TEAM POSADA!

"Some people are born on third base and go through life thinking they hit a triple." ~Barry Switzer~

Got back from Baltimore much later than I had hoped for last night because all that terrific Turnpike traffic ensured a lengthy ride. There was a point, near exit 7 where we actually didn't move forward for nearly 20 minutes! Let me tell you, I was not a happy girl by the time we finally made it home. But such is life.

Needless to say, I wanted to post a blog about the weekend but with the trading deadline looming there's so much still up in the air and its seems like I spent the entire day just waiting for something to happen...anything! Plus, I'm sure the weekend is in the rearview mirror of most Yankee fans by now as you've all probably already heard about Kyle Farnsworthless and his little run in with Jorge Posada in the late innings of Sunday's game ...even though the YES Network cameras didn't see fit to actually show it during the game. (Trust me, it wasn't pretty...but watching Alex Rodriguez step up and try to temper the situation was interesting, to say the least.)I am sooooo glad I was there because from our vantage point, just off of third base, you could actually hear them yelling.

I'm on TEAM POSADA, in case there was any question. Kyle has long been a cancer in that bullpen and after his antics on Sunday it's clear to see his poison of stupidity is rapidly spreading. The only cure? Trade his ass...and fast!

Well, its been a long few days so I'm going to embrace this rare off night with a warm bubble bath and some much needed ME-TIME! I'll have a post up here tomorrow about this weekend and hopefully it will be entertaining enough. Thanks to the fun kids from Season 3 for some much needed laughs on Friday night and especially to Brenda and my pal KJ for helping me down those stairs! Love you guys! Who knew hookah could be so relaxing at 3 AM?

Thanks For Coming To Work Today Alex.

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” ~Anais Nin~


We’ve all been watching Alex Rodriguez with bated breath since his arrival in the Bronx and this season, no matter the challenge or controversy tossed his way…he has risen to the occasion with a smile and a homerun.

Say what you want about past playoff debacles, fact of the matter is there’s no telling where this team would be at this point of the season if not for A-Rod’s defiant prowess this year. I know Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada have also stepped up and I mean those warriors no disrespect but I hope Yankee fans are appreciating what our third baseman is about to accomplish.

Whether the historic homerun comes tonight off the man he whacked his 400th off of or not until this weekend in Baltimore...hitting number 500 is an amazing feat.

If the reports about the Rodriguez family looking to purchase that large estate in the tri-state area are any indication, maybe we’ll be blessed to have the greatest player in baseball stay in pinstripes for some time to come. Money aside, after the way he’s been treated, it will simply come down to if Alex wants to be a Yankee or not.

The NY media and Yankee fans can wax poetic about what a terrific place this is to play and on many levels that is true. But as good as it is…it can also be that bad at times. The level to which negativity can rise can almost be considered criminal, the politics involved in ‘truthful’ reporting are scary and the tide can sway on a mere rumor or innuendo. Nothing is stable here. Everything is built on quicksand.

Winning comes with a high price. The “what have you done for me lately” mentality robs genuine fans of ever truly knowing what it means to go to war with a team, experience the plodding development of a rookie or extend professional courtesy to a struggling veteran.

Baseball is a beautiful game when every single line-drive has not been brought to you by some corporate sponsor. Higher salaries don’t always translate into the best players. (Hello Igawa.) And there can never be a monetary value placed on things like heart, grit, and intensity. (Hello Carl Pavano)

As fans, we’ve been blessed and cursed to watch this remarkable franchise throughout the years but outsiders might question… after the Kansas City crowd gave A-Rod a standing ovation last night, what is truly inside of our own hearts?

I am never happier or more content than when I am sitting at the ballpark and I hope that’s the case for most every fan. I’d rather root for my team than against it but sometimes I have to wonder about those with intentions of immediate gratification or those who are obsessed with NOW with no foresight.

Baseball doesn’t have a clock for a reason. Records can fall in the mere blink of an eye but they take years to develop. What makes an athlete special is knowing that they’ll never be above the game, yet striving to leave their mark on it just the same.

I’m off to Baltimore. Have a great weekend, fans…

Farnsworth? Bruney? Anyone else?

