Tino turns 50!

50! My childhood hero turns the big 5-0.

I know that may not seem old to some. I'm sure some reading this are older than that. It's just a bit odd to think that the player I rooted for most growing up is now 50 years old, his playing days now 12 years behind us. Pretty incredible.

I guess that means I'm getting older too!

Wishing Tino a very happy 50th, and to celebrate, here are 50 random Tino cards!

The new bleepin' manager of the Yankees

I was surprised that the Yankees chose Aaron Boone as their next manager. I was expecting Hensley Muelens due to his coaching experience.

Overall, I'm fine with the move. There wasn't a no-brainer candidate out there. I was a little surprised at the process though. I really figured that Brian Cashman had a plan in place once he let Girardi walk, but it really didn't seem like he did. Maybe he did at one point and then it didn't unfold as he expected. Or maybe he just went in with a completely open mind.

I think Boone will be fine. Many people think his 2003 HR gave him a leg up, which is laughable. But that's just how people on Twitter think sometimes. The managerial job has changed now, and you need a guy who is open to analytics and is a strong communicator. He is more a manager of people and processes, versus managing a game. It's interesting to see. It has changed almost as much as any position in the game.

Boone is walking into a good situation with a group of exciting young players; ones he must win-over and relate to, and also maximize their potential. I suspect his bench coach will have strong coaching experience, and I'm interested to see how he fills out his staff. We do know that Larry Rothschild will return as pitching coach, so I like the stability there.

I wish Aaron Boone the best of luck, and hope he is the right answer for a long, long time.

TTM Success: Scott Nielsen

As for many of us, the holiday season is a busy time. This is true for me, both personally and professionally. It's probably my busiest time of year at work. Sometimes I wish it was slower and I could just sit back and enjoy this time of year a bit more, but that's not how it's going to be for me, at least this year.

When busy, my time for the hobby suffers. One of the sacrifices I make is TTMs. They are always the first to slow down. Getting home late, I don't feel compelled to write letters and package cards, and I sure as heck don't feel motivated to head to the post office for stamps.

Back in November, I did find a few moments to send out four TTMs. I know, a whopping four! But still, it was nice to see one come back quickly.

Former Yankees pitcher Scott Nielsen signed both of my cards in about three weeks time.

Nielsen had two stints with the Yankees from 86-89. He was traded to the White Sox in a deal that brought Randy Velarde to NY. Then he was traded back to the Yankees the following off-season. They must've liked his arm, even though his career stats never reflected much big league success. He certainly had several years worth of success in AAA, so I can see why the Yanks wanted to give him a few shots.

I thank Mr. Nielsen for taking the time to answer my letter!