It's been a busy week. I haven't been able to watch much baseball, and two of my favorite teams (the Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals) are in the running for spots in the playoffs. ... and I have DVR. So, I have most of their games from this week on my DVR.

I'm watching Tuesday night's Rangers-Yankees game in New York, tonight.

I thought I would share some of the things I have noticed, as the game goes along.

*****

In the top of the first, Rangers up to bat, Josh Hamilton comes up to bat. Josh came in second during last year's Home Run Derby, in New York. It was awesome.

So, the commentator starts talking about that, while Josh is at the plate.

He says: "Since that performance during last year's Home Run Derby, it's been 13 months, for Josh."

My immediate reaction was that it has been 13 months for the rest of us, as well.

*****

In the bottom of the first, the Yankees score 4 runs. In the top of the second, the Rangers score two. Making it 2-4 Yankees.

The cameras show a close up of the Ranger's manager, Ron Washington. Ron, normally, doesn't exactly have a sunny disposition.

So, I am looking at the TV screen, and think: "Ron looks like he is so mad, he could spit."

Well, it turns out that Ron was working a mouthful of sunflower seeds at the time, and, as I finished that thought, he did, indeed, spit.

*****

So, the top of the fourth is over. The Rangers, now, lead 7-4. It looks like it is going to be an EXCELLENT night.

Which deserves some explanation.

I "follow" 6 teams: Both Missouri teams (Kansas City, and St. Louis), the two Texas teams (Texas and Houston), and the two teams that the minor league team in El Paso fed into when I lived there (Milwaukee and Arizona). I won't say I am a fan, because my relationship with several of these is more of a sado-masochistic nature. ... they just treat me wrong.

The other important fact is ... how to explain it?

Well, take how most people view the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL. Most people that I have known either LOVE the Cowboys with an, almost, irrational passion ... or they hate the Cowboys the same way.

For a lot of die hard baseball fans, we fall into similar categories regarding the Yankees.

So, for me, all of "my teams" could have the worst single day in the history of their clubs, simultaneously, BUT, IF the Yankees lose, it's still a good baseball day.

Don't get me wrong.

I wouldn't go as far as the character "Joe" in the musical "Damn Yankees", but I can relate to his feelings.

So, it looks like one of "my teams" ... one of my favorites, in fact, is going to beat the ... Yankees.

I am proud of myself. I'm getting to the point where I can control the urge to use the "D" word when I refer to ... that team.

*****

So, pitching, in this game for ... that team the Rangers are playing ... is a guy named Joba Chamberlain.

Now for a long time, I had only read this pitchers name. I figured it was some variant of the name of the Biblical figure "Job", and I thought that was pretty cool.

I was wrong, on both counts: pronunciation and derivation.

Here is the story of the derivation of the name, according to Wikipedia:

When Joba (then Justin) was a little boy, his two-year-old cousin was unable to pronounce her brother (Joba's other cousin) Joshua's name correctly, pronouncing it as Joba instead. Harlan Chamberlain heard this and liked the nickname, so he began referring to Justin (instead of cousin Joshua) as Joba. Harlan said the name was "dynamic." Joba agreed, and eventually had his name legally changed.

So, my first instinct, upon hearing the actual pronunciation of this guy's name is to refer to him as "the Hut". Daddy, apparently, had never seen Star Wars.

*****

If Derek Jeter wasn't a Yankee, he would be one of my all-time favorite baseball players.

*****

My DVR stopped in the bottom of the 7th. However, the Rangers (I found out from other sources) won 10-9.

It was a good night.

Labels: baseball, Damn Yankees, Home Run Derby, Jabba the Hut, Joba Chamberlain, Josh Ramilton, New York Yankees, Ron Washington, Texas Rangers