An incredible day of juju, tomato sauce and friends.

First, I want to thank the IT IS HIGH commentators, lurkers, stalkers, friends, hangers-on and street people who yesterday turned Yankee Stadium section 431 into a Juju hurricane - opening and slurping the canned tomatoes that were once the Baltimore Orioles - and giving me one of the greatest days of my life as a Yankee fan.

Let me tell you something: I always figured that anybody who followed this ridiculous blog had to be a total loser. I mean, who else would do that? Yesterday, I met much of the community of incredible people - artists, writers, businessmen, titans of industry, beekeepers! (actually, no, that's a joke) - who for reasons of mental health love the Yankees and take celebration or solace in the daily postings and comments on this blog. 

I believe that, long ago, something happened to each of us - good or bad, I dunno - but it left us needing each other in times of personal great joy or despair, which is, of course, determined by the outcome of the Yankee game. 

I don't have the words to thank you all for organizing and attending yesterday's get-together. I'm much more comfortable discussing why Clint Frazier needs a second chance. In fact, let me do just that: Clint needs that second chance because everybody in our delirious group got one - when we found the lodestone of Mickey and Roger, Reggie and Thurman, Derek and Mo, and John and Suzyn. There, we found a safe haven in which to share our ups and downs. So, yeah... for better or worse, I say Red Thunder needs the same. BRING HIM UP, CASHMAN!

Listen: If the Yankees don't win the 2019 World Series, this entire season will have been a long, relentless drain of hope and creativity. But dammit, no matter what happens, we will face it together.

It may not read this way, but right now, I'm choosing my words very carefully: I have been blessed with a great wife, family and a life far better than I deserved. But in a weird, impossible-to-explain way, this blog gives me as much joy as anything else. 

While watching or listening to Yankee games, there are moments that cause me to leap from my seat and scream joyfully with all my might. 

In life, there are not many things that can have such an impact. 

So... in the name of tweaked gonads and Colter Bean... I thank you all for joining me on this long and twisted road to the 28th World Championship. Yesterday, we won two... and the games seemed like mere dreams. There was no way the Yankees were going to lose with that Juju volcano up in the left field nose-bleeds. But GODDAMMOT, WE BETTER WIN TODAY. IF WE LOSE TODAY, WE'RE FUCKING DEAD!