Analysis

Scene: Monday night at Yankee Stadium, Raul Ibanez has just given the Yankees a 6-2 lead over Toronto with a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth.

Paul O'Neill of the YES Network, you're up:

"That's kind of a game-changer right there."


** UPDATE **

O'Neill had quite a series. Here he is after Mark Teixeira's first-inning home run in Wednesday's finale against the Bluejays:

"I tell you what, I've never seen a series where mistakes...are home runs."

A Quick Story About Bob Feller

With the passing of Bob Feller, I'd like to share a story about the time I met the Cleveland great. It was during the 1997 All-Star game festivities and I was lucky enough, thanks to my father the mud salesman and his connections with the Mud People, to be in attendance for the game and all of the other silliness that surrounds the mid-summer classic.

On the night before the game MLB was honoring some of the greatest living Indians, and Feller was the main attraction. After searching desperately for Paul O'Neill so I could cut off a lock of his curly hair and keep it in my freezer, I wound up in the lobby of the ballroom and there was Feller.

Stumbling.

And mumbling.

And clumbering (made-up word).

17-year old Derwood: "Hi, Mr. Feller!"

Feller: "Frgwershelsky! Shahanafre, klrghghghgh."

Derwood: "Mr. Feller, would you mind signing this baseball?"

Feller:

Derwood: "Mr. Feller?"

Feller: "Brgggh.."


And then he was gone, presumably to board his spaceship. It would've ruined the whole night except I finally got someone to introduce me to Pat Tabler at the shrimp cocktail station.