Monthly Archives: September 2012

How about some laffs. Here’s a couple from George Carlin and one of Lenny Bruce’s most famous routines.

Enjoy.

“White Harlem”–George Carlin

“New York Voices”–George Carlin

“How To Relax Your Colored Friends”–Lenny Bruce

The A’s played another sloppy game in the field today but Hiroki Kuroda had a bad outing and while the Yankee bullpen picked him up, the bats did not. Boy, Kuroda was disappointing but a familiar theme did the Yanks in as they just couldn’t get hits with men on base. In the ninth, Alex Rodriguez missed a game-tying home run by two feet and Robinson Cano fouled off a hanging slider that had second deck written all over it.

In the end, the A’s survived and won 5-4. A blown opportunity for the Yanks (and an enormous win for the A’s) as the Orioles finally lost in Boston, 2-1. But in a way, the outcome was fitting with the way things have gone with the Orioles. It’d be unfair if either team took more than a one game lead.

This thing is going to try our nerves until the final days of the season.

Eh, forget about it, folks. It’s still a beautiful day. Go out, stretch those legs, have something good to eat. This was a good weekend, as aggravating as today’s game was.

Come back in the morning. We’ll be here.

[Photo Credit: Elevatedencouragement ]

Another good pitching match-up at the Stadium on a sunny but crisp day in New York. Our man Hiroki’s on the hill.

(And from ESPN, here’s an update on Mark Teixeira.)

1. Jeter SS
2. Suzuki LF
3. A-Rod 3B
4. Cano 2B
5. Swisher 1B
6. Granderson CF
7. Martin C
8. Ibanez RF
9. Nunez SS

Never mind the team in the rear view mirror: Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Via: The Absolute Best Photography Posts]

You know, it’d be easy for us to curse those Baltimore Orioles who have won six-in-a-row and who seem to have forgotten how to lose in extra innings. However, I wonder how the Orioles–and their fans–felt last night, after having won, after seeing that the A’s went ahead by four runs in extras against the Yanks only to have the Yanks pull it out.

With more than a little bit of luck.

Reading this description by Zach Schonbrun in the Times makes me wish I’d been there:

When the game seemed over, Ichiro Suzuki led off the bottom of the 13th inning with an infield single. A misty rain had begun to fall, like the soft spray in a carwash. The low sun through the clouds covered the stadium in a strange orange glow.

The game had started just after 1 p.m., before the long September shadows had started their slow march across the infield, but by the 13th, the stadium lights were on, and the scoreboard shined, and the game took on a surreal feel.

What a wild game it was. Did I mention Steve Pearce’s diving catch? And Raul Ibanez, not only with the two homers but a hustle double that brought Paul O’Neill to mind and a tough collision at home plate to boot.

Course the O’s could win again today, Yanks could lose and we’d end the weekend on a down note. But let’s face it, this is some good shit.

“I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” Louis Armstrong

[Photo Via: Pug King]

The Orioles won their 16th straight game in extra innings this afternoon in Boston.

The Yanks and A’s went to extra innings again. Cut to the end of the game when Raul Ibanez was gunned down at the plate trying to score on a ground ball to second base with one out in the 12th. Derek Jeter popped out to right to end the inning, leaving the bases loaded. The Yanks had gotten through three innings of Freddy Garcia killing ’em softly (Steve Pearce made a beautiful diving catch to rescue Garcia out of one jam) but gilded the lily bringing him back for a fourth. Jonny Gomes hit a two run jack, Yoenis Cespedes hit a bomb and even after Freddy left Chris Carter crushed one too.

The Yanks had used 16 position player and eight pitchers as they went to the bottom of the 13th. Ichiro singled against Pedro Figueroa and Alex Rodriguez followed suit with a base hit of his own. Robbie Cano got ahead in the count, 3-0, took a strike and another (the second one right down Broadway), then lined a single to left to load the bases.

Pat Neshek, a side-arming righty came in for Figueroa to face Eduardo Nunez. The first ball sailed wide, about a three feet outside as rain started to fall. Nunez waved at it but it got away from the catcher and Ichiro scored. He took a ball inside and then a strike and hit one to deep center. Cespedes made the catch and threw a bullet to third keeping Cano at second while Rodriguez scored.

