He'll replace David Cone, whose migration to ESPN will mean fewer games on YES.
Surely, Beltran will be informative, funny and congenial. Surely, the brain trust auditioned him and presented audio stool samples to focus groups. Like Coney, he can draw upon a vast experiential base from time in KC, Houston, NY, St. Louis, Texas and SF. (The days of a lifetime Yankee hooking up with YES may have ended with Bobby Murcer, and even he did a stint in SF. Wait... Brett Gardner?)
So... here's the question: Where does the 800-pound elephant in the room shit in the forest?
Let's not expect Michael Kay to immediately confront Beltran about the sign-stealing scandal. But it's hard to imagine going an entire season as a Voldemort situation, never raising the issue. Were Beltran still playing, he'd be booed in Yankee Stadium. The scandal still seems to haunt Aroldis Chapman, and at some point, Jose Altuve or Mike Fiers will appear - demanding that somebody asks, "So, Carlos... what the fuck?"
Will Beltran own up to his role as a cheater? (Some still argue that if you're not cheating, you're not trying.) Or, will he argue to his dying day that the matter was overblown?
At some point, we should hear Beltran's side of the story. How well he presents it, and how believable he is, will determine his future with the Yankees. Should be interesting.
ReplyDeleteI believe at some point Bobby Thompson admitted he knew what pitch was coming when he hit "the shot heard round the world."
That admission didn't tarnish his accomplishment. If you want to call it that.
Perhaps when we're all dead and buried the same nostalgic mirage of history will gloss over the rage from all corners of the country about Beltran et al.
Cheating has always had a proud tradition in baseball, maybe even equal to that of the boxing world.
Just don't get caught.
Frankly, we did win that World Series without cheating
ReplyDeleteThis is a dumb move. Worse than the Pedro idea.
ReplyDeleteKay is not going to ask Beltran what kind of garbage can he buys at Home Depot...
ReplyDeleteI think Carlos should focus on it. Then, interest quickly wanes. He can even exaggerate; " tell a story of how one guy forgot to bring his spoon ( to hit against the can ) and they lost 4-2. That kind of thing. Or some guy brought a wooden spoon and ( insert name ) was so dumb he thought it was a fake signal...etc. So he kept striking out.
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ReplyDeleteJM, spring training is NEVER going to start.
That will save us six months of excruciating bullshit from Boooooooone.
The only reason baseball might exist is to give us an excuse to come here for commiseration.
I think Thomson basically hemmed and hawed on it, Dick. Buuuut...
ReplyDeleteGiants had a guy on second. Don't you—aren't you always supposed to—mix up the signs when there's a guy on second?
In general, the Giants' run production actually DEcreased once they started stealing signs from the clubhouse. What really save them was—wait for it—pitching! Which is always the key element in everything everywhere. Their staff was en fuego down the stretch.
Also...dumb move to bring in Branca. Thomson had just homered off him two days earlier, to win the first game of the playoff in Brooklyn, where of course the Giants couldn't do any sign stealing.
I'm sure MLB demanded a "keep your fucking mouth shut" clause in Beltran's contract.
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