Kevin Baker's book is here!

Kevin Baker's book is here!
"... an exemplary sports book..." Kirkus Reviews

Sunday, March 19, 2017

Sunday links... With no particular place to go

The Monsters of March lost only their sixth game of 2017 yesterday when a scrap-heaper we signed Thursday - Ernesto "Guy" Frieri - surrendered a run in the ninth. At 31, Frieri continues the Cashmanic tradition of grabbing players who were stars four years ago. In 2013, he saved 37 for the Angels. Cash saw him in the WBC, and we took a flier on him. No harm in that. (If you teach a GM to fish...)  Over the years, junk-pile picking has been one of Cashman's greatest gifts - Aaron Small, Tanyon Sturtz, et al. (Chris Carter, 0-3 with another K yesterday, notwithstanding.) And get this: Frieri tells Jerry Hall's Post that the Yankees are the team of his dreams, and he will accept a minor league assignment. Bravo. 

The same article touts 22-year-old OF Billy McKinney - who hit his third homer yesterday - as a potential breakout prospect - (a phrase that covers every minor leaguer in our solar system.) Obtained as an "afterthought" in last summer's Aroldis Chapman deal, McKinney has hit all spring, and he might wind up in Scranton instead of Trenton. I hope Cashman is drinking in the positive vibes that come with trading FOR prospects, rather than dealing them for retreads. How much more exciting are they to watch than the lineup of Ellsbury, Headley, Castro, etc. Keep telling yourselves: Better times are coming.

A-Lo and J-Rod "quietly" visited Tampa camp yesterday. Yeesh. Story reads like an episode of Drunk History. As JA-RodLo was leaving, a high school hockey team approached them, seeking an up-close glimpse of immortality. A-Rod was gracious. (Insert joke about the $21 million he's being paid.) Good for him/them/it. I hope it's true love. But for now, it looks like just another case of insecure celebrities doubling their fame imprint by pairing-up in public. They weren't getting enough attention. I'm not sure I'd want to get too close.

A chewable thumb-sucker on "expectations" for Masahiro Tanaka. Nut of it: He could have a great year! Then again, maybe not. Is his elbow half-full or half-empty? That's the deal with "expectation" stories. I have little expectations.

Still getting over the death of Chuck Berry. Was hoping I heard it wrong, and it was actually Buckcherry. As our traditional IIHIIFIIc tribute, we rewrite a few songs a la' the Yankees - you know, Run, Run Randolph, Johnny B. Damon, and My Chien-a-Ming. But this just seemed wrong. I felt like... well... a certain current Yankee.

Riding around in his automobile.
Refsnyder is at the wheel.
Last night delivered a walk-off drive.
Won't seem him again 'till August 5.
He hits, but never can find the way...

With no particular place to play.

We've lost a true American original, a true American hero, the greatest rocker in history (and yes, I am aware of the guy from Jersey.) 

5 comments:

Local Bargain Jerk said...

We've lost a true American original, a true American hero, the greatest rocker in history (and yes, I am aware of the guy from Jersey.)

I'm from New Jersey and I don't even think that other guy you refer to from the Garden State is #2. We can debate some other time, after a quiet mourning period, whether Little Richard is #1 or #2.

Parson Tom said...

The man had his demons, but he was also touched by genius. So much of what has followed is derivative.

Anonymous said...

HAL-BELENE, WHY CAN'T CHA BE TRUE?....OH HAL-BELENE, WHY CAN'T CHA BE TRUE?.......
REST IN PEACE CHUCK BERRY, ALWAYS MADE ME SMILE WHEN HE DID THAT SHUFFLE WITH HIS GUITAR IN HAND.


WHEN WILL IT END WITH CASHMAN'S ALMOST ALWAYS MEANINGLESS, (AARON SMALL ASIDE), DUMPSTER DIVING?
LAST TIME THIS FIERI PITCHED, HE HAD AN OVER 7 ERA!
HE LOST HIS FASTBALL...
IT ISN'T MAGICALLY COMING BACK...
GOD FORBID WE GIVE A YOUNG FIREBALLER LIKE BEN HELLER A SHOT (NEARLY A 1.00 ERA THIS SPRING).
UNBELIEVABLE.

JM said...

Berry, Richard, Domino. And then there was everyone else. Though the Coasters (Robins), Big Maybelle, Hank Ballard, Wynonie Harris and a bunch of others also have my undying devotion.

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