There are secret ground rules in America that should never be ignored.
First and foremost, nobody ever - EVER - should be allowed to compare a 16-year-old to Mickey Mantle, unless in lighthearted mockery. ("Well, he's not exactly Mickey Mantle, eh?") It's fundamentally wrong. It's child abuse. It cuts against the jib of the universe. There should be ironclad laws against it, at least in Florida, where there are laws about everything. It should be simple: No comparisons to Mantle - not in Little League, not in junior high, not in beer leagues, not anywhere. No grooming of future Zolio Almontes. Make it happen, Mr. DeSantis!
That said, let's admit that Jasson Dominquez - aka "The Martian" - is having a moment.
Yesterday, in a meaningless 9th inning against Atlanta non-roster plebes, he drilled another long HR, his second of the spring. It's just a small sample size: Dominguez is is 5 for 12 with 2 walks, one strikeout and 4 RBIs.
Close your eyes, and join me in a moment of Marianne Williamson-level peace. Imagine it's Memorial Day weekend, and Dominquez has just been promoted to Scranton, after demolishing the Eastern League. (I'm not ready to imagine him jumping to the Bronx that soon.) The buzz across Gotham will be incredible. The Yankees will be sitting on their most heralded Triple A prospect since Alfonso Soriano, and every minor league game will be scrutinized like Madonna's next facelift. The summer will be upon us, and we will be crazed with anticipation, awaiting his arrival after the all-star break. It will be like the week before Christmas, and we will be 9-year-olds again.
I almost shudder to say it, but this could be the year Dominguez reaches the Yankees.
Okay, open your eyes. Yeah, it was just a drug hallucination. Still, it's the best damn delirium we've had in recent years. The Yankees face a lot of issues this spring: The Mets will outspend us in any auction. Tampa and Toronto will continue to be loaded, Boston and Baltimore won't stay dead forever, and Houston still owns us.
Right now, in almost every AI simulation, the Yankees look like a wild card team. With luck, they can win the AL East. Without it, they can finish last. Who knows how their infield and outfield will evolve? Certainly not me.
But but BUT... this might be the year Dominguez arrives.
And right now, RIGHT NOW, this is the moment we may be finally believing...
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Let’s all take a deep breath on the real JD. Yes, enjoy his development, feel good about his progress, but temper it with reality. Judge/Jeter/Rivera level prospects don’t come along too often. Patience.
Meanwhile, I’m thrown out of twitter again. A few well turned (if profane) phrases and I’m cast out like a leper. I’m thinking of changing my handle to The Leperd. It seems IIHIIFIIG is the only blog that will put up with me. Groucho said “ I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member” but I am happy here and grateful for the unfiltered forum.
In other newz, Tommy’s Kahnle is shut down with bicep tendinitis. Boone said there is no truth to the rumor that it was caused by his pants being too tight causing a circulatory backup in his upper body. So what’s the story on Matt Krook( the Krookbook)?
That's bad news about Tommy's Kahnle. I had a friend whose Kahnle was shut down when he was 40, and he hasn't been able to use it since. Now he's 64 and all he does is reminisce about the good old days when his Kahnle was up and running. It's kinda sad.
Kahnle is shut down without playing in a real game and Montas is done already. So the obvious question is, Who does the medical reviews before we acquire someone? Dr. Nick?
Maybe the Yankees should find some money in their budget to pay for a person who is an actual doctor.
Maybe we can get that guy who used to say, "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV." He's probably better at evaluating players than whoever Cashbox is using.
Dr. Nick, he’s got the knack! Except it was with transmissions…
1) Whether the “Yankiverse” believes or not is totally irrelevant. Whether the Yankees believe is another thing.
2) Once Hicks, Stanton, maybe Bader (even, gods forbid, Judge), go down with their inevitable injuries, we really aren’t that far away from The Martian manning one of the outfield spots
I actually had arthroscopy performed on both my knees performed by former Yankee team physician Stuart Hershon. He had pics and testimonials in his office from Mo and others. I am a lifetime distance runner who had to stop due to knee pain. After becoming his patient, I’ve been pain free for the last 15 years. Alas, he no longer has any formal connection to the team.
Dr. NIck...I love it!
There's a better chance of the Martian being traded by June, than being on this team.
@Celerino, I agree 100%. If the Martian is any good, he'll probably be traded for a bullpen lugnut or maybe another Sonny Gray/Frankie Montas.
@Duque, Don't get your hopes up about the Martian. If he sucks, he'll be in the Yankee system forever and ever. If he looks great, he'll be traded within two years. They won't bring him up because Cashman likes his prospects to be "finished" before they are called up. Then there's the injury factor. The Martian hasn't been hurt yet, right? Yankee coaches and conditioning staff are working on that. So it won't be long before he blows out an elbow, knee or shoulder.
@borntorun999; JM; Doug K. Tommy Kahnle is another example of the second and third helpings by Fat Cat Cashman. He cannot bring himself to pass on a free agent who used to be a Yankee.
It's got to be a total lack of effective scouting and development. Why else would they keep bringing these guys back for seconds and thirds? With all the young talent out there, they cannot find or develop someone younger and better than Tommy "Tight Pants" Kahnle? The fact that Cashman keeps bringing these guys back tells you all you need to know about the state of Yankee coaching and player development.
I'm waiting for Cashman to bring back Sonny Gray, Dellin Betances, and Gary Sanchez.
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