WHY IN THE WORLD?

Can someone please explain to me why the Yankees had an opportunity to dump a downright awful former starting pitcher in Sergio Mitre and didn't? Mitre, when he started out with the Cubs back in 2003, was supposed to be a promising prospect and future pitching great. Maybe even 20 game winner. Back then, Mitre and Girardi crossed paths. Mitre had been in the Cubs farm system since 2001 and Girardi caught him on occasion, they became friends I'm sure. Girardi eventually retired after a brief stint in St Louis in 2003 but in 2006, he surfaced as the Manager of the Florida Marlins. Surprisingly, Sergio Mitre wound up there as well and pitched 15 games for the Marlins that year. He also pitched for them in 2007, but by then, Girardi left he Marlins post. Then, Mitre blew out his arm and needed Tommy John surgery. He was out for all of 2008 and just when you thought his career was going no where, the Yankees picked him up cheap, no doubt, at Girardi's request. After all, he was the manager in 2008 for the Yankees. Mitre is suddenly held in high regard again, even after he demonstrated so many times before he can't do the job. He's wasn't and isn't the Mitre that Girardi remembers. He's not the Mitre that was advertised long ago. And he proved that for the Yankees over the past 2 years. Jesus Hal, it's over for this bum. Sergio Mitre has never shown that he can be a great pitcher and he was only re-signed to the Yankees based on an old Chicago connection. Wow, Chicago politics IS corrupt. Man, I wish I could have a guy like Girardi as my old friend so if I ever sucked at what I did, I could get paid $900,000 for another year to suck again.

Here's a breakdown of Mitre's horrendous career:

I love the way Mitre followed Girardi all these years and everyone has just glossed over this relationship. The Cubs, the Marlins and the Yankees. My goodness. What type of "magic in a bottle" is Girardi waiting for with this guy? This is why think, and I'm being sarcastic so don't attack me for being clever. Set the scene: Cubs Spring Training. It's 2002. Serigo is a young stud in the farm system trying to get a job with the Cubs. There's nightlife, bar hopping, strip joints. That night it's the veteran Joe, Girardi, a rookie Mitre, pitchers Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, Joe Borowski and second baseman, Delino DeShields. The night gets away from them and early next morning, Girardi wakes up and there's a dead hooker next to him. Mitre walks in the messy hotel room. Girardi opens his sleepy eyes, sees the body and realizes what's going on...

Sergio Mitre: "Holy shit bro, I have to call the cops, I'm about to have an amazing career! I can't be apart of this!"

Joe Girardi: "DUDE!. It's not what it looks like! I'll do anything for you, just don't tell anyone about this."

Sergio Mitre: "Money in the bank."

It just seems incredibly unusual that this relationship stems back to Cubs and threads it's way right through to 2011. After a while, you can't carry a loser. You kind of need to tell him "Look Serg, we've given you a lot of time to get yourself together and it's not working." Right? maybe he retires, maybe you release him, hell, maybe he becomes a minor league pitcher with a minor league career for the next 5 years. Plenty of pitchers have done it. I just don't get it this whole thing. $900,000? A waste of money they could have spent somewhere else. But hey, apparently it's who you know.

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