This is the 10th Opening Day we’ve covered here at Bronx Banter. We’re happy to have y’all back to enjoy another season.
Baseball is here.
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
Sunday
December 22, 2024
Since 2002
"This ain't football. We do this every day."
--Earl Weaver
--Earl Weaver
Let's get the score truck warmed up before the drive back to the Bronx.
"Baseball is here."
Probably the best three word sentence in existence.
I think Josh Lueke should always be introduced as "creepy rapist Josh Lueke"
Wow...BASEBALL IS BACK!!!!
Hope the Yanks make me regret not taking the day off.
Some of these swings don't look great
Well, that does
Good start by Jetes.
Jetes!
12 pitches so far, no outs. Work it mofos!!!
Grandy certainly hit it hard
What's with the shift on Granderson?
Wtf?
[12] The Rays shift more than any team in baseball. I bet Grandy's grounders to the left side of the infield are few and far between.
[5] I did take the last hour off, boss was cool about it.
Weird, IBB in the first inning like this?
I wouldn't walk him.
Oh, Jesus Christ.
Sigh.
I mean, I'm not even surprised that was the outcome.
But Jesus Christ.
That is a mildly crappy way to start the year there, CC.
Man, CC put that fucker on a tee.
Did THAT just happen? Man, this is about the time I hit re-set when I'm playing ps3.
Joe Girardi is one of the worst strategic managers I have ever seen. And he thinks he's good, which makes him even more dangerous
[23] I know!!! He's managing this like it's game 7 of the ALCS. Let CC go right after Rodriguez.
There is just NO reason to intentionally walk Sean Rodriguez in the first inning of the first game. You just knew Pena would tag one.
There you go A-Rod.
IBB in the first inning of opening day = you're fired.
And people think this mans OBSESSION with handedness and a bullpen with two lefties won't end in disaster
Well, he really hit the shit outta that one, didn't he?
Get em back one at a time.
Damn it.
I wanted more than one out of this.
Come on, Martin...
I'll take that.
Excellent, Brett.
Stroke it just like that, all season long.
Brett can hit .300 easy if he swings like that.
Ok, Curtis, nice and easy swing...
C'mon Curtis.
Oh, fucking Curtis.
What the fuck was that?
Jesus, that makes me mad.
Much better inning, CC.
5am..I missed an IBB AND a Grand Salami already??
Whaddayaknow!!
The boys are swinging the baseball bats!!
Nice fucking hit, Alex!
Come on, Teix...
hey folks! now we are talking. let's go yan-kees!
So far every time ARod has hit the ball it looks like it turns oblong.
Jesus.
Tex, THANKS FOR COMING!
[43] Right?
Damn, that was close.
Creeping back.
robbie cano!
That was an extremely athletic slide by Robbie.
Holy fuck!
Hell yeah!
Rauuuuuuul!
Ibanez baby!!
[50] Is there anything he can't do?
RAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!
I always did love that signing!!
Right down the pipe.
[54] I know!
Rauuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuul
Man, that sounded nice off the bat.
Such a pretty sound.
Ibanez, never doubted you (burns incrimimating evidence)
Glad to see Teix continuing his quest to set the all time pop up record. Someone pls tell him that is not a desirable thing.
I love the way Gardner's hitting the ball.
[59] It's infuriating, isn't it?
Third PA for Derek, and it's only the third inning?
Happy Opening Day, gang! I picked my folks up at the airport and watched the first couple of innings at their house. My dad was giving me grief 'cuz I was complaining in the first inning of the first game about that IBB. booooo. Anyhow, I did catch the Sterling call of the Ibanez homer coming home. "Raul.....You're so cool." Ugh.
Evan will do that to ya.
[59] I already see it, however, Ibanez will ride this one homerun for the next 4 weeks.
CC with the cookie to Longoria.
Jesus.
This is out of hand.
CC always sucks for the first month, doesn't he?
fuck
lou pinella channeling sterling/waldman there?
piniella that is.
Ok, we still have the lead, at least.
