NYY ~ "The BRONX is Simmering"

The N.Y. Yankees' Head Guy in Charge; Hal Steinbrenner thought it very necessary fans of the Yankees and New Yorkers, receive an apology from Texas Rangers' CEO/Owner Mr. Chuckie (good guy) Greenberg for disparaging comments he made on the heals of the San Francisco World Series victory, and the Texas Rangers' defeat.

Chuckie called "us" awful and embarrassing; violent or apathetic....we were the worse out of any crowd he's seen in the post-season....! Blah blah..

Can you imagine that?  Us?

Brilliant; Spoken like a man who has no experience,  practical to Baseball in late October. This was the first opportunity for your franchise to shine in the national spotlight and you allowed the whole experience to flicker-out like a "dim bulb".  Thank your lucky "Lone Star" you have Nolan Ryan on board is all I can say.


Chuck Greenberg, obviously reacting to backlash, called Hal Steinbrenner to apologize for the comments.
Hal responded in a manner as if to say...'Save it.  Takes more than you to Rattle(snake) the Empire.  You want to apologize?  Direct it towards the fans you insulted and good luck with that.  Cowboy-up Chuck!'

Mr. Greenberg did just that issuing a statement today.

And we say - Save it Road Kill; not interested.  You're only apologizing because you're getting flack over getting special sauce all over your cow chips.

Us?  We have skin thinker than a steer in a spacesuit.  We wear insults like a badge of courage so...,  Dont'cha fret none bout us now...ya hear?  Because "Frankly", (wink wink Chuck) my man, we don't give a Damn.

But to those dummies who spit down on Mrs. Cliff Lee, don't make that mistake again because as far as you're concerned, Greenberg is right.  After all, we aren't Philly fans are we?

Moving on, Bruce Bochy, manager of the new World Champions of Baseball is "irresponsible"; or so thinks Brian Cashman, in a manner of speaking.  Last week, Brian Cashman was on the Michael Kay Show and when asked about the differences between managers who manage with their guts versus skippers who employ a stat based decision process, Cashman responded by saying he prefers a manager who uses all the information and statistical analysis at his disposal to arrive at the most informed decision possible and who will implement said dictates.  He continued to say how a manager employing a gut-based system was irresponsible and wasn't the type of manager he wanted working for him.  In a separate interview, Sandy Alderson also concurred with Cashman's assessment when asked about managerial styles.

The Blue Binder Joe Girardi is joined in STATISTICAL matrimony with is co-authored by Brian Cashman himself.  Joe Girardi is every bit the manager he wants Joe to be.  As a matter of fact, a deviation from the binder will earn Joe a demerit.  Prepare to watch "LooseLeaf" in action for another three years.

So, does this make Bochy a modern day Baseball Fred Flintstone; a rebel; lucky.....? - Does this make him a hockey stick flung into the spokes in the theory of high probability?  Cashman calls it plain ol' irresponsible.

Stats have their usefulness and place in decision making.  But give me a caveman who breathes this game and knows what to do when he gets a tingly feeling in his head; and I don't mean flies.

Mariano Rivera, always class, has made his latest great pitch.  He said he is willing to sign a one year deal, with an option.  He has provided the Yankees with the best possible resolution regarding the question "what to do about resigning MO?"  Mariano "saved" the Yankees from having to deal with that problem by offering them a respectful and minimalist way of winding down his career in Pinstripes.  If only every situation came with ready made solutions.....like...,

What to do about Derek Jeter?  Some how, some way, ARod figures into the answering of this question.
Inevitably, based on the principal aspect alone, the extensions of ARod and Jeter will no doubt be played against each other by Jeter's agent.  Because of what Jeter has meant to this franchise, any and all attempts to play off that legacy will hold water.  Hal also made a comment to the effect the Team has reached out to initiate discussions, but there may be a possibility things could get difficult (my words).  That all remains to be seen.

