It's another W for the Yankees, the sixth in a row, as the Bombers wait out the rain and top Seattle 8-5.
And to make things even better, the Red Sox blew a 10-1 lead and let the Orioles back in the game, giving Baltimore its biggest comeback win in the team's history. (But perhaps we knew they weren't in the game anymore when the whole Red Sox infield walked off the field in the sixth inning...when there were only two outs.)
A-Rod led the Yankees with his 12th dinger of the season, and Mariano Rivera recorded save 501 one game after number 500. He's 19-for-20 in save chances this season.
Other Yankees Posts
6.30.2009
6.29.2009
500 saves, 1 win, 0 errors
Tonight was a classic Yankees win (and God bless ESPN for broadcasting the game for those poor souls who live in Boston and can't get regular Yankees games on TV).
Mariano Rivera recorded his 500th career save; Chien-Ming Wang finally won a game for the first time in over a year; and the Yankees' defense powered the team to a 4-2 win over the hapless New York Mets.
Mariano Rivera tossed his 18th save in 19 chances, coming in during the eighth inning to whiff a batter, then closing it out in the bottom of the ninth. In between his trips to the mound, however, the batting order came around to give him his third regular-season hitting chance ever. Mo worked the count and drew a walk against a reliever who has been anointed as a next great one (Mets' closer Francisco Rodriguez), pushing a bases-loaded runner home to give the Yanks another run.
Chien-Ming Wang, the poor former-ace for the Yankees, finally got a W tonight. He'd been 0-6 so far this season, and even when he wasn't allowing what led to a 34.50 ERA (his first seven starts, runs allowed: 7, 8, 8, 5, 4, 3, 3), he just had bad luck getting the right situations for a statistical "win." Tonight, however, he was crisp, keeping the bases clean and not breaking his ankle when running out grounders.
But the real winner in tonight's game was the New York defense. In fact, the difference in the game was how much better the Yankees' defense was than the Mets' defense. Forget your All-Star closers (we'll even let K-Rod slink away without judgment here) and high-caliber batting orders.
This game was won in the diamond.
As the commentators murmured about Derek Jeter getting older and whether he'd have to be shifted away from shortstop, he once again showed that, no matter what the future holds, that is not the case right now. Flu bug or not, he was classic Jeter tonight, turning solid plays.
To his right, Alex Rodriguez showed his worth as a fielder. He made a couple diving plays and scooped up a key bunt for a force-out to keep New York in the game.
And Mark Teixeira keeps earning his dough at first, no question about it.
In contrast, the Mets avoided any Castillo-like game-ending error blunders (although there was a dropped Jorge Posada fly late in the game that was gratuitously ruled a base hit), but they were instead just mediocre in the infield. In the first inning, all three runs were because of less-than-great plays by Mets infielders, and although no errors were tagged on the blue-and-oranges, rudimentary conversions by the players would have kept those runs from scoring. Alas, tonight the Mets had strung enough together to win (they out-hit the Yankees 5-4), yet those unfortunate plays derailed what they needed to overcome a depleted batting order and the extremely bad luck the Mets have attracted recently.
Better luck next time.
The Yankees (43-32) are riding a five-game winning streak, have the third-best record in the league, and sit just three back of the American League East-leading Boston Red Sox. Next up, the Bombers face Seattle (39-36) at home, where they'll try to keep increasing space in their tight division. Tampa Bay (42-35) and Toronto (41-36) are nipping at their heels.
Other Yankees Posts
Mariano Rivera recorded his 500th career save; Chien-Ming Wang finally won a game for the first time in over a year; and the Yankees' defense powered the team to a 4-2 win over the hapless New York Mets.
Mariano Rivera tossed his 18th save in 19 chances, coming in during the eighth inning to whiff a batter, then closing it out in the bottom of the ninth. In between his trips to the mound, however, the batting order came around to give him his third regular-season hitting chance ever. Mo worked the count and drew a walk against a reliever who has been anointed as a next great one (Mets' closer Francisco Rodriguez), pushing a bases-loaded runner home to give the Yanks another run.
Chien-Ming Wang, the poor former-ace for the Yankees, finally got a W tonight. He'd been 0-6 so far this season, and even when he wasn't allowing what led to a 34.50 ERA (his first seven starts, runs allowed: 7, 8, 8, 5, 4, 3, 3), he just had bad luck getting the right situations for a statistical "win." Tonight, however, he was crisp, keeping the bases clean and not breaking his ankle when running out grounders.
But the real winner in tonight's game was the New York defense. In fact, the difference in the game was how much better the Yankees' defense was than the Mets' defense. Forget your All-Star closers (we'll even let K-Rod slink away without judgment here) and high-caliber batting orders.
This game was won in the diamond.
As the commentators murmured about Derek Jeter getting older and whether he'd have to be shifted away from shortstop, he once again showed that, no matter what the future holds, that is not the case right now. Flu bug or not, he was classic Jeter tonight, turning solid plays.
To his right, Alex Rodriguez showed his worth as a fielder. He made a couple diving plays and scooped up a key bunt for a force-out to keep New York in the game.
And Mark Teixeira keeps earning his dough at first, no question about it.
In contrast, the Mets avoided any Castillo-like game-ending error blunders (although there was a dropped Jorge Posada fly late in the game that was gratuitously ruled a base hit), but they were instead just mediocre in the infield. In the first inning, all three runs were because of less-than-great plays by Mets infielders, and although no errors were tagged on the blue-and-oranges, rudimentary conversions by the players would have kept those runs from scoring. Alas, tonight the Mets had strung enough together to win (they out-hit the Yankees 5-4), yet those unfortunate plays derailed what they needed to overcome a depleted batting order and the extremely bad luck the Mets have attracted recently.
Better luck next time.
The Yankees (43-32) are riding a five-game winning streak, have the third-best record in the league, and sit just three back of the American League East-leading Boston Red Sox. Next up, the Bombers face Seattle (39-36) at home, where they'll try to keep increasing space in their tight division. Tampa Bay (42-35) and Toronto (41-36) are nipping at their heels.
Other Yankees Posts
6.28.2009
And the pitching follows
First, the Yankees bats lit up, then the pitchers started to shine. A day after CC Sabathia led the Yanks to a 9-1 three-hitter win, A.J. Burnett tosses seven innings of one-hit ball to guide the Bombers to a 5-0 victory.
New York firing on all cylinders will be hard to stop; let's hope this trend dominates the next couple months, with slumping losses to teams such as the Nationals far behind.
New York firing on all cylinders will be hard to stop; let's hope this trend dominates the next couple months, with slumping losses to teams such as the Nationals far behind.
6.27.2009
Globe reader, I also approve
The Boston Globe has unveiled its own Globe Reader, similar to the Times Reader (which I blogged about here), but unfortunately, it's only available to subscribers, so I can't offer a sample.
I am a Globe subscriber, so I checked it out today, and just like the Times Reader, I liked it. I think it's a great way to disseminate news in a new, increasingly digital world.
But the Globe reader still has a ways to go. Only part of the Globe's content is up (apparently because of technical problems with how the Globe gets put together, Dan Kennedy reports), and I wasn't impressed with its layout, which is a step behind the Times'.
