Monthly Archives: March 2010

My head turned on my way to work this morning. A skirt, a switch, bare legs. I’m just glad I didn’t walk into anything. The next few days are supposed to be lovely.

Man, how I love this city.

[photo credit: Life magazine]

The Yankees beat the Rays 6-4 thanks to some strong relief pitching, including Chan Ho Park’s spring debut, and a three-run homer by Colin Curtis.

Lineup:

R – Derek Jeter (SS)
L – Curtis Granderson (CF)
S – Nick Swisher (RF)
S – Jorge Posada (C)
L – Robinson Cano (2B)
R – Marcus Thames (DH)
S – Randy Winn (LF)
L – Juan Miranda (1B)
S – Ramiro Peña (3B)

Subs: Jon Weber (1B), Reegie Corona (2B), Kevin Russo (SS), Eduardo Nuñez (3B), Austin Romine (C), Reid Gorecki (RF), Greg Golson (CF), Colin Curtis (LF), P.J. Pilittere (DH)

Pitchers (IP): Javier Vazquez (3), Romulo Sanchez (2/3), Boone Logan (1/3), Chan Ho Park (1), David Robertson (1), Mark Melancon (2), Dustin Moseley (1)

Big Hits: A booming two-run double just shy of the warning track in center field by Derek Jeter (2-for-3). That double came before he hurt his hand, but the single came after. A three-run homer by Colin Curtis (1-for-3), his second dinger of the  spring. Ramiro Peña had two singles in three at-bats.

Who Pitched Well: Chan Ho Park looked sharp in a perfect fifth inning, needing just eight pitches to retire the side, striking out one and making a nice play coming off the mound. David Robertson struck out two (one on a nose-to-toes curve, the other on high heat) in a perfect sixth. Though Jorge Posada sullied it with a run-scoring passed ball, Boone Logan made like a proper LOOGY in the fourth, coming in with two out and the bases loaded to strike out Carl Crawford with a good slider and strand the remaining runners. Dustin Moseley worked a perfect ninth. Mark Melancon gave up a run following a booming leadoff triple by Justin Ruggiano in the eighth, but he didn’t allow any other hits and only one other man hit a ball to the outfield in his two innings of work. In the seventh, he erased a leadoff walk with a strike-em-out/throw-em-out double play with Austin Romine throwing out opposing catcher Dioner Navarro.

Javier Vazquez worked into some deep counts and walked two, shaving an inning of his intended workload by using up 60 pitches in just three frames, but he limited the damage to a solo homer by Carlos Peña (on a fastball up and on the outside half of the plate) and only allowed one other hit (a harmless single) while striking out three.

Who Didn’t: Romulo Sanchez gave up two runs on a walk and three hits, including a B.J. Upton double, before he could get three outs. He was all over the place, which was one reason Jorge Posada whiffed on a low fastball to allow one of those runs to score.

Nice Plays: On a slow roller to second, Robinson Cano circled the ball, came in on the grass, and scooped and shoveled the ball to first with his glove to get the out. Later in the game, the coaching staff had Cano positioned perfectly on Pat Burrell. Robby needed just two steps to knock down a would-be single up the middle that nearly took off David Robertson’s head. Chan Ho Park sprung off the mound to make a clean play and a strong throw on a bouncer well on the grass to the left side by Carlos Peña. Though it didn’t result in an out, Jorge Posada made a near-perfect throw to second on a stealing Carl Crawford in the third. Crawford was safe, but barely.

Oopsies: Playing shortstop, Kevin Russo was unable to come up with a hard grounder to his right in the eighth, allowing a run to score from third on what was ruled an error. On a chopper in front of the plate by Ben Zobrist in the third, Javier Vazquez and Jorge Posada both charged the ball but simultaneously pulled up expecting the other to make the play, thus allowing Zobrist to reach safely as the ball went untouched. In the fourth, Posada failed to block a low fastball from Romulo Sanchez that got through his wickets and allowed B.J. Upton to score from third. Later that inning, Posada had a Boone Logan fastball that was nearly a strike clank off his glove allowing another run to score. All of which would seem to bode well for Jesus Montero. Posada’s been out-hitting his defense for years. I’m guessing Montero can do the same.

