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| B.Q.E. o' the Week: A-Rod Can Laugh at Himself as Much as We Laugh at Him |
| Monday, January 25, 2010 |
  A-Rod's New York state of mind circa 2004-2008 (left) and 2009 (right)When I posted the BQE with McGwire's non-apology apology for juicing a couple weeks ago, I noted that it was unlikely that any other quote would ever top that one in terms of idiocy and amusement factor. That statement stands and likely will for some time (because really, how are we going to top "I did this for health purposes"???), but A-Rod's reaction to winning an award for post-season excellence this weekend earned him a spot on the BQE list for a different reason entirely: it was sincere, endearing, and humble. In other words, totally different from any other BQE I've ever posted. A variety of awards were handed out at the 87th annual New York baseball writers’ dinner in NYC on Saturday, from the traditional AL and NL MVP to more personal honors like the Joan Payson Award for community service (given to Carlos Beltran... that'll make his team feel better about him concealing his surgery from them, right?) and the Arthur and Milton Richman You Gotta Have Heart Award (which was given to Aaron Boone, obv). Our dear A-Rod was honored as the winner of the Babe Ruth Award (the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s postseason MVP), an award no one who had ever uttered the words "choke artist" or "A-Fraud" during the 2004, 2005, 2006, or 2007 playoffs would have fathomed him earning. But earn it he did! His 2009 post-season numbers were indeed award-worthy: he batted .365 with six home runs (most of them undeniably clutch) and 18 RBI in 15 games, a performance worthy not just of an award but of a pardon for his prior playoff shortcomings. His amazing post-season capped off an equally impressive regular season, something no one would have expected after everything he'd endured in the previous couple of years (events which include, but are not limited to: a bitchy wife that wore clothes adorned with "Fuck You" to his games, a nasty divorce from said bitch, a romance with a near senior citizen with freakishly muscular arms [I'm looking at you, Madonna], getting dumped by said old lady for a 20 year old male model, opting out of a mega-huge contract in order to get an even bigger one [although I hold Boras primarily responsible for that one], being mocked by his former manager in a high-profile book, and a steroid scandal). While accepting his award, A-Rod acknowledged both his record of crappy playoff performances and the personal problems: “Postseason MVP. Wow. What’s next, the good guy award?” Seeing A-Rod cap off an impressive 2009 with a well-deserved award and a humble, self-aware acceptance speech is a delightful symbol of his shift in attitude. Yankees fans have been hoping for a change like this since he joined the team nearly 6 years ago, and it fills me with hope for what we'll be seeing from him for the next 8 years. A relaxed A-Rod that performs like a champ in the playoffs? It seemed unlikely just one year ago, but he proved me wrong. Perhaps that good guy award is up next after all! Labels: a-rod support, accolades, best. quote. ever, haha...ha., happy time |
posted by Yankees Chick @ Monday, January 25, 2010   |
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| Consolation Prize, LETS GO RAYS, and A-Rod in His Panties |
| Sunday, October 26, 2008 |
Who needs a World Series ring when you can win a place on the Sporting News All-Star team? Not Jeter or A-Rod! I'm sure they're happy just to have received any honor at all, right? No offense to the TSN. I'm sure all the honored players appreciate the shout-out and I image A-Rod and Jeet have both cleared off a space in their trophy rooms (both of which are larger than my home, I have no doubt) for their 12th and 9th respective TSN prizes. Do they get trophies? I might have made that up. That said, it's time to refocus our attention on the HUGE game tonight, essentially a make or break contest for the Rays. If they lose, they COULD make up comeback, of course - no one that's watched them this year could put that past them - but who wants to have to rely on a game 4 win at the Phillies own stomping grounds? Judging by their year-long tradition of coming from behind, I'm anticipating a home run derby-esque game with Longoria putting the team up 3-1 in the 1st. And before I sign off for the day, let's all have a good chuckle over A-Rod's latest endorsement deal with Guitar Hero (partially funded by The Boxer Brief Association of America): Labels: a-rod support, accolades, devilish rays, haha...ha., jeter jeter pumpkin eater, post-season |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Sunday, October 26, 2008 |
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| Let's Have a Homer Party |
| Monday, September 15, 2008 |
Now that we've all given up on the season in terms of "success", it's time to settle for hoping our dudes will pad their stats a bit and at least let the year die with a little dignity. It's a true pity that they couldn't manage to scrape together a few wins and send the old stadium out with a bang, but we can't do anything about that at this point, so let's focus on the good sugar instead.
Good thing numero uno: A-Rod hit a sweet grand salami yesterday for his 34th homer of the year, leaving him just 1 shy of 12 35+ homer seasons. I am still holding out hope for a hearty 40, but that would take some serious work and perhaps luck. He's always good when there's no pressure, though, and with the season essentially over there really is none to speak of. It could happen.
