ghost of miles

Nolan Ryan slaughters cattle to make his wealth. My God! Do you really want to keep pursuing this train of thought? Talk about "pigs" and metaphors for the rich in America! You want to critique sports and the role it plays in American life, the kinds of forces it reflects? Fine, be my guest--I don't deny that there's something there. (See Halberstam's OCTOBER 1964, if you haven't already read it.) You want to keep singling out one team, over and over, because of some forged fixation and turn the battle over a ridiculously-paid athlete who's about to become even more ridiculously paid into a metaphor for some sort of social good vs. evil, simply because one team has generated tons o' revenue through its TV network (ah, but now the Rangers are onto that game as well!), its geographical location, and its history? And somehow make this particular team the symbol of all that's Wrong With America? And give your beloved Rangers a pass, simply because they're back in your own backyard (slaughtering cattle and what not)? I just think it's intellectually and morally screwy, that's all.

Rereading ON THE ROAD--I've been bitten by the Kerouac bug again of late.

Al--who's doing #82 in January? Just curious...I know there'll be a signup thread when the time comes. I definitely want to start joining in on a regular basis as a listener.

Anybody else get a shipping confirmation yet who ordered before last Friday? I got the "24-48 hours" e-mail last Friday, but no shipping notice yet...hoping that it goes out tomorrow.

Fun indeed, and since we're being all touchy-feeley liberal, hey, ain't it always swell to see Labor ascend to the role of Ownership? The American Dream at it's Purest! I'm sure a guy who hangs out with ex-president Bush is a swell friend of labor. It would be. I don't know that it will, and it's probably less than likely, but remember that Ryan really had his shot at the Rangers only because they went bankrupt, and he had some fatcat Texan friends to back him up. Dude, if you're going to throw around Dark Side/Evil Empire kinds of references... know your Star Wars! Sith

I'm rooting for one pig to take down/knock off the other pig, because the pig in question is in at least some way my pig by accident of birth, and the shared genetical disposition of thinking that some old fucker knocking Robin Ventura in the head is just plain cool. Who is your pig? I don't have any "pig." I have a team that I've held a longstanding affinity for (36 years at this point), through reasons rather bizarre and coincidental (hey, let's bring the Civil War into this! If we're going to get political about it...)--a team that frankly it's a pain to root for, because of crap like this. If it helps, I'll post this yet one more time, since my motives for being a Yankee fan seem to be so damn important. As for "delicate liberal sensitivities," whatever. I have a code of manners and friendship that I try to live up to. I don't always succeed, but I damn well try. That's it. But talk about bending over! Rant and rave about the evil Wall Street Yankees all you want (while sparing the GOP Rangers), stereotype away (while avoiding all talk of Texas machismo and arrogance, if we're going to go all stereotype as well), but don't be miffed that I'm pointing out the devil's bargain you're executing on yourself.

Yeah, so you think it's cool that there's one "team" that can sit there and look at the rest of it's peers and say "You guys can have whatever you want - unless we really, really want it, in which case, fuck you, you don't have a chance, we can shit all over you if we need to, and you better believe we will, so get the fuck out of our way"? Where did I ever say anything like this or indicate that I believe it? Hell, it's not even all that true... if so Brian Cashman would've offered Lee 8 years and 200 million by now. They're certainly not afraid to bid strongly for a player they want, but I didn't realize that that's now some kind of cardinal sin. I don't hear any whining by Cashman or the execs in the press, and I doubt that you will, either. They'll start looking at other options to try to bolster the rotation, like any other baseball team that looks to improve. Dude, you are just reading way too much into this stuff and projecting. I posted that picture because you continue to insist on making the Yankees into Newt Gingrich or some such... if you're going to do that, then accept that your beloved Rangers are in the hands of just such folks. I don't care, because anybody who's a sports fan in America has to accept on some level that yes, sports do reflect in certain ways some of the things going on in America. In spite of that, what happens on the field is amazing, inspiring, and entertaining, and the game itself remains a beautiful thing to see. But if you want to drag the nasty, behind-the-scenes business underbelly into it and then single out the Yankees as the Dark Lords or some such nonsense--well, friend, don't look now, but the Sith are onto your guys as well.

