ISSUE #20

Postseason is Upon Us,
& Yankees Play On

There will be weekend baseball in the Bronx! The once talked about underdogs in the AL East took care of business the past six months and proved to be a better team than the heavily favored Boston Red Sox. Yankee fans are smiling wide as the 2011 season enters the October playoffs. With a losing record to the Red Sox this year and a questioned pitching staff the Yankees took their frustration out on other division foes and the rest of the AL. The Yankees had an American League best 52-29 home record (Tied with the Texas Rangers), and will have Home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The bats are strong, the team is pretty healthy and management has done this before. The big question as it was the entire season…pitching.

The Postseason will start exactly the same way the regular season started with Jutin Verlander against CC Sabathia in the Bronx.

CC will start game one obviously. After game one, then what? The rookie Nova? Freddy Ann? Screw it, start Dave Robertson. He appeared in 70 games this year, pitched 66+ innings and holds on to a strong 1.08 ERA. He’s been a huge factor in the success of the Yankees this year. But in all seriousness who is the number 2 in the rotation and then third and possibly fourth… A.J. Burnett is still a mess who can barely get through the 5th inning. Bartolo Colon has been fading and sinking and Phil Hughes is worse off than Burnett, I think. Sometimes I don’t know what I’m seeing out there.

It’s the only Yankee set back, however it’s not a complete and scary worry going into this weekend. The team has been dealing with this all year and all year someone steps up. Ivan Nova has proved me wrong this year by putting together a fine looking season. He was 16-4 with a really respectable 3.70 ERA. Nova is by no means a strikeout pitcher, but he gets the ground balls frequently. He will certainly be nervous as he steps on the mound sometime this weekend, but when he gets through the first three outs the game should slow down a bit and Ivan can pitch a successful six innings. Following the youngster is a veteran player in Freddy Ann Garcia. No this guy I was right about in the preseason. Take one and lose some. Another contact pitcher, Freddy was 12-8 this season for the Yankees with a 3.62 ERA. For a million and a half dollars no Yankee fan can say he wasn’t worth the reduced price. The other great factor is that Garcia has postseason experience. For Seattle and the Chicago White Sox he was 6-2 with a 3.11 ERA combined. Sure he hasn’t felt such pressure as in October baseball since 2005, but let’s remember he’s had to prove himself all season. The Yankee “suites” do not just settle for players…if the players don’t perform well you are out like Jason Varitek stretching a single into a double. Or even better…you’d be out so bad on your ass like Jason Varitek trying to score from first base on a double hit in the right field gap.

The New York Yankees do look extremely good going into the postseason, regardless of Nova and Garcia slated as their #2 and #3. The ERA speaks volumes of what those two have done this season and frankly, they deserve the rotation spot. The athletes’ in pinstripes have an aura about them…I guess you can say a certain “swagger” (keeping up with the times). Experience goes a long way in my book. I understand the Cinderella type teams with fantastic runs to Championships, and I enjoy those stories, but Arizona is not going to do it. They are the only real big surprise to the playoffs and Kirk Gibson is absolutely manager of the year, but they’ve been in first place for over a third of this long season and they are young. Just not enough pull in my eyes to get through Milwaukee or the Philadelphia. Tampa Bay earned a right to be in the playoffs by playing REAL hard, never give-up attitude, but I don’t see them as a Cinderella. This is three out of four years the Tampa Bay (devil) Rays have made it to the postseason. Their all young, but they’ve experienced it before…recently in fact. Joe Maddon is a Top-Notch MLB manager. After coming from the Angels in California in which he interim managed for two years, his new team, the Devil Rays, well they were pretty awful. His first two seasons coaching, the team won a combined 127 games…putrid. The past four years however, he has turned this seldom watched ballclub into winners. Maybe not to the public eye (especially those down in Tampa) but I believe in this team and manager. The amounts of wins have been so plenty over the past four years Joe Maddon’s career record with a team most cities forget even exists is 460-446 (.507).

So I’d say Cinderella for Tampa, but I can’t. It’s not truthful. St. Louis is in the same boat as the Rays, probably worse. The Cardinals are a big team whose had injury issues…but that was April, May and June…

May gray, June gloom,…

Come mid-July, it’s now do or die.

Just like the Boston Red Sox, the Atlanta Braves folded in September for two of the biggest collapses in Baseball’s long history. The Cardinals played good, solid ball and snuck in the backdoor and the Rays never gave up (and played some competitive teams down the stretch don’t forget) as they marched in the side-door. It’s that fundamentally sound play that makes everything seem possible. Wednesday Night baseball was some of the greatest baseball I’ve ever seen. The Red Sox go into a rain delay up 3-2 in the 7th while watching the scoreboard and seeing the Rays down 7-0 to the Yankees. It was wild to see those Red Sox faces change to worried, pissed and shaken as MLB Networks “Ballpark Cam” has a birds-eye view in the Boston dugout. The HR from Dan Johnson for Tampa Bay in the 9th inning with 2 outs and 2 strikes, down by one after an unbelievable six run 8th the Rays had was indescribable. The Braves went to extra innings, the Rays went to extra innings. Boston’s Jon Paplebon lost his first game of the season with no one on base and two outs in the 9th against Baltimore. It was all beyond description. The way everything looked at 9pm eastern standard time changed completely at what was occurring at 10:30pm eastern standard time. Amazing amazement and the teams that deserved some extra playing time received their chance.

