Open Thread: Thoughts on Old Timer’s Day
ByMatt Casey, writing for the Circling the Bases blog over at NBC Sports, has some pretty harsh words for the Yankees annual celebration:
But do the Yanks really need to do this every year? If you continue to have these ceremonies where the greats (and some non-greats) all trot out, the oversaturation factor kicks in. Within the last 12 months, the Yanks have now had four similar celebrations – All-Star Game, final game at Old Yankee Stadium, opening of New Yankee Stadium, Old Timer’s Day – where the team honors its past. Seriously, we get it. The Yankees are the greatest franchise ever. You had us at the 183rd time you told us.
Most of the legends have passed on (Mickey, Joe D). Now, Yogi and Whitey are surrounded by the likes of Dave Eiland, Homer Bush, and Aaron Small. To put things in perspective, imagine the Mets celebrating Old Timer’s Day with Tom Seaver, a couple other dudes from ’69, but also Rico Brogna, Bill Pulsipher, and Keith Miller. Everyone would make fun of it, right? Not to equate Mets history with Yankees history, but hopefully you get the point.
Casey, of course, completely misses the point. Old Timer’s Day isn’t for gloating about the success of the franchise. It’s there to give the fans a chance to see our favorite players again. It allows us to grow old with our idols, even if we only get to see them once a year. It’s about seeing Moose again, or Zim, or Paulie a few years back. And in the next few years it’ll be about Mo, Andy, Jeter and Jorge. It’s like being at a big family reunion, and even though the players don’t know who you are, you still love them. Mark Herrmann gets it. Yankee fans get it. It’s really not that hard.
* * *
Anywho, ue this as your open thread for the night. The Mets and Braves are already in action in the ESPN Sunday Night Game, so you could probably flip over and get a few laughs in. Otherwise, talk about whatever you want here, just be nice.
129 Comments»
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The Mason Williams Watch
Coincidence?
Um, guys…any of you that caught Girardi’s postgame, catch this comment?
“People forget he had about 150 innings in the minor leagues, which is not a whole lot, I mean I talked to Ron Darling earlier today, he said he had about five or six hundred in the minor leagues, and he’s got 30+ starts under his belt in the big leagues. I mean, it’s not a ton of pitching.”
Didn’t I kinda say that the other day?
(h/t @ Jamal for pointing it out)
What exactly are you suggesting?
That Joba cannot be a sucessful starter?
Or that we’ll need to stretch him out a little slower than most other pitchers?
Fernando Nieve already left the game with an injury… bummer.
The Mets have the worst luck in baseball.
They’re this years version of last years Yankees.
And they don’t have a Mike Mussina to win 20 games for them.
Amazing, isn’t it? Last year was like the 80′s Yankees crammed into one season; a team with some superstars that really wasn’t that bad at all, but tltimately just couldn’t get past the hump.
The 09′ Mets are WAY worse than the 08′ Yankees.
” All-Star Game, final game at Old Yankee Stadium, opening of New Yankee Stadium, Old Timer’s Day”
does that idiot who wrote the column know that three of those don’t happen every effing year?
by the way, last month i claimed that latroy hawkins was garbage in many close game situations for the astros, despite his era
he just gave up a HR to Matt kemp to give the dodgers the lead
that’s one guy i am glad they got rid of
Latroy Hawkins was last year’s Veras.
Old Timers day is routinely the most attended game of the year every season. Unfortunately this but nugget doesn’t seem to understand all these ceremonies are for the fans.
Butt nugget.
huh huh huh, huh huh huh.
I love Yankee haters. Old Timers day is Yankees bragging about their success? Please, this is about people re-living their childhood memories, and for younger generations to learn and appreciate the old timers. People can poke fun at Aaron Small being there, but do we make the playoffs in 2005 without his 10-0 3.20? No
that guy should be immortalized as some sort of village legend. He was incredible
I wish that the introductions were a bit shorter, but I love the sentiment of an old timers game.
Maybe the Mets Fans would love to see some of their favorite players come back. Just cause they weren’t Yankee superstars doesn’t mean that some fan didn’t love them.
I was always a softy for Aaron Small myself…
Some people hate ceremonial.
I kind of like it.
Well, some of it, anyway.
Some people hate tradition.
Maybe Matt Casey missed Thanksgiving dinner and the 4th of July fireworks so he decided to pick on the Yankees.
