I can still remember the morning of September 11, 2001. Not visually…the only thing I can recall are the images I saw on television.
After 23 years, the lines begin to blur between real memories and those etched in my mind by the countless hours spent watching television that day, trying to comprehend what had happened and what was going to happen.
America Comes To Complete Stop Following 9/11 Terrorist Attacks
Prior to the pandemic, it was the only time in my life where I saw our country literally come to a stop.
No public gatherings. No airplane flights.
And, no sports.
Everything shut down.
I’m not a person who puts a lot of stock in sports being something that unites people, let me make that clear.
I love sports. I’ve made a career in sports, and maybe I’ve seen too much behind the curtain to view the games as anything other than entertainment.
But in the days that we waited to know when we could get back to whatever “normal” was then, we were united as a country.
United first through fear, but then through the strength that always seems to arise in people during moments of tragedy.
New York was the epicenter of that terrible day, along with Washington, D.C. and rural Pennsylvania.
In 2001, as I am now, I was a fan of the New York Yankees.
The Yankees had just finished a three-game series sweep of the Boston Red Sox on Sept. 9, and were rolling, having won 9 of 10.
They were right on the heels of the Seattle Mariners, who would set the all-time record for regular season wins that year, in pursuit of their fourth straight World Championship.
In any other season, the Yankees were “The Evil Empire,” but suddenly they were the avatar for an entire city, and a symbol for our country.
There were no “boos” raining down on them on the road. Instead, they were ambassadors for a city that was reeling and the baseball word showered them with love.
George Bush throwing the ball down the middle at Yankee Stadium 49 days after the 9/11 attacks will forever be one of the greatest first pitches in MLB history pic.twitter.com/1rtbxytOXX
If the Yankees, the pride of Gotham, could play gritty baseball every night, then we could rebuild and respond after an attack unlike any we had ever experienced.
New York claimed the AL East title, gutted out a five-game series win over the Oakland A’s, and gave the Mariners a gentleman’s sweep to return to the Fall Classic.
Yankees Win Big By Losing World Series
The stars seemed to be lining up for the Yankees to finish the storybook ending that was being predicted.
Then they lost the first two games of the series to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Returning to the Bronx for games 3-5, the Yankees were welcomed home as heroes, not as a team about to watch history slip through its fingers.
Those three games were magical. Derek Jeter became “Mr. November” when he homered off of Byung-Hyun Kim to win Game 4.
It seems only fitting that Jeter was inducted into the Hall of Fame on the 20th anniversary of 9.11.
After taking the middle three games in dramatic fashion, there didn’t seem to be anything that could stand in the way of a Yankee triumph.
We know how that story ended though. Luis Gonzalez slapped a single up the middle and Jay Bell crossed the plate to give the Diamondbacks their first world title.
Healing & Dealing
I still get upset at times about that loss. I watched it standing next to my father, the person who taught me to love baseball and the Yankees. But in the grand scheme of things, the loss of a series wasn’t as important as what we all gained that season.
No matter what teams we rooted for, playing became as important as winning. Just having those games go on, as a source of comfort and a welcome distraction, meant more than another banner.
I won’t forget the feeling of Sept. 11. I also won’t forget how baseball helped me, and millions of others, through that time.
MLB has announced their plans for recognizing the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks tomorrow.
Includes several uniform tributes in the Yankees-Mets game such as first responder caps and the Mets wearing "NEW YORK" across their home whites.
Here we are, 23 years later. America is a very different place. Social media is king and the center of information exchange.
We have survived a pandemic, and the divisions of our society are as exposed as they’ve ever been with an historically- crucial Presidential election on the horizon in November.
Baseball can be a reflection of those tensions, of the things that pull us apart. We can also see within the game the true spirit of our nation. Whether you win or lose, there’s another game tomorrow another chance.
As we reflect on the 23rd anniversary of 9/11, we can’t neglect the role that baseball played in reminding us that the game isn’t over until it’s over.
Chris Bolton highlights the first place New York Yankees’ dynamic power duo of #MLBbros Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Are they the best in the business?
The New York Yankees newly named captain has been struggling early on this season.