AL Division Series
Game Matchup Day Date Time ET TV
Gm 1 DET @ NYY Fri Sep. 30 8:37 PM TBS
Gm 2 DET @ NYY Sat Oct. 1 TBD TBS
Gm 3 NYY @ DET Mon Oct. 3 TBD TBS
Gm 4* NYY @ DET Tue Oct. 4 TBD TBS
Gm 5* DET @ NYY Thu Oct. 6 TBD TBS

AL Division Series
Game Matchup Day Date Time ET TV
Gm 1 TB @ TEX Fri Sep. 30 5:07 PM TBS
Gm 2 TB @ TEX Sat Oct. 1 TBD TBS
Gm 3 TEX @ TB Mon Oct. 3 TBD TBS
Gm 4* TEX @ TB Tue Oct. 4 TBD TBS
Gm 5* TB @ TEX Thu Oct. 6 TBD TBS

NL Division Series
Game Matchup Day Date Time ET TV
Gm 1 STL @ PHI Sat Oct. 1 TBD TBS
Gm 2 STL @ PHI Sun Oct. 2 TBD TBS
Gm 3 PHI @ STL Tue Oct. 4 TBD TBS
Gm 4* PHI @ STL Wed Oct. 5 TBD TBS
Gm 5* STL @ PHI Fri Oct. 7 TBD TBS

NL Division Series
Game Matchup Day Date Time ET TV
Gm 1 ARI @ MIL Sat Oct. 1 TBD TBS
Gm 2 ARI @ MIL Sun Oct. 2 TBD TBS
Gm 3 MIL @ ARI Tue Oct. 4 TBD TBS
Gm 4* MIL @ ARI Wed Oct. 5 TBD TBS
Gm 5* ARI @ MIL Fri Oct. 7 TBD TBS


Adam Hammer’s “Loose-Lips”

45 out of 45 (100%) have the Red Sox winning the AL East
42 out of 45 (93%) have the Red Sox in the World Series
33 out of 45 (73%) have the Red Sox winning the World Series


http//sports.espn.go.com/mlb/preview/2011/news/story?page=11expertpicks


- You can't get 45 to agree about anything in this world! How did 45 people all agree the Red Sox would win the division!?! Yes, they were the favorites, but how did one guy not just pick the Yankees or Rays just for the sake of being different.

- Jose Reyes bunted for a hit, then took himself out to win the batting title. We are waiting for a comment from Ted Williams, but he has to thaw out first.

- Jeff Francouer finished second in baseball in doubles, Melky Cabrera was 5th in baseball with 201 hits and David Ortiz ended up tied with Dustin Pedroia for most argued calls with a total of every single call.

- Rob Dibble said the Yankees hurt the integrity of baseball by not using Mariano Rivera last night. Rob Dibble, the guy who during his career hit a woman in the face with a ball, fought his manager and tried to peg a batter running to first thinks the Yankees hurt the integrity of the game by saving their best reliever in a meaningless game.


BACK TO THE NONSENSE:

The Postseason predictions are simple, if everything I see that could happen…happens. I love the Brewers as an all around team. Phillies are the favorites, but they could have done themselves in by beating Atlanta out of the playoffs. Now the Phillies square off against the red hot St. Louis Cardinals which have much more depth, experience and power behind them then the young inexperience Arizona dessert team. I think the four series we have to look at over the next week will be really great baseball. The excitement should be thrilling as every team has a chance to make a statement this year. The men from Zona would be the biggest upset, but other than them the Phillies are the big-dawgs coming in win their 102 wins for the season. That is a franchise record. Will it be enough to beat a stacked Brewers squad who defines the word “TEAM”? Will we see a Texas vs. New York rematch in the ALCS? There is a ton of baseball for you to be energized about. There will be a new World Series Champion in 2011.

NLDS
Phillies over the Cardinals 3-2 (Philadelphia’s pitching will be too strong and the already tired St. Louis team will be going home, but not after going back to Citizen’s Bank Park for one final game.)

Brewers over the Diamondbacks 3-1 (Going to give Arizona one game at home, but they won’t make the trip back to Milwaukee and Kirk can place this season on a mantle for it’s surprising success.)

ALDS

Yankees over the Tigers 3-2 (Justin Verlander has not lost since July 15th, but the Yankees know how to put the Ka-bash on people’s dreams. The Yankee pitching will struggle, but I think the powerful bats will prevail in this series especially against the Detroit bullpen. Don’t be surprised if the Tigers steal one game in the Bronx.)

