Well, that was an outstanding Friday night. Luis Severino pitched well, Alex Rodriguez, Brian McCann, and Greg Bird hit home runs and the Blue Jays lost.

Happy?

Final Score: Yanks 5, Rays 2. 

Picture by Bags

Good pitching match-up tonight at the Stadium as the Rays are in town for the weekend.

Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Brett Gardner LF
Carlos Beltran RF
Brian McCann C
Alex Rodriguez DH
Greg Bird 1B
Chase Headley 3B
Didi Gregorius SS
Stephen Drew 2B

Never mind the scoreboard:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

You guys know me as a P. Kael freak so you can imagine how honored I am to be able to reprint one of her reviews–of a fun movie too (Damn, I miss Raul Julia):

The movie is a confluence of fantasies, with a crime plot that often seems to be stalled, as if a projector had broken down. A good melodramatic structure should rhyme: we should hold our breath at the pacing as the pieces come together, and maybe smile at how neat the fit is. Here the pieces straggle, and by the end you’re probably ignoring the plot points. Raul Julia, who turns up as the Mexican Comandante Escalante, has a big, likable, rumbling presence; his role recalls the Leo Carrillo parts in movies like The Gay Desperado, with a new aplomb. And for a few seconds here and there Raul Julia takes over; he’s funny, and he detonates. (The character’s lack of moral conflicts gives his scenes a giddy high.) Then the film’s languor settles in again. An elaborate government sting operation waits while Mac and Escalante play Ping-Pong, and waits again while they sit in a boat and Mac talks drivel about bullfighting. (It’s the worst dialogue in the film; for sheer inappropriateness it’s matched only by Dave Grusin’s aggressive, out-to-slay-you score.)

Most of the dialogue is sprightly—it’s easy, everyday talk that actors can breathe to. But Towne’s directing is, surprisingly, better than his construction—maybe because when he plans to direct he leaves things loose. He says, “I make the character fit the actor, I don’t try to make the actor fit the character.” That sounds as if he’s highly variable, a modernist. But he isn’t. He likes bits from old movies, such as having the cops who are planning to surprise Mac be so dumb that they leave peanut shells wherever they’ve been posted. The difference between the way Towne handles the peanut shells and the way a director of the thirties would have (and did) is that he doesn’t sock the joke home; he glides over it. He wants the effect, yet he doesn’t want to be crude about it, so he half does it. Almost everything in the action scenes of the last three-quarters of an hour is half done. Often he gives you the preparation for action and no follow-through; sometimes the reverse.

Huge thanks to Kael’s daughter, Gina James, for giving me permission to share this with you.

The Yanks get no style point credits for Wednesday afternoon’s win against the Sox. The Bombers had a big lead but the mop-up crew got shelled forcing Betances and Miller into the game. Miller got hit in the back of the leg with a line drive and we all gasped but he is okay and the  Yanks finally came away with an untidy  13-8 win.

Hey, some games are more painful than others. They ain’t all going to be efficient or smooth.

Never mind the teeth-gnashing, we’ll take it.

Picture by Bags

Odd 4:00 p.m. start today as the Yanks finish their business in Boston.

Brett Gardner CF
Chris Young LF
Alex Rodriguez DH
Carlos Beltran RF
Chase Headley 3B
Greg Bird 1B
John Ryan Murphy C
Didi Gregorius SS
Stephen Drew 2B

Our man Masahiro’s on the bump.

Never mind the goldbrickers:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Joan Lifton via MPD]

The Yanks got the breaks last night and survived a 13-strikeout performance from Rick Procello. Big Mike was all right, the bullpen was strong, Stephen Drew had a big hit, and Brett Gardner’s solo home run helped them to a 3-1 win over the Sox at Fenway Park.

Course the Blue Jays won again–this time in extra innings. More lousy news about Mark Teixeira, too.

Having fun?

Picture by Bags

Hey Big Mike, how ’bout a decent start, huh? I know the Sox are garbage but they are playing well these days.

