But the Yankee asteroid is coming. I think NASA calls it "Heathcott 2019."
Monday, September 9, 2013
PONDERING THE UNPONDERABLE: The Yankiverse considers its looming apocalypse
But the Yankee asteroid is coming. I think NASA calls it "Heathcott 2019."
I sure it will be difficult for Jeet to hang it up but what is in store for him (and us) next year? I will hate to see the last remnant of the dynasty disappear, yet I can forgive Derek if he doesn't want to be part of a last place team. He could retire with his head held high without a major hit on his lifetime statistics and without sitting on his ass as our DH.
ReplyDeleteLet's turn the page and propose a toast to the Yankees that were. It had to happen.
Derek probably should retire. But he's in a tough spot. If he wanted to leave, he couldn't do it now; that would step all over Yankee marketing's Mo farewell tour. And he probably believes he deserves one of his own, and he does. Which means next year at the earliest, which is still a lot of GIDPs. Of course, he could always surprise us with a good year; he's done it before. Ghah, this makes my head spin.
ReplyDeleteThe Yankees owe him respect, money and the chance to play shortstop, if he's the best person for that job.
ReplyDeleteThey don't owe him - or anybody - a starting position for an entire season, if he (or she) cannot do the job.
Around June or July of next year, that could become a real problem.
Jeet is a special guy but so were Jorge and Bernie. I don't recall any farewell tours for them.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I was at Jorge's last game and during his last at-bat, I marveled at what was happening on the field and in the stands (Jorge's very probable last at-bat as a Yankee and the fact that nobody seemed to notice). I hung around after the game and saw Jorge drive off from the stadium and I could tell that he had been crying.
I don't want an exit like that for Derek but there must be something in-between that would honor Jeet but wouldn't be so damaging to the team. You have to admit, that Jeter in his present form would damage the team. sorry, but I don't see a big comeback from the captain at age 39/40. And neither do you. Be honest.
When did this "farewell tour" stuff get started anyhow? was it chipper jones?
I think Sinatra started the farewell tour, and of course he came out of retirement to do several more. It became a running Shecky Greene-quality gag for guys on the Sullivan show.
ReplyDeleteJeter could retire during the winter and get a tribute game in the Spring/Summer of '14, or maybe even get a coaching job so he never actually goes away. Then he could continue wearing number 2 while the team plays like number 2.
Like KD, I never got the last Posada game. Everyone knew, nobody acted like they knew. You know? Well, Girardi treated him like the aforementioned number 2, maybe that added to the situation of confusion. And Bernie wasn't gone, gone. After the Yanks did a Rizzuto on him (without even offering him a broadcast job) there was speculation he would sign with somebody else for at least another year.
Look at the bright side of 2013. We can now sit back, watch the Red Sox win the Series and say they bought the championship. Though that never seems to stick to them, just like the PEDs. Maybe the Teflon Sox would be a better name.
It's all so sad. It's almost better to never have risen above 1973, at least then we can rely on low expectations and get excited when we finish over .500. After the past 15 years, that's kind of tough.