New York Yankees

There’s been a lot of griping recently over the state of Boston sports, serving (for me) as another ugly reminder of the developing, spoiled and cocksure nature of fans in this area. Let’s take a quick look, shall we?

Continue reading "A Message to Boston Sports Fans"

For the past couple days, that's a question that baseball fans have been asking throughout the country. And what's the answer? Is there an answer? Is it OK for a baseball team to premeditate a celebration as over-the-top as Milwaukee's earlier this week?

Continue reading "Was Prince Fielder's Celebration OK?"

 Last Night B. Penny and the Sox came out on a mission and that was to break this losing streak and they did. But I personally was more concerned about our hitting. After getting swept by the Yankees in a 4 game series which has not happened in over 20 years, I wasn't concerned about our pitching (except Smoltz which the Sox dealt with after that 1st game massacre and giving up 9 earned, they put him on assignment) I was worried about our line-up.

Continue reading "Red Sox Get Much Needed Win and End ..."

MLB Boston Red Sox; Beckett goes for his 12th win, close but no Support!!
The Red Sox had lost 3 in a row and went into this game versus the Texas Rangers with their ace Josh Beckett on the mound

Continue reading "Red Sox Fall Out of First Place"

Clay Buchholz Would get his First Start of the Year- and it would be a good one.

 This being the first game since returning from the all-star break the Sox looked to stay in command in the East.  Not knowing if Beckett and Wake would pitch in the all-star game(which they didn't and I personally thought they really should have got Wake in the game)so they made this move. The Sox brought up Clay Buchholz (7-2 in minors this year) for this one start knowing no matter how good he did, he would be sent back to the minors after the game. This did not matter to Clay Buchholz, he came out gunning, he threw 103 pitches, only allowed 4 hits and 1 earned run and had 3 strikeouts--Nasty!!  He went into the 6th and was relieved by Bard who ended the inning and looked great also. Makes you think should we keep Clay up here and sit Smoltz, what does Sox Nation think??? Log in and let me know!!!

Continue reading "Buchholz Gets First Win"

I already knew that the Red Sox were in first, and that the Yanks were in second.  I also knew that whenever I looked at the standings, Toronto was not far behind New York.  What I didn’t know was that Tampa Bay is currently only a game behind Toronto. 

Continue reading "Take a Look at the Standings"

The Red Sox played a great game of baseball Wednesday night, as those of us in the Boston area were able to watch on NESN.  However, there was another fun game of baseball on ESPN 2 for their usual Wednesday Night Baseball game against the Braves and Yankees who were playing at the same time.  I found myself flipping between channels during commercial breaks for the Sox and caught some cool moments.  Meanwhile, the College World Series’ final game was on ESPN between Texas and LSU.  There was an awful lot of baseball on last night. 

Continue reading "Wednesday Night Baseball – Not ..."

One of the most exciting games I’ve seen all year.  If I could compare it to any other game this season, it would have to be one of the two Red Sox-Yankee games back in April.  You can’t beat a walk off homer, but you gotta love pitchers duels that erupt in the late innings, only to have the Sox come back and win it in the 8th. 

Continue reading "“Go Crazy Folks, The Red Sox Win This One!”"

What a great time to be a Sox fan! When was the last time the Yankees had taken their starter out of the game before the 3rd inning on back-to-back days?  This almost seems too easy…

Continue reading "Boston You’re My Home – New York, You Are Not"

Although the Red Sox have dominated the Yanks thus far, many have pointed out that the first two series against the Bombers were “a different Yankees team.”  They did not have A-rod and we have yet to see Sabathia pitch against us.  While we still have yet to see Sabathia, we sure proved that we can beat the Yanks with or without A-rod last night – although it sure helps when AJ Burnett is on the mound and can’t get out of the third inning. 

Continue reading "Sox Are 6-0 Against Yanks for the ..."

These days, going to a baseball game isn't what it used to be. Seldom will a pitcher throw into the 7th inning; the score is usually 7-6 or 10-9; and your favorite slugger is likely to hit one, if not two balls, out of the park. The game is shamelessly jacked up on HGH, and its obvious. The best hitter (Bonds) and pitcher (Clemens) of our generation used it, and more players are getting busted by the day (A-Rod, Manny). However, most fans don't care. They still go to the ballpark. That's because baseball, and pro sports in general, is merely another form of entertainment.

Continue reading "Rampant Steroid Use Brings Up Issue ..."

At this point, Alex Rodriguez could be accused of drowing puppies in a bucket of children's tears, and it would barely register on my radar screen.

Nothing I hear about this guy can shock me.

Since it came to light in February that A-Rod used performance enhancing drugs from 2001 to 2003, he has been made a pariah, representing everything that is wrong with professional baseball. He was supposed to be baseball's last remaining light, the golden boy who was supposed to break Barry Bonds' home run record without the help of a single supplement. Many considered the steroid era in baseball to be over - all the heavy hitters had been chased from the game, and there was a new policy in place to punish those who did test positive. The new era of hitters (Pujols, Howard, Ortiz, Texiera) were doing it without steroids, and A-Rod was supposed to be the poster child.

Continue reading "The continuing s*** show that has ..."

The American sports landscape has been continually tattooed with dynastic labels like “Team of the Year” or “Team of the Decade.”  The NFL in particular has been defined each decade by a juggernaut winning …. a lot.  The dominance of franchises like the 70’s Steelers, the 80’s Niners, the 90’s Cowboys, and the Patriots of the new millennium has immortalized the likes of Bradshaw, Aikman and Montana to deific status.  The NBA has also provided its share of dynastic runs from the Celtics to the Lakers to the Pistons to the Bulls, and examples abound exist in both hockey and baseball as well. 

