A Halloween Treat

Behind the scenes of the Yankee GM Office on Halloween

"Now...that pitcher you gave me. It wasn't Javier Vasquez, was it?"
"No"
"Ah, very good. Would you mind telling me which pitcher I DID put into the rotation for the postseason?"
"You won't be angry"
"I won't be angry"
"Andy someone"
"...Andy someone. Andy who?"
"Andy...Washedup..."
"Andy Washedup"
"I'm sure that was his name"
"Heh...are you saying...that I put Andy Pettite, this...tired...mildly injured, 37 year old... INTO THE DEFENDING WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!
(Strangles him)
"IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME!"
"You said you wouldn't be angry!"
"IS THAT IT?"

Happy Halloween from Mint Condition. May your tacky movie references be better than mine.

Looks like I didn't miss much

I didn't post for a few days, due to a lack of anything to post about. Fortunately, I whipped up a custom of the man that Philly fans will hate for years to come. Juan Booribe, as he will now be known, infamously hit the 8th inning homer to seal the Fightins' fate in Game 6. So Naturally, he recieves a custom from Mint Condition.

One of these days I'm gonna find some 2010 Update. Seriously. I've gone so many weeks without cards...actual cards. I need fuel.

This Day in History

Every Yankee fan who was still pissed that they ended up in last stood up and cheered.

(Just waiting on you, Mr. Young)

Worst Case Scenario

I was on a busride home from a school marching band competition, listening to the Phillies game on ESPN radio. Myself and the 15 other rabid Philly fans/drummers were listening is awe as Uribe hit the 8th inning home run, and as Wilson battered down Howard for the last out of the 9th. The entire bus stooped into a depression, with obsenities and annoyed hand signals thrown about. For the first time since 07, the Phillies had failed to clinch the NL.

And everyone was still trying to piece their minds around the fact that the Giants and the Rangers, two usually unspectacular teams fueled only by pitching aces and little star power, would be facing each other for the world series.

This was the outcome that nobody saw coming. Sure, the Giants are awesome this season, but who would have guessed that they would defeat the Phillies? Not me.

This may be the first year since 2007 that none of my favorite teams have made it to the series (And I really don't want to talk about the 2007 series. I really, really, really don't). And while I'm probably going to root for the Giants (Sorry, Night Owl, but they seemed great in July when I saw them), I really don't know how I'll enjoy this series.

Good news is I'll be churning out more customs tomorrow.

The Agony

I think everybody knows what happened last night. The Rangers...they were just better than us, and they overpowered us enough to eventually win the series. Texas will be in the World Series for the first time ever.

What about us?

All you people wanted from the postseason was for the Yankees to lose. Seriously. Half of everyone's postseason posts were about "BOO YANKEES!" or "GO RANGERS!". But how do the Yankees fans take it. It's almost like peer pressure, how everybody wanted the Yankees to lose, and they eventually lost.

I mean, back a few weeks ago, I was saying to people "I hope the Rangers get in, because the Rays are gonna have us for dinner". Safe to say, the Rangers were even worse. And yesterday, I didn't even think New York would be going to the World Series. And I was right.

And I know why everybody hates the Yankees. Hell, I even had a post about it earlier in the year, and all the comments had something along the lines of "BOO YANKEES" or "They always win" or something. People hate that they have so much money, they hate the YES sportscasters, they hate A-rod. They consider the Yankees as the A-student back in school that sat in front of the class, and got an A on every test.

And I know for a fact that there are more Yankee haters than there are Philly haters, so I hope everyone will be pleased with the outcome (I'm just hoping we hang on).

Anyway...thanks boys, for a great 2010 season. Hopefully we'll be better, not only in offense (If Carl Crawford is in the outfield, there's no stopping us), but in pitching (Two words: Cliff Lee).

Maybe then people will like us. Maybe.

We won?

Today was a bit of a dark one for me. My classmates in school are all diehard Philly fans (Mainly because I live about 20 minutes away from Philly), and they all want a Phillies Rangers series. And I had to piece my mind around the fact that that could be it. That the Yankees might not make the Series this year, and there's always next year.

Tonight...I threw all of that away as I watched CC "You can all go home, the CY Young is mine" Sabathia fan down the starstruck Rangers (Nelson Cruz deserved it. An eye for an eye, an ex-Ranger for a current Ranger). Granderson wowed with a homer. Swisher and Cano swatted homers backfield. All in all, it was a great game.

