Brian Cashman's "personal problems" notwithstanding, this has to go down as, at least on paper, one of the finer off-seasons for the NY Yankees in a while. CC's "opt out' was dealt with quickly and without acrimony. They re-signed almost all the guys who were contributing parts of the 2011 team and they answered the pitching rotation questions loudly and forcefully with the acquisitions of Pineda (via trade) and Kuroda (free-agent signing).

But quite possibly an upcoming move -- and this one most definitely could be filed under "addition by subtractionm" -- would be if the Yanks can move the ever-disappointing, always-distracting AJ Burnett somewhere, anywhere. And while the Mets and the O's could "use" the righty, the Yanks almost never make trades with those squads.

Enter: The Pittsburgh Pirates (although @GeorgesGhost claims that he would even trade "aj to plattsburgh for some mudbugs") from whom the Bombers have requested Garrett Jones in trade (along with a bucket-load of cash to pay his burdensome contract). And while the Bucs have said "no" to Jones, that's just an opening salvo. I will do a jig of joy should we ship Burnett out ... anywhere.

Mariners, using the excuse of 2 games vs Oakland to be played in Japan to start the season at the end of March. are the first team to report for Spring Training. Another nine days for the Yanks...

Watched the most homorobotic movie of all time last night. "Real Steal" looked ridiculous in the trailers that I kept having to see so I am not what possessed me to watch it last night other than there was little else in the Redbox. Whoo boy! What a stinker. Downright silly and overly predictable, this Rocky-wanna be should set up human/robot relations back decades. Makes "I, Robot" seem like just a happy excuse to fall asleep. Poor Richard Matheson having his source material made into such dreck. Boo. Hiss.

B.

Yes, yes-- I know you've been reading about this "soon to be published" book over and over again. But here's some evidence that I have really been working on it, or, rather: I've had other people working on the outside parts; the inside being all mine.

But that's the near ready cover work over there...

Crap! Okay apparently I can't get the artwork onto this page. Guess we will all have to wait until it's been published. Hear that before?


So, yeah-- Brian Cashman. The stalker story is getting rich. He, unlike the recently slipped and felled Josh Hamilton, had signed his contract extension which is good for the GM. Not so good are the reports from the seemingly crazy woman (there are 9 restraining orders against her including a number of family members, so she's not the best witness to anything) is claiming that Cashman knew a lot more about players usage of PEDs and steroids than what he let on. And while that does indeed sound possible, one really must consider the source, right?

Yanks just inked Russell Branyan to a minor-league contract and invited him to spring training. And while he may not be that big lefty DH bat they're looking for, he has been a monster at the new Yankee Stadium, punching out homers at an alarming clip and some monster shots too. If you can't beat 'em, sign 'em...

A week and a half until pitchers and catchers report. Bring on the baseball...

Cheers
B.

The anonymous, Yankee player quote about the Cashman situation summed it up well: “Can you imagine if the old man was alive and this happened?”

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/brian-cashman-dealing-lurid-details-article-1.1018333#ixzz1li6prGLh

And even though I tweet as the ghost of "the old man," even I am leaving the GM's personal business just that: personal business.  @GeorgesGhost

Apparently, between depositions, Cash is finding time to talk to potential lefty DH bats for the Yankee lineup. Currently, the money (and less than he'd take from a non-contender (it's funny that what sometimes burns the Yanks is being used to drive prices up, sometimes goes the other way) is on Raul Ibanez over friendly faces of Johnny Damon or Hideki Matsui. The belief being that Ibanez could still get some time in the OF which the Yankees clearly feel is not an option if either Damon or Matsui return to the fold.

You ask me, I'd rather go with Eric Chavez, who can spell both A-Rod at third and Texeira at first-base adequately in the latter and as a former Gold Glover in his former, full-time position. Thing with Chavez is that he does have a near-Nick Johnson-like ability to wind up on the DL. So there's that...

Less than 2 weeks until pitchers and catchers report. I haven't marked that on my calendar yet, but sure will be doing so soon. For me the starter's pistol for the new season is when I get the year's subscription renewal notice for the MLB package.

Oh, and if you're wondering what to get me for my birthday, note this on YOUR calendar: the anniversary of my birth coincides with the Yankee home opener. Yup...

Cheers,

Brian

Good morning to you all...

And yes I was in Florida a few weeks before the actual opening of Spring Training, but I am happy to report warm temperatures and blue skies. Play ball!

Biggest news of the week out of the Yankee camp was first that a woman was arrested and charged with stalking GM Brian Cashman. "Surprisingly" that bit of "news" was quickly followed by the announcement that Cash's wife was filing for divorce. Must be so nice to see that stuff get played out on the back of the NY Daily News, huh?

Of course, the backs and fronts of all the New York papers are filled with the GIANTS today as BIG BLUE yet again broke the hearts of New England with an underdog victory 21-17 over the Patsies... I had started watching the Giants religiously down the stretch in November; seeing both the bottoming out loss to Washington and then the triumphant march through the rest of the season to wind up with Eli Manning (who my new friend, Rachel calls, "Seriously. Dreamy," hoisting the MVP and Superbowl trophies.


