no, you the read the post that says “108 million in the bank” – I’m replying to that. You are assuming that’s what the poster meant, but he absolutely did not, very few posters on here actually understand this. You are making excuses for others thinking they know the same as you, but they definitely do not.
Lets stop doing “shorthand” because its only making fans hate the players more, okay?
Would you like to attend counseling with me? There’s a lesson on how not to take things posted in the internet so seriously, and I was just thinking of you. Let me know and I’ll reserve you a seat.
@A’s fan, do you read this site? This a place of MLBPA apologists if there ever was one. However, after Manfred’s AS game decision, even I am inching ever so slowly to that side.
Stating a player’s salary makes the fans hate them? Ooooh yeah because we all hate Mike Trout and Mookie Betts so much. Give us all a break from your neurotic ramblings and log off bro.
Next time I’ll refer to it as “money player has earned” instead of suggesting it is in the bank or donated to the Free Harvey Weinstein Go Fund Me.
@A’sfaninUK: I know exactly who you’re replying to and what OP is referring to. Don’t lecture me because you’re way off base. If a player ‘makes’ $200 million in a career, and a fan states that, no fan on earth would think that the player has exactly $200 million in the bank.
It’s shorthand because the vast majority of us baseball fans are not accountants nor are we well-versed in the tax codes and laws applicable to the mega rich.
I’ll iterate to you: calm down, dude. You’re way off base and complaining about something that is not an issue.
Incredible freak outs are pretty much A’sFaninUK’s deal, @rct.
For real. He flagged me because I pointed out how ludicrous his “Trevor Story to the A’s” “take” was. Which – let’s be real here – is utter nonsense.
Obviously, the mods did not agree with him as I heard nothing back from them. The good news – however – is that he agreed to change his user name to “I will flag you if you disagree with me” when the A’s do not trade for Story. So that’ll be fun.
What a misuse of flagging though, man.
He is just another troll.
& not a very good one. Just a weird one. He has probably already flagged you in spite of the 11 upvotes to 1 score. So…lol?
We needn’t worry about it though. If he keeps needlessly flagging posts he’ll get run outta here.
Can’t happen soon enough, serious.
He routinely leaves a trail of pissed off posters in his wake.
Also; A’sFaninUK is *not* A’sFaninLondonUK.
A’sFaninLondonUK actually posted about how idiotic his flagging me was. So bully for him. (My grasp of English slang is marginal at best. Not sure if I’ m using it correctly).
rct2 hours ago
vast majority of us baseball fans are not accountants nor are we well-versed in the tax codes and laws
=====================================================
Fortunately, I am. Even if he only held on to half his earnings of $103M, then he starts off at $51.5M. And he could’ve easily have banked a materially higher %, and could’ve easily have made several million in endorsements and the like.
When Bruce started off in 2009, the S&P 500 was at 865 to start the year. It’s over 4x that now. Of course, since he earned his money over a period of years, he is not getting the full benefit of that 400% increase, but he is getting a decent portion of it.
None of us know for sure, but it is not unreasonable to guess his net worth is in the range of $100M.
But that’s not the important part. The important part is, as you said, if there are 330M people in this country, all 330M know he pays taxes on his earnings.
I do not understand one aspect of As fan’s rant.
@JoeBrady: interesting perspective, and a good read!
It’s kind of a commentary on today’s society and triggering and stuff, but I deliberately use the word ‘gazillions’ so that no one comes back to correct me by saying ‘he doesn’t have $100M in the bank, he only has $91,683,125 in the bank.
ret, dude. With all of those up votes, you must have serious bank.
A’sfaninUK makes a valid point. Frequently you’ll see comments glorifying a retiring player based on his career salary. And if the retiring player has earned nine figures, many of the commentators act as if they’re fully erect.
You know they also get to write off a ton of expenses incurred as well right? Like in season housing costs, cell phones, travel, private coaches and gym fees, meals, agent fees, …, …
Not much of a surprise considering his numbers, poor play, and “friction” with Aaron Boone.
Hope the Yankees have the guts to call up the big right handed first baseman they have stashed at Triple A. Can’t think of his name. Help please!
Chris Gittens?
Thank you. Let’s see if the big guy can play. Quick bat and the best defensive first baseman they have.
Not likely. It will probably be Ford or Wade that get called up since they are eligible in two days from the alternate site.
Only 34….got old fast
I believe he’s dealt with plantar fasciitis.
The big guys always do.
They can bring back the Bird man!!
