Yes I'm A Yankee Fan

RIP George M. Steinbrenner

2010-07-13T21:38:00.003-04:00

George Steinbrenner

2010-07-13T14:55:00.001-04:00

Geore Steinbrenner changed sports. His two good qualities as a owner was he demand of excellence and his treatment of sports as a business. While Steinbrenner did a lot of good for baseball, he did more wrong.

He was not the most successful Yankee owner. The Topping/Webster Era (20 years) in the between 1945 and 1964 was the most successful, bringing home 15 American League Championships and 10 World Series Championships Ruppert Ownership , second to that was the Ruppert Era (30 years) resulted in 14 American League Championships and 10 World Series Championships. The George Steinbrenner era only resulted in 10 American League Championships and 7 World Series Championships in 37 years

Modern sportswriters are praising George Steinbrenner today. Those writers like the athletes that benefitted from Steinbrenner’s ownership of the Yankees rose in salary structure from his management. But his management also impacted on the fans. As Steinbrenner forever changed sports with higher and higher salaries, media also paid their best sportswriters and sportscasters to cover those athletes. Baseball has no salary cap because of George Steinbrenner’s influence. Steinbrenner would prefer to spend what he could afford.

The passing of George Steinbrenner is an end of a Yankee Era, however Steinbrenner while the most infamous owner is not in the top 100 Yankee people. He pales behind Hall of Famers, and two more successful owner groups who actually enhanced baseball.

Bob Shepard

2010-07-11T12:36:00.005-04:00

Bob Sheppard was the voice of my Yankees, when retired in 2009, he was replaced by Paul Olden, but Bob Sheppard’s voice can never be replaced. His voice was truly one of a kind, but his voice was not his only achievement. Bob represented the true American, a person who just did the right thing but being a regular American was not his calling. Bob Sheppard became an international recognized regular American Joe.

Sheppard long nicknamed the voice of God, never sought the limelight. He took a job as sports announcer to bring extra income to is family, never realizing it would bring him international notoriety.

Sheppard could have been anything he became a teacher. He served his country in World War II, and. In 1951 he became a Yankee Stadium announcer, announcing for both the Giants and NY York Yankees, but it was his baseball role that pushed him into public address immortality.

Sheppard worked for the Yankee for 58 years to, during double duty with the New Giants until 2005, when his health started to catch up with him. He devoted the rest of his time to the Yankees. His microphone was retired, it is enshrined in Cooperstown. A Bronze plaque sits in Monument, placed there by the Yankees in May 2000.

Sheppard witnessed some of the greatest athletes play baseball, hall of famers: Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Bill Dickey, Whitey Ford Goose Gossage, Phil Rizzuto, Catfish Hunter, Dave Williams, Ted Williams, Wade Boggs, and Casey Stengel. He announced and witnessed the Yankees winning 13 of World Series and 22 American League titles.

There will never be another Bob Sheppard, but we can strive to be like him. Not necessarily the voice of the Yankees, but a good person, who does well for all.

A NYY Fan In Red Sox Land

2010-04-16T15:25:00.003-04:00

Since December I have been on the I-95 NJ to MA shuffle. I still am on this project, and now it is baseball season. Its one thing to be in Boston for a NYY-Soxs game; there are dozens, hundreds of other Yankee fans. However its another to be there during baseball season when the Yanks are not in town:

Some notations about living, albeit temporarily in Red Sox Nation:

There are plenty of stores selling Red Sox stuff, the closest location to find anything NYY is the rest stop on the Mass Pike. There you can find a NYY decal for your car, enabling the National to find you easier and harass you more frequently. Even teh local CVS and Staples is pandering to the Red Sox fan.
The Subways sell large plastic drink cups emblezzaned with the Red Sox logo, forcing me to negotiate for 2 regular size paper cups so I don't have to drink out of Red Sox cup. The Dunkin Donuts sells Red Soxs travel mugs.
The News did show the highlights of opening day at Yankee Stadium, not to humor NYY fans, but because it was Opening Day for the World Series Champs.
Anything Yankee on you draws the attentionof others, as if you were walking down the street naked.
Yankee baseball, if they are not playing the Soxs is limited to MLB TV on your PC.

I am hoping this project is over soon, so I can get back to my NYY life.

And the Circus Came to Town - Twice

2009-07-07T20:15:00.004-04:00

While basically a baseball blog which I have been to busy to regularly post to; I do at times feel the need to comment on news notes.

Like many I was surprised at the death of Michael Jackson on June 25. However I did not drop to my knees and cry hysterically. He was another death of a celebrity. In death like in life Michael courted the bizarre. As a child he was truly gifted, a prodigy for his advanced musical and performing talents. As an adult he seemed disturbed. Whether he reverted mentally to be a child as an adult or was suffering from the drugs and other mental health issues, he was still talented beyond most performers.

Drugs can change the addict's behavior and personality. I have witnessed that firsthand with members of my own family. Clearly much of the bizarre that surrounded the adult Michael Jackson can be credited to his drug addiction.

In the end, the talented performed died of drug overdose. No one can deny he was talented, but not many have brought to light that had he not been abusing drugs, he mights still be alive.

In death as in life Michael was the showman. Fitting his funeral and memorial turned into a circus, Michael's last 20 years were also much of a circus, often overshadowing his accomplishments and talent. Even more fitting as the wer holding Michael's memeorial today in the Staple Center, tomorow they will opening the real circus. Ringling Bros's opens Wednesday at the Staple Center.

Michaell had talent, but what I tell my young relatives, is all the talent in the world can't help you when you are on drugs. He was a genius and he was a drug addict; and in the end the drugs killed him. Another talented life wrecked by drug abuse.

Batting A, Pitching C

2009-06-15T20:56:00.004-04:00

Alright Yankee fans, stop applauding the Yankee position in the AL East and start looking at pitching. While there has been a slight improvement in pitching, that improvement is from a grade of C- to a C. C pitching won't get you to the big show in the Fall.

Don't believe Me Observe the grades for the regular Yankee Starters. Pitiful!!!

One interesting fact these number say that Joba should be kept a starter.

No matter, the Yankees are winning with smoke and mirros and not the pitching staff.

0-8 and Off to Interleague We Go

2009-06-12T04:59:00.002-04:00

The only thing I like about interleague is the Yankees-Mets and Cubs-White Soxs series. The rest of Interleague could be cut for all I care. What makes those games interesting, cross town rivalries.

As for Interleague, I predict highs and lows. The NY Mets actually have a decent team compromised by bouts of illness and injuries. Last year they had the Yankees number, and this year this year they could do the same. The Yankees also play the Atlanta Braves, another team that will give them trouble. Fortunately to balance this off the Yanks face the Nats and the Marlins.

No back to the the Yankees inability to beat Boston.......

I want all of the Red Soxs tesetd for HCG, and yes their is a blood test. I doubt the Red Soxs are stupid enough to be on steroids, then again they are a team know for their idiots; but all that Red Sox bulky power did not come from the weight room. Come on guys roll up your sleeves and fill the marble top tube.

Why do I thin the Soxs are on drugs? I am not a sore loser, I am just a careful observer. The Soxs have bulked up, that bulking is stopping the Yankees from garnering one win in 8 games. Statistically for the Yankees this is not probable. Time to drug test Boston.

While the season is more than a 1/3rd over, for all intents Boston is on its way to be the clear American League East winner. Why, because the Yankees can't beat them.

Boston is 20-8 in the East, 10-4 in the Central and 5-10 in the West. The Yankees are 12-16 in the East, 13-5 in the Central and 8-3 in the West. Do the math, if the Yankees don't start beating Boston, they will again start vacation in 104 games.

Can We Beat Boston?

2009-06-10T21:18:00.004-04:00

I've been quiet lately, I was busy and the Bombers weren't really worth talking about. Yes they won and A-Rod was back, but look back at the wins. Not much to get excited about.

The Yankees who have been playing .660 ball the last 3 weeks are facing the acid test, the Boston Red Soxs. So far they are failing the test. Last night shut out 7-0 and tonight they working toward another loss.

The Red Soxs, the rival, the nemesis, have the Yankees number so far this year. The Yankees if they continue are down 6-3 in the 6th and on their way to loss # 7 this year out of GAD, 7 games played.

So explain those Yankee wins away, right. Wrong The Yankees played AA teams disguised as Major League Clubs. Of the Twins, Indians, O's Rays, Jays and Rangers we have this:
Twins - pitching mediocre due to loss of star talent in Off season, Mauer can't bat the team to victory
Indians - MLB Team with pitching staff on life support due to injuries and infectious disease.
Orioles - Can't bat as well as the Yankee......yet
Rays - Yankees saw their lesser pitchers who are no use to pitching in rain.
Jays - It's still Hockey season, it's hard to play to an empty house.
Rangers - Not back on roids...yet

The only hopefully win the Yankees managed was against the Phillies, the hope of a team improving.

It's now the top of the 7th and the Yankees have closed to 6-5. Phil Hughes is pitching and if he continues we could pull out a win. I am hopeful because Hughes can go long and Boston is out of solid relief except for Papelbon. IF stupidity does not descend on Joe G and his staff I could go to sleep a happy lady.

No Joy In Yankee Land

2009-05-12T07:14:00.006-04:00

Amid the news of an investigation by Curtis Sliwa into ticket sales and ticket pricing, the Yankees are away in Toronto. In this day of satellite TV and radio it is doubtful that they have not heard of the and investigation; the question is whether it will add to the Yankee woes as they face the first place Blue Jays.

Tonight should be billed as a pitcher's ego battle with A.J. Burnett going up against Roy Halladay, his former Blue Jay teammate. Unfortunately while Halladay is 6-1 in 7 starts, while Burnett is 2-0, with 4 no decisions, in 6 starts. Burnett's best outing was April 14 against Tampa Bay and it has all been a a roller coaster ride since.

The Yankees still appear to have gotten hosed in the Burnett deal as they appear to have gotten a 12-10 pitcher and not an 18-10 pitcher. The pitching deals for several years have been called by Brian Cashman; and the current state of the Yankees tell me it is time for change from the top down. Cashman need to go!

The consistent overspending of the Yankees has only had two positive results, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. Cashman can be credited for Carl Pavano, Kevin Brown, as well as other lackluster pitching and batting dogs; and not resigning Bernie William when he still had a good numbers left in his bat. Instead Cashman has shopped for hired guns; and the Yankees are still sitting at # 26; with escalating ticket prices and fans finally flipping the team the bird on overpriced seats.

Wake up Tampa, it is time for a change!

I anxiously await what this Curtis Sliwa investigation into Yankee ticketing will unvail. Sliwa is not like other talkies in radio is not all mouth. While the News, Post and most of sports talk radio covered the ticket issues earlier this year; it was all talk. Sliwa apparently has been digging and obtaining facts. Another reason the Yankee organization should be concerned is that Sliwa has political pull.

Will the Yankee win tonight; probably not. Will they be embarrassed in the ticket investigation, probably so. The Yankee woes are not over, and the only route to fixing them is to make a lot of changes, changes in management, changes in ticketing. The Yankees are sucked dry of positive energy and about to go into negative numbers.

Add to Yankee woes the dominating Red Soxs and the rapid maturity of the Blue Jays, Ray, and O's. It's only May, and without change, the Yankees are becoming a third place contender istead of the leader.

A-Rod Can't Solve Yankee Woes

2009-05-07T12:08:00.002-04:00

There has been nothing proven from his performance so far in Tampa that Alex Rodriquez is the same player. Granted he is more experienced than Ramiro Pena, but Pena is a rookie, so a little slack should be given to him as such.

First off Alex can't heal the bullpen. Secondly, if he truly is rehabbing, why has not worked the minor league circuit of Tampa to Trenton to Scranton. that typically is the route of rehab for Yankee sluggers. Instead Alex has been left in Tampa, where he performance has been less than A-Rod like. Is that to give the Yankees an out if he is brought back "too early"?

As of now Alex's return is anyone's guess. Rumors have in in the Friday lineup in Baltimore. In regards to those rumors Joe Girardi takes a wait and see attitude. Brian Cashman wants the mythical A-Rod backk, thinking that will forgive the bullpen problem. However A-Rod has yet to prove he can still bat well or play at major league caliper; but he is being touted by many as the savior of the Yankees.

The saviors of the Yankees will be Chien-Ming Wang, Brian Bruney and Dimaso Marte.

What also needs to be addressed is s permanent closer. Mariano Riviera cannot go on forever. At best, I might even guess this could be the sundown of his career. No solution to a permenant closer, outside of Joba Chamberlain has been presentted that was a success. I hate to say this, but starters are easier to find than effective closers, and the only solid prospect is Joba.

As for the Yankees, they have are in the middle and can up or down in the standings. Yes A-Rod may add a run or two, but that will not help with the current chaos of pitching.

Manny Ramirez Suspended for 50 Games

2009-05-07T11:56:00.004-04:00

Manny being Manny will be absent from baseball for the next two months. Ramirez was suspended today for 50 games for failing the performance enhancing drug test. An appeal will not occur.

Manny's suspension may prove that a little bit of wisdom is still held by Yankee Management who refused to discuss his coming to the Bronx in the off season; resulting in Manny staying with the Dodgers.

The question remains what the Dodgers will do with his $45,000,000 / 2 years contract. You could make an argument the contract was offered under false pretenses. If when Manny returns on July 3 he fails to perform without PE drugs; what will the Dodgers do? I say if that becomes the case, severe the contract.

Fan Energy & Empty Seats Add to Yankke Malaise

2009-05-05T18:54:00.008-04:00

It's hard to put a direct cause on the Yankee blues. However I tend to still stand by my bad karma theory. State of the art new surroundings have not helped, only hindered. I think the big problem may be a lack of fans.

Throughout the Torre years a steady growth of fans in seats came with each each successive year of ticket sales and Yankee success. The construction of the new stadium resulted in luxury seating. Most of the seating, even though prices have been halved, remains empty.

The Yankees in their most dismal displays of talent could feed off the crowd. Crowds in the past typically numbered between 50,000 to 56,000+, depending on the opponent. Yes there have been an average of 46,000 at the home games, the the seating capacity of the new stadium is 52,325, which means roughly 6000 unsold seats. The vast majority of those seats as one sees on TV are closest to players. The rest of the fans are there, quarantined in the more baseball priced seats, rows back from the field between 1st and 3rd base.

I think the emptiness has gotten to the Bronx Bombers.

There is lot to be said for the effect of fans on player performance. Players can feed on fan energy; the Yankees have done that often. But even with large crowds what effect does that block of near empty rows of seat alter the player's energy?

The players could not have been blind to the controversy over the luxury seating. Coverage extended over national and international media. Who knows what feedback they have gotten of the Yankee management's refusal to eliminate the luxury seats. Could that be part of the player blues?

Guilt trips can have serious negative impacts. Although the players are not responsible for ticket prices directly, high salaries resulted in high concession and ticket prices. Seeing those empty seats at field level cannot help. Has the guilt of their owners' greed altered the psychological mindset of the players.

Look at the losses in Detroit. Granted Yankee pitching was so-so, but Comerica, despite having baseball's premier draw in house, the New York Yankees, could only help fill an average of 27,000 seats of 67% of the capacity.) Past years, despite Tiger performance would see a 90-95% of the seats filled, mostly with patrons wearing Yankee shirts.

The economy has certainly hit sports, as one can see from the empty seats at home and away Yankee games. Even still if you watch other teams on TV in other markets, people are going. Baseball which was not impacted in the post 1929 depression has now hit the wall. The current economic situation along with enhanced TV coverage is keeping fans home. the question remains what will baseball do to turn it around.

Among the many Yankee ills is the economy. Add to the lackluster multimillion dollar pitching, erratic offense, and injuries. Player talent can be fixed, but how do you fix the player psyche? Well for one thing, I would start upgrading people who come to the games. If those sweet comfortable seats are unsold, move fans down. Think of it as good PR. And if the Bombers play better, well that may be the road to a cure.

In regards to the Yankee Stadium personnel who misinformed fans to leave last night, I hope they are identified and fired. In regards to the woman who was arrested for assault on a police officer. You were wrong. I assume the woman was highly intoxicated, another issue associated with extended rain delays at Yankee games. However the police were doing there job and you certainly weren't acting like a civilized person or a lady. Assault on an officer deserves lockup, even if the reason for you protest was to to a miscommunication by Yankee employees and enforcement of the no re-entry policy.

In last night's rain delay melee there were wrongs on all sides, baseball, the fans who left and the Stadium employees who told them the game was postponed. It causes me to believe that weeknight rain delays should be limited to 90-120 minutes. If the games cannot be started after that time, it should be rescheduled. No consideration is given on these weeknight games that most fans have been up all day and then have to go home, catch some sleep and go to work the next day.

A-Rod Book a Must Not Read

2009-05-01T19:47:00.004-04:00

Last Friday I had outpatient surgery; before, during, and after surgery my IV included Mefoxin. Mexofin is a very potent antibiotic that basically wipes out any GI bacteria. It left with an irritable, gassy and colicky bowel. I would rather endure that pain again then read Selena Roberts’ book on Alex Rodriquez.

Because of her book, Ms. Roberts has gotten a lot of pre-launch publicity. She has begun to appear frequently on “The Sports Reporters”, must be some deal her publisher has with ESPN, because as sports reporter I find her lacking.

I read the New York Times, one of Ms. Roberts’ employers (she also writes for Sports Illustrated). As a literate and educated person take what I read in The Times or any other newspapers context as either news or journalism. Ms. Roberts is a journalist. She has played second fiddle in the New York Sports community, and lacking a real TV job as a color commenter with a New York or New Jersey team, she has chosen the fast route to fame, writing a book. However she seems to be taking lessons from Jayson Blair, another New York Times reporter who was didn’t report the truth. Blair was eventually fired, as maybe Ms. Roberts might also be if she keeps on.

As much as I despise what A-Rod has done, I don’t condone a book with no substantive truth. Even Game of Shadows had legitimate documentation. Ms Roberts either does not have real documentation fro her A-Rod story or overly protective of her sources. I tend to believe she is just full of unsubstantiated innuendos.

A-Rod has made his life a shambles. Ms. Roberts’ book is just another cheap shot at him. A-Rod does not need cheap shots, he can, as he has proven many times; make a big mess of his life all by his self. He doesn’t need a second rate liberal feminist sports reporter doing it for him.

It is unfortunate that many great players often end up with soap opera / tabloid tale lives. The Yankees have had their share. Next to A-Rod, the one Yankee with the biggest talent and soap opera had to be Mickey Mantle. Mantle’ the hero of the Bronx lead a playboy lifestyle. Fortunately in those times, little was done to attack heroes in the press. The world however is different 40+ years later.

I won’t be reading Ms. Roberts’ book. It like her Times tales is like my bowel, colicky and full of hot gassy air.

The Swisher Game

2009-04-30T09:04:00.003-04:00

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!

2009-04-28T11:11:00.004-04:00

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

2009-04-27T12:33:00.001-04:00

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

2009-04-27T07:44:00.003-04:00

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

2009-04-26T20:33:00.002-04:00

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

2009-04-25T16:56:00.003-04:00

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

2009-04-16T19:40:00.004-04:00

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

2009-04-16T09:42:00.008-04:00

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

2009-04-14T08:51:00.005-04:00

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

2009-04-07T08:40:00.007-04:00

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.