Friday night we play Texas again back on their turf. Phil Hughes is pitching, and frankly, that's all you need to know.

And look...if the Yankees don't end up getting to, let alone winning, the World Series, I'll be fine. I'll just be smiling as the boys from Arlington get stunned by Werth and the gang.

And Nolan Ryan will sit there in the stands, with his "Pissed off Science Teacher spotting you talking during a lecture" face (While Dubya smiles beside him).

And Schmidt, Carlton, Kruk, Schilling, Bunning and all the other great Phillies in the room will stand up and cheer. Cause it's Philadelphia's year.

That's if the Yankees don't make it. If we do...then that's another story...

Even Money

Older Custom, but didn't wanna post the 80 Oswalt for the Umpteenth time.

Yeah, J-Rol, Oswalt and the Phils sailed ahead last night and beat the Giants, tying the series at 1. Tuesday night the Giants will face Hamels. All I can say is good luck San Francisco.

Tonight: Yankees vs. Rangers at home. Pettite (I believe) vs. Lee.

DAMMIT!

4-3


7-2.

I hope somebody good wins something soon.

The Comeback

Last night was an excellent way to start the ALCS- with an epic comeback. Brett Gardner had that amazing headfirst slide into first. Mariano Rivera had an excellent save. Nolan Ryan had a hysterical glance at the camera.

Keep it goin, boys! No stoppin' you now!

Showdown in Arlington

The hopeful AL Cy Young award winner...


Against Mr. Boring Name and his Howling Commandos (Vladdie! Elvis! Ian! Ham!)

Gentlemen, start your Daring Finish and/or Long Offseasons!

SUCCESS!!!

And with a win by Cliff Lee, this marks the Rangers' first ALCS. Smile while you can, Cliff. You'll be a Yankee next year anyway.

In come the Giants

I know that the Braves would be easier to defeat in the Playoffs, but I'm kinda happy for the Cinderella Giants. Their offense is great, their pitching is great, they have a surefire ROY candidate in Buster Posey. It's just a great team. But still, I'd hate to see the Phillies lose. So, like Night Owl, and dayf, and all the other people who wanted the Braves to win, I'll be hoping that the Phillies make another world series.

As for the other impending doom that the Yankees will have to face, I'm just hoping for some miracle to happen so that the Rays lose. Please.

Congrats to our winners...for now

The Phils take the Reds in three!


The Yanks take the Twins in three!


Hey WILLLSSSOOON!!! Keep rockin' the Braves with that sweet beard.

And finally, please win so we don't have to play the Rays. Pretty please?

And the playoffs keep on rollin...

Bam! Right past Jay Bruce, and right past home plate, the Phils win Game #2.


And with a homer from Rick Ankiel, and some pretty good baserunning by this guy, the Braves steamrolled over San Francisco to tie the series.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm lovin' this October.

Victorious...

Lincy and his 14 K's blew past the Braves.

Berkman's 2 run homer powered the Yanks.

And this guy...(since I didn't make a Kinsler, or Young)...this guy won too.

Playoffs, Night 2

Knock those Twins down


Show those Reds how we do it down here.

The Other East Coast Victory

Congrats to Teixiera, Granderson, Sabathia and the rest of the gang for plowing past the Twins in game one. Keep on goin' Yanks.

Roy, meet October. October, meet Roy

I'm pretty sure this won't be the only time you two will meet. After all, if you could fire down 2 no-hitters in one season, Roy... I'm pretty sure this will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Thanks for the 2nd no hitter doc. You really deserve the Cy. (Let's see Aroldis Chapman top that!)

It's on!

The Playoffs are officially on! Watch these two hitters clash for a spot in the NLCS.

(You all know who I'm betting on!)

It's that time of year again...

It's the 4th of October, which not only means I gotta start thinking of entries for Thorzul's Nightmares of Cardboard contest (I had tons of ideas for 2010 inserts...then he limited it to 70- 90 Topps. Damn you!), it's also time for the PLAYOFFS!

