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Kevin Baker's book is here!
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Monday, June 22, 2015

Should we start worrying about Tampa Bay?

Boston is hitting its "sell-by" date. Toronto is still a mystery. Baltimore remains a clear and present danger. But by now, Tampa was supposed to start wilting. Look at their lineup. Aside from the front four, there's not exactly household names. (And Kiermaier, though he beat on us with a hammer, is still an unknown unknown.)
Matt Moore should be back by July 1. That's a Cy Young level starter (if he returns to form.) It sure beats Ivan Nova coming back to the Yankees. 

It's been a long time since Tampa built itself up by coming in last and drafting high. For the last five years, they've drafted in the same zone as the Yankees. (Though they didn't lose picks on free agents, as we have done.) They're staying more than competitive. They might just be the most well-run franchise in the AL East. 

2 comments:

JM said...

Hey, hey...wait a minute! *Tampa* was supposed to start wilting by now? What about us? WE were supposed to start wilting weeks ago.

I refuse to turn over our division-leading wilting expectations without a fight. Who do these guys think they are, anyway?

They don't wilt until we say they can wilt, and if we don't start wilting ourselves pretty soon, they may have to sit up there in first the whole damn season.

The noive, trying to take our wilting crown away like that. THESE GUYS COULDN'T WILT LIKE US EVEN IF THEY WERE LETTUCE ON BLACKTOP DURING A 95 DEGREE DAY IN SCRANTON. So there.

Parson Tom said...

A little off topic, but somebody please tell me how anybody can watch that preening dandy on Baseball Tonight, Dallas Braden, without thinking of his entirely weird contretemps a few years ago with Alex Rodriguez because A-Rod had the temerity to jog across the mound after flying out. He got all huffy, let it carry on way longer than necessary, and then -- weirdest of all -- gave A-Rod a framed and signed jersey commemorating his no hitter. (I truly hope he stumbles across that thing in some Goodwill shop somewhere. Like A-Rod wants a souvenir from Dallas Braden's mediocre career!)

Just another Yankee hater, I guess, probably recommended for the job by Schill and Nomar and the Boston Axis of Evil that governs the Worldwide Leader.