Greg is an Assistant Manager in a discount appliance store in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
He has stories to tell customers about when he was a Rail-rider. It helped make him salesman of the month, three times, in 2018.
Many are initially skeptical of his background, but then memories start to match up for locals who saw a guy with his name play there.
Greg is also the reason the 2017 Yankee season will not have a happy ending.
He earned all the headlines with a "break-out" spring. A monster hitter with a great glove.
Then he fouls a ball off his foot in a meaningless game in St. Petersburg. That's baseball.
He knows something is way wrong. His ankle isn't healing yet he says nothing.
He plays and he fails. He goes 6-60 and kills about fifty rallies.
I understand that players (rookies especially) want to stay in the big leagues, and try to tough out injuries.
But I hate it. Hiding an injury is detrimental to the team.
The hot start of Headley (and everyone else) covered up for Bird. When you win, no one looks at a limping rookie who is supposed to hit, but cannot.
Sadly, the consequence was this; first base has been an open wound for the Yankees from day one and it remains so.
It is now played by guys who can't hit, guys who can't catch (with that penguin-foot-like glove), and guys with no agility.
It has become a non productive, error and miscue factory.
Nearly two months later, Bird is hitting no better at Scranton than he hit here.
I say this; take a look at Bok Choy (if he has recovered from his injury).
Bring him up.
This weakness is contagious, and is now spreading to our pitching staff.
It is all Bird's fault.
Every loss has his ankle print on it.
If we are forced to make a trade, first base is why it is going to happen.
For whatever it's worth, I don't think it was anything nefarious on Bird's part. He probably just didn't know the extent on his injury. He's a dopey, young baseball player. I have no trouble believing his foot could be fractured and he'd be telling himself to play through it because he wants to stay in the majors.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't make his 6-for-60 any more tolerable, but I tend to think of him as more hapless than villainous.
Tanaka not getting a new MRI on that UCL during his opt-out year while blowing start after start after start, on the other hand...
I agree about Bird's nature. He is a good kid.
ReplyDeleteBut baseball is a ruthless ( pardon the pun ) business, and we need production, not fantasy.
He couldn't hit, for sure, because he couldn't plant and rotate his feet properly.
But one wonders why he, suddenly, can't hit AAA either.
Is he permanently injured?
Limping:
ReplyDeleteIt is really surprising how easily a dove can sprain, injure or break a leg. They are quite fragile and the slightest pressure or holding its feet when it is attempting to escape will cause damage. About the same amount of pressure it takes to break a toothpick will break a doves leg or wing bones. Limping is usually caused by rough handling or catching its foot on something in the cage or a hard fall. A limp that does not appear to be caused by a broken bone is probably a muscle sprain, a tendon injury or possibly a hairline fracture. The dove will likely flap its wings to compensate for the injured leg. If the dove is still able to use the leg, it is probably best to give the bird room in its cage to flap its wings. Separate it from other birds and put its food and water dishes where it can access them with ease. A nest or a flat surface may be easier for it to rest in or walk on. Clearing out the cage and putting everything on the bottom may be the best. Make sure that the dove is on a smooth surface rather than a wire bottom. It can take 3 weeks for the limping to improve. More severe damage to the tendons could take 6 weeks to heal. A vet should take another look at it to determine if it is a sprain, tear or break.
How come birds
Don't fall from the sky when they die?
How come birds
Always look for a quiet place to hide
These words
Can't explain what I feel inside?
Like birds I need a quiet place to hide
This bird thing makes me want to have a beer.
Ah well, why not.
Tyler Austin.
ReplyDeleteBird is a nice kid, but let's face facts - he is brittle. He gets hurt easy and takes a very long time to heal. In other words, he is Nick Johnson 2.0 I am so very sorry to say. I was too hoping for a big year from the kid, but it just will not happen. Gotta move on - no other way to say it. BC and crew need to start to look to alternatives in the system; if not Austin, then someone else who can hit maybe .260 and handle themselves around the bag. Sheesh, what the fu**, don't we have anyone to tutor an infielder. Freakin' Tex could have been helpful as a fielding coach, but he wants nada to do with the Yanks - sad. Tino would have been good also. What - we gotta ask Joe Pepitone for fielding advice? Lemme go, this is getting absurd.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteAs if on cue...we have this.
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