Still getting details on the specifics of the trade, but Scott Gomez is off to Montreal to play with the Canadiens. In exchange, the Rangers get Long Island-native Chris Higgins, Ryan McDonagh, and Pavel Valetenko. Rangers also sent Tom Pyatt and Mike Busto. Higgins is a forward, McDonagh and Valentenko are defensmen. More as it comes...
UPDATE: Just got off a conference call with Glen Sather and Chris Higgins. Here were some highlights from both:
Sather:
-First talked about at Canadiens Society Dinner on the 22nd of June. They finalized the deal at about 3:00 today.
-Said that Higgins is a goal-scorer and can be a great asset to the team this year and in the future. Future success could also be seen IN McDonagh and Valentenko.
-The deal gives the team a lot of options for today, tomorrow, and in the future (now that they lost Gomez's 7+ million-dollar salary)
-Doesn't have any regrets about Scott Gomez. Said he was a great player, great guy, and will do well in Montreal
Higgins:
-Said there was no more pressure playing in New York than in Montreal
-Excited to return home and play in front of his family
-Was surprised about the trade, didn't think he would get traded, but if there was one place he wanted to play besides Montreal, it would be with the Rangers
-He was a big Canadiens fan when he grew up, heard it from friends when Rangers won the Cup in 1994, always enjoyed watching Brian Leetch (who went to the same high school as him)
-Plays a relentless style where he's moving the whole time, takes a lot of pride in his work ethic, likes the way Tortorella's teams play, and the Rangers were always one of the hardest teams to play when he was in Montreal
Sounds like Higgins is excited to play in NY, but it's not final that he'll stay there, though Sather said he didn't foresee a problem signing him (he's a restricted free agent). Reports are that Heatley will be coming to NY tonight, though with the cap room, they could possibly trade for Heatley and/or go after Vincent Lecavalier, Marian Gaborik, Marian Hossa, or even Martin St. Louis. The possibilities are much greater for the Rangers now with the cap room that was just alleviated.
Come discuss tonight on the live-blog as the Yanks and Mets games are going on starting at 7 PM. Live-blog is in post below.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Live Blogging Tonight
Hey all, just so you know, I'll have a live-blog going again tonight here on the blog. Come to discuss anything you'd like. I'll be focusing on the Yankees-Mariners game at Yankee Stadium, but will have an eye on the Mets as well. Will be glad to discuss Yankees, Mets, and NHL or NBA Free Agency talk. Whatever you'd like to debate or ask, come to the blog tonight at about 7:00 for some fun!
Here are the Yanks and Mets match-ups tonight, as well as the line-ups for both teams:
New York Yankees (43-32, 3.5 GB of Red Sox) vs. Seattle Mariners (39-36, 3.5 GB of Angels)
Starting Pitchers:
NYY- Joba Chamberlain (4-2, 3.81)
SEA- Brandon Morrow (0-3, 5.64)
Yanks Line-Up:
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada C
Hideki Matsui DH
Nick Swisher RF
Melky Cabrera CF
New York Mets (37-38, 3.0 GB of Phillies) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (41-35, 1st Place)
Starting Pitchers:
NYM- Johan Santana (9-5, 3.08)
MIL- Mike Burns (0-1, 3.72)
Mets Line-Up:
Alex Cora SS
Fernando Tatis 2B
David Wright 3B
Gary Sheffield LF
Ryan Church RF
Nick Evans 1B
Fernando Martinez CF
Omir Santos C
Johan Santana P
Here are the Yanks and Mets match-ups tonight, as well as the line-ups for both teams:
New York Yankees (43-32, 3.5 GB of Red Sox) vs. Seattle Mariners (39-36, 3.5 GB of Angels)
Starting Pitchers:
NYY- Joba Chamberlain (4-2, 3.81)
SEA- Brandon Morrow (0-3, 5.64)
Yanks Line-Up:
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada C
Hideki Matsui DH
Nick Swisher RF
Melky Cabrera CF
New York Mets (37-38, 3.0 GB of Phillies) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (41-35, 1st Place)
Starting Pitchers:
NYM- Johan Santana (9-5, 3.08)
MIL- Mike Burns (0-1, 3.72)
Mets Line-Up:
Alex Cora SS
Fernando Tatis 2B
David Wright 3B
Gary Sheffield LF
Ryan Church RF
Nick Evans 1B
Fernando Martinez CF
Omir Santos C
Johan Santana P
NHL Free Agency Approaching
July 1st is a huge date on the calendars of NHL fans everywhere. This is the date that the free agency period opens, and unrestricted free agents seek big dollars while teams look for the next player that could help lead their team to a title. This season is set to be another interesting one in terms of the names on the market. However, we'll look at who the locals might go after.
We'll start first with the Rangers, who have all eyes on Dany Heatley of the Ottawa Senators. While this isn't a free agent signing, the Rangers are seeking to make a trade to obtain the two-time 50-goal scorer. Heatley's numbers aren't what they were, but he still has the finishing ability that the Rangers have severely lacked.
To obtain him though, Rangers fans might have to succumb to the fact they might lose one of their beloved young talents. It has been rumored that either Brandon Dubinsky or Ryan Callahan would go to Ottawa in a deal. Other possibilities to be included are a big contract, namely that of Michal Rozsival, Scott Gomez, or Nik Zherdev and a first round draft pick. Ottawa wants a fair return and says they'd wait till after Heatley is due $4-million tomorrow, but I would be shocked if that happened. One side will have to budge first, and in my mind, Ottawa would be that side.
As for free agent possibilities, the big name has been Marian Gaborik of the Wild. Gaborik is a tremendous talent, possessing great speed and scoring ability. He would be a big help to the Rangers because of that. However, Gaborik has been spending a lot of time injured lately and may experience the same problems in NY. Other names that have surfaced are Marian Hossa and Ilya Kovalchuk. To me, the Rangers have a better shot at Hossa. He helped bring the Penguins then the Red Wings to the Stanley Cup finals, though he lost both years, and has a tremendous scoring ability. The Rangers would be smart to bring him in as he is less likely to be injured and has played in the Atlantic Division before.
As for the Islanders, they already cashed in with their biggest acquisition of all: John Tavares. Taking him first in the draft was the dream of the fans and Isles management made it a reality. I can't see any other player on the free agent market providing the type of excitement and energy as well as production that Tavares could bring. However, here are some thoughts.
The Islanders really need a back-up goalie that can help do a solid job in case Rick DiPietro is injured once again. To me, the best fit would be Ty Conklin. Conklin was Marc-Andre Fleury's back-up and then Chris Osgood's over the last two seasons, and went to the Stanley Cup Finals both years. He's a great goaltender that would be a solid back-up to DiPietro and could take over no problem if DP struggles or is hurt. Craig Anderson of Florida is another option, as he has a strong skill set and great save percentage.
As for other positions, their other big need is an enforcer to help protect Tavares. They could go after Colton Orr, who is a free agent after serving as the Rangers' enforcer for several seasons. Another option is Chris Neil from Ottawa. Neil has been a tough player against the Isles in his career and Orr served well with the Rangers. Either would be a fine addition for the Isles.
So that's what local fans can expect. I can see the Rangers getting Heatley, but I am not sure if it is worth it to get him if you have to give up Dubinsky or Callahan. Several teams need good, young cores. I would consider giving up Marc Staal before I gave up the other two since the Rangers have tremendous depth of young defensemen with talent. To me, Heatley would be a better addition than Gaborik, but is it worth it to trade away the talent rather than just signing one? I say no, but I'm no GM.
We'll start first with the Rangers, who have all eyes on Dany Heatley of the Ottawa Senators. While this isn't a free agent signing, the Rangers are seeking to make a trade to obtain the two-time 50-goal scorer. Heatley's numbers aren't what they were, but he still has the finishing ability that the Rangers have severely lacked.
To obtain him though, Rangers fans might have to succumb to the fact they might lose one of their beloved young talents. It has been rumored that either Brandon Dubinsky or Ryan Callahan would go to Ottawa in a deal. Other possibilities to be included are a big contract, namely that of Michal Rozsival, Scott Gomez, or Nik Zherdev and a first round draft pick. Ottawa wants a fair return and says they'd wait till after Heatley is due $4-million tomorrow, but I would be shocked if that happened. One side will have to budge first, and in my mind, Ottawa would be that side.
As for free agent possibilities, the big name has been Marian Gaborik of the Wild. Gaborik is a tremendous talent, possessing great speed and scoring ability. He would be a big help to the Rangers because of that. However, Gaborik has been spending a lot of time injured lately and may experience the same problems in NY. Other names that have surfaced are Marian Hossa and Ilya Kovalchuk. To me, the Rangers have a better shot at Hossa. He helped bring the Penguins then the Red Wings to the Stanley Cup finals, though he lost both years, and has a tremendous scoring ability. The Rangers would be smart to bring him in as he is less likely to be injured and has played in the Atlantic Division before.
As for the Islanders, they already cashed in with their biggest acquisition of all: John Tavares. Taking him first in the draft was the dream of the fans and Isles management made it a reality. I can't see any other player on the free agent market providing the type of excitement and energy as well as production that Tavares could bring. However, here are some thoughts.
