The Yankees and Rangers have worked out a deal that will deliver the baseball rights to Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson from Texas to New York, as ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports. Unknown future considerations will make up the return.
As Crasnick explains, nobody involved expects Wilson ever to factor on the diamond. While he once had a bright outlook in the sport, suiting up in the minors with the Rockies after being selected in the fourth round of the 2010 draft, he has no intentions of splitting his attention as he prepares for his seventh season under center for the Seahawks.
Rather, per Crasnick, the arrangement is designed to accommodate Wilson’s desire to “play” for the Yankees. After two years of participating in Spring Training with the Rangers, he’ll evidently do so in 2018 with his new organization. Wilson thanked the Texas organization for “the chance to experience professional baseball again,” adding that “baseball remains a huge part of where I came from and who I am today.”
Observant readers will note that both of New York’s MLB organizations now have contractual control over current or former NFL quarterbacks. Tim Tebow is expected to be a full participant in major league camp for the Mets after completing his first pro baseball season in 2017.
matt41265
lol biggest move this offseason
a1544
Brady to the Red Sox
lowtalker1
Not to joke but Elway has a brighter future in baseball than football but the opportunity was better in football. He played short in the Yankees system
You are wrong
No, he didn’t.
RoXGB
Correct, he was an OF
yoyo137
lmao the name is perfect for the comment
morgannyy 2
Oneonta Yankees
brucewayne
I thought Elway was a CF?
Ironman_4life
In 1982 he played in 42 games in the New York Penn lg.
One Fan
Jesus where do you get this crap! Elway never played short. He played RF. He NEVER had a brighter future in baseball then football. He just threatened to play baseball if the Colts drafted him.
davefig2
thank you ONE FAN,someone who knows his sports
davefig2
He played right field,get your info right before you post.
TheBoatmen
Can you deflate a baseball?
luclusciano
^^that’s funny
TheBoatmen
Interesting, according to Haymen Brady was a 18th round pick of the Expos. Guess that makes him a National now.
BrewCrew54
Hands like feet to the Red Sox.
ThatBallwasBryzzoed
He’s gonna be the apple watch guy.
MB923
Yankees have the best QB in NY
Ken M.
Wouldn’t be the first time…. good thing he and his brothers started that band to fall back on, Hanson.
mizzourah87
The Royals are better at drafting Quarterbacks than the Chiefs (Marino, Elway, and Jim Kelly)
kenneth cole
Bubba Starling
ThatBallwasBryzzoed
No they won’t. There’s only only new york football team. I don’t know who the bills qb is but as far as qbs go. I’d take Eli manning everyday over Russell. Russell is a bit overrated. Be should honestly change sports.
Russell is the best at sliding to avoid hits because of his baseball background. All qbs should be required to take sliding lessons from baseball coaches.
walls17
Why? Do the Yankees really need to pull a stunt like this?
roadapple
This is the answer to the Yankees losing Todd Frazier to the Mets.
bastros88
it says in the article above
dgid
He fills a huge whole in that organization. Great pickup
rper4182
Hahahahahahahahahaha attention hoggers
AlvaroEspinoza 2
Just when the Mets thought they could get good press coverage with Tebow at spring training…
dudeness88
maybe he’ll play 3B
selw0nk 2
Now someone needs to acquire Colin Kaepernick maybe for the outfield position?
IloveMACfootball
In all seriousness, Kaepernick should go back to the mound and play baseball.
mike127
Yep, was drafted by the Cubs as a pitcher.
lowtalker1
Donovan Tate did the opposite
He struggle as a pitcher now he plays in az either asu or ua
bastros88
did not know that, pretty interesting
davidcoonce74
Yeah, after Tate flamed out in baseball he went to college to play football as a 27-year-old walk-on. The Chris Weinke career path.
snotrocket
He touched 90 throwing out the first pitch at a Giants game once. He really ought to consider it.
twentyfivemanroster
eh, he’d likely just sit on the bench.
maybe a catcher?
chive
He doesn’t sit on the bench… He kneels.
raajr187
He only takes a knee. He’ll never kneel.
ralph 3
he and Tonya Harding should hang out.
hallbl06
We don’t need Kaepernick ruining our sport too. One knee taker is bad enough.
madmanTX
If freedom of speech is ruining your sport, then you’re in the wrong county, fella.
anarchoburrito
This. 1000 times.