Each of those four celebrations have different at the time that they’re done. Sounds like a hater to me. He might as well add five celebrations within the last 18 months once the Yanks when the WS this year. Hater!
Here’s something cool to chew on,
Phil Hughes pitch 3 innings against the Tigers in this series, recording 9 outs. Of those 9 outs, 8 of them by strikeouts, and of the 8 strikeouts, 7 of them were by the FB.
Domination holmes.
Elementary, my dear Watson.
Seriously…How can anyone NOT like Old Timers Day???It’s just another reason why I’m so happy to be a Yankee fan.
What a dimwit.
Wrong. Not a dimwit.
An IDIOT.
The Yankees, know how to honor the people who have worn the pinstripes (ie – their history). It is just another way the Yankees distinguish themselves from the other teams in the league. No wonder a Mets fan does not like it. They should try it – their atrocious luck might change…
The Mets can’t do it, because all they’d be able to showcase is, like, Keith Hernandez.
Tom Seaver
“Phil Hughes pitch 3 innings against the Tigers in this series, recording 9 outs. Of those 9 outs, 8 of them by strikeouts, and of the 8 strikeouts, 7 of them were by the FB.
Domination holmes.”
It’s pretty incredible.
His FIP in the series was -2.80.
Wait, you can have a negative FIP?
If you don’t allow any homers and don’t walk anyone, yep.
Hughes has taught me something new today.
Wow.
Word right.
minus fib? you speak of things i do not understand.
Holy crap.
Thought: Anti-statheads rip on UZR, but they should love that stat- it is all about using your eyes. They say watch the games, but that is how UZR is compiled.
true. it’s their failure to understand the stat.
Hey! Anti-statheads believe in traditions like old timers day.
The stat of UZR is one I dislike even more BECAUSE it’s based on what people see with their eyes-not hard statistical data.
Contrary to how I appear, I am not an anti stathead, per se. However, I do not believe in overreliance on stats either.
Here’s a bit on UZR from an interview from the guy who came up with it: http://tinyurl.com/fp24k
Very intersting stuff; I give this guy credit.
But some of the problems show too; what about fielder positoning (if a fielder is smart enough to be in the right spot so he doesn’t need to move far to make the play)?
Also, it seems again like these zones are approximate and subjective, for example can they rate the speed of the balls hit? Or how about the size of the player? Throwing arm? Ability to make a play on the run?
1) Doesn’t positioning not matter? He makes the play on a ball in his zone or he doesn’t.
2) Just because something isn’t perfect doesn’t mean it’s not useless. As we get more Hitf/x data (which DOES track the speed of the ball off the bat, as well as the angle at which it leaves the bat) UZR will be improved, or another stat will come along that takes these data into account to improve accuracy.
I didn’t use the word useless.
There are two zone charts: STATS and BIS. The UZR metric on Fangraphs uses the BIS data (Lichtman has also used the STATS Inc data for UZR).
He mention in the piece that UZR (and plus/minus for that matter) takes into account how hard the ball was hit as well as measuring the effectiveness of an outfielder’s throwing arm via how many runners hold and how many are killed compared to average. With these defensive metrics, they take into account the performance of the fielder less so than the actual tools although he does separate errors, range, throwing arm efficiency (for outfielders) and double play efficiency (for infielders). Two players could have the same number of UZR runs but go about in different manners. For something that looks at the tools more so than the defensive performance that a zone-based system would report, Tango’s Fan Scouting Reports are a nice place to start although those are compiled at the end of each year.
*mentions
I skimmed the article (too late for me to read with detail) but how can they possibly know how hard the ball was hit?
UZR doesn’t use specific velocity for its calculation but packets for how hard the ball is hit (soft, medium, hard) for each batted ball type.
Sounds kind of fishy.
You got it 100% right, Mike. I really feel like all teams should have an Old Timer’s Day. It shouldn’t be all about bragging about Hall of Famers. In fact, it’s more to see a dozen generations of the team altogether to celebrate them once again. It was a real pleasure seeing Mussina come into that fold today.
