THE RETURN
Let's see...
It's been a bit longer than expected since I last wrote to my wonderful people and in some ways it's a sad return. Sure the Yankees are still holding a firm grip on 1st place even with all the pitching woes of the past few weeks, but their division doesn't seem to want to quit. Baltimore who was dead in the water slumping into the All-Star break has done everything to turn things around and are playing like its April or May again. They just got through winning a three game set in the Bronx right after the Red Sox took two of three themselves.
Sad return in another fact that the Mets seemed to have fallen to Earth after the break and fallen to Earth hard! The first 9 games against the Nationals and Braves certainly didn't go as Terry Collins planned, but how long did you think the streak would live for? It's baseball, and it's a bitch!
NEW YORK YANKEES
67-47 (1st Place)
About two weeks ago, shit maybe even three by now, I was laying in bed with my wife as she was reading to our unborn baby, yes out loud, I turned on the Yankee game as the were playing Seattle. I figured let me check the score and see what's happening in Yankee-Land, across the land. No more then five seconds in I see Ichiro Suzuki stretching out on the on deck circle. Not an odd act until I factored in that he was wearing a Yankee uniform. My mind freaked and could not understand what was happening. My small pea of a brain couldn't calculate that the TV was not playing a joke, that I wasn't dreaming or that anything I used to know was real. I was completely baffled as the Yankee broadcasters were about to announce the newest Yankee...the ageless Japanese door opening wonder...Ichiro!
The New York Yankees still have a top of the line offense with decent pitching. Jeter and Cano have had to pick up some slack because of the hurting ARod (in my opinion, out indefinitely) and the bruised up Big Tex. To help them in this...Ichiro. I'd take it.
Now that the excitement of acquiring such a historic player has died off, so has the big lead in the AL East. Tampa Bay is gathering all their pieces once again in mid August getting back Evan Longoria finally and making a star closer in Fernando Rodney this year. They have won six straight and have climbed over Baltimore by a half game, which both teams holding on to the WC playoff spot. Oakland continues to play well and the Angels are always knocking on the door. All this with now the worst news to come...
CC Sabathia has elbow soreness...
"i didn't want to go on the DL, it's not my decision." Mmmmm, okay. Maybe this is precaution, but how will we know if he's 100% for the playoffs? FOX will be tearing at the bit for this primetime Game 1 event!
"...but I understand. I felt I stated a good case, but Cash wasn't having it."
The problem is that this is a 122 million dollar man and elbow situations will linger. This should be scary for any Yankee fan because Kuroda, Hughes and Nova will not get you a ring. This is bad, but their lead is good. They have time. Plus the bats just woke up this weekend in Toronto. They are going to need them as Texas is coming to town. One of my new favorite match-ups. Following them will be Boston coming to town two weeks after the Sox won two of three in the Bronx. Time to ship the rivals out of the competition for good if you ask me.
NEW YORK METS
55-60 (3rd Place)
16GB, 9.5WGB
What is really bizarre to understand besides the Mets dismal start in the second half of the season is the fact that the reigning champs of the NL East are struggling mightily to find their way to .500 baseball still to this day. Also and possibly a bit more shocking is what is going on sown in Miami. All the money they spent for Jose Reyes and the awful Fat Heath Bell, and maniacal manager Ozzie Guillen the team is in worse shape than both the Mets and the Phillies.
So as we talked earlier, the Mets came off the break hard falling to Atlanta, Washington, then the Dodgers, then Atlanta again. Follow that misery with an Arizona Smack-down. They beat the Giants three out of four and then the rollercoaster descended again...they lost the following 3 series to the Padres, Marlins and yup, you guessed it the Braves. The poor Mets are 9-29 since the All-star break plus a questionable Johan Santana after his dismal return to the mound on Saturday Night. Not positive. Not fun, or funny. Johan left with one out in the 2nd inning and gave up eight runs.
There always comes a time when you have to see what prospects are out there for the following year. Matt Harvey is up to the majors. Good move. Harvey is 1-3 so far with great stuff, but tough luck. Welcome to Queens. Next up should be Wilmer Flores and hopefully Zack Wheeler gets a couple starts in September. Tejada has not panned out as a great replacement for Reyes and Josh Thole doesn't look like an everyday player. Get rid of the old as can be Torres and shake things up a bit. Ike Davis turned his season around right when the Mets went south, but next year he will be at 1st. With D. Wright at 3rd and Murphy up the middle you can see a shaping infield. OF is the problem and the Mets bullpen is the Devil. In no way should this team be under .500 next season with a few good moves. Pitching is up and down, but looking forward you have to think highly of Santana, Dickey, Neise, Young and Harvey...with Wheeler on the back burner for when Chris Young bites the dust.
Not all is lost as the Mets can now play spoiler, but one hot streak can make for a worthy September as long as Terry Collins gets this team to play their own division like they did back in April and May. Three at Cincinnati and then three in Washington seems to be a make it or break it situation. Two 1st place teams in a week in the heart of August gives your team true colors. It doesn't look good, but when have the Mets looked pretty while they win.
It's been a bit longer than expected since I last wrote to my wonderful people and in some ways it's a sad return. Sure the Yankees are still holding a firm grip on 1st place even with all the pitching woes of the past few weeks, but their division doesn't seem to want to quit. Baltimore who was dead in the water slumping into the All-Star break has done everything to turn things around and are playing like its April or May again. They just got through winning a three game set in the Bronx right after the Red Sox took two of three themselves.
