SNY New York Baseball Today Video
Posted by Steve L. on May 6th, 2009 · Comments (0)
To watch SNY.tv’s New York Baseball Today, which features a rotating panel of experts, click play below:
Remembering Past Semi-Contemporary Yankees Connections
Posted by Steve L. on May 6th, 2009 · Comments (9)
One of my high school teachers passed away last Friday. Someone sent me the news via facebook today.
I haven’t thought about this teacher in a very long time. It’s probably been at least 22 years since I last thought of him – maybe longer. But, he was one of my favorites back in high school. He was in his mid-30′s when I attended his class – and was young enough to still be able to relate to a teenager. And, he was a Yankees fan.
If you think I’m a bit of a Yankees nut now, you should have seen me when I was younger. I went to High School from September of 1976 through June of 1980. So, while I attended this teacher’s class, it was the time when Martin/Steinbrenner/Reggie/Munson were in their Yankees heyday. It was the 1970′s and a fun time to be a teenage Yankees fan.
Since it was obvious that I was a Yankees fanatic, this teacher quickly picked up on that – and we used to have some good banter about the Yankees, fan-to-fan. It was probably the first time – at least that I can remember – that I, as a young adult, engaged in Yankees conversation for an extended period of time with an older adult who was not a family member, neighbor, or friend of the family…where I enjoyed the conversation.
What a bummer to hear of his passing. Sixty-six is too young. And, I feel bad that it’s taken the news of his death for me to think about him again.
How about you? Is there someone from your far-off-past that you had a unique Yankees-connection with…who you haven’t thought about in a long time? Maybe today is a good day to honor that relationship by thinking of the person again?
Some Yanks Fans Chant “We Want Torre!”
Posted by Steve L. on May 6th, 2009 · Comments (15)
Via Mark Feinsand -
The Bombers dropped a 7-3 decision to Boston Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium, giving the Red Sox five straight wins over the Yankees – the first time since 1985 that Boston has opened the season series with five consecutive wins over its storied rival.
That April, Yogi Berra was fired as manager after just 16 games. Could Joe Girardi be headed for the same fate if the Yankees don’t turn things around quickly? Some fans seemed to be hoping as much, shouting “We Want Torre!” in the ninth inning.
“It’s not any fun, that’s for sure,” Girardi said. “It’s frustrating. It’s not the way you want to start the season, but it’s where we are and we have to do something about it. The only people that can turn it around are the people in that room – and that’s all of us.”
I fully endorsed the hiring of Joe Girardi as Yankees manager. And, I truly like the man as a person. But, the fact of the matter is that, between his time with the Florida Marlins and the New York Yankees, to date, no team managed by Joe Girardi has ever spent a day in first place, outside of the first day of the season, where they had a lead. Further, other than April 16, 2008, when the Yankees were briefly tied for first place in the A.L. East, for one day only, no Joe Girardi managed team has spent a day in first place – outside of the first day of the season.
So, in two full years plus, Joe Girardi, as a manager, has gotten just a one day sniff at being in first place – and he didn’t even own that day…as his team was tied for first with someone else.
This all said, if you’re the Yankees, how long do you wait until Girardi gets his team into first place this season? Another month? Another sixty days? Five months? Another year?
If you were running the Yankees, what would you do in terms of granting time to Girardi to do his job?
Me? As much as I admire the man, I would not be against sticking a stake in the ground around the date of June 15th. And, if the Yankees are not playing exciting baseball at that point, maybe it’s time for a change?
Of course, that leads to a bigger question: Who would the Yankees choose to replace Girardi?
Who would you choose, if it was your call?
Me? I’d really have to think about that one. But, if I had to make a call, right now, without the benefit of being able to think it over, I’d probably interview Willie Randolph. I can’t say, for sure, that Willow is the right man for the job. But, he is the first experienced name who comes to mind.
May 5th vs. The Red Sox
Posted by Steve L. on May 6th, 2009 · Comments (11)
Sorry. I cannot get as excited, as some, over Joba Chamberlain’s “electric” (which is a word that Cone or Kay used on YES tonight) performance where he struck out 12 in 5 2/3 innings pitched. Why? Because he allowed the first five batters that he faced in this game to reach base, with the first four scoring, before he went on to whiff twelve of twenty. And, that first inning put the Yankees out of this game – as New York went on to lose this game by four runs.