This clown at NBC Sports who is a MET fan (This guy is such a ZERO I actually had to LOOK UP WHO HE IS) simply does not get it, and worse, does not want to. Even Red Sox fans like Gammons respect the traditions of the Yankees. For that reason, I can respect him far more than this no-name punk blogger). As for the event, you had players from the TIGERS applauding the introduction of the Old Timers, which speaks volumes about if they should keep Old Timers Day. The answer of course, is an obvious yes!
ps: I wonder if the return to the Bronx by Mel Stottlemyre and Don Zimmer (Both of whom left under less than ideal circumstances), and Mike Mussina count for something?
Damm i was hoping the yankees to add an arm like cla meredith a ground ball pitcher but the orioles got him for oscar salazar.
i was at the game today, was amazing. But I had one problem with the old timers day celebration.
Where in the world was Broscious, O’Neill, Tino, and Bernie…
Some people have scheduling conflicts and Bernie isn’t ready to come back yet. I bet he was invited.
Sparky Lyle. Still managing the Somerset Patriots.
Loved that guy. Great pitcher.
Did you know that Al Leiter used his slider?
“Did you know that Al Leiter used his slider?”
I thought that was Guidry, not Leiter.
Guidry taught the slider to Righetti, who taught it to Leiter.
Ok… Thought you meant it went from Lyle straight to Leiter, without the intervening steps.
A ver fascinating progression of a great pitch; I hope Leiter teaches it to someone.
They don’t come every year. Brosius was there two years ago. O’Neill comes when his schedule allows it. Same with Tino. They have to vary up the names a bit to keep it interesting. Plus, this year we had Pat Kelly.
yea thats true. And sorry for butchering Scottys name hah.
I just didn’t check the list and when they weren’t called I cried a little.
It was a great game, but this one fan was a major ass. He had 3 bleacher seats but only took up on seat. My friends and I put our feet on the seats and he freaked out on us three times. He literally pushed my foot off the back of the seat. What a dick..
awesome game though, Joba really brought it.
Also got Ace, Coke, Tomko, and Melancon to throw rock on signs from the bullpen.
GREAT DAY
you mean devil horns?
hah yea
Thank fucking God, I’m not a mets fan. I wouldn’t be able to watch this team day in and day out.
Seriously. I feel bad for them. Every injury. Man, it feels like the Yanks from last year, except we won 89 games, which they won’t sniff.
At least they have a solid farm system to rely on…
(silence)
I get this guy’s point. I think right now is the time to make the point because of last year’s All-Star Game, Old Timer’s Day and then the final game. It was all pretty much the same thing. Now, this year didn’t even feature dynasty boys like Paulie, Brosius, Tino, Boomer. Willie Randolph wasn’t even there, and it just felt boring. I mean, look at the crowd – the place was pretty empty, which is rare for Old Timer’s Day. I think that people are getting sick of it all.
Just because it was 3 celebrations at Yankee Stadium didnt mean it was all the same. Are July 4th, Thanksgiving and Christmas the same celebration?
AS Game celebrated all the living (and deceased) legends of baseball
Old Timers Day celebrated all the Yankee living legends and good times the stadium brought us
And the Final Game was for our current stars and fans to give a final good bye to the stadium (although we all wish it would have been after we won the WS)
I disagree with you 100%. I could even accept those comments from a jerk like Lupica more than no-name Casey (Who although I never read him (I disagree with EVERYTHING he stands for), I have to give him credit for lasting over 30 years at the Daily News). Casey is a total zero who wants to make a name for himself, by taking shots at the Yankees. ps: I hope he is enjoying tonight’s MET game 6-1 BRAVES!.
I couldn’t disagree more. Yeah, I wasn’t as excited for Old Timers’ Day this year since we’ve had so many similar celebrations in the last year. But this is the only year I’ll ever feel that way, since this is the only time during any of our lifetimes that the Yankees will move out of one historically significant stadium into another AND host the All-Star Game. Next year, and the year after that, and in 5 years, nobody will be suffering from the same type of fatigue. What should the Yankees have done, cancelled a tradition they’ve continued for 60-some-odd years, and that the fans love, just because they held a lot of similar celebrations last year? That’s short-sighted and doesn’t make much sense.
