A quick return to reality
Posted by: Sam Borden - Posted in Misc on Apr 16, 2011 
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Forgot to mention this earlier, but I went to chat with Lance Pendleton earlier today, mostly just to find out what he ended up keeping as souvenirs from Friday’s major league debut (I’ve always thought it was interesting what guys choose as keepsakes).
As it turned out, Pendleton kept the ball from his first strikeout and “a few lineup cards,” he said, before mentioning that he’s currently keeping them all in his car. He added that he literally had to turn off his phone because he was getting so many calls and texts from “coaches, friends, neighbors, teammates, aunts, uncles, you name it.”
When I asked if his family was able to see his debut in person, Pendleton laughed. His wife was able to watch it live from one of the suites at the Stadium, but his 16-month-old son, David, was (thankfully) peacefully asleep in the family room downstairs while he was pitching.
When did little David wake up? “The entire ride back to New Jersey,” Pendleton said. “The traffic was pretty bad and (he is) teething so he had a little fever and was pretty miserable. He cried the whole time.”
nice story
fantastic, nice piece of reporting, with 3 kids of my own i can relate, to dealing with the teething mind you not pitching against a team in last years world series
I imagine the worst part about being a pro athlete (especially baseball bcause you play every day) is the time away from family…..especially for those with small children. They grow and change so quickly….it would kill me to miss so much.
Blake
I work at a preschool in the infant room. For the past year I have worked just 2 days a week, I of course hate coming in to work, I wouldn’t if it weren’t for the kids and needing money. But this year when I have worked so little I have missed so much. My babies that I got when I just started working there in 2008 are now 3, potty trained and talk up a storm. I feel that every time I come in they have all learned something new. In the fall I have to quit and I’m dreading it, I don’t want to leave my babies.(By babies I mean all the kids still there that I have taken care of) its going to be hard and they’re not even mine.
Yanks are currently on a 99 win pace and really haven’t placed as well as they can….this is a very solid team and is probably another quality starting pitcher from being a great team.
Tyanks,
It really is incredible how quickly they change and learn. It would be tough to only see them a couple times a month or whatever some of the players get to.
Most likely the only person with an ear to ear grin while driving home, stuck on the GW bridge, screaming kid, but you just threw 3 perfect innings as a Yankee at Yankee Stadium in your first game as a major league player.
I guess all the fever talk reminded Sam of this convo he had. I bet he knows a thing or 2 about teething and fevers.
This thread must be Sam’s way of trying to spur the declining US birthrate.
God Bless America !
And thank God for Pampers.
Night everyone.
I love hearing this kind of stuff because it reminds you that these ballplayers aren’t just robots who play for our pleasure, they have families who love and need them.
It must be very hard on the wives to have their husbands gone so much of the year
OTOH, if you have some success in MLB, by the time you’re 30 you can can secure your family for life. During a time of shrinking or at least static incomes for many people, that’s a pretty sweet deal.
Good read on Gardner and taking pitches.
http://www.fangraphs.com/commu.....n-swinger/
Where Brett Gardner lacks is in his ability to swing at pitches in the strike zone.
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says it all…….
# Betsy April 17th, 2011 at 12:00 am
It must be very hard on the wives to have their husbands gone so much of the year
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and bring home millions of $$$$$…such a life
Yes, such a tough life.
“Where Brett Gardner lacks is in his ability to swing at pitches in the strike zone.
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says it all…….”
I would have to disagree. He doesn’t lack in the ability at all, it appears he lacks in the desire. Big difference.
He needs to take some first pitch hitting lessons from Jeter.
(somewhere in space Jerkface just imploded)
# Tar April 17th, 2011 at 12:49 am
“Where Brett Gardner lacks is in his ability to swing at pitches in the strike zone.
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says it all…….”
I would have to disagree. He doesn’t lack in the ability at all, it appears he lacks in the desire. Big difference.
He needs to take some first pitch hitting lessons from Jeter.
(somewhere in space Jerkface just imploded)
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lesson learned
# Betsy April 17th, 2011 at 12:00 am
It must be very hard on the wives to have their husbands gone so much of the year
————————————————————————————–
can’t believe this
Wow — he drove up to NYC for his debut with a teething baby. Not exactly relaxing. Well, good for Lance. That guy obviously can focus when he needs to…and that’s saying something.
Thanks, Sam. Really enjoy your reporting as well as your writing.
serious …in a 12 team $ 300 h/h league should I drop Geovany Soto for R Martin
# blake April 16th, 2011 at 10:23 pm
I imagine the worst part about being a pro athlete (especially baseball bcause you play every day) is the time away from family…..especially for those with small children. They grow and change so quickly….it would kill me to miss so much.
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yep…so sad
one more before I check out…..if we are going to feel sorry for someone lets feel sorry for the service men and woman fighting for our freedom and making squat for money….not someone playing a kids game to entertain us
I just heard the news about Jerkface imploding. I’ll miss him.
Rumors of my implosion have been greatly exaggerated. That article is cool. Imagine only swinging and missing at 14 pitches in the strike zone all season. Crazy.
/SSS
Are you small sample sizing 14 swinging strikes? Because it was based on 2500 pitches in the strike zone, which is why I thought it was fun
I watched the game from my bed on my laptop because I was too lazy to get up, Garcia looks like a beguiler. His change up seemed to work especially well against the Rangers.
Soriano needs better body language out on the mound, dude looks like a grumplepuss. I wish he’d stop stinking it up as well, since it increases the likelihood that he doesn’t opt out.
Cool story, bro.
“Are you small sample sizing 14 swinging strikes? ”
Yup, and am too buzzed to post anyway.
It’s Sunday.
We have our ace on the mound tonite.
And I’m ready for another win.
So.
