melky cabrera's success

Wow.  Melky Cabrera is doing great!  He hasn't hit a homerun yet, but he's a strong batter otherwise.  How lucky are the Yankees to have this valuable guy, called up from the minors, filling the shoes of elite outfielders Sheffield and Matsui?

The Yankees front office should take notice of this outstanding play by a young player, and put more effort into player development.  Guys, lose the willingness to buy brand-name talent and get more young, healthy players onto the field now.

barry has 715 now

Barry Bonds, will you please retire from Major League Baseball now?  We're all so very impressed.

barry bonds joins babe ruth

What do I want to say about Barry Bonds' 714th homerun, which makes him tied for second place on the homerun leader list with Babe Ruth?

I want to explain how Babe Ruth was a much more significant figure in Major League Baseball.  Let's forget about statistics and talk about stories.

I like the story of the Curse of the Bambino, for example.  The Boston Red Sox let Babe Ruth go to the New York Yankees for a pittance, and then the Babe became a legend.  The Red Sox would not win the World Series again until 2004.

Yankee Stadium, opened for games in April of 1923, is called "The house that Ruth built."

In 1932, a famous moment in baseball history happened.  Babe Ruth, a 37-year-old, was no longer a leading homerun hitter.  Think about that for a moment.  Ruth came to bat in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs.  (I'm rooting for you too, Cubbies!)  The Babe points a finger across the field-- perhaps at the pitcher, the Cubs dugout, the outfield fence.  Anyway, with the next pitch, Ruth hits a homerun in the very direction he just pointed.

The Hall of Fame inducted its First Class in 1936.  Plaques of the five inductees appear together on a wall in the hall.  Those players are Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, Walter Johnson, and Babe Ruth.

Ruth played at a time when his legacy would probably live and die in the newspapers and on radio.  Could he have known that his dominant play would be forever honored among the greatest players?  His level of play has faintly been dreamed about in the past 70 years.  The Hall of Fame is the second house that Ruth built.

14-13

Wow, what a game that was!  No, I didn't watch it, but I read the highlights online.  Farnsworth is having quality outings for the Yankees, so let's all hope this continues.  I'm still a big Scott Proctor fan as well.

The last thing I want to mention in this already-rambling statement is that Posada is my hero for getting 5 RBIs.  Clearly he is a cleanup hitter.

quiet about bonds

Fans are excited.  Flashbulbs probably go off with each pitch.  People are waiting for Barry to hit his 714th.

I want all of this attention for Barry Bonds to end.  He doesn't deserve it, as he is approaching second place on the all-time homerun list with the aid of steroids.

I think the people of today are a bit cowardice in their pursuit of "being part of history."  Or they don't feel qualified to judge.  Or they are blind to the physical anomalies as well as the cover-up.

Although Major League Baseball's steroids investigation seems to be gaining steam, I am growing more concerned that Barry will not be appropriately admonished.  Will this be done in time to keep him out of the Hall of Fame?

sunday solution

Send Randy to the minors!

matsui is sorry

I am absolutely stunned at Hideki Matsui's apology for his injury. He comes from a different country, a different culture, a different upbringing.  We should all be ashamed that we don't have as much class as he does.

one thousand

Joe Torre's 1,000 wins with the Yankees is a fine achievement.  He got there after starting with just a two-year managing contract.  The organization obviously pays heavily to acquire top talent, but that alone does not guarantee results.  Winning everything requires leadership.

With that easy praise out of the way, I'll play devil's advocate.

A two-year gig with the New York Yankees has a very clear message: either win or get out.  Joe Torre managed the team to a World Series victory in his first year.  The team exited in the division series in 1997.  Then, three championships in a row!

Since that time, Joe has known he'd be coming back for another year.  Urgency is gone.  Urgency can't be bought with generous salaries and lengthy contracts.

How can a person like Joe Torre, who has truly done it all, be motivated?

to george

Attention George Steinbrenner:

Shut the hell up.  Stop interfering with your players and their careers.  Just pay them.