So, to date, the Yankees are 0-5 against the Boston Red Sox and 13-8 against everyone else that they’ve played this season. And, because of this, it’s safe to say – albeit killing me to admit this – at this moment in time the Yankees are not in the same class as the Red Sox…from the top to the bottom of their organizations…meaning the front office, the coaching staff, the major league rosters, and the minor league systems. Granted, this could change by the end of the season. But, now, Boston is better than New York.
How did this happen? I’m not certain…
But, oh-and-five is oh-and-five…and Boston has beat New York in many different ways during those five games.
Oh, well, on the bright-side, the Yankees don’t have to face the Red Sox again until over a month from now…and, at this moment, that’s fine by me.
Zack Greinke & Phil Hughes
Posted by Steve L. on May 5th, 2009 · Comments (8)
A colleague at work, who is also a Yankees fan, today made note of Zack Greinke’s season to date (to me), as well as where Greinke was when he was 23-years old, and then pointed out that Phil Hughes is now also 23-years old…implying that Hughes could be as good, in two years, as Greinke is now.
This got me curious – and I decided to check something out.
Phil Hughes, to date, has made 5 starts in the major leagues, in his career, where he’s gone on to pitch a game that had a Game Score of 60 or better. Zack Greinke, by the time he was the age that Hughes is now, had made 21 starts in the major leagues where he went on to pitch a game that had a Game Score of 60 or better.
That’s five versus twenty-one. So, simply put, Zack Greinke was, by far, more proven at the big league level by the time he was the age that Phil Hughes is now.
Sure, Phil Hughes might go on to become a solid big league pitcher. But, let’s not compare him to Zack Greinke right now…because Hughes is so far behind Greinke, in terms of what they’ve established at the big league level by the age of 23, that it’s night and day.
MLB Expands A-Rod Investigation To Include Pitch-Tipping Rap
Posted by Steve L. on May 5th, 2009 · Comments (2)
Via Jon Heyman -
Major League Baseball is expanding its investigation of Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez by adding the pitch-tipping allegation spelled out in Selena Roberts’ new book A-Rod to the agenda, people familiar with the inquiry told SI.com.
While MLB is expected to call back Rodriguez himself, as well as others connected to those 2001-03 Texas Rangers teams when the pitch tipping supposedly took place, the expectation to prove any pitch tipping on Rodriguez’s part has to be extraordinarily low.
MLB’s burden of proof in a case like that would have to be extremely high to take action; they’d need either Rodriguez to admit to the charges, or for someone else intimately involved to swear to it. It would seem futile to go over video of the games and try to match up alleged tips and pitches, especially since ex-Rangers teammates have come forward to say they didn’t notice any tipping, and they were there.
Sounds like a smoke and mirrors due diligence attempt here by MLB, if you ask me…
WasWatching.com Water Cooler Talk 5/5/09
Posted by Steve L. on May 5th, 2009 · Comments (10)
Click here for more information about this entry.
The World Got A Little Less Funnier Today
Posted by Steve L. on May 5th, 2009 · Comments (2)
Posada Out, Cervelli In
Posted by Steve L. on May 5th, 2009 · Comments (16)
Via Mark Feinsand -
The Yankees’ lineup took a bit hit Tuesday when catcher Jorge Posada was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a Grade 2 strain of his right hamstring.
Posada suffered the injury Monday night while sliding in the sixth inning. He left the game in the eighth for a pinch-hitter. Francisco Cervelli was recalled from Double-A Trenton to replace Posada on the active roster. He will wear No. 29.
The Yankees have not announced a timetable for Posada’s return.
I would not be shocked if Posada is out until the beginning of July.
Think about it. Say he needs four weeks to heal. (It seems like a lot, but, hammy’s are tricky. You need it to heal, 100%, because, if you don’t, it’s easy to aggravate.) That brings you to June 2nd. After healing – meaning no activity – then he’ll need time to rehab and get his timing down, etc. That should be at least two weeks (if not more). Let’s say it’s three weeks. That brings you to June 23rd. Then, of course, you have the Yankees factor of not wanting to rush a guy…so, add another week. That brings you to June 30th.
Two months without Posada with Jose Molina replacing him? Defensively, that’s no problem. Offensively, that’s a big problem. If you’re playing Molina on a regular basis, and you’re the Yankees, then you have to ensure that you’re getting offensive production from your center fielder and right fielder – along with Damon, A-Rod, Jeter, Cano, Teixeira, and Matsui continuing to play at expected levels. Otherwise, you’re giving away too many outs in a game – like what happened with Molina, Cano and Cabrera creating a black hole in the offense.