It’s always easier to make the woman look like some kind of whore than it is to face the reality that an almighty athlete might not be what he pretends to be. Trust me, I wasn’t anticipating any of this and it makes me sick to read some of this filth. For me, there’s nothing to do but pray that it gets better because I know that bad mouthing him will not sustain my future.

Everyday I am informed of a new lie or rumor. These stories are out of control and still they do nothing to squelch the truth.

Nothing could prepare me for the vicious intent of these “fans”… So I fell into it with the wrong guy, which is not a secret. Whether he was a player or not is of little importance when it comes to life’s lessons.

Want to talk about lies? Well, I know one thing… I never betrayed any vows. And it was ONE person... not 3 or 4 or 7 or what other numbers make people comfortable enough to excuse an affair of any variety.

And for the record, I can critique a player’s performance, get mad with them and write about it without having some hidden meaning behind it. I’ve been writing and working towards certain goals long before ever appearing on that show.

There are a lot more interesting stories in that world than about me and some struggling middle reliever who is about to lose his job, don’t you think? I guess tossing his teammates into it adds the spice these gossip people want… but it’s all lies. One would make me look semi important and there’s no way your precious player would ever have done that, right?

I believed the wrong person and it has brought endless drama to my personal life. In my professional life it cost me credibility and set back my career in epic proportions. But I am not going to give up because that would mean the good-old-boys club has won…and I am not going to let that happen. I tried to protect him, myself and my family and yet I am the only one suffering. Given some of the larger stories out there, it makes no sense.

I hope none of you women ever have to go through this because trust me, you’ll be going through it alone.

Trading Deadline May Be Hazardous To My Health

“Stress is nothing more than a socially acceptable form of mental illness” ~Richard Carlson~

They say one of the biggest signs of stress is a lack of concentration and if my week was any indication, I’d say this chick is completely stressed out! As the Yankees start to show some serious fight, I just can’t seem to get it together. If it’s not one thing, it’s another.

Look, I’m ecstatic that this team has proven it doesn’t belong in the basement with the likes of Tampa Bay and the favorable schedule is going to allow the Bronx Bombers to slug their way back into this race…but man, I’m just so darn distracted by the constant up and down.

How is it that Hideki Matsui can look like a Bad News Bear in the outfield and a freaking All-Star at the plate? I mean, either homeboy is scared to dive for fear of repeating last season’s awful wrist injury or he’s just saving all his good stuff for mediocre pitching. Don’t get me wrong, the Yankees are doing exactly what they should be doing by clobbering teams like Tampa and Toronto but excuse me if I’m still a little gun shy about the rest of the schedule.

With the likes of Brian Looney, Kyle Farnsworthless and Sparky Proctor toiling around, giving up home runs and throwing balls like they get paid per walk…how high should our expectations really be at this point? Look, I am happy that Mike Myers is willing to do whatever it takes already having thrown more innings so far this season that the last two years but…come on.

Now, back to my stress level… I’ve just got to go out on a limb here and reveal that this darn trading deadline can’t come fast enough for me. I’m all over the place mentally. Last week I went to the drive-thru at Dunkin Donuts, handed the girl my money, and promptly drove away without receiving my latte. What the hell? Where was my mind? Well, I’ll tell you exactly where my mind was…it was on the freaking trade deadline!

Needless to say, I was way too embarrassed to loop around and get my forgotten latte… Turns out, lack of caffeine is a horrible condition for a chick on the move.

Yesterday brought more of the same stupidity for me…and now, keep in mind, that I am only telling you this to prove my point about stress and silliness. So there I am, enjoying a beautiful summer day…sun shining brightly, the little guy covered in sand, assorted men in my family trying their dandiest to assemble the above ground pool in my brother’s backyard. They had the game (now known as the Bronx Massacre) blasting on the radio and paused to cheer as Shelley Duncan received his curtain calls. It was truly a sight to behold! You haven’t lived until you’ve seen my father with a power tool in his hand looking for someone to high-five! Shelley’s got nothing on my dad by ways of aggressive celebrating. (Scary thought, I know)

Anyway, I set out to get lunch for the boys…subs from Sorrento’s and Coronas for their spirits! You probably should know that the back seat of my truck is always something of an adventure. Clothes, cd’s, empty water bottles, etc. So as I was balancing the huge bag of subs and looking to grab the 12 pack of Coronas…I dropped my Blackberry on the ground and had to bend down to pick it up…This is where my intelligence really comes into play. I figured trying to stand up with all the things in my arms and shut the car door would be too difficult… so as I gathered myself on the ground, I swung the door closed. Turns out, my head got in the way and I nearly knocked myself out! I’m a real genius sometimes.