And, in addition, Casey’s piece also completely misses the mark because he misunderstands who the target audience is here. Old Timers’ Day is for the Yankees and their fans, it’s not intended for fans of other teams and it’s not like it’s forced down their throats (it’s not like the game is on national TV or anything). Casey says: “Seriously, we get it. The Yankees are the greatest franchise ever. You had us at the 183rd time you told us.” But that’s, frankly, stupid. Old Timers’ Day isn’t held to prove to anyone that the Yankees are the greatest franchise, it’s a day for Yankees fans and players. There’s nothing for Casey, or anyone else, to get. If he or anyone else doesn’t like it, all they have to do is stay away from the Stadium on Old Timers’ Day and refrain from watching the festivities on TV. Nobody is forcing him or anyone else to pay attention, and nobody cares if they do so.
Even players on the other team were standing on the top step of the dugout watching all the ceremonies and stuff. It can’t be all bad if our opponents are enjoying it.
you know it’s gonna be crazy Jeter’s first Old Timer’s Day, aye?
And Mo’s.
i was thinking that too
And Montero’s!
Jesus, like Mo, will never retire.
You’re right, they and Melvin will all ascend to a higher dimension when they decide their time on our mortal plane is ended.
By the way, who the fuck watches the ESPYS?
I mean seriously, it’s quite ridiculous to have a award show that’s not even live and quite frankly it’s ESPN sucking they own dick.
I just saw a promo for the ESPY’s and they promoted it like its the Academy Awards. The answer to your question is NO ONE WATCHES the ESPY’s LET ALONE CARES, it probably carries less interest to the average sports fan than the WNBA or Monster Truck competitions.
Redsox “nation” watches.
Frankly, when doesn’t ESPN do that (re: the self-patting on the back)?
NBC Sports runs Rotoworld.The guys who write for them are admitted Red Sox fans.The Yankee bashing is a blood sport on the site.All you need to do is check their MLB notes where they will tell you about Boston’s lineup every day.Today’s earth shattering news was that Kotsay and Ellsbury were in the lineup.They barely mentioned the Yankee win.So take what NBC and Rotoworld says with a boulder of salt.
you should add that the guy who writes the football section on Rotoworld is a die-hard NE Patriots fan.
I feel it’s a bit overplayed. Like the red sox/yankees series. With a two month gap between the last series and the next one there is a ton of anticipation building. Do it every other year so it’s a bigger deal rather than every year. I do think its cool to see older players but for me my favorite players growing up were not there. No Tino, O’Neil, Brosious, Boggs etc. Also Mussina just pitched last year, he shouldn’t be there. Not knocking it at all I just feel it should be a special event where everyone is really excited. At last years all star game I was really looking forward to seeing everyone, thats the kind of feeling it should be. I got chills during it, remember when Willie Randolph came out and they gave him that huge ovation? He was in tears and I had chills going down my back, that is how it should be.
both the stars and nobodies have to be at old timer’s day b/c the whole point is reminiscing about guys you haven’t seen in forever and your favorite moments involving them.
exhibit a, chad curtis – http://tinyurl.com/mmzwj8
I just saw a promo for the ESPY’s with a vote for the “BEST TEAM”. Can anyone in their right mind ever compare the WNBA to the STEELERS. Are you kidding me? I will mention the LA Clippers, the Washington Nationals & YES the DETROIT LIONS in the same breath with the Steelers before ANY WNBA tean. This has LESS credibility than ESPN’s APRIL FOOTBALL rankings when they named the PATS #1, after my Steelers won the Super Bowl. Guess what ESPN? I am not watching one second of your “Live” ESPY’s telecast.
Just curious, were you proclaiming the Yankees #1 going into this season?
I mean, it is trying to be PC. Honestly when it comes to sports in America it is all about men’s sports. No one really watches women’s college or pro sports because they are not as entertaining. They are very gifted athletes who played with a lot of heart, but there is not the competiveness and the excitement as there is with men sports especially when talking about team sports. Women seem to do pretty well in a more individualized sports like skating, tennis, gymnastics.
Gee, thanks.
I do think you have a point–individual women’s sports do seem to do better.
But I don’t think arguing that women’s sports aren’t as competitive is a bad, bad idea.
I don’t know the reason, but no mater what it is women’s sports aren’t as popular.
That is a fact. And he’s right that the WNBA should not be mentioned in the same breath as the NFL.
I’m sorry, I think I explained what I meant in detail well enough. I don’t believe that women sports are as competitve, especially in college sports, do not have the depth as men’s sports. This is due because there are less women atletes and upper end quality is not as great as men’s sports. I think this is seen when UCONN women’s basketball team goes undefeated three times in the last decade. Not to say they are not a great team, because they are, but they just do not face the competition as say the UCONN’s men’s team.
