Monday, July 05, 2010
Yankees 7, Blue Jays 6
One of the great cliches of baseball: Every team (except such as the '62 Mets) will win 54 games in a single season. Every team (except such as the '98 Yankees) will lose 54 games in a single season.
Baseball comes down to those other 54 games.
Slide this one into column number three, boys.
Mariano Rivera blows a save--his era skyrockets to 1.11. And they win.
And Brett Gardner could have busted it out faster, but hey. There are inside-the-park homers. And then there are standing inside-the-park homers. Had Manny Ramirez hit that ball that Wise played into a (let's be fair here) four-base error, Torre and Mattingly would be shoving Manny out of the dugout as the ball rolled to the wall, hoping he reached to first and doesn't erase the single run scoring from second.
Still.
500 at-bats per season. Let's say you strike out a hundred times. You hit, say, 35 atom-balls, line-drives that are caught in the first second or two. Over 25 weeks, that leaves 14.48 times per week you put the ball in play--a little more than twice a day you're asked to run ninety feet. Baseball is making Phil Mushnicks out of all of us.
Baseball comes down to those other 54 games.
Slide this one into column number three, boys.
Mariano Rivera blows a save--his era skyrockets to 1.11. And they win.
And Brett Gardner could have busted it out faster, but hey. There are inside-the-park homers. And then there are standing inside-the-park homers. Had Manny Ramirez hit that ball that Wise played into a (let's be fair here) four-base error, Torre and Mattingly would be shoving Manny out of the dugout as the ball rolled to the wall, hoping he reached to first and doesn't erase the single run scoring from second.
Still.
500 at-bats per season. Let's say you strike out a hundred times. You hit, say, 35 atom-balls, line-drives that are caught in the first second or two. Over 25 weeks, that leaves 14.48 times per week you put the ball in play--a little more than twice a day you're asked to run ninety feet. Baseball is making Phil Mushnicks out of all of us.
Sunday, July 04, 2010
About yesterday's 11-3 wake-up
My hope was that Brett Gardner might develop into more than a better-hitting version of Paul Blair, whom the Yankees kept for years despite his Mendoza-like stick because of the various deficiencies of their regular outfielders. As we all remember, Reggie could run but couldn't catch, Pinellia could catch but couldn't run, and Mickey Rivers and Roy White could run and catch, but couldn't throw.
People complain about Johnny Damon's arm. Next to Rivers, Damon was Jim Edmonds.
So Blair, who could run, catch, throw, and bunt--who could, it seemed, do everything on earth except the tiny little skill we know as "hit the ball out of the infield"--made a decent living for a number of years, mostly as late-inning defense. (He did get a game-winning hit in the World Series, thus joining both the illustrious Jose Vizcaino and the immortal Luis Sojo for that laurel.)
Until this year, you looked at Brett Gardner, you thought: white Paul Blair, plus a half-dozen extra hits per month, make it .240 instead of .200.
Now? Is there All-Star talk? It appears.
He won't get there, not with Pettitte, Hughes, Mo, and Cano getting there on merit alone, and A-Rod and Jeter or both on reputation. But what heady times.
People complain about Johnny Damon's arm. Next to Rivers, Damon was Jim Edmonds.
So Blair, who could run, catch, throw, and bunt--who could, it seemed, do everything on earth except the tiny little skill we know as "hit the ball out of the infield"--made a decent living for a number of years, mostly as late-inning defense. (He did get a game-winning hit in the World Series, thus joining both the illustrious Jose Vizcaino and the immortal Luis Sojo for that laurel.)
Until this year, you looked at Brett Gardner, you thought: white Paul Blair, plus a half-dozen extra hits per month, make it .240 instead of .200.
Now? Is there All-Star talk? It appears.
He won't get there, not with Pettitte, Hughes, Mo, and Cano getting there on merit alone, and A-Rod and Jeter or both on reputation. But what heady times.
Saturday, July 03, 2010
Much more like it
From the New York Post:
Yankees third. Gardner singled to right. Jeter walked on a full count, Gardner to second. Swisher singled to left, Gardner to third, Jeter to second. Teixeira doubled to left, Gardner scored, Jeter scored, Swisher to third. A.Rodriguez grounded out, shortstop Ale.Gonzalez to first baseman Overbay, Swisher scored, Teixeira to third. Cano singled to right, Teixeira scored. Posada flied out to center fielder V.Wells. Granderson infield single to second, Cano to second. Huffman was hit by a pitch, Cano to third, Granderson to second. Gardner homered to right on a full count, Cano scored, Granderson scored, Huffman scored. Tallet pitching. Jeter walked on four pitches. Swisher walked on a full count, Jeter to second. On wild pitch by Tallet, Jeter to third, Swisher to second. Teixeira walked. A.Rodriguez doubled to left, Jeter scored, Swisher scored, Teixeira scored. Cano lined out to right fielder J.Bautista
Yankees third. Gardner singled to right. Jeter walked on a full count, Gardner to second. Swisher singled to left, Gardner to third, Jeter to second. Teixeira doubled to left, Gardner scored, Jeter scored, Swisher to third. A.Rodriguez grounded out, shortstop Ale.Gonzalez to first baseman Overbay, Swisher scored, Teixeira to third. Cano singled to right, Teixeira scored. Posada flied out to center fielder V.Wells. Granderson infield single to second, Cano to second. Huffman was hit by a pitch, Cano to third, Granderson to second. Gardner homered to right on a full count, Cano scored, Granderson scored, Huffman scored. Tallet pitching. Jeter walked on four pitches. Swisher walked on a full count, Jeter to second. On wild pitch by Tallet, Jeter to third, Swisher to second. Teixeira walked. A.Rodriguez doubled to left, Jeter scored, Swisher scored, Teixeira scored. Cano lined out to right fielder J.Bautista
Jays 6, Yankees 1 (11)
Now it can be told: For the past decade, whoever brought in Chan Ho Park for big money at the beginning of that year (Dodgers, Rangers) was, I knew, one team nobody had to worry about.
That was the joke. If Chan Ho was the answer, what was the question? Ugh.
That was the joke. If Chan Ho was the answer, what was the question? Ugh.
Friday, July 02, 2010
Yankees 4, Mariners 2
Lessons?
1. It's a long season. CC is now 10-3. It is one of the hallmarks of a team that plays together that the starting nine comes out, and the bullpen is ready, for some kind of landmark game for a treasured teammate. In retrospect, it matters less that CC failed to get to 20 wins last year (Greinke was getting the Cy Young anyway) that, last year, without prompting, with a volunteers' willingness to go over the hill, the Yankees, having secured the division, went out--with the starting eight, with Hughes and Mo and the rest of the front-line bull all set to go, if needed--to try and get CC number twenty. They failed. But the fact they tried meant so much. CC is big, he improves in the heat, he takes the ball on short rest, and he'll knock down two of yours if you mess with one of his. It's taken me all this time to get to a) he's a warrior and b) I love him.
2. Playoff rotation. CC, Hughes, Lefty?
3. I had an A-Rod moment to go with my seoncd-greatest moment on a ballfield. My softball manager decided to play me, a lefty, at second. Man on first. Ball in the hole, I dive in the grass, flip the ball in the general direction of second. Our shortstop plucks it in midair, steps on the bag, fires to first, double play. I jump up, touch gloves with the shortstop, start trimphantly off the field. Uh, Joe. That's still only two outs.
1. It's a long season. CC is now 10-3. It is one of the hallmarks of a team that plays together that the starting nine comes out, and the bullpen is ready, for some kind of landmark game for a treasured teammate. In retrospect, it matters less that CC failed to get to 20 wins last year (Greinke was getting the Cy Young anyway) that, last year, without prompting, with a volunteers' willingness to go over the hill, the Yankees, having secured the division, went out--with the starting eight, with Hughes and Mo and the rest of the front-line bull all set to go, if needed--to try and get CC number twenty. They failed. But the fact they tried meant so much. CC is big, he improves in the heat, he takes the ball on short rest, and he'll knock down two of yours if you mess with one of his. It's taken me all this time to get to a) he's a warrior and b) I love him.
2. Playoff rotation. CC, Hughes, Lefty?
3. I had an A-Rod moment to go with my seoncd-greatest moment on a ballfield. My softball manager decided to play me, a lefty, at second. Man on first. Ball in the hole, I dive in the grass, flip the ball in the general direction of second. Our shortstop plucks it in midair, steps on the bag, fires to first, double play. I jump up, touch gloves with the shortstop, start trimphantly off the field. Uh, Joe. That's still only two outs.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Seatlle, really
7-0. Well, shutouts happen, and Felix can hurl. I always thought if they just nosed against Tampa it was over. Prove me right, boys.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Some inning, ay?
The good news was, while trying to field the most routine of bunts The Yankees reminded me that my four year-old nephew's t-ball game is today.
The bad news is . . . hurricane season. A rain-out.
The bad news is . . . hurricane season. A rain-out.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Dodgers 9, Yankees 4
I made 27 bucks betting 10 against AJ in Vegas earlier this week.
I'm sorry, but there it is.
I'm sorry, but there it is.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Yankees 2, Dodgers 1
What a game to finally come home to.
Strong starting pitching, solid D, timely hitting late, Mo.
CC is so big he often seems to have too many moving parts--certainly, when his pitching is a shade off, when his curveball misses a foot wide and comes in at ankle-high, he does.
Special joy: fifth inning, Michael Kay said, "Hey, there's Vin Scully!" And I said, "Hey, there is Vin Scully and switched to the Dodger broadcast.
No offense to Kay and Flash but . . . damn.
What was funny was James Loney, last batter of the game, looking at Mo's backdoor cutter--simply one of the five best pitches in the history of the sport, then getting rung up, then throwing his helmet, then getting thrown out of a game that was already over.
What do we call such a moment? "You're fired! No, I quit!"
Was CC's hitting Padilla intentional? I didn't think so, now . . . I wonder. One of the raps against the 2002-2008 Yankees was that they were too soft--clearly not the 1998 team that carried a brawl against the O's into the Baltimore dugout, when Straw and Graeme Lloyd were throwing blindiders from back behind their ears, then trading high-fives for the cameras in the clubhouse.
CC brought a lot to the team. Had Pettitte been routed in Game Six of the Series, he was prepared to start for the sixth time that post-season.
But tonight was a reminder: CC, along with Tex and Swisher, helps make the Yankees mean.
Strong starting pitching, solid D, timely hitting late, Mo.
CC is so big he often seems to have too many moving parts--certainly, when his pitching is a shade off, when his curveball misses a foot wide and comes in at ankle-high, he does.
Special joy: fifth inning, Michael Kay said, "Hey, there's Vin Scully!" And I said, "Hey, there is Vin Scully and switched to the Dodger broadcast.
No offense to Kay and Flash but . . . damn.
What was funny was James Loney, last batter of the game, looking at Mo's backdoor cutter--simply one of the five best pitches in the history of the sport, then getting rung up, then throwing his helmet, then getting thrown out of a game that was already over.
What do we call such a moment? "You're fired! No, I quit!"
Was CC's hitting Padilla intentional? I didn't think so, now . . . I wonder. One of the raps against the 2002-2008 Yankees was that they were too soft--clearly not the 1998 team that carried a brawl against the O's into the Baltimore dugout, when Straw and Graeme Lloyd were throwing blindiders from back behind their ears, then trading high-fives for the cameras in the clubhouse.
CC brought a lot to the team. Had Pettitte been routed in Game Six of the Series, he was prepared to start for the sixth time that post-season.