Giambi hit a big homer himself during the game on Sunday, number 30 on the season. He's now hit 30 or more longballs 8 times in his career - and some of those 8 were steroid free!!! WOOOT!
Those weren't the only homers in the game! I've reserved lo mas importante for last. The Jeet hit #11 in the 5th, the 1,269th hit in his career. With just 7 home games left to play, Jeter tied up Lou Gehrig for the most hits in Yankee Stadium. Twas a heartwarming moment indeed (and hats off to the fan that caught the ball and gave it back to the Jeet, you're a kind soul and a good fan).
Speaking of DJ, his average is a healthy .306 now. Moral of the story: Jeter never disappoints. He always comes through.
Yes, yesterday was indeed a good day for the team - a bright spot amidst what has been a truly pathetic/embarrassing/soul-crushing season. The boys were hitting, Mo actually got the chance to save a game, the bullpen didn't jack things up, A-Rod hit a homer, and Jeter played the role of legend. It honestly breaks my tender heart to know that for the first time in my fandom, the season ends after 162 games.
Labels: a-rod support, accolades, jeter jeter pumpkin eater |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Monday, September 15, 2008 |
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| Just Like Mother Theresa! But Without The Crazy Fanaticism And Religious Superstitions! |
| Monday, January 21, 2008 |
This here bloggity has been home to a considerable amount of sorrow (first round exits from the playoffs every year I've been blogging!), bitterness (remember: Pavano Must Die), and frustration, but the ol' Yankees Chick has a positive streak, too! Remember my short-lived and half-hearted attempt to rally some love for Pavano last year? And my ongoing support of A-Rod, of course! Yes, I CAN BE and often am delighted by this team and its members, and in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr - AKA the reason you slackers aren't at work today - I thought I'd mention the fact that both the Melk Man and A-Rod are being recognized for their philanthropic efforts with the Thurman Munson Award. Good work, men! Someone better call IKEA for A-Rod, STAT... his trophy case has got to be full to capacity at this point. This one could be the straw that broke the camel's back. Labels: accolades, do-gooders, happy time |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Monday, January 21, 2008 |
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| Sick of Steroids |
| Tuesday, January 08, 2008 |
In case you were unaware/forgot, there is other stuff going on in the baseball world besides Clemens and the Mitchell Report. Not much else, but at least one major headline: Goose Gossage has been elected into the Hall of Fame. He was the only one to get the votes necessary this year, though Jim Rice did come very close with over 72%, but very worthy (in my book anyway, the only book that counts on this bloggity) candidate Tim Raines was essentially left in the lurch by voters. Rainesy only got 24% of the vote, which is far too low for a man that could very well be considered the second-best lead-off boy (after Rickey, of course... Rickey would certainly agree that Rickey was the best lead-off hitter Rickey could be and that it surely shouldn't be forgotten that Rickey knows that Rickey should be remembered as the best lead-off hitter the world and Rickey has ever seen... Rickey) in the game. What dost thou think? Ain't he worthy? I know I said there would be no steroids involved in this posty, but I must mention that Mark "I told you, I don't comment on the past. I'm like that dude from Memento that cannot make new memories" McGwire, like last year, once again fell far short of the necessary 75% of the votes. He'll be on that ballot for a long time obviously, but he might as well give up hope now. Cooperstown has no room for juicers that weren't even all that great before they sauced it up. Juicers that WERE good before the juice, on the other hand, might get a pass. See you in Cooperstown, Balco Barry. Labels: accolades, steroids |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Tuesday, January 08, 2008 |
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| It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year! (For HOF-ers) |
| Saturday, December 29, 2007 |
Long, long ago, when the Yankees Chick was a child* - back in the times that people had to walk to baseball games barefoot in the snow and and got around in horse drawn carriages - Hall of Fame elections were a simpler matter. Those lucky baseball writers with votes (um... by the way... where's my vote? If anything screams "legitimate, respectable, sports journalist", it's YANKEES CHICK) just had to check out some stats, think about the players careers and athleticism, and determine whose accomplishments were great enough to deserve a spot amongst the best of the best in Cooperstown. Nowadays, in this crazy world of drugs and desperation (oh yeah, and greed), dolling out Hall of Fame votes isn't such a simple task. Voters now have to take into account the fact that a lot of the folks on the ballot might have been getting some unnatural "help" throughout their careers to get themselves on that ballot (of course, even back in the olden times a lot of players weren't exactly on the straight and narrow, but I have to say that coke and booze don't exactly measure up to HGH and anabolic steroids when it comes to smackin' homers), which makes things a shade less clear-cut. All those old-fashioned benchmarks that used to indicate a sure-thing for the HOF - 500 homers, 3,000 hits, etc - can no longer really be used by the voters to make their choices easier. Voters had their first taste of "hold on a second, I'm pretty sure this guy is a damn cheater" syndrome, and now each writer has 3 choices when casting their vote: They can determine that, regardless of whether player was juicing, he is intrinsically talented and deserves a spot in the Hall; they can look at the numbers and decide that it seems that a player would not have achieved his status as superstar without some drug-help and opt not to vote for them; or they can be so sickened by the blatant (totally objective!) feeling that the person was a-juicin' that they don't vote for them out of spite. In the case of McGwire last year, I'm pretty sure that his low vote percentage was a combination of options "b" and "c". In a few years, the ballot is going to be chock full of more rumored steroid-users with the likes of Sosa, the Rocket, and Balco Barry (among others that I'm suspicious of, like Mike-a Piazza, but maybe that's just me?), and it's going to be verrrrrrry interesting to see who makes it and how many votes they actually get. I have a feeling that the voters that don't mark their ballot for Balco B or the Rocket are going to be making their choices more based on option "c", because they both clearly had talent with or without juice. It's a lot easier to hate Balco B than the Rocket though, and if they both turn up on the ballot for the first time in the first year, I would be willing to bet y'all some cold hard cash (too bad I have none) that it will be ol' Barry that has trouble, not the Rocket.
