As I commented a lot of facebook statuses and etc. I figured that I should just start blogging again. I guess you can call me more of an offseason blogger. My internet connection at school this year is about a thousand times slower than last year so that may play into less writing as well. But I'm back.
Let's start with my Phillies. What an amazing season. There's something special about this team and they'll be around for a while, contending every year. They play hard and they play smart. They are all gamers and they are all ballplayers. Harry Kalas would have been proud of the way they played this season. I cannot wait for the 2010 season to roll around.
Skip Bayless said something the other day on ESPN's 1st and 10 that went something along the lines of, "Even if I were a long time Yankee fan, I would have a hard time cheering for these Yankees... I just dont find them very likeable..." I agree wholeheartedly. The Yankees of the past I've had "baseball fan" hatred for because they are the Yankees and for most people, if you don't love them you hate them. But then there's these Yankees as Bayless puts it. What seperates the Phils from the Yankees is the fact that the Phils are made up of fighters whereas the Yankees have a few fighters but consist primarily of whining crybabies.
Before I go on, I'll say that I have so much respect for Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. Jeter, to me, is the second greatest shortstop of all-time behind Honus Wagner. He can hit the ball the other way like I didn't even know you could, very respectable. Then there's the best closer to ever walk out of the bullpen in the ninth (or eighth sometimes) in Rivera. He's made a surefire Hall of Fame career out of one pitch.
After them though the Yankees are filled with frustrating players to watch. After what seemed to be every strike three call looking, they would stand at home plate and stare either up into the air annoyed or look back at the umpire. I don't mind if you disagree with the call but respect the game and walk back to the dugout, don't show up the umpire. Bark at the ump if you want as you walk back right after he calls you out, but remaining in the batters box after you just let something close go is your fault. A majority of the time strikezones open up with two strikes, that's why since little league, you're told to protect with two strikes. It's your fault and you just look dumber when you stand there. The ump is never going to change his mind so quit whining.
What was Melky Cabrera doing in Philly whenever he would catch a third out in center? By the looks of it, he would fake a throw into the crowd and then cover the ball up like it was a crying baby. He looked like an idiot. If you don't want to throw the ball into the crowd just run back to the dugout, don't be a douschbag about it. Oh yea, and get a new first name.
Then there's Teixiera. I did not know someone could be that cocky. I always thought he looked like a douschbag but I had heard an interview prior to the game and he said something along the lines of, when he's hitting the ball well, he's the type of player that can carry a team. What? You let other people say that about you. Maybe he should have signed where he originally wanted to in Baltimore or DC, see if he could carry those teams -- they need it.
Why didn't he sign there though? Oh yea! The team with the unlimited resources just went out and offered him a deal he just couldn't refuse I guess. Forget his original plans of playing with the team he admired growing up and close to his family. He went and played for money in New York. That's what I hate. Take a look at Johnny Damon. He left the Red Sox to go play for the Yankees. And he chose to! He said he would never play for the Yankees but I guess $52 million changed his mind, sad.
Uh oh Alex Rodriguez, your turn. I have never seen anyone in any sport ever make as many fake looking faces as you. Ever since you've been under the 'roid radar, it just looks as if your true feelings and love for the game have dimisnished so you have to put on a smiling mask for New York. If I happened to be Yankee fan, I would have such a hard time rooting for this guy the most out of everyone. Then look at this picture that he's posing for...
Then there are those fans. Now if you're a true die-hard and follow those Yanks through thick and thin, this doesn't pertain to you. But to all those ridiculous bandwagon, follow my team when they are up and winning, obnoxious, stuck-up "Yankees" fans--shut up. You are easily the worst "fans" in any sport. There is nothing worse than a fairweather fan and the Yankees fanbase is absolutely full of them.
And on a side note, the celebration was weak, the stadium sounded quiet on TV compared to Citizen's Bank Park, and I've lost all respect for the city of New York after this postseason.
I could go on and on, but I'm going to stop there. Congratulations to all the true New York Yankees fans out there that actually follow your team, it was a good series.
I'll still take the Phils any day of the week against any team out there, because they'll be back next year.
When I initially thought AL ROTY, my first instinct was Porcello, who was solid for most of the season. Although by the end of the year, he only had the fourth best ERA in his starting rotation (behind Justin Verlander, Edwin Jackson, and Jarrod Washburn) and it was 3.96. His strikeout numbers weren't that great and he had a bad June and July. He is a groundball pitcher who will have success in this league but he won't overpower anybody. This isn't a knock on him, but expect a Derek Lowe type career from him.
In what has been a tough season (8-7, 5.92 ERA) for the still very young southpaw, the Angels may have been attracted to go get the kid after two solid starts in which he went seven and a third giving up three runs against Texas and going six innings of one-run ball in which he struck out ten against Toronto.
The main reason he is still on this team is because he plays a million positions. They're just looking for his bat to start coming around for the hopeful postseason.