The Kentucky Derby, Whitey Ford & Me.

Posted on May 3, 2014 by ByJasonKlein

By Jason Klein

I watched the Kentucky Derby with Whitey Ford.

It was just the two of us. Well, not really, but it sure seemed that way.

It was May of 2005, and I was at a charity event in Scarsdale, NY. Brandon Steiner, CEO of Steiner Sports Marketing, had put the affair together at his home, and had attracted a group of former Yankees that would rival any Old Timer’s Day in the Bronx.

While there, I talked hitting with Don Mattingly, pitching with Ron Guidry, and drank some Miller Lite’s with Wade Boggs. I even played poker with reigning World Series of Poker Champion, Chris Moneymaker.

Around 5:30 PM, a bunch of us filed into Steiner’s TV room to watch the 131^st Kentucky Derby. That year’s race had a strong pinstriped presence too. The late George Steinbrenner, then still much in control of his beloved Yankees, owned the race’s 5-2 favorite, Bellamy Road. Trained by Hall of Famer, Nick Zito, and coming off a victory in the Wood Memorial, Bellamy Road was Steinbrenner’s best chance to win the storied race. He had tried four times prior and never saw any of his horses finish higher than 5^th place. This was his big shot!

The room I was in was packed. Everyone wanted to see how Bellamy Road would do. I couldn’t find a seat, so I leaned up against the wall on the side of the room. Moments before “My Old Kentucky Home” signaled the race’s imminent start, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and saw that the left hand resting on me was attached to the most famous left arm in New York Yankees history. It was Ford. He was there to watch the race too.

“The Boss is probably nervous as all hell,” he said to me.

“I know, I responded. “You think he’s going to win this thing?”

“I sure hope so,” he said with a stone cold face. “Otherwise, he’s going to be mad as shit.”

With Mattingly at the event.

I tried to swallow, but suddenly my palms were wet and my throat was dry. During his career, Whitey Ford had that effect on nervous opposing batters. That day, he had the same impact on me. At the time, he was an ornery 76 years old, baseball royalty, and still very intimidating. After that, I don’t remember another person in that room besides Ford and myself.

I was about to share the “greatest two minutes in sports” with the greatest lefty starter in Yankees history. The horses entered the start gate, heard the gun sound, and were off!

Bellamy Road got off to a decent start, keeping pace with the early leader Spanish Chestnut. I looked over at Ford and saw him pumping his fist. He looked encouraged.

Things got very exciting about a minute into the race. That’s when the announcer blurted out, “…and here comes Bellamy Road, who’s charging up on the outside!”

I made eye contact with Ford. He gave me the same confident look he used to give Yogi Berra behind the plate, or so I imagined. He was sure Steinbrenner’s winning ways would continue that day at the Derby.

I remember thinking to myself, “I wonder what it would be like to be watching this race with Steinbrenner?” I also wondered if Ford was thinking the same thing. What an experience that would be! Especially if his horse actually came out on top!

Hold that thought. That’s when things fell apart.

With Boggs & Guidry at the event.

As the horses came down the final stretch, Bellamy Road faded worse than the 1978 Red Sox.

“Come on!” Ford yelled.

It wasn’t meant to be. The Boss’s hyped horse drifted backwards into the pack to finish the race in 7^th place. A 50-1 shot, Giacomo, ended up winning that day.

Ford put his hand on my shoulder one more time, brought his lips close to my ear, and whispered, “The Boss is going to be fucking pissed! That I promise you.”

With that, the “Chairman of the Board,” chuckled, patted me on the back, picked up his drink, and walked out of the room.

Ford was right. Steinbrenner must have been seething after that defeat. On the other hand, I think Ford was at peace with the situation – for once, he didn’t have to deal with the boiling boss. He watched the race with me instead.

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Time Stood Still With Jeter In Pinstripes

Posted on February 13, 2014 by ByJasonKlein

By Jason Klein

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Nobody wants to get old.

As long as Derek Jeter kept playing for the Yankees, I didn’t have to.

Watching him play on a nightly basis over the last nineteen years helped prolong my childhood and allowed me to escape Father Time’s inevitable grasp. His consistent play, stable demeanor, and youthful appearance made me feel like time stood still for two decades. As long as Jeter wore pinstripes, I’d feel young.

I watched him as a kid & worked with him as an adult.

Flip on the game and…POOF! I could be a kid again.

This October, when Derek Jeter walks away from baseball for good, he’ll take a big piece of my childhood along with him. He’ll also leave behind a franchise in need of a new identity.

Former Yankees Pitcher, and Jeter teammate, Mike Mussina once said: “We can put on the uniform, and we can play in the Stadium, but we’re not the New York Yankees unless Derek Jeter is playing shortstop.”

With Jeter onboard, the Yankees could always be the Yankees of the mid-to-late-90s. They could be the Bernie-Tino-O’Neill-Posada-Pettitte-Mo Yankees. With #2 penciled in the lineup, expectations, confidence and accountability would always be high. No waters ever seemed too choppy, as long as Jeter was the Captain of this pinstriped ship.

He is the final link to the most recent golden era of Yankees baseball – the last “Core 4” member standing. He helped win four World Series Titles in five seasons. He made his jump throws, wore his Jumpman, and at times, you believed he’d keep playing, and winning, forever.

He won’t though. His remarkable career will come to an end after the 2014 season. The Kalamazoo Kid who never seemed to age, finally did. It reminds us all of our own mortality.

Nothing lasts forever. Even if it seems like it might. If you’re twenty-something, all you know is Derek Jeter at shortstop for the Yankees. Literally. That’s it.

Taking my daughter to a game in April 2013.

I was fourteen when he made his debut. I’ll be 34 when he tips his cap for the final time. For twenty years, no matter what was going on in my life, Derek Jeter was a constant.

He entertained me as a high school kid, distracted me as a college student, inspired me as an adult, and worked alongside me during my career at Steiner Sports.

My Dad took me to see him play as a kid. Now I take my own daughter to see him.

The fact that my 3 year-old daughter roots for the same active player in 2014 that I did in 1995 is a tribute to Jeter’s consistency, longevity, and drive to succeed.

As a parent now, I watch her get older with each day that passes.

With Derek Jeter retiring, I’ll get a little bit older too.

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“Bronx Bombers” Cast Members Thrown Curve Ball. Still Hit HR!

Posted on January 14, 2014 by ByJasonKlein

By Jason Klein

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The New York Yankees and adversity don’t mix.

The most successful franchise in professional sports is the oil to adversity’s vinegar – consistently rising to the top.

The same can be said for the cast members of the new Broadway show “Bronx Bombers.”

“Bronx Bombers” Opened on 1/10/14.

In desperate need of a warm baseball reprieve this frigid winter, my wife and I found ourselves at the Circle in the Square Theater this weekend, checking out the pinstriped play. That’s when cast and crew were thrown the ultimate curveball halfway through the performance.

Following a scene set within Yogi Berra’s bedroom, ceiling cables attached to the bedposts decided to malfunction. When an extended fifty-minute intermission couldn’t rectify the issue, the oversized prop was left as a permanent part of the set the rest of the show.

The Circle in the Square theater has no backstage area, and consequently, no place to move the errant bed to.

Ever wonder what a king size bed would look like inside the Yankees clubhouse?

Rather than lay down, cast members adopted a “show must go on” credo, and turned in a flawless performance the rest of the way. They could have easily just pulled the cover over their heads. Instead, I was quickly drawn back into the compelling story, often forgetting the large elephant…I mean…bed in the room.

A Yankee fan’s ultimate fantasy, “Bronx Bombers” brings together legends from all different eras of Yankees baseball. Told from Berra’s point of view, an all-star collection of players including Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle, Howard and Jeter meet up in a dream sequence – all in an effort save the franchise from combustion following Billy Martin and Reggie Jackson’s famous 1977 dugout squabble at Fenway Park.