Mike, I agree with you 100% about ESPN being politically correct, and the differences in popularity (Particularly when it comes to team sports). What bothers me is they way ESPN overhypes everything they do like it is life and death (Like tennis tournaments, college basketball games in November, that get lower ratings than infomercials & of course, the ESPY’s). The one sport they actually cover well is college football (Perhaps it is because every game actually matters?). Sports they do NOT cover like hockey get cheated with their Sports Center coverage, which is a reason why I rely on the net more than ESPN for sports news coverage.
This guy is a tool and a moron. Only guy I’ve ever seen or heard of who dislikes Old Timer’s day.
I can’t believe I’m watching Berroa hitting for the Mets.
Angel Berroa cameo!
[...] Confidence Poll « Open Thread: Thoughts on Old Timer’s Day Jul [...]
If we don’t resign Damon, any chance we go for Mark DeRosa?
I kind of find it ironic that most of the people blasting Casey are the same people who abhor the wave, YMCA, Cotton Eye Joe, etc. The general feeling is if Yankee fans like it, who is he (Casey) to blast it. Having an 8 year old son who likes the wave, YMCA, etc., I always wonder why many of the RAB posters take this attitude when there are a lot of children and casual fans who like these sort of diversions. Just because a lot of you do not like it, other people who do shouldn’t enjoy these diversions? My point being, many of you are just as guilty as Casey…
It is hypocritical. Picking on Sterling is another example.
Yeah, sorry I hate Sterling. Not as a person; he does a fine job with Yankees classics and Yankeeography. But as a broadcaster.
The problem is not having a different opinion; it’s blasting others who’s opinion is different from yours. And, like this dude, using faulty logic in your article and assuming that we’re “arrogant” or something because we like giving the fans a treat. That’s insulting.
While I don’t think I’ve ever gotten into a conversation here about the wave or YMCA or any of that stuff, I disagree with your comment. Casey is not a part of the intended audience in the case of the Old Timers’ Game. I, though, as a fan who attends many Yankees games, am part of the group of people affected by the wave, YMCA, Cotton Eye Joe and the rest of that stuff. I think your next step will be to say that I’m not part of the intended audience as concerns the wave, YMCA and Cotton Eye Joe, but the difference is that I’m a captive audience member who can’t help but be affected by those things. Casey is commenting on something that just has nothing to do with him. The goal of Old Timers’ Day isn’t to please people like Casey, it’s to please the Yankees and their fans.
My problem with Casey’s opinion of the Old Timers’ Game is that he seems to think that the point is to prove to people outside the Yankees’ world (people who are fans of other teams, etc.) how great the Yankees are. The point, however, is for those inside the Yankees’ world to celebrate the team and its history. Casey’s opinion is (1) misguided, as he misunderstands the goal of the day, and (2) irrelevant. Fans’ opinions on in-game promotions, on the other hand, might be valid or misguided, but are certainly not irrelevant in the way that Casey’s opinion of Old Timers’ Day is.
Fair enough and well stated. However, I do encourage you to pay attention to the general tone around the in-game promotions. I think you will have a better idea of what I am talking about.
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4339433
Wow change of attitude from Gammons.
Said Penny wont move unless for a really good bat. Then he says they’re “scared to death about their depth… Wake is 43, Smoltz is in his 40s too, dont know what they have, Buchholz/Bowden are coming.”
worried about 2 40 year old pitchers? strange
Good thing they have more starting pitching depth than the Hall of Fame.
I was really mad when Bucholz did well. That was not good news for the Yanks.
If we have to explain it, you’re not going to get it anyway. Maroon.
Heyman’s latest.
The Yankees understand they’d have to surrender one of two top young pitchers, Joba Chamberlain or new eighth-inning star Phil Hughes, plus some names from a high-end prospect list that would likely include outfielder Austin Jackson and one of two catchers, Jesus Montero or Francisco Cervelli.
Did he just put Montero and Cervelli in the same sentence?
“Did he just put Montero and Cervelli in the same sentence?”
+1
Due to that one statement, I have now lost all respect for Jon Heyman as a “baseball guy”.
