WHY THE 2012 YANKEES WILL LOOK DIFFERENT: PART 2

Let's take a look at the Yankee catchers... who will stay and who will go?
Francisco Cervelli: .266, 4 HR, 22 RBI in 43 games. Cervelli may never be a star catcher, but he’s energetic and calls a great game. He’s currently recovering from a concussion and there’s no telling if he’ll ever be the same (see Brian Roberts or Sidney Crosby). If he’s able to recover, the Yanks should bring him back to reprise his role as well as filling in at other infield spots.

Russell Martin: .237, 18 HR, 65 RBI in 125 games. Martin is a terrific catcher. His batting average dropped from the NL, but his home runs and RBIs are on par. The pitchers love him and he’s tough as nails. If he’s not resigned someone in the front office needs their
head examined.Jesus Montero: 20 for 61, 4 HR, 12 RBI in 18 games. Montero is the real deal, offensively. Defensively, he’s average at-best. Yes he’s 21 and will continue to improve. With all of the high profile veterans on the team, the Yanks are not in a position of carrying a full time DH. Nor at 21 does Montero want to pigeon holed as just a DH. I say trade him now, while his value is at its highest, for top level Major League-ready pitching. Many disagree. That's what opinions are for.
Jorge Posada: .235, 14 HR, 44 RBI in 115 games. Look, Jorge has had a fabulous career but a 40 year-old catcher needs to know when to hang up the spikes. I know he says he wants to play next year, but I can’t imagine him in any other uniform. I know where Jorge should spend
2012, but more on that later.

Austin Romine: .286, 6 HR, 47 RBI in 85 games at AA Trenton. Obviously, Romine needs to show what he can do at a higher level. He looked sharp behind the plate during September. Hopefully a full season at AAA will do him some good and we’ll see him in 2013.

-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer
bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com



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WHY THE 2012 YANKEES WILL LOOK DIFFERENT: PART 1

Should he stay or should he go? That is the question. Here is one man’s bitter opinion:
Brian Cashman: 13 Playoff appearances, 11 Division winners, 6 AL Pennants, 4 World Titles in 14 years. Well, you can’t argue with success. Cash seems to do well under the New York pressure and even though the checkbook is huge it's often the cheaper, less publicized
moves that pay off. Cash stays as long as he’s willing to master the circus.

Joe Girardi: The Yanks are 384-264 with 1 World Title in Girardi’s 4 seasons at the helm. Joe has done a decent job but there are times where he seems to over-manage. He seems to rely more on his binder and less on the flow of the game; which is strange for a former catcher. Girardi has shown he can handle the New York media but I wonder who is handling the egos in the clubhouse. Maybe it's time for a change…Luis Ayala: 2-2, 2.09 ERA in 52 games. Ayala was wasn’t too bad. He’s serviceable out of the bullpen; a place where good pitching is hard to come by. My gut was to let him go, it seemed like runners were always scoring on him, but after analyzing the numbers he fared quite well
with runners in scoring position. I have little doubt but to bring him back.

AJ Burnett: 11-11, 5.15 ERA, 173 Ks in 33 games. Do I really need to say it? As inconsistent as he was this year, it was actually an improvement over 2010. He’s the victim of his own mind. He can throw good stuff when he wants. It's all mental for this guy. Maybe the pressure is too much. He’s signed through 2013 so it doesn’t matter that I’d dump him quicker than it takes to say AJ.
(Photo: Getty)
Joba Chamberlain: 2-0, 2.83 ERA in 27 games. He was just starting to get it together before he got hurt. Clearly the Joba rules messed this kid up. I say trade him while he still get some value. He’s probably only worth a few prospects, but maybe he could have the same success
as his buddy Ian Kennedy is having elsewhere.

Bartolo Colon: 8-10, 4.00 ERA, 135 Ks in 29 games. At 38, Bartolo pitched better than anyone would have expected, and I thank him for his service and everything he did for the Yanks this year, but if the last 2 months are any indication, I wonder if there’s any gas left in the tank or is it time to head off to the scrap yard.Pedro Feliciano: He lost the entire season to injury. He’s signed for 2012 with a team option for 2013. Right now there’s no guarantee he’ll throw next year either. Looks like Hal will be eating this $8 million.

