My jinx is gone or poor little dirty orange birds

~~ New York Yankees 7, Baltimore Orioles 3 ~~

Sunday, 9 April 2017

For quite awhile I have not been turning on a game to watch if it had already started. I’m not superstitious about baseball. Not at all. 

It started with the Os, Em sent me a text saying the Yankees were winning so I turned on the game. Almost immediately the pitcher, (I think it was Hughes) gave up about 5 runs and the Yankees. And I was wearing orange socks. Fast forward to this season when Em sent me a text “Ur pretty!” I was confused, it’s not like her to tell me I’m pretty. It was cleared up with a following text, she was talking about “My Pretty” who had just scored the go ahead run against (once again), the Os. I took a chance and turned on the game, the first thing I see is a player tripping over the grass and bobbling a play. It was Chris Davis I think, and the Yankees took advantage and won the game, handing Baltimore their first loss and coming home with a 2-4 record.

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

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Silent bats

It was not the best time I have ever had at the ball park, however it was better than a day at work.

~~ Rangers 2, Yankees 0 ~~

The day started with Kasey and me fighting over tickets. Both of us wanted D-Rob, she won. At Yankees Stadium it was sunscreen day so we got free packets of sunscreen and a skin check from a dermatologist. All the doctor who checked me said was I had pretty legs. Than after that I didn’t put on the sunscreen and ended up with a sunburn. In my defense, we weren’t sitting in the sun, but there must have been enough of a reflection off the concrete and I got burned.

The Replacement Yankees were playing, besides Phil Hughes pitching, Robbie playing third, Gardner and Ichiro in the outfield, I can’t tell you who was playing.

We saw a stellar pitching performance. Phil only gave up 4 hits and 2 runs. Actually we saw two stellar pitching performances, the better one by Derek Holland. What we didn’t see was any defensive output by the Yankees. It was like they had forgotten how to swing a bat. In fact the Yankees didn’t even drive up his pitch count, which is one of their strengths, drive up pitch counts, get into the bullpen, Holland threw 92 pitches. It was a shut-out, not a no-hitter but just as bad.

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

Game 78
Yankees 42-36 (0.538)

Breaking the streak

Yankees have lost two in a row, the last game to the Blue Jays, Nova was pitching and the score was 4-8. Then the first game with the Rays, Sabathia was on the mound and the score was 1-5. Phil Hughes gets the ball tonight.

~~ Yankees 4, Rays 3 ~~

Hughes did not give up any home runs tonight. That does not mean I have changed his nick name. He is still a fly ball pitcher, but he managed to keep the balls in the park this time. In fact the only home run in this game was hit off of Mariano Rivera.

Tampa scored first in the first inning, then in the fourth the Yankees tied the game. After a rather rough first inning Phil settled down, he even had a 4 pitch inning. That was pretty sweet. In the third inning, Jennings got caught stealing twice. Robot Umps anyone? The Rays scored again in the 7th making the score 2-1. Which was upsetting, then the Yankees tied it again in the 8th, in the ninth with the bases loaded Ichiro brought in 2 runs. Which was a good thing because that jerk Longorio hit a home run off Mariano. But that was all they got, Yankees win.

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

Game 19
Yankees 11-8 (0.579)

My favorite game
Played by my favorite boys
Win or lose my team

Disappointment

They were so close, I was so excited. But it was not to be, I had to put away my broom for another series.

~~ D-backs 6, Yankees 2 ~~

Phil “Homerun” Hughes was on the mound today as the Yankees went for the sweep. It was not to be. To be fair, Phil actually pitched rather well only giving up two home runs and they were both single shots. The rest of the runs were given up by Phelps in the 12th inning. After the 4 runs the D-backs got the Yankees couldn’t come back to score.

In other news, Derek Jeter has had a setback, a cat scan showed another break in the location of the original break. His new expected date back is after the All-Star break. So more games with Nunez at short stop. He has also been playing very well there, no errors (well until tonight) so far. Since the Yankees have kept him at one position he has been doing better. We no longer hold our breath when the ball is hit to him. So he and Nix are sort of sharing SS duties.

