About the Off-Day: Meanderings of My Mind

About the Off-Day: Meanderings of My Mind

By Tim Kabel

April 11, 2025

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The season is under way. The Yankees have played 12 games so far and have a record of 7-5. It is still very early but there are genuine concerns with the starting rotation. The offense seems as if it will be productive on a regular basis with flashes of explosiveness. Yesterday was an off-day so there is no game to recap. Hence, I will now flit from topic to topic like the late, great George Foreman knocking out opponents in his heyday.

·      I am starting to view Giancarlo Stanton’s prospective return from the IL the way Archie Bunker viewed potential visits from Edith’s relatives. We don't know if and when Stanton will be back but, we do know a few things. It always takes him a very long time to get his swing and timing down. Even in the best of times, he was a very streaky player. It seems certain that he would have to complete a minor league rehab before joining the Major League team but, those rehabs are limited in duration. The question is what would happen when Stanton returned. Aaron Boone always prefers to use veterans. He holds Stanton in very high regard, and I don't think he would hesitate to insert him into the lineup as the regular designated hitter. What if Ben Rice is still hitting with authority? I think there would be an outcry from the fans and potentially the media if Rice were simply thrown away as if he were at a wedding. Now, we really don't have to get worked up about it yet because Stanton’s presence is not even looming yet. It's more of a whisper or a shadow but, it is something to think about.

·      Scientists have discovered a way to essentially bring the dire wolf back from extinction. Perhaps those same scientists could work their magic on DJ LeMahieu’s swing.

·       My kitten, Clancy, is now six months old. He is already the biggest cat in the house. He comes when he is called and is learning to fetch. He likes to find places where he can sprawl out under a window and bask in the sunlight. Sometimes he surprises me because he seems to understand instructions that I give him. Maybe it's just luck but when I tell him to hop up on a chair or the hamper, he will do it. My wife’s Siamese cat, Luna, who doesn't like anyone, adores him, and follows him everywhere. She even ventures out of our bedroom to find Clancy on occasion and hisses at the other cats before returning to the bedroom.

·      When Clarke Schmidt rejoins the Yankees’ starting rotation in the next week or so, someone will need to go. First, someone will need to be removed from the starting rotation and second, someone will need to be removed from the 26-man roster. It will most likely be the same person. It is possible that the Yankees could shift someone from the starting rotation to the bullpen and jettison a bullpen arm from the team. The three primary candidates to be removed from the team when Schmidt returns are Marcus Stroman, Will Warren, and Carlos Carrasco. Stroman is the least likely to go because he would have to be either traded or released and at this point, the Yankee seem unlikely to do that. Will Warren has options and could be sent to Scranton. However, he is far more deserving of continued opportunities at the Major League level than is Carrasco. As far as moving Carrasco to the bullpen, he would not seem to be an improvement over anyone currently in the bullpen. After all, Brent Headrick was sent to Scranton after pitching 5.1 scoreless innings in which he allowed one hit and struck out nine batters. He was graded on a very tough scale, wasn't he? It seems that Carlos Carrasco’s days as a Yankee are numbered but, stranger things have happened. If you don't believe me, ask Adam Ottavino.

·      We are not even halfway through 2025 and it has already been a tough year in terms of passings. One of my best friends lost her father recently and one of my very dear friends from college died suddenly as well. On the national level, several people I admired also passed this year including Gene Hackman, Peter Yarrow, George Foreman, Bob Uecker, and Val Kilmer. Speaking of Val Kilmer, I always enjoyed his work. I thought he deserved an Academy Award for Tombstone. One of my favorite movies of his was The Ghost and the Darkness, as it was based on a true story, I found it to be quite interesting and entertaining. If you've never seen it, check it out. By the way, Clancy will not be quite as large as the lions of Tsavo. However, my wife does want to buy a small lion’s mane for him to wear on Halloween.

·      Watching Jazz Chisholm, Jr. struggle with the cold reminds me of the characters in the winter of Montana in 1923. I guess Jazz didn't see much snow growing up in the Bahamas.

·      Whenever I hear updates that DJ LeMahieu is participating in baseball activities or is getting close to a return, I think those reports should be set to the theme from Jaws. I am skeptical regarding what if any impact LeMahieu would have on this team. After all, he was injured in one game in Spring Training. He will require a very lengthy rehab process and what if anything he has left is uncertain. I would not be surprised if he never actually makes it back to the team. Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza are playing quite nicely right now. We all know that if LeMahieu returns, Aaron Boone will insert him into the lineup immediately. It would be better if we never get to that point.

·      I wrote a short story in a day last week. The editing and proofreading of it takes a bit longer since I like to get a draft on the computer and then go back and rework it. I'm alternating between working on a novel, another novel that is about to be published, and other, shorter pieces. Sometimes when I want a break from one of the longer stories, I switch to something shorter that won't sidetrack me too much. I always enjoyed working, particularly at my job at the child protection agency but, there is a certain joy that comes from writing that is hard to describe. If it were easy for me to describe, I might be a better writer.

·      I was a history major in college and still love history. I pay attention to politics, and I admire people from both sides of the political aisle. I always felt that our government works best when people work together. I think that's the case with most things. However, I have always appreciated humor and I can pretty much guarantee that I will steal the line from Senator Kennedy of Louisiana referencing another politician by saying “She is the reason they put instructions on shampoo bottles.” I will keep that one in my quiver and pull it out on special occasions.

·      I think Pablo Reyes’s days as a Yankee are numbered. He only has six at bats this season and he has made a couple of errors already. Since Oswald Peraza has been hitting, and is a much better fielder, there is no need to have Reyes on the roster. If the Yankees find a better alternative, he will be gone very soon.

·      I'm not exactly sure where I stand on this whole issue of “un-extincting” species such as the dire wolf. I can see the arguments on both sides but, when I see the actual animals, it is hard to object to them. That doesn't mean that I want to look out my window and see a saber tooth tiger sitting on my deck but, there may be positive effects to bringing species back from extinction. It seems likely that the woolly mammoth may be roaming the earth in the relatively near future. I have read that there may be certain benefits to that including slowing the process of global warming. Again, I don't want one in my backyard, but in certain controlled environments it would be fascinating to see. This could also help preserve species which are currently endangered.

·      Clarke Schmidt threw four scoreless innings in a minor league rehab start yesterday. That is wonderful news, as his return will only improve the team. If he remains healthy for the remainder of the season, the Yankees’ prospects for making the playoffs will improve drastically.