The Swisher Game

I hope baseball owners are paying attention to TV. The series between Detroit and New York reflects on the economy. Comerica Park, normally sold out when the Yankees come to town was virtually empty.

Last night was another Nick Swisher show. Swisher's switch hitting makes you not want Alex Rodriquez back. Last night also appeared to part of a turning point. The Yankees after be so-so for most of April, getting beaten down by the Red Sox over the weekend seem to finally be start to playing to their potential.

Of course there was the 9th inning Jonathan Albaladejo mistake which lead to people moaning about Mo giving up a run. I don't know what the thinking of Eiland and Girardi was about putting in Albaladejo. The 9th inning is MO's lead or not, not a time to experiment. Mo did great, he's Mo, he's turning 40 this year, you show me another 40 year old closer in the majors who can still do the job as well. Jonathan Albaladejo on the other hand clearly need to be sent down for work. Maybe to the same guy who fixed Phil Hughes.

If Joba is turning back to Joba and Phil Hughes takes no advice from Dave Eiland, the Yankees may just have a better may. I still want Eiland fired and seat prices lowered. However since clearly the reduction in seat prices the other day indicates the common sense of Yankee management, I think we are stuck with Dumb Dave for the duration.

Note To Lonn, Hal and George - Lower the ticket prices back to 2008. No one is buying the reduced ticket and you are closing baseball fans out of live games. I hope there is a special place in the center of hell for you all.

Struck Out!

While Boston continues to win, the Yankees continue to lose. The secret to the Red Sox success is everyone is hitting well at the same time, and of course their ultimate weapon Jason Papelbon.

The reasons for the Yankees continue average effort are many:

• Dave Eiland is not a qualified major league pitching coach
• C.C. Sabathia has turned out to be more fame than game and another victim of Dave Eiland's coaching.
• Mark Texeira is suffering from an early season injury and still not hitting to his game potential.
• In 19 games, the Yankees have an on base percentage of: 0.246; a slugging percentage of 0.311 a team batting average of 0.194; and 50% of the team is batting poorly.
• Jason Verlander is not a pitching ace but last night against the Yankees he shut them down and struck 9 out holding the Yankees scoreless in 7 innings.

This New York Yankees habit of starting poorly is one I want the Yankees to break. I didn't like in 2007, it repeated itself in 2008 and in 2009 it like indigestion is unpleasant.

I am hoping Phil Hughes breaks the streak tonight. On the plus side he has been in Scranton for weeks, aways form the bad influence of Dave Eiland; and Edwin Jackson has never been much of a pitcher.

Lets Go Yankees!

Swine Flu Paranoia and Common Sense

A Brief Public Safety Post

The outbreak of swine flu in Mexico and subsequent public and political reaction in the United States and The European Union just goes to show how misinforming our press media can become.

Yes swine flu is a point of concern. However the risk group would the extremely old and extremely young and most people born after 1962.

The Swine Flu Pandemic of 1918-1919 left residual immunity to the disease in the survivors. That immunity was passed to the next generation and slightly downgraded immunity to their grandchilden. While that will not prevent those people from coming down with swine flu; it will in person with immunity and of good health, lessen the severity of the disease.

There is an excellent book on the 1918 pandemic, Gina Kolata's "Flu: The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus That Caused It by." Everyone having flu paranoia should read it.


Facts:

• Not traveling will not prevent flu infection. Yes, staying out of highly infected countries is smart; but don't assume the flu is not in your own backyard already. Our age of internal travel assures flu is already on the 7 continents.

• Hand sanitizers are ineffective against influenza and other viruses, their effective claim is based on reduction of gram positive bacteria. Wash you hands, bath regularly, clean you household and use Lysol or another strong antiseptic on commonly handled household items, like keys, phones, etc.

• Flu is a warm weather disease. We see more of it in the winter, because we are closed up inside with no circulating air. Open some windows, air out the house and get fresh air indoors. Do not hide in the air conditioning and think will escape infection. It will increase it.

Take the disease seriously even if you are a baby boomer. Above all don't let the media scare you.

The 2009 Boston Massacre

Andy Pettitte was doing just fine until the 5th when he came out and walked Jason Varitek. Now whether that was directed before he walked out, non one knows. However telling Pettitte to intentiallay put on Kevin Youkalis ranks as the dumbest move by Dave Eiland and Joe Girardi. Pettitte should have been allowed to pitch to Youkalis.

