After waiting all this time, it’s finally here: spring in New York. Just this week, the buds started popping up on trees all over the city. This morning, I jumped on the train and headed down to Union Square to the farmer’s market. At about 9:00 a.m. I was walking on the sunny side of 14th street (the south side) to the market and I’ve got it tell you, it felt to be great to be alive and living in New York. Each spring, I’m reminded about how much I love this town.

The farmer’s market is a treat. It’s too early for lots of produce yet, and the stands are still dominated by rooted vegetables, and potatoes and apples. I’m going up to my mom’s for Easter tomorrow, so I thought I would stop by and get her a little something, something.

Like many Belgians, my mom is a terrific cook. Don’t know why they are so good in the kitchen, but it’s true. My mom is a foodie without an ounce of pretension. She lives up in the suburbs so she doesn’t have access to some of the froo-froo items you can get in the city.

She happens to love fingerling potatoes, small, stubby little guys that look like links of sausage, or cigar butts, or thick fingers. Trouble is she can never find them up where she is. So I find a stand at the market that features five different kinds of fingerling’s. Who knew? So I got her a sampler: French fingerling, Austiran Crescent, Rose Finn, Russian Banana, and of course, the Purple Peruvian.

Not only that, but I found some ramps too, which is the ultimate sign of spring. Ramps look vaguely like scallions, but they are younger, smaller, and more pungent. Actually, ramps are a curious combination of the garlic and onion families. It can be used as a substitute for either, and it gives off a special flavor.

My aunt Biece is a bonafide foodie and for years she told me about ramps. The catch with ramps is that they aren’t around long. It all depends on the weather, but the colder it is, the longer they hang around. Still, it won’t be much longer than three weeks a year. After Biece hipped me to them, I think I missed them for two or three straight seasons, either because I didn’t get to the market in time, or because the weather effected the crop. When I finally had them, I have to admit I was let down. They aren’t all that, but they are a nice variation.

Turns out, this is the first week they are around. Since I was at the market early, there were still plenty to choose from. How could I pass up this opportunity? Running into fresh ramps unexpectedly like this. Heck, I know that mom will get a kick out of em.

The ramps are out and baseball is back in the city too. How is this for a spring welcome? Joe Torre received a contract extension for life yesterday, signing a three-year, $19.2 million contract. After that, he’ll make a half a million a year as a advisor. Ten years ago, who ever thought that we would be able to take such news with a straight face? And maybe Torre won’t serve the duration of the contract, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he did either. I certainly feel more confident about Torre sticking around than I ever with any manager under George.

The Torre deal was announced on Friday afternoon before the game against the White Sox. In all, it turned out to be a forgettable day on the field for the Yankees as they got pounded by Chicago, 9-3. And it’s not only that they lost, but they looked badly doing it. You know you are going to have a long day when you team draws four walks in an inning but can’t score a run. Hideki Matsui and John Flaherty had particularly embarassing games. But no matter how disapointing the game was, it doesn’t take away from how pleased Yankee fans must feel that Joe Torre has got the keys to the executive warshroom and he’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

Actually, the game was entertaining for several reasons. First of all, before it was over, came news that the Blue Jays had won their first game of the year, 10-5 over the Red Sox, at the home opener at Fenway. I’m not nuts enough to be overly concerned with the standings in April, but I can say that any day the Red Sox lose is a that much better of a day for me, especially if the Yanks happen to lose as well.

Next, the game was curious because it started at 4:00 in the afternoon. How often do you see a late afternoon game on a Friday? Plus, the light at this time of the year is specific, that it casts its own personality on the game. The light in the spring is much whiter, brighter, and cooler than the kind of light we’ll see in August or September, which is much warmer, and more yellow.

Anyhow, I really enjoyed watching how the light was a major character in the proceedings. I think New Yorkers are especially sensitive to light because it is often rationed out in such small, specific doses. I guess that would hold true for anybody who lives in a city, but it is especially intense in New York. In between buildings, for a certain amount of time, light in New York is fleeting, especially during the winter months. You got to catch it when you can. It’s not like living in Los Angeles, where the light and space washes over everything. You can’t get away from it out there. In New York, you have to hunt around for it.

The sharp–even harsh–spring light really makes the blue of the stadium stand out. The grass isn’t lush yet, but it’s a damn sight greener than anything we’ve seen in months, so who is complaining? Watching on TV, you can almost feel the chill in the air just looking at the images. For me, it was just another friendly reminder that spring is finally here. And if I haven’t already told you, spring is my most favoritest season of the year.

Jose Contreras has wonderfully dark skin and looked imposing and cool in the brilliant sun. He hass thick, puffy features, and the navy blue mock-neck shirt that he wore under the pinstriped uniform made him look sharp. As the game started, a ring of shadows, a crescent moon of sorts, covered the area behind home plate and the stands behind the plate moving toward first base side.

By the second inning, the umpire and then the batter’s were in the dark. Slowly, the ring crept towards the mound, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching how the moving light progressively altered the playing field and the stands. In the spring, everything can feel new, so watching concentrating on something like the light in a late afternoon game–something the average baseball fan experiences plenty of times each year–feels like it’s the first time I ever noticed such a thing.
The weather brought a mix of sun and clouds. The batter’s were at a distinct disadvantage for the first four innings, and both pitchers benefitted accordingly. By the fourth, the entire area from the pitcher’s mound to home plate was in the shadows. The pitcher’s stood shinning in the sun, while the batter’s were muted in the shade. But even after the hitter’s were covered speaks and flashes of light refelected on their helemets and faces and shoulders.

When Sheffield came up for the first time, he looked the Prince of freakin Darkness in the shadows, glimpses of light splashing off him (he ripped a double into the left field corner). After the shadows had moved safely behind the mound, it was the fielder’s who were at a disadvantage. And even the base runners too. In the third, Hideki Matsui was standing in the sun off of second base. The infield dirt around him was a deep orange, and it looked like a great place to be. Chicago starter Jon Garland–effectively wild for the most part–had walked the first two men of the inning and Matsui got to be in the sun. Perhaps he couldn’t see the catcher too well, because before you know it, the ball came screaming into second, and Matsui was easily tagged out.

