I listened to the first couple of innings of the ball game on Friday night on the radio. I was on a Trailways bus headed upstate to visit my cousin and a few friends for the weekend. As the game started, we were stuck in traffic. Outside–I think we were near Newburgh–it began to ran. Game started like this for the White Sox: base hit, base hit, home run. The next two batters hit long outs–one to the warning track, the other one to the wall.

Welp, it’s gonna be one of those weekends, I figured.

But the Yanks rallied to beat the Sox, won again on Saturday, then yesterday, another comeback. I heard their rally, David Robertson give up a game-tying home run in the 9th and then Brian McCann’s game-ending, pinch-hit homer in extra innings, on the radio again. This time I was in the passenger seat of my buddy’s car. He met me upstate and we had lunch with a friend. Now we were taking a few short cuts to avoid traffic–which we did–and on a lovely, late August afternoon, we listened to John Sterling bring us home. This was no fun for my pal, I should note, as he’s a Red Sox fan, but he was in a good mood so he didn’t mind.

I was happy too and so were the Yanks.

Final Score: Yanks 7, White Sox 4. 

[Picture by Bags]

Joe Day was a Good day.  Here’s rooting for more goodness this afternoon when the Yanks have to contend with the formidable Chris Sale. Never mind the summer breeze: Let’s Go Yank-ees! [Photo Credit: AP via Lo Hud]

Lousy first inning, no problem. Late magic.

Here’s hoping fer s’more today!

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Picture by Bags]

Our boys host the White Sox this weekend. No frills, baby, just wins.

Brett Gardner LF
Derek Jeter SS
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Martin Prado 2B
Brian McCann DH
Chase Headley 3B
Francisco Cervelli C
Zelous Wheeler RF

Never mind the darkness:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Picture by Bags]

Painting by Patrick Kramer. 

Saveur gives Peach Melba Pie.

[Photo Credit: Todd Coleman]

Hello; Goodbye.

Don’t you worry.

[Photo Credit: Mustafah Abdulaziz via Snowce]

From Black Book:

Bob Balaban: Altman-esque means never having to say you’re sorry. Bob did what he wanted in the face of tremendous obstacles and he really was programmed that way. I suspect as a child he was pretty stubborn all his life. What was he like as a child Kathryn, did you ever hear stories about him?

Kathryn Altman: Yeah, I can’t believe them!

BB: But to me, the whole key to Robert in everything, was that he was someone who followed his own beat and listened to his own drum. You couldn’t dissuade him from that path, and that was one of his great strengths as a filmmaker, and possibly as a human being as well. So that’s Altman-esque to me.

KA: Right off the top of my head, my synonym for Altman is having the world’s greatest sense of humor—I mean, just the world’s greatest, the best. And that’s something that shows in all his pictures in so many different ways and always comes up at some point.

BB: One of the greatest secrets of writing and directing is that people with senses of a humor really understand that there’s no difference between comedy and tragedy, it’s all mixed in there together just as in life. And most filmmakers say, this is going to be a funny movie or this is going to be a serious movie, but for Robert, I don’t think there was any dividing line between. It was life, it wasn’t serious, it wasn’t funny, it was life.

Brandon McCarthy: stud. 

[Photo Credit: Danny Ghitis via MPD]

Yanks try not to suck this afternoon against the Astros.

Brett Gardner LF
Derek Jeter SS
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Martin Prado 2B
Chase Headley 3B
Francisco Cervelli C
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Zelous Wheeler DH

Never mind the crankiness:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Picture by Bags]

Starting at the 9:00 minute mark, I gab about my Big Lebowski story.

Dig:

I’m not asking, I’m telling with this. 

The latest unpleasantness. 

…Michael Pineda is starting tonight.

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

Never mind the summertime blues:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Picture by Bags]

Photograph Annelie Vandendael via MPD.

Going, going…

[Photo Credit: Forgotten New York]

Summer Pasta with tomato water, basil, and garlic. Oh, yes.

There is a special kind of quiet that accompanies baseball in the middle of August. I noticed it on Monday night when I caught the first couple of innings of the Reds Cardinals game. It wasn’t silence more like white noise. There it was again last night at Yankee Stadium. Maybe it’s the Yankees–they are a mediocre team playing for a crowd accustomed to something better. Or maybe it’s just the time of year. People are on vacation, and even those of us who work each day, well, the pace is slower. It’s time for swimming and corn and tomatoes not for getting too excited.

There were moments for cheering, like when Martin Prado got a big, game-tying hit. And there was  enough umph for booing too, which is what David Robertson heard as he walked off the field after giving up the 3-run homer that sunk the Yanks in the 9th. Robertson has been terrific this year and I only hope he didn’t take the boos personally. The outburst proved that not everyone was asleep.

Final Score: Astros 7, Yanks 4.

[Picture by Bags]

The Astros? Remember them pains in the ass?

Time for some payback, boys.

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

Whadda ya say, fellers?

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Picture by Bags]

Grace’s spicy peach jam. Mmmm.