Random thoughts from spring training
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Mar 02, 2009 
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Scattered thoughts jotted down while sitting in the sun …
· I’m sure there is some good business reason for this. But shouldn’t The YES Network cover spring training? They will televise 10 games from Florida, which is great. But why not have a 30-minute news show every night? If I can get 200 blog comments on a cheesy photo of CC Sabathia, YES can make money on a show from here.
· The Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue has jumped the shark. And the body paint thing is just stupid. We get it, you want to make 14-year-olds squint. They need a new hook.
· Did you know Joe Girardi was a big Seinfeld fan? Neither did I. He can quote lines from the show verbatim.
· The players parking lot is about 120 yards from the entrance to the clubhouse at Steinbrenner Field. But some guys take golf carts to and from their cars. Apparently the professional athletes don’t want to push themselves too much.
· Jose Veras has a Mac and he watches You Tube clips at his locker every morning while other guys gather around and laugh. Veras is quite adept with Mac software, too. I went over to ask him about the WBC last week and we ended up talking about iPhoto.
· The hotel I’m staying at is a block away from a combination gas station/Subway. How desperate do you have to be to get a sandwich from a gas station?
· I have satellite radio in my rental car. There’s a Playboy channel that consists of a male host describing how hot the girls are sitting in the studio while they giggle. I’m fairly sure this is why other countries hate us.
· Many people told me to watch Friday Night Lights and I never did. But when the Circuit City in my neighborhood went out of business I purchased Season One on DVD and then Season Two about a week later. Now I’m hooked. No offense to Derek Jeter, but Coach Taylor’s wife is the hottest babe on the show.
· Nick Swisher wore a ski cap in Fort Myers the other day when it was 85 degrees. He has a screw or two loose but if he gets on base, nobody will care.
· Eric Duncan, the former first-round pick, was not invited to major league camp. But he has been in Florida working out at the minor-league complex for more than a month. If desire counted, he would be a great player. But desire never trumps talent at this level.
· The Yankees have a pile of good arms in the minors and not many slots open in the rotation this year or in the years to come. It will be very interesting to see what becomes of guys like Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, Andrew Brackman, Dellin Betances, Zach McAllister, Alan Horne, George Kontos, Jeremy Bleich, etc.
You can never have enough pitching. But if Brian Cashman wants to make a deal in July, he has a lot of chips.
· Watching Mariano Rivera sign a baseball is memorable. He takes the ball, slowly turns it to the right spot and oh-so-carefully writes his name in perfect script. Then he blows on the ball to make sure the ink is dry. Most guys can sign five balls in the time it takes him to sign one.
· From what I can tell, no home in Florida is built with a kitchen. Every restaurant is full every night.
· ESPN had a reporter around the Yankees every day from Feb. 11 to March 1. They finally disappeared today.
· The Blue Jays have a chance to really stink. Worse than the Orioles, even.
· Does one person you know care a whit about the WBC? But it’s popular in Asia, which is probably good enough for the MLB marketing people. A Japanese reporter I know said his paper has nine staffers covering the semifinals. Nine.
· If you think Tampa Bay’s 2008 season was a fluke, think again. One of their kid pitchers, Wade Davis, made the Yankees look silly the other day. They’re stocked.
· Paper Planes by MIA is a catchy song. But sampling Straight To Hell by The Clash is what makes it catchy. Those boys were way ahead of their time.
· Dry cleaners need to stop killing the planet. Just like my cleaner in New York, the one I use in Florida wraps four shirts in enough plastic to fill up a garbage can. There has to be a better way.
· I don’t believe Joe Torre realizes how many people in the organization feel betrayed by what he wrote in his book. Or, to be accurate, what Tom Verducci wrote at his behest. None of what he wrote was incorrect, but it was unseemly to betray so many confidences. Girardi comes off looking better now. He has quirks, sure. But at least he’s loyal.
· The average fan has no idea how hard guys like Dave Eiland and Kevin Long work. It used to be that being pals with the manager was how you became a pitching coach or hitting coach. No longer. Those guys are like NFL coordinators with all they do.
OK, getting back on the road to Tampa. Thanks to everybody for reading today.
dry clean shirts to box and not hanger? that saves a lot on the planet killing plastic…
goood info pete have a safe ride home
my mom lives in florida and is a great cook
Pete, see if you dry cleaner can get you a ‘dry greening’ or a ‘Conv ert-a-bag’. These are basically laundry bags, with a hanger hole, that double as replacements for the clear plastic bags they use.
“The Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue has jumped the shark. And the body paint thing is just stupid. We get it, you want to make 14-year-olds squint. They need a new hook.”
All I know is that Israeli girl was gorgeous!
These are the kinds of post you do that I love. Thanks for a good read.
“ESPN had a reporter around the Yankees every day from Feb. 11 to March 1. They finally disappeared today.”