The typesetting and use of photos could be improved, and what's a sports front page without some great action shots? This Reader still has a ways to go, but I'm glad that's where the Globe is heading with it.
I am a Globe subscriber, so I checked it out today, and just like the Times Reader, I liked it. I think it's a great way to disseminate news in a new, increasingly digital world.
But the Globe reader still has a ways to go. Only part of the Globe's content is up (apparently because of technical problems with how the Globe gets put together, Dan Kennedy reports), and I wasn't impressed with its layout, which is a step behind the Times'.
The typesetting and use of photos could be improved, and what's a sports front page without some great action shots? This Reader still has a ways to go, but I'm glad that's where the Globe is heading with it.
6.26.2009
To: The King of Pop
Michael Jackson was before my time, but lest I miss the boat completely, I checked out some of his stuff on YouTube tonight. After watching him own the stage, and listening to a little Billie Jean, these words came out.
I mean no harm, and excuse the juvenile obviousness.
To: The King of Pop
(She says I am the one)
(She says I am the one)
You were standing on the top of Babel
Face pointing up toward the sky
A fedora tipped on your pointed visage
Millions to turn you to white
You had made this screaming tower
With the skills of your gloved hand
A Ferris wheel, a sequined jacket
Glittered full in Neverland
(She says I am the one)
(She says I am the one)
But even now at the top of the worship
The tallest tower is not so high
They cheer and writhe, they crow and love you
They wither yet, you sink and die
For up you go, on the steepest Babel
With sound-strung walls, with room to fly
But even when you stretch the farthest
Your well-built Babel can't touch the sky
(She says I am the one)
(She says I am the one)
(Maybe you're not the one.)
Michael Jackson does the moonwalk
And another version...hmm
I mean no harm, and excuse the juvenile obviousness.
To: The King of Pop
(She says I am the one)
(She says I am the one)
You were standing on the top of Babel
Face pointing up toward the sky
A fedora tipped on your pointed visage
Millions to turn you to white
You had made this screaming tower
With the skills of your gloved hand
A Ferris wheel, a sequined jacket
Glittered full in Neverland
(She says I am the one)
(She says I am the one)
But even now at the top of the worship
The tallest tower is not so high
They cheer and writhe, they crow and love you
They wither yet, you sink and die
For up you go, on the steepest Babel
With sound-strung walls, with room to fly
But even when you stretch the farthest
Your well-built Babel can't touch the sky
(She says I am the one)
(She says I am the one)
(Maybe you're not the one.)
Michael Jackson does the moonwalk
And another version...hmm
6.25.2009
Charging for online
A Rhode Island newspaper is charging for online content, but not in any way that's familiar to those who have seen different pricing models tried out for Internet news.
The paper will charge $100 on top of the print subscription to get the Web site, and $200 more if someone just wants the Web site.
I don't know much about this paper, but apparently whoever wrote the article (see link above) is, and they're saying this isn't the type of paper that has good enough content to charge like that.
I guess we'll see, but the move is a gutsy choice. Whether a large, viable print/Web news source could do that is another question, especially since we're about 10-15 years past the time where any attempt to charge for online content may have been snuck through. There have been a lot of moves lately, though, to start charging, so the industry will have to keep an eye on this model as well as the more popular cheap subscription and micropayment models.
The paper will charge $100 on top of the print subscription to get the Web site, and $200 more if someone just wants the Web site.
I don't know much about this paper, but apparently whoever wrote the article (see link above) is, and they're saying this isn't the type of paper that has good enough content to charge like that.
I guess we'll see, but the move is a gutsy choice. Whether a large, viable print/Web news source could do that is another question, especially since we're about 10-15 years past the time where any attempt to charge for online content may have been snuck through. There have been a lot of moves lately, though, to start charging, so the industry will have to keep an eye on this model as well as the more popular cheap subscription and micropayment models.
6.24.2009
Joba goes deep, Jeter lets one bounce off his butt en route to third
Joba Chamberlain proved me wrong again tonight, going deep into the game to set the Yankees up for the 8-4 win. Chamberlain went into the sixth inning, tossing 99 pitches and allowing only a couple runs before giving way to the bullpen. His recent stability has killed all rumors of him heading back to relief after a couple four-inning, 100-pitch debacles.
And tonight Derek Jeter continued to show his renaissance, making lithe plays at short and continuing to thieve around the basepaths. (I especially liked the top of the ninth, when he slid into second and the pickoff throw bounced off his butt. He advanced to third then was knocked in by a Johnny Damon single.)
The Yankees were back in full form, and as much as I'd like to wish for consistency, I'll take outbursts like this whenever I can get them. Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira both had two hits, and Alex Rodriguez was a pleasant surprise in the clutch when he singled home two runs to start the Yankee scoring.
Mariano Rivera almost got a hit of his own, but he settled for a flyout and striking out the side to end the game. His effort in getting the Yankees out of an eighth-inning jam, with two runners on base and only a two-run lead, gave him his 16th save in 17 chances.
Tomorrow New York faces Atlanta again with a chance to take the series and stay even with the Red Sox, who have jumped five games ahead in the American League East.
Other Yankees Posts
And tonight Derek Jeter continued to show his renaissance, making lithe plays at short and continuing to thieve around the basepaths. (I especially liked the top of the ninth, when he slid into second and the pickoff throw bounced off his butt. He advanced to third then was knocked in by a Johnny Damon single.)
The Yankees were back in full form, and as much as I'd like to wish for consistency, I'll take outbursts like this whenever I can get them. Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira both had two hits, and Alex Rodriguez was a pleasant surprise in the clutch when he singled home two runs to start the Yankee scoring.
Mariano Rivera almost got a hit of his own, but he settled for a flyout and striking out the side to end the game. His effort in getting the Yankees out of an eighth-inning jam, with two runners on base and only a two-run lead, gave him his 16th save in 17 chances.
Tomorrow New York faces Atlanta again with a chance to take the series and stay even with the Red Sox, who have jumped five games ahead in the American League East.
Other Yankees Posts
6.23.2009
Another stinker for the Yankees
Chien-Ming Wang is having issues, but a three-run effort is nothing to look down on.
The Yankees' lineup patching together only four hits against a 33-36 Braves team is. (Follow the pointing finger to 0-for-5 Nick Swisher, 0-for-3 Mark Teixeira, 0-for-4 Alex Rodriguez and 0-for-4 Jorge Posada.)
New York also left 12 men on base during its 4-0 wilt of a loss against another National League team.
Other Yankees Posts
The Yankees' lineup patching together only four hits against a 33-36 Braves team is. (Follow the pointing finger to 0-for-5 Nick Swisher, 0-for-3 Mark Teixeira, 0-for-4 Alex Rodriguez and 0-for-4 Jorge Posada.)
New York also left 12 men on base during its 4-0 wilt of a loss against another National League team.
Other Yankees Posts
Return to inter-league play for Wang's ankle
Around this time last year, the Yankees headed into inter-league play. During a New York romp, when even their starting ace, Chien-Ming Wang, got on base, a fateful accident happened that has bugged the Yankees since.