But tonight was a reminder: CC, along with Tex and Swisher, helps make the Yankees mean.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
After the weekend that was
For three days every second or third or fourth year, Astro-Girl and I are at odds rooting-wise. She loves her Astros (pouring over the draftee list all weekend; she wanted more lumber); I like the Astros a lot. I love the Yankees; she loves Derek Jeter, likes Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posaada a lot, admires Mo, thinks Joba is "the cutest thing," and has more or less accepted A-Rod. So she roots for the Yankees, and I root for the Astros, and all is well and good except for three days every third year when the interleague wheel comes around to AL East/NL Central, and watch our guys square off.
A few fun facts about the Yankees and Astros:
1. Everybody knows Mickey Mantle hit the first home run in the Astrodome, in an exhibition game in 1965. When the 2000 Yankees returned to help the 'Stros open Minute Maid Park (then known as . . . ugh . . . Enron Field), the first home run was hit by . . . Rickey Ledee, in his third year of attempting to crack the Yankees' World Championship outfield that featured Paul O'Neill in right and Bernie in center. (The official totals for the Dyansty Years of 1996-2001 indicate the Yankees tried out precisely 5,204 left fielders to go with Paulie and Bernie. Ruben Rivera, who tried to steal some of Jeter's gear--um, not a sterling career move in the Bronx--was out there. Shane Spencer, the replacement player (err, strikebreaker) who was thought to have a real shot until he tore up his leg in '99 and was never the same. Chuck Knoblach in 2001, when his throws from second to first threatened to kill Rudy Guiliani. Jose Canseco was thought to have a shot; the Yankees traded for him after Spencer went down, then discovered he'd decided on his own to become a full-time DH forevermore--not only did he not have a glove, but when was issued his Yankee uniform (cue trumpets: the hallwed pintripes of the Babe and Lou Iron Horse, of Joe D and the Mick), he specifically asked not to be given a cap, on grounds that he would only need a batting helmet.
2. Incidentally, a former major-leaguer, a Hall-of-Famer, has come forward to announce that he, and not the Commerce Comet, hit the Astrodome's first home run. His logic is, if you're going to count exhibition games, then the scrimmage he played in, as a young Astro, against a local high school team the night before the Mick went yard, ought to count, too. And he wants us to know it. If you're guessing that this fellow was a second baseman who was later traded to the Reds, and who then went on to win two consecutive MVPs, nice guess. His logic, then, begs the question--if you're not going to distinguish between an official Major League Spring Training game (for which official records were kept, and MLB umpires assigned, and customers charged admission) and a game with no fans, no records, no (I'm guessing) umps, why not stop there? Why not award the first home run to whoever hit one first in that scrimmages' batting practice? How about the first Astrodome construction worker who brought a bat and bucket of balls to work, and hit fungoes after 5 pm while standing in short center?
3. The Astros and Yankees took part in one of the strangest games in history in 2003: the Astros employed a record six pitchers in no-hitting the Yankees. This fact can only happen if the starting pithcer is hurt (Roy Oswalt was) and a host of relievers hold up their ends. Brad Lidge, Billy Wagner, and Octavio Dotel were called, at one time or another, "closers." The fellow Sarloos pitched some good games. And I always forget about the sixth guy. I took some mighty crap from my co-workers after that game. But the Yankees' record vs. the Astros' since then? 7-0.
4. I saw all three Astro-Yankee games at Minute Maid two years ago, a birthday present from Astro-Girl. This was a Yankee sweep. The first two games were classic Yankee victories--solid startin pitching, good hitting late, solid bullpen--but in the third game the internal history of the team was altered. Astro owner Drayton McClane had ordered the Minute Maid doors thrown open a half-hour early, to allow those attending to see the Yankee batting practice ample time to find their seats. Thus we were allowed to see the Jeter-Posada-Melky cabal stretch and soft-toss before BP, see the scrubs and rookies take their places in the outfield, gues who was hot. For the Sunday game, Wang was facing Oswalt, and so much was Girardi's obsession for getting ready for Oswalt that he, on Saturday night, had rested Matsui and Posada in order to load up on left-handed bats. Posada came out on Sunday morning and hit line drives to the left-field porch; I said, "He's going to crush the 'Stros today." And so he did, hitting a homer, though turned around to the right side, Oswalt having been long gone. The Yankees won 13-1, but one run ended their season and hastened their pursuit of CC and AJ: Wang rounding third, ripping that tendon at the bottom of his foot, and essentially ending his career.
