I was all geared up for Andy’s return tonight, but Mother Nature wasn’t. I guess she wants him to pitch during the day when most of us will be working and can’t watch the game. GRRRRRRRR.
I’ll be driving down to L.A. for the early innings so at least I’ll be able to listen to John/Suzyn. But I’ll miss the rest, plus Game 2. I guess I’ll just have to trust that the Yankees will come through without me.
Sadly, they won’t have Yunel Escobar to kick around. The Blue Jays shortstop will be sitting out the series, confined to a dark corner of the dugout while learning that in the real world (as opposed to the Latin baseball world) words have consequences.
Photo: Tom Szczerbowski - Getty Images
Tags: Andy Pettitte, Blue Jays, Yankees, Yunel Escobar
I’m hoping a day game will be a better way for Andy to come back anyway, Jane. Let’s hope so. And I hope while you are listening to the game that Nunez hits a home run so we can find out what Sterling’s call is. The Orioles won last night so its vital that our boys stay on target. GO YANKEES!!!
I agreed with your comment about Escobar but not with your concept of “real world” as opposed to “Latin baseball world”. Our world although different is also real, some years behind, but real. I’m not defending what Escobar did, but being Cuban as I am, I give him the benefit of the doubt and I like to think that it was an act of immaturity, or stupidity if you like, but not homophobia. That being said, from my point of view, the punishment is more than appropriate.
I already know what Sterling’s call for Nunez is, Diane, since he hit one out the other day, remember? It was – wait for it – “Nooney to the Mooney.” Or something like that. Lame, but very Sterling. I figured the Orioles would win last night. Why make it easy on us? Ugh.
I think we’re both saying the same thing in different ways, Raul. Latin baseball is no less real than any other world, but if Latin ballplayers want to co-exist in American baseball/society, then some customs – like the eyeblack “joke” – need to go.
I am not familiar with Latin baseball or its culture altogether, but we have to admit the fact that American people can be sensitive (not to use a term “over reacting”) to many subjects, such as gay rights. If you call it “real”, yes it is in a way but also yes, his action can be rated as being immature and stupid.
Not to take this to a political debate, but my first thought to this was that it was a pretty cool decision to make him to pay $82K to those respectable organizations.
At my level – being stupid sometime and try to make it in this real world in a such selfish way – I don’t mind him sitting out for the series because Yankees really need a sweep. I would welcome any suspensions, injuries, a wife in labor..etc., whatever happens to opponents.
American people can be sensitive to subjects such as gay rights, Chika? While it’s true that we’ve taken political correctness to new levels, I would call slurs against gays as non-negotiable and have no place in our society, immaturity or not. Athletes are role models to kids, which is why MLB and other professional sports organizations, as well as those in many work places, have codes of conduct and why, in this case, there was a fine and suspension.
Oh, no no, I was trying to say was….when I read an article regards to his action somewhere, he said he thought that was “a joke” and didn’t mean to offend anyone. We don’t know what type of language is being around a clubhouse or spoken by professional athletes or men in general (sorry gentlemen out there!) that could offend somebody. So I just second-guessed that in his mind it was somewhat, a joke and might’ve been just OK in the closed door / at a clubhouse level. But he’s being a MLB baseball player, exposed national and global media, of course people react appropriately, which probably in the way he was not expected.
Even myself, a non-American who owns a business where opens a door to general public, “American” people make all kind of offensive comments. Because I am nobody, there won’t be any arrests or fines involved but WHAT IF, those comments were recorded and become available to global media, I am pretty sure there would be some actions to be taken by somebody (I hope), even though I personally would give a crap about it.
People do say things; anywhere between Pearl Harbor and sex, in public to my face. I am sure nobody means to offend me but they do anyway. In matter of the fact, when I was at The Trop many years ago I heard what Yankees fans were saying about (or calling) a former Mariner, Ichiro in his prime. Since I was not a big fan of his so I didn’t pay much attention to it but there were some racial name calling.
It was offensive but it happened yet nobody was asked to leave. Should somebody have needed to call security? Exposed to media? I don’t know.
A mistake I made in a previous post was I used “sensitive”. I apologize for a choice of the word. Gay right isn’t “sensitive” subject, it is the human rights. So is a race issue. So it shouldn’t be just let it go in MLB or anywhere in this world. But do I need to start protests every time people say things to me? No, I don’t think so. If I did, I would call it “over react”ing.
I hope this clears a little bit of confusions. OK now please delete me posts altogether….
Your comments are instructive, Chika, and always welcome, so no need to delete. People will always say dumb things, as with the episodes you mentioned. If you read the “She-Fan” book, you may remember the scene when my husband and I were at a game in Detroit and witnessed some truly awful slurs being directed at a nearby fan – while a security guy sat there doing nothing. The good news is that the Yankees are leading the Blue Jays in the 8th and Pettitte delivered.
…and the better news is…WE WON!!! Thank you, Andy. So glad he went 5 so he could get the win.
Yunel Escobar’s profoundly ignorant display brought back memories of his kindred soul, John Rocker. I expect he had a henchman, too, given how difficult it would be to paint that on ones own face. It would have suited me fine if they had sat him down for the rest of the season. This act brought back very bad memories of the early sixties in America. I thought the wearing of sandwich boards under ones peepers was addressed when Tebow wore offensive messages there back in his college days. The practice needs to be banned in pro sports, too.
Way to go Yankees in the front end of today’s doubleheader. They almost gagged it up after Dandy Andy hit the showers, but held on. We need the evening game, too. The Orioles ain’t going away.
He did everything we could have hoped for, Diane. So happy he got the win.
So true about the O’s, NYL. They’re not going away so we need the win tonight. The shaky pen made the first game nerve wracking. Very relieved the Yanks held on.