Top Ten Tuesdays are always fun times for the Yankees Chick (writing thoughts down in a coherent paragraph-style format is totally overrated and requires entirely too much effort), but today is double the fun because there has been so much going on in baseball-ville that I couldn't limit myself to just one list. Earlier today I crafted a sincere list depicting my admiration for that team of dudes that won the World Series, but now it is time to turn our attention to the topic that is at the forefront of our minds: what the hell is wrong with A-Rod? What are we to make of this? Is there a purpose to life? Where are you, God/Moses/Allah/Greg Graffin?!?! GUIDE ME!

Top Ten Reasons A-Rod Declared Free Agency
10) He and Torre were involved in a sordid love affair and he's fleeing town to get away from the bad memories.
9) Phil Helmuth came after him to collect some old hold 'em debt and he needed extra cash.
8) Cynthia was eager to show off her "Fuck You" tank top in a new town.
7) He was frightened - and rightfully so - of dealing with 3 Steins instead of just 1.
6) It's all a conspiracy cooked up by Boras and Stein: A-Rod will re-sign with Texas then get traded back to the Yanks, leaving the genius Texas Bosses to pay $89234890234 per year.
5) He gets a kick out of challenging the New York Post to create the stupidest insulting pun headlines ever.
4) Since so much of New York already hated him, he figured it was time to embrace the hatred and scrutiny of a new town.
3) He recognized the fact that for the past 2 years the Yankees Chick has been defending him staunchly to his every detractor, and it's opposite day so his method of thanking her is to opt out.
2) Scott Boras is a greedy, selfish, sonofabitch.
1) He is a jackass.


Read today's first Top Ten: Top Ten Nice Things I'd Like To Say About the Red Sox

Top Ten Nice Things I’d Like to Say About The Red Sox
10) No one truly choked
9) Ortiz didn’t f*ck up at first base
8) JD Drew came through
7) Pitching only gave up a total of 3 homers over the 4 games. That’s impressive in both stadiums.
6) Josh Beckett struck out NINE batters. In 7 innings.
5) 6 starters hit over .300 in the series.
4) Papelbon was a champ – pitched like there was no pressure whatsoever.
3) Ellsbury, Lugo, and Lowell ALL had .500 OBP. Hot damn.
2) Starting pitching was fan-fucking-tastic. Jealous? Hell yes.
1) It was absolutely ridiculous, selfish, egotistical, and above all, disrespectful, for Boras to announce the opt-out decision during game 4.

Yeah, I hate the Sox – and their fans even more – but I can give credit where credit is due. Well played, my foes, well played.

Check back in a bit for a 2nd round of Top Ten Tuesdays… The A-Rod Edition.

Read last week's Top Ten: Top Ten Things I'm Looking Forward to in the World Series

It's been a wild, wild week, chock full of a whole buncha shit that I either wasn't anticipating or was just fooling myself into believing would not happen - well, that's not entirely true, I was somewhat expecting Torre to be outski (but certainly not in the manner in which it went down) - and my Yankees Chick brain is still spinnin' like a top.

The disappointment of Torre leaving and now the surprise and anger I'm feeling towards A-Rod (I mean Betray-Rod; does he realize how much effort I have put into supporting him and telling haters to shut the f*ck up every time they called him out?! OK, breathe... serenity now... more on that disappointing development at another time in life [AKA tomorrow]) have left me a smidge concerned about the future of the team, but those fears were assuaged a bit by my excitement over the fact that Girardi was confirmed to be the winner of the 2008 Yankees Manager Lottery And/Or Death Trap of High Expectations And Intolerable Scrutiny. The Girardino was my pick for the job, and I really do have high hopes for the team under his leadership, but his hiring has left another couple of nice dudes in the lurch: Mr. Pena and dear, dear Donnie Baseball. Tony could surely get a managerial job elsewhere - he was, after all, Manager of the Year in 2003 - and has even said he would be happy to stay in NY in a coaching position under Manager Girardino, so we surely can't feel too poorly for him, but Mattingly is disappointed and done with the Yanks.

Girardi was the right choice. More right than Mattingly or Pena, and even right-er than Torre, much as we love him. Mattingly would have been not much more than a sentimental hiring, chosen purely out of the Yanks' collective love for him, which, with the efforts the Cash Man has made to turn this team around, would not make much sense at all. What will become of the man, though? He has already said he would not accept a coaching offer with the Yanks, so unless he magically comes out of retirement and kicks Giambi's fat ass out of first base to join the roster next year, his time as a Yank is dunzo. Will he manage somewhere? Coach? Minor leagues? A tour on the Professional Motivational Speaker circuit?

Hey, if Torre gets an offer somewhere (LA?) perhaps he will bring his old bench coach along for the ride? You never know...

Last week, Torre turned down the Yanks' offer to stick around for another year as manager.

Last night, Scott Boras decided that the 8th inning of the World Series was a good time to announce to the universe that A-Rod was opting out - despite the fact that all signs pointed to a huge extension offer by the Yanks.

Last hour, word breaks that Girardi has been offered the managerial job.

Head spinning. So much to say... must... collect... thoughts.

Oh, and the Sox beat the Rox in a 4-game sweep. In all sincerity, congratulations to them - they deserved it and to be perfectly honest I will admit that it is pretty ridiculous and unfortunate that their accomplishment is going to get a tad lost in the A-Rod hoopla.

That said, back to the A-Rod hoopla. I am so, so disappointed my lovelies. I have made no secret of the fact that I love the man and have been so hopeful that the Stein and Steinettes would lock him down. Can we blame the Svengali that is Scott Boras? Can we blame the fans for making him miserable here? Or is he just a greedy bastard that wants to get the most cash he can get?

More to come. Stay tuned.

News on the Steins' managerial pick should be coming any day now, and word on the street is that the Yanks are also prepared to extend an offer to A-Rod in hopes of locking him down before he can opt out. The rumored extension offer would keep A-Rod in pinstripes for an additional 5 years (his current contract still has 3 years on it) for about $30 mil for each of those 5 years. From the Yanks' perspective it is critical that they sign him to an extension - they need to hang on to the current contract so that they can continue to get cash from the moronic Rangers. If the Steins and the scary Boras-Man are able to agree on something in that range, A-Rod would earn somewhere in the neighborhood of $230 mil over the next 8 years.

