Bartolo Colon

Before anybody goes crazy, curses out Joe Girardi or stops watching Yankee games, let me just remind everyone that this is the Grapefruit League.

And thank God it is, because Colon's start means absolutely nothing today.

In today's spring training opener, manager Joe Girardi has decided to allow the newly-signed reclamation project to start.

Does it mean something that he is getting the first opportunity to prove himself worthy for one of the final two rotation spots?

“Athlete” and “in shape” are often thought of as going together. It's part of the requirement, right?

You can't be one without the other.

Unless, of course, you are a major league baseball player. Then being fat is okay.

Maybe it's part of the appeal millions of Americans still have to what was once the national pastime, but baseball is a sport that can be played by the short or tall, fast or slow and in-shape or out of shape.

C.C. Sabathia, Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett are the only current locks in what looks to be a very shaky rotation for the Yankees in 2011.

Assuming that Andy Pettitte retires, the Yankees could be in for a long season in the Bronx.

New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman signed another ex-superstar to a minor-league deal, ex-Angels-White Sox-Red Sox pitcher Bartolo Colon.
 
Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that Colon will earn $900K in the majors and has the right to be released if he isn't on the team after Spring Training.
 
Is Cashman really this desperate?
 

The name Bartolo Colon and the New York Yankees should never be linked in a sentence again this offseason.
 
Yes, Colon won the 2005 American League Cy Young Award, but that is not what resonates in my memory.
 
Back in 2008, the Red Sox were the only team interested in signing the overweight pitcher, who stood at 5’11" and tipped the scale at 245 pounds. Making seven starts as a member of the Red Sox, the injury-prone Colon found himself back on the DL again.
 

Go ahead, read that title over a few times and let it settle in. It appears that the Cleveland Indians are not only trying to sign Bartolo Colon, but they may end up in a bit of a bidding war for the services of the 37-year-old righty.

There's something strangely fitting that former Tribe starter Bartolo Colon is rumored to be a potential free-agent target for the Indians during the 2010-2011 hot stove season. 

No, I'm not talking about Colon now "fitting" into his old Tribe jersey now that he's allegedly lost 50 pounds, I'm talking about how he could fit on this team as a relevant starter.  Seriously, I know you all are chuckling.

After a heavy loss to Baltimore at Camden Park, the White Sox return to Chicago, licking their rotation wounds.

The top three guys are off to a superb start, Mark Buehrle looks as good as ever, starting the year 2-0 with an ERA of 3.00 in three starts, John Danks is lights-out at 2-0 with a 0.95 ERA and Gavin Floyd is looking solid at 2-1 4.74 ERA.