*AKA the 1980's.
Labels: accolades, sketchy, steroids |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Saturday, December 29, 2007 |
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| Why Hello, Baseball |
| Friday, December 07, 2007 |
I've been incommunicado for a few days now, all tied up with some personal Yankees Chick affairs, and I must say I have learned a valuable lesson from these couple days: if one does not check the myriad media outlets for 72 hours, when he or she returns to Internet-ville to read all the baseball news, there will be a hell of a lot to catch up on. I'll be in blogging overdrive for the next little while to catch you all up on my worthless opinions on all the matters at hand (Santanamania, Tigers scoring with Dontrelle and Cabrera, etc etc), but let's start with a little virtual pat on the back for our dear Jobamania. ESPN Magazine featured Joba as their "NEXT" athlete in their December 17th issue - because of his obvious raw talent, already proven MLB capability (do not ever forget that 0.38 ERA and 0.750 WHIP in 24 innings last season...), and good work ethic. It's a funny little article featuring some heartwarming stories about his Lifetime Movie-worthy childhood (goooooo Harlan!) and some quality text-messaging. Enjoy the article here: Joba is NEXT!More to come tomorrow... and the next day... and the next... Basically, you can't get rid of me. Unless you just don't come to the site. I guess that would work. Labels: accolades, jobamania |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Friday, December 07, 2007 |
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| Happy MVP-Day To YOOOOU! |
| Monday, November 19, 2007 |
SURPRISE! A-Rod won the AL MVP!
Perhaps "surprise" is not quite the right term in this case - something more along the lines of "um, yeah" or "had this really not been announced yet?" would probably be more appropriate. It wasn't an unanimous vote, since 2 voters gave Magglio Ordonez their first-place points, but he still won by quite the landslide.
Now that we know that A-Rod will be a Yank for the next 10 years of his career (theoretically the remainder of his career, really), we can hopefully consider this just his 2nd of many MVP's he'll be rocking.
Yeah, and some rings would be nice too.
Labels: a-rod support, accolades |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Monday, November 19, 2007 |
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| Oh Yeah, There Was a Season |
| Monday, November 12, 2007 |
I don't know about the rest of y'all, but I keep forgetting that the Yankees only very recently wrapped up a season of actually playing baseball. My Yankees Chick brain is very focused on the future of the team, anticipating what The Girardino will do or wont do, resigning Po and Mo, and frantically scouring the Interwebs every hour for new rumors or ideas on who will be playing 3rd base in 2008. However, there was indeed a season of baseball played in 2007 and if you haven't blocked out the entire season from your memory to stave off painful flashbacks of things like Pavano pitching and the team buckling under the superior Cleveland pitching in the ALDS, you might recall that a few of the Yanks played very well all year. Those folks are being rewarded now as the yearly deluge of awards comes raining down upon the baseball world - not just good old-fashioned awards like MVP or Rookie of the Year but the fun corporate-sponsored accolades (I still maintain that being named "DHL Delivery Man" should be considered less of an accomplishment and more of an insult; if I were a Mariano/Trevor/Paplebon/Etc-caliber pitcher I certainly would not want my glorious pitching to be associated with that shoddy slow delivery service), too. The "big" awards - Cy Young, Manager of the Year, and MVP - won't be announced until later this week, but there have already been some trophies (or whatever the hell you get for winning these... pride? Stack of cash? Free DHL service for a year?) given out. Here's what the Yanks have won so far... Silver Sluggers: Jeet, A-Rod, and Posada were all honored for their work at the plate, and rightfully so. It is A-Rod's 9th Silver Slugger, Jorgie Porgie's 5th (and sidenote: did you realize that he is the first Yankeee catcher to finish in the top 10 in batting average in the league since Thurman Munson? Shit, I should have saved that for a Fun Fact O' The Day...), and Jeet's 2nd (another sidenote: I am somewhat suprised that this was only the second time Jeter has won a Silver Slugger, since he has had so many consistently solid batting average and OBP seasons, but when we consider that he was losing them to A-Rod all those years that he was playing shortstop I suppose 2nd place ain't so bad). Hank Aaron Award: As expected, A-Rod won. Not as expected, though, was his snub of the event honoring him and Prince Fielder. Nice touch, Mr. Classy McClasserson. The man I spent 3 years defending continues to break my heart with selfish choices and disrespectful actions. Sickened. AL MVP: Technically this won't be announced till a week from today, but with my excellent powers of intuition and honed psychic abilities I think I can accurately predict the name of the winner - and maybe for this one Mr. Classy McClasserson will show some gratitude. Gold Glove Award: Jason Giambi was honored for his excellent defensive work at first base... his lunging is top-notch and he certainly never looks out of place or awkward there. Nosiree. Oh wait, he didn't win? You've gotta be kidding me.
Labels: a-rod support, a-rod trouble, accolades, jeter jeter pumpkin eater, jorgie porgie pudding and pie |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Monday, November 12, 2007 |
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| Consolation Prize |
| Friday, October 12, 2007 |
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. Labels: a-rod support, accolades, farm hands |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Friday, October 12, 2007 |
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| Did You Realize?? |
| Tuesday, September 18, 2007 |
… There are only 12 games left to play?! (sidenote: what am I going to do with myself after the World Series?! There’s only so much NFL a gal can watch) …The Yankees have not been this close to the Sox in the division (3.5 games out my babies!) since April 21st? … A-Rod has tied his single-season best with 142 RBI… and there are still those aforementioned 12 games to go! … 1977 Yankee greats Graig Nettles and Mickey Rivers will be signing copies of ESPN's Bronx is Burning DVD when it is released next Tuesday, September 25th? Here is the info: WHO: Graig Nettles WHAT: The Bronx is Burning DVD Signing WHERE: Transworld - FYE Store #140 1290 Avenue of the Americas (Between 51st & 52nd) New York, NY 10104 WHEN: 6:00-8:00 PM WHO: Mickey Rivers WHAT: The Bronx is Burning DVD Signing WHERE: Modell's Sporting Goods 51 East 42nd Street New York, NY 10017 WHEN: 5:00-7:00 PM … A-Rod is posed to win his 4th Hank Aaron award? …The Yankees recalled poor Chase “I Gave Up 4-Straight Homers To The Red Sox On What Was Probably The Worst Day Of My Life” Wright?…The Yankees have a better record than the Mets?…A kid asked Shelley Duncan to sign a ball before the game on Sunday and he wrote “Red Sox Suck” on it? ... Shelley Duncan is now my idol?Labels: a-rod support, accolades, post-season, red sox rivalry, roster moves |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Tuesday, September 18, 2007 |
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| Barry Who? |
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 |
If you feel like you've been waiting forever for Glavine, Balco B, and Sir A-Rod to reach their respective milestones, I've got good news for you: your wait is 2/3 over. ESPN has been bombarding us all with obnoxious "Milestone Watch" coverage day in and day out, and while I of course like to see a moment of baseball triumph as much as the next gal (or guy, or anyone in between [I do not want to isolate my hermaphrodite fans]), I have been eagerly anticipating the guys' milestones as much for the cessation of the coverage as for the thrills itself. Since you are obviously connected to the internet somehow, I'm sure you already know that both A-Rod and Bonds hit homers yesterday, Bonds' finally tying him with Hank Aaron and A-Rod's making him the youngest player (by quite a margin) to get to 500. A-Rod hit his big homer off Kyle Davies - a man who is now destined to have his name appear on tv screens every time A-Rod's career landmarks are discussed - on the first pitch he saw Saturday (before his f-ing crazy wife even made it to the stadium!), and he seemed more than just a smidge relieved to have all that pressure finally alleviated. Sadly for A-Rod, the excitement over his achievement was eclipsed just hours later when Balco B finally hit #755 down in San Diego, but like most people I don't envision the Bondster holding that record for many years. Instead of dwelling on the big-headed asterisk monster, let's instead return our focus to the most talented man in the game - our own (for the time being) Alex Rodriguez. His career accolades and accomplishments are much too great in number to even begin to summarize here, so let's instead pay homage to the man by seeing how the rest of the baseball universe reacted to his big hit: Big Stein: "This was a fantastic, monumental achievement." Joe Torre: "This (500) is not a destination for him, this is a stopoff. I'm proud to be in the dugout with him. He's certainly going to stand tall with other guys who have worn the pinstripes." Johnny Demon: "I think there was a lot of relief. The changing of the balls with the umpires, and the 3-1 sliders, and all those tough pitches. The pitchers did a great job, and I'm glad he got to jump on the first pitch he saw today. He had tremendous backspin on it. He didn't hit it as well as he could, but he just got enough." [Sorry it wasn't good enough for you Johnny. When was the last time YOU hit a ball past the pitcher?]