The American League West- Pitching 2009

2009-03-10T20:18:00.009-04:00

The pitching in the American League West is in one word…………Abysmal! A train wreck is a prettier site. The 2007 Yankee pitching was a better group of dysfunctional talent. Yankee & Boston fans shouldn't waste time staying up when the teams go on the road to the West, road trips will be predictably successful.

ERAs are high and pitching staffs consist of aging veterans with issues and youngsters with something to prove. Starters have lots of mileage and no one has a real closer. If I had to guess right now who would win the West, I couldn’t say. One thing for sure, the Wild Card is unlikely to come from the West this year. It will be a fight of the worst to win the Western Division.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim:
My parents said if you can’t say something nice, say something positive, Kelvim Rodriquez will make NY Mets fans ecstatic. As to Angels fans, gone are the good ole days.

The Angels starters are aging. I hope for a glimmer of light in the minor league invitees, otherwise Angel games with AL East and Central times will just result in even higher ERAs. The brightest hope is Jose Arredondo who could be the up and coming closer.

The winning potential of the starters is 0.757; relief is 0.616 and that makes for a potential winning percentage of 0.710 or 115 games. That would work fine if they confine play to the West, but they have to face the East and Central, making them a 92 game winner and the probable champ.

If you live in LA, just root for the Lakers or Dodgers.

Oakland Athletics:
The Oakland Athletics consist of a lot of kids recently brought up from the minors. This team could end up with the best pitching. They have youth and leadership on t heir side. The pitching staff reminds me of the 1996 Yankees. Justin Duchscherer and Josh Devine have great potential and are the best starter and closer in the West, despite their youth.

The winning potential of the starters is 0.443; relief is 0.601 and that makes for a potential winning percentage of 0.513 or 88 games.

Seattle Mariners:
The Mariners have a problem, they have plenty of starters, but no one can get out of the fifth. What makes that worse is they have some solid relief, but not enough to cap the gap and give the bullpen rest. They too will have to experiment with the youth o fill in the holes. I like Carlos Silva, I think he will be in Seattle a while.

While the pitching is shaky, pitching instruction even shakier; Rick Adair has taken over from Mel Stottlemyre. Adair didn’t do much as a pitcher, he never made it out of the minors, and did less at Texas. There will be crying over baseball in Seattle this year.

The winning potential of the starters is 0.323; relief is 0.327 and that makes for a potential winning percentage of 0.354 or 53 games.

Texas Rangers:
The worst pitching in the division! Texas will be a good place for Boston and Yankee road games. The cowboy in the white hat will be Mike Maddux. Maddux came to Texas this year with a proven track record. If anyone can rope in those ERAs it will be him. But he has his work cut out for him.

The winning potential of the starters is 0.478; relief is 0.357 and that makes for a potential winning percentage of 0.424 or 69 games.

AL East Winner: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (90 wins or better)

Also rans: Oakland (85 wins or better), Texas (70 wins or better), Seattle (60 wins or better).
Up next, offense.............

The American League Central - Pitching 2009

2009-03-08T19:38:00.007-04:00

The pitching in the American League Central is also tilted. All teams have starters to practice the six inning game, however only the Indians, White Soxs and Twins are actually fielding major league starters and relievers. If you don’t talk about Carl Pavano, the Cleveland Indians have the best pitching in the division, maybe even in baseball. The Chicago White Soxs close trying to scalp the Tribe, and Minnesota Twins can’t be counted out. Floundering like fish are the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals.

Chicago White Soxs:
The White Soxs starters can give them an average of 6 innings and relief can give 3, Bobby Jenks is no Mariano Rivera or Jon Papelbon, but he can stop the game.

The winning potential of the starters is 0.486; relief is 0.457 and that makes for a potential winning percentage of 0.476 or 77 games.

The White Soxs are in it to win it.

The Soxs have the capability to win 95 starts. Their starters can give them an average of 6 innings while relief can give only another 6 innings; Chicago is famous for their extra inning games. The winning potential of the starters is 0.617; relief is 0.976 and that makes for a potential winning percentage of 0.737 or 119 games: with the Indians in the same division if the White Soxs break 100 wins, they will be lucky.

Cleveland Indians:
The Cleveland Indians have the best pitching staff in the American League starters can give them an average of 6 innings and relief can give the required 3, they lack a solid closer, however look for Jensen Lewis to improve. The winning potential of the starters is 0.812; relief is 0.999 and that makes for a potential winning percentage of 0.975 or 110 games.

The Cleveland Indians have the capability to take on all comers and take their scalps.

The Tribe could easily win 123 games. The will battle with the White Soxs, Yankees and Boston. Those teams with the Indians, should be pitching duels. If Carl Pavano makes the Indians roster and does not feign illness, he will be rudely received in the Bronx.

Detroit Tigers:
The Detroit Tigers don’t have bad pitching, they are just it the wrong division this year. Its hard to win when two of the 4 teams you play can dominate you.

The Detroit Tigers starters can give them an average of 6 innings and relief can give 3. The winning potential of the starters is 0.503; relief is 0.963, but their closers are no show stoppers. The have a potential winning percentage of 0.606 or 82 games.

The Tigers may bite and roar, but for all respects they will be tame.

Kansas City Royals:
Kansas City still haves the best steakhouses, but no baseball. The best chance for the Royals is to poison the Gatorade in the visiting clubhouses when other teams come to town. Maybe they can get come peanuts packaged by the Peanut Corporation of America.

The Royals are still building, and if they can remain steady, they have a chance in a few years, but not in 2009. Their relief pitching is their best asset at this time.

The Royals starters can play the 6 innings game and relief finish it off, they lack a solid closer. The winning potential of the starters is 0.503; relief is 0.963 and that makes for a potential winning percentage of 0.606 or 82 games.
The Kansas City Royals are not a playoff team.

Minnesota Twins:
The Twins are the spoiler in the Central with their ultimate secret weapon, Manager Ron Gardenhire.

Their starters can give a solid 6 innings innings and relief can give the needed 3, and they Joe Nathan for a closer. The winning potential of the starters is 0.575; relief is 0.963 and that makes for a potential winning percentage of 0.662 or 85 games.

The Twins could surprise everyone.

AL Central Winner: Cleveland Indians (100 wins or better)

Also rans: Chicago (97 wins or better), Minnesota (98 wins or better), Detroit (80 wins or better), Kansas City (77 wins or better).

American League East Pitching 2009

2009-03-07T11:34:00.011-05:00

The pitching in the American League East this year creates a disparity. On one side of the seesaw is New York, Boston and Tampa, on the other Toronto and Baltimore. While New York, Boston and Tampa will be playing for the title of AL East, Toronto and Tampa will be fighting to see which one does not finish in last place.

Baltimore Orioles:

A great disadvantage to Baltimore pitching is Camden Yards, the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Soxs. Baltimore has weak and shaky starting pitching. Starters can only give you 5-6 innings, and then it is the Orioles Bullpen.

The Orioles should consider this a rebuilding year.

The Birds have the capability to win 80 starts. Their starters can give them an average of 5-6 innings while relief can give only 2-3; the bullpen will be taxed against opposing AL East power bats from New York and Boston. The winning potential of the starters is 0.559; relief is 0.370 and that makes for a potential winning percentage of 0.496 or 80 games. The Orioles will finish in last place.

Boston Red Soxs:
To the advantage of the pitching staff is the Green Monster, Matsuzaka, Papelbon and David Ortiz. If the Red Soxs hit they can win 99 games, if they don't, 88 games, making them a potential 94 game winner and a rival to New York and Tampa.

The Red Soxs have the capability to win 99 starts. Their starters can give them an average of 6 innings and relief can give 3-4. The winning potential of the starters is 0.544; relief is 0.463 and that makes for a potential winning percentage of 0.517 or 84 games. Boston as always will threaten the Yankees thus make the AL East race interesting, especially with A-Rod on the DL for the season start.

New York Yankees:
While it is a concern what the Yankees will do without Alex Rodriquez's bat, hitting only tacks on runs; pitching is the most important aspect to winning the World Series. This year in the AL East, the Yankees have set themselves up with solid pitching, starters and bullpen. Not only that the Yankees have strong youth potential for starters.

A healthy year could bring another AL East Title.

The Yankees have the capability to win 102 starts. Their starters can give them an average of 7 innings while relief can give 3-4, they can get more rest on Mo's arm. The winning potential of the starters is 0.610; relief is 0.697 and that makes for a potential winning percentage of 0.629 or 102 wins. The Yankees can win the American League East as long as they manufacture runs.

Tampa Bay Rays:

The question remains if Tampa can maintain the momentum of their American League Division Title or are just a flash in the pan. If the Yankees and Boston are healthy, Tampa is an an unknown wild card in the AL East race. They have a solid pitching staff and with care against Boston and New York hitters, they are a potential first place team. They definitely will do better against Toronto and Baltimore than New York or Boston. A factor for the Rays is whether Tropicana Field is now a pro Tampa home or reverts back to Yankee Stadium South.

The Rays need the crowd on their side at home to succeed.

One plus the Rays have is relief pitching in the minors, a new closer. The Rays starters can give them an average of 6 innings and relief can give 3-6 if needed. The wining potential of the starters is 0.563; relief is 0.597 and that makes for a potential winning percentage of 0.574 or 93 games Tampa has potential to win the American League East as long as the can beat Boston and New York, they could be the Cinderella story again. Tampa is favored against poor offensive teams in the League.

Toronto Blue Jays:
Ice Hockey is more important than baseball in Canada. Add to that scary range of talent in starting pitching and unsteady talent in the bullpen and you see the 4th runner up in the American League East Race.

Yankees and Boston are division powers. The Yankees took A.J Burnett from the list of solid Blue Jays starters. Roy Halladay is still good, but the Yankees are set for starters, quality starters; the Jays are no.

Blue Jays fans should attend their beloved hockey games. Toronto fans will be tortured by a 4th place hockey team going nowhere and yet again an also ran baseball team. Toronto fans can continue to hate Boston with a vengeance, because the Boston Bruins are leading the NHL Northeast conference and the Red Soxs will stomp all over the Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays starters can give them an average of 5 innings and relief can give 3, they lack a solid closer. The winning potential of the starters is 0.486; relief is 0.457 and that makes for a potential winning percentage of 0.476 or 77 games. The only race Toronto will be in is for the basement of the American League East.

AL East Winner: New York (98 wins or better)

Also rans: Tampa (91 wins or better), Boston (88 wins or better), Toronto (79 wins or better), Baltimore (80 wins or better)

The Ticket Licensee - Finale

2009-03-06T20:45:00.006-05:00

After several weeks of trying to get decent seats at a price that is fair, I have thrown in the towel. I will not renew my ticket license. Part of this is pride and part is I don't want to pay through the nose and still not be able to see the ball at the plate. All options offered were between 356 to 416 feet from the plate.

Am I nuts, no, I am very level headed. I don't believe that sports tickets should be out of reach of fans, The Yankees and most of baseball have joined Club Nuts! They are raising seat prices because they can; especially in stadium that don't fill, ticket prices have been evaluated win the capacity crowd team comes to town. Baltimore has tripled the face value of tickets for Red Soxs and Yankee games, tickets remain at normal price level for the rest of American League East.

Baseball is a slow learner. Football banned drugs years back, Baseball just started. This morning the Jets announced the have fiscal issues, they need to furlough 50 non team employees for 2-3 weeks in June-July to meet expenses. Fans aren't biting at the Jets seat licence fee. The Jets like many are being crunched by the economy. this trend will catch up with most sports sooner than later. Payrolls will have to be cut. You can't pay out what you aren't bringing in.

I am not hysterical I did not renew, I will win in the end. Fiscal restraint is necessary, and if you won't charge me a fair price, I will not but your product. The Yankees will still be on TV and now I can work to get tickets for games I want beyond 2 seats. In the end I will do better.

For $899 I can purchase a 42 " Panasonic 1080 HDTV. For $299 DirecTV will sell me a HDTV/DVR. That total cost would only get me to 6 games in the crappy seats the Yankees offered me.

That stills leaves me plenty in my ticket budget, and I will have excellent seats for all 162 games. I can even record them for those west coast games and ESPN Sunday night stands, and watch them in my viewing time. I consider this a victory for the working man, in this case woman.

The license rant is now officially closed; time to turn to Baseball. Up next time, the American League East Pitching.

A final comment to Lonn Trost, Randy Levine, Hank and Hal Steinbrenner:

We need Bernie Back!

2009-03-06T06:19:00.004-05:00

Alex Rodriquez and Mickey Mantle have one thing in common.......stupidity. Had Mantle behaved himself, he would have not needed uppers to play and downers to sleep. Instead Mantle painted the town red white wearing the pinstripes. He was a party boy; taking advantage of his fame. In the 1961 season, Mantle acquired a festering sore from his butt injections of uppers and downers. It effectively ended his home run race with Roger Maris, and nearly hurt the Yankees chance of wining the division.

A-Rod prefers low key, uses drugs he should not have, cheated, and now has a hip cyst and a torn acetabular labrum, he represents, while stupid, an offensive weapon against all teams. Cheating or not, Alex can hit the ball. Pitchers know that and plan strategy around his portion in the Lineup.

What other weapons are out there? One fan favorite and still scary bat, Bernie Williams. Williams a victim of Brian Cashman's stupidity a few years back was cut. Arguments by NYY coaches, Joe Torre and Tampa to keep Williams were not weighed. Cashman felt he was done; and in his new position of power cut Bernie Williams. Williams is not a power hitter, he is a switch hitter and that causes pitchers and managers to rethink their strategy. Yes the Yankees have Posada, but adding Bernie to the 40 man would be a smart move

Its time to admit you were WRONG Brian Cashman, and suck it up and re-sign Bernie Williams. Bernie represents a significant offensive distraction. Bernie can still hit. With A-Rod out Williams would be my choice for a bench player and DH for the time. (Especially since Mannie re-upped with LA).

Somehow I don't think Cashman is that smart, or George would have a few more American Leaque and World Series titles. Time to wise up Brian, you don't know squat about talent!

Chapter 10 in the A-Rod Saga

2009-03-04T06:40:00.010-05:00

For those who came in late I will recap:

Chapter 1: A-Rod opens mouth and disses Derek Jeter, causing the first of many controversies.

Chapter 2: A-Rod comes to New York Yankees from the Texas Rangers, bringing his all about me personality into the team oriented New York Yankees clubhouse; the Yankees begin a down turn.

Chapter 3: A-Rod admits to frequenting poker clubs, reviving the Pete Rose question about gambling issues associated with sports players.

Chapter 4: Mrs. A-Rod appears at the stadium in a controversial T-Shirt, making the front pages of the Daily News and New York Post, all his money can't buy good fashion sense.

Chapter 5: A-Rod seen with mystery blond in Toronto during the Yankees stand against the Blue Jays.

Chapter 6: Mrs. A-Rod institutes divorce proceedings after A-Rod and Madonna are linked as having extramarital affairs with each other.

Chapter 7: Madonna dumps A-Rod and divorces husband Guy Richie.

Chapter 8: Joe Torre talks extensively about "the A-Rod problem" in his new book, confirming A-Rod's self centered selfish attitude.

Chapter 9: A-Rod admits to steroids, receives many invitations to discuss this from the United States Congress, the US Attorney regarding DEA Issues and Major League Baseball. A-Rod's defense: "My cousin made me do it."

Chapter 10: A-Rod develops hip cyst which could end his career, and so I begin:

Chapter 10: The Hip Cyst:

Hip Cysts typically are sign of osteoarthritis. Not necessarily a true cysts, they are weakened areas in the bone plate; and a weakened hip joint is never a good thing, once you have pain, the damage is done.
Oh by the way, Osteoarthritis is one of the indicators of intravenous drug abuse and a documented side effect of HGH abuse. By screwing around with the body's normal metabolism by taking pharmaceuticals not prescribed for your condition, bad stuff happens.

Never mind not playing in the world baseball classic, something I want moved to November and not the middle of Spring Training; A-Rod has bigger issues. He could be looking at surgery to fix his hip. Quite easily depending on the size of the area, he has potential for permanent injury, ending his career. While I would like to see A-Rod and his story banished from the Yankees, you don't want a career ending injury to befall anyone.

In the end he only brought it upon himself. Using illegal obtained, non prescribed, performance enhancing substance can cause health problems, just ask Jason Giambi. A-Rod could be looking at early retirement from baseball, a life with an artificial hip, walker or in a wheel chair.

So here you go boys and girls, a lesson, never cheat, especially in sports, because:

Paybacks are a Bitch!

More Ticket Issues-Lack of Integrity

2009-03-03T20:28:00.006-05:00

While I doubt feel that many employees in the NYY Ticket Office may be a little dense; they should not assume the licensess are. My latest round with the ticket office goes this way:

Monday, 9AM, March 2, 2009, Greg from the Ticket Office leaves a voice mail on my house phone about Section 132. Please call him back, he will hold the seats till Tuesday.

At 3PM, my assigned ticket rep, Rosa Muniz calls me, again about Section 132, she call the cell. We have an engaging conversation that goes like this:

Rosa: "Everything you heard is wrong, its just fans show are trying to cause trouble. All ticket holders with seniority of 2006 or higher got their requests, anyone in 2007, 2008 0r 2009 got nothing".

Personally I know that is a load of horse poop. And today I find out form another colleague, also a NYY fan, the ticket office tells them nowhere and no answers when they call.

I have till Friday to exercise my license. I am on fence, leaning towards not renewing. I have this ethical situation with what i consider fair market value. Most of the seats in Yankee Stadium are priced beyond fair market value, more towards their value from Stub Hub, then a direct dealer.

I really think it is time baseball fans stood up along with all sports fans and did something about this. Unfortunately we get seduced into ticket plans, which gives us a season of accessibility. I am not easily seduced, and I have better uses for my pile of Yankee ticket money:

1. Purchase a 42 inch flat screen and a DVR.

2. Purchase 4 tickets to Opening Day from a fair market value scalper I know.

3. Purchase tickets to games, with enough seats I can take my niece and toddler nephew.

4. Do a few road trips to away games to protest this trend in baseball to price premium games with inflated values.

5. Spend time and money of what is left to get laws passed regarding fair market value pricing.

Note: I have spent some money with my favorite Voodoo priestess, Sabrina, commissioning a doll of Lon Trost. As I sit in my scalper purchased Opening Day seats, I will be stabbing Lon in enough places that he will be in pain. Sabrina makes a quality Voodoo doll, and she practices fair market value.

Finally my greatest issue these days is with the lack of integrity, in reality bold fat lies being told to me by the Ticket Office. Fans speak to each other, after many years, I know many other licensees. We all got the same line of B/S. The New York Yankees, an organization that takes pride in the integrity of their heroic hall of fame players, is now a den of liars.

I hate liars, I think they should all have their tongues cut out.

Don't ever lie to me, the consequences will not be to your liking.

