In'CY't From CY

A-Rod Joins 600 Club

2010-08-05T12:22:00.004-04:00

At long last, Alex Rodriguez joined the once prestigious 600 Home Run Club.

A-Rod's blast to center field was the most over-anticipated, over-hyped and over-blown sports moment since "The Decision."

The two-run homer did help the Yanks to a 5-1 triumph over the Blue Jays that, along with a Rays defeat at the hands of the Twins, pushed the Yanks back into a push for first place in the American League East.

It's not the first time a Yankee clubbed a two-run jack in the opening frame since the calender flipped to August, in fact it wasn't the second time either. For the third game in-a-row, a different Yankee, batting in a different spot in the order, smacked a two-run dinger in the first inning.

Nick Swisher, batting in the two-hole, and Mark Teixeira, the three-hitter, were the ones who performed the deed in the previous games.

The pair of runs was all Phil Hughes, Boone Logan, Joba Chamberlain, David Robertson and Mariano Rivera would need holding the Jays to a single tally.

With A-Rod's milestone behind them, the Yanks must prepare for a four-game battle with the Red Sox -- no word if impatient Joe West will be arbiter in the series.

With New York and Tampa Bay 6.5 lengths ahead of the Rose Hose, Boston needs this weekend to turn the division into a three pony meet. The Yanks and Rays like it just fine with two competitors, insuring both a playoff spot.

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The Mets and their fickle fans are hoping last night's disastrous 8-3 abomination to the Braves was rock bottom. Really, it can't get much worst than that.

When a team accumulates more errors, 4, than runs, 3, things aren't going quite right.

But the miscues were just one of many issues for Jerry Manuel's club, which appeared to have spent all night celebrating Jeff Francoeur's dramatic homer the previous night.

Supposed number two starter, Mike Pelfrey was awful -- again. Since his last W on June 25, Pelf's ERA is a swollen 9.00. In those seven starts, the big righty has not once completed six innings and only twice made to the end of the fifth.

The sad state of the lineup can be summed up as such: Luis Castillo was the Mets best offensive player last night with two hits, a walk and a run batted in.

Any hopes that the Mets would use Frenchy's blast as a building block were dashed when Chipper Jones and Brian McCann went yard back-to-back in the third, flipping a 2-1 lead into a 3-2 deficit the Mets would not recover from.

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Mets fans should feel bad for Oliver Perez, not because he's just not that good a pitcher -- many people aren't, but because he simply doesn't get it.

"I'm trying to get better," Ollie told the New York Post, "but it's hard when you don't have the velocity you used to have. I'm trying to become a pitcher instead of just using my power. That's difficult to do." It's even more challenging to accomplish while wasting away in the bullpen.

It doesn't exactly take a rocking Leo Mazzone to realize that the best place to build velocity and work on changing yourself as pitcher is not sitting on ones behind, it's on the mound. The only hill Ollie should get near these days is one down on the farm.

Ollie should be the 26th man on the Mets 25-man roster. But he doesn't get it, that's what makes his situation so irritating.

New Column On BaseballDigest.com

2010-08-04T15:25:00.001-04:00

Latest column for BaseballDigest.com concerns the Mets failures over the past five weeks.

Click here to read the entire column.

A-Rod Still Stuck On # 599

2010-07-30T00:32:00.005-04:00

It's been seven games, 34 plate appearances and 136 pitches since Alex Rodriguez last went yard for home run number 599.

Crowds form, specially branded baseballs are put in play and major sports networks digress from regularly scheduled programming in hopes that A-Rod will create tainted history.

Love or despise A-Rod, one cannot help but mention that his next home run will simply be adding to baseball's heap of contaminated numbers. No, Alex is not the only one to admit to taking performance enhancing drugs, but that has never been a valid excuse -- from grade school on up.

When A-Rod does launch number 600, he'll be the seventh member to join what was once a prestigious and exclusive club. However, A-Rod will also be the third known PED user, along with Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa, in the group.

To give A-Rod credit, he's been saying all the right things in the pursuit of the milestone dinger. But he's been one to say, especially lately, that he does his talking on the field.

Granted Alex hasn't struggled at the plate, he has nine hits in 30 official at-bats, but there's been a suspicious lull in home runs. A-Rod can claim all he wants that it's not affecting him, but his "talking on field" leads to a very different conclusion.

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"Where would the Mets be without knuckle-balling sensation R.A. Dickey?" Is not a query GM Omar Minaya wants to ponder.

Although the Mets are merely 7-7 in Dickey's 14 starts, several of the defeats have been of the hard-luck variety. The 35-year-old is 7-4 with a 2.32 ERA after his most impressive performance of the season yesterday against the Cardinals -- 8.1 innings of shutout ball allowing just four hits and two walks.

Beginning the season at Triple-A Buffalo, Dickey made his first major league start on May 19. With two-fifths of the rotation, Oliver Perez and John Maine, no longer viable options, Jerry Manuel faced a dearth of starters.

Dickey has plugged the Queens version of the leaky BP oil well with a dancing knuckler. Surprisingly, he's kept free passes to a minimum -- no small feat for a knuckleballer.

Another legitimate dilemma Minaya wouldn't like to consider: Where the club would be without rookie Ike Davis?

The first baseman's batting average has plunged of late, but his 15 homers have filled a significant power void in the lineup. Of the 15 long balls, there hasn't been a cheapy among them. When Ike gets a hold of pitch, the ball oughta have a stewardess on it, to paraphrase Kevin Costner as Crash Davis in Bull Durham.

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One stiff shoulder, ultimately resulting in a trip to the DL, and already the Kerry Wood and Mark Prior comparisons have begun for Stephen Strasburg.

In an interview with MLB Network Radio, and reported by the New York Post's Joel Sherman, White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper said, "I am not wishing this guy bad, but for him to be having problems right now when they are really, really watching him what are they going to see when they are trying to get 220 innings from him?"

Referring to Strasburg's odd "arm action," Cooper drops the two names that frighten organizations that employ young hard-throwing hurlers. "It reminds me a little bit of Kerry Wood, a little bit of Mark Prior."

The Nationals likely only agree with this one statement from Cooper: "I hope I’m wrong about this."

Positives In A Negative

2010-07-29T11:44:00.004-04:00

"No such thing as a good loss," claims an old adage. But last night's Mets 13 inning, 8-7, lose certainly had some positives.

For one, look at the final score. The Mets scored seven, count 'em, SEVEN runs. That was about three games worth of runs in on the West Coast trip that opened the second half.

And, to make the outburst all the more impressive, all the offense came after the Mets were down six runs.

Johan Santana had an awful opening frame allowing six runs and eight hits, but Jerry Manuel's club didn't quit. As a matter of fact, the Mets were one big hit away from putting Cardinals rookie sensation Jaime Garcia through the same misery in the first as Santana, denting the plate twice and bringing the tying run to the plate with the bases loaded.

Still, the Mets were down four going into the eighth. That's when Cards skipper Tony La Russa led a parade of bearded Red Bird relievers to the hill.

An Angel Pagan two-run homer and a big two-out two-run pinch-hit single by Ike Davis and Mets has tied up a game that seemed squandered before a turn at bat.

No, the Mets didn't win the game, but they demonstrated that quitting is not their modus operandi. This team won't quit on a game, and it won't give up on a season.

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A.J. Burnett and Joba Chamberlain, the two hurlers that concern Yankees fans most, combined for seven scoreless innings. Yes, it was against the woeful Indians, but it was a good showing nonetheless.

Alex Rodriguez is still sitting on home run number 599. While there's no question that A-Rod has behaved differently over the past couple of years, he's still having trouble with milestone homers.

The Yankees starting pitcher tonight will be Dustin Moseley. That's the same Dustin Moseley that... never mind, he hasn't done anything in his career to this point that's worth mentioning. But, that may change tonight, he is starting against the woeful Indians.

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According to numerous reports, it's now up to Roy Oswalt to decide whether he wants to feel the brotherly love in Philadelphia.

If Oswalt chooses to wave his no-trade instead of waiving it, he deserves to finish out the rest of his career in the obscurity of Houston.

BaseballDigest.com

2010-06-13T14:43:00.000-04:00

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Read, comment and enjoy.

Grandy's Week Of Smacking Southpaws

2010-06-02T14:13:00.006-04:00

Back in December, when the Yanks executed a three-way trade to bring Curtis Granderson to The Bronx, concerned centered on the All-Star center fielder's woeful batting average against left-handed pitching.

Granderson's career average against southpaws was a near-Mendoza-line .210, and he was coming off a season well below that sunken standard. In 2009, Grandy hit just .183 and a measly two roundtrippers in 199 plate appearances versus lefties.

Yet Granderson paid immediate dividends in pinstripes.

In the opening series against the Red Sox, Curtis hit a home run is his first Yankee at-bat -- off Josh Becket no less. Then, in the rubber-match of the series, took Jonathan Papelbon deep for the go-ahead run in the top of the tenth inning.

One series, two homers off two of Boston's top hurlers -- albeit both righties.

In his first 11 games of the season, the affable Granderson collected six multi-hit games and a batting average of .326.

Granderson slumped through the rest of April eventually winding up on the DL in early May and missing the next 24 games. His average down to .225 and still just those two homers.

But since his return on May 28 against the Indians, Granderson has been swinging a clutch bat, even against his personal nemesis: The lefty. Granderson is 5 for 16 since coming back, including four hits against southpaws.

In his first game back, Granderson doubled off lefthander Tony Sipp in the eight inning. Two batters later, after Mark Teixeira walked, Robinson Cano's grand slam extended the Yanks' lead to 8-2 -- the eventual final score.

Two days later, with the Yanks down to the Tribe, 3-2, Grandy once again doubled of Sipp. Tex followed that with a three-run go-ahead homer to cap a five-run seventh.

Having seen enough of Sipp, the next day Indians skipper Manny Acta brought on another lefty, this time it was Rafael Perez, to face Granderson. With the game still in doubt, the Yanks were up 2-1, Curtis singled to move Ramiro Pena (pinch-running for Derek Jeter) to second.

After a wild-pitch moved both runners into scoring position and an intentional walk to Teixiera, A-Rod ended all suspense with grand-slam to deep center. The Yanks went on to blowout the Indians, 11-2.

Having dispensed of everyone the Indians could throw at him, Granderson continued his assault on lefties last night against the Orioles.

Lefty Brian Matusz started for Baltimore and had one of the finest performances of his young career going 6.2 innings and giving up just one earned run -- a tie-breaking homer by Granderson. The Yankees eventually won the game after Miguel Tejada allowed two unearned runs to score on a throwing error providing the margin in a 3-1 victory.

The pieces given up for Granderson have performed well this season. Phil Coke has been solid and Austin Jackson leads all rookies in batting average (minimum 50 ABs) for the Tigers and Ian Kennedy leads all Diamondback starters in ERA.

If the past week is an indication of how Granderson will perform in The Bronx, the Yanks absolutely made the right move.

Memorial Day: Taking Stock -- Yanks

2010-06-01T10:14:00.008-04:00

Memorial Day is the first opportunity to take stock of the baseball scene.

The regular season is slightly less than a third of the way to the finish line. Sizzling starts have cooled and chilly commencements have warmed.

Let's start with a Yanks update through their first 51 games as defending champs for the fist time since the 2001 campaign.

The Bombers are 11 games above .500 at 31-20, 2.5 games behind the Rays in the AL East and leading the Wild Card race heading into the first turn.

The starting rotation of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes and Javier Vazquez have a combined record of 26-12. Excluding Vazquez, the staff was off to an 11-2 start as the shower's of April cleared.

Sabathia struggled in May winning just one decision while dropping two. Burnett's worst performance came against the Red Sox at Fenway Park against the Red Sox, but the nasty righty has straightened out by winning his last two starts.

The veteran Pettitte and youngster Hughes have been fantastic. The 38-year-old lefty is 7-1 with a 2.48 ERA. Not far behind is Hughes at 6-1, 2.70.

Vazquez did not get his return to The Bronx off to a good start. On May 1, Javy owned a 1-3 record with an ERA near ten and was skipped in his next turn in the rotation.

After missing a start, Javy's performance mysteriously improved -- his last start against the Twins not withstanding.

The Yanks lead the majors in runs scored per game by half-a-run over AL East foes Toronto and Boston. The data is all the more impressive when the sluggish starts of the three and four hitters in the lineup -- Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez, respectively -- are taken into account.

Although Tex is a notorious for getting off to slow starts, this season has been slower and the "start" has now extended to May.

A-Rod had an atypical April belting just two homers. Excluding 1999 and 2009 when Alex missed considerable time due to injury, that's the lowest total of his career for that month.

However, the story of the lineup is Robinson Cano. Off to a blistering start, Robbie carried the Yanks early on batting .400 in the opening month. And, to go with the hot bat, Cano is playing a stellar second base.

Derek Jeter bounced back from a minor May slump to finish the month batting .302.

The outfield has been a carousel exasperated by an injury to newbie Curtis Granderson. Nick Swisher continued to contribute in right and Brett Gardner has been better than expected with the bat while playing left and center.

Jorge Posada is spending time on the DL but Francisco Cervelli has been a more than competent backup.

Nick Johnson's trip to the DL is as surprising as birds migrating south for winter. The fill-ins, Juan Miranda, Kevin Russo and Greg Golson, have been unspectacular.

Mariano Rivera has been splendid out of the bullpen blowing just one save in 11 opportunities. Mo didn't give up a run until his 13th appearance of the season.

After Mo, the pen has been shaky. Joba Chamberlain has been downright bad in the second half of May. The Yanks need Joba to return to early season form when he showed flashes of dominance.

Damaso Marte has been solid but David Robertson hasn't given Joe Girardi a reason bring him in to a game other than mop-up duty. Alfredo Aceves may be done for the season and Chan Ho Park doesn't belong in a game unless there's at least a seven-run lead either way.

Although the arms are solid, the relief work overall has not been up to par. If the current group doesn't back on track, Brian Cashman has acquire someone else for Girardi to use in a key spot.

The Yanks need CC to return to ace form and can expect that to happen based on his career post-All-Star break numbers. The middle of the lineup must start carrying its own weight, and if the last two games are any indication, Tex and A-Rod are on their way.

The bullpen is the biggest concern because, after Mo, there isn't enough history among the relievers to have any expectations as to how they will respond to adversity.

There isn't much Girardi can do with the lineup, especially after Posada returns.

Joe will meddle most with the relief corps, which is a concern because Girardi already makes too many pitching changes. If he doesn't trust the guys on the hill, trips to the mound will increase -- if that's imaginable.

Perfection As Different As Can Be

2010-05-30T02:01:00.010-04:00

The last time two perfect games were thrown in Major League Baseball before the flip of a calendar page, Rutherford B. Hayes was President of the United States of America.

The Civil War wasn't a topic taught in History Class, it was a conflict most folks had lived through.

On Saturday, June 12, 1880, Lee Richmond of the Worcester Ruby Legs stifled the Cleveland Blues pitching the first perfect game in MLB history.

By Thursday of the following week, June 17, 1880, Richmond had company. Providence Grays' hurler Monte Ward shut down the Buffalo Bisons for the second perfecto in the Majors.