Rangers over the Rays 3-2 (Rangers take the first two at home, lose the next two in Tampa then win a blow-out in game 5 in Arlington. Simple right? Opposite of last year…same outcome.)

NLCS

Brewers over the Phillies 4-3 (I realize many series do not go seven games and I understand the odds of Milwaukee winning the whole thing in Philly seems improbably knowing they play better at Miller Park, but if I don’t predict this now and it actually ends up happening I’d be pissed off.)
ALCS

Yankees over the Rangers 4-3 (This game I’m way more positive about the seven game situations. The Yankees pitching staff will be extremely tired with all of Joe Girardi’s moves, but a win is a win is a win is a series. The Bronx Bombers will power through the first two games at home and then struggle in Texas like the rest of the league did all year. However, unlike the Phillies, the Yankees will thrive on home field advantage and get to the World Series.

World Series

MILWAUKEE BREWERS vs. NEW YORK YANKEES
- The Brewers will take this series from a tired and depleted New York Yankees 4-2. Sometimes you just want to be different so everything you read isn’t the same. Taking the sage way home is not always the right way home. This might just be the only way the Brewers keep Price Fielder, one thing we all know is that no matter what the outcome Jorge Posada is probably going bye-bye.

Last Quip by Doctor Kas: “Shocked by me being completely wrong with my picks would not be the right adjective. Angered and frustrated because I can’t pick a winner would be the way I’d react. More plainly put and to leave on a positive…I think we have three weeks of some great baseball left. Sorry Atlanta and Boston fans…what a historic collapse.”

"Loose Lips"

Adam Hammer’s “Loose Lips”

- The Best Team Evah continues to fall. The Red Sox are now just two up in the AL Wild Card and 4.5 back in the AL East. Hope springs up this week. With a double header Monday and a game on Tuesday, the Red Sox will pitch Kyle Weiland, John Lackey and Erik Bedard!

- Mariano Rivera has passed Trevor Hoffman on the All-Time Saves list at 602, becoming #1. Shortly after the Colorado police have called Mo to see if he can close the case on Who Killed Jon Benet Ramsey!

- The Twins shut down Justin Morneau and Tsuyoshi Nishioka for the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, the rest of the American League has shut down the Twins since July.

- Bronson Arroyo has allowed 44 home runs this season, putting him at 5th place All-Time. Creed has put in a call to Bronson, asking him to stop releasing covers of their songs.

The 600 Club

“600”
So rare are the days a real record in the sports world is broken and understand its history in the making. It’s simply a true growth of excellence from the past to present that we all witnessed together as another human being strives to the top.

In 1995, I was fifteen years old and a young man came up from the minors to start a few games for the New York Yankees. His name was Mariano Rivera, nicknamed “Mo”. Rivera was signed by the Yankees organization in 1990 as an amateur free agent in Panama. He struggled in ten game starts when brought up to the Major League level and suffered a 5.51 ERA. A number he would never come close to in the next fourteen years that followed. In his sophomore year in the “Biggs” he pitched a career high 102 innings in relief. His ERA dropped significantly to 2.09 all while surrendering only one single home run the entire season. In his Rookie season he lobbed up eleven bombs to opposing hitters. He finished 1996 like he started it going 8-3 while entering the “saves” category for the first time with 5 on the season. Mainly a set-up man for John Wetteland he pitched the 7th or 8th innings at this turning point in his career. It was no surprise Mo was dominant and the Yankees “suites” knew it.

The managers knew it.

The fans knew it.

For fifteen straight years this man Mo, saved at least 25 games a year all while keeping his ERA at an average of 2.22. Want another amazing stat? Sure you do. Ten of the fifteen years in his dominant stretch, Mo had an ERA under 2.00. Look around the league people. You don’t see this too much anymore. So consistent and such a force batters would be intimidated to step in the box against him. Six hundred of anything in life is a ton, this right here… what’s taking place today, in the most historic sports franchise…? It’s just simply a giant milestone reached by another man in Pinstripes.

Enter the Sandman and he will put heads to bed in a regular, calm, straight forward fashion. Three pitches…Changeup, Curve and his signature pitch the Cut Fastball or “cutter”. No gimmicks, rarely any hiccups all while retaining an accent from his mother land. Never had I understood a post game speech from Mo, but never did I actually care to listen. He's a closer, not a public speaker. He's a master at his craft and most of us in our twenties and thirties had a firsthand witness to his greatness.