Some cool news on the "Rose" front: a couple of the short stories (a little edited for both space and content) will be published in the Tel Aviv Post some time soon accompanied by illustrations by my friend, Mei-Tal. I am pretty psyched to be in print in that desert and the timing, as I continue to push that tome down its way too long journey down the birth canal, feels pretty inspiring. So there's that...

Okay, off into the sun and unseasonably warm temperatures that have followed me back to the upper Mid-West...

Cheers,
Brian

Find something else to do: this blog will be on hiatus for the week as I head to Florida to get the fields ready for Spring Training; approximately three weeks until pitchers & catchers report.

Not only did I finally get to see The Suicide Commandos, Minneapolis' original punk band last night, I got my much sought after t-shirt from the aforementioned band. Playing as part of the local radio station - The Current - birthday party, it was great to hear some songs that I haven't heard in well over a decade. My quip of the night? "Punk's not dead; it's just been eating too much cheese." I also (somewhat) silently intoned my wishes for the bald and gray members to "please put your caps back on."

Also on the bill were Haley Bonar, Simms and Polica, the latter I had actually heard - sort of - as the singer had sang the "first dance" song at some dear friends' wedding a few years back. Further proof that this is a small town? The guy standing in front of me in the packed-to-capacity crowd was the guy who was the previous tenant in the place in which I now live. He had been telling his girlfriend about Lucero all night long (they're coming to 1st Ave. in April!) so he was extra-excited to see me in the band's t-shirt and he was double-fisting his drinks, so I'll excuse his exuberance in seeing me and for hugging me perhaps thrice; at least he didn't say, "I love you man who lives in my old apartment!"

Anyway- have a good week; let me know if something happens off the field that should come to my attention.

Thanks,
Brian

Just over 3 weeks until pitchers & catchers report for spring training and I'm feeling like I am nearly ready; seems like the Yanks will be, too. Andruw Jones? Signed. Boone Logan? Signed. They say A-Rod is healthy again and that can help a whole bunch. The latest name being seriously kicked around for the quasi-vacant DH slot this week is, drum roll please: Raul Ibanez. I am sure the Bleacher Creatures will be ecstatic if only because "Rauuuuuuuuul" would be fun to chant from right-field.

Vastly different from last year, the Bosox off-season acquisitions don't scare anyone: Cody Ross? Couldn't even hit enough in San Francisco where they don't hit a lick. Speaking of the Giants, I had forgotten they'd traded from their surplus of starting pitching (they did lock up The Freak for 2 years and roughly $40M) Sanchez to KC for Melky Cabrera. If I were the Giants I'd be worried that Melky's going to be a bad influence on the Panda. I envision many late night burritos from the Mission and the two of them not hitting their weight.

Nice pictures out of the Motor City of Prince Fielder and his son; reminiscent of Prince with his father, Cecil during his Detroit hey-day.

Can the Mets finish below last place in the NL East this season? You have to think it's possible.

Giants will beat the Pats... again.

Tonight, I'll attend Harriet Brewery's 1-year anniversary party. A friend's band is playing; the close friends DJ collective as well although the local paper othan nly called them "and others," but that's better nothing, right?

Tomorrow night after waiting for 20 years, I'll get to see the Twin Cities' original punk band, The Suicide Commandos, at 1st Avenue for the cool local radio station's birthday party. They may be old (may?) but I expect an entertaining night.

Okay, time to nurse the cold...

Cheers
B.

Most of the normal for this time of year baseball news has been the pre-arbitration contract settlings which saw the Yanks ink Gardner, Joba and David Robertson for 2012; I know Russell Martin's contract should follow along this week too.

But with Fielder still just kicking around (he'll probably sign with the Nats now that the Rangers finalized with Darvish and probably don't have the $$ to chase him) and the major trades possibly done for until the summer, the baseball news that's been filling in the blanks last week was of the odder variety and the sad.

Most notably was the news that the Indians' pitcher, Fausto Carmona, is not who he said he was (that's a fake name) and he's also 3 years older than the Tribe thought. He got nailed when certain documents didn't match up and got arrested in his home country. Gotta give it to him for a good pen name and for shaving the years, but in these post 9/11 days of increased security and scrutiny, you wonder how many more guys will get nicked for such offenses.

Ryan Braun accepted his NL MVP in the same week that he went to the offices of baseball to plead his case about getting caught for PEDs and his potential 50-game suspension at the start of the season. I don't know if this isn't settled by mid-February if he will be permitted to attend spring training for the Brewers. One columnist on yahoo thought he shouldn't have accepted the award, but if he really believes the failed test was in error, why wouldn't he take what he says he earned? And if you're going to fight the charges, turning down the award would appear as if he were admitting guilt. I was pretty tired of all the PED news, but this case really does need to be watched.

And rather sad news came from the family of catcher, Gary Carter; it looks like he is heading home for hospice care. I do remember he was the first God-Squatter whose autograph I got back when I was a kid; I was a little surprised to see the "God Bless" signed on my card over his name, but now I'll return that sentiment to The Kid, "God Bless, Gary Carter."

Brian