Rounding the bases, Wang misstepped and hurt his ankle, dropping him on the disabled list for a few weeks. Throughout the rest of the season, he struggled with injuries, leaving the Yankees deprived of their best pitcher going into the pennant race. New York then missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade, and although it was a team effort that took the Yankees out of the 2008 postseason, not having two-time 19-game winner Wang down the stretch certainly didn't help.
The Yankees were excited to have Wang back for a full season this year, joining ace CC Sabathia, Yankee stalwart Andy Pettitte, young up-and-comer Joba Chamberlain and veteran A.J. Burnett in a powerhouse staff. But Wang quickly became the weakest link, if he could be called a link at all.
Wang has lost five games this season, holding down an ERA of 32.30 at one point. Entering tonight's game, his ERA had sunk to 12.30 (a "bad" major-league pitcher can get benched at 6.00 or so). Nothing has gone right for Wang.
So, as another inter-league tilt arrives, and Wang pitches the Yanks into a 3-0 hole (through five innings), how many New York fans are wishing that Wang hurts his ankle lapping the bases again? He had time on the DL already this year, and it didn't cure him, and now Phil Hughes (3-2, 4.78 ERA, 43 Ks, 17 BBs in 43.1 IP) waits in the wings. Compared toWang (0-5, 12.30 ERA, 21 Ks, 14 BBs in 26.1 IP), Hughes looks like a Cy Young-caliber option.
(And, as fate has it, Hughes is usually the reliever who comes in and picks up the pieces after Wang's slow starts.)
Wang has been a great contributor to the Yankees. He went 8-5 in his first season, in 2005, with a 4.02 ERA, then ripped through the next two seasons, going 19-6 and 19-7 with ERAs of 3.63 and 3.70, respectively. (In 2007, his strikeout total peaked at 104, 28 Ks higher than the next closest season, even as he pitched 19 innings less. And he's a sinkerballer, which means he's not even supposed to be getting guys to whiff.) But with all the problems he's been having this season, and the Yankees' inability to pull away in the American League East, he needs to find a solution to his pitching decline, and quick.
Rounding the bases, Wang misstepped and hurt his ankle, dropping him on the disabled list for a few weeks. Throughout the rest of the season, he struggled with injuries, leaving the Yankees deprived of their best pitcher going into the pennant race. New York then missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade, and although it was a team effort that took the Yankees out of the 2008 postseason, not having two-time 19-game winner Wang down the stretch certainly didn't help.
The Yankees were excited to have Wang back for a full season this year, joining ace CC Sabathia, Yankee stalwart Andy Pettitte, young up-and-comer Joba Chamberlain and veteran A.J. Burnett in a powerhouse staff. But Wang quickly became the weakest link, if he could be called a link at all.
Wang has lost five games this season, holding down an ERA of 32.30 at one point. Entering tonight's game, his ERA had sunk to 12.30 (a "bad" major-league pitcher can get benched at 6.00 or so). Nothing has gone right for Wang.
So, as another inter-league tilt arrives, and Wang pitches the Yanks into a 3-0 hole (through five innings), how many New York fans are wishing that Wang hurts his ankle lapping the bases again? He had time on the DL already this year, and it didn't cure him, and now Phil Hughes (3-2, 4.78 ERA, 43 Ks, 17 BBs in 43.1 IP) waits in the wings. Compared toWang (0-5, 12.30 ERA, 21 Ks, 14 BBs in 26.1 IP), Hughes looks like a Cy Young-caliber option.
(And, as fate has it, Hughes is usually the reliever who comes in and picks up the pieces after Wang's slow starts.)
Wang has been a great contributor to the Yankees. He went 8-5 in his first season, in 2005, with a 4.02 ERA, then ripped through the next two seasons, going 19-6 and 19-7 with ERAs of 3.63 and 3.70, respectively. (In 2007, his strikeout total peaked at 104, 28 Ks higher than the next closest season, even as he pitched 19 innings less. And he's a sinkerballer, which means he's not even supposed to be getting guys to whiff.) But with all the problems he's been having this season, and the Yankees' inability to pull away in the American League East, he needs to find a solution to his pitching decline, and quick.
Why is it suddenly so difficult to drive trains?
The recent spate of train crashes (the D.C. Metro crash being the latest, but the green line T crash in Boston also fresh in my mind) leaves me asking, why is it suddenly so difficult to drive trains? It seems like there's been an uptick in recent years, despite systems that have been in place for years and have far less hazards than, say, coordinating airplanes. And it makes me question my recent post about why we can't go back to more train travel.
Photos of the D.C. crash
Photos of the D.C. crash
6.20.2009
Stuff you can still only get from newspapers
Believe it or not, there is still stuff (and I choose to use this ugly word on purpose) that you can only get from newspapers.
As I've written about before, the move of news onto the Internet has killed a lot of the design elements that make print products so great.
In a Slate article about reading newspapers on a Kindle, I found many of the same arguments. The Kindle is a great idea, except that instead of giving straight-up Web news, or the print version on the screen, it offers a third form that takes the worst from both.
One of the main reasons Web news is great is because it's instantaneous, but the Kindle misses that by only updating once a day. So, it ruins the whole point of getting the newspaper on a screen, unless you're just trying to keep your hands clean of newsprint. You're still getting old news.
And even if you love the print version but just want to see it an electronic format, you can't get that from the Kindle, either. Subscriptions on the Kindle deliver the news in a unique format, without the aesthetic appeal of good graphics, carefully designed pages or (and most important) the editorial input found with headlines of different sizes and stories placed with specific prominence.
As much as people argue that they want to be able to pick and choose their own news, what they usually mean is that they want sources where they can find the news they want. They don't mean that they want their news streaming across a screen in all one size font with no breaks, headlines or editorial input such as graphics and slightly sensational headlines. (Although no online or electronic reader sources...except for maybe Drudge report...go to the extreme of no design, it's fair to say there's some serious lack of design creativity on the Web and electronic readers.)
Basically, electronic and Web news is now like newspapers were hundreds of years ago, in the days of smooshed text and multiple decks. The hope is that the revolution to the modern version of print, with beautiful graphics, clean spacing and a laid-out page that makes navigating the news easy, will come soon to these new media.
Here's a grand idea: Just put the print versions on the Kindle, and fill in the different news holes with updates throughout the day. The shock! The difficulty! What, keep using a good model? And there could be advertising on these pages as well? No! It cannot be done!
I have no clue why newspapers are not moving toward their own readers, which could do this and, in turn, save their beautiful printed pages by having them transposed onto a screen.
And remember, Amazon takes 70 percent of all subscriptions run on the Kindle. 70 percent. What do the newspapers have to lose?
As I've written about before, the move of news onto the Internet has killed a lot of the design elements that make print products so great.
In a Slate article about reading newspapers on a Kindle, I found many of the same arguments. The Kindle is a great idea, except that instead of giving straight-up Web news, or the print version on the screen, it offers a third form that takes the worst from both.
One of the main reasons Web news is great is because it's instantaneous, but the Kindle misses that by only updating once a day. So, it ruins the whole point of getting the newspaper on a screen, unless you're just trying to keep your hands clean of newsprint. You're still getting old news.