For a refresher on the existing contract, you can check out the post I wrote a while back where I broke it down for y'all here: A-Rod contract biz

Despite the fact that earlier this week there were rumors that the Yanks might make an announcement by the end of today about who they had chosen to succeed Sir Torre in the managerial throne, no such conclusion graced our ears/eyes/hearts. Howard J. Rubenstein, the official spokesman, said "there has been widespread speculation about who the next manager of The New York Yankees will be. The evaluation process is continuing and there will be no immediate decision or announcement", crushing our hopes that we might get some news before the weekend. Alas, the day is over and we probably won't be hearing anything till early next week at the earliest, but we can still speculate and pick quotes apart. Let's play that game while we wait!!

Little Stein: “What we’re looking for is a guy that’s maybe going to be one of the greatest managers, maybe, of all-time, over a period of 10, 20 years, who knows?” (In other words: "We are looking for a Torre clone, someone my dad won't hire and fire 5 times in as many years")

Little Stein: “As far as making the decision, it will be before the end [of the Series]. No question." (Well hurry the F up, Steinette, because the Sox could be done with the Rox in a matter of hours here)

Little Stein: "I think from the start the guy that I was leaning towards and the guy [Cashman] was leaning towards, it's the same guy. So his job wouldn't be on the line if I tend to agree with him." (In other words: "As long as the Cash Man is smart enough to agree with the 3 Steinmatiers, we're good to go")

Big Stein: "Do you really want me to tell you who? It's Leo Durocher. Really, I got nothing I can tell you." (Oh, Big Stein, you are a riot as always! I tend to forget your job title is really "comedian")

Big Stein: "The baseball people are going to obviously be relied on heavily, and I don't see any reason to not go with their decision. You have to respect the opinions of your experts." (Who are the "baseball people" he is referring to?! And where have they been for the first 30 years Stein has owned this team? He has baseball people he could have been relying on?!)

Little Stein: “I think the most important thing is whoever we hire, give him a chance because he’s not getting the ’96 Yankees,. He’s getting an even younger team or for the most part a team in transition. Give him a little while. " ("And by 'give him a little while', I of course mean 'he has 1 shot to make this team the greatest team that ever lived in the history of the universe or the 3 Steinmatiers will come down upon him like a plague from above'")

I know that for the most part all we do on this blog is bitch, fight, debate, get excited about the few Yanks achievements we can grasp onto and mock other teams, but every once in a while we need to step back and think about something more important.

There is a great auction going on right now that benefits the Domestic Violence Project organization to raise money for the women and kids affected by domestic violence.

Everything is on Ebay here: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZclubsoulcity

You can also access the auction directly from Trenton Thunder website.

There is a great collection of autographed balls, game-used equipment from some high-profile prospects (Joba, Hughsie, I-Ken....), and some Yankee clothing that isn't available elsewhere.

Everything is legit and 100% of the profits go to the Domestic Violence Project.

FanHouse Minute is your 60-second rundown of the top five headlines of the day. Check back here every weekday morning for the latest.

Word on the street is that Big and Little Steins may have made a choice about Torre's successor by Friday. Since it can't be the Yankees Chick, I had to pick another horse. Who do you want?

The World Series starts in less than 24 hours, and even though the Yanks aren't joining the party I am very excited to watch. Since it's Top Ten Tuesday, you can bet that I have precisely 10 reasons why.

Top 10 Things I'm Looking Forward to In The World Series
10) Papi having to play defense in Colorado
9) Schilling trying to come up with something more dramatic than a bloody sock (bloody eye socket?)
8) Schilling laying down some sweet bunts
7) Red Sox Nation crucifying their new hero JD Drew (remember when he was the most hated guy in town last week?) the minute he strikes out
6) Mournful shots of sad Wakefield watching from the bench
5) Papi and/or Manny hitting a 700-ft homer at Coors
4) Colorado's beer system crashing because it's on the same server as their ticket system
3) Incredible scrutiny on the umps.... WE WILL BE WATCHING
2) Red Sox fans in Colorado starting a "Yankees Suck" chant when the Rockies pull out ahead at Coors
1) Manny Being Manny and saying he doesn't care whether they win or not.


**sidenote: if you haven't seen Letterman's "Top 10 Top Reasons Joe Torre Quit The Yankees" yet, check it out - it is funny (and sad).

Read last week's Top Ten: Top Ten Yankees I Hate

Mattingly and Girardi – currently the top two candidates for the prestigious and nearly impossible-to-execute role of “fill Torre’s shoes without alienating the team by being too radical (the boys are, of course, accustomed to the milk-and-cookies, pat-on-the-back management style) but providing a little spark to prove to the fans that they can expect some actual change” – have completed their first interviews with Steins Big and Little. I would imagine any word from the IYD (Important Yankees Dudes… jeez, how many times do I have to tell you?!) will be a ways off, but both Donnie and Joey submitted themselves to press conferences after their respective interviews to let us know how they thought things went.

We're all well aware of the ticking clock as A-Rod's opt-out option becomes ever-nearer, but in case we have somehow been distracted (perhaps by the fact that the entire goddamn southern California region is up in flames on the one weekend I decide - on a whim - to fly in and visit) the glory that is The Boras Man has been working overtime to make sure that A-Rod remains in the forefront of our minds. I'm pretty sure The Boras Man is actually single-handedly responsible for all sports-related media relations in the world, so it should come as no surprise that there is yet another "new" "development" to "report" on the A-Rod issue today. The latest word from the Boras-Man camp is that Big (and, presumably, the two Littles) Stein are ready to talk shop with A-Rod ASAP, this week in fact. Boras said that the talks are not in the "economic" phase (AKA the part where they demand $23094809482930 [and receive it]), leading us to believe that this chat will be all about extension time and not yet cash. After the Torre issue last week Boras alluded to the fact that the "instability" surrounding the club may be a factor in A-Rod's decision, so perhaps the Steins would be wise to put something resembling "order" in place over the next few days - a preliminary agreement with Posada or Mo, perhaps, or at least a renewed contract for Kevin Long? - to prove to Boras and A-Rod that even after the dismal end to the season and the sad end of Torre's tenure, the Bronx can still be a good home for A-Rod. As I see it right now, I think that so long as the Steins offer a hefty extension (and I do think it's going to be the number of years that is the deciding factor, not the number of dollars) A-Rod and Boras would probably prefer to skip having to travel the free agent circuit and would take the bait. The ball is definitely in the Yanks court right now. A big offer this week could eliminate a huge chunk of the team's issues for the rest of the post-season and secure the best player of our generation for years. Stein has the money to lock him up and prevent his team from having to be beat by him in an opposing lineup for the next 10 years. Pony up the cash, Steiny. Don't let us down.

