Can't anyone here throw strikes?

So, Phil Hughe walks two and David Robertson walks one and gives up a single with the bases loaded. The Phillies increase their lead to 4-0. Why is the Yankee bullpen that was so good during the regular season falling apart now?

What the heck?

Why can't C.C. Sabathia get Chase Utley out when he has two strikes on him? Not only that, he gives up 2-strike homeruns! Come on!

The bad baserunning is affecting everyone

Did the Yankees eat some sort of food that is making everyone run the bases poorly? This time it's Hideki Matsui, just meandering off first base on the pop-up by Robinson Cano.

Let's go, Yankees!

Mom has her Yankees spring training shirt on, Uncle Cris is wearing his Yankee shirt, and Dad has his Yankee cap on. Play ball!

Huh? I missed it again?

Mom and Dad took me out to play tennis on Sunday. I had lots of fun running around after those tennis balls. The downside to all this fun, though, was how tired I was for the rest of the day. I was not able to watch Game 6 of the ALCS last night, so I could not observe Dad and get his thoughts during the game.

Anyway, everyone in the house was pleased. The Yankees won 5-2 to win the American League pennant. They are going to the World Series to face the Philadelphia Phillies. I wish I had seen how happy everyone was, but I was really wiped out.

Go Yankees!

Aww, what happened?

Dad wasn't happy last night. If you followed the game, you saw the Yankees take the lead in the top of the seventh inning 6-4. Mom, Dad, and Uncle Cris were all very happy.

Then in the bottom of the seventh, the Angels score three runs to take the lead 7-4. That was the final. A.J. Burnett, Damaso Marte, Phil Hughes, and Joba Chamberlain all disappointed.

The Yanks are going to again on Saturday. Everyone in the house is hopeful.

Yes, yes, yes! Wait...

Dad's feeling better now. The Yankees score six runs in the top of the 7th, taking A.J. Burnett off the hook for that first inning. He's actually pitched pretty well since then.

And then in the bottom of the seventh, Burnett gives up a lead off single to Jeff Mathis--this dude batted .211 during the regular. What the Hades is going on here?--and then walks Eric Aybar. A.J. seems intent on making this interesting.

How will tonight end?

Way to start the game there, A.J!

Wow. I haven't heard Dad this angry in a long time. He is really disappointed with A.J. Burnett so far tonight.

This is how you clinch the American League chamionship?

It's a final! and the Yankees need one more win to move on

10-1 final score. The Yankee offense seemed to have woken up. Will they be able to keep this going?

C.C. Sabathia was great, going eight full, giving up one run which was earned on five hits, striking out five and walking two. This was on short rest, too. What a great addition to the Yankee rotation.

Wow, the Yankees are doing this against the second best team in the American League, too

The Yankees score three runs in the bottom of the ninth. Alex Rodriguez doubles, and then when Jorge Posada flies out to Bobby Abreu in right, Rodriguez tags up to take third and scores when Abreu's throw skips away.

The next two runs score when Robinson Cano and Brett Gardner score on Melky Cabrera's double. Cabrera had four RBI tonight. This makes the score 10-1.

Looking good for Chad Gaudin in the bottom of the ninth.

C. C. Sabathia is the man!

Wow! C. C. Sabathia pitching on short rest is overpowering the Angels. So far he's earned the big contract he signed with the Yankees. The thought that he could anchor the Yankee rotation for the next several years pleases Dad very much.

Another homerun for Johnny Damon

With Melky Cabrera on second base and two out, Johnny Damon hits a homerun to right field. That makes the score 7-1.

Johnny Damon has lived up to that four year contract he signed after the 2005 season. Dad didn't think he would be that good for the duration of that contract. Dad is glad he was wrong.

Tough night, huh, Jorge?

Not a bright shiny night for Jorge Posada. After the two baserunning blunders, he forgets how many outs there were in the bottom of the sixth. He leaves home plate after a double play, almost allowing Torii Hunter to score from third. Jorge! Keep your head in the game!

Not the smartest baserunning plays by Posada and Cano

Okay, so Mom has never heard Dad say he was glad the Yankees ended the inning without scoring any more.

Bad baserunning move #1: Jorge Posada gets fooled on Torii Hunter's fake when Robinson Cano hits it to the centerfield wall. So instead of going one third and seeing that the ball was hit really deep, he tags up and takes third. He should have scored easily on that play.

Bad baserunning move #2: Cano not standing on third base when Posada comes back in a run down. Neither of them were standing on third. Mike Napoli tags both of them out, but Tim McClelland--the ump who called Nick Swisher out on the appeal--blows another call by calling Posada out, but Cano safe. After that Melky Cabrera grounds out to end the inning. The Yankees did not deserve to score another run on that play, and Dad is glad nothing else came of that blown call.

Alex Rodriguez ALCS MVP?

Alex Rodriguez hits a two run home run to give the Yankees a 5-0 lead. Yay!

What an inning!

Allrighty! So the Yankees score three runs in the top of the fourth inning. Alex Rodriguez singles, Jorge Posada doubles, and Hideki Matsui strikes out. With runners on second and third, Robinso Cano grounds to Howard Kendrick who goes home with the throw, but it's high and Rodriguez scores. Mom and Dad are happy.

Nick Swisher walks to load the bases with one out. Melky Cabrera singles, scoring Posada and Cano. Mom and Dad are happier.

Nick Swisher is called safe on a pick-off at second base even when the replays show that Swisher is out by a large margin. Dad is a little less happy because this call will lead all the trolls out to say the fix is in and that MLB wants the Yankees in the World Series. Jeter walks to load the bases again with one out.

When Johnny Damon flies out to left field, it looks like Swisher tags up and scores the Yankees fourth run. The Angles claim that Swisher left early, and on the appeal, he is called out. The replays clearly show he did not leave early. This was a make up call for calling Swisher safe.

So even the Captain makes mistakes

Okay, so game 4 starts with a Derek Jeter hit. Now Dad loves Derek Jeter. He believes that Yankee fans of this generation will speak of Jeter the same way fans spoke of Gehrig, DiMaggio, and Mantle. However, Jeter's exalted status does keep him safe from being ripped for the very occasional mistake. What the heck was he doing going on Scott Kazmir's first move? Don't even wait for a pitch? Don't even wait for Kazmir's first move to first base? What a useless way to get caught stealing!

Tough weekend, Dad

Sunday and Monday were not great days for Dad. Giants got wallopped by the Saints on Sunday, and the Yanks lost in extra innings on Monday.

Oh, and Dad was sick Monday, including a migraine and throwing up his lunch. The only good thing was that he was so sick he didn't actually watch the Yankees lose the game.

On the plus side, sleeping most of Monday night to Tuesday morning seems to have cured whatever was ailing him. So, he's feeling better and looking forward to C.C. Sabathia going for New York tonight.

Whoo-Yanks are going to California with a 2-0 lead

All righty! Yankees win 4-3, when Jerry Hairston, Jr. scores when Maiser Izturis commits a throwing error trying to start a double play on Melky Cabrera's grounder.

The Yankees are going to California up two games to none in this seven game series. Still plenty of work to be done, but the Yankees are in a good position.

I guess Alex Rodriguez does show up in the post-season

The Yanks looked like there were going to lose after the Angels took a 3-2 lead in the top of the 10th. However, Alex Rodriguez homered to lead off the bottom of the 11th. He seems to be clutch this season.

Lot of "fail" to go around right now

Robinson Cano muffs a grounder, and then David Coke walks one of the two batters he was brought in to get out.

Oh, and that's not counting the pop out and double play in the previous half inning. Yeesh!

What in the world is going on?

The Angels tied the game at 2 in the bottom of the fifth. Dad's not happy with A.J. Burnett. Dad doesn't mind Burnett giving up those hits; the Angels are professional hitters, and they can hit even good pitches. What irks Dad is the way the second run scored. Hit batter, a walk, and then a couple of wild pitches? Come on, Burnett! We know you've got a lot of movement on your pitches, but that should not have happened!