Count my co-worker as another person who ‘never thought he would be rooting for Kevin Youkilis’. I have no problem rooting for him, in fact I kind of thank Mo for him. He can hit, he can take pitches, he can play 3rd and he can play 1st. He is the perfect man.

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

Game 14
Yankees 8-6 (0.571)

Phil Hughes has a rough outing

~~ Tigers 8, Yankees 4 ~~

Being a fan is not about the numbers. It’s about staying true to your team, which is why I am back here writing a blog post when I really can’t think of anything to say. At least not anything that won’t sound like an excuse. All I can say is, it’s still early in the season, there is plenty of time to turn this around. Remember 2009?

A funny story, I left before the end of the game to go to the store and get some dinner. I came home and looked at my computer, at first glance I thought the Tigers had scored 17 runs. I almost threw up, I left during the bottom of the eighth how did they score that many runs? Oh wait no, that’s hits. Panic over.

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

Game 5
Yankees 1-4 (0.200)

Please don’t hit our batters

The Yankees fall to the Tigers but all I can think of is “You hit NUNEZ! You jerk.” Time to make a Doug Fister doll. I’ll then have a set, Doug Fister and Prince Fielder. Vindictive, ME?

~~ Tigers 8, Yankees 3 ~~

Now is not the time to panic, I don’t want to hear people saying how the Yankees have ‘lost it’, it’s the 4th game of the season, lots more baseball to play, small sample sizes work both way. Time to be a true fan and have faith in your team. That is all.

Ivan Nova was not sharp this game, he didn’t even last 5 innings, then Boone Logan comes in and gives up a home run. The first of three, yes I am feverishly making a Prince Fielder doll. I don’t know why I haven’t before this, a mistake on my part. Kevin Youkilis got the only homerun for the Yankees bringing in the only runs the Yankees got. Nunez got plunked and now is day to day. David Robertson was perfect.

I’m not trying to sound like a whiney fan here, but the Yankees played a night game in the Bronx then a day game in Detroit, I’m not going to use it as an excuse because I know the Yankees aren’t, but seriously, who makes up these schedules.

Today Phil comes off the D.L. and makes the start for NY, that means Phelps goes to the pen. I don’t have a problem with that, it means he’s available if Phil implodes and starts giving up home runs.

Game 4
Yankees 1-3 (0.250)

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

Opening Day

Next Monday is Opening Day. I don’t know if I have ever been this excited for a Monday. I will be in the Bronx at the game if I have to beg for food for a month, if I have to sell a kidney, if I have to sell my best friend’s kidney, by now you should get the picture. I have been waiting for this day since the last out of the World Series.

During the off-season, I tried to amuse myself. I started watching football. Most of my life (sports fan life that is) I’ve been a Bills fan. Last year and this year I have been following the Ravens. They have purple uniforms. They made it to the playoffs, but no one expected them to make it to the SuperBowl. I bought a red and black wig to wear to a Super Bowl party and cheer the 49ers on to victory over the Patriots. I guess Tom Brady is not as good a quarterback as he thinks he is because the Ravens beat the Patriots. Which was after they beat Payton Manning which they also weren’t supposed to do. So I ended up wearing purple and black and the red and black wig is still unworn. I will find an occasion to wear it.

Hockey has also become a minor obsession with me. Last year I thought I would follow the Islanders, but interacting with Islander fans proved to be problematic. First were the questions: You don’t live on Long Island, why do you want to be an Islander fan? I could understand that question coming from a Rangers or Devils fan, but this was from Islander fans, like they didn’t want me to become an Islander fan until I moved to the Island. Then I stated on the Islander’s game chat that Kevin Poulin was cute. Hmmmm dead silence (well he IS). Then I made the ultimate mistake, I said that J.T. looked hot in the cool black jerseys, only to be told that the black jerseys are hideous (they’re not, they’re cool and J.T. is hot even if he’s not wearing …. never mind). Thoroughly pissed off I started looking around for another hockey team to follow, it was suggested that since I am from Buffalo, I should follow the Sabres. So I am, and the Sabres suck, they’re as bad as the Islanders and as bad as the Bills are, but they are my team. Even though right now I’d like to shoot all the players off into outer space. Just don’t expect any profound hockey analysis.

