GEE, REALLY … media, fans and apparently other baseball execs are outraged that Yankees GM Brian Cashman had the unmitigated gall to prefer Troy Tulowitzki over icon Derek Jeter when negotiating deals in 2010.
Yeah, that crazy kook, why in the hell would he have wanted a better player who also happened to be 11 years younger? Oh, we all know DJ was the beloved “Captain,” but even back then he was nowhere near the talent Tulo was and still is five years later. Better range, better pop, better return on investment at that point.
The numbers don’t lie. In fact, the difference between the two is staggering. Even with playing 80 less games than the super-durable Jeter over the course of 2010-2014, TJ produced 73 more homers (113-36), 118 more RBI (361 to 243) and just three fewer runs scored (346 to 349). The on-base and slugging percentage gaps are too embarrassing to even go over.
Hmmm, maybe instead of wondering what Cashman was thinking, we should be commending him for actually thinking.
IMPOSSIBLE TASK … it’s not as if we don’t enjoy all-time lists, but sometimes it’s just too hard to nail things down. The Football Writers Association of America came out with its 75th anniversary team Thursday and, well, as the saying goes, you’re never going to make everyone happy. Oddly enough, the weakest position on it may be quarterback, with Roger Staubach (really?), Tim Tebow (umm) and Tommie Frazier (WTF?!!) as the first-, second- and third-teamers. Sorry, but no Doug Flutie means no legitimacy right there.
HARD 2 BELIEVE … but the Cleveland Browns new uniforms didn’t have me on the verge of upchucking Thursday night. Perhaps it was the dog pooh-colored pants offsetting the retina-burning orange up top that helped to bring me back down to the mustard. Not sure, but they almost “worked” for me.
HARD 2 BELIEVE 2 … that the Browns’ dumbing-down Johnny Manziel’s skill set actually appears to be working. While Cleveland’s coaching braintrust takes away part of what makes Johnny Football … well, Johnny Football, the young somehow seems to be tailoring his game for the NFL. Sort of.
PARTY’S OVER … while it seems like just yesterday that Robert Griffin III was so good that us OR him calling him RG3 wasn’t the least bit ridiculous or pretentious, the former Heisman winner just cannot seem to stay healthy, or on his feet, anymore. Another game, another ailment? Dude, what the …
Jack Kerwin | [email protected]