Sixteen other gems would be tossed before Dallas Braden would set down all 27 Rays batters he faced on Mother's Day, May 9 of this year.

On Saturday, less than three weeks hence Braden's masterpiece, Roy Halladay became the 20th member of the Perfect Game Club by disposing of every Marlins hitter he faced -- 27 up, 27 down.

Adding in Mark Buehrle's perfect performance on July 23 of last year, there have been three no-base-runner exhibitions in fewer than 12 months.

Excluding the first two perfect games, which took place prior to what most historians consider the modern era of baseball, there has never been perfection tossed twice in a dozen months prior to Braden's performance.

Tom Singer of MLB.com puts it this way: "What had been a once-in-a-generation phenomenon has turned into twice-in-a-month lightning."

Braden and Halladay are about as similar as Beethoven and Elvis.

The left-handed Braden first appeared on most baseball fans' radar when he scolded Alex Rodriguez for crossing "my mound" back in April.

Braden's career numbers are less than stellar, 18-25 with 4.47 ERA over four seasons. A-Rod referred to Dallas as "a guy with a handful of wins in his career."

A fringe major leaguer at the moment, Braden's career is in it's infancy. The 26-year-old's career high in starts, 22, and innings pitched, 136.2, both came last season.

The Stockton, California-raised Braden may wind up with a decent career, but can just as easily fall off the major league map and live on simply as the answer to the trivia question regarding the pitcher with the least wins to throw a perfect game.

Halladay, meanwhile, is Cooperstown bound and the premier pitcher of his era.

With a 155-79 record to go with a 3.37 career ERA, Docs perfect game merely solidifies his standing as one of the best pitchers of all-time.

The right-hander's hardware includes: The 2003 AL Cy Young Award and six All-Star selections.

Yet, somehow, these two disparate men made history together a mere 20 days apart. Somehow two perfect games were thrown -- not only in the same season but -- in the same month.

For some reason perfection isn't quite as rare as it once was.

From Amazin' To Cyclones

2010-05-28T14:03:00.009-04:00

The Mets' single A affiliate in Brooklyn shares the name of the roller coaster just beyond the left field wall at its home ballpark -- The Cyclone.

But, for at least this season, it would suit the big league club to adopt the moniker of their Minor League organization.

No, that's not a knock on the overall play of the Flushing Nine, although for much of last season many Triple A clubs would have given the Mets a run for their money.

The adoption of the name Cyclones for the 2010 Mets would be appropriate due to the twisting journey the Mets have taken through the first 48 games.

Currently two games above .500 at 25 up and 23 down and a mere two games out of a playoff spot in both the NL East and Wild Card, the Flushing Cyclones have twice gone on awful runs that had the faithful concluding that the season was kaput, then followed up those putrid drops with equally as impressive climbs that had many at Citi Field dreaming of the playoffs.

Is it too early to be discussing the playoffs? Yes, but at the moment the possibility of serious October baseball is the only way to gauge fan and media interest in Queens.

After mauling the Marlins, 7-1, on Opening Day, the Mets dropped eight of the next 11 contests. Losing the opening four series of the season to Florida, Washington, Colorado and St. Louis left Jerry Manuel's club at 4-8.

When the drop hit bottom the Mets were last in the NL Eastern Division with only the Astros, who started the season 1-7, having a worse record in the entire National League.

Manuel's job was as secure as a $20 bill on a Times Square sidewalk.

April 18 was the start of a sudden jolt upward, a ten-game homestand during which the Mets would drop just a single contest. Finishing April with a win in Philadelphia, the once-forsaken club sat atop the Division at 14-9.

Losing the next two to the Phillies and dropping two of three to the Reds had May off to an ominous start. The May malaise continued for 20 days with a 6-13 free fall dropping the Mets, once again, to last in the East and two games below .500.

Heading into series against the defending champions of each league, the Yankees and Phillies receptively, Manuel's head was once again squarely on the chopping block.

But, as with all roller coasters, what goes down must come up and it was the Mets pitching staff that came up big.

Despite dropping the opener of the Subway Series, Hisanori Takahashi's six-shutout innings against the Bombers was a mere precursor of things to come.

Mike Pelfrey and Johan Santana started and won the next two games combining for 13.2 innings with each giving up but a solitary run.

And the question mark-riddled staff wasn't done yet throwing three consecutive shutouts against a high-powered Phillies lineup.

Taking five of six from the Yanks and Phills was unthinkable just a week ago. Suggesting that the Mets can hold Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Co. scoreless over 27 innings would have earned a trip to an insane asylum.

Somehow these Mets pulled it off. Somehow the playoffs are a realistic possibility once more.

The one constant this season is an inability to win on the road (6-14), and with The Cyclone continuing tonight in Milwaukee and then San Diego another drop may be on the horizon.

With highs and lows, twists and turn, the 2010 version of the Mets have become -- to paraphrase the popular Dos Equis beer ad -- the most interesting team in the World. To paraphrase the commercial once more: Stay tuned my friends.

Yanks Spring Training Preview

2010-03-01T17:12:00.000-05:00

The defending World Series Champions will take the field in 2010 a more talented group than the 2009 version that knocked off the Phillies last Fall.

The anchors of last season remain the same: Mark Teixeira at first base; Robinson Cano at second; Derek Jeter at short and Alex Rodriguez at third comprise a nearly $100 million infield.

However, it's the pitching that will determine whether Joe Girardi's club will defend their title. Ace CC Sabathia leads the staff followed by A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte and newcomer Javier Vazquez.

The fifth starter spot is an open competition entering Spring Training. Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes are the favorites, but Chad Gaudin, Sergio Mitre and Alfredo Aceves will all get a shot.

Adding Vazquez – via trade with Atlanta in exchange for Melky Cabrera – gives a front-loaded pitching staff the depth it lacked last season.

In a separate deal, GM Brian Cashman addressed the only shaky everyday position by acquiring All-Star centerfielder Curtis Granderson in exchange for what amounts to spare parts.

Granderson, who will roam the legendary outfield spot once manned by Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Bernie Williams, will be flanked by joyful Nick Swisher in right and a carousel of Brett Gardner, Randy Winn and Marcus Thames in left. (In certain situations, Grandy may flip-flop and play left.)

Former Yankees prospect Nick Johnson returns to The Bronx as DH, but don't expect Johnson to be there full-time. Girardi will exploit the DH position as an old-age-home for the numerous 30-plus-years-old regulars who can use some half days off.

The most senior aging veteran is catcher Jorge Posada. Girardi wants Posada's bat in the lineup but not his 38-year-old knees behind the plate. Look for Jorge to play upwards of 40 games as DH, with energetic youngster Francisco Cervelli filling in as backstop.

The greatest reliever of all-time, Mariano Rivera, will be the backbone of the bullpen. After a shaky April last season, Mo went on to have one of the finest campaigns of his first-ballot Hall-of-Fame-career. Damaso Marte will be top lefty out of the ‘pen. Displaying his value against lefties last postseason, Marte is the only other reliever with a defined role going into the season.

The other slots will be determined along with the fifth starter competition. Hughes is best suited to be in the rotation and Joba the eighth inning man. The other rotation contenders, along with David Robertson, fill out the relief corps.

The depth on the team is the best money can buy. That's what separates the Yankees from every other team in Major League Baseball. It's not enough to have a couple of All-Stars on the roster, there needs to be an All-Star at just about every position.

Of the eight regulars in the field, all but the corner outfielders have a legitimate – if not the best – chance to start the Mid-Summer Classic.

This offseason the Red Sox improved their pitching, signing free agent John Lackey, and defense, Gold Glove centerfielder Mike Cameron, in preparation for the annual mid-Summer tango with The Bombers for AL East supremacy.

Boston needs to be carried by its starting rotation as the Sox lineup is missing a big bat in the middle and the bullpen is suspect.

The Rays believe this is their last year with a legitimate shot for the AL East crown as their top two players, Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena, are both eligible for free agency after the season. Tampa will make a dent in the division race, but ultimately the Yanks and BoSox will be at the top.

OUTLOOK:
The Yanks combination of depth and star-power is not matched by any team in baseball. There are concerns going into the season, age throughout the team, A.J. Burnett is still an injury concern, but those issues are minor compared to most other clubs.

Look for The Bombers to win 95-plus games and win the East. The playoffs are a crapshoot, but with Sabathia as the ace, Mariano in the ‘pen and big hitters up and down the lineup Girardi has the best odds of rolling sevens.

Mets Spring Training Preview

2010-02-28T18:25:00.000-05:00

Omar Minaya doesn’t appear to be the gambling-type, yet the Mets’ GM is betting on plenty of things breaking his way this season. While the odds are not completely stacked against Omar, if he’s wrong, Minaya and manager Jerry Manuel will likely be looking for a job at season’s end.

The pitching staff has two sure things: Ace Johan Santana, as good as any starter in the league, and closer Frankie “K-Rod” Rodriguez.

After that begins a conga line of question marks. Starters Mike Pelfrey, Oliver Perez and John Maine are coming off a disappointing 2009 season.

Pelfrey’s biggest issue is handling runners on base, a problem that needs to be addressed if Pelf is to step up to the number two starter role.

Neither Maine nor Perez had over 15 starts in ’09. Perez is a head case who loses the plate on a regular basis. Maine missed a significant portion of the season with shoulder trouble and needs to prove he can stay healthy.

Then again, a whole host of Mets need a bounce back season.

David Wright was one of only three Mets to play over 130 games in ’09 but the third baseman’s batting average had more ups and downs than the Cyclone on Coney Island, unlike Wright’s power which stayed below par all season.

After highly-controversial offseason knee surgery, Carlos Beltran will begin the season on the DL, right where the centerfielder spent a majority of last season.

When Carlos returns – tentatively scheduled for early May – he, Wright and free agent signee Jason Bay need to form a formidable heart of the order to give the Mets any playoff aspirations.

The only major offseason acquisition, Bay, will fortify the outfield and bring it up to Major League standards, it was not last season.

Jose Reyes – also coming off an injury-plagued 2009 – needs to return to form, both as a shortstop and leadoff hitter.

The quality of the roster takes a steep tumble after that, with only rightfielder Jeff Francoeur being a legitimate everyday player outside of the top half-dozen.

Aging second baseman Luis Castillo is coming off a surprisingly respectable season, batting .302 and stealing 20 bases in 142 games. The Mets would, no doubt, sign on for such production again.

Daniel Murphy is the favorite to start at first base, but Manuel will give Mike Jacobs and 22-year-old Ike Davis a good look going into the season. The 25-year-old Murphy was the next big thing for the Mets entering last season but was a bitter disappointment both in the field – he started in leftfield – and at the plate, batting just .266.

The late offseason signing of Rod Barajas gives the Mets a legitimate presence behind the plate. While his bat is not awe-inspiring, Barajas has caught over 100 games several times in his career. Omir Santos will return to the backup role.

Jon Niese and Fernando Nieve, both coming off injury – aren’t they all, will compete for a starting spot in the rotation.

How Manuel gets the ball from the starters to Frankie needs to be sorted out; Sean Green, Bobby Parnel, Jenrry Mejia, Pedro Feliciano and Japanese import Ryota Igarashi will all be considered in Spring.

Feliciano is best used as a lefty specialist and Igarashi is an unknown commodity in the majors. Mejia has shown promise, but the Mets hierarchy may want him back in the minors for more seasoning as a starter.

Angel Pagan and Gary Matthews will duel it out for the centerfield job until Beltran comes back, at which point both will be riding the pine.

The Phillies remain the class of the division, and trading for Roy Halladay in the offseason only increases the separation between Philadelphia and the rest of the NL East. Philly’s lineup is still the best in the Senior Circuit.

The Braves, led by a plethora of pitching, and the Marlins, with a multitude of young talent, will be in the Wild Card race all season.

OUTLOOK:
The Mets need to get off to a good start to rid the team of the losing stigma from last season. With a healthy team, The Amazins’ can win between 85 and 90 games.

If two through four in the starting rotation stay off the DL and pitch relatively well, the Mets are capable of hanging with Atlanta and Florida for a playoff spot.

Jets Keep Soaring

2010-01-18T22:58:00.005-05:00

A bad bounce, an ill-advised penalty, maybe a field goal that clanks off an upright, and the team that was left for dead by its own coach will represent the AFC in Miami in Super Bowl XLIV.

The Jets are just 60 minutes -- and a fortuitous break -- away from the franchise's first trip to the Big Game in over 40 years.

Can the Jets beat the Colts straight up in Indianapolis with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line? No! But, then again, Gang Green wasn't going to beat the Chargers in San Diego.

In sports -- and life -- capitalizing on fortunate situations is key to moving forward.

Whether or not the Jets should have ever been in the playoffs is debatable. What's not up for discussion is that Rex Ryan's club took advantage of every handout that came its way.

All too often, teams get a gift only to let it slip right through their collective hands. This loud-mouth Jets squad seizes every bit of good fortune and makes the most of it.

The Jets would not have beaten the Colts had the teams matched-up in, say, Week 12 of the regular season. But the Jets took full advantage of Bill Polian's questionable philosophy to rest the starters in a meaningless game -- at least from Indy's viewpoint.

Next up was a back-to-back with Cincinnati. While the Bengals were a legitimate playoff team early in the season, Cincy hit a rough sport late in the season losing two of three -- albeit to good teams -- before facing the Jets.

Once again, the Jets took full advantage: First beating the Bengals to garner entry to the postseason, then winning the Wild Card Game in Ohio.

The Bengals weren't playing as well as they had while getting off to a 7-2 start. But the Jets didn't play down to the competition nor make a key blunder to lose the game.

Moving on to San Diego, once again, Gang Green played mistake free -- for the most part -- and let the Chargers stumble, bumble and kick the game away.

The Colts have the next opportunity to break the glass slipper of the only Cinderella left standing. And Indy has what to worry about: One misstep, a single errant throw and the Jets will take full advantage.

With the way things have been going for this charmed team, don't count 'em out.

Capital Domination

2009-12-21T23:52:00.003-05:00

Thrash, pummel, trounce, flog, lambaste, pound, or just plain old beat down.

None of the above adequately describes the Giants 45-12 complete domination over the Redskins down in D.C. on Monday Night Football.

In a game Big Blue absolutely had to have to keep a realistic shot at the playoffs alive, the Giants took control on the opening drive and never looked back.

On a 16-play march that took 9:13 off the first-quarter-clock and covered 80 yards the Giants fired the opening shot of a battle that never materialized.

Ahmad Bradshaw scored the TD on a three-yard run and the game may as well have been called over.

Washington's first three drives were all three-and-outs. 'Skins QB Jason Campbell was under constant harassment being sacked five times -- four times by the rejuvenated defensive line.

Eli Manning had another 250 plus yards passing while completing 19 of 26 passes before sitting out most of the fourth quarter.

The Giants converted close to 75% of third downs to sustain numerous long drives.

Even with two of starting offensive linemen out for most of the game, Manning was well protected. Brandon Jacobs and Bradshaw also had plenty of room to work with.

Ten different Giants caught a pass and three separate receivers -- Steve Smith, Derek Hagan and Mario Manningham -- each found the end zone.

