“It’s harder each year to sustain because everybody’s after you,” Washington said. “But you have to have pride in what you’re doing and you can’t forget the fundamental things that this game has to offer. Then the talent part of it comes into play. I got a lot of talent, and I work hard to try to get them to understand the fundamental part of it.
“But it’s tough. It’s not easy to win. It’s easy to lose — but it’s not easy to win. To wake up every morning knowing you’re going to come to the yard and everything you have inside of you, you’ve got to leave there. Winning is tough. It’s a grind. It’s a lot on your body, a lot on your mind. It’s a lot to keep guys on the same page, to quit thinking individual and think team and think group.”
–Texas Rangers Manager, Ron Washington
(David Lennon, Newsday)
Last Wednesday at this time the Yankees had just won three straight from the Rangers and were on their way to a 5-2 record for the week. Nothing was fucked, nobody was being un-Dude.
Tonight, the White Sox completed a three-game sweep against the Yanks, the Rays won again and New York’s lead in the American League East is down to three.
Phil Hughes pitched a fine game, gave up a couple of runs in seven innings, but Chris Sale, a bony 23-year-old-lefty who could double for Ichabod Crane on October 31, was better. His delivery is too jerky and he’s too tall to remind us of Ron Guidry, although they share the same number, but his stuff is no joke–fastball, change-up, slider. And all coming sidearm. Kid knows how to pitch, too. He allowed three hits and one run–which came on a solo home run by Derek Jeter (who has homered in each game in Chicago).
The score was 2-1 in the ninth and Addison Reed, another tall pitcher, came on for the save. The Yanks were 0-44 this season when trailing after eight innings. Nick Swisher got in a couple of good swings before he became the 14th Yankee to strikeout on the night. Robinson Cano lashed the first pitch he saw to left field, right passed a crouching Kevin Youkilis at third base and into left field for a base hit. Mark Teixeira got ahead 2-1 and then a high fastball was called for a strike. Tex paced away from the batter’s box and complained. He had good reason to bitch, especially after he waved at the next pitch, a breaking ball falling away from him, for the second out.
So it came down to Eric Chavez, a pinch-hitter, who worked the count even and then grounded out.
Final Score: White Sox 2, Yanks 1.
And sometimes our favorite game goes something like this:
Better luck in Cleveland, suckas.
The Magic Number, as we all know, is three.
[Featured Image: Beatriz Martin Vidal via Gas Station; Nelson via Gruesome Twosome]
Good ballgame. Sale pitched his nuts off, and the Good Sox are a good team.
Good show by Hughes. No un-Dudeness here.
Cleveland is just what they need. Rays are the suckas, the division lead will be at least 6 at the end of the season. よし！
[2] the division lead will be at least 6 at the end of the season.
A bold prediction. Yes, but for whom?
[3] We haven't even started the annual September restapalooza yet
And let me be the first to tee of on the worthless hack Skip Bayless:
http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/8294309/derek-jeter-laughs-skip-bayless-ped-use-insinuation
Sorry, but for someone who's always had a squeaky clean image, you have to have more than just an "I'm only asking questions" attitude. Skip should be fired.
[5] I warned about this years ago---that this is the real damage of the steroids era. No player will ever be above suspicion, even one with a squeaky clean image. The players, owners and, yes, most fans are to blame: they all worked together to produce this cynical, suspicious environment.
So I am not offended by Bayless' "questioning" at all. Rather, I am surprised more people haven't said the same thing.
6) I'm guessing ithat's because most people aren't as dumb as Skip.
Skip Bayless should set his sights on Cal Ripkin, too, if that's his bent. Cal's best friend while playing, Brady Anderson, was a PED user. Why not Cal? Truth is anyone can point fingers without the slightest repercussions (BTW, I don't think Cal was a PED user anymore than I think DJ is). Skip Bayliss is scum.
[6] How does Derek prove his innocence? A blood test right would only prove that he's clean right now, not earlier. It's impossible to disprove a negative, which is one reason I hate conspiracy theories. 38 year olds can have a season that's in line with earlier production. If you're going to be an analyst/journalist/whateverist on a major media channel, you can't throw out such accusations without some evidence. It's unfair to the point of dishonesty.
[8] I agree with you. Why not Cal? Why not anyone? That's the point I was making. The entire game-of-shadows generation---involving lots (it seems) of star players using PEDs and breaking records, owners turning a bind eye, and fans being willfully ignorant---has cast doubt on EVERY player, every accomplishment.
Whether Skip is "scum" or not is irrelevant. Jeter's seemingly amazing turnaround at age 38 raising questions of PED use...that was inevitable.
[9] He can't prove his innocence---he's simply a casualty of the steroids era, as I predicted years ago. See [10].
For what it's worth, as I predicted three years ago:
http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2009/07/30/aie-papi/#128
See also subsequent discussion at comments 143-147.
All in all, a rather interesting discussion thread.
[10] Agreed. Bayless is guilty of nothing more than being a complete tool, but he's not much different than his cohorts; the difference being that the others at least give the appearance that they prepare to back up their statements with research). I'm not that mad at him because in all honesty, we do have at least a smidgen of doubt about an athlete's performance compared to what is expected. But that means either our expectations have diminished or the realities have outpaced our thinking. Sad.
What I am mad at is how that spotlight-stealing performance by Bayless has in fact diminished the impact of Jeter's season and perhaps his career to a simple statement about the dangers and suspicions concerning PEDs in professional sports. Jeter pointed at the idea that there is no accountability for what people say anymore, and judging by the attention that has been given to the issue, he's right on the money. The damage is done, the profits have been made and the tools have served their purpose. The only ones actually hurt by any of this are the subjects (targets?) and their fans.