But baseball, baseball is back, or will be soon. Jumping up and down and yelling at my TV will commence within days. Before you ask, yes I WILL be rooting for Youkilis, he’s a Yankee, as soon as a player puts on the pinstripes he is one of my boys and I support him. Doesn’t matter what team he comes from or how much I hated him as a Red Sox, I’m rooting for him now.

Right now is spring training which doesn’t count, and boy am I glad it doesn’t count since the Yankees are in last place. Oh and they are dropping like flies, it seems like every day someone is injured. First game of spring training, Curtis Granderson gets hit on the arm and his bone is fractured. Then Teixeira goes out with a sprained wrist. Derek Jeter has swelling in his ankle, Phil Hughes is out with back issues, today Boone Logan got hit with a line drive in his “fat”, translation butt-cheek, and A-Rod is better known these days and A-WHO? As in, when was the last time we saw him, or for that matter anything was written about him? They should change their name from the NY Yankees, to the NY Walking Wounded, but Mo is back and he says they will find a way to get it done. If not, I will be putting these to good use and might actually see the bottom of my Jameson’s bottle.

One of my problems with writing posts

Is deciding on a title, first I was going to use HIROK HIROK HIROK, then I thought, well it was Hiroki and Ichiro, so maybe IT WAS A NIGHT FOR THE JAPS …. but then I thought either of those titles could be considered offensive, and I don’t want to offend anyone, so I didn’t use either. Obviously.

~~ Yankees 4, Red Sox 1 ~~

So what can I say about Kuroda and Ichiro that hasn’t already been said? I was thinking this game would be a win for the Yankees, mainly because Kuroda was pitching. It’s kind of the thing I say about C.C., if he’s pitching you have a better than even chance it’ll be a win. Of course C.C. is on the D.L. along with Andy so we are now relying on Kuroda, Phelps and Garcia. Hughes is rather hit or miss right now, but I have faith, he will come through for us. Nova is also a pitcher that needs seasoning and experience. I also think he will go on to great things for us.

Yankees just need to keep moving forward, keep winning games and go all the way.

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

Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees have been made aware

First lets go to Tuesday night, as I was lounging around my apartment doing this and that in my comfy Modell’s socks, the brightly colored ones with the black leopard spots on them. Kasey sent me a text about our boys hitting, they were up 5 runs in the 1st inning. So I turned on the TV only to see the O’s start hitting Nova, hard. I went in the bathroom thinking, “Nova will get out of this”, only to hear Michael Kay say, “It’s a grand slam for Chris Davis!” Really Chris? You had to hit your first grand slam against the Yankees? I’m not superstitious, which is why I was wearing ORANGE socks, when I looked down at my feet and started thinking my feet looked like Orioles, I tore them off and threw them in the garbage.

It didn’t help. Those 5 runs were the only runs the Yankees scored. The O’s however, after scoring 7 in the second inning went on to score 4 more.

~~ Yankees 12, Orioles 3 ~~

This day started early with breakfast at Kasey and my favorite breakfast place in the city. Then some shopping, then heading up to the Bronx, she wanted to get a Joba shirt, mainly to annoy her husband, and to support Bald Vinny. Then on to the game, at which point someone tweeted me that I would bring the Yankees a win. Kasey scoffed, ‘Didn’t help last Saturday.’

