The game isn’t played in a vaccuum. Whether it’s MLB or your local sandlot, you’re going to have context, implications and innuendo.

YMMV

Depending on who’s playing, it’s an audition for next year.

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No, it’s whatever you make of it. You can sit there and scrutinize everything he does, who he looks like, and where he’ll fit into the rotation if at all and you can fret over the how many mph his fastball records, who will get hurt next season, and who can be traded for who and what and when, ad nauseum (post nauesum) and you’re welcome to it, but I’m done. I just want to watch the baseball game, without all the context, implications, and innuendo – just the guys on the field, playing the game. Too much to ask?

The season is over. Can’t we just watch the freaking games for what they are?
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Depending on who’s playing, it’s an audition for next year. This “freaking game,” along with whatever else he does this year will determine if Aceves is in the mix for next season, be it a starter, reliever or reinforcement.

I’m not assigning future or retroactive blame. I think it was a shrewd signing whether he pans out or not.

I’m tired of projecting everything out to the next 20 years and assigning future and retroactive blame. The season is over. Can’t we just watch the freaking games for what they are?
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Exactly. I don’t think anyone was asking Aceves to go out there and audition for the #1 spot in the rotation next year. All the Yanks asked for — and received — was a night where the starter could last more than 5 innings and not put the team in a huge hole.

The kid had a nice start against the best team in baseball and the offense showed up for a change. That is all.

I’m tired of projecting everything out to the next 20 years and assigning future and retroactive blame. The season is over. Can’t we just watch the freaking games for what they are?

I didn’t see anything that said he would be a future ace.
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He isn’t an ace. Never will be an ace. Like you said in your next sentence, he will be a 4-5 starter.