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.”

ISSUE #16

7 Weeks Left

(August 8^th – August 14^th)

Yankees Roll,

Mets Fold

            The title says it all. The Yankees came out on fire against the Chicago White Sox and put a minor damper on their young playoff run. The four game sweep also gave the Yankees some confidence as they flew into Boston later in the week. A seven game win streak speaks in volumes as the fight for 1^st place gets a bit more interesting here with only seven weeks of baseball left to play. Boston’s bats continue to tee off against the Yankees, but can a message finally sent to the Patriots up north? A fight to comeback in game one, a dose of reality set in for CC as four of his six losses now come from the horrifyingly fierce playing Red and White. Game three was on Prime time TV…where the Yankees were stifled by Josh Beckett earlier this year. The spirits were high for both clubs as the stadium lights illuminated on a 1^st place showdown. It’s a meeting of the best in the American League. Both teams will see the post season this year for sure, but pride feels a whole lot better when defeating the most well-know opponent.

            Across the Tri-Borough Bridge from “title-town” the Mets had false hope playing two division rivals this week.  It’s sad the Mets didn’t show up. In one short year the Mets went from being one of the best home playing teams in the league to being below average with home field advantage. After a terrible start to the week losing two heartbreakers to Florida, in came arch-nemesis Atlanta. A whole lot went wrong with this series as well, but none more horrible then what occurred on Sunday afternoon. When the Northern East Coast was thinking of rain and most likely a washout of Sunday baseball the sun came a shinning and knocked the wind out of any New York Met hope in 2011. Daniel Murphy’s kneecap exploded trying to stop a base stealer and Jose Reyes embarks more hamstring issues.

New York Yankees

69 - 44

2^nd Place/ 1 GB

          Taking care of Chi-town seemed easy as pie. The toughest game was the first of the series on Monday night. Peavy and Sabathia went back and forth, both giving up plenty of hits, but the damage was limited. The Yankees snuck out and held on to a 3-2 win while Mariano the “unstoppable” retained his 28^th save. After that he was not needed for the rest of the series. The Yankees took command and blasted away hit after hit winning 6-0, a whopping 18-7 and sweeping the series with a 7-2 victory. As I said, easy as pie!

            The Yankees obviously came into Boston riding a seven game winning streak and tied for 1^st place in the AL East. This is what all the television reps love, it’s what the ad agencies want and it’s what baseball always needs. A fight, a head to head battle with over 300 million dollars invested combined and bound by these two historic franchises. The pitching match-ups once again looked in Boston’s favor as Jon Lester threw in game one. The Yankees made him pitch piling up full counts and long fought innings for young Lester. After 5 innings Boston had a 2-0 lead and Lester was getting the job done. Top 6^th the Yankees made a move, serving up 4 of their 5 hits against Lester in that inning. They all did damage. Granderson knocked in Nunez for the third Yankee hit in a row following Jeter. Big Tex then sacrificed home Jeter tying the game at 2. Then a big hit from Nick Swisher brought home Granderson with a double planting upside-down smiley faces on all Boston fans in attendance. Lester then had accumulated 108 pitches and was down 3-2. Night over, job well done for the Yankees. Mariano came in to close it out after five relief pitchers did some work to hold onto the one run lead. Yankees take sole possession of 1^st place for the first time since June and their ace in the whole CC was taking the mound Saturday afternoon.

            Can you say BOMBED!?!

            CC Sabathia has one crutch this season…Boston. The Red Sox have giving CC four of his six losses this year and Saturday was one of the worst. This is bothersome. This is when one starts to clinch their teeth and bite their nails. This is a problem that needs to be corrected and the only fool to correct CC is CC’s mind. He has very good Cy Young numbers this year, but when he takes the hill against the most important team to beat, he looks like a batting practice pitcher. He got whaled after the Yankees tied the game early and never got settled. The saddest news besides the loss…John Lackey got the win, which are few and far between these days.

            Sunday Night was classic. A four hour extra inning baseball game on past midnight here in the East Coast. Freddy Garcia once again pitched well, but Girardi jumped the gun and took him out after 5 innings. He fought his way out of some trouble, holding the Red Sox at bay. After being down 1-0 the Yankees had two big hits to change the tide of the game. A rarefied Nunez homerun and then an almost even more rarefied Brian Gardner homerun to take a 2-1 lead late in the game. The two little guys speaking in volumes while attempting to make a big splash in the long-lasting rival series. Everything was set up for the giant Mariano Rivera. Then in the blink of an eye two big mistakes took the Yankees out of 1^st place. After a Marco Scutaro lead-off double off the Green Monster the next pitch was a hard but right to Rivera…but nobody is covering third base. Okay, chalk it up as inexperience at the position by Nunez. Mo then does his thing getting two outs, but gives up the sacrifice fly so the game is tied. Fine, not great, but fine. It happens. Now, the utmost/greatest/biggest surpreme-o bad call of the game was made next by Joe Girardi. Why not have Mo pitch the 10^th? Seriously…why? Mo had two appearances all week on Monday night and Friday night. With a day off today…all I can say is what the young kids’ text when confused here in 2011, wtf?

