YankeesSuck.com

Toronto Redeemed

2007-04-24T12:42:39Z

Last year I took Mr. Pi to the second home game of the season where Vernon Wells and his buddies taunted him and the other kids during batting practice, not only that, the Sox lost that night. Fast forward a year to the Youngest's 14th birthday and another game against the Jays.

What a difference a year makes.

First, we go there during batting practice where the mood was light after sweeping the Yankees and making history with 4 homeruns in a row the night before. As the players came in towards the clubhouse, Julian Tavarez stopped to sign some autographs and both Mr. Pi and the Youngest got their hats signed and pushed a couple of little ones forward so they could get their baseballs signed. Tavarez was smiling and accomodating - all in all, just a mensch about it.

Then Toronto took the field.

]]> The first thing that happened was one of the players (Phillips I think) immediately started tossing the batting practice balls to the wall for the kids to reach over and grab. Mr. Pi snagged the coveted prize, turned to his brother and said, "It's your birthday - so you can have it." He turned back towards the field and the player rolled some more that way. He kept the second one and leaned over to snag a couple of more for the smaller kids that couldn't reach over the wall.

The Sox lost again this year, not a surprise; however, it was a different atmosphere. The cloud I felt last year was gone. Instead it was a pleasant evening with my family and - it turned out - some friends who had tickets for the other end of the row.

But in the end, I feel a little better about Tornoto. I still think Vernon Wells is a jerk and my opinion of Julian Tavarez has gone way, way up and the kids ended the night buying a shirt that reads "Yankees Suck" - in Japanese. It was almost exactly what a night at the ball game should be.

Mike Mussina through the eyes of HEEB

2007-04-03T02:44:44Z

For Red Sox fans addicted to HEEB magazine - a guilty pleasure of mine since they first hit the stands in 2001 - there was the distinct sound of chortling when the following appeared in the current issue's "Urban Kvetch" segment:

Mike Mussina

The Yankees signed Mike Mussina for $88.5 million five years ago. Now, they've extended his contract for two more years at $22.5 million. Somehow Alex Rodriguez has come to symbolize George Steinbrenner's evil empire excesses, while this guy gets off the hook. At least A-Rod comes through when the game isn't on the line. Meanwhile, Mussina continues to compile crossword puzzles and earn run averages in the mid-fours. Hey, Mike I think I know 36 across: It's "You suck."

BASEBALL TRIVIA WHIZ-KID ANDREW SCHALL

Andrew - I don't know who you are, but understand that you made a really bad day bearable for me when I read that.

Bye Bye Bowie

2007-03-16T11:35:46Z

Bowie Kuhn is dead.

In the 15 years he was commissioner we saw the expansion of the leagues (Expos, Royals, Brewers, Padres), introduction of the DH rule, free agency, the decision to play World Series games at night (to "attract new fans") and many, many other controversial changes to baseball. The man who blocked the sale of players from the A's to the Red Sox (which I have yet to forgive him for... how cool was Rollie Fingers?) and banned Willie Mays for being part of a casino promotion - even though he wasn't involved in gambling/bookmaking like others has passed on at the age of 80.

I wasn't a big fan of Bowie's. His attempts to make baseball more appealing the to the genral masses have resulted in changes that have forever altered baseball's landscape... and not necessarily in a good way... but the man did what he believed and, as the generations have grown with and adapted to his vision of attracting more fans, the frustration old timers like me still have between the baseball of my youth and the baseball of today is fading in a curmudgeonly haze.

May he rest in peace as he sits in the commissioner's box in the sky watching the real legends play on an eternal green field under a clear blue sky.

Fantasy Sports Math

2007-03-04T06:26:27Z

Spring Training

2007-02-17T02:26:08Z

This week brought a Nor'ester with ice, snow and arctic cold fronts. But south of here in Fort Myers, pitchers and catchers reported in officially today bringing the hope of green and warmth and flowers and baseball to battered hearts everywhere.

While all the lights are shining all the way from the land of the Riising Sun, I'm enjoying the view of some of the guys who are normally in that position. A quote from Beckett here, a shot of Schilling there - it's all good. But the bottom line is, so long as the cameras are pointing towards our off season foreign acquistions, everyone else can do what they have to in relative peace and quiet.

It won't be long before April 2nd and opening day in KC, but until that day, the reports of sun and Florida will warm my heart until the Sox come home.

Stupid HOF ballot

2007-01-10T12:21:30Z

Once again Jim Rice was denied entry into the Hall of Fame. It could have been worse - at least Ripken and Gwynn belong there and, if Mark McGwire had been voted in over Rice, I'd be on my way to Cooperstown to kick in the doors to demand entrance for Rice.

Don't get me wrong, Rice was a prima dona and his revisionist history of himself as a player has always rubbed me the wrong way, but the man was the gold standard (if not platinum in his prime) up until the last mediocre year.

I am firmly of the belief that if you send in a blank ballot, you shouldn't be sent a ballot in the future. I am also firmly of the belief that the majority of sports writers are idiots. We need more guys like Frank DeFord who tell the story of the game and not just recap the box score. The majority of today's media coverage lacks soul. We have quantity, not quality.

But until we have more real writers in the media instead of sterile morons with the proper degree, we will continue to see incidents like last year and this year when it comes to such things as hall of fame voting.

It's simple folks there are two men who belong in the HOF: Buck O'Neil and Jim Rice... so next year, let's get it right.

Mr. Baseball

2006-12-15T11:47:29Z

My son is slowly emerging from the second stage of Red Sox fandom (the one where you reject the Sox and baseball because you can't bear having your heart broken by them again) by watching movies like "Mr. Baseball" and the Major League series as well as watching games with me to see what swears the players come out with that aren't audibly broadcast. As I say, he is slowly emerging from the second stage of Red Sox fandom - the one where you reject all things baseball because you can't bear to have your heart broken by them again.

The other thing he did was teach himself Japanese so he could read manga and watch anime in the original. This means he has become particularly adept at the "polite" translations into English the majority of us hear. Which is why I asked him to watch the D-Mat press conference with me yesterday.

As I suspected, his translator is very polite.

]]> I have to admit that I am always amused when someone gives paragraph long answers and the translator says, "Yes, he is excited," and moves onto the next question. You know there was just so much more said and yet...

For example, D-Mat is awestruck by Fenway and Boston given his use of Japanese equivalent of the word "awesome." Particularly in describing the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry. In that particular answer he was using the word to describe the depth and intensity of the rivalry as something he could relate to the Yomuri Giants and Hanshin Tigers - only it wasn't nearly at the level of the Sox - Yanks rivalry. It will be a new experience for him.

It really had that feel of "I'll take care of what comes out of my mouth - you translate the words."

I must say my son has inspired me. I think I'm going to teach myself Japanese the way my son did. If for no other reason than to be in a position to understand the difference between "having a yen to play here" instead of "it's such an honor that he would pay to play here."

Matsuzaka Updates

2006-12-13T23:30:19Z

To update on the story posted earlier, MLB.com is reporting that the deal between Daisuke Matsuzaka and The Boston Red Sox is "all but complete." Earlier claims made by YS.com that Matsuzaka had undergone a physical have been confirmed, and it appears as if the Sox have their new ace.

Cheers,
Jack Jablin

]]>

posted 6:55 --

According to sources in Boston, Daisuke Matsuzaka has been offered a contract to his and Scott Boras' liking - the numbers are reportedly 6 years, $52,000,000. That's less than Pettite and Meche got, and more than likely far less than what Zito will get.

More updates to follow.

Posted at 6:30PM, EST:

Earlier today, Japanese Ace, Daisuke Matsuzaka, touched down in Boston for 11th hour negotiations with the Boston Red Sox. At that point, nobody knew where either the Sox or Matsuzaka stood on negotiations.

However, according to sources in Boston, Daisuke Matsuzaka is currently in Mass General undergoing a physical, which could mean that the Japanese Ace will be signing a contract with the Red Sox before the Thursday Deadline.

The Red Sox have already spent 51 Million dollars on the Japanese prospect (who is rumored to throw the Gyroball) last month, acquiring 30-day one-on-one negotiation rights.

We are awaiting further confirmation of this story --

The Sox have until tomorrow at Midnight to strike a deal with Matsuzaka before all teams get negotiating rights.

Why Baseball

2006-12-05T15:34:40Z

Someone asked me recently: why baseball? It's come up in a couple of different settings recently. It's a question I find myself trying to answer frequently - so let me try again.

Why baseball? It is something that reaches deep into your soul and releases a breathe of fresh air that lifts the spirit. Most people don't understand the poetry in motion on the field - the subtle position shifts and the dance between the pitcher, catcher and batter that makes West Side Story choreography look like amateur hour. Many miss it because the television cameras don't cover it while others miss it because they don't understand.

But I do and I love watching for it.

It's not only about the big guys - it's about the everyday players that people get. It's about guys like Gabe Kapler, Kevin Millar and so many others who are grateful they get to play baseball for a living and it shows.

It's about watching parents teach their kids how to score a game or watch for the shift. It's about the summer and warmth and time when you were a kid and you used someone's sweatshirt for home, the chair pad for first, the big rock for second (no sliding) and someone else's backpack for third. And yet every time you stepped up to that sweatshirt, you were standing at home plate in Fenway or Yankee Stadium or Municipal Park or Candlestick or where ever.

Baseball is about heart and soul and memory filled with the warmth of the sun, the smell of fresh mown grass and a cold beer on a hot day.

]]> My husband grew up admiring the Yankees of Mantle and Maris and others. But when most people speak with that loathing tone of voice about the Yankees, it's really about things like when they sort of bought the KC Royals to use as their advanced farm team or Steinbrenner's open checkbook that has lead to such unprecedented greed that there is no other word than "disgusting" to describe it.

From the day he bought Catfish Hunter (the first free agent) right down to the horrific display of "my checkbook's bigger" with the Sox over D-Mat (and I'm sad to say we won that one).

I still remember when my oldest was little and I used to read Bart Giamatti's "Green Fields of the Mind" to him. One day he looked up at me and said, "If I'm not a starting player for the Sox, maybe I could be the president of Yale. Would tha be OK?"

I had to laugh.. most parents would prefer the president of Yale.

This is the same boy who looked at me when he was 13 and said, "I'm never going to be a great ball player, am I?"

I replied, "No, but I expect you to be a great coach some day when your kids want to play. I expect you to be the guy that teaches the kids more than the fundementals. I expect you to be the guy to teach them that you don't have to be a Manny or a Papi or a Nomar to love the game. You just have to love the game."

So... that's why I love baseball and that's what I teach to anyone willing to learn.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-23T20:37:44Z

From all of us here at Yankees Suck, we would like to wish all of you stateside readers a very happy Thanksgiving. Hopefully all of you are already enjoying some fine food and family (maybe not so in the Jeter household).

As we continue to renew and reinvent YS.com, we feel it important to clarify that we are all people here, regardless of team, hero or villain. Happy Thanksgiving, and it's just 3 and a half months until the war is back on!

Cheers,
Jack Jablin

A mom's eye view

2006-11-16T12:48:21Z

Someone recently asked me, "Now that it's the off season, what do you do for your baseball fix?"

There's an off season? Oh sure, there's no ball being played down the street at Fenway, but that doesn't mean there aren't things to follow. Look at the insanity of the Japanese "posting" system that may bring Matsuzaka to Boston. Trying to explain how bidding is different from negotiations and that the 51 million is not what he gets paid but what the Lions get paid is really difficult for people to get their heads around.

I still spend my days checking the Sox website for news releases and then maybe poking my head in on a few discussions here and there. Mostly, right now, I'm watching something interesting happen with one of my boys. He has decided he wants to be a pitcher.

]]> The funny thing is, he's not in that hard core category of "baseball is everything or I will die" mode so many of his middle school peers are moving into. He is being somewhat ... dare I say it? ... scientific about it. He figured out that there are some winter clinics nearby he'd like to attend. He has a plan to try playing for the middle school team to get "a sense of the pressure" he'd experience and is trying to figure out how this all balances with his other interests.

But I find it interesting to watch the one kid I never thought had a real affinity for the game demand I measure him daily because he believes, to be a good pitcher, you must be at least 6' tall and, at the age of 13, he's only 5'11." (Which he often states with the eye roll and disdain that a 13 year old can truly muster.) Almost like he doesn't want to let himself think about this seriously until he hits this magic mark he thinks he must hit. Sometimes I want to pinch myself to see if it's a dream - this is the boy that used to chase butterflies in the outfield during little league. His brothers were the ones that were intense about the game - not him. His brothers have gone onto to running and lacrosse while he stayed with baseball, quietly growing into the game.

Rather than take the approach "it's all about baseball" - he is interested in what else players do. For example, he took up golf this year. He knows that baseball players tend to be intelligent, so he studies hard. He asks about the physics of baseball - how does a curve ball curve and other sorts of questions along those lines. So you see what I mean when I say "scientific."

While I know the odds of making it beyond high school ball are slim and slimmer still beyond college - there is that piece of me that wonders if people will be talking about him the way we discuss players? Will people be discussing his fantasy baseball values? Will I turn on XM and hear people call him a bum or a savior?

I have to admit, if I spoke Japanese, I'd love to sit down with Matsuzaka's mother and say, "So how do you handle it? How do you handle the reports and the stories and ... well, everything?"

To be honest, I know better than to even consider all that for real. Around here there are certain rules: homework first, chores second and everything else after those are done. The one thing this whole thing has done for me is it really has me looking at players very differently because now i'm thinking like a mom and I view those men through new eyes.

Hybrid Theory

2006-11-14T01:30:00Z

Years ago, the man you all know as 'Lefty' started a small website. Today, that website is widely known as YankeesSuck.com, and it has blossomed into something previously unimaginable. The site was initially a satire on the modern world of Baseball, and it quickly became an internet phenom before the outbreak of 'blogging sites.' As of late, we have lost our focus, becoming a more straight-laced website.

Over the years, YS.com has undergone a series of changes, like the aforementioned. Some would say that we peaked in 2004/5, and some would argue that we were better far before the Red Sox won the World Series. However, there is one thing that we can all agree on: YS.com has gone through a lot. Writers, styles, formats, readers -- you name it and I can guarantee that we have gone through it like a schizophrenic goes through personalities. Well, today is no exception to the theory of evolution; in fact, today we plan to make the largest leap in the history of YS.com.

Over the past year, Lefty has branched out into other ventures, and while he loves YS.com, he has come to appeal for somebody to take his place as the head editor. I am proud to announce that I have been selected to fill this capacity, and that - together with Lefty - I have formulated a game plan that will make YS.com one of the greatest Sports Websites all over again! The first step is to listen to you, the readers, and follow your advice.

The first addition that you will notice is that we are bringing back the original comment system ASAP. This will allow anybody to state their two cents at whatever time they feel like it. What does that mean? Well, in short, it means that freedom of speech has returned!

In the days that follow, I hope to make this site a living contradiction. This site will EVOLVE through new writers, new polls, new columns and other innovative ideas, and at the same time we will DEVOLVE by adding (and retaining) some of the flavor that made this website so fascinating in the seasons prior. Above all other things, I hope to bring this site back to how it was years ago; satirical, witty and entertaining to a broader audience...

Furthermore, while YS.com is branching out and buying up the two cents of new writers, we also hope to invest in the greatest commodity that YS.com ever acquired - the knowledge and talent of a strong baseball community. It is for that reason that I am proud to escort you all into this new era, here at Yankees Suck dot com.

Thank you all, and enjoy the ride. It's true! The power is back in your hands!

Cheers,
Jack Jablin

Breaking News ... Sort of.

2006-11-13T03:49:21Z

At 8:30pm, Eastern Time, we here at YS.com will be making an announcement. Stay tuned, readers!

Cheers

R.I.P. Cory Lidle

2006-10-11T23:12:24Z

Today, baseball fans and Yankee haters alike step back and mourn the loss of Cory Lidle. Lidle, 34, died tragically when his personal aircraft crashed into a 50-story New York high rise. He was only a member of the Yankees for half a season, but our memories of him pitching in pinstripes during the 2006 postseason will tragically be our final ones.

]]> Lidle came over from the Phillies in an 11th hour deal, along with Bobby Abreu, as the Yankees attempted to shore up an already-impressive offense. Lidle settled into New York rather quickly, becoming their desperately-needed 5th starter. Lidle fought off criticism and attacks from his former teammates, namely fellow pitcher, Arthur Rhodes.

"The only thing Cory Lidle wants to do is fly around in his airplane and gamble." Rhodes said in a an interview from early August. "He doesn't have a work ethic. After every start, he didn't run or lift weights. He would sit in the clubhouse and eat ice cream. ... He crossed the line when guys like me, Flash and Lieberthal were playing. He is a replacement player."

Lidle, who was a teammate of Jason Giambi's in high school, will be remembered for his epic 2004 season, where he tied for the ML lead in Shutouts, and tied for 2nd in the ML for complete games (of which he had 5).

Lidle had defended his right to fly ever since he got a pilot's licence. "If you're 7,000 feet in the air and your engine stops, you can glide for 20 minutes ... As long as you're careful, everything should be fine." said Lidle in a February interview. As recent as late July, Lidle faced critics from the New York Times, saying this about his SR20 aircraft: "The whole plane has a parachute on it ... Ninety-nine percent of pilots that go up never have engine failure, and the 1 percent that do usually land it ... If you're up in the air and something goes wrong, you pull that parachute, and the whole plane goes down slowly."

This tragic plane crash may be overshadowed by people drawing comparisons to the similar incidents of September 11th, 2001. However, this incident should not be remembered as the tragic downfall of a Major League Athlete, and for nothing more sinister.

Lidle is survived by his 6 year old son, Chrisopher Taylor, and his wife, Melanie.

Mournfully,
Jack Jablin

Liar Liar!

2006-10-08T03:48:11Z

Well, he's done it again!

Just when I thought old George was about to finally mend his dishonest ways and make an honest man of himself by buying the Yankees their elusive 27th title, he's proven that you just can't teach an old dog new tricks. All season long "The Boss," has "Guaranteed" frustrated Yankee fans that this is the year the Yankees would burry "The Curse of A-Rod," and win the World Series.

After the Yankees mid-season wheeling and dealing, I admit, I thought it was a done deal. I figured with the Mets pitching woes, the Yanks would push "The Amazin's" to seven games in a memorable subway series. I imagined Derek Jeter driving in the winning run by slamming a bases loaded double off the Mets eleventh pitcher of the game, David Wright, in the bottom of the ninth inning of a tied game at Yankee stadium.

But Noooooo...

The guarantee was worthless. A bunch of lies. An idle threat to the rest of the league made without a real team to back it up. So now what? Now that the guarantee has been voided, how do Yankee fans collect their refund? Maybe George can offer them free tickets to all home games in the 2007 season. Or maybe he can just sell the Yankees to someone who won't make a fool of themselves with such ridiculous predictions.