They ask me how I could root for them, the Evil Empire as they like to call them here in Boston. ”I won’t hold it against you,” they tell me when they find out I am a Yankees fan, or that my favorite players are not named Ortiz or Youkilis, but rather Jeter and Rodriguez.
“But you live in Boston, how could you be a Yankees fan?” they ask.
“It’s easy,” I tell them. “How could I not? It’s something that I shared with my dad.”
I grew up with the Pinstripes, a passion I inherited from my dad, “Patsy” Perezella, a die-hard Yankees fan. The child of Italian immigrants, my dad had heroes, and their names were DiMaggio, Berra, and Rizzutto, Yankee greats whose backgrounds were similar to his own. Everyone needs a hero, and my dad, like so many others in his neighborhood, had found his on a baseball field in the Bronx.
It’s easy to remember the first time I put on a New York Yankees cap and pledged allegiance to the pinstripes forever. It was the Halloween after the 1977 World Series, and Yankee fever had re-entered the hearts of many a people in southwestern Connecticut, where we called home. It made my dad happy when my friends and I embraced his Yanks and chose to trick-or-treat as our favorite players -- Guidry, Dent and Piniella.
Our shared passion for the Pinstripes continued until his death in 2005, and today, I continue to root for the Pinstripes in his memory.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Pitchers(???) and Catchers Report
Well, it's official -- pitchers and catchers have reported to George M. Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees' Spring Training home.
Unfortunately, for me, like most Yankees fans, with their threadbare pitching staff, they might as well have reported to a Little League field. With just two reliable (we hope) starting pitchers, the remainder of their rotation is a big question mark.
So, after C.C. and Phil Hughes, who is worthy of putting on the Pinstripes?
Let me start with who is getting paid to wear and perform in the Pinstripes. That would be the overly-inked and overpaid A.J. Burnett. He's got at least three years and $55million dolars remaining on his contract.
Last year, however, he went a pathetic 10-15, and should have been forced to donate his inflated salary to the paying fans who had to put up with his horrific performances every fifth day.
Then there are the other four no-name or hads-been pitchers who are competing for the final two spots in the back-end of the rotation.
And speaking of back-end, has anybody seen the enlarged one on Joba Chamberlain?
Unfortunately, for me, like most Yankees fans, with their threadbare pitching staff, they might as well have reported to a Little League field. With just two reliable (we hope) starting pitchers, the remainder of their rotation is a big question mark.
So, after C.C. and Phil Hughes, who is worthy of putting on the Pinstripes?
Let me start with who is getting paid to wear and perform in the Pinstripes. That would be the overly-inked and overpaid A.J. Burnett. He's got at least three years and $55million dolars remaining on his contract.
Last year, however, he went a pathetic 10-15, and should have been forced to donate his inflated salary to the paying fans who had to put up with his horrific performances every fifth day.
Then there are the other four no-name or hads-been pitchers who are competing for the final two spots in the back-end of the rotation.
And speaking of back-end, has anybody seen the enlarged one on Joba Chamberlain?
Hollywood and the Bronx
Geographically far apart, but romantically entwined. Perhaps it was the Yankee Clipper of yesterday, Joltin' Joe Dimaggio, that got it all started, this Hollywood-Bronx connection.
Remember Marilyn Monroe? Of course not, you're probably too young. Well, the Yankees' star centerfielder, Joe D. and the Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe did more than just hook-up; they got married.
And today's Yankee stars seem to be falling in Joe D.'s footsteps.
Look at Alex Rodriguez, also known as public enemy #1 in Boston, and his list of Hollywood A-List conquests.
Let's see, first, he left his wife for Madonna, who at the time was 17 years his senior (can you say "Like a Cougar?"). And when he and the Material Girl were no longer "Celebrating" or on "Holiday," he found love (I think that's what he called it) with the adorable Kate Hudson.
Kate won over the hearts of Yankee fans, as they attributed Arod's stellar post-season play to Kate's presence.
Oh, if only Arod saw it the same way.
Now, he is making headlines with his newest gal-pal, Cameron Diaz. It seems Cam has Arod eating out of her hands, as evidenced by the infamous Super Bowl popcorn shots.
Joining Arod and the Hollywood connection is Nick Swisher, the bubbly Yankee leftfielder, who recently tied the knot with Joanna Garcia, most notably atar of the recent CBS sit-com,"Better with You." Did Nick succumb to Yankee peer pressure?
And where would a discussion about the Yankees be without Derek Jeter? It was he who rekindled the modern-day Hollywood/Bronx connection back in 1996 when his romance with Mariah Carey, the much-married Mariah Carey, made tabloid headlines.
