This via Mark Feinsand of the Daily News:
Wednesday, the entire roster will assemble in the bowels of Yankee Stadium for a Kangaroo Court, a long-standing tradition in baseball that allows teammates to put each other on trial for a variety of reasons. Court will be in session at 3:15 p.m. sharp (late arrivals will be fined $100, no exceptions), with Judge Mariano Rivera presiding over the hearings.
CC Sabathia said he’s had a Kangaroo Court on every team he’s ever been on, but in my nine years covering the Yankees, I can’t remember hearing of one taking place. That’s not to say it hasn’t, but it certainly hasn’t been quite as public as this one, which was advertised by a sign hanging on the front door of the clubhouse.
I think my favorite part of this entire thing is Mariano Rivera as judge. I'm not sure what other way you could script it better.
This gets me to thinking, what sort of grievances could there be?
Nick Swisher's music choice on the ipod comes to mind.
Then again, Melky Cabrera, Alex Rodriguez and Johnny Damon might have something to say about the quality of whipped cream AJ Burnett prefers.
I'm sure there are some more serious issues, but from everything you've seen and heard from these players over the past week or two, you wouldn't know it.
I've never made it a secret that I'm a fan of chemistry--even the Bronx-is-burning Yankees had a certain chemistry, albeit more of the baking soda and vinegar, as opposed to lovey dovey type.
It's true that chemistry on a baseball team is nothing like chemistry on, say a hockey or basketball team where five athletes need to move seamlessly on the ice or the court, but to say it doesn't matter at all is hogwash.
When Melky Cabrera hits a walk-off single, and Brett Gardner, his centerfield competition, is the first to congratulate him?
When Johnny Damon knows the pie is coming and *still* can't avoid it?
When the team advertises the kangaroo court on the clubhouse door for all, including the media, to see?
Yeah, there's chemistry here. Even a fan can sense it.
