Tagged: Marist College

ANDY PETTITTE IS COMING BACK!

How long has it been since my last post? Really, it’s been THAT LONG? The combination of trying to remain on the Dean’s List, and the fact that I just couldn’t fully get over trading Montero left me with a lack of time and a lack of desire to post. My spring break is winding down now, and I told myself that I wouldn’t put off my biology and political science papers any longer, but this is way too important.

For the first time since the Yankees traded away my baby Jesus, I’m excited again.

And it’s all thanks to a familiar face: Andy Pettitte.

Surely everyone is aware of the news by now: Andy Pettitte is out of retirement, and he’s coming back to the New York Yankees. I don’t care what anyone else thinks – I love this.

I first heard the news when I logged into facebook yesterday afternoon. My brother was beside me on the couch, and I gasped, “Whaa? Huh? Oh my God…dahh oh my GOD…”

He didn’t respond. He probably thought I was looking up pictures of Guns N’ Roses (I usually have a somewhat similar reaction…don’t judge). He made me say it.

“THE YANKEES SIGNED ANDY PETTITTE!”

Doubtful, he responded, “What? Virginia let me see that. You’re probably reading some fake thing.”

We proceeded to go to RiverAveBlues, but of course, Optimum Online failed me. After making the trek to the downstairs computer – and achieving the small victory of having internet access  – RiverAveBlues confirmed that it was indeed true: Andy Pettitte was coming back.

Everyone in my house was elated over this news. Andy Pettitte has been a favorite of ours for as long as he’s been in pinstripes – and that’s a pretty long time. We all knew he could still pitch, and his retirement left us all with an empty feeling inside. He was my favorite Yankee pitcher, and one of the guys who was there since I started watching baseball.  I vividly remember going to a baseball card shop as a young girl and buying just two cards – both really pretty shiny cards of Andy Pettitte. Saying goodbye was extremely difficult, especially because I knew he wasn’t a finished ballplayer. At age 39, many wonder what he can still do, but I know he can still do plenty to benefit my team.

I know a few people who are annoyed by Andy’s coming out of retirement, and I don’t understand that at all. Anyone who knows Andy Pettitte knows that he is a great man: a good Christian, Texan, family man, and teammate. He may not be perfect, but I avidly admire him. Andy, as far as I see it, has never been one of those guys who seeks attention. So when people criticize him for wanting to come back, I’m confused.

Andy Pettitte is not Roger Clemens. The Yankees didn’t “come and get him out of Texas.” Andy asked to come back, because he has the heart and genuine passion for this game. They didn’t pay him $28 million and make a big fuss over his return during a game. A mere $2.5 million is fine for him, although we all know that’s a steal if he pitches the way he did in 2010. Andy Pettitte is not coming back for any other reason than because he has the desire to pitch for the Yankees. Why should he hold back and miss out on something he wants, and something I know he can still do well?  That’s another concern people have about Pettitte – that he won’t pitch well, or that he will disrupt the rotation. There is no doubt in my mind that Andy Pettitte will be successful. In 2010 he was an All-Star with an 11-3 record and a sparkling 3.28 ERA, which was his best since 2005. He did have an elbow issue, but he assured us that his retirement after 2010 was influenced by his heart, not his arm. At age 39, health concerns are not unreasonable. But injuries can happen to anyone in baseball. Pettitte works hard and is smart enough to keep himself in shape. And if he wants to come back this badly, he knows what he’s getting into – the vigorous workouts, exercise, practice – and he’s ready for it.

Pettitte wouldn’t start the season in the Bigs because he needs a full Spring Training of his own. I’m not worried about where he will fit into the rotation. The Yankee rotation may seem all well and good right about now, but a lot can change over the course of the season. Injuries and ineffectiveness must be considered, and that is why you can never have too much pitching. The safety net of knowing you have a crafty, veteran, future-Hall-of-Fame lefty who knows how to win in New York is quite comforting. Who knows when he’ll make his appearance in pinstripes? All I know is that when he does, he’ll be ready, I’ll be ready, and we’ll both be happy.

Another reason I just love this news is because Andy Pettitte is synonymous with championships. He is the best starter in the history of postseason baseball. When the pressure is on, Andy buckles down and gets the job done. If the Yankees make it to the postseason this year, Andy will definitely be a key player in the postseason rotation. I’ll never forget how he won each clinching game in the 2009 playoffs for my boys. I say it’s about time my Yanks get back there. Sure, the teams have been very good since then, but they were just lacking something to push them over the top and make them go all the way.

Andy Pettitte is just what the Yankees need.

And he’s just what I need, too.

It’s March, I’m on spring break, the weather has been giving me a tease of summer, and baseball is back – and oh, does it feel good to be excited for my Yankees again.

Thank you in advance, Andy.

Random Radio Show Recommendation and Blogging for Class!

I just began classes for second semester this week. One of them is one of the foundation classes for all Communications majors, called Digital Toolbox. I didn’t know what to expect – it sounds all technical, and “technical” I definitely am not. But my adviser teaches it, and she’s cool. The projects seem cool too, and it doesn’t seem all that scary or technical at all.

