The Babe in Baltimore
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Apr 05, 2009 
Print This Post
| 
Email This Post
Being a total baseball nerd, I like walking around ballparks and looking at the statues outside. Willie Mays (AT&T Park), Stan Musial (Busch Stadium), Roberto Clemente (PNC Park) are among the best ones.
Camden Yards has a young Babe Ruth standing outside of center field. The Babe, as any good fan knows, was born here in the Charm City before becoming the Sultan of Swat.
I snapped a photo of the statue in the twilight and the plaque attached to its base:
Ideally, the Yankees will erect some statues at their new ballpark. That big plaza along 161st Street would be a perfect setting. Imagine being able to tell your friends, “meet me at Mickey Mantle.”
It would be tough to pick out three or four Yankees to commemorate with statues. I’d say Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and Mantle.
Who would you want to see?
Anyway, this marks the last post of spring training. Come back tomorrow for lots of Opening Day coverage.
Mo
How about some love for Donny and Bernie? The two underappreciated Yankee legends.
i’d love to see some bronze statues of munson, babe, dimaggio and mantle.
How about a babe ruth statue actually IN babe ruth plaza.
whitey and yogi
Brian McCann and Chipper Jones are on my fantasy teams. I’m stoked.
Eventually there should be a statue/monument to Mo…..
Come on…this is obvious…LaTroy Hawkins and Eddie Whitson
Mccann, francoer and schafer are on pace to hit 162 homeruns.
-Joe Morgan
I’d go with Yogi as well as Pete’s group.
Maybe Howie Spira too.
“dammit Nady could have landed that kid !”
Uh, Brandon? No way were the Braves going to deal Schafer for Nady.
I can see Jeter and Rivera statues, but please, no Torre.
I think Whitey should get a statue.
holy geez did ryan howard lose alot of weight…
btw, so is baseball tonight comprised of a 3 man booth from now on? has there been a worse 3 man combo in all of baseball sportscasting history?
The problem would be that there is too much temptation to overdo it (see retired numbers or the plaque binge). I am not dying to see Charlie Hayes immortalized in bronze.
Pete – those are the Big 4 in Yankees lore.
And many thanks for the great reporting and blogging during ST.
I wish I could follow during the day tomorrow, but the IT police block the blog. Funny, I can get all the shopping websites, that’s ok, but something as important as the Yankees is considered non-essential. The #$%^&*!
I agree with Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio and Mantle, but would add yogi as kd and Big Joe said. That being said, I think it would be cool to have the in one area, with room for future statues. I would love to see Bernie up there some day, and in time Jeter and Mo too. These guys I think will all be looked at in the same light (or at least should be) 50 years from now.
Yogi’s got to be there. Maybe Jeter some day (if he gets 3,000 hits), but to hear the experts talk now he’s the worst shortstop in the history of the game.
Here’s to hoping it doesn’t get rained out tomorrow in Baltimore i will be crushed
I can’t argue with 1 through 4, but numbers 5 and 6 have to be Yogi and Mo.
rebecca. I’ve got both mc can and lowe. Do I’m sitting pretty. For one night at least
What’s the over under in Bubba Crosby getting a statue ?
They should just do Babe Ruth since the Plaza is named after him.
It would kind of be overkill because the Yankees have MP already.
nipitinthebud
Yogi’s got to be there. Maybe Jeter some day (if he gets 3,000 hits), but to hear the experts talk now he’s the worst shortstop in the history of the game.
__
No one ever said anything close, but to some, any criticism, no matter how accurate, is blasphemy, which is you know, kind of crazy.
I’d go with Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, DiMaggio now and Jeter, Mo, Munson and Mattingly at some point in the future.
Mo, DJ and Pavano -
Pete,
Shelley Duncan
Continued foolish predictions from previous entry:
AL MVP – Evan Longoria (Teixeira will be up there)
NL MVP – Hanley Ramirez (or David Wright)
AL CY – Jon Lester (or CC)
NL CY – Chad Billingsley (look out for Josh Johnson)
AL ROY – Matt Wieters (unbelievable player)
NL ROY – Jason Motte (tough choice, Cameron Maybin could break out)
AL Batting Champion – Justin Morneau
NL Batting Champion – Albert Pujols
Pete -
All you said, plus Yogi is a must and Mo is a must. Jeter and Donny Baseball are almost a must, and Bernie is a definite maybe. The problem is there are so many Yankee greats, where do you draw the line before it becomes overkill?
GGBG for sure…but seriously those 4 pete named are perfect
Besides the four suggested, I would add Yogi, Whitey Ford (the criminally under-appreciated Yankee), and one George Steinbrenner III.
Carl Pavano…All kidding aside. Isnt Camden Yards what we all where hoping with the New Stadium. They got everything right at that park. If anyone gets a chance, check it out. When the new stadium was being built, I was expecting a better Camden Yards. Again how dissapionted I was!
