Bringer of Passion: Ranking the Top 5 Josh Donaldson Altercations

I love Donaldson`s passion, his enthusiasm, his swagger; I love it when a manager stick up for his players (it`s crucial) but I think it`s wise for a player to show restraint especially when he`s in the wrong. Only exception is when a pitcher intentionally goes after a hitter then I think the whole bench should come out. Most cases it`s the manager responsibility to dispute any calls. I`m sorry I`m not familiar w/ any of Donaldson`s spats but If any occasion that a pitcher went after him that would be my favorite

So, I'm sure I'll be in the minority here, but these videos make me more concerned than excited. I can understand altercations over HBP, because that can cause injury, but only one of these involves an HBP. The ones with Kela and Perkins in particular are over nothing but words. I'm sure Kela and Perkins bear some responsibility, but the common denominator here is Donaldson. You don't see other players losing their cool over nothing but words over and over again. Where most of you see competitive fire and passion, I see behavior that is thin-skinned and immature.

When I combine these videos with the fact that this is already Donaldson's fifth team, it causes concern for me. I hear so much about chemistry and clubhouse leadership... is Donaldson going to be a positive influence or a negative one?

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wait for it...

 

 

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The Ying and Yang of Chief

 

 

"yes."

I just think back to Pierzinski and how it was said you only liked him if he was on your team. Personally I liked him very much and he was a hilarious contrast to the guy who replaced him. Sad to see him go.

This is great, but I think you missed my favorite:

Josh Donaldson vs. his own manager, John Gibbons:

https://youtu.be/99dhn2K0bcQ

The incident isn’t amazing, but the after game interview is awesome:

https://youtu.be/H2VY2xRUGuM

So, I'm sure I'll be in the minority here, but these videos make me more concerned than excited. I can understand altercations over HBP, because that can cause injury, but only one of these involves an HBP. The ones with Kela and Perkins in particular are over nothing but words. I'm sure Kela and Perkins bear some responsibility, but the common denominator here is Donaldson. You don't see other players losing their cool over nothing but words over and over again. Where most of you see competitive fire and passion, I see behavior that is thin-skinned and immature.

 

When I combine these videos with the fact that this is already Donaldson's fifth team, it causes concern for me. I hear so much about chemistry and clubhouse leadership... is Donaldson going to be a positive influence or a negative one?

That was also my first thought but to be fair, the one with Machado is more on Machado than Donaldson IMHO. It is apparent that Donaldson is a hot head.... Uh..... I mean passionate. I hope maturity has helped him reign this in to the point of being a positive thing at this point in his career.

I'm old enough to remember a time when cool headedness, gracious sportsmanship and civility were admired traits. Now trash-talking, belligerent temperaments, name-calling and boorish behavior have filtered upwards through our society.

Sad.

The Machado one is easily the funniest. Manny is clearly pissed off because he thinks Donaldson made him look bad and Donaldson doesn't even notice anything until Manny gets up and starts barking because he immediately turned his attention to the runner at 1B. It was a smart, heads up play by Donaldson and Machado looks like a fool bitching about it.

I'm old enough to remember a time when cool headedness, gracious sportsmanship and civility were admired traits. Now trash-talking, belligerent temperaments, name-calling and boorish behavior have filtered upwards through our society.

 

Sad.

You mean like in the day's of Ty Cobb?

If I'm trying to win, I'll take a measure of acid with the sugar...while absolutely acknowledging that it can go south just as easily.

I just think back to Pierzinski and how it was said you only liked him if he was on your team. Personally I liked him very much and he was a hilarious contrast to the guy who replaced him. Sad to see him go.

So, you're comparing him to A.J, huh? Good call, IMO.

Come to think of it, the last time the Twins won a playoff series, Pierzinski was there...and played a HUGE role.

Just say'in.

I do not subscribe to the belief that a baseball team needs chippy players to win playoff games. The 2020 Twins squad will include several young, impressionable players that do not need lessons in emotional maturity from Josh Donaldson. 

That said, some of these clips were hilarious. Note that in all cases, Donaldson (and his opponent) had somebody, usually several persons between them, making a real fistfight very unlikely. I can't imagine a hockey player watching this action without laughing. 

You talking to me?

Donaldson will help Twins win with his bat, his glove, but mostly as a fire starter. Aggression, adrenaline and emotion improve athletic performance and help teams win games. This is the very reason the Twins improved when Tori Hunter returned and when Dozier took a leadership role. When a team has a leader with the passion of milk toast (everyone knows who I mean), the team goes nowhere. Donaldson's passion and fire will be the biggest benefit to the Twins that he will provide. Fortune favors the BOLD!

I triple f-bomb love this article.

This is great, but I think you missed my favorite:

Josh Donaldson vs. his own manager, John Gibbons:
https://youtu.be/99dhn2K0bcQ

The incident isn’t amazing, but the after game interview is awesome:
https://youtu.be/H2VY2xRUGuM

Lol that is fantastic 

Nice review Matt.  The Twins haven’t had players who would push back since AJ and Torii.  One of the reasons, stated here many times over the years, that the Twins couldn’t win big games is that the Twins have been too nice, too passive and willing to just take a beat-down (and lacked big time pitchers too often...but anyway).  Donaldson will hopefully help to change that a bit.  If you are going to win, sometimes you just have to want it more.  Simple enough.

The hand-wringing comments above have me a bit bemused though.  Josh has played more than 1000 games and people seem to be biting their nails over a few confrontations like we’ve just signed a monster.  AJ was a jerk, pure and simple.  However, Donaldson comes across as extremely competitive and emotional.  I’ve been watching baseball for years and I’ve never thought of him as a jerk.

The Gibbons video, to me, looks like a manager without emotional intelligence; sure, Donaldson threw his bat, but clearly just needed to vent and was calm and passive after that....why poke the bear and get in Donaldson’s face?  Silly.  Besides, people get older and more mature as well.

Baseball Reference says the altercation with Perkins took place on 9 Apr 2014...?  Burton gave up a 3R HR in the 11th for a 7 - 4 loss.

I'm old enough to remember a time when cool headedness, gracious sportsmanship and civility were admired traits. Now trash-talking, belligerent temperaments, name-calling and boorish behavior have filtered upwards through our society.

 

Sad.

This is a joke right? Because there was way more of this of this in game years ago.

You think it’s more honorable to throw at someone’s head and literally risk their life like they used to do back then?

I think you’re suffering from some sort of Mandela effect because you’d like to think your generation is superior. Really, the opposite is true.

This is a joke right? Because there was way more of this of this in game years ago.

You think it’s more honorable to throw at someone’s head and literally risk their life like they used to do back then?

I think you’re suffering from some sort of Mandela effect because you’d like to think your generation is superior. Really, the opposite is true.

I rest my case.