Billy The Kid had Art Fowler. Bobby Cox had Leo Mazzone and they was rockin (if you know, you know) and I have my boy MB.
MB and I met some years back playing Strat. He is a big-time winning basketball coach, who is devoted to his wife and family (respect) and a lifelong Dodgers fan with a irrational man crush on Franklin Stubbs. He and I bonded quickly when we first connected over Strat. We got into some leagues together, drafted up some teams and he helped me in some tournaments I was playing face to face in North Carolina. And then, as it generally does, life happens. We lost touch. I moved to Miami for work. Moved back to Columbus again for work. Got divorced. started this replay. and then.
I got the text. No. not from my ex, but from my pitching coach. BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
“just checking in my dude.”
I hadn’t talked to him in forever. We chopped it up, talked about life as two old boys do. He took a job as an assistant coach on a DI hooping squad in Portland but then moved back to Oklahoma City when he missed his wife (again, respect), though he was ballin in a big time air BNB. His daughter is graduating vet school soon, doing clinicals. He is podcasting about the Dodgers while also running the pitch clock at the AAA team there. Life is good for him, I could not be happier.
Then I had to ask the question. He knows what is coming.
“Bro. My 82 Yanks a strugglin'”
We start discussing the pitching staff and he convinces me to move Rudy May into the fifth starter spot for the struggling Doyle Alexander. I say, man, not sure, May is a valuable bullpen piece. He says “johnny, my dude, listen, you will get more length and value from May while he starts, he can give you a solid 6, you have Goose to toss the 8th and 9th. you basically have one inning that you need to cover. you mean Frazier can’t get you that? What about Morgan? certainly he can give you one.” Reluctantly, I agree.
Since that point, May has given me two quality starts as the Yanks toppled Texas 6-0 and the Royals 3-2. May has gotten into the 7th with both of those starts scattering 8 hits over those 2 games with only allowing 2 ER. after 124 games, the Yanks are 74-50, playing at an almost 600 clip. I still think I have a shot at the division, but those pesky Baltimore Orioles are 7-3 against us and I got a huge three game series coming up against them.
think I am gonna need to reach for the Batphone…
Until Ozzy Osboarne gets treated for rabies again after biting the head off a live bat at a concert in Des Moines, Iowa…..
