Marathon Monday Morning Matinee

Good morning Fackers. While the Yankees have an off day today, there are eight games happening over the course of the day. Amongst them are seven night games, and one morning game. Two days after finishing two games in one night, the Red Sox will play their annual Patriots' Day morning game, with the first pitch slated for 11:05. If the Rays manage a sweep, the Sox will suffer their fourth loss in a span of about forty two hours.

There are a number of things I miss about being a college student. Today is one of the days I miss the most. Patriots' Day gave us a three day weekend, and though we didn't need it, and excuse to party. That it happened just as the weather was getting nice and the school year was winding down was an added bonus. The cherry on top was that tailgating rules were in force, meaning that nearly all of Lower Campus at BC turned into one large outdoor party while the Boston Marathon trudged by on Commonwealth Avenue.

My junior and senior years, the Yankees were in town for the morning game. Though they didn't win either contest, it was still a treat to be able to watch a Yankee game while stranded in enemy territory. And of course, by the end of both of those seasons the Yankees had the last laugh over their rivals. Even the Yankee losses in those games didn't ruin the rest of the day's festivities for me. Jay and Joe were in attendance for the 2003 game and were treated to a Sox loss, even if Jay did have to watch it from behind a pole.

Though Patriots' Day isn't observed in Connecticut, it often fell during April vacation when I was growing up. Having a morning baseball game to watch on a day off from school was a nice break from the normal drudgery of whatever else was on TV on a weekday morning - even if it was a Red Sox game.


So as our New England neighbors observe the anniversary of the start of the American Revolution today, I'll tip my cap to them. I may not like their team, but as far as I'm concerned, the more hours of the day during which there is baseball to watch, the better.

Wrapping Up The Weekend

Good morning Fackers. I don't know about you, but the weekend came and went far too fast for my liking. It was a mixed bag for me. Saturday's Gov't Mule concert was a great one - featuring a nice birthday tribute to Jerry Garcia in the second set. The night was not without its casualties though, as I somehow managed to lose my beloved Yankee hat over the course of the night, leading me to retrace my steps repeatedly in a futile effort to find it. The dirty hippy jamband show claims another innocent victim. Oh, and my cousin somehow managed to score stage seating while I watched from the lawn with the rest of the massess. Then I managed to zonk out in the middle of the after party I was hosting. Not my finest hour.

Sunday involved a hungover trip to Old Sturbridge Village for a Revolutionary War reenacment. Dorky, I know. But it was fun to harass the Red Coats, telling those limey bastards they were going down. Finished the night with a victory in my hockey playoff game, so all's well that ends well. Besides, it beats last week's non-existent weekend for me.

For the Yanks, it was a bit of mixed bag as well. After ugly, ugg-lee losses on Friday and Saturday, they managed to avoid a four game sweep by winning Sunday. But that was about the only good news. Sergio Mitre continued to show he's not the answer for the fifth starter spot.

Down on the farm, uber prospect Jesus Montero broke his finger on Saturday, which will cost him the remainder of the minor league season. Not 20 until November, Montero absolutely crushed it this year, hitting .356/.406/.583 in High A and .317/.370/.539 in AA. Those are insane numbers. He's 19 years old. He's in his second full season. The Florida State League is a notorious pitcher's league. Trenton's park is a notorious pitcher's park. This guy raked all summer long, and bashed 17 home runs against competition a few years older than him. Hopefully this injury is just a bump in the road and won't have any long term effects.

In other injury news, single A pitcher Brett Marshall, last year's sixth round pick, needs Tommy John Surgery. He hadn't been doing especially well down in Charleston, throwing 87 1/3 innings of 5.67 ERA ball, but perhaps the injury was the cause of his poor performance. Marshall was drafted out of Sterling High School, just outside of Houston. He's 6' 0", 190 lbs and there were some concerns about his mechanics and in turn his durability. In addition, his high school coaches probably weren't looking out for his future when they left him in to throw 146 pitches in the State Championship game in his last outing as an amateur. The good news is that he's only 19 years old and even if his rehab takes more than a full year, he'll have plenty of time left to develop.

So, in all, not the best weekend you could draw up. But hey, it's the dawn of a new week. Maybe this one will be a bit better. We've got an off day today, but we'll be back with more stuff later on.

Game 79: Blame Canada!

As America celebrates Independence Day weekend, the Yanks host Canada's team, the Toronto Blue Jays. On Wednesday, Canada celebrated Canada Day, marking their independence, also from Great Britain. Canada Day commemorates the British North American Act, passed by British Parliament in 1867, allowing Canada to be a sovereign nation.

So, for a little history recap, in 1775 the American Colonies go to war with Great Britain, declare their independence the following summer, and finish off the Brits in 1783. Meanwhile, our syrup sucking neighbors to the north, also under British rule since the conclusion of the French and Indian War in 1763, sit on their hands all the while, forcing our forefathers to turn to the French - the French of all people! - for military support against the mighty Brits.

After the American Revolution, just as it would for draft dodgers two hundred years later, Canada served as an asylum for American Colonists who had stayed loyal to Britain throughout the Revolution. In the War of 1812, Canada served as Britain's main staging area, and the U.S.-Canadian border was the war's main front.

Finally, in 1867, nearly one hundred years after our forefathers fought for American independence when they wanted it, Canada was given independence when the Brits were damn good and ready to let them have it. No wonder Claude Lemieux and Jason Bay have recently chosen to become American citizens.

So remember, Canada could have been in on the Great Experiment of a Democratic Republic right from the start. Instead they chose to remain British lap dogs for another hundred years.

Back to baseball. A.J. Burnett goes for the Yanks today. For the fourth straight start he'll oppose an organization to which he once belonged. He's been stellar in the last three, going 2-1, posting 0.44 ERA, and allowing just 20 baserunners in 20.1 IP while holding opponents to a .147 average. I'll take more of that today as the Yanks look to start a new winning streak. In one start against Toronto this year, Burnett gave up 5 ER in seven and two thirds, taking the loss.

Brian Tallet and his sweet stache get the ball for the Jays. He's at 5-5 on the year and has an ERA just below league average (96 ERA+). He took a no decision against the Yanks back on May 14th, allowing just two runs but walking five in six innings of work.

Jorge Posada is out of the lineup for the second straight day with a swollen thumb on his catching hand. The Cisco Kid gets what should be one of his final starts as Jose Molina continues his weekend rehab assignment with Scranton.

Enjoy the game. And why did the American Revolution take so long to complete? Blame Canada!



Blame Canada!
They're not even a real country anyway.