All Things Bubba

The Yanks are playing the Pirates tonight - a makeup game for the one that was suspended due to rain.

Former Yankee Doug Mientkiewicz isn't in the lineup tonight. However, he's been invaluable to the Pirates. He was considered a long shot to make the roster out of spring training, but he made it, and now they just love him. He's playing 3B and corner outfield as well as 1B. He's hitting well...and he's providing great leadership in the clubhouse.

But he'd rather be in the Bronx. The last time the Yanks were in Pittsburgh, Minky told the press that the best year of his career was his year with the Yankees, and all he wants is to wear pinstripes again. He really wanted to return this year, but Cashman didn't want him.

Man, that's strange. Even if he did love being a Yankee, you wouldn't expect him to say so, especially right before a game against them. Gotta wonder what his current teammates thought. Maybe they all think the same thing, so it's no big deal. A friend of mine who is a Pittsburgh fan says you can just see the players get beaten down by the constant losing. When they first come up, they're all excited and full of enthusiasm, but eventually, they just kind of give up.

But jeez, Minky hasn't been a Pirate for very long. I find it kind of odd that last year with the Yanks was the best year of his career. He's had a really good career. He hit the game-winning homer that gave the US the gold medal in the 2000 Olympics. He won a Gold Glove when he was a Twin. He was on the Red Sox team that finally won the World Series after 86 years. And last year with the Yanks was the best year of his career? A year when he spent half the season on the DL, and fans called him "Stinky" because he wasn't the power hitter they wanted at 1B?

I'd love to ask him why he loves the Yanks so much. The aura and mystique of the Bronx Bombers? The bright lights of the Big Apple? Or did he just like playing with his boyhood chum, A-Rod?