Facts of Bad Baseball

Bronx, N.Y., May 29, 2010 — If you’re expecting to read a blow-by-blow account of how the Yankees managed to lose a home game against one of the game’s worst teams when they had a 9-3 lead after four innings, you may be disappointed. But on the other hand, that should put us a similar wavelength. I was there the whole time. I know from disappointment. Continue reading

A Wonderful Game?

Bronx, N.Y., May 19, 2010 — Twenty-four hours ago I was writing about the Yanks and Red Sox having played yet another four-hour game, yet another battle in which one team won in its last at bat. Admittedly, yesterday’s outcome thrilled me a great deal more, but I think both sides would admit that Tuesday’s 7-6 Boston victory featured teams trading critical mistakes more than rising to the occasion to emerge victorious. Continue reading

“Pathetic, Embarrassing” Encore

Bronx, N.Y., May 18, 2010 — More than 48,000 fans seemed to be having quite an exciting time watching the Red Sox and the Yankees renew their rivalry in the Bronx Monday night. They were duped obviously. No less an authority than veteran umpire “Country Joe” West knows his baseball (you’d hope), and he offered the words in the title for the two teams’ tendency to play long games. The playing time on this one not only exceeded three hours to finish a regulation nine, it ended up just 11 minutes short of four hours. The humanity! Continue reading

That Da__ed Slam

Bronx, N.Y., May 16, 2010 — The Yanks already had a series win in their pocket when they took the field against the AL Central first-place Minnesota Twins Sunday afternoon, but that didn’t make the loss of the third game in the set any more palatable. The Bombers have been having their way with the Twins for a few years, and in particular at home wearing the Pinstripes where they had won 10 straight of these in the regular season, plus the two games in last year’s ALDS Continue reading

7th Inning Star War

Bronx, N.Y., May 15, 2010 — The Yankees, a team that has had its share of run-ins with Hall of Famer and mlb disciplinarian Frank Robinson, would do well to steer clear of any punishable behavior on May 14. Sixteen years ago on this day, ex-Yankee Dave Winfield supplanted Robinson for 12th place on the career rbi list. Friday night, Alex Rodriguez blasted his way past Robby to move into seventh place on the all-time home run list. I’d suggest the Yanks be on their best behavior in the coming days. Continue reading

Hughes Comes Up Huge

Bronx, N.Y., May 2, 2010 — It would be easy to misunderstand how the Yankees overcame the White Sox in the third of three in Yankee Stadium Sunday afternoon. The Bombers blasted the White Sox, it’s true, running up a 12-0 lead before Mark Melancon allowed a meaningless three-run home run in the ninth inning. They amassed 16 hits, blasted three home runs (none of them of questionable length), and Yankee batters reached base 22 times in eight frames. Continue reading

Let’s Call It a Sycle

Bronx, N.Y., May 1, 2010 — A great night was anticipated Friday in the Bronx. Not only were the seemingly never home Yankees returning to start a brief homestand following a nine-game, 10-day trip, but warm and dry temps were expected as well. It was almost 70 degrees and sunny in the afternoon, so we were confident in one half of the equation. Continue reading

Tex and the Texan

"Wily, gritty, gutsy"--Pick your adjective. It's why Yankee fans are happy when Pettitte is on the mound.

"Wily, gritty, gutsy"--Pick your adjective. It's why Yankee fans are happy when Pettitte is on the mound.

Bronx, N.Y., April 18, 2010 — Five days ago, Andy Pettitte whipped Anaheim in the 2010 Stadium opener featuring a killer curve that netted him six strike outs in the first four innings. It was a different Pettitte who took the mound Sunday, mixing every pitch he had and searching for a few more to get the right combo against a game Texas team out to avoid a sweep.
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Northern Inhospitality

Jorge Posada

His two hard singles started rallies, and Jorge collected his 1500th career hit today.

Bronx, N.Y., April 17, 2010 — There’s no better way to say it. Ignoring all the pregame reportage regarding the surging Texas Rangers and in particular hurler Scott Feldman, the Yankees couldn’t have treated the second-year hurler more rudely. After he was extended to 23 pitches in the first on a walk and a single, Jorge Posada drilled the young righthander’s first pitch of the second for a long single into right center. None of the following 37 pitches were hit particularly hard, but by the time it took Feldman that many to escape the second frame down 2-0, you knew his day was largely over. Continue reading

Honor Robinson? Can[d]o

Robinson CanoBronx, N.Y., April 16, 2010 — The Yankees took the rubber game of their third straight three-game series Thursday night, beating Anaheim 6-2 in a game that turned listless once Yankee power had taken control. All of major league baseball honored Jackie Robinson this day, the 63rd anniversary of the day that he broke the color barrier in baseball. But the Yankees took it one step further, as their second baseman, who has carried the first name “Robinson” in honor of Jackie his whole life, hit two home runs and drove in three runs against Anaheim lefty Scott Kazmir. Rewarded with the number five spot in the order beginning this season, Robinson Cano has been on fire at the plate.
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