All Things Bubba

May 20, 2006: N.Y. Yankees 5, N.Y. Mets 4

Another really sweet win. Came from behind in the 9th inning to tie it, and won in the 11th.

It was widely noted that it was the "weak" bottom of the order that came through. Many fans are also raving about the "heart" this team has. The kind of heart we haven't seen since 1996. I see what they mean, and I think it's because we have so many kids and back-benchers playing these days. They have reason to keep playing their hearts out, even if the game seems hopeless. They're still hungry.

Maybe the kids are just too dumb to know it's hopeless. But they never give up. I love watching this team, win or lose. (Though winning is better, of course. ;-)

I don't want to trade for Abreu or Hunter or Stewart. I like what we have. (And I'll like it even better when Bubba gets back. Oh, and Sheff, too.)

There are drawbacks to building a team of aging veterans, as opposed to homegrown talent. Among them: you run the risk of ending up with a team that has little teamwork.

Awhile back, I came across this article. It's about the friendship among Jeter, Bernie, Posada, and Mo, which began in Columbus. Posada was already a family man, Mo was really religious, and Jeter was too young to drink, so they ended up hanging out a lot while their teammates partied.

I was reminded of that article when they showed a shot of the dugout during today's game. Standing at the rail together were the "The Columbus Clippers North." Chien-Ming Wang, Bubba Crosby, Andy Phillips, and Kevin Reese:


No, I'm not saying that they're going to turn into the next Jeter, Bernie, Posada, and Mo. Or even that's it's necessary to be good friends to play well together. But what is necessary it to know your teammates.

That was a problem last year. A couple of concrete examples: Posada not being able to catch Randy Johnson. With so many pitchers coming and going, Jorgie didn't get a chance to get to know Randy and give him the kind of attention he needed. And Sheff running into Bubba in that heartbreaker of a play. Sheff was used to Bernie, who would never have gotten there. Bubba did, alas.