Hey Melky - "That Just Happened"

Joe Girardi named Brett Gardner his starting CF. Thank God. I don't know what is more shocking - Melky Cabrera's shock when it was announced or my shock that Melky was shocked. I know he needs an interpreter for his interviews, but are you telling me there are no blogs or sports internet in Spanish? To quote Ricky Bobby in Talledega Nights, "That just happened." Brett Gardner came into spring training with a mission and was believed to be the odds on favorite to win the job.

I believe we have seen the full potential of Melky. Average speed, average power, average hitter, plus fielder. What this equals is a spot on the bench as a fourth/fifth OF. Sadly, it seems like he has regressed in his short career. He seemed like a much more patient hitter as a rookie. Even if he wasn't taking walks, he would work the count to his advantage. Last year, he looked lost. And he has no clue batting right handed. And obviously, no clue if he thought he had a chance to win the CF job.

Gardner, on the other hand, is not the second coming of Joe DiMaggio, The Mick, or even Bobby Murcer. But he gives the Yankees a much needed element they have lacked for years, speed. He has shown in his minor league career that he'll take a walk or lay down a bunt for a hit. He will not hit 10 Hrs. Hell, he may not hit 5. He will, however, steal 35 - 50 bases, assuming he sticks with the team the whole season and doesn't ride the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre shuttle. Girardi should give him the green light for the season. And if he's batting last, he'll need to steal bases to keep Jeter from being near the league leaders in double plays again.

I hope Girardi actually gives Gardner a chance, too. I don't want to see Gardner banished if he starts the first 2 weeks of the season hitting .150. What really disturbs me about the majors, in particular, the Yankees under the Joe Torre regime, is when teams stay with the veteran, even though he's hitting .237 and providing minimum production. If you're going to have someone routinely give you 3-4 outs a night, why not bring up a kid from the minors? Maybe you'll get lucky and the kid outperforms the veteran. I'm sure he can produce the same .237 average, but at least he's gaining some valuable major league experience. My guess is it all comes down to money. The veteran is making millions and teams are trying to minimize the young player's arbitration years.

Schilling's Retirement and Other Thoughts

I can sum up Curt Schilling in 2 words - Ketchup Socks. 2 more words - Fat Bastard. And finally, Loud Mouth. I must admit, the man could pitch when the game counted. However, I always felt he did not deserve the Co-MVP of the 2001 World Series with Randy Johnson. The man left Game 7 losing 2-1 after giving up the go ahead home run to Alfonso Soriano, when Randy Johnson came in to win his third game of the Series. Still wondering to this day why Torre didn't have the Yankees bunting on him in Game 6 of the 2004 A.L. Championship Series. Then again, Torre was a terrible manager exposed for what he was after the real genius, Don Zimmer left.

Joe Girardi is thinking about batting Derek Jeter leadoff over Johnny Damon. I don't think it's that terrible of an idea. Hopefully, this means Bret Gardner has won the CF job, leaving Melky "automatic out" or "runner left on third" Cabrera on the bench. My guess is Girardi wants to break up Damon and Gardner as back to back lefties in the order. I just hope Jeter doesn't start to show slippage with his batting. I fear he's turned into the Yankees version of singles hitting Ichiro. I meant Suzuki.

I don't understand what all the baseball talk about the World Baseball Classic, especially on XM radio. No one's a bigger baseball fan than me, yet I have minimal interest in these games. I for one, would be happy if none of the Yankee players participated. I think the games can become too intense for players who haven't played for 5 months. Not only that, I think the previous WBC led to the arm troubles for Freddy Garcia, who may never be the same again. Not only that, as Chipper Jones pointed out this year, these guys are playing 3 games a week while there teammates are playing every day, seeing live pitching or facing live batters.Memphis is blowing up my NCAA bracket. Good news is, Notre Dame is in the NIT semis. Here's to winning the 65th best team award.

2 more words for Schilling - Good Riddance.

