Now that some Yankee players have reported to Tampa and baseball things are actually happening, I thought it was time to bring back a feature I used to write on a former blog where I’d post rapid-fire thoughts about baseball and sometimes not baseball.
And now, in no particular order:
- I haven’t been this happy about a new season of baseball in a very long time.
- Even just seeing guys like Chad Green walking into the locker room made me excited for baseball.
- Hearing that CC Sabathia rolled his ankle on the first fielding drill of the day didn’t thrill me but they claim he’s okay. We’ll see about that.
- I completely forgot about Aaron Judge’s offseason shoulder surgery.
- Say shoulder surgery three times in a row.
- You can’t.
- The offseason was so long and boring I had forgotten that Michael Pineda was with the Twins.
- Obviously, he’s still recovering from Tommy John surgery but now he’s their problem.
- I only watched a few moments of Aaron Boone’s press conference yesterday.
- It’s still strange to me that he’s the Yankees’ manager and not Joe Girardi.
- I hope Girardi does well on MLB Network.
- I’m sure he will.
- I think Boone will be okay as a manager.
- He seems up to the task.
- Hopefully, the media will not descend upon him like vultures when he makes his first big mistake.
- Who am I kidding? They will.
- They will be foaming at the mouth.
- Dellin Betances says he lost about 16 pounds. He also says he’ll probably gain some back during the season thanks to “late night eating.”
- I feel you there, buddy.
- Sabathia is very slim and trim which makes me a little worried about that rolled ankle.
- I’m glad the Yankees finally put their foot down and told Goose Gossage to stay away from spring training.
- He says the same nonsense every year. Everyone’s had enough of his crotchety old man schtick.
- And his criticism of Brian Cashman in which he claimed Cash has too much power? Come on.
- Cashman has survived 20 years as General Manager of the New York Yankees. He should have a lot of power. He’s more than earned it.
- There was a funny picture of Masahiro Tanaka going around yesterday. He looked very happy to be back with the Yankees.
- Remember he could have been a free agent but choose to come back to New York.
- It happened so long ago people forget and with the way the offseason has gone for the 100 unsigned free agents who are reporting to a general training camp, he made the right decision.
- I am a little surprised that guys like Jake Arietta and J.D. Martinez aren’t signed yet but I believe that they were holding out for better offers than they received which has now turned into a big mistake.
- Martinez got an offer from Boston but didn’t like it. It was for five years and $100. He wanted upwards of $125M.
- Martinez had an incredible year in 2017 and he probably deserves some money but the players got screwed this offseason. The owners had the upper hand all along. They just didn’t realize it until it was too late.
- Tim Lincecum is having a showcase and the Yankees will be in attendance.
- The Freak is looking to make another comeback after a failed attempt in 2016.
- He was signed by the Angels that year and it didn’t go well.
- In fact, it was terrible.
- The Yankees probably won’t sign him but it will be interesting to see which team does.
- I’m looking forward to when Giancarlo Stanton reports to camp and he’s hitting in the batting cage. Those poor balls. They’re going to be hit so hard and so far.
- Yankee fans should be drooling over having Judge, Stanton, and Gary Sanchez in the starting lineup.
- I know I am.
- Again, those poor baseballs.
- Those boys all hit the ball hard and far.
- Poor Statcast. It may break again this year.
- Judge just admitted that his shoulder started bothering him around the All-Star break.
- No kidding, dude. We saw how wrapped up it was after every game. We all knew.
- At least he finally admitted it.
- Stupid shoulder cost him the M.V.P.
- Justin Verlander didn’t like that Chris “Mad Dog” Russo said that the Yankees were the team to beat in the American League.
- Someone needs to remind Justin and his teammates that if the ALCS were reversed and the Yankees had home-field advantage, they wouldn’t have won a World Series.
- They admitted how intimidated they were playing in Yankee Stadium and it showed during the three games the Yankees hosted.
- And that’s not me being bitter at all. I was thrilled the Yankees even made the ALCS last year and getting to a Game 7? It was amazing. It was exhilarating. It was every other word that ends in -ing that describes a feeling of excitement and happiness. I couldn’t believe it. Would I have been happier if they had won the ALCS? Of course, but the fact that they even made it was incredible. I know people don’t want to hear a Yankee fan say that they were just happy to be there but I was. I was happy they made it. That was enough for me. Anything after that would have been an added bonus.
- Anyway, baseball is finally back and I couldn’t be happier.
- So bring on 2018. Let’s hope it’s even better than 2017.
Fun! Great column!