Yankees-Mets Subway Series 2009: "What Are These Guys Doing?"

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2009 TexSport Publications

DEER PARK, TEXAS (June 13, 2009) Sitting at my computer watching the first game of the Yankees-Mets series on MLB.TV last night, all I could think was "Oh My God."

The New York Yankees were facing their cross town rivals, the New York Mets. It was a game they should have won. In fact, it was a game they should have won easily.

The hitting was there. The fielding was there. Even the fans were there. The only thing that didn't show up was the pitching.

Joba Chamberlain started against the Mets and came into the game with a 3-1 record and a 3.79 ERA. He quickly showed what he can do when he doesn't put his mind into pitching.

He pitched 4 innings, gave up five walks and hit two batters. In face, two of the walks resulted in runs being scored for the Mets. He only threw 52 strikes out of 100 pitches and never seemed to get into the groove.

I know it is easy to sit at a computer and criticize professional athletes, but I cannot help think what are they paying this guy to do?

He has been quoted saying he has lost his aggressiveness.

WHAT DID HE SAY? I am going to repeat it.

He said he has lost his aggressiveness.

It may sound petty, but this is his job. For what he makes, he should be aggressive everyday.
I know he is only 23-years-old and only 2 years out of the University of Nebraska, but he is a professional athlete. He makes $432,575 a year. That is a ton of money for a 23-year-old. I think that is all the motivation he needs to get aggressive.

In reality, he did not get the job done last night. When a 23-year-old makes the kind of money he does, he needs to get the job done. None of the Yankees pitching staff did. Five pitchers gave up seven hits and eight runs, all of them earned, while only striking out nine. With that kind of "talent" on the mount, no wonder the Yankees are having problems.

If it had not been for the Mets' Luis Castillo bobbling a routine popup, the Yankees would have dropped another game.

As a result of a botched catch, the Yankees put one in the win column. They are now just two games behind Boston. But it is a long season and it is getting longer, at least from the fan's perspective.

Manager Joe Girardi needs to evaluate his pitching staff in general and Chamberlain in particular. Perhaps a trip down to the minors might help him get his aggressiveness back.

In any case, game two of the Subway Series is this afternoon. Perhaps things will look up with Andy Pettitte on the mount. I will not bet the rent money on it, but it could happen. After all, Pettitte is a good old Texas boy, and everyone knows how aggressive Texans can be.

This Day in History: Babe Ruth Hits Last Home Run

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2009 TexSport Publications

DEER PARK, TEXAS (May 25, 2009) 74 years ago today Babe Ruth hit the final home run of his career. In fact, he hit homerun number 712, 713, and 714 in the same game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Ruth was playing for the Boston Braves had his Braves had a On May 25, at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Ruth went 4-for-4, drove in 6 runs and hit 3 home runs in an 11–7 loss to the Pirates. These were the last three home runs of his career. His last home run cleared the roof at the old Forbes Field—he became the first player to accomplish that feat.

On May 25, 1935, at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Babe Ruth hits his 714th home run, a record for career home runs that would stand for almost 40 years. This was one of Ruth’s last games, and the last home run of his career. Ruth went four for four on the day, hitting three home runs and driving in six runs.

A Rod's Return Lifts Yankees, Fans, and Record

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2009 TexSport Publications

DEER PARK, TEXAS (May 24, 2009) It has been a while since I made a post and things have been looking up for the Yankees.

First off, Alex Rodriguez returned to the Yankees' lineup on May 8 and quickly made his presence known. All he needed was one pitch and he knocked a three-run homer to lift the Bronx Bombers to a 4-0 win over Baltimore; snapping a five game losing streak.

Since his return, the Yankees are 12-4 are are currently one game behind the division leading Boston Red Sox. Today, the Yankees are headed for Texas and a three game series against the Rangers.

I got to see the Rangers in action in the third game of their series against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. The Rangers, who lead the AL West, swept all three games against the Astros, outscoring them 17-8.

This upcoming series should be a great match up for both the Yankees and the Rangers. The Yankees have a chance to gain on the Red Sox, who are currently 26-18. The BoSox will face Minnesota in a three-game series beginning May 25.

It really is a pain not being able to watch the Yankees here in Texas. I have AT&T U-verse, which has the YES Network, but most Yankees games are blacked out. During the Astros-Rangers game on Sunday, I found myself looking to the American League scoreboard more times that I can count to keep up with their progress.

