REAL MEN ADMIT MISTAKES

I'm a pretty easy going dude, but sometimes I have to laugh when sports guys with "baseball insider" titles, don't give that "inside of baseball."  I mentioned yesterday how a simple Tweet from Buster Olney stating the obvious... that trading "Joba" was a good idea, was just pure common sense and not the "inside of baseball." Now, I don't dislike Olney, he's a hard working guy, but don't Tweet just to Tweet if your an "insider"... that was my point.  An insider title is important... run with it, don't get lazy. (Read IT WOULDN'T SURPRISE ANYONE, BUSTER. for more on that.)

Enter ESPN's Jim Bowden, who, I playfully ripped back in late March ( DON'T COUNT THE YANKEES OUT LIKE ESPN DID) about a prediction piece he put out for ESPN on where the Yankees will end up this season.  As Jim stated in his prediction piece HERE,

"1. New York Yankees finish last in AL East.
 
It hasn’t happened in 22 years, since the Yankees finished 67-95 and seven games in back of the Milwaukee Brewers, but the Yankees could very easily go from first in 2012 to worst in 2013. And, with the American League’s largest payroll, there is additional pressure to win in addition to their own high standards of success."

When the Yankees were in first place a few weeks ago, I wrote a followup piece called  YANKEES IN FIRST... WHERE'S JIM BOWDEN? from May 10th. In it, I simply stated, "I thought predicting in March what could happen during a long season is the most ridiculous prediction of all. Now, we all know, anything can happen." Again, not destroying Bowden in my opinion piece, just stating the facts... I thought his idea was silly.

Well, I've enjoyed this website for many reasons, but finally interacting with these writers has been a true treat for me.  To my surprise, Jim Bowden sent me a note the other night responding to YANKEES IN FIRST... WHERE'S JIM BOWDEN?  It said:

"Right here... wrong and accountable... Go Yankees."

I asked Jim if I could print it and he agreed.  It was short, sweet and honest and a bit gratifying for me.  I know Bleeding Yankee Blue reaches alot of readers, but when the writers bust chops back at me, well,  there is a realness about it that I admire and appreciate.  Put it this way, I've read so many of these guys for years... Jack Curry, Pete Caldera, Ken Davidoff and yes, Buster Olney and Jim Bowden, and the reality is, reading them and interacting with them years later brings a smile to my face.  No, they're not my peers per say, but they are guys that got me interested in this type of gig in the first place...writing, espressing my feelings in words. Allowing people to read me and maybe they even learn something.  It's cool... that's all.

Thanks Jim. Thanks for being honest, thanks for letting me put it out there and thanks for giving us a read. We appreciate it.

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