So much ‘you can’t make the jump form AA straight to the majors’. It’s early of course but Shaffer looks good.
I’m shocked there isn’t a huge statue of G. Steinbrenner yet.
i would love to see a statue of Thurman Munson.
also it would be great to have statues of current greats, Mo and Jeter.
Stephen =
Not being sarcastic or anything here, but all along the Yankees stated they wanted to replicate the old Stadium as much as possible while adding modern amenities. What made you hope for a Camden Yards?
I would like to see a Mel Hall statue… with a fountain that shoots jheri-curl juice out of the head.
since it’s the ruth plaza i leave him out
gehrig, dimaggio, mantle, stengal
if you put ruth in
the its gehrig, dimaggio, mantle, ruth
ford, berra are in the conversation but they are still living
I like your “big 4″ Pete.
Have you seen the statues at Minute Maid in Houston?
Kinda cool. They have one of Biggio and Bagwell.
http://tinyurl.com/c5cb27
Would be cool to see one like that of Whitey pitching to Yogi crouching behind the dish.
Trevor
April 5th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
So much ‘you can’t make the jump form AA straight to the majors’. It’s early of course but Shaffer looks good.
————————————————————
And, by the end of April, he could be back in AAA.
Another way to go with statues is to go “eras.” That way you choose one player who symbolizes an historic era in Yankees history. So obviously the Babe is one. And Munson is another. For this era, Mo. Then, do you go DiMaggio? Yogi? Mantle?
The problem will aways be that you’re leaving someone out, no matter which way you go. And you’ll NEVER make close to everyone happy.
Putting Bernie Williams with Ruth, Gerhig, Dimaggio and Mantle is like putting Gerald Ford on Mount Rushmore.
Just cause he’s the best you’ve seen doesn’t mean he has a place in Yankee history.
When George goes he needs to be immortalized with a statue, maybe inside though to greet the fans as they enter.
He has done so much for the present day yankees.
Yogi should be outside with the other greats, I thing Roger belongs out there too with the Babe, The Iron Horse, The Yankee Clipper and Mickey.
It’s a great day to be a Yankee fan.
I’m not positive as I never made it to the Museum when I attended the two exhibition games but I believe there is a statue of Yogi and Don Larsen recreating the perfect game inside the Museum.
The four Pete mentioned are definites ….so hard to choose more tho’…maybe Munson, Donnie, Jeter, Bernie & Mo for the new era…trust me ..there is PLENTY of room to add statues both inside and outside the Stadium and they wouldn’t even be near each other …
The Stadium is truly unbelievable in every great sense and hopefully it will be as successful in the upcoming years as the original Stadium…starting this year with #27…
Go Yankees 2009!!!
I think it would be pretty cool to have statues that commemorate big moments of certain players.
Yogi jumping Larsen would be one. The Babe swinging the bat. Mantle on the off the facade swing. Lou from the Luckiest Man speech. DiMaggio ripping through the hitting streak sign. Jeter getting his record setting hit in the old stadium.
‘Let me put it this way Brandon: It’s not love of Philly that’s making me bitter.
‘
Cheer up Nick it’s only $$$
I don’t see why the statues have to be of the immortals of the Yankees. Some fan favorites such as Bernie would reflect the fans desires even if those players weren’t HOF worthy.
They might think of doing a statue of certain players instead of retiring their numbers, for say Paul O’Neil or Bernie.
Doreen
Another way to go with statues is to go “eras.” That way you choose one player who symbolizes an historic era in Yankees history. So obviously the Babe is one. And Munson is another. For this era, Mo. Then, do you go DiMaggio? Yogi? Mantle?
The problem will aways be that you’re leaving someone out, no matter which way you go. And you’ll NEVER make close to everyone happy.
__
As much as I think Mo was the MVP of this era, I can’t see how Jeter can be left out.
I think a statue of the team piling up after a world series would be kick ass.
Has to be DiMaggio, Ruth, and Gehrig. Mantle too. Everybody else, great as they may have been, were complimentary to the Yankee legacy; those four were the primary legends of the franchise. I have been to the new park in Pittsburgh, they have statues of Wagner, Clemente, and Stargell, it is pretty cool. But they have a lot easier decisions on things like this than the Yankees do.
Also, one mystery solved. Glad to see it is Baltimoreans, I always thought they were Baltimorons.
nipitinthebud
April 5th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Yogi’s got to be there. Maybe Jeter some day (if he gets 3,000 hits), but to hear the experts talk now he’s the worst shortstop in the history of the game.
——————————-
Yeah, it’s the latest fad among sabermatrician wannabes to crap all over Jeter. Evidently, if you think Jeter is a great player, you’re not part of the intelligentsia, and don’t get your secret decoder ring.
