I’m So Glad LeBron Isn’t a Yankee
He can root for the boys all he wants, but after that travesty on ESPN tonight I have no interest in his career. Was “The Decision” really necessary? Like millions of other suckers, I watched and waited and wondered why James couldn’t have just told the media which team he’d picked instead of creating such a cringe-worthy spectacle. But enough of that.
Congrats to Nick Swisher!!!! Melissa, our Friend of the Blog, said she voted for him 700 times. Can anyone top that? I’m so happy for him and proud of the fans who sent him to Anaheim.
Sweet win for the Yanks tonight – that’s six in a row. It was quite the pitcher’s duel at Safeco with Andy showing what a warrior he is, going eight innings with nine K’s. Amazing. The score was tied at 1-1 for what seemed like an eternity; our offense kept stranding runners and making me nuts. But with Jeter and Swisher on base in the ninth, up stepped A-Rod. Base hit. Two runs scored. Is the guy clutch or what? I was wary when Mo took the mound, given all the talk about his ailments, but he looked fine to me. After the game, Jack Curry interviewed A-Rod and reminded him that 16 years ago on this day he played his first game as a Mariner. Asked for his reaction, A-Rod said, “A lot’s happened since then.” I’ll say.
Confessions of a She-Fan 
Great game! Swisher was on fire! He had all the reasons to celebrate after making the All-Star team. Andy struck out 9, yay! But what happened with that throw to first? Is he still rattled from that Dodgers game?
Did you see the girl go nuts after Ichiro touched her? So funny! It was nice to see the Mariners hook her up with cool merchandise.
It was a tough decision on his part. To leave not only the city he grew up in but the city that treated him like a God for the past 7 years. Arrogant of him and his management (well he’s not a corporation but..) to make this such a big deal. He is not bigger than the game and for him to waste everybody’s time like that is not cool. Anyways best of luck to him 😛
lol Swisher is hilarious XD How fun for him to enjoy the festivities in Anaheim! Can’t wait!
Wow look at A-rod! So young!!
http://mimi.mlblogs.com
I voted for Swish about 80 times…so I was close! Swish definitely proved he should be an All star tonight.. 4 for 4?? and 3 for 3 yesterday? I got even more wary about Mo during the 12 pitch at bat….but he got the job done. These pitchers are being demonic…or heavenly…okay amazing! I was yelling pretty loud though when Teix fouled out….but woohoo for Arod. About “The Decision”… I didn’t think you’d watch it, I saw maybe 2 minutes of it combined waiting for an answer. I’ve never liked Lebron’s egotistical side, but he sure can play. Though I knew he wasn’t a such a good guy when the Magic beat him last year and he walked off the court without shaking hands. That’s no way to be a leader or a good athlete. But he’s still young, even though he looks 45. Speaking of 45….can Pettitte be any better?? If he ends the season with 20 wins or so, you think he’ll really hang up his hat???
I could care less about the NBA or Lebron. To me, they’re both a joke. I think basketball takes the least talent of the four major sports, and the last few minutes of the game just drag on….and on….
A-Rod came up through the Minor’s pretty quick that year. He started in the Midwest League with the Appleton Foxes I think.
–Mike
‘Minoring In Baseball’
http://burrilltalksbaseball.mlblogs.com
I too could care less for Lebron. Yawwn.
16 years Jane! OMG! Where did the time go?
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My volunteering duties at the All-STar start tomorrow! AFter that I head to the Ravine for the game there!
Emma
http://crzblue.mlblogs.com
If they were smart, they’d have put the LeBron thing on pay-per-view. That’s what Don King would’ve done.
http://www.paullebowitz.com/
http://princeofny.blogspot.com/
The whole LeBron thing was nuts, but I think they are trying to get more people interested in the NBA. This certainly may have done it. He said that only a handful of people knew what decision he had made but all of the NY reports were predicting Miami – so who told?
