LUKE VOIT'S STILL GOT IT

Remember that brief but brawny blast of Luke Voit in pinstripes? Yeah, for a minute there, it felt like we were watching Shane Spencer 2.0 or channeling the ghost of Kevin Maas. Voit had that magical moment where he was launching bombs in the Bronx, and Yankee fans thought, “Hey, maybe we found something here!” But then... injuries crept in, the Yankees cooled on him faster than a leftover hot dog at a rain delay, and just like that, Big Luke was out of sight and out of mind.

Honestly? I kind of forgot he was still playing. Until now.

Voit’s been doing his thing south of the border in the Mexican Baseball League, where he rediscovered his power stroke and started turning heads again. After slugging 23 home runs in 2024 with a .270 average and 57 RBIs, he turned it up even more this year—batting .324 with 25 RBIs and a ridiculous .432 OBP. Oh, and don’t forget the 11 homers that gave him an OPS north of 1.000. That’s not just good—that’s “wait, should we be paying attention again?” good.

Now, the next chapter: Japan. Reports say Voit has signed on with the Rakuten Eagles, joining the parade of ex-big leaguers who’ve gone east and found new life (or at least a solid paycheck and some sushi).

Let’s be real—Voit probably isn’t on anyone’s MLB radar right now. But if he keeps mashing in Japan like he did in Mexico, who knows? A non-roster invite to spring training next year isn’t out of the question. Baseball has a funny way of circling back.

So here’s to Luke Voit: Bronx bomber for a hot minute, world traveler, and still swinging for the fences.

THAT TIME 2 YANKEES PARTIED IN NEW YORK CITY WITH LINDSAY LOHAN

Sometimes a story just needs to be told again, if only to remind ourselves that yes, this absolutely did happen. 

Rewind the tape back to 2012, when Lindsay Lohan was still dominating headlines for all the wrong reasons, and toss in two former New York Yankees — Shane Spencer and Pat Kelly — and what you get is a bizarre, boozy, late-night cocktail of pop culture weirdness.

Let’s set the scene. It’s Manhattan. September is approaching, Fashion Week is on the horizon, and Lohan — reportedly preparing to move from L.A. to New York — is reintroducing herself to the NYC nightlife circuit. That alone sounds like trouble with a capital TMZ. But what raised eyebrows and triggered a tidal wave of confused laughter across the sports-and-celebrity blogosphere was where and with whom she was partying: at Dorrian’s Red Hand, the Upper East Side prepster institution, and flanked by none other than former Yankees Pat Kelly and Shane Spencer.

 
Yes, Shane Spencer and Pat Kelly. Obviously.

Why? How? Who organized this crossover episode of “Behind the Music” meets “Yankeeography”? Nobody knows. But it happened, and it was glorious.

Sources from the night reported Lohan was sipping vodka sodas and even jumped on the mic for some karaoke — belting out Lady Gaga’s “You & I,” no less. The very same Gaga who, around this time, had handpicked Lindsay to appear in one of her music videos. Because if there’s one thing missing from late-stage pop stardom, it’s 2000s tabloid energy.

As for the Yankee duo, this wasn’t exactly Old Timers’ Day. These weren’t Reggie and Yogi stopping by. But let’s not pretend Kelly and Spencer didn’t leave their marks in pinstripes.

Pat Kelly was a scrappy, glove-first second baseman drafted in 1988, who played for the Yanks from 1991 to 1997. He wasn’t exactly setting the league on fire — 26 homers over seven seasons — but he had his moments. His speed and defense kept him around, and his occasional clutch hits gave fans something to remember. He was the kind of guy you rooted for, even when he went 1-for-4 with a sac bunt and a diving stop that made Michael Kay scream.

Shane Spencer, on the other hand, was a comet. A roided-up comet? Who knows — it was the ‘90s! But the guy made an impact. In 1998, the very year 12-year-old Lindsay Lohan was probably rehearsing lines for The Parent Trap, Spencer was smashing 10 home runs during a ridiculous September call-up, including three grand slams in ten days. TEN. DAYS. That stretch earned him a 1.321 OPS and eternal Yankee cult hero status, plus a front-row seat to three straight World Series championships. He peaked faster than a Vine star, but man, what a peak.

So back to the story. Why were they out with Lohan? Was it karaoke night for ex-Yankees and ex-child stars? Were they working on a charity album called “Pitchers and Pitch Problems”? We’ll never know. And honestly, we don’t need to. That’s part of the joy.

