Years ago I wrote a post for BYB where I described walking the cold, gray streets of Manhattan a week after the holidays had officially ended. Trudging lonely sidewalks and passing the dead, discarded Christmas trees. There was just a heavy sense of sadness. Well damn it if I don't feel that way again... AND IT'S NOT EVEN THANKSGIVING YET!!
The Yankee offseason feels like those lonely, cheerless streets of the Big Apple post-12 Days of Christmas. The skeleton Christmas trees symbolizing the Dynasty Years. A time when being a New York Yankee was on every player's wish list...EVEN YOU, VLAD JR!! Ya mutt.
Now it doesn't feel that way, does it? It seems the Yankees have finally put on the leather jacket, trunks and water-skis and JUMPED THE SHARK! (cliche' #2 for ya'll).
We will most likely lose Aaron Judge to a west coast team willing to pay him. Do I think he take the money over the pinstripe glory? YUP! I think he wants every nickel. I think he is done with Cashman and Co. I think he KNOWS this ship was built with a hole in it. And, most importantly, I think he symbolizes the new feeling about the Bronx Bombers... they ain't the place to be anymore.
Once that happens the rest will follow suit. Even Anthony "Guys don't stay in the same place anymore" Rizzo is outta here. Why? Aaron Judge pulls a lot more weight in that current clubhouse than Jeter, Paulie, Mo, Andy, Jorge...or whatever Throwback Honoree they can roll out to make us remember when the Boss was at the helm and the Bronx was Burning with excitement.
The best thing about being a Yankee Fan in the George Days was that the team may have been business like - short haircut, no facial hair, no alternate uniforms, etc... BUT there was a PUNK ROCK heart.
The Boss didn't give a rat's ass what the world thought. He went out to get everything and everyone he could... the YANKEES were the F&^#*? YANKEES!! Now it's... the Corporate Clown Show with his own son Hal as the ring leader.
It sucks... We are Starbucks. We are a chain restaurant like Outback Steakhouse. Sure, there's steak and a bloomin' onion to hold you over, but it ain't the Old Homestead over on the westside is it?
We are in for a long, cold, joyless haul, gang. The team will try to re-sell Boone and Cashman's plan...peppered with things like Jim "THE KING" Leyritz Day ...but it won't take. They'll push HERE COMES VOLPE...but it'll be a while before we can see if AV is anything like DJ.
No, we're screwed. The bill for seemingly automatic, endless post season appearances built on the Stick Michael Model as come due. Our Fall from Grace with God (of baseball) will be violent and swift. Is it the post Mickey Mantle 1960s bad? No, it'll be worse.
I'm sorry to dump this one on ya, I really am. I could be wrong! I have been (Greg Bird) and will be again. But my gut says batten down the hatches, all hands to their stations, trim the main sail... the black clouds come rolling, weather charging like a nightmare...and it will be. We ain't the place to be anymore, folks.
Fall From Grace may have been a better title than the cliche' crap I chose. I'll let Shane O and the lad redeem me...
--Mike O'Hara
BYB Contributor
Twitter: @mikeyoh21
George would not be happy with Judge,he would not be happy with a player on a pedestal who has not won a ring. The team needs to move on from Judge,evaluate the farm system,bring in some international star,spend money like you want a championship . We will find out if it is ever possible for Hal to be somewhat like his farther.
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