Lance Berkman, Joe Buck, and Yankees give me something to scream about

I'm peeved. I had a meeting to attend last night, and I missed the first hour or so of the Yankees-Red Sox game. "No problemo," I thought, "I'll just put my TV on the game channel before I go, and rewind the first hour." Unfortunately for me, I forgot that the game was on My9, and not the YES Network. So when I came home, the Yankees were losing 4-2, and I didn't get to see the Francisco Cervelli-Javier Vazquez uncaught ball mishap until later. Maybe that's just as well, though.

Then today, my Facebook friend Paul (a Red Sox fan, BTW) posted something on my Facebook wall about Lance Berkman hurting Alex Rodriguez during batting practice. My reaction in front of the computer was similar to "The Scream" picture I posted here!

I found this article on ESPN New York about the mishap, which occurred when Berkman accidentally hit his shin with a batted ball, while Rodriguez was at third base:

In obvious pain, Rodriguez hobbled around on the infield grass for a few seconds before staggering into short center field, where he rolled around on the grass before turning face down.

Some of Rodriguez' teammates, including Derek Jeter, thought at first that he was joking and yelled some light-hearted insults. Then, when it was obvious the injury was serious, Jeter shouted for trainer Gene Monahan, who hurried out to where Rodriguez lay.

Manager Joe Girardi, conversing with a member of the Red Sox behind the batting cage, also set out to minister to Rodriguez, and a small group of Yankees huddled over the stricken player before he arose and walked slowly off the field under his own power.

The clip is even more dramatic. A-Rod looked the way I did when Squawker Jon told me he would not go see "Cats and Dogs 2: The Revenge of Kitty Galore" with me!

To top it all off, FOX broadcaster Joe Buck just revealed that A-Rod got hurt because Rodriguez was saying hello to him. Yet another reason to hate FOX baseball broadcasts!


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Why A-Rod will hit No. 600 today

I'm calling it now -- Alex Rodriguez will hit his 600th career home run this afternoon. How can I be so sure of this? It's because I will miss watching his at-bats for the first time since he hit #599. I will be at the Mets game today with Squawker Jon, watching Met (or is that Yankee?) icons Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry get inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame. So, it seems to me that A-Rod will hit No. 600 today, and not only will I miss seeing it live, but I'll have to hear Mets fans boo when the home run is announced on the scoreboard! Good grief.

Anyhow, the big news in Yankeeland -- besides the huge Rays/Yankee series, that is (Robby Cano, doncha know!) -- are the newest Yankees. Lance Berkman, Austin Kearns, and Kerry Wood, come on down! You're the next contestants on "The Price Is Right"!

I think Berkman is a decent pickup. As DH, he'll be taking the place Nick Johnson was supposed to do. Johnson was one of Brian Cashman's biggest follies as GM; how Cash thought Johnson would stay healthy is a question for the ages! (Not to mention not re-signing Johnny Damon. I'm still peeved about that!)

But anyhow, I also really like Berkman's personality -- he seems like a well-spoken, funny guy, so he should fit in well in New York. And Squawker Jon and I have decided he looks like country singer Vince Gill. Just sayin'.

I guess Austin Kearns should be okay, but I'm not all that excited over him. As for Kerry Wood, I have some concerns about his injury history. But as long as he can stay healthy, he has to be better than Chan Ho Park, who got DFAed yesterday.

Anyhow, I'll tape today's Yankee game. And I fully expect to come home and watch A-Rod's 600th career homer. You heard it here first.

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