My Fave 5

My Fave 5



This idea is pawned off from the “Sir” Charles Barkley and Dwayne Wade commercials for T-mobile. The idea really started with the movie High Fidelity. Many people, including myself have a hard time in letting someone know with absolute certainty that they are in love with Pastor Tacos and could go about every day of their lives eating said tacos, or their favorite beer and so on. The character in the movie had this same predicament and I usually find myself in the same boat. So, as I see fit, perhaps once a week, I will throw out my “fave 5”. Ideas for future Fave 5’s are more than welcome, in fact they are encouraged. Ideas that have crossed my mind are as follows; Favorite Beers, Favorite Movies, Favorite Websites and Favorite Foods that make me fart… You get the idea.


Since I’ve been on quite the baseball kick in the month of April I will continue the trend with my Favorite Baseball Players.


1.) Donald Arthur Mattingly a.k.a Donnie Baseball, The Hitman, The Captain: I have been a Don Mattingly Fan as long as I can remember. When I was a kid watching those telecasts and even when I was lucky enough to go to the stadium, where they were lucky to get 25,000 fans into the stadium. You knew that Mattingly was out there giving it his all. He played the game the right way and was everything a Yankee is supposed to be. In his only post season appearance in 1995, he left everything he possibly could on the field with this line .414/.440/.770 1 Hr 6 RBI. When he hung up the spikes and had to call it quits due to injury it was a sad day for me. I pine for him to be the next Yankee manager and hope he can get his much deserved ring while wearing the pinstripes. If I had a vote for the hall of fame you’d surely get my vote!


2.) Cal Ripken Jr.: Another player that seems to be cut from the same cloth as the Hitman. I was lucky enough to meet Cal Ripken at Joe’s Stone Crab (Keep this in mind for my favorite restaurants) in Miami. I was about 12 years old and he seemed like a giant to me. He was a gentleman and obliged a young baseball fan by signing a menu for me. I don’t know a single person that was rooting against him to break Lou Gehrig’s record. Athletes like Cal come by once every generation. I’ll be lucky enough to say I met him.

3.) Derek Sanderson Jeter: Perhaps you’re seeing a trend here. I couldn’t ask for a better player to follow in the footsteps of Mattingly to be the next Yankee Captain. Derek has always been in the limelight since he stepped onto the big stage in 1996 as rookie. To maintain the level of respect he’s garnered in the media and sports capital of the world speaks volumes of the man he is. Everyone speaks of his relationships with models, actresses’ and so on. All the more to him, if I were Derek Jeter I would be doing the same thing. The fact that he is able to keep out of the back pages of the NY Post while A-Rod seems to have a new story every 2 months really shows you how focused and awesome Derek really is. Not to mention as a kid I grew up wearing the number two playing shortstop for my little league teams on up through high school. I also attended both games in which Jeter dove into the stands. The playoff game against Oakland was probably the loudest I have ever heard it in the Stadium. I’ve been to a lot of playoff games in my time but nothing compared to the intensity of the crowd in this moment.

4.) Paul O’Neill: This guy was a straight up gamer, there wasn’t an at bat that he didn’t take seriously. Anyone who wasn’t a Yankees fan thought of him as a primidona who was only concerned with smashing water coolers and making a stink on the field when things didn’t go his way. After reading Buster Olney’s book the Last night of the Yankee Dynasty it really gave me a better view into the man that Paul O’Neill is. He’s the guy everyone hates but secretly wants on their team. That’s exactly how I feel about Kevin Youkilis but he’ll never make it to this list. He will always be remembered as one of the Yankee greats and was a key part of that dynasty I grew up with. My one lasting memory of Paulie would be that incredible catch he made in game 3 against Atlanta in the 7th inning on a bad knee. He is the Warrior.

5.) Wade Boggs: Not necessarily because he stuck it to the sox by going to the Yankees and winning that World Series in 96’ and gloating like a 7 year old on that stupid horse. It’s because this guy could straight up hit. I’ve went to games where he would have a 10 minute at bat, fouling off 25-30 pitches until he found the one he liked and would slap it into right for a single. There are also the rumor’s that he could drink with the best of them. If I can find the link I will surely post it. Rumors have it he was known to polish off 64 beers on a cross country flight without looking the slightest bit intoxicated. On a side note, I’ve actually heard many stories that a lot of ballplayers actually play better when hung over. If this is actually true we’ll never know. Hey, maybe Sports Science can do a show on this myth? Wade also was notorious for being a habitual creature by eating his chicken at a certain hour every day before a ball game. Baseball players, of all professional athletes are extreme creatures of habit. He is the only player in major league history to have his 3,000 hit come via a home run.