The Islanders really need a back-up goalie that can help do a solid job in case Rick DiPietro is injured once again. To me, the best fit would be Ty Conklin. Conklin was Marc-Andre Fleury's back-up and then Chris Osgood's over the last two seasons, and went to the Stanley Cup Finals both years. He's a great goaltender that would be a solid back-up to DiPietro and could take over no problem if DP struggles or is hurt. Craig Anderson of Florida is another option, as he has a strong skill set and great save percentage.
As for other positions, their other big need is an enforcer to help protect Tavares. They could go after Colton Orr, who is a free agent after serving as the Rangers' enforcer for several seasons. Another option is Chris Neil from Ottawa. Neil has been a tough player against the Isles in his career and Orr served well with the Rangers. Either would be a fine addition for the Isles.
So that's what local fans can expect. I can see the Rangers getting Heatley, but I am not sure if it is worth it to get him if you have to give up Dubinsky or Callahan. Several teams need good, young cores. I would consider giving up Marc Staal before I gave up the other two since the Rangers have tremendous depth of young defensemen with talent. To me, Heatley would be a better addition than Gaborik, but is it worth it to trade away the talent rather than just signing one? I say no, but I'm no GM.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Yankees Take 2 Straight in Subway Series Part 2
If the Yankees offense was a disappointment earlier this week, the Mets offense over the last two games is downright pitiful!
The Yanks blanked the Mets 5-0 on Saturday night at Citi Field, after taking the first game on Friday 9-1 in the second half of the 2009 Subway Series. AJ Burnett followed up an excellent performance from CC Sabathia with 7 great innings of his own. Burnett had a no-hitter through five innings before Alex Cora led off the sixth with a single to right center. Sabathia had a perfect game on Friday through four frames before Gary Sheffield went deep to left.
Once again, the Yankees flexed their muscles, as they scored five runs and hit two more homers in the cavernous new ballpark in Queens. Nick Swisher opened the scoring with an opposite field shot to left-center in the third, and Jorge Posada also went the other way to left-center in the sixth for a three-run blast. That brings the total to 33 runs in the last four games for the Yanks.
As for the Mets' offense, it has absolutely disappeared. They blew out the Cardinals 11-0 on Wednesday, they have totaled 4 runs over the last three games (they hung on to beat the Cardinals 3-2 on Thursday). In the two games against the Yankees, here are some of their offensive numbers:
18 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 4 walks, 17 strikeouts. In those 18 innings, they have gone down 1-2-3 in 14 of them. That is not going to get the job done at all. Granted, their line-up has been depleted with the losses of Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, and Carlos Beltran, but they are still expected to be better than this.
My three players of the game:
1) AJ Burnett - Final Line: 7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R 3 BB, 10 K, 108 pitches, 64 strikes
Burnett was on target all night. His fastball averaged about 94 miles an hour and his curve was biting and diving from start to finish. Had he attacked a little more early in the game, his pinch count might have been lower and he could've gone deeper in the game. But only 1 hit and a season-high 10 strikeouts over 7 innings is nothing to complain about.
2) Jorge Posada - 1-4 HR, 3 RBI: Posada has been criticized of late for struggling at the plate and being unable to catch up to pitches. While this didn't change things as a whole, it showed Posada still had some pop. An opposite field shot over a high wall in an already deep part of the ballpark was impressive.
3) Nick Swisher - 1-3 HR, RBI, 2 BB: Hard to go with someone else, as Swisher worked the count to get on base and also went yard. After not playing yesterday in favor of Damon, Gardner, and Cabrera, he gets into the line-up with Damon having the flu, and makes it count. Nice performance from him.
The Yanks will try and take all three at Citi Field tomorrow when they send Chien-Ming Wang out to face Livan Hernandez. Wang is still winless with an 11.20 ERA, but has been improving slowly start-by-start. Against a weak line-up that's playing even weaker, he has a good shot for win #1. Hernandez faced the Yanks back on June 12th and was tagged for 6 runs on 7 hits, including 3 homers, in 5.1 innings. The game would later be decided when Luis Castillo dropped a game-ending pop-up and the Yanks won 9-8. More drama in the works tomorrow?
The Yanks blanked the Mets 5-0 on Saturday night at Citi Field, after taking the first game on Friday 9-1 in the second half of the 2009 Subway Series. AJ Burnett followed up an excellent performance from CC Sabathia with 7 great innings of his own. Burnett had a no-hitter through five innings before Alex Cora led off the sixth with a single to right center. Sabathia had a perfect game on Friday through four frames before Gary Sheffield went deep to left.
Once again, the Yankees flexed their muscles, as they scored five runs and hit two more homers in the cavernous new ballpark in Queens. Nick Swisher opened the scoring with an opposite field shot to left-center in the third, and Jorge Posada also went the other way to left-center in the sixth for a three-run blast. That brings the total to 33 runs in the last four games for the Yanks.
As for the Mets' offense, it has absolutely disappeared. They blew out the Cardinals 11-0 on Wednesday, they have totaled 4 runs over the last three games (they hung on to beat the Cardinals 3-2 on Thursday). In the two games against the Yankees, here are some of their offensive numbers:
18 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 4 walks, 17 strikeouts. In those 18 innings, they have gone down 1-2-3 in 14 of them. That is not going to get the job done at all. Granted, their line-up has been depleted with the losses of Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, and Carlos Beltran, but they are still expected to be better than this.
My three players of the game:
1) AJ Burnett - Final Line: 7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R 3 BB, 10 K, 108 pitches, 64 strikes
Burnett was on target all night. His fastball averaged about 94 miles an hour and his curve was biting and diving from start to finish. Had he attacked a little more early in the game, his pinch count might have been lower and he could've gone deeper in the game. But only 1 hit and a season-high 10 strikeouts over 7 innings is nothing to complain about.
2) Jorge Posada - 1-4 HR, 3 RBI: Posada has been criticized of late for struggling at the plate and being unable to catch up to pitches. While this didn't change things as a whole, it showed Posada still had some pop. An opposite field shot over a high wall in an already deep part of the ballpark was impressive.
3) Nick Swisher - 1-3 HR, RBI, 2 BB: Hard to go with someone else, as Swisher worked the count to get on base and also went yard. After not playing yesterday in favor of Damon, Gardner, and Cabrera, he gets into the line-up with Damon having the flu, and makes it count. Nice performance from him.
The Yanks will try and take all three at Citi Field tomorrow when they send Chien-Ming Wang out to face Livan Hernandez. Wang is still winless with an 11.20 ERA, but has been improving slowly start-by-start. Against a weak line-up that's playing even weaker, he has a good shot for win #1. Hernandez faced the Yanks back on June 12th and was tagged for 6 runs on 7 hits, including 3 homers, in 5.1 innings. The game would later be decided when Luis Castillo dropped a game-ending pop-up and the Yanks won 9-8. More drama in the works tomorrow?
Friday, June 26, 2009
NBA Draft Recap; NHL Draft/Trades Talk; Subway Series Part 2
As you all know, last night was the NBA Draft at Madison Square Garden, and the Knicks left the draft without any of the player they truly wanted, but not empty-handed either. Stephen Curry was their top choice, and he was drafted the pick before at 7 by the Warriors. After that, they had their eye on Jonny Flynn of Syracuse or Ricky Rubio from Spain. The two went in the two picks before Curry.
That left the Knicks to take Jordan Hill, the power forward from Arizona with the 8th pick. Hill is a solid player who rebounds well and can operate in the fast-paced Mike D'Antoni offense. The sad new means it could spell the end for David Lee, but Hill provides a strong skill set who said he's excited to play in D'Antoni's system.
The Knicks traded $3 million to get the 29th pick from LA, and had the Lakers pick Toney Douglas, the guard from Florida State. Douglas was a force in the ACC and is a great scorer as well as a solid defender. We'll see if it translates to the NBA, but he was a solid pick.
Overall, fans seemed discontent at the draft with their two picks and mainly that the team didn't trade up to get Curry or Flynn. However, they picked the two best players available in the draft at the time they picked, so it's hard to fault them. And don't forget, trades can happen, and you have to trust what Donnie Walsh is doing.
------------------------------
Moving on to the NHL, which has their draft tonight. The Islanders are the biggest story as they have the #1 pick, which will likely be either John Tavares or Matt Duchene. Tavares is the pick the fans want, as he has been touted to be the #1 pick for months and is an amazing talent. However, Duchene has put himself in the mix with a strong end to this past season. From the way I see it, if the Isles don't take Tavares, fans will riot and the team will likely be gone from Long Island. But that's just me!
As for the Rangers, they have the 19th pick, and will probably look to trade up. They want to get more young talent, especially in a forward as they are stacked at defense. If they do not trade, they can expect possibly Carter Ashton, Chris Kreider, and maybe Zack Kassian if he falls.
The bigger news is if the Rangers will make a trade for Ottawa's Dany Heatley today, or even Tampa's Vinny Lecavalier. While Lecavalier is unlikely, the Rangers have been in talks with Heatley, and Ottawa wants to get rid of him before July 1st, when he's due a $4-million check. Heatley has asked to be traded.
If they do trade for him, some talks I've heard include giving up Rozsival, Zherdev, and 1 or 2 draft picks, if not more. The Rangers are giving a lot for Heatley it seems, but the biggest thing they're losing is picks. Rozsival has gotten old and slow on defense, and doesn't take enough shots. Zherdev has a ton of skill, but sometimes doesn't seem into the game and isn't a fan of Tortorella and vice versa. The Rangers would be glad to make the trade, as long as it doesn't involve losing any of their three "untouchables" (Callahan, Dubinsky, Staal).
Should be a fun night in Montreal as many other trades are possible as well.
------------------------------
And of course, Round 2 of the Subway Series begins tonight at Citi Field. Here are the pitching match-ups, times, and media channels for the games:
Friday, 7:10 PM, My9/SNY, WCBS 880, WFAN 660
CC Sabathia (6-4, 3.71) vs. Mike Pelfrey (5-2, 4.74)
Saturday, 7:10 PM, YES/WPIX/MLBN, WCBS 880, WFAN 660
AJ Burnett (5-4, 4.24) vs. Tim Redding (1-2, 6.08)
Sunday, 8:05 PM, ESPN, WCBS 880, WFAN 660
Chien Ming Wang (0-6, 11.20) vs. Livan Hernandez (5-2, 4.05)
I predict the Yankees win 2 of 3. Both teams are coming in off series wins. The Yanks took 2 of 3 from the Braves in Atlanta, their first legitimate series win against an NL opponent this season (Luis Castillo's blunder not counting). The Mets took 3 of 4 from the Cardinals at home despite losing Carlos Beltran to the DL. Will their be any leftover issues between Brian Bruney and Francisco Rodriguez? I doubt it, but we'll sure see. Should be a fun three games at the ballpark in Queens.
That left the Knicks to take Jordan Hill, the power forward from Arizona with the 8th pick. Hill is a solid player who rebounds well and can operate in the fast-paced Mike D'Antoni offense. The sad new means it could spell the end for David Lee, but Hill provides a strong skill set who said he's excited to play in D'Antoni's system.
The Knicks traded $3 million to get the 29th pick from LA, and had the Lakers pick Toney Douglas, the guard from Florida State. Douglas was a force in the ACC and is a great scorer as well as a solid defender. We'll see if it translates to the NBA, but he was a solid pick.
Overall, fans seemed discontent at the draft with their two picks and mainly that the team didn't trade up to get Curry or Flynn. However, they picked the two best players available in the draft at the time they picked, so it's hard to fault them. And don't forget, trades can happen, and you have to trust what Donnie Walsh is doing.
------------------------------
Moving on to the NHL, which has their draft tonight. The Islanders are the biggest story as they have the #1 pick, which will likely be either John Tavares or Matt Duchene. Tavares is the pick the fans want, as he has been touted to be the #1 pick for months and is an amazing talent. However, Duchene has put himself in the mix with a strong end to this past season. From the way I see it, if the Isles don't take Tavares, fans will riot and the team will likely be gone from Long Island. But that's just me!
As for the Rangers, they have the 19th pick, and will probably look to trade up. They want to get more young talent, especially in a forward as they are stacked at defense. If they do not trade, they can expect possibly Carter Ashton, Chris Kreider, and maybe Zack Kassian if he falls.
The bigger news is if the Rangers will make a trade for Ottawa's Dany Heatley today, or even Tampa's Vinny Lecavalier. While Lecavalier is unlikely, the Rangers have been in talks with Heatley, and Ottawa wants to get rid of him before July 1st, when he's due a $4-million check. Heatley has asked to be traded.
If they do trade for him, some talks I've heard include giving up Rozsival, Zherdev, and 1 or 2 draft picks, if not more. The Rangers are giving a lot for Heatley it seems, but the biggest thing they're losing is picks. Rozsival has gotten old and slow on defense, and doesn't take enough shots. Zherdev has a ton of skill, but sometimes doesn't seem into the game and isn't a fan of Tortorella and vice versa. The Rangers would be glad to make the trade, as long as it doesn't involve losing any of their three "untouchables" (Callahan, Dubinsky, Staal).
Should be a fun night in Montreal as many other trades are possible as well.
------------------------------
And of course, Round 2 of the Subway Series begins tonight at Citi Field. Here are the pitching match-ups, times, and media channels for the games:
Friday, 7:10 PM, My9/SNY, WCBS 880, WFAN 660
CC Sabathia (6-4, 3.71) vs. Mike Pelfrey (5-2, 4.74)
Saturday, 7:10 PM, YES/WPIX/MLBN, WCBS 880, WFAN 660
AJ Burnett (5-4, 4.24) vs. Tim Redding (1-2, 6.08)
Sunday, 8:05 PM, ESPN, WCBS 880, WFAN 660
Chien Ming Wang (0-6, 11.20) vs. Livan Hernandez (5-2, 4.05)
I predict the Yankees win 2 of 3. Both teams are coming in off series wins. The Yanks took 2 of 3 from the Braves in Atlanta, their first legitimate series win against an NL opponent this season (Luis Castillo's blunder not counting). The Mets took 3 of 4 from the Cardinals at home despite losing Carlos Beltran to the DL. Will their be any leftover issues between Brian Bruney and Francisco Rodriguez? I doubt it, but we'll sure see. Should be a fun three games at the ballpark in Queens.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
The Dual Blogging is Here!
For the first time ever, I will be dual blogging the Yanks-Braves and Mets-Cardinals games. For those who are unsure how the format will be, I will post thoughts on both games in the same update. The only changes to this will be if something is happening in just one of the games. Either way, I will have my thoughts on what is going on in each game.
Here are some big storylines for each game...
Yanks-Braves:
1) Can Chien-Ming Wang regain his dominating form? If he doesn't have a solid start tonight, it seems like Phil Hughes will take his spot in the rotation. Wang's been improving as of late, but he needs to have a quality start at worst to stay in the rotation.
2) Will the Yankees break out of their offensive funk? It's been the same old story over and over again. The Yankees have struggled against pitchers they haven't faced before. They haven't been able to make young starters pay with their strong line-up.
Mets-Cardinals:
1) Can the Mets stay strong without Beltran? Losing him is a big, big loss in the middle of their line-up. There's no way anyone will fill that spot in the line-up, but the win last night was encouraging. It'll be interesting to see if they can keep winning.
2) How will Fernando Martinez do back in the line-up and in centerfield? First time in the middle outfield position for the youngster, and it should be interesting to see how he does if he gets balls hit to him. Also, can he be better offensively the second time around in the majors?
Live-blogging will get underway once the games start. Enjoy both contests here on a Tuesday night, in what is now officially, summer!
Click Here
Here are some big storylines for each game...
Yanks-Braves:
1) Can Chien-Ming Wang regain his dominating form? If he doesn't have a solid start tonight, it seems like Phil Hughes will take his spot in the rotation. Wang's been improving as of late, but he needs to have a quality start at worst to stay in the rotation.
2) Will the Yankees break out of their offensive funk? It's been the same old story over and over again. The Yankees have struggled against pitchers they haven't faced before. They haven't been able to make young starters pay with their strong line-up.
Mets-Cardinals:
1) Can the Mets stay strong without Beltran? Losing him is a big, big loss in the middle of their line-up. There's no way anyone will fill that spot in the line-up, but the win last night was encouraging. It'll be interesting to see if they can keep winning.
2) How will Fernando Martinez do back in the line-up and in centerfield? First time in the middle outfield position for the youngster, and it should be interesting to see how he does if he gets balls hit to him. Also, can he be better offensively the second time around in the majors?
Live-blogging will get underway once the games start. Enjoy both contests here on a Tuesday night, in what is now officially, summer!
Click Here
SURPRISE!!!
Surprise fans! I will actually be doing a dual live-blog tonight, covering both the Yanks and Mets games. Here's a little background on both games:
The Yankees begin the first of three games in Hot-lanta against the Braves. The last time these two teams played at Turner Field came back in 2000 where the Yanks took 2 of 3 games. The bigger history between the two squads is more focused on the match-ups between the teams in the 96 and 99 World Series. The Yankees won both, winning the first in 6 games and the second in 4. At this point, the only remaining players from either series on the current rosters are Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, and Jorge Posada for the Yanks and Chipper Jones for the Braves.
Tonight, it'll be Chien-Ming Wang for the Yanks against Tommy Hanson for Atlanta. Wang is still winless in 2009 and despite some improvement, is still not the pitcher he was the last two and a half seasons. The bigger story though, is that it was in a national league park last year (Minute Maid Park in Houston) where Wang hurt his foot running the bases and missed the rest of the season. He has yet to recover.
Hanson will be the seventh straight starter the Yanks have never seen before, so it would seem likely the Yanks are in trouble (they are 2-4 in those previous 6). Hanson is 2-0 this year with a 4.08 ERA. He poses a good test for the Yankees tonight to try and break their streak of poor offensive showings.
A couple of notes for the Yanks:
*CC Sabathia had some treatment today on his biceps and will thow a short bullpen session tomorrow. He's still sure he will start on Friday against the Mets.
*Johnny Damon is out of the starting line-up tonight as his calf is still sore. He did say, however, that he could pinch hit.
*Major League Baseball declined Joe Girardi's protest of Sunday's game against the Marlins. This was expected.
