Sunday, November 18, 2007

EASY COME, EASY GO.

I thought we escaped disaster when Posada re-signed with the Yankees, and when A-rod didn’t have every team lining up outside his door with gold, frankincense and myrrh, when I stopped hearing the words “Ronnie Paulino” mentioned as though it was some kind of sure thing.

I’ll make the obligatory, “Ah, Yorvit, we hardly knew ye,” comment that someone surely has made besides me already. But what I do say is: what, exactly, HAPPENED? And - now what?

And the dreaded David Eckstein discussions are happening, again. (I would like to know what the Mets’ standard tour of Greenwich, CT, for prospective team members consists of, exactly. And there’s a joke somewhere about Greenwich still being restricted and Mr. Eckstein having to constantly explain that he’s NOT Jewish, and Gentlemen’s Agreement but I haven’t found it yet.)

I do not want David Eckstein. And I realize that it’s hypocritical because the things I value in, say, Paul Lo Duca and Luis Castillo, the grit (to use a baseball cliche) and the determination and the showing up to play are what have made David Eckstein successful. I’m not even sure it’s because he’s one of The Guys Who Beat Us In 2006 (and I have to say, this is one of the things about being a baseball fan that is still weird to contend with. I don’t know how y’all do this for years, because I sure as heck hold grudges). I mean, what is it about David Eckstein except that he’s available?

I feel better that I am not the only one who does not want Eckstein on their team, either.

We are off to Boston for two days to see Springsteen, and plan on going on the Fenway tour on Monday - even if it does snow. TBF was there a few years ago when Springsteen did play there, and as he put it, “I walked everywhere they would let me, and a few places they definitely didn’t.” Friends of ours smuggled in spice jars to get dirt from the infield. TBF claims he has some grass, somewhere. It’s not very baseball-y to do this in the winter but I would rather do it on a random Monday in November than during the height of tourist season.