Rule 5 pick who criticized the Yankees is back with the Yankees
Sometimes in life you’re just better off biting your tongue rather than letting loose with criticism that, even though it might felt warranted, could ultimately come back to bite you.
After all, you never truly know who’s listening or who’s talking to who, and you never know when those who were criticized could end up deciding your fate.
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That awkward position is one pitching prospect Evan Rutckyj finds himself in right now after he was openly critical of his original organization, the New York Yankees, in an interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution earlier this week.
After spending the first 5 ½ years of his career in the Yankees organization, the left-handed reliever was a Rule 5 draft pick of the Atlanta Braves last December. That distinction meant Rutckyj would have an immediate opportunity to earn a job with the Braves. But it also meant he had to stick on the Braves 25-man roster for the entire 2016 season, or face being returned to the Yankees.
Those have been the rules for a long time, and we’re pretty sure Rutckyj was aware the possibility of returning to the Yankees existed as he entered Braves camp. Yet still, that didn’t stop him from being critical of his Yankees experience, specifically noting the family atmosphere he was enjoying with the Braves and how much more welcoming they had been compared to New York.
“Obviously it’s different,” the Canadian reliever said at the beginning of spring training. “New organization, didn’t really know anybody here, just a couple of guys who used to be with the Yankees. But everybody has treated me like family so far. Everybody’s really nice.”
Rutckyj, 24, mentioned a difference he immediately noticed in the organizations.
“I feel like we can talk to anybody here,” said Rutckyj, (pronounced RUT-skee). “It’s kind of different from the Yankees, where if one of the coordinators or somebody walks by you, like, put your head down and mind your own business. But here everybody wants you to talk to them.”
Granted, Rutckyj didn’t exactly blow up the Yankees. He didn’t name any names or take direct aim at specific people involved in their power structure. But they were strong enough words to create awkwardness if he was forced to share a clubhouse and facilities with those people again.
And of course, that’s exacty what he’ll have to do. On Friday, Rutuckyj was cut by the Braves, meaning he’s be headed back to the unwelcoming unenvirons he once called home.
What will happen next is anybody’s guess, but seeing as the Yankees didn’t protect him from the Rule 5 draft, they may not see him as an intriguing prospect anyway. At 24, Rutckyj has never played above Double-A. That’s not exactly a guy who’s on the fast track, especially for a contender like New York.
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A rebuilding team like Atlanta would have seemed like a better, or at least more interesting fit. Unfortunately for him, they didn’t keep him around or even bother stashing him on the disabled list, which teams sometimes do to keep a Rule 5 prospect.
For now anyway, Rutckyj’s fate does indeed lie in the Yankees hands. If he wants to change that, the actions of his pitching arm will have to start speaking louder than his words.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