            An awful manager can rip a team’s pride. I’m not saying Joe is the worst manager in the game, but his train of thought is so random.  I mean Phil Hughes? The struggling starter, is now out of the bullpen in a feisty Boston ballpark…in the 10^th inning…for 1^st place?

            Joe Girardi, you put your team in second place and spoiled a very very good week.

Angels @ Yankees

Tuesday & Wednesday at 7:05pm

Thursday at 1:05pm

            Always a battle, but played with more heart in the place the “boss” built. The Angels still have a ton to fight for at 65 – 52, only one game back in the West behind Texas. The other sweet and intriguing fact to this three game series is the pressure on the Wild Card in the AL. The Yankees right now hold a 7.5 game lead over the Angels for the WC position and it seems safe and healthy. However, we’ve all seen what happen in the past to the NY Mets. Embarrassing, I understand…as crazier things have happen. The Yankees are not the Mets though and however much they struggle in this three game set, I see no threat at all in missing the playoffs this year. If they take two-out-of-three well then you can pretty much “lock-it-up”

Rays @ Yankees

Friday at 7:05pm

Saturday at 4:10pm (FOX)

Sunday at 1:05pm

           

            Usually a fun series, especially the past few seasons, but with no Carl Crawford and a struggling Evan Longoria the whole series looks like a top-dawg battling a pussy cat. We are deep into the season now and teams can try their best to play spoiler, but not this Tampa Bay squad. Not this year. They still have fight with gritty young stars, but as a Yankee fan, just sit back and watch Desmond Jennings lead off these games. He will be a menace on the base paths and since coming up from Triple A for the 1^st time this season and second time in two years he has had power in his bat a flames trailing from his strides. Jennings is batting .344 and accumulated 11 RBI’s from the lead-off spot in two weeks. He’s exciting, but shouldn’t ruin a good weekend in the Bronx.

New York Mets

56 – 57

3^rd place (18 GB)

           

            It hurt when the Mets tied the game up two Sundays ago and lost the game in the bottom of the 9^th. It was sad when Luca’s Duda tied up Monday Night’s game with a 2 out home run during the Mets final at bat and then a Florida youngster in Mike Stanton whacks a grand slam in the Top of the 10^th. And so it’s also extremely painful watching the following night to make it a “threesome of terrible” as the flailing Flushing swamp dwellers cough up a one run lead in the 9^th by a Justin Turner hilarious throwing error. The play brought me back to Luis Castillo’s pop-fly mishap against the Yankees in June of 2009. The Mets hit the wall hard and if you think Justin Turner’s lofty miscue was the nail in the coffin more miserable blues happen in the following Atlanta series.

            I was a witness to Friday Night’s version of the Mets daily “fuck-up”. Pardon my language, but you are all grown up and there is no other adjective to explain the Top of the 8^th at Citi Field. Mets were down 2-1 most of the game from a pretty good pitcher’s duel, R.A. Dickey vs. Tim Hudson. The game was moving swiftly and the pitchers were making outs. After only throwing 98 pitches, Dickey was pitched hit for in the Bottom of the 7^th and after this…down the tubes. Flash forward to two outs in the inning with runners on 2^nd and 3^rd. Dan Uggla up at the plate with his 25 game hit streak on the line. 25 game hit streak you say? Well that would make me think he’s one of the hottest players in the game at that moment correct? First base was clear…2 outs…what the hell walk the bastard right?

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Not these New York Muts… (Damn I said to myself all year I wouldn’t use that name as an insult.)

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Base hit over Jose’s head, two runs score and the hitting streak is alive. Let’s understand, the .221 hitting Mr. Heyward was on deck. Shoulda, coulda…shoulda.

            The Mets stop their own losing streak the night after, but the dreaded Sunday afternoon was finally the last hammer in a long nail. Jose Reyes pulls up with a tight hamstring in the 2^nd inning, while David Murphy (the Mets best hitter) goes down after shattering what seems to be his left knee. It looked painful and Terry Collins looked empty in his post-game conference. He looked like what I picture every Met fan must have felt all over the Island and parts of this great city…heartrending. I know this feeling. Pittsburgh has now lost 10 games in a row after being over .500 in July for the first time since the early 90’s. Our seasons are over for 2011 and that’s that. The big exclamation point after four months of hard rooting for a group of athletes you love because of the jersey they wear. I'm with you boys and girls. Men and Women. The heartbroken and the wishful thinking.

            On a positive note…Jose Reyes might be a bit cheaper to hold onto now as he’s officially proven he’s injury-prone. So I guess you could say you have that going for ya.

