Consider my absence me holding my breath, closing my eyes and sticking my fingers in my ears.
I haven't recovered from the Steinbrenner monument unveiling. And then to watch the Yankees stagger like drunken sailors, dropping game after winnable game, was just too awful.
I tuned in last night, after watching "The 10th Inning," Ken Burns' two-part post script, to see CC Sabathia on the mound for the 9th. No sooner did the the words "Hey, that's nice, CC's gonna get a chance to finish a game," out pops Joe Girardi to yank him and bring in Mo.
Nothing changes with this guy.
At this point, I'm in the USS Anybody But Him. Bring Dallas Green back. Bring in anyone. Put a mannequin in the dugout I don't care. Joe must go.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
If you ain't cheatin' ...
I think my least favorite phrase (for the next few minutes at least) is "teachable moment."
Apparently Derek Jeter provided parents "a teachable moment."
That's for those parents not creative enough to come up with their own lesson plans.
Really? Jeter faking an umpire, getting first, and putting his team in a position to win (it didn't) is a lesson for children? How so? I remember when what Jeter did was called "gamesmanship" and it was largely applauded as the extra effort winner give to lift their teams to victory.
Jeter took the Jeffrey Mayer home run. No one criticized him.
Armando Galarraga lost a perfect game on a blown call. The base runner didn't say "No no, sir. I'm out." He took his base.
AJ Pierzynski stole first base in the 2005 ALCS and a swinging third strike the umpire said the catcher didn't catch. He did. AJ took first, was pinch run for. That guy stole second and eventually scored the winning run of the series. Was that a "teachable moment"? Or wasn't it, because Pierzynski is widely considered an a-hole.
Cheating in baseball is a funny thing. There's a stat called "stolen base." Players steal signs. Fielders try to decoy runners. What's the difference with a player decoying an umpire? He even said the ball didn't hit him. The ump said take your base. He took his base. That's baseball.
The answer is none. But it's a story. And it's a story that won't go away because it's Jeter. And it's New York. And the economy isn't tanking and the Palestinians and Israelis aren't seconds from abandoning peace talks again ...
Nah. Let's pay attention to this.
Apparently Derek Jeter provided parents "a teachable moment."
That's for those parents not creative enough to come up with their own lesson plans.
Really? Jeter faking an umpire, getting first, and putting his team in a position to win (it didn't) is a lesson for children? How so? I remember when what Jeter did was called "gamesmanship" and it was largely applauded as the extra effort winner give to lift their teams to victory.
Jeter took the Jeffrey Mayer home run. No one criticized him.
Armando Galarraga lost a perfect game on a blown call. The base runner didn't say "No no, sir. I'm out." He took his base.
AJ Pierzynski stole first base in the 2005 ALCS and a swinging third strike the umpire said the catcher didn't catch. He did. AJ took first, was pinch run for. That guy stole second and eventually scored the winning run of the series. Was that a "teachable moment"? Or wasn't it, because Pierzynski is widely considered an a-hole.
Cheating in baseball is a funny thing. There's a stat called "stolen base." Players steal signs. Fielders try to decoy runners. What's the difference with a player decoying an umpire? He even said the ball didn't hit him. The ump said take your base. He took his base. That's baseball.
The answer is none. But it's a story. And it's a story that won't go away because it's Jeter. And it's New York. And the economy isn't tanking and the Palestinians and Israelis aren't seconds from abandoning peace talks again ...
Nah. Let's pay attention to this.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Huh? And also, Aaawhaaaa?
Joe Girardi continues to confuse me.
After the Yankees literally stole two runs, and kudos to Joe Madden for not stopping until the umpire had no choice but to eject him, the traditionally twitchy Girardi has NO ONE up in the bullpen to relieve Phil Hughes in the 7th, should trouble arise.
Two outs, a walk, and a titanic bomb later — from Dan Johnson of all people — the Yankees are losing and eventually, they've lost.
I'm all for leaving the starter to his fate. Make no mistake. I'm just baffled the Girardi suddenly reverse-skates on his entire philosophy of never trusting a starter, he trusts a starter, lets him face a guy who already leaned into one two-run homer, and sees him hit a second.