Update on my NYY Ticket License

2009-03-01T13:00:00.005-05:00

On Friday, while I was in San Diego for business, I got a call from the the ticket office of the New York Yankees.

This was clearly in response to my emails and decline of the crappy seats in the bleachers I was offered. Hey maybe they even suspect that I was the one who wen to the Daily News. I did, after the first article, but can't take credit for the bad publicity being generated.

Now Shamir, from the NYY Ticket Office told me I had the opportunity to buy a 41 game plan of field level seats (reality the right field field bleachers, seats no benches); for the mere cost of $8020 plus tax, shipping and handling for 2 seats. I said no, put me in the pool.

The seats offered in reality would have cost $25.00 in the old stadium given there locations (see picture, gray area in right field). They are in fact where in the 1923 Stadium the Bleacher Creatures sat. Who knows where the Yankees have stuck that loyal and crazy group of fans. And the Operations Management of the New York Yankees clearly are living in fantasy land and not have no reality. They have lost their minds.

Also the person who read my letter and passed it on clearly does not get that I have not budgeted $8000-9000 for seats. I really do want what I had and I am not willing to pay more than $50.00 a seat.

Clearly the overpriced seats are not selling or I would not have received a phone call on Friday. And The call was a hard sell. Since I was in between sessions in conference, I gracefully told them they were out of their mind, out of touch with the real fans and to put me in the pool. I anticipate I will not get what I want. The Yankees are determined to stick it to the fans in hopes that someone will be crazy enough to overpay for these highly overpriced seats.

Had the seats actually been along the infield base lines I might have jumped at them. Those seats in the old stadium ran between $75-95 a piece/game. Those seats by the way are now between $300-500 a piece/game.

Despite my business travel, I heard the interview Lon Trost gave to WFAN. Clearly he too is one of the COOs that is out of touch with the economic situation. He clearly is drunk with power, believing that Yankee fans will pay anything. He does not realize that the good times have passed, and like all empires, the Yankee Empire is falling; and he is one of the reasons why.

But don't despair fellow Yankee fans, all empires rise and fall and the Yankees always go through these cycles.

Oh how I wish George Steinbrenner was still the healthy active Kaiser and in charge. Instead the inmates are clearly running the asylum.

Poll re Ticket Relocation Process

2009-02-24T21:40:00.003-05:00

Please select and vote regarding in the poll on this page regarding the ticket relocation process.

WFAN Listens to Ticket Licensees

2009-02-24T19:10:00.003-05:00

For 2 days now, yesterday on Boomer and Carton and today on Mike Francesca's show (also aired on the Yes Network) WFAN has listens to the stories of the ticket licensees. Still no response to the articles in the Daily News or to the 3 days of radio play WFAN has given the story. And of course, absolutely nothing out of ESPN.

Of course I expected nothing from ESPN 1050, they are owned by Disney, a company that produces high ticket entertainment. However I must admit that any Disney Park Admission is worth the value.

The Disney motto use to be will pay to come. Of course the deals Disney is offering now show you that even Disney is taking a hit from the economy. Peopel will no longer pay to come. Until recently Disney didn't have stay X nights get Y night free deals, but now they do.

I am seriously considering organizing a protest march around the new stadium during the pre-season game to be played. Anyone interested, contact me.

Is the New Yankee Stadium Cursed?

2009-02-23T19:23:00.003-05:00

Lately, I am beginning to wonder what ghosts the Yankees may have disturbed by moving across the street. Unexplained incidents, scandals and unYankee like behavior have occurred since ground breaking including the following:

Steinbrenner became semi-retired with rumors surrounding his health and weight loss.

Bobby Murcer was diagnosed with brain cancer and subsequently passed away after a brave battle.

The youth squad of pitching prodigies, Kennedy, and Hughes, along with staff ace Wang all succumbed to injuries that sent all to rehab and left the pitching in disarray.

The Yankkes didn't even make the 2008 playoffs.

The NY Attorney General and the US Attorney are investigating the financing and land appraisal for the new stadium.

Leon Trost flipped the bird to the Yankee ticket licensees and relocated most to subpar seats so he can have plenty of expensive great view empty seats for his kind of people, rich.

Jason Johnson, a pitcher with good potential acquired from the Red Soxs was diagnosed this past week with cancer of the retina, a career ending injury.

And now of course in the latest saga of the A-Rod Steroid drama, Alex has been subpoenaed to testify before Congress and also before US Attorney regarding international trafficking in controlled dangerous substances. And of course A-Rod's admission means the drug dogs will be all over the Yankee charter for the next year. Maybe one of them will pee on Leon Trost's pants and luggage.

It makes you wonder if some Indian chief is buried in the Bronx or is it just a protest from the ghost of Yankee greats. Maybe Magic and Mystique don't want to move.

Anyway I am hoping the new Archbishop brings plenty of holy water to his first game, there seems to be something ominous lurking in the soil of the new digs.

The Daily News Keeps the Ticket Issue Alive

2009-02-22T16:25:00.003-05:00

See today's news Sunday NY Daily News for a second article on the season ticket licenses downgrades.

Kudos to the Daily News for keeping focus on the this story on the lousy treatment of season ticket holders by Yankee Management.

A-Rod is a Goner

2009-02-22T12:41:00.007-05:00

This morning on ESPN’s The Sports Reporters, there was more fallout on A-Rod from his latest set of lies. Clearly, the press has had enough of his excuses and of steroids. Old Time baseball writers like Mike Lupica and Bob Ryan have had enough. Clearly the Baseball Writers are rebelling, the drugs have to go and out with those who took them and their associated records.

The last element of integrity in baseball is with the baseball writers, those men and women who determine a player’s immortality in Cooperstown.

Clearly the writers are leaning to the right, only true immortals belong in the Hall of Fame. Bob Ryan went so far as to suggest a special wing for the steroid era players. However it appears the vast consensus is they don’t want to vote for any of them when they time comes. The writers are calling for action from Bud Selig. I think they will be waiting a long time.

If Selig does anything, like roll back the records books to Hank Aaron and Roger Maris, I will be amazed.

If Pete Rose won’t get into Cooperstown because of his gambling, then why allow all the steroid and HGH users into the Hall? At least this, Rose’s gambling only hurt him. It didn’t alter historical records or put Alex Rodriquez on par with Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron.

More so, the Baseball Writers seem to want A-Rod gone. The Yankees, the most respected team in baseball because of tradition and talent is stuck with him. The only way to get him out of NY is by permanent injury or paying his salary. He is however an ugly stain on the Yankees.

New York and Boston are the ultimate baseball towns. Fans in those cities may follow other sports, but baseball is special. To those fans, and maybe hat has spread elsewhere, baseball is religion. And the religion of baseball has sinned. The biggest public sinner is A-Rod, so naturally the deacons of the religion, the baseball writers want him exorcised.

Will the Yankees toss A-Rod, not unless he does not perform. As long as his offense holds up, he will stay in pinstripes. We are stuck with him until his contract runs out, or his body breaks down. But even if he lasts, the writers will not let him into Cooperstown. There minds are made up; no one will enter Cooperstown in pinstripes who has stained the Yankee legend and those Yankees who are already enshrined in Cooperstown.

As for Alex, I mailed him a roll of duct tape to apply to this mouth. Taping it shut is better than continuing to lie unconvincingly. He needs not to talk anymore. Anyway even if he does, not one will believe him. He’s like the boy who cried wolf. At least Aesop told a better fairy tale.

Corky Siemaszko, NYY Fan Hero

2009-02-21T13:45:00.005-05:00

I'm not much for the NY Daily News, the sports only, the rest of the paper is good for under the paint can and lighting the wood stove; mostly I read the NY Daily News online. However Today on Page 7, staff writer Corky Siemaszko aired out more dirty NYY laundry, the bad deals given the ticket licensees.

A fellow Yankee ticket holder, Paula, also another person who was mislead in the ticket relocation called me to tell me about the article. Fortunately my local store still had today's news. This article will go in my Yankee scrapbook along with other NYY mementos. Right now it means as much to me as signed Bobby Murcer rookie card and my signed Tommy John baseball. Murcer and John are baseball heros, Corky is a fan hero.

This article appears directly underneath one about the money woes of Damon and Nady. It's easy to find because a banner headline on the front of the NY Daily News pointing to the Damon/Nady article reads SCAMMED YANKEES See Page 7.

It can also be found online at the following link:

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2009/02/20/2009-02-20_were_getting_yanked_over_tickets_at_new_-4.html

Kudos to the NY Daily News and Corky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Broken Yankee Heart AKA The Yankee Screw

2009-02-20T20:40:00.003-05:00

In a lifetime, there are any disappoints. The great joy of my lifetime was when I was finally able to get season tickets. This year, my heart was crushed by the insensitivity of the Yankees to relocating fans in the the home. Moving isn't hard, I moved a few times in my life, with proper planning it goes great. The Yankee fan move was not planned well; and consequently my heart was broken.

The Yankees are chasing the big dollar, luxury suites, high priced seats. So what happened to the ticket holder, most got screwed. I went from the Loge upper deck outfield bleachers.

THIS IS NOT A WAY TO TREAT A FAN!

I am not alone in the Yankee Fan Screw. I wan to hear from all of your who have been screwed. I want to know I am not alone. I am not the only one whose heart was broken.

When ground was broken George Steinbrenner tearful remarked he was doing this for the fans. Yes he did is alright, he gave the fans back for their lack of respect for his owner antics, he screwed us royally.

In honor of this auspicious occasion I have created a new Drink, the Yankee Screw. I am still refining it but so far this is what I have:

1 shot Tequila,

2 shots Amaretto

1/2 Sweet and Sour Mix

1 shot Kahlua

4 ounces club soda

1 ounce tonic

ice

Why those ingredients:

Tequila - The Yankees recruitment is effort targets Spanish speaking countries.

Amaretto - For Joe DiMaggio, one of the great Yankees

Sweet and Sour Mix - For all the Good and Bad Years I remember, the bitter and the Sweet.

Kahlua - It tastes better then the coffee they serve at the stadium

Club Soda - Like the last 7 Yankee teams, it starts out strong then looses it fizzle and falls flat

Tonic Water - for the bitter taste the 2004 ALDS left in my mouth

ice - for all those Aprils and Octobers I froze my behind off in the Loge

Email me and let me know if you got the short end of the relocation stick.

NYY Ticket Licensee Renewal

2009-02-19T19:56:00.005-05:00

I got my invoice today, a big fat lie.

Instead of a 41 game plan with seats on the infield I got a big fat downgrade, outfield bleachers.

I was Loge, Section 484, Row D 2002-2008. Now I am Outfield Section 238, Row 22. I was told these seats were comparable to what I had. That person needs an eye exam!

Oh by the way I can have whatever I want if I pay $100 a seat for a half season in the outfield. What away to treat loyal fans.

I called the relocation office useless, they directed me to Yankee box office, they directed me to email the boss. I am now in wait mode.

Stay tuned for updates.

A-Rod, Disappointment, Cheat, Liar and Fraud

2009-02-09T20:40:00.008-05:00

Yesterday on ESPN's "Sports Reporters", Michael Kay, Yankee broadcaster and Alex Rodriquez cheerleader admitted he was not shocked but disappointed to hear A-Rod had done steroids. The question remains is how that will alter, or will it alter Kay's perception of of A-Rod from this point on.

Disappointment is when you don't get your toy from Santa, when your parents cancel a planned outing. It is a an emotion generated from the loss of something we look forward to in life. Like it or not, personality and all, we all enjoyed watching A-Rod play. He has talent. Talent that will most likely be overlooked going forward in his baseball career. He will forever be tainted by steroids.

Personally I am neither shocked or disappointed. I blame A-Rods' agent, Scott Boras. An agent is supposed to bolster his client when he or she is insecure. A-Rod requires constant ego maintenance. An agent is supposed to furnish that to his client to keep him from stupid things, like steroids. A-Rod for all his natural talent is highly insecure. He is also image focused. Using steroids and thinking it would not come out is image suicide.

This morning, A-Rod used the lame excuse, I didn't do steroids. Later int he day he recanted, using the I dind't know defens. Alex, Alex, Alex, how stupid do you think people are? They got the records from the Baseball Player's Union. Lying about it intinally only made you look like an ass.

Was I surprised A-Rod went to denial? No, because once again it's his image. If he believes it, it won't be true. Well Alex you can deny it to yourself, but then their is the lab test that says you are a liar. Which would you rather be a fallen legend or an example of a liar and cheat? I personally would take the hit on my reputation for being stupid then for being a liar, then an idiot by admitting it and saying he didn't know. I will admit my mistakes. I have enough self-confidence in myself to admit my many faults; apparently Alex Rodriquez does not. He still believes the A-Rod fairy tale; and this fairy tell has an unhappy ending.

When Andy Pettitte got named in the Mitchell report, I was upset. However Andy came out and admitted to his nasty deed. It proves Andy is a mature person and can handle his own stupidity. When Roger Clemens was accused, he lied, of course, that didn't change my opinion of Roger either, watching him pitch for 20+ year,s you knew it was all about him. And unlike A-Rod, Roger will not be denied Cooperstown, he holds too many records, before he loaded up on the steroids to keep pitching. Alex on the other hand can probably kiss the Hall of Fame goodbye.

Had A-Rod fessed up today and been honest the first time, he might have got a pardon from the Baseball Writers. But Alex initially denied the truth, the truth that is plain in a printed lab report. Lying is something the Baseball Writers will not forget. Honesty and open dialog is the basis for their craft. Alex is not honest or open unless it benefits. Why then would they place him one day in the shrine of the immortals? Lying removes his reward for immortality. Had he gone with unknowingly stupid at first, he might have at least gotten an invite.

My parents always said, honestly is the best policy. In this day of tainted role models, what example does A-Rod's no, then maybe I didn't know defense teach our youth. It teaches them to lie, cheat and sneak to be successful. The fast track to disaster.

The biggest thing about this latest A-Rod Drama is the example it sets for those who want to be like him. And that is something we cannot allow. No matter how much talent, how much ability or success you attain, you should not be rewarded for attaining it unfairly.

As Kellogg's and USA Swimming stripped Michael Phelps of his rewards, the same should be done for all athletes who attain their success through cheating. Why it will not upset me if a talent like A-Rod is denied the Baseball Hall of Fame.

It is time to draw a line in the sand, the line of setting a good example. Those who cheated set bad examples, and bad examples requires punishment.

The moral of this tale, stupidity should never be rewarded and honesty is always the best policy.

The Smoking Steroid Gun

2009-02-07T14:13:00.006-05:00

Much has come out of the Balco investigation by the DEA and US attorney. Now that discovery is over and trial time is near, the real evidence is available to the press, and they are like kids at Christmas, much to the dismay of to other than Messrs Barry Bonds and lawyers, the US Attorney and now Alex Rodriquez.

Hence a plethora of "shocking" steroid related stories.

Get real, anyone who believes A-Rod and Bonds weren't using roids prior to 2006 must have had vision impairment. Photos don't lie and at the end of 2002, A-Rod's face has the distinctive roids shape: round and pregnant looking. I don't think A-Rod was preggers. That would have been bigger news.

You would think that with A-Rod's money he could have done PEDs in the privacy of his home, much like Roger Clemens.

A-Rod in 2000 Oval Face, no rounding

A-Rod End of 2002 -Roid Use Rounded Face

A-Rod at NYY Announcement 2004, drug free oval face

To pass the NYY physical, A-Rod would have need to be roids free. Or dear old King George would have not signed on the dotted line.

I have no doubt that in the days and weeks to come their will be other shocking announcements. Even some unsuspected players, one not linked to Balco and the Mitchell Report.

As for Alex, his life is in the toilet, let the poor man alone. He's a multi-millionaire, deep in divorce proceedings, and living in the shadow of Derek Jeter and the 32 pages Joe Torre devoted to him in the "The Yankee Years" (By the way I have not gotten there yet, I cannot wait to get to Chapter 8., so far nothing new)

But one last dig, Alex, I would like to congratulate you on your induction into Club Asterisk *. Somehow I think Babe Ruth's record as the All-Time American League Home Leader will never be in jeapordy from you.

The New Joe Torre Book Part 1

2009-02-01T09:54:00.007-05:00

Like many Yankee fans, I want to read to Joe Torre's new book, "The Yankee Years". Unfortunately it will not be in the stores until Tuesday, February 3. And of course on that day severe winter storm is heading to NJ and NY.

I read Torre's last book, "Joe Torre's Ground Rules for Winners", it will be interesting to see how this labeled tell-all rates with his philosophy.

I didn't read his first, "Chasing the Dream". His first book didn't do well. #2 was on the NY Times best seller list for several weeks, I predict # 3 will be as well. It's not even out and people are talking.

I personally don't believe in airing dirty laundry in public, that is what the clothes was was made for, so you only have clean clothes viewed in public. So people don't work well and play together nicely, well that part of life. I firmly believe everyone gets their just desserts in the end, and it is not my role to mete out justice because I work with a jerk, even if that justice comes as a book.

If I ever wrote a tell all about my family, first most would not believe it; for all intent and purposes I appear mostly normal. To it a few it might explain the way I am. But then I don't feel a need to explain myself to others. Apparently Joe Torre did.

Torre was heavily criticized by the Yankee and overall sports media for his management style.

Personally I had no problem with it. He never let on his thoughts. That is an excellent management, it forces others to hate you because they can't read you.

He was most of the time composed and cool in the dugout and respectful of the press in interviews. His criticism of the team's performance was minimally aired in public. That really is an example of good management. It is how you build up the respect of your employees, the Yankees, and your bosses, the Steinbrenners.

Long before Torre book # 2, I have always tried to practice that style. Criticism of employees should be private. It's how they learn to grow and mature. Debasing a human being in public is not necessary and uncalled for; it teaches the person nothing and makes you look like a Jackass.

So like many Yankee and baseball fans I am curious about the new book. Why did Joe Cool feel a need to write it? Was it final flip of the bird to Steinbrenner family? Has he been holding it all inside for years and this is his way of venting?

I don't have those answers.

I am also curious why he partnered again with Tom Verducci. Verducci a long time NY Baseball Writer and not a big George Steinbrenner fan would not have been my choice. I am wondering how much of the book is Tom and how much is Joe. I will read it and try and figure it all out.

If anything this may not have been the smartest political move Joe Torre has ever made, the book isn't even out and people are annoyed. From a financial point, it is excellent, as I stated earlier the book will surely spend a long time on the best seller list. I guess the did it because the cost of living is LA is so expensive.

Andy Pettitte Bargain

2009-01-28T21:20:00.003-05:00

I'd like to think Andy Pettitte resigned at $5.5million because the country is in an economic recession, but truly he did it because he wants to end his baseball career as a Yankee. It makes you wonder why the Yankees let him go. Maybe they have finally learned how to staff their pitchers................Nah!

I love Andy, of my all time Yankees, those who lived in my adulthood, Andy, Bernie Williams and Derek Jeter, take 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Why Andy? It's not a knock on Bernie or Derek, Andy in first, because he always gives it his all even when he is awful.

