In case you hadn’t noticed Alex Rodriguez is having one heck of a season. My how times have quickly changed. Last October A-Rod was the butt of water cooler jokes around America. Just a scant few months later he is once again the toast of the baseball world. Thanks to a carefully placed clause in the 10 year- $252 million dollar contract he signed with the Texas Rangers in 2001, Alex can actually opt outof this deal at the end of the season and become a free agent.
As the situation stands A-Rod will earn $27 million dollars this season and is slated to make the exact same amount each year from 2008-2010 (when the contract expires). Back when mega-agent Scott Boras brokered the deal, salaries in baseball skyrocketed annually. It’s likely that Boras and A-Rod thought that their numbers could be surpassed over time. This “out clause” provided an escape in the event that Alex somehow wound up being “underpaid”. However, since then new contracts have basically stabilized. No other player has approached Alex’s high water mark. Even so, there is wide speculation that perhaps he will test the free agent waters. My question is: Why?
Can A-Rod Make More Money Elsewhere?
I suppose anything is possible but I just don’t see any team other than the Yankees paying A-Rod more than $27 million dollars a season. The Yankees and Rangers currently split the payments on this existing albatross of a contract, making it somewhat more bearable. If a new deal were made the next team would have to shoulder the load independently. That’s not overly likely to happen. Having already been labeled as greedy in certain circles, is this the type of public image the sensitive A-Rod would want to perpetuate? This would leave him vulnerable to even more nationwide scorn.
Is A-Rod Bitter Over All The Booing Last Season?
This is definitely a possibility, especially considering that he is a sensitive sort as I just stated. Factor in his recent troubles with New York tabloids that went out of their way to expose his extra marital affairs (Stray-Rod) and the plot thickens. Then take into account that these same tabloids did not always choose the kindest of words when writing about his notorious struggles and the motive to leave increases. Finally, keep in mind that he originally tried to negotiate a trade from Texas to the Red Sox in order to beat the Yankees and the wheels really start turning. Boston is one of a few teams that could possibly afford him. Would a spiteful A-Rod stoop to this level of vengeance? They do say that revenge is a dish best served cold.
If You Can Make It Here, Can You Make It Anywhere?
All statistical accolades aside, and two MVP awards not withstanding, Alex has never won a thing. It don’t mean a thing, if you ain’t got that ring. In fact people have already begun to bandy about the so-called “Curse of A-Rod”. I don’t know how these things get created but they certainly are amusing. When something is hard to explain, let’s bring in the supernatural. Alex has publicly stated that he loves New York and wants to win a title withthe Yankees. Then again the term "straight shooter" hasn’t always been associated with A-Rod. SSSHHHHHHH…don’t tell anyone but some people have even accused him of being a big phony. As the season goes along and we receive less and less information from Alex about his intentions, we’ll see how just badly he truly wants to win in New York. Sticking it out in the Bronx would be a visible sign of toughness for the superstar with the “soft” reputation. Especially if the team misses the playoffs or he tanks in the post-season again.
Exactly How Much Does A-Rod Care About What We ThinkAnyway?
To hear all the closet shrinks theorize (feel free to include me in that group) Alex cares more than a little too much about what everyone thinks of him. He’s stuck his foot in his mouth on several occasions, has had his words twisted out on context at other times, and usually seems to be looking for the right thing to say instead of speaking earnestly from the heart. He is meticulous with his appearance to a fault and is on record for saying that, “Maybe people dislike me because I'm rich, bi-racial and handsome”. Hmmm…don’t hate him cause he’s beautiful. Yep, the R in Rodriguez is really short for Revlon. Even if some people do feel that way, the fact that he even stated this provides insight regarding his vanity. Or is it insecurity? I think it’s both. A-Rod has a very high opinion of himself and truth be told I can’t blame him. He is rich, bi-racial, handsome and perhaps the future career home run king after all. For the life of him (and me) he can’t figure out why so many people can’t stand him. The more time that goes by, the harder it will be to find the adoration he is desperately looking for.
What Will A-Rod Do?
I’m not 100% sure what he will do but I am pretty sure what he won’t. In my opinion A-Rod’s legacy matters far too much for him to give his critics any more fuel to attack him with. He craves acceptance. Turning his back on the Yankees of all teams, perhaps the richest franchise in all of sports, in a quest for more money is marketing suicide. That move, even at the Yankees’ expense, would send further contempt his way. The sheer fallout involved there could be immense. If the first contract felt like the weight of the world, what would a bigger one feel like?
There are two things I feel A-Rod wants: A World Series ring and the adulation of spectators. If he stays in New York he is well on his way to winning over ALL the fans, if he hasn't already. Believe it or not he has always had more supporters than critics in New York. Those who boo sound a lot louder and are easier to pick out than those who cheer. If he decides to play elsewhere, mark my words, it will probably have to be for less money. If he does this it will lay to rest many negative innuendos about his character. It will show that winning and happiness don’t always lose to the almighty dollar. The willingness to play for a lower salary would probably earn him newfound respect in many places. Plus it won’t be for everyone’s favorite team to hate, the New York Yankees.
What’ll it be for A-Rod? Win over the New York fans and keep the most cash or win over everyone else and settle for less? Either way does he lose? I think not…unless the curse of A-Rod is realand if the only thing that truly matters is that diamond encrusted ring. Then he’ll have his absurd bank account and the rest of his life to figure out where it all went wrong.
He should do what his heart tells him to…and then never look back.
It’s a timeless debate in sports. When a team struggles do you blame the players or the coach? More often than not, it’s the coach that is held accountable. Although some might be reluctant to lower the axe when problems are related to injuries, how one responds to that unexpected adversity is fair game for analysis.
The struggles of the Yankees pitching staff, just 18 games into the season, is already well chronicled. Injuries to starting pitchers Chien-Ming Wang (Cy Young honorable mention), Mike Mussina (battle tested vet) and Carl Pavano (stop collecting free lunch) have left their rotation in tatters. Manger Joe Torre has responded by doing what he has always done. That would be butchering the pitching staff, and specifically his bullpen.
Believe me when I say that this is by no means unprecedented for him. When the Yankees won their first World Series under Torre in 1996, he did basically the same thing. Mariano Rivera wasn’t a household name yet, but fans remember Joe’s formula. The starters could hopefully give the team 5-6 innings, Rivera would next pitch the 7th and 8th innings of every close game that the team played, and closer John Wetteland would then shut the door. By the time the season was nearing an end, Mo was grimacing in pain from the exertion of pitching so much. No doubt from the pins and needles he was feeling in his arm after the 108 innings he logged as the set-upman. Win a World Series and all is forgotten, ill advised as the strategy may have been.
As the team continued their impressive run of 4 World Series titles in 5 years, Torre continued to mangle his manipulation of Yankees relievers. To this day we still hear “know-it-all” announcers Joe Morgan and Tim McCarver reference those “great” Yankees bullpens of the championship years. It’s a good thing that baseball players don’t get paid over time, because Yankees relievers Mike Stanton and Jeff Nelson might have over-taxed George Steinbrenner’s wallet even further. From 1997-2002 Stanton averaged 71 appearances. Nelson played 5 years in New York but was only fully healthy for 3 of them. In his healthy seasons he averaged 74 appearances. Once again, more often than not, they got the job done. Once again, Joe Torre was fortunate that this lack of foresight didn’t blow up in his face.
