CC Does It Again!!!!
What a gem!!! When the Yankees needed it they received a pitching masterpiece from CC Sabathia as he outdueled James Shields leading the Yanks to a 1-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. Sabathia was in total control on Sunday closing the game out with a 98 mph fastball striking out Elliot Johnson. Shields pitched very well also as the Yanks only run came on an error by Shields, whose attempt to pick off Robinson Cano landed in left field allowing Cano to score.
As the Yanks head into the break, they find themselves 1 game behind the Red Sox. They also know that for the next 4-6 weeks they will be without ARod has he will be having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee today. This was the right move since the Yanks will need him in September and hopefully the playoffs. This will mean that others will have to step up. One thing is for sure: if the Yankees can get the same type of pitching that Sabathia provided yesterday losing ARod for a month won't be that big a deal.
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Make sure to check out Tuesday's Thoughts tomorrow as I will have more to say about ESPN's defense of the ASG, the NBA and NFL lockouts and other tidbits.
The Captain, ARod & All Star Game Nonsense
Yesterday Derek Jeter put another item on his Yankee resume' with a 5 hit day that had him reach the 3,000 hit plateau with a home run and then a game winning RBI single that led the Yankees to a 5-4 win over the Rays. Jeter's home run in the 3rd inning was hit number 3,000 and the Stadium erupted. What a class move by Casey Kotchman as he tipped his cap as Jeter rounded first base during his home run trot.
There has been so much criticism of Jeter leading up to yesterday. His skills are diminshing. He doesn't deserve to bat lead off. When will they move him from shortstop. His hits are not Jeterian and are hits of a declining ballplayer. But yesterday, the Captain showed that there is still some gas left in the tank. We have followed a career of a Yankee icon. One that will take awhile for us to see again. So instead of criticizing and questioning, how about enjoying what could be the last time that we see such a player in pinstripes again.
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The news on the MRI of Alex Rodrieguez right knee was not good: a slight meniscus tear that requires surgery. ARod can either play through it or have arthroscopic surgery that would sideline him for at least a month. While the Yankees will definitely suffer without him in the lineup, at ARod's age I think if he doesn't have the surgery he will be a shadow of himself in September when they will really need him. In my opinion, he needs to have the surgery.
This will be a tough decision. Brian Cashman may now need to make a move to get a stop gap veteran to play third. The other option is to go with Eduardo Nunez. Certainly they can start with Nunez after the All-Star break and see how it goes. If it doesn't work then they can move on a trade. If ARod is out, then others will have to step up. Derek Jeter's game yesterday may be an indication that the Captain is ready. They will need him and Swisher and Cano and Texiera and Posada to carry the load.
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Yesterday on Twitter, Buster Olney called out those players, specifically Rivera, Jeter & ARod , who are pulling out of the All-Star Game. Then Karl Ravitch chimed in to agree with his talking head teammate from ESPN. These guys should wake up. If I'm a fan of the Milwaukee Brewers, NY Yankees or Atlanta Braves do I want to have Ryan Braun, Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, ARod or Chipper Jones risk further injury thus hurting their team's chances to play in October to play in an exhibition game???
What Olney and Ravitch don't understand is that the ASG is a joke and it was made a joke by interleague play. In addition, its a joke because you can go on the internet and vote 25 times for your all-star favorites. Bud Selig knows its a joke because he tried to make it mean something by having home field advantage determined by which league wins the exhibition game. Going one step further, Selig wanted all players who were on the all-star teams to wear special all-star hats yesterday and today to highlight Tuesday's game. The Yankees elected not to because they are a team and as a result no one should be given a special designation over team members. The Rays followed suit.
The only reason why Selig does this is because he knows the game has lost its luster. The only reason why Olney and Ravitch are all concerned is because they are MLB mouthpieces. If Youkilis, Ortiz and Pedroia declined to play would the ESPN dynamic duo have said anything??? Probably not. What I also find interesting is that I never hear any of the NFL talking heads on ESPN criticize the boat load of NFL players who take a pass on the Pro Bowl. In fact, that game is after the season so there is no concern that a team's chances to make the playoffs may be impacted in an injury that takes place in the Pro Bowl.
Selig, Olney and Ravitch want to go back to when the Baseball ASG meant something, when it was an event to see the best players from both leagues play each other. Back then the only time you see NL stars play AL stars was at the ASG and the World Series. Not anymore because of interleague. You can't want to claim to be traditionalists when you've destroyed that. The Baseball ASG will never be the same no matter what Selig and Company try to do and the reason for that lies in what they see when they shave in the morning.
Buckeyes Don’t Get It & Three Cheers For Gregg
First, Jim Tressel resigns. Then Terrell Pryor leaves the school. Now, Ohio State vacates the wins from their 2010 season and suggests to the NCAA that this is enough punishment for the tattoo/car favors for Buckeye players during Tressel's time as football coach. Their justification is that Tressel was the only one at the university who knew about what was going on. Pleeeaaasse!!!
As Brett McMurphy indicates in his article above, if the University is right then why wasn't Tressel fired immediately??? Why did the president of the university make a joke that he hoped Tressel didn't fire him??? Why did the athletic director defend Tressel right to the bitter end if Tressel was the only one who knew what was going on???
If the NCAA falls for this they are more stupid than I thought. The Buckeyes need to be sanctioned. They need the number of scholarships reduced. They need to be banned from national TV and a BCS bