Wednesday, July 30, 2008

CHAD IS CHOMPING AT THE BIT

To paraphrase: "Just when we thought we were up, they drag us back down". What good is an 8-game winning streak if you follow up with a 3-game losing streak. The 2008 Yanks made another appearance last night, giving up big hits and not getting any themselves. Our two new acquistions are doing well: One allows a back-breaking inning, the other strikes out with men on base. Truthfully, Nady looks lost out there. I don't know if he's trying too hard or he's not used to playing in the "Majors" with all that pressure; or they said last night: "I'm not in Pittsburgh anymore".

A-Rod is being hit an awful lot, lately, and Jeter isn't. I wonder if that has anything to do with batting averages. I disagreed with Cabrerra being tossed last night, but maybe it will eliminate some bruises for A-Rod.

The Cubbies seemed determined to let Milwaukee know who's the boss, beating Sabathia and Sheets on succesive nights.

Not only did the Yanks win 2 out of 3 in Boston, it seems they infected the Sox with Yankee-itis: Not hitting in the clutch and an exploding pitching staff. If Manny really is just trying for BIG money (like $20 million isn't enough), trotting down to 1st on line drives to outfielders and on double play grounders isn't the way to do it. Sagging career numbers isn't helping either.

It's a good time for the Angels (also know as The Los Angeles Angels of LA But Playing In Anaheim In Central California...or something) to get hot. They play in Yankee Stadium Thursday thru Sunday. Picasner will be cowering in a corner with his "banky" clutched to his face and his thumb in his mouth. If the Yanks don't win at least 3 of the next 5, my next blog will be a picture of a noose.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

POOR YOUKILIS

I feel bad for poor Kevin. Just like the Sox felt bad when Pedro Martinez made a career out of plunking Jeter and had no qualms about throwing at at least one other Yankee during a game. I remember him yelling at Posada at pointing at his head. I remember him nailing Sheffield because he stepped out of the box when Pedro tried to quick-pitch him.

Of course, they handled it just the way the Yanks did: ignore it and come back to win the game. ...Oh wait, they didn't win; they just whined about being thrown at. What are the odds that Jeter or A-Rod get thrown at today? Poor Red Sox. Let's focus on the game, OK?

Wakefield vs Petitte today. Wakefield has not done well recently against the Yanks (2-8 with a 5.81 ERA over 3 years). I hope this bodes well for the Yanks. At least he won't hurt anyone when he hits them.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Yankees 1 - Boston Squat

Kevin Youkilis will sign an agreement with Volkswagen to appear in several of their "little head" commercials. Youkilis expects that if a witch doctor is successful in shrinking his enormous, bulbous, hairless dome to a more manageable size, he can significantly extend his baseball career, particularly against Joba Chamberlain.

In other entertainment news, Mike Lowell has signed to appear with Adam Sandler in "Anger Management II". In this scheduled for release in 2009 sequel to the pathetic "Anger Management", Sandler will play the shrink and Lowell the patient. Lowells's foot stomping tantrum so pleased the millions watching on national television, MGM representatives were immediately jetting into Boston to ink the grey-haired super rant.

Two 2nd inning Web Gems! Melkey's stretched out catch and the Cano-Jeter-Giambi DP. Spectacular "D".

Players on both sides with a rep for lacking mental toughness performed true to form. NY's Farnsworth in the 8th hanging a fat, first pitch slider to a rookie and eating Crisp's dribbler. Boston's JD Drew' Deer in the Headlights performance, unable to pull the trigger on a called 3rd strike fastball down the middle, in the bottom of the 9th to end the game.

Pedroia can have all the 1 - 4 nights he wants and please, keep Ortiz in the batting order. He's not ready for prime time. Looks like he found someone in the AL who is able to get him out.

It's amazing that talking heads get paid to say so many stupid things. Joe Morgan who sees no point in building a new Yankee Stadium. Tim McCarver, speaking about Chamberlain, who said if he starts the season as a reliever he should remain a reliever for the the entire season. David Cone accepting money to be enthusiastically inane. And, Gos help her Kim Jones. Tonight while interviewing Girardi she asked Joe that since he has been preaching how important it is to win series, particularly in the last half of the season, and how important it is to win the opening game of a series to increase your chances of winning the series, was it important for the Yankees to win tonight?

