Old Timers’ Day thread
ByThe Yankees will begin the Old Timers’ Day ceremonies in a few moments, which you can follow on YES. It’ll be the standard introductions: John Sterling and Michael Kay heap praise on former Yankee greats — and of course some not-so-greats — while the fans remember what it was like back in the day.
The Yanks announced some new attendees recently, including Doc Gooden, Mel Stottlemyre, Don Zimmer, and Mike Mussina. Boy, wouldn’t it be nice to have him on the team this year. They’ll be joined by other Old Timers’ rookies Chad Curtis, Mike Easler, Charlie Hayes, Lindy McDaniel, and Jerry Narron. Then there will be the mainstays: Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Reggie Jackson and Goose Gossage, plus the widows of Elston Howard, Catfish Hunter, Bobby Murcer, and Thurman Munson.
Also attending: Luis Arroyo, Jesse Barfield, Ron Blomberg, Dr. Bobby Brown, Homer Bush, Rick Cerone, Horace Clarke, Jim Coates, David Cone, Bucky Dent, Al Downing, Dave Eiland, Oscar Gamble, Joe Girardi, Ken Griffey, Sr., Ron Guidry, Reggie Jackson, Pat Kelly, Don Larsen, Hector Lopez, Lee Mazzilli, Gene Michael, Meredith Murray (B.P. Pitcher), Jeff Nelson, Graig Nettles, Joe Pepitone, Bobby Richardson, Mickey Rivers, Bill “Moose” Skowron, Aaron Small, Bob Turley, and Roy White.
So kick back, and enjoy watching former Yankees enjoy their day in the sun. Feel free to talk up the former players in this thread for now. Looks like Mike Mussina is starting, but I haven’t seen any other lineups.
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I miss Bob Sheppard.
Second the Bob Sheppard sentiment. 100% irreplaceable.
It was kind of creepy that they played the introduction from last year.
Bob!!! yeah.
Man, I forgot how much I despise Pat Kelly.
Why are some of these guys even there? Teams back-up catcher for 2 months? Well, I guess I’d want to be there even if I had one pinch hit at bat and struck out.
I think Horace Clarke epitomizes the Dark Ages of the late 60s
Hah, Aaron Small.
I hope Homer Bush gets on base so that everyone can remember what a dynamic threat of speed he was off the bench.
/Wrong history’d
Joe Pepitone? Didn’t he design Central Park?
I really miss Mike Mussina. I wish he had decided to play another few years in the hopes of accumulating 300 wins.
The only solace I have is that he went out on top with twenty wins. And if he had continued to play, he might not have been anywhere near as effective as he was last year.
He was one of the smartest pitchers I have ever had the pleasure to watch. Constantly adjusting . . . to the level of his “stuff”, to the batters and the game situation.
I hope he makes the Hall of Fame. I know a lot of people think he is a marginal candidate, but they forget that he pitched his whole career in the tough AL East.
It’ll be fun to watch him today.
Could you imagine if he came up with the yanks? I think he would have eclipsed 300 by now.
I doubt it, he won nearly 70% of his decisions with the O’s.
Hey, don’t mess with my delusions.
it’s possible, but the O’s were actually good for a good part of his career there.
he’d have won more games in 1998 though, that’s for sure.
see above reply to mike.
In 1998 and 2000 he might have picked up an additional 12 to 15 wins if he was with the Yankees. But otherwise it is hard to imagine him winning more than he did with the O’s. But 15 wins would have put him at 285 and maybe he would have made a different decision last year with that victory total.
Is it just me or does the crowd seem oddly quiet? must be the broadcast, right?
It’s gotta be the broadcast. They turned it up for Don Zimmer and you can definitely tell the difference without the dimming.
that’s what i thought.
Too. Damn. Early. on a sunday!
Heh, I remember my older brother used to kick my ass in those old MLB All-Star games with Coney and the Yanks.
i wish they’d shown the zimmer/pedro highlight.
Guidry was unbeleivable in 1978.
Moose looks like he should still be playing…
He looks great!
put him in the bullpen…lol
Maybe we can recruit him to come back of the second half!
he looks too happy to come back. That interview said it all.
MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE!!!
Goose had to be the most intimidating pitcher I have ever seen.
Would you rather have Moose or Pettitte this year? (Current performance by Pettitte aside)
Tough call – but I’d go with Moose.
Moose is just a better pitcher and always has been. I saw a comparison of his numbers before he signed with the Yankees (at age 32) and they were comparable to Roy Halladay’s
difference there is moose was always better as a number 2 starter then when he was considered the ace.
perhaps–I would still take Moose over Pettitte, as much as I like Andy.
who said anything about andy? i was referring to u comparing moose to halladay at 32, while halladay has been an ace for years. as far as im concerned andy has never been an ace at least in the regular season.