That’s a lovely shot of Lowell Thomas, the place all Comm majors love ❤

Our first assignment is to make a site with WordPress. I’ve already got that covered! Hope I can use this site, if not I’ll just make another, but I’m still going to do whatever I learn in class on here as well. I’m going to be adding stuff on my blog here to go along with the assignment, like a portfolio page and other requirements. My professor suggested that we update throughout the semester and have some sort of “theme,” which sounds exactly what I’m doing already (though I hope to update MORE).

So since the big splash is out of the way for the Yankees, and since I felt obliged to post for class, I’ll do something different. As some of you may know, aside from this blog, I also am part of FanVsFan with my site at http://pinstripepartisan.com. The FanVsFan community is just as amazing as MLBlogs.

A lot of cool stuff goes on in the FanVsFan Network, especially at their radio network. Last night, it was suggested that I tune in to “Airin it Out with The Bone and Giz.” Now I didn’t know what to expect, and I was trying to refrain from letting the name of the show lead to any snap judgements.

Bone and Giz definitely earned two thumbs up from me. The show was extremely entertaining, and they covered a wide variety of topics. I didn’t even mind when they stopped talking about baseball. I’m not much of a football fan at all, but they even discussed the NFL Playoffs such that I was actually quite interested.

This week, Bone and Giz were joined with a special guest, the beat writer for the New York Post, Mike Vaccaro. Anyone who loves New York sports, or anyone who is an aspiring sports writer, has got to look up to Vaccaro. He has been with the Post since 2002, but in over 20 years of journalistic excellence, Vaccaro has covered a vast array of sporting events, including four Olympics, 12 World Series, 10 Super Bowls, eight Final Fours and five U.S. Opens.

I especially enjoyed when they discussed a “Day in the Life of Mike Vaccaro.” Life as a New York sports journalist is never boring. As he said, “There really aren’t two days that are exactly the same.” It’s always exciting and unpredictable.

Vaccaro shared his thoughts on why he loves his job so much, “One of the nice things about writing a column in New York is that if you wanted to, or were psychopathic enough, you can write one every day of the year because something is happening every day of the year.”

Other topics were introduced, and some interesting comments were made. Vaccaro said that Alex Rodriguez is the greatest player he has ever seen – and he has seen quite a few. Not sure if I agree with that, but I’m not going to argue with him!

I suggest that you tune in to this show, you won’t be disappointed. From Yu Darvish to Mark Wahlberg, to the NFL Playoffs to jean shorts, Bone and Giz have something for everyone. It is fast-paced and there isn’t a dull moment in the entire show. Not to mention, Bone and Giz are a hilarious team who work extremely well together, and Mike Vaccaro was an incredible guest.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/fanvsfannetwork/2012/01/20/airin-it-out-with-the-bone-and-giz

“Airin’ it Out with The Bone and Giz” airs every Thursday evening from 8-9:30pm on the FanVsFan Radio Network.

Check out Mike Vaccaro’s work at the New York Post. You can also follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeVacc.

Still In Disbelief

The last time I posted was September 6th. Although I haven’t been active with the blog, I have remained active in watching baseball. I’ve come to the conclusion that 2011 has been the single-most surprising season that I have ever watched – and that I might EVER see. I still can’t believe that anything I’ve seen in the past month has actually happened.

So remember way back when I said I’d still have time to blog and that the college workload didn’t kick in yet? Well, it kicked in. Big time. Commuting is tough. But I’m glad I don’t live at my school, because they don’t have the YES Network! I wouldn’t be able to survive. Although now, the games are nationally broadcast because IT’S THE POSTSEASON! DAHH! How did this happen?

Last time I posted, the Yankees had a slim but solid 2.5 game lead over the Red Sox, who possessed a seemingly-insurmountable 7 game lead over the Rays in the Wild Card. I’m sure any conscious baseball fan is aware of what happened next: that Red Sox lead began to dwindle, while the Yankees and Rays kept on climbing.

Although I witnessed it all happening, I never really processed it, and I still can’t wrap my mind around it. What happened? The Yankees finished with the best record in the AL. Now I love my boys, but that stat surprises me. The Yankees are the best team in the American League, with all the question marks they have? The Rays made it in to the postseason on the last day of the regular season despite trailing all year long? And the Red Sox – the anointed World Champions – went 7-20 in this past month, failing to even make it into the playoffs? And their pitching had a 7 – something ERA over that stretch? And the Yankees pitching was good? It shouldn’t be a surprise. The Yankee pitching was beyond “good” all season long. But for them to have held up, and the Sox to have fallen…it’s incredible. Only in this game will something like this ever happen.

It still pains me that I missed blogging about so many things that happened in this month. In the spare amounts of time I had to write a blog, I had to do it for my PHILOSOPHY class…yeah. Blogging for class. The “class participation and engagement blog.” 10 percent of my grade for that class. And considering that philosophy isn’t easy (How do we know we exist? What? I’m right here!), I have to do well on that part.