During the last few years the bullpen hasn’t had the type of pitchers that Joe Torre consistently felt comfortable using. Therefore he regularly turned Mariano into the only remaining version of the now extinct 2-inning closer. At the beginning of this season Joe stated that he would no longer use Mo in such a manner. That solid strategy (for a change) didn’t even make it out of April, as Rivera’s highly publicized collapse against Boston last weekend transpired in the 8th inning. Once more the standard; “Is Mariano washed up?” questions have surfaced. Maybe if Torre would give him adequate work in non-save situations, of which there have been plenty, Rivera would have the command and velocity we've become accustomed to seeing.
Let’s backtrack one season to take a look at Joe’s latest “workhorse”, Scott Proctor. Scott had a solid and VERY busy year. Quite honestly I’m surprised his arm didn’t fall off. He was overused and seemed to run out of gas down the stretch. His 83 appearances and 102 innings for a reliever ranked at or near the top of the Major Leagues. How did Torre respond this April? By “rewarding” him with a record (I believe) 12 appearances in the team’s first 17 games. I guess A-Rod isn’t the only Yankee setting new standards. Proctor’s latest outing on Sunday against Boston saw him give up a 3-run homerun to Mike Lowell that in effect lost the game for New York. To make matters worse, Joe brought him in to face Manny Ramirez of all players to start the inning. All Manny had done was hit 3 bombs off of Scott in 8 career at-bats against him. Although Manny didn’t go yard in his 9th at bat, he did lead off with a hit and later scored on the Lowell blast.
Point blank, Torre is burning up his bullpen. The truth is he has been doing this since he got to New York. Unfortunately for the Yankees, this is his absolute worst job of it yet. The team has a ton of relievers, but none with clearly defined roles. He’s done a deplorable job of mixing and matching the right man to the right situation, as well as making sure that each player gets adequate game repetitions or adequate rest. The bullpen is a mess and not from a lack of solid arms. The bullpen is a mess because of how Torre manages it.
Those who know me best know that I called for George Steinbrenner to replace Torre after last season. I’m no Tory for Torre. In the history books, Tories were American colonists who remained loyal to King George and the British Empire during the Revolutionary War. My apologies to Joe but it’s nothing personal. I actually like and respect him a ton. However, my loyalty is done, finished, kaput. I have my eye on another Joe. Joltin’ Joe Girardio as a matter of fact. Girardi played with Yankees mainstays, such as Jeter, Posada, Pettite and Rivera. He would instantly command the respect of the team in the clubhouse, for he is no outsider. His fiery personality would be a big boost to the team, as well as serve notice that their level of play must stay consistent. Torre’s philosophy on the other hand, is akin to a gym teacher who rolls a ball onto the field and tells the kids to go out and play. Professionals or not the team needs more than that. Knowing how to play, and being inspired to do so, are totally different things. And besides, Girardi certainly couldn’t manage a bullpen any worse.
If this keeps up Torre’s time will come, as in time to go (and maybe sooner than later). This “King George” hasn’t had a blow-up in awhile and he's way overdue for an eruption. My baseball seismograph is starting to twitch as I’m already sensing future tremors in the Bronx. Not panic... just rumblings…look out.
Alex Rodriguez has come forward as the first to admit that his relationship with Derek Jeter isn’t what it once was (Like that was a big secret). He claims that he and his former best friend still have the utmost respect for each other and that they root for one another to do well. The ultimate goal is to win a World Series in New York after all. Is this just more “Say the right thing”, coming out of Yankees Land, or is this a step towards healing wounds and relocating the chemistry that was a trademark of the championship teams? We’ll see, but I’m actually more concerned with other things that have annoyed me for a long time.
You can trace the deterioration of the friendship back to an interview with Esquire magazine in 2001. In the article A-Rod, then with Texas, candidly expressed in a medley of ways that Jeter wasn’t as good as him. Among other things (I’m paraphrasing) he said: 1) It was unfair to Jeter to compare their numbers. 2) Derek had more talent around him. 3) Jeter never really had to lead a team. 4) Opposing teams worried more about stopping other Yankees in comparison to Derek.
The funny thing is, back when A-Rod expressed these opinions, Yankees fans were the only ones who seemed outraged. Many others around the country would only admit that A-Rod’s comments came across as a bit crass, especially considering their highly publicized friendship. However, most of these same people claimed Rodriguez was right. As a lifelong Yankees follower and fan of Derek Jeter, it absolutely kills me to hear the hypocrites at work in 2007.
Back at the time of those comments, all you would ever hear about Jeter was how he was the most overrated player in baseball. Insults flew down from Boston about how Nomar Garciaparra put Derek to shame. They even coined that annoying, "Nomar's Better!!!" chant. We also heard that "Derek couldn't sniff A-Rod’s jock" and that "Miguel Tejada was superior in every category too". As with all things Yankees, a steady diet of criticism was directed at Jeter regarding his play.
Fast forward a few years and the picture clears up. Rational heads will tell you that home runs are overly glorified. You also cannot fairly compare the RBI totals of a player such as Jeter (who has spent his entire career batting lead-off or out of the 2-hole), with middle of the lineup guys. One should never underestimate the value of a clutch hitter. Leadership takes place on the field not in the tabloids. Nomar proved he was made out of peanut brittle and got run out of Bean Town. Tejada showed that the only thing he does better than Jeter is hit a few more out. A-Rod continues to look for the right sports psychologist to help cure him of a psyche as fragile as egg shells.
As for Jeter, let’s just say Rodriguez coming to the Yankees was the best thing that could possibly have happened to him in the court of public opinion. In the case of Alex there is someone FAR easier to direct biased filled venom towards. I’m not even saying that A-Rod doesn’t deserve a lot of it. Some of it is over the top but a great deal of it rings true. His recent post-season failures aren’t a mirage and that has to count for something. It’s not even about being the highest paid player in baseball, although that makes it even more ironic. Flat out he has sucked in the clutch.
Just do Jeter, the Yankees, and all New York fans a favor. Don’t start lauding kudos on Derek now because it's an easy way to further vilify Rodriguez. Back in 2001 he was "all hype" because of the New York media and East Coast bias. Now in 2007 he’s Mr. Clutch, an All-American hero, class act all the way, the face of the Yankees, the ultimate gamer etc..., etc…, etc… The problem is, he was all of these exact things back then too. You just wouldn’t give him credit for it. Now with Rodriguez to dump on, praising Jeter is an easy way to promote your agendas.
Now go find a way to spin A-Rod’s latest statements into more reasons why he’s a gigantic jerk. You know you want to. It’s the Yankees for goodness sake. You can’t help yourselves.
I don’t know if everyone knows this, but before changing addresses to the swamplands of New Jersey, the old home of the New York Football Giants used to be Yankee Stadium. The connection? Not since Billy Martin managed the Bronx Bombers in the late 1970s, have we seen another professional sports team publicly air so much dirty laundry in such a short period of time. When you view things through just the right filter, you can see some striking similarities.
