Monday, December 28, 2009

NFL Hyperbolic Statements-Week 16

A couple of super lame items this week that make me want to spit...

Super Lame I: Really, Colts? Really? You're going to let your undefeated season end like that? Without even trying? I know they have an organizational philosophy of resting starters once they've clinched everything they can clinch. It would be one thing if this philosophy was actually successful. But it's not. It's just not. First of all, when the Colts played out the string with their starters in 2006, they won the Super Bowl. They haven't won a playoff game since with this philosophy of rest.

Secondly, they're already getting a week of rest. That's what the bye is for. What's the point of working for the bye if you're going to start resting three weeks ahead of time. I could accept, if not condone, resting starters with a 14 point lead or 14 point deficit. But the Colts were only up 5 with five minutes remaining in the third. Like I said, if this strategy had a proven track record go ahead, but it doesn't, and again the Colts are not going to be successful in the post season. Basically, by the time they get to their first playoff game, Manning and Co. will have been resting for a month. Hope you're happy with 14-2 and no hardware, dummies.

Super Lame II: The Giants, with everything to play for in their final game at Giants stadium, get shellacked by the Panthers. A loss is one thing, but 41-9? After winning the Super Bowl two seasons ago the Giants have been the most underachieving team in the league if you ask me.

Look Who's Back: The Jets. After all of the criticism, browbeating at the hands of the NY, media, and living and dying by their rookie quarterback, the other NY team is in the driver's seat for their playoff destiny. Of course, they got some help with the aforementioned Colts laying down. Whodathunkit?! If you listen to WFAN you would think they're 0-15.

File This One Under WTF: I have a 7 foot piece of asbestos pipe in my house. It's going to take $975 to remove it. I swear, if it wasn't on record and disclosed on the MLS report, I would take it out myself. I'm not too scared of cancer, it's a few feet of the stuff. It's not like I'm blowing foam installation without a respirator everyday. Oh well, I'm just glad it's getting done.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Yankees Bring in Vazquez to Strengthen Rotation

For the second time this decade the Yankees made a deal with an NL East team for the services of Javier Vasquez. Unlike that first deal back in December of 2003, Vazquez comes to New York with lowered expectations. He will no longer be looked upon as the savior of a dismantled rotation, this time he will come in as the third option behind CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett with a solid veteran in Andy Pettitte behind him.

Yankee fans may only remember Johnny Damon launching a grand slam off of Vazquez when he attempted to relieve the waste of space known as Kevin Brown back in '04, but the righty has been better than solid since he left New York. Over the last three seasons Vazquez has cracked up 200 strikeouts and has an ERA of 3.74. He still has occasional issues with his command, but for what he has to be for the Yankees it is a great pick up.

It is also worth noting that even though Vazquez is scheduled to make $11.5 million this year that price is off-set by the unloading of Melky Cabrera in the deal. Cabrera probably will pull in around $3 million in arbitration making and Melky's likely replacement, Jamie Hoffman, will still be making league minimum.

I like the pick up for the Yankees a lot. They have trying for years to get something valuable for Melky Cabrera and it looks like Cashman finally found a deal he liked. While Vazquez wont approach a 2.87 ERA in the AL East, I'm sure he will be a solid option at the back end of the rotation. I always liked Vazquez and while it seemed impossible for him to stay in the Bronx after '04, giving up on such a young talented arm for an aging Randy Johnson was, in hindsight, a mistake. When Sports Illustrated's 2005 baseball preview came out I was impressed by how Vazquez responded to his terrible second half in 2004. Now Vazquez finally has the chance to show short-sighted New Yorkers the kind of pitcher he really is.

The only problem with his aquisition is that we will never hear the end of Hughes and/or Joba to the bullpen... ever.

Monday, December 21, 2009

NFL Hyperbolic Statements-Week 15

I am ill, so though this post will be curtailed, it is here for your enjoyment. My readers demand it.

Danny Says Relax: I know this segment is about overstating things and just saying the first thing that pops into my head. But after the Saints loss on Saturday, the sports media is looking for all kinds of chinks in the armor. Calm down. It's one loss. The Cowboys were playing for their lives, and though the Saints were still fighting for home field, they didn't have as much to play for. I don't think that loss exposed any specific weaknesses. New Orleans just played a bad game.

Best Post Game Comments Ever: After Saturday's loss I LOVED Drew Brees' post game comments. He basically said that he was disappointed that the undefeated season was over. He also stated the team wanted to do it for the city of New Orleans. (Sorry, I couldn't find the video.) He refused to downplay the undefeated season as so many others have and was man enough to admit it was a goal. My opinion is that you try to win every game. When you get to the playoffs, you're done after one loss anyway. Just go for it.

This Is Awesome: Many are analyzing Randy Moss' strange post game comments from Sunday. I'm just analyzing his beard. Man, that is robust! Sorry about the ad at the beginning of the video.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Yankees Keep Dealing

After a six year absence Nick Johnson will be back in the pinstripes he came up in. It is a nice pick up for the Yankees who only a few weeks ago were stressing the importance of leaving the DH spot flexible for the likes of A-Rod, Jeter and Teixeira. Personally I always liked Johnson and what he brought to the table. The man is an OBP machine, getting to first at a .402 clip for his career and for a meer $5.5 million this year and a mutual option for the same next season, it's affordable too. Of course, that's when he was on the field.

That has always been the problem with Johnson. The Porcelain Man has missed 450 games since he left the Bronx, including the entire 2007 with a broken leg. There has only been one season where Johnson had more than 600 plate appearances and in his eight year career he has topped 100 games only four times.

Still it is a good pick up for the Yankees. Johnson can slide into the two spot in the lineup behind Derek Jeter where is on base ability is a upgrade over Johnny Damon and on another planet compared to that of Curtis Granderson. Sure he is slow and cumbersome, but really when is he going to have to run. He has almost 70 home runs hitting behind him and that makes for a lot of extra runs.

Johnson has never had a ton of power, though the short porch in Yankee Stadium ought to give him an adequate amount of power, probably somewhere around 20 home runs.

Damon overplayed his hand and Scott Boras has screwed yet another client. Perhaps Johnny should have given Jason Varitek a call before he listened to pompous agent and his ill timed advice.It seems even less likely that Damon comes back to the Bronx now even though his situation looked favorable after Hideki Matsui left town for LA.

Now Nick Johnson will get his at bats. The only thing Yankees fans should worry about now is how long every Yankee game will be. The Bombers will be seeing ball four a lot this year.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Theo making the Moves

A couple of thoughts about the events of the past few days:

John Lackey: The guy is a gamer, a horse, an ace, or whatever other cliché you want. Lackey is good. I feel like the contract was a little big in both years and dollars, but with the possibility of Beckett leaving after this year, Theo took the opportunity to add a strong pitcher.

Mike Cameron: Jason Bay obviously doesn't understand the market for corner outfielders who are below average defensively and didn't show up in the 2009 postseason. The Sox offered 4 yrs/$60-65 million. That is about twice as much as Bay made in 2009 and a very fair offer. If Bay decides to sign with the Mets, good luck in Citi Field, also known as the last frontier.

When Bay rejected the Sox last offer, the Sox moved to try to sign Mike Cameron to play left field. (Recently, Cameron, the lifelong center fielder, decided he would be open to playing corner outfield) Cameron is an upgrade defensively and great on the base paths. Also, Cameron is known to be a great clubhouse guy.

Mike Lowell: A thumb injury seems to be holding up the deal to the Rangers for prospect Max Ramirez. If and when this happens, other moves may happen fast to acquire a bat at either 3rd or 1st. More to come from this story within the next week or so.

Halladay vs. Lee: I don't really get the point. If you wanted Halladay, you should have gotten him last August. You will probably ended up losing Kyle Drabek, one of your top prospects anyway. (This was a sticking point last August) I know you could probably save money with the extension to Halladay opposed to Lee, but Lee is younger, has less miles on his arm, and is a lefty. I guess we will have to see the final details of the trade before evaluation, but on the surface it seems silly. Halladay seems to be the favorite for the 2010 NL Cy Young.


Patrick Willis: The guy doesn't get a lot of attention playing in San Francisco, but after seeing him last night against a strong Arizona team I am pretty convinced he is the best linebacker in football. He is fast, strong, and knows how to make a play. I welcome arguments against this statement.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Monday Machinations

Since the Yankees were practically the only team that was stoking the hot stove last week I am sure that the rest of baseball was a tad bored. Well it seems that the rest of baseball decided all at once to get in on the act. Monday has been churning with rumors. From free agent destinations to possible mega-trades.

Here are a few story lines to follow for the rest of the week:

The Sox are looking to counter the Yankees big move from last week. Beantown is looking hard at free agent pitcher John Lackey. While it appears the deal isn't quite official, even though Lackey has already taken his physical, it would take a miracle for the Angels to slide in and outbid the Boston, especially considering how tight LA has been with it's cash. Why has Boston suddenly decided to start throwing their cash around? Perhaps Theo Epstein was one of the few who read Dan Shaughnessy's whiny column concerning the Boston front office's penny pinching ways to be a disgrace.

The more intriguing storyline for me is the rumored mega-deal between the Jays, the Phillies and a third team as yet to be named. I'm not sure why the Phillies would deal Cliff Lee to get Roy Halladay but that seems to be what the teams are edging towards. I understand how good Halladay has been and how good he would be in the NL, but really Lee is young, cheaper for next season and left-handed. I suppose the Phillies figure it would be easier to lock of Halladay to a long term deal since Lee will likely command a larger deal since he is three years younger, still it seems like a lot of energy and prospects expended to simply run in place.

Those are the dominant stories in the baseball world for today and probably a few more days.

Update 4:16 pm: It appears Hideki Matsui will get a little closer to home next season. The Angels are working on inking the Yankee DH to a one year deal worth $6.5 million deal. It would be a loss for the Yankees but likely one that will help them in the long run. Always better to lose a player with one year left in his prime than one year after.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

NFL Hyperbolic Statements-Week 14

An overlooked Rookie of Year candidate. Manning had better stay upright. And I can feel the bile rising in my throat on this ...

File This One Under WTF: I usually save this one for last, but I've got to get this off my chest. Brandon Marshall, I can't think of a less deserving ball of dung than you to break an NFL record. By catching 21 passes on Sunday, you surpassed Terrell Owens' single game record by one catch. Yes, T.O. is a jerk, and you not only possess equal jerkiness, but you are also a domestic abusing coward. In this blog, I have largely remained apolitical. This is a sports blog, and I try to keep my posts lighthearted. But I will not hesitate to call out "men" who abuse the women in their lives. I've discussed this issue in regard to Julio Lugo and Larry Johnson. This is a serious problem in professional sports and one that is largely overlooked.

Thank You Jamarcus Russell: It was a decent game between Washington and Oakland. That is until Bruce Gradkowski got hurt. Then Brian Orakpo went off and registered four sacks, stifling the Raiders offense. Orakpo continues to make a quiet but convincing case for Defensive Rookie of the Year. He has 11.0 sacks on the year and has been one bright spot in an otherwise dismal season for my 'Skins.

What the what?: Jim Sorgi of the Colts is on IR. How is this even possible? He never plays! Now the Colts are left with Curtis Painter as their back up. Gone are the days when good teams could rely on good second string QB's. Jim Kelly had Frank Reich. Joe Montana had Steve Young (an extreme example of having two HOF QB's on one team). Basically, if the Colts loose Manning they're toast. But we knew that already. Who knows how good Sorgi really is anyway? At least he knows the offense.

WTF Part II: I have got to buy one of these before the Super Bowl.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Has Anyone Else Seen This!?!?

I would hope that something like this never comes to pass and if it did I would probably abandon watching professonal sports that exploited this decision. It is disturbing enough that it is even coming to the table and has a chance to pass.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Lowell Out, Beltre In?

The Boston Herald, among others, reports that the Sox are close to dealing Mike Lowell to the Texas Rangers for a minor league catcher. This would free up some cash and roster space for Adrian Beltre, in whom Theo Epstein is apparently very interested. I can understand wanting to deal Lowell. He is getting a bit long in the tooth and has been slowed by injuries the past two seasons. Dumping all or part of his salary would also be helpful.

The interest in Beltre, however, is very puzzling to me. One great season parlayed a giant contract. He came crashing down to earth after that and has been a major disappointment in Seattle. Lowell out performed Beltre in every major way last eason. In only eight more games, Lowell bested Beltre in RBI (75 to 44), Avg. (.290 to .265), HR (17 to 8) and OPS (.811 to .683). Not only that, but Beltre's career OBP is a paltry .324. Of course Lowell will continue to decline, but is Beltre really the answer?

If this is the last round up for Lowell, I bid him a fond farewell. I loved the way he used to make teams pay for pitching around Ramirez and Ortiz in 2007. He will be missed, but it's probably time.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Pettitte Back in the Fold

I'm sure almost everyone knew this was coming, but it seems to be a done deal now. Andy Pettitte is on his way back to the Bronx for at least one more year. There isn't really any thing to be said about the contract. Joel Sherman is reporting that the deal is for one year and $11.75 million, which is a raise above what he received from last season's incentive laden contract.

With Pettitte crossed off the list and Granderson now in the fold, Cashman can now focus on Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui and whether or not they fit into the plans for the 2010 Yankees.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Three Way Deal A Go

It looks like Brian Cashman is looking to make a deal along the lines of last season's steal of Nick Swisher. I am sure everyone remembers how Cashman fleeced the White Sox when he swapped Wilson Betemit for Swisher.

This offseason it looks like Cashman pulled down Curtis Granderson in a big three-team trade. Included in the deal is Ian Kennedy and Austin Jackson, two of the biggest prospects in the Yankee system.

I have to say I am not entirely thrilled with the deal. While the loss of Kennedy is one the Yankees can absorb without a second thought, the loss of Jackson may be tougher to handle. Jackson is far from a sure thing. He has a hard time making consistent contact and he is not overwhelming in any area, but he is a solid overall player.

The third part of the deal was Phil Coke. Not many Yankee fans will miss Coke and with Damaso Marte rediscovering himself during the postseason I doubt the Yankees will miss him too much either.

Granderson has been on a steady decline these past two seasons, but his left-handed power will obviously play well in Yankee Stadium and considering he had a career low in BABIP his average will most likely rebound next season. The biggest concern would be his splits against left-handed pitching. They are ugly and there is no way to know if that is simply a lull if he will turn into a full blown platoon player in the next few seasons.

To me the biggest problem with the deal is the Diamondbacks shipping Max Scherzer off to Detroit and getting only Ian Kennedy and Edwin Jackson. I hope Arizona knows something about Scherzer we don't because Kennedy doesn't have his upside and Jackson is nothing special beyond the first half of the season.

It isn't a lock to go down yet but only physicals are standing in the way right now.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

NFL Hyperbolic Statements-Week 13

A couple teams to watch for and a couple on suicide watch. What I want for Xmas. And cut this guy now...

I Hate You: Shaun Suisham, Redskins. I hate to keep advocating physical violence, but this dude needs a flogging with a broom handle. I looked at his numbers and really they're not that bad, but from my observation this guy misses so many easy kicks. I've been calling for him to get cut for two years. I knew as soon as the 'Skins allowed the Saints to tie the game and went into OT they were going to lose. It's just one of those seasons for both teams. The Saints at 11-0 feel like they're never out of a game. The 'Skins feel like they can never get a break. It reflects in both teams play.

Teams You Should Be Afraid Of: No one is really talking about them because of the ridiculous seasons the Colts and Saints are having, but the league needs to watch out for both the Cardinals and Chargers. Let's not forget that the Cards are the defending NFC champs. They served that notice to the Vikings in a big way Sunday night. The Chargers are another team I would not want to face when the playoffs start. They are quietly 9-3. Both teams have tremendous offensive weapons, fearless quarterbacks, and underrated defenses.

Teams I'm Not Afraid Of Anymore: The Steelers and the Patriots. The Steelers have lost four in a row. Two of those games were against the Chiefs and the Raiders. Yeck. A Super Bowl caliber defense should not give up 21 in the fourth quarter against anyone, never mind the Raiders. The Patriots have gone from offensive juggernaut to one dementional. And on the defensive side they are inexperienced. Furthermore, Tom Brady apparently thinks it's ok to just chuck the ball to Randy Moss even when completely blanketed. Not only that, but Brady seems to be calling out his teammates out for not working hard. According to some sources he may be talking about the aforementioned Moss.

Please God, Please: Can we have a Saints vs. Colts Super Bowl? It seems like it's been a long time since we've seen a real battle of the big boys in the biggest game. Some people like underdogs. I want to see the two most dominant teams with the two nastiest QB's go blow for blow in the Super Bowl. AND how freaking cool would it be for both teams to be 18-0 going into the game?

File This One Under WTF: I am attempting to cultivate my own Buffalo wing sauce. Frank's Red Hot etc. just haven't been cutting it for me. Today as I was cutting up jalepenos and habeneros to put in the food processor, I decided to sample a piece of the raw habenero. Aaahh, Scoville Units!!!! Well, as I write, the sauce is simmering and the wings are roasting. Let's how this turns out.


Saturday, December 5, 2009

Yankees to Cut Payroll...

In the last two days I have seen a flurry of stories and blog posts about how the Yankees plan on shedding payroll for the coming 2010 season. For the Yankees that would mean dropping from about $205 million down to the more reasonable, yet still absurd level of $185 million.

It's not that I don't believe the Yankees will cut payroll, and not that I don't think they should considering they could be much, much more efficient with their money. However, what I think has been missed by the general tone of the stories is the biggest motivation for the Yankees to get their spending under control. That motivation would have to be the free agent class that will be after the 2010 season.

This class is highlighted by jewels like Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman, Joe Mauer and Carl Crawford on the position player side and an absurd amount of pitching talent. The Yankees are simply biding their time until the real talent hits the market.

Much like the winter of 2007-08, the Yankees should take a step back backward if it means a huge leap forward a year from now. That may mean letting Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon walk. It also may mean that the Yankees have to put their faith in Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes to round out the rotation.

The only move the Yankees must absolutely make is bringing back Andy Pettitte. Pettitte is an exact fit for what the Bombers need and he comes without the massive commitment it would take to get either John Lackey or Roy Halladay.

Sitting back would simply mean you shed to aging outfielders (Damon and Matsui at $13 mil a piece), a catcher without a bat (Jose Molina at $2 mil), another outfielder without a throwing arm (no I'm not double counting Damon I'm talking about Xavier Nady at $6.5 mil) and a broken down pitcher (Chien-Ming Wang at $5 mil).

That is close to $40 million dollars coming off the books this off season. That leaves the Yankees with $166 million committed to next season before arbitration numbers are handed out. Add in Pettitte and the Yanks will be right around $180 million. Subtract a few more expiring contracts for next season and the Yankees will have boat loads of cash to spend next off season.

Brian Cashman would loathe wasting any of that future money on either Matt Holliday or Jason Bay, both of whom are inferior when stacked up against what you could get for the same amount of money and years next off season. So for one off season the Yankees appear to be putting their check book back in their pocket and it couldn't be a smarter move.

Friday, December 4, 2009

It's All Relative

I just finished reading an interesting article by Tim Kurkjian from a 1992 Sports Illustrated archive. It's an examination of Ryne Sandberg's then record $7 million-a-year salary. How things have changed. As we all know, the Sox just signed another middle infielder, Marco Scutaro, with no where near Sandberg's pedigree for the same price per season. He won't be anywhere near the highest paid player on the team. Oddly, Scutaro and Sandberg were around the same age at the signing of both deals.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Sox to Sign Scutaro

Well it seems the great Pedroia to short stop debut will end before it ever really gets to begin. The Sox seem to have locked up shortstop Marco Scutaro for the next two seasons. Details are few but there may also be a third year option on top of the first two years.

It also means that the Sox will lose a first round draft pick after gaining one when Billy Wagner signed a one-year deal with the Braves.

If I wasn't a Yankee fan I wouldn't be too concerned with the Sox picking up a 34-year old short stop who is coming off a career year. The situation wreaks of a player cashing in on one final deal. But as a Yankee fan I have seen Scutaro beat my team on one too many occasions where he had no business being the hero.

I hope Scutaro fellows the normal career path of a 34-year old short stop, but part of me knows he is just one of those guys who shows up against your team regardless of how he is playing or at what stage of his career he is in.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

A Little Baseball News for Sox Fans

According to Peter Gammons the Sox are considering moving Dustin Pedroia to the other side of second. There are more quality second basemen available than short stops so the logic of filling the position with a shift of Pedroia is sound. I look at Michael Young from Texas as a prime example of a player bouncing around positions due to need or primadonnas and maintaining an All-Star performance level.

My only qualm with the move is that, if it is made, we wont hear the end of the gritty, gutty, team-centric, short but giant spirited, one of a kind, man with the hand eye coordination (seriously Gammons they all have awesome hand eye coordination, that's the only way you can play baseball at the MLB level) of a god Dustin Pedroia.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Saints Spank Pats

Sorry folks. No in depth analysis or astute observations in this post; only utter glee at seeing the Patriots get pummeled. My personal favorite was the busted coverage on Devery Henderson's back breaking TD reception, not a New England player within 20 yards.

On the other side of the ball, I can't remember seeing Tom Brady play so poorly. Usually a Brady int. involves a tipped ball or a hit from a D-lineman. I've never seen him throw balls up for grabs the way he did last night. But give the Saints credit, they got after Brady all night and mixed in their blitzes well.

Call me crazy, but I don't think it's too early to talk about Drew Brees for the Hall of Fame. Normally the HOF won't pay any mind to a QB without a Super Bowl ring unless he's got stats that look like the figures for the national debt (ex: Marino, Fouts, Moon). Drew Brees is well on his way with nearly 30,000 yards and almost 200 TD's, and he's only 29. Barring injury he'll pass those benchmarks this year. Throw in his historic 5,000 yard season, and he's well on his way. Throw in a Super Bowl ring, and he's just about a sure thing. (So I lied about the astute observation).

Sunday, November 29, 2009

NFL Hyperbolic Statements-Week 12

Another comeback from... guess who? From pariah to golden boy. Cool threads. And a couple more dummies need to close their pie holes.

Clearly the Best Team in the League:
The Colts spotted the Texans leads of 17-0 and 20-7. Then two pass interference calls: one legit, the other... not so much, aided an Indy drive that culminated in a Reggie Wayne TD that put the Colts right back in it. Blood in the water. After taking a one point lead on a Dallas Clark TD catch in the fourth, the Colts D made a couple of huge plays that just buried the Texans. Clint Sessions returned an int for for six. Then Matt Schaub got stripped to set up a Chad Simpson (who?) TD run. All of a sudden, the Colts were blowing out the Texans. This is the fifth consecutive game that the Colts have won after trailing in the fourth quarter. I don't know how that bodes for their playoff chances. What it does mean is that they don't care what situation they're in because they're better than you. Oh, and btw... this is the Colts' 20th straight regular season win spanning the last two years.

Coolest Redemption Ever: Vince Young. Who knows how long this will really last, but I think it's great to see Vince Young back and making plays. It seems like he's figured out something out from the mental side of things. Last Monday he looked great and the Titans were brilliant with their play calling mixing runs and passes for him. He also looked like he's vastly improved his accuracy (which is why the called runs work). Then with this 18 play drive to win the game Sunday, he looks like a completely different player.

You Need a Slap in the Mouth: Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes. Both players have publicly questioned Ben Roethlisberger's toughness (in a very oblique way) after he sat out Sunday's game with post-concussion symptoms. Really? Do you guys want to let Big Ben live in your place and wipe his drool when he's 60 and can't remember his own name? It's his life. He has to deal with the consequences, not you. No one has a right to question someone else's manhood after a head injury. But why would you trust a neurologist anyway?

My Aesthetic Sensibilities: Is there any earthly reason that the Buffalo Bills shouldn't permanently return to their retro threads? I mean c'mon! Those are far superior to the hot mess of stripes, piping, and three different shades of blue that they wear now.


File This One Under WTF: When did our society become so germophobic? People in my office building have been opening door handles with paper towels and slathering themselves with Purel every five minutes. My company now has strategically placed sterilization outposts stocked with wipes, Kleenex, and anit-bacterial goo. Guess what? No matter what you do you're going to get a cold. As long as your not licking the restroom floors, I think you'll be fine.

Monday, November 23, 2009

NFL Hyperbolic Statements-Week 11

Two so-called contenders punk out. The city of Baltimore holds a grudge. And looking forward to watching the Lions? Since we've got a short week, think of this as the Cliff's Notes version of "Statements."

Don't Rest On Your Laurels, Ever: Bengals and Steelers. Following a man-sized win against the Steelers, the Bengals turned into tabbies vs. the pathetic Raiders. The eyepatches did have one advantage; Demarcus Russell was on the bench. But still, if Cincinnatti wanted to think of itself as a contender, they needed to take care of biznass against the Faders. (Wow, two disparaging nicknames for Oakland in one paragraph). Meanwhile, halfway across the country, the Steelers were yacking it up against another AFC West ne'er-do-well. You would think they would come out pissed off and ready to kill the Chiefs after losing an important divisional game to the Bengals last week. I guess that's the difference between these two clubs and the Colts who seem to win under all kinds of circumstances, even when it appears they really don't deserve to win.

State Line of the Week: Robert Meachem, Saints. 2 catches, 10 yards, 2 TD's. Just don't confuse him with Robert Mitchum.
Cosmic Forces At Work: Two games ago, the Baltimore Ravens played the team that replaced them after they left Cleveland and changed names, the "new" Browns. Last Sunday, the Ravens played the team that they replaced in Baltimore, the Colts. Let that one marinate in your skull for a bit. Think of it as a football koan. By the way, the Colts are never referred to by name in Baltimore. The PA announcer introduces them as the Indianapolis professional football team. Bitter, anyone?

File This One Under WTF: Ah, Thanksgiving, that magical time of year that exists only to indulge in copious amounts of food and football. I was even looking forward to the Lions game this year. I was very curious to watch heralded rookie Matthew Stafford, especially in light of his heroic play last Sunday. But now he's injured, out for a couple of weeks at least with a separated shoulder. Now, I've got to deal with the likes of a washed up Daunte Culpepper. Damn! Oh well, the Packers will probably win 35-3 anyway.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Treatise on Changing Allegiance

Following the post by Dan about considering changing football teams here are a few guidelines that helped me change teams (from the 49ers to the Giants) in 2006.

First of all, here are some reasons when it is NOT a mortal sin to drop your team:
a) The team leaves your city. (i.e. Hartford Whalers to Carolina)
b) The team is really bad and it doesn't even seem it they are trying to win. (i.e. the Pittsburgh Pirates or Kansas City Royals)
c) The team becomes difficult to follow because of your geographical location. (This issue was more of a problem about 10 years ago but even today it is tough to follow a West Coast team in the Northeast)
d) The owner is incompetent. ( i.e. Washington Redskins or Oakland Raiders)

Here are a few rules that need to be followed:
1) You cannot abandon a team if they have won a championship within the past five years

2) You should take a mourning period of half the period of time you were a fan of the team. ( I liked the 49ers from the age of 7 to 17 so that is 10 years of fandom then I waited 5 years before starting to support the Giants.) It is important to clear your head.

3) If you move to a new city you can adopt their team.

4) You can never change your allegiance to a rival of your 1st team. (If you like the Sox you can NEVER cheer for the Yanks) Dan if you decide to leave the Skins you have to leave the NFC East FOREVER.

5) You cannot hop on a bandwagon. (In my defense started to like the Giants in 2006 and they won a completely unexpected Superbowl in 2007 and the Giants were only 10-6 that year.

6) You must commit a minimum of 5 years once you decide to support a new team.

It will probably happen to most fans at least once in their lives and I believe you shouldn't be penalized your entire adult life for a decision you made when you were 7 or 8 years old. The important thing is to consider your opinions and make a choice you will be proud of for many years to come.


Friday, November 20, 2009

Court Rules 'Skins Can Keep Moniker

As It was reported earlier this week, the Supreme Court ruled that the Washington Redskins can keep their nickname after a 20 year long battle with a Native American group who deemed the nickname offensive. More precisely, the Justices won't review a lower court ruling allowing the same.

When I decided that Washington was my favorite team, I was probably 9 or 10. These issues never entered my thinking. As an adult, I can understand why some Native Americans are offended by the name. My attitude about these types of things is; if a person is offended then it's offensive. The intent is important, but not as important as how it makes the offended party feel. The Redskins' assertion that the name is honorific and pays tribute to their coach in 1933 William "Loan Star" Dietz, a Native American, doesn't seem to hold water to me. They were already called the Braves at the time.

If there's a right way to do it, the Florida State Seminoles are the example to follow. The university has a close relationship with the Seminole people. It also requires students to take coursework educating them on the tribe. That is paying tribute and being respectful.

Quite frankly, the nickname has given me pause to even wearing my Redskins garb in public. As an adult, I find it a little embarrassing. (To be honest, I'm not a big sports paraphernalia guy anyway.) I've even been considering changing team loyalty. I know that's a mortal sin among sports fans, especially at 31 years old, but am giving it serious thought. The main reason they won't change the name is pure and simple, money. It would cost too much to change everything now. But we live in a new age. Just because something has been one way for a long time doesn't make it right.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Sale of the Century

We should have pooled our money and bought this for the new Brothers at Arms LLC offices. Seriously, I feel bad for everyone in Michigan.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

NFL Hyperbolic Statements-Week 10

Perennial doormat makes a statement. An absolutely soporific late Sunday match up. And the most important game in the history of history.

The Big Fat Brass Ones Award: Cincinnati Bengals. They are the Bungles no more. At least for now. In a defensive struggle with reigning champ Pittsburgh, the Bengals won and took control of the AFC North. What they have done this season is staggering, considering where they once were. They are 7-2 with the tie breaker over both the Steelers and Ravens having swept both. Their record is 5-0 in the division. The win total for all of 2008 was a mere four games. After going 11-5 in '05, the Bengals followed two mediocre seasons with the fugly performance that was last year. Presently there are eight games remaining. Beware the second half yack, but the striped-ones' schedule from here consists of such compost heaps as the Browns, Lions, Raiders and Chiefs. Except for a December 13th game against the Vikings they would be favored in just about every remaining game. Don't look now, but Cincinnati could end up with a first round bye.

Are You Still Awake?: Packers 17, Cowboys 7. There have been many memorable match ups between these teams throughout the years. The Ice Bowl of course comes to mind, as does a few hotly contested playoff games in the '90's. This was not one. The game was 3-0 Pack through three quarters. This was not because of a hard-hitting defensive battle on a cold day in Lambeau. This was because of penalties, turnovers, and downright sloppiness. No other game to turn to. Heeelp!

The Most Titanical Clash of the Titans...in History: After trading three-and-outs, Manning and Brady traded quick touch downs. Running game? We don't need no F-ing running game (the biggest misconception in sports in the necessity for a power running game in the NFL). Screw that! We're here to see the quarterbacks, you know, the guys who bag girls who wouldn't even spit on you if you were on fire. This game had everything. But the one thing people can't stop talking about is Belichick's fourth down call on his own 28. What precipitated this inexplicable decision? Arrogance? Absolute faith in Brady? Absolute fear of Manning? No confidence in the defense? Or something else? I think Belichick just wanted to put an end to it. Pick up two yards and the game is over. These Colts/Pats match ups are so physically and emotionally taxing that he just wanted to go all-in. For once, he acted on emotion instead of intellect. For the record, I think he was wrong. As Dwight Freeney said, I would have punted even if I were playing Madden. There are only a few regular season games that ever get remembered for the ages; Brett Favre's Monday Nighter after his father died, Giants 7, 49ers 3 in 1990. This one should be right up there. Side Note: Reggie Wayne is one of the best receivers in football. He does everything well. He runs good routs. He can burn past anybody, and has hands like velcro. I would choose him over just about anyone in the league right now.

File This One Under WTF: Titans Owner, Bud Adams. You are too hilarious for me to be outraged.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Jeter and Tex Bring Home Gold

The trophies just keep coming for the Yankees. This time it is in the shape of a glove, as Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter each won the Gold Glove at their respective positions. For Jeter it is his fourth and Teixeira his third. Jeter should honestly give his to Teixeira too. I mean anyone who watched the Yankees this year noticed Jeter's improved range, but it is a lot easier for him to win the Gold Glove when you consider the fact he is throwing to a Gold Glove first baseman.

And honestly why do pitchers have a Gold Glove category too. Yea some of them are much better at fielding their position than others, but still, They have some many fewer opportunities to be judged on it that bias slips in deeper there than anywhere else. That's part of the reason that of the 104 Gold Gloves in both leagues there have only been 26 different winners among pitchers... the fewest of any position.

Think about that.

Monday, November 9, 2009

NFL Hyperbolic Statements-Week 9

Ugly uni's inspire a win. From heroes to zeros. A piece of human garbage gets what he deserves. And I have a better chance of playing a 16 game NFL schedule than this guy...

Most Useless Player Ever: Bob Sanders, Colts. Don't get me wrong. I love the way this guy plays. He's a human missile and a real difference maker... on the rare occasion that he's actually on the field. After missing five games with a knee injury, Sanders tore his bicep against the 49ers in the seventh. He's even more useless than the 52nd guy on the team. At least you know he isn't going to play and no one really cares. It's not going to effect anything. When an integral piece like Sanders is in and out, in and out, it creates havoc. I actually think his injuries have been a distraction. The Colts build their defense around him, and his absence seems to effect the Colts D psychologically at times. Sanders games played over the years: 6, 14, 4, 15, 6, 2. In 2007, when he played 15 games, he won Defensive Player of the Year. Shame.

The Universe Finds Balance: Wearing their old orange eyesore uni's in which they once lost 26 straight, the Tampa Bay Bucs broke their seven game losing streak that started this season. I'm sure there's some cosmic significance to this. I just don't know what... yet.

intimidating.

Worst Slide Ever: New York Football Giants (just in case you confused them with the New York Kickball Giants). Once upon a time (30 days ago) the Giants were rolling along, taking care of business and sitting pretty at 5-0. Four games later, they're 5-4, ahead only of the Deadskins in the NFC East. Now they must likely go 5-2 the rest of the way to even consider the playoffs. And what's worse, since the Eagles laid an egg Sunday (rim shot), the #@!* Cowboys are first in the division. Thanks a bunch (superfluous use of parenthesis).

Restoring My Faith In Humanity: Kansas City Chiefs. In a season when everything is wrong, they finally did something right. They cut woman-abusing cretin Larry Johnson. I know in reality Johnson's release is more because of his 2.7 yard average and off-color comments regarding the Chiefs and the fans, but I can't stand any sub-human who would lay his hands on a woman, least of all a 250 pound pro football player. You're a real winner, Larry. I hope you never see a football field again. What's even more satisfying is that the Chiefs cut Johnson just 75 yards short of Priest Holmes' team rushing record.

File This One Under WTF: Sammy Sosa, what the crap is this?!

So Long Jason: The Red Sox declined Jason Varitek's option and it appears that this is the last we've seen of Jason in Boston. It's been a great career for Varitek, which included two rings. He is also the only man to catch four no-hitters. It is time; however, as it is clear that 'Tek's skills have abandoned him. It will be very strange not to see him out there. I wish him all the best.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Some Parade Photos

So here are a couple of shots I took while taking in the ticker-tape parade down Broadway. I might have gotten more except it is difficult to take a good shot when you are only 5'5" tall and in a sea of three million people. Here are some of the better ones including some of what might be the overzealous moron who actually tossed real documents and paperwork out of his office window when he ran out of shredded paper.





Saturday, November 7, 2009

Hot Stove Already Burning Strong

The Yankees hadn't even had their parade before some of baseball's teams began wheeling and dealing. We have already mentioned the Rays and their dumping of Akinori Iwamura for a prospect in order to save cash, but there were a lot more notable names on the move with Iwamura.

The first was Jeremy Hermida who was dealt to Boston for prospects Hunter Jones and Jose Alvarez. The Sox didn't really give up anything that they would feel. Jones and Alvarez are not top of the line prospects. The reality is Hermida is no longer an up and coming star. He still has time to be a solid player, but he is a long way away from the potential he showed in his first major league at bat when he jacked a grand slam off of Al Reyes.

After a solid 2007 season when he had an OPS of .870, he began a steady decline. Last season he hit .259 but the real decline was shown in his slugging percentage which dipped under .400 to .392.

I'm not sure what the Sox plan on using Hermida for. My initial thoughts drifted to the Sox walking away from Jason Bay and replacing him with the younger and cheaper Hermida. Then I realized that Theo Epstein is not that dumb. At this point Hermida might be best used as a fourth outfielder who could easily step in for J.D. Drew when he misses his standard 25 games per season or simply as a bargaining chip with any potential outfield free agents.

The other big move to take place was a deal between two small market teams exchanging underachieving players. The Brewers gave up on J.J. Hardy and sent him to the Twins for Carlos Gomez.

I would say that the Brewers got fleeced because Gomez is nothing more than a glorified Joey Gathright: All speed and no bat. The reality is the Brewers had to move Hardy while they could still get something for him since Alcides Escobar was easily going to take the job from Hardy who had an off 2009. Hardy will be big for the Twins and if he can return to his 2007-2008 form then that Twins lineup will be solid.

If Hardy is successful in Minnesota then Twins GM Bill Smith will look a little better for his dealing of Johan Santana in 2008. Even with Santana's resent surgery, Smith looked like all he got for the talented lefty was a bag of peanuts. Hardy could change all of that.

So far the hot stove is looking like it wont disappoint. With limited talent in the free agent class we could see a lot more deals going down and that's always a good way to keep baseball at the forefront throughout the off season.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Girardi makes a Difference off the Field

Even I admit this is an awesome story. Good work Joe.

Shut Up Haters

I hate the Yankees. But not for all the reasons you may think. I hate the Yankees because they are the Red Sox rival and rivalries are fun. I am entirely sick of corn-fed Midwesterners, fans sad sack baseball teams with skinflint owners, moaning and crying that the Yankees win because they spend the most money. This of course is a fallacy. Their wealth and spending certainly keeps them and the Red Sox in contention every year. But let's look at the real reason some teams have money and some don't.

Sox and Yankees fans just care more. Rabid fans spend more money. That money translates to resources and eventually rings. This type of disparity is true in ALL sports except the NFL. Example: University of Texas has fans who are crazed for college football. They want to win. They spend mountains money on merch and devoutly attend games. College football is king in Texas, but not so in Connecticut, where we are. UConn couldn't even fill a 40,000 seat stadium the first game after poor Jasper Howard died! A player died and people don't even come to show support.

Admittedly, it's a bit of a chicken and egg thing. Were the Yankees not so successful for about 90 years would the fan base be so passionate? Hard to say. But let's look at two examples that contradict that theory. The Red Sox, of course, went 86 years with no titles and only three World Series appearances. Yet the Red Sox fans continued to come back year after year and sell out games, buy caps and shirts, and watch faithfully every night on TV (ad revenue).

Conversely, the Tampa Bay Rays, perennial AL East whipping boys, finally broke through and made it all the way to the World Series, and they were having trouble selling out ALCS games! Believe me. When contracts for B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria come up, you can bet your Yankees World Series hat that the Tampa front office will tighten their purse strings. The Rays will be back in the basement before long. Someone needs to hold these owners accountable for running teams into the ground while turning a profit, but thats a different story.

Except for the NFL, all sports are largely regional. On the East Coast it's baseball. On the West Coast it's the NBA. The South and Midwest drool over college football and NASCAR. It's about culture and tradition that's all. You care more and you get what you want for a sports product.

A Little Short on Space?



Not sure where 2009 goes, but I'm sure they'll sqeeze it in there somewhere.

World Series Goes to Yanks; Matsui MVP

Well it took longer than you would expect from a team spending $200 million every season, but the Yankees finally got back to the promised land, defeating the defending champion Phillies in six games for title number 27.

It wasn't quite the exciting seven game nail biting World Series that people were hoping for. I'm sure some wanted that seventh game and I'm sure they would have preferred that the Yankees have to work a little harder to put the Phillies away in Game 6, but that's just how it goes.

The Yankees were the superior team on paper compared to the Phillies. Sure the Phillies could go blow for blow with the Yankees in terms of bats, but the Phillies had no where near the pitching depth the Yankees did. Cliff Lee could match or beat anything the Yankees threw out, but after that they didn't have much. Perhaps in a different season when Cole Hamels is in a groove they may have fought harder, but they literally had no answer in the rotation or the bullpen for the Yankee bats.

The Yankees on the other hand had multiple starters who matched up well against the Phillies. CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte were the left-handers who could hold down the Phillies lefty-heavy lineup (except for Chase Utley) and the enigma that is A.J. Burnett showed that he can shine for at least one big game when the Yankees needed him most. Beyond the starters the Yankees always had Mariano Rivera waiting to close out ball games and despite their early postseason ineffectiveness, the bullpen was better in the World Series.

Joba Chamberlain, Damaso Marte, Dave Robertson and Alfredo Aceves combined to pitch 10 innings and only allow one run. Marte, in particular, was huge for the Yankees. After he disappeared for most of the season due to injury he came back with a vengence in the playoffs to neutralize Utley and Ryan Howard late in ball games.

With that in came down to pitching and in Game 6 the Yankees showed why it wasn't a good idea to start Pedro Martinez in Yankee Stadium. Well, actually Hideki Matsui showed why it wasn't a good idea to throw Pedro in Yankee Stadium. The lefty pounded Martinez, hitting yet another home run and then a bases loaded RBI single. He would add another two-run hit when he doubled off of J.A. Happ to finish the scoring for the Yankees.

Matsui's massive Game 6 performance grabbed him MVP honors and if it is his final game with the Yankees then it belongs in the Yankees Classics archives. Matsui has been huge in his career for the Yankees and in particular the postseason.

It seems the off season will cost the Yankees either Johnny Damon or Hideki Matsui and in all likelihood the Yankees will choose the player who can still run and play some defense. That would leave Matsui on the outside looking in.

Speaking of Damon, I'm sure everyone knows that he won the 2004 World Series with the Red Sox, but can you name the player on that 2004 team who was last player to win a title with the Red Sox and the Yankees? Dan can't answer since he knows already. Bonus question: There is one other player on the Yankee roster this season who also has the distinction of playing on both a Red Sox and Yankee world championship team. Let's see who can name him.

Enough trivia. It has taken 15 games over an excurciating 29 days, but the World Series has finally come and gone and for the first time in nine years the Yankees have walked away with a championship. It's sweet to have that feeling again.

2009 World Champions!

It has been a while, but the trophy is back. #27!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Vincente Padilla Lightens the Mood

In the midst of the World Series some sports headlines may fall to the wayside. Like how some people might have missed the trade between the Pirates and the Rays that sent Akinori Iwamura to Pittsburgh.

But the best story cames from Nicaragua where Vincente Padilla did his best Plaxico Burress impersonation.

Sometimes you just wonder: What the hell were they thinking?

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

NFL Hyperbolic Statements-Week 8

Could a defense featuring man/beast Jared Allen be overrated? What do Steven Jackson and Barry Sanders have in common? Sadly Steve Slaton has a horrible disease. And Tecmo Super Bowl is personified.


Most Overrated Defense Ever: Minnesota Vikings. Sure this team is formidable. Jared Allen has been playing like the Norse god, Thor, lately. But how good is this defense really? They let the Packers close within four on Sunday after posting a 24-3 lead. In fact this ballyhooed defense has allowed 20 plus points in every game this season but two. Those games were against the hapless Lions and the hopeless Rams. Is this D as good as everyone says? Just something to think about.


Best Barry Sanders Impersonation: Steven Jackson. Obviously, Sanders has a much better resume. Jackson is also a completely different runner. But the parallel that I find interesting is that they're both excellent backs who play for crappy teams and rack up tons of yards without scoring many touchdowns, relatively speaking. Jackson is second in the NFL in rushing and just scored his first touchdown Sunday in week 8. In 1994 Sanders rushed for 1883 yards with a 5.7 ypc and caught 44 passes, while only scoring only 8 TD's. Just sayin'. Perhaps this is only interesting to me.


Craziest Sat Line Ever: Maurice Jones-Drew. The hyphenated one had 8 carries for 177 yards Sunday. Is this Bo Jackson in Tecmo Super Bowl?!


File This One Under WTF: Steve Slaton, my second pick in my fantasy draft, has been killing me with his inconsistency all year. Not only that but he's fumbling like the ball has a patina of bacon fat. Fumblitis, some running backs can overcome it (Tiki Barber). If you don't, you'll be grabbing some pine. That's just what happened to Slaton Sunday. One carry, one yard, one fumble, -1.26 fantasy points. And here's the real kick in the crotch, I lost my fantasy match up by 0.07! KAAAAHN!

Burnett Slips Against Phils

Everything was lining up to allow A.J. Burnett to become a World Series hero for the Yankees. He had already saved the Yankees from an 0-2 hole after Cliff Lee embarrassed them at Yankee Stadium and now he was on the bump with a chance to give the Yankees their first title in nine seasons.

Then he actually took the mound and started to pitch and things just fell apart. Burnett couldn't record an out in the third inning and the Yankees were down 6-1 after three innings. The bats battled back, but a standard Derek Jeter double play ended a possible ninth inning relay and now the series turns back to New York.

Prior to Game 5 there was much debate about throwing Burnett in three days rest. A lot of opinions were of the fact that throwing anybody against Cliff Lee was suicide because of his new god-like status. Some advocated the idea of throwing the game away by pitching Chad Gaudin and conceding a World Series game. The argument was that you could then have Burnett on full rest to go for the kill on Wednesday at the stadium and that the Yankees had no chance of winning Game 5. Luckily Joe Girardi is smarter than that.

The reality is Burnett could have very well blown up in Game 6 anyway. Then where would the Yankees be? The Yankees had to drop the hammer on the Phils and while the Phillies won a game at home the Yankees are still going home with a 3-2 lead in the series with two lefties going against a lineup that struggles against left-handers. Much like in the ALCS, if the Yankees had lost Game 4 and won Game 5 there would be no worries. Instead it is the other way around and people are looking for a reason to panic to create interest on an off day.

But who wouldn't be happy with the Yankees situation? And really, what pitchers are the Phillies throwing that the Yankees should be worried about? Pedro Martinez, a pitcher who is hasn't thrown with fewer than 13 days rest in a month and a half and Cole Hamels who can't make it out of the fifth.

The Yankees are still in a good spot going into Game 6 tomorrow and even still, in Game 7 if necessary.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Yankees Jump on Phils; Take 3-1 Lead

If the Phillies feared any scenario after they split in New York it has to be this one. The match ups favored the Yankees and while the Phillies had their chances to swing momentum in their favor they could not capitalize.

On Sunday night the Phillies decided it would be wise to throw Joe Blanton instead of Cliff Lee. Their logic? Lee has never had to throw on three days rest. Well, while there is an unknown factor as to what you can expect from Lee doing something he had never done there is also the fact that this is the World Series and your team is in a 2-1 hole. If there ever was a time to start on three days rest Sunday night would have been the night to find out if Lee could handle it or not. I would rather have Lee at 80 percent against the Yanks than a 100 percent Joe Blanton any day of the week.

But Charlie Manuel went with Blanton with the hope he could stifle the Yankees as he had the Rays in 2008. The plan didn't quite work out that way. Blanton pitched well enough, but not well enough to match CC Sabathia on three days rest. Sabathia struggled through the Phillie lineup for the second straight start. He had trouble with his command and each inning seemed like a battle for him, but if it wasn't for Chase Utley he might have walked away with an easy victory.

After the Yankees jumped out to a quick two-run lead in the top of the first, Shane Victorino blooped a double to shallow left and the Utley ripped a bullet off of the right centerfield wall. Sabathia would give up the tying run in the fourth when Ryan Howard singled and stole second with no throw. Pedro Feliz would tie the game for the first time when he ripped a bullet at Johnny Damon. Initially it looked as though Howard touched the plate, but further replays showed that all 6'4" 203 lbs. of him missed the plate.

The Yankees responded the next inning. Swisher worked a four pitch walk and when Melky Cabrera grounded a ball up the middle Chase Utley attempted a highlight reel double play by flipping the ball to Jimmy Rollins with his glove. He could have easily got the force out at second, cutting of a potential big inning for the Yankees, but instead he flipped the ball ten feet in the air and the Yankees had first and second and nobody out.

Jeter and Damon followed with RBI singles and the Yankees were again in control. The game stayed stable until Chase Utley went to work on Sabathia again. It looked as though Sabathia would work his way through an easy seventh until Utley strode to the plate again. Again Sabathia got ahead of Utley and again Utley crushed a ball to deep right. That was the end of Sabathia and in came Damaso Marte who's postseason resurgence continued as he retired Howard for the second consecutive night.

In the eighth Joba Chamberlain looked good in relief for the first time since early 2008. He struck out Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez in convincing fashion and had Pedro Feliz set up before leaving a 3-2 fastball down the middle. Feliz crushed it to tie the game and while he made Carlos Ruiz look foolish on a slider to end the inning, the game was tied and things did not look good for the Yankees.

Brad Lidge came on and for the first two batters he looked like vintage Brad Lidge. He had Johnny Damon down 1-2. Damon worked the count full then slapped a 3-2 fastball to left. Damon took off for second on the first pitch and when Feliz stepped in front of the bag to field the throw Damon took advantage and stole an unattended third base. From that point on Brad Lidge circa 2005 showed up. Scared to throw his slider he plunked Mark Teixeira before A-Rod ripped a double to give the Yankees the lead. Jorge tacked on two more with a single and Mo slammed the door with eight pitches.

Now with a 3-1 lead the Yankees will face Cliff Lee who will battle with A.J. Burnett. Burnett has always been solid on three days rest. In four starts he is 4-0 with a 2.33 ERA. He was also dominant in his Game 2 start with seven solid innings. Lee will be on full rest and is still in the midst of one of the most dominating starting performances in postseason history. The Yankees go for the series, and they will need just 27 outs for their 27th title. This is what the season is all about.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Series Continues in Philly

Down the highway they go and now they have a Halloween date night in Philadelphia. Tonight's match up will be a pair of lefties, Andy Pettitte vs. Cole Hamels. With the way Hamels has been pitching this season and in the playoffs in general it would appear the Yankees have the advantage over the Phils.

Actually it would appear that the Yankees have the advantage in the next two games when you consider they are in all likelihood sending CC Sabathia to the mound in Game 4 against Joe Blanton.

But it is not the pitching that worries me about the Yankees. To me it just seems that they have been unable to mount any serious offensive momentum in this year's playoff run. They have only really had two offensive outbursts to speak of. The first was in Game 4 of the ALCS when they clobbered the Angels 10-1. But even then most of those runs came at the end of the game to put it out of reach. The other outburst came in Game 5 when Mike Soiscia made the ill advised move of pulling John Lackey with two outs in the seventh inning.

Other than that the Yankees have gotten by on pitching and a home run here or there. Wait, let me correct that statement, the Yankees have gotten by on exceptional starting pitching and Mariano Rivera while the bats provide just enough offense in most games.

The Yankees need their bats to get going in some of these games. The next two would be the perfect time. Two pitchers are taking the mound for the Phillies who are either A) Inconsistant or B) Not good enough to throw out against the Yankees in the World Series.

Hamels has been bad this postseason. Everyone knows that he has pitched to the tune of a 6.52 ERA in three starts and has allowed six home runs in those three starts. What everyone else may have noticed as well is that for the season Hamels has allowed a batting line of .273/.315/.440. Those numbers are big jumps from his career averages and it seems the World Series hangover is still lingering in Hamels system.

And Blanton, well he is Joe Blanton. Now I know he won a World Series game last year. But he beat Andy Sonnanstine who was absolutely blown up by the Phils and he still allowed two home runs. That's before we even get to the fact that for his career, five Yankees hit over .300 against him including a disgusting .571 from Alex Rodriguez who has two homers in seven at bats against him.

On papar neither match up looks good for the Phillies, but the same could have been said for Game 2 with Pedro on the mound. It is unlikely that any game is a complete blow out. One reason is that it seems unlikely the Yankee offense is going to suddenly start destroying pitchers at this point. The other is that neither team is ever going to really be out of the game. There may be some high scoring affairs, but I doubt any team has a runaway game in Philly.

Trivia Answer

So not one person ventured a guess on the trivia question from a few days ago. Losers! The question was, which NFL player played for a Super Bowl winner in three straight seasons. Keep in mind that no team has won the Super Bowl three straight seasons. The answer: Ken Norton Jr. He won with the Cowboys in 1992 and 1993, then won with the 49ers in 1994. Next time, somebody guess something. Cripes.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Burnett, Yanks Pull Even with Phils

It took A.J. Burnett 11 seasons to finally play in the postseason. It took four starts to finally win his first postseason game, but it was the biggest win of his career. Starring at an 0-2 hole and the disgrace of losing to Pedro Martinez, A.J. manned up like some knew he could and others thought he never would.

Burnett has endured a lot of scrutiny this postseason. More so than normal because of his preferred use of Jose Molina as a catcher as opposed to Yankee stalwart Jorge Posada. Until last night it looked as though Burnett's preference was in no way aiding his performance and of course now it looks genius.

Burnett threw seven innings of four hit baseball, striking out nine and only allowing one run. It could be argued that the run should not have even scored. Alex Rodriguez could easily have snagged that ball and thrown out the sluggish Matt Stairs.

Burnett lacked his usual wildness. He pounded the zone, throwing first pitch strikes to 22 of the 26 batters he faced. It is unlikely that any other pitcher matches Cliff Lee's Game 1 performance, but Burnett's crisp seven inning's will be tough for another pitcher to match with these two teams' lineups.

Aside from Burnett there is little to be said about another Yankee that is good. Sure Mark Teixeira hit a big home run and so did Hideki Matsui. It is nice that Jorge Posada came through with a clutch single off of Chan Ho Park, but really they were facing an old and decrepit Pedro Martinez. The guy didn't have much and it showed. He was constantly in the middle of the plate and the Yankees refused to make him pay for it. And don't even get me started on Derek Jeter bunting with two strikes. Can someone inform him that he has 2,747 career hits and that his career postseason batting average is .311? Just swing the bat already.

And because it didn't amount to anything I wont bother talking about the umpiring mistakes in this game. The umpiring has been ok in the series but slipped a bit last night.

So now we have a proper off-day as the teams hit the highway and head to Philly. This is where the Yankees can get back into the series. Cole Hamels has been inconsistent all year and just plan bad in the postseason. Pettitte has been reliable so the match up probably favors the Yankees.

Oh and Alex Rodriguez has been just awful so far in the series. 0-8 with six strikeouts is pretty dreadful. It looks like he has lost his swing a bit. Rodriguez can be forgiven for his Game 1 performance, but tonight against Pedro he was missing pitches right over the plate and was waving at cheap breaking balls away. That could be bad newsz for the Yankees. Without A-Rod as a force in the middle of that lineup they don't win the ALCS and they need someone to step up for him or he needs to get his groove back or things could get ugly.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Lee and Utley Dominate Yanks

So it is apparent that Cliff Lee is disgusting and could be a huge force in the series. Same goes for Chase Utley. It is not like anyone didn't see these two guys coming, both have been close to the best at what they do for the past two or three seasons. Still, it is a bit disheartening that the Yankees would go down so easily in Game 1.

CC Sabathia was good for the Yankees. He was shakey all night but only made two real mistakes, both to Utley. Still seven innings of two run baseball is a solid effort for the big lefty. It is the Yankee bullpen that was the biggest disappointment of the night.

After Sabathia held the Phils in check for seven innings, the bullpen utterly collapsed. Phil Hughes looks like he is scared these past few rounds, and Brian Bruney should be nowhere a baseball diamond at this time of year. Combined all four relievers allowed four hits, three walks and four runs.

That simply will not get it done and if the bullpen continues to falter as it has then this could be a short series.

As for Game 2, the Yankees should destroy Pedro Martinez and with A.J. Burnett on the mound this game could easily end somewhere around 11-10. But here is the thing. The Yankees normally destroy pitchers like Pedro. He pitches to contact and can't really strike anyone out anymore. He doesn't have overly powerful stuff and relies on location and deception. These are all characteristics of pitchers the Yankees normally hit, meaning that in a playoff setting he is bound to dominate. Think Kenny Rogers circa 2006 (although he clearly cheated with his pine tar palm) or even Paul Byrd in '07.

No matter how Pedro pitches A.J. Burnett can do a lot to rehab his image after his poor performance in Game 5 of the ALCS. The Yankees need this game and Burnett needs a good showing.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

NFL Hyperbolic Statements-Week 7

Bad Brett makes an appearance. The league's best team pulls one out of you-know-where. And some of my formerly prized sports garb may end up at the Good Will.

Worst Turnovers Ever: Twice on Sunday with the Vikes driving for a critical score, Favre handed it back over to the Steelers on Williams Sanoma serving platter. The Steelers take both the fumble and int. for six. Of course the grizzled one has done this too many times to count. It's part of his nature and a trade off that the Packers were willing to live with for years. No problem when Brett is throwing for 30+ touchdowns a season. But what make these the worst of his career are his pathetic attempts at a tackle each time. Granted, he don't get paid to tackle, and an injury to the old man would be cataclysmic, but this looked down right wimpy. He would've had a better chance spitting at Lamar Woodley. And by the way, 51 pass attempts and only 18 rushes for Adrian Peterson against a defense known for tearing QB's limb from limb? The Vikings better not fall too in love with their new toy, Favre. The road to the championship should be traversed on the back of number 28.

Most Awesome Comeback Ever: The Saints were down to the Dolphins 24-3 in the first half of Sunday's game. Drew Brees had three interceptions. It looked like New Orleans was going down for the first time. But any team that makes a Super Bowl run wins two or three games during the season that they have no business winning. This was one of those games for the Saints. They outscored the Dolphins 36-10 in the second half, 22-0 in the fourth quarter. Of course, teams that barely miss the playoffs always have a few games when they snatched
defeat from the jaws of victory. Miami let Indianapolis win on a last minute drive in week two and now this. Instead of 4-2, the Dolphins are 2-4. That doesn't leave any room for error the rest of the year.

Childhood Dreams Crushed: My team, the Washington Redskins, just plain sucks (that's a revelation). A pretty good defense gets the shaft every week from an offense that can't stay on the field for more than ten seconds. I honestly feel bad for Jim Zorn. He was placed in a position where failure was immanent. He was not prepared for head coaching in general, never mind this dysfunctional family of losers that makes the Bundys look like the Waltons. I'm tired. Just tired. It makes me want to jump ship, which of course, to most of fan-dom is punishable by flogging. But in addition when I picked Washington as my favorite team, I was ten. I did not consider the racist nickname I would have to wear on my team garb. So wearing a Redskins shirt is embarrassing in two ways. I don't know if I can do it anymore. My allegiance is now up for sale. Any suggestions? I leave you now with a picture of my favorite Washington player of the good old days, Darrell Green.

Trivia: We all know that no team has ever won three straight Super Bowls. Two, the Dolphins in the '70's and the Bills in the '90's, have appeared in at least three straight. But there is one player who has played for the Super Bowl winner in three consecutive seasons. Who is it? Answer on Friday, 10-30-09.


Restoring My Faith in Humanity: Sesame Street will celebrate its 40th anniversary next month. In a world of frenetic, high fructose corn syrup-fueled kid shows. It's good to know that a smart program like Sesame Street still has its place. It's got a seriously dedicated cast as well. Bob McGrath, who plays Bob naturally, has been there since the premiere. Sonia Manzano, who plays Maria, has been there since 1971. She's won 15 Emmys for her writing on the show. Happy Anniversary guys! You were an important part of my formative years.


Monday, October 26, 2009

ALCS Game 6 Recap

So the Angels did their part to help the pathetic airline industries by hitching a ride back across the country for little to no reason. After making the two teams wait for two days the Yankees and the Angels finally got their shot to conclude their series and see who would get the chance to take on the Phillies in the World Series.

As has happened throughout this postseason, the Yankees began the game by leaving numerous runners on base and allowing Joe Saunders to work out of trouble in the first, second and third. Saunders ran out of magic in the fourth inning when he allowed a lead off walk to Robinson Cano and a single to Nick Swisher. After another ill advised sacrifice bunt by Melky Cabrera moved the runners into scoring position Derek Jeter worked a walk.

That brought up Johnny Damon who had already failed to come through for the Yankees in the second inning with the bases loaded and two outs. This time Damon didn't miss his pitch, lining a two-run single into left-center field. After a Mark Teixeira infield hit, Alex Rodriguez worked a walk to give the Yankees a two-run lead.

The game remained relatively stagnant for the next four innings until, of all things, Mariano Rivera surrendered his first earned run at home during the playoffs since 2000. At that point it seemed that those damn Angels were gonna work a rally, this time against the best the Yankee bullpen had to offer. But in the bottom of the eighth the Yankee bats started scraping together some runs to give Rivera breathing room and with the help of Scott Kazmir's latest implosion this October they did just that.

13 pitches later and another poor at bat by Gary Matthews Jr. the Yankees were celebrating and moving on to the World Series. CC Sabathia now has hardware to dispell any notion he isn't a big game pitcher. Sabathia was every bit the ace the Yankees paid a $160 million for this off-season. He stifled the Angels for eight innings on two separate occasions, once on short rest. The Yankees will need the same thing if they expect to defeat the Phillies.

Rodriguez deserves mention as a runner-up to Sabathia in that MVP voting, and if not for the Angels giving him the Barry Bonds treatment for the last two games he might have stolen the honor from Sabathia. Five walks in the final two games made sure he didn't have a chance to have a huge impact with his bat. His final line for the series though, .429/.567/.952 was out of this world and should dispel any idea that he can't perform on a big stage.

This win wasn't only big from a historical standpoint for the Yankees, who finally overcame their regular season and playoff demons against the Angels, but also from a strategic standpoint. The Yankees now have all their ducks in a row for the World Series. CC Sabathia will be able to take the ball for Game 1 and the extended rest he is now getting will probably convince the Yankees to use him three times during the Series if necessary.

The World Series analysis will begin shortly, but at least for today, it is time to enjoy what the Yanks have gotten so far and get excited about what is to come.