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Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Why we live as Yankee fans

Ed Rosen 
A note from Austria's Only Baseball Fan...

VIENNA -- While I sit here in the middle of the night waiting to see if the rain stops in Baltimore, I think it’s time that I finally post something that’s been on my mind all season.

I haven’t posted as much here as in past years, and my passion for the game has distinctly lost an important component.

Back in the early 1970s, when I was in my teens attending university in New York, I met a guy named Ed Rosen, a New York native.  Ed and I both made our livings in the world of classical music.  He was the one and only person I knew with whom I could go to the opera one night and Yankee Stadium the next.

We stayed in touch all these years.  With the advent of Internet communication and MLB.TV, Ed and I often had a running chat during Yankee games which he watched on YES from his Manhattan apartment, and I on my computer here in the 6th District of Vienna.  We had the same likes and dislikes.

And frustrations!  I can’t begin to count the number of times I typed “Get him off the mound – NOW!” to which Ed would reply with his most-used phrase: “Fire Girardi!”  His next most-used phrase was “I hate Michael Kay!”

He used to tell me when he was going out and DVR-ing the game and usually asked me to not write anything about it till he watched it.  Many times I would write him, “DO NOT WATCH!  Just take my word for it: you don’t want to see this!”

Because of our work, we were in touch year-round and would often exchange speculations about the upcoming season: dreams of trades, front office firings, swallowing the millions of the last years of a failing long-term contract, and praying for improvement for our favorite players when they inevitably fell into slumps.  And we damned well agreed that Bret Gardner is the de facto Captain of the Yankees, and should formally receive the title.

I was in a serious accident in mid-November last year which curtailed my e-mail access for a couple of weeks.  The last time I heard from Ed, he announced he was moving a few blocks to a smaller apartment on a higher floor with a view of Lincoln Center.

In late December I got an e-mail informing me that Ed became suddenly ill right after Thanksgiving and died a quiet, peaceful death a few days before Christmas.

So Yankee watching is no longer a shared experience for me, even if it was separated by six time zones and an ocean.  I shall never forget Ed, a close buddy for over 40 years: his good-natured sense of humor, his nostalgia, and his undying passion equally divided between music and the Yankees (he was the kind of diehard fan who never watched another team).

When Ed died, I lost not only one of my best friends but some of my love for the game.


In my personal Monument Park: Ed Rosen – 1940-2016

30 comments:

Alphonso said...

Put the Austrian fan on our "live message" correspondences ( via i-phone ) so we can fill in for his fallen friend. Everyone needs a foil for venting about Yankee games.

There may be a time problem, of course. How many light years away is Austria? He might be eating breakfast while we are about to fall asleep in the 8th inning.

Condolences to him from all of us.

Leinstery said...

CC can't pitch to the O's. Even when he was throwing 98 he struggled. Now is not the time to see if he can do it.

Parson Tom said...

Sad story. Sounds like a great friend. Peace.

Local Bargain Jerk said...


Hey, Austria's Only Baseball Fan...

That's a very nice piece you wrote for your friend; He would have been pleased.

I hope you make it back over to this side of the Atlantic from time to time.

I am sorry for your loss.

HoraceClarke66 said...

That's a very nice tribute, to someone who sounds like a great friend. I hope you are recovering well from your accident.

HoraceClarke66 said...

By the way, these "I am not a robot" tests are getting very annoying.

—Isaac Asimov

Urban Farmer formerly known as DutchFan said...

Austrian fan, being in the same time zone, I know how strange it sometimes feels to be awake in the middle of the night watching or listening to games. Being connected to a real friend oceans away who shares your fascination must have been extra special. Nice tribute.

And even though my fellow countryman Schoop just homered, it feels like winning tonight.

Leinstery said...

This game was over in the 3rd, but this fat slob keeps serving up bombs. I'll say it again, the O's have owned CC for as long as I can remember, he cannot be allowed to pith to them. He should have never been on the mound in Camden, the guy lives by the grace of God and that left center in Yankee stadium is unusually deep, he can't be allowed to pitch in a park where it's 364 to left center. Why isn't this in the binders?