As Yankees fans, let’s hope that Melky Cabrera and Nick Swisher keep being productive – especially with ‘Sado out for the next two months.
SNY New York Baseball Today Video
Posted by Steve L. on May 5th, 2009 · Comments (0)
To watch SNY.tv’s New York Baseball Today, which features a rotating panel of experts, click play below:
Yanks Misled & Mistreated Fans (And Legend) At Stadium?
Posted by Steve L. on May 5th, 2009 · Comments (10)
Via the Daily News -
Hundreds of irate fans – some who claim Yankee employees told them the game had been rained out – stormed away from Yankee Stadium before Monday night’s game against the Red Sox even got underway and couldn’t get back in, resulting in a an ugly scene at one of the ticket gates.
With rain falling for hours and no start time announced until shortly before 9 p.m., hordes of fans began leaving the Stadium and heading home – some who said they had been advised that the game had been called by Yankee employees who walked the concourse holding pinstriped “How may I help you?” signs.
When a 9:20 p.m. start time was eventually announced over the public address system, a crowd on the sidewalk outside Gate 6 tried to get back into the Stadium, only to have the employees working the turnstiles promptly close the doors in their faces. Panicked fans began racing up and down the sidewalk, trying to find a way back into the ballpark, while others remained at Gate 6 either pleading or demanding to be let back in.
“We talked to the security personnel, who said there was zero chance they were going to play the game,” said Tom Stuart, a 27-year-old from Astoria who waited out most of the rain delay before leaving with his girlfriend. “We spent three hours drinking beer – you can’t drink much because they’re 10 bucks apiece – now they’re going to play a game in front of 35 fans.”
Becky Wright, who flew in from Oregon for Monday night’s game, had bought two tickets as a birthday present for her 16-year-old son, Seth O’Neil. They left the game because “the guys holding the ‘How may I help you signs?’ said they weren’t going to play,” said Wright. They were among the hundreds of fans outside Gate 6 trying to get back into the Stadium.
Jason Zillo, a Yankee spokesman, said the team has a firm no-reentry policy. He also said the NYPD and Stadium security hadn’t let any fans back into the ballpark.
“We’re a part of hundreds of people, if not thousands,” said Martin Watson, a 39-year-old New Yorker who spent $800 for four tickets and tried to reenter through Gate 6. “This is not fan-friendly. This is B.S. You pay money for a top-of-the-line franchise, and you get bottom-of-the-line customer service.”
“I built this Stadium and they won’t let me in it,” a man wearing a local union jacket said before storming off.
While fans were being rebuffed outside Gate 6, scores were having their tickets rescanned outside Gate 4 and being allowed back into the Stadium, but that lasted only for a limited time.
One fan, who was wearing a No. 2 Derek Jeter jersey and a backward Yankee hat, approached a reporter to say he had been let back in, but couldn’t do so because the Yankees wouldn’t rescan his father’s ticket. A turnstile supervisor directed the reporter and several fans to the customer service window, which was locked.
At least one fan was arrested outside the Stadium. Roseanna Franco, 25, of White Plains, was charged with assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest after she allegedly kicked a New York City police officer after not being let back in.
Stadium security also threatened to revoke the credential of Daily News photographer Robert Sabo, who was shooting the scene outside Gate 6 – a location photographers weren’t prohibited from working at on Opening Day.
“They were super-embarrassed and told me to go back to my position on the field or they’d take my credential,” Sabo said.
After most of the crowd had dispersed outside Gate 6, turnstile workers opened the doors and began letting people back into the Stadium. But it was already too late for hundreds of fans.
Hey, the fans shouldn’t feel bad. For what it’s worth, at the new Stadium, the Yankees recently also rudely treated Paul O’Neill and his wife too.
Strange. I would bet that the Yankees try and write this stuff off as being the bugs of opening up a new Stadium. But, really, did they never have a two-hour rain delay before a game at the old Stadium? And, did they never have a former Yankee, and current broadcaster, and his wife visiting the park at the old Stadium? These are not situations that are unique to the new Stadium, and, therefore, they should have been handled better by the organization. Hopefully, we’ll never hear of these types of situations happening in Yankeeland again – because, they should just not be happening, period.
(H/T to BBTF on the stories.)