Yes, Jane…another nice win. Wow, Andy going 8 and only giving up one run. That’s spectacular. And timely hitting by A-Rod makes us all more comfortable about the rest of the season.
I fell asleep before the post-game; did Swisher say anything about getting voted in? I totally lost count of how many times I voted but it was alot. I haven’t seen anything to show how close the final count was.
I’d like to take 2 of 3 in the rest of the Seattle games but I’ll take a sweep for sure. GO YANKEES!!!
Had more important things to do than be bothered with Lebron. I was working on clearing roster space for Cliff Lee! I listened to the first three innings and the last two last night. Napped in between. John Sterling’s melodic voice, “Ballgame over Yankees win!” sent me to a nice nights sleep. Winter arrived yesterday, 87 degrees and ground was stable!
these west coast games are so weird. i can’t stay up for them and then i wake up in the middle of the night and debate if i should go check the score or go back to bed and wait until morning to check. then i get nervous to check. well you west coasters are taking care of the games for us early sleepers. so far it’s been such happy news each morning. thanks and thanks for letting us know what happened. last night sure seemed like a hard to watch game until the end.
ok, i must admit that while i am happy for swisher and i like his positive energy–last year at first i just thought he was annoying but he’s won me over–i don’t really think he was the best or even second best of the final choices. it was nice to see how much he appreciated it.
i got a call yesterday from one of my counseling interns saying she had dinner next to andy p in seattle the night before. so i excitedly tried to tell my co workers who either didn’t care or didn’t know who he was. i can’t believe how amazing he’s been.
wondering if there is anything to the rumor of cliff lee coming. you can never have enough pitching but it does make me wonder who goes to the bullpen. if it’s hughes we’ve solved our bullpen problem and are good shape for the playoffs but what about his future. ok if we sign lee long term we have a good future that so that’s big. bigger for me than any basketball announcement. i’m just saying.
barbara
No comment on LeBron. Congrats to Swish-a-licious. And, my how A-Rod looks so young there. I’m still pissed at him for the ‘roid stuff though, not gonna lie. He was supposed to blank Barry outta the book. I remember before he went off to Texas thinking how great he was gonna be, how he was gonna do it. I’d sorta forgotten, but seeing that pic, well, brings back memories.
–Jeff
http://redstatebluestate.mlblogs.com/
http://mtrredstatebluestate.com
I hope Andy doesn’t hang up his hat after this season. It’s always a decision he says he has to make with his family. Another season or 2 would definitley lock Andy into the hall of fame. I think his numbers are good now. I know he just reached the 200 win mark as a Yankee and I know he climbed up in all-time Yankee strikeouts passing Guidry. He’s on his way to taking most Yankee wins from Whitey Ford. I want him to stay, but it all depends on his health and his family. He said recently that he doesn’t see himself pitching in the next few years. His Dove commercial is out. The photos are funny!
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?topic_id=10906542
SIX IN A ROW!
Let’s cancel the All-Star break and just keep on playing.
Jane,
In answer to your question from the other day, everything I see about Stephen Strasburg is good. I got an up-close look at him in Syracuse, when the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees beat him. He has great stuff, poise and presence. Scranton/W-B was lucky that they got a couple of men on base just when Strasburg was nearing his pitch count limit. He left with the bases loaded, even though I don’t think Scranton got the ball out of the infield that inning. Then the bullpen then let all three of those guys score.
You’d think his 90 mph change-up would just look like a fastball, but with the batter geared up for the 100 mph fastball, the change-up gets him a lot of strikeouts. He’s great for baseball and DC baseball in particular.
I’m just hoping he stays healthy in mind and body, and in five years, or whenever, I hope there’s no hour-long Decision II show, unless he’s announcing a decision to join the Yankees.
As a Browns’ fan, I feel sorry for the City of Cleveland this morning. Besides The Drive and The Fumble, they’ll now add “The Decision” to their lexicon for heartbreaks.
