Yeah, the snow is coming down here this morning in the Bronx. Ah, memories of 1996 home’s opener will abound today. Well, that’s okay—at least it will make us forget how things played out yesterday in Toronto (about which the less said the better in an irritating 7-4 loss).
Bundle up and bring on the Hot Cocoa.
Oh, yeah, and: Let’s Go Yank-ees!
Um, what the hell? The Yanks are getting pounded with injured centerfielders. You gotta be kidding me already.
(Come On Down, Miguel Andujar!)
And then there’s Dellin Betances, the giant from Brooklyn whose size is the source of his strength and weakness. He looked bad yesterday and of course he’s made us nervous before. Gotta hope he can work through it. Pulling for him.
Final Score: Jays 5, Yanks 3.
More today with our dude Sonny Gray. Love that guy. He’s like Coney’s nephew.
Never mind the DL:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
Picture by Bags
Game 2. Whadda ya hear, whadda ya say? (Other than the irksome news that Aaron Hicks is headed for the DL.)
Dayenu and all that Good Friday stuff.
Never mind the gefilte:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
Picture by Bags
Whirled Serious or Bust! That’s how it’s got to be for the 2018 Yankees. At least if you listen to the pundits and the ever-demanding Yankee fans. No pressure.
But let’s not be too narrow, huh? Of course, we’d like to see them reach the Serious, and once there, win a title. But we’ve got a long time between now and then, and many pleasures to be had.
So never mind the noise, let’s enjoy.
The Bombers are up in Toronto to open the season. And we’ll be watching or listening or following in some capacity because, well, that’s what we do.
Here we go. Strap in.
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
Picture by Bags
Hank says Believe and that is good to hear because I have been sulking around since the middle of last night’s game. The Wife and I went out for a hike in nature today and it was lovely to see all the photosynthesis and all but didn’t really help. I still felt the knot in my stomach, and kept imagining all the ways things will fall apart tonight.
But Hank says Believe. And lucky for us—win or lose—I know the Yankee players Believe.
So never mind the gloom:
LET’S GO YANK-EEES!
Yanks one win away from a date with the Dodgers in the Whirled Serious. Man, would that be sweet or what?
Lot of work to do before they get there.
We’ll be here—as always—root-root-rootin’ out boys on.
Never mind those Houston Astros:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
When my cousin texted on Monday asking if I wanted to go to Game 4 with him and his wife it didn’t take long to respond—Yes! They live in Houston, season ticket holders for the Texans, and are the kind of dedicated sports fans who love rooting their teams on but don’t lose sleep when they lose. They wore Astros hats and orange jackets last night while I sported a crumbling El Duque Yankee T-shirt over a long sleeve shirt just so I wasn’t associated too closely with the enemy.
Scorecard in my lap.
Funny how games are always harder to follow when you are there. There was that strange sequence of events with Aaron Judge in the fourth—and later, was that fan interference on his double, and if so what did that mean? We didn’t have TV screens near us so it was all unclear. All we could tell was that there was some low comedy—a ground ball slowly rolling up the third baseline, sure to stay fair, that kicked foul at just the last minute and was snatched by Todd Frazier, and a pair of bumbling errors by Starlin Castro. Later on, of course, Chase Headley slipped on a banana peel rounding first and turned excitement into peril into relief when he recovered and reached second safely with a deft tag.
The Astros struck first with a bases clearing double after the Yanks had loaded them on a couple of walks and an error. They added another on Castro’s second Benny Hill move. And so my cousins were feeling good, their boys up 4-0.
Now, I am not an In-Your-Face kind of rooter. Not unless provoked I suppose. So it wasn’t as if there was any trash talking going on. But a rowdy Yankee crowd was quieted. It was the simmering quiet of angry New Yorkers.
And while we saw some other Astros fans they were not a noisy bunch.
Once Aaron Judge hit a moonshot to start the seventh, the crowd woke up, and you can say it didn’t relent until after the final out, well past the moment when the Yanks scored six unanswered runs to win the game and even the series. (Final Score: Yanks 6, Astros 4.)
All I know is that it was loud. The Stadium didn’t shake the way Yankee Stadium II did—where the thrill was mixed with terror—but it was impressive. I didn’t let out one yell, I stayed calm—jumping and clapping on the inside—didn’t want to be rude to my cousins. Instead I took great satisfaction looking out over the Stadium and seeing everyone stand and waves their arms and yell and scream. My cousins left with two outs in the 9th but I stayed and after the last out put my fist out to fans passing by, enjoying the hard thump of hearty congratulations.
I stayed and listened to Sinatra and everyone sing to Sinatra on repeat. I sung a little myself.
So many big at bats, but was most thrilled for Gary Sanchez and Judge for coming through in the heat of the moment.
Today gives that sombitch Keuchel who just owns the Yanks. He’s got a beatin’ coming to him one of these days. Hopefully, that time is now. Those Astros are bound to up jump the boogie and score a bunch of runs sometime soon, too. Let’s hope that ain’t today.
Never mind the shadows:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
What do you need to know about a 2-1 playoff loss other than it was a kick in the cubes? Second straight 2-1 game, this time, a walk-off, with none other than Jose Altuve—who else?—scoring the winning run. Justin Verlander did his teammate Keuchel one better and stuck it up the Yankees’ ass for 9 innings. During Game 1, I winced the few times the Yankees’ missed their pitch but in Game 2 Verlander just flat threw it past guys all day long—Didi, Judge, Sanchez. The pitches were in the zone, fat part of the plate, but they just had too much zip and the Yankees could not catch up. His breaking stuff just as good and Verlander wasn’t going to take his first L in Houston on this night: 9 innings, 5 hits, a walk, and 13 strikeouts.
