I was told there wouldn't be another until 2017. Well, today is that day. I've waited 38 1/2 years for it. As I type this, it's still pretty bright out there.
For the Sun. Not for the Yankees.
UPDATE: It only got a little darker, and I never saw much of an eclipse. See you on April 8, 2024.
I've waited 8 years for the Yankees to win another World Series, or even another Pennant. They seem further away from it than ever after dropping 5 out of 7 against the Red Sox.
The 4-game sweep of the Mets mixed in was nice, but it didn't make a difference in the standings. The Yankees are now 5 games out of 1st place, both regularly and in the all-important loss column, with 39 games to play.
I tend to use the following guideline to judge if a team is still in the race: It is reasonable to expect a team to be able to gain 1 game per week, so if there are more weeks remaining than you have games that you're behind, you have a chance.
The Yankees trail by 5, with 6 weeks to go.
The threshold has almost been met.
The Yankees still have a very good chance of getting one of the American League's 2 Wild Card berths, but who's kidding who? Do you trust Joe Girardi to get the lineup or the pitchers right in a win-or-go-home game? If you do, then you're dumb enough to still support Trump after the Nazi and Confederate stuff of the last couple of weeks.
And now, having embarrassed themselves in Boston, the Yankees get punished. I'm reminded of an old Nike commercial, where a large, bearded, rather overweight black man (who I didn't recognize then, and I don't think I ever learned his name) was dispensing wisdom to young basketball players as if he were a sensei, and one said, "But master, what if we behave badly?" And the "master" said, "You go to Detroit."
Today is a travel day for the Yankees. They go to Detroit.
And ever since Comerica Park opened in 2000, they've had trouble winning there.
Oh well, at least they're still getting paid. Unlike the Secret Service. Trump managed to bankrupt them, and he isn't even the one running their business!
Anyway, barring a miracle in Game 163 -- in which the Yankees still have to clinch a spot, mind you -- this will be the 5th consecutive season in which the Yankees will not be in the American League Division Series, the 6th in which they won't win a game in the AL Championship Series, and the 8th in which they won't win the Pennant. And it will be the 16th in the last 17 years that they won't win the World Series.
The 2009 title has become what I feared the 1996 title would become: A small blip on the radar screen that broke up a long down period.
And there is absolutely no reason to hope that things will turn around next year. Don't tell me about "prospects." I've been through this before.
Do you recall Steve Balboni's long home run in Game 1 of the 1985 World Series? Do you recall Hensley Meulens' walkoff single in Game 6 in 1986? Do you recall Jim Deshaies' no-hitter in Game 5 in 1987? Do you recall the 3 home runs that Dan Pasqua hit in Game 5 in 1988, or the walkoff that Kevin Maas hit in Game 6 in 1991? How about Clay Parker's stunning 18-strikeout performance in Game 3 in 1992?
You don't remember any of that? That's because none of it happened. Because all those "can't-miss" prospects missed.
Actually, Steve Balboni did play in the 1985 World Series -- for the Kansas City Royals, because the Yankees gave up on him. He got a ring, but he was hardly a major reason why the Royals won that Series. And there was a walkoff in Game 6 in 1986, and it was by a New York player in New York, but it was Mookie Wilson of the Mets, and since it went through Bill Buckner's legs, it was ruled an error. And there was a walkoff home run to win Game 6 in 1991, but it was by Kirby Puckett of the Minnesota Twins.
None of which did the Yankees any good.
And now, I'm told to expect that Clint Frazier will be great. After a torrid start, he has fallen apart, making the Aaron Judge of August look like the Aaron Judge of June by comparison. Clearly, he is not ready for the major leagues.
Gleyber Torres? I will bet you a million dollars right now that he will never play in a postseason game for the Yankees. After his injury, he may never even play a regular-season game for the Yankees. (UPDATE: Good thing nobody took that bet.)
All those other guys that Brian Cashman threw last season's shot away for? Don't make me laugh. None of those guys will be helping the Yankees anytime soon. We're talking 2019 at the earliest, if at all. My money's on "Not at all," because that's the way it works out.
In the 1990s, we were told to expect big things from Williams and Rivera, that they couldn't miss.
Gerald Williams. And Ruben Rivera. They both missed by light-years.
Bernie Williams and Mariano Rivera? They hardly had any hype at all, and yet they were the ones who became legends. Derek Jeter? He was the top draft pick in 1992, but even as late as Spring Training 1996, no one was expecting him to be a contributor soon. Andy Pettitte? Jorge Posada? The Yankees were hopeful about those guys, but no one was predicting Monument Park Plaques.
Paul O'Neill, Tino Martinez, Scott Brosius, Jimmy Key, David Wells? All obtained via trades. Orlando Hernandez? The Yankees were his 1st major league team, but it's not like the Yankee farm system produced him.
Experience teaches us that, if there are future Yankee Legends currently in the farm system, chances are, they aren't the ones currently being hyped to no end. At this time last year, who was saying that Aaron Judge or Gary Sanchez would become a star? Not Cashman, nor his media accomplices, nor the Twitiots.
So another season goes down the drain. Why? Because we have a field manager who can neither pick a lineup nor run a pitching staff, and because we have a general manager who can't predict which players will be big and which won't.
The Yankees are in, at the very least, partial eclipse. The only thing we can brag about is that we're obviously better than the Mets.
And while that remains the minimum requirement, it is no longer enough.
Can someone tell me why Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman still have jobs?
*
Days until the Red Bulls play again: 4, on Friday night at 7:00, home to New York City FC, a Hudson River Derby at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey. They must win, not just for pride, but for Playoff position.
Days until the Red Bulls next play a "derby": See the previous answer. They will next play the Philadelphia Union on Sunday, September 17, at at Red Bull Arena. They will next play the D.C. Scum on Saturday, September 27, at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey. They are not scheduled to play the New England Revolution again this season. The Red Bulls might make the Playoffs, but the Revs probably won't, so they almost certainly won't face each other again until next season.
Days until The Arsenal play again: 6, on Sunday, 11:00 AM our time, away to Liverpool. They won their Premier League season opener, home to Leicester City -- barely, 4-3 on a very late goal by Olivier Giroud. But this past Saturday, referee Andre Marriner denied them 4 obvious penalties -- 2 handballs and 2 muggings in the 6-yard box -- and had an obviously onside goal ruled offside, and Petr Cech allowed a goal that my 70-year-old arthritic mother could have stopped, and they lost 1-0 to Staffordshire thugs Stoke City. The "Wenger Out" idiots are in full voice. At least Laurent Koscielny returns from suspension to stabilize the defense.
Days until the U.S. national soccer team plays again: 11, a week from this Friday night, against Costa Rica, at Red Bull Arena, in a CONCACAF World Cup Qualifier. We beat Jamaica to win the CONCACAF Gold Cup, our 6th international tournament win, all within the last 26 years. (For context: England, whose fans talk about how they're better than any CONCACAF team, mainly because they invented the game and won the World Cup in 1966, haven't been to a Final in 51 years, or even a Semifinal in 21 years.)
Days until the next Yankees-Red Sox series: 11, a week from this Friday night, at Yankee Stadium.
Days until Rutgers University plays football again: 11, a week from this Friday night, home to the University of Washington. So here's the starting times for Friday, September 1: 6:30 PM, U.S. vs. Costa Rica in soccer; 7:00 PM, Yankees vs. Red Sox; 8:00 PM, Rutgers vs. Washington.
Days until East Brunswick High School plays football again: 18, on Friday night, September 8, home to Sayreville, a "derby."
Days until the U.S. Open Cup Final: 30, on Wednesday, September 20. The Red Bulls face Sporting Kansas City at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. This is Metro's 2nd trip to the Final of the American equivalent of the FA Cup, and if they win, it will be the biggest moment in franchise history -- if they win, and, if so, until they win their 1st MLS Cup.
Days until the New Jersey Devils play again: 48, on Saturday night, October 7, home to the Colorado Avalanche. Under 2 months.
Days until the New Jersey Devils next play a local rival: 55, on Saturday night, October 14, against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden in Midtown Manhattan. Their 1st game against the New York Islanders will be on Sunday, January 7, 2018, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn -- and they'll have played the Rangers 3 times by then. Their 1st game against the Philadelphia Flyers will be on Saturday, January 13, 2018, at the Prudential Center in Newark -- and they'll have played the Rangers 3 times and the Islanders once by then. This is a weird schedule. But at least we have it. The NBA usually doesn't release its new season's schedule until August.
Days until the Alex Rodriguez Contract From Hell officially runs out, and the Yankees can spend his salary on new players: 72, on October 31. Just 10 weeks.
Days until the next election for Governor of New Jersey: 79, on Tuesday, November 7. A little over 11 weeks until we elect Phil Murphy, defeat Kim Guadagno, end Christieism forever, and send the Republicans and their illegitimate leader Donald Trump a message that their time has come and gone. But only if you vote!
Days until the next Rutgers-Penn State football game: 83, on Saturday, November 11, at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania.
Days until the next North London Derby: 90, on Saturday, November 18, at the Emirates Stadium. This game could be moved to the following day, for TV purposes.
Days until the next East Brunswick-Old Bridge Thanksgiving high school football game: 95, on Thursday, November 23, at 10:00 AM. A little over 3 months, and thank God it's at home, at Jay Doyle's Green Grove, rather than at that purple shit pit on Route 9.
Days until the next Winter Olympics begins in Pyeongchang, Korea: 174, on February 9, 2018. Under 6 months.
Days until the next World Cup kicks off in Russia: 297, on June 14, 2018. A little under 10 months. Has Bruce Arena turned our chances around? Maybe. Or maybe, with the tournament on his soil, Vladimir Putin will tell his bitch Donald Trump to tell Bruce Arena to tank the games. Maybe not. Or maybe only if we end up playing Russia. I don't think Arena will listen. If he doesn't, I hope his life insurance is paid up, because Putin has had people killed for defying him.
Days until September 2018 roster call-ups, when we can finally start to expect seeing most of these wonderful "prospects" for whom Yankee general manager Brian Cashman threw away a chance at the 2016 Playoffs: 374. A little over a year, or a little over 12 months. Of course, Clint Frazier is already up, but the bubble has already burst, and we've hardly benefited enough to offset the cost of Andrew Miller. We could end up seeing another of them sooner than that, but since most of them are at Double-A Trenton now, if that, who's kidding who?
Days until the next Congressional election: 442, on November 6, 2018. Under a year and a half, or a little under 15 months.
Days until the Baseball Hall of Fame vote is announced, electing Mariano Rivera: 506, on January 9, 2019. A little under a year and a half, or a little under 16 months.
Days until the Baseball Hall of Fame vote is announced, electing Derek Jeter: 871, on January 8, 2020. A little under 2 1/2 years, or a little under 28 months.
Days until the next Summer Olympics begins in Tokyo, Japan: 1,076, on July 24, 2020. A little under 3 years, or a little over 35 months.
Days until the next Presidential election: 1,538, on November 3, 2020. Under 3 1/2 years, or under 39 months.
Days until Liberation Day: 1,616, at noon on January 20, 2021. A little under 3 1/2 years, or a little under 41 months. Note that this is liberation from the Republican Party, not just from Donald Trump. Having Mike Pence as President wouldn't be better, just differently bad, mixing theocracy with plutocracy, rather than mixing kleptocracy with plutocracy.
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