Darth Marc's Evil Empire Chronicles

Get Over It...YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME!!!

2007-06-01T16:54:00.000-11:00

HELLO??

That's what I have to say about this whole A-Rod mess.

Is what he did any worse than people who doctor the ball or cork their bats? Not in my estimation. Is it worse than stealing signs? Everyone is outraged when it happens to their team, but develop a blind eye when their team does it.

Add a divisive personality like A-Rod and you have a non-story story. The only news in this whole drama is the ploy actually worked. Regardless, of what anyone else says. Whether he yelled "Mine" or "Ha!" is besides the point. Gamesmanship and bending the rules are a part of the game.

I have a hard time taking seriously fans and players who knowingly support cheaters of all types...as long they play for them but are getting their panties in a bunch over this.

Baseball has a long history of cheaters, yet we're acting like this guy threw a game. If they had this much outrage when Giambi, McGwire, Sosa and company were juicing in the nineties, steroids would have been outlawed a decade ago.

I'm just happy someone on this team of gutless wonders understands that they're against a wall and is doing anything they can to win a damn game. I'd rather watch a team that would scratch and claw and doing everything they can to get a win as opposed to losing with dignity and grace. Screw that.

This doesn't mean I'm for cheating. Far from it. But if we're going to become outraged over someone bending the rules to get ahead, then we need to have a zero tolerance policy for all rulebreakers. Simple as that. Not just the ones we don't like. If David Wright or Big Papi had done this or some variation, would you be as outraged?

This also means Yankee fans have to shut up as well when something like this goes against us. As many questionable calls that have gone in our favor over the years, Jeffrey Maier, Chuck Knoblauch's play and Mazzilli's lobbying against the Mets, you name it. We have no right to complain when the tables are turned on us. The next time we have a Kenny Rogers doctoring the ball to mow us down like in last year's playoffs...shut up and take your beating like a man. What's good for the goose....

10-5 looks a whole lot better than 7-5. Particularly the way Mo has been pitching. If A-Rod hadn't done what he did and Mo has given up a three run homer in the ninth and we lost our sixth straight, would all of you be happy then? Give no quarter ask for none.

When you're 7 games under .500 and 14 games out of first, you don't have the same luxuries that you have when you're 20 games over .500 and 10 games up. I wish this more guys on this team would play with the same sense of urgency as Alex did. Maybe we wouldn't suck right now.

It's always galled me that pitchers like Moose and Pettitte would never throw at other teams to protect their guys or establish the inside part of the plate. This game is as much psychological struggle as it is a physical one. If you can do something to make an opponent blink or think twice, you'd be foolish not to do it.

If we win, folks hate us. If we lose, folks hate us and laugh at us. So quit trying to their hearts and minds and start kicking their asses.

They're going hate you anyway, so I'd rather have them hating me while cleaning my boots with their tongue.

Hopefully, this is a signal that A-Rod will stop trying to make everyone love him. It's not going to happen, brah. They'll love you when you win. There are very few players who are beloved win or lose. You had a chance for that to happen in Seattle. You opted out and took the money. No fault in that. But this is the price you pay for the life you choose. You will always be that judged by that contract until you win a title. And that contract means you'll never ever be beloved like Jeter, Papi, Gwynn, Ripken etc.

You're in the same boat as Clemens. A mercenary viewed with cynicism. A necessary evil. I loved what you did. It shows that you give a damn. Now take it to the next level. Embrace your dark side. Start playing like a badass. Let's see if we can give the infidels a race. Or at least a scare for the summer.

Here endeth the lesson.

Jackie Robinson Redux For The Gutless Wonders

2007-05-29T23:55:00.000-11:00

Deja vu all over again.

A Yankee All star catcher receiving from a great Yankee southpaw late in the game. And a second baseman steals home on them.

Fast forward 42 years, exchange Berra and Ford with Posada and Pettitte...add a touch of vanilla to Jackie Robinson and voila!! You've got Aaron Hill.

Aaron Hill!!!!

What all of this add up to folks? An ode to a play Yankee fans would love to forget during a nightmare season that the baseball gods won't allow us to wake up from.

This is disgusting. I think whatever Carl Pavano has is contagious.

Is there a vaccine for Vulvaitis?

We wasted yet another quality start by our big three. If I wasn't already sick, I'd throw up in my mouth.

I almost want the infidels to put us out of our misery this weekend. So I can stop investing so much emotional energy into these poseurs.

These pod people are not my Yankees.

I'm this close to being done. This close.

Why We Suck

2007-05-29T18:22:00.000-11:00

Before I get into my award-winning analysis on why my beloved team sucks ass.... Let me start off by saying that I think there must some folks former Nazi war criminals or Pol Pot type despots in a prevvious life among the regular Friday night fans at Yankee stadium. How else can you explain the rotten luck they've had at home on Fridays the last couple of years?

I went 3-0 at Yankee games last week until I had the misfortune of attending the latest Friday night fiasco against Anaheim. When I think about LA, I think of Princeton. A very strong team fundamentally, but outside of Vlad, there's noone on their team that scares you offensively. These Vlad teams are very different from the team that won it all in 2002.

That team was an impressive offensive team with a so-so rotation and a killer bullpen. This team's rotation is much deeper than in 2002 and their bullpen is still very good. But this team is more of a pesky, opportunistic type team offensively. Kind of like the Cardinals of the 80's. There's no reason why the Yankees don't roll over this ballclub, but it seems that they're in their heads. Losing 3-1 and 4-3 to this team is ridiculous.

Anyhow, here's why I think the Yankees are this close to conceding the division to the infidels and strictly running after the wildcard for the first time in a decade.

Damon, Giambi, Abreu: Forget Jeter, A-Rod and the rest. These are the sparkplugs that make the Yankees go offensively. When we lost Sheffield and Matsui last year, they scuffled a bit at times on offense, but they were able stay afloat because Damon and Giambi were in the lineup despite playing hurt. Damon was the first real leadoff hitter they've had since Knoblauch and Giambi was a great left-handed at bat with power who was a high on base percentage guy. When they acquired Abreu, it enabled them to move Giambi down in the lineup to protect A-Rod, gave the lineup another .300 hitter with a.900 OPS to boot to protect Jeter and Damon.

When those three went south, not only did they lose their main tablesetters, but their protection for Jeter and Alex. It's not coincidence that Alex stopped hitting homeruns once Bobby and Giambi stopped hitting. Pitchers stopped throwing him pitches to hit so he's had to go outside of his zone to get hits. Jeter is Jeter, so he's going to get his. But that's because he doesn't hit homeruns,so pitchers are more willing to pitch to him than Alex. Who cares if he gets a single or double if he's going to be stranded on base? And because Damon and the bottom of the lineup stinks, he's not getting RBI chances either. Losing those three has killed the team's chances to score runs in bunches.

It was the main reason the lineup was even deadlier without Sheffield. Forget all the talk about how it was a mistake to get rid of him. He was a liability defensively and destroyed the chemistry this lineup had in the playoffs when Torre felt compelled to play him at first even though he never played the position on this level. If you got rid of Giambi, then maybe you can keep Gary. But Jason's contract makes him impossible to move and you can't have two DHs of their caliber because you won't have enough at bats.

But Torre, like all of us, fell in love with the idea of a Death Star lineup to face Detroit. The problem was that Sheffield was still very rusty after all the time lost and he did nothing to help their struggles. Matsui was a much better fit when he came back because of his left handed bat and the fact that he's a decent outfielder. Sheff, unfortunately, was a luxury that we could not afford. Torre should have made the executive decision to have Gary come off the bench. Which brings me to my second reason...

Joe Torre: I know it's sacriledge to some to criticize the man who has brought us to the promised land four times and to the playoffs 11 years in a row. I'm a big fan of the man myself. But let's be honest, we knew weren't getting Sparky Anderson or Casey Stengel. Hell, in terms of in-game strategy, we knew we weren't getting a sober Billy Martin or Lou Piniella. Torre's strengths are his even temperament and his ability to deal with egos as well as his deft handling of Steinbrenner and the media. His in-game managerial have always been average at best. He got away with a lot of things because of the talent on this team and because of Mariano Rivera. But because our team isn't as deep as it once it was and because Mo isn't invincible anymore, Joe's inability to compensate has been exposed time and time again. Let me list a few of the more egregious mistakes he's made this year (Don't get me started on not attempting to bunt against Schilling game 6 2004, or batting A-Rod eighth in game 4 against Detroit. My head might explode.)

I don't fault him taking Mussina out of the game on Sunday. Moose is basically a 100 pitch pitcher at this stage of his career. But if you're going to let him start the inning, you might as well let try to finish. This batter by batter approach is stupid. Pull him before the seventh starts or not at all. No reliever want to be brought in with runners on base.

How is Clippard ever going to learn how to get out of jams if you have him on such a short leash? He gave the team a huge reprieve by beating the Mets in that Sunday night game. We were only down 3-2, why not let him try to keep them in the game? He threw about 75 pitches. Give him another inning. And on top of that, you bring in another rookie who never relieved on this level to replace him? A horrible panic move.

His handling of Mariano and the bullpen has been awful. Save situation or no, you can't have a 37 year old closer not pitch for a week and expect him to be on his game. And the quick trigger he's had with starters when his bullpen was on fumes earlier in the year hasn't helped matters either. It almost seems like he's trying to get fired at times.

I could pile on right now, but what would be the point? A manager is supposed to put a team in the best position to win. When you think about it, a good manager only probably means 10-15 wins a year for a team. Torre has cost us at least five wins. At least. There have been a number of opportunities for Joe put his imprint on the game. But his manage by numbers style clearly isn't working right now. I'm not saying he should be fired. But he needs figure out a way to right this ship.

Banged up pitching:Our pitching was relatively healthy when Sheff and Matsui went down this year. What happened this year was ridiculous. Between Karstens and Rasner's freak injuries, Moose, Wang and Hughes' leg problems and Pavano having reconstructive uterus...I mean elbow surgery, there's no way you can plan for these types of hits to your rotation. I thought we had a pretty solid bullpen when the season began. Now it's hard to tell how good they are with all the problems we've had in the rotation. And now when it looks like we've turned a corner with our pitching, we can't hit the ball out of the infield. We're letting pitchers we've owned in the past like Kelvim Escobar and Oliver Sanchez look like vintage Marichal and Carlton.

We can't lose another series. We do and we're done. More after the game.

The Season Starts Now...We Need A Win.

2007-05-23T11:30:00.000-11:00

As much as I wanted a sweep. And as pissed as I am at Moose right now, we can't get our panties in a bunch because of last night's loss. As I was telling the imperial younglings the other day and Paul O'Neill touched on during last night's broadcast, we need to focus on series wins.

A long winning streak is nice, but we need to start thinking long term. Baseball's too tricky a sport and the Red Sox are too good a team to think that you're going to catch them by the second week of June. The Yankees have to start to thinking about winning series and making up a game a week. If you can do that between now and the All-Star break, you're back in the hunt.

It's not like Palmer, Cuellar, Dobson and McNally are pitching for the Sox. Schilling is 41, Beckett has a history of injury problems and you don't know what Dice-K is going to give you on a season of four days rest between starts for the first time. Plus, Terry Francona doesn't exactly have a stellar reputation of handling pitchers.

And outside of Papelbon (who has shoulder concerns) who in that bullpen is a lock? Okajima has been clutch so far, but let's see what happens when teams have seen him a few times. I think you saw a taste of what's to come in last night's eighth inning.

That lineup is definitely better with Lugo at the top. But you can still pitch to them. Crisp is a bust and who knows what you'll get out of Varitek. This team can be caught.

And it starts tonight with Dandy Andy.

By the way, I have no problem with A-Rod's slide into Pedroia. It's about time someone on this team started standing up for themselves instead of letting people drill them in the ass. This is baseball, not badmitton, bitches.

More after the game.

It's May, People!!! Put The Arsenic Away Please....

2007-05-17T13:00:00.000-11:00

First Johnny Sack, then Chris Moltisanti...now Jerry Falwell.

It looks like the trap door to hell has an express chute.

I'm kidding...maybe.

Since when did New York become Boston?

I'm as irritated as anyone about the recent imperial struggles. In April, we're hitting the cover off the ball, but we have to sacrifice virgins to Jobu on a weekly basis to get our starters out of the fifth inning. Now we're getting some decent pitching this month, but our lineup is acting like the ball is infected with syphillis. I have to listen to Mike and Chris talk about on Monday isn't the NBA or NHL playoffs but that the Yankees are eight games out of first on May 14th.

May 14!!! Not September 14, May 14th. And you wonder why I don't read the tabloids or take the clowns on WFAN and ESPN seriously. You can't. Their job isn't to report the news or give meaningful analysis. It's to sell papers and get ratings.

I'm not a fanboy by any means. I can take criticism of my team. I welcome it. But when columnists and commentators tell me that I should be worried that my team is eight games back in May and I have over a 100 years of history to tell me otherwise, that's why I press mute whenever I hear Steve Phillips and company are on the boob tube.

It is frustating to see my boys lose to a team like the White Sox or the Mariners. This is how bad Moose was Wednesday afternoon, he had absolutely nothing going. His fastball rarely hit 85, if he threw it all, and his breaking stuff hung like Dirk Diggler. And they still could barely hit him for the first few innings. Wang showed what a pitcher with a pulse could do against the clueless crew on the South Side. This was hardly vintage Wang. But he still had enough to deal with them for seven solid frames.

And you saw last night that this team is so good offensively that eventually they're going to get theirs. They can score five runs by accident on most nights. Today, they face Jon Garland, a pitcher they normally hit. So hopefully they can get on a bit of a tear before we face our two biggest rivals over the next week, the Mets and Red Sox. While we're not facing Seaver, Koosman and Gooden over the weekend, it would be nice to get into a little bit of a groove at the plate since we know what the Mets can do offensively.

If you will allow me this one chance to vent....if I see Abreu strike out one more time looking....I've never scene anyone take borderline pitches like this guy. Swing the friggin bat!!!

Would anyone be shocked if you were to pick up paper, get to the Yankee news and notes and see this...

Pavano out for the year with torn vulva muscle, career in jeopardy...

I know I shouldn't go there even though it should be impossible, since you know...he's a guy, I put nothing past good old Carl. The one that you can predict with him..is that he's unpredictably unreliable.

Leave it to Kyle Farnsworth to put me in the unenviable position of defending Roger Clemens....

On this mornings Mike North Show in Chicago, Farnsworth stated the following:

"It might cause some friction (Roger leaving the team in between starts). Granted its his 24th year, so he has earned it. But I think if your part of the team, you should be there always."

"You win as a team, you lose as a team. The other guys (Ruth, Mantle, Gerhig) were all a part of the team and had to be there."

I agree with my buddy Rob on this...a guy who can't pitch on back to back days should shut up about people being there. Torre has little confidence in this guy and has reshuffled the bullpen as a result. This guy should be shouldering the burden, not Proctor, Bruney or Vizcaino. Yet he has the nerve to worry about Clemens.

Whatever you might think of Rocket...when he's there, he's as professional and as good a teammate as they come. I don't like the arrangement anymore than anyone else. But if anyone can pull it off here, Clemens can.

Now if he can only get into the seventh inning consistently...

More after the game.

Talk About Pulling The Tights For The Win....

2007-05-08T18:42:00.000-11:00

That loss last night was straight out of the WWE archives. The awful ref has his back turned, the heel pulls the tights of the hero and gets the win. That call at second was one of the worst that I've seen in 30 years of watching baseball.

What's worse is that neither Cano, Jeter or Mattingly threw a fit over it. Cano has no excuse. That was not a bang-bang play. The guy was out by three feet!!! He has to throw a fit on that one. I wouldn't have faulted him if he punched the ump in the mouth for that hideous call. That's worth 50 games.

Baseball needs instant replay. Let's get it right and screw the ump's feelings. You're allowed two challenges a game and that's it. Either that or we need to start suspending umps for horrible gaffes like that one. Not bang-bang plays or reasonably close ones. But the Special-Ed fuckups like last night.

Last night proved once again that they need to stop treating Mo like a porcelain China doll and start giving him some work. You can't just put him in during save situations. Yesterday proved that point. Only Mattingly got the message a little too late.

A couple of additions to the Guy Movie Hall Of Fame...
Boogie Nights
Swingers
Eddie Murphy Raw
Richard Pryor Live In Concert and Live On The Sunset Strip
Glen Gary Glen Ross
Serpico
The original Bad News Bears
The Natural
Narc
Slap Shot
The Sting
Lawrence Of Arabia
Bridge On The River Kwai
The Big Lebowski
Fargo
The first Matrix film...screw the rest
Rounders
House Of Game
Flags Of Our Fathers
Letters From Iwo Jima
The Royal Tennenbaums
Blazing Saddles
Life Of Brian
Holy Grail
Friday-the first one
Young Frankenstein

Back to Yankee business....

This Clemens story is the reason I've stopped reading the tabloids and I'm this close to turning off the radio as well. I can't take seriously, millionaire radio show hosts and columnist making six figures complaining about a pitcher who makes eight figures for four months work. I just can't.

Are the numbers absurd? Yeah, but so is the fact that someone can't seven figures a year for talking sports six hours a day. And not even be well informed about the subject they're conversing about!

The Yankees have lost some credibility by signing him and letting have the same travel priviledges that Houston gave him. But I think this is a unique situation for a unique player that they have history with. This isn't Kevin Brown signing with the Dodgers. This is a guy who has been a great clubhouse guy whereever he's gone. He's probably the one player that could pull this off. If the locker room doesn't have a problem then neither do I. He's a mercenary but we've already known that for years.

Off to the game....

My Bad....

2007-05-07T02:35:00.000-11:00

I'm sorry.

There I said it.

It's been too long since I've posted regularly and I have noone to blame but myself. I can blame it on fantasy sports, my new addiction to Playstation 2, the drunken carnal debuachery that was my life last summer and fall, the soul-draining seasons for the football Giants and Yankees and any number of bad influences that I call my friends and family.

But it would be a lie. The truth is, I'm a lazy fat bastard and a poor carekeeper of the gifts the creator has given me. The only way to become a better writer is to write and read good writing. Not sit in front of the TV watching bad movies and playing video games.

Call me the Carl Pavano of bloggers. Going on the DL for months over every little boo-boo. It's got to stop.

So to anyone who still bothers to check my site, I promise to have new material far more frequently than once every month and a half. I do this because it's cheaper than therapy and enjoy being engaged with you folks. Hopefully you'll consider me worthy of a couple of minutes in your day over the next six months.

I have a question for you folks. Ever have a pretty good disappointing weekend?

What I mean is, a weekend that was enjoyable and disappointing at the same time? That was my Friday and Saturday.

I had to witness that debacle of a game in person on Friday, went to see the 1230am showing of Spiderman 3 only to be pissed off at how bad the story was (the fight scenes and CG were on point) and went to a buddy's house on Saturday to watch that horrible De La Hoya-Mayweather fight. You'd think that I'd be bummed out right?

The complete opposite actually. In each instance I had a great time (the highlights being the entire theater calling Kirsten Dunst a whore during one particular scene, the Barber Shop style arguing going between the brothers during the fight and our boy "Hennessey Man" screaming about how "countrified" hip hop has become.

This weekend I learned an important lesson...The company you keep is as important as the places you venture. Good company can make a potentially hellish time into a weekend to remember. Something I have to remind myself of the next time I decide to do a Keyser Soze imitation and go deep underground.

More ramblings...Here's my guy movie Hall Of Fame. Movies that every straight man must see at least once before they die. In no particular order...

Godfather 1 & 2
The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
Unforgiven
Goodfellas
The Departed
Tombstone
The original Star Wars Trilogy and Revenge Of The Sith
The Sergio Leone/Clint Eastwood Trilogy
Josey Wales
Pale Rider
Dirty Harry
Shawshank Redemption
Field Of Dreams
Bull Durham
The original Longest Yard
Rocky I-III
Rservoir Dogs
Pulp Fiction
Kill Bill I&II
Casino
Training Day
Man On Fire
Glory
Saving Private Ryan
Band Of Brothers
The Maltese Falcon
The Big Sleep
Both Cape Fears
The Original Manchurian Candidate
Bullitt
The Great Escape
One False Move
The Wild Bunch
Once Upon A Time In The West
Once Upon A Time In America
The Hustler
Cool Hand Luke
Butch Cassidy And Sundance
The Odd Couple
Dog Day Afternoon
Heat
12 Angry Men
Network
Full Metal Jacket
Apocalypse Now
The Longest Day
Patton
Tora, Tora, Tora
Platoon
Mississippi Burning
The French Connection
The Killer
Gladiator
300
Braveheart
Spiderman I&II
X-Men I&II
Superman I, II and Returns
Batman and Batman Begins

Now get to work....

I Was Going To Apologize....

2007-05-06T17:02:00.001-11:00

About a number of things...namely my delinquence in updating this blog. But I have to get a couple of things that I need to get off my chest.

I'm sorry, but I can't get a hard-on over Clemens coming back. Yeah, I know he's a great teammate and his presence in that locker room will help our staff immensely. I wish I was a fly on the wall when Hughes and Wang are picking his brain. You saw what he did for Andy Pettitte so you hope those two are smart enough to listen to whatever he imparts. And you have to love the angst and disgust the announcement has created with all the infidels in the baseball universe.

But the guy is a friggin mercenary. I'll never forget the way he strung everyone along with the whole retirement thing in 2003...only to join Pettitte in Houston. Or the ridiculous deal he made with them in terms of traveling with the team. Or waiting until mid-season to come back last year, making nearly $20 mil for four months work. Now I'm supposed to act like Carla Gugino is in my bed naked because this gun for hire has decided to grace us with his presence? Bitch, please.

But Peter Gammons said something during the Sunday night game that explains why Cashman and company made this move. He said that it's hard to have a great bullpen without good starting pitching. Our bullpen is running on empty right now. What Wang did Saturday and Rasner did today is encouraging. And getting Moose back will only help matters. But I went into this season thinking that we had some of the best arms that we've had in a long time in our bullpen. Now we can get some rest for Proctor, Vizcaino and company.

It also takes some pressure off of Torre obviously. Joe has never been the greatest in-game strategist and April exposed that. No, you can't blame him for the injuries to the starters. But there were a couple of instances where the moves he made blew up in his face...and he had other options. Friday night was example. Either take Igawa out before the fifth begins or let him take his lumps. He blew the lead, so let him take loss as well instead of throwing the guys in the pen to the lions. He finally caught on to that concept with Myers at the end of the game, but by then, it was too late. I would rather blow a couple of games early in the year rather than going to the pen late in August and having nothing to go to during a pennant race. Who cares that Boston is in first in May? I know I don't.

The lineup will score enough runs to win on most nights. But Joe has to do a better job in putting these guys in a position to win when the opportunity presents itself. I don't like playing Monday morning QB anymore than you guys like reading this. But that's why he gets paid the big bucks and the money that I plop down for season tickets gives me the right to complain.

One more thing on the Clemens move, I hope that when Hughes gets back, that he will have a place somewhere in the rotation. Put Igawa in the 'pen. Cut your losses with Pavano. But I think that the Young Buck benefits more from being up here watching Clemens and company work rather than being in Scranton. Let him take his lumps up here as the fifth starter or ocassional bullpen guy since you can never have too many arms there. I want to see what this guy can do. And I can think of no better tutor than Clemens. With respect to the guys in Scranton, what can they teach this kid that Moose, Rocket, Andy and Gator can't? You're talking about over 900 wins and 8 Cy Youngs worth of experience in that dugout.

Listening to John Kruk and Steve Phillips makes me realize how much I miss Harold Reynolds. Idiots.

I guess I still owe all of you an apology of sorts. I'll get around to it someday...

I'm Not As Angry As You Think I'd Be.....

2007-04-24T11:47:00.000-11:00

I'm not angry at all actually. Really annoyed after giving one away on Friday night (more pissed at Torre than Mo...more on that later). Absolutely hate losing to the infidels anytime, anywhere. But let's be honest folks, if we took two out of three this weekend, it would have been cause to do the Beat It Up Dance (see Tyrese in the movie, Baby Boy).

But we always seem to lose that first series at Fenway so all I was hoping with two junior high school pitchers going for us was for the games to be respectable. Which they were. So considering the state of our rotation and our bullpen running on fumes, a sweep was a possibility.

But I love the fact that all of these infidels like Bill Simmons still have Don Quixote syndrome. A sweep is a sweep. Can't take anything away from the accomplishment. But let's point out a couple of things before we annoint the Sawx to their first division title since 1995.

We were able to bang up their three best starters. All of them got touched up over the weekend. But here's the importance of having a healthy rotation. When your starters get banged up, you can got to a relatively fresh bullpen. The Sox have one of the bullpen ERAs not because of their personnel. But because they're rested and rarely used. Outside of Papelbon, I would take everyone of our guys over theirs. But when you have Scott Proctor pitching in 12 of the team's first 16 games...And Vizcaino throwing four out of the last five days....and Bruney pitching on fumes....something's gotta give. This is going to happen when your two of your top three starters are out and you're going with four rookies.

So while I won't go so far as to say that I predicted something like what happened the past four games would happen, but I wasn't in the least bit surprised. When quality starts (Six innings, three runs) are as elusive as no-hitters for your rotation, then your bullpen is going to suffer. A-Rod can hit 150 homers this year, and the team will still struggle to win half their games.

We get Wang back tonight and Moose next week so hopefully they get start to turn things around. I was happy to see them bring up Phillip Hughes and am excited to hear he's pitching Thursday night.

Which brings me to pet peave of the day...the intellectual dishonesty and mishandling of this whole pitching situation by the Yankee brass and Joe Torre.

I kept hearing that Chase Wright was brought up before Hughes because they said that he was further along than Hughes was. By what standard? Hughes has been called the best prospect in the Yankees system. He dominated Double A last year and is 2-1 in Triple A this year. Many scouts thought that he was ready to come up last year had the brass decided not to baby him with these ridiculous pitch counts. Everyone was salivating over his stuff in spring training.

You're going to tell me that Hughes wasn't more ready for the majors than Chase Wright, a kid who's never pitched above Double A before last week? Personally I think these pitch counts are bogus and are actually stunting his growth rather than helping it. He'll never learn how to get out of his own jams if you put him on a 80 to 100 pitch count.

If you want to tell me that they don't want to take any chances on the kid and despite our rotation problems, fine. If you want to say that he's the future and can't see him being called up before June or as a September call-up, fine. But don't tell me that Wright was more advanced than Hughes when this guy has been in the minors for seven years and hasn't gotten past Double A. Coddle Hughes if you want, but don't treat us like idiots.

My other beef is with Torre and the way he's handled the bullpen. Kyle Farnsworth in particular. If Torre's lost faith in him then let him go, trade him, whatever. But the idea that you have a all hands on deck situation and you have a 100 mph flamethrower on your bench Friday night is inexcusable. Vizcaino, Proctor and Bruney's arms are about to fall off and you can't get Kyle in the game?

I understand trust is a big part of what makes Torre effective. But if you can't expect these guys to hold up until the All-Star break much less the season if you don't get some new blood in there. Use Farnsworth or let him go. I'm tired of seeing Proctor giving up bombs to bums like Mike Lowell because he hasn't had a day off in a week.

The other problem I have with Torre is his use of Rivera. It's clear to me and everyone who watches regularly that Rivera's problem isn't age. It's rust. He's not getting enough game time and Torre's babying isn't helping. Regardless of what Mo might say, he's not the same "seven pitch warmup and I'm ready" guy that he was several years ago. He needs work even if it isn't a save situation.

There's no reason for there to be nearly a week between appearances for Mo. He blows the rubber game in Oakland last Sunday. The next time he appears is in the eighth inning of Friday's game. Huh? Joe couldn't have gotten him some work in the Cleveland series? Just to shake off some rust? I know Joe wants to save some bullets, but this is way too early to coddle him.

I owe all of you an apology....more on that later....

The Dark Lord Awakens

2007-03-20T11:13:00.000-11:00

Forget Kid Rock or the Undertaker. I am the original American Badass.

Why you ask? Because after having my flight out of Pittsburgh Friday cancelled as I got to the gate and no flights in the foreseeable future, I decide to rent a car and drive back...in a Nor'easter. My boss thought that I was nuts, but I didn't want to give these weather bastards the satisfaction.

When you make a drive like that in the middle of night, you learn a few things about yourself. I decided to jot some of my epiphanies at the dashboard light down to share with you.

That you can do the Fat Joe's Rockaway dance to "Sweet Home Alabama", while driving in an ice storm in the middle of the night and not crash your car and die.

That after seeing several posters of CW programming....upon further review... if I had a choice between blazing Lauren Graham (Mom from Gilmore Girls), Eric Durance (Lois Lane on Smallville) or Persia White (the hippie chick on Girlfriends)...the answer would be yes.

That commercial radio really, really sucks.

That anyone who calls into a Rock station at one in the morning during a nor'easter to requests "Rainy Days and Mondays" should be pummeled and shot dead in front of their families. And the DJ that acquiesces to the request should have a special place in hell reserved for them after they're publicly executed by stoning.

That the Band might have been a better band than the Stones.

That the fact that I just wrote that means that I'm officially middle-aged. The fact that I would rather see Norah Jones live than Jay-Z means whatever cool points I might have had are as shriveled up as my liver after last summer.

That I'm really starting to hate Hip-Hop. Not quite at the level of Oprah and Bill O'Reilly hating on Ludacris or Stanley Crouch's general hate for anything with a drum machine. But close. The Hip-Hop I grew up with was clever and creative. Now I have to listen to every Hip Hop station in three states play a hip hop cover of Patrick Swayze song? Who's next, David Soul? Don Johnson?

That at 3 in the morning in Carlisle, PA, I sing a better version of "You Are So Beautiful" than Joe Cocker but not quite as good as the originator, Billy Preston. I am deadly serious.

That I'm very close to getting my ghetto card revoked. And could care less.

That upon further review, I could really care less about the Jeter-A-Rod melodrama created by the New York Media. Or the drama created after Alex's interview on the FAN this week. Everything he said in the interview was on point. If he doesn't produce that Yankees don't win, the fans will want to run him out of town. Should he shut up? Probably. But he didn't say one thing that wasn't on point this week. The storm created after he praised Lou Piniella on Real Sports was a farce as well.

The real story should have been the amazing off-season Brian Cashman has had this winter. He unloads two over-the-hill curmodgeons and gets valuable chips back in return in each case. He signs the best pitcher available this off season (Barry Zito wishes he had Andy Pettitte's resume). All of this, without giving up any young prospects. I feel comfortable going into a series with Wang, Andy and Moose. Couldn't say that last year with Unit. All of this along with King George III essentially handing over the reins of power to Cash and his son-in-law Steve Swindal, these were the stories that should been probed into throughly this winter. Not whether or not Jeter not wanting to hang out with Alex anymore is going to affect his performance this year.

But in spite all of this, I wouldn't begrudge the man if he did an Eddie Murray this season with the press. But it'll never happen.

When do the games start to count?

Whoops....Guess I Was Wrong....

2006-10-28T16:41:00.000-11:00

Jeff ##%#% Weaver...goddamn.

First of all, congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals on their 10th World Series title. First class baseball town. First class fans. They deserve to enjoy this, in spite of the 800 books that are bound to come out genuflecting on the genius of Tony LaRussa. Or how the Midwest is where the soul of the game resides and where real Americans live. And of course...that Cardinal fans are the greatest fans in the universe.

I'm not bitter. Really, I'm not.

But love him or hate him (I don't know where I stand on TL), you can't take anything away from what he just accomplished. He took the second-worst team ever to appear in the World Series to the mountaintop. He beat a very good Mets team and a very young, but game Tigers team to get there. A Mets team that was the class of the Senior Circuit. And a Detroit team that beat the very best the AL had to offer during a year where the AL was by far the better league.

That's right. I refuse to concede that the leagues are equal. They're not and anyone who watches baseball will attest that they're not. There have been plenty of years when the NL has been the deeper league, but the AL has won the big prize. It's no accident that they've won 10 of the last 16 titles. What happened last night was no fluke. But it doesn't mean the balance of power has changed.

This all runs in cycles. In the nineties, the NL was a much deeper league because of its pitching. The only thing that kept them from running the table in the Fall Classic was Mariano Rivera. That's what separated the Yankees and everyone else. It certainly wasn't Joe Torre, Derek Jeter and Paul O'Neill. No matter what the mythmakers like Buster Olney want to spin.

In a few years, it will be the NL's day, provided all the young talent stays healthy and stays in the senior circuit. Right now, the AL is the standard.

That's what makes what the Lou accomplished so impressive. With a pitching staff anchored by Chris Carpenter, Jeff Suppan and Jeff Weaver; they beat the best baseball had to offer. LaRussa's best managing job ever. Dave Duncan has to be considered the best pitching coach in the game for what he's done with Suppan, Weaver and the kid Wainright. Amazing job.

On the flip side, Jim Leyland did a horrible job keeping his team motivated during the long layoff. Horrible. Not to take anything away from the Cardinals, but I think the Series comes off a little differently if the Tigers weren't waiting around for a week for the NLCS to end. This was a team of kids that needed an opponent to play. They were probably too A-D-D to maintain their focus and edge for the layoff. That was still no excuse for happened. Leyland should have had them ready.

Going to Verlander at Busch instead of Kenny Rogers, also turned out to be a bad move. I understand the pine-tar incident would have made things difficult for Rogers. But you can't go to a rookie who has struggled all postseason in enemy territory when your season is on the line. This is where Rogers needed to show his worth. You're not supposed to protect him in this instance. He's supposed to protect you if he's the ace. Verlander should have been saved for game 6.

But I don't think it would have mattered, since the Tigers turned into the Royals this Series. Actually, I stand corrected. That would be an insult to the Royals.

But the Metsmaster was right. The World Series is all that matters. All-Star games, Interleague. At the end of the day, the team with the pitching wins. Every time.

I'll say this. If Jeff Weaver's smart, he re-signs with the Cardinals immediately. He's never going to be in a better situation than he is now. Fans that will love him forever. A manager and pitching coach that will keep him honest. A team that's dedicated to putting a quality product on the field every year. A chance to be a part of one of the best rotations in the league if Mulder can get healthy and Suppan re-signs. No East Coast drama. Weaver pitching like this wasn't an accident. He has always had the stuff to be a front-line starter. He just has to put down the peace-pipe and the bong during the season and focus on baseball again.

So congrats to the Lou. For making sure that someone other than the Scions of Shea get a parade next week.

Darth Marc: The Art Of War

2006-10-22T03:45:00.000-11:00

True story that's has some relevance to what's been going with me the last couple of days.

In elementary school, there was this creature/girl named Antoinette who used to hang out with these two linebacker chicks. You have to remember that from first to fifth grade, some girls were very often bigger than boys. They generally stop growing vertically in their early teens. So while 5'6'' is hardly scary to me now, when I was 8 or 9 it was an entirely different proposition and world view.

Antoinette wasn't very big at all. She actually looked like a black Who from the Grinch that stole Christmas. Hideous little creature with the mouth to match. She and her friends would bully the boys every chance they'd get during recess. Saying the nastiest stuff. The sort of things you'd pummell a boy for saying but that girls somehow get away with.

Anyhow, Antoinette started in on me one day. Initially, I tried to ignore her. But when she started talking about whipping my ass for three days in a row, I snapped. I belted her in the chest (pre-puberty, nothing to hit) and hit one of her bodyguards in the head with my full bookbag. They were on the floor groaning in pain. I was so scared I would get detention that I bolted from the scene and started playing football with the fourth graders. Hoping that if World War III started, I'd have witnesses to back me.

Apparently they were too embarrassed by getting laid out by a mere boy that they didn't say anything to the teachers. But a couple of days later, when we were lining up to go to homeroom, Antoinette comes up to me and says;

"You know, you shouldn't have hit me. I didn't hit you and you're not supposed to hit girls."

Can you imagine the arrogance? It's ok for her to terrorize every boy on the playground. But once someone calls her bluff, she hides behind the veil of chivalry? Unreal.

But as unbelievable as her remark was, it wasn't nearly as surreal as what I said in response;

"You're right, Antoinette. I'm sorry."

To this day, I'm still sick to my stomach that I apologized to that wretched beast. I'm not condoning the beating of women in any way shape or form. But if she were a guy, she would lasted all of two minutes before getting an NWO style beatdown. But because I was raised right, she gets a pass the one time she and the Seven Blocks of Granite got what they deserved.

Fast forward to Thursday night. The 97 win Mets lose to possibly the worst team ever to represent the National League in the World Series. Yes, worse than the '69 and '73 Mets. Those teams at least had Koosman and Seaver. The National League was so awful that this year, only the Scions of Shea topped 90 wins. Even without Pedro and El Duque, the Mets should have had a cakewalk to the Series. The Cardinals were limping into the NLCS as well. Their number two starter Mark Mulder was out, their closer Jason Isringhausen was on crutches after hip surgery and their second and third best players Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds were playing hurt.

This was setting up to be the ultimate nightmare for the Empire. Not only do the Yankees get a Billy Batts type beatdown from the young Tiggers. For first time ever the Mets advance further in the playoffs when both teams make it. And to top it off, they get the worst team in the playoffs in NLCS. A dark day for the empire.

To be fair, the Flushing faithful did not start in on me after we lost. But regardless of what any of them might say, the only reason why Imperial email boxes, voicemails and blogs didn't look like Beirut from all the scuds lobbed by Mets fans after we lost was because they more than anyone are aware of the importance of baseball karma. Particularly when it comes to playoffs.

They didn't want to jinx the Mets chances by heaving bombs at Yankee fans. So they held off on me. If the Mets were out of it early as in years past, I would have woken up to an email box full of Yankees Suck, Jeter blows comments and posters of whatever headlines the New York tabloids decided to print on my office door and wall.

So when Wainright buckled Beltran's knees for the third out of game seven, I was screaming like a banshee. I text messaged half the known world. I called all of St Louis friends to shout congrats to them. And I breathed a huge sigh of relief with my brothers of the Empire.

If the Mets had won, there was a very good chance that this would become a Blue and Orange town again. For those of you who have not lived through that hell, let me say that it's not fun. Those who have, know exactly what I'm talking about. But more on that in my next post.

Shortly after midnight, I decide to see if any of my favorite Met bloggers have posted. So I can wallow and feed off their psychic despair. Initially, I was going to just monitor their suffering. But after a conference with the devils of my nature, I decided...what the hell. What better time to strike an enemy than when he's at his weakest. And if he's going to be out in the open screaming, "Ow, I'm hurt!!! I need a doctor!!" then what better time is there to put one right between his eyes.

You see, Yankee fans know better. When you make the playoffs every year, you learn a couple of things. Aside from knowing what it's like to see your team celebrate a title, you also learn about how to handle being the target of scorn and ridicule when your team loses. When you're the top dog, half the world wants you to win. But half is waiting for you to fail miserably. We've learned that the hard way since 2001. If the Yankees lose in the playoffs, you know you must;

1)Turn off your cellphone as soon as the game ends.
2)If you're at the game, go straight home, unless you're going to a Yankeefan-friendly establishment.
3)Don't turn on the television at home for fear of smashing it.
4)Do not turn on your computer and check your email or blog for at least 12 hours.

If you do any of these things, you're putting yourself at risk. Particularly after a catastrophic loss.

Mets fans haven't learned this yet. They're a very touchy-feely Dr Phil sort of fanbase. They've yet to have their hearts hardened by the baseball wars. It's very endearing in someways. So when they lost Thursday, their natural reaction is to do what they always do. Go online and commisserate with one another. Find some words of comfort from their Internet faith-healers Metstradamus, Brooklyn Met Fan, Toasty Joe and Matt Cerrone.

So what do you think their reaction was when they go post on Metstradamus' site and see that I left a little calling card?

That's right, they lost it. It's like crashing an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting with hookers, Grey Goose and enough coke to kill the 12th Mountain Division.

You can read the horrible responses to my scuds for yourself. My favorite was from my dear friend and co-worker, the Metsmaster who wrote;

My Brothers and Sisters:

We fought the good fight and came up short. Such is life. It was a good season, the future is bright. We have nothing to be ashamed about.

Unfortunately, the time has come when something must be done about Darth Marc. He has shown his true colors with this Pearl Harbor-like attack this morning. His team went down in flames last week and was treated with the common courtesy due a baseball fan by other fans. He skulked into the office and offered his hand wishing the Mets good luck. But courtesy and good taste are foreign to him and his kind. Like the Japanese 64-years ago, while shaking the right hand, the left is stabbing you in the back. So I suggest the following action Brothers and Sisters... The Amish form of punishment towards members who offend the community is called shunning. They are completely ignored. The shunned are not spoken to or acknowledged until they prostrate themselves before the community. This is what I suggest we do with Darth Marc. Shun him. Ignore him. Cast him out of our community. Metstradamus, you have the power to expunge his comments from your site. Do it. Do it now. I make this declaration to DM (I can no longer even speak his name)....you may speak to me about any other subject; the weather, politics, religion, football, anything. But I will not speak to you about anything related to baseball; past, present or future. The subject is taboo. I recommend the rest of us do the same. He can talk baseball until he is blue in the face to the oher Yankee cretins from here to Wisconsin. He can write to his heart's content on his own blog, the one NOBODY reads. He can talk to himself if he chooses. But he will not talk baseball with us again. Those of us of Irish descent are blessed/cursed with incredibly long, freaking memories when we are wronged. We have been wronged.

You're dead to me Lisa......

The Lisa comment is a reference to an alleged Tigers fan who started in on me after the Yankees lost. I got very angry and cussed her out because 1)I've never heard her talk about Detroit before this series and 2)I never bothered her when the Yankees beat the snot of them during the regular season.

In my mind, in the world of sportsfan warfare, there are civilians and soldiers. Civilians are fans of a team who might hate a rival franchise, but aren't outwardly boastful about it. They might talk about it with their friends or write about it on their blogs. But they would never launch internet scuds via email or blogosphere. My friend Karen is an example of a civilian. She loves the Yankees and will ocassionally write of her hatred of Boston. But she never would go on Sons of Sam Horn or the Boston Globe and post nasty remarks about Big Papi and Theo.

Then there are soldiers. I'm a soldier and so is Metstradamus. We've been at war for years. From me taking particular glee when Clemens beaned Piazza to him wallpapering my wall with Rally Monkeys in 2002, we've done every horrible thing one fan can do to another. In 2004 after the collapse, He along with Brooklyn Met fan were the worst of my tormentors. I was one of his worst in 2000. Anything goes, and all is fair in love and war.

Now if I was a civilian who's gotten a pass over the years and started carpet-bombing every Met fan I knew all of a sudden. I could understand the outrage. But they know who I am. What I'm about. I make no excuses for anything I've done. I even dropped little hints about the possible storm to come after every loss. They had to know what I was planning to do.

In war, if you see an officer, you take a shot at him. When Metstra and others decided to post right after the loss instead of waiting 24 hours. I had my sniper rifle ready and took my shot.

Metstra and I had a candid phone conversation on Saturday afternoon. He wasn't angry about what I wrote but the fact that I did it right after the loss. "You couldn't give me 24 hours???", he said. He reminded me that he didn't bother me after the Detroit loss. That he gave me my space. I said that he only laid off because the Mets were still alive and he didn't want to mess with his team's karma. He denied it. I called him a liar. The conversation went south from there.

But before I hung up, I felt a little guilty and for the sake of friendship, apologized and said that the next time, I would give him until at least noon the next day until I launched an attack after the next catastrophic loss.

Looking back, I realized that that was a bad idea. Another Antoinette moment, 30 years later.

The karma issue aside, if a someone is a soldier in the Sportsfan wars, then they have no right to determine when or where his opponent decides to attack. As long as it's about the team and not personal, it's fairgame. I'm smart enough not to get on line right after an awful loss. So whether you write something five minutes or five hours after the game, it doesn't matter because I won't read it until the next day anyway. If I read it all.

If you're dumb enough to stick your head out of the foxhole, then you deserve whatever happens to you.

I got in a clean shot to the body and an uppercut to the jaw. Textbook knockout. And now, I'm supposed to feel guilty.

Never again, I tell you. Never again.

I know that I deserve whatever I get in the future. So Metstra, while I might honor your wish for a noontime embargo of hostilities....

You might want to watch out for the snipers....

Metsnarok Is Here!!!!

2006-10-20T03:03:00.000-11:00

"The bottom line is this. [The Mets] are the red-headed step-children in this town until further notice. Deal with it."

-Darth Marc, July 13, 2006

The Team, The Time, The Choke.

Struggle all you want, infidels, trying to find a silver lining in all of this.

Here's the reality of the situation. You lost to a team that won 83 games in a year where the National League was absolutely putrid. Jeff Weaver? Anthony Wainright? Yadier Molina?

Even with your pitching problems, you should have plowed through St. Louis like Sherman through Atlanta. Instead, you let Tony LaRussa and company become the National League's sacrificial lambs in the Fall Classic.

Instead of moving the runners over with a bunt, Willie Randolph must have thought Cliff Floyd had some Kirk Gibson in him.

Debbie Gibson, maybe. Kirk Gibson? Not likely.

This is like that mid-major team who has agreat season, loses in their conference tourney and whines about not getting into Big Tournament. If you couldn't beat South Idaho state, how can we expect that you'll beat Duke or UNC?

I've been accused of being condescending to the Senior Circuit. I only called it like I saw it. The American League was by far the superior league and it showed during interleague and the playoffs.

While the Senior Circuit only had one team with over 90 wins in their final four...The American League had one team with 90 wins that was on the outside looking in and three others who didn't make it that had better records than the National League champs.

Am I pissed off that the Yankees lost to Tiggers? Hell yes! Should we have beaten them. Hell yeah. But Detroit was the best team in baseball for much of the year and despite playing awful down the stretch...still had the pitching to shut anyone down and turn things around quickly.

That's what happened with us in 2000. We lost seven in a row but came back and won the World Series. Why? Pitching, pitching, pitching. When you have four quality starters and a bullpen, you always have a chance. That's what Detroit had and that's why they won.

The Cardinals and Mets? That had to be worst group of starters in the history of the LCS.

But the Mets had the superior lineup and bullpen. They also had homefield. Both teams were missing key pitchers. The Mets were missing Pedro and Duque. The Cards, Mulder and Isringhausen. No excuses.

You're no longer the underdogs Scions of Shea. You can't say that this was a great season when you lose to a 83 win team in seven games in your own house. You're no longer an underdog when you play in the largest media market and you're in the top five in payroll. Didn't work for Sux Nation, won't work for you.

I have no problem with high expectations for my team. But I love baseball and the Yankees to get so upset when we don't lose that I don't come back. I know we can't win every year, but I know as long as we're in the playoff conversation every year, we have a chance.

Do this for decade like us or 14 like the Braves and get back to me.

Your silver lining is covered in Cardinal s**t. You've just spawned another 15 books about Tony LaRussa. Thanks a lot, guys.

But I can deal with "Three Days In June, September, May.." whatever, as long as I know one thing.

This is still a Yankee town. Until further notice. Redheads take note.

Just like Ragnarok signals the end of the world in Norse Mythology. Metsnarok signals the end of another failed Mets campaign. This is even worse than 1988. At least that team had Hershiser.

Oh glorious!! I could kiss a fat girl right now!!!

Hi Joe, Hi Ed.....

Time To Take A Deep Breath...The Return Of The King

2006-10-13T16:12:00.000-11:00

One of the most overused cliche-phrases in the English language has to "Things like this help you put things in perspective." I throw up in my mouth whenever I hear an athlete say that. That annoys me as much as when I hear someone say, "I never thought like this could happen in neighborhood," .

I understand why people say it. Usually, we're so caught up into the minutiae of our lives that we forget the big picture. The things that at the end of the day that really matter.

But to quote Michael Corleone, "What's the point of a confession, if I don't repent?" And quite frankly, why should I? Acknowledging fully that someone's death is a bit more relevant than if the Yankees lost or not...I'm not going to be guilt tripped into feeling worse about a Yankee loss than the death of someone I don't know. Or if I had harsh words about someone before they passed away. Unless it was a family member or a loved one, I'm not going to feel a stitch of guilt because they died before we got a chance to hash things out. Just because someone dies doesn't absolve them from being a jerkoff.

Should I harbor a grudge against that person? No, because that would be unhealthy and time-consuming. But I'm not going to be guilt-tripped and start waxing poetic over someone I didn't like either. In times like this, it's better to make yourself scarce and not say anything at all.

When I heard the news that Corey Lidle died in that high rise plane crash in New York yesterday, I was as shocked as the next man. He's a few months younger than me so that definitely hit close home. He was a solid major leaguer who seemed like a decent guy. I'm glad to hear that the union will provide a pension and full benefits for his family even though he wasn't a member (he was considered a scab for crossing the picket line in 1995).

But all of this he's a great man stuff I'm hearing from Jeter and others sounds so disingenuous and programmed. Lidle could be a piece of work. He threw the Phillies under the bus after he came here and all but threw Torre under the bus with some of his comments on Saturday. He's been taken to task by some members of the media and not one of them should be made to feel guilty for doing so. How did they know he was going to die?

I had heard that some folks wanted to cancel Wednesday night's games because of his death. Why? As tragic as that accident was, it wasn't 9/11 and it wasn't the president getting shot. National tragedies are the reason games should be cancelled. And once we found that this crash wasn't terrorist-related, I'm sorry, but this didn't qualify.

Sporting events weren't cancelled because of what happened in Amish country last week. Or for Columbine. Professionals learn to deal, no matter how close to home it hits.

It's like this urge to retire the number of some player, no matter how average, who dies before his time. I thought it was a bad mistake for the Celtics to retire Reggie Lewis's number when he passed. And to be fair, I thought it was a mistake for the Yankees to retire Thurman Munson and Billy Martin's number when they died. Munson, I can at least understand somewhat, he was the captain and former AL MVP. But all Martin was, was an average player who had great post-seasons. As a manager, he could have been one of the all-greats if he wasn't a drunken maniac. In my mind, that doesn't warrant getting your number retired. Neither one of them is ever going to sniff Cooperstown.

Just so you don't think I'm going over the deep end...I think most of what has been said and written about Lidle has been respectfully tempered. That's good. It's nice to see that we can mourn someone's loss without turning them into a superhero.

Torre's Return

Let me start off by stating unequivocably that I'm glad that Joe Torre's back. He's the best man for the job and the man who can right the ship. I never wanted Torre fired. I just said that if he got fired, that he made enough questionable move during the Detroit series and the last couple of playoff debacles that George would be within his right to do it.

It was probably a bit harsh of me to write that I would not be sad to see him go. He was and is my favorite coach in any sport.

But I'm tired of fans being taken to task because they have the audacity to criticize Torre or (God forbid)don't think that George would have been out of line if he fired him after this latest playoff debacle.

Booing your own team is one thing. I don't think you should boo your own team. But honest and sometimes blunt criticism is the right and responsibility of every serious fan.

Yes, it's their livelihood we're talking about. But when you spend as much as Yankees fans do on tickets and merchandise every year; shouldn't you have the right to say that I think that the manager is doing a bad job? Particularly after losing three straight playoff series they should have won? We criticize the players. Why not the manager?

The bigger story that people seemed to have totally missed is not Torre's return. It's the emergence of Brian Cashman and Steinbrenner's Son-In-Law Steve Swindal as the powers behind the throne of King George III.

Five years ago, Torre would have been gone. But Cashman and Swindal were able to talk George off the ledge long enough to a)reconsider replacing Torre with Lou Piniella and b)get Joe a chance to fight for his job. Piniella might have done a great job, but you could also had a civil war in the clubhouse. Besides, Torre has a year left on his previous deal and he deserves a chance to right the ship. The last couple of years, he's managed like a man who has a lot to lose. Hopefully, he'll stop managing scared in the last year of his deal. His legacy assured and it's not like he'll get a new deal if he loses again.

The King is dead....Hail to the King...

The Departed

2006-10-10T02:54:00.000-11:00

That's the the name of the movie, that I saw after that debacle that I will not speak of on Saturday night. Best movie of the year and the best thing Scorsese's done since GoodFellas, by the way.

It's also what we'll be calling this season, Joe Torre and a host of other characters who helped make this debacle that I will not speak of possible.

Please forgive me if I'm sounding a little redundant from you might have read or heard this weekend. I've only picked up one paper and that was the Daily News Monday morning.

The irony was not lost on me that Jeremy Bonderman, the prospect thrown in to make the Ted Lilly-Jeff Weaver happen for the A's and Yankees; was the pitcher who possibly ended the Joe Torre era in the Bronx. Hopefully, the same prospect that made A's GM Billy Beane throw a chair through a wall when they picked him will end Oakland's season as well.

I've been a fan of Bonderman for a couple of years now. Jim Kaat used to say that if you've lost 19 games and they keep throwing you out there...then you must be pretty good. He was more than just "pretty good" on Saturday. He spinned a gem with nasty hard stuff that left the Yankee hitters baffled all afternoon. He more than anyone showed the world what the Yankees are right now. A richer AL version of the Atlanta Braves.

That's right. An idiot can see the parallel between the two teams. Start up a dynasty with smart trades, free agent signings and homegrown players. Dominate for over a decade because of pitching. Go the big bopper approach when the core of the staff gets old. Try to stay competitive with retread pitchers. Fail miserably early in the playoffs in successive years. The big difference between New York and Atlanta is money, so they can afford the big ticket free agents that might be available. That gives them the veil of being a championship contender, but not the horses need for a sustained run.

This is what quality pitching does for a team. It not only affects the opposing offense but the opposing pitcher as well. When your guy is putting zeroes on the board, it forces the other guy to do the same. If the other guy is bigtime, then you have a pitcher's duel. If not, then he presses a bit, tries to make too fine a pitch and you have what happened on Saturday. Bonderman was playing with house money. Leyland told him, hey, throw your best stuff, dare them to hit it. Challenge them early in the counts.

When a guy with his stuff, a mid-nineties fastball and biting slider, decides to do that, you're in for a long day unless you have a ace to respond in kind. Jaret Wright is no ace. I can't kill him for being what he is. A number five starter or a long relief guy. That's all he is right now. Maybe if we had the Wright of 1997 we might have had a chance. But that guy is long gone.

There have been questions about bringing back Wang on three days rest. Not holding him for a possible game 5. That's a question that I'll address later when I talk about Torre. But I will say this, Wang has never pitched on three days rest so it's hard to say that how he would have responded in that situation. But I'll deal with that a little later.

What happened in Detroit was not an accident. You have a rotation of young arms and a veteran pitcher who was willing to play mentor. You have a lineup that absolutely destroys bad pitching. And you have a battle-tested manager who runs a game and a clubhouse as well as anyone. As I said wrote recently, they didn't win 95 games by accident.

This Yankee debacle was six years in the making. When your minor league system only develops one quality starter in 10 years (Andy Pettitte....Wang was an international free agent) it's going to come back to haunt you. You can't continue to go to the free agent well and not expect to get burned. At some point, you're going to have to develop arms from your own system. A free agent or trade, here or there, is fine. The Mike Mussina signing was a good one for the most part. So were the moves to get Key, Cone, Clemens and Wells. But you can't keep throwing money at the problem. At some point, your scouts and farm system have to develop some arms to step in and carry the load.

It's so frustrating to see the A's, Tigers and Twins with all of these strong young arms. While we have to keep going to these retreads. You know they're going to go hard after Zito. But unless they offer him a ridiculous amount of money, I think he goes to the Mets. Think about it, he still has a chance to play with a perennial contender, he's reunited with his old coach Rick Peterson and has a chance to become a potential hall of famer facing those DH-less National League lineups. Plus, the atmosphere that Omar and Willie have created in New York is much looser than the one in the Bronx. Something that might be very appealing to Zito's West Coast flakiness.

Or he might go ahead and stay in Cali and go to the Padres or Dodgers. All the NL benefits without the East Coast drama.

But even if they do get Zito....Does a rotation of Wang, Zito, Moose (if he resigns), Johnson and Pavano (assuming he's there) put any fear in your heart? With this team's offense, it's probably good enough to stay competitive during the regular season. But what happens in the first round next year? If there is a first round, that is?

What makes the arms issue even more depressing is that Phillip Hughes, their one stud pitching prospect, is being brought along at a snail's pace. According to Bill Madden, scouts who've seen Hughes in Trenton, think he's ready for the majors, but for some reason he's still in Double-A. He was shut down after less than 150 innings of work. He should have finished the season in Columbus. Instead, Hughes is going to probably start there next year, rather than possibly getting a chance to break into the rotation. The rest of our arms are at least three years from being away.

As for the talk about Torre and the lack of intensity from the team. Well, Torre's always been stoic and his cool demeanor under fire was perfect for past Yankees teams. I don't know if it's the right approach for this one. Those nineties teams was full of young, hungry scrappers and established veterans who had no trouble getting in your face and say that you need to step it up. This team has a captain who refuses to even embrace the best player on the team during his troubles and apparently only want to be captain for players he likes. And when Torre does make moves to motivate Alex, like batting him sixth and eighth, they come off as clumsy and obvious.

Giambi shouldn't be the one telling Torre that he's coddling Rodriguez. Just as Giambi shouldn't be the one telling Alex to get big hits and that they need him. He's not good enough and he still has the stigma of being a cheater. But the problem with this team is that unfortunately, they take their cues from Torre and their captain. Two of the coolest men in baseball. Unfortunately, when you need a fire lit under your ass, cool isn't going to get it done. And if Jeter or Torre won't do it, then noone else will.

I agree with Larry Bowa when he says that if you need motivation to play in the playoffs, that you probably need to hang it up. He's right. But there's nothing wrong with letting the men know what the stakes are and articulating what it means if they lose. I'm sure the kids on the 1980 US Hockey team knew how important it was to win a gold medal. But it didn't stop Herb Brooks from telling them before their final with Finland, that beating the Russian will have meant "nothing" if they don't win the gold medal.

I know, I know. I'm dancing around the obvious question. Should Joe Torre be fired? My heart wants to say no. But when I look at the results, my head says something else. A manager can mean the difference between 10-15 wins a year. I look at this team and I say, as flawed as it might be, there was no reason why they should have lost to the Tigers. Even with their pitching limitations, the Yankees should have won this series in no less than four games. I said the same thing last year in Anaheim as well as in 2003 and 2004. Each time, the Yankees faced an opponent that they should have beaten, but for some reason did not. In each case, I thought there were things that Torre could have done to spark the team and put them in a better position to win.

Yes, the team has to perform, but in some cases, the manager has to make moves that put his team in the best situation to win. And in the playoffs, you have to get the win when it's there. Worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. If you go into with that mentality, your troops will do what they have to get it done. Look at the Red Sox in 2004. They did what they had to get across the finish line. They paid for in 2005, but they got their one. The Mets with their pitching limitations are doing it now. The Yankees need that sort of reckless abandon in the playoffs. They had that in 1996. And I'm sure they'd answer the call again if the manager were to make the call.

So as painful as it is to admit, I would not be sad to see Torre go. It's time. Grace under fire is fine, but we need someone who's not afraid to manage by the seat of his pants every once in a while. Torre used to do that when he had Zimmer by his side. Zimmer was insane but he knew the game as well anybody. Now it's almost like managing by numbers.

Having Wang go in game four is a huge risk. But if you're facing elimination, you have to go with your best guys because oblivion is just around the corner. Tomorrow be damned. Everyone's on deck, we'll figure out game five when we get there. That's what I loved about Francona in 2004. F**k playing it safe.

Say what you want about LaRussa, he's never been afraid to manage his game and noone else's. He's always thinking of a way to outfox his opponent. Does he overdue it on ocassion? Hell yeah. Does it blow up in his face sometimes. Hell yeah. But you don't win over 2,000 games in the big leagues by just being lucky.

Same with Bobby Valentine. The mind games got old, but his teams were always better because he was managing him. I don't think you can say the same about Torre.

As for what I would do about the 2007 Yankees; here's a little sampling.

If you're going fire Torre and bring in Lou, fine. But do it quickly. Don't make this out a long drawn affair. Torre deserves more respect than that.

If I were Lou, I'd fire Mazilli and make Larry Bowa my bench coach. Bowa is probably too crazy to manage the Yankees but he would a helluva number two man.

I would have a serious heart to heart with Carl Pavano and Randy Johnson. With Carl, to get inside his head to see if he really wants to pitch here. With Randy, to see if he's going to be healthy enough to help this team next year. If I found either of them lacking....buh-bye. I'd see if I could buy either of them out. If it means shelling out 20 or 30 million dollars and throwing the salary cap out of whack for a year, I'd do it. Luxury Tax be damned. The sooner they're gone, the better.

I'd see about signing Wright and Mussina. but for a reduced rate. And only if Wright would agree to come out of the bullpen. He's of no use to us as a starter anymore. But he has the stuff and makeup to be a pretty good reliever. With Moose, he'd be coming back as a back of the rotation guy. He's never been a ace. Always a good number two. Now he's a number four starter on a good staff. Aces aren't six inning, 100 pitch guys. He's a little better than Glavine at this point of his career. But not by much. If either of them had a problem with what I offered, I'd kick them to the curb as well.

I would invite Philip Hughes to Spring training to see if he's ready. If he is, he's coming up with the big club. He might get knocked around a little bit at first. But so did Melky. The seasoning would do him some good. If he's not quite ready, then I would start him off in Columbus and throw the pitch counts out of the window. He needs to learn how to get out of his own jams when he's tired. And you can't learn that by only going five innings.

I'd have Guidry and Billy Connors work with Wang to learn an out pitch. At the end of the year, he seemed to be fiddling around with a slider and changeup to strike guys out. That's what I'd have him working on all winter. Maybe play some Winter ball to fine tune some things. They say he has an amazing aptitude to learn pitches so I would definitely test that. He won 19 games this year. But to be a true ace, he has to be able to strike out more than 76 batters over 218 innings. If he's able to average two more k's a game, that's over a 140. Not exactly Clemens, but it is about what Tom Glavine has averaged over his career. And Wang throws much harder than Glavine ever did so he could quite possibly average even more. Then you have an ace. An anchor for your rotation.

If someone blows you away for A-Rod, do it. But do not give him away. If the Angels were willing to offer Ervin Santana, another top arm in their system and Scott Shields. I might listen. But nothing less than that. If you put him on the block, you let everyone know that unless they're willing to part with blue chip arms, there's no discussion. And noone who isn't either major league ready or a year away at most. No long term projects.

If A-Rod does stay. Then I'd sit A-Rod and Jeter in a room and have them hash out whatever BS needs to be discussed. No more coddling. If Jeter's going to be the captain, he's going to have to be the captain for everyone, not just the guys he likes. I might just take the captainship away just to send a message. That everyone is on notice.

I'd make Proctor the eight inning guy and Farnsworth the seventh. I'd also monitor his back in the off season and early spring training. If he goes lame again, cut him a check and tell him to bounce. It's quite clear that this guy is not heir apparent to Mariano. But Proctor has the stuff and the makeup to possibly fill the void if you don't blow his arm out. I'd also make it a priority to rebuild my bullpen. Myers and Villone are fine. And I like what I saw out of Bruney and Veras. I'd have Wright as my long relief or fifth or sixth inning guy. If he doesn't want to do it. Show him the door. When you see what Detroit, Chicago and Anaheim have done with their pens, there's no reason why we can't do the same.

I'd show Sheffield the door. I don't think he's as bad as some folks in the media have portrayed him. I just don't think he fits in with what the team should look like. He's 38 years old and a liability on defense. We don't need another DH.

I'd find a spot for Melky Cabrera. I don't know what kind of player he's going to be. But I want to find out. He's exactly what we've been missing the last couple of years.

I'd plan on Cano being my second baseman for the next 10 years. But only if a front-line starter isn't available. And I'm talking a proven commodity all star. Not Jeff Weaver.

There's not much you can do with Giambi. He just clogs everything up because he's a defensive liability. So I'd probably platoon him and Matsui at DH to get them both some rest and to get Cabrera some at bats.

As for the rotation, well, the early returns say it would probably be, Wang, Pavano, Johnson and Moose. Which is the reason why any chip you can use for pitching you should use. It's also the reason why Hughes starts in Columbus, but as soon as he's ready, I'm bringing him up for seasoning.

The long and short of it is that I'm willing to sacrifice 2007 for the future. I'd rather not make the playoffs than lose like that again.

Thank god for the Giants on Sunday.

MotherF##k The Gambler

2006-10-07T14:01:00.000-11:00

"So NOW Kenny Rogers learns how to pitch in the postseason." Met blogger Ed From Westchester.

That what every New York baseball fan is saying right now. Talk about busting out of a slump. This was like not getting laid for 10 years and then scoring a night with Halle Berry.

I purposely haven't picked up a paper or turned on the tube since last night's debacle. What am I going to read or hear that I don't already know?

F***ing Kenny Rogers pitched the game of his misbegotten career and has put the Yankees on the brink of elimination. That's all I need to know.

We all know that this guy isn't a rag-arm. But I've never seen him look that good. Not even his during his perfect game. This guy took 10 years of anger and frustration and channeled it into a masterpiece. He managed to make the best lineup in baseball look like the Bad News Bears. Without Tatum O'Neal.

Alex should take notes on this. Don't get mad. Get even.

Speaking of A-Rod, a friend of mine just told me that Torre is batting A-Rod eighth and inserting Melky into the lineup. What the hell does he expect all this tinkering to accomplish? I just don't get it. It's not as if guys aren't trying. They just stink right now. Knocking him down in the order makes it seem like he's the problem when that couldn't be further from the truth. He wasn't one of Rogers eight K's last night.

I've got tickets for tomorrow's Giants-Skins game as well as tix for a possible game 5. It's setting up to be a very great or a very horrible sports weekend right now.

At least I won't be alone on the ledge.

Grrr...I No Like Tiggers...

2006-10-06T02:39:00.000-11:00

"Everyone has a plan until they get hit," George Foreman

Now we find out what Joe's plan is....

I hate watching games at work...one, because you have actually stop watching the games and do, you know, work....two, if you lose, you have every Infidel Yankee hater miscreant (although I say that with the utmost love and respect) hoping you're going to overreact and jump off the proverbial ledge. They pop in your office asking if you're ok, like they really give two s**ts....and three, you have people who know nothing about baseball are all of a sudden, the "biggest Tiger fans in the world."

We lost a playoff game. It sucks. Series tied 1-1. Let's move on.

Games like this really show who knows anything about the game and who's a pretender.
I'm wondering what the beat writers who will be crucifying A-Rod tomorrow for striking out three times will bother to mention that Sheffield looked just as bad. But what do you do when Verlander and Zumaya are throwing in triple digits with nasty breaking stuff in mid-eighties? Nasty.

Tip your hat to them and look to Friday's game. I'm never happy when the Yankees lose, but it's not the worst thing in the world when you think about it. Every playoff run, a team needs to get punched in the mouth and mussied up to let them know what's at stake. If you're going to win a title, you're going to have to win a few games on the road anyway so you might as well get it started early.

If I'm going to blame anyone for this loss, it's Moose. He was given a 3-1 lead against their ace and he couldn't hold it. The bullpen did its part in holding the Tigers at 4-3. But he has to hold them at bay until the Yankees can scratch through a couple. 3-3 is totally different than 4-3. Zumaya and Jones were letting it fly with a one run lead. Don't know if it's the same if it's tied. Moose has to hold them at bay there.

This is why real baseball fans should install a media blackout for all local tabloids for the remainder of the playoffs. There's nothing useful you can learn that you can't get off the internet sites. And without the negative spin. In spite of their recent struggles, Detroit didn't win 95 games by accident. They were the best team in baseball for much of the season. Much better than anyone in the senior circuit except for the Mets. The only team to give them serious pause this year were the White Sox and the Yankees. So while all this best lineup ever stuff is nice. That's a good baseball team over in the Motown. I would have love a 11-2, 10-1, 9-0 sweep, but with the way they pitch, that probably wasn't going to happen.

On the flipside, now the Mets are up 2-0, and the whole world is shocked. Why? They're a superior team playing in a weak league. They should be beating up on the Dodgers. Pedro gone and so is El Duque, who is 900 years old. So what? They still have enough to get through these pitiful teams. The Dodgers are the best of this sorry lot. Do you honestly think that the Padres or the Cardinals can beat the Mets in a seven game series? Please. They didn't win 97 games by accident either.

The first real test the Mets will get will be in the Fall Classic. Where any of the remaining AL teams can hold their own or beat them. Not to say they should overlook anyone. But if they stay focused, there's no reason why they shouldn't be in their second World Series in six years.

Even with the Death Star lineup, the Yankees were going to have a tougher road. Every AL team left can pitch, hit, run and close out games. Braeden Looper isn't the setup guy in any of these games and Jeff Weaver isn't starting any of them either. The Tigers and A's have the deepest rotations left in the playoffs. The Yankees should have enough pitching to win, but they are going to have to bludgeon their way to a few wins. With arguably the best playoff lineup ever and Mariano Rivera, noone is going to cut the Yankees any slack if they don't win it all. Nor should they.

But they shouldn't expect a cakewalk either. I could see the Twins winning tonight and making a series of this, just as I can see the Yankees being taken to five games. This is a legitimate four horse race.

So while the press clippings are nice, I'm sort of glad the Tiggers gave the Yankees Jimmy Walker lips yesterday. This team has always responded well when challenged or cornered this year. No reason to think why they won't respond favorably tonight. Kenny Rogers has never pitched well against the Yankees or in the playoffs. Why should they let him start now?

Hail Yankees. Hail to the Empire. Get off the ledge.

Captain Clutch Successful In First Wave Of Assaults

2006-10-05T13:05:00.000-11:00

Thats the devil, they always wanna dance. Snoop

And that's the way you begin a playoff run.

When you're at the deep end of the pool, you better know how to swim. Not to say that the Tigers don't have some fight in them. But I don't think this Yankee team is going to let up on them for a minute. This team is on a mission. I think it's going to be even worse tonight if Verlander doesn't bring his best.

I'm a little concerened with the LaRussaitis that seems to have inflicted Joe Torre during game one. Wang had a bumpy middle, but seemed to have settled down by the seventh. He had retired six straight batters when Torre came with the hook. It was going to be his last batter since he was at 90 plus pitches. You're up 7-3, why not let him finish the inning?

I would have had a problem with it even if Myers didn't give up that bomb to Granderson and Proctor didn't scuffle a bit. Anytime we can conserve our bullpen is a good thing. Proctor's logged over a 100 innings this season. Farnsworth has a balky back. Mo has a finicky elbow. I don't expect complete games out of the starters. But if we have comfortable lead and the starter seems to be in a groove, let him finish the inning instead of bringing him in in the middle of a frame.

Let me understand something; if you hit the ball hard three times and end up with one hit, you're struggling? I understand getting on A-Rod when he's stnking up the joint. This pitting A-Rod's day against Jeter, Abreu or anyone else's is demeaning to the readership and will lose more readers than gain new ones.

I would have been so pissed if I had tickets last night. And I would have had a serious case of the flu today...cough, cough.

More later...game's on...

The Death Star's First Stop: Tiggeran

2006-10-03T18:43:00.000-11:00

Tiggers are wonderful things.

As long as they don't look like that after Sunday.

I was surprised to hear Sunday from my friend and diehard Detroit fan YDB, that we were playing. I was sure they'd win the division and start the playoffs at Comerica against the A's. I thought that their Cinderella story would end in the ALCS at Yankee Stadium in a week or so. A nice way for the season to end for a fanbase that's been starving for a winner for a while.

Now, on top of their late collapse that cost them the division, they're going to be the first postseason victim of the Yankees Death Star lineup. Sad, quite sad.

A lot is being made of Alex Rodriguez batting sixth in the order. This is a bad thing? You can invert that damn thing and it wouldn't matter. I believe Joe when he says that he wants to split the lefties up. But I also think Torre did this to give Alex a little kick in the ass for the beginning of the playoffs. Give him some food for motivation. A pissed off A-Rod is not something an opposing pitcher wants to see this postseason.

Detroit's rotation concerns me to be sure. Even Rogers. I know everyone wants to dog him after 1996 and 1999. But he was hurt in 1996. Plus, Leyland, being the great manager he is, decided to pitch him at home rather than at Yankee Stadium. I think he always planned to do this. Which is why he threw him in relief on Sunday.
I'm just glad we don't have to see Oakland until the second round. In a long series, I think we win. A short series is a lot harder to predict, particularly with that rotation. Zito just outdueled Santana and he doesn't even have the best stuff on that staff. Whoa.

This postseason is not a given for the Yankees. I love our lineup and bullpen. But if we had one more starting pitcher that could give us a consistent seven, I'd be ready to book a trip down the Canyon of Heroes. It's now going to be more of challenge for New York with two starters and a gimpy Randy Johnson.If you want to be mad at someone, get pissed at Pavano. Having another experienced postseason arm on the roster could be a huge difference maker. Ask the Mets.

More later...off to the game.

Told You Not To Laugh

2006-09-30T16:42:00.000-11:00

This is why I held off on laughing at the Mets pitching predicament.

Thanks to Sheff and company last night, the Bombers were able to secure homefield throughout the playoffs. An important advantage when you consider both Wang and Mussina thrive in the Bronx.

We got another glimpse of the Death Star lineup and the potential havoc it will wreak in the postseason. Posada's two run shot in the eight might be considered as a garabage time shot by some. But with the precarious position Johnson's possible absence put us in, the Yankees have to be prepared to win some ugly games.

This is why the Yankees are bringing along Philip Hughes very, very slowly. It's nice having the money to use for free agents, but they have to start looking from within to fill their pitching problems. I'm not sold on Zito or any of the free agents out there. And after Wang and Moose (provided they pick up his option), we don't have one starter that you can hand the ball to and not cringe. I didn't include Johnson in that equation because you have no idea what to expect from a 43 year old with creaky knees and a bad back. After your 35th birthday for a baseball player, it can go downhill quite fast. Ask Bernie Williams. Unit is on borrowed time right now. Genetic freak or not.

He could end up turning back the clock this postseason. It's not as if the Twins, Tigers and A's will be confused with the Big Red Machine. But when it's gets to the point where you don't know what you're getting from start to start from a guy. It's time to explore other options.

The Corey Lidle/Abreu trade is looming very large right now. If Unit goes down, Lidle is the number four guy. Even with Johnson pitching, I could see Joe using Lidle as a long relief guy.

The Yankees still have enough talent to win. With or without Johnson. But every game is going to be a struggle if the pitching is spotty.

Two Possible Previews

2006-09-29T08:10:00.000-11:00

Kris Benson was the first of what the Empire hopes are many victims this fall to this Death Star lineup.

However, Daniel Cabrera gave Yankee fans a glimpse of what a good pitcher can do when he's on his game. And why the playoffs can be such a crap-shoot if you don't have solid pitching.

Granted, that wasn't the Death Star lineup out there since Jeter and A-Rod were out. But they had more than enough firepower to win last night. They've won this year with less.

That's why the Randy Johnson situation is such a cause for concern. You want to go into the postseason with no less than three solid starters, preferably four. If Unit can't go, it gives us Wang, Mussina and some serious question marks afterward. Anyone who saw Jaret Wright in the 2004 postseason with Atlanta knows that he's hardly a lock to get out of the third inning, much less a quality start. And I don't even want to think about if it gets to Corey Lidle.

That's why, as much as you as you might hate Pedro and the Mets. Be careful before you laugh at their recent misfortune. There but for the grace of Palpatine, go the Yankees.

And they might not be as bad off as you might think. It's not as if the 2001 Diamondbacks, the 2003 Marlins or the 1995 Braves are on their horizon. This year's Senior Circuit Playoff roster is very, very weak. With El Duque, Glavine, Trachsel and Maine, they probably have enough to get through two rounds with their strong bullpen. They would have their hands full in the Fall Classic even with Pedro pitching. But they should have enough to get there provided Duque's arms doesn't fall of and Glavine's elbow doesn't explode.

Don't forget the 2002 Angels. They hardly had a lights out rotation, but they had a relentless lineup and a rock solid bullpen. The Mets lineup is better than that lineup and their bullpen isn't as good but its better than most. They'll be a very tough out for whoever faces him.

However, with the pitching rich AL, the Yankees, the clear favorites, won't have an easy ride. Johnson has to be able to give us something for us to guarantee that we get through two rounds and the big dance. Having this lineup gives us some wiggle room if one of the starters is less than stellar. But I'd rather have the insurance of Unit and win a few games 9-3 rather than 10-7.

This Toronto series is huge. It looks like we're guaranteed at least the number two seed. But I would love that number one seed for the ALCS.

More later....

Wang Wins As Jesus Saves

2006-09-23T03:30:00.000-11:00

I don't need to say who I'm talking about now do I?

It was nice to see the boys win with half the team resting and Wang winning his 18th. But it was even sweeter to see Mo Christ strike out the side for the first time in over three weeks.

Call me blasphemer if you want. I'm already damned for a lot worse than that.

I had a feeling that they were just being extra cautious with Rivera since they had a big lead. If there's an opportunity to give him three weeks rest before playoffs begin, why not do it?

But still, you don't if someone is ok until they perform. So it was nice to get that first one out of the way. And just in time. I don't if anyone has taken a look at the updated standings. But there's a new sheriff in town and he doesn't live in Queens. Having Mo back means we can fight for homefield throughout the playoffs while getting him some needed work. It's nice when things come together like that.

The other event in this game was the return of Gary Sheffield and the way he handled playing first. You figure that his timing at the plate would be a little off. But that will come soon enough.

What impressed me was the way he handled the routine plays at first. Including a couple of nice scoops out of the dirt. Having Sheffield would mean that the Death Star offense we've all been waiting for would be complete. A team where you have Bernie, Melky, Wilson, Cairo and Guiel as your bench. Not bad.

A lineup with speed, power and patience at the top. H-bomb explosiveness in the middle. And solid professional hitters at the bottom. No holes. No little ducts to shoot photon torpedoes down.

The problems come on when they're in the field. Matsui is adequate in left, but doesn't give you arm strength that Cabrera has. And neither Sheffield nor Giambi remind anyone of Donnie Baseball.

If they can give us average defense, what we get in offense more than makes up for it.

Nice to see Wang get another W tonight. He was using his changeup and slider as an out pitch to get some K's. I doubt that we're seeing the second coming of Bob Gibson, but it would be nice to see him strike a few guys out just keep batters honest.

I would love for Torre to tease us with the Death Star a couple of times before playoffs begin. Come on, Joe! Please??

Same As It Ever Was....Dom Anyone?

2006-09-21T18:21:00.000-11:00

Actually, "Once In A Lifetime", is probably a more appropriate title for this post. Since, that's all the joy Red Sox fans will experience from their team.

Thanks Twinkies. Hey Papi hope you enjoy that 50th homer. You and Manny get reminisce about it on some golf course in the D.R this winter.

I wasn't disappointed in the least that the Yankees didn't clinch by winning Wednesday. I wanted to win the game more so because they haven't beaten Doc Halladay in a couple of years. Also a sweep would provide even another dagger in the heart of a division rival, beating them with three rookies when they pitch two of their best.

This was not backing into the playoffs. When you're up by 10 plus games at the end of the season, that's called inevitability. Even if you lose a few, at some point, so will they. You don't all of a sudden start playing well in September and win a pennant. Unless you're playing in an awful division. You win divisions by what you do in the preceding months. So the Yankees and their fans should feel zero guilt about winning the division with a Boston loss rather than a Yankee win. The groundwork was laid in blood, sweat and ass-whippings in July and August.

Now we have the best possible situation. The ability to rest guys and set up your rotation, while still going after homefield. I hope the skipper doesn't underestimate the importance of sleeping in your own bed for the majority of these games. It seems the team has taken it upon themselves to keep line moving by playing well even Torre rests a third of the regular lineup. But clinching now gives Torre the ability to try Sheffield at first base while Giambi rests his wrists.

Speaking of Giambi, interesting shitstorm this A-Rod article has created, huh?

Here's my take on it. First of all, the article written by Tom Verducci shows why he's one of the best in the business. Very thorough job. The access he received for this piece was impressive. The Yankee clubhouse is a very tough nut to crack.

As for the content, credit Verducci for being able to spin new material on an old subject. I'm hearing varying opinions on the Giambi factor. Lupica thinks he should shut up while my friend Karen thinks that Lupica should shut up. They're both scratching their head over why an admitted juicer welds so much clout in the clubhouse. Enough to tell Alex to get his head out of his ass.

Personally, I'm glad he did it. Would it have come off better from a PR point of view if Jeter, Posada or Bernie had done it? Yeah. But Giambi has always had the rep of being a great teammate since his Oakland days. In spite of what happened with him sitting out of game 5 of the 2003 World Series, missing much of 2004 season with a pituitary tumor and his admitting to taking steroids during the BALCO grand jury. He still holds a lot of weight in that clubhouse. Is it a tribute to Giambi's perseverance and personality or it a bad judgement on his teammates part? Who knows.

But Alex needed to hear what Jason said and the fact that he's responded by playing better is all that matters in Yankeeland. As for why an admitted cheater should still have the juice-no pun intended-to do it....it goes back to something my mother taught me as a kid. People might forget what you do for them or to them. But they never forget how you make them feel. The Yankees like Giambi and when people like you, they'll give you the benefit of the doubt for just about anything. Anything.

As for Alex, he'd be better served by just shutting up and playing. Let his play speak for him. They'll love you when you win. I don't know about you, but I'd rather be powerful than popular.

Those Good Type Of Problems

2006-09-15T16:53:00.000-11:00

Before I talk baseball, I want to send my condolences to Yankee announcer Michael Kay, who lost his mother recently. While he is been a punching bag for me and other Yankee fans, the loss of a parent is a traumatic experience. All the best to Kay and his family.

I also wanted to plug a couple of new blogs created by my friend Adam aka Brooklyn Met Fan. He's started two blogs for football season. Brooklyn Giant Fan and Brooklyn Jet Fan. I'll contributing something for the Giants blog along with some other writers. So take a look if you're interested in some good football writing.

The last two nights of baseball at the Stadium show that the Yankees, like Marlo on the Wire, has those good kind of problems.

It has to be a little disheartening for an opponent when Torre sits three of his starters and the lineup they face is still intimidating. To say that the Yankees have an abundance of riches is an understatement. A treasure chest that will

Here's the potential lineup without Sheffield...

Damon
Jeter
Abreu
A-Rod
Giambi
Posada
Matsui
Cano
Cabrera

Scary. Now take a look at the lineup with Sheffield...

Damon
Jeter
Abreu
A-Rod
Giambi-DH
Posada
Matsui-LF
Sheff-1B
Cano

Borderline illegal. Now obviously, there are some defensive challenges that have to be negotiated by Torre. Cabrera has brought a lot to this team, including range and a strong arm in left. But you can't discount what a healthy Matsui brings to a lineup. Call it overkill if you want, but without a viable fourth starter and an uneven Randy Johnson, you might have to slug your way out of the first couple of rounds. Plus Sheff came up as a 3B/SS so the learning curve for learning first might not be as great as you think. Noone expecting Keith Hernandez or Donnie Baseball. But with Giambi seemingly unable to play the field consistently, Sheff could be a viable option at first.

All this is hypothetical, of course. Saint Torre has to be the one who works through all of this. One thing that shouldn't be a factor is Sheffield's attitude. Hopefully, Gary will understand what's going on and not cause any waves about this.

One more pet peeve....I wish Chris Russo would stop trying to speak for Yankee fans. I hate when he goes on about "The Yankee fan feels this...The Yankee fan thinks that." How would you know? He hates the Yankees!! That's like Elton John trying to speak for George Clooney and what he likes in a woman.

Pro athletes are some of the biggest p***ies alive.

I can't think of a group that refuses to take responsibility to say and do more than these jerkoffs. Even the best of them try to play "the media misinterpreted my comments" schtick. Even when you have them on tape saying it, they try make like someone is twisting their words.

This Ortiz-Jeter thing is the latest example of this sort of punkass way of owning up to your mistakes. If Papi had said, "Hey I'm frustrated by the way this season has gone. I shouldn't have mouthed off like that about Jeter. Everyone would have forgiven him and all would have been forgotten. Instead, he goes the Barkley route and tries to blame the media.

Hey Papi, the Eddie Murphy "It wasn't me" act doesn't work.

This is why I love Jack Nicholson. Always keeping it real even on film.

Massacre Part two...weather allowing...begins tonight.

Bobby Brutality's Smooths Godzilla's Return

2006-09-13T18:25:00.000-11:00

This is getting really ridiculous. I really wish they wouldn't tease us like that. You know they can't possibly keep bludgeoning people like that.

Seriously, when you see that Jeter and Abreu will have 100 RBIs for the season with less than 20 homers and that Matsui is batting eighth in this lineup, you realize how scary good the Yankees are right now. And as if the rest of baseball didn't hate us already, Sheffield is also scheduled to come back this week. Now you have a log-jam at DH-LF-1B. Chris Russo was going nuts earlier about the glut of offensive riches the Yankees now have compared everyone else. You know you're doing something right when the President of the Yankee Hater Crack Committee starts his rants.

Personally I think Cabrera has earn a spot in the lineup. He's a better defensive player than Matsui with a stronger arm. He also has done enough offensively to justify his continued presence in left. If we win or lose the World Series, it won't be because Melky started instead of Hideki. The Yankees have the best lineup in baseball as is. Matsui and Sheffield are luxuries at this point. Pitching, starters and bullpen, will save the day in October.

This might sound strange, but bludgeoning opponents right now is the best possible thing for the club. Not because of the obvious enjoyment Yankee fans get out of blowouts. But blowouts mean less pressure on the rotation and the bullpen, which means more rest for your front line guys. The best of both worlds would be to make a run for homefield and still be able to rest guys. I don't know if they can do it, but homefield could be huge in the hunt for blue October.

Sports writers are idiots. I'm watching Around The Horn right now and several of these idiots are still picking the Twins to win the AL pennant. Now I love Johan Santana. I love the way Mauer and Morneau have developed into studs. And I've always loved Torii. But without Radke and with Liriano's elbow exploding on the mound today, there's no way they're running the gauntlet.

I in no way wanted to see Liriano go down. I don't want any excuses from the crack committee of haters out there when we beat teams so they can't say, "Well, if so and so were playing...." That and the fact that he's so fun to watch when he's on his game. It's a shame that he's probably out for the year.

More later....

Captain Cool Responds

2006-09-12T12:12:00.000-11:00

“Why would I care?...I don't have to do it in his lineup . . . I'm not thinking about the MVP right now. We're thinking about winning the division. No one here is focused on individual awards." Derek Jeter on Ortiz's MVP comments.

If you ever wanted to know the difference between the Yankees and well, everybody else, Jeter's response to this foolishness encapsulated it.

Ortiz's whining proves that the Sox have truly raised the white flag on this season. Being the team player he is, I doubt he would be complaining about the MVP race if they still had a chance to make the playoffs.

Ortiz has some legitimate beefs with the way the MVP vote is judged. But do you think he's going to change any minds by whining about it?

On the contrary, now the Nation, being the cannibals they are, have turned on their beloved Papi for his whining. Noone does angst like the losers in Red Sux Nation.

Jeter scored big, by stating the obvious and leaving it at that. Whether or not he wins the MVP, he's been the most valuable Yankee. And that's all that matters.

Johnson got a gift last night and he knows it.

But hey, Steve Traschel has been winning like this all year so I have no problem if Johnson gets a couple of wins like that.

It was to see them come back in a game where the stakes were almost non-existent. It means that homefield is on the forefront of their minds. Hopefully it stays there.

Nice to see A-Rod get a dinger against a brand name reliever in the ninth. I'm glad that he decided to sit out when he was sick instead of trying to play sick.

Godzilla returns tonight. Giambi plays first. Could get ugly.

First Scud Launched From Red Sox Nation

2006-09-11T16:17:00.000-11:00

"They're talking about Jeter a lot, right? He's done a great job, he's having a great season, but Jeter is not a 40-homer hitter or an RBI guy. It doesn't matter how much you've done for your ball club, the bottom line is, the guy who hits 40 home runs and knocks in 100, that's the guy you know helped your team win games. Don't get me wrong -- he's a great player, having a great season, but he's got a lot of guys in that lineup. Top to bottom, you've got a guy who can hurt you. Come hit in this lineup, see how good you can be."

Red Sox DH David Ortiz, on Derek Jeter's candidacy as an MVP candidate.

Wow....Big Papi uncensored. Now we know who one of the players who voted Jeter as the most overrated player in the game was a while back.

As harsh as it might be, it's a legitimate argument that Jeter's had to deal with since he's come into the spotlight. It's essentially the same thing A-Rod said several years ago. We'll see if he gets the same grief that Alex has gotten over the years.

It comes off as sour grapes from Ortiz but is there some validity to it? How good would the Yankees be if we didn't have Jeter? I don't know, nor do I want to. Jeter has been a very important piece to the Yankees continued success. But the team was already on the rise when he began his first full year in 1996. There's a good chance that the Yankees win that year without Jeter. But the bottom line is, he was there and there's no way of saying that wouldn't have won.

Is Jeter a franchise player? Yes, but what he brings to a team is much harder to quantiify than OPS numbers. The best way to describe his talents is that's he's the guy you want when your team is on the cusp of being great. He's not the sort of talent that you build a new team around. You'd want a big bat or a front-line starter for that. But he is the guy you'd want if your team is like that 1996 team. Make sense?

And by the way, Papi isn't a franchise guy. Manny is. It's funny how noone ever calls him on the fact that he hits in front of Manny. Manny's always going to get his 35-120. Let's see what young David would do without that protection. I understand he's angry that his team has gone into toilet and that he's going to lose the MVP award again. But get mad at Epstein, not Jeter.

To the victors go the spoils. It's always been this way. If your team wins, the players on that team are always going to get better press. Has Jeter benefitted from this? Yep. Has his stock become inflated because he plays with the Yankees? Yep.

But when your team falls apart in August and you miss two weeks with a heart murmur, you lose the right to complain about MVP. Your team went from 1 1/2 back to 6 1/2 back in a weekend. With you on the team. They could have gotten their ass kicked without you.

But I doubt the Yankees could have survived this year without Jeter. Without A-Rod's struggles, Matsui and Sheff's injuries; Jeter carried that team along with Giambi. Now with the team getting healthy and the Abreu acquisition, the Yankees have run away with the division. None of that happens without Jeter having the year that he's had.

Are his numbers typical MVP numbers? Nope, but you can't give me a player in the American League that has been more valuable to his team than Jeter has this year. Combine his leadership and his all-around baseball ability, and you have to give him serious consideration for the award. As valuable? Yes. More? Hell to the no.

There's more to winning ballgames than offense. Papi should know better considering what his team has gone through this year.

Speaking of victors and spoils, take a look at the standings....

NY Yankees 85 56 .603
Detroit 86 58 .597

I'm not going to sit here and say that I didn't think it was possible back in June. It's a long season and stranger things have happened. But it's nice to know that the Yankees now control their own destiny. I know Torre wants to rest the regulars, but I hope he doesn't blow off the opportunity for homefield like he did last year.

This news makes me sad.

Kitty has been by far my favorite announcer/analyst in any sport. In my opinion, he's the best baseball analyst in the game. He has the ability to be critical of a player or a situation without scolding anyone. He also can play the nostalgia card in a way that pays tribute to the past but doesn't belittle today's game or player.
And he hasn't fallen in love with his voice unlike some analysts who can't allow a moment to breath.

The Yankees fans who watch the games on TV will feel the void that his retirement creates next year. I like Kenny, Leiter and Flaherty, but I'm gonna miss Kitty.

No A-Rod? No Giambi? No Problem....

2006-09-10T20:24:00.000-11:00

Because we've got Jeter, Wang, and Wright.

A couple of points before the Giants game begins.

Wang should get serious consideration for the AL Cy Young this year. Johan Santana probably won it with today's performance against the Tigers. But he deserves to finish in the top three or five in the voting. Doesn't matter how he gets guys out. All that matters is that they go to the dugout empty-handed.

Jeter's having a great month but I wouldn't be surprised if Jermaine Dye wins the MVP. Particularly if the Sox win the wild-card. He will probably win the batting title unless Torre decides to rest him down the stretch.

The Orioles will never again compete for a title until Peter Angelos sells the team.

Wright should be the game four starter in a playoff series, if the situation warrants. He deserves it. He hasn't gotten through the seventh inning in a start, but he's a battler who will keep you in the game more times than not. 10 wins this year. That's 10 more than we got out of Carl Pavano. They could do a whole lot worse than Jaret. He has better stuff than Lidle and has more playoff experience. The Yankees should also consider exercising his third year option.

10 games up, 11 in the loss column and 11 as the magic number. Nuff said.

Orioles As Yankee Killers...

2006-09-09T11:56:00.000-11:00

Wow, never thought that I'd ever write that. EVER.

Seriously, they have some nice young arms in the rotation and the bullpen. With Mazzone coaching them, they could be dangerous in a couple of years.

Too bad Peter Angelos owns the team. They could actually be a threat someday. He'll find a way to trade them for a box of rocks or another aging DH. It's just a shame that he hates Steinbrenner. Maybe we could benefit from his baseball retardation.

When I saw the Bedard/Lidle matchup for last night, I figured that this might be a good night to run some errands after work. Bedard is a tough southpaw and Lidle is, well, Lidle.

Nice to know I still have my touch.

This is what being a back of the rotation guy means. You alternate good and bad starts. At the end of the year, it comes out to being a .500 record with an ERA in the fours. Add Camden Yards to the mix, I'm not surprised.

If Wang loses today? Then I'll be a tad bit pissed.

Can't say much about the game, because I didn't get back until the seventh, and it was already 8-2. Nice jack by Craig Wilson off that rookie. When they said he hits lefties, I thought that meant he hit left-handed adults. Not zygotes.

More later....

In The Darkness Of Night...

2006-09-07T11:19:00.000-11:00

This was posted very quietly yesterday....

9/6/06 Carl Pavano-Transferred from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list.

Talk about a deafening silence. Wow.

The Yankees are in the same boat they were in with Giambi over a year ago. It's going to be tough to move him without taking on a significant portion of his salary. And if you get a taker, what would you consider a fair exchange? You're certainly not getting equal value for him. I doubt someone is going to trade their top prospects for damaged goods. Noone not taking serious anti-psychotic medication. Anyone who saw last night's no-hitter and last night's Red Sox game will know the danger of that gamble.

I've heard whisperings that Pavano has a problems with taking responsibility for his actions. But I had no idea it was this bad. Even if he was cleared to play, would you blame Torre for not trusting him in a big spot? If it's game 5 of the ALDS, we're up 1 in the seventh, and he has to face Thome, Konerko and Dye to get out of the inning, do you trust that the Sox don't put up a crooked number on us?

Neither do I.

This was the Yankees way of saying, "We don't want to see your ass again until next year. Get your head straight and maybe, we'll call you."

What a waste. Of talent and money.

Back To Reality

2006-09-07T02:01:00.000-11:00

After a long hiatus, I've updated my Imperial Sports Page so take a look when you get a moment.

It's never fun watching your team get shut out for one of the worst teams in baseball. Having a nine game lead cushions the blow a bit, but it still sucks.

I suppose, taking a half-full point of view, getting Moose through the game healthy was the primary purpose. But after tasting blood Monday night, I got into a bit of a frenzy. I wanted more. Tuesday made me realize why nights like Monday are so rare. That even the worst major league pitchers are going to find a way to get hitters out.

Thankfully, Randy Johnson righted the ship with help from Jorge Posada.

I've been hard on Posada in the past and his catching. But he's having his best all around season. That throw to third to nail DeJesus in the seventh was huge. He's been nailing guys all year trying to steal all third. Whatever Tony Pena's done with him should be trademarked and mass produced.

Posada is clearly one of the four or five best backstops in pinstriped history. But is he a Hall Of Famer? If he plays four or five more years, he might have a fighting chance. Playing in the AL, he can DH, which means that he could get to 300 homers and 1000 RBIs primarily as a catcher. If he does, when you combine the four rings (one as the primary catcher) and six pennants, his numbers would stack up quite well against other HOF catchers. Could be an interesting debate in the future.

Johnson is no question, a first-ballot guy. But can he still be the man? He'll have his moments, but I don't you'll see the Johnson of 1995-2004 anymore. But he's still good enough to anchor a championship team if they can hit like the Yankees.

Of all the potential playoff teams and their top three pitchers, I like our guys the best. Santana and Liriano are the most dominant duo. But Radke or whoever they throw out drags down that staff in a big way. If they make the playoffs and Liriano can't go...they're one and done.

The Yankees staff, in my opinion, is the most balanced. And if Randy can keep the guys in the game, the Yanks have a chance to win their first title in six years. I'm not going to put too much credence into last night's start because I've seen this movie before. But the fact that he's pitching instead of throwing is a good sign.

Now on to Baltimore. They've got some payback coming to them.

I'll never say this again. But I'm glad to see Big Papi back on the field. He's too important a player to lose right now. Great ambassador for the game.

Now if he can only hit .220 against the Yankees....

You Can Hate Me Now...But I Won't Stop Now and I Can't Stop Now...You Can Hate Me Nowww!!!

2006-09-05T01:50:00.000-11:00

Yankee fans, if you ever wondered why the baseball world hates us....tonight was exhibit A as to why.

This was a classic Torre giveaway game. Wang had a mediocre start and the Yanks couldn't touch Hudson for seven innings. Rather than bring out the big guns to minimize the damage, Torre opts for a struggling Villone and TJ "String" Beam. They promptly allow the lead to expand to five. Torre has this "Hey, if we win, fine. I want nothing to do with it" look on the bench. The Royals would continue to be the spoilers of the AL playoff race.

What happened in the eighth inning was straight ignorant. Just wrong. There was nothing cheap about it. It was assasin-type efficiency. They turned a well pitched game by the Royals into a farce in a half hour. This was Bret Hart putting Steve Austin into a sharpshooter, getting him to tap out, but not letting go until he passed out from the pain. This was Sonny Corleone getting caught at the toll booth. This was Ali carrying Floyd Patterson for 12 rounds just so he could punish him for calling him Cassius Clay.

They turned a potentially huge win for the Royals into a mind-numbing beatdown. 7-5 would have sufficient to get their point across. You win the game after being down four, but it's not as if a six spot is unprecedented.

10 runs is Bill Munny shooting Little Bill, pissing on his grave and nailing his wife.

But this is what the Yankees are supposed to do. People are going to hate you anyway so you might as well give them a reason. Pile on whenever you can. Let the field know there are a no giveaway innings. That unless Torre takes everyone out, if your pitching is lacking, it will be exposed eventually.

How awful must it have been for the Royals to watch that, on top of hearing "Let's go Bernie" and "MVP, MVP!" chants for Williams and Jeter during that rally. I could care less. I giggled like a school-girl watching.

I'm loving the approach of this team. This doesn't come from the manager. Torre was shocked at what happened...shaking his head in astonishment during the post-game. This is a team on a mission. With purpose. Yeah, I know it's KC. But this is what the teams in the late nineties used to do to bad pitching. No breaks. No giveaways. Feast on the weak, break even or better with the good teams, you win a 100 games. It'll be hard to do that this year because Torre is determined to sit guys as soon as everything is locked up. But they might try in spite of their manager.

The test to my theory is what Moose and Unit do in their starts. If they can keep the line going, it'll be interesting to see what approach they take in B'More. The O's have been playing the Yanks tough this year. I'm anxious to see if the Yanks can put an extended win streak together to wrap up the division with a couple of weeks to go and put the infidels out their misery.

Heads up, I'm going to start writing on my Imperial Sports Page tomorrow. I have an interesting rant to start things off. I'm also helping Brooklyn Mets Fan with a new page he's starting called Brooklyn Giants Fan. I'll keep you posted on when we start.

First Tiggers, Now Twinkies...Who's Next? Ho-Hos?

2006-09-04T06:30:00.000-11:00

"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the architect of Pearl Harbor after the sneak attack.

I'd apologize for the delay in posts, but since I do have a life to tend to and I'm not being paid for this....

While there is some debate about whether Yamamoto actually said those words, there is no question that the quote can apply to great athletes in their prime as easily as an Industrial Power like the United States. Better to just let sleeping dogs lie. Piss them off enough, and there'll be hell to pay.

A-Rod's recent tear tells me that he's having his personal chef cook some shit sandwiches for the media to be distributed if the Yankees win a World Series. Get ready to take a bite, Lupica.

It could be a very scary September if he keeps this up. I love how people say that he hits meaningless home runs. Talk to any major league manager and they'll tell you that no homerun is meaningless. If you have a decent offensive team and you're down 5-1 in the seventh, you still think you have a chance. Someone hits a three run jack that makes it 8-1, you're thinking about what clubs you're hitting tonight.

Or let's say you're up 11-1 and your bullpen burps and all of a sudden it's 11-9. Are those homers meaningless now? Particularly when you're facing these deep AL lineups. No lead is safe. What the NL calls piling on, the AL calls Full Coverage.

That's why having Alex right is so important. Because you never know when the tires go flat on the bullpen Volvo and you need someone who can change a spare.

I like a 2-1 win as much as anyone. I enjoy a well-pitched game. But in the AL, where some teams have 8-9 hitters with 15-20 homers and catchers hitting .350, it's not a bad idea to have guys that can drive themselves in.

10 years ago, teams like the Twins, Tigers and Angels would be considered offensive powerhouses. Now they're average to slightly above average hitting teams. It's the reason why as happy as I am that we beat Detroit and Minnesota four out of six this week (should have been five), I didn't get the same feeling of giddyness as I would the White Sox, the Mets or Boston when they were healthy.

Against those teams, I'm flipping a coin on whether we beat them four out of seven. The Tiggers and Twinkies? I like both teams, but I think even with Liriano and Maroth healthy, we find a way to win a short or long series. Seriously. I think for all our flaws, that this lineup when it's right is the best in baseball hands down. And it could get even deeper if you throw Matsui and Sheff in the mix. I think our pitchers will pitch well enough to win.

An angry pissed off A-Rod is exactly what we want going into October. We want him with a chip on his shoulder. Not too big that he doesn't relax, but big enough to want to prove a point.

This year for Alex could be like Reggie's in '77. Rodriguez didn't have it as tough as Reggie did. The manager and the Captain of the team couldn't stand him and neither could most of his teammates. The fans got on him as well. So when Reggie struggled that year he had to come out of it all on his own. Three homers later in October. He's the definition of grace under fire.

A-Rod and Jeter's "professional" relationship aside, A-Rod doesn't have nearly the problems with the team as Reggie did. But he does have a lot to prove in terms of whether he can perform on the Fall Stage. Let's hope this tear is the start of something good for Alex and the Yankees.

Now they're off to KC, who have been playing Giant-killers lately. The top of the rotation is scheduled for the three game set which means that the back is scheduled for Camden Yards this coming weekend. With the way Karstens, Lidle and Rasner pitched this weekend, I'm a little less worried about a let down against the O's. This could mean that we can finally go on a little winning streak. One that would cement the east and enable Torre to rest some guys. It will be interesting to see what happens if Torre sees that the Tiggers are in striking distance for homefield. Does he make that extra push or does he rest guys and stay content with the second seed?

I think it will depend on what Oakland does. If they're close, I think Torre makes the push. If not, then he rests guys and goes into the playoffs as the second seed unless Detroit burps. The way things are set up, the Yankees wouldn't face Oakland in the first round regardless if they're one or two. They're guaranteed to face whooever win the Wildcard (Chicago or Minnesota). So why run the risk of getting guys hurt when you don't have to play them?

Personally, I'd love to see them get the first seed. But I can understand why Joe would exercise caution in this case.

Some Of You N***as Is Bitches Too....

2006-08-31T00:52:00.000-11:00

Jacking NWA's lyric seemed apropos after reading this little diddy about Carl Pavano and his latest brainlock.

Unbelievable. This guy already has zero credibility in the clubhouse as the locker room rumblings allude to in the article. Even if he does come back from this, you really have to question what you'll get out of this guy for the stretch run. Say what you want about Wright or anyone else on this team. At least they're out there competing. This guy hasn't been seen in over a year and whenever it looks as if he's ready to come back.

There's always something with this guy. Why would you hide getting into car wreck? Noone is going to fault you for getting you for hydroplaning into a truck during a rain storm.

Unless there's something you're not telling them, which the Yankees are looking into now.

I'm so annoyed about this Pavano thing, that I can't even make fun of Big Papi's problems. Normally, I'd love to take a couple of digs at the Nation and their hero. But say this about him, at least he's out there battling. He's one of the few reasons why that team was in the race as long as it was. It's almost no fun to watch that team collapse with Ortiz and Manny there.

Almost.

But I can't kill Papi when there's a guy on our team who finds a new way not to compete. At least their guys are trying. This guy is playing bumper cars with trucks. Idiot.

But it is fun watching their team implode...ain't it sports fans?

While Schilling got pounded on the East Bay, Wang cruised through the best team in baseball.

This is how done the Red Sox are this year. The Yankees gained a game in the standings without playing a game in two days. They were up eight and a half games with a chance to be up nine with a win in the nightcap.

Damn you Craig Monroe. God damn you to hell.

I really want to blame someone for this loss. I sooo want to get on Torre for this. But I can't. Proctor threw one pitch in game one and was coming off two days rest. This was totally on him. But I will say this, has Torre lost complete faith in Farnsworth? He's the one with closer experience. I understand that he gave it up against the Tiggers the last time they faced off, but this was perfectly set up for his arrival. No dice. Call me a greedy Yankee fan but I really wanted a sweep to send a message to Motown and the rest of the league.

I'll say this much for the Tiggers; whenever you're ready to write them off as a serious contenders, they win a game like this. I have no idea how far they'll go, but I'll say this much....they're gonna be a tough out.

They can pitch and they get timely hitting from their offense. Are they a dominant team. Not even close. But they are for real.

And if they do win it all, I will sing the Tigger song, YDB. That's a promise.

More Later...

This Team Must Be Pretty Good.....

2006-08-27T01:42:00.000-11:00

For their best player to suck so bad.

If Big Papi, Manny, Pujols, Howard or Vlad were to suck as bad as Alex has over the last week, I doubt they're able to avoid a six game West Coast sweep, much less go 2-4 with a chance to win every series. The only team I can see surviving with their big star struggling are Mets and Beltran. Their lineup is balanced enough to get through some games with Carlos scuffling.

But I can't see anyone winnning it all with their best player stinking it up through October. Get it, Alex? This shit has got to stop.

He looks as bad as Giambi did early last year. Taking pitches down the pike, almost hoping to get walked. And there are no breaks upcoming with the Tiggers and Twinkies in New York for six games. I'm hoping he breaks out of it this week because it's getting painful to watch his at-bats. I'm squeamish like it's a bad horror flick or something. Call it Evil Dead: The Bronx.

Bernie turning back the clock along with Jeter being Jeter was enough to hold off the Halos in spite of Proctor and Farnsworth rather giving natures. But the way we touched up their starting pitching this weekend, we should have won that series. A timely hit here or there, we sweep and win the season series for the first time in four years. That team is not that good.

I agree with Torre in his assessment that the team was running on fumes after the Red Sox series. That probably played a part in Alex's struggles along with his illness. But sleep is the cousin of death this time of year. They have a chance to put the Sox away, secure a division title and a playoff spot in the next couple of weeks. They also have a chance to send a message to two potential playoff opponents. They miss Santana and Verlander next week, so there's no reason why they can't win both series. 4-2 is more than reasonable to expect out of this homestand.

You think everyone on the South Side of Chitown isn't a Yankee fan this week?

Speaking of Chicago, I almost forgot to write about my latest visit to the Windy City. I knew that I was going to be in Indy for a conference a week and a half ago...so me being the diamond junkie I am, I looked to see who within driving distance had a game going. The baseball gods smiled upon me when I saw the Cards were facing the Cubbies at Wrigley Aug. 18-20th. So I decided to call in some favors and get some seats for my third visit to Friendly Confines. Cost me a few bucks, but I figure it was more than worth it.

While it wasn't my first visit to the North Side, it was my first Cards-Cubs game. I figure that since there was no way I could be at Fenway for the Yanks-Sox five game set, the next best thing is Cubbies-Cards, right? Before I get into my answer, let me say, that every fan of the game must visit Wrigley at least once in their lives. After this trip, I might make it an annual event like Camden Yards. It's hard to believe that there's somewhere more fun before, during and after a game than Wrigley Field. The surrounding bars and restaurants in the area are packed before and after the game. The park truly is the Friendly Confines. Only Fenway can hope to match the feeling of intimacy you feel when you walk into the park. It's the closest thing to a little league park, and I mean that in a good way, that you'll get in the majors. Nothing comes close. Nothing. Outside of the obstructed view seats, there isn't a bad seat in the house. And even they aren't that bad. The fans and the staff are some of the friendliest in the majors. And despite it being one of the whitest parks in the majors, I never felt uncomfortable one moment I was there.

As for the the actual baseball, well, that's another story. I can see why the Tribune folks could care less if the Cubs are competitive. That Park is a friggin cash-cow. People come for the experience and the party atmosphere. Very few actually give a damn about the game. They're getting crushed by their arch-rivals 11-3 and you would think the score was 2-1. It's sort of sad because if you decided put a competitive product on the field every year, their fanbase would multiply by 1000. It would be harder to get tickets for a game at Wrigley than anywhere else in the majors. And that includes Yankee Stadium and Fenway. Combine a winner with that park and neighborhood, they become the Yankees Midwest.

Right now, though, I don't want any of this garbage about how this is the best rivalry in baseball. Not even close. Yankees-Red Sox is the best rivalry in the game and one of the five best in all of sports. Name me one game or series in the Cubs-Cards that had the stakes and dramas of 2003-2004 ALCS' or the 1978 Playoff game? Name one. After Yankees-Red Sox game, I can't imagine Sox fans coming into Yankee bar en masse and partying with pinstripes. Would never happen. I got more grief wearing my Charles Woodson Michigan Jersey than any of the Cards fans in red regalia. I understand that I forgot that I was in Big Ten-Notre Dame Country and Wolverine blue gets no love in the Windy City (Even the usher gave me grief)but why am I getting more grief than some hick wearing a Pujols jersey?

Thankfully, the North Side vixens came around and realized that a baseball deity was in their midst.

They're a good people, Darth
They just need a light to show them the way
For this reason, I have sent them you, my only son...

Maybe there's something to missionary work after all....heh, heh, heh...Class is in session, beyotches. The Dark Lord is all about higher learning...

Hey YDB!! You know who you are. Start practicing this gasface this week. Get ready to bow down, youngling....

55-51....

2006-08-26T22:39:00.000-11:00

I know what I said the other day about resting the bullpen, losing the battle to win the war. I understand the season-marathon-sprint analogies. Seeing the big picture and all that.

But why do these analogies always come into play when we play the damned Angels?

I see what Torre is trying to do. He wants to get Bruney and Dotel some work 1)to give Proctor and company some rest and 2)to get them in meaningful situations to see if they'll be useful in the stretch run.

But a five game lead isn't 15. A point I'm sure Joe is cognizant of with a little over a month left in the season. I appreciate Joe wanting to give his key guys a blow. But giving away all the momentum gained in the sweep in Boston can't be underestimated. The Yankees get swept and Boston win the next two in Seattle, the lead is 3 and a half. Hardly daunting with a month of baseball left on the calendar.

For once, I agree with Kevin Kennedy. Sit Alex tomorrow. He's not helping anyone collecting golden sombreros. And he's the last person you want as a DH, if he is not hitting. At least playing the field, he'll have something else to preoccupy his thoughts. If I were Joe, I'd tell Alex to fake a sickness and stay in his hotel. Get an early flight back to NYC and spend some time with his family. Get himself right for next week's series against the Tiggers and the Twinkies. Two potential playoff previews at home. Give him a couple of days off with the travel day to recoup.

I never thought that I would welcome the possible return of Carl Pavano. He's apparently looked great in his rehab starts and could be back very soon. Lidle showed today why he's a back of the rotation guy. I can't get angry at the guy for today because that's all he's ever been. Some starts when his breaking ball and off-speed stuff is working, he looks like he did against Boston Monday. Other days, it's extra batting practice.

When a batter knows you can't throw the ball by him and your breaking stuff isn't sharp, he's going to sit back and wait for a pitch to hit. You can't do that with Pavano. Even he's on a pitch count and can only give us six innings, I like him better than Lidle or Wright. We'll see if I'm right or if he makes me look like an ass again.

I had an interesting discussion with a friend of mine who also works in media last night. She's someone who's opinion I've always respected so I always enjoy bouncing things off her to see what she's thinking. Last night, it was the preoccupation of the New York Media of all things A-Rod/Jeter and their relationship or lack thereof. The latest instance was Mike Lupica's column last Saturday.

I asked her why is this news? She brought up the preoccupation with the bloggers and sports radio on the subject and while you might not like Lupica, you have acknowledge that he did a good job on such a divisive subject.

Maybe I'm not the target audience for columns like that. Not because they're negative. I can take bad news about my team. I'm not one of these fans who look at their team with rose-colored glasses and is shocked when all of a sudden I find out that my favorite players are (gasp!) all too human. I watch professional sports because the men and women can do something only one percent of one percent of the world can do at their level. It's the same reason I go see a live music show or a museum for an exhibit. To see the best of the best on display.

But while I admire these people for their skill and ability, I don't hold out any chance that I would become friends with these people. If I had the opportunity to meet them, I'd hope that they would polite and civil but nothing more than that. Though in this day and age, asking that out of normal folks much less celebrities seems to be asking a lot.

People think that might be a cynical way of looking at things. Not at all, I've always been more of a glass half-full guy than half-empty. But I put these guys on pedestals like my rose-colored brethren do. I agree with Barkley, your role models should be the folks who are in your every-day life. Not someone you admire on television or in the papers. So when I hear about an athlete like Derrick Brooks and his charitable works, I'm like good for him. Nice work. But nothing more.

However when I hear about someone like Albert Belle, I say "What an asshole". And nothing more. Why? Because being a pro athlete doesn't make one immune to being an asshole...anymore than it makes one more apt to do good works. They're people just like their fans. They're not gods.

But unfortuantely, the media feeds into this black/white, rose-colored attitude that many fans have about sports and their athletes. Anyone with any sense of history (which most fans don't have) know that to the question over whether the Yankees win a title, Jeter and A-Rod's relationship is inconsequential. Gehrig and Ruth were not friends. DiMaggio did not have many friends on the Yankees. Munson and Jackson were cordial at best at the end of Munson's life. In 1977 and 1978, Munson along with Billy Martin threw him under bus every chance they got. The media tried to create the story that Mantle and Maris did not get along(which was not true). But even if it was, it would only be relavant if their discord got in the way of team results on the field.

Ultimately a team's success is based on the talent of the team and their professionalism. Just like any sucessful business, a team can have guys that hate each other. As long as they conduct themselves as profesionals and do their jobs, they'll be sucessful.

But because we choose to view athletics in a cartoonish, naive way, we choose to give relevance to a tree instead of the forest as a whole. If the Yankees win a title this year, will Derek and Alex's relationship still hold relevance? Chances are, if they weren't hanging out before the World Series, they won't be afterward. Will Lupica and company still write Sunday columns on it?

A big part of the problem is the explosion of new media outlets and the need for more and more content. Newspapers have to find a way to keep up with television outlets and the internet. So they have to give the public something only they can write. What complicates things is the fact that the Yankee locker room isn't exactly the most media friendly place in the majors.

Read Roger Kahn's books like October Men or The Boys Of Summer. There was a camraderie and trust between players and the press that seems like fantasy in today's climate.

You can see it these days in smaller markets. I was drinking with buddy of mine who covers a major league club in a small market when the club came to the city a few months ago. He brought one of the starters from the team with him for a night out on the town. They were doing what American males in their twenties do, telling crude jokes and chasing skirts. Nothing out of the ordinary for a night in NYC.

But can you imagine Giambi, Jeter or any of the Yankees breaking bread with their media counterparts? The Yankees keep the media at arms length. They make players available for pre and post-game, but don't think you're getting something to win you a pulitzer.

But can you blame them? Every story is turned into a scandal or melodrama. I keep hearing about how in New York, you don't have one season. But rather 162 seasons. But whose fault is that? Is it the fans or is the media feeding the frenzy?

Would I like to see my team have a more open relationship with the fourth estate. Yes. How that happens? I have no idea. Maybe when Steinbrenner dies, things will lighten up a bit.

Until you see Jeter having to deny that he's gay in the tabloids, that is....

Hating The OC Right Now....

2006-08-26T16:04:00.000-11:00

Just hating it...

Outside of their bullpen, nothing stands out on this team. Their starting pitching is good but not great. Their offense is average at best. The defense is the worst in the league. Yet noone gives us fits like the Angels. We're 51-54 against them during the Torre era, even when this team is a longshot for the playoffs.

Thank goodness, for small blessing I guess.

A-Rod was this close to capturing a platinum sombrero last night. He actually did get it over two games because he struck out to end Thursday's game and four straight to begin Friday's game.

Alex, if you're sick sit out until you're better. You're not doing anyone any good by going out there until you're ready. He tried to do it earlier in the year and it took a month to get out of the slump. Sit your ass out until you're better. Stupid, just stupid.

Dotel got squeezed last night. That should have been strike three last night. Instead, it was ball three and a full count. He gets that strike out, we get out of that inning and possibly win the game. The ump's strike zone last night was all over the place. Horrible job.

I'm out...Kevin Kennedy and Jeannie Zelasko are blowing Derek Jeter right now, which means the game is about to start.

More later...

TGI Tirades

2006-08-25T20:02:00.000-11:00

Before I get insomnia-inspired rant, Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe, wrote an interesting column on what it means to be a fan these days. Pretty good read.

I'm really trying to look at the glass as half full these days. On one hand, it's never a good thing to lose two of three to the Mariners. But thanks to Wang and Johnson's extended work Wednesday and Thursday, we didn't have to use Mo, Farnsworth or Proctor for three days. Rest, they desperately needed after the Boston series. With an off-day Monday, you can use them for all three games of the Anaheim series starting tonight.

Yeah, you lost a game in the standings and losing to Washburn sucks. I have no idea why a team that destroys left-handed pitching scuffles against a stiff like this. But with Manny banged up and the pitching situation still iffy, it's going to be hard for Boston to go on an extended winning streak. While we have the back of our rotation going, it's not as Lackey, Saunders and Santana are Glavine, Maddux and Smoltz. We should be able to score runs against them. And with all hands on deck in the bullpen, I see no reason why we can't take two out of three in this series.

Some housecleaning...it looks like my nemesis ,Metstradamus, took issue with my post where I say that he and his brood are obsessed with all things Yankee. Here's what he wrote...

This is why I hate you

(I know you love it when I lead off my comments with that.)

First off, you certainly mention the Mets A LOT for someone who "doesn't care". And if you don't believe me, check your own archives.

And as usual, Darth Marc, you seemed to have completely ignored what I actually wrote and instead read every fifth word and inserted your own interpretation of what I wrote.

I didn't get on Carlin for injecting Derek Jeter's name for MVP consideration. Because the fact is, he SHOULD be considered and I always thought so. And he's more in the forefront after the five game sweep.

Read the Carlin quote again. He is arguing that there should have been an outcry that Jeter should have won an MVP BEFORE this season. This of course, is the kind of revisionist history that HBO basically used to award them the 2001 World Series with their documentary, and it will run rampant when Jeter retires.

Carlin completely ignores the fact that Jeter never had an MVP worthy season with his numbers, and that 2006 is probably his best statistical season by far.

Because people can't talk about Jeter in the here and now. They have to go completely over the top with him like those boobs at FOX basically devoting their whole pre-game show to him with this Chris Myers interview when they had TWO MVP candidates playing that day. But of course with FOX, it's all about Jeter, all the time...even BEFORE his clutch hit against Paplebon.

So yes, it makes me sick. Sue me.

For that reason, there's no way shape or form that Jeter will finish any worse than second for this season's MVP. First if the Red Sox miss the playoffs. And that's fine. It will piss me off but it would be legit. But let's not act like Jeter has ever been "robbed".

(But your NL MVP rankings are on the button.)

I did read what you wrote, Metstra. Maybe I should have been more specific in addressing Fatboy Carlin's remarks. But what I was trying to say in a general way was that Carlin's remarks were said to spark the sort of outrage that you expressed in your post...and to fall for it, much less address it...is a waste of time and space.

Jeter has been a very good to great player for the the better part of a decade. But I can't think of any year where he's been robbed of the MVP. There has always been someone who has clearly been better and more deserving.

Besides, he doesn't put up the type of power numbers that attract voters. To overcome his lack of power production, he'd have to hit over .350 with 220 plus hits, win a batting title, steal over 50 bases and score 120 plus runs. In other words, be Ichiro in 2001. Plus he'd have to hope that there wasn't a big-bopper on a contending team that had eye-popping stats. Like Ichiro in 2001. His principle competition was Jason Giambi and Mariners teammate Bret Boone. But the fact that Seattle won 116 games that year and the fact that Giambi won it in 2000, probably helped Suzuki pull it out.

Jeter career averages; .316 BA, 18 homers, 83 RBIs, 207 hits, 123 runs scored and an .849 career OPS...puts him in Cooperstown as one of the great table-setters of his generation. But it doesn't win him an MVP or even give him cause to whine about it.

Carlin (an admitted Yankee-hater) is trying to make a name for himself, so he throws the Jeter thing out there to get buzz. My point is that smart baseball people should be smart enough to see through that and let it go. Instead, he get you mooks, hook, line and sinker.

Hope Chris enjoys Mook-fish for supper.

This little whine-fest after The Empire's destruction of Castle Grayskull killed. It's courtesy of the deluded infidel who calls himself Fenwayparked....

Well,
I was kind of surprised to find you alone with your thoughts as I visit today. Here to take my lumps as it were hoping at the same time I might find a sliver of light that might perhaps guide me to a true, intelligent discourse on the grand old game.
I was also wondering if this is how Yankee fans felt after Game 7 in the '04 ALCS. You remember that don't you?
The acknowledged except for here perhaps the greatest comeback in sports history.
I also want to note that there was not one reference to the Red Sox injury situation in you musings. When the Yankees were something of a MASH unit it was a topic often discussed here.
Manny pulling a "No Mas?" I heard he had dinner reservations w/ Mussina and his sore little groin.
Boy, I'm starting to sound small here. The one thing that did surprise me as game 5 ended was the reaction in the dugout.I've always felt Joe Torre was a class act. Celebrating like that? I expect it out of Bowa the classless little runt, but not Joe.
And read up about the Boston Massacre will you? The British won the day but not the war. The Bostonians were Patriots standing up to another "evil empire."

First off, 2004 is history...you won, we lost. It's over and done with. I asked Infidel Nation in 2005...let's see you do it again. I'm still waiting for an answer. Not only did you fail to win the division last year, you got swept in the first round. On top of that, you have to be talked off the ledge after Damon and company ran through you like Sherman through Atlanta. Manny goes No-Mas and leaves the reservation. Epstein being burned in effigy. Fun times.

And then you have the gall to whine about Torre's celebration in the dugout after the sweep. Please. There was nothing over the top about what he and the Yankees did Monday. It was a long exhausting series and he was happy that it was over. Managers aren't allowed to smile or pump a fist after a win? I've seen a lot worse and from members of his fraternity.

If you want to whine about something Fenway, whine about why your front office did nothing to improve a team with more holes than John Karr's story. Not a manager, who rarely shows emotion, who has the audacity to smile and enjoy a huge series win.

This isn't the American Revolution, and you idiots aren't the resistance. It's been 88 years and you're still under our thumb. 2004 didn't change a thing. The French aren't going to save you, either. They play soccer, not baseball.

Why I Hate West Coast Games....The 2006 Edition

2006-08-24T04:13:00.000-11:00

Before I start my rant, you have to watch the best thing that NESN has had on the air in years. Thank you, Denis Leary and Lenny Clarke.

You can file Tuesday night's loss under taking one for the team. For Villone and Wright pitching in relief. And for me having to stay up watch this buzzkill.

Because Torre is determined to get some rest for his position guys and the bullpen in this 21 in 20 bataan death march part of the schedule....L's like this are gonna happen. I've banged my head against the wall over losses like this in the past. However, post-concussion syndrome and intensive psychiatric treatment has made me realize that this is about winning the marathon not the sprint. So in the hope that I can inspire Pavlov's pooch to end the cycle of emotional violence, I'm going to try and take Tuesday night's loss in stride.

Besides, with Red Sox Nation collapsing like Troy, it's wise that Torre is resting his guys when he can. It would be nice to increase the lead, but six and a half games right now to the Sux and their pitching staff might as well be 15. Better to get your ship in order for the stretch run than overextend your guys for one win.

Especially when the late season buggaboos start rearing their antennae. Looks like we know what Alex's problem has been. He's got cooties!!!

Sweeping those five games gave them some breathing room in the standings. They now control their own destiny. They're probably not catching Detroit for top seed in the AL. They're five games ahead of Oakland which means it would take a significant slide on our end or run on theirs...for things to flip. Which means things will probably remain status quo for the time being.

That being said, It was nice to see Wang right the ship Wednesday. He had been scuffling a bit, particularly on the road. But the Mariners are a good matchup for him so their stop at Starbucks Central came at a great time. 15 wins? Very nice for his sophomore campaign. It's funny how he's done that under the radar. Probably because he doesn't strike guys out. It's a shame that good old fashioned pitching doesn't get the same press that strikeouts and homeruns do these days. The point is to get batters out, how you do it is irrelevant. I've talked about wanting Wang to develop an out pitch to complement his sinker. The reason being, is that hitters know they'll get strikes when facing him. If he's off his game, he's going to get pounded. A strikeout pitch would keep hitters honest and make them less likely to sit on a fastball.

That being said, it's a shame, he's not getting his due. Am I saying that he's Santana or Halladay. No, but he is a big reason why the Yankees have the third best record in baseball. That should count for something.

Whenever the Yankees surge like they have recently, you can always count on a couple of things. One is a rant from the Scions of Shea. Thanks Metstra, for not letting me down.

Let me go on the record, by saying this.....Carlos Beltran should absolutely be in the conversation for NL MVP. He's put up comparable numbers to Pujols and Howard, while playing a premium defensive position. He's probably not going to win because, 1)their numbers are slightly better across the board while playing on inferior lineups(at last check, the Mets have a pretty sick lineup) and 2)anti-New York bias along with the country's love with all things Pujols probably means Beltran finishes second...third, if Howard and the Phillies win the wildcard.

Is it fair? Maybe yes, maybe no. But you have to ask the question, are the Phillies in the wild-card without Howard? No. Are the Cardinals in first place without Pujols. Hell no!

Now are the Mets in first place if Beltran is putting up his career averages instead of these monster numbers? My guess is that, yes they are. However they probably don't have the second best record in baseball. A factor that should ultimately work in his favor.

Then again, these are the same idiots that voted Ichiro, AL Rookie of the Year and MVP one year, and decide to give Angel Berroa the Rookie of the Year a couple of years later over Hideki Matsui, because they decided that Matsui shouldn't be considered a rookie. Forget what the rules say. We're the writers...WE RULE!!!

What kills me is that Metstra and his brood continue to get their panties in a bunch over the fact that Chris Carlin and company have decided to insert Jeter's name into MVP consideration. The fact that Carlin is an unabashed Yankee-hater who's trying to generate interest for his show so he can get from under Imus' boot probably never dawned on these mooks.

There is no figure who's more polarizing in the New York Sports scene than Jeter. And mentioning his name on the Flagship station of the Mets is guaranteed to generate buzz. Looks like Pavlov's pooch has season tickets at Shea.

For the record, I think Beltran has a better chance of winning the MVP than Jeter does. I think he's more deserving as are several candidates in both leagues. Here's how I would stack it.

AL MVP
Ortiz
Mauer
Thome
Liriano
Papelbon
Jeter

NL MVP
Pujols
Beltran
Howard

That being said, it kills me how this team's fans are still so obsessed about all things in the Bronx. I haven't written one line about Glavine, Green or Pedro lately. Know why? This is a Yankees blog and I don't care!! As a baseball fan, of course I'm aware of the goings on around the league. But I'm more focused on the Yankees pennant race rather than hypothetical MVP races and Wanna-be Francessas who are trying to make a name for themselves. Call me an arrogant Yankee fan, I don't care. But being fan is about loving your team not hating someone else's. Something some Mets fans have failed to grasp.

As for his digs about the mini-marathons the Yanks and Sox played this weekend....all I can say is this, welcome to Yankee baseball baby. Working counts and pitchers over is what they do. Get used to it, whoever you face in the World Series will probably give you a first hand lesson in that practice as they beat you in five games.

I think what irks the Mets fan the most is that they know that they won't be able to prove their worth to the baseball world until the Fall Classic. and that if they fail to get there, in a year where the senior circuit is putrid, that the entire year is a failure.

Welcome to what it feels like being a Yankee fan. You guys are whining after one year of this, talk to me after a decade.

The Met fan in his heart of hearts also knows that their last chance to face a championship-caliber team in the regular season was during inter-league when they faced the Yankees, Boston and Toronto(a team, btw, as dysfuctional as they are, that is better than every team in NL except for the Mets...but ask yourself, who would you rather face in a seven game series....Halladay, Burnett and Lilly with Ryan closing out or Martinez, Glavine and Tracshel with Wagner in relief? Interesting question to ponder. Martinez and Glavine are HOF bound, but Halladay is the best of the bunch right now. That would be an interesting seven games).

Nobody's saying that the Mets wouldn't crush Boston in their current condition. But when they were healthy and wreaking havoc during interleague, the Mets looked like Boston against the Yankees last weekend. The Mets went 5-7 against those teams. The finale being put on A-Rod's highlight reel to Cooperstown. This Cardinals series is a good barometer for what they can expect in the NL playoffs. But they have no clue what awaits them when they have to faceoff versus Detroit, Chicago, New York or Minnesota in the Fall Classic (Sorry A's fans, I don't think Oakland has enough offense to get there....and Halos fans, you're five games back).

It's the same reason why the big conference teams like the ACC, Big East, SEC and others usually dominate the NCAA basketball tournament. They're so used to playing a high level of competition during the regular season and tourney play, that they're ready for the big tournament.

Sometimes, it can work against you because you're beat up and you exert so much energy to get there. But more times than not, your game is so honed, that you look like the Red Sox in 2004. Adrenaline takes over.

Right now the AL is the Big East or the ACC. The NL is Big Sky conference or the WAC.

But come October, will the Mets become UNLV circa 1990-91? Or Gonzaga?

Stay tuned.

"It's not fair. Those guys are not playing around..." ``This whole series has been a nightmare."

2006-08-22T08:21:00.000-11:00

No, David...they aren't. And yes, it was.

Six millions way to die, Papi. Choose one.

Apparently for tonight's loss, they went with pitching duel. Didn't go too well for the infidels.

The best part of the Sux losing like this is the reaction of the "Nation". Noone does angst like the folks in New England. I don't know if it's because of the rabid, claustrophobic media situation which is more intense than New York in many ways or the fact that New England is the most literate section of the country. But whatever it is, it's highly entertainining to read and watch what's going to come out of the "Nation" in the next few days. Take a look at this picture courtesy of the Boston Dirt Dogs.

Pick up the Globe, the Herald or ProJo to see what I'm talking about. Read Bill Simmons on ESPN 2, that is if he's not become a complete soccer mom and stops writing about the English premier league, then this could get very interesting.

I wonder what the Nation will have to say about Manny pulling a Roberto Duran? Francona will never throw him under the bus, but you have to wonder...

I'm ecstatic that the boys are playing to their potential instead of the opponents. But I need more. I want expect nothing less than a 4-2 roadtrip on the Left Coast. I don't think that it's unreasonable. I know that the Angels give us fits and Seattle isn't the Royals, but I feel it's time for the Yankees to start flexing their muscles and show what potential playoff opponents can expect.

Six more games boys til your next day off. Keep it going til' then...

More later.....

Death Takes A Holiday In New England

2006-08-21T02:59:00.000-11:00

Figures I had to be in the Midwest watching Cubs-Cardinals Friday, when the carnage began. Outside of the the first couple of innings of games 1 and 2 on Friday, I missed all the action from the 2006 version of the Boston Massacre.

Until Sunday night.

To quote Terry Funk, "What else can you say but ouch?!?"

Not to be non-chalant about what's happened this weekend. I'm as excited as the next member of the empire. When your chief rival throws their ace and their closer at you to stop the bleeding and still can't get it done, I giggle just a little thinking about the infidels pulling out their Brady jerseys because they've written off the last six weeks.

But sports fans, this is what the Yankees are supposed to do to a team like this.

Take a look at the Yankees and look at the Sox. Boston is a team surviving on fumes right now. They have one decent starter and one reliable guy in the bullpen. That's it. The middle is a big mess. The Sox are a better defensive team this year, but they don't have enough offense to compensate for what passes for pitching in New England these days. Joe Morgan was dead-on tonight when he said that the Yankees massacre mediocre pitching. What do you think they do bad pitching?

See exhibits 1-4 from this weekend.

Personally, I would have thought that anything less than four of five this series would have been a disappointment. This is what Schilling was talking about in June when the Yanks were banged up and he said that they should take advantage of it by building a big lead in the standings. Problem was, the Bombers did just enough to stay alive in the race. They got healthy, made some moves like the Abreu trade while Epstein and company did almost nothing at the trade deadline as his team got banged up.

Epstein might have to change his digits to an unlisted number if this continues.

I'm loving the fact that they're not letting up on the infidels. To complete the sweep by beating Fat Boy Wells today won't knock them completely out of the playoff mix, but it'll take a 2004 type comeback to get them back into the conversation.

If they lose this afternoon, they could be five games out of the wild card and six and half out of the division race. With six weeks to go, it gives them plenty of time to make that up, but as banged up as they are, no victory is a given. They're going to have to hope the teams ahead of them cool down while they try to scratch out every victory.

I'm never going to completely count out any team with Papi, Manny and Schilling. But the Yankees, White Sox and Twins are flat out better than Boston right now. I would take the Angels and A's over them right now.

They throw everything they had at the Yankees this weekend. They had late inning leads on Friday night and Sunday. And they have nothing to show for it.

I don't care who you are, that has to wear on a team. I know folks want to bring up 2004. But 2004 didn't happen by accident. The Yankees had nothing left in the tank pitching wise and the Sox took advantage. Now the tables have turned. The Yankees are getting healthier and could have reinforcements coming in September.

It's not double digits, but I'll take it for now. I can't wait til the 'Nation rebels against Tito and company. They love eating their own.

Why is this a story?

Who care if they like each other or not? I don't know of anyone that likes all of their co-workers so why should we hold them by a different standard?

Let it go, Mike, let it go....

Catching Up After Chi-Town

2006-08-16T02:46:00.000-11:00

Sorry the delay in posts...I was totally wiped out Sunday night when I got back from Chicago (more on that later) and my cable/internet went on the fritz Monday night so I'm way behind.

After a very competitive series against the Chi-Sox last week (one of the best this season), the Bombers suffered their predictable let down to the feisty, but inferior Angels. Unit and company were able to salvage a split in the four game set with a 7-2 win over the Halos last night.

What is it with the Yankees and the Angels? I understand 2002, that team had a relentless lineup that mirrored the Yankees, an adequate rotation and a killer bullpen. I can understand why that team gave us fits.

But this team is a shell of that old team. Yes, Vlad is better than anyone on that 2002 team. But he doesn't have any protection because Anderson and Salmon are shot, Troy Glaus is a Blue Jay and while Juan Rivera has turned into a nice player, he doesn't exactly put the fear of god in anyone. When Orlando Cabrera is hitting in the three spot, you've got problems. Their once solid defense is one of the worst AL right now so it's not as if we're looking at the '69 O's infield gobbling up RBIs.

But this team continues to gives us the epilepsy as Jerome from Manhattan would say. Why? Starting pitching is part of it. Despite losing Colon for the season, their rotation is actually better this year thanks to the rookies Saunders and Weaver. The Yankees are 5-7 vs rookies this year...an annoying trend that's continued over the last few years.

I like Scoscia as a manager, but I seriously doubt that he's the difference-maker when the talent gap is as big as it is now. Is it psychological on both ends? That's probably as big a factor as any. They are in the Yankees heads and they know it. Thank god they're four games out and their black magic doesn't seem to work on the rest of the league.

I suppose we should be happy with a split all things considered. However, with Boston floundering against any team with a pulse, this is a prime opportunity for the Bombers to put some distance between them and the infidels. Too many crazy things can happen in this upcoming five game set so I would feel more comfortable with a few more wins in hand before we head to Castle Grayskull. Hopefully the Tiggers can help us out. Because of course, Tiggers are wonderful things....

Thankfully, this week has started off a lot better than last week. As great as the ChiSox series was for the casual baseball fan who likes pennant races....It sucked for the average Yankee fan. To add insult to injury, I was present last Thursday night in Chicago. When I had the misfortune of waiting through an hour-long rain-delay only to watch A-Rod and Melky help Moose to a early 4-0 hole. We make Vasquez throw a million pitches but only manage scratch out two runs. It seemed like the bases were loaded every friggin inning, yet we let the stiff escape. Melky hits a two run bomb off of Sox wunderkind Brandon McCarthy to make it 5-4...but we get no closer despite a couple of hits off of Bobby Jenks in the ninth.

My punkass friend Willie aka General Zod was with me for the first few innings until suburban life summoned him back to his prozac-filled existence (He couldn't miss the last train to West Bubblefuck). He moved to Chicago about a year ago and all he does is whine about how much he misses the New York Sports scene and the Yankees in particular. So you'd think that since this is the first Yankees game he's attended in over a year that he would plan ahead and find a way get hom in case the game went late? As a Yankee fan, he should know that the games usually go long, right?

Hell, no...this weasel left because his "wife had the car to take their son to karate." and he had no other way to get back to the sticks. Weak, very weak. If I ever get like that if I ever have kids. Shoot me. Just walk up to me and shoot me. The baseball gods will thank you.

No worries, because despite their tough reputation, the South Siders were a pretty civil lot. Unlike their cousins on the Northside who are basically there to drink and hit on girls, these folks actually were paying attention to the game. They were a little overwhelmed by all the Yankees fans there who were matching them cheer for cheer, but for the most part they held their own.

They seemed to be more animated during the Yankee series than they were for Detroit series. The fans were much louder for that last Yankee game than they were for the two Tiger games I saw on Friday and Saturday. Part of it was because the Yankee fans were much less bashful about rooting for their squad. There were a decent number of Tiger fans in the crowd, but even before the games, they were pretty quiet. After it was over, you would have thought they were mimes. ChiSox fans and their team represented their city well last weekend.

Too bad I can't say the same for their stadium or the silly gimmicks.

I can see why US Cellular Field gets a bad rap from folks around baseball. It was the first of the new wave of ballparks built in the 90's and unfortunately, it pales in comparison to vitually all of its younger counterparts. There's nothing overtly wrong with it, except for the fact that there's nothing that would want to make you go there if you weren't a ChiSox fan.

It seems bigger than it really is, in part because while many of the new parts built their fields below ground level to give the park a more intimate feel...Cellular is as straight as an arrow. As a result, not only is there less seating than the new parks, it feels like you're further away from the action.

But I could live with the experience if the park was the only problem. Apparently noone's told the Reinsdorf and company that they're the champs. Because they continue with silly gimmicks that you would expect out of the New York-Penn league much less a major league franchise.

The fireworks after every home run or win, the silly rally song from 1959 after every run scored. The Elvis night promotions...it's enough to want to make you vomit. What happened to good old fashioned cheering?

I don't know if Chicago is still a Cubs town, but I'll say this, as long as Wrigley's still standing, they'll always make more money than the South Siders. Tourists go just to see the park, to hang out and drink at the bars in Wrigleyville. When you're on the South Side, you go to the game and you go home. That's it. It's like Shea in Central time.

Real Chicago baseball fans might be White Sox fans, but they better hope the Tribune folks never get a clue and decide to bring home a consistent winner, because if they do, The White Sox might as well move to Gary because it will be over. The White Sox will be forced to get a new stadium or move. Wrigley Field is a cash-cow that no amount of fireworks or flying Elvises can match.

A-Rod must not like Moose. The way he's committing errors during his starts he must still be pissed about the way Mike threw him under the bus a few weeks ago. Thankfully, it didn't cost us the game like the last couple of times. But jeez, can you two bitches hug it out before you head to Fenway please?

A couple of points about tonight's game.

The Orioles really, really suck.

Bedard is a pretty good pitcher on a really sucky team.

LaTroy Hawkins has just been inducted into the Yankeebitch Hall Of Fame. I smile whenever I see him, Arthur Rhodes, BK Kim or Armando Benitez come into a game. They must have PHD's in Jeter Salad Tossing.

Combine that, with the fact that Tiggers are very wonderful things. I can leave town with a clear conscience.

More when I get back....

Kyle Farnsworth AKA Joe Buzzkill

2006-08-10T03:26:00.000-11:00

Ok boys, enough with the gifts. Tuesday night was bad enough.

How do you go from enjoying a blowout and near no-hitter to fighting for your life in the ninth inning? Ask Kyle Farnsworth, he found a way to make every infidels' dream come true last night. Two bullpen implosions by the Yankees resulting in two devastating losses. Rivera making Pierzynski spin himself into the ground after getting jammed was the highlight of the night.

Thank god for 1)Mo Rivera putting an end to that foolishness and 2)the Red Sox are so god awful right that they can't even hold off the 4A Royals in the ninth.

I would have had to show my color going to Chicago for the weekend to catch the rubber game of this series and the Friday-Saturday Tigger-Chi-Sox matchup. Ghetto would have been an understatement.

Speaking of ghetto, I've had to deal with its polar opposite recently watching games at my favorite watering hole. Last week, I had deal with a preppy prick going off on Lastings Milledge. Normally, I hate having to defend Mets, but the doofus had it coming. He kept going on and on about how the kid is a punk and yammering about him high-fiving crowd after hitting his first home run. He, then decided to get on his braids saying that they're thuggish and that normal people don't where their hair like that.

I almost lost it. He probably wouldn't have said anything if it's a white boy who wore his locks long but he has a problem with braids? I destroyed him, pointing out that there are plenty of college educated black folks who wear braids or locks and was wondering what the big deal was. In addition to saying his comments were borderline racist (I was being kind)I also killed him on getting on Lastings about the celebration. There are jerks out there that won't give the fans the time of day and you're dogging a kid who shows them love? The kid has a lot of the growing up to do but he's not a bad kid.

Every once in a while some Yankee/baseball fans show the red in their collars and remind us of the bad old days...when George Weiss wouldn't call up Vic Power because he was too "flamboyant and dates white women." Or the problems Dave Winfield went through here in the eighties. How the white fans went out of their way to embrace a kid named Mattingly instead of him. How good niggas should know their place, play ball and shut up. It's the same idiocy has Chris Russo blaming Duaner Sanchez for the fact that his cab got into a freak accident.

That accident could have happened anywhere, anytime. Yet these hypocrites who have never been young and can't understand wanting to have a good time... blame the victim. I wonder if these same folks would have been as indignant when Mickey Mantle was getting into car wrecks.... stumbling home drunk after games?

But I digress. This is a Yankee blog not a redneck asshole blog. Let's talk baseball.

My friend Boston Don hates the way Yankee fans revel in August victories like it's Mid-October. We were pumping fist even before Boston lost. When Papelbon gave it up, the reaction from the peanut gallery was so bad he left in disgust.

As usual, he misses the point of our excitement. The internal clock has gone off in everyone in the empire. We realize that now is the time to break away...to find that Jerry Rice gear that enables him to dust his opponents during games and the Yankees to turn two game leads into seven.

It's the gear that Schilling impored his team to find a couple of months ago when it looked like the season was over in June. Now the Sox are in reverse trying to find neutral before they back off the cliff. It's time to give them a little push.

The five game series in a couple of weeks will be huge, but now's the time where we can create some distance. So even if they miraculously win four of five, they'll still be in a hole.

It'll be tough to do considering after this series, we have four versus Anaheim at the Stadium. But today's game as well as that series is an incredible opportunity to piss all over the American League playoff race. To exact some revenge on an archrival as well as put some distance between us and the Red Sox.

Don likes calling Yankee fans bloodthirsty. He's right. We do cheer louder when 15-2 than when its 5-2. But that what makes going to Yankee Stadium the experience it is. It was unfair for Paul O'Neill to continue to compare US Cellular to the Death Star. But the experience leaves such an impression that it pretty much spoils any other stadium experience. Kind of the City itself.

So tonight's reaction was our call to the wild. It means that Yankee fans expect August to be a very bloody baseball month for the Junior Circuit playoff race.

A former Yankee executive described the feeling best when he was talking about the ideal game experience for him.

He said for the team to score nine runs in the first...and then slowly pull away.

More from Chi-Town.....

Wednesday Wisdom From The Dark Lord

2006-08-09T19:06:00.000-11:00

To continue my rant on Michael Kay and why I want him gone...

Last night was perfect example of why I hate when he does play by play. It's remedial baseball 101 whenever he does the booth. I never learn anything new about situations or stragegy when does play by play. He always assumes that his audience is watching their first game...that it's all seven year olds and girls with pink hats and Jeter jerseys. I wish someone would tell him that it's ok to talk to the audience as if they've seen a few games in their lives.

And when he does impart some useful information, it's always with a touch of spin or an agenda. They were beating the death the point that the White Sox staff is awful this year. Valid point. But when he spins the fact that Jaret Wright has a lower ERA than anyone on their staff except for Jose Contreras, I almost threw my shoe through the TV. The idea that he would insinuate that Wright is having a better year than anyone on the Chicago staff is intellectually dishonest.

Yes, Wright, the number four starter of the Yankees, has a lower ERA at 4.38. But take a closer look at the numbers and you realize how much of a farce that is. Every one of the Sox starters is projected to pitch between 194 and 220 innings (Contreras who spent over a month on the DL is still projected to pitch 208). Our own Jaret Wright is projected to pitch 139 innings this year. A little more than some long relievers. All of the Chicago starters average six plus innings a start, Wright has one of the lowest averages among starters with just over five innings an appearance.

This is the AL so pitchers are going to take a beating from these deeper lineups which is going to inflate ERAs. But I'll take a four plus ERA if it means my starters go deeper in games and my bullpen's fresher for the stretch run.

Bottom line, I would take any of their starters over Wright even if they do get roughed up for time to time, because I'd rather have a line of four or five runs in seven innings rather than three runs and five. Saving the bullpen means more bullets for Mo and company in October.

But do you get this sort of analysis from Kay? Hell no. He spins it that the White Sox staff is awful this year, but only glances over the reasons why. Between him and O'Neill comments on how the crowd wasn't as into the game as they should be...I wanted to barf. Leiter, as usual, was the only saving grace for the broadcast.

Is the ChiSox staff as good as last year? Nope. You had several pitchers who had career years last year. And if they continue to struggle, they'll be watching either Minnesota or Boston playing in the wildcard game. But to suggest that Jaret Wright is a better pitcher than any of these guys...tells me that either he's stupid or he thinks we are.

Yankee fans really need to move away from the ledge. Last night's loss was tough but we win that game 99 times out of 100. Mo isn't going to burp much. Posada's GIDP in the eighth hurt...but I prefer to take a half-full approach to this.

Boston doesn't know who will stop the bleeding for them. Their bullpen is starting to wear down and the leader is on the DL for a month. Liriano for the Twins is on the DL with a bum shoulder so who knows who can carry the weight for them. And the Chi-Sox are trying to find a quality start from one of their starters.

Meanwhile, we strenghthened our lineup, bench and rotation with the Abreu/Wilson trades. We just got Cano back and Dotel should be back this month as well. Plus, we could get Matsui and Sheff back next month and there's outside chance we could see the Human ATM Pavano back as well (although I wouldn't the farm on that one).

Point being, we're playing solid baseball while some of out chief rivals are scuffling and we could have more help on the way.

See what happens when you lay off the Starbucks?

More later...

Chi-Town Christmas

2006-08-09T02:16:00.000-11:00

Kris Kringle must have a goomah on Michigan Avenue because he was giving out gifts on the South Side tonight.

Wow, that really sucked.

Give the Chi-Sox credit, they wouldn't go away and they were able to squeak one out in 11. But I'm not too depressed about the loss.

Wang was very mediocre and yet we still had a chance to win in the ninth. Mo doesn't blow too many games like that. Plus the loss still helps us in a way. A Chi-Sox win combined with a Boston loss in KC means that not only do the Yankees maintain their two game lead, the Sux lose ground in the wildcard race. The Twinkies win over the Tiggers tonight actually puts them in third in the standings (albeit by a game)

Plus, Ozzie had his closer Bobby Jenks go two plus innings tonight. I understand they needed the win in the worst way so Guillen was going with his best guy. But throwing 38 pitches Tuesday night probably means he's not throwing today. Mo only threw 15 pitches so he's probably available for redemption Wednesday night. It'll be interesting to see if it works for him this series or blows up in his face.

We get Cano back and he looks great. Alex has a nice night at the plate, but Giambi gets hit in the forearm has to leave the game. This is getting old. Can we have a healthy team on the field for more than a day please? Hopefully he'll be back soon and misses little or no time. Posada grounding into that DP with one out and bases loaded was the difference. One more run, we win. He had a great game behind the plate playing Megatron to Chi-Sox runners Autobots. But that DP killed us.

As good as Wang has been this year, it's a startling to see how bad he's been on the road. He was battled and was able to get through five but damn it was ugly.

I feel pretty good despite losing the way we did. Hopefully, Unit can recover.

Michael Kay Has To Go....

2006-08-07T01:30:00.000-11:00

Just like Johnny Cakes...he's GOTTA GO....

I wanted to go to bed, but I just opened my email and saw that Metstradamus sent me this clip from Michael Kay's show.

Mike, if you ever want to want to wonder why you'll never, ever beat Russo and Francessa, that's why. However annoying and obtuse they can be at times, they at least keep it in the realm of sports. And they're for the most part entertaining.

I can't imagine either of them getting so annoyed at a caller because he questions them on why they're talking about a pithcer throwing a perfect game while the game is in progress....that they would bring up an analogy using two of the greatest tragedies in human history!

I agree that people who think broadcasters jinx games are silly. But they don't deserve to be berated in that way.

That is called taking yourself way too seriously. There is a million different ways he could have handled that caller. About 999,999 of them humorously. He decides to not only berate the caller, he decides to use slavery and the Holocaust as part of his point.

Congrat, Mikey...you not only made yourself look more stupid than the caller you needed to embarrass...you probably pissed enough potential listeners to guarantee Mike and Chris will rule that timeslot for the next 20 years.

You also made those of us who think of you as a dubious Yankee announcer at best...a pathetic Yankee shill at worst...as an even bigger joke than previously thought.

George, if you do nothing else in the off-season... fire Kay, Bobby Murcer, Paul O'Neill and David Justice. They add nothing to your broadcast and make the YES broadcast teams one of the jokes of baseball. Convince Kaat to stay on, and give Flaherty and Leiter more games. I liked Kaat and Flaherty in the booth during the Jays series last week. No frills baseball talk and analysis. Flaherty is very solid.
I think Singleton in that sort of enviroment can thrive, but he's never going to be a provocateur so he needs someone to play off. I had the sound off Sunday when I saw that it was Kenny and Paul.

Then hire a solid play-by-play guy. Maybe Gary Thorne or maybe you can pry Jon Miller away from the Giants provided you let him do the Sunday Night ESPN games. There are plenty of solid guys out there who can do solid job for you if you them.

Just get rid of Kay and Murcer please. I know Bobby is a favorite among the baby-boomer set and a nice enough man, but he's a horrible announcer. He's like Frank Gifford on Monday Night Football. Everyone loved him as a person and player so noone criticized him.

Well even though I'm old enough to remember him as a player, I still say he stinks. Give him and Kay front office gigs. But get him and Kay out of the booth. I know they'll never get rid of Radio Shill-extraordinaires Sterling and Walden. That's asking wayy too much of Georgie. He needs someone to kiss his ass. But, please, please, get some respectability back to the cable broadcasts.

My ears are bleeding...

Nice Problems To Have...

2006-08-07T00:44:00.000-11:00

Finally, an intelligent attempt by a New York columist to figure out the disparity between the leagues. Thanks Bill Madden.

I think the Sox-Yankees rivalry reasoning is something worth probing. When you have two very smart, savvy front offices who have the finances to match their smarts, it forces every one else to bring their A games when they're trying to compete for a pennant. You have to add the Angels and Tigers to that mix as well. It means that GMs whose teams don't have the same revenue flowing in like the Chi-Sox , Twins, A's, Jays, Indians and others have to find new ways to stay in the game. Creative scouting can only get you so far when you're dealing with smarts and deep pockets.

What does it mean for the game? A higher, more competitive brand of baseball being played and the fans are the beneficiaries.

The National League has never had a scenario like that occur in the Senior Circuit. The two standard-bearers for the league over the last decade, the Cardinals and Braves have smart GMs in Scheurholz and Jocketty. But neither teams' owners were willing to do the sort of spending that the Red Sox or Angels do... Much less the Yankees.

The Mets can possibly be the standard-bearer for the NL the Braves and Cards weren't. They finally have a GM the Wilpons are willing to trust with their team and they're opening their pocketbooks as a result. Smart trades and free agent signings..along with the development of home-grown stars Wright and Reyes, has the Mets as the new big dogs of the league. I don't think they have enough pitching to win it all (even before the Sanchez injury). But they're certainly on their way to making their first fall classic since 2000..if only because the rest of the league is so horrible. If Maine and Pelfrey continue to progress and/or they're able to sign someone like Zito in the off-season, they'll be one of the favorites to win it all next year.

God that was painful to write. Someone take the sword out of my stomach, please?

My point being, is that if they're able to make a sustained run of playoff appearances, it will force their competition to find different ways to stay in the game and...groan...open up their pocketbooks on occasion. When that happens, you'll see an NL renaissance.

Until then, expect the interleague and October beatdowns to continue until morale improves.

Two weird days at Camden Yards this weekend. On Saturday, the Yanks get one hit by a rookie Southpaw in a year where they've destroyed leftties. And Sunday, Jaret Wright pitches the best game by a Yankee starter as the Yankees win the rubber game 6-1.

The more I see Abreu play, the more I like him. I didn't watch him regularly as a Phillie, so I didn't see him dog it or take plays off like the fans there say he did. And I probably bought into some of the bad press that he got in the past few years.

And I know it's only been a week, but what I'm seeing right now is a more athletic, more powerful version of Paul O'Neill without the temper tantrums. I know that's sacriledge to say in these parts right now. But his game reminds me a lot of Paulie's. He works counts, hits to all fields for average and power and he's a much better basestealer than O'Neill ever was. He also has a powerful arm in rightfield with decent range.

Does he have that same fire and will to win that Paulie had? We'll find out in October. But I'll say this much, I wouldn't be surprised if Bobby stays in the three hole even if Sheff and Matsui get back. Here's the potential lineup I see if they return.

1)Damon
2)Jeter
3)Abreu
4)A-Rod
5)Giambi
6)Sheff
7)Matsui
8)Posada
9)Cano

It gives Torre his lefty-righty-switchhitter mixes that he likes and it puts a .300 avg/.400 OBP guy in the two of the first three spots in the lineup which gives the 4-5-6-7 guys more RBI opportunities. And it spreads the wealth throughout the lineup and takes some of the pressure off of Sheff and Matsui as they get back into game shape.

Does it put our best defensive team on the field? Nope. But at the end of the day, pitching decides who gets to kiss the girl. And this team should score enough runs to compensate for a few errors. And with our strengthened bench, we can make defensive replacements late in games and still have some offensive punch as well.

Two games up. Now it's off to Chicago for rematch with the ChiSox and then back here for four game set versus Anaheim. Brutal. I liked the way Torre gerrymandered the rotation so we have Wang, Johnson and Mussina pitching in Chicago. It gives a chance to send another message to the champs. It makes us vulnerable in the first two games against the Halos, but I'm willing to take that chance. The Angels have a chance of winning the West but right now, Chicago is the wildcard leader. This could be a first round playoff matchup.

The problem with beating up on Chicago means that it helps Boston and Minnesota. But those are nice problems to have. Deal with them when you play them.

Cano is back but Cairo is gone for a while. Another nice problem to have provided Cano's doesn't do a Rickey Henderson.

Playing The Part of Riddler In Tonight's Episode....Randy Johnson

2006-08-05T14:37:00.000-11:00

I was nervous that I would regret talking Jorge Posada up as one of the best all-around catchers in baseball yesterday. Thank you, Chris Ray.

My blog buddy Kat, however, won't be happy when she reads this. Sorry doll. We need the pitching.

This blog would not have been a fun place to be had the Yankees given Bruce Chen his first win of the year. And for the first few frames, it looked like Randy Johnson was trying to do just that. Joe thinks that this might be an after-effect of his 130 pitch start against the Mariners a couple of starts ago. A game that Johnson lost 3-2.

I'm not going to second guess Torre for pushing Johnson in the way that he did. If you remember, the Yankees were coming off an extra inning game and Johnson's start was a day game which means a very, very short turnaround. The bullpen was on fumes and the Yankees needed Johnson to go as long as possible.

But it does mean that the need for pitching at this point of the season means that players like Bubba are a luxury we can't afford right now. He's a good fielder and baserunner. But his light bat made him expendable. Even with the addition of Abreu and imminent return of Robby Cano next week, we can't afford to give away any at bats. With a one game lead in the division and the Sox struggling to beat teams like Tampa and Cleveland, it's a prime opportunity to create some space between them in the division. With a five game season looming with them in a couple of weeks at Fenway, I don't think it would be an overstatement if I said the entire season could be decided this month.

In addition to five at Boston, we have seven games against the Angels and six total against Chicago and Detroit. 18 games against potential playoff opponents.

That's not even counting five more against Baltimore and three at Seattle.

It means there are no gimmes this month. No time to become complacent. If someone's not hitting like Bubba, he's gotta go like Johnny Cakes. We have a down month, September could be a moot point.

Feel good stories have no place in pennant races like this. The last two months will be like the first 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan. Hesitate...insert cap in ass.

Bernie at 38, is not the ideal backup centerfielder. But he can fill in a pinch and he still has something left in his bat. I liked Bubba, but I can live with the decision. I'm hoping they find a way to bring back Guiel when the roster expand. I like his bat off the bench.

Keep the line moving Moose. Keep it going.

Looks Like Theo Is Alive After All....

2006-08-04T17:35:00.000-11:00

I thought John Henry and Larry might have put the boy genius on punishment after not getting done at the trade deadline. But it looks as if he might have found an able replacement to Varitek.....

BALTIMORE (AP) Javy Lopez was traded from the Baltimore Orioles to Boston on Friday, a deal that gives the former All-Star another chance to play and provides the Red Sox a replacement for injured catcher Jason Varitek.
The Orioles sent Lopez and cash to the Red Sox for a player to be named.
Varitek had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Thursday and was expected to immediately begin rehabilitation. The Red Sox have not indicated when their captain might return.
The Red Sox lead the wild-care race and are competing with New York for the AL East title. Baltimore is out of contention, and didn't have much need for Lopez because Ramon Hernandez is their starting catcher and Jay Gibbons serves as the designated hitter.
``Javy is ecstatic about the opportunity to be a catcher again. That's been the most frustrating thing for him about being in Baltimore,'' said Lopez's agent, Chuck Berry.
Lopez hoped to be dealt before the non-waiver trade deadline Monday. He then passed through waivers before being traded to Boston.
``This is perfect for him: He gets to play with a team battling for first place and at Fenway Park, which has all that history,'' Berry said. ``It should be a great ballpark for him to hit in, too.''
At 35, Lopez is in the final season of a $22.5 million, three-year contract he signed as a free agent with the Orioles in December 2003. He got that deal after hitting .328 with 43 home runs and 109 RBIs for Atlanta, his third All-Star season for the Braves.
Lopez is hitting .265 with eight home runs and 31 RBIs in 279 at-bats. He has caught in only 21 of the Orioles' 109 games as a backup to Ramon Hernandez.
``I've got no position on this team. I don't see why they really need me,'' Lopez said this week. ``I'm not meant to play once a week. ... I cannot be happy in this situation. They probably have their plan, and I don't think they're going to keep me like this until the end of the season. They're probably going to do something sooner or later.''
It happened Friday.
``We've been looking all year long for a place where Javy could catch,'' Berry said. ``To its credit, Baltimore worked with us on that.''
The Orioles signed free agent catcher Chris Widger to replace Lopez on the roster. Widger began the season with the Chicago White Sox and batted .184 with one home run and seven RBIs in 27 games before being released Tuesday.
He has played parts of 10 seasons in the majors, batting .239 with 55 homers and 220 RBIs in 604 games.

On the surface, this looks like a great move for the infidels. You get a former all-star to hold the fort while your current all-star backstop recovers from knee surgery. But there's a reason why Javy doesn't catch anymore. As a catcher, he's better served as a DH.

Tek is having a down year offensively and he's always been overrated defensively (how do you win a Gold Glove when you can't catch a Knuckleballer?) But he's always been great at handling a pitching staff. He knows the hitters in the AL as well as anyone. In spite of this, the Sox staff has still struggled. Lopez has only caught sparingly in this league. In the NL, Cox overlooked his deficiencies as a backstop because of his bat. You could overlook his game-calling and defense because he was hitting 30 jacks and driving in 90 plus every year. I doubt he'll put up enough runs to compensate for his problems behind the plate.

One of the pleasant surprises with the Yankees over the last couple of years is Posada's coming of age as a complete catcher. I still cringe when he tries to block the plate. But he's calling games much better and he's throwing out runners at an increased rate. Combine that with his bat which is still potent and you have one of the three or four best catchers in the game. Jorge's play is a big part why the Yankees have remained in the race.

But forget Javy. If Theo's behind this move...then colored me concerned....From ESPN's Buster Olney today...

With Andruw Jones only days away from gaining trade veto power, the All-Star center fielder was claimed on waivers by an unnamed team, leaving the Braves until 1 p.m. ET Saturday to decide whether to take their last opportunity to deal Jones unfettered.

That Jones was placed on waivers is unremarkable; he was one of hundreds of players, including many stars, who were placed on waivers earlier this week. What makes Jones' situation interesting is that on Aug. 15, he will gain 10-and-5 rights -- 10 years in the big leagues, five with the same team -- to block any proposed trade.

Multiple teams placed claims on Jones, according to major-league sources. But on Thursday afternoon, one team was awarded a claim on Jones. Now the Braves have two choices -- either work out a trade with the team who placed the claim by Saturday or pull Jones back from waivers. If they pull him back, they cannot trade him again for the rest of this season.

Jones' value in the trade market is relatively high right now, because he is a highly productive player locked up for only one more year -- at $13.5 million -- at a time when players like Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Lee might command $70 million packages on the free-agent market.

The Boston Red Sox tried to deal for Jones leading up to the trade deadline, with some intent to try to flip him to the Houston Astros for Roy Oswalt. Some scouts also think that the Los Angeles Angels, who've been looking for a bat, might have high interest in Jones.

Atlanta GM John Schuerholz, reached on his cell phone, said Friday afternoon that he would not comment on the team's internal business.

I've expressed my love for all things Andruw in the past. So much so that I proposed that the Yankees go after him in the off-season and say buh-bye to Sheffield. But acquiring Bobby Abreu has pretty much eliminated that possibility and there's a chance we would retain Sheff and platoon him and Giambi at first base and DH.

But if the Halos or the Sox are in cahoots on this, it's not a good thing for the Empire. Even without Colon, Anaheim has a deep pitching staff and their offense while hardly scary is one slugger away from being a force in the playoff race. With Garret Anderson's decline, the Halos have desperately needed a slugger to protect Vlad Guerrero in the lineup. Jones gives them that plus a gold glove caliber centerfielder, making a good defensive team even better. It's pretty obvious that we don't match up well with Anaheim. Jones makes a potential matchup even more difficult.

The idea of Epstein flipping Jones into Oswalt is not something that makes me sleep well either. Oswalt would give the Sox potent 1-2-3 along with Schilling and Beckett. Navigating through the AL East is a tad more difficult than the peutrid NL Central...but that's a trio you wouldn't want to face in a short series.

All this means is that the Yankees have to handle their business and continue to win series. They're something like 10-1-1 in their last 12 series. A nice winning streak would be nice. But if the Yankees continue to win series, they win the AL East. Simple as that.

Well, hardly simple...but nothing in baseball ever is...

Time To Defend My Captain

2006-08-04T00:23:00.000-11:00

I've been getting a ton of grief when this came out....

NEW YORK - Derek Jeter cologne is on the way.

Derek Jeter's cologne will be called Driven.
Avon Products Inc. has signed the New York Yankees shortstop to a deal in which it will create a men's fragrance called Driven — "reflecting the unique personality of one of the most driven men in America," according to a news release from the company.

The fragrance, the first in a line of men's grooming products bearing Jeter's name, goes on sale in November.

"I have been very involved with creating this fragrance — everything from the blend of scents to the design of the bottle and logo," Jeter said in the news release. "I did have some help, however. Because women buy a large percentage of the men's grooming products sold in the U.S., I asked my mother Dot and sister Sharlee to be part of the project.

"I wanted to make sure the final product was something men would like to wear — and that women would want them to wear."

The fragrance is a blend of chilled grapefruit, clean oak moss and spice.

As soon as I saw this in the paper the other day....I knew the crack committee of Yankee haters would be on my ass. Here's this clever little ditty from the Metsmaster....

Oh my God!!!
What's next? Derek Douche?
I've always thought this guy was a "pinstriped pussy".
"Chilled grapefruit, clean oak moss and spice"????
Somewhere "The Mick" and Billy Martin are howling.
What an age we live in. "Real Yankees" now smell like French faggots.

Now first off, what would a scion of Sheas know about what a true Yankee would or wouldn't do for a buck? It's well know that the Mick, Billy or any of those Yankees would have done anything for a few extra bucks much less the cheddar that Jetes is probably getting to put his name on this cologne.

These guys worked in coal mines, sold insurance and did other odd jobs in the off-season to pick up some extra change. You think they would turn down the chance of a seven figure payday because some retard from Queens thought it was gay? They'd probably do it just pull to new and improved talent aka trim.

As for calling jetes a pinstriped pussy, well, when the Mets produce one Cooperstown bound position player like him then you can call him anything you want. Until then, worry about beating Marlins or whatever second-rated teams you play in the NL East.

Finally! We get a quality start from the back of our rotation. It could get really ugly if this becomes a habit.

I know I sound like a broken record, but I'm enjoying the relentless nature that this lineup is starting to develop. Interesting move putting Abreu in the three spot and moving Giambi down to five. It takes away some of Abreu's agressiveness on the basepaths, but it puts a better average hitter in that spot and provides protection for A-Rod by batting Giambi behind him. It also increases Giambi's RBI opportunities with three high OBP guys ahead of him in the order.

I know the schedule for this month is brutal compared to the Red Sox, but with their pitching problems, no victory is a given as we saw tonight. Beckett has filthy stuff, but he's finding out how difficult it is to navigate these AL lineups over the course of a full season. This is also the first season he hasn't been on the DL so these innings are starting to pile up on him.

People keep talking about the heroics of Papi and company with these ninth inning comebacks. I see something else. If they're struggling against the Tribe, what happens when they face the big dogs?

This is a team in trouble and now we've got the lead back, we need to break out the shovels. I'm not naive enough to think we're gonna have 10 game lead at the end of the month. But I don't think four or five is unrealistic.

Bruce Chen vs Randy Johnson should not scare me. But why do I have a pit in my stomach when I think about tomorrow's matchup at Camden Yards?

This Yo-Yo stuff with Randy has to stop. A prime opportunity has been presented to the Yankees to create some distance between them and the pack and maybe get Detroit in their sites for homefield. Let's not trip over a Bruce Chen changeup.

Happy birthday, Bobby Smith aka Daddy. I love you and I miss you. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think of you.

Some Perspective On Papi

2006-08-03T01:05:00.000-11:00

Enough already.

It's bad enough reading Shaughnessy the other day about Papi. Now Bill Simmons is comparing him to Larry Bird???

Make it stop, Lord. Make it stop. This man-love-athon for Papi needs a room at the Shady Arms.

Yes, I understand how sick he's hitting right now. Since 2004, he is the most clutch hitter in the majors. He had a VERY healthy argument for MVP last year. He's the runaway favorite to finally win it this year. With everything that's happened to Boston the last two years with injuries and the like...he and the Manny are the only thing to keep that team alive in the playoff race. He's an amazing offensive force and a great ambassador for the game.

But as wrong as it would be....I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't win it again. If I had a vote, it would be for Papi as much as it pains me. But just like there are voters who will never vote for pitchers...some will never vote for a DH.

If anyone in the AL has a hot two months and he cools down a bit....Papi loses once again if it's close and they play the field. Guaranteed. It's messed up and but it's reality.

And while I don't agree, I can see why the haters will vote way they do.

Papi-backers will say, "What's the big deal? He doesn't play the field. So what?" And the haters would say (and they'd be right)that hitting is only part of a winning combination. Defense is an important equation as well. Part of the reason the Sox are still tied for first is that they're one of the best defensive teams in baseball. They don't leak runs like they did when Millar and company were there. Good defense means less pitches thrown by your pitchers, which means fresher pitchers for the stretch run. The Yankees know something about spent pitchers from 2004.

And on nights like this is when complete players show their worth. Say whatever you want about A-Rod's metrosexual tendencies. But the fact that he's playing solid defense, starting around the horn DP's in this hellish weather.....Along with driving in runs, stealing bases and turning singles into doubles like he's done the last two nights....That's pretty friggin impressive. What was Papi doing while his teammates are in the field? He's in the dugout, he's watching tape....getting a rub-down....but he's not in that oppressive heat fielding his position because he doesn't have one.

You can't tell me that he doesn't have a huge advantage over players who have to run and throw in oppressive conditions. He's a glorified cheerleader while his teammates are trying to get three outs so he can be the hero.

The DH was created for two primary reasons. To put asses in the seats with added offense and to create a roster spot for older players who can still hit, but can't play the field on an everyday basis.

Ortiz is 30 years old. His ass should be in the field.

The other thing about Ortiz that people seem to forget is the guy who hits behind him.

Forget Larry Legend. A more apropos comparison to Papi is Roger Maris.

A very good player who hit in front of a first-ballot Cooperstown guy in a park that was tailor made for him. Mantle was a Triple Crown threat any year he was healthy. Manny is arguably the best right handed hitter and RBI man of his generation. These guys would get their stats regardless of who was hitting in front of them or behind them. You can't say that for Papi or Maris.

And Maris isn't going to sniff any parts of Cooperstown posthumously because of a bad shoulder. His stats just don't add up. Papi would need five or more years of production at the level he's at now for consideration. An MVP or another World Series wouldn't hurt either. I doubt Manny's around for another five years. It'll be tough without that protection to get those numbers.

The one thing I'll give Maris over Papi. Maris was a superior outfielder and baserunner. Papi is...well, Papi.

So while it's alright to be in awe of what David Ortiz is doing at the plate right now...let's put it in it's proper historical perspective. There's a big difference between being super-human and being a baseball god. He has more a few more trials in store before I can annoint him to Mount Olympus.

And I would still rather have Pujols than Ortiz. Any day of the week. He's not doing this if he has to play the field everyday like Albert does.

I know I'm jumping the gun a bit. But last night's game made me very excited about the next two months.

The long grinding at-bats. Working counts. If they're this relentless now with Abreu in the lineup and Giambi has a night off...imagine what it will be like when Jason, Sheff and Matsui are in there?

Cue the Imperial March. Some Younglings are about to buy it.

That sixth inning was a thing of beauty. Even Abreu striking out after a million pitch at bat was ok because Alex picked him up with a two run single. Jeter working a bases loaded walk was perfect example of how you approach that situation. The pitcher is in trouble, not you. Make the bastard throw strikes. Hit your pitch, not his.

If we can get away from the whole issue of salary for a minute, and just talk in baseball terms...I think that Abreu coming here can have the effect on him that it had on Paul O'Neill when he was traded here in 1993.

Abreu has power, but he's not a home-run hitter. He's line-drive hitter with power whose at his best when he's hitting the ball to all fields. He can pull one into the stands when he has to. But he's more comfortable hitting the ball the opposite field for doubles.

Just like O'Neill, he tried to become a home run hitter when it went against the natural flow of his game. O'Neill came here and thrived because he could be the hitter he was supposed to be. Not what Lou Piniella wanted him to be.

Abreu can do the same thing. That big contract he got made him try to be something he's not. That's why I hate these big deals. If the money is going to make a player play outside of his comfort zone, then it's counter-productive. He was being paid, BMOC money when his team wasn't ready for primetime. Here, he can play his game. Which is to hit .300 to all fields, 20 plus homers, 100 plus RBIs, 100 runs scored, 100 walks and 20 stolen bases. About a career .900 OPS guy. I'll take that. That's Bernie in his prime without the steals. We don't need him trying hit homers like A-Rod or Giambi.

Here, he can thrive because he's not expected to be the savior. Just another cog in a very powerful wheel. The idea of having this lineup along with Sheff and Matsui in September is scary. Buster Olney thinks that the Yankees might try and keep Sheff for next year and make him a DH or part-time first baseman. The payroll would be ridiculous if that happened. But you know what? I don't care. The haters are going to find a reason to kill us. Better to give them a reason by winning.

As the injury bug has moved up north to New England, our guys are rounding back into shape. Strange game, baseball is. Who wins and loses is dependent on when people get hurt...not how many. Losing Veritek for a month is going hurt them in ways they can only imagine right now.

With Wang pitching, last night must have been the Anti-Coors Field for the Jays.

He throws such a heavy sinker with such velocity to begin with. Imagine what it must have been like trying to hit that thing in this heavy, nasty air? Probably like trying to hit a shotput with a broomstick.

Eight more shutout innings, plus one more night we don't have to use Proctor, Farnsworth or Mo. With the Sox having to use Papelbon and Timlin nearly every night(and it'll probably be worse this month with half their rotation a question mark) don't think these innings won't add up when the stretch run in September starts.

You might not have to pay now, you might not have to pay later...but eventually, you will pay.

Grabbing Victory From The Depths Of Hell

2006-08-02T17:41:00.000-11:00

If Hell is anything like last night at the Stadium...then I need to clean my act up.

It was actually hotter in DC when I was there for a Saturday Nats-Yanks game in June. But this was brutal. You know it's bad when it's dark and you still feel like Ike Turner's punishing you for singing the wrong note.

Note to Joe Torre: please try to avoid Jaret Wright's turn during heatwaves. He was at 50 pitches in the second inning and I thought I was the Wicked Witch Of West after getting a Poland Spring cooler dumped on her. 100 plus pitches in five innings was unbearable.

But a win's a win, especially if it puts us back in first place. Combine that with Captain Infidel's trip to the DL and it's warm and fuzzy feelings in the empire right now.

More later...

Are You A Yankee? F***ing Yankees!! The Yankees Are Responsible For All The Wars In The World!!!

2006-08-01T16:29:00.000-11:00

That's the sort of drunken Gibson-esque rants that I expect to hear on the air and the blogosphere for the next couple of days. I laughed my ass off when I heard Chris Russo and his minions saying that the Cinderella dust had worn off of the team with the pickup of Abreu, Lidle and Wilson. That the Yankees were no longer a fun underdog sort to root for because we were no longer winning with Guiel, Melky and Phillips. Like the Bombers would all of a sudden be the likable group they were in 1996.

Really? The fact that we were winning with a patchwork outfield would suddenly melt the hearts of the hardest Yankee haters and make Russo and his crack committee wear Jeter jerseys?

The hypocrisy concerning these media types and the Yankee payroll knows no bounds. Let me understand this....a ballplayer who makes seven figures is overpaid...but the sports writer who writes columns and books on him...and the talking heads that spend six hours or more talking about him...aren't? It's ok for them to make six or seven figures writing and ranting....but it's not ok for the subjects of their praise, rants etc to get theirs?

If you want to question why a society would pay a baseball player $25 million a year when it only pays teachers $30,000.....What about the society that pays someone who yacks about it over $1 million a year? Where's the outrage there? Or the fact that there are people who make a living off sports merchandising....selling items hit or thrown by these same athletes? Or mooks with blogs who make money off of advertising who write about these same athletes? Where's the outrage there?

Sports is only the profession where you're allowed to kill the golden goose on a regular basis. You never see the Hollywood media throwing their folks under the bus for making too much money. Just the opposite. Am I saying that they can't be criticized? Absolutely not. But keep it focused on what happens on the field. Not their checkbooks.

The Yankees pulled off a great trade on Sunday getting Abreu and Lidle. Were the financial considerations a big part of it? No question. But whose fault is that? If you want to blame someone, blame Pat Gillick. He's the one who went for it. Obviously, getting payroll relief was more important than getting back players who can help the Phillies right now. And there's no way to tell what BJ Henry and company will become. In three or four years, one of those prospects could become the best players in the trade.

The Yankees have made trade like this before and they've given up players who became everyday starters....Eric Milton, Luis Guzman and Jake Westbrook among them. Sometimes it works....sometimes it doesn't.

But here's the deal Yankee fans....you can't win this one with the haters. If you believe that even one of them would root for the Yankees under any circumstances, you're sorely mistaken. They throw the payroll issue in our faces for one reason and reason only....they wish that their teams had the means pull it off.

Read these Hater blogs and the comments....these are the same hypocrites who were calling the Yankees, "the worst team $200 million can buy". Ready to bury us as soon as we fell a few games back. Now we control our destiny by finding solutions from within the ranks...and strengthen our team with Sunday's trade...and they whine about the Yankee payroll.

At least Metstradmus was honest about why the trade pissed him off. He was angry that the Phillies didn't ask for more and let the Yankees seal the deal without giving up their top prospects or Proctor. A legitmate beef.

Cinderella? Please. The Yankees never have been and never will be the underdog that everyone rallies around. Not in 1996, 1998 or even 2001. Because everyone knows what's lurking around the corner. It's like rooting for Ric Flair or Triple H. They'll come off like the sympathetic good guys for a little while...then as soon as things don't go their way....out comes the brass knuckles and the sledgehammer.

If you want to compare them to a woman, compare them to the Williams Sisters, Steffi Graf, Chris Evert, Dianne Sawyer or Queen Noor. They're the smooth, super athletic chicks with perfect bodies who you can't possibly keep up with. Or the cool statuesque Ivy League educated blondes who speak several languages and date movie stars and heads of state. In other words, the women you have no chance with. To beat or lay.

Happily ever after? In real life, Cinderella lives in the projects with her five kids and her man Ray-Ray who's out on work release.

So embrace the hate, Imperial fans. Wear it like a badge of honor. Guilt is for the weak.

He Killed The Younglings!!! Darth Marc Visits Keyspan Park

2006-07-30T23:52:00.000-11:00

I wanted to write this post a while back but got distracted as my ADD ass often does. Thankfully the baseball gods have given me a chance to redeem myself.

Being a Brooklyn resident and a baseball fan, I decided that it was my duty as a baseball to visit Keyspan Park and watch the Brooklyn Cyclones play. Even though they're baby Mets and technically infidels, I remembered how much fun I used to have at Durham Bulls games when I lived in NC so I put my prejudices aside and made the trek to the Island of Coney.

I wasn't disappointed. I was expecting a smaller version of a modern major league ballpark. What I got was a modern minor league ballpark. And for those of you who have never gone to a minor league game, there's a huge difference. And I'm not just talking about in the play either. There are certain things that are appropriate to the Minor Leagues (silly sing-a longs, silly mascots, Hot Dog races etc.) that when I see in the majors I cringe. In the minors, it more about families, more about entertainment. So when I see a giant Eagle dancing on the dugout, throwing T-shirts into the crowd...I smile, instead of feeling the urge to throw up in my mouth.

The team, however, was a different story. When I saw them earlier this month against State College, they were horrible. They pitched and fielded the ball ok, but they couldn't hit a lick. That's why the amusement park atmosphere (appropriate, since it's next door to one)works in the minors. You're watching kids, who in some cases, are still growing into their bodies and their games. Sometimes it's not pretty to watch. If you paid your good money to just watch baseball, you might get pissed and walk out some days. So in this instance, it's good to mix in a baseball wedding or fireworks to keep you from becoming suicidal.

Watching minor league ball is akin to watching College sports. To paraphrase George Orwell, all men may be created equal, but it's clear that some men are more equal than others. It caught me off guard a bit the size difference between Cyclones and their opponents. State College and Staten Island's players looked like grown men whereas the Cyclones looked as if they could be playing for nearby Lincoln High. You forget sometimes that these kids would be in college if they weren't playing in the minors.

Saturday however, I saw a very different Cyclones team. Their bats actually touched the balls and they even scratched out a 3-0 lead against cross-town and division rival Staten Island Yankees. But the Yankees powered by two mammoth homers by Francisco Cervelli and Chris Kunda managed to stay close and eventually tie the game. That's when I and my buddy Detroit Rich had to leave to attend his birthday drink-a-thon. But I wasn't surprised when I found the Cyclones beat the first place Yankees 5-4. It's the reason why baseball is the perfect game. You can have a team full of runts beat a team of goliaths on any given day. Something that would never happen in football or basketball.

So if you get the chance, I'd highly recommend visiting Coney Island for a game. I'll have a full report when I head to Staten Island.

While I'm still a little skeptical about the Abreu trade, there a couple of factors that are putting me somewhat at ease.

The first is that Cashman managed to pull this off without losing any of his top prospects, Proctor or Cabrera to get this done. Not one of the prospects traded today will be on an All-Star team anytime soon. Outside of Smith, it will be a couple of years before any of them will be on a major league roster for anything more than a cup of coffee. That gives Abreu plenty of time to justify making this trade. If he makes a couple of all-star games and helps us win a World Series, then the trade is a good one regardless of how good these kids might become one day.

Second, Abreu is an on-base machine. He's not hitting for the same average or power that he has in the past, but he's still getting on base, driving in runs and stealing bases. He's a much better fit with this lineup than in Philly because of the way he takes pitches and works counts. Plus, the change of scenery could do him some good. Larry Bowa said today, that the Philly fans might be tougher than the ones in the Bronx because they haven't won in so long. There, he would get the brunt of the abuse because the team would fail to make the playoffs. Here, he wouldn't have to be the man, so maybe he'll relax and play the way he knows how. Plus having played in this intense Northeast environment, he won't need the adjustment period that Carlos Beltran needed when he came here from Houston. That short porch in right might help him to rediscover his power stroke as well. If he's right, it definitely lengthens and hardens the soft underbelly bottom of the lineup. When Cano gets back, you have a solid 1 to 7 along with whatever get from Cabrera and Phillips. A much harder lineup to navigate. Your outfield gets a little crowded if and when Sheff and Matsui get back. But that's a nice problem to have.

Third, you get a proven pitcher in Corey Lidle in the deal. You already have a proven 1-2-3 in your rotation. Lidle gives you a legitimate four. It enables you to move either Wright, Chacon or Ponson to the bullpen and gives you another option there.

Finally, you replace Sheffield with a younger player for next year. I loved Sheff's fierceness and intensity. But his age and need to create drama where none existed wore me out. I wrote before that I would've liked to replace Sheff with Andruw Jones, move Damon to left and Matsui to right. But I can definitely live with Abreu if he plays the way he's capable. Another left handed bat in the lineup doesn't hurt matters either. Damon, Jeter, Giambi, A-Rod, Abreu, and Posada at the top of your lineup is a nice thing to have.

My friend Yankee Mark is hearing that since Abreu has gone to the Yankees, that this might quell interest in Soriano by other teams. The theory he's hearing is that the Yankees would sign Soriano, put him back at second and trade Cano for a front-line starter. Interesting theory, but why would you sign another expensive bat when you have a younger player who hits .300 that you have locked up every year. Cano is also better defensively (although neither of them will remind you of Robby Alomar) and strikes out less.

In theory, you could trade Cano anyway for a front line starter, get someone for defensive purposes at second, and spend a lot less money than you would locking up Soriano. Plus, you fill a more pressing need with starting pitching than offense. We'll see how things shake out this winter.

From Mo'Nique to Moose. Today's win wasn't like going to bed with Halle Berry. Maybe Stacey Dash or Gabrielle Union. But anything's better than waking up with Mo'Nique like yesterday. Anything. Thanks a lot, Unit.

Moose is the ace of this staff and he pitched like it today. Damon and company were able to scrape enough runs together for a 4-2 win. Now it's payback versus Toronto hopefully on Tuesday. The Halos beatdown of Boston combined with the O's ninth inning comeback against the Chi-Sox puts us back in the driver's seat. A half game back of the Sox and half game ahead in the wildcard.

Abreu wanted a change of scenery, how he's got it. Hopefully he survives the experience. Should be an intense two months.

Going To Bed With Halle Berry...Waking Up With Mo'Nique...

2006-07-30T14:56:00.000-11:00

That's what it felt like watching Friday and Saturday's games. The exhilaration of a complete game shutout....the disgust of getting beaten 19-5 by the the D-Rays. Thankfully, I had to leave home in the fifth to go watch the Baby Yankees play the Baby Mets in Coney Island. Otherwise I might have had to write this post from jail on account of my trashing my building.

I understand that the Rays lineup gives Johnson fits. But can he at least be comepetitive? Four or five runs in six or seven innings I can understand. Nine in three plus is a bit ridiculous.

If we could find a way for Unit to avoid the Jays, the Mets and the Rays....

On top of all this, I have to read that the Yankees are getting a dog from Philly. And not even a pitbull!!

Seriously, if we give up Proctor to make this happen, it's a bad move. Yes, it would be nice to get another professional bat into the lineup. And Abreu could be rejuvenated in Yankee Stadium being lefthanded with his high OBP. He could well thrive here getting out of Philly just as Scott Rolen did. He doesn't have to be the man here. Just one of many stars.

But to give up one of your best arms in the bullpen when your eighth inning guy has a balky back and you don't know if Dotel is coming back is very, very dangerous. Especially when your top two starters are 42 and 38.

I know we need offense, but we can't sacrifice pitching in the process. We just can't. Not with the way AL teams punish bullpens.

This latest story says that Proctor isn't apart of the deal. I hope not. While I'm not enamored over giving up prospects for a player who's possibly only a rental, I can live with this...for now.

It's 3-2 bottom of the fifth right now and I have two things to say about this game in progress.

A-Rod, you cannot let a rookie pitcher strike you out on three pitches after he's intentionally walked Giambi to put runners on first and third with one out. You cannot. You are a first ballot Cooperstown guy. When rookies and their managers do this, you make them pay. You don't make them look like the friggin second coming of Seaver and Hodges.

Moose, when you get a bad call or an error against you that could've gotten you of an inning, you make a good pitch and get out of it. You don't give up the damn store and whine. You man up and pick up your teammates. I'm tired of these two out rallies by Tampa.

More later....

Wang Dynasty Puts Yanks In Control Of Their Own Fate

2006-07-29T04:14:00.000-11:00

Sorry for the delay in the post. Computer and gastrointestinal issues. That's all I can say.

I wonder how the Lupicas of the World who declared the Mets the best team in NYC feel now when they see the standings?

NY Yankees 60 40 .600
NY Mets 61 41 .594

Once again, this is why I don't pay attention to certain columnists and media types who want to make every slump, every injury into Armageddon or the Apocalypse.

I stated a while back that we had enough offense to stay competitive in the AL race. What we lacked was consistent pitching and defense. I wrote that if they tighten up both areas that they'll remain in the conversation. Last night was a perfect example of my point.

Wang is essentially a right-handed Andy Pettitte. If his sinker is working and the defense is on their game, you have two-hit gems like last night. If either is off, then you have what you got last Saturday against Toronto. A sloppy game that the Yanks were fortunate to win.

With Wang, Moose and Unit pitching well, the Yankees will be a very tough team to beat even with the question marks in the back of the rotation as well as with Matsui and Sheffield missing. Do I want to stay with the status quo? Absolutely not, but if the answer is trading Scott Proctor, then the we should avoid the question altogether.

None of the bullpen arms mentioned are better than Proctor and none of the bats mentioned are going to make the offense significantly better than it is now. And the added offense won't compensate losing a plus arm in the bullpen like his. With Farnsworth's balky bat and the questions around whether Dotel will return, should make Proctor untouchable unless a front line starter becomes available. And that's not going to happen.

The mediocrity of the National League and the AL West has made almost everyone a buyer. Teams under .500 like Milwaukee, Texas and Atlanta are still in the hunt for the wildcard and division titles. Even the good teams (except for Detroit) need help in their rotations. As a result, anyone going after a front-line starter (ie, Zito or Willis) can expect to get fleeced. I seriously doubt that you're going to see a big deal concerning a premium starter this weekend which means....barring some waiver wire brainlock....That most of these teams will have to look from within to better their rotations.

We have Chacon, Ponson and Wright vying for the last two spots. Should be a very interesting two months.

More later....

Yanks Make A Sweeping Statement

2006-07-27T01:28:00.000-11:00

I know...that was really, really bad.

Sorry for the delay in posts. But an illness Tuesday night laid me out. So now I'm playing catch up.

YES has a lot of 'splainin' to do.

I had a feeling that Farnsworth absence had something to do with back spams. He's suffered from them earlier in the season and with the sweltering Texas heat, I'm not shocked that his back locked up on him.

But why did it take YES nearly an hour to get the viewers the information? Everyone in the world knew that something's was wrong when TJ Beam cme into the game in the eighth. We just didn't know what happened to Kyle.

Hello, you own the friggin team! How long does it take Rick Cerrone or whoever the traveling secretary is to tell the producers of the broadcast that Kyle Farnsworth back locked up on him? This isn't Darryl Kile being found dead in his hotel room before a Cubs-Cards game or theCal Ripken-Kevin Costner conspiracy. This was an injury that almost costs the Yankees a very important game. An injury the fans shouldn't have had to find out about after the game was over.

Tonight's win is the main reason why it's stupid to make playoff pronouncements in June. I've been hearing about how the wildcard is probably coming out of the AL Central. Oh really? Take a look at the standings.

Now it could end up that Chicago or Minnesota could end up taking it. Minnesota has the sickest 1-2 southpaw punch and they've finally discovered how to hit. Chicago, despite their pitching problems is the still the defending champs and will probably find a way to stay in the race.

But if tonight showed us anything, it showed that the Yankees are going to be a very, very tough out. Their first season sweep in Texas in 35 years couldn't have come at a better time.

This is why I don't buy it when players say that they don't scoreboard watch. They knew that Boston lost earlier today and they had to know that the Chi-Sox lost to the Twinkies....which means that they could gain ground in the division as well as the wildcard. They saw an opportunity and pounced on it.

I don't have to go through all the cliches because you know them all. Hell, Singleton and Murcer went through them all by the fifth inning.

I just hope that this back thing with Farnsworth is something minor. He's actually been pitching well lately and we can't afford to lose him for any extended amount of time.

Chacon was amazing in the eighth. Does this mean more bullpen time for him or does he get another start if Ponson struggles again? I don't know but what is clear is that he has to get himself in the mindset to be ready whenever he's called. He's sulked a bit because of the inconsistent way he's been used. But look at Ron Villone. He had the same challenge earlier in the year. But he was always ready to pitch when needed. Now his role is much more prominent. The same thing can happen for Chacon. But he's going to get there by posting zeros not poutie-faces.

As if Philly don't have enough reason to hate New York, Now Sal's Pals have to come to the Bronx to see their hero.

When I heard that the Phillies designated him earlier this week, I was hoping that Cashman made a play for him. I've always liked the way he's conducted his business. And he has a decent bat for a backup catcher as well. Anything was better than watching Stinnett try to hit a curveball. He was so bad that I was wishing Flaherty came out of retirement. That's bad. Great move in picking him up tonight. The Yankees can't afford to carry an automatic out in the nine hole anymore.

It also forces Johnson and Posada to continue to work through whatever was ailing them earlier in the year. They seem to be on the same page now, but now that Johnson's old crutch is gone, there's no turning back.

Those Who Can...Do.....Those Who Can't, Yack On ESPN...

2006-07-25T17:40:00.000-11:00

I don't even know where to begin with this column.

Raissman hints that Phillips "might" have an agenda he's pushing with his "A-Rod should be traded" rants.

Gee, you think?

There's nothing more pathetic than an out of work GM spewing the sort of idiocy that shows why he's an out of work GM.

His campaign to make A-Rod look like a selfish jerk before he even began negotiations with his agent Scott Boras, surely hastened his demise in Queens along with the horrible Mo Vaughn and Robby Alomar trades a year later. Now he sees his chance to show that he was right all along.

As if those horrible mock news conferences weren't bad enough. Now Phillips is reverting to muckraking to get vindication.

The foolishness about the "once the booing starts in New York, it won't stop" was probably the dumbest thing that he said in his little rant. Who made up that rule? Where is his example of a player who got booed in NYC that kept getting booed after they started to produce?

If you play well and play hard, the fans will appreciate your effort and you'll get a pass(sometimes) when you struggle. If you stink, well....you know what happens.

Phillips conveniently glosses over the fact that the rules have changed a bit at Yankee Stadium. There's "B04"(Before 2004) and "A04" (After 2004). Remember A-Rod got a pretty warm reception when he came here. Even after he had a subpar season. It wasn't until after the collapse that certain Yankee fans started acting like...well, Red Sox fans. With the cynical remarks and the sky is falling attitude. Hell, even I had to be talked off the ledge a couple of times.

The arrogance and swagger that made the world hate us was gone. The angst that fills every other fanbase during the season. We became mortal.

Add to that the added problem of watching your team in the media capitol of the world...the way a hangnail becomes as serious a ACL or Tommy John....and you have an angry, angst-filled fanbase that foaming at the mouth over every loss in a perceived important series.

You have these idiots booing Mo after blowing a couple of saves to the Red Sox in the opening series of the year. You have these same idiots booing A-Rod after he strikes out....when the Yankees are winning!!! It's all symptomatic of the same disease.

Smart baseball fans know that you can't treat every game like it's game 7. You'll burn out before Labor Day. Unfortunately, the Yankee fans we're talking about aren't that smart. And it's idiots like Steve Phillips who feed on this and create this groundswell of foolishness.

I wonder if he got Harold Reynolds whacked? Maybe he got him traded to SNY?

Keep yacking Stevie. Maybe you'll yack enough so enough owners will decide to blacklist your dumb ass.

Wait a second....there was a game last night!!

And Alex actually had a solid performance!

Seriously, it was nice to see Randy string together another solid outing. I have to admit that when I see that he's pitching in launch pads like Arlington, I get a little nervous that the slider will flatten out and resemble a Hezbollah missile.

But he's "pitching" instead of throwing which means he's finally realized that he's 43 not 33. Throwing between 93-95 mph for a thrower is tantamount to batting practice for major league hitters. Throwing that hard when you know how to pitch is lethal when you throw a couple of pitches in the mix.

A shout out to Cubs blogger Thundermatt. Thanks for reading buddy. Hopefully you can continue to avoid hurling in your mouth when you visit.

Thank You Reggie....

2006-07-24T01:14:00.000-11:00

For adding some perspective to this A-Rod affair.

It's just a shame that you had to do it through Lupica. But an excellent column nonetheless.

If any of you want to read about what Reggie had through with Billy Martin and the Bronx Zoo of the late seventies, read Roger Kahn's book, October Men.

Roger Kahn has been called the Dean of Baseball Writers. Read this, as well as his classic, The Boys Of Summer, and you'll see why. Great stuff.

Speaking of classics, I'm listening to Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy's Jailbreak off of Napster. Where the hell have I been? That band was hot! The only song that I ever of there's was "Boys are Back In Town". That song is alright, but Jailbreak is sick.

What can I say? Even though I listened to Rock music in high school, none of my headbanger friends were into Thin Lizzy and even though he was black, they sure as hell didn't play Lynott and company on WBLS.

I'm pretty secure in my knowledge of music, but damn, I don't know how I missed this one. Good shit.

My Apologies, Joe.....

2006-07-23T16:03:00.000-11:00

You were right not to bring Chacon in sooner than you did. When you're giving up triples to John McDonald, you don't deserve to get in, regardless of the score.

It's a little annoying when the Mets can bring up guys like Pelfrey (in spite of his bad outing today) and John Maine from the minors to fill holes in their rotation. And we have to rely on castoffs like Chacon, Ponson, Wilson and Small and hope you get lightning in a bottle. There's a reason why these guys are castoffs and no matter how good they might pitch for the short term, eventually they'll come back to the pack.

This is why you don't trade guys like Phillip Hughes. Because you never know what the free agent market will bear in a given year. I'd rather not make the playoffs for a year than to trade prospects away for short term fixes. The Sox have Lester, Jansen and Paplebon. Who do we have like that?

Kris F***ing Wilson???

2006-07-23T15:32:00.000-11:00

Let me get this straight....It's 4-3 after Glaus' homer in the third. It's two on, one out and Ponson, an innings eater is in there. Why you decide to put him on such a short leash is beyond me, but Torre decides to take him out. Manager's perogative. Maybe he sees something we don't. Ponson struck out five , but he did give up two bombs so maybe after 57 pitches, Joe wanted to bring someone in to keep it at one.

But Kris Wilson???? Villone and Chacon are available, and you bring in someone who these guys know can't throw the ball by them? Torre must be a lot of fun at barbeques. Medium rare? What's that?

Win or lose....this game is pissing me off.

By the way....Thanks Moose for coming to A-Rod defense. Don't think his back has quite healed though from when you backed your Cherokee over him the other day though. Or was Dr.Z driving?

This is why pitchers are rarely team leaders. Is it Alex's fault that Moose gave up those hits to Catalonotto and Glaus that gave the Jays the lead the first place? Or the bomb that Rivera gave to Wells? Guys don't dog you when you get bombed. Give me them the same respect when they struggle.

You Can't Win....You Can't Get Even...And You Can't Get Out Of The Game

2006-07-22T20:49:00.000-11:00

I need to sit my ADD ass down and figure out how to use Paint Shop...because A-Rod as Michael Jackson's Scarecrow from the Wiz is the perfect analogy for this post.

Assuming you agree with ESPN's season projections, in an "off year", A-Rod is projected to hit 37 homers and drive in 123 runs. He's the youngest player ever to hit 450 homers (He turns 31 next Thursday) and the sixth youngest to hit 2000 hits after last night's homer. You're talking about a player with a .306 lifetime average and .959 career .OPS mark. Who makes $25 million a year on top of all this. A first ballot Cooperstown guy.

And you're talking about trading him???

This is why I agree with Bill Simmons recent comments in a recent mailbag response to a reader. He said that he doesn't read the Boston Globe except for a couple of beat writers because of all the constant negativity of the coverage of the Red Sox.

Ironic that he says that about Shaughnessy and the Globe...but he was one of the pied pipers of the whole "A-Fraud-Mr March"nonsense....Quite telling, when he and the rest of his whole phony "nation" backed their Volvo station wagons over Nomar to get A-Rod there in 2004. But I digress....he does make a valid point about the negativity of local press and how the need to generate headlines takes some of the joy away from following your favorite team.

That's why I pretty much stopped reading Lupica whenever he writes about the Yankees. Because 99 times out of 100, he doesn't tell me anything I don't know and he's going piss me off with some unnecessary dig at the Yankees. John Harper is on the cusp as well. He likes to stir the pot as well but he isn't as virulent as Lupica.

Granted, A-Rod isn't going to earn any admirers with the Golden Sombrero he earned today against Ted Lilly and the Jays bullpen. But the beauty of the game is that redemption is only a day away. Not to make excuses for him, but being the DH probably didn't help matters. It gives you way too much time to think about what you're doing wrong when the last thing you need to be doing is thinking. Torre's heart was in the right place when you consider the extra work he put in earlier today with infield practice with Mattingly and Bowa. But the last place A-Rod needs to be between at bats is the bench. He thinks wayy too much when he plays a full game. Playing half the game is an invitation to....well, what happened today.

Good win by Wang and the bullpen today. But not to take away from it at all, but as hard as Wang throws, he should have more than 40 K's on the year. When the ball is put in play as much it is during his outings....yeah you have low pitch counts, but sometimes the ball is hit where they ain't. Guidry and company should seriously consider working with Wang on an out pitch for next year. Someone who throws in the mid-nineties should make bats work a little than he does. Knowing how to pitch and hit your spots is important, but good old fashioned hardball can't hurt things either.

Anyone who thinks that the Boss is asleep at the wheel, doesn't watch the YES broadcasts. It was no accident that in the end of game montage, that they showed everyone of A-Rod's strikeouts. After a win, no less! If you don't think the Boss isn't trying to get his message across to Alex to get his head out of his ass, you're blind.

Ponson goes tomorrow. I think he think he has a good outing. Whether that translates into a win.....

My Man Crush On Vernon Wells Has Worn Off....

2006-07-21T18:08:00.000-11:00

You can't be hitting bombs off Mo and expect me to maintain platonic man-love for you, VW. Sorry. You're going to have to hit a couple of bombs off of Paplebon, Schilling and Beckett if you want a Christmas card this year.

I appreciate Moose's observation about A-Rod's recent play after last night. But while he didn't intentionally throw Alex under bus, he must've forget to take it out of reverse, because those looked like tire tracks on his back.

As annoyed as I was about the errant throw, I'm more annoyed that he sidearmed it into the backstop than the fact that he made it. I've seen him make that throw and others like it dozens of times before without a problem. All I want is for him is to get his head right, start playing the game the way's he's capable of playing it and stop with the gay shirtless poses in Central Park.

And enough of this A-Rod wants out of NYC garbage that I've been hearing on the radio and ESPN. First off, as self-conscious as he is about his image and his legacy, he knows that it would be irreparably damaged if he asked out of here because he can't hang.

Secondly, even if you could trade him, where would he go? There are only two other teams who can afford him and neither want him. And even if they did, how can you get equal market value for one of the 50 best players in his prime? The answer is, you can't.

The Yankees best bet is for them to help him work his way through this. And enough of the "Jeter to the rescue" nonsense. Whatever Jeter has to say the Alex should be done in private. Not for the cameras. And spare with the "Derek did it for Giambi" garbage. Giambi was this close from being out of baseball forever last year. If the Yankees could have cut him, they would have. He was a shell of a player and a person. Jeter's vote of confidence was almost a necessity for Jason to get back to where he needed to be.

All Alex needs to do is stop reading the papers, quit with the Queer as Folk spreads and focus on the friggin game.

We're only two and a half back. I wish everyone would stop acting like we were 22.

Pulling The Tights and Grabbing The Ropes For A Win

2006-07-20T18:00:00.000-11:00

I've been accused of only posting after wins. Hopefully this post ends that nonsense.

This guy is a Yankee hater....but he's on to something...Hilarious.

Old-school Wrestling fans know what I mean when I talk about pulling the tights. It's when a wrestler (generally a rulebreaker/bad guy)is getting his ass kicked and resorts to underhanded tactics to win a match. Like waiting for the ref to turn his head and bashing your opponent with brass knuckles. Or using the ropes for leverage to pin someone.

In the Yankees case on Tuesday, it's taking advantage of bad umpiring to tie and win a game. The Bombers are well known for their opportunistic ways...so when they won Tuesday's game with Melky's homer in the 11th, I was pleased....but hardly surprised.

But this is where Baseball Karma comes into play. Wednesday afternoon's game tells us why you never crow too loudly about a win like Tuesday's. Because incompetence has no friends. As bad as the timeout, the third base ump called while Phillips was half way to third...the Posada "safe" call on Tuesday was as bad if not worse. Wednesday's loss was karmic payback for Tuesday's looting.

The Mesche-Johnson game was the one I had the most concerns about. Not because of Randy. But because when he's on like he was on Tuesday, Gil gives us fits. I thought Randy would pitch well. But I was concerned that Mesche would pitch better. That wasn't the case, but with the bats asleep and the umps lending a helping hand, it was enough to keep the M's from getting swept.

Yeah, the Yankees are now a game and half back after the loss, but I'm not going sweat it too much. My philosophy is to gain a game a week. We gained two plus after the Sox lost three of four versus the A's last week. That was a gift. Oakland never beats Boston and probably never will after last week but it enabled us to gain some extra ground with our sweep of the Chi-Sox. A game a week in the standings will enable us to put pressure on the Sox and cement our position in the standings.

You probably think that after Wednesday afternoon's power outtage at the Stadium that I would be screaming for another bat. On the contrary, on most days we'll have enough to win our fair share of games. What I'm excited about is any sort of help we could get from the arms race. Normally I feel about four runs and six plus innings the way my hero Stringer Bell feels about 40 degree days. Nobody gives a f**k about either.

But Ponson's outing on Tuesday has me almost giddy. If he can give us an outing like that everytime out, it can do wonders for us. All we need is someone who can keep the team in the game and give us some length so the Proctor and Farnsworth's arms don't implode. In other words, a fifth starter. The state of pitching in the majors is such that the Yankees can win most games if the starter keeps the opposition to four runs. If Ponson can keep us in ballgames so we don't have to go to the pen in the sixth inning everytime he starts, it means more gas in the tank for our guys in the pen for September and October. Torre was just on WFAN and said that Dotel had another setback today. Which means that we might not see him for a while, if at all. Who knows what Pavano will give you. I'd love to live a pipedream and think that those two along with Sheff and Matsui will be on white horses and make the difference in September. But fairy tales are for children, not serious baseball fans.

Noone is going to go out of their way to help the Yankees so outside of giving up one of our prospects...any help we get will have to be internal. Gillick is going hold anyone up who want Bobby Abreu. So is Bowden concerning Soriano. Shea Hillenbrand is an option ...but if he's going throw temper tantrums over playing time, how's he going to feel about splitting time with Andy Phillips if Joe decides on a first base platoon?

My gut feeling is that we're going to go into stretch run with the guys we have now...including Cano, when he gets off the DL. Which isn't as bad a proposition as some might think. I don't know what Melky Cabrera is. Whether he's a fourth outfielder on a good team or a potential star in the making. But I'd like to find out. He's a fun player to watch who knows where we'd be without him right now. There's something intriguing about going into battle without an all-star at every position. You actually have to play baseball to win games. Focus on the little things that ironically kept us out of the World Series for the last two years. Those things are now in the forefront when you can't bat around at will. It was nice seeing the Yankees win games with solid defense and pitching the last couple of weeks.

This might be blasphemy, but I'd almost rather miss the playoffs then to see Cashman do a Kazmir. I don't if any of our guys will be that good. But I'd like a chance to find out.

Back From Hell....To Watch A Coming Out Party

2006-07-17T03:15:00.000-11:00

"Act like you've been there before..."

"I'm not saying we're worried about the wild card, we're trying to win a division, but four games with 70-something games left? I don't think that's that big a lead,...
"Four games, three games? That's a week. So I don't see why everyone's assuming the wild card's coming out of here, or that this team or that team is already in the playoffs." Derek Jeter, July 15

I don't who originated the first phrase, but the first person that I'd ever heard say that was Giants great Frank Gifford. It originally was applied to athletes grandstanding but I think it can apply to fans as well. More so even.

I've gotten a lot of questions and grief as to why I didn't let loose both cannons of material on Metstradamus' blog last week. I had two weeks to plan and all I had was a couple of posts and a guest post from someone who turned out to be a traitor sell-out Mets fan in Imperial clothing. Ironically, this mercenary pink hat wearing Bobba Fett wanna-be's post generated the most venom from the viper's nest. I wonder if the Shea snakes knew they were eating one of their own.

My answer to the query at hand....Karma is a bitch. Baseball karma especially.

Ask Metstra and his mutant brother Fredstra about Karma. In the year 2000, you'd have thought that the Empire and its fans were London, 1941, these two way these two were giving it to me because the Yankees were having problems. Metstra even decided to expand his horizons and become Celticsdamus and put together a weekly newsletter called "Boy, Do The Knicks Suck!" just to stick the knife even further in my gut. And why not? The Mets had a better record and it looked as if this was finally going to be their year to overtake the Braves. Then came July 8, 2000....

The rest as they say is history....although I doubt Mike Piazza remembers....

Metstra remembers. Yet and still, even after that painful lesson in baseball karma, he was still going to tempt the fates and attempt another baseball blitzkrieg on the Empire. He was going to in his words "do something really evil" that might destroy our friendship had the Mets won the Subway Series earlier this month.

My response? Dude, it's July. There's a lot of baseball to be played. Why blow my load now when there's three months left in the season? If this is the way he is with sports....Obviously, his life-partner is very frustrated with Metstra in other ways....

So while I didn't take completely the high road, I decided to only tweak the infidels a bit instead of completely tearing off their proverbial wings. I decided to hold back just a bit. Why run down the mountain and nail a couple of infidels...when I can walk down and nail them all?

Of course, this line of thinking completely went of their heads. You're lame, Darth! Is this the best that you can do? was the refrain of Hell's chorus. They didn't realize the symbolism of my little visit to their little corner of the blogosphere. How a certain someone went to hell for a minute....just let to cats know who was in charge and then went about his business. Not to compare myself to that someone...but I will say this, while he'll never admit this in public...Metstradamus knows full well what I'm capable of. What havoc I can wreak when I have the time, the target and the motivation.

My little visit to your little corner of the netherworld was just a courtesy call. A little hello of sorts. The real reckoning won't be as polite.

So all I'm going to say is this. You better hope you win the World Series, Mets fans. Because if you don't...then to quote another favorite badass of mine....Your suffering will be legendary...even in....well you know, because you're already there.

Now as to the second quote that began the post...it's a shame that sports fans don't have more of a sense of history. If they did, they would be able to ignore the columnist in the tabloids who have all but written the Yankees off and have annointed the Tigers, White Sox and Red Sox as three of the four AL playoff teams.

What this weekend in New York and Boston says is this....there's a lot of baseball to be played and before we do any friggin annointing....let's play some goddamn games.

Am I ecstatic that we swept the White Sox and that we're now a half game out thanks to Oakland pounding on Oakland? Absolutely. But what does it all mean if we lose two of three to Seattle, Boston sweeps KC and Chicago sweeps Detroit? We're back where we started Friday.

I don't want to focus on the negatives. But we still need another arm in the bullpen and the rotation. Jaret Wright still hasn't gotten through the seventh. Another bat wouldn't hurt either. As well as this team is playing right now, this team is still very flawed. What's helping us is that so is everyone else. The White Sox are a much better offensive team this year. But their pitching isn't nearly as consistent as it was last year as you saw in this series. What you had last year was a lot of above-average and good pitchers have career years last year. Now they're coming back to the rest of the pack a bit.

Freddy Garcia's pitching coach says that he's lost about five miles off his fastball. Javier Vasquez clearly isn't the same pitcher that he was in Montreal. These guys, despite their relatively young ages, have thrown a lot of innings over the last decade. Maybe it's catching up to them. Think about that before you burn Omar in effigy for not trading the farm away for one of these guys, Mets fans.

Momentum is tomorrow's starting pitcher as I said a million times. Sunday is over, people. Let's see what Wang does on Monday.

Sidney Ponson? I don't know what to think. He still has a great arm. Maybe Guidry and company will see something in his mechanics and makeup that will help him turn things around.

My point is this...as much pleasure as I got out of watching my Chi-Sox buddy Arnie suffer on Friday and Saturday at the stadium....this thing is far from over. Hopefully, what this was was a coming out party. A trumpet call to the rest of the league that things are about to get very bad for them.

For that to happen, we need the rotation to blow like Duke's orchestra, the defense to improv like Coltrane and the offense to thump like Mingus.

Kenny G need not apply....

Slumming

2006-07-12T17:06:00.000-11:00

Say what you want about Metstradamus. He's a man of his word. He fulfilled his debt to me tonight without having to be asked.

As a result, I decided to tweak him a bit on his site with a couple of fun posts and a guest post from a friend. I was going to go full throttle but opted against it when a couple of friends reminded of the karmic ramifications of totally ripping him apart. So I had a little fun. Nothing too nasty. Just a little reminder that I was there. Enjoy.

Mr Wright Now

2006-07-08T16:05:00.000-11:00

Jaret Wright vs Jae Seo pitch a 1-0 game. If you knew how weird it is to write this.

Not that I'm complaining mind you. Wright was amazing last night. If he can only manage to extend his outings another inning or two. I had a feeling he would bounce back from that awful start against Mutts last Sunday. Say what you want about him. You have to admit that the man's a fighter. He has as bad a start as you can have against the Mets and he rebounds against a pretty good hitting team in Tampa. He has had as bad a stretch of luck as anyone I can think of. Yet he keeps grinding. It's a shame the White Sox spit the bit against Boston last night.

It makes you wonder what Chacon did to get in Torre and Cashman's doghouse. Not only is he out of the rotation for the time being, but he could be designated for assignment. I understand that he might be upset about the way he's been used and frustrated with the leg injury that's set him back. But does he realize how lucky he is right now? Would he rather be back in Colorado or another spot in baseball hell?

Common sense is just not common, I guess.

It's Wang vs Kazmir tonight. And I'm gonna miss it because I'll be in Coney Island for a Cyclones game. I know, I know. I'm an idiot. But hey, it's minor league baseball.

I don't know about you, but I giggled my ass off watching Dontrelle Willis hit a grand salami off of Lima Time! last night. That little strut around the bases was priceless.

It's make you wonder what MLB is thinking when they more marketing, scouting and recruiting in Latin America than in the black community. There are only three African American starting pitchers in the majors right now. Shameful.

More later....maybe.

Maybe Kissing Your Sister Isn't So Bad.....

2006-07-07T01:15:00.000-11:00

After getting beaten by a combine score of 24-3, a little baseball inbreeding isn't such a bad thing.

For all its flaws, this Yankee team is proving to be a very tough out. They're extremely opportunistic offensively....pouncing on the mistakes of their opponents. Combine that with solid pitching performances by Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina, and you have a split in a four game series when you could have rolled over and been swept. You destroyed any momentum the Indians might have had in their July 4th rout and gain a game on the Sox in the standings. Plus you hurt a hated rival's playoff chances. Fun times.

The title of my last post still holds true. And any sort of good feelings can erased in an instant if they don't win in Tampa. You have Wright, Wang and Chacon going in the dome....and with the pouting that Shawn's doing over the way he's being used, who knows who will pitch on Sunday.

If I were Chacon, I'd go in Torre's office and make peace. Then, I would keep my mouth shut and hope it's enough for me to get another start before the All-Star break.

With the Sox going to Chicago to play their black kinsmen, we have a great chance to gain some more ground on the infidels. Tampa did us a great service beating them three out of four. Now it's time to bring them back to reality.

I see a lot of crooked numbers on the scoreboard in Tampa this weekend. Not necessarily a good thing....

Momentum Is Tomorrow's Starting Pitcher

2006-07-06T00:50:00.000-11:00

I might have used that as a title in the past, but I can't think of anything that describes the last three games better than Whitey Herzog's prophetic phrase.

I'm sort of angry at myself that I used the word prophet to describe Whitey Herzog, but if the mitt fits....

This sports fans, is what we're going to have suffer through for the next few months unless the Yankees get some help for the back of the rotation. They'll never be completely out of the race. But they'll never run away with it either.

The Yankees used to be able bludgeon teams with their bats and cover up the deficiencies in their rotation. The team as it's constituted now can still score runs. But it lacks the Conan-esque bloodthistiness and rage that it had with Sheff and Matsui. Heck, even with them, you'd see a laugher like Tuesday's 19-1 beatdown occasionally. I'm surprised that you haven't seen more of them this season.

Tonight was a nice bounceback from Tuesday, but I expected Moose to pitch well. He normally rises to the occasion when he pitches after a bad loss. And I think Johnson will pitch well tomorrow and we can possibly salvage a split.

But what I would love to see is the Yankees go on a winning streak of more than three or four games. It's good enough to win series, but if they're going to catch and pass the Red Sox, you need some winning streaks of six games or more.

Tampa is doing their part, helping keep the Yankees close. But with Wright, Wang and Chacon scheduled to pitch this weekend, do you really want to face Tampa right now? Their bats are sick. If Kazmir isn't on the mound, they can't do much else but hit. But man, can they hit.

Wright always looks like he's almost ready to turn the page and become a winning starting pitcher, then he falls off the cliff like he did against the Mets. I've stopped trying to figure out what to expect from him. Just that good or bad, he won't be pitching come the seventh inning.

Chacon is finally showing us why Colorado (that pitcher's paradise) waived him in the first place. Some guys pitch just well enough to lose and some guys bungee off the Grand Canyon without a rope. Chacon has done the latter the last several starts. I wrote once that he would be fine as a back of the rotation guy on a good team. I can't even say that anymore after Tuesday.

You want to say that rust (he hadn't pitched in over a week) might have contributed to it? Maybe. But you know what, considering where he's come from and where he's playing now...he needs to be ready to be called at all times. That leg injury set him back a bit and when he decided to come back, it was too early. He needed another start under his belt. Can he turn it around? Perhaps. But it has to start with his next start.

He can show Torre and company something by pitching well against a very good offensive team in Tampa. Give the bullpen a much needed blow. Otherwise, the Yankees need to find someone else who can.

Even if these guys did pitch well, I still would continue to look for a decent back of the rotation starter who can eat innings like Livan Hernandez or Tony Armas. Then I would put either Chacon or Wright in the bullpen as the long man.

But since this is definitely a seller's market and everyone's going to try to hold us up...I don't expect this Roller Coaster of Angst to let me off anytime soon.

The All-Star break can't come soon enough. If I had my way, no Yankees would play in that game. Mandatory rest for all starters.

My Name's LoDuca....I Live On The Second Floor....

2006-07-04T05:51:00.000-11:00

So many infidels to kill, so little time.

Yet another Scion of Shea has started his own site, Ed from Westchester, a regular on my blue bitch Metstradamus' site has started his own blog. Ed is quite clever for a mongoloid and ocassionally can be quite funny. And unlike some jerkoffs who only want to comment and run from site to site, he had the guts to actually to put his Big Apple where his pen is. Give him a read. Who knows when I'll have to destroy him. ;-)

I'm paying dearly for Sunday night's win. Not getting to bed until 4am last night is the reason I'm up 5am typing this blog.

I fell asleep on my couch around the 7th inning of the Yanks-Tribe game last night and woke up well after midnight. I go to bed to get some real sleep. I wake up thinking it's probably 6:30 or 7am...it's friggin 3:30! My sleep cycle is all screwed up. Thankfully the game is on at 6:05 tonight so I can catch up on some Z's.

Not that there was much reason to stay awake last night mind you. Wang had one of his patented Pettittesque starts. A mediocre one right after a great one. It was nice to see him battle through despite not having his best stuff. But this Cleveland lineup is not one you want to scuff through without your best stuff. Eventually the big lumber is gonna hit you square between the eyes. In Wang's case Hollandsworth did the honors with a two run homer that knocked him out of the game in the sixth.

They have to start scoring runs for this kid. I understand that it's common to have a lull after an outburst like Sunday's. And maybe the late Sunday start had something to do with it. But they have to start scoring runs consistently. They had their chances early. But once again, you could start three orphanages and a group home with all the runners they leave on base.

As if the baseball gods are pissed at Mets fans for some debt unpaid, a ghost of Shea prospects past helped the Yankees last night. Scott Kazmir shut out the Sox last night to gain his 10th win of the year and his 5th career win against Boston. We didn't gain a game, but at least we didn't lose one either.

To tie up the Subway Series thread, I wanted to touch on a point that the characters from the Mets Blog Faith and Fear In Flushing made recently. It is sort of anti-climatic to have the series end in a tie. Particularly in years when both teams are competitive.

So if you're going to do it, why not make it seven games? That way you'll have a definitive winner and a fanbase who will have definite bragging rights for a year.

I know that there are a lot of opponents to Inter-league. Personally, I like it, because it gives me an excuse to visit parks that I rarely go to or have never seen. Yeah, Yanks-Marlins is kind of blah. But the tradeoff is Yanks-Cards (Clemens 300th win & 4000th strikeout), Yanks-Cubs (always fun to hang with the Wrigley Drunks) and Yanks-Dodgers(Chavez Ravine? Nuff Said.) I don't think that it takes away from the World Series at all. It just gives the fat kid in the candy store Orange Nerds when only Cherry was available. And outside of a little tooth decay and diabetes, how is that a bad thing?

Or maybe it's better that it's only six games. Let the World Series settle things. Who cares about a six game season series when you can win seven game series in October?

I loved how Paul LoDuca tried to make the problem with his pitcher, A-Rod's problem. Alex's reaction after his grandslam was quite tame, yet Lo Duca felt the need to try to pick a fight after he jogged the bases.

I think the root of all this was that Paulie was frustrated with his rookie pitcher who refused to throw strikes and with his manager who didn't have anybody going in the 'pen after it was clear that this kid didn't have it.

For some reason, players just hate losing to Alex. Manny can do the centipede around the bases and noone says a word. But Alex shows the slightest bit of joy after hitting a huge home run and LoDuca wants to mouth off.

What's worse is that seems like people feel like they can mouth off to him and get away with it. I'm glad that he and Giambi got in his face after that.

The Mets players seem to love Willie, so none of his guys are going to throw him under the bus for now. But if that 10 game lead becomes five, I wonder who's going to throw the first molotov cocktail into his office?

Ton-YA-Rod Crushes The Queens Kerrigans

2006-07-03T02:40:00.000-11:00

I Don't Understand The Way You Think
Saying That It's Yours Not Mine...Sending Mets Hats And Your Silly Dreams..Is Really Just A Waste Of Time...Because it's mine...The Doggone Blog Is Mine....Don't waste your time...Because the doggone Blog is mine.....

For a day at least.

This was so worth the wait. Thank you Alex. Tonight you heard all the Queens Kerrigans fans yell "Why?" after A-Rod and company smashed them in their collective kneecaps with a 34 ounce bat.

I wonder how many orange and blue caps and pink David Wright shirts I'll be seeing tomorrow after last night. Not many I bet.

He's going to regret not adding me already to his hall of hate. After I get through with his blog, I'm going to have a whole wing dedicated to me.

While Metstradmus is on his alternative life-style cruise with his life partner...I get to scheme on how to destroy his readership for his horrible blog.

Hey Westchester Ed and Toasty Joe...hope you enjoy the new de coeur I'll be bringing to your sooth-sayer's little abode in a couple of weeks. Not that I care what you think mind you. Just trying to be polite.

Actually, I'll need you the check the grammar and spelling for the posts in a couple of weeks. Provided you have enough guts to read them.

I'm too excited to sleep but I'm gonna try anyway. More tomorrow. Just wanted leave you Mutt fans with this little message from my dear friend Palpatine.

I wonder how many domestic abuse calls there were in Queens tonight?

I Knew It Wouldn't Be That Easy

2006-07-02T01:12:00.000-11:00

Somehow I knew Randy Johnson wouldn't cooperate.

Even though we're going up against the back end of the Mets rotation, I had a feeling that this wouldn't be an easy sweep. These series always play out tough. No matter how good bad the teams are. They try to play down the importance of these series. But you can tell that both teams take this series seriously.

It's funny how all of this blue and orange has come out of the woodwork. All you Shea faithful who love to comment on how Yankee Stadium is full of frontrunners, tourists and pink hats. Guess what, they're coming your way now. This middle aged guard tried to give me a couple of digs after today's loss in the drug store. You could tell he was just a peripheral fan and assumed that just because he had 15 years on me that he knew what he was talking about.

"The NL was running things before you were born, young boy. We won all the All Star games in the 60's and 70's." After reminding him that the games don't count. I also reminded him that the AL has won more World Series (the 60's being the only decade since World War II where NL held the advantage) and have dominated the All Star game over the last decade. "Do you really want to have this argument, old man...or do you want to go back to guarding the door against old ladies stealing Depends?" He didn't like that too much and realizing that I had six inches and 50 pounds on him...he wisely decided to walked away.

I don't mind arguing baseball with strangers. I enjoy it quite actually. But don't throw rocks at a man who has a machine gun. I live and breath this stuff. If you don't want to get your feelings hurt than it's in your best interest to keep the discussion civil. There are some pissed off folks in the Lou who decided to bring up A-Rod's travails to me when all I wanted to do was watch the game. They didn't like it when I brought up how Pujols and company got the Mommy Dearest treatment when Manny and the Sox yelled "No Wire Hangers!" in 2004.

This is a.357 world. Leave your 22's at home.

Jaret Wright, if you don't win another game this year...please win this one tomorrow. You've been pitching well lately. The Empire will love you if we can get another quality start out of you tomorrow.

One Is The Loneliest Number.....

2006-07-01T03:33:00.000-11:00

"Right now, you can say the American League has four to five teams that are a little better than teams in the National League." Willie Randolph after Friday night's loss

This is from the manager of the best team in the Senior Circuit. Not a lowly Yankee fan. I wonder if they're going to start calling Willie a Yankee spy like they did Mike Stanton?

The Mets get one hit last night and all of a sudden, Metstradamus and his little minions are all of a sudden bored with the game and Interleague. I was at the game and the crowd didn't seem at all bored to me. They were very into the game. Even after the rain delay. At least the Yankee fans were.

There were quite a few mutants sporting the blue and orange in the Bronx last night. I was quite impressed because normally, Mets fans don't like making the trek to the Bronx as much as Red Sox fans do. Ask Metstradamus, who has boycotted Yankee Stadium for several years now.

But for the life of me, I can't imagine why they were so quiet. I guess 1-2-3 innings have a different effect on Mets fans than other folks. They get very sleepy and cranky.

This is the sort of pitching performance we needed. The inability to string several together has been the reason we haven't been able to go on a long win streak like the Sox (who had their's ended last night. Thank you, Dontrelle!). Even without two of our sluggers, I've maintained that we still have enough offense to win games. But we have to get consistent starting pitching. Our bullpen can't be expected to carry the load. Last night was a unique situation because of the rain delay plus Moose felt a tug in his groin...so better safe than sorry. The pen was coming off a off day so everything lined up quite nicely.

But you can't expect this every night. The starters have to start pitching into the seventh or our guys will have nothing left for the stretch run, much less October. I'm hoping Unit can go deep into today's game to give our guys a blow.

One more thing about last night. Enough of the A-Rod booing. You can't give him a standing ovation after he hits a game winning homer on Wednesday and then boo him because he pops up on Friday (with the team winning btw). I've said this before and I'll say it again. If it meant we could get rid of all these front-running hypocritical tourists who call themselves Yankees fans...I'd be happy if we never drew four million ever again.

We don't need their support or their money. Go to a Broadway show or something.

Boston To The Mets: Now Go Home And Get Your Shinebox!!

2006-06-30T16:39:00.000-11:00

I shouldn't laugh so hard being four games back. This has a chance of blowing up in my face.

The Mets are pissed and want blood after getting thrown a Jimmy Conway type beating in Beantown. The Mets fans want my head. Even with the back of their rotation scheduled to pitch, the Mets figure to be a tough out this weekend. If the Yankees lose two out of three or get swept, it could be a tough July for yours truly.

But where's the fun in all of this if you don't put yourself on the line every once and a while? No guts, no glory.

Despite certain Mutt fans whining to the contrary, I wasn't rooting for either team this week. I planned on jumping all over Infidel Nation had they lost the series to the Mets. And I would gladly have taken the games gained in the standings as well. Instead of gaining games however, we lost a game in a half. Now the Yankees are responsible for their own destiny. If they win or lose the pennant, it won't be because the Mets did or did not beat the Red Sox in June. We control our fate, not the Mutts.

But yeah, I enjoy tweaking Mets fans just like they enjoyed tweaking me in 2001, 2004 and 2005. It doesn't mean that I hate the Mets as much as I love the Yankees like many Mets fans admit to such as Shea Butt Boy Metstradamus has done in the past. He calls himself the Sooth-Sayer for the Scions of Shea and their fans. Yet, he's admitted when confronted by yours truly that he hates the Yankees more than he loves the Mets. What I wrote doesn't come close to doing that.

Mets fans have very limited experience in this so I should remind them that pennant races are not won in June. If you're six games out or less in June, history shows that you still have a great chance of catching up. We're down four games and it stinks. But if we handle our business, we should have more than enough time to make up the difference because the Sox are due to cool off at some point.

I said the Mets have locked their race up because the rest of the NL East teams are so putrid, that it would take a collapse of monumental proportions for them to lose the division. Outside of a Yankee World Series title, nothing would make me happier. But it's not gonna happen.

But does my tweaking of the Mutts fans make me as bad as the tools at Shea that chant "Yankees Suck" when they're playing the Braves? Hell no. Am I as bad as Brooklyn Met Fan who has a Hate the Yankees section on his blog? I hate the Red Sox and I hate the Mets almost as much. So I'm gonna tweak both whenever I get a chance. But to call me a hypocrite when your fan base is full two-faced liars and phonies is kind of like Heidi Fleiss telling Jenna Jameson that she doesn't approve of the way she makes a living.

Newsflash to Mutts fans: You can't whine when Yankees fans take digs at your team for getting manhandled like Jodie Foster in "The Accused", when your fanbase takes more pleasure from Yankee losses than Mets wins. When your fanbase is defined more by their hatred of my team than their love of their own. When you get your own identity and stop defining yourself by comparing yourself to us....Then talk to me about how much you "love" your team.

So bring it on this weekend, bitches. Let's see whose team is up to the task of backing up our boasts.

Reversal Of Fortune

2006-06-29T19:34:00.000-11:00

I don't know whether to gag or giggle.

On one hand I'm pissed off that the Mets have stunk Fenway up like the Fulton Fish Market on a humid day in August with no air-conditioning. Granted the only thing that kept me from going postal Tuesday after the Yanks loss to the Braves was Routh and Spacey (It is mandatory for everyone who read this blog to go see Superman Returns. Mandatory!!! An absolutely awesome film.). As annoyed as I am about the Mets getting Love Trained by the Infidels, we still control our own destiny. Winning two out of three against substandard teams might be ok in most years. But not when the top three teams in the league are making the Senior Circuit look like the Carolina League in Interleague play. We need some sweeps, because there's no guarantee that we'll be getting any help from the opposition.

But despite the discomfort and agita this Sox Barnstroming tour has given me, I'm willing to endure for three reasons. 1) I have no choice 2)We don't have to face them again until August and a lot of things can happen between now and then...and 3)Seeing these Mets fan in A)complete denial about what this series means 2)the ones who were strutting around like Horny Roosters when they were beating on the D-Backs and the Phillies....who now realize that their team isn't nearly as good as they think.

My favorite line of the day? The Red Sox fan who told Mike Francesa after Tuesday night's loss to "bring on the team from New York who can actually play." Priceless.

It's not that fact that the Mets lost this series that's so alarming. If you lose 3-2, 2-1, 5-4...there's no shame in that. It's that you're heads and shoulders better than anyone in the Senior Citizen circuit...and you've gotten beat a combined 19-6 in the two games to a team that's currently the third-best in the American League. Make no mistake, the Red Sox are still a very flawed baseball team. The back of their rotation is a big question mark as is their bullpen outside of Timlin and Papelbon. But they have two frontline starters that can win a short series all by themselves and the best 3-4 tandem in Manny and Papi in the majors. That and Papelbon make them a force to be reckoned with it pains me to say.

So while I'd be lying if told you that I'm not surprised that the Mets have been manhandled at Castle Grayskull the last two days. I would say that I did consider this more of a test for the Mets than the Red Sox. Why? Because the core of that team has already won a World Series and been regular participants in hotly contested pennant races.

They have to face the Yankees 19 times a year and that's more intense than anything the Mets have had to experience. The Red Sox know that even if they sweep this series, that they still have to face off against Yankees, Chi-Sox, Tigers and others. They'll be battle-tested come October if they're still standing. The Mets coronation as the NL's best team is complete. Outside of the Yankees this weekend, what other series will the Mets have this season that will compare to these two? The NL East is in shambles. I doubt the Braves, Phils or Marlins will put up much of a fight this summer. Only the Cardinals have a chance to challenge the Mets. But I doubt that they have enough pitching.

These six games give them a chance to gauge themselves against two potential opponents in October. Even with all the injuries in the Bronx and the ugly skin of their teeth wins against bad teams. The Yankees are still a good barometer for the Mets. Because you know, barring major injuries, that they aren't going to tank like the NL East. They'll find a way to stay in the mix until the very end.

The Yankees are also very flawed. But they still have Captain America, one of the best players in the world, a former MVP and the greatest closer of all time. Say what you want about the Tigers and the Chi-Sox. Would you trade any of their players straight up for Jeter, A-Rod or Rivera? If you would, you're an idiot, a liar or both.

I have no idea what A-Rod's homer yesterday means for his season. Jorge Sosa is awful and the Braves have blown 15 saves this year. But there's no denying that's he's still one of the top five players in baseball. A talent that can carry a team over long stretch. If yesterday was a harbinger of things to come, it could be what gets the Yankees through the summer while Matsui and Sheffield heal.

This weekend series is the first time the roles are reversed. The Mets will come in as the team with the most to lose. If they lose this series after the Red Sox series, they take a huge blow to their credilbility as a World Series contender. Pennant contenders? They're still the class of the league. But noone's going to take them serious as the ones who can win it all.

In the meantime, what happens to the Yankees? Lose, they're in the race and noone thinks they're done. If they win?

Cue the Imperial March.

Alea Iacta Est

2006-06-27T20:17:00.000-11:00

It's what Caesar said in 49 B.C.E when he had five thousand of his soldiers cross the river Rubicon to enter Rome. An act forbidden by the Senate and ruling classes. It means that "The Die Is Cast." That like or not, there was a reckoning between them on the way. And there wasn't damn thing that they could do about it.

Fast forward, 2,000 years. In a office in NYC, I decide to make a little wager between my co-worker/mortal enemy Metstradamus on this weekend's Subway Series at the Stadium. The winner of the series gets to post on the loser's blog.

Being the bloodthirsty Yankee fan that I am, I wanted the winner to be able to post for the entire week. But the only way I could get the infidel to take the bait was to agree to his concessions. It's not the sort of reckoning that I wanted, but it will have to do. I'm already thinking of the sort of havoc I could wreak with the Mets universe with one post much less a week's worth. Stay tuned.

I liked what I saw last night out of Randy and the Yankees. Unit was sharp and Giambi two bombs were a nice touch. But I was still rooting for some tack-on insurance. Why? Not just because I'm a bloodthirsty Yankee fan as my infidel friend Sportsaholic likes to call me. It's because I know we're gonna need all the help we can get.

I wish our team had the sort of defense and pitching that would enable us to win games 3-2, 2-1, 1-0 with regularity. It's not. Outside of Jeter, saying that our infield defense is mediocre is generous. I wish Torre would burn all of Giambi's first base mitts after Sunday. We have decent range in the outfield, but only Melky can throw runners out regularly. Posada has gotten better behind the plate, but he's not winning a gold glove anytime soon. Not while Pudge is still playing.

People would think that having Matsui and Sheff in the lineup was a luxury. I say that it was a borderline necessity. This lineup still has the ability to score five to seven runs a game. But it lacks the ruthless efficiency that it possessed with Gary and Goczilla. The ability to bat around at will. To turn a 3-1 deficit into a 10-3 lead in an instant. The assassin-like quality of the Yankee offense covered a lot of flaws in this team. The mediocre starting pitching or defense was overlooked when the team dropped a 17 spot on someone.

They didn't get exposed until October. When a team with an inferior offense but a superior bullpen and defense beat them five heart-breaking games. The Yankees should have swept that series. They instead had to watch the Halos fold like cheap suits versus the Chi-Sox.

So as much as I'd love to win a couple of 2-1 and rest the bullpen. I don't think the team right now can do it the way it's currently constructed. That's why I feel that pitching is a more pressing need for the bombers than a bat. If there was a gold glove centerfielder available at the deadline so I could move Damon to left, I'd jump on it. But I'd settle for a good gloveman at first who can keep you honest at the plate. There's a reason why Andy Phillips is 29 and just getting regular major league time. He's a bench player, nothing more. Give me an Olerud type so I can DH Giambi regularly, and I'm good.

I have no problems rooting for the Mets to beat Red Sox a bit. But since they might lose just out of spite, I'm going to stay neutral and worry about what the Yanks do against the Braves. If we gain a game or two great. Just so as we don't lose any ground.

I am tired of them running through the NL East though like it was the Cape Cod Summer League. It'll be nice to see them face a real major league team finally. Even if it is the Mets.

Despite his infidel leanings, I had nothing to do with what happened to Peter Gammons. I've enjoyed his work even though ESPN wants you to pay for it now. There's a joke somewhere in there. But I'm going to let it go for now.

No Help From The Senior Citizen Circuit And Weather

2006-06-25T15:45:00.000-11:00

If you need any more proof that the Junior Circuit is the superior league this year, just look what's happening in Detroit, Chicago and Boston this past weekend. The best of the AL is beating the best of the NL in every conceivable way. You want a blowout? No problem. Late inning heroics? We got that, too.

Only the Mets are making a respectable show of it against very underrated Blue Jays (they won the rubber match in Toronto 7-4). And when you consider that they're an AL team in disguise (Deep lineup, deep bullpen), you understand why they're the only NL team that I can see making noise in October. This is becoming as bad as it was in football in the mid-eighties to the late nineties, when NFC Championship became the De-facto Super Bowl because whoever represented the AFC was an afterthought.

If I had my own power rankings right now, here's how I would rank the best teams.

1)White Sox
2)Mets
3)Tigers (I need to see a little more from them vs the top AL Teams)
4)Red Sox
5)Yankees
6)Blue Jays
7)Cardinals
8)A's
9)Twins
10)Reds/Rangers-Tie

Noone in the NL West is even worth mentioning right now. I don't think the Giants have enough depth or pitching, Arizona is better, but they're not ready for the prime-time. San Diego can pitch but they can't hit enough to make noise in October. The Dodgers are intriguing, but they have too many injury-prone players for me to take them seriously just yet.

You'd think that this would make me, an AL fan, happy with this Junior Circuit renaissance. On the contrary...I love parity. Parity means that the Red Sox don't go on an eight game winning streak and not only take over first place from the Yankees....but gain a two and a half game lead. It means that the White Sox and Tigers don't pummel Cardinals for five straight wins and they don't add to their seed leads for playoff homefield.

Interleague parity is a good thing when it comes to pennant races. In the past, you figure that the style of play and strategy might trip up a couple of AL teams. Even if they're playing a slightly inferior NL team. Maybe someone will forget to double switch or a pitcher will fail to sac bunt runners to second and third. Gaffs like that used to mean a couple of wins for the senior circuit every year.

Now with free agency and a decade of interleague play under their belts, junior circuit teams are much more comfortable playing both ways (Although it's a little misleading to say that solid pitching/defense, hit and run, base stealing are national league styles of play. Rickey Henderson stole 130 bases in 1982 under Billy Martin. A manager who played and managed mostly in the American League. Ty Cobb stole over 900 bases with the Tigers. The Yankees of the early 50's couldn't match the star-studded Dodgers. They beat them with superior pitching and a platoon system. Styles of play aren't exclusive to leagues.) So when you take into account that the best teams are in the AL....You realize now the beatdowns you've been seeing are not by chance or coincidence.

You know it's bad when even unapologetic NL guys/AL haters like Joe Buck acknowledge on the air that the AL is the better league. And when they're acknowledging that it's more than just the DH rule that's leading to this, you know you're on to something.

So what does that mean for the Yankees. Nothing good. It means that it's going to be that much harder to make the playoffs, much less the World Series. Don't be surprised if only one team out of the AL East makes the playoffs this year. There's a chance that Detroit or Chicago could come back to earth. But I doubt it with their pitching. And don't discount Minnesota making a run either for the wildcard. The Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays are all very talented, very flawed teams that can be had if the right opponent comes along at the right time.

So when the Yankees get a gem like Moose's today against Dontrelle, it's nothing to take for granted. From here on in, every win counts. If we're able to complete the sweep the Marlins today, enjoy it like we've just swept the Jays or the Tigers. We gain a game in the standing with the Sox-Phillies rainout. And these wins in June will go along in deciding who's still standing in October.

So for me to say that the Braves series to say nothing of the Subway Series at the Stadium next weekend are huge. Beating the Mets two out of three is one thing, but we can't afford to even lose one game to the Braves. They're reeling and the Yankees have to take advantage of it.

You know the Two Sox and Tiggers would.

The Emperor Has A Message For Cole Hamels...

2006-06-23T11:47:00.000-11:00

Welcome to the Death Star, infidel....hope you survived the experience....

Seriously, this kid is good. Nice heater, excellent breaking stuff, wicked changeup. He's going to be something special in a couple of years. But he's no Liriano or Kazmir. And he's certianly not worth all the hype Phnatic fans having been gushing on him. He froze several Yankees with that changeup of his. But you get the impression, that he'd probably get lit up the second or third time around.

If you want to see what a young phenom is supposed to look like, watch the highlight of Liriano pitching against Clemens last night in the rubber game of the Twins-Astros series. Here he is, pitching opposite of the first appearance of the season of one of the five greatest pitchers post World War II. And he delivers his best performance of the year, outshining the return of an immortal. That's money, folks. With him, Santana, Morneau and Mauer, the Twins are set for the next decide. That trade they made to get him in 2003, (AJ Pierzynski for Nathan and Liriano) might be the most lopsided trade of the last 10 years. Very Kazmir-esqued. Even worse, when you consider that the Twins got a top flight closer and a starter, while the Giants traded Pierzynski a year later because everyone in the clubhouse hated him. If they could ever get another big bat, wow.

I would love it if Wang or Phillip Hughes developed into a tandem like that. I'm tired of the Yankees shelling out all that money for free agents pitchers who don't pitch.

The Yankees finished this latest 3-3. Not bad on its face, except when you consider the fact that they easily could have gone 5-1. The only game I reluctantly concede is the Myers-Johnson game Monday. And we had our fair shares of shots in that game as well. Speaking of Myers, I understand of having to face Manny and Papi is a little daunting. But do you have to take it out on your wife? Relax, brah. Relax.

I know the Marlins are playing well now. But the Yankees should still win this series handily. Winning series is nice, but I think this team needs a sweep to get to the next level. I would love to get a nice streak of eight in a row going into the Mets series next weekend. It would put pressure on the Red Sox and up the stakes for the Subway Series. The Marlins are the Marlins and the Braves are hot garbage. There's no reason why the Yankees can't string a nice win streak together.

If the Yankees are going to the playoffs, they have to learn how to feast on the bad teams. And that means sweeps, not two out of three. Two of three is fine when you're playing a string of good teams. You have to sweep the bad teams.

Let's hope the roll continues tonight.

Random Rantings

2006-06-21T14:23:00.000-11:00

Evil Empire 9, Ryan Howard 7

I might have done a Frank Pentangeli if that kid hit another homer in the ninth. I can't see this kid not hitting 50 plus homers in the not too distant future. With that park and that swing, he has huge star written all over him. Unreal.

Philly's had a spotty history when it comes to embracing baseball and its stars. Mike Schmidt, Dick Allen, Scott Rolen...all of them had their problems with this city. I hope they get on this kid's bandwagon in a big way. He's a lousy fielder, a better fielder gloves Melky's single in the ninth, but that's why he's playing first base. He'll win a lot more games with his bat than he'll lose with his glove.

Strangely enough, all the buzz that I hear out of the 215 isn't over their stud first baseman. It's over Aaron Rowand who has a fetish for outfield walls. Or their uberkind southpaw Cole Hamels who's pitching tonight.

Here's an example of how nuts they are over this kid....

Kanye West almost needed to pay Cole Hamels royaties to release that "Jesus Walks" song, but Cole let it go, because he doesn't walk anyone so it couldn't really be about him.

Cole Hamels will win 1 Cy Young... and 11 Cole Hamels.

You can't divide by zero, but Cole Hamels can.
Cole found Waldo and Carmen San Diego, and then struck them out to retire the side.
Cole Hamels once struck a man out looking. Literally. Cole just gazed at him and the batter was retired on strikes.
Cole Hamels invented syphillis to rid the world of Mets fans.
Cole could have convicted O.J.
Cole Hamels struck out Eric Lindros' mom, Eric Lindros' dad and Eric Lindros.
Cole Hamels beat Contra without losing a life.
Cole Hamels will walk batters just so he can pick them off before the next pitch. Then he will run over to them as they walk back to the dugout, whisper something to them and make them cry and leave the game. In the locker room after the game, reporters will ask those players what Cole said to them, and they will cry again and run to the off-limits-to-media trainer's room to get away from the reporters. And because it was Cole Hamels that made them cry, they will not be considered sissies but mere mortals. Reporters and fans will refuse to condemn those crying players but instead will say a silent prayer thanking God that He never answered their prayers to become baseball players themselves since they might have had to face Cole.

Cole Hamels didn’t need to go to college, because he already has a Doctorate in K’s from the University of Domination.
Cole Hamels gave Stuart Scott his lazy eye.
A Federal Law was passed when Cole signed with the Phillies that states if the Phillies should attempt to trade Cole to the Mets, Cole will be legally permitted to kill the entire Philadelphia front office, the entire New York front office, and everyone who knows John Smoltz's lifetime ERA.

A picture of Angelina Jolie's and Brad Pitt's child is reportedly worth $75,000. A picture of Cole and Angelina conceiving this child while Brad happily watches is worth $5 billion.

When Cole was born, he beaned the doctor with a fastball, made out with the nurse, and struck his father out in two pitches!

Wow, how low have the standards in Philly fallen. All you have to do to become a folk hero is win a game and have sub-five ERA. Steve Carlton. where are you?

Nice job, btw, by Phillies fans for not letting the Yankee fans take over their stadium like they let the Mets earlier in the season. It's still a second-rate baseball town. But at least you saw as much Red and white in the stands as Navy Blue.

I'm tired of all these lame excuses I hear from the Illadelphi about why people don't support the team. Yeah, they've had their fair share of heartache. But they have a beautiful park and a competitive team. There's no excuse as to why a division foe's fans can come into your house and make it sound like Shea South.

It's not as if the Mets are the Cardinals. They're nine games up and they can't draw 40,000 against the Reds last night. Weak Philly. Very weak.

Before you complain about injuries Yankees fans take a look at this story came over the AP today.....

The Boston Red Sox, beset by injuries to starting pitchers, obtained right-hander Jason Johnson on Wednesday one day after he was designated for assignment by the Cleveland Indians.
The Red Sox gave up a player to be named or cash for the struggling pitcher, who is 1-8 with a 7.38 ERA in his last 10 starts. Johnson, signed in the offseason after two years with Detroit, is 3-8 this season and has allowed 10 homers and 108 hits in 77 innings.
The Indians will pay most of his $3.5 million salary for this season. He had a one-year contract which had mutual options for either party to get out of it in 2007.
Three Red Sox starters righty Matt Clement and lefties David Wells and Lenny DiNardo are on the disabled list.
Kyle Snyder, obtained on waivers from Kansas City, made his first start for Boston on Monday in a 6-3 win over Washington and was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket after Tuesday night's game, opening a roster spot for Johnson.
Rookie Jon Lester was scheduled to make his third start for the Red Sox on Wednesday night.
Boston has days off Thursday and Monday and was expected to go with four starters Lester, Curt Schilling, Josh Beckett, Tim Wakefield through the end of June.
Johnson, 32, has pitched at least 189 innings on four of his last five seasons. He has a 5.89 ERA this season and a 4.95 ERA and a 55-94 record for his career.
He and righty Paul Byrd were signed as free agents before the season to help make up for the loss of Kevin Millwood, who signed with Texas. But Johnson was ineffective again Monday when he allowed two homers in a 12-8 loss to the Chicago Cubs.
Johnson, a good ground-ball pitcher, reached the majors in 1997 with Pittsburgh where he worked in three games. He spent the next season with Tampa Bay, making 13 starts with a 2-5 record. After five seasons in Baltimore, he went to Detroit in 2004.
He was 8-15 with a 5.13 ERA that season and 8-13 with a 4.54 ERA last year when he pitched a career high 210 innings.

So the next time you want to whine about injuries, don't be surprised if the Sox fan pops you in the mouth. You should behead him for his insolence however.

The Price You Pay For The Life You Choose

2006-06-18T22:33:00.000-11:00

Coming home on Amtrak Saturday night, I kept hearing on an endless loop, the voice of my friend/enemy and fellow Yankee fan Willie aka General Zod. He was yelling in my ear

...."Darth, you jinx. Stay away from my team! Stop going to see my team on the road! Give up your season tickets!! I beg you! Go jinx the Mets! Stay away!"

That's what I hear whenever he hears that I attended a traumatic Yankee loss. Now as you've probably figured out, I attend a lot of Yankee games. Probably about 20 plus home games and three to five road games a year. In the seven years that I've decided to travel, I've seen far more wins than losses. Hell, of the 20 plus Yankee road games I've seen, I can only count six losses. Two at Camden Yards (2000, 2005), one at Dodger Stadium (2004), one at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati (2003...they won the next night) and two at Shea (2004,2005).

You think any of that matters? Hell, no. This bitter hen-pecked shell of a once proud Yankee fan (who now lives in Cubbie-land) kills me whenever he hears that I've witnessed a loss. It doesn't matter that he kills me 'cause he's jealous. It still burns my arse.

So when I had to witness firsthand that monumental collapse Saturday....I had his annoying voice ringing through ears the entire time home. It's not often when a loss showcases everything that's wrong with a team. But Saturday and Sunday was definitely one of those times. What can I say....as Michael Corleone said, "This is the price you pay..for the life you choose." If I'm gonna continue on this sports oddysey, some haters are going to materialize now and then.

Offense: I've written in the past that the Yankees still have enough offense to win games. But here's how you miss Sheffield and Matsui. The Yankees would have scored two touchdowns or more against the pitching Saturday with them in the lineup. Why? Because there's a difference between having a good lineup that can score five or six runs a game and having an relentless one that's capable of batting around in an inning several times in a game. That's what the Yankees had with Sheff and Godzilla in there. On a day where your starter is lacking, it doesn't matter, because the other side is so demoralized that you just dropped 10 runs on them in an inning. And it's only the fourth. When the back of your rotation isn't giving you length and your bullpen is spent. You better have guys that can put runs on the board. Which leads me to my second point.

Weak back of the rotation: Small's magical run hit a brick wall and he was designated for assignment. It appears that the magic pixie dust or the deal that Shawn Chacon made with the netherworld has run its course. I think he can pitch better than what he did Saturday but he's still not more than a five guy on a good team. Wright's pitching better, but seems to have a mental block when it comes to getting past the sixth inning. Torre says that he's planning on splitting them up in the rotation, so the bullpen's not worn out on consecutive days. Great idea. I'm sure Wang would have applauded the move today. The only positive out of his performance is that he finished the game and the bullpen got a blow. The Yankees actually had a series several years ago at Shea versus the Mets. They were on the verge of sweeping them for the first time. But the bullpen blew a lead in the bottom of the eighth. Torre refused to go with his front-line guys because they were overworked. Cashman made some move to bring some extra arms here. Maybe he can do it again.

Defense: You need no other example than Posada's throw into left field that scored Soriano Saturday. The defense is not to be trusted in close games. Pitching and defense are part of what did the Yankees in last October. If your defense is sub-standard than you better be able to pitch well. And the Yankees don't do either well enough to win consistently against good teams in October.

Bullpen: I still like Farnsworth and Proctor. But not if they're being used every day. Mo is still Mo, but you can't throw him out there to save games that you should have been garbage time wins. What happened on Saturday and Sunday was proff positive that the Yankees should go after another arm for either the rotation or the pen. They need another pitcher far more than another bat. Dotel should help some, but what they need is another starter who can eat some innings (not a big name, just a guy like Livan Hernandez or the sort who has a rubber arm). That way you can move either Chacon or Wright to the pen (Chacon probably, since he has pen experience). That gives you another arm to throw into the mix to give your main three some rest. If you can get a quality top line starter for the right price, fine. But a guy like Hernandez can be a perfect back of the rotation guy like Lieber was in 2004. You don't need perfect games, you need length.

All this Burrell and Abreu talk is sexy talk for the tabloids, but in baseball terms, it's not going to help the Yankees one bit. If I could make one offensive move, I'd get a first baseman with a little pop who has a great glove. Like Olerud in 2004 or Johnson in 2003. You don't need Gehrig, just someone who can keep pitchers honest. And can turn the 3-6-3 DP. That way Giambi can fulltime DH and you maintain strongest team defensively and offensively. I'd love to move Cano to left and get a stronger glove at second. But that's not going to happen for a few years. I can live with Posada behind the plate. He's never going to be Pudge, but he's not a liability either. Jeter's fine at short and I think once A-Rod gets all the clutter from the slump out of his head, he'll be fine in the field.

Speaking of Alex, the last couple of days have kind of answered the questions for me...but I was wondering what side I was going to come down on his situation. Initially, I thought Jeter saying something to the public could help matters, but then I realized...how? He still has to go up there and hit a 95 mph fastball with movement. Torre's right. He's going to have to work his way out of it. It doesn't matter how the fans or Jeter or anyone else feels about him. He has to go up there and produce. Noone can do it for him. In 1977, Reggie Jackson had his manager and his captain hating his guts. In the end, it didn't matter because he came through when it counted.

All this media talk about how there's still some tension and bad blood between Jeter and A-Rod over comments Alex made about him several years ago....Who cares? I'm sure the Captain is not rooting against him so what does it matter if they're still friends or not? And this lockerroom isn't nearly as bad as the Bronx Zoo of the late 70's.

It looks as if A-Rod is breaking out of this slide and if that's the case, he has the ability to carry a team over an extended period of time. And all this talk about Jeter coming to his rescue will be moot.

And maybe he can save me from another long train ride with General Zod whispering in my ear. I'm just glad I wasn't there on Sunday after Wang's loss. It would have been in Bose surround sound.

Rumors Of My Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

2006-06-15T00:10:00.000-11:00

After Metstradamus' latest tirade aganst me and the empire, I thought it would be apropos to start this post of with a quote by a Clemens. Only instead of Roger, I decided to go with Samuel. Just like the Yankees, the classics just get better with age.

And despite rumors to the contrary, I did not commit seppuku after the Yanks were swept by the A's. It was a very, very bad cold and other ailments, caused by nearly a year of debauchery, gluttony and lack of exercise, that has kept me from posting more frequently.

But now that that's passed, I can continue my lifelong mission; torturing infidels and making them realize that unless they change their ways...that the light at the end of their baseball tunnel is merely the gleam of a titanium wall.

My age-old enemy couldn't enjoy the fact that his beloved Mets, that doomed and tortured franchise is currently one of the best teams in baseball. He couldn't just enjoy the moment and ignore all the naysayers. He had to take a shot across the bow of the Death Star.

See, I knew the needle was coming. It was only a matter of time after my Yankee-free week came to an end as this guy returned from his vacation. And it was certainly just a matter of time after three newspapers proclaimed the Mets as new owners of New York City:

"You know, if the Mets played in the American League..."
-Darth Marc

He didn't even have to finish. I knew where he was going. American League...superior league...blah blah blah. Been there, heard that, bought the DVD.

But here's what makes the Mets so mind boggling: They're basically an American League team. And it a reversing of the tables if you will...because in 1996, a certain American League team started winning their string of World Series (two of which tainted by HGH using Jason Grimsley, he he) by playing...(gasp)...National League baseball, beating our league at our own game. Now, the Mets are beating teams by acquiring the horses to play their game.

There's a glimmer of truth in there. The Mets are a slugging American League style team. No question. However, the point that he didn't dispute was the fact that the American League is the far superior league right now. Why? Because in his heart of hearts, he knows I'm right.

I'm not disputing that the lack of the DH forces NL teams to use their lineups and bench more creatively than the American. That there is a different level of strategy in use in Senior Circuit games. No question.

But we're not talking about stratego and chess. We're talking about horses. Sheer brawn. Toughness. And what I'm saying is this, the teams in the American League are superior because of the DH. Because the lineups are deeper, which means the pitchers have to be tougher and smarter. There are very few gimmes in any of these lineups. Even the 7-8-9 hitters are threats. Which means the pitchers, once they get to the playoffs, are far more honed and battle-tested than their NL counterparts. If you just went through the Indians, Red Sox and Astros like the ChiSox did, then getting through the Astros is a garden party that even Ricky Nelson would have to applaud.

Take bad teams like Tampa and Baltimore. With their lineups, give them a couple of arms and they might wreak havoc on the NL. A team like Cincinnati is two games out of first with Eric Milton and Bronson Arroyo as their aces. Does anyone think that they would be that close in AL East or Central? The West is a mess right now, but once Oakland gets healthy and Angels remember how to hit, it will get much more interesting. The A's swept the Yankees this weekend. Can anyone in the NL boast a rotation as deep when Harden is healthy? Or the Twins? Or the White Sox? Or Detroit? If the Mets had one of the Tigers young arms, they'd have the pennant won by the end of the month.

It's the fact that these teams beat the snot out of each other that makes them so tough in the post-season. It's why basketball conferences like the ACC and the Big East dominate the NCAA tourney...and why it's hard for football teams from the SEC to ever win it all in a game where one loss in October, knocks you out in January.

AL teams develop a huge callous on their hides during the regular season. That callous makes them strategy proof. Is Tony LaRussa a better manager than Terry Francona? Probably. But it didn't matter, because the Red Sox had a "We're whupping your ass" attitude after beating the Angels and Yankees that the Cardinals couldn't match. Some would say that Billy Martin was as good a strategist as Sparky Anderson. Didn't matter, because in 1976, noone on the planet was beating the Big Red Machine. Try to manuever against a three run homer.

My point? Strategy has its place in the game. But sometimes, its effect on the game is overrated. A good manager can make the difference between a mediocre team and a good one....and a very good team becoming a great one. But he can't make a bad team into a good one, much less a great one. Players have to play and right now, if you look at the teams in the NL and AL....it's my opinion that the best teams are in the junior circuit.

With Pujols out, I can't think of one team in the NL that can beat the Mets. I can think of about four or five in the AL that could. The Red Sox, The White Sox, The Blue Jays, The Tigers and yes, the Yankees. Not saying that they would. But all of those teams in a seven game series would give the Mets fits.

Which brings me to my point of why, with the Dark Lord recovering from his illness, did Metstradamus decided to take a shot at me and my beloved team after tonight's win. In part, because he's seen this movie before. Only the last time, Clemens was the star and Mike Piazza was his foil.

I've said in the past, that Clemens started pitching like Clemens for the Yankees, when gave Piazza a haircut in 2000. I'm not advocating beaning anyone in the head. But what I meant is that he started becoming the fire-breathing dragon that gave the AL fits of diarrhea for the Yankees when he decided to stop trying to be a good citizen and put the fear of god into hitters again. That incident along with the thrown bat in the World Series let the world know that this mo-fo was a crazy bastard again. And that if you got comfortable in the box, you might end up on your ass.

Say what you want about whether Posada overreacted. What can't be disputed, is the fact that intentionally or unintentionally, Yankee hitters have been beaned at an alarming rate over the past several weeks. And with no response from the pitching staff. Posada had probably had enough of it. Johnson feeling the same way, responded in kind.

You can debate on whether they should have thrown at Victor Martinez instead. But hey, the if you can get an out in the inning and still make your point, then do it. It's a lot easier to get two outs in that Cleveland lineup than three. And with the way the bullpen's been used lately, every out helps.

But I think the heart of Metstra's angst is this...He knows the Yankees should be dead and buried, but somehow, at the time of this posting, they're a game ahead in the AL East. He knows that for all the headlines in June that declare the Mets as the New Boys of Summer...He knows in his heart of hearts that if last night's game means Randy Johnson has finally become the Big Unit in pinstripes, that Lupica, Newsday and all the Infidel naysayers will just be setting the scions of Shea for what might be the biggest fall in the history of their franchise.

This team has survived despite the loss of two of their big bats and one of their better bullpen arms. If Johnson coming back to form can solidify this rotation, this lineup, as constructed, can find a way to score enough runs to win. If A-Rod can ever get the fans out of his head play like his old self, he, Giambi and Jeter can carry us to the finish line. And don't get me started if Cashman can make a move at the trade deadline.

I'm not ready to call Johnson cured just yet. This is still the same guy that gave up homers last Friday to a guy hitting .030 and another guy with five RBIs. But if this was a glimpse of the future, then this could a special Summer of Hate for all the infidels. A summer where the Yankees still managed to power the Death Star into October, despite all of their losses. It would be nice if Moose could complete the sweep this afternoon. You bury a potential rival and start a nice winning streak going into interleague play.

For all the bluster in his post, what motivated my old enemy to write that was fear. He's seen the movie before....and he knows that his heroes die in the end.

Perspective From Middle America

2006-06-09T13:13:00.000-11:00

Before I start today's post, take a look at this post by No-Maas that my buddy Karen gave me a heads up on. It totally shows the Sports guy for the fraud (my favorite is where he calls Ortiz Simmons' goomah) that he is when it comes to talking about baseball, the Yankees and A-Rod. This should be required reading for everyone in the empire. I know he opened my eyes to some things. Who says Yankees fans don't know their baseball? Nice work.

I just wish I had read this after witnessing a Yankee win over Schilling and his merry group of infidels rather than a loss where Alex made a critical error in the field and struck out to end the game. But maybe it was important for me to read it today rather than after Monday or Tuesday's win. It's times like these when we need perspective, not when things are going well.

I just hate losing to the Red Sox and especially hate losing to Schilling. He's a phony of the first order. As I've said before, the way that he and the rest of the merry band of hypocrites lobbied to get A-Rod into Boston (selling the face of their franchise, Nomar, down the river in the process)and then turn around and act as if they never wanted him in the first and how they never would have won if he had gone there, is one of the most sickening reversals in recent memory.

I can understand the hatred. Hell, I embrace it. The hypocrisy is what bothers me. I more than anyone want A-Rod to come through if for no other reason than to shut all the haters up. But this will continue to be an issue until he and the Yankees win it all. I was even getting grief about A-Rod from Cardinals fans who now think he's a choke artist thanks to Simmons and others. The remarks stopped when I reminded them that their beloved RedBirds not only got the Love Train run on them by not only the Red Sox....but Giants, the Astros and the lowly Mets in recent years.

In the meantime, I just have to remember to take my meds and not overreact everytime somebody gives me grief about A-Rod and he strikes out with the bases loaded.

Whatever issues we might have in the empire right now, I'd still deal with this than be a Cardinals fan. This view of the city might be the only good thing going on in the land of the Redbirds. They looked next to lifeless against the Reds in the last two games of the series. Only Eckstein and Rolen seemed to have a pulse out there.

But that's the least of their worries. On top trailing the Reds by a half game in the standings after getting beat by a combined 14-4 score in the final two games ....not only is their best player going to be out for a month.....but when he gets back , he might have to allegations that he's a cheater just like McGwire.

I hope to God that this isn't true. Not only will this hurt one of the great franchises in the sport, the already tarnished reputation of the game as a whole would be destroyed.

When I was in the Lou, Pujols' number 5 was easily the most worn shirt in and around the city. Even more than Ozzie Smith's number 1. The T-shirt that nailed down the city's feelings about Albert. It said "I have a man-crush on Albert Pujols." This city loves this guy in the way few players are ever embraced by a fanbase.

Let's hope for their sakes and Albert's.....that the rumors are just that...rumors.

St Louis Dispatch

2006-06-07T08:27:00.000-11:00

If the Cardinals get pounded again today by the Reds, I guess you can call me the Robbie Rist for Red Birds.

Wow, you'd have thought Eric Milton won the Cy Young last year and not Chris Carpenter the way they looked last night.

Meanwhile, I'm wondering how the Yankees were able to pound Beckett but this Pauley kid almost shuts them down. It looked like a great win last night. I'm pissed off that none of the ESPN highlights showed Bernie's homerun that tied it up, but they all showed Big Papi's that gave the Sox a 1-0 lead. ESPN saying that they don't have a bias versus the Yankees is like saying FOXNEWS isn't conservative. It doesn't what you say....you are what you do.

Initially, I was going to where some neutral jersey into the park because I didn't want to antagonize anyone. But then I thought, wait a second, the Reds are playing not the Yankees. If someone has a problem let them say something. Being a big black guy in Busch who wasn't selling peanuts or leading people to seats made me stand out enough (definitely in the trifecta of the whitest parks I've ever been to...along with Wrigley and Fenway). Wearing a Yankee cap and a Yogi Berra Minor League Newark Bears jersey....well, now I know what Worf felt like serving in Starfleet.

The Cards have done a great job with the new Busch Stadium. It's a beautiful BASEBALL park. It has all the amenities the new parks have, but the focus is still on the game. They honor the history of the team without making you feel like you're being sold something.

A lot has been said about Cards fans being the best fans in baseball. They are great fans to be sure. There was nothing but a sea of red everywhere you looked. The best shirt I saw, was a Retire 51! T-shirt, in reference to the effort to get Willie McGee's old number retired (I'm sure that would please Mets fans to no end). They are for the most part, a very knowledgeable, very polite and friendly group. They almost never boo and only occasionally groan when their team gets shelled or make a bad play. Cards fans even applaud when the opposition make a great play!

One sad note: Cards fans hate Tino Martinez. With a passion. Replacing a Yankee great is one thing, replacing a Cardinal God (albeit an artificially enhanced one) is something else entirely. Particularly when you try to do it when you're three years past your prime. The fans I spoke to couldn't wait for him to be gone.

They love the game and pay homage to the history. I had several great baseball conversations with some of them and had drinks with a couple of them after the game. I was a little disappointed that the downtown area wasn't a little busier after the game. Apparently, Cards fan aren't in the mood for libation when the team loses. I've never heard that one before. But there was enough going on to get yourself in a little trouble.

But I would hold off all the "Greatest fans" proclamations. They're great fans for sure. But so are Yankees fans and Red Sox fans. I would say they're at least as loyal to their team as the Cards fans are to theirs. Go on a roadtrip where the Yankees and Boston are the visitors and you'll see what I'm talking about. They have fans everywhere. And while their Northeast brashness and angst will prevent them from ever winning the "most polite category" (Cards fans win that hands down), they're every bit as knowledgeable about the games as anyone else. Who says that being polite and not booing makes you a better fan?

I think the three fanbases are the best in baseball, with the Cubs, Dodgers and Giants just a notch below. But I don't think it's fair that any of the three are better than the others.

More when I get back to NYC....

Beckett On Beatdown Street...Darth Marc In The Lou

2006-06-06T13:10:00.000-11:00

Before I get on more recent events, I want to wrap up my thoughts on my trip to Camden Yards.

My friend Karen had an interesting analogy in one of her recent post describing her feelings on Camden Yards. She described as a beautiful ballpark...with all the soul of a Bennigan's.

Wow. As much as I love the park, I can see her point. There is definitely a stripmall feel to the place. But I think that has more to do with the fans than the actual stadium.

It's the fans that make a place rock, that gives the place a buzz or a chill. No stadium, no matter how magnificent the architecture, can do that. Yeah the intimacy of Wrigley or Fenway can help in setting the mood, but it's the fans that decide whether or not the place shakes. It's their emotions that the players feed off, not the jumbotron or the smell of Boog's BBQ. If if weren't for the fans, all the must-see parks like the Stadium, Fenway, Wrigley, The Jake, Safeco and others would just be big warehouses taking up space.

So while I agree that sometimes Camden Yards can be a little hollow emotionally, I put the onus on the fans and the ownership. B-More used to be a great baseball town. From 1966 to 1983, they were the winningest franchise in baseball. But ever since Peter Angelos bought the team, the product has gotten worse and worse. They used to sell out every game. Now they only sell out when the Yanks or Sox are in town and their fans take over the Inner Harbor.

I used to hate the O's and their fans like I hate the Sox and the Nation. Now they're barely a blip on the radar. Sad.

So until the O's and their management find a way to get their fanbase back, Camden Yards will never have the sort of buzz a beautiful park like that deserves.

Nothing will ever make up for Josh Beckett and game 6 of the 2003 World Series.

But it was nice to see him to catch a beatdown from Melky and the boys.

Cabrera's mad dash home was a perfect symbol of how this team is getting it done on the field. The youthful exhuberance is a breath of fresh air to the almost robotic way the Yankees would dismantle opponents. Not that I didn't enjoy beating Tampa 19-1.... The Yankees of 2006 are getting it done the old-fashioned way. Solid defense and pitching, timely hitting and aggressive baserunning. You could see that the Mad-dash unnerved Josh a little bit. The Sox get the lead back and he gets his ass handed to him. I'd love to hear the Infidel Nation is saying about the fact that in his last two starts he's allowed 10+ runs to the Yankees and the Jays.

Moose always seems to pitch better in duels than in blowouts. Maybe it's the long layoffs that throw off his concentration. Whatever it is, his stretch of 12 straight quality starts came to an end when he gave four earned runs in six innings.

Nice to see Proctor put some gooseeggs on the scoreboard after Saturday's meltdown. Real bright trying to do a Kevin Brown imitation and punching a door afterward. At least Brown was smart enough to use his left hand.

Speaking of hand, I wish Jeter would stop the whole "I'm playing, I'm playing" and then sits out bit. If you're hurt, you're hurt. But no need in getting fans hopes up by saying you're playing and then sitting out for two days. He has to realize that fans hang on his every word and he needs to be a little more responsible in his assertions.

It's Wang and Jane Pauley tonight on the mound. This is a chance for Wang to redeem himself for the two bad outings he's had with Boston this year. He's finally pitching at home against them so maybe he'll be a little more comfortable.

I'll be monitoring the out of town scoreboard and my new phone for the Stadium scores as I'm watching my first game from St Louis tonight. The Cards are playing the Reds in a three game set.

It's my first time in the Lou. I'm staying across the street from Busch at the Millenium so that's pretty convenient. Not much to do downtown during the day. The Arch is within walking distance, but outside of that, it's pretty dead. Had a great T-Bone at this place called Caleco's for lunch though.

I plan on hitting up a couple of place afterward so maybe things with loosen up a touch after the game.

More tomorrow.....

Trip To Yankee Stadium South

2006-06-06T04:41:00.000-11:00

Thanks to Paul Katcher and Bald Fuck Ediie for the great pictures.

"We've been overrun by New Yorkers this weekend!"

That's what the hotel clerk said to me as I was checking in Saturday. Coming down to Baltimore for the Yanks/O's game, I expected to see a few Navy hats with interlocking NY. But I didn't expect them to take over the Eastern Seaboard! We scared the wedding party at our hotel and just caused a shitload of mayhem across the street at the bars near the park. Heaven on earth.

O's fans should be ashamed of themselves for letting the Empire take over their park. It must have been two thirds Yankee fans in Oriole Park Saturday or it seemed like it. I felt like I was at home. We had the annoying pink Yankee hats and idiot tourists(who always want to start the wave. We started chanting "Johnny Cakes" at him and his buddies) who came along for the ride.

Thankfully, they weren't a part of the group I organized. They were what made my trip this year the most enjoyable I've ever had to Baltimore (That and the Yankee win). Even the infidels that came along (Bald Eddie and several others) were respectful and got along with everyone. Thanks to the Friday Night Crew, The Imperial Vixens, the Blondies folks and everyone else...not even a case of diarrhea could ruin the fun I had. Between the Movin' Out sing-a-long during a Orioles pitching change (you had to be there)and the look on TV friends' face when they heard the Friday Night Crew jump up and down to a very-ahem-talented Yankees fan, you couldn't have had a better group.

No A-Rod, No Giambi? No problem. Despite the nagging injuries and maladies, the Yankees continue to win series. Who cares if we're half-game up or back in June? The bottom line is if we keep winning series and putting pressure on Boston and Toronto, everything will take care of itself. They keep expecting us to fold, but we keep coming at them at waves. A plus will be when we get Chacon back in the rotation. Small's 15 minutes were done five hours ago. Once that happens, I think things will fall into place. And when Sheff gets back in a month or so. Watch out. In the meantime, I love watching the kids play.

Had no problem with Wang coming in to close the game out. It was his throw day so let him work an inning. He'll keep the ball on the ground and hopefully in the park. Smart move by Torre.

More later when I get to St Louis.....

Catching Up After Running The Streets

2006-06-02T20:56:00.000-11:00

Sorry for the lateness in posting. But a late night Thursday and running errands before my trip to Camden Yards later today prevented me from getting online any sooner.

If I have to hear again that the Yankees blew a chance for their first four game sweep in Detroit in 80 years one more time....

Apologies to the girls that I called jinxes at Blondies Thursday night after the loss. I wanted that win in the worst way, but I shouldn't have blamed you for the loss. Even though technically, the Yankees didn't start losing until you came over to say hello....

It was still a great series for the Yankees all things considered. We're only half a game out and playing well despite the injuries.

The Yanks are winning series and that's what matters. But a sweep would have been sweet.

Farnsworth bounced back well last versus the O's. Yeah he got a blown save, but Cairo could have gotten the DP had he fielded it cleanly.

What's been overlooked is Damon knocking the ball out of Roberts glove with his slide into second in the ninth. If he slides in headfirst, Roberts is probably able to hold onto the ball. But by sliding in feet first, he's able to jar the ball out of the glove with his foot...keeping the inning alive and enabling Captain America to do what he does.

Darth Marc is all about fundamentals.

Aside from good weather today in B-More, what I hope for most is some length from this latest installment of One Unit To Live. We need at least seven innings out of him tomorrow. It wouldn't hurt if the Yankees put some runs on the board to give him some cushion. No drama please. The only drama I want is seeing whether one of my Imperial Crew murders Bald Fuck Eddie the first time he decides to say something smart about the Empire.

How delicious. The Omen remake comes out next week and O's fans have to deal with this? I would giggle my ass off. I would say that they've suffered enough with Angelos owning their team. But I'd be lying my ass off.

Quick Shout to the guys at AOL NY Sports Page. Thanks for the plug, fellas. Hopefully I can return the favor in the future. Oh wait! I just did...;-).

More when I get back....

So Money And You Don't Even Know It!

2006-06-01T14:34:00.000-11:00

I was trying to figure out how to start this post. Fortunately, my buddy Rob gave me the perfect intro...

ive got three words for you. melky freakin cabrera. i love watching this mix n match yankee team right now. dare i say it is more entertaining?

if you told me in march that come june 1st the yanks would be without matsui...without sheffield...damon has a broken foot...johnson has an era of 5.37...and still be tied for first place...i would call you crazy.

what does this all mean? doom for everyone else. once they get healthy and straightened out (rj) the yanks are gonna be puttin a hurtin on. sawx fans are cringing. if they cant get any space between them and the [columbus] yanks now in the state they are in right now...what the hell they gonna do once the big guns come back? get bitch slapped.

Couldn't have said it better myself. I don't like talking about statements series/games in late May/early June. But I feel that last night's performance has definitely put the rest of the league on notice. The way they've beaten the Tigers the last three days has showed me a couple of things.

First off, the Tigers have made progress but they have a long way to go before you can call them an elite team. They can pitch, hit and run. But their free-swinging ways are going to be their downfall. They probably need one more slugger to even out the lineup.

Second, the Yankees, once again, are going to be a tough out for anyone has the misfortune of anyone that has to face them in October. Last night's game had rollover written all over it. They had just won the first two games of the series, and with the injuries they've sustained, I would have been happy with a split. Now I smell blood. I want a sweep.

I don't care how good Verlander is (and he's very good), I want the Yankees to send a message to the Red Sox, the Jays and rest of the league that it's on. That's with without Matsui or Sheff, that it's going to be long, miserable summer for the American League.

Granted, it would be nice to get Sheffield and Damon healthy. But as I said in an earlier post, if we pitch well, then we have enough offense to get by. I'd certainly take our offense over what Minnesota and Oakland put on the field every night.

Moose was as good I've seen him last night. This wasn't the Royals he shut out. But a good offensive team with a nice mix of speed and power. It was a masterful pitching performance at the absolute perfect time. The bullpen needed Moose to go at least seven last night. They couldn't have asked for more with a complete game six hitter.

With the O's up next, this is the time to go on a nice winning streak so we have some momentum coming back to the Stadium next weekend.

I want blood tonight. Blood, I tell you!!!

Gotta Go To Mo's

2006-05-31T08:58:00.000-11:00

I'm too clever for my own damned good.

I've given my enemies way too much mileage with the Clit-Boy remark. I almost killed Metstradamus because he's run it into the ground after one friggin' day. Between that and the heckler who was drowning out the announcers during tonight's broadcast, I was this close to having pull out the shovels and the lye and get a car to head upstate.

Thankfully, Giambi homer in the 11th and Mo's amazing three inning 25 pitch performance calmed enough to keep my demons at bay.

It shouldn't have come to all that considering we had a 6-1 lead. But a win is a win. One of the things that I would like this team to learn is how to tack on runs after they get an early lead. This is second time in three days that the Yankees have built an early lead in a game only to see it squandered away. Yeah, your pitchers should be able to pitch with a lead. But sometimes they're gonna be off their games. The weakness of most teams is their middle relief. If you can pounce of them after knocking out their starters, very few teams will have the stomach for 10 run comeback. And you don't need your closer to pitch three innings to insure a win.

How does this game affect us for the next two? Moose is going to play a big part as to how. If he can go deep into the game and give the bullpen a blow, it helps us not just for this series, but our weekend at Camden Yards and our showdown with Boston at the Stadium. We don't need nine but seven plus would definitely help matters. I'm not worried about Mo as much as I am Proctor and Farnsworth. I'm seeing them way too much.

The Yankees have been crushing southpaws but Nate Robertson has been Detroit's best pitcher recently. I doubt tomorrow will be an 11-6 affair.

Good win tonight. But how costly it was remains to be seen.

It doesn't take much to excite Mets fans. My arch enemy is so giddy about their minor league jewel being called up and the fact that big head girl is a Mets fan....he decides to write two posts about. Yay.

He's killing me with the Wally Pipp/Xavier Nady references though. Here's a team that has yet to produce one HOF position player in 45 years of existence, and now they're comparing this Rick James lookalike to Lou Gehrig. Then again, if you believe Mike Lupica, Reyes and Wright are already better than Jeter and A-Rod so I guess I'd better keep my mouth shut.

Here's my prediction for young Lastings (I love my people, but these parents kill me with these names). He's up here for a cup of coffee, shows a couple of flashes....then the Mets trade him for Kenny Rogers and a box of hammers for the playoff run. Milledge has a great career in Texas before he's caught with 15 kilos of cocaine and underaged midget strippers in a Chuckie Cheese bathroom...Rogers walks Melky Cabrera with the bases loaded for the winning run in 2006 World Series.

I know, Omar's a pretty smart customer...but I can dream can't I?