Monday, December 15, 2014

The towering ho-hum approaches: Chase Headley might re-sign with the Yankees

Here's a holiday thought: If all the world were upended - the rich suddenly poor, the worst suddenly the best - the Yankees won't be much affected. Ah... the beauty of finishing near.500!

Here's another: If we sign Chase Headley, we'll be basically rolling out the same rickety dessert tray that finished 12 games out last year. Ah... the poetry of standing still!

Last night, Brian Cashman went on teevee to say the Yankees will sleep through the bidding war over Max Scherzer. This was a courtesy to other owners, declaring that we shall compete. But apparently thinking that Yankee fans needed something shiny in their stockings, Cashman noted that we're still in the running for Chase Headley!

And you were hoping to find a lump of clean coal...

If the Yankees resurrect Headley, that means A-Rod becomes DH, Martin Prado moves to 2B, and our two best rookies hopefuls - Jose Pirela and Rob Refsnyder - return to Scranton, if they're not traded. Last season, both hit over .300 at Triple A. Usually, when a guy hits .300 at Triple A, he gets a shot at the majors. But the Yankees - being that 6-above-.500 powerhouse - certainly can't allow that to happen. Nope. They'll have too many free-falling veterans who need to play. And the direct reason would be that we added Chase Headley to the mix.

Now, I recognize that many of you reading this do like Headley and want him back. I'm willing to accept that your opinion is as fine as mine. OK? I'm not the Oracle at Delphi. And I understand that Headley is a professional 3B, and on a powerhouse team like the 2003 Yankees, all you need is a Scott Brosius type, and he might fill that function. But...

Last August, Yankee fans saw a different Chase Headley than was experienced by the bootless minions of San Diego. The Padres' Headley had hit .229 with 7 HRs - which worse than what Yangervis Solarte (.254 and 6 HRs) had given the Yankees. Headley came to Gotham and sharpened his game: 6 HR and a whopping .262! The way the YES Men gushed, you thought A-Rod returned with a bucket of hypodermics.

If we sign him, this year, we'll get to see the Full Headley - San Diego side and all... as we once experienced the Full Ichiro, the Full Vernon Wells, the Full Hafner, the Full Andrew Jones, the Full Brian Roberts... get the point? And we'll get the full Headley for at least three years, maybe four. Imagine him in 2018, when he's earning the most and pushing 35.

I don't know which is more depressing: Wanting Chase Headley or getting Chase Headley.

Ah, the symmetry of the treadmill! Running hard and going nowhere. Welcome to the 1980s, everyone.

2 comments:

JM said...

If only we can reach the heights of the 1970 Yankees, who finished 93-69 and came in second.

Can you imagine the 1970 Yankees winning 93 games? I couldn't. I thought we were swimming in a swill of mediocrity back then...kind of like today...and hovering around the .500 mark...kind of like today...as we did in '71 and '72 and did in '69. And '73 and '74 and pretty much '75.

93-69 sits there glistening amidst the poop-colored sludge of the surrounding years, shining like a beacon for the Heddy (that's Headley...) led Yanks of 2015.

Maybe, just maybe...


ceeja said...

That's an interesting analogy. I liked that 1970 team. They were competitive again in 1972 and 1974.

I wouldn't mind seeing that level of competence again. Back then, though, the Yanks had a core of good young players and built a team from that core and good trades. Then they added big free agents to the mix when that became possible in 1975.