Yanks score again

Derek Jeter homers to right field with one out in the bottom of the third inning. Yanks lead 2-0. The Captain does it again.

So, tell me again, Dad: why didn't you put the cap on earlier?

Why didn't you put the cap on earlier, Dad?

Mom and Dad came home too late to see the first inning for tonight's game. I wasn't able to turn the TV on, either, because I don't know how to use the remote controls.

Anyway, starting with the top of the second inning, we were watching the game. No score until the bottom half of the second. Alex Rodriguez lines out to short, and Hideki Matsui grounds to second for the first two outs of the inning. Nick Swisher walks. At this point, Dad notices that he is not wearing his Yankee cap. He puts it on, and Robinson Cano hits a triple to drive home the first run of the night. The Yanks lead 1-0.

So, why didn't you put the cap on earlier, Dad?

One down, but plenty more work to do

I went to sleep before the game finished last night. Yanks win! 4-1, C.C. Sabathia goes eight innnings, and Mariano Rivera pitches the ninth to get the save. Dad still remembers that the Yanks won the first game against the Angels back in 2002 and 2005, so there's still a lot to go before anyone can say a team is going to the World Series, but Dad still thinks being up 1-0 is definitely better than being down 0-1.

Yay!

Jon Lackey has been pulled

All right, Dad's glad. Jon Lackey has been pulled after the Yanks make the score 4-1. Melky Cabrera walks, takes 2nd base on a wild pick off throw, then comes home on Derek Jeter's single to center. Jeter takes second on an error by Torii Hunter. Lackey is a very effective pitcher, and Dad is happy to see him pulled.

Why would he do that?

The Yanks take a 3-1 lead when Hideki Matsui drives home Johnny Damon. Alex Rodriguez, though, runs though a the third base coach's stop sign to get thrown out at home. Why would he do that?

Oh, and was Mark Teixeira off the bag on that Torii Hunter bunt?

It looks cold in the Bronx

Mom, Dad, Uncle Cris, and Kaley are watching the first game of the American League Championship Series on TV. A lot of the players are bundled up. Dad told me www.weather.com says it's 46 degrees in the Bronx. That sounds really cold. I haven't felt that in some time.

Anyhoo, C.C. Sabathia looked pretty good in the top half of the first, giving up one hit, but nothing else to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Then in the home half of the first, the Yankees score two runs. Derek Jeter scores on a sacrifice fly by Alex Rodriguez. Johnny Damon then scores on a Hideki Matsui pop up to the left side of the infield that the Angels just let drop. It was scored a single, so Matsui gets an RBI.

The long national nightmare is over!

Dad finished Twlight tonight. Hoo boy, he didn't like it. He has never disliked a main character as much in his life. Condescending, whiny, unaware of things happening around her--yeah, it is totally understandable how every boy in Forks would want to date her. Yeesh! Edward would be considered a stalker or bully, if he weren't "angelic" or "perfect." And Stephanie Meyer should invest in a good thesaurus.

You may wonder, if he hated it so much, why did Dad read it? Dad does not want to dismiss things completely out of hand. If he has experienced it, then he can, in good conscience, argue its relative demerits. He can't do that if he dismisses it out of hand.

Now, Dad's going to move on to Casino Royale (James Bond Novels) since he found it. He's hoping it is going to be more fun. It certainly can't be as bad.

Time to take on those Angels

All right. The Yankees beat the Twins tonight, 4-1, to finish their ALDS. They now take on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, starting Friday at the new Yankee Stadium. Dad wants to see the Yanks beat the Angels because he hasn't seen the Yankees in the World Series since 2003. He has higher hopes for the Yanks, but it's premature to talk about it now.

This caps off a perfect sports day for Dad:

1. Giants win.


2. Red Sox lose (and end season).


3. Yanks win (and continue to ALCS).

Check, check, and check.

Derek Jeter involved in another highlight play?