(There is a hilarious photograph of Matsui sliding back to second in the Daily News today. Matsui has his hands stretched out ahead of him, making like a super hero flying. His body is flat on the ground except his feet. His head is down in the dirt, and as the announcers mention, he probably wants to bury it even further into the earth. The slide looks good, the form looks perfect. The only problem is that he is a foot-and-a-half away from the bag.)

Contreras labored from the begining. In the fifth, the Magglio Ordonez tagged him for a three-run homer. He hit a ball, low and inside, and really glicked it. It was somewhere between a line drive and a high fly ball. Actually it had the speed and arc of a golf ball being smacked from the driving range. It got into the seats but fast.

Felix Heredia wasn’t much better and the defense was even worse, as the White Sox scored all of their runs–four in the fifth, five in the sixth—in two innings. By the sixth, the only part of the field that was still in the light was center. Looking in, it was clear that the outfielders couldn’t see the ball coming off the bat. Bernie Williams looked like a deer caught in the headlights on several fly balls.

The one bright spot of the day came when Bubba Crosby hit his first major league home run. A fan favorite grows in the Bronx. But the Yankee offense is still tight. Who knows how long they will continue to struggle. The good news is that they can explode at any moment. Let’s hope it happens over the weekend.

By Bruce Markusen

Regular Season Edition

A Home Run For The Ages

Three decades ago this month, the major league baseball season opened with the exalted Babe Ruth still the all-time home run champion

Javier Vasquez pitched with poise and confidence yesterday and handled the explosive White Sox offense, allowing one run and three hits in eight innings of work. I was able to catch most of the game on Yankee Rewind last night, and it was a pleasure watching Vasquez pitch. Unlike the dearly-departed Jeff Weaver–who pitched well in his Dodger debut–and the hulking Jose Contreras, Vasquez displays a classic, compact pitching form. It looks as if he uses his entire body, especially his legs. After the game, the new Yankee received raves from his peers. According to the Times:

After watching Vazquez for the first time at Yankee Stadium, Mussina is a believer.

“He threw whatever pitch he wanted whenever he wanted to,” Mussina said. “He looked like he was in control. He was in control of himself physically; he was in control of his emotions. He looked comfortable. He looked like he had been out there the whole season.”

…[White Sox catcher, Sandy] Alomar explained that Vazquez throws his fastball at 92 or 93 miles an hour, not exceedingly fast. But his curveball, Alomar added, makes the fastball seem faster. “It looks like he’s throwing it 150 miles an hour,” Alomar said.

“He throws the breaking ball for strikes,” Alomar said. “You don’t know where it’s going to land. He changes speeds with the breaking ball. He throws it hard. He throws it at you. He knows how to set you up. He is a very smart pitcher. He would have beat everybody in the major leagues today. Nobody would have beat him today with the stuff he had. We have a good offensive team, but he was on today.”

The Yankee offense hasn’t found its groove yet; hitting coach, Don Mattingly thinks that his guys are pressing. It’s been great to see Mattingly in the dugout so far. For longtime Yankee fans, it’s comforting to see him along with Willie Randolph–now in Popeye Zimmer’s seat next to Torre–Roy White and Mel Stotlemyre on the bench. White has a gaunt face, with puffy eyes. I was trying to think who he looks like, and the closes thing I can come up with is E.T.

At one point during the game, Mattingly was on the bench talking with Giambi. I can’t exactly explain why, but the image got me all soft and fuzzy. I didn’t have a Steinbrenner moment, but it was a cool sight all the same. You know what I love about baseball? Players and coaches sit cross-legged on the bench. Often they have their arm behind the guy next to them, as they sit on their side, deep in conversation. When was the last time you saw a basketball or football player sitting cross-legged? For me, it’s another example of how baseball players are like regular guys. That doesn’t mean they are refined. One look at the dugout floor is enough to put you off your bread and jam for a week. But it suggest a kind of ease and comfort with each other that is appealing.

Oh, here’s something that should enrage Derek Jeter’s many critics. The shortstop was charged with an error in the second inning when he couldn’t field a hard-hit ball by Joe Crede (who made three fine plays at third base himself). Joe Torre lobbied to have the call reversed after the game, and the official scorer, Bill Shannon, complied. To be fair, it was a tough error, but it seems cheesy to have it over-turned. But I understand what Torre was doing. He understands that Jeter is going to take a lot of flack this year for his fielding, and he is trying his best to protect his guy.

Down in Baltimore, the Orioles walked on by the Sox in thirteen innings, and in Atlanta, the Braves beat the Mets for the second consecutive night. The hot-hitting Mike Piazza did collect two more hits, however.

I won’t be able to catch the game this afternoon. Can you imagine: I’ve got to work. Ugh and oy. But for those of you who will be watching it, please feel free to leave updates and observations in the comments section below. I would appreciate it. I’m especially interested in how our man Vasquez performs. Go Yanks.

It wasn’t pretty, or especially impressive, but it was a win. The Yankee offense hasn’t started rolling yet, though Jason Giambi is looking a heck of a lot better than he did at this time last year. Kevin Brown was excellent again, and has been as good as Mike Mussina has been bad. Mariano Rivera allowed three hits and a run in the ninth, but escaped disaster when Brook Fordyce bounced into a double play to end the game. Previously, Alex Rodriguez allowed Eduardo Perez’s shot down the third base line to skip under his glove. According to the Times:

Rodriguez dived to his right but could not stop the ball. “That’s a play I need to make, and I’m not making it,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez did turn the game-ended double play however. Gary Sheffield and Say Hey! Bernie “Snow Cone” Williams made nice plays in the outfield during the sixth inning.

The Yankees will play their home opener this afternoon against the White Sox. Magglio Ordonez and Frank “17-pitch at-bat” Thomas bring the lumber into the Bronx for a four-game series. (Thanks to “Clutch Hits” for the Thomas link.)

Meanwhile, Roger Clemens pitched well in his first start as an Astro. After intentionally walking Barry Bonds, Clemens struck out the greatest player on earth in the next two at bats. Bonds was called out both times, and both calls—particularly the first one—were questionable.

