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House to Haus gives Cherry and Port Compote.

Monday Morning Jam…

[Photo Via: This Isn’t Happiness]

We were originally a Channel 7 Eyewitness News family because the old man occasionally drank with Roger Grimsby. Later on, I distinguished myself by moving to Channel 4 because I liked all things NBC, starting with Bryant Gumbel, and later Bob Costas, at the NFL Today, right on down to Chuck and Sue at 5. My grandmother was down with Jim Jensen on CBS.

Which local news team did you follow?

In the second inning of today’s ballgame the Mets’ law firm of Hairston, Rottino,Quintanilla, Nickeas, and Valdespin–you forgot a Hungadunga–put together three runs against Andy Pettitte.

The bases were loaded when Pettitte struck out Jason Bay and David Wright to avoid disaster.

In the bottom of the inning, Alex Rodriguez walked and Robinson Cano singled to left and then Nick Swisher decided to be clever and show off his baseball acumen. He laid down a bunt going for a hit only it was a lousy bunt and Rodriguez was thrown out at third. Jonathan Niese struck out Andruw Jones and Russell Martin to end the inning.

I stayed mad at Swisher for most of the afternoon as Neise threw a fine game. Pettitte recovered and was terrific as well. He made the defensive play of the game in the sixth when Scott Hairston hit a ground ball up the middle. Pettitte, as if by reflex, stuck his hand out, fielded the ball and threw to first for the out. He had to throw several warm-up pitches to rid himself of the tingling sensation in his paw and then retired the next two batters.

The Yanks took advantage of an error by David Wright in the seventh as Russell Martin hit a two-run homer to make it 3-2. The ball hit off the top of the right field wall–it was line drive–and just above the glove of Hairston. Once it hit the wall it popped in the air. A Yankee fan reached out and snagged it. He was close to leaning over the fence but it was ruled a homer.

Another error, this one to start the eighth, put Derek Jeter on second. He moved to third on a base hit by Curtis Granderson and scored on a ground ball single by Mark Teixeira. Then a little bit o luck blessed the Yankees as Rodriguez ballooned a single to short right field. The ball would have been caught if the infield hadn’t been playing in. And so the Yanks had a 4-3 lead and two men on with nobody out. But they could not plate another run and that proved costly because Raphael Soriano gave up back-to-back doubles to start the bottom of the ninth and with it went the save.

Quintanella hit a ball to shortstop and Jason Nix threw it to Rodriguez at third who tagged Ike Davis for the first out. It was a close play, a gamble for Nix, but one that paid off. Then David Murphy, pinch-hitting, slapped a 3-2 pitch into right field, putting runners on the corners. And that was the end of Soriano’s afternoon.

Boone Logan came in to pitch to Josh Thole and struck him out looking on a slow breaking ball that looked low. Thole was not at all pleased with the call and had a few cherce words on his way back to the dugout. Which left it up to the Hungadunga that we didn’t mentioned earlier, Kirk Nieuwenhuis. The latest Mets pinch hitter got ahead 3-0 then took a fastball for a strike. He slapped the next pitch toward right field. Cano, who moves to his left as smoothly as any second baseman in the league, got to it, reached down and gloved it–not an easy play at all–and tossed to Teixeira for the third out.

Jon Rauch, he of the big shoes and garish neck tattoo, hung a 3-2 slider to Russell Martin who hit a high fly ball to left field.

Martin hesitated as he moved out of the batter’s box, and watching on TV, it was hard to tell if he’d gotten under the ball. That went against the initial feeling that he had plenty of it. As they tell you in high school before you take the SATS always trust your first answer.

The ball drifted over the fence, the Yanks got the win and a sweep of the Mets. It was the first “walk off” homer the Yanks hit since September 8th, 2010. Martin jumped into the air as he approached the mob surrounding home plate, landed on his right leg and fell to the ground. Thoughts of Kendry Morales and his broken leg flashed through our heads but Martin appeared to be okay as he braced himself against the celebratory slaps and slugs of his teammates.

