Presto! The Amazing Kriske is going away

The legendary Brooks Kriske - with a 14.40 career ERA and at least four delightful nicknames - is taking his disappearing act to Japan. 

I believe I speak for the Yankiverse in wishing him お別れ!

Kriske will soon turn 28, which makes his looming personal journey all the more epic... and final. That said, baseball history is studded with unlikely comebacks - (does the name Kirby Yates strike a note?) - so, who knows? 

Either way, we at IT IS HIGH have lost a name that never failed to amuse us. He was:

The Amazing Kriske
Officer Kriske
Kriske Kreme 
And Shop at Kriskes (an ode to Kresges' Dept Stores, the ancient retail chain that flourished in the era of soda fountains and radar ranges.)

Not since Zolio - (Z for Zolio!) - Almonte did such a relatively irrelevant Yankee so entertain us. Then again, around here, it doesn't take much to entertain us.

For the record, Officer Kriske pitched 8 games for the Yankees last year - a total of 7.2 horrendous innings. Basically, he was Kriske Kremed. He surrendered 14 runs - including 5 HRs and 6 walks. Maybe he was hurt. Maybe he was overwhelmed. Either way, the Yankees released him in September, a mercy-killing. The Orioles picked him up, turned him over, shook him, and then waived the Amazing Kriske in October. 

The thing about Kriske that will haunt us is that the Yankees kept him on the roster during the 2020 Rule 5 Draft - protecting him over Garrett Whitlock. That move is already legendary within the Boston-NY continuum - not in a good way.  

Why did Coopertown Cashman do this? My guess: He saw the potential nicknames.

Oh well,  お別れ, Brooks!