No kidding. Jsngry, you know how much respect I have for you, but wtf? Yes, it's only baseball--a business and a game. Last time I checked, the Yankees have won exactly one World Series in the past ten seasons. ONE, just like seven other teams in that period. Only team to win more than one in that span is Boston, who just shelled out a lot of cashola for Mr. Carl Crawford. Go, get your hate on! The evil Red Sox, spending money right and left! All I'm saying is that if you're going to drag American politics/ideology into your sports, I don't see how in hell you can keep rooting for the Rangers. Good luck finding a team period that isn't, in some way, tainted by the forces you're critiquing. Hell, really, the Giants, in spite of their Barry Zito fiasco, would be a much better fit...there was a team with character, soul, and not too much of a payroll. (And Zito didn't even make the postseason roster!) Baseball has its own way of leveling the playing field, no matter what the Yankees or Red Sox or Rangers or who-freakin'-ever tries to bolster their team with high-paid stars. (2003 World Series, anybody?) Yes, the Yankees have great financial resources (again, sure as hell not why I root for them), but they've spent and spent and spent and often to no avail. The great 1996-2001 teams were built almost entirely around homegrown and traded talent! So wtf, my friend, wtf. On a lighter note (for you): there's a rumor that Cliff Lee was on the chartered plane w/Ranger connections that just landed in DFW from Little Rock. If he was, maybe "Incarcerated Bob" really did have the right scoop after all. Lee 7 yrs/$145 million to the Rangers, perhaps? OTOH NY Daily News is claiming no decision till Tuesday at the earliest.

Thanks for proving my point. Did I ever make any claims about Yankee ownership being some paragon of progressivism? No. That's not why I'm a fan of the TEAM, of its PLAYERS. But you've made this into some kind of "Yankees represent Big Bad Wall Street"...fine, well and good, but then don't try to turn around and root, root root for the home team that's controlled by the very same forces you so loudly derail. Bit of a double standard there, don't you think? I'd really, really like to keep politics out of a baseball thread, but since that's what you're on about here, so be it.

Them pinstripes in your veins be causing cataracts or something? Or are you behooved? No--bemused, disgusted and emboldened is more like it, with apologies to Lorenz Hart. Olbermann's piece on Lee just about sums up everything I've thought since learning (not long after he was traded to Texas) that he's from Benton, Arkansas. And what I like about Olbermann's take is that it's not condescending at all...he's not saying that Lee can't "take" NYC, or that he wouldn't be able to bear the pressure (he's surely proven how well he can pitch under the bright lights of Yankee Stadium)...just that Lee's persona might take more happily to a Texas setting. I do think Lee is a pretty straight-up guy (but wily for sure, as is his agent)--certainly not a "whore," even if he ends up deciding that he wants the extra money that NY's offering. But his time in Texas has put him into a situation that makes it difficult for him to walk away from the Rangers. (Though it would hardly be pulling a "LeBron," as some people are saying--the guy has played as a Ranger for what, three months?) So--if the Yankees don't land Cliff Lee, they're definitely a weaker team for the next couple of years, although picking up Greinke could change that...he's much more of a question mark than Lee, but ultimately might prove to be a better deal. The upside for the Yankees is they don't get saddled with paying $23 million a year to a 36/37/38/39-year old pitcher (though yes, Lee may well age better than other pitchers, which is why the Texas/NY offers aren't completely crazy). NY will definitely be a pick to finish second at best in the AL East. No matter, it's still baseball, and as I said earlier, it'll still be a pleasure to watch Jeter, Rivera, Posada, and (hopefully) Pettitte finish out their careers...players that to me symbolize the best of what the Yankees or any great baseball teams are about. Not owners and front-office execs. Wrong. Right! I don't really want to, but if we're gonna go there, hey, let's go there!

So do you now think/agree that Lee is probably going to the Rangers, Dan? I'm glad we didn't succed in trading Montero to get him, but I think the day he landed in Texas was the beginning of the end for the Yankees' hopes of signing him this winter.

BTW, a couple of possible takes on why we haven't heard from Lee yet: (1)(via a commenter at Lone Star Ball) Lee and Darek Braunecker already have the offer they want from Texas and are just waiting to see if the Yankees make a crazy re-up (say, 7 yrs/175 million, or even 8 yrs/200 million or some such. Doesn't this whole thing seem like a Cliff Lee E-Bay auction?). Cashman has said that he had contact with Braunecker over the weekend; he's also said that 7 yrs/161 million is NY's final offer, which makes me think that Braunecker called him to say, "Cliff has a very intriguing offer from Texas... what say you?" To which Cashman probably replied (if he's to be believed), "What's out there is all we're prepared to offer." (2) (my own out-of-leftfield take) Is Lee, after all's said and done, possibly leaning towards taking the Yankees' offer anyway--and his wife isn't? I find it hard to believe that Mrs. Lee doesn't favor staying in Arkansas. I think (1) is probably the case, but who knows. The NY Times says some baseball people think Lee and Braunecker are stalling to get more money out of the Rangers, not the Yankees. But I think NY and Texas have probably both gone as high as they're willing to go.

