March 8, 2004

I Don't Break For Yankee Fans. Bronson Arroyo threw only 26 pitches in his three innings and allowed only two balls out of the infield. Here's his pitch-by-pitch (b: ball; c: called strike; s: swinging strike; f: foul):

1st Inning: Lofton (cbbf) P4. Jeter (cf) L6. Rodriguez 6-3.
2nd Inning: Sierra (c) 3U. Posada (ccb) K. Lee (b) 8 (lcf pop).
3rd Inning: Clark (bfbf) P6. Cairo (s) single to left. Vento (b) 5-4-3 DP.

When Alex Rodriguez batted in the top of the first, the boos rained down. "This is as intense a spring training game I've ever played in." ... My title today comes from a spectator's t-shirt. ... The intensity spread beyond the field and the stands. There were reports of a fight between two women, a Red Sox fan and a Yankees fan that brought the attention of the Fort Myers police. And in the parking lot, Rick Cerrone of the Yankees claimed that he was pushed by Dave McHugh, a retired postal worker from Maine working as security. Cerrone bellowed: "Do you want to work tomorrow? ... Don't you know who I am? I'm the public relations director of the American League champion New York Yankees and you are a typical Boston Red Sox employee."

The headline read: "Playful Ramirez Banters With Reporters" and it was true (for one day, at least). Manny spoke to reporters for awhile and then dragged out Kevin Millar who agreed to "translate" for Manny. ... Millar also shouted a question across the room to Curt Schilling. "Why did you throw at Millar's head the other day! That was a horseshit pitch." Schilling yelled back: "It was right where it needed to be because it was by your ass. Your ass, your head, the same thing." ... Schilling on Ramirez: "Manny is everything you guys [the press] said he wasn't. He's going to work his ass off, hit more than. 300 with 40 homers and 145 runs batted in and somebody's still going to bitch about him doing something stupid."

Also: Michael Jordan's manager in AA Birmingham in 1994? Terry Francona. ... David Ortiz, 3B? ... John Henry Williams, 35, the only son of Ted Williams, died of acute myelogenous leukemia Saturday night. ... A Bit of New York Fishwrap: Just Wait for the Pennant Race ... Let the Jeering Begin ... Welcome to the Rivalry A-Rod ... Even in Florida, Boston Can't Find Sunny Side ... Sox Always Come Back for More ... March Turns Into October.

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