Even when the Redskins did punch in a TD, the ineptness was displayed by missing the extra point.

Now, the Giants must take the positives from this shellacking and bring them north for next Sunday's matchup with the Panthers.

Week 15 was loaded with surprises -- one helping and one hurting Big Blue.

The Cowboys upset of the Saints in New Orleans keeps Dallas a game ahead of the Giants in the playoff race. While the Steelers reawakening against the Packers gives the Giants a second team to gun for.

Big Blue needs help to get into the postseason but that's not for Tom Coughlin's club to worry about.

Taking care of business in the nation's capital was all the Giants could do this week, and, oh boy, did they ever accomplish that task.

Grandy A Yankee, Andy Too

2009-12-10T23:14:00.008-05:00

As the Winter Meetings in Indianapolis come to a close, Brian Cashman boards the flight back to New York with a couple of souvenirs in tow.

The Yankees' roster had two major concerns going into this Hot Stove season: Starting pitching depth, behind CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, and an incomplete outfield.

Cashman addressed both issues while in the Hoosier State.

The re-signing of Andy Pettitte was inevitable once the 37-year-old lefty decided he was to pitch another season.

The money is a bit higher than the Yankees would have liked, but a Steinbrenner will always shell out an extra million bucks or two to get the man he wants.

The Yanks dodged a bullet in '08 with Burnett not once landing on the DL and needed someone who can step into the No. 2 starter role should A.J.'s slate not be as clean next season.

Pettitte is a proven playoff commodity who has the veteran guile it takes to get it done should his aging arm misbehave.

In a three-way trade with the Tigers and Diamondbacks, the Yankees solved the outfield dilemma acquiring Curtis Granderson while not relinquishing much in terms of major league-ready talent.

Grandy is one of baseball's good guys as well as one of the game's top athletes.

Cashman and the Yankees have put a premium on good attitude after seeing the results of ignoring demeanor early this decade. (Randy Johnson, Gary Sheffield.)

Departing New York in return for Granderson: Phil Coke, a solid lefty reliever who found his way into Joe Girardi's doghouse in the postseason, Ian Kennedy, who has shown nothing more than back of the rotation potential when given a major league opportunity, and Austin Jackson, a 22-year-old athletic center fielder whom many Yankees fans began penciling into the 2011 starting lineup prematurely.

Coke's replacement, Damason Marte, is already on the roster. Kennedy is a 25-year-old coming off an aneurysm. Jackson's upside is fairly similar to what Granderson has already developed into -- though flip-flop Austin's batting average with Curtis's power.

Coming off a down season, as is Granderson, is when quality players are available for cheap. Had this trade taken place in the off-season following Granderson's 2007 MVP-type season, the Yankees would have had to depart with Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain.

With his batting average below .250 in 2009 and erratic fielding, the 28-year-old (he'll be 29 by Opening Day) is by no means the perfect center fielder. However, the Yanks can rely on a power bat (19 plus homers each of the past four seasons).

The arrival of Granderson in the Bronx also gives the Yankees leverage in negotiating with Johnny Damon.

Nick Swisher in right field, Grandy in left and a platoon of Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner in center improves the outfield and only slight downgrades the lineup compared to the 2009 championship club.

If Damon does agree to a reasonable contract -- by Cashman's definition -- the Bombers have upgraded the only weak everyday position.

A meager .183 average vs. lefties has been a point of contention against importing Granderson.

However, in reality, less than one-third of an everyday player's at-bats come against southpaws. The number figures to be even lower if Granderson is sandwiched between Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira -- his projected lineup spot should Damon not return -- because of the duos prowess against left-handed hurlers.

Rumors will continue to swirl as to the landing spots of Roy Halladay, John Lackey, Matt Holliday and Jason Bay. But, Cashman can sit back, content that the two biggest voids in the Bombers' roster were filled.

Of course, if the Red Sox make a run at any of those four, don't count the Yankees out -- as we learned last year with Teixeira.

Big Blue, Big Win vs. Big D

2009-12-08T18:37:00.004-05:00

With its back to the wall and down 10-0 in the biggest game of the season against the rival Cowboys, the Giants responded.

Midway through the second quarter, Ahmad Bradshaw lost a fumble on the Giants' side of the field. Seven plays later, Tony Romo hit Roy Williams in the end zone and the Giants season was left for dead.

The Giants resuscitated the season by moving down the field on three consecutive 16-yard gains before Eli Manning found Hakeem Nicks for a TD to give Big Blue some life.

Just a minute-and-a-half later the Giants would once again find the Promised Land after a big play by two key members of the much-maligned D-line. Mathias Kiwanuka forced a fumble that was recovered by the recently-demoted Osi Umenyiora.

The game would be won through big plays.

Brandon Jacobs, still not running the ball to expectations, had a 74-yard catch and run for his second TD of the evening.

The contest was put out of reach by a Domenik Hixon 79-yard punt return late in the fourth.

The D-line showed glimpses of why it was considered one of the NFL's best going into the season. Although Romo threw for nearly 400 yards, he was constantly harassed.

Cowboys' running backs Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice combined for 45 yard on 23 carries.

The Giants did not dominate the Cowboys, but did enough to come away with a much-needed W.

While Tom Coughlin's club did not exactly escape with the win, it did leave room for doubts going into another enormous game vs. the Eagles on Sunday night.

Big Blue must prove it can beat a quality opponent other than the Cowboys.

A loss to Philadelphia would eliminate any chance of taking the East Division -- the Eagles would be up two games and have the tie-breaker. Big Blue was embarrassed in Philadelphia on November 1.

On the other hand, a win at the Meadowlands evens things out in the overall and head-to-head record against Philly. Combined with Dallas' December struggles and the Cowboys rough upcoming schedule, Big Blue would quickly turn into the favorites to win the Division.

After the Eagles, the Giants face two inferior opponents -- at Washington then home for Carolina.

The final game of the season, in Minnesota, may not mean anything for the Vikings. The Giants may be playing for a spot in the playoffs. Such a circumstance would turn the odds in New York's favor.

An old maxim says, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." The Giants took that step on Sunday.

Against the Eagles it will be determined if that step has a true landing that can send the Giants scurrying towards the postseason.

Jets Stampede Buffalo

2009-12-03T23:00:00.004-05:00

As if repenting for past egregious sins, the Jets went North of the border and took care of business against the inferior Bills, 19-13.

However, the victory may have cost Gang Green the main purpose for playing out the schedule: The development of rookie QB Mark Sanchez.

Sanchez left the field early in the third quarter and did not return.

How much faith does the Jets coaching staff have in backup Kellen Clemens? The Jets handed the ball to a back on 18 of the 25 snaps that Clemens was in the game (not including two kneel-downs).

True, running backs Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene were running all over Buffalo -- even fullback Tony Richardson got in the act with 36 yards on two carries -- but it was clear Rex Ryan and Co. was not going to allow Clemens to lose the game.

The rushing game had another sparkling day running for 249 and averaging nearly six yard a carry.

Sanchez was in the midst of a solid performance before he was forced to the locker room injuring his knee on a head-first dive for a first down.

The rookie completed seven of 14 passes for 104 yards and one TD. Those numbers would look considerably prettier had Braylon Edwards not dropped an 84-yard sure-touchdown pass late in the first quarter.

Edwards continues to display why he'll always have an NFL job, scoring the only New York touchdown in Canada by fighting off several tacklers on the way to the goal line.

But, the reputation of slippery hands continues to stick to the talented wideout.

Darrelle Revis had yet another All-Pro day, this time holding Terrell Owens to three catches for 31 yards.

The win keeps alive the faint hope of a playoff appearance but even that wishful thinking would be quashed should Sanchez be forced to sit any length of time.

With the extra time to prepare the Jets should run all over Tampa Bay in Florida.

However, each of the following three match ups (Atlanta, at Indianapolis and Cincinnati) will be tough tests, and the Jets will have a difficult passing any of them.

The rough schedule will be bearable if Sanchez plays and shows signs of the future. If Sanchez is sidelined, then the whole team may as well be eating hot dogs.

Big Blue Bust

2009-11-26T23:51:00.004-05:00

That sound you heard late on Thanksgiving night was the Giants' season going POP!

After Sunday's brief reprieve from the slide down the 5-0 mountain, Big Blue looked more like Big Bust against the Broncos in Denver.

Denver's 26-6 demolition of the Giants is not fatal but it's certainly more than a flesh-wound.

Thoroughly dominated in every facet of the game, Giants fans have little to be thankful for after watching the pathetic-looking bunch.

"We laid an egg," said Kevin Boss being brutally honest about his team's performance.

Although the Giants beat the Falcons on Sunday, the victory was not quite convincing that the losing ways were over. Especially on defense after that unit blew a 14-point fourth quarter lead.

In Mile High the offense and defense were equally inadequate.

The Giants have always prided themselves on being physically tougher than most, which is why Thursday night's loss is that much harder to comprehend.

The weakness in the secondary is nothing new, a superior defensive line can cover up such problems. But when the front seven are being obliterated at the line -- as they were by the Broncos -- it's going to be a long evening.

The running game that hasn't found its way all season was supposed to get healthy in Colorado. Broncos' opponents averaged 168.7 yards on the ground during their four-game losing streak.

The Giants ran for a measly 57 yards. Brandon Jacobs averaged a pitiful 2.5 yards per carry.

Beaten at the point of attack on both sides of the ball is certainly not Giants Football.

The Giants now have a week and a half to lick their wounds and see if they can pull themselves together.

The season has not yet been decided, that will happen in the two upcoming home games against the Cowboys and Eagles.

This group under Tom Coughlin plays its best football when it's the underdog, with the "us against the world mentality."

"We're not a bad football team, we just played bad today," Osi Umenyiora insists.

The Giant have two weeks to prove Osi correct.

Giants Seek To Answer Questions

2009-11-19T22:19:00.004-05:00

By 4:30 on Sunday many Giants questions will have answers.

Is the four-game losing-streak an aberration? Or has Big Blue been overrated all along and beat-up on a soft early schedule?

In today's parity-loving-NFL every team goes through a rough spot at some point in the schedule. The Patriots of 2007 were beating opponents with high school-type scores during an undefeated regular season. Yet, come playoff time, the games were competitive eventually losing to the Jints in the Super Bowl.

Last season, at approximately the same time of year, the Giants and Titans were favorites to face-off in Tampa on Super Sunday. Yet, neither team won a postseason contest.

The Super Bowl-winning Colts of several years back lost four of the final seven regular season match-ups. All the incredible seasons to that point ended in disappointment, but the year the Colts struggled most turned out to be the greatest triumph.

This is not to say the Giants are on the way to another championship, but a mid-season struggle is no reason to panic and give up hope.

Did the bye-week come at just the right time for Tom Coughlin's club? Was the week off all that was needed to get healthy and get the bad football out of the system?

During the time off, everything broke right for the Giants: the three teams battling for an NFC playoff spot -- Cowboys, Eagles and Falcons -- all lost.

Once written-off as done, the Giants control their own destiny.

Each of the next four games is of monumental importance. The first is Atlanta at the Meadowland on Sunday. The Falcons are struggling and the winner of this contest will hold an important head-to-head tiebreaker.

A Thanksgiving-night game vs. the surprising Broncos will be a difficult road test, but a win would re-establish credibility across the country.

Dallas and Philadelphia visit New Jersey in the following weeks. The importance of these two divisional match-ups cannot be exaggerated.

Did the Big Blue defense simply need to get healthy to return to championship form? Will the return of cornerback Aaron Ross boost the secondary? Was Justin Tuck's shoulder-injury inhibiting his play on the field?

The Giants' secondary was hit hard with early-season injuries. Safety Kenny Phillips will not play again in 2009. Ross has yet to take the field during the current campaign. Tuck's injury had been nagging since Week 2.

Big Blue holds the script to the season now. The knockout blow has been thrown and the Giants were out for the count.

Can Coughlin scrape the team of the mat? Can the defense regain its teeth? Will the offense get back to Giants-football?

Will the team regroup and bounce back? Or stagger to the finish-line without much fight?

All these questions will be answered on the field Sunday.

Playoffs Expectations Too High For Jets

2009-11-16T20:55:00.005-05:00

What's with New York football teams and losing in gut-wrenching fashion. Last week it was the Giants against the Chargers, this week the Jets vs. the Jaguars.

Neither team played dominant football for the first 55 minutes, yet both were in position to walk away with a victory late in the fourth quarter.

For Gang Green, it was the Maurice Jones-Drew Show early and a lack of communication in the end that did them in -- and ended any dreams of a playoff run.

While in ordinary times having a decent season with a rookie head coach and quarterback is acceptable as part of the growing pains, there is a sense of disappointment surrounding the franchise.

In the past, starting a first-year QB from Week 1 was suiciding the year. And a head coach with no experience as the top-dog would be given a year to figure himself out.

Not for these Jets, not this year.

There are several reasons why expectations were higher than usual for this bunch:

1) Hot start: At the start of the season, there were no high expectations for this team, after getting out of the gate 3-0 that changed.

While many Jets rooters were attempting not to let it get to their head, it certainly changed the perception of the year. No longer was there the thought of this being a throw-away season, a playoff berth was certainly within reach.

2) Talk is cheap: Following the lead of Rex Ryan, many Jets were quite boisterous early on. Ryan was speaking of winning "multiple championships" before winning a game.

Sanchez wasn't exactly keeping a low profile himself. Posing for GQ before taking an NFL snap is no way to keep the pressure off yourself. Although appearing in a magazine is not the reason the Jets have lost four out of the last five, it did add unnecessary exposure (read: expectations).

3) Last year's success: Matt Ryan in Atlanta and Joe Flacco in Baltimore have many believing that putting quarterbacks behind center as a rookie is the wave of the future.

While the belief is true, few teams will duplicate their feat of going to the postseason with a novice head coach and first-year signal caller.

Despite the seeming disappointment, the Jets are actually having a decent season. With several eminently winnable games remaining on the calendar a .500 record is not out of the question.

There is obviously an issue closing out games as the numerous narrow losses prove. Many of those games come down to a play or two deciding the outcome.

Will the added experience change the Jets' fortunes in a close game later this season? Time will tell.

Championship Answers All

2009-11-05T16:58:00.005-05:00

"But it's been no bed of roses-
No pleasure cruise" (Queen-We Are The Champions)

Any season that culminates with a championship in hand is a good year, but for the New York Yankees any season that does not end with a world title is incomplete.

The 2009 Baseball season ended the only way it can be deemed satisfactory in Yankees Universe: The Pinstripes congregating in the infield triumphantly.

But, as with all seasons, there were times of discontent. Times where it seemed like nothing could go right. Going all the way back to the beginning, there were doubts about this group of players and coaches.

Spring Training got underway with Alex Rodriguez' admission that he indeed was a steroid user. A short time later, it was thought that the third baseman would be out for the season with a hip injury.

Chien-Ming Wang could not regain whatever it was that made him a two-time 19-game-winner. His absence left a major void in the middle of what was supposed to be a deep starting rotation. July 4th would prove to be the final outing of the 2009 campaign for Wang.

Through his first 35 games in Pinstripes, Mark Teixeira was batting under .240.