Produced by Fran Kirmser and Tony Ponturo, the show pays extra close attention to detail throughout. Sitting atop the theater, like a crown, is a replica Yankee Stadium façade, and with MLB’s blessing, each player wears their era-specific uniform. Everything from length of sleeves, bagginess of pants and style of stirrups is addressed. Actors also do an excellent job portraying their characters. At times, I found myself recognizing players purely by their posture and mannerisms.

When an uncooperative prop threatened this authenticity halfway through the show, the cast responded in true Yankee-like fashion – rising above adversity to deliver a championship performance.

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Dear Mr. Woody Johnson

Posted on December 27, 2013 by ByJasonKlein

By Jason Klein

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Dear Mr. Woody Johnson,

Keep Rex.

Keep your players happy. Keep your fan base happy.

Keep your team’s momentum going.

Earlier this month, you admitted you were “pretty happy with the way things were going.” Here’s your opportunity to keep them moving in the right direction.

Keep your word.

Back in January 2013, when formally announcing Rex would stay on as coach for the upcoming season, you gushed: “…Rex Ryan is perfect for the New York Jets….I’m totally happy with Rex as head coach…I think it’s going to produce something really good.” If anything, the last 12 months of Rex should have reinforced these positive feelings of yours.

Keep focused on football.

You love making headlines. You also love money and politics. Time to finally show Jets fans you love winning football games too. I implore you to act in the best interest of your football team here. There’s no one better suited to lead this team than the man you already have in place. If you don’t want him, another team will snap him up faster than Santonio Holmes can walk out on the media.

Keep Rex.

I’m a life-long Jets fan, and season ticket holder, and like most, I struggle to think of any justifiable reason to let Rex Ryan go. He keeps your team relevant, his players believe in him, and he clearly gets the most out of the talent he works with.

This season, you sent Chef Ryan into the kitchen with ground beef and asked him to prepare a filet mignon. With a rookie quarterback and a roster loaded with less talent than a Kardashian, he was still able to cook up a 7-8 record with one game to play. It’s a mark that tastes pretty good to Jets fans who expected a sour season from the start.

Keep our trust.

Don’t let the 2013 season come off as a charade. Ryan has done enough to warrant an extension. Anything less would reek of predetermined peddling behind closed doors. John Idzik believes in competition. No one competed harder for his job than Rex Ryan this year.

When everyone else gave up on his ability to lead, and to coach, he stayed the course. He’s successfully squeezed juice out of the rock you threw at him, and Jets fans like myself are thirsty for more

Over the last two years, he’s won with no-name players and risen above unnamed sources. He outlasted the circus, yet, you would be a real clown if you let go of Rex now.

As we approach the final Sunday of this shockingly successful season, please keep in mind:

Your players want him back. Your fans want him back.

Don’t take a step backwards here. Keep things moving in the right direction.

Keep Rex.

Sincerely,

Jason Klein

@JasonKlein24

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Cano Goes To Seattle, Leaves Future Earnings In The Bronx

Posted on December 6, 2013 by ByJasonKlein

By Jason Klein

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Robinson Cano went after every last cent.

I don’t blame him.

But, before he did, he should have paid closer attention to some lyrics his agent, Jay Z, once rapped:

“I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man! Let me handle my business…damn!”

As a top baseball talent, Cano is much more than just another player. He’s his own brand. He’s a company. He’s a “business, man!” His new 10 year, $240 M deal with the Mariners is incredibly shortsighted. If he wanted to truly maximize his value, he should have accepted less money up front and stayed put in the Bronx.

There would have been a lifetime of earnings waiting for him at the end of his career. He would have made more money in the long run.

Not only would he have capitalized on the marketing appeal that goes along with being a life-long Yankee, but he also would have established himself as a staple within the sports memorabilia and collectibles industry.

After cementing his legacy in pinstripes, he would have essentially been able to print money by just signing his name over and over…as long as he lived.