This whole tale is less about logic and more about the chaotic harmony that only New York City can produce. Only in this town can you walk into a bar and find a fallen teen idol singing Gaga to a crowd of prep school kids, flanked by a light-hitting second baseman and a guy who once hit three grand slams in a week. It was weird, wild, and way too much fun to forget.

So here we are in 2025, digging up this little slice of madness and remembering that for one night in 2012, the Yankees’ forgotten heroes and Hollywood’s most chaotic energy collided — and for some reason, it worked.

Let this be your reminder: New York is undefeated in the weird department.

--Alvin Izzo
BYB Yankee History Contributor

JUDGE GOT HIS GROOVE BACK!

Sept. 13, 2017 - Source: Abbie Parr/Getty Images North America

We need Aaron Judge right now, and like we have said all season here at BYB, slumps happen, but you gotta understand something... we all knew that even though he was young, he would make adjustments, because he's a smart player.

Many compared him to Kevin Maas, to Shane Spencer, but why? Every player is different. One thing you do see in Aaron Judge is drive.  The kid knows what he's dealing with as a hitter, knew that after the All-Star break there would be changes from pitching staffs, and while there was a bump in the road for him, he seems to have figured it out.  I love that.

Bob Klapisch has a great piece about Judge. I wanted to share some of that content:

Photo: New York Daily News

"While the Yankees were nervously waiting out Judge’s mega-slump, American League pitchers bro-hugged and high-fived. They’d found Judge’s cold zones – sliders off the plate, fastballs above the hands – and used the data to shave 56 points off his average. Judge was the victim of superior scouting and an old-fashioned case of nerves. Question was: Would he rebound? Ever?

The Bombers may have gotten their answer Thursday night in a 13-5 blowout of the Orioles. Judge hit two massive, three-run HRs, drove in six runs and otherwise emerged from the black hole that’d swallowed him during the pennant race.

Is the siege over? It’s too soon to know, but the possibilities for October are suddenly enticing. Joe Girardi still wants to have a conversation about winning the East. Fine, we’ll go there, but in either scenario, wild-card or Game 1 of the Division Series, the idea of a healthy, productive Judge sitting in the cleanup spot is Girardi’s definition of heaven.

'I felt Aaron was getting closer to what he was in the first half,' the manager said, before delivering the line of the evening. 'Maybe he’s there.'

Judge isn’t biting just yet. He said, 'I’m feeling all right' but retreated to the safety of his boilerplate answers.

Like this: 'It’s a process. It’s a long season. You’re going to have some ups and downs. I’m trying to stay the course.'”

I love this kid. I literally used that last sentence on my kid a month ago.  He was slumping, and telling him that reminded him just how hard this game is.  You get hot, you get cold, but never get frustrated and always continue to work.  Sooner or later, you figure it out.

And if you don't? Well... then you're Kevin Maas.

Yanks win again.  Aaron's back, folks.

MY RAMBLE & BIAS TOWARD AARON JUDGE

(Aug. 20, 2016 - Source: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images North America)    

The 2017 season will be Aaron Judge's first full year in the Major Leagues... assuming he makes the Opening day roster of course.  There's no reason to doubt it, Judge is a kid the Yankees really like, but you just don't ever truly know, especially talking about it in January. 

Anyway, look, Judge is huge and has massive power.  We all witnessed that in his first Major League at bat when he crushed the ball to deep center.



The possibilities for this kid at the plate are endless. The only problem is strikeouts. If he can learn to decipher pitches as they come out of the pitchers hand and have better plate discipline, there will be high hopes for this kid for sure. 

(Sept. 4, 2016 - Source: Rich Schultz/Getty Images North America)

Andrew Marchand of ESPN had this to say about Judge:

"He is a giant who would fit in among New York's skyscrapers. Aaron Judge is 6-foot-7 and about 300 pounds. Not since Hall of Famer Dave Winfield has there ever been a Yankee who looks anything like Judge. Judge is a power forward/tight end playing right field."

On a personal level, I love this kid since the first time I saw him in the Arizona Fall League, but there is a reality to him. His career could go in 1 of 2 directions...

Judge could go the route of Shane Spencer, or he could be the next Chris Davis, but again, it all comes down to plate discipline. It really does.

(Sept. 9, 2016 - Source: Duane Burleson/Getty Images North America)

I really don't think he'll go the Spencer route. I see him more as a Chris Davis type.  With a strike zone as massive as his, I think it could be tricky for him.  When I watched him play in the Arizona Fall League a few years ago, he's a solid hitter and a good runner. Even Damon Oppenheimer, the Vice President and Director of Amateur Scouting for the Yankees said of Judge:

(Aug. 16, 2016 - Source: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America)

“I think power in general is a scarcity, but especially right handed power... It gives him a great value to us, but so does his makeup and a number of other things that go with him. He’s not just a guy that turns and launches; he’s a good runner, a good thrower and a graceful athlete...” That was from the New York Daily News.

Ultimately, I'm rooting for this kid. I know, I know... I think we all are. And yes, I'm biased... meeting this guy at the AFL, watching him play, I totally have a soft spot for this guy.  I really look forward to see him on the big team this season.

I leave you all with a tweet he put out a month ago offering the innocence of his youth, but the determination of a man...

Always fun working on the craft! #arizonalivin pic.twitter.com/y9KRBX9QgO

— Aaron Judge (@TheJudge44) November 17, 2016

Aaron Judge ladies and gentleman... stay tuned!




--Michael Carnesi
BYB Writer

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DO THE NEW YORK YANKEES HAVE A SHOT?

The answer is yes.

I was listening to Alex Rodriguez talk, I think it was in the clubhouse during champagne time the other night and he was explaining how the Yankees haven't swung the bats well at all.  In essence... they know they are stinking up the joint.  But he also said that they could very likely have a run like they did earlier in the season... maybe 9 straight, who knows.  I smiled as I was brushing my teeth.  It's that never say die mentality that I've always been in love with when it comes to my New York Yankees.  And so, as I got ready for the train, I threw on my Yankee jacket with pride, for today is a new day and a new 1 game season so to speak against a team featuring star pitcher Dallas Keuchel.

Hey... it will not be easy, but we have Masahiro Tanaka.

Tanaka held on all season.  I didn't expect it.  I thought his arm would break down at some point and he wouldn't even be around by the post-season.  He surprised me, and for that, I'm excited.  We'll be playing at home, which, if you've ever been at a post-season game at Yankee Stadium, it's electric and insane and I wish I was there tonight... it's huge. It gives me hope.

But it's also a 1 game playoff.  Winner of this game moves on. The loser will end their season tonight.  I have had alot of negative feels about the Yankees this season, you've read about it extensively, and I'm happy to express my true feelings when things go wrong, but it's a clean slate today.  This team not only has the chops to win this game... they also have a more important reason to do it... they're gonna do it for their brother... CC Sabathia.

Now I don't need to get into massive details about the importance of what Sabathia did and when he did it when it came to his drinking.  It's personal and I applaud him.  This game in his personal life is just not important.  He's gotta fix some stuff... and he will.  The timing of this demonstrates the urgency of the problem. For those of you that "cannot believe he's doing this now"... you're perfect and you'll never understand.

That's sarcasm, but I don't have the time to explain it.  If you don't get it, you never will.  But back to the Yankees and CC.  There's a bigger picture here.  Sure, win the first round for not only the fans and their team, but for CC.  It's very noble. It's a brotherhood. It's beautiful actually.

The Yankees have the tools and they have the ability.  If Joe Girardi plays to strengths and not to over-resting players and changing players too much and at the wrong time, we have a huge opportunity.  The sprinkling of youth with veterans is a formula that has worked for the Yankees for years...

There are Cecil Fielder and Andy Pettitte type players on this team (1996). There are Shane Spencer and Tino Martinez type players on this team (1998).  There are Phil Coke and Jorge Posada type players on  this team (2009).

The point is with guys like Greg Bird and Luis Severino mixed in with the likes of Jacoby Ellsbury and Brian McCann...kids and veterans... things could turn out pretty great. But as you know, there's 1 thing that definitely needs to happen. 

The Yankees need to hit.  It goes back to what ARod said.  The Yanks have stunk up the joint leaving many runners on base all season and not hitting.  They need to be smart. They need to execute in a way to get the runs home.  They need timely hits. No easy task for this team, but as we have seen during their hot moments... they truly have the ability.. they just gotta do it!