Both franchises are owned by iconic figures (The now deceased Wellington Mara's family and George Steinbrenner). Playing the role of embattled coach we have Tom Coughlin in place of Billy Martin. Instead of Reggie Jackson as the prima donna “homerun hitter” that nobody seems to like, enter Plaxico Burress. Playing team leader, spokesman and public foil to his self-centered teammate we have Michael Strahan instead of Thurman Munson. Throw in added subplots such as Big Name Eli Manning playing small time ball, Jeremy Shockey and Tiki Barber repeatedly throwing their coach under the bus, along with Tiki’s now infamous retirement announcement, and you are left with one toxic mess. (Appropriately placed near all those poisonous factories surrounding the Meadowlands/Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.)
There are two schools of thought on these types of situations. The first is to just shut up and play ball. Nothing good comes from finger pointing and backstabbing. In fact we can argue that the seeds of destruction were firstplanted when Jeremy Shockey criticized Tom Coughlin during the middle of last season. Later, the playoff debacle against Carolina certainly didn’t help when Tiki Barber proclaimed that Tom Coughlin had been out coached. Seems to me those previous incidents set the tidal wave in motion that seems intent on washing away what was once so promising a few short weeks ago.
Others would argue that dirty laundry needs to be aired because it’s usually the truth and a prerequisite for a much needed cleansing. Be a man, look yourself in the mirror, acknowledge the fact that your season is slipping away and do whatever the hell it takes to right the ship. Blame is shared, mistakes are owned up to and everyone comes together once again. It’s times like this for the guys to have one of those “players only” meetings and that’s exactly what the Giants did the other day. In a perfect world they’d be able to sort out all this ####. Perfect. The simple utterance of that word sarcastically implies folly on too many occasions.
You know up until multiple injuries decimated their defense (which had been developing into a very strong unit by the way), the leaders of the band wagoneers had been trying to push Tom Coughlin’s chariot to the head of the NFC pack. With everybody scratching their heads about Rex Grossman, Carolina underachieving (again), Seattle missing its right and left hook for many weeks in Shaun Alexander & Matt Hasselbeck, along with Dallas floundering under Drew Bledsoe, the experts temporarily started to place their bets on NY blue. Seems every halfway decent NFC team gets a chance to be the Super Bowl favorite during the course of the season. Inexplicably, and at the worst possible time, the Giant offense decided to go into the tank. Now the same experts are writing them off and saying they’ll be lucky to make the playoffs.
Hmmm…I don’t know yet. With monster sack artist Osi Umenyiora expected back, and Michael Strahan soon to follow, all it could take is one huge, dare I say Giant win over Dallas this Sunday. Then, continue to get the defense healthy, Eli back on track, Tiki’s feet on the ground running instead of halfway up coach’s butt and presto-chango playoff team. It’s that easy. (Snicker) Who knows though? One thing I’ve learned is never count out anyone because someone tells you so, since most people aren’t half as smart as they think they are. Come to think of it, everybody wrote off that 1978 Yankees team too. All they did was come back from 14.5 games back in July to win the whole stinking enchilada.
We’ll see this Sunday. There are some Sleezestack looking guys from Dallas looking to add another batch of Giant misery. A fourth consecutive loss will drop New York to 6-6 and that NFL Live crew will really start getting the raft ready for New York's long trip to the Land of the Lost. Guess it’s time to start paddling upstream.
Please, spare us the drama. (Although it does make for an entertaining "As The Football Turns" type feeling) The G-Men, win or lose this Sunday, will still be right in the thick of a wide-open NFC playoff picture. Maybe they'll continue to implode. Let's see it happen first.
The list has grown so long it almost borders on surreal. What’s the law again from that Murphy guy? I think it’s something like, “If anything can go wrong it will”. Yes sir, that’s one I believe in. Call me a pessimist, but much like a nerdy guy who’s been turned down for far too many dates, disappointment lurks around every corner.
Has there been a player more ridiculed in recent memory than Yankees pitcher Carl Pavano? After toiling with the lowly Montreal Expos for 5 seasons he finally gained recognition in 2003. Carl followed up a personal best 12 wins at the time with a highly effective play-off run for the Florida Marlins, as his team upset New York in the World Series. The very next year he posted the best numbers of his career as he went 18-8 with a 3.00 ERA. During the following off-season Pavano signed his now seemingly ludicrous 40 million dollar contract with the Bronx Bombers.
Since then it would appear as though he’s been cursed. One might say that it all began when ex-girlfriend Alyssa Milano implied in an interview with FHM during October 2004 (when asked about her relationship with Carl) that being 6 ‘ 5 ‘’ “doesn’t mean you’re big all over”. http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/4616/fhm1004.h tml
The very next year in the Bronx (2005), Pavano struggled before his season was cut short by shoulder, or was it back problems? With Carl you never knew what body part was hurting. During spring training this March he bruised his buttocks of all things and subsequently had surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow. Seems that the “tail bone’s connected to the funny bone” or something like that. Adding insult to injury, he recently wrecked his Porsche on August 15th and fractured two ribs, after his vehicle hydroplaned into a tractor-trailer down in Florida.
The problem is that he nevertoldthe team about the accident. Amazingly he played in his scheduled rehab start the very same day and threw 4 shutout innings. Since then he effectively pitched twice more and was scheduled to take the mound again this Wednesday. Rumor has it that he was slated to start in the upcoming series against the Red Sox in New York. When the pain would not go away, Pavano finally figured it was time to “come clean”.
Well now there’s even more material to poke fun at him for. Truthfully I feel really bad for the guy. If I were Carl I don’t know what I’d have done myself. There are 2 possible scenarios for his actions that I can think of.
1) He desperately wants to pitch again and clear his name by finallyearning his huge paycheck. So much so that he blindly hoped the pain would just go away.
2) He was worried that the Yankees would try and void his contract since he has been so damn pathetic. The accident was undeniably his fault after all. Who knows what caused the crash and Carl's karma during his New York tenure has been less than ideal.
Either way he was obligated to inform the team, regardless of his intentions.
Personally I believe it was a little bit of both. I'm sure he genuinely wanted to avoid any more negative publicity. He’s so close to contributing that he just didn’t want another setback. Given the position of the team in the playoff picture it isn’t unreasonable to think that he might be able to lend an arm during a critical juncture during the post-season. Let’s not forget, Mike Mussina is currently on the disabled list with a groin injury, Randy Johnson switches between looking equally vulnerable as sharp and the back of the rotation features Jaret Wright or Corey Lidle. Why wouldn’t he try and get back to the big leagues by fighting through pain? It certainly might prove to his detractors that he’s not soft and gutless. Oh well, yet more twists to add to the soap opera in the Bronx this season.
Which would only make a World Series title that much sweeter. Ironically in a year where the only team with worse luck has been the dreaded Red Sox, coupled with the playoff streak of the Atlanta Braves finally coming to an end, here stands “Old Faithful”. Universally loved or despised, for there is no middle ground, we still have the Yankees to cheer for or root against.
