New York Yankees: Sadness and Anger from the 'New York Times' Kei Igawa Article

Remember Kei Igawa? He was the Japanese lefty the Yankees signed back in 2007 who had a very brief, disastrous tenure with them before being banished, first to Triple-A and then to Double-A. 

The other day, the New York Times published an article about Igawa—a very informative piece about what he has been doing since his last major league appearance in 2008.

The article paints a truly sad picture of Igawa playing out his big-money contract in the minor leagues, refusing to accept "trades" back to Japan, still hoping against hope that he will get another chance in the majors.

The further I read through the article the more sorry I felt for Igawa. I also felt another emotion, but not towards Igawa.  The other emotion I felt was anger, and it was at the New York Yankees, specifically at GM Brian Cashman.

Cashman is quoted in the article as saying the Yankees scouting and signing of Igawa was "...a disaster. We failed."

It is okay to say you failed. There is nothing wrong with that. The problem I have is that the Yankees and Cashman decided the Igawa signing was a failure after the pitcher made only 16 appearances for the team.

I'm not a baseball expert. I've never played the game. I'm just a fan. The Yankee brain trust knows a helluva lot more about the game than I do.

But 16 appearances?  I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around that one.

Igawa's contract ends at the end of this season with the Yankees never having given him much of a chance. Perhaps another team will.

I hope so.