Tonight's the night ladies and gentlemen.  I believe in this team, despite my annoying, negative rants.  But they need to believe in themselves tonight, BIG TIME.  Trust me... they CAN!

Go Yanks! Make us proud tonight.

 

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!  Also, don't forget to check out the BYB Hub!

DONNIE & THE BIRD

Note to our BYB audience... this is not a post about Mark Teixeira... period.

Sure, he may end up being the next Shane Spencer.  Years from now we may look back and say, “Wow, remember when we thought Greg Bird was going to be good?”  I’ve already taken heat from other fans for making the rookie 1st baseman a future Yankee great.  I get it.  We’ve been burned on promising youngsters before and some are just hell bent supporters of Te…”He who shall not be named”.

Here is my thinking.  I see some similarities in Bird and another notable Bronx Bomber.  They both aren’t much for talk.  They both have sweet left handed swings.  They were both homegrown.  Yes, for me Greg Bird has a little "Donnie Baseball" in him.  My hope is that Bird’s inner Mattingly will blossom into another great player.  It can happen.

Look, it’s a small sample size, I understand that, but that dinger in Toronto just screamed, “I’m here to stay, Yankee fans!”  Bird’s swing has a twinge of Olerud and Carew to it.  It’s graceful and seemingly effortless.

He plays first with a solid and ever improving glove.  Greg Bird just looks the part of a New York Yankee.  We should get him some eye black and a sharp looking mustache.

Recently BYB posted an article asking where Greg fits in next year.  I tweeted back, “STARTER!”  Look, he can play and taking ABs away will do nothing for his progress.  The Yankees are getting younger and fast.  Why stop that trend?  Those older, more expensive players need to see the writing on the wall.  If the Bombers are going to compete with the young stars of the game (Trout, Harper etc.…) they need to bring up the kids and let them run.  Trying to squeeze another decent season out of an injury prone, aging player who’s best is behind him is foolish.  I’m not just talking about one player, I’m talking about the overall mindset of handling those players Father Time has touched on the shoulder.

Greg Bird has the tools and demeanor to be a player like Mattingly in my opinion…does that mean it will happen?  No.  But letting him play as opposed to giving him a “Fast Pass” on the Scranton Shuttle will show us what we have in the Baby Bomber.  Some guys just fit.  Looks like Bird will be the word for a while in the Bronx.

** A bit on the nose…or beak as it were.  G’luck Greg. **

 

--Mike O'Hara Senior "Features" Writer
Twitter: @mikeyoh21






You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!  Also, don't forget to check out the BYB Hub!

BEWARE OF A QUIET MAN

Once upon a time I was in an Irish Folk/Punk band called "the Mighty Regis". It was truly a blast playing shows, touring the States and Canada on The Warped Tour and meeting all kinds of folks.  On our 3rd little DIY record we had a song entitled “A Quiet Man”.


(Play this while you're reading this BYB post today)
The material was inspired by lesson my Dad taught me as a kid. In short, he said that if you find yourself in a situation where a fight might break out, ALWAYS keep your eye on the man not saying a word. You see it’s that person who, 9 times out of 10, is the most dangerous in the room. They don’t need to run there mouths to try and make others believe they’re tough…in fact those that feel such a need are most likely doing it to convince themselves. The louder you shout and the more you puff out your chest the more likely you are to be taken seriously right? Not so much.

This brings me to the recent stream of bluster blowing downwind from the Great State of Massachusetts. We all read the fairly sad saber rattling of the career .244 hitting machine Jonny Gomes. Somebody needs to tell Jonny that he’s missing an “H” and another 50 points to his lifetime average. The facial hair didn’t make you strong, Samson. So take it easy. You’re a journeyman that landed in a great situation with a club that played great team baseball. Good for you. Now zip it.

And then there is Boston’s version of “The Boss”…in his wildest dreams maybe. Larry Lucchino doesn’t sweat the New York Yankees…just ask him…wait…better not. He’ll proceed to chew on your ear for the better half of the off-season on how he has seen it all before. How the Yankees don’t impress him. How he doesn’t really give them any thought. Hey, Larry! Pull the other one!

Lucchino and the entire front office keep Ambien in business with all the sleep they lose over the Bronx Bombers. And the more they say they aren’t concerned with New York’s spending spree, the more you KNOW they are! You can read the distress on their faces like they were USA Today. In Boston-ese, “Yaw po cah faces ah wicked bad, boys!”

