Tagged: John Sterling

January 6, 2011

In The Booth With John, Suzyn And….Ted Williams?

By now everyone’s seen the story about “the homeless guy with the golden voice,” right? He’s been making the rounds and been offered all sorts of broadcasting jobs. What I don’t think anybody’s asked him is: “Are you a baseball fan?” And, more specifically: “Are you a Yankee fan?” He’s from New York with the accent to prove it, so why not hire him for occasional announcing duties during Yankees games or maybe for some of the programming on YES?

Well, there is one problem. He might have to change his name.

October 13, 2010

She-Fan Exclusive: Suzyn Waldman Interviews Nolan Ryan

You won’t find this clip anywhere else. I flew to Arlington, stood outside the office of Rangers president Nolan Ryan, and overheard our own Suzyn chatting up Nolan. I cracked open the door, focused the She-Fan Cam and here’s the result.

http://www.xtranormal.com/site_media/players/jwplayer.swf http://www.xtranormal.com/site_media/players/embedded-xnl-stats.swf

Only a few more nights until the action gets underway in Arlington. So if you haven’t entered the Crumbs Yankees cupcakes contest or want to revise your predictions, click here. You have until Thursday night at midnight PT.

July 17, 2010

The A.J. Saga

Oh, my. The day got off to a sour start when I heard that Yogi had fallen and wouldn’t be at Old Timer’s Day. So glad he’s okay, but still. Then I learned I was blacked out by Fox and had to watch Yankees-Rays on Fox’s Spanish station, which would have been fine except that I don’t speak a word of Spanish. And then I switched to the MLB app on my phone and heard John Sterling say that A.J. was coming out of the game because of “lacerations on his hands; that he tripped up the stairs en route from the clubhouse and tried to break his fall on the concrete floor.” Well, Spanish or English, if anyone believed that, I have two words for you: Kevin Brown.

We all get frustrated. We all want to punch something at times. But you’re pitching for the New York Yankees with former Yankee greats in attendance, on a day full of tributes to Steinbrenner and Sheppard, when you’re supposed to be doing your best against the contending Rays, and you slam your hands against plexi-glass doors between innings because you’re feeling “out of whack?” And you thought we’d buy your “I fell” excuse?

I really hope A.J. learns from this experience and that his teammates express their displeasure but then move on. There’s a division to conquer and today represented a setback. It wasn’t all A.J.’s fault either. It was nice to see Jeter finally get a hit, but where’s he been? And when will we have an effective bullpen? I tip my cap to the Rays for outperforming us today, but giving up 10 runs is pretty lame.

April 26, 2010

Notes From The White House

Such a busy day for me before the Yankees even got to the East Room.

Just kidding. I don’t have a purple cardigan sweater with buttons like that, although I do have a pinstriped shirt (well, a pinstriped jersey). Anyhow, I know the Yanks have been to the White House several times, but it never gets old. I was teary eyed throughout the whole ceremony this afternoon. How could I not be when the event provided moments like this, where the President got to shake the hand of God?

Other observations:

* Where was Hank Steinbrenner?

* Why was Phil Hughes the only one wearing a gray suit?

* Who were all those people chanting “Hip Hip Jorge?”

* Why were Marte, Cano and Cervelli chewing gum?

* How many times did Obama mention the White Sox?/Don’t we already know he’s their #1 fan?/Did he burn the Yankees jersey right after everybody left?

* Did A-Rod feel uncomfortable meeting Obama, after the Prez called the revelations about his PED use “depressing” last February?

* Why did John Sterling get to stand right smack in the middle of the players?

* Couldn’t Biden have been allowed to say something nice about the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees?

* If the Yankees win again this year will they let bloggers go to the White House next year?

* How jealous am I of this kid?

March 31, 2010

Read It And Weep….Or Just Read

One of my favorite Yankees blogs is “It Is High, It Is Far, It Is…caught,” which is where I go whenever I need a good laugh. A couple of days ago, “El Duque,” their blogger-in-chief, posted the following. Keep in mind that Duque is a professional pessimist; he has a notion that if he keeps his expectations about the Yanks nice and low, he can only be pleasantly surprised. What I’m saying is, don’t hold his “predictions” against him.

Time to put up or shut up: 10 Yankee predictions for 2010

Posted by el duque at 6:08 AM

Commentators, readers, children of all ages… Lay down your Mothman prophesies…

It is time to separate the true prophets from those fools who are blinded by bloggery egoism.