This weekend Mariano will hope to have his chance at tying the all-time saves leader in Trevor Hoffman, and surpassing him if he gets two save before week’s end. Trevor Hoffman left the league after helping the Padres and Brewers to the playoffs in his long career. He had a fantastic 14 years that he succeeded at the closer role in his 18 year career. A high point was saving 53 games in 1998 taking the San Diego Padres through the playoffs capturing the NL Championship only to lose quickly in the World Series to none-other-than Mariano Rivera's New York Yankees. Once again the time has come for Mo to overshadow Mr. Trevor "2nd best" Hoffman and take the crown he only had the chance to hold for five months of baseball. That's right, Trevor retired after last year (2010) and his record was broken in less than one season.

As I've said before there have been great closers in Dennis Eckersley, Lee Smith and Billy Wagner however none as great and more dominant then the man who just compiled 600 saves on one team. The historic New York Yankees. The most successful team in all of sports history, this I sincerely believe. We got to see Rivera's career unfold. We had the opportunity to see him strikeout batter after batter. We witnessed a master at work for fifteen straight years. We all had the chance to see, hear and feel the power of one man closing out important games one after another...and another and yet another. The two most memorable stats I love about Mariano Rivera's long career...ONE: He never blew 3 consecutive saves ever! Wow, I mean the Mets RP Bobby Parnell blew six games in ten chances in just over two months. TWO: His post-season ERA is unreal standing at 0.71 pitching 139.2 innings giving up only 11 ER's. It's absolutely unfathomable.

Mariano Rivera is a master of his craft and I'm proud to have stories of him to tell some young ones in the future.

Future Hall of Fame NEWS

At 2:16am on Tuesday night/Wednesday Morning Mariano Rivera completed his 598th save. He is now two away from tying the all time record and 3 away from being #1 for good!!! Congratulations Sandman...and boy are my eyes tired.

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ISSUE #19

ONE MONTH

(August 29^nd – September 4^th)

Yankees: Hard Rain, Loses Games

Mets: Who?...what?...Capau-who-when?

*Adam Hammer's "Loose Lips" will be up soon on the site. So make sure you return soon after reading for his latest loud mouth cruel sense of humor...he has not forgotten about us, just held back a bit.

New York Yankees

78 - 52

2^nd Place by 2.5 games

           

            The Yankees lost 5 out of their last 9 going into Sunday’s postponed after postponed double header. They had a tough time during the first two games of the series, until the time for the Yankees to shine came on the Bronx ballpark once again. In game three, against the Oakland A’s the Yankees were on the path of being swept at home. They were down 7-1 after three innings and Boston was beating up on Texas gaining a lead in the AL East. Bad weather was on the horizon in New York so the rain delay and constant bad weather throughout the game couldn’t and wouldn’t stop these two teams from playing this game.

            History happens for the Yankees, it feels like a couple times a year now-a-days. This year has been filled with Derek Jeter and all his fantastic accomplishments throughout his career and this week was no different as he passed Mickey Mantle with his 2,402nd game played Sunday. However another record was made and surpassed by thee most historic franchise in sports. Three Yankee players (Cano, Martin and Granderson) did something that has never been done before in the long aged old sport of baseball…

            Collectively these three each hit a Grand Slam homerun in a 9 inning game. First time, and maybe the last. After being so far down the long ball came in hand as the Yankees fought back with fury. 22 runs, that’s right! 22 runs on 21 hits. It felt like they had the bases loaded every inning from the 4^th inning on. They were a force to be wrecking with and a show was put on for the afternoon week day crowd.

            The Orioles didn’t fear the Yankees as they showed their “home” crowd Friday night how putting up runs is no problem in Baltimore. Matt Wieters is beginning to show his stuff as he whines down his second full year behind the plate. Nick Markakis has been a wonderful contact hitter all year batting .286 and consistently getting on base.

Yankees @ Orioles

Monday at 7:05pm

            One more game in this disastrous series and the Yankees must come out with a victory before flying to Boston for an all important three game set with their arch-rival. It’s going to be either Freddy Garcia or CC taking the mound tonight. I personally say let Freddy deal with Baltimore and put your Ace out there in game one of the Boston series. I’m not Joe, but I know that playing the Detroit Tigers in the first round of the playoffs is something the Yankees should be striving for. Don’t be scared Yankees…don’t back down.

            As of now it looks as if Freddy Garcia will start tonight in Baltimore…

Yankees @ Red Sox

Tuesday thru Thursday at 7:10pm

            …So this all means the staff Ace named CC Sabathia will start game one of this Boston series.

The Red Sox have the Yankees number. Josh Beckett throws lights-out baseball against them and no matter how many runs the Bronx Bombers score against John Lackey it never seems like enough. They got a hold of Jon Lester last time for one inning and it just so happened to be enough, but what about Mo this time? He has pitched once in the past eight games and it seems like Mr. Girardi is not using him like he did before the All-Star Break. The Yankees need to show Boston that they are still a challenge. That the Yanks won’t give up a lead late in the game. They need to do more then hit homeruns against this Boston powerhouse. They need Jeter and Gardner and Granderson to get base hits and doubles and produce base runners. Make a bit of a threat on the base paths, you know, get these usually 4 hour games back to how they used to be in the past. A gritty, hardnosed series becoming once again a spectacle beyond all belief.

