Open Letter to Allan James

Dear AJ,

Wow, here we are again, another August of futility coming to a close for you with the Yankees, and a second straight disappointing season with the Yankees.  I wish i could say this has been a prolonged slump, a mechanical flaw gone terribly wrong, or even maybe a hidden injury.  After two years though, its been difficult to watch, and at times almost statistically impossible the stretches of futility you have reached...

As a fan of the Yankees, i'm sure you are aware every start you make has made me cringe at the thought of watching or listening to the game.  As a fan of baseball though, i do feel your pain.  Let's put aside the contract for now because linking your performance with your contract just clouds all reasoning.  I envy what you get to do (somehow still) every 5 days, pitch for the New York Freakin' Yankees.  My baseball dreams died long ago in Little League when, by third grade, my eye sight was so terrible that it just became too frustrating for me to play.  Of course, in the 90s this meant those ever so appealing "rec-specs" would have to be worn to be able to fully play and lets just say at that age i was already that way to skinny / short kid without many friends.... anyway, this isn't about me.  My point is that from the competitive athlete aspect of the game, i FEEL your pain.  You seem like a genuinely nice guy, not a Pavano-esque player or an introvert like Randy Johnson.  You brought some great chemistry to our clubhouse in '09, and it was sorely needed.  I do believe that every start you do give it your all, and i admire your passion, even if it does boil over at times.  Too often athletes just seem to make the game so easy, that it almost makes fans feel as though we arent worthy to be in the same room with them. 

You are the other kind of athlete though in which i feel like i can relate more to.  You love the game, and yet it doesn't always seem to love you back.  To add insult to injury, you play in the Bronx, in which the stupidest little nuance that in almost any other baseball market would go unnoticed, gets blown up for days at a time.  Every day for you, whether you admit it or not, you probably face constant pressure; whats wrong with AJ?  Does Joe have it out for AJ?  How did AJ get that black eye?  Wow AJ's hair is something else.  Is he thinking too much on the mound?  AJ must not get along well with Posada...  On and on and on and on.  

Your career is one of just spectacular variety. Your ERA has ranged from 3.30 to well, currently 5.36.  You've won 18 games in a season, you've lost 15 games in a season.  You've pitched a no-hitter (though FAR from a perfect game), and you've pitched games that would make Cy Young roll over in his grave.  You've hit 3 HRs in your career, you've given up 197.  Of course, you know all this, and going over it again and again just like the media does serves no purpose, other then to keep things in perspective.  AJ, when you are good, YOU ARE GREAT.  That's said a lot, and although Good AJ has seemily taken a vacation this summer, i know you know this as well.  

I know this seems like the ramblings of just another fan out there, and i suppose it is.  However, know that while us Yankees fans may DREAD your starts and wonder how much worse is it going to get, there are also some of us who feel your pain and hope that you can figure it out.  It might not be against the Red Sox tomorrow, it might not be next week, or this season, but you know, there's still 2 more years left on your contract.  Keep working at it AJ, don't let the media get you down, don't let us fans get you down, just keep talking with your coaches, teammates, and know that as long as your wearing a Yankee uniform, i'll root for your every game.  As long as your still playing baseball, ill hope for your success.

And keep the pies coming.

Your Fan,

GriffMan