Top of the eighth inning, and Nick Punto leads off with a double. Denard Span follows that with a high bouncing ball of the Metrodome turf which Derek Jeter fields behind second base. Jeter goes home with it to try to prevent Punto from scoring, and Jorge Posada throws it to Alex Rodriguez at third to tag Punto out for the first out of the inning. Jeter always seems to be involved in these plays no one else would make.

On another note, it's another base running error by the Twins. Didn't all the baseball pundits say the Twins played the most fundamentally sound of all the playoff teams? or was it that the Twins HAD to play the most fundamentally sound to succeed.

So far, so good in Minneapolis

I just got an update from Zoe. The Twins took the lead in the bottom of the sixth, 1-0, when Joe Mauer drove Denard Span home with a single. The Yankees answered back in the top of the seventh with solo shots by Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada to take a 2-1 lead. This made Mom, Dad, and Uncle Cris happy.

Another good sports day for Dad to this point in time

Eli Manning started and looked fine. Dad had a lot of the Giants on his fantasy team, and they did all right. The important thing is the Giants won, going 5-0 for the first since 1990. The Giants won the Super Bowl that year. Dad's not one to believe in omens, but he still thinks it's a good thing.

The icing on today's cake is that the Bosox lost, 7-6. Jonathan Papelbon gives up 3 runs in the top of the ninth inning to blow the save. The Sawx lose in the ALDS to the Angels, 0-3.

The cake for the day, in addition to the Giants win, would be the Yankees finishing their series with the Twins. He's watching that game now, as I type.

Did she actually write that?

So Dad has decided to slog through Twilight. He's about halfway through the book, but he hit one sentence that stopped him in disbelief.

"I couldn't imagine how an angel could be any more glorious."

Dad read The DaVinci Code back in '06. He thought that was a very poorly written book from plotting to characterization and even to the actual construction of sentences. The sentence above though just may be the most overwrought sentence he has ever read. It's enough to make ME howl, and I'm a cat.

You're on the Mark, Tex!

After the Yankees dodge a bullet in the top of the 11th--yes, there was a bad call during the Joe Mauer at bat, but the Twins still have to score with the bases loaded and no one out--the Yankees win on a walk-off homerun by Mark Teixeira, 4-3.

David Robertson earns his stripes by wriggling out of that top half.

I was a little scared when everybody cheered so loudly while I was sleeping, but when I saw how happy Mom, Dad, and Uncle Cris were, I felt a lot better.

So, it's 2 down, 9 more to go.

P.S. How do you like my John Sterling imitation?

How exciting!

So, in the bottom of the 10th inning, Jorge Posada singled, and Brett Gardner was brought in as a pinch runner. Dad and Uncle Cris expected this. Gardner stole second. Then in an exciting play, when Nathan botched the pick-off to second, Gardner took third on a play that had Dad saying to himself, "No, no, no--yes!"

All that excitement went to naught, when Damon lined softly to Orlando Cabrera and Gardner was caught off third after breaking with the contact. Shoot.

Aww, I missed it!

So, I'm outside, having a good time, and I hear my Uncle Cris shouting excitedly. He lets me inside. I see that Dad has his rally hat on, and that Alex Rodriguez hit a two run homer to tie the game, 3-3. Shoot! I would have liked to have seen it.

and the Twins take the lead

Phil Hughes has just given a run to give the Twins a 2-1 lead. Uncle Cris is really peeved that after throwing fastballs that Nick Punto could not catch up to, Hughes throws a breaking pitch which Punto hits for a single. Why not keep throwing the fastball?

And then Denard Span fists one to score another run after Mariano Rivera comes in. Hmm.

Yanks are behind again?

So, A.J. Burnett gave up a run in the top of the sixth. Delmon Young walks, steals second, and then scores on a triple by Brendan Harris. Dad and Uncle Cris are not worried, though.

And, the Yankees come through in the home half, when Alex Rodriguez singles to plate Derek Jeter. Again, not that Dad and Uncle Cris are big Rodriguez fans, but it's nice seeing him be successful in the playoffs--because he's with the Yankees, of course. ^_^

Game 2

Another day, another game.

