So for me, it’s the bigger issue.

if you read that espn story linked somewhere above, this isn’t the first time it’s been done. a country singer got many at bats for the mets, and i don’t think he wrote a movie or song about the mets. i don’t rememeber any met fan outrage either. and i don’t think billy is going to see more than an at-bat or two, in one game.

by mid-april, i’m sure we’ll all have forgotten about this.

so it wastes a roster spot for a small fraction of a ST game. just a day or so ago i was reading some pretty ridiculous scenarious about bringing up players for sole the purpose of retaliation alone. for the regular season, nonetheless. but somehow billy crystal is a bigger dilema.

He produced 61*, but that was because of what a huge fan he was of Mickey Mantle and it was about the magic of that season for Yankee fans in general and for himself in particular. Unless proceeds from that movie were donated to Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle charities or their families, it didn’t do anything more for the Yankees than the Lou Gherig Story or the Babe Ruth Story.

There could be things that Billy Crystal does behind the scenes, and if so, well, then, the Yankees are certainly entitled to thank him in any way they see fit. Otherwise, it seems that the Yankees have done a lot more to enhance Billy Crystal’s life, as they have done to enhance the lives of many of their fans.

But, I’ll relent somewhat because it is a ST game and not a regular season game.

Though I’m still with Y’s Guy – there are an awful lot of people out there who have been Yankee fans for life – and I mean people as old or older than Billy – who have bought the tickets, bought the merchandise, watched almost every game, who have talked about the Yankees to everyone they know, and who’ve built a lifetime of memories, and who have also immitated Mickey Mantle’s swing. But because they are not celebrities, their life’s wish of wearing a real Yankees uniform and playing with the big boys will never come true. It’s not so much about Billy Crystal, per se, but as I think about this, it’s about privilege and the abuse of privilege.

I really don’t think it’s as big a deal as everyone thinks. I think he’s just got a good relationship with the Yankees. It’s a nice thing for them to do.