Our Igawa Policy is Taking Shape: Shame him into Suicide

Starkus the Gammonite says it’s working.

We've heard from two different baseball men recently that Igawa asked the Yankees over the winter if there was any way he could return to Japan. The Yankees quietly explored their options, got nowhere and gave up. They're still on the hook for nearly $11 million to Igawa through the 2010 season.

What in the name of Carl Pavano is going on here?

We desperately need a LH reliever, but we don’t try Iggy?

Why? Is it that we're paying him too much?

Good grief, how many LH relievers have we pulled off the scrap heap, only to find that’s where they belonged?

Does our LOOGY reliever have to be Billy Traber or Sean Henn?

"Sorry, Ig. We can’t try you in the pen. You priced yourself out of the position. We’ll keep you in Scranton. That way, the writers won’t remember you. Out of sight, out of headlines. Oh, here's your flying monkey outfit."

So we get nothing.

I really hope I’m all wet, and there is a solid reason why we’re don't give Igawa a shot at the bullpen. Does he refuse? That’s never been said. He can't adjust? Not been tried. Too fragile? Who cares? His stuff won't translate? Yeah... and Mike Myers’s stuff did?

This is a bad time to start turning cheap. And in recent years, every time we've gone cheap, it's always cost us more.