Here's the wind-up......, The Pitch!
It's an off-speed pitch for ya folks. A change-up to keep you honest.
I bring you CEREAL KILLERS from North 13th Street:
Kinda gives breakfast new meaning, doesn't it?
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Jan. 6th - el DIA de LOS REYES. Winter League Update from PUERTO RICO
!Buenos Dias BloggerHood! January 6th is Three Kings Day.
The TrolleyBlogger jumped a ferry [ wink*wink ; ) ] for a WINTER LEAGUE update from el Liga de Beisbol Profesional de Puerto Rico.
Aaron Bates of Caguas, on the RedSox 40-man roster, is having a nice winter for himself batting .300 plus. He plays first-base for the Criolles. I think Ivan Rodriguez is just hanging out for some work out and practice because he isn't playing much at all. If your interested, Ruben Sierra is still kickin' it in the P.R. League too.
In celebration of Dia de Los Reyes, today's game between los Criollos and los Indios de Mayaguez (mayaguez Indians) in Caguas will be free to the fans and public. Carlos Beltran affiliates himself with the Mayaguez team.
There it is folks, your Puerto Rican League update. !En mi casa se habla Beisbol, siempre! Time to load the Trolley back on the ferry and steam home to Brooklyn. Adios deste mi Isla de Encanto.
Miguel.
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John Mara & Jeff Wilpon Speak-out..kinda. HEY DOLAN!!!
John Mara, my dude! - Ripped into his team at season's end and said the results of this season was akin to a
2-14 pathetic effort. He is angry and he wants everyone working for Big Blue to know it. Good FOR HIM! And good for us too!
Today, Omar Minaya, but more importantly Jeff Wilpon tried showing a less dark disposition with regards to Ownership's wishes, plans, direction and fan perceptions. Whatever. Normally it wouldn't take much for me to go into a tangent about the Wilpons (and by the way I want to hear from FRED). But today, although I would've liked to see him a little less rosy about his MetLook, Jeff said and touched on everything I usually complain about with regards to METropolis. I'm agreeable with what Jeff and Omar had to say today at the JASON BAY press conference.
OK....uh
HEY DOLAN!!!? You wanna say something to us? My other owners are talking to me loud and clear as of today. Care to add something to this conversation? Could you explain to me why Glen Sather's BLUEprint for perpetual mediocracy is so appealing to you? Just wondering. Or are you just going to jack-up my cable bill to pay for your MSG renovation? Couldn't you just get "This Old House"?. I can't wait to read my future cable bills for the answer to that!
This guy "theDolan(s)" owns my favorite hockey team, my favorite basketball team until the NETS come to BROOKLYN when I'll have to rethink things, the arena I go see and root their play in, the channel I watch their games on and the cable outlet I get my service from. Do you think we deserve to hear from him more often? I do!!
I heard from an angry John Mara and a bland Jeff Wilpon in the last two days. Hey Dolan, drop your guitar for a few moments and tell me why the Rangers are spinning their tires in the Glen-Sather-Cap-Mud.
You've been trying to take Cablevision private for a while now. You spun-off the Rangers/Knicks/MSG from the parent company. Why do I get the feeling my cable bill is going to increase once the MSG renovation gets into full swing? Talk to me JIM!
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http://theBrooklynTrolleyBlogger.mlblogs.com/
2-14 pathetic effort. He is angry and he wants everyone working for Big Blue to know it. Good FOR HIM! And good for us too!
Today, Omar Minaya, but more importantly Jeff Wilpon tried showing a less dark disposition with regards to Ownership's wishes, plans, direction and fan perceptions. Whatever. Normally it wouldn't take much for me to go into a tangent about the Wilpons (and by the way I want to hear from FRED). But today, although I would've liked to see him a little less rosy about his MetLook, Jeff said and touched on everything I usually complain about with regards to METropolis. I'm agreeable with what Jeff and Omar had to say today at the JASON BAY press conference.
OK....uh
HEY DOLAN!!!? You wanna say something to us? My other owners are talking to me loud and clear as of today. Care to add something to this conversation? Could you explain to me why Glen Sather's BLUEprint for perpetual mediocracy is so appealing to you? Just wondering. Or are you just going to jack-up my cable bill to pay for your MSG renovation? Couldn't you just get "This Old House"?. I can't wait to read my future cable bills for the answer to that!
