Simply the Best

Even though I am a fourth generation Orange Countian, to the chagrin of many of you, I am a life-long New York Yankees fan.

I've watched a lot of baseball throughout the years, and followed my team and my favorite sport faithfully.  I've seen Mays, Mantle, Rose, Aaron, Koufax, and all the rest ply their trade.

But of all of them, my favorite has been Mariano Rivera.  Not only is he among the best ever, I've never heard anyone speak ill of him.  It seems as though everyone who writes, reports, and plays for the Yankees (those with first-hand knowledge) describes him as a truly decent guy, a committed Christian, and someone absolutely dedicated to perfecting his trade.  I tend not to fawn over athletes, but he's a man I would like to meet.

Since Moneyball is now out in theaters, the stat heads among us have used the occasion to provide tangible proof that not only is "Mo" soon to be the all-time saves leader, he is one of the best pitchers ever to throw a baseball.

So, in honor of Mo's 600th save, and in light of the fact that he'll soon pass Trevor Hoffman (who had 601 saves), I thought I'd pass on a recent article from SI.  No question, Mo is simply the best.  Click Here

I will miss watching him when he retires . . .  So will the Yankees!

Bizarre Triple Play

Sell It on Ebay or Pay the IRS?

Christian Lopez had quite a day on Saturday.  When Derek Jeter hit number 3,000 into the left field seats, not only was it another great moment in Yankees history (yet another reason to be a Yankees fan), but a life-long Yankees fan caught the ball.  What a thrill for a loyal fan hoping to see another great moment at Yankee Stadium.

Good guy that he is, Mr. Lopez promptly gave the treasured ball to Derek Jeter.  Mind you, some say the ball was worth between 200-400K if Mr. Lopez sold it to the highest bidder!  Instead, he said the ball was rightly Jeter's and all he wanted was a hand shake from the man himself.

The Yankees obliged.  The 23-year old Mr. Lopez shook Jeter's hand as the cameras rolled, and the media hailed the young man as a sort of hero for so willingly giving up the ball to the Yankee captain.  Because of his graciousness, in return the Yankees gave Mr. Lopez several Jeter signed bats, balls, and jerseys plus season tickets in the top-end luxury suite, and for the post season, if there is one.  All those goodies, apparently, are worth more than $32,000.00.

Enter the IRS who will likely stick Mr. Lopez with a bill between 5K and 13K.  They say the same rules apply here as those who win prizes on Game Shows.  I'm not buying it.  Given my disdain for all things associated with the IRS--and yes, it is hard to think clearly about 2K issues when I dislike the DC Beltway crowd so much for both personal and political reasons--I see this as yet another illustration of Uncle Sam's shamlessness in picking our wallets to pay for his over-indulgence.  I'm all for rendering to Caesar, but . . .

Quite a dilemma.  Meet Derek Jeter, get some cool stuff, plus a bill for $13,000.00?  Or might it have been better to just drop the ball?  If I had caught it, and had my wits about me, I would have told everyone my name is "Zrim."

The Boys of Spring Are Ready to Go -- Opening Day, 2011

If you are a baseball fan, you know what this day means:  box scores, MLB Tonight, Gameday.  Spring has little to do with flowers.  It has to do with the start of the baseball season!

Today, every team is in first place.  Every team has a shot at the pennant.  Future stars are still unknown.  Even Cubs fans are smiling today.  And reality has not yet hit Red Sox Nation.  It will.

But if you are not a baseball fan, please move along, nothing to see here . . .

The Crack of the Bat, a Couple of Legends, and Moobs

The first game of the season -- Spring Training 2011, Yankees vs. Phillies.  The first line-up has even been posted!

Jeter SS
Swisher RF
Teixeira 1b
Rodriguez 3b
Cano 2b
Posada DH
Granderson CF
Cervelli C
Gardner LF

Pitching: Colon

For every baseball fan, this is a great day!  We've waited months for this.  Even Cubs fans are brimming with hope as to what the new season may hold, and Red Sox fans can't see the utter humiliation which awaits them.

People wonder why I am a Yankees fan when I am a Californian down to the fourth generation.  One reason is found in the picture of Yogi and Jeter from this year's spring training. 

My first baseball game was at Dodger Stadium in July of 1964--Angels vs. Yankees.  Even at age ten, I just knew that any team with Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra was better than the no-name scrubs from Los Angeles (you know, the "Los Angeles Angels" when they really were the Los Angeles Angels--Anaheim Stadium had not yet opened).  No other sports team has the "legend thing," the Yankees do.  The picture of Yogi and Jeter really conveys that point.

One last thing, the photo of Bartolo Colon running (and bouncing) somehow gives every middle-aged man hope.  We are not alone.  Even professional athletes can have moobs . . .

Predictions:

A.L. East:  Obviously, either the Yankees or Red Sox win the A.L. East.  Whichever of these two teams does not win the division (because of injuries, etc.) will fall to third or worse, because both Toronto and Baltimore are much, much improved.  Tampa brings up the rear this year.

N.L. East:  No question about this one; Phillies win, Atlanta wins the wild card.

A.L. Central:  Tigers or Twins?  Tigers

N. L. Central:  Brewers

A. L. West:  Angels over Rangers.  I think the Angels will surprise everyone.

N. L. West:  Giants

Your thoughts? Predictions?

"You Play Ball Like a Girl" Revisited

I love it when politicians get their self-inflicted come-uppins . . .

A Great Article on Mariano Rivera

One of my favorite Yankees is Mariano Rivera, arguably the best closer of all-time.  The man has one "out" pitch (the "cutter"), everyone knows what it will be, and still, he saws off bats like no one else I have ever seen.

The guy has nerves of steel and from what everyone says, he is a good guy and a family man.  Better yet, he's a professing Christian (there are several on the Yankees--Phil Hughes and Andy Pettitte to name a couple of others).

In any case, there's a great article on "Mo" in the New York Times magazine.  The King of the Closers

The Evil Empire in Space

I saw this on the Lo-Hud NY Yankees' blog (Click here) this morning and couldn't resist . . .

Look closely at the sleeve of astronaut Garrett Reisman's space suit.  That's not a "rally monkey" on his arm.

Lets go Yankees!

A Remarkable Record

The Yankees have a reputation for being the best team money can buy.

But what happened yesterday is truly remarkable in a sports world dominated by free agency.  When Mariano Rivera came in the pitch the ninth inning against the Red Sox, it marked the first time in the history of the four major American sports (NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB) that three players have been together on the same team for sixteen consecutive seasons.

Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada have been together on the Yankees a long time.  They all came up together in the Yankees system, making the total number of years they have played together closer to twenty.  Had Andy Pettitte not listened to Roger Clemens and stayed in New York instead of spending three years in Houston, there would be four players setting this record.

I'd say they've earned their gold watches.  By the way, the Yankees have fifteen home grown players on their opening day roster.  That too is pretty remarkable.

"You Play Ball Like . . . a Girl!!!"