The headline is specific because it has to be. The Yankees stink. I put a tweet out the other day because we all hate Clay Holmes right now, but I hate Aaron Boone more.
I mean, Holmes can't shut shit down as our closer, this is true, but Boone's the one who trots this guy out there. Boone's responsible. Boone's ridiculous.
Right now, the Yankees are a half game out of first. I'm not throwing my Yankee gear in the garbage any time soon, but once again I do have to question why this team is so damn inconsistent. I'll tell you why, the manager sucks. More to that, it's what another guy tweeted the other day, I love the Yankees... I hate the Yankees organization, meaning, the front office, the guys who make terrible decisions... the guys who try to steal from the fans of all their money with bad food and constant commercials of the one free agent who has done everything along with Aaron Judge... Juan Soto.
Even John Sterling abruptly retired. While I secretly was hoping to see a story about how Sterling left because he can't stand the Yankees decision making, it's another story... this one is about how Sterling is coming back... and that's cool.
"The Yankees are bringing back retired announcer John Sterling to call playoff games for WFAN-AM, according to a Thursday afternoon report from Andrew Marchand of The Athletic.... Per Marchand, Sterling "will call both home and road games for the Yankees in October," "team up with his longtime partner, (color commentator) Suzyn Waldman," and "call some regular-season tune-up games to prepare for the playoffs."
After the playoffs, Sterling appears set to resume his retirement."
The craziest part about the entire story is actually thinking that we'd even go deep into the playoffs. Sure, we'll make it, but I do not see this team doing much of anything with 2 hitters and a half ass pitching rotation. While the story is nice, I feel like we're getting way too ahead of ourselves.
Look, I'm glad to see John come back. That's the feel-good part of this. Now we see if we'll feel good about the Yankees IN the playoffs. Time will tell.
Late Friday night, we got word that legendary news anchor, Barbara Walters passed away. She is known for asking the questions that no one else had the nerve and credibility to ask. Everyone from heads of state to musicians to actors and celebrities and sports icons were interviewed by Walters and it is only fitting that I dive deeper into the question— "What would Barbara Walters ask Aaron Judge?"
2022 certainly was a year to remember in sports. From the Super Bowl win for the Los Angeles Rams to the 2022 Olympic Games, Serena Williams' retirement from US Tennis, and The World Cup, the hours of sports watched across the globe was incredible. But for me, it was Aaron Judge's historic season ending with him signing a contract to remain a part of the greatest franchise in sports and becoming the 16th Yankee Captain, that made my year. So in honor of both famed broadcaster Barbara Walters' passing and Aaron Judge's historic 2022, let's go 20/20 with Aaron Judge.
"Aaron, many have said that you filled the void for Yankee fans when their beloved captain Derek Jeter retired, how do you feel about this? "
"What is it like to get booed, not just by opposing fans, but your own fans in Yankee Stadium" How do you bounce back from a rough patch?"
"What was the most exhilarating part breaking the regular season home run record set by another Yankee, and ironically, right fielder?" "What were the first words your mom said to you after you hit that historic home run?"
"Why did you decide to stay with the Yankees for the rest of your career?"
"What does it mean to you to be named the 16th captain for the New York Yankees?"
Perhaps his words at the press conference announcing his new title is an answer that Judge may have given to Walters, had they sat down and talked about his young career, “It means a lot to me, because coming up through the Yankees organization, this is all I’ve known,” Judge said. “My blood, sweat and tears have gone into one thing, which is to play for this team and play for this city and these fans. Knowing that I get to continue to do that and do it in one city, words can’t really describe it. It’s such an incredible feeling,” reported MLB.com.
I suppose one of her last questions to Judge would be framed, "What is one thing you are looking forward to as you head into your next chapter with the New York Yankees?"
“There’s a lot of unfinished business here in New York,” Judge said. “I’m looking forward to finishing that business and trying to leave a legacy here for the next group of guys coming behind me," reported MLB.com.
The Yankees have been in a World Series drought since 2009. Not only that, Judge with his MVP, Rookie of the Year and of course regular season home run record, he has never appeared in a World Series game. This is part of his agenda. This is the unfinished business. But can Judge lead this team to multiple World Series victories like Derek Jeter? That's not really a question nor is it a challenge for our new captain. Teams are not the same as they were back in the late 90s when teams held onto their players longer and yes, pitchers actually threw more than five innings on average.
For Judge, he just needs to keep doing what he has been doing. He needs to set an example for the younger players, he needs to lead the clubhouse as he has been doing, he needs to remain present and engaged, he needs to stay healthy and he needs to be the best teammate he can be.
2023 has a lot of promise for this Yankee team. And if Barbara Walters, a trailblazer herself, had the opportunity to interview Judge, she would have asked many of the same questions our very own iconic broadcaster Suzyn Waldman, has asked over the years covering Judge. Luckily for all of us, Judge will be here in pinstripes for a lot more questions, and opportunities to impress all of us. Happy New Year! Let's make it a great year for baseball.
Or as I said the other night on Twitter... the Zombies.
They're a loser.
Fans are pissed... even now. I mean what an embarassment that this team couldn't get it done. But look, this is what happens when teams are streaky. You never know what you're gonna get. Now look, I blame Boone. Not just for the Wild Card game, but for the entire season. I mean, being honest here, the players have to be responsible for a one game loss like that, it's embarassing, but I have always said and I will always believe that if you don't have the right leader leading the ship to victory, you ain't gonna win anything.
Joe Girardi was a pretty damn good manager, but even he was let go because he couldn't win in the playoffs. It comes down the leaders.
We've seen Michael Kay launching on this team and on guys like Joey Gallo for weeks. I'm thrilled he did because it needed to be said.
Gallo was the wrong guy to pick up and now it looks like we have control for him for next year. OMG. Sure, defense is solid with Joey, but that's about it. He was exposed in New York. You gotta wonder what will happen to this guy. The city is too big for this guy and will literally eat him alive. And it showed... he was cracked.
Suzyn Waldman went off the other night. Audio here, but here is what she said:
"If what they think they're doing offensively is the right thing, then they either have the wrong players or they aren't paying attention. We can go through this pitching staff, who did what and who didn't do what. The thing that happened this year Sweeny to me, is they did not hit. And we saw this at the beginning of the year, they were supposed to pummel everybody... "
"Did you not see how good this offense was when they didn't have big people in there? When Giocarlo Stanton is at his best, he can't be pitched to, but that is not all the time. I'm not saying you have to lay down a bunt, I'm really not, but there's gonna be other things that you can do. Look at the Red Sox. Look at Tampa Bay, they hit. They have scored more runs than anybody, so they're not just sitting there and playing small ball, but when they need it, when they get men on and they get them in. And there were stakes tonight, why in the world would anyone send their runner, just from third base? You play at this level, you're gonna make mistakes you're gonna lose."
"How long do you do this with Gary Sanchez? How many years do you do this? They keep bringing in people, and look, we love Gary Sanchez, he's trying, they change his catching every single year, they bring in a new person. How many catching instructors? And if they're gonna go with the way they're doing, that alot of veteran catchers won't do, this together, knees down cause you can't move, alot of veteran catchers do not do it. If theyre gonna keep changing him. I mean maybe, and it's too late now, I thought they were gonna have a great offensive catcher. If he isn't Johnny Bench who cares if he hits 40 home runs. We've seen that before and it works. But if they're gonna do the same kind of offense, who knows what they're gonna do. I dont know how along with the same thing, banging your head against the wall."
I mean Suzyn came off hot and she should. Someone within that Yankee group, announcer or management needs to be HONEST. The team is trash with the exception of a few guys. But this is a perfect example of failing up. Guys in high back office positions that are more fascinated with a big name than actually winning are in charge. We need a change and we need it fast.
"He questioned how the Yankees could lose to Boston in 2018 and 2021 with the same core, while the two Red Sox teams were radically different and overhauled.
“Our core lost to a team in ’18 that’s not even the same Red Sox … Mookie (Betts), Jackie Bradley, (Andrew) Benintendi … they traded all them,” Sabathia said, via Chris Bengel of CBS Sports. “We still have the same core. We come back to Boston four years later and lost to a completely different core … What the f— are we doing wrong?”