Becky, I cracked up when Ichiro’s glove hit that girl and she was like, “Oh, that was Ichiro!” LOL. Yeah, Andy could use some fielding practice when it comes to bunts. It was like a flashback to the Dodgers series. Thanks so much for the link to Andy’s Dove commercial!!!! I hadn’t seen it before. Love the pic of him as a little boy with those blond girls! And it’s great to see him get an endorsement deal. He’s earned it.
I have to question who suggested LeBron should do that special. It wasn’t in his best interests, Mimi. I’m sure they did raise money for the Boys and Girls Club, but still. Anyhow, A-Rod does look young. He was!
Seinsfeld, 80 times is pretty damn good for voting. I don’t think anyone can top Melissa’s 700. That’s just amazing. Don’t know when Andy will hang it up. I guess it’s about how he does the second half and how healthy he stays. We go through this at the end of every season, so I’m sure we’ll have to go through it again in the fall.
Well, I don’t know if you can say NBA players aren’t as talented as other athletes, Mike. But if it’s not your sport, it’s not your sport. I do remember that A-Rod came up quickly through the minors. Didn’t know it was with the Appleton Foxes though!
Have a great time volunteering, Emma. You’ll be great at it. I hope you get to meet some cool people too.
You’re so right, Paul. Don King would have been all over that special and made us pay for it.
My post-game interview was only with A-Rod, Diane. I get cut off almost immediately after the games, thanks to my dumb Extra Innings package. At least I get the games though, so I should hardly complain. I read that Swisher was “bananas” though about the ASG and immediately called his father, thanked the fans, etc.
Winter, John. LOL. I did hear the heat wave was supposed to break soon, so I hope it did. Don’t know what to make of the Cliff Lee thing. I woke up to it this morning and am waiting to see if it really happens before reacting.
Your counseling intern sat next to Andy at dinner, Barbara? OMG I would have been so excited! I’m not even sure what I would have done. While I’d hate to be a pest and interrupt his meal, I would have to say SOMETHING. Like “I’m a fan of your work.” LOL. Glad we’re doing a good job out here taking care of the Yanks for you so far. As I said to John, I don’t know what to make of the Cliff Lee rumor yet. I guess Cashman is worried about Hughes and maybe the unpredictability of AJ and Javy.
The pic does bring back memories of a more innocent time, Jeff. So true. I wish he hadn’t tainted his reputation with that stuff. He was talented enough without it.
I know, jojovanb. Who needs an All Star break to disrupt this nice flow of wins, right? Thanks for your views on Strasburg. It will be interesting to see if he keeps his head together with all the hoopla and can perform well over the long term. As for the fans in Cleveland, I understand their hurt, disappointment and anger. But I think I’m in the minority when I say that the Cavs owner was a little over the top in that letter he wrote. He was right to reassure his fan base, but I would hope that a guy of his stature in the game would rise above name calling.
The whole LeBron thing was so self-indulgent. If they were going to make such a big deal of it, I’d have expected fireworks, dancing clowns and maybe a parade. What a let down! lol
Jenn
http://philliesphollowers.mlblogs.com/
Part of the letdown, Jenn, were the inane questions by Gray. Why delay “the decision?” Just ask him and get it over with!
espn was saying part of why we want lee is to keep him from the rays.
by the way, all of the yankee teams, including the three levels of minor league teams i see listed in the paper daily are all in first place. what fun
barbara
One of the reasons, Barbara, but also because he’s one of the premier pitchers in baseball! And Hughes has an innings limit and Vazquez will bring in nice prospects/players if he’s traded. Seems like a no-brainer to me.
Lebron James is a joke, just like the Heat will be while he is there.
I admit it, I voted for Konerko and Wagner.
P.S. I’m not a Yankees fan, so I will never vote for a Yankee, except for Cano, which I voted for.