Ouchies: A diving Derek Jeter, in failing to come up with a hard single to his left, got his throwing hand caught on the lip of the outfield grass but stayed in the game and got a hit in the bottom of that inning. He was seen wincing during warm-up throws later in the game, but, say it with me: he’s fine and will play tomorrow. A day after getting hit in the lower back with a Ryan Howard line-drive, Damaso Marte is doing well and could pitch in Friday’s home game.

Walt Kelly.

Tyler Kepner had a good piece on Nick Johnson yesterday in the Times. I love Johnson, so I’m hoping he stays healthy, cause if he does, chances are the man will produce:

He does not want to think of himself as the guy who walks a lot.

“It goes back and forth with me in my head, because when I’m not swinging well or I get in a little funk, it’s because I’m passive, and I’m 0-2 like that,” Johnson said on Tuesday, snapping his fingers for emphasis. “I don’t mind hitting with two strikes, but when those times come, I have to be conscious of it, know it, and I’ve got to be ready to hit. I can always go back to being comfortable and walking.”

Last week, I wrote about a wonderful Tuscan kale salad I had at Resto.

According to someone in the know, Nevia No, a greenmarket goddess, has the goods at the 14th street farmer’s market.

Ya hoid.

[Photo Credit: New York Magazine]

One of my early adolescent idols…

This update is powered by the late, great Gilda Radner:

• Individual game tickets go on sale at Noon on Friday.
• MLB.com set out to determine the Yanks’ team of the past decade.
• Kevin Towers is the Yanks’ new “Special Assignment Scout”
• Ex-Yankee Chuck Knoblauch is in trouble with the law.

Back on Monday.

An ugly spring debut from Damaso Marte helped the Phillies beat the Yankees 6-2 in Clearwater, but the story of the game was a strong four-inning appearance from Joba Chamberlain, who, having heard the gun, is finally keeping stride with Phil Hughes in the race for the final spot in the Opening Day rotation.

Lineup:

L – Brett Gardner (CF)
L – Nick Johnson (DH)
S – Mark Teixeira (1B)
R – Alex Rodriguez (3B)
R – Marcus Thames (LF)
S – Randy Winn (RF)
R – Francisco Cervelli (C)
S – Ramiro Peña (SS)
R – Kevin Russo (2B)

Subs: Juan Miranda (1B), Reegie Corona (2B), Eduardo Nuñez (SS), Jorge Vazquez (3B), Mike Rivera (C), David Winfree (RF), Reid Gorecki (CF), Jamie Hoffmann (LF), Jon Weber (DH)

Pitchers (IP): Andy Pettitte (4), Damaso Marte (four batters), Amaury Sanit (1), Joba Chamberlain (4)

Big Hits: Francisco Cervelli went 3-for-3 with an RBI double and is hitting .583 on the month. Brett Gardner went 2-for-3 with a triple courtesy of a missed diving catch by Shane Victorino in center. Gardner also stole his first base of the spring.

Who Pitched Well: In his first actual game action (he previously threw two simulated games, one to avoid travel, the other due to rain), Andy Pettitte struck out four in four innings against just one walk. He did allow a pair of runs on five hits, but threw just 55 pitches. Amaury Sanit retired all three men he faced, striking out two. He hasn’t issued a walk or allowed a run in 3 2/3 innings this spring.

Most importantly, Joba Chamberlain answered the bell with four strong innings (including an unofficial bottom of the ninth with the home-team Phillies in the lead). He did allow a run, but on a well-placed bloop double over Kevin Russo’s head and a single. He also struck out five against just one walk after getting just two Ks against six walks in his previous 3 2/3 innings. Like Hughes on Tuesday, he did it over the game’s final four innings, but he faced a better group of hitters than Hughes did against a split-squad Astros road team. Having needed just 47 pitches to get through those four frames, Joba threw about 15 more in the bullpen. During the game, Chamberlain was not only efficient but was working quickly, showing the aggressive approach that so often seemed missing last year but showed its head in his three strong starts after the All-Star break. That is a very good indicator, as is the fact that his slider had that nasty break to it as seen in the highlight reel found here. Both of those things suggest that this fifth-starter battle could live up to its billing after all.

Who Didn’t: In his first spring appearance, Damaso Marte faced four batters without getting an out. Switch-hitters Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino singled. Righty Jayson Werth hit a three-run home run. Lefty Ryan Howard then singled off Marte, bouncing him from the game.

