The Seven Deadly Sins of the 2007 New York Yankees
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by user DNL
The Yankees are 9.5 games back.
Three games under .500.
And there's no hope in sight.
Me?
I think it's the wrath of a higher power.
Because the Yankees -- they're sinners.
Lust: Derek Jeter
Per Wikipedia:
- Lust is usually thought of as involving obsessive or excessive thoughts or desires of a sexual nature.
Derek Jeter is the man-crush of all New York, with his pretty-boy stylings making him arguably the most overrated player in recent MLB history. In a previous article, I pointed out that Derek Jeter is a slut, having been tied to just about everyone from Jessica Alba to Jordana Brewster.
The Yankees turn Jeter into a pin-up doll even worse than the Mets do with David Wright. "Marry Me Derek!" signs are still ubiquitous at the House that Ruth Built. People swoon over his stupid-lucky flip to nail Jeremy Giambi not because it was good, but because it was Derek.
In sum: If George Steinbrenner were a 12 year-old girl, his Trapper Keeper would have "GS+DJ=4EVER" in pink hearts all over it.
Gluttony: Jason Giambi
Again, per Wikipedia:
- Marked by unreasonable or unnecessary excess of consumption, Gluttony could also include certain forms of destructive behavior, especially for sport, or for its own sake. Substance abuse or binge drinking can be seen as examples of gluttony therefore
Yeah, so, this one is pretty much self-explanatory. Speaking of which, has anyone seen Jeff Nelson lately? I bet he's taken a new job as Giambi's consigliere.
Greed: Alex Rodriguez
- Scavenging and hoarding of materials or objects, theft and robbery, especially by means of violence, trickery, or manipulation of authority are all actions that may be inspired by greed.
Let's see.
You win 101 games, scoring 877 runs. And you make it to the World Series.
So it just seems natural that you'd go out and get the best player in the majors, increasing your league-leading salary -- an already stratospheric number -- beyond the realm of good sportsmanship.
That's OK. Greedy, but not terribly so. But what's not OK is when that player puts up three incredible seasons for you: OPS+ of 133, 167, and 140; 119 homers and 64 stolen bases over the span; oh, and wins an MVP -- and you want more.
Greed, plain and simple.
Sloth: Bobby Abreu
- [In early years, Sloth was] characterized by what modern writers would now describe as apathy, depression, and joylessness.
Ask any Philadelphia Phillies fan what they think of Abreu, and you'll hear one word: lazy. Abreu's a very good player who seems to not care; a guy who doesn't realize how big of an honor it is to play Major League Baseball.
It may not be deserved, but at the same time, the "Abreu is a bum!" moniker did not happen accidentally. Without passion there is no honor, and for that, the Yankees have sinned.
Wrath: Carl Pavano
- Wrath may be described as inordinate and uncontrolled feelings of hatred and anger.
It's not his fault that he's hurt.
I mean, maybe it is a tad... but you have to believe that Pavano would rather be collecting his paycheck for inducing groundouts than for rehabbing a bum shoulder/arm/leg/toe/sinus.
Instead, he's become the object of the Yankees disaffection. A scapegoat. A devil in pinstripes who spends more time in Hell (Tampa) than one should.
Pity.
Envy: Roger Clemens
- Those who commit the sin of Envy desire something that someone else has which they perceive themselves as lacking.
Horrific.
That's the only word to describe that ... that... horrific unveiling of the news that Roger Clemens would be joining the 2007 Yankees.
Roger Clemens is a great pitcher. Arguably the greatest ever.
But he's not a Yankee. He'll probably go down in history as a member of the Boston Red Sox, even if he'd rather not; or perhaps for being the defining presence of both the Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros teams for which he played. But with Clemens having one great year in the Bronx -- out of five -- and with guys like Jeter and Mariano being the hallmarks of those teams, it's truly impossible for anyone to hear "Roger Clemens" and think "Yankees."
What's specifically sinful here, though, is that the Yankees are trying to create this fiction. The Yankees have a long and storied history. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, and many others evoke images of pinstripes. The Yankees don't need to make Clemens' name do the same, but they seem compelled to do so.
That's baseball envy at its worst.
Pride: Andy Pettitte
- It is identified as a desire to be more important or attractive than others, failing to give compliments to others though they may be deserving of them, and excessive love of self.
When Clemens first retired, the Yankees kicked Pettitte to the curb. Sure, the Yankees made a late push to keep Pettitte, but it was hollow. Per ESPN:
- While the Astros were aggressive in their pursuit, the Yankees were unusually passive. New York waited until the last day of its exclusive 15-day window to make an offer, and it was for $30 million over three years, including a $3 million buyout of a 2007 option.
- Sounding wistful at times, the 31-year-old left-hander said the Yankees' failure to pursue him aggressively allowed him to turn his attention to Houston, which wound up signing him for $7.5 million less than New York offered.
- "When I left there after (World Series) Game 6, I never really envisioned myself in a different uniform," Pettitte said. "I thought that they would try to make a serious push to sign me then."
When Pettitte left, so did the honor of the 1996-2000 Yankees. Pettitte wanted to remain in pinstripes. He was one of only four players (Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Bernie Williams being the others to be a part of the four title-winning teams, and he was certainly good enough to be a part of the 2004-2006 Yankees. But the Yankees wouldn't do him the simple courtesy of making a timely offer -- until, of course, it was clear that he could also bring Clemens into the mix.