            Joe Girardi needs to have this Yankee team playing for 1^st place in the division and show no sign of backing out to just settle for the Wild Card spot. Boston sits at home tonight with either a 2 or 3 game lead going into the series. Yankees want and should climb into Fenway Park down two a pissed off. A-Rod is back and the lineup is producing…it’s that pitching that holds all the curvy question marks.

           

Blue Jays @ Yankees

Friday at 7:05pm

Saturday & Sunday at 1:05pm

        The interest in this series will fluctuate with the outcome of the Red Sox series. It’s do or die time for the Yankees to make a strong move for 1^st place and a better match-up for round one of the 2011 playoffs. Fans know it, the Yankee players know it and Boston knows it.

            Toronto has been a .500 team all season with streaks all year of up and down. Jose Bautista’s HR swing has also been quieted down since the All Star break and taking the series 7-5 so far this year is not going to cut it for the Yankees. They need to separate themselves from the pack in more ways than one.

New York Mets

62 – 68

3^rd place (21.5 GB)

           

            Told you all I’m all about just the positive news coming out of the Mets situation correct? Well this week we can break it down to three positives.

            First off the Mets pulled back into 3^rd place in the division for lingering in 4^th for two weeks. Now, I understand it wasn’t great baseball that got the team back into the middle of the division and it all was in due to Washington’s six game losing streak, but regardless it’s where your team stands. In third, only 21 ½ games back from the blistering Phillies.

            Secondly, the dreadful season is almost over. Jose Reyes should not cost too too much for the Mets to resign in the off season. In fact as the little bastard continues to play under 140 games each year he would be a risky sign anywhere else but New York. The Mets are used to all this by now. His hamstrings will kill him in the long run. Great season, but not powerful enough to do anything by himself.

            The third positive and I think the best outlook of the week had to be Chris Capuano’s Friday night performance. He two hit the Atlanta Braves by striking out an amazingly high 13 batters and walking zero. What? Who? Yeah, the Mets version of “CC” – Chris Capuano, not only had a complete game shutout and surrendered only two hits the entire game, but did so well the Mets took off the rest of the weekend.

Thanks Irene.

             

Marlins @ Mets  

Monday at 4:10pm & 7:05pm (Doubleheader)

Tuesday thru Thursday at 7:10pm

            Five games this week against the division lagging Florida Marlins. They are a sad team with their star SS Hanley Ramirez having his absolute worst year, Josh Johnson still laying on the beach with his DL stint shoulder and Gaby Sanchez falling back down to Earth after his incredible start to the season. Do they miss Dan Uggla? Ah, maybe but more importantly I think they miss a fan base.

            The Mets need to close out the season strong. I’d like to see a winning month of September keeping this team near 73 to 76 wins on the season. Wouldn’t be so horrible after such a plagued season.

           

Mets @ Nationals

Friday at 7:05pm

Saturday at 7:05pm

Sunday at 1:35pm

                        Wouldn’t it be great to see Stephen Strausberg return from Tommy John surgery and face the Mets this weekend? It would be, but extremely doubtful to happen.

I’ll call you if it does and we’ll get together for a beer.

And now for your reading pleasure…

 

***

The Future; According to the Late-Great George Carlin

“No one will take drugs, but people will still buy them and conceal them from the police.”

Last Quip by Doctor Kas: “Hurricane Irene blasted up and through the shore line on the East Coast this weekend. A day without electricity is comfortable, relaxing and seems to put your life in a slow to medium pace. Does anyone remember the early 90’s?” I sure as hell do.”

ISSUE #18

5 Golden Rings

(August 22^nd – August 28^th)

Yankees: Continue Beat-downs on the lowly teams

Mets: Attempt to play spoiler again

New York Yankees

77 - 48

1^st Place by half a game

            The Yankees are 13-5 so far in August and they have another week upon them playing below .500 teams. They had some offensive battles with the Royals, which I told you would be exciting games to watch. The whole HR review was spectacular controversy and the games were tight. The Royals know how to hang on, but they pitch like they have five AJ Burnett’s in the rotation.

            It’s the one definite thing Yankee fans know…AJ will not be a part of the rotation come playoffs in early October. He started out the season shockingly at 3-0, but since then…yes since April 13^th he has a 6-10 record. Another fine stat the “pie-tossing” pitcher accumulated is that he hasn’t pitched further than the 6^th inning in four starts and only completed the task once in his past eight starts. He went 8 innings against Baltimore on July 29^th and had 10 strikeouts in the game. Since then he only struck out 12 batters total in four starts. Decline, decline, decline and this is all without mentioning his 4.96 ERA on the year. This will be his last year in pin-stripes so I hope the Bronx Bombers can give him a ring box when he visits in a different colored uniform next year.

