Alberto Gonzalez has returned, signaling once again the Disney Cycle of LIfe

In January of 2007, after it was clear that the Randy Johnson-in-NY experiment had failed, the Yankees wrangled a deal with the only team that he'd pitch for - the hated and hate-filled Arizona Diamondbacks.

For the Big Unit, we received Steven Jackson, Ross Ohlendorf, Luis "Mr. Every Day" Vizcaino and Alberto Gonzalez - who at the time was the namesake of the embattled Bush Administration Attorney General. This brought hilarity to every blog post.

Vizcaino appeared in 77 games and was one of the last bullpen lugnuts generally believed to be killed by Joe Torre. His ERA was 4.30, but he always took the ball. He left as a free agent the following year. Ironically, we signed him as a free agent in the winter of 2010, then dropped him a month later. Circle of Life, Mustafa would say.

Jackson never pitched for us. We waived him, the Pirates - the reclaimers of lost Yankee souls - signed him, and he pitched in 51 games over two seasons, last seen in 2010. Gone.

Ohlendorf was supposedly the pitcher we coveted in the deal, the one Arizona squirmed about giving up. Cashman touted him as the jewel. Eight months later, we dished him off to Pittsburgh for Damaso Marte and Xavier Nady.  In his 6-year-career with Pittsburgh and now San Diego, he's 18-32 (bad teams, keep in mind) with an ERA of 5.10. But in 2009, he was Pittsburgh's stud starter, 11-10 with a 3.92 ERA. We could have used him. (Then again, we won the WS that year, without him.)

Which brings us to Alberto. Then 24, he was touted as a sleeper in the deal, a guy who could not only play the infield but wield a major league bat and steal bases. Now 30, he's has never hit a lick and stolen two bases in his entire career. But now he's back, Mustafa, and he beats what we have in Scranton, which is next to nothing.

By the way, Randy Johnson had three rather lame years left in his arm. (He was ages 43 through 45.) The previous season with the Yankees, he won 17 games. Over the final three, he won 23. The problem with Johnson was that he stunk in the post-season for us. We thought we had our October gamer. Then again, we thought Alberto Gonzalez could hit. Weird, baseball, eh? Hakuna mutata!