I actually enjoyed watching Clemens pitch. It’s nice being able to see him without being invested in the outcome. Of course, before he came to the Yankees, I loathed the guy. But now, I don’t have any hard feelings toward him. Curiously, I’ll root for the Rocket more this year than I will for Pettitte. Those who read Bronx Banter throughout the 2003 season know that Pettitte was one of the few Yankees than I liked less and less as time passed. Early in his career, Pettitte was a favorite. He was a home-grown player and his game 5 performance in the 1996 World Serious went a long way, right? But all of that good faith had dried up by last season. He was a good pitcher, but not the ace I had expected him to be. Perhaps that is unfair of me, but for all his success, Pettitte was maddeningly inconsistent, and I just never liked watching him pitch.

Furthermore, I’m still put off by the fact that he chose the Astros over the Yankees, no matter how valid his reasons were. Look, if he does well, that’s great, but I won’t be shedding any tears if he has a terrible season. And to be honest, I’m rooting for him to be mediocre. I may change my mind, but for now, that’s how I feel.

The Red Sox rolled over the O’s, and the Mets couldn’t hold a big lead, and got bombed by the Braves. At least Mike Piazza is blazing hot, going 5-5, with two homers. The second shot was the longest in the history of Turner Field.

Devil Rays 9, Yanks 4

Staked to a four-run, first-inning lead, things were looking good for Mike Mussina and the Bombers. But the Yankee ace was off his game again. When he was ahead of hitters, he couldn’t put them away; but often, he fell behind them, unable to locate a tepid fastball, and his breaking pitches. Mussina lasted four innings, and allowed six runs on nine hits. He walked two and struck out one. After the game, he told reporters:

“Nobody’s more upset about the way I’m pitching than I am,” said Mussina, who unraveled again in the Yankees’ 9-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Tuesday night. “I know it’s early. I know it’s only two games and all that. But I don’t pitch like this. It’s upsetting.”

Mussina has not lost the first two decisions of the season since his rookie year. How likely is it that he would pitch so poorly in two consecutive games? Not very. I expect he’ll bounce back shortly. The bullpen wasn’t especially sharp either, though Jorge De Paula was decent.

The top of the first inning felt like a blueprint for how this Yankee offense will operate when they are on their game this season. Kenny Lofton lead off and flew out on a full-count pitch. Victor Zambrano walked Jeter, and then Alex Rodriguez pounded an outside fastball over the right field fence to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. Next, Giambi worked the count full, fouled off an outside fastball and then walked. Gary Sheffield swatted the first pitch he saw–a fastball eye-high over the plate–into the right-center field stands, and the Yankees were quickly up, 4-zip.

I let out a yell when Sheffield hit his homer. It was a real “Hasan-Chop!” hack. It looked as if the Yankees were going to blow the game open in the bottom of the second. With two out, Jeter and Rodriguez walked and then Giambi just got under one and flew out to the wall. I yelled again, but my “home-run-call” timing was rusty; I snapped my fingers–“drat”–and sat back down.

The Yankees would only collect two more hits after the first inning (Bernie, Giambi), and overall it was a frustrating evening. The worst swings of the night came from Enrique Wilson, who was doing his best Ruben Sierra impression, swining from his heels (ironically, Sierra pinch-hit for Wilson and did his best Wilson impression and went down swinging on a swing that produced a mighty wind). Zambrano walked a career-high seven, in five innings of work, but the Yankees were unable to capitalize.

The one thing that did impress me was Rodriguez’s arm at third. He pegs the ball over to first with power and accuracy. I can’t remember the last Yankee third baseman who had that strong of an arm. Can you?

Elsewhere, Andy Pettitte was not effective in his Astro debut, and Houston fell to the Giants for the second straight night. As I expected, Curt Schilling pitched well in his first start as a Red Sox, and Boston won their first game of the year (Manager Terry Francona spoke with Pedro Martinez, and the first non-story of the year appears to be resolved). And in Atlanta, Kaz Matsui smacked the first pitch of his major league career over the wall in straight-away center for a dinger. He had a perfect night, going 3-3 with two walks as Tom Glavine and the Mets beat the Braves. Mike Piazza also homered and it was a good night for Met fans.

According to the New York Times, the Yankees may be interested in signing Aaron Boone to play second base. Tyler Kepner reports:

General Manager Brian Cashman expressed interest to Boone’s agent, Adam Katz, when Katz called last week. Cashman said his interest in Boone is primarily for next season, and that if the Yankees signed him, it would be to a two-year deal.

“It’s nothing extensive at this point, but just a recognition that he’s going to be back,” Cashman said. “I don’t know if he’s going to be back this year. Any thoughts I would have are more toward next year.”

Meanwhile, the Yankee season resumes tonight in Tampa Bay. Opening Day starters, Mike Mussina and Carlos Zambrano will face off again, and Bernie Williams returns to the Yankee line up as the DH (yay!).

I can’t wait to watch the game.

Trouble in Mind

There is a long, but wonderfully entertaining interview with historian Glenn Stout over at RedSoxNation.net (kudos to the guys at Red Sox Nation, they did a terrific job). I like Stout because he’s a good writer, and a straight-shooter. For starters, he isn’t one of the dreamers pining for a Cubs-Sox World Serious this year:

GS: I think a Cubs/Sox World Series would be over-hyped to the point it would almost be unendurable — definitely a Series to watch only with the sound off and with the newspapers left piling up in the driveway. But I donít think losing to the Cubs would be worse than what happened last year — letís face it, the ALCS was the World Series last year, the Red Sox and Yankees were the two best teams in baseball and that series was one of the most compelling in the history of the game.

Further, here is Stout’s take on the current Red Sox team:

RSN: The 1967 “Impossible Dream” team was as beloved and storybook as any in team history. How do they compare to the 2003 squad in terms of team chemistry and the adoration of the fans?

GS: I donít think the 2003 team compares at all, really. I think much of the vaunted “chemistry” was marketing BS, the result of a protective press and the clubís ability to keep problems below the radar. 1967 was real and genuine and happened all on its own. 1967 will never be forgotten; 2003 will just be another year in the larger view, albeit a painful one.

RSN: What is your opinion of the 2003 Red Sox?

GS: Personally, I never bought into last yearsí team. I never saw they were all that different from dozens of Sox clubsí over much of the last century — they were a slow, poor defensive team built around hitting and self-obsessed stars with not enough pitching. I didnít see anything new in any of that.