I will never fully understand the Red Sox…and I guess I’m not supposed to. Even in the good times they seems miserable and panicked that they aren’t as pretty and the other girls in school.  Sure, you can say that the Yankees are focused on Boston because they threw the checkbook at every hole on the roster. You can say that it was because they missed the playoffs and watched as their oldest rivals hoisted a World Championship trophy over their heads. I am sure the Yankees were unhappy about that…until Thanksgiving. Now it’s 2014 and the Yankees have a short memory. And that is why they’ll always have the Sox number. The Yankees think about themselves. They don’t react to what Boston does. They react to what it means to be the most successful franchise in all of Sport. Their job is to win come hell or high water. The club up in New England has done well for itself in the past decade…swell. The gentlemen in the Pinstripes have done well for themselves over the past CENTURY!

Honestly, do you ever hear many sound bites coming from the Yankee clubhouse about Boston? Think about it for a second or two. Aside from a post game interview with the Skipper after a Boston pitcher threw at Derek Jeter…again. The Yanks seem to stay above the fray. They walk the walk. If they lose they saddle up and say, “We’ll be back. See ya then.” Probably better to have a sharp August base hit against New York than a dull January jab in the Herald…but that’s what they do up there. It’s as Boston as Samuel Adams, The Charles River and Chowda.

Think about the years that New York has had a parade down the “Canyon of Heroes”. Do you ever remember a guy like Shane Spencer stepping off the float and commenting on Boston’s off-season acquisitions?

Ever heard a Yankee platoon player tough talk the Sox a month before pitchers and catchers report? Nope. Mr. Gomes…you are a platoon player at best. Here’s some Gillette shaving gel and a Mach 5 razor! It’s on me. Go clean up and have a good season.

Boston will have another good team this year. They have a solid staff and players like that kid at Second base…who isn’t saying much…we’ll need to watch that guy.

I can’t say for sure if the Yankees will benefit from all the moves they made. I can’t say if the 2014 campaign will bring #28 to the Bronx. What I can say is it looks like there will be a dust up between these two teams…and per usual the Yankees are being extremely quiet.




--Mike O'Hara, MLB Fan Cave Host, Season 1
   Twitter: @mikeyoh21
"Paulie was always my favorite player."




Thank you to all the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers for continued success.  You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in the history of Yankees fandom.  Thanks for reading, sharing and enjoying. Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.

ROOTING FOR THE BELIEVER

I am a father who has a love for my family so great, I just want to see my children achieving big things in their lives.  I like to see my kids “win” and bringing home the trophy, but sometimes that doesn’t happen. Hey, that’s life.  Sure, at that point kids, and even adults, want to quit. They become frustrated.  They believe they "Can't." But it’s the believer that steps back and says, “You know what, next time I WILL win.”  To me, they’ve won already because they know they CAN, it just may be that that time, they didn’t.

Believing is half the battle.  Anyone that has read Bleeding Yankee Blue since the beginning knows that I root for the believer.  I root for the underdog, because, quite honestly, I believe that if they are there, they have a chance.  There are so many athletes in history that may not been the obvious choice for a champion, but they were there and sometimes they won it all. I applaud that.  You can go through history and list dozens.  But there are a few that stick out in my mind, just because of what I remember, and the feeling I felt for those athletes when they were in the big moment. They knew they could achieve victory... you could see it in their eyes.

I remember Dan Jansen in the Olympics in 1994. The man had gone through tragedy losing his sister to leukemia years before and after competing in the Olympics in speed skating, he left the 1988 and 1992 Olympics with no medals, he was down and he was beaten... but he wasn't defeated. 

In 1994, he defied expectations and won the gold, only to dedicate it to his late sister. With time against him, he kept fighting and he believed he could... then, he did. I always found that courageous, as a high school kid watching this man and even today, years later.

I remember the media and the fans down on guys like Joe Torre and Jorge Posada, 1 a manager and 1 a catcher.  I remember the press suggesting both were not qualified to handle their jobs.  Both did though. Both became champions.  What the hell does the press know anyway? What do the doubters know? No one knows what’s inside a person, their abilities, their fire in their belly.  It's desire, ability, love of the game, and refusal to fail… all apply here.  

