RIP Todd.

Let's Go Yankees! (clap, clap, clap clap clap)

Lohud reporting it'll be Grandy, Swisher, & Gardner batting 7-8-9 today.

weird: 2 aces, 1 in each league, have already given up 1st inning grand slams in their home parks - Verlander & Johan.

Happy Birthday, Tex!

Laz Diaz behind the dish today. could be frustrating for AJ.

was nice to have Hank back here at the Banter. i enjoy his writing!

Hank'll be doing more recaps this year, so we've got that covered...

[4] hehe I was just gonna point that out, too. And of course.. Wally will prolly call check-swing strikes on all the lefty yankees today, aswell. ugh.

so I sat Willingham today but started Verlander. So umm...yeah.

[2] i saw that too - how many al teams bat their outfield 7-9? a real testament to the offensive prowess of the infield and catcher.

tino has already called james shield - "big game james" - he is lucky i liked him as a yankee, he is not a good announcer right now

Fuck.

damn that zobrist - petty nice play

[0] That's a great pic. When I was subbing in Colorado one day I was outside during recess looking at the mountains. I thought, man, much different from my grammar school parking lot. : )

There's a "good chance" Teix would try to bunt?
Really, Tino?

[6] great, thanks Alex! hope Emma stops by for some recaps, as well! : )

nice change from shields there ...

dammit. looks like mlb gameday audio is 60+ seconds behind. again.

[9] i loved the BamTino, as a player. he was my brother's fave for awhile. but he was terrible and very stiff on BBTN. i can't imagine he'll be good on YES.

i just turned on tbs...

well, that's a different M.O. than yesterday...

aj decided not to mess around with a no hitter this early in the season

[19] i think it was posada's fault. clearly.

[20] what isn't?

Good start, AJ.

um, thazz not good.

christ almighty.

strong throw? wrong side of the bag!

ugh, needed to get that throw on the other side of the bag po

The word has spread about running on the Yankees...and particularly Posada. There could be some very ugly games this season.

[26] i don't think the rays, particularly bartlett and crawford are good indicators of that theory. let's see what some other teams do.

back from a beer run ... nice to see AJ digging himself a hole right off the bat

throw strikes.

then again, they'll smash those pitches...

all of these games started 2-0.

Tough play -- Cano had a bad angle to start the DP, and the grounder was too slow anyway. Dang.

[27] I don't know, in 5 games and one inning, the Yankees are 0-9 in attempted steals. Posada hasn't made a good throw all season, so if scouts are watching, it might not be pretty.

Whoa, thelarmis, I thought you were going to take today off. From baseball.

[33] yeah, i know. the pull was too great. plus, i didn't realize it was gonna be on tbs and i could watch it on my new hd tv.

there's a record convention in town today, but i decided to skip it...

sorry to disappoint you by being here and ruining your sunday, along w/ AJ! ; )

[32] i don't dispute the potential for ugly is there - but it is not like the non base stealers are running against him - bartlett and in particular crawford and ellsbury are elite base stealers - most catchers have a tough time with them

good eye. don't get caught stealing.

oh god, i can't stand the beard / no mustache look. gross!!!

c'monr robbie - take this ugly fucker deep!

Robbie gonna come up BIG here ... I just feels it.

or that...

or not

damn

damn hit it right to the bossman

[36] Hard drinkin' Abe Lincoln wants a few words with you, sir

nice hit curtis - get the score truck revved up

nice! i love granderson, so glad he's a yank! : )

I know a dude who's short but sweet. He's so fine he can't be beat. I want Grandy! I want Grandy.

GrandyMan!

Bomb!

[34] Oh, the allure of HD, I get it.
Hey, I had a salami sandwich for lunch! It was great. I don't suppose you get royalties every time someone eats salami or anything, do you? I guess it isn't salarmi, so you're outa luck.

[45] haha

i'm looking forward to treme tonight - i just called and got hbo back on my cable

[42] i'm actually a big Honest Abe fan! collected his new pennies last year and am VERY much looking forward to going to his exhibit at the Atlanta History Center this Fall (i missed it at the Carter Center the other year). but, while he can pull off that look (kinda), pretty much no one else can.

[48] yeah, that's a stretch. "thelarmis", is a mix of "themis" and "lars". it was bestowed upon me, nothing i could do...

i used to eat salami as a kid. bologna sandwiches, too. my last red meat was a roastbeef sandwich at The Cellar in the basement of The Hub at Penn State, Feb. 1992.

i'm glad the rays are giving so many abs to burrell

Noice ... a little Ronnie James Dio pumping at the Trop between innings ...

[51] quick, say something predictitative ... you ain't been the same Nostralarmis so far this year!