Even in a loss though, the highlight of the game was Jeter selling that foul ball as if it hit him. The little glance back at the umpire, the grimace, the manager and the trainer wobbling out. The Granderson home run immediately after. In 1998, that moment turns into an avalanche in the Yankees' favor. In 2010, the Yanks can't even get a shutdown inning in the bottom of that frame.
Is this really the Devil collecting his due?
After the Yankees literally stole two runs, and kudos to Joe Madden for not stopping until the umpire had no choice but to eject him, the traditionally twitchy Girardi has NO ONE up in the bullpen to relieve Phil Hughes in the 7th, should trouble arise.
Two outs, a walk, and a titanic bomb later — from Dan Johnson of all people — the Yankees are losing and eventually, they've lost.
I'm all for leaving the starter to his fate. Make no mistake. I'm just baffled the Girardi suddenly reverse-skates on his entire philosophy of never trusting a starter, he trusts a starter, lets him face a guy who already leaned into one two-run homer, and sees him hit a second.
Even in a loss though, the highlight of the game was Jeter selling that foul ball as if it hit him. The little glance back at the umpire, the grimace, the manager and the trainer wobbling out. The Granderson home run immediately after. In 1998, that moment turns into an avalanche in the Yankees' favor. In 2010, the Yanks can't even get a shutdown inning in the bottom of that frame.
Is this really the Devil collecting his due?
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
U G L Y they ain't got no alibi
But at least they won.
I'm starting to get the same feeling watching Yankees/Rays that I get watching Yankees/Red Sox: a mixture of annoyance, nerves, frustration, possibly constipation. I don't know.
How do you blow a 6-1 lead? How do you hang a rookie pitcher out to dry, when you hook a your horse after 8 2/3 when he's a proven finisher? It's as if Joe Girardi is managing backward.
The guy really makes no sense. His contract can't end soon enough.
And so, the Yankees some how find themselves back in first place, by the grace of a pinch hit bomb, 24 innings into a three-game set with another to go and Phil Hughes on the mound.
I'm starting to get the same feeling watching Yankees/Rays that I get watching Yankees/Red Sox: a mixture of annoyance, nerves, frustration, possibly constipation. I don't know.
How do you blow a 6-1 lead? How do you hang a rookie pitcher out to dry, when you hook a your horse after 8 2/3 when he's a proven finisher? It's as if Joe Girardi is managing backward.
The guy really makes no sense. His contract can't end soon enough.
And so, the Yankees some how find themselves back in first place, by the grace of a pinch hit bomb, 24 innings into a three-game set with another to go and Phil Hughes on the mound.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Boycott continues ... kinda
That was the best pitching performance I never saw.
All right, I saw some of it, but after Gaudin's shaky inning, the writing was on the wall.
In the biggest series of the season, in a game you have to win, despite what Girardi will say, you go with Sergio Mitre in the 11th? The guy throws 5 pitches, the game is over and you're in second place. Where you should have been for the last week.
My two favorite things to yell at the TV these days are "Don't you take him out" and "Put that damn book down and manage the team." This is both pointless and embarrassing. I feel like Mickey in Rocky II, reacting to Apollo saying Rocky got lucky. I kick over my TV tray and storm, at ranting.
Of course, by "kick over my TV tray," I mean "Reach for my chocolate milk on my TV tray" and by "storm out" I mean, "change the channel."
It's close. Shut up. It is.
All right, I saw some of it, but after Gaudin's shaky inning, the writing was on the wall.
In the biggest series of the season, in a game you have to win, despite what Girardi will say, you go with Sergio Mitre in the 11th? The guy throws 5 pitches, the game is over and you're in second place. Where you should have been for the last week.
My two favorite things to yell at the TV these days are "Don't you take him out" and "Put that damn book down and manage the team." This is both pointless and embarrassing. I feel like Mickey in Rocky II, reacting to Apollo saying Rocky got lucky. I kick over my TV tray and storm, at ranting.
Of course, by "kick over my TV tray," I mean "Reach for my chocolate milk on my TV tray" and by "storm out" I mean, "change the channel."
It's close. Shut up. It is.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Walk off
AP PHOTOOur hero ...
