Tampa Bay Rays fans react to Wander Franco being benched as team seeks an attitude adjustment from young star: "An unfortunate but necessary action"
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been benched for at least two games in hopes that it will adjust the young star's attitude.
Franco will sit for at least the first two games of the Rays' home series against the lowly Kansas City Royals, Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash announced Thursday.
Cash told reporters that the benching is due to how the 22-year-old has handled frustrating situations this season.
BREAKING: #Rays Cash says Franco not in lineup tonight and at least Friday stemming from way he handles his frustrations and not being a better teammate. Cash also stressed Franco “is a good kid” and they will work with him to improve.
Before the Tampa Bay Rays took on the Royals on Thursday, Cash told reporters:
"Wander is a really good kid, really good person. He's a young player that is learning and dealing with the challenges of being a major league player, and some of the frustrations that come with it. Over the course of this season there's been probably multiple times that the way he has handled his frustrations have not been the way that we ask our players to uphold being the best teammate."
Rays fans are generally in support of the hoped-for attitude adjustment.
@TBTimes_Rays I don't want to like this tweet. It's an unfortunate but necessary action by Cash.
@TBTimes_Rays Wander is my favorite player to watch but his actions have consequences. I hated seeing him jog to first on a ball that dropped near the line in short left field a couple nights ago. He could easily have had a double, and he’d have scored on a single moments later. Cost TB a run.
@TBTimes_Rays Cash bench Franco to send message to the team hustling running the bases and playing defense. Cash not benching him for his batting skills it was attitude after adversity
Wander Franco, in his third season with the Tampa Bay Rays, is hitting .287 with eight home runs, 34 RBIs and 24 stolen bases. However, the team has been disappointed at how he has handled moments of adversity this season for the MLB-leading ballclub.
Cash did not get into specifics when meeting with reporters, but Franco has had disappointing moments such as throwing bats after striking out, not running out ground balls and not talking to the media after frustrating games.
@TBTimes_Rays For once, Cash is being a manager and not just a guy who does what the front office analytics people tell him to do
@TBTimes_Rays Not what I expected at all from Wander but good job to Cash on handling it
@TBTimes_Rays He’s only 22, with the way he plays so maturely I feel like we forget that sometimes, I know I do. This will get worked out, not a problem
Cash told reporters that while Wander Franco is being punished, the Tampa Bay Rays still stand behind their potential franchise player.
"We're going to continue to support Wander as he works through this," Cash said. "I'm personally going to (help). This organization will, this staff will. We look forward to having him back."
While most Rays fans support the move, many figure the benching would have been better handled in-house rather than announcing it to the MLB world.
@TBTimes_Rays Got to keep that in clubhouse.
@TBTimes_Rays This is something you keep in the clubhouse. I’m fine with the move but no need to tell the world about it.
@TBTimes_Rays …..really? Was a scolding not sufficient or a move down the lineup. Doesn’t feel good to miss one of our best players during this rut.
One fan figures that if Franco can't get his head right with the Rays, the team could always trade him to a well-known band of malcontents: the Chicago White Sox.
@TBTimes_Rays Trade him to the White Sox. He’ll fit in perfectly here
Wander Franco yet to truly bust out with the Tampa Bay Rays
While he still has many seasons ahead of him, Wander Franco has yet to reach the superstar status that many figure he will. In 225 games over three MLB seasons, he is hitting .284 with 21 homers and 106 RBIs.
The Rays have faith in the native of the Dominican Republic, as evidenced by his 11-year, $182 million contract through the 2032 season with a team option for 2033.