An Acquiescence Autumn Afternoon

Yogi Berra once said, “It gets late early”. Yesterday afternoon in NY was one of those days as the Yankees won their second to last game in front of the hometown crowd. The game was scoreless through nine innings, surging speedily on a Fall day. The leaves on the trees here in NY are starting to scatter on the ground, and there is that smell of the new season in the air already. One of the best things about this time of year is, of course, the Fall Classic. It will be difficult to follow the playoffs without the Yankees for me. As an avid baseball fan though, I can certainly cope.
Robinson Cano drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded to seal the deal for the Yankees. Cano is no Steve Sax in my book (Sax was never terrific at second base either but he appealed to me as a child) but he has so much ability and potential. He reminds me of a young Alfonso Soriano who started out lackadaisical in NY before he got it all together. I really hope Cano continues to develop as a player, defensively and at the plate. His immaturity and cockiness have overshadowed his play this year. I think he misses Larry Bowa’s presence, but hopefully Joe Girardi will put the kid in his place.

Speaking of stellar second basemen and moving on to a team in contention, I loved Ryne Sandberg when he played for the Cubs. Maybe this is finally the year for the Chicago Cubs. After all, isn’t the hype around the nation about the economy and the bear market? Wouldn’t it be ironic if the Cubs won the World Series? The Carlos Zambrano, Rich Harden, Ted Lilly tandem sure sounds solid. Lou really has that club together. I am a big fan of Pinella, so I am pulling for the paws this postseason.

Are you looking for a scare this October? How about Manny Ramirez and what he is doing out in L.A.? The former Red Sox slugger is putting up frightening figures for Torre and the Dodgers. Trick-or-treating in dreadlocks this Halloween could be fun. He is one of the most popular men in L.A. recently. Another five runs driven in behind a three run and two run homerun is impressive. The Dodgers lack the depth of the Cubs but you have to like their chances. The NL is very weak overall.

Are the Rays really respectable? I think so. Joe Maddon makes me mull over what Tampa Bay can accomplish in the post-season. It’s nice to see Rocco Baldelli back on the field. He was one of the most hyped players when he was drafted but his ailing health has set him back. The team does not have a standout player nor do they have any experience in playoff situations. If they are able to win the AL East, they have a good chance making the ALCS. However, if they fail to win the division and only clinch the wildcard, I cannot see them overtaking the Angels in round one of the playoffs.

The Brewers meltdown is similar to what happened in 2007 to the Mets. How does a pitching staff surrender seven homeruns to the Cincinnati Reds? I guess firing Ned Yost helped very little and it’s safe to say the Brewers will miss the playoffs.

Does Derek detest getting dinked by opposing pitchers? It doesn’t seem he minds at all. Jeter was hit by a pitch during the Yankees win yesterday. It’s like he’s trying to break Craig Biggio’s HBP record.

Parting points: My song of the moment is Green Day’s “Wake Me Up When September Ends”. The playoff picture curves clearer as Autumn arrives.

Bye Bye Bronx

September 21st is the final game at Yankee Stadium. Lefty, Andy Pettitte, will take the mound for the last time in the House That Ruth Built. Another lefty, David “Boomer” Wells, is the topic of this blog entry. Wells holds a very special place in my heart because he pitched a perfect game on my birthday (May 17th) Since silencing sluggers’ sticks that day, I’ve felt some connection with him. Paul O’Neill is my favorite modern day Yankee but David Wells is an icon indeed. Boomer never really took himself seriously and was too often involved in controversy. But, when it came to pitching, nobody was as close to perfect as David. As Yankee Stadium closes its doors Sunday, I am going to share my favorite stadium moment.
August 20, 2003 was a hazy summer afternoon. I took the train with my father to Yankee Stadium early enough to arrive in the city with time to visit Monument Park. It was great to be on break from college and attend a late season game against the hapless Kansas City Royals. In all my years rooting for the Yankees, I never went to Monument Park. I just wanted to see Lou Gehrig’s plaque in person once. The Ironhorse will always be my favorite athlete of all time. That day, Wells was not pitching but he was warming up on the outfield grass as Mel Stottlemeyer watched. David delivered devastating fastballs frantically and forcefully to the warm-up catcher. Fans were observing Boomer’s every pitch from behind the gates of the park. I stood silently as Wells finished his tosses and casually opened the door to Monument Park, four feet from where I stood. I didn’t even see the ball in his hand as he peered into my eyes, handed me the white object, and dashed away towards the bullpen. Not a word was exchanged between me and this immense icon. The fans around me, including my father (who really does not like the Yankees; he’s actually a Mets fan) were all smiling in amazement. I froze and pondered placidly gripping Wells’ baseball in my right hand. It was a very special day because I also got two autographs from the visiting players (Royals). Looking out at the diamond from Monument Park is beautiful. Yankee Stadium truly is a historic place. I’ll miss walking around the inside, ordering pastrami sandwiches, buying my yearbook, and checking out the jerseys for sale. Mostly, I will miss those initial moments as you walk out into the stands and see the entire stadium. Everybody talks about the aura. For me, the aura happens that instant when you have your father next to you, your Yankee cap on your head and the ball field bustling before you.

Here’s hoping Pettitte pitches well and Mo Rivera closes his last game with a big time win and ovation.

Parting points: Speaking of great venues to watch sports, I think Camden Yards would be a great one to attend. I’ve only seen Camden from the outside but I can sense a similar aura about the ballpark in Baltimore as the old Yankee Stadium. I really hope the new stadium is just as cozy.