This guy "theDolan(s)" owns my favorite hockey team, my favorite basketball team until the NETS come to BROOKLYN when I'll have to rethink things, the arena I go see and root their play in, the channel I watch their games on and the cable outlet I get my service from. Do you think we deserve to hear from him more often? I do!!
I heard from an angry John Mara and a bland Jeff Wilpon in the last two days. Hey Dolan, drop your guitar for a few moments and tell me why the Rangers are spinning their tires in the Glen-Sather-Cap-Mud.
You've been trying to take Cablevision private for a while now. You spun-off the Rangers/Knicks/MSG from the parent company. Why do I get the feeling my cable bill is going to increase once the MSG renovation gets into full swing? Talk to me JIM!
http://theBrooklynTrolleyBlogger.blogspot.com/
http://theBrooklynTrolleyBlogger.mlblogs.com/
RedSox sign Beltre - Castillo to Boston? REALLY?
BoSox Buy Beltre.
It's been announced the Red Sox signed Adrian Beltre......and Mike Lowell is gonna.....?
It's only a one year deal though....which speaks to what I said in my last post about the MLB expiring contract..
Now the rumor is the Mets and Red Sox swapping Mike Lowell for Luis Castillo. Apparently Dustin Pedroia hinted he'd be willing to move to short stop. I can't say I like that idea. I like Pedroia right where he is. The monkey wrench in that is shortstop has never been settled since the Nomar Garciapara trade. I thought it then; - I thought the RedSox should have re-up'd Orlando Cabrera. Such as life.
Luis Castillo is getting a real bad rap around here. The problem was Omar giving him a 4 year deal when he was fresh off injury. Four Years? C'Mon! It's just like Jason Bay currently. While teams are signing players to one and two year deals, Omar continues to cave in and give that last year, for the sake of getting the deal done. I hoped the Mets could sign Bay for 3 years. They gave him four...& a VESTED OPTION FIFTH YEAR!! Unbelievable.! But - Castillo is a good player. He hit over his career avg. last year after finally getting over his injury. He has a good glove too. He's had a very solid career. But NY Met fans are just dying to get him sent somewhere else to the point they'll drive him to the airport themselves. If the Mets can move Castillo for Lowell (health still suspect), Mike can play first and give us a little more than Daniel Murphy did. But don't start counting D- Murph out yet. Did you notice his doubles total? To replace Castillo I'm assuming the plan would be to try and sign Orlando Hudson to a year-too-long contract like Omar does everyone else, (See - Johan 7yrs. - Glavine, too long, Pedro too long, Wagner year too long, Castillo too long.....get my drift?). Oh, I'm sorry, Mets waited too long on him too. He signed already. Rats!
Jason Marquis is going to throw a no-hitter against the Mets in 2010 because he wanted to pitch here, his hometown, but the Mets were still snoozing at the time. But we got R.A. freakin' Dickey though. Woo-Hoo!
...And as for Theo; What is he thinking about entertaining this thought about Pedroia to short? That'sa wicked BAD idea dude.
The Hot Stove just got a little wierd....like looking at H. Matsui in an Angels uniform. Know when something just doesn't look right?
Point of amusement >.....Matsui and Ichiro can't stand eachother. It'll be fun watching them in the same division now.
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http://theBrooklyntrolleyBlogger.blogspot.com/
It's been announced the Red Sox signed Adrian Beltre......and Mike Lowell is gonna.....?
It's only a one year deal though....which speaks to what I said in my last post about the MLB expiring contract..
Now the rumor is the Mets and Red Sox swapping Mike Lowell for Luis Castillo. Apparently Dustin Pedroia hinted he'd be willing to move to short stop. I can't say I like that idea. I like Pedroia right where he is. The monkey wrench in that is shortstop has never been settled since the Nomar Garciapara trade. I thought it then; - I thought the RedSox should have re-up'd Orlando Cabrera. Such as life.
