Joel Sherman wrote an article today on his top ten free agent signings going all the way back to Catfish Hunter. He points out that we tend to focus on the really, really, bad ones (cough) Rodon, (hack) Pavano, (hock then spit) Ellsbury, (low rumble then sudden expulsion of...) Igawa.
I'd better stop before I end up in a ward.
It is an interesting list. Congrats to El Duque for being number two.
https://nypost.com/2024/03/09/sports/ranking-yankees-best-free-agent-signings-to-date/
In case you don't want to click:
1) Reggie
2) El Duque
3) CC Sabathia
4) Gossage
5) Winfield
6) Hunter
7) Cole (Hunter Cole is a great name BTW)
8) Matsui
9) Wells
10) Key
Mine is a little different but Reggie as Number One seems like a lock.
I move Matsui and Hunter up.
I dump CC to 10th. He makes the list because of the one title and three great years but the next six were pretty bad and not answering the bell when they needed him most (regardless of the validity of the reason - self inflicted) makes him far less in my book.
Anyway... have at it.
Winfield left no mark on Yankees history, I guess mostly because he played for us during a period we didn't win anything. I might have been too caught up in life to follow the team closely at the time, but the only memory I have of Winfield is him accidentally nailing that unlucky seagull. Whoops.
ReplyDeleteI'm probably being very unfair, but that doesn't get him on the list, much less at number five. Sue me.
JM -
ReplyDeleteIn many ways Winfield was easily one of the most important players in New York Yankee history.
His feud with George Steinbrenner led to Steinbrenner's suspension from baseball and allowed Gene Michaels, Gabe Paul, and others to build the Yankee Dynasty of the 90's. :)
Speaking of great Baseball Names, there is a young player in the Mexican League named Ichiro Cano.
ReplyDeleteI’d sign him on name value alone.
Ichiro Cano - That's a great name for a ball player and for a sushi roll made with salmon, yellowtail, rice, and yuca.
ReplyDeleteDump the yuca and add ricotta cheese to the above and you have an Ichiro Cannoli.
I need to get out more.
Where are Griffey Sr & Dave Collins, the GO GO Yankees?
ReplyDeleteCatfish did the opposite of CC. Sacrificed a sore arm in the '77 series to bail out Billy's overworked bullpen. How many HOFers would have told Billy to fuck off on being asked to relieve?
ReplyDeletePeraza has been diagnosed and of course it a serious injury, far from the gaslight that Boone tried to shine on it.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a subscapularis strain, which will shut him down for at least 8 weeks, at which point he can begin rehab. His return will be midsummer, at the earliest.
Another cashman failure, as he should’ve been dealt prior to this, although the team will squeal that you can’t predict injuries. No, you can’t, but you can certainly see when a player has no discernible role with the team and act accordingly to max his value.
Doug, I forgot about the Winfield feud leading to George's suspension. That should move him up to number one.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how long this injury has been germinating and effecting Peraza's play?
JM, with those quacks on our medical staff, probably weeks and weeks
ReplyDelete