SNY WheelHouse: Who’s Better, Cash Or Theo?
Posted by Steve L. on May 5th, 2009 · Comments (20)
The crew, yesterday on SNY’s WheelHouse, discuss the question. Here’s the video:
What do you think? If you had to point out one thing that Brian Cashman has done better than Theo Epstein, what would you say?
May 4th vs. The Red Sox
Posted by Steve L. on May 4th, 2009 · Comments (19)
With this game starting two hours late – and, bless those fans who are at the Stadium and who sat out that rain delay – I’m going to kick-off this game commentary now, as the Yankees bat in the bottom of the 3rd inning (at 10:30 pm ET), and then close it out tomorrow. (I get up at 5:30 am ET to go to work – and there’s no way I can stay up to provide commentary at the end of this game…whenever that happens.)
Phil Hughes has thrown 78 pitches through his first 3 innings. Yes, this is what I was worried about back on April 23rd. But, I’m willing to give Hughes a mulligan on this one. His start was pushed back a day. He’s pitching in terrible weather. It’s his first start ever at the new Stadium. Sure, to some, those sound like excuses. But, be that as it may, I want to see Phil Hughes’ third start in the majors – following his first against the Tigers and this one against the Red Sox – before making any judgements on whether the Phil Hughes of 2009 is the same ol’ Hughes or the new and improved Hughes.
At this moment, the bigger fish in my frying pan is the hope that I’ll wake up on Tuesday and hear about how the Yankees came back to win this game. Maybe on a Mark Teixeira grand slam in the bottom of the 14th inning….wouldn’t that be a nice story?
The morning after update: I ended up pushing it, staying up until the bottom of the 6th inning of this one, before turning in. So, it was 4-3, Boston, with the Yankees having 3 more shots at it when my head hit the pillow. As such, I was hoping to see a “W” when I woke up this AM. No luck. I’m starting to think it’s time to begin forming a “We should have went for Bay instead of Nady” lament. Worse, out of this game, is the news about Posada. Last time I checked, a catcher needs a workable hamstring. This could be very, very, bad news…
Lastly, on the Tim Bogar sign stealing thing…what’s new there? Remember Manny Ramirez and Yadier Molina in the 2004 World Series? This is what the Red Sox do…and, it’s part of the game. If the Yankees are upset about it, the answer is simple: Send a message and also do a better job at hiding your signs.
Joba’s Mom Suspected Of Selling Meth
Posted by Steve L. on May 4th, 2009 · Comments (4)
Via the AP -
The mother of New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain has been arrested on charges of selling methamphetamine to an undercover police officer in February.
Jacqueline Standley was arrested at her apartment Saturday night, Lincoln Police Capt. David Beggs said Monday.
Beggs said she sold 1 gram of a substance believed to be meth to an officer for $110 on Feb. 11. The substance was confirmed as meth at the state laboratory.
The 44-year-old Standley was charged Monday with delivery of an exceptionally hazardous drug, a felony. Her bail was set at $5,000 and she was assigned a public defender, whose name was not on her jail record.
Last month, Chamberlain pleaded guilty to drunken driving and was given nine months probation and a $400 fine for his October arrest.
In the process, Joba’s mom secured a spot in the Mugshot Hall of Shame.
Hey, this is no different from the brother of 2008 A.L. MVP Award winner Dustin Pedroia getting busted for one count of oral copulation involving a child under age fourteen.
You can pick your friends; but, you can’t pick your family.
Chamberlain will probably get an earful on this when he’s warming up in sundry visiting bullpens of Yankees rivals. But, he’ll be smart to ignore it all – as hard as it may be to block out some drunk yahoo screaming “Your mother is a drug pusher!” at you. As Yankees fans, let’s hope that Joba strong enough to get through this and not let it become something down the line that impacts his career.
WasWatching.com Water Cooler Talk 5/4/09
Posted by Steve L. on May 4th, 2009 · Comments (27)
Click here for more information about this entry.
A Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez – Book Excerpt
Posted by Steve L. on May 4th, 2009 · Comments (1)
Want to read an excerpt from Selena Roberts’ book “A Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez”?
MYFOXNY.COM has one from Chapter One. Click here to read it. And, feel free to share your thoughts on this in the comments section below.
