5 BOROUGH SPORTS

Baseball.

BY: SAMMYWESTSIDE

Baseball. There are many reasons why I’ve spent the majority of my life loving the game. Some of my fondest memories involve it, and it’s part of who I am.

One thing I realize is, in life, things change. What you loved the most when you were 5 years old is not what you’re going to love ten, twenty or fifty years later.

As I’ve ventured away from New York, my love for teams like the Yankees or Giants has not wavered. In fact, my fondest sports memory of all-time came after leaving New York. (18-1?) Today I am no less of a Yankee fan than I was years ago, but how I react to them has changed. I’ve become a huge fan of College Sports, and have taken my angry obsessiveness and spread it over more teams. Also, I generally don’t get as emotionally involved in sports anymore, which of course is a good thing.

In college sports, it's more than just a game.

I realize now more than ever that sports can’t be everything in your life, but with that I’m choosing to center my job career around it. The thing that makes working in the college sports industry different is the fact that is not all about sports. College Athletics is just part of a university, and a goal to succeed from that standpoint. If you believe in that, than you believe in the athletics program being more than that.

It might sound like nonsense but it’s clear to me. Ask yourself, why are you a Yankees fan? Because you’re from New York? Because your Dad, or other family roots for them? Then ask yourself why you are a fan of a University. It’s because you went there. It’s because the success of their teams on the Athletic Fields actually ties directly to your education, and eventually your career forever.

With that, I’ve developed a relationship with the Yankees over the last 4 or 5 years that is very observant. Today I sit back and I watch the Yankees, I follow them just as much as before, but I feel like a sports writer critiquing their every move. I get emotional sometimes, but its much rarer these days.

The Yankees have gotten to a crossroads, where it is unclear what they will do. The fact is, this season they are nothing more than an average baseball team. Why? Because they’ve been run poorly for years. The Yankees are only concerned with winning a Championship each season, and this had led to stupid decisions.

What made the Yankees great back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s? Was it the prized free agents they signed? No. It was the players that they groomed themselves, with some solid trade acquisitions, and the rare marquee free agent.

Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Bernie Williams are the type of players that the Yankees needed to win.

Today they sit with Alex Rodriguez getting paid 30 million dollars a year to sit around and be just an above average third baseman. You know who else is an above average third baseman? Alot of other people.

You want to know what wins championships? Pitching. If the Yankees want to be successful down the road, they must be patient. They have to let younger players grow up. Jesus Montero, Dellin Betances, and Manny Banuelos are all possible future stars, and if they trade a single one of them, they are retarded.

Jesus Montero

This season is almost lost, and I say that more and more now because things like the injury to Joba.

People are quick to attack him, but the fact is he has been one of the few bright spots this year. He’s been quite good out of the pen, and now with him gone for over a year the bullpen is suddenly a weakness, as opposed to the strength it needs to be.

Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia and Ivan Nova might have decent stats, and performed above expectations, but its not going to last forever. The Yanks have owned one of the top ten ERA’s in baseball much of the season, which is way better than they’ve been for the last decade, but the hitting has lagged behind.

Statistically none of it makes sense. The Yanks are a top ten pitching team, score the most runs per game in the Majors, but still aren’t good?

Its called missed opportunity. The Yankees should have a much better record right now, but instead are reeling in mediocrity.

I can not imagine the Yankees are going to get better pitching from here on out, in fact I’m almost sure its going to get worse. They’ll score runs, but are we to believe they will be good enough to win the east? The Red Sox are playing better, and while their pitching is a problem, they are finding ways to win games.

Now worst of all, Bartolo Colon is down and out, and suddenly the Yanks rotation has Freddy Garcia as the number two!?!

Its scary what will happen from here. I don’t ever remember the Yanks being this bad in a very long time, and I’d be shocked if they can continue to hold up with the lack of arms they have now.

Maybe I’m wrong and somehow they’ll find a way (which I hope), but I can’t be enthusiastic about the current state of the team.

This entry was posted on June 12, 2011 at 3:05 pm and is filed under Yankees. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.