Jane,
I’m with you on Dan Gilbert, the Cleveland owner, being over the top. He needed to respond right away, but that was one of those letters he should have read again after a good night’s sleep and perhaps after some of his anger had subsided. Instead, he proved that having money is not the same thing as having class.
Speaking of money, are the Yankees really trying to put a deal together to get Cliff Lee? That’s embarassing. How am I supposed to argue with these Red Sox fans around Albany if the Yankees are just going to buy another World Series?
Tell Cash to sign Lee quick. I’m up for the challenge. 🙂
Joejoe, the fact that you’re a non-Yankee fan and you voted for Cano is a testament to the kind of year he’s having. Love it.
Yeah, jojovanb, I really was surprised at the level of Gilbert’s vitriol, which only served to diminish his stature and stoke the already-angry fans. Sounds like the Yanks are trying to trade for Lee. TRADING for him, not buying him. Like the Red Sox traded for Victor Martinez. I know you’re up for the challenge. But let’s see if it actually happens. Still waiting to hear.
As a hater of the city of Cleveland I am glad LeBron found his way out of the Mistake on the Lake. However the whole circus spectacle he brought with him was way too much. His ego may not be big enough to fit in on south beach
http://pittpeas.mlblogs.com
As a Pirates fan though, Matt, you’ve got to feel for Cleveland fans. It hurts to lose a beloved player. That said, it’s a free country and LeBron can play wherever he wants. I just hope the ruckus dies down now.
I read an hysterical cartoon in Newsday today. I don’t know what other papers carry it, but its called “Non Sequitur” — everyone enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s pretty funny diane, but I think Met fans are even worse 😛 Also, just got news Cliff Lee is going to the Rangers. So will he pitch tonight??? I’d rather he go to Texas ASAP XD
I too was apprehensive about Mo pitching, but I’m sure glad he was fine and got the save! I voted for Swish 120 times, and I thought I was the only one crazy enough to do it that many!
-Beth
Wow. Eight guys in the All-Star Game…I can’t believe that 60% of our rotation are in it.
http://bronx-awesome.mlblogs.com/
I’ll look for it, Diane. Haven’t had a chance today. Busy day.
Nope, Lee isn’t pitching tonight, seindsfeld. If we can’t have him on the team at least we don’t have to face him during this series. I guess we’ll get stuck with him when we play the Rangers.
You voted for Swish 120 times, Beth? That’s dedication! As I said to Melissa, he should send you a personal thank-you card.
Eight guys, Babu. Makes us proud, right? This is one All Star game I’m looking forward to, even without Mo’s presence.
I feel like Cliff Lee has teased me and I don’t even know him! I don’t think he should be taking such liberties with our potential relationship like that!
-Serena
I feel exactly the same way, Serena! All day I was like, “What a tease! How dare he toy with my affection????” LOL.
I only voted for Swish about 25 times, so if he would have lost, it would have been entirely my fault! Sorry! I was so disappointed that the Yankees couldn’t close the deal on Cliff Lee. The deal made so much sense (to me). I like the confidence that comes with knowing CC Sabathia on the mound. We could have had that with Lee, but we’ll have to get by with the uncertainty of Vazquez, Burnett, Hughes and Pettitte as they will always give up runs. I want my cake and eat it too, darn it! 😉
.
Scott
http://fotr.mlblogs.com
I was disappointed we didn’t get Lee, Scott. Can’t lie. People say we’ll sign him in December, but how sweet would it have been to have him in the rotation now! As you say, we’ll more than survive, but it was an exciting idea to wake up to this morning.
Nick also had the help of the Buckeye Nation. Once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye….well unless you’re LeQuit and then you need to never show your face in the Buckeye state again (but then he is only Buckeye by birth)
A blood aka TRUE Buckeye though is someone who actually WENT to Ohio State. Me (class of 2000), Swish (2002)
-Amy
http://amyharber.mlblogs.com
I never thought about the extra help Nick got from the Buckeye Nation, Amy. No wonder he got on the team!