Remains of the Day

(Hartford Courant): "Bernie Williams will play baseball for the Carolina Giants in his native Puerto Rico, which means

• at least one team in Puerto Rico will have a better bat in center field

• than the Yankees."...Matt Eagan, the Hartford Courant (item near end of column), 12/13/08

(12/27/08, Chicago Tribune, Phil Rogers): On A-rod and Teixeira: "Will it work? We won't know until next October, and history suggests the odds are against a team built around the superbly talented, minimally impactful (Alex) Rodriguez and Teixeira.

• Reggie Jackson thrived as "the straw that stirs the drink" in another era. He didn't care if he looked selfish, he wanted to win; and his teams played loose enough to win the big games (11 of 17 postseason series with the A's, Yankees and Angels, including four of five World Series).

Rodriguez (especially) and Teixeira seem to

• want it both ways.

• The skills that put them in the middle of the lineup, as well as their paychecks,

• suggest they should be leaders, but

• they never have led their franchises.

Rodriguez seems to want to be Jeter—

• a regular guy who drives in runs as he helps little old ladies across the street—

• and Teixeira seemingly just wants to be left alone.

Imagine the contract Teixeira would have gotten if he ever had done anything except put up stats. After all, this is a star who in his first six seasons never has been higher than seventh in MVP voting. Between them, Rodriguez and Teixeira have played in 11 postseason series. Their teams are a combined 22-29, advancing to the next round only three times."...

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