Sydney Harpoon
The Yankees signing of Sydney Ponson underscores just how fallow their farm system is at the upper levels. They need a fifth starter to shore up the back end of the rotation and their solution is to sign the underachieving and out-of-shape Ponson, who has a long litany of alcohol-related misdeeds. He says he's sobor now, and I believe him, but that doesn't change the fact that he's shown an incredible lack of maturity up to this point and is an awful pitcher. I guess he's no different than David Wells in his problems, save that Wells as far as I know has never been arrested for DUI or for punching a judge and that Wells can actually pitch. Ponson had one solid season in 2003 and even then was mediocre for the last two months following a trade to the Giants. True, the Yankees got him on the cheap and have nothing to lose, but I'd rather see a Paul Byrd or Mark Redman at the back end of the rotation. Not some characterless yutz like Ponson.