Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Washington Post: Tom Boswell: Yankees Are Monuments To Baseball Success
(www.washingtonpost.com)
posted 4 days ago by The Yankee Clapper to aging, great baseball players, injuries, pennant race, veteran leadership, yankees
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15 comment(s)
Boz pays homage to the gritty, gutsy, scrappy, first place 2013 underdog Yankees:
Read More...Perhaps for the first time in their history, the Yankees now epitomize exactly the kind of team that always used to try to beat them: a group of inspired-by-adversity, too-old-or-too-young, one-last-chance players who band together to prove that baseball is a team game, not just an aggregation of talent and fat contracts.
Put a few all-star seasons, such as Cano’s 31 RBI, Kiroda’s 1.99 ERA and Rivera’s 16 ...
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1 2 >Cue Mike Francesa, from today's show: "The Red Sox have nothing to play for. If the Yankees only take 2 of 3 it will be a disappointment."
8 hours later, a stream of red comes flowing from the Fenway dugout.
How can someone be so clueless about what motivates professional athletes, 30 years in to covering them professionally?
Francesa: "Ok, we got it, we got it already, we got the idea."
I don't think the Red Sox hate Baltimore the way we do them... but we'll see :)
I thought the actual throw itself was great. Strong, accurate, on-line.
But watching carefully, Ichiro didn't really charge the ball at all. He kind of pulled up and allowed it to come to him. I am not saying his approach was wrong, necessarily -- perhaps he has a better chance to get off a more accurate and stronger throw this way, or, more likely, has a better chance to field it cleanly so that he can at least get off an attempt. But his approach seems to be _different_ from what I typically see major league outfielders do.
If he charges AND gets off the same throw, he may well nail Ciriaco, but the key there is that he would have to field the ball cleanly and get off the same throw. I am happy to cede to his judgment on this, as he knows how to play the game and I don't; I'm not criticizing him, just wondering if others had the same thought.
That took a ton of luck.
edit: *and* Ellsbury and Pedroia playing up to their abilities.
Kuroda didn't help matters either, twice giving up leads against an undermanned Red Sox lineup.
The Red Sox showed up tonight. The Yankees, I'm not so sure.
The great thing about this WC race is that, with so many teams still in the running, there are inevitably going to be a couple who stay hot through the rest of the month; which means anybody who has a bad week is probably done.
Can't overstate how awful this decision was. Sox down three, but start the inning off with three hits, have Benoit on the ropes and Ventura calls for his third (~) best hitter to bunt in front of a AAAA-outfielder who they grabbed off waivers a month ago(why said outfielder is hitting third is another question to ponder). Youkilis, who apparently does not have even ONE sac bunt in his major league career, predictably falls behind 0-2 before flailing at a pitch three feet outside. Absolutely killed the inning. Add that to Ventura's decision to bring Liriano into a one-run game, despite having a rested bullpen, and you've got an atrocious night from the skipper.
These AL races would also be really great without the second wild card. Or, the first.
I thought the actual throw itself was great. Strong, accurate, on-line.
But watching carefully, Ichiro didn't really charge the ball at all. He kind of pulled up and allowed it to come to him. I am not saying his approach was wrong, necessarily -- perhaps he has a better chance to get off a more accurate and stronger throw this way, or, more likely, has a better chance to field it cleanly so that he can at least get off an attempt. But his approach seems to be _different_ from what I typically see major league outfielders do.
If he charges AND gets off the same throw, he may well nail Ciriaco, but the key there is that he would have to field the ball cleanly and get off the same throw. I am happy to cede to his judgment on this, as he knows how to play the game and I don't; I'm not criticizing him, just wondering if others had the same thought.
I couldn't say, because by that point I was cowering in a closet with a pair of pillows strapped to my ears. When the Yanks' biggest "clutch hit" of the night was a ####### 250' popup that bounced over a low fence in front of the Pesky pole, it's not as if I was exactly expecting a happy ending.
Haven't seen the play but this is one of the toughest decisions while playing 1B. If you _know_ the 2B can get it, you definitely don't go for it and cover first. It's pretty common to see 1B screw up by going for balls they clearly should leave for the 2B. But if you only _think_ he can get it, then ouch!
