Update: This Year’s Camp vs. Last Year’s Camp
Today was a good. I met John Maine, and did an interview with him, while getting a quick lesson about pick-off moves, which will air in March.
I told him that, if I ever get to throw out a first pitch before a game, I plan to do the never-effective, fake-to-third, look-to-first pick-off move before actually make the throw, which he looked like he thought would be dorky. He’s right. But, I’m would do it anyway.
Later, I met Brian Schneider, and did an interview with him that will be up tomorrow morning. He also did a quick lesson with me about what he’s thinking in certain situations during the game, and all the little things that go in to just one moment, during one out, which was pretty interesting to hear. I did a similar interview with Ryan Church. Like the one with Maine, the Church and Schneider instructional-interviews will be up in March, when we have time to edit them properly.
Additionally, I watched a lot of Luis Castillo today. He looks good. He looks serious. But, it’s too early to tell just how good he will be – if he will be good at all. Like Jerry Manuel said today, ‘it’s just practice,’ and, 
honestly, he has looked rather sloppy on defense. But, again, ‘it’s practice,’ and that cuts both ways. The fact is, he looks to be in better shape, he’s hustling hard, he has a definitive spring in his step, and he is certainly the focus of the coaching staff and his teammates, who are pushing him hard.
Actually, that is the the biggest difference between this camp and last year’s. It’s nothing against Willie Randolph, but his camp was far more quiet and professional, which, while it worked fine for the Yankees in the 90s, it just never felt right for this team.
Manuel’s camp actually reminds me a lot of a younger, high-school like camp, with lots of rooting for one another, lots of clapping, lots of team-oriented drills and talk and motivation and constant chatter from coaches and teammates.
For me, as a fan, who wants desperately for this team to win, this is all exciting and it probably warps my reality of what is really happening – because, when I hear Razor Shines talking about Championships, rings, etc., I get pumped up. The good news is that the players seem to be responding too, because that’s what is most important.