Aaron Judge is batting below .207, but despite his struggles at the plate, he’s hit six Bro bombs and the Yankees find themselves near the top of the American League East standings. New York is 19-12 and is second in the AL East, due to the heroics of newly acquired hitter Juan Soto and a well-balanced roster that features six MLBbros.
Yankees Still Dangerous With Judge Struggling
The Yankees are still a deadly team even with Judge not performing up to par. This shows how deadly this New York team can be if everyone was performing great. With each passing game, the pressure is mounting for Judge, who broke out over the weekend with a couple of Bro bombs.
Will Aaron Judge Start Hitting Soon?
The headlines have grown more critical and the whispers more pointed. Some are already questioning whether Judge has lost his prolific touch. Whether he can recapture the glory of his 2022 season.
Fortunately, for the Yankees, it’s still just the first month of the season. So, hold your horses on pressing any panic buttons.
In only the third month of baseball, Judge can catch fire at any minute. In the recent series against the Brewers, Judge homered and drew walks which were good signs. These plate appearances showed that he is slowly finding his form.
Last year the Yankees had no identity without Judge, which placed great pressure on him. With a more balanced lineup this season, Judge can relax and be himself. Even withstand a horrible slump and still enjoy the fruits of his team’s success.
If Judge can bring the batting average up around the .270 range by the All-Star break, then that will be just fine for the Yankees.
New York Yankees Have A New Swag
There is a new swagger in the Bronx. New York acquired fellow MLBbro Marcus Stroman, who is providing ace stuff while Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole rehabs his injury that has sidelined him since the spring.
Their pitching staff, anchored by Stroman is solid and making it hard for opposing batters. Behind the plate, catchers Austin Wells and Jose Trevino provided a steady hand, guiding the staff through each inning with skill and finesse.
All of these key factors will help Judge break out of his slump and keep him from pressing too much.
Yankees Don’t Need 60-Homer Aaron Judge To Win
Judge will not have to be his former MVP self to produce in crucial spots for the team. If he can provide power and draw walks when the Yankees need these skills, we’re looking at legit World Series contenders.
He’s hit home runs in back-to-back games, including a grand slam on Sunday off Blue Jays pitcher Bowden Francis on a 2-2 count with two outs in the bottom of the third inning. It was the 405th Bro bomb of his illustrious career and traveled an estimated 417-feet prompting Yankees announcer Michael Kay to say:
“If You Could Possibly Hurt A Baseball…That Ball’s In Pain.”
Giancarlo Stanton Struggled In 2023: Looking To Bounce Back
Stanton has a .219 batting average, with a .242 on-base percentage, and a .531 slugging percentage in eight games played.
The 34-year-old is looking to have a bounce back season after 2023 produced career lows in batting average at .191, on-base percentage at .275, and slugging percentage at .420. He also missed 61 games, mainly due to a strained hamstring.
He has only played in more than 110 games once since 2018, and his lack of availability is starting to become very impatient with fans and members of the team, with Yankees general manager Brian Cashman frustratingly saying that Stanton “is going to wind up getting injured again more likely than not because it seems to be part of his game” when asked about him back in November.
Stanton has even said that this has been a problem, acknowledging that he’s got to “change the narrative,” and he’s certainly trying. He came into spring training leaner than previous year to try and improve his mobility and to see if this could help keep him off the shelf.
With the blockbuster addition of Juan Soto and Trent Grisham in a trade with the Padres, Stanton can play less of the outfield and play more of the DH, a way to help possibly increase his chances of staying off the IL. So far, it’s been all going to plan during this young season, as all eight games Stanton has suited up for has been to play the DH.
Stanton has already had two days off as well, so it’ll be interesting to see if Yankees management have a plan of resting Stanton a bit more to try and keep him as fresh as could be.
While the five-time All-Star is known for his power, he’s also known to strikeout more often than others, as he’s already struck out 15 times, which is second-most in the AL.
He did tell reporters however that during the offseason he also worked on adjusting his hitting mechanics, so while his strikeout rate is high right now, the new mechanics could help bring strikeouts down compared to previous seasons.
This could be a make-or-break year for the 6’6” slugger from Los Angeles, as a healthy season is greatly needed to keep Yankees fans and management happy. If Stanton can be the everyday threat in the lineup that they need him to be, then a bright 2024 season is on the horizon as he continues his journey towards 500 homers.
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