*Cody Ransom will re-join the team tomorrow, meaning someone's gotta go. If it's between Pena and Berroa, it no-doubt should be Berroa. He's useless on this team.
Onto the Mets, who play the second of four against the Cardinals at Citi Field. The Mets took last night's game 6-4 despite placing Carlos Beltran on the DL earlier in the day with a bruised knee. It was the first win against the Cards this season for the Mets, who were swept in St. Louis back on April 21st-23rd.
Livan Hernandez starts for the Mets tonight, looking to improve on his 5-1 record. He has been a pleasant surprise this year for the Mets and will look to avenge his only loss of the season, which came against the Red Birds back on 23rd of April. Hernandez was roughed up for 7 runs on 9 hits in just 4 1/3 innings, in a 12-8 loss.
The Cardinals will start Joel Pineiro, who is 5-8 on the year, but has an ERA of 3.76. He was a tough luck loser in his last start, giving up just 1 earned run (4 total) in 7 innings, but losing to the Tigers. Pineiro threw 8 solid innings against the Mets on 4/22 in a 5-2 win.
Some Mets notes:
*Fernando Martinez will get his first career start in centerfield tonight.
*Jose Reyes will take ground balls and batting practice today prior to the game. However, he still hasn't started any running program, which is key.
*John Maine will throw a bullpen tomorrow and could re-join the Mets on Saturday. Oliver Perez will also throw a bullpen session tomorrow.
Here are the line-ups for the games tonight:
New York Yankees (38-31, 4 GB of Red Sox)
Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada C
Melky Cabrera LF
Brett Gardner CF
Chien Ming Wang P
New York Mets (35-33, 1.5 GB of Phillies)
Alex Cora SS
Daniel Muprhy 1B
David Wright 3B
Fernando Tatis LF
Ryan Church RF
Omir Santos C
Fernando Martinez CF
Luis Castillo 2B
Livan Hernandez P
I'll have the live updates in another blog post. Enjoy Folks! I'm Excited!
The Yankees begin the first of three games in Hot-lanta against the Braves. The last time these two teams played at Turner Field came back in 2000 where the Yanks took 2 of 3 games. The bigger history between the two squads is more focused on the match-ups between the teams in the 96 and 99 World Series. The Yankees won both, winning the first in 6 games and the second in 4. At this point, the only remaining players from either series on the current rosters are Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, and Jorge Posada for the Yanks and Chipper Jones for the Braves.
Tonight, it'll be Chien-Ming Wang for the Yanks against Tommy Hanson for Atlanta. Wang is still winless in 2009 and despite some improvement, is still not the pitcher he was the last two and a half seasons. The bigger story though, is that it was in a national league park last year (Minute Maid Park in Houston) where Wang hurt his foot running the bases and missed the rest of the season. He has yet to recover.
Hanson will be the seventh straight starter the Yanks have never seen before, so it would seem likely the Yanks are in trouble (they are 2-4 in those previous 6). Hanson is 2-0 this year with a 4.08 ERA. He poses a good test for the Yankees tonight to try and break their streak of poor offensive showings.
A couple of notes for the Yanks:
*CC Sabathia had some treatment today on his biceps and will thow a short bullpen session tomorrow. He's still sure he will start on Friday against the Mets.
*Johnny Damon is out of the starting line-up tonight as his calf is still sore. He did say, however, that he could pinch hit.
*Major League Baseball declined Joe Girardi's protest of Sunday's game against the Marlins. This was expected.
*Cody Ransom will re-join the team tomorrow, meaning someone's gotta go. If it's between Pena and Berroa, it no-doubt should be Berroa. He's useless on this team.
Onto the Mets, who play the second of four against the Cardinals at Citi Field. The Mets took last night's game 6-4 despite placing Carlos Beltran on the DL earlier in the day with a bruised knee. It was the first win against the Cards this season for the Mets, who were swept in St. Louis back on April 21st-23rd.
Livan Hernandez starts for the Mets tonight, looking to improve on his 5-1 record. He has been a pleasant surprise this year for the Mets and will look to avenge his only loss of the season, which came against the Red Birds back on 23rd of April. Hernandez was roughed up for 7 runs on 9 hits in just 4 1/3 innings, in a 12-8 loss.
The Cardinals will start Joel Pineiro, who is 5-8 on the year, but has an ERA of 3.76. He was a tough luck loser in his last start, giving up just 1 earned run (4 total) in 7 innings, but losing to the Tigers. Pineiro threw 8 solid innings against the Mets on 4/22 in a 5-2 win.
Some Mets notes:
*Fernando Martinez will get his first career start in centerfield tonight.
*Jose Reyes will take ground balls and batting practice today prior to the game. However, he still hasn't started any running program, which is key.
*John Maine will throw a bullpen tomorrow and could re-join the Mets on Saturday. Oliver Perez will also throw a bullpen session tomorrow.
Here are the line-ups for the games tonight:
New York Yankees (38-31, 4 GB of Red Sox)
Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada C
Melky Cabrera LF
Brett Gardner CF
Chien Ming Wang P
New York Mets (35-33, 1.5 GB of Phillies)
Alex Cora SS
Daniel Muprhy 1B
David Wright 3B
Fernando Tatis LF
Ryan Church RF
Omir Santos C
Fernando Martinez CF
Luis Castillo 2B
Livan Hernandez P
I'll have the live updates in another blog post. Enjoy Folks! I'm Excited!
Brian Leetch is a Hall of Famer
Sorry for the lack of posts over the last week or so. Things have been very busy lately, with prepping for my fall semester in Los Angeles, turning 21, and an assortment of other things. Either way, I'm back, and will do my best to keep you updated as much as possible.
Big news in NY today as Brian Leetch was elected to the NHL Hall of Fame. He will join a very strong 2009 class featuring Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, and Luc Robitaille. Leetch starred as a defenseman for the Rangers, leading them to the 1994 Stanley Cup. He was given the Conn Smythe Trophy for the MVP of the Playoffs that year too. He is the only American ever to have won that award. He's also arguably the best American-born defenseman to ever play the game.
His #2 hangs in the rafters at Madison Square Garden, and he will now forever be immortalized in Toronto at the Hockey HOF. A well-deserved honor...Congratulations Mr. Leetch!
I'll be around tonight as I will bring you a live-blog of the Yankee game agains the Braves. Chien-Ming Wang still looking for his first win this year. Over in Queens, Mets and Cardinals play the second of their four-game set. Livan Hernandez will face Joel Pineiro. From what I hear, Fernando Martinez will make his first career start in centerfield. Should be interesting to see.
See you all later tonight. Don't forget to vote on the new poll over to the right!
Friday, June 12, 2009
The Subway Series is Back...
...with a new twist this year as all six games will be played in new stadiums. The first three will take place this weekend at the new Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. First the pitching match-ups and which team has the edge in that game:
Friday - 7:05 PM - YES/SNY
Joba Chamberlain (3-1, 3.79) vs. Livan Hernandez (5-1, 3.88)
Edge: Yankees. This is tough because Livan has been very good so far this year, a pleasant surprise for Mets fans. However, Joba has had two solid starts in a row and still has the better stuff to tame the Mets line-up. Livan's also 0-3 in his career against the Yanks with a plus-6 ERA.
Saturday - 4:10 PM - FOX
Andy Pettitte (6-2, 4.22) vs. Fernando Nieve (0-0, -.--)
Edge: Yankees - Pettitte has struggled at points but is still better against a weak offensive line-up than a guy who hasn't started in the majors since 2006. However, the Yanks often struggle against guys they haven't seen before.
Sunday - 1:05 PM - YES/WPIX/TBS
A.J. Burnett (4-3, 4.89) vs. LHP Johan Santana (8-3, 2.39)
Edge: Mets - The ace, and arguable best pitcher in baseball, goes against Mr. Inconsistent, who just got beat by the Red Sox...again!
Now, one of the things I always like to do around this time is look at each position and part of a team and see which of the New York teams has the edge. So, here we go:
Catcher:
Jorge Posada vs. Omir Santos/Brian Schneider
Edge: Yankees - Santos has been great for the Mets this season, but Posada still has the better bat and veteran presence that Santos lacks.
First Base:
Mark Teixeira vs. Daniel Murphy/Fernando Tatis
Edge: Yankees - This is simple. Teixeira is one of the hottest hitters in baseball now and has been the best Yankee of the first half. No one in baseball other than Pujols is better at 1st.
Second Base:
Robinson Cano vs. Luis Castillo
Edge: Yankees - Cano has been much better this year than last, and though he's tailed off some, he's still got a good bat and glove. Castillo gets on base, but injuries have also been a problem.
Shortstop:
Derek Jeter vs. Alex Cora
Edge: Yankees - There is no question Jeter is losing both his offensive and defensive prowess. However, he's still the best leader in baseball, hits close to or over .300 still, and has actually improved defensively from last year. Cora isn't bad, but he's nowhere near the type of player and presence Jeter is.
Third Base:
Alex Rodriguez vs. David Wright
Edge: Yankees - Mets fans will cry over this, saying A-Rod's a cheater and can't hit in the clutch. Maybe so, but he still has one of the best bats in baseball and best arms among infielders. He's arguably the best player in the game, despite recent struggles at the plate. Don't forget: Wright was struggling bag too!