Kyle Davies: "I was trying to get a double play, a sinker down and in, and the ball came back over the middle a little bit. It's probably not the right pitch to him." Barry Bonds (no, really): "Alex, I'm rooting for you. I'll be there for you. I'm praying for you. It's very tough." ...And finally, a few words from A-Rod on A-Rod:"To do it at home and to wear this beautiful uniform that I appreciate and respect so much, it's special. New York is a special place. I've had my trials and tribulations here in New York, I've learned from them. I've had some great times, I've had some good times and I've had some tough times. A day like today kind of brings it full circle. Maybe there's a happy ending for me somewhere." [Big Stein needs to get on the horn with A-Rod while he's in an "I like New York" mood and somehow coerce him into signing an extension with the team...]And what about the ball itself?! "I really want it back. But if not, I congratulate [Walter Kowalczyk] for catching it. Nice catch." Labels: a-rod support, accolades, happy time, steroids |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Sunday, August 05, 2007 |
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| More Like All-SUCK Game!! (Yes, I have the sense of humor of a 6 year old) |
| Friday, July 06, 2007 |
There are many aspects of this crazy little game that drive the Yankees Chick batty (not that I am one to complain, no sir!), from people's insistence on using the useless win stat to the lack of effective drug policies, and the All-Star game also has a home on my i-dont-like-you-one-bit list. Every July our near-daily dose of important baseball is rudely interrupted by a near-meaningless (save for the lamentable fact that home field advantage for the World Series is dependent on the outcome of the game; fear not, we will be returning to this matter in a moment) game surrounded by 2 off-days, and the problems with this affair are many. I realize that some folks enjoy the 3-day reprieve from the usual grind and get a kick out of watching players from different teams join together for a game, but I find the whole operation to be frustrating and even quite worrisome. Let’s examine: - The threat of injuries alone is enough to make me wary. Yes, each player generally only stays in the game for a couple innings, but all it takes is one sharp drive back to the pitcher (see Rasner, Karstens) or an accidental collision (see Mientkicantspellhisname) to put a player right out of commission. Since the game features the top players of the game, the damage an injury would do to a team is greatly intensified. Imagine if Jeter or A-Rod were to get smacked in the face by a wayward pitch…
- Home field advantage during the World Series is much too crucial a matter to be determined by a game that is not taken seriously by most players – many of the participants already know that the post-season is not in their future and thus have no real incentive to ensure their league wins the game, and the threat of injuries keeps most if not all players from going all out. The AL has a clear advantage, winning 15 of the last 20 All-Star games (2002 ended in a tie; no it was not a hockey game), and that surely isn’t fair for the NL World Series team.
- Taking 3 days off could be detrimental to a team that needs to be rallying for a post-season race, such as the Yankees this year. The only way they are going to have a shot at October is if they buckle down, focus, and start consistently winning 5+ in a row. The last thing this team needs is to get out of the groove - they’re still not even in their groove.
- The idea of an All-Star game is to showcase the league’s best players, but the rosters do not reflect that. Fan voting turned the selection process into a popularity contest, putting the most exciting or well-known players ahead of lesser-known or small-market folks. Also, since the rosters much feature at least one representative from each MLB team, some talented players do not make the cut simply because there is no room.
That said, congratulations to Jeet, A-Rod, and Jorgie, who will be representing the Yanks in the game this year. A-Rod may decide to sit out and take the 3-day break to rest his strained hammy (a much wiser use of the break than playing in the game, if you ask me), but I’m sure it was a nice feeling for him to come out on top of the voting. I’ll be watching, of course, but throughout the entire game I will be thinking “I sure do wish I was watching an actual game right now and not a bunch of dudes that don't know or like each other half-assing their way through 9 innings of baseball.”Labels: a-rod trouble, accolades, bitching, jeter jeter pumpkin eater |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Friday, July 06, 2007 |
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| Just Break it and Move On |
| Wednesday, May 23, 2007 |
Balco Barry is literally days away from breaking the big 755 home run record (he has 745 as of 6:00pm tonight), and I would venture to guess that there has not been a less-anticipated broken record in the history of modern baseball. Hank Aaron has made it mighty clear that he sure as hell will not be there to witness his own record being surpassed ("I'm not going to fly to go see somebody hit a home run!"), and Bud Selig seems to be doing his best to weasel out of showing up without looking like too much of a scumbag (world to Bud: "no one will hold it against you".) ESPN has been attempting to draw some attention to the matter with increased stories on the website and a constant barrage of their "Chasing Aaron" coverage, which chronicles what seems like every single Bonds at-bat, warning-track hit, disgusted look, and self-satisfied smirk, but even their half-hearted attempt at fanfare hasn't stirred up much excitement from the general public. Very few athletes have been willing to offer up their comments one way or another (with the exception of Pujols and Ortiz, who have defended him, and Schilling, who called him not just a juicer but a tax evader and a wife-beater); most of the MLB community seems to be sick of the whole matter and eager for it to be done with.