Andy came up as a young pitcher from the minors; it's a hard job; look at the current crop of Yankee AAA pitching talent and what has befallen them. Whenever Andy would lose, the Post and News would start rumors he was trade bait. but he was never traded; and is part of the reason the Yankees have some of those shiny World Series trophies from the Torre era.

Yes Derek is a superstar, but fielding isn't' as demanding as pitching. Pitchers have to think: they carry the responsibility for wins and losses. Derek just as to worry about his ERA, RBIs and Errors.

Yes the Yankees let him go; because of his arm; stupid move when you consider all the money the Yankees had singed to other pitchers who never made it out to the mound in the Bronx. Would I have gambled, yes but I'm biased.

With Andy resigned, his function should be to get all the youth talent ready for a new era. The children of the future need an older mentor, Moose is off in PA on his farm, so that leaves Andy.

But come the new season, who will be the better man pitch for pitch, C.C. Sabathia or Andy Pettitte. CC singed for the money first, being a Yankee second, Andy singed to be a Yankee.

Money can't buy you happiness, but being a Yankee can.

To quote another famous Yankee: "I want to thank the good Lord for making me a Yankee....Joe DiMaggio"

Major League Sports Can Take Lessons

2009-01-20T18:38:00.002-05:00

While watching the Inaugural and listening to the comments about our peaceful transition of power; I was struck by how "uncivilized" power transitions are in sports. The outgoing manager, coach, etc is unceremoniously fired; there may or may not be bad comments from the departed manager or the team that fired him. And even when a manager leaves of their own accord to retire or go elsewhere, there is this air of hostility.

Granted American politics is hostile. However it is also democratic. On inauguration Day, the losing and winning parties smile at each other an d behave like civilized humans beings. They may have tossed barbs at each other before or after the election, but for the sake of the greater good they behave like ladies and gentlemen.

While the wining party may have to clean up after the departing party, they just do it. They try and not blame it on their predecessors as it does not accomplish the end goal. It wastes time and they just dig in and get the job done with their new rules. There are few if any temper tantrums. Unfortunately we can't say the same for sports.

Picture this scenario: Woody Johnson, Eric Mangini and Rex Ryan appear on ESPN and calmly announce Eric is leaving for the good of the team and Rex is taking over. There is no public firing and sulking, second guessing and speculating by the sports press on the new head coach; it just happens. But I guess that would result in a lot of dead TV and radio air. It would take away topics from the overpaid sports talking heads. Gee what would they do...well maybe they would actually analyze the teams for a change, instead of playing armchair coach.

Since the next round of end of season mass coach executions will be in the NBA, I challenge the NBA team owners. Leave the sports talkies wagging their tongues, call a press conference and fire the outgoing guy and announce his replacement at one time. Start a trend so we can get rid of this incessant run off on the mouth of weeks of speculation of who the successor will be. Think of all the phones calls from reporters you won't get.

The Great Ticket Relocation

2009-01-18T18:59:00.003-05:00

As I previously blogged, the Yankees will invoice me when they get me a set of seats for 41 games. My last communication was the one back in the Fall, that was basically you'll know when we invoice you.

As such I have been watching the ticket relocation page. Last Sunday, it said the full season relocation was done and they were in the 41 game relocation. Well that must be an error, because when I checked today, the Yankees stated they were back on the full season relocation and the 41 game relocation had not begun.

Well I am not particularly anxious to part with my money to the Yankees; I am eager to see where I will be sitting. When I originally dove into season ticket ownership, The Yankees called me the 1st week in January; offered me my seats; then promptly invoiced me.

Despite the age of computerization, the Yankees appear to be doing seat assignments with a pencil and eraser. Its very frustrating; its getting closer to Opening Day, and I hate offering my guest a ticket at the last minute.

On that note, this year, I will be soliciting for an Opening Day guest through a letter wrintng contest; those of your who want an early jump; you will have to state why you deserve to be my Opening Day 2009 guest. Details will follow in another blog shortly.

Nothing About Baseball or Sports

2009-01-17T09:50:00.000-05:00

The country has been besieged by “Sully Mania”; Sully being the nickname of the Captian Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger, III of US Airways flight 1549 that ditched in the middle of Hudson River on Thursday afternoon. What is so special about this man that all, young and old are fixated on him; outside of the hero part; he is a symbol of hope in bleak times; he may even overshadow the Inauguration of the new President.

On Tuesday Barack Obama will be the 44th President of the United States. In a period of hard economic times, record unemployment and business failures; he promises change; he promises to put America back to work. However for those of us waiting to see what the new administration will bring; we remain hopeful, but guarded; Washington has a way of working; and generally it is not to the benefit of the majority of American voters, but to the benefit of the few. Americas are skeptical that we have become a country of “me first, you later”. Captain Sullenberger represents the hope that “me first” can be banished from our society.

If the new President restores the US economy he will go down in the record books as a hero. He has a lot to overcome, because he is up against a crowd of rich and powerful me first people, Wall Street. To fix the economy, bad trading, lending, and business consolidation practices need to be stopped. Wall Street has been artificially inflating stock prices for years based on earning reports. Stock has been used like cash in business merger; one of the primary reason our economy has plunged. Stock like credit cards has no value unless the business succeeds.

So on Thursday afternoon, when Captain Sullenberger choose a water landing on the coldest day in NYC, he showed that there are still many Americans who aren’t “me first”. He represents the ability of people to make the better choice; the choice that will benefit the majority, not the minority. There could have been losers Thursday US Airways, lost an airplane and got a lot of negative crash publicity. However the plane will be covered by insurance and all the crash publicity has been countered by the ability of a flight crew to get everyone back to their families alive.

On Tuesday the new administration will ask all to make some sacrifices; while they fix the economy. Wall Street and big corporate executives need to take the biggest sacrifices. Much of our economic waste starts at the top of companies, with extravagant salaries, perks and bonuses. I say this; if one man could make a life or death decision based on what is best for all; then a handful of powerful and rich people can make a decision to sacrifice their extravagance to benefit the a majority.

“Sully Mania” is the promise that it might happened; that Americans will sacrifice to benefit the majority.

And for those of you people who still treat out soldiers like lepers. Remember this also; sacrifice is the heart of military personnel. They give up a lot for our freedom with the hope to protect those who cannot. Captain Sullenberger was one of those military men, before he became a commercial pilot. Maybe that made his decision easier Thursday; he was use to sacrificing.

We all want a nice comfortable life. But how comfortable must it be? It does not need to be extravagant. We need to make sure we have food, clothing and housing and a salary to pay for it. Being a common person is not a bad thing; however being an uncommon person someone who thinks of their self first and how to be as rich as possible is a very bad thing.

America is the land of the common person; granted our Founding Fathers were men with money and estates; however those men gave up their easy lives to establish this country. Had the Revolutionary War ended differently; all would have died on King George III’s gallows.

Its time for executives and unions to make sacrifices, to help this economy; follow Captain Sullenberger’s example and think of others, and not yourselves.

New Yankee Stadium

2009-01-13T20:23:00.004-05:00

As the Yankees gear up the staff by spending too much, construction on the stadium continues. The seats must all be in, finally, because seat assignments have begun. After 4 weeks of filling full season ticket holder requests, the Yankees have moved onto the 41 seat ticket plan holder. People like me. I hope it's not another 4 weeks.

In the meantime, some Yankee management might not get to Opening Day. Subpoenas have been issued to investigate the funding and overspending of public money. It's nerve a good idea to bilk public money when the economy is going to hell and state budgets are being cut beyond the bone. Scandal and rumor about how the Yankees got the funding have been circulating for a year, and now Yankee executives will be questioned.

As to Opening Day... I am looking forward to it, now that the Giants went down to the Eagles last Sunday. Time to pay attention to baseball. As to football, lets go Steelers!!! I can't stand the Eagles.

C.C. Sabathia Deal is not Penny Wise but Pound Foolish

2008-12-10T17:12:00.004-05:00

Every few years the Yankees get stung in pitching. I predict that the rumored deal with C.C. Sabathia will sting worse then any before. To spend $160 million for a 7 year deal on Sabathia is pure stupidity. Yes he can pitch, but for how long?

Sabathia has a weight issue. He has talent, but the extra baggage around his middle will eventually wear on his talent and his body. I would not have made the deal. I would offered him 3 years at $15 million a year and NutriSystem.

When the Yankees made a "great deal" with Jason Giambi, it backfired on them. In the end, amid Jason, PHD issues, the Yankees got stuck with s mediocre player. No one would touch the contract to acquire Giambi. I see similar issues coming down the road for C.C, only not steroids, cardio meds for when his CHF kicks in from his weight issues.

The Winter Meetings this year are in Las Vegas. The Yankees are acting like they are already there. They are gambling big money on someone who does not value health.

There are many things I can say about the money given to Alex Rodriquez, Derek Jeter or Roger Clemens, but come their due, they were fit and looked like baseball players. C.C. looks like he should be doing a stint on ABC's "According to Jim" Come to think of it Jim Belushi looks to be in better shape than C.C. Sabathia.

Sabathia is too unfit to even be in the NFL.

Here we go again, can anyone say Kevin Brown.............................. Really Cash haven't you learned anything yet?

Another Fine Mess

2008-12-01T19:38:00.009-05:00

In the most recent acts of stupidity of an athlete, NJ Giants Plaxico Burress shot himself in his own leg with his own gun while at a nightclub in NYC on Friday night. Not only that he got NY Giants teammate Antonia Pierce to hide the gun from the police.

If you need a gun for protection, then hire a body guard who is licensed to carry a weapon.
If you need a gun at a particular nightspot because you feel for your safety, then stay home.
If you have to be stupid and shoot yourself, be a man, an down up to it, don't get teammates in on the cover up and don't stand before a judge and plead not guilty to the charges.

Personally I think the Giants should suspend Plaxico for the rest of the season without pay. Actually he should be dismissed from the league and sent to the home for those athletes without a brain. He's be in good company, he would join Michael Vic and Terrill Owens. I am sure there is a fourth out there so they could round a fourth for bridge.

What type of example are these supposed rule models think they are setting? They set a bad example.

It's time the sports leagues, owners and players did something about the behavior of their athletes. Bad behavior in business will get someone fired, even a top performer. Why is this not carried over into professional sports?

Are we required to reward the stupid? No we are not.

As to Plaxico, be a man for once in your life, change your please to guilty because you are stupid. Then go on air and make a public apology to your team and to your sport. You have 60 minutes of fame every week of football season, isn't that enough? Do you need to be on the crime blotter as well as the sports page.

In the end Plaxico was not schedule to play this week, but his act of stupidity got him more press then the Giants got for their crushing defeat of the Redskins on Sunday.

Now isn't that a fine mess mess you have gotten into Plaxico?

Leaving On A High Note

2008-11-21T18:02:00.005-05:00

Many are doubting the decision of Mike Mussina to retire. Of course if he stayed and had a bad season, those doubters would be the first to harp on his being too old. Personally, while I will miss Moose, but I have to give him credit for getting out while his star is still sparkling.

Too often players stay too long and are remembered more for their last bad year then the impeccable resume they created. Some players try and come back on their own terms, instead of retiring, Roger Clemens is a good example.

Clemens' career could have ended on a quiet note when he retired from the New York Yankees, however he choose to continue to play. By playing, Clemens got pulled into the spotlight of steroid scandal and linked to a possible sexual scandal. Not the way Rocket should be remembered.

Happy Retirement Moose, hope to see you at Old Timer's Day soon.

C.C. Sabathia Is Fiscal Irresponsibility

2008-11-16T09:22:00.007-05:00

Granted Sabathia has a great arm, but that does mean he deserve millions, hundreds of millions that is from the New York Yankees. He's 28, 290 pounds, and been in the majors for 7 years. He's a coronary waiting to happen, and statistically he averages less than 14 wins per season. Come on Brian and Hal, is that the best use of money. This fan thinks not.

Sabathia represents decaying talent, yes he still has some, but how far did that get the Milwaukee Brewers this year? And why has no one gotten his weight under control? Why does he remind me so much of another Yankee mistake....Sidney Ponson. I guess since the NYY Front Office gave Sidney a second chance, a cheap chance, they are willing to blow millions on a pitcher who waning before he has even reached the age of 30.

I say pass on C.C. He's too much of a gamble. Take the money and see what you can trade for. At the very least give some to Pettitte and Mussina. C.C. is not worth it. And to boot he comes with lots of attitude.

C.C. in my mind should not be made a Yankee. He reminds me of another bad free agent deal, the Jason Giambi deal and look how long it took for the Yankees to get rid of Giambi's money.

There may be players in baseball worth millions, but they are rare. Sabathia is not rare and not worth millions.

Tranactions

2008-11-12T14:53:00.005-05:00

Six days after declining his option the Yankees have signed Damaso Marte to a new contract. This is part of the Yankees off season pursuit of pitching. Marte appeared in 25 games this past season for the Yankees, with a 5.40 ERA. That however should not be held against him as in his 25 games he struck out 24, walked 11 (10 walks, 1 hit by pitch) and allowed 14 hits resulting in 11 earned runs. Not bad stats when you consider how bad the Yankees played behind him.

According to Yankee owner-son/blow hard Hal Steinbrenner, the Yankees plan to spend in the off season. According to Brian Cashman, the emphasis is again pitching. Numerous injuries and the questionable status of their home grown staff have the Yanks in the pitcher acquisition mode.

The most interesting pitching acquisition was actually Huston Street going to the Colorado Rockies. Street, a promising youngster seesaws more then the Dow Jones Industrials. It will be interesting to see what the Rocky Mountain air does to his pitching stats.

As to Hal Steinbrenner's spending. I hope he keeps it under control. In this economic downturn, the rich have money, but the fans don't. Any more payroll increases by the Yankees will price the common fan out of live stadium baseball. I guess Hal isn't following the global recession.

Sports could actually help the economy by drawing a line in the sand, but they won't. I would like to see a $1,000,000 salary max per year in sports. I am sure Jeter, A-Rod, et al can survive on that; especially with the endorsements. Think of how the fans would benefit: ticket prices would come down, concession prices would come down, and families could once again afford to include a sports event in the entertainment budget.

Were They Wright or Were They Wrong?

2008-11-06T17:42:00.006-05:00

MLB has announced their Golden Glove Awards, and as usual everyone has an opinion. In case you missed it the list is to the left.

Most notable ESPN hot air Michale Kay has a problem with David Wright being named. I don't see the problem, Wright played the most innings of all players in his in the National League. Since errors go up with innings played, the award is not without merit on his behalf.

Kay's commentary then went on to claim that Bernie Williams never deserved his Golden Gloves, according to Kay he was a mediocre center fielder. I don't know what games he was watching, but for most Yankee Fans, Bernie commanded the outfield, chasing down balls like a gazelle. Yes he didn't have the strongest arm, but the award is for fielding, not for tossing. But then with Michael Kay no one can be as great a ballplayer as Alex Rodriquez.

Kay's commentary takes the shine off of Wright's award. Awards after all are for achievement. In this case voted by the baseball writers. Kay's negative commentary is reminiscent of how those in society sometimes react to other touted with an award. Negativity instead of acknowledging the accomplishment. Maybe you were up for an award and lost it to someone else. Did you acknowledge their achievement gracefully or go off with a sour puss to pout?

Often their is a lot more pouting then smiling on the part of the loser. Whether that loser is sports, a professional association or politics. The question becomes, why can't we all just be nice and accept we didn't win?

Its not that being gracious isn't in our nature; we start out that way. Somewhere along the line some of us become narrow minded and self centered. It becomes about that individual their needs and those needs being met. Instead of being gracious in defeat, they become mean. Sometimes the meanness become violence.

Tuesday was a day of great change for many people in the USA. The population elected Barack Obama the 44th President of the USA. The winning side is elated, the losing side, well some of them are being gracious and some are being mean. The mean ones need a good kick in the butt.

I'm a registered republican, I voted for Barack. I'm not a traitor to my party, I didn't elect a "nigger" as some are calling him. I voted for him because in my mind, he was the better candidate. One of my siblings voted for McCain, he's graciously accepted Obama as the President Elect, he is willing to give the man a chance.

Michael Kay is a professional hot air balloon. He always has something negative to say, his comments on the Golden Gloves are his style. However his style would be better left off the air. Children mimic what they see or hear. The negativity, even as commentary sets a bad example, begrudging David Wright his award. It can lead to violence in society.

My message is this, so you didn't win the prize, be gracious and acknowledge the winner. Act like John McCain did on Tuesday night, be willing to work with the winner.

The Cinderella World Series

2008-10-30T11:37:00.005-04:00

There is a phrase, paybacks are a bitch, and if there was ever a payback to MLB, this year’s World Series was it. They only good to come out of it was that many young Phillies fans were still not tucked in bed when the Philadelphia Phillies jumped joyously on field and were presented the 2008 World Series Trophy.

In a bygone age, my youth long past, playoffs and the World Series were viewable in under 4 hours. The World Series games started at 7:00 in their time zone, not 8:00, which is really between 8:30 and 8:45 due to televised pre-game crap, the TV viewer must suffer through. The games would end between 10-11:00PM, and school children were allowed to stay up and watch. The games did not impact on their being awake in school the next day. How do I know all this, I lived it before Bud Selig and his prime time marketing of MLB.

The 2008 World Series drew an overall 8.2 market share for all the televised games. This is the lowest ratings recorded in the history of the televised World Series. Prior to this the 2006 World Series between the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals was the lowest with a 10.1 market share.

But who cares about ratings, the fans care about the game, and really the Rays don’t have a fan base. If it wasn’t for all those other MLB teams, in particular the Yankees, the Rays would have a negative a balance. Those who watched were most Philly Fans.

Now back to the ratings, are they are a big dud for Bud, of course; but considering the lopsided fan base, that the Phillies drew 8.2, that kudos for the Phillies. If a more fan oriented team like the Red Soxs, Yankees or Indians had been the AL opponent, the ratings would have been above 14.

What does that mean for the Rays, it means build on your market. You have a decent team, although no one batted well during the playoffs. But you played in the Fall Classic; the only competition were 2nd place means something; time to analyze your faults and build on your strengths. Despite what the sports pros are saying, about the World Series and the World Series ratings, the Rays are not a bad team.

The Rays now need to market to get fans. Hoisting the American League Championship banner will be the first step. Playing to that banner will be the second. In a league where the majority of the championship banners are held by the New York Yankees, you retired the Yankees from playoff participation for the first time since 1994.

The Phillies have always had a good team, ask all those NY Mets fans. Do they deserve their trophy, yes they do. They kept their eye on the prize. Are the Rays a bad team, no they are not, that AL banner they are designing for their 2009 Opening Day proves it; but unfortunately neither the Phillies or Rays are American sweethearts like the Yankees, Red Soxs, Cardinals or Cubs so the writers have to rate this a lackluster Word Series with stepsisters playing. Poo on the writers.

In my final act of Bud bashing for today, there was the $3,000,000 FOX took and paid a partial sum to MLB to delay Game 5 for the Barack Obama infomercial. Really Bud, can’t you stand your ground. Even Disney passed on the money and showed regular programming at 8:00PM.