Ya think, just maybe, that has something to do with A-Rod leaving the team to be with the Dominican WBC squad?
But I’m sure they’re glad they did, otherwise they would’ve missed that huge story today about A-Rod’s family causing ‘bewilderment’ among teammates.
Joe Torre saying that he didn’t betray confidences is like Lupica saying he is an unbiased observer in his coverage of the Yankees.
Why YES can’t do more games/coverage from Tampa is a mystery. Like how many times do they need to show the LL Cool J Centerstage? Once a year and I’m good.
“How desperate do you have to be to get a sandwich from a gas station? ”
Go visit a rest stop in Italy. They make Dean & DeLuca look like your corner bodega.
Holy Jesus Montero that post can keep me occupied till Opening Day.
Let’s see here…
· I’m sure there is some good business reason for this. But shouldn’t The YES Network cover spring training? They will televise 10 games from Florida, which is great. But why not have a 30-minute news show every night? If I can get 200 blog comments on a cheesy photo of CC Sabathia, YES can make money on a show from here.
-Good question. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that YES also covers Nets basketball and right now it is basketball season?
· The Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue has jumped the shark. And the body paint thing is just stupid. We get it, you want to make 14-year-olds squint. They need a new hook.
-You know, that’s okay by me. I don’t need to be reminded that because I am a woman I will be sexually objectified to sell magazines. Okay, so it works with men too, but that’s not the point.
· Jose Veras has a Mac and he watches You Tube clips at his locker every morning while other guys gather around and laugh. Veras is quite adept with Mac software, too. I went over to ask him about the WBC last week and we ended up talking about iPhoto.
-Dude, Macs are amazing. Seriously, the other night I _knocked my computer off a counter onto ceramic tile floor_…and the computer still works. Ran a check on the hard drive, and the hard drive is a-ok. Can’t imagine that happening with a PC.
· The hotel I’m staying at is a block away from a combination gas station/Subway. How desperate do you have to be to get a sandwich from a gas station?
-Hey, there’s a subway right next to the library here, so I’m always getting a sandwich. The staff knows my order by heart.
· Nick Swisher wore a ski cap in Fort Myers the other day when it was 85 degrees. He has a screw or two loose but if he gets on base, nobody will care.
-I’d probably do the same thing, actually. I’m always cold. I mean, always. I’m sitting in my 70 F apartment and I am shivering!
· The Yankees have a pile of good arms in the minors and not many slots open in the rotation this year or in the years to come. It will be very interesting to see what becomes of guys like Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, Andrew Brackman, Dellin Betances, Zach McAllister, Alan Horne, George Kontos, Jeremy Bleich, etc.
You can never have enough pitching. But if Brian Cashman wants to make a deal in July, he has a lot of chips.
-Would kill for a shortstop that is nearly major league ready. Jeter’s decline may come sooner than we realize.
· Watching Mariano Rivera sign a baseball is memorable. He takes the ball, slowly turns it to the right spot and oh-so-carefully writes his name in perfect script. Then he blows on the ball to make sure the ink is dry. Most guys can sign five balls in the time it takes him to sign one.
-My parents got me a signed Rivera and a signed Brodeur picture for my 8th grade graduation. My brother asked me if I’d give him one. I said no. He cried.
However, he now owns the collection of autographs amassed at games because I’m too shy to ask. So we’re even.
· From what I can tell, no home in Florida is built with a kitchen. Every restaurant is full every night.
-Dude, it’s Florida. You speak as though you’ve never been there before.
· The Blue Jays have a chance to really stink. Worse than the Orioles, even.
-What do you think _would_ happen to a team with no offense whose rotation gets blown to smithereens?
· If you think Tampa Bay’s 2008 season was a fluke, think again. One of their kid pitchers, Wade Davis, made the Yankees look silly the other day. They’re stocked.
-I think the word you want is _stacked_
· Paper Planes by MIA is a catchy song. But sampling Straight To Hell by The Clash is what makes it catchy. Those boys were way ahead of their time.
-Dude, I can’t believe she performed at the Grammys on her due date! Man, does that take _cojones_!
· Dry cleaners need to stop killing the planet. Just like my cleaner in New York, the one I use in Florida wraps four shirts in enough plastic to fill up a garbage can. There has to be a better way.
-Stop wearing things that need to be dry cleaned?
· I don’t believe Joe Torre realizes how many people in the organization feel betrayed by what he wrote in his book. Or, to be accurate, what Tom Verducci wrote at his behest. None of what he wrote was incorrect, but it was unseemly to betray so many confidences. Girardi comes off looking better now. He has quirks, sure. But at least he’s loyal.
-Yeah, I don’t get it either. But I guess if you live in LA and have all the financial security in the world you can do whatever the heck you want to…
· The average fan has no idea how hard guys like Dave Eiland and Kevin Long work. It used to be that being pals with the manager was how you became a pitching coach or hitting coach. No longer. Those guys are like NFL coordinators with all they do.