On that note, the Red Sox are making headlines today for all the wrong reasons. Evidentally, Pedro Martinez left the ballpark in the middle of the game on Sunday night. Dan Shaughnessy asks: “Why does this stuff always happen with the Red Sox? Why can’t it just be about the baseball? Even for one day.” Does new manager Terry Francona really have a situation on his hands? Nick Cafardo reports in the Globe:

Now the public is waiting to see how Francona handles this, just as it waited to see how Grady Little handled Manny Ramirez’s situation last season. A couple of Sox players were also interested in how their new manager would handle the situation, one indicating, “I don’t think it’s a big deal, but right off the bat Terry has to handle a situation. I know he’ll handle it and be fair because that’s the way he’s been so far.”

Sox fans should feel better by tonight, when Curt Schilling makes his first start for the old towne team.

Oh yeah, it didn’t take Barry Bonds long to pick up where he left off last season, huh?

The Red Sox lost a poorly-played season opener to the Orioles in Baltimore last night. Migeul Tejada, Javey Lopez and Rafael Palmeiro all played well in their Baltimore debuts (for Palmeiro, it is a redebut of sorts). Pedro Martinez wasn’t sharp in the second inning, and although he managed to escape major trouble, it was enough to do Boston in. What hurt more were all the scoring opportunities the Red Sox wasted. Considering how good their offense is, that is not likely to happen often.

I sat in for Larry Mahnken this morning in the weekly column he writes with Ben Jacobs about the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry over at The Hardball Times. Ben put it well when he said the loss was more annoying than anything else. Ed Cossette isn’t too bothered either.

I didn’t watch all of the game, but I did enjoy seeing hairy Johnny Damon. He’s really too much, this guy. Talk about a guy who is going above and beyond to cultivate an image as the anti-Yankee; it’s good to see that the spirit of Bill Lee is still alive and well in Boston. My favorite play of the game came when Miguel Tejada flew out to deep center to end the second inning. Damon, running towards the track, recorded the out, and then jumped at the fence like he was taking a lay up, and dropped the ball in a fan’s lap.

Opening Day Special

Play Ball

I recently had the opportunity to talk with Bill James, the world’s most famous sabermetrician. James is a wonderful writer who is currently employed as a special advisor to the Boston Red Sox. His latest book, “The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers,” written with Rob Neyer is due out later this spring. I thought our discussion would make ideal banter on the first full day of the season. Hope you enjoy.

Bronx Banter: Where did you grow up and when did you become a baseball fan?

Bill James: I grew up in Mayetta, Kansas, a town of about 200 people. I became a baseball fan in the spring of 1961, when POST cereals put baseball cards on the back of their cereal boxes. I was just completely captured by them.

BB: Who were your favorite writers, and players growing up?

BJ: Among my first favorite players were Tito Francona, Minnie Minoso, Warren Spahn, Ron Santo, Norm Siebern, Jerry Lumpe and Dick Howser. Among my favorite writers were Jim Murray, whose column was syndicated in the Topeka paper, which I saw every day, and a couple of local guys. . .Jim Hentzen and Dev Nelson.

BB: Can you talk about the influence that Jim Murray and Leonard Koppett had on you.

BJ: Jim Murray was somebody that I read every day in the time when I was learning to write. Murray was a very talented man, able to make almost any subject entertaining by swinging wildly through an unusual mix of figures of speech. From this I learned a) How to construct a figure of speech, and b) The value of not letting an article get too linear, too straight. But what I do is, in a sense, almost the opposite of what Murray did. Murray picked a position on an issue and honed in on it like a laser, logic be damned. I’m the exact opposite; I start with the issue itself and dance all around it before I approach a conclusion. What I do is more like what Koppett did.

BB: Were you a fan of “Sport” magazine during the 1960s and 70s? In particular, did you enjoy Ed Linn and Ray Robinson? Also, who were your favorite radio and TV announcers growing up?

BJ: I’m a huge fan of Ed Linn. Greatest baseball books ever written–“Nice Guys Finish Last,” “Veeck as in Wreck,” “Thirty Tons a Day.” I read Sport magazine religiously from 1961 to 1967, which contained a lot of Ed Linn and Arnold Hano. These guys weren’t looking for a quick hit; they wanted to really take on the subject.

BB: I read Maury Willsí biography “On the Run” this winter because you made mention of it in one of your books. He claims to have revolutionized the game stealing all those bases. Is that accurate? Do you think Lou Brock rode on Wills’ coattails?

BJ: It is not accurate in my opinion. The stolen base revolution started more with Aparicio than with Wills, and was driven mostly by the conditions of the game. Runs were scarce; therefore it made sense to try to manufacture them. Brock was always generous in crediting Wills, and it is impossible to step between them in this way, and say that Brock did NOT owe to Wills what he was so willing to pay to him. But I always thought he had overstated his debt to Wills, frankly. Wills made a huge deal out of getting the biggest possible lead, and he would lecture anyone who would listen about how to get the biggest possible lead. Brock, as a young player, tried to copy that; he tried to study pitchers, as Wills had, and figure out how to get the biggest possible lead. But eventually Brock realized that this was a mistake, that getting a big lead was delaying his break from first base, and that it was much more productive to “time” the pitcher and get an early jump from first than it was to get a big lead. Suppose that two guys are sitting at an intersection, trying to get away quickly when the light turns green. One guys sticks his bumper as far as possible into the intersection and revs his engine. The other guy lays back, waits for the cross streetlight to turn yellow, then gets a rolling start. Who gets away quicker? Of course, the guy who lays back and gets a rolling start gets away much quicker. Same thing; Wills was the guy who tried to get as far into the intersection as he could, never realizing that this was nailing him down in terms of getting an early getaway. Brock finally realized he could steal more

BB: I only remember Brock in his last year, but I grew up watching Rickey Henderson, Rock Raines and Vince Coleman. Do you think baseball will return to the stylistic balance of the 70s and 80s, or will it indefinitely remain a power game?

BJ: I am absolutely certain that neither of those will happen.

BB: Speaking of small ball, do you think Negro League stats will ever be collated in a way that would allow a good analyst to filter the noise out and compare them in some meaningful way to major league stats? Is this project worthwhile or does it just ask a false question?

