Yankees Legend Says It’s Time to Do Something Different With Struggling Anthony Volpe

David Cone has watched enough baseball to know when a player’s pressing. And on Wednesday night, a day after Anthony Volpe committed two more errors in a win over the Rays, Cone offered a suggestion that might surprise Yankees fans.

“Maybe the Yankee fan should get Volpe a standing ovation,” Cone said on the YES Network broadcast. “Try to get him going. Because he’s your shortstop—and right now, there’s nobody else there.”

Cone referenced what Phillies fans did for Trea Turner two seasons ago.

Turner was scuffling so badly in August 2023 that a local radio caller suggested standing and cheering him instead of booing. The idea caught fire, and Philly fans ran with it. Turner got a standing ovation, and everything changed. He started hitting. His confidence came back. The Phillies made a run.

Could it work in the Bronx?

Volpe isn’t in Turner's tax bracket, but he's experiencing similar struggles.

He hit his 15th home run Wednesday night, a 452-foot shot that reminded everyone why the Yankees believe in him. He also added an RBI single and made some tough plays in the field. But the two errors, his 14th and 15th of the season, put him atop the American League leaderboard again.

The 24-year-old shortstop is hitting just .216 on the year. His OPS sits at .694. His fielding percentage has dropped to .959, and the advanced metrics aren’t pretty either. He has a negative outs above average and bottom-tier run value.

Still, manager Aaron Boone has stayed committed to him. The Yankees have, too. They believe Volpe can weather this storm.

But Cone's point isn’t really about stats. It’s about the human side of the game that gets overlooked. Volpe is still a young player, struggling in the city that never forgives, even if it is his hometown. He could use a little faith and support.

Are Philly fans really more gracious than Yankees fans?

The notoriously tough Philadelphia fans helped turn around Trea Turner’s season with one unexpected moment of support.

It's certainly out of character, but maybe Yankees fans could try the same.

If nothing else, it might remind Volpe he’s still got people in his corner.