Final Score: Yanks 5, Mets 4.

Couple of lefties today at the Stadium as the Yanks go for the sweep.

Derek Jeter DH
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Andruw Jones LF
Russell Martin C
Jayson Nix SS

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

[Picture Credit: Elevated Encouragement]

Slow going Sunday morning…

[Photo Credit: Me, Myself, and I]

Alex Rodriguez hit a solid ground ball up the middle in the first inning, good for an RBI. Three batters later, Raul Ibanez came to the plate with the bases loaded. With just one out it felt like the Yanks could bust the game open against Dillon Gee and the Mets. Gee fell behind 2-0 with pitches outside and then threw two changes on the inside part of the plate. Ibanez swung through both of them, way out in front. Gee went back outside with the next pitch and got what he was looking for, namely, a ground ball. The Mets turned a double play and Gee cruised along until the sixth inning when Mark Teixeira lined a two-run home run to right field.

Teixeira hit a hanging breaking ball immediately after swinging through a fine breaking ball. The shot put the Yankees ahead, 3-2.

In the Yankee dugout, Rodriguez was pumped; Jeter was amused.

Terse and bland with reporters, but as we’ve said here before, Jeter never gets cheated in the fun department while he’s playing.

Anyway, the Mets scored their two runs on solo homers by Omar Quintanilla and David Wright.

Otherwise, Phil Hughes pitched well. Had a nice change-up mixed in with his curve and fastball. Allowed six hits and a couple of walks and struck out six. Gee’s line wasn’t flashy (five hits, three walks, three stikeouts) but he worked in-and-out–both pitchers took advantage of a wide strike zone–and pitched without incident until Teixeira’s blast.

Hughes gave up a base hit with one out in the seventh. Boone Logan relieved him and recorded an out thanks to a fine running catch by Curtis Grandreson. Corey Wade gave up a bloop base hit to Scott Hairston which put runners on the corners. Wade got ahead of Andres Torres 1-2 then missed with a fastball low and outside as Hairston stole second. The next pitch, a little higher, still outside, was lofted to Ibanez in left for the third out.

Gee stayed in the game and set the Yanks down in order in the seventh as I fretted about the eighth inning.

“Hon, we’re going to see Clay Rapada,” I told the wife, knowing that Lucas Duda and Daniel Murphy were scheduled to bat after Wright led off.

“Sure do miss Mo right about now,” I said, “Never mind Robertson.”

“Yeah, instead of feeling good, now we’ve got heart attack, gasp and stroke.”

Wade got Wright to ground out and then Rapada came in and retired Duda on a weak ground ball to Cano, and Murphy on a sharp grounder to Jeter.

And I was worried…(but wait, there’s still Soriano to go in the ninth. Doesn’t matter if he’s been perfect in save opportunities since taking over the closer role this year; I miss our security blanket. I miss Mo.)

Grandy soothed my delicate nerves when he homered off Bobby Parnell to lead off the eighth.

In the ninth, Soriano walked Ike Davis to start things off and my nerves were back to bullshit. Couple of pitches were outside, including the 3-1 pitch which would be okay if they hadn’t been called strikes all night long.

Jason Bay swung through a 93 mph fastball and then got under the next pitch, another fastball, and flew out to to Granderson for the first out. Josh Tole took ball one and then a called strike (worse than ball four to Davis). He hit a slow ground ball to Jeter on the next pitch, too slow for a double play. Jeter got the lead runner and the Mets were down to their last out.

Quintanilla took strike one on the outside corner, looked at strike two in the same spot, and then at another fastball, this one too far outside. Soriano shook off Russell Martin, went back outside with another heater, which Quintanilla fouled off. A slider, low, evened the count at 2-2, and then Quintanilla ripped a groundball (fastball, cock-high, right over the plate) up the middle. It hit off Soriano and scooted past Cano into the outfield. Thole took third and yeah, this one was getting too close for comfort.