No kidding, I saw stars and not the glamorous kind! Look, I can’t blame everything on stress but daw-gone-it…if that’s not stress related stupidity, I sure as hell don’t know what is. Not sure of the number of folks out there who have managed the feat of slamming their own noggin in the door of a vehicle but I suspect it’s not many. Fingers, toes, arms even but never heads….

Now it’s Monday morning and the hangover of yesterday’s retarded injury is taking its toll on me. If the trades are going to happen, I pray they happen sooner rather than later…mostly because at this rate, who’s telling what idiotic thing I’ll do next!

I hope the beginning of your week treats you well. Kansas City is a lovely ballpark and I had a blast there last season. (If I can forget about the robbery at a local fast food joint that we managed to miss by mere minutes.) Tuesday nights in KC are about as eventful as watching paint dry but if you look hard enough, you’ll find some sort of trouble to get into…heck, maybe that was just me and my unusually high level of stress!

I’ll be heading to Baltimore later this week…let’s hope I make it in one piece!

PS. Tampa is spectacular in October.

The Little Train That Could!

“It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible,

but also for what we do not do.”

~ John Baptiste Moliére ~

For the Yankees, the value of last night’s 3-2 10th inning victory over Toronto was really huge. I know that sounds funny because normally beating the pants off of teams like Tampa or even the Blue Jays should not be considered any great accomplishment for the mighty Yanks, but given the predicament that the Bronx Bombers find themselves in at this point of the season…every game matters.

The schedule is favorable for New York in these next two weeks with games against Tampa this weekend and a relatively pain free road trip to lovely Kansas City and Baltimore. So now is certainly the time for them to make some headway in the standings because after that, the White Sox come to town and the second half of August brings in the likes of Cleveland and Detroit.

No doubt about the heart of (most of) our boys last night but I don’t want to get too excited just yet because Kyle Farnsworthless did everything he could to try and ensure defeat. Not to beat a dead horse but sooner or later something is going to have to be done about this character.

Word around town was that Krazy Kyle skipped out before the writers could get a comment about his less than stellar pitching performance. That’s unacceptable for anyone, especially from the likes of that joker. He feels the need to publicly show up his manager and player (Melky) while cameras are rolling like a big tough guy but slinks away when its his ass on the line! Come on, even Mike “The Whiner” Mussina and Sparky Proctor stand and take their lumps when they stink up the joint.

As for Kyle, Peter Abraham quoted him today as saying that he doesn’t blame the fans for booing. “I’d boo me. I know I’m not pitching well.” Farnsworth said.

Gee thanks for the permission to boo. Glad to know he doesn’t blame the ‘boo birds’….

So you may be wondering what is Kyle’s great solution to all of his problems? Well, he plans to use his slider more because he believes that will throw hitters off of his straight as hell fastball.

My question to Kyle is…WHAT SLIDER?

Dude, this is a joke right? It has to be…

You know what will throw hitters off of his straight as hell fastball? SOME MOVEMENT…nothing fancy, just a little bit.

Listen, I don’t want to dwell on the negatives, as there was a ton of good things to be taken from last night’s win. Melky and Robinson Cano came up big and that was fun to watch. Alex Rodriguez has clearly sold his sold to the devil for personal success…and I love it!

Well, hopefully the weather will hold off long enough for us to have baseball tonight because momentum is truly a wonderful thing when it’s swinging in the Yankee’s direction!

I’m off to watch the game somewhere downtown with a few of the Roadtrippers that didn’t win their latest challenge. If I’m grateful for anything in this whole big mess, its that I did the show last year and got to attend 161 games as opposed to these kids who have to compete for tickets. But either way…I still would have done a few things differently. (You probably all knew that by now)

Okay, enough of that…

Let’s see what our boys can do tonight. Time to push all the chips to the center of the table and take a shot in the dark!

The Business Of Baseball

"The secret to managing is to keep the guys who hate you away from the guys who are undecided." ~ Casey Stengel~

Well, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that if the Yankees weren’t paying Kei Igawa a boatload of money, he would surely have been sent off to Siberia by now…never to be heard from again. But everyone knows that money rules the roost here.

I cant help but to remember this time last season when struggling Shawn Chacon was dealt to Pittsburgh for Craig Wilson (yeah, I’d forgotten his name too)…Chacon was sent packing while the Yanks hung with useless Jaret Wright but not because the team had faith in Wright’s stuff…rather because the burden of his multi-million dollar contract made him virtually impossible to move. At a paltry $3 million per, Chacon was an easier sell to the Pirates and we claimed that beauty queen, Sidney Ponson off waivers. Ughhhh….

It begs the question of mangers, ala Joe Torre who might be forced (or choose) to manage the contracts rather than the actual players. It’s a shame but the only loyalty that seems to matter these days is to the art of the public relations spin.

Speaking of damage control, Mr. Torre told the Daily News that Kyle Farnsworthless is still the 8th inning set up man. Either the team is refusing to bad mouth the big brute because (fingers crossed) they don’t want to diminish his reputation out there on the open trade market or Brian Cashman has been getting high on Bernie Williams leftover supply again.

No worries, folks because Krazy Kyle has done enough to damage his tradability all on his own. Bad back? Nah, just more proof that having big muscles doesn’t mean a player has big heart or a brain for that matter.

At the very least, Farnsy should toss a few Blue Jays around on his way out the door. After all, it’s the least he could do to earn some of that money because it’s darn clear by now that throwing strikes is out of the realm of possibility. Memo to Kyle: If it doesn’t slide…it ain’t a SLIDER.

The blowpen has certainly shouldered a fair amount of blame thus far but let’s face it, with the way certain players have been used, the applications for overtime should be stacking up on Cashman’s desk by now.

Slowly but surely, Robinson Cano has finally finished reading the memo that the season has started. If his bat can heat up along with Bobby Abreu, some of the offensive woes might be squelched. Heck, if you can’t pad your stats against Tampa and Toronto…you probably shouldn’t be in the league at all.

I WANT to like Johnny Damon because he’s such a likeable fella….but homeboy is done, fried, cooked and should be put out to pasture…It’s pretty clear by now that if Melky Cabrera didn’t have that arm of his, he’d be better suited for a job as Cano’s clubhouse attendant. Think Bernie is kicking himself? Nah, me either…Burn Baby Burn is probably strumming his guitar with little regard for the mess that has been the first half of the Yankees 2007 season.

Rebuilding has been like a 4 letter word to this organization but I say, maybe its time to trim the fat and let the cream rise to the time. I don’t know why I even dare to think a few years ahead at this point…it’s not like any of the fans will be able to afford tickets to the new ballpark anyway.

But I digress…

Well, if you’ll excuse me…I’m off to pack up the house…I’m going to trade myself before the deadline.

This Game Is Getting Old

"Sure I wave the American flag.

Do you know a better flag to wave?

I love my country with all her faults.

I'm not ashamed of that, never have been, never will be."

~ John Wayne ~

Last night a group of us attended the Toby Keith concert at the PNC Bank (Art's) Center in Holmdel. Yes, you read it correctly…I said TOBY KEITH…As in the extremely patriotic country music star, Toby Keith. Now, one's initial perception of me might deceptively suggest that I'm not the kind of girl who's into that sort of music but I pride myself on my wide variety of tastes, musical and otherwise. Life is way too short to miss out on experiencing something new! However, it doesn't take a genius to conclude that this event was certainly sure to be a far cry from the hip-hop laden nightclubs that typically decorate the tri-state area's landscape on most evenings.

After growing mentally exhausted, listening to rappers brag about their bling, bitches and Bentleys, I found myself more open to listening to all different kinds of music. Last season on the road I was exposed to various genres that I hadn't previously considered. We tend to get so caught up in our own little corners of the universe that sometimes we run the risk of never learning anything or never expanding our circles. During the Kansas City trip I spent hours downloading music from one of the show's producers that included bands I had never heard of before and some that I had but never listened to…everything from rock, classic rock to alternative. And of course, hanging with my favorite country boys also opened my eyes and ears to a whole new musical world. For that I am truly enriched.

Earlier in the week, at a breakfast meeting, I mentioned that I'd be attending the concert on Sunday evening and a colleague made a rather flippant remark about Mr. Keith being ultra Patriotic as if that was a bad thing. I was taken back for a brief moment but managed to reply that I fancied myself to be rather Patriotic as well so I was looking forward to the show.

Serendipitously enough, Toby ended his amazing concert last night by saying, "Never apologize for being Patriotic." It was one of those rare moments when the proverbial light bulb went off in my head. Mr. Keith was extremely right on so many different levels. We should make no apologies for who we are no matter what others have to say about it.



Whether you're right-wing, left-wing, liberal or no-wing at all…we should all of us be patriots first and foremost. This is the greatest country in the land for the simple fact that we are even able to discuss the differences without civil war erupting. The freedoms that critics enjoy are provided because men and women are fighting on all of our behalf regardless of political affiliations or belief. And quite frankly, I don't want to debate the validity of the war or listen to people put down our current administration without offering a better way of doing things.

All great civilizations come at a price to someone or something. Do you really think that ancient Mesopotamian soldiers called press conferences to inform their people of their war plans? And what is this bullshit about the media announcing top-secret designs of our government. This is a time of war, people! War is not pretty and it's certainly not without tremendous sacrifices. Deal with it and be glad they aren't fighting over here. Terrorists of any kind work their magic by preying on the weak-minded and the controllable.

Maybe a stark dose of reality is in order so that people finally get a clue. The same media that would have you believe in a certain point of view is also the very media that led off national newscasts with the trivial details of Paris Hilton's joke of a jailhouse stay. If we really want change, we can't have it both ways. We can't burry our heads in the sand on the difficult issues and follow Angelina and Brad as if they are some kind of do-good saints. Mindless drivel is comforting only to mindless individuals.

Speaking of madness, when I returned home, it was brought to my attention about some message boards that have felt the need to continue spreading their lies. To this point, I've never directly addressed some of these issues. My friends and family know the truth and they are the only ones entitled to such details or explanations. There is a thin line between defamation and gossip but eventually I am going to have to do something to defend myself since it's clear that no one else will.

I was told by higher ups to ignore it and the whole thing would go away. I was told lots of things…none of them for my benefit. I've played by everyone else's rules for so long, I was starting to forget what it meant to be me, before the show. I've been trying to use the writing of my novel as a sort of cathartic experience and for the most part it's been rather therapeutic but it's hard to heal when you realize that the lies have not gone away.

I've heard so many different versions of my own story and my life has forever been altered as a result of what this has done. No one should feel sorry for me but I've cried so many tears and wavered between depression and anger so many nights and still I know that no amount of damage control will ever be enough to restore my life to what it was before this. The only thing I can do at this point is pray for those who feel the need to spread lies, pray for our family and pray that there will be a light at the end of this darkness.

And much the same way that I make no apologies for my patriotism, I am just trying to weather this endless personal storm. In the midst of all the lies and rumors, I'm not going to take the easy way out. I will not make excuses for any other part of my life but I will say this…enough is enough. I am not getting some major pay off...in fact, NO ONE has written me a single solitary check. I may not be a saint but I sure as hell am not sitting on a boatload of cash as a result of this.

There were a lot of great things about last year but becoming the target of this negativity certainly makes me wish everything was different now. Whatever your political or moral beliefs are…I sure hope you don't use them to destroy the lives of anyone else.

Welcome To The Second Half!

"It's a helluva start, being able to recognize what makes you happy."

~Lucille Ball~

Baseball's back and that's a damn good thing. Seriously, I can only take so much time away from the game! I was starting to go crazy without something real to watch! Sure, there was the drawn out coverage of the Homerun Derby by ESPN and the mindless drivel of Joe Buck and FOX during the All-Star game but personally, the best thing about all-star week is the pimped out celebrity parties that perk up all the down time! I just dig those events! This year, everyone from Jay-Z to Nick Lachey got into the mix and that speaks volumes to the far-reaching appeal of our great game.

All-star week is always a fantastic time to unwind and take a break from the rigors of this season. Most of the players not selected for the festivities usually manage to sneak away and relax for a minute or two. They take the time to clear their minds from all the clutter of the season. Some may fish, relax on the beach or play with their kids…but mostly they just try to enjoy the summer for a few brief days.

This year things were rather hectic for me and a true break was not in the cards but last season I was able to visit with family in West Palm Beach and it really helped to recharge my battery and allowed me to gear up for the second half. Let's hope that's the case for our Yankees this year because they're really going to have to turn on the burners if the playoffs are to be a reality in 2007.

Tonight the unofficial second half of MLB's long season gets underway as the Yanks kick off a four game set in steamy Tampa. Tropicana Dome is probably one of the worst places to catch a game but if you happen to be in the area, good seats can be had. With tonight's game brings the news that the Bombers plan on engaging in some sort of renegotiation with Alex Rodriguez so at least we know the distractions will be plentiful in the next few weeks.

This announcement by Yankee GM, Brian Cashman is sure to piss off the likes of Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera…both of whom were told their contract situations wouldn't be addressed until the end of the year. Posada has been an underrated powerhouse for the Yanks and Mo is the best reliever in the history of the game…but that's the way the $250 million dollar cookie crumbles.

Whether it's the issue of an overused bullpen, struggling starters, stagnant and spotty offensive production or the small matter of keeping the greatest player in the game in pinstripes…the quest for number 27 is sure to be a roller coaster ride to remember.

There are a few things to keep your eyes on in the second half, winning obviously being the goal. But if Joe Torre is not the man for the job, the next few weeks will surely reveal that. The Phil Hughes question will be answered as the young starter is trying his dandiest to fight his way back from hamstring and ankle woes. Hughes makes a rehab start for AA Trenton tomorrow night and could rejoin the team as early as the end of the month, spelling an exit for that failed Japanese experiment Mr. Igawa. (Maybe he'll trash another locker.)

We've also got to keep our eyes on Bobby "Bermuda Triangle" Abreu…whether he's terrified of hustle, only the Triangle knows the truth but hopefully he can at least not suck offensively so we'll forget about his lackluster play in the field. Melky and Cano need to spend less time at happy hour and more time making the fans happy… but that's just speculation of course. Derek Jeter is a baseball god who can no longer go to his left consistently but hell, he's Derek fucking Jeter so we'll leave it alone. I won't even talk about the bullpen because, quite frankly, when you're relying on struggling middle relievers to right the ship…there are more serious problems to address. But I will say this, if we're still treading water at the end of the month…some faces need to be shipped out of town.

Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to educate Carl Crawford on the soon to be dimensions of the new ballpark.

Hip-Hip Jorge!

Hey Yankee Fans, tomorrow night I'm going to be down at Billy's helping the Season 3 Ultimate Roadtrippers sell some hats before and during the game. If anyone happens to be attending the game, please stop by and say hello (and make a donation!) All proceeds to benefit the Jorge Posada Foundation! Jorge is a tremendous Yankee and his foundation is really something special, so fork over the cash! Ha! (Plus, my girl Brenda needs to win this challenge!)

In case you don't know, Billy's is located across from the Stadium near Stan's... Hope to see you there and let's go Yanks!

Do NOT Try This At Home!

From Titanic, the movie:

"Jack: Winning that ticket, Rose, was the best thing that ever happened to me ... it brought me to you. And I'm thankful for that, Rose. I'm thankful. You must do me this honor, Rose. Promise me you'll survive. That you won't give up, no matter what happens, no matter how hopeless. Promise me now, Rose, and never let go of that promise.
Rose: I promise.
Jack: Never let go.
Rose: I'll never let go. I'll never let go, Jack."



Hey, kids...when I suggested that we have a BURN THE BASTARDS BONFIRE... I was mostly kidding but apparently 'someone' took it literally.

Now, as we enter into July baseball...Here's hoping that Scott's fire will figuratively fuel a big Yankee run. Quick, somebody get him a new pair of Reeboks, stat. Let's win some damn games! (I really can't say anything more about this, obviously)