May 2009 Survey Question #1
Posted by Steve L. on May 4th, 2009 · Comments (12)
Please consider taking the following poll:
If you were running the Yankees, and you had the option to void the remainder of Alex Rodriguez' contract with the team, as of today, would you exercise that option and let him become a Free Agent right now?
Thanks in advance. And, please feel free to add comments on your opinion in the comments section below.
SNY New York Baseball Today Video
Posted by Steve L. on May 4th, 2009 · Comments (0)
To watch SNY.tv’s New York Baseball Today, which features a rotating panel of experts, click play below:
Bob Costas MLB Network Interview Of Selena Roberts
Posted by Steve L. on May 3rd, 2009 · Comments (6)
Via the MLB official website:
The author of a new book on Alex Rodriguez said Sunday night that she believes Rodriguez used performance-enhancing substances during his time with the Yankees. Rodriguez has said his use of banned substances happened only when he played for the Texas Rangers.
Selena Roberts, who also co-authored the Sports Illustrated piece that led to Rodriguez’s admission of steroid use in February, told MLB Network in an interview with Bob Costas that her reporting has led her to conclude that his usage of PEDs was not limited to his time with Texas.
I had a chance to catch this MLB Network “exclusive” when it aired live at 7 pm ET this evening.
It was interesting to hear Roberts share that most of what she is reporting in the book was derived via “links” and “associations” in the absence of a smoking gun – while at the same time saying that, to date, A-Rod has provided a “threadbare acknowledgment” of his PED usage. Related, while it’s somewhat clear, now, that Roberts provides very little attribution in her book, she claims that she applied the same “litmus test” in vetting out her sources as when she reported that Rodriguez used PEDs in Texas – which Alex later confirmed, himself.
There’s enough stuff here on each side of the fence to keep both the A-Rod supporters and Roberts believers busy on this debate for a while. And, for good measure, in the post-interview recap, MLB Network reporter Tom Verducci reminded us that there have been many major stories in the history of journalism that have been broken via the utilization of unnamed sources.
Yet, what I found most interesting about this whole event was that the MLB Network – which is the official voice of Major League Baseball – elected to have a one-hour “special presentation” devoted to interviewing Selena Roberts on the eve of her new book coming out on Alex Rodriguez. We’ve come a long way from 1970, haven’t we? Somehow, I don’t see (then) MLB commissioner Bowie Kuhn giving Jim Bouton a one-hour special to promote Ball Four the day before its release date.
Alex Rodriguez is supposed to be one of the crown jewels of Major League Baseball, right? After all, MLBAM hosts a website devoted to A-Rod, no?
Do you think, if, Selena Roberts had written a book which disclosed that American Idol was a fake and/or cheat, that the FOX Network would give her a one-hour special to basically pitch the work? Probably not – even with FOX’s rep to do anything for ratings. So, why would baseball support someone who’s trying to knock one of their assets down several pegs?
Sure, maybe the MLB Network is just trying to make a case that they’re an independent media source. You know, like how MLB.com puts that closing tag of “This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs” at the end of its reports. Yeah, maybe that’s it…
Or, is Major League Baseball so ticked with the A-Rod circus and the alleged acts therein that they’ll do anything to help support a case against him? Heck, for all we know, the Yankees could have urged baseball to support Roberts – with the hope that her book will enable baseball to uncover something on Rodriguez which will allow New York to void A-Rod’s contract (which now looks like a huge burden to the Yankees in the years 2013 through 2017 – if not sooner).
What did you think of the MLB interview of Selena Roberts today and the choice of baseball to air it?
Week 4 – 2009
Posted by Steve L. on May 3rd, 2009 · Comments (5)
What stands out the most in my mind, this past week, is that the Yankees went 4-2, which is always good. However, they did most of their heavy lifting this week beating up on inexperienced pitching. So, the same question from Week 3 remains. Is this a Yankees team who can beat the weaker teams; but, who cannot go toe-to-toe with a team like the Red Sox? Well, in Week 5, weather providing, we’ll find out some more when Boston comes to the Bronx for two games.
Yogi Berra: Eternal Yankee
Posted by Steve L. on May 3rd, 2009 · Comments (0)
If you haven’t read “Yogi Berra: Eternal Yankee” by Allen Barra, yet, you owe it to yourself to check this book out.
