Heres a little background on their blog: RJG is written by the Alejandro brothers, Fernando and Roberto, with occasional postings from Deron Peter. Who is Deron Peter? Well, I'll let them explain it for you.
Deron was a shortstop in the Yankees minor league system back in 1995 when a PED scandal ended his career. He brings an insider’s perspective to our blog.
He also has a strong disliking for The Jeter, so you gotta respect that.
In all seriousness, they run a really great blog. I remember coming across the name on someones blogroll and thinking "oh, this should be great, another bunch of idiot yankee fans running a blog.", but I took a look at the site and they turned out to be pretty reasonable and knowledgable yankees fans. They also have great posts that are written in the same fashion as the onion, only with a baseball twist. Such as Variteks training regimin, writing ARODs True Hollywood Story, or having Brian Cashman handing out demotions with a karaoke machine. They are working on having all their memorable posts on the sidebar but its not up yet. To get a better view of what the site is all about, I recommend starting here. Now without further delay, on to the interview.
Bottom of the Barrel: What inspired you guys to start a blog devoted to The Jeters gangster?
Fernando Alejandro: The answer is simple, Jeter's gangster inspired us to start a blog devoted to Jeter's gangster. In all seriousness, no one in baseball holds the amount of respect as Jeter and its incredible that he gets the respect despite the fact that he wasn't a homerun hitter, or a big power threat. Throughout the nineties especially, those were the players people liked and yet Jeter emerges from that era more popular than any of those guys.
Roberto Alejandro: It was really my brother's idea, but he knew how much he would need me if this was going to work. After months of begging I finally agreed.
BotB: Okay, fair enough. This leads me to my follow up question: Why do you guys root for a team as despicable--and clearly inferior to the red sox--as the yankees?
FA: Haha, without a doubt, the Red Sox have been the dominant force of this decade, however, even their recent success doesn't compare to the Yankees run of the 90's. The Red Sox still have a ways to go before they can be epic like the Yankees. One thing I'll give them: the Sox used to whine about money and the Yankees payroll all the time, and now they're on board with the spending. I mean $36 million for Julio Lugo? Really?
RA: Ah, youth. You win a couple world series and you think you have this thing mastered. Well, I root for the Yankees for a simple reason: I love baseball, and at the end of the day, the Yankees are baseball. Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle, your mother, all the greats, all the defining characters of baseball history, have worn the pinstripes.
BotB: I'll have you guys know my mother was quite the force on the baseball diamond. Okay, so we know you guys love the yankees but, do you follow any other teams? Also, besides The Jeter, are there any other favorite players that the blog follows or respects as much as The Jeter?
FA: I keep my eye out on a few small market teams. I like the Rays, but I can't really root for them since they're in our division. The Royals and Nationals are two teams I keep track of. I find the building process for small market teams interesting.
As for other players I respect, Roy Halladay and Joakim Soria get it done. If I had to point to one player it would be Albert Pujols. The man is easily the best hitter in the game right now, and as long as no steroid allegations come out, could be the best hitter of this era. But none of these players get the same amount of respect as Jeter. Jeter's stature goes beyond baseball.
RA: There are really no other teams I follow, whether in baseball or any other sport. I check in on the UMass men's basketball team from time to time but that's it. The Yankees are really my only sports based love. Besides Jeter, I respect Posada's gangster.
BotB: So, really its all Jeter all the time, with a few exceptions. So let me ask you this: If The Jeter played for the Tigers or another team other than the Yankees, would you still respect him and would you still think he is gangster?
FA: Yes, Jeter's gangster is respect worthy no matter what team he plays for, but the fact that he's in New York just adds to his notoriety.
RA: You have to respect Jeter's gangster regardless. He is pretty much the coolest man alive, and there is something to be said for that, just ask his biggest fans Kevin and Dustin.
BotB: I know he's your boy, but I dont believe that for a second, but thats cool, I'll take your guys word for it. Lets switch up the style of questions a little bit and go into a time machine back to 1999. You are sitting at a bar wearing your yankee hat and Jeter jersey. I approach you and proclaim "NOMAH'S BETTER! NO ONE DENIES THIS!!!" How do you respond?
FA: I'd say "Who's Nomah?" and when you start explaining who he is, I'd pull a Jeter and take your girlfriend out to a nice Italian dinner and of course, never call her again.
RA: I'd go with, "whatever you say Mia, but I'm having a little trouble hearing you over the satisfaction of sweeping the Pads for another World Series title." If we're in october of 1999, I'd say, "glad you think so, why don't you tell Nomah yourself, he should be at home watching the game." If it's november, 1999, same as my first answer only switch Pads with Braves.
BotB: (tears welling up after burn) sniff, well played, sirs. Well played, indeed. Now, we all know about the AROD leak and Selena Roberts. Do you think fans have forgiven A-Rod for his admitted PED usage? What would your reaction be if The Jeter tested positive for PED's?
FA: With A-Rod, I think its largely blown over, and he's having quite the active year. His batting average is still down, but pitchers are scared of him, and he's getting some timely hits. If he keeps himself out of the papers, I think the New York fans will even learn to like him.
If it came out that Jeter used PED's, I may have to quit watching baseball altogether. Well, at least until the dozen or so kids I adopt from the Dominican Republic sign their first free agent contracts.
