Mariano's Mournful Month

My name is Jamie, and I'm a Yankees fan. I bleed pinstripes, which is even more impressive than it sounds. This means that I worship no Gods before Mariano Rivera. After all, Mo saves.

Or at least he usually does.

Just about every single season, Mo has a stretch of games we'd all rather forget ever happened. In fact, he had one yesterday. He had one last Monday, too - the last time he pitched. And he had one the day before that.

The sky isn't falling. Mo didn't forget how to pitch and his expected velocity is there, so I don't think there is an injury concern. He's just not locating right now. He'll get his control back; he always does. But that doesn't make this game log any easier to look at. The month of September has been a disaster for Mo: 6 earned runs in 10.2 innings pitched. That's a 5.06 ERA, which is not only astounding, but its all the more painful because of the pace he'd been on. Through July, his ERA was under 1. After August, it was barely over 1. Even now, it's .15 under 2, so it's still been a great year for Mo.

Mo will get his game back. He always does - the only question is, will he get it back in time? I say yes; nobody shines brighter in the spot light of October playoff baseball than Mo. Joe Girardi will make sure he gets enough work to tune up, and when the leaves call and a championship beckons, Mo will answer.

WORLD SERIES PREVIEW

Alright, so today starts the World Series between the Yanks and the Philthies. That little turd Rollins already said the Phills would take it in 5, but would be nice and win it in 6. We are not the Mets you dirty little piece of shit.

Remember that one dick head?

So here's a little breakdown from the MENSA-like mind of the Black Cat....

Should be a great World Series, with the Yanks coming away with #27. People say, "Phillies offense", blah blah blah. Well sorry Phans, but you haven't faced pitching this postseason like the Yanks. After we take the first two games, we go to the city of brotherly love for a couple more games to wrap this thing up. I'll be in Philly today til Saturday, unfortunately not going to the game Saturday. I'm sure some Philly fans will have their words with me while I'm down there, because I plan on wearing my Yanks cap and getting drunk.

Go Yanks!

5.

The Yankees take Game 4 with CC and Arod tearing it up in a 10-1 rout of the Angels of Anaheim. An A-Bomb from Arod broke things open in the 5th, then a 2-run shot by Damon in the 8th, and a 3-run 9th inning sealed the deal as CC dominated Angels' hitters all night. Scotty Kazmir threw a lot of pitches (90 in 4 innings), and got the loss, giving up 4 runs to the Bronx Bombers. Great night to be a Yankees fan.

CC Sabathia: 8 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

Arod: 3-4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, SB, BB, K

Yanks got a day off and play game 5 in LA on Thursday. See ya then folks...

6.

ALMOST, but not yet...

What's more to say about Game 2 then "WOW!". Arod. Holy Shit! 0-2 count from Fuentes....POW! PING! SEE YA! An A-BOMB, from AROD!! Way to come up big Jerry Jr.

I was watchin the game on TV (sigh, nothing like being there like Friday night), and what a fuckin' great game it was. To be honest with you, I was drinking Ketel and beers all throughout the game, which last about 5 1/2 hours almost. To say the least, the bottle of Ketel was done and most of the beers as well by the time Arod hit that shot off that bum.

Runners on first and second, 1 out, and that jabroni Macier Izturis tried to turn a double play. A reeeeeeeeeeeaaaal Munson. That's how it ended.

But during the game, El Capitan himself blasted a homer, letting everyone know that he owns the fucking postseason.

I do need to address something though to the skip. WHY DID YOU USE SO MANY PITCHERS?!?!?!? Burnett, Coke, Joba, Hughes, Rivera, Aceves, Marte, and Robertson. Shit Joe, I thought Swisher would be coming in after Robertson. End result, the Skip wins. But it was a real nail-biter.

All in all, we head out to Cali to take the rest of this series.

Go Yanks. SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.

7 More to Go

CC was simply FUCKING AWESOME last night. I was there. I saw it. It was one of the greatest games I've been to. It was pretty cold, but the $9 Millers kept me a little warmer. Oh, and don't get the beef sliders, they aren't that good and look like shriveled, fattened turds. But definitely get cheese on the fries. I enjoyed them.

The stadium was rockin' last night and the crowd was amazing. Everyone was into it, out of their seats for every 2 strike count CC dealt. The Angels looked a little cold out there last night, making shitty plays in the field. The first inning was hilarious. My Mets fan friend (rough few years man, sorry) sent me a text saying, "Angels are looking like the Mets out there".