I lost my respect for Heyman and his ilk a long time ago, when I realized that they base all of their “news” on the tips / opinions of about three-to-five scouts and management types that they have known since the ’70′s. Their info is generally broad and vague enough to make it sound like they’re in the know, when in fact you can get more pertinent info from spending a few minutes online.
/venting complete
In all fairness to Cervelli, he handled ML pitching fairly well(.269 BA) despite jumping from AA to the majors last spring. His trade value is a lot higher now than it was at the beginning of the season. He’s no Posada at the plate but a catcher that can hit .270 or better can start on most teams…
Cervelli’s energy >>>>>> Montero’s raw power.
Joe Girardi thinks Cervelli will be a starting catcher in the future. Maybe not for the Yankees but he could put up Yadier Molina type numbers for some other teams…
I couldn’t catch the Old Timers in action today–how did Moose look?
Good. Enjoyiing life and was just lobbing it in there.
Hey Matty, Big Donkey got 3 walks for you yesterday. He passed the baton….problem was, his team stinks.
Ben Nicholson–Smith is such a homer.
Nick Cafardo (Boston Globe) just said on TV that if the Red Sox offered Buchholz, Lowrie and Masterson then JP would have to jump at it and trade Halladay to the Red Sox
Seems like they are one A prospect short to me.
Anyone going to the game tomorrow?
Me!
…and Tuesday. and Thursday.
gonna be a long week.
From John_W_Henry
News from Yankees’ Universe. Big upsurge in membership. Apparently coming mostly from Pluto. Not doing nearly as well on Mars.
John Henry is such an old fart.
still talking shit on twitter instead of trying to fix your anemic offense are we you cocksucking decrepit fuck?
goody, i cant wait till regression makes you its bitch and youve replaced your dh spot with triple A retreads.
Damn
What I will grant the curmudgeon is that between Old Timers ’08 and Old Timers O9, the Yankees ran essentially the same ceremony five times. Hell, Yogi was at the Stadium in uniform more often than Carl Pavano. Now these were special circumstances, but in the future I’d like to see them make the other celebrations a bit different from the Old Timer’s game.
I was annoyed that the ASG, OTD (which I was at last year), and the final game featured essentially the same ceremonies. Weak.
ASG celebrated all the living legends in the Hall of Fame, OTD was about Yankee legends, Final Game was a little redundant of OTD but it was the Final Game at the Stadium.
Tommie and the other knicks fans on here:
what do you think of them bringing in Sessions?
Let’s state the obvious, Casey is a jackass. Part of the charm of baseball is it’s ability to link generations. How dense does someone have to be not to get that. I couldn’t put my finger on that growing up but I sensed it, I knew it was there. When my grandfather died, I was at the wake sitting by myself and my father brought over two friends of his from work to sit with me and we talked about the Yankess for about an hour and a half. They told me stories of the old Yankees I talked about players of that day (Roy White Bobby Murcer, Gene Michael etc). It made a little kid feel better on a bad day. Old Timers Day brings that all back. I don’t care that Casey doesn’t like it, here’s a thought, do something else that day.
Take a quick look at what this sad sack of humanity is complaining about, prior to 2008 the Yankees last had an All Star Game in 1977. At that rate 2039 shapes up to be a real bummer for Casey. The Yankees had one stadium from 1923 until 2008, 85 years. 2094 looks to be another bad one, Casey should plan a trip to the moon for that summer.
Personally I think it’s terrific that guys like Homer Bush and Chad Curtis get invited. It’s a nice gesture that shows that the team wants to make the lesser names feel like a part of Yankee history, too.
I enjoy OT day and haven’t missed one in the last 8 years,however I have to admit yesterday was lame.I was very disappointed. I don’t really care about seeing Homer Bush and Aaron Small. Where was Tino,O’Neill ,Bernie etc???
Did anyone else see this about Aaron Small?
12:51 p.m.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t share what Aaron Small had to recently endure. Small, of course, became a revelation in 2005 when as a midseason callup went 10-0 to pick up an injury-plagued Yankees rotation and help carry the team to the postseason.
Small is recovering from encephalitis, an inflammation and swelling of the brain caused by a virus. Doctors had to place him in a drug-induced coma for eight days and draw blood out of his jugular. Having completed a four-week outpatient therapy program, Small told me he’s still too weak to play in the game, but had to make it back to the Bronx. Truly one of the great human beings I’ve ever covered.
http://yes.mlblogs.com/archive.....diary.html