Bart Is A Yankee (Woohoo)
I feared it would happen. I dreaded it. I thought it signaled total
desperation. But now that the former Cy Young winner has signed a minor
league deal with the Yankees I’m sort of who-cares about it. If he
pitches well, he could help us. If he doesn’t, he’ll be cut loose and
nobody will miss him. (I’m betting on the latter, but I’ll be thrilled
to be wrong.)
Cashman talks a lot about “catching lightning in a bottle” whenever
we bring in a guy with baggage. Dwight Gooden was lightning several
years ago. Kerry Wood was lightning last year. Lightning is possible.
But why, with only weeks to go until spring training, are we even having
this discussion? Shouldn’t we have cemented our rotation already? Like
with bona fide starters with proven track records? I’m just not getting
this off-season. It’s so….un-Yankee-like.
Now that I really think about the Colon signing, I’m actually
depressed by it. I was planning to post something fun from my archives
tonight as I count down to my moving day (I’m guessing it’ll be Friday
or Monday), but the Colon thing was on my mind. I hate to be a Debbie
Downer but I kind of am right now. Sorry. I mean, Bartolo Colon?
Seriously?
Confessions of a She-Fan 
I was trying to think of the feeling I felt when I heard the Yankees had signed Colon, and you’re right, it was a sense of depression. This, combined with the earlier signing of Warner Madrigal, is very disconcerting if that’s the best we can do to try and improve the rotation. At this point, Kevin Millwood is starting to look very, very good…
Scott
http://fotr.mlblogs.com
Well, Bartolo was absolutely amazing for my ChiSox in 2009…it was amazing how someone who won the Cy Young only 5 years ago could post a 4.19 ERA in 12 games. Well, at least the Yanks can claim that they have a former Cy Young award winner on the staff. There’s some star power!
Catherine
http://chisoxblog.mlblogs.com
i tried to comment yesterday but it said i commented too much and didn’t take my very eloquent thoughts. so here are my thoughts.
bartolo? really? you’ve been asking for a pitcher and cashman complied but i don’t think this is what you had in mind. there really isn’t anyone else available. i mean he called about pavano that shows how little is available.
the liar liar hypothesis makes sense. i couldn’t figure out why cashman can’t stop saying dumb things. really where does it get him to trash jeter? why make jeter mad and give potential yankees a taste of what could come their way if it comes to an icon’s way. the only answer is a compulsion for the truth.
the yankees are different. i was sad when the patriots lost but if it had been the yankees i’d been wounded, not sleeping, a mess. so i fear the angst that is soon coming and i excitedly welcome the unmatched joy that will come with some lovely wins that i hope will come with our apparently inferior team.
lots of snow to shovel,
barbara
I really can offer no explanation for this. This reeks of desperation, which isn’t fitting, ‘cuz the Yanks look like a fine ball club to me.
–Jeff
http://redstatebluestate.mlblogs.com/
http://mtrredstatebluestate.com
You’re so right, Scott. Kevin Millwood is starting to look like Cliff Lee! Javier Vazquez is starting to look like Cliff Lee! This could be a very interesting season, to say the least.
The Yanks already have a Cy Young award winner, Catherine, and his name is CC Sabathia. It would be lovely to have another, if only that “other” had pitched in the last couple of years! An impressive stint in the Dominican League doesn’t guarantee anything, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Sorry about your trouble commenting yesterday, Barbara. I had a lot of trouble responding to comments. (This is one of the reasons I’m moving to another site. You’ll have to let me know if it’s any easier to post there.) I fear that angst is coming too this season. But think how excited we’ll be if things turn out better than we expected. Right now the bar is set much lower than it was last year, coming off a championship, so maybe we’ll be surprised how well it goes. (Trying to be optimistic this morning. 🙂
The Yanks do have a fine ball club, Jeff. Very true. And we moaners and groaners are really only talking about the starting pitching. I’m more than happy with the rest of the team. But we all know pitching is key and right now the Yankees’ staff is worrisome.
Colon was competent for the White Sox in the first half of 2009 before he got hurt. I agree with you. Why not?
The most disturbing thing about him is his listed weight. 185?
185?!?
I’M 185!!!!!
http://paullebowitz.com.previewyoursite.com/blog/?p=286
Debbie Downer, indeed. Rather underwhelming…
As usual, your every topic gets goofy old songs rattling around in my brain. Today, when you mentioned lightning, it recalled an obscure old single by The Who, titled “Call Me Lightning”…don’t recall it all, but the backup vocal chorus went: “Dum, dum, dum…doo-ay!” Rather apropos…?
Paul, I think I remember 185…like maybe in college…and from what I recall, ol’ Bartolo ain’t it…maybe on one leg…
But now, Jane…think of the fun you can have when The New Bart-Man screws up…all the scatalogical jokes & references…like when he messes up a game, you can go to SNL’s faux-ads for “Colon Blow”…ahh, the possibilities…!!
I’m beginning to wonder if any player’s listed weight is anything close to reality, Paul. CC is listed at 200-something and we all know that he weighs 900 pounds.
Maybe on one leg. LOL, Dave! But I don’t want Colon to mess up. If he’s making the team, he’d better be the new incarnation of Aaron Small and go 10-0!
Thanks for the link, Israel_br. I knew he’d make a good bartender and it was for a very worthy cause. Now maybe he can get the Yankees a pitcher – and I don’t mean of beer!
Hey, you’re gonna like this video: Cashman bartending.
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110126&content_id=16514226&vkey=news_nyy&c_id=nyy
I’m not a fan of that fat hog who stole the Cy Young from Mariano… now I’m not one to make harsh comments. anyway It’s just a minor league deal, we probably won’t see him. i bet they sign Duchererererererererer and his two bad hips.
is this our last day here?
I bet they sign Ducherererererererer too, Mike, and my biggest fear there is that I’ll never learn how to spell or say his name. I finally got Mientkiewicz down but this one has way too many ererererers. No, today is not our last day here but tomorrow might be. You’ll have to pay a visit and find out!
Jane,
Starting to think I am the polar opposite of Debbie Downer, but I attract a gaggle of them (lol).
Bartolo is still pitching?
Thought he might have opened a chain of Dominican restaurants around the country by now. Heck he has played in the MLB since…what? 1960’s?
I am not sure if this was a desperation move, a look for a long reliever, or possibly a tax deduction for hiring the pitching challenged.
I still think the Yankees Triple-A guys at Scranton might have been a better option…
Rays Renegade
http://raysrenegade.mlblogs.com
I remember an Orioles fan where I work being supremely excited about the O’s acquiring Kevin Millwood. I’d say that whole lightning in a bottle thing is pretty rare in baseball.
It’s pretty rare all right, Kurt. But it happens. And you never know. Dwight Gooden did make an unlikely comeback and pitch a no-hitter. (Or was it a perfecto?)
Renegade, I thought Colon had eaten in a chain of Dominican restaurants – all in one day! LOL. The Yanks aren’t looking at him as a long reliever but rather a back end starter if he proves he can still pitch. But you may be right about the Scranton kids.