=)

nice 2nd inning there aj

Oh, Strasburg and Chapman making their debuts on TV today ... available through MLB.tv

One more quickie AJ and you're back on track.
[52) How am I going to watch Treme and Breaking Bad at the same time? ; )

[57] damn those schedulers - maybe thelarmis will let you borrow his spiffy dvr :}

my god mk is really a nut - "i love cool elderly people" what the hell mk

[59] :)

I have the Rays' announcers. They're kind of random. Not really objectionable.

[34] hey - Jen and I also got an HDTV in the offseason. I was sick of watching games and people would say "it's raining lightly" and I'd be squinting like.. it is?

Everyone: a friend of mine has a piece in the NY Daily News today all about the neighborhood surrounding new Yankee Stadium. With a map. (only avail in the print edition)

Is that announcer eight years old?

I hate kiddie announcers in ball parks.

[53] doh, i missed it! games on mute, and i'm listening to old Exodus! : )

[54] damn! i've lost my mojo along with all my gigs... : (

i'm actually away from the game for a few minutes...

[58] nice! i'm loving this thing. unfortunately, it's filled with stoopid shows like NCIS & CSI. for some dumb reason, i'm digging those kinds of programs right now. no idea why...

Tigers also have kids' opening day today. Is this a league wide thing?

Off to mow the lawn.

NJ ... he's the walkin man.

[63] [64] especially ones that sound a bit, how shall i say this, slow

[68] Give Timmy a break will ya? ha.

nick walked? i'm shocked!

[62] sweet! i've got one here in my den. later this month, i hope to buy a bigger one for the living room. i can always take my laptop in there. i should spend more time in that room...

birthday boy gets wrung up...

man, tough day for Teix so far.

That thing in your hand, Mark. Swing it. Especially at strikes. Damn.

"It's everything you stand for."

What does Kay stand for, Kim? Do tell!

Kim is so cute.

I really hate this Kim Jones in-game reports. It's bad enough that Kay treats the games like a talk show.

[75] What can you do? Child announcers, reports from aquaria, Sterling, Waldman, Kay...

Just be grateful they still play baseball underneath it all.

I've got a feeling that the gun at the Altoona Curve's stadium is running a bit hot, but Strasburg has been *sitting* at 99 the 1st 2 innings.

Everyone say a prayer for his arm, because he's gonna be something special to watch ...

[76] Ironically, the best team in baseball has so many poor announcers.

[75] I think they borrowed that from the Mets. I saw them doing it last season, anyway.

I don't really dislike Waldman by herself.

[78] yep, the yanks are plenty good enough and have enough fans who are very into the actual baseball that they don't have to do that nonsense.

[74] i don't have YES, but i 2nd that notion! ; )

the man is a beast with the bat

[51] so, basically "thelarmis" translates to: the greek god of metal drummers?

[78] I was watching the game on the Sox broadcast the other day and was really pleasantly surprised. They're very listenable, very professional.

Nice hit, Alex.

nice drive alex, tough to get over the bossman's head

[76] Aquaria. Yeah.

If only A Rod would get back on the HGH, that would have been a home run.

[84] HA! yeah, i think it sounds more like a skin disease that originated in Greece. eg. i went to the dermatologist and got diagnosed with "thelarmis" on my left arm. : ~

well, that was unproductive.

[80] Like I said in one of the previous game threads, Waldman's got a voice that's made for semaphore, at least to me. I have no idea if what she's actually saying is good, bad, or indifferent, her voice is pure agony that I can't withstand.

[88] that's awesome. then again, who knows what the fuck he was doing with this dr. galea character, north of the border...

Some problems with Suzyn Waldman are: her voice, what she says, and how she says it.

[90] yeah man. She's like ½ french stewart, ½ goofy. And sterling's voice is fine, but he rambles like a deadpan comedian. Only he's serious. It's odd.

[77] The 99mph is real...Keith Law is at the game and has the same reading on his gun.

[92] Love her voice.

(Kinda with you on the other stuff, though.)

good ab po. c'mon curtis, do it again!

nicely done, Cletus!

c'mon Grandyman!

Great ab Jorge. There's a kid on my team named Jorge. I've got the rest ot the team calling him Georgie thanks to the Yanks. : )

Grandy's gonna spank one off the rafters. 2nd ring, please.

ah, crap.

Oh for fuck's sake. Don't waste a lead off double.

dammit.

Shields is good.

meh.

make 'em dance, AJ, make 'em dance.

a little Holy Diver for Pat the Bat ...

nice!

NICE MOVE AJ!!!

Got 'im!!!
Wow.

AJ Pettitte.

[106] Ride the Tiger - you can see his stripes but you know he's clean!

fuck you, blue

Rays pitch tracker showed that one inside ... announcers continue on calling the ball "on the corner" ...

captain doesn't look very comfy in the box in this ab

[113] the location was the same as aj's walk to bj, though that was on the outside "corner" ...

damn, i was wondering if that was hit so hard zobrist would try for the out at 1st ... he certainly came up thinking about the throw ... run Nicky, run!!!