Luis Castillo is getting a real bad rap around here. The problem was Omar giving him a 4 year deal when he was fresh off injury. Four Years? C'Mon! It's just like Jason Bay currently. While teams are signing players to one and two year deals, Omar continues to cave in and give that last year, for the sake of getting the deal done. I hoped the Mets could sign Bay for 3 years. They gave him four...& a VESTED OPTION FIFTH YEAR!! Unbelievable.! But - Castillo is a good player. He hit over his career avg. last year after finally getting over his injury. He has a good glove too. He's had a very solid career. But NY Met fans are just dying to get him sent somewhere else to the point they'll drive him to the airport themselves. If the Mets can move Castillo for Lowell (health still suspect), Mike can play first and give us a little more than Daniel Murphy did. But don't start counting D- Murph out yet. Did you notice his doubles total? To replace Castillo I'm assuming the plan would be to try and sign Orlando Hudson to a year-too-long contract like Omar does everyone else, (See - Johan 7yrs. - Glavine, too long, Pedro too long, Wagner year too long, Castillo too long.....get my drift?). Oh, I'm sorry, Mets waited too long on him too. He signed already. Rats!
Jason Marquis is going to throw a no-hitter against the Mets in 2010 because he wanted to pitch here, his hometown, but the Mets were still snoozing at the time. But we got R.A. freakin' Dickey though. Woo-Hoo!
...And as for Theo; What is he thinking about entertaining this thought about Pedroia to short? That'sa wicked BAD idea dude.
The Hot Stove just got a little wierd....like looking at H. Matsui in an Angels uniform. Know when something just doesn't look right?
Point of amusement >.....Matsui and Ichiro can't stand eachother. It'll be fun watching them in the same division now.
http://thebrooklyntrolleyBlogger.mlblogs.com/
http://theBrooklyntrolleyBlogger.blogspot.com/
Monday, January 04, 2010
No FEHR vs. No FEAR equals...A FIGHT !
BUD SELIG, Igor to the owner's Frankenstein, will be stepping down from his post, so he says. DONALD, the biggest hinderance to rectifying the PED-era, FEHR, broke out of town like Spiro Agnew when Richard Nixon's house was about to crumble around him.
Fay Vincent wanted to start with reasonable suspicion and investigate suspected usage of PED's in baseball invoking the best interests of Baseball. C'mon...we were screaming about Canseco back in 1988! Fay also stuck his nose in too deep for the owners' tastes, into the negotiations of a collective bargaining agreement when he was still commish. Both those efforts got him effectively fired by the owners. They instituted their "Gumba", their "Pizo", and pulled his strings the way they wanted ever since. Want Evidence? - You explain that 3 Card-Monte he orchestrated with the swap of Boston/Florida and the mothballing of the Expos, sending them off to vacation in Puerto Rico (which incidently is an outrageously beautiful island,...sorry...I strayed), and dropped a cherry on top by allowing Peter Angelos to steal all the new-Nat's TV money? Selig was/is for the owners, by the owners.
However he could have shouted from the highest mountain top about steriods, and it would have changed nothing. Selig's crime is ignorance, and denial planned or otherwise and Crony'ism. PED talk fell on deaf ears unless Donald Fehr wanted to do something about it. Which by the way for the last 20 years has meant, Nothing.
MLB/Selig ignored it as long as they could get away with it.. But after the Congressional FreakShow with Slammin' no english Sammy So-So, Groucho, Harpo, Canseco, Raffy and "no interest in the past" Andro-Man McGwire, then the recurring positive tests under terms of the re-opened bargaining agreement, plus leaks from the sample testing list revealing huge names, and full knowledge that he, D.Fehr, himself knew who was on that list, well...He left under the cover of darkness On That Midnight Train to Georgia. He knows what's up. Here's what I think...what's up.
I think baseball is tremoring towards the biggest structural upheaval it's been through since Marvin Miller won the right to institute the current model baseball operates by - Free Market, strong Survive and (now subsidize).
You know a salary cap is on the table. The owners detest arbitration - the single most reason for the escalation of player salaries. Slotting minor league/amatuer players from the draft is a huge 800 pound gorilla they want resolved also. Then obviously, steroids.
This is the biggest reason there are so many as-yet unsigned players available. Have you noticed the preponderance of one and two year deals being signed? It's because times are-a-changing.
Selig...gone. Fehr...gone. We know right from the beginning, the next collective bargaining session is going to be unlike any we've had to endure in nearly two decades. The Union's no FEHR, and the owner's no FEAR could mean trouble for all of us. Fight in the schoolyard!!
Enjoy THIS season! : o
post script: If you're around my age 40z...If you remember back to at least the 1976 Olympics.....My point is.... because I was about to get stupidly verbose....SAVE!