-It’s my belief Eiland might have been the single reason we made it to the playoffs in 2007.
I’m incredibly glad we’ve got these guys.
I’ve been getting YES for two years now on my Directv, and I’ve got to say that I often find myself disappointed with the lack of new content. I’m not sure why every ST game isn’t televised… let alone the home games.
After watching the MLB channel for 2 months, all it does is make me want more from YES.
So Girardi is a Seinfeld nut huh?
Please don’t tell me you sneezed in front of Joe G. and he replied…
“you are soooo good looking”
The hotel I’m staying at is a block away from a combination gas station/Subway. How desperate do you have to be to get a sandwich from a gas station?
====================================
Now I’m actually in the mood for some Subway.
But so help me god if I hear another “five dollar foot long” commercial.
Im gunna go with Jeter’s girl Lyla Garrity on that one pete….Coach Taylors wife is hot to tho.
Pete,
We have a running joke in South Florida. Nobody cooks on Sunday’s because you can never get into a place on Sunday’s.
March everywhere in Florida is a packed month.
Most of the people in restaurants now are snowbirds.
In another six weeks, you will get into any place most nights.
When a player, one of Joe’s guys, told me how disappointed he was with the book, I knew he lost respect from people over the book.
It’s one thing for fans to debate the book. When guys who have been in that locker room are critical of it, I take notice.
A few oberservations on your observations:
1 – coach Taylors DAUGHTER is the best looking girl on the show
2 – the homes in florida are built with kitchens, but nobody lives in them anymore hence why the restaurants are always full
Great post Pete, yeah Torre is just dumb for writing that book. The NY daily news had an article today about it and what Damon and MO said just says it all. Joe Torre will never be welcome back in the Yankee universe. Subway at a gas station is intersting, they have dunkin donuts at the gasstation by me. I don’t know with the YES network, maybe it has to do with the Francessa show. YOu are right about the Yankee arms and thats the thing, not all can make it even in the bullpen they are stocked so it is good to use some as a trade chip, i assume Hughes and Betances are keepers and probably brackman but the rest could be used for something maybe OF help in the future or catcher or ss. Have fun back in TAmpa and with the coverage tomorrow of Team Usa/Derek Jeter Vs the Yankees.
It’s Florida Pete, The early bird special is a state-wide event.
SJ, of course, now, everyone wants to know who you talked to
There’s a gas station in Pompano Beach that has an Italian restaurant that gets great reviews, so go figure.
When I worked in South Miami for a few months, a gas station near the office had GREAT Cuban food; different specials every day too!
You ought to do the YES Spring Training Show, Pete. Get Veras to shoot it on his Mac for ya.
I’m not surprised that Joey G is a Seinfeld fan. I can picture him right now saying “No soup for you!”
“SJ, of course, now, everyone wants to know who you talked to ”
Well most perhaps, but not everybody.
I’m really someone who likes to operate on a “needs to know” basis and doesn’t want to be bothered with anything beyond that!
That may put me in the minority.
Pete I agree about the YES Network.
They make no attempt to make it a top tier sports channel. They know they can force feed local cable providers and satellite companies to fork over 2 bucks per subscriber just for the games. But with their financial resources, the Yankees could make YES just as good as ESPN.
good post… and i am in fact excited about the wbc. just some more baseball to watch to hold me over till the yankees season starts. However, ask me that question after arod or jeter or cano misses significant time due to injury from playing in the wbc and i will be the first person to call for its demise.
Awesome post, Pete. Much, much appreciated. I like the tidbits I’d never read anywhere else.
trisha im really sorry of what happen with ur flight that sucks my sister was planning on leaving to and they cancelled her flight she was leaving today to follow spring tarining games and after that head to puerto rico to follow the dominican team
Amybody ever been to that enormous Spanish restaurant in Ybor City? It’s the biggest restaurant I’ve ever been to and I still had to wait a couple of hours for a table.
“I know who I am,” Rivera said. “Everybody’s entitled to their opinion. They want to put the blame on me? That’s their choice. I know what happened. I’m a guy who gives everything I have every time I pitch and when I go home I can sleep comfortable. I don’t know the reason Joe wrote the book. I don’t like things that talk about teammates. But I still respect Joe as a manager. Something happened here. This isn’t the Joe Torre I know.”
http://www.nydailynews.com/spo.....tml?page=1
Program wise, SNY blows YES away.
