Spring training in Tampa is supposed to be a time for clean slates, fresh swings, and optimistic clichés. But for Jazz Chisholm Jr., the offseason spotlight followed him all the way down to Florida. After a strong season at the plate that was occasionally overshadowed by a few high-profile mental lapses in the field, Jazz became an easy target for critics — especially after he was photographed partying with 50 Cent just days after the Yankees’ playoff elimination, a loss that included one of his own costly errors. If that wasn’t enough attention, his decision to represent Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic — thanks to his Bahamian roots — brought a fresh round of boos from fans who weren’t thrilled to see a Yankee star wearing another country’s colors. Now back in camp, Jazz insists the noise doesn’t bother him. But in the Bronx, the noise is rarely the problem — it’s the silence when the games start that players learn to fear.
*** Now chatting in #YankeesPreseason ***
BooneDoggled: alright fellas welcome to camp
fresh start, clean slate
let’s focus on fundamentals this year
*** Jazz2Fast2Chill has entered the chat ***
Jazz2Fast2Chill: fundamentals i got
vibes also got
BooneDoggled: yes about the vibes
*** AllRise99 has entered the chat ***
AllRise99: i think what skipper is politely saying
is maybe less nightclub headlines this year
Jazz2Fast2Chill: bro i just went to one concert
50 cent is a cultural icon
*** StantonIslandPower has entered the chat ***
StantonIslandPower: the problem wasn’t the concert
the problem was the timing
Jazz2Fast2Chill: ok yes maybe going out two days after elimination looked bad
but in my defense
the music was very loud
*** BellyBombs35 has entered the chat ***
BellyBombs35: i’m still stuck on the fielding error part
Jazz2Fast2Chill: bro i KNOW
the ball had weird spin
and the universe had weird vibes
Jazz2Fast2Chill: anyway i played for great britain in the wbc
figured it honored my bahamian roots
Jazz2Fast2Chill: they booed me
Jazz2Fast2Chill: apparently the british crowd thought i was “american enough to boo”
StantonIslandPower: that is a very specific demographic problem
*** pr0FF3ss0r_F4rnsw0rth has entered the chat ***
pr0FF3ss0r_F4rnsw0rth: you’re telling me
this man partied with 50 cent
got booed by the british
and still plays second base for the yankees
Jazz2Fast2Chill: i’m living globally
pr0FF3ss0r_F4rnsw0rth: i once got booed by a canadian beer league
they threw poutine at me
*** HEY GUYS THIS IS JI
*** WORDUPTHOME has entered the chat ***
WORDUPTHOME: HEY GUYS THIS IS JI
JIM THOME
BASEBALL IS A GAME OF SECOND CHANCES
AND THIRD CHANCES
AND SOMETIMES A FEW NIGHTCLUB APPEARANCES
JUST REMEMBER — THE ONLY PARTY THAT MATTERS IS THE ONE IN OCTOBER
TAKE IT FROM OLD JIMBO
BooneDoggled: thank you jim
BooneDoggled: jazz just focus on defense this spring
Jazz2Fast2Chill: i got you skipper
no more mistakes
BellyBombs35: what about concerts
Jazz2Fast2Chill: ok fewer concerts
*** MLB_NewsBot has entered the chat ***
MLB_NewsBot: SPRING TRAINING UPDATE
Yankees emphasize fundamentals after controversial offseason for Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Clubhouse remains optimistic and slightly confused.
*** BooneDoggled has left to diagram routine ground balls ***
*** AllRise99 has left to quietly lift heavy objects ***
*** Jazz2Fast2Chill has left to google “concerts during off days” ***
*** pr0FF3ss0r_F4rnsw0rth has left to yell at a batting cage ***
*** WORDUPTHOME has left humming motivational gospel ***
