Monday, July 16, 2007

Attitude

Disappointment comes with the job just like sweat and pain and dirt in their pants. Ballplayers have to get used to it.

But not too used to it.

Sometimes their only weapon is attitude. To survive in this game they had better have one helluva an attitude. People may come along and say they have a “bad attitude” or that they need an “attitude adjustment.” Most of them will carry tape recorders and microphones and have never played much baseball.

The great ones don’t listen.

They listen to their manager and their coaches and their teammates. They’re always told to keep the attitude.

That was about all Robinson Cano – with one hit since the All-Star break – had when he led off the fifth inning yesterday. The Yankees were in a 3-0 hole and Edwin Jackson had allowed only two hits in the game.

Cano quickly fell behind 0-2. Jackson tried to get him to chase. Nope. He hung tough, fouled off seven pitches, worked the count to 2-2 and finally blooped the eleventh pitch of the at-bat into centerfield for a single.

Only players with an attitude can do that. Those without would have been back in the dugout after three pitches.

That hit started a four-run rally that led to a victory. It was an important victory because they are all important. The Yankees – like Cano – are carrying one helluva an attitude these days.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm a Yankee fan but I wouldn't be too excited about the Yankees "new attitude." They beat the worst team in the AL 3 out of 4 which is nice but doesn't say that much. The pitcher Robby Cano battled has an ERA north of 7. The truth is, what Cano did in that at bat is pretty rare: he worked a count. Cano's gotta improve his plate discipline if he wants to be a productive major leaguer. Recognizing pitches, not attitude, will carry Cano to the next level.

Anonymous said...

Yesterday's game could have gone either way. Bottom line: Struggling against a last place team does not bode well for success. The Blue Jays are in for 4 and will bring the "Delusionals" back down to Earth, where they will all finally have to admit: This Yanks team is a "see-saw-sub-par" .500 team!

Hey how's that AAA Columbus team doing?

Better luck in a few years down the road! It had to happen soon or later. And by the looks of not winning a thing since 2000. It looks like "sooner" happened a long, long time ago. Despite being able to out-spend the entire league. That's the most embarrassing (right up there with the "Choke of 2004") part about the whole thing: No matter how much the Yankees spend....they still suck, 7 years running! You should be on your 7 WS title in a row.

You'll never win a thing again. You time has come and gone. There will always be 5 to 7 teams better than you in any given year!

Todd Drew said...

Anonymous,
Your response is one I hear often, but I believe reducing a complex game played by complex people to simple phrases like plate discipline and pitch recognition is a bad idea. There are tons of statistics used to gauge ballplayers. They certainly have their uses, but I think everyone also needs to realize that these are incredibly talented and determined people that have overcome things that the rest of us can’t even imagine. How could we possibly know what they are truly capable of?

Cano has had a tough year and he put together a great at-bat that helped his team win a game. I don’t know how that is anything but good.

Everyone with a television and a computer thinks they know this game. I’ve played and watched a million games and the only thing I know is: It’s a damn hard game.

Todd Drew said...

Mister Marbles,
If you have a point to make, please make it. Crazy rants add nothing.

Henry said...

Crazy rants from anonymous people on the internet. What a shock! I love the blog, but there are people that aren’t as serious about fairness and decency as you.

Anonymous said...

Yanks suck!
Red Sox are #1

Hope you get mugged in the Bronx Spook!

Todd Drew said...

I think we have all heard enough of these crazy rants. People are free to voice their opinion, but please try to make some kind of a point. The fact that you might hate me, the New York Yankees, New York City and the Bronx are not points.

Also, why break in and sabotage this blog? Start your own.