Statues: Ruth, Gehrig, Dimaggio, Mantle, Jeter…I’m on the fence about Mo, but leaning toward no. Definitely no on Bernie. I think the players in statues should be iconic, “face of the franchise” types.
ross moschitto
While I only saw Mantle and Joe D play in person (at the very end of his career), Bernie and Donnie, while good players, are simply not in the same universe as those 4. That is who i would immortalize – and Mo in the future. Derek is more in the Bernie, Donnie category.
Amazing…an AA ball hitter gets an intentional pass in his 3rd ever at bat haha.
Logan Shaffer? Umm it’s Jordan.
Well I hope A-Rod would have a statue at some stage. Heavily bronzed and without a shirt. Along with purple lipstick, a purse, a mirror, a red clown nose, and with some dollar bills scattered on the bottom.
How is the weather going to be tomorrow in Baltimore? I heard rain and T-storms…but at night it is clear, will they push the game back?
Why do some ppl like Trevor feel the need to point out every little mistake that they see/hear?
@Stephen: Everyone is doing their version of Camden, why would the Yankees?
I was at the game on Saturday and I was very impressed. The FO kept stating they wanted to preserve the “feel” of the old stadium yet update it to 2009 standards. I think they did just that, and more.
“I’m on the fence about Mo, but leaning toward no.”
Which player in the modern era has been a more dominant performer for the Yankees? Dominance is what legend is made of.
So I guess no statue of Carl Pavano?
Bouton. Surely the greatest Yankee author deserves a statue.
How about a statue of me lol
They did build a statue of Carl Pavano. But they used it in the steroid public service announcement commercial. It crumbled.
S.A.-The 2009 MLB season is almost here April 5th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
So I guess no statue of Carl Pavano?
- – - – - – -
That statue can be seen at Scripps Medical.
He’s quite well known there.
“So I guess no statue of Carl Pavano?”
that’s a tough one… maybe they could just stick a band-aid on the wall.
Yogi, for sure. An American treasure and icon.
Yankees Legends Statues are a really great idea.
Tough to choose after Ruth, Gehrig, DiMag and Mantle? Not really if you use the right rule. You are eligible for a statue only after you’re dead. That gives you a nice bright line rule and it also allows for some time to get perspective about whose bronze likeness should be there and whose should not.
Guys you think Steinbrenner will get a monument?
Be nice. Pavano is fair game for Indians fans now not us anymore. Besides, who gets the last laugh if he mows down the Yankee offense this season and counts his $40 million between innings?
S.A.: The Pavano statue is in Birmingham, Alabama. With a small replica on Dr. Andrews’ yacht.
‘Logan Shaffer? Umm it’s Jordan.’
Gotta love Joe Morgan
If Pavano does any mowing – hopefully the blades are dull.
As for outside I think Cotton Eye Joe is worthy.
Jeter in LF -
You could always go with an a position player and a pitcher.
Then Jeter would def be in for this era.
Mo is Mo, though, ya know? Kind of in a league of his own.
The basic problem when talking about Yankee greats of any era is that it’s never just been about one guy alone.
The more I think about it, the more I lean toward just The Babe. He kind of started it all. There is so much in the new stadium commemorating all of the Yankee’s greats – moments and players – that it’s almost redundant to have any statues. But statues are nice.
I think a statute that commemorates Don Larsen’s perfect game would be the best one. A singular accomplishment. Never done before or since, and likely never to be duplicated. It would capture that moment, of course, but it would also capture the pride and exuberation of all the championships of this team.
And the Yankees are a one-of-a-kind team.
Pavano Scissorhands?
OMG. Cabin fever. Can you imagine what it’ll be like if tomorrow’s game is a rainout?
murphydog -
What about, in addition to being dead, a player would have had to have played over 10 years as a Yankee? (Or, in the event of an untimely demise, his entire career as a Yankee)?
I feel like a player has to be dead first, to get a statue…
I can’t believe the Yankees are still doing Cotton Eye Joe and YMCA, which is played out. New Stadium should be new entertainment.
BTW Miller Morgan Phillips is baseball’s version of Joe Theissman Mike Patrick Paul McGuire. Brutal!
Royals/W. Sox game tomorrow cancelled because of snow. Same storm that is expected to reach the East Coast tomorrow.
JohnBlacksox (24 + 1)
Yeah, it’s the latest fad among sabermatrician wannabes to crap all over Jeter. Evidently, if you think Jeter is a great player, you’re not part of the intelligentsia, and don’t get your secret decoder ring.
__
This is patently false. There isn’t a person alive who thinks that 3000 hits doesn’t grant automatic entry into the HoF.
More silliness from the “you can’t criticize Jeter” contingent.
Trevor they should be shot for bringing YMCA to the new Yankee Stadium, there is no fan that truely enjoys that crap, literally you only do it if you’re drunk.