Congrats on a good career Bruce
He had a decent Spring but it’s too bad he only made the team due to the injury to Voit. I’d give Gittens a chance but I don’t know if he’s on the 40 man roster. Bruce is a guy you want on your bench
I expect Ford to get the shot I believe he’s on the taxi squad and gittens is not. If Ford is just as horrible you drop him and give gittens a chance. Voit probably back by then.
@mlbnyyfan. Gittens is not on the 40.
He’s been absolutely awful, he was getting released if he didn’t retire
Doubt it. They’re in just as bad of a spot, if not worse, than when they were trotting Bruce out daily. Only now they have less options.
Read what Boone said. They moved on from Bruce.
More likely is that he’s struggled early on and decided he couldn’t do it anymore. Rather than embarrass himself, he’s hanging it up.
Well Matt Carpenter is 0-3 today with 3 K’s and an error. Hopefully that mindset is contagious.
I second your thoughts! Bruce’s time is up. Carpenter’s time was up last year but he never got the memo.
0.069 BA for the season
Not sure why they didn’t release Bruce instead of dropping Estrada when they got Odor. I like Cashman but his WTF pile has definitely gotten larger the last couple months.
Honestly think Cashman would’ve been gone years ago had George not passed. I think he’s one of the best executives in baseball, but to not even make a World Series in over a decade would’ve been unacceptable for The Boss.
Continued: As proof, the Yankees had nine different executives between the 80’s and early 90’s. You either win and compete for championships every year, or you aren’t in the Bronx for long.
Agree 100% ! Cashman is history – if they don’t win in ‘21.
Yankees dynasty type teams who won multiple WS had 3 major things Yankees are missing: stellar (top 10) SS who also hits, ditto in CF and behind the plate! Duh –
AND a closer in recent times – now we more than ever realize how many wins came with Mariano closing !
I don’t know if Estrada was dfa’d for Bruce or Odor, but that’s just poor asset management to lose him for one of those guys. As bad as Voit is in the field, losing him did really hurt more than it should have.
yep, poor asset management at its finest.
Good job, Jay. Have a great retirement!
He’s hitting .118
Dude made over $100M doing something he loved, but sounds like he knew this was his time to step away. I’m sure he thought he could make one more run at the playoffs, but probably tough to find himself struggling for at-bats and blocking others. He’s always seemed to be a class act.
He may have gotten salaries that equaled $100M but I can assure you, he does not have $100M in his bank account right now. He might have $10M at most.
you are forgetting interest accrued on all of his earnings over the years, not to mention any endorsement deals he may have had. You are probably right that he couldn’t write a check for 100M, but I would imagine his net worth is a lot closer to 100M than you think.
His net worth is around 27 million. You are assuming everyone who said he made over 100 million thinks he has that much on hand. The raw facts are he has made over 100 million in contracts. If you think people do not realize a lot of that has gone to taxes, agents, and living then you are totally mental.
Ever hear of collecting interest?
Royalties from sales.
Now has a pension
Investments?
Interest?
Real estate?
Have you heard of those, or nah?
I question whether you understand finances at all, @A’sFaninUK. Your post strikes me as quite childish. You can’t possibly believe he merely threw his checks in the bank, as opposed to putting tens of millions of dollars to work for him.
Trust me. He has a money guy & a damn good one.
Should we take up a collection?
A’sfaninUK,
Yet another “HE MADE BANK!!!” comment. You’re correct, they can’t stop themselves.
Don’t bring me down,Bruce.
He’s actually a pretty decent defender in the outfield, first base was not the place to play him. Not that it matters now, though.
The Bruce is loose!
Best of Luck to Reds great Jay Bruce. He gave us Reds fans many great memories. One day he will rightfully be enshrined in the Reds Hall Of Fame. G-D Bless.
As a yankee hater, it always upsets me when a really good guy winds up on the yankees. It messes with my stubborn mindset. I’m not happy at him doing so poorly but I hope he’s happy stepping away. It’s not worse when someone like Granderson does well with the yankees, I just grin and bear it. I do have a tendency to root for players who are good guys no matter where they are playing. Sorry to see Bruce go, hope he lands somewhere where he can be happy.
+1, @whyhazee.
Ya got it in a little, of course. Still, good take is good take.
How does an OF get a SS with an OPS of .807 & Slug% of .478?!?
He hung on a bit too long, but I am sure it would be difficult to away from easy money. Decent career though.
Another one bites the dust !!!
I remember when he burst on to the scene in Cincinnati that he was going to be a superstar for years and years to come. While he never became a “superstar”, he had one heck of a career. Congrats Jay!
Smart enough to see the hand writing on the wall!
Wtf couple of more decent seasons and he could have got 400 homers dang.
