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April 16, 2009

The new Mets?

.... random thoughts while watching the Mets, err, Yankees bullpen implode.

The way Jose Veras and Damaso Marte have looked in the seventh inning I am having flashbacks to last September at Shea with the Mets. Hide the women and children, this one has turned ugly in the seventh with the Tribe batting around-plus and scoring nine runs to blow open this game.

Veras poured the gasoline for the fire with a walk and back-to-back doubles.
Marte lit the fuse and cleared out the place- including coughing up Grady Sizemore's grand slam that prompted chants of "We want Swisher, we want Swisher!"

Today's attendance is 48,271. It's considered a sellout even though 2,000 standing-room oonly seats were not sold.

Posted by Bill on 3:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Jorge juiced one!

And the first home run hit at new Yankee Stadium belongs to ....... catcher Jorge Posada.
Posada cranked a 2-1 offering from Cliff Lee into the new monument park in center field in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game at 1.
It was Posada's 223 career homer, which moved him into eighth place all-time with the Yankees. Donnie Baseball has 222.

The home run was one of the few highlights in the first five innings. Despite a pair of aces being on the mound in Lee and CC Sabathia, the game has progressed at a snail's pace on a mid-50s afternoon in the Bronx.

New York has stranded eight base runners in the four innings, but might have something brewing now with two on and two out. Cody Ransom, who is filling in for A-Rod and made a great diving stop in the fourth inning, is up to bat.

Posted by Bill on 3:04 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

I wonder what A-Rod is doing ....

While Alex Rodriguez is enjoying his afternoon in Florida, here's a few things he missed out on:

First batter - Grady Sizemore.

First pitch - Ball, by CC Sabathia.

First out - Sizemore ground out to first baseman Mark Teixeira.

First Yankee out - Derek Jeter, who flew out to center. Jeter also made the last out at the old ballpark.

First hit - Johnny Damon with one out in the bottom of the first.

First hit by pitch - Teixeira, who was nailed by Cliff Lee in the bottom of the first.

PREGAME TIDBITS - Carl Pavano received the loudest boos, Derek Jeter the most cheers and just about every former Yankee who had nothing to do today showed up for the pregame events.
Pavano, who remains quite the fan favorite even at the new stadium based on his reception, is scheduled to pitch Sunday against A.J. Burnett.

A PIECE OF THE BABE - Before making Jeter made his first plate appearance, a bat used by Babe Ruth was placed on home plate - perhaps blessing the new park??
The bat was the one Ruth used on April 18, 1923 to hit the first home run in the first game at the original Yankee Stadium. The Yankees won that game 4-1 against Boston.
The bat is now part of Richard Angrist's collection, but he loaned it to the team for today's game. It will stay at Yankee Stadium until the All-Star break and will be housed in the Yankee Museum.

Posted by Bill on 1:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Pregame chatter at the new ballpark

To quote Yogi Berra, the new Yankee Stadium is "big" and "beautiful."
Berra, shortstop Derek Jeter and skipper Joe Girardi meet with the media this morning prior to the pregame festivities. All three men tipped their cap to the man responsible for the Yankees' new home - owner George Steinbrenner.
"I think he's pretty proud, but I don't want to speak for him," Jeter said. "He's the reason why we are hear today."
Berra said despite their differences over the years he considers the Boss a close friend.
"I've known the guy a long time," he said. "He's changed a lot, but he still wants to win."
The Yankees will try for their first regular-season win in the new ballpark in about 20 minutes when CC Sabathia - one of the Yankees other high-priced new additions - takes on his old mates the Cleveland Indians.

NADY UPDATE - Girardi said before the game Xavier Nady was placed on the disabled list, but he did not know if it was for 15 days or 60 days. The team called up pitcher David Robertson to replace him on the roster.
Nady said little in the Yankee clubhouse before the game about the injury (right elbow).

YOGI'S TAKE - On the size of the Yankees new locker room, Berra replied "If you want to talk to a guy you have to walk a half a mile."

The man responsible for this new creation is on the big screen in center field waving to fans

Posted by Bill on 12:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 14, 2009

Musings from CitiField

Random tidbits and observations from opening night at CitiField while mourning the passing of two baseball greats – Phillies Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas and pitcher Mark “The Bird” Fidrych.
Former Tiger teammate Kirk Gibson might have summed up The Byrd the best - "Very charismatic guy. A great teammate. Very energetic every day. He played baseball with great passion and he lived his life that way."

KING DAVID – Mets third baseman David Wright became the first player from the home team to homer at CitiField when he launched a three-run shot over the left-field wall in fifth inning.
Wright would have preferred the win, but said all the right things after the game.
“It was a lot of fun. We are going to play some good baseball here,” said Wright, who finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs. “Obviously we wanted to win the game, but there’s a lot more games to be played. I like where our team is at right now as far as fight. We are having some good at-bats and we are coming back after we get down early.
“We just need to jump out to a lead and hang on to that. We have the team to do that this year.”
Wright thinks the outfield could play to the Mets advantage during the season at the plate.
“There’s some big gaps and it’s going to give us a chance to hit some triples and turn some singles into doubles,” he said.

CIT FIRSTS – Here’s a look at some firsts at the Mets new ballpark on Monday night:
First hit, homer, RBI and run – Padres’ lead-off man Jody Gerut did it all with a homer in the top of the first inning.
First walk – The Padres’ Chase Headley in the first inning.
First strikeout – Mets starter Mike Pelfrey rang up Nick Hundley in the top of the second.
First win – Edward Mujica, Padres.
First loss – Brian Stokes, Mets.
First save – former Met Heath Bell.

HOT PODS – The team nobody liked going into the season is in first place in the National League West. With Monday night’s 6-5 victory, the San Diego Padres are off to a 6-2 start on the season.
Second baseman David Eckstein said the key to the Pods’ success is simple – they work hard.
“I think the biggest thing for us is we’ve played hard,” he said. “We have a plan when we step onto the field in the sense of how we are going to attack the pitcher and we’ve stuck to that and put together really good at-bats. No matter if we didn’t get him the first time, we keep putting pressure on them and play hard. And our pitchers have come up and down there jobs.
“There’s no much expectations on us, but we have them for ourselves and we understand we have to keep playing hard.”

NO RINGING THIS BELL – Heath Bell wears a Padres’ uniform now, but he still has a soft spot in his heart for the Mets even though he slammed the door of his former mates with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
“I’m a Padre and I’m going to go out there, play hard and give it everything I got but the Mets still have a small spot in my heart always,” Bell said. “They gave me my first opportunity in the minors and in the big leagues, so it’s icing on the cake right now (to get the first save here). All I need to do is win a World Series right now and I think that’s the only thing that would be better.”

Posted by Bill on 1:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack