For A Moment, I Thought We Had A Shot

This was the first year I went to Tampa and nothing happened. So, I figure, we have a shot at doing something.

The regulars did their work; a few "prospects' briefly shined; the Banuelos kid looked good as did Phellps ( neither of whom will come north ); Ibanez ( at age 40 ) can't hit any more. Not sure Chavez can either. Should I even suggest how much more valuable Jesus would have been as our DH?

But Derek will be ok; Cano will stay great; Alex may improve from last year, and Tex might bunt once. We have a good outfield plus Andrew Jones ( who can still hit a fastball) and some decent pitchers if they can ;

A. Not fall down the stairs at home

B. Not get hit by come-backers

C. Not get arrested driving to/from a bar in Nebraska.

But now I see the signs of a quick demise:

1. Andy Pettitte's kids have recently graduated college, so ANDY doesn't need to hang with them at their high school games in Houston any more. And what does he decide: to spend all day at church? In court defending Roger Clemens? Gardening? Reading Henry James? Nah.

He'll come back to the Yankees. He's been soft-tossing with his wife for two years and feels re-juvinated and ready for that big payday A dramatic comeback at the ripe age of 40-.

The word that comes first to my mind is ; pathetic.

An established, classy athlete again proves us wrong by refusing to leave the game when the game has left him; embarrassing.

2. I think Dave Winfield should now consider a return as DH. Certainly he can still hit as well as Ibanez. And can Roy White still run?

3. It is now becoming clear that I was right when I told you the trade for Pineda was a disaster. He has ( so far) lost about 4-6 mph on his fastball; still has only two pitches ( ok; he threw 10 change-ups this spring and the two that were within a foot of the plate were hammered); and now the Yankees are talking of exercising his remaining minor league option to " stretch out his arm."

Translation; " we don't know what is wrong with him, but he can't pitch effectively in the major leagues right now."

We are looking at the next Kei Igawa folks ( actually, more likely the next Andrew Brackman, as Pineda does not speak Japanese), but not until after the surgery. Yes he will have arm surgery ( like Brackman ) around mid-season, while playing as a nomad for the Scranton Yanks.

A year or two after that, he will be traded to the Nationals for a 38 year old utility infielder who has a career BA of .213.

Summary; We traded Jesus and a decent Noesi for a turd and some 19 year old we won't hear from again unless he gets maimed in a bar fight.

Note to Cashman; you don't get a young, healthy dominating starter in a trade for an unproven prospect, who has no position, without caveats. That player is made available because the team trading him knows he is flawed or injured, usually both.

4. Tex will not and cannot bunt or hit to the opposite field when the shift is on. That shift is like placing a scotch/rocks on a bar in front of a recently sober alcoholic. He just has to take a slurp.

Similarly, Tex has to take the big cut when the shift is on. Usually, since he is inclined to take strike one, Tex is 0-2 after the big cut ( unless he has already grounded out to medium right field ), and can no longer bunt. So he has a defensible rationale just as does the alchy ( one sip can't hurt ), with the same outcome.

5. So we now have about 10 guys on the roster at or above 40 years old, or with the legs of such. A sure sign of a championship team, yes ?

6. No.

This team is an age-related injury or two ( or more ) away from battling Kansas City and the Mets for nothing.

The Giants won the Superbowl. The Ying and Yang are in play.

Enjoy March madness and then enter a cave until football season.