Continue reading "Bruins Cup could give Boston Most ..."

Alex "A-Roid" Rodriguez has to be one of the dumbest athletes in modern sports. He's getting paid $33 million per year, as part of a 52-year contract, so he's set for life. Yet he resorts to using steroids. Why? He clearly has it all. He's already on pace to break Bonds' home-run "record." Besides that, he's known as the best offensive hitter in the game, when healthy. The staff and myself racked our brains over why the slugger feels he needed the extra edge. Having been stumped, we came up with 10 reasons why he doesn't need steroids, in hopes of convincing the vain ballplayer to lay off the juice.

Continue reading "Top 10 Reasons why Alex "A-Roid" ..."

As I watched Jacoby Ellsbury steal home against the Yankees Sunday night, I thought to myself: "This pretty much sums it up." An aging Andy Pettitte forgets to deliver from the stretch, letting a youthful Ellsbury elude another future Bingo regular, Jorge Posada's, tag at the plate. Would Justin Masterson have made the same error? The two ballclubs could not be headed in more opposite directions. Every year, the Red Sox seem to call up another hyped prospect, while the Yanks continue to overpay for limited talent, and shun their farm system.

Continue reading "Red Sox continue to steal away Yanks' future"

AL Wild Card: New York Yankees; AL Champion: Boston Red Sox

2. In the National League, the wildcard situation is a bit more complicated – I’ve been spending the last week and a half avoiding this decision. Presuming New York, Chicago and Los Angeles finish atop their divisions, Arizona, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Philadelphia (not in that order) are the serious contenders for that coveted fourth postseason spot. I realize I also listed four teams as potential wildcard winners in the AL, but I don’t think anyone will truly give the Yankees a race and they’ll take the wildcard by eight or more games. The Reds because of their pitching, and the Cardinals because of Albert Pujols and the possible resurgence of Chris Carpenter will make a run, but in the end they’ll be the final two teams to fall short. It comes down to the D-Backs and Phillies, and, I’m going with...Philadelphia (I just went back and forth for the last 30 minutes). Although the Phillies made the playoffs last season because the Mets collapsed, they did so with Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins dealing with independent issues, and they ended up winning the World Series. On paper, the team appears too talented to not play its way into October where it will lose in the first round and watch from home as New York defeats the Cubs in seven games in the NLCS. In a rematch of the 1986 Series, the Red Sox will get their revenge because of their aforementioned stellar pitching front to back. NL Wild Card: Philadelphia Phillies; NL Champion: New York Mets; World Series Champion: Boston Red Sox

Continue reading "The Sports Don's Sunday Musings: ..."

(Note: originally posted on February 25.)

Each year, prior to the start of the MLB season, I use a unique mathematical system (one that I will not get into, because it's boring) to project the performance of every player and team. This season, in lieu of their significant offseason additions, I expected the Yankees to come out on top. Surprisingly, my expectations were wrong...

Continue reading "MLB Preseason Predictions: Regular ..."

nbsp;

Love the 1-2-3 on this team, and the rotation of 4/5's should be just fine. 

 1-New York Yankees: C.C. Sabathia, Chien-Ming Wang, A.J. Burnett, Joba Chamberlain, and Andy Pettitte. Wild card: Phil Hughes.

Continue reading "MLB's Top Five Starting Rotations"

He is a valuable defensive backstop, however.

1-New York Yankees: 1B-Mark Teixeira, 2B-Robinson Cano, 3B-Alex Rodriguez, SS-Derek Jeter, and C-Jorge Posada.

Last, but certainly not least. It's tough to argue with A-Rod and Tex at the corners -- that's an intimidating tandem. Jeter remains Steady Eddy at short, and Posada is one of the greatest hitting catchers in the history of the game.

Continue reading "MLB's Top Five Infields"

aff, and a slue of injury plagued players Boston hopes will make a significant impact.

Unlike the New York Yankees, the Sox didn’t sign any marquee free agents this past winter, but my hometown bias aside, it’s because they didn’t need to. Boston signed John Smoltz (210-147, 3.26 ERA career), Brad Penny (32-13, 3.65 ERA in his last two healthy seasons), Takashi Saito (81 saves, 1.95 ERA career), Rocco Baldelli and traded Coco Crisp to Kansas City for Ramon Ramirez (2.64 ERA in 71.2 innings in ’08). As Jayson Stark wrote on ESPN earlier this month, "One team tried to solve its problems with $423 million worth of free agents. The other team brought in a bunch of guys who spent about 423 million days in the trainer's room."

Continue reading "The Sports Don Returns with His 2009 ..."

I have to admit, this edition of The Sports Don’s Sunday Musings was harder for me to compile than the previous two weeks. Maybe it’s because I’m still bull over Steven the Black Jack Dealer cheating me out of all of my money at Foxwoods or perhaps it’s because I’m trying to remember to DVR Dark Days in Monkey City. Either way, I still managed to ramble on especially long this weekend so I’ll keep the words typed in the remainder of my intro to a minimum...here it is.

Continue reading "The Sports Don's Sunday Musings: Volume III"

“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make, you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.” – Matthew 7: 1-3

Yes, that’s correct. I just quoted the Bible. Enjoy it, because the only other biblical reference I’ll make is when I inevitably tell the story of how Larry Bird created the world in six days and rested on the seventh to watch Tom Brady win the Super Bowl. The reason I’m recruiting an Apostle is because I want to show each and every one of my readers that I’m not messing around. Enough is enough. We’re a forgiving culture. Let’s check ourselves before we wreck ourselves.

Continue reading "Sympathy for the Steroid Devils"

Another week has come and gone, and there is another Sunday crossword to make me feel like college was a waste of money and another week of sports in our memory banks. From the aftermath of Alex Rodriguez’ steroid scandal to a NBA player looking like the lovechild of a Georgetown basketball coach and a patriotic Muppet, there’s much to talk about and a whole lot more on my mind.

