About the Off-Season: Meanderings of My Mind

About the Off-Season: Meanderings of My Mind

By Tim Kabel

March 16, 2024

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In less than two weeks, the regular season will open with the Yankees playing their first game on March 28th against the Houston Astros. We are running out of time and with the injuries the Yankees have suffered lately, there is a lot of scrambling to do. This will be my penultimate Meanderings of My Mind article because we will have regular games to discuss. The only exception would be if I write after an off-day or a rainout. For today, I will move from topic to topic like a contestant running up and down the aisles in Guy’s Grocery Games.

• It appears that Gerrit Cole will not need Tommy John surgery at this point. The Yankees declined to make and official statement yesterday because Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone want to talk to Cole first, which is a smart idea. The last thing they want is for them to say one thing and Cole to say another. That has happened too many times. However, it seems as if he will be shut down for one to two months. Now, something could go wrong, and he could be out for the whole season. He could come back and not be as effective as he was. We have no idea what will actually happen. However, it seems likely that we will have Cole back pitching this season. However, I could get hit by a bus writing this article. You never know.

• As I stated last week, I tried baking cookies, or to be more precise, blondies, in my new oven. It worked very nicely, and the blondies were delicious but, the fire alarm seems to have a hair trigger and began beeping the moment the oven was preheated to 350°. The cats headed for the hills and I had to drag a fan into the kitchen. I will have to come up with a better system.

• Nestor Cortes has been named the Opening Day pitcher against the Astros. I would not be surprised if he does an excellent job and starts off his season on a high note.

• Aaron Boone seemed to have a harder time figuring out who his Opening Day starter would be than I did figuring out what day Easter will be on this year.

• Speaking of Easter, I'm going with leg of lamb this year and I was able to order a ham pie, otherwise known as pizza rustica or Easter pie. It's probably not the best thing in the world, health wise, but I know people who lie awake, waiting for it to arrive.

• Aaron Judge has been scratched from today's game. He did take batting practice yesterday and seems to be on track to play an Opening Day. That is much more important than playing on March 16th.

• My wife has never had a ham pie before. I feel like one of those cartoon characters with a little angel on one shoulder, hoping she will like it and a little devil on the other shoulder hoping she will not, so there will be more for me. If you've ever had one, you will understand what I'm talking about.

• With Oswald Peraza being out for a while, Oswaldo Cabrera certainly has an opportunity to not only make the team but to get some significant playing time. It's all up to him. So far, he has been hitting better this spring.

• Now that I have a large deck and more free time since I'm retired, I am planning to get a grill to go with my electric smoker. I was leaning toward a propane grill but now I am starting to consider a Green Egg. I wonder if you could cook a ham in there. Doctor Seuss would.

• Memo to Self: Decline invitation to Mother’s Day Brunch at Aroldis Chapman’s house.

• There is still some chatter about the Yankees signing Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery. At this point, neither of them would be ready to pitch on Opening Day and might only be ready a week or two ahead of Cole, if he's able to return as expected. They should have signed one of them earlier but they didn't. If they do sign one of them now, it probably won't be to replace Cole but simply to bolster the staff as a whole. I'm not opposed to it at all. In the interim, it will probably be one of the kids who takes Cole's spot. 

• I consider myself an adventurous eater and will try almost anything but two things I've never had and never will have are oysters or clams on the half shell. There is just something off-putting about the texture of raw clams and oysters that I can't get past.

• I wonder if Giancarlo Stanton will hit a home run this spring. So far, he has looked rather underwhelming. That needs to change. If it does not, his spot may be in jeopardy when Jasson Dominguez returns.

• As I have been getting older, I've noticed more and more things that I can't do anymore. Well, I seem to have a renaissance. The other night, when i was drying some coffee mugs, I pushed the towel in with my left hand and held the mug handle in my right and I accidentally tore the handle right off the mug. I felt like the bionic man, except there wasn't that little sound effect.

• The Yankees talked up Will Warren a lot before spring training and since he has pitched well, he might be the logical choice to take Cole’s spot in the rotation.

• in addition to my ham pie, I will soon be receiving my Easter kielbasa along with the other kielbasas that I get every year at this time. I might get extra this year so I can cook them in my smoker or my grill. Double smoked kielbasa is so good that it should be illegal.

• The only problem with having Will Warren or another youngster fill in until Gerrit Cole is back is that Aaron Boone will have to spend time thinking up one of those silly little nicknames he has for the players.

• If Gleyber Torres has a big season, the Yankee should genuinely consider signing him to a long-term deal. There really are not a lot of other great second baseman out there and he is becoming more consistent and a better overall player.

• It should be illegal for vegetarians and vegans to buy steak knives.