Monthly Archives: July 2013

Via Book Mania! check out The Last Bookstore.

Peter Richmond on losing his religion and his Yankees.

[Photo Credit: Kathy Willens/AP]

The New York Historical Society drops science on Mr. Pickle.

Found over at Kottke, this map of midtown Manhattan circa 1890.

Painting by James Weeks (1960).

Wake Up Record for a Monday morning.

Sometimes being from the Old School doesn’t work. Rough day for the former Yank, Tino Martinez.

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The Yankees honored Hideki Matsui before the game today and then Derek Jeter made like Derek Jeter and hit the first pitch he saw from Matt Moore over the wall in right field for a home run.

It was the first time a Yankee had homered since the All-Star break, the first time a right-handed Yankee batter homered since Christ was a cowboy.

By the end of the first the Yanks had a 3-0 lead. But then Phil Hughes made like Phil Hughes and he gave it away. Not once, but twice, both on impressive home runs by Wil Myers. The first, a 3-run job, came off a hanging slider that Myers hit it deep into the left field seats. Second one came off a fastball that Myers punched well over the wall in right.

Not to be outdone, Alfonso Soriano hit a 2-run homer–of the cheap-o right field seats variety. He got 4 of the Yankees’ 12 hits (Jeter had 2) including the game-winner in the 9th, a clean single up the middle. He didn’t whack any of them except his homer but hey, 4 hits be 4 hits, right?

So Jeter returns and is a stud, Soriano has a big day, our man Hideki is celebrated. A nifty win on a cool day in the Bronx. Should be mentioned that the Yanks don’t win this game without the stellar work by the bullpen. Preston Claiborne got six straight outs and then Boone Logan, David Robertson and Mariano Rivera each pitched a scoreless frame.

Final Score: Yanks 6, Rays 5.

Thanks, Yanks.

[Photo Credit: Brad Penner; Kathy Willens]

…You’ve got me in between the Devil and the deep blue sea. 

Brian Cashman didn’t want to trade for Soriano writes Joel Sherman. Derek Jeter is due back in the lineup today.

The Yanks look to score some runs today…against Matt Moore. Ooof.

Never mind the obstacles:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Film is God]

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Son Of A Preacher Man

[Painting by Don Rankin]

Tampa always seems to have good, young starting pitchers. This year we can add Chris Archer to the crop. He was outstanding today against the soporific, gluten-free Yankee offense. He allowed two hits, faced just two men over the minimum, and pitched a shutout. His fielders didn’t rescue him with memorable plays and the Yankees did not hit the ball hard. Archer just kicked their asses.

Another fine outing for the resurgent Ivan Nova wasted.

Rays 1, Yanks 0.

[Photo Via: Jacina Russell]

Nova, matinee, Yanks look to recover from last night’s drubbing.

Never mind those damn Rays:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Paul Bailey]

Around The Way Girl

Uncle L’s mix tape classic.

[Photo Via: Sky Signal]

It’s hard to watch C.C. get abused but that’s what has happened over and again this year. Tonight, he got smacked around again–this time by the first place Rays. I don’t know about you but I don’t get angry with Sabathia, I feel bad for him. He’s a gamer, he doesn’t give up, but this year, man, he just hasn’t been his usual self.

Tough to watch as the Rays beat up on the Yanks.

Our boys trailed 10-1, then scored twice in the 8th and got a couple more runs in the 9th. The bases were loaded for Lil’ Sori, score 10-5, with 1 out. Those who stayed at the park now had something to cheer about. Jake McGee, the hard-throwing lefty came in the game to face Sori.

First pitch, Sori fouls off a fastball and has a good hack at it. Fouls off another heater, 97 mph. Got to figure, McGee will throw something out of the zone, try to get Sori to chase but he stays with the heater—misses upstairs for a ball and then Sori fouls another off, followed by another high fastball up and out of the zone. The next pitch is 98 and also high. Six pitches, all fastballs. The seventh pitch is also cheddar but this one is low and Sori grounds it to short. He’s fast enough to reach first without the game ending on a double play. Run scores and it’s 10-6 for Chris Stewart who has to wait for the bow-and-arrow man, Fernando Rodney to enter the game.

Stewart grounds out on a 3-2 pitch and the comeback falls short.

Final Score: Rays 10, Yanks 6.

[Picture by Bags]

C.C. gives it another try. I’ve got a good feelin’ about him tonight.

Brett Gardner CF
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano LF
Lyle Overbay 1B
Eduardo Nunez SS
Travis Hafner DH
Brent Lillibridge 3B
Austin Romine C

Never mind the bollocks:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Via: Getty Images]

From National Geographic Found. (A dope site.)

Serious Eats gives us three ways to grill corn.

[Photograph: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]

Matisse at age 83, 1953.

[Photograph by: Hélène Adant/Rapho]

White Lines.

Reports have our old chum Alfonso Soriano traded to the Yankees. He has $24.5 million left of his contract through the end of next year; the Cubs will pick up $17 million.

I always liked watching him hit in a cartoonish way–skinny guy, heavy bat, slugg0, lots of strikeouts–oh, that slider low and away. Remember when he was in New York and people talked about his strong wrists and how he was like Hank Aaron? Well, he never developed past his bad habits and has been more like a svelte Dave Kingman but he should be an improvement over Vernon Wells. Sori could be vexing to watch but he was easy to like.

At the same time, I wish the Yanks would just become sellers and stop picking up veteran scraps, for what? To make a playoff run this year?

As some around here have said all season: Sell, Sell, Sell!