10 PREDICTIONS MADE BY ME, EL DUQUE, ON THIS STAR DATE: MARCH 30, 2010.

1. The Yankees will finish in second place in the American League East. They will not win the Wild Card and they will not play in the post-season. This is because Baltimore and Toronto will be much improved. (The Jays didn’t, as has been popularly reported, give Halladay away for nothing.) As a result, the AL East will be one tough somebich division. And second place will not offer a Wild Card.

2. Johnny Damon will hit more home runs and bat higher than Curtis Granderson, who nevertheless will have a fine season and be popular in New York. It will not be Granderson’s fault that the Yankees fail to make the post-season. But Damon, as a point of personal pride, will make sure his numbers exceed the man wrongly viewed to be his replacement.

3. Mariano Rivera will pitch into August, then break down from age, and the Yankees will not have an adquate closer. If you saw me now, you would see tears in my eyes as I write these terrible words. But it can’t go on forever. He will tweak a muscle or something will fail, and when Mariano is not right, our whole team is not right. Who is going to replace him? Joba? Maybe someday. Not this year.

4. The Yankees will trade Jesus Montero and Brett Gardner for Carl Crawford at mid-season. The trade will backfire, as Crawford suffers adjustment pains in New York, and then, they have nobody to deal for a relief pitcher, down the stretch. But Jesus Montero will face growing pains at Triple A, when smart baserunners steal on every pitch. It will affect his hitting, and the Yankees will have no place for a DH. Tampa will be looking to trade Carl Crawford, and the Redsocks will be sniffing, and there will be no middle ground. Worse, we won’t just give up Montero and Gardner. It will also cost at least another top prospect. Yeow.

5. Javier Vasquez will pitch well for the Yankees, with an ERA of about 4.40; but he will not be offered a contract at the end of the season. It was never in the cards. They only traded for him because he was one-and-out. I don’t know how this will affect him, but I think he will give his heart and soul for this team, trying to win back fans who will never forgive him. He won’t get a shot at post-season redemption, and then he will be gone.

6. A-Rod will have the first off-year of his career, and questions will surround the future of his hip and the past of his bloodstream. He grew tired last year and really lost his swing for a while. Because of the great post-season he had, and that last game, when he drove in a pile of meaningless runs, we forget the ebbs and flows of his year. Also, he won’t have Hideki Matsui behind him in the order. We took Matsui for granted last year. We’ll miss him more than we think.

7. John Lackey will lead the Redsock pitching staff and become a notorious Yankee killer. He is a great pitcher and competitor, the closest to a Teixeira-type mentality that was on the market. I said it in December: Cashman is trying what Theo Epstein attempted in 2009 — to be too clever with his tinkering and outsmart everybody. The Penny/Smoltz/Baldelli/et al follies blew up in Epstein’s face, even though, just like Cashman’s moves this year, they were roundly cheered by the “experts.” This may be the year Cashman learns his lesson: If you got the cards, lay them down.

8. Nick Johnson will hit .300 and 20 home runs, but with nagging injuries to other key Yankees, his fulltime DH presence will prove a poor fit, and he will end up platooned. We will often lament the fact that he is slow on the bases, and we will look for a base-stealing benchplug, a Freddie Guzman, for the late innings, which will mean having to pare our outlandishly large pitching staff down to 11 or 10. This is the folly of a full-time DH on an old team.

9. Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes will pitch hot and cold, finishing the season as question marks for the 2011 rotation. Seriously, can you imagine either of them ever being a sure thing? Even though it seems as if they must be pushing 30, they are still years away from their prime. That’s because we long ago began marketing them as future stars. Hell, we treatthem as if they are all-stars. We turned them into china dolls. They’ll come of age around 28, and I think they’ll be good. But that’s two-three years away. Question: Will they still be Yankees? Or will we be sick of them?

10. Kei Igawa w
ill return to Japan by the All-Star break. Everybody wants him gone. It was amazing that he was one of the first slobs cut from spring camp. He must have been awful. First, they announced that he would get a looksee as a situational lefty. Then he had a fine 1-2-3 outing. Then he got tagged. And then he was gone. No word yet on whether he’ll be a starter in Scranton. But really, can you imagine them paying all that money to a situational lefty out of the bullpen in Triple A? Nahhh. He’s gone.

My personal message to El Duque is this… Last February my Tarot card reader predicted the Yankees would win the 2009 World Series and they did. It’s time I paid her another visit and only then will we know what 2010 holds.

March 31, 2010

* “CC Needs The Adrenaline”

* That’s what Girardi said about CC’s rather abysmal outing against the Braves today (5 runs over four-plus innings). The truth is CC hasn’t been good all spring. I’m glad he’s been working on his mechanics and getting himself in shape…

…but when does he actually start pitching well? The season starts in, like, FIVE DAYS.