Kudos to the Phillies, even more kudos to the Rays, this is was baseball is about, it’s not over to the last out and anything can happen. It’s not the divine right of the Yankees to win all the time and occasionally a Cinderella story unfolds. Most of of all thousands of young Philly Phanatics got to watch their team hoist the World Series Trophy live and not on the morning news because of the game delay on Monday. Only a Fairy Godmother could do that.

There is No Snow In Baseball

2008-10-28T18:15:00.009-04:00

It was bound to happen sooner or later, a World Series delayed on the premise of snow. Of course most of us with any sense believed it would only happen if Boston, Milwaukee or Colorado was in the Fall Classic, not a snow in Philadelphia in October.

Snow has been the vex of Bud Selig since he started tinkering with the schedule. First we moved up the start or the season, to give more off days. This cause a multitude of snow outs in the north.

Last year Selig announced he would schedule more off days so that prime time viewing of the playoffs and Fall Classic would benefit the fans. Who was Bud kidding, it was to benefit the advertisers who would then pay the channels big bucks, who would pass the cash onto MLB. Bud's affinity for snow would have better served him a the Commissioner of the NBA, at least the only snow the NBA deals with is the dry powdered kind sold illicitly to players who think that illegal drugs are not illegal for professional athletes.

Anyway the Philadelphia snow out of the delayed rain out is Bud's fault. Place the blame squarely with him. Bud Selig, not in it for the fans, it is for himself and his checkbook.

No one item I must note is the unfair chastisement of the delay of tonight's Game 5 Part II by Casey & Rossi, aka " The Jersey Guys" on NJ 101.5FM. They, Casey & Rossi, were chastising MLB for calling tonight's game because of the weather. Originally the rain was supposed to end by game time with high winds. There was never supposed to be snow. However by the end of the business most of eastern PA and most of NJ north of Trenton had been dusted with the white stuff. Most of NJ was a Shadow Traffic nightmare by 2PM when the Jersey Guys went on air.

The decision of MLB , rain or snow to postpone the Game 5 Part 2 was in my minds the only intelligent decision of Bud Selig in this decade. I had been at a client site in Princeton, and was traveling home through Pine Barrens at 2PM. The road conditions coupled with the visibility were extremely hazardous; and it was even rush hour yet.

For those listening to the Jersey Guys, there complaint was calling the game because of the weather conditions. I assume they tune out during the traffic reports, had they tuned in, they would have realized that asking 48,000+ to re-trek to South Philly for the game would have been irresponsible.

Was MLB right; to postpone the completion of Game 5 till Wednesday? I think so. I was out driving in daylight on slippery roads. It would have not been prudent to have people risk their lives in the current weather conditions with hazardous winds forecasts added. Winds that with a very wet ground might bring down trees and power lines. Add the alcohol factor to that, and you have a potential for catastrophe.

So what has been learned form this experience, not much, Bud Selig continues to demonstrate he is incapable of learning. yes a few weeks ago, he re-thought the scheduling of the playoffs, too many off days. In reality I doubt it was his brilliant original idea, but based on the lower ratings the baseball playoffs were getting in the face of the superior college football on Saturday, Sunday night NFL game,s and the start of the Hockey and NBA season. Loyal baseball fans will tune in, but those sports seasonal fans, weren't staying tuned to the MLB playoff.

Selig has yet to learn the season is too long. The addition of the Wild Card and the virtual extinction of weekend doubleheaders lengthens tunes out the fan. The only doubleheaders are for make up games. Outside of those games, they are not scheduled, too taxing on the players; high potential for injuries. For the first 40 years of baseball, the double header on a weekend was a staple of the sport. And look a the long list of talent, Gehrig, Mantle, DiMaggio, Ripken, and the others who played in the age of the doubleheader.

Shorten the season, start in mid April, not end of March, bring back the doubleheaders, and get the World Series over with by Columbus Day. But of course whats good for the fans, isn't' good for baseball; because Bud Selig like George Steinbrenner isn't dong it for the fans, he is doing it for the money.

Stains on the New Yankee Stadium

2008-10-27T14:33:00.004-04:00

On Sunday, the ESPN program , "Outside the Lines" did a piece on the tax assessment scam the NYC Government of Major Bloomberg did for the New York Yankees. Seems concrete hardness is not the only problem with the New Yankee Stadium.

For those who missed it, the land the new stadium is built on was reassessed at 60 times it's worth. This was done to enable the New York Yankees Organization to qualify for US Government bonds to build the new digs. Yes George Steinbrenner and family are footing the cost, but on one of the greatest financing scams perpetuated on the Americans since Peter Minuet bought Manhattan for $24.00 in beads from the American Indians.
The issue of concrete hardness, much like the issue of financing of the new Stadium will not halt construction. However both elements loom bad for Major Bloomberg when he has sought to circumvent the law.

For those that care or those that don't, NYC Major Bloomberg is seeking a 3rd term. Three consecutive terms are not allowed by the NYC Constitution. Bloomberg, because he thinks he is the only one who can save NYC in our depressed economy feels the city needs him. As such he has won approval of the NYC Council to run for a 3rd term. The council has no legal authority to canhge the law, lawsuits are now being filed to overturn the vote. But apparently Bloomberg believes he can make law any way he wants; God forbid the citizens actually vote on the subject. The voted to ban 3 terms, they shoudl have the say in overturning it.
I find all the negative things unfolding around the new stadium scary. The scariest of which occurred today.

This morning I got a phone call from Joe in the Yankee Ticket Office. He explained the call was courtesy call, to inform me I would receive my invoice in Early January for the seats in the new Stadium. He asked me if I had any questions. I had plenty:

NET ?: "Where are my seats"
NYY Joe's Reply: "They will be assigned in a few weeks, we are too busy and overloaded to let each seat holder know their individual seat location personally. This will be your only call till you are invoiced."
NET ?: "What if I don't like them"
NYY Joe's Reply: "Reject them and you will be reassigned to a pool with other ticket holder who rejected their first assignment, then you will be given another assignment in order of seniority."

The concrete didn't bother me, that NYC construction.

The money game by Bloomberg's administration and the Yankees to inflate the land value to get US Gov't financing didn't bother me, because that's also NYC Construction.

The attitude of the Yankees, of not having time to call ticket holders to tell them their set options, that bothered me. It brothers it's not about the fans; if it were, I'd be getting a phone call before being invoiced asking me if I accepted my seat assignment.

At the ground breaking for the new Stadium, George Steinbrenner, said he was doing it for the fans. He lied, he's doing it for his self; and it got me to thinking. With all the lying and cheating around the new stadium , I hope it does not make it cursed. The honorable tradition of the NY Yankees, the mystique may prefer to stay at the old site. Why would the ghosts of historic Yankees want to inhabit the new place when it is shrouded in some much dishonor?

Old Yankee Stadium may be called the House that Ruth built, but it was more than Babe Ruth. Their was Gehrig, Mantle, DiMaggio, Berra and scores of honorable Yankees. For an team that prides itself in it's tradition and honor, it's management has a few lessons to learn from the ghosts. Yankee Management has not been honorable, at least not with fans.

It's time for Yankee Management to become honorable, because all the payroll in the world won't keep the fans in their seats if they play poorly and lose games. And besides Management should practice what it preaches. If they want the players to honor tradition, then Management must also honor tradition.

What's In a Name?

2008-10-21T15:06:00.004-04:00

You have to wonder what effects team names and uniforms have on the players. On a local note I look to the NY Mets and the NY Jets. Both closely linked in a name rhyme game, and both providing more misery and pain then joy and pride to their fans.

Look now at the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays have languished at the abyss of the American League since their conception in 1998. Now in 2008 with a shortened name and modified uniform, they sit at the precipice of the Big Show, the World Series.

In 2006, the Rays began rebuilding. In 2008 , a new name and new uniform appeared. The changes being prominently marketed with these this team being the new and improved Rays. Who knew?

Is it the name or the new uniform or is it the attitude, the positive attitude. Yes the team is improved, but as the sports has shown you can be the best team on paper and not make the finals. The Yankees were great on paper the last two years. However they missed the Big Show. Why, because the Yankees seemed like not all of them believed.

The Rays will start their final quest for perfection this week, and if I were the Philadelphia Phillies I would worry and lose sleep. The Rays believe, maybe true believers that they are the best team in baseball. A positive attitude can go long for success, as as long as they believe they can succeed, the St. Petersburg Times will be able to showcase another Tampa area resident showing off his World Series Trophy. No not George Steinbrenner, principal owner of the New York Yankees, but Stuart Sternberg, principal owner of the Tampa Bay Rays.

In the minds of the Rays, they have conquered the best baseball has tossed at them. They have risen from the abyss of the AL East cellar to the American League Champs. In the course of that they have run over the almighty New York Yankees and the Boston Red Soxs. They may be concerned about the Phillies, but they have the edge, success and a positive attitude.

That said I predict a great world series, as the Phillies have been absent from the Big Show. Balance that with the we can do do it Rays, and anything can happen.

Photos Final Game

2008-09-25T14:14:00.002-04:00

I have posted a slide show of photos from the Final NYY Home game at the bottom of my blog.

The Last Yankee Stadium Yankee Game

2008-09-24T22:45:00.003-04:00

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0CaNGLhuxZMXaA

This link above will take you to site where I have posted my pictures, good and not so good of Sunday's night's game. I will be posting a slide of those picture on this blog in a day or so, but this other link will enable those who actually want a photo to get one for their own scrapbook.

I never thought I would be part of something historical. However the Yankees and Yankee Stadium are history; and in recent years I have been privileged to be there for significant historical events. This game is history now, the last one ever at what will soon be labeled, Old Yankee Stadium. It surpasses the first game back after 9/11 and any playoff/World Series game I attended. Yankee Stadium , new or old will forever be historical, even after it is reduced to rubble and parkland.

Despite initial announcement, all the plans have changed. The first hint was when premium seats ticketing occurred in early summer, and then fans were told recently all ticket plans would change. A few days later the Yankees and the City of New York announced the stadium shell would not be preserved, the stadium would be demolished and made into a park. the City tool all efforts to protect Yankee Stadium Sunday, not to help the coffers of souvenir seat sales, but because nothing will be done with the stadium until the Yankees are absolutely sure new digs will be available. Until that time, no deconstruction will occur in the grand old Cathedral of Baseball.

For those still wishing a look, the Yankees are still running tours. Stadium tours will run until such time as the Yankees begin to ship operations across the street.

I will have further thoughts on Sunday's final baseball game in a few days. And while there will never be another MLB pitch thrown there, there is still a place to go and see for those who want a tour. But don't wait too long to go.

No Crying In Baseball

2008-08-28T08:34:00.005-04:00

It was inevitable, a Yankee no Post Season year for Derek Jeter. It is amazing how many Yankee broadcasters and fans feel it is an inalienable right of Fall for the Yankees to play October baseball. The season is no officially over and the blaming has begun; but yet among the blaming their are still cries of the Yankkes are hanfinig in their for the Wild Card.

Teams are just that teams. The Yankees have no individual to blame for this failure, it is a team failure. Fault cannot be fixed on the manager, the coaches or any one player. The Yankees on paper in March looked great, but paper was starting to be shredded before April ended.

The Yankees of 1996 were a young team with some veteran players. They had an astute manager with great help. Joe Torre, Mel Stollemyre, Don Zimmer, Jose Cardenal, Chris Chambliss, Tony Cloninger and Willie Randolph.

The team had a balance of youthful energy and veteran talent, pitching and batting.

Compare these stats and draw your own conclusions:

This clearly shows the Yankees don't have pitching and don;t have the hitting required for Post Season. Home runs don't put World Series Trophies in the case, unless you have men on base when the ball goes out.

My Red Soxs friends think I am pronouncing the Yankees dead too early. I don't think they have any magic tricks. However given the Yankees lackluster performance in the the last five preseason, maybe this is the kick in the butt they need. They will wake up tot the reality they don't go to the playoffs by divine right, they get through through consistently playing great baseball.

Nine Days of Other Teams

2008-08-17T10:22:00.003-04:00

I have just returned from 4 days in Red Sox Nation. This was preceded by 2 days in Chicago and 3 days in Milwaukee. Chicago was a side trip due to the Nor'easter that shut down Newark Airport, preventing me from getting home.

I got a chance to watch the Brewers on local TV while in Milwaukee. The Brewers have the stuff to make a run at the Chicago Cubs, they are now only 4.5 games back. More than that they have the player talent that could assure a post season appearance by the Brewers in the Fall Classic.

Right now I see the the following teams representing the NL in October, The Cubs, the Brewers, Diamondbacks and possibly the Mets. The Mets are not a sure thing. Philadelphia still lurks in the curtains. For the Mets they need to stay one step in front of the Phillies in the home streak.

Chicago is clearly the land of the Cubs. My seven hours of waiting around O'Hare for my flight to be allowed to leave taught me that the White Soxs are just that other team. The success and domination of the Cubs in the NL Central has been like a shot of Adrenalin for the long suffering Cubs fans. They are counting on this Presidential Election year, in which a man from Chicago is on the slate as the a sign of hope. They remember how the Red Soxs upset the Yankees in the last Presidential election year. They consider 2008 their chance to erase the curse of the Billy Goat.

I spent Tuesday through Friday outside of Boston. There is no Yankee baseball in Boston unless you have access to the YES Channel in your room. I don't . To ask for the Yankee channel, even if they are playing Boston is grounds for ejection or a beating, maybe both. I quietly chose to watch the Red Soxs. And I am am concerned.

I am not concerned about the Red Soxs, I am concerned about the New York Yankees. The Yankees are 9.5 game back in 3rd place in the AL East. To make the playoffs, they need to win at least 32 games. I just don't see it happening. The Red Soxs are posed to take the Wildcard and worse yet, the Tampa Bay Rays mostly likely have the AL East sewn up; unless they collapse like the Mets did last year. Frankly I don't see that happening.

This may be the first year in his time with the Yankees, that Derek Jeter does not earn playoff bonus money. Clearly he will be a spectator and not a participant this year in October. September 21 will truly be the last game at Old Yankee Stadium.

This week the NYY Yankees also announced the Opening Day 2009 will be April 16 against the Cleveland Indians. The chose being made due tot eh fanfare that will surround the opening of the new digs. No one wants a postponement due to snow. Rain however is another issue. With all the money spent on the new digs, no roof was built. I would optioned for a roof, for those early and late season games and those foul weather days in summer when thunderstorms delay the start of games.

How to Get the MoJo Back - Old Timers!

2008-08-03T13:09:00.003-04:00

There is nothing more mystic then the gathering of the the retired New York Yankees on Old Timer's Day. This year the Yankees went all out. Just about everyone still alive and breathing made it back. Noticeable absent, was Rick Cerone and Jim Leyritz. Also absent was Jim Kaat, who considering the litany of ex-Yankees who appeared, was most likely invited. Kaat however lost his wife, Maryann on July 22 to bladder cancer, 10 days after Bobby Murcer, an Old Timer's day fixture passed away from brain cancer.

In absent of some the greatest deceased Yankees heroes, their widows were presented.. Representing their husbands were Mrs. Elston Howard, Mrs. Billy Martin, Mrs. Thurmon Munson, Mrs. Jim Hunter and Mrs Phil Rizzuto.

Given their lackluster playing of late, the active Bombers went on to beat the Angels 8-2. Moose put on a great pitching performance, and although his count was low. He left after 7 full inning leaving Yankee relievers Jose Veras and Brian Bruney to finish.

My friend Mike came with me, we also give Mike some Mojo. Mike (NY Yankee Update) has a lousy track record at Yankee games. He was until Saturday 0-8. We cured that with a visit to Monument Park, Mike's first. Mike pasi tribute to the greats, including Billy Martin. That ended Mike's curse.

Scenes from the 2008 All Star Fan Fest

2008-07-13T17:37:00.005-04:00

At the bottom of this page are my photos from Fanfest

The 2008 DHL All Star Game Fan Fest

2008-07-12T19:48:00.004-04:00

My niece, nephew and their parents, along with myself went to Fan Fest today. We weren't sure what to expect, we had hopes there would be something for everyone. We weren't disappointed.

Most definitely it was an event for baseball fans.

There were clinics for the young children, and plenty of catching, fielding and stealing for young and big kids. There was also plenty of history on display.

There were items available to be bought at the live auctions Monday and Tuesday. Also the Hall of Fame and The Yogi Berra Museum had items on display.

Mostly it was plenty of fun for all.

Free stuff is available. You get mini Baby Ruth as you walk in the door along with a bag for your free loot. You also received a MasterCard tap card. With that I won an All Start Pennant. I also acquired an All Star Blanket, a Rally cloth and a MLB T-Shirt, all for free.

There are also mock ups of the All Star Clubhouse with uniforms laid out for several of the AL and NL players. It was the best $30.00 I've spent for entertainment in a while. A family of four can get in for $90.00. I highly recommend you check it out before it ends on Monday night.

I have also included photos from the event on my page.

Yankees-Red Soxs as It Should Be

2008-07-07T07:22:00.002-04:00

It was the closest to the rivalry as it has been in a few years last night; starting with A-Rod's angry home run blast to left field. The elements were all there, a close game, a home plate umpire with a good eye (the same can't be said for the 2nd base umpire), a dangerous pitching jam, frustrated managers, heroes, villains, and hot headed fans.

The 3 most impressive things from the Yankees were Joba getting out of his jam without excessive damage, youngsters stealing bases, and Brett Gardner's last at bat. A sign of hope for a team that seems to be treading water.

The last 3 years it has been the youth movement that has carried the Yankees to the playoffs. The veteran Yankees could learn a great deal from the youngsters. The little things, careful at bats, speed, stolen bases and patience win you games; and to make the playoffs the Yankees have to climb two impressive Alps, The Boston Red Soxs and the Tampa Bay Rays.

Brett Gardner's 10th Inning at bat was however the most impressive. As I sat there, fearing who would come in from the bullpen in the 11th, I watched the youngster foul off pitch after pitch from John Papelbon. Papelbon is no slacker and in the terms of closers, while not quite at the caliper of Mariano Rivera, he will be if he stays healthy and continues to play. Papelbons' appearance on the mound in the 10th was not what I wanted, with the bottom of the order coming to bat. However those youngsters in the bottom of the order did the little things, Cano's blooper single, Melky's sacrifice and finally Gardner's long at bat, that took the speedy Cano to home giving the Yankees the win.

The New York Post Strikes Out Again

2008-07-06T18:01:00.003-04:00

The New York Post, as could have been predicted, air the A-Rod saga on Page 1 today. Shame on Rupert Murdoch.

While I am sure there is a lot of self-centered self interest behavior on both sides of A-Rod, Cynthia, and Madonna, does the Post need circulation so badly as to play to the scandal?

The New York Post, noted only for it's sports section has always been a rag, for paper training the puppy or lining the bird cage. Despite my not so warm feeling for A-Rod as a human being; he and his wife do not deserve to have their lives played on the the front or any pages of the New York Post or any other media other then to comment on his athletic abilities. His personal life, however messed up, should not be rolled out in the daily headlines.

Shame on the Post and Rupert Murdoch, the king of gossip, who obviously wouldn't recognize real news if it started him in the face.

