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CRAZY PHOTO: Giancarlo Stanton Showed Up To Yankees Camp Looking Like A COMPLETELY Different Person … Sketchy?? Or Finally Motivated??

By Casey Kaye

Giancarlo Stanton has been one of the most polarizing players in recent memory for the New York Yankees.

The shredded slugger is the definition of a streaky hitter.

More so than almost anybody, he goes through stretches where he’s absolutely unstoppable – only to follow those up with even longer stretches where it looks like he’s never played baseball before.

More frustrating than anything is his constant lack of hustle on the field…

Stanton is at a huge crossroads in his career. There’s a ton of bad energy surrounding him, and many Yankees fans have already given up on him.

To his credit, he not only hears those concerns, he understands them.

“(I need to) be a baseball player again … I just needed to be more mobile,” Stanton admitted.

The 34-year-old disclosed that his offseason workouts focused more on movement and running compared to previous years.

“If you don’t produce, there’s going to be adjustments and ways, in any aspects, to make the lineup as optimal as possible,” Stanton stated, acknowledging the pressure to perform in a (relatively) stacked lineup.

Stanton’s struggles last season, where he posted a career-low batting average and OPS, were compounded by injuries, including a hamstring strain that sidelined him for six weeks.

What was most frustrating about that is the fact that Stanton is ALWAYS injured … And I mean ALWAYS.

Even general manager Brian Cashman called him out for being unreliable due to his constant injuries.

(Stanton didn’t take too kindly to those critiques, but Cashman was 1,000% correct in everything he said.)

Luckily for the Bombers, it looks like Stanton is entering spring training a new man.

He has dropped a significant amount of weight and looks leaner than ever.

Stanton was never out of shape … If anything, he was TOO muscular.

Many people think the shredded “tightness” of his physique is what helped lead to all of his injuries. 

Regardless, Stanton looks a whole lot different this year…

Just look at the comparison between him and teammate Aaron Judge!!!

As important as his improved physique is his improved attitude … Stanton knows he’s playing for his career in many ways. 

“I don’t get paid to be a standup guy or say the right things … I’m here to produce and help us win a championship,” he said.

“The noise back and forth, whatever, it needs to be done. I don’t listen to noise. I understand the facts and that’s what hasn’t happened.”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone echoed Stanton’s sentiments, praising his dedication and commitment to improving his overall game.

Boone emphasized that while Stanton may have shed some weight, he hasn’t compromised his strength and anticipates that his agility and mobility will serve him well this season.

“I think this [weight] is kind of where he should be playing at this point in his career,” Boone said. “I think it’s important to differentiate … G’s never been out of shape. I think he, we, everyone realized that it’s probably better – especially with some of the things that he’s dealt with from an injury standpoint and being north of 30 years old – to play at a lighter weight.”

“I don’t think he’s compromised much in the way of strength. But hopefully, just as importantly, that agility, mobility will all be things that serve him well. I don’t necessarily see strength ever being a real issue for G.”

(Don’t you love Boone’s nicknames??? … He picked up flawlessly from Joe Girardi.)

What do you think of Stanton’s new physique?

Do you think he’s in store for a bounce-back year?

Will he ever return to being the MVP-Stanton???

(By the way, he does still have four years left on his contract that will pay him $98 million guaranteed, so let’s not make him out to be Rocky Balboa figure just yet.)

 

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