WHY MELKY CABRERA WAS FUN TO WATCH

(Photo: Getty)

My fondest memory of Melky Cabrera was in the July of 2006. My buddy and I had gotten some great seats at the Stadium and were watching Sidney Ponson pitch. The Yanks were playing the Mariners that night and there was not doubt to me, we were about to get our ass kicked, after all, Sidney Ponson was pitching and he really never worked out for the Yankees.

(Photo: Taken July 18, 2006)

That night, the Yankees were losing the game, but managed to come back and tie the game. Well, extra innings happened and suddenly there was an enormous thunder and lightning storm that literally stopped the game for an hour or more. It was late and the rain felt good, but it poured. Many left. We die-hards stayed. That rain storm was a sign for better things to come, I was convinced of it. That night, after the storm, many areas lost power, but the stadium was lit. After all the chaos and the storm passing, baseball resumed and Melky Cabrera came up to the plate. He cranked a homer over the right field fence in 1 second. Suddenly it was Game Over, Yankees Win! It was incredible and worth the wait. Read about it HERE.

After that, I watched Melky Cabrera much closer. You could tell, the kid was just happy to be there. His athleticism in the outfield was amazing and I still remember a newspaper headline reading Glove Story when he literally reached over the fence in left and pulled down the ball in his web. I remember Johnny Damon’s face... he was so impressed.

Years later, after the Braves, Melky calls Kansas City home. He looks like a leader there now, where as a member of the Yankees, he was just a kid and looking for leadership. Melky's matured. I think personally, even though I enjoyed watching this kid play in the Bronx, it was the best thing for him to leave New York.

Melky seems to have grown up, where, in New York, I feel like he was almost a distraction to himself and best pal Robinson Cano. Now, in another city and a smaller market, this guy really looks like he will lead his young team and who knows, one day maybe the Royals will have a shot. Hell, maybe just maybe Melky would have another shot in the Bronx one day, but this time he'd be a little older and a little wiser. That Melky I'd welcome for sure.



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