Left Field:
Johnny Damon vs. Gary Sheffield
Edge: Even - Damon has a good bat and gets on base, but has a very poor arm. Sheffield still has some pop and has been a force in a very weak offensive line-up. Because of this, I say they are even right about now. Damon has surprised with his offense but so has Sheff.
Centerfield:
Carlos Beltran vs. Melky Cabrera/Brett Gardner
Edge: Mets - No doubt Beltran is one of the best CF's, offensively and defensively, in the game. He's had some injury problems, but he's still superior. Both Melky and Gardner are solid defensively, and Melky has impressed offensively, but neither are near Beltran.
Rightfield:
Nick Swisher vs. Ryan Church/Fernando Martinez
Edge: Yankees (slightly) - Swisher has been a surprise with how good he has been hitting, though he did have a slump in May. However, Church has been hurt and hasn't impressed much, and F-Mart hasn't played enough to gauge how good he is. Both Church and Swisher have issues running the bases though. I give the edge to the Yanks here.
Starting Pitching:
Edge: Even - Yes, Johan Santana is the best pitcher in baseball. CC's not as good, but he's pitched like an ace should. After that, both teams have a lot of questions. Burnett's underachieved, and so has Maine. Wang's been terrible, and so has Redding. Livan's been surprising, and so has Pettitte. Joba's been good and bad, and so has Pelfrey. To me, they are just very even among the starters the way they have played.
Bullpen:
Edge: Even - Earlier in the year, I would've said Mets with no questions asked. However, lately, the Yanks have closed the gap. With Putz going down and Parnell starting to struggle, the Mets have dropped. The Yanks have gotten a small boost with Hughes and Aceves in the pen. K-Rod's been better than Mo, so if I had to choose one, I'd go slightly to the Mets.
Managers:
Joe Girardi vs. Jerry Manuel
Edge: Yankees - I give Manuel credit for keeping this team in the chase despite all the injuries, but it seems to me Girardi's club has more chemistry and confidence right now. Manuel's had issues with Church and Reyes that have stuck out, though Girardi hsa had some too with veterans. I still give the edge slightly to Girardi.
And, just for fun, we'll match the stadiums up against each other:
Yankee Stadium vs. Citi Field
Edge: Even - Both buildings have many positive attributes, and both have many flaws. The Yanks have made a grand stadium with a great video board, wonderful tribute to their history, and overall feel similar to the old Yankee Stadium. However, the food is still not anything amazing, prices are high, and people are still complaining over the abundance of homers.
Citi Field is a very nice ballpark with some of the best food around, an intimate feel, and quirky features. However, fans are complaining about a lack of tribute to Met history and the fact that there are almost no home runs hit.
I couldn't honestly give an edge. They are two different things. One's a stadium, and one's a ballpark. It all depends on what a person wants more in a game.
With that, enjoy the Subway Series: Part 1!
Friday - 7:05 PM - YES/SNY
Joba Chamberlain (3-1, 3.79) vs. Livan Hernandez (5-1, 3.88)
Edge: Yankees. This is tough because Livan has been very good so far this year, a pleasant surprise for Mets fans. However, Joba has had two solid starts in a row and still has the better stuff to tame the Mets line-up. Livan's also 0-3 in his career against the Yanks with a plus-6 ERA.
Saturday - 4:10 PM - FOX
Andy Pettitte (6-2, 4.22) vs. Fernando Nieve (0-0, -.--)
Edge: Yankees - Pettitte has struggled at points but is still better against a weak offensive line-up than a guy who hasn't started in the majors since 2006. However, the Yanks often struggle against guys they haven't seen before.
Sunday - 1:05 PM - YES/WPIX/TBS
A.J. Burnett (4-3, 4.89) vs. LHP Johan Santana (8-3, 2.39)
Edge: Mets - The ace, and arguable best pitcher in baseball, goes against Mr. Inconsistent, who just got beat by the Red Sox...again!
Now, one of the things I always like to do around this time is look at each position and part of a team and see which of the New York teams has the edge. So, here we go:
Catcher:
Jorge Posada vs. Omir Santos/Brian Schneider
Edge: Yankees - Santos has been great for the Mets this season, but Posada still has the better bat and veteran presence that Santos lacks.
First Base:
Mark Teixeira vs. Daniel Murphy/Fernando Tatis
Edge: Yankees - This is simple. Teixeira is one of the hottest hitters in baseball now and has been the best Yankee of the first half. No one in baseball other than Pujols is better at 1st.
Second Base:
Robinson Cano vs. Luis Castillo
Edge: Yankees - Cano has been much better this year than last, and though he's tailed off some, he's still got a good bat and glove. Castillo gets on base, but injuries have also been a problem.
Shortstop:
Derek Jeter vs. Alex Cora
Edge: Yankees - There is no question Jeter is losing both his offensive and defensive prowess. However, he's still the best leader in baseball, hits close to or over .300 still, and has actually improved defensively from last year. Cora isn't bad, but he's nowhere near the type of player and presence Jeter is.
Third Base:
Alex Rodriguez vs. David Wright
Edge: Yankees - Mets fans will cry over this, saying A-Rod's a cheater and can't hit in the clutch. Maybe so, but he still has one of the best bats in baseball and best arms among infielders. He's arguably the best player in the game, despite recent struggles at the plate. Don't forget: Wright was struggling bag too!
Left Field:
Johnny Damon vs. Gary Sheffield
Edge: Even - Damon has a good bat and gets on base, but has a very poor arm. Sheffield still has some pop and has been a force in a very weak offensive line-up. Because of this, I say they are even right about now. Damon has surprised with his offense but so has Sheff.
Centerfield:
Carlos Beltran vs. Melky Cabrera/Brett Gardner
Edge: Mets - No doubt Beltran is one of the best CF's, offensively and defensively, in the game. He's had some injury problems, but he's still superior. Both Melky and Gardner are solid defensively, and Melky has impressed offensively, but neither are near Beltran.
Rightfield:
Nick Swisher vs. Ryan Church/Fernando Martinez
Edge: Yankees (slightly) - Swisher has been a surprise with how good he has been hitting, though he did have a slump in May. However, Church has been hurt and hasn't impressed much, and F-Mart hasn't played enough to gauge how good he is. Both Church and Swisher have issues running the bases though. I give the edge to the Yanks here.
Starting Pitching:
Edge: Even - Yes, Johan Santana is the best pitcher in baseball. CC's not as good, but he's pitched like an ace should. After that, both teams have a lot of questions. Burnett's underachieved, and so has Maine. Wang's been terrible, and so has Redding. Livan's been surprising, and so has Pettitte. Joba's been good and bad, and so has Pelfrey. To me, they are just very even among the starters the way they have played.
Bullpen:
Edge: Even - Earlier in the year, I would've said Mets with no questions asked. However, lately, the Yanks have closed the gap. With Putz going down and Parnell starting to struggle, the Mets have dropped. The Yanks have gotten a small boost with Hughes and Aceves in the pen. K-Rod's been better than Mo, so if I had to choose one, I'd go slightly to the Mets.
Managers:
Joe Girardi vs. Jerry Manuel
Edge: Yankees - I give Manuel credit for keeping this team in the chase despite all the injuries, but it seems to me Girardi's club has more chemistry and confidence right now. Manuel's had issues with Church and Reyes that have stuck out, though Girardi hsa had some too with veterans. I still give the edge slightly to Girardi.
And, just for fun, we'll match the stadiums up against each other:
Yankee Stadium vs. Citi Field
Edge: Even - Both buildings have many positive attributes, and both have many flaws. The Yanks have made a grand stadium with a great video board, wonderful tribute to their history, and overall feel similar to the old Yankee Stadium. However, the food is still not anything amazing, prices are high, and people are still complaining over the abundance of homers.
Citi Field is a very nice ballpark with some of the best food around, an intimate feel, and quirky features. However, fans are complaining about a lack of tribute to Met history and the fact that there are almost no home runs hit.
I couldn't honestly give an edge. They are two different things. One's a stadium, and one's a ballpark. It all depends on what a person wants more in a game.
With that, enjoy the Subway Series: Part 1!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Breaking News: Jets Ink Sanchez to Deal
Just in, the Jets and quarterback Mark Sanchez have agreed on a contract. According to the Daily News, the deal is for 5 years and $28 million in guaranteed money. That would make him the highest-paid player in team history.
It was obviously expected both sides would reach a deal without a problem. The biggest thing, as noted in the article, is that the contract is for 5 years and not 6. Most Top-5 quarterbacks in the draft get a 6-year deal (Matt Stafford, the #1 pick, got 6 years and about $42 million from the Lions). The advantage here is for Sanchez, who can become a free agent a year early.
Nothing further is available at this point, but Sanchez as well as Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum will speak to reporters after the afternoon practice, which began at about 4:10 PM.
Stephen Curry Works Out with Knicks
News today revolves around basketball as Stephen Curry worked out at the Knicks Training Center in Westchester. Curry had a good workout from all reports, though media weren't allowed to watch the workouts, and he still wants to be a Knick.
The former Davidson stand-out has made it known to all that he would love to play at Madison Square Garden and in Mike D'Antoni's run-and-gun system. Curry, a point guard, has a tremendous three-point shot and can be a big factor in the Knicks' future plans (which include adding LeBron James after this season).
Curry told reporters he was happy with his workout today and hopes he impressed those watching. When asked what kind of player he'll be in the NBA, he responded, "A great one." Curry also noted that he would be able to play better with a lot of talented players around him (who wouldn't?), so it's clear he could thrive adding LeBron to the mix.
With the Knicks picking 8th, the big question is if Curry will be available by then. Other teams have talked about trading up to get him. I think if he's there, and the Knicks don't trade up or down, they'll take Curry. He's a great shooter, can really do well in D'Antoni's offense, and loves the idea of playing in NY. It would be a good fit.
If the Knicks don't take him, other guys in their sights are Jrue Holiday, who also worked out today and said he could've done better, Jonny Flynn, who dominated running the point this year for Syracuse, and Ty Lawson, who helped lead North Carolina to the national championship. I like Flynn, having watched him in person. He can pass, shoot, compete, and lead. He's a great all-around player that will thrive running the point in the NBA. His small size is the only concern.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Jets Open Mini-Camp
Hey everyone. Sorry for the lack of posts over the last few days. Have been busy with work and preparing my trip out to California, where I will be spending four months studying and interning in the fall. Should be a great time.
There are several stories around the area today including two big rivalry series kicking off tonight in baseball. However, I'll focus this post on the Jets beginning their three-day mandatory mini-camp at their training facility in Florham Park, New Jersey today.
All the big guns were accounted for, as expected. Mark Sanchez and Kellen Clemens both threw the ball fairly well today. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington were both there, despite their contract issues (which Leon spoke about), and Rex Ryan once again made his voice heard.
In terms of the first issue, the quarterback competition with Sanchez and Clemens continued to heat up. Both had some good throws in practice, the only blip was an interception thrown by Sanchez to Eric Smith. Either way, after practice, both quarterbacks made it known to the media that this was a competition between the QBs and not a controversy. My Take: Both players respect each other and are helping each other become better through this. However, it is not like one has a clear edge over the other and that other QB is trying to take the spot. Clemens and Sanchez each have an equal chance of making the team and it should be interesting to see who comes out on top. If one thing's for sure, it's that whoever is the quarterback to start the season will have earned it, as Ryan said afterwards.
In terms of the contract issues, Washington spoke about his situation to reporters after practice. 
The bottom line with him is that he wants "fair market value." In other words, he demands a contract that is similar to other playmaking runningbacks like Maurice Jones-Drew and Darren Sproles (roughly $6 million). He wouldn't state whether or not he would be at training camp later on or any other plans. He preached his desire for a better contract but also that he loves playing for the Jets and wants to stay there.
The bottom line with him is that he wants "fair market value." In other words, he demands a contract that is similar to other playmaking runningbacks like Maurice Jones-Drew and Darren Sproles (roughly $6 million). He wouldn't state whether or not he would be at training camp later on or any other plans. He preached his desire for a better contract but also that he loves playing for the Jets and wants to stay there. My Take: Washington is only making $535,000 this year, and no doubt is a better player than that on the market. I understand his desires to make more money. However, when it comes down to what is best for him and the team, it is best for him to take the field all summer, even if the dispute is still going on. He is an important part of the team's offense and is a player who could become important for the Jets or other teams in the future. Holding out does not bode well for his image. You can be upset but don't stop playing because of it.
Finally, Rex Ryan spoke out again, referencing comments made by Channing Crowder of the Dolphins. Crowder claimed that Ryan was getting too excited about his team and that Ryan was the "OTA Super Bowl winner." Ryan fired back today saying that you do win games in June by the preparation that you do during the summer months. He also noted that he will not apologize for any comments he made, including his famous "I'm not here to kiss Bill Belichick's rings" statement.My Take: Ryan shouldn't have to take back or apologize for anything he said. Yes, he is a first-year head coach who has not proven that he can be successful in that position yet. However, he has a lot of confidence, which any coach should in his team, and is making his feelings known that he isn't intimidated by the Patriots or anyone else. I see nothing wrong with being excited for what your team can do in June, agree that it's important to prepare well for the season in the summer, and think that Ryan has the ability and the team to be successful.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Yankees vs. Rangers - 6/3
Hey Everyone. Back here for tonight's game between the Yankees and Rangers at Yankee Stadium. This is the second game of a three-game set in the Bronx. Andy Pettitte (5-1, 4.10) will face Scott Feldman (4-0, 3.91). It'll be interesting to see how Pettitte's back is after it stiffened up on him during his last start. Just a note, it is raining in everywhere basically from Cincinnati, Ohio to Boston, Massachusetts right now. It'll be a miracle if the whole game is played tonight, if anything.
Some notes before the game starts:
*The Yanks have won 2 straight and 16 of their last 20 overall, including 9 of their last 11 at home.
*Derek Jeter has a 16-game hitting streak and has raised his average up to .319.
*Hideki Matsui has 3 home runs in 12 at-bats this season against the Rangers.
*Mark Teixeira was scratched from tonight's line-up with a bruised right ankle. He sustained the injury on his hard slide into 2nd last night to break up a double play. He is listed as day-to-day. For the Yankees, they better hope this is nothing major. Tex has been raking the ball lately and cannot afford to lose him in the middle of their line-up.
Back for the start of the game...if it ever does start. Will update you when I find out information on the weather and start time.
UPDATE (6:45): Swisher will hit second in the line-up with Damon hitting 3rd. Interesting there, but I assume it's because Swish was great in the #2 spot on Monday night. Also, they are apparently getting ready to take off the tarp. Might have baseball after-all. Early runs will be important I'm sure!
UPDATE (6:51): First pitch is at 7:15. Good news there. The bad: There is another big blob of green on the radar, with the east-most point at Scranton, PA right about now. I say there is about a 90-minute window before it starts raining heavy again. That could be about the 5th inning. Again, early runs will be important.
UPDATE (7:32): Underway after a 12-minute rain delay. Rough start for Andy Pettitte. Lead-off walk to Ian Kinsler, who later comes around on an infield single by Nelson Cruz. Marlon Byrd had an RBI fielder's choice, and Chris Davis had an RBI single. Could've been worse if Byrd wasn't gunned down trying for 3rd on Davis' single by a great throw from Melky in right. 3 runs, 3 hits, 2 walks in the inning. We'll see if the Yanks can respond. They lead the majors with 18 come-from-behind wins.
UPDATE (7:41): Yankees get a run back on a double by Swisher and a single by A-Rod. Pettitte needs to settle down and give his offense a chance to get the lead before the rains come.
UPDATE (7:54): Rangers get their run back as Ian Kinsler scores Elvis Andrus. Three more hits for the Rangers and a throwing error by Pettitte on a pick-off attempt. Not a good start for Pettitte. He's been good for the Yanks this year, but his stuff is not intimidating anymore.
UPDATE (8:12): WOW! Andy Pettitte gives up a lead-off walk (again) and a single. 2-on, none-out, and Marlon Byrd interferes with Posada by hitting him on the back with his backswing as the runners were stealing. Instead of 2nd and 3rd with no out, the runners have to go back, and Pettitte proceeds to strike out the side, all swinging, to end the inning. Great job by Pettitte!
UPDATE (8:31): Hard to say this with the way the Yanks come-from-behind, but this doesn't look like the Yanks' night. Feldman walks Gardner, Swisher, and Damon all in the same inning, and sure enough, A-Rod grounds into a 5-3 double play to end the inning with nothing. Bad start by Pettitte so far and lack of a big hit. The good news: It's a 3-run game, and it's the 4th inning. The bad: the rain's a-comin!
UPDATE (8:39): Another stolen base off Jorge Posada. He's got one of the best bats among catchers, but my goodness, everyone is going to steal off of him. He cannot throw anyone out. He is airmailing almost every throw to 2nd. Teams are going to start taking real notice of this. Meanwhile, Andy Pettitte NEEDS to stop walking batters. 3 of the 4 lead-off hitters have walked off him.
UPDATE (8:48): Pettitte walks three more to bring his total in the game to 6 in four innings. He does have 6 K's, but he's had to battle in every inning and has thrown 95 pitches. However, it's still a 3-run game, and the offense needs to start capitalizing against Feldman if the Yanks want this game.
UPDATE (9:00): 9 pitches is all Andy needs to get through the fifth. I was shocked he stayed out there, but he finally has an easy inning. The game is still up for grabs. It's up to the Yanks offense now.
UPDATE (9:06): Another 1-2-3 inning for Feldman. He's retired 8 in a row and has been pretty good all night aside from a few walks. It's an official game now, so if the rains come soon, Texas will have a win. Still plenty of time left, but the Yanks need to start hitting.
UPDATE (9:25): The Yankees fail to capitalize again as A-Rod strikes out and Cano grounds out with Damon on 3rd. A-Rod has left four runners on base himself. Yanks just not in it tonight offensively and seem weak without Teixeira in the line-up. Hopefully, he's not out for an extended period. Give Scott Feldman credit. He has pitched great over 6 innings.
UPDATE (9:45): Jorgie juices one to RF, a Yankee Stadium homer on a line drive to the short porch. 4-2 now in the 8th, should be an interesting finish in the Bronx. I'm surprised the rain has held off this long!
