Judge's injury raises the question: Was last year the "new normal?"

As you all know, Aaron Judge has been relegated to the Peloton and extreme kegels for the first week of spring training, and he'll miss Saturday's crucial game against always-tough Toronto. (1:05 p.m., YES, and/or John & Suzyn, on the Yankee Radio Network, driven by Sleep.) Somehow, he strained his shoulder, and he'll be shut down for a few days, maybe a week, two at the most, probably not more...

Translation: There's a chance he's out until the All Star break.

OMG. WTF? HDIKEPO! ALEPCXZ? Talk about doom and gloom? Why would I speak such horrible acronyms? 

Well, because...

a) Last year, the Yankees said the exact same thing about minor boo-boos - "just a flesh wound, ma'am" - to Luis Severino and Aaron Hicks, and they missed most of the season.

b) Over the years, the Yankees have shown no compulsion or duty to disclose the truth about injuries to the general public. It's not like stealing signs. 

c) Judge has proven to be an enormously fragile giant, to the point that missed service time is threatening to define his career.

d) It hasn't been explained how he hurt himself. Henry Cotto once blew out an ear with a Q-Tip. Graig Nettles fought a lawn mower and lost. How did this happen? 

e) More importantly, when did it happen? How long has this lingered? Judge underwent an MRI a week ago. Supposedly, it showed nothing serious. But how long was this hurting before he requested the scan?

f) The Ellsbury Effect: Last year, the Yankees were able to injure players while they were rehabbing other injuries. Last month, they cleaned house on the training staff. The question: Does modern baseball demand such peak athleticism that every bone, muscle and ligament is now tweakable, and  players have become human potato chips?

Aw, I should lighten up, right? The first week of spring training is filled with nonsense. Clearly, the real story is the continuing "days of rage" against the Astros, with MLB players emulating the students of Hong Kong. Still, this Judge injury is another sign that injuries don't follow random patterns, and just because the Yankees experienced too much rain last year, it doesn't mean a drought coming in 2020. 

Continuing waves of injuries may just be the new normal.

If so, there is actually cause to for hope within the Yankiverse. Shane Robinson is not coming. If anything, Judge's injury opens a lane for Clint Frazier and Miguel Andujar, and maybe even the lost prospect of yesteryear, Estevan Florial. Just like James Paxton's injury creates competition for the fifth starter and justifies the decision to keep J.A. Happ, the Yankees can actually make use of the opening... as long as it doesn't continue into April.

The Yankees may have the deepest roster in baseball. It extends beyond the 40-man into the taxi squads of Triple A, where Cooperstown Cashman is always combing the scrap heaps for recycled clutches and brake pads. 

Nobody wants to see Judge miss time. But if this is the new norm, perhaps the Yankees can find a new Gio Urshela and Mike Tauchman. That would sure be nice.