Monday, October 3, 2022

Reasons to be Cheerful!

 

With apologies to Ian Dury and the Blockheads...

Believe it or not, there ARE reasons to be cheerful about the weekend just passed.

One is that the Yankees are hitting the road, so that we can at least see someplace on our television set that is not unseasonably cold, dreary, and wet. And who knows—maybe the Rangers pitching staff consists of hardy fellows quite willing to challenge themselves and our resident behemoth. 

Well, we can dream, can't we?

But elsewhere, some good things were happening for Yankees fans.


Some people might say this was one of them—the Mets' ignominious sweep down in Atlanta, despite the fact that they pitched their vaunted aces in two of the three games.

I could not possibly be so unkind. Sure, it does increase the chances that, in the event of a Subway Series, we could conceivably get home field advantage against the Flushing Juggernaut. 

But you know, I know, and the American people know that when it comes to the 2022 World Series, your New York Yankees are not going to be there. The Mets...might, their two stud hoss starters and effective closer—remember those nice things?—giving them a puncher's chance. 

If they make it to the Fall Classic, I will be rooting for them unashamedly.

Much more likely to be there from the National League, though, are the hated Dodgers. But at least, over the weekend, the Bums managed to suffer their 49th loss of the season. 

A small thing, I hear you say. Yes, but it means that The Flock (as they used to be called in Brooklyn days) cannot possibly win more than 113 regular-season games or, therefore, more than 124 total games on the season, and therefore cannot tie or break the 1998 Yankees' all-time, single-season record of 125 wins.

Phew! I know you are as relieved as I am.  Still, it pains me to acknowledge that the Dodgers seem to be the team of the future as well as the now, bidding fair to build a Yankees-style dynasty. 

Let's just hope that prospect doesn't lure away you-know-who.

In the meantime...cheer up!

11 comments:

  1. “It would [have been] nice to hit it at home and do something special like that for the home fans,” Judge said. “But at the end of the day, I got a job to do. I got at-bats getting ready for the postseason. So it didn’t happen, but the season’s not over yet.”

    Remember what a slam dunk Judge setting a new record was? How articles were saying 65, 67?

    You know what the juju gods do when that kind of talk is being passed around. I'm beginning to think he doesn't do it. Not even 62.

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  2. Yes and yes.

    https://www.pinstripealley.com/2022/10/3/23384208/yankees-aroldis-chapman-playoff-roster-alds-closer-bullpen-pitching-options

    https://www.pinstripealley.com/2022/10/3/23383567/yankees-mlb-postseason-playoffs-opener-game-one-gerrit-cole-nestor-cortes-alds-starting-pitching

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  3. Yeah, I think that all the constant walking has thrown him off, now. I think he remains at 61. And the team will go out in the first round.

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  4. It does seem that when he gets very good pitches to hit, he doesn't hit them far.

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  5. It killed me at the beginning of September that YES kept playing the clip of Kay bombastically shouting "He's not only on pace to break the record, he's on pace to shatter it!". Talk about negative juju. Another example of Kay not truly appreciating baseball history, and the streaky nature of homer hitting

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  6. And the undetstanding that opposing pitchers would pitch around him almost every future at-bat.

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  7. He’s had a few pitches to hit, but less than previously. He’s missed them. Chasing a bit more now. Most pitchers obviously trying to pitch around him. My prediction is that he will NOT break the record. Fantastic year regardless, if I could shake his hand and say “Thank You!”, I would.

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  8. Also that there's so little around him in the lineup.

    And yes, 999, he's about the only bright spot. Without him, the season would already be over.

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  9. Hit them with your Rhythm Stick! Hit Them! Hit Them!

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  10. If they make it to the Fall Classic, I will be rooting for them unashamedly. Now its time to avail Taxi Near Mefor more details.

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