“I know who I am,” Rivera said. “Everybody’s entitled to their opinion. They want to put the blame on me? That’s their choice. I know what happened. I’m a guy who gives everything I have every time I pitch and when I go home I can sleep comfortable. I don’t know the reason Joe wrote the book. I don’t like things that talk about teammates. But I still respect Joe as a manager. Something happened here. This isn’t the Joe Torre I know.”
tinyurl.com/bs6hco
· I have satellite radio in my rental car. There’s a Playboy channel that consists of a male host describing how hot the girls are sitting in the studio while they giggle. I’m fairly sure this is why other countries hate us.
ha ha, QFT
yankeefan91, thanks! Did your sister rebook her flight? I was lucky in that at least I got all of my money back. I’m still hoping to get down there. It’s funny how these things happen. I really am quite sick so was probably better off staying home this week. If the airlines hadn’t cancelled my flight I’m sure I wouldn’t have gotten my money back on all of my reservations. But the one good thing that came out of it is that my house is sparkling clean! Whenever I go away I always clean my house top to bottom. So I get to sit here and look around at a very clean house!
I believe that there is a silver lining in every cloud.
I agree with you on YES. They do a great job covering the yankees during the season. But they could be better during spring training. Having a 30 minute nightly show @ spring training would be great. I’m sure a lot of yankee fans would watch that.
Rishi, thanks for posting that quote about Jeter (by Rollins) in the prior thread – however, can you please post the link?
Pete, I agree about YES – it’s a joke. They don’t even have a Hot Stove show anymore. However, they do have some stupid Sports and Money show that I doubt anyone is watching.
Obviously as a girl I am not interested in swimsuit issues of any king; I’ve always thought it was a bit of a sleazy issue. I don’t see what girls in skimpy suits have to do with sports.
I can understand the players wanting to drive golf carts as opposed to walking – those things are majorly fun to drive. I once went to an inn in Tennessee where I spent most of my time zooming around the property in something very much like a golf cart – it’s just, well, fun!
Love that tidbit about Joe and Seinfeld – I’ve only seen a few episodes myself, but I can understand why someone would get hooked. I can recite lines from the Golden Girls, lol.
Great stuff today, Pete! Don’t knock the Subway in the Gas Station until you try it!
I, too, was a doubter before I moved to Seattle from CT. They still make ‘em fresh!
Is going to a subway that is attached to a gas station really a sign of desperation? If so, i HAVE been desperate many times I guess because i LOVE me some subway and the sandwiches taste the same whether they are attached to a gas station or a five star resort.
um… YES still has a hot stove show.
“Does one person you know care a whit about the WBC?”
this may be another reason, why other countries hate us.
the WBC is colorful and exciting. Featuring baseball oriented countries (including Cuba which we would otherwise not be able to see) playing the greatest sport in the world.
“I’m still annoyed at Disney for getting rid of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride ”
Betsy,
I was pleased to see that they still have this ride at Disneyland in Cali.
Speaking of Cuba, did those two Cuban players ever sign?
Tom:
I had believed they signed with Cuba North (Chisox). Not certain, tho
Enough Disney. We need a Yankee-based theme park.
Mr. Alex’s Wild Ride would be a hit.
The reason the YES programming is so crappy is because they have no competition.
SNY has 3 sports-debate shows, a Sportsnight, extensive Mets coverage, extensive Jets coverage, Big East hoops, minor league games…. and they still don’t come close to YES.
MSG… does anybody even watch that anymore?
Yankees games blow away their competition every year in terms of ratings. Mike Francessa’s show is the #1 sports talk show in the country, gets extremely high ratings, and blows away other networks’ afternoon blocks. Those 2 shows alone give YES a significant ratings advantage.
Until one of these networks pushes YES, their programming isin’t going to improve. They win the ratings battle with quality (Yankees and Francessa) over a station like SNY filled with quantity.
Bronx Jeers,
That’s Columbia Restaurant. Next to Bern’s, the best restaurant in the Tampa area.
With the arms mentioned above, I cant help but wonder how many of them we would have to give up and which ones to get a solid catcher if posada is not effective this season. If posada goes down, can we really rely on molina especially with melky or gardner’s mediocrity in the lineup? I think the team really should at least have talked about a posada injury scenario. You have to be prepared afterall. Who would we have to give up to get a decent starting catcher?
Why doesn’t YES have a sportsdesk?
Because a 30 minute news show isin’t going to beat the SNY one. Thats that MSG stopped their sports-highlights show. It would become over-kill and the ratings wouldn’t be worth the production cost.
“According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Joba Chamberlain’s 2.23 ERA over his first 11 major league starts was the lowest for any Yankee pitcher since Mel Stottlemyre’s 1.97 in 1964″
that ladies and gentlemen is why joba is starter
intersting yankee facts by murti:
http://www.wfan.com/pages/3943.....Id=3603377
Friday Night Lights….definitely one of the best shows on tv…if you do not watch it, I strongly recommend it
I posted that link to the News article in a thread from this morning – it has some very damning quotes from Damon …..in fact, from Mo as well. It doesn’t matter what we think (though I happen to agree that Joe DID betray confidences), it matters what the players who are involved think. Somehow, I don’t think Damon is alone in his thoughts. I guess, though, as long as Joe thinks everything is fine, then it must be, right? If I were him, I would not expect a Christmas card from Brian – that’s one friendship that he very likely has ruined.
