600

It’s not unusual for my kids to greet me each morning with the following question: “Did the Yankees win last night?”

For the last couple of weeks that’s been immediately followed with another question: “Did A-Rod hit his 600th homerun?”

Just when I was beginning to resign myself to the fact that Alex Rodriguez was never going to knock another ball over the fence, he finally belted career homerun number 600 this afternoon in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays.

A-Rod is now the seventh and youngest slugger ever to each that milestone. He just turned 35 on July 27.

It’s quite an accomplishment and as a Yankee fan, and a baseball fan in general, I’m excited for A-Rod.

But I’m not as excited as I could be, given that I know this achievement isn’t 100 percent “pure.” After all, Rodriguez has admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs from 2001 to 2003 while playing for the Texas Rangers. We’ll never know for sure how many of the homers he hit during that period were “enhanced.”

When Barry Bonds – another steroid abuser -- broke Hank Aaron’s career homerun record I thought to myself, “That’s okay. In time, A-Rod will pass Bonds, and he’ll do it in a Yankee uniform.” If and when he does, I’ll still applaud him. But I can never be quite as excited as I once thought I’d be.

As for my kids, I’ll go home tonight and tell them about the homerun. I’ve talked to them about steroids and about A-Rod in particular. I don’t think it’s really sunk in for them. Maybe someday it will. But for now, I’ll let them be thrilled for the Yankees third baseman.

Yankees win, thheeee Yankees win!

Memorable moments

The folks at Yankees.com and MLB.com have narrowed the list of Yankee Stadium's greatest moments down to 10 and are now asking the fans to cast their vote.

Here’s the list:

• April 18, 1923: Babe Ruth hits the first home run in the stadium on its opening day.
  
  
• July 4, 1939: Lou Gehrig delivers his emotional farewell speech.
  
  
• Oct. 8, 1956: Don Larsen pitches a perfect game in Game 5 of the World Series.
  
  
• Oct. 1, 1961: Roger Maris hits home run No. 61.
  
  
• Oct. 18, 1977: Reggie Jackson becomes “Mr. October” after hitting three home runs in Game 6 of the World Series
  
  
• July 18, 1999: David Cone pitches a perfect game with Don Larsen in attendance.
  
  
• Oct. 31-Nov. 1, 2001: Tino Martinez homers in the ninth to tie Game 5 of the World Series. Derek Jeter’s 10th inning home run at 12:03 a.m. wins the game.
  
  
• Oct. 16, 2003: Aaron “F*****g” Boone’s dramatic 11th inning homer defeats the Red Sox in the ALCS and sends the Yankees to the World Series.
  
  
• July 1, 2004: Jeter dives into the stands to catch a foul ball in the 12th inning against the Red Sox.
  
  
• Sept. 21, 2008: The end of an era – the last game ever is played in the House That Ruth Built.

Before looking at the list, Gehrig’s speech was the first thing to leap to my mind.

I came up with more or less the same list on my own before looking to see what Yankees.com had. One of the events I thought of that they didn’t include was George W. Bush throwing out the first pitch before Game 4 of the 2001 World Series, just a month and half after 9/11 and a couple of weeks after the beginning of the war in Afghanistan.

So what do you think? Cast an official vote on Yankees.com or vote just for fun right here on my blog.

Around the horn

I’ve had several baseball-related thoughts percolating in my head for a few weeks now. These were all originally conceived as separate posts, but I decided lay them all on you at once…

You win some, you lose some
I’m coming to grips with the fact that the Yankees will not make it to the post-season for the first time since 1993.

A number of years ago, I think it was after the 2000 World Series, I wore a Yankee shirt to work and a co-worker (a White Sox fan) asked me, “Don’t you guys ever get sick of winning?” I answered “No,” and explained to him why. For a good part of my youth in the 1980s and early 90s the Yanks were, shall we say, lackluster. I was well aware that dynasties like that only come along once in a generation. I told him that I knew this gravy train wasn’t going to last forever, so I'd enjoy it for as long as I could.