Continue reading "The Sports Don's Sunday Musings: Volume II"

The sport of Major League Baseball just can't catch a break. The steroids era is very damaging to the game. Not to long ago the fans suffered major disappointment learning of the alleged steroid use of such stars of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. Not to long before that Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa cases were presented before us. We all thought what a relief that we still have coveted stars whose names weren't implicated in any of that mess. Well fans... we were all wrong. The games savior Alex Rodriguez admittedly used performance enhancing drugs. I was indeed shocked but I almost expected this. How many more players are there out there who no in doubt cheated the game and all of us? I don't exactly know, but I am beginning not to even care. The fact that drugs have played a part in the game that I love the most, has become reality and there is nothing I can do to change it. I believe in Major League Baseball. I am confidant that the Commissioner and his office, the owners and the players association have taken enough heat to try and get the game back on track. No doubt that there will be more stars that will have there past made public, but after enduring A FRAUD's ignorant publicized apology, I believe we the fans can handle all of the rest that will no doubtedly come.

Continue reading "Are You Serious???"

This past week we had the coming out party by All-Star third basemen Alex Rodriguez on the issue of his steroid use. Many people were unshocked and eager to attack as this baseball player is the viva

Continue reading "Alex Rodriguez"

One of the great things about sports is that every week fans are provided with a plethora of new topics to think about and discuss. Along with my other posts, starting today, and continuing every Sunday for the foreseeable future, I am going to supply my readership with an opportunity to peer inside my oversized cranium and take a peek at what I’m mulling over.

Continue reading "The Sports Don's Sunday Musings"

;        After baseball legend,  Babe Ruth was sold to the New York Yankees in 1919, the Boston Red Sox never won another World Series. The Yankees won 26. Many believed it was a curse placed on the team by some almighty power since Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold the “Bambino” to finance his Broadway ventures. It wasn’t the fact that the Red Sox would lose, but the way they would lose. Almost as if someone or something was toying with them.  

Continue reading "For Love of the Game"

I'd like to take a break from all of this basketball nonsense for a moment and address an issue that has been eating at me since this past fall and desperately needs a resolution in the near future.  As many of you out there know, Spring Training is less than a month away, and for the first time in more than a decade, it seems as though the Boston Red Sox may be facing a new season without their captain, Jason Varitek.  This is just wrong, and although he'll be 37 in April and his offensive production has dipped dramatically in recent years, the Red Sox still need number 33 behind the plate come April.  Anything else would be a travesty, plain and simple.

Continue reading "Rightful Place"

John Smoltz was a great signing indeed and it is a win-win situation for both sides of the table.  If Mr. Smoltz performs well as he did throughout his career then he receives bonuses, the Red So

Continue reading "Smoltz; a Red Sock"

Dear readers:

I'd like to begin my blogging on this account by thanking each and every one of you who have taken the time to read my content in the past, and those of you who will do the same in the near future. A special, personal thanks goes out to the readers who have provided me with direct feedback.

Continue reading "Welcome to JFro Sports Journalism"

The Yankees have gotten their holiday gifts early this year with starting pitchers CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett. I could rant and rave about how Stienbrennerclaus had to spend oodles of cash in order to bring New York some holiday cheer but the fact remains; the Yanks just hauled in the top two free agent pitchers on the market. Now that the Bronx Bombers aren't using Sidney Ponson as their number three man in the rotation we can expect them to once again be pushing towards playoff glory in the dominate A.L. East. As a Red Sox fan I can't help but be upset in losing both these arms so let's look towards the bright side. 

Continue reading "The Death Star was Rebuilt and so ..."

Each year the Calaveras Redskins and the Bret Harte Bullfrogs meet on a Friday evening in November in a cross county rivalry that dates back a few generations.  To victor goes the bell.  The bell has resided in San Andreas almost permanently for as far back as most of us can remember.  Every year, all teams enter their seasons with great hopes and dreams, and this season was no different.  Every year, the residents of Calaveras County wonder if this will be the year that Bret Harte beats arch enemy Calaveras.  And remember this is a rivalry that goes to the soul of both schools. There is nothing like a loss to the other school that eats at your gut more. 

Continue reading "The Bell Stays in San Andreas"

In the past week, we have ended the 2008 Major League Baseball Season, begun the 2008/2009 NBA Season, ended a 33 year streak of Bowl Appearances by Michigan, ended the Calaveras Redskins string of MLL Championships and started the second half of the NFL Season.   

Continue reading "Hot Stove Season"

Secondly, signing him would keep him away from the New York Yankees, who are sure to make a strong push for Teixeira and any other big name free agents this off-season. If the Red Sox are unabl

Continue reading "Adios To Mike Lowell"

That would be the American League East with the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.  The best two teams money can buy, well at least most of the time.  The year before, the Rays lost 97 games with a team of young, inexperienced players.  Giant fans please pay attention.  Behind the leadership of Joe Madden, the Rays seemed to have reached the Promised Land.  Then Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett were acquired midseason from the Twins.  The Rays held on and won the American League East Title. Next they beat the Chicago White Sox in Round One of the American League Playoffs.  Up next was the mighty Red Sox, who after falling behind 3 games to 1 and on the brink of extinction pulled off an improbably and precedent setting comeback.  Momentum seemed to have switched in favor of Beantown.  On Saturday night, Josh Beckett led the Red Sox to a win to even the series.  It set up a match of young flamethrowers, Garza vs Jon Lester.  Both pitchers threw well, but in the year of the Wonderdogs, is it any surprise that for seven innings, Garza, the former Fresno State Bulldog, would be almost perfect as the Rays took a 3-1 decision and earned a trip to the World Series.

