Baseball…It’s Here
There's a calm before every storm. The time where everything goes strangely quiet, giving you a chance to breathe before the storm strikes. It's nature's way of giving you a chance to catch your breath.
That calm is here. But, it's not staying for long. Tonight, baseball starts. Yankees. Red Sox. Fenway Park. The roller coaster we call baseball is about to begin.
Baseball is different from every sport, in its length. 162 games. There's a game every day. Every day, there's a new twist in the roller coaster. Every day, there's a new turn.
I use the hours leading up to the start of the season to take a breath. And realize that I'm about to embark on a wild ride, that will seem like it's never going to end. But, that's okay. I don't want the ride to end. I don't want the season to end.
Baseball... It's here. I'm next on line for the roller coaster. And I can't wait.
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It’s Baseball Season
I love baseball. I love the pace, the strategy. But, I don't get involved--fully--until hockey season is over. I've been spoiled the past couple of years, because the Rangers have been in the playoffs. They've had some intense series. Even when they've been eliminated, I'm still watching. Combine that with the NBA playoffs, and baseball takes a back seat.
This season feels different. The Rangers aren't that good. They may make the playoffs, but even if they do, they aren't going to go very far. I haven't been invested at all in the NBA this year. I'll watch the conference finals and league finals, but other than that, the NBA hasn't really been on my radar.
So, as I deal with the reality that is the Rangers, my mind wanders towards baseball. A couple months earlier. Which is great. In my spare time, I start thinking about Yankee lineups. Matchups. Yankee competitors. How will the bullpen be constructed? What should the lineup be?
Normally, this mental exercise happens this time of year, but it's never at this depth. I think about it, of course. I'm a Yankee fan. But, it's more casual. My mind is more focused on Ranger line combinations. And while I still think about that, my mind is shifting towards baseball. It's a nice change.
The weather here in New York is starting to get nicer, the snow is melting, the sun is shining. You turn on the TV and there's spring training baseball. You turn on the radio and there's baseball. It's here. In a few weeks, it will all start for real. Until then, we can enjoy thinking about baseball, dreaming about it. It's here.
McGwire Admits To Steroid Use
In a very unsurprising revelation, Mark McGwire admitted to steroid use. Here's his statement:
"Now that I have become the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals, I have the chance to do something that I wish I was able to do five years ago.
"I never knew when, but I always knew this day would come. It's time for me to talk about the past and to confirm what people have suspected. I used steroids during my playing career and I apologize. I remember trying steroids very briefly in the 1989/1990 off season and then after I was injured in 1993, I used steroids again. I used them on occasion throughout the '90s, including during the 1998 season.
"I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era.
"During the mid-'90s, I went on the DL seven times and missed 228 games over five years. I experienced a lot of injuries, including a ribcage strain, a torn left heel muscle, a stress fracture of the left heel, and a torn right heel muscle. It was definitely a miserable bunch of years and I told myself that steroids could help me recover faster. I thought they would help me heal and prevent injuries, too.
"I'm sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids. I had good years when I didn't take any and I had bad years when I didn't take any. I had good years when I took steroids and I had bad years when I took steroids. But no matter what, I shouldn't have done it and for that I'm truly sorry.
"Baseball is really different now -- it's been cleaned up. The commissioner and the players' association implemented testing and they cracked down, and I'm glad they did.
"I'm grateful to the Cardinals for bringing me back to baseball. I want to say thank you to Cardinals owner Mr. DeWitt, to my GM, John Mozeliak, and to my manager, Tony La Russa. I can't wait to put the uniform on again and to be back on the field in front of the great fans in Saint Louis. I've always appreciated their support and I intend to earn it again, this time as hitting coach. I'm going to pour myself into this job and do everything I can to help the Cardinals hitters become the best players for years to come.
"After all this time, I want to come clean. I was not in a position to do that five years ago in my congressional testimony, but now I feel an obligation to discuss this and to answer questions about it. I'll do that, and then I just want to help my team."
We all knew this day was coming. We all knew that Big Mac used steroids. It was just a question of him admitting it. While the timing is a bit odd, I'm glad he did admit it. The monkey is off his back, and he can resume his life. Will it result in a Hall of Fame nomination? I don't know. I do think he will get in. He saved baseball, with his home run chase in 1998. It may take some time. But he will get in
Lincecum Repeats As NL Cy Young Winner
Tim Lincecum has repeated as NL Cy Young award. "The Freak" was 15-7 with a 2.48 ERA, 261 strikeouts, and a minuscule 1.05 WHIP. Lincecum has a very peculiar motion, but it sure works for him:
Lincecum is under some fire, because he is facing misdemeanor marijuana charges. While this is a scar on his record, this award takes his on-field accomplishments into consideration. It's a well deserved award.