As late as June there were those wondering if Brian Cashman should be assembling a search party to find a replacement for Mariano Rivera (as if a replacement actually exists).

The first eight match-ups with the Red Sox ended with Boston W's. To add insult to defeat many of those contests were quite embarrassing.

First-place in the American League East did not belong to New York until the last week of May, and that was short-lived. The Yankees only occupied the division penthouse permanently from the last third of July and on -- not as early as one might expect from a club that went on to win 103 games.

But now, all of that gets washed away with just a few sprays of champagne. None of it really matters.

A-Rod no longer has to deal with questions of clutch or whether he can win a World Series, one of the best postseasons in recent memory answers all those queries.

As to whether or not A-Rod is a "real Yankee," the answer rests in one's definition of that title.

Will the Yankees have to deal with the steroid-stain on A-Rod's resume? Sure, but that's down the road, when he starts moving in on some important numbers (714, 755, 762). For now, all A-Rod has to do is point to his ring.

Does Joe Girardi over-manage? Make more pitching changes than necessary? Maybe. But now he's in select company, he's a World Series-winning manager.

When CC Sabathia was brought to the Bronx, the hulking lefty's postseason credentials did not match his regular season numbers. A fact that left many Yankees fans questioning whether Cashman made another lousy pitching decision.

Both Sabathia and Cashman were vindicated with CC's ace-like performance in the 2009 postseason.

Mariano Rivera got past the initial hiccup and went on to have one of the finest seasons of his already splendid career. And in the playoffs Mo raised his status, if it were possible.

The aging Final Four (Jeter, Posada, Pettitte and Rivera) proved that despite the advanced years, some folks just know how to win.

In the end -- bit by bit, piece by piece -- it all came together to complete the puzzle of what was truly the best team of 2009.

Sure, there are still questions, but now there's a simple, one-word answer: Champions.

Gaudin Should Start Game 5

2009-11-01T18:16:00.006-05:00

The asterisk has been removed from Game 5, it will absolutely be necessary. And after the Yankees' bats smacked around Cole Hamels and the Phillies bullpen in Game 3, it is also a certainty that the Bombers will not be facing elimination in that fifth game.

With a return to New York -- either for a parade or Game 6 -- in the bag, Joe Girardi should not have any Yankees starter this side of CC Sabathia work on short rest.

That would mean Chad Gaudin, who has not yet started a game in the playoffs, would be pressed into an exceedingly difficult situation -- on the road, in Philadelphia, against Cliff Lee.

However, that situation gives the Yanks its best chance to win its 27th World Series.

With the Yankees in the driver's seat, albeit only a one-game lead, Girardi would be best served lining up his rotation as best serves his club to win two games: A.J. Burnett on regular rest in Game 6 and Sabathia in Game 7 with Andy Pettitte in reserve.

Sure, that would mean all but actually forfeiting the contest by sending Gaudin to the hill against Lee, but the other option is less-than-spectacular itself. With Burnett taking the ball for Game 5, there is a big hole left in the rotation for Game 6 -- which MAY take place with the Yankees back to the wall.

If Burnett were to be held to that first game back at the Stadium, worst case scenario one of your two best starters is there to bail you out against a very beatable Pedro Martinez.

As for Game 5, who's to say the Yankees can't scratch out a couple of runs against Lee. Who's to say Gaudin can't come out and pitch the game of his life, stranger things have happened. It wouldn't be an all-out giveaway, the lineup should stay the same and the 'pen would be used as necessary.

What the Yankees do tonight does not change the heart of the issue: Girardi's focus should be on the two games set to be played in the Bronx. Any additional victories in Philly should be accepted as gravy. If you get them, smile and keep moving.

Having Sabathia on the hill, the Yankees are the favorites to take tonight's Game 4, and with Burnett going in Game 5 there is a decent chance of the Bombers taking that one as well. Yet, both can just as easily be won Charlie Manuel's club.

The Phillies have hit CC in the past, and Joe Blanton has some postseason experience. A.J. hasn't pitched without regular rest all season, and his ERA is over a full run higher on the road.

The options are: give your team a chance to win every game or take the best shot at some of the games and be at a significant disadvantage in others.

Having the lead means having the luxury to set up the rotation how it best suits your team. And that's what should have been done -- even if it means sacrificing Game 5.

MaxHockey

2009-09-30T00:02:00.000-04:00

Hey there, I wrote a piece for Maxhockey.com.

Click here to link directly to the piece and be sure to check out the rest of the site. Max is quickly becoming one of the best hockey websites out there.

Questioning the NFC

2009-09-12T21:34:00.004-04:00

After a good defensive battle Thursday night between the Steelers and Titans, the rest the NFL gets underway over the next two days.

In the parity-era of the league no team is complete, every club has a question that will only be answered in the grind of a full season.

The AFC queries were dealt with before its schedule got underway the other night in the Steel City. Now its time for the NFC clubs to face their imperfections.

First, one issue the NFL will have to face: What's the league going to say when the ridiculous scoreboard in Dallas changes a game? A do-over will work -- playgroundesque as it is -- for a while. But, what if a punter hits the massive thing four or five times and then shanks one that goes 17 yards.

Or, a worst case scenario would be, after four or five do-overs everyone on the field is winded from going back-and-forth. Everyone except the returner that is, he is the only one who would barely have moved. As the only fresh legs on the field, the punt is returned for a touchdown. Then what? How a $1.5 billion stadium could have such an easily diagnosed issue is remarkable.

Teams appear in order of predicted finish.

NFC EAST:

Giants:
Who's going to catch it?
The Giants don't have a receiver that will keep a defensive coordinator up at night. Big Blue will run the ball with the best of them. The D-line gets after the quarterback better than any team in the league. But, as we saw in the second half of last season, Eli Manning needs a big time receiver to throw to. If none of the pass-catchers on the roster have a break-out year, the Giants will not represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

Cowboys:
Will Tony Romo improve without T.O.?
After getting off to good starts the past few seasons, the Cowboys have played shoddy football in the latter half of the schedule. Did Terrell Owens' antics contribute to the drop-off? If Tony Romo doesn't show he can win in the playoffs this season, the 'Boys will have to rethink the QB position before next season.

Eagles:
Mind? Heart? Soul?
While most are focusing on the offensive side of the ball and the addition of Michael Vick, the bigger change is on the defensive side of the ball. Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson's passing (mind), MLB Stewart Bradley's season-ending injury (heart), and Brian Dawkins' departure to the Broncos (soul) in the offseason has been underplayed. Johnson was one of the best coordinators in football. Bradley isn't that well-known but that is because his reputation has yet to get around. Dawkins has long been one of the fiercest hitters around.

Redskins:
Is Jason Campbell the real deal?
The 'Skins have been propping up Campbell for a few years now, but the QB has yet to take any major steps. On defense, it's not a question of will Albert Haynesworth miss games, rather how many?

NFC NORTH:

Vikings:
What does Favre have left in the tank?
The best run-defense and number one running back will be enough for the Vikes to take this solid but overrated division. Whether or not the team does anything in the postseason will depend on what Favre has at the end of a long season. The Indecisive One got off to a fine start with the Jets then fell apart late. Another thing Favre will have to contend with is a thin receiving corps which may push Brett to force more throws than usual -- if that's at all possible.

Bears:
Who is Jay Cutler throwing the ball to?
Sure, Jay Cutler is the best quarterback to play for the Bears in a long time, but a glance at the pass caching depth chart will not exactly strike fear in opponents' heart. Devin Hester is the number one receiver on this squad, and no doubt he's a tough guy to bring down in the open field, however catching the ball from someone who throws with the velocity of Cutler is no easy task.

Packers:
Will Aaron Rodgers take the next step?
Aaron Rodgers showed us that the Packers weren't nuts for thinking they had a replacement for Favre. If he can be a top-of-the-line QB remains to be seen. The club is good, if not great, at just about every other position. If Rodgers takes a significant step-up, the Pack will be a team to deal with for many years to come.

Lions:
Last season was rock-bottom, right?
It's hard to imagine this team not improving at all. Matthew Stafford is an upgrade at QB, as is Jim Schwartz as head coach. If you're looking for something to keep an eye on with this team, how about the first team that loses to the Lions this season? That's going to be embarrassing.

NFC SOUTH:

Falcons:
Can the defense catch-up to the offense?
Who would think that with the cards this franchise was dealt just a few years ago it would turn into one of the best stories of last season. Rookie QB plus rookie head coach = no problem. Roddy White is one of the best big-play receivers in the league. The addition of Tony Gonzalez adds to an already fine offensive unit. However, for this team to make any noise in the playoffs the defense will have to show significant improvement.

Panthers:
Will the Julius Peppers saga disrupt the team?
It's hard to find a weakness on this team offensively. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart make-up the best running tandem in football. The defense is solid but needs Peppers to play at his best to be most effective. He wasn't happy with the contract situation in the offseason, if it brings down his performance on the field in any way the whole team will feel it.

Saints:
Is Reggie Bush a premiere running back?
Coming out of USC, Bush was supposed to be the next great thing. After three years in the league that has yet to come to fruition. Running backs have short careers, Bush has already missed a significant number of games over the last two seasons. The Saints will be better off moving Bush to receiver, he's at his best when he has the ball in space and that is not something running backs get in this league.

Buccaneers:
Is there a QB in the house?
Want to know the importance of a quarterback to an NFL franchise, look no further than the Bucs. Even though there is good talent at the other offensive positions, there is no chance at a playoff run because there's a big hole at QB. Byron Leftwich has not won a game as a starter since 2006 with Jacksonville. Another thing worth watching in Tampa is rookie coach Raheem Morris who is only 33-years-old and was never a head coach at any level.

NFC WEST:

Cardinals:
Was last season an aberration?
The Cards got into the postseason because they reside in an incredibly weak division -- the 49ers finished in second place, enough said -- and took off from there. The defense is suspect at several spots and there isn't much of a running game. Will the best trio of receivers do enough to keep the team afloat? If 38-year-old QB Kurt Warner misses time, does Matt Leinart have what it takes to lead the team?

Seahawks:
Was last season an aberration?
The class of the AFC West since 2003 completely fell apart last season. Matt Hasselbeck played in only seven games. The leading receiver on the squad was rookie tight end John Carlson. If this team is a little luckier on the injury front, there will be a significant improvement on last season's 4-12 record. T.J. Houshmandzadeh is an instant upgrade at wide receiver. What kind of job will Jim Mora do at head coach?

49ers:
Can Mike Singletary straighten out a franchise?
Singletary came in mid-season and went 5-4 in his nine games at the helm. No doubt he will make the team tougher, but for a franchise that had a good-to-great QB from 1981 through 2003 (Montana-Young-Garcia) the last few year have left a lot to be desired. Michael Crabtree's holdout is not the way for a tremendously talented receiver to start his pro-career.

Rams:
Can Spags turn around this mess?
Five wins combined over the last two seasons would define a mess. It's hard to imagine this team not improving at all, there isn't much lower they can fall. Rookie head coach Steve Spagnuolo will have his hands full, but at the very least he should make this team more fun to watch -- not quite The Greatest Show on Turf, but more exciting then it's been lately.

Questioning the AFC

2009-09-10T17:39:00.007-04:00

If you're a Mets fan this is the day you've been waiting for since the All-Star Break: Today the NFL kicks-off its season in Pittsburgh.

The classic between the Steelers and Cardinals feels like ages ago while it also feels like it happened last week. Strange how that works.

The offseason has been a long one. Between the Draft, the trades, head coaches being fired and hired and some big players (Albert Haynesworth) moving through free-agency the NFL really doesn't have much quiet time.

Yet, after all these months, there are still questions abound.

Training camp has come and gone, meaningless football -- that fans put way too much stock into -- is over till next August, but every team in the league has at least one unsettling situation. Many have two or more.

Here are the biggest questions facing AFC teams. The NFC will take its turn before it gets its season underway Sunday.

Teams appear in order of predicted finish.

AFC EAST:

Patriots:
How's the knee?
With Tom Brady back the Pats are once again Super Bowl favorites. But, something very small can derail everything, about the size of a knee, more specifically Brady's knee. Bill Belichick is still reluctant to say which one. The other issue is: Who will run the ball? For all the talent this team stock piles, there is not a decent running back on the squad.

Dolphins:
Will Penn. need relief?
Chad Pennington is coming off his second come-back player of the year award. While that shows tremendous persistence on Chad's part, it also means he has issues staying on the field. Should the need arise, is Chad Henne ready to step in? Or will the 'Phins be forced to move to all-Wildcat offense?

Jets:
Which Matt will Mark Sanchez resemble?
Matt Ryan who carried the Falcons to the playoffs or fellow USC product Matt Leinart. To be fair, it may be difficult to judge, because the Jets also have a few questions to be answered at the receiver spot.

Bills:
When/Will T.O. .......?
When Terrell Owens is on your roster every query must involve the reality-show star. Will T.O. get along with his quarterback? How long before T.O. gets frustrated? Will T.O. cry at a press conference?

AFC NORTH:

Steelers:
Can a team repeat in this NFL?
Repeating is one of the most difficult things to accomplish in sports. Every game is the opposing team's prove-it-game. The defending champs have some clear-cut games on the schedule -- no matter what the Lions or Raiders are trying to prove they don't have a shot against the Steel Curtain. However, there is still some uncertainty on the offensive line, and don't discount a tumultuous offseason for Ben Roethlisberger.

Ravens:
Flacco? Rex? Ray?
Is Joe Flacco a fluke? Will losing Rex Ryan to the Jets hurt the defense? Is this the year Ray Lewis begins to show his age? This team will take a significant step back if any of these questions are answered to the affirmative.

Bengals:
What happened?
The franchise was a joke for a decade, then turned it around and were on the verge of big things. Now, they're back where they started. Will Carson Palmer stay on the field this year?

Browns:
Mangenius or Mangidiot?
It wasn't very long after the Jets fired Eric Mangini that the Browns hired him. Early in his head coaching career he was a genius, as time went on he became a pain in the rear. Need proof, Mangini still has not announced who his starting QB will be.

AFC SOUTH:

Colts:
Is this the year?
Losing your head coach (Tony Dungy) and one of the best receivers in history (Marvin Harrison) is going to cause some problems, there is no way around it. How big a step back the team takes -- if any -- will rest on the broad shoulders of Peyton Manning, as the franchise already does anyway.

Texans:
Is this the year?
This team has been on the verge of big things for some time now. Andre Johnson is among the top receivers in the game. The running game is dangerous. The front-seven is deep. The one piece missing is QB Matt Schaub taking the next step to being a premiere NFL passer. Come to think of it, with a top wideout, strong running game, solid pass-rushers and a QB on the verge, the club is reminiscent of a Giants squad that not too long ago beat a certain Patriots team 17-14.

Titans:
Can Kerry stay healthy?
Kerry Collins is coming off a very serviceable season. The wide receiving corps is much improved with the additions of Nate Washington and Kenny Brit but Collins' age (36) has to be taken into account. Can Vince Young step in and hold the team together if Kerry goes down. A few bad games could end their season in a very deep division.