The bottom line is enough is enough. The Yankees are a winning franchise, but it's clear that while many of the players must go, we must find and weed out the weak thinkers in the front office and managerial role. I gotta be honest, I don't know if I can fault a guy like Brian Cashman here. He has put a decent team on the field with a few big duds, but no one really thought those duds would be as bad as they have been. On paper, this team has what it takes, but that's on paper.
Someone with balls needs to make swift changes. If that means Hal fires Aaron Boone, PLEASE DO IT. If you look at this coaching staff and really thinks they are a winning combination, here's a crack pipe... smoke deep. Phil Nevin is the most experienced coach we have on the Yankees coaching staff... AND EVEN HE BLEW IT THE OTHER NIGHT SENDING AARON JUDGE HOME. You need to clean house... you need experience. Perfect example?
Look at Tony LaRussa. I know... people think he's abrasive, he's crazy. Guess what... he's also experienced. The White Sox are in the playoffs. Look at Dusty Baker... experience? Yea. Are the Astros in the playoffs? Yup. Alex Cora is a piece of garbage, a total clown, but he does have a decent baseball mind, much better than Aaron Boone. Playoffs? Yup. Dave Roberts. Kevin Cash. I mean... HEY YANKEES, ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION?
Boone doesn't have what it takes to be a leader, but let's go deeper. Yankee brass needs to start vetting their front office folks. Give a long hard look. This isn't about collecting players for photo ops. This is the MLB. We are watching teams pass us by and we are the laughing stock of the league.
I have news for you... if Boone and this coaching staff isn't fired this off season, I will for the rest of my time start watching these games on TV. I will not pay a dime to go to that ballpark. Not worth it for me... not until they ditch this coaching staff with Boone out the door first.
Inexperience has been exposed. You're losing fans in droves, Hal. You're even losing your loyal broadcasters around you too! You need to fix it.
Suzyn Waldman has spoken! So, listen, because she's right!
With all this COVID-19 stuff, people are going crazy. And now with places like Texas opening up to regular life again, and the pandemic not over, it's wrong and it's selfish, just like that idiot Aubrey Huff. If you really wanna read misleading tweets, lies and falsehoods, read that loser because he seems to think that it's about him and not the 532,000 that have died because of this pandemic.
Anyway, enough about that, it's just facts... people are dying and if wearing masks and vaccinations work, then do it. NOT for you... for the rest of our people. Enter Suzyn Waldman.
"The Rangers announced on Wednesday that they will allow full capacity — 40,518 fans — for Opening Day at their new stadium, Globe Life Field, when they take on the Blue Jays. After that game they will have socially distanced seating.
Yankees play-by-plan man John Sterling brought up the story to Suzyn Waldman on Wednesday night’s Yankees broadcast.
“I am glad I am not there. I am glad I am not there,” Waldman said. “Stupid.”
I really hope that 2 weeks after opening day there isn't gonna be a huge outbreak in Texas after their opening day. Then again, I hope there is... to make a point. You know what I mean, it's sickening.
I applaud Suzyn Waldman. The greatest! Love that she's speaking her mind.
Suzyn Waldman is the best. There have been many years that I used to get annoyed with her. But over the years, recognizing all she's done in baseball and in life, you really have to tip your cap. She makes me smile these days. I know that's not too popular, but I really don't care.
Last night, before the Yankees/Red Sox game, Suzyn Waldman sang the National Anthem. Here it is:
Now it's not like this was her first time, however it was the first time for many. I did my digging and realized that she used to do this alot. As we all know she used to be up in Boston, and in 1986, before Game 7 of the ALCS, she sang the National Anthem as well:
I love it, anyone who can put themselves out there like that really is impressive. Let me close by saying that I had the opportunity to meet Suzyn around 8 years ago at a party. I thought for sure it was gonna be a goof, but meeting her, chatting with her, she's do damn likable, I really walked away more impressed and inspired than anything else. She's just a really good, established person who really gets a bum rap.
I just had to share this on this beautiful Saturday morning in the Tri-state.
