Reality & Promise: Team vs. Player

Zito lost again, badly, and Lewis had four hits with two steals. If this isn't the best possible microcosm for how to view our team for this year, and what we should be focusing on for next, then we may as well liquidate the franchise immediately.

In other trade news, holding my breath because of a previous post I made about the Mets and Randy Winn, the other team in N.Y. is also talking for him, and lo and behold, Bengie Molina.

I think it's reasonable, given the Yanks' problems at the catcher spot. And frankly, if they're willing to deal decently, I wouldn't mind. Molina is older, we can't expect to build around him because he probably won't last more than a few years, and Steve Holm was the one who caught Cain's CG shutout - going an amazing 2-3 as well.

A little justification for my thoughts there:

It always pays to realize that allegiance to players should never be as strong as allegiance to a team. Players come and go all the time; even the best go to other places at the end of their careers as a matter of business, and if they really benefited from the organization then they will return to be honored (like Clark and Thompson at memorial days at the park last year, or this year). This is why we honor players who refuse to go to another team, because as good as they are, they know that the team is bigger or more important than their individual performances.

But if you hang onto players as if they are the franchise themselves, then I can guarantee that you will (A) lose interest when they go, (B) won't be able to have the best interests of the team in mind while they stay, and (C) won't be "responsible" for the team's progress if the team does what is best for itself.

In other words: Future's now, boys.

Future's now.

-MSH