Humans evolve.

"Not surprisingly, new Yankees reliever Adam Ottavino was asked about Babe Ruth in his first interview since signing with his hometown club on January 13."

Not surprisingly, people are stupid.


"That comment, along with the one in which Ottavino claimed Ruth would be a .140 hitter with eight homers a season as a present-day player, led to a lot of angry comments from fans on social media."

People are stupid, exhibit B.


Most agree that Babe Ruth was the best baseball player of all time and certainly the most important.

It was also almost 100 years ago.

Like all others, Ruth's superiority is in comparison to his peers.

Jesse Owens ran the 100-meter dash in 10.3 seconds, rattling Hitler in 1936. In 2019, that time is probably good enough to make varsity in most high schools.

Ottavino wasn't disrespecting Babe Ruth ... and so what if he was, anyway?


"On Friday, a day after the three-year, $27-million contract that Ottavino signed on Jan. 13 became official with a passed physical, the Brooklyn native admitted that he probably shouldn’t have taken a shot at Ruth while hammering home his point about how much baseball has changed over the last century."

It sure has.

HOF Voting

Andruw Jones: 10 gold gloves, 62.8 WAR, 7.5% HOF votes.

Omar Vizquel: 11 gold gloves, 45.6 WAR, 42.8% HOF votes.

Jones also had 10 playoff HRs (vs. 0) and a 150-point higher playoff OPS.

Vizquel stole many more bases and that's the only notable way in which the guy getting 42.8% of the votes was superior to the guy getting 7.5% of the votes.

"Lost in all the Internet outrage" ... which was self-inflicted ...

Schilling is a borderline HOF candidate.

"One of the few truly divisive candidates for enshrinement who were never associated with performance-enhancing drugs, Schilling’s Hall hopes have not been helped by his somewhat frequent online indiscretions."

That is a very odd thing to say.

For better or for worse, about half the baseball HOF candidates end up being "divisive."

Al Oliver is divisive. Tim Raines is divisive. Keith Hernandez is divisive. Jeff Kent is divisive.

The list of divisive candidates is almost endless.

 

Baseball fans like to gaze at their navels and think about these things. 

Kevin Brown had five fewer wins than Schillilng and one fewer bloody sock than Schilling ... and Brown only got 2% of the HOF votes.

Maybe Brown could have gotten more attention if he had put on a MAGA cap and blogged?

 

"A right-leaning political firebrand whose failed video-game company cost Rhode Island taxpayers millions, Schilling has created headlines in his post-playing days by gleefully sharing specious xenophobic, transphobic and conspiratorial memes."

I personally think Schilling belongs in the HOF, but it's close.

I think most of the hesitance is based on his numbers and not on his character.

Hard to look into the future, of course.

I generally agree.

The retorts don't make sense.

Spoiled Yankee fans are thinking too hard and nitpicking. I'm not even sure why so many fans spend so much time playing GM and trying to efficiently spend the Steinbrenners' money.

I wouldn't say the Yankees will "regret" doing anything. The Yankees might win three World Series in a row.

But, unless there's a better player out there they're saving up for, why not sign Machado or Harper?

Makes sense to me.

I don't think Machado will play SS with the Yankees.

This is an article with good information that the average fan can't get.

Sonny Gray is a True Yankee and irreplaceable.

This guy is submitting a blank ballot.

It really strains the limits of people taking themselves too seriously.

Just get somebody in there unanimously, then we can end this nonsense.

A unanimous vote for Mariano does not mean that Mariano is the greatest baseball player ever.

It means the the writers collectively ended this hand-wringing garbage.

I don't always agree with Mike Lupica.

But I think Mussina is an obvious HOFer. Mussina was a dominant pitcher for an extended period of time. I think his dominance was overlooked partially because, as Lupica mentions, he was overshadowed by some of his power pitching contemporaries. Also, I just think the fans are enamored with strikeout pitchers.

Machado in Pinstripes?

I'll believe it when I see it, but it's amazing how few Yankee fans want this to happen.

I didn't think it would happen and I'm still not 100% sure.

But the writers have sources and that information should count for something.

• This signing will not preclude the Yankees improving other areas of their team, such as starting pitching.
• Wait for the numbers before declaring the contract too onerous.
• Imagine this lineup if Sanchez has a bounce back year. If Stanton rebounds a bit after getting used to the AL pitchers and getting more comfortable in pinstripes. If Judge is healthy all year. 
• If Frazier and Bird get healthy and productive ... that may be second-level wishful thinking ... they have more in common with Rob Refsnyder than with Mike Trout ... but if the Yankees sign Machado, you can have pre-season sweet dreams of 950 runs.

Cashman spoke too soon.

"YOU START TO WONDER IF … the Yankees will actually end up holding on to Gray as a sixth starter/swingman type, considering the state of the rotation. Nah, just kidding. The chances Gray sticks in pinstripes seem infinitesimal. It would look bad on general manager Brian Cashman to talk about how Gray can’t pitch in New York, how the Yankees are done trying to fix him, how he expects to trade Gray … and then he actually keeps him."