And this doesn't even bring us up to this year.
A few fun facts about the Yankees and Astros:
1. Everybody knows Mickey Mantle hit the first home run in the Astrodome, in an exhibition game in 1965. When the 2000 Yankees returned to help the 'Stros open Minute Maid Park (then known as . . . ugh . . . Enron Field), the first home run was hit by . . . Rickey Ledee, in his third year of attempting to crack the Yankees' World Championship outfield that featured Paul O'Neill in right and Bernie in center. (The official totals for the Dyansty Years of 1996-2001 indicate the Yankees tried out precisely 5,204 left fielders to go with Paulie and Bernie. Ruben Rivera, who tried to steal some of Jeter's gear--um, not a sterling career move in the Bronx--was out there. Shane Spencer, the replacement player (err, strikebreaker) who was thought to have a real shot until he tore up his leg in '99 and was never the same. Chuck Knoblach in 2001, when his throws from second to first threatened to kill Rudy Guiliani. Jose Canseco was thought to have a shot; the Yankees traded for him after Spencer went down, then discovered he'd decided on his own to become a full-time DH forevermore--not only did he not have a glove, but when was issued his Yankee uniform (cue trumpets: the hallwed pintripes of the Babe and Lou Iron Horse, of Joe D and the Mick), he specifically asked not to be given a cap, on grounds that he would only need a batting helmet.
2. Incidentally, a former major-leaguer, a Hall-of-Famer, has come forward to announce that he, and not the Commerce Comet, hit the Astrodome's first home run. His logic is, if you're going to count exhibition games, then the scrimmage he played in, as a young Astro, against a local high school team the night before the Mick went yard, ought to count, too. And he wants us to know it. If you're guessing that this fellow was a second baseman who was later traded to the Reds, and who then went on to win two consecutive MVPs, nice guess. His logic, then, begs the question--if you're not going to distinguish between an official Major League Spring Training game (for which official records were kept, and MLB umpires assigned, and customers charged admission) and a game with no fans, no records, no (I'm guessing) umps, why not stop there? Why not award the first home run to whoever hit one first in that scrimmages' batting practice? How about the first Astrodome construction worker who brought a bat and bucket of balls to work, and hit fungoes after 5 pm while standing in short center?
3. The Astros and Yankees took part in one of the strangest games in history in 2003: the Astros employed a record six pitchers in no-hitting the Yankees. This fact can only happen if the starting pithcer is hurt (Roy Oswalt was) and a host of relievers hold up their ends. Brad Lidge, Billy Wagner, and Octavio Dotel were called, at one time or another, "closers." The fellow Sarloos pitched some good games. And I always forget about the sixth guy. I took some mighty crap from my co-workers after that game. But the Yankees' record vs. the Astros' since then? 7-0.
4. I saw all three Astro-Yankee games at Minute Maid two years ago, a birthday present from Astro-Girl. This was a Yankee sweep. The first two games were classic Yankee victories--solid startin pitching, good hitting late, solid bullpen--but in the third game the internal history of the team was altered. Astro owner Drayton McClane had ordered the Minute Maid doors thrown open a half-hour early, to allow those attending to see the Yankee batting practice ample time to find their seats. Thus we were allowed to see the Jeter-Posada-Melky cabal stretch and soft-toss before BP, see the scrubs and rookies take their places in the outfield, gues who was hot. For the Sunday game, Wang was facing Oswalt, and so much was Girardi's obsession for getting ready for Oswalt that he, on Saturday night, had rested Matsui and Posada in order to load up on left-handed bats. Posada came out on Sunday morning and hit line drives to the left-field porch; I said, "He's going to crush the 'Stros today." And so he did, hitting a homer, though turned around to the right side, Oswalt having been long gone. The Yankees won 13-1, but one run ended their season and hastened their pursuit of CC and AJ: Wang rounding third, ripping that tendon at the bottom of his foot, and essentially ending his career.