Padres @ Mets

Monday thru Wednesday at 7:10pm

Thursday at 12:10pm

            Seven weeks of giving playing time to 2012 possible starters. That’s all the rest of the season is now for the Mets. Ticket prices just went down about 50%, so if you want to catch a Mets game for cheap pack a sandwich, tailgate in the parking lot to make your 19 dollars worth it, or just enjoy the stadium, because what will occur in between the chalk filled lines will barely be promising. The Padres are a weak last place team riding a four game winning streak and Mike Pelfrey takes the hill for the Mets. Why does that hurt my head when I type his name? At 6-9 with a 4.48 ERA I’ve grown to believe that Big Pelf is a sorry waste of time. I’d like to see what Gee and Niese do down the stretch, but for all the rest…ah, (as my Grandpa Willy would say) they’re all bums!

Mets @ Diamondbacks

Friday at 9:40pm

Saturday at 8:10pm

Sunday at 4:10pm

            A half game back from the defending World Series Champion S.F. Giants is where the surprising Diamondbacks sit as I write this on a hot and muggy Monday morning. Do I feel okay? Am I seeing the right information? Is my mind playing tricks on me? Manager of the Year Kirk Gibson has done a ton with very little. The best out of this team is former Yankee starter Ian Kennedy at 14-3 with a 3.20 ERA. He’s lights out! Anyone with 14 wins on a bad scoring offensive team must have the right stuff. Other than many other rookies and 1^st year starting pitchers the lone bat on the team comes from Justin Upton. He was in many trade talks like his brother in Tampa Bay, but both remained where they originated from in the beginning of the season. Sometimes it is shown how knowledge for the game presides over everything that makes complete sense and Kirk Gibson is on a list to prove it. Managers do make a difference in a teams play and Kirk Gibson shows it. So if not watch to see what the Mets can do missing way too many pieces of the puzzle, watch for the love of the game.

Adam Hammer’s “Loose Lips”

-         Jose Reyes was pulled from Sunday's Mets game with left hamstring tightness. The Mets immediately sent him for tests and the X-Ray on his left ankle showed that he was ok.

-         David Ortiz interrupted Red Sox manager Terry Francona's pre-game press conference to complain about the official scorer. The event went ignored for the most part. Meanwhile, the execution of Alex Rodriguez by firing squad as a result of playing cards is scheduled for this Tuesday.

-         The Giants and Phillies had a "fight" on Friday night after Shane Victorino was plunked in the hip. Shane, a well known MMA fan, was held back by umpires and coaches to prevent a worse incident. Personally, I feel if you just stand in the infield and everyone pushes each other for 2 minutes, everyone should get suspended. It's the people who actually fight who should be left off the hook, see Porcello, Rick.

Get better, Juan Nicasio!

Living a Fantasy 1-2-3 and 4

            I can tell you who’s been killing it (Billy Butler in Kansas City), who has “tanked” this season (Adam Dunn & most of the Chicago White Sox) and some youngsters on the way for you to think about in next year’s draft (Desmond Jennings in Tampa Bay), however in this week’s issue I will rant & rave, cry, stomp my feet and have nightmares on how completely awful this year has been for me in the Fantasy World. Let me put it in simpler terms…for the first time in eight years I can’t wait for my football drafts. I have struggled all season long with injuries all over my Dynasty League. The most losses ever in my 8 player keeper league, which is my oldest league to date and will now, break my seven year playoff appearance streak. In my “work” league I can’t buy consistency on my team and I have reaped the benefits of having no luck whatsoever. My fantasy knowledge has been broken down to a few problems.

1.      I tend to stick with older players way too long waiting for their old self to come around again sometime soon. Well, it’s August so it’s time to give up on the Jake Peavy dream.

2.      I always put the youngsters in too early. Pedro Alvarez needs a ton of work. Drop the guy and he’ll be a free agent until 2012.

3.      I never can believe when a player is having an unbelievable season. I do not trust it until I realize a player like James Shields is 10-9 with an ERA in the two’s. You couldn’t give me a hundred dollars to draft that bitch earlier this year. Kyle Loche in St. Louis…come on, the man in my mind is trash as I look down at his wonderful numbers accumulated over three quarters of a season.

4.      It’s official. I hate, hate, and continuously hate losing to some team that is never looked at or a lineup that is never changed by a fantasy owner. It has happened multiple times this year and my body can’t handle it. I cry at night sometimes with my back to my wife. She questions…”What’s that noise Hun?” I reply softly, “My soul tearing apart.”

So as you can read my heart struggles and just the talk of fantasy baseball makes my want to slit my throat. Yeah, it’s a harsh statement, but for an un-athletic guy or just a guy with no athletics sometimes fantasy games are the only hobby we look forward to. And when its season is over there’s nothing left to do but put it behind you and focus on next year.  

And now for your reading pleasure…

 

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The Future; According to the Late-Great George Carlin

“The oceans will dry up, and people will find things they dropped in the toilet many years ago.”

&

“The human body will develop fins and gills, and beach property will increase tenfold in value.”

Last Quip by Doctor Kas: “Some things in life are undervalued it’s just too bad that most things I want or just simply need are well over priced.”