Baseball Toaster: Bronx Banter : Hey, Cool Breeze

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Alex:
Ray Negron part 1 2 3 4
Dad, Reggie and Me
Slaughterhouse Five
Way Out in Brooklyn
Heat Fave
Passing
Love, Death and Baseball

Cliff:
First-Half Review
2008 Draft Roundup
July Farm Report
On the Offense
2008 Campers
All-Star Game: 1977, 2008
The Holy "Trinity": 1904 1949
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Alex:
Strikes and Gutters: A Year with the Coen Brothers: Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
My 20 Favorite Hip Hop Albums
Greatest Singles from Hip Hop's Golden Era (1986-1994)
Ten Neglected Hip Hop Classics

Cliff:
Tin Ear
Pazz & Jop ballots: 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003 (post), 2002, 2001
Clem Snide
Eminem
Sleater-Kinney

Bronx Banter Interviews

Roger Angell
Allen Barra
Jim Bouton
Howard Bryant: Part 1, Part 2
Ken Burns: Part 1, Part 2
Will Carroll
Ethan Coen
Malcom Gladwell
Bill James
Pat Jordan
Chuck Korr: Part 1 Part 2
Jane Leavy
Michael Lewis
Tim Marchman
Marvin Miller
Rob Neyer: Part 1, Part 2
Buster Olney: April 2003, Sept. 2004
Buck O'Neil
Joe Posnanski
Alan Schwarz
Joel Sherman
Tom Verducci

Excerpts

Juicing the Game by Howard Bryant Part 1 Part 2
Forging Genius by Steven Goldman Part 1 Part 2
How About That! by Stephen Borelli
The Crowd Sounds Happy by Nicholas Dawidoff
The Last Nine Innings by Charles Euchner
Clemente by David Maraniss
The Soul of Baseball by Joe Posnanaski
Glenn Stout and Richard A. Johnson:
Yankee Century: Part 1 Part 2
Red Sox Century: 1 2 3 4
The Dodgers: 120 Years of Dodgers Baseball

Players

25-man Roster:

Infielders:
J. Giambi BR BP E MLB
R. Cano BR BP E MLB
D. Jeter BR BP E MLB
A. Rodriguez BR BP E MLB
W. Betemit BR BP E MLB mi
C. Ransom BR BP E MLB mi

Outfielders:
B. Abreu BR BP E MLB
J. Damon BR BP E MLB
X. Nady BR BP E MLB
H. Matsui BR BP E MLB mi
B. Gardner BR E MLB mi
M. Cabrera BR BP E MLB mi

Catchers:
I. Rodriguez BR BP E MLB
J. Molina BR BP E MLB
C. Moeller BR BP E MLB mi

Starting Pitchers:
M. Mussina BR BP BC E
A. Pettitte (L) BR BP BC E
S. Ponson BR BP BC E mi
D. Rasner BR BP BC E mi
C. Pavano BR BP BC E mi

Relief Pitchers:
M. Rivera BR BP BC E
J. Chamberlain BR BP BC E
D. Marte (L) BR BP BC E
J. Veras BR BP BC E mi
E. Ramirez BR BP BC E mi
B. Bruney BR BP BC E mi
D. Giese BR BP BC E mi
C. Britton BR BP BC E mi
A. Aceves BR E mi
P. Coke (L) BR BC E mi

15-day DL:
C. Wang BR BP BC E
60-day DL:
J. Posada BR BP E MLB
J. Albaladejo BR BP BC E mi
A. Brackman BC
H. Sanchez BC mi

Coaches:
J. Girardi (Mgr) BR BP BC
R. Thomson (Bench) BC
Kevin Long (Hit) BR
D. Eiland (Pitch) BR BP BC
B. Meacham (3B) BR BP BC
T. Peña (1B) BR BP BC
M. Harkey (Pen) BR BP BC

40-man Roster:
AAA
S. Duncan BR BP E MLB mi
J. Miranda BR BC mi
J. Christian BR BP E MLB mi
P. Hughes BR BP BC E mi
I. Kennedy BR BP BC E mi
C. Wright (L) BR BP BC E mi
D. Robertson BR BC E mi
S. Patterson BR BC mi
AA
F. Cervelli BR BC mi
J. Marquez BR BC mi DL

Designated for Assignment:
B. Traber (L) BR BP BC E mi

Select Minor Leaguers:

AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees:
B. Castro BR mi DL
C. Basak BR BP BC E MLB mi
E. Duncan BC mi
N. Green BR mi
B. Broussard BR mi
M. Carson BC mi
C. Stewart BR BP E MLB mi
J. Brown BC mi DL
K. Igawa (L) BR BP BC E JB mi
M. Melancon BC mi
J.B. Cox BC mi
S. Strickland BR BC mi
S. Jackson BC mi
E. Milton BR BC mi DL
V. Zambrano BR BC mi DL

AA Trenton Thunder:
K. Russo BR mi
R. Peña BC mi DL
C. Malec BC mi
M. Vechionacci BC mi DL
A. Jackson BC mi
C. Curtis BC mi
E. Gonzalez BR mi
P.J. Pilittere BC mi
J. Jones BC mi
G. Kontos BC mi
J. Nuñez BC mi
B. Smith BC mi DL
A. Claggett BC mi
O. Perez BR BC mi
M. Gardner BC mi
K. Whelan BC mi
W. Arias (L) BC mi

A Tampa Yankees:
E. Nuñez BC mi
C.J. Henry BC mi DL
T. Battle BC mi
K. Anson BC mi
J. Gil BC mi
A. Horne BC mi DL
Z. McAllister BC mi
W. De La Rosa (L) BC mi
C. Garcia BC mi

Low-A Charleston RiverDogs:
J. Snyder BC mi
M. Cusick BC mi
B. Suttle BC mi
A. Romine BC mi
J. Montero BC mi
D. Betances BC mi
J. Heredia BC mi
J. Ortiz BC mi
C. Heyer BC mi

Low-A Staten Island Yankees:
D. Adams mi
P. Venditte mi

Rookie Gulf Coast Yankees:
C. Joseph mi
C. Smith mi
K. Higashioka mi

Key:
BR = Baseball-Reference
BP = Baseball Prospectus
BC = Baseball Cube (past mL stats)
mi = MiLB.com (current mL stats)
E = ESPN (current splits, game logs)
MLB = MLB.com hit charts
JB = Japanese Baseball.com

The Recently Departed

2008 Yankees:
R. Sexson BR BP E MLB
M. Ensberg BR BP E MLB
A. Gonzalez BR BP E MLB mi
K. Farnsworth BR BP BC E
L. Hawkins BR BP BC E

Nady/Marte Trade:
J. Tabata BC mi
R. Ohlendorf BR BP BC E
D. McCutchen BC mi
J. Karstens BR BP BC E mi

2008 Campers/mLers:
C. Woodward BR BP BC E MLB PHI mL
J. Lane BR mi BOS mL
G. Porter BC mi WAS mL
J.D. Closser BR mi SD mL
S. Henn (L) BR BP BC E mi SD
H. Phillips (L) BR BC mi TB mL
S. White BR BC mi

2007 Yankees:
J. Torre (Mgr) BR BP BC LAD
D. Mientkiewicz BR BP BC E MLB PIT mL
A. Phillips BR BP BC E MLB mi CIN mL
J. Phelps BR BP BC E MLB STL mL
M. Cairo BR BP BC E MLB SEA
K. Thompson BR BP BC E MLB mi PIT
B. Sardinha BC mi SEA mL
W. Nieves BR BP BC E MLB WAS mL
R. Clemens BR BP BC E mi
T. Clippard BR BP BC E mi WAS
L. Vizcaino BR BP BC E COL $7.5m/2yrs
M. DeSalvo BR BP BC E mi ATL mL
M. Myers (L) BR BP BC E LAD mL
R. Villone (L) BR BP BC E mi STL mL
S. Proctor BR BP BC E LAD
J. Brower BR BP BC E mi CIN mL
C. Bean BR BP BC E mi ATL mL

2007 Campers and mLers:
E. Durazo BR BP BC E MLB mi
A. Cannizaro BR BP BC E MLB mi TB mL
A. Chavez BR BP BC E MLB mi LAD mL
K. Reese BR BP BC E MLB mi
R. Chavez BR BP BC E MLB mi PIT mL
O. Santos BC mi BAL mL
T. Pratt BR BP BC E MLB
T.J. Beam BR BP BC E mi PIT mL
B. Kozlowski (L) BR BP BC E mi Japan

Molina Trade:
J. Kennard BC mi

Abreu Trade
M. Smith (L) BR BP BC E mi PHI
C. Monasterios BC mi PHI
J. Sanchez mi PHI

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Hey, Cool Breeze

2008-04-25 05:20

by Alex Belth

I'm as plugged-in as the next guy but I still enjoy reading the box scores first thing each morning in the newspaper. If I didn't have a 40 minute train ride maybe I wouldn't get the papers at all, who knows? I love to scan around for the names that mean something to me--did Maddux pitch last night? How did Hanley Ramirez do? While today's boxscores are souped-up compared to how the ones from our youth, they aren't that much different and I like the continuity.

