Friday, February 20, 2015

ANOTHER NUMBER BITES THE DUST

** So the Yanks are retiring another number, Andy Pettitte's #46. Supposedly, Bernie Williams (#51) and Jorge Posada (#20) will also have their numbers retired. Of course, Derek Jeter's #2 will be retired as soon as the Yanks can figure out how to get a national holiday declared. As soon as that happens, the Yankees will have retired 21 numbers altogether honoring 22 different players (Yogi Berra & Bill Dickey share #8). I wonder if they plan on retiring Alex Rodriquez number too? They might as well. I can't imagine any other player wanting to wear #13.
I understand they want to honor these players, but why not just give them a plaque in the Monument Park in centerfield? Pettitte, Williams and Posada were very good players but I don't know if they rate having their numbers retired. I suppose longevity means something, but this? And why was Reggie Jackson's number retired? He only played for the Yanks for 5 years. One great World Series? Okay, then why not Bobby Richardson, who had 11 hits and 12 RBIs in the 1960 WS? Heck, Bill Mazeroski hit ONE homerun in that series and it got him into the Hall of Fame.
** Umpire Tim McClelland is retiring. He's 63 and widely seen as one of baseball's most respected umpires. He will always be remembered as the umpire who called George Brett out in the pine tar incident. I will always remember him as the umpire who had two Yankees on third base at the same time and neither one got called out. 
** Baseball will have some new rules this year to help speed the game up. Batters will be required to keep one foot in the batter's box at all times. Except:
A) a foul ball
B) a foul tick
C) a swing and miss
D) a brush back or knock down pitch
E) wild pitch
F) when the umpire says it's okay
They might as well have added G) whenever the hell the batter feels like it.
Why? Because the penalty could be a $500 fine. Wow! That's like me being fined 25 cents for speeding.
But they're trying. Managers won't be allowed to saunter out on to the field and stall while they await a signal from the bench if they should ask for a review on a call. That may help.
** The Red Sox are being touted as the favorites to win the AL East, largely based on the addition of Hanley Ramirez and Pedro Sandoval. Ramirez is known to be a troublemaker in the clubhouse  and Sandoval has a weight problem and doesn't always exert a 100% effort. Sure enough, Pedro showed up at spring training overweight. Not a new problem for him. I wrote this about him back in 2011:
"In an effort to positively affect his weight problem, the SF Giants put him on a food regimen for the winter. And it worked: He positively gained weight. His trainer said, " We were doing all right until he escaped."

Well, that's all for now. I have to go and shovel again today.

***THEY SAID IT***
"The Bills signed Richie Incognito. That’s good news. I firmly believe everyone deserves a 39th chance."  -- Brad Dickson
"Complaining is like vomiting,” new Twins manager Paul Molitor told Twin Cities business leaders at a recent breakfast. “You might feel better after you get it out, but you make everybody around you sick.”  No word on if anyone went back for seconds"  -- Dwight Perry
"The Oscars are on this weekend. The Imitation Game is a favorite to win Best Picture. It’s a film about The Toronto Maple Leafs pretending to be a pro hockey team during the past 40 years."  -- TC Chong
"If you make every game a life-and death proposition, you’re going to have problems. For one thing, you’ll be dead a lot."  -- the late N. Carolina coach Dean Smith
"Danica Patrick and Denny Hamlin crashed during Daytona 500 qualifying. Or, as the headlines read: "Danica, Another Driver Crash." -- Brad Dickson

"Suggested walk-up music for Alex Rodriguez’s plate appearances this season: “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.”  -- Dwight Perry 
"Memo to all players at Yankee Spring Training: Since we are running out of traditional numbers, please submit a request for a “letter or double letter” uniform in case the number you want is unavailable. The letters BB (bat boy); DD (our well endowed left field foul line girl) and FU (in case Randy Johnson comes out of retirement) are already taken."  -- TC Chong
"Portly Pablo Sandoval reported to his first Red Sox spring training looking a tad plump. Coincidence? The team’s batting donut has already gone missing."  -- Dwight Perry
"I would put more stock in A-Rod’s letter of apology to Yankees fans if he hadn’t written it in disappearing ink."  -- Marc Ragovin

"Roger Goodell, 56, ran the 40 yard dash this week, in a very respectable 5.53 seconds. Assume Goodell did it by imagining he was running away from tough questions."  -- Janice Hough

CP-






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