A.J. Burnett starts off looking pretty good. Is he going to get over any butterflies that he might have for his playoff start? Dad hopes so.

1 down, 2 more to go for this series

Yay. The Yankees win the first game of the series, 7-2. Sabathia looked really good, Rodriguez had some hits, Jeter was Jeter.

Another RBI for Rodriguez

Good. Alex Rodriguez drives Derek Jeter home from third base with a long single off the right field wall. No more choking?

Money pitcher

I'm taking over for this game while Sige takes a brief break.

Nice job by C.C. Sabathia to open the American League Division Series. Sabathia scatters eight hits over six and one third, giving up two runs, walking none, and striking out eight. He gives the ball to Phil Hughes...

who strikes out Orlando Cabrera to end the inning. Woof!

A thrilla from Godzilla!

Same inning, Alex Rodriguez on first, and Hideki Matsui takes Franciso Liriano's 2-1 pitch deep into Monument Park to make the Yankee lead 6-2. Yay!

Tally up another one

So, with Derek Jeter on 2nd base with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Alex Rodriguez singles to left center, driving in the run to make the score 4-2.

Send him, send him!

All righty! Robinson Cano scores on a Nick Swisher double down the left field line with two out in the bottom of the fourth inning. A good throw from Orlando Cabrera would have gotten him at home, but.... Nevertheless, the Yankees take the lead.

Bottom of the 3rd

Sabathia had a tough top half of the third. The hits don't really bother Dad--he didn't expect a no-hitter in this playoff game, but that second run the Twins scored--the passed ball on Jorge Posada allowing Joe Mauer to cross the plate--seemed a lazy play.

The bottom half, though, the Yanks tied it. Melky Cabrera gets an infield hit, and the Derek Jeter hits a two-run homerun.

Now, Mark Teixeira is on base following the force out at second base. What does Alex Rodriguez do?

He strikes out.

Play ball!

So, Dad's watching the Yanks v. Twins on TBS now. Not a bad start--C.C. Sabathia gave up a leadoff double in the top of the first to Denard Span. Span got to third on a passed ball, but Sabathia struck out Mauer and got Cuddyer to fly out to center.

Yanks didn't score in the home half of inning. Got a long game to go.

I thought the last game was Sunday?

Good evening, all. So, the last game of the season wasn't Sunday. It was last night, as the Twins beat the Tigers 6-5 in 12 innings. It was a really exciting entertaining game, but not exactly the cleanest played. A historic collapse by the Tigers who had a three game lead with four games to go in the regular season before stumbling to lead up to this tiebreaker game.

Oh, so it was the Yankees' last regular season game on Sunday? That makes sense. Why didn't anyone tell me this before?

The last game of the season.

Hi, everyone.

Mom, Dad, Uncle Cris, and Kaley went to St. Petersburg to watch the last regular season game for the Yanks, as they went up against the Tampa Bay Rays. A good time was had by all--at least Mom, et al., because they were Yankees fans. The Yankees were down going into the top of the sixth inning when they erupted for 10 runs, including 7 RBI driven in by Alex Rodriguez on a 3-run home run and a grand slam. That set an American League record for most RBI by one player in an inning. Dad has never been a big A-Rod fan, but it was a pretty cool thing to watch.

Mom and Dad also spent the game scoring the Yankee half of the inning. They didn't do a bad job. The cool thing was how they had to really pay attention to what was going on to score it.

So, what's it going to be, Dad?

Last week, Dad wanted to apply my monthly dosage of Advantage, but he had misplaced the box. During the search, he found that copy of Casino Royale (James Bond Novels) he knew was in the house. So, now he has to decide whether he should just start reading that, or continue with Twilight. He's already 100 pages into it, and it's not difficult to read, but he hasn't really gotten into it.

He also found his misplaced copy of the Avenue Q (2003 Original Broadway Cast) soundtrack. Funny, profane, hummable tunes, which he immediately re-ripped into a better sounding format for muPod.

The Advantage was found, and I was dosed for the month.