It seems like it's been 6 months since the Rockies secured their spot in the World Series, but today the American League finally found a team to play them. The Sox beat the Tribe (there are so, so many politically incorrect Indian-related jokes a lesser person could choose to insert here, but I shall, as always, take the high road...) to win the AL pennant, and while I still don't think the Red Sox were the best team in baseball throughout the season (what the hell happened to the Angels? Or the Mets?!) I tip my hat to them - they pulled through when it counted.

The series doesn't actually start until Wednesday (is it just me or has this post-season been going on since approximately 1978?), and even though the Yanks are sadly not a part of the action/satisfaction I am actually really looking forward to the series - it has all the makings for a drama-filled finale. There are a few things we can count on: Beckett will be Boston's ace, Francis will go for the Rockies, Troy Tulowitzki's name will be really hard to spell, etc etc, but other than that a lot of things will be up in the air (insert stupid "Colorado has thin air" joke here for me, I'm too tired). The Rockies have been the great underdogs of the year - scrappiness, $2 paychecks, and Coors - and the Sox have been, well, the new Yankees - old dudes, cash, and cigars - so it will be quite the contrast of teams. My money is on the Rockies - they capitalized on the Rocktober pun before the Sox could.

After all the hoopla surrounding Torre's stand against the man (or men, now that there are two more Steinettes in the mix) this week I nearly forgot the significance of today's date: it has officially been two years since the inception of this blog, a project that was born out of a healthy mix of Yankees fanaticism and sheer boredom (sorry, old boss) and has evolved into... well, whatever the hell this is.

It's been quite a wild ride, these last 2 years. I've been the brunt of many a derogatory sexual slur (how "I like the Yankees" gets translated into "I'm a raging bitch and slut, likely a member of some godless terrorist sect and probably the ugliest person this side of Don Mossi" I still do not understand, but what the hell do I know? I am but a lowly peasant in your fancy internet world), but I've also been on the receiving end of some of the greatest and most fun email correspondences I've ever had, met and talked to fans (and not just of the Yanks!) all over the world, and been flattered by a few folks' strange and unfounded desires to feature the Yankees Chick over the airwaves and via the magic of online video. The blog has gone from a Blogspot-templated, poorly-written, half-assed outlet for my fandom that no one but myself and perhaps the YCS (Yankees Chick Sisters... there are 5) read in 2005 to... a poorly-designed, poorly-written site that a few more people seem to like. Not bad for 2 years!

To celebrate, I'd like to give one of my lovely friends - or foes (you're already here, you might as well play along too) - a bloggiversary present. As you may have noticed in my barely-coherent ramblings, I am a big fan of nicknames, both ones others made up (Melk-Man) and the dorkus malorkus things my brain churns out (Jobamania, etc etc). For the Yankees Chick Bloggiversary Contest Extravaganza, I think we need some more nicknames: make up a great nickname for a baseball player (past, present, future, as long as it's someone we've heard of), post it in the comments section, and the best one gets a Bronx is Burning DVD.

Just for fun, or if perhaps you are at work and in dire need of a time-waster, here's a quick-and-dirty sampling of what's been going on here at the Yankees Chick for the past 2 years.

The inaugural post. Ye Olde Yankees Chicke
My 2005 disappointment list
Yankees Chick schools y'all on vocab
2005 Holiday Gift Guide
2006 Holiday Gift Guide
Remember when they lost in the first round again in 2006?
2007 season predictions
I kept the faith this year!
Yankees Chick vs Red Sox Chick (sorry)
The always-evolving baseball glossary

Still in a smidge of shock about the Torre developments. My conspiracy theory of choice: Big and Little Steins never had any intention of re-signing him, but they didn't want to fire him - they actually have a little respect for the man and know that they would incur the wrath of gazillions of fans; additionally, whoever came in to manage next year would be under such incredible scrutiny it might be unsurmountable. Instead, they agreed with Torre that they would make him an offer that he would then reject, allowing the IYDs (Important Yankees Dudes, remember?) to look slightly less douchebaggish and Torre to maintain dignity.

On the other hand, maybe Torre had just had enough. Or wanted to go write a juicy book about the inner workings of the Evil Empire.

What the hell?

Did NOT see that one coming.

I guess he's had enough of Big Stein jerking him around year after year....?

My first thought was, good for Joe! They (management peeps) have shown little respect for him over the past few years, and this latest affair - keeping him waiting in the wings for over a week - was just too much.

Then I thought, damn, I really hope Joe isn't doing this to try to get more money. He's better than that. Unless, of course, Boras is HIS agent somehow, in which case it all makes sense.

Let's blame Boras regardless. It's more fun.

When, in the background at work (because of course the Yankees Chicks is hard at work as usual my friends) I hear a little something on the ol' WFAN announcing that Torre was on the way down to Tampa and that a press conference is imminent, presumably to declare the return of Torre for another year or two. Stay tuned.

While we wait for that, we can discuss our other friend, A-Rod, who was wrapped up in a 3-day marathon meeting with the scary Boras-Man that ended yesterday, probably discussing ways to conquer the world and develop A-Rod into an economic super-power that rivals that of most first-world countries. Boras's latest genius idea is to ask the YES Network to chip in for part of a new contract to keep A-Rod in New York. Yeah, that's right, Boras wants a TV network to pay to keep a player on a team whose games they broadcast. In other words, Boras would like us, the Yanks, and YES to believe that the network would indeed collapse/go broke/become a terrorist target without A-Rod on the team. I love A-Rod and hope he stays in New York, but I think that one is going to be a tough sell, even for Boras. I honestly wonder if A-Rod (or any of his clients) hear/read some of this stuff and feel embarrassed to be associated with him.

Anywho, even though the A-Rod situation will certainly be resolved soon - the opt-out decision must be made within 10 days of the end of the World Series - the will-he-or-won't-he for dear Torre will likely (hopefully!) be determined any minute now, which is great news for all of us folks starved for actual Yanks news... and hopefully for Torre, too.

FanHouse Minute is your 60-second rundown of the top five headlines of the day. Check back here every weekday morning for the latest.

It's Tuesday, I've got Ten things, and they are Top. Get it? Groovy.

