James Lincoln Ray's Blog
Posted by James Lincoln Ray
I gotta be fair. For the past five years, I have been hammering Boston Red Sox fans for their obnoxious behavior in the wake of their 2004 and 2007 World Series wins. Well, now that Red Sox Nation is crumbling worse than our nation's infrastructure, New England fans have quited down a bit. Thank God.
However, I am starting to worry that the fans of the 2009 New York Yankees could actually out-annoy even the most moronic members of The Nation. Since their team won the ALCS on Monday, New York newspapers and Yankees fans have been acting like the Bombers already won the World Series. There is little respect being shown for the Phillies in the city that never sleeps.
Today's New York Post featured a photoshopped picture of Phillies All-Star centerfielder Shane Victorino in a red cheerleader skirt, with a caption underneath that read, "Victorino a Slugger? Please!" Obviously, the slow-witted author of that headline didn't see Victorino's grand slam off C.C. Sabathia in the 2008 NLDS.
It's not just the papers. The Post quotes tons of fans, who showed off their baseball knowledge with such quotes as "Here come the Phrillies," and "This Ain't Rocky, the underdog ain't gonna win." Stupid stuff like that.
Well, in case New Yorkers have forgotten, the Phillies are the defending world champions, and the Yankees haven't won a title in nine years. The Yankees players obviously know this.
It's time for the fans and the media to learn it as well. Confidence is fine. Cockiness is a prescription for an embarrassing letdown.
Posted by James Lincoln Ray
The Yankees may have landed the best free agent pitcher on the market, but they will need to sign at least one, and probably two others before they can be considered a serious contender in the American League East. I'm serious. Mike Mussina and Andy Pettitte won 34 games between them last year, and right now, neither one is a Yankee. Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy won zero games between them last year, and right now, they both are Yankees. And Joba is not a starter. I'm sorry; I may not know much, but I know that Joba Chamberlain is an overpowering presence when he's firing it 102 MPH in the seventh and eighth innings, and he's a torn rotator cuff waiting to happen when he's a starter.
So that leaves, well, not much. And the Yankees know it.
That's why they're pursuing Burnett, Sheets and Lowe. If they land one of those guys and also come to terms with Andy Pettitte, they could be a force in 2009. If not, if they don't get anybody else, then it will be a long season; and C.C. might be wishing by next July that he had he could exercise his opt-out after one year.
Posted by James Lincoln Ray
I'm not sure what the hell I was thinking that one sunny afternoon in March of this year, a day when I predicted that Robinson Cano would win the American League MVP. I must have been on something. Looking back, I see that my prediction was disastrous. I thought Cano had matured. I thought he'd get off to a decent start and then get on his usual hot streak in July. Instead, he got off to an abysmal start and only warmed up to shockingly mediocre in the second half of the season.
But I made some good picks too. I thought Johann Santana would win the National League Cy Young. He's certainly in the top four (along with Webb, Lincecum and Sabathia). I thought Joe Girardi would be the American League Manager of the Year. I still think that. He lost his best pitcher, his stalwart catcher, and his leftfielder. Two-fifths of his opending day starting rotation, otherwise known as Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, won a total of zero games. Yet Girardi was able to guide his team to 89 wins in his first year with the Yankees. I said the Phillies, Cubs, Angels, Dodgers, and Red Sox would make the playoffs. But I also think I picked the Tigers to win it all.
Anyway, I had enough good ones, okay, decent ones, to keep me going. Robinson Cano, you are killing me.
Posted by James Lincoln Ray
Yankee fans rejoice! Manny is dead! Long Live Manny! Or something like that.
This week, the Boston Red Sox shocked the baseball world by trading future Hall of Famer Manny Ramirez in a three-way deal that brought Jason Bay of the Pirates to Boston. Now, Bay is a fine player. In fact, his power numbers this year are very similar to Manny's. But he hits just .216 with runners in scoring position, while Manny is hitting over .300 in the same situations. But more important than any single statistic, the major difeerence between the two is that Manny Ramirez scares the hell out of opposing managers, and Jason Bay does not. David Ortiz won't be the same hitter without Manny hitting behind him.
But there are a lot of pros to the move. Bay is cheaper, Manny the Headache is gone, and he's out of the American League. And don't forget, when the Red Sox traded Nomar at the deadline in 2004, everyone said they were crazy. Then they won the World Series. Even without Manny, the Sox still have Pedroia, Lowell, Ortiz, Youkilis, Jason Bay and J.D. Drew. They will still score, but can they win the big ones without Manny?
Posted by James Lincoln Ray
Bobby Murcer came to the Major Leagues as a 19 year-old, switch-hitting centerfielder from Oklahama who had good power and remarkable speed. If that sounds like the description of another Yankee (one nicknamed the Mick), that's because the two players were indeed very similar in many ways.
Although Murcer never reached the heights predicted for him by optimistic Yankee management who tried to promote him as "The Next Mickey Mantle," Bobby did have a fine playing career. He made five straight All Star teams, hit over 250 home runs and drove in more than 1,000 runs.
The moment for which I will always remember Murcer is the game-winning hit he got against the Baltimore Orioles on August 6, 1979. Earlier that day, he had eulogized and buried his closest friend, Thurman Munson.
After his playing days ended, Bobby eventually went to the broadcast booth, where he was a natural. He was always charming, and he was always a gentleman. He brought a lot class and a lot of fun to Yankee broadcasts. But more than anything else, Bobby Murcer was a man who seemed very comfortable in his own skin. And he seemed to have a talent for making others feel the same way.
He will be dearly missed. God Bless You, Bobby.
