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R.I.P. Gordon Willis. 

The Yanks split a double header with the Pirates by winning a close one (4-3) and then losing a close one (5-3). What I’ll remember most from the game is Derek Jeter. This year, pitchers are challenging him with fastballs and for the most part, they are beating him. He isn’t bent and fat in his old age, but his bat is slow (and so is Ichiro’s). After hitting a weak ground ball to second in the first game, I watched Jeter jog back to the dugout. For an old man he still looks trim. Yes, he is thicker in the face and he now wears his hair so low as to be practically bald, but he still looks good. Not DiMaggio never-make-a-mistake good, just fit, still hard-working.

Jeter didn’t play in the second game but was called on as a pinch hitter in the 8th inning, the Yanks down a run. He fell behind 0-2, then took 3 balls before he fouled off a couple of pitches. On the tenth pitch of the at bat he got a breaking ball. It was low, but Jeter handled it, and looped a base hit to center field. The 3,353rd hit of his career. It wasn’t the most dramatic or the most important–and he never scored–but it was the kind of hit that typifies Jeter. It’s the kind of at bat we’ve come to admire (even take for granted) over the years. Won’t be too many of these left.

Yesterday, I took it all in.

Thanks, Cap.

[Photo Credit: Andrew Theodorakis/N.Y. Daily News]

Our man Hiroki’ll pitch the first game.

Brett Gardner DH
Derek Jeter SS
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Brian McCann C
Alfonso Soriano RF
Yangervis Solarte 2B
Kelly Johnson 3B
Zoilo Almonte LF

Never mind the long afternoon ahead:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Joel Meyerowitz]

I met my brother, my nephew, and a couple of my nephew’s friends yesterday outside the Stadium. Our first game of the year. Sat in the shade upstairs above left field–in fair territory–and we had a fine time of it watching the Yanks crank 5 home runs as they beat the Pirates, 7-1.

There were a few memorable images: Tony Sanchez going airborne as he slid headfirst into second base trying to stretch a base hit into a double. He was called safe. Jeter had tagged him and called for the replay himself–Joe Girardi didn’t even need to come out of the dugout. After it was reviewed the call was overturned. But seeing Sanchez’s body lift off the ground in the early evening shadows was cool, man. And we got a good laugh when Pirates reliever Jared Hughes sprinted from the bullpen to the mound. Brought John Rocker to mind. Hughes is a big dude and he was tearing ass. All of the Yankee home runs were fun to  celebrate (especially with 3 young kids)–but the most impressive to watch leave the yard was Zolio Almonte’s shot which was a bomb.

Port Jervis Solarte has been the pleasant surprise of the season–followed closely by Dellin Betances–but I gotta admit, I didn’t expect Mark Teixeira to hit the ball so well either.

We had a fine time. The weather was beautiful and we all left Heppy Kets.

It’s Phelpsie today against the Pirates.

Brett Gardner LF
Derek Jeter SS
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Brian McCann C
Alfonso Soriano RF
Yangervis Solarte 3B
Kelly Johnson DH
Brian Roberts 2B

Never mind the potholes:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Via: Vintage Everyday]

Can’t get enough of this record:

Jim Henson died on this day in 1990. He is still missed.

[Photo Via: The Muppet Mindset]

Warshed out already.

[Photo Via: This Isn’t Happiness]

Cool.

[Photo Credit: Jane Mingay]

“Country Church” By Paul Gauguin (1879)

Dig this coolness by Benjamin Affagard. 

Maybe the Mets and Yankees should trade ballparks. After whipping Yankee pitching but good on Monday and Tuesday the Mets were shutout for the past two nights in Queens. Last night, the Yanks won an improbable 1-0 game in which both starting pitchers made their big league debut. Chase Whitley didn’t get through the 5th inning but when he left with 2 outs in the 4th–with 2 men on base–he hadn’t allowed a run. Guy threw strikes, nothing overpowering, but he had a good changeup. Oh, and he got a base hit his first time at bat.

He was relieved by Dellin Betances who retired Eric Young on a ground out to Solarte at third base. In the dugout, Whitley was all smiles, as was his pal, David Phelps (which reminded me that I don’t recall ever having seen Phelps smile before).

Betances pitched 2 more innings and struck out 6 batters.

The Yanks scored their run when the Mets failed to complete a double play in the top of the 7th which left Brian McCann on first base with 2 out. Alfonso Soriano doubled to the gap in left-center and McCann scored. That was it. The Yanks had runners on second and third in the 8th with just one out but couldn’t get a run in. Adam Warren struck out 2 hitters in the 8th but also walked a batter and allowed a base hit. David Robertson relieved him, struck out David Wright, and then pitched a 1-2-3 9th inning to give the Yanks a series split.

Final Score: Yanks 1, Mets 0. 

It should be noted that the Mets starter, Jacob deGrom, was mighty impressive. He has the easy cheese of a young AJ Burnett and is tall with longish hair sort of like Jered Wever. Anyhow, the Mets have an enviable stable of young pitching, man, and before long it could well be the Mets as the Kings of New York.

[Picture by Bags]

Couple of kids making their big league debut tonight.

Chase Whitley goes for the Yanks.

Brett Gardner LF

Derek Jeter SS

Jacoby Ellsbury CF

Mark Teixeira 1B

Brian McCann C

Alfonso Soriano RF

Yangervis Solarte 3B

Brian Roberts 2B

Chase Whitley RHP

As expected, Beltran to the DL.

Never mind the aches and pains:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Hari Roser via MPD]

Beltran and C.C. and the Big Ouch. Young or old–in this case, old–players are falling like flies in 2014.

I wonder what the Yanks can expect to get out of their two veterans. I like ’em both. But who knows how often they’ll be on the field this summer.

[Photo Credit: Jonathan Daniel/N.Y. Daily News]

I’ll make you so proud of me.

[Photograph by Maurizio Di Iorio via MPD]

Will Eisner. 

Food 52 shows us how to make vegetarian sushi rolls. 

Bob Dylan covers Sinatra. 

[Photo Credit: Thomas J. Abercrombie]

Made to order. 

CJ has the notes. 

[Photo Via: CBS]

C’mon Masahiro. Time to put an end to the losing streak.

Brett Gardner LF
Derek Jeter SS
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Brian McCann C
Alfonso Soriano RF
Yangervis Solarte 3B
Brian Roberts 2B
Masahiro Tanaka RHP

Never mind nuthin’:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Picture via: Comically Vintage]