And even if you love the print version but just want to see it an electronic format, you can't get that from the Kindle, either. Subscriptions on the Kindle deliver the news in a unique format, without the aesthetic appeal of good graphics, carefully designed pages or (and most important) the editorial input found with headlines of different sizes and stories placed with specific prominence.
As much as people argue that they want to be able to pick and choose their own news, what they usually mean is that they want sources where they can find the news they want. They don't mean that they want their news streaming across a screen in all one size font with no breaks, headlines or editorial input such as graphics and slightly sensational headlines. (Although no online or electronic reader sources...except for maybe Drudge report...go to the extreme of no design, it's fair to say there's some serious lack of design creativity on the Web and electronic readers.)
Basically, electronic and Web news is now like newspapers were hundreds of years ago, in the days of smooshed text and multiple decks. The hope is that the revolution to the modern version of print, with beautiful graphics, clean spacing and a laid-out page that makes navigating the news easy, will come soon to these new media.
Here's a grand idea: Just put the print versions on the Kindle, and fill in the different news holes with updates throughout the day. The shock! The difficulty! What, keep using a good model? And there could be advertising on these pages as well? No! It cannot be done!
I have no clue why newspapers are not moving toward their own readers, which could do this and, in turn, save their beautiful printed pages by having them transposed onto a screen.
And remember, Amazon takes 70 percent of all subscriptions run on the Kindle. 70 percent. What do the newspapers have to lose?
Ensure the win
Andy Pettitte has been trouble winning games lately, so he did what all pitchers must to when they want to bag a victory: he drove in a run.
With the Yankees heading to Florida to play the National League Marlins, Pettitte got a rare chance to hit and came up big with a double, driving in a run during the Yankees' three-run second. He left the bases loaded later, but in going the distance on the mound (seven innings pitched, seven Ks, one run allowed), it was enough.
New York won 5-1. The three hits Pettitte gave up were the only hits the Marlins got.
With the Yankees heading to Florida to play the National League Marlins, Pettitte got a rare chance to hit and came up big with a double, driving in a run during the Yankees' three-run second. He left the bases loaded later, but in going the distance on the mound (seven innings pitched, seven Ks, one run allowed), it was enough.
New York won 5-1. The three hits Pettitte gave up were the only hits the Marlins got.
6.19.2009
Return of Federer's reign?
Rafael Nadal has just announced he will not be playing in Wimbledon this year, which considerably simplifies Roger Federer's path to the title.
The fact that Nadal is Federer's only true foil is a well-known fact; until Nadal came along, Rog was racking up titles, holding the world No. 1 ranking for 237 weeks and standing virtually unbeatable in many settings. But ever since Nadal's dethroning of the crown prince of tennis greatness, wherein Nadal slowly ate away at the tennis champ (he started by dominating the French Open then spread his tentacles into the grand prize, Wimbledon, last year), the question has been whether Federer will ever be No. 1 again, if he can't beat Nadal.
But Nadal's injuries have paved the way for Federer to scoop up some more titles. He knew he might never get another chance at the French if he didn't clean up this year's action when Nadal fell in an earlier round. And this may be the last Wimbledon where he doesn't have to see the leg-churning Spaniard chasing down shots on the other side of the bracket.
The question of who is better, Nadal or Federer, is put to the side for now. (All evidence in the head-to-head points to Nadal, by the way, and Nadal is on virtually the same pace as Federer in terms of titles won at the same age; see Nadal's figures vs. Federer's.)
The real question now is whether Federer can rise again. Not whether he can win a French when he's not facing Nadal, or take this Wimbledon, but whether this year – as Nadal patches his knees – Federer can build up enough skill, confidence and desire to hold Nadal off for a few more years, once Nadal returns to regular tennis.
As Nadal rose, he was crafting his attack, his way to take down Roger, but Federer was just playing tennis. After the Nadal onslaught of recent years, he hasn't exactly had the time to retool and come back to the game without Nadal breathing down his neck (and Federer was sick with mono for a good stretch, too).
But now is his window. He's tied the record for titles and is known as a great, but he hasn't stopped his rival – and worse yet, he hasn't done anything to keep his rival from one day overtaking his records.
This Wimbledon, and how Federer pushes himself to new challenges during it, will determine his career.
The fact that Nadal is Federer's only true foil is a well-known fact; until Nadal came along, Rog was racking up titles, holding the world No. 1 ranking for 237 weeks and standing virtually unbeatable in many settings. But ever since Nadal's dethroning of the crown prince of tennis greatness, wherein Nadal slowly ate away at the tennis champ (he started by dominating the French Open then spread his tentacles into the grand prize, Wimbledon, last year), the question has been whether Federer will ever be No. 1 again, if he can't beat Nadal.
But Nadal's injuries have paved the way for Federer to scoop up some more titles. He knew he might never get another chance at the French if he didn't clean up this year's action when Nadal fell in an earlier round. And this may be the last Wimbledon where he doesn't have to see the leg-churning Spaniard chasing down shots on the other side of the bracket.
The question of who is better, Nadal or Federer, is put to the side for now. (All evidence in the head-to-head points to Nadal, by the way, and Nadal is on virtually the same pace as Federer in terms of titles won at the same age; see Nadal's figures vs. Federer's.)
The real question now is whether Federer can rise again. Not whether he can win a French when he's not facing Nadal, or take this Wimbledon, but whether this year – as Nadal patches his knees – Federer can build up enough skill, confidence and desire to hold Nadal off for a few more years, once Nadal returns to regular tennis.
As Nadal rose, he was crafting his attack, his way to take down Roger, but Federer was just playing tennis. After the Nadal onslaught of recent years, he hasn't exactly had the time to retool and come back to the game without Nadal breathing down his neck (and Federer was sick with mono for a good stretch, too).
But now is his window. He's tied the record for titles and is known as a great, but he hasn't stopped his rival – and worse yet, he hasn't done anything to keep his rival from one day overtaking his records.
This Wimbledon, and how Federer pushes himself to new challenges during it, will determine his career.
6.16.2009
Yep, Yep Yankees
Tonight's Yankee win was another come-from-behind victory as New York topped the visiting Washington Nationals 5-3. The Yankees put enough runs across the plate just in time for CC Sabathia to get his sixth win of the season, and Brian Bruney (a successful early-season reliever before time on the DL) and Mo Rivera cleaned up to secure the win.
Robinson Cano (4-for-4, 2 RBI) led the Yankee sluggers.
Other Yankees Posts
Robinson Cano (4-for-4, 2 RBI) led the Yankee sluggers.
Other Yankees Posts
Newsweek, for certain news readers
Newsweek is continuing its changes with one less issue this summer, adding to the recent magazine redesign and decision to have Stephen Colbert guest-edit an issue.
Colbert was a funny and fresh take on news, but other than that, I can't say I like the changes. Newsweek has been very open about its intent to market to a more highbrow audience (which I am the antithesis of at this point), and it shows. The content has become denser and deeper, which is great, unless you loved the variety of news you got in Newsweek each issue rather than the comprehensive reports in one bit of politics or international affairs that it now offers. In the new issues, all the attention is put on one topic for the whole week's worth, and this has caused Newsweek to skimp with its once varied yet deep coverage.
