Days Until Opening Day 2009

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Bad Blood Doesn't Stop The Bombers



The Yankees won last night and have pulled within 5 of the Sox, but wow, there is some bad blood between the Yankees and the Blue Jays. Fortunately no punches were thrown. The Yankees simply can’t afford suspensions and / or broken hands or faces right now (see the Kevin Brown book now available on Amazon "How to Screw Yourself and your Team"). I have to give Clemens some credit for beaning Rios. It says something about the team that he is willing to defend A-Rod.



But the real excitement last night was Joba Chamberlain, who I have to say looks strikingly similar to Clemens.* The 21 year old rookie made his first Major League start late in the game and was clocked on the radar gun up around 98 MPH. According to the New York Daily News, Chamberlin has a fastball that routinely registers in the upper 90s, a curveball, slider and changeup that he can throw for strikes. So was he nervous?





"Pressure is what you make of it; you've got to understand that it's still 60
feet, six inches, no matter who you're playing," said the 6-2, 230-pound
Chamberlain. "I'm going to give you everything I've got every time I go out
there. I'm going to pull my hat down, get the ball and go to work."

Now that is the kind of kid that the Yankees need.





"I'm ready to explode," he said. "I can't wait to get the opportunity to get on
the mound and finally let it go."




I think I just wet myself. The Yankees are hoping to limit his innings to 130 this year to gradually ease him in. Still, with his performance last night and with the return of Hughes, things are really starting to get interesting.




*Actually I think something happened at the Nationals game last night too, but I forget.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Let's not forget why they were throwing at A-Rod in the first place...

Bruce said...

I'm not saying he didn't deserve it, I'm just happy that Clemens defended him.

inowpronounceyou said...

Oh PLEEZ. That Arod thing is so overblown. He said "HA"...you can see it. No "I got it". Just "ha". Big deal. It happens all the time at every position.

If anyone else did this, no one would have said a damn thing.

Having said that; Seeing Roger throw back was old school. They threw at him in the first game and last night. BUSH. LEAGUE.

Chamberlain is going to be a good one. You can see it...a 90 mph slider? That ain't right!

Anonymous said...

Hey,what's up with you? I just read your last 5 posts (I thought you may have retired) and it was a painful ordeal. The mark of a good sportswriter- like a good lover- is to add something to the mix. Otherwise, I might as well go straight to the Daily News or turn on Cinemax.

Bruce said...

I've been pretty busy lately and haven't had much of a chance to write. I didn't think my last 5 were that bad though.

I'm still thinking about a piece on what it takes these days to make it to Cooperstown but I just haven't had the time to really throw it down.

Anonymous said...

I'll watch out for your Cooperstown piece...btw, are you the one in the Yankee's hat in your pics?

Bruce said...

That's me. Who are you?