April 9, 2007
Back To Baseball
Mr. Grudge is back from his short Easter vacation. So much has happened in the past week in baseball that it's tough to know where to begin. Following my instincts, I'll focus in the excruciating start the Yankees have had for the first week of this season. Ouch. Welcome back readers, and let this season prove to be the big one for the Yankees. As I said early over the winter, this is my new mantra for the Yankees: "Twenty seven in '07." Let's hope I'm right.
April 2, 2007
Opening Day Jitters
Nothing much to say on opening day except....gulp! This is a nervous time for me. I have the same feeling I get when I sit in the waiting room of the dentist's office. I know everything will be okay, and it may hurt a little, but I still have to go through with the visit.
That's the same way I view the Yankee's regular season. It's a perfunctory exercise to get to the post season where they either achieve victory, or get knocked out early. Whether I'm at the dentist's office, or at home watching a ball game, one thing remains consistent. I still need some sort of sedative to get through a game.
There's so much emotional stock invested in rooting for my team that even a loss to Tampa Bay or a team like Royals gives me a headache. My theory during those "mini-crisis" moments when the Yankees drop one to a below .500 team is that if they can't handle the Kansas City Royals (or Tampa Bay) how can they take on the Red Sox?
At the time of this writing, it is 10:42 a.m. in New York and the Yankee's home opener begins at 1:05 PM with Carl Pavano taking the mound. Carl is probably on his knees in front of a toilet, up-chucking every meal he's eaten for the past month while praying to the God of Baseball that he doesn't screw up. I'm at my desk at work waiting to take an early lunch so I can listen to some of the game on the radio. I'm grateful that I am at work and not at home so that after my one hour respite from my job (while grinding my teeth and listening to the game) I can take peeks at the Yankee's progress on MLB.com on my desktop computer. I'm taking the "wake me up when it's over approach to this season.
Okay, I'm going overboard. I intend to watch as many games as I can, cheer when they win, get a bit down when they lose, and chew my finger nails bloody in the post season. Yes, they'll get there. But for now, it's a long wait in the waiting room.
That's the same way I view the Yankee's regular season. It's a perfunctory exercise to get to the post season where they either achieve victory, or get knocked out early. Whether I'm at the dentist's office, or at home watching a ball game, one thing remains consistent. I still need some sort of sedative to get through a game.
There's so much emotional stock invested in rooting for my team that even a loss to Tampa Bay or a team like Royals gives me a headache. My theory during those "mini-crisis" moments when the Yankees drop one to a below .500 team is that if they can't handle the Kansas City Royals (or Tampa Bay) how can they take on the Red Sox?
At the time of this writing, it is 10:42 a.m. in New York and the Yankee's home opener begins at 1:05 PM with Carl Pavano taking the mound. Carl is probably on his knees in front of a toilet, up-chucking every meal he's eaten for the past month while praying to the God of Baseball that he doesn't screw up. I'm at my desk at work waiting to take an early lunch so I can listen to some of the game on the radio. I'm grateful that I am at work and not at home so that after my one hour respite from my job (while grinding my teeth and listening to the game) I can take peeks at the Yankee's progress on MLB.com on my desktop computer. I'm taking the "wake me up when it's over approach to this season.
Okay, I'm going overboard. I intend to watch as many games as I can, cheer when they win, get a bit down when they lose, and chew my finger nails bloody in the post season. Yes, they'll get there. But for now, it's a long wait in the waiting room.
March 26, 2007
Letting Go of Baseball and My Son
I'm a baseball fan. Though I didn't play much when I was a boy, I have fond memories of watching baseball games on my Grandmother's tiny, color television with my dad and his step-father at their home in Southold, back in the early seventies. We could have been watching the Yankees, or the Mets, I don't remember. But, I do remember the three of us in Grandma's cozy living room, the aroma of a roast beef wafting in from the kitchen, and their big, golden dog named Mike plopped down next to me as I scratched behind his ears. That's where my love of the baseball developed.