The New York Yankees, and their players, dictate the collectibles market. Cano should have looked no further than the men within his former locker room for confirmation.

Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera are both pinstriped lifers, and are two of the most sought after, and expensive autographs around. A Jeter hand signed MLB baseball retails for $799 on SteinerSports.com. A Rivera ball goes for $399. Even at these prices, Steiner Sports can’t keep these balls in stock!

During my time at Steiner, Jeter and Rivera were consistently the most asked about autographs on Steiner’s menu – many collectors extended beyond their financial means just to add them to their collections.

Cano would have received a similar demand had he stayed in New York. With Rivera gone now, and Jeter on the way out, this could have been Cano’s team moving forward. Instead, he’ll disappear on the West Coast. His new team will be financially hamstrung by his deal and won’t be able to support him with the talent he needs to succeed. Plus, he’ll lose his marketing appeal since half the country won’t watch his late games.

Had Cano won another World Series or two in New York, and continued to dominate on the biggest stage in sports, he would have dominated the collectibles world as well – making even more money long term.

Robinson, you should have remembered…you’re a business, man!

Big picture was, a new Yankees deal would have meant unlimited long term earning potential.

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Thank Rex

Posted on November 28, 2013 by ByJasonKlein

By Jason Klein

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Be thankful for Rex.

He’s won 5 out of 11 games with a bunch of turkeys.

He deserves an extension.

Coach of the Year consideration too.

Seriously.

You think his paltry crop of receivers have bad hands? Look at the one Rex Ryan was dealt this season.

These days, his team’s roster of talent is slimmer than he is. He reports to a new general manager, is forced to start a new quarterback, and could be looking for a new job at season’s end – a move predetermined by management.

He lost his bravado when John Idzik arrived. He lost his best player when Darrelle Revis departed. His secondary regularly gets carved up like a Thanksgiving Turkey.

His team was picked dead last in ESPN’s preseason rankings and there was no indication things would turn out differently than predicted.

When everyone else gave up on his team, and his coaching abilities, he stayed the course.

Ryan has overcome the odds, outlasted the “Three T’s” (Turmoil, Tannenbaum and Tebow), and miraculously won 5 of 11 games. Despite horrific performances the last two weeks, he still has this feeble Jets roster in playoff contention on Thanksgiving.

To his credit, his players continue to play hard for him and he continues to get the most he can out of what he has to work with.

Which isn’t much.

Ordinarily, a 5-6 record should not be celebrated.

Yet, for these New York Jets, who many expected to flock among the NFL’s biggest turkeys, it’s something to be thankful for.

Start by thanking Rex.

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Rooting For History, Not The Red Sox.

Posted on October 30, 2013 by ByJasonKlein

By Jason Klein

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I love watching the Yankees win.

I also love watching sports history made.

This puts me in an uncomfortably conflicted position for tonight’s Game 6 in Boston.

There’s nothing more satisfying than a “Wow” moment in sports. I crave those “stop whatever you’re doing and watch this” type of events.

Tonight, we potentially get one of them at Fenway Park. With a win, the Red Sox would knock off the St. Louis Cardinals to clinch their first World Series Championship at home since 1918.

Wow.

In 2004, the Curse-breaking barrage of “Idiots” (their term, not mine) capped off their title on the road, in St. Louis. Three years later, they stormed the field as champions again, this time in Denver. The last time they turned the trick at home, Babe Ruth, no doubt, enjoyed a few celebratory cold ones.

Needless to say, it’s been a while since Red Sox fans witnessed history made in their own backyard.

Root, root, root for the Red Sox tonight?

I don’t know if I’ll go that far.

But, there’s a chance to witness something that hasn’t happened in 95 years!

If they don’t win it’s a shame.

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Boone Sends Yankees To The World Series, Fans Into A Frenzy

Posted on October 16, 2013 by ByJasonKlein

By Jason Klein

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(Today is the 10 Year Anniversary of Aaron Boone’s miraculous ALCS Game 7 HR. The 11th inning walk-off blast sent the Yankees to the World Series, and preserved the Bambino’s Curse for at least one more season. The Following Post Can Be Read, In Its Original Form, As I wrote on 10/17/03)

Babe, Bucky, Buckner…Boone.

