By Phil Allard NYYFans.com Staff Writer February 20, 2007
Berniegate
Last week I wrote an article that thanked Bernie Williams for his wonderful exploits as a New York Yankee.
I stand by those words. Bernie has always conducted himself with grace and dignity. He has been a champion…..until now.
When GM Brian Cashman granted him a Spring Training invitation, Bernie had a responsibility to accept it, sign with another team, or retire. By not returning calls and not responding in any way to the team, he kept Torre, Cashman and the whole organization hanging.
Cashman’s job is to put the best team on the field. If that team includes Bernie Williams in 2007, Cashman would not be doing his job.
If Bernie wants his last dealings with the Yankees to be punctuated with such a sour note, so be it.
There is no room for Bernie anyway. And if he were to report to Spring Training, Grandfather Joe would do everything in his power to place him on the 25-man roster, at the detriment of the team.
The purpose of a 25th man is to be versatile. Bernie is not. He is a bad defensive outfielder. He can not pinch run. He can not steal, and he is a horrendous pinch hitter. If he were to be on the team, it would simply be an act of nostalgic longing on the part of Torre, and he would have to talk Cashman into the silly notion to begin with.
The last roster spot should go to Kevin Thompson, but it won’t. It will go to a 12th pitcher instead as an apparent safety net against Torre’s penchant for overusing his bullpen.
The 25th roster spot should not go to Thompson because he is a superior player to Bernie. He isn’t. He simply fits the role better.
Moose jumps ugly with Pavano
Seriously, isn’t Mike Mussina saying what most Yankee fans are feeling? After missing a year-and-a-half with an absurd amount of injuries covering supposedly most every inch of his body, Carl Pavano has something to prove. The fact that Pavano does not agree should be troublesome to Yankee fans.
Mussina said. "It didn't look good from a player's and teammate's standpoint. It didn't look good. Was everything just coincidence? Over and over again? I don't know."
Asked whether Pavano deserved the benefit of the doubt, Mussina didn't hesitate.
"Not yet," he said. "I want to see that he wants to do it." The next day, at the behest of Torre, Mussina made his peace with Pavano. But the point was made. There is nothing worse for a player than to not have the support of his teammates.
Here’s hoping you stay healthy during Spring Training, Carl, so Cashman can trade you.
A-Rod contra Jeter
When A-Rod says something that is politically correct (as Jeter often does) people complain that he is phony. When A-Rod speaks his mind, he is often accused of putting his foot in his mouth or being “calculating.” This guy can not win, and it’s a shame.
Asked to be candid about his relationship with Jeter, A-Rod said it’s not what it once was, but they remain teammates dedicated to winning. “I cheer very hard for him. He cheers for me.”
Is there anything wrong with that? So what if the 5-time-a-week-sleepovers are a thing of the past. Yes, the crap that A-Rod spewed at Jeter in that 2001 Esquire article was fueled by jealousy. But it is beyond time for Jeter to put the team above the feud. It would do wonders for A-Rod’s fragile psyche if Jeter would pull a Pee-Wee Reese and put a symbolic arm around A-Rod and embrace him as a Yankee.
Only Jeter can do that. He knows that, and he won’t do it. Jeter holds the power. Jeter can fix it. And by doling so he might prevent A-Rod from constantly saying the wrong thing.
This is not a knock on Jeter the player. God knows I would rather have him up with the bases loaded in the 9th inning of a tie game with the Red Sox than A-Rod. But as Captain, he should step up and tell the press and the fans to support A-Rod unequivocally. A-Rod is one of the best ballplayers of his generation.
But Jeter says he won’t tell the fans what to do. Pee-Wee did. Mo barks for an extension
Perhaps the most stunning development of the spring so far as been Mariano Rivera’s announcement that, if he is not granted an extension now, there will be no “Home Town Discount” once his contract expires.
It’s very unlike Rivera to lash out like this. There is no doubt in my mind that Cashman will re-sign Rivera after the season. Brian is too smart to let the best closer in baseball go. There will not be an Andy Pettitte repeat here. So don’t worry about it.
Word has it that Mo is working on a new pitch this Spring: a change of pace. God help the league if he can make it work.