Ouchies: Howard’s liner hit Damaso Marte in the lower back and left a bruise. Marte was doing his exercises before the game was over and said he was fine after, but the Yankees might push back his next appearance to be on the safe side.

Other: Having finally faced major league batters, Andy Pettitte may have to start a minor league game his next time out so that Chamberlain can get his full pitch load in the major league game.

Milton Caniff.

All I wanted was a slice, is that too much to ask?

I got off the R train at Union street in Brooklyn and walked up to Fifth avenue. But the pizza shop on the corner–Fifth Avenue Pizza–was closed. So I turned left, in the direction of Flatbush avenue. Four-and-a-half blocks later I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t passed a Pizzeria. On a commercial street chock full of restaurants no less. 

I didn’t want to keep moving away from Union street, where I was eventually headed, so I doubled-back, crossed over Union Street and continued on, figuring, again, a pizzeria would be a stone’s throw away.

Nope. Nada. Bubkus. I was apoplectic, hating hipster Brooklyn like never before, when I finally found a spot, on 3rd Street just off Fifth Avenue called Villa Rustica. I went in and ordered a couple of slices and sat down to eat.

Now, unless I’m at a fancy pizza shop, one of those places that claims to be “the best,” I’m not overly picky. What I’m looking for is a representative slice. Something I could offer an out-of-towner as an example of a good New York City slice. (Talk about a new spin on VORP–value above replacement pizza!) Well, the slice at Villa Rustica was just that–and better than any of the local pizza I have around my way in the Bronx.

It wasn’t spectacular, didn’t re-invent the wheel, but it was satisfying and delicious and it made my anger go away.

Ah, the restorative powers of a good, representative, New York City slice.

[photo credit: akuban]

As I mentioned earlier, Emma Span’s first book was released yesterday. Here at the Banter we are bursting with pride at Emma’s accomplishment, because she’s one of us, and also because she’s simply one of the best writers to emerge from the blogosphere, a truly original voice. Smart and funny. I think the world of her, as a writer and as a friend–and yes, she’ll be back to blogging here in the very near future.

So join us in giving her props and don’t sleep–go pick up a copy of her memoir.

Ya hoid?

Over at the Pinstriped Bible, our pal Steve Goldman has a couple of posts on the prospect of Robinson Cano batting fifth:

Cano’s batting average ranked sixth in the league. His True Average (formerly Equivalent Average) of .293, which measures the sum total of his contributions on offense on a scale identical to batting average, ranked only 29th among players with 400 or more plate appearances. Among those finishing ahead of him: Jorge Posada (.301) and Nick Swisher (.300). You really don’t need the statistics to appreciate the basic reality of this: Posada and Swisher simply reached base more often. Unless Cano hits .350 this year or learns to take a walk, both spectacularly unlikely, and assuming business as usual on the part of either player, they are going to reach base more often this season.

Given the purpose of the batting order is to promote offensive production, what purpose is served here? Over the course of his career, Posada has been the superior hitter with men on, and his career OBP stands at .379. Like Cano, Swisher struggled to deliver baserunners to the plate, but still reached base 40 percent of the time in those situations. His strikeouts, viewed as an annoyance by the less sophisticated fan, meant he hit into a double play in only 11 percent of opportunities vs. 17 percent for Cano. Posada, despite his typical aged catcher legs, hit into a twin killing in only 14 percent of his opportunities.

We also haven’t considered another possibility, which is that not only does Cano not hit .350, he doesn’t hit .320 again either, instead falling back to his career averages of .306/.339/.480. Were he to do that, his OBP would barely escape the league average.

A soul classic (love the intro):

Last night, I went to a book release party at a bar in Park Slope, Brooklyn, for our own Emma Span’s memoir, 90% of the Game Is Half Mental: And Other Tales from the Edge of Baseball Fandom, which was officially released yesterday (more on that to follow). I was talking with Diane Firstman, Jay Jaffe and Ben Kabak when a petite brunette with a firm handshake introduced herself to us.

“I’m Mara,” she said, “I used to work with Emma at the Voice. I wrote a book last year.”

And how do you do?

Me: What was your book about?

Mara: Orgasms.

Diane: Was it illustrated?

I immediately thought about the MOMA cocktail party scene from Manhattan (1:40 into this clip):

Me: Really, what about orgasms, exactly?