When they tied the game in the bottom of the ninth, I was more interested in THEIR progress than the thumping the Astros were taking.

So goes it being a Yankees fan in Texas. I must get my live baseball fix at Minute Maid Park while wishing I was sitting in Yankee Stadium watching a real baseball team play.

Do not get me wrong. I love watching the Astros. But comparing them to the Yankees is like comparing a piece of hamburger meat to a t-bone steak. They both come from the same animal and they both are beef, but the quality of the product is not the same.

I would rather be in attendance at a losing Yankees game than a winning Astros game any day of the week. There is no comparison. The atmosphere, the ambiance and the enthusiasm of the fans in New York make baseball what it is.

Even in the new Yankee Stadium, the tradition of winning is present. I was able to attend a game in the original Yankee Stadium last season and that one experience made me a die hard Yankees fan for life.

But for now, I will have to get my Yankees fix over the Internet and ESPN. That is the only two opinions I have.

Finally, it is great to have A Rod back in the lineup. Things are looking up for true fans of the Yankees. Perhaps they will keep the success up and give many a reason to watch the post season in October. After all, if the Yankees are not in the playoffs, there is little reason to watch.

Yankees Open New Stadium, Go 4-2 for Week

By Robert H. Kelly

Copyright 2009 TexSport Publications

DEER PARK, TEXAS (April 19, 2009) The New York Yankees completed the second week of the season with a number of firsts, a few setbacks, but nothing like the front office and hard core Yankees fans would have liked.

The Bronx Bombers began the week with a three-game series against the Devil Rays in Tampa Bay. They went 2-1, losing the first game on Monday by the score of 15-5, but rallied on Tuesday and Wednesday, winning by the scores of 7-1 and 4-3 respectively.

On Thursday, they christened New Yankee Stadium with a four-game series against the Cleveland Indians.

When the Originals Yankee Stadium opened on Opening Day, April 18, 1923, New York Governor Alfred E. Smith (who would become the Democratic Party's candidate for president in 1928) threw out the first pitch directly into the glove of catcher Wally Schang. The Yankees went on to defeat the Boston Red Sox by a score of 4–2, with Ruth hitting a three-run home run into the right-field stands.

Opening Day 2009 had a much different feel that that historic game 86 years ago. The Yankees played their first official, regular season game was played on April 16, 2009 and promptly lost to the Indians lost 10–2.

They rebounded on Friday, downing the Indians 6-5 to even the series. Then came Black Saturday.

The Yankees fell totally apart in the top of the second, giving up 14 runs in route to a 22-4 drumming. Asdrubal Cabrera hit a grand slam and a run-scoring single in a 14-run second inning and the Cleveland Indians defeated the New York Yankees, 22-4, Saturday.

Mark DeRosa and Shin Soo-Choo each hit three-run home runs, Travis Hafner, Grady Sizemore and Victor Martinez had solo shots and Manager Eric Wedge earned his 500th victory. It was the most runs for the Indians since they beat New York, 22-0, on August 31, 2004, at the old Yankee Stadium. The 22 runs also tied the Yankees' record for most given up in a home game.

The 14 runs and 13 hits by the Indians in the second were the most given up by the Yankees in an inning.

The Yankees rebounded again on Sunday to down the Indians 7-3 to end the series.

They ill now face Oakland in a three-game series at Yankee Stadium. They will have a day off Thursday before their first series against the Boston Red Sox.

The Yankees are 7-6 (.538) for the young season, currently in second place in the AL East, 2 1/2 games behind Toronto. They are 6-4 in their last ten games and are currently on one game winning streak. They are also 2-2 at home and 5-4 on the road.

This week will be a chance for the Men in Pin Stripes to move up in the standings. Oakland is currently 5-7 (.417), currently on two-game losing streak, while Boston sits at 6-6 (.500) and are riding a 4-game winning streak.

Yankees Finish 1st Week with 3-3 Record

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2009 TexSport Publications

DEER PARK, TEXAS (April 12, 2009) The Yankees have played six games in the 2009 season. They are currently 3-3 and in third place in the AL East.

They will play a three game series on Monday-Wednesday against the Kansas City Royals and return home on Thursday for their home opener against Cleveland.

3-3 is not exactly a stellar start but it is not a total loss. Alex Rodriguez begins his on-field rehab tomorrow in Florida.