But here's what I think Jeter might thinking.  The Great Mickey Mantle ruined his lifetime .300 career average by hanging on too long.  Later in life he admitted that and about how much it bothered him.  Mickey would say defiantly he was a .300 hitter.  The only problem was his baseball card disagreed.  I don't think Derek Jeter wants to jeopardize his career .300 average.  This last season was the worst batting average he posted in his career. 

His pursuit of 3000 hits will most likely come to a close by mid-season 2011 baring any unforeseen disasters.  When he gets that momentous 3000th hit he will be the only New York Yankee/ New York Highlander to ever achieve that milestone.  That will no doubt get him into Cooperstown in due time.  But I think Jeter's .300 career average is something haunting Derek Jeter and I do not feel he's willing to risk falling below the rate of three out of every ten.

I'm looking for Jeter to sign a three year deal somewhere in the neighborhood of  $19 to $20 million dollars.
I strongly believe he will stay short term and not even entertain the idea of a 5 year deal.  A personal services contract isn't out of the question and would be something wholly different when talking deals.

What ever Derek signs for and what ever he decides to do in the future I'm sure will still be carried out in typical JETERIAN fashion; With Class.


That's everything "Yankee" which interests me at the moment.

*note for clarification:  By "we" I meant NY'ers.  I am a Met fan/Jekyll and Hyde Yankee Hater.  I only Hate when provoked to do so by irresponsible Yankee Fan phenomena.




Mike.BTB

SIN is Being Lazy & Incorrect About NYC Baseball History

Really?

Click article to enlarge:

I rarely if ever do this, but on this occasion I could not resist.  I'm just a stickler about the Baseball History of our little city we call New York.  I did my own retrospective on the Giants about their earliest days here in New York City back on October 14th.  You can read that post here. 

But Mr. Bondy is the Pro here; I am just a sports fan with a blog.  You are however, welcome to compare my content of word versus his and make your own conclusions.  I already cede him being the better writer.  Besides my issue has more to do with his Headline Writer than Mr. Bondy himself.  But had I known Mr. Bondy would do a piece today (OCT. 27, 2010) like this I would have suggested someone conduct a little more detailed investigative field work.

Did anyone look down from Coogan's Bluff for some perspective?  Did anyone try and locate the stairway which is one of the last links to those days; the stairway descending from the top of the Bluff down to Polo Grounds level? - The stairway still being discussed about and being pleaded with/appealed to the San Fransisco Giants Ball Club for assistance to refurbish it?  Had ya done that, you would have seen IT.

Alternately, all someone had to do was walk in from the sidewalk about 100 feet in and on the left IT was there to find.  At a minimum the Housing Employees know exactly where IT is.  How do you think I found IT.  What?   THIS:

(Click to enlarge)

Of all things...there's a sign!  There's a plaque to be more exact.

It's right there for all to see affixed to the side of one of the residential buildings.

It basks in the sunshine unobstructed everyday not more than 50 feet or so from the base

of Coogan's Bluff.

Here's the difference I guess; I knew it was there when I went.

Perhaps you should have checked with me before going with that headline Dude.

No sign INDEED!

In a separate matter, I made a comment in my same NY Giants posting (if you read it) about the N.Y. Yankees pretty much stealing the idea of monuments and plaques in Center field from the Giants. But they also took the idea to surround the then, new Yankee Stadium with an old Polo Grounds staple;

the iconic frieze.

This first picture depicting "THE CATCH" by Willie Mays, shows the plaques and monument in CF,  in place since World War I and before.

Picture ~N.Y. Daily News/Bondy's article

Below, notice the frieze on the exterior of Polo Grounds.  That decorative had been in place since the time they expanded Polo Grounds in the 20's to create the LF, RF and bleacher stands.  However for most of the late 19th century and early in the 20th century, the interior upper and mid-decks were adorned with the frieze.

Picture~Julia Xanthos/NYDailyNews/NewsFile

Turn of the century Polo Grounds.

Yankee Tradition ~ Frauds.

Don't get mad.

Mike.BTB