Yes, that point has been made elsewhere, though I'm not sure it's been made in this thread, but yes, Paps, for the reasons you and Dan outlined, Lee certainly has a lot to think about, and it's yet another reason I've thought since late last summer that he's likely to end up staying with Texas. You can also add that Mo Rivera has two years left at most, while Feliz is just starting out. I know Nolan Ryan likes his pitchers to throw long games, but at some point the closer factor's still there, and Texas may be looking better in that regard as well over a five or six-year period. The Yankees aren't "entitled" to Lee (they simply want him very badly right now), and despite whatever cracks or remarks have been thrown around about "natural order of things" etc., for the umpteenth time, observe the Yankees' record between 1982 and 1993 (I'll leave out 1994, the year they finally became a playoff-viable team again, since that season was aborted) for plenty o' humble pie (and don't forget the 2004 ALCS!). (Also please see The Greg Maddux Story.) As I posted earlier, it's not at all unlikely that NY will enter another phase of less-than-championship quality teams. I think landing Lee would stave it off for another year or two, but 2009 may prove to have been a long-delayed exclamation point for the 1996-2000 era. The Yankees, as they've proved over and over again, are not invincible, whatever vibes others may project onto them. They are extremely committed to trying to win, as are many other MBL teams and ownership groups. How that makes them "pigs" while Ryan, Davis and company somehow escape this stigma is beyond me, but pretty much par for the course.

We are talking about some heroic, noble, progressive Texas billionaires saving the baseball world (and perhaps more?) from the Evil Empire to the North that is destroying America, as far as I can tell. * ** And now, here to provide us with some ironically meta-appropriate commentary--ladies and gentlemen, the Who! *** *I don't begrudge the Rangers Cliff Lee, if, as I believe, that's where he thinks on some level he belongs--and I certainly don't discount the value of the cultural/proximity ties. But to pretend the current/new Ranger ownership is somehow any different than the "evil" Yankees, or doesn't somehow represent the same forces in American life that are ascribed to said evil Yankees--well, pass me that hooch, friend! **Dan's original quip, sans further interpretation, isn't that far off, actually, in terms of baseball dealings. It'll be the biggest miss by the Yankees since Greg Maddux in the early 1990s. But all it will really do is show that the Yankees don't "always get their man," or some such. It will be a more significant event for the Rangers, that's for sure, in terms of establishing their team as one that's ready to commit serious bucks to holding onto talent and fielding a winner. *** Dig that Papa John's ad--there's almost too much "meta" in that Who video to stand!

We're re-airing The Arrival Of Victor Feldman this week. I've updated the archived program page to include two clips of Feldman performing (from 1960 on vibes and piano, and from 1965 on piano) and a link to Steve A. Cerra's in-depth profile of Feldman. Next week: "The David Baker Songbook"

You didn't get the memo. Posada has been told he is now a DH. That comment by Cashman has to send chills down Jorge's spine: he's our DH until he plays himself off of it. Sounds like his tenure with the team is pretty tenuous. This is the last year of Jorge's contract and I think it's pretty clear he won't be coming back; he turns 40 in August. Dan, yes, I know about Cash's statement, but I'm guessing Jorge still catches 40 or so games part-time. (Believe me, I don't want him to... he's absolutely terrible defensively now as a catcher.) Re: Cliff Lee--Jack Curry of YES says the Yankee front office is now pessimistic that NY will ultimately land Lee. Yes, he (Lee) may be pondering whether or not he can get any more $$$--out of Texas. I have to wonder if Davis offered him a large signing bonus that will make the contract worth almost as much as NY's offer and yet keep a small but decent chunk of money off the Rangers' annual payroll. Kind of the way I'm feeling about Texas right now, though I have no doubt Lee will give them several very good years, just as he would have given the Yankees several very good years. If we don't get Lee, my biggest concern is that we don't do something stupid like dealing Montero (+ more) to the Royals for Greinke.

New York's farm system has actually gotten better over the past few months. The player most positioned to make an immediate impact is Jesus Montero, who may even be starting at catcher come 2011 (more likely sharing duties with Jorge). Unfortunately, afaik none of the pitching prospects are probably going to be making a leap to the MLB any time soon (not counting Nova, who already went there this past season and who may well be part of next year's rotation, esp. if Lee stays with Texas and/or Pettitte retires). I do think NY could easily slip to an 85-W team over the next 2-3 years.

Is this a Twitter thing or something? Because I've been looking all over the LSB Website http://www.lonestarball.com/ for all this & can't find nothing.. Can I buy a clue, please? See comments in Saturday a.m. Ranger things...the "Incarcerated Bob" discussion starts several hundred comments down. Problem now is that some idiots (including a Twitter user named jkahn24) are flooding the Twitter zone multiple times with "Lee is staying with the Rangers, 7 yrs/155 million" that appear to be utterly bogus...so that people are now saying Lee's staying with the Rangers is "confirmed on Twitter," which is just about now proving itself to be one of the most meaningless phrases ever invented. However, I'm not dismissing the first report out of hand.

Chris Albertson wrote the booklet for the Count Basie Verve set. Not sure about other Mosaic booklets authored by O posters.