At the rate he was going last few years it likely would have taken four or five years to get even close to 400 and I doubt any team would give him the at bats need with a mendoza line average and sub .250 ob.
So unless it’s learned he couldn’t see it’s just wasn’t going to happen. He basically stopped having his all world month each season.
Easier said than done. Even though home runs are as common as singles in today’s game, you still need to have something left in your swing and JB does not. I agree that reaching the 400 plateau would have been nice for him,
I remember when Dale Murphy needed just a couple of HRs to reach 400, but he simply ran out of gas. May have cost him his bid to the HoF.
Congrats to him. Jay Bruce was one of the “good guys”. He had a nice career.
I was called a fool for pointing out before the season that Jay Bruce was totally washed at this point and was not a viable option. I am not tired of being right yet! Yankee’s under 90 wins! I hope you guys got in on that action. Like I said. Free Money!!!
Under 90 wins?
I’ll put a rack on 90 wins Right Effin Now. Put up or shut up.
I am all about “free money” as it seems I generally build stuff for all of mine.
& you keep changing it, @berry. First it was “4th place”, then “won’t win more than 95”, now it “won’t win 90”.
Well…which the hell is it, bro?
Please do not waste the time on Ford or Wade, neither belongs on a big league roster. Give Gittens a shot, he cant be any worse than these two…..
Man… I wonder what the bidding would start at among all of us if “6,000 plus plate appearances in MLB” was being auctioned off?
The Yankees have issues more than just Bruce. They need drastic changes. What about firing Cashman and hire Showalter. Changes start at the top. I wished Boone considered Randolph as a bench coach also.
Good career, Jay. Best of luck in retirement, and all that, etc. I remember when it was rumoured that he was almost sent to Toronto for Michael Saunders back around 2016 or 2017 or so. Would have liked to see that, but of well.
I would of liked Bruce as a Yankee in 2017 but Mets refused to trade him.
Me too as a Jays fan but from a Reds fan’s standpoint, that’s a great trade that the Reds didn’t make. Saunders dropped off completely after his half an all star season.
Yankees fans in the spring: Bruce is gonna surprise a lot of people!
Sure did. Looked like a shell and bowed out.
Yankee fans bullied this man into retirement
Bruce’s walk-off to clinch the 2010 NL Central is one of my favorite baseball memories
Would have been better off with Thairo
Jay Bruce was a solid player and he swung a powerful bat for a bunch of years. Only knock on him was how he complained about not wanting to be traded to the Blue Jays. He was someone we could’ve used. I don’t fault him for retiring. Covid and politics have really damaged baseball the past two seasons. Best of luck to him.
this feels like the equivalent of telling your boss you quit as he walks you to human resources to get fired.
Dear Matt Carpenter: This man would’ve been an upgrade over you.
This was inevitable once they signed Odor. But’s it’s the right move. I’m not if Odor can hit any better than Bruce, but I’d rather have Odor’s glove at 2b than Bruce’s glove at 1st.
This is Jeter’s fault for “gifting Stanton to the Yankees”. Jeter’s intangibles just want to make money in Miami. He has not interest in creating a winning team. He just wants to help his former team keep winning championships.
Sorry, but as a Marlins fan, the Stanton trade is the gift that keeps on giving…so it applies to everything Yankees.
yeah because they won soooo much since Stanton got to NY…
We’ve won as many championships as the Yankees since that trade. And last year, we went just as far in the playoffs as the Yankees.
so how is it a “gift”
Ask all of the people that said that Jeter gifted Stanton to the Yankees to help them win.
@jimmy. At the time Stanton was traded to the Yanks he was coming off a MVP year at the age of 27. That was a year he hit 59 homers with 132 rbis and a 1.007 OPS. He was one of the most feared hitters in MLB at the time. It was mostly a salary dump for the Marlins and easily absorbed by the Yankees. That’s why many fans consider it a gift to the Yankees from Jeter.
You may have been fooling yourself if you thought Miami was going to be carrying that contract for more than 3-4 years. The writing was in the wall the moment he signed it. The Jeter regime didn’t sign it and Stanton himself would only approve trades to NY or LA. I’d be kind of glad as a Marlin fan because his injuries have really devalued that deal.
Ever since that trade was made, us Marlins fans knew it was a gift…but not to the Yankees. It’s been the gift that keeps on giving to us Marlins fans.
I’m smiling again.
Agreed, Most Marlins fans knew it was a bad contract from day one. When we saw 13 years, we knew that Stanton’s injury history would lead to that contract being a disaster.
Remember Yankee fans bragging how they fleeced the Fish? lol
Yep. I wonder how they feel about the “gift” now?