Yes, the yearly event that tries man's souls (Or at least Alex Rodriguez's souls) is upon us. Eight teams have entered and only one will emerge victorious. My thoughts on the Eight-

AL:

Rays: Again, not happy about this one. When your division holds 3 of the meanest, nastiest, toughest teams in the league (and the Orioles), it's hard to be a wild card, knowing that you might have to face one of them. The Rays are tough, let me tell you that. The good news is that Crawford's a free agent next year. Mwa-ha-ha....

Twins: I'm glad they're in for Thome's sake. He's nearing the end of his Cooperstown-worthy career, and he's ending it the way he should- blasting homers out of Target Field. I've got nothing against the Twins this year. Although maybe the first few game of the ALDS might change that.

Rangers: Here's the team that hopefully, we'll need to worry about. Out of the 4 teams picked for the AL, the Rangers seem easiest to beat. I'm just hoping they get by the Rays.

Yankees: Your eventual winners. Yeah, you better bow.

NL:

Phillies: Probably the Yanks will go up against the Phils again this year: I'm calling it. Both teams seem completely unstoppable, so there's really only one possible outcome (well two, maybe a repeat of the 08 series if the Yanks get unlucky). The Phillies are so remarkably good this season, especially with their pitching- they can move mountains with just Hamels, Halladay and Oswalt.

Reds: I'm extremely happy that the Reds got in. It seems like such a fun team, and it's too bad that they gotta play the Phils. Not even Aroldis Chapman can stop us.

Giants: I saw these guys at home at the beginning of their rise. I saw them beat the Dodgers on their turf as the lead escalated. Now, the fun loving Giants that I saw 3 months ago have turned into the playoff bound NL West Champions, knocking back any predictions of LA or Colorado taking it.

Braves: Congratulations on the Wild Card, boys. I'd say you really deserved a crack at the playoffs. Just one problem- you're up against San Francisco. Good luck, Braves. You'll need it.

I think this will be a very interesting postseason. Hell, we might even see A-Rod crack a homer off Hamels again this year. Maybe I'll be in the park to see it again. Maybe.

Custom Card of the Day- Werth Edition

I think that if I told anybody 5 years ago that Jayson Werth would be a superstar in Philadelphia, I'd be in the psychiatric ward in seconds. This guy has come a long way from the clean shaven, barely playing, injured Jayson Werth from the Dodgers 5 seasons ago. Now, he's the Philly outfielder that everybody loves, and he's got a sweet beard. What more could you want???

I really don't have much to say today. Look at that sweet beard.

Tomorrow- I really don't know. If I don't customize anything tonight, it'll be Mike Stanton.

Custom Card of the Day- Markakis Edition

I made this one last week, just before the whole race to the playoffs began. Sadly, while the race is well underway, Nick and his lovable team of Orioles won't make it to October glory.

Still, they did have a pretty okay season- they started off slow, and they had a huge resurgence under Buck Showalter. But they still lost 90 games. But they weren't that bad, anyway. Hell, I think they were better than Boston in the end there. And I can think of so many other teams (The Cubs, Dodgers and Rockies, for instance) that did worse than the Orioles.

And the truth is, with players like Markakis above, Adam Jones, Matt Wieters, Nolan Reimold, Brian Roberts, Luke Scott, Felix Pie and Koji Uheara, it's questionable why they lost. I mean, whenever I go up to Camden Yards (a friend of my dad's gets tickets), I never boo the Orioles. They're just a fun team to watch, similar to the Giants. You get so relaxed watching these teams to the point where you figure that the game isn't about competitiveness, it's about fun.

So that's what the Orioles have going for them. Their fanbase may not be the largest, and they may be tucked away in a minor city in Maryland, but gosh darn is they're so darned fun to watch.

Coming Tomorrow- He fields! He hits! He's got a sweet beard! Your Philadelphia Phillies Wacky Outfielder is tomorrow's custom.

Custom Card of the Day- D-Lee edition

I think a lot of Chicago fans were saddened when this guy left Illinois. Fortunately, most Braves fans were overjoyed. And apparently, Derrek did pretty good for the Braves...well, on the Braves standard that is. But with Chipper hurt, the Braves needed an aging infielder who could hit quite a bit. And they got one.

Of course, the Phillies gave the Braves a slamming they'll never forget...but at least Atlanta has this guy to brag.

Tomorrow- A speedy outfielder for a struggling knockout team, in the AL East. And I had tickets to see him play again this month...but couldn't go.