Gunter glieben glauchen globen

Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Home Game 63
Yankees 5 Blue Jays 4
Subway Race Winner: 4 train
Cap Game: #2



Wow!
What a freaking game! The weather was perfect. The crowd was great (except for the wave during the 9th, but more on that later). And the ending was unfuckingbelievable.

Leiter was solid and pitched a surprising quick game. (At one point the game was going along so fast I felt like I wasn't getting my money's worth.) 5 strikeouts and only 1 walk. Very, very nice outing. When the Yankees picked him up I was really hoping that he could turn things around. Mostly because they need stability in the rotation. But also because I always like him. I think he's great in the booth during the playoffs and I always enjoyed his weekly call-in to Michael Kay's show last year. (Plus, he's a Jersey guy and we share a birthday.)

Gojira tai Kanadajin
Matsui's dinger was a laser. (I always likes how he and Jeter keep both hands on the bat on their followthrough. You don't see that much anymore.) Whenever Hideki gets 2 strikes on him, often times looking at both, he always seems to come through. I wonder how of his many home runs this year were hit when he was down in the count with 2 strikes?


The Kids Are Alright
Cano went 1-for-2 tonight (including laying down a nice sac bunt and drawing a crucial walk in the 9th). And Escalona had the walk-off hit on an 0-2 count. The guy behind me was skeptical about him coming through, but for some reason I had faith in Felix. His hit last night was solid and I hoped that he could build on that tonight. And, well, he did. Waldman said on the post-game that the first person to greet him on his way to the clubhouse was Rudy Giuliani. This has to be a surreal night for him.

Still rollin', rock'n'rollin'
I had Def Leppard's Rock of Ages in my head most of the night. Why? Because that was the song played before Tino's first at-bat. (I was a Leppard freak in junior/high school. It was nice to hear them again tonight.) With the way Bernie and Tino have been hitting lately I can't help but think of those two when I read those lyrics.

Misc. Notes
- Before the game tonight the Yankees honored the Disable American Veterans, which was cool. But what I could've done without was that Lee Greenwood song they played afterwards. Now, I'm not anti-American or anything like that, I just can't stand that freaking song.

- I like when Toronto comes to town because they play the O' Canada. Musically, it's probably my favorite national anthem. (I've always enjoyed John Amirante's version before Rangers games.)

- Now about that wave. I've never been a fan of it. But, I guess I can let it go for football games. The stadiums are generally conducive for it (big ovals and such). But at baseball games (in the Bronx, no less)? No. They tried to start one in the top of the ninth. Give me a fucking break. It's the top of the ninth, tied game, with the team in the middle of a pennant/wild card race and people feel the need to do a freaking wave? Was the game really that boring to you? Just sit down (or stand up, but pick ONE) and watch the game. Or just take the wave to Shea.