I didn’t want to slap Al in under the "this and that" post. He deserves his own.
Now, I took great joy in watching him implode last season…but only because of the pinstripes on his back. I watched Al pitch from afar for most of his career – and I was always a big fan (even made a geeky min-web page dedicated to him YEARS ago)…he, along with Mike Piazza, made the 2000 World Series worth watching, for me anyway. And after 19 years in The Show, he’s retiring. I find that very sad. I hope he holds his head high and I hope to GOD that he ends up in the broadcast booth next to Joe Buck someday…while we all wave goodbye to Tim McDumbhead.
Thanks for all the memories, Al. (Even the one where you kicked the Red Sox all over Fenway Park in your first game as a Yankee – I was there and although I was bummed about the loss – well, I was moderately happy for you for showing people you weren’t ‘quite’ washed up.
Godspeed, Al. Enjoy your retirement!
(Picture of Al, taken by me at Yankee Stadium in September of 2005)