June Pennant Races

I would like to remind you that when you call someone a sports fan, you are calling them a sports fanatic. What’s happened with the local major league baseball teams of late is further proof that these fanatics are also crazy.
Two weeks ago the Yankees were sinking faster than the Titanic and even die-hard fans were bailing on the team and season. They said it was time for Joe Torre to go and were disgusted with the players brought in by General Manager Brian Cashman. 14 ½ games behind the hated Red Sox, Yankee fans were turning their attention to the upcoming football season.

At the same time the Mets were rolling along with the best record in the National League and many of their fans proclaiming them as New York’s best team…I have to admit to being in this category. Jose Reyes looked like an MVP candidate and a trip to the World Series seemed imminent.

That was just a couple of weeks ago but my of my how things have changed. As they get set the play this weekend in the Bronx the Yanks are sizzling, having won 9 in-a-row and 12 of 14. At the same time Boston is losing so that 14 ½ game lead is down to 7 ½. As for the Mets, they’ve dropped their last 5 and are 2-10 in June thanks to shaky pitching and little hitting. Their lead in the NL East is just two games over the surging Phillies….a team that was woeful at the start of the season and had their fans calling for the head of manager Charlie Manuel.

The real kick here is Yankee fans are back on the bandwagon and all swear they were never off….Met fans want players traded, Willie Randolph fired and are expecting to be swept by the Yanks this weekend and sink further into the abyss. As for Philly fans….they’re just waiting for the expected bad things that always go with being a Philly fan.

Remember…..Fanatics!

Sunday is Fathers Day and one of my most lasting memories of this day actually has nothing to do with my father. As an 8-year old I remember watching Jim Bunning on TV throw a perfect game for the Philies against the Mets on Fathers Day in 1964. Just one of those things I’ll never forget.