Today is dress-down Friday. I rode to work this morning, caught up with how the game turned out last night (Joba got his first career loss in a soggy 7-6 affair; Farnsworth, Bruney are hurting), and jammed out to a host of tunes, wearing my oversized I-am-a-dork headphones. When I got to my desk at work, I decided I should probably tuck my shirt into my pants, only to find that my fly was wide open. Dag, Joe Cool the Jadrool. And nobody with the decency to say anything!

Oh well. Yo, check this out--it's so utterly badass it makes my teeth hurt.

Advertisement

Comments

2008-04-25 06:02:24

1. williamnyy23

Something about last night's loss still bothers me. I normally sleep somewhat peacefully on my morning subway ride, but the game kept me awake for the entire ride, even in spite of having only three hours sleep.

Hopefully, they can take care of the Indians tonight to wash the bad taste out of my mouth.

2008-04-25 06:44:15

2. liam

dude no one told you about your fly cause you were rockin the dj headphones!

2008-04-25 06:46:32

3. rbj

I went to bed after the Yankees tied it up. Sigh.

Girardi was right to pull Phil after a 51 minute rain delay. Ugly game, bounce back Friday.

2008-04-25 06:51:29

4. Alex Belth

Good point! Yeah, I couldn't stay up for that...too tired and didn't want to go to sleep on a down note, although they did come back to tie it up.

2008-04-25 06:52:22

5. wsporter

Fly down is the worst. It's happening to me with increasing and disturbing frequency lately. Every now and then some nice young lady will give me a high sign which I appreciate on a number of levels. I never get help from a dude in that regard. I'm reluctant to help a brother out myself unless he's a friend and I can rag on him. I mean what the hell would I be doing glancing at that area anyway?

Fly down, very touchy business.

2008-04-25 06:53:43

6. Mattpat11

Last night's loss actually bothered me less than others. Shit happens and shit, ya know?

2008-04-25 07:10:14

7. dianagramr

Temptations on a Friday morning .... coooool!

2008-04-25 07:11:42

8. hoppystone

The Temps!!!
Badass, indeed. Nice, Alex.

2008-04-25 07:15:46

9. Cliff Corcoran

I'm with Mattpat on that 6 . You hate to lose a game you've rallied to tie, but having already taken the series and lost Hughes to the rain delay after just two innings, a win would have been gravy. Girardi went to his big guns out of the pen in a tied game on the road and the Sox beat 'em. Good on 'em. Heck the Sox are playing great baseball in the early going, so taking 2 of 3 is a victory in itself.

Also, good on the Yankee bats for the comeback, and great to see Melky with the home-run swing going. He's hitting .309/.380/.515, which puts him in a group with Alex Rodriguez and Hideki Matsui as the team's best hitters in the early going.

2008-04-25 07:26:51

10. mehmattski

Hey, the good news is, Hughes has only thrown 18 innings so far this year. From here on, he can still make 25 six-inning starts and still not crack 170 innings.

2008-04-25 07:31:38

11. Max

Last night's loss was frustrating but not outrageously so -- at least we came back once it looked like the odds were clearly against us with the rain delay. Also, if we had to lose, I'm glad it happened quickly, as opposed to at the bottom of the 15th at 2am.

Interesting that Girardi was lauded for his bullpen usage and losing with the best -- but according to PeteAbe, if Farnsworth hadn't tweaked his elbow, he would have gone out for another inning. I can't imagine anyone would have applauded that...and I'm struggling to find any sort of sound reasoning for doing so (other than rendering him unuseable for this weekend's series, which would have been nice).

2008-04-25 07:37:46

12. Shaun P

11 Well, the game was tied, and if you figure Mo was a very last resort, and Traber was to be avoided, that leaves just Joba. Girardi might as well have milked Farnsworth if possible. I have no qualms with that.

2008-04-25 07:44:52

13. Just fair

0 Not as bad ass as "The Pips" in the Geico commercial. : )
Gotta admit, that commercial has made me laugh out loud every time I've seen it. Hope the midges are an October dish, and not spring one at The Jake.

2008-04-25 08:10:59

14. Schteeve

I was at the game. I went to see Hughes turn it around and instead I saw Joba blow it. Weird.

