Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Game 8: Get A Hold

After last night, I don't know if the significance of the title of this song necessitates much of an explanation. Things got a little out of hand, and now A.J. Burnett needs to put up a quality start, or at least stay out there for more than, you know, one inning. After getting 7 innings out of the bullpen (and one from the Nick Swisher) yesterday, the Yanks can ill afford to go to the well early.

Mark Teixeira is back in the line-up, but Johnny Damon is out with the flu, which buys yet another day for Joe Girardi to tell Xavier Nady that he lost his starting job to The Swish.

Aside from the title, the words to the song aren't all that relevant to the game, but Q-Tip does drop right in with a baseball metaphor:



Drifting, drifting, drifting, drifting, drifting...
The deadly venom, let me start from the beginning,
We always hittin, so yo, there'll be no extra innings,
As I send the mic out the park like Reggie Jackson,
You be the minor leaguer who sees no action.

It's The Rule Of The Iron Mike


Next week, a documentary is coming out about the life and times of Mike Tyson. I had the opportunity to see a preview screening last night and I have to say it was excellent. I will tell you that I have always been and still am a fan of Mike Tyson. He trained in Upstate New York and was frequently around the Albany area (5 Fack Youk contributors are from the Capital District) during the beginning and the height of his career.

I even met him in the mall when I was like 7, I don't remember this but my parents told me I did. Another nice story of Mike in Albany was when he was arrest for going 120 mph down Central Ave (that is the exact location and the speed limit is 30 mph) in his Lamborghini. What I am getting at is that a lot of people here like Tyson and even though he has done some shit in his day, we selectively remember the times when he was great.

I won't get too into it for those of you who want to see it, but it does a great job of capturing Mike's unique insight into his own life. I know Tyson is viewed as crazy by most of the world, and rightfully so, but this movie gave me a better understanding of why. It also makes you feel sorry for him because he got a raw deal in many respects and overcame a lot of shit to get to the top of the boxing world.

For those of you that don't really give a shit about Mike Tyson I would still recommend watching it. It's a good documentary from a cinematography standpoint and there is enough unintentional humor in him making up his own words (I think I caught a "sluggentry" in there) and contradicting his own statements in consecutive sentences for everyones' enjoyment.

Just In Case You Didn't Already Love Nick Swisher...

...Here is a screen grab of him striking out Gabe Kapler in the bottom of the 8th inning last night.

After Swish got Carlos Pena to pop up for the 2nd out, and they panned over to Tony Pena and Joe Girardi on the bench trying to hide their chuckles behind the dugout railing, and David Cone said, "This is one of those nights where you have to laugh to keep from crying". It was 15-5 Tampa, and Swisher was taking one for the team, as the options in the bullpen were almost totally exhausted.

In stark contrast to Chien Ming Wang who looked distraught and overwhelmed while surrendering five runs in the first inning and three more before after pulled in the 2nd, Swish was lobbing 75mph "fastballs" and laughing all the way to a scoreless frame. He gave up a walk and a hit to start it off, but retired the next three batters he faced. He was working quickly and changing his arm angle, reminiscent of Cone's playing days.

I sat on the couch last night, flipping back forth between the Yanks and Mets game, thinking about how often baseball frames your life. How many times have you had a sort of strange and shitty day, only to come home and have your team play the same? Then once in a while, something happens in a game that makes those two things intertwine. Yesterday was one of those occurrences, because by the time I watched Swisher leave the mound, his big smile obscured by the even bigger lipper he was packing, I didn't think the day was so bad.