On the heels of an apparent deal that brings baseball by mid-July, Yankee fans are shouting out the obvious: "Just bring me some John Sterling and I'm good."
"Major League Baseball is set to return. The MLB Players Association (MLBPA) informed the league on Tuesday that players will comply with commissioner Rob Manfred's imposed outline for a 2020 season. Players are set report for another version of "spring" training on July 1, and the league's imposed 60-game season will start July 24," reported CBS Sports on Tuesday night.
Source: NJ.com
This year is a throw away, when it comes to capacity and endurance of a true season, but it is a season, none the less, and that means, John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman will be at the mike again.
"It is the strangest year of my life, and I'm up there in years,” said Sterling, 81. “You can’t call up friends and family and book them for dinner, and obviously there's no baseball. All sports live on ‘what if?’ And there were so many great questions about baseball this year. The Yankees were primed to make a real long run and the Mets have an awfully good team, so the summer baseball in New York would have been fabulous this year," said Sterling via WFAN at the start of the pandemic.
Source: New York Times
It is honestly so much fun to listen to my 22-year-old son ask for Sterling and Waldman, calling them his "friends." "That's all I want. Just to listen to my friends call a game. I don't care about the outcome of the season as much as I care about listening to Sterling," said Chris Carbonaro.
Waldman calls for her life back and that includes baseball. "People have asked me, 'How much do you want baseball back?' Well, I want my life back. Baseball is a part of that. I'm missing not being afraid. I went and got flowers to plant, and you're afraid. You go to the store and you're afraid. I don't like that. I don't like to be afraid,” said Waldman via WFAN at the start of the pandemic.
Source: Newsday
With The two sides finalizing health and safety protocols on Tuesday night, the 2020 season is set to start one month from today. Let's hope there's not a loophole. Let's hope there's not a lawsuit. Let's hope we hear, "And now stepping up to the microphone is the voice of the New York Yankees. Mr. John Sterling." Sigh, let's hope.
In 1943, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was formed. Men 18 and over were drafted and sent off to war. This caused the minor league teams to be disbanded. Leaving a serious need for baseball. A couple of big wig businessmen got together and came up with the concept of women playing baseball. I wrote about this a little over a year ago in "AWAKENING THE DREAMERS, MAKING HISTORY."
The teams were set up for failure, being put in small, out of the way towns. Once the war was over, and the men started returning to the field, the AAGPBL had no chance at survival. No one would travel to these small towns to watch women play, when they could go to local cities and watch "real" baseball. The AAGPBL lost ticket sales, and eventually had to be completely disbanded.
Growing up both a girl and a baseball fan, one of my most tragic childhood dreams were of becoming a ball player. A Yankee, preferably, but I would've been happy to play in any major league team. I just wanted to play. My dream, of course, ended way before it ever could become anything. Girls did not play baseball. My dreams shattered, I kept hope alive that maybe one day, when the world was a more accepting place, some other little girls dream would come to fruition, and she would take the field, and blow us all away with her incredible talent. Well, it's 2016. The San Diego Padres just called up their next big pitcher. A prospect with a ton of promise. A pitcher with a lethal screwball, who happens to be a woman. Kind of.
"PITCH" airs Thursdays at 9pm on FOX
Last week, Fox premiered a new show "Pitch," set around the concept of the first woman to play in the Major Leagues, and I am absolutely addicted to it. Kylie Bunbury plays the very talented screwball pitcher, Ginny Baker. The show tackles gender politics in the sports world, and it's everything I expected it to be. Ginny has to handle the pressure of being the first female in the major leagues, all the expectations, and bias that comes along with that while learning where she fits in with her teammates, and her place in history in general. From the sexist comments made, the focus on her appearance, the belief that she is not as talented as the men, and the little girls hold up "I'm Next" signs, the show does an incredible job of presenting exactly what I think would happen in the event that the day ever came when a female would grace the field.
Look, I'm not good at mincing words, so I won't sugar coat this... sports is a male dominated field and females are almost never taken seriously. Just look at the 2016 Summer Olympics. The USA Women's Gymnastics team was incredible! The Final Five performed beautifully and managed to win the gold in the Team All-Around competition.