UPDATE (9:51): Brett Tomko comes out of the bullpen and throws three scoreless innings, giving up 2 hits, 0 walks, and striking out 3. The Yanks have him, Aceves, and Hughes all who can go long and be effective in the pen.
UPDATE (10:02): A-Rod strikes out again with Swisher on base. Elvis Andrus with a nice play on a chopper by Cano to end the inning. He has been great at the plate and in the field tonight. Yanks have 3 more outs to try and do something at the dish.
UPDATE (10:33): Yanks don't do anything in the 9th and lose the game 4-2. Tough loss for the Yanks who couldn't get anything going at the plate. Pettitte was shaky at the beginning but kept the team in the game. Good relief again from the Yanks. We'll see if Chien Ming Wang can be effective tomorrow.
Some notes before the game starts:
*The Yanks have won 2 straight and 16 of their last 20 overall, including 9 of their last 11 at home.
*Derek Jeter has a 16-game hitting streak and has raised his average up to .319.
*Hideki Matsui has 3 home runs in 12 at-bats this season against the Rangers.
*Mark Teixeira was scratched from tonight's line-up with a bruised right ankle. He sustained the injury on his hard slide into 2nd last night to break up a double play. He is listed as day-to-day. For the Yankees, they better hope this is nothing major. Tex has been raking the ball lately and cannot afford to lose him in the middle of their line-up.
Back for the start of the game...if it ever does start. Will update you when I find out information on the weather and start time.
UPDATE (6:45): Swisher will hit second in the line-up with Damon hitting 3rd. Interesting there, but I assume it's because Swish was great in the #2 spot on Monday night. Also, they are apparently getting ready to take off the tarp. Might have baseball after-all. Early runs will be important I'm sure!
UPDATE (6:51): First pitch is at 7:15. Good news there. The bad: There is another big blob of green on the radar, with the east-most point at Scranton, PA right about now. I say there is about a 90-minute window before it starts raining heavy again. That could be about the 5th inning. Again, early runs will be important.
UPDATE (7:32): Underway after a 12-minute rain delay. Rough start for Andy Pettitte. Lead-off walk to Ian Kinsler, who later comes around on an infield single by Nelson Cruz. Marlon Byrd had an RBI fielder's choice, and Chris Davis had an RBI single. Could've been worse if Byrd wasn't gunned down trying for 3rd on Davis' single by a great throw from Melky in right. 3 runs, 3 hits, 2 walks in the inning. We'll see if the Yanks can respond. They lead the majors with 18 come-from-behind wins.
UPDATE (7:41): Yankees get a run back on a double by Swisher and a single by A-Rod. Pettitte needs to settle down and give his offense a chance to get the lead before the rains come.
UPDATE (7:54): Rangers get their run back as Ian Kinsler scores Elvis Andrus. Three more hits for the Rangers and a throwing error by Pettitte on a pick-off attempt. Not a good start for Pettitte. He's been good for the Yanks this year, but his stuff is not intimidating anymore.
UPDATE (8:12): WOW! Andy Pettitte gives up a lead-off walk (again) and a single. 2-on, none-out, and Marlon Byrd interferes with Posada by hitting him on the back with his backswing as the runners were stealing. Instead of 2nd and 3rd with no out, the runners have to go back, and Pettitte proceeds to strike out the side, all swinging, to end the inning. Great job by Pettitte!
UPDATE (8:31): Hard to say this with the way the Yanks come-from-behind, but this doesn't look like the Yanks' night. Feldman walks Gardner, Swisher, and Damon all in the same inning, and sure enough, A-Rod grounds into a 5-3 double play to end the inning with nothing. Bad start by Pettitte so far and lack of a big hit. The good news: It's a 3-run game, and it's the 4th inning. The bad: the rain's a-comin!
UPDATE (8:39): Another stolen base off Jorge Posada. He's got one of the best bats among catchers, but my goodness, everyone is going to steal off of him. He cannot throw anyone out. He is airmailing almost every throw to 2nd. Teams are going to start taking real notice of this. Meanwhile, Andy Pettitte NEEDS to stop walking batters. 3 of the 4 lead-off hitters have walked off him.
UPDATE (8:48): Pettitte walks three more to bring his total in the game to 6 in four innings. He does have 6 K's, but he's had to battle in every inning and has thrown 95 pitches. However, it's still a 3-run game, and the offense needs to start capitalizing against Feldman if the Yanks want this game.
UPDATE (9:00): 9 pitches is all Andy needs to get through the fifth. I was shocked he stayed out there, but he finally has an easy inning. The game is still up for grabs. It's up to the Yanks offense now.
UPDATE (9:06): Another 1-2-3 inning for Feldman. He's retired 8 in a row and has been pretty good all night aside from a few walks. It's an official game now, so if the rains come soon, Texas will have a win. Still plenty of time left, but the Yanks need to start hitting.
UPDATE (9:25): The Yankees fail to capitalize again as A-Rod strikes out and Cano grounds out with Damon on 3rd. A-Rod has left four runners on base himself. Yanks just not in it tonight offensively and seem weak without Teixeira in the line-up. Hopefully, he's not out for an extended period. Give Scott Feldman credit. He has pitched great over 6 innings.
UPDATE (9:45): Jorgie juices one to RF, a Yankee Stadium homer on a line drive to the short porch. 4-2 now in the 8th, should be an interesting finish in the Bronx. I'm surprised the rain has held off this long!
UPDATE (9:51): Brett Tomko comes out of the bullpen and throws three scoreless innings, giving up 2 hits, 0 walks, and striking out 3. The Yanks have him, Aceves, and Hughes all who can go long and be effective in the pen.
UPDATE (10:02): A-Rod strikes out again with Swisher on base. Elvis Andrus with a nice play on a chopper by Cano to end the inning. He has been great at the plate and in the field tonight. Yanks have 3 more outs to try and do something at the dish.
UPDATE (10:33): Yanks don't do anything in the 9th and lose the game 4-2. Tough loss for the Yanks who couldn't get anything going at the plate. Pettitte was shaky at the beginning but kept the team in the game. Good relief again from the Yanks. We'll see if Chien Ming Wang can be effective tomorrow.
Wang Back in Rotation; Setback for Reyes
Interesting news coming from both the Yankees and Mets this afternoon.
For the Yankees, Chien Ming Wang is back in the rotation and will start tomorrow's game against the Rangers at Yankee Stadium. To compensate, Phil Hughes will take Wang's spot in the bullpen. Obviously, Hughes has to be disappointed. While he hasn't pitched amazing since joining the rotation (3-2, 5.45 ERA), he has shown flashes of great pitching. However, Wang has given up just 2 runs in 8 innings of relief, and it appears he has regained the velocity and sink on his pitches he was lacking earlier in the season.
For the Yankees, Chien Ming Wang is back in the rotation and will start tomorrow's game against the Rangers at Yankee Stadium. To compensate, Phil Hughes will take Wang's spot in the bullpen. Obviously, Hughes has to be disappointed. While he hasn't pitched amazing since joining the rotation (3-2, 5.45 ERA), he has shown flashes of great pitching. However, Wang has given up just 2 runs in 8 innings of relief, and it appears he has regained the velocity and sink on his pitches he was lacking earlier in the season.I think the only way the Yanks will know whether or not Wang has his stuff back is if he starts again. He'll only throw 75-to-80 pitches, as per Joe Girardi, to build up some arm strength, so he won't give you much length. Give him a couple starts and see if he can pitch well again. Hughes could be as big of an asset in the bullpen as Alfredo Aceves has been lately. He can go multiple innings, and is much more valuable and reliable than Jose Veras or David Robertson.
As for the Mets, Jose Reyes was removed from an extended spring 
training game today after experiencing pain in his calf and will return to New York for further tests. This is terrible news for the Mets, as Reyes was on target for a possible return Friday. Now, the team will have to see just how severe the injury is and keep him out longer. The Mets are even thinner at short with Ramon Martinez likely going on the DL, but at least they have Alex Cora back, who will be starting and hitting lead-off tonight against the Pirates.
training game today after experiencing pain in his calf and will return to New York for further tests. This is terrible news for the Mets, as Reyes was on target for a possible return Friday. Now, the team will have to see just how severe the injury is and keep him out longer. The Mets are even thinner at short with Ramon Martinez likely going on the DL, but at least they have Alex Cora back, who will be starting and hitting lead-off tonight against the Pirates.For the Mets, they need some good news about injuries, and need some fast. I guess you can consider Carlos Beltran returning to the line-up tonight a plus, after being out since Sunday with a stomach virus. However, will he be on his game? Cora's return is good too, but they still are losing players left and right. Pagan on Sunday, Martinez yesterday, it's just too much. The team has some depth, but not enough that will allow them to compete all season long.
I'll be back later to live-blog during the Yankee game once again. I will try and do a Mets live-blog soon. I've just been focusing a lot on the Yankees at work. Catch you all in a bit!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Yanks Take Homestand Opener; Mets Drop 2nd in a Row in Steel City
For the second night in a row, the Yankees were victorious while the Mets floundered. The Yanks returned to the Bronx to open a three-game set against the Rangers and flexed their muscles in a 12-3 victory.AJ Burnett got the start and performed well aside from one rough inning. He gave up a 3-run homer in the 3rd to Nelson Cruz, and was very strong outside of that. His final line: 7.0 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 110 pitches. Another solid start from a Yankee pitcher, which has been the key to their success.