NYY Insanity & the All-Star Roller Coaster Ride

2008-07-05T11:09:00.005-04:00

It's been a month since I posted, not because I was not watching baseball, I was. I have been swamped at work. I work in the pharmaceutical and medical device industry as a consultant. Right now we are very busy, busy with good compliant clients and with clients with significant issues. Through all this the only thing that keeps me sane is baseball; and on that not my sanity is beginning to slip too.

My friend Danny reminds every year, that the Yankees play differently after the All-Star Break. Well the All-Star Break is 8 days away, and I am certainly hoping he is correct; or the team is looking at no playoff s this year.

I didn't vote for any Yankees as All-Stars this year, because you cannot vote for pitcher. If so my vote would have gone to Mike Mussina. Mussina who I expected less of this year has proven many wrong. He has given his all, and is one of the many reason the Yankees are in 3rd and not 5th in the Al East.

Yes an argument could be made for the position players, however watching this Yankee Roller Coaster since April, I don't see where any have consistent met All-Star criteria. If I was forced to send two, it would be Jeter and Molina. And then I still don't think they deserve the trip.

Unlike amateur sports, the professional All-Star roster is supposed to represent the best of the best. On paper that is what the Yankees are. However off paper and on the field for the the 1st Half of the season, they get a C+. I expect my All-Stars to be at least A- performers.

Take Friday's July 4th game. The Yankees were leading with a 3-0 lead at he end of the 1st, that should have set the Yankees' tone for the game. Rasner should have been replaced before he pitched to Youklas in the 5th; but he was left in. After that the Yankees did notching. This is not how the Yankees play Boston. Yankees Boston is 2-1 or 15-14 blowouts. The Yankees played tired, almost heartless. That has to change. Mediocrity does not earn 1st place.

I will be at the game Sunday night. Considering the game is late, and I will be bleary eyed for work the next day, I am hoping that the real New York Yankees show up. However I am not getting my hopes up.

It is unfathomable to think that this New York Yankee team, paper A+ team of All-Stars looks like mutts on the fields.

The Yankees need to start playing baseball to the caliper they are and not coasting. Right now they might get a C for talent, but they get a big fat F for effort.

They should all be in clinics over the All-Star break, because right now they all could use work on the basics.

Baseball Fans Helping Other Baseball Fans

2008-06-05T05:41:00.003-04:00

You will wonder what this has to do with baseball as you read, but I have to tell the whole story. It begins as such:

There was an accident on the NJ Garden State Parkway Wednesday that shut the southbound road 8 miles above Exit 74. The accident was at Exit 74, A truck hit the exit overpass. http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080605/NEWS/806050571

It took me 3 hours, 47 minutes to get from the Toms River Tolls to my house last night' a distance of 9.7 miles. the overpass road is shut indefinitely for repairs, cutting 80% of my town off from a direct route into the town center, and isolating the people who live west of the Garden State Parkway from shopping, schools and gasoline.

I was stuck in traffic at ~6:30 PM. I would have been home in time to see last night's Yankee Game. I sale the 9th inning, that's all. I was trapped in the car and in my area of NJ the radio broadcast did not reach. I also left he XM radio home that day by accident. No baseball.

Fortunately I got some game updates from my friend Mike, (Check out -New York Yankee Update). Proving that true Yankee fans will always help other Yankee fans. Mike by the way was stuck in the same traffic mess hours earlier. Today's blog isn't so much about baseball but baseball friendships.

I met Mike online through Myspace. From time to time I have actually socialized with Mike and his wife; we like the same local band. Mike is one of the many NYY fans I have met online and a decent egg.

Mike provided me with a few game updates by testing my PDA. Mike knows the feeling of desperation and suicide when you are trapped in your car for hours. The game updates helped me forget about committing suicide. After an hour in car you become suicidal when the car has only gone 1 mile and there is no place to go. Mike is a true Yankee fan and a source of volumes of Yankee history.

If you have not read the New York Yankke Update, you should, especially the archives.

The Great Joba Experiment No Fair to Mel Stottlemyre

2008-06-03T20:47:00.005-04:00

Tomorrow many will second guess NYY decision to start the NYY decision to start Joba. They will start by saying he is 2 inning guy, he three 62 pitches in 2.1 innings, what were the Yankees thinking. their short memories will not recall a young Andy Pettitte or an even younger Mel Stottlemyre; although at pre-game they were all making the comparison.

In his rookie year, 1964, at age 22, Mel Stottlemyre tossed in 96 innings and finished with a 9-3, 2 no decisions. He struck out 49, walked 35, hit 2, and intentionally put on 3 in a total of 14 games, 5 of which were complete games. He finished the season with a 2.06 ERA. Oh by the way 14, (5 complete games) and 96 inning is ...................5.6 innings per game pitched in partially games (Mel's losses albeit his game 1 debut, 1 win and 2 no decisions)

On August 12, 1964, when he debuted he pitched 9, he lost in 9 inning; giving up 3 runs on 7 hits and a walk to the Chicago White Soxs. The White Soxs beat the Yankees. 7-3 that day. Mel faced 27 batters.

Gone are those good old days, the days of the complete game.

In tomorrow's dissection of the Joba starter premier, we will also forget about Mel and his losing debut. We will forget about pitchers being pitcher, not starters, relief or closers. What is wrong with baseball is specialty pitching. All pitchers should be whole games pitchers.

As far as I am concerned, Joba's role should be closer, heir to Mo. As far as starters are concerned, if 9 inning was good enough for Mel, in 1964 it is good enough for all in 2008. The game has not changed that much.

Ethical Baseball Players Don't Count At Bat Stats

2008-05-27T21:11:00.004-04:00

Much ado has been made of Derek Jeter's hitting slump. Much ado about nothing. Sports writers in an attempt to get noticed have pointed out Matsui is 11/20 while Derek is 1/20. Sorry folks it's about time Hideki found his swing, and as for Jeter; we are are grateful he doesn't have something broken.

It amazes me how short minded sports writers are. Comparing the current batting stats of Derek and Hideki is like comparing a triangle and a circle. Derek is injured, given his work ethic is the only reason he is in the Yankee lineup. There are players of lesser ethics, some past Yankees would be bench sitting on the DL right now; but not Jeter.

That is not to say Matsui is not ethical, he is. You can see it when he is not hitting. The only comparison to be made between Jeter and Matsui is that of their individual work ethics. Both struggle for various reason from time to time; but both continue to strive and improve.
Both players know this is their job, to come to the ballpark and play, and barring a disabling injury, both will crawl into work and beg for their place in the lineup.

So in a mediocre sports day, instead of drawing a positive comparison, the professional sports writers and talkies point out the negative. Now I ask you who really lacks a work ethic?

That Sound in the Bronx, It's the Boo Bird

2008-05-20T23:34:00.007-04:00

That sound is the call of boo birds who have emerged from their nest. They were loud this weekend, in response to the Mets rout of the Yankees. They were loud again tonight, until they fled to warmer ground. One may ask what is a Boo bird.

Boo birds are distinguished by their fading chameleon coloring and inability to perch for long periods during games the Yankees lose or play poorly. Boo birds are noted for their boo call and uncontrolled cussing. Boo birds are bad sports and usually fair weather fans. Many consume excessive amounts of alcohol during sporting events. Boo birds, once an endangered species between 1996-2001 have arisen to record numbers and now can be classified as pests.

Enough already!

I've been a Yankee fan for 43 years. I've seen good and bad. I've seen bad starts that ended in playoff berths. I've seen slow starts that produced World Series trophies. There are 19 teams in the American League, 5 in the East. You can't be perfection every year. The guys are down, they don't need the fair weather fan jumping down their backs. They work for the Steinbrenners. Isn't that punishment enough?

As to tonight's game, the Jeter injury, the Hawkins high toss, the bench clearing challenge. Well that is all part of baseball. Was Hawkins right, did he do it on purpose. Right, in his mind, not in mine, I don't like head shots. However retribution is expected. Hawkins who will probably get a suspension and fine is now the Yankee clubhouse hero for retaliating for Jeter's game ending hand hit. Maybe something positive will come out of this. Someone has to light a spark under the Yankees.

I predict smoke and steam coming from Mount Hank in the next day or two. Hank has the same volcanic personality of his father, George. The Yankees don't need Hank's mouth to add to the boo birds; but they do need to pay attention.

This Yankee team is making mistakes, mistakes they shouldn't. It's time to clear the cobwebs boys. Shake off the losses and play the season one game at a time.

If for no other reason then to silence to annoying Boo birds.

Human Rights and Compassion

2008-05-20T08:30:00.003-04:00

Dave Doyle had asked all belonging to Out of Write Field to Blog on May 15 for Human Rights. I must confess I was busy last week. I din't even blog in my own forum about baseball. Also contrary to what Dave belives, a mass belonging will get everyone's attention. For people to care and react they have to compassionate. And frankly I don't see that in everyone. What scares me is the mass growth of egotistic self-centered interests.

This country was founded by those looking for a new frontier. Instead of gold, the early settlers found farmland and forests where they could grow crops and raise livestock. Many followed the early explorers to escape persecution in Europe. Most settlers in the English colonies just wanted to be free to worship their own religions. mostly Quakers and Catholics. Unfortunately along the way to growing a nation we enslaved a race; and still to this day we have not made it right yet.

I have been following the election. I am as an American concerned about the direction this country is going. Clearly it is going to hell and hand basket because many non longer are concerned for the good of the whole but for their own self interests. We are on the verge of putting a non-white man in the White House. And what do we see, we see, we see racism from the candidates and racism from the voters.

Most disappointing was to see the race card played by the Clintons. Former President Clinton owed his eight years in the White House to minority America. It leads me to wonder did he mean all those promises or was he convenience shopping; as now both he and his wife look like hypocrites.

The key to human rights is eliminating racism. It would be nice if everyone had the same features, but they don't. The first step towards human rights is stomping out racism. It has gotten better in 40 years, but clearly when you watch the reports on the 2008 election, racism still lingers in this country like a festering sore.

Eliminating racism requires compassion. You cannot be more concerned with your own interests and needs. America was once the land of opportunity, but the growth of a wealthy upper middle class and an increase in poverty due to the growth the wealthy sector has eliminated many opportunities. Self interests prevail. That has to stop; before all we have is the poor and rich.

I blame religion or lack of it really for this plague of self interests. I am not the best practicing Catholic, but I do believe in the final judgement. I also believe in the phrase do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Without this compassion you don't care what happens to others; and liek it or not religious teachings help nourish compassion.

You don't have to be a Holy Roller. I definitely am not, but I do believe that I am here on earth for some purpose or God would not have wasted his time. Often the purpose is unclear. I do hope that when my time come the big guy lets me know why.

Likewise i don want to make a good impression when my time comes. I believe in the principal of the uniting of soles. I look forward to an after life and seeing my family, friends and departed pets live in eternal peace. I am not perfect either, so when I do mess up I apologize for doing the to the person and to God.

Alright I am not out to change the world, but my little corner of it. I don't have time to change the world. I can try and change those around me. To understand it is not all about them; its about us.

I recenlt pointed this out to my bosses. They are trying to encourage employees to go the extra mile but insituting a very handsome recognition program. My reply to that was if they didn't learn it as children, the likelihood of reforming them now is limited. The time for gold stars is in grammer school; when you teach the future of America the right way to behave.

Personally I don't need a gold star, I can assess myself. I don't need my name in the newsletter or a special cash prize to do my job. I love what I do, my goal is the feeling I get from doing it right the first time. I am hardest judge on all fronts; my work and my behavior. I don't like being singled out, it is embarrassing.

I write this blog for myself, I have opinions about baseball and other sports, I write them down. Some are interesting, some are dull. It helps me analyze the sport and work through my frustration when my team is sitting in the cellar. Other items I write are lesson for people. I am natural leader and teacher, or so I have been told. I know all this "stuff" knowing all this "stuff" and keeping it to your self is selfishness. Besides maybe someone else can take this "stuff" and get it to work better, so I share my "stuff".

You want to improve human rights you have to encourage sharing and compassion. The best way is start with the young, trying to change the old is almost impossible.

You want to improve human rights, start in this country. Anyone over 18 has a right to vote. Exercise that right based on electing competent officials who will be responsible to you the voter not to self interests. Why is human rights an issue, because in the USA a country founded for human rights; we don't practice what we preach.

You want to change the world start in your own little corner. You can support external causes, hunger, disaster relief, etc. But if we, the largest democracy in the world can't set a good example, we cannot make others follow.

Think of it in terms of an avalanche, it starts out small but has it rolls down hill it picks up size and speed.

Wait Till After The All Star Break

2008-05-19T19:37:00.006-04:00

My good friend Danny utters these words each year, nothing matters till after the All Star Break. And he is correct; history, especially recent history has shown us that the second half of the season has made silk purses out of sows ears.

The Mets, Marlins, Indians and and the Yankees have all gotten off to bad springs and risen to new heights in the second half. Boston who looked to be on the way out in 2004 arose like Lazarus from a lifeless corpse to win the World Series.

That said many are uttering wait till A-Rod is back or wait till Posada is back. Personally I think Posada is the greater loss. While he does not have Alex Rodriquez numbers, he is a strong arm tosser and a student of the game. Posada is aware of batters and provides detailed instruction to the pitchers to get to the job done. Add to that his lefty-righty batting. Not only can he impact on defense but offense as well. Have a switch hitter who can hit; even one who is slow runner still makes the job harder for the opposition.

A-Rod is still a loss. His numbers cannot be denied. He provides that element of respect in the lineup because he is a dangerous hitter. In Saturday's game, an ace like Johan Santana still feels his A-Rod scars. He would get better pitches. In yesterday's Bronx slaughter, it would not have mattered. Perez was tossing garbage, not even hittable garbage. Most of Perez's balls were at the ankles. A bat would not have worked. A 9 iron would have been better.

In defense of the NY Mets, I saw something last night that indicated growth. The Mets did not flame out and stomping on the Yankees in the Yankees house can give you a lot of confidence. The Mets have always been the step child of New York. The Yankees the favored son.

Willie and his Mets have been roasted, tarred, feathered and buried by various columnists each year; including the current. This weekend many were forced to look at the Mets differently. Now if they can only carry through on the momentum.

As for the Yankees, there is still a lot of baseball left to played and they really have no place to go but up.

The Bronx Bombers

2008-05-19T00:41:00.003-04:00

It's terrible to say they lived up to their nicknames, but they did for 2 days in a row. The most excitement has been watching Willie Randolph get tossed tonight. This has been a tough week for the Yankees. In the cellar in the AL East and losing 2 to the NY Mets. The Monday morning News and Post will shame them. Maybe it will spark a cure for what ails the Yankees. Somehow I don't think so.

I was at tonight's game. The 4th inning ran from 8:57 to 9:33. Most of that was because Chien-Ming Wang did something unusual he pitched to the side. That rattled Wang and he was lost for the rest of the game.

In contrast I saw a good defense by the Yanks. Cano's must be taking acrobatic lessons from Jeter, because he he beginning to look like a younger 2nd base version. I don't' blame Gonzalez for his E5 in the 1st, he had to look straight into the lights. He tried.

Unlike many I am not ready to flush the Yankees yet. They were in this state last year, the Bronx is full of Yankees miracles. While I don't see another White Hat Cowboy galloping in to save the pitching, you don't know what deals are in the works. Frankly if the youngsters can be saved, I would keep the status quo. The potential of our youth is worth a Roger Clemens deal. What the Yankees really need is another switch hitter.

As for me I washed off the stink of tonight's game by stopping by M&M World in Times Square ( They are open 9AM-midnight). Wild Cherry M&Ms did the trick.

The morning NY Daily News is already heralding Perez, he stunck, he threw 1 hittable strike for every 5-6 balls he tossed. The Yankees were dumb they chased the balls. Why they got out; patience would have been better for the Yankees.

The Kei Didn't Work In the Lock

2008-05-09T20:40:00.004-04:00

As I suspected Kei Iqawa can't picht to MLB hitters. He he faced the Detroit Tigers tonight. Three innings, 11 hits and 6 earned runs by the Tigers, he was yanked in the 4th and replaced with Jonathan Albaladejo. It will be interesting to see if Albaladejo holds off the Tigers, as they mauled him on May 1.

More game to come; but I hope the Kei Iqawa experiment is over. If the Kei doesn't work, replace it with a new one.

The Return of Kei Igawa

2008-05-06T18:33:00.003-04:00

Kei Igawa has been called up from Scranton to be the #5 Starter. He will face the Detroit Tigers in Detroit this weekend. Given his track record, I am hedging my bets. The question remains if Kei has been fixed or if he will revert to his old bad habits. We can only tune into the games to watch.

The return of Kei is another sign of the Cashman's reluctance to put Joba in the starting rotations and that Cashman is still calling the personnel shots.

Of course if Kei goes down in flames, then I think there is a good chance that Chamberlain makes a start.

Time to get out those good luck charms, as Kei is not yet proven himself as a valuable south paw. And for those that argue that Andy Pettitte had troubled Yankee youth with growing pains, well Andy at least made it to the 5th in his worst games.

And if the Kei does not fit, will it be Joba or another Scranton call up?

Baseball Player's Drugs of Choice

2008-05-05T16:52:00.005-04:00

I spent the better part of my professional career as lab rat / pharmaceutical engineer testing anabolic steroids and HGH. The correct drug name for HGH is Somatropin and the anabolics are Nandrolone decanoate (Deca-Durabolin) and Nandrolone phenylpropionate (Durabolin). I worked for the drug company, that manufactured them, they still do, thought I have moved on to provite consulting.

Anabolic Steriods

The anabolic steroids are sterile injections. The drug active is solubilized in Sesame Oil and filled into pre-sterilized vials or syringe for sale to hospitals. It is sued to promote tissue growth in after trauma, either trauma from ambulation or surgical removal. It is commonly given to women who have radical mastectomies to promote growth of the breast tissue and muscle that is removed with the cancer. Having handled the product for testing, I cannot imagine injecting it; it’s like injecting a tablespoon of oil under the skin. Its use is to promote muscle and tissue growth after cancer or where limb amputation has occurred.

The powder forms of the drug actives are common sold to illegal drug manufacturers. They manufacturer the liquid forms. The liquid forms must still solubilized in an oil solvent, however the activity is limited. True performance of the product is from injecting the sterilize liquid under the skin. The only approved legal form of both drugs, a sterile injection. Both active drugs are destroyed in the stomach, therefore oral medications have limited activity until a liquid partially absorbed in the oral mucosa.

The two active substances, Nandrolone decanoate and Nandrolone phenylpropionate are chemically synthesized. Not of animal origin but similar to the naturally occurring hormone in the body. Both materials have been around as approved since 1959. My knowledge of these drugs and Somatropin, HGH comes from the extensive safety precautions we were trained in just to test he materials, raw material and finished drugs.

HGH, Somatropin

Somatropin was originally obtained from urine. The drug hormone was extracted chemical and recrystallized to be prepared for an injectable substance. The original assay for testing the product involved animals. The original drug manufacturer was Eli Lilly & Company of Indiana.

In the late 80’s with the advances in tissue culture, a synthetic form of Somatropin became available. This was desirable due to the issue surround natural substances. Substance of animal origin must be tested for infectious diseases including viruses, especially the hard to detect HIV/HTLV viruses as well as Hepatitis B and C. The new substance could be made using mouse cells implanted with the HGH production gene. The new form of drug manufacture was cheaper and safer.

With the new technology came a new requirement. There must be a validated analytical test for the product, no more animal assay. The FDA and industry does not like animal assays, they have issues, beyond the use of animals. Approval of the better from of HGH required a repeatable analysis other than an animal assay could quarantine the safety of the patient taking the drug.

The new assay for Somatropin using High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) for testing the product. It still uses a rat assay as well as HPLC in testing the drug raw material. However the official test is the HPLC Assay.

For the non chemists out there, HPLC generates a wavelength pattern unique to the material tested. Each pattern is fingerprint, unique to that product. This test has been around and approved or 15 years now, despite claims from MLB Commissioner Bud Selig it (the test) didn’t exist. The International Olympic Committee and other international athletic organization have been using this test to detect HGH use in athletes since the early 90s.

Somatropin is also a product only absorbed through injection. While some absorption through the mouth or through the skin can occur, the official route of administration is injection. It like the anabolics steroids is a very dangerous drug with serious side effects.

None of these materials were designed to be used in the athlete's game of Russian Roulette for enhanced performance.

Official dose information and route of administration on HGH and anabolic steroids can be found on the FDA website, http://www.fda.gov/.

MLB Owner Admits Some Drugs Are OK with Him

2008-05-04T10:37:00.010-04:00

Until this morning I thought Hank and George Steinbrenner had the greatest brain to mouth dysfunction. According to ESPN, an unidentified major league baseball team owner (not from New York) came out and stated he really isn’t concerned about his athletes taking performance enhancing drugs, he is concerned with alcoholism, cocaine and marijuana use: substances and drugs that can impair performance. If that is the truth, it explains the hesitance of the commissioner’s office to test for HGH. It’s back to being all about the money not player health.

One truth for sure, the HGH era has lead to a rise in baseball profits, on both the major and minor league level. During this era of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs, we have increased the number of major league teams, and expanded the minor leagues.

Minor league baseball, once an endangered species north of the Mason-Dixon line, has seen expansion by the major teams of Baltimore, Philadelphia, St. Louis, the New York Yankees, the New York Mets and the Boston Red Sox’s. The majority of the minor league training program for both Philadelphia and the New York Yankees is concentrated within a 90 minute drive of each team.

The Phillies have 6 minor league teams, two housed in Florida, the Clearwater Threshers, an “A” level team and the Gulf Coast Phillies, an “R” or recruitment/rookie training team. The rest of the Phillies organization is in PA, except for one of two minor league “A” teams, the Lakewood Blue Claws, located in Lakewood NJ.

The New York Yankees also have 6 minor league affiliates, however three, the Staten Island Yankees, the Trenton Thunder and the Scranton-Wilkes Barre Red Dogs are located in NY, NJ and PA respectively. Despite this strong presence of MLB farm teams; there are many other minor league teams, with no MLB affiliation that are turning a baseball profit.

In the last decade, the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) has expanded. The league has no affiliation with any major league baseball team this league operates in MD, PA, NJ, NY, and CT. The league founded in 1998 has brought baseball to areas where it once had faded. With that rise of baseball fever, came the MLB minor league teams to the same area, to cash in on the dollars. In search of affordable family fun, a night at an ALPB game or any MLB minor league can be less than $100 for a family. The same type of event in the MLB could run over $500 for a family.

For MLB teams, acquiring the northern minion league teams brings them new facilities. Most stadiums are less than 15 years old and designed to bring the family to the ballpark. The Yankees in the last 5 years have moved “AAA” and “AA” operations to Scranton and Trenton. And with the local popularity of baseball in NJ and PA, it guarantees they will fill the stadium; by allowing access to their developing replacement players or a site close to home for the injured to have rehab starts.

In contrast the ALPB is league of ex-players. While there are some young minor league players, the vast majority of the league is ex-MLB pros, who aren’t ready to turn in their spikes. Most notably among the names are John Rocker and Jose Canseco. The league maximum is $3000 a month, and most survive on endorsements or a well –invested MLB salary. However the stands still fill each night.

The Mitchell Report was Pandora’s Box, a plaque on baseball. Like the movie “Outbreak” the plaque continues to spread, however as of yet, no impact on baseball profits has been seen. Like watching Ian Kennedy pitch I am waiting for the other shoe to drop on baseball profits. And with this latest anonymous owner comments you have to wonder if they were just looking the other way all this time.

How will America respond now that some owner has hinted it is all about the money? We can only wait and see.

Eight Belles Places Then is Euthanized

2008-05-03T20:42:00.004-04:00

Eight Belles, the only filly in the Kentucky Derby field of 20 today broke both ankles after coming in second at the Derby this evening. The 3 year old horse was euthanized immediately, taking the joy from her trainers and owners who moments before were excited she had come in second, 4 1/2 lengths behind Derby winner Big Brown.

Two years ago, Barbaro the 2006 Derby winner suffered a similar fate in just one leg at the Preakness in Baltimore, the 2nd leg in the Triple Crown. Extensive surgeries were performed, however Barbaro was eventually euthanized in January of 2007 and in January of this year, Barbaro's ashes were buried at Churchill Downs.

A Real Long Shot

2008-05-03T14:08:00.005-04:00

As an aside to baseball, there is another traditon, the Triple Crown, which starts today in Kentucky. Many baseball owners and curernt and former player own race horses. Notobaly the Steinbrenners and Joe Torre have had horses contend for the Derby in recent years.

Today marks the 134th Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs. The post positions for the 6 PM race are this:

I like Gayego

and the filly Eight Belles.

Of course predicting the winner of a horse race is even more a gamble then predicting the World Series winner in baseball.

Off the Critical List

2008-05-03T12:36:00.008-04:00

After being swept by the Detroit Tigers, the Yankees put Chien-Ming Wang on the mound and came away with a 5-1 win. The win, also marked the return of Yes Network Broadcaster Bobby Murcer to the broadcast booth. Murcer underwent a second brain biopsy in March. The biopsy revealed the mass to be only scar tissue. Our best goes out to Bobby for his improving health.

As for the Yankees, I think they still have a long road to recovery, but finally are taking the right medicine.

As predicted Hank has spoken again; however a little more toned down. Hank spoke to the media in Tampa Friday, stating his disappointment with the team’s start.

As to the Yankees' recovery….. see the 2007/2008 comparison:

As you can see the Yankees are in better shape today, with shaky starting pitching and the loss of Posada’s bat then they were this same day last year. And pitching seems to be improving for Mike Mussina, who has struggled a lot this April.

While the Yankees have not recovered yet, Spring Fever appears to be abating and May will tell if the Yankees climb or sink.

The infusion of youngsters, excited and talented youngsters from the minors seems to have given the Yankees the Geritol shot they needed.

Anything can happen from day to day in baseball, and no one can make a solid bet on where a team will land in September. However right now I am taking the Yankees from Critical to Cautionary as improvement has been shown.

The All Star Game Carrot Dangling

2008-05-02T21:16:00.006-04:00

The NY Yankees are in the midst of a dilemma, give up All-Star Game tickets to the season tickets holder with plans A, B and C or make MLB and FOX television network happy by comping the baseball sponsors and the Hollywood crowd that works on FOX Shows. The Yankees are caving to FOX and MLB.

To date only Plan A holders have been allowed to purchase the allotted tickets. Tickets for the holders of B and C plans are on hold. In response I have entered the All-Star Game ticket lottery. Lonn Trost is putting the screws to the fans again.

Trost is all about the buck. The Yankees, already the most expensive ticket in regular season sports, is losing seats in the new digs. In response, Trost has created luxury seating costing between $500-2500 per seat per game for the privilege of being part of the chosen few behind home plate.

Now Lonnie is about to rip out the fan's hearts, deny most access to the All-Star Game. Shame on you Lonn and shame on the Yankees for chasing the buck and not the fan base.

George Steinbrenner may have told the fans at ground breaking he was doing this for the fans, but clearly the heirs to the house that George is building don't give a damn.

Baseball is a business, and this proves the new Yankee management would rather make a buck. Old King George would have told Fox and MLB to wait, and not kept the All-Star carrot dangling in front of the fans.

This makes me wonder what direction the new Yankee management will take as they steer this team through this century. It's not look so far; one can always hope.

Roger Who?

2008-05-01T00:10:00.002-04:00

Anyone who believes baseball players or any celebrity, athlete or any overly compensated person is a saint is also a believer of the tooth fairy. That said I still admire Clemens, for the same reason I can respect, Jeter, Pettitte, A-Rod, etc. They give back to the community, mainly to make a better life for the the future of this nation.

Hell if I was good looking and a 20 something I would sleep with Roger. That does not make him a leaper.

I am not the biggest A-Rod fan, and he has documented himself as a two-timer to the then pregnant Mrs. A-Rod. But despite that Alex has donated millions to the Boys/Girls Club of America, not to be memorialized, but because he is where he is in MLB because of that organization.

Alex recognizes what is important in molding the future of America to be good citizens.

I like Angela Jolie as a talented actress, as a persons she is misguided. She reaches out to Africa to adopt children and donate money, a chic Hollywood/celebrity fad. I don't' care, I hope the UN and WHO feed and cares for them all, but Angie baby there are thousands of children here in the US who need love and sustenance also. Start here. When you concur our children ,t hen go global. Be like Alex, Derek, Roger and all, Do for our children first set the example then you can help the billions.

My personal opinions about A-rod aside, he gives back here first. We have problem here, the baseball athletes give back to where they came form, the US, Central America, South America, Asia. Mo helps the the kids in Panama, Abreu in his native land, Posada in Puerto Rico with Bernie William, part of the reason I love baseball. Jeter provide to children through the US, first starting in Michigan, New York and New Jersey. But he message is clear. Help the kids be good citizens and you will improve society.

Hollywood goes and adopt children from foreign lands, it's chic. What have they down for the 4 year old child in Newark who has no one to love her or him? the child who's life is set to be a dud? Fix our problems with poverty and unwanted children who need loving homes first, then go and deal with another continent. Athletes aren't ignoring our unwanted unloved kids, but Hollywood is.

That is part of my love of baseball, even if they aren't saints, the players give back, back to the kids, help them achieve, aspire, be better. Roger could be a polygamist for all I care, he gives back. Judge him or A-Rod as you feel, but first account for all the good they have done with the money they have earned as super athletes. That goes a long way in my book.

Don't judge me wrong, the kids in Africa need help too, but start here, fix here first, then go global. The USA is the great bread basket tot he world, but we cannot ignore our own. Our basbeall players rarely do. My reason for if they sin greatly I can forgive. They give back to make better life.

What's the Bigger Issue Posada or Pitching?

2008-04-28T19:09:00.006-04:00

In the world of Michael Kay, the Yankees are in trouble because Jorge Posada is on the disabled list for the yet undiagnosed cause of his arm trouble. According to Kay if Posada is out for an extended time, specifically if he needs surgery, the Yankees are doomed. Obviously Kay has not been paying attention to games he calls. The Yankees are already in trouble.

Never mind Posada, and yes, Kay is correct, Posada's bat is a loss at time when offense is the key to shaky starting pitching. The real issue is pitching. Posada's bat lost or temporarily set aside for a while won't matter if the kids can't pitch through 7.

Sunday, April 27, 2008, a memorable news flash......Three Complete Games in MLB. What drugs must the managers have been on? Or are they just rebels?

Scott Shields (26 yrs.old) threw for 9.0 innings against Josh Beckett and the Boston Red Soxs. Shield's line score included: 2 hits, no runs, 1 walk and 7 strikeouts. Shields is now 3-1 with a 2.54 ERA.
The Texas Rangers' Vicente Padilla , 31 years old, also tossed 9.0, with 7 hits, no runs, 2 walks and 2 strikeouts against the Minnesota Twins. Padilla's ERA is now 3.79
And finally in the National League, Paul Maholm (26 yrs old) of the Pittsburgh Pirates also tossed 9.0 , his line score was 2 hits, 1 run (earned), 4 walks, 2 strikeouts earned him an ERA of 3.26.

In the world of baseball, this is sacrilegious. In the world of NYY pitching it is unheard of and considered heresy. Could you imagine if the Yankees had let Chien-Ming Wang finish yesterday? Could he have?

Well we may never know because the Yankees would rather tax the bullpen then get 8 or 9 from a solid starter. Of Wang, Pettitte and Mussina, only Wang could go 9.0, but until he gets a No-No or the elusive perfect game, no one in the NY Yankees will allow him to go 9.0.

Babe Ruth will have to rise from his grave before the Yankees allow a pitcher to finish; unless special circumstances prevail. Gone are the good old days.

Close Only Counts in Horseshoes

2008-04-26T19:12:00.007-04:00

With the first month of baseball nearly gone, it is clear that certain teams are floundering in both leagues: the Texas Rangers, the Cincinnati Reds, The Washington Nationals and the San Diego Padres. The rest of baseball in the American and National League, despite some front runners could to be said to be close.

My concerns of course are in the dismal state of NY Yankee pitching. Pitching despite a loaded bullpen has been a disappointment so far this year. Wang, Joba, Pettitte and Mariano are the only ones able to claim they are major league pitchers. The rest, including veteran Mike Mussina, and the kids, Kennedy and Hughes have been a solid disappointment.

Kennedy did it again today, got off to a good start, walked too many, and gave the Indians an early lead. Kid Kennedy did manage to get it together and into the 6th without any more damage. Only to have Ross Ohlendorf load Indians on the bases in the bottom of the 9th with Victor Martinez coming to bat with only one out. WHAT IDIOT MADE THE HAFNER IBB DECISION?

Compared to Ohlendorf, Hawkins and Kennedy didn't look bad. And Hawkins, Kennedy, Hughes and Traber represent the shakiest of our pitchers. The range of balls to strikes is 1 to 1.5. I'm sorry that has to improve. Wang, Pettitte, Mo, Joba and the now gone till September Brian Bruney had an average ratio of 2.36. Mo has a 1 to 8 ratio, Joba's is 1 to 3.7. The rest of the staff, save Pettite and Wang throw one ball for every strike. This has to change.

I have decided to fix blame with Joe Girardi for picking Dave Eiland, a mediocre pitcher at best to tutor a youthful staff. The Yankees can ill afford to have Eiland be the mentor for a staff once rated at high potential. Its time to change horses before April ends. Get rid of Dick! At this point I would even say get Dave Cone out of the booth and let him coach the staff. Cone at least has a defendable pedigree, Eiland does not.

I'd even suggest paying Clemens $22 million to come and coach the pitching. It's not like these guys don't have the talent, the current regime just has not found a way to harness it. Say what you want about Roger, the Mitchell Report and his hired gun attitude; Clemens is the real deal, always has been and always will be. When Torre needed a coach for a talented young staff he turned to Mel Stottlemyre; another man with an impeccable pedigree. Eiland is a mutt, lets send him to the minors.

If Crown Prince Hal erupts in a day or too, I could see why. But pitching has to change, and I would start with the pitching coach. It's time for a change.

Weekly MLB Team Rankings

2008-04-21T18:00:00.004-04:00

The NY Yankees slipped from 3rd to 4th in this week's rankings of the 30 MLB teams released by the FOX Sports group. Worse yet the Boston Red Soxs stand in 1st.

For those that care, NY Mets fans, the Mets were ranked 5th, up from 7th. At the bottom of the pack dropping from 29th to 30th is the Washington Nationals.

For the complete list:
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/powerRankings?MSNHPHCP&GT1=39002

A Chip Off of George's Block

2008-04-21T16:01:00.004-04:00

In what may become a continuing comparison of Hank Steinbrenner to his Dad, George, we have the latest element; demanding a say in the starting lineup.

Many have blogged about George's mouth today, oops did I say George, I meant Hank. It's beginning to be hard to tell them apart, well Hank doesn't wear turtlenecks in summer like Dad George; well so far.

Hank like George thinks that being an owner gives him a say in the starting rotation. This despite the $$$$$ the Yankees spend on expert baseball advice. Frankly I feel that there are many on this forum more qualified then Hank or George to rate the placement of key players in the daily lineup.

Here are some facts:

Mo is not gone yet and right now pitching well.
The starting rotation can barely get into the 7th inning.
Mo pitching 2 innings a game won't help his arm in October.
Mo will retire one day and there is no one I have seen so far who can be as great as Mo as closer, except Joba.

The real solution is for the Yankkes to have pitchers who can pitch 8 or 9 innings. Oh did I say that? I forgot its a sacrilegious thought to demand pitchers be able to toss complete games. Shame on me. :) :)

Lets fix the problem, the problem is is two fold, Kennedy and Hughes. Get them to be solid and give you 7-8 innings and we can think about where Joba belongs. But I'm sorry, in the sorry state of NYY starting pitching, Joba must be the bridge to Mo. Unless you want to see the team lose in the late innings.

An alternative is to let Joba start and get Moose to bridge. I'd rather use Joba as the bridge.

Pecked At, But Not Swept

2008-04-20T18:05:00.005-04:00

Andy Pettitte gave the youngsters a class today, a class sorely needed, pitching. Behind Andy, the team played baseball, Yankee baseball; even despite two late in the game rain delays. The Yankees came away victorious, 7-1, after a lousy weekend in Baltimore.

Supposed ace of the staff Chien-Ming Wang got chased in the 5th Wednesday night, despite that, the Yankees prevailed 15-9. However Then their was Mussina, Hughes Kennedy, who combined for a 3 games losing streak. Hughes made it to the 6th, when he was sent packing on Friday. Kennedy was sent packing in the 3rd on Saturday.

Mussina who has been giving Hughes and Kennedy pointer should just defer to Andy. Watching him today was a treat. Today Andy was the Ace of the Staff.

The Yankees needed the win as they are still on the road and head to Chicago to play those other Soxs. The Chicago White Soxs are 11-7, with Wang having to deal with Jose Contreras on Tuesday. Ex-Yankee Contreras pitches well except against the Yankees.

The real threat in Chicago is Jim Thome who is close to matching White Sox team records. Mussina will toss against Javier Vasquez on Wednesday and Joe Girardi has yet to announce a starter for Thursday.

Who ever he picks he will have to be better then Cliff Floyd. The road ahead is as hard as the one the Bombers just left.

The Curse of the Papal Mass

2008-04-20T13:33:00.009-04:00

As Yankee Stadium is set to host another Papal,Mass, I have resigned myself to kiss the season goodbye. While God might be a Yankee fan, the Papal Mass brings a hex to all who play where his holiness has prayed.

Don't believe me go back and look as the records for all Papal Masses and see what happened to the teams whose stadiums hosted them. All but one, the San Francisco Giants never saw the playoffs.

