Monday, October 30, 2006
For the sake of posterity:
Goat Cheese and Scallion Ravioli with Black Olive Pesto and Sun-dried
Tomato Butter
Roasted Mushroom Soup
Laphroaig Smoked Salmon on Mixed Greens
Strawberry Rhubarb Ice
Sauerbraten
Red Cabbage with Apples
Straw Potato Cake with Caramelized Balsamic Onions
Peanut Butter Shortbread with Peanut Butter Ice Cream and Peanut Crunch.
Jim, could you supply the wine list?
Goat Cheese and Scallion Ravioli with Black Olive Pesto and Sun-dried
Tomato Butter
Roasted Mushroom Soup
Laphroaig Smoked Salmon on Mixed Greens
Strawberry Rhubarb Ice
Sauerbraten
Red Cabbage with Apples
Straw Potato Cake with Caramelized Balsamic Onions
Peanut Butter Shortbread with Peanut Butter Ice Cream and Peanut Crunch.
Jim, could you supply the wine list?
Friday, October 20, 2006
Well, I have the consolation of an exciting series and a terrific Game Seven. Someone wrote into Bill Simmons' ESPN column with a terrific analyisis of the Yankees that I think is also applicable to the Mets:
"In 1996-2000, it wasn't just that they had great chemistry (which they did), they didn't have nearly as much offensive talent so they were forced to play true October baseball. The current Yankee lineup isn't built for the postseason. You just can't rely on three-run homers with the great pitching in the playoffs, while you can in much of the regular season (especially playing Tampa and Baltimore 38 times). With a great set of contact hitters and speed guys --Damon, Jeter, Abreu, Melky, Cano -- this team should be hit-and-running, stealing at every opportunity, taking extra bases, bunting, etc. However, with power hitters like Sheffield and A-Rod clogging up the end of the lineup (such as Game 4, when A-Rod hit eighth), they can't. There is actually TOO MUCH talent. Are you honestly going to bunt with runners on first and second and no one out with the 25-million-dollar man up? Of course not. But if former eighth-place-hitter Scott Brosius is up, it's a no-brainer. So it's not just their lack of chemistry but the fact that playoff teams thrive off role players. Even if you take a loaded team like the Mets, they still have guys like Endy Chavez, Jose Valentin and Paul Lo Duca. Baseball front offices, regardless of the payroll, should build their teams like baseball teams, not fantasy baseball teams."
I think the real bottom line for both New York teams is that their pitching broke down. It broke down because they are all old-- nobody wants to take a chance on young pitching, but in the end that's what gets you through. That's why I like the Tigers to close the deal in the Series.
"In 1996-2000, it wasn't just that they had great chemistry (which they did), they didn't have nearly as much offensive talent so they were forced to play true October baseball. The current Yankee lineup isn't built for the postseason. You just can't rely on three-run homers with the great pitching in the playoffs, while you can in much of the regular season (especially playing Tampa and Baltimore 38 times). With a great set of contact hitters and speed guys --Damon, Jeter, Abreu, Melky, Cano -- this team should be hit-and-running, stealing at every opportunity, taking extra bases, bunting, etc. However, with power hitters like Sheffield and A-Rod clogging up the end of the lineup (such as Game 4, when A-Rod hit eighth), they can't. There is actually TOO MUCH talent. Are you honestly going to bunt with runners on first and second and no one out with the 25-million-dollar man up? Of course not. But if former eighth-place-hitter Scott Brosius is up, it's a no-brainer. So it's not just their lack of chemistry but the fact that playoff teams thrive off role players. Even if you take a loaded team like the Mets, they still have guys like Endy Chavez, Jose Valentin and Paul Lo Duca. Baseball front offices, regardless of the payroll, should build their teams like baseball teams, not fantasy baseball teams."
I think the real bottom line for both New York teams is that their pitching broke down. It broke down because they are all old-- nobody wants to take a chance on young pitching, but in the end that's what gets you through. That's why I like the Tigers to close the deal in the Series.
