Bartolo Colon ñ Next stop, Yankee Stadium?
Bartolo Colon [1] may soon be seen in pinstripes, on his way to the World Series.
Hereís why this is not so outlandish a theory. The Yanks can unload the ìnot yet matureî although widely heralded as a ìmember of any steamís starting rotation,î pitcher, to wit, Jeff Weaver [2], to the White Sox. Maybe the cost of getting Colon also includes Juan Rivera [3], or some other promising prospect, even Jason Anderson [4], the kid with the baby face (and the mini Prince Charles ears) or another farm team player not so much in the spotlight as of yet.
Consider the recent history of the White Sox.
How many years back was it that they abandoned a possible second-half run, sold and traded off all their decent arms for future prospects? Not so long ago. This may be how San Francisco got to the Word Series last year.
The White Sox were part of the conspiratorial cabal that prevented Colon from going to Boston. This was a three way deal that landed former Yankee (and washed up Cuban phenom) El Duque in Canada (and when he got there, it seemed almost instantaneous that he went onto the Disabled List, and then scheduled season-ending arm surgery).
White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf made a killing, selling off naming rights to what will once and always be known, and referred to by fans as Comiskey Park (yeah, yeah, **new** Comiskey). So he isnít too worried about putting fannies in the seats. Plus, Chicago, much like New York, is a great Baseball town. People in New York still go see the horrid and non-competitive Mets play. The White Sox, even when they tear the team apart, will draw a decent crowd. And they have to save some face and look good, given that Sammy Sosa and company are filling up Wrigley Field across town. So they will declare a Youth Movement, pay homage to the young talent within their system, bring them up early (as in too early), and Reinsdorf will again go home and count the dead presidents lining his various bank accounts.
The White Sox recently acquired Roberto Alomar and Carl Everett. Alomarís glory days are in the past, and he is known for his somewhat spitting personality. Carl Everett is one of the more famous unpleasant clubhouse downeroos in the game. At this rate they could once again become known as the Black Sox, what with the dour nature of these two recent acquisitions! They need a deal that shows the fans a sense of hope and buzz about whatís left of the year. And next year, too. That is not what the fans got with those two!
It has always struck me that The Boss (George Steinbrenner) and Reinsdorf have or have had some sort of tacit understanding. Reinsdorfís Chicago Bulls, in the Michael Jackson, era made him scads and scads of moolah. Steinbrenner recently bought into the NJ Nets. And, to go Reinsdorf one further, Steinbrenner created his own broadcasting entity (The YES Network [5]), and it carries the Manchester United Soccer team. The two of them seem like competitive siblings ñ caring, not nasty, but with rivalry and a certain interfamilial sort of competitiveness.
The Yanks might also send over Raul Mondesi in a deal. Although he started the season on a tear, this is his contract year, and when the season is done he is a free agent. Few are up to his par in fielding, and he cold be a good influence on some Chicago youngsters. Maybe the Yanks will take The Big Hurt, Frank Thomas and his $9.9 million (or so ) salary and somewhat sub-par year to date. Thatís less than the $13 Million Mondesi takes home. And The Big Hurt could be to the Yanks this year what Cecil Fielder was just a few years ago: a super bat available on the bench, a fill-in 1st Baseman, and a DH who is always a threat to hit one out of the park. Furthermore, he is the kind of power hitter The Boss always seems to slobber over.
Surely no Chicagoland White Sox fans make plans to go to "US Cellular" to take in a Sox game!!!!!">
Reinsdorf has even more compelling reasons to do a mini-dismantling of the White Sox. Here they are, hosting the All Star game at Comiskey Park (did you know it is now called US Cellular Park? Does that have any meaning at all to you? Probably not: everyone still refers to it as Comiskey, or ìNew Comiskey,î in remembrance of the old Comiskey that used to be across the street). And there is not a single White Sox player in the AL starting line-up. This is somewhat embarrassing, and give Reinsdorf a reason to go public in his zeal to ìbring better baseball to the loyal fans of the White Sox.î
Those Sox are 7 games behind the AL Central leading K.C. Royals. Minnesota is 7.5 games out, and on paper the Twins are a better club than the White Sox. I think we will see a fire sale to cut salary on the White Sox. Steinbrenner will pick up some of those heavier Chicago player salaries, get his reliable starting pitcher, and all will be right in Yankeedom.
For about a month Iíve been forecasting a major Yankee deal. My crystal ball says that despite the keen moves made by GM Brian Cashman [6], getting Karim Garcia [7] and Dan Micel [8]i, the Yanks are short on depth and have an aging starting 5. The bullpen is raggedy with middle-relievers, and there is some plain old dead weight on the club (Hurling Stitchcock [9]). Torre favorite Todd Zeile [10] is a good guy in the clubhouse, but he really is not a necessary member of the squad. Luis Sojo [11] is in the wings, as an uniformed advisor (they have the maximum amount of coaches, so he canít suit up and hang with the players or be on the bench during games). He could be a player-coach and fill in, as well as serve as the Latino Ambassador for the team.
The blockbuster deal will mean some surprise moves. A few players on no-oneís radar will end up in pinstripes, and some ìuntouchablesî (Weaver, Juan Rivera, maybe even that dud Drew Henson [12] who cannot bat or field 3B ñ one of those football guys who The Boss loves, so they gave him a bonus of more money than you or I will earn this decade and are trying to make him the next Craig Nettles [13] ñ you and I have a better chance of that than Henson [14] ñ trust me, Iíve seen him in some Minor League games ñ he needs to play Football for a living) will be suiting up in other uniforms.
Or maybe some other move. But a blockbuster move, a total surprise, is in the wings. Think about this toward the end of July Ö You read it here!