Continue reading "Year of the Underdog"

As a baseball fanatic, how refreshing is it that on an NFL sunday, baseball is center stage as the Boston Red Sox attempt to complete an amazing return from the dead, again.  The team with a history of choking is now on the edge of becoming one of the greatest comeback teams in history.

Continue reading "Sunday Morning"

For the last few day the Red Sox looked like a mirror image of the Dodgers.  Dying and quickly being pushed out of post season play.  A finally, a kid from Woodland, Ca battles his way to a two out RBI single and the Red Sox wake up.  Ortiz temporarly breaks out of his slump at the right moment and breathes life back into Red Sox nation.  JD Drew has found a home in Boston and calmly belted one over the right field fence to get the Sox back to within one run.  Drew looked very comfortable at the plate while working Howell to a 3-1 count.  You knew he was going to hit the ball hard somewhere. And he did and Boston will go back to Tampa.

Continue reading "Wow"

With the MLB playoffs set to begin, there is a subtle difference in the air compared to start of any other postseason. In the NHL, fans can potentially look forward to a great Canadians/Bruins series that is not only exciting, but has a historical kick to it. Likewise basketball fans always have the chance to see if the Suns can finally get past the Spurs and football fans love seeing the rivalry of the Eagles Vs the City of Philadelphia when the Eagles so much as get tackled for a loss.

Continue reading "The Ups and Downs of the MLB Playoffs"

Entrance into the Hall of Fame is the highest individual honour that baseball has to offer. Getting into Cooperstown means that without a doubt you are one of the greatest players of your generation and have earned the right for children to stare at your plaque as parents tell tall-tales of your abilities for years to come.

Continue reading "What makes someone a hall of famer?"

Wouldn't you know it, in the midst of my involuntary sarcastic wise cracks about Jason Giambi's facial hair and all things Yankee on Sunday night, I actually got a little emotional about the closing of Yankee Stadium.

Continue reading "Before they blow it up ..."

A small snapshot it is, but Coco Crisp has had an amazing week for the Boston Red Sox.  Since September 8th, he has 17 at bats with 12 hits, a .706 batting average!  During that time he also has 3 walks and has stuck out all of once.  For someone who was absolutely going to be traded before Spring Training ended, and then no doubt about it by the trading deadline, Crisp has become Mr. Clutch during some must win games.

Continue reading "Loco for Coco!!"

Dear God I love the Blue Jays. After all, what’s not to love? Sure, they may blow crucial games in crucial series, 90% of the time they can’t get a hit in extra innings to save their lives, they don’t steal bases and have never been able to beat the Rays (Devil or not), but after that, what else? Oh yeah, they can never seem to beat rookie pitchers, take advantage of bases loaded situations and every pitcher not named Halladay seems to start every at-bat with a ball. But still, every day I try to catch the opening pitch and every night check the standings… What’s wrong with me?

Continue reading "Why I watch the Jays"

eller's diatribe (entitled Boston Red Sox: Masters of the Mediocre) because I'm not a member of the New York Yankees site, and I refuse to defile myself in such a way as to sign up for it. So here is my simple response to his over-caffeinated, ill-timed (given the Yankees utter futility this season) and strangely aggressive post.

Continue reading "The Tables Have Turned"

Like a scene from the beloved long-running television drama, I feel like I'm looking through a one-way window at the Boston Red Sox. Indeed, I fear the word "lineup" has taken on a conotation with a decidedly more law enforcement feel at this point. "Mr Francona, take a look at these men and tell me if you recognize anyone."

Continue reading "Law and Order"

To compete, a baseball team needs pitching and defense. An old adage maybe, but it exists for a reason. A team that continuously gives up runs ends up yanking their starters early in games and taxes their bullpen, lessening their effectiveness over time and thereby compounding the problem over the season. Ironically, trying to keep games close hurts the team in the long run. But with one of the best fielding percentages and team ERA’s in the league, the Toronto Blue Jays are competing.

Continue reading "Why the Jays won't compete: the importance ..."

Obviously this is not the way you should play baseball, but I thought of this during the 9th inning this afternoon.  These fans are watching their beloved Yanks play the Sox for the last time in Yankee Stadium.  Wouldn’t it be special if the Yanks won it in the 9th, just for the fans?  We still would take 2 out of 3 for the series, and the Yanks still might not make the playoffs.

Continue reading "Some post game thoughts and my first ..."

"No!  Do you know anything about lighting gas stoves?"

In the world of jokes, the New York Yankees have become the punchline...they've pulled the emergency cord, and nothing works; and just when you thought the Boston Red Sox were about to have the season blow-up in their faces, they are flying high!

Continue reading "Up Up and Away!!!"

           I can’t think of an endeavor on this earth more influenced by perception, than that of a major league baseball umpire.

A strike in baseball is a very clearly defined thing. The ball has to pass over the plate at a height between the knees and uniform letters. When a ball passes through that very precise set of parameters, a strike is a fact. The decision that goes up on the scoreboard, however, is based on the umpire’s opinion.

Continue reading "Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees ..."

Where is everyone?  The Boston Red Sox play their last regular season games this week at Yankee Stadium (and most likely, the last games ever).  The place that Ruth built, site of the Aaron Boone homerun, the place where the greatest come-back (and greatest melt-down/choke) of all time occurred.

Continue reading "Where Is All the Hype?"

’s the top of the ninth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays are holding a slim 2-1 lead over the New York Yankees. Up to bat is Derek Jeter with Bobby Abreu and Alex Rodriguez on deck. Cito Gaston, in order to shut the door on the game and the series gets on the phone and brings in the big gun, Pedro Luis Lazo, winner of two Olympic Gold medals with Cuba and current closer of the Blue Jays. And even if he gives up a run its okay, because leading off the bottom of the ninth for the Jays is Alexei Bell, who hit 30 HR with 100 RBI with Santiago del Cuba last year.

Continue reading "Part Time Jays: How to add a little ..."

Jon Lester can add this to all of the accolades he has already achieved:  he is a definitive stopper on the Boston Red Sox.  He has overcome Cancer, won the deciding game of the World Series, pitched a no-hitter and, oh yeah, is right now the most effective starting pitcher the Red Sox have.

Continue reading "Lester: The New Stopper"

Two bits of news from former Seattle players, one surprising, but the other one, not so much.

Easy one first: the Yankees designated Richie Sexson for assignment yesterday, in a roster shakeup that included demoting starting center fielder Melky Cabrera. Sexson had hit .250 in 28 at-bats, with a grand slam and six RBis. Ever the all-or-nothing guy, Sexson had one or two big hits, and a whole lot of hits and weak groundouts. Yankees GM Brian Cashman was gracious about Sexson, saying he was an everyday player, not a bunch guy, and that was the problem.

Continue reading "Ex-Mariner News"

  I picked up on this one late; like into the 7th inning, and the Boston Red Sox were down 15-14. 15-14!???!!!. What the heck had I missed? Well, for one thing, a 10-run first inning for the Sox that included two homeruns by Ortiz, an 8-run 5th inning for Texas, followed by a 5-run 6th inning that put them ahead and set the stage for what could easily have been the most embarrasing Red Sox loss of the year. As it turned out, thanks to Kevin Youkilis, it was a 19-16 win that temporarily inched them one-half game closer to the Rays, who were in the process of a minor struggle versus Oakland when the Sox concluded their 4-hour marathon.

Continue reading "Boston Red Sox in an (almost embarrassing) ..."

l) and the list goes on again.    I

n the end, the Red Sox will turn into the New York Yankees organization but with a better farm system.  As long as there is no sal

Continue reading "The SS Problem"

The Mariners announced today that Jarrod Washburn has cleared waivers, meaning he can now be freely traded to whatever team wants to take on his massive salary. There's no real surprise here, as it's doubtful any other team would want to take on his bloated $9.85M salary. So the failure of Seattle to deal him before the deadline isn't so awful, except that his value seemed to have peaked at that point for a couple of reasons: (1) he'd pitched really well to that point (4 ER in 19.2 IP in the three starts before the deadline, (2) his value diminishes with each day that passes, since that means less time he can spend with a contending team (e.g., the Yanks) starved for starters, which leads to (3) the team in question being more likely to go in another direction.

Continue reading "Washburn is ready to move"

The only team that I see possibly standing in the way of the Red Sox and the playoffs are the New York Yankees.

Continue reading "Enough About Manny !"

Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, etc.). 

There is no doubt that the Boston Red Sox need to pick up the slack they have been putting on for the last couple of weeks.  They lost the recent series to the

Continue reading "Is it a bad thing to trade Mr. Ramirez?"

Remember last postseason when Josh Beckett was making three of the best teams in Major League Baseball look like the Bad News Bears? It was right about then everyone anointed him the anchor of the Boston pitching staff and forecasted a shelf or two full of Cy Young trophies.

Continue reading "Ladies and Gentlemen, Jon Lester ..."

Home-plate umpire Angel Hernandez is wearing a microphone for ESPN Sunday Night Baseball, although where he is wearing it is a mystery (it is not visible to the naked eye on close-up shots of Hernandez).  You might suspect that many of the conversations involving the home-plate umpire are such that players and managers would rather they not be made public.

Continue reading "ESPN Microphone an Unethical Invasion?"

In what is largely perceived as his final start in a Mariners' uniform, Jarrod Washburn threw his longest and best start of the year, logging 8 innings of one-run ball, giving up just four hits and walking two against two strikeouts. His only blemish was a solo homer to John McDonald, the Toronto shortstop's first of the year.

Continue reading "Washburn's Farewell"

Mariano Rivera enters the game to chants of overrated. Rally caps are on at Fenway.

Continue reading "Overrated"

The Yankees have put together a series of hits but only lead the game 1-0 after 4. A few jeers between Sox and Yankee fans but for the most part it's been pretty quiet in the stands. No fights and no

Continue reading "Not much to cheer about"

No shortage of star power before the game even begins. Leann Rimes sang a wonderful rendition of the national anthem. Both Kenny Chesney (playing at Gillete Stadium tomorrow) and golfing legend Jack N

Continue reading "The stars are out tonight"

As the July 31 deadline approaches, one of the most likely trade candidates mentioned in Seattle-New York trade rumors has been Jarrod Washburn. The Ms would love to shed his massively overpaid salary, while the Yanks need a starter who can eat innings, even if he does it in mediocre, Jarrod-esque fashion. That Wishy-Washburn has been good of late (since a May 21 2IP, 9ER meltdown, he's only given up more than 2 ER in two of his ten starts) makes him seem all the more attractive to the pinstripes.

Continue reading "Washburn to the Yanks?"

As the Yankees head to town for a three game series that may indeed (if the Tampa Bay Rays cooperate) decide who is in first place (or at least tied for it) by the end of the weekend, there are some predictions that the rhetoric and rivalry might be notched up a bit between these two teams.  Kevin Cullen of the Boston Globe writes today the chant "Yankees Suck," often heard in New England not only at Sox games, but at Celtics games, Patriots games and once during a wake in Southie, needs to be put to rest.  George Vescey of the New York Times writes that Jonathan Papelbon may have upped the ante during All-Star festivities in New York.  And it's only Thursday.

Continue reading "Live updates on the fans at Fenway ..."

Offensively and defensively, the Yankees have been missing the services of Hideki Matsui since June 27, and Jorge Posada on and off for even longer. Matsui is an integral RBI guy to give ARod and Giambi protection in the five or six hole, and is needed more than ever in left with Johnny Damon's shoulder issues. Posada can hit pretty well, but can't throw, so even when he was in the game, other teams ran rampant--Jose Molina and Chad Moeller are decent defensive replacements, but can't match Jorge's bat.

Continue reading "Two Yankees, Toughing it Out"

As I expected, Richie Sexson was signed by the one team in major league baseball who signs every single castoff, just in case he might turn it around in pinstripes: the Yankees. The temptation of that short porch in Yankee Stadium right field, combined with Sexson’s power potential, was too tempting to the team that claimed Jose Canseco off waivers in 2000, just to be sure he didn’t go to a division rival.

Continue reading "Sexson a Yankee; LaHair a Mariner"

The promos are so well known, they are mocked by even the non-baseball fan:  (Cue scary music and echo effect!) "This time, it counts!"  Does it?  And what would have happened if both teams ran out of pitchers last night?  What would happen if a player got hurt in the 13th inning and had to come out of the game? 

Continue reading "THIS TIME IT COUNTS! (MLB needs ..."

It’s the annual midpoint of the baseball season, and for the brief span that is the All-Star break, all eyes are upon the Bronx. As everyone is well aware of, this campaign is the last go around for the world’s most famous, largest, and most prominent ballpark, Yankee Stadium. It seems hard to believe, and even more sacrilegious that this living legend’s days are numbered. Built in 1923 and christened by the greatest ballplayer to ever live, Babe Ruth, the cathedral of baseball will never truly be replaced. Although the Bombers will move a block to Yankee Stadium’s heir, the Mecca of America’s Pastime will still live on in our hearts. Whether you’re a diehard Yankee fan, or Yankee-hater, you still can respect the history and awe that the stadium brings. So when the All-Stars take the field Tuesday night, sit back on your couch, crack open a cold one and soak up the history of Yankee Stadium, as its final chapter is unveiled to all of us.

Continue reading "National League Looks to End Rut"

One of the All-Star Break traditions: Reassessing our predictions from the first half of the season. Some of mine have changed, some have stayed the same—and some were just damn wrong. Living in the West, I will take the contrarian position and roll from west to east in my choices.

Continue reading "Second Half Predictions"

Well, basketball is over and Major League Baseball is heading into the All Star break, which means that the real baseball season is about to begin.  I know, I am waaaaaaaaaaayyyyy overdue for this year's first rabid Red Sox post, but honestly I've been a little bit preoccupied with the WORLD CHAMPION BOSTON CELTICS and basketball in general (it has overtaken baseball as my favorite sport, though the Red Sox are and always will be my first love) to really dive into the first three meaningless months of the grueling and arduous MLB season.

Continue reading "Just Hit"

           Hey, Sox Fans, how’s it been goin’? Been a while. . .

            I’ll be honest with you, following the Red Sox on a daily basis can turn into a full-time job, and this doesn’t even include the other teams you tend to watch as they jockey with the Sox for position. Just got out of the habit of writing about them.

Continue reading "The Boston Red Sox at mid-season ..."

At the mid-point of the '08 season, when many players are being lauded for their first-half accomplishments, I think it would be a disservice to the deserving fumblers around the league not to recognize their remarkable level of ineptitude.

Continue reading "Baseball's All-Underachieving Squad"

So can we please talk about Jason Giambi's mustache for a second? First the guy admits to wearing a gold thong when he needs to break out of a slump (it's hard to imagine that's all he's "breaking out of" in that kind of attire). And now he goes ahead and grows a full-out, mid-80s, Magnum PI mustache. Add these two nuggets to the fact that he's one of the 3 sweatiest humans on the planet, and that he's a New York Yankee, and you have the grossest person in America. Ever. Period.

Continue reading "Now playing first base for the New ..."

After falling behind Tampa Bay by three games, the Red Sox were hopeful going into Saturday’s match against the third-place Yankees. Francona put his faith into the young rookie pitcher, Masterson, even after his loss June 30 against Tampa Bay, and gave him the start, leaving Buchholz in the minors. Justin Masterson gave up two walks and two runs through six innings. Two walks aren’t bad for six innings, but there were more bases given off hit batters; in fact, between the two teams, the game tied the record for hit batters with seven. Manny Ramirez received three of those missed pitches, and even Yankees catcher, Molina, was hit by a foul tip off Pedroia’s bat.  Maybe Pedroia was just taking out his frustration over the poor call on what would have been at least a double having blatantly bounced over the bag at third, but the umpire saw it as foul.

Continue reading "Sox Still Second"

 After the Sox took the first two games of this four game series, yesterday they dropped one. And as is classic Red Sox style they dropped it in a very depressing way.

After a shutout eight innings from Mussina and the Yankees bullpen, they brought on their closer - the Yanks version of Papelbon, only 11 years older. And as is normal for the Sox, they got to Rivera.  So, after a hit, a walk, and two hit batters the bases were loaded with nobody out.  It looks like the Sox will tie it up.  But these are the Red Sox.  And while I'm a huge fan of the team, I also know that they leave men on base.  A lot.

Continue reading "Yankees Take Game 3"

It's that time of year again when every other commercial on television promotes the All-Star Game, and ballparks around the majors are stocked with ballots. So keeping with the theme, I’ve decided to name players to my inaugural All–Star team and I’ll start with the National League. So far there have been the usual suspects putting up solid first halves, and also some surprises that have shocked everyone with success.  So far in 2008, the season seems almost as a Bizarro season to steal Sports Illustrated’s mantra. The Rays and the Cubs have been pace setters, and the defending National League Pennant winners are at the rear of field, lost somewhere in the ice cold Rockies.  So keeping with the spirit, here are my National League All-Stars with a few surprises and few old schoolers.

Continue reading "Mic's National League All-Star Team"

Two nights, two wins at Yankee Stadium ... that's more like it. We've also found two ways to prevent our bullpen from blowing a game - either take a seven-run lead into the ninth, or have your starter pitch the first nine innings (that's all of them, if you're scoring at home).

Continue reading "Keeping the bull in the pen"

After yesterday’s game, the Yankees held a closed-door meeting among coaches and players—reportedly, manager Joe Girardi spoke, followed by Johnny Damon and captain Derek Jeter. In a postgame news conference, Girardi repeatedly (and sometimes heatedly) refused to reveal what was said in the meeting, although the gist of the discussion was obvious: the can’t-lose Yankees have been losing.

Continue reading "More Bad Yankee Luck"

Just when I started worrying that JD Drew had cooled off, he planted one in deep right to quell my fears.My dad was worried about Dice-K because of his last outing, but I was more concerned about JD.&

Continue reading "JD Back with a Bang"

So there I was, lounging on the couch with my dog, half-way paying attention to Kevin Cash's eighth-inning at-bat Wednesday night. Half-way paying attention, you see, because Cash's last 40 or so trips to the plate have resulted in something of a similar outcome - ugliness. Obviously nobody is expecting a 40-40 season from a back-up catcher, and he continues to do what he was brought here to do - catch Wake - but his swing hasn't exactly been drawing comparisons to Griffey, Jr. of late.

Continue reading "Catching A Break"

The Yankees and Red Sox are rivals in many ways—traditional and league rivals for years, they now regularly battle for free agents, as they might do with Indians trade bait C.C. Sabathia. And now both teams have some pretty crazy pitchers in their minor league systems, both of whom have a good shot at making the bigs in the next few years.

Continue reading "Two Kooky Pitchers"

The dominoes continue to fall in Seattle, as John McLaren was handed his walking papers yesterday, three days after GM Bavasi tried on his own pink slip. In some ways, this was handled better than the Mets’ embarrassing and insulting firing of Willie Randolph. At least McLaren wasn’t dangled for weeks before a midnight assassination, and there were suitably kind words for McLaren upon his dismissal, with new GM Lee Pelekoudas obviously distressed about having to fire his longtime friend and colleague.

Continue reading "Down Goes McLaren"

As I remarked in my blog when he was released, Sidney Ponson has brought his teams little but grief to go with his occasionally adequate pitching. When the Rangers released him, I’d hoped that would be the last of Sir Sidney.

Continue reading "Sidney "Poison" Ponson"

OK, that title was irresistible, but in fact I'm going to say that Chien-Ming Wang's foot injury should force the Yanks hand in a trade, especially when combined with other injuries this season. Funny how little things can combine to lead to something even larger, accumulating momentum gradually until it becomes irresistible, as it has with the murmurs about a trade for C.C. Sabathia, which is really more the point of this blog.

Continue reading "Off On the Wang Foot"

The sox now own baseball's best home record of 21-5, surpassed only by 1978's 22-4--sweeping a home stand for the first time in 2 years by clinching the last of a 4 game series against Kansas City.  Dice-K now owns an AL leading 8-0 record,  walking 6 to lead the majors in BBs.  Perhaps Varitek's day off affected his high pitch count (118 in 5 2/3 innings, 67 strikes), since he's not used to Cash.

Continue reading "Slugfest at Fenway!"

When a guy gets named "Moose," you generally figure it's because he's a knucklehead or looks like he should be one. Bill Skowron had the lumpy face of a prizefighter, but he was generally known as a gentle giant with a smooth, opposite-field stroke. His nickname came from his Polish grandfather, who thought his haircut at one point reminded him of dictator Benito Mussolini. But Skowron wasn't any sort of dictator, just a good guy who could drive ball into the gaps.

Continue reading "Around The Horn With The '61 Yankees: 1B"

The Yankees have had many World Series champs, and many more All-Star players and all-time lineups. The 1927 Yankees pretty much set the bar for everyone else to follow, but there were some other memorable ones, too. The '36 Yanks, the first year of Joltin' Joe, and the last great one from Lou Gehrig, along with typically solid contributions by Bill Dickey, Tony Lazzeri and the usual cast of star Yankees.

Continue reading "The Unsung Heroes of the 1961 Yankees"

I've been a Yankees fan since the early nineties, pre-Showalter, pre-Torre, pre-post-seventies-World-Series-victories days, and it seems to me they're as vulnerable as they've ever been. I like Girardi, I like the New Steinbrenner regime that doesn't look to scour out every single prospect for the possibility of Winning Right Now--but I think they are (dare I say?) approaching those dreaded Rebuilding Years.

Continue reading "Rebuilding the Yankees--A Good Thing?"

Mussina is on the hill today for the Yanks and, while I admire him and think he's a very good pitcher and a modest, intelligent, generally good fellow, I wonder about his Hall of Fame credentials. Dave Niehaus, the mellow-toned broadcaster, has repeatedly called him a shoo-in or a lock for the Hall during the game today, and it's made me wonder. To me, a player in the HOF represents someone who was genuinely and consistently feared (on the field, not off) during his career, the kind of pitcher that batters hated to face (and vice versa). And not for one year, but for several; you can be Sandy Koufax and be unhittable for four or five seasons (and merely outstanding for a handful more) or Nolan Ryan and be unhittable for twenty years.

Continue reading "Mike Mussina for the HOF?"

