Thoughts from the Stadium

by jscape2000 on Apr 2, 2008 1:46 AM EDT in Game Recap

Just got home from the Stadium a few minutes ago, read through all the comments, and decided to throw a few thoughts into the Intertubes before heading to bed.

So here we go, bullet point style:

We saw the best and worst of Melky Cabrera tonight. 2 great catches, 1 miss. A 7 pitch AB in the 3rd, a 10 pitch AB in the 6th, and then a 3 pitch K.

Giambi looked good in the field (for Giambi). He showed some smart baserunning and decent quickness to avoid the tag in the 7th.

Wang really battled himself early, but he settled down and was my star of the game.

The Yanks did a great job of adjusting to Halladay. The first time through the lineup they were taking a lot of first pitch strikes, but once he showed them that he was on his game, they got aggressive.

There's a "Regular Season Games Remaining" countdown clock at the Stadium. I don't know if they showed it on tv (I assume they would), but they had a big to-do with Steinbrenner pulling a large lever to take a number off the board once the game was official. I'm all for nostalgia; if I wanted a team that only existed in the moment I'd be a football fan. But nostalgia has to be earned, it has to be organic, and it has to be sincere. If their going to make a big show of this for every home game, it's going to annoy me more than that scratchy old recording of Kate Smith.

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I'm with you

I was there tonight too, and that Steinbrenner button pushing thing was way retarded. And it will get worse over the course of the season as I'm sure they'll have all kinds of random people press that thing......"Ladies and gentleman, Meatloaf!"

It will be kind of like celebrities singing Take Me Out To the Ballgame at Wrigley, only the exact opposite.

Hard to say we saw any of the worst of Melky tonight (except for that dive attempt I guess). I mean that was Halliday he was facing and he got a dinger and a full count AB off him in 3 trips. I think part of the reason Halliday k'd him so rapidly his last time up was because he was so furious at him for taking a curtain call while Damon was batting for what I'm sure Doc Halliday would consider a bloop wind blown homerun. Kay made reference to this on the YES replay i just watched.

Would Wang be the star of the game if Melky caught only one or none of those rockets he served up? Thank god Melky appealed his suspension.

The place EXPLODED when Joba jogged in. I realize the decision is not up to the fans or even Joba, but if I were Joba, jogging into the game like he did tonight would be a pretty hard thing to give up. You can tell he digs all the attention.

And in other news, for his second and his fourth at bat tonight (I wasn't there yet for his first one), Jeter chose "Humpty Dance" as his at-bat song. I thought that warranted a mention.

"Just when they think they got all the answers, I change the questions."
-- Roddy Piper

by matthaggs on Apr 2, 2008 2:22 AM EDT 0 recs

I admit it....

I'm not that old at 34 but I'm a total square when it comes to today's pop culture. Who the hell sings "Humpty Dance?"

I can watch a Family Guy episode and I'll get every 80s pop culture reference mentioned and giggle at every one of them. If I watch some of today's gossip or entertainment shows, I have no idea who many of those people are.

by anaconda on Apr 2, 2008 8:45 AM EDT up 0 recs

C'mon Conda

I'm 36, Humpty Dance is yesterday's pop culture, that's why it was odd/awesome that Jeter picked it. It's the Digital Underground. How can you forget Humpty??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-jVU5Lqxx0

"Just when they think they got all the answers, I change the questions."
-- Roddy Piper

by matthaggs on Apr 2, 2008 9:00 AM EDT up 0 recs

Color me a liar...

Okay, I know that one. I guess I know almost all 80s pop culture references.

That's hilarious Jeter would pick that song for his intro.

by anaconda on Apr 2, 2008 9:03 AM EDT up 0 recs

Somehow I get the feeling he would prefer

to get the $21 million and start rather than $10 million and a lot of screaming.

Everything looks nicer when you win. The girls are prettier. The cigars taste better. The trees are greener. --Billy Martin

by garp on Apr 2, 2008 2:13 PM EDT up 0 recs

Maybe

but you see what a rockstar he is as a short reliever, and you see how fired up he gets on the mound with those war whoops when he k's someone, and he won't have that as a starter. I could see him getting addicted to that high. But in the end its pointless because the choice won't be his to make.