Pete, I like your 4 picks but Yogi has to be up there too. Can’t have a Yankee Mount Rushmore without him. I say make it a fivesome.
also, Morgan and Phillips are making my head hurt. Can’t believe we have to listen to this combo all year! Question for those familiar with MLB.tv – will the Yankee game be blacked out from there tomorrow because ESPN is televising it? This is my first year as a subscriber and I’m hoping I can get the Jim Palmer/O’s network feed. He is one of my favorites and I want to hear about baseball and not money
lastly, as a Miami Heat fan, thanks Nets for your help tonight!!! Much appreciated.
As much as I think Mo was the MVP of this era, I can’t see how Jeter can be left out.
===================================================
Of course, they both make it.
I have a question: If I had had Twitter connected to my cell phone, would I have gotten all of Pete’s updates or just the titles of the updates this weekend?
man it would suck if the game tomorrow is postponed
Frankie: Dead or immortal. So Yogi’s still good for a statue!
Brandon ( I Love Me Some Me), Clyde on Mike Taylor: “Round and round I go, where I stop nobody knows…”
April 5th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Trevor they should be shot for bringing YMCA to the new Yankee Stadium, there is no fan that truely enjoys that crap, literally you only do it if you’re drunk.
========================================
The grounds crew dancing around is just off-beat enough that I don’t hate it.
Cotton-eyed Joe, I hate.
BBB
April 5th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Frankie:… immortal. So Yogi’s still good for a statue!
Fixed.
I heard the game in Chicago is already postponed. Wind and ice the reason.
The sound system stopped working in the six inning yesterday so Cotton Eye Joe was silenced. I’m sure most of the crowd was happy.
bodhisattva, it sucks.
Jeter in LF
April 5th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
JohnBlacksox (24 + 1)
Yeah, it’s the latest fad among sabermatrician wannabes to crap all over Jeter. Evidently, if you think Jeter is a great player, you’re not part of the intelligentsia, and don’t get your secret decoder ring.
__
This is patently false. There isn’t a person alive who thinks that 3000 hits doesn’t grant automatic entry into the HoF.
More silliness from the “you can’t criticize Jeter” contingent.
====================================
It’s not the constructive criticism that annoys people; it’s the glee with which they try to marginalize his accomplishments. That is offensive and exposes them as shallow observers of the game.
THIS GAME WAS POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER REPORTS IN THE CHICAGO AREA FOR MONDAY. THE GAME WILL BE PLAYED ON TUESDAY, APRIL 7 AT 2:05 PM ET
Someone tell me again why the Twins are building an open air stadium. Yeah I know it is a different city, but it is a cold weather city none the less.
Trevor
That we were, but I got a kick out of “silent eyed Joe”. If you were there you’d know what I mean.
A lot of us old timers are thankful to George for rescuing our team from the CBS ownership.
Heaven knows where the Yanks would be if they gave George the Cleveland franchise.
All things considered George has been a great owner and deserves recognition for what he has given to us, the fans.
Hopefully his legacy will live on through his sons.
He will be missed. I believe a statue of GS inside the stadium to greet fans as they enter would be apropriate.
http://www.weather.com/weather.....;begDay=96
weather has changed….its looking more like this game might actually happen now.
Wait, ESPN is talking about the Yankees spent $441MM in the offseason…I thought it was $423? Oh well, who cares. This is exactly why I’m hoping to get the game on the Orioles’ network tomorrow.
Also, I’m so despondent about Cotton Eyed Joe having made the move over to the new Stadium, there are no words. It’s the worst song in the history of recorded music, by far. Can’t we the fans circulate a petition to make it stop? It’s practically seizure inducing!
As I said in a previous post I think they do have statues of Larson/Berra commemorating the perfect game in the Yankee Museum in the Stadium.
Go Yankees 2009 !!!
They haven’t built a closed-roof facility in Minnesota since the Larry Craig incident.
Jennifer, I was at the game yesterday.. That part was funny but the not having sound was lame..
Also did you notice how off the scoreboard was for the speed and pitch… It had Pettitte consistently throwing 63 mph fastball and Burnett at 88-90, with the exception of the one pitch he threw for 102.
Can’t wait to take a tour of the PeteAbe Press Box.
Awww, the hourly weather updates make me miss Mussina and the storm-tracking devices he had installed on his laptop haha. Long live the Moose!
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/articl.....8;c_id=mlb
http://www.weather.com/newscen.....-plain.css
I’d like to know the name of the idiot who wrote this.
To hear people talk about it, the Yanks will already have a statue playing SS this year. All kidding aside, the ones Pete named are A-OK with me.
PS – This trifecta in the booth tonight makes me glad I’m going to the Yanks-Sox Sunday night game here in Boston, so that I don’t have to watch them on TV. They are awful.
