New York Yankees: Top 15 Moments of the 2017 Season
By Sean Dyer
10. Todd Frazier’s Home Run at Citi Field and the Thumbs Down Movement
Todd Frazier’s three-run home run was big in the Yankees’ 5-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Citi Field in a game that was moved from Tropicana Field due to Hurricane Irma. The Thumbs Down movement that ensued, however, had a bigger impact on New York’s season.
Mets fan Gary Dunaier wasn’t a fan of Frazier going deep in his team’s stadium and showed his displeasure with a thumbs down. The image went viral and Todd Frazier and the rest of the Yankees rallied around it.
For the rest of the season, the Yanks gave thumbs downs whenever they got a hit or scored a run. Frazier even had t-shirts made up. It may seem silly but it brought this Yankees team closer together.
The New York Yankees have had plenty of successful teams in their history but what made this year’s team unique was the closeness they had with each and the fun they had together.
The acquisition of Frazier and his embracing of the Thumbs Down movement brought an element to the Yankees that we haven’t seen in a while.
Honorable Mention: The TOE-Night Show
The TOE-Night Show featuring Ronald Torreyes was another example of the camaraderie of the 2017 New York Yankees.
Using anything that could be found lying around the dugout, Torreyes, Didi Gregorius, Starlin Castro, Luis Severino, and Miguel Andujar pretended to interview Yankee players after hitting a home run.
This was another silly celebration that made New York more fun to watch.