One characteristic of this weekend's massacre of the Yankees by the Red Sox's is the number of times Soxs were intentionally put on base. You never put a Red Sox on base intentionally. You pitch to them, no matter how dangerous.

My only consolation to this catastrophe is that the Indians and Red Soxs are going at each other in Cleveland, which could result in a few Red Soxs losses. The Yankees however have flown into Detroit.; where the Tigers have been mauling the competition and sit surprisingly in first place; playing 0.600 baseball and have a 4-1 record at home. The Yankees on the other hands are playing 0.500 baseball, and have a 5-9 road record.

One thing the records don't reflect is the Tigers are not playing anyone of real power. This is the time for the Yankees to turn it around, especially in Comerica Park which takes the long ball out of the game. The Yankees have to play basic baseball; hit, get on bases, steal when you can, and score in each inning. If they don't they will rapidly be sinking into the AL East cellar and hearing George roar.

No Pitching Plan

It took 3 games of Wang not being Wang for the Yankees to realize Wang was not ready. Chamberlain got yanked too early Friday night, resulting in Rivera being unavailable and the Yankees folding again to the Red Sox on Saturday evening.

Bruney and Wang are now in Tampa for medical tests, and no one has yet to fire Dave Eiland. I guess the new approach of the Yankees is not have a pitching plan and just let the cards fall where they may. Clearly there is no pitching plan; and whose fault is that….Dave Eiland.

It’s the responsibility of the pitching coach to calm his pitcher when they are stressed or in a jam. Eiland allowed Chamberlain to come out and pitch in fear of hitting a Red Sox after Ortiz’s mouth off in the New York Post. He should have told Chamberlain to pay no mind and just go out and do his job.

Again on Friday he allowed Rivera to come in relief of Ramirez and finish the out, even though Marte was available which had catastrophic effects. A pitching change that will always be questioned and never be understood.

On Saturday, after Burnett was done , pitchers were brought in for specialty out. No one was told to go long, and again, catastrophe.

Fast ball strike out pitchers are not pitching striker, specialists are not pitching to their specialty, and Dave Eiland still is part of the staff. Wake up Cashman, fire him before he continues to wreak the pitching staff.

There is no reason with the talent on the pitching staff that the Yankees have, they should be in this pitching mess. What is unforgivable is that the pitching coach can’t sense trouble in his pitchers, and nothing is being done about it.

All hopes of Yankee fans turn tonight to Andy Pettitte. Andy is his own man, he won't need bad advice from Eiland. Hopefully Andy can stop the Boston bloodbath, because clearly Eiland can't

Pushing the Rivalry Over the Edge

David Ortiz’s comments in the New York Post on Friday were uncalled for and unneeded. The one thing they did seem to do is intimated Joba Chamberlain. Who pitched poorly. I am not sure whether Joba was afraid of starting a brawl of hitting a Red Sox, but instead of pitching inside he tossed at the corners, resulting in Red Soxs on base and a Yankee loss.

It speaks poorly of Joba’s maturity, which has been questioned. Joba has exhibited bad judgment, speeding with an open container of alcohol in his car. His son remain in Nebraska with the boy’s mother’s while Joba Chamberlain, enjoys the single life with the Yankees.

Maturity often seems lacking among people under the age of 30. Many of that age , the “X” generation think life should be handed to them on a silver platter and they have a right to do what they want. Life is yours for the taking, but you have to earn what you get. Joba didn’t earn his pay Friday night when he backed off his pitching because Ortiz sais something in the press.

The Yankees have a plethora of injury issues, one of the more critical being what could be wrong with Chien-Ming Wang. Joba has no right to resign his pitching because he was afraid of David Ortiz. Fear does not make a great pitcher, unless the pitcher is inspiring the fear in the batter. Great pitcher are feared, Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez, Mariano Rivera are just a few. Fear does not mean you need to be a a standoffish person, it just means that you need to take command of your talent. Joba has too much talent to pitch like a sissy, especially with Wang’s status unknown.

Note to Lonn - You Forgot Lou's Bat

I lot of pagan like rituals went on today before and during the game. Baseball players tend to be superstitious. The best was the presentation of Babe Ruth's bat at home plate before Jeter took the first Yankee swing in the 2009 regular season.

However among all of today's baseball blessing rituals, including the presence of the newly envested New York Archbishop, one key element was forgotten, Lou Gehrig's bat.

