Spring training

Baseball is back and I for one am very happy. I know this is ‘JUST’ spring training, it is still my Yankees on my TV. Yesterday was their first real spring training game, they played Friday but that was an exhibition game. Yesterday they played the Phillies at their park, today they are playing their ‘home opener’ of spring training, also against the Phillies.

My plan was to blog during the game like I do sometimes during the regular season, but as sometimes happens, something happened and I didn’t. I’m watching the game right now, all the starters are out so now we get to see what the new guys, the ones we might see if someone gets injured or later in the season. It is now 7-3 Yankees. The Phillies are dropping balls all over the place. Hunter Pence of the Phillies scored 2 runs. He also scored 2 runs yesterday. The first 2 runs yesterday both with a home run. Hunter Pence is my new least favorite player.

In off-season news, AJ and Jesus Montero were traded. AJ is now out for 8 to 10 weeks with a broken orbital bone. He hit it during a bunting contest. Why the Pirates let him participate boggles my mind. Jesus Montero was hit in the face during the first spring training game and had to leave the game. Coincidence or curse?

So this is my first official post of the 2012 season. Off to a great start!

Now tied, back to the Bronx

~~ Yankees 10, Tigers 1 ~~

Curtis Granderson’s sprawling catch helped A.J. Burnett escape a bases-loaded jam in the first inning, and the beleaguered Yankees right-hander went on to stifle the Tigers for 5 2/3 frames and send the Division Series back to the Bronx for a decisive Game 5.

Yesterday I was feeling pretty bad. Sinus pressure and chills, I really wanted to leave work early but my boss wouldn’t let me. Have I mentioned I hate my boss? Not like I hate the Red Sox and the Rays, this is deep abiding non-baseball, entirely personal hate, that I have to hide because he signs my performance evaluation.

When I got home I sat down on my couch and dozed off, I woke up in time to see I had missed my Weight Watchers meeting. I started to read a book and kept dozing off, I was also cold, so I wrapped up in a blanket and went to sleep, for only an hour or so. I missed the game. The whole game.

While I slept, in the words of one of my Red Sox fan Twitter followers: “Damn! They trounced the Tigers! :(” Sorry to miss it, but with the power of the internet, I was able to watch the key plays and the interviews and type this post.

No game tonight, when they meet again on Thursday, that game is definitely, a must win for both teams. I of course have my money (figuratively speaking of course) on Nova.

One last word, for all you ‘Yankee’ fans saying (some even hoping) that A.J. would not do well, that A.J. was an automatic loss, and “He didn’t pitch well, defense saved him”; First: YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES ~ ISN’T THAT WHAT THE DEFENSE IS THERE FOR? To catch the ball when someone hits it and make outs? Doesn’t Mariano Rivera rely on the ‘guys behind him?’

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ Tuesday, October 4, 2011 ~ ALDS Game 4 😛

Another double-header because of the stupid freaking rain!

~~ Yankees 6, Red Sox 2 ~~

The pitchers for the first game of this double-header are Wakefield for the Red Sox and A.J. Burnett for NYY. Someone shoot me now.

Gardner and Jeter bunted, both came around to score. Then in the third inning Jorge hits a two run home run, 4-0 Yankees. And the Rays are leading in their game. Since this won’t be posted until after the game and no one is here to read it, “Please don’t melt down, implode, fall apart, or anything else. OK AJ? Please hold it together for your devoted fan (I might be the only one left).”

Oh Captain! My captain. And no, I don’t think he did touch home plate. Until he reached back and tagged AFTER he was called safe. I almost feel sorry for Tim Wakefield, almost.

Hate Ellsbury, all three hits have come off Ellsbury. If it wasn’t for him AJ would have a no-hitter. I will hate him more if he’s gets MVP instead of a Yankee.

And with that hit Derek is now hitting 300 and the Yankees lead 6-2.

Guess Big Sloppy was tired of walking. AJ doesn’t usually melt down this late in the game does he? OH NICE PLAY! Good fielding by Laird and AJ, 3-6-1 double-play.

AJ pitched into the 8th, D-Rob came in to pitch to Ellsbury, who hit two home runs off AJ, and struck him out. Then D-Rob pitched a scoreless ninth saving Mo and Soriano for tonight’s game if needed.

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ Sunday September 25, 2011 😛

Mariano Rivera, G O A T

~~ Yankees 6, Twins 4 ~~

NEW YORK — Monday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, the numbers finally confirmed what most already knew.

Long thought the finest closer in the history of the game, the Yankees’ Mariano Rivera shattered any doubt to the contrary by breaking Trevor Hoffman’s all-time save record with the 602nd of his career. Rivera’s perfect ninth inning ended fittingly with a cutter on the outside corner that froze Chris Parmelee and closed out a 6-4 Yankees victory.

AJ Burnett gave up 4 runs, the Yankees scored 6 thus the save situation was born. The only reason I was upset if because Kasey and I are going to the game tomorrow and I wanted to see Mo get save 602. Oh well, can’t be helped now.

Curtis got home run #41, bringing his RBI total to 115, Cano has 113. Personally I think they should both get the MVP.

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ Monday, September 19, 2011 😛

Save #600

~~ Yankees 3, Mariners 2 ~~

Mariano Rivera became the second pitcher in history to reach 600 saves as he nailed down the Yankees’ win over the Mariners after A.J. Burnett struck out a season-high 11 batters and Robinson Cano delivered his 26th home run against rookie Charlie Furbush.