Simply put, Barra’s biography on Yogi is the definitive source on the life of this Yankees legend. It’s incredibly researched and covers every angle of Berra’s life. What I enjoyed most about it was the style in which Allen Barra paints this story. At times, the delivery comes across in a dissertation type manner. And, yet, at other times, Barra uses a narrative tone as if it were just you and he talking at the ballpark. However, also, there are times when the story is told via the use of advanced statistical analysis. Basically, there’s something for every type of baseball fan in this one – meaning the learned student of the game, the causal fan, or the sabermetric slanted seamhead.
While I feel this is a must read for every Yankees fan, in order to learn more about one of the greatest ever to work for the team, I also strongly recommend “Yogi Berra: Eternal Yankee” to anyone who enjoys reading a thorough and entertaining telling of the fascinating life of a famous American historical figure.
Yanks Pen Caught Mentally Unprepared At Times?
Posted by Steve L. on May 3rd, 2009 · Comments (1)
Via Marc Carig –
During games, the Yankees bullpen remains a lively place. The relievers still swap stories, they still chatter, they still joke. And those who grow tired of the obstructed view from their seats don’t hesitate to improvise, standing on benches they’ve moved against the fence so they can get a better view.
But lately, in light of their struggles, there has been a difference in the mood.
“Even though it’s loose, you can see it in people’s eyes,” lefty Phil Coke said. “As soon as that phone rings, it goes dead silent.”
For the first part of what’s so far been a difficult season, the team’s relievers have tried to prepare themselves for a tough reality. Because they have been generally ineffective, roles in the bullpen remain undefined. Regardless of situation, a ringing phone means any one of several Yankees relievers could be getting a call to pitch.
“We’re getting used in such a different fashion every time we step on the field,” said Coke, who admits that in several instances this season, he and his colleagues may have been caught mentally unprepared. “We’ve got to be ready to go from the first inning.”
To hammer home the message, the venerable Mariano Rivera called a relievers-only meeting in Boston last week to address how to end a stretch in which the bullpen has emerged as a glaring weakness.
“We have to do our thing,” said Rivera, who opened the floor during a 10-minute talk with his fellow relievers. “We can’t go about business the same way we’ve been doing it, don’t give too much credit to the hitters and just go at it.”
Coke said he tries not to get too caught up in which role he is used.
“I feel my role is in the seventh inning, and I’ve got to come in in the second because we have no one else, then I’ve done nothing for my team except hurt my team right out of the chute because of my mental preparation,” Coke said. “As a bullpen guy, you’ve got to be willing to do what you’ve got to do.”
Right-hander Jonathan Albaladejo said he believes that roles will eventually shake out, and he would like to be able to get a stronger sense of when he would enter games.
“Right now, I think nobody’s got a role in the bullpen and you’ve got to be prepared for whatever situation comes up, be ready every day,” Albaladejo said. “I think it will change the more we play.”
…As a bullpen guy, you’ve got to be willing to do what you’ve got to do…
Phil Coke nails it with that one. The “role” of any pitcher is to retire the batter that he’s facing at that moment. And, it should not matter what the inning or score is, etc. Anyone in the Yankees bullpen who can’t handle that should be sent packing.
WasWatching.com Water Cooler Talk 5/3/09
Posted by Steve L. on May 3rd, 2009 · Comments (11)
Click here for more information about this entry.
Yanks Sign Casey Fossum
Posted by Steve L. on May 3rd, 2009 · Comments (9)
Via wire services -
Former Texas A&M pitcher Casey Fossum signed a minor-league deal with the New York Yankees on Saturday, then was the starting pitcher in the team’s Triple-A club that afternoon.
The 31-year-old left-hander pitched 3 2/3 innings in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s 5-1 victory over Norfolk. Fossum allowed two hits, one run, striking out four and walking two.
The New York Mets designated Fossum for assignment Sunday after clearing waivers, but he elected for free agency.
Fossum opened the season with Triple-A Buffalo, making two starts. The Mets called him up on April 19. He didn’t have a decision in three games, pitching four innings with a 2.25 earned run average.
Fossum has pitched in 237 major league games, 120 of them as a starter. He has a career record of 40-53 with a 5.45 ERA.
When I think of Casey Fossum, I think of two things:
1. The sound of his name, “Casey Fossum,” rings in my head with the sound of Michael Kay’s annoying usage of the words “flotsam and jetsam.” Say it to yourself a few times…Casey Fossum, flotsam and jetsam……Casey Fossum, flotsam and jetsam……Casey Fossum, flotsam and jetsam…see?
