We could have some downtime here
By · CommentsWe’re working on some behind-the-scenes upgrades that should make River Ave. Blues more responsive and should — fingers crossed — eliminate most, if not all, of our downtime. If you’re reading this is in an RSS reader and can’t access the main site for RAB, worry not. We’ll be back up shortly. If you’re reader this on the main site, then just ignore it. Obviously. Thanks for sticking with us.
Yanks looking for something they already had
By · CommentsWhile we had our own brand of excitement at RAB this afternoon, nothing happened in Yankeeland, and it is more and more likely that nothing will happen until next week. Fun times.
Meanwhile, in summarizing up the nothing, Peter Abraham highlighted an interesting quote from the AP by Hank Steinbrenner:
“What we’re looking for is a guy that’s maybe going to be one of the greatest managers, maybe, of all-time, over a period of 10, 20 years, who knows?”
Now without getting into the utter absurdity of such a statement or the argument over whether or not Torre should be managing the Yanks in 2008, doesn’t Steinbrenner realized they just fired a guy who was one of the greatest managers, maybe, of all-time over a period of 12 years? Does he know that these guys don’t grow on trees? Just wondering if anyone’s pointed that out to him.
Kimmel says what we’re all thinking
By · CommentsI’m not a huge fan of Jimmy Kimmel, but when I saw this video at The Big Lead today, I laughed. We’re all thinking it. He just has a platform to share.
ByPeople magazine is currently running a contest for baseball lovers to vote for the sexiest fan. Weird, I know. The Yankee fan – Jeff Jackson – still in the running, and Jeff’s mom has asked us to plug her son. So go over there and vote. Personally, I’d opt for the White Sox fan. She’s hot and supports giving pitchers the inside corner. · (7) ·
ByTwo items of note from Olney’s blog today: The Yankees, he says, will wait until Tuesday to announce their next manager. If the World Series ends on Sunday, that would give them a week and a half to negotiate a contract extension with A-Rod. But odds are they’re working on one right now.
Olney also writes, “The Yankees made the decision weeks ago to exercise the one-year option on Bobby Abreu’s deal.” I can’t complain. I know we have one or two Abreu haters around here, but he had a stellar season after a terrible start. There are no better options right now. · (8) ·
So the World Series is going on. The Red Sox seem to be well on their way toward their second World Series championship in the last four years, but based on the coverage of the Yankees, you would hardly know it.
The Yankees, you see, have found a way to stay not only relevant but on top of the baseball world after being eliminated from the playoffs. I noted this phenomenon last week when half of the top baseball new stories of the day focused around the Yankees, and it’s still true 10 days later. The team has taken to creating a big deal out of nothing, and it’s worked.
First, the Yankees induced stalking-style reporting during their double-secret probation meeting in Tampa about the future of Joe Torre. For days, nothing happened, and that, folks, was the news. “Nothing happens yet,” the headlines screamed as beat writers texted updates to their loyal readers who were breathlessly awaiting news of Joe Torre’s fates. It seemed like the Yankees brass were hammering out a solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, and it captivated everyone.
Now, they’re back at it again. The Yankees have turned the hunt for a manager into a media circus. They are interviewing three fairly boring candidates, but each other has been ushered through the same process. Arrive in Florida; interview with everyone; and then get turned loose on the media to see how the candidate in question handles the New York sports writers. Rinse. Repeat.
With the interviews over, the Yankees have once again sequestered themselves away in Tampa, and beat writers are waiting for word of the new Yankee manager. Will the name be released tomorrow during the World Series? Will the Yankees adhere to Bud Selig’s gag request and just leak the name instead?
This evening, though, the reports from Yankee-land have trumped everything we’ve witnessed. Black smoke arose from Tampa, and Howard Rubenstein poked his head out to say: “There has been widespread speculation about who the next manager of The New York Yankees will be. The evaluation process is continuing and there will be no immediate decision or announcement.”
That is, he poked his head out to make news by saying there is no news. And that — not the Red Sox’s 2-1 win — will dominate the New York sports pages.
Welcome to Major League Baseball: It’s the Yankees’ world, and everyone else just plays in it.
Brett Gardner really digs the desert
By · CommentsTony Almeda is the bad guy in the next season of 24? That’s just messed up.
AzFL Peoria (8-6 win over Team USA) Jeff Karstens in on the USA squad
Brett Gardner: 3 for 4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 BB - on base 27 times in 13 games
Juan Miranda: 0 for 3, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 K
Reegie Corona: 0 for 3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SB - 1.011 OPS batting lefty, .188 righty
Steven White: 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
HWB Honolulu (5-3 loss to Waikiki in 7 innings)
Austin Jackson: 1 for 4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 K – 3 jacks in the last 5 days
Bradley Suttle: 0 for 3, 1 RBI, 1 K – picked off first
Winter Ball Updates
Gerardo Casadiego: 5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K in 6 appearances
Frankie Cervelli: 0 for 4, 1 BB, 2 K in 2 games
Edwar Gonzalez: 7 for 25, 1 R, 1 2B, 4 RBI, 3 K, 2 SB in 9 games
Ben Kozlowski: 1.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K in 4 appearances
Jesus Montero: 15 for 39, 8 R, 1 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 5 BB, 5 K, 1 SB in 11 games
Justin Pope: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K in 5 games
Marcos Vechionacci: 11 for 29, 8 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 4 BB, 3 K, 1 SB in 10 games
ByWith his stolen base in the bottom of the 4th, Jacoby Ellsbury just delivered free tacos from Taco Bell to every single American. On October 30 from 2 to 5 p.m., head to your nearest Taco Bell for a free Crunchy Seasoned Beef Taco. Personally, I never realized beef was supposed to be crunchy. · (5) ·
Rumors: Girardi could land in Los Angeles
By · CommentsThere’s a rumor going that Joe Girardi, if he doesn’t land the job in the Bronx, could end up in Chavez Ravine. While the Dodgers do have Grady Little under contract for a few more season, we all know how well that played out last time.
Tim McCarver is just plain wrong
By · CommentsLast night, toward the end of that painful 13-1 routing, Tim McCarver and Joe Buck turned their attention back to Game 3 of the ALCS. In that game, for those of you like me who have tried to forget 2004 even happened, the Yankees put a-hurtin’ on the Red Sox. At that point in the series, the Yanks were up 3 games to none, and this where Tim McCarver’s imagination takes over.
McCarver said last night that, following game 3 in 2004, the Red Sox players are already congratulating the Yankees and wishing them luck in the World Series against the Cardinals. I call this story complete and utter BS. In fact, I think McCarver simply just made it up to sound good.
Why? Well, following game 3 of the 2004 ALCS, neither the Yankees nor the Red Sox had any inkling of which team they could face in the World Series. Game 3 of the ALCS was on Saturday, October 16. Earlier that same day, the Astros won game 3 of the NLCS and cut the series to 2-1 in favor of St. Louis. That series would eventually go seven games as well and would end one day after the Yankees-Red Sox series wrapped up.
In other words, even after the Red Sox completed their comeback and the Yankees finished the collapse that should have gotten Joe Torre fired, they still had no idea who they would be playing in the World Series. There’s no way the players would have mentioned the Cardinals following game 3 because the Cardinals simply weren’t destined for the World Series yet.
In conclusion, don’t trust stories that come out of Tim McCarver’s mouth. Who knows what else he’s pulling out of thin air?
For another view on McCarver’s announcing, check out Breaking Balls.
