A terrifying thought for Yankee fans: Could this World Baseball Classic turn out to be Aaron Judge's greatest moments?

 
Last night, while the baseball world watched America throttle Mexico, the lost and abandoned leftovers of Tampa - a roster of big names and the nameless - continued its spring quest for significance, (a mission that cannot succeed.) 

The Yankees did their annual mating dance with the Pirates of Bradenton, Brian Cashman's preferred trading partner over the last decade. But while Team Tampa cavorted before drunken spring breakers and diapered ex-cops, over in Houston, games of supercharged emotions were happening, with a few Yankees in key roles. 

1. First and foremost, there is Captain America, Aaron Judge. Last night, he did us proud: a HR, a single, two walks and a zipline throw to 3B, catching a runner.

Here's a terrifying thought: Could Judge's greatest career moments happen not as a Yankee, but in the jersey that says USA? When you look at the lineup around him, you see players who shoulda been Yankees - Harper, Schwarber, Bregman. Will he ever win a world series? Or are we seeing his zenith?

2. Jose Caballero, as SS for Panama, continues to show he belongs in the Yankee infield. Last night, he went 2-5 against Columbia, with a HR and stolen base, his 2nd of the tourney. The craziest Yankee notion is the one where Anthony Volpe returns in June and takes over his rightful position at SS. Nope.  

3. Elmer Rodriguez, 22, pitched three scoreless innings for Puerto Rico, striking out four and giving up one hit. He could be this year's Cam Schlittler - or maybe Carlos Lagrange. Over the winter, Brian Cashman decided to play a strategy: Stand pat and somehow spackle together a pitching staff until July, when Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and maybe Clarke Schmidt return. That's a grand infusion, if the Yankees can get there. If Rodriguez is for real, their chances are much better.

4. Giancarlo Stanton needs scissors to open a bag of Utz's Honey Barbecue. I cannot see him without imagining him tearing open the bag with his teeth, surging for a salt and vinegar rush. Yesterday, he homered for Team Tampa. What does it mean? Dunno. Nobody - anywhere, these days - nobody knows what to make of Stanton. He just comes and goes, a Shakespearian ghost. We don't get excited when he hits one. It's just a reminder that he's there. Could it be a good thing if he cuts back on the chips?  

5. The Randal Grichuk Era has begun. The Yankees newest RH platoon hitter went 0-2. Neither The Martian nor Mr. Jones saw a pitch. Unlike the pitching staff, the Yankee batting order won't see a Cole/Rodon infusion this summer. 

If anything, come April, Judge might need to rest his psyche, after the pressure-packed WBC. He'll face two colossal challenges: Ohtani 's Japan, and Juan Soto's Dominican Republic. I wonder if he'll miss the easy afternoons of Tampa? But there's no turning back now. It's on.