Donaldson ‘thankful’ to have his jersey retired by Auburn baseball

On Friday, Josh Donaldson will take his place alongside Auburn baseball royalty when his quantity 4 is added to the War Eagle Wall alongside the jerseys of Bo Jackson, Gregg Olson, Frank Thomas and Tim Hudson. Following a powerful profession at Auburn, Donaldson performed 13 seasons in MLB and was a three-time all-star and the 2015 American League MVP. Now he’ll take his place among the many greats at Auburn.

“It’s kind of one of those measures to show you all the hard work and everything that you put in and especially for my time being in Auburn, when you’re really developing and trying to find out who you are,” Donaldson mentioned. Being within the likes of Tim Hudson, Frank Thomas, Bo Jackson, Gregg Olson, all these guys that have been very well-known Auburn males and figures in Major League Baseball. It means quite a bit and it is one thing that I undoubtedly do not take calmly. I really feel very grateful. Really after highschool, you are going to faculty, that is actually your first time getting out of the home. To me Auburn’s actually the place it began, the journey for me went into professional ball.”

During his time at Auburn, Donaldson wore several different hats. Recruited as a middle infielder, he played third base for the Tigers before moving behind the plate. Those moments were beneficial for him when he made his way to professional baseball after being drafted by the Chicago Cubs 48th overall. Not making his way as a catcher, fate opened the door for Donaldson and he never looked back.

“That sort of mentality served me effectively going into professional ball,” Donaldson said of being willing to play wherever the team needed him. “Ultimately, I performed winter ball to strive to make myself extra beneficial to different groups if I bought taken off the roster. The first day of camp our third baseman blew his knee out. Me having the mindset of taking part in new positions and doing what was proper for the workforce, it fell into my lap that approach.

“Not having the easy road, I learned how to deal with adversity. Eventually I found out that I could overcome adversity. Sometimes guys get stuck at certain levels because everybody is good. When you get to pro ball, not everybody can deal with the failure and mental side of it. I always had the mindset that I could overcome whatever was put in front of me.”

Donaldson did that after which some. Getting his shot in Oakland, he had a breakout efficiency in 2002 when he hit 9 residence runs and had 34 RBI in 75 video games. That allowed him to get his foot within the door and he by no means regarded again.

Over the course of the subsequent 5 seasons, Donaldson hit at the very least 24 residence runs yearly and put all of it collectively in his first season with the Toronto Blue Jays. Earning MVP honors, he blasted 41 residence runs, added 41 doubles and had 123 RBI. He would end his profession with 279 residence runs and a batting common of .261 whereas taking part in in each legendary stadium within the main leagues.

“I tell a lot of people that I had my fun in the sun,” Donaldson mentioned. “Not a lot of people get to say that to the extent of where I was at, but it made it a real joy each and every day to show up to the ballpark because no matter what it is, if you do something long enough, it’s still a job. We get to play a kids game for a job, but at the end of the day it was still grueling. But when you’re having the success and when your team is having success and when you’re around a good environment of guys it just made it such a joy to show up and go to work every day.”

His profession is one which Auburn followers adopted intently. So did Auburn coach Butch Thompson. He was with the Tigers for one among Donaldson’s years on the Plains and since returning as the top coach, the 2 have continued to construct on their robust relationship.

“When you see these guys that are kind of that alpha mindset, you can kind of see it when they’re young. Like, ‘This dude he’s not scared of anyone or anything.’ That was something that he possesses this day,” Thompson mentioned of Donaldson. “He doesn’t care what anybody thinks. He had great skills. I still think there were some identity things to figure out. Maybe offensively. What position are you gonna play? In college, at the professional level, at the major league level? So I think some of that stuff was still getting out. But those basic ingredients were there, like, this guy’s a little bit different.

“I’m happy with him and simply seeing as he went via his profession and ascended. It took him a very long time to get to the large leagues, extra so than someone, actually, his caliber. The participant he ended up, that was an extended path than most. So he stayed in it long-term and saved combating. And then had a very good run. It simply took longer to get there, however then had nearly as good a run as anyone for a time frame. I’m proud from the younger man that I knew to the grown man that “I know now.”

That respect from Thompson to Donaldson is mutual. Watching what the coach has finished since returning to Auburn, he has seen this system go to one other stage the final decade.

“Extremely proud,” Donaldson mentioned. “I was just telling somebody the other day, I think Butch has already taken them to the College World Series twice. When I was in school, it almost seemed like that was so far away. The ability to even get there to a College World Series, it seemed like that was like a pipe dream. Now these kids are literally waking up every day they step foot on Auburn campus, and that dream of going to the College World Series is very real.”

It’s why Donaldson wished to give again to this system, serving to construct the hitting facility in proper subject to give the Tigers a possibility to compete on the highest stage of the game. It’s greater than profitable when Donaldson thinks about Auburn. The respect for Thompson and his love for the college have him making an attempt not to get too far forward of himself this weekend. He’ll let that occur on Friday when it turns into official.

“He cares,” Donaldson mentioned. “He genuinely cares and he cares about you as a baseball player and he cares about you as a person. When Butch got the job there, I really knew that he was gonna do everything that he could possible to help the program win ball games and also put out decent human beings. For me to be able to give you a small token back to Auburn and help those kids not feel like they’re left out in any situation, like they have every opportunity in front of them to become the best player that they possibly can.”