Imagine my shock when my seven year old son opted to play Lacrosse this season instead of baseball. "He wants to run around." My wife said. "Baseball is too boring for him." Yikes. Did she say “too boring?” He doesn't know enough to determine if the game is boring, I thought. “Maybe I should have a talk with him?” I asked her. “I mean, all that gear costs a lot of money. If he quits, think of the money we wasted.” My wife stopped me. "Just let him do what he wants. He has to make his own decisions."
This past Saturday, as I stood on an enormous field at the local high school watching about a hundred kids in battle gear, holding netted sticks and charging around at the behest of their earnest coaches, I had to wonder, why does he want to play this game? It’s soccer played with pool skimmers, I thought. It’s also a game I know nothing about. On the other field, some older kids were playing baseball. They had the look and feel of a real baseball team with records that matter and perhaps some of them dreaming of the major leagues. Selfishly, I wished my son was one of them, working the count, stealing bases, or hitting the game winning home run. In front of where I was standing, my son was laughing and running around with his friends practicing this alien game which I never wanted to play, ever.
That's when it dawned on me that being a father meant that it isn’t about me. Nothing mattered on that other ball field with bats and balls and called third strikes. What is important was that my boy is doing something that he wants to do, and that is what is best for him. It is good that he is active, making choices, and asserting himself. He is living his young life the way he wants to, and with me as his dad, it is they way I taught him to be. And, I won't have it any other way. After lacrosse practice my son told me that he wants to try ice hockey next season. I gulped and said “Sure, whatever you want.” Whatever he wants, huh? Do you know how much hockey equipment costs?
Imagine my shock when my seven year old son opted to play Lacrosse this season instead of baseball. "He wants to run around." My wife said. "Baseball is too boring for him." Yikes. Did she say “too boring?” He doesn't know enough to determine if the game is boring, I thought. “Maybe I should have a talk with him?” I asked her. “I mean, all that gear costs a lot of money. If he quits, think of the money we wasted.” My wife stopped me. "Just let him do what he wants. He has to make his own decisions."
This past Saturday, as I stood on an enormous field at the local high school watching about a hundred kids in battle gear, holding netted sticks and charging around at the behest of their earnest coaches, I had to wonder, why does he want to play this game? It’s soccer played with pool skimmers, I thought. It’s also a game I know nothing about. On the other field, some older kids were playing baseball. They had the look and feel of a real baseball team with records that matter and perhaps some of them dreaming of the major leagues. Selfishly, I wished my son was one of them, working the count, stealing bases, or hitting the game winning home run. In front of where I was standing, my son was laughing and running around with his friends practicing this alien game which I never wanted to play, ever.
That's when it dawned on me that being a father meant that it isn’t about me. Nothing mattered on that other ball field with bats and balls and called third strikes. What is important was that my boy is doing something that he wants to do, and that is what is best for him. It is good that he is active, making choices, and asserting himself. He is living his young life the way he wants to, and with me as his dad, it is they way I taught him to be. And, I won't have it any other way. After lacrosse practice my son told me that he wants to try ice hockey next season. I gulped and said “Sure, whatever you want.” Whatever he wants, huh? Do you know how much hockey equipment costs?
March 22, 2007
Cashman Won't blink
Well, Brian Cashman was allowed to start acting like a real general manager two years ago; and, he's taken on the enormous task of shrinking the Yankee's payroll which is the size of a medium sized city's budget. Still, Cashman sees the whole Alex Rodriguez affair, his failures in the clutch and his distractions with Jeter, his personal life being under constant scrutiny, as well as every word which comes from his lips, as a major pain in the franchise. Fans have been yelling "he's got to go" in between boos all last season. Now that everyone (in the Yankees organization) apparently has finally had it with him, in spite of public comments to the contrary, Cashman announces that the Yankees won't entice A-Rod to stay with more money should he decide to opt out of his contract.