Say if you were around in the 70z, we knew back then the Eastern Bloc countries were getting juiced like Roman Soldiers drinking after victory. By the early 80z it was common knowledge. But because we put baseball on the perverbial pedistal like we do, we ignored it just the same. We kept paying to see them.
: O
http://theBrooklynTrolleyBlogger.mlblogs.com/
http://theBrooklynTrolleyBlogger.blogspot.com/
Fay Vincent wanted to start with reasonable suspicion and investigate suspected usage of PED's in baseball invoking the best interests of Baseball. C'mon...we were screaming about Canseco back in 1988! Fay also stuck his nose in too deep for the owners' tastes, into the negotiations of a collective bargaining agreement when he was still commish. Both those efforts got him effectively fired by the owners. They instituted their "Gumba", their "Pizo", and pulled his strings the way they wanted ever since. Want Evidence? - You explain that 3 Card-Monte he orchestrated with the swap of Boston/Florida and the mothballing of the Expos, sending them off to vacation in Puerto Rico (which incidently is an outrageously beautiful island,...sorry...I strayed), and dropped a cherry on top by allowing Peter Angelos to steal all the new-Nat's TV money? Selig was/is for the owners, by the owners.
However he could have shouted from the highest mountain top about steriods, and it would have changed nothing. Selig's crime is ignorance, and denial planned or otherwise and Crony'ism. PED talk fell on deaf ears unless Donald Fehr wanted to do something about it. Which by the way for the last 20 years has meant, Nothing.
I think baseball is tremoring towards the biggest structural upheaval it's been through since Marvin Miller won the right to institute the current model baseball operates by - Free Market, strong Survive and (now subsidize).
You know a salary cap is on the table. The owners detest arbitration - the single most reason for the escalation of player salaries. Slotting minor league/amatuer players from the draft is a huge 800 pound gorilla they want resolved also. Then obviously, steroids.
This is the biggest reason there are so many as-yet unsigned players available. Have you noticed the preponderance of one and two year deals being signed? It's because times are-a-changing.
Selig...gone. Fehr...gone. We know right from the beginning, the next collective bargaining session is going to be unlike any we've had to endure in nearly two decades. The Union's no FEHR, and the owner's no FEAR could mean trouble for all of us. Fight in the schoolyard!!
Enjoy THIS season! : o
post script: If you're around my age 40z...If you remember back to at least the 1976 Olympics.....My point is.... because I was about to get stupidly verbose....SAVE!
Say if you were around in the 70z, we knew back then the Eastern Bloc countries were getting juiced like Roman Soldiers drinking after victory. By the early 80z it was common knowledge. But because we put baseball on the perverbial pedistal like we do, we ignored it just the same. We kept paying to see them.
: O
http://theBrooklynTrolleyBlogger.mlblogs.com/
http://theBrooklynTrolleyBlogger.blogspot.com/
New York Football Giants Fire Defensive Co-ordinator Today
The New York Giants fired their much beleaguered Defensive Co-ordinator today after a miserable afternoon versus the Vikings on Sunday which ended their no less miserable season. The game was to be a glorious ending to the Giants' time in the Meadowlands, known better as GIANTS STADIUM. It ended up being just another demolition with no one around to watch. I'm going to be honest with you. I'm not that upset.I'm happy as heck Jerry Reese reacted swiftly and relieved BILL SHERRIDAN of his post. I'm Even happier John Mara ripped into the team for their collectively horrid efforts this season. That right there is the reason I'm not that upset about this season's display of apathy; - The new Mr. Mara is on it. Jerry Reese is on it. The machine is working. C'mon Giants fans, we've had bad seasons and bad times before. We were very foregiving of "The Duke" for his never ending 5 year rebuilding plan between The Giff and Little Joe Morris. Having said that.......
The secondary never got healthy. We lost S-Kenny Phillips for the year. But most of all, and we all knew it, our Linebackers were our team's soft white underbelly with OR without Antonio Pierce. If you didn't know it, you don't know 'Didly'.
The league figured out early beat the Giants by passing all day. That's what the league did to us. Pass, Pass, Pass. Done. The defensive line never has a chance too get off if your linebackers are suspect and your secondary is in intensive care.
I recognized it early and these last few weeks didn't hurt as much as a result.
Sherridan? Gone? Good.