Jaguars:
Can they rebound?
The Jags went from 11-5 to 5-11 in one season. They were one of the darling picks going into the season, but it all came apart. Coach Jack Del Rio got rid of some guys he thought were a negative to the team. It will be tough to get more than eight wins in this division but that kind of improvement will be necessary to keep the heat off Del Rio.

AFC WEST:

Chargers:
Will it -- finally -- all come together?
San Diego has long had the most talented offense it the league, now it's time for them to step-up and play like it. In a cheese cake of a division -- which should be locked up by Thanksgiving -- the Chargers should roll into the playoffs. What LaDainian Tomlinson (there is only one LT, and he played linebacker for the Giants) has left remains to be seen. And whether Shawne Merriman is pushing himself right out of football, a la Plaxico Burress, also warrants (no pun intended) keeping an eye on.

Chiefs:
Is Cassel the real deal?
Matt Cassel stepped in for Tom Brady and did a fine job. Was he a product of the system or is he legitimate NFL QB? New coach Todd Haley has brought some tough love to K.C. but long-term success for this franchise will depend on Cassel.

Broncos:
What should we expect?
Josh McDaniels replaces Mike Shanahan as coach and almost immediately the two best players on the squad are unhappy. Jay Cutler is now in Chicago and Brandon Marshal is in a contract dispute. Outside of Knowshon Moreno is there any reason to watch this team?

Raiders:
Is there a foundation in place?
Let's not forget that the Raiders went to the Super Bowl in this decade, they're not quite the Lions. It's been a disaster since then but there may be a decent base that will not fully take shape for a couple of years. Does JaMarcus Russell have anything? Is Darren McFadden a premier number-one back? Was it head coach Tom Cable who threw the punch that broke assistant coach Randy Hanson's jaw? Whenever this team does come around, it has the most unknown great player in football, Nnamdi Asomugha, at cornerback.

Order The Champagne

2009-08-13T18:30:00.001-04:00

Anyone associated with the Yankees during the dynasty years of the late '90s -- whether a member of the team or a fan -- can tell you that there are four celebrations to any successful season.

Clinching the playoffs, preferably taking the division, was first. Prevailing in the Division Round would set off another party. Winning the pennant was next on the agenda in the Championship Series. Of course, all this had to be followed up by the final fiesta by winning a World Series.

While the 2009 version has yet to accomplish anything of serious significance thus far, before long there will be a nightly check of "The Magic Number."

The four-game sweep of Boston not only legitimizes everything that's taken place over the past couple of months but knocks the Red Sox so far back that Beantown has to start looking at Wild Card competition.

Sure there are close to fifty games remaining, and a good number of them will be the best rivalry match-up in sports. However, everything is clicking in the Bronx and the Red Sox roster has more holes in it than a fisherman's net in Cape Cod.

Theo Epstein was once being hailed as a genius for his personnel moves. John Smoltz would come in mid-season and add to the starting pitching depth, what could possibly go wrong? Five losses in eight starts with an ERA almost as high as the Green Monster, that's what.

Getting rid of Manny Ramirez and bringing in Jason Bay looked like a fine trade in mid-May, but after a two-month slump the move isn't looking all that terrific. Shortstop has been an issue all season with no relief in sight.

The rotation is fine at the top but the back end is wide open. Smoltz is now gone, Tim Wakefield is on the DL as is Daisuke Matsuzaka. The bullpen has been serviceable but Jonathan Papelbon has had his issues despite what his low ERA will have you believe.

The Fenway faithful have all but given-up on the Yanks and are slowly turning on Theo even if he brought in Victor Martinez.

The Yanks meanwhile have evolved into a team that never quits. In the series against Boston they showed that the magic is returning to the Bronx, albeit across the street. This club is starting to develop a similar personality to those that threw all those parties and parades.

Since A-Rod's return the Yanks have been fairly healthy, except for Chien-Ming Wang. And it's been Brian Cashman who's looked brilliant.

There are still two west-coast trips to deal with including three games in Anaheim in late September which will be followed by three at the stadium vs. the Red Sox.

However, by that time the race for the division will be all but over. After a season in which the only celebration was the closing of The Stadium -- more like a funeral -- it's time to get ready for party number one.

Bring On The Sox

2009-08-05T23:00:00.003-04:00

"Bring on the Red Sox." No, that's not the chant of some arrogant Yankees fan who thinks this year's ballclub can go head-to-head with Murders Row and come out victorious. It's what Joe Girardi's boys better be thinking as we head towards a very significant four game set between the Bombers and BoSox.

The greatest rivalry in sports was last showcased on June 11th. The Red Sox completed yet another sweep of the Yanks and were riding high. They were 8 and 0 against the team that had the best chance of knocking them off their perch in the AL East standings. But things have changed a lot since then.

Over the past six weeks -- since June 24th against the Braves -- the Yanks have been playing as good a brand of baseball as they have played in years. Going into that game against Atlanta, the Yanks were five games back of Boston with a record of 38 up and 32 down.

Since that game the club has gone 27 and 10, a five game deficit has turned into a two and-a-half game lead. Boston has played just above .500 -- 19 wins to 17 loses in that time.

The Yankees have won ten series and lost only two in that time, and one of those losses came against the Angels whom it seems the Yanks can't beat so long as their manager's name is Joe.

The Red Sox 19 and 17 record is actually better than it should be. Consider that they played the AL East Punching-Bag-Orioles nine times in that span, winning seven of those match-ups.

Beantown has also suffered some terrible losses since to two clubs last played. There was that embarrassing loss when the Sox led the O's 10-1 only to implode and lose 11-10. Just over a week ago Jonathan Papelbon came into a game against Oakland with a three run lead only to have Nick Green commit two throwing errors with two outs to let the lead slip away, Oakland went on to win in extras.

Early in the season Red Sox Nation had Jason Bay as the shoo-in for MVP, not to mention next mayor of Boston. Well, Bay's stats have started to resemble G.M.'s stock charts from earlier this year, his batting average is down over .70 points in the last two months. Throw in a home run total for July that would make even David Wright cringe -- ONE, that's right just one homer for the month.

J.D. Drew batted to a .217 clip in July. John Smoltz has looked nothing like the pitcher we knew in Atlanta -- and that has nothing to do with his receding hairline. Smoltz is two and four with a seven-plus ERA. Add to all this, the steroid news concerning Manny and Ortiz.

No, it has not been perfect in the Bronx. Alfredo Aceves has been shaky over his last few outings, same for Phil Coke. Losing Chien-Ming Wang for the season is going to hurt, but all that is small potatoes compared to the problems in Beantown.

Boston has lost their last two. The Yankees have won three in-a-row. The Yankees have their pitching staff setup, the top four starters will pitch. Smoltz is the only one Boston would rather not have start in this series.

Taking three out of four in a series against anyone is tough. Pulling it off against a formidable foe like the Red Sox is asking a lot. To prove that things have turned around in the past month and a half the Yankees need to split the series -- minimum.

Anything short of two wins will mean a tie in the loss column atop the AL East standing. A sweep either way would obviously be a huge blow to the loser. The Yanks would have a 6.5 game lead and dispelled of all the demons should they win four.

If the Sox continue their dominance in the match-up they will not only leap-frog into first, they show that while the Yanks can walk over the rest of baseball they still can't beat the playoff contenders.

This series comes at the right time for the Yankees, now they have to take care of business on the field. If they don't, the Red Sox will have successfully called the bluff of the past six weeks.

My Two Cents Worth

2009-07-30T18:05:00.000-04:00

Mark Buehrle's performance of setting aside 45 consecutive batters is one of baseball's all-time best pitching feats. This year is the 50th anniversary of Harvey Haddix throwing 12 perfect innings -- and then losing the game -- for the best single game ever pitched. Buerle may have come close to matching Hard-Luck Harvey.

Buehrle did not do it one game, but that may be even tougher than what Haddix did. Mark faced two teams while Harvey dominated one. And while Haddix' dominance could be chalked up to one bad game by the Braves of '59, Buehrle faced the Rays and Twins -- two fairly good offensive teams.

Beuhrle has long been ignored as one of the better pitchers in the game, no more. Watching the White Sox lefty is seeing a pitching clinic. Get the ball and pitch, there is no need to be taking a mid-afternoon stroll around the mound.

Most importantly, however, is the confidence to throw strikes. A pitcher who trusts his stuff will throw it over the plate and have the batter hit it weakly.

Kudos to Buehrle for garnering the credit he has long deserved.

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"The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" has come to Queens.

The Good: How about the play on the field. Stringing together some wins and making a run at the Wild Card. For a change both the bats and the pitching staff have made contributions. Despite the injuries, a playoff spot is still within shouting distance.

Top to bottom the club is playing fine baseball. Good starts, timely hits, solid relief and sound defense. And all against teams vying for the same playoff spot. Once again, keep in mind, no other team will be adding the kind of talent to their roster for the stretch like the Mets will -- if the DL starts clearing up.

The Bad: Tony Bernazard taking his shirt off and challenging Minor Leaguers to a fight is as bad as it gets. Most fans would have no idea who the Vice President, Player Development guy is for their team. Yet, Bernazard keeps getting his name in the paper and almost always for the wrong reasons.

On top of that, Tony almost came to blows with Francisco Rodriguez -- one of the few top Mets not on the DL.

The Ugly: Well, few teams can take doing the right thing -- firing Bernazard -- and turn it into a disaster like the Mets did this week. First Fred Wilpon and then Omar Minaya have come out and apologized for attacking Adam Rubin's integrity.

Wilpon said he's not happy with the direction of the team. Is that the first sign for Omar to start packing? The Mets hierarchy has been known to be swayed by public opinion.

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Thank you Brett Favre for not completely destroying our fond memories of your days in Green Bay. While not the best quarterback to throw a football, certainly one of the most exciting.

We can forget about the one year with the Jets -- unless you're a Jets fan, of course -- but a year with the Vikings would be hard to overlook.

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Two more names from "the list" have come to light. Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz failed a drug test in 2003 according to The New York Times.

This has to really sting Red Sox Nation. While many Yankees have been known steroid users, this would be like finding out Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams were on the juice during the '98 season. Manny and Papi were not bit players, they were the heart and soul of the team.

My Two Cents Worth

2009-07-19T21:59:00.005-04:00

It's time for the latest "Idiotic Mets Fans Claim" portion of the program.

While no one can blame Mets fans for being upset at everyone in the organization -- from the Wilpons to Mr. Met -- the reasoning must make a little sense. And there are plenty of legitimate reasons to get on Omar Minaya lately. However, one of the fashionable gripes has been that even the Mets' triple A team -- the Buffalo Bisons -- is in last place, 18 games out of first and 22 games under .500.

Now, let's be somewhat objective about this and have a look at how things work. The big club has been riddled with injuries and replacements are needed. So, the hierarchy has a look at who should be brought up to replace the injured player. Guess who they're going to call? That's right, the best player in the Minors.

Just like in Trickle-Down Economics, if you take away from the top the bottom loses. Only with a baseball club what gets taken away from the top goes to the wasteful DL, instead of wasteful politicians. The ones reaping the benefit of that is the rest of baseball, both in the majors and the minors

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It's getting ugly in a hurry in Queens. The Phillies have forgotten that this is baseball and teams are supposed to lose every once in a while, leaving the Mets and the rest of the NL east in the dust.

If the Mets don't get a quick lead the team loses all confidence and the game is all but over. True, this lineup is not high powered enough to create significant comebacks but lying down and playing dead is a serious indictment of Jerry Manuel.

As Mets rooters well know the story in 1969 when Gil Hodges Jr., after looking over the Orioles lineup, asked his father "How are you possibly going to beat these guys?" The Godfather of Mets' baseball replied "Shhh - I've got 25 guys who think they can."

This team does not believe it can comeback, and it's evident every time they fall behind.

The handwriting is also starting to appear on the wall for Omar Minaya, it comes in the form of ink in the paper. Over the past several days both New York tabloids have put forth devastating articles about the GM.

One, by Joel Sherman, claiming the Mets front office has a reputation for not being proactive or returning phone calls. The second, by Adam Rubin, pointing to many problems throughout the organization. As every New York sports fan knows, when the writers start turning on someone, it's the beginning of the end.

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Although bringing Roy Halladay to the Bronx would look great on Brian Cashman's resume it is not a smart move to make. Toronto claims that it would be willing to trade the ace to a division foe, and there is no reason to doubt that.

However, nobody likes helping the Yankees and Doc would pitch against the Jays several times over the next year and a half. For the deal to make sense for Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi he would demand a king's ransom, which is something the Yankees are prone to doing.

In this case you must ask yourself this: Do you give up your farm system to bring in a pitcher, albeit the best in the game, who is 32-years-old, has close to 2000 inning on his arm, has never pitched in the postseason and still there are no guarantees that you can beat the Red Sox in the playoffs?

To top it off, Halladay's contract is over after next season, and the Yankees -- just this past off-season -- spent a whole lot of money bringing in CC Sabathia who is supposed to be their ace.

Also, consider that the clubs top prospects, no doubt what Toronto would want, fit right into the needs of the near future. Jorge Posada is not going to be around much longer, enter Francisco Cervelli and top catching prospect Jesus Montero. The outfield could already use a little pick-me-up in the corners; Austin Jackson may very well be that guy in the next year or so.

All this is not including the pitcher -- either Joba or Phil Hughes -- that would also have to be sent north.

It would be nice to bring in the Doc to remedy the club's postseason woes, but all things considered, in this case you're better off taking two aspirin and taking your chances with what you've got.

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In a game the other night between the Houston Astros and the L.A. Dodgers there was a play that will no doubt live on in bloopers films for years to come.

Mike Hampton had just been backing up the catcher on a play at the plate. The run scored and Hampton is dejectedly walking back to the mound, Houston catcher Humberto Quintero hands the ball to the pitcher who fires the ball into his glove in frustration. Only he misses. That's right he missed his glove from point blank. The ball rolls into foul territory and another run scores.

Apparently the Colorado school system doesn't teach anger management.

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Stewart Cink may have won the British Open and deservedly so. But the tournament will be remembered for Tom Watson.

What's Not To Love About The Break

2009-07-14T17:01:00.004-04:00

The All-Star Break is upon us, as is the usual bickering that goes along with it. During the Break you'll hear it all: It's a meaningless game; it's not real baseball; does anyone really care?

The answers to those gripes are slightly different. But, the basic point remains: What's not to like?

These are the days we forget Yankees or Red Sox, Mets or Phillies, Cubs or Cardinals. It's all about baseball. Sure the teams are split American League and National League, but let's be honest that doesn't really matter. The A.L. has won what seems like 30 consecutive All-Star contests yet the N.L. has won its share of World Series, so what does it really prove.

Yes, it is a meaningless game in terms of actual standings -- despite what Bud Selig and Co. will tell you -- but how often do we get the celebrate this game we love? In October there are only a handful of teams and it's way too intense to just sit back and enjoy the game. The regular season is a marathon not an event.

This game provides a stress-free environment to just sit back and enjoy baseball.

Why is it not considered "real baseball?" There is a pitcher, a batter, an umpire, fielders and a scoreboard, just like any other baseball game. In addition to the usual, the best players on the planet are on the field. Sure some of guys are missing due to Steroid use (Manny Ramirez) injury (Evan Longoria) or both (Alex Rodriguez). But, overall the lineups are stacked with some real top-line hitters and pitchers.