Frustrating, no doubt. A play here, a play there, but it was not to be.
And so the Yanks return home and turn to old reliable C.C. Sabathia once again. I keep expecting him to pitch his age and just get ripped, and perhaps the Astros offense will go off on him, but we certainly won’t be surprised if C.C. pitches well either. He sure could use some help from the bats.
Never mind the stakes:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
Picture by Bags
Here’s hoping that’s today. Like to see our boys get off the mat and score a mess o runs—Mr. Judge, Mr. Sanchez, we’re looking to you.
Never mind the orange:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
Masahiro on the hill against the dread Dallas Keuchel down in Houston tonight. Matt Holliday gets the nod at DH.
Dude, Yanks in the ALCS. How cool is this?
Never mind the beefsteak:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
Picture by Bags
Luis Severino wasn’t brilliant but he was damn good and you know the rest as the Yanks tied up the series a few nights ago with a 7-3 win. The new new Yankee Stadium is said to have none of the claustrophobic atmosphere of Yankee Stadium II but for two nights it was loud, baby. Great job by the rattle-your-jewelry playoff swells as well as the hardcore regulars in attendance.
Tonight gives all the marbles out in Cleveland. While I expect the Indians to win it is hard to count our boys out. Let’s hope the give ‘em Hell.
Never mind the waiting:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
Picture by Bags
…And the Sox are the first to fall, losing by a run to the Astros in the rain this afternoon.
Hot fuggin’ damn.
Little Luis has had some time to think it over now, huh? He gets the nod against Trevor Bauer, who, I am sorry, can’t be great 2 times in a row, can he, hah? Expect Severino to pitch well—for awhile anyway. And also expect the offense to score couple few runs.
Just want the Yanks to be a tough out. Don’t make it easy on ‘em.
Never mind the load:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
Picture by Bags
Yanks with their backs against the wall. Been such a fun season, shame to see it end so quickly.
Never mind the nightmare flashbacks:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
Picture by Bags
Yanks turn to old reliable C.C. Sabathia tonight. Boy, you can see this going south on him quickly, looking old and feeble, the Indians beating the snot out of him. Revenge. Old wounds. All that old salt shit. But you can also see him keeping out boys in it as they try to survive Kluber and somehow find a way to steal this goddamn game.
Biggest one of the year.
Never mind the shadows (or the odds):
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
Picture by Bags
So, the Yanks get one out from Luis Severino and still win going away, 8-4, to advance to the ALCS against the Indians.
It was a swell night, by you already know that.
First up today gives Chris Sale vs. Justin Verlander as the Red Sox play against the Astros in Houston. Yanks go tonight at 7:30.
With Kluber looming tomorrow, this is the game you figure the Yanks need to steal in order to have a shot in the series. Yanks will go with Sonny Gray (C.C. in Game 2, followed by Tanaka and Severino).
Never mind the gravy—11 wins gets the big prize:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
Picture by Bags
The Yanks host the Twins tonight in the do-or-die wildcard game at the Stadium.
Beautiful day in the Bronx, sunny, warm, no humidity. Will get a little cool tonight, just about ideal.
The more than capable Ervin Santana goes against our dude, Luis Severino. This match-up has bothered me for weeks, karma-wise. I think back on John Bonnes and Aaron Gleeman and Batgirl—and all those faithful Twins fans—and can’t help but see the upset clearly. At the same time, the Yanks are the favorite on paper and plus I love this team and feel good about their chances.
Aw, Hell, we know it could go either way. Point is, we’ll be there, root-root-rootin’ our boys on every step of the way.
Never mind the pressure:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
Picture by Bags
(P.S. As a reminder, I know we’re a modest bunch in the comments section these days, but if that spikes tonight, please remember to be civil. You can vent if you’re frustrated and you can curse—just don’t curse at each other, put one another down, or generally act like a putz. Thanks—A.B.)
Yanks won again last night (again with the 6-1)—Sox did too and they are this close to clinching the division.
Tonight is beautiful in the Bronx, not cold but the humidity is gone and it is cool. A hint of what is to come next Tuesday night when the Yanks, in all likelihood, host the Twins at the Stadium.
Stay healthy, keep chugging away, fellas.
Never mind the future:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
Picture by Bags
Monday was a goldbricker’s delight for Yankee fans. Matt B, a longtime Banterite, actually offered me a ticket, but I couldn’t make it, dammit. Anyhow, as you already know, it was a dream afternoon as our man Aaron Judge hit a couple more dingers—49 and 50!—tying and then passing Big Mac for the rookie home run record.
Happy?
Three game series vs. the Rays starts tonight. Final stretch. Let’s pad those stats and stay healthy and get ready for the do-or-die game against the Twinkies.
Never mind the Indian Summer:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
[Photo Credit: Adam Hunger/Getty Images]
The Yanks are headed back to the postseason as they clinched at least a wildcard berth yesterday with a tidy, 5-1 win. The pitching was superb and a 3-run dinger by Greg Bird was enough to lift our boys back to October.
Look, let me be the first to say that I am awfully nervous that the Twins, after being whipped by the Yanks so often in the playoffs, will finally get their revenge. But if the Yanks can win that game, they can give the Indians a pain in the ass.
Never mind the future, let’s stay in the moment.
This has been a weird but enjoyable season thus far.
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
Picture by Bags