BJ: I doubt that it can be done. The problem is not simply missing events. The gaps are more profound than that. The schedule was never very regular. You simply don’t have 150-game samples against relatively balanced competition. The games were never played that way. One can never guess what the people of the future will know, and certainly much progress has been made, and certainly more progress will be made. But I don’t see how these stats could ever be pulled up to something approximating the level of American or National League stats from that era.

BB: What do you make of the wealth of baseball writing on the Internet? Does it hold any interest for you?

BJ: I can’t keep up. Reading stuff on the Internet is not natural to me, as it is to younger people. There are zero web sites that I check every day. Also–and this is one of the most critical differences between myself and regular journalists–I can’t keep current on what could be called the general baseball discussion, and I make very little effort to do so. I never have. Why? Limited brain cells. I’m not that smart; I have a limited number of synapses. I always figure if you fill them up with stuff that’s going to change in 24 hours, you have less capacity to really think about the problems you are trying to puzzle through. I know what the BIG stories in the game are, but the little stories that come and go. . .I can’t keep track of them, and I don’t try to.

BB: The amount of baseball writing on the net is overwhelming. I follow the Yankees, and yet there is so much about the team–like their minor league system–that I very little about. It amazes me that some guys can write with authority about more than one team, let alone an entire league. Do you follow of all the stories–large and small–with the Red Sox however? Do you know what’s going on with the team through your relationship with the front office, or do you read the Boston press to find out the scoop?

BJ: Well, I communicate with the front office every day, usually many times a day. But even with the Red Sox, sometimes I miss stuff. Following up on the earlier question. . .you were close to something worth talking about there. It is the instinct of all young writers to walk toward the game, to get as close as possible to the game, to immerse themselves in it. This instinctive behavior then becomes a commandment of sports journalism: they assume, because they’re all doing it, that this must be the right thing to do. I’m sure it is the right thing to do–for them. But I made the decision, 25 years ago or more, to do the opposite: to walk AWAY from the game. I study the game passionately and thoroughly and without end–but from a distance. My decision was to try to see the game as an astronaut would see the planet earth–that is, with a different perspective. Try to see the big picture. Constantly immersing yourself in the details of day-to-day news coverage interferes with your ability to see the bigger picture of the game, at least for me.

BB: During the 2003 season, was your experience working with the Red Sox front office different from what you expected it to be?

BJ: This question requires me to think in ways that I simply don’t think.

BB: After all those years as a baseball “outsider” what’s it like to be on the inside?

BJ: Different.

BB: How many Red Sox games did you watch/attend?

BJ: I saw 23 Red Sox games in person, I believe–3 in Kansas City, 1 in Oakland, and 19 in Boston. I watched all or virtually all of the Red Sox games on TV, taped them and studied them.

BB: Are you enjoying your work with the Red Sox?

BJ: Very, very much. I love Boston. I hate traveling, but I love being in Boston once I get there. And the people I work with there, from John Henry and Theo down to the shoelaces of the organization, have just been fantastic.

BB: Have you met any of the players on the Red Sox personally? Does meeting and talking with ballplayers interest you?

BJ: Ballplayers are simply people. They are as interesting as your neighbors, as interesting as the people you work with–no more and no less.

BB: Other than when Derek Lowe is on the hill, there has been a good deal of debate as to whether second baseman Pokey Reese is as valuable to the Red Sox as he might be to another team. Will his defense be all that valuable behind pitchers such as Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling, neither of whom relies on keeping the ball on the ground to retire the opposition?

BJ: Well, certainly it is going to be MORE of a priority to maximize the infield defense when Lowe is on the mound. But every pitcher appreciates (and needs) defensive support, and we do have other ground ball pitchers, such as Kim and Mendoza. We get an average or above-average number of ground balls. We’re going to go into the bottom of the ninth with a one-run lead sometimes, and we’ll want the best defense out there no matter who is on the mound.

BB: You’ve always championed players like Brain Downing, who was great with the Angels in the eighties. Are there any players like that on the current Sox team? Which Red Sox players are you especially fond of watching?

BJ: My favorite player to watch on the Red Sox is Jason Varitek. Jason has a lot of hustle and a lot of leadership, plus he has a lot of subtle skills that you don’t see unless you focus on him.

BB: What subtle skills does Varitek possess?

BJ: I don’t know if I can describe it. He’s very interactive with the other parts of the game. He interacts with the umpire. He interacts with the other infielders. He interacts with the dugout. He interacts with the pitcher. Of course, much of this is the nature of the catcher’s position, but there are catchers who just go through the motions. Jason’s very alert to how all of those other parts of the game are moving, always looking for ways to contribute.

BB: You have a book that youíve written with Rob Neyer coming out this spring called the Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers. What does this book give us that we’ve never had before?

BJ: A source for specific information about pitchers–who threw a curve ball, who threw a slider, who threw a change. Not on a hit-and-miss, catch-as-catch-can basis, but systematically and thoroughly.

BB: What can we do with it? Will it be a useful tool for further understanding of the game?

BJ: Well, we would certainly hope so. Suppose that you want to study the question of whether the screwball is hard on the arm, or the question of whether pitchers whose best pitch is a sinker reach their peak later than pitchers who best pitch is a curve. This book gives you a starting place to research those questions, or any of a thousand others.

BB: In view of the Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers book soon to be published, do you think that a deception pitch like Rip Sewell’s eephus ball could ever be effective in today’s game?

BJ: Oh, absolutely. Beyond any question it could.

BB: I wanted to ask one Yankee question. In Ben McGrathís New Yorker profile on you which appeared last summer, you said something about how people in Kansas City root against New York more than they do in Boston. Or something to that effect. Have you hated either the Yankees or New York City since you were a kid?

BJ: Well, I love New York City, to begin with, and I wouldn’t exactly say that I hate the Yankees. I root passionately against the Yankees, and I have since I was a small child. It’s like, if you’re watching a car race. . .if you hate somebody you root for them to have an accident. I’ve never rooted for the Yankees to have a car accident. I just want them to lose.

BB: Like Downing, I know youíve always liked Bernie Williams. Do you think heíll be a hall of famer?

