About Spring Training: Meanderings of My Mind

About Spring Training: Meanderings of My Mind

By Tim Kabel

February 23, 2026

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The Yankees were eliminated from the postseason in the ALDS last season. Well, Spring Training is underway. The games have begun. Opening Day is a little more than a month away. Since I don't have any games to recap, I will now move from topic to topic as if I was Wimpy trying to procure a hamburger for which I would gladly pay you on Tuesday.

·      I Like Jazz Chisholm, Jr.. I know some fans feel he is a little too flashy, but he is an excellent player. It seems that he truly wants to be a Yankee and is thoroughly enjoying the experience. This weekend, he said that not only does he plan on having another 30-30 year in 2026, but he is also planning on having a 50-50 year. That would make him the only player in the history of the Major Leagues to do it other than Shohei Ohtani. I think the key for Chisholm this season is to remain injury free. If he does that, I could imagine him having a 40-40 season. I think a 50-50 season might be beyond his capabilities, particularly in the area of home runs. However, once you get into the 40 range, 50 is not so unrealistic. It is good to have goals and hopefully Chisholm will have a great year for the Yankees. I'm afraid it will be his last season with the Yankees. I don't want that to be the case. I don't think he does either. However, he made another statement this weekend. He said that he wants his next contract after this season to be from eight to ten years with an average annual value of $35 million a year. I hope Hal Steinbrenner did not bang his noggin when he fainted upon hearing this. If Chisholm puts up another 30-30 season or exceeds those totals, he will probably get such a contract. I would be surprised if it came from the Yankees. Again, it's not that the Yankees cannot afford it, they can. They are simply choosing not to. I know some readers get upset when I say that the Yankees have become penny pinchers. They do spend money but only under certain circumstances and for certain players. In other words, they signed Aaron Judge. They signed Gerrit Cole. They signed Max Fried. They did not sign any free agents this off-season who had not been on their own roster last year. The Yankees will not exceed the spending limits they set for themselves. As a result, it is highly unlikely that they will bring Chisholm back after this season. They will then have to find a solution for second base. Willie Randolph probably won't charge them very much.

·      Once again, as I am writing this, I am preparing for yet another snowstorm. This one has been categorized as a blizzard. No, not the kind you get at Dairy Queen. I have heard predictions that we may get as much as two feet of snow. In reality, the snow could be belly high to a Sasquatch. My landlord approaches snow removal with the level of enthusiasm of Eeyore, the friend of Winnie the Pooh. The driveways are still not fully cleaned out after the last snowstorm a few weeks ago. I do not imagine that there will be any improvement this time. Again, the official snow removal and winter weather policy of the management company that runs my apartment is “Wait Until Summer.”

·       The Yankees lost a Spring Training game to the Mets today. Jose Caballero hit a home run, which is a good sign. Luis Gil pitched 2.2 innings, allowing two hits and one run. He struck out four and didn't walk anyone, that's a positive. Cade Winquest, the Rule 5 acquisition from the Cardinals, pitched 1.1 inning and gave up one run on a home run. Angel Chivilli, the pitcher the Yankees acquired from the Rockies pitched one inning, allowing two hits and one run on a home run. He didn't strike out anyone. Remember, he is one of the “big arms” that Brian Cashman bragged about acquiring. Perhaps he has a big arm in the literal sense like Popeye. It does not seem so far (at least based on his previous career and what he did today) that he has a big arm in the pitching sense.

·      I was deeply saddened when I heard of the passing of Robert Duvall this week. He was one of my favorite actors. When I told my wife of his passing, she asked me, “What was he in?” I told her it would be easier to tell her what movies he was not in. Obviously, he was fantastic in the Godfather Parts 1 and 2. However, there were a few other movies that were lesser known that I enjoyed greatly. In particular, A Family Thing with Robert Duvall and James Earl Jones playing long lost half-brothers was excellent. Also, Wrestling Ernest Hemingway with Richard Harris was enjoyable as well. However, I would be remiss if I didn't say that my favorite all-time Robert Duvall performance was as Captain Augustus McRae in Lonesome Dove. Rest in peace Sir. “Here's to the sunny slopes of long ago.”

·      Reportedly, Giancarlo Stanton attempted to work out in the outfield yesterday and developed a stiff neck. Since the Yankees already have a plethora of outfielders and are likely to send both Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones to the minor leagues. What is this bizarre fascination with putting Giancarlo Stanton in the outfield? The Yankees should simply restrict Stanton to being a full-time designated hitter. If he's not the designated hitter, he shouldn't be in the lineup. Stanton could get a job endorsing peanut brittle. Stanton should be wrapped in bubble wrap whenever he is not actually playing.

·       In the next few weeks, I'm going to make a beef and Guinness pot pie. I will make a beef stew using Guinness and then put it in a large casserole dish with puff pastry on top. I am also going to make moussaka. I think I will use eggplant instead of potatoes. I have always liked Greek food and find it to be somewhat underrated and underrepresented. I found a nice recipe years ago for a spinach and cheese pie in phyllo dough. I could eat that every day.

·      I am looking forward to seeing Ben Hess and Ryan Weathers in Spring Training. Obviously, I want to see the pitchers we are familiar with, such as Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and Max Fried. I am curious to see Hess and Weathers, particularly because Weathers is another of those “big arms” that Cashman has bragged about acquiring. Hopefully he fares better than Chivilli.