Man, even when Rob's off balance the fucking ball finds a hole.
MVP year for Robbie?
Lou's voice..never figured out what is accent is..
You need to protect, Mark.
You talked about wanting to go the other way more this season, well, you have to at least fight those off if you're to execute that plan of yours.
It might be worth sitting Teixeira against change up guys
I like this Ibanez guy.
Nice play, Nick!
How the fuck did Swish catch that ball?
Damn, nice!
RBJ, thank you for calling out the IBB before Pena swung.
Imagine me cursing at the radio.
I'm watching now, though.
Sterling's call for Ibanez is: "Raul be seein' ya!" Then he added, "Raul, so cool!"
i'm glad baseball is back. perfect to work to.
[79] speechless
[79][81] Sterling's consistency is impressive.
[78] Yeah, you just knew something bad was going to happen. First inning of the first game? With your ace on the mound?
[79] so no eating raul puns then...
Michael Kay is the only man on earth who thought Granderson would catch that
Wow, that was a dumb play.
So, when discussing stupid, pointless, Joe Girardi intentional walks, does Rodriguez now pass David Murphy?
Interesting, infield back. I wonder why.
[87] Hm, rating by effect, or by obvious stupidity at the moment?
Wasn't Art Fowler Billy Martin's drinking buddy who stayed in the dugout with him?
Whew! A-Rod like a cat.
[89] Whatever you choose.
I know some people who've forgotten the Murphy walk.
I can't imagine anyone will ever forget the time Joe walked someone in the first inning of the first game of the year, so this may win memorability.
I'm really hoping A-Rod has a big year with the bat and the glove..such a different team if both he and Cano are mashing.
[90] That sounds right, though Martin had a lot of drinking buddies..
Hm.
It's hard to say. Right now the Rodriguez walk just seems so freaking dumb, and obviously the salami makes it sting even more.
Where's Kim?
Oh, weeping.
Who's going to break it to him?
95) She left and is with the NFL Network.
I think John Fillipelli has a thing for blondes.
Gritner!!!!
Nice work, Brett!
Thanks, Jennings!
Noooo!
Really?
Oh, that's so sad.
Jesus.
Why am I never consulted over these matters?
101) I never cared for her much but she did improve each season. I think football has always been her bag, though.
Oh, I liked Kim.
But it was definitely her call, I understand.
Damn, I thought that might fall, off the bat.
Dude was right there.
[102] Really? I just found her so charismatic, very warm.
This is Joe M.'s big problem. Too much managing.
Oh God. Maddon is going to drag Girardi into a bullpen contest.
[106] Yes.
[107] In fact, Girardi's thinking right now, "Bringing in a lefty to walk a lefty, yeah. I'm gonna do in the bottom of the inning."
Derek going for his second grand slam.
The Yankees lead the league in leaving the bases loaded, and are likely to maintain that lead right through September.
C'mon Sori, don't shit the bed willya huh?
That'll do.
Awesome. Very nice.
Sweet, and we avoided mix'n'match.
[115] I think Joe G. is very disappointed. He's cooking up something for the eighth, though.
yay!
[116] I hate the So-Ro-Mo formula..why not let either So or Ro throw two innings?
[116] At least Maddon isn't disappointing us.
[118] Take what we can get. Rapada is lurking.
[118] You aren't thinking this through. That way either the EIG would be pitching in the seventh, or the SIG would be pitching in the eighth, and obviously that's impossible.
Good eye, Alex.
Shift that.
Ooooooooohhhhhhh.
Oh damn.
[121] Oh right, of course. Early start has my brain a bit loopy.
Replay??
Wow, great job by Mark. Impressive.
This time Sterling didn't screw up the call. He didn't call it a home run and then change it.
If I was in a division with the Yankees, I'd stress a changeup throughout the organization too.
Damn. Pitch was way high, too.
Fuck.
THROW STRIKES.
GODDAMIT.
Ruh roh.
Wow
Please don't lose to Stephen Vogt
D-Rob has them just where he wants 'em now.
Fucking fuck.
