Some observations after watching last night’s Texas Rangers – New York Yankees game

1. The Golden Age of baseball commentators has passed us by – With baseball expansion and dilution of talent also comes the expansion of coverage and color commentary talent. Ernie Johnson Jr., John Smoltz, and Ron Darling were dull, hackneyed and repetitive. I miss the days when Vin Scully would do national broadcasts through the playoffs; he weaves a story through all nine innings of the game.  I thought Ron Darling was a Yale Alum? He talked more like an ex-jock than an educated Yale Eli last night.
2. Call me un-Patriotic, but I’d rather hear a butchered rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” by Harry Caray (God rest his soul) or a some over-hyped local celeb than “God Bless America” during the seventh inning stretch.
3. Josh Hamilton is all that is right about baseball - He seems completely genuine in both his pure baseball talent and his constant struggles with addiction. I’ve witnessed alcoholism and addiction firsthand and I know the fight is never over. Baseball is a sport of redemption and Josh epitomizes that to me. 
4. Why do I have the sinking suspicion that Cliff Lee will be wearing a Yankees uniform next year?
5.  Joe Girardi always seems as though he is holding back some really nasty gas, or perhaps he’s just let some loose. I’m not really sure, and I don’t really want to know.
6. Why do we have outfield umpires in the playoffs? They rarely get home run calls right and we don’t need them for foul calls on the field. I am not for instant replay in baseball, but if you have it, why not use it on any close play? 
7. Nolan Ryan sure looks like he put on 25 years in a hurry since he stopped playing, but I imagine he can still bring the heat.  
8.  Yankee fans seem to be the most overpriced fair weather fans that exist. How else do you explain people who pay $1000+ for a prime seat in the playoffs, and then dessert the stadium in the 7^th inning of a 5-3 game, only 3 nights after their team surmounted a 5 run deficit in the 9th inning?  If any team can overcome a three games to one deficit, wouldn’t it be the vaunted Yankees with all their mystique and Ghosts of Baseball past? Buck up Yankee fans and root for your team until the end and accept you will not win EVERY stinking year.
9. How many uniform combinations do the Texas Rangers have? 
10. I do enjoy watching the Yankees lose. Just saying.