I'm Supposed to be HATING The Yankees!

"It's getting harder and harder to root for one team," I remember my dad saying back in my youth. We all know that it's a sad truth with free agency and all that. Well, I fear that our rivalries have also been getting a little hazy. Sure we've got new rivalries that spring up here and there (Rays/Red Sox), and good ole classic ones that never die (Giants/Dodgers). But when you find out that the player you hate has just been traded to Toronto, and they brought in a very likeable Ichiro, the old memories start to be forgotten--with the exception of a few managers and a few fans. When you're watching a game on ESPN and they show an online poll that says that the number one defensive play of all time is Jeter's (admittedly awesome) pop-foul over-the-shoulder catch and Willie Mays famous centerfield over-the-shoulder catch in like ninth place, you realize that there's a disconnect there (and that our elders aren't rushing to their laptops to submit a vote).

Now, for myself, being born and raised in the Southeast, hating the Yankees was in the water. Then after college I moved to southern California--where you're supposed to--again--hate the Yankees. Problem is, as all these transactions keep taking place and the seasons wear on, I find myself liking these particular Bronx Bombers more and more. How dare they with all their damn money!!

Let's start at the top: Manager Joe Girardi--er, HECK, George Steinbrenner took his calzones and retired resulting in no complaints from me--but back to manager Joe Girardi. In 2006 (two seasons ago), he was let go by the Marlins just hours after completing what was one of the best managerial performances that you'll see. He led the very young and always-last-place Florida Marlins to an impressive 6 games under .500 season (78-84) and ended the season only ONE game behind the then 15-straight-season champion Atlanta Braves. Thankfully, his job was recognized, and he was awarded the National League Manager of the Year...just days after being fired! Suck on that Huizenga (sp? why's the 'u' in there?) Anyways, he took a year off of managing baseball to option for the ever-popular alternative of Television Analyst. Just to note, he was offered a managerial position with the Baltimore Orioles last season, but had good instincts to hold off.

Alex Rodriguez is quite simply, a bad-ass. He didn't get any respect from the MVP voters until he landed on a winning team. Furthermore, just seeing the Yankees fans completely under-appreciate how good they had it at third base made us all want him on our teams, where he most likely would be appreciated. Granted, he was making quite a few errors defensively, and he wasn't able to maintain his 1.000 BA that he started in the early season of '07 (i kid), but I'm positive that these 'bad' spells were only a result of the "walking on eggshells" mentality that New Yorkers seem to have on its players.

Didn't Derek Jeter always give you that same resentment feeling that Michael Jordan gave you...always in the playoffs beating YOUR team? Yeah, I had that kind of hatred. What happened? Well, I guess I lost all my angst after several down seasons of Yankee baseball. Now, I'm starting to have more and more respect for him -- the same kind of respect I started to gain after Michael Jordan finally retired and couldn't beat my teams anymore. He's quite the class act, he hustles on every play, and something about seeing him make a big error, yet hear ZERO boos come out of the Yankee Stadium faithful, is awe-inspiring. Just take the May 20th game against the Baltimore Orioles, if **A-Rod** would've made that error during last season, the boos wouldn't have stopped until he left the field. Derek Jeter has commanded the respect of one of the most disrespectful crowds in the game...WOW!

I will always admire Jason Giambi for being one of the first active baseball players to admit that he juiced. I don't know if he remains a client of a Balco-style company or not, but he put himself out there, and hopefully tought some kids to keep it clean. Seeing him play well now makes me smile a little bit.

You can't really have any beef with Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada, Bobby Abreu, or Mariano Rivera...these guys have been putting forth their best effort since the beginning of their careers, AND in tough environments.

It was refreshing to see Joba Chamberlain show a lot of respect to Padres first-baseman Adrian Gonzalez after the close play at the plate last week, seems like a good kid. He looks and acts like a kinder, gentler Roger Clemens that doesn't want to take the 4 days off in between starts.

I don't want the Yankees to win it all, let's make that perfectly clear! I guess I just want these guys to be affordable.