BJ: Well, I try to stay out of Hall of Fame arguments. Bernie Williams is one of my favorite players, but I think it is clear that he is not a Hall of Famer based on what he has accomplished yet. He starts the 2004 season with 1,950 career hits. That’s not a Hall of Fame number. Maybe it is if you’re Sam Thompson and you drive in a fantastic number of runs; maybe it is if you’re Earle Combs and the Hall of Fame voters don’t know any better. But in general, Bernie’s numbers are nowhere near Hall of Fame standards.

Gordon Edes has a nice, long column today about the Yankee-Red Sox rivalry. Dan Shaughnessy, Michael Holley, and Jackie MacMullen chime in as well. Meanwhile in New York, John Harper takes a look at Pedro Martinez. Lock and load folks, here we go again: All the Hype you have to hate. (And just luuuvv too.)

By Bruce Markusen
Spring Training Edition

From Madness To A Miracle?

After the stench of last yearís odious mess at Shea Stadium, fans of the New York Mets should be excused for excessive hyperventilation this spring. For the first time since the pennant-winning season of 2000, the Mets have a team that borders on the likeable. More importantly, they may have the makings of a club that can set a reasonable goal of competing for the National Leagueís wild card berth. Yes, itís amazing what can happen when a new front office adds one of the gameís three best defensive center fielders, finds a powerful rookie shortstop who resembles nothing close to the feeble limitations of Rey Ordonez, and fortifies a shredded bullpen with a playoff-tested veteran and a group of hardball-humming youngsters.

At the very least, the Mets will be a much improved defensive team in 2004. Mike Cameron, whoís used to playing spacious outfields, should have little trouble making the transition to the tricky winds and mind-numbing airplane noise of Shea Stadium; the Mets can point to pages of statistical analysis that declare Cameron as the gameís best defensive center fielder. With Japanese sensation Kaz Matsui and sophomore stud Jose Reyes (assuming his hamstring problems donít become chronic) manning the middle infield, the Mets may have the kind of athleticism and range that the rival Yankees can only dream about at second and short. (Letís just hope that Super Joe McEwing receives a minimum of playing time this summer.) The decision to flip-flop Mike Piazza and Jason Phillips is long overdue, improving the teamís catching while doing minimal damage to first base. And if Shane Spencer and Karim Garcia end up platooning in right field, theyíll be more than adequate (and better than wrong-way Roger Cedeno); both are limited in range, but are surehanded and can throw, with Garcia possessing one of the gameís most underrated outfield arms.

All of the past transactions aside, the Mets may have some options on the trading block for future improvements. Several teams have called to inquire about the availability of Vance Wilson, one of the National Leagueís better backup catchers. The Mets are saying no for now, but theyíll change their minds for the right price, knowing that they have both Phillips and Piazza available to catch immediately, with top prospect Justin Huber primed for arrival in 2005. The Mets also have depth in their bullpen, thanks in part to the luring of ex-Marlin Braden Looper, which is always a nice springtime commodity. Some members of the Metsí brass would like to make room for 26-year-old Orber Moreno, who has resuscitated his career after suffering a torn labrum during his days with the Royals. (And no, heís no relation to “Omar the Outmaker,” the original O. Moreno.) The much improved Grant Roberts is one pitcher who has drawn interest from other teams; he could end up as the Metsí fifth starter, in the bullpen, or in some other major league market during the season. Tyler Yates is another attractive commodity to rival clubs, but the Mets have no intention of trading the hard-throwing right-hander, who will probably start the season at Triple-A Norfolk.

With catching and pitching to spare, what do the Mets want in return? Theyíre still on the lookout for outfield help and have talked to the Blue Jays about Jayson Werth, whoís out of options but is still only 24, and to the Pirates about Sabermetric favorite Craig Wilson, who just canít seem to win the favor of manager Lloyd McClendon. Both Werth and the underrated Wilson would make sense in right field, either as everyday players or in a platoon with Garcia. Another possibility is Baltimoreís Jay Gibbons, who can be had for the right package of young pitching. A left-handed swinger, Gibbons could platoon with Spencer, who has never mastered right-handed pitching (a .313 OBP and a .371 slugging mark over the past three years)

Don Malcolm has an interesting analysis of the 2004 Red Sox over at Baseball Primer. He isn’t convinced that Boston is as good as many people think they are. Sadly–and I’m not being facetious—Nomar Garciaparra was placed on the DL (joining Trot Nixon) with Achilles’ tendinitis:

“It will be three weeks without playing in games, for sure,” Epstein said. “It’s similar to Trot’s situation. The whole point of an aggressive rest and rehab routine like this is to knock the injury out. It’s a long season. It’s a long career. We want to make sure we put this behind us so it doesn’t become more chronic.”

…”The doctor ordered a lot of rest and sitting on my couch,” Garciaparra said. “He says he’ll talk to me once a week. I’m sure it’ll be more to make sure I am sitting on my couch, which I will be. It’ll definitely be hard, but I’ll be cheering them on.”

Pedro Martinez was smacked around in his last outing of the spring. Michael Holley has a good piece on the mercurial Dominican in the Boston Globe this morning. Jayson Stark reports:

Behind the plate, a section full of scouts scratched their heads. Martinez had touched 90 mph on just a couple of fastballs. He delivered them from an arm slot noticeably lower than the Pedro of old.

“I could never give that guy a three-year contract,” said one scout. “He’s got two years left in him. Tops.”

…Pitching coach Dave Wallace chalked it all up to a case of the “spring-training yips.”

“He’s just anxious to get going and get through spring training,” Wallace said. “I’ve seen a lot of strange stuff happen this time of year.”

But this was, in reality, as strange as it gets. And Martinez’s body language had communicated real frustration — such as the time he got so irritated over not getting a low strike call from plate ump Marty Foster that he caught Varitek’s toss back to the mound with his bare hand.

Never a dull moment with Martinez and the Red Sox, huh? Yankee fans should resist the temptation to feel smug here. I suspect that Boston and New York will go back-and-forth sending players to the DL during the season. Like Boss George says, it’s how you finish that counts.

I went back and re-read Robert Ward’s infamous “Reggie Jackson in No-Man’s Land” article last night (it is in Glenn Stout’s collection of Yankee writing, “Top of the Heap”). Man, it’s still funny. They sure don’t make ’em like Jackson–or Billy the Kid, for that matter–anymore. Ward spoke with Jackson during the slugger’s first spring training with the Yankees, but the article didn’t appear until June (in Sport magazine), by which time tensions had eased considerably between Jackson and Thurman Munson. When the piece came out, the feud was fired up all over again. It would continue throughout the 1977 season, ending of course when Jackson hit four home runs on four consecutive pitches (with a base on balls inbetween) as the Yankees beat the Dodgers in the World Serious.