But if you read his comments during the spring you can tell how much he likes relieving.

And Papelbon basically went to Francona and asked to be a reliever again, so its not unprecedented.

"Just when they think they got all the answers, I change the questions."
-- Roddy Piper

by matthaggs on Apr 2, 2008 2:36 PM EDT up 0 recs

Giambi

I mentioned this on the thread last night but Giambi really did look great - at least on the field. At the dish - not so much.

It's just a matter of time before he breaks down again but I really like what I've seen from him since the first day of camp.

by anaconda on Apr 2, 2008 8:36 AM EDT 0 recs

Looked like a prima ballerina!

Sadly, I can't attend many games at the stadium. However, DirectTV gave me an up close and personal glimpse of a prima ballerina last night in the hulking form of Jason Giambi. He elevated at least 4" to snag that liner, and actually looked somewhat deft on the bases.

I agree that he likely will breakdown, but last night he was close to spectacular.

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Apr 2, 2008 9:42 AM EDT up 0 recs

All the other years

I've seen him, Giambi has been "top heavy" from the steroids building up his chest and arms.

From the little I've seen of him on tv and what I saw yesterday, he seems better proportioned. That's why I linked to that quote from the Post that he'd done a lot of running in the offseason. His injuries have always been to his lower back and his legs. Hopefully the running will have built him up enough that he can handle 120-130 games.

I'd forgotten how little the Yanks got out of him last season until I saw his numbers on the jumbotron: 254 ABs, .236/.356/.433.

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Apr 2, 2008 10:08 AM EDT up 0 recs

Giambi

Yeah! Great to see Giambi has already rounded into mid-season form: 0 for 3 with 3 LOB! Hey folks: I've got MY OWN button pushing thing going on - each game this season represents a game closer to the end of Jason Giambi's Yankee career! Sweet Lou Piniella, I can't wait!

by Bixby on Apr 2, 2008 10:03 AM EDT up 0 recs

Count 'em folks!

Come the end of '08 that's $23.4 million that can go to better things than a Jason Giambi - and by better things, I mean something, anything (!) other than seeing this guy in a Yankee uniform -- heck, write Hanshin a check for $23.4 mil as yet another thank you for giving us Kei Igawa! Just so long as NOT one more Yankee dime goes into Giambi's pocket!!!

by Bixby on Apr 2, 2008 10:10 AM EDT up 0 recs

Can't argue with that ...

The Giambi reign has been quite disappoining, indeed. I for one will certainly be glad when the Yankees clear Giambi, Pavano, Mussina, and Igawa.

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Apr 2, 2008 10:28 AM EDT up 0 recs

I'm down on Giambi alot too

but then I look at the numbers he put up when he first came over to the team. The joke around the house was that we should pass a hat around Yankee Stadium to put him back on the juice.

Crowds are won and lost and won again, but our hearts beat for the diehards.

by Edwantsacracker on Apr 2, 2008 11:05 AM EDT up 0 recs

Are you sure you're not Pfisty?

Or do we have another resident cynic in these parts?

I always feel pressure. What I don't have is fear. -- El Duque

by LateInningRelief on Apr 2, 2008 11:56 AM EDT up 0 recs

Girardi is counting on Giambi

big time. That's why he batted 5th. The Yanks need some real protection behind ARod or they'll always walk him. Girardi hinted last week that he expect a big season out of the five hole, but wouldn't say who it was until the season started. He made a good base running move too. Let's hoep he surprises us this year and stays healthy, but that's like asking Pedro to stay healthy...

by John Amato on Apr 2, 2008 12:29 PM EDT 0 recs

NY needs an ROI from Giambi

Girardi is right to count on Giambi who has been vacant most of his contract. I don't know how much Giambi has left in the tank--if anything, but unless he really falters, or someone like Cano, Posada or even Matsui get hot, I think Giambi is staying put.

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Apr 2, 2008 3:13 PM EDT up 0 recs

Good Opening Day

It was a good Opening Day. Whereas for The Other Team, once again, they are going all the way... all the way down the drain, that is. But somewhere in this fabled land -- The Bronx -- the sun is shining bright.

by Uncle Mike on Apr 2, 2008 4:36 PM EDT 0 recs