“When the bell rings, CC will be ready,” the Yankees skipper told John Sterling during tonight’s radio broadcast.

Okay, so what Joe is saying is that CC will somehow be able to sweep away the cobwebs, pull himself together and turn himself into the guy who led the Yankees to a World Championship…by Sunday night. I certainly hope so. Maybe he does need the adrenaline that comes from pitching a game that counts, as opposed to a bunch of exhibitions. I guess we’ll find out.

I suppose I should weigh in (speaking of boxing analogies) on the Pat Venditte episode today. I’m all in favor of pitchers using whatever natural abilities they have to get hitters out, including the use of both arms.

If Venditte, the ambidextrous wonder, proves he can retire batters from both sides, then he’ll advance through the Yankees system and become more than a novelty act. That said, he made me wonder about other possible permutations of pitchers. Like could there be a guy who pitches with his eyes closed?

Doesn’t seem to be a problem for Hiroki Kuroda. How about a pitcher who literally turns his back to home plate?

Hideo Nomo did it. So did Luis Tiant before him. And how about an insanely high leg kick? I need to go all the way back to Juan Marichal for that.

What we’ve never seen is a pitcher who practically pokes his eye out with his kneecap when he winds up to throw the ball – and who has a dance named after him. Oh, wait. Yes we have.

I know. I posted this clip a few months ago. My apologies. I can never get enough of it.

March 27, 2009

The Yankees And I Are Going Through A Rough Patch

At first I wasn’t going to air our dirty laundry. Relationships go through ups and downs, and my relationship with the Yankees is no different. I figured our little “I said/they said” would remain private and, eventually, be resolved.

But hurt feelings have a way of simmering until they erupt.

And mine have erupted.

Here’s the back story. When my book was published in February, I received a flood of mail from people who shared their own frustrating tales of dealing with the Yankees’ front office – from the Florida radio station vice president who was denied a press pass to a spring training game to the bestselling sportswriter who was banned from Yankee Stadium for life for bringing his son into the clubhouse. I chuckled at their hassles, since I knew firsthand how difficult the Yankees can be. The course of true love doesn’t always run smooth.

Fast forward to last week. My publisher designed a tasteful full-page ad for my book that was to run in the Yankees’ Opening Day commemorative program. The idea, of course, was to reach other Yankee fans.

As you can see, the ad featured a shot of the book cover along with quotes of praise, including one from John Sterling, the “legendary voice of the Yankees.”

The marketing company for the Opening Day program loved the ad and sent it on to the Yankees for rubber stamping.

There was just one problem: The Yankees wouldn’t approve the ad.

According to the marketing person, the Yankees said: “We know about her and her book, and it’s too controversial.”

I was stunned. I’m too controversial? My book is too controversial? Did the Yankees mistake me for Selena Roberts?

Or did they somehow confuse me with another author at whom they’re miffed?

While my book does have enough salty language to make a sailor blush, it’s hardly “controversial,” unless you count the night I begged my husband to follow A-Rod into a restaurant men’s room so I’d have a funny anecdote to write about.

When I told a friend what had happened, she said sarcastically, “So the Yankees blackballed their #1 fan. Good PR on their part.”

She wasn’t kidding. Here’s the Page Six item that ran in today’s NY Post.

YANKEE DISS

Are the She-Fan’s ‘Confessions’ too much for Yankeeland to handle?

Shocker! Best-selling author – and friend of the SquawkersJane Heller – has been deemed “too controversial” by the Yan
kees!

Here’s the story. Jane, whose book “Confessions of a She-Fan” I’ve highly touted in this blog, was all set to buy a full-page advertisement for her book in the Yankees’ Opening Day program. In the ad, she had blurbs from three people: Peter Golenbock, John Sterling, and…wait for it…yours truly! (I was quoted describing the book as “passionate, funny, smart, and sassy.”)

Anyhow, I was very excited for Jane that she had this ad. And I, of course, was excited for myself, that the Squawkers were going to be mentioned in the same breath as the Yankees – or at least the same program!

So much for that. Jane’s ad was rejected by the Yanks this week.

When asked why they refused to approve it, some knucklehead in their front office explained, “We know who she is and we know about her book and it’s too controversial. We don’t want it in the publication.”

What the heck? (I actually said stronger words than that when I heard about this, but I try to keep the blog PG-rated!)

