Monday, January 29, 2007

Oh For the Love of God and the Baby Jesus and Mary and Joseph and the Choir of Cherubim and Seraphim and All That is Good and Holy

Joe, he's done. Please. Move on.

Yankees manager Joe Torre has told GM Brian Cashman that he'd like to give Bernie Williams a shot at making the team, according to a source close to Williams.

However, the Yankees' 40-man roster is full, and there appears little opportunity for Williams to contribute.

Williams said he last spoke to Cashman two months ago, when the GM "expressed a not very secure" outlook for a job this season.

Williams is uncertain if he would accept a non-roster spring training invitation from the Yankees -- if they were even inclined to offer one.

"It's been a great run," Williams said Saturday at a function for Hillside Food Outreach, which provides for needy Westchester residents, adding that his body "tells me I can probably play a couple more years.

"As a player, you always want to do more," said Williams, just the seventh Yankee to wear pinstripes in 16 or more seasons. "You've got the Peter Pan syndrome; you never want to grow up. But you've got to realize that it doesn't last forever."

Williams, 38, who batted .281 last season (118-for-420) with 29 doubles, 12 homers and 61 RBI, said he'll "try to stay in shape," perhaps in the event he is summoned by the Yankees during the year. But his answers were consistently vague.

Asked if he'd be willing to try out as a first baseman, Williams would only say, "We haven't reached that point yet."

As to whether he'd be willing to sign a minor league deal with the Yanks, Williams said he first needed to consult with agent Scott Boras: "I've got to wait and see what the options are."

Whose ABs would Torre want to steal? There are four first basemen on the roster (Phelps, Phillips, Giambi, Eyechart). Melky Cabrera is already your fourth outfielder, and your best option as a defensive replacement, pinch runner, and spot starter to give a guy a day off or a DH spot for a game, which will already cut into Giambi's playing time. So who is it, Joe? Melky? Giambi? Abreu? Who would you like to screw (besides the team) in order to play the guys you "trust" and "show loyalty" towards?

This is not to mention that if Bernie somehow did make the team out of spring training, the Yankees would be forced to place another player on waivers from their 40-man roster, and we're not talking about a guy with no future anymore. Last week the Yankees let go pitcher Matt DeSalvo, once considered an up-and-comer until personal problems plagued him last year, in order to make room for Miguel Cairo, a player whose production(?) could have easily been equaled by a number of players already on the 40-man roster.

Give it up, please Joe. Cashman, don't fall for sentiment, because that's all signing Bernie would be, keeping a guy around for what he once did and not what he still can do at the expense of your team.

The next time Bernie Williams wears pinstripes, it should be on Old Timer's Day.

posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 11:55 AM   0 comments







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