Written off after twin broken wrists to Sheffield and Matsui, watching the Big Unit age ungracefully, losing key players at times for various ailments, relying on unknown rookie talent, and incessantly listening to joyful cruelty directed towards Alex Rodriguez, this latest incident would appear to be the cherry on top. Yet the team has persevered. If you ask me, it’s about time that Murphy’s Law guy runs out of gas.
Don’t be surprised if somewhere along the way Rodriguez and Pavano have their day of retribution. Only so much can happen before the tides of bad fortune change. October 2006 sounds about right. Just remember, you heard it here first.
After that Mr. Murphy can start preparing to hibernate for the winter or find some football team to screw with. Seems as though he prefers Peyton Manning and the Colts.
Whereas divisions can be won in May or June, World Series championships are claimed in October. The Detroit Tigers may be the feel good story of the year, but before we begin to custom fit Cinderella’s glass slipper, there’s still a lot of meaningful baseball left to be played. Although it’s hard to root against these “Cats” count me among those who hasn’t yet determined that they are the team to beat.
At this very moment, Detroit’s record stands at a very impressive 76-38. They lead the AL Central division by 8 ½ games over the champion White Sox. They begin a series against them tonight in Chicago. The Pale Hose have just taken 2 of 3 against the Yankees where only1-run games were featured. This match-up will continue a brutal stretch for the Tigers that began just this Monday against the Twins. Minnesota won 2 of those 3 games by the way.
This month the Tigers must face the White Sox 7 times, as well as the Red Sox and Yankees 3 games apiece. In September they play the Angels (3 games), Twins (4 games) and White Sox (3 games). That means 23 of their last 48, or nearly 1/2 of their remaining games come against 5 teams vying for 3 playoff spots. If I choose to include the still AL West contending Texas Rangers, who they play 6 more times, that number jumps to 29 VERY tough games.
Why is this even more significant than it already sounds? When examining the Tiger's performance over the course of the season several things stick out. Arguably, the superior teams in the American League are the Tigers, White Sox, Yankees, Red Sox, Athletics, and Angels. To this point, the “best” team in baseball is a .500 club against these elite teams with 22 wins and 22 losses.
(1-2) Red Sox
(1-3) Yankees
(3-6) White Sox
(5-4) Athletics
(2-3) Angels
(10-4) Twins (3-3 in the last 6 games after roughing up the Twinkies early in the season)
EGADS! If you take out the great numbers against Minnesota, the Tiger's record against top caliber opposition dips down to 12-18. That's a less than impressive a .400 winning percentage. Unfortunately for Detroit, the Twins might be the odd-team out of the playoff race due to rookie “phenom” pitcher Francisco Liriano recently being placed on the disabled list.
As I mentioned, Detroit still has to play the White Sox 10 more times. Chicago is a team they've fared poorly against, as well as one that may be primed to make a stretch run. I hate to say this, but choking on their big lead may not be out of the question. Chicago is just close enough, with enough head-to-head games remaining, where things could get very hairy if they were to drop 7 of 10 to Ozzie Guillen and crew. A difficult task for sure but far from improbable, let alone impossible.
Another factor which makes me wonder if the Tigers are a “smoke and mirrors” team is the whole matter of inter-league baseball. They went an extremely healthy 15-3 in games against the National League. They feasted against the likes of the Pirates, Cubs, Brewers, and Astros. Even the Cardinals and Reds (playoff contenders) are not exactly top tier competition this season. Competing against the NL Central certainly helped to fatten their record.
Finally, let's not forget that the Indians (19 games) and Royals (18 games) make up almost 1/4 of the Tigers schedule. 37 of 162 games translates to approximately 23 percent. Thus far the team is 11-1 against Kansas City and 12-4 when playing Cleveland. A win is a win and you cannot discredit that fact. However, a fair argument can be raised considering how many of Detroit's victories have come at the expense of some of the worst teams in baseball.
I hate to rain on the Tiger's parade, but they haven’t proven anything to me yet. (other than being a vastly improved team) I actually like those guys and hope they do well. It’s fun to see some fresh blood in the playoff mix for a change. How they perform the final two months of the season will either leave me a skeptic or turn me into a believer. Until now it’s been a great ride, but the greatest rides are often bumpiest at the end.
George Steinbrenner ain’t nuttin’ to F-wit…George Steinbrenner ain’t nuttin’ to F-wit.
Honorary Wu-Tang
Here we go again. People will say the Yankees are doing everything they can to buy yet another chance at a championship. Escalating payroll, importing the best players from other teams, mortgaging the future on aging stars, playing with a whole different set of rules from nearly every other team in the rest of the league... Hate on haters.
That’s LIFE.
Yes, the Evil Empire strikes back. All year long the Yankees have been written off, disrespected and mocked. Plagued by injuries to All-Star players, their resiliency has been ignored by those that point to their payroll. Accused of having no adequate young talent, the team has relied on and been inspired by the likes of Chien-Ming Wang, Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera and Andy Philips. Now they pull what can only be considered a coup, as they gain a consummate professional hitter in Bobby Abreu as well as a viable starter in Corey Lidle. What did you expect?
Did I mention the Yankees got these players in exchange for 4 marginal minor leaguers? None are named Philip Hughes (pitcher) or Jose Tabata (outfielder), who trade pundits insisted would have to be part of any deal. The Phillies took much less in ability to save much more in cash. Sure the Yankees absorbed salary but as we all know "Bomber Bucks" are worth a lot more in baseball's currency exchange system. The team has so much revenue; a dollar to other teams is like a quarter to the them. It’s a simple formula:
INCOME – EXPENSES = PROFIT
Somehow, even though the Yankees spend the most money, they still wind up making the biggest profit. You can look it up if you want but take that fact to the bank. George Steinbrenner, hate him as much as you’d like, has the deepest pockets and isn’t afraid to reach in them. You have to spend money to make money. Whereas other teams check the bank, George isthe bank.
Hey, just don’t blame the Yankees. They didn’t make the system; they are a product of it. Steinbrenner isn’t the villain. He’s just the best owner in sports. If you want to look for culprits, look no further than the players’ union. They are the ones who refuse to establish a salary cap. They are the ones who refuse to establish a salary minimum. They are the ones who keep baseball from being able to create a truly level playing field.
Big George pays his luxury taxes and does his part in revenue sharing, yet other owners choose to put those monies in their pockets, rather than invest the funds back into the team. Any of you other fans would dieto have an owner like George. To say otherwise is total hypocrisy. I bet Philadelphia fans might agree. They likely blame the Phillies’ owner for looking to the cash cow of baseball to “dump” the salaries of Abreu and Lidle, rather than spend enough to put a winning team on the field. (If they don’t they should)
Honestly, I can’t blame you if George turns your stomach. If I were in your shoes I'd probably feel the same way. Then again, I just read that Twins owner Carl Pohlad has an estimated net worth of 1.8 billion, yet doesn’t spend the cash on his team. Somehow they field a competitive team even though he is a cheapskate. That must drive Minnesota fans crazy. He’s much greedier than Steinbrenner if you ask me. http://espn.go.com/page2/s/list/owners/greedi est.html
Yo Carl…let your wallet see the light of day and spend some of those Ben Franklins.It might make things a lot easier on the Twinkies. Rather than being considered a “feel good” small market team, maybe you could turn them into a perennial powerhouse. You and George can talk turkey over a Reuben sandwich and fries the next time the teams meet.
