An afternoon web gem to remember
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on May 15, 2008 
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One of the reasons that day games are fun for sportswriters (beyond not having a deadline staring you in the face) is that you get a chance to really watch batting practice.
You can learn a little something on occasion by watching a slumping hitter try and take everything to the opposite field to get his swing back. It’s fascinating to watch Ichiro hit five balls to left, five to center then five to right. Every swing is as precise as a surgeon’s scalpel.
Hideki Matsui played shortstop for a few minutes today, racing after grounders with a smile on his face as Derek Jeter egged him on. I wanted to ask Matsui later whether he had ever played shortstop in high school. But after the Yankees lost, it didn’t seem like the right time.
Watching Alex Rodriguez is always interesting. A-Rod doesn’t hit the towering fly balls like Mark McGwire used to. He tries to hit the ball on a line. When he’s in the cage, there’s a steady thump that echoes through the park as the balls bounce off the outfield walls.
A-Rod, who is itching to get back in the lineup, was mashing the ball today. On his last swing, he hit a liner that seemed destined to either hit the top of the wall in center or sneak over it. But at the last second, a teammate raced over, made a Spiderman leap to the top of the wall and caught the ball. It was one of the best catches I’ve seen this season.
Rodriguez walked a few feet in front of the cage and flung his bat in mock disgust. “He did it again,” he said.
Who was that masked man? Johnny Damon? Melky Cabrera? The thief turned around and he had 42 on his back.
Mariano Rivera? The great closer loves to chase down fly balls to keep his legs in shape and delights in taking hits away from his teammates, particularly Rodriguez. It’s sort of a running competition between the two of them.
“Mo could play center in a game,” A-Rod told me as he walked into the clubhouse. “No question about it.”
As our postgame interview with Ian Kennedy was breaking up, I saw Mariano at his locker and just had to say something.
“Nice catch in BP,” I said.
“You saw that?” he said. “Not bad for a pitcher, huh?”
Mo then smiled and walked away. “See you tomorrow,” he said over his shoulder. “Keep watching.”
Can he play left field and leadoff?
haha you gotta love Rivera.
if he can hit lead him off – new line-up number 38? something around there
This is a prime example of what sets you apart from every other writer covering the Yankees, Peter.
Fantastic job. I hope you know that I am insane with jealousy over you!
you guys have never seen Mo in CF in pregames, I saw him a bunch of times in the last 12 yrs. he’s done alot of spiderman grabs in the Bronx, just never gets publicity for it
“Who was that masked man? Johnny Damon? Melky Cabrera?”
Notice Pete did not list Abreu
Hmmm, we know he’s got a better arm than Damon….. lol
#9 good catch
Thanks for sharing that story, Pete. I have always heard about how athletic Mariano is, one of the most athletic on the team. I’m sure he has a great time playing Spiderman!
Great post, but I don’t see why you would get a better chance to watch batting practice before day games than night games?
Bob – the chair I’m sitting in has a better arm than Damon.
Great story!!
Pete, how bout sharing some video of this great pre-game action with the rest of us? Being a Pats fan, you should know one or two things about that, right? Sorry man…I just had to!
Rainout tomorrow night?
Tomorrow: Showers early, becoming a steady rain later in the day. High 57F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
Tomorrow night: A steady rain in the evening. Showers continuing late. Low 47F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Great post!
Patriots burn – one of my favorites…. is that Matt Walsh in the facade?
Pete,
This was my favorite post of the year. Outside of this blog, the fans don’t often get a window into the personalities of the players or get to see the little defining events that happen on the periphery of the game. I think it makes a difference in how we see the players and understand the team.
This post exemplifies why this blog is so great. Fine work.
After the day I have had today I eally needed a story like that. Thanks Pete for always making this not only the best place for Yanees news and updates but for brining a sense of humor and and leveity to it as well.
Pete,
you the object of all of our desire! what will it take to land your job when your ready to hang it up?
Mo’s mythos keeps growing!
damn there will be a GAME 7 and likely no David West
Great stuff!
I have to add my thank you for this post. It really cheered me up.
def need some video!
This isn’t the first time that Mo’s ability in the outfield has been mentioned in print. A few years back, another writer mentioned it and either the writer or another player suggested that Mo might be the best outfielder on the team. Would be cool to see him play an inning out there, like Guidry did once.
