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.

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.

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!

The Return

After a long time away from the blog to finish up schoolwork and get settled back at home, I have returned to revive this blog. I want to get back up and running, giving you all the best I have to offer regarding NY-area sports. For my first post, I want to look at all the of current head coaches/managers and take a look at who has done the best job. Few have been around for a while (Coughlin) while many are just getting started (Manuel, Tortorella, Gordon). However, let's take a look at what they've done so far, see who's done the best and worst job, and who has potential for future success:

Joe Girardi

Team: New York Yankees

Arrived: October 30, 2007 (hired by Yankees)

Record: 116-93

Playoffs: None

Overall Consensus: Girardi had big shoes to fill after Joe Torre left, and has been okay so far. The Yanks didn't make the playoffs in his first season, missing out on October baseball for the first time since 1993. In '09, the Yanks have shown some signs of life and increasing chemistry. He continues to make questionable decisions but overall has done a decent job. I think he'll continue to have success, find his way back into the playoffs, and has a chance at a championship. However, he won't have the same success that Torre did.

Jerry Manuel
Team: New York Mets

Arrived: June 17, 2008 (replaced Willie Randolph)
Record: 72-52
Playoffs: None
Overall Consensus: Manuel took over for Randolph midseason in '08 and helped stabilize a struggling Mets team, only to watch them collapse in September for a 2nd year in a row. The team removed his interim tag, and he's started 2009 off okay despite the team being riddled with injuries. It still seems like he has some relationship issues with players in the clubhouse, namely Jose Reyes, but overall he has held down the fort. If he's going to be successful, he needs to find a way to get the team focusing on the fundamentals of baseball (baserunning especially) and prevent another choke job late in the season. I think it's possible.

Tom Coughlin

Team: New York Giants
Arrived: January 6, 2004 (hired by Giants)
Record: 47-33
Playoffs: 4 times (Super Bowl Champs in 2008, lost NFC divisional game to Eagles in '09, lost NFC wild card games to Panthers and Eagles in '06 and '07, respectively)
Overall Consensus: Tom Coughlin has been around the longest among the NY sports coaches and has done a fine job. The team has made the playoffs in four out to his five seasons at the helm and has won a Super Bowl as well. Not much to complain about here. As long as he keeps the team in the playoffs, he has the talent on the roster to keep them mentioned in Super Bowl talks year after year.

Rex Ryan
Team: New York Jets
Arrived: January 21, 2009 (hired after Eric Mangini was fired)
Record: None, was with Ravens who were 5-11 in 2008
Playoffs: None, won Super Bowl in 2000 with Ravens as Defensive Line Coach
Overall Consensus: Eric Mangini didn't fulfill the dreams of Jets fans, and now, Rex Ryan has the chance to do that. He stresses defense, a major issue for the Jets last season, and brings in a lock-down package that has been lacking in recent years. He still has to figure out who will be the starting QB in 2009 (Kellen Clemens or Mark Sanchez) and who his wide receivers will be, but he has the foundation for a playoff team. He has the potential to succeed but needs to build up his offense a little more.

Mike D'Antoni
Team: New York Knicks
Arrived: May 10, 2008 (hired by Knicks)
Record: 32-50
Playoffs: None, made playoffs previous 4 seasons as Head Coach of the Suns
Overall Consensus: D'Antoni has a major, major task to try and build this Knicks team into a winner. The organization is banking on a big free agent signing in 2010 (namely, Lebron), but as of now, the team is very weak. They have some bright spots in David Lee and Nate Robinson, and showed brief success in 08-09, but not enough to warrant a playoff berth. I don't think he finishes his time in NY with an NBA title, but I do think if he's around after 2010, he can lead the team back to the playoffs.

John Tortorella
Team: New York Rangers
Arrived: February 23, 2009 (hired by Rangers after firing Tom Renney)
Record: 12-7-2
Playoffs: Once in 2008-09, Rangers lost to Capitals in 1st Round
Overall Consensus: He was brought in after Tom Renney was let go to lead the Rangers into the playoffs, and he accomplished that. After blowing a 3-1 series lead, it is now his job to help restructure the team to his liking and use a full season to build a team that can go deep into the playoffs. He has a good style of play that's aggressive and stresses scoring, but lacks a big-time scorer. If he can nab someone like Ilya Kovalchuk, the Rangers have a great mix of young and old talent that can lead to success. He can have a temper though, and he needs to learn to keep his cool. No more squirting water on fans behind the bench! I say he brings the Rangers back to the playoffs, but won't win a Stanley Cup during his time at The Garden.

Scott Gordon
Team: New York Islanders
Arrived: August 12, 2008 (hired by Islanders after firing Ted Nolan)
Record: 26-45-9
Playoffs: None
Overall Consensus: Just like D'Antoni, he has a tall task to take this team of youngsters and bring them to the playoffs and beyond. The Islanders are the joke of the league and will not get any true, proven talent as long as they are playing at Nassau Coliseum. Until they get their new arena, IF they get a new arena, they will continue to struggle because simply, no one wants to play there and fans don't want to go and watch. I don't see a bright future for Gordon and the Islanders, and I think he's gone before the end of the upcoming season.

That does it for this debate. I left out Lawrence Frank (Nets) and Brent Sutter (Devils) since they're mostly NJ. However, Frank had some early success with the Nets but has struggled since, and Sutter has helped the Devils continue making the playoffs and will do so with the teams he keeps producing. Let me know your thoughts on all of the coaches.

In addition, since baseball is in high swing, I will try and do some liveblogging later on tonight with the Yanks at Cleveland and the Mets hosting the Marlins. I will especially be active with this when the Yanks and Mets play each other in June. Until then, I plan on being more active once again!

Yankees Hit the Newstands with Force

When is this not the case?

However, the Yankees had a lot of headlines in the media this afternoon that are all very pertinent. First of all, Joe Girardi named CC Sabathia the official starter for both the regular season opener on April 6th at Baltimore and the Yankee Stadium home opener on April 16th. I think it was obvious he was gonna start opening day, but I like the idea of him starting the home opener. In a new stadium, the Yankees will be starting a new era for the team. CC's long-term contract makes him one of those player sof the new era, so to have him start the game is appropriate. The Yankee fans will surely cheer him loudly.

The next bit of news is that the Yankees will have a new-look line-up when they open the season...most likely. When Jorge Posada had to bat clean-up, the team moved Johnny Damon into the second hole, and he did a great job of hitting and advancing runners. Therefore, when Derek Jeter came back from the World Baseball Classic, Girardi decided to lead him off and bat Damon second.

I like this idea to start the season. While the team will tell you differently, the first few games do not matter in a 162-game season. Start off with this line-up and see if it works for you. I think both Jeter and Damon do a great job of getting on base. Damon can bunt the ball better at this point I think and could even pull of a drag bunt here and there. Jeter has a good eye to work walks and clean up the bases if the bottom of the order starts off an inning. Start the season with this new look and see where it takes you. If both struggle, switch it back.

Unfortunately, there was some sadder news. Bob Sheppard, long-time public address announcer for the Yankees, will most likely not be at the new Yankee Stadium for opening day. While he would love to be there, his stamina apparently is not at the point it needs to be yet to muster up a trip to the ballpark. Sheppard is 97 years old, and it seems like he just might not be able to continue doing what he does best. It is sad to see, but at the same time, Sheppard was Yankee Stadium. Now that the team is moving to a new park, maybe it's time for a new voice.

Finally, George Steinbrenner is planning on attending the home opener. The 78-year old Yankee owner is still struggling health-wise and is not in the best of shape for the trip up to New York. However, he does want to be there and is planning on doing so. I am glad to hear this. The new stadium was Steinbrenner's gift to the fans, and he wnated to make a place that was supreme to all others. I really think this place will be so to have him be there when it officially opens for regular season baseball is great to hear.

Let me know your thoughts on any of these pieces of news. Are you glad CC is starting both openers? Do you like the line-up change? Will Bob Sheppard ever return to the PA Booth? And are you glad George will be at the opener? Also, vote in the new poll over to the right!