But, fifteen years and many romances later, Jeter is linked with Minka Kelly, of "Friday Night Lights" fame. They were set to tie a knot of their own back in November, but that never happened.
Who will be the next unlikely pair in the Hollywood/Bronx connection? Yogi Berra and Betty White?????
Remember Marilyn Monroe? Of course not, you're probably too young. Well, the Yankees' star centerfielder, Joe D. and the Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe did more than just hook-up; they got married.
And today's Yankee stars seem to be falling in Joe D.'s footsteps.
Look at Alex Rodriguez, also known as public enemy #1 in Boston, and his list of Hollywood A-List conquests.
Let's see, first, he left his wife for Madonna, who at the time was 17 years his senior (can you say "Like a Cougar?"). And when he and the Material Girl were no longer "Celebrating" or on "Holiday," he found love (I think that's what he called it) with the adorable Kate Hudson.
Kate won over the hearts of Yankee fans, as they attributed Arod's stellar post-season play to Kate's presence.
Oh, if only Arod saw it the same way.
Now, he is making headlines with his newest gal-pal, Cameron Diaz. It seems Cam has Arod eating out of her hands, as evidenced by the infamous Super Bowl popcorn shots.
Joining Arod and the Hollywood connection is Nick Swisher, the bubbly Yankee leftfielder, who recently tied the knot with Joanna Garcia, most notably atar of the recent CBS sit-com,"Better with You." Did Nick succumb to Yankee peer pressure?
And where would a discussion about the Yankees be without Derek Jeter? It was he who rekindled the modern-day Hollywood/Bronx connection back in 1996 when his romance with Mariah Carey, the much-married Mariah Carey, made tabloid headlines.
But, fifteen years and many romances later, Jeter is linked with Minka Kelly, of "Friday Night Lights" fame. They were set to tie a knot of their own back in November, but that never happened.
Who will be the next unlikely pair in the Hollywood/Bronx connection? Yogi Berra and Betty White?????
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
So Long, Dandy Andy
There is something about putting words down on paper, they just seem so much more real. Saying them is one thing, writing them is a whole different ballgame.
And it has taken me five days to work up the courage to write these words: Andy Pettite is retiring.
There, I wrote it. It was as bad as I thought it would be.
Andy Pettite announced last week that he was retiring from pitching, from the New York Ysnkees, and from baseball. During his Thursday press conference, which was held at Yankee Stadium, this 16-year veteran pitcher, announced his retirement and his reasons for hanging up his cleats at just 38 years old. Even young by baseball standards.
He wants to see his kids grow, he has already missed too much of it already. Ghats understandable. And although he is perfectly healthy and his arm feels great, he doesn't feel that his heart is in the gane anymore.
In this era of overpaid and spoiled athletes, it is refreshing to find one that doesn't stuck around for the money.
And Pettite is a rarity. And he is retiring.
And it has taken me five days to work up the courage to write these words: Andy Pettite is retiring.
There, I wrote it. It was as bad as I thought it would be.
Andy Pettite announced last week that he was retiring from pitching, from the New York Ysnkees, and from baseball. During his Thursday press conference, which was held at Yankee Stadium, this 16-year veteran pitcher, announced his retirement and his reasons for hanging up his cleats at just 38 years old. Even young by baseball standards.
He wants to see his kids grow, he has already missed too much of it already. Ghats understandable. And although he is perfectly healthy and his arm feels great, he doesn't feel that his heart is in the gane anymore.
In this era of overpaid and spoiled athletes, it is refreshing to find one that doesn't stuck around for the money.
And Pettite is a rarity. And he is retiring.
Super-duper Bowl? No, thanks.
Yesterday was Media Day in Dallas or Arlington or wherever Jerry Jones built his Mc-Stadium. The host of Super Bowl number something-or-another, the folks of the Lone Star State came out in a big Texas way to welcome the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers to Cowboy Country. Unfortunately, hearing Ben Ruthless-burger tell the media how he found the Lord (after two attempted rape accusations) did nothing for this baseball fan.
You see, the hype in the sports world may be the big event that's happening on February 6th, but for me, February 15th is the date that's double-circled in bold red marker on my calendar.
Yes, in just thirteen more days, pitchers and catchers report. To Spring Training, of course!
Could there be anything more exciting???
You see, the hype in the sports world may be the big event that's happening on February 6th, but for me, February 15th is the date that's double-circled in bold red marker on my calendar.
Yes, in just thirteen more days, pitchers and catchers report. To Spring Training, of course!
Could there be anything more exciting???
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