Scott Hairston was next but Jordany Valdespin came to the plate as a pinch-hitterand took ball one, high and away. Breaking ball, first one by Soriano, outside but good for a called strike. The next pitch, a fastball right over the plate was hacked at and missed. Valdespin almost came out of his shoes trying to put the Mets ahead. He popped the next pitch innocently to left field and that was that: Game, Series, Yanks.

Final Score: Yanks 4, Mets 2.

[Photo Credit: Mike Stobe/Getty Images]

Bad news for Brett Gardner who felt pain in his elbow this morning. Tweets from the Yankee beat writers suggest we might not see Gardner until after the All-Star Break.

It’s Phil “Two in a row?”Hughes vs. Dillon Gee.

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Raul Ibanez LF
Nick Swisher RF
Eric Chavez 3B
Russell Martin C

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

[Photo Credit: I Love Graffiti]

“Jet Set” Mike Vickers from “Brass Plus Moog” KPM Library

[Art: “Mixed Signals” by Garrett Pruter via NYC Art Scene]

Robinson Cano hit the first pitch he saw into the seats tonight. A misplaced fastball was good for a two-run home run, and with it went any dream of consecutive no-hitters from Johan Santana. The next inning, Cano hit the second pitch he saw, a hanging slider, into the right field seats and the Yanks were out to a 4-0 lead. Nick Swisher followed and he ripped a home run to left, and not wanting to be left out of the festivities, Andruw Jones followed that with a bomb of his own.

It was enough to get the Yankee dugout fired up–especially Mr. Swisher (jeez, settle down, Francis)–not to mention the Yankee fans in the seats. It sure was more than enough for Hiroki Kuroda, who was terrific, throwing seven shutout innings. He allowed just a single base hit and that didn’t come until two out in the sixth.

Kuroda’s night ended on a strange play. Daniel Murphy hit a line drive that caught Kuroda’s foot and shot up in the air to Alex Rodriguez who made the catch to end the seventh. Kuroda had the foot wrapped and was sporting crutches after the game. Perhaps he could miss a start. He had x-rays and they were negative.

Just about everything else for the home team was positive.

Yanks take it, 9-1.

[Photo Credit: Aimeri]

Once again, MLB’s most highly-attended annual gimmick, the Subway Serious.

I’m out and away from a machine all day so I won’t post the line-ups, but you know the routine.

Tonight gives some extra assignment as Johan Santana makes his first start since his no-hitter.

Never mind those scrappy, lovable, Mets: Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Martha Cooper]

Serious Eats offers us the ultimate 15 Pizzeria Itinerary. Mmm Mmm Good.

[Photo Via: Citrus-Kids]

Cream of the Crop.

[Photo Credit: Where Are You Goinggg]

09 Fall In Love Remix

Here’s a little ditty I made with a friend a few years ago. Thought I’d share it with you.

Rodriguez singled on the first pitch he saw from Price in the first inning, a fastball, and then Price got him out the next time on off-speed pitches. Now, he went after Rodriguez with more soft stuff. Rodriguez fouled pitches off, good pitches, nasty pitches. Until he saw 11, almost all soft (3 hard fastballs mixed in there for good measure). It was a riveting at bat and if Yankee fans felt that Rodriguez was bound to whiff at least he wasn’t making it easy on Price.

Then he struck out on a change-up, or was it a slider? Doesn’t matter. Rodriguez was booed–unfairly, it says here–on his walk back to the dugout. Robinson Cano was next and the 1-1 pitch was a 97-mph fastball, right down the middle. Cano put a good swing on it but fouled it off. He too ruined a couple of good pitches by Price before grounding out weakly to second base to end the threat. Cano was not booed but he had the best chance of the inning–the one true mistake that Price made (I’m not including the two walks).