When Pope Paul VI held a Papal Mass at Yankee Stadium in 1965, the first; it tossed the Yankees into the middle of the pack. The Yankees had finished first in the AL in 1964 but lost the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals 4 games to 3. In 1965 they finished 6th behind: [Minnesota Twins (102-60), Chicago White Sox (95-67) , Baltimore Orioles (94-68), Detroit Tigers (89-73), Cleveland Indians (87-75), NY Yankees (77-85)].

In 1979, Pope John Paul II celebrated masses at both Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium.

The Mets finished in the cellar, and the Yankees tanked and finished 4th, never making the playoffs.

In 1987, Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass September 16 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and September 18 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

The Dodgers finished 4th in the NL West and the Giants, the favorite to win the World Series went down 4-3 to the Cardinals who went on to lose 4 games to 3 in the Fall Classic.

In 1993 Pope John Paul II held a youth rally at Mile High Stadium where the fledgling Rockies played. The Rockies finished 6th with a 67-95 record. The Denver Broncos finished 3rd and never made the playoffs.

In 1995, Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore. The Orioles have done miserably until late last year.

So the New York Mets should thank their lucky stars Pope Benedict XVI passed them by. They have enough issues, they don't need a Papal Mass to add to them. As for the Yankees and Nationals, better get those rabbit feet going now. Both are having problems, for the Yankees it's a typical April, but if things don't improve, maybe George can blame it on the Vatican.

Will The Yankees Retire Anyone This Year?

2008-04-19T19:29:00.007-04:00

The truth be told, New York Yankee fans expect that the organization will retire Paul O'Neill's number. They finally nudged him to play in Old Timer's Day last years; and it wouldn't be fitting to retire his number in the new stadium. So the question remains is that the real reason why Hawkins gave up the shirt?

Rumors have been flying since Paulie retired that any season now, the Yankees would honor the warrior.

There are two retired Yankees who dwell deep in the hearts of fans, Paul O'Neill and Bernie Williams. O'Neill is on good terms with the Yankees, Williams I have no clue. No one has seen him since he was ousted before he wanted to go.

Both players have made stadium and Yankee history. Williams stands in the top 10 in many Yankee records. So that brings me back to this question, are we retiring any numbers this year? To do justice to one, without the other would be un-Yankee like; and Williams like O'Neill deserves to have his number retired in the House That Ruth Built.

No Bill Evans, The Pope Is Not a Yankee Fan

2008-04-15T04:58:00.007-04:00

Most Yankee fans feel that the almighty, God, Jehovah or Mother Earth ( whatever you feel is the all powerful entity) smiles favorable on the New York Yankees. I teasingly say that to all my friends who follow the NY Mets; given how well the Yankees have done and the mediocrity the NY Mets have had to endure. Sometimes it doesn't seem fair and unbalanced. Yesterday morning on Eyewitness News, weatherman Bills Evans stated both the Pope and NY's Edward Cardinal Egan were NY Yankee fans. Well he is probably about 40% correct.

If the current Pope is anything it is probably a soccer fan. He's German, very European in his manner, and probably his papal mass at Yankee Stadium this week will be the closest he ever comes to a baseball game; especially with the boys on the road. His Eminence, the Cardinal however is a lifetime Chicago Cubs fan. The Cardinal has asserted to the NY Press that he appreciates the Yankees, and unless the NY Mets play his Cubs at Shea, he would rather take in the Yankee game. I sneakily suspect His Eminence has the MLB baseball package.

But even with that high connection to the higher power, Edward Cardinal Egan, the Chicago Cubs have still failed to lift the Curse of the Billy Goat; hence my belief that God is Yankee Fan could actually have some credence.

And in speaking of curses or attempts at them; I was shocked but not surprised yesterday to see the daughter of Gino the Jerk interviewed on the news and state "Screw New York" in reference to questions about her Father's, and apparently her allegiance to Red Sox nation. That's more then being a tough girl from the Bronx, it's almost a challenge to every nutcase to go after her. It seems the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Miss Manners can you please help her.

In continuing this case, the Steinbrenner family is now trying to press criminal charges against Gino. I draw my line in the sand there. The Steinbrenners are wrong, and if the Bronx DA does indict Gino, while I would have to contribute to his defense fun. As a baseball fan, I can appreciate what he did for his team. Is it criminal? No. Stupid? Yes. And frankly I don't believe in curses, and I am pretty sure that laws about hexing and cursing are probably off the books in the NY State and NYC criminal codes. And the last I looked stupidity wasn't a crime (although at times I think it should be.)

As to the Yankees, I can't wait for April to be over and warmer breezes to fill the ballparks. The cold weather is playing havoc with the Yankee bats, injuries have not helped, and a very young pitching staff has struggled. All of this amounts to April growing pains.

As to baseball, the American League East looks to be the strongest division. I saw this in the Spring with the many club changes, and if you look at the standings, despite being in 4th place right now, the Yankees are close. The other AL divisions have separation of the leaders from the slugs, and in the National league, there is at least one dog in each division cellar.

Red Sox Gino and the David Ortiz Jersey

2008-04-13T17:37:00.009-04:00

For those who missed it, and there do seem to be many, some Boston fan Bronx boy construction worker buried a David Ortiz Red Soxs Jersey in the foundation of the new stadium last year. I remember hearing this last year, maybe no believed it and it died.

The man, Gino Castignoli approached the NY Post with his story Friday. On Saturday two construction workers seemed to remember jerky Gino and had a clue where the shirt was. Jack hammers came out and this morning the shirt after being located on Saturday, was ceremoniously lifted from the stadium concrete. I haven't seen or heard of it's final disposition, but I will be interested in tonight's local news.

Pictures from yesterday's dig out can be found in today's NY Post. http://www.nypost.com/

In reality the only jinx appears to have been on Red Soxs slugger David Ortiz. Ortiz has been battling knee problems since last year. Coincidentally they coincide with the approximate time the shirt was buried in the rubble. It would be comically funny if the hex had backfired and it had been on Big Papi all this time. We will know for sure if he makes tonight lineup and starts putting them up on the edge of the Green Monster again. I hope not, it's even steven and I am hoping for a Yankee win.

In this silly shirt retrieval you have to wonder if the guys who jack hammered the shirt out got paid or did it for the team. With what construction guys get, that could have been a few thousand. Also will this delay the new digs in any way? There is a now a 4 x 3 x 3 hole that has to be refilled.

Personally I would erect a plaque on the site when the new stadium opens so all fans for posterity can remember one Bronx boy, Gino "The Jerk" Castignoli ; who thought he put one over on the Yankees.

No one cares about rodents and roaches, but bury one Red Sox's shirt and all stops are pulled out to get it out. I will remember that when I see the first squirrel of 2009 sunning himself on the foul pole or the Yankee dugout. Rodents can stay but Red Soxs are true vermin. Sorry Boston fans, but that seems to be how the Steinbrenner boys feel.

Who Is the 5th Starter?

2008-04-08T11:23:00.003-04:00

Clearly with two series behind them there remains one big question? Who will become the # 5 starter. The plan out of Tampa was to have have Ian Kennedy fill that role, for now. However after getting tagged up in Friday's 13-4 Rays slaughter of the Yankees, you have to wonder if he will get another shot. The plan as as right now is to give the kid a shot, while everyone in the Yankees and the American League re-evaluates the Tampa Bay Rays. Also there must be a re-evaluation of LaTroy Hawkins going on. Hawkins clearly pitched one season too many in the Colorado air. He forgot what the American League can do to a baseball, and his ERA now pays for it.

Hawkins would not be my choice for long relief as his ERA was climbing until the Colorado year. As pitchers age, their ERA typically looks like an inverted bell curve. A little high in their rookie debut year and then leveling off a little lower, climbing as the arm begins to wane and their speed goes down until they compensate. Hawkins probably should be sent to the minors or Tampa to work on his control because clearly in his 3 appearances he has had little of it.
The Yankees are now on the road, playing tonight in Kansas City against the Royals. Home Opener is tonight, and I am keeping my fingers crossed. While it is bad form to beat the home team at he home opener, the Yankees need wins as being in first place is the only road to October this year. And just in case you haven't paid attention, The Red Sox open at Fenway today for the first time as well.

The Yankees need a big "W" from Hughes this afternoon (Game time is 3:10 EST) as Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka will most likely prevail over Detroit's Kenny Rogers. I don't mind not being in 1st place in the AL East as long as Boston stays behind the Yankees. Brian Bannister the Royal's starter is solid, and going for win # 2 this afternoon. I am hoping the Yankee bats heat up, because it will be needed to beat Bannister.

With a more solid American League this year, I am heading no bets for where the Yankees will be on April 30th. However without a solid # 5 starter and more control in the pitching of LaTroy Hawkins; we could end on on the bottom agins, liek last year.

What is it with April and pitching?

Alexa and The Hawk

2008-04-04T19:36:00.001-04:00

A poor bird has been given a bum wrap just because some overly curious teenager named Alexa Rodriquez got to close to the nest. What did you expect? A peck of the cheek?

Granted hawks and other birds of prey and cunning and exhibit great eyesight; however I doubt the bird is waiting in the upper decks for the Yankees and Alex Rodriquez to hit down.

That said if A-Rod or any of the Bombers get too close to Momma hawk's egg, well she will defend her incubating offspring. Many of us NY area residents remember the Central park hawk, Pall Mall and his mater attacking patrons of the park while the babies were in the nest helpless.

It's not personal, it's Mother instinct.

And if any of the Yankees should be concerned about the upcoming trip to Fenway, it should be Derek Jeter. Derek's up close view of America the Eagle's talon in the playoffs a few years back is what got our symbol of freedom banned from Yankee Stadium and Derek and love scratch on the forehead. I miss the eagle, but I would rather not have Derek get an eye taken out.

My little neighborhood predator here rarely perches so nice, and it took about two digital cards of shots to finally get him last summer. He is largely responsible for the reduction in chipmunks and squirrels. You know when he and his crew are around as rodent and birds go into hiding.

As for the Fenway hawk, better watch she does not take off with a ball in play. Hawks can take off into flight with rabbits, small dogs and cats, so a baseball would be no problem.

I wonder how that would be scored; Fan or Fowl interference. And imagine if the bird does it to Big Papi or Manny?

NY Yankee Opening Day Part 2

2008-04-02T12:07:00.000-04:00

I began my pilgrimage again in 65F dreary skies. The rain was diminishing and blue skies were appearing in the western horizon. ESPN's Michael Kay was on air stating it was still raining in the Bronx and there might be a delay, He must have gotten his information from the idiot Yankee weatherman. As every other real meteorologist in NYC had said the rain would be gone by 6 PM, they were correct the game began on time.

Polling many of the pilgrims on my journey, it appeared only 1 in 3 had been there the day before. Many had acquired their ticket from the original ticket holder, who now could not go.

I myself was warmly attired as cold temperature were predicted to return. It was in fact still in the 60's when the game ended, however by the time I returned home it was in the low 50's.

The team looks solid this year, Wang had some shakiness, nothing new to him in April. He was more careful with the Toronto power hitters, Rios, Wells and Thomas. Possibly it was too much birthday party from the night before.

I missed the opening ceremonies, stuck in a cattle stampede of fans dealing with Yankee security and no parking. Didn't they get the many memos, take mass transit. I missed the Voice of God too, longtime Yankee announcer, Bob Sheppard has some throat ailment and won't return until warmer temps set in. Jim Hall did an admirable job, but he still isn't as good as Mr. Sheppard, I doubt anyone will.

There were the celebrities, America's Mayor, Mr. Giuliani and the current Mrs. G; the Steinbrenners in various seats, King George was even in the house, up in the owner's suite with Billy Crystal.

Halladay was the ace of his fame, only a sloppy Blue Jay defense cost him the game. Their were fewer mistakes by the Bombers and clearly the true star was young Melky Cabrera. Cabrera had two spectacular run saving catches and a home run that account for the Yankees success last night. Respect was shown to the bats of Jorge Posada and Alex Rodriquez as Toronto put them on base rather then chance them taking on some more runs.

Job Chamberlain came in the 8th, a little too pumped but quickly settled and took us to the Sandman who did his job and notched Save # 1.

The dirtiest Yankee Award as usual goes to Derek Jeter. While Derek didn't have the most productive night on offense, his defense gets the Yankees in the game. Runners up were A-Rod and Giambi.

MLB Opening Day

2008-04-01T13:02:00.002-04:00

With a new full slate completed, MLB can chalk up the success of completing games to Mother Nature. Only the Yankee Home Opener was delayed, and having lived and breathed at in and in the rainless 6 hours after the game was called; postponing the Yankee game tonight is classified as a big mistake. Hopefully it will be the only mistake the Yankees make this year. Glamourbee and I will return to the Bronx tonight and hopefully not freeze.

For the last 2 years MLB has made the master schedule. This is done so that there are no conflicting big games in prime time MLB revenue slots. There is no consideration for the fans.

The desire for $$$ by Selig and MLB leads to weekend home games being scheduled in odd afternoon times. I guess Bud forgets ballparks sell out on weekend as it becomes a family affair. The traditional after lunch ball game is few and far between, so as not to tick off ESPN, FOX and other networks. Forcing baseball to 4 and 7PM on the weekends for east coast games. Explain that to your your little leaguer.

Baseball on March 31 is crap shoot. Even Vegas won't give odds on getting a better than 50% completion in. Worse yet many games of snow city teams are scheduled in the snow cities, instead of sending the northern climate affected teams to play in warmer or enclosed fields.

This year MLB is off the hook, because Mother Nature sent a warm front through Wisconsin, and Illinois in time to allow those games to be played in Florida evening like conditions, as opposed to freezer like conditions; which will be the case about the 4th inning of tonight's Yankee Home Opener, Part II. And God forbid we schedule a day night doubleheader.

Baseball is going the wayside of a family sport. The sport is under the under influences of the greedy money hungry commissioner's office and the greedy owners. It's time for Selig to go. As for the owners, the should all be ashamed. They will eventually price themselves out of fans; and even the Yankees, the most expensive ticket in baseball have stopped catering to the average Joe.

In the zeal to sell seats in the new digs in the Bronx, ~800 seats are being priced between $500-$2500 dollars, So far 200 seats have sold. In addition fan ticket prices were raised again this year. Contracts should be lower so that ticket prices can come down and all who want to can afford a nice seat. This is forcing many to minor league baseball, part of the overall success of the minor expansion of the last few years. It remains the most affordable professional sporting event for families.

MLB games are rapidly becoming a tax write off for uberpaid executives and businesses; most of whom don't really follow the game. They attend to have status, not to watch and spend more time talking business the the game.

My Yankee tickets are the one extravagance I give myself. I use some myself and give some away for business and family, and the rest sell off to fans what I can't use. However I always make sure the person is a fan of the game; an absolute must.

I am hoping Mother Nature pounds some sense into the owners, before they price themselves out of the game and a fan base.

Its time for some common sense to come to baseball management. You can't always count of Mother Nature being kind and the fans being there.

The Final Consecration of the Cathedral

2008-03-31T19:17:00.000-04:00

The faithful had gathered, hope and anticipation of another season; Opening Day in the Bronx. The weather, lousy with a light drizzle did not dash the hearty. Many began tailgating in the lots in the early morning. I arrived on the D train from Penn Station and met Glamourbee and off to services we went.

It was about noon as we entered hallowed ground, I tithed obtaining my 2008 Yearbook, Opening Day Pin, Program and Opening Day shirt. Up to our lofty perch in the loge we went to view the final consecration of this grand stadium; we thought. I easily found my seats, in the same space I have been since 2002. Next year I will have to be attentive when the great move is made. Time to watch and wait.

There were scattered announcements about a rain delay, and not much till 1:30. John Sterling and the YES casters presented messages of hope, Joe G and Brian C took in the field around 2:00PM and then 3 Blue jays came out to play catch. My optimism rose, only to be dashed around 2:30 when the faithful were sent home. No game today, bad weather approaching.

To this I must say the Yankee weatherman must go. The current meteorologist lacks skill, The rain remained away, and had they started at 2:00PM they could have gotten the game in. The Yankee weatherman is a wimp. Please hire Bill Evans, Lee Goldberg and/or Sam Champion. They were correct, the Yankee weather guy was wrong.

I took a PTO day to go today, no big deal I have 30, and have hardly dented them yet. Others who were there had skipped school or also played work hooky. But we will all adjourn in the same location again tomorrow night.

Opening Night isn't as much fun as Opening Day. There is still the announcement of players and staff to look forward to; but the game will be under lights in the dark; and like it or not, some of the anticipation of first pitch will have left; but Glamourbee and I will be there again, hopefully to see baseball played and not rain delayed.

New Yankee Stadium Notes

2008-03-19T11:50:00.001-04:00

For those that are season ticket holders or who have ever registered and bought tickets online from the NY Yankees, know you get the annual ticket publication. Mine came with my season tickets last week, and I finally got around to reading it this morning. It contains some interesting facts about the new stadium.

The publication has some lively rendition pictures of the new lounges, restaurants and public area. It brings an excitement of I can't wait till it's done. It also gives a place for you to see showcase mock ups of some of the new stadium. The NY Yankees have set up a 4000 square foot showcase at Rockefeller Center to show of some of the new luxury boxes and suites and some of the private lounges. It is meant to sell the new private seating but is open to the public. For those too curious to wait, it probably is a good sneak peek if you can deal with the sales pitch. I intend to check it out myself.

Also listed in the publication are some of the public features of the new stadium. There will be 3 non subscription restaurants on top of the traditional subscription pubs and restaurants at the current stadium. A new steakhouse, a martini lounge and a sports bar. I don't know about the martini lounge, that would be better served as some food establishment for children. Also there will be a Yankee Museum showcasing Yankee memorable as well as some of the heavy hardware acquired by the team in it's long history. Really want to psych out the opposition, walk them past those 26 World Series Trophies which will now be on display for all to see.

While some of us are apprehensive about the new home, the preview in this year's ticket publication really wets your appetite for the new digs. I will be a little sad when they move across the street, but their new home appears to be fit for true baseball royalty; and the Yankees are the undeniable kings of baseball. In good times or bad, everyone wants to be a New York Yankee, most baseball players will agree; even some ex-Boston Red Soxs.

Crown Prince Hank

2008-03-18T23:34:00.000-04:00

Just when we Yankee fans had gotten use to a little subdued activity from the owner, he, George turns the team over to his sons. After a six month honeymoon, Hank Steinbrenner has emerged as the new "Voice of the Yankees".

While promoting the team, he has also taken up where dear old George left off shooting off his mouth. Unlike his father the most controversial things so far as been to support the team and say that suspension for the Spring Trainings brawl are uncalled for and he will appeal.

Hank it appears is a chip off the old block, and while George rides off into the sunset, son Hank is going full blast into the spotlight.

For fans like me and many of my friends it is a sign of good things to come. George is the ultimate owner, a fan with money to spend to give his team the best. I have been a bit apprehensive of the future of my beloved Yankees with the hands of leadership changing this past year. However out of all the things that have come out of Spring Training, one thing is certain, the new commitment and support of the team by the owner is still there; as echoed in the statements made this spring by Hank Steinbrenner.

With 13 days till Opening Day, something else to look forward to, a committed energetic owner.

(Hank Steinbrenner photo from the NY Daily News)