Well it looks like the ride may be over. It was fun while it lasted. But if history has taught us anything, it’s that the Bronx Bombers will be back. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

Tampa terrific
So with the Yankees out of the picture, who am I rooting for in the post season? I’ve got to look to Tampa Bay.

I know it may seem odd for a Yankee fan to talk about rooting for an underdog. So sue me.

But as I’ve told friends all summer, taking off my Yankee fan hat and speaking solely as a baseball fan in general, what the Rays have been doing this year has been great for the game and it’s hard not to root for them.

The last couple of weeks, as the Yanks and the Rays faced of, proved a particular moral dilemma for me. The New York fan in me naturally wanted to root for my Yanks in the slim hope that there could still be some sort of playoff chance. But another part of me knew that wasn’t realistic and understood that every Tampa defeat brought Boston closer to first place. Needless to say, I was glad when those games were over.

So when we get to the post season, I guess I’ll be a Tampa Bay fan for October. That is except for one other team…

Joe Torre’s revenge
Last winter I told people that I didn’t mean to wish ill on Joe Girardi and the Yankees, but I thought it would kind of serve the front office right if the Yankees had a bad season while Joe Torre had nothing but success with the Dodgers.

Be careful what you wish for.

As of today the Dodgers are holding a 3.5 game lead in the NL West. Yeah, sure, they probably wouldn’t be there without Manny Ramirez. I guess I’ll have to give you that. But they were doing pretty well before he showed up. I think even without Manny the Dodgers would have been in the playoff conversation at least as a Wild Card if not a division leader.

The point is, for years the knock against Torre from Yankee-haters was that he deserved very little credit for the teams success – that a well-trained monkey could manage a team with Yankees’ all-star roster.

But look what we have now. Without Torre the Yankees are fighting for third place, while Joe is still successful on the west coast. It serves the Yankee suits right for the way they handled Joe’s departure.

Derek Jeter is the real deal
While we’re in the Rodney Dangerfield territory of those who don’t get no respect, there is Derek Jeter. Often I’ve seen him show up on lists of “overrated athletes.”

But he did something great last Sunday when he notched his 1,270th hit in Yankee Stadium, passing a record held by none other than Lou Gehrig – a record no one else will ever possess after the stadium closes for good Sunday night.

Think about all the greats that have stood at that plate – Ruth, DiMaggio, Mantle, all of the many hall of famers the team has had through the decades – none of them have had as many hits in Yankee Stadium as Derek Jeter.

As if there was any doubt before, Jeter has cemented his place in Yankee lore. He’s going to be the one my kids tell their kids about – the way I’ve told them about Reggie Jackson and my dad told me about Mickey Mantle and Gehrig himself.

Unquestionably, Jeter’s No. 2 will one day be retired by the Yankees. As for the Hall of Fame, I like to think he gets in, but he’s probably not a sure thing. I think there are a lot of people out there who would still try to argue against it. But the Jeter fans now have another piece of ammunition.

Yanks trade for Pudge

BREAKING NEWS: The Yankees got Pudge Rodriguez from the Tigers for bullpen setup man Kyle Farnsworth.

Now go rest up that shoulder Jorge...

Bending the Joba Rules

I must admit I’m getting a little tired of the “Joba Chamberlain Experiment.”

Joba got his first start last night and lasted an unimpressive 2 1/3 innings. He threw only 62 pitches, but it was predetermined his limit on the night was going to be 65.

For his next start this weekend I think they’re going to let him throw a whopping 80 or so pitches.

Look, if Joba’s going to be a starter, then let him be a starter. A starting pitcher in the bigs should be expected to last at least six innings and throw about 100 pitches.

The last time I checked the Yankees were in fourth place in the AL East. This isn’t the time for “experiments.” They need to win games.

I understand they want to protect Joba’s arm and ramp him up to speed. But isn’t that what spring training is for? Isn’t that what the minors are for? Why is this guy starting games when we know he’s not going to last as long as a starter should and the team will wind up relying on the bullpen?

I suppose I kind of fall into the camp that wonders if Joba should have been left in the bullpen, where he’s been lights out. The one-two punch of Joba and Mariano Rivera has been formidable. And let’s face it, Mo isn’t getting any younger. Joba could be a great successor as closer.

