I’m in a baseball-kinda mood tonight and whenever Gary Thorne and Jim Palmer are calling a game in HD from Yankee Stadium, where else would you wanna be?
It’s been about four years since I’ve been to Yankee Stadium and I’m kinda yearning to go to one last game there before they move into that Roman Coliseum looking place across the street next year.
Right now, it doesn’t look like it’s going to be in October. HA!
So, first I get that crazy double play catch that Nick Markakis from the wall. That was a phenomenal play and seeing Johnny Damon get doubled off was also pretty sweet for my wife, who still is kinda salty about him going from Boston to New York. It was a “high-five” moment.
Now, Jim Palmer (who is quickly becoming my all-time favorite color announcer) and Gary Thorne are having an honest debate about why baseball moves so slow and how MLB is trying to speed up the games.
Palmer always loves sharing his encyclopedia-like knowledge of baseball’s past, of course. (I’ve always loved hearing Palmer’s stories and I’ve been lucky enough to hear them in the press room and in hotels over the years. I’m a Palmer guy, but I’d still bring back John Lowenstein if I had my choice!)
While talking about recent fast games this week, Palmer referenced Sidney Ponson as “Shamu” (and then blamed it on Ray Miller, saying he “affectionately” called Ponson by that name when he weighed 268 pounds).
Needless to say, Thorne laughed heartily.
Jim Palmer just referenced Sidney Ponson as a whale.
Not nice, really, but you know it’s true that Miller called him that!
It’s gonna be a great game to watch.
Yankee Stadium brings out the best in Palmer.
******
By the way, Ian Kennedy’s stretch move dip is the weirdest thing I’ve seen on the hill in quite some time. It’s almost yogic.
If I had a press pass tonight, I’d ask Kevin Millar what he says to Johnny Damon at first base.
If this combination of Adam Jones, Freddie Bynum, Brian Roberts and Melvin Mora could get on base a little more often, they’d be hell on the basepaths.
The Yankees continued to kick the ball around tonight, with Jason Giambi’s bum throw to third base allowing a rally to extend when it should’ve been an automatic out.
No wonder the Yankees suck…
*****
As a fan, it was good to see Alex Rodriguez walk to the mound to have a meeting with young Ian Kennedy when he went down 2-0 to Makakis when the bases were loaded. Kennedy threw three straight strikes and fanned Markakis after the ARod visit.
Isn’t that what team “leaders” who make $25 million a year are supposed to do?
Even though I would’ve preferred a double down the line by Kakes, I’ll settle for good baseball especially because I haven’t seen much of that from the Yankees over the past 48 hours.
And, of course, Aubrey Huff flew out to left field to end the inning. Must be saving it for Tampa tomorrow…
****
I hear nothing but great things about Luke Scott and what a great guy he is. And I’m sure Jennifer Scott is a nice lady.
But listening to her on a bad phone connection telling the Orioles audience about Luke’s dating habits in high school while the Yankees were threatening a rally and Derek Jeter is at bat was kinda lame, I thought.
Send Amber Theoharis down to chat with her when she comes to Camden Yards and do a story.
But for crying out loud, don’t water down Palmer-Thorne!
It’s one of the few things this franchise and network has going for it. Let them do the game!
If you want to market Luke Scott — and I’m ALL for that — put him and his mom on some radio shows, send them out to White Marsh Mall to sign some autographs.
And these MASN commercials are the worst pieces of garbage I’ve seen on television in a long time.
******
This wasn’t going to be a running game blog, but sometimes I just gotta write. And hey, if you made it this far, you’re still reading it.
Someone should tell these “diehard” Yankees fans that the game started at 7:05, not 8:05.
Brian Burres has some ridiculous Jamie Moyer-like qualities.
******
When a guy named Shelley Duncan comes to bat for the Yankees, you almost HAVE to google him right? Figure out who the hell he is? And what his parents were thinking? And how much he must’ve gotten harassed as a kid.