Christina
I noticed in the beginning of the game the pitch count was off. I really wasn’t paying too much attention to it.
bodhisattva
It’s not the constructive criticism that annoys people; it’s the glee with which they try to marginalize his accomplishments. That is offensive and exposes them as shallow observers of the game.
__
Apart from Sox fans, I have never seen that glee.
What exactly does 70% feel like?
My way of thinking you either feel good or like garbage.
Is the weather channel really known for their baseball predicting prowess??? what are they doing!
How long until we see the first post, see we should have gotten Derek Lowe.
For Alex, 70% probably feels like a 35 HR/120 RBI season. I bet he could play now and be quite productive, although of course I’m not actually adovcating he do that.
#1 Philadelphia Phillies
Why the Phillies? By the end of the season, the defending World Champions may actually be better than they were a year ago. That’s because they’ll be waiting for Chase Utley who could miss the first two months after undergoing hip surgery.
The addition of Raul Ibanez will be a solid plus for the offense, while the pitching staff looks as solid as it was a year ago when it finished fourth in ERA while converting a league-best 76 percent of its save opportunities.
Achilles heel? It may just be injuries. Utley is already going to miss significant time. Ace Cole Hamels had plenty of issues this spring, and, let’s face it, Jamey Moyer – aged 46 – can’t go on forever.
Prediction: If the Phillies hang tough in Utley’s absence and he comes back at full strength, the Phillies will be a good bet to repeat as World Champions.
———–
Um okay, when was this written? Chase is playing tonight.
I hope no one is betting based on these idiots.
70% I’d assume would be feeling more confident than not in your motions and feeling a few kinks but nothing to make you stop your progress.
Brandon ( I Love Me Some Me), Clyde on Mike Taylor: “Round and round I go, where I stop nobody knows…”
April 5th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
bodhisattva, it sucks.
=======================================
I grant you it sucks, but in the general scheme of things, it’s not intolerable.
I’ll tell you what really sucks: taking a whiz in the bathroom in Yankee Stadium during the ALDS with the series on the line, hoping you heard wrong:
“…Ladies and gentlemen… coming in to pitch for the Yankees….No. 48…Paul…..Quantrill….No. 48.”
Compared to that, pal, YMCA is a snap.
dang, lowe pitching a 1 hit shut out thru 8.
I’d rather him take an extra week, than rush back and have to leave at some point during the season. If we can’t get by an extra week without him than this team has problems.
Clearly the Yankees have some kinks to work out with the stadium. Should be different though by the time the home opener comes.
Yanksgal07-
Ah, I missed that earlier post. So, if that’s true, then no more statues are necessary!
Jeter in LF
April 5th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
bodhisattva
It’s not the constructive criticism that annoys people; it’s the glee with which they try to marginalize his accomplishments. That is offensive and exposes them as shallow observers of the game.
__
Apart from Sox fans, I have never seen that glee.
=============================
You kidding? There’s this adolescent ARod or Jeter School of Thought: disparage ARod to build up Jeter, Dis Jeter to pump up ARod. It’s a bleepin’ bore and it is ceaseless.
jennifer,
I was wondering the same thing. But I didn’t want to open that can of worms. No doubt he would’ve been a good addition, but there wasn’t any money left!
“There’s this adolescent ARod or Jeter School of Thought: disparage ARod to build up Jeter, Dis Jeter to pump up ARod.”
Yuck, people still do this? Thought that was so 2006!!
BBB
April 5th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
“There’s this adolescent ARod or Jeter School of Thought: disparage ARod to build up Jeter, Dis Jeter to pump up ARod.”
Yuck, people still do this? Thought that was so 2006!!
=================================
Ohhhh yessss…they STILL do this. They will NEVER run out of energy for this.
Can someone explain to me how the Braves pitcher can dance around on the mound before throwing a pitch?
Wow that was totally NOT a strike!
“THIS GAME WAS POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER REPORTS IN THE CHICAGO AREA FOR MONDAY. THE GAME WILL BE PLAYED ON TUESDAY, APRIL 7 AT 2:05 PM ET
Someone tell me again why the Twins are building an open air stadium. Yeah I know it is a different city, but it is a cold weather city none the less”
yeah those northern midwest cities have issues in April, way more than the NE cities….for the Twins sake they should try to open up w/ a few road trips at southern cities
Mike Gonzalez is on my fantasy team and really needs to stop effin around here!
BTW, for those who, like myself, love Monday morning quarterbacking, this is who we could have had in 06 for Melky and Proctor.
Well for that matter I don’t understand why the Yankees are playing in Baltimore, Rays in Boston during the first week in April. Why not have games in warm weather cities? Oakland, Anhemim, Tampa, etc?
