Welcome Matt

From the Yankee website:

Welcome Matt: Matt Smith pitched for Triple-A Columbus on Thursday afternoon, then boarded a bus for Buffalo, where the Clippers were to kick off a road trip. As he arrived at the hotel, Columbus manager Dave Miley walked over to the left-hander and commented on his outfit, which featured jeans and a Yankees fleece.

"That dress code isn't going to work," Miley told a confused Smith.

"I thought maybe he was a stickler about the dress code being on the road," Smith said. "I said, 'What do you mean?' and he said, 'The dress code is a little different in the big leagues.' I thought he was joking, but I know a manager wouldn't do that to a guy in my situation who had never been there."

Miley wasn't joking. Smith was recalled by the Yankees before Friday's game in Minnesota, giving New York a 12th arm on the pitching staff. To make room for Smith on the roster, the Yanks designated catcher Koyie Hill for assignment.

Smith appeared in seven games for the Yankees this spring, going 0-1 with a 5.41 ERA. He met with Torre and Guidry before Friday's game, though they didn't tell him exactly what his role would be.

"They said I'd probably have some jitters the first couple of times, but to just keep doing what I've been doing," Smith said. "I guess they were happy with what I did in spring.

"First and foremost, I have to get lefties out; being a lefty, that's pretty much what you have to do," Smith said. "I really won't know how they're going to use me until I get out there. Right now, I could care less what they do."

Smith has experienced a lot of firsts in the past two months, getting his first invite to big-league camp in Spring Training, being put on the 40-man roster for the first time and now being called up to the Majors for the first time.

"Getting drafted by these guys was a dream, and now being here is a dream," said Smith, whose father, David, grew up in Texas listening to Maris and Mantle's Yankees on the radio. "It's a great feeling."

As for the big-league dress code, Smith arrived in Minnesota without a jacket and tie, which is standard attire for the Yankees' charter flights.

"I'll be more than happy to go to the mall tomorrow," Smith said.

Update on Matt: Matt saw his first peice of action in the Yankees loss to Minnesota tonight. He faced one batter in the 8th, throwing 5 pitches. The first was a called strike, followed by 3 balls. The 5th pitch was hit to Giambi, who tossed it to Matt to get the out. Matt was then replaced by Farnsworth.

Boy oh boy do I have news!!

I am so excited right now I don't even know where to begin. So I will start at the top...

4 years ago I was hired by the largest ad agency in Nevada. When I got there I met a wonderful girl by the name of Dragonfly. Little did I know that she would become one of my best friends. 4 years later I can't figure out how we didn't become friends immediately - we became close when I was moved to her accounts about 2 years ago.

Before that, her brother Matt, interned at R&R for a few months in the winter. Since it is blatantly obvious that I am a die hard Yankee fan, one of my coworkers decided to tell me that Matt was a pitcher with one of the Yankees' farm teams. I sought him out right away.

Since I met him I have been following his career, feeling his pain when his season ended early because he needed surgery, getting frustrated when he was bounced around from starter, to closer, to reliever, and every place in between.

Last season, we got the best news - he made it to AAA Columbus - the majors were right around the corner. The season progressed and the call never came. I was disappointed but I had a feeling that the time wasn't right just yet.

Then we heard that he was being sent to spring training. And I thought that now was the time. He stayed in Florida the whole time. But then on April 1st, he was cut and sent back to AAA. I was floored. I thought it had to be an April Fools joke.

Well it turns out that it was an April Fools joke, the punchline was just two weeks late. About 20 minutes ago Dragonfly called me up and said the 3 words I have been waiting to hear - "Matt's a Yankee." The only thing that could come out of my mouth was "Oh my God!!!!"

Welcome to the bigs, Matt. It's your time now. Do us proud. You already have two die hard fans in me and my younger brother. I can't wait to see you on the mound in the Bronx. It's where you belong.

I'll be in NY next week - I hope to see you!!!

The letter I will not send

Greg,
I have always wondered what happened to you, what happened to us. Although the end of our relationship was abrupt and painful, I can honestly say that I have always kept a place for you in my heart.

The way it all began was humorous. It was all a whim. There I was a high school senior, dealing with so many issues, the trials and tribulations of growing up and figuring out where I belonged in the world. And on pure impulse, I reached out to you. Hell, you even thought it was a joke. In the very beginning it may have been.

We clicked instantly. We would talk on the phone for hours, even though I hated talking on the phone, but it never seemed that long. I didn't want to stop talking with you. Everything else in the world disappeared when we talked.

I never thought our first date would happen. Why did there have to be a blizzard on that Saturday of all days? You were even sweet enough to pick me up from work just so that I wouldn't have to walk home in the snow. And that night we went on our first date. And I don't think I talked to you the entire night. I was so nervous. And then you drove me home. We talked a little bit. When I went to get out of the car, you stopped me and asked me a question. "Don't I get a kiss good night?" I think that is when our relationship really began. It wasn't the next weekend when you asked me to be your girlfriend. It was that moment in the car.

We had a lot good times. Hanging out at your parents house, laughing, watching TV, pretending to watch TV. It was nice. But, all good things must come to an end. I was worried that you would leave me like so many had before and I got nervous that you would cheat on me. I so desperately wanted you to reassure me that everything was okay, but I didn't know how to tell you what I needed. All I knew how to do was become needy and clingy. It was over.

