Tabata Having Trouble Handling The Pressure

From Peter Abraham:

NEW YORK - Double-A outfielder Jose Tabata, considered one of the organization's top prospects, was suspended for three games last week and considered asking the Yankees for his release.

A 19-year-old from Venezuela, Tabata left last Saturday's game without permission, fleeing the ballpark after striking out in the seventh inning. That led to the three-game suspension.

"The expectations of who I am supposed to be and what I am supposed to do finally got to me," Tabata told The (Trenton) Times through a translator. "I made an irrational decision. Maybe it was immaturity, inexperience or just that I didn't know how to handle what was happening. I just kept thinking I am not producing the way I should be and maybe I didn't belong here."

"I just felt like I had to go," Tabata said. "It was a rash decision. ... I thought about it a little and realized I am not a quitter."

There are always highly touted prospects who have a lot of pressure, but with the internet being what is it, the expectations and pressure on these kids is immense, and unfair.

It's good to see that he at least realized he made the wrong decision sooner rather than later, and that he's back with the team and didn't jump on the first flight to Venezuela.

Tabata returned to the Trenton lineup on Thursday and went 0-for-7 in his first two games back, but he did have two hits and a RBI in last night's 6-3 win over Portland.