I would say the chances are higher than infinitesimal.

By the way, in case you didn't already know, Didi Gregorius is the shortstop for the Yankees.

Were he to join the Yankees, Machado would play third base.


For the fans clamoring to witness the emergence of Andujar firsthand, please keep in mind that, in the best imaginable scenario, Andujar develops into a player similar to Machado.

Also keep in mind that Andujar is a horrible defensive third baseman.


What would the Yankees do with all their infielders?

Maybe Andujar would get traded for a defensive catcher and Sanchez would learn how to play first base.

Or Andujar would play some first base and left field.

Because if you're unwilling to exchange Andujar for Machado ... are you  seriously unwilling to exchange Gardner for Machado? Or Voit for Machado?

It doesn't require much imagination to move players around:

1. Hicks - CF
2. Stanton - LF
3. Machado - 3B
4. Judge - RF
5. Sanchez - DH
6. Gregorius - SS
7. Torres - 2B
8. Andujar - 1B
9. Romine - C

Who's the shortstop while Didi is on the DL?

Who cares?

Bat him ninth and the team still scores 7 runs every game.


Yankee fans are spoiled, simple as that.

This absurd backlash occurs every time the Yankees pursue great players.

It would be amazing if the Mets signed Machado.

Machado would suddenly be everyone's favorite.

Like everyone suddenly forgot that Cano doesn't hustle. Or that Cano was suspended for steroid use:

"And you know who is on record as thinking that the Yankees and the new No. 13 might be a really good fit? The old No. 13, Alex Rodriguez himself, who said this to the New York Post not long ago:

'I haven't had a chance to talk to Hal [Steinbrenner] or [Brian] Cashman, but I know ownership is as hungry as ever to put a great product and winner on the field. And he's a great player.'

So was Rodriguez. Back in '04, the Yankees were going to add a star like him to their infield and they were going to win a lot of World Series and play in even more. They played in one."

They both wore number 13.

So ... I've got nothing.


Lupica presents all this as a warning. 

As if ARod didn't work out for the Yankees.

It would be a dream come true if Machado signed with the Yankees, sold out the Stadium, won two MVPs, doubled the value of the franchise, hit 350 HRs, and maybe even gave the Daily News sports staff something to write about.

Few see the irony.

All the years and wasted ink of faux outrage when the Yankees spent a lot of money to buy Championships.

The Red Sox are, like, gritty Nathan Eovaldi putting on the greatest pitching performance in the history of baseball.

He could never be a .500 mercenary who has seldom lived up to his potential or his paycheck.

Though he pitched pretty well at times for the Yankees, I must admit.

Right ... and what happened to the Death Star?

In, like, three movies in a row?

The importance of closers.

Heard one of my favorite theories the other day on WFAN. 

Guy calls up WFAN and points out that the Mets blew 15 saves last season. They plugged that gap by signing a supposedly great closer. The Mets also lost the division by approximately 15 games (13, actually).

Add it up, and one player will give the Mets the NL East title.

This illustrates a surprisingly common misunderstanding of what saves are, what blown saves are, and how things work in the real world.

I agree.

We won't know for a while, but what is all the hubbub about a .500 pitcher?

And when we say "no," we mean, "he isn't ARod, so no one cares."

“If I had any concern about what Robbie's physical state or performance ability going forward is, I would not have made the deal,” Van Wagenen said. "I do think it's important remembering, Robbie was not suspended for a PED. He was suspended for a diuretic."

Cranberry juice.

He was suspended by MLB because he drank too much cranberry juice.

How was he supposed to know cranberry juice is a banned substance?

OK, OK.

I think we should all collectively stop pretending that we care about players hustling.

Melky drove me crazy.

Cano drove me crazier.

Still, it wasn't a deal breaker. As long as they're productive due to steroids, the fans will embrace them.

Machado is insincerely spinning and we are supposed to be alarmed by his immature behavior and commentary.

Get over it.

If you sign Machado, you will get a player who tanks it from time to time and drives in 125 runs.

Reggie Jackson even chimed in and said not hustling doesn't cut it in New York.

This Reggie Jackson.

I'll take Harper and Macahado, thanks.

A lot of great ballplayers have bad attitudes.

A lot of Championship ballplayers have bad attitudes.

The fans will forgive them if they win.



This silly yearly ritual of acting shocked at the large size of the pending free agent contracts.

Gimme a break.


I don't expect the Yankee to sign Harper or Machado ... I expect they'll stick with the rookie of the year runner-ups and spend money on starting pitching.

We'll all find out together in October if that's a wise decision.

Five-game series, one win apiece.

Here's the new guy to win Game Three.

If he wins, we're all happy.

If he doesn't, he's a bust.

Nobody knows if he will and no pitcher on Earth can guarantee a victory.