5a.) Rickey Henderson: Ricky is quite the opposite of Donnie Baseball but they did play together early on his Mattingly’s career. You have to love a person who talks about himself in the 3rd person. In fact Rickey was an important reason why Mattingly won the MVP in 85’. Who do you think was setting the table for all of those 145 RBI’s Mattingly had? It was always exciting to see Rickey play. Making those flashy catches in the outfield, stealing bases at rates that were unheard of and most importantly for “Rickey being Rickey”. He is one of the most ostentatious athletes I know, and his time was before the primidona WR’s of the NFL came to be. In fact I will display some choice quotes from Rickey for your viewing pleasure.


"“This is Rickey calling on behalf of Rickey. Rickey wants to play baseball.”


In the early 1980s, the Oakland A’s accounting department was freaking out. The books were off $1 million. After an investigation, it was determined Rickey was the reason why. The GM asked him about a $1 million bonus he had received and Rickey said instead of cashing it, he framed it and hung it on a wall at his house.


Check out that link for the rest of Rickey being Rickey


Well folks that’s all for this installment of my fave 5 even though it turned into a fave 6, hope you enjoyed it!

Golfing

Monday I hit the Links at Unionvale and shot a respectable 86 from the back tees. Mind you, the greens were in horrible shape as they were being aerated. I really feel that if you play golf on a course that has aerated greens you should receive a 20% discount. You spend approximately 1/3-1/2 of your shots on the green so it makes sense you should receive a discount for the poor conditions that exist.

Tuesday I made it to Casperkill for another beautiful day on the course. I plodded around the front 9 with a 46 and played much better on the back for a 42. My score didn't show it on the back but I definitely played better. All in all these are good indicators to a successful season. I do need more consistency out of my iron play, I've been playing with a relatively new set of irons and have problems figuring out my distances.

If you haven't checked out this site yet, you should. It's called oobgolf.com and for me it allows me to track my handicap and have a detailed guide of my rounds. (i.e how many fairways i hit, where did i miss, GIR, putts, and various other stats). Right now my handicap is a 10.4. Pretty respectable if I do say so myself.

Sports Figures I Cant Stand

CANTSTANDYA!
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Jonathan Papelbon: He actually does garner my #1 most hated of all athletes as his douchebag like demeanor on the mound evokes the feelings portrayed in Fight Club where Edward Norton decimates Jared Leto’s face. Add to the fire his comments about closing the all star game at Yankee Stadium over Mo and dancing like a jackass on the field in compression shorts and goggles. He’s number one for sure. If I could beat that smug look off your face I would die a happy man.

 

Tom Brady: His chiseled jaw and golden arm are not going to leave him off this list. Add to the fact that he’s a deciple of Bill Belicheck and he only gets worse. When you have one of the best offensive lines in all of football along with an airtight defense of course you’re going to win 3 super bowls. I could not have been happier when in the span of two games Eli Manning out Manning’s his brother to beat Brady for a super bowl and then in the next game goes down for the season against the lowly Chiefs. Tom, just retire now before you turn into Troy Aikman and enjoy time spent with a wife who makes more than you.

 

Jason Varitek: Generally everyone named Jason is pretty freakin awesome but there are always exceptions to the rule. He’s the heart and soul of the Red Sox and that ridiculous ESPN generated Red Sox Nation. He led the fracas in the 2004 between A-rod and himself at Fenway and will always be considered a douche for wearing that C on his jersey. Note that our captains don’t need any recognition on their uniforms. Everyone knows who the captain is, this isn’t hockey is it?

 

Bill Belicheck:  I hate watching him in his cut off sweatshirts sulk along the sidelines. He has not made many friends during his tenure as a coach and continues to be one of the most hated coaches in all of sports. We understand you have your own coaching tree of deciples now but come on now Bill cheer up! Loves to trade down in the draft and make something out of nothing.


Red Sox Nation: An ESPN manifestation where all sorts of fans seemed to come out of the woodwork after their 2004 WS victory. I understand New England is a large portion of the Northeast but they don’t deserve their own "nation". This I blame solely on the media and cancer like growth it took in the earlier part of this decade. I get it, you guys won two world series in the past 5 years but get over yourself, you’re not bigger than baseball. Add to this the evil empire moniker that Larry Luchino gave to the Yankees and I’m all but done with this.