And this doesn't even bring us up to this year.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Sunday, June 06, 2010
Yankees 4, Blue Jays 3
The only question mark is Joba.
Vazquez looks like the pitcher the Yankees hired . . . Granderson seems healthy.
I remember something Roger Angell once wrote about the old Munson-Nettles-Reggie-Mickey-Chambliss teams of the late-70s: "The Yankees are capable of playing fiuve different types of baseball."
Thought about that today. Eighth inning, one out. A-Rod with the bases loaded--2-1 becomes 4-2, but in none of the ways you'd think. One of the best half-dozen innings of the season.
Vazquez looks like the pitcher the Yankees hired . . . Granderson seems healthy.
I remember something Roger Angell once wrote about the old Munson-Nettles-Reggie-Mickey-Chambliss teams of the late-70s: "The Yankees are capable of playing fiuve different types of baseball."
Thought about that today. Eighth inning, one out. A-Rod with the bases loaded--2-1 becomes 4-2, but in none of the ways you'd think. One of the best half-dozen innings of the season.
Friday, June 04, 2010
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Yankees 6, Orioles 3
Partying like it's 1998.
Banged up? Players in a slump? Pitchers in a bad patch?
Or, conversely . . . team playing well? Getting healthy? Finding its stroke?
Either way, it's good news: the Orioles are in town.
Banged up? Players in a slump? Pitchers in a bad patch?
Or, conversely . . . team playing well? Getting healthy? Finding its stroke?
Either way, it's good news: the Orioles are in town.
Grandy, Robby, and . . . okay, not "Swishy"
In the everyday player department, three things:
1. If Robby Cano isn't the "first-third" MVP . . . he is, right now, at "you always know where he is in the lineup" status. This just occurred to me: Cleveland walked Tex to pitched to A-Rod on Monday, and we all know what happened. In that situation, in a one-run game--especially given the Yankees' exhausted and (at the moment) suspect bullpen, they didn't have to pitch to A-Rod. I mean, you try to get him out, but with Alex freaking Rodriguez you can at least be fine around the plate. Walk him, the game is 3-1. A two-run lead, you're still never more than one pitch away from bringing the tying run to the plate. As Tommy John always said, "You always have an open base, even if it's home plate." Jim Palmer walked home scores of runs during his career, but as we all know . . . not a single grand slam. Thing is, none of that occurred to anyone. And why? Cano was on deck. He's playing that well.
2. Seems like Granderson can hit lefties after all.
3. Nice to see Nick Swisher is much, much more than a mascot. Remember he was brought in to be the fourth outfielder and pinch hitter. It is hard to see Xavier Nady, at his healthiest, giving even close to what Swisher is right now.
1. If Robby Cano isn't the "first-third" MVP . . . he is, right now, at "you always know where he is in the lineup" status. This just occurred to me: Cleveland walked Tex to pitched to A-Rod on Monday, and we all know what happened. In that situation, in a one-run game--especially given the Yankees' exhausted and (at the moment) suspect bullpen, they didn't have to pitch to A-Rod. I mean, you try to get him out, but with Alex freaking Rodriguez you can at least be fine around the plate. Walk him, the game is 3-1. A two-run lead, you're still never more than one pitch away from bringing the tying run to the plate. As Tommy John always said, "You always have an open base, even if it's home plate." Jim Palmer walked home scores of runs during his career, but as we all know . . . not a single grand slam. Thing is, none of that occurred to anyone. And why? Cano was on deck. He's playing that well.