Mara: It was about my search to have one.

Me: Okay, so without ruining anything, did you have one?

Mara: I did.

Me: That’s great. I love a happy ending.

Jay: What, did you guys rehearse this on the way over?

We did not. But it felt scripted. We laughed and enjoyed a true New York moment.

A.J. Burnett and Mariano Rivera, the latter in his spring debut, put a lot of runners on base against a pathetic split-squad Astros lineup, but only let one score. The preliminary Opening Day lineup plated three early runs, and Phil Hughes wrapped things up with four scoreless innings as the Yankees won 4-1.

Lineup:

R – Derek Jeter (SS)
L – Nick Johnson (DH)
S – Mark Teixeira (1B)
R – Alex Rodriguez (3B)
L – Robinson Cano (2B)
S – Jorge Posada (C)
L – Curtis Granderson (LF)
S – Nick Swisher (RF)
L – Brett Gardner (CF)

Subs: Jorge Vazquez (1B), Reegie Corona (2B), Eduardo Nuñez (SS), Brandon Laird (3B), Jesus Montero (C), Jamie Hoffmann (RF), Greg Golson (CF), Colin Curtis (LF), Austin Romine (DH)

Pitchers (IP): A.J. Burnett (2 1/3), Zach Segovia (1 2/3), Mariano Rivera (1), Phil Hughes (4)

Big Hits: A solo homer by Mark Teixeira (1-for-2, HBP). Doubles by Nick Swisher and Robinson Cano (both 1-for-3). Jorge Posada went 2-for-3 and is now hitting .421 on the spring.

Who Pitched Well: Zach Segovia retired all five men he faced, striking out two and picking up the win. Phil Hughes threw four scoreless innings allowing just three singles and a walk needing just 59 pitches, all while continuing to experiment with his changeup. At the same time, he was often working from behind in the count and faced the subs of the road split-squad of a terrible Astros team and still only struck out two (both on curveballs).

Who Didn’t: A.J. Burnett walked four and allowed a double and a single in 2 1/3 innings, using up his 65 pitches well before the Yankees’ goal for him of four innings. Burnett said he was struggling with his fastball command and overthrowing. Mariano Rivera showed some rust in his first inning of work of the spring, walking one, giving up a pair of singles (one hard hit, one that didn’t reach the outfield), and throwing 27 pitches. Still, he stranded all three runners.

Nice Plays: Running catches by Nick Swisher and Colin Curtis in the outfield.

Oopsies: Jorge Posada airmailed a throw over second base, but the runner was advanced on ball four anyway and didn’t take third on the overthrow. Robison Cano failed to get a double-play ball out of his glove in time for Derek Jeter to make the pivot. Phil Hughes dropped a comebacker for an error.

Ouchies: Mark Teixeira was hit in the back with a pitch, but stayed in the game and later homered.

Other: Although the batting order was a trial run at the Opening Day lineup, Joe Girardi was clear that he’s still experimenting with where Curtis Granderson and Brett Gardner will play in the outfield, so don’t read anything into Granderson starting in left on Tuesday, even though I’m going to.

Props to the Star-Ledger‘s Marc Carig for providing some of the details via play-by-play on twitter as the game wasn’t on TV or radio in the New York area.

According to Chad Jennings, Mariano Rivera will make his spring debut tonight against the Astros.

More from the funny pages…

George Herriman.

Bon Scott sounded like he gargled whisky when he sang:

In Tropic Thunder, Ben Stiller played Tugg Speedman, an action movie star who once made a serious movie called Simple Jack:

It was a good gag, poking fun at movie stars who try to gain respectability–i.e., an Academy Award–by playing a mentally handicapped character.

It’s not exactly the same thing, but I couldn’t help but think about this bit when I read about Stiller’s new movie, Greenberg. Okay, he’s not playing a blind man, but it’s close–this is Stiller in an earnest, downbeat mode.

Stiller gets serious! The New Yorker gave him a good notice, though. I liked one of director Noah Baumbach’s early movies, The Squid and the Whale, so maybe it’s not all that bad.

Then again, maybe it is. Ever see Interiors? Manage to stay awake?

Picking up where we left off yesterday, yo, remember Ratner’s down on the L.E.S?

Dig this recent post from Vanishing New York, a most excellent blog.