Either way, I want Joba to be a success. Nolan has his rookie card, which we’re hoping will be worth something someday.

Good luck charm

Yankees Bury Bernie Williams Under New Stadium For Good Luck

NEW YORK—Citing a need for physical and spiritual cleansing after a Boston Red Sox fan entombed a David Ortiz jersey in the floor of the new facility, the New York Yankees buried former centerfielder Bernie Williams under 4,650 pounds of...

Silly superstitions

We had a lively discussion about sports superstitions the other day over at my friend Sionna's new blog Don't Mention the War.

So it seemed eerily appropriate that I stumbled upon this article. Apparently a couple of construction workers buried a Red Sox T-shirt under the new Yankee Stadium. It's in a slab of concrete beneath the visitors clubhouse. Now the fear is that this will somehow hex the Bronx Bombers by providing a good luck charm to the Sox and any other visiting team.

I have my own little sports superstition story. My father had two Yankee hats. One was in nice shape. That was his going out on the town hat. But the other was the hat. It was a little grubbier. But whenever dad wore it while watching a game the Yanks had a much better chance of winning (or so we liked to believe). There were times when the Yanks were in need of a rally and I'd call dad and make sure he had the hat on.

We had the hat buried with him. Although the Yankees haven't won a World Series since. So sometimes I wonder if I should have held on to the hat.

Now before Aaron flames on, of course I realize that the superstitions are silly. But that doesn't mean that they're not fun. It's just a way for fans to feel more drawn into the game -- to pretend they have some influence and ability to help their team. It's harmless (most of the time at least).

The Yankees are in Boston this weekend. Maybe I'll break out my own grubby hat for the games.

UPDATE: As Aaron reports, the offending Big Papi jersey was removed during a glorified photo op.

The greatest rivalry in sports?

Yankees To Play Exhibition Game Against The Media

TAMPA, FL—In a spring showdown between two venerable organizations that will battle one another daily during the 2008 regular season, the New York Yankees are scheduled to play a nine-inning game Sunday against their greatest rivals: the...

The Bronx is Burning

It’s a turbulent time in the Bronx.

The good news, it looks like Joe Girardi is going to be the next manager of the Yankees. He’s the guy I’ve been hoping would land the position…



Of course, it will be weird not having Joe Torre in the dugout, no matter who winds up with the job. I’d love to see Torre’s No. 6 retired (do they retire numbers for managers?), but after they way his exit was handled, I’m not holding my breath.

The bad news is the apparent departure of Alex Rodriguez. I can’t say I’m surprised that he’s opting out of his contract, but I’m certainly disappointed. He had his ups and downs in New York and it took a while for many fans to accept him. But I was always rooting for him to succeed, to prove his worth and shut up the Yankee-haters.

I think A-Rod certainly earned his stripes this year when he put up amazing numbers and helped drag the Yankees out of the cellar. Who wouldn’t want him back? It became apparent this year that if he remains healthy, Barry Bonds won’t be the home run king for long. I would have loved to have seen him break that record in a Yankee uniform. Oh well, that's me -- the eternal optimist.

BTW, it was not cool at all for his agent to try to upstage the World Series by making the announcement A-Rod was opting out of his contrat during Game 4. I understand he wants to get as much attention for his client as possible, but c'mon. Taking the focus off the game on the field is pretty low class.

Now we’ll have to wait and see what becomes of Jorge Posada, Andy Petite and Mariano Rivera. Next year, it’s going to be a whole new ball game.

SIDE NOTE: How cool is it that you can now embed ESPN video?!?

The end of an era

BREAKING NEWS: The Associated Press and ESPN report Joe Torre rejected a $5 million, one-year contract to return as manager of the New York Yankees on Thursday.

Pre-Post Season

What an interesting Major League Baseball it turned out to be.

I was pretty silent during the most of the season – mainly because for a while, as a Yankee fan, there wasn’t much to write about. I admit, at one point I was one of the naysayers ready to stick a fork in them. I know the ride can’t last forever.