Time to show up, Hoss.

Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Brett Gardner LF
Carlos Beltran RF
Brian McCann C
Alex Rodriguez DH
Chase Headley 3B
Greg Bird 1B
Didi Gregorius SS
Stephen Drew 2B

Never mind the Hub:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Why? It’s spoiled. 

You know when someone–let’s say, my wife–takes out a container from the fridge, looks at it suspiciously, opens it and then pushes it in your direction and says, “Smell, this. Is this still good?”

That’s last night’s game. The Red Sox practically rolled out the red carpet for the Yanks to beat them and yet it did not happen. Didi Gregorious hit a deep fly ball to the warning track with the bases loaded for the final out and the Yanks wasted a chance to gain a game on the Jays.

The ball looked like it had a shot and the sinking feeling that ensued was as agreeable as  your wife asking you to smell a container of leftovers.

Fuck this fucking game.

The next 16 games for the Yanks are against AL East opponents: 3 in Boston, then 3 vs. the Rays, 3 vs. the O’s and 4 against the Jays, all at home, capped off by 3 in Tampa.

The Sox played a spirited series against the Mets this past weekend in Queens. Got to figure they’ll have plenty of upstart left in them.

Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Chris Young LF
Alex Rodriguez DH
Carlos Beltran RF
Brian McCann C
Chase Headley 3B
Greg Bird 1B
Didi Gregorius SS
Brendan Ryan 2B

Never mind those damn Jays:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

I guess that’s the thing–even when Eovaldi’s disappointing he doesn’t get bombed. He wasn’t all that great today. Staked to a plump lead he couldn’t get an out in the sixth inning, and once again, his outing wasn’t nearly long enough. The good news is that it didn’t matter as the Bombers scored a week’s full of runs for him–as they’re wont to do–battering Atlanta, 20-6. Even Stephen Drew had a big game and is now over the Mendoza line.

Hey Now.

A sweep is just what the Yanks needed, especially considering the Jays ain’t slowing down for nuthin’.

[Photo Credit: MPD]

Three-quarters of the way through his first season in New York Nathan Eovaldi has shown more than promise, he’s shown progress. And it’s been fun to watch because I naturally find it easy to be extra critical of him. Initially, he was easy to root against. Every time I saw Eovaldi out there I expected him to implode. He’s a big, hulking guy and bears a physical resemblance to Carl Pavano. That’s probably it. But then you hear him in interviews and he’s a quiet, soft-spoken guy. Hard to get any sense of him but he doesn’t come across as a big jerk that’s for sure.

Unlike Pavano, he’s not a clod. Eovaldi is adept at pick-off throws, excellent at keeping baserunners from stealing–the announcers say he’s got good feet. His fastball–which touches 100+–his newly-developed splitter, his stuff, is tantalizing. Reminds me of AJ Burnett, the proverbial million-dollar-arm-ten-cent-head, the guy who never fully realizes his great promise (though, of course, Burnett has been a terrific older pitcher). And yet there is something passive about Eovaldi. He doesn’t have that thing that Matt Harvey has, the poise and aggression of a great pitcher.

So you have to wonder–is Eovaldi just a great arm or is he going to be a stud?

Well, he doesn’t often pitch deep into games and for all his stuff doesn’t strike a lot of guys out, but since getting bombed in Miami back in the middle of June, he’s been decent. Better than decent, he’s been good. Last two starts, against two potent offenses (Twins, Astros), he’s been especially good. Let’s hope for more of the same today.

Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Brett Gardner LF
Carlos Beltran RF
Brian McCann C
Greg Bird 1B
Chase Headley 3B
Didi Gregorius SS
Stephen Drew 2B
Nathan Eovaldi P

Never mind the chanting:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

A man died at the ballpark last night. It happened when Alex Rodriguez was announced as a pinch-hitter in the 7th inning, Yanks ahead, 2-0.

