From today through Thursday, Major League Baseball general mangers, front office types, agents, even players, and who knows who are converging in Boca Raton, Florida for the General Manager meetings — not to be confused with the Winter Meetings. No headlines could come out of it, or a ‘stop the presses’ one could emerge. But that’s not stopping the pontificators (ourselves included) from going sideways on any and every possibility the Yankees could, would, couldn’t, wouldn’t or shouldn’t do. Such is the nature of the Hot Stove League and why we love it.
Trade stud closer Andrew Miller? Why not? Put everyone except Luis Severino out there for barter? Why not? Huh?
Granted, it’s silly season right now and anyone with a keyboard and an Internet connection is going to town on what the Bronx Bombers have to do. Here’s the funny thing. Read through some of the fan comment threads on popular sites and blogs — you’ll come across some things that make far more sense than the paid writers and talking heads are throwing out there. Go figure.
It could and just might get crazy with Yankee news this week, but most likely maybe not. Keep calm, and we’ll see what rolls out. If nothing nuts happens, it’s an encouraging sign we’re going to give more rope to the kids. Which ain’t a bad thing. Have faith in the (young) Yankees, my son.
MEMORY LANE : On today’s date in 2004, the Houston Astros’ Roger Clemens won that season’s Cy Young Award and set three records in the process. The Rocket became the oldest player to win it (42 years), the first to win it 7 times, and the first to win it wearing 4 different uniforms — 3 times with the Boston Red Sox, twice for Toronto Blue Jays, once with Yankees (in 2001), and now for the Astros.
After spending his first 12 years (1984-1996) in the majors with Boston, Clemens gave Toronto two lights-out seasons (’97 and ’98), going 41-13 with a combined ERA around 2.30. In the off-season after the 1998 World Series championship, the Yankees pulled off the shocking trade for Clemens that sent David Wells, Homer Bush, and Graeme Lloyd to the Blue Jays.
The Rocket won World Series rings with New York in 1999 and 2000, and the following year became the first hurler in MLB history to go 20-1 to start a season. He came thisclose to a third ring that year, out-pitching Arizona Diamondbacks ace Curt Schilling in Game 7 of the Fall Classic, but around here we just ‘Say it ain’t Mo!’ about that night.
But that game does bring back warm memories of Alfonso Soriano‘s stunning home run off Schilling in the 8th inning that made it look like all in the world would be right again.
At least for a moment. But it was not to be.
(h/t: NationalPastime.com | Roger Clemens photography by Keith Allison.)