Good night, Gracie.

Good night George.

Vod

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

PICASNER IS HAPPY

The Yanks continue to look good after the All-Star break. Or is it that the Twins just look bad? For three games we've listened to "...the Twins way", their method of playing the game: move the runners, run the bases, don't give up outs. But what have we seen? Fielders throwing to the wrong base, pitchers not covering 1st, infielders who forget the number of outs, fielders not catching throws. If this is what they teach from the low minors on up, somebody's got it backwards. I certainly expect better mechanics from a team fighting for the Central Division lead. This series looked like two teams heading in the opposite direction.

Can someone explain to me what a "Jeterian Swing" is? Is that where a right-handed hitter bounces one to the second baseman or flies out to right? C'mon guys, enough of the hero worship,

Bobby Meecham continues to be aggressive coaching third. Aggressive? Is someone feeding him raw meat between innings? Hey, it's okay to hold someone up at third; he's goning to get someone killed out there.

Is Michael Kay really trying to talk Al Leiter into returning? I remember Al's last year: afraid to throw the ball over the plate. Al, stay in the booth where you represent the voice of reason working next to Michael Kay, king of the bad question.

"Al, did you get mad when batters took close pitches that were called balls?" How does anyone answer that? There was a pause, while I believe Leiter was spitting on Michael.

They keep talking about telling Cano it's the 2nd half of the season to eliminate that slump in the beginning. You're not going to fool anyone with that. I'll tell you how to solve it: have the All-Star game the 2nd week of April.

Boston, and a good idea of how the Yankee season will go, is next.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

A SHORT PICASNER POST

As long as we have Cone-Head, we won't miss Michael Kay:
"41% of his called third strikes were on pitches that were taken." ??? If that weren't bad enough, he repeated it. Yesterday, he had the Yanks leaving 21 men on base after 5 innings. I thought that infield looked a little crowded. Close games, but we have a modest little win streak.

Kim Jones continues to amaze. "Jason, you guess a lot with this guy, often." Thank you, Kim. Do you ever write down your questions first?

Saturday, July 12, 2008

*** BOBBY ***

He was smaller than I expected, this homer-hitting stud from Oklahoma. The next Mickey Mantle. I went to MacArthur Stadium to see him. I seem to remember he was playing for Richmond but the biographies say Toledo. Whatever. I noticed his odd stance: straight-legged, bent at the waist, bat held high and at an angle.The short stroke provided power his size belied. He didn't hit a homer, but he doubled off the wall in right that night. He fielded his position (SS) flawlessly,if not spectacularly. He smiled at the ribbing the fans gave this new bonus-baby Yankee, and kidded them back. A ballplayer talking to the fans. After that night, I knew he'd never be a home run king like Mickey, but he was so graceful and fluid, I thought he be a major-leaguer for a long time.

During an Old-Timers game a few years ago, he wore a microphone while he played. On his way in from left field, instead of going to the dugout, he went and sat in the stands and "interviewed" a fan for the whole half-inning, and we were spellbound. He not only loved the game and it's players, but also it's fans. You wanted to invite him home for dinner. I wished I was that fan.

It was touching. It was beautiful. It was BOBBY.

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

CHAD'S BACK !

I'm back from my recent incarceration in Highland Hospital. Lots of pretty nurses and aides but no "YES" network. I was forced to get my athletic fix from ESPN and their band of raving idiots. Apparently they feel it's not enough to announce scores, they have to add cutesty sayings to everything. They were also so busy promo-ing the next segment, they only had 15 seconds left to show highlights of the game: actually, it seemed they showed highlights of the highlights.

With very little substance to go on, my only comments are: The Yankees seemed to have found the winning formula, CC Sabathia is the "new" best pitcher on the planet (except for Joe Harden) and it is still illegal to question an umpires's call no matter where you are. I heard Joe West threw Girardi out of the coffee shop in Queens yesterday morning.