As for the Yankees? All they want to do is win. All management does is try their best. Is it unfair that they have more resources at their disposal than every other team? Do fat kids like cake? Do bears $h!t in the woods? Does Pamela Anderson…oh forget it? Maybe they should apologize. Nah, you wouldn’t accept it anyway.
And by the way. Aren’t the Rangers also trying to buy a post-season berth by trading for Carlos Lee? For that matter, isn’t every team trying to pull off a trade for Soriano, Tejada or Zito guilty of the same thing? As usual it will be the Yankees who are judged most harshly and analyzed more scrupulously for “immoral” actions. As usual, petty jealousies will get in the way of unbiased thought.
The Yankees are only doing what any other franchise would do in the exact same situation. You know it, I know it, and the whole world knows it.
Life is good for Yankees fans. They can sleep at night believing that Big George loves them. I know they love him. He looks out for the faithful year after year. Yankees games always mean something. Hell, the team still might not make the playoffs but they're in the race. Keep rooting against them. They like it that way, championship or no championship. You other folks can try to convince yourselves that a season in Pinstripes is worthless without a World Series title if it makes you feel better.We can live with that. As least we’ll know we went out swinging.
Can you dig it?… Can you dig it?… Can you DIGGGGGGGGGG it?
My wife says the only thing worse than a sore loser is a bad winner. She’s right and I’m sorry.Please forgive me.
I' m as sick and tired of A-Rod bashing as one could get. Let’s get something perfectly clear.No one held a gun to the Texas Rangers and made them give Alex his 10 year 252 million dollar contract. To blame Alex for his wealth is ridiculous. Let's also remember it was his agent, Scott Boras, who brokered the deal and not Rodriguez himself. For the record it's clear Boras did a hell of a job. I suppose some of you think he should have told the Rangers their offer was too much. I’m sure we’d all give back our Christmas bonus or pay raise if we thought it was too generous.How come no one remembers he was willing to forfeit a big chunk of his salary to make a proposed trade from Texas to Bostonmore feasible? The real greedy culprits in baseball, the player’s union, squashed that with the quickness.
A- I can’t stand anymore A-Rod is phony and arrogant comments. The man speaks eloquently and with great respect for the game and his peers. He chooses his words carefully, seeks intellectual dialogue, and conducts himself as a gentleman. Yet he is called a phony because he tries to say all the right things.Should he say the first thing that comes to his mind like Ozzie Guillen, no matter how stupid the thought is? Should he offer up an opinion about everything even though no one asked like Curt Schilling? Should he talk about how he is the greatest of all time like Ricky Henderson? Should he be more of an arrogant blow-hard like Pete Rose? Would that make you like him more? I cannot ever remember a man who was so attacked for being too well spoken and careful with his words. How in the world do any of you know that he doesn’t mean what he says anyway?
I know, I know...critics say A-Rod chokes in the spotlight. People have said the same thing about lots of players throughout time. Off the top of my head Barry Bonds, Dave Winfield, Frank Thomas, the many versions of the Astros’ Killer B’s, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux (and entire Braves teams for that fact) all come to mind. You know what though? Every one of those guys was or is still great. As for the Braves, their greatness as a franchise should never be measured by the fact that they only won one World Series. If that were the case then the Marlins would be considered the better organization. I’ll take my chances with A-Rod. This side of Derek Jeter nobody plays harder than him.Keep in mind he never once made an issue of moving to third base.He’s a team player---End of discussion.
The sad part is, if A-Rod was on the Red Sox I wouldn’t even have to write this. The mob mentality of hate the Yankees has made him the ultimate whipping boy. If he had indeed wound up in Bean Town you would all be rooting for him to beat the Yankees.In my eyes that makes all you folks who mindlessly bash him the real phonies. You have managed to twist your petty jealousy and hatred of the Yankees into an excuse to vilify an otherwise decent man.
As for Yankees fans who choose to boo him, all I can say is that you are not real fans of the team. You make everyone who has ever accused our fan base of being the sport's biggest bunch of A-Holes look absolutely correct. I am ashamed to be associated with those of you at this time. As far as I'm concerned you are all a bunch of posers. If you aren't with us then you're against us.
So he made 3 throwing errors Monday night. Big whoop! He's not the first and certainly won't be the last to have a bad night in the field or go through ups-and-downs. (As a matter of fact Aaron Boone recently had a three error night against the Yankees himself) Funny how no one mentions that Alex fouled a ball off his left big toe prior to the poor throws. They thought it might be broken after it swelled up. Anyone who has thrown anything knows the stress that is placed on the left big toe (as a righthander) when you plant that foot. If you don't believe me then go chuck a ball, or even pretend to, and you'll totally understand. Now do the same motion but favor the toe and don't place any stress on it. Easy to see how this might affect accuracy, huh? Especially when you have just one second to make a reaction. But, as a true professional, making excuses has never been part of his character. Whatever the case may be, things happen. I just don't think it was a coincidence that he made those errors the other night.
Is Rodriguez a saint? Probably not, but who is? All I know is that he deserves better than this. That's because NOBODY deserves what he's getting. I think he's handling it pretty well myself, but honestly, who of you wants to give him credit for anything?
Every year, in every sport, the unpredictable nature of the sports beast shows its face. Cases in point this season are the born-again Detroit Tigers and the suddenly moribund Atlanta Braves.
The Tigers have the best winning percentage in all of baseball: That’s shocking.Atlanta is 13 games behind the Mets: Very stunning. Oddly enough though the Yankees at 50-36 are almost exactly the same distance out of the wild card as Atlanta at 40-49. (Yankees 6 GB and Atlanta 6.5GB) Now ain’t that some stuff that provides yet another reason why baseball is truly a special game. You just never know.
If you had told me on opening day that the Yankees would be trailing the Red Sox by 3 games at the All-Star break I would have shrugged my shoulders and not have been the least bit surprised. A relatively small deficit to the archrival Red Sox at mid-season hardly constitutes a startling development under normal circumstances. This season is different. It’s ABSOLUTELY amazing that the Yankees are even this close to first place.
In typical New York fashion, the Yankees have the Red Sox exactly where they want them. They are breathing down Boston’s neck, this time with a team that long ago should have left for dead and buried. This could make the pressure Boston usually feels that much worse. What will happen to the psyches of Bostonians, both players and fans alike, if the team should not be able to put away what most view as an inferior Yankees squad once the second half resumes? Will New England’s “Chicken Little Fan Club” once again go running through the streets hollering that the sky is falling?
Just Hanging With Ben Affleck
As has been well chronicled, the Yankees can mournfully boast a laundry list full of items that have gone awry. On April 29 Gary Sheffield injured his wrist in a collision at first base. Arguably the most feared presence in the Yankees line-up, Sheffield has long since had surgery to repair a dislocated tendon & torn ligament in his wrist. Missing are his 2005 numbers of .291 AVG 34 HR 123 RBI 27 Doubles and 104 Runs.
