Assuming last night’s defeat of Baltimore — featuring an absolutely, positively, 100% non-PED assisted HR from Alex Rodriguez in his first at bat of 2009 — isn’t the start of a Yankee turnaround, manager Joe Girardi’s job could still be in jeopardy. When and if the skipper gets the axe, what are the chances it’ll all be blamed on musical differences? Though the Journal News’ Peter Abraham stresses “the Yankees have better chemistry than they™ve had in several years. These guys like each other and they™ll play hard for each other”, if I take his previous several sentences out of context, you might believe otherwise.
CC Sabathia is not a music guy on game days. He™s more of a walk-around-and-talk-to-assorted-teammates guy. So Nick Swisher (of course) plugged his iPod into some speakers in the middle of the room.
Out came country music. I™m not opposed to country music as long as it™s Johnny Cash. Or maybe some Hank Williams or Delbert McClinton. But this was modern, sappy, makes you want to kill yourself country music.
A.J. Burnett (above), who considers Metallica easy listening, withstood it for a few minutes then finally decided he had heard enough.
œAre we going that bad that we™re listening to country? he asked in a loud voice. œWe can™t possibly be going that bad.
Swisher perked up. œWhat do you want? he said.
œI want to take a bat to that iPod, Burnett said.
Peter’s claim that Burnett would consider the likes of Metallica to be softcore had me wondering. Is A.J. amongst those allowed to partake from Hospital Productions‘ legendary private stash?