It’s not like Heller is Selena Roberts here. Readers of “Confessions” know that not only is the book a love letter to the Yanks, but that John Sterling, the Voice of the Yankees, is very helpful to Jane’s journey in the book. So why in the world could somebody who has that Sterling seal of approval be deemed too controversial for the Yanks? It makes no sense.

Given all the problems the Yankees have had in selling their luxury boxes in the new stadium, you would think they would be happy to take Jane’s money for her ad. Not to mention that her book would be of interest to Yankee fans.

C’mon, Yanks, free the She-Fan’s ad!

What do you think? Leave us a comment!

Andrew Fletcher of Scott Proctor’s Arm posted on his blog, too.

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2009

‘Controversial’ Jane Heller denied advertisement

Friend of Scott Proctor’s Arm Jane Heller recently wrote a book entitled “Confessions of a She-Fan.” (I urge you all to buy it.)

Via Lisa Swan over at Subway Squawkers comes the news that Jane wanted to advertise her book in the Yankees’ Opening Day program. It was set to have quotes from John Sterling, Peter Golenback and Swan herself. No big deal, right? Wrong.

Turns out the Yankees think she’s “too controversial” so they “don’t want it in the publication.”

Page Six caught wind of it and quoted Heller as saying: “It’s sad to have the Yankees so mad at a fan who writes about how much she loves her team.”

This infuriates me. Sorry that you have to go through this, Jane!

A few minutes ago I heard from a company that’s producing another commemorative publication that will be a tribute to the new Yankee Stadium.

“I read about what happened and wanted to offer you an ad in our program,” he said. “We partner with USA Today and our publication is sold wherever the newspaper is sold. We used to do the Yankees Opening Day program, but they were too difficult to deal with.”

He told me a truly hilarious story about an office furniture company in the New York area. This company designed an ad for the Yankees program showing a row of seats at the Stadium, one of which had a type of office chair super-imposed on it. George Steinbrenn
er wouldn’t approve the ad because he thought the office chair was too wide and would insinuate that Yankee fans were fat.

Sigh. You can’t make these things up.

Do I still love the Yankees? With all my heart. No divorce. Not even a trial separation. You don’t have to love a team’s front office to love the team.

What I also love is the overwhelming support I’ve gotten from readers, bloggers, acquaintances I haven’t heard from in years, you name it. As for the #1 ranking here at MLBlogs, I honestly don’t think of us as competitors and am just grateful people are stopping by. Thanks, everybody.

Meanwhile, there’s a game tonight against the Reds. CC will be on the mound. Go Yankees!

March 8, 2009

Day Three In Tampa (With The She-Fan Cam)

Saturday was a day game after a night game. Good thing I didn’t have to play shortstop or even DH. I was really dragging. When I spotted the Marriott’s bellman on my way to the ballpark, I was tempted to ask him if he knew where I could score some boli. Instead, I bonded with him after he complimented me on my garb (Mo T-shirt/Yankees visor).

There was a packed house at Steinbrenner field for Yankees/Braves, and the weather couldn’t have been more cooperative.

Even George was present and accounted for, as was Reggie Jackson.

I got a stiff neck looking up at his box every few minutes, waiting to see if Hal would appear. Only Hank did. You can’t have everything.

On my way to buy bottled water, I ran into a Red Sox fan and felt compelled to ask why he was attending a Yankees game.

And as I walked by the woman in charge of the Customer Service booth, another urge to whip out the She-Fan Cam overtook me.

See how much we can learn through baseball? If we want a happy, 50-year-marriage, it can be ours – if our spouse is never around.

The game got underway and Wang looked sharp (well, except for the non-sinker stinker he threw to Kotchman that put the Braves on the board). He covered first and managed to avoid another Lisfranc injury, and there was a collective sigh of relief.

Hideki was the DH and seemed to be stroking the ball well.

But the Yankees offense was anemic. I mean, come on. Men on first and third with no outs and nobody scores? I hate that.

Wang was pulled for Brett Tomko, who promptly served up a Bombko. Phil Coke gave one up too.

Rather than sit in my seat behind home plate and stew about the 3-1 score, I worked off my frustration by roaming the stadium. I encountered a couple of hardcores from New York.

(I really do want that robe. Memo to self: Go shopping on the MLB web site.) He also mentioned that he was getting married soon and that he was not only planning to wear the Mantle robe at the wedding but to stick the Yankees N-Y logo on the back of his fiancee’s gown. Excellent idea.

I was returning to my seat when I spotted a she-fan in training. I don’t care what team you root for; her smile will melt your heart.