NJ roped that. looked really surprised that zobrist was gonna try to nab him at 1st. had to hustle. hope he didn't hurt himself!

one step ahead of you Nostra!

goddamn, birthday boy. yeah, i hated turning 30 also...

F%#$ing Clueless vs. Shields.

Man, Teix was really late there.

not much of a birthday for Teix so far ...

[118] too much beer last nite!

[123] me too! so that's no excuse

=)

beautiful!!!!

nice play, Grandy!

THE GRANDYMAN CAN!!!!!!!!

Love me some Granderson. Dope.

Teix was not pleased with Bat's slide right there ...

whew. good inning, granderson!

Teix shoulda spiked the ball on Burrell. A-hole. Another nice grab.

[128][130] wait -- sterling, waldy, nor fiensand didn't mention this... what happened? he slide back into 1st spikes high?

Tie it up or better, boys.

wow - sterling just pointed out that sheilds comes into the 6th with 96 pitches.

[131] Yes he did. Teix looked back at him as to say 'WTF?"

[131] just went in hard and kinda late ... Teix had to jump up and out of the way of his ... landed and looked down at him with a pissed look on his face

Sometimes it looks like Robbie can do anything with the stick. And with the glove, for that matter.

So talented.

we didn't get o'neill choking in amazement that randy choate was still around this year - too bad

CHOATE! i'll be very disappointed and frustrated if we don't tie it up here...

hip hip

JORGIE!!!!

Atta boy, Jorgie!

Awesome. Hip-Hip!!!

[138] You must be disappointed! At no point was the game tied.

tons of yankee fans there. i loves it!

Oops.

Somehow, I'm thinking bringing in Choad wasn't the right move for the Rays ...

[143] more frustrated than anything.

if curtis can hit your loogy he is dog poo

FUCK YEAH!

[144] Good seats + air fare + hotel < good seats + subway fare.

thanks CHOATE! now we get a cormier. too bad it's not Rheal.

Both the Yanks and Toronto pulled scored 2 runs to take the lead in this inning. (although TOR v BAL is in the 8th)

[147] I know. He's supposed to walk Curtis. But the Rays and Maddon are so non-traditional.

It's going to take me a while to get used to all these references to "Curtis." Every time I see the name I think of Chad and get confused.

But there's a new Curtis in town so I guess I'd better get used to it.

Rays' announcers are praising the Yankee order, "Dangerous up and down, they'll hang around and hang around and then pop one..."

i'm so psyched to have curtis granderson on my team! : )

is tino still a paid advisor to the yanks now that he is on yes?

WAHOO!!!

Nice.

nice - good to be on 3rd then

That's pretty.

Grandish!

tough inning for dioner.

also glad maddon doesn't subscribe to timmay's thoughts on pitch counts.

1,000 push ups for you, Lil' G.

Ladies and gentlemen: Tropicana Field!

what a stupid stadium

Way to argue, Joe. WTF?

So that's just that?

I'm tired of baseball. Time for the circus!

Lovely.

AJ unraveling.
Time for Ace?

well, *that* walk was pretty predictable ...

nicely blown call blue.

TB announcers going on at length why that was actually a foul ball ... lovely, just lovely.

good recovery to get upton

sweet!

[171] Was it a blown call? What are the ground rules in this amusement park?

[172] I'm listening to them too (tv). They sounded confused to me, frankly.

jetes up the middle

[177] Didn't we used to have a Banterer by that name?

Nick's hit the ball on the nose today.

[176] I dunno, they keep running through different scenarios that might explain how the umpires called that fair, and keeping failing to convince themselves that what would have had to happened actually did happen, when reviewed on the replays.

nice swipe, cap'n!

Actually, the Yanks caught a break. Had that ball hit one of the roller skating poodles, or fire juggling clowns on the catwalk it would have been a ground rules triple, and the Yankees pitchers would have been required to wear a red nose, and oversized shoes for the duration of the game. Look it up, I swear.

Looks like the Yankees got the memo to run on the Rays. : )

[178] yeah, close. i think it was a girl named jeteupthemiddle

Oh, and I want to seen Kim Jones up on the catwalk.

[182] haha -- I love that you wrote ground ruleS triple, a la sterling.

[182] :)

[182] ROFLOL.

now would be a good time for Alex's first homer of the young season.

[186] No, Sterling says "Grounds rule"!

[182] SLICED!!!! : )

[190] ahhhh, that's right. damn grammar nazi that he is...

[186] a typo actually,(I really know the difference) but I'll blame it on Sterling.

[189] don't have to get greedy ... a double would suit me just fine!

You're beautiful, Alex.

Awesome.

fuck yeah, A-ROD!!!!

he's a doubles machine

Fuck yes. Way to go, centaur!

This lineup is rather ridiculous.

JUST. LIKE. THAT.

I'm so pwning you today, Mr Nostralarmis!

=)

ARod's hits fly like they were shot out of a cannon.