Anyhow, here are some of Reggie’s finest moments from the article:

“I’ve got problems other guys don’t have. I’ve go this big image that comes before me, and I’ve got to adjust to it. Or what it has been projected to be. That’s not ‘me’ really, but I’ve got to deal with it. Also, I used to be known as a black athlete, now I’m respected as a tremendoous intellect.

…You know…this team…it flows from me. I’ve got to keep it all going. I’m the straw that stirs the drink. It all comes back to me. Maybe I should say me and Munson…but really he doesn’t enter into it. He’s being so damned insecure about the whole thing. I’ve overheard him talking about me…I’ll hear him telling some other writer tha he wants it to be known that he’s the captain of the team, that he knows what’s best. Stuff like that. And when anybody knocks me, he’ll laugh real loud so that I can hear it…

You see, that is the way I am. I’m a leader, and I can’t lie down…but ‘leader’ isn’t the right word…it’s a matter of PRESENCE…Let me put it this way: No team I am on will ever be humilated the way the Yankees were by the Reds in the World Series! That’s why Munson can’t intimidate me. Nobody can. you can’t psyche me. You take me one-on-one in the pit, and I’ll whip you…It’s an attitude, really…It’s the way the manager looks at you when you come into the room…It’s the way the coaches and the batboy look at you…The way your name trickles through the crowd when you wait in the batter’s box…It’s all that…The way the Yankees were humilated by the Reds? You think that doesn’t bother Billy Martin. He’s no fool. He’s smart. Very smart. And he’s a winner. Munson’s tough, too. He is a winner, but there is just nobody who can do for a club what I can do…There is nobody who can put meat in the seats [fans in the stands] the way I can. That’s just the way it is…Munson thinks he can be the straw that stirs the drink, but he can only stir bad.”

Catfish Hunter, who had played with Jackson in Oakland years before, told Ward, “The thing you have to understand about Reggie is that he wants everyone to love him.”

Alex Rodriguez is no Reggie Jackson, but I get the feeling that he wants everybody to love him too. I don’t think Rodriguez is capable to making any “straw that stirs the drink” comments, but I wouldn’t put it past him for his mouth (insecurities) to get him in trouble sooner or later.

The Sports Illustrated Baseball Preview issue is out today. Kerry Wood is on the cover and the headline reads: “Hell Freezes Over: The Cubs Will Win the World Series.” Ah, the SI jinx. The boys at The Cub Reporter are going to love this. Then again, considering how jinxed the Cubs have been, how could this really hurt?

There is an entertaining two-part preview of the 2004 Mets over at The Shea Hot Corner (part one and part two). Met fans, head on over and check it out.

Alex Rodriguez has an article about coming to play for the Yankees written with Dan LeBatard for ESPN the magazine. It is a far cry from Reggie Jackson’s “I’m the straw that stirs the drink” 1977 article in Sport magazine, but there is something needy about the tone of the piece all the same. Rodriguez come across more like Sally Field, as somebody who desperately wants to be liked. It’s as if Rodriguez is trying to convince us what a good guy he is.

It speaks to Rodriguez’s insecurities that he felt the need to come out with an article like this. But he does make some interesting comments. One particularly struck me:

Fear of failure is what fuels me, keeps me on edge and sharp. I’m not as good when I’m comfortable.

This reminded me of a Lou Piniella quote that I read in Michael Lewis’ fine piece in last Sunday’s New York Times Magazine:

HE WILL NEVER BE A TOUGH COMPETITOR. HE DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE.

I think that is what Rodriguez is talking about. Considering how much failure is inherent in the life of a baseball player, it makes perfect sense. You could say the same applies to being a great comic or rock star too. Once you get too comfortable, you are sunk. After all, Sir Lawrence Olivier threw up before almost every performance he ever gave on the stage. I doubt if Rodriguez gets physically ill before every game, but I’m sure he’s not overly confident on the days he goes 4-4 either.

p.s. The Lewis article is really terrific. It’s long, but a must-read.

Yankees 12, D-Rays, 1

Ah, just what the Yankees needed to avoid a full-scale disaster. The Yankees blasted the Devil Rays in the second game of the season, leaving New York sports writers with nothing much to write about for the next five days. Pity for them, but good for us fans. Jorge Posada homered twice and collected six RBI. Fittingly, Hideki Matsui also homered. Jason Giambi, Kenny Lofton and Gary Sheffield also had good offensive games. Kevin Brown allowed a run in the first, but was his usual stingy self. He threw seven innings, allowed six hits and struck out five. Tom Gordon pitched a scoreless eighth, and Mariano Rivera whiffed two in a scoreless ninth.

I didn’t see any of the game. If you did, whatta ya here, whatta ya say?

Tampa 8, New York 3

I only caught the second and third innings. Mussina didn’t look sharp, and I guess the Rays eventually got to him. Giambi homered. For those who did watch it, how ugly was it? Discuss.

Hideki Matsui gave the people what they paid to see when he hit a home run in his return to Japan on Sunday. The Yankees beat Godzillaís former club, the Giants, 6-2. (Donovan Osborne was rocked in the Yankeesí second exhibition game, against the Hanshin Tigers )

It may have been Matsuiís moment, but as Joel Sherman writes, this is really the about the beginning of the Alex Rodriguez era in New York.
Joe Torre has announced the Opening Day line-up. The most notable decision was that Kenny Lofton will bat ninth. Derek Jeter will lead off, followed by Matsui. (How do you like them apples? Who says Torre isnít capable of a surprise here and there?) Of course, the heart of the order will be Rodriguez-Giambi-Sheffield, with Posada, Sierra (DH), Wilson and Lofton making up the bottom half of the line-up.

Lofton isn’t happy about batting ninth, but quite frankly, who cares? I’m sure there will be plenty of things that upset Mr. Lofton in 2004. But hey, it could be worse: he could be playing in Pittsburgh.

