The weekend in review
If you sensed some similarity between the pre-game ceremony last night at Yankee Stadium and the ceremony that followed the last game at Memorial Stadium in 1991, you weren't alone. The Yankees did the same thing the Orioles did, trotting their living greats out to their respective positions in a highly emotional tribute to the past.
Don't you think it's kind of cool that the last home run at Yankee Stadium was hit by a guy -- catcher Jose Molina -- with an ample gut. Babe Ruth, who hit the first homer there more than 85 years ago and said "God knows who will hit the last," would have been proud.
The Ravens looked solid in yesterday's 28-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns, which boosted them into sole possession of first place in the AFC North. Do you think they'll still be there after next week's Monday Night Football showdown with the Steelers?
Guess I owe Joey Porter an apology. He said the other day that beating the New England Patriots "shouldn't be that hard,'' and I took a shot at both Joey (who probably will insist on being called Albert at some point) and the Dolphins for thinking they could transcend their 1-20 regular-season record dating back to Week 14 of the 2006 season.
The U.S. team won the Ryder Cup for the first time in nine years, but it was only a coincidence that it happened with Tiger Woods at home rehabbing his surgically repaired knee. I'm sure we're going to hear all kinds of psychobabble about how the U.S. golfers pulled together as a team because Tiger wasn't there, but it's just not that kind of game. Every player may be out there trying to win for the team, but each golfer still has to hit each shot himself. Is it possible that the U.S. golfers finally won because, well, you can't lose them all?
Everyone keeps talking about the 85 years of history at Yankee Stadium, but they're getting the math wrong. There actually were only 84 seasons played there, because the Yankees played two seasons at Shea Stadium while their ballpark was closed in 1974 and '75 for renovations. If you count that time, it's really more like 86 years of history.
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Comments
Pete your math is wrong...FInal score yesterday was 28-10.
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Pete's reply: Are you trying to confuse me? That's the score in my entry.
Posted by: Ron | September 22, 2008 6:53 AM
Bottom line.... The Orioles showed their continued ineptness to a national audience. Since reaching the 60 win plateau on August 17th they are 7-24. They tanked the last 6 weeks of the 07 season and have done so again this year. Rebuilding aside, they are an embarrassment.
Posted by: a fan with delusions of grandeur | September 22, 2008 8:49 AM
Ravens + MNF = No.
Posted by: Greg | September 22, 2008 9:46 AM
We Americans have nothing to be proud of with this Ryder Cup team. Golf is still a gentlemens (and ladies) game. With the arm waving by several of the "Pros" and the cheering when one of the Euros flubbed a shot was inexcusable. It turned me off so I turned it off. Very bush league
Posted by: Norm | September 22, 2008 10:08 AM
Just read on ESPN that the Mets are expected to keep Delgado for another year after picking up his $12 mil option. Whether that means they go after Tex first i'm not sure, but that would be a lot cheaper than Tex. So does that take the sweepstakes down to the Angels, Yankees and O's?
This offseason is going to be pretty interesting in the free agency department for once. Lets just hope MacPhail knows what he's doing and Angelos doesn't step in and say that a player wont be healthy because he missed a game or two.
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Pete's reply: I think there will be more interest in Teixeira than that, but one of those three teams will probably sign him.
Posted by: Chuck Diesel | September 22, 2008 10:08 AM
"Don't you think it's kind of cool that the last home run at Yankee Stadium was hit by a guy -- catcher Jose Molina -- with an ample gut."
What WOULD have been cool would be if an Oriole had hit the last home run as a game winner in the top of the ninth. I'm disappointed in the O's that they couldn't deliver in their spoiler's role.
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Pete's reply: I think we were all rooting for an Oriole to hit it. I was personally rooting for Oscar Salazar.
Posted by: stanhouse | September 22, 2008 11:16 AM
Well, thanks to Brandon Fahey, Jamie Walker can no longer get out the last remaining batter in the league who could not hit him, Jason Giambi.
