Then I woke up this morning to see that the New York Daily News actually had a positive back page about A-Rod! I can't remember the last time that has happened, or if it has ever happened. Oddly enough, though, Bill Madden hasn't written about Alex lately. (Remember, Madden said Alex was "finished" as a player and would never play again. Hardball Talk lists the most egregious Madden pronouncements on Rodriguez.)
The New York Post, on the other hand, had a negative cover of Rodriguez, regarding him telling reporters yesterday that he was "clean." Pretty nifty Photoshop, though. Glad they made sure the "Mr. Clean" A-Rod had an earring!
But the News' back page wasn't the most shocking thing in the baseball world I saw this morning. No, the Troy Tulowitzki-Jose Reyes trade takes the trade for that. Toronto, along with Baltimore, is seven games behind the Yankees. But they are clearly going for it this season -- they haven't made the postseason since 1993, as Joel Sherman notes.I think the Yankees have to be considered to be in the catbird seat for the postseason. But they still need another starting pitcher. Will it be Cole Hamels? Or David Price? Or somebody else?
And what about the Mets? They traded for ex-Yankee Tyler (The Yankee) Clippard last week. But they need a big hitter. Will it happen?
The trading deadline is this Friday at 4 p.m., just around the time I have to phone in to find out if I am going to be in jury duty next week! So that should be a momentous afternoon in a variety of ways. (Squawker Jon said this comment is very solipsistic, even for me!)
In other trading deadline news, Shane Victorino, aka the Flyin' Hawaiian, got traded from the Red Sox to the Angels. Victorino cried -- repeatedly -- in the presser announcing the deal. Dude, you should be happy to get out of Boston! The Angels actually have a playoff-worthy team!
Squawker Jon and I were talking about the trade, and I mentioned that Victorino is retiring the use of Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds" as his at-bat music. That song became a rallying cry for Red Sox Nation in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing and subsequent World Series championship.
Jon knew the song but didn't know the title, so I had to mention the lyrics about "every little thing gonna be alright." His excuse was that he wasn't a Deadhead. Huh? What do the Grateful Dead have in common with Bob Marley? Oh, wait!
Shane Victorino is a class ballplayer and individual. The emotion of leaving overcame him. It meant a lot to him to win a championship in the great city of Boston.
ReplyDeleteLord knows what George Steinbrenner would think of that photoshop with A-Rod and the earring. But he'd love the winning -- the clean winning!
ReplyDeleteThis isn't the first time the Yankees have had 3rd base coach issues. I wonder what Mike Ferraro is doing these days?
Let's see: Leaving organization in disarray, in a place with bad weather and a nasty media... going to one with promise and the money to fulfill it, playing alongside (apparently) clean stars such as the legendary Pujols and legend-in-the-making Trout, in good weather, with a media that usually focuses on the other team "in town"? Tears, Shane Victorino? They should be tears of joy! Anyway, a player I once liked a lot, because Met fans hated him, is once again likable.
Reyes gets dumped by another team. Everybody that's shocked, raise your hands. Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?
I know the Grateful Dead were baseball fans, even singing the National Anthem at San Francisco Giants games. But Bob Marley? His sport was soccer. And I can just imagine Pedro Martinez singing, "I drilled the damn Bambino in the ass, but I did not shoot the deputy!"