No Gardner, Prado or Carlito. But, there is Michael Pineda: Jacoby Ellsbury CF Derek Jeter SS Brian McCann C Mark Teixeira 1B Chase Headley DH Ichiro Suzuki RF Stephen Drew 2B Chris Young LF Brendan Ryan 3B Never mind the power outage: Let’s Go Yank-ees! Picture by Bags.

Yanks down 4-0 in the first? No, sweat. They come back and win, 8-5.

Our man Jeter didn’t get a hit. In his third at bat, he swung at the first pitch and hit the ball to the warning track in what was formerly known as Death Valley (I guess it was never known as that in the new park but you get what I mean). The TV replay of his parents was sweet. Dad looking down as the at bat was starting but watching his son by the time the pitch was delivered. Mom looking on. After the ball was hit she said, “Oh.” Their bodies tensed as they watched flight of the ball. “Please go,” she said, “please go, please go.” She held her breath then said it again. Please Go. But he didn’t get enough of it. When the ball was caught, Jeter’s parents reflexively jerked back in their seats.

Ohhh. His mother leaned back and clasped her hands behind her hand. His father smiled.

Their son might be old, in his last days playing a game for boys, but they still looked like Little League parents. It was still fresh for them. They were still right there.

Cool.

[Photo Via: N.Y. Post]

When a team is as sucky-good as the Yanks it’s hard to get too excited but we still tune in. Maybe not for the whole game–a little bit on the radio on the way to pick up your kids–but we still check it out because the Yanks are still our boys. That doesn’t change even if they are half-horseshit.

Only a few weeks left in our boy Jeter’s career. That alone is worth watching.

Jacoby Ellsbury CF

Derek Jeter DH

Brian McCann C

Mark Teixeira 1B

Chase Headley 3B

Ichiro Suzuki RF

Stephen Drew 2B

Chris Young LF

Brendan Ryan SS

Never mind the doldrums:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags.

When it comes to daily food craving there isn’t usually anything I want more than a salad.

Food 52 shows us how to make a nice leafy one without a recipe. 

Oh, man, this looks like a fun series by Christopher Orr.

The Yanks were luckless last night as their slight playoff chances decreased again. The Rays chased our man Hiroki early and had what seemed like a comfortable 4-1 lead in the bottom of the 5th. Yeah, 3 runs ain’t much but this year…So the Yanks get a rally going against Chris Archer, who hit Chase Headley to start the inning. Then comes 4 straight hits. The last of which sent Stephen Drew home where he was tagged out. Didn’t look like the catcher gave him a lane and the play was reviewed but the cockamamie rule was upheld and Drew was out.

From Chad Jennings:

“To begin with, just a bad send,” third-base coach Rob Thomson said. “Just an error on my judgment. I take full responsibility for it. We’re all accountable around here. It just wasn’t a good decision. Nobody out, the middle of the lineup coming to the plate, I’ve got to stop him right there. I thought the outfielder was going a little bit further to the line. He came up and squared up (to throw) pretty quick. I should’ve stopped him. … From my perspective, the ruling doesn’t really come into play. It’s just a matter of whether I think that guy is going to be able to score or not, and (the rule) shouldn’t come into play, especially with nobody out.”

Or, to put it another way:

“You can’t make the first out at home,” Joe Giradi said. “It’s a quick decision he has to make. It’s a bang-bang decision — and it’s not an easy job — but you have the bases loaded and nobody out (if he doesn’t send the runner).”

So, here are the Yanks, down 4-3 with runners on first and second, 1 out, for Jeter. And he hits the ball hard–the only well-struck ball he had all night–but it’s right at the second baseman who flips to second to double off the runner.

Couple of innings later, Ichiro singles with 1 out, steals second and then runs to third and looks to have another stolen base, except the batter (Drew) swings at the pitch, lines out to right, and Ichiro is a dead duck. Another double play.

Yanks lose, 4-3.

Picture by Bags.

Let the Chris Young Era commence!

Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Derek Jeter SS
Brian McCann C
Carlos Beltran DH
Mark Teixeira 1B
Chase Headley 3B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Stephen Drew 2B
Chris Young LF

Never mind the standings:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Kelly Nicolaison via This Isn’t Happiness]

On a healthy note…

For you blue.

Painting by Beniamino Leone. 

Once Upon a Time…

Droppin’ some NYC. 

There is no shame in going out on a weak team even if it is something to which you are not accustomed. Jeter looks old now at the end, he looks tired, and so do the Yankees. He hasn’t had that Willie Mays 1973 moment of humiliation but he was so bad in August that the talk radio chatter about dropping him in the lineup seemed to be getting to him. Every at bat is a Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony. It must be exhausting. Top of that, the Royals had a kid starting today throwing 98 mph. Almost each guy out of the pen throwing 97 plus. Good luck, old man.

Nobody hit much of anything today. Royals didn’t hit much, either. But 2 is more than none and they leave New York with a series win.

Final Score: Royals 2, Yanks 0.

The usual suspects were there to honor Jeter (Torre, Cone, Paulie O, Bernie, Jorgie, Tino, Torre) but also childhood hero Dave Winfield, pals Gerald Williams and Tim Raines, and fellow icons, Reggie Jackson, Cal Ripken and Michael Jordan.

Jeter addressed the crowd and said the he hoped he’d brought us joy and entertainment. That you, did, Hombre. He said the right thing as always, but you can’t imagine it was much fun for him, all the attention on himself instead of the team, playing out the string without much of a chance for October.

The Farewell Tour begins its Final Weeks! run. now. I’m sure Jeter will be hugely relieved when it’s all over.

Saying goodbye is never easy.

Smile, DJ. I’m sure you’re loving’ this.

Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Derek Jeter SS
Martin Prado 2B
Carlos Beltran RF
Brian McCann C
Mark Teixeira 1B
Stephen Drew DH
Chase Headley 3B
Ichiro Suzuki LF

Never mind the Hoopla:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

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

Brandon McCarthy, who looks like he comes from an earlier time, pitched well yet again today. His old pal Martin Prado had 3 hits, and Ichiro had 2 as the Yanks beat the Royals, 6-2.

The fans who came to say goodbye to Jeter saw him collect a sac fly RBI, ground out twice and whiff. It was hot and humid as we had another day of the summer weather that we mostly avoided this year. The fans may have been bummed about Jeter’s day at the plate–he DH’d and didn’t play the field–but they were also easily pleased: singing “YMCA”, watching themselves dance on the jumbo screen, doing the wave, and rooting the Yanks to victory.

[Photo Credit: Dorothea Lange]

Who will be in the house for Jeter day tomorrow? The usual suspects–Posada, Bernie–of course. Yogi? Reggie? And then: Jordan? Tiger?

Hell, think Barak is around?

Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Derek Jeter DH
Martin Prado 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Carlos Beltran RF
Chase Headley 3B
Zelous Wheeler LF
Brendan Ryan SS
John Ryan Murphy C

Never mind the storm clouds:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Picture by Bags]

Pineda was good, Sheilds was better.

Yanks lose, 1-0.

[Illustration by Daniel Stolle]

Yanks and Royals both looking to take care of business this weekend. Yanks hanging on to slim playoff hopes, not that anyone  expects them to make it.

The good news is that big, bad Michael Pineda is on the hill tonight. Man, does this dude needs a nickname or what? I mean, c’mon, just look at him. Any thoughts? I haven’t landed on one yet.

Jacoby Ellsbury CF

Derek Jeter SS

Brett Gardner LF

Carlos Beltran DH

Brian McCann C

Mark Teixeira 1B

Stephen Drew 2B

Chase Headley 3B

Ichiro Suzuki RF

Never mind those George Brett flashbacks:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Larry Sultan]

Photograph by Remi Noel. 

Spaghetti with oven roasted tomatoes and caramelized fennel.