Bronx, N.Y., April 6, 2008 — The Yanks evened their record at 3-3 Sunday in a double-well-pitched beaut in frigid Yankee Stadium. Although the offense did not break out, they did have their second consecutive nine-hit game, a hopeful sign. You got the feeling that the offense that broke through and scored a run first would win, as Chien-Ming Wang and James Shields each brought their “A” game. Continue reading
An Oreo Cookie Baseball Game
Bronx, N.Y., April 4, 2008 — The Yanks suffered an embarrassing 13-4 defeat to the visiting Tampa Bay Rays (no “Devil,” thank you) Friday night in a game many supposed would be rained out. It’s not hard to imagine that in a loss by nine runs, there is more negative than positive to be taken away from this game. Ian Kennedy was pounded early; Latroy Hawkins late. But in between those two hard cookie coatings, the Yankee pen provided some seriously delectable “cream.” Continue reading
The Dreaded Curveball
Bronx, N.Y., April 3, 2008 — The debate goes on as the Blue Jays and the Yanks played another game Thursday where the offenses struggled. Is it that the hitters aren’t ready? Or are most of the guys who have pitched that good? Take your pick, but I wouldn’t dismiss the third school of thought on this either: It’s just too cold. Continue reading
Offense on a Tightrope
Bronx, N.Y., April 2, 2008 — The Yankee offense hit its first peak at 7:23 Wednesday night, when A.J. Burnett fired three straight 94-mph fastballs out of the zone to Johnny Damon. Despite coaxing one soft grounder or fly after another, Mike Mussina was already down 1-0 on an unearned first-inning run, and fans were pumped that their leadoff hitter was all but on in the bottom half. Unfortunately, after a meek Damon bounce out to short on a 3-2 pitch, the second peak came two hours later once Burnett finally did allow his first walk, to Bobby Abreu leading off the home seventh. Continue reading
The Yanks’ Magic Window
Bronx, N.Y., April 1, 2008 — There was criticism aplenty going around the Bronx the last few days. First, devoted fans were understandably upset when the club and major league baseball rained out their opener against the Toronto Blue Jays Monday. Adults take off from work and pull their kids out of school for this day every year, but in 2008, the last year of the old Stadium? Seemed, I’m sure, to be an imperative in many a household. What a blow to have the day wasted, and then to sit until evening for the opener the next day. Continue reading
Rolling Thunder, Pouring Rain
Bronx, N.Y., March 30, 2008 — I will be attending my 26th consecutive home opener on Monday, with the weatherman predicting a questionable day for baseball. Colder than I want, but I’ll confine my hopes, prayers, dances, whatever, to a lack of rain. Attending April ballgames is always a bit of a crapshoot. We sat through six innings of snow in 1996, and earned free tickets to Doc Gooden’s May no-hitter for our trouble. They played nine that day, with Andy Pettitte besting Kansas City’s Chris Haney. Three years later the 12-3 drubbing of the Tigers in a downpour was mercifully called after seven frames. Continue reading
War of the ‘Suppose’s
Tampa, FL, March 5 — There was some good, but more bad, in the Yankees’ first loss Wednesday afternoon. The Yanks had their customary early thunder, but only after new Minnesota left fielder Delmon Young put them in a 1-0 hole with a second-inning home run on a 3-1 Ian Kennedy fast ball. Continue reading
Yankees Are Perfect, But Weather Is Not
Dunedin, FL, March 4 — Anyone who has heard the complaint some Spring Training venues have levelled at the Yankees in the past, that they do not send representative teams on the road, would have been silenced just looking at the starting 10 penciled in to play the Blue Jays in Dunedin Tuesday afternoon: Hughes on the mound, with Damon, Jeter, Abreu, Rodriguez, Giambi, Posada, Duncan, and Cabrera. If that wasn’t enough, the sight of Yogi Berra telling Billy Connors that they had seen a no-hitter as they walked out after the rain-interrupted game was called should have done the trick. Continue reading
Something Happenin’ Here
Kissimmee, FL, March 3 — The Yankees experienced their first significant drawback to 2008 Spring Training when Mike Mussina failed to record an out in the third inning of a 7-6 win over the Astros in Kissimmee. A less than glowing subplot involved some shaky play at first base, the most unsettled defensive position on the team. Continue reading
7 Great Innings, But a 7-7 Tie
Tampa, FL, March 2 — It was incumbent first baseman Jason Giambi’s turn to pole a three-run first-inning home run to give the Yanks an early lead on the Phillies on Sunday, this time in Legends, soon to be Steinbrenner, Field. The lefty power hitter did nothing to hurt his case playing first base in the field either, and he collected both the homer and an even more impressive line double to the gap in left against lefty pitching. Continue reading