 

Jack “Blackjack” McDowell: Here’s someone you probably did not expect. He is a the schmuck who gave up the hit to Edgar Martinez in relief in game 7 of the 1995 ALDS. All but killing any dream of Mattingly winning a World Series as a player. In the same season he also flipped off the crowd while being booed off the mound during a game. Blackjack is now some crappy country singer, if you see him give him a punch in the stomach and say it was from me. Thanks, he’ll understand.

Kevin Youkilis: I really do like the way he plays baseball, but the fact that he plays that brand of baseball for the most hated team in all of sports automatically deems him unfit to root for. He is to the Red Sox what Paul O’Neill was to the Yanks. He’s a cocky S.O.B with a stupid looking facial hair arrangement.

 

Dustin Pedroia: See Youkilis. A nasty Napolean complex and an unwarranted MVP winner in 08’. He also looks like a rat.

Trot Nixon: If for any reason just because his name is Trot. 

Carl Pavano: One of the biggest wastes of money ever to wear pinstripes. This speaks volumes due to the number of large contracts the Yankees have thrown around. He’s one of the most fragile overrated pitchers of all time. He’s the reason why contract’s shouldn’t be guaranteed in baseball. 

 

Any coach for the Dolphins after Don Shula: Except for the current Parcell’s regime these coaches have managed to turn one of the greatest franchises of all time into a laughing stock of the NFL. (See Wandstedt, Jimmy Johnson, Nick Saban, Cam Cameron and interim coachJim Bates). Horrible drafts and poor coaching has left me hoping that Sparano is the next Shula.

 

This list is sure to grow so stay tuned..

-JB

Poor Showing

Based on this weekend's events, I’m ready to unload a can of whoop-ass. (See Stone Cold Steve Austin)

 

The Yanks got swept in a 3 game set in Boston and hopefully this isn’t the straw that breaks the camels back. Mariano blew an uncharacteristic save in game 1. Even worse, in game 2 we blew a 6 run lead to lose in a slaughterhouse game 16-11. I think I’m more upset with the fact that we blew a 6 run lead than the fact that Mariano gave up a home run in the bottom of the ninth. Now it’s time to reflect.


Friday: Our offense once again was left bewildered as we went 4-16 with RISP. That simply cannot be the case all season if we want to win games this year. Successful teams of the past were able to capitalize with key hits and add those much needed insurance runs. Case in point, bases loaded in the top of the ninth with a 2 run lead and nobody out with Cano up at the dish. In this situation if you don’t score at least one run it is considered a major failure. Francona made a great managerial move by playing the infield in to cut the run off at home and Cano hits a hard ground ball to Pedroia for a 4-2-3 DP. The next batter flies out to end the inning and so continues the story of the Yankees ineptitude to hit with runners in scoring position.


Mariano looked good he just left a cutter in the middle of the plate against one of Boston’s best hitters in Jason Bay. (I have no idea how Mike Lowell leads the AL in RBI and how Jason Bay is batting 6th in the lineup. Seriously, JD Drew in the 5 spot?). Mariano also left the mistake to the biggest part of the ballpark where Bay barely made it over that corner where the monster meets CF. Once the Yankees couldn’t score in the top of the 9th I knew it was all over. What was once our strength last year has become an absolute mess. Our bullpen is horrendous; Marte is a bum and is likely to spontaneously combust any day now. How does that trade look now?  We’re going to get nothing out of Nady and Marte is signed on for another 2 more years.


Saturday: On a fantasy baseball note I have Beckett on both teams as well as Burnett on one of them. I benched Beckett on both and started A.J. I thought I was a genius after 4 innings. Beckett was near 80 pitches and had given up 6 runs while Burnett was cruising. Burnett then did everything in his power to shit the bed. The vital at bat was where A.J threw 3 straight curve balls to J.D Drew eventually walking him to put runners on 1st and 2nd. Later in the inning Jason Varitek, one of the most hated players in all of sports, deposits a first pitch fast ball into RF for a Grand Slam. On a side note, all of his RBI’s have come via the HR this season. 


At this point I’m pretty livid but reassure myself that we still have a 6-5 lead. Around this point Joe Buck and his mentally bankrupt partner in crime Tim McCarver announce that the Yankees have not blown a 6 run lead to the Red Sox since the 70’s. Next inning A.J’s first batter is Elsbury who ties the game up at 6’s.


This is when I really start to throw back the tall boy’s. Now generally I’m not one to really drink that hard during Yankee games, especially against the sox due to the fact that I usually end up getting way too drunk/way too angry and objects are thrown across the apartment. (See October 2004 v Boston @ 202 e park where I threw anything in sight and October 2003 vs. the Marlins in the comfort of my apt where I went on to break a recliner and throw numerous objects across the apartment and into the adjacent parking lot).


