Daily Archives: November 6, 2008

By Kevin Baker

There are so many choose from, it’s hard to pick just one. There’s my first (and only) game in what was truly the old (pre-1976) Stadium, the first major-league game I ever attended, back in 1967. It was against the California Angels, and as I recall Horace Clarke hit a home run, and Joe Pepitone lost the game on an error. Par for the course for the Yankees of that year.

There were the World Series clinchers in both 1996 and 1999. The 1996 game was especially thrilling, a very close contest with the crowd roaring continuously, and the stands literally shaking. It also featured tens of thousands of Yankees fans, waiting to get in, breaking into a “F**k the Bra-a-a-ves!” version of their tomahawk chant. Afterwards, people were carrying around a coffin, marked Atlanta Braves, like something from four or five decades ago. The 1999 clincher was a little less exciting—the Yanks already had a 3-0 lead in games, and Clemens shut the Braves down for most of the game—but it does stand out for watching Mariano Rivera break Ryan Klesko’s bat three times in the ninth, reducing a team that was about to be swept in the World Series to helpless laughter.

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For years, John Sayles’ third movie, Baby It’s You  (1983) was unavailable on DVD.  But I saw it on the Netflix site last week.  What a pleasant surprise.  It hadn’t been released because of something to do with clearing music rights (Altman’s buddy movie, California Split, had similar troubles, though it too now is on DVD).  Baby It’s You was the first theatrically released movie to feature the music of Bruce Springsteen. 

I first saw it on VHS more than fifteen years ago and thought it was a charming coming-of-age story about a tough Italian kid (the Shiek, played by Vincent Spano) and a middle-class Jewish girl (Jill Rosen, played by Rosanna Arquette) set in Trenton, New Jersey in the Sixties.  Arquette has never been better.  I don’t know if Sayles has either.  

Sayles has made some interesting, thoughtful movies, but I’ve always found his directing style clunky.  The story here is nothing innovative but the direction, the cinematography, the performances (and yes, the soundtrack) all have an emotional directness that is winning.

In the original Times review, Janet Maslin wrote:

Music is a major part of ”Baby, It’s You,” as the title may indicate. The score consists of rock songs that more or less correspond to the time, although Sheik’s entrances are accompanied by Bruce Springsteen songs; these may be anachronistic, but they suit Sheik to a T. These touches, as well as the generally impeccable period details and the evocative cinematography by Michael Ballhaus (who shot many of R.W. Fassbinder’s later films), suggest that ”Baby, It’s You” was a labor of love for everyone involved.

Netflix it.

The old barbershop just off West Broadway can be a tough place to play. It’s cramped and cluttered and the ceiling hangs low. The men with razors use that to their advantage and they are always tough to beat.

Alexi – the toughest of the five-man crew – pointed me to his chair.

“What are the Yankees gonna do?” he asked before I even sat down. “Can they get Sabathia? And how about Burnett?”

Alexi fired up his razor and kept going:

“Will they go after Teixeira? Should they trade Cano? And what are they gonna do in centerfield?”

“Do I look like Brian Cashman?” I asked.

“Nope, you’re too ugly,” Alexi said.

“Agreed,” I said. “Next question.”

“Okay,” Alexi said. “Who’s gonna win the fight on Saturday?”

“Roy Jones,” I said.

“Joe Calzaghe can handle him,” Alexi said. “Jones is finished.”

I shook my head and said:

“Everyone thought Bernard Hopkins was finished and he beat Kelly Pavlik. They all thought Mike Mussina was finished and he won 20 games.

“That’s the only tip I’ve got for you,” I continued. “Don’t be so quick to write these guys off. They are world-class athletes who are capable of things that people like us can’t even imagine. And you’ll be glad that the Yankees didn’t trade Cano when his big, left-handed bat is parked in the middle of the order next year.”

Alexi nodded and then asked:

“What do you call a barber who can’t hit a curveball?”

I shrugged.

“A beautician,” Alexi said with a laugh.

“Okay, you win,” I admitted.

“I’m unbeatable,” Alexi roared.

William Bendix as Babe Ruth.  What?  You think Goodman was any better?

Let’s get right to it …

• Don’t rush out to get your Jake Peavy Yankee t-shirt just yet.  Following up on a story yesterday, the Times Michael Schmidt notes that Peavy would “consider” a trade to the Bombers, but not necessarily approve of one.  Schmidt also passes along a somewhat amusing quote from Peavy’s agent.

“Jake grew up dreaming of playing in pinstripes, but he has a strong preference to stay in the National League,” Axelrod said. “He’s a good hitter -– he was the most potent part of the Padres’ offense at times this year -– and he knows the hitters in the National League.”

• More Peavy news:  Mark Feinsand of the News reports a source stating that the Yanks could put together a package built around Phil Hughes and Austin Jackson, although they would likely have to include two or three more players, one of which could be Ian Kennedy. The Padres, according to the source, have no interest in Cano.
• A three-way Holliday?  Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports quotes a source noting a potential three-way deal that would send Matsui to the Mariners for a pitching prospect, perhaps Ryan Rowland-Smith. The Yankees would package the prospect with Cano and another young player to the Rockies for Holliday.
• Four 2008 Bombers filed for free agency on Wednesday, reports MLB.com.  Pavano, Giambi, Marte and Mussina put their paperwork in.
• Joel Sherman of the Post reports that the Yankees have just about finalized their coaching staff for ’09, with Tony Pena shifting from first base to the bench, Rob Thomson moving from the bench to third base and Mick Kelleher being named the first base coach.
• In a separate blog entry, Sherman writes that any Bomber pursuit of Matt Holliday will probably include (but not be centered around) Ian Kennedy.  Also, he suggests the Yanks might find something to like (OBP, switch-hitting, 1B-capable) in the possibly-available Nick Swisher.
• DE-FENSE! That’s what Brian Cashman wants to improve in 2009, says Newsday’s Ken Davidoff.
• Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald suggests that the Marlins might be interested in reacquainting themselves with Carl Pavano.
• Happy 37th birthday to another player that suited up for both NY teams, Bubba Trammell.  Happy 40th to the hero of Game 3 of the 1999 World Series, Chad Curtis.  Happy 55th to the “Candy Man”, John Candelaria.