Saturday, June 11, 2022

Observations from the 42-18 catbird seat (correction: 42-16)

 1. Did anybody not expect the Yankees to win last night? I sure didn't. Still, I didn't expect it to take so long. 

Altogether now... Wahhhh, wahhh, wahhh...

2. Every great team has a Victor Cruz - that is, a nobody who comes out of nowhere to be a star. 

Jose Trevino...

3. Last night, the Yankees avenged the Cubs' insult to former teammate, Clint Frazier. Earlier in the day, Chicago waived Red Thunder, who had popped off about his time in NYC, and being forced to shave. 

Oh, well...

4. I watched the Scranton BusRiders last night in Syracuse, a doubleheader sweep, but was dismayed by the lack of prospects in the lineup. Seems like everybody is over 27. 

I get the need to use Triple A as a recycling plant, but it sure would be nice to see a few youngsters. Our MLB success this season has obscured a rather bleak year on the farms.

5. Personal note: This magical Yankee season is threatening my ability to catch up on favored streaming TV shows. I'm currently backlogged on Better Call Saul, The Boys, Russian Doll, The Flight Attendant, Stranger Things - and last night, Netflix broke out Peaky Blinders.  

Yeesh. Who can watch shows when you're at 42-18 (Correction: 42-16)?

6. I better shut up. You know where all this happy talk is headed, right?

At the end of all this, we're going to lose to the Mets.

74 comments:

Kevin said...

Amazing how few positional players that ever it to AAA. This sounds mean, but that photo of Clint down below looks like a crazy person. Well, some people just don't take good photos. On the other hand, he needs to learn to keep that mouth of his under tight control.

Parson Tom said...

I don't want to be accused of being a pedant, a Felix Unger pest insisting on precise details, but the Yankees record is 42-16. Enjoy!

DickAllen said...


SWB is down there at the bottom third of the IL East standings at a guady 22-36. You would think a team stocked with "veterans" would be a bit bit better.

DickAllen said...


Sad for you Senor El Duque, your Syracuse Irregulars are all the way down at the bottom at 20-37. Now that's ugly.

JM said...

The big news here is Peaky Blinders. Are those new episodes?

BTR999 said...

Don’t tell anyone, but Florial has been on fire lately in SWB. His average is almost .300, OPS .853, 16SB 13.6 % BB…if he can sustain he will be at least a viable trade chip at the deadline.

AboveAverage said...

I can not help but to ask . . . El Duque - has the Scottish Yankee fan ever responded?

This subplot provides at least as much narrative tension as The Boys (3) and Stranger Things (4) combined.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Never seen Peaky Blinders, though people swear by it. Same with Stranger Things. Worthwhile? I'd also like to check out Ozark, but never have.

I like Better Call Saul, but...unlike Breaking Bad, it's always a little too elaborate, like the writers are more obsessed with the schemes than the characters.

42-16. Yeah, it boggles the mind. Well, the Hateful 13 a-coming will tell us a lot...

BTR999 said...

Never seen Peaky either. Just my personal takes
I found Stranger Things overblown, unoriginal, derivative. The kids were great though. It’s really a show for young people who never lived through the 80’s
Ozark? Good, but not great. Tiresome by the time you get to the end.
Love both BB and Saul!

My recommendations:
Queens Gambit
The Crown
Crash Landing on You
Handmaid’s Tale

For action
Narcos
Narcos: Mexico

Off the wall choice?
Japan Sinks.

Publius said...

It's bizarro Cash season. Big club's a juggernaut, Scranton struggling. Has been the other way round for a the last decade or so.

Doug K. said...

My current favorite is "The Offer" on Paramount +. It's about the making of the Godfather.

There is something seriously wrong with it in the best possible way.
I can't decide if it's cheesy or absolutely brilliant. It doesn't seem to take it self seriously - even as it absolutely does.

And don't get me started on the acting... Watching people play Brando, Pacino, Cann, Coppola... and pretty much getting away with it, is worth the price of admission right there.