Aside from the shift in focus, Newsweek's redesign has caused some problems. Just because you're marketing to a more highbrow audience doesn't mean you have to produce the world's crappiest design. Random slices of panoramic photos? Hideous fonts? Monstrous pull quotes? Freaky covers, almost all of which are close-up mugs? Heavy, unaligned white space and scrunched columns? Meager folio branding? It screamed ugh when I first saw it, and it hasn't gotten much better. The magazine design has gone backwards; it now looks like something I did on one of my first days of design classes, not what a team of professionals would put out as a final product.
One compliment I do have is to Newsweek's coverage. Although I may not enjoy the topics or time spent on each as much, you can't beat Newsweek's columnists or reporting ability. I've read Newsweek for years simply because of these great columnists, and as I found their accounts informative, revealing, and well-based, I grew to appreciate the rest of the magazine.
I have a few months until my subscription runs out; I hope Newsweek's new direction evens out by then and can still serve people who aren't that rich and politically minded but still want a good account and analysis of what's going on in the world.
Colbert was a funny and fresh take on news, but other than that, I can't say I like the changes. Newsweek has been very open about its intent to market to a more highbrow audience (which I am the antithesis of at this point), and it shows. The content has become denser and deeper, which is great, unless you loved the variety of news you got in Newsweek each issue rather than the comprehensive reports in one bit of politics or international affairs that it now offers. In the new issues, all the attention is put on one topic for the whole week's worth, and this has caused Newsweek to skimp with its once varied yet deep coverage.
Aside from the shift in focus, Newsweek's redesign has caused some problems. Just because you're marketing to a more highbrow audience doesn't mean you have to produce the world's crappiest design. Random slices of panoramic photos? Hideous fonts? Monstrous pull quotes? Freaky covers, almost all of which are close-up mugs? Heavy, unaligned white space and scrunched columns? Meager folio branding? It screamed ugh when I first saw it, and it hasn't gotten much better. The magazine design has gone backwards; it now looks like something I did on one of my first days of design classes, not what a team of professionals would put out as a final product.
One compliment I do have is to Newsweek's coverage. Although I may not enjoy the topics or time spent on each as much, you can't beat Newsweek's columnists or reporting ability. I've read Newsweek for years simply because of these great columnists, and as I found their accounts informative, revealing, and well-based, I grew to appreciate the rest of the magazine.
I have a few months until my subscription runs out; I hope Newsweek's new direction evens out by then and can still serve people who aren't that rich and politically minded but still want a good account and analysis of what's going on in the world.
6.15.2009
Troubles in Iran
Was this weekend's election in Iran a fraud? Did the incumbent rig it all, leaving no chance for the people's choice? Or did the international media misjudge the situation, underestimate government and religious influence, and completely misunderstand the Iranian people?
(My gut goes with the final comment.)
Even after Newsweek devoted almost an entire issue to Iran, and its relationship with the U.S., three weeks ago, I still think we are severely underinformed about what is really going on in that country. Forget the politics (of which we know at least a little about); no one knows these Iranian people...or many of the millions living throughout the Middle East. (Iran alone has 65 million citizens.) Until the United States, a 300-million-ish country with largely the same views on life and civility, learns to understand a group of people just as large who see life a different way, we'll only be the self-appointed older brother who doesn't understand that the little brother, and the way he chooses to do certain things, is just as important, and even just as good.
Meanwhile, check out these riot photos from the Globe photo blog. Even without stopping for a minute, and putting myself in the shoes of this tiny sliver of Iranian life, I still know there's a lot of thinking to do about the situation.
(My gut goes with the final comment.)
Even after Newsweek devoted almost an entire issue to Iran, and its relationship with the U.S., three weeks ago, I still think we are severely underinformed about what is really going on in that country. Forget the politics (of which we know at least a little about); no one knows these Iranian people...or many of the millions living throughout the Middle East. (Iran alone has 65 million citizens.) Until the United States, a 300-million-ish country with largely the same views on life and civility, learns to understand a group of people just as large who see life a different way, we'll only be the self-appointed older brother who doesn't understand that the little brother, and the way he chooses to do certain things, is just as important, and even just as good.
Meanwhile, check out these riot photos from the Globe photo blog. Even without stopping for a minute, and putting myself in the shoes of this tiny sliver of Iranian life, I still know there's a lot of thinking to do about the situation.
6.14.2009
15-0.
The Yankees light it up in a 15-0 win over the Mets, and this was no flukish short-right-porch home run derby.
Derek Jeter went 4-for-4 and knocked in a couple runs, Robinson Cano was 3-for-4 with three RBI, and Johnny Damon went 2-for-4 with another three RBI. Best yet, A.J. Burnett produced a quality start for New York, going seven innings and striking out eight, while only walking four (although the staff probably prefers that he saves these gems for when the lineup produces less runs).
The team batted .459 today, with 17 hits, including doubles from Damon, Cano, and Melky Cabrera (who laced two). Once again, the Yankees stranded a load of runners (21), but when you're scoring 15 runs, that seems excusable.
New York gets a day off tomorrow, then its three games against the lowly Washington Nationals (16-45) before heading back on the road to face the Marlins next weekend.
Other Yankees Posts
Derek Jeter went 4-for-4 and knocked in a couple runs, Robinson Cano was 3-for-4 with three RBI, and Johnny Damon went 2-for-4 with another three RBI. Best yet, A.J. Burnett produced a quality start for New York, going seven innings and striking out eight, while only walking four (although the staff probably prefers that he saves these gems for when the lineup produces less runs).
The team batted .459 today, with 17 hits, including doubles from Damon, Cano, and Melky Cabrera (who laced two). Once again, the Yankees stranded a load of runners (21), but when you're scoring 15 runs, that seems excusable.
New York gets a day off tomorrow, then its three games against the lowly Washington Nationals (16-45) before heading back on the road to face the Marlins next weekend.
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There's your cushion, Burnett
The Yankees score big on the Mets' Johan Santana, chasing him in the fourth while tallying nine runs, the most Santana has ever given up. (Subplot: Remember all that whining when New York didn't go after Santana?)
The bats are on fire, and I daresay not even classic A.J. Burnett pitching (lousy as it is) can derail this win.
The bats are on fire, and I daresay not even classic A.J. Burnett pitching (lousy as it is) can derail this win.
6.13.2009
Stop this slide!
The Yankees recovered from their three-game slide against the BoSox with a thrilling, come-from-behind 9-8 victory against the New York Mets Friday night on a dropped Alex Rodriguez popup.
The Yankees squandered leads throughout the game, and a poor eighth-inning performance by closer Mariano Rivera let the Mets get ahead, but heads-up running by Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira hustled in enough runs on the error to win the game.
Other Yankees posts
The Yankees squandered leads throughout the game, and a poor eighth-inning performance by closer Mariano Rivera let the Mets get ahead, but heads-up running by Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira hustled in enough runs on the error to win the game.
