So Maybe This Is Why the Yankees Wanted Sergio Mitre Back?

Sergio Mitre.

The Wall Street Journal today published a survey of eighteen Yankees, in which they asked the players questions like “Who would score the best on Jeopardy?” (Mark Teixeira got the most votes), and “Who would be the toughest to beat in arm wrestling?” (Bartolo Colon won that one). But perhaps the biggest surprise was this: When asked “Who would you most want on your side in a brawl?” the players overwhelmingly picked reliever Sergio Mitre, whom the Yankees traded to Milwaukee during Spring Training and then reaquired last month after the Brewers designated him for assignment. Apparently, Mitre is well trained, should shit go down: “Long story short, I grew up fighting,” he told the paper of his childhood in Tijuana. “My dad got tired of me coming home, shirt ripped, always bloody. So he put me into martial arts — Chinese Kempo, boxing, wrestling. I have a full, well-rounded education.” That said, Mitre hasn’t been in a fight since high school and has never gotten to run in from the bullpen during a brawl. (Mitre actually started the game against Toronto in 2009 in which the Yanks and Jays fought, but he’d been lifted from the game innings earlier.) We’re not going to lie: We kind of want the Yankees and Rays brawl at some point this year, just to see Mitre and noted scary person Kyle Farnsworth square off. [WSJ]

So Maybe This Is Why the Yanks Wanted Mitre?