The original question was Moose or Pettitte. I brought Moose’s comparison to Halladay as proof that he was better than Pettitte. That comparison was also based on his numbers in Baltimore, when he was the ace
for the 2nd half lets take moose right off his couch…i guarantee he is at least as successful as tomko or mitre
Is this the first time Old Timer’s Day is on a Sunday?
Where was Donnie?
with the Dodgers, I would assume
Oh. Duh.
this is moose rehab work to get ready for the 2nd half.
Oscar Gamble ranged farther on that fly ball than Damon would have.
Seeing Moose is so great. I LOVE when guys have a non-acrimonious split with the team, a la O’Neill and Moose–everything just feels better. I mean, there’s NO reason that Bernie shouldnt be there. It sincerely hurts my heart every time I think how hard it’s been for him to let go and move on; I want to be able to clap and cheer for him from my couch on Old Timer’s Day.
I second that thought!!
moose is getting pissed. “I didn’t want to give up runs. my defense SUCKS!”
Heh, four man relay on the ball from the outfield.
Shouldn’t they do that for damon?
That would be funny if it weren’t so true.
Goose looks badass
Homer Bush GIDPs. Heh.
Man the old timers game never gets old.
It’s full of old.
The game never gets old but sadly, the players do.
nelson with the range.
what the heck is Nelson doing in the outfield?
pondering a comeback. He heard the Mets were interested
With that thick Louisiana accent, Ron Guidry sounds like he should be a cast member on True Blood.
i love that show
Is it me, or has Guidry’s accent changed?
It doesn’t sound as heavy or thick as it once did.
Really? A couple of years ago, I didn’t think it sounded too thick.
I’m comparing it to when he was playing in the late 70′s
Oh.
Sorry for posting off topic… but I was just watching NESN and Jim Kaat was in the booth!
Anyone know what this is about???
He’s filling in for Jerry Remy, who’s recovering from cancer.
Thank you, sir.
I know they have had a lot of guest color analysts while Jerry Remy is recovering from cancer. It could be he is just doing a guest stint.
Damn. Doc put on a couple pounds eh? That uniform wasnt very forgiving.
Damn – The BoSox are playing against Hallady and are already up 1-0.
It’s okay. Hopefully, the Jays can score a couple and Doc can hold them.
Heh, did anyone hear Al Leiter groan when Kay said “That was a ringing single, Kenny”?
That was truly BAD!
Mick the quick!
who are these umps?
It really was great fun to see these veteran Yanks again.
Roy Halladay, if you had some quicker reflexes, some more athleticism on that mound, you could snag those field-able balls & Boston wouldn’t have scored.
/KittyKaat’d
Rod Barajas! Jays lead 2-1
Lon Jester is good at bitching paseballs.
I like how he flings his left leg toward the first-base side to counteract the lefty tendency to fall off to the third base side of the mound.
He got touched up a bit, so I can say something nice about him.
I don’t know exactly how to say this, but I’ll try. I’ve always been a huge Yankees old timers’ day fan. I’ve been to six or seven to them in person and even when not there, I always tried to watch on tv. I remember the old days when it wasn’t televised and I was always bummed out about missing it.
But something seems missing lately. I think there is anyone to blame; most of this is probably just circumstance. Some of the names I’d like to see can’t be there. Mattingly, obviously, with the Dodgers. Piniella has never really been there except for one time when the Rays happened to be in. Willie Randolph with the Brewers.
I’m not being judgemental here, but in that ‘game’ they play, it’s sort of ridiculous. You had jesse Barfield at first base, Ron Guidry and jeff Nelson hitting, Nelson playing the outfield…I mean, what’s the point of all this?
As a kid when the late 1970′s team was around, it would have been cool to see them all play together again at one point, say in the mid 1990′s. With Nettles at third, Dent at short, Willie at second and Chambliss at first.
or maybe in seven or eight years, it would be great to see, one more time, Brosius at third, Jeter at short, Knoblauch (yes, Knoblauch) at second and Tino at first ,with Raines, Bernie and Paulie in the outfield.
But the reality is, it’s hard to make that happen. Guys work for other teams or get hurt, or whatever. And we’re left with something that is kind of silly.
I didn’t know this, but on the telecast today they said Babe Ruth homered in the first yankee old timer game…maybe that’s why the game took off and became a big deal, but at some point, when is it meaningless? I, for one, don’t need to see Ron Guidry hitting. I love Gator, but what’s the point?