Randy Pandemic, the Lindor Paradox, and another pointless day in the Yankiverse

Within the Yankiverse, time, as we know it, does not exist. 

It's a primal, subatomic particle thing. I won't go into the science; you'd just get dizzy and barf. Simply stated, the Rizzutons that comprise what we know as "consciousness" flow backwards and forward, simultaneously, creating a time/space continuum where Aaron Small is interchangeable with Aaron Judge, which in turn - whoops, feeling queasy, are you? Just close your eyes, breathe, and think of Yogi Berra, who summed it up by saying: "It gets late early." 

So, in today's links, we travel in every direction, at once. 

Backwards: How Randy Pandemic evolved. The Rays stole Arozarena from the usually astute Cardinals last winter. They dealt three prospects for him and Jose Martinez, whom they later jettisoned. Apparently, Arozarena started doing pushups, quit the Big Macs, mastered a leg kick, and turned into Hank Aaron - at least in September, before the league figured him out. He's 25, and the Rays have him through 2026. (Cheapskates that they are, they'll probably trade him in 2023, when he hits arbitration.) If he's for real, we are screwed.

The present: All-Star catcher and free agent JT Realmuto supposedly doesn't want to play in NY. Take this with a grain of salt. It's what they all say: It's called driving up the price. Supposedly, Realmuto wants to stay in Philadelphia. (Wait, isn't that's a dead giveaway?) The question remains, though, whether Food Stamps Hal will spend $300 million on anybody, even the best catcher in the game. My guess is, no, he won't.

The future: The persisting argument to obtain Francisco Lindor. This involves ditching DJ LeMahieu and trading - gulp - Clint Frazier, two of the most disgusting thoughts imaginable. In fact, it's so tortuous that I wonder: Why do we do this to ourselves? Are we self-loathing Yankee fans? Do we feel guilty for all the money this team pisses away? What is our problem? Either way, some folks in the Yankiverse constantly argue that the team needs Lindor, who is a year away from free agency.  Maybe I'm missing something, but isn't the Yankees main problem that they constantly trade for high-priced players after they have had their best years in another city? Must we forever do this?

The insulting. Oddsmakers pick the Yankees as faves in 2021. Dear God, must we go through this again? It's a recurring nightmare. Have these people no shame? Will they just leave us alone in our misery? Can we grieve? Will they let us fucking grieve?