Day 29: Gasolina

Starting pitchers have a routine all their own. The only players to be listed in the lineup up to four days before they are scheduled to pitch. Pitch on Monday, golf on tuesday, study the charts, the videos, talk with the scouts on Wednesday, more golf on Thursday, then pitch again on Friday. On the day they toe the rubber, most are left to themselves. Left to be quiet, left to simmer their emotions, bottle them up and take them to the mound. Their teammates knowing better then to disturb them on such a day. A watched pot never boils, unless the flames are fanned with Gasoline, and it's the day for Johan Santana to pitch.

Today's Baseball Song of the Day is "Gasolina" by Daddy Yankee hailing from Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. Gasolina was the song that was played in the locker-room and over the loudspeakers in Minnesota when two-time Cy Young award winner Johan Santana took the mound during his 2004 - 2005 seasons in Minnesota. It's Latin/hip-hop Reggaeton with dancehall riddims and rough riding rapping makes it a very popular genre in Central America, the Carribean, and Puerto Rico.

While translations of slang may vary, the loose translation of some of the lyrics are:

so my babes turn on the engines... ready to catch what's coming, Hard!....She likes gasoline...She likes gasoline (give me more gasoline!)

From the May 23, 2005 issue of Sports Illustrated...

Sunday, 11:45 a.m. The place should be as quiet as a church, no? A massive winning streak is on the line today, a man will be knocking on history's door, a man will take the ball and walk out to perform before thousands. He must have silence. He must be left alone. That's baseball's way: No one bothers the starting pitcher. No one talks to him, no one touches him; superstitious teammates don't even look his way.

He's supposed to use this time before a game like a monk, mulling weaknesses and strengths, communing with his arm, staring daggers into his locker until his passion rises and adrenaline builds and he's primed to spring toward the mound like a bucking bronc Wait. Who dialed up the volume?... A ella le gusta la gasolina Dame mas gasolina! Como le encanta la gasolina Dame mas gasolina!

This can't be good. Those players back there, rapping along with Daddy Yankee near the trainer's room, don't they know better? No: Three of them giggle now as music fills the Minnesota Twins' clubhouse, then lean forward to gather in their throats a pitch-perfect imitation of an enraged baseball lifer and shout in English, "Shut the f--- up!"

Message: No shutting up around here. But won't the starter Never mind. The three straighten up, laughing louder as the beat pounds the walls and the singer brags, and you can see. One of them is the starter. Johan Santana steps back to his locker, huge grin on his face. He grabs a clear bottle the size of a rummy's fifth, no label, filled halfway with liquid the color of tobacco juice. He sits down, uncorks it, swishes it once under his nose. He pours a bit into his right palm, then rubs the locally produced liniment into his stomach, calves, upper thighs; once he breaks a sweat, it will give his muscles a nice, tight burn. He stands up, and the music nudges him--Duro! (Hard!)--and he dances a few quick steps. Soon he will try to win his 18th straight game, two shy of Roger Clemens's American League record. His teammates jabber at him, and he gives it right back. He sits, and with his right hand massages that precious left arm, shoulder to triceps to elbow. It's the only giveaway: He's pitching soon.

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BSOD 29: Gasolina
Artist: Daddy Yankee
Album: Barrio Fina
Released: July 2004

Gasolina Lyrics

Subele el mambo pa' que mis gatas prendan los motores,
Subele el mambo pa' que mis gatas prendan los motores,
Subele el mambo pa' que mis gatas prendan los motores,
Que se preparen que lo que viene es pa q le den, Duro!

Mamita yo se que tu no te me va' a quitar (duro!)
Lo que me gusta es que tu te dejas llevar (duro!!)
to los weekenes ella sale a vacilar (duro!!)
mi gata no para de janguiar porque

A ella le gusta la gasolina (dame mas gasolina)
Como le encanta la gasolina (dame mas gasolina)

Ella prende las turbinas,
No discrimina,
No se pierde ni un party de marquesina,
Se acicala hasta pa la esquina,
Luce tan bien q hasta la sombra le combina,
Asesina, me domina,
Anda en carro, motoras y limosinas,
Llena su tanque de adrenalina,
Cuando escucha el reggaeton en la cocina.

A ella le gusta la gasolina (dame mas gasolina!!)
Como le encanta la gasolina (dame mas gasolina!!)

Aqui nosotros somos los mejores,
No te me ajores,
En la pista nos llaman los matadores,
Haces que cualquiera se enamore,
Cuando bailas al ritmo de los tambores,
Esto va pa las gatas de to colores,
Pa las mayores, pa las menores,
Pa las que son mas zorras que los cazadores,
Pa las mujeres que no apagan sus motores.

Tenemo' tu y yo algo pendiente,
Tu me debes algo y lo sabes,
Conmigo ella se pierde,
No le rinde cuentas a nadie

Subele el mambo pa' que mis gatas prendan los motores,
Subele el mambo pa' que mis gatas prendan los motores,
Subele el mambo pa' que mis gatas prendan los motores,
Que se preparen que lo que viene es pa que le den, Duro!

Mamita yo se que tu no te me va' a quitar (duro!)
Lo que me gusta es que tu te dejas llevar (duro!!)
to los weekenes ella sale a vacilar (duro!!)
mi gata no para de janguiar porq

A ella le gusta la gasolina (dame mas gasolina!!)
Como le encanta la gasolina (dame mas gasolina!!)

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