In the days following the excavation of the "cursed" Ortiz jersey from the fresh concrete at "Yankee Stadium--The Sequel" we've seen Jorge Posada go on the DL for the first time in his long career, and ARod join him for the first time since donning pinstripes.

Continue reading "Yankee Injuries = Ortiz Curse?"

I was hoping to get this up yesterday with the Yankees-Red Sox series fresh in everyone’s mind but I didn’t have the time.  After a few weeks of the baseball season and watching almost every Red Sox and Yankee game I have a few observations on these two teams so far.  You may not agree with them all, this is just what I have noticed this season.

Continue reading "Early Season Observations of Yanks and Sox"

Two weeks into the 2008 season and the Boston Red Sox must be pleased with how the season has gone thus far. Granted they are only two games over .500 at 8 and 6 and have split their last 10 games, but things could be much, much worse. When the Yankees went to Japan to open the season, they proceeded to go 11-19 in the first month of the season before finally snapping out of it and going on to win the division. Boston is only half a game out of first place in the tightly packed American League East which is currently lead by the surprising Baltimore Orioles who do not figure to hang around much longer.

Continue reading "Red Sox Should Feel Good About The Season So Far"

Remember what I said in my last post about not getting too excited that the Boston Red Sox opened the season with a 3-1 winning series against the Oakland As? Well, they demonstrated why, over the weekend in Toronto, where they dropped all three games, essentialy limping home for the home opener on Tuesday.

Continue reading "The Boston Red Sox; faltering in ..."

Hard to know what to make of the flurry of predictions regarding the fortunes of the Boston Red Sox and all of the other teams which make up Major League Baseball. The predictions right here on this site are sort of mixed. You get a self-proclaimed Boston hater (all sports) predicting that the Sox won't even make the playoffs, which even on the face of it seems a little ridiculous. Even I wouldn't count the Yankees out. This guy figures the Yankees to win it all, beating the Indians, Mariners and then the D-Backs. Yeah, well good luck with that.

Continue reading "Prognostications, the Boston Red ..."

te-type the Boston views him as, they will be sorry they didn’t do more to acquire Santana.

New York Yankees

Will the Yankees be able to find enough quality innings from their pitchers?

Continue reading "MLB 2008 Season Preview: American Leauge East"

The American League East has been a two horse race for as long as I can remember but I think this year it becomes three-team battle.  The Toronto Blue Jays are as talented as most teams in the league and if they can stay healthy they can definitely contend.  The Rays and Orioles will again bring up the rear of this division but the top should be a fun and wild ride all year long, beginning with the Yankees-Blue Jays to open the season next week.

Continue reading "Part VI: AL East"

Caught my first Boston Red Sox spring training game today on MLB.TV and truth be told, it was a yawner. Ended up 8-4, Yanks; a score that was on the board by the bottom of the fourth inning, rendering the remainder of the broadcast something of an exercise for the announcers, Michael O'Kay and John O'Flaherty (it being St. Patrick's Day, they both added "O"s to the front of their last names.). Having lived in New York for the last 15 years or so, I heard and saw a lot of these two (Flaherty, less. Kay is usually teamed with Paul O'Neill or Al Leiter). Every time the Sox and Yankees got together, I'd be listening to them instead of Joe Castglione and Jerry Remy. Kay and Flaherty are Yankee partisans, of course, but they're also professionals and Michael Kay, in particular, is a first class announcer. He used to do 'color' with John Sterling on New York radio. Sterling is more of an obvious Yankee fan than Kay, with an annoying habit of making routine plays into headline news with phony rhymes. Matsui hits a home run and we hear "A Thrilla from Godzilla." Alex Rodriguez hits a home run and we get "An A-Bomb from A-Rod." And when the Yankees win, he has this annoying habit of saying "The -ah-ah-ah-ah-ah Yankees win."

Continue reading "And so it begins. . .Boston Red Sox ..."

The New York Yankees try to carry themselves with the belief that they are the classiest team in baseball. Earlier this week manager Joe Girardi took a stance that was not supported by many others in baseball when he harshly criticized a home plate collision in a game earlier this week, calling it dirty and something that you don’t do in Spring Training. If a young player trying to get noticed by his manager his coming into home and the plate is completely blocked, he has every right to barrel over the catcher. If Girardi doesn’t want such a thing to happen, he should tell his catcher not to block the plate in Spring Training. Nonetheless, I can understand Yankees pitcher Heath Phillips throwing at Evan Longoria in retaliation the next time the two teams met, that at least sends a statement to your teammates that you’ve got their backs. However, when Shelley Duncan slid into second base with his spikes high, that is just plain dirty and something that is unacceptable at anytime in the season. The home plate collision was a young kid trying to make a play, done with no malicious intent. Sliding into a base with your spikes in the air can only be seen as trying to injure another player.

Continue reading "Yankees Playing Dirty . . . And Other ..."

I am thoroughly looking forward to the Hank Steinbrenner Era. It seems he is hell-bent on replacing his father as the most obnoxious loudmouth, know-nothing owner in baseball. After watching the display he put on this winter in the Johan Santana Sweepstakes and his recent comments about the existence of Red Sox Nation, I don’t believe there is a bigger blowhard in sports today. All we need is for him to revive the Billy Martin routine with Joe Girardi, a possibility that may not be that farfetched as it appears Girardi not necessarily that easy to get along with. Little Stein seems to be unpredictable and impatient and not only expects the team to win now, but to do so in spectacular fashion. Earlier this year, Hank implied that general manager Brian Cashman would be on the hot seat if the plan to hold on to their young pitching instead of going all in for Santana didn’t pan out. If Steinbrenner allows his arrogance and impetuousness to take over the organization, I envision a return of the Yankees to the "glory" years of the 1980's when George was the show.

Continue reading "Looking Forward to the Hank Steinbrenner ..."