            I like his stuff don’t get me wrong, but when you have Bartolo Colon and Ivan Nova pitching more effectively from start to start there is just no room for a killer like AJ. His time could be up.

            The Yankees did the job though this past week and looked pretty good doing it. Alex Rodriguez returned on Sunday going 0 for 4, but just having his presence in the lineup will spark a new fury under the New York skin. These men have a lot of fight in them and the good news is that they are still the underdogs below Boston and the best team in baseball today (record-wise) Philadelphia Phillies. This is big and I think the fans here in NY enjoy it as well. Let ESPN, and newspapers and all else talk their heads off about how great the Red Sox are and the Phillies are, while the Yankees continue to win and continue to beat down opponents. The Yankees one problem is the Boston Red Sox, but they wouldn’t have to see each other until the ALCS and that again works in the Yankees favor. It’s heating up in the baseball world and no matter how far apart the Wild Card races are or Division leads become, the playoffs have their own tangibles…and it’s all who you play and how you play them. Anyone can be beat in a 3 game series so who knows what the final four will become.

            I know, I’m completely ahead of myself but it’s all officially getting near!

           

  

Athletics @ Yankees

Monday & Tuesday at 7:10pm

Wednesday at 1:10pm

            Are you scared of the no offense Oakland A’s? Some people said they would have been a threat this year, but the pitching didn’t live up to last year’s promise and the offense is just not powerful in the least. Yankees usually have their way with the West Coast forgotten and I think this 3-game series will prove no different.

            The only thing positive in Oakland A’s world is that Billy Bean will now drop his wife and family because he feels people think he’s really Brad Pitt.

           

Yankees @ Orioles

Friday at 7:10pm

Saturday at 1:10pm & 7:10pm (Day-Night Doubleheader)

Sunday at 1:35pm

           

            …And the flow and continuous stream of down on their luck teams maintain to face the AL East leaders and it doesn’t look good for the Orioles or Boston for that matter. This is the week to make some serious head way on Boston before they match up to play each other next week. The Red Sox will be in Texas for a four game set against a top Rangers ballclub then fly home to face the A’s who have actually given them problems in the past. Especially in the playoffs.

            The Yankees need to take advantage of the seven games they have this week. Get a healthy looking A-Rod back and the lineup will once again have very few holes. Jeter, Curtis, Tex, A-Rod, Cano, Swisher, Gardner…oh my lord they are built to last or at least do some damage! The balls will fly far in Baltimore over the weekend as Yankee fans travel down for cheaper prices and better seats. So essentially the Yankees have 7 home games this year.

New York Mets

60 – 66

4^th place (21.5 GB)

           

            Well the bumbling Mets had their shot at former closer Frankie Rodriguez and took it in the 8^th inning on Saturday. The blasted two homeruns and knocked in three runs against him for the lead, but by the end of the game and probably comeback “kid” Izzy’s career Frankie got the win. An odd stat in the baseball world, but that’s what happens.

            The Mets get a second chance at playing spoiler this week against what would be a very important week if the Amazin’s were still in the hunt. They are not so who knows what they can do against the top two teams in their division. One quote that stays true for this week and the entity of this season’s optimistic feel… “Don’t hold your breath,” cause you will suffocate and you will die.

             

Mets @ Phillies

Monday & Tuesday at 7:05pm

Wednesday at 1:10pm

             You gonna watch? Doubtful. Tonight’s Monday night National broadcast is this mess of a game. Come on Mets! Do something spectacular this year.

           

Braves @ Mets

Friday at 7:10pm

Saturday at 4:10pm (FOX)

Sunday at 1:10pm

                        As a Pirate fan, I hate this Braves team. The Pirates have never been the same since the home plate umpire gave the 19 inning/8 hour game to the Tomahawk chopping bastards in early July. There would be no bigger smile in the New York area then the one on my face if the Mets can pull of a home sweep of this bad hitting Braves team. Again Mets…do something spectacular this year, huh?

Adam Hammer’s “Loose Lips”

-         Since 2002 (including the playoffs) The Yankees are 64-20 against the Twins. Ron Gardenhire tried to turn the tide by playing with a zero-man bench and the Franchise, Joe Mauer in right field.

-         Francisco Rodriguez made his return to Citi Field this weekend. What would have been terrible for the Mets two months ago, K-Rod blew the save, giving up 3 runs in one inning. What would have been great for the Mets two months ago, K-Rod picked up the win. The Mets bullpen imploded, costing them the game but making everyone non-Mets fan chuckle. Both teams had a more difficult time trying to close the game than the cops in the Jon Benet Ramsey case.

-         The Pirates signed Jose Tabata to a six year contract extension. Shortly after he was traded to the Red Sox for a PTBNL.

-         The Giants placed Brian Wilson on the DL with an elbow problem. He injured it trying to perform the Robot in the clubhouse. It is unknown who will take over as closer, but it seems they will have a more difficult time trying to close games than the cops in the Jon Benet Ramsey case.

