The Empire Strikes Back
By John Bonini
“Big” Changes.
The Boss has yet again broken open the piggy bank this off-season — stocking up like a wholesale club. But wait. Before the “nay-sayers” begin throwing around the usual criticisms, notice that Steinbrenner has spent his allowance wisely this off-season.
Soon after the Boss halted his fury upon the Yankees brass, they began to shift their attention from the postseason Armageddon to revamping the Yankees in a “big” way, pun intended.
Steinbrenner, never known for being discreet, blatantly displayed his ongoing love affair for the southpaw from the desert around the trade deadline of 2004, failing in his attempt to land “the Big Unit.” However, as many familiar with the Yankees know, when George wants somebody, he almost certainly gets somebody.
After adding more youth and power to a seemingly run-down pitching with key additions Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright, the Yankees pulled the 6’10 rabbit out of the hat and put him in pinstripes, solidifying the ’05 staff and Cashman’s word to the Boss of strengthening the Yankees pitching. On paper, the Yankees have one of the best pitching staffs in the league, and welcoming Felix Rodriguez and former Yankee Mike Stanton to an already potent bullpen only strengthens the claim.
The new men on the mound won’t be the only newcomers playing “getting to know you” come mid-February, or in one case, “getting to know you…again.” With perhaps one of the biggest yet overlooked moves the bombers have made is the homecoming of beloved first basemen Tino Martinez, who along with his great glove brings much needed veteran leadership to the Yankees clubhouse. Playing about 90 feet from Tino will be Tony Womack, who replaces Miguel Cairo at second base. Along with Womack’s great range and defensive skills, he also brings peskiness to the plate, which the Yankees have thirsted for since the departure of Chuck Knoublach.
On paper, the Yankees have assembled one of the best teams in the major leagues, but as the saying goes, “the games are played on the field,” and indeed they will. But for a change, it’s worth noting that perhaps the Boss went soft, finally listening to the ears of his fellow executives, staying away from names like Pedro Martinez and Carlos Delgado, and instead made moves which improved weak links, moves that made sense. Wise investments in the Bronx, worthy of a back page headline in itself.
The cries of blasphemy over the Yankees payroll will soon be heard, but as the Boss continues to poor money into his Yankees while other owners sit on the profits they pull in, those cries will go unheard. So as you indulge in your morning coffee and read the latest whining over the Bronx bombers in the Globe, remember what Jimmy Dougan says in A League of Their Own, “there’s no crying in baseball.”