RA: Yeah, I think the A-Rod steroid scandal is a thing of the past, but it will always linger, like herpes. Manny testing positive obviously took some heat off of A-Rod, but I think fans are starting to care less and less about the steroid thing generally. We've been desensitized at this point. As for Jeter, I would do what every self respecting Yankee fan would do, get drunk and boo A-Rod.
BotB: I think everyone here at the blog is inclined to agree with that. Speaking of Selena Roberts, how are things going with her? I havent seen any posts from her.
FA: Yes, she kept breaking into our headquarters so we just gave her a key and a job. I can't really say she works, but she did cold cock a bear the other day which totally makes up for it.
RA: Selena is cool, though slightly obsessed with A-Rod, you know, in an A-Rod's obsessed with Jeter kind of way. She came in the other day and was like, "does this haircut make me look like A-Rod? Does this shirt make me look insecure?" It's a little disconcerting.
BotB: Yeah, she is a little weird like that. Finally--and I'm using one of your interview questions--what do you respect most about The Jeters Gangster? And if he is so gangster, why could he not will his team to a championship in the past 9 years?
FA: think what I respect most is that Jeter is still the face of baseball despite the fact that he's no longer a baby faced rookie. Thats respect that goes well beyond his gangster.
As for your second question, Jeter willed the Yankees to 4 championships and then thought that the parity between the Yankees and the rest of baseball could ruin the sport for the future, so he did the most selfless thing he could, and let other teams win. That's something he'll surely end before he retires.
RA: There are so many things to admire about Derek Jeter. But I think you have to admire a guy who has lived his entire career in the New York spotlight, has never been shaken by it, has never messed up a la Doc Gooden circa 1987 or A-Rod circa 2007, and has done it all and always with a measure of class that is beyond words. For you boston fans, think Bill Russell.
I'm not going to lie, I think Fernandos response was the best comeback I've ever heard when that question is posed. I'd like to thank the guys at RJG for taking the time to answer my questions, I highly recommend checking out their blog, because it is both informative and entertaining. Let me know what you guys think about the interview. If you guys like it, me and Ben might try to do more.
I want to point out that the Braves would never have been swept by the Yankees in 1999 if they had homefield advantage in the World Series. I know the ASG rule was not in effect at that point but I like to think the Braves would have lost two in a row at home and then won four straight just for payback from the 1996 World Series.
ReplyDeleteLeyritz!
It is kind of amazing that The Jeter hasn't gotten in any trouble or had any controversy, other than the revolving door of women he has seen, in New York. He's like David Eckstein, except he can't be scrappy because he isn't white. He can only be considered half scrappy.
If Eckstein was in the same position for the famous catch where Jeter jumped in the stands he would capped it off with a little crowd surfing followed by the crowd throwing him back on the field like a beach ball.
Then Eckstein would have gone 1-24 until he got hot in a crucial game and won the MVP award with a .278 avg. 2 HR and 18 RBI's.
As soon as I read that answer about the braves I thought, "thats going to strike a chord with Ben.". At least you have your vengeance against Leyritz now that he's facing 10 years in prison.
ReplyDeleteIt is crazy that The Jeter hasnt had any kind of controversey. He is like this eras Mantle or DiMaggio, in that he probably does whatever he wants, but he's at that point where he is untouchable to the press.
I like the image of Eckstein crowdsurfing. Thats awesome.
10 years in prison is not enough for the going on 13 years of agony I have to face at the thought of winning the first two games of the World Series on the road and then losing three straight at home. If the Red Sox or Cubs did that, we would still be talking about a curse, but the Braves choked so many times no one can remember anymore a specific incident.
ReplyDeleteThere was that tax thing in Tampa that Jeter had to deal with, but other than that there hasn't been too much.
Eckstein crowd surfing...I can see him smiling like a little child thrilled at feeling the love from the crowd.
10 years isn't nearly enough. I just spent 10 minutes trying to remember if there's a ballplayer (any sport, any era) I hate more than Leyritz. I can't really think of one. Just Jim Fucking Leyritz.
ReplyDeletewv=loatedly. I like how sometimes they're almost words.
I hate Jim Leyritz with a passion. I do hate Kirby Puckett and Kent Hrbek with almost equal passion but Leyritz actually bit the Braves twice, one with the Yankees and once with San Diego.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the interview guys, though seriously, remember that time Jim Leyritz buried the braves in '96 and then it was completely unreasonable to refer to Atlanta as America's team anymore?
ReplyDeleteand that, ladies and gentleman, is what we refer to around here as a burn.
ReplyDeleteI never referred to them as America's Team because that seemed too egotistical to me...but thanks for reminding me of Jim Leyritz again. I had forgotten.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a comeback really. I wish I did. When you get beat, you get beat.
Haha, good interview guys. Thanks for setting that up.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate you doing the interview. It was entertaining, even if it brought back bad memories for me...like anything involving the World Series and the Yankees.
ReplyDeleteAmerica's Team? Tony Romo plays for the Braves?
ReplyDeleteDouche-chillingly awful read. Like a Carrot Top act, but with words.
ReplyDeleteLove your other stuff, tho.
Douche-chillingly is a word I never thought I would hear.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I have never seen a carrot top act, and after that seal of approval from anon, I think I might keep it that way.
Douche chilling? I think that was just the RJG guys being anonymous not wanting us to get a big head about things. They just want to remind us how lucky we were to get the interview.
ReplyDeleteThanks for liking our other stuff though.
ReplyDelete