Rodriguez will stretch, perform agility work, do some light jogging, take ground balls and hit soft toss and off of a tee, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. Rodriguez also has scheduled multiple physical therapy sessions daily.

During Rodriguez's absence, the Yankees have been starting journeyman Cody Ransom at third base. Ransom entered play Sunday batting .056 (1-for-18), but Girardi said that he was satisfied with the 33-year-old's approach and that he would continue to start at third base.

When A-Rod is scheduled to return to the Yankees' lineup is unclear, however he will be a welcome additon once he regains playing form.

The first meeting of the season against the Boston Red Sox will be April 24 at Fenway park with a 7:10pm start in Boston. It will be televised by the YES Network and MLB Television.

I get the YES Network here in Houston but the Yankees' games are usually blacked out due to MLB policy.

That is a real pain, and I may address Major League Baseball's blackout policies at a later date. For now, I will just state that they are a real pain in the bottom.

A Yankees Fan Deep in the Heart of Texas

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2009 TexSport Publications

DEER PARK, TEXAS (April 11, 2009) Being a New York Yankees fan deep in the heart of Texas is not a popular thing. Being a New York Yankees fan deep in the heart of Texas, some may say, is not a smart thing. Being a New York Yankees fan deep in the heart of Texas is not something that is a birthright. Being a New York Yankees fan is an acquired taste, like a fine wine. An acquired taste that comes so quickly and with such force that makes one asked, "What just happened?"

So here I am. Deep in the heart of Texas, and I must admit, I have followed in love with the Yankees. Growing up an Army brat and traveling all over the world in my youth, I followed the national past time the best a young lad could. My baseball world was with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

See, I was born in Pittsburgh. My grandparents lives just a scant few blocks from Three Rivers Stadium. Forbes Field was a way down the road and I never was fortunate enough to attend a game there. Needless to say, I was a Pirates fan, first and foremost.

Then came the day in my life which My Lovely Wife and I had planed for months. We planned to attend a game at Yankees Stadium before its demolition. New Yankee Stadium was scheduled to open in April, 2009 and we wanted to add a trip to Yankee Stadium to see the Bronx Bombers play in their historic stadium.

The date was July 6, 2008. The Yankees were playing their hated rivals; the Boston Red Sox. It was a night game. We sat in the upper deck above the third base line. The game was being shone nationally on ESPN, so it was

To make a long story short, I will jump forward. The Yankees won the game 5-4 in the bottom of the 10th inning.

Yankees' left fielder Brett Gardner singles on a ground ball to center fielder Coco Crisp, which was deflected by shortstop Alex Cora, which allowed second baseman Robinson Cano to score from second base.

The game was over. The Yankees won. 54,922 people were int he stand in the Bronx with millions other watching around the world.

The time of the game was 3 hours 25 minutes. 3 hours and 25 minutes of pure delightful heaven.

I have attended hundreds, perhaps thousands of games and sporting events over the years, and never have I had so much fun.

My wife Darla, who serves as a photographer for TexSport Publications and other media outlets, and I did not want to attend to this game as journalists. We did not want to have any official capacity at the game. We wanted to enjoy the experience as fan. We wanted to feel the excitement and energy that come from a first time attendance at a particular sporting event.

The experience made us both die-hard Yankees fans. Yes, I am still a Pirates fan and do support my home town Houston Astros. But this experience made both of us Yankees fans.

I could be corny and say it was the thrill of the game and the roar of the fans that pushed us over the edge. I could sound nostalgic and claim it was being in the "House That Ruth Build" that injected Yankees blue into our bodies. I could probably come up with a dozen sappy reasons for taking the plunge into the waters that is Yankeedom.

In reality, I do not know the real reason for our conversion. Perhaps it was a number of reasons. Perhaps is was no reason at all. In any case, we now are a member of a tradition that goes back over a century. A tradition that started on January 9, 1903 when Frank Farrell and Bill Devery purchased the defunct Baltimore franchise of the American League for $18,000 and then moved the team to Manhattan.

Ten years later the name of the teams was changed to the Yankees and the rest is history.

This web page will be an attempt to show how a couple of Texans from the Houston area are proud to put on our pin stripes and show our support of the New York Yankees.

We know we will take some flack from those Boston Red Sox fans who cannot seem to understand how great it is to be a fan of the most famous team in the history of sports. After all, they have only won seven World Series. The Yankees have won 26.