Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Autumn in New York

"Autumn in New York
Is often mingled with pain..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO2Ij1eO-GQ

Sing it, Billie.

Don't you love this time of year?  And a rare postseason day game!  It's like yesterday once more, as the Carpenters so astutely put it.  The sharp, crisp air giving everything an extra intensity.  It really was a shame when they started playing October night baseball, back in 1971.

So many memories...the playoff in Fenway, in 1978, "the closest thing to death," as Muhammad Ali  put it (about his third fight with Frazier—but still, the sentiment is transferrable!).

I still remember rushing back from work to watch Game 2 of the special ALDS, in the strike-shortened, 1981 season. The Yanks were clinging to a 1-0 lead in Milwaukee, trying to go up 2-0 in games against their nemesis of the time, Mike Caldwell.  I remember watching Reggie and Dave Winfield kneeling together in the on-deck circle before the start of the eighth inning, "conferring."

Then—Winfield hits a booming triple, Reggie follows with a long, long home run.  Rich Gossage closes it out, relieving Ron Davis, who had relieved our rookie sensation, Dave Righetti.

A staff full of young fireballers, new free-agent superstars shipped in fresh every year to shine on the marquee...We had found the magic formula!

It would go on and on, just like in the days of the dynasties.  We'd lead the life we choose, we'd fight and never lose, those were the days, oh yes those were the days.

Well, to paraphrase Roy Hobbes, our baseball life didn't work out like we'd planned.  Too bad.  It's still fun.

We're going to lose today, and we're going to lose this series, and even if we were to win this series we'd have absolutely no chance to beat Washington in the World Series.

The reasons we will lose we have discussed at length here, and we are right, and all the Gammonites and the bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, no-negativism-comrade blogs are wrong.

Those reasons are bred in the bone of what Cashman is, and what the sad-eyed Steinbrenner heirs are, and even what sport and get-it-now capitalism have come to in America, and blah-blah-blah.

Nothing we can do about there here and now, on a bright October day when it feels good just to be alive.

I'll get back to bashing the reprobates who have doomed us to another early winter soon enough.  For now...nothing to do but sit back and love the game, just because of what it is.

Go team!








114 comments:

TheWinWarblist said...

Go Yanks!




Fuck you Hal, you gormless canker.

HoraceClarke66 said...

The pregame analysis:

A-Rod: If the Yankees have to go to another infielder, I don't know what they're going to do.

Frank Thomas: Their lineup as is against Gerrit Cole is a recipe for failure.

David Ortiz: You miss a superstar like Stanton, when you're not even able to use him off the bench.

Sounds like we got 'em right where we want 'em!

HoraceClarke66 said...

The really important thing, though, is that we have CC on the team in case we need to get one batter who can't hit a very slow fastball or bunt.

13bit said...

{non-stop vomiting}

HoraceClarke66 said...

So, A-Rod just claimed that the Yankees could have had Gerrit Cole for Chance Adams and Clint Frazier.

Granted, he called him "Chase Adams." And it's A-Rod. And who knows what BoJo Johnson Rothschild would've done to him.

But talk about vomiting...

TheWinWarblist said...

"John Sterling will paint the word picture of tonight's game ... brought to you by Sherwin Williams," said Suzyn.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Damn, that Altuve is good. Watching him is what it must've felt like for other teams watching Jeter.

ranger_lp said...

@Winnie...don't let John fool ya...he's not using paint...he's using crayon.

TheWinWarblist said...

I am prepared for tonight. I am at the office, but I intend to cavort and gambol until the Yankees achieve victory. Pants, you ask? Pants? Why yes, pants could become involved. I may cavort and gambol with pants on head. Why not? It matters not.

TheWinWarblist said...

Ranger, I merely quote the Suzyn; I do not sit in judgement.

Platoni said...

What are the chances Yankees work Cole like the Astros are working Sevy?

TheWinWarblist said...

Well, that was disgusting ...

HoraceClarke66 said...

Live by the long ball, die by the long ball.

Two smart base hits to start...then swing for the fences!

A bunt might have caused chaos...

HoraceClarke66 said...

C'mon, Sir Didi!

HoraceClarke66 said...

Damn. Let him get away.

Platoni said...

I kept yelling BUNT! Obviously Yankees won't listen to me.