Top Ten Yanks I Hate
10) Jaret Wright (money pit)
9) Gary Sheffield (batshit crazy and paranoid hater-of-everyone)
8) Kenny Lofton (see above)
7) Jeff Weaver (scowler)
6) Hideki Irabu (nothing but trouble)
5) Carl Pavano (steroids; overall suckage)
4) Kyle Farnsworthless (dumbass)
3) Bubba Crosby (waste of roster spot; was rude to me in person)
2) Bob Wickman (homophobe)
1) Kevin Brown (steroids; wall-puncher)

Read last week's Top Ten: Reasons the Yanks Lost in the First Round (again)

For over 30 years Big Stein has been playing puppet master as owner of the Yanks, buying and selling prospects and veterans and hiring and firing staff like it was going out of style (too bad it never actually did go out of style), but this week an announcement was made that he would be ceding daily control of the team to his scions Hank and Hal (names which, by the way, 100% sound like the names of the super-suave frat-boys in a romance novel circa 1953). I mentioned this briefly this morning in my FanHouse Minute, and like I said, the effect of this move on the team remains to be seen. I'm not entirely sure why more has not been made of this news; it seems to me that a "changing of the guards" in the Yanks' front office should be a much-talked-about affair, but to be quite honest I can hardly find more than a handful of articles on the subject. I suppose everyone is either still waiting for news on Torre or just nervous that 2 Mini Steins might be as scary or worse as the current Big Stein.

ESPN report
New York Daily News article
Newsday article

Since so few bloggers/actual journalists seem to be saying much about it, let's do it here: Opinions? Worries? Concerns?

A-Rod has been to the post-season 7 times (10 series total) during his 14 seasons - 3 years with Seattle and now 4 with the Yanks - and he's come out of those series with the unfortunate stigma of a man who simply cannot get it done in October. His reputation as a post-season underachiever has mainly come about during his tenure as a Yankee, in large part due to the extremely high level of pressure all Yanks endure, particularly in the post-season where expectations are most inflated. Everyone from Red Sox Nation to the beacon of journalistic dignity that is the New York Post has jumped on the "A-Fraud Choke Artist lolz cleverz" and I don't think there's a Yanks fans in all of Yanksville that hasn't cringed with disappointment during at least a couple of his post-season at-bats. That said, I do think there's a lot of us residents of Yanksville that honestly don't think he's all that much of a failure when October comes around; in fact, if we get off our lazy asses and look at the numbers (wait, we can remain on our lazy asses - opening a new browser does not require getting up, whew!) we'll see that he has actually had a few great post-season series... just not recently.

Ok, he admittedly hasn't helped the Yanks' cause much since the 2004 season (maybe he was crushed like the rest of us after the team's choke?). Even taking the last 3 years into account, though, he really has only had one series where he truly failed to contribute: the 2006 ALDS, when he got just 1 hit in 14 at bats and didn't even eek out a walk in there. Every other year, though, his OBP has at least been respectable, and he's certainly had some impressive years slugging-wise. He ain't no Mr. October (and hey, even that dude had a couple disappointing series) or Jeter Jeter Pumpkin Eater, but what the hell. Sometimes I just feel like strangling anyone devaluing him because of a couple bad Octobers. His talent is unbeatable. Go mock someone else... Pavano, perhaps - I can absolutely get behind that.

Yeah, I know it's not Thursday. Consider this either a bonus dose of Yankees Chick or a horrible, horrible punishment for you readers/viewers.



Video link


Read more:
5. The Falcons are Officially An Endangered Team
4. Jerry Rice Gets His Dance On
3. There's a Dust Storm A-Brewin'
2. Trouble In Corn Huskingland
1. 2 Little Steins Are Scarier Than 1 Big Stein

The lovely ladies of FanHouse Minute:
Mondays: Mystery Lady
Tuesdays: Kristine
Wednesdays: Miss Gossip
Thursdays: Yankees Chick
Fridays: Kate Scott

Big Stein may be leaving the world in the lurch for the time being when it comes to the fate of the Torremeister, but he and his cronies have made at least one decision about the 2008 Yanks already: the "what will Joba's Job(a) be?" question. Joba came to the Yankees' rescue in August by filling a gaping hole in the bullpen evacuated by injuries and Farnsworthless' ineptitude, his 24 near-scoreless (save for 1 lone solo homer) innings, setting up Mo for many a save and keeping the Yanks in the game (and in the post-season hunt), but before being called up he had spent his career as a starter in college and in the brief time he was down on the farm. Even though he was brought up as a bullpen boy, the Joba Master Plan was set to shift him right back into starter-ville as soon as the season was over. After seeing the way he was able to shut down batters in tight situations and simply overwhelm his opponents without showing even the slightest inkling of feeling intimidated, though, a lot of folks began to think that perhaps he could be even more valuable in the 'pen than he could be even as a top starter. This week Big Stein & The Gang (similar to Kool and his Gang, yet not as inclined to sweet, sweet disco-funk) announced that he, along with P-Hughes*, would be heading to Spring Training in '08 as a starter. The benefit to having Joba start, of course, is that the team will (barring a visit from Pavano's Patented Pain Plague) likely get at least twice the number of innings out of the kid; the downside, then, is that the Yankees bullpen essentially adds up to a barren wasteland with a little Mariano oasis (assuming he comes back, but that is an issue about which to be blogged another day). Since Big Stein has already proclaimed that Joba will indeed be a starter and we know all too well that what Steinbrenner says goes it is a moot point to even discuss the possible merits of keeping Joba in the 'pen, but let's do it anyway.

The chance for the Yanks to win anything as a team is dunzo, but at least a few of the players can enjoy some personal distinctions as consolation. There are plenty of awards to go around to celebrate individual successes, and while they are surely not as satisfying as a blingalicious World Series ring (or the cash that comes along with it... or the prestige, whatever) I suppose earning recognition for a year's worth of hard work and good playing feels better than a hot poker (or gnat) in the eye. MVP, Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers, Roberto Clemente Award, DHL Delivery Man award (which I think is a pretty crappy award, really, because DHL sucks and always gets things to me like 3 days slower than FedEx; even USPS would be better) and the like won't be announced until after the World Series, but a couple accolades have already been doled out to much-deserving Yanks.

The Yanks' favorite newlywed and late-season savior Ian Kennedy was named Minor League Starter of the Year (even though he did not pitch the complete year in the minors) for his performance throughout the ranks of the Ye Olde Yankees Farme: a 12-3 record with a 1.91 ERA. We fans and the team itself are already huge I-Ken fans, of course, thanks to that aforementioned talent and the fabulous way he managed to bring that expertise up to the Yanks without buckling under the pressure or getting intimidated by sluggers nearly twice his age. A+ and gold star to him.