Wasn’t there talk of shifting Rivera to the outfield after his first arm surgery early in his career?
Ron Guidry was a good outfielder, too. I think Billy Martin used him in center for the remainder of the George Brett pine tar game they had to come back and play.
Paging Jennifer – what’s the Mussina meet and greet the day after tomorrow?? Saw that on your other post…
I’ve heard that Mo enjoys doing that, that’s hilarious. Not all baseball players are great athletes, but he certainly is…
Excellent Story Pete!
Just the kind of details fans love to read about and one of the many reasons to keep reading this blog…
By the wya, have you ever seen Mo or any of the other pitchers take batting practice?
Who’s the best hitter among the pitchers?
Well now I know where Rick Ankiel gets it from…
Loved this one, Pete. Great job.
Hi there, Pete.
I’ve got a question for you. Why do you keep questioning Girardi’s shuffling of the lineups/batting order, when this isn’t really uncommon in professional baseball. For example, Joe Torre’s Yankees of 2007 had 102 different batting orders in 162 games. The 2006 Yankees had 120. 2005 – 117. etc. etc. Why is what Girardi is doing now any different than what Torre did then?
courtesy of Mike Ashmore’s Thunder Thoughts Blog
Mark Melancon’s first AA pitch
Mark Melancon’s delivery
he topped out at 94 mph tonight
i wish damon cracks his ribs.
Nice post, Pete.
Nice to know that the Yankees aren’t robots or soulless millionaires trying to disappoint the constituents here.
I don’t know if anyone posted this yet, but here’s a little “Jobalation” to pick you up. Hold down the cursors over the icons for a good laugh.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn.....ortCat=mlb
Mark Melancon
Mike Ashmore’s Blog has Melancon’s videos up, his first AA pitch and his delivery, he topped out at 94 mph tonight, hides the ball real well.
Pete – Stuff like this is why you have the best blog out there. Great story.
Looking forward to having a real hitter in the lineup
Great Story Pete.
I heard Torre say a few years ago that Mariano shags flys during BP and he might be the best athlete and the best outfielder on the team. I always pay attention to him doing it now.
Great scouting report on MARK MELANCON at this blog.. says he topped out at 95 mph wtih a unbelievable breaking ball.. cant wait to see him in person
http://tinyurl.com/5bjaha
Pete: Ditto what someone else said about after a day like today its a great story…….its 2 am and I’m on a website… its been a long hard day but that story did make me smile a bit.
Thanks
i wish damon is run over by a truck…….. just kidding. i just wish he cracked his ribs playing catch ,or something like that.
this blog has Mark Melancon topping out at 95 mph and said his curveball was plus-plus pitch. Cant wait to see this gu y in person
http://tinyurl.com/5bjaha
hmm…conflict in reports, well Ashmore probably missed the scoreboard in one of his pitches, either way, I can’t wait till he gets to the Bronx.
Article on the Big G from Conde Nast.
Not sure if I was more disturbed reading that he wants to keep playing after this season or that he wears gold lame underwear.
http://www.portfolio.com/views.....-Struggles
“Basement Bombers vs. bickering Mets”…DAILY NEWS
Great news title.
Wow, just a great post Pete. I think you just lightened everybody’s mood.
“Mo then smiled and walked away. “See you tomorrow,†he said over his shoulder. “Keep watching.—
How good was that!
Nice story Peter, gotta love stuff like that.
Anyway, please call Brian Cashman and tell him to TRADE FOR MATT HOLLIDAY.
Thanks.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/s.....8;ATT=3498
What would it take to land Holliday?
As usual, another super inside story, Pete! And you write in such an entertaining way! Great job and thanks!
Thx, Pete!
Great story, can Mo be any more legendary?
Thanks Pete for the story – funny sometimes I actually watch the BP show on YES and I noticed Mo outrunning the other pitchers in the outfield and catching just about everything near him.
Good story, Peter. Well, Mariano grew up in Panama, La Chorrera, Puerto Caimito town, playing baseball with his friends; He started playing shortstop for his Panama Oeste Team; and it was pretty good fielder and hitter. This is one reason that Mo is a pretty good defensive pitcher with good reflect and move very well. I heard, that back in 1990, he volunteered to pitch for this Panama Oeste Team.