WHY I HAVE A NEW FOUND RESPECT FOR TOMMY KAHNLE

We all bleed Yankee Blue here and so does Tommy Kahnle. We also love beating the Red Sox and the season hasn't even started yet but we already have one nice victory under our belt....and I love Kahnle more for it, too.

Free agency is a whirlwind for players and fans alike. We get to sit and talk about rumors while players are looking for contracts that give the most money, but also give the most years. It's all about the money AND the stability. Ask Carlos Correa about that - I loved watching him go from a 13 year deal all the way down to six. I actually laughed hysterically at him. He's nothing like Kahnle. It's karma.

In case you missed it, read more HERE because it might change the way you feel about Kahnle. I always liked the guy but now I like him more because he has real love for the game. It's about more than just the money, he has unfinished business with the Yankees. He wants another chance to win it all....in pinstripes.

"There were a couple of teams interested right away and one of them was the Yankees. I didn’t expect them to be interested in me again. To see them come out of the gate and be right in it — I had some good conversations with them. I know everyone missed me. I always loved being a Yankee. It just made sense to me to return. ... I was really close to going to Boston but in the end, I made the choice of the familiarity of knowing all of the coaches and knowing what role I would have going into this situation. ... It just felt right. One of my big goals in my career is to win a World Series and be a part of one. I left in a weird way and I want to come back and help this team and city get a World Series ring." 

How can you not have mad respect for him after reading that? He "left in a weird way" and wanted to come back and finish what he started. He could've signed with Boston for more money.... but he didn't. For once, it wasn't all about money. He said "no" to more so he could be a Yankee again. THAT gives me chills up my spine. THAT is something you just don't find often anymore, and it makes me a bigger fan.

Baseball may not be back yet - but Kahnle's attitude is already a walk-off homerun in my opinion. It reinvigorates my love for the game because it's a refreshing change. Now I'm more anxious to see him on the mound again.

Welcome home, Kahnle!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj