Age Before Beauty in the Bronx

The offseason is only a week old and I'm already itching for something to happen. The Yankees have an old inversatile roster so there won't be much movement unless something drastic happens. I think that's what should happen.

If there's any good of the NY Mets making the World Series its that the Yankees saw just how much attention that the youth of the Mets organization got. The Royals won it all because they were young, hungry and durable. Sure, they needed to make some mid season additions to get over the hump, so did the Mets. The Yankees were quiet at the trade deadline. That was the right move because it meant they kept all their young guns. The thing that gets me is that the young guys aren't exactly part of the plan for 2016.

Rob Refsynder is platooning at second base, Greg Bird doesn't have a spot on the big league roster after belting 11 home runs in his month and a half stint replacing Mark Teixeria at first base and in the lineup. Aaron Judge still won't see any significant time above Triple A because of Carlos Beltran clogging up time in right field. If last season was anything to learn from it's when the old guard goes down with an injury, which is going to happen with older players, you need reliable replacements. Brendan Ryan and Chris Young aren't the answers.

2016 should be the year where much like Luis Severino got his chance in 2015, Judge, Refsynder, and Bird should get significant time to showcase their talents and learn on the big league level. Teixeria doesn't give you any reason to think you're going to get a full healthy season out of him. Beltran was great down the stretch but it took him 4-5 months to get there. By that time, the rest of the team wore down and were left for dead.

While not young to be a rookie, Nathan Eovaldi showed he was reliable and develpoed into a solid top of the line pitcher. Pair him with Micheal Pineda and Masahiro Tanaka and the Yankees have a formiable 1-2-3 punch. If Ivan Nova goes back to his 18 win form, then the Yankee rotation came be one of the best in baseball. It would be a shame if they were and the lineup couldn't back them up because of age.

I wanna see the young core play and develop. It's time. Even if it's at the expense of some expensive past their prime players.
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Subway Series Recap, Finale tonight

Granderson homers in return to the Bronx
Game 1:  Mets 9 Yankees 7
Curtis Granderson and company rally twice to take the first game of the 2014 Subway Series, their fifth straight over the Bombers
 





Game 2:  Mets 12 Yankees 7
David Wright drives in five runs, as Mets hit four homers in Yankee Stadium finale of Subway Series. Granderson homers for second straight night in return to the the Bronx





Tanaka throws first career complete game shutout
Game 3: Yankees 4 Mets 0
Masahiro Tanaka continues his new role as Yankee "ace" with a four hit complete game shutout. He also added his first major league hit as Yanks end 6 game slide vs the Mets.





Who are you rooting for? Tweet me @Coolguy924 #SubwaySeriesFinale
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My 2nd Half Predicitions

More of my predictions at the start of the year and my updated thoughts:


In the National League:

EAST:Phillies
CENTRAL: Cubs
WEST: Dodgers
Wild Card: Mets

It's safe to say the Mets are going to be nowhere near the wild card this year. They might make a late surge but I think the injuries to them are too much to overcome. The wild card is anyone's guess in the NL, it depends on who gets hot in Septemeber. The Central will go to the Cards or Brewers. The East still belongs to the Phils and the West is a no-contest for Joe Torre's Dodgers.


In the American League:

EAST: Yankees
CENTRAL: Indians
WEST: Angels
Wild Card: Red Sox

The East and Wild Card is going to be a toss up between the Yanks and Sox as usual. The Central is up for the taking between the White Sox, Tigers and Twins. The Indians made me look bad and might end up being sellers before July 31st's trading deadline. The West still belongs to the Angels, as if that was a shock. The wild card might be a fight between the Rays,Yanks,Red Sox, White Sox, Twins and Tigers, I don't see the Rangers holding on to their strong performance until Septemeber.

AL MVP: Joe Mauer
NL MVP: Albert Pujols

Yanks 2nd Half Prediction: 44-30

Still have the Yanks winning the World Series!

Share your thoughts on The Forum: http://www.chasingrecords.com/
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Mets DROP One to Yanks-HAHA!

Mets 7
Yankees 8


Oh My God!! How in the world does Luis Castillo drop a pop up and lets the Yankees win the game?? The Mets find new ways to lose!! This has to be one of the greatest endings to a game ever! It will surely be shown over and over and over again for the rest of time. Good job by Alex and Tex for running out the pop up!



Share your thoughts on The Forum: http://www.chasingrecords.com/
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Who's On The Radar Now For The Mets?

What are the Mets waiting for? They don't exactly have a starting rotation like their crosstown rivals. The opportunity to get Derek Lowe came and went this week as Lowe signed a 4 year, $60 million contract with the Atlanta Braves.

Not only did they not get Lowe, but they let him go to another team in the division. $15 million a year is too much money for Lowe, which is why they probably stood back from Lowe but he was the best option available for the Mets, who need pitching. It would've been ok if they overpaid for Lowe simply because he's a solid workhorse. He'll get you 200 innings and about 14 or 15 wins, something the Mets desperately need after Johan Santana in the rotation. Don't forget the Mets are also moving into a new stadium this year and need to put a playoff caliber team on the field, especially after their late season flops in '07 and '08.

The next target is Oliver Perez, who is another Scott Boras client. In other words, they're probably going to overpay for him, so my question is why don't you just do that for Lowe. Perez is too inconsistent to be overpaid. Ben Sheets would be a nice risk for the Mets. I think he would be a better fit for the Mets than he would the Yankees. If Omar Minaya plays his cards right why not get both. If both pitch up to their capability then the Mets should find themselves playing October baseball again. Until then, the waiting game continues.
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Is Jones A Good Fit In NY?

Earlier this week the Dodgers released Andruw Jones. That now makes him a free agent and begs the question, where does he go from here?

The logical answer is going back to the Braves where he played his entire career before last season. But many New York baseball fans have shown interest in bringing Jones aboard to their respective teams. On Yankees Rumors, Bob Ruffolo says he's not sure that's a great idea for the Yanks considering they have guys like Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner as guys yet to reach their potential. I have to agree with Bob on that, although if the Bombers can work out a "cheap" deal with Jones for 1 year I'd say why not. If he bombs out of the Bronx before year's end, then trade him or release him, at least you took a shot. Right now he wouldn't be a good fit for the Yanks because of the surplus of outfielders they already have on the roster.

As for the Mets, it might be a better risk. If Andruw can return to his pre-2008 self the he can help any major league team but on the Mets he would add so much. It would have to be as a corner outfielder though. He surely wouldn't move Carlos Beltran out of center. Jones is familiar with the National League and the NL East. I also think he would like being under manager Jerry Manuel, plus the Latin influence on the Mets is greater than it is with the Yanks.

This is Andruw's make or break season. He is capable of a 40HR 110 RBI season but what the hell happen last year? Did he eat himself out of superstardom? Injuries? Who knows, but he has the chance to bounce back. He has to earn his money again and his reputation as one of the game's best. Let's see what 2009 has in store for Mr Jones.

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Mets Have Shot At Perez and Lowe For Price Of One


According to Buster Olney of ESPN.com the Mets are in a good position to sign free agents Derek Lowe and Oliver Perez. That's because the Cardinals, Brewers, Dodgers and Braves are no longer in the mix for both starters.

The Mets reportedly want to have this situation resolved by the new year. If the Mets can somehow find a way to add both men then they will certainly find themselves as the team to beat in the NL East, if not the entire league.

With the market dropping for both men, the Mets can sign both at a price more to their liking instead of overpaying. The Mets found themselves in a similar situation earlier this offseason when they signed Franciso Rodriguez at a reasonable price. It might be a hard task to achieve given that both are represented by super agent Scott Boras. He's known to hold out as long as possible so his clients can get top dollar. So far that hasn't worked with Boras' other client Manny Ramirez.

"With [David] Wright and [Jose] Reyes on that side of the infield, Lowe is a good fit," a Mets team executive said.

The Red Sox are still in the running for Lowe but have not made any substantial progress. The Sox should lock up Lowe so it gives them to a rotation to match the Yanks' suddenly dominant staff.

With the new year approaching the Mets want their rotation set, I don't blame them. After all, they need to compete with the defending champs, the Phillies. It's the Mets chance to regain control of division, can they seize the opportunity? They need to.
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New Look Mets Will Mean Business In '09

The Mets did quite a job this week in fixing their main problem, the bullpen. That problem cost them a playoff spot down the stretch in 2007 and 2008. In a matter of hours the Mets were able to land 2 top notch closers to assure themselves that there will be no encore performance of the recent collapses.

In signing Francisco Rodriguez the Mets got one of the game's best closers. Last season as everyone knows he saved a single-season record 62 games. I believe he will do just fine in New York and he will be able to handle the pressure. He's young, he's energetic, he's talented, he's the right man for the job. A day after getting K-Rod, the Mets went out and got closer JJ Putz from the Seattle Mariners in a 3 team trade. This move put the Mets over the hump and gave them the advantage over the Phillies in the quest for NL East crown. Putz is a closer and it's yet to be seen if he will adapt well to being K-Rod's set-up man but you have to like their chances. Mets GM Omar Minaya brought his A game to the Winter Meetings. He got rid of sour faced Aaron Heilman and didn't give up much to gain Putz. He also didn't break the bank in getting the best closer in baseball not named Mariano Rivera. He turned the Mets from jokes to contenders in the matter of hours. Now, let's see how long it takes for Met fans to call for Minaya's head during the season. Let's be serious here, it'll happen at some point.

The Mets have the best starter in baseball in Johan Santana and they have K-Rod but that doesn't even put them as the main attraction in the city. The Yankees have a big lefty of their own, CC Sabathia and they have the best closer of all time in Rivera. The back page of the newspapers will be a fight for supremcy.

All in all I gotta the Mets credit where it's due. The Mets appear to be the front runners for the NL Pennant but of course it's only December and the games have to played on the field, not on paper. I'll tell you one thing, I can't win for the Subway Series between the Mets and Yankees. That first Santana-Sabathia match up is going to be great.
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10 Things NY Sports Fan Should Be Thankful For

Happy Thanksgiving weekend to all, I hope everyone had a good holiday and is enjoying their weekend. There's a lot of things we can be thankful for this year, especially in a time of finanical crisis. As New York sports fans we can be thankful for many things but I'll give you just a few things we can be thankful for this year. In no particular here they are:

Top Ten Things New York Sports Fans Can Be Thankful For:

10: Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Kei Igawa combined to lose only 9 games. It could've been A LOT worse, given that Kennedy and Igawa don't belong on a major league mound.

9: Anyone notice the New York Red Bull made it to the MLS Cup? They didn't win it all but at least they represented New York in a championship.

8:Johan Santana didn't blow out his arm this year. If the Mets had made the playoffs they probably would've had them out there on 3 days rest throwing 120 pitches aan outing to make up for a disasterious bullpen. At least you know he'll have some life in his arm for the nexy few years.

7: Mike Mussina found the fountain of youth. If it weren't for Moose, the fianl season at Yankee Stadium could've been horrible. His 20-win season gave the Yanks some respectibility this year or else they would've been done in August.

6: The Nets still have some star power. With Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson as the main attraction the past several years the Nets were competitive, but now the star-studded duo of Vince Carter and Devin Harris should do just fine bringing the Nets to the top of the Atlantic Division.....right?

5: Alex Rodriguez's fling with Madonna keeps the Yankees in the mainstream. Bad publicity is always good publicity.

4: Isiah Thomas was shown the door at Madison Square Garden.

3: Brett Favre stumbled his way onto Broadway. Did anyone mention the Jets as a player in the Favre sweepstakes this summer? I don't think they were ever mentioned but somehow Gang Green got the big star they oh so desperately needed and now are one of the NFL's top teams.

2: Stephon Marbury is not far behind Thomas walking out the door. Thank God Cablevision owner James Dolan found some guys with some type of intelligence in Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni to run the Knicks. In one Friday afternoon Walsh got rid of some bad contracts and set the Knicks up to make a run at the best player on the planet, Lebron James in June 2010.

1: The Giants have played so well this year going back to last year's playoffs to make this city forget how much the Yankees stunk up the town in 2008. Much of the focus has been on Eli Manning and company instead of General Girardi and his wounded crew.

I'm sure there are more things to be thankful for this year but those are some of things that come to mind. Did I miss anything? Maybe, probably. Personally I just want to see the NFL go to the playoffs already and see if the Knicks are going to make progress over the course of the season. Oh, how could I forget CC Sabathia and the Yanks? I wanna see where the hefty lefty goes and for how much. Will the Steinbrenners and Brian Cashman open the checkbook for CC? We'll see. For now I'llbe thankful Joba Chamberlain didn't kill himself when he was arrested for his DUI. Anyways, back to the holiday weekend, until next time.
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Yanks Make Offer To Sabthia


The Yankees missed the playoffs this season for the first time since 1993 and they do not want that to happen again....EVER. Yesterday marked the first day of free agency and the Yankees were ready.

The biggest need for the Yankees right now is starting pitching. The biggest free agent out there is CC Sabathia who happens to be a starting pitcher. Well there's a perfect match. It comes as no surprise that the Yankees are going to go after the hefty lefty but how aggressive they really are going to be is the question. On Friday we got out answer. The Yankees made the lefty an offer of 6 years and around $140 million, that's just to start things off. The final number could very well be around $150 million. The Yanks are wasting no time in getting targeting their main man.

The offer was set to discourage other teams from having a shot at signing Sabathia. The Mets, Angels, Dodgers, and Brewers all appear to be in the running but it'll be tough to match or exceed the offer the Yankees gave CC. The Mets gave Johan Santana a 6 year $137 million so it doesn't look likely that the Mets will offer another pitcher a similar deal, even if it would give them one of the best rotations in baseball. The Brewers simply do not have the resources the other teams do financially so they don't appear to be a contender here. The Angels and Dodgers both have to deal with their own free agents who will both likely command big money in the ballpark of $20 million each per season (Mark Teixeira for the Angels and Manny Ramirez for the Dodgers).

The Yanks big spending doesn't stop there. They are going after free agent pitchers AJ Burnett and Derek Lowe. They are going to make them substantial offers as well.

"We’re prepared to make offers to (A.J.) Burnett and (Derek) Lowe. I’m starting to become very optimistic. I think it’s going to be mutually beneficial to us and for these particular players that we’re after for them to join the Yankees” said Hank Steinbrenner.


The Yanks aren't playing games. They want their pitchers and they want them ASAP. I like the aggressiveness here. Get these deals done and get everyone ready for spring training in Feburary. I can't see Sabathia turning down so much money from the Yanks. Whatever happens this winter one thing is for certain, the Yankees will find a way to get an ace and will add starting pitching that will put them with one of the best rotations in the league. CC will get his cake and eat it too. The Yankees will even give him the plate, the fork, and the cake of his choice and watch him eat it. That's how badly the Yankees want to win. That's how much of a panic the Yankees are in after missing the playoffs. They enter 2009 going into the New Yankee Stadium and want a new ace to lead the staff into familiar territory, the World Series. A year after shying away from Santana and the mega deal he wanted, the Yankees are going ALL in for Sabathia, I love it. Show him the money and me a ring! I can't wait.
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A-Rod and Jeter Add More Awards

On Thursday both Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter picked up awards, they received Louisville Slugger's Silver Slugger Award in the American League for their respective positions. It marks the 2nd year in a row in which they have won the award as a pair.

Louisville Slugger's Silver Slugger Award winners were determined by a vote of Major League Baseball coaches and managers who vote for the players they felt were the best offensive producers at each position in both the American and National Leagues in 2008.

A-Rod's 2008 numbers were .302 with 35 home runs and 103 RBIs (That can be seen at the left of the page). 2008 also marked the 11th consecutive year that Alex hit at least 35 HR and drove in 100 RBI. That's quite an impressive feat. It's numbers and facts like that that remind us why Alex is one of the greatest players to ever play the game of baseball. His October failures in recent years are what we remember most about Alex. Not to mention his off the field dilemmas. Yet he finds a way to be a constant power producer in the lineup every year. Gotta give the man credit, he got skills. This is the 10th time Alex has won the award.

As for the Yankee captain, Jeter hit .300 for the 4th consecutive year, adding 11 HRs and 69 RBI. This is the 3rd straight year that Derek has won the award. He is another consistent bat in the Yankee lineup that Yankee fans and teammates can count on on a night in and night out basis.

Here are the rest of the winners for the Silver Slugger Award.


2008 Silver Sluggers
AMERICAN LEAGUE
C Joe Mauer, MIN
1B Justin Morneau, MIN
2B Dustin Pedroia, BOS
3B Alex Rodriguez, NYY
SS Derek Jeter, NYY

OF Josh Hamilton, TEX
OF Carlos Quentin, CWS
OF Grady Sizemore, CLE
DH Aubrey Huff, BAL


NATIONAL LEAGUE
C Brian McCann, ATL
1B Albert Pujols, STL
2B Chase Utley, PHI
3B David Wright, NYM
SS Hanley Ramirez, FLA
OF Ryan Braun, MIL
OF Matt Holliday, COL
OF Ryan Ludwick, STL
P Carlos Zambrano, CHC


David Wright of the Mets also won the award for his production at 3B this past season.
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2008 Gold Glove Winners

I didn't the chance to post the Gold Glove Award winners this week so here they are:

2008 GOLD GLOVE WINNERS
(Position, player, Gold Gloves won and team)

AMERICAN LEAGUE

P--Mike Mussina, 7, New York
C--Joe Mauer, 1, Minnesota
1B--Carlos Pena, 1, Tampa Bay
2B--Dustin Pedroia, 1, Boston
3B--Adrian Beltre, 2, Mariners
SS--Michael Young, 1, Texas
OF--Torii Hunter, 8, Los Angeles
OF--Grady Sizemore, 2, Cleveland
OF--Ichiro Suzuki, 8, Mariners

--------------------------------

NATIONAL LEAGUE


P--Greg Maddux, 18, Los Angeles
C--Yadier Molina, 1, St. Louis
1B--Adrian Gonzalez, 1, San Diego
2B--Brandon Phillips, 1, Cincinnati
3B--David Wright, 2, New York
SS--Jimmy Rollins, 2, Philadelphia
OF--Nate McLouth, 1, Pittsburgh
OF--Carlos Beltran, 3, New York
OF--Shane Victorino, 1, Philadelphia


It's nice to see some new names on the list and not just your usual All-Star at every position. Congratulations to the winners.
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Willie Named Bench Coach In Milwaukee

Willie Randolph is back in the dugout as he was hired as a bench coach for the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday. He will be under new manager and personal friend Ken Macha.

"I'm excited, looking forward to this next challenge and getting to work," Randolph said in a conference call. "I love teaching and I'm passionate about being in the game."


Good for Willie. He was let go as manager of the Mets back in June around 3am Eastern time in Anahiem, one game into a west coast trip by Mets management. A move that was highly criticized. I, for one thought this was a disgrace. How Mets ownership let Randolph board a plane and fly across the country, play one game into the trip (a game they won, and then fire him while most people were asleep was disgusting. They handled the situation poorly and have since admitted such.

Since Willie's firing he has shown up on several occasions in Yankee pinstripes. He was apart of the Yankees Old Timer's Day back in August and also apart of the final game celebration of Yankee Stadium. Willie spent 11 seasons as a coach for the Yankees until he was named Mets manager in 2005. Randolph still vows that he wants to manage but for the time being he has no problem being a coach.

"Eventually, I do want to get back to managing," Randolph said. "I didn't really want to wait around. ... I thought it was best to make this move."


Randoplh served as Joe Torre's bench coach in 2004 so this is not unfamilar ground for him. Let's see how the Brewers respond to the new men in charge next season. They might take a step back if they are unable to sign free agents CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets. The Brewers have a nice young team but it'll be tough to overcome a loss of one or both of these men. All I have to say is good luck Willie, you're a good man and I hope when you visit Citi Field in 2009 there's a way you can stick it to the Mets.
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2008 All-Star Rosters Announced

The rosters for the 2008 All-Star Game were announced yesterday afternoon. The hometown Yankees are going to be represented by 3 of the game's best. The crosstown Mets, however have only 1 representative. Let's take a look at the rosters.


AMERICAN LEAGUE STARTERS:
First base: Kevin Youkilis (Boston)
Second base: Dustin Pedroia (Boston)
Shortstop: Derek Jeter (New York)
Third base: Alex Rodriguez (New York)
Catcher: Joe Mauer (Minnesota)
Outfield: Josh Hamilton (Texas)
Outfield: Manny Ramirez (Boston)
Outfield: Ichiro Suzuki (Seattle)
DH: David Ortiz (Boston)

RESERVES:
J.D. Drew (Boston)
Jason Varitek (Boston)
Joe Crede (Chicago)
Carlos Quentin (Chicago)
Grady Sizemore (Cleveland)
Carlos Guillen (Detroit)
Justin Morneau (Minnesota)
Milton Bradley (Texas)
Ian Kinsler (Texas)
Michael Young (Texas)
Dioner Navarro (Tampa Bay)

PITCHERS:
Mariano Rivera (New York)
Scott Kazmir (Tampa Bay)
George Sherill (Baltimore)
Roy Halladay (Toronto)
Jonathan Papelbon (Boston)
Justin Duchscherer (Oakland)
Joe Nathan (Minnesota)
Joakim Soria (Royals)
Cliff Lee (Indians)
Francisco Rodriguez (Los Angeles)
Ervin Santana (Los Angeles)
Joe Saunders (Los Angeles)

NATIONAL LEAGUE STARTERS:
First base: Lance Berkman (Houston)
Second base: Chase Utley (Philadelphia)
Shortstop: Hanley Ramirez (Florida)
Third base: Chipper Jones (Atlanta)
Catcher: Geovany Soto (Chicago)
Outfield: Ryan Braun (Milwaukee)
Outfield: Alfonso Soriano (Chicago)
Outfield: Kosuke Fukudome (Chicago)

RESERVES:

Brian McCann (Atlanta)
Aramis Ramirez (Chicago)
Matt Holiday (Colorado)
Dan Uggla (Florida)
Miguel Tejada (Houston)
Russell Martin (Los Angeles)
Nate McLouth (Pittsburgh)
Albert Pujols (St. Louis)
Ryan Ludwick (St. Louis)
Adrian Gonzalez (San Diego)
Cristian Guzman (Washington)

PITCHERS:
Aaron Cook (Colorado)
Tim Lincecum (San Francisco)
Dan Haren (Arizona)
Ben Sheets (Milwaukee)
Carlos Zambrano (Chicago)
Brandon Webb (Arizona)
Ryan Dempster (Chicago)
Brian Wilson (San Francisco)
Edinson Volquez (Cincinnati)
Kerry Wood (Chicago)
Brad Lidge (Philadelphia)
Billy Wagner (New York)

A few interesting things here. Jason Varitek and his .215 batting average? Joe Crede and his .260 average? One can make arguments about leaving the reinvented Mike Mussina and his 11-6 record. Jason Giambi and his 18 HR and 53 RBI. A disappointing fact here is that there is only one Mets player on the NL team. You would've thought they would've played better and had a couple more representatives but that hasn't been the case this season. It's possible we see David Wright in the game if he's voted in by the fans as per the final vote. Same goes with Giambi for the AL team. Mussina could get in as a replacement.

I don't have any issue with the selections other than Varitek, but the players voted him in. Maybe having them vote players in is not such a good idea, neither is having the fans being able to vote 25 times. It's more of a popularity contest than a showcase of the game's best all around players. Even with the fans doing the voting, NOBODY watches the game! For whatever the reason nobody pays attention to it. I don't watch it past the 2nd or 3rd inning. Once I see my guys in the game, that's enough for me. I could care less that the winner of the game determines home field advantage in the World Series. The game means nothing to me, I see it more as just an honor of respect to those who are there. I might be at Yankee Stadium for all of the All-Star Game festivies that weekend. I'm sure if I am, it will be an amazing expirence. If only the game lived up to the hype.
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Game 2: Ponson, Abreu lead Yanks to Victory in Nightcap

As if Game 1 wasn't bad enough for the Yankees, in Game 2 of the doubleheader they called on Sidney Ponson to lead the way. Oh boy....

You know what, Ponson wasn't bad at all. Thank goodness. He gave the Yankees excatly what they needed. A quick turn-around after Game 1's disaster. He gave them 6 shutout innings. You couldn't ask for more. Bobby Abreu also helped the Yank's cause with a 4 for 4, 3 RBI performance.

This, from the Yankees stadnpoint was the type of game you wanted. Good pitching by Ponson, a good performance by the offense and good work by the bullpen. Pedro Martinez starting for the Mets was ineffective. He gave up 6 runs, walked 5 in his 5.2 innings of work.

"I'm not doing my job," Martinez said. "It's time to be getting better, not getting worse."


With the 9-0 win by the Bombers, it gives them their first win of the 2008 Subway Series. The Mets had won the previous three meetings, all at Yankee Stadium. With the final out of Game 1 recorded at 6:03 pm, it left little time to regroup and travel to Shea Stadium in time for Game 2, which was slated to begin at 8:10. According to the always lovely Kimberly Jones on the YES Network, the Yanks arrived at 7:11pm.
"It almost felt like you were in high school or a summer-league team, scrambling to play the second game," Joe Girardi said.


A memorable day in New York baseball. If you're a fan of either team then yesterday was a great day. Yanks-Mets coverage ALL DAY. Can't get any better than that. Well, of course if both teams make it to the World Series, then that would be better.

I'm all baseballed out. I'm not sure if thats even a word, but I'll run with that. Both teams are back at today at 3:55pm on FOX. Andy Pettitte vs Johan Santana, get ready it's going to be another great game. I'm looking forward to it, it's the main attraction of the series pitching-wise. Can't wait to see what happens.
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Game 1: Delgado, Mets Slam Yanks

Yesterday was quite the day for New York baseball. One of those days that rarely happen, which makes it more memorable. Both the Mets and Yankees didn't disappoint as both teams won a game to split the home and home twinbill.

Game 1:

Carlos Delgado was the story. He hit 2 HR's and had a Mets franchise record 9 RBI. The same Carlos Delgado that the NY Post wanted out of town. Make no mistake about it, Delgado still has something left in him, or was it a result of the bad pitching he faced? Whatever the case may be, his 2 HRs were some of the longest HR's you will ever see hit at Yankee Stadium. If you have not seen them, then I'd suggest you make it to business to YouTube it or turn on ESPN. I'm not sure those balls Delgado hit have landed yet.

Dan Giese got the start and pitched poorly. He threw 100 plus pitches in 4 plus innings. He got into trouble in the fifth when he walked Jose Reyes and Luis Castillo. David Wright then followed with a base hit and the bases were loaded. Exit Giese, enter Edwar Ramirez. Two batters later Delgado followed with a 2-run double.
"It was like every time I came up, I had a lot of guys on base," said Delgado, who is hitting .462 (6-for-13) with two homers and 11 RBI in his first three games against the Yankees this season. "I got good pitches to hit and I was able to drive them. It's nice to go out and get a good game."


Boy did Delgado make the Yankees pitching look bad. I mean he got the hits off of Giese, Ross Ohlendorf, and LaTroy Hawkins. Not excatly top of the line pitchers but Carlos got the job done. The end result was a Mets 15-6 victory in Game 1 of the split stadium doubleheader.
"It doesn't matter if it's Yankees-Mets or whoever is playing," Jorge Posada said. "It's all about executing pitches, and today, that wasn't the case."


This game showed how much the Yankees lack pitching depth and if I were Brian Cashman, I'd look at that game and get on the phone quick. There's no way you can keep running these guys out there. Giese got released by the Giants, Ohlendof wouldn't be in the majors if the Yanks didn't lack depth, and Hawkins....well I don't know why he has a job. Enough said.

Nothing you can take positive out of this game if you're a Yankee fan. Maybe Alex Rodriguez' 3 for 4 day, with a HR and 2 RBI. The Yanks were 4 for 14 with runners in the scoring position by the 4th inning! You can't win games with stats like that. Just a bad overall performance by the Yanks and a good game for the Mets.
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Yankees Need Answer For 2008

Things aren't right in the Bronx. That comes as no surprise. What does, is the lack of offense coming from the Yankees.

The Yankees lost another game and another series. This loss might be cause for some action. The powers that be, Hank Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman might need to find something to boost this ballclub. In recent years the Yanks have made additions to the ballclub when they felt it was necessary. We've seen them get guys off the free agent market: Aaron Small, Shawn Chacon, Roger Clemens and we've seen them promote within the organization: Chien Ming Wang, Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera, and Joba Chamberlain.

Each of those moves have proved to be vital in terms of injecting life to a team that lacks the energy a $200 million ballclub should have. Granted, these moves have not led the Yanks to the World Series, but it has led them to the postseason. October baseball is a long way from now but it seems like years away with the way the Yankees have been playing.

12 runs scored in the last 6 games?? Horrid. Losing 8 of 11? Terrible. 20-24? Disappointing. Last place? Embarassing. I think the point was put across. I have said time and time again that the Yanks have been in worse situations ('05 and '07) but those were under different situations. Those were under the calm, cool, and collected Joe Torre. Those teams seemed to have an answer for the slow start. This season is under Joe Girardi, a much more emotional guy. Also, the Yanks had to go on incredible runs to make the playoffs in those years. Robinson Cano had a monster second half. Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada had career years last season and ironically both are out now with injuries.
“It doesn’t matter if people are out. You can bring back Ruth, Gehrig and DiMaggio, other guys have to step up. Every team deals with injuries over the course of the year” said Derek Jeter after Sunday night's 11-2 loss to the Mets.


A-Rod is expected back on Tuesday which will help the offense but he can't do it alone. The Yanks need to find a way to get things going. Darrell Rasner so far has been a nice addition to the team but he's only had 2 starts. The bench has been awful, the bullpen has come back to earth after having a nice stretch and the top guys in the roation Wang and Andy Pettitte are expected to win every game they pitch..that's not possible. Mike Mussina has stepped up nicely recently, let's hope that continues.

So what excatly is the answer for the 2008 Yankees? I wish I knew. I hope Cashman and his crew have a plan or else it's going to be a long and ugly summer.
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'08 Letdowns Head Into Subway Showdown

In the wake of the Subway Series, I have a lot of questions going in.

I would have to say that New York is still a baseball city. Just anyone you ask has an opinion on the Mets and Yankees. You don't really get that with the other sports. Everyone in New York knows who Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, Jose Reyes, David Wright are. You ask many people who made that Super Bowl saving catch,possibly the best catch ever for the Giants this year and it might take awhile to get an answer. Sure, everyone knows who Eli Manning is...now, but this is still a baseball town. Look around the 'net and you see Met and Yankee blogs and sites all over the place. With that being said, there are a lot of frustrated people out there. Especially those fans who followed the Knicks and Nets during the winter. Now they see the same thing happening with the boys from the Bronx and for the guys from Queens.

Both teams have underachieved this season thus far. This meeting this weekend will put even more pressure on the two teams. The question right now is, who is under the most pressure to win this series?


The logical answer seems to be the Yankees and their $200 million payroll and last place status. Especially after losing three of four to the not-so lowly Rays. But, I believe Willie Randolph and company are in serious trouble if they don't show some life this weekend. They are coming off losing three of four to the lowly Nationals. Word around town is that Willie might not even make it to Monday as Mets skipper. I don't think the guys in the office need to push the panic button this early into the season but for a franchise that is still trying to recover from last Setember's collapse, it seems like the apprioate action.

Johan Santana was thought to be brought in as a savior..I guess his 4-2 record isn't good enough. Andy Pettitte is 3-4 and you don't see Yankee fans going crazy. It's because we trust Pettitte and we know he will work himself out. So does the organization. The Mets need to trust their guys, there's reason for concern, sure but no need to worry. Johan is still going to win 15 or 16 games, he is still going to be what you need him to be. John Maine is pitching like the number 2 guy the Mets need. I'd wait at least until the All-Star break before putting anyone on the hot seat.

In the Bronx, the Yanks haven't hit. The pitching has been there. Ok, so Ian Kennedy wasn't great in his return, but the bullpen has been as good as we've seen in a long time. If the Yankees didn't have their "B-" lineup out there, then it's logical to think that one of Joba Chamberlain's loses and Mariano Rivera's loss could've been avoided. Chien-Ming Wang could be halfway to 16 wins by now, but the offense has slept through the first quarter of the season. No A-Rod and no Posada sure does hurt..but so does Jason Giambi's sub .200 average. Also one thing that manager Joe Girardi needs to stop is the constant changing of the lineups. It's a different lineup every single day. Why? What's the purpose? Leave it alone, be consistent with it. Melky Cabrera comes in and see himself batting, 1st,2nd,6th,8th, and 9th. Why is he all over the lineup? He's either your 1st or 9th hitter. With his new found power, 6th is passable, but that's not his game.

All the nonsense needs to leave the clubhouse too. Get rid of the gold thongs, get rid of the he said-she said stuff and get down to playing baseball. Concentrate on playing the game. A lot is expected of both teams so start giving everyone their money's worth.

This series, which is now a two game series might be benefical to both clubs. Spilit the two games and you're back at square one. The team that loses both games is going to be in trouble and will have to answer a lot of questions. Wait...that happens now. So what excatly do we get out of this series? Both teams are stinking up the town so should we really except great games or should we expect both teams to play up to their capabilties? I hope for the latter. Nontheless, New York is going to be watching this weekend, the country will be watching Sunday Night on ESPN, so I sure hope both teams can put on a show.
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Yankees show class while Red Sox just want cash

In less than 24 hours the world got to see how different the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are. The season hasn't started yet and already the comparisons and fire that go along with this rivilary are brought to light.

yankees-vt2.JPGYesterday the Yankees played a game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at English Field on their campus thanks to a prmoise made by Yankees owner George Steinbrenner last year. A year after a gunman killed 32 people, wounded 23 others, and then killed himself on Virginia Tech's campus. Steinbrenner donated $1 million to the school and promised that the Yanks would go down and play a spring training game agaist the school's baseball team. The Yankees fulfilled thier promise. Although the Yanks won 11-0, the bigger story was the impact the game had on the school, the staff, the players and everyone else.
"The Yankees - everyone always wants to call them 'Evil Empire' and stuff like that, (but) they're going the extra mile," Va. Tech first baseman Sean O'Brien said. "They don't have to do this. They have a lot of work to do to get ready. It's just amazing that they're doing this."

The Yankees brought most of their "A" team with them. Many, if not all of the Yankee players signed autographs and took photos for people who have not had much to smile about since that fateful day last April. I have to commend the Yankees for this show of support and for extending themselves in this capacity. It shows once again why the Yankees are the most recoginized franchise and set the standards for all the other teams in the league.

On the other half of this rivilary we have the Red Sox. They are slated to open their season in Japan in just a few days but due to a "misunderstanding" between MLB and the MLBPA the Red Sox were about to boycott their final spring training game (which was televised nationally on ESPN) and their season opening series in Tokyo. The reason behind it: apparently the coaching staff was not going to recieve the $40,000 pay that came along with the trip. Are you kidding me? The Yankees and Mets in recent years have made trips to Japan to open their season. There has never been an issue along the lines of what Boston was faced on Wednesday. So the Sox decided they weren't going to play and weren't going to board a plane to Japan unless their coaches got paid. Around 1:30 pm the issue was resolved.
“We felt we had to make a stand, and being on ESPN didn’t hurt,” Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell said.

He also stated, giving $20,000 payments to the coaches would not have been acceptable because the players were making $40,000.
“The club’s working on stuff and trying to get money where it needs to get,” he said. “It was definitely an experience of a lifetime, and it ended in a good way” said Kevin Youkilis.

redsox-japan.jpg This is a clear example of night and day. The Yankees went to a college campus to help people who have been suffering and mourning, while the Red Sox complain about their coaches not getting paid enough. This is a joke and a disgrace to the game of baseball! How dare the Red Sox jepordize the game's integrity by trying to put themselves first. It is a priviledge to be asked to apart of an event such as opening the MLB season in Japan. My friends up north have no class and consideration for the fans of MLB. What if we decide to stay home and not attend YOUR games? Where will YOU get your money from to pay for your players? It's nice to know where your priorities are. You rather get go on strike then play the game of baseball which you love (which you are getting paid for!) Remember, it's stilla job and people are paying to watch YOU play. If you don't like it then leave and let someone else take your roster spot. It's that simple. The Yankees know they are just like everyone else...human. You saw a humbling atmsophere yesterday at English Field on the YES network. What you saw on ESPN today, belongs right along side the trash on MTV.

I want to thank the New York Yankees for showing me what's important in this world, but most importantly, for showing me what's not and what's disgraceful.

(Frank's articles can also be found at HotStoveNewYork andOnTheBlockNY)
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QUITE FRANKLY: Just a Few Thoughts

Looking around the 'net and watching tv these days, one topic that seems to cause a stir are predictions. Our own J Platt reported on John Kruk's bold prediction of the Mets finishing third. So I thought I'd throw my two cents in as well. Here's how I view the NL East finishing up:
howard-rollins.JPG
1- Phillies : Still the team to beat. You have to like Rollins and Howard leading a team that steamrolled their way into the postseason down the stretch last year. A year later, more confident and more expirenced.
2- Mets : Too many questions regarding the bullpen and injuries. If they can stay healthy, then the Mets will be very tough to beat, even with an "old" Pedro.
3- Braves : Gotta like the rotation even if it has question marks (Glavine,Hampton). How well those guys perform will tell a alot in terms of what direction the team will be going.
4- Marlins : Good youthful team, but don't expect them to pose a threat to place any higher in the divison.
5- Nationals : Well, let's just say Lastings Milledge will have a lot of time to record in the studio.

I'm sure I'll get debate on my predictions, but isn't that what makes predictions so great?

Apparently Derek Jeter is one of the worst fielding shortstops in the game. That's ok by me, tell me how many other shortstops have four World Series rings? Jeter is the man I would build my team around if I was starting from scratch. He's a team player and his attitude is ALWAYS team first. A mentality that gets lost in today's world. Ex: Red Sox closer Jonathan Palbelbon claimed he's worthy of top dollar beacuse he's a "championship closer" and he's now in the same class as Mariano Rivera. Jeter personifies the way the game should be played...the right way.

The Mets have continued to downplay the string of injuries that have hit the team this spring. How many times are they going to downplay MAJOR issues? They did it last September/October when trying to explain their collapse. Now they're collapsing before the season even starts! What would the Amazin's look like now if they didn't have Johan Santana? Barry Bonds all of a sudden doesn't seem like a bad option. It's New York, we're used to scandals and criminals, so why not sign Bonds? At least he wont be dancing in the dugout or after a homerun.

kidd-dallas3.JPGJason Kidd faced the Nets for the first time last night since the Feburary 19th trade that sent him to Dallas. The Mavs are 5-5 while the Nets are 3-7 since. A blockbuster trade it was right? Kidd scored all of three points last night, I agree with Mavs' coach Avery Johnson, he needs to shoot the ball more. Last night showed Dallas can afford a three point night from Kidd. The Nets used to be like that...ahh those were the days.

Isiah Thomas and Stephon Marbury should have their own reality show on MTV, they might get better ratings there than they do on the MSG Network.

The Roger Clemens saga seems to have died down for the moment. It's about time. It came to the point that I did believe Clemens was innocent, even after the Congressional hearings but when you listen to Andy Pettitte, you have to believe him over Clemens. The mysterious syringes, gauge and pictures of Roger at Canseco's party didn't do it for me. Pettitte being the man he is told the truth and I don't question his credibility, even if he used HGH. He's human and he makes mistakes just like all of us. He did it to help his teams at the time, I'm not syaing that justifies what he did, but give the guy a break. He admitted he was wrong like a man, he held a news conference and admitted his wrong doings again, like a man. That type of character is something that I hold credible and therefore Pettitte should be forgiven. He was put inbetween a rock and a hard place and still stood tall...can't say the same about Clemens.

A lot of people are counting the Yanks out of the playoffs....didn't this also happen last July? How bout we let the season play out for a few months and come back with the playoff predictions.

(Frank's articles can also be found at OnTheBlockNY and HotStoveNewYork.com)
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