The New York Yankees have announced that they've signed comedian and longtime Yankees fan Billy Crystal to a one-game contract. Crystal will work out with the team on March 12th and will appear in the team's spring training game on March 13th when they face the Pirates (Pirates pitching is so bad that Crystal may even get a hit!). On March 14th, Crystal turns 60 years old. What a birthday gift.

Several gruff media members are calling this move by the Yankees an embarrassment to the game of baseball. I think those critics need to get a life.

Major League Baseball has been criticized (especially by me) for years for not promoting/marketing their players enough and for not aligning themselves with stars outside the sport who carry some weight with the casual fan. Now Billy Crystal isn't a superstar by any means, but he's a longtime Yankees fan who has a high enough profile that this one-day signing will generate some substantial buzz for the Bronx Bombers.

Let's face it, the Boston Red Sox (two championships in the last 4 years) and the cross-town rival New York Mets (acquisition of Johan Santana this offseason) have generated much more positive media exposure than the Yankees in the past few years. It seems the only time we've heard about the Yankees is when there has been some sort of controversy - ranging from the dismissal of popular manager Joe Torre to the PED crisis with pitchers Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte. The Yankees need some positive headlines for a change.

This is a spring training baseball game. Its not like they signed Crystal for the late season stretch drive. The pitcher he faces on March 13th will likely be pitching in the minor leagues this season. For everyone but Crystal and curious onlookers, it will be a meaningless at-bat or two.

But the publicity the move will generate will far outweigh the cost of bringing Crystal on board for a game. And his enthusiasm and humor might even rub off on a few of the Yankees players as they prepare for the regular season.

And how many of us will be living vicariously through Crystal as he puts on that Yankees uniform and steps into the batter's box on March 13th? Those gruff media members I mention above and all of us for that case, would love to be in Billy Crystal's shoes and have the amazing feeling of what it would be like to wear a Major League Baseball uniform.

A fan will have his chance to join the big leaguers on March 13th and realize the dream of a lifetime. Who amongst us wouldn't love to have the same opportunity? So be happy for Crystal and see this move by the Yankees for what it is - a goodwill gesture to a longtime fan and a publicity stunt to generate some positive headlines for the franchise.