Yankees feeling left out

It was a great 2009 for the Yankees, wasn't it? Twenty-seventh world championship for the greatest team in sports history. Yeah, those were good times. Watching Johnny Damon steal two bases on one play, and watching World Series MVP Hideki Matsui's record tying six RBIs in the clinching game of the series. But that was then and this is now.

Brain Cashman decided not to get sentimental with his world championship crew. Why bring back a 35 year old DH with bad knees? Why bring back a 36 year old left fielder with subpar defense? Yeah, they were key members of that 27th title winning juggernaut. Who cares if they were great in the clutch and under pressure? Who cares if one was a perfect number 2 hitter behind Derek Jeter and the other one offered ARod great protection hitting behind him? They are old, costly, injured and you can't stand pat if you want to continue winning championships, right?

So what's a GM to do? Brian, the unsentimental, became Brian the nostalgic. Out with the old and in with the former. First, it was Nick Johnson to be DH and hit 2nd. How's that for a double coup! Replace Matsui at DH and Damon in the batting order at the same time. Perfect!

Plus, he's younger (31 years old) and cheaper and has a .402 OBP. Not only that but he's a former Yankee. He came up through the system and unfortunately was traded in 2003 to Montreal to acquire Javier Vazquez. And to not forget Vazquez, he was also brought back from Atlanta to slot into the rotation behind CC, AJ and Andy. Wow, another double coup - getting Johnson and Vazquez back in pinstripes.

Ok now, let's take it easy! Nostalgia is nice, but let's not go crazy here. They are both on one year contracts so this pining for former Yankees may just be a one and out kind of thing. Nostaglia only goes so far until reality comes back in. So Brian will play a sort of "love game" here. He will not let sentiment get in the way of two of his 2009 "lovers", but he will go back in his black book and bring back two "ex-lovers" to see if they can re-kindle some of that old magic.

That may sound good in theory, but the problem is his memory may be playing tricks on him when he remembers these two guys. Were they really that good before? Are they better now?

Johnson is younger than Matsui but is he healthier? How many times has he been on the DL in his career? Vazquez pitched great in Atlanta and the NL, but how was he in NY and the AL? Can these guys be depended on when you really need them. We know that Matsui and Damon or MD could be counted on. They've proved it. Maybe Vazquez and Johnson or VJ will prove it too; then again maybe they won't.

So will 2010 bring number 28? Is nostaglia better than sentiment? Will VJ be as good as MD? If you ask me, I'd rather keep the two "lovers" I just had who came through for me, delivered the goods, and were there when I needed them. Yeah, they were older but they were more experienced. Yeah, they may have cost me more but they were worth it. I have the trophy to prove it!