Sure we care. Some of the most memorable events in baseball history took place in the Mid-Summer Classic. Some of these accomplishments are still reveled at today. Carl Hubbell faced five straight future Hall of Famers in the second All-Star contest in 1934, and struck them out in order. Have a look at these names: Babe Ruth; Lou Gehrig; Jimmie Foxx; Al Simmons and Joe Cronin. Some of the best batsmen baseball has ever seen.

In the first edition of the game, Babe Ruth hit the first All-Star home run. How great is that.

In 1993 Randy Johnson still had all sorts of control problems, yet was good enough to be considered one of baseball's best. John Kruk of the Phillies was facing Johnson when the fireballer sailed one over the hefty first basemen's head. As the next pitch was coming, Kruk backed out of the box in mock fear. Kruk did the same on the next two pitches as he struck out. That's still one of the funniest moments in baseball.

In 1945 World War II was heading to its conclusion, yet much of baseball's best talent was still in the military. The lack of legitimate All-Stars combined with war time travel restrictions caused the first cancellation of the game. In its place inter-league games were played between teams who shared the same city.

Of course there are also the dubious moments that occurred. The 2002 tie in Milwaukee is still one of Bud Selig's worst moments. In 1970 Pete Rose ran over Ray Fosse injuring the young catcher and all but ending a promising career.

Then again just last year, at the only real Yankees Stadium, Josh Hamilton completed his comeback from drugs and injuries in a home run derby for the ages. The game itself went 15 innings and was the last memorable baseball event at the cathedral in the Bronx.

So tonight just sit back and relax. Who wins is of little importance. It's just the game of baseball being played by those who play it best. Who knows we may even see history, or just plain ol' funny. Enjoy.

My Two Cents Worth

2009-07-10T19:22:00.005-04:00

The Yankees keep on rolling but if they can’t beat Anaheim is it really worth much. We already know this club has issues with top tier teams like the Red Sox and Phillies. If they continue to show weakness against the big boys, many Yankee fans will start to wonder what the playoffs will bring.

Sure a postseason appearance will keep Joe Girardi in the dugout and Brian Cashman in his office as G.M. however a quick first round ouster at the hands of the Angels will not be enough to satisfy fans. A second round drubbing by Boston will only upset them more.

This weekend the Bombers have to put that notion to rest. Sure the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, of California, of the U.S.A. of the G8 are not healthy, Vlad Guerreo and Torii Hunter are on the DL and the pitching staff has been a mess all year. Not to mention losing two out of three to rival Texas this week. The Yanks have had problems in SoCal since 1996. Taking the series going into the break would – at the very least – show there is reason to believe this team can contend in October.

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The Carlos Gomez leaping catch will be on the highlight reel of this season. Any time an outfielder steals a home run it’s a tremendous play and good effort. But, every once in a while, there is a defensive play that makes you say, “Wow!” Gomez got his shoulders over the wall to haul it in. Of course the ball was hit by A-Rod, with the bases loaded no less, somehow some way he will always be there when the spotlight is shining.

Speaking of defense, Daniel Murphy has had his share of troubles this season, but his behind-the-back throw against the Dodgers is as nifty and heads-up as it gets.

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Although you would never know it listening to Mets fans, the Amazins are still in playoff contention. Sure things are not looking good right now but no other team is going to add Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes down the stretch.

Now there is talk that the Mets might go after Roy Halladay. So, here’s the question: Do you want to give away whatever is left of the farm system for a 32-year-old pitcher, albeit the best in baseball, who has a ton of innings on his arm? Not a smart move for this team. If a club is an ace away, go for it. But this team still has question marks in the bullpen, outside of the ninth inning, and in the back half of the rotation. That’s assuming the crowded DL shrinks, or you can add a lack of power in the line-up to the list of flaws.

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The Nets once again cut salary and brought in guys who enjoy passing as much as shooting, clearly another attempt to bring King James to Kings County. (For non-New Yorkers, that’s Brooklyn.) First round pick Terrance Williams models his game after Magic Johnson, if he even resembles Magic the Nets will be all smiles. Williams prides himself on being a point-forward.

Keeping on all things Magic, the Nets traded Vince Carter to Orlando. A move that helps both clubs perfectly. Orlando now has a clutch shooter to go to late in a contest; Games Two and Four of The Finals were lost because of missed shots late. Carter may not have made those attempts but VC is better option than anyone the Magic have. New Jersey in turn brought in a legitimate back-up point-guard, by far the biggest hole in the line-up last season. Rafer Alston is a local product – grew up in Queens and is a proud Yankees fan – and is excited about being here. Also coming north is Courtney Lee, a good young guard who will bring it on defense.

The Nets now have it all when it comes to luring LeBron. Devin Harris is a young point guard who can score and pass. Brook Lopez is a 21-year-old seven-footer who can score, rebound and will only get better on defense. He would be the first sports super-star in Brooklyn since Duke Snider and Dem Bums moved west more than 50 years ago. To top it off LeBron is good buddies with Jay-Z who is a part owner of the Nets.

There is be billboard waiting for you, your highness.

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On a parting note, the Wimbledon final between Roger Federer and Andy Roddick was one the best sporting events of the year. There are few stages that parallel Wimbledon in all of sports, and to have history on the line just made it that much better. Two tough competitors refusing to go down, what more can we ask for?

My Two Cents Worth

2009-07-06T23:15:00.000-04:00

Trading Scott Gomez to Montreal was a move Glen Sather had to make. Gomer makes too much money for what he brings to the ice. Many Rangers' fans would have you believe Scotty is not a first line center. That is incorrect; Gomez would be in the middle of just about any team's top line. However, Scott's ability was severely diminished when the Rangers expected him to be the top player on the club.

The trade of Gomez freed up cap space to get Marian Gaborik, whose only issue is a big one. His health. In the past five years he has only played more than 65 games once. Of course, when healthy he is a top ten forward. Sather and Gaborik both insist he is healthy. For the amount of money given to Gaborik, Sather better be right.

There is still lingering talk of the Rangers being interested in Dany Heatley. If the reports are accurate and Ottawa is asking for Marc Staal and either Ryan Callahan or Brandon Dubinsky, Sather is better off keeping the youngsters to build with. If Slats feels the itch to make another move, how about a solid D-man to pair with Staal.

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The Yankees have been playing terrific baseball. Solid starting pitching, clutch hitting, even A-Rod has been good when it counts this year, and a bullpen that is flawed but more often than not getting the job done.

Wang going back on the DL is something to worry about. He was expected to be the third starter in the rotation, and if he's out for any length of time it's going to hurt the bullpen. It's important to get Brian Bruney going, long term he is still the best eight inning option.

Alfredo Aceves should be giving pitching classes. Sometimes it is as simple as throwing strikes and trusting your stuff.

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Scoring three runs in three games against the Phillies shaky pitching staff, in hitter friendly Citizens Bank Park no less, will not make anyone happy. But what is even more disturbing is the shaky Mets' defense. Giving away outs to a lineup like the Phills is going to cost you dearly.

Johan Santana and Mike Pelfey each pitched great in their last start. If Oliver Perez can somehow get his act together, the Mets will at least have their rotation in order.

The lineup needs a bat, but does it make sense to give up on a top prospect to get a mediocre bat. Omar ought to find out about Shelley Duncan, who the Yanks have no need for, and is currently in the minors.

In 250 plus at bats Duncan has 21 home runs, that's more than double any Met. And among non-DL Mets, Shelley has four times as many round trippers as anyone in Jerry Manuel's regular squad -- part-timer Gary Sheffield has ten. In case you were wondering, Duncan is batting .290.

True, Duncan was awful when he was with the big club early last season. However, in 2007 he hit seven homers on 74 A.B.s and almost as importantly brought energy and enthusiasm to the field and dugout, something this club is desperately lacking.

Lay Off of Omar

2009-06-28T17:11:00.009-04:00

Will Mets' fans please get off Omar Minaya's back. I'm not the biggest Omar supporter, but to make it seem like Minaya is a do-nothing General Manager is just not fair.

Minaya brought the best center fielder in the league today, Carlos Beltran, to Queens. He also orchestrated the trade to bring Johan Santana to the Mets, even though there was heavy competition from both the Yankees and Red Sox -- two teams who usually get what they want.

At the end of last year, by far the most glaring need of the organization was the bullpen. Omar signed Francisco Rodriguez and traded for J.J. Putz. As the season was about to get under way, the Mets realized they can use a corner outfielder with some pop in his bat. Sure enough Gary Sheffield was on his way to CitiField and is currently leading the club with nine home runs. Try and imagine where the team would be without Shef.

Results are the only things that matter in sports, both for an athlete and management, good intentions won't get anyone a contract. And Minaya has some positives --K-rod, Sheffield-- and some negatives -- Putz, Oliver Perez.

Sure the Mets need to go out and get a bat for the middle of the line-up, Omar would be the first to admit that. However, it's not as simple as it may seem. Every team in the league knows the Mets are desperate and will do everything to fleece the Mets of top tier prospects. It is still early and the G.M.s who are looking to dump players still have a month to play hard-ball. Plus, figuring out what position to fill is no simple matter.

If a first baseman is brought in , what happens when Carlos Delgado returns from injury? Want to bring in Adam Dunn because he can move to the outfield? Sure, but if you thought Daniel Murphy was an adventure in left, wait until you see this guy stumble around cavernous Citifield on an every day basis.

The Mets are one game above .500 but just two games behind division leading Philadelphia. Sure, they're a little lucky the Phillies have not been able to find any consistent pitching. But, the Phills are fortunate the Mets haven't been healthy. If not for the injury bug it's possible it would be the Mets who would have been able to run and hide.

Any evaluating of Minaya will have to include the collapses of the past two years. The injuries of this year will also be considered. Not many (if any) teams can survive losing three of their top four hitters, two starting pitchers and an eight inning set-up man.

If the Mets end the season without partaking in October baseball, both Minaya and Manager Jerry Manuel should be on the way out the door -- despite the overcrowded DL. Three consecutive years with no playoffs is just too much in this city.

It's the result that should ultimately decide Minaya's fate, the pro-active approach is already there.

Baseball in the City

2009-05-26T18:00:00.002-04:00

Memorial Day has come and gone, summer is underway. The baseball season is moving in on 50 games played, a nice size sample that can be fairly assessed.

With that said, it's time for a Yankees update. The Yanks are seven games over .500 and a single game out of first place in the overcrowded American League East.

Yet the season to this point has not exactly been a joy ride. There have been plenty of ups and downs.

ROTATION:

The most obvious disappointment being Chien-Ming Wang, although not a great pitcher – his numbers against quality teams and in the postseason prove that – he was consistent in the regular season, someone who can go out there every fifth day and, usually, get the job done. The team concocted an injury to give him time to straighten it all out. It will be something to watch as the season goes on.

CC Sabathia has been what we SHOULD have expected, just because an athlete gets overpaid doesn’t mean he will live up to it. Sabathia got Santana and Halladay money, well guess what, he’s not Johan or “Doc”. He is a very good pitcher who gets better as the weather warms-up; he should start being more reliable from here on. But he will not be on the level of the two best pitchers in the majors today.

The other free agent import in the rotation, A.J. Burnett, has been sliding downhill lately. The positive is that he has avoided the DL thus far. Now, if only he can get back to pitching the way he was earlier in the season.

The veteran of the rotation, Andy Pettitte, has been fairly reliable, doing what it takes to put the team in a position to win. Joba Chamberlain has shown from time to time why management insists on keeping him as a starter. The righty is still learning to be more economical with his pitches so that he is not hitting the showers by the fifth inning every time out.

Staying in the Bronx will be a challenge for Phil Hughes. Young pitchers need time to develop, and what better place to grow up than in the majors. Eight innings and no runs against a good hitting team in the bandbox in Arlington will make it difficult to send the youngster back to the minors. Keep in mind he will not turn 23 for another month, baseball has few joys like watching homegrown talent mature before your eyes.

If Wang can work his way back into the rotation, Joe Girardi and Co. will have an interesting decision to make with six starters on their hands. Joba to the bullpen is still the best answer.

LINEUP:

The lineup has been a roller coaster ride. As an example, Robinson Cano began the season scorching the ball, hitting well above .350 for April. May has not been as kind as Robbie slumped and briefly fell below .300 before recently getting it back up to .315.

After an awful start Mark Teixeira has really turned it around, the protection of A-Rod batting clean-up has helped. However, to say the reason Tex has been hitting is Rodriguez’s return is absurd, that would imply that without A-Rod, Teixeira is a .215 hitter.

A-Rod’s healing has stabilized the top four spots in the order. Derek Jeter, Johnny Damon, Teixeira and Alex will be there on just about every night, barring a major injury, a scary thought if you’re an opposing pitcher. A-Rod’s comeback has also gotten rid of the outs the other third basemen have been contributing.

Jeter has not gone on a tear to this point, and has been stuck below his usual average of .300. The Captain is on the downside of his career and it’s noticeable with his bat and range. At some point he will have to move from shortstop. As sad as that is, it is nice to see a player’s career progress normally, getting older and slower as he ages. Not getting bigger and stronger while his head explodes.

At the corners of the outfield, Damon has taken advantage of the balls flying out to right in a big way. Defense and throwing arm are always the things to watch with Johnny, along with the health of those aging knees. Nick Swisher is not an everyday player and that has shown with Xavier Nady injured. Swish is great to have in the clubhouse and will be fine so long as he doesn’t have to get out there on a everyday basis.

Centerfield has been juggled all season by Girardi. At the end of Spring Training, Brett Gardner was said to be the starter, and the speedster has had his share of playing time, especially lately when he has started to hit a little. It was unclear where exactly Melky Cabrera would be playing when the club headed north at the end of spring, but he has hit well including several big hits late in games. The platoon has been working and if it’s not broken don’t fix.

The injuries to Jorge Posada and backup Jose Molina have put a big dent at catcher. Francisco Cervelli has come up and played well but he has played just over 100 innings, not quite time to call him an everyday backstop. Kevin Cash is not a starter but will have to do until one of the regulars is ready to go.

BULLPEN:

Hysteria hit the Yanks when Mariano Rivera appeared shaky for a couple of games earlier in season, but has calmed over the last couple of weeks as Mo has returned to form. Eventually The Greatest Reliever of All Time will become hittable. The only way it goes down well for the Yankees is if he hangs up the cleats while still pitching fairly well. There is no backup plan if Mariano starts getting rocked in middle of a season, nor should there be, if it happens that is something the team and the fans will have to deal with.

The eighth inning spot has been a problem all year. Brian Bruney showed some promise before going on the DL, briefly returning and now going back on the shelf. It’s possible, if not likely, he’s done for the season.

Phil Coke has been decent at times; however the lefty is not the long term answer. Alfredo Aceves has been good lately, but with only 14 innings pitched there is not enough to call him consistent just yet.

Going to anybody else out of the pen is what keeps Girardi up at night. Jonathan Albaladejo, Jose Veras and Edwar Ramirez all have ERA’s over five, certainly not what you want in relief.