Other Yankees posts
6.12.2009
6.11.2009
Whether women are more apt to walk a mile in others' shoes
I didn't care all that much about the hubbub surrounding Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor's comments on whether she could make better choices than a white male, but this Slate article gave me a good reason to think that if that is what she meant, it may be true.
Women, because of societal norms or a greater penchant for empathy and understanding, have often put themselves in men's shoes, but the reverse is rare. Want a peacemaker who can dig to the bottom of feelings and untangle the emotions in a situation? Get a woman, who often will look into, and understand, both sides. (Men are great peacemakers, too, but I'll give them the upper hand on negotiations via reason or fists, for the most part.)
Relationship misunderstandings are full of men "not understanding women," and every women spends a good chunk of her life seeing the gap that can't be crossed due to gender. (Whereas men rarely bemoan that they can't go to the other side.)
Whether it's true or not, I'm not sure, but I do think there's credence to the idea that women are used to walking a mile in many people's shoes, whereas those dang heels don't fit on the men's feet so much.
Women, because of societal norms or a greater penchant for empathy and understanding, have often put themselves in men's shoes, but the reverse is rare. Want a peacemaker who can dig to the bottom of feelings and untangle the emotions in a situation? Get a woman, who often will look into, and understand, both sides. (Men are great peacemakers, too, but I'll give them the upper hand on negotiations via reason or fists, for the most part.)
Relationship misunderstandings are full of men "not understanding women," and every women spends a good chunk of her life seeing the gap that can't be crossed due to gender. (Whereas men rarely bemoan that they can't go to the other side.)
Whether it's true or not, I'm not sure, but I do think there's credence to the idea that women are used to walking a mile in many people's shoes, whereas those dang heels don't fit on the men's feet so much.
6.10.2009
Yankees at Fenway: Foldable Version
There's something about this year's Yankees that just causes them to fold when they go to Fenway Park to play the Red Sox. They plate plenty of runs, bring their fireballing pitchers, then somehow end up on the wrong end of the score each time.
Tonight was no exception. New York had more hits than Boston (11 to 9) yet fell behind early and ended up losing the game 6-5.
The Yanks have now lost eight in a row to the Red Sox, and no amount of nice batting averages can reverse that statistic, which will continue to hang heavy in a tight American League East.
(Mark Teixeira, however, has continued to hit well, keeping the Yankees afloat. The man with the low-.200 average for most of the season now has the highest batting average of all Yankees, including team leads in home runs (19, American League lead) and RBIs (52, third in American League). Now for the wins, right?)
Other Yankees Posts
Tonight was no exception. New York had more hits than Boston (11 to 9) yet fell behind early and ended up losing the game 6-5.
The Yanks have now lost eight in a row to the Red Sox, and no amount of nice batting averages can reverse that statistic, which will continue to hang heavy in a tight American League East.
(Mark Teixeira, however, has continued to hit well, keeping the Yankees afloat. The man with the low-.200 average for most of the season now has the highest batting average of all Yankees, including team leads in home runs (19, American League lead) and RBIs (52, third in American League). Now for the wins, right?)
Other Yankees Posts
6.09.2009
Ugh, Yankees!
Well, it's another nasty smell from the Yanks, but this time it's coming out of Fenway Park after New York drops a 7-0 stinker to Boston.
6.08.2009
Numbah 2
"Now batting for the Yankees: Numbah 2, Derek Je-tah."
Derek Jeter brought his legs to the ballpark today, turning double plays and scooping up grounders like it's 1996. He followed up his sparkling fielding with his first hit of the night in the eighth, a lining home run to right. The captain is batting .306 this season and may not even be peaking yet, the way his numbers have been rising throughout the season.
Mariano Rivera sealed the win with his 14th save in 15 tries, closing out the 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Meanwhile, Mark Teixeira continues to scale the home run and RBI charts. His home run tonight put him in the lead for American League home runs, at 18, and he's four back on the League lead for RBIs.
Next up: A-Rod's continued resurgence. He missed a month, but he's been great in 2003, 2005, and 2007. He's due.
Other Yankees posts
Derek Jeter brought his legs to the ballpark today, turning double plays and scooping up grounders like it's 1996. He followed up his sparkling fielding with his first hit of the night in the eighth, a lining home run to right. The captain is batting .306 this season and may not even be peaking yet, the way his numbers have been rising throughout the season.
Mariano Rivera sealed the win with his 14th save in 15 tries, closing out the 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Meanwhile, Mark Teixeira continues to scale the home run and RBI charts. His home run tonight put him in the lead for American League home runs, at 18, and he's four back on the League lead for RBIs.
Next up: A-Rod's continued resurgence. He missed a month, but he's been great in 2003, 2005, and 2007. He's due.
Other Yankees posts
6.07.2009
Victory for the Fed
No, the financial situation hasn't gotten any better, but another Fed made a strong move today as Roger Federer took a three-set French Open victory to win his 14th Grand Slam title, tying Pete Sampras for the record.
Federer's victory comes month after the Sports Illustrated article preaching the deposing of the king that Federer was, but now it appears he has regained his throne. Sure, he didn't have to take down rival (and often, foil) Rafael Nadal on his own turf...er, clay...but he did beat the man who beat Rafa.
This could be the confidence boost Federer needs to rip through the second half of the season, on his favorite surfaces, and perhaps rise to the surface and take down Nadal in a major.
Federer's victory comes month after the Sports Illustrated article preaching the deposing of the king that Federer was, but now it appears he has regained his throne. Sure, he didn't have to take down rival (and often, foil) Rafael Nadal on his own turf...er, clay...but he did beat the man who beat Rafa.
This could be the confidence boost Federer needs to rip through the second half of the season, on his favorite surfaces, and perhaps rise to the surface and take down Nadal in a major.
6.04.2009
Yankees 8, Rangers 6
The Yankees topped the Rangers 8-6 today to take back the top spot in the American League (although they're tied with the Red Sox this time).
Melky Cabrera hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to complete the Yankee comeback. New York was down 5-1 on another rough start by Chien-Ming Wang but came back thanks to a timely hit from Mark Teixeira.
Other Yankees posts
Melky Cabrera hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to complete the Yankee comeback. New York was down 5-1 on another rough start by Chien-Ming Wang but came back thanks to a timely hit from Mark Teixeira.
Other Yankees posts
The value in price
With all the problems print is having nowadays, a common recommendation has been to give things away for free. Then, the circulation rises, and then advertisers will pay more to get face time on the pages.
But one key point many people are forgetting, and that some publications have started to warm up to, is that people value good value. Sure, they'd love to get their magazines for free, but they know that if they at least pay 20 bucks, they're going to get a real magazine, not a shopping catalogue that's trying to hook them.
Newsweek recently redid its entire approach to get out of the weekly-update news grind and into the more thoughtful, in-depth realm, which is where magazines have to head to survive. They can't be the leaders in breaking news; they come out once a week. Instead, they have to give the best analysis and in-depth articles that people won't look for on the Web.
As a result, the type of people who are reading this kind of Newsweek are not the faint of heart. They have to be pretty educated, and they're probably making a little money or are involved in a field of spreading knowledge. So, Newsweek is charging more for its magazine.