2. The fact that the Arizona Diamondbacks were stupid enough to trade Curt Schilling for this guy and a bunch of other bushers. And, that the Yankees could not manage to better of the offer of Fossum, Michael Goss, Brandon Lyon and Jorge de la Rosa for Curt Schilling.
“Mets” T-Shirts Sold By Street Vendors Outside Yankee Stadium
Posted by Steve L. on May 3rd, 2009 · Comments (2)
Meant to share this yesterday…
Those blue and orange “Mets” T-shirts that they’re selling outside Yankee Stadium, where it highlights the collapses of 2007 and 2008 just under “Mets” on the front are a hoot. Have you seen them?
I almost bought one for my dad as we were leaving the game yesterday…as he likes funny T-shirts. But, he’ll be 73 next month and I didn’t want to put him in a spot where he’d have to defend himself against some Mets fan who had an issue with the shirt.
Why didn’t I get one for myself? I dunno… It’s probably my general aversion of wearing anything that combines Dodger Blue and Giants Orange (aka Mets colors).
Study On A-Rod’s Alleged Pitch Tipping
Posted by Steve L. on May 3rd, 2009 · Comments (14)
Adam Dorhauer, aka Kincaid at 3-D Baseball takes an interesting statistical look at the theory A-Rod was tipping pitches while playing in Texas. Click here to see what he found out. Here’s a snip:
They basically morphed from Joel Youngblood into Dave Parker at the plate. Or from Adam Kennedy into Miguel Tejada. What’s more, they should have been dropping to Mark Lewis levels instead. Notice especially the huge jumps in SLG: these hitters were flat out clobbering the ball like they knew what was coming. It’s not like those pitchers in Texas needed any extra help without “Crash” Rodriguez screwing with their ERAs either. I hate to say it, but it’s pretty clear from these numbers that something was up. This is beyond grey area even. And it’s not something he was just following the rest of baseball into. This is purely someone being an ass all on his own.
Very interesting, indeed.
Source Within MLB: A-Rod Under Investigation Regarding Accuracy Of His Statements On PED Use
Posted by Steve L. on May 3rd, 2009 · Comments (1)
Via the Times –
Major League Baseball is investigating the accuracy of statements by Alex Rodriguez about his use of performance-enhancing drugs, according to people within baseball who were briefed on the matter.
Investigators have contacted several of Rodriguez’s associates to determine whether he used performance-enhancing drugs for a longer time than he has admitted, the people said.
The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they did not want to be identified discussing a continuing investigation.
They said that the investigation began shortly after Rodriguez met with investigators March 1 in Tampa, Fla., because they had questions about the consistency of his statements at the meeting.
Questions about the truthfulness of Rodriguez’s statements were heightened among baseball officials last week after details of a new book about Rodriguez were reported by several news media outlets. The book, “A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez,” by Selena Roberts, asserts that Rodriguez used several different steroids under the supervision of Presinal and had human growth hormone in his possession when he played for the Yankees in 2004. In 2005, the book also says, Rodriguez was mocked by teammates who suspected that he was using drugs.
On Friday, an investigator asked Roberts if she would cooperate with baseball’s inquiry. Roberts said she would not.
“I said that as a journalist, I cover M.L.B., and cooperating with them on this would be a conflict of interest, and he said that he understood the position that I am in,” Roberts, a senior writer for Sports Illustrated and a former reporter and columnist for The New York Times, said Saturday in a telephone interview.
A lawyer for Rodriguez declined to comment.
Commissioner Bud Selig can discipline a player if he feels the player was not forthcoming or truthful in a meeting with investigators. But pursuing whether Rodriguez told the truth will be difficult for the investigators; unlike law enforcement authorities, they have little power to compel a witness to speak with them.
…They said that the investigation began shortly after Rodriguez met with investigators March 1 in Tampa, Fla., because they had questions about the consistency of his statements at the meeting…
…Questions about the truthfulness of Rodriguez’s statements were heightened among baseball officials last week after details of a new book about Rodriguez were reported by several news media outlets…
If true, the fact that MLB started this two months ago, and before the details of Roberts’ book came out, is bad news for A-Rod. Obviously, MLB felt that Rodriguez did not come clean in his disclosure. Hence, their probe. If someone out there wants to spill some beans on Alex, that’s all Bud and his boys will need to run with this. And, in my opinion, I don’t think the Yankees will fight a suspension if MLB lays one on A-Rod. And, it would not shock me to see the Yanks try and use what’s found, if it’s big enough, to void Rodriguez’ deal with the team – especially now that we know Alex has a hip that may prevent him from being a star player three or four years down the line from now…
May 2nd vs. The Angels
Posted by Steve L. on May 2nd, 2009 · Comments (12)
I swear…it must be me.