For those on the Giambi death watch, his OPS is now above .700. And I thought his baserunning last night was really nice.

Also, Melky is cool.

2008-04-25 08:21:49

15. Schteeve

Also, is the title of this post from "We got the Jazz?"

2008-04-25 08:39:14

16. JL25and3

Joba's career ERA+ is now down to 546. Kid's in a tailspin.

2008-04-25 08:57:30

17. JasonO

Another very cool part of that video is the fact that the choreography is good, but not Jackson-5 tight and exact. Somehow more real that way.

I'm with the above that last night's game pissed me off...My neighbors asked me this morning why I yelled "Morgan!!!!" late last night.

2008-04-25 09:17:19

18. Zack

I was at Petco Park last night and on the plus side got to watch Lincecum duel the giant Chris Young, but on the down side had to watch the putridness that is the SF and SD offenses. Good God, and we think we've been scuffling!!

Lincecum is a really fun pitcher to watch though. Even from the upper deck he looks like a baby, but his mechanics are so funky yet great and then he just pours in the heat. I swear based on his photo the kid can't shave yet...

Young is also really fun because not only does he tower over everyone, but he's seemingly pouring 90 mph fastballs by hitters at will. Must be the fact that his arm is halfway to home on the release!

2008-04-25 09:21:58

19. tommyl

6 9 Couldn't agree more. Once the rains came I knew we were in trouble. Our pen has been good, but asking them to soak up 7 innings in adverse conditions on the road is asking a lot. Joba had to get beat sometime (even Mo loses a game now and then). As long as he bounces back from it and learns something from it I'm fine. I'd prefer to focus on the positives:

1. Offense came to life. Great comeback to tie it.

2. It was only two innings, but man Hughes looked good. Sitting around 94, touching 95, good command and a sick curve. I loved that strikeout of Thome (lefties, we can handle your stinkin' lefties).

3. Melky! Leading the team in HRs, slugging .515 and taking walks. Not bad for a 4th outfielder.

4. Um, Farnsworth might have to go to the DL. Is it wrong to feel good about this?

5. Praying for the imminent return of Shelly. The kid has been annihilating the ball in AAA since we sent him down. Time to do some of that against the Cleveland lefties.

All in all, I wasn't upset about last night and we've got Andy going tonight (though I won't be able to see it). Hey, we could be the Dodgers looking up at Arizona ;).

2008-04-25 09:36:15

20. weeping for brunnhilde

Last night was a tough, tantalizing loss. On the one hand, I'm pleased the offense made a game of it. 6-6 in the ninth was a good showing.

On the other hand, the offense had wasted opportunities that just kill me. The first to come to mind is leaving Damon stranded on second after a leadoff walk and an uncontested stolen base.

Chicago was practically begging us to take the run and we couldn't.

That's what drives me to distraction. I want to see an efficient machine that gets that run in.

But losing with Joba on the mound is fine by me. They beat him, hats off.

2008-04-25 09:54:11

21. Yu-Hsing Chen

18 the Padre actually scored a lot of runs last year... on the road that is... NO ONE scores at PECTO , the Padres putting together a team of mid range sluggers (the kind that Pecto kills the most) doesn't help either.

look at some of their guy's home road splits last year, it's amazing, if they put their road # up a full year they be super stars.

The Giants offense on the other hand....

2008-04-25 10:50:37

22. Rob Middletown CT

Last night frustrated me, but not because of the loss per se. Hughes looked so damn good. I was thinking "cool, he's finally right" and then the sky opened up and he was done. The kid can't catch a break, apparently.

Ohlendorf... still not seeing what others see in him.

Loving 'lil Melky's work so far. Joba losing... hey, it's gonna happen. I'm not upset at Hawkins either... Jim Thome hits those home run thingies quite a bit.

2008-04-25 11:07:36

23. skybluestoday

Nice Tempts clip, Alex. Luuuurve that late 60s-early 70s groove they had, from "Ball of Confusion" through maybe "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" or "Just My Imagination."

Here's another serious baaaaaadaaaasssss clip from the Soul King maybe five or six years before that:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOXq_vLCjco&feature=related

2008-04-25 12:37:22

24. pistolpete

Anyone else frustrated as all hell with Jeter's ABs last night? Seems like he was bound and determined to get something past Uribe, but just kept failing...

2008-04-25 13:05:52

25. cult of basebaal

The Make A Wish Kid and Abaladejo are coming up ... sweet ... more arms!

maybe one of them will Pipp Worthless

2008-04-25 13:31:09

26. pistolpete

25 Linkage?

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