Sad return in another fact that the Mets seemed to have fallen to Earth after the break and fallen to Earth hard! The first 9 games against the Nationals and Braves certainly didn't go as Terry Collins planned, but how long did you think the streak would live for? It's baseball, and it's a bitch!
NEW YORK YANKEES
67-47 (1st Place)
About two weeks ago, shit maybe even three by now, I was laying in bed with my wife as she was reading to our unborn baby, yes out loud, I turned on the Yankee game as the were playing Seattle. I figured let me check the score and see what's happening in Yankee-Land, across the land. No more then five seconds in I see Ichiro Suzuki stretching out on the on deck circle. Not an odd act until I factored in that he was wearing a Yankee uniform. My mind freaked and could not understand what was happening. My small pea of a brain couldn't calculate that the TV was not playing a joke, that I wasn't dreaming or that anything I used to know was real. I was completely baffled as the Yankee broadcasters were about to announce the newest Yankee...the ageless Japanese door opening wonder...Ichiro!
The New York Yankees still have a top of the line offense with decent pitching. Jeter and Cano have had to pick up some slack because of the hurting ARod (in my opinion, out indefinitely) and the bruised up Big Tex. To help them in this...Ichiro. I'd take it.
Now that the excitement of acquiring such a historic player has died off, so has the big lead in the AL East. Tampa Bay is gathering all their pieces once again in mid August getting back Evan Longoria finally and making a star closer in Fernando Rodney this year. They have won six straight and have climbed over Baltimore by a half game, which both teams holding on to the WC playoff spot. Oakland continues to play well and the Angels are always knocking on the door. All this with now the worst news to come...
CC Sabathia has elbow soreness...
"i didn't want to go on the DL, it's not my decision." Mmmmm, okay. Maybe this is precaution, but how will we know if he's 100% for the playoffs? FOX will be tearing at the bit for this primetime Game 1 event!
"...but I understand. I felt I stated a good case, but Cash wasn't having it."
The problem is that this is a 122 million dollar man and elbow situations will linger. This should be scary for any Yankee fan because Kuroda, Hughes and Nova will not get you a ring. This is bad, but their lead is good. They have time. Plus the bats just woke up this weekend in Toronto. They are going to need them as Texas is coming to town. One of my new favorite match-ups. Following them will be Boston coming to town two weeks after the Sox won two of three in the Bronx. Time to ship the rivals out of the competition for good if you ask me.
NEW YORK METS
55-60 (3rd Place)
16GB, 9.5WGB
What is really bizarre to understand besides the Mets dismal start in the second half of the season is the fact that the reigning champs of the NL East are struggling mightily to find their way to .500 baseball still to this day. Also and possibly a bit more shocking is what is going on sown in Miami. All the money they spent for Jose Reyes and the awful Fat Heath Bell, and maniacal manager Ozzie Guillen the team is in worse shape than both the Mets and the Phillies.
So as we talked earlier, the Mets came off the break hard falling to Atlanta, Washington, then the Dodgers, then Atlanta again. Follow that misery with an Arizona Smack-down. They beat the Giants three out of four and then the rollercoaster descended again...they lost the following 3 series to the Padres, Marlins and yup, you guessed it the Braves. The poor Mets are 9-29 since the All-star break plus a questionable Johan Santana after his dismal return to the mound on Saturday Night. Not positive. Not fun, or funny. Johan left with one out in the 2nd inning and gave up eight runs.
There always comes a time when you have to see what prospects are out there for the following year. Matt Harvey is up to the majors. Good move. Harvey is 1-3 so far with great stuff, but tough luck. Welcome to Queens. Next up should be Wilmer Flores and hopefully Zack Wheeler gets a couple starts in September. Tejada has not panned out as a great replacement for Reyes and Josh Thole doesn't look like an everyday player. Get rid of the old as can be Torres and shake things up a bit. Ike Davis turned his season around right when the Mets went south, but next year he will be at 1st. With D. Wright at 3rd and Murphy up the middle you can see a shaping infield. OF is the problem and the Mets bullpen is the Devil. In no way should this team be under .500 next season with a few good moves. Pitching is up and down, but looking forward you have to think highly of Santana, Dickey, Neise, Young and Harvey...with Wheeler on the back burner for when Chris Young bites the dust.
Not all is lost as the Mets can now play spoiler, but one hot streak can make for a worthy September as long as Terry Collins gets this team to play their own division like they did back in April and May. Three at Cincinnati and then three in Washington seems to be a make it or break it situation. Two 1st place teams in a week in the heart of August gives your team true colors. It doesn't look good, but when have the Mets looked pretty while they win.
ADAM
HAMMER’S “Loose Lips”
-
The trade
deadline has passed with the Marlins as sellers. Sun rise, sun set. Hanley
Ramirez is a Dodger, Zack Greinke is an Angel, Josh Beckett is still a Red Sox
and the Astros are a Triple-A team.
-
Albert
Pujols is leading the American League in Homeruns, RBI's and OPS since May
15th. He's ended talks of being on the downside of his career and re-ignited
talks of steroid abuse.
-
Josh
Hamilton has been downright terrible the month, batting under .200. Some teams
think the substance abuse problems might have resurfaced, especially when asked
about his upcoming contract. Instead of giving his demands in dollars, he asked
for 10-15 Kilos per year.
-
Neftali Feliz
is out until late 2013 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Colby Lewis is out
for the year with elbow surgery and the Rangers lead is quickly shrinking due
to the the Mike Trout Angels and the surging Oakland A's. When asked how he
will turn the season around, Ron Washington wondered out loud of Josh Hamilton
would be willing to share some of his Kilos.
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