Somewhere Nick in SF has hope
Another cool thing to see in Baltimore is the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, only a few blocks from the ballpark. Definitely worth the couple of minutes walk.
yeah it makes more sense for Boston to open up at Tampa instead of the opposite; Bud Selig is an idiot
Ryan Howard looks like he’s lost weight.
it’s got to be the big four like Pete laid out, but I would add Yogi for sure anytime. Later I would Jeter and Mo. I would think most or all of the career with the Yankees, plus being a HoF worthy part of multiple championship teams would be criteria.
I think Papa Stein should have one inside, but it might look crass for the Yankees to do that.
BBB
April 5th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Mike Gonzalez is on my fantasy team and really needs to stop effin around here!
BTW, for those who, like myself, love Monday morning quarterbacking, this is who we could have had in 06 for Melky and Proctor.
=========================================
And who would have played CF for us? Apparently no one remembers how atrocious our outfield was before Melky replaced Damon.
Box score for C.C., tomorrow (weather permitting)
IP: 4
Hits: 8
R: 5
ER: 4
BB: 2
SO: 1
HR: 2
‘Ryan Howard looks like he’s lost weight.’
Alot
I’ve only been to a few pro stadiums, but Camden Yards is one great place to watch a game. The Babe Ruth birthplace museum is worth seeing and for those of you into writing/history, check out Edgar Allen Poe’s grave which is also only a few blocks from the stadium…just don’t be disgusted by the beer bottles and cigarets on the grave as they were left there intentionally.
No heroics from Howard tonight.
Some where Nick in SF is feeling like a Knicks fan in 2007
Thus the Baltimore Ravens.
bodhisattva – I dunno, it was the offseason so we probably could have signed a FA CF. It probably would have been someone like Mike Cameron though. And having watched Gonzalez just now, there’s nothing he offers that we dont already have in our pen. He may even be inferior to our non-Mo back end guys. Still, it’s so amazing to think back to a time when Scott Proctor could have netted us a MLB player!
Oh great our friend returned with his negative predictions. Good to see his obsession with the Yankees hasn’t ended.
How about an older Bill Dickey and a younger Yogi together. Just call it “The Catchers.”
Give A-Rod a statue
Sucks, Brandon, but the Phillies were far from my Play of the Day.
^^We’ve had some frightening bullpen arms, lol, but a competent CF is more valuable to team defense – and more critical to your starting pitcher – than a reliever.
It’s so reassuring to know that if Marte fails, we bring up Dunn. If Bruney or Veras get hurt, we’ve got Robertson down there with ML experience. And of course, a long hiccup by anyone means Melancon gets summoned, and when that happens, that’s a one-way ticket to the Bronx.
Life is good from a pitching standpoint.
Isn’t there already a statue of Yogi and Larson together?
“It would be tough to pick out three or four Yankees to commemorate with statues. I’d say Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and Mantle.”
I seem to remember a bunch of us discussing this only it was for a Yankee Mt. Rushmore.
We all agreed on the above 4 fairly quickly but differed on who would represent the Steinbrenner era.
i always get a kick out of going to a yanks/Os game at camden and seeing a statue of a yankee
I’d like to see the 4th day of the season be a travel/makeup day. Stutter step start to the season with the second day being an off day.
Gotta think Munson is a good choice. “Meet me by The Captain.”
RE:statues:
Gate 4: Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig
Gate 2: Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio
Gate 6: Whitey Ford and Yogi Berra
Mark in Tampa, I don’t see how Mo doesn’t get a statue. He’s a legend and the greatest closer ever; the man deserves to be immortalized. I would consider Jeter as well, but everyone else? No. I wish there was some way to honor treasured Yankees that don’t belong “up there” with the best of the best. Maybe a special wing in the Museum or something like that, because they all have their place in Yankee history.
Now the hour-by-hour forecast shows that it will be partly cloudy in Baltimore from 4 PM on.
Just an hour ago, it said 70% of T-Storms
By the time all is said and done, with this rotation or something like it for the next several years, ARod should get his WS rings and Reggie like October spotlight, and yes he will get his statue. I personally will try to paint purple lips on it, although that will get me thrown out of YS.
ARod with this surgery will be better than before (the dude will be bionic), and if the current HR tally in the new YS so far is any indication, he will hit more HR than ever. Tough noogies, RS fans. And yes, he is a dork, a total baseball obsessed baseball weenie of a dork, and he’s OUR DORK. Too bad again, RS fans.
Sabermetricians = Bill James asskissers = RS asskissers. Derek Jeter will 3000 hits is not HOF, but Curt Shilling even gets considered? What kind of Rem Dawg stuff are they smoking? The manure that fertilizes the grass at Fenway? Please.
Jeter, Mo, and maybe (note I said maybe, since the best year ever for any catcher over 35 may get it) Posada will get it out of this class of Yankees.
