Everything Begins Somewhere

Giants' Fans

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:20:54 -0500

I feel your pain. No way the Giants should have lost that game. I thought only my beloved and fatally flawed Bills could lose like that. Brutal.

2

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:10:44 -0500

Greek wedding

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:20:40 -0500

Greek wedding

Reflections on the World Series

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:50:36 -0500

Rivera is the difference. He was the only closer in this post season not to blow a save. I have a date with him in Cooperstown. He is my all time favorite player, surpassing Mickey Mantle. We will never again witness a closer dominating over an extended period a time as Mo. His career ERA in the post season is .74 over 29 playoff series and 88 appearances.

Matsui was remarkable. 615 batting average and 8 RBIs as a DH not playing in 3 games was astounding. I think not playing the field all season and not playing at all in interleague play saved his fragile knees.

The Phillies just did not have enough pitching. Once you got beyond Cliff Lee it was pretty sketchy. Lidge should be institutionalized. Girardi made a huge (and in my mind irresponsible) gamble going with Burnett on 3 days rest on the road in game 5. It backfired. However, he got away with it because Philly had to go with Pedro in game 6.

Pedro, a sure Hall of Fame pitcher, is done. He was lucky he did not give up 10 runs. He got by on guile in his first appearance, which he also lost, but had nothing in game 6. Unfortunately, his ego is so big he will not step away.

Jeter hit 407 in the Series. I know all you Yankee haters hate to hear this but he is one of the best players of this generation. The bigger the stage the better he performs.

Damon and Alex R were great situationally. Damon’s steal of 2nd and 3rd was the biggest play of the series. They had 4 and 6 RBIs respectively.

The biggest surprise was Damaso Marte. He appeared in 4 games, did not give up a hit or a walk and struck out 5.

jimiheffernan: Made a new desktop background. Some fun...

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:46:25 -0500

jimiheffernan:

Made a new desktop background.

Some fun facts:

exactly 27 pinstripes.

the font that made the championships fit perfectly across my screen? 27. weird.

Nice. Please put it somewhere where we can download.

Anxiety over

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:06:38 -0500

Quite a season for the Yankees. Started 14 and 15, losing 8 straight to the Red Sox and to wind up with #27. That is a staggering number of championships. For me having Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera get it done is extra special. Home grown and 5 rings. Mo is sure thing first ballot Hall of Fame. Andy is in the discussion, with best winning percentage of all active lefties and all time record for post season wins. If I had a vote he would get it.

High Anxiety

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:39:26 -0500

9 more out and they will all be tough.

Happy with this

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:37:37 -0500

Happy with this

Ably assisted by a strong team of comic performers, Andy Zaltzman's History of the Third Millennium will serve up a combination of stand-up, sketches, facts and blatant lies to round up the decade in style.

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:44:41 -0500

Ably assisted by a strong team of comic performers, Andy Zaltzman's History of the Third Millennium will serve up a combination of stand-up, sketches, facts and blatant lies to round up the decade in style.

Girardi

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:44:56 -0500

No matter what the outcome of the Series, I can never get behind Girardi as manager. I think he is horrible both strategically and situationally. He has made at least 10 decisions in the post season which have been stupid. He got away with a few of them but the majority have backfired. Pitching Burnett on 3 days rest on the road with a day off coming up and a 3 to 1 lead is mindboggling. I’m surprised his staff didn’t kidnap him, bind and gag him and act rationally. Joe, you need to win 4 games, not 4 out of 5 games, but 4 out of 7 games. Put your team in a position to win the series, not just a 5th game on the road. Now we have to get it done with guys on 3 days rest.

Girardi is a moron

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:24:24 -0500

On top of everything else, in the 9th he does not pinch run for Matsui, a cripple, and try to make something happen - steal - hit and run - instead double play.

Butter update

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:34:34 -0500

Made steak Diane tonight and finished off the sauce with the premium unsalted butter. It was very good but the sauce was so flavorful that anything distinguishable about the butter was lost.

World Series

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:54:56 -0500

I told you the Girardi decision to go with Burnett on 3 days rest was bad. He didn’t make it out of the 3rd inning. Now the Yankees are committed to two more pitchers on 3 days rest. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

McCarver 1

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:40:20 -0500

Lee throws a pitch and the hitter breaks his bat. McC says “People talk about Mariano Rivera breaking bats but few American Leaguers know about Cliff Lee.” He then pauses, apparently realizing that until the middle of this season Lee was in the American League and says “Lee is now a different pitcher in the National League.” Wow!

World Series Strategy

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:33:48 -0500

I’m going on record now at 2:30 that I believe Girardi is making a big mistake by pitching Burnett on 3 days rest tonight against Lee. My reasons are: Lee has been fantastic, allowing less than 1 run per game in the post season; along with Burnett comes Molina which means Cano (who has been terrible) or Swisher moves up to the 5th spot which is precious little protection for Arod; if you lose you then have 39 year old Pettitte on 3 days rest for game 6. He should start Gaudin and go as long as he can and let everyone who isn’t critical come on in relief. The you have Burnett on full rest for game 6 and Andy on full rest or CC for a game 7.

My venture into the world of Europoean unsalted butter begins...

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:19:59 -0500

My venture into the world of Europoean unsalted butter begins today.

What a win!

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:04:15 -0500

Yankee fans rejoice! What an incredible game. Johnny Damon changed the game. Tough at bat with 2 outs in the 9th and gets a hit. Steals 2nd and gets up and starts to 3rd. I am thinking “has he lost his mind?” The “great” Buck McCarver team never said the shift was on and no one was covering 3rd. Damon ending up on 3rd took away the slider in the dirt. Tex did his best hitting of the night by getting hit. Mr. Rodriquez buried all his post season demons with a rocket,etc. Enter #42. He looked really nervous - yea - right. 1,2 3 and it is over. Maybe in an hour I can think about sleep.

McCarver 3

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:10:13 -0500

One out Posada on first. Pop up to short left which drops in. McCarver says Posada could have been on 3rd if he had been off on contact. How can you run on contact with one out on a pop up?

Another McCarver

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:21:40 -0500

This is the World Series. CC put the first 2 on and is facing the heart of the Phillies order. Rollins on second. Posada being very careful with the signs. CC gets 2 very tough outs. Werth who has 7 post series HRs is up. Posada visits the mound again and McCarver says “What’s he worried about? He just got 2 guys on pop ups.” Well guess what Tim: you need to get 3 outs and it’s the World Series you old fool. Lot’s of runs have been scored with 2 outs. You can not be too careful.

McCarver is an idiot

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:56:00 -0500

Jeter just got a ground ball hit between 3rd and short and the genius McCarver said that normally Rollins would have been playing Jeter to pull and have fielded the ball. Are you kidding me? Jeter has made his entire career by hitting the ball the other way. No one ever plays Jeter to pull.