I think a lot about Ty Hensley, a first round draft pick for the New York Yankees in 2012.  Sure, that’s a great achievement, but he knew it didn’t stop there.  He knew he had to keep working hard. When he got hurt, he didn’t stop there either.  He battled, worked through his abdominal / hip injury, healed and he’s 100% ready to perform for the New York Yankees.

And even if the doubters come out and say, "Well, he'll never be great", let me explain something to those people; Ty, or Jorge or anyone with a goal, doesn't hear you.  Ty’s ready to do great things for the Yankees, because they took a chance on him.  He’s refused to fail.  Desire, ability, heart… the will to win.  The will to "want it."  Ty gets it. 

I believe in the underdog and I believe in the believer.  There were flashes in the pan that contributed huge in the past, all because they were given a shot and they held onto it and became winners when they saw a window of opportunity.  Shane Spencer had a nice run in New York. So did Aaron Small.  Jeremy Lin was a Knick a few years ago and no one gave the guy credit, until they noticed that he was more talented than anyone expected. Why? Because someone gave him a chance instead of him being benched and pushed aside.   He took the reigns and showed New York what he was all about.

It even applies to a guy named Dean Anna, a 27 year old minor leaguer with the ability to play, but no one but himself believed in him.  Now the Yankees do too. The Yankees signed the “Dean of Swing” this off-season and while his resume isn’t spectacular, they saw something in this young man; Desire, ability, love of the game and a refusal to fail.   

Anna gets knocked down but he gets back up.  Now look… No one knows what will happen with this kid and the Yankees.  The Yanks just signed Brian Roberts to man second base and most likely Anna’s shot will be limited.  Anna may be designated for assignment for all we know.  But he also may not. If he is though… what does that mean? Nothing! Especially if you believe. Anna believes in himself.  He’ll always have that fire and I appreciate that and you should too. 

Life is full of obstacles. You can either walk away from the mountain, or you can climb it.  I laugh at fans who think they have it all figured out.  The ones that see 1 strikeout in an at-bat and scream, “The guy’s a bum.”  I love this one, “He’s a full time minor leaguer, he doesn’t have a shot!” Are you serious?  Baseball is a game of failure and life is full of challenges.  We weren’t put on this earth to fail. We were put here to achieve.  Everyone is an underdog, until they win… then they’re a champion.  And let me also state something else… if you've never won that trophy, if you fall just alittle short but give it your all.  If you push hard, but you didn’t get the gold, know this… you’ve won already… because you never gave up on yourself.  In my eyes… that’s a champion.  Desire, ability, love of the game, heart...and refusal to fail.

All apply champ! Never give up, ever and no one can ever knock you down. 

I root for the believer, that’s me.

Thank you to all the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers for continued success.  You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in the history of Yankees fandom.  Thanks for reading, sharing and enjoying. Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.

COULD DAN REALLY BE THE MAN?

(In Photo: Dan Johnson)
Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record brings up the name everyone has been wondering about ever since Mark Teixeira was put on the shelf for 8 to 10 weeks. Could Dan Johnson really be the guy we want to fill in a first base until Tex comes back? You can read about Johnson HERE from Caldera, but he writes:

"... with Mark Teixeira sidelined until May because of a strained right wrist, the lefty-hitting Johnson suddenly has the odds in his favor to play a good chunk of time at first base. He’d arrived at camp as a non-roster player attempting to fill Eric Chavez’s role as a backup corner infielder.

'There were a lot more safer jobs, but I feel like the upside is so much greater here,' Johnson said of turning down better opportunities on weaker teams. 'I’m willing to take the risk to come here and prove myself...'"

(In Photo: Aaron Small)
So in other words, or at least the way I'm understanding it, coming to the Yankees was a big deal, and probably is for many players looking to play. The pinstripes do something to players. We've seen players either get traded or called up and the magic happens. We've seen it happen dozens of times in our past history.  Scott Brosius, Shane Spencer, Aaron Small, Shawn Chacon.  Yeah, true, it's a Motley Crue I chose, but the reality is, those names remind me alot of Dan Johnson... never a superstar, but had flashes of success in the Bronx.  Johnson could in fact do the same.

Look, I understand we're gonna miss Tex, but the bottom line is, we either go out and get a guy like Michael Cuddyer, read HERE, or we stick with what we have in Dan Johnson and hope he catches on nicely.

Johnson told Caldera, "It’s just the lure overall of being a Yankee...". That it is Dan, we just hope you do your best and make us proud in Mark's absence.

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.