Yankees Warming Up

by: Michael Casella | Special to NY Sports Day | Saturday, May 24, 2008



On the day after things warmed up on the field with Yankee manager Joe Girardi taking me on a walk down memory lane and reminding me of what it was like to root for the Yanks as an eighth grader in the mid-70's - Billy, Reggie, Thurman, Nettles et al), things are starting to finally warm up outside in the metropolitan region. And so did Yankee bats in last night's drubbing of disappointing Seattle with a 13-2 win at Yankee Stadium.

Since the beginning of this year's baseball season, I've been hearing how it's been the pitchers who've had the better of things. Much of this perception (reality) has, in my mind, a lot to do with the cold weather.

With temperatures, perhaps finally, warming up, maybe it's time for the hitters to play catch up. This has to bode well for a Yankee team desperate to identify itself while at the same time trying to keep pace with Boston (most experts choice to win the division).

Now that the Yanks have a healthy Alex Rodriguez, to go along with the recently heating up Robinson Cano (still only hitting .207, 4 hr., 14 rbi, 14 runs scored) and the consistent hitting Hideki Matsui (.302, 6, 20, 20), maybe we'll be able to put back"Bombers" into the equation. The potential early June return of Jorge Posada is another good omen. While he won't match the terrific numbers he posted last year, it's been pretty clear that his presence has been missed both on the field and the clubhouse.

Still, something is not quite right for me and the Yankees. The inconsistency of their pitching (what we all figured to be the team's biggest question mark coming into 2008), the changing club climate (Girardi replacing Joe Torre, general manager Brian Cashman's daily two-step with the press and upper management, and the two-headed hydra now steering the ship- brothers Hank and Hal Steinbrenner) all remind me that those days I only now fondly remember seem to be lurking all too close for comfort.

Warming up indeed.