So long, Esmil Rogers. Hello, next class of Yankee scrap heapers

Last July 5, the Yankees parted ways with the 38-year-old Alfonso Soriano, ending the free-swinging slugger's career. For three months, Sori had languished in the meat of our batting order, hitting .221. Finally, the Yankees cried "Uncle."

Three weeks later, the team cut ties with 36-year-old Brian Roberts, the great former O's 2B who - by 2015 Drew/Ryan/Petit standards - was actually having a great season. He was hitting .236! Unfortunately, we were still comparing secondbasemen to Robbie Cano, doncha know? So... they cried "Uncle."

Thus ended months of self-congratulation by the Yankee front office - aped by the Buffalo Jills of the YES Network - relentlessly praising the brain trust for using its vast treasury of gold to sign washed-up veterans that smaller market teams could not afford.

Which brings us to Esmil Rogers - and, probably, Sergio Santos.

Last summer, the Yankees signed the then 28-year-old Rogers off Craig's List and quickly anointed him as a "live arm," after he won two games. Once again, the blogs of the Yankiverse extolled Brian Cashman's relentless brilliance in snapping up vintage tees from the Biz Bag. (Keep in mind that they also went through Jeff Francis, Matt Daley, Alfredo Aceves, Rich Hill, Josh Outman, Bruce Billings, Chris Leroux, Wade LeBlanc and Jim Miller. The Biz Bag also offers rags.) Esmil pitched to a 4.68 ERA - and the hope brigade wondered how the Blue Jays could have let him go? (Here's one theory: In Toronto, Esmil's ERA was 6.97. Jeepers. Could that be a reason?)

This year, Esmil was touted in spring training as a top candidate for fifth starter, and throughout the early season, we were reminded often of how smart the Yankees were to snag him.

Last night, after yet another public cuffing, the team cut ties with Alfonso - Esmil - whose ERA is now 6.39.

Yep. We signed him at a plus-6 ERA, and that's exactly what we got... which is pretty common around the Bronx.

Other teams promote young players on the way up. The Yankees sign old ones on the way down.

Which brings us to Sergio Santos, age 31, and supposedly the next in line for the Yankee scrap heap Hall of Fame. We signed Sergio two days ago, after the Dodgers cut him. His ERA stood at 4.87 and I don't even want to report his ERA last year with Toronto; let's just say it was worse than Esmil's. (Oh, hell, why fool around: It was 8.57. Yes, eight-fifty-seven! Eight-frickin'-fifty-seven! Eight-five-seven. Eight runs and fifty-seven percent of another run. Over 26 games! Essay Question: How does a guy last 26 games with an ERA of 8.57?)

Well, we signed Sergio, and he pitched a scoreless inning in Trenton, and soon we'll be hearing about his "live arm." And if he gets one batter out, you better believe some Baghdad Bob in the YES happy gas booth will be blathering about the Yankee front office's brilliance.

Listen: We on this site rag on Brian Cashman a lot. Frankly, I don't think he's baseball's worst GM. The problem is that he gets so overly praised by the Yankee echo chamber that somebody has to wonder, WTF?

WHY DO WE HAVE NO YOUNG PITCHERS AT SCRANTON? WEREN'T WE TOLD ALL SPRING THAT THE YANKEE BULLPEN WAS ONE OF THE DEEPEST IN BASEBALL? WASN'T THAT SUPPOSED TO BE CASHMAN'S CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT OF THE WINTER... THAT HE HAD ROUNDED UP A CAVALRY OF "LIVE ARMS?' (Wither goest, Johnny Barbuto?) WHAT HAPPENED? WHERE IS EVERYBODY? 

Sergio Santos?

I believe I speak for the Yankiverse...

UNCLE!