Comments on: Bombs Away … And Counting

By: thelarmis

thelarmis — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 03:59:39 +0000

Awesome, RI! I’ll try to stop by Friday, if I can.

GO JUDGE!!! GO YANKS!!!

By: Hank Waddles

Hank Waddles — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 21:50:02 +0000

[190] You’ve been holding out on us! Man, that was fun to read. The Crowe in his nest! I’m a sucker for lines like that. Thanks so much.

Here’s a really cool highlight package, a nice pairing to RI’s beautiful recap. Guaranteed goosebumps.

https://twitter.com/talkinyanks/status/1572559768626962432?s=21&t=e_CwK-r8P70D07iS_qV0pQ

By: RIYank

RIYank — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 19:52:44 +0000

Well, okay!
So first of all, the general feel around the stadium was, of course, that the flaws in the Yankees were glaring. The bullpen in particular, but also Stanton and the power outage in general. (Well, sure, I’m probably projecting my own attitudes into the 50,000, but NO DOUBT ACCURATELY.)
The place was only maybe 60% full in the top of the first, but much fuller thereafter — it looked like maybe 80%, with only the really cheap sits thin, and the Areas-Where-An-Important-Homer-Might-Land particularly jammed. (We were in Section 225, just behind the third baseline cameras, which is a really good spot to watch a game.)
The only moments when the place really rocked were when AJ came to bat. And each deflation left the overall energy a little lower, until…
A whole lot of people left in the eighth inning. Serious. Maybe half. Remember, in the bottom of the eighth Judge was to be the fourth batter, so people were still hanging around, but we went 1-2-3 and the expensive seats just drained and even some of the bleachers. The bunch of 20-somethings in the row behind me declared that they would go watch the rest of the game from a bar; one woman pointed out, “Look, it’s not a Red Sox game, it’s a Pirates game.”
But Chapman was good! And then Judge would lead off the bottom of the ninth, so some were hanging around just for that. Onto the mound strode Wil Crowe. His great great great uncle was Red Ruffing — the Stadium Disembodied Voices made sure we knew the mystical connection to The Babe. Clearly History had something in mind tonight.
Judge slammed his mighty gavel, and there was an explosion of joy, relief, vindication. Even the bullpen didn’t seem like pure garbage anymore! And of course Wil Red Ruffing Crowe couldn’t leave. He was chained by rule and destiny to the mound. The late-stayers congratulated ourselves and stood.
The rest happened so fast. Rizzo’s double got another roar. The comeback possibility had gone instantly from Unrealistic to Inevitable. Gleyber walked. The benighted Josh Donaldson rifled a single. The crowd stood and watched Giancarlo Fuckin Stanton step into the box. The odd Wil Crowe was still perched in his nest.
I don’t see how you could doubt that Judge’s 60th homer reorganized the mess in Stanton’s brain. Until that moment he’d looked utterly, hopelessly lost, staring at strikes, flailing at sliders in the dirt, starting his swing so early he was simply guessing or flicking the bat so late it was an afterthought. But this time he was locked in. His 116 mph line drive got into the seats in the blink of an eye, and the Stadium roared one last time in his absolution.
On the 4 train I stood between a Jewish couple in their 70s and a young black man, and we listened to the Jewish guy wax poetic. He let us know that with the homer, Judge had moved into first place in the AL in batting average, and assured us that this was even more important than the 60th homer. Then he asked the young guy whether he knew who was the last Triple Crown winnder – he did, although he’d forgotten Miggy’s year. I smiled and asked our sage who was the most recent before Cabrera… yeah, he knew that too, and he knew Mantle was in ’56, and he was really pleased when I reminded him that Frank Robinson did it between Mick and Yaz. The young man told us that five seconds after Judge homered, tomorrow’s game (that is, today’s!) sold out. (He tried to buy tickets on his phone.) Then other riders suggested strategies for getting a ticket.
But I’m back in Rhode Island, because my son, who was with me at the game, is getting married this weekend, and we have to get on with life. You can bet we’ll watch the games until #62 is in the books!