Talk about dumping OSI? Whooooa! Can we sleep on that one. Relax a little. You're talking while you're stilll angry.
I'm not concerned with the offensive or defensive line. I'm not concerned with our recievers. I never was. I'm not overly concerned with our running game depending how bad Brandon Jacobs' knee really is.
I am concerned that Gillbride has turned the GIANTS into a passing team and I'll just never get used to that.
The secondary is in shambles. Our linebacking crew....is non-existant. I am also concerned that it appears without Strahan around these guys were looking for someone to take them by the hand on defense and show the way.
I view these seasons as a window; - A window of opportunity. Just like back between 1985-1990, sometimes things went good, sometimes things went great and sometimes things were down right terrible (see following-up SB XXI with that nasty strike year, and, hold on fellow G-Fans, FLIPPER ANDERSON!),
So....? Let's see what happens next year while this window of opportunity is still open for us.
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Sunday, January 03, 2010
Goodbye GIANTS STADIUM, good riddance Meadowlands.
Tah-Dah!!
Consider this my first post into anything other than Baseball and Brooklyn. And away we go...!
Good-bye Giants Stadium, and greater Meadowlands Sports Complex. I appreciated you. But somehow this doesn't have the gravitas like the closing of SHEA STADIUM, or The House Where Sparky Spit, The House That George Razed, the Cathedral, YANKEE STADIUM has.
I had some good times there. Don't get me wrong. There's just not that much of an emotional attachment like Shea, The Stadium (better?), or even what Madison Square Garden means to me. It is what it is.
In my 43 years on this planet, as a FOOTBALL GIANTS fan, I've been to 3 games; one in 1985, 1989 and lastly, the 1993 playoff game versus the Vikings. That was a great time, and the best moment I was present for. The best moment of all time at Giants Stadium was voted on. That moment is the 1986/7 NFC Championship, Wind Blown, Paper Snowing victory over the Redskins. Voted the second greatest moment was opening day the next season when the Giants celebrated their 3rd Super Bowl victory with their fans.
However, I have awesome memories of going to many NASL COSMOS games in the late 70's. Pele's last game was THE biggest event I attended at the Meadowlands. 1978 was as fun a year rooting for the Cosmos as any other, with any of my teams. You didn't know it then. But I know today, those COSMOS days were special! The crowds were incredible.
My other source of Meadowland merriment came when the U.S.F.L. kicked-off. I took an instant liking to the league and the NEW JERSEY GENERALS. That league should have stayed in the spring. They would probably still be around today. Those were good times too!
Consider this my first post into anything other than Baseball and Brooklyn. And away we go...!
Good-bye Giants Stadium, and greater Meadowlands Sports Complex. I appreciated you. But somehow this doesn't have the gravitas like the closing of SHEA STADIUM, or The House Where Sparky Spit, The House That George Razed, the Cathedral, YANKEE STADIUM has.
I had some good times there. Don't get me wrong. There's just not that much of an emotional attachment like Shea, The Stadium (better?), or even what Madison Square Garden means to me. It is what it is.
In my 43 years on this planet, as a FOOTBALL GIANTS fan, I've been to 3 games; one in 1985, 1989 and lastly, the 1993 playoff game versus the Vikings. That was a great time, and the best moment I was present for. The best moment of all time at Giants Stadium was voted on. That moment is the 1986/7 NFC Championship, Wind Blown, Paper Snowing victory over the Redskins. Voted the second greatest moment was opening day the next season when the Giants celebrated their 3rd Super Bowl victory with their fans.
My other source of Meadowland merriment came when the U.S.F.L. kicked-off. I took an instant liking to the league and the NEW JERSEY GENERALS. That league should have stayed in the spring. They would probably still be around today. Those were good times too!
I went to a couple of concerts at the old Brendan Byrne Arena (I don't keep up with these dumb name changes anymore). I saw Judas Priest, OzzY, Sabbath and I don't even remember who anymore back in the 80's. But there were others.
And that's it....the extent of my associations with Giants Stadium and the Meadowlands. Good-bye 'Ol-Chum. It's been...alright.
Washington Redskins set to Fire JIM ZORN
I just heard on 1050espn radioNY a report saying the Washington Redskins will fire Head Coach Jim Zorn within the next 24 hours.
No surprise there!