Fahey looked like he had spent too much time in the sun prior to the game.
Walker, unfortunately, looked just like he has all season, a guy who has had a good career but now can no longer get anyone out.
Posted by: Barry | September 22, 2008 11:36 AM
Geez Louise Pete, it was a freakin' circus last night for those of us who just wanted to watch a ball game! Having to listen to the ESPN call the game (which they somehow managed to do in between talking about history, Yogi Berra, etc etc) was just torturous.
Yes, there was a huge amount of history in Yankee Stadium and it was a great event, but the game was totally overshadowed by the ceremony pomp, circumstance etc.
OK, so neither team is really in contention (unless the Yankees in a frenzy of excitement and enthusiasm go on a streak-which admittedly could happen), but it still counts for stats, for next year and just out of respect for the game.
But whatcha' gonna do Peter? It was what it was. Waters did a fair job in the beginning and we got shut down as usual.
I guess the only consolation I can take is that, as a Verizon FIOS subscriber down here in Montgomery County, I FINALLY GOT TO WATCH THE ORIOLES IN TRUE H-D! Seems that Verizon FIOS doesn't deem baseball important enough to give the MASN HD broadcasts an HD channel forcing us to watch it on 67 in Standard Definition or on "FIOS-1" in F-D (Fuzzy Definition). Both stink especially when you still see the little "MASN HD" logo in the corner.
At least when ESPN broadcast it, it was true H-D thus justifying my new TV.
Onwards to see what we can do to the Rays or how they can do it to us...then Toronto and blessedly this season will be put to bed.
What do you think?
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Pete's reply: I totally agree that it's frustrating to watch a non-HD broadcast on an HD set. Better to go upstairs and watch it on your old TV in your kid's room. I don't agree about the Yankee Stadium tribute. Whatever you think of the Yankees, that stadium has featured a ton of history and some of it Baltimore-related. I liked all the history stuff and thought the game should be an afterthought. Now that I think about it, was there a game last night?
Posted by: Jeff from Roch-ville | September 22, 2008 12:10 PM
ok. so they closed the curtain on Yankee Stadium... Now who is going to close the curtain on Brandon Fahey's excruciatingly worn thin career?
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Pete's reply: Now, be nice. The guy had a tough night, but he's a good soldier and bounces back and forth from the minors without complaint whenever the O's need help.
Posted by: pius | September 22, 2008 12:45 PM
Glad you finally hit on the Ryder Cup, it generated the most drama this weekend. The Euro's have had a stranglehold on that cup and it hasn't even been close lately. One minor beef, I can't see the crowd cheering for bad shots, when Sergio put his second consecutive ball in the water it was if some American had holed out from 200 yds.
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Pete's reply: I agree, and it plays right into the European stereotype of Americans being classless louts, even though we're yet to have our first soccer riot.
Posted by: Joe | September 22, 2008 1:33 PM
Ok, as far as the Ryder Cup goes and the fans there, I watched the whole match and it wasn't always cheering bad shots. There were alot of cheering of good shots too by the Euros. It is a different competition that regular golf. Players on both sides pumping fist and shouting. And Pete, the Euro stereotype? Last year, the Euro fans did the same thing cheering the American's bad shots. So I don't get that. One European ( Lee Westwood)player said it actually was one of the best Ryder Cups as far as fans go he has been at. Ian Poulter said he would love it if the Ryder would be played at Valhalla every time it comes back to the States. He said the Kentucky people were very hospitable. I think some of the statements are people who just turned on the Ryder for about 10 minutes and didn't watch the whole match.
Posted by: RichD | September 22, 2008 5:56 PM
Mr. Huff would be an excellent choice for 1B next year and his numbers this year closely match Teixeira's, although Mark is 3 years younger. Also Tex played for a much better team his last 47 games. Save the money and get some damn pitching in here!!!
Posted by: Earl W. | September 22, 2008 7:09 PM