Lou's bat has sat a top the American flagpole at Yankee Stadium for an unknown amount of time. It no longer sits atop the pole but may have disappeared into the Yankee museum or Cooperstown. Anyway it is not where it should be. Maybe that explains the scalping the Yankees took today.

Gehrig as much as Ruth was responsible for the success of the Yankees in the depression era. Not relocating his bat is breaking a Yankee tradition. They can try and conjure as many spirits as possible with their other superstitious rituals, but until Lou's bat goes back to it's place of honor, I think the Yankees will be visited by evil spirits.

PS note to Joe G.: Take CC off the pitch count that is one reason you lost today!

Re-Grand Opening Day

You can never have a second Grand Opening. Despite the pomp and polish the New York Yankees will put forth this afternoon, they lost the shine of Opening Day when they played a few pre-season games against the Chicago Cubs.

Today when fans enter the stadium it will be previously used. Another faux pax by the Management of the New York Yankees. It will be like having a house warming after you lived in the house a few years. Call it what you want, but it is just going to be Opening Day for me.

The Yankees are still having trouble selling ticket plans for the new digs. I still continue to get calls and emails from Greg and Dave in the ticket office, offering me plans that are overpriced. Obviously I am not the only sane rationale fan who believes in fair market value. I guess the weak economy is finally catching up with the New York Yankees.

The real trick today will be to establish whether Magic and Mystique have decided to cross the street. Unlike everything else in Yankee Stadium they couldn't be crated up and shipped over. They have to want to go.

Playing the Cleveland Indians, is not a sure Opening Day win. The Indians have have best team in the Central, and the Yankees have not had such a difficult opponent in many years. The Opening day win streak surely is in danger this year. Tune in and find out if the Yankees can continue the streak or get scalped by the Indians.

Wang Woes

Chien-Ming Wang was 1-2 in Spring Training games, and typically not a lot of stock is put in those numbers. However now down 0-2 with a 28.93 ERA, it is time to take a harder look. Is Wang still not recuperated from his leg injury or has he developed a new affliction, Eilanditis.

While I am concerned that Wang is not healed. I am also concerned that Dave Eiland still does not qualify as a major league pitching coach and he remains in the NYY organization at the Major League level. When you fail in majors as a pitcher, you don't belong being brought back to coach pitching.

The Yankees have a multifuctional pitching staff and a pitching coach who only knows how to toss tricks to get a player a to take a swing. Pitching on the corners is well suited for anyone but Mariano Rivera. At this point I would like to see Mo take the role of coach/player and take over the pitching staff, as he has been turning the youth movement and done wonders. Eiland has only harmed the club's talent.

It been a season and 7 games, fire Eiland now!

CC Fizzles in the Yard & Tex Can't Cowboy Up

The Daily News and New York Post said it all this morning:

Not everyone can come out a Yankee, it takes time for some to get over their stage fright. I am hoping this was stage fright for CC and Tex and not another set of Cashman duds.

Hopefully being chided this morning will be the cure for C.C. Sabathia. Sabathia while a great arm is not someone who deals with negativity well. He will either react and improve or regress and be another Brian Cashman overpayment. Maybe a through psych exam should be given to these pitcher before contract negotiations begin.

I quote the great rabbit psychologist, the eminent Bugs Bunny when I say: "Snap out of it Sabathia!"

What happened yesterday was CC (6 runs, 5 walks, less than 4-1/3 innings pitched) throwing balls and not strikes and Jeremy Guthrie (3 runs, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts, and 6 innings pitched) proving he is a good pitcher stuck on a so-so team.

As to that other overpaid import, Mark Teixeira, his onbase percentage was 0.200, his slugging percentage was 0.000 and his batting average was 0.000. He had a lot in common yesterday with Cody Ransom yesterday, however Cody Ransom is not an All Star and potential Hall of Fame player and Mark Teixeira is; also Ransom makes $455,100 this year while Tex is hauling in $22,000,000.

So what we had yesterday was a $45,000,000 loss and fans still can't get a good seat in the new stadium without mortgaging their house. Thanks a lot Brian, Lonn & Hal.

Personally I am hoping George saw the game and is mentally able to place a phone call to the duds and kick some Yankee pride into them. Losing to Baltimore on Day One is a hitter friendly park is not the way to start off. Then again the 1998 Yankees lost their first 20 and then went on to win 114 and the World Series. However this is not Torre's team and Joe Girardi doe not have Torre's coaching staff.