David Shelley Duncan…Tucson Arizona…2nd round pick…Legit!
But again, I’m a little outta the loop when it comes to following the minor leagues these days. Staying up with who the major leaguers is has become a full-time job!
But it’s still hard to top Coco Crisp…
That might never be done.
Anybody got any “favorite” baseball names?
I always liked Ferris Fain. And Melky Cabrera. And Kiko Garcia.
*******
When I see Adam Jones bat, I think of Jeffrey Hammonds…
When I see Jay Payton bat, I see Phil Bradley…
When I see Nick Markakis bat, I see Terry Crowley…
When I see George Sherrill pitch, I think of Brad Pennington (but not that teal uniform shot and subsequent headjerk with Ken Griffey)…
When I see Brian Burres, I see Jamie Moyer…
When I see Luke Scott, I think of David Delucci…
I think I’ve watched MUCH too much baseball in my life…
*******
Does anyone else fall into the 21st century habit of watching the game in delay to some degree.
I’m constantly stopping the Comcast DVR — bathroom breaks, phone calls, texts, blogs, email, beer run, ice cream run, surfing the web looking stuff up! There’s always something that makes me stop the game.
BUT…the GOOD PART…I get to skip through most of the Jim Hunter MASN ads where he scolds fans for being fans and says “People…” .
Did I mention that I think those commercials suck?
*******
When I see the ball get lifted into short leftfield there’s not an instant that I am reminded of Brooks and the Blade when Bynum and Huff are chasing a ball around…
Tonight is another great baseball game. Into the 7th inning, it’s 1-1. There have been opportunities, mistakes, blunders, great plays, heads up baserunning — this game has had it all!
Burres is rolling and just made ARod look foolish…
Every night this team amazes me with its ability to NOT hit the ball and still stay in games long enough to give themselves the chance to win.
They could still steal this series…
******
Pretty sad that Adam Jones has no clue about how to get a bunt down in the 7th inning of a tie game at Yankee Stadium. That’s just horrible!
That’s how you lose games at Yankee Stadium!
How do you get to the Major Leagues if you can’t do the little things like that to give the team a chance to win?
If Adam Jones, with his speed, can’t bunt — I’d send him back to the minors until he could…
******
Interesting bottom of the 7th for Burres:
The shift of Giambi is the craziest one I’ve ever seen in the big leagues. Worse than what we used to see for Barry Bonds.
Then Shelley Duncan looked like Sandy Duncan swinging from his heels at a pitch that almost struck a light above Yankee Stadium.
Burres is working fast, changing speeds, mixing up location and just dominating the Yankees. That would be ALL of the pages of the Ray Miller handbook.
Minus the “Shamu” part…
I see shades of McGregor and Flanagan in Burres tonight…
******
I’ve made the mistake of catching up and watching the game in real time, which has once again subjected me to watching more “house ads” for the Orioles with that horrible, scrubbed up collection of paid actors who portend their undying love of the Orioles.
It’s the phoniest set of garbage I’ve ever seen and they won’t stop running the ads (mainly because they have few few paid sponsors). But with all of us paying them $3 a month, I guess they don’t need sponsors?
Who needs sponsors when the law has given you public welfare?
Memo to these idiots in the Warehouse marketing department: YOU HAVE REAL FANS WHO CAN DO THOSE COMMERICALS, DON’T YOU?
MUST you insult the real fans with these Disney World looking ads? I swear I’m waiting for Tinkerbell to roll down to second base on a rope and sprinkle Orioles Magic dust!
Just let Kevin Millar do the marketing!
*****
Is there anything worse than watching the Yankees celebrate a walk-off, 9th-inning victory at Yankee Stadium?
It’s a scene we’ve seen FAR too many times over the years…
At least they’re going to Tampa where Aubrey Huff will hit .450 this weekend with four HRs and 10 RBIs…
