Today in The Journal News
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on May 09, 2008 
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The Yankees got production from Robinson Cano and Jason Giambi (who?) and beat the Indians. Brian Heyman has the story.
Kei Igawa is back and starts tonight. This notebook also has an A-Rod update.
I pumped my fist when I finished this post. Sorry for showing you up like that.
Who does this guy think he is, showing that much emotion at 5:46 in the morning?
I expect you will condemned on M&M today. Maybe you should change your picture from one in the stadium to one in the dugout with a towel on you head. They’ll really get onto you for that.
I happened to be flipping channels last night and got to ESPN just in time for the “Joba” report. I just would like to know why it’s such a big deal for Chamberlain and yet it’s never even been discussed regarding other pitchers in the ML who do similar things? All I’m asking for is fairness, but I guess that’s simply too much to ask.
At least Buster Olney (I believe is was him) said that you have to put yesterday’s fist pump into some kind of context. He mentioned Joba’s history with the Indians – the midge game, the Dellucci homerun game, and then yesterday. He said it was the culmination of some emotional stuff for Joba. But he also said that earlier in the year Mo and had spoken to Joba and told him you don’t want to give your opponents any further reason to dislike you, that a 100-mph fastball was enough. And I do remember that Joba had “toned it down” quite a bit from the beginning of the season, and I’m sure that not every situation where Joba comes into a game will end exactly the same. Yesterday may not have been as big a situation as Dellucci’s the night before (Dellucci quote), but for Joba it was a personal victory. And, one might argue, contrary to Dellucci, yesterday was, in fact, a big game, albeit a May game, for the Yankees, who wanted to avoid the sweep and end the homestand with a victory.
Furthermore, why the heck the reporters feel the need to have Dellucci’s reaction? On ESPN last night, they showed Dellucci’s homerun and made a huge point of showing his run around the bases and his return to the clubhouse for a few fist-knocks. Well, that’s fine – that’s who Dellucci is. They said he was all business and very professional. And it wasn’t what they said, it was the snide lilt to their tones of voice.
This is a non-issue, except that the media, in its relentless attempt to disparage all things Yankees, has made it a huge issue. I feel badly for Joba – because he has shown he is not only the fist-pump.
I also saw the last 40 minutes of YESterdays with Alex Rodriguez. What a dorky, ill-conceived show. Who’s next and who cares?
That’s not right Pete. You don’t pump your fist after mentioning Kei Igawa in a blog post. That’s not how you play the game.
you pumped your fist ??? you Bastage !
SO we become Twinkie fans this weekend and it’s time for the Tigers to play dead against us like they did against the BoSux. Have a great morning, Pete. Have a great day, ALL ! 
Anyone see that article in the NY Post today about David Wells wanting to come back to pitch for the Yanks? I don’t know what to think.
Its too bad about Joba and the critizism about fist pumping. I hope it doesn’t kill his enthusiasm and spirit. And make him self-conscious about expressing his emotion. That wouldn’t be so good for his game.
I was at the game yesterday. Did any of you all ever notice what Cano does when he comes up to bat for the first time? With the thin end of tthe bat he will tap the catchers and the umps shin guards. To acknowledge and show respect to them, I am guessing.
I am staying open the the possibility of Kei Igawa doing well today. I wish him the very best, and I am sending him a few good vibes.
Generally, I’m against dramatic displays of emotion in non-dramatic baseball situations. You don’t want to show people up or act “bush league.” You don’t want to provide free motivation to the other side. I’m also generally against contrived grievances, whether it’s in sports, politics or in the bedroom. ESPN knows however that ANY controversy that involves the Yankees is good for business.
Such cynicism taps into the way the wider world feels about the City the Yankees represent. Everybody’s been jealous of NYC since the day we passed Boston and Philadelphia as the best and busiest ports back in the colonial days. In the 70s when the Bronx was burning, the Daily News famously headlined the hate, “Ford to City: Drop Dead.” Ford later relented and allowed some federal financial help, but the whole country had turned against big, bad, loud, brassy and usually successful NYC. Over time, the Yankee owners have been bigger than life for most of the team’s history except for the years known as the “CBS captivity.” The team is bigger than life, and the place they played their games in for the last 80 odd years is truly a cathedral of sports and special events. Every night game begins infused with the drama and anticipation of the curtain rising at the best Broadway play, and every player who struts and frets an hour upon that stage will tell you it’s like no other place, even in a blow-out loss.
