Tagged: Andy Pettitte
Yes, it is early in the season, but still…
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I fully understand that this
is only the end of the 2nd week of baseball… that being said, I’m
still angry.
How many times is Girardi
going to send Wang out to the mound to pitch 1+ innings? At some point you’ve got to realize that Wang hasn’t
worked his issues out yet.
Why not bring Phil Hughes up
to replace Wang for a start or two while Wang corrects his delivery? The main
thing with Wang is that his body is getting out in front of his arm and when a
sinker ball pitcher drags his arm through the delivery, the result is a sinker
that doesn’t sink. Its not a major issue, as a major leaguer, Wang should be
able to fix that rather quickly, but he hasn’t.
Anthony Claggett, poor guy,
was called up today. It’s unfortunate for him that he had to stay out there for
so long even though he was getting rocked. I can’t even imagine how this will affect
his psyche. I hate when young guys get
used like that… basically the way they treated Claggett tells me that they don’t
care about his development as a pitcher, they only care about getting someone
in to take some slack for the other guys on the pitching staff no matter who it
is or where he’s at in his development. It’s disheartening.
I don’t fully blame our
pitching staff either. Our outfielders made a few errors today. The hitters are leaving way too many people
on base. It seems like the only time we score is when we hit a homer. The
Yankees cannot survive on homers alone. The way the Yanks are playing right
now is so reminiscent of last year… No consistency!
I know you want to protect your
guys late in blow out games (rest and all that) Girardi, but when you take
everyone out, it just shows that you have no faith in your team and you’ve
given up… If I paid hundreds of dollars to go sit in a new park, you better try
everything you can to win and you dang sure better not give up in the 4th
inning!!!
I would not be surprised one
bit if Pavano came out and shut out the Yankees tomorrow. C.C. isn’t doing as great
as he could be, Wang is really bad, Joba is doing ok, A.J. is amazing, and Andy
is doing ok… In the pen, Mo and Bruney are the only guys I trust, and our hitters
still have yet to learn how to manufacture runs. Oh and don’t forget about Girardi,
the manager who just sits in the dug out ignoring the fact that his team is getting
their butts kicked…
Oh I guess a congratulations
is in order, Congrats Eric Wedge on your 500th win as the Indians’
manager.
FINAL WHISPER: This is crap something
needs to be done and it needs to be done quick or else I’m going to scream. Oh
and I like how the Yankees are now the laughing stock of the majors… deserve a
new stadium my —beep—-.
Baseball Nerdish as Always,
– Brit
The Giambi Quote on the Cover is Telling…
Not much has changed since he’s come to the Yankees; has it?
I’m being punished. The baseball “gods” are punishing me for getting up during the October 5th game against the Indians in the ALDS. I knew I shouldn’t have moved, it’s against my superstitions! Soon after I left my seat, a swarm of midges harped over the Jake. I thought my punishment ended there, but obviously losing the series was just another reminder that I blew it for us. Now this… it’s all my fault.
Why else would this happen to me?
My week hasn’t been too bad this week. Much better compared to the last.
Until yesterday…
The chaos of The Yankee Years had finally started to go away, so what do those great writers at the newspapers in NY do? Well, they have a job to do, so they come up with a story to write. So, they write about Derek Jeter and his impeding doom as a player. Sure, he’s getting older, but I’d like to think Jeter could play short until he turns 100. I just cannot imagine a Yankees game without Jeter on the field or in the dugout, but I know that time will come. I just don’t want to be reminded about it every time I open a newspaper!
THEN…
A-Rod. Or A-Fraud, I guess that’s a better way to address him. I can’t believe this. I actually had a conversation with my parents a week ago about A-Rod. We were arguing about Barry Bonds and I was all up on my high horse sticking up for Alex. Parent know best (I guess it’s true)… my mom and dad both fought me on that they said Alex was on ‘roids, no question… I guess after the let down of Giambi, Pettitte, and Clemens, I just didn’t want to believe any more of my Yankees were doing that stuff.
But alas, A-Rod tested positive in 2003. My problem with this is that, MLBPA was supposed to get rid of all this information. Why hold on to this info? Someone, knew exactly why… I think some one is out to get my Yankees.
Now, does that sound paranoid and psychotic of me? YES, but I honestly believe MLB is out to get my Yankees. Think about it, they hired Sen. Mitchell to do the steroid probe. Now, I don’t want to harbor hate for Red Sox fans, because there are some nice Red Sox fans out there… many read this blog and listen to my show… but Sen. Mitchell did serve as a director in the front office for the Red Sox until 2006. Seems like if Bud really wanted to be fair, he would have gotten someone who wasn’t tied to any team to conduct the report. Why Alex? If you are going to leak his name, you need to man up and give the other 103 names on that list!