God, I’m so nervous
I hope CC does well tomorrow
No on the dead thing. Players don’t have to be dead to get into the HOF, why should they be dead to get a statue in YS? If you deserve a statue, that’s the kind of thing that you know right away. Mo is a sure thing, automatic and I say that right now while he’s still playing. I can’t even think of the day that he passes away…….and when he does, if it’s late in life, many of the people who saw him play will have gone as well. What’s the point then? Mo (or Jeter, who’s the only other one to consider) deserves to be around for the honor and so do his fans.
Don’t think there will be a statue of Alex Rodriguez at the stadium, even if he tries to donate his.
Oh ER, brother–you’ve got to go to the ER yourself, for a brain cramp. Where did you get that CC line?
m
If the guy wins 5 WS and breaks the HR record, you bet there will be a statue.
Rockks – It’s like the first day of school lol.
How about a bronze statue of the 1998 New York Yankees World Series Celebration when they won 125-50; when jeter, georgie, mo, and andy retire!? Along with some other Yankee greats!
A-Rod is the clean HR king, of coarse he will get his statue
Dunn? I’m not that familiar with him, but he’s in AA now, hasn’t pitched in AAA and the Yankees are going to bring him up to the majors? You’d have confidence in him? I think people are already going way overboard on Melancon (considering he hasn’t thrown a pitch in the majors), thinking he’s going to be a savior right away, but a AAer?
Dunn has better stuff than Coke.
Just got a tweet from ESPN:
McPherson a third base option for #Yankees
What do you guys think of him? he sure has pop, but can he field? i think he was a the angles top prospect but couldn’t stay healthy.
Have only heard good things about Dunn.
No one’s going overboard on Melancon. He’s a top relief prospect that’s proven himself at every level. So people are anticipating he’ll be very good at the ML level. I rather have him in the pen now instead of Vares.
mo,
How long has espn been tweeting? Talk about viral.
Did Gammons tweet his WS pick yet?
why is the game starting at 4:05? what an odd-time for an east coast game
Coke is going to play a major role for us this year. A guy with his stuff who throws strikes is very valuable in an otherwise wild pen. Joe loves the guys who throws strikes.
Gammons has private tweets i think, but kieth law tweeted today with the sux as champs.
Someone asked Pete to post the opening day roster:
STARTING ROTATION
CC Sabathia
Chien-Ming Wang
A.J. Burnett
Andy Pettitte
Joba Chamberlain
CLOSER
Mariano Rivera
SETUP
Brian Bruney
Damaso Marte
RELIEF
Jonathan Albaladejo
Phil Coke
Jose Veras
Edwar Ramirez
STARTING LINEUP
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Hideki Matsui DH
Jorge Posada C
Robinson Cano C
Xavier Nady RF
Cody Ransom 3B
Brett Gardner CF
BENCH
Melky Cabrera
Jose Molina
Ramiro Pena
Nick Swisher
per Brian Hoch
Finally the Yankees have a bench.
Trevor – Exactly. Getting excited about one of our top prospects is hardly ‘going overboard’.
Trevor, he still hasn’t proven himself at the ML level. I love the kid and I think most people are very likely right about him, but I just think putting these incredibly high expectations for him is unfair. When he struggles, as he inevitably will, he will then be looked at as disappointing….
Trevor,
Unfortunately, Cabrera’s our biggest bat.
Nick the Super-Utility Guy.
Dunn is not green, he’s awesome.
He’s a power lefty w/one of the best sliders in the system, and he throws strikes.
He’s on the 40-man (protection from Rule 5), and is ETA is this year. He’ll get a little bit more action in AA, but he’ll be ready if we need him.
Melancon has roster issues only. He has nothing to learn in the minors.
There should be an Asian area with the two greatest asians ever in pinstripes: Hideki Irabu and Kei Igawa
It’s going overboard when we expect Melancon to automatically be great whenever he gets called up……….to expect him almost right away to take over the 8th inning role. That’s my opinion, anyway; we shall see.
Gammons predicted Red Sox over the Mets
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....xpertpicks
Francesa with the cracker jacks tonight on Mike’D Up
Cotton eyed joe was not played Friday night.
The four mentioned are a must but there will be more. Do you make a “hall of heroes/legends”? “Meet me at the hall” would be the lingo..
bodhisattva, I hope you’re right. The more arms, the better. I love what the Yanks have done with the pen….
Dunn is going to be a STUD. If you watched the Team USA game where he got out of Hacker’s mess and made the All-star hitters look foolish, you saw what his stuff looks like. Sick sick Slider
As far as Melancon… who is going overboard? Did I miss something?
Betsy
April 5th, 2009 at 11:43 pm
Trevor, he still hasn’t proven himself at the ML level. I love the kid and I think most people are very likely right about him, but I just think putting these incredibly high expectations for him is unfair. When he struggles, as he inevitably will, he will then be looked at as disappointing….