Spring Training - Part IV

Tampa, FL - I finally reached the promised land. George M. Steinbrenner Field. Yankees vs. Jays. Of course, the Yanks lineup is a little thin - no Jeter, Arod, Tex or Cano. Their whole infield. Posada batted leadoff, probably to get at-bats. AJ Burnett started and looked shaky, not to mention the scare he had when he was hit by a come-backer in the second. Brian Bruney looked worse, walking 4 in an inning and a third. Sean wouldn't know any of this, since his nose was buried in his 3G watching for Gonzaga score updates in the NCAA tournament.

The four of us are sitting in section 219, down the left field line. This is by far, the biggest spring training park I've seen. The boys give me guff about the "nose bleeds" to keep up the tradition of razzing each other for the tickets we have each purchased. The seats, though, are not bad and it's a night game with an awesome breeze - sweatshirt weather. The food here is pretty decent, too.

The game - the Yank scrubs hold off the Jay scrubs, 7-4. Jeter's replacements look sharp, turning 3 double plays with a couple of hits, including a HR from Perez in the 8th. Austin Jackson shows off a strong arm in center and looks good at the plate. Can you say Jeter and Cabrera who? Speaking of my boy, Jeter, he's getting killed for his defense against Puerto Rico in the WBC. Seriously, it's time for a position change - CF? 2B and move or trade Cano? Hey, even Cal Ripken moved.

So, in the ninth inning, Sean and I moved down to the empty, cleared out handicapped seats (again) in the middle aisle. We weren't there for 2 pitches when one of the Yankee Gestapo ushers tells us we have to move because "they're pegging my ass". The man could not have been younger than 70 and they are volunteers, to boot. Is Steinbrenner personally calling this guy on the radio and chapping his ass? C'mon! You would have thought this guy was holding off Dan of the Monte from Ft. Myers park for his job. To make matters funnier, Craig and Butch were also booted out of handicapped seats by the first base side. I guess there's always a chance a horde of wheelchairs stroll in during the 9th inning. Recommend anyone moving seats late in the game to move as close to the field seats as possible and avoid the handicapper section. Those ushers don't quit.

Sean and Craig head north back to Cleveland tomorrow - good luck boys and stay warm. Enjoy the serenity while you can. And Sean, you heard it hear first, next game - Hilltoppers 71-Zags 64.

Go Irish - NIT.

Spring Training - Part III

Clearwater, FL - Craig, Sean and myself went to catch the Phillies-Blue Jays game at the Phillies ballpark. This is the nicest spring training ballpark I have seen to date, and that includes all the spring ballparks in the Phoenix area in the Cactus League.

We bought the lawn seats but scored some nice handicapped seats in the shade on the Phillies side of the field. Our scam lasted till the top of the 4th, when Sean attracted attention by grabbing a hot dog. We were promptly exposed and booted from our perch.

We took a stroll around the stadium, and this is one of the few ballparks where you can completely walk around it. We'd stop during the innings until we found seats in the 7th inning along the first base side. Jayson Werth put the Phils ahead 7-4 with a 3-run bomb to left, but the Phils bullpen gave up 3 runs in the 9th. They failed to score in their half and then the game was called tied, at 7-7. I began to shout refund, but to no avail. I knew they let some spring training games end in a tie, but I've seen them go at least 10 innings. Weak Otherwise, it was a good game with quite a bit of HRs.

Spring Training - Part II

Tuesday, St. Patrick's Day - Craig, Sean, Butch and myself head south from Tampa to Fort Myers to catch the Sawx - Twins game in the Sawx home park. Craig instantly gets some heat for his choice of seats - $58 for 4 lawn seats. Sean blames Craig's wife, Crystal, the Chief Financial Officer. My worries are immediate. I'm Irish and the sun is blazing - we're talking sun blistering hot.