The second award that's already been given out is one for dear A-Rod, a dude that is sure to amass quite a few awards this year - MVP, Silver Slugger, Holder Of My Heart. This week he was named the AL recipient of the "Oscar Charleston Legacy Award", AKA "An Award the Yankees Chick Hadn't Heard Of Until Today", which is given to a player that was most valuable in helping his team to the post-season. Call him a post-season choker all you want - and I'm sure you will - but I cannot think of a single player that did more to propel his team to October. I've said it before and I'm going to say it again right now: without A-Rod's great year and 9th-inning theatrics the team wouldn't have even had a chance to unsuccessfully swat away a million gnats. Or whatever.

So congrats to I-Ken and A-Rod. Enjoy your little trophies or whatever the hell you get for those awards. It's just too bad its not a fancy championship title you could share with the rest of the team.

My good friend and yours, Peter Abraham from over at the Journal News, has some Yanks news to bestow upon us all and no forum with which to do so - which is great news for the ol' Yankees Chick! Read on for some news...

---

Hello readers of the Yankees Chick. This is Peter Abraham of The Journal News and the LoHud Yankees Blog. My blog, for reasons unclear to me, is not working. The techies at my paper are working on it.

Thanks to Maureen, I'll drop a little news on you here.

Joe Torre will be twisting in the wind all weekend. Brian Cashman and Steinbrenner family spokesman Howard Rubenstein confirmed today that the much-anticipated meeting in Tampa won't be until Monday.

There's a feeling out there that Torre could be saved the more time passes. I do not share that feeling. I think they want Don Mattingly and they're just trying to figure out all the steps to take and how to present it. Hank and Hal Steinbrenner have not been involved in the organization for long and are taking their time.

I also get the sense that they want to make sure Donnie has a good, strong staff. Meaning Larry Bowa, Tony Pena, etc. It will be interesting to see who the bench coach is. Bowa should remain at third base because he is great there. Mattingly needs a Don Zimmer. But obviously not Zimmer himself.

As for player news, there is little of that. The free agents are chilling out, waiting to file officially and waiting for the Yankees to make them offers. Phil Hughes and the inseperable Robbie Cano and Melky Cabrera were at the Stadium today. All voiced support for Joe, as you would expect.

That's really all I have. Thanks to the Chick for giving me some space. Hopefully my blog comes back soon.

I know it's only been 3 days since the Day Of Reckoning, but all the questions that were left in the wake of the disappointing (and yet somehow not shocking) Yanks' ALDS loss are still weighing on the minds of everyone from the sad little Yankees Chick to the money-hungry duo of Boras and Big Stein. No real progress has been on anything yet, but speculation abounds on the issues of what Big Stein will do with Torre (trade him in for a shiny new model?), who might go down with him, and what Boras will do with A-Rod (because we all know A-Rod is not at the helm of that ship).

Everything is still in rumor/speculation phase, of course, but here are a few interesting perspectives on the situations:

• Like most folks, Newsday has Mattingly and Girardi as top picks for a Torre replacement
• The Daily News ain't so sure Mattingly could hack it, though
  
• Boras is eager for some hot free-agency action, according to CNBC and... everyone.
• On the other hand, maybe A-Rod won't let Boras coerce him into opting out.
• Tony La Russa has been rumored to be a "candidate" as a Torre replacement, but I am not the only one who isn't a big fan of that idea.
• Mo might be out if Torre is out. God knows he could fetch a pretty penny on the open market.

So much of this stuff hinges on Big Stein's Big Torre Decision. HURRY IT UP ALREADY.

It's Thursday... and henceforth FanHouse Minute time!

Throughout the second half of the season I did a (approximately) weekly "Rest O' The League Round-Up" report during which I would run through the other 29 MLB teams and sum up the goings-on in their neck of the woods in 10 words or less. I quite enjoyed writing those listies, but now that baseball is over for all but 4 teams and will be over entirely in just a couple weeks, there is really not much sense in attempting to come up with even 10 words to say about each team (right now the 10 words for most of the teams would be "Season dunzo. Golf, Wii, and 'Rock of Love' marathon time"), I have been forced to think up an alternative list-related post I can utilize here whilst we patiently await for the return of the Rest O' The League Round-Ups (oh yeah, and baseball itself). Here, then, in the stead of my beloved Rest O' The League Round-Up is the inaugural edition its off-season replacement, Top Ten Tuesdays:

Top 10 Reasons the Yanks' season ended in round 1 of the playoffs (again):
10. Despite my conviction that he was indeed a super-robot from the planet Nowalks, Joba turned out to be human after all.
9. Bad luck on three calls in game 4. Yes, umps make mistakes all the time, and the Yanks - like any team - have been the benefactor of bad calls from time to time, too... it was just plain and simple bad luck that those three mistakes all happened in the most important game of the Yanks' season.
8. Jeter and Jorgie realized that in all the years they've been with the team, they had been good in way too many post-seasons. Clearly a break was needed. (Yeah, that's sarcasm.)
6. Wang just did not have it. He didn't have it in game 1 and he sure as hell did not have it in game 4. Is he a good pitcher? Yes. Was he an integral part of the Yanks' regular season success? Absolutely. Did he blow it big time in the ALDS. Unquestionably, yes.
5. Matsui should not have been starting game 1 or 2. When a player has a bum knee, why waste a lineup spot?! He could have easily been brought in later in the game.
4. Big Stein is a jackass of even greater proportions than I had realized.
3. ABYSMAL hitting with RISP.
2. Scooter the squirrel was nowhere to be found.
1. Cleveland played their goddamn hearts out and pitched circles around the Yanks. They absolutely, 100% deserved to advance, and I have to tip my nonexistent hat to them.

That's my ten... hit me with a hundred more in the comments section!!! (and if you want to think happy thoughts with me, regale us with those tales over here)

Like most of us Yanks fans, I have a lot to say about the team’s loss, the reasons behind it (chokes, chokes, and more chokes [and NO, not just A-Rod]), and the ramifications of yet another early bow-out, but before we get to that I think it is imperative that we discuss some of the highlights of the team’s year.