So the Yankees started out slow with 2 runs, then 2 more runs, Phil was aces, only one run for the O’s in the second inning. Then came the 3rd inning. 1 run, 2 runs, 3 runs, and then the bases are loaded, and Cano is fouling off pitches, taking that walk around the plate and then, don’t you know? Robinson Cano loves me. GRAND SLAM

Phil Hughes did not give up a home run this game. He was ‘dreamy'(a statement that lead to an interesting Twitter convo, what do you think of the Twitter handle, “BSBH_Foxx”?). There was a new guy in playing first base, Casey McGehee from the Pirates. Joba came in the top of the 7th, to thunderous applause. He pitched 1 and 2/3 innings and gave up 2 runs. He needs to get used to being back in the Bigs. He’ll come around. Ichiro Suzuki IS a spider monkey, where I was sitting I could see the left field wall and he went straight up that wall and snagged a fly ball. He also has a nice ….. walk, yeah that’s my story.

End of the day, Yankees are still number one and Orioles are still NOT.

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

Another Solo Game

This was another game that I got tickets to at the start of the season on a special deal. I got just one ticket because normally Kasey can’t make it to night games during the week. I don’t feel guilty about going with out since on occasion she goes to games without me. However the last game I went to alone I was bothered by the guy next to me. I had originally said harassed, but thinking back on it, bothered is a better word. This game was a different experience.

First my seats, I was sitting in the last row in the Grandstand. This is kind of my favorite row, I like looking out over the stadium and having no one higher than me (can you say “Princess”?). Then the man to the right of me was there with his daughter, not that he didn’t say a work to me, but he was in total Dad mode and his attention was focused on her. The guy on the other side of me was with his significant other (wife, girlfriend, date) and was an Indians fan (BOO), but he wasn’t obnoxious, I actually couldn’t tell for sure until about halfway through the game, and then they left about the 7th inning or so.

Weather. It was nice, no rain by the time the game started. It was very windy and I was worried about the temperature, but while a little on the cool side, I never got cold enough that I felt like leaving.

Promotion: I got a cool Yankee t-shirt free! Well, it’s a night shirt now. And it’s HOPE week. I kind of like HOPE week. I think it’s cool.

Game: Phil was pitching and he was back on his game. 8 shut-out innings and he got run support! This brings his record to 8-6. He was assisted by a catch that wasn’t. Another umpire error. A-Rod hit a home run. Ever since someone mentioned to me the Yankees wins and home runs, whenever a player hits a home run I think, “There’s the ballgame. Yankees are going to win.” In this game. like in other games, the team seemed to come alive in the 9th, I’m talking about the Indians. All four runs were scored in the 4th inning. Cory Wade was kind of off his game. No reason to boo him, well anyway, Sori came in and saved the game.

Since this game: Yankees swept the Indians. Wednesday CC was put on the DL with an adductor strain and will probably miss his next two starts, then in the fifth inning of the game Andy Pettitte got hit in the ankle. Diagnosis: fractured ankle, he’ll be out about 8 weeks. Now for our starting pitching we have to rely on Freddy Garcia and Adam Warren (Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre). I’m not expecting miracles, but unlike some other commenters, I also don’t think the Yankees will crash and burn. Garcia has been pitching well lately. I don’t know Warren, but the reports are he has been pitching well. Russell got run over by the Indians first baseman and now is out with back stiffness, he says the collision didn’t aggravate it but hmmmmm I wonder.

On a personal note, Wednesday I tried for a second time to go to a Brooklyn Cyclones game. This time I made it through the ceremonial first pitches. Then Sarah had to leave her mood had plummeted and the panic attack was heading toward major meltdown. Which happened in the Coney Island subway station. Horrible day. Then today was a horrible game and a tough loss. Some times it seems like the media is trying to start trouble between the players and managers with their questions. Then everyone gets on twitter and starts tweeting what they thought about this and that and what he said. It drives me crazy.

Last thing. Some people keep track of their ‘records’ attending games, so I went through and counted wins and loses for me. I have have stats through 2010. !0 wins, 4 losses. In 2011, 10 wins, 5 losses. So far this year, 8 wins, 3 losses.

And that’s all, going to bed now.