Monday, December 24, 2012

YANKEE FANS REVOLT: "ENOUGH'S ENOUGH!"

There are things that the Yankees have done this off season that has made my blood boil.  I'm not kidding. They're sluggish. They disregard player performance and fan appreciation. Look, I don't often swear on BYB, only on occasion and only for effect... but I will now; This off season has been absolute bullshit.  You want to know what's even worse? This Tweet from Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (HERE):
Mark's just messenger here, but my God, what the hell has happened to my New York Yankees? As I predicted, the Yankees have dragged their feet on Raul Ibanez and in the end, Ibanez did in fact "walk" because the Yankees took too long. Read RAUL IBANEZ TO THE YANKEES: "TIME'S UP!" for clarity. Now, for all you baseball "experts" that emailed me and told me that I was "way off base", go scratch.  I was right and I knew I was right. This Tweet from Feinsand says it all.  Cashman confirmed it. Again... go scratch.

The Yankees have none nothing that the Yankee fans wanted, yet, they feel as though they are doing the right thing.  The only way to change this from a fan perspective is to not go to the games in 2013.  Protest. To take a stand.  To make Yankee brass understand that without the fans, there is no Yankee team.  As much as it pains me to say that, I'm at peace with that.  What the Yankees have done for the fans has been good in the past, but when we need and "want" guys the past few years, guys that we fell in love with, guys that produce... they seem to disregard what the players have done for the team, or, what the fans pay for.  Fans are pissed, me included. Don't believe me? Read this:


"How much longer, as Yankees fans, are we supposed to sit here and accept things because we believe in OUR beloved Yankees?  I can't accept this. I can't see this as good for "OUR" team!  This is the stuff that tears organizations apart. When you start ripping away at the heart of something, it slowly ceases to breath."

That quote is from a Yankee fan.  A true Yankee fan that I had the pleasure of meeting on a hot day last year in New York City.  That's Australian Yankee fan Joey Moses... frustrated what what unfolded 2 days ago when Raul Ibanez walked away from New York, presumably because Brian Cashman, Randy Levine and the Steinbrenner's thought a 40 year old was "too old" to play in the Bronx. Meanwhile, Ibanez was the only one "truly" contributing in the postseason in 2012. My take is, you sign Ibanez for 1 year in 2013, and if he doesn't contribute again, it's a 1 year deal and he's cheap.

But back to contributors in the 2012 playoffs... Sure, Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki did as well, but when you're 40 and playing for a team that "must win" and you do the impossible in the post season like Raul did... it's amplified and trust me, Raul Ibanez gets the award for courage and pride in 2012.

That alone gets you on the 2013 roster, especially if you see it from a fan's perspective.  We are the fans, we pay the contracts and I think many of us are fed up with the way the Yankee brass is running the show right now.  So we can only do 1 thing... we bitch and moan and hopefully a signing we want will eventually go our way. 
I hate suggesting that I wish George Steinbrenner were alive, because the reality is, a lot of us hated the way George handled the Yankees at the time, the meddling with players and managers.  But one thing he did do, and he did it every year, was sign the guys he thought could help us win a championship.  In that regard, I loved the guy and so yes, when we see how this team is handling personnel lately, not treating guys with respect or care, you have to wonder as a Yankee fan... "What the hell is going on?"

Now this is the holiday season.  I'm not about to crucify everyone because they made really bad choices with no regard for us, but I will say this simply:  The Yankee organization is on notice... from me.  I'm pissed.  I want action and I'm going to put these thoughts on a Post-it and put it on my computer and revisit it in 2013, meaning, I'm not going to get crazy right now, but something needs to be done.  Sure the Yankees are a great team on paper, but if there are holes to fill, fill them with believers, not superstars. Not people you "think" will work out.
Now, I'm sure Vernon Wells is that "right handed outfielder" Feinsand wrote about in his tweet above.  And while that may seem like a George Steinbrenner move, the Steinbrenner kids need to think alittle smarter. Randy Levine needs to think alittle smarter, because, while they can hang their hat on the decision to sign Rafael Soriano to a contract 2 years ago, the reality is, it never seemed like Soriano even wanted to be in New York, it was a Boras "money" situation.
Why do I think that? Because he opt-ed out, even though he had a huge year in pinstripes.  Yankee brass could act like it was a "brilliant" move to sign him... but it only was brilliant because of how Mariano Rivera went down.  No one could have predicted that before last year.

So I say this as a true Yankee fan... Hey Cashman, I like you, I've always defended you, but get some balls.  It's clear you and the Yankee organization don't see eye to eye.  If you did, you wouldn't have said what you said about the Yankees "priorities" publicly.  I have priorities too as a fan, I can stop coming to Yankee games and provide for my family, and so can so many other fans who don't get what we pay for.   Shape up... or I'm gone... and you're reading a piece from a guy who's been a fan since the 70's.  What you guys have done with this off season is disgraceful. 

Oh... and Merry Christmas.  This time of year is for giving... so give... to us fans.

That's my take anyway. 

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