I remember way back when he played for the Seahawks, Seattle beat the Cowboys in a preseason game and I became an instant fan of his. Watching lefty Jim Zorn connect with Steve Largent was some cool stuff....back in the day.
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No surprise there!
I remember way back when he played for the Seahawks, Seattle beat the Cowboys in a preseason game and I became an instant fan of his. Watching lefty Jim Zorn connect with Steve Largent was some cool stuff....back in the day.
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Saturday, January 02, 2010
Jump On! The TROLLEY is on the MOVE Again.
It's time to board the TROLLEY again. Jump-on and hold tight. We're leaving Breukelen Station and our Destination is the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. C'mon.
You know I've been having fun with this "Baseball Archaeologist" pseudonym I made up along the way. Well, for as much as I'd like, - Well, this story deserves, what we call around here, Respect.
Ladies and Gentlemen, enjoy the ride to Williamsburg today. We'll be pulling up to the corner Steakhouse at Leonard Street and Conselyea Street. I went there for some pictures. I walked away with a memory.
I humbly title this post: WELCOME To a BROOKLYN HEIRLOOM, OPEN JUST For YOU.
A gentleman answered and I explained to him forthright what I was up to and that I was respectfully asking permission to use the images for this purpose. After giving him what information he desired and exchanging some pleasantry,...and after being very agreeable the whole time, JOHN, consented.
The posters themselves are spectacular. I've always had it my mind to take a picture of the "Lords of Flatbush" poster. The posters are all Brooklyn centric obviously, but what makes them utterly magical to me is the references they make to the Brooklyn Dodgers. They are more footprints in the dried-up river bed. The posters are more little fossils of evidence which proves the Brooklyn Dodgers are alive and well in the Borough of Kings.
Apparently, John lived close by and decided to come out there, perhaps before I left, because if that was me?.. - I'm making sure this cat is on the up-and-up..Know what I mean?! He approached me knowing who I was, fiddling with my camera and all. I assumed John, correctly, we shook hands and conversed in the lightly falling snowy afternoon. My kinda weather!! He related to me about buying a new house and his plans for creating a memorabilia / ManCave (my word) in the basement. John is a Yankees fan. I'm a Mets fan. I told him as much. See?! Met and Yankee fans can share space. I didn't tell him I was a SOX fan too. Sorry John, you can let me have it when I visit next time.
After getting a little deeper into what I was doing with this whole Blog-thing, to my great surprise and immense delight, he opened up the restaurant and we entered. The DeSTEFANO's Steak & Chops establishment wasn't due to open till 5 p.m.and I was inside looking at Brooklyn's soul at 1pm.
Inside, there is a wall dedicated to the Brooklyn Dodgers. There was one photo in particular I never saw before, of a Yankee and Dodger vendor together, hawking their goods. Outstanding! I thought I saw them all. By this time, John's father had arrived, JOE. John introduced us as I thanked him kindly for the intrusion. I was stumbling over my words because you just couldn't pen a better script. Joe also seemed quite agreeable with letting me post this wonderful encounter as I clicked away with delight. Another frame contained a local newspaper clip celebrating the Legendary DODGER Sym-PHONY BAND. God bless their Brooklynite hearts. They made their way out to a Brooklyn Cyclones' game a couple of years ago. I hope they're well!
The cherry on top of this trip, was what I will call their Wall of Fame. I don't think it's a stretch to assume they call it that too...huh? The wall is covered with the Brooklynites who've hit the big time, the famous, our pride and stars. The wall is a Who's Who from the Borough of Kings. I asked him if he had my team's owner up there, Mr. Lafayette High School Pitcher himself, Fred Wilpon. It was worth a chuckle but it didn't get him on the wall; - at least not yet. I will be going back to DeStefano's for what I'm sure will be a spectacular dinner experience with my wife. Perhaps one day they'll let me detail that wall better. But for now, to that point, I was overwhelmed already from my experience with John and Joe, and I had already taken up enough of their good time. I didn't want to over-step their hospitality.The rest of my day went swimmingly!!
I'd like to extend my deepest, warmest and most sincere appreciation to John and Joe, proprietors and family owners of DeSTEFANO's STEAK & CHOPS, -
DeSTEFANO"S STEAKHOUSE is located at the corner of LEONARD STREET and CONSELYEA STREET in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. A special thank you goes out to Mrs. "Joe" and John's MOM, - Because behind every good man there's a better woman, and because when she raised John, she did a great job! God Bless you all.