Mo now has 600 saves, and here is something I don’t understand. For the last out, Russel Martin threw out the runner attempting to steal second base. Everyone keeps repeating how Russell Martin ‘stole Mariano’s thunder’, but how is that any different than if one of the infielders catches a pop-up? Or catches a ground ball and throws to first to get the batter out? As Russell says, “There’s no thunder without lightning.” Mo still gets credit for the save and throwing out base stealers depends on more than just the catchers skill, if he doesn’t get a good pitch, he doesn’t have time to throw the runner out. I just wanted to get that off my chest.

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ September 13, 2011 😛

Hit hard

~~ Yankees 11, Orioles 10 ~~

Labor day, a holiday for most, not for ball players. And certainly not for the starting pitchers. Both got hit hard. It was an “aww Freddy” kind of game. I don’t know what Orioles fans say when their pitchers stink (no I’m not going to go there). The Yankees used 7 pitchers, I hope none of those pitchers got too worn out, because we might need some when Hughes pitches, (yes I went THERE) and A.J. (inAJwetrust). Its a good thing the roster expanded and we got some extra arms.

One of the new guys, (Sarah calls them new guys until they hit a home run, “They don’t have a name until they hit a home run!”) earned his name in this game, with 2 home runs, he got 3 RBI. The guy everyone has been wanting to come up, who when 0-4 in his first game, Jesus Montero. I’m not getting into the home run calls and jokes.

Yankees needed those runs since the Orioles kept scoring runs, and scoring, and scoring, inching within 1 run of tying in the 9th inning. Mo came through with save #38 for the year, #597 for his career.

Since it was a holiday, I was up at my old place and since the game was going on so long went up to the store. I had my iPhone and was listening to the broadcast. When this game was over I switched to the Red Sox vs. Blue Jays game which was in the 10th inning and scoreless. I was actually rooting for Jose to hit home run #41. He didn’t, but another Jay did and now the Red Sox are 2.5 games behind us. SWEET!

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ Monday, September 5, 2011 😛

After 1400 bad outings ….

~~ Yankees 4, Red Sox 2 ~~

That was how the text started, the text from my Red Sox fan friend.

1400 bad outings and he picks last night to get his crap together?????

This was the next morning, I was still fuming at THAT BUM that hit Mark and knocked him out of the game. Beating the Red Sox was not enough, I wanted Aceves blood. So I fired back a response:

Don’t pick on AJ. You have enough of your own sucky players to complain about.

I am not sure if he truly understood my comment. Not sucky in that they can’t play ball, but in that they keep hitting people when they really shouldn’t. The Red Sox seem to have Mark Teixeira in their sites. Sour grapes perhaps?

Cano, Martin and Chavez took care of the Red Sox for us, and AJ held them to 2 runs. And the new wonder boy Jesus Montero? He went 0 for 4. Well what did you expect? It was his first day in the bigs, facing big league pitchers. He did score a run, Aceves welcomed him to Major League baseball with a major league plunking.

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ Thursday, September 1, 2011 😛

AJ strikes again (unfortunately) ~ Friday, August 26, 2011

~~ Orioles 12, Yankees 5 ~~

After the third inning I get the score from the game on my phone. When I saw the score was 0-6 Baltimore, I went, ‘HUH?’, then remembered AJ was pitching. Very poorly it seemed. My friend posted on Facebook (not putting her name ’cause I didn’t get her permission):

I feel bad for his team mates who try so hard. We have the best fielders and hitters ever. I always like when CC acknowledges the great plays by the fielders…AJ just doesn’t seem to recognize how often they clean up after him. He isn’t good enough to be arrogant

Not much more to say, AJ was taken out after 5 innings and 9 runs. I’m kind of glad there is a hurricane coming so everyone can rest up for the rest of the series. And rest up because now they have to play on their only off day in September.

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ 😛

NYY at Minnesota ~ Saturday, August 20, 2011

~~ Twins 9, Yankees 4 ~~

What can I say about AJ Burnett except words that can’t be printed in a family newspaper, his line tonight was 1.2 innings pitched, 5H, 7R, 3BB, 1SO, to fully illustrate how poorly his night went, he threw 61 pitches in those 1 and 2/3 innings. Laffey pitched 3 innings and threw 50 pitches. Laffey also gave up the other two runs, so he didn’t pitch well, but this was his first time pitching for the Yankees and he’s not one of the Yankees starting pitchers. I’m starting to agree with the people who want to kidnap AJ and send him far away.

You could argue that he gets no run support, and in a sense that is true, but can you imagine how the batters feel when they watch their starting pitcher throwing batting practice? During the game and to the other team? Unfortunately, I think we are stuck with AJ for the time being. There is this little thing called a contract.

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ 😛

New York Yankees at Kansas City ~ Monday, August 15, 2011

~~ Yankees 7, Royals 4 ~~

There are boxes all over my apartment, and as I unpack I keep discovering I need things. This night it was plastic bags to store my winter stuff in. I don’t know what I will do with them when winter is here. That is why I was watching this game in a little Italian restaurant on Lexington. As I ate dinner AJ lost the lead, I was mad and said, “He’s gonna lose the game.” Before I left the restaurant however, the Yankees regained the lead, and never lost it.

So A.J. gets his first win in August as a Yankee. I am so glad to see he got run support, from Brett, Derek Andruw, and Mark. All of them with RBI tonight.

First game of the series goes to the Yankees. Good start.

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ 😛