Plus, it has a lot of really cool insight about what it took to get it made and the back stories behind a number a of classic scenes.

There's one episode to go and it is destination TV for me. First time in a long while.



Carl J. Weitz said...

Above Average: Unfortunately, Michael Anthony has not yet contacted me through El Duque, either. I was so looking forward to that million dollar check even though that check is worth only about 1/10 of what it formerly was worth.

Joe Formerlyof Brooklyn said...


I have been surprised at the NYYs success all season. So far. Haven't you?

Now, I am prepared (after these 2 games with the Cubs) to be shocked as the NYYs go 4-2 or 5-1 vs. the Rays and Jays.

Could happen, you know. If they split with the Cubbies, a 5-and-1 record vs. the two rivals would put the W-L at 48-18. Astonishing, if it happens. AND --

Worth wishing for.

Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside said...

This is an odd conversation. Are we expecting rain at 7:15?

HoraceClarke66 said...

We sure are, Beauregard. Supposed to be a deluge. DH tomorrow? But silly not to play today.

Gotta check out The Offer, Doug. I have to say, I didn't much like Queen's Gambit, 999, though I love that actress.



HoraceClarke66 said...

In the book of The Goodfather—way, way, worse than the movie, in my humble opinion—Puzo does a clever thing, which is to basically scoop up all the greatest Mafia hits (and complete urban myths) in one package.

For instance, the Corleone family taking "care of all its business" was inspired by "The Night of the Sicilian Vespers"—a night sometime in the late twenties or early thirties when, all across the US, every one of the old "Moustache Pete" mob bosses were knocked off, all at once.

Compete hooey. But makes for fun cinema.

For that matter, the mob didn't interest itself in keeping sweet old women in their apartments, and it INITIATED bringing drugs into this country and selling them. But the way they do things in those movies, it works.

BTR999 said...

Horace, All, What I love most about this blog is that we can offer opinions and politely disagree. No one gets pissed off or insulting in their replies... Anna Taylor-Joy of Queens Gambit is going to be a real star, if she’s not already.

Anyway, I will miss tonight’s game, so please bring home a winner!

JM said...

The Belmont running in a matter of minutes. After an interminable pre-race show.

JM said...

I suggest The Method. Russian show with subtitles. Only one season. We liked it a lot. Also the German show, Dark. Mind bending.

TheWinWarblist said...

This morning I checked the standings. I expected things to have gone downhill. Nestor lost. And then the next night Cole got shelled and spit out like a salted peanut. And then we lost in extra innings last night, yes? But the record was still best in baseball and the standings say the Yanks are 9-1 over their last 10. I was confused. How could that be? Our best starter and our "Ace" had both been slapped around! We lost in extras! We should be in third or fourth staring up at Tampa and Toronto!

THE STANDINGS SAY WE'RE 9-1 OVER THE LAST 10 GAMES!!?? HOW CAN THAT BE??? AND THE FUCKING METS HAVE THE BEST FUCKING RECORD IN THE FUCKING NL AND SECOND FUCKING BEST RECORD OVERALL!!!!

WHAT IS GOING ON!!???!?!? WHAT THE OUTRAGEOUS FUCKING FUCK IS GOING ON!!???!?!?

TheWinWarblist said...

Queen's Gambit was awesome.

JM said...

I liked it, too. Also The Man in the High Tower. Started off a little slow, but worth it.

JM said...

Rich Strike was 80-1 and won the Derby. Bettors made it 4-1 today and it got buried. People attached too much to that one outlier that was the Derby win.

JM said...

Wow.

JM said...

Judge

JM said...

Stanton

JM said...

Gleyber Day

JM said...

Trevino hits the pole
Unreal

AboveAverage said...

The TREE hits the POLE!

JM said...

Judge 2

JM said...

This is crazy

Rufus T. Firefly said...

three true outcomes night.

JM said...

Rizzo

Tonight on Home Run Derby...

