Scream Heard Around The World Pleases This Fan
For those out there who were "appalled" by Alex Rodriguez' "Ha", while running past Blue Jays third baseman, Howie Clark on Wednesday night, please get over it. As a matter of fact, instead of bashing A-Rod for it, you should be dismayed that professional baseball players (Clark and shortstop John McDonald) fell for it. Yelling, "I got it", and "deeking" by opposing players goes on all the time in major league baseball. Next time you see a shortstop "deek" a runner coming towards second base on a pop up, think about what Rodriguez did and tell me the difference.
To Alex Rodriguez, as a Yankee fan, all I can say is, "Way to go!"
Folks, A-Rod should be praised by ALL fans of major league baseball for his heads up play on Wednesday. Why you ask? Well for one, it goes to show you that even a guy making $25-million a year, and playing on a team that was 14 1/2 games out of first places, STILL wanted to win badly enough to "get in the heads" of Clark and McDonald. With the Yankees leading the game by two runs, it would have been so easy for Alex just to go through the motions while running to third and be satisfied. His now famous "Ha", proved he wasn't satisfied, and maybe that play will wake up the Yankees.
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Speaking of waking up the Yankees, it was refreshing to see the Yankees play "hard ball" with the Boston Red Sox on Friday night. After years and years of not protecting their players who were getting hit by Boston pitchers, the Yankee pitching staff is finally "getting it", and retaliating. Sorry, Kevin Youkilis, but finally the Yankee pitchers have learned "plunking" players shouldn't be a one way street.
This is the way I like to see the game being played. I was "weaned" on baseball like this, in the late '60's and 70's. I've been talking about 1978 for the past few weeks and one of my favorite things about that year (in retrospect) was that the Yankees and Red Sox actually disliked each other. Very rarely did you see this "butt slapping" or "embracing" which goes on with the two teams now.
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Many fans wrote in asking my opinion about Alex Rodriguez' "extra curricular activities" and how this "fits" the Yankee image. I honestly don't care who Alex goes out with. This is his and his wife's problem. I told my E-mailers that I'm only concerned about about Alex hitting on the field and not with who he's "hitting" on in the clubs. Every Yankee fan adored and still adores Mickey Mantle, and we all know what Mickey was doing off the field. For those who don't know, Babe Ruth was also a "player" after hours.
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The New England media is wasting lots of column space telling us how the East race is "over", and why this year is different than 1978. Frankly, I don't understand why a columnist would declare a race over in May or June? What can he gain by doing this? Why would a columnist "chance" fate and think this Yankee team will be finished in June? As of this writing, the Yankees have 17 weeks of baseball left, which means all they have to do is gain only 1-game per week. Don't think it can be done. I believe it can. And if it happens, you think those columnists are going to say they jumped the gun and made a huge mistake? Don't bet on it.
I do agree with the columnists who are saying "this year is different than 1978." Of course it is. In 1978, the Yankees (as the front page of this site shows) the Yankees trailed Boston by 14 games on July 18th. We have a more than a month of baseball to go before we get to that point. If the Yankees ever get Boston's lead down to single digits by the All-Star break, look out. That's when it's really going to fun around here. There is nothing more entertaining than watching the reaction of Boston fans as a huge lead shrinks. I've been through this before and it's why 1978 was the most entertaining baseball season of my life.
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Now I can write about comebacks, but in order for the Yankees to get the job done, they are going to have to fix their bullpen. Kyle Farnsworth and Ron Villone don't belong on this team. Brian Cashman (and it may cost him a good chip) is going to have to get a reliable arm or two in the pen for the stretch run. The Yankees really need a long man in the pen and that's why I felt losing Darrell Rasner was a killer. This guy would have been perfect for a long man role in the pen. "Cash" is also going to have to find a bat to replace Jason Giambi who may be out for the season.
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With Giambi out, the Yankees plan to use Johnny Damon as the DH, and play Melky Cabrera in center. The Yankees called up outfielder Kevin Thompson to fill Jason's spot on the roster. I wish the Yankees would give the speedy Thompson a chance. Every time I see him play, he impresses me. If Melky can't get it going at the plate, I'd love to see what Thompson could do, if he was given significant playing time.
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