Monday, August 8, 2022

Nobody likes us, everybody hates us, I'm gonna go eat worms



Yeah, sure, we all know--or strongly suspect--that we end up on the short end of the umpiring stick more often than not. But this infographic shows how Big Ed fucked us at key moments in yesterday's game.

Our pitching stunk, our new pitchers all stunk, we hit like crazy but just not enough to beat our pitchers. Of course. But the umping was pretty abysmal, and it favored St. Lou by three runs (as determined by some formula that I don't know and wouldn't understand even if I did, but I believe it).

This happens, I suspect, a LOT (not the Polish airline). We regularly play with a disadvantage that goes beyond Cashman's management, Boone's antics, the IL, and Sam Donaldson. Think the low strikes called on Judge, the borderline pitches we don't get at key moments just before the floodgates open, and stuff like that there.

Can other teams make similar complaints/whinings/finger-pointing crybaby excuses? No doubt some can. But for regularity (Philips Milk of Magnesia) and painful losses (Keeps is just Rogaine marketed to youngsters), I bet we take the Bizarro First Prize (as opposed to, say, Bizarro Bilinski's) for this.

Wah. Whine. Pout. But we're in no position to overcome disfavortism that targets us.

 

19 comments:

13bit said...

The great Yankee teams and dynasties - and I'm not talking the last 20 or so years - have all managed to overcome the institutionalized bias and unfairness that the Yankee-hating universe has tried to impose on us. We prevailed in spite of this. We did not blame the world for our misfortunes, when they did occur.

And we do not blame the world now. We know who to blame: Brian and Hal, that limpid duo of ukulele warblers who sing sad songs about poverty and greatness, but wobble home each night and forget about the world.

The Hammer of God said...

We take the Bizarro Grand Prize, no doubt about it. But as 13bit says, when Brain-less Cashman makes moves like the ones he just made at the deadline, can we really blame umpires for this losing skid? No, this year is on Brain-less.

We did get some favorable calls in the past, as I remember. The Derek Jeter home run against the Orioles, with the little boy's glove extending over the wall. The Tino Martinez at bat with the bases loaded against San Diego, where he ended up hitting a grand slam. Then again, these were a baseball lifetime ago.

ranger_lp said...

We didn't get the FOX juiced baseball on Saturday...I think that's a conspiracy fact...

HoraceClarke66 said...

"We know who to blame: Brian and Hal, that limpid duo of ukulele warblers who sing sad songs about poverty and greatness, but wobble home each night and forget about the world."

Beautiful, Bitty! Just beautiful!

I was glad to see Boone at least show a spark of life out there. But of course, in a key at-bat, Gonzalez didn't help himself by first swinging at ball four.

This nonsense of resting regulars every day has obviously not paid off—half the regulars are injured and the team is plummeting. As many of us said here, Boone probably gave away 5-6 games in late-June, early July, when the team was wobbling but still upright. We could really use those games now.

Doug K. said...

Thanks for posting that JM.

What I find interesting is that while the "overall" accuracy was a semi- reasonable 92% that number counts all the no brainers. Balls over the middle taken for strikes etc.

On the close pitches he got ten wrong and five right. So 33% right. Which sucks.

Doug K. said...

Also, 3 runs difference! Aside from the obvious that's a lot of runs in a world where everybody has a bookie. MLB should take a long look at stuff like that - even if they will never share the findings because it will be bad for the game.

Maybe when he took that ball to the head he could use it as a reason to "take some time off to spend more time with the family" and in this case "the family" is the mob.

The Hammer of God said...

All this internet gambling is a nuclear time bomb waiting to explode. The Black Sox Scandal will seem like child's play one day when it's discovered that half of sports is run by gambling money. It might be so big that they cover it all up.

The Hammer of God said...

Anyone notice that the Yanks still have the best record in the A.L.? They got a reprieve yesterday. The Guardians took care of the ASS-stros 1-0. Triston McKenzie held the cheatin' ASS-stros to 2 measly little hits. 1-0 loss for the cheaters, with only two hits. Sound familiar?

But I fear this series in Seattle really will be the end of the Yankees's best record nonsense. The worst team ever with the best record to August 7, if that makes any sense. LOL!

13bit said...

Test

13bit said...

Spur of the moment thing. Not sure I even want to go, but I really want the bobble head set. The game on 19 August. The idiots are giving away a John and Suzyn bobblehead set . You will probably be able to buy an eBay for $10 a week later, but I was thinking of going up and trying to be among the first 10,000. Hoss is contemplating it as well. Would there be any interest from among the commentariat? I think the cheapest tickets are $38

ranger_lp said...

Might be interested 13bit...

HoraceClarke66 said...

If we could go cheap...

HoraceClarke66 said...

I agree about the gambling, Hammer. Major-league sports are insane to encourage it, though I wonder if they could stop it in any case.

The old gambling was a threat—but it was very, very hard to do without being detected. To make money, the fixers had to put in enough cash that the odds would swing, and then the jig would be up.

Today, with the internet, and all these, bet on one play/at-bat/inning choices...who needs Arnold Rothstein? You can make a killing just with your cousin Vinnie, sitting on his couch at home, and no one need be the wiser. 'Hey, it was just a bad day at the office!'

I will hate to see the home-plate umps go electronic. But I fear that the gambling will make it inevitable.

13bit said...

I don’t know if we can get less than $38. I loathe the idea of giving them any money. I also don’t know how long I would want to stay, but it would be worth it to see you all. Anyone interested send an email to motelsign@protonmail.com

AboveAverage said...

I did get my Nasty Nestor shirt (official game issued varietal) off of Ebay for considerably less than a $38 ticket

(and the roundtrip airfare to NYC, transportation, food, and lodging)

So if I were you'ze all - I'd meet up at a sports bar and watch the game and order the bobble afterwards.

Or crash el duque's yankee estate upstate.


AboveAverage said...

when I say crash - I don't mean Anne Heche'ing it

13bit said...

I’m actually still a bit Covid phobic, even though I know it’s outdoors. I hear that Duque rents poolside cabanas at Yankeeland at a steep discount to blog members

DickAllen said...


Nah. It's probably snowing in Syracuse by now. They need to get off to a fast start to win the Golden Snowball Award this year. Buffalo and Rochester are two stacked environments when it comes to the white stuff.

Sort of like going to the stadium in April. You take your chances.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Mr. bit,

Please don't insult fine ukelele players by comparing them to Yankees management.

Jake and Iz (rip) really bring it musically.

Unlike the dung in the front office.