And now for your reading pleasure…

 

***

The Future; According to the Late-Great George Carlin

“Every part of the human body will become replaceable, but all parts will be back-ordered six months.”

Last Quip by Doctor Kas: “The Pittsburgh Pirates season lasted until one week after the All-Star break this season…sadly we die-hards call that a winning season…what do Mets fans call this season?”

“Also regarding the Giants losing their closer Brian Wilson to the DL this week, did they really need to put someone they won’t use on the DL? The team needs to score runs if they want a chance to save the game you know?”

ISSUE #17

6 Weeks Left

(August 15^th – August 21^st)

Yankees: Half Game Away

Mets: Officially Out of Play

New York Yankees

72 - 46

2^nd Place/ 1 GB

            The Yankees had a chance of completing the three game sweep of the LA Angels earlier in the week, but the one consistent man on the roster almost made the series become a 1-2 failure. Mariano Rivera gave up a two run bomb to Bobby Abreu in a 4-4 tie with 2 outs on Tuesday night. Shocking yes, however my belief is Rivera has been seldom used in the past few weeks and shut down type closers really have a bad time pitching in a non-save situation. I don’t know what it is or why this happens, but something mental fills the head of even the greatest player at the position at times and losing games become the outcome. The Yankees suffered the loss from the hands of Mo and the Wild Card lead becomes 6.5 after going into Wednesday.

            The Yankees then took full advantage of rookie Garrett Richards, a 23 year old who tried to make a successful debut in front of the hostel New York crowd in the Bronx. Curtis Granderson unloaded with two more homeruns after smacking one the previous day.  Total in two days was three homeruns…he would give more bang for his buck later in the week. Ivan Nova solidified a spot in the Yankee rotation after A.J. and Phil Hughes continue to be the streaky starters all fans wished they grew out of. Nova pitched 6 innings giving up three runs, but the rookie is now 11-4 with a 3.86 ERA and confusingly continues to pitch better then Hughes and Burnett combined.

            During the series closer the Angels refused to give up towards the last few innings of play. After the “35 Million Dollar Man”, Soriano pitched another effective inning (Two games in a row) Wade and Rivera found trouble again. The usual quiet bats in LA have seemed to wake up over the past few weeks as they continue to put a charge towards the Texas Rangers. Youngster Wade for the Yankees was only able to get one Angel out in the 9^th with a four run cushion and had to be replaced by Mariano with two men on. Then the impossible happen…Mo, who has not been his self by any means since his blown save in Boston last week, gave up a three-run blast to Russell Branyan. Russell has been used as a pinch hitter for most of the year and has struggled royally batting .197 on the season. Caulk it up as luck or maybe the right time right place for Branyan, but Mo ended up completing the save anyway. Curtis Grandy-man Granderson added another homerun for the series making it a hat-trick plus one. Amazing.

           

            Tampa Bay came in for the weekend series and at nine games over .500 they continue to prove that the Rays are no joke. With a decent pitching staff and some big bats in the lineup Tampa Bay would be right there in a race for a Division Championship, but not in the AL East. And that’s the way the cookie crumbles. Sadly no one in Florida cares about this team and in every way Joe Maddon has done everything right for fans to grow and be proud of what takes place in Rays World. The Rays came into New York with a four game win streak and knocked CC around for ten hits, five runs and get this folk and dedicated readers…five homeruns! Don’t count these suckers out totally. The “devils” have ten more games against the Red Sox this season and six more against the Yankees. If they want and continue to play top ball, this team can make a change in the race to the last Wednesday in September.

            After losing 5-1 and going 0 for 4 Curtis Granderson had to speak up…

Its high, it’s far! It’s gone! Curtis continued to knock baseballs to Yankee fans in the right field bleachers. What a guy! He diagonally slashed his tally to five homeruns for the week. The Yankees tied the series at one after losing the Price vs. CC battle the night before. After Sunday afternoons rain-out I feel the make-up game might be a very important one.

  

Yankees @ Royals

Monday thru Wednesday at 8:10pm

            I like this team. I said it during preseason and I still hold true to my feelings, even though at 50 – 71 currently at last place in the AL Central, I understand they give no fear into the strong and hard hitting New York Yankees. With Alex Gordon becoming who the Royals front office thought he would be over three years ago and Billy Butler, a resurgence from Melky and “rookie-phenomes” Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas, this team has so much upside it’s ridiculous. However their pitching staff from front to back (now including J. Soria) is terrible every inning they pitch, but Kansas City also has a heap of prospects in that area as well. 2012 and 2013 is going to be the brightest years for the Royals since the mid-eighties. Sit back and enjoy the prospects whether the Yankees have the best winning percentage against them than any other team since 2000 or not…rookies who play well are the spirit and heart of the game and Eric Hosmer of all people showed the Yankees his possibilities last time in the Bronx hitting 2 HR’s and wreaked havoc on a few games himself alone.