That ended Price’s night but it was also as close as the Yanks would come (Eric Chavez, pinch-hitting in the eighth inning, represented the tying run and missed a fat pitch, fouling it off, that could well keep him up tonight if he’s the sensitive kind). Just a nervy performance by Price in the fifth.

C.C. Sabathia had an effective slider but made a few too many mistakes (an error by Rodriguez did him no favors, either) as the Rays escaped New York with a win.

Final Score: Rays 7, Yanks 3.

The Yanks couldn’t take advantage of an Orioles loss to move into first place so they remain in second as our attention turns to the dreaded Subway Serious. You can guess the narrative: the Mets are scrappy, full of gamers–they’ve got spunk! they’ve got heart! they’ve got guts!–they are fun, they are what baseball is supposed to be about. The Yankees, meanwhile, are boring and bloated, overpaid, a regular snoozefest. Wonder who the reporters are pulling for?

[Photo Credit: Bags; Seth Wenig/AP; Jim McIsaac/Getty Images]

Grade A duel in the Bronx this evening pits David Price against C.C. Sabathia.

Jeter SS
Granderson CF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Cano 2B
Swisher RF
Jones DH
Nix LF
Stewart C

Never mind the pending Subway Serious (or the rain), there’s business to take care of tonight:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Via: We Are the Color]

Over at Unlikely Words check out a link to Scott Raab’s latest Q&A with his old pal Bill Murray:

SR: Your Second City teacher/mentor Del Close is a guy I’ve never read enough about. What was it that made him so influential?

BM: Well, he was a guy who had great knowledge of the craft of improvisation. And he lived life in a very rich manner, to excess sometimes. He had a whole lot of brain stuck inside of his skull. Beyond being gifted, he really engaged in life. He earned a lot. He made more of himself than he was given. Came out of Manhattan, Kansas, and ended up hanging out with the Beats. He was incredibly gracious to your talent and always tried to further it. He got people to perform beyond their expectations. He really believed that anyone could do it if they were present and showed respect. There was a whole lot of respect.

SR: Sounds like a great teacher.

BM: He taught lots and lots of people very effectively. He taught people to commit. Like: “Don’t walk out there with one hand in your pocket unless there’s somethin’ in there you’re going to bring out.” You gotta commit. You’ve gotta go out there and improvise and you’ve gotta be completely unafraid to die. You’ve got to be able to take a chance to die. And you have to die lots. You have to die all the time. You’re goin’ out there with just a whisper of an idea. The fear will make you clench up. That’s the fear of dying. When you start and the first few lines don’t grab and people are going like, “What’s this? I’m not laughing and I’m not interested,” then you just put your arms out like this and open way up and that allows your stuff to go out. Otherwise it’s just stuck inside you.

…SR: Did you and Bruce Willis get along on the set of Moonrise Kingdom?

BM: I got along great with Bruce Willis. He’s different, though. He’s rolled as a movie star for a long time, so it’s a little different for him coming into Wes Anderson’s world, where no one gets movie-star treatment. Life really does change when you go on one of Wes’s films — you gotta sit back and relax. But Bruce absolutely delivered. He was really game. It was like, Let’s play. Sometimes you get people that don’t want to play — they just want to perform, to act. He’s a movie star, I’ve been a movie star — we don’t have to take this so seriously. So we’d play. We’d goof up a take just for the fuck of it. He delivers one of the biggest laughs of any movie I’ve ever been in. And it really took a movie star to do it. The casting of Bruce was perfect. This movie is really funny. This movie’s gonna be big. Big.

Then stick around for a mess-o-links to other stuff about Murray.

[Photo Via: Monster Fresh; thanks to Kottke for the links]

Our pal Josh Wilker on Larvell Blanks.

And here’s Josh on Mark Langston, Dwayne Murphy, and Dirt Tidrow.

Smitten Kitchen does strawberry rhubarb pie. Yes, please.