FanHouse BillyCrystal

Fresh off her loss to Serena Williams in the the Family Circle Cup, Maria Sharapova appeared on David Letterman last night:

Sharapova started out on the couch like other guests, but then they went outside and hit a few balls. Letterman and Billy Crystal tried, and failed, to return her serve, looking a little awkward in the process, but then Crystal put on a baseball glove and at least managed to catch one.

When I first heard about and wrote about the Yankees decision to allow Billy Crystal to play for them in today's game with the Pirates, I thought it was a mockery. Fantasy camps exist for no reason if not for 60-year olds to get their jollies by pretending they are professional baseball players. And the Yankees certainly aren't so devoid of publicity that they need to cozy up to a jock-sniffing celebrity.

My feelings about the general idea haven't really changed but I will say the lone at-bat of Crystal's major league career embarassed neither him nor the team. He led off as the DH this afternoon in Tampa and struck out in six pitches against Paul Maholm. I give Maholm great credit for treating the at-bat like any other. He fell behind 3-1 and then threw a couple of sharp pitches on the inner half (a fastball and nasty little slider, for what it's worth) to get Crystal swinging.

Crystal fouled off Maholm's second offering and showed some good plate discipline to work himself a favorable count. Dusty Baker would have been peeved to see him laying off pitches but most of us realize that, given the situation, it's laudable to show that kind of restraint. Although it wasn't the mockery I feared, I do hope Johnny Damon pinch-hitting for Crystal brings an end to these stunts once and for all.

(Video courtesy of Awful Announcing)

It's not a big secret that Billy Crystal is a Yankee fan. He directed 61* and City Slickers features a long speech devoted to the majestic moment when you walk into Yankee Stadium for the first time. The team has decided to pay him back for that longtime support during their game with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, one day before his 60th birthday.

He'll be throwing out the first pitch? Singing the National Anthem? Doing five minutes of his Muhammed Ali impersonation? No, no and no. Crystal will sign a one-day minor league contract, wear #60 and be eligible to play in the game.

"I've been waiting 50 years for this call," Crystal said. "I'm overwhelmed by the generosity of the Yankees and commissioner Selig. I know this'll be tougher than the Broadway Softball League, but I'm looking forward to helping the younger players, which by the way is all of them. Oops, I have to go, Scott Boras is on the phone."

What purpose this serves is beyond me. It does remind the Pirates that absolutely nobody in baseball takes them seriously, I guess. Crystal turning 60, is about four and a half feet tall and not exactly known for his athletic abilities, but, hey, it's only the Pirates.

I'm not really sure I get the Yankees these days. Running over a catcher blocking the plate during a game is poor sportsmanship but letting the guy from Forget Paris play is kosher? Which really damages the integrity of baseball more?