Kevin Baker's book is here!

Kevin Baker's book is here!
"... an exemplary sports book..." Kirkus Reviews

Monday, May 11, 2015

Everything is all right... something must be wrong

Sunday, Tanaka was resting, Chris Capuano and Ivan Nova were healing, and even Carlos Beltran was HR-trotting around the bases. Brian Cashman was celebrating the 2012 trade of Jesus, Michael Pineda was gathering a Cy Young buzz, Brian McCann was beating the over-shift, and down in the Anthracite Capital of Pennsylvania, Slade Heathcott was tearing up the International League instead of his fragile knees.

Yankee Yewtopia.

Yep. It's the Spring Fling Thing. Folks, this is your team on drugs: sizzling, rolling, taking three out of four from Buck Showalter - Lord Baldemort, himself. All we need now is a few hits from Didi Gregorius, a middle-innings Garden Weasel for the bullpen, and a sixth - yes sixth! - starter. Hello-o-o, C.C. Sabathia, are your there?

We need time to speed up. We need the next two months on Fast-Forward, before anybody can adjust. Right now, Baltimore looks dead, Boston is performing human sacrifices, and the Rays - hah! - they just lost Drew Smyly, on top of Alex Cobb, which means they could soon be back to drafting Number One every year.

Now's the time to put a few laps between the Yankees and the fractured AL East. If we can - say - sweep Tampa, we could conceivably go into the weekend as the only above .500 team in the division... six games up on everybody.

Ah, but there we go - using that word again; "If."

It always conjures questions.

1. Is Beltran really back, or will his recent nice at-bats simply be tidbits of false hope, which keep the Yankees from benching him?

2. Do we have enough talent stockpiled at Scranton - or maybe even Trenton - to survive the waves of injuries that is sure to come?

3. Will we ever feel secure about Tanaka?

4. What happens when Ellsbury/Gardner and Betances/Miller cool off?

5. Will Boston keep shooting itself in the foot?

The Redsocks were pre-season favorites. Their pitching is horrible, but Mookie Betts remains a wild card... and when he heals, Rusney Castillo will be another. A month from now, they could be as hot as they currently are cold.

Last year, the Yankees were in first place as late as May 22. Do we dare believe?

No comments: