Game Thread: Billy Crystal Day

March 13, 2008 by Benjamin Kabak 35 Comments

With Mike Mussina on the mound and Mariano Rivera due to pitch as he attempts to win one of those coveted bullpen spots, the first inning of today’s game will be devoted to none other than the Yankee DH-for-a-day Billy Crystal. Wearing number 60 in honor of his birthday, the comedian will lead off the bottom of the first against the Pirates’ Paul Maholm.

Opinion in Yankeeland over Billy Crystal is divided. I personally have no qualms with this little stunt. It’s a one at-bat honor bestowed upon a prominent baseball fan for his birthday. The Pirates, as iYankees tells us, are amused by this as well. However, Alex Belth at the Banter is rather skeptical of the movie, and Jason at My Baseball Bias isn’t quite sure what to make of it. Meanwhile, Ed Price offers up a Crystal scouting report.

In other game news, Jaret Wright is slated to pitch a few innings for the Pirates today. So be prepared for a four-hour Spring Training game. One day, I will never have to watch Jaret Wright pitch again, and it will be glorious. The game is on YES and MLB.tv. At around 1 p.m. or so, you should be able to follow the Spring Training Gameday here.

Lineup
Crystal DH
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Matsui LF
Cano 2B
Duncan 1B
Molina C
Cabrera CF

Pitchers
Mussina
Rivera
Karstens
Veras

Tom

How great would it be if he got a hit? Lets hope that Maholm lobs one in for him.
Tripp

Knowing Maholm, he is going to drill him in the back and jar at him down the basepath. “Welcome to the bigs.”

J/k.

Wish I could watch the AB. Stuck at work.

Blah.
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Colin

I just saw the gamecast of him striking out.

Does anyone know what the pitches were like? Did he lob them in there or pitch him like a regular hitter?
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.
  
  He threw him a 3-2 cutter. Maholm pitched him as he would any batter and Crystal did make contact on one pitch.
http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.

“If you’re an everyday player and they gave you the ball when you strike out, you throw that ring right out of the stadium.” – Paul O’Neill, on Billy Crystal’s receiving the ball after his strike out.

I love Paul O’Neill.
Colin

So he was throwing it like 85-88 mph? I’d be like the kid in Rookie of the Year standing in the corner of the box. I give Billy credit for standing in there..
- http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.
  
  Sadly, that is Malholm’s typical velocity.
  
  On a side note, Malholm got hit in the face with a line drive in the minors a few year back, and basically had to have his face completely rebuilt, the damage was that bad. Then a year or so later his house was destroyed in Katrina. Think he appreciates playing in the bigs?
mg

If anyone is wondering, I want what Billy Crystal got for my birthday.
LiveFromNewYork

Waiting for Mo…
LiveFromNewYork

Paul O’Neill just called the big three “Generation Tre” Is that the name? Did Paulie win the contest?
Manimal

WOW Moose perfect through 5.
playballnyy

and that guy Maholm gave up only one hit to pretty much the everyday starting lineup for the yanks , except for crystal and molina, yikes. Of course our boy Wright gave up a hit as soon as he came in for him.
LiveFromNewYork

Karstens is sucking.
playballnyy

yeah he is, too bad, i’m still rooting for him to stay on, much better showing in ST than rasner
LiveFromNewYork

Billy Crystal is now the bench coach. He’s having a good day.

Robbie..nice job.
Chip

Wow, can the Yankees ever keep the ball in the park when Kim is pitching? When Cody Ransom takes you deep, it’s just a bad day. And we complain about Igawa……
Ivan

Personally, I think Karsten sucks and that game where he broke his leg and continues pitching is really overrating the guy. Yeah he’s tough and allbut he’s not a good pitcher.

I,ve always thought Rasner was the better pitcher and I think Rasner is a solid arm on the staff.
LiveFromNewYork

Well Kim’s not on the Yankees thankfully.
LiveFromNewYork

Yeah, I want him to be better than he is. I think Rasner’s done much better.
LiveFromNewYork

Moelher’s doing well.
LiveFromNewYork

Veras looked great. If anyone cares.
Rich

Karstens does not belong on the 25 roster.
Tripp

What’s up with Jeter? Send him to minor league camp for a week to get his ass in gear.
pete

veras is filthy. live fastball and great breaking ball (he threw it 4 times in a row a couple of times today)
Joe

I’m hoping that it is clear now that Patterson NEEDS a spot in that bullpen. Rasner, Karstens…whatever. Patterson deserves that spot. I don’t know that he would be an effective long man, but I really think he would dominate in short relief.
Chris

Has anyone else seen this? http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3291777

Sutcliffe with cancer…kinda crazy. He is one of the few espn analysts that i like. I wish him well.
- Moose
  
  Yea, I like Sutcliffe a lot. He’s a good announcer and seems to like the Yankees.
  
  Best Sutcliffe moment by far, though, was when he got HAMMERED and stumbled his way into the announcer booth at a San Diego Padres game was was mumbling about golf, booze and bangin bitches. That little episode got him suspended for a little bit from ESPN. Good to see he’s back.
John Jacob Yankeefan

I do not know what anybody else thinks or whether the RAB crew has any inside info, but based on what I have seen this Spring I would be shocked if Brett Gardner and Scott Patterson do not make the club. I had no idea those two guys could perform that well at this level. Having a lineup with the 9-1-2-3 being Gardner, Damon, Jeter and Abreu – well that’s a lot of OBP and speed to put in front of A-ROD and Robby Cano (who they have to move up in the order).

Also, not that my opinion means much, but if he stays healthy I would shocked if Darrell Rasner does not make quite a few starts for the Bombers.
http://yankeesetc.blogspot.com/ Travis G.

unfortunately, i think today’s game vaults Moose automatically into the #3 spot, even though Hughes will have a better year.

also, Gardner wont make the team. 6 OFers is too many. plus, it would probably mean releasing Ensberg. it’s easier to demote Gardner, who has options, than to release Ensberg who would sign elsewhere. but Gardner is sure to be the first OFer called up when injury occurs.
- steve (different one)
  
  if Hughes has the better year, he’ll be the “#3″ starter regardless of the order in which they pitch.
Rich

Notice that Bay didn’t barrel into the catcher as he tried to score from 3B.
- http://yankeesetc.blogspot.com/ Travis G.
  
  i noticed that.
  did anyone notice that an actor/comedian played in an apparently meaningful game? silly me thinking these games arent important.
LiveFromNewYork

I agree that Gardner and Patterson have performed great. I think Gardner will go down but he’s a good player.
daneptizl

Pretty random, but I was thinking about how much I will want Justin Upton on the team.