For the time being this is our rotation:
CC
AJ
BC
FG
IN
As compared with :
CC
AJ
PH
IN
FG
Interesting. Who would have thunk it ?
It’s darn good thing we stockpiled Colon and Garcia.
Things will change again by the TD.
Nice win yesterday, we are even getting all the games here in Fl so we can watch.
Garcia came through I think in a game the Yanks needed to win after the debacle of the previous game.
Jones went 2 for 3 so he’s producing when he gets his chances, his defensive replacement went 0-1 to lower his average to .140. I like Jones getting good wood on the ball (.364) and being able to at least pop one out.
Our bench looks to be fantastic this year.
However, I heard we have a guy named Nunez ?
Is that true and has anyone seen him ?
Could be just a rumor, or a myth.
Wonder if someone superglued his uni to the bench.
Picture this.
A bench of Chavez, Jones, Montero, and Nunez.
Now that could be some serious pop.
Good morning all –
Nice story about Pendleton. Reminds us that these are real people, and not just robots or video game characters.
Should be a nice afternoon for the game.
Oh No! It’s Sunday – ESPN!
Good morning to you.
Surprised to see you up this early Joe.
I was starting to feel like Will Smith in “I am Legend”.
Broadcasting to the masses of the Yankee Universe with few , if any,
replies.
I’m glad I finally made contact.
Welcome.
Morning everyone. Looking forward to CC getting his first win.tonight…..he’s.due.
Joeman, nobody feels sorry for professional athletes with the money they make and the lifestyle that they live…..but being away from their families so much is a.downside to the job…..sorry if you don’t think so. Also, nobody is comparing that in any way to what folks in the military go through…..you did that, not anyone else.
Perhaps stop twisting statements to make an issue of them?
good morning its a beautiful day in new jersey, the birds are singing!
very quiet here in the am these days im afraid
Here’s a few things I’m thinking early on a Sunday morning.
1) We need to do our level best to get Hughes right. I figure that is
1 month minimum. IF, and I said IF, he doesn’t come around for
whatever reason we’re gonna need to trade for a significant
starter by the end of the TD.
2) The Yankees are leading the AL in both HR’s and Slugging.
That’s great. They’re deadly. I’m hoping GGBG gets it going
so we can add the 2nd dimension to our game. He wreaks
havoc on the bases, and makes things happen when the HR
takes a breather.
Time for another cup of coffee.
what are those crybaby baseball players whining about now, dont they know there are people in the millitary going through harder times?
and what are those military people whining about dont they realize people in japan are without electic and housing?
and what are those japanese whining about dont they know the haitians have it worse than them?
ok thats it, i dont want to hear anyone whining that thier car got stolen or thier house burned down, somewhere on the planet someone has it worse than you so nobody is ever allowed to complain about anything.
except joba in the bullpen of course.
MTU,
I agree with both. If Hughes isn’t looking significantly better by June I do think they will make a move for a starter……they might anyway.
Blake-
What are your thoughts on the way Nova looks ?
Any concerns ?
cash did an awesome job the past couple of years picking up swisher, granderson and martin. all coming off down years all at way below their value. martin especially has the tools to be elite in mlb for years to come.
signing tex, arod, cc, those decisions are pretty easy when you have the money but seeing the value and snatching it at the right time is what really separates the gm’s.
Y’s-
I agree on those.
Credit where credit due.
Chavez might turn out to be another incredible pickup if he stays healthy.
MTU,
I think his stuff looks fine…..he just gets out of whack mechanically at times. He doesn’t repeat his delivery for very long right now. He has lapses and that’s when he loses the strike zone or makes bad pitches. That’s why he’s having trouble going through lineups a second time IMO…..its not his stuff. Hopefully its something he can refine and reduce those lapses.
To be fair, 2 of his 3 starts have been against really deep lineups….
Cheating on my Tampa Yankees today and venturing over to Lakeland to watch Brandon Morrow pitch for the Dunedin Blue Jays. Ill probably root for the Tigers(Lakeland) just because I hate the Blue Jays.
my thinking is that if nova doesnt come through, noesi will, or colon, or brackman, or pendleton,
or someone else. theres a long line of guys with the potential to be in the rotation, someone will
grab hold of a rotation spot and not let go. we just have to sort through the options in the first
half, but i think its all going to work out. and if not, we go shopping!
Very nice of the socks to give us the breathing space to work things out…
good morning all
I am back from sunny FLA/GA to cold and rainy upstate NY
I know it is early days, but it is nice to see the Yankees at the top and the sox at the bottom
Blake-
I agree that his stuff looks pretty good.
I’m also assuming some of that added FB zip will come as the season progresses.
He really does need to improve his C and C.
You’d have to think they are focusing on that.
IMO he needs to get back on the beam controlwise.
You know how the Yankees can be. They aren’t exactly patient with
young arms.
My sincere hope is that it’s just early and he gets it back together.
I like a lot of things about Mr. SuperNova but I do not like guys that
don’t throw strikes consistently.
I’m hoping he isn’t one of them.
Let’s see how he does in his next few starts.
Kate-
Welcome back !
I hope you had a great time, and enjoyed a respite from the cold.
Unfortunately, there have been some severe problems on the blog which have affected Doreen, Erica, and possibly others.
New thread ==>
MTU, I asked yesterday since I had had website problems myself for two days. Either the site was not avaliable of it was way behind.
Taking two of three tonight with CC going would be a great way to finish the series and get him a win.
Gary-
That too but I was referring to other “issues”.
Yeah. I’m hoping that CC will be CC, and that the offense gives him a cushion to work with for a change.
He could easily be 3-0 right now with a little luck.
Time some of it comes his way.
i couldnt find any Byrds in NJ, but roger mcguinn will be playing in bethel woods, NY (site of the original Woodstock) on june 11th!