The Toronto Blue Jays were fortunate to escape the Bronx with the series win Wednesday over the New York Yankees following a slow start to the three-game stand.
The club is also lucky to be leaving Yankee Stadium with arguably their best player, Josh Donaldson, and manager John Gibbons still on good terms following a confrontation in the dugout during Wednesday’s 7-4 win.
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Gibbons confronted the defending American League MVP after Donaldson threw his bat into the dugout in disgust following a strikeout. The pair needed to be separated by teammates.
But it was the explanations of what they actually discussed during that nose-flaring moment that left reporters and fans chuckling.
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Wreaking of sarcasm, Donaldson continued to enlighten the laughing reporters about Gibbons’ interest in his scent.
“He got pretty close to me and I guess he got a good whiff of it. I was like, ‘hey man back up,'” said Donaldson. “I was like, ‘I said I would give you some after the game,’ so we separated.”
Despite Donaldson’s funky account of the incident, he remained committed to his version of the story by tweeting out a picture of his cologne.
When Gibbons was asked about the incident during a post game interview, he failed to corroborate Donaldson’s potent interpretation of the encounter.
“I told him after that first at bat, ‘get a new bat, that one ain’t working,'” Gibbons said. “He took the same one up the second time, that didn’t work so he chose to break it.”
“So I went down and told him, ‘you should have listened to me,'” jested Gibbons. “That was basically it.”
Fans hope the All-Star third baseman and the manager can air out their grievances during Thursday’s off day before the team opens a three-game series in Cleveland on Friday.
Gibbons’ history of confronting players
It’s not the first time Gibbons has found himself in an altercation with a Blue Jays player.
During the 2006 season, Gibbons nearly came to blows with Shea Hillenbrand after the slugger showed a clear act of insubordination by reportedly writing “play for yourself” and “ship is sinking” on a team clubhouse bulletin board.
“Gibby called a team meeting and then he stood up and reamed me out in front of my teammates,” Hillenbrand told The Toronto Star. “I’m very disappointed about what he did and I find it very unprofessional.”
Gibbons confirmed he challenged Hillenbrand to a fight, but no fists were ever thrown. Hillenbrand was traded to San Francisco days later.
Later that season, Gibbons got into another dugout argument with pitcher Ted Lilly after he pulled him from the game in the third inning.
Heated words were exchanged before the two retreated into the clubhouse tunnel. Moments later players were seen rushing into the tunnel to separate the pair.
It was rumoured the men got into a physical fight, which resulted in Gibbons allegedly receiving a bloody nose.
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