During the ceremony, Gabrielle Douglas stood at attention while the National Anthem played. People absolutely lost their collective minds. The outrage was absolutely ridiculous! People were calling her unpatriotic and a slew of other names. Douglas who was standing on the podium after receiving a gold medal for helping her team in the All-Around. Meanwhile, the most decorated Olympian of All-Time, Michael Phelps laughed during the National Anthem, and people were quick to rationalize it away. To be fair, I'm not upset over either of these, but if I had to call one of these unpatriotic, it certainly wouldn't be the young lady who stood at attention.
Katie Ledecky of Team USA's Women's Swim Team is a complete phenom. I'm almost convinced the woman is really a mermaid. Ledecky set a world record of 8:04:11 in the 800-meter freestyle, a full 11 seconds faster than the silver medalist. Commentators and the media were seriously impressed with the "Female Michael Phelps." Conner Jaeger, a 2012 Olympian, commented that "Her stroke is like a man's stroke." He qualified that by saying "I mean that in a positive way. She swims like a man." As if her talent is directly related to her ability to emulate her male counterparts.
When it comes to women in sports, they have to work 10 times harder than their male counterparts to be taken even slightly as seriously. They are laughed at, ridiculed, almost never taken seriously, and often sexualized. And this isn't exclusive to athletes. Female sports commentators and writers also have to face these issues. The great Suzyn Waldman is often described as annoying. I once asked someone why they disliked her so much, and his response was because she wouldn't stop talking long enough to let the men speak. I was surprised and a little sad. Very few people actually realize how intelligent and well spoken she is. She truly is a pioneer for women in the field, and she very rarely gets seen as such. But she is not the only victim of these such mentalities. Back in April a video surfaced of men reading mean tweets about sportswriters Julie DiCaro and Sarah Spain. You can watch it below, but be warned, if you have not yet seen it, it will make you angry.
The tweets in the video were very real. The reaction of the men in the video is very real and raw. Just imagine being the woman those tweets are aimed at. It is absolutely ridiculous, and really heartbreaking.
Now I will say this, I have been incredibly lucky. At Bleeding Yankee Blue, and in my life in general, I am surrounded by men who appreciate smart, sports savvy women. But I am under no delusion that the everyone is like that. Last year, when I wrote about Melissa Mayeux, the first woman to be added to the MLB's international registration list, a reader pointed out that it was unlikely she would become the next Jackie Robinson. I do not think it was malicious, just a simple point of fact on how things unfortunately work. But in recent years, women have been making more and more strides in sports, and it gives me a glimmer of hope.
(In Photo: Justine Siegal)
Justine Siegal was the first female coach of a professional men's baseball team in 2009, when she worked with the Brockton Rox. She became the first female to throw batting practice to a MLB team in 2011, with the Cleveland Indians, and became the first female MLB Coach in 2015 when the Oakland A's invited her on as a guest instructor for their Instructional League Club.
(In photo: Becky Hammon)
Becky Hammon became an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs, Jen Welter was a training camp intern coach for the Arizona Cardinals, and Nancy Lieberman as assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings. I'm almost certain I am missing a few but my point is simply that there is progress being made. It's incredibly slow going, and sometimes that is very frustrating, especially for fans like myself. But it is happening.
"Pitch" takes all of this into account. It is very real in its approach. What would happen when the first woman takes the field to play in the MLB? The same thing that happened when Jackie Robinson broke the color lines. I wish I could say that people wouldn't care, but that is untrue. There will be many who cheer her on, myself included. Many, many young girls will be overjoyed and run to get her jersey, because representation matters, and seeing a woman on the field is like seeing themselves out there. People will hang onto her every word, her every action. And some will absolutely oppose it. They will look for any reason to say "See, this is why women shouldn't play pro sports." She will have to be strong, and dedicated with an immense love of the game, and herself because she will face scrutiny that has not been seen since the Dodgers placed a black man in uniform on the field to play for them.
I feel a little romantic watching "Pitch." Even knowing all of this, I still look forward to the day it becomes a reality, and I only hope it happens within my lifetime. To live to witness the first female MLB player would be an incredible dream come true.