Yes, they blew it in the post-season. Yes, several players had slumpsville years and even more were affected by the near-fatal and highly contagious injury plague spread by Carl “Yeah dudes I’m totally still on this team, remember me?” Pavano. Yes, Torre, mismanaged the bullpen on many, many occasions. Yes, the Cash Man and Big Stein made a big mistake in signing Kei Igawa for anything more than five American dollars. It’s a long off-season, though, so we’ll have plenty of time to commiserate over the misfortunes. For now, let’s look past all that and think about some of the brighter days for just a few minutes!

Remember when…

Let's add to this list... help me out, Yanks fans. Regale us with more tales of glory that happened to the Yanks in 2007 down in the comment section. Good stuff only for now - I will post a "depression/moaning/crying/blaming" bitch-fest later on tonight after which you will all be welcome to discuss the failures. For now: happy stuff only!

Perhaps it sounds naive, but after the way the team played last night and the love the players have for Torre, I really did think they would muscle out another win tonight to extend their season and Torre's career.

Alas, 'twas not to be. Wang did not come through for the team, Byrd and the Cleveland 'pen pitched yet another great game, our dear Captain Clutch tried his best but couldn't hack it (or the ball). The truly horrendous (Simon Cowell accent, don't forget to use it) aspect to the loss, though, is not the premature end to the season or lack of another ring, but the plethora of gigantic question marks it leaves in its path:

• Will Torre stay or go? Will Big Stein make good on his threat?
  
• Did A-Rod do enough to earn the love of Yanks' fans that he so dearly deserves?
• Regardless of the answer to the above question, will Big Stein and the Cash Man pony up the dough to keep him?
• Wait, will the Cash Man even get to keep his job?
• What will happen with Mo, Pettitte, and Posada, all of whose contracts are up?
• What horrible, scathing things will the Yankees Chick have to say about the abysmal umpiring that went down this series when she awakes from her depression-induced slumber on Tuesday morning?

Sigh.

I don't think there's soul in the word that is under some strange ill-founded delusion that Big Stein is in any way a sane human that cares about people, but lest anyone forget for nary a moment what a whack-job the man is, he took care to remind us yesterday. Before the game last night, Big Stein decided that a high pressure situation like his team being on the brink of elimination would be the perfect time to publicly castigate his manager, saying - to the media, of course -

"His job is on the line. I think we're paying him a lot of money. He's the highest-paid manager in baseball, so I don't think we'd take him back if we don't win this series."

I understand Big Stein's frustration with the team and even with Torre, I honestly do; Torre has made some missteps this year and in the past, and what owner doesn't want their team to win? That said, though.... what is wrong with that man that he would think it is remotely OK to say something like that to the media just a few hours before the team's biggest game of the year? How, pray tell, does that make a positive impact on the team? As far as I can fathom, the only thing it accomplishes is making Torre (who, as we know, is the most sensitive and sentimental person on the planet aside from the Yankees Chick herself [what, you guys don't tear up when you pass a homeless person and you happen to not have any cash on you? It's just me?]) less effective at getting his team pumped up (how can you pretend to be gung-ho when your boss just told you that you're essentially a failure?) and putting a lot of additional pressure on the players - like they didn't have enough - to win not only for themselves but to save the job of the manager they love.

It is possible that I find this reprehensible simply because Torre seems like a good person (and I have that sensitive-as-a-2-year-old kinship with him) and I do think he has done a superb job with the team as a whole this year - imagine, if you will, what would have become of the team had someone else been the manager? Do you think for one moment that they would have been able to bounce back from all the injuries and early-season slumps to wind up just 2 games out of the division? I don't. Even putting that affection for Torre aside, though, I still cannot see how Big Stein's comment could be considered appropriate or effective. Differing opinions, please let me know.... perhaps I am just being emotional.

The playoffs just started, and already 3 of the 4 series are dunzo. After the crazy fashion in which the NL post-season teams were finally determined, with the Phillies not taking the NL east until the last day of the season and the wildcard not being decided until the 13th inning of a 1-game playoff between the Pads and the Rocks, the two NLDS series were decidedly anticlimactic. The D-Backs swept the Cubs with less effort than I expend cracking open a Dr. Pepper and reading a delightful book, and while the Phillies kept things a tad more respectable with the Rocks they too were swept. Also taking up residence in sweepsville are the Angels, who are clearly not the Kryptonite to the Sox that they are to the Yanks; Beckett, Dice-K, and Schizling made quick work of the Jesus-Crew.

The Yankees were thisclose to having to join the ranks of the Phils, Halos, and Cubbies after getting clobbered by the Indians on Thursday and by GNATS on Friday, but they prevailed at home tonight and will live to see another day. Unlike Thursday and Friday, the team seemed to be confident both at the plate and at the mound tonight. A-Rod had not one but two hits, as did Matsui, Jorgie Porgie hit one to break himself out of his own little post-season slump and Hughes looked absolutely brilliant in relief of the Rocket (who, by the way, I have to commend for pitching at all - - it seemed clear to me that he was not feeling up to it physically; I appreciate that he didn't want to let the team down but was also smart enough to step aside and let Hughes take over when it started to unravel). Damon, of course, was the true hero with his 3 hits and that 3-run smack (isn't it nice to see him hitting a homer FOR the Yanks rather than AGAINST them in October??), but Cano was a big contributer with his 3-run dub, too. In fact, the only starters that didn't join the hit party tonight were Jeter, Abreu and Giambi.

Now that the Yanks have avoided the humiliation of the sweep, we have to cross our fingers that the win tonight will prove to be enough of a boost to their morale to propel them through another 2 games. The Wangster will face off against Byrd tomorrow at 7:30pm EST, and I think that we can expect better results this time - Wang pitches much better at home than he does away, and unlike last week the rest of the team should be able to back him up with some runs. Also intriguing will be seeing Big Stein's reaction to the win and how Torre is treated by the boss man - more on that mess in the morning!!

Last night's game was a disgrace. Tonight's was just sad. I'm too bummed/sickened to even type.

After last night's disappointing (though NOT necessarily damning...) blow-out in Indians-ville, Yanks players, fans, and detractors alike all had something to say about the state of affairs. Some think their season is dunzo, a few aren't ready to judge just yet, and a bunch just hope that last night will fire the team up for a win tonight! Since you're here (why?), you know by now which category I fall into, but let's see what how others are reacting:

Peter Abraham: "Don’t give up on your squad yet. I detected not an ounce of panic in the clubhouse. This is why you want Andy Pettitte in pinstripes."

Alex at Bronx Banter: "An ass-whipping for the Yanks. Andy will pitch the biggest game of the year tomorrow."