The Mets are the NY team for people who don’t like the negative excesses of the Yankees, the team for people who like to root for David instead of Goliath. They are a good team and their fans are good people, at least the ones I know. But there is a lower order of magnitude, an off-Broadway feel to them that cannot be denied. (Then again, one of the greatest things about this City is that the best theater on any given day can often be found “Off-Broadway.”)
Many young fans forget that the Yankees have been everything from thuggish to prissy in their history. Somewhere in Torre’s 12 years, the Yankees left the Bronx Zoo far behind and started playing like Christy Mathewson, John McGraw’s beloved “Christian Gentleman.” But wasn’t that controlled style of play one of the loudest critiques of those who wanted “Green Tea Torre” run out of town? Not enough fire? You can’t please everyone.
The Fist Pump “issue” is just the latest contrivance of ESPN and the voracious black hole of sports talk to promote a story with legs, with obvious, blunt “yes” and “no” appeal. To ESPN and the sportstalkers, it’s a “story with everything: it’s about the NY Yankees, it’s about emotion, it’s about a promising young stud whose actions are being unfairly portrayed as rubbing his talent and Steinbrenner’s money in other players’ faces. It’s the perfect story to run until Clemens trips across our screens again on his way to another pratfall.
The point? My preference is that Joba wouldn’t do anything that gives the other team an edge. Now that it’s become an “issue” however, I’m getting more OK with “the Pump.” When you throw a 100 mph fastball, it’s only fair to give the other guy a little help. Pump away, my brother.
Doreen – very well said. I had the same reaction to the ESPN report last night. I was happy Olney tried to put it in context, but seriously, why was this even discussed?
I think Pete’s comment point out the absurdity of it all.
murphydog -
Great post all around. I’m smiling a bit a your last comment, about being okay with the pump since it has become an issue, because it’s true for me — the more “they” condemn it, the more I feel a need to support it! (Although I personally was happier when he toned it down, anyone whose heard Joba in interviews knows he’s not a disrespectful kid.)
Motown –
Agreed – “oh the absurdity!”
Honestly, The first time I saw Joba do his fist pump, I thought, “Oh, that won’t fly on this team.” “We” just don’t do that kind of thing. I even thought the veterans would talk to Joba about it. But since I’ve gotten to know Joba better, the more I like that he expresses emotion easily and visably. It’s a nice change to have our young guys playing the game with enthusiasm.
The fact that the first pump is still being discussed by knuckleheads on talk shows/sports channels just makes me think that there are those out there who just want to find something to criticize Joba about. Whatever.
Joba: do your thing!
Doreen and Murphydog said it all.
Here’s to returning the favor on the Tigers and sweeping them this weekend.
Although realistically, I’m confident in Andy and somewhat so about Rasner but Igawa? …..Not so much.
My last post is why I quit the “grammar police!”
That should be “who’s heard Joba” not “whose.”
When compared to other sports, Jobas’ little fist pump is well just another non issue. I fell off a ladder yesterday and when upon realizing I hadn’t broke anything or died I gave a well deserved pump to the painting gods. Go for dude!
Go for it
Peter’s one funny dude.
the 2 most bush sports talking heads are fatso & fruit loops. can’t wait for them to leave the n.y. sports scene.
Sorry to all to wee on the Joba parade.
The fist pump is lame, along with the flat brimmed ballcap.
Joba needs to take his emotions and put them into his game.
Shaking off a veteran catcher is just wrong.
It would be very funny if/when he gets in vs the Tigers this weekend that the entire Tigers dugout put towels on their head and bent over when he came in.
As far as the ballcap is concerned- quit looking like a ghetto wannabee