Which current and former Yankees are most fan-friendly?

[JOBA RULES]

Met Robbie Cano twice...couldn't of been nicer. He actually asked me if I wanted to take a picture, he saw my GF holding a camera and pointed to it and said "you want?" Awesome guy.

Pauly O was a jerk
Girardi wasn't bad
AROD was a jerk
Joba was cool as hell
Hughes was cool

[Mattingly3-6-3]

While not a current or former player, I went to a dinner in Rockland that Cashman spoke at. He shmoozed with anyone that came up to him and let everyone try on one of the world series rings. The coolest part was that while my wife was wearing it he literally walked away for like 20 minutes to talk to other people.

Another Cashman story...At OYS I had a hook to get in to games through the Main entrance where players, media, etc went through. One game I'm walking in with a friend and a shorter man is in front of me and opens the door and holds it for us. I realized it was Cashman and said thanks Mr. Cashman. As I go in he shakes my hand, tells us to call him Brian and says no problem you fans are more important than me. Nice guy.

[azzurribaggio]

The list below is based on my 10+ years of autographing in Tampa and during the baseball season, I am also going with the definition of "fan-friendly" being how they react when asked for an autograph/pic/ or just to chit chat a bit:

#1 Don Mattingly - 95% of the time he will sign, talk,or take pics with people...just the best, old school Donnie is and what every player should strive to be.
#2 Mariano Rivera - Will always interact with the fans, always signs one day during a road trip at the hotel and makes sure to get EVERYONE but does say no double-dipping else he's on the bus and I've seen him do this along with signing for EVERYONE for about 10-15 mins.
#3 Goose Gossage - He's about a 90% with the fans, really nice and signs most of the time and takes pics. My first try for an autograph from him was in Spring Training and there were a ton of kids crowding around (or course I kept letting them get in front of me), he get's to about 1 person away from me and he says, "last one guys" and starts walking away...I was like FUK!!!! and politely told him, "Mr. Gossage I let a lot of kids in front of me, if you could get one more please". He turns around and signs mine. That's Mafia stand-up guys quality $hit in my book.
#4 Joe Girardi - He's around the 80% of the time mark with sign or take pics and always willing to engage people. I have seen him tell guys, "I've taken care of you enough...."
#5 Nick Swisher - pretty easy to know this guy is pretty engaging with fans most of the time with his $hit-eating grin all the time. He's about 60% good for graphs or pics
#6 Curtis Granderson - Also pretty engaging will always chat with you and almost never blows off people. Only signs side-panel unless you want it personalized the he will sweet spot the ball for you
#7 Johnny Damon - Pretty much like Granderson, 70%-80% of the time will sign for people....on the sweetspot without being asked.

Everyone else is pretty far behind this group above I mentioned...yes even Jeter (not that he's a jerk just not too engaging). Is anyone surprised A-Rod isn't above?

[azzurribaggio]

This thread is really interesting. While we would like the players to be accommodating I think it is also important to understand that they probably get hounded for autographs and pictures everywhere they go. To a certain extent, it probably depends on what day you catch them on. They have moods and bad days just like everyone else.

I have never encountered any players in a public place myself, but I have heard a lot of good stories about Giambi. I remember reading (probably here) about a fan that he took the initiative to talk to in Vegas when he overheard him talking about the Yankees.

After the whole Steriods thjing Giambi was like night and day with the fans....sorta like he knew he owed something back to them...was a signing machine even when you could tell in his face he didn't want to do it.

[azzurribaggio]

Have you dealt with Jeter before, I am curious to know how he is with fans. Especially grown-ups.

Have a hot woman with you and Jeter will flash that smile and engage with you...if you're alone and a grown-up he'll just ignore you or give you a little wave.

[yankeesfanatic]

Everyone else is pretty far behind this group above I mentioned...yes even Jeter (not that he's a jerk just not too engaging). Is anyone surprised A-Rod isn't above?

1. Having an adorable girl (toddler) who dressed up in Yankees gear - it is an automatic magnet for both Jeter and Alex. I would say that Alex would stop and converse more than Jeter would. And if you have the girl(s) dress up as his little girls - he would just start up a kiddie conversation.

2. As for Jeter, most of the time he would just smile and take pictures with kids - he would signed about 20% of the time.


3. I do know more than enough "autographing" people - I would consider them doing "autographing" as a job - this means the autographed obtained will be on the collectibles' store shelf or eBay. There is NOTHING wrong with doing what you love for a job. You work hard by standing around and taking chance to obtain some "free" money signature. Why not?

As for the part Alex and others, who recognized the "autographing" people, I would walk away with a wave also.

4. Granderson and Swisher would only signed sweetspot without personalization - paid signing only (private or public)

[Mark19]

Ran into Aaron Boone at a restaurant, he was drinking beer by himself and watching the Yanks - Mets game. This was when he was a reserve on the Nationals.

