ghost of miles

That's some apocalyptic reading there, BillF!

In honor of Mr. Rollins' 80th birthday today, three programs from the archives: Rollins '57: Sonny Rollins Takes the Lead Sonny Rollins: Live in London 1965 Sonnymoon: Thelonious Monk and Sonny Rollins Long may he solo.

Books about two great tenor saxophonists:

Dan: many thanks to your Bosox for prevailing tonight. From now through Wednesday evening I am a diehard Red Sox rooter.

We seem to be getting closer.

I thought tonight's show was amazing.

I've been following that story as well. Would love to see Prior make an MLB comeback.

Yes indeed, making Andy's return all the more pressing. I think Hughes and A.J. still make the postseason rotation, with Javy out of the bullpen for long relief (where he's actually done quite well--and given A.J. and Hughes' performances this summer, I have no doubt we'll need some a long-relief bailout for at least one of them come the first or--hopefully--second round of the playoffs this autumn). On non-Yankee notes, anybody else catch the end of the Rangers-Twins game today? Bummer of a way for Texas to lose...and San Diego loses again. Has any team leading its division ever lost 10 straight and still managed to cling to the lead? Matthew, calling Matthew... the Padres need some divine intervention!

Reading this right now--up only to the beginning of Marsh's association with Tristano, but so far it's excellent.

It is rather ironic--NY's record this year without A-Rod in the lineup is in the neighborhood of 20-3, or something like that. As for Hughes, all I can say is that I feel anxiety whenever it's his turn in the rotation...he doesn't get blown off the mound quite as bad as Bad A.J., but the guy has turned in mediocre starts far more often than not for the past three months, and at Yankee Stadium he's an absolute menace when it comes to giving up HRs. Somebody over at PA suggested that they start Hughes on the road as much as possible in the postseason, and AJ at home as much as possible. Might be something for Girardi to consider. I just hope Pettitte can get back to form quickly when he returns, because right now it looks like we'll have at least two mediocre-to-unreliable starters throughout the postseason. I think Hughes is destined to be an excellent starting pitcher over the long haul for NY, btw, but this year he's lapsed into a groove that belies his 16-7 record (achieved in part with excellent run support). For the 2010 playoffs, I think he's a real point of concern for the Yankees.

Try not to be a repeater pencil, you dig? * *Brought to you courtesy of President Lester Young

Yankees win their 8th straight today, and once again I'm amazed at the bullpen's turnaround over the past few weeks. Kerry Wood is proving to be one of the best pitching pickups we've made in some time--as this NY Daily News article notes, since coming to the Yanks he's has pitched 15 innings, struck out 18, and garnered an 0.60 ERA. (And he added another scoreless inning and K today against the Jays.) With Boone Logan also coming on strong, David Robertson pitching very well for the most part, and even Joba getting his act together somewhat, the News points out that So they've been able to play .600 ball without Pettitte, with a weakening Phil Hughes, and with two utterly unreliable starters (Javy and A.J.) and a journeyman (Moseley). NY's relievers are keeping us in the ballgame, even when the starters get knocked out after 3-5 IP, and are giving the offense a chance to catch up. Some PA posters today mentioned that the YES broadcasters said NY's bullpen since the beginning of August has the best ERA in MLB--a full run better than the next team, which is the Braves. Certainly not something I would've predicted back before the All-Star break.

Less than 1,000 to go...

Here's a good analysis of what's happened to Derek Jeter's swing this year. If Frankie Piliere's speculation is correct, it puts NY in even more of a bind when it comes to contract negotiations with Jeter this winter. I love the guy--he's one of the true baseball heroes of our time--but if he's going to be a .260 to .270 hitter in his late 30s with little power and declining fielding skills tying up $20 million annually for four or five years... not a good situation. Matthew, what's going on with the Padres? Incredible that they could lose 8 straight and still be 3 games in first.

This past week's Night Lights up for online listening: Bird Lives! The Charlie Parker Memorial Concert Songbook Music (all of it Parker-penned tunes) from the 1957 Five Spot gig with Phil Woods, the 1962 and 1970 concerts in Chicago with Ira Sullivan and Dexter Gordon, and the 1964 Newport tribute that brought together J.J. Johnson, Howard McGhee, and Max Roach (I posted a video from this group as well). Hoping to get an "outtake" segment with more music from the Chicago shows up on the page in the next couple of days. Many thanks to several board members who assisted with this show.

Marc Myers of Jazzwax fame took a ride with Sonny Rollins back to his old neighborhood: Sonny Rollins Takes a Ride Uptown

A 2007 radio interview with Davis.

Jayson Stark tweeting that Chapman's 103.9 MPH pitch tonight was the fastest regular-season pitch ever recorded: I'd love to see the Reds make it to the WS on the NL side--a number of my friends are Cincy fans. (In south-central Indiana regional loyalties tend to split among the Reds, Cards, and Cubs, with the occasional diehard Indian follower as well.) Papsrus and J.H., agreed re: Morgan--the guy's rapidly making himself a pariah. I gather tonight's fallout was over his collision with the Marlins' catcher Brett Hayes last night, resulting in a separated shoulder for Hayes. (On the clip I watched the Marlins announcers noted--accurately, I think--that Morgan would have actually been safe if he had slid into home plate. Instead he chose to collide hard with Hayes.) Haven't seen an earlier incident from tonight's game yet, but evidently the Marlins plunked Morgan while they were up 14-3, and he proceeded to steal second and third base... when he came up later Volstadt threw behind him and he charged the mound, setting off the melee shown above.

The Nats' Nyjer Morgan charges the mound.

Thanks for posting that clip, Berigan. I seem to recall that the Yankees were interested in him, but were perhaps wary of spending a ton of money again on an import prospect who might ultimately fizzle out. Looks like Chapman might be more Orlando Hernandez (or even better) than Kei Igawa, however. Glad to see him with the Reds, who have a lot of fans around these parts.

Nice win for the Yanks tonight as they finally break the eight-day-long tie with the Rays for first (longest such tie this late in the season ever, according to Elias Sports Bureau); however, another mediocre start from Phil Hughes. Despite his impressive 16-6 W-L record, he's becoming a real point of vulnerability in the rotation. Second night in a row that we had very shaky starters and very good long relief... will Javy be given a start again? He seems to have regained some of his zip in his last two bullpen outings; I suppose a lot rides on how A.J. and Moseley do in their next respective turns. Hell of a time for NY to still be sussing out their starting staff, though. Evidently the Yanks won a waiver claim on Ted Lilly, but the Dodgers then pulled Lilly back. On another note regarding thwarted Yankee acquisitions, what is going on with Cliff Lee? Another bad start tonight for Texas; he went into the game 2-5 with a 4.50 ERA in 10 outings for the Rangers, and proceeded to give up 10 hits and 4 ER in 4 2/3 IP. He'll probably regain his form just in time for the playoffs and NY, but man, quite a rough stretch he's had since coming to Arlington.

Papsrus, looks like the Rays have the advantage over the Yanks when it comes to the September schedule: Contender schedules in September

Had to drop it from the lineup because of its length. I've posted a clip of it to the program page, though.

Music from Johnny Griffin, Eric Dolphy, Artie Shaw, Howard McGhee, Yusef Lateef and more: Enter, Evening: Jazz Nocturnes Coming up soon: "The Charlie Parker Memorial Songbook" "Workin': Work Songs in Jazz and Popular Music" (with special guest Ted Gioia)