A few weeks ago my wife turned to me and said, “What are we going to do when baseball ends?”
“Hopefully, we’ll be watching another victory parade,” I said.
“But then it’s over and what are we going to do? Maybe I should start watching football.”
Football? She hates football. What is she turning into?
Emily still likes to bust my chops when I become shrill and unreasonable, announcing the season is over after a first inning at bat. But on Sunday night, the pressure finally got to her. She retired into the bedroom by the seventh inning and listened to the game on the radio. I stayed out in the living room and watched it on TV. By the 9th inning, I came in and she said, “I think I’m going to vomit.”
An inning later, after the Yankees had won, I came in again, and she said, “I’m never going to watch or listen to another baseball game again. I can’t take it. I’m sick to my stomach.” I had to stop myself from smiling. This after the Yankees had won, mind you. “Welcome to my world,” I said.
Last night, with a chance to clinch a playoff birth, A.J. Burnett gave up seven runs in just over two innings, and I opted for the wife’s world of Dancing with the Stars. Figured I owed her one. The Bombers rallied but fell short, 7-5. The Red Sox also won, but the Rays and Twins both lost.
We’ll do it again tonight.
After the Wells home run it was the replay of "The Event" on Oxygen, and then some Dexter.
I must say that Oxygen has some very interesting commercials. After the 2nd KY commercial, I turned to my wife and said "They don't play these commercials on YES Network". She laughed.
I'm not even going to think about AJ Burnett today. Nope. Just gonna let that whole thing slide. Just gonna cover my ears and go LA LA LA LA LA LA all day.
AJ's worst ERA in his career this year. I hope that's not a harbinger of sudden decline.
speaking of Dancing With The Stars, what was AJ doing? The Meatball Mambo, The Raise Yer WHIP Waltz, and the Toronto 12 Step (one step forward, 12 steps back) all at once? That was a dizzying array of bad moves.
Also, I should add that I never watch AJ games anymore. Period. Even when he is pitching good I find him infuriating to watch.
Onward and upward. I don't like the state of our rotation going into the playoffs right now. We need Andy to right the ship.
[4] (With due respect to Mr. Pettitte): CC & Phil and reach for the pills...
Hell, repeats of American Pickers was better than watching A.J. Also better than watching A.J. -- hitting yourself in the head with a hammer.
[5] I'm worried about Phil too. This post-season is going to turn on our pitchers ability to make quality starts. Uh yeah, I like pointing out the obvious...
[2] Harbinger? With all due respect, the harbingers have come and gone, like back in July. AJ has declined, and will need to either review his total approach, or bump along the bottom until the end of his playing days.
Is he physically breaking down, or are most of his problems in his head, or can he not control his skills?
Unless he can have and feel success soon, his mind-set to pitch and win is over and he'd be better off packing it in until spring training.
During the latest Burnett meltdown, Singleton tried to tell us how likable AJ is (presumably to everyone but the person who decked him).which was the Javy story earlier in the year.
Look, I'm sure they're all lovely people. I also really don't care. I'll take Jack the Ripper on my team if he could win.
If she does turn her attention to football, it is your duty as a husband (and human being) to make sure that she does not become a fan of the New York Jets.
I am probably getting ahead of myself, but the Yankees need to start working on an AJ Burnett exit strategy. I approved of the move at the time, but now it's clear that the contract was a mistake. The Yankees simply can not go into next season with Burnett in the rotation. They'll probably have to eat most of the money, but one of Cashman's priorities has to be finding a landing spot for Burnett. His stuff may still translate well to the National League, so maybe he can find a team that will be willing to take such a chance.
Burnett is only part of the problem though. The entire organization's philosophy this month has been sad to watch. All of a sudden, this team doesn't feel like the Yankees. It started with Girardi, but even Cashman contributed to the attitude, and now it seems to have filtered to the players. Regardless of the eventual outcome, this season has been a disappointment.
[11] Hey the boss did die this summer. Maybe his loss has destabilized things more than we know. I realize he wasn't running things anymore, and even if everyone knew it was coming... still. He was a large figure.
[12]
I have $5 that says George's death had NO impact whatsoever on the 2010 Yanks.
This team is dealing with age, injuries and lackluster performances from high-priced pitchers . . . plain and simple.
And yet, even with all that ... they're gonna make the playoffs, win 95 games, draw 3 million+ fans.