I'm with them.
It is very disheartening to see someone like Bonds, who has been the antithesis of the image MLB would like people to associate with baseball, pass such a milestone dishonestly, but what is the alternative? Unless Bonds miraculously gets convicted of some sort of steroid crimes in the next week or so, he will break the record this summer and will add another achievement to his growing list of "look what a person can do when they take enough HGH to kill a bison" tab. While this is disappointing, does anyone really care? I don't know of anyone that believes that Balco B got to where he is today on protein shakes and a good stretching regiment, and while the record will have his name by it, the world knows that Barry's stats are inflated and thus the record is cheapened. The day he breaks the record will not be any different than any other day: Barry will thank himself for making himself such a home run king, and the rest of us will roll our eyes and keep our eyes on the man that will break the new career home runs record in a few years and without any unnatural substances - - Mr. Alex Rodriguez.
Labels: a-rod support, accolades, sketchy, steroids, you make me sick |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Wednesday, May 23, 2007 |
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| Don't Choke on That Trophy, Now |
| Wednesday, May 02, 2007 |
To the surprise of precisely no one, the Yankees own fallen-then-risen son A-Rod was named April Player of the Month for his divine efforts at the plate. Here are his pertinent stats through April 30: | A-Rod | League Leader | | Batting Average | .355 | Derrek Lee - .412 | | Home Runs | 14 | A-Rod | | RBI | 34 | A-Rod | | OBP | .415 | Jim Thome - .553 | | Slugging % | .882 | A-Rod |
The good news for the Yankees is that A-Rod is on fire and hopefully will continue to be hot (without him, the Yanks record would be at best 8-16). The good news for A-Rod is that Sharp gave him not just a trophy for his work but also an AQUOS full HD LCD-TV, a luxury he surely could not have afforded without government aid. Hopefully A-Rod will invite the rest of the gang over to see his shiny new TV and, jealous, they will all strive to be Players of the Month so that they too can watch CSI in Hi-Def! Labels: a-rod support, accolades |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Wednesday, May 02, 2007 |
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And The MVP Award Goes to Derek Jeter! Justin MorNO HE DIDN’T! |
| Tuesday, November 21, 2006 |
In a world where a team with the most intimidating batting lineup I’ve seen in my lifetime cannot make it out of the first round of the playoffs and a scowling pitcher can be DFA one moment and a World Series hero the next (I’m looking at you, Jeff Weaver), I suppose seeing Jeter receive only the 2nd most votes in the MVP contest should come as no surprise. I had such high hopes for Jeter this year, though: his first batting title was within reach right up to the bitter end, a World Series ring seemed imminent, and his consistency, clutchiness, OBP and average pointed directly towards MVP-ville.
Justin Morneau is certainly a deserving candidate; the Twins would have had a much tougher time overtaking the White Sox without his power and RBIs. I suppose I would even be willing to admit that Mr. Morneau may have been more valuable to the Twins than Jeter was to the Yankees, for the simple fact that Jeter has the luxury of being backed up by 8 other stellar batters. From a purely numerical standpoint, I still believe that Jeter had a superior year. Morneau edged out Jeter in power and in RBIs, but Jeter is not a power hitter – he’s a “get on base and create runs” hitter, as evidenced by his impressive average (2nd in the league), OBP (3rd in the league) and stolen bases count (7th in league).
Let’s take a peak at their key numbers: | 2006 | Jeter | Morneau | | BattingAve | .343 | .321 | | OBP | .417 | .375 | | X-base hits | 56 | 82 | | Stolen Bases/CS | 34/5 | 3/3 | | W/ RISP and 2 outs | .369 | .303 | | Close and Late | .325 | .299 |
 Jeter and Morneau both had seasons deserving of a prize or two. The good news for Morneau is that he’s going home with the MVP trophy. Jeter’s prize came in the form of a hot c-list actress who is best known for portraying a bad-seed preacher’s daughter on 7th Heaven (see right: tank top and sassy look = out of control preacher's kid). Judging by her acting skills on that show, I’m not able to decide whether Jeter should have held out for the trophy or if he should just be thankful a young lady likes him. Labels: accolades, bitching, jeter jeter pumpkin eater |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Tuesday, November 21, 2006 |
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| Your Team Blew It...But Congratulations! |
| Tuesday, October 31, 2006 |
 Studies show that getting smashed face-first into the dirt automatically increases one's chances of winning an award by 15%.
I imagine winning an award after losing in the playoffs is somewhat bittersweet. Being honored with an award is exciting, sure, but does it take the sting out of seeing the headline "Bronx Bummers" or a derivative thereof on every newspaper and blog (for the record, I don't believe I sunk that low) for a month straight? Just ask A-Rod if last year's MVP title made him forget about the choking criticism or the exceedingly clever "A-Fraud" nicknames that started after the disastrous ALDS; the words "consolation prize" and "this won't even shut you goddamned hecklers up, will it?" (no) probably come to mind.