Monday, October 09, 2006
On the one hand, Joe Torre took a $200 million dollar team to the playoffs. On the other hand, he took a team ravaged by injury to the playoffs. I reckoned the Yanks were done in July, but they came roaring back and played dominating baseball in the second half. Was this Torre's best managed season? I think there is a pretty good argument, even though you have to like Jim Leyland for Manager of the Year.
What would Lou Pinella bring that Torre hasn't shown? Unless Sweet Lou has a pocket full of starting pitching, I don't see that he adds anything-- and I love Pinella.
People talk about the Yankees like it's all payroll, but it's trickier than that. There are a lot of pieces on this team that don't fit, and the result is that the pitching suffers. A-Rod is exhibit A in the minds of many, but I think that's unfair. Perhaps he under-achieved this season, but if so, it was only by the crazy standard he's set for himself. Honest, is there another third baseman in the league you'd prefer? I really don't think there is-- Rodreguez may be a whiner, but he's no Ed Whitson. The pressures of performing in New York have produced an MVP season. This year he hit .290, scored 113 runs, knocked 35 dingers, and produced 121 RBIs. That's pretty respectable, and I for one would hate to see those numbers coming from a third baseman in a Red Sox uniform.
The guy I can't understand is Jason Giambi. How exactly has he become such a press pet. He wears a size 18 hat from the BALCO plan he followed, and batted 253 while producing only two more home runs and the same exact number of RBIs as Rodreguez. He looks like shit in the Yankee uniform-- seriously, he looks like he slept in it. And he is a defensive liability. Explain to me how this guy is in Sports Illustrated explaining how to get along better to anybody.
Gary Shefield, you were great. Maybe the San Francisco Giants are interested. Randy Johnson? Hall of Fame ugly isn't getting it done. Thanks for the memories. Johnny Damon was a pleasant surprise, but he's not value for the money, either. It is tempting to look down the Yankees' batting order and say, as I heard Joe Mogan say, that it is the greatest of all time, but that's only true if you look at it through the lens of past accomplishments. Damon's 2004, Giambi's 2000, Bernie Williams 1998, Matsui last year.... It was a good line-up, even so, but there wasn't the starting pitching necessary to get by the Tigers, and when you can't beat Kenny Rogers, you deserve to lose.
What would Lou Pinella bring that Torre hasn't shown? Unless Sweet Lou has a pocket full of starting pitching, I don't see that he adds anything-- and I love Pinella.
People talk about the Yankees like it's all payroll, but it's trickier than that. There are a lot of pieces on this team that don't fit, and the result is that the pitching suffers. A-Rod is exhibit A in the minds of many, but I think that's unfair. Perhaps he under-achieved this season, but if so, it was only by the crazy standard he's set for himself. Honest, is there another third baseman in the league you'd prefer? I really don't think there is-- Rodreguez may be a whiner, but he's no Ed Whitson. The pressures of performing in New York have produced an MVP season. This year he hit .290, scored 113 runs, knocked 35 dingers, and produced 121 RBIs. That's pretty respectable, and I for one would hate to see those numbers coming from a third baseman in a Red Sox uniform.
The guy I can't understand is Jason Giambi. How exactly has he become such a press pet. He wears a size 18 hat from the BALCO plan he followed, and batted 253 while producing only two more home runs and the same exact number of RBIs as Rodreguez. He looks like shit in the Yankee uniform-- seriously, he looks like he slept in it. And he is a defensive liability. Explain to me how this guy is in Sports Illustrated explaining how to get along better to anybody.
Gary Shefield, you were great. Maybe the San Francisco Giants are interested. Randy Johnson? Hall of Fame ugly isn't getting it done. Thanks for the memories. Johnny Damon was a pleasant surprise, but he's not value for the money, either. It is tempting to look down the Yankees' batting order and say, as I heard Joe Mogan say, that it is the greatest of all time, but that's only true if you look at it through the lens of past accomplishments. Damon's 2004, Giambi's 2000, Bernie Williams 1998, Matsui last year.... It was a good line-up, even so, but there wasn't the starting pitching necessary to get by the Tigers, and when you can't beat Kenny Rogers, you deserve to lose.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
"My favorite word in English is 'youneverknow.'" In honor of the playoffs, Quotations From Joaquin Andujar