The game went back and forth from this point on and our bullpen looked absolutely dismal. I think we blew 2 more leads and went on to be the loser 16-11. I think when all was said and done I had thrown back 7 beers and was pretty well behaved but none all too happy.


Sunday: Not much I can say about this game, we once again couldn’t capitalize with RISP and Elsbury stole home on Pettitte for the first steal of home against the Yankees in 25+ years. If this is a year of firsts for the Yankees count me out, as I don’t want to hear those inane statistics. I admit I did not pay very much attention to the game as I was mentally bankrupt from the two performances on Friday and Saturday combined with two Benadryl’s to combat my allergies and a day full of sun.


On to the bright spots: Robinson Cano, this guy can flat out hit. Without Robbie we would be up shit’s creek without a paddle. I’ve been a big supporter of Robbie ever since he’s been with the Yankees. Just as I was a big supporter of Soriano when he made his way up through the system. I was present for his first HR in the big leagues against Tampa Bay in a September of 99’ or 2000. Cano has been more patient at the dish and he uses all parts of the field which is important to be successful in the big leagues. The Hitman himself proclaimed that Cano has 30 HR potential. If 2007 wasn’t his breakout year then 2009 is definitely the year of Cano.


On to non baseball news, the northeast is experience a summer esque heat wave for late April with temp’s in the mid 80’s and I intend to take advantage of it. I’m heading back to PK as we speak and would like to play at least 36 holes. In case you’re wondering why I am heading back to the land of my birth, Stan and Pam are currently in Paris for a week long vacation and have asked upon the elder statesmen that make up the Beinstein-Spieler clan to make sure that Ben doesn’t destroy the house or get into too much trouble. This affords me the opportunity to feed my soul with some much needed Mole Mole and some golf.


I fired an 86 from the back tees at the Links at Unionvale, one of the better rounds I've had in a while. The greens were in pretty shitty shape as they were being aerated for the season. I also collected about 15 balls so thats a plus.If I could play like this all season I'd be a happy man.

Yankee Stadium Rant Part I

I've been to 3 games this season and have had the pleasure of sitting in a number of locations throughout the stadium while trying to find what section(s) I like the best (Upper Grandstand, Lower Grandstand, Lower Terrace, RF Bleachers as well as the Field Section.) I think I have a pretty good idea of what the stadium has to offer to fans like me. (Super fan with an extreme lack of funds)


I obviously loved the Field section seat, the seats are ridiculously comfortable but that comes at the cost of ~ $300 a ticket. That cannot be a sustainable seat and clearly just a treat. 

Bleachers: I absolutely loved sitting in the RF bleachers, Section 203 row 8 for $20 on Stubhub. Sat right next to Bald Vinny (The leader of the Bleacher Creature Chants). he bleachers are a great place to catch a game, especially the rowdier crowd all sauced up. The Bleachers will not partake in the shenanigans that is the wave. (Not those  The wave is probably my number one pet peeve at a baseball game except for adults that bring gloves to the stadium.




With the new stadium it seems as though the acoustics and crowd noise have all but disappeared. Not sure if this was because the Tier trapped and vibrated all of the loge and main reserve noise but the new digs certainly does not have an intimidating aura to it.

I think the fact that they have trouble filling stadium has an obvious effect on noise, as well as taking out 5,000 seats and placing more people indoors in the various suite areas. They are currently #1 in average attendance in the MLB at 44,502 out of a capacity of 52,325. That's about 8,000 a game. The vast majority of those empty seats lie in the uber expensive seats. 

A good buddy of mine has some pretty ridiculous seats at Citizens Bank Ballpark, about 3 rows from the 1b dugout and the ticket includes a $25 food voucher. I think those seats are $100? For the reigning WS champions they have a beautiful park with very affordable seating. In fact we even garnered the attention of "Pat The Bat" where he went on to point at us and stare at us with his piercing blue eyes and Burly Burrell chest.



Check out this link to see how big of a joke the suite and legends seats are. It's really pretty sad, and apparently they are going to increase the ticket prices next year. 


As for the Terrace and Grandstand seats I do enjoy sitting in the terrace but I don't like the idea that you can't get a single foul ball because that's how far they are recessed compared to the old stadium.  In the Grandstand they flattened angles so that I have people's heads in my sight lines. It really is not enjoyable up there. 

When they speak about the wind effect you can really feel it on the concourse. No wonder it's turned into Coors Field East. It makes perfect sense once you're up there to feel what the wind is really doing. I also saw an updraft of sorts near the lights during the game this week as it was misting yet i didn't get wet at all as the winds seemed to keep mist moving upwards. 