Bronx Jeers, I think I did go to that restaurant you are talking about – I forget what it’s called, but I went there a few years back when I went to ST with some friends from another Yankees board.
I have an addictive food personality – when I like something, I eat a TON of it. Right now, the guys at my local Subway (and I HATE fast food, but Subway is different) know exactly what I like – sometimes I even get free cookies!
ESPN finally released Bob Holtzman because A-Rod is at the WBC now.
Don’t worry… he’ll be back when A-Rod comes back.
Boston Dave, they do? LOL I probably will never go out there – I went to CA with my parents when I was 13 and had a good time. We did go to Disneyland……..but earthquakes still make me nervous. They replaced Mr. Toads with Winnie the Pooh………….lol.
dave,
The Red Sox have a much better farm system than us and even they were not able to pry away Miguel Montero or one of the Texas’ catchers.
If you want catching, it’s going to cost you A-level prospects. Packaging 5 B/C level guys won’t get it done. I’m sure Cashman would deal Kennedy/Albaladejo for a young catcher tomorrow. But that won’t get it done.
By the way, there are LOTS of wonderful food places all over this country that people would never ordinarily think of stopping in – yes some are attached to gas stations, some look like old Dairy Queens (there’s a place in Mt. Pleasant, SC, just outside Charleston, that is in a former DQ – it’s pedestrian looking, obviously, but the food is FABULOUS), some are just little joints. Good food can come from anywhere…… you just have to know where to look.
The greatest praises of Chien-Ming Wang’s performance came from those with slightly different perspectives.
“He’s nasty,” outfielder Nick Swisher said, recalling his days in Chicago and Oakland. “I’ve been on the other side. Anybody who throws a 94-mph power sinker has a good chance to be successful.”
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com.....p;c_id=nyy
Fred, the Sox do not have a much better farm system then the Yankees, they just have more players that are closer to being major league ready than the Yankees do.
Vinny – b, let them hate us. The Yankees and other MLB teams have a season to get ready for – that’s the most important thing. The timing of the WBC stinks to high heaven.
I don’t know how someone can not love Disney, regardless of your age.
They set it up fabulously where it feels like you are in a different world. No stress, nothing rowdy, just a magical place to enjoy.
trisha they change her fight until friday but she decided to fly straight to puerto rico and den go to floridaaaaaaaaa after that so there was alot of paperwork but she find with it
Betsy – That’s exactly why they have a better farm. Their prospects are much more of a sure thing because they are close to ML ready, whereas ours are YEARS away in A-ball.
Why is it so hard to accept that Boston’s farm is better? Every publication has said as such. The top end of there farm is scary.
betsy… http://sports.espn.go.com/espn.....ark_jayson
boston’s farm is much better equipped to make a big trade than we are. they are loaded.
we’re getting there though, if and when these A-ball guys develop
Some thoughts to your thoughts:
YES – Maybe they dont have enough people as they double dip with the NETS?? Just read that SNY will now d post game for ALL mets games even those on ESPN and WPIX. YES should for sure do that.
Girardi – I seem to remember that you write about Girardi and Seinfeld last year maybe not. Was there someone else on the team that recited Seinfeld lines?
FNL – You think Minka practiced her speech to Jason Street at the end of last week’s episode about being a sports agent to Jeter??
ESPN Reporter – Bob Holtzman has become the Pedro Gomez for Arod. He may have left Yankees camp but has moved on to Jupiter and the DR team.
Dry Cleaners – You have to find an oprganic dry cleaner they are all over the place and it really does make a difference.
“The hotel I’m staying at is a block away from a combination gas station/Subway. How desperate do you have to be to get a sandwich from a gas station?”
Is this not common in NYC? They’re everywhere here.
Our best prospect is Austin Jackson and he is average
Hughes is the goods though.
The farm at the moment leaves a lot to be desired. Can’t get excited about A-ball players. Too much can happen between now and the time they come up.
Bill Madden: Yankees have had 15 straight fruitless drafts.
He’s right, and that’s scary. Even last year’s will be remembered as the one that got away in Gerrit Cole.
Great list of random thoughts. Friday Night Lights? Jeez, I can’t even let my kids watch that show. Filled with promiscuous teens. Drinking and driving. It is a great drama, though. Seriously, Pete? The wife’s okay. Not exactly hot, though.
Stop dry cleaning your clothes. The plastic is nothing. What do you think they do with all that chemical crap they use?
It’s refreshing to see guys like Eiland and Long get those jobs. They take their jobs seriously and can’t skate by on their legacy.
