Growing Up, Getting Old

"To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow / Creeps in this petty pace from day to day..."

As always, time has continued to pass and things have continued to happen. Last week's All-Star game marked the season's midpoint and heightened awareness of our unrelenting march towards October ball. The Yankees got swept by the Angels, the Red Sox stepped ahead in the AL East standings, and 21-year-old Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers announced his impending manhood by sprouting some sort of chinstrap beard:

Douchey facial hair is a baseball tradition, but, with one notable exception, I've managed to keep my fantasy team relatively well-groomed:

Lights-out closer and possible goat-man Ryan Franklin, of the Cards.
Click here for a video of him talking about that thing.

Despite lowering the average attractiveness rating for Ladies Love Us, Clayton has been the ace of my pitching staff this month: 37 innings pitched, 5 wins, 34 strikeouts, 0.73 ERA and 0.95 WHIP. Wait, let me say that again. THIRTY-SEVEN INNINGS PITCHED, 0.73 ERA. Remember his days of being wild on the mound? Sometimes growing up can be a good thing.

"...To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death."

Up in the Bronx, lefty reliever Phil Coke is celebrating his 27th birthday and the Bombers have just dusted off some ghosts for the annual Old-Timers day. "I can't remember being 27," lamented long-time Yankees radio announcer Suzyn Waldman. Me neither, Suzyn, me neither. Except for that one day last year when Mike Mussina got his 20th win of the season. That was emotional! Here he is waving to the crowd as an official Old-Timer:

I love you, Mike Mussina!

And here's a photo of some other old dude:

And finally, another member of the Yankee dynasty celebrated his 60th birthday yesterday:

Congratulations on being so old, Joe Torre. Please come back to New York!