Freddy Garcia: 12-8, 3.62 ERA, 96 Ks in 26 games. Another guy with zero expectations but delivered mightily. While he is less overpowering than he used to be, he knows how to pitch and still be effective. The Yanks would be crazy not to give him another chance. He was quite the bargain at $1.5 million. Maybe he gets a bump next year!

Phil Hughes: 5-5, 5.79 ERA, 47 Ks in 17 games. While 2011 was another year of highs, lows, and injury; Hughes may not be the starter the Yanks thought he’d be. But as he showed late in the season he might be a bullpen threat. Casey even wrote about it with WHY THE PEN IS WHERE HUGHES BELONGS. I say trade him while he still has some value or
keep him and leave him in the pen.

Boone Logan: 5-3, 3.46 ERA in 64 games. I’m sorry but to be the only lefty in the bullpen you need to be a little more dominating. He gave up more hits than innings pitched and lefties had an OPS of .789. That’s way too high for the only lefty in the bullpen. There’s got to
be something better out there.
Damaso Marte: Marte is 2-6 with a 6.02 ERA in the 4 years he’s been here. He continues to be hampered by the injury bug, there’s nothing that says he’ll ever get back and be effective. The team holds an option for 2012 which should be declined without question.

Sergio Mitre: 11.81 ERA in 4 games. Why did he come back? And what is Girardi’s love affair with this guy. I wouldn’t even trust him to pitch peanuts in the stands. Get rid of him...now.

Hector Noesi: 2-2, 4.47 ERA in 30 games. I see a lot of promise in this guy. Over the last 2 seasons he’s been quite effective at Trenton and Scranton. Even at the major league level he had glimpses of effectiveness. If given the chance he could turn out to be a great # 2
or #3 starter in the rotation.

Ivan Nova: 16-4, 3.70 ERA, 98 Ks in 28 games. What a future this kid will have if he keeps this up. He definitely stepped it up this year. He was a big reason why the Yanks won the division this year. Nova was 12-0 in 16 starts from June 10th on. It's clear this kid will be here
for years to come.
Mariano Rivera: 1-2, 1.91 ERA, 44 Saves. He’s 41 and still doing it with just one pitch. The greatest closer ever can stay as long as he wants.

David Robertson: 4-0, 1.08 ERA, 100 Ks in 70 games. How many times did he come in with a runner on 3rd and nobody out and got out of it without giving up a run? He is the bonafide setup guy to Mariano and the heir-apparent for the closer role.CC Sabathia: 19-8, 3.00 ERA, 230 Ks in 33 starts. CC is the ace of this staff and was a workhorse. Maybe he tired during the stretch which led to his less than stellar performance in the playoffs. He’s owed $92 mil over the next 4 years but can opt-out now. After the
A-Rod drama from a few years back, I fully believe CC is opting out. The big question is, then what? I’m thinking with few viable #1 starter options out there, the Yanks will pay and pay big for Sabathia to come back.

Rafael Soriano: 2-3, 4.12 ERA in 42 games. I never liked this signing. Soriano is selfish and does not seem to be happy in the setup role. Bruised egos are a clubhouse cancer. He’s signed through 2013, but has an opt-out clause and I sure hope he uses it.
(Photo: Getty)
Cory Wade: 6-1, 2.04 ERA in 40 games. Wade signed with the Yanks midway through the season after being released by the Rays AAA team. He joined the bullpen and was an instant success. Hopefully Girardi didn’t overuse him and his arm holds up next year and he can become a cornerstone of the Yanks pen.

More is coming... look for Part 2 soon.

-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer
bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com




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REMEMBERING 9-11: WHY IT'S STILL FRESH

I still remember it, clear in my mind although some of the minor details have started to fade. It was a Tuesday. The weather was warm. The sky was a bright shade of blue with very sparse clouds. It was a gorgeous late summer day. I drove the hour-plus to my job at TV job in Connecticut, like I did every day. I arrived around 7am and was enjoying a quiet morning. I worked in Master Control, a room filled with lots of monitors and different television channels. I was sitting a desk off to the side, away from everything, sipping a cup of coffee, checking emails, and updating some log sheets. My coworker Anthony always liked to watch the last hour of Good Morning America, followed by Regis & Kathy Lee. Everything was normal....