But give them time. They'll come around

HoraceClarke66 said...

Hmm, Sevvy must be "tipping his pitches" again.

How nice of him to come back just in time to give us one of his patented, big-game meltdowns.

Anonymous said...

We are screwed.

Doug K.

Platoni said...

Will we find out that Sevy has been nursing an ouchie, but that he was heroically not divulging it to the staff?

HoraceClarke66 said...

They are actually being embarrassed now. Yeah, who the hell could've figured Altuve was going/ And no pitchout on an 0-2 count?

Yanks seem barely involved in this game.

Sevvy with over 60 pitches through 2 innings. Good thing he's not planning to go long.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Nah, Platoni, Sevvy often pitches like this in a big one. The wild card play-in against Minnesota in 2017, the 2017 ALCS in Houston (4 walks, 3 hits, 3 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings), the Boston fiasco last year...

He's had some good ones, too. But too many starts like this when we need him most.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Sanchez with a weak pop-up. Huh.

TheWinWarblist said...

Did you know ICS is 2-17 in the playoffs?

TheWinWarblist said...

Did you know Hicks hasn't played since before August, Suzyn says? He missed over 100 games? Do tell?

HoraceClarke66 said...

Oh, what a pity we have the scrubeenies out there! Cole looks like he has far from his best stuff.

Also, Ma Boone is under the assumption that they are playing by the Little League "no stealing" rules

Platoni said...

Back to swinging at low pitches, I see. Good plan

HoraceClarke66 said...

Yeah, in another in an almost endless line of bad clutch at-bats by the Judge.

HoraceClarke66 said...

You know, it's funny, the pre-game guys were all saying that the pressure was on the Astros, because if they lost with Cole out there, "they might not make it out of Yankee Stadium."

Nonsense talk, of course—unless they meant the rat-feces dogs—but in any case it doesn't look like the Astros feel any pressure at all. They seem loosy-goosey—while Boone's team seems uptight and out of whack, as it often does in a big game.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Good thing there's no such thing as clutch. Because if there were, the Yankees wouldn't have it today.

At least Severino is on pace to go 4 and a third to save the bullpen.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Hmm, anybody have an idea what Brett Gardner is looking to hit? Cause I'm out of guesses after, "big fat pitches down the middle of the plate."

HoraceClarke66 said...

What is it that makes me think we will look back at that whole parrot thing in a few years and shiver?

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Hoss,

Can we have a couple dozen yankee franks sent to the Houston dugout? Extra rat feces please.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Gleyber strikes out on a 91-mph pitch down the pike.

What's that terrible gagging sound I hear?

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Time to watch reruns of I Love Lucy. Pretty funny seeing her work that assembly line at the chocolate factory.

HoraceClarke66 said...

What's with all the weird interruptions to service? Are the Mysterons about to attack?

(This might be a good time for it.)

HoraceClarke66 said...

5 LOB in the first two innings. That's when you get great pitchers, if you're going to get them. And Cole looked very gettable.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Fucking Sucky FS1. Smoltz's anal vibrator must be too much of a electrical draw on the Stadium service.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Great all around game by Gardy today. Holy tomoley.

Did ANYONE come to play this afternoon?

13bit said...

Men left on base, over the past ten years, is the stat that, more than any other, makes me start to twitch.

One thing about, say, the 1998 Yankees - they had a few hitters who would get a woody if they came to bat with men on base. They LIVED to drive guys in. Not so much these guys.

This is more a bunch that has wet dreams about being the blast after the bloop. Not a good mental attitude to take to the plate.

13bit said...

Oh yeah, one more thing...this is the real Severino. So long, it's been nice to know you...

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Those are heartbeats I won't be getting back.

Platoni said...

I know this is beating a long-dead horse, but Boone taking Greene out in Game 2 is still irkiing me to no end. We've sucked at everything since then

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Maybe FINALLY we'll see a 2 out hit.

This is the guy to do it.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

fuck

Rufus T. Firefly said...

I blame it on Smoltz's vibrator making the lights flicker.

JM said...

What's going on with the game? I'm not home and Gameday hasn't changed since the inning change.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Enrico Palazzo could have been ready in half the time.

Austria's Only Baseball Fan said...

I just tuned in and caught the bottom of the 4th, then took a piss and now: WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING? Did some umpire plotz or something?

