|
IMHO
- The ramblings of Phil
Speranza
Email:
Phil
Speranza Website:
Behind The
Bombers
Phil is publisher of the longest
running New York Yankees fan site
on the Internet and did the 2000
season update of The Yankee
Encyclopedia 5th Edition
published by Sports Publications
LLC.
GREETINGS BOMBER
BUDDIES;
boy did a lot happen since we
lost game six of the World Series
in our own house. Seems like
everyone wants to play in their
back yard. Leading off, Andy
Pettitte opted to play for the
Astros even though he was offered
more from the Yankees and Red
Sox. Brian Cashman told WFAN that
they did indeed make their first
offer to Andy right after the
World Series. Andy told the press
differently. There is no real
indication of who is telling the
truth unless you consider the
following article from FOX NEWS:
Blind as a
Bat
"We were pretty
upset when this professional
player decided to leave New York.
We thought it was for more money,
but we were wrong. For years this
guy professed to have a "special
relationship with God." But it
turns out he had a special
relationship with a woman who was
not his wife. When the wife found
out, she went ballistic. The
player had two choices: stay in
New York with his mistress, or
return home and play with a new
team. Wisely, he chose the
latter, which was why you didn't
hear the thunder that usually
accompanies such transactions.
His employer knew the score, and
had to acquiesce. Sometimes being
a sport is more important than
playing one."
Is it true? I
don't know, nor do I know
anything about the writer.
The preceding
stories in this news wrap up had
to do with Michael Jackson and
John Lennon trying to wear
contact lenses. So I guess it has
to be true.
Andy
will be missed; we won't have our
stopper or a lefty in our
rotation. Oh you say David Wells
agreed to a minor league deal.
Yes he did, but his word is as
good as an ice cube on a 99°
day. I guess what goes around
comes around.
Yes the Yankees
and Mr. Wells agreed on an
incentive written contract that
included a fitness clause. Along
came the San Diego Padres who
offered a similar deal except it
had a come, as you are
stipulation. Yes they said "you
can pitch for us no matter how
out of shape you are." So Boomer
went to play for his hometown
Padres and hometown taverns. This
may be a blessing in disguise.
Yankees are now down two
lefties.
So we go into the
new season without a southpaw in
our rotation. We have a rotation
that has a lot of ifs.
Mike Mussina a
solid starter, has to step up
without Andy.
Javier Vazquez,
can he make it in the Big Apple?
The Yankees signed him to a four
year deal. He has all the right
stuff, but that's what was said
about Jeff Weaver.
Jose Contreas,
can he do it full time? If he is
healthy he might be a savior on
this staff.
Kevin Brown, a
fragile lefty who is pushing
40.
Jon Lieber, a
year off due to major surgery in
2003 may be the surprise of the
staff in 2004.
Still we are
without a lefty, if the D-Backs
don't get off to a good start the
Big Unit may be available come
June, but there are two detours
there. One, he is also up in
years and we don't know how much
he has left either and two the
D-Backs still want to stick it to
George. Al Leiter may be
available before long so there
are some options. The Bronx
Bombers haven't won without a
lefty since 1947. And in Yankee
Stadium we really need at least
one.
On board our Gary
Sheffield and Kenny Lofton, two
bad boys that George is hoping
pinstripes turn them into solid
citizens. Lofton is expected to
compete with Bernie Williams for
the CF spot. They may just as
well wind up sharing the CF/DH
duties.
The greedy
Sheffield, nephew of Doc Gooden
with give us a solid bat in RF
although the Vladamir Guererro
deal that the Angels signed was a
far better bargain. He may have
asked more from the Yankees, and
he may not have wanted to play
here because he spurned the Mets
as well.
Now I have one
more thing to get off my
chest...
Roger Clemens, is
coming out of retirement to join
Pettitte in Houston. Clemens will
pitch for one more year, but he
will be a Houston Astro until at
least 2015 as a result of the
unique agreement he made with the
Astros. In addition to the
one-year, $5 million deal Clemens
agreed to the Astros also secured
the future Hall of Famer's to a
10-year personal services
contract to begin the year after
he retires as a player. Clemens
will be paid $1.5 million in
2004, with the $3.5 million
balance payable in 2006. The
Astros will give Clemens the same
leeway the Texas Rangers gave
Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan during
Ryan's last year in Arlington.
Essentially it means Clemens,
like Ryan, will be allowed to
watch his son play now and then
on days when he is not scheduled
to pitch. Clemens will also be
allowed to occasionally arrive
late on days he isn't pitching.
Like Ryan, who signed a 10-year
personal services contract with
the Rangers upon his retirement,
Clemens will have a similar
arrangement with the Astros when
his playing days are done. The
main difference is that Ryan
didn't say nor indicate he was
99% retired.
The Rocket was
given a Hummer and made his
farewell tour. Some fans paid big
bucks, scalper prices to see his
last game in their respective
cities. The Yankees didn't even
make a claim for his rights so we
won't even get compensated. He
gave his word that may prove to
be just as good as Wells' word.
Roger you never had class and
never will, you don't know the
meaning of tradition and your
word is as good as Pete Rose.
It would like Cal
Van Ripkin not retiring after his
farewell tour. It would like
finding out that the Paul
McCartney death hoax was not a
hoax after all and all the
Beatles albums after Sgt Pepper
being recorded with a Paul sound
alike. It would be a classless
act and show that Clemens doesn't
give two poops about Yankee
Tradition. If he does join Andy
they won't have 15 games between
them.
The moves we made
this off-season just proves that
our farm system has become
depleted. This often happens to a
team that doesn't have high draft
picks. I will get into the need
more after Spring Training
starts.
Until next time,
here is hoping all your base hits
go for extra bases!
| 