Once it got to the 9th, the stadium was going nuts as "Enter Sandman" cued in the greatest closer EVER!!! They flashed Mo highlights on the big screen and the always there, long-haired fat fella in the bleachers did his best air guitar impression, as he does every time Mo comes into the ballgame (see picture above). Smiles all around and high fuckin' fives everywhere. "CC! CC!" chants walking down the ramps, and "Twenty-Seven" chants as well. Then of course they had the "Fuck The Angels" one going. I only saw 2 Angels fans the whole game, and they were walking the wrong way on the sidewalk after the game. Losers.

CC to Pitch Games 1 & 4 of ALCS

First, I would like to introduce myself to The Fowl Balls' followers. I am the Black Cat. Jimmy D has asked me to contribute to the site and deliver some quality Yankee Baseball reading material. So listen up bitches; pay attention, and enjoy.

PS- Nice job by SI picking the Mets to win the WS this season as you can see by the SI cover at the top. Talk about a sinking ship...

Friday in the Bronx, Game 1 of the ALCS starts with CC Sabathia on the bump against John Lackey. I'm not going to lie and be a d-bag Yankees fan; the Angels have good starting pitchers. A rotation of Lackey, Saunders, Weaver, and Kazmir is not a walk[off] in the park. However, it's looking like Girardi will lean toward a 3 man rotation, with the beast himself pitching game 4, and Burnett and Pettitte being the meat in the CC sandwich. People may overanalyze statistics and say, "Oh, CC isn't a good postseason pitcher" based on his work the Indians and the Brewers. Well guess what folks, those teams sucked, and now CC is surrounded by a gaggle of All-Stars and some future Hall of Famers. Back to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim... Lackey is 3-3 with a 3.02 ERA in 12 career postseason games (10 starts). We all know he is a good pitcher and that the Yanks struggle with the Angels. But you know what? The batting order is absolutely terrifying to any pitcher in baseball. Jeter, Damon, Teixeira, Arod, Matsui, Posada, Cano, Swisher, and (even) Melky. I find no reason not to win a ballgame with that lineup. The Halos have some good players too, including former Yankee Bobby Abreu, who no doubt will be looking to hit the crap out of the ball every at bat. Not too many holes in the Angels lineup, so it should be a well-played series.

But enough of the fair is fair BS. I want a sweep. I want a sweep in the worst way. I know it's not very likely, but this is what every Yankee fan wants. Seven straight postseason wins going into the World Series. Alex Rodriguez is on fire in October; this is scary now. After that shot off Nathan on Friday night (a shot which Jimmy D and I both knew was coming), I knew for sure that ARod was a different player. He seems relaxed and unphased at the plate, locking in and coming up with big, clutch hits. Jeter is the usual postseason Jeter, and Andy Pettitte looked like a kid again, pitching 6 1/3 innings of 1 run, 3 hit, 7 K ball. I like the team's chances playing the Angels, but I have to admit it would have been sweet to kick the shit out of the Red Sox.

So long folks, and goodluck to the Yanks in Game 1 of the ALCS. 8 more W's in the quest for 27....

Yankees Universe > Red Sox Nation

Yankees #1 in out-of-market- brand loyalty amongst the teams in the 4 major sports, Red Sox third.

Though this is quite an achievement, the Red Sox were much more proud of earning the distinction of "Least Diverse Fanbase".Source:http://bizofbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2657:yankees-the-king-of-out-of-market-brand-loyalty&catid=30:mlb-news&Itemid=42

Thanks but No Thanks

According to New York Post beat writer George King III, our defacto favorite New York Post writer, says that potential Carl Pavano v2.0 AJ Burnett would 'consider' playing for the Yankees. With Pavano coming off the books, the team does not need to start paying another pitcher to throw bullpens in Tampa.

Source: http://www.nypost.com/seven/10262008/sports/yankees/bronx_bummer__burnett_may_not_want_to_be_135304.htm

No Sh*t.

From the "its about time department", the Yankees are not making the playoffs, and Clay Aiken is gay.

With Fowl Balls in Attendance, Phil Hughes Craps the Bed

Tigers Handle Yankee 'B' Squad as ARod, Melky, Posada, Molina watch on

Headlines
- WHO IS CHRIS STEWART?
- What the Phil? Hughes continues to break my heart
- It is not high, nor far...Cano lines one 314 1/2 feet to right
- Try as I might, I was too afraid to boo Gary Sheffield
- Bullpen comes up big in pressureless situation: Ohlendorf showing signs of non-suckitude
- BREAKING NEWS - Kenny Rogers is still pitching in the Major Leagues