About Spring Training: Wait a Minute
By Tim Kabel
March 15, 2025
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The other day, I received a text telling me that I had two days to pay my outstanding E-ZPass tolls or I could face serious consequences, including fines, penalties, and possible legal action. I felt very uneasy and started to worry about those possible consequences. Then, I remembered that I am homebound, and I haven't driven a car out of state in five years.
Common sense prevailed, and I did not make payments for fees that I never incurred. I took a moment and actually thought about what I was reading. I applied logic and common sense and realized that someone was attempting to scam me.
On a similar note, it was reported Thursday night that Giancarlo Stanton may return to the lineup for the New York Yankees by Memorial Day. Memorial Day of 2025? Yes, that Memorial Day. The Memorial Day that's about seventy days from today? Yes, that Memorial Day. The Memorial Day that's exactly two months away from Opening Day? Yes, that Memorial Day.
Giancarlo Stanton has not swung a bat at all in about two months. I don't even know if he has picked one up. He is not currently doing any baseball related activities. Yet, he is reportedly in extreme pain. In other words, it hurts all the time. It hurts when he is doing nothing.
Presumably, it hurts when he's sitting in a chair watching television. It is like Green Eggs and Ham: It hurts when Stanton is in a boat with a goat or in a box with a fox. Having experienced pain, I can tell you that's not a lot of fun. Stanton has received three rounds of platelet rich plasma injections in both elbows. Remember, it's not just one elbow that is in excruciating pain, it is both. There have been no reports of improvement since he received those injections. Surgery is still an option. If Stanton does have surgery, he will miss the entire season. On top of all that, it was just reported that Stanton has a chronic calf condition, I’m not sure if injury is the right word because it's an ongoing situation that causes him discomfort and limits his activities. It could be something that plagues him for the rest of his career.
There have been some conflicting reports regarding all of this. However, the essence is that Stanton hasn't swung a bat in two months but is still in excruciating pain. On top of all that, Stanton now has disclosed a chronic injury to his calf. Apparently, he has more calf troubles than the folks at the Yellowstone Ranch.
When you add all that together, does it seem realistic to anyone, anywhere that Stanton will return to the lineup by Memorial Day? It takes him two weeks to recover from a bad dream for goodness’ sake. This is one of the problems with the Yankees. They release these ridiculous statements and expect the fans to believe them. It's as if they're asking us to pay for tolls that we never incurred. I'm not saying that Stanton definitely won't return this year, although I believe that is very likely. I am leaving the door open for the possibility of a return, but I am not throwing open all the doors and windows and putting up a sign that says, “Open House”.
Stanton has a very aggressive and violent swing. To go from doing nothing while still experiencing excruciating pain to swinging as hard as he does on a regular basis logically seems like it would take a lot more than seventy days. We all know how this is going to work.
Stanton will start swinging at a reduced rate of power for very short periods of time. He will also take a day or two off in between. He will gradually work his way up to swinging at a moderate level of power. Finally, he might be ready to swing a bat in an actual game. To get to that point will take a great deal of time. Also be advised that at any point in this process, Stanton could shut the whole thing down by saying that his elbows, or his calf, or his feelings are hurt.
I would be shocked if Stanton returned to the Yankees’ lineup by Memorial Day. I would be surprised if he returned at all this season. I would not be surprised if he never played for the Yankees again. We need to take a minute here and consider carefully what we are being told. It makes no sense and is totally unrealistic. Therefore, it is unlikely to happen. Just because it was reported, doesn't mean it is accurate. Perhaps by Memorial Day, Stanton will have recovered sufficiently to be able to sit at the stadium and hoist a hot dog to his mouth with his injured arm. That seems reasonable. Playing for the Yankees by Memorial Day, not so much. Well, I had better go now so I can pay my E-ZPass tolls.
No matter when he returns.... his impact this year will be uneventful... and like you, I think he is done.
You reminded me of when Dr. Seuss (Theodore Geisel) died in 1991. SNL had the Rev. Jesse Jackson come on Weekend Update to read Green Eggs and Ham in his preaching voice. It is brilliant, one of the funniest things I think the show has ever done. So I looked it up just now to enjoy it again. If you've never seen it (or even if you have), and you like Dr. Seuss's work, you're in for a treat.
when concluding that he reports concerning Stanton's health and abilities are entirely unreliable, and that conclusion about the reports is all too reliable, one is left with nothing but doubt.
one might ask oneself
"How can I be sure, in a world that's constantly changing,
about the true severity of Stanton's injury and pain?"
" How can I be sure about the effectiveness of the medical procedures and treatment?"
" What if those rascals are making things out to be worse than they are in order to spring some big ol' Willis Reed moment with Stanton dragging a bat into the box and then blasting one into orbit, grimacing alllllll the way home?"
I've seen this spam too. It had a URL that looked like EZ-PASS.COM.SOMETHING.COM/somethingelse which seems legit.
(Warning: tech explanation approaching)
In this case, look from the left for the first instance of the slash / (or a question mark.) Step backwards to see the real domain - in this case, something.com The presence of ez-pass.com is a ruse to throw you off. In tech parlance, that ex-pass.com is actually a subdomain - a part of the something.com domain, not a site that stands alone. Since something.com is NOT ez-pass.com that means this URL is BS.
E-Z Pass.. Are you sure it's not an HOA play? 😁
As far as time lines for both Gil and Stanton. Sometimes between the ASB and right after the trade deadline.