The man–not yet identified–was said to be in his 60s. He fell from the upper deck and landed on the seats below. The announcers caught it and there was a brief shot of were the fan landed. My wife, who works in an hospital ER saw it before I did–“They’re doing CPR,” she said.

The Yanks won the game, 3-1, but it didn’t seem to matter much.

Painting by David Park.

Life was good from the get go last night as the Yanks scored 9 times in the first 2 innings on their way to a 15-4 win over the hapless Braves. I love Tanaka. Even when he doesn’t have his best stuff, he’s tough, he competes.

Sure am happy for Didi and McCann, too. Maybe the road is good for this act.

Let’s hope there’s more of the same tonight. Maybe lil’ Luis Severino pitches his best game yet. Imagine that.

Never mind the Crunk:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Image Credit: Diebs via Bo Fransson]

The Yanks are in Atlanta this weekend to play a lousy Braves team. Which doesn’t necessarily mean much considering how mediocre the Bombers have been of late.

Here’s hoping things turn around for our boys.

Never mind the tomahawk chop:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Painting by Kenneth Southworth Davies]

Never had a basement, never had an attic, only an apartment where I forever had static.

Check out this terrific 2-part NPR interview with Extra P.

[Photo Via: Mass Appeal]

These be the dog days. The Yanks are flat horseshit right now. They limp out of town on a down note after losing again, this time 6-2.

They’ve got a day off and then a weekend series in Atlanta, followed by a three-game set against the Sox in Boston. After that, they return home to face the Rays, O’s and then a big 4-game series vs. the Jays.

If you’ve got something sunny to offer, I’m all ears–well, almost all anyway.

Picture by Bags

Yanks and ‘Stros with a Wednesday Matinee.

Welcome back, Big Mike. We need ya (few runs wouldn’t hoit neither). Our Yanks are hurtin’.

Never mind the barkin’:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Via: fornication]

The good news is that Brendan Ryan pitched 2 scoreless innings last night. The bad news is that he was the Yankees’ best pitcher.

Our boys got stomped, 15-1.

Make matters worse, the Rangers spit the bit in the 9th inning and the Jays came back and beat them.

Yanks a full game out of first.

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

…Far from it. In fact, the Yanks are tied for first place. I think the Jays are a stronger team but whether or not they play well remains to be seen.

Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Chris Young LF
pAlex Rodriguez DH
Mark Teixeira 1B
Carlos Beltran RF
Chase Headley 3B
John Ryan Murphy C
Didi Gregorius SS
Brendan Ryan 2B

Yanks get the tough Mr. Keuchel tonight and counter with Mr. Nova.

Never mind the Southpaw:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags.

Yeah, that’s about the size of it; Yanks have been playing a lot of games this season where they win or lose by (or annoyingly only scoring) one run. Not surprisingly, this was shaping up to be one of those shit-end-of-the-stick one run games; low scoring and other pitcher is lights out. Surprisingly, the team usually scores a lot of runs for The Composer (yunnow, Eovaldi, Vivaldi, ahh nervermind) , surprisingly his gem did not go to waste as Girardi and the batters themselves have a habit of pissing away these kind of efforts with “plays” or notebook strategies or just plain bad at-bats, but no.

Somehow, they managed to get on the good side of karma as the last inning saw them load the bases with none out and Beltran, known more for blown opportunities without even moving rather than good luck, managed to sky the ball enough to let Happy Nutheryearonearth boy Brett Gardner dash in with the winning @#$%ing run in the bottom of the night. Surprise, surprise, Yanks did not lose in extra innings (another annoying habit of late) and beat a surprisingly (if you are playing the Drinking Game with the word surprise, you are a lush) beating-the-league-like-they-owe-you-money Astros club by the score of @#$%ing 1-0.

It’s not that I hate low scoring games. It’s just that I hate having to go to bed in the middle of one with a summer cold and then wake up and write this before an early call. Oh well, enjoy your day and remember: @#$%!