Tuesday, September 24, 2013

SALUT! CENT'ANNI! (For my paisan out there.)

Ok, while I procrastinate, let's talk. It's all over; we can look forward to what my dad grew up with; except instead of Horace Clarke at second, it's Cano (hopefully), but instead of Jeter and A-Rod on the left side, it's Brendan Ryan and Nunez. It was over after they lost 2 of 3 in Toronto, a team that the Yankees couldn't wait to play all year. It hurt the Yankees every time they would go on their stride, they had the Red Sox to humble them that weekend. It'll be a long, cold winter, especially with the Giants now.

I work on our school's (University of Miami) TV show down here called SportsDesk. I had written a monologue dedicated to Andy Pettitte that was supposed to air last week but was postponed, so I'll put it on here. I realize "Mrs. Andy Pettitte" already put down her little tribute on here, so no one can accuse me of ripping anyone off or plagiarizing:


Yankee closer Mariano Rivera is retiring at the end of the season. This afternoon, Andy Pettitte announced that he will also join the Sandman in the rocking chair. Andy really must’ve had the Yankee ghosts on his side; since 1996, he always seemed to be on the mound for some of the greatest moments of a Yankee run. From a Game Five pitchers duel with John Smoltz in 1996, starting and winning the clinching game of the series in 1998, to taking the hill for the finale of all three postseason rounds in 2009, and winning each of them. Through today, he’s amassed 255 wins in 18 seasons, two of which being 21-win seasons. He’s the all-time leader in postseason wins with 19, and through now has never, ever had a losing season (in danger now); quite an accomplishment. Hall of Famer? Maybe. Yankee hall of famer? You betcha! So here’s to you Andy…SALUT! CENT'ANNI!

In Italian that pretty much means "To 100 years!"

And to Mo: In the same amount of time, you've dazzled everyone from a skinny rookie to blown-up McGwire with that one pitch--that cut fastball that ever-so-gently broke before it hit Jorge's glove...or Russell or...Chris Stewart... You've been the epitome of class on and off the mound, and a true role model for people, not just little children, but an example of how a human being should conduct him/herself. God bless you...again I say SALUT! CENT'ANNI!

With the Yankees out of it, and the Giants being the Jets...go Knicks?? Yikes!

'Till Next Time!

Neil Dwyer @neildwyer1993

11 comments:

  1. Am I the only one with hope for next year?If anything, the Yankees showed heart this season with all their injuries. Yea they probably won't be a team who wins titles for the next few years, But they'll definitely be above .500 every year. It won't be as bad as you're saying.

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    1. I'm excited about next season. Although it may simply be because I see change happening.

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  2. Lol I'm a pessimist. Also I have so much going on with schoolwork and stuff so I didn't have time for a real, in-depth look at things.

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  3. The Yankees went through a rebuilding before the 1996 win. We may go through another rebuilding stretch again for the next few years.

    I have been lucky enough to have seen 18 of the 27 WS wins (one way or another) in my years watching the team. I want one more, or two more to make it 20 of 29.

    There is going to be a huge turnover next year but, I have little faith in the "Dumb three" letting Cashman make the pick-ups and trades we should make.
    Let some of the old washed-up players go...eat the contracts if one has too... Itchy, Wells, Stewart, Youkilis, Hafner, Joba, Hughes, Kuroda and (our future HoF) Jeter. We have some young kids that should be given a chance to make this team next year. Pick up two or so vets and fill in with youngsters. Then do the same the next year and we have a good team again.

    Before anyone jump on me for including Jeter in the MIA list, think about it...where is he going to play and he will not want to be a bench player?!?

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  4. I have said over and over again, I have seen too many Yankees play longer than they should have...!

    Do you want to remember the Jeter that dove into the stands, made the back-handed flip, hit the November HR in the WS has 3,000+ hits or...
    the Jeter that has little range at SS, make an easy play look great, will not hit .300+ anymore and end up being a part-time player!

    Let him go out on top, his HoF place is waiting...his quest of 4,000 hits is never going to happen anyhow!

    At one of his interviews he asked, "Do you want it to be my last year?" The answer is YES!

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    1. I just don't want to force Jeter out like we did with Bernie Williams. If Jeter has one more semi productive year I think we should give him his time to shine like we did with Mariano this season. Of course I would wanna see Jeter with a .300 average and another 200 hit season and a World Series title and all that but I would settle for one more healthy and productive season from our captain.

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  5. I'll buy into that one Daniel. Let's be an optimist and have it so!

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    1. I like optimism. I cannot stand the doom and gloom crap, you know?

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  6. I'm too impatient to come right out and say they should spend a few years rebuilding, but I can't help but see where the team is at and admit that it's going to take more than one offseason to turn back into a real contender.

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    1. I disagree. Especially if Jeter retires too, which I do not expect, and we are without Cano. That gives us the closest thing to a reset that we are going to get. Boston got that same reset when they traded A Gon and company and look at them a season later... we could do it too.

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)