Sound crazy? It's not. If someone wants free information, they'll go to the Web. If they want Newsweek's awesome columnists and on-site reporting from all around the world, they'll pay $50 dollars more.
And here's where it really starts to make sense: When companies looking to place advertising know that your readers are well-educated and willing to pay a little more to get this package of solid information every week (meaning they'll really sit down and read it), those companies will be willing to place ads, and pay more for them.
If they advertise in the Metro, they're hoping that out of every 10 copies, at least one person is reading (while the rest are using the free sheet to pick up dog dung, wrap fish or create an adolescent "snowball" war). With Newsweek, advertisers know that each copy is being read.
The New Yorker has stuck to this idea, charging a little above normal for subscriptions because, hey, it's the New Yorker.
Yet Vanity Fair and Esquire just started poaching issues at the rate of a dozen for eight bucks. If I were an advertiser, I'd do my best Weekend Update impression of "Really?!?!" and run the other way. That's an obvious marketing ploy to boost subscriptions; but when people pay $8 for a year's worth, they're not going to mind if several issues lay next to the bed, completely unread. Wasted advertising.
Free is good in many situations, and it can boost readership. Better yet, it can be a gateway to pull readers in who may have never tried your publication.
But when people assign value to what they're reading, they will be more loyal and appreciate the product more. (They'll also hold it to a higher standard.)
And when you get down to it, $60 a year for Newsweek really isn't that much, unless you're a student, and then life just stinks altogether.
P.S. I'm not sure how I feel about the new design package in Newsweek. I'm having issues, no pun intended.
P.S.S. Slate has a somewhat related article about Wired magazine and free products.
But one key point many people are forgetting, and that some publications have started to warm up to, is that people value good value. Sure, they'd love to get their magazines for free, but they know that if they at least pay 20 bucks, they're going to get a real magazine, not a shopping catalogue that's trying to hook them.
Newsweek recently redid its entire approach to get out of the weekly-update news grind and into the more thoughtful, in-depth realm, which is where magazines have to head to survive. They can't be the leaders in breaking news; they come out once a week. Instead, they have to give the best analysis and in-depth articles that people won't look for on the Web.
As a result, the type of people who are reading this kind of Newsweek are not the faint of heart. They have to be pretty educated, and they're probably making a little money or are involved in a field of spreading knowledge. So, Newsweek is charging more for its magazine.
Sound crazy? It's not. If someone wants free information, they'll go to the Web. If they want Newsweek's awesome columnists and on-site reporting from all around the world, they'll pay $50 dollars more.
And here's where it really starts to make sense: When companies looking to place advertising know that your readers are well-educated and willing to pay a little more to get this package of solid information every week (meaning they'll really sit down and read it), those companies will be willing to place ads, and pay more for them.
If they advertise in the Metro, they're hoping that out of every 10 copies, at least one person is reading (while the rest are using the free sheet to pick up dog dung, wrap fish or create an adolescent "snowball" war). With Newsweek, advertisers know that each copy is being read.
The New Yorker has stuck to this idea, charging a little above normal for subscriptions because, hey, it's the New Yorker.
Yet Vanity Fair and Esquire just started poaching issues at the rate of a dozen for eight bucks. If I were an advertiser, I'd do my best Weekend Update impression of "Really?!?!" and run the other way. That's an obvious marketing ploy to boost subscriptions; but when people pay $8 for a year's worth, they're not going to mind if several issues lay next to the bed, completely unread. Wasted advertising.
Free is good in many situations, and it can boost readership. Better yet, it can be a gateway to pull readers in who may have never tried your publication.
But when people assign value to what they're reading, they will be more loyal and appreciate the product more. (They'll also hold it to a higher standard.)
And when you get down to it, $60 a year for Newsweek really isn't that much, unless you're a student, and then life just stinks altogether.
P.S. I'm not sure how I feel about the new design package in Newsweek. I'm having issues, no pun intended.
P.S.S. Slate has a somewhat related article about Wired magazine and free products.
The flip side of being a minority
A lot of people are making a big deal about Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor's "Latina woman" comments. But this Slate column points out the difficulties minorities can often have, not negatively for being minorities, but negatively for having to represent and speak for minorities once they are successful.
In the effort to even the playing field, minorities get elevated into awkward positions. They have to answer questions others wouldn't (including questions other minority groups wouldn't necessarily get). Simply put, when there are discrepancies, and moves are made to even out the discrepancies, often the discrepancies are only magnified more, creating...you guessed it, more discrepancies.
In the effort to even the playing field, minorities get elevated into awkward positions. They have to answer questions others wouldn't (including questions other minority groups wouldn't necessarily get). Simply put, when there are discrepancies, and moves are made to even out the discrepancies, often the discrepancies are only magnified more, creating...you guessed it, more discrepancies.
ti-share-uh
Chien-Ming Wang is in usual form, meaning he's let five runs in over five innings. Not good.
But Mark Teixeira is also continuing his May tear, dropping a double in the bottom of the fifth to plate three runs. The Yanks have tied the game against the Texas Rangers at five, and no one is questioning why New York nabbed Ti-Share-Uh in the offseason.
Other Yankees posts
But Mark Teixeira is also continuing his May tear, dropping a double in the bottom of the fifth to plate three runs. The Yanks have tied the game against the Texas Rangers at five, and no one is questioning why New York nabbed Ti-Share-Uh in the offseason.
Other Yankees posts
6.03.2009
Stiff back, stiff bats
More than just Andy Pettitte's back was stiff tonight in the Yankees' 4-2 loss to the Texas Rangers. The New York hitters stayed home, except for maybe Jorge Posada (two hits, home run) and Nick Swisher (two hits, double).
Pettitte may have had a win in any other game, if he had hitting support, but tonight letting four runs in and walking six didn't cut it. (Pettitte hasn't been phenomenal this season, but he's pitched to the occasion and avoided walks.)
Better luck tomorrow, when the Yankees close out the series with the Rangers at 1:05 p.m.
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Pettitte may have had a win in any other game, if he had hitting support, but tonight letting four runs in and walking six didn't cut it. (Pettitte hasn't been phenomenal this season, but he's pitched to the occasion and avoided walks.)
Better luck tomorrow, when the Yankees close out the series with the Rangers at 1:05 p.m.
Other Yankees posts
Change in play
The day after the Globe was threatened to be shut down at midnight, I opened the thinnest A section I had seen since my subscription started. Aside from the wire pages, the editorial pages and the jumps from the front page, there was no other news.
Today, the A section was 18 pages long, and I was wading through two-page spread ads and another page where only one 16-inch story was on two whole pages.
Advertising is a good sign, of course, and I wonder what has led to this rebound in advertising. (For a real contrast, pull out some microfiche from the 1960s, though. I'm always blown away by the immense amount of ads in the paper then...and the wickedly doglegged stories.)
Today, the A section was 18 pages long, and I was wading through two-page spread ads and another page where only one 16-inch story was on two whole pages.
Advertising is a good sign, of course, and I wonder what has led to this rebound in advertising. (For a real contrast, pull out some microfiche from the 1960s, though. I'm always blown away by the immense amount of ads in the paper then...and the wickedly doglegged stories.)