While awards may not be as thrilling as a sizeable cash bonus and World Series ring, several "Bronx Bummers" have already won accolades for their 2006 (regular season...forget what happened in October) performances, and more are due to be announced in November. Congratulations are in order for:
 Mariano Rivera (left, pondering the cruel fate that made him the winner of an arbitrary award sponsored by a shipping conglomerate rather than a World Series): Mo won the DHL Delivery Man of the Year title for the second consecutive year and is on the ballot for This Year in Baseball's Top Closer award. This should come as no surprise to anyone that has ever seen him pitch or even taken a gandar at his stats, which are akin to numbers Jesus would post were he to descend from heaven and become a major league pitcher.Derek Jeter: He's already won 2 awards - - Jeet beat out David Ortiz, Justin Morneau, Vladimir Guerrero, Travis Hafner and Paul Konerko in the voting for the Hank Aaron award (he is the first Yankee to ever win), and The Sporting News chose him as the best shortstop in the American League. He certainly deserves it: this year he became the fifth player in the past 75 seasons to hit .340 or higher, drive in at least 90 runs and steal 30 or more bases in the same season. He is considered one of the prime candidates for the MVP title (along with Dye, Santana, Morneau and others) and has also been named a finalist for the Hutch Award.  Robinson Cano: Along with Jeter, he was chosen by The Sporting News as the best player at his position in the league. I still smell a batting title in his future. Chien-Ming Wang (right, and god bless the Yankees organization for forcing rookies to be humiliated. PURE GOLD): The Wangster is on the ballot for the This Year in Baseball's Top Starter award! He had a great year, and while I think Santana is a shoo-in for all pitching-related awards, it makes my heart swell with pride to see our own little Wangster on the ballot for awards in his 2nd MLB season. Next up: - Silver Slugger awards will be announced sometime in November
- AL Gold Glove winners will be announced November 2nd
- NL Gold Glove winners will be announced November 3rd
- Players' Choice Awards wil be announced November 8th
- NL and AL Rookies of the Year will be announced November 13th
- NL Cy Young winner will be announced November 14th
- AL Cy Young winner will be announced November 16th
- NL and AL Managers of the Year will be announced November 15th
- NL MVP will be announced November 20th
- AL MVP will be announced November 21st
- TYIB winners will be announced December 14th
Labels: accolades, jeter jeter pumpkin eater |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Tuesday, October 31, 2006 |
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| Working Past the Grief |
| Thursday, October 12, 2006 |
 Since the Yankees' ill-fated ALDS cavalcade, the Yankees Chick has been on a wild roller coaster ride of grief. Saturday was marked by a period of acute denial, during which I watched entirely too many NFL games and convinced myself I could care more about the Chargers than the Yankees (never mind the fact that the Chargers are undoubtedly doomed to the very same post-season elimination faced by the 2005 and 2006 Yankees), but come Sunday the denial had waned and a fierce anger (see left) set in. How dare the Yankees drop 3 games in a row after all the time I had spent watching them, reading about them, and writing marginally entertaining articles about them? Weren't they thinking of me? After admitting to myself that being engulfed by feelings of rage toward a baseball team was largely unhealthy and borderline patheitc, I moved on to an even more nonsensical period of bargaining, at which point I recall mentioning to a Mets fan that I would be willing to listen to Joe Morgan broadcast all 162 games of the 2007 series if the Yankees could just have one more shot at the Tigers. Luckily the baseball gods paid no heed to my ridiculous offer. Of course, after the denial, anger, and bargaining stages had each run their course, a depression that could rival that of any emo kid was able to fully sink in. I'm still downright sickened by the Yanks' performance in the ALDS, but its been 4 days now so I suppose it's time to buck up and accept that their season is over. And on that note, let's get on with the Yanks post post-season news:  Joe Torre is coming back: Despite initial reports that a manager change was imminent, Steinbrenner and Torre have both confirmed that Joe will not be fired. Big Stein referred to the Yankees loss in the ALDS as "unacceptable", but to the chagrin of base-throwers everywhere, he decided not to fire Torre in favor of Lou Piniella. (Right: MLB umpires can live another day without fearing a shouting match.) A-Rod is (probably) not going to be traded: He may have gone 1-14 in the ALDS, but Cashman announced that he has "no intention" of trading A-Rod. Whether he should be traded is up for debate. The prospect of ditching a player that 35 home runs and knocked in 121 runs would generally generate a negative response from the Yankees Chick, but the unfortunate truth for dear A-Rod is that he just can't win with the New York fans. As we've seen this year, A-Rod's performance is inversly proportional to the decibel level of booing in the stadium, and it has become heartwrenching to watch his mounting deterioration (see left: I almost tear up in sympathy every time he strikes out. Almost. Then I get over it and feel irritated) . Perhaps it would be best for him to play for a more suportive smaller market team...and if the Yankees can spin him for a few young pitchers, I suppose I wouldn't object. Cano and Jeter won TSN awards: Neither won the batting title and the MVP has not been announced just yet, but both Cano and Jeter were voted the best at their position by 220 of their fellow athletes. Yeah, I'm sure that takes the sting out of busting out of the ALDS. Labels: a-rod support, a-rod trouble, accolades, jeter jeter pumpkin eater, post-season |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Thursday, October 12, 2006 |