The place is packed as I take a lap around the stadium. I'm noticing all the shaded spots along the walls are filling up fast. Sean saves the day by finding us a spot on the wall right in front of the Sawx batter's circle. Butch joins us in the second inning, as we practice our drills in keeping our spaces by spreading out on the wall when one of us goes to take a picture of the game. Craig, meanwhile, found seats along the first base line, 3 rows back - but we'd rather stand then risk the harshness of the sun. Meanwhile, I'm wearing my Red Sux t-shirt with my Yankee hat. The combination causes some confusion amongst Red Sox fans until I tell them to look closer at my shirt. No one seems amused. The most surprising part of the day is the total lack of Yankee Suck tees, but everyone is wearing green.

One of the vendors, Dan of the Monte, keeps trying to give me crap for my hat. He tells me NY stands for "Next Year" and has Wally the Green Monster shoot his watergun our way. Dan takes a shot later. Sean keeps reminding him to stand his post and do his job. Dan has spent most of the day telling people to keep the stairs aisle clear. We notice Dan is a little lax when it comes to the good looking girls, though.I went to buy a water. It cost $4.75. I think the vendor was embarrassed to sell it to me, because he told me the price before reaching for the bottle. I had already seen the price and my knees had already buckled before his warning.

The game: almost got my wish about Beckett limping off. He briefly came up lame on a swinging bunt play down the first base line, but he shook it off to pitch 4 innings. Varitek and Big Papi go deep. Craig thinks 'Tek is up for a big year. I make reference to someone's 'roid connection being paroled. The Bosox win 9-5, but I was able to enjoy Papelbum giving up a bomb on his first pitch in the 5th.

Sean takes a picture of the three of us against the wall and emails it to Crystal, thanking her for the "great seats". I have to school some Sox fan on the Red Sox retired numbers. He was about to criticize Butch for not knowing Fisk's number, but Butch isn't a Sox fan. This guy didn't know Yaz' number! The sun disappears around the 6th/7th inning and we finally go and sit with Craig. Great seats - too bad about the heat earlier in the day.

As for St. Patrick's day - had my Guinness at dinner.

Spring Training - Part I

I survived my flight to Cleveland and met up with my buddies, and immediately headed south in Sean's RV, Florida-bound. After stops in Nowhere, West Virginia and Savannah, Georgia, we pulled into our old friend Butch's driveway in the Tampa area on Sunday afternoon. Catching up on old times, we watched St. Mary's get screwed in the NCAA tournament selection. Dicky V was hot about it, too.

We went to our first game Monday night - Rays vs. Pirates in Bradenton. After paying $89 for tickets online, good ol' Sean couldn't muster up an extra $2.50 for shipping and handling, so we watched him stand in the will call line, not once, but twice. One of the workers misled Butch, telling him that Sean could stand in the "Admin Will Call", but of course, there was a reason why that line was so much shorter than the "Web/Phone Will Call" lines. Sean was instantly denied, and had to do the walk of shame back to the other line. He wants me to post notice NOT to stand in the line to the left!

We arrived in our seats, third row from the field down the left field line. So close to the field and action. We watch as fathers slave drive their kids to harass the players for autographs so they can pimp these items later on Ebay. Sean starts yelling about child labor laws. We have a discussion on the Pirates LF on how to pronounce his first name. I'll leave that one alone for now. Then the game started - and wait...was is this? What kind of seats are these? We have to crane our necks 90 degrees to watch the game! Rays win 6-4, despite my efforts to rally the home team Pirates in the last inning, when we moved to some empty seats by the Pirates dugout. Notice to Tampa fans - will you stop ringing the cow bells, it makes you look like a podunk town. My neck is still stiff from those seats.

2nd Annual Spring Training Trip

Heading down to Florida with buddies Sean and Craig to meet up with other buddy, Butch, in the Tampa area. Last year, Craig and I hopped around Arizona, watching as many games as we could. Hopefully, I'll get to see some of the Yankee talent up close this year.

Scheduled to see a Sawx game as well - wouldn't mind seeing Beckett and/or Papelbum limp off the mound in that game.

I will try to blog while I'm down there, but if not, will have full details upon my return.