I do enjoy the idea of the open concourse yet they still need to tweak the food setup. Set up some of those barriers you see in an airport to allow a clear walk way! I'm not going to buy any of the mediocre food the Yankees have to offer. Possibly a sausage and peppers but that's about it. At least they still allow you to bring in food and water! Nothing I hate more than paying $4.00 for a bottle of water.

On a side note check out this great article about the man, the myth and the legend that is Donnie Baseball


Stay Tuned for Part Deux

Random Musings

So about 3 weeks in to my 2 money fantasy leagues I am sitting in first place.  86 and 82.5 points respectively in a 10 person 5x5 roto league. I'm pretty confident in both teams and think I can maintain my position on the top for the majority of the season.



My man Ian Kinsler as a 3rd round pick is a 5x5 monster. Currently batting .407 with 15 runs/5 HR/ 16 RBI/ 7 Steals.

An old friend from high school, Sebby, was down to visit this week and unfortunately we got rained out of a game. Sef, Swing, Seb and myself instead had some brews at the new apt. and went to Rodeo Bar close by. To say the band playing there was interesting is an understatement.  A 5-6 piece Van Halen Cover band  called Van Hayrdie, complete with accordion and trombone. They were surprisingly good actually. A good night for sure.

I made it to the stadium the next night to catch Giambi's first game in the new stadium, not in pinstripes. He received a pretty good ovation and the bleacher creatures even roll called him which was great. I can't remember any other player getting that kind of respect after going to a new club. Gardner made an incredible catch to rob Giambi of a sure double in his first at bat. I'd much rather sit in the bleachers than in most areas of the stadium, they are real fans and the view is outstanding for the price. On a side note Nick Swisher is the man, he hams it up with the RF bleachers and routinely throws balls out to the fans. He's been a great addition to the team and a big thata boy to Cash for fleecing the Sox for him.

Looks like we got a great weekend ahead of us, hints of summer are on its way with Saturday expected to be 81. Here's hoping for a nice NYC weekend.

-Beinstein Out



Hola Niños, Me Llamo Beinstein

So I figure I'd pick up blogging once again now that baseball season has begun and I'm still unemployed.

Each year I seem to be more and more excited about baseball season and the hopes and dreams that the Yankees bring. Perhaps my love of the sport has grown due to the fact that I've read a few books about sabremetrics and translate that knowledge to my fantasy baseball teams.


Let me give you my impressions of the New Yankee Stadium as I was lucky enough to spend Friday and Saturday there (catching 2 wins in the process). The average fan seems to get squeezed out here as the upper deck is pushed back, I did not see one foul ball go upstairs in the two games. That just gives you an idea of how far set back they are.  Also, I've heard the sight lines are supposedly improved but my seats up in the grandstand row 11 had people's heads in my line, maybe the dude had a big ole melon?? 

I can only hope my next job has some sweet season tickets. (Hey a guy can dream right?) The Bleachers are a great place to catch the game, grab a beer and watch from above the batters eye for a great perspective. I'll gladly pay 15 bucks to roam around the stadium with the occasional inning to sit.

The stadium reminds me of the old stadium on Steroids. It looks the same except just bigger and more over the top.The video screen in center field is absolutely redonkulous. They really couldn't do a big redesign ala Citi Field so overall I think they did a good job.

They still have some kinks to work out as the sound didnt work for the final 4 innings on Saturday and the radar gun and scoreboard was buggy but that's to be expected.

The Great Hall is exactly what it 
sounds like, a massive entryway with posters of past Yankee greats including Mr. Paul O'Neill.

As an afterthought I really don't like going to games at the stadium in April, generally its too cold  and windy unless you're sitting in the field level where you're guarded from the wind. A combination I'm not extremely fond of unless it's in October.

I have a great feeling about the Yanks this season. Our offense is clicking on all cylinders, our pitching looks solid 1-5 and we have a well balanced pen. Once A-rod is back and healthy we should be looking at a 95+ win season barring any major injuries to other players. I love Gardner and his oversized dome turning over the lineup and providing that youthful spark we need.

Pretty funny how we had the best record in the grapefruit league and A-rod wasn't a part of it. I don't know if it's a coincidence or not, also you can't read tooo much into spring training but it is promising to see the team really gel and pick each other up when needed both at the plate and on the mound.

On a side note it looks like me and Sobes are moving to a new pad on 23rd and 2nd. Movin on up baby to big open layout on the 23rd floor, excited to get out of the Money pit that is the 4th Dimension here.

Thanks for readin, not sure how often this will get updated but stay tuned.

-Beinstein OUT