Anyone remember who was on the mound when the Yankees needed that come back against the O's? Yep it was CC

Leinstery said...

Refsnyder made an appearance in Boston, he reached on an error by Nuni. If the Juju gods are merciful the Sox and Jays will play another 18 and grind each other into oblivion.

Leinstery said...

Fucking Betances. The moment he walked Beckham I knew exactly what he was going to do. Fucking jackass. How many games does he need to fuck up before the Binders adjust? Jesus Christ. Absolutely threw that game away Joe you fucking jerkoff. He gave up a homerun yesterday, and serves up the game winner today. Will the binders have him go out tomorrow to throw more batting practice? Stay tuned

Anonymous said...

DEVASTATING ...

MOTHERFUCKER...

MOTHERFUCKER....

MOTHERFUCKER....

Anonymous said...

I revel in the spectable of second-guessers like Leinstery squirming in their self-made hell.

Anonymous said...

God CC you FAT FREAK... HOW THE HELL YOU OWN BOSTON AND GET DESTROYED BY THE FRIGGIN Os...

Anonymous said...

I love how Delin just walks off the mound after he serves up a bomb straight into the dugout.... Maybe for BBQ with CC TUBBY

Urban Farmer formerly known as DutchFan said...

Pardon my optimism (which nobody noticed luckily).

As a foreigner I am obviously great in swearing and using foul language. The first thing you learn and are taught. But I think this blog deserves better than that.

Blistering barnacles!
This is rough.
Malarkey!

HoraceClarke66 said...

Biggest pineapple of the year. But that's been said before. There always seems to be a bigger pineapple out there.

HoraceClarke66 said...

And Boston won, in 19. So the Yanks went from a lock on being just 1.5 back, to 3.5 down.

Nice.

As I think ALL-CAPS has said here, you pitch everybody in the pen every night, you're bound to find the rotten apple sooner or later.

But beyond that, Dellin Betances is a guy with 32 saves in his MLB career, and 15 blown saves. He's just not a closer.

Leinstery said...

I don't make the hell, Betances does. If what Horace says is true a 2:1 save to blown save ratio is abysmal for a late inning guy. I've seen enough of Betances to know he will fuck up when given the opportunity.

Urban Farmer formerly known as DutchFan said...

Betances is just getting back on the Yankees for his poor contract.

Joe of AZ said...

And somewhere high up in his rich lair is ol carrot top Levine smiling,sipping mimosas, smiling with a smug "I told you so" smile on his face

HoraceClarke66 said...

So let's review:

—The Yanks first decided to give a demonstrably unbalanced individual who had just been worked like a rented donkey, a record contract to close games.

—When he was out, they gave the job to a journeyman middle-reliever approaching retirement, who they had discarded themselves many years ago.

—When that failed, they dealt highly touted young prospects to the White Sox to get two more relievers, one of whom...has actually managed to finish off a game from time to time.

—Unimpressed, they then gave the job to their long-promised, "Closer of de Future," a 29-year-old manchild who has always failed at this responsibility at a clip of one time out of every three. And who continues to do so.

Much as we've wailed and rent our garments this year over the soap opera of Aaron Judge (another decidedly un-clutch game tonight)—much as we've lamented the immaturity of Gary Sanchez, or the arrival of the Toddfather, or Brian Cashman's seemingly limitless preference for beaten down old nags over dazzling new thoroughbreds—

—what's really killed us this year, over and over again, is the worst Yankees bullpen I can remember. Ever.

Anonymous said...

YEP HOSS, GIRARDI'S SIMPLE LACK OF PRIORITIZING THE RELIEVERS TO GET THROUGH THE 9TH INNING HAS KILLED US AGAIN.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH WHAT HE DID 2 GAMES AGO, AND USE ONE PITCHER FOR 2 2/3 INNINGS (CHAD GREEN)??

WHY CAN'T HE STICK WITH ONE GUY, WHO HAS RECORDED 3 OUTS ALREADY WITHOUT A BLEMISH?

LAST NIGHT, IT WAS CHAPMAN WHO LOOKED GOOD IN THE INNING HE PITCHED. 1,2,3.