Great, now I'll have to hear from my about how dreamy Nick Swisher.
Great, now I'll have to hear from my about how dreamy Nick Swisher.
Fine. He is. But she doesn't have to rub it in my face.
On their faces
Did lose to the Orioles.
This is horrible. Two bloopers, a walk and three runs later, the game is over. In the first inning.
Beaten by a rookie, again.
And the Rays are smoking the Red Sox.
Day game today. Another must win.
Breath held ... now.
This is horrible. Two bloopers, a walk and three runs later, the game is over. In the first inning.
Beaten by a rookie, again.
And the Rays are smoking the Red Sox.
Day game today. Another must win.
Breath held ... now.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Stumbling
Can't lose to the Orioles.
CC will right the ship, so we got that.
Can't blame A-Rod for coming off the DL and the team going south. He's producing. The pitching stinks.
AJ Burnett's head is so far up his tookus it's eventually going to right itself. This can't not happen.
Brett Gardner will never reach his potential if he can't 1) execute a sac bunt and 2) bunt for base hits. He could win a batting title if the Yanks dig up Brett Butler and assign him as Gardner's personal bunting coach. This, or some similar scenario, also can't not happen.
CC will right the ship, so we got that.
Can't blame A-Rod for coming off the DL and the team going south. He's producing. The pitching stinks.
AJ Burnett's head is so far up his tookus it's eventually going to right itself. This can't not happen.
Brett Gardner will never reach his potential if he can't 1) execute a sac bunt and 2) bunt for base hits. He could win a batting title if the Yanks dig up Brett Butler and assign him as Gardner's personal bunting coach. This, or some similar scenario, also can't not happen.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Where was I?
Two topics seem inescapable these days:
Joe Giradi going to the Cubs.
Derek Jeter, in the throes of his worst year, and his expiring contract.
To the first, I say good riddance. Frankly, I don't know who's next in line, but I'm in the "Anybody but Joe" camp. Have fun in Chi-town JG. And take your braces with you.
As for Jeter, I just heard someone call him Marco Scutaro. Wow. And ouch.
Speculation is Jeter wants A-Rod money, or at least in the $20 million per year stratosphere. Other speculation if pinstripes aren't in Jeter's future, he doesn't care about the money and he's done.
Yankees fans, at least 99 percent of them, love DJ and imagining the Yankees without him is much like me trying to imagine my life without hands. It just doesn't compute.
Because it's not my money, I say, pay the man. Because it's Derek Jeter, I say, pay the man. But because he's hitting .260 and appears to be limping around the bases, I say ... um, how about do the Paul O'Neill and take contracts year to year. Derek's defense has never been better. At least there's that.
This situation would have been much less awkward had the Yankees and Jeter come to some kind of agreement last year, when the 35-year-old SS was playing out of his mind.
Some guys just need to stay where there are, whatever the cost. And considering the Yankees are well off, there are worse things the Yankees could do with there's money.
Joe Giradi going to the Cubs.
Derek Jeter, in the throes of his worst year, and his expiring contract.
To the first, I say good riddance. Frankly, I don't know who's next in line, but I'm in the "Anybody but Joe" camp. Have fun in Chi-town JG. And take your braces with you.
As for Jeter, I just heard someone call him Marco Scutaro. Wow. And ouch.
Speculation is Jeter wants A-Rod money, or at least in the $20 million per year stratosphere. Other speculation if pinstripes aren't in Jeter's future, he doesn't care about the money and he's done.
Yankees fans, at least 99 percent of them, love DJ and imagining the Yankees without him is much like me trying to imagine my life without hands. It just doesn't compute.
Because it's not my money, I say, pay the man. Because it's Derek Jeter, I say, pay the man. But because he's hitting .260 and appears to be limping around the bases, I say ... um, how about do the Paul O'Neill and take contracts year to year. Derek's defense has never been better. At least there's that.
This situation would have been much less awkward had the Yankees and Jeter come to some kind of agreement last year, when the 35-year-old SS was playing out of his mind.
Some guys just need to stay where there are, whatever the cost. And considering the Yankees are well off, there are worse things the Yankees could do with there's money.
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