Key Highlights:
*The entire Yankees 4th inning, in which they scored 7 runs off Vicente Padilla and Derek Holland. The big play in the inning: Mark Teixeira sliding into second to break up a potential inning-ending double play with A-Rod at the plate. He slid hard into Elvis Andrus, kept the inning going, and the Yanks ended up plating five more runs. The final three came off the bat of Hideki Matsui, who launched a homer into the right field bullpen. Big offensive showcase for the Yanks.
*Jorge Posada launched a bomb of his own, drilling a Warner Madrigal pitch deep into the second deck in right for a 3-run dinger. This one put the game officially away and was a mammoth bomb.
Key Stats:
*1 walk for AJ Burnett. After winning his first two starts, in which he gave up just 1 walk in each, he has given up under 2 walks in a start just once in 8 starts since. His totals: 2 twice, 3, 4 twice, 6, and 7. He walked 4 against the Rangers last week, and only one tonight. He did a much better job challenging the hitters, and trusting the defense behind him, which was great.
*E2 in the Top of the 4th inning. That would be charged to Jorge Posada when he airmailed a throw to second, trying to catch Elvis Andrus stealing. That was the Yanks' first error in 18 games, ending their record streak.
*Jeter: 3-4 at the plate, extends his hitting streak to 16 games.
*Teixeira: 0-2 at the plate, ends his hitting streak at 14 games. He was hit twice by a pitch, and showed some anger after the 2nd one, yelling at Padilla on the mound, sliding hard into second, and being overly emotional in the dugout after Matsui's home run later that inning.
As for the Mets, they were stymied by Zach Duke, and the Pirates made 3 runs of Johan Santana stand up in a 3-1 win. The Mets were once again without the services of Carlos Beltran, who is still battling a stomach virus, and apparently, an SNY Producer may have the Swine Flu. Not good news for the Mets, neither was losing a second straight game to the Pirates.Santana was solid again, pitching 6 innings. He gave up 7 hits, 3 runs, walked 1, and struck out 3. He threw just 85 pitches. All the Mets could muster was a sac fly off the bat of Luis Castillo in the 5th inning. In addition, Ramon Martinez was injured, hurting his finger, and left the game after just 2 at-bats.
Key Highlights:
*In the 5th, after the Mets took a 1-0 lead, Jason Jaramillo took Santana deep to left with one out to tie the score. Good way for the Pirates to respond and keep things close against a dominant pitcher like Johan Santana. It was his first dinger of the season.
*In the 6th, the Pirates took the lead for good. Nate McLouth and Adam LaRoche hit back-to-back, almost identical doubles to right, plating a run a piece, and giving their team a 3-1 lead. Santana was strong all night up until the 6th, and the Pirates made him pay.
Key Stats:
*0 strikeouts for Pirates pitching. Facing a tough task against Johan Santana, the Pirates pitchers needed to be just as good if not better. The combo of Duke, John Grabow, and Matt Capps threw 9 innings of 1-run ball, and didn't K one Met batter. That's impressive.
*Jeremy Reed: 3-for-3 at the plate. Reed was once again impressive at the dish. 3 hits for him after 2 hits and 2 runs scored last night. Good to see him starting to pick up on the offense, especially when the rest of his team went 5-for-27 at the plate.
That's all for tonight. Yanks and Rangers again tomorrow at 7. Andy Pettitte goes for win #6 against Scott Feldman. Mets at the Pirates also at 7. Mike Pelfrey tries for his 5th victory against former-Yankee Ross Ohlendorf, who is 5-5 for the Bucs.
Checking in with the Jets
Haven't had a football related blog since my triumphant return, so I thought I'd catch you all up on some happenings around the Jets. They are currently taking part in OTAs (organized team activities) and have made headlines recently regarding the players in attendance.News continues to revolve around quarterback Mark Sanchez and whether or not he'll be the starter this year. My guess is not right away, as I feel Kellen Clemens has the experience, and Sanchez might need some more time. I wouldn't be surprised to see Sanchez start later in the season.
As for players who have missed time at OTAs, the two stand-outs would be runningbacks Thomas Jones and Leon Washington. Both are unhappy with their current contracts. Jones is set to receive $900,000 this year, but wants more after he was the AFC's leading rusher last season. As for Washington, he's due just $535,000, and wants money similar to that of Darren Sproles and Maurice Jones-Drew (around $6 or 7 million).
Jones sat out all of the voluntary offseason workouts, but returned on Wednesday, May 27th. As for his back-up, Washington also sat out for a while from OTAs, and finally returned yesterday to the practice facility in Florham Park, NJ. According to Washington's agent, the return was "a move of good faith."
It appears unlikely either will get a big increase. Jones has received a lot already from his first two years of his four-year contract and is continuing to age (over 30). Washington could be either an unrestricted or restricted free agent after the season, depending on whether the league develops a new Collective Bargaining Agreement after the 2009 season. The team doesn't want to pay him a lot of he would be unrestricted, and rightfully so. Either way, both are back working out with the team, both are in great shape as always, and will look to lead a run-heavy offense this season under the direction of new Head Coach Rex Ryan and either Clemens or Sanchez under center.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Yanks Take Series from Cleveland, Mets Drop Opener to Pittsburgh
The Yankees capitalized on some wild pitching by the Indians and got great pitching from Joba Chamberlain in a 5-2 win. The win gave the Yanks 3 of the 4 games in the weekend wrap-around series with the Tribe and ended the road trip with a 5-2 record. Pretty good once again.Highlights of the Game:
*Bottom 5: With runners at 1st and 2nd with no outs in the bottom of the 5th, Kelly Shoppach popped up a bunt along the 3rd base line. Joba came out of nowhere, made a full-out dive for the ball and caught it for the out. He then immediately popped back up and fired a strike to 2nd for the double play. It will be on highlight reels for a while and stifled a potentially big rally.
*Top 6: Jeremy Sowers walked the bases loaded, and then was relieved by Greg Aquino. He proceeded to A-Rod, Posada, and Cano without giving up a run. Great job by Aquino and poor hitting by the Yanks.
*Top 7: Yanks get revenge...Aquino then walks three straight, and this time, Nick Swisher doubles off the left field wall, just missing a grand slam, and scores two. After they intentionally walk Teixeira to face A-Rod, former Yankee Luis Vizcaino gives up a 2-run single to Rodriguez as the Yanks extended the lead to 5-1
Key Stats:
*#1 has to be the line of Joba Chamberlain: 8.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 106 pitches, 66 strikes. For everyone who is still whining that Joba should be in the bullpen, tonight's start proves that he does have the stuff to go deep into a game and be economical. Yes, he was facing a weak Indians team without Grady Sizemore, but his stuff was nasty tonight and would've tamed any team. Fastball in the mid-90's, hard-breaking slider, and accuracy. Joba was economical, which was important, got off to a good start too, and really made just one bad pitch.
*#2 will be that Indians pitchers walked 11 batters. The Yankees showed patience at the plate and didn't bite when the Indians' pitchers were wild. Back-to-Back innings, the Yanks had the bases loaded on walks. However, the Yankees were also 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position. That's pretty bad, but they still found a way to win.
*The final key stat would be the #0. As in, 0 errors for the Yanks defense. That's the 18th straight errorless game for the Yankees, who broke the all-time record for consecutive errorless games, surpassing the 2006 Red Sox who went 17 games without an error. Nice team record to have and a big reason why the Yanks have won 15 of their last 19 games now.
Didn't catch much of the Mets game tonight, so this recap will be much shorter from what I did watch and could dictate. Either way, they blew a 5-0 lead and lost 8-5 at Pittsburgh to open their road trip. The story of this game was, once again, woeful pitching by J.J. Putz, after he struggled Sunday against the Marlins. Here's my highlights and stats:
Highlights:
*Big Met highlights would have to be the RBI Triple for Wilson Valdez in the 2nd and his 2-run double in the 4th. For a guy that isn't expected to do great things for the Mets, he plated 3 of the Mets' five runs out of the seventh-hole and ignited the Mets' offense tonight.
*For the Pirates, it would have to be their entire 8th inning. Adam LaRoche started it all with a lead-off double, trailing 5-3. After that, the Bucs put together four singles, a walk, a fielder's choice, and a sac fly to take an 8-5 lead. Great hitting by the Pirates to take advantage of bad pitching by the Mets' pen.
Key Stats:
*Biggest has to be the line of J.J. Putz, who was not effective once again in a big eighth inning role: 0.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 12 pitches. That is awful, and something that will not bode well with his manager, especially against the Pirates, and especially after Jerry Manuel told reporters he still will go to Putz in the 8th inning.
*The combo of Daniel Murphy, Gary Sheffield, and David Wright (hitting 3-5 in the order with Beltran missing another game with a stomach virus): 0-10, 3 walks, 1 RBI, 1 R. With Beltran out, the middle part of the line-up needs to step up, and they didn't tonight against Ian Snell and the Pirates. If the Mets are going to be successful with all of their injuries, they need to get production from these spots.
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