To the Ginny Baker's of the world, the Melissa Mayeux's, we're rooting for you. We believe in you. You can do it!
--Erica Morales
BYB Senior Staff Writer Follow me on Twitter: @e_morales1804
"I guess the difference is most of you guys have never run anything" - Randy Levine
At first when I read that I wanted to ask Levine if he wanted some cheese with his wine because he was cracking under the pressure of running one of the most popular franchises in the world. I had no sympathy. Then I sat back and thought about it...and he's right. His statement refers to the constant question that has Yankee brass stressed out over. Should the Yankees be trade deadline sellers?
He is right. I have never run a franchise worth billions of dollars. I have never had the pressure of balancing a budget, making money and making fans happy. I wouldn't know where to begin. There are a lot of factors here to consider and I had to dig a little deeper until I realized why this is such a hard decision and why the Yankees have not made up their mind yet despite everyone telling them to hurry up.
The Yankees are more than just a baseball team. They rely on cash flow from sources like WFAN for example. If the Yankees decide to give up and get rid of their stars it could mean that rating would plummet. Part of the allure of this team, especially during the dynasty years are fans tuning in to hear about their favorite players like Andrew Miller for example. If the Yankees get rid of him....will people want to continue to tune in?
There's also CBS Radio to consider (WFAN's parent company). The Yankees are in the third year of a 10 year contract that they signed and CBS pays them millions of dollars each year. If the Yankees throw in the towel, they could lose an astronomical amount of money each year over the span of the contract. The Yankees may be worth billions....but they don't want to throw millions down the drain.
These kinds of losses could force WFAN and CBS to cut their losses in other ways....like laying off employees. Think about the talent that is also associated with these groups. Being profitable also means keeping icons like John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on the air. Those thrilling Sterling home run calls or victory cries like "Ballgame over! Yankees win! Theeeeeee Yankees win!" are iconic. Can you imagine not hearing them? Not to say that losing money would mean Sterling and Waldman would be released BUT we have them now because the Yankees have created this brand that makes money. It's a result of the success their business has achieved.
The Yankees also have Fox, the majority owner of YES Network to consider. For the first time in history the Mets have beat the Yankees in TV ratings, read that HERE. It shows that putting a winning product on the field brings you viewers. It's never easy losing to the Mets both on and off of the field.
All of these platforms have one common denominator: drawing in advertisers. Consumers hate commercials, we are quick to change the channel most of the time but that is the bread in butter for TV and radio. The more sponsors the Yankees have the better and the more profitable they become. Advertisers know that if you aren't listening to a station that they aren't going to make money off of you....and they will find new places to make that money.
Last but certainly not least are the fans. The Yankees know that if they give up on the season now that season ticket holders will not want to spend their hard earned money on seats. If the Yankees do not believe in their product now, why would next season be any different? It does not inspire people to renew their packages next season.
This isn't as simple as it looks. This isn't a quick transaction like buying a bathing suit at the store. It affects the financial future of the organization. It has long term effects that would cost the Yankees millions up front. It is easier to gamble like this with monopoly money. This is much more complex than we realize and making the wrong decision could damage the Yankees brand.
--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Senior Writer & Editor Follow me on Twitter:@NYPrincessJ
During my sabbatical from Bleeding Yankee Blue, I really struggled to find anything about the New York Yankees to chime in on. The same issues I had last year with my beloved Bombers are still pretty much there…so why harp on them? We don't do that at BYB, which is why THE YANKEES SUCK! came to light yesterday. An almost "final" piece about how terrible the Yankees have been. Us harping every day seemed counterproductive. I took time off to get through some stuff, get my legs at being a new dad and get off the grid. Did it work? I don’t know. Being a dad is the best kind of happiness though, so to paraphrase the Assistant Greens keeper at Bushwood Country Club,
“So I got that goin’ for me…which is nice.”
And then I heard it and it was time to write again. It cut through my brain like a bolt of lightening! It rang my eardrums like an off tune, broken, rusty piano…complete with a Boston accent. It was WFAN Broadcaster Suzyn Waldman.
I am in the car more than ever these days and am most always tuned into The Fan to catch the Yankee games. Now, John Sterling is an acquired taste there is no doubt there. He is corny and things like “An A BOMB, FROM A ROD!” or “MARK SENDS A TEX MESSAGE!” make my skin crawl…but for some reason his voice reminds me of the good old days in the late 1990’s. And I’ll admit it, “IT IS HIGH! IT’S FAR! IT. IS. GONE!” always makes me smile.
Suzyn Waldman on the other hand bothers me. A voice radio not too appealing to my ears. “RAWGAH CLEMINS IS COMING BAAAACK TO THE BRAWNX!” still gets me nauseous.
She is ABSOLUTELY Boston’s way of sticking 'the Curse' stuff back in our collective faces. It’s almost like we are being Punk’d (something I know a bit about). It makes my drive nearly unbearable. She offers up the most obvious bile during her time on the mic. She does interviews in the pregame that make you wonder how the hell anyone would agree to sit down with her. In short, she makes an awful game worse in my opinion. We should send her to Gitmo before they decide to close it. I’m sure her voice will get us all the Intel we need. Am I being over the top? You betcha! But hey, I’ve been away for a bit and this fired me up!
Look, I’m not dropping gems in this post, but in my opinion I’d rather get the game via Morse code than listen to the Play by Play with Suzyn in the booth!
I hope you are all having a great start to your spring! I know, I know... I'm coming out raging mad!
With Spring Training getting under way, and Alex Rodriguez making his much 'anticipated' return to the Yankees, we're going to be hearing a lot more about him. If only briefly. Broadcasters will be weighing in on their opinions of his performance and everything else. It's unavoidable. Suzyn Waldman, radio broadcaster, and voice of the Yankees, already spoke up, and gave a rather unpopular opinion, the New York Daily News reports.
"I find him impossible to dislike. I'm not defending him. I think what he did was stupid more than anything else. I know he's lied. He's made every wrong decision. He says things and does things and you just want to say 'Why?' I also know you can't go wrong for dumping on Alex. This is what it's become. What's he supposed to do?"
I know what you're thinking. It's easy to dislike ARod. He lied, and cheated and has made many mistakes. And, hey, you're totally entitled to your opinion. But I think Waldman's comments are a little deeper. How many of you dislike ARod? Now how many of you actually know ARod? And before you tell me you don't have to know someone to dislike them, think of all the times your were unfairly judged by someone who didn't know you. Didn't feel so nice, did it?
Waldman knows the man. She knows a side of him not presented to us by the media. And she isn't the only person that has ever said something positive about him. His teammates always say that he is a good person to be around in the club house. Just the other day, Mark Teixeira told the New York Post"Alex is a great teammate. Ask anyone that's played with Alex."
And let's not pretend that this hatred started with steroids. It didn't and we all know it. ARod was always judged unfairly. Some trace it back to the deal that took him from Seattle to Texas. I happen to think it started with the Rookie of the Year race between he and Derek Jeter, but that's my opinion. People want to throw stones at ARod for having gone to Texas "for the money," but Seattle didn't want him. They had no intentions of resigning him. What was he supposed to do? Let's not pretend that he was washed up. He was an incredible talent, and any team that signed him back then would have gained the best short stop in the game.
Look, say what you will about Waldman, but the lady knows her stuff. The bottom line here is that a lot of that hatred is media generated. Sure, ARod has done some stuff that is cringe worthy, and doesn't at all help to curb the media, but it gets a bit ridiculous. I mean, they printed a story attempting to destroy his character that was dedicated to his hygiene routine! And people ate it up!
Hey, if you dislike ARod, rock the hell on! If you are a die hard ARod enthusiast, more power to you. But let's remember one thing... You do not know him personally. You may dislike, or like, what he has done within the game. But let's not pretending he is the Anti-Christ. You don't know him from a hole in the wall, but the people who do know him have only ever said positive things about him.
When it is all said and done, the greatest tragedy is that no one knows him, yet he remains so utterly hated by so many. It must be a lonely existence.
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