Ibanez got ahead 2-0, then 3-1. Ibanez walloped the next pitch into the second deck in right field and the game was tied again.

Goodness.

Russell Martin grounded out and then Curtis Granderson launched the 0-1 pitch foul. It had the distance but he got out too far ahead of it. He fouled off three more pitches on a the way to a full count before grounding out. But the game was tied.

Now, the question was: who would pitch the 14th?

The man I suspected we wouldn’t see again this year. Cory Wade. Would you believe he got two weak ground outs and a fly ball to the warning track in center to work a scoreless inning?

A giant gasoline-throwing kid named Tyson Ross, wearing number 66, came on in relief for the A’s. The ninth pitcher of the day for Oakland. Eric Chavez fouled off a number of pitches, worked the count even and singled through the right side. Melky Mesa, making his major league debut, replaced Chavez at first. Hey, no pressure, kid.

Jeter bunted the first pitch in the air but it dropped in front of Ross and the sacrifice worked. The A’s had no intention of pitching to Ichiro–who had another three hits today–which put runners on first and second for Rodriguez.

First pitch, a change up or a slider, taken for strike one. Next pitch, he lines into center. And that’s the game.! Right? Wrong. Because Mesa missed the bag at third. He put on the brakes and went back. Bases loaded.

You.

Have.

Got. To. Be.

Shitting.

Me.

Course Cano took some weak hacks, before he grounded a ball to Ross who got the force at home.

A loud Yankee Stadium was suddenly quiet.

Nunez hit a ball off the end of his bat to first. Brandon Moss reached for it and it kicked off his glove. Ichiro scored and the Yanks had their most improbable win of the year.

Excuse my French but: Fuck Yes. Grueling? Sure. But this one ended in pure elation.

Final Score: Yanks 10, A’s 9.

Boys: “Happy” The Rolling Stones

[Photo Credit: Kateopolis]

Yanks have won six straight. Do I hear seven?

1. Jeter SS
2. Suzuki CF
3. A-Rod DH
4. Cano 2B
5. Swisher RF
6. McGehee 1B
7. Nix 3B
8. Jones LF
9. Stewart C

Never mind those battlin’ A’s: Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Picture by Klaus Leidorf via Zeroing]

“I Don’t Know”–The Beastie Boys

[Photo Via: The Indifference]

CC Sabathia was as good–no, he was better–than expected. He was an Ace. Going into the eighth inning he’d given up just one hit. The A’s did make solid contact a few times: Eduardo Nunez made a nice snag on a line drive, Robinson Cano fielded a sharp ground ball, Curtis Granderson caught another line drive, otherwise, this was the CC of old.

Jarrod Parker, his counterpart, was just as good, almost. Granderson waved at a pitch in the dirt in the fourth inning and lifted it into left field, good for a sacrifice fly.

Alex Rodriguez had a couple of hits and Ichiro also got two more hits, including one we’re not likely to see again, a ground ball back to Parker that the pitcher fumbled down his jersey. Ichiro ran safely to first with the ball trapped inside Parker’s shirt.

The score remained 1-0 until the eighth. With a man on first and two out came an infield single before CC hit Johnny Gomes. But he got JJ Reddick to fly out to left on one pitch to escape trouble.

Rafael Soriano was not as fortunate. He got the first out in the ninth and got pinch-hitter Brandon Moss, a lefty, to foul off a slider. Paul O’Neill, on the YES broadcast, said that was a dangerous pitch to throw to a lefty but Soriano doubled-down and the next one wasn’t low enough and Moss cranked a moon shot into the right field seats. Forget the shutout, forget a “w” for CC.

Soriano got out of the inning thanks in large part to a wonderful catch by Russell Martin next to the Oakland dugout. David Robertson pitched well in the tenth which set up one of the great moments of the season.

Russell Martin got a fastball up and over the plate and he launched the 1-0 pitch into the left field seats for a home run.

