The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word 'crisis.' One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger--but recognize the opportunity.
—John F. Kennedy
And that message shall be tonight’s modus operandi, in a few senses. The obvious, literal interpretation, of course, it’s win or go home; win gives you a chance to renew, rewrite history with Houston.
But strokes of the nature JFK talks about take on perhaps their second meaning in baseball. The majestic, soaring rockets that Judge, Stanton, Voit, Urshela, Torres have all provided. Those are the danger the lineup has provided in its past, present, and future.
In pitching, there are yet additional brush strokes. We call ideally thrown balls painting and on the black, do we not? As Luke Voit said of Cole last night, that is why they pay him the big money. That the opportunity to succeed in such a way comes both within himself, and that of the pitching staff at large.
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
—Mahatma Gandhi
The Yankees will die today without a win. So in that respect, they have heeded Gandhi. The lessons forged through this year’s turbulent times, the less ones they learned throughout the 60 games, the two against Cleveland, four prior against Tampa, well, it all comes to this, doesn’t it? The learning finds its application.
I could not have blamed you for being the first to lose heart if I, your commander, had not shared in your exhausting marches and your perilous campaigns; it would have been natural enough if you had done all the work merely for others to reap the reward. But it is not so. You and I, ladies and gentlemen, have shared the labor and shared the danger, and the rewards are for us all. The conquered league shall belong to us; from your ranks the governors of it are chosen; already the greater part of its treasure passes into your hands, and when all this league is overrun, then indeed I will go further than the mere satisfaction of our ambitions: the utmost hopes of riches or power which each one of you cherishes will be far surpassed, and whoever wishes to return home will be allowed to go, either with me or without me. I will make those who stay the envy of those who return.
Win.
—John F. Kennedy
And that message shall be tonight’s modus operandi, in a few senses. The obvious, literal interpretation, of course, it’s win or go home; win gives you a chance to renew, rewrite history with Houston.
But strokes of the nature JFK talks about take on perhaps their second meaning in baseball. The majestic, soaring rockets that Judge, Stanton, Voit, Urshela, Torres have all provided. Those are the danger the lineup has provided in its past, present, and future.
In pitching, there are yet additional brush strokes. We call ideally thrown balls painting and on the black, do we not? As Luke Voit said of Cole last night, that is why they pay him the big money. That the opportunity to succeed in such a way comes both within himself, and that of the pitching staff at large.
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
—Mahatma Gandhi
The Yankees will die today without a win. So in that respect, they have heeded Gandhi. The lessons forged through this year’s turbulent times, the less ones they learned throughout the 60 games, the two against Cleveland, four prior against Tampa, well, it all comes to this, doesn’t it? The learning finds its application.
I could not have blamed you for being the first to lose heart if I, your commander, had not shared in your exhausting marches and your perilous campaigns; it would have been natural enough if you had done all the work merely for others to reap the reward. But it is not so. You and I, ladies and gentlemen, have shared the labor and shared the danger, and the rewards are for us all. The conquered league shall belong to us; from your ranks the governors of it are chosen; already the greater part of its treasure passes into your hands, and when all this league is overrun, then indeed I will go further than the mere satisfaction of our ambitions: the utmost hopes of riches or power which each one of you cherishes will be far surpassed, and whoever wishes to return home will be allowed to go, either with me or without me. I will make those who stay the envy of those who return.
Win.