Rufus T. Firefly said...

solo home runs don't win playoff games.

enjoy the summer. it won't last.

JM said...

Smolz doing everything possible to denigrate the Yankees' power. Asshole.

AboveAverage said...

Give JOHN and SUZYN a bat!

Joe of AZ said...

True outcomes night

Rufus T. Firefly said...

At least the full Monty might actually get a (w) tonight. And we got to hear John shouting "belly to belly".

But don't get too excited over a ton of HRs off of a AAAA pitcher.

They will come back to earth. Just in time to rip your heart out.

JM said...

So blatantly hates the Yankees. The team that thwarted the Braves at every turn.

JM said...

A win's a win. I'll take it.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Smoltz is a putz, worse than a schmuck. Still jealous that the Boston Braves were never as good as the Yankees, like every other Boston team.

JM said...

Swarber has given up one more home run in five as our ace did in two and a third.

JM said...

Give the kid 36 million.

AboveAverage said...

JM - would you share the win with all of us?

JM said...

What? I don't get it. Sorry.

JM said...

I'm pretty fried. My wife has been in the hospital since Wednesday. It's wearing.

AboveAverage said...

A win's a win. > I'll take it. <

wasn't all that obvious - please forgive

TheWinWarblist said...

6 solo HRs is a perfectly fine way to whip a bad team. Just go with it my Babies.

AboveAverage said...

Sorry to hear about your wife - I hope she recovers soon

JM said...

Thanks. It's not the first time. But hopefully it will be the last.

TheWinWarblist said...

Ooooooh! Swarmer is a baby! This was only his 3rd appearance in the Bigs.

Welcome to the Show Kid.

AboveAverage said...

Now small ball

JM said...

Poor little Swarber.

JM said...

Omg, of course I meant that I hope my wife will be fine from now on. That could be taken another way.

I AM burnt out.

AboveAverage said...

I got it. Chose not to interpret it the other way :)

Now focus on sharing the win

JM said...

Yessir.

JM said...

Hey, Pharaoh hit a homer. Good for him.

JM said...

Monty is on fire.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Why are my posts disappearing?

Oh well, g'night.

JM said...

See you, Rufus.

JM said...

That's happened to me lately, too.

TheWinWarblist said...

Disappearing posts? That's odd. What with the cutting edge technology of website and all.

JM said...

8-0. I'll take it.

ranger_lp said...

Yankees Win!!!

JM said...

Win, I've often said that when they get this technology thing right, it'll really be something.

JM said...

That was a big Yankees win.

AboveAverage said...

Which federal agency do you think is taking down our posts? The CDC? The FBI? The CIA? The FDA? I'm hoping that we all don't have to attorney up.

Doug K. said...

JM

I hope all is good with your wife.

TheWinWarblist said...

43 and 16 is preposterous. These are not Jordan's Bulls, and yet!?

Doug K. said...

hoss

re: the offer

Glad you are going to check it out. Temper you expectations and just go with it and it is great.

HoraceClarke66 said...

JM, very sorry to hear that. Hope you can get some sleep.

And I agree, 999. Just as somebody who followed that Bobby Fischer match big time as a kid, I found Queens Gambit awfully unrealistic. She plays while drunk? And wins? Good luck. And the Russians are good guys? The Russians used to do all they could to intimidate and play mind games on foreigners—or even Soviet citizens—they did not want to win. Just ask Kasparov.

Beyond all that, though, I found it awfully p.c. The girl is really eager to sleep with a boy...but she ends up with her platonic best friend, a gay guy?

Beautifully shot, though, and I agree about the star.

BTR999 said...

What the -
I go out for the evening and the ream belts SIX HR’s?
Does this mean I have to go out during every game? Or are the evil juju gods just screwing with me?

Local Bargain Jerk said...

JM,:

We all write ridiculous things on this blog. Here's my serious thing: I hope your wife is ok

AboveAverage said...

local bargain jerk - I think we all should channel our inner do gooders and hope that everything resolves for the best in the JM household