But boy, did they turn things around. It’s very impressive to come back from a 14-game deficit and wind up with a post-season berth. I’d like to go on record now as saying that whatever happens next, I won’t count this season as a disappointment.

That said, a 27th World Series title sure will make it all the more enjoyable!

Gametime tonight is 6:37 p.m.

The ire of Red Sox Nation

I saw this on The Onion this morning. It appears to have been written a couple of days ago. It would be even funnier if the Yankees hadn't just dropped their last two games against Baltimore...

Fucking Yankees, Reports Nation

BOSTON—Moments after the New York Yankees continued a month-long stretch that has seen them climb from the bottom of the AL East to pull within a once unfathomable four games of the first-place Red Sox by defeating the Baltimore Orioles...

Trade deadline

Just under today's trade deadline, Yankees pitcher Scott Proctor has been traded to the Dodgers for infielder Wilson Betemit.

Nolan has an autographed Scott Proctor ball. He'll probably be bummed to hear the news.

Mmm...treats!

A big thanks to our friends the Brownells, who seem to be always supplying us with yummy treats.

Not long ago we came home from a ballgame to find a dozen Krispy Kremes on waiting on our doorstep.

Today they dropped off a bag of "Yankee mix" M&M's (they're blue, white and gray) and this delicious doggy treat for Chester (and Ray is a Red Sox fan even). Thanks guys!

Think spring!

The weather forecast might be lousy, but spring is in the air. The Yankees are playing their first spring training game at 1:15 this afternoon. They'll be taking on the Minnesota Twins at Legends Field.

What's wrong with this picture?

Someone at the Topps baseball card company had a little Photoshop fun when putting together this recent Derek Jeter card. Take note of who appears to be watching the game from the dugout and the stands...

The card is now selling for anything from $25 to $400 on eBay.

Mid-Summer Classic returning to the Bronx

Buster Olney is reporting on ESPN.com that the 2008 All-Star Game will be played at Yankee Stadium.

The game is usually played in an American League park during even-numbered years. And 2008 is scheduled to be the final year for the House That Ruth Built. The new Yankee Stadium is planned to open across the street from the old ballpark in 2009.

It would seem the folks at Major League Baseball thought playing the All-Star game in the Bronx would be a fitting way to help usher out the historic stadium that was first built in 1923 and later extensively remodeled in 1976.

No official announcement has been made yet, but it's expected in the days ahead.

The last time Yankee Stadium hosted the All-Star Game was in 1977.

The return of Andy

I'm pretty psyched about Andy Pettitte coming back to the Yankees. They never should have let him go in the first place.

Here's a photo I snapped of Andy in the bullpen during a 2000 trip to the Bronx.

Rooney wrap-up

Sorry, everyone. It’s been a while since I’ve neglected the blog for this long.

It certainly hasn’t been for lack of material. Maybe that’s just the problem. There has been too much going on. This has been a crazy-busy week.

Last weekend was filled with good news and bad news. The good news was that we had a very nice visit with Kris’ parents—and the scenery on the drive up and back through the Adirondacks was some of the most beautiful I’ve scene on that route. The bad news is I forgot to bring the camera. But the good news is that Aaron was in Lake Placid over the same weekend and he did bring his camera. So check out his blog to see what the peak foliage looked like.

Oh yeah, and there was another small piece of bad news—the Yankees loss to Detroit Saturday. As bummed as I was about that, it’s hard to complain about it being one of the low points of the week when just a few days later Cory Lidle was dead after his plane crashed into a high-rise on the Upper East Side. So while I have other thoughts about Joe Torre and A-Rod, maybe I’ll save them for another time.

Work and school and, it seems, life in general have been keeping us busy lately. Looking ahead to the weekend, we’ve got another soccer game tomorrow (I’ll have to tease his coach, who also coaches the girl’s varsity team, about the incident at the girls’ game this week) and our first Cub Scout outing on Sunday—the Tiger Cub Fun Day at Camp Boyhaven.

I’ll leave you now with a couple photos Kris took of the boys playing basketball in the driveway…