At some point I remember him saying, “Hey come look at this”. I walked over and ABC had started talking about a small Cessna that had crashed into the World Trade Center in New York (We later learned it was a large 747). The only initial pictures were from a static camera on top of the Empire State Building. As the next 20 minutes progressed other camera angles had been established and our own channel had begun to cover the events in New York City. I remember a lot of speculation and confusion about what was transpiring. At some point I called my girlfriend at the time (now my wife) and tried to explain to her what was going on. She didn’t have a television at her job. I remember thinking I'd never seen anything like it before – nobody had.

As the time approached 9am, Tony & I were watching multiple monitors with different coverage, all with the same, tight, angled shot that had both towers in it, one with smoke billowing from it. Then Bam - a 747 flew right into the other tower in clear view; broadcast around the world on live television.

At some point later in the morning I decided to walk over to the newsroom to see if I could do anything to help out. I sat down on the corner of a desk and this guy Will came over, sat next to me and bluntly said, “Some shit, huh?” I looked at him, shook my head, looked back to monitors on the wall, just to see the first tower drop out of camera view, buckling under its own weight. Right then everything seemed to slow down for me. It was like one of those scenes from the movies where everything around the main character is swirling around them in a blur.

The day went on very solemnly. Everyone did their jobs, really only talking when necessary. It was very strange being as far away as we were (about 40 miles) yet it felt like it was my backyard. I remember driving home that day, listening to an afternoon talk show that was about as serious as it gets. People were calling in talking about what floor of the towers they worked on and how they escaped or why they weren’t at work that day.

During the day the FAA ground all commercial flights in the US and my house was near an airport. Later that night I remember standing outside taking in the cool night air, trying to come to grips with what had happened earlier in the day and realizing how eerie it was to not hear anything overhead. Its one of those noises you don’t even realize you hear until its not there anymore.

In the days following I remember feeling some anger, but mostly a sense of pride and patriotism as those little annoying things people do, didn’t really seem to matter. We were all Americans and we all were feeling the same way. People were more courteous, kinder, dare I say - less self-absorbed.

MLB and the NFL both took a week off and rightly so. With so much going on, it wasn’t a time for playing games. Although as the days passed, Baseball was something I looked for… a distraction; some normalcy. When it was time to return the Yanks were on the road. However, the Mets were home.I remember a very touching pre-game ceremony. A bunch of surviving first responders were on the field. The Mets also had a replica skyline above their scoreboard and it was lit up at night. On this night, everything was illuminated up except the Twin Towers. Touchingly a red, white, and blue ribbon had been placed over the darkened section of the skyline. Even today, that image still sticks with me.

The following Sunday, before the Yanks returned home, the Stadium hosted a memorial service for the souls lost on that fateful day. Watching the families of those who died, gathered in the Grand Cathedral of Baseball, surrounded by the ghosts of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Thurman Munson, celebrating life and the spirit and resolve of New Yorkers… I can’t think of a more fitting place.

-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer
bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com




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WHY ANY KIND OF BASEBALL IS FUN

(Photo: Lem Allen)

Recently I took my family to a Short-Season, NY-Penn league between the Hudson Valley Renegades (Rays) and the Vermont Lake Monsters (Athletics). It really brought me back to why I love this game. First off, Dutchess Stadium may be no frills, but it's a wonderful place to see a ballgame. There are box seats, which seem to be roomier than anything I’ve sat in at either Yankee Stadium. Even the metal bleachers have backs and the last row is no more than 50 feet from the field. It brought me back to when I played as a kid, dreaming of getting just 1 at-bat in the big ballpark in the Bronx.



The game was a little sloppy, but these guys are what, 18, 19, 20 at the most? However they all played hard. No one dogged it. They all ran hard to first; every time. Watching these guys made me wonder where some of our professionals pick up their bad habits? I actually bumped into a couple players walking through the concourse. Most of them had baby faces and were all trying to live out their boyhood dreams.



When all was said and done, my hometown Renegades pulled out a 6-5 victory and remained in third place behind the Staten Island Yankees and the Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets). Oddest part for me was the left-handed, first basemen wearing number 23. Jeff Malm doesn’t appear to be much of a hitter, but he played decent defense. I grew up loving Don Mattingly and I wondered if Malm did too.I was engrossed in the game; loving every minute of it. My kids, however, couldn’t get enough of the alternate entertainment. Between innings they do an excellent job of putting on a show and really making it fun for the whole family. On the way home, both of my kids said they had “a really fun time, but the game was boring”. A win for Dad?



Will any of these kids make the “Show”? I’d like to think so, I mean Josh Hamilton and Evan Longoria have both passed through here. Only time will tell.

-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer

bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com









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FOR THE LOVE OF SWISH

Yesterday, our boy Nick Swisher was a guest on the Dan Patrick show. Warning, a lot occurred. From the moment the interview started, Swish was in fifth gear. The 2 talked about a variety of topics ranging from Curtis Granderson’s monster year to the amazingness of Derek Jeter to

the Blue Jays allegedly stealing signals.







A few years ago I had the pleasure to meet Nick, shake his hand, and snap a photo. I tell you what, I’m convinced he was just as excited to have a line of fans waiting to meet him as we were to have 90 seconds with him. Let me tell you, he’s just as animated in person as he is on radio & TV. He truly seems to be enjoying every second of every day.



It seems his exuberance is infectious. Since his arrival the Yankees seem to have lightened up. Nick enjoys the game and being here in New York. It seems some of the other guys are loosening up and doing the same. It’ll be a dark day when Nick gets traded or Posada’d.Sorry, is it too soon? Remember this… WHY PRECEDENCE HAS BEEN SET from June?

-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer

bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com









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WHY IT'S JUST BASEBALL SUZYN

(Photo: Getty)

So another Yankees/Red Sox Series has come and gone and it seems the Sox had the Yanks number. While the results weren’t what the Yankees were hoping for, at least it was entertaining. The Yankees came into the series having won 7 in a row and Boston was reeling. In the end, Boston took a 2-1 series win and improved to 10-2 against the Yanks this

season.After Friday, nobody would have predicted that. The Yanks pulled out a 3-2 victory even with a sub-par performance by Bartolo Colon. MSG and 1050 ESPN personality Bill Daughtry was quick to point out that the Mets R.A. Dickey pitched a better game in the Mets 4-3 loss to the Braves Friday night. How do you like that? Colon wasn’t great, but he kept his team in the game.

(Photo: Getty)

What’s the saying? You’re only as good as the next day’s starter? Well, Saturday we saw CC Sabathia, who’s having a monster year against everyone except Boston against John Lackey. Let's face it, the Yankees tee off on Lackey more than Adam Scott and his Titlest. Well, Boston got to CC and his struggles against the Sox continued.



Sunday night saw Josh Beckett vs. Freddy Garcia. Clearly Boston had the edge going into the game. Well, the Yanks had the lead and Mo coughed it up and Phil Hughes flat out ate it late.



On paper, the Sox should have destroyed the Yanks on Friday and Sunday. Their stellar offense should’ve lit up the Yanks reclamation projects. And then Saturday should’ve been a walk in the park for the Yanks. But as a despised broadcaster on an unnamed network likes to say, “That’s why they play the game.” This is why I think SABRmetrics is pointless and you should trust your scouts and what your eyes see on the field.

And here's my best impersonation of John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on paper:



John Sterling: "This weekend proves it's just baseball... Nobody in their right mind would’ve predicted it. You know Suzyn... Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe said (pause) the 2-1 pitch to Eduardo Nunez... low. The Yanks would have the best record in baseball if they could beat those pesky Red Sox."



Suzyn Waldman: "That’s a great point John.”



John Sterling: "Here’s the 3-1 pitch, swung on, drilled deep to left. It is high. It is FAR. It is…. It’s foul."

In all seriousness though, the 3 things this weekend proved is that baseball is unpredictable, the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry is always fun, and the Yankees are playing well despite the injuries this year, except when they play the Sox and that needs to change if a trip to the World Series is in the cards, bottom line.

-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer

bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com

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WHY EVERYONE LOVES A WINNER

Recently I returned from a family vacation in Central Florida. The extended family was there. Now my brother-in-law is a Red Sox fan. One evening, on our way back to the hotel he says, “Hey, do you notice a lot of people wearing Boston hats?” Now, me being the observant person
that I am, I said, “Yes, the Red Sox have become the Braves of the ‘90s”. The look on his face was one of both shock and revelation. Could it be? Did he just realize there are fraudulent fans in evil Red Sox Nation?But here it is, over the last 8 years the Red Sox have been good, real good. They won a few championships and have become more than just that cursed team in the old stadium with the big wall. Everybody loves a winner and wants to be associated with one. Why do you think the
Yankees are a marketing juggernaut? The Yanks dominated on the field in the late 90's. They made it to the World Series 5 times in 6 years and won 4 of them. How does this look to Pirates fans? The Pirates haven’t had a winning season in like 10 years?

Here’s your history lesson. Before the Yankees domination, it was the Braves. Atlanta was in the NLCS every year in the early 90s. The Yankees were terrible back in those days. I was born in 1979. (In Photo: Claudell Washington 1988, in front of empty Yankee Stadium seats)
Up until 1995, my only childhood memories of the Yankees were of an empty
stadium and being horrible every year. The low point may have been 1993, I admit I broke down and bought a Braves cap. I was tired of my team losing everyday. I was tired of being ridiculed by Mets fans at school. I put on my bright new Braves cap and felt like a winner. It
felt great. I had confidence, I had swagger….. I then burnt that Braves hat during the ‘96 World Series.But back to now. The Yankees have become a worldwide marketing machine. Everyone knows the Yankees from Papua New Guinea to Siberia. But look around, especially outside of New York, that ugly blue hat with the red “B” on it is everywhere. Just part of the New York/Boston
rivalry. Well Yanks... let's change that again, shall we?

-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer

bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com

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WHY WE NEED ALITTLE MORE REPLAY

Last night, the Braves and Pirates were tied at 3 in the bottom of the 19th inning. Braves pitcher, Scott Proctor hits a weak ground ball to third. Julio Lugo charges towards the plate. Catcher, Michael McKenry grabs the throw, applies what appears to be a swipe tag and gets Lugo by 5 steps. However the plate umpire called Lugo safe. Braves win 4-3.Now, in today’s information age this play was immediately seen worldwide. I’ve seen it 25 times, from multiple angles, and I’m convinced Lugo was out. Did McKenry tag Lugo? I think so. The throw clearly beat him by a mile. However you look at it, this play fits right in with the “vicinity play” at second base. That’s the one where the shortstop or second baseman swipes his foot across the bag while throwing to first in a double-play attempt. Whether his foot is actually on the bag while he has the ball, is a different story. He usually gets the call because he’s in the vicinity. This unwritten rule should’ve clearly applied last night.While, I don’t want to make games longer, the use of replay clearly should’ve applied here. I mean, how do we let a game end on such an egregious call? What if the Pirates miss the playoffs by 1 game? I don’t think too many people would be against reviewing a call that could affect a teams’ season. It would’ve taken less than 5 minutes and the game should’ve continued. If this play happens in the first inning, fine he’s safe move on. But to end the game?

Come on Bud, it's 2011, change with the technology; don’t be afraid of it.

-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer

bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com

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WHY OVERRATED IS OVERUSED

"A deep drive to left..... Number 3000!!!!"
5 for 5, Game winning RBI. Congrats Derek! I can't think of a better performance.

(Photo: Getty)
Now, on to my original point... We hear it all the time. "Derek Jeter is the most overrated player in baseball." Well, as far as I'm concerned that's both an inaccurate and tiresome statement.

While his stature and legend may be inflated, there is no possible way he is THE most overrated. Fact is, you don't get 3000 hits by being average. You don't have a .312 career batting average by being an average ballplayer. You don't have a .309 career post-season batting average by being an average player. And lets face it, Jeet has played 147 career post season games, so that .309 isn't a small sample; it's a testament to a great hitter. You don't amass the stats Jeter has accumulated by being overrated. Jeter is at or near the top of many of the Yankees career stats lists. His name is up there with the likes of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle.

Terry Francona has said that Jeter "is the last guy you want to face with the game on the line." Derek always seems to come through when it counts. Great players do great things in big spots. When I think big gamers, I think Joe Montana, Reggie Jackson, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Derek Jeter.
Back in the late 90's there was an argument about who the best young shortstop was. Well, Derek (.312 BA, 236 HR, 1157 RBI, 5 Championships) has outlasted both Nomar Garciaparra (.313, 229, 936, 0 Championships) and Alex Rodriguez (.302, 626, 1883, 1 Championship) at shortstop. Was he the best of the three? Probably not, but he's definitely been the most consistent and the most professional.

The Captain has never been a controversial guy, never getting into trouble.... Would he be this God-like figure if he played in a small market? Doubtful, but that's part of the lore. It's no secret A-Rod has had issues with the New York media. It takes a special person to be a superstar here in New York and that's part of what makes Jeet so special. As the song says, "If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere."(Photo: Getty)
So, rather than saying Jeet is overrated, I argue he is a product of circumstance, a class act, a future Hall of Famer, and most of all, the Captain of the New York Yankees!!

-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer

bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com

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WHY THE SIMILARITIES ARE UNCANNY

Sunday night the Dallas Mavericks beat the Miami Heat 105-95 and won the 2010-2011 NBA Championship. It was no secret most people were rooting against the Heat, myself included. I really wasn't sure why, until I started to think about it. Then, the whole world slowed down and it came to me...The 2011 edition of the Heat are the Yankees of the last 5 years.(Photo: AP)
Lebron James is Alex Rodriguez. Their fans love them. Their detractors despise them. Even now, all we hear about Alex is that he's a guy who followed the money and doesn't perform in the big spot. Sounds a lot like what we've been hearing about Lebron over the last week. But Alex is a champion and true Yankee fans know Alex is grown up.

D Wade is obviously Derek Jeter. They're not supposed to be the best player on the team, but everyone wants to come play with them and they always seem rise when it counts.

Chris Bosh, this one isn't so clear cut; Curtis Granderson perhaps. A standout on their own, but blend into the background when the bigger names and egos are around. Both guys are more than capable taking over the game if necessary. Aside from the player comparisons, both teams have a wide following and are the team to beat the day the season starts.

As a Yankee fan I know what it's like to constantly have to defend your team to everyone else. I also know what it's like to lose when there is such high expectations. As Yankee fans, we should embrace the Heat. This year the Heat made the Finals. I'll be happy with a World Series
appearance for our beloved Yanks. For we are the New York Yankees, anything less would be below our standard.

-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer

bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com

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WHY HE'LL ALWAYS BE ENEMY #1

Yesterday I was driving home and I turned on Michael Kay’s radio show. Let me tell you, I’ve never wanted to drive into on-coming traffic more than I did yesterday. The big interview was with Mr. Red Sock Curt Schilling. Before the interview even began, Michael was already blowing kisses and that surprised me because i thought Kay was our guy, a Yankee guy. I was shocked.

“Well, we’re really thrilled that we’re able to get…Curt Schilling. We’ve tried for a long time and we finally got him. So we’re really proud of ourselves.”

OK, first off, Curt Schilling works for ESPN and so does Michael Kay. ESPN talent is only allowed to appear on other ESPN owned shows unless their contractually obligated to promote something else, as long as ESPN has approved it. (Schilling was promoting his new video game, “Kingdoms of Amalur”) So, I’m sure ESPN did Kay a favor.
Then this happened:

“Joe Girardi said he didn’t like the fact that David Ortiz tossed the bat away…is that something (players) take serious?” Schilling laughed him off and said David Ortiz didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. OK, I take issue with this:

1. Joe Girardi needs to protect his young pitcher.
   
2. Schilling and Ortiz were teammates for 4 years, so of course he’s going to take his side.

Then Schilling said, “As a pitcher I never liked guys doing it. I was always uncomfortable when my guys did it because as a pitcher, I know guys want to even the score and I’m going to have to protect my players. Joe knows better, that’s the way the game is. He’s got guys on his team that do the same thing.”

He went on to say he never hit anyone on purpose and blah, blah, blah. Well Mr. Hypocrite, you just said Oritz didn’t do anything out of the ordinary, yet, you said you hated when guys did that to. So which is it?

So then I started wondering back to my earlier point. Kay is our guy. Why isn't he challenging Schilling? I mean, I know Schilling is a guest on his show, but this is a guy that's contradicting himself and no one is challenging his statement. I found it utterly ridiculous. Why not stand up for what you believe in? I mean, you've been talking about how Girardi was aggravated by the bat flip, so, stick to the point and give Schilling the rapid fire...nothing.

Now, in fairness, Kay did go on to point out that acceptance of this behavior is selective.

“If Alex Rodriguez does the same thing, the Red Sox will probably throw at him…Jason Varitek will give him a face full of glove.”

Schilling responded by saying that’s not true and David Ortiz isn’t the only one who does it and A-Rod's 500 home runs give him some lee-way. Say what you want about Alex, but we all know if he showed up a Boston pitcher the way Ortiz did, he’d be taking one in the ribs.

Message to Kay, yes, you say your an independent broadcaster but we know where your heart lies. All we ask is next time don't roll over for a fellow ESPN guy when you clearly disagree with him, that's all.

-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer

bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com

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