Regardless the pitcher should move to cover first but whether it's the 1B getting a ball with momentum towards second then turning and finding the pitcher or it's the 2B on the move making a throw to a moving pitcher, this is a tough play.
If there's a force at second, go for the ball if you think you can reach the ball.
Either way, as you note, Logan should have been covering.
Agree. Sox fans have been *begging* RV to bunt at Cabrera these past two series - he can't field when he's healthy, and he's got two bum wheels...but in a lineup with De Aza, Wise, Ramirez, and Beckham (not to mention "grindy" guys on the bench), I'm not sure Youkilis - he of the zero lifetime sac bunt Youkilises - is the guy we had in mind.
Also, starting Viciedo against Fister was bad, but letting him face Valverde in the 9th - Viciedo is 223/266/348 career against RHP - was inexcusable.
And what was with Liriano coming out of the 'pen to start the 8th?
Ugh.
To be fair to RV re Dewayne Wise, he's riding the hot hand. And with Dunn's injury, I'm not sure he has any better options on the roster. But he probably shouldn't be hitting 3rd.
I would challenge you to a DUEL, sir... if I wasn't so ####### happy, right at this moment.
Ken Korach was in fine form tonight. What a treat this season has been.
I would mind being beaten up if I weren't so happy right at this moment myself. Totally worth it for the reverse jinx effect.
Care to elaborate on this, RDP?
Ummm ... what is a Ken Korach?
A's broadcaster (TV and radio). Pronounced "CORE-ack." He does good work.
Apparently, Brandon McCarthy called it first.
He's probably my favorite radio broadcaster out of the guys who haven't been there a thousand years since radio was new. I also like Jon Miller.
You, sir, are clearly a man of refinement and excellent taste.
Here is the number they are highlighting on the insipid postgame show: 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position. Shocked it was that high. This game was winnable twice: early and late. Sloppy swings by Kendry and Howie and Albert Pujols (who had a little redemption in the 9th but who is grandfathering it badly these days) added up to a turkey. And the only people giving thanks are the drum-beating hippies in green and gold up in Occupyland.
Nyum nyum nyum.
but i sure as heck didn't think it would evolve into them having to scrap it out with baltimore. what??
and the angels have to be frustrating. you a core of great players and then so much dreck it's dragging down the whole season
Okay, that's a lot of jinx I threw out there. Hope everyone can handle it.
I am now looking for you and I will find you and you will die screaming like a little girl who just saw a spider crawl out of her vagina.
And yes, I stole that last line verbatim from Louie. Sue me!
The old sidekick from Space Ghost: Coast to Coast? He was awesome.
That MLB.com headline on the O's game is just whack.
Did he actually do it? I believe he did.
edit: In the comments someone referred to this as a Green and Golden Shower, which is all kinds of awesome.
edit edit: Just one more edit...by WPA, Blevins' save last night was the second toughest in the last 10 years.
NO COUNTING OF CHICKENS! THE CHICKENS, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE ####### COUNTED!
And yes, yes, I agree. Such a rich, substantial, delightful taste to these tears. And I'm not even an A's fan, just a guy who cordially dislikes the Angels.
And the A's get 16 of the last 21 against playoff contending teams, not 18. The Angels aren't playoff contenders.
You guys get really down on your team--it's baseball and there's always another day. After getting swept at home and almost having the team's most popular player almost get killed on the field, the A's have won 5 in a row. I'd wait at least a couple of weeks before writing off a team as talented as the Angels.
Hilariously, I knew who you were linking to before I ran my cursor over your link: the redoubtable Rev Halofan.
He is quite the drama queen/troll.
I will take this moment to put in the obligatory plug for the Nationals' radio team, Charlie Slowes (who's been calling games on the radio since Day 1 in '05) and Dave Jaegler. I know I'm a homer and all, but outside the Hall of Fame Legends (Scully, Miller, Uecker, etc.) I really think they're in absolute upper tier of announcers. Great -- GREAT, especially Slowes -- radio voices, skilled game-calling, and obvious chemistry. Also, an excellent and thorough post-game show.
Bonus: one of my favorite Charlie Slowes calls of all time, it's one of those sad moments that hardcore Nationals fans remember from the Bad Old Days: the Nook Logan debacle.
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