Feeling nostalgic

As the rest of the blogosphere dittles Nick Swisher's taint (and here too) today, I am taking a different approach. Seeing Swish on the hill last night brought me back to a time when the Yankees actually were terrible, not like today when we bitch about 90-win seasons.

It was August 6, 1991, and the Yankees were losing yet another game, this time a 14-5 ass-raping at the hands of the Chicago White Sox. In a season that would yield just 71 wins and a 5th place finish in the American League East, Manager Stump Merrill ran out of pitchers (and patience). He turned to spectacle-sporting shortstop Alvaro Espinoza to nail the game down. With one out in the ninth, Espinoza recorded outs in the only two batters he faced, and the Yankees headed to the dugout.

Espinoza was a slick fielder whose spinning plays on balls hit up the middle served as the only non-Mattingly-related reason to watch the team that year. Though he didn't hit a lick, it is nice to reminisce about the days when the Yankees' shortstop could move to his left.

So, on this day that will emit doom and gloom over the Yankees after their 15-5 loss to the Ex-Rays last night, let us remember when times were really bad - a time Alvaro Espinoza roamed Yankee Stadium.