Bob Holtzman will be to the Yankees as Ed Werder is to the Cowboys.
He is the new Yankees insider. We should feel honored that ESPN has decided to give us their own beat writer to follow us around. He’ll be there opening day in Baltimore.
YES stinks, how many times are they going to show the games from the 70s? Enough already. SNY actually covers the Yankees pretty well.
Bob Holtzman is boring. His reports put me to sleep. Why no Erin Andrews, the cute brunette that covers NFL, or even Wendy Nix?
Pete,
Although I do agree the playboy channel sucks on xm/sirius, but Im pretty sure my super sweet sixteen on mtv is why the rest of the world hates us.
“Bill Madden: Yankees have had 15 straight fruitless drafts”
yes. The draft which provided, Joba/Kennedy/McCallister/Betances/Melancon/Kontos/Robertson, will be fruitless.
Pete I agree that coach Taylor’s wife is hot on FNL, but Derek’s girl is un-REAL in some of those scenes…it’s a win-win either way for us viewers…by the way, not sure if this is common knowledge, but the woman who plays coach Taylor’s wife also played the same role in the movie Friday Night Lights. Thanks for the great insight Pete!
Vin,
Outside of Joba, none of those guys have had an impact on the ML level. There have been plenty of drafts where we drafted high ceiling guys that we were excited about, but never panned out.
posada almost hurt himself again today, and swisher confesses that him and the wall are friends lmao
http://www.nj.com/yankees/inde.....ights.html
How quickly they forget. Gayle is right, last year when the writers went out for dinner with Girardi and there was some hiccup with their table reservation, Girardi quoted the Seinfeld line from the car rental scene about keeping reservations. He said at the time he could recited virtually every word uttered in any episode.
“No offense to Derek Jeter, but Coach Taylor’s wife is the hottest babe on the show.”
??
Pete’s got more in common with ARod than he’ll ever know.
Pete,
Don’t hold FNL season 2 against them. The quality really dropped off with a lousy, stupid murder plot…tried to make NBC TPTB happy.
But season 3, airing now on NBC, is back on track. This really is great television. I can’t understand why it is not in the top ten every week…it barely gets 4 million viewers each week, while the idiocy that is american idol pulls in 25 million…lowest common denominator of American intelligence.
Coach and Mrs. Coach have such a real and enduring relationship. I really hope they get a season 4.
m
“teenage promiscuity and drinking” – welcome to teenage wasteland, circa 2009.
If you can’t let them watch this show then they’re not watching much on TV these days except Nickelodean and Yankee baseball.
Who is Coach Taylor’s wife? Whats her real name?
YES also has the Nets another professional team. SNY has more shows but there shows suck.
“Bill Madden: Yankees have had 15 straight fruitless drafts”
Hey Buddy Holly if you dont like our system you can send your first baseman and catcher back.
“This isn’t the Joe Torre I know.”
Joe Torre should be ashamed of himself anytime he has someone like Mo scratching his head, trying to figure out who the real Joe Torre is.
Has Pedro Gomez shown up at camp yet?
“Honey? Can you hand me one of those sandwiches we picked up from the gs station. I’m so hungry I can eat a sandwich from a gas station.”- Chevy Chase, Vacation
My Y has a Subway in it- I never eat there. The thought of eating a sandwich at a gym is revolting- plus it is right next to the pool entrance and the combination of fresh baked bread odor plus chlorine odor is nauseating.
Wasn’t it Mussina who threw Rivera under the bus?
Why is Mariano blaming Joe? He should apologize.
Laurie,
LoL. I grew up in Texas, but moved away in the 80’s. I was young, but aware of the sex, beer, and honkey-tonk theme. I want to shield the kids.
make that “Nickelodeon”
Spread the FNL Kool Aid.
I had a couple of my husband’s buddies watch the FNL pilot instead of the Super Bowl pre-game and they were HOOKED!
Pete – this observations in this post are one of the reasons why I love this blog.
I went to Bern’s and Columbia when I was in Tampa last year. Bern’s was great, and a memorable experience. We’re going back this weekend. Columbia was a big disappointment. The service was awful. I don’t know if it’s going on reputation, or we just caught them on an off-night, but it was pretty bad.
I don’t watch much on TV except news and sports/baseball, but I love FNL. I’ve been watching since season 1, and this year is close to being as good.
Haha, they just mentioned Jeter vs. Yankees for tomorrow.
Then they went on to say how Pujols won’t play against the DR out of respect.
Who’s pitching for the Yankees? Hughes?
from the Star Ledger article., Reason 1001 why Abreu and Swisher are different. I dont think Bobby Abreu ever met a while he considered a friend
“Me and the wall, we’re buddies,” Swisher said. “It’s kind of like a football game. You’re nervous until that first hit. Them, it’s okay.”