I still can't get over the way you ended it. When I confronted you to see if anything was wrong you said no. And then two weeks later, you called me up, and ended it. You couldn't even do it in person. I was crushed.

In all the years since then I have vascillated between being sad to mad and every emotion in between. But it is what it is and it has influenced the person I am today. Although I am sad that it ended, I am glad that we had the time we had. I don't know that I would change any of it.

I hope your life is everything that you wanted it to be. I hope that you are content as I am. I hope you enjoy life.

Good bye.

Just another Saturday night at home

It is softball time again, which of course means that I don't go out on Saturday nights because I like to be well rested for Sunday morning games. So I am sitting at home chilling out, writing. It's a good day - but it would be better if the Yanlees could just win this damn game right now. Its top of the ninth, 2 outs, Bubba Crosby is at first, with Bernie Williams at the plate. We are down one run. Come on Bernie - 0-2 count. You can do this!! I don't want to be 1-4 for the season. Bubba just took second on a wild pitch. Let's go BERNIE!!!!! God damn it. Yankees just lost. Bernie hit a bloop between second and third, fielded cleanly by the pitcher and he couldn't beat the throw. This season is NOT starting off very well and it is annoying the crap out of me.

So I was just sitting here thinking about people in my past. Why do I do this? Why do I wonder what the asshole is doing now? Why do I wonder if he is dating someone, or engaged, or married, or if he has children? We haven't been together for a VERY long time - why do I still wonder? I guess its not all bad right? I just hope that he is happy. How crazy is that? With the way he treated me at the end of the relationship I should hope that he is rotting in hell. But I don't. I want to know if he accomplished his goal of becoming an architect. I want to see if he has been able to heal and deal with his demons. I guess that says a lot about me in a roundabout way. I wish that I could reach out and contact him. I've actually wanted to contact him every now and then for the past few years. I just got an idea - I will write him a letter. But I will not send it. I will post it here.

God damn side effects

This is what I hate most about being sick - the drugs and the side effects that invariably go with them. Once again I have bronchitis. The doctor prescribes a 10 day course of Levaquin (a ridiculously strong antibiotic), a lovely bottle of guifinesin with codiene (the nastiest tasting cough syrup ever), and a four day course of the gross steroid Prednisone.

Let me just say, all baseball references aside, I HATE steroids. This is not the first time I doctor has prescribed them for me. It all started in October 2004 when I ignored a sinus infection. (Note: NEVER ignore a sinus infection.) In doing so, the infection moved down into my lungs giving me bronchitis, which I had never had before. So the doc gives me standard stuff - an antiobiotic and a decongestant with codeine. After being on the drugs for one day, I had to go back to the doctor. I was unable to sleep, I couldn't lay down, I felt like I was drowning. So I thought that I must be having a reaction to one of the medications I was taking - most likely the codeine. So I go to see the doctor and he tells me that I am not having a reaction - the bronchitis is worse than he thought. So he orders a chest x-ray to make sure that my lungs weren't filled with fluid and to make sure I didn't have pnuemonia. The x-rays came back clear. So he then prescribed a steroid and an inhaler, and he gave me a nebulizer treatment while I was in the office. No big deal. Like a good girl I take my medications and within about a week I am doing much better and I can get back to work.

So I have not had a sinus infection since then. Until now. I could feel something coming on early last week, but I tried to fight it. By Friday it was enought to force me to leave work early. Saturday I finally decided that I had to go to the doctor. At the very least I needed to get an antibiotic to clear up the infection. Well after I am seen by the doctor he tells me that I have bronchitis again. Back on the steroids. I can deal with the nauseau and the other side effects of the antibiotic, but the insomnia that comes along with the steroid is killing me.

It is 1:45 am. I have to get up for work by 6:45. And here I am writing because I can not fall asleep. This is ridiculous. I have tried all of my insomnia tricks that I have up my sleeve. I tried the full body relaxation technique where you consciously relax each muscle in your body one by one. I tried playing Norah Jones CD's - which usually relax me enough. I changed the sheets on my bed because cool clean sheets sometimes help. I have tried the breathing techniques. Nothing is working. I don't even feel tired, which is insane because I didn't really sleep last night either.

Now it is time for the fail safe maneuver. Don't laugh - it worked for years. Basically I have to lay on my back at the head of my bed, with my feet in the air, while meditating. It is the craziest looking thing, but after doing it for a half hour or so, I should drift off in peaceful slumber. Wish me luck....

The Muscial Stylings of Radaromalley

We have the next installment on Billy Joel. This one makes me twice as happy as the last one since I requested it!

http://radaromalley.livejournal.com/250773.html

And OMG did you know that at 01:02:03 this morning it will be 01:02:03 04/05/06.?!?!?!
When should I expect the bus radar? Just fucking with you. By the way - who the hell actually sits down and figures that out like it actually matters?

I must still be sick because once again I find myself slightly interested in Bad Boy. I don't know what it is but every now and then he can be really flirty. I would have to be deranged to ever persue that course of action...

For all the Billy Joel fans out there

This is too good not to share with the 3 people who read my blog. My friend radaromalley is up to his usual tricks, delighting fans worldwide with Ciarans Kar Caraoke. This week is Billy Joel week. Check out radar's version of We Didn't Start the Fire: http://radaromalley.livejournal.com/250561.html

Disclaimer #1: This is my lazy way of posting. I have bronchitis and I don't feel like writing, so since this made me laugh, I decided to share.

Disclaimer #2: You need WinAmp to play the file.