A loss to the Twins... on Juju Eve?

'Twas the night before Juju, and all through the House that Ruth Built,
Freddy Garcia was pitching like a mouse from a youth guild...

Last April, Freddy Garcia amazed us with his guile and tenacity. Around now, we were starting to believe in him.

Now, he's the pitcher who can't get a third out, who can't hold a lead - and worst of all - he's the quintessential Yankee 1980s nightmare:

A veteran who could be done, but who can't be dropped - (as we would David Phelps) - because we're paying too much money. This was how we built the eight-year barf in the 1980s and early 1990s.

So we'll trot Freddy out two, maybe three, more times, regardless of the outcome. If he sucks, we'll lose the games and get nothing for him in a trade - we never do. If he improves, we'll still get nothing in a trade - we never do. Then it will become a grudge thing. He'll pitch well for somebody and be determined to show us up, and he probably will.

This isn't bad juju. It's bad planning. (But Carl Pavano beating us yesterday - yeesh, that's really bad juju.)