Spring fling and first ‘game’.

It’s been a while since I’ve posted. Spring Training has gone really well for the Yankees so far. Andy Pettitte has handeled the HGH situation with class. He faced the music, and as a result, all is calm now and he’s back on the mound with the support of his manager and teammates. Everyone is healthy too. No hammy strains or groin pulls, or oblique pulls and back spasms to report.

It’s so far so good for Joe Girardi. He’s different. He’s tougher. He works them hard. The guys all have to run a lot and workout in other ways as well. Girardi is also handling the media very well. The thing about Torre always was that he knew the right things to say and do at sensitive times. JoeG seems to have picked some of that up from Joe too. FOr example, when Andy had to face the media, Joe G made sure Mo, Posada, and Jeter were there sitting down. That calmed down Andy. You could tell and he expressed he appriciated it. I think I read a quote from him where he sounded pleased and said, “Hey, my boys are all here”. Things like that matter. Torre had the magic touch, now JoeG has to use it a bit too.

The youngins are having fun, fitting in, and creating excitement and chemistry like we haven’t had since 1998. Mike Mussina’s locker was purposely situtated next to Ian Kennedy’s. Later on, Mussina urged Hughes’ be moved there as well. Mussina, as the senior member of the rotation, has really been mentoring the kids. It’s not just about baseball; he bonds with them like a big brother. Unfortunetly, Mussina’s locker is in a dark corner of the room..so Mussina asked ‘for a better view’ and got it. Now his locker has a picture of a window with a view of the water with a boat in it. He’s decoarated that with the help of his teammates, by adding a pane, curtains, a picture or two of himself, a signed baseball, and some of Hughes’ and Kennedy’s stuff. It’s pretty cute.

If I’m gonna make an entry about this Spring Training, I cannot leave out Joba. He talks to everyone. He’s one giant ball of chemistry himself. He’s talking to the hispanic players, the Japanese players, everyone! He challenged Moose to video games and Moose turned him down, so then he challenged Moose to Ping Pong, and Moose sorta ignored him. Joba jokingly told Moose that maybe he hadn’t heard him, because he’s old and with age, the hearing goes first. Mussina turned around and promply added with a smirk, “I hear everything you say, I hear everything you think.” We believe you Mike, it’s a Stanford thing.

A-Rod and Jeter have been patching up their relationship. The two had lunch together and seem much mroe at ease with one another. Meanwhile, ‘old guy’ Jeter has changed his off-season workout system, so he’s come back in the best shape of his career. JoeG has complimented him on it, and so has fitness freak A-Rod, predicting Jeter will win an MVP. Jeter responded by saying he’d rather win the series. That’s why we love you buddy.

Some of the other guys who’re in better shape than last year include Brian Bruney, Phil Hughes, Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon, and Bobby Abreu. These 5 have lost weight and gained agility. Everyone seems incredibly motivated this year. The chemistry and friendship between them is just fantastic. LaTroy Hawkins, the newest Yankee, walked around in a “Joba Rules’ t-shirt. Kennedy, Chamberlain, and Hughes regularly hang out along with other guys like Marquez, Horne and Jackson.

The Boss has paid a few visits to his boys (not Hal n’ Hank). Hank has mentioned that the Cashman contract extension will “just happen”. That’s good news for Cash. Back in the Bronx, the new ballpark is taking shape and looking like  the majestic cathedtral of baseball it should be. It’s simply magnificent. I think the facade will all be up before April. They’re moving at an incredile pace.

The Yankees will play their first game today. It’s an interaquad game with 2 teams within the Yankees. On a side note, old men of pitching Mariano Rivera and Mike Mussina are given freedom to pitch whenever they wantm have BPs wen they want and rest when they want. As a result, Mo might only pitch on road ST games. There is a game Friday against U-South Florida. The first spring training game is against the Phillies. These games will quickly become very boring, and we’ll begin to crave the real deal. Don’t worry, that’s not too far off either.