Yes, I know how they feel. I just like hearing it.
I liked the man and a good ball player. I wish him nothing but the best.
Lol @ the Yankees
Congratulations to the “Beaumont Bomber” on a nice career! One of my favorite Reds!
His net worth is around 27 million. You are assuming everyone who said he made over 100 million thinks he has that much on hand. The raw facts are he has made over 100 million in contracts. If you think people do not realize a lot of that has gone to taxes, agents, and living then you are totally mental.
Fonzy136 mins ago
His net worth is around 27 million.
========================================================
Care to show us the documentation on your claim?
If he spent 45% of his money on taxes, agent commissions, and expenses, and kept his savings in an S&P 500 index fund, then he likely has about $100M.
Agent commission is typically 5%. Add taxes and that’s half. When you refer to living expenses, his house(s) are assets and I’m sure he’s dropped a few of those dollars in a robust market.
free room and board and meals for half of each season saves a bunch
It’s not half. Agents make 3-5%, so call it 4% on average. The top tax rate over that period ranged from 35%, to 39.6% to 37%. Between the feds and the agent, you’re probably looking at 41.2%.
Just shy of $103M in earnings. Wish I could say that.
I Say That They Trade Gleyber Torres,Estevan Florial,Alexander Vargas & Luis Gil To The Colorado Rockies For Trevor Story & Then They Trade Luis Medina,Alexander Vizcaino,Yoendrys Gomez & Miguel Andujar To The Washington Nationals For Max Scherzer.
Good luck with that
When will Yankee fans realize the days of the overhype of their “prospects” is over. Esteban Florial should have been in the majors playing alongside Miguel Andujar and Greg Bird for years now already but they are not.
I can pretty much assure you that fans overvaluing there own young players will never end no matter what team it is. That being said, yankee fans need to realize that Andujar has literally no trade value until he shows he can hit again. He’ll be dfa’d by next season if he can’t put something together at AAA this year.
Yanks are not forfeiting the CBT reset unless it makes them favorites over the Dodgers in the WS. And they never trade for an elite player (story) in the last year of thier contract.
They Will Not Have Any Effect On The Luxury Tax Threshold For The Yankees,Because They Would Be Happening After The Season Had Already Started & They Will Be Accepted.
That’s not at all accurate. The CBT salary hit is prorated for each 40 man roster a player is on during a season.
@ JackJohnson – You couldn’t be more wrong! Any player who joins the team during the year counts towards their CBT threshold for this season. If a $4M/yr player joins the Yankees on Game 82, he counts for $2M against the cap. Everyone’s salary is pro-rated for how long they are on the roster. This is why they don’t calculate the actual CBT penalties until late October. They have to account for ALL additions and subtractions (via trade or retirement) regardless of when they occur.
It’s 1.3 mil prorated. Not exactly opening up a lot of $.
Well, that was quick. Decent career he had.
There goes the Yanks’ trade chip.
Not leased they didn’t give him a farewell at bat. What could it hurt
They need to play to win. Bruce is not the guy to have hit in a game like today’s.
I have to believe Bruce played himself out of New York and the Yankees let him “quit” rather than be “fired” so to speak. He was hitting ninth which is a far cry from just a couple of seasons ago. Role with LeMahieu for now, let Odor play and see if there is anything there and revist the situation in a few weeks when Voit is supposed to be ready
Dang.. couldnt stand being a yankee any longer. Time for greg bird to step in.
LOL
wonder if matt carpenter will follow?
Yankees should of traded for Yelich instead of Stanton. The Yankees are too right handed the lineup is too predictable. Cashman built the team and it’s his fault. They should of had Cole sooner but refused to give up Andujar and Andujar not even a factor for them. The Yankees right now from top to bottom are not angry enough to make major changes. Most of the team are still on cheap contracts and that’s why they refuse to move on from them. Getting rid of Didi was a mistake. The sad thing is when the signed Cole they felt they were an ace away from a championship. That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.
Cashman has built one winner in his time in New York and that was in 2009. ’98-’00 he rode the coattails of the Gene Michael/Bob Watson era. It took 11 years to get a championship of his own and its been 11 years and counting since
Congratulations Jay! I will always remember his game winning hit in game 22 of the Indians winning streak in 2017. That certainly was a fun night at Progressive Field.
Was a class act the whole time in Cincinnati. A very, very, very underrated RF. Cannon for an arm. Couldn’t have been any more squeaky-clean off of the field and was known to be a great teammate. Congrats on a great career, Jay.