At 16 minutes past midnight on Friday morning, Aaron Boone added his name to the list. Aaron “Bleepin’” Boone. Tied at 5 in the bottom of the 11^th inning of game 7 of the ALCS, Boone sent Tim Wakefield’s first pitch through the Bronx sky, and safely into the hands of George Herman Ruth sitting out in the left field stands.

“Like Derek [Jeter] told me, the ghosts will show up eventually,” Boone said.

Images From Game 7, 10/16/03.

With an early 4-0 deficit, and Roger Clemens out of the game, the 56,297 in attendance were wondering just when the Great Bambino planed on showing up. He probably just got caught up in traffic following the water main break on the Deagon. He showed up 8 innings late to the party, but the Babe arrived in time to see the Yanks capture their 39^th American League pennant in dramatic fashion, coming from 3 down in the 8^th inning, to win the game 6-5 in 11 innings. Boone’s walk off, series ending blast punctuated the evening.

“I knew it was out, I finally put a good swing on it,” he said.

It’s a swing that will long be remembered, perhaps one of the most dramatic of all time. One swing of the bat from Boone ended the most compelling, evenly matched series in Major League Baseball history, sending Yankee Stadium into a frenzy and the Red Sox home for the winter.

“This was our chance to get the World Series,” Boston’s Johnny Damon said. “And we were so close.”

Cowboy Down.

“This is the best, said Yankees manager Joe Torre. “To come here and play against the Red Sox, and play them 26 times and beat our rival like we did, it couldn’t be more satisfying. This has to be the sweetest taste of all for me.

However, early on things were rather sour in the Bronx. The Sox got to Clemens early, tagging the Rocket for 6 hits and 4 runs through only 3 innings. Clemens’ ineffectiveness, coupled with Pedro Martinez’s brilliance was a sure sign of a pinstriped apocalypse. Many wondered if this would be the night the curse was broken.

Jason Giambi, batting out of the 7 hole, delivered 2 solo shots and Mike Mussina’s 3 scoreless innings of relief kept the Bombers in the game, but it wasn’t until that fateful 8^th inning when the Empire finally struck back.

The Captain, Derek Jeter got it all started with a double to right, and Bernie Williams knocked him in with a single to make it 5-3. After a Hideki Matsui double, Red Sox Manager Grady Little went out to meet with Martinez. After some convincing, Pedro stayed in the game and gave up a game tying double to Jorge Posada. Red Sox 5, Yankees 5.

That’s the way it would stay until the 11^th, thanks to a flawless 3 innings of relief from the incomparable Mariano Rivera. It was the first time Rivera had thrown 3 innings in a game since 1996.

“Words can’t describe him, he is a cartoon character,” Jason Giambi said of Rivera.

After Boone hit, what former Mayor Rudolph Guliani deemed “the best home run since Chris Chambliss in ’76,” the Yankees were World Series bound for the first time since 2001. They will be fishing for Marlin starting Saturday night in the Bronx.

That challenge can wait until then. For now, New York revels in its latest dance with destiny. They came from behind to beat Pedro, Wakefield, and an entire Red Sox nation that holds little regard for the aura and mystique found season after season in the Bronx.

“I believe in ghosts,” Derek Jeter said when asked if there was something to the Curse. “And we have a lot of ghosts in this Stadium.”

Those Cowboys from New England may not agree with Jeter, but they surely have heard of the killer “B’s” that continue to haunt them every year.

Babe, Bucky, Buckner…and now Boone.

“Go back to Boston boys. Goodbye,” said George Steinbrenner following game 7. “They didn’t treat us very well in Boston, but you know, we get the last laugh.”

Bye Bye, Boston.

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Yankees Trio Part Of My Childhood. My Daughter’s Too.