Dave and Aziz at Pride of the Pinstripes: "Silver lining time... At least most of the kids were able to get their feet wet in this game. Duncan got to play a bit, and Ohlendorf, Veras and Hughes all pitched and were able to get any potential postseason jitters out of the way. And the Yankee hitters were extremely patient, working six walks out of Sabathia in his five innings of work (though two were intentional). This is a pitcher that walked only 37 batters all year, and didn't walk more than three in any of his 34 starts. As Mike Vaccaro notes, the team's game plan against Sabathia worked. If they keep up that approach, and keep getting that many people on base, the timely hits will follow. A-Rod, Jeter, Matsui, and Posada combined to go 0-for-14. We don't expect that to keep up."

The Star-Ledger: "The winner of Game 1 of every ALDS series involving the Yankees since 2000 ... has eventually lost the series.

Year;Game 1; Series

2006;Yanks, 8-4;Tigers, 3-1

2005;Yanks, 4-2;Angels, 3-2

2004;Twins, 2-0;Yanks, 3-1

2003;Twins, 3-1;Yanks, 3-1

2002;Yanks, 8-5;Angels, 3-1

2001;A's 5-3;Yanks, 3-2

2000;A's 5-3;Yanks, 3-2"

K Obrien at Newsday: "If this series goes to a Game 5, after seeing Wang give up eight runs in 4 2/3 innings last night, I just don't think you can start Wang. Maybe you start him on three days' rest in a Game 4 Monday, but I don't think you can send him back out there in Cleveland if there is a Game 5."

Larry at Replacement Level: "They say that pitching wins championships, that great pitching beats great hitting, etc., etc. During the broadcast, the commentators kept saying how the Yankees couldn’t win without good pitching. Uh… they would have won without good pitching tonight if they’d gotten OKAY pitching. If Wang had given up 4 runs over 6 innings, we’d probably be recapping a Yankees win right now."

SG at Replacement Level: "A split in Cleveland would be a good scenario for the Yankees. If they can win tomorrow they’ll get to go home for two games against Jake Westbrook and Paul Byrd, who are possibly even bigger question marks than Roger Clemens or Mike Mussina. It’ll be up to Andy Pettitte to keep them in the game tomorrow. Let’s hope he’s up to it."

Johnny Damon (not "Demon" today since he at least had an RBI last night): "We need to get a win back for it. Three losses and we're heading home. It would be too tough to overcome a deficit of 2-0 against this team."

The Wangster himself: "I feel today wasn't good. Maybe I worked too quick."

And finally, Mr Torre: "With what we had to deal with pretty much all year, especially since early on when we dug a hole for ourselves, we understood that we certainly can't feel sorry for ourselves."

Your turn now, friends and foes: hit me with your feelings going into game 2!

Game 1 of the division series did not go quite as planned for the Yanks. Torre and his Gang opted to hitch their star to the Wang Wagon, and unfortunately, that vehicle derailed like a runaway train after oh, say, half an inning. The Wangster only made it through 4.2 innings and gave up 9 hits and 8 runs, looking only slightly less frightened than a deer that has has the misfortune to find himself smack dab in the pathway of that aforementioned runaway train. The offense looked similarly out of it throughout the whole game - and it was ALL of them, so if I hear ONE person say that A-Rod "failed" tonight my little Yankees Chick head truly may explode - and Torre looked pretty bummed all night in the dugout.

So yes, tonight was a disappointment, no doubt about it. But let's not fret, my pets! Many folks are pushing the panic button, so to speak, but why? It's a five game series - not a one-game playoff - and this is the same team that came back from an utterly horrendous (say that with a Simon Cowell accent) first couple months to have the best second-half record in all the land, so to think that this initial loss spells defeat for the team seems a tad on the hasty side. Pettitte will bring in the calm (and da noise, and da funk) tomorrow night, and I think his experience and confidence will do wonders for the team's morale. The Yankees did not dig themselves out of their early-season grave to bust out of the playoffs in the first round again. I can't fathom this team rolling over and going down without a fight.

They better not, anyway, or I'll be out a few bucks.

We're less than 24 hours away from game 1 with the Indians, folks! Yesterday I discussed what I consider to be question marks for the team, but those are far outweighed by the positive stuff we can look forward to seeing. I sure hope the Bombers are as jazzed as I am...

Per Senor Torre's press conference today....

The lineup for tomorrow will be as follows:
Johnny "I've Been Hitting Better, Stop Calling Me Demon" Damon
Jeter Jeter Pumpkin Eater
Bobby "Jesus Helps Those Who Point To The Sky After Every Goddamn At-Bat, Just Ask Sammy" Abreu
Alex "Clutchosity is My Middle Name, For Reals Guys" Rodriguez
Jorgie Porgie Pudding and Pie
Hideki "Knee Fluid Is The New Martini" Matsui (DH)
Robby "Did Anyone Notice That I Stole 4 Bases But Got Caught 5 Times? I'm Gonna Stick To Hitting" Cano
Melk-Man
Mientkicantspellhisname

The B-Squad (which looks pretty damn good!)
Wilson "My Last Name > Yours" Betemit
Giambino
Shelley Duncan, Spirit Coordinator Extraordinaire
Jose "Catching Ability Is Genetic" Molina
Bronson "I'm Sorry, I Know No One Is Able To Think Of Anything But Sardines When They Talk About Me" Sardinha

And the pitchers we'll be biting our nails throughout the ALDS for will be:
Rotation
Wangster
Prince Pettitte
Rocket
Lil Baby Hughesie
Mike "Pussina" Mussina

Pen
Ross "I Went To Princeton, Where Did You Go To School?" Ohlendorf
The Viz
Farnsworthless
Jose "My Middle Name Is Enger; No Really, That Is Actually My Middle Name" Veras
Jobamania
Mo-Mo

Thoughts? Predictions?

I'll be on Mike Silva's NY Baseball Talk Radio tonight at about 7pm EST, chatting post-season chances and consoling Mike about the demise of the Mets. You can listen right here or head on over to the BlogTalk radio site. Tune in and feel free to call 646-716-8187 to join the action!

Now that the National League October representatives have finally been hammered out - and what the hell, Padres and Mets! I had you two down as eventual NLCS contenders - I can officially morph into post-season mode. We're just 2 days away from game 1 of the Yanks-Indians series, and the Yankees Chick's emotions seem to have been concocted from some strange mixture of nerves-juice, excitement-tonic, and terror-milk (mmmmm....terror-milk), a feeling unlikely to dissipate until the Yanks have successfully navigated their way through round 1 of post-season-ville.