(Full disclosure: Her slightly older brother is a Red Sox fan, and they got into a fight after I shut off the She-Fan Cam. He didn’t punch her, but he pinched her really hard.)

Random game notes….I continue to be impressed by Ramiro Pena, who played second while Ransom took over shortstop duties and Justin Leone played third. I’d never heard of Pena before, but the kid is slick with the glove. Damon looked sluggish on an attempted steal. Get those legs in shape, Johnny. Opinions about A-Rod’s hip echoed throughout the game – from the guy who said A-Rod should play with a torn labrum for an entire season to the woman who insisted that surgery should be performed immediately to the kid who wanted the Yankees to trade for Adrian Beltre.

As we were exiting the stadium after the 3-1 loss, I chatted up one of the Yankees security officers. Her ears were pierced in places I didn’t know you could pierce an ear, and her tongue had a silvery thing embedded in it.

Later, Michael and I had dinner with John Sterling, the radio voice of the Yankees, at a swanky restaurant overlooking Old Tampa Bay. He’s a regular there and was given the royal treatment – as well as the “15% Yankees discount.” I figured it would be gauche to bring the She-Fan Cam, but I wish I had.

Looking forward to another great day on Sunday. The Yankees will be in Lakeland playing the Tigers, so we’ll be driving to St. Pete for some sightseeing and a drink with bestselling author Peter Golenbock. (I will definitely bring the She-Fan Cam to that.)

December 3, 2008

It’s Off to Couples Counseling for CC and Me

Well, I’ve tried everything else, Carsten.

I’ve asked this man to talk to you.

And this man.

Even this man.

And I’ve made it perfectly clear that money will never be an issue between us.

Yet you still won’t make the commitment. I didn’t peg you for one of those men who’s all nice and sweet to your face and then fools around behind your back. I mean, really, CC. The Giants? The Dodgers? The Angels? You thought they’d care more about you than the Yankees? I understand your attachment to the Brewers. I do. It’s hard to let go of the past. But now it’s time to look ahead to the future. Our future. Together.

So I’ve made an appointment with the shrink who came highly recommended by Yankees doctor Stuart Hirshon.

We’ll sort through the reasons you keep pulling back and find a way to move forward. Here we go.

You’re concerned about this?

Oh, CC. That’s just silly. The crime rate in New York is down, or at least it was the last time I checked. Besides, the Yanks have an army of security people. No worries.

You think there’s too much of this?

I admit it can get nasty on the Deegan, and the tunnels are a nightmare. But the Yanks will arrange for a helicopter if that’s a roadblock, no pun intended.

The Steinbrenner boys? You’re anxious about working for them?

I’ll handle Hal. He’s very reasonable. And Hank stays down in Tampa and will be totally out of your hair.

Your hair? Oh, I see. Yes, unlike California, New York does get hot and humid in the summer. It’s definitely not good hair weather and without the proper conditioning it can be impossible to control.

But, again, the Yankees have people. Hair people. They can keep you looking great all season long.

Yes, CC. The Stadium will be loud, especially on the days the Red Sox come to town. But you’ll have these wonderfully supportive friends behind you.

They’re called the Bleacher Creatures and they’ll hold forth with a charming chant for you.

No need to fret over her influence, honey. She likes them young, yes, but in tip-top shape, no offense.

Well, of course the media is tough in New York. But I really think the whole “glare of the spotlight” thing is overblown.

You’ll have zero problem dealing with this man.

His name is Peter Abraham. He blogs day and night, but he’s fair, CC. They’re all fair. You play ball with them and they’ll play ball with you. (O.K. There are one or two I’d stay away from, but we’ll deal with them when the time comes.)

What about the broadcast people? You’ll have this man calling your games on the YES Network.

Michael Kay is a bit of a drama king, but I think you’ll hit it off just fine.

Yes, he has a colleague, Kim Jones, who does the interviews with the players.

She may look like she’s giving Jeter a case of hives, but her questions are harmless. Trust me.

Her counterpart on the radio is this woman.

Suzyn with a “z,” just like Liza Minelli. And, like Liza, she sings. You and she will have a blast humming show tunes.

And speaking of a blast, John Sterling is the radio voice of the Yankees. You’ll have nothing but fun with him during the season.

He’s very descriptive and invents nicknames for the players. Every time you throw a strikeout pitch, he’ll say something like: “It’s a C-Bomb! From CC!” Or maybe: “Ortiz takes a BATH courtesy of SaBATHia.” You’ll be chuckling all the way home after the games.

So? Are we on the same page now? Everything out on the table? No more hesitation?

Good. Sign the contract already, hon.