Hey Brewer

Billy Crystal was signed to a minor league contract, for a day, by the NY Yankees. Yesterday he got to live out his dream and get an official Yankee AB. He promptly struck out. Some sports columnist said this was a ‘mockery of the game’ and ruined the great tradition of the Yankees. Others have said this is not a big deal and it is all in fun.

I’m not sure I know how I fall on this matter. In the interest of full disclosure I must state that I loathe the Yankees and I’ve never found Billy Crystal particularly funny (excluding his cameo as Miracle Max in The Princess Bride which was brilliant):

Have Fun Storming the Castle!!!

I think overall it is a fun gimmick and I have no problem with it.  Other celebs have done similar things in Spring Training such as Garth Brooks.  My only reservation is that it becomes a thing ‘to do’ for celebrities. Billy Crystal is well known as a huge Yankee fan, he even made a pretty awful movie about Maris’ 61 HR year. But I fear the day when we’ll see Justin Timberlake in a Cubs uniform or Kid Rock in a Tigers uniform or Bill Gates in a Mariners uniform. People whose amount of money and popularity is inversely related to their talent and contributions to American culture should not be given access to play baseball just because they want it. If this comes to pass, then my hatred of the Yankees and Bud Selig will only grow and we can look back at Billy Crystal and curse him for what he has done.

Or none of this will happen and this story will be forgotten by May.