Mason Williams’ living arrangements last year while he played at Double-A Trenton “felt like home,” the Yankee outfielder says, a rarity of minor-league life, where players often squeeze into apartments together or crash in hotels near the ballpark. But Williams endured a 50-minute drive each way to home games so he could have a roommate who knows the mental minefields of the pro athlete’s life — his father, Derwin.
Derwin Williams was a wide receiver for the New England Patriots from 1985-87, so he understands the value of “having a short memory” during trying times, Mason says. Post-game discussions about forgetting a poor game or perhaps not moving through the Yankee system as quickly as some once thought he would were invaluable.