MLB Playoffs

The Yankees toyed with the Tigers much like Roger Federer toys with those third-round saps when he decides to go an entire set using just backhands and wins the set 6-3. They didn't run the Tigers out of the building but they were never seriously threatened.

 

Still better than listening to Joe Morgan call the game as if both teams were playing the '75-76 Reds, and losing by 4 touchdowns. Much better than Chris "Ethel" Berman bellowing about something.

 

While I do agree that it is a bit much, the Yankees do this every game. This isn't some playoff game decision. The Cubs have some guest sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame and the Yankees use God Bless America.

And, every playoff game, they do trot out Ronen Tynan. By the time he finishes singing, my arm feels tired and all I've done is lift a beer to my mouth.

 

That's DOCTOR Tynan - at least according to Bob Sheppard - to you.

During the year, the Yankees usually play a recording of Kate Smith.

 

The Orioles play John Denver's "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" WTF does that have to do with Baltimore. They ought to play the theme to "The Wire"

 

They've been playing "Country Boy" for a good decade or two in Bal'mer (probably about as long as the Cubs have been making "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" a big deal.) ...

There's all sorts of traditions during each game for different teams (for instance, the BoSox's "Sweet Caroline". Most of them don't make much sense, but they're fun and don't add any time between innings, just something to play during warmups.

"God Bless America" does not. It is a time-consumer, especially the way the Yankees use Tynen in the playoffs. Everybody jokes about the Yankees doing it long to make an opposing pitcher sit for a while before the 7th inning, but there's some truth to that.

Anyway ...

 

My memory may be failing me, but I could have sworn that John Denver had some memorable performance at an Orioles game (probably before an Orioles game), and died shortly thereafter, nine years ago.... and the song stuck.

Of course, I may have dreamed that up.

 

I'm not convinced that Sutcliffe won't come down to the clubhouse after the game and kick Milton Bradley's ass on general principle.

Spilling coffee on your starting pitcher, and then not apologizing for it? And then yelling at your coach for calling you out on it?

Bradley's a cancer.

 

Please don't defame cancer.

 

Mark Kotsay - 2-run inside-the-park-HR.

Nice.

 

Mr. Heart-and-Soul of the Twins plays a single into an inside-the-park homer.

 

The Orioles have been playing that Denver song as far back as 1979-1980.