EhBatterSwing
Freedom of speech is one thing. Disrespecting the flag, national anthem, and all those that fought for that flag is another. Better not try that stunt in N. Korea! He surely could have found a better, classier place and time, for his one kneed speech. Sad case. Yep, It’s his right, but it’s just about as cool as farting in a crowded elevator.
bastros88
you aren’t aware of why they are protesting then, you should probably take the time and really understand why. that way we can have an open discussion about it
frankthetank1985
But you can have your view and call those who oppose you names and to walk off piers? This is the part I don’t understand. You can feel offended and want to kneel, it when that offends others it doesn’t matter? How come the hypocritical point of view there? Colin isn’t a righteous leader and doesn’t giveback nearly enough to the communities and people he says are not protected and loved by society. Those who kneel and disrespect the thought of patriotic views for ones country,should look in the mirror and lead by example and put their combined hundred of millions and probably billions back into the communities for education, healthcare, building, etc…then u could be looked at as hero’s and someone special. Until then, stop expecting things to change by creating anger and divisiveness, and start the change urself! And if people say anything agains the flag, our soldiers, our officers, our firemen or anyone who protects us, start looking into other countries, because u are in America, respect that!
kam3hameha
I’ve never met an “Adam” that I liked. The trend continues…
I am not even all that patriotic, but this is the dumbest most absurd comment I have ever read in my entire life. You are a true piece of trash.
Whether the flag is made of “fabric” or not, it’s what it stands for that is significant. Again, I am not patriotic but the least I can do for those who have chose to sacrifice for this country is stand for the dang flag and anthem. Stand or don’t stand, but the least you can do is not spew this BS publicly and keep your idiotic views to yourself. You probably don’t stand because you’re too busy wiping mustard off the shirt of your fat a** with one hand and shoving a hot dog down your throat with the other. Loser.
Chris
So glad that this is America and not North Korea
Padres2019ha
Your love for the country in your own way, is ungrateful and disrespectful by how you just represented your beliefs with your words.
The flag is not a piece of fabric, it’s a symbol for the great country you were blessed to be born into.
With that said, it’s one thing to protest, but if you’re offending so many people in your protest, you clearly are doing the opposite of your intentions which is to bring awareness to said cause. Change happens when you respectfully prove a point with courageous actions, insight and tact. By offending so many people, you are OBVIOUSLY not going to change their minds, only upset those people you want to understand your beliefs. It’s really not a hard concept to grasp.
Even saying goddam(while I’m not religious) is offensive to many people, who you instantly lose credibility with.
Now let’s keep politics out of sports all together.
Padres2019ha
Preach!
Out of place Met fan
While I don’t understand the emotional response to someone taking a knee, I can rationalize it. What I cannot fathom is the comparison to the most authoritarian regime in the world. Doing so completely validates the expression of speech one finds so offensive.
RonTrauma 2
Step 1: Reach inside your anal cavity.
Step 2: Remove the stick.
Gobbysteiner
MLK was tackling real issues, not a movement based on a lie (hands up don’t shoot)
andrewgauldin
Disrespecting the flag and the men who fought for our freedom does ruin a sport.
stymeedone
I’m sure he contributes a larger percentage of his earnings than you or I do. If you protest where it can’t be seen, what would be the point? It’s peaceful, and has nothing to do with disrespecting the military.
Empire Exoticz
We getting there slowly, they are planning a military parade already.
brucewayne
Didn’t know Kaperdick kneeling was freedom of speech!
hallbl06
I was just stating that Kaepernick ruined the NFL with his antics. The popularity of the sport went way down hill and our country became more divided than it already was because of it. Baseball doesn’t need that negative publicity.
Adam6710
My son is an officer in the military. I respect him. And what soldiers do. Forget the flag– that’s just a symbol, and you don’t worship symbols.
Short walk, long pier fellas. Logic is lost on this society.
CardsNation5
Well, this is America, not N. Korea. So your comment is very irrelevant.
Phillies2017
I guess the GM’s are getting bored at this point.
crazy4cleveland
I came in here to make a lame joke about being surprised he left the NFL but it turns out that this is the actual QB Russell Wilson. Now I’m the joke.
Rbase
What’s next? Red Sox sign Tom Brady? Brewers sign Cristiano Ronaldo? Padres sign Leonel Messi? Giants sign Rafael Nadal? Yawn…
srechter
Nadal could start a revolution with a wicked, one handed lefty swing.
mariners116
He’ll hit a lot of grounders. Too much topspin
Ryan Tanana
I see more likely humpback liners to the outfield. Hit ’em where the ain’t.
Phattey
Not gunna lie if the brewers did that I’d buy his jersey
Ookashfah
Finally! Now a floodgate of signings will occur.
acarneglia
Best thing I’ve read all day. Welcome to New York RW.
woolcorp
The cool factor of having him in camp could not have been worth whatever cash the Yankees gave up! Another dumb move by JD.
kcusgnikcufsregdod
absolutely stupid.
yankeesfan5891
Please explain why a completely irrelevant trade in which 0 players or dollars are given up is stupid?
Phantom Dreamer
Does Russell Wilson showing up to spring training really accomplish anything? He obviously has no future in baseball and the Yankees are never short of media coverage. This is pointless.
madmanTX
Texas drafted him and brought him in as a motivational speaker. It impresses players to see a championship ring from any sport.