Mr. Coltrane, indeed.

Final Score: Yanks 2, A’s 1.

[Photo Credit: NewY-rk; Kathy Kmonicek/AP Photo]

CC’s on the hill tonight against a tough team. He hasn’t been great recently but he’s still the Ace and I believe in him.

1. Jeter DH
2. Swisher RF
3. Cano 2B
4. A-Rod 3B
5. Granderson CF
6. Martin C
7. Chavez 1B
8. Ichiro LF
9. Nunez SS

Never mind those upstart A’s: Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: eccarlson]

Over at SI.com, Chris Ballard has a short piece on Jason Giambi. Check it out.

[Photo Credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP]

Coming Soon.

From Serious Eats, dig these six recipes for rugelach.

Picture Via Eye of the Beholder.

The Yankees announced that Andy Pettitte was coming back to the rotation on May 8th.  The Yankees ripped off 31 wins against 15 losses before he got hurt. They announced he was coming back from injury on September 13th. They have gone 6-1 since then. So that’s 37-16 with the notion that Pettitte is on the staff. And 49-47 without him.

From a logical point of view, Pettitte’s presence – and quality – deepens the staff and, just as crucially, lengthens the bullpen. So we should expect the Yankees to perform better than usual when he’s healthy and effective. The rest is just dumb luck.

But given the fact that they’re playing must-win games every day for the remainder of the season, I need something more than logic and dumb luck to hold onto. Andy Pettitte’s the good luck charm that turns this ordinary team into a powerhouse. If they win it all, that’s why. If they don’t well, we know it was all foolishness anyway.

Here’s a thoughtful piece by Bryan Curtis on how TV documentaries bring us behind-the-scenes of our favorite sports and have changed the nature of reporting:

I take no pleasure in being the schmuck writer who points out that TV sports documentaries — also called “vérité sports” — have gotten really good. And not just good, but observant. TV is recording the small, telling details of an athlete’s life, capturing noisy moments and quiet moments, doing the delicate labor that sportswriters — if properly motivated — pride themselves on doing. So on behalf of writerdom, I ask: What the hell is going on?

[Photo Credit: Trent Park via Black Book]

The classic.

Finally Friday.

The Yankee offense broke out for seven runs in the fourth inning against the Blue Jays tonight. Ichiro led the way. He hit a solo homer in his first at bat and then in the fourth slapped a double to put the Yanks ahead 3-2. By the end of the inning, Nick Swisher had hit a grand slam and it looked like the Yanks would finally enjoy a laugher.

Not so fast. Phil Hughes wasn’t all that good despite striking out nine hitters. He walked three and gave up four runs over five. A few innings later, Corey Wade took a dump on the mound–the poor bastard, we won’t likely see him again–giving up a home run and then allowing two more base runners, who both came around to score after Joba Chamberlain replaced Wade (infield hit, ground out). Adam Lind just got under a fastball from Joba to end the inning. If he’d squared it up the game would’ve been tied. Then again, if a frog had wings he wouldn’t bump his ass a hoppin’.

Still, the score  was 10-7 and both Dave Robertson and Rafael Soriano were forced to get loose in the Yankee bullpen. What could have been a relaxing night turned into a tense one. But we’re used to that. The game moved along slowly, the elation of the fourth inning faded, boredom offset by aggravation.

It was Robertson in the ninth, the Hammer struck out the side, and the Yanks moved a full game ahead of the Orioles with thirteen remaining.

Final Score: Yanks 10, Jays 7.

[Featured Drawing by Frank Miller]

Peace to Chad Jennings for pointing out this bit of comic relief from our old pal Francisco Cervelli.

It’s Hughes and another must-win tonight for the Yanks. A win means a full game lead on the Orioles, a loss keeps them tied.

Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Alex Rodriguez DH
Russell Martin C
Curtis Granderson CF
Casey McGehee 1B
Ichiro Suzuki LF
Jayson Nix 3B

Never mind the standings: Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Image Credit: ‘Giacomond’ by Quint Buchholz, 1984 via La Beaute Convulsive]