Got Chemistry? The Yankees do

[NYgiantsfan5689]

....for the first time in a long time. And it feels good. I almost forgot what having fun watching baseball was like. I'm 100% serious.

Another Peter Abraham gem:

It’s a subject that’s gotten a lot of attention with the Yankees lately and rightfully so; the new pie-in-the-face routine that A.J. Burnett brought over is one particularly public element, but there are others: The WWE championship wrestling belt that is bestowed nightly on the star of the game. The loud music. The laughing. Yesterday there was a sign on the clubhouse door, available for all to see, reminding players that the “Kangaroo Court” will convene today at 3:15 p.m. All latecomers will take a $100 fine and, according to always-excellent Mark Feinsand, Mariano Rivera will be presiding (presumably not wearing a powdered wig – though that would be excellent if he did).
Kangaroo Courts, where guys can put each other on trial for alleged violations of protocol (like wearing an ugly suit on the road), are a staple of pro teams in all sports but the public nature of this year’s Yankee version is emblematic of its different feel. Joe Girardi said he believes chemistry is important because of the ups-and-downs of a long baseball season; it sounds simple, but players actually liking each other makes it easy to come up from the low points. “This clubhouse has come together really quickly,” Girardi said. “The guys like each other and they’re not afraid to get on each other.”


Johnny Damon, who started the WWE belt trend (the plastic WWE belt is given to the player of the game as deemed by the players), was supposed to help “change the rigid Yankee culture” when he arrived in 2005, but that’s tough for one guy to do by himself. This year, the Yankees have several new players and that’s how the vibe of a team changes, Damon said. “We’ve got a lot of new guys here,” he said. “A lot of guys didn’t know what it was like here before, so they bring their own flair and so far it’s working.”
My feeling on chemistry is that it’s absolutely real and absolutely matters. Does it matter as much in baseball as it does in sports where players perform in conjunction with one another constantly (like basketball, hockey or soccer)? No, probably not. But baseball does have the longest season and I do think a good feeling among the players is probably worth a win or two along the way. A comeback after a tough loss that doesn’t fester or the ability to perk up after a late-night flight and early first pitch. Those are the days when being happy to be around your teammates can matter. And this year, one or two wins could make the difference in a tight AL East.

[DirtyKash]

A good way to improve team chemistry would be to have Movie Night; maybe throw in a few choice selections from Hideki Matsui's porn collection.

[Saber]

Another way to improve chemistry would be to win more games.

[DirtyKash]

They're on a 7-game winning streak.

[Dry1313]

The key is that guys like Swisher are keeping up with the Red Bull chugging and crazy antics even in the midst of their slumps.

Season is just a bunch of streaks, and if guys are happy even when they aren't performing then you know you've got a good bunch.

As far as the real chemistry, I'll believe it when I see it in October.

[Saber]

They're on a 7-game winning streak.

And 3rd in the division.

[Dry1313]

And 3rd in the division.

The Blue Jays are in first.

Gimme a break

[cjkalt]

As far as the real chemistry, I'll believe it when I see it in October.

Somebody is jumping the gun for being in 3rd place and having the 29th best bullpen (The Natinals save you from being last)

I'd be surprised without a overhaul of the bullpen for the Yankees to make the playoffs.

[browntown653]

That wasn't a Peter Abraham-written post.

[NYgiantsfan5689]

Truth. Well it still went up on the blog. Good point though.

That even more makes the point then, because he has been saying it for a while now that the atmosphere in the clubhouse for a while now, and for someone else to validate it makes it stronger

[love_that_reefer]

Yankees is on a good run but look at the schedule. Taking 2 of 3 from the Jays was the high point. Teixeira finally getting some protection has paid off like we all thought it would. Everyone has chemistry when they're winning.

[NYgiantsfan5689]

Everyone has chemistry when they're winning.

Or is it everyone is winning when they have chemistry?

[love_that_reefer]

It's what I wrote What will they call it when they have a seven game losing streak?

[NYgiantsfan5689]

They will have lost their chemistry I'm just playing devil's advocate Reefer. I think it goes both ways, to be honest. You need winning to have chemistry, but you also need to have chemistry to win. It's kind of a chicken or egg thing

[love_that_reefer]

I can agree with that