Exactly 2 weeks later on May 12th Hideki Matsui broke his wrist attempting a sliding catch in left field. Gone in the blink of an eye were his .305 AVG 23 HR 116 RBI 45 Doubles and 108 Runs from 2005.
Emerging star Robinson Cano is presently on the 15 day disabled list due to a hamstring problem. As everyone knows, hamstrings are one of the worst types of injuries. They tend to linger and have a penchant for re-surfacing after you thought they were healed. The Yankees can ill afford to lose his sweet swing and .325 AVG from an already depleted line-up for much longer.
The same goes for Johnny Damon who has battled problems all season with first his shoulder, then a broken toe and now an oblique muscle. Mercifully Damon’s injuries have proven tolerable. He has played through pain and produced nicely despite his ailments: .291 AVG 11HR 44 RBI 21 Doubles 18 Stolen bases.
With all the negative publicity given to Randy Johnson and his 10-7 (5.13 ERA), it has been easy to forget about the Yankees line-up woes. It has been even simpler to lose sight of the combined stats of their 5th starters. (Shawn Chacon, Aaron Small, and recent minor league call-up Kris Wilson) Together they sport a combined 4-6 record with an 8.14 ERA in 15 starts. As bad as Johnson has been at times, those others are downright awful. As least the Big Unit has shown some sparks of life in half of his starts. On top of that, where in the wide, wide world of sports is Carl (Did I Retire Yet) Pavano when you need him? Whatever the case may be, he would be a huge upgrade to the 5th starter position of the rotation.
I know, I know…hold on to your hankies. Trust me. Yankees fans want your sympathy about as much as we want a terminal disease. We also expect to get pity about as much as Paris Hilton expects to win a spelling bee. We simply want notice to be served. The team is holding its own in the middle of a pennant race and doing so with key contributions from our so-called barren farm system.(Chien-Ming Wang, Melky Cabrera, Andy Philips and of course, Robinson Cano) All things being equal, and they haven’t been, Boston should have at least a 10 game lead on the Yankees. The Red Sox recently had a 12 game winning streak and went 17-5 to close the first half.
You would think Red Sox pitching would have the Yankees outclassed. What has to scare everyone up in Boston is that the bottom of their rotation has been every bit as bad, if not worse than the Yankees. Would you rather have Matt Clement or Randy Johnson start a game for you? Maybe your answer is neither but you work with what you have at the moment. I also wonder how Jon Lester holds up for the Red Sox down the stretch. I admit he has gotten off to a solid start but he is still just a 22-year-old rookie (lefthander at that) who is pitching at Fenway Park. He just might be the real deal but I wonder if they want him carrying their eggs in the proverbial basket when the season is on the line in late September.Finally, Schilling’s and Beckett’s ERAs have each risen after dominating starts for both. (Schillling has an ERA of 3.60 and Beckett 4.75 respectively) Ooooh, Josh’s ERA is fast approaching, dare I say, Randy Johnson territory?
Making matters even more nerve-wracking for Boston is that all of their new starters on their team have played better than expected. Mike Lowell (3B) has been great on defense and is a doubles-hitting machine. Kevin Youkilis (1B) has also played great defense while showing a huge amount of discipline at the plate. Mark Loretta (2B) has provided stability to the position both with his fielding and at the bat. The same goes for new shortstop Alex Gonzalez. As a matter of fact these four have combinedto make only 16 errors. (Youkilis 7, Loretta 3, Gonzalez 2, and Lowell 4) As a unit they are also hitting a healthy .299. Boston fans should be gushing about the play of the infield. The only new face not playing up to par has been Johnny Damon’s replacement Coco Crisp. Even there you can argue that Crisp was injured for the first month and a half of the season. However, I know Boston would have liked a little more than his .268 AVG 4 HR and 14 RBI in nearly 200 at-bats.
THAT'S ALL FOLKS?!?!
Is that all this gets you?A 3-game lead against a Yankees team that was begging to be put away 2 months ago? I didn’t even mention Big Papi (the HR and RBI leader), along with his sidekick Manny, or “Mr. Incredible” Jonathan Papelbon.
Everyone has speculated that the Yankees will be wheeling and dealing. With George Steinbrenner that is always a distinct possibility. The thing about the Yankees this year is they might not deal at all. If they can hold their own and keep it close, they already have some late season acquisitions lined up. They’ll be ultra-careful with Robinson Cano and his tender hamstring. He can return July 14th but Joe Torre will probably wait until he is absolutely 100%. Matsui is due back in mid-August from his broken wrist as is Carl Pavano from surgery to remove bone spurs from his elbow. Last but not least, Sheffield is due to have his cast removed as early as next week and has publicly stated he intends to return by September 1st.
If the Yankees falter early in the second half then this could all be too little too late. If they play the Sox even, then the best deals just may be the ones they didn’t make. Whatever happens I am very proud of how the team has held together. I'd even say they are actually overachieving considering all that has gone wrong.
Baseball is a beautiful game, both physically and for the game itself. No other sport rivals the appearance of a baseball stadium when the stands are full of fans. Whether it’s the unique dimensions of each stadium, the shape of the infield diamond, the foul poles, the upper grandstands, the central location of the pitcher’s mound or any other of a number of things, baseball is at the very least visually appealing. Most people want those box seats close to the field. Not me. I prefer to sit in the higher deck, directly behind home plate. I can sit in the sun and take in the entire experience. Every routine fly ball suddenly becomes a majestic journey.
You Can Hate The Team But Love The View
The beauties within the game itself, its subtleties, are what I love. True fans recognize when major leaguers make difficult plays look routine and seemingly impossible plays into reality. A grounder to second that advances a runner to third base in a key situation, is like noticing a beautiful smile on a simple yet naturally attractive woman for the very first time. It’s the realization that there is more present than what first meets the eye.Baseball is full of such things. Critics say that the game is boring with action too slow to develop. I understand those feelings. Even so, some things are worth waiting for.
Then there’s the ugliest play in baseball: the collision at home plate. It’s as subtle as a train wreck and potentially as damaging. I have always felt the same way about this play, even as a boy just learning the game. Seeing it happen again on Tuesday night to Yankees catcher Jorge Posada against Texas, after just happening to Giants catcher Todd Greene against the Giants 2 weeks ago, reminded me again of my feelings. Somehow a catcher standing perfectly still at home plate becomes an open invitation to a charging base runner trying to score. The invitation says, “Please feel free to obliterate me and perhaps end my career.”Mark Teixeira of Texas and Prince Fielder were the players who felt obligated to accept the offer. Neither man is what anyone would call smallish.
Prince Fielder and Todd Greene collision 5/4/06
Doesn't that look like it feels great?
Even a pitcher with a reputation for brushing back hitters gets more leeway from me. A pitcher must pitch inside to be effective. Hit batsmen will happen whether accidentally or on purpose. The vast majority of pitchers will never intentionally throw at another man’s head, although it probably has happened before.At least the hitter sees it coming. He has the opportunity to try and avoid injury, even if it’s just fractions of a second. Not the catcher though. Often he is simply blindsided. Even if there is reaction time all he can do is brace himself.That can be even worse since we are more prone to injury as we tense our bodies up. Most important of all, anytime there is one of those big collisions at home it is always a pre-meditated attack. It’s never an accident. It can always be avoided.
For those of you who would argue that the runner is just doing what it takes to be safe and score a run I ask you this: If a player is trying to leg out a double or triple and the throw clearly has him beat, why does he slide? By your rationale shouldn’t he just dive into the fielder waiting to apply the tag and blow him up as well? Hey, the fielder might drop the ball too and he might be able to scurry back to the bag in time..
I suppose you’ll want to point out that the catcher does have all his equipment on. Well we can agree that a mask and shin guards offer fabulous protection from a baseball but they certainly were not designed to protect someone from a 200+ pound object hurtling towards them at speeds around 20-25 MPH. Sorry, uh-uh, no way. If they were effectively made for that then it wouldn’t always be the catcher on the one losing end. Did you see the dazed looks in the eyes of Posada and Green after those plays?
Lastly, I’ll probably be reminded that half the time the catchers are blocking the plate. Well I’ve seen many a savvy second or third baseman block the bag with their feet or legs too and as I said nobody sends them sprawling back a good 5 feet. I’ve also seen players with class, who understand the unfair and unsporting advantage they have, who refuse to apply that hammer like blow. A player always has three options: 1) try and make a fabulous slide 2) if contact is unavoidable keep the force used in the collision to a minimum level or 3) simply accept the fact that they are out. In the big scheme of things I suppose scoring that run and winning the game is a lot more important to some people than seriously injuring an opponent. This isn’t football or hockey so please no comparisons to them as a contact sport. Plain and simple it’s an overly macho act and a cheap play.
Just ask Ray Fosse if he would have liked a little courtesy from Pete Rose in the 1970 All-Star game. His career was never the same again. I’m sure Carlton Fisk would agree with him after his knee ligaments were torn in a collision back in 1974 during a game against Cleveland. Many doctors were unsure if he would ever play again. Oakland catcher Terry Steinbach had his jaw broken in a September 1999 game against Baltimore when Cal Ripken Jr. bowled him over with his forearm. Lastly the Twins and White Sox began feuding just last year after Torii Hunter gave White Sox catcher Jamie Burke a concussion on a play at home. You see, although Burke didn’t even have the ball yet, and plenty of room to go around him was obviously available, Hunter decided to knock him silly anyway.
Do you notice that little thing called the ball hadn't got there yet?
Is the collision at home part of the game and its history? Without a doubt. Do I think MLB should try and do something to regulate the play? No, I think that would be over-stepping their boundaries. I also doubt the players would want people to question their manhood, even if their safety was involved. Just don’t tell me that it’s a clean play or that players should be doing it. If that was the case then every one of them would. In a game with so many beautiful things to see, it’s by far the ugliest play of all.
Roger Clemens was offered $12 million dollars by the Astros to return to the team. Much hype and hoopla has been made about his free agent status and whether he will return to Houston, sign on for more money with the Yankees, Red Sox, or Rangers or choose not to play period. All the teams on the presumed list are off to good starts and happen to be right in the thick of races for first place.Clearly every franchise can use his services.
As a Yankees fan, (please don’t hate me just for that fact) I would love to see Roger back in pinstripes. Even more so I would hate to see him go back to the Bean Town where it all began. In my opinion, the Rangers don’t even a chance. Why in the world would Roger move to a different part of Texas when his family is right in Houston? Certainly not so he can face the deeper American League line-ups. Ultimately though I have nothing to hope for or fear. I finally understand Roger’s plan and New York and Boston only enter his mind during moments of nostalgia. More on Roger’s plan shortly.
expires). Back when mega-agent Scott Boras brokered the deal, salaries in baseball skyrocketed annually. It’s likely that Boras and A-Rod thought that their numbers could be surpassed over time. This “out clause” provided an escape in the event that Alex somehow wound up being “underpaid”. However, since then new contracts have basically stabilized. No other player has approached Alex’s high water mark. Even so, there is wide speculation that perhaps he will test the free agent waters. My question is: Why?
I suppose anything is possible but I just don’t see any team other than the Yankees paying A-Rod more than $27 million dollars a season. The Yankees and Rangers currently split the payments on this existing albatross of a contract, making it somewhat more bearable. If a new deal were made the next team would have to shoulder the load independently. That’s not overly likely to happen. Having already been labeled as greedy in certain circles, is this the type of public image the sensitive A-Rod would want to perpetuate? This would leave him vulnerable to even more nationwide scorn. 
just stated. Factor in his recent troubles with New York tabloids that went out of their way to expose his extra marital affairs (Stray-Rod) and the plot thickens. Then take into account that these same tabloids did not always choose the kindest of words when writing about his notorious struggles and the motive to leave increases. Finally, keep in mind that he originally tried to negotiate a trade from Texas to the Red Sox in order to beat the Yankees and the wheels really start turning. Boston is one of a few teams that could possibly afford him. Would a spiteful A-Rod stoop to this level of vengeance? They do say that revenge is a dish best served cold.
All statistical accolades aside, and two MVP awards not withstanding, Alex has never won a thing. It don’t mean a thing, if you ain’t got that ring. In fact people have already begun to bandy about the so-called “Curse of A-Rod”. I don’t know how these things get created but they certainly are amusing. When something is hard to explain, let’s bring in the supernatural. Alex has publicly stated that he loves New York and wants to win a title with the Yankees. Then again the term "straight shooter" hasn’t always been associated with A-Rod. SSSHHHHHHH…don’t tell anyone but some people have even accused him of being a big phony. As the season goes along and we receive less and less information from Alex about his intentions, we’ll see how just badly he truly wants to win in New York. Sticking it out in the Bronx would be a visible sign of toughness for the superstar with the “soft” reputation. Especially if the team misses the playoffs or he tanks in the post-season again. 
his foot in his mouth on several occasions, has had his words twisted out on context at other times, and usually seems to be looking for the right thing to say instead of speaking earnestly from the heart. He is meticulous with his appearance to a fault and is on record for saying that, “Maybe people dislike me because I'm rich, bi-racial and handsome”. Hmmm…don’t hate him cause he’s beautiful. Yep, the R in Rodriguez is really short for Revlon. Even if some people do feel that way, the fact that he even stated this provides insight regarding his vanity. Or is it insecurity? I think it’s both. A-Rod has a very high opinion of himself and truth be told I can’t blame him. He is rich, bi-racial, handsome and perhaps the future career home run king after all. For the life of him (and me) he can’t figure out why so many people can’t stand him. The more time that goes by, the harder it will be to find the adoration he is desperately looking for. 
spectators. If he stays in New York he is well on his way to winning over ALL the fans, if he hasn't already. Believe it or not he has always had more supporters than critics in New York. Those who boo sound a lot louder and are easier to pick out than those who cheer. If he decides to play elsewhere, mark my words, it will probably have to be for less money. If he does this it will lay to rest many negative innuendos about his character. It will show that winning and happiness don’t always lose to the almighty dollar. The willingness to play for a lower salary would probably earn him newfound respect in many places. Plus it won’t be for everyone’s favorite team to hate, the New York Yankees. 
the coach? More often than not, it’s the coach that is held accountable. Although some might be reluctant to lower the axe when problems are related to injuries, how one responds to that unexpected adversity is fair game for analysis. 
t, but fans remember Joe’s formula. The starters could hopefully give the team 5-6 innings, Rivera would next pitch the 7th and 8th innings of every close game that the team played, and closer John Wetteland would then shut the door. By the time the season was nearing an end, Mo was grimacing in pain from the exertion of pitching so much. No doubt from the pins and needles he was feeling in his arm after the 108 innings he logged as the set-up man. Win a World Series and all is forgotten, ill advised as the strategy may have been. 
