The Man and His Cutter

Traub's profile of Mariano Rivera in the NYT Magazine this weekend, wasn't very interesting, especially if you know anything about baseball or the man himself. Frankly, Mariano -- the man -- while certainly a model of dignity, isn't particularly interesting. On the other hand, as this really cool animation attests, he's a fascinating pitcher/craftsman.

Mariano Rivera

Pro athlete of the year. Check out the video explaining why he is virtually unhittable.

And a question for Yankee fans, is Nick Johnson this year's edition of Nick Swisher? Last year, you may recall, the Yankees seemed to be out of the Teixeira sweepstakes after signing Swisher to play 1B. Are the Yanks, in signing Nick, trying to put greater pressure on Damon to accept a two year plus option deal? The Yankees don't seem to be in the Holliday mood this year, but they weren't thought to be talking to Tex last year.

Too much time to think

Are the cracks found in the new, $1 billion dollar stadium's pedestrian ramps a metaphor for the cracks emerging in the bullpen's bridge to Mariano?

The ramps were built by a company accused of having links to the mob, and the concrete mix was designed and tested by a company under indictment on charges that it failed to perform some tests and falsified the results of others. But it is unclear whether work performed by either firm contributed to the deteriorating conditions of the ramps.

The Yankees have hired an engineering company to take samples from the ramps — they ascend from field level to the stadium’s upper tiers, carrying thousands of people each game — to determine the cause and the extent of the problems as the team finishes its first season in the new stadium and prepares for what could be its first World Series there.

A spokeswoman for the team, Alice McGillion, called the cracks “cosmetic,” saying that they posed no safety issues because they did not affect the structural integrity of the ramps. She characterized the work to repair the problems as “routine remediation,” which she said was “usual in this kind of building or in any other building.”

It's been raining most of the afternoon, but the forecast indicates it may a bit less wet tonight.

Let's go Yan-kees...

The Stove is getting Hot

The "running of the free agents," as Alex Belth so nicely puts it, begins tonight, so things should get innerestin'.

But before those festivities even begin, the Nick Swisher (or, Swish Nicker, as Steve Goldman prefers) deal looks very good for the Yankees. I've been following his career since he first made his appearance in Moneyball (he was the A's first pick in 2002, 16th overall followed by Cole Hamels at 17...ain't baseball grand?). Good patience and power, good defense, flexibility, and youth -- characteristics the Yankees haven't had at first base since before Don Mattingly's back started acting up. Importantly, he gives the Yankees leverage with agent extraordinaire, Scott Boras, who handles Mark Teixeira, the big free agent bat out there this year. They can tell Boras that they have a fine, fine first baseman now -- seems to have worked with this guy -- even as Boras will be desperate to keep the Yankees' checkbook in the mix. Anyone remember the Beltran Yankee discount? With Teixeira at first and Swisher able to play an excellent first and corner outfield positions, the Yankees would have the depth they've lacked since the 1990s run.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

As for pitching, the word is* that the Yankees are ready to offer CC Ryder Sabathia $140/150 million over five/six years, hoping to blow everyone else out of the water. Other pitchers out there for the taking that have been mentioned as possible Yankee targets are A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe. While Burnett had a great year in '08, he's prone to injuries and Lowe is both old and a groundball pitcher -- not the ideal guy for a team with marginal defense.

* Unlike those supposedly coming from the Obama transition team, I'm more prone to believe baseball rumors.

It's down to one game

Both for The Stadium and the Yankees season as the Red Sox win and the Tragic Number drops to one.

I'll try to live-blog the pre-game ceremonies, but I worry about soaking the keyboard. Anyway, odd the celebratory feel of the place given that the Yankees would have to win every remaining game and the Red Sox lose those games if the Yankees are to go to the post season for the 14th year in a row.

7:35 -- Is Cora Rizutto still standing out at shortstop?

7:40 -- Willie Randolph just slid into second. Fantastic, and totally unexpected.

7:56 -- Center field is saved for last. Joe D., Mantle. Is Bernabe Williams in The Stadium?

8:05 -- "Bern baby Bern." Bernie Williams' Day coincides with the Closing of The Stadium Day. How perfect.

And, at 8:06, Bob Shepard announces the lineup.