LET CHAPMAN PITCH A 2ND INNING!!!

WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE 6TH INNING, ONE GUY.

7TH INNING, ANOTHER GUY.

8TH INNING, ANOTHER GUY.

9TH INNING, MY CLOSER.

FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME, GIRARDI DOESN'T REALIZE THE MORE GUYS HE KEEPS SLINGING INTO THE GAME, THE BETTER CHANCE THERE IS ONE OF THEM WILL BE OFF. IT KEEPS HAPPENING!

IT IS ACTUALLY PRETTY UNREASONABLE TO EXPECT 4 DIFFERENT RELIEVERS TO GO 4 FULL INNINGS TO NOT GIVE UP A RUN, AND CLOSE A GAME OUT.

GIRARDI HAS NOT BEEN BURNT ENOUGH BY THIS THIS SEASON.

REALISTICALLY, THIS YANKEE TEAM, AMAZINGLY AS IT SOUNDS, SHOULD EASILY BE 20 - 25 GAMES OVER .500. .....IT'S KIND OF AMAZING WE ARE 10 GAMES OVER AFTER ALL THESE CRUSHING LOSSES.

THE BULLPEN, AND GIRARDI'S MISUSE OF IT, HAS KILLED US.

Anonymous said...

......AND I'M SORRY DUTCHFAN, BUT AFTER 50 YEARS OF BEING A COMPLETE YANKEE FANATIC, AFTER A LOSS LIKE LAST NIGHT.....

YOUR WORDS JUST WON'T CUT IT....

......AND THIS BLOG IS A BIG BOY NOW, IT CAN TAKE IT....

REPEAT AFTER ME.....(YELL IT LOUD)!

MOTHERFUCKER!!!!!!!

(THAT LOSS KEPT ME UP LAST NIGHT, THAT'S WHY I'M TYPING NOW AT 7 AM)!

JM said...

Austrian Fan...I'm late getting here, but really sorry to hear about your friend Ed. He sounds like he was a great guy.

The toughest thing about getting old is the losses. Aches and pains, stuff like that--not such a big deal. Seeing people you love disappear...that's hard.

Say hi to Vienna for me.

HoraceClarke66 said...

You're right, ALL-CAPS. Baseballreference still has the Yanks lacking 8 wins they should have, considering how many more runs they've scored, as opposed to given up.

These things aren't precise, but they do show a team that can't win the close ones.

Stang said...

Thanks for telling us about your friend Ed, Austria Fan. My sympathies.

Stang said...

I'm pro-DutchFan and pro-swearing. Where does that leave me?

I'm Bill White said...

Great and important post. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

First, let me say that I'm truly sorry for your loss of such a friend, Austrian Fan; he sounds like someone I would have liked to know - - very much so. I can understand your present feeling of loneliness and emptiness as well: living in the land of the Tigers now, I find very few Yankee fans to talk with - - and I grew up in Iowa (yes, a life-long Yankee fan, because of The Mick, who I saw on TV at an impressionable age), where there were hardly any Yankee fans in the whole state.

I must say, your interests and mine intersect in more ways than one: in addition to being hooked on this team, the management and ownership of which does not appreciate or deserve loyalty of their fans - - I am also a classical LP dealer/collector/amateur musician, for the past 53 years. I would love to talk BB, the Yanks, and classical music with you - - and Austrian visual & applied arts of the 20th century as well - - Klimt, Schiele, Moser, Wiener Werkstatte, etc....

I am also a "night person", which alienates me a bit further from so many of the wonderful correspondents on this blog - - by the time I see the posts, most of them have finished a good part of their day, and by the time I post, usually, no one is reading that article any more - - except on weekends, usually, when I stay up "late".

At any rate, rest assured that there are others of us out here - - and if there were a good, economical way to talk with you (sadly, I don't own a "smart" phone), I am certain I would enjoy doing so...but I guess e-mail would be the only way, right now.

I wish you well, and I hope you DO find another good friend, or friends, with your interests.

I will leave you with a thought oft-repeated on these pages: FIRE GIRARDI - - FIRE CASHMAN - - please sell the team, Hal!! LB (No J)

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