Yankees Rants and Questions

Scanning the Yankees' news today got me going, time for a therapeutic rant:

• "Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe had this quote from a scout: “In a few years, Melky (Cabrera) will be playing in some independent league. Or in the Mexican League.” The thing about scouts is they're always anonymous, it's easier to be brilliant that way. Melky was in the show since he was 20 years old. He replaced a brittle, defensively challenged, over-paid Damon and helped the Yanks get to the postseason by playing center virtually everyday. He defied the scouting reports and brought energy to an old, lethargic roster. He deserves to be in Scranton but doesn't deserve to be buried. Amazing how many chances Hughes and Kennedy get, after producing nothing, while Melky is an out cast. Why is that? He is yesterday's news and there's a new face to take his place. Brett Gardner brings speed and the scouting report of a "4TH outfielder with no power"--BP (paraphrased) The organization has set it's high beams of hype in his direction. He's the next big thing , until Austin Jackson is ready. Good luck Brett, you're going to need it.
• Not dead yet: "All it took was one game for Melky Cabrera to erase all those doubts.
  Instead of sulking about his demotion from the New York Yankees, he sucked it up. Instead of displaying the over-anxiety that plagued him in New York, he showed remarkable patience at the plate. Instead of going through the motions, he was going full-speed for a full game Sunday night in his first appearance for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre." Assuming Gardner can play in the show and Cabrera does well in Scranton, it will be interesting to see what happens when the rosters expand Sept.1st. They are both #4 outfielders according to scouts, Brett can run, Melky can throw. Cabrera did the job for two years and failed this season. Gardner is a work in progress. Nady and Abreu will play everyday. Two men enter...
• Speaking of another chance: " let's remember you've been down this road before. Many times, mind you. And almost every time you thought that maybe this is when Pavano is finally going to step up and be a help, he does something to remind you that he is Carl Pavano." Let's hear from the man who has the organization where it is today: "Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said teammates shouldn't be dubious of Pavano in his latest comeback attempt.
  "If people have that type of attitude there, it's stupid," Cashman said Monday. "Everybody has issues and makes mistakes or has things to deal with. It's about turning the page and moving forward and concentrating on what's in front of you rather than concentrating on what's behind you." Sounds like Cash is practicing his "You should bring me back speech" for the Brothers Steinbrenner.
• Speaking of "turning the page": In one sense, it is clear the Yankees owe Torre an apology, because clearly, he wasn't the problem with this team last year any more than Girardi is the problem with it this year.In another sense, it is Torre who owes a hearty thank you to the Yankees, for showing him the way to the door just before the roof fell in on the rest of them...You have a mess Miller Huggins couldn't have managed to win with." It is ironic, that the old Joe who, allegedly, was incapable of developing young players had Cano, Cabrera and Joba blossom on his watch while the 2007 season was rescued by young players and the 2008 season is down the drain while they retread Pavano. Maybe this is what Cash meant when he said, "Everybody has issues."