Tagged: Curt Schilling
Getting Up For Josh Beckett
On the eve of the first game in yet another Yankees-Red Sox series, I was feeling a little tired of The Rivalry. Seriously. Not only do we play them tomorrow night for what seems like the millionth time, but with some of the old Red Sox antagonists gone — Pedro, Schilling, Trot Nixon, Kevin Millar — I began to wonder if I could muster the same old feelings. You know the ones I’m talking about. They look like this.
Now that the Yankees are coming off a championship and have already won this season’s opening round at Fenway, I’m not quite as crazed as usual. I mean, David Ortiz pals around with A-Rod during batting practice. Mike Lowell always seems pleasant enough. And what about how Jeter jokes with Pedroia and Youkilis; the three of them act like brothers, for God’s sake.
So what’s to get all worked up about? The fans at Fenway and their “Yankees suck” chants? Even that’s so yesterday. I’m telling you, I was sitting here wondering how to psyche myself up for tomorrow night and then I lit on Boston’s starter for the game: Josh Beckett. Yesss. There’s no one I enjoy watching the Yankees beat more than the Beckster. So, for anyone reading this who’s having the same sense of malaise that I was, check out this video. It was made by a love struck Red Sox fan named Hillary. Pay particular attention to the shot of Josh with the deer. Well, the puppy one’s cool too. Anyhow, just try and watch this and then tell me you don’t want the Yanks to hit, like, 20 homers off this guy.
Joba Debate Over: Mo Says Pen!
Today’s 12-7 loss to the Rays featured a rough outing by Joba – two triples, a double and two walks – but he’s getting over the flu and, according to Girardi, “was throwing up for a couple of days.” (I know. Thanks for sharing.) The point is, he wasn’t 100% and will probably do a better job next time out. The larger question, given that he and Hughes are battling for the 5th starter spot along with Mitre, Gaudin and Aceves, is does he belong in the bullpen? I mean, seriously belong there? I’ve been on the fence when it comes to this never-ending debate, but not anymore. Mo has weighed in on the subject. Thanks to @gcf123 on Twitter who tipped us off during the game that Mike Francesca was interviewing Mariano on WFAN, I went to the Fan’s web site and heard the following exchange, or a reasonable facsimile:
Francesca: “Where do you think Joba belongs? In the rotation or in the bullpen?”
Mo: “If I’m the owner, I put him in the bullpen. If I’m the manager, I make him the 8th inning guy.”
So there it is. The Great One has spoken. End of discussion.
On an entirely different subject, Marc Carig at the Star-Ledger/NJ.com (@Ledger_Yankees) tweeted about the Red Sox’s new ad. Take a look.
As a Yankee fan, am I offended by the ad? Not at all. I think it’s funny. What surprises me is that The Nation seems to be so focused on the rivalry that they planned a campaign around it. Don’t they have players to tout? Other teams to worry about? Hopes for winning another championship? Or how about some inspiring words from Curt Schilling?
Yankees-Red Sox Discussion Leads To Marital Discord!
So there I was, sitting across the dinner table from my husband Michael, when I mentioned that the Yankees were playing the Red Sox in Ft. Myers tomorrow night. He didn’t twitch or grimace or even roll his eyes; he kept right on eating his grilled chicken.
She-Fan: “You don’t hate the Red Sox?”
Michael: “No.”
She-Fan: “Come on.”
Michael: “I don’t hate any team.”
She-Fan: “Then how about their players?”
Michael: “I don’t hate them, either. There are players that get under my skin though.”
She-Fan: “Like who?”
Michael: “Pedroia and Youkilis. But I don’t hate them. I don’t hate anyone or anything.”
She-Fan (skeptical): “What are you, Gandhi? How about Schilling? You always call him a blowhard.”
Michael: “If I were a hating type of person, he’s someone I would hate. But I’m not.”
She-Fan: “Fine. What about Travis Hafner? He made you crazy during the ’07 playoffs.”
Michael: “Yeah. He went, like, 0-for-98 against us in the regular season and then murdered us in the ALDS. He really annoyed me, but I don’t hate him.”
She-Fan: “John Lackey?”
Michael: “He seems arrogant and not that good. Very annoying.”
She-Fan: “But not hate-worthy.”
Michael: “Right.”
She-Fan (frustrated): “Let’s move off the subject of baseball. You hate your cousin Skip, don’t you?”
Michael: “He’s a user. Never picks up a check.”
She-Fan: “So you hate him. Admit it.”
Michael: “I do.”
She-Fan: “Bingo. Anyone else?”
Michael (pushing his chair back from the table and nodding): “Al Pacino. He used to be such a good actor. Now he’s a big windbag. Hate him.”
She-Fan: “O.K. We’re getting somewhere. Who else?”
Michael: “Ann Coulter. Morally and politically bankrupt.”
She-Fan: “Not surprising.”
Michael: “And disco. I really hate disco.”
She-Fan: “Well, we hardly ever -“
Michael: “Curry. I hate the smell of it, the taste of it, everything about it.”
Michael (getting riled up): “And I despise all vegetables except carrots.”
Michael: “The color pink. It reminds me of bubble gum that gets stuck in your sneaker treads.”
She-Fan (soothingly, as if speaking to a mental patient): “Why don’t we forget all this harsh talk and watch some TV.”
Michael: “Anderson Cooper.”
Michael: “He’s a complete fool. I hate the way he says ‘Nawlins’ instead of ‘New Orleans.’ Like he’s from the Ninth Ward instead of the Upper East Side. Give me a break. And he plays the serious news anchor one minute, then turns around and co-hosts Regis & Kelly. I hate them all. They’re liars and phonies and -“
She-Fan: “YOU NEED TO STOP THIS!”
Michael: “The thing I really hate is when you yell at me.”
I apologized. We made up. And then we went back to talking about baseball.
Confessions of a She-Fan 