“Who is Coach Taylor’s wife? Whats her real name?”
Connie Britton. She played th oldest brothers wife in The Brothers McMullen if that helps.
This is from her wikipedia page.
“Britton was born Constance Womack in Boston, Massachusetts”
Oy! A Womack! and from Boston no less.
mel,
You have teenage kids already? Wow! For some reason, I thought you were in your mid 20s lol
At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if Madonna shows up tomorrow at the Dominican Republic practice field
Zolio,
Worse! I have a son who’s in college.
But, with age comes wisdom. haha.
Bronx Jeers – Thanks
She’s ok… she’s no Minka though.
She better be a Yankee fan. A Womack and a Britton? And Jeter to boot?
But, it seems, Yankees manager Joe Girardi got to Hughes first: “I already told Hughes he’s not allowed to throw inside to Jeter.” Girardi also issued another edict, this one to baserunners: no taking Jeter out at second.
Not that Posada will be affected by the latter warning. “I don’t think I’m fast enough to get there,” he said.
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haha!! Too funny!
You can just see Jeter and Jennifer Anniston hooking up at some point. It’s inevitable.
Joe from Long Island
Funny thing when I was down there last year we we’re going to go to Bern’s but decided we were too lazy to put on long pants so we went to Columbia. I wanted to leave when they told us it was going to be 1 1/2 hour wait but my buddies wanted to stay. Waited 2 hours at the bar (and I could have eaten there no problem) so they could put us in a banquet room where there was some crazy Flamenco show. Food was decent enough but to wait 2 hrs for it?
So is the entire USA squad going to be there tomorrow? Even the guys who have camp in Arizona?
lol Girardi actually had to tell these guys not to throw inside to Jeter or take him out with a slide?
hilarious.
About Dave Eiland and Kevin Long –
I had the occasion to meet Kevin Mawae a couple of years ago, when he played for the Jets. A really nice guy, very devoted to his family. Anyway, I asked him about life after his playing career, and if he thought about coaching. “No way, those guys work like dogs!”
If Pete is comparing them to NFL coordinators, then Dave Eiland and Kevin Long truly work their butts off. From what I read and heard from people in the know, we fans are lucky to have them work for our team. I know Kevin Long has a tremendous contract, for a coach; I hope Eiland is rewarded as well.
It is just Joe being over cautious.
I miss Mawae!
Pete,
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS rules.
Probably the best show on TV, yet it’s always on the brink of cancellation…for some strange reason.
Dave Eiland and Kevin Long; the Blue Jays are going to stink; the Rays are stocked.
How about more on these kinds of topics, and less on the kitchenless world of Florida?
You’ve watched I think five games so far: I would much rather that you give us your 22 cents worth of your perception of the opposition than your thoughts on the swimsuit issues, YouTube, and Seinfeld.
Even one-line glimpses like you did with Eiland and Long, the Rays’ Wade Davis.
Thanks!
john
Pete,
One of my favorite posts yet! The whole Mariano signing an autograph process really made my day. He seems like a real genuine person which makes me realize how much I am going to miss the guy. Guys we can’t take MO for granted, in my eyes he can do no wrong. I created straight to hell as my ringtone for my Iphone, the intro is the jam!
Speaking of Torre’s book, I’ve read about 3/4 of it so far. The thing that really stands out to me, is how he spends a great deal of time talking about how statisitical analysis is how the Red Sox became such a great team and then proceeds to trash Cashman for wanting to do the same thing when he got total control.
Seems to me that Torre’s motivation for this book was to blame everyone but himself for all that went wrong after the WS run.
John:
This your first time reading? I’ve posted 10-12 times a day for a month about every aspect of spring training and the team.
So I have a little fun with one random post and I need to do more baseball? Excuse me if that’s not all I think about.
Pete there are gas stations with restaurants all over the country. Where ya been?
Reminds me of Chevy Chase in Vacation, ““I’m so hungry, I could eat a sandwich from a gas station.” lol
Pete, John is an idiot. You’re the best Yankee blogger in New York. I like those type of things you type. It’s entertaining.
I also wish I was down in Tampa. We had a huge snow storm today.
The YES Network should have a half-hour Yankee-focused, baseball program on seven nights a week, 52-weeks a year. There’s no excuse not to have one on during Spring Training. Please, I have no desire to watch another re-run of a Yankeeography, or Center Stage, or “classic” games I’ve seen many times. Give me some original baseball content daily and I’ll be back. That said, YES still kicks MLB Network’s butt. I’m guessing MLB Network will improve as the season and years go by, but right now it’s pretty weak.
Pete, did you realize you almost quoted a line from ‘Vacation’ exactly? Chevy Chase says, “I’m so hungry I could eat a sandwich from a gas station.”