He has exactly 10.000 years of service time so he is fully vested within the union that’s why he retired he needed those benefits
So that’s why they call him Immortal Jay Bruce..got it now!
The Yankees are so bad this season that Jay Bruce would rather retire and give them their $1 million back than be forced to play for them.
Mercy.
The Yankee haters/trolls & their HOTTAKES!, are exhausting.
@Yankee Clipper –
Where the hell are you, bro?
Hey, brother, I hope you’re doing well. Love reading your stuff on here, man.
Good to see a post from you.
I am blessed, content, & grateful as usual.
As I haven’t seen you on any threads – even Yankee ones! – I was wondering if you were alright.
Thanks for getting back to me.
Yes sir, wanted to let you know. I’ve been…..recalibrating. I reread some of my posts on the last big thread. Not me, certainly not any more.
So, reassess, recalibrate, then re-engage.
I appreciate you, buddy. Thanks and glad to hear you’re doing well! Yankees will pull through, and I know you’ve written that extensively here. I’d rather they perform like this now then in October, right?
It is what it is as the wise man said.
I get it. “Get right” however you do that.
But come back, man.
Thanks. Quick prayer that you are, as well.
Well…to be truthful I’d rather we didn’t play like this – ya know – ever. But if it must occur for my viewing “pleasure”, I too would prefer it now.
Ugly baseball is ugly baseball which is never all that much fun.
His 2010 NL Central championship clinching walkoff home run is probably my favorite Reds memory, and that’s over Browning’s perfect game and everything from the ’90 WS. F’n love this guy, a polished class act all around. I always held out hope he’d end up back here at the tail end of his career as a bench bat/1B at least, but I respect him knowing when it’s time to take that walk. A tip of the cap and a raise of strong drinks to you sir.
Pretty crappy of Aaron Boone not to give Jay Bruce at least 1AB in his last career game. I realize they are desperate for a W, but pinch hitting Bruce for Odor or Hicks wouldn’t have looked like the Yankees were giving up or pulling a stunt for Bruce. In fact it might have even lit a fire under Hicks had he been pinch hit for in a close game.
@Mantooth, I don’t think NY owed Bruce anything but your point on Hicks is well taken. I’m a bit surprised that he just didn’t take the release, sign a minor league deal with CIN and work out a “last game” scenario with them.
Aw dude, that’s a pretty good idea. With Covid DHs popping up all the time, he could slide in without disturbing the 40-man roster or anything else (though I haven’t honestly thought it thru). I’d bet the Reds have a huge crowd that day.
Way off-topic, but I just mis-typed ‘thought so badly that I didn’t know what word it was that I wanted to type. There should be a name for that.
Typo-condriac spasm.
Irrational fear of misspelling words on the computer that ultimately leads to a complete inability to spell words whenever typing them.
Godspeed on your retirement Mr. Bruce….
I liked Jay Bruce because of his passion and appreciation for the game, but when he played for the Mets he drove me nuts more times than I cheered. I think it was 2017 when he had a little bit of a run in NY, but he struck out so so so much. Still, a good guy and wish him success in his next stage of the game of life.
I think he will be an easy choice for the Reds Hall of Fame in a year or two. People forget just how good those Reds teams of the early 2010s were. They didn’t do well in the playoffs, but they were regular season monsters.
Not that Bruce was never good but I was shocked he’d made the Yankees roster
The whole team isn’t hitting. What really doomed him was his inability to play first base decently. They realized they needed to move LeMahieu to 1B and play Odor at 2B..which meant Bruce had no playing time. With Gardner and .Tauchman on the roster there was no reserve role in the OF either, He would have been asked to take a minor league assignment and at this point in his life, why would he?
Bruuuuuuuuuccccccceeeeee !
A future power hitting right fielder (or catcher) should never be ranked as #1 prospect in baseball.
Let’s see em put Puig in pinstripes ! That’s just what yanks need !
Puig and Odor on the same team? Yes, nobody will joke about that. Oh dear.
I’m surprised Aaron Boone didn’t give him at least an at-bat during his final game. Would’ve been nice.
Who is worse, Odor or Bruce?
carpenter
Great career, enjoy retirement. See you in Cooperstown.
…….tickets are $24.99.
LOl… Unless you bump into him visiting the museum you won’t be seeing him their!
I don’t understand why we keep seeing debates over how much money Bruce has. It doesn’t matter if he has $10 dollars or $10 million dollars in the bank, he chose to retire, not an issue of money.
Because liberals are jealous..they think they deserve the same money as everyone else without doing the work
The Rob Deer of our generation
The only way jay bruce doesn’t have close to the 100 million he made is if he made an investment on yankee pitching