Let's Be Clear

I have stayed away from spring training because that Pukilis person is still a Yankee.  And he remains unhurt.

But a few things are emerging from the fog of spring:

1.  The Yankees are too old.
2.  They will continue to be beset with injuries.
3.  The injuries will be sequential.
4.  The strategy of signing over-paid, slow, basically career-finished players, and making them very happy, continues.  It is as though Cashman's brain has been washed of painful and stupid experiences.
5.  These old guys know NY has better food, women and financial opportunities ( endorsements, tattoo parlors, etc ) than any other city.  So they smile a lot ( see Vernon Wells ).
6. Imagine what it must be like to know that you are washed up ( Vernon, Lyle ), to know that any 22 year old in the minors can, at least, match your productivity, and yet realize that you are the one coming north with the pinstripes, and he ( or they ) are off to the Abu Grave life ( you know what I mean, even if I can't spell it ) of Scranton?
7.  To look out of your suite and realize that your millions are guaranteed, even if you hit in the .100's?
8.  Has anyone heard the name  Romine lately?  Is he still with the Yanks?
9.  Why do we keep any productive youngsters around, only to sell them out later?  Are we showcasing them for a potential trade?  As upside fodder in a deal for yet another future high school baseball coach who played in a world series a decade ago, when he was 29-31?
10.  Do you really expect our pitchers to give up no more than one run a game for the season? For a week?  For a game?  We aren't going to average more than 2 or three runs per game ourselves, and that is only if Gardner has a big year.
11.  Does Ichiro now weigh less than Olga Korbut?
12.  I assume Chris Stewart or Cervelli will start for us.  If it is Cervelli, I give him less than 30 days before he gets hurt.
13.  Has anyone seen a player named Romine?  Is he forcing his way to the starting job, as our top position-playing prospect?
14.  There is not a single position player anyone wants to watch on this team.
15.  Our only hope is that everyone over the age of 31 gets hurt early.  The team could be forced to use some younger guys from our system.
16.  Except there aren't any.
17.  Heathcote ( is he hurt yet again?).  Williams ( if we didn't give him up for Overbay, does he weigh more than Olga Korbut)?
18.  No longer Adams.
19.  We would be smarter to shift to the national league where our pitchers could hit.
20.  This year will be a pathetic and wrenching good-by to so many classy guys who won for us.
21.  Now, forever and a day ago.

How far we have fallen.  The opening series against Boston, instead of being a fierce, must-win battle of superpowers, will be like the first few days of clown college.