DONALDSON SAYS FUTURE WITH JAYS OUT OF HIS HANDS
Scouts flock to Dunedin as Bringer of Rain tries to knock off rust, writes Rob Longley.
Josh Donaldson is frustrated.
He’s frustrated at his exploding calf muscle, one that his kept him off big-league diamonds for three months.
He’s frustrated at being part of an organization that just two years ago was in the playoffs — and three years ago was in the playoffs during a campaign in which Donaldson was named American League MVP — but is now well out of the post-season picture.
But most of all, the veteran third baseman is frustrated at a season that has gone awry and could be heading to an ugly divorce with Blue Jays management.
“I can’t control that, man,” Donaldson said when asked about reports he’s been placed on waivers. “I can’t control what the team wants to do with me.
“The only thing I can control is going out there and trying to perform at the best of my ability and doing everything I can to prepare to be ready for each and every game.”
Donaldson continued to do that on Thursday afternoon at the team’s spring training home, belting a home run over the left field wall in his first at-bat for the Dunedin Blue Jays and playing six innings as he continues to build stamina for a return to the big leagues.
He was typical Donaldson, joking around between innings while also helping some of the younger Jays farmhands with positioning.
The Bringer of Rain covered a lot of ground in a 20-minute interview, but left the impression that after three agonizing months on the disabled list, he’s finally feeling positive.
“Mentally, I feel like I’m always pretty strong,” Donaldson said. “I’ve been doing this for a long time and I know the ins and outs of how to go about this in a professional manner. I think the confidence falls into place when my body’s feeling well.
“To have the confidence in my body to be able to produce at a high level has taken some time because of what has happened leading up to this point. That’s why it’s taking me a little longer to get to this point because of how everything has been handled.”
Donaldson says he’s not ready to get into specifics, but it’s clear he’s not pleased with some of what has unfolded away from the field. And it’s readily apparent from both sides there is bad blood.
“There’s a lot I can say about that, but I choose not to say anything about it right now,” Donaldson said when asked about the perceived rift between him and management. “I don’t feel now is the time or the place. It’s one of those things that as an athlete I can only control what I can control. To do that I have to stay positive and focused on what I have to do. When it comes down to it, there’s going to be a time that we can talk about it.”
Much can change in the next 24 hours, of course, in particular if Donaldson clears waivers and the Jays can make a deal with another team before midnight Saturday morning.
There were several scouts in the stands for the game against the Palm Beach Cardinals at Dunedin Stadium, ostensibly with a keen interest in what Donaldson may have left in the tank.
“Everyone knows what Josh Donaldson can do and what a great competitor he is,” said a scout from a National League team who preferred not to be named.
“There will be interest. He’s proven at the highest level and if he’s healthy, he can be a big part of a team making a push.”
Though he clearly misses the competition and would relish being part of a playoff-bound team, Donaldson is biting his lip on that.
From a couple of years ago to being a playoff contender and having the best lineup in Major League Baseball to where we’re at today, it’s frustrating.
“Whenever that day comes (that he’s no longer part of the Jays), I’ll think of it then. As of right now, I’m a Toronto Blue Jay and I’m focused on what I can do to become better and help them compete and try to win ball games.”
The competitor in Donaldson misses more than just playing. He said it stings to see the struggles of his team.
“It stinks,” Donaldson said. “From a couple of years ago to being a playoff contender and having the best lineup in Major League Baseball to where we’re at today, it’s frustrating. I don’t make decisions.
“It’s not about the team.
I’m frustrated more because I haven’t been able to be out there and be a part of it. I want to be able to be out there and help those guys.”
As for his services in September or beyond, Donaldson believes he can still contribute at an elite level.
“I want to believe that, but most of all, I want to go out there and prove that,” Donaldson said. “I have to get on the field and stay to make that happen.’’