CONCLUSION:

Although the club got off to a rough start, they have been playing well since four straight losses to Boston and Tampa Bay. The way the Red Sox have knocked around the Bombers in the five games they’ve played this season is reason for concern. The Yanks and Bosox are going to be in the battle for the division in September. If Boston continues its dominance in the head to head matchups that may very well be the difference in making the playoffs and Joe Girardi looking for a job.

The walk-off hits and Nick Swisher have brought some excitement to the new stadium -- where homers are flying out at a record pace.

Consistency is the biggest issue facing the team. The talent is there at every position, outside of the bridge to Mariano. The only question is if the ability will show itself on a regular basis.

If Hughes and Wang push their way into the rotation, Joba may be pressed into the set-up role.

Outside of the Dodgers, who are a completely different team without Manny Ramirez, no team in either league has gotten off to a great start. Every good team has run into some problems that make you question how good they really are. The title of Best in Baseball is out there to be had, if the Yankees start playing up to their ability the title is well within grasp in the Bronx.

NOTE ON THE METS: Has anyone seen a team that is four games over .500 and a half game out of first place and yet its fans are so upset.

Sure there have been some ugly moments, including: Not knowing when to slide, the inability to catch routine fly balls and missing third base while on the way home for what would have been the go-ahead run in the eleventh. And sure the handling of certain injuries would leave you scratching your head.

However, considering losing Carlos Delgado and Jose Reyes to injuries, the Oliver Perez disaster and Daniel Murphy batting .246 the Mets are still in good position to contend for the division. David Wright, who seemed like he was going to be driven out of town in April, and Carlos Beltran have carried the club offensively. Johan Santana has been brilliant, same for Francisco Rodriguez. The Phillies have had struggles of their own, specifically with their pitching staff.

Omar Minaya will be on the lookout for a bat, and if he comes through with something decent the Mets will be in fine shape. Why Mets fans are so down on this team seems very strange.

My Two Cents Worth III

2009-04-26T19:57:00.005-04:00

As far as I'm concerned this year's NBA playoffs are very similar to College Football's Bowl games. While an individual series may have some excitement and drama, there are only two teams who have a chance at winning a championship. If the Lakers and Cavaliers are not there when the conferences are decided it will be a major upset.

Give the Jets and Mike Tannenbaum credit for getting Mark Sanchez. They wanted Sanchez from the start, and had the conviction to do whatever it takes to bring him in. Now, they have to hope they turn out to be right about the Q.B. or Tannenbaum will be looking for a job.

I'm a bit disappointed that the Giants didn't end up with Anquan Boldin. I hope the reason they didn't pull the trigger has to do with the salary cap and not the Draft picks. Receiver is the only glaring weakness on the team, a third round pick wouldn't mean a whole lot for a team with that much talent.

With that said the first pick of WR Hakeem Nicks is a good one. Eli Manning is not exactly the most accurate thrower, and needs someone who can catch the ball even if it's not between the numbers. Hicks has huge hands - glove size of 4XL - so he can reach out and catch anything in the vicinity.

Apparently the Mets' issues from last year had nothing to do with the Manager or Stadium. As a club they still can't hit with runners-in-scoring position, and the starting rotation has one reliable pitcher in Johan Santana.

There have been an unusual amount of home runs hit to right field in the new Yankees stadium, and many people have been screaming and yelling "how could the Yankees let this happen." Will everyone please calm down. Number one we only have a week to judge by. Two if it is a long term issue don't you think the team will do something to cut down on the wind in that direction. What does need to be fixed is the fact that the fans sit right up on the wall and can easily interfere with a ball still in play.

As far as the Yankees on the field are concerned, the team will go as far as the pitching carries them - A-Rod or no A-Rod. Both the starting and relief pitching have been terribly inconsistent. Brian Bruney going on the DL is going to hurt. And no, there is still no reason to be worried about Mariano.

The Devils and Hurricanes are going to Game 7 which is exactly where the series belongs. It has been such an even match-up and both goalies have been so good, it would have been a shame had this series not gone the distance.

However, Game 7 is not where the Rangers should be. With a 3 games to 1 lead, the team has been flat for games five and six. This has been a one man team all year, if Henrik Lundqvist is on top of his game there is a chance otherwise it is all but an automatic L.

Is John Tortorella the epitome of do what I say not what I do? Torts benches Sean Avery for Friday night's game for being undisciplined, sure enough in the third period of that game the coach squirts a fan with water and then throws a bottle into the stands. The NHL suspended him for game 6 and rightly so, no league can afford its players, coaches etc. to interact with fans that way. We have all seen what happens when it gets out of hand.

Why We Love Baseball

2009-04-05T18:33:00.007-04:00

After the longest Spring Training in history opening day has arrived. At last meaningful baseball, no more exhibition games, no WBC, finally baseball that counts, games and stats that will be looked at throughout the summer and beyond.

It's on days like this that baseball is on our mind, and when we think baseball we think of...

...Fastballs, sliders, curve balls and beanballs.
...Turning two, tagging up, pick offs and the squeeze play.
...Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Enter Sandman, Hells Bells and chin music.
...Hank Greenberg, Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente.
...No-Hitters, hitting for the cycle and the perfect game.
...Batting gloves, pine tar, eye black and the rosin bags.
...Stan "The Man", Teddy Ballgame, The Mick and Donny Baseball.
...The Bleacher Creatures, the Bleacher Bums and 'Dem Bums.
...The Homer in the Gloamin, Slaughters mad Dash and The Shot Heard 'round the World
...Wrigley field, Fenway park, Ebbets field, the Polo grounds and the only real Yankee Stadium.
...Opening day, the All-star break and the Fall Classic
... The Sultan of Swat, Big Train, Pee Wee, Three Finger Brown and Doug "Eyechart"Gwosdz,
...61, 755, 511 and 4,256. (No we don't think of 73 or 762)
...Murderers Row, The Big Red Machine, the Gashouse Gang, and the Miracle Mets.
...Jim Abbott, Pete Gray and Bert Shepard.
...The Mazeroski game, The Carter game, The Gibson game, The Fisk game and Larsen's Perfect game.
...Connie Mack, John McGraw, Sparky Anderson, Walter Alston and Casey Stengel.
...The Natural, Bull Durham, Field of Dreams and A League of Their Own.
...Yankees - Red Sox, Cubs - Cardinals and Dodgers - Giants.
...Rawlings, Louisville Slugger and New Era.
...Diving stops, leaping catches and outfielders crashing into walls.
...Jeter's backhand flip, Mays' catch and Endy's leap.
...The crack of the bat, pop of the glove, clack of the cleats and roar of the crowd.
...The ivy on the wall at Wrigley, Tal's Hill at Minute maid and the Green Monster.
...D.P.'s, K's, R.B.I.'s and 6-4-3's.
...The Baltimore chop, screaming liners, Texas Leaguers and Uncle Charlies.
...Pinstripes, stirrups and shin guards.
...Yogi-isms, Stengelese and the Who's on first routine.
...You're safe, you're out and play ball.
...Spring Training, the All-star game and the home-run derby.
...Cy Youngs, Gold Gloves, Silver sluggers, MVP's and Rookies of the Year.
...Mel Allen, Red Barber, Ernie Harwell and Vin Scully.
..."Shoeless" Joe Jackson and Pete Rose.
...Blazing fastballs, tape measure shots and bunt singles.
...Aces, set-up men, closers and clean-up hitters.
...Steinbrenner, Turner, Veeck and Charlie O.
...Vida Blue, Shawn Green and Red Schoendienst.
...Beer, peanuts and hot dogs.
...Eddie Gaedel, Sid Finch and the Philly Phanatic.
...Cans of corn, seeing eye singles and grounds rule double.
...Infield dirt, foul lines and the patterned grass.
...Cooperstown and Monument Park.
...D.S., C.S. and W.S.
...Klem, Hubbard and McClelland.
...Gehrig's Luckiest Man, Ripken's trot and induction speeches.

But most of all we love baseball because it's our sport. It was there for us through two World wars, the Great Depression and 9/11. It is not ours to keep but only to cherish and pass along to future generations. It is our National Pastime.
Enjoy the Season.

Joba Belongs in the 'Pen

2009-03-29T00:13:00.006-04:00

Spring Training is coming to an end and the Yankees are getting ready to head north for the start of the regular season, which will begin April 6th in Baltimore. Over the next few days there will be much discussion of roster spots, rotation, position battles and batting order.

Some of these issues have already been settled- Joe Girardi has named Xavier Nady as the starting right fielder, some will be decided in the next couple of days - an announcement is expected in the near future on who will get one of the most coveted positions in all of sport, the starting center fielder for the New York Yankees. And still other ideas have only recently been brought up, like Girardi's thought of moving Derek Jeter to the lead off spot and having Johny Damon bat second.

However the largest weakness on this much improved squad will go on with no significant change since last season, there is still no strong eighth inning set-up man, also known as "The all-important bridge to Mariano". And the strangest part of it all is that the solution to the problem is on the roster. If the Yankees were to announce tomorrow that Joba Chamberlain is moving to the bullpen, they go from having an average group of relievers to, quite possibly the best in baseball, while only sacrificing their current fourth or fifth starter who would be limited by a season long inning count.

The argument against moving the hulking right-hander is that a big time ace is more important to a team than a relief pitcher, a front line starter will pitch upwards of 200 innings, while a set-up man will pitch in the area of 70, as well as the effect a number one starter brings to a playoff series.

However, these arguments just don't add up with what the Yankees have done over the last few months. In December they went out and got CC Sabathia, who - they're hoping - will be the opening day starter for the next seven years. As well as A.J. Burnett, who will be a very strong number two for the next five years, health permitting. Along with Chien-Ming Wang, it would seem the top three rotation spots in the Bronx are filled quite nicely for some time.

The same however, cannot be said of the Bullpen, sure at the moment the closer position is taken by the greatest reliever of all-time, Mariano Rivera, but he's going to be forty by next opening day. And Damaso Marte and Brian Bruney, who are going to be the set-up men this season, don't exactly inspire fear in opposing managers hearts, nor are they what would be considered closer-in-training material, Joba would fill both those roles immediately.

While it is true that a starter does pitch considerably more innings than bullpen dwellers, Yankee management has said there would be an inning cap on Joba of about 150, and this for a guy who is not very economical with his pitch count all leads to the fact that the average start for the Lincoln Nebraska native will be approximately five innings, just barely enough to have a significant impact on a game and qualify for the win.

If in the 'pen he will be used late in close games and as a "fireman", coming in with runners aboard and the contest on the line, which would be considerably more important outs than the first half of a game. This would insure that the limited amount of pitches available in that right arm are only used in key situations, maximizing the use of the youngster.

The fifth starter spot would go to Phil Hughes who, along with Andy Pettitte, would fill out the back half of a strong rotation. This would put minimal pressure on the man the Yankees refused to trade for Johan Santana last year, while allowing him to show what he has on the big league level.

Chamberlain as a reliever and Hughes as a starter is the best way for the bombers to get the most out of this season, and set themselves up for the future. Yet, for some reason they seem reluctant to take this route, saying that Joba will remain in the rotation. One can only wonder if they will be singing the same tune if by the end of April there is an obvious middle relief issue.

My Two Cents Worth II

2009-03-15T18:24:00.004-04:00

March Madness may very well be the best sports tournament we have in this country. 65 teams insure that big parts of America are involved, it's win or go home so there's drama in every game, and when it's all over there won't be any debate as to whether there should be a shared championship.

The six overtime game between Syracuse and UConn was an all time classic. It was not a "great game" because after the third extra session the teams were so drained that the quality of play fell off, but as far as effort is concerned, we may never see a game where so much was left out on the court. Special mention to Jonny Flynn who played an incredible 67 out of 70 minutes.

As a die hard Yankee fan who can't stand A-Rod, the dream for this season is that the hip doesn't heal properly and he's out for the season. With a replacement third baseman the Yankees get back to their old ways of playing baseball, winning with pitching, defense and timely hitting. And when the team celebrates the first World Series title in the new stadium, A-Rod is left watching it on TV somewhere.

For those of you who only follow the N.H.L. once the playoffs start, you can start a little earlier this season. There are so many teams who still have a shot at making the postseason, and so much riding on each game, that it's hard to tell that it's still the regular season. Emotions are at playoff levels, so should your interest.

Unfortunately the same cannot be said about the N.B.A., while there is a race for the eighth spot in the eastern conference, it's more of a battle of futility, as all the teams battling for the final seed are well under .500. And to be honest you can probably tune out pro basketball for quite some time, as there shouldn't be a whole lot of doubt in the western conference as Kobe and the Lakers run away with it. And in the East the drama will begin in the conference finals as the Celtics go up against the Cavaliers.

Does anyone really care about the World Baseball Classic. Let's be fair any sporting event that has a mercy rule is a joke. The teams get together about a week before they start playing games, the players are not in game shape and there is a pitch count that pitchers cannot cross. The problem is that there is no better time to have it, pitchers log too many innings during the course of a season to play it in November.

The thing that upsets me most about the current President is not his policies per se, it's the fact that most of his idea's were tried before and have proven to be ineffective. What kind of arrogance does it take to see something fail time and time again but still believe that you can do it the right way. Government run health care, and significant government involvement in the economy has been a major disappointment wherever it was tried, I'm not ready to say that Mr. Obama has the special formula to make them work.

An Inconvenient Truth?

2009-03-02T23:55:00.007-05:00

The calender says March, but it's a cold, snowy day here in the northeast, and I can't think of a better time to discuss Global Warming, and some of it's surrounding issues.

We have all heard a lot about the subject, and probably formed a fairly strong opinion on the issue, and your view is usually based on your political affiliation, as well as your choice of news medium, if you are a CNN watcher, it's likely you're a strong believer that man made global warming is a serious problem, and we need to stop putting all that CO2 into the atmosphere as soon as possible. If on the other hand, you watch Fox News on a regular basis and listen to Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity on the radio, you're probably not all that alarmed, and may even believe the whole global warming thing is a hoax.

I am not a scientist and will not pretend to be one here, and I will not give an opinion on the matter one way or the other. I will tell you that there is a tremendous amount of information out there on the subject, and will give my thoughts on some of the things I have learned in my journey into this fascinating subject.

First off, if you doubt global warming at all, don't waste your time watching An Inconvenient Truth, this is not to say that what Al Gore has to say isn't true, but if you are skeptical going in, he doesn't do a very good job of convincing you, he spends a small amount of time explaining the science of how carbon dioxide warms the earth, but most of the film is the affects and possible future affects if the warming continues, if your not buying into the "cause", the "effects" seem rather meaningless.

Global warming doubters have a documentary of their own, The Great Global Warming Swindle was first aired by British TVs Channel 4, and parts of it are available on YouTube and other similar websites, this film does a far better job explaining the science, showing why they don't believe it and giving an alternative theory. They reason that the sun and sun spots are the greatest contributor to climate change, and show some graphs backing up their point. The second half of the presentation deals with how such a controversial scientific theory is so widely accepted in the mainstream as fact, how it became a political topic and some of the affects that global warming alarmist have on the developing world.

Following up on this seemingly far more convincing documentary, I have found that many scientists find the evidence put forth in the film to be questionable at best, including one who was featured in the documentary, saying that his opinion was misrepresented and would like all his parts removed before the film is shown again.