Yankees @ Twins

Thursday & Friday at 8:10pm

Saturday at 7:10pm

Sunday at 2:05pm

           

            I’m simply tired of this series as I’ve said earlier in the season because of all the playoff losses the Twins have suffered in the hands of the Yankees. The difference this time is that the Twins are dying slowly in the AL Central and the pitching staff has hurt by bad outings all year. The offense struggled without Joe Mauer for a bit and his diminishing power numbers. Also his partner in crime Justin Morneau has finally returned from a long stint on the DL and maybe it’s time for some Yankee payback. I don’t really think this is true, but hey, it never hurts to talk up a series that doesn’t have all the meaning in the world. A top team is playing the only two teams in the AL Central without a shot of making the playoffs unless they go on a serious streak.

            Yankees are a half game back from the Boston Red Sox and that is the story of what’s going on in the New York baseball world. Six weeks to play and the games are getting longer while the time continues to shrink.

New York Mets

58 – 62

3^rd place (20.5 GB)

           

            It’s bad…it’s real bad for the Flushing Crew. I have a rule that I just made up a second and a half ago. When talking about the Mets during this piece I will try to talk about the positive. So we can start at Monday night and end the conversation after Tuesday night’s game.

            Monday the Mets had one of their finest comebacks of the season. Best aspect about the comeback was that they scored the three runs in the bottom of the 9^th against a former Met set-up man in Heath Bell. Down by two in an up and down game the Mets caught fire and ripped base hit after base hit taking down a man that could’ve saved Mets fans from ever witnessing Frankie Rodriguez and his large sum of money gracing his presence in Queens.

            If that wasn’t surprising enough the Mets again took charge in the bottom of the 8^th in Tuesday night’s game scoring two to take the lead and secure two great victories against a last place team. Keeping hope for the future, keeping faith in the faithful…keeping seats in Citi Field occupied as much as they could. This team has always had fight in it, all year, but injuries and a debacle of an off season made no head way into the 2011 season. They are not an awful team; they just suffer from heartbreaking losses and a couple bad inexperienced players in the field. When I started writing in the preseason I stated that the second base position would be like a Merry-Go-Round until they found the right answer. Low and behold this whole damn team has been a Carousel of errors and miscues and…

Wait a second here…

I’m starting to talk negatively. See you next week.

Mets @ Padres

Monday & Tuesday at 10:05pm

Wednesday at 6:35pm

            With Angel Pagan sidelined just after taking over the lead-off spot for the bigger injury story of Jose Reyes the team lost even another spark. The flint is running out on this team’s lighter and I’m not sure how to salvage the 2011 season. Get some wins in the beautiful San Diego weather and then travel back home to see how many fans will show up to the weekend series against Milwaukee.

           

Brewers @ Mets

Friday at 7:10pm

Saturday at 4:10pm (FOX)

Sunday at 1:10pm

            Being under .500, late in August and no chance of making a run into the playoffs means two things…cheap seats for a professional baseball game and/or a chance to hurt the NL Central leading Brewers from running away with their Division. The Brewers have a very good team, but they are still under .500 themselves away from Miller Park, so the Mets can put up a good fight and spoil a comfortable lead for the Brew Crew.

           

Adam Hammer’s “Loose Lips”

-         Carlos Zambrano pulled a Carlos Zambrano and walked out on the Cubs on Friday night. The Cubs have placed him on the previously unknown disqualified list which means Zambrano will have no contact with the team and more importantly, the Cubs do not have to pay him. Upon learning of this, Cubs GM Jim Hendry attempted to put Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez on the DQ list as well.

-         After a shaky first game, Ubaldo Jimenez threw 8 innings without giving up an earned in his second start since being called up to the American League. Ubaldo is said to be happy competing in a league in which lineups contain more than two good hitters.

-         The Mets won consecutive games this week when trailing by two runs or more in the 8th inning or later. It was the first time in 46 years the Mets have accomplished such a feat. The last time this happened, Dr. Dre, Michael Bay and Chris Rock were a combined 6 months old, Tom and Jerry did not exist yet and Jack McKeon turned 47.

Rest In Peace, Shawn Tompkins. Thanks for everything....

And now for your reading pleasure…

 

***

The Future; According to the Late-Great George Carlin

“Genetic scientists will develop vegetables too big to be transported and they will have to be eaten right at the farm.”

Last Quip by Doctor Kas: “Maryland is beautiful as my travels’ around the globe continues. I just need to return to work for another few days so I can save enough money for Saratoga, NY. Not to take a trip there of course, just to have enough money to make a bet in the Travers Stakes.”

-          “Also I do not agree with Mr. Hammer about Ubaldo being “called up” to the American League. Just because you don’t let your pitchers swing a bat doesn’t mean you have a better League. Pitching, defense and more minute by minute decisions makes the National League American’s original past-time.”