Joe Torre was fortunate that this lack of foresight didn’t blow up in his face. 
Point blank, Torre is burning up his bullpen. The truth is he has been doing this since he got to New York. Unfortunately for the Yankees, this is his absolute worst job of it yet. The team has a ton of relievers, but none with clearly defined roles. He’s done a deplorable job of mixing and matching the right man to the right situation, as well as making sure that each player gets adequate game repetitions or adequate rest. The bullpen is a mess and not from a lack of solid arms. The bullpen is a mess because of how Torre manages it. 
ories were American colonists who remained loyal to King George and the British Empire during the Revolutionary War. My apologies to Joe but it’s nothing personal. I actually like and respect him a ton. However, my loyalty is done, finished, kaput. I have my eye on another Joe. Joltin’ Joe Girardio as a matter of fact. Girardi played with Yankees mainstays, such as Jeter, Posada, Pettite and Rivera. He would instantly command the respect of the team in the clubhouse, for he is no outsider. His fiery personality would be a big boost to the team, as well as serve notice that their level of play must stay consistent. Torre’s philosophy on the other hand, is akin to a gym teacher who rolls a ball onto the field and tells the kids to go out and play. Professionals or not the team needs more than that. Knowing how to play, and being inspired to do so, are totally different things. And besides, Girardi certainly couldn’t manage a bullpen any worse. 
Alex Rodriguez has come forward as the first to admit that his relationship with Derek Jeter isn’t what it once was (Like that was a big secret). He claims that he and his former best friend still have the utmost respect for each other and that they root for one another to do well. The ultimate goal is to win a World Series in New York after all. Is this just more “Say the right thing”, coming out of Yankees Land, or is this a step towards healing wounds and relocating the chemistry that was a trademark of the championship teams? We’ll see, but I’m actually more concerned with other things that have annoyed me for a long time. 
were the only ones who seemed outraged. Many others around the country would only admit that A-Rod’s comments came across as a bit crass, especially considering their highly publicized friendship. However, most of these same people claimed Rodriguez was right. As a lifelong Yankees follower and fan of Derek Jeter, it absolutely kills me to hear the hypocrites at work in 2007.
Back at the time of those comments, all you would ever hear about Jeter was how he was the most overrated player in baseball. Insults flew down from Boston about how Nomar Garciaparra put Derek to shame. They even coined that annoying, "Nomar's Better!!!" chant. We also heard that "Derek couldn't sniff A-Rod’s jock" and that "Miguel Tejada was superior in every category too". As with all things Yankees, a steady diet of criticism was directed at Jeter regarding his play.
start lauding kudos on Derek now because it's an easy way to further vilify Rodriguez. Back in 2001 he was "all hype" because of the New York media and East Coast bias. Now in 2007 he’s Mr. Clutch, an All-American hero, class act all the way, the face of the Yankees, the ultimate gamer etc..., etc…, etc… The problem is, he was all of these exact things back then too. You just wouldn’t give him credit for it. Now with Rodriguez to dump on, praising Jeter is an easy way to promote your agendas.
donna “homerun hitter” that nobody seems to like, enter Plaxico Burress. Playing team leader, spokesman and public foil to his self-centered teammate we have Michael Strahan instead of Thurman Munson. Throw in added subplots such as Big Name Eli Manning playing small time ball, Jeremy Shockey and Tiki Barber repeatedly throwing their coach under the bus, along with Tiki’s now infamous retirement announcement, and you are left with one toxic mess. (Appropriately placed near all those poisonous factories surrounding the Meadowlands/Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.)
Bledsoe, the experts temporarily started to place their bets on NY blue. Seems every halfway decent NFC team gets a chance to be the Super Bowl favorite during the course of the season. Inexplicably, and at the worst possible time, the Giant offense decided to go into the tank. Now the same experts are writing them off and saying they’ll be lucky to make the playoffs. 
We’ll see this Sunday. There are some Sleezestack looking guys 
from Dallas looking to add another batch of Giant misery. A fourth consecutive loss will drop New York to 6-6 and that NFL Live crew will really start getting the raft ready for New York's long trip to the Land of the Lost. Guess it’s time to start paddling upstream. 
Since then it would appear as though he’s been cursed. One might say that it all began when ex-girlfriend Alyssa Milano implied in an interview with FHM during October 2004 (when asked about her relationship with Carl) that being 6 ‘ 5 ‘’ “doesn’t mean you’re big all over”. 
EGADS! If you take out the great numbers against Minnesota, the Tiger's record against top caliber opposition dips down to 12-18. That's a less than impressive a .400 winning percentage. Unfortunately for Detroit, the Twins might be the odd-team out of the playoff race due to rookie “phenom” pitcher Francisco Liriano recently being placed on the disabled list. 
OR 
?
I can’t stand anymore A-Rod is phony and arrogant comments. The man speaks eloquently and with great respect for the game and his peers. He chooses his words carefully, seeks intellectual dialogue, and conducts himself as a gentleman. Yet he is called a phony because he tries to say all the right things.
I know, I know…hold on to your hankies. Trust me. Yankees fans want your sympathy about as much as we want a terminal disease. We also expect to get pity about as much as Paris Hilton expects to win a spelling bee. We simply want notice to be served. The team is holding its own in the middle of a pennant race and doing so with key contributions from our so-called barren farm system.
I suppose you’ll want to point out that the catcher does have all his equipment on. Well we can agree that a mask and shin guards offer fabulous protection from a baseball but they certainly were not designed to protect someone from a 200+ pound object hurtling towards them at speeds around 20-25 MPH. Sorry, uh-uh, no way. If they were effectively made for that then it wouldn’t always be the catcher on the one losing end. Did you see the dazed looks in the eyes of Posada and Green after those plays?
Just ask Ray Fosse if he would have liked a little courtesy from Pete Rose in the 1970 All-Star game. His career was never the same again. I’m sure Carlton Fisk would agree with him after his knee ligaments were torn in a collision back in 1974 during a game against Cleveland. Many doctors were unsure if he would ever play again. Oakland catcher Terry Steinbach had his jaw broken in a September 1999 game against Baltimore when Cal Ripken Jr. bowled him over with his forearm. Lastly the Twins and White Sox began feuding just last year after Torii Hunter gave White Sox catcher Jamie Burke a concussion on a play at home. You see, although Burke didn’t even have the ball yet, and plenty of room to go around him was obviously available, Hunter decided to knock him silly anyway.
