"With the count full, Hendriks unleashed a 98-mile-an-hour, four-seam fastball that Ford pulverized — it easily cleared the wall in right-center, landing in the Yankees’ bullpen. Ford took a moment to gauge the ball’s flight path, even if there was no doubt he’d just won the game. He flipped the bat in the direction of the Yankees’ dugout and began circling the bases, just as in those dreams. Not only was the entire Yankees roster waiting for him at home plate, but so was a water-cooler shower, a rite of passage for those who deliver in the clutch."
HOW MANY ANNOUNCERS CAN GIVE YOU GOOSEBUMPS WITH A HOME RUN CALL?
ReplyDeleteANSWER: ONLY ONE.
THE MASTER.
When Gardy was up, I muted the TV--which, weirdly, was more real time than MLB radio--and got Sterling's game call on my phone. It was incredible. I even had to turn on the TV volume when Gardner hit the HR, I was so excited. Then back to the Master. The Ford call was just great. It was like Sterling was a 12 year old kid, with a really deep voice, jumping up and down at the sheer joy of events.
ReplyDeleteHe may make some mistakes now and then, but what a call. He is truly one of a kind. Just terrific.
I don't think we should be saying or even thinking in terms of "our year" until after the last out of the World Series. Way too many potential bear traps over the course of this coming month. Pitching, or lack thereof, a home-run driven offense, the same idiotic managing decisions - Dull? - and plain old hubris. The great dynasty team of the the late '90s would go out of their way to tamp down any talk about "our year." They understood that the gods are listening and the gods need entertainment. We don't want their entertainment to come at our expense.
ReplyDeleteI committed the Ultimate Sin when the Yankees were floundering in the 8th inning of switching to the away broadcast on MLB radio. When the Yankees began to rally, I felt I was locked into the A's broadcast by the Rules of Juju. and compelled to listen. While the disappointment expressed by the A's announcers was sweet, by the time I switched back to the Master I had missed the spontaneity of the winning blast. I hope the JuJu Gods appreciate my sacrifice, and that the Master forgives me. Please do not suspend me from this site.
ReplyDeleteEvery Yankee win is a big win, but yesterday was a truly BIG WIN.
ReplyDeleteOh FuckyouHal, oh FuckyouHal !!
Amen, 13bit. For all its merits, this Yankees squad doesn't have the sort of killer professionalism those 1998-2000 teams did.
ReplyDeleteWhich doesn't mean anything—unlikely, exuberant, surprise teams win, too, a la the 1996 Yanks.
But it will be awfully hard getting by anyone and everyone in the playoffs.
There are moments in a life where things come together. I can still picture the look on his parent's faces when he had his first big league at bat and then his first hit. Now he gets a walk off. It makes the heart glad.
ReplyDeleteDoug K.
this Yankee team is spoiling us with all this amazing drama that turns out right. I wouldn't dare to incite the Gods of Baseball by calling 2019 "our year" but it's definitely been a fun one.
ReplyDeleteI sure do hope we are done with the A's. We do not own them at all. In fact, after Saturday and Sunday, I'm sure they'd like another crack at us. They play good, crisp baseball and look as tough as anyone in the American Leagure short of Houston.
Lorenzo Pietro Berra always said, "It ain't over 'til it's over."
ReplyDeleteHowever, I am enjoying the ride more than most years.
Let's hope it's "their" year.
I read the NY Times daily, but never their sport section anymore. I find it dull, boring and inaccurate as was the case with Klapisch's article Duque linked into his post. (When did he start writing for the Times?) You would think as a reporter covering the Yankees or a reporter checking his facts that he would have known that Ford did not replace Frazier on the Yankees. He was called up when Encarnacion got hurt. Very shoddy reporting in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteFrom Rotowire dated 8/3/19:
"New York recalled first baseman Mike Ford from Triple-A to take Encarnacion's place on the 25-man roster.
The 27-year-old could see some consistent playing time at first for the AL East-leading Yankees. The club is also missing Luke Voit, who is dealing with a sports hernia and may need surgery."
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