=================================================
What’s unfair? He’s ready to help us. The expectations were created by his ability.
Melancon is so good, they had to push him to pitch more innings even though he was coming back from TJ. He was just too freakishly efficient.
Nitro,
Thanks for that. I was just joking about Gammons, we -panned- saw those predictions earlier. Even Nostradamus (sp?) predicted Gammons would pick the Sox every year.
I like last year’s layout better. It was in table form with the logos.
Betsy
April 5th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
bodhisattva, I hope you’re right. The more arms, the better. I love what the Yanks have done with the pen….
========================================
I don’t think you need to fret about guys like Melancon and Dunn. As noted by others, they both throw strikes. Dunn, remember, is a lefty, which gives him a leg up. Melancon has no pulse at all.
Frankly, I’m more worried about Marte. Here’s a guy who has trouble finding the strike zone. I’d be much more comfortable with a lefty duo of Coke and Dunn.
m
April 5th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
Melancon is so good, they had to push him to pitch more innings even though he was coming back from TJ. He was just too freakishly efficient.
====================================================
So true. He just has the ideal disposition and is unbelievably mature. This guy is a perpetual student of pitching. He’s a rare breed.
bodhisattva
You kidding? There’s this adolescent ARod or Jeter School of Thought: disparage ARod to build up Jeter, Dis Jeter to pump up ARod. It’s a bleepin’ bore and it is ceaseless.
__
That’s so sophomoric that it isn’t even detected by my radar.
Real Yankee fans root for both to succeed at all times.
Alex
April 5th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
Dunn is going to be a STUD. If you watched the Team USA game where he got out of Hacker’s mess and made the All-star hitters look foolish, you saw what his stuff looks like. Sick sick Slider
=======================================================
Kid was dealing at Trenton when I saw him. I would take him over Marte right now.
Stephen
April 5th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
Cotton eyed joe was not played Friday night.
===========================
I was in the lounge I guess for that. Saturday they mercifully lost the sound, so was spared. The system is wayyyy too loud, and they’ve got to do something about that video screen; it’s so bright, it’s blinding. Not an issue for day games, but at night…they need to change the tint for something.
That’s so sophomoric that it isn’t even detected by my radar.
Real Yankee fans root for both to succeed at all times.
================================
You’d think…
Not a bad choice if it must be only four. However, it’s my understanding that there is a ton of room at the new stadium for statues, so my list would be a lot longer.
Ruth
Gehrig
Dimaggio
Mantle
Berra (he’s old enough now, no need to wait until he’s dead).
Ford (extremely underappreciated today, and a NY native)
Jackie Robinson (an NYC and a baseball icon, surprised nobody else has suggested him).
Elston Howard (first minority Yankee, and a damn good one, is nothing to scoff at in the South Bronx, although it could be repetitive if they have Robinson).
The other ones to go up one day in the future:
Steinbrenner
Jeter
Mo
Here’s a question: if ARod breaks the HR record and these hypothetical statues actually exist, does he get one? It’d be an interesting debate.
Even though it’s the next day Pete, you did a great job with the spring coverage.
Jeter in LF
This is patently false. There isn’t a person alive who thinks that 3000 hits doesn’t grant automatic entry into the HoF.
———————————–
Garrett Anderson might get 3000 hits soon. Is he a HOFer?
Also why even bother with the statues? Yeah they’d be cool but the Yankees had “statues” years before anyone else. Monument Park ring any bells?
The “Main” Captains:
Ruth, Gehrig, Munson, Mattingly, Jeter
Chase, Peckinpaugh, Scott, Nettles, Randolph and Guidry weren’t transcendent enough. Not that I know much about Roger Peckinpaugh.
It’d be hard not to include Joe D and The Mick though in any talk of statues….as they were the defacto captains of the captainless span from 41-76.
How about a statue of Paul O’niel Tipping his cap. I know it will never happen but he is my fav player of all time so i have to suggest it.
Nick F.
Garrett Anderson might get 3000 hits soon. Is he a HOFer?
__
Anderson has 2368 hits. He will be 37 this year, so if he gets them, it won’t be that soon. He would need to average 150 hits for over 4.21 seasons. I don’t think he can do that.
Take a look at the 3000 hit list at Baseball-Reference. Every hitter with 3000 hits is in the HoF except for Rose, Biggio, and Palmerio:
Matt, right on. “Meet me by the Captains….”
Donnie Baseball was the most beloved Yankee for more than a decade. Erecting a statue of him isn’t claiming he’s the same kind of baseball great as Gehrig, Mantle,…it’s saying he was a YANKEE great.
I think they would have to be considered true legends, people who transcended baseball and are common household names. The big four represent that. Ask any person in America and 90% of them will know who Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, and Dimaggio are. I think the next closest you have would be Yogi, but it really isn’t even that close.
Those are your statues.