For reasons we don’t fully understand, Yankees broadcaster David Cone gave out his cell-phone number on the air last week in Seattle. (He explained last night that it had something to do with wanting a do-over on his vote during the all-important Toyota Text Poll.) But this apparently did happen, and Cone last night revealed that he’s still receiving texts from Yankees fans across the country. Luckily, they’re taking advantage of this direct line of communication with one of their team’s analysts to ask some insightful questions.
One, for example, asks the question that’s been on everyone’s mind as the playoffs approach: “Coney, you wake up, and there are zombies everywhere, including Michael Kay. What’s your weapon of choice?” Like a true baseball announcer, he answered a Mariano Rivera cutter, because there’s no way it’s going to miss. (This led Michael Kay to ask if that was a joke about his big head — Cone said it wasn’t — and for Kay’s countless fans to text Cone in Kay’s defense.)
Another question comes from Andrew Levy, who, to be fair, Cone seems to know in real life. Levy, in honor of Yom Kippur, asks whether Paul O’Neill — whose eating habits in the booth have been well documented on the air — could “go 26 hours without eating.” The consensus: no chance.
All of which proves a few things: First, you should never give out your cell-phone number on television. Second, Yankees fans really do like picking on their announcers. And third, things can get mighty wacky in the broadcast booth once a team clinches everything worth clinching.