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| Step Aside, Reyes |
| Thursday, September 28, 2006 |
 Jose Reyes may be on the cover of ESPN Magazine this week, but there’s another 23-year-old Dominican infielder in New York that deserves a heaping helping of praise. I am, of course, referring to dear Robby Cano, NYY second baseman and hitter extraordinaire. Where would the Yankees be without him? In case you’ve forgotten (and who could blame you, I try to block it out as well), the Yanks were paying Mr. Tony Womack to jack up double plays and strike out for a solid month before we saw Cano last year, and I shudder to think of what their record may have been had the Yanks continued to trust TW. Cano had a great rookie year, turning 77 double plays and hitting .297 in 2005, but it is his 2006 performance that has everyone buying #22 jerseys (Yankees Chick included). He has been absolutely amazing all season, hitting well enough to draw comparisons to Hall of Famer Rod Carew and make a run for the batting title. Even after missing 6 weeks with a bum hamstring, Cano has knocked in over 70 runs and has hit 40 doubles and 15 homers. His OBP is pretty dismal—he’s walked just 18 times all season, and I’m pretty sure that at least 13 of those were due to dust in the home plate umpire’s eyes—but with a .343 batting average I’m willing to make some oversights.  If his numbers aren’t enough to win you over as a devotee, perhaps his humanitarian efforts will impress you. He’s become a regular visitor at the Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center in New York over the past 2 seasons and even visited a hospital in Florida when the Yankees were in town for spring training, and he has donated lots of baseball equipment to communities in his home country. Cano’s community service even inspired one of Big Stein’s assistants to write a children’s book about Cano and a young cancer patient he met at the Children’s Hospital (right, although I'm not sure why the illustrator chose to portray Cano as a middle-aged white man)!
With the Yanks’ playing the best ball they’ve played in years, Cano’s feats have almost been overshadowed by all the Abreu walks and Jeter hit-streaks. The whole lineup has really pulled together to put the Yankees on top of the division, but that shouldn’t stop anyone from singling out Robby as one of the most exciting players to watch in the league. Come on, ESPN: give the kid a cover. Labels: accolades, do-gooders |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Thursday, September 28, 2006 |
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2 Sluggers, a Captain and a Pizza Place MVP |
| Monday, September 04, 2006 |
| The 2006 AL MVP race has been hotter than the ’04 presidential election and there’s just about a month to go for the candidates to finish up their campaigns for the title. AL big shots like Jeter, Mauer, Thome, Dye, Papi have been kissing babies and shaking hands with war veterans all season to get the fans and baseball writers on their side and each one of them makes a good case for the award. Jeter, Ortiz and Dye have emerged as the big 3 in the competition, but whittling those down to just 1 is tough. Papi and Dye have both been RBI and homer machines and Jeter has been hitting for the best average of his career. All three are obviously very important to their respective teams, but which one is the most valuable? Let’s have a look at the 2006 numbers for the frontrunners:  Generally speaking, the MVP is taken to mean “best player” and the best athlete in the league wins. By this definition, Jeter should be the clear winner. His numbers are incredible and he hasn’t hit a slow spot all year; there is little room for argument that he has played better than Papi and Dye throughout the season. If the award were truly for the Most Valuable Player, though, I would see a strong argument for Papi to take the cake (figuratively…he does not need to eat any more fattening foods). Jeter’s numbers are better, but the Red Sox would not have lasted in the post-season running for nearly as long as they did if not for Papi’s clutch hits and walk-off homers.  "I don't 'do' defense" |
Papi may have saved the Red Sox from a truly miserable season, but I still foresee the MVP going to Jeter. Not only are his offensive numbers superior to Papi’s and Dye’s—he may not have the homers, but I’ll take that batting average and OBP any day!—but he plays great defense daily, which should not be discounted. I know it seems obvious for the Yankees Chick to root for Jeter over Papi, but I consider myself to be a fairly objective baseball buff and the bottom line is that the award is not just an offensive award, nor is it an award for the player who is most helpful to his team. Papi and Dye are having great years and are doing their best to keep their respective teams in the playoff running, but Jeter is simply head and shoulders above the competition in the AL.
Labels: accolades, jeter jeter pumpkin eater, red sox rivalry |
| posted by Yankees Chick @ Monday, September 04, 2006 |
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