I Was Going To Apologize....

About a number of things...namely my delinquence in updating this blog. But I have to get a couple of things that I need to get off my chest.

I'm sorry, but I can't get a hard-on over Clemens coming back. Yeah, I know he's a great teammate and his presence in that locker room will help our staff immensely. I wish I was a fly on the wall when Hughes and Wang are picking his brain. You saw what he did for Andy Pettitte so you hope those two are smart enough to listen to whatever he imparts. And you have to love the angst and disgust the announcement has created with all the infidels in the baseball universe.

But the guy is a friggin mercenary. I'll never forget the way he strung everyone along with the whole retirement thing in 2003...only to join Pettitte in Houston. Or the ridiculous deal he made with them in terms of traveling with the team. Or waiting until mid-season to come back last year, making nearly $20 mil for four months work. Now I'm supposed to act like Carla Gugino is in my bed naked because this gun for hire has decided to grace us with his presence? Bitch, please.

But Peter Gammons said something during the Sunday night game that explains why Cashman and company made this move. He said that it's hard to have a great bullpen without good starting pitching. Our bullpen is running on empty right now. What Wang did Saturday and Rasner did today is encouraging. And getting Moose back will only help matters. But I went into this season thinking that we had some of the best arms that we've had in a long time in our bullpen. Now we can get some rest for Proctor, Vizcaino and company.

It also takes some pressure off of Torre obviously. Joe has never been the greatest in-game strategist and April exposed that. No, you can't blame him for the injuries to the starters. But there were a couple of instances where the moves he made blew up in his face...and he had other options. Friday night was example. Either take Igawa out before the fifth begins or let him take his lumps. He blew the lead, so let him take loss as well instead of throwing the guys in the pen to the lions. He finally caught on to that concept with Myers at the end of the game, but by then, it was too late. I would rather blow a couple of games early in the year rather than going to the pen late in August and having nothing to go to during a pennant race. Who cares that Boston is in first in May? I know I don't.

The lineup will score enough runs to win on most nights. But Joe has to do a better job in putting these guys in a position to win when the opportunity presents itself. I don't like playing Monday morning QB anymore than you guys like reading this. But that's why he gets paid the big bucks and the money that I plop down for season tickets gives me the right to complain.

One more thing on the Clemens move, I hope that when Hughes gets back, that he will have a place somewhere in the rotation. Put Igawa in the 'pen. Cut your losses with Pavano. But I think that the Young Buck benefits more from being up here watching Clemens and company work rather than being in Scranton. Let him take his lumps up here as the fifth starter or ocassional bullpen guy since you can never have too many arms there. I want to see what this guy can do. And I can think of no better tutor than Clemens. With respect to the guys in Scranton, what can they teach this kid that Moose, Rocket, Andy and Gator can't? You're talking about over 900 wins and 8 Cy Youngs worth of experience in that dugout.

Listening to John Kruk and Steve Phillips makes me realize how much I miss Harold Reynolds. Idiots.

I guess I still owe all of you an apology of sorts. I'll get around to it someday...