Greinke Wins AL Cy Young Award
Zack Greinke has won the American League Cy Young award. He is beyond deserving. Greinke wen 16-8 with a 2.16 ERA. Second place finisher Felix Hernandez had a 19-5 record and a 2.49 ERA.
"I thought it was going to be real close between the two of us," Greinke said.
Besides his unbelievable season, Greinke winning the Cy Young is hard to fathom. Greinke quit baseball in 2006 after he was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder. That didn't stop him. When he returned full time in 2007, he went 7-7. The year after that, 13-10. This year, a Cy Young. It is a well deserved award to someone who has overcome a lot. Congratulations, Zack. The NL award is being announced on Thursday.
Greatest. Ad. Ever
Nike does some great advertisements. This might be the best. Granted, as a Yankee fan, I may be biased. But, you still got to appreciate it.
The Yankees Are World Champions
Unless you live under a rock (or are just not into sports), you know that the Yankees have won their 27th World Championship. Obviously, as a Yankee fan, it was unbelievable. Yeah, Yankee fans are spoiled. But, a championship is a championship. It was still amazing. The flow of texts between friends and family was too much to handle (and hopefully, AT&T will realize this, and not jack up my phone bill for this month). The couple of primal screams had to wake the neighbors. But, I don't care. A championship is like no other. Excitement. Unbridled joy. What else could you want?
This championship was a bit different. You see, I had a few more friends to enjoy the ride with. When I joined Twitter, I wasn't expecting much. Maybe I would update a couple times a week. Nothing major. But, once baseball started, it became something much larger. A place for fans to congregate. A little family. There's Rebecca, or Optimist Prime, the one who kept our heads above water, the one who made sure we didn't go overboard. There's Meg, whose rally bra had to account for at least 20 wins. There's Donna, the family mom. There's Andrew, who constantly second guessed Girardi, hated Posada, but his love for the team trumps all. There's Mark Feinsand, Daily News beat writer, whose odds were for entertainment purposes only. There's Marc Carig, who started the Roll Call. There's Bryan Hoch, of MLB.com, who has never seen The Godfather. There's Tyler KepnerSweeny Murti. And there's Ross, our stadium insider.
I know I'm forgetting people. And I'm sorry for that. The weird thing is, I've never met these people. I probably never will. But, we are united under a common love, a love for baseball, a love for the Yankees. I shared this season with these guys. I shared the ups, I shared the downs. I shared a World Championship.
Baseball's over. We'll have to wait until April to see it again. But, this title will be one I'll always cherish. Not because of the win. But because of the people I shared it with.
I'll be heading to the parade tomorrow, celebrating the team. I'll take pictures, videos. Be sure to check back to see those
John Sterling and Bruce Springsteen Make Beautiful Music
John Sterling is synonymous with Yankee fans. He is the radio voice of the Yankees, known for his exuberance, missed calls, and "The Yankees win! Theeee Yankees win!" scream. So, maybe only Yankee fans can appreciate this. But here is a clip of Bruce Springsteen and Sterling making beautiful music. Enjoy
Cliff Lee Keeps It Casual
So yeah, Cliff Lee is dealing tonight against the Yanks. He's making it look easy. Really easy. Take a look:
Guess that pressure of the World Series isn't getting to him, huh?
Yankees Are Back In World Series
I didn't write this post immediately after the Yankees won, because I wanted it to sink in. The Yankees are back in the World Series. For most fans, you could care less. Of course the Yanks are back in the World Series, they bought it, you might say. They were there in 2003, my team hasn't been there since Lord knows when, you might retort. As a Yankee fan, it's been a long time coming. When you're accustomed to winning, that's what you expect, for better or for worse. So when they make the World Series, you're happy. You hug random strangers. You stay up all night, too excited to go to sleep. You become a little kid again.
Tomorrow night, I'll wait around the TV anxiously for first pitch. I'll live and die with every pitch. I'll cheer when the Yanks score. I'll pout when the Phillies score. But, in a larger sense, it doesn't matter. All that matters is that the Yankees are back where they belong. I'm just along for the ride.
Note: I'm not going to give a prediction for this series, because frankly, as a Yankee fan, I cannot be objective.