Including this contest, the Yankees have played nine home games this season and only lost three of them. And, I’ve been there for two of those three losses. Then again, they were both CC Sabathia starts (today and Opening Day) – so, maybe “The Round Three Hundred Pound Hound of the Mound” has a hand in this too?
Let’s get the bad stuff out of the way here: The Yankees made Matt Palmer look like Jim Palmer when the latter was in his prime. Yeah, Matt Palmer. Sabathia lost it in the seventh inning. And, the Yankees pen took a somewhat close game and suddenly made it all seem like a dung pile.
In the eighth inning, when it was still “somewhat close,” with the Halos up, 5-1, I bought my daughter a bottle of water. Just as we popped the top on her water, Kendry Morales took Jose Veras deep. At that moment, I turned to the guy sitting to my left and said “I just paid five dollars for a bottle of water and saw Jose Veras give up a monster homerun at the same time. I living in the new era of being a Yankees fan.”
O.K., the good news: Ramiro Pena and Melky Cabrera made great plays today. Derek Jeter – who didn’t make a great play, or a decent one, for that matter, in the seventh inning – did not get killed on that play when he stole second in the first. And, my daughter (who will soon be seven years old) and I had a great day at the ballpark – even with the Yankees losing.
This was her first time at the new Stadium. (Her brother gets to go for the first time in two weeks – when I go to my next game.) Going in, we got lucky as we were just able to make a left off Jerome Avenue, and get on 165th Street, just before the cops showed up with the barricades at 11 a.m. to prevent cars from making that left. As such, we were able to make a right on River Avenue and get to our parking garage pretty easily. And, the light rain that was falling as we were going into the Stadium went away for the rest of the day.
For six innings, we had a nice, close, ballgame. And, when things got messy, later on, it didn’t bother us. We went for a walk just before the bottom dropped out for this game and were able to cruise right in to the Yankees Museum. (I couldn’t get in there during the exhibition game against the Cubs or on Opening Day – because the lines were too long. So, this was a treat for me.) We also strolled out to the bleachers, swinging from right to left, and stopped out in center, to get an idea of the view out there, etc.
I have to say…the new Stadium is starting to grow on me. Having been there three times now – including the exhibition game on April 4th against the Cubs – in a span of 29 days has been a good thing…as I’ve noticed the attempts by the Yankees to make things better there. I’ll say this: Those staffers with the “How May I Help You?” signs are light-years from where the Stadium customer service experience was in the old park. And, on our way out today, at least three different Stadium employees thanked us for coming and wished us a safe trip home. Those little things are noticeable.
Now, if they can only do something about all those empty seats at the field level…
Here’s a shot from today, as Torii Hunter was batting for the Angels in the seventh inning, of the field level seats behind home plate.
[Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the image.]
Now, keep in mind, this photo was taken when the score was just 2-1, Angels, in the seventh. So, this was not a case where fans took off because it was late in the game and it was a blow-out. Nor was it late in the day – as the game was only about two hours old when I snapped this one.
Witnessing all those empty seats is like seeing those New York Knights home game crowd scenes from The Natural before Roy Hobbs had a chance to play. To think that this is happening at ninth game ever at the new Yankee Stadium, on a Saturday afternoon…well…it’s crazy. Heck, it’s almost as crazy as the Kei Igawa signing….but, I digress.
In the end, not even a Yankees loss, or a Stadium missing chunks of fans, can ruin this day for me. As you can see, for this Yankees fan and his daughter, it’s all about good memories…
WasWatching.com Water Cooler Talk 5/2/09
Posted by Steve L. on May 2nd, 2009 · Comments (9)
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Gehrig Anniversary Today
Posted by Steve L. on May 2nd, 2009 · Comments (4)
Seventy years ago, today, on May 2, 1939, Lou Gehrig approached his manager, Joe McCarthy, before the Yankees game in Detroit against the Tigers and said, “I’m benching myself, Joe, for the good of the team”. Thus, ending his streak of consecutive games played at 2,130. It would be nice if the Yankees made some mention of this, at the Stadium today, before or during their game.