IloveMACfootball
What a tool. He wanted to “play” for the Yankees. Piss off.
athingortwo
Cynical comments abound by those who probably wish they could do anything but rag on someone all day long.
xabial
Can you say The Onion, everyone? 😉
customcrown
Saturated trade market has boras pulling his hair out
Rocket32
But why? The most pointless move ever.
bastros88
read the article
mike156
Finally, the Hot Stove ice is breaking.
Bocephus
Congrats on posting another gem
mlb1225
Haven’t seen that one hundreds of times already.
KnicksCavsFan
I read this and for some reason my brain couldn’t process the name Russell Wilson without auto-correcting itself and conjuring up the face of Russell Martin. I was like “yeah…. Russell would be a super backup to Sanchez. Much better than Austin Romine”. Haha….fresh.
fairyland
For a moment I thought they got Russell Martin back and I was wondering why would they ever do that. They signed Billy Crystal to a 1 day minor contract and played him, so it’s not out of the ordinary for the Yanks to do this. I remember the fans not exactly liking them doing that back then either.
casualatlfan
So many negative comments about this. Guess what? It’ll mean absolutely nothing in the long run. It’s cool that he’s now with the Yankees, I guess, but that’s about it. No need to get worked up about it.
athingortwo
You forget that Yogi Berra was before his time being both a catcher and a sage.
TradeAcuna
Can’t wait to watch overachieving Stanton/Judge duo this year and beyond.
hiflew
So what exactly is the point here? You might as well trade for the baseball rights to LeBron James too. Are the Yankees really that desperate for publicity?
KnicksCavsFan
Yeah… With all they’ve done THIS is what they need to be relevant. My guess is Wilson asked and they did him a solid.
justinkm19
Pointless
athingortwo
It’s a better option for him than going with Trump’s coming football league where he will have to stand for the Anthem.
bucketbrew35
Breaking: Nick Foles named Phillies #2 starter.
timm-2
Can we trade him to the Jets?
TheBoatmen
If Will Farrell can play so can Wilson
madmanTX
I don’t get what people are upset about. I doubt the Yankees are giving up a top prospect or anything for Wilson’s rights and how is him showing to spring training and speaking to the players such a dire thing? People need to pull the sticks out of their butts about it.
bastros88
people like to be miserable, and complain about things, it gets them through the day
raef715
if you love baseball so much, just go join up with some independent league team for a weekend and avoid wasting everyone elses time.
davidcoonce74
Whose time is he wasting? He’s going to show up at spring training camp , run some drills for a few weeks, hit some batting practice, maybe play an inning in an inter-squad game (although I bet the Seahawks wouldn’t allow even that), hang around with other professional athletes who will probably appreciate his presence and then that’s that.. I think it’s cool that he wants to hang around baseball in some way, since there won’t be another two-sport player ever.
NOPelicanFangirl696969
Now wilson will end up playing for the ny giants im calling it
Paul Heyman
I guess his football career is failing him now.
Yankeepatriot
Since the XFL is returning in 2020 the Mets and Yankees can trade Wilson and tebow to respective teams for cash considerations !!!!
BSPORT
Nobody complained when Michael Jordan signed with white sox. I think it’s a bit of a novelty at camp and someone who has dealt with professional sports success to maybe help out some of the young guys coming up. There’s always a chance that he plays well and wants to try to be our next dual sport athlete that we haven’t seen in professional sports in a long time. Yankees aren’t giving up much of anything for his rights. Nobody should care. If he helps one young guy learn how to deal with success it’s worth it.
stymeedone
Do you really believe no one complained? I’m sure Bulls fans were just ecstatic.
Yankeepatriot
Billy crystal got an at bat in spring training for the Yankees a few years ago so I don’t see why this would upset anyone. People are desperate to rag on the Yankees lol
brewersfan729 2
Russell Wilson is an attention whore and getting exactly what he wants.
RunDMC
Even the Yankees have a better QB than the Jets. LOL
jints1
He was a good player. Saw him play 2B against Elon while at NC State before he went to Wisconsin. Does this mean he spends the entire spring training with the Yankees? Also didn’t realize a football team has baseball rights.
gmenfan
This qualifying as “news” just about sums up this off-season.
toomuchpie
They report these type of trades and signing all the time.
lovableschmuck
DiPoto missed a trade opportunity!!!
Djones246890
I remember the Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson days. It was cool as h e | ! to watch a player go from football, right to baseball.
zacharydmanprin
Elway was a fairly average to below average QB until later in his career. For awhile he threw as many interceptions as TDs and was usually around 50% completion rate. Luckily for him the Broncos had a good defense.
pro-football-reference.com/players/E/ElwaJo00.htm
rycm131
I’d say it’s 50/50 he makes MLB this year.
pinterman
Wilson ‘deal’ comparable to buying your own star on Hollywood Boulevard.