The experience I had with you fine gentlemen reaffirms what I aways felt and believe in my heart. I Love living in Brooklyn. You two men are another pair of reasons why.
Enjoy the pictures everyone, courtesy of DeStefano's SteakHouse in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on the corner of Leonard Street and Conselyea Street.
The Baseball Archaeologist had this day off.
I hope you enjoyed your ride on the TROLLEY Blogger today. I had a blast!!!
Best regards to all......Mike.
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Welcome To 2010 Everyone!! First Things' First..I promised you.
I trust everyone in the BloggerHood is safe and home and doing well, and is ready to take on 2010 after partying away '09. You should be awake by now. C'mon.
OK? Good! Now the sarcasm can flow more freely. I guess this is fair warning because it seems anytime I start talking about the Yankees, even though I'm very fair, I just can't help myself and usually take a shot or two at'em. Don't wooorry Bomber fans. This isn't the posting you need to worry about. This one is nicey-nice.
THIS WHOLE METS-YANKEES-REDSOX THING I HAVE GOING ON:
It's really very simple. From birth I must have been encoded to be a Mets fan. There was never any doubt. How it happened? I have no idea. My PoP was a Yankees fan. Being what it was, he took me to an equal amount of Yankee games and Met games at Shea. So, one afternoon after school I was home doing homework. My Pop called home and told my sister to have me ready to go at 5pm or so, but for what I had no idea. I just knew we'd be outside. Later that night, in the bottom of the 9th inning, I watched Chris Chambliss' HR drop out of the sky and the Yankees won the ALCS of 1976. I was 9 yrs old. I'm sure you've seen the footage by now of that insane scene that ensued. Ladies and gentlemen, till this day that was the sickest, most incredible night I ever had at a ballgame.
By 1977 and '78 I came to understand the Red Sox were their biggest rival. I wanted them to win the '75 world series because as a Mets fan, I hated the REDS. I was leaning by this time. It happened very naturally. I ran home from school to watch the A.L. East one game playoff between the Yanks and Sox in the infamous Bucky "f'n" Dent game of 1978. Once the Sox went up on a Carl Yastrzemski homerun early in the game, I was hooked as a Red Sox fan ever since. YAZ always remained one of my most favorite players of all time! Oddly enough, so did Joe Morgan and Johnny Bench. That Big Red Machine was an insane team. I didn't like them, both those two players made an indelible impression on me though, just like Yaz.
There, that's it. I don't hate Bucky Dent like Bostonians. I didn't feel for Buckner what Bostonians felt, (Bostonians and greater New England, sorry folks) because after all I am a Mets fan. There is no internal conflict should the Mets and Sox face off. I compartmentalize. I don't claim 2004 means as much to me as it did to New Englanders, but DAMN! - that was sweet. I would never insult you fine N.Englanders that way. Outside of NY, I truley love New England and the enemy of my enemy is my friend! But, in respect to RedSoxNation, I really like them a lot! I've been going to Fenway one to three times a year, on average, since 1993. I do my best to represent theNATION when ever they come to NYC and keep SoxNation kickin' in Brooklyn. I wear my SOX stuff to Yankee Stadium all the time! When they find out I'm a NY'er just like them...LOL - You should hear their tones change! LOL!! It's a gas!
My PoP was a Yankee fan. My 19 yr old son is a Yankee fan. My wonderful wife is a Yankee fan. It makes for a fun time at the dinner table to say the least. I still take my son to as many Yankee games as I do dragging him to Mets games. At 19, the kid is an utter panic (that's a good thing) and I'm enjoying the hell out of going to games together.
There it is folks and here I am today. A die hard Mets fan who likes the Red Sox who, just as long as they're not playing the Mets or Sox, will go to Yankee Stadium and root for the Yanks....sometimes...it depends. Sometimes as the game plays out it's more fun to root against them just for fun. I hope this doesn't make me a METroSOXual. That doesn't even sound right (note to self...delete that now!) Here's another bone Yankee fans. The 1995 playoffs were again, some of the best times I've had in all of baseball. I was pulling for Donnie Baseball....OK?
OK? Good! Now the sarcasm can flow more freely. I guess this is fair warning because it seems anytime I start talking about the Yankees, even though I'm very fair, I just can't help myself and usually take a shot or two at'em. Don't wooorry Bomber fans. This isn't the posting you need to worry about. This one is nicey-nice.
