And somehow, yet again, Sergio "Out of options" Mitre crawls closer to a spot on the 25-man roster. So, I wonder what unlucky™ player will, ineveitably, get bumped to AAA so he can waste a roster spot?

I can't believe it's been 14 years since the Jackson Melian signing. I can remember all the hype about his ability (and the story of his dad naming him after Reggie). Goes to show you how hard it is to project young "propsects".

[1] I don't get the Mitre fetish either. Maybe this is Cashman throwing a bone to Girardi? It looks like it could be between Mitre and Gaudin for the last bullpen/long man slot.

the way Cashman keeps going after ex players I wouldn't be surpised or disappointed if he traded Mitre (and cash) to the Indians for Shelley Duncan (the inexpensive right -handed platoon left fielder he's searching for).

[1] I understand your concern, but its January 7, not April 7, and $850K is peanuts. Its not guaranteed, its a minor league deal. To cut him loose is easy, and the cost is nothing. Color me completely unconcerned.

Of course, I think Mitre may have some upside, and I know you disagree, but I'm not going down that road on January 7th either. =)

[2] I remember when Melian and Wily Mo were the wave of the future in the OF. Then Melian was traded away, with Drew Hensen, and then Wily Mo was traded to get Hensen back. So much for the wave of the future.

I wonder, though admittedly its very hard to even wildly speculate with any accuracy, what would have happened if Cashman had been 100% in charge sometime before 2006.

wasn't there some horrible story one spring about how Jackson Melian's family had been killed in a car crash over that winter or something?

I could just be imagining this, but it jumps out at me when I hear his name.

[4] $850K is not peanuts when you're still paying Kei Igawa for roughly the same results you can expect from Mitre (his theoretical upside notwithstanding).

[4] It doesn't really change your main point, but the deal is a guaranteed major league contract. If the Yankees cut him and he clears waivers, they would be on the hook for $850,000 (minus the league minimum should he be signed later on).

I think the Yankees have been run better since 2006, but they were pretty successful beforehand too. Also, it's pretty noteworthy that the Yankees really haven't made many bad trades since the mid-1990s. On Cashman's ledger, the only two that stand out as being bad are the Lowell trade and the Lilly/Weaver swap.

[5] No...I think you are right. In fact, I think his father was killed in a accident while following the team bus, or something like that.

[8] yup, found it. Terrible story...and I think this was around the same time that D'Angelo Jimenez broke his neck, so we were really on a roll.

http://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/07/sports/baseball-one-moment-stands-frozen-forever.html

[6] Sunk cost, Sliced! Igawa is the sunkiest of sunk costs.

[5] Yes, I want to say it happened just after they watched him play in a pro (minor league) game for the first time.

Car wrecks also make me think of D'Angelo Jiminez, who messed up his shoulder one offseason just as it looked like he was getting it. The Yanks could have moved Soriano to LF in 2002 and played Jiminez at second base - or perhaps even done that in 2001 with Knoblauch wasn't hitting . . . another of those "what if?" scenarios.

[4] Yeah, sure, it's January 7. But they should have cut him loose last season, and they didn't. And they should not have bothered with arbitration, but they did. And now he has a contract an no options. It may be my faulty memory, but I seem to remember that other unworthies have cluttered the roster because they were "out of options."

The only question, in my mind, is how many innings the Yankees waste on him before his eventual and inevitable release.

Yankees and/or their family in car wrecks:
Billy Martin
Andre Robertson

(nah, that's not a thread I want to continue)

FWIW, Shelley Duncan signed with the Indians ... good luck Shelley.

[12] One of the papers recently had a great follow-up on the Robertson car wreck. A woman friend of Robertson's had been badly injured in the wreck, and the article looked at how both of their lives had been changed.

[10] I know, I know and I should be penalized for even mentioning the sunken one by name in good company. My sincerest apologies to all I've offended.

[14] And here it is: http://tinyurl.com/ycrwtg5

[15] I actually thought your point was very relevant. The Yankees are already paying Igawa $4mn per year to be an awful starter, so why pile on another $850K for Mitre.

I think of the André Robertson car crash every time I pass that part of the West Side Highway. It still creeps me out.

[17] My original point may be relevant, but Shaun also has a point that Igawa has been written off as a total loss, and therefore should not even be considered an option.
I maintain if the Yankees are willing to use Mitre, they should be willing to use Igawa, and expect roughly the same results.

Oh, awesome! It's always fun when a player who particularly irritates one specific Banterer signs up for another year with the club!
Now we must get Brian Bruney back.

Yo, thelarmis, I'm at your airport (in transit to Arizona).

Speaking of Yankee fetishes, has Sidney Ponson retired yet?

[20] :)

[21] Still unsigned, according to Cot's. You never know when Brian Sabean or Bill Smith needs a trusted veteran to fill out the pitching staff - though since both teams have already been down the Ponson road, perhaps they won't be interested this time.

Wait! I forget that Ed Wade still has a job. Ponson to Houston - you heard it here first.

[22] You act like some teams don't keep going back to the Ponson well.

[20] C'est moi??? : )

[23] So far, only the Orioles and the Yanks have ever "double-dipped" on Ponson, so the numbers are with me. I think Minnesota and the Giants will have to be pretty desperate to go there again. Texas we can safely rule out. KC? With Moore, you never know.

But plenty of other teams haven't even tried once yet! Besides Ed Wade, Omar loves him some washed up veteran pitching. Walt Jocketty might want to try Ponson again, and Doug Melvin needs pitching . . . someone will give Sir Sidney another chance.

[25] I'm saying I wouldn't be shocked to see Fudgie the Whale show up again with one of those teams that have double dipped.

Of course, I'm talking about the Orioles.

[26] That reminds me, has anyone tried that Turkey Hill Bronx Bomber Brownie Sundae ice cream? It's pretty good, actually, though they don't mix the ingredients around quite enough for my taste...

Anyone care to get a pool going on how long Meat Tray lasts?

I think some intrepid Banterite should start/complete a list of Banter Fetish Hates (BFHs). We need to know this to make teasing even easier around here.

Me, I buy the notion that TJ surgery takes a year plus and players DO show marked improvement sometimes after that point. Of course marked improvement in mitre may not mean a whole lot, but I'm not fazed by Cashman checking it out. The bottom of a pitching staff is never a pretty place.

[28] Gristle...

Mitre's gonna be one of those guys we'll waste time complaining about and by May 15th they'll be a distant memory.

That being said, a year ago I was saying the same thing about Berroa...so don't pay any attention to me.

[31] What is this "Berroa" thingy you speak of, eh?

When you think about it, alot of the people I complain about often do find a way to show up and suck, to the surprise of even me. As much as I joked about it, I never really thought we'd go back to Sidney Ponson. Or that Angel Berroa and Sergio Mitre would get as much time as they did

[33] And yet - the Yanks won it all anyway!

Not that such a result should ever justify the appearance of Angel Berroa on any team's major league roster ever again.

[20] welcome, and fly safely! if you have any delays or will have another layover here on the way back home, lemme know...