Yankee Juju Omen of the Year: Jayson Nix

Last winter, the cold winds of free agency blew onto Brian Cashman's doorstep a black-edged, tarot card of death named Jayson Nix.  (Much in the way he found Mike Diaz yesterday.) Hardly anyone noticed when Cashman signed Nix off the scrap heap. The guy had Scranton/Wilkes Barre written on his forehead in Sharpie. After all, everybody knew Eduardo Nunez was our utility infielder. We didn't need two.

Well, Jason Nix became the mystery man - the Zelig - of the 2012 Yankees.

1. It was Nix who banged the long batting practice fungo that chased Mariano to the wall, where Mo's knee buckled like Kleenex, and the Yankee season changed.


2. It was Nix who took over as shortstop for the injured Jeter - because Eduardo Nunez turned out to be a fielding combination of Chuck Knoblauch and Bill Buckner. (For much of the season, it was Nunez who disappeared on the New York State Thruway team, somewhere between Batavia and Utica.)

3. It was Nix who became one of our steadiest hitters against Detroit in the ALCS. (Which, frankly, isn't saying much.) In fact, Nix came within a few feet of a HR that could have won a game and - who knows - maybe rallied the team.

4. It was Nix who made the final out - batting as our thirdbaseman, the position Arod could not play - in the 2012 championship series. He popped up.

5. It was Nix, the no-hit utility infielder, who played three games as our DH last year - can you believe it? Jason Nix, our DH. Think about that when pondering our current march to the $189 million payroll.

6. It was Nix who we're supposedly trying to upgrade this year, because he's eligible for arbitration in 2013, the year of the Cashman Apocalypse.  

7. It is Nix who - imagining any spring training setback for Jete - would likely be our opening day shortstop - that is, unless Cash can find another Jayson Nix.