Well, the Yankee Nation is all a-buzz about Joba Chamberlain making his first major league start tonight against the Toronto Blue Jays and I will be there, of course. This will mark a major change in the Yankee rotation and bullpen since Joba’s role last year and at the beginning of this year was in the bullpen as the 8th inning setup man for closer Mariano Rivera. He has excelled in that role. One of the local headlines is: “8th Wonder Cut Loose in Bronx Zoo.”
Frankly, I think it is a rather sad commentary on the state of the Yankee team because so far their decision to rely on the young arms of Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy has tanked and the Yankees are still playing lackluster ball, putting it kindly, and can’t seem to get hits with men in scoring position. My gut tells me that the rest of the season is going to be very very difficult and that Joba will not be the Savior people are looking for. I hope I am wrong, but ...
I mean, look guys, the season is now 1/3 over and you are below .500, trail the league leading Tampa Bay Rays by 7 games and are exuding the same confidence level as a band of Austrian Zombies. Not a fitting ending for the final season in The House That Ruth Built. My Gawd, Tampa Bay has the best record in the American League? What is happening here? Yep, it is a zoo for sure.
OK, OK, on to other things - Monday night I saw a really funny musical show called: “Bombs Away! The Worst of the Best of Broadway.” This was a staged reading before an audience of potential investors. It had been performed in a cabaret setting at Don’t Tell Mama and the creative team is hoping to move it to an Off Broadway theater. The hysterical story line is: “The show centers on a fictional Dr. Barry Mishkin, curator of the American Musical Theatre Archives in Washington, DC, who has amassed a collection of numbers and scenes allegedly dropped from Broadway's classic musicals. Dr. Mishkin and his troupe of actors present his collection against the wishes of the writers, their estates, their lawyers, the Supreme Court of New York, and more recently, the FBI's Musical Comedy Fraud Division. Undaunted by his legal troubles, Dr. Mishkin will not be stopped in his compulsion to present these rare, raw, frequently embarrassing pieces of Broadway history.”
A sampling of selections includes: "Krakatoa," from South Pacific; "I Own a Nail Salon," from Miss Saigon; "I Shake Me Green Shillelagh" from Finian's Rainbow; "See Ya in IKEA," from Mamma Mia; "You’ll Have A Bris," from Fiddler on The Roof; “We’re French and We Are Revolting” from Les Miz; “I’m Going Down with You” from Titanic; and, the precursor to "Age of Aquarius," "Age of Uranus," from Hair.
Very funny and very very dirty and risqué. I liked it a lot.
I really appreciate all of the “welcome home” emails and calls. Thanks so much for taking the time. I am working on the Japan/China observations and observations is the operative word because I don’t intend to give an after-the-fact daily narrative of the entire adventure. That would be too boring. I think the first segment will be ready for posting tomorrow.
Another topic - I am a staunch Hillary supporter but it is now time for her to toss in the towel and begin working on uniting the party behind Obama. It will be an interesting race, that is for certain.
Finally, Sunday, June 1, was a very important milestone for my daughter Kathi Bendeck of Columbia, SC. “Kathi, I am so proud of you. Keep on keeping on. Love, Dad.”
Enough for now - Go Yankees!!
Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com
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