Now, none of this excuses what A-Rod, Andy, Rocket, or Jason did, but I guess it offers me comfort. And to think, I bought A-Rod’s children’s book (Alex Rodriguez: Out of the Ballpark). It’s a great story for kids about how to work hard in order to capture your dreams. Alex details how he would get up at 5am everyday to get some extra practice in. I guess he forgot to mention the part where he shot himself up with steroids. Wow, that sounded really mean and cynical. But that’s what they have made me.
How could a team, how could a man who I look up to do this to me? To us? Alex was the one guy who I thought would make us all forget about the shady steroid era. But, I was wrong. I’m sick of this. Everyday it’s something.
Right now I’m mad, but I’m sure my anger will turn into the “Oh I feel sorry for him” blues. I do feel bad for him in a way. I know he did the crime, so he has to pay for that (albeit, he’ll be tormented by fans rather than be tormented by older men in a communal shower).
Alex is a lot like me, well other than the fact that I don’t have that kind of money, I’m not nearly as egotistical, and I don’t take steroids… We are a lot alike, we have to have approval from those around us. We care way too much about what people think about us.
I’m afraid this could be his downfall. Alex is like a tragic hero…
I’m worried for him and the Yankees this year. Can they get over this? Larry Bowa seems to think not. He was on the MLB Network’s special report today about Alex. He said that Alex is really sensitive and he lets little things bug him and this isn’t a little thing.
I’m worried… ok, I’m straight up terrified. I hope this goes away fast, although my heart tells me it wont.
FINAL WHISPER: Alex, just needs to do the following:
1. Call a press conference before spring training starts… (Just go ahead and get
it organized for Monday at noon).
2. Admit you did steroids in 2003. Say something to the effect of “I’m sorry I let my fans, teammates, the Yankees organization, and MLB down. I screwed up and I have to take responsibility for that. This is not something that I do anymore and I’m just sorry all my young fans had to figure out about this. I’m sorry.”
** NOTE: If you can work up some tears Alex, that would be great!
3. Hang out at the Boys and Girls Club during Spring Training or better yet, take Natasha and Ella out for a great day with Daddy… and let Harvey Levine’s gang know where you are.
4. Get over yourself and play ball…
5. Lead the Yankees to a 2009 World Series victory
…………….. And, all will be forgiven and forgotten
(at least Yankees fans will forgive and forget)
Baseball Nerdish as Always,
Brit
Revelation
On Saturday I had a revelation of sorts. The day started out like any other, the alarm clock went off at 5am… I got up, went to work out, went to the tanning bed (because I’m the whitest shade of a white person and I decided to do something about it), got dressed and went to my little 5 year old cousin’s basketball game. I don’t think I’ve mentioned this before, but my family is crazy close. We’re a southern family in every sense of the expression. My mom has 2 older sisters. 1 is married and the other is not. I’m an only child and my aunt has 3 children all older than me. So… every Sunday we go to church, a Southern Baptist church no less. Then we alternate going to one of the “sisters” homes for dinner (which is lunch for all you who don’t speak Southern). We have 4 grandchildren in the family, we also have 5 great grandchildren who’s ages range from 1 to 6. The young-ins (as we Southerners like to call them…) are just now getting to the age were they play organized sports. Organized team sports have always been big in my family. I was a softball player, basketball player, golfer, and cheerleader all throughout my childhood and in high school. I don’t mind saying I rocked either… softball is obviously my favorite sport and I would have played in college if it wasn’t for the torn rotator cuff (that was beyond repair ) I suffered in 11th grade. Anyway… This is all beside the point I’m trying to make…
My 5 year old cousin, Si, is playing basketball for the first time. He’s playing in the church league called Upward. They have all ages playing all kinds of sports. During half time they get all the athletes to come to the middle of the court for a short 10 -15 minute devotional. It’s great. These kids get to enjoy the competitive nature of games in a respectful way while they praise the lord. Usually I get mad when score isn’t being taken… you know the old “everyone’s a winner” adage. But seeing these kids play just made me happy. I’m not a emotional person, but I was moved during the game. It was so refreshing to see people (albeit short people) playing basketball and not caring who was winning or who was the all star of the team. My cousin Si is the nicest kid you’ll ever meet. I swear he’s going to be THE point guard for Duke when he grows up… he’s so selfless. He would dribble a little then pass it off to a teammate. He didn’t need all the attention on him. He was content to pass the ball to a teammate who he knew would make the shot. Now, I’m not saying he doesn’t like attention… He knew the ENTIRE family was at his game (as always) and when he did take a shot and made the basket, he knew right where we all were and looked up at us to see if we saw what great thing he just did. It was so cute.
