Are the New York Yankees at a crossroads? Will the start of the 2013 season mark the beginning of a new era for the Bronx Bombers?
Now that Major League Baseball has wrapped up for the season, it's never too early to start looking ahead, especially since there's no NHL hockey to obscure the view.
When you look at the Yankees, you can't help but wonder whether the iconic team's Big Three - Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Alex Rodriguez - will still be wearing the pinstripes when the team gathers in Florida next March.
The Yankees had the American League's best record during 2012, but their playoffs ended with a whimper - four straight losses to the Detroit Tigers in the AL Championship Series. Jeter didn't finish that game after suffering a broken ankle while falling awkwardly after scampering to his left for a ground ball. He's 38, and the ankle repair might take four or five months. He's doubtful to start the season.
Rivera, undoubtedly the game's best relief pitcher of all time (and absolutely amazing in the post-season), missed most of the 2012 season after tearing his ACL during a freak ball-shagging exercise in early May. He's 43 years old - definitely doubtful about returning in '13.
And then there's A-Rod, the poster boy for overpaid, underperforming athletes who has five years remaining on a mega deal that pays him around $23 million annually. He was so ineffective in the playoffs that ignominiously, he was benched for two of the four games against Detroit. His playoff record is atrocious and embarrassing, but he'll be getting that $23 million each year through 2017. If you're a Yankee hater, it couldn't happen to a better team.
Maybe it's time for Jeter and Rivera to say au revoir to baseball and start the five-year countdown to their election to the Hall of Fame. If they retired together, they could be elected to the Hall together - and they would both be automatics, in the mould of the Babe, Mickey and Joltin' Joe. That would be quite a spectacular induction ceremony in Cooperstown in 2018.
As for A-Rod? Well, he's just going to have to wallow in his money and on-field embarrassment while the Yankee brass tries to pawn him off on somebody willing to take a chance on an aging superstar with a big name, a big contract and little pop in his bat.
Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: "A world-record 35 consecutive handsprings were uncorked by: a) a 16-year-old girl, on a Texas football field; b) Alex Rodriguez, upon remembering he has the Yankees on the hook for $114 million the next five years.
Perry again: "Not that the Yankees are trying to get rid of Alex Rodriguez or anything, but rival GMs are suddenly getting baseballs in the mail with the Yankees' phone number scrawled on them."
CBS's David Letterman, on the latest air-quality study: "They said New York's air has more chemicals in it than Lance Armstrong."
Steve Harvey, in his weekly "Bottom 10": "Transactions: ACTRESS EVA LONGORIA - Put N.J. Jets QB Mark Sanchez on waivers as her boyfriend."
Retired pitcher Jamie Moyer, on the last time he hit a batter intentionally: "Maybe in the minor leagues. With my velocity, they would pick it up and say 'Hey, you dropped something.'"
Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle: (Prince) Fielder is 5-foot-11 and 275 pounds. He runs well for a vending machine."
Ostler again: "Justin Verlander falls out of bed pumping high 90s. I saw valet parking attendants Wednesday driving faster than Barry Zito's fastball."
R.J. Currie of sportsdeke.com: "Canadian researchers have successfully tested underwear that jolts the buttocks with electricity. Sadly, it's too late to help the Winnipeg Blue Bombers."
Another one from Currie: "Eagles quarterback Michael Vick revealed he now has a dog. He took it out to play fetch and three of the sticks were intercepted."
Times reader Bill Littlejohn, on Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk's recent DUI arrest: "Officers said he failed the field sobriety test when he tried to wave himself fair."
Texans defensive tackle J.J. Watt, miked up by NFL Films during last Sunday's game, to 5-foot-8 Ravens running back Ray Rice: "I've eaten burritos bigger than you."
Comedy writer Bob Mills, on commissioner Bud Selig's request to cut alcohol consumption in baseball clubhouses: "Most teams have more players in AA than Triple-A."
Ian Hamilton of the Regina Leader-Post: "A referee penalized a Dallas-area middle school football team because its band was playing too loudly. So now the sport has a concussion problem and a percussion problem?"
Perry again: "Rejected Tour de France ad slogan: 'You can't spell pedal without P-E-D.'"
Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times, recalling when one of Notre Dame coach Frank Leahy's players got six teeth knocked out: "When the player balked at returning to the game, Leahy asked if he was there to play football or eat a sandwich."
Care to comment? E-mail brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca
