THINK POSITIVE, NOT PERFECT

Okay, it’s a new year, with new possibilities, right?  Then why is this article Hartnett: 2013 Brings Uncertainty For Aging Yankees plaguing the Twitter feed?  I am absolutely disturbed by this read. I mean, I am trying to stay optimistic and I agree with Casey when he wrote BANGING THE GIANCARLO DRUM, that we may have to think about a Giancarlo Stanton deal to spice up the lineup and outfield. And sure,  I think we need to give Austin Romine a chance.  I think we need to see what Derek Jeter does before we cast him to another position.  We are certainly not done.  We are certainly not wasting a year in hopes of “growing younger in 2014.”

I don’t know about you, but I’ve closed the book on my bad feelings for the 2012 season.  When the NY Football Giants failed to clinch a spot in this year’s playoffs, I originally said, “Oh, here we go again, another NY team falling prey to its own worst enemy—the team itself.”  And then, I stepped back and decided that this is not the path I want to take this year.  No- I need to think positive not perfect.  We, as fans, need to take on this mindset. 

Earlier this week I wrote about believing...2013: YANKEE WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR.  I really do feel this is true; we need to believe and along that path we need to stay positive and focused.  We are not going to be perfect in 2013, but we are going to be in it and we are going to play hard, just like we always do. 

“Baseball is such a game of hope.  Anything can happen—and often does—usually in the most tension-filled times,” coined Peter. G. Doumit in his book What I Know about Baseball is What I Know about Life.  Again, it may not be perfect, but if you have that mantra in your gut, there has to be more than just talk about aging players, luxury taxes, and on base percentages.  Hartnett discussed the idea of sending our aging “horses” out to pasture.  That is just ridiculous.  How can we even start the season if we are surrounded by such negativity?

Tony La Russa, the famed manager who now holds a position in Major League Baseball’s front office said “It’s why you play the games,” in reference to how in the heck Pablo Sandoval hit three home runs in the first game of the 2012 World Series.  The article, appropriately titled, “In baseball, anything can happen” written by Tom Haudricourt (HERE) from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is short and to the point:  “Because you just never know what will happen.”

You don’t know when your players will peak or fall.  You don’t know when something you have been working on in practice will just click at the right time.  And to start the year off with such negativity, is no good for anyone- the same is true for teams who have shopped ‘til they dropped this off-season.  They can get cocky and overly positive with the possibility of winning.  I will tell you what, I hope Toronto knows what they are doing, or maybe I don’t frankly.  They may sell more tickets to Rogers Centre, but can they produce?  Will former Mets shine or flake out?  Honestly, I can’t worry about the "Joneses" or in this case the "Anthopouloses."  I only worry about the "Cashmans" and what will happen next.  But, for now, I am going to just think positive, not perfect and settle in for a warm winter’s nap—less than 90 days to spring training folks!  



Let’s Get Ready to Rumble!!

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Opinion Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof




Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.