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IMHO
- The ramblings of Phil
Speranza
Email:
Phil
Speranza Website:
Behind The
Bombers
Phil Speranza is publisher and
webmaster of the longest running
New York Yankees fan site on the
Internet (Behind The Bombers) and
wrote the 2000 season update of
The Yankee Encyclopedia 5th
Edition (still included in the
6th Edition) published by Sports
Publications LLC. Phil Speranza
also contributed to the upcoming
book "THE GREAT RIVALRY: BOSTON
RED SOX/ NEW YORK YANKEES by
HARVEY FROMMER & FREDERIC J.
FROMMER" also from Sports
Publishing LLC. Phil is
currently the new Weblog writer
for the "Pride of the Yankees
Weblog" on NJ.com and it's
affiliates.
GREETINGS BOMBER
BUDDIES: As of this
writing the Yankees have worked
out a deal that sends Alfonso
Soriano to Texas (isn't that the
state where all the Yankees are
going?) for 2003 AL MVP Alex
"A-Rod" Rodriguez. Despite
telling Michael Kay on his YES
Network Center stage show that he
would never accept a trade to a
team with an established
shortstop Alex has accepted a
trade to New York as well as a
shift to third base. The Rangers
in return have agreed to pay
about $67 million of the $179
million in salary that Rodriguez
is owed over the final seven
years of his contract. It is nice
to have some other team pay the
Yankees salaries for a change.
The deal just awaits approval of
Commissioner Bud Selig.
Just when you
thought it was safe to open the
newspaper, we realize that the
Yankees are short a second
baseman and a lefty starter or
two. So what do we see the
Yankees going after, Travis Lee a
first baseman? So what is the
story there? We have the
recovering Jason Giambi as the
starter and we picked up Tony
Clark to back him up. There are a
couple of possibilities for this
hunt of Lee. One reason could be
despite the fact that Giambi has
declared him self in the best
shape of his career that may not
really be the case. If that is
the case the Yankees may be
playing it down to keep Travis
Lee or should I say Scott Boras,
his agent from holding the gun to
George's head. The second
speculation is that the Yankees
are worried about the aftermath
of the investigation of the
steroid use in the game and may
want Lee as insurance. Either was
it is strange that they Yankees
are going after a first baseman
that turned down a player option
for $2.5 million for 2004 and are
ready to offer no more that $2
million for Jason's caddy. Expect
the Yankees to officially
announce the Lee signing after
Aaron Boone goes through his
surgery to show the extent of the
ACL damage. Boone's original
surgery scheduled for last
Tuesday to determine if he has
ACL damage was postponed because
of a rash.
Tony Clark's
Yankee career may be over before
it started.
Tommy John has
replaced Andy Stankiewiez as
manager of the Staten Island
Yankees in the NYPL.
Former Yankee
utility man Jim Leyritz
auditioned to replace Bobby
Valentine on ESPN.
Sources say it
could be Dennis Eckersley that
fills that slot. Jim is a very
knowledgeable baseball man and
his commentary on the MSG Network
during the playoffs and color on
the Staten Island Yankees games
were fine but I would have a
tough time getting use to his
voice.
Bernie Williams
came to camp early to compete
with Kenny Lofton for the
centerfield job. If the Yankees
sign Travis Lee and Bernie beats
out Lofton in centerfield then
Lee could get first base and
Giambi could DH like he did last
year with Nick Johnson.
Not much else
going on, but that was just my
views IMHO.
That's all for now. Here's hoping
all your hits go for extra
bases.
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