Rufus T. Firefly said...

The homeplate ump is injured. They're fucking masturbating before they are restarting. It's taking a while because they have Redbook centerspread with Suzyn as their motivation.

JM said...

Was it his eyes? Such as they are.

Austria's Only Baseball Fan said...

Jesus Mary and Joseph hangin' off the cross, we now have to watch A-Rod et al? I always hated Big Papi and now I hate him even more. If he's going to be on an English-speaking TV network he should at least have some grammar and diction lessons (and/or subtitles). Fuck Fox!

And, need I say it? FUCK YOU HAL!

JM said...

Take him out. Fast.

JM said...

Papi too.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

The ump probably had concussion symptoms from taking a foul off the mask earlier.

AoBF, it's annoying to get to sync, but the master is still available on mlb.com mediacenter. Much better than listening to the crew of festering boils they have on FS1.

General question, with Smoltz and Joe (not jack's sperm) Buck, which is the pitcher and which is catcher? Inquiring minds want to know.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Suzyn confirms the concussion.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Ok,

NOW FUCKING SCORE!

HoraceClarke66 said...

The Gleyber is wearing Bobby Bonds' old number. Bad idea?

HoraceClarke66 said...

Platoni, I might feel worse about it if we had got a hit since.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Boy, why don't we put in a pinch runner for EE?

Oh, that's right...

HoraceClarke66 said...

Oh, good, so we get to watch Didi hit instead. Sigh.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

2 on 2 out.

I've seen this before.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Oh, man. So close. 9 left on in 5 innings. We got the Cole off-day we wanted and needed. And could not capitalize.

BernBabyBern said...

So, for those listening to the Master ... did he call our name? When we really, really did NOT want him to?

BernBabyBern said...

It looks like Encarnacion is the most fired-up guy in the Stadium. He's been around a long time and I dont think he's ever played in a World Series, and I'm guessing he wants it reeeeeaaaal bad.

JM said...

Cole over 100. Let's see how long they keep him in.

JM said...

Otto sucks.

Platoni said...

Why the fuck is Ottavino still brought into games

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Bern, he did not get past it is high.

Otto is not a lost cause, but he is lost for this season. Mike Andrews please!

Austria's Only Baseball Fan said...

Uh, because the number on his back matches the Yankees' score?

ranger_lp said...

Ottavino is one big zero...

Rufus T. Firefly said...

I still think Reggie needs to light a FUCKING fire under their FUCKING asses and tell them to FUCKING start FUCKING hitting!

JM said...

Good fucking idea.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

The ump saved a wild pitch.

BernBabyBern said...

Thank God we've got the greatest bullpen in the history of ever ...

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Not the next time.

Suzyn: "Oh, boy"

Rufus T. Firefly said...

What channel is I Love Lucy on??

Austria's Only Baseball Fan said...

Would NOW be a good time to go make a big salad? I don't want to miss one second of the Nationals' game. I got a kilo of some beautiful Italian figs at Naschmarkt today and can nibble on those later on.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

I need a kilo of something else to make this game palatable.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

This all goes back to not being able to score after Otto gave up tying run Sunday.

Season over.

Austria's Only Baseball Fan said...

Rufus, as Bette Davis says in "Dark Victory," - "I'll have a large order of prognosis negative."

Rufus T. Firefly said...

They've given up.

Cessa is in.

Leinstery said...

The series was lost when Ottavino gave the lead up in Houston. He makes me miss Betances.

Austria's Only Baseball Fan said...

As I mentioned somewhere else on this blog, “cessa” is a command form of the Italian verb “cessare” which mean “cease; to stop, put an end to.”

Rufus T. Firefly said...

All they need to do to win the series now is win TWO OUT OF FOUR *IN* HOUSTON.

That's fucking easy! Calm down people!

Cessa looking better than Otto. We're fucked.

TheWinWarblist said...

This is just wretched.

Platoni said...

It's a shame how Boone is once again sucking in the postseason. Should have not brought in Otto and taken out Greene in game 2. Should have had gardy bunt earlier tonight. And should have FUCKING NOT brought fucking Otto into a fucking game!

TheWinWarblist said...

I'm not running around the office with my pants on my head and my genitals flapping for this steaming pile.

Except for Cessa. He did okay. I flap my genitals at him. The rest of them suck. None for them.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Screwed again, on that awful call at first. It was a tie...and there is no way in hell the replay is clear enough to overrule the call on the field.

One of the shills in the press box, of course, immediately said "Crowd doesn't like it, but they got it right."

13bit said...

We suck. Too bad nobody loses his job over this. Business as usual.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Oh, good, our specialty: the meaningless, bases empty home run.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

GREAT! a FUCKING SOLO homerun.

Would have been nice ANY of the fucking times there were 2 and 3 guys on base.

Fuck you Yankees. Fuck you HAL

HoraceClarke66 said...

I agree about Ottavino, who I never want to see in a Yankees uniform again.

But how much choice did Boone have? The Yankees are now operating on such a paper-thin edge that they have to throw in everyone.

Thanks to the CC and GC VIP reserved luxury spots on the roster, the Yanks are essentially playing 23 v. 25.

HoraceClarke66 said...

I fear these depressingly similar pop-ups mark the last days of DiDi.

13bit said...

Hal, PLEASE SELL THE TEAM. You know you want to.

13bit said...

LET CC HIT IN THE 9th!!!

He needs to say goodbye some more.

Fuck you, Brian.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Hoss,

Boone could have left Green in.

ranger_lp said...

Not only are the Rastros outhitting the Yanks, but their bullpen has been better than ours...and that was supposed to be our strength.

HoraceClarke66 said...

But just how many innings is Green supposed to pitch? Particularly when he will probably be "the opener" tomorrow or the next day?

This has reached the ridiculous point. The New York Yankees, the dark lords of baseball, are actually trying to win the World Series while being too afraid to offend players who have contributed nothing this season.

This is a total failure of management. But then we knew that.

HoraceClarke66 said...

And I agree, Bitty: CC hits in the 9th!!!

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Hoss,

The master said it: it won't matter if you lose today. They did.

tomorrow will be rained out.

plenty of rest.

They threw away games 2 and 3.

I'm going to start rooting for the pirates for christ's sake.

13bit said...

We are donkey shit. We don't deserve to win. This is why you can't have nice things, Timmy. We are the balls of a dead rat, flattened under a garbage truck. We are old, Bowery alcoholics sniffing ask valium. We are ass. We are the lowest pond scum. We are chicken byproduct. We suck Godzilla dick. We are the New York Yankees.

13bit said...

When this ends the way I think it's going to end, I'm rooting for the Nats, but I'll wait and see how bad we get fucked over first.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

No worries, they can win against VerKlempt and Hole in Houston. Easy.

Fuck you HAL.

13bit said...

And the worst part is that there will be no consequences.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

They'll do it to you every fucking time.

With apologies to Jack Nicholson for stealing his line.

JM said...

Boone just categorically said he wouldn't think be of starting Romine.

So much for dance with the girl you came with.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

How pissed off am I?

In the middle of this, I signed up for a Samsung account to download their free emoji set to my phone.

Immediately, fucking robocalls complete with voicemails.

EVERY
FUCKING
MINUTE

Even though the email I used includes "donotspamme" in the name.

Tech support that wants to datamine rather than help me. From Bangalore.

I am pissed beyond belief.

TWO - FUCKING TWO, winnable games they fucked up.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Another disappointing season comes to a close.

Anonymous said...

"I fear these depressingly similar pop-ups mark the last days of DiDi."

As do I Hoss. As do I.

You know supposedly they switched the ball back to deadened one for the playoffs. So Didi's might have gone out but then again so would a few of Astros fly balls. So I'm not making excuses.

Not happy.

Doug K.

HoraceClarke66 said...

First off, Houston is the better team. Period. Even before the injuries.

The frustrating, JuJu pineapple additive is that they were so takeable the past couple games. We got the "slightly off" games from Verlander and Cole that we were praying for.

Trouble was that we didn't take advantage. Which is frustrating.

13bit said...

"We're the Battling Bastards of Bataan,
No mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam,
No aunts, no uncles, no cousins, no nieces,
No pills, no planes, no artillery pieces,
And nobody gives a damn!"

HoraceClarke66 said...

Amen, Bitty! I have tried a couple of variations on that for the Yanks the past year couple seasons.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Who is this "Bitty" of whom you speak?

Are you perhaps referring to our friend Scabby and a victim of autocorrect?

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