Looking For An A-Rod Replacement? Look No Further Than Scott Brosius

Reading through the Yankee news and blogoverse today, there are a bevy of suggestions for the Yankees' third base quandary, should A-Rod succumb to his hip injury at some point in 2009. Name a third baseman who isn't a team's star, and he has been suggested by someone. Even Aaron Boone's name was bandied about, even if it was in a half-joking manner.

Without further ado, we present the official Stadium Insider solution to the 2009 Yankees problems:

Scott Brosius

So what if he hasn't played game since November of 2001? He is a baseball coach now, so he's still on the diamond regularly. As recently as this past summer, he was manning his old position during the Old Timer's Day festivities. The most important factor when determining a player's contribution to the team is clutch and chemistry as evidenced by the Yankees' lack of championships since Scotty Bro left*. As an added bonus, coaxing Brosius out of retirement will likely provide a boost in Derek Jeter's production, since the late 90's dynasty boys feed off of each other's grit. $2 million for the year, with a player option for 2010 should be fair (in case Brosius decides he retired too soon and wants to give the fine fans of baseball one final farewell tour). We believe we speak for the entire Yankee Universe when putting forth this suggestion.

In other news, I read an article in the free morning paper today about the exorbinant prices of the Yankee premium ticket offerings. The news here is not what was contained within the article, but the fact that I read the actual paper copy and not the digital version online. I was on the way into the Subway station and I saw the Yankee-related headline. Being one of the premiere Yankee bloggers in the free world and a Stadium Insider (please note the sarcastic theme of this entire post), it was my duty to pick up the paper and report back. After reading the months old information contained within the article, all I was left with was a feeling of apathy and inky residue on my fingers.

It is pretty unbelievable to me that the Murray Chass' and Buzz Bizzinger's of the world actually rue the day that this smudgy medium is completely replaced by digital versions. The first thing I had to do after reading the paper was wash my hands so I didn't get ink on my all-important keyboard. Never again. Actual newspapers are dead to me.

*At least this is what I would be led to believe if I had never seen baseball played and only was able to read Tom Verducci and Joe Torre in The Yankee Years

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Andy Pettite to pitch Opener at New Stadium?

With the Yankees rotation all but settled, our new section-buddy BuckyBadger weighs in on who will pitch the first game at the new Stadium for the Bombers:

Andy Pettitte has signed on to be our 5th starter. The 10th game of the season is the Yankees home opener. Anyone see where I'm going with this? The first man to officially throw a baseball off the mound at the new cathedral of baseball will be someone who truely(sic) deserves it.

I hope Pettitte pitches the home opener as well, but I certainly don't think he deserves it anymore than Wang, or Sabathia would. But wouldn't it be something if Pettitte, the only remaining starter from the dynasty years, gets a win in the opener?! Better yet, in a game where Jeter and Posada both homer, and Mo notches a save. Ahh, dynasty wet dreams!

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Pettitte comes crawling back, brings his dynasty prowess to the new Stadium

Word from the Yankees is that Andy Pettitte has signed a one year, incentive-sweetened deal that could earn him over 12 million. The base pay is around $6 million - a far cry from the $16 million that he earned last year and that his agents were sure he could get.

Perhaps Andy was on the sidelines watching the Joe Torre book drama unfold and realized how easily his Yankee legacy could be ruined? The franchise, his teammates and most importantly the fans of New York stood behind Andy during last year's PED fiasco, and he owed it to everyone to come back and be a piece of the puzzle in the quest toward World Championship number 27.

Andy Pettitte's distracting offseason prior to 2008 was likely a contributing factor to his 2nd half fade and should issues. As Yankee fans, we can only hope that Andy has been working out hard back in Texas (WITHOUT THE HELP OF ROGER CLEMENS), preparing for the 2009 season and let his agents deal with all of the drama of his next contract.

The important parts of the roster are now set. For the nostalgia crowd, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada will carry the dynastical torch to the New Stadium for position players, Mariano will represent the great bullpens of the 90's, and Andy Pettitte will represent the starting pitchers who toiled away to bring the City of New York 4 championships in 5 years.

80 days until the new Stadium opens its doors!

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