Posted on September 23, 2013 by ByJasonKlein

By Jason Klein

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“Dewick Jeeta!” “Annie Peditte!” “Mo!”

That’s what my three year-old daughter calls them.

I’m just ecstatic she even knows who they are.

Like the iPhone, baseball rosters change every year. Players come and go, switch teams, retire, or fade into baseball ambiguity as their skills diminish.

Taking my daughter to a game in April 2013.

Yet, incredibly, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera have remained a constant within the Yankees Universe for 19 years.

Long enough for me to enjoy them with my daughter.

It’s every father’s dream to share their passion with their children. Jeter, Pettitte and Rivera were a major part of my childhood. Remarkably, they are now a part of my daughter’s too.

I’ve watched them compete since 1995, when I was a fifteen year-old sophomore in high school. I grew up celebrating their success. Some of my happiest memories were made watching the three of them play, and win, in the Bronx.

Now I’m 33 years-old, married, and have a child.

They’re still playing.

Think about that. They’re still playing! Not on a YES Network Yankees Classic from ten years ago. They’re still out there grinding today (Jeter’s injuries aside), at a high level for the Yankees, in 2013.

It’s a remarkable tribute to their consistency, longevity, and drive to succeed.

When the 2013 season ends, so will Pettitte & Rivera’s careers. Jeter isn’t far behind. Together, they’ve authored tons of memorable moments. Baseball fans of all ages are fortunate to have watched their extraordinary careers.

There may never be another trio quite like “Jeeta, Peditte & Mo.”

When they finally leave the game for good, they’ll take a piece of my childhood with them.

My daughter’s too.

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Sanchez Bamboozled Again

Posted on September 3, 2013 by ByJasonKlein

By Jason Klein

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It fits.

You know, Mark Sanchez reportedly losing his job the way he did.

One final indignity for the man continuously bamboozled by his own organization.

Inexplicably thrown to the wolves during his 4^th quarter preseason appearance against the Giants, Sanchez was done in, again, by the very team he once led to two AFC Championship Games in a row. This time, he sustained an injury that could ultimately derail his career in New York.

Bruised Shoulder.

Broken Career.

It’s not shocking, over the last two seasons, that Sanchez has regressed. It can’t be easy to succeed in the NFL when you have to battle an opponent, and your own team at the same time.

Seemingly on a weekly basis, Sanchez has been given every opportunity to fail. After his first two successful seasons, Jets decision makers left him with a diluted supporting cast, flirted with Peyton Manning, and publically humiliated him when Woody Johnson told the world “You can never have too much Tebow.” It was a statement, and a personnel decision, that divided the Jets locker room and fan base.

Then, Tebow left and Geno arrived.

They drafted Geno Smith and privately hoped he’d unseat the incumbent Sanchez. New GM, John Idzik, ultimately got his secret wish…by default.

When Rex Ryan decided the Snoopy Bowl was more important than the wellbeing of his Week 1 starting quarterback, Sanchez sustained a hit to his throwing shoulder. He now finds his status with the Jets more questionable than a Miley Cyrus performance.

Bottom line is, they haven’t treated Sanchez like a franchise quarterback, and consequently, he hasn’t played like one either. He’ll never be Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, but Sanchez has certainly proven he can win in this league when surrounded by capable talent. Plus, it’s easily forgotten, he played only one season at USC, and is only 26 years-old. He’s still a kid.

To be fair, Mark hasn’t done himself any favors either. In buttfumbling fashion, he’s turned the ball over 52 times over the last 2 seasons and proved to be mistake-prone at the most inopportune times. Opponents have undressed the inconsistent Sanchez on the field. Frivolous, camera phone-carrying party girls have undressed him off it. Poor decisions during, and after, games haven’t helped Sanchez. Again, he’s still a kid.

If this is the end of his stint in New York, it will mark a stunning fall from grace for the kid from SoCal.

It’s just a shame there was nobody from the Jets organization there to catch him on the way down.

For a team who always seems to handle things with complete ineptitude…it fits.

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