I guess this blog isn’t really about the Yankees per say, just more of a personal revelation about sports. I think if today’s athletes would have had such a program to play in we would all be a lot better off. We wouldn’t have players getting arrested for drugs, dog fights, bar fights, or shooting themselves in the leg. No steroids… We wouldn’t have players who walk by adoring kids without putting their cell phone down. We wouldn’t have these athletes who think they are above the law, above the fans, or anyone else. I’m not saying competitiveness is bad, lord knows I’m more competitive than the average person, I’m just saying it would be different. I think everything would be a lot different if we would all accept the Lord as our savior. I hope this doesn’t offend anyone or turn you away from my blog. I’m not trying to judge people, I just needed to put this all out there.
I look at players like Phil Hughes who I always see praying on the mound and it brings me peace. Actually in a round about way, Phil Hughes brought this perspective to light for me… I read his blog at yard barker and he always shares the music he’s listening to. He listens to some Christian rock bands and I started listening to them just to see what the band was like and along with my preacher’s message today, I was just really moved (I don’t know PeeJ’s religious beliefs, but this is what I’ve got out of reading his blog). I’ve been saved for several years now, but I was very young at the time, so it’s sort of in one ear and out the other. I think today was a great day to rededicate my life to God and find peace within myself and not let “the haters” bring me down. I’ve had a lot of haters in my life (for reasons I don’t care to share), but it’s nice to know God’s on my side.
It’s funny how you can love sports for one reason and then something happens and it changes your life in another way. So, I want to thank all the players like Phil Hughes, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Andy Phillips, and so on… Even though these guys are just going about their business, they are witnessing to the millions of people who watch them just by taking a second to say a short prayer on the field. That’s great.
Again, I don’t want to offend anyone, but this is my blog, and this is my life. I felt the need to share this with you all and maybe this will open someone’s eyes to the lord. I know I live in the bible belt, but I don’t mean to shove it down your throat… again, this is my opinion and I know we all have different views and religious beliefs and that’s fine. Diversity is great.
FINAL Whisper: I have a blog about baseball coming up tomorrow, I promise! I’ll “Plead my case for The Franchise.” Enjoy the music!
Baseball Nerdish as Always,
Brit
Wreckless Love
Jane Heller, author of Confessions of a She-Fan: The Course of True Love with the New York Yankees (which will be out in February), was on my radio show (A Show of Their Own) a few weeks ago talking about how her devotion of the Yankees was much like a relationship. She was the fan who wrote to the New York Times in 2007 announcing her divorce from the Yankees. I can really identify with Jane. I too feel like I’m in a “toxic” relationship with the Yankees. I mean, what do they do for me? I travel hundreds of miles every summer just to see them. I spend thousands of dollars on travel expenses, tickets, memorabilia, and they don’t even invite me to stay the night. They after they are done using me for the night, they quickly shoo me out of the building. They expect me to travel with them, so that they never have to go to a strange, hostile stadium alone. I, of course, do not want to let them down, so I spend more money to travel with them. I pay extra money for MLB extra innings just to see every inning of every game. I put up with stupid Red Sox fans and the masses of Braves fans that surround me. They also turn me into a walking billboard for their cause. Now, they tell me, they are going to make me pay for their new house. What kind of relationship is that? I’ll tell you, it is a magical, passionate, wonderful relationship. See, even though the Yankees make me do almost everything, they do the most important thing in a relationship. They make me happy. Even though they had an “off” year this year, I still had a fun trip with them. I met many great Yankee fans this year. I started my own internet radio show all about the Yankees, I started my own blog devoted to the Yankees, I got my first taste of color commentating, and I did my first television interview (I was on FSN Kansas talking about how wonderful Yankee Stadium is/was). I thrive off the Yankees. They bring me to life. I’m known around my community as “The Yankees Fan” and I like that. I don’t want to say the Yankees have been the one constant in my life, because I have great parents and they are always there for me, but the Yankees… they are my constant in social settings, I guess I could say that. I’m very shy by nature so the Yankees give me an outlet to speak unapologetically and to anyone who will listen. I’d never speak to someone I didn’t know, but if that stranger has a Yankees apparel on, I’ll usually speak. See, the relationship I have with the Yankees is more like a brotherhood… or sisterhood I should say. Yea, ok… Red Sox have their “nation,” but the Yankees have Yankees Universe! Yankees baseball surpasses any language barrier. Ok, not really, but it could. I’ll gladly pay thousands of dollars to support my Yankees and I’ll gladly swoon over the latest acquisitions, and I’ll probably get depressed a little over the trades, but in the end, the Yankees will be there for me and I’ll be there for them. I sound like a bad episode of the Steve Wilkos show with the headline: “My husband hit me, cheated on me, and never pays for a date, but I LOVE him.” The Yankees hit me (in the wallet), they (Giambi, Clemens, Pettitte) cheated on me with steroids, and they never pay for me to go visit them, but still, I love them.
Final Whisperer: Title courtesy of Alicia Keys. If you want to hear my interview with Jane Heller go to:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/AShowOfTheirOwn/va/2008/09/09/a-show-of-their-own
Baseball Nerdish as Always,
Brit
The Yankees Baseball Whisperer 