The Bam-Tino

Written on 4:19 AM by Jack B.

For Yankee fans of a certain generation (late 80s-early 90s) when our team stunk up the American League East, Don Mattingly "the Captain" was the only shining spot in Yankeeland. He was the only thing that truly represented a link to the great Yankee past. When Donnie Baseball retired and they replaced him with some guy from Seattle named Tino Martinez, a lot of Yankee fans had doubts (me included).

But Tino quickly showed himself to be one of classiest acts this town has ever seen (on and off the field), one of the best moves the organizations ever made and he was a darn good hitter and fielder as well. Along with Paul O'Neil, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettite and a young Bernie Williams, Tino was the heart of the Yankee Championship teams. It is not surprise to me we haven't won since he left (aka was replaced) by Jason "I'm sorry for taking steroids even though I won't admit it was steroids I took" Giambi. Tino meanwhile went to St. Louis where he had to replace another great retiring player - Mark McGuire.

Now Tino is back (picked up as nothing more than a back-up player) and on a home run streak of the kind he hasn't had since he hit 46 dingers in Pinstripes the year he was runner-up for MVP. The man who was paid a gazillion dollars to play first base, Jason Giambi, meanwhile hasn't done anything in two years. He hasn't even been average, he's been horrible. I don't wish Giambi ill will but it looks like a test case for karma when the man who was deemed over the hill and who had supposedly seen his best days (Tino) is outperforming the man who he was replaced by.

Welcome back, Bam-Tino, this Yankee fan missed you.