Waited until the commercial and got a photo with him. He was a bit awkward but I imagine he was still at the stage in his life where he wanted to be known for more than one big Yankee hit. I suspect he has since embraced it more.

As hard as it may be to believe, but I've actually heard that A-Rod is super cool. My aunt worked with him several times through one of the charities her church operates. She said that he was really charming and engaging. It might have been insincere, but you can't fake devoting all those thankless hours to a charitable cause.

[Mr Coffee]

Have a hot woman with you and Jeter will flash that smile and engage with you...if you're alone and a grown-up he'll just ignore you or give you a little wave.

I'm the same way.

[lemmegetatthat]

Bernie will be at Steiner Sports in Roosevelt Fields tomorrow. Anyone going? worth it?

http://www.bernie51.com/2012/11/16/b...liams-signing/

[SatchelPaigeYankee]

Another Cashman story...At OYS I had a hook to get in to games through the Main entrance where players, media, etc went through. One game I'm walking in with a friend and a shorter man is in front of me and opens the door and holds it for us. I realized it was Cashman and said thanks Mr. Cashman. As I go in he shakes my hand, tells us to call him Brian and says no problem you fans are more important than me. Nice guy.

wow. hm

[grizy]

As hard as it may be to believe, but I've actually heard that A-Rod is super cool. My aunt worked with him several times through one of the charities her church operates. She said that he was really charming and engaging. It might have been insincere, but you can't fake devoting all those thankless hours to a charitable cause.

ARod is also a very gracious winner and not a sore loser at all at the poker table. The man just sucks at PR... or is a genius at faking it in person.

He doesn't even flash his money around or flaunt that he's famous. He plays 2/5 games mostly... bigger if he has to but he's not flinging 10s of Ks around every night.

He's also far more smarter and politically aware than he lets on.

[Zimmers' Helmet]

By far the worst was Jim Kaat - rude, surly and arrogant in front of 20+ kids back in 1980. Refused to sign for anyone and started lecturing about "respect". What a jerk.

By far the best was a non-Yankee - the late Gary Carter who would accommodate anyone who asked - young or old. Took the time to ask questions about everyone as well - very engaging. Asked me if I played baseball, and when I mentioned I was also a catcher, he smiled from ear to ear.

[Hitman23]

I met Phil Rizzuto about 15 years ago at a card show. It was a meet and autograph signing thing. He was really cool. Spoke to me for about 10 minutes. Me being the star struck idiot didn't have much to say when I approached him but he started a conversation and actually talked to me. I was really happy I got to. Great guy.

[boomerdisciple]

I once worked with someone who used to work for Majestic and he would tell me stories of how he went down to all of the Spring Training camps every year and get the players uniform measurements. Just about every player I asked about, he would recall his interaction with them. Here are some I remember him telling me about:

Mattingly- Not just one of the nicest ballplayers he met, one of the nicest people he's ever met. Donnie even personally offered to give them a tour of the Yankees Spring Training facility.

Jeter and A-Rod- Not very friendly, but not rude either. Just aloof and businesslike.

Mariano- I think I remember him saying he was very nice.

Giambi, Damon, Swisher- All pretty much exactly how you see them on TV. Friendly, outgoing, and funny. Swisher especially so. He would sneak up and steal their measuring tape and hide it.

For the gossip record, Barry Bonds and his agent- Assholes.

[ArodEra]

1. Having an adorable girl (toddler) who dressed up in Yankees gear - it is an automatic magnet for both Jeter and Alex.

[Nome]

Ball Players are like the rest of us. They can be like jerks at times and they can be like the most friendliest person you ever met at times.
One or two chance meetings with anyone should not define how you percieve this person to be. They are only human like all of us

Andy

[BronxBombers92]

For the gossip record, Barry Bonds and his agent- Assholes.

oh really? who'd a thought

[IRONHORSE4]

Jeter- great
Bernie - good
Velarde- great
Roy White - great
Murcer - great the best
Leyritz-great
Rivers - great
Pinella - great - went to kindergarden with his son
Steve Sax - great
Karsay - great
Moose - bad
Henderson- ok

[Big_E]

Apparently, Ichiro:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-bi...3149--mlb.html

[Brent]

I've honestly never heard a bad fan story about Cone. He seems like a true extrovert who genuinely loves communicating with people.

I love Cone but I seem to recall something about him exposing himself to some fans in the mets bullpen.

[ace]

Ken singleton was super friendly to a bunch of fans, including me, exiting the old stadium one night. I was about 13 at the time. He signed my ticket stub

[Yanks4eva1]

I had the privilege of meeting and talking to the Chairman of the Board, Whitey Ford a couple of years ago at a hospital (long story). What a gentleman and class act.