[121] hahahahahahah
[136] Stephen Vogt..not a clue who that guy is.
Tampa's stadium really is ugly..they need one like Marlins Park.
C'mon D-Rob!
WTF?
What a fuckin genius.
Wow..Joe Maddon must have been reading all the "Joe Genius" articles..really over-managing this game.
Masson outsmarted himself
Maddon
Rays fans must use the word "Maddoning" a lot.
The Alabama Hamma!
Joe Maddon, you just got HAMMA-ed.
Yeahhhhhhhhh!!!!
That's what he does. He's the ALABAMA HAMMA.
[144] I think the second, third and fourth letters in [143] were spot on in this situation.
Wow, D-Rob with the escape act!
I have no idea why both these men are managing like this is the World Series
[151] Take one "Binder"™ add one "Genius" (™Tony La Russa), add Opening Day Jitters = Over Managing
I've been saying for years that I wouldn't mind seeing the Yankees squeeze twice a year to keep teams honest. Especially when the only play we ever use is the frigging sac bunt.
I don't think we need to do it at random times, stupid counts or strange batters though
[153] The problem is that if he did it, Girardi would do it at stupid times, strange counts, etc.
But, incredibly, I agree with you about doing it occasionally to keep teams honest.
Hell of an AB Brett
By the way, Maddon is going to be fined for using Rodney when his team is trailing.
60/8 K/BB for Mo last year.
Incredible.
Mo time.
Bunt, please!
Ugh.
?!
I had a bad feeling about this
Ahhhh.....Crud.
Say it ain't Mo.
The first three pitches looked so good!
Yeah, this IBB I can live with.
Would you walk Scott too??
It's always a good bet that Joe will walk someone. And then bunt
Hm. I think I would not do this. But it's a tough call.
What could he Possibly be talking to Nunez about?
Oh, holy mother of Christ he saw the Blue Jays game
Wow. I like it. Nerve-wracking, but I think this is smart.
[172] I did NOT get up in the dark to watch Mo lose Opening Day!! This is most unacceptable.
Ack. This is killing me.
Ugh. I can't believe this. It is painful to watch. I'm changing the channel.
One.
The cherry on top would be Nunez blowing the play. Because he's Eduardo Nunez.
I don't believe that's Mo out there. I wonder if they secretly replaced him with a look alike.
Oh well
Argh.
Oh, Mo.
I'm going back to bed.
Crap, crud, mufferflugger.
Shoot.
Fun game, though. If this happened in September I'd have an ulcer.
Dear Rays,
This is game one. Not the World Series.
Bitterly Yours,
AB
Oh well. Tough lost.
I meant, "Tough loss."
ugh. this is what i come home to?
didn't think the game would be on. been in the studio all day. not feeling well, either.
christ almighty. can we just "passover" this game, please?
[185] I think Girardi thinks it is. He managed like it was.
He's just not very good.
[188] Someone was supposed to paint the mark on Mo's forehead. Whoever missed that assignment is gonna pay.
Mother &^%#@!.
Comcast gacks my internet connection.
Wordpress gacks my password (again - holy blood pressure)
Mo gacks the save
&^$#@!!
Welcome Yankee baseball. CC tries to do the widebody watusi through the raindrops. Robertson reintroduces us to Houdini and to Tums. We leave the bases loaded in three freaking innings. And we wrap it up with a nice stick in the eye. It's only just begun...
[188] Yes, Happy Passover to all who celebrate the holiday.
I'm over the loss already.
Ready for Kuroda.
[194] Wish I could say the same. Everything looked so good during the first three pitches to Jennings.
[191] jj in mid-season form! ; )
[193] have a good seder! i'm ducking out for a nap, can't be sick for long, too much to do...
l'chaim!
One game, it raises an eyebrow. A repeat performance by mo gets the "what's wrong with Rivera" chatter on talk radio going. A third blow up leads to denial, or is it anger? A fourth..... What exactly is the kubler Ross paradigm for a trusted reliever saying adios?
[196] And don't think that doesn't scare me more than just a little bit!