By: Hank Waddles

Hank Waddles — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 16:06:37 +0000

[187] I think Alex Cora is too cocky to pitch around Judge. I bet he gets 61 AND 62 against the Sox, which is just perfect.

[188] This isn’t good enough. I think I speak for the Banterites when I say that we need a full recap of what the Stadium was like during that ninth inning.

As I said earlier, I was stuck in a Zoom meeting, so I wasn’t really able to watch. No problem, I thought. The game is still on in the other room, I can just rewind it back and watch it. But then I quickly realized that the unattended TV had turned itself off after four hours of inactivity. Crushing. I obviously saw the highlights and soaked up the postgame show, but it wasn’t the same. Hopefully it’ll show up on Yankees Classic sometime soon.

By: RIYank

RIYank — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 11:53:32 +0000

I was indeed *at* the game!
It was really disappointing for 8 1/2 innings or so.
But Hank, I guess I did get to see something special, even if it wasn’t a record homer!

By: knuckles

knuckles — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 10:29:58 +0000

Had to get up early for a flight so I went to bed at 5-4. Should have foregone another 40 minutes sleep apparently. Wild ending.

Will be fun to see where Judge ends up. I’d imagine Toronto and possibly Baltimore will avoid pitching to him if they can avoid it. And maybe Boston out of spite.

By: attackgerbil

attackgerbil — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 03:28:06 +0000

It is thrilling when we see records fall. Do we play under the same rules as when Maris was so stressed out in ’61 that he was losing his hair because he couldn’t eat for the hate he took from Yankee fans? Did Aaron, who along with Jack Robinson was the most pilloried player ever to hold a bat? Did Bonds, regardless of whether or not he used substances to play the game longer than he could have, but he was the best in a league of cheaters. Did he do it for his own gain (hopefully), or was it just a game played by McGwire and Sosa and Giambi and Pettitte and Clemeens and Canseco, and any other person we might want to understand why a game that had poor rules just fell into a graft where baseball owners made money hand over fist and screw the health of the players.

Whatever your choices are, go for it. But the winners were always the shareholders, not the players.

By: Boatzilla

Boatzilla — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 03:23:49 +0000

Outside shot at Bonds?

By: thelarmis

thelarmis — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 02:57:26 +0000

He’s also leading in the Triple Crown right now!!!

By: Hank Waddles

Hank Waddles — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 02:56:20 +0000

So I’m stuck in a Zoom meeting, so I kind of watched the ninth on my phone. I saw Judge’s homer, then saw that Rizzo had doubled, then suddenly everyone was bouncing around at home plate. Crazy.

By: Boatzilla

Boatzilla — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 02:50:48 +0000

Naturally, it all started with Judge.
That was insane.

By: Boatzilla

Boatzilla — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 02:49:23 +0000

Wow. Wow. Wow.

By: Shaun P.

Shaun P. — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 02:48:10 +0000

[177] RI is AT the Stadium?!?!? Holy mackerel!!! What a game to see in person!!

By: Mr OK Jazz Tokyo

Mr OK Jazz Tokyo — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 02:47:31 +0000

RIYank is there?? Expect a full recap when he sobers up!! What a game, and what a season!!

By: Ara Just Fair

Ara Just Fair — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 02:46:52 +0000

Heard about 9th via texts in bed from wife. Oh, well. Go Yankees. Zzzz…

By: thelarmis

thelarmis — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 02:46:25 +0000

RI is at the stadium!!!

By: thelarmis

thelarmis — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 02:45:46 +0000

HOLY FUCK!!!!!!

By: mhoward120

mhoward120 — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 02:44:45 +0000

Judge IS baseball

By: rbj

rbj — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 02:44:05 +0000

Well that’s unexpected. I’m going to sleep now.

By: Mr OK Jazz Tokyo

Mr OK Jazz Tokyo — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 02:43:39 +0000

WOW..!!!!!!!!! Just amazing