Through a stroke of good luck and some magic courtesy of Dreamy Grady Sizemore, the Yankees avoided having to face the Krypotonite that is the Angels in the ALDS. This is key for the Yanks not because the Indians are a lesser team, but simply because for some unknown reason the team is reduced to little more than a gaggle of stuttering tee-ball players in the Angels' presence. The Yanks beat the Indians every time they faced them during the regular season, but while that may give the boys an extra spring in their step as they head to Cleveland it really doesn't mean much in the post-season; these games are going to be won (or lost...) on timely hitting (you can do it this year, A-Rod! I believe in you!) and on the big P-word: Pitching.

Things have been looking swell for the Yanks over the past couple months, and there is plenty to feel good about going into the series in Cleveland - A-Rod proved his clutchosity in the final few days, Hughes's last outing was great, Posada never woke up and realized he is a 36-year-old catcher and should not be hitting so well - but there are unfortunately some question marks we need to be concerned about, namely:

• Roger Clemens: Peter Abraham assures us that the Rocket has been working out and is in fine shape and Torre sounds positive that he will be able to start on Sunday, but I will not count these chickens until they are hatched in the form of Indians striking out.
  
• Moose: This man makes me wish I was the type of person that bit her nails.
  
• Matsui: He missed the last 2 games of the season because of swelling in his knee and had the fluid drained over the weekend, and Torre indicated that he may only be available to DH throughout the series. Since we have a good bench these days (thank goodness), there is no real shortage of outfielders; what worries me is having him in as DH if he is not at 100%. There is no room for half-injured players on a post-season roster.
• Farnsworthless: He is so worthless it seems like sacrilege to even waste valuable blog space discussing him. He will be on that roster though, and we all know that if someone is alive, breathing, and not bleeding profusely from one or more orifices, Torre WILL use him in a game.

These question marks, while nagging, should pale in comparison to all of the exclamation points the Yanks have in their favor (if you're not impressed with that punctuation metaphor, you are no longer welcome at my dinner table), which shall be discussed in glorious detail on Wednesday. I can't promise any more punctuation puns though... I'm tapped out.

The Yankees Chick got into a little trouble over at a Red Sox blog today, my babies. I enjoy perusing Blogs O’ The Other 29 from time to time to see what the haps are in non-Yanks-ville; I like to hear what my blogging compatriots are up to and what their take is on the latest and greatest MLB scoop. Usually I just read the posts and mosey on my merry way, but occasionally I jump in on the comments if I have something remotely interesting to say (although if I had something truly interesting to say, I’d probably run over here to post it on Yankees Chick - it is rare for me to think of something moderately amusing or remarkable about which to blog, and I can’t be wasting those extraordinary moments in the comments sections of other blogs) or if something fires me up enough to take a stand against stupidity. My little brush with angry Red Sox fans today came over at a blog by the Red Sox Chick (and no, neither one of us “copied” the other; she’s been blogging longer than Yours Truly so she certainly didn’t hijack my name, and I had never heard of her until someone pointed the site out to me recently), regarding some comments she wrote about the night the Red Sox clinched the division title. The particular statement that got my blood boiling and bile rising from my stomach was the following:

Congratulations to all the Red Sox fans, especially those of us who never gave up. And, not so incidentally, up yours Yankees fans. Especially those of you who wrote me all year long to tell me my team was going to choke. How ironic that the Sox clinched tonight, due in part, to the great Mariano Rivera choking.

Comments like that so perfectly exemplify what I find so insufferable about Red Sox fans as an entity (yes, yes, I know not every Red Sox fan is like that, just like not every Yankees fan is an elitist beating) that, try as I might to reign in the sass, I could not restrain myself from responding:

Greetings from Yankee-ville...

First and foremost, let me say that in general I have nothing but respect for ALL bloggers and fans of all teams - I absolutely understand passion, rivalry, team support, etc.

That said, I am at a loss as to why anyone would choose to represent themselves as such mean-spirited, ignorant, beligerant smart-asses. Obviously the Yanks and Saaaawx have a long-standing rivalry, and fans of both teams are guilty of acting like morons at times. However, I think time and time again Red Sox fans have proven that they have little respect for fans of other teams and have deservedly earned themselves the reputation of being a group of petty, beligerant "blind supporters" with rarely more to say than "up yours!" How does that possibly make a point? Wouldnt anyone prefer to make cogent arguments or statements about their team or their rival? I see zero value in the "u suck sawx rulz lol omg yanks choke" crap so many Sox fans choose to spew rather than take the time and effort to make an intelligent comment. It IS possible to support your team of choice and even mock or put down the ones you hate via intelligent and actual well thought out statements.

As a Yankees fan, I clearly fall into the category of "Red Sox Hater", but I pride myself on at least maintaining dignity and giving credit where credit is due. When the Sox came back to beat the Yanks in 2004, it was because the truly were the better team - they deserved it. I - and any other Yanks fan of marginal intelect - saw no value in making immature "Whatever the Yanks are still better we have 26 championships" comments, because the first part was clearly untrue and the latter was irrelevant and petty. Red Sox fans, however, seem incapable of admitting even the smallest failures of the team. They sqaundered a 14.5 game lead down to barely 1 and yet fans still were asinine enough to say that the Yanks "suck" or to mock them for earning a wildcard spot? They have the audacity to call the Yanks overspenders when they have contracts like Drews and Dice-K's saddling them? Comments like that lack anything remotely resembling insight and are utterly embarassing even to read.

There is a reason Sox fans have the reputation of being the most obnoxious fans in baseball. Fans continue to happily portray themselves as unwilling to think or have an ounce of self-respect.

Red Sox Chick, please know that this little ditty is certainly not directed solely at you; I recognize and appreciate that you are not 100% like the worst of Red Sox Nation and I know that some of the points I just made do not apply to you in particular. I actually enjoy and respect your blog... It's just unfortunate that you and your readers so often choose to forgo dignity in favor of spite and blind pride.

Needless to say, the Red Sox Chickadee and her fans were not pleased. I suppose perhaps it was not “nice” of me to tell a Red Sox blogger that I don’t like Red Sox fans, but as a blogger that takes quite a bit of shit herself (thanks, lovelies) I feel that comments both good and bad are part of the package when one chooses to post a public blog. What’s more, while I understand why those folks might have a bone to pick with my opinion, at least I was coherent and used a bit more class than we’d expect from the average 12-year-old.