Baseball and Eggs - Talking ears and A-Rod
By Punch N. Judy
BaseballBigMouth.com baseball news
Regardless of a franchise’s resources, talent, or veteran leadership, there is always an element of a winning team catching lightning in a bottle.
The business of winning pennants is a year to year pursuit predicated on many factors. As the Toronto Blue Jays are finding out, fielding the best rotisserie league team means little if a big bopper or two get hurt. It’s the players thrust into service to stem the tide who many times determine the employment fate of that club’s general manager. Former Detroit cast – offs John MacDonald and Jason Smith have filled the bill in this regard for J.P Riccairdi and company in Toronto. To a lesser extent Josh Phelps has done likewise in the Bronx.
Since their late – 90’s glory days, the Yanks have struggled to find that right mix of millionaires capable of delivering a 27th World Series championship to the bosom of bombastic owner George Steinbrenner. This isn’t due to improper spending as much as it is to the fact that no GM has ever mastered the art of buying intangibles. While blessed with the leagues most dominant closer for the past decade, it’s been the club’s inability to replace the old Mike Stanton to Jeff Nelson to Mo Rivera relay that has hampered Joe Torre’s bunch come play – off time. Not that NY has to worry about that this year as the Yankees appear ready to concede as we wind down the season’s first month. Tuesday nights implosion du jour, courtesy of sidewinding lefty specialist Mike Myers, sank the Yankees into the basement of the AL East. Brought on to retire the Devil Rays Carl Crawford, Myers promptly yielded a decisive grand slam, to join fellow goats Brian Bruney, and Scott Proctor as the prime factors in the Yankees new seat alongside the sump pump. Oh, to be Brian Cashman.
A-Rod’s Perfect Storm
We just may be in the throes of watching the greatest single season ever recorded in the Big Leagues. Looking about as dominant as Barry Bonds ever did, at any time, Alex Rodriguez looks poised break both the single season home run and RBI records. Personally, I was always more fascinated with the latter mark as it truly is the greater measure of production. With A-Rod sure to find immunity from the intentional walk brigade that Bonds faced in San Fran, it should be an interesting summer for the game’s premier talent. Making it all the easier of course would be an extended Yankee stay at the bottom of the standings. The man who was famously nick – named “The Cooler” by his former teammates in Texas, is a shoe – in for immortality if only the Yanks turn in a less than first place finish.
Sounds of the Game
The Heckler and I, as you may know took in last week’s day game between the Royals and Tigers from seats that belied our incomes. Close enough for Gary Sheffield and Brandon Inge to hear our words of encouragement and support – “hurry up and get dressed Inge, there’s still time for you to get to Toledo,” – I realized just how different the game is up close and personal. A manager could actually use his ears as well as eyes to judge the performance of his players. The crack of the bat from fifty feet away really gives you a heads up on how hittable a pitcher is that day. Saying that, I still can’t believe Jim Leyland went by the “Book” and replaced Joel Zumaya with Todd Jones after the big fireballer dispatched the side on eight pitches. - Punch Says: “Hey Leyland, if you still have Tony LaRussa’s number, burn it.”
Halberstam will be missed - A few years back The Heckler gave me a book written by David Halberstam titled, The Summer of 49.’ It was based on the incredible pennant race between the Yanks and Red Sox that came down to a final two game set at the Stadium. The New Yorkers needed a pair of wins to complete an improbable comeback laced with heroics from a hobbled Joe DiMaggio. New Sox manager Joe McCarthy fresh from a Yankee pink slip, rode the bat of Ted Williams and the left arm of Mel Parnell into this fateful showdown. What happened next? Pick up the book, you won’t be sorry. Anyway, this Pulitzer Prize winning writer - for his Vietnam correspondence - quickly became my favorite author. In fact, just weeks ago I finished his tear jerking memoirs of the last meeting between Ted Williams, Dom DiMaggio, Bobby Doerr, and Johnny Pesky titled “The Teamates.” In a cruel twist of fate, Mr. Halberstam was taken from us Monday morning when the car he was a passenger in was broadsided by a journalism student from the university he had just lectured at the previous day. This great author and historian will be sorely missed by those priviledged enough to have read his work.
Quote of the Week -“’Remember when’ is the lowest form of conversation.” – Tony Soprano, Sunday night on HBO.
Clown of the Week – Tiger relief pitcher Todd Jones, who blew two gimme’s in the last seven days. His latest blown save – an errant throw to first on a fielded bunt – was a personal birthday gift to himself on the day he turned 39. Happy birthday ya bum!
ED Note - Baseball and Eggs will appear every Thursday, and serves as a form of self – therapy for this clinically insane baseball fan. The baseball part is self – explanatory. The eggs however, could pertain to just about anything on Punch’s mind from Wednesday to Wednesday. Good day all.