An interesting thing about the subject is the incredibly wide range of opinions that are out there, with just about everyone showing how the science proves their theory to be correct. There is the U.N.s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), who strongly believe in man made global warming. There are deniers some even claiming that over the past decade the world has cooled. And another group of people have decided that they cannot decide, and will err on the side of caution. One of the more interesting views I came across is that of the late Michael Crichton, who wrote the novel Jurassic Park that was later turned into a blockbuster movie, he says that while the world is getting warmer, and humans are contributing to it, the affect is minimal, so there is no serious immediate threat and there are other more important thing to worry about.

The IPCC says that CO2 is causing warming by trapping heat, almost like a blanket around earth. The deniers say that the warming which occurs naturally, causes more CO2 to be taken from earth and put in the atmosphere. The deniers claim that, we have had warmer temperature not all that long ago. The believers say that is faulty information, and temperature going back quite some time would look like a hockey stick, minor fluctuations over a long period representing the stick, and the sudden rise being the blade shooting straight up. Each side would have you believe that the other has ulterior motives, either being controlled by environmentalist or being paid off by major oil companies.

One non science question that still remained is, that with all the skepticism out there, and many reputable scientist denying it, why has global warming been reported as a fact in the news media, and accepted by so many as the truth. Everyone from politicians to major companies have spoken about our carbon footprint and going green as if it is an uncontested fact.

The answer as far as I can tell is that human nature is to look for a story, the next time someone comes up to you and asks "what's up?" simply respond "not much" and see how long the conversation goes. The news media has a vested interest in making things into major stories, more people watch TV, listen to radio and read newspapers if there is a major story going on. Climatologist have jobs because we think studying these things are important, if they were to come out and say there isn't much going on as far as climate is concerned, no one would pay any attention to them, and in time they may end up losing their job, that doesn't mean their studies are wrong but we can't forget who the studiers are. Businesses are about making money by keeping people happy, and if a decent number of their costumers demand something, they understand that they cannot afford to lose them and will therefore oblige, regardless of what they think of the science, plus you will not get a major objection from the deniers if your business does go green.

One of the reasons it has become so popular among the people, who may only like to hear one side of the story, is that many people like to get back at "the man". Some of us like to believe that the big important people are scheming against the average guy in a dark shady room somewhere. Many of the so called important people are the rich business owners, and global warming activists like to pick on big business as one of the main causes of climate change, so this becomes another avenue to fight them, and who could argue when we're talking about saving our planet.

For some of the above reasons many people conclude the science of global warming guilty by association, claiming the only people who believe it are loony lefties and wacko environmentalists, which would just be unfair to the many credible people who have studied and have reason to believe it.

There is so much information out there, on both sides of the ball, that each topic touched on can really be a full post by itself, I decided to condense it all into one post and give a bit on each part. As I said I'm not a scientist and will therefore not give an opinion one way or the other, but I do recommend that you look into the subject and give both sides a fair chance, and I hope you enjoy learning about this topic, I certainly did.

Renney Fired, That's Step One!

2009-02-23T23:15:00.004-05:00

Just under a week ago, I said that if the Rangers lost their next game to Islanders that would be Tom Renney's last. Well they beat the Islanders to buy some time, but they lost the two games since and now Renney is out. The new head coach for the Blue shirts is John Tortorella.

The Rangers got off to a tremendous start, and as it turns out, is what eventually led to the downfall of Renney. They have played just about .500 hockey since then, but have really come apart over the last 12 games where they have won just two of those contests. Getting off to a good start gave us expectations that we didn't have before the season started.

This off season the Rangers lost goal scores Jaromir Jagr (25 goals 71 points, in 2007-08) and Brendan Shanahan (23, 46 last season) and have not been able to replace them, they are in the bottom 3 in the NHL in goals-per-game and power play percentage. To sure up what was a struggling defense last year, G.M. Glen Sather signed Wade Redden, who has been so bad, that the "boos" rain down from the blue seats every time he touches the puck.

The Rangers have the goalie they would need to go all the way, in Henrik Lundqvist. And players like Chris Drury and Scott Gomez have been key pieces on winning teams before, but without the superstar player, they are carrying too much of the load for players who are not goal scores, they are both far better players when their responsibility involves setting up the goal rather than scoring it. And the lack of scoring has put way too much pressure on Lundqvist, who has to go into every game thinking shutout.

Renney may very well have been better off had they played .500 hockey all season, and been in a battle for a playoff spot, but early season success had us all dreaming bigger. The slide in the standings put Renney on the hot seat, and the recent lackluster play has sealed his fate, the players have tuned him out and the message was not getting through. It was time for a change, fair or not. You can't get rid of 15 players, so it's the coach who takes the fall when he can't motivate them.

New coach John Tortorella comes in with both a reputation, and a bark that need to be respected. He won a Stanley Cup with the Lightning and has been known to speak his mind. But can he turn around a team slumping this bad, and with so many parts missing. He will no doubt light a fire under these guys, and the energy level should be high at the Garden. It will be interesting to see if that translates to points both on the ice and in the standings.

There is just a bit over week left before the trade deadline, and Glen Sather needs to bring in a sniper, which will be very difficult. With parity throughout the NHL, very few teams will be looking to dump scorers, and the Rangers don't have a lot to trade that other teams would be interested in, outside the core. Sean Avery is a possibility, but with the two strong personality's, it may not be worth the distractions for a good - not great- offensive player. If no deal is pulled off, it won't really matter what Tortotella does, this team will not beat any of the big three in the Eastern Conference with the offense constituted the way it is at the moment.

Glen Sather took a step in the right direction today by making a change, but that's just the start of this teams problems. If he can't work out a trade, at best it's first round and out for this team, at that point it will be time to make another major change, Mr. Sather need only look in a mirror to see who the next firing should be.

My two cents worth

2009-02-17T23:44:00.007-05:00

I hope you got a kick out of the A-Rod press conference, just like I did. Some of the comments were just laughable, he says he had the stuff brought in from the Dominican, was afraid to ask anyone about them, yet he wasn't sure if what he was doing was wrong. Here's a clue Alex, if they don't sell it in this country, and you have to inject it, you might want to ask.

The way the Knicks are celebrating Nate Robinson winning the Slam Dunk Contest, is against everything New York sports is supposed to be about.

With the NBA trade deadline up coming, there has been a lot of trade talk surrounding Vince Carter. Carter is having his best season in some time, both in terms of production on the court, and in his leadership of the young players on the team. The Spurs have been mentioned as a possible destination, as well as several other teams who are thought to be a player away. Although it would probably end the Nets playoff hopes for this year, for the right package of expiring contracts, young talent or draft picks, it would be worth it, being that they are probably a year or two and a big free agent signing away from contending for a championship anyways.

Within the next 24 hours Tom Renney's future as Rangers head coach will be decided, a loss to the lowly Islanders will seal his fate. To be fair it's not all his fault, the team is missing a legitimate scorer, but with the guys they do have there is no excuse for being last in the NHL in goals-per-game. Their power play had gotten so bad, that as one caller on WFAN said "you wish they could decline the penalty".

The Devils are just unbelievable, they lose their first ballot Hall of Fame goalie, Marty Brodeur, early in the season and everyone thinks the season is over for them. Well, Marty is back at practice and far from the season being over, New Jersey is solidly atop the Atlantic Division and tied for second in the Eastern Conference. Goalie Scott Clemmensen has played like an all-star since he got the starting job, while Zach Parise and Patrik Elias have provided the scoring, they are 5th and 6th in the NHL in points and Parise is tied for second in the league in goals. The Devils just get it right.

The Mets ought to make an offer to Orlando Hudson and see what happens, I understand they believe Luis Castillo is their resurrection project, but let's be honest, with his knee's, even the Mets know that's unlikely, and Hudson batted 60 points higher than Castillo last year. And if Castillo shows there is still something left in the tank, how bad can it be to have a 3 time Gold Glove winner as a defensive replacement, and a .305 hitter, just this past year, coming off the bench. With the bottom of the line-up shaping to be as awful as it gets, they could use someone who can get on base as a pinch hitter.

With our economy in need of help so urgently, why would you pass a bill for Government spending. Both Liberals and Conservatives regularly complain about the inefficiency and red tape of Government agency's, so how is this bill going to help the economy now. On the other hand, a couple of immediate tax cuts, take very little time to spend. How many people who were struggling to pay the mortgage would all of a sudden start making the payments, and those who were doing okay before, now with some extra cash at hand, might go out to dinner and help the restaurant owner pay his bills. Foreclosures would go down, Banks would stabilize and the small business owner would pay down his debt, all instantly, with no red tape necessary.

The Levels of Cheat and the Cardinal Sin

2009-02-16T21:15:00.006-05:00

Over the past week or so there have been many discussions about cheating in sports, A-Rod and steroids have been at the forefront, but people have been bringing up everything from doctoring the baseball, to the Basketball player who takes a dive trying to sell a foul call.

Pete Rose has also chimed in on the steroid controversy, questioning why is he banned for life and not eligible for the Hall of Fame, while known juicers are still in the league and eligible for the sports greatest honor, he concludes by saying that if he had the opportunity he would still vote for guys like Bonds and Clemens to be in the Hall.

First let's clarify that there are without question different grades to cheating, just as one can tell a "white" lie. When an outfielder short-hops a line drive and then lifts his glove trying to get an out called, he is by definition cheating, if we would keep all players who tried selling a call to a referee out of the Halls of Fame, Cooperstown would just be a small city in central New York State where one can visit The Farmers' Museum.

With that being said how can we differentiate between Barry Bonds steroid use, Reggie Millers famous flops and players such as Graig Nettles or Albert Belle putting super balls or cork in their bats.

The way to separate them, would be to look to what extent the offender went to break the rule. When Whitey Ford used his wedding ring or had his catcher, Elston Howard, use the buckle of his shin guards to scuff the baseball, he wasn't bringing anything extra to the mound. These type of cheats would be like "white" cheats, when we hear about them we smile or maybe even chuckle a bit at the creativity of the offender. It's a completely different story when a player goes out of his way to get his hands on illegal substances that are not just illegal in sports, but are banned in this country, you can't even get a prescription for some of the steroids ball players have been known to use.

There is another point to consider, and this deals exclusively with the spitball. The use of the spitball was not banned until 1920, and when it was banned the rule was grandfathered in, 17 pitchers were allowed to keep using it until they retired, Burleigh Grimes was the last legal spitballer when he retired in 1934. If Baseball was willing to allow these pitchers to keep using the spitball, we can hardly compare it to the use of steroids.

And then we come to Pete Rose and betting on Baseball. The one thing a sport cannot overcome, is the suspicion that the game is in some way fixed. Baseball nearly shut down when the story broke that the Blacksox had thrown the 1919 World Series. If there is even a doubt that a player is intentionally trying to negatively affect his team, or that an official has some rooting interest, the game may as well close shop and go home because no one is interested. Sport is about the live drama unfolding before our eyes, where no one knows how it will all end, almost like the a high drama court case. If there is any questioning the "realness" of the game, the sport is done.

Pete Rose bet on the game with illegal bookies, even if he only bet on his team to win, there are two major problems that can arise, one is that he falls to far behind and they force him to throw a game too make up his losses to them. The second problem is that as a manager he can overuse a pitcher or burn out the bullpen ,which would not be in the long term interest of the team, but can help him win this game, if you had ten grand riding on it what would you do. It would also be hard to believe he never bet on his team to lose, it's just to tempting as a manger where you can quite easily decide to give some of your starters the day off.

Putting the integrity of the game on the line is sports cardinal sin, for anyone to jeopardize the sport to such an extent, a lifetime ban is the only just punishment. Pete Rose violated the sport he loves in the worst possible way, consequently he does not belong in it's Hall of Fame.

Pitchers and Catchers Report ....Finally!!!

2009-02-14T21:05:00.005-05:00

At long last Baseball is here, it's been a long time since Brad Lidge and the rest of the Phillies celebrated that last out of a strange World Series on the mound of Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

True it's ten more days until there are actual games, and still quite some time between now and April 5th when the Dodgers and Giants meet in San Francisco in the first regular season game. And in that time some off the field things need to be settled, the biggest of which will be A-Rod reporting to Tampa in the next few days, and having to answer to the media circus that is there to "greet" him. Torre's book is still likely to grab some headlines along the way. And it's still not clear where Manny Ramirez, the best offensive player on the free agent market will land, there have been some reports that a deal with the Dodgers is imminent, but so far nothing official.

We may look back at our teams off season and wonder, will the big free agent singing work out as planned, will the aging veteran that was let go have a big year and make the G.M. look bad. Who will win the battle for a spot in the line-up. For players like John Smoltz and Trevor Hoffman, it will be strange seeing them in a new uniform for the first time in over a decade and a half.

But it's spring training and hope is in the air, we wonder who will be this years Rays and come out of nowhere and go deep into the playoffs. Which rookie that we still may not know how to pronounce his name properly will make an impact and be the next great player. It's spring and we can dream, Pirates fans can say "if Tampa Bay can do it why not us".

So get into the Baseball mood, watch some of your teams highlights from last year and get excited all over again. Get out that Baseball book that's been collecting dust all Football season and refresh your memory as to why you love this game so much. Go out and rent that Baseball movie you always wanted to see but kept putting off.

It's been a long off season, with a lot of soap opera like story's making the headlines and I just can't wait for the action to return to the field instead of the podium.

A-FROID

2009-02-11T23:23:00.001-05:00

If you are one of those who are buying into the A-Rod apology, I've got a bridge to sell you here in Brooklyn.

Admitting to something after you've been caught is kind of odd in the first place, and after that he would like us to believe he took this stuff without having any idea what it really was, and he had no idea if in fact he did or did not fail the test.

If you would like to give him credit for admitting, let's not forget that this is a man who is overly worried about his appearance, and over the past year or so it has become obvious that the only way to survive steroid allegations was to admit and apologize. The big names who have apologized have since been cheered and signed new contracts. While Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are under Federal investigation.

If you watched the interview with Peter Gammons it was obvious he was coached on every word he said, not the worst thing but I do have a hard time believing it's a sincere apology when he's using another man's words the whole way through.

He goes on to say he's not really sure what he used, this coming from a guy who probably reads the nutritional facts for an apple before he eats it. So he would like us to believe he knew it was illegal but never bothered looking into what it was. And he continues taking this illegal stuff he knows nothing about for a couple of years even though he never really saw a real advantage and keeps taking it despite repeated warnings that a drug test was going to take place, sure he thought it would remain anonymous but wouldn't he be a lot safer if he stopped using this worthless illegal stuff.

As to whether he knew he failed the test, he says he got a call saying he might or might not have failed the test, so like most people after receiving such a phone call he goes about business as usual for 5 years until a writer from SI shows up at his gym and informs him of the career changing information. Who's he trying to kid, of all the A-Rod stories this affects his career the most but he never bothered looking into it until a reporter got a hold of the news.

The only positive that comes of this story is that we now know if any future player is accused of steroids the popular move is to admit, apologize and hope it all goes away, what else would A-Rod do but follow the direction the wind is blowing.