Running on empty
Strange to see Alex in a polo shirt and pants in the clubhouse, as all of his teammates scurried about in uniform, preparing for BP. Alex won’t start tonight or tomorrow because he is fatigued or, as he said, “running on empty.”
It’s mind-boggling that Alex had played in all 38 games, just three as DH, since returning May 8. And that pace has taken a toll, or so it seems. He is 8 for 55 in June, in an 0-for-15 skid and hitting .212 with nine home runs and 26 RBI. (In 2007, the MVP season Alex repeatedly has said he wants to copy in terms of his approach to the game, he had 26 RBI and 10 home runs after just 14 games.)
Alex suggested that yesterday’s marathon, which included a five-and-a-half-hour rain delay, played into his reaching the tipping point in terms of fatigue. “Yesterday was an absolute nightmare for me,” he said, describing a nearly 13-hour workday that began with 9 a.m. work with Kevin Long.
Oddly, Alex said he told Girardi on Thursday night that he needed a break. But, he was in the original lineup today, until he met with Girardi and was joined via phone by Cashman. Then it was determined that Alex will miss two days. The Yankees also have a day off Monday. It’ll be interesting to see what effect this respite has when Alex returns.
Angel Berroa: He just crushed a double, his first hit since April 28. We’ll leave the jokes to Abraham.
Nick Swisher: We asked him how he spent the rain delay. For a long time he worked on the collage in his locker. (Yes, he said we may photograph it and show it to you — but not until it is a finished product.) Then he ate. (The YES booth was a food orgy. Disgusting.) Then he watched some TV. Then he slept — in uniform in case the rain suddenly ceased. It was a long day.
Derek Jeter: Should he be running on that gimpy left ankle? He’d say yes, of course.
Paul O’Neill: He’s back from Paris where, he says, “they don’t eat.” You can imagine how he felt about that. Well, he just sent Matthew — not Matt — to the Edy’s concession stand for ice cream. Two vanilla cups. One for him. One for me. He is so nice! We didn’t even want the ice cream. But you just don’t say no to ice cream from Paul O’Neill.
Dolphin Stadium: It has been renamed Land Shark Stadium. But every piece of permanent signage still reads Dolphin Stadium. Anyway, it looks like rain (again), but they’re playing Meatloaf over the P.A. We love Meatloaf. He was at a game a couple of years ago in Toronto (we think) and we became a public embarrassment swooning over him. It wasn’t restraining-order stuff, but it was a little much.
The Kimberly Jones Blog 
Really? Meatloaf was playing? Love him, BTW, but figured with the renaming to Landshark Stadium it would be All Jimmy Buffett All the time! (Not a bad thing!)
Go Yanks!!! Great blog Kim !!!
Love the blog Kim
Tell Swish to hurry up with the collage. I want to see it!
thanks for asking swish! i can’t wait to see the collage.
of course derek is going to say yes. but this is why we love him right? haha
seriously though, i love your blogs.
Hi Kimmie!! Meatloaf’ eh? I figured you more for a Backstreet Boys kinda girl.
O’Neill is just the coolest. Really…I’ve been a fan of his since he came to NY. I loved him as a player because he HATED to lose and you could see that quite celarly. (Unlike the guys on the club since those days)…But now that he’s in the booth, his sense of humor and overall personality bring a LOT to the game, not to mention his insight.
Kenny Singleton is my next favorite. He KNOWS the game and tells it like it is.
Cone and Flaherty are good too…but just getting started. And they ALL make Kay look good. The good thing about Kay is that he asks the right leading questions to pull the insight from these guys.
But Kimmie..you are quickly becoming my favorite YES personality. With your on field pre-game stuff and post game interviews….not to mention your undeniable blonde babiliciousness (is that a word?) and the daredevil attitude you have about the shrapnel from the cream pies to the face…not to mention the bravery you show having to watch Kay gorge himself night after night….well…it all kind of makes me feel like you felt about Meatloaf. ; – )
Hi Kim!
Read your blog every day and it’s great just like your
interviews. Your right on Meatloaf but how about CCR?
What is State going to do this year?
First time bloging plus tech. challenged (whats tweeting?)
and does Sylvester know about it?
Hi Kim, enjoy the blog, good job. I’ve been a Yankee fan since the 70’s and still enjoy the rivalry with Boston. You are a terrific interviewer, most of the times your the only one asking questions in the clubhouse, what gives, are the others intimidated by you or do you have preferential treatment? Speaking of intimidation, does Derek Jeter intimidate you when you interview him. He always seems so quick and short with his answers and then gives you that look like “are you done already?!. When you asked abt his ankle again quick, short, and away he went and you knew that was it. Is he not comfortable in front of the cameras, or is it just too much of a fuss for him( I don’t mean fuss like annoyed, but because he’s humble or shy). I would love to be in your shoes just to interview these guys and pick their brains. Take care… Mao Trenton NJ
Three phrases I wish I’d never hear again: #3 Pound the zone. #2 Bridge to Mariano. #1 Nice piece of hitting. Runners up: My head is so big. I’ve never eaten ketchup.
Love your Blog! Yankees all the way.
Why isn’t anyone focusing on whether Joba has the ability to throw 96+ anymore. if he does, but can only do so for an inning in relief, then that’s an important fact in the overall debate. if he can’t throw that hard, then he’s probably not cut out for relief because he has similar tools to rivera, but without the pinpoint control and that wont make his slider which is normally not a strike as effective as riveras. moreover rivera has mastered going up the ladder with his fastball. As a starter with 91-3 , he will never be dominating but above average.
Kim, Yankees looking at too many called third strikes and always complaining about umpires calls of strikes. Swisher, Jeter, Matsui, KRod, biggest offenders….also, Texiera plays with his crotch much too much at the plate. What is that?
Good blog. By the way, why does your site say A-Rod was benched when he is sitting because of fatigue? Just wondering.
Jeter didn’t look like he was running “like a bat outta hell” after the ground-rule double in the first… But I guess that’s the way the ball bounces!