THE “DATA”

When it comes to the Yankees new first baseman Anthony Rizzo, it’s hard to come up with any negatives.

The man has been lights out in his first six games, hitting homers in the first two and becoming the first player in the franchise’s history to get an RBI in all six.

But guess what . . . I’ve found a negative. As you may know his name has been added to the COVID-19 list of players who have been sidelined by the virus. Unlike most, Rizzo is not vaccinated. But now that he’s tested positive, will he do the right thing and get his shots?

It’s not clear. When Rizzo was asked that question, he hedged and said he wanted to “study the data.”

I nearly fell off my chair when I read that. The data? Does he mean the data that’s been out there for well over a year about the essential need for being vaccinated? The data that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as hundreds of other experts say is accurate as they plead with Americans to get their shots?

But Rizzo says he wants to “study the data” first. It’s his kind of attitude and the reluctance of so many others to get their shots that’s responsible for the continuing spread of the virus.

By all accounts, Anthony Rizzo is a stand-up guy who takes his job seriously, but apparently not seriously enough to do what he can to avoid infecting his teammates.

On this question, I’m giving him an E-3.