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2005-07-06 04:30
by Alex Belth

After the Yankees pounded the Orioles 12-3 yesterday at the stadium, Randy Johnson told reporters:

"The only thing that separates me and the best pitcher - whoever that may be considered in the game right now - is that he's been consistent all year long and I haven't been," said Johnson (8-6), who allowed two runs on seven hits and struck out eight. "That's the frustrating thing ... is you don't know what you're going to get. That's never been the case."
(N.Y. Daily News)

It is still hard to figure what the second half will bring for the Bombers. Will they be good enough to hang around and get our hopes up, only to falter in the end, or are they going to make a push and actually make the playoffs?

Comments
2005-07-06 05:26:15
1.   seamus
ok, if pavano is ok, we have RJ, Moose, Wang, Pavano. Then we need Wright or Brown to come back and do so-so. The consistency is what has killed RJ and Pavano all year. Pavano can look solid through 6, but then he'll let up a three run homer. This team goes with its pitching staff which still can go any which way... argh!
2005-07-06 06:16:39
2.   Yanks in NH
I hear you regarding pitching consistency, but it would help if the offense was a little more consistent to provide the support to take a little pressure off the pitchers.
2005-07-06 06:33:54
3.   bp1
Absolutely best moment of yesterday's game was when the Big Unit spread his arms out and laughed after he lobbed the ball into Flaherty for a ball when they got the signals mixed up. I couldn't believe my eyes!! It shows me that maybe, just maybe, the Yankees are starting to loosen up a bit and play with a bit of confidence. The team has tied itself in knots with so much mental baggage, hopefully we're starting to see some of those knots unravel.

Geez - I hope so.

2005-07-06 06:52:14
4.   Sam DC
Re POW (title of this post) -- Does anyone remember a kids TV show from the 70s called POW! A kid would call in from home, then they'd show a videogame type screen on the tv with some sort of falling targets, and then the kid would shout "pow pow pow" into the phone in the deluded belief that when s/he yelled "pow," a little video game gun would shoot at the targets.

I really believe I saw this show, but I've never met anybody in my life who also saw it (and my old friends deny it just to spite me for moving away from CA).

2005-07-06 07:01:16
5.   Loogy
Sam,

I can verify what you saw. In San Diego, ancient weatherman Bob Dale hosted a show that just ran an afternoon movie (3-5 PM ?). Every half hour after commericials some caller would play "TV POW".

2005-07-06 07:12:36
6.   JohnnyC
TV POW was a format that many local stations ran in the early '80s (though not as I recall in NY)during the afternoon kids' block. Local hosts would invite kids to call in and play TV POW over the telephone for prizes and small cash amounts. In L.A., on KTTV, the host was the plaid-shirt wearing Ralph Harris. The graphics were primitive even for those early Atari days. Sam, you are not alone in your memories but, here on the East Coast, TV POW is more well known as the name of an avant-garde electronic music group that is wildly popular in Japan (they're originally from Michigan, I believe). Obviouslt, they too, remember the show fondly.
2005-07-06 07:28:11
7.   sabernar
In NY, we had PIX on WPIX-11. It sounds like the same over-the-phone gaming concept.
2005-07-06 07:44:47
8.   Simone
seamus, RJ is aware of his home run problem as well:

"I thought I could go one game without giving up a home run," said Johnson, who has allowed 19, surpassing his total from last season. He is tied for second among A.L. pitchers for home runs allowed. "But at this pace, I'm probably going to break Bonds's record."

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/06/sports/baseball/06yankees.html?pagewanted=all

2005-07-06 08:14:23
9.   Oliver
Whoa, I remember TV-PIX on channel 11 growing up. I want to say the games were adaptations of Mattel Intellivision games (the Intellivision was the competitor to the Atari home system). Man, those kids couldn't play... yelling out "PIX" at all the wrong times. I was too apathetic to send in my own postcard, but I totally could have been outer space champion.
2005-07-06 08:28:03
10.   killjoy
I remember the game on PIX being Asteroids...
2005-07-06 08:42:28
11.   Sam DC
Thanks Loogy, all.
2005-07-06 09:54:45
12.   Athos
PIX was awesome... and Oliver's right.. the kids on there always stunk... by the way, found something fun just outside o' Yankee stadium... lol:
http://www.gothamgirlsrollerderby.com/
2005-07-06 10:45:44
13.   DarrenF
I believe it was Space Battle from Intellivision. The goal was to yell "Pix" right when the spaceships entered the target. They also had Intellivision basketball, if I remember correctly.

Two distinct strategies were typically used: (1) Time the "pix," or (2) Yell "pix" as quickly and as often as possible. Can't really respect a (2).

I had a friend who elegantly combined several late-'70s pop culture references when he sent a cartoon of Ayatollah Khomeini playing PIX to the Uncle Floyd Show.

2005-07-06 11:18:43
14.   uburoisc
I'm hearing talk of Glavine being released by the Mets and the Yankees being one of the teams mentioned. What do you all think of Glavine in pinstripes?
2005-07-06 11:19:23
15.   joe in boston
Get this: On WEEI (Sports radio in Boston) Francoma just talked about using Schilling in the bullpen as he rehabs. Interesting....
2005-07-06 12:07:06
16.   rsmith51
Personally, I don't like the idea of getting Glavine. He is just another over-priced veteran who used to be good.
2005-07-06 12:36:28
17.   rbj
If Glavine gets released, then the Yankees onlyhave to pay him the minimum. How about swapping him for Brown?
2005-07-06 13:14:51
18.   JohnnyC
At this point there is very little difference between Glavine and Darrell May.
2005-07-06 13:47:39
19.   sabernar
Or any difference between Glavine and Brown, for that matter.
2005-07-06 13:49:58
20.   Schteeve
You guys are totally forgetting that Glavine "knows how to win." And has "been there." I'd also bet he's a "gamer."
2005-07-06 13:59:13
21.   JohnnyC
Maybe he'll become the new closer for the Red Sox. Or better yet, he'll resume that hockey career that was interrupted by his baseball career.
2005-07-06 15:10:33
22.   brockdc
"PIX-PIX-PIX-PIX-PIX-PIX-PIX-PIX-PIX-PIX-PIX-PIX-PIX-PIX-PIX-PIX-PIX..."

Didn't those no-skill ass clowns know that the gun was only able to shoot like once every two seconds? Dammit!

Kenny Rogers is barely keeping it together during his news conference. He is soon to join the esteemed pantheon of jock press conference cryers. Dick Vermeil, Mike Schmidt, Brett Boone...

2005-07-06 15:35:38
23.   Simone
Actually Rogers remained me of McGwire at the steroid hearing. I kept expecting him to trot out the now classic, "I'm not here to talk about the past. I'm here to be positive and focus on the future" line.
2005-07-06 16:36:04
24.   uburoisc
After that crying in Seattle, I do not want B. Boone on principle. Yuck. Lou Gehrig is the only baseball cryer allowed.
2005-07-06 17:36:05
25.   JohnnyC
The Schilling move? Desperation? The sign of something much more serious in Schilling's ability to make a comeback as a starter at all? Or just Red Sox karma coming back to roost? My own thought is that, regardless of the ankle, Schilling is in such horrible condition he can't physically throw more than 75-80 pitches without pooping. And, frankly, that gut ain't going away anytime soon.
2005-07-06 18:10:15
26.   uburoisc
I think Boston has some serious pitching problems (worse than NY) and will not make the series the way they look now. I agree, I think Schilling may be in trouble; he's no spring chicken and any time off trends into his age decline. Have another lager, Herr Schilling, and face the facts: you'd be happier in retirement.

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