As always, the season ends too quickly. I enjoyed the last week of regular season play, in which my Yankees took things easy, rested, and contributed to the Red Sox collapse. It’s fun not worrying whether they win or lose. But after awhile, both they and I begin to itch for that intensity…

So here’s the postseason. ALDS. Yankees vs. Tigers. Set to start on a Friday. I was excited. This week was long and strenuous, and I wanted to come home and relax in front of my boys. But actually, there was no way that was going to happen. I probably would have fallen asleep, despite the adrenaline of the postseason. Already being exhausted, and then exerting so much energy watching the game…don’t think I would have made it through last night. Nevertheless, I was still annoyed when the game was postponed in the 2nd inning. But maybe it’s for the best…maybe the Yankees and I will be more ready for the resumed game tonight. Sure, CC’s not pitching, but neither is Verlander. It’s gonna be a good matchup tonight.

I just want to say a few things to my Yanks: Yankees, I want to thank you for an amazing season. I know it’s not over yet, and I know you will play to your fullest potential to reach your goal. I honestly never expected this much from you this year. Best record in AL? Despite everything? I’m still in disbelief. I never thought you’d be where you are right now. But since you are here, I want you to win. You have shown me what it means to be strong, to fight the odds, and to play like a real team should (as opposed to the Red Sox who sit around and get drunk during games). I love you. I’m still processing everything that’s happened this year. I do believe you can win, though when I think about it, I don’t know how. On paper, surely, you are not the best team.

But paper can’t measure heart.

Good luck in this Chase for 28. I’ll be watching.

GO YANKEES!

My First Blog From Marist!

Things have been pretty crazy since the last time I posted, both for me and the Yankees. The Yankees have gone 6-6 since my last post, losing their position atop the AL East in the process. They had some really good games, and some games where they were so bad that I didn’t even think they were my Yankees.

The most exciting game during this stretch was definitely last Thursday’s series finale against the Athletics, in which my Yankees made baseball history: the first team to have three players hit grand slams in one game. Robinson Cano, Russell Martin, and Curtis Granderson. The Yankees scored 22 runs that game – a historic offensive explosion I will surely remember.

Yankee fans, like myself, were so caught up in the excitement of that game that we may have forgotten: the Yankees still lost that series against the A’s. They dropped 2 of 3 at home against a stinky team that can’t hit to save its life. This was a stretch of games I thought the Yankees would coast through: 3 against those A’s, and 5 against the last place Baltimore Orioles. They lost the A’s series and split 4 against the O’s (thanks to Hurricane Irene, one game was left out).

Speaking of Hurricane Irene, she’s a b!tch. She screwed up my start of college. Marist College was holding Welcome Week this past weekend, but because of the storm, Sunday’s activities were cancelled. Which meant that Sunday move-in was cancelled. Which means it was moved to Monday. And that meant classes were cancelled Monday. So I’m sitting home in a blackout, just itching to just get started. No. Make the anxious/excited/nervous kid suffer that much more.

Today (Tuesday) everything worked out. My first day of classes, my first day in COLLEGE! The 40 minute drive to Marist might soon get old, but oh well. I sit here now, typing up this post, from the awesomely huge and amazing library at Marist. I’ve been here since 8am, and my next class is at 5pm. Quite a large gap. In high school, I remember not having enough time to do anything…now I sit here with all the time I could ever hope for (I’m sure that will change once I start getting assignments).

Due to the Hurricane, the blackout, and my preoccupation with school, I kind of haven’t really been following the Yankees as much as I would have liked to lately. Time sure flew. When I looked at the Yankees schedule a few minutes ago, I noticed they start a three game series against the Red Sox tonight. At Fenway. Ohhhh boy…here we go again.

The Commuter Leader here at Marist made it a point in his introductory speech to tell us that he hates the Red Sox, which totally made my day. Colin, you are already awesome!

Honestly, I’m really not thaaaaaat confident about this series against the Sox. I hate Fenway Park and I know the Red Sox steal signs. I’m annoyed at the pitching matchups: we have CC going in game 1, and he really needs to prove to me that he can pitch against this team without stinking. Game 2 is Phil Hughes, who, despite a few good starts after coming off the DL, still sucks to me. And game 3 is the always insane A.J. Burnett. The only reason I bother watching the games he pitches in is because there is always a chance he will get so mad that he’ll turn around and punch Joe Girardi.

I hope I don’t see that. But if it happened on live TV, I wouldn’t want to miss it.

The Yankees haven’t exactly been playing their best baseball of late…and I don’t really think NOW is the time to go to Fenway. I thought they’d be hot now, coming off games against bad teams, but they really aren’t.

Hopefully last night’s 3-2 win gives the Yankees the momentum they need to go out there and WIN. And hopefully Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez will be in the lineup tonight.

I want a good game. I’m going to get home at 7, and I know I’ll be exhausted. I don’t even know if I’ll have the energy to go through a Yankees-Red Sox game – they are very draining.

Oh well. I can’t believe how fast this season has gone. And my summer…but my Dad said to enjoy these next 4 years, because they too will fly by.

GO YANKEES!