THIS WHOLE METS-YANKEES-REDSOX THING I HAVE GOING ON:
It's really very simple. From birth I must have been encoded to be a Mets fan. There was never any doubt. How it happened? I have no idea. My PoP was a Yankees fan. Being what it was, he took me to an equal amount of Yankee games and Met games at Shea. So, one afternoon after school I was home doing homework. My Pop called home and told my sister to have me ready to go at 5pm or so, but for what I had no idea. I just knew we'd be outside. Later that night, in the bottom of the 9th inning, I watched Chris Chambliss' HR drop out of the sky and the Yankees won the ALCS of 1976. I was 9 yrs old. I'm sure you've seen the footage by now of that insane scene that ensued. Ladies and gentlemen, till this day that was the sickest, most incredible night I ever had at a ballgame.I really didn't hate the Yankees yet, but they sure weren't my team. However I've always watched them just as intently as I do the Mets. I never missed a Reggie Jackson at-bat, how could you not love Munson and Guidry was class. But by 1977 and '78, I knew my future lay in antagonizing their fans because they had truly become "the Bronx Zoo". To me, The Yankees are like having that brother you don't always get along with, but never loose your sense of connectedness with. I appreciate their long storied and glorious history. I'm a baseball fan. I actually consider myself a better Yankee fan that half of these zeroes slithering around our city streets who call themselves Yankee fans. Because of the Chambliss game, I do have that one small spot for them in my heart. But I warn you, it's small. Anyway, as it stands today, I revel in Yankee folly. I love to antagonized the hell out of their fan base, because as a New Yorker, I know how to get under their skin better. It's just certain fans that earn my ire. Otherwise, honestly, I don't hate them. As a New Yorker, I'm damn glad to have 'em around. All that other nonsense about being cross town rivals is for another day.
By 1977 and '78 I came to understand the Red Sox were their biggest rival. I wanted them to win the '75 world series because as a Mets fan, I hated the REDS. I was leaning by this time. It happened very naturally. I ran home from school to watch the A.L. East one game playoff between the Yanks and Sox in the infamous Bucky "f'n" Dent game of 1978. Once the Sox went up on a Carl Yastrzemski homerun early in the game, I was hooked as a Red Sox fan ever since. YAZ always remained one of my most favorite players of all time! Oddly enough, so did Joe Morgan and Johnny Bench. That Big Red Machine was an insane team. I didn't like them, both those two players made an indelible impression on me though, just like Yaz.There, that's it. I don't hate Bucky Dent like Bostonians. I didn't feel for Buckner what Bostonians felt, (Bostonians and greater New England, sorry folks) because after all I am a Mets fan. There is no internal conflict should the Mets and Sox face off. I compartmentalize. I don't claim 2004 means as much to me as it did to New Englanders, but DAMN! - that was sweet. I would never insult you fine N.Englanders that way. Outside of NY, I truley love New England and the enemy of my enemy is my friend! But, in respect to RedSoxNation, I really like them a lot! I've been going to Fenway one to three times a year, on average, since 1993. I do my best to represent theNATION when ever they come to NYC and keep SoxNation kickin' in Brooklyn. I wear my SOX stuff to Yankee Stadium all the time! When they find out I'm a NY'er just like them...LOL - You should hear their tones change! LOL!! It's a gas!
My PoP was a Yankee fan. My 19 yr old son is a Yankee fan. My wonderful wife is a Yankee fan. It makes for a fun time at the dinner table to say the least. I still take my son to as many Yankee games as I do dragging him to Mets games. At 19, the kid is an utter panic (that's a good thing) and I'm enjoying the hell out of going to games together.
There it is folks and here I am today. A die hard Mets fan who likes the Red Sox who, just as long as they're not playing the Mets or Sox, will go to Yankee Stadium and root for the Yanks....sometimes...it depends. Sometimes as the game plays out it's more fun to root against them just for fun. I hope this doesn't make me a METroSOXual. That doesn't even sound right (note to self...delete that now!) Here's another bone Yankee fans. The 1995 playoffs were again, some of the best times I've had in all of baseball. I was pulling for Donnie Baseball....OK?I'm holding down the Brooklyn Chapter of SoxNation. Native Sox fans, I hope you approve.
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