The Daily News has its 2004 season preview today. Naturally, there is much about the Yankees-Sox continuing rivalry. Always the realist, Mike Mussina offers his pragmatic take on the situation:

“You write a great book, you make a great movie, you write a great song, an album, how do you follow it up?” says Mike Mussina. “You have to, but I don’t know how you beat last season. You can add all the people you want, but you can’t make the stakes any higher.”

Here Come the Smart Guys

The Baseball Prospectus book signing at Barnes and Noble in downtown Brooklyn was a lot of fun last night. It started promptly at seven. I don’t think I got there until a quarter past. Of course Jay Jaffe was the first guy I saw, just as he was about to walk into the store. Same thing happened a few weeks ago at the pizza feed in Times Square. I saw Jay, with his pal Nick Stone, just as I was arriving at the restaurant. My man Jay. We walked in and could hear Joe Sheehan’s voice muffled through a microphone from upstairs. So up we went.

There was a nice turn out. I don’t know, 30-35 people? Maybe more. Mostly men, but a couple of women too. Standing and sitting. There was pizza (the Dude abides). Basically it was a was a cluster of baseball nerds all huddled together talking about PECOTA and steroids and why some teams are luckier than others in the playoffs, and good stuff like that. I think it’s a completely enjoyable experience. Being a nerd and being proud of it. Other people stopped by to listen as well and Jay and I stood in the back next to the pizza, with our friend, Cliff Corcoran.

As we settled in, Doug Pappas, who is an all-of-a-piece-baseball-nut -I mean really a classic was talking about performance-inhancing drugs when this round, bearded man with a funny, blue baseball hat, helped himself to a slice of pizza and stood next to Jay. Pappas was the oldest writer in the group, and though he’s not what I expected him to look like, he was perfect. And very bright.

I don’t know that Jay was aware of the funny bearded guy next to him, but I was. This guy was a too much. Looked like a combination of John Belushi and Danny Devito, full, thick black beard. Think about the illustration of the Brooklyn Bum on the pack page of the Daily News when the Dodgers finally beat the Yanks in ’55, OK. He had the plastic shopping bag, and the rumpled suit. Staring straight ahead, listening to Pappas, chomping on his free pizza. What kind of quirky Paul Mazursky bit is this?

By the time Dayn Perry was up to talk, the fat guy had had enough and moved on to better things in the self-improvement section. Dayn was a nice surprise. Not that I expected him to be a putz. I have followed his work for a while, and enjoyed it very much but I had no conecption of what he looked like or sounded like. As Alex Ciepley told me later, “I didn’t realize just how southern he was.” Dayn is very southern, in the best possible way I suppose. I don’t know too many southerners, but Dayn has a slow, easy, and direct way about him, that I would associate with a cool southerner is like.

Prospectus had five guys at the signing. Doug and Dayn were joined by Steven Goldman, Nate Silver and one of BP’s founding members, Joe Sheehan. Each guy took a turn fielding questions. Sheehan acted as the emcee of sorts. Joe is polished, and composed in front of an crowd. He could be on TV. He is precise, self-aware and smart. He’s like an old pro with the audience communication skills. But let’s face it: the guy is from New York. Respect due. Why shouldn’t he be good on his feet, talking in front of people?

Ah, it’s an assumption on my part, I know. But I have rucchmones with Sheehan. Joe and I were born within five months of each other, and it’s likely that we were born in the same hospital (Columbia Pres). How old do you have to get before discovering you were in the same grade with a someone instantly bonds you somehow? Joe grew up in Inwood, and I originally lived on the upper west side. Sheehan may have been residing in southern California for the last dozen or so years, but everthing about him says New Yorker. And that’s what it so appealing about him. Get Sheehan to go on TBS and talk hoops with Kenny “the Jet” Smith, and he’d be a cinch. The guy is a natural sports talker.

I didn’t get a chance to hear Steven, but Goldman was there anyway, standing behind Nate and Pappas (who were seated at a table), with his hands resting on chest, holding the edges of his jacket. He looked like an Orson Welles publicity still circa “The Magnificient Ambersons.” All he needed was a pipe, and some slippers.

It was a comically studied, self-aware posture. You know slightly self-depricating; one that looked completely comfortable as well. Goldman is a big guy, with a great shock of black hair and black rimmed glasses. He has these terrific, expressive eyebrows and an easy smile. He’s entirely sympathetic. One of those dudes you look at and say, “Man, isn’t he such a good guy?” And I’m telling you, looking at him, all I could think was what Al Hirshfield could do with him in that pose, next to the charactures of the other guys. He would make a fine Al Hirshfield drawing.

Nate Silver would too, and he was a very good with the audience. Nate looks like a kid, but he comes across with the confidence of an adult. He was not rattled talking in front of people and he made eye-contact with the people who asked the questions. I got the sense that he tried to answer each one to the best of his ability. He wasn’t overly concerned with having the “right” answer.

The great thing about Nate is that he doesn’t look like a baseball guy. He looks like a numbers whiz or a record nerd or some kind of nerdy guy. But he’s completely comfortable in his nerdiness, which makes him less nerdy. He was actually assertive and confident in a way that some of the other speakers were not. (He later told me he had been on the debate team, and it shows.) Nate doesn’t come across like an awkward dork, he comes across as someone who is extremely comfortable with his intelligence.

Silver doesn’t project any insecurities about being as smart and I always find that to be an inviting and welcoming quality. I love that in people. He’s humble. Silver is more interested in sharing his knowledge and having a dialogue than being right all the time, or superior in any way. He’s completely impressive. No two ways about it: Nate projects well.

After the signing, their was mingling and then a gangle of us headed west on Atlantic avenue and settled in a neighborhood bar. It was a bar for local locals in their twenties and thirties. The place was still pretty much empty when we arrived which means that we staked out a good spot in and around a slightly elevated area that had tables and booths. Later in the night, the place filled up and a this mo mo who looked like Kenneth Branaugh spun records. He played eighties music and had his shirt open half way down his chest. Jeez what a stroker.

But the vibe was good, and a good bunch of guys were there, including Alex Ciepley, Derek Jacques, and Pete Fornitell. Must have been about a dozen of us or so. And it was a fine night, hanging out with dudes, talking about baseball. What more could you ask for to keep you grounded as a guy?