Bits VI.3.MMIX
Random links I find interesting that I've put off posting:
Some pretty awesome pranks at MIT
(Globe photo collection)
Obama plays the cool jock in the high school game that is international leadership
(Slate)
...And Liberty wasn't as psycho as I thought they were
(Liberty University)
Plus, a review of Kevin Roose's book, The Unlikely Disciple, coming soon. That's the book where he talks about transferring from Brown to Liberty and how everyone's crazy. We agree on most points so far. Favorite nugget: Roose joined the choir and noted how he could see, on the back of Dr. Jerry Falwell's head, where his stage makeup stopped. Classic.
Let's hear it for crazy tennis parents
Behind every tennis champion is a maniac of a parent, or at least that's what this Slate writer says. Anyone else wishing that sports would go back to the days when people grew up playing together, everyone had a shot, and the best ones rose to the top? There's no hope for the everyday kid in this new, protein-enhanced, medicine-ball-powered, Frankensteinian culture of sports.
Yawn...Yankees win
It's become commonplace, these Yankees winning again. Tonight it was a 12-3 takedown of the Texas Rangers (oh, yes, the team with the best record in the American League).
And now the Yankees have the best record in the American League: 31-21.
They're 10 games over .500; last season they weren't 10 games over .500 until 100 games into the season.
Leading the way is none other than stalwart Derek Jeter, who has shaken the April rust off to sprint up the batting charts. Numbah 2 had three hits tonight and now leads the team with a .319 batting average. He also has 10 stolen bases (team-leading), 25 RBI, and seven home runs (he had 11 all of last year). Sure, his stats may not be as gaudy as, say Mark Teixeira's (44 RBI, 16 home runs), but Jeter's been getting on base plenty from the leadoff hole, and he's led the latest Yankees tear. The shortstop is batting .500 over the last seven games.
Enough with Jeter, though. Tonight, everybody got involved. Jorge Posada, who seemed content that the Yankees had broken the errorless streak (he flubbed a throw in the fourth inning to end it) came through for a three-run homer, and Hideki Matsui added a three-run blast of his own. Robinson Cano added two hits, and a whole pile of other Bombers contributed runs, single hits and RBI.
New York left eight runners on base (after stranding nine last night), yet they still won by nine runs. Something's going right here.
Other Yankees posts
And now the Yankees have the best record in the American League: 31-21.
They're 10 games over .500; last season they weren't 10 games over .500 until 100 games into the season.
Leading the way is none other than stalwart Derek Jeter, who has shaken the April rust off to sprint up the batting charts. Numbah 2 had three hits tonight and now leads the team with a .319 batting average. He also has 10 stolen bases (team-leading), 25 RBI, and seven home runs (he had 11 all of last year). Sure, his stats may not be as gaudy as, say Mark Teixeira's (44 RBI, 16 home runs), but Jeter's been getting on base plenty from the leadoff hole, and he's led the latest Yankees tear. The shortstop is batting .500 over the last seven games.
Enough with Jeter, though. Tonight, everybody got involved. Jorge Posada, who seemed content that the Yankees had broken the errorless streak (he flubbed a throw in the fourth inning to end it) came through for a three-run homer, and Hideki Matsui added a three-run blast of his own. Robinson Cano added two hits, and a whole pile of other Bombers contributed runs, single hits and RBI.
New York left eight runners on base (after stranding nine last night), yet they still won by nine runs. Something's going right here.
Other Yankees posts
6.02.2009
Journalism's Future
I'd have to agree with Tina Brown's assessment of journalism, both for the near future (the next five years are going to be tough) and the distant future (that most journalists are going to be people with other jobs, and that we need to look at saving journalism, not newspapers). But I'm not the expert.
6.01.2009
Suggestions for the Republican party
No way I'm jumping into all the issues the Republican party has here, but this Slate column makes the interesting point of how Republicans can better attack others than promote themselves now. (And this is the party Christians/moral people/blah blah blah belong to?)
A sample: "In the Reagan era, it was said that Democrats searched for heretics while Republicans looked for converts. These days, it's the other way around."
Full article
A sample: "In the Reagan era, it was said that Democrats searched for heretics while Republicans looked for converts. These days, it's the other way around."
Full article
A sad dog story
A sad dog story...what everyone wants to read, right?
Well, this one on Slate gave me a good glimpse into how things may have been in the past, and why we shouldn't think Pavlov was cool.
Well, this one on Slate gave me a good glimpse into how things may have been in the past, and why we shouldn't think Pavlov was cool.
Error-less, Swisher-full
The Yankees have set the Major League record for 18 games in a row without an error, a record set by, of course, the Boston Red Sox.
New York took a 5-2 win over the Cleveland Indians tonight with a balance of escaping bases-loaded jams defensively and leaving plenty of bases-loaded opportunities offensively. Although plenty of guys were left on base, the Yanks did it when they had to, with Nick Swisher leading the way with a couple of hits and two RBI.
Joba proved me wrong, going a career-high eight innings (something Yankees starters don't often do), using all 106 pitches well until Mariano Rivera came in for his 11th save in 12 chances.
Other Yankees posts
New York took a 5-2 win over the Cleveland Indians tonight with a balance of escaping bases-loaded jams defensively and leaving plenty of bases-loaded opportunities offensively. Although plenty of guys were left on base, the Yanks did it when they had to, with Nick Swisher leading the way with a couple of hits and two RBI.
Joba proved me wrong, going a career-high eight innings (something Yankees starters don't often do), using all 106 pitches well until Mariano Rivera came in for his 11th save in 12 chances.
Other Yankees posts
Joba!!!
Sign Joba Chamberlain up for the infield! My goodness, what a play!
(I hope it's up on YouTube, but for those of who didn't stay late after work to watch the game, he just dove off the mound, laid out and snared a pop-up two inches from the turf.)
On the other hand, Joba's pitching has had some issues lately. He is fantastic most innings, then getting in jams in the others. Bottom line, he uses tons of pitches to try to piece together a quality start. Tons of pitches=put him in the bullpen. Let him provide two innings a night and not use up his arm where Chien-Ming Wang can work.
And what is up with random creatures invading whenever Joba pitches in Cleveland? Bugs in the 2007 playoffs, seagulls chilling with the outfielders today. My, oh, my.
Maybe there's something in the air...and, if so, could it have gotten into the nostrils of whoever keeps making the calls at first?
(I hope it's up on YouTube, but for those of who didn't stay late after work to watch the game, he just dove off the mound, laid out and snared a pop-up two inches from the turf.)
On the other hand, Joba's pitching has had some issues lately. He is fantastic most innings, then getting in jams in the others. Bottom line, he uses tons of pitches to try to piece together a quality start. Tons of pitches=put him in the bullpen. Let him provide two innings a night and not use up his arm where Chien-Ming Wang can work.
And what is up with random creatures invading whenever Joba pitches in Cleveland? Bugs in the 2007 playoffs, seagulls chilling with the outfielders today. My, oh, my.
Maybe there's something in the air...and, if so, could it have gotten into the nostrils of whoever keeps making the calls at first?
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