Monday, June 11, 2007

Monday Points

One point cuts through all the talk in the Bronx. The Yankees are going to chase everyone down and win this thing.

“How else should I feel?” shrugged Raul from Walton Avenue. “The guys are playing well, they are working their way up in the standings and there are still more than 100 games left. It’s going to be a fun summer.”

It was a fun weekend in the Bronx against the Pirates and we learned a few things:

Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera are as tough as they come.

Doug Mientkiewicz, who is having his broken wrist surgically pinned to cut his recovery time, is pretty tough, too.

This team is a lot better now that Roger Clemens is back.

I can’t seem to find any of the people who wanted to trade Bobby Abreu a couple of weeks ago.

Alex Rodriguez is the biggest right-handed bat in baseball.

Jason Giambi was on the field signing autographs yesterday. He was introduced on “Jason Giambi Bat Day” and received a big welcome from the fans. Bud Selig would receive a much different reception if he ever dared to come to the Bronx.

Derek Jeter is always the leader of this team.

Johnny Damon is fitting in nicely as the designated hitter.

No one plays the game with more joy than Melky Cabrera.

Yeah, it’s going to be a fun summer and that’s the only point that really matters.

8 comments:

Zachary Lesser said...

I think moving Melky to center and putting Damon at DH was one of the more important moves for getting the team going. Melky vastly improves the outfield defense over Damon, who never had an arm and whose range was extremely limited because of his ailments. And Damon's hitting has improved in part because he's been getting to rest his sore muscles by not playing the field. Giambi was struggling at the plate and was hobbled on the base paths, clogging the lineup. I hate to say it, but all in all, Giambi getting injured has, I think, turned out to be the proverbial sports "blessing in disguise."

Todd Drew said...

Z,
I agree with everything you said. I also think we are now less vulnerable against lefties.

Ben said...

When Giambi gets back, though, I think they've got to try Damon at first. They'll need Giambi down the stretch.

Ross said...

What is your beef with Bud Selig and Major League Baseball? They have a right to bring Giambi in for questioning about the steroid matter. Sure, the investigation might not solve much but MLB must show that they care about this issue. Also, since they are a private enterprise they can threaten Giambi if he doesn't cooperate with the investigation (MLB doesn't abide by antitrust laws etc.) I've read your posts before about Bud and MLB and it seems like you regard MLB as an oppressive, dark, overbearing regime. I just don't get your reasoning.

Todd Drew said...

Ross,
Bud Selig and Major League Baseball do not have any legal right to make Jason Giambi testify about anything. Major League Baseball has consistently violated its collective bargaining agreement with the MLBPA by leaking “confidential tests” and absolutely no one should trust them.

In my opinion, Selig and MLB are “a dark, overbearing regime.” Selig himself was instrumental in the collusion scandal that impacted several baseball seasons and World Series. That was the biggest “fix” in American sports. A bunch of rich men sat in a room and decided who was going to win, who was going to lose and how they were going to make money on all of it.

Money – and lots of it – has defined Selig’s tenure as commissioner. He and every owner made tons of money off Giambi and Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa... If Mitchell’s investigation was anything other than a witch hunt, Selig would have been called to testify. What did he know? What did he suspect? What did he do about it?

Mitchell hasn’t called Selig and he won’t call Selig. This $30 million investigation is just one more joke in this sad, sorry chapter of baseball history.

Ross said...

"Selig himself was instrumental in the collusion scandal that impacted several baseball seasons and World Series."

Todd, get your facts straight, the collusion scandal was in the 1980's when Selig wasn't commisioner. The '94 strike was Selig's fault partially but the players must also be blamed. Selig has done a lot of good for baseball. The Wild Card has made baseball more exciting and will help the Yankees get into the post season. Revenue, attendance, and TV ratings are up. The MLB union is the strongest in sports and possibly the U.S. You said "He and every owner made tons of money off Giambi and Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa" So what? All owners and commisioners need to make money, don't they? They turned a blind eye to the steroids situation but so did EVERYONE, including YOU. Baseball needed to bounce back fron the '94 strike and as tainted as McGwire and Sosa were, they helped bring baseball back. You can't let steroids alone mar all of what Selig has done. The sport has never been healthier, player salaries are higher, and the union is very strong.

Todd Drew said...

Ross,
The owners were responsible for collusion and Selig was an owner.

Todd Drew said...

Ross,
I don’t believe the health of baseball is based on the bottom-line. That health is driven by exploitative labor practices that pray on poor ballplayers in countries like the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Panama. Now they are looking to cut into the world’s largest pool of exploited labor: China.

American business is corrupt and baseball operates just like any other business. That’s really not baseball’s fault, but it is embarrassing to me as a baseball fan and an American.