"It's great to be young and a Yankee."

When I met my sister this morning for brunch, we exchanged "You'll always remember where you were when Castillo dropped that ball in the meaningless June game" stories. And we marveled at the fact we had the same exact reaction. Since we are often sharing a mind, it wasn't that odd we had the same reaction--it was the reaction itself that was remarkable.

I'll preface this with saying that the first C in CYC isn't false--I could be watching a game in the 2nd inning and the score could change by a run, and I'd go into apoplectic fits. I get nauseaus sometimes when it's bases loaded, to the point where I have to shut off the game. So when the Yanks are in a tie game in the 9th, or down in the bottom of inning, I stuff my fingers in my ears, mute the tv for good measure, shut my eyes, and roll into a ball in a chair in the corner of room. It's great, I never get to see any walkoffs as they happen, and make myself sick with anxiety.

That said, when ARod was up with 2 outs and the go ahead run on base, I watched. And when he popped up, I swear on everything that is holy, it never crossed my mind that the game was over. I didn't look away. I didn't throw anything across the room. It was as if he had just hit a liner into left center.

I'm not saying I knew Castillo would do what he did. But I didn't think it was an automatic out. And I don't know if that is more a testament to my dismissal of the Mutts, or my faith in the ghosts.

But either way, last night's game was a classic manifestation of why the Mets should never forget who's boss.



In 2006, I went to Shea with my buddy from Mobile, Alabama, to see the 2nd game of the subway set. May 20. Pedro shut down the Yanks for 8 innings, while Moose had let up 4. And then Wagner came in. According to Randolph, he wanted to really demoralize the Bombers and hence decided to bring in a historically lights out closer in a non-close situation.

But the Yanks scored 4 to tie the game, 2 of those runs with 2 outs. Brought it into the 11th and won with Andy Phillip's RBI single. 5-4. Demoralizing indeed.



Last night was the same story, the 2009 edition. The steadfast dialectic of Yankee toughness and Mets' Metness.

And such was the way the Mets allowed the Yankees to win on a walk-off popup.


Other notes from the night:

• It looks like Swisher is quite the trendsetter. Everyone wants to drop routing cans of corn now. Maybe tomorrow everyone will be getting doubled up by freezing on the basepaths.
  
• You know who'd I go to to pinch hit in a 1-run game situation? The guy who sat out the game due to an eye irritation. It'd be like a prison guard asking an inmate to stand watch for him while he goes out to grab a smoke.



• I can see why Boston has deciphered Mo, but I can't figure out why the Mets seem to have his number, too. I refuse to to buy into the growing murmurs that he's "done." I remember a few years ago, my mom said to me, "I wonder what that's like for the opposing team, when they see Mo coming in, knowing that they're about to lose the game." And she was being dead serious, and now I don't think me or my mom or the opposing players subscribe to that anymore.



• After the game, I ran into Goose Gossage at my favorite bar. I'm not even kidding. And he remembered me from running into me last year! What a f'n badass. You'd think someone so recognizable like him would tire of people constantly coming up to him, but he was loving it. "They're Yankee fans! What's better than being surrounded by the best fans in baseball? Nothing." Which was as good as what he said the other time I saw him, during the last week Yankee Stadium was open. I asked what he was doing in town, and he said, "I'm home. Home is where the Yankees are." Last night, I offered to give him my lucky hat, but he said to keep it, and he signed it instead and then asked me to sign his hat! (This is why you always bring a sharpie out with you.) ALSO, Goose said Joba should be in the pen.



• Dom Scala, former Yankees bullpen coach, was out with Goose. I swear to God, I don't know if it's because I'm wary of everyone and never expect more than civility of people, but I continue to be floored by how amazingly nice and friendly and thoughtful these ex-Yanks are. What an interesting guy, too. How can you not be endeared by a guy who spends his time coaching kids baseball?

Here's to another win on Saturday...regardless of how they get it.