The thing about the SI swimsuit issue is the models. In the past the models they used for SI were more voluptuous, now the girls are too skinny and plain looking. I agree about the body paint, enough already.
Pete,
Amen about every restaurant being packed. Don’t even bother trying to go over the the International Mall or West Shore Plaza to eat on a weekend night. During the week it is ok if you go earlier. Bahama Breeze on the way out to Clearwater is good, but that place is always busy as hell. Outback on Henderson is also always packed. You have to pick your times.
confirmed
The hotel I’m staying at is a block away from a combination gas station/Subway. How desperate do you have to be to get a sandwich from a gas station?
you must have never been anywhere else in the United States or maybe the midwest anyway. That’s a pretty normal thing around here.
Cal Bears
March 2nd, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Our best prospect is Austin Jackson and he is average
Hughes is the goods though.
The farm at the moment leaves a lot to be desired. Can’t get excited about A-ball players. Too much can happen between now and the time they come up.
———————————————————————-One of the more ignorant posts of the new month.
You know, you shouldn’t post stuff about things you don’t understand.
A-Jax is NOT the Yanks’ best prospect. Few, if any, scouts, predict ML mediocrity for him. ALL farms leave a lot to be desired.
Geeeez.
“It used to be that being pals with the manager was how you became a pitching coach or hitting coach.”
That, and you had to be able to say “arm angle” every time one of your pitchers got shelled. For this, you’d get paid more than most managers.
I don’t miss Stottlemeyer one bit.
Two thirty in the morn, just having shut down the local gin joint, feeling to tired to deal with a walkin restaurant. I’ll take my subway anyway I can get it. I love the fact that these gas chains are setting up space for places like subway. Still make the subs fresh, not left over from the day. Best idea since sliced bred, Fla and innovation, who woulda thunk it?
Hey Peta, you must have watch Keanu in “The Day the Earth Stood Still”? That liberal felgercarb was promulgated and apparently you believe it too?
Subway is Soylent Green!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The earth is going to become a Sahara Desert in 7 years per Al Gore.
lmao
Probabluy too late for this now, but John: you’re an idiot.
Dave,
“Outside of Joba, none of those guys has had a major league impact”??!! That draft was three years ago! Settle down, the cavalry’s coming. And Robertson looked excellent out of the pen last year. I’d rather have him than Tomko as the long reliever.
As for the rotation, spots will open up for Hughes and others to get a few starts. With Burnett’s season ending injury due about mid-May, and Joba’s innings limit, there will definitely be starts not made by the top five.
As for dry cleaning Pete, the real environmental sin is their use of perc to clean your clothes. It’s the toxic chemical that makes em smell so nice (snark) when you get them back. Enviro friendly dry cleaners have moved to chemical free processes.
ML
Most dry cleaners do not use perc anymore.
Agreed on the Yes Network, I grew up in the Hudson Valley and would get excited to watch YES, But now, since I live in DC and get the Baseball package, the Games are all I need. When I go back home to visit, I really can’t watch yes because the programing is so lame…
If you had a guy like Olney (Who Rivals PeteAbe as the best Sports Writer on the Planet)on yes.. the Brass would be too afraid to Let Buster be critical/objective of the yanks…
Most of Yes’s Programming is for the Passive fan,for the guys that thinks Hideki Matsui is in The Bernie Williams/Jeter/MO Category of Yankee, Not enough good Journalist on Yes.. Hence the poor sports coverage.
Great collection of random thoughts.
Ironically, I just started watching FNL 2 weeks ago on Netflix’s “view now” feature and needless to say, I haven’t gotten a lot of work done lately. Its a fantastic show. Season One was incredible, Season 2 definitely had a drop off, but regained steam towards the end, and I have yet to begin watching Season 3.
As for the show’s ladies, the one who surprisingly caught my eye as well was Mrs Taylor. She is quite the sex kitten. And sorry Derek, but Minka/Lyla’s jutting chin is not very attractive to me. I’m all about Tyra though, who has oddly not been mentioned in anyone else’s FNL posts here.
Oh…and yea…..I look forward to the start of the Yankees’ season. haha
Hey Pete – I hear what you’re saying about Subway, but the first one in my hometown was in a gas station. It was always disconcerting, but we went and got dinner from the gas station once or twice a month. Awesomely white trashy
I’m with MikeD. Many a fan complained last year when coverage of Yanks ST was generated via SNY not YES. At least they put more exhibition games on this year.
YES does need some more original programming. Whatever happened with YESterdays?? That was entertaining, particularly Joba’s show. I thought we were going to see more of that.
I don’t mind Yankeeography, but I’m definitely sick and tired of the same games being played on Yankee Classics. I know the death of Munson was emotional, but how many times can we seriously watch the “Farewell to the Captain” game?? Another game I’m tired of seeing is the Chris Chambliss homerun game. It seems like those two are aired ad nauseum.