Don't laugh, but "Incarcerated Bob" has set Twitter aflame with an allegedly sourced report that Lee will indeed be staying in Texas. "Incarcerated Bob" is supposedly a Yankee fan and debate is raging right now over how credible a source he/she is, but Lone Star Ball is sure talking about it... IB claims to have Tweeted other scoops from this same source over the past week. As I've said all along, I wouldn't be surprised. I don't believe that Texas matched NY's offer even with Davis entering the fray, but I think Davis upped the ante enough to make it easier for Lee to turn down NY's offer. As several sports writers have pointed out over the past 24 hours, it's not a good sign for the Yankees that Lee has been taking so long to make a decision, when they all but certainly have put the most money on the table... clearly validates that at heart he'd rather stay where he is now.

Well, OK, but I think maybe you should take it up with TrippingOlney!

The only thought is that he owes us and will pay his debt, The more creative, the better. It would behoove Mr. Lee to be aware that his karma will never be right until this debt is paid. That is what it would behoove Me. Lee to realize. He owes you? I just don't get this. He almost single-handedly defeated the Rays for you guys! Look, I'll totally understand if Lee ends up signing with the Rangers. And I certainly understand why his teammates and the new ownership team want so badly for him to stay. But really, I'm not sure how his four-month stay with Texas has put him in any kind of debt to them. Is this all stemming from unhappiness over his performance in the World Series? He had one bad inning in Game 1 and one bad pitch in Game 5. The Rangers lost two other games to the Giants in which non-Lee Texas pitchers started. And again, without Lee, no way the Rangers beat the Rays in the ALDS. Not even sure, frankly, that they could have knocked off the Yankees in the ALCS, given how morale-crushing Game 3 was for NY.

I agree w/you re: Hal. Hank Steinbrenner to AP earlier today: It's the "would certainly behoove him" part that I find insulting and stupid. Y'know, you can sell the whole idea of Yankee mystique/tradition/lineage without sounding like an entitled, arrogant, condescending buffoon. Mo Rivera, Derek Jeter, and Andy Pettitte are great examples of it. Hank Steinbrenner is not. Meanwhile, here's Jon Heyman's latest report: Yankees, Rangers play waiting game for Lee ...which makes me think perhaps NY isn't quite out of the running yet (though I love how how all of these baseball execs/insiders are quoted making such confident predictions about Lee's ultimately being in pinstripes, when none of them probably have a single clue about his and his family's priorities, concerns, etc.). One positive note for Yankee fans--Heyman claims the state income tax issue has been considerably overblown: Interesting--is this accurate on how Lee's state residency and tax situation would play out?

Hank Steinbrenner needs to STFU. Thanks, Hank--if Cliff Lee needed just a nudge to fall onto the Rangers' side of the fence, I think you may have provided it.

Well, whatever happens with Lee now (and I still think he's going to land with the Rangers), I'm glad we didn't give up Jesus Montero for him. As lame as our offense was in the postseason, I'm not even sure having Mr. Lee on our side and not on the Rangers would have made that much difference (and we certainly would have been facing Tampa Bay in the ALCS, not the Rangers...Mr. Jsngry, Texas gets nowhere near the ALCS without Cliff Lee this past season, whatever one's thoughts on his World Series performance). But I am irked right now by what's proven, so far, to be a very mediocre offseason performance by the Yankee front-office. First the Jeter talks blew up in a way that I fault both sides for, leaving us with a disgruntled icon... and now we're just sitting around periodically upping our ridiculous contract offer to Lee, while the Rangers keep sending contingents to sweet-talk him all things Texas. Why hasn't Cashman gone down to Arkansas a second time, with Hal Steinbrenner/Joe Giradi/CC and whoever else might help the cause in tow? Are the Yankees advising Lee on things he might be able to do to lessen the impact of the NY state income tax? Are they quietly selling him on the Yankee aura/cachet, their perpetual will to contend, what being on the team might mean to his professional legacy, etc.? (Those are some of NY's selling points, vs. Texas' admittedly very strong proximity/culture attractions.) So far, all I've read are the published reports that CC has "talked" to him, plus rumors that CC has also talked to Cliff's wife as well, in an attempt to persuade them both to come to New York. It's clear that Lee feels a pull towards Texas... why does NY seem to be doing next to nothing on the personal courting front, while Nolan Ryan and crew are pouring on a charm offensive? That's what's honking me off right now. NY can't expect money alone to carry the day, if Texas' "menu of offers" gets them within shouting range of NY's offer minus the state income tax difference. If Lee does indeed stay with Texas, then this postseason, as of now, will be an absolute bust, and NY will be in a near-panic mode trying to get a decent starter through trade. (Plus, noted again, that Andy Pettitte may be less likely to come back for a final season if Lee doesn't sign with NY.)