Maybe that's what Alex wanted when it was announced a few weeks ago that his opt-out clause existed. Perhaps he needed the Yankees to dangle a big, fat carrot in front of his face in the form of a giant sack of hard cash to make him feel wanted. But, it seems that that plan back-fired. My belief was that Alex really wanted to ditch the team and play shortstop somewhere else, again, for a super-huge barrel of money.
If Alex was testing the waters for his next contract, or if he was trying to assess how much he is really wanted in New York, or both, he went about it the wrong way. If you're going to play poker Alex, don't blink. Alex not only blinks, a lot, he also hugs himself and rocks back and forth in public.
Cashman has ice water running through his veins. Not only does he have the luxury of having an All-Star, or potential All-Star at every position on the team, he would also like to lop $15-20 million off of his payroll. Waving bye-bye to Alex would do just that. What Brian would probably do if Rodriguez opted-out early would be to hire a third baseman for a fraction of the cost and use some of the dough he saved (minus the money spent on cake and ice cream for A-Rod's Bon Voyage party) and spend it on pitching. Trust me, A-Rod does want to leave; but only if he thinks it's on his terms, and not if everyone on the Yankees and the entire fan base was shoving him out through the stadium entrance. Quote from A-Rod: "Gulp".
In practice, therapists (I am told) often tell their patients to make their needs known. In Rodriguez's case, he should have kept his big, fat trap shut about his opt-out clause. Now he's telling everyone (for the umpteenth time) that he really, really, wants to stay in New York. Are you sure? Not even for a boat load of money to play shortstop somewhere like, Texas?
Suck it up, Alex. You might be miserable in New York, and money can't buy happiness. But, in your case, it makes one hell of a down payment.
Maybe that's what Alex wanted when it was announced a few weeks ago that his opt-out clause existed. Perhaps he needed the Yankees to dangle a big, fat carrot in front of his face in the form of a giant sack of hard cash to make him feel wanted. But, it seems that that plan back-fired. My belief was that Alex really wanted to ditch the team and play shortstop somewhere else, again, for a super-huge barrel of money.
If Alex was testing the waters for his next contract, or if he was trying to assess how much he is really wanted in New York, or both, he went about it the wrong way. If you're going to play poker Alex, don't blink. Alex not only blinks, a lot, he also hugs himself and rocks back and forth in public.
Cashman has ice water running through his veins. Not only does he have the luxury of having an All-Star, or potential All-Star at every position on the team, he would also like to lop $15-20 million off of his payroll. Waving bye-bye to Alex would do just that. What Brian would probably do if Rodriguez opted-out early would be to hire a third baseman for a fraction of the cost and use some of the dough he saved (minus the money spent on cake and ice cream for A-Rod's Bon Voyage party) and spend it on pitching. Trust me, A-Rod does want to leave; but only if he thinks it's on his terms, and not if everyone on the Yankees and the entire fan base was shoving him out through the stadium entrance. Quote from A-Rod: "Gulp".
In practice, therapists (I am told) often tell their patients to make their needs known. In Rodriguez's case, he should have kept his big, fat trap shut about his opt-out clause. Now he's telling everyone (for the umpteenth time) that he really, really, wants to stay in New York. Are you sure? Not even for a boat load of money to play shortstop somewhere like, Texas?
Suck it up, Alex. You might be miserable in New York, and money can't buy happiness. But, in your case, it makes one hell of a down payment.
Gotham Baseball Magazine
Mr. Grudge is in Gotham Baseball Magazine!. Baseball fans should visit this website, subscribe to the magazine, and become active members of "Gotham Nation" by posting on the message boards. Gotham Baseball Magazine is a fast growing journal devoted to the past, present, and future of baseball. Don't miss out! Special thanks to the Editor in Chief of Gotham Baseball for his continued interest in my work.
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