CC, Joba and Tex

Oof. Rough outing for C(rooked) C(ap) today. Let's hope he was just throwing fastballs and working on location. I haven't seen him in a Yankee uniform yet, but I hope the team makes him wear his cap the proper way instead of like a $2 thug. If I were the Yanks, I'd start collecting some of that $161M back in fines if he wears it crooked. Then again, if the guy goes out and wins 20 and brings a World Series championship, I guess I could live with it.

Speaking of wearing the cap weird, good to see Joba having a solid start yesterday. I still don't understand Yank fans who insist he stay in the bullpen. Those guys are dime a dozen - Billy Beane has proved that for years in Oakland. The guy has potential to be an ace. I'd rather have 150-175 innings out of Joba instead of 60-75 innings. During a season, there is roughly 1500 innings - why not have Joba pitch 10% or more instead of 5% or less of that total? Besides, I don't think I can stomach watching a $200M team trot out the Scranton-Wilkes Barre shuttle bus again. Please, let spring training be the only time I see Kei "Deer in Headlights" Igawa.

Hey Tex - save some of those hits for the real thing. We don't need a repeat of your slow start to the season with Arod gone for the first month+.

AROD Apoligist

When did ARod become the Britney Spears of baseball? Is anyone else sick of all the ARod talk? Is there any truth to the rumor that the new MLB Network will be called the ARod Network?

Enough already, please. The guy took steroids, we get it. The guy fools around with strippers and old, has-been singer hags - it's what athletes and rock stars do. The guy sun bathes in Central Park - so? Enough! Go find Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton or some other talentless hack. The Mick should thank God he didn't live in a time of mass media and internet.

I'm not condoning his actions at all - personally, I feel anyone caught doing steroids should be banned from any Hall of Fame consideration. I just don't want to hear it all day, everyday, on the sports radio. There has got to be something else to talk about. I'd rather listen to how the economy is affecting baseball and what the teams are planning to do about. Take Oakland for instance - they have $2 seats and $1 hotdogs for every Wednesday game this year, including Sox and Yanks.

Anyway, my wife thinks I've always been an ARod apologist. She may be right, but I always found myself pulling for the guy, hoping he'd do well for my team. I still think back to the infamous "Ha" incident in Toronto which he caught a lot of flack. If the immortal Derek Jeter did that, he would have been called a genius, win at all costs gamer and the heavens would have opened up and the angels would have sang, etc, etc. What really appalled me was the gutless, that's right, I said "gutless" act of Joe Torre not defending ARod for his actions. What Padre Joe, to quote Michael Kay, probably didn't realize was, the Yanks had the best record in baseball from that game on after Joe got his team off to another listless start. So, yeah, I've been an ARod apologist, but I must admit, this year will be pretty tough. I'm not sure I can even stomach it anymore.

Welcome Aboard

Hello and welcome to my blog. During the course of this season, I'll be providing game by game analysis and musings on the Boys from the Bronx.

Since the summer of 1978, I've been a fan of the Pinstripers. Scooter Rizzuto, Bill White and Frank Messer captured my imagination, describing Ron Guidry's fantastic season, Reggie's homeruns, Graig Nettles spectacular plays and the clutch hitting of Thurman Munson.

As a seven-year old, I would sneak a transistor radio into my bed, lowering the volume if I thought I heard my parents walking by my room. Some nights, I was able to stay awake for the whole game (longer than Rizzuto, whose voice mysteriously disappear after the seventh inning). Those times I didn't make it through the night, I would ask my dad first thing in the morning if the Yankees won. I can still recall my anger when my dad told me the bullpen blew a game for the great Gator.

Anyway, I hope anyone who reads my blog shares the love of the game as much as I do. Be forewarned though - This will not be an all positive, rah-rah, "Yankees are the greatest ever" reviews and rants. I'll call it as I see it. Just as I called for Joe Torre's job since the Yankees were embarrassed in the 2003 World Series against the Marlins. I'll save those opinions for another slow day.

-Conan