Bill Madden, Daily News:
Little by little, the Yankees' old-age home is filling to capacity, so much so that the word now is they are already in the process of filling the clubhouse with rocking chairs.
Until Tuesday, the Yankees' only off-season business, other than passively watching the free agent defections of Russell Martin, Eric Chavez and likely Nick Swisher, was the re-signing of 37-year-old Hiroki Kuroda, 40-year-old Andy Pettitte and 43-year-old Mariano Rivera. Now they have begun to address the gaping holes in their lineup, first by replacing one broken-down, formerly iconic third baseman — 37-year-old Alex Rodriguez — with another in 33-year-old Kevin Youkilis. Next up: Right field, where 39-year-old Ichiro Suzuki is expected to return on a one-year deal.
The Youkilis signing is, of course, the most intriguing of all these Yankee comings and goings in that, for the better part of the last seven seasons, the bald, goateed, glowering "Youk" has been about the most loathed opposing player to venture into Yankee Stadium as the gritty personification of the cowboy-upped arch-rival Red Sox. ...
He's still a grinder, but the skills have greatly eroded, as evidenced by the way the Red Sox so easily sent him packing last year ...
More importantly, this Youkilis signing by the Yankees, like the Ichiro one expected to come, is emblematic of the real problem they have — and refuse to acknowledge. They are by far the oldest team in baseball, made so because their player development system has failed to produce any players to replace the aging core from their championship teams. And so, they are left with no choice but to patch the tire with more geezers.
20 comments:
Yuck.
Doouuuuuuuuuche
And so it goes...
Even I am getting over the old-fashioned ideas of sentimental attachment to players. Now he's one of "them." Whatever.
Getting over the sentimental attachment doesn't necessarily mean "whatever". But, whatever works!
Yeah, it sort of does for me right now. I am so disillusioned and disengaged. I guess the last two seasons have just taken a toll on me. All the negativity and strife have just made me overall less enthusiastic. I am hoping my inner baseball fires will be reignited by the time the season starts.
I am so disillusioned and disengaged.
So then you're not really "whatever", right? "Whatever" is who cares, I'm not affected. If you're disillusioned, you care.
That's how I see it, anyway.
I'm disengaged, but waiting for the Sox to re-engage any time.
I am hoping my inner baseball fires will be reignited by the time the season starts.
This may be the first season in a long time that the team is not in decent position for a playoff spot.
I'm curious how engaged I will be in the spring, after ignoring most of last September.
Players moving around has this old stigma attached to it. I am not sure how far you have to go back for the players on a city's team to have mostly been natives of that city, or if such a state ever existed, but it seems that fans are vaguely nostalgic for it anyway, and so when players move, especially to rivals, it's has some taint of moral degradation attached -- for some.
I don't love the idea of Youk as a Yank, but I'm starting to see the re-shuffling of the players as a positive aspect of being a fan. Along with the newness of spring, there's new faces, there's some interest and drama for me in the finances and the chess games among GM's. It's kind of cool.
Something not so good may be going on with the Napoli signing. Or not.
Yook was part of the 2007 team - and he sat in the dugout and watched the comeback in 2004. That makes him okay in my book. ... I don't want to see him in pinstripes, but the dude still wants to play. What can you do?
Well said, Zen. I also enjoy the new faces, the pruning (hopefully) of dead wood, the rejuvenation that can come with new energy on the team.
Baseball fans are often heavily invested in nostalgia, but I often wonder if the state they are missing ever really existed for them. But then, I'm suspicious of all nostalgia. The past looks rosy once it's past.
Re Youk, I don't fault him for doing whatever he wants with his career. Putting on an NYY uni won't change him as a player, and AFAIC doesn't taint anything he's done for the Sox.
But I really really like him, I didn't want Boston to get rid of him, and it will suck to see him play for our rivals.
Ah, I see Allan and I were typing at the same time. So I second what he said.
People need and want to do what they do. I don't blame actors for taking bad roles, and I don't blame players for taking any opportunity to extend their careers.
Re Napoli, I was just looking at his Twitter page and wondering why he hasn't changed the Ranger-ific background yet. Or acknowledged anything about the deal.
BOOOOOOOOUK
I am looking forward to this season for a lot of reasons. The return of greatness for Jon Lester. The making of an all star in Will Middlebrooks. The cockiness and arrogance of Johnny Gomes. Papi being Papi. Dustin Pedroia returning to form with his bat and leadership. Julio Iglesias making plays were we all go to the thread and ask " did you just see that play" . Watching our bullpen dominate. Watching John Lackey having us all scratch our head in amazement as he pitches well, and we start rooting for him. It's a new day. It's a new season. I shall approach it the way I do any season with hope . They are going to be fun so I suggest we read up now on these guys , get to know them and what they can do. And just enjoy the ride.....
I would like some "fun" next season.
Ah, 9C, you fill me with hope. Damn.
9C, you have the right attitude!
I nominate 9Casey for best off-season comment of the year.
Can't say I blame Youk..he was traded away for next to nothing. Now he's just taking an offer for $12 million to fill in for ARod.
Post a Comment