2. Seems like Granderson can hit lefties after all.
3. Nice to see Nick Swisher is much, much more than a mascot. Remember he was brought in to be the fourth outfielder and pinch hitter. It is hard to see Xavier Nady, at his healthiest, giving even close to what Swisher is right now.
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Catching up
1. Yanks 9, Birds 1. Hughes, finally, may have arrived. Loved that kid from the start.
2. Pettitte plus Hughes: 12 games over .500. The rest of the Yankee staff: 1 game over .500.
3. That blown call, costing baseball the third perfect game in a month: ouch. Baseball umps remain the most competent officials, as a group, in sports. (This is even including the ghastly incompetents, like CV Buckner and Angel Hernandez.) If anything like Tim Donaghy had happened in baseball, they'd already be filming the movie. (Jake Glynenhall, maybe. Tobey MacGuire.) But something hit last October and keeps recurring.
3. When I was in college, during Spring Break in 1986 and '87, my father and brothers and I would head out of Scottsdale Diablo Stadium to watch the Seattle Mariners play the Brewers, Padres, Cubs, whoever in Spring Training. Just about every game, Dick Williams would send the Mariners' prime prospect out to play center field for the last few innings. There was no question this skinny teenager would be returning to the minors both years, but the fans were delighted to see him play, in part because they remembered his famous father, in part because he was a promise of things to come--for Mariner fans and non-fans alike. The big smile you could see from high above home plate all the way to the warning track, and with every fly ball, every at-bat, every first-to-third, it was if the entire park existed only to watch him. The sentiment was palpable: He has to do well. There could be no other outcome. Ken Griffey Junior did okay.
2. Pettitte plus Hughes: 12 games over .500. The rest of the Yankee staff: 1 game over .500.
3. That blown call, costing baseball the third perfect game in a month: ouch. Baseball umps remain the most competent officials, as a group, in sports. (This is even including the ghastly incompetents, like CV Buckner and Angel Hernandez.) If anything like Tim Donaghy had happened in baseball, they'd already be filming the movie. (Jake Glynenhall, maybe. Tobey MacGuire.) But something hit last October and keeps recurring.
3. When I was in college, during Spring Break in 1986 and '87, my father and brothers and I would head out of Scottsdale Diablo Stadium to watch the Seattle Mariners play the Brewers, Padres, Cubs, whoever in Spring Training. Just about every game, Dick Williams would send the Mariners' prime prospect out to play center field for the last few innings. There was no question this skinny teenager would be returning to the minors both years, but the fans were delighted to see him play, in part because they remembered his famous father, in part because he was a promise of things to come--for Mariner fans and non-fans alike. The big smile you could see from high above home plate all the way to the warning track, and with every fly ball, every at-bat, every first-to-third, it was if the entire park existed only to watch him. The sentiment was palpable: He has to do well. There could be no other outcome. Ken Griffey Junior did okay.
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Yanks swipe three of four from Tribe
Joel Sherman pretty much nails yesterday afternoon and the moment when a two-game swing and the fate of a series hung in the balance:
You don't split tens in Blackjack. You lay up in the US Open. You never touch the Stanley Cup until you've won it. And you don't walk Tex to get to A-Rod.
Karma ain't just a dancer at the Gold Club
It all made perfect baseball sense. Of course it did.
Indians manager Manny Acta absolutely had every reason in the world to intentionally walk Mark Teixeira to load the bases with one out in the seventh inning yesterday. Well, every reason but one: YOU NEVER INTENTIONALLY WALK MARK TEIXEIRA IN FRONT OF ALEX RODRIGUEZ.
You have a better chance of plugging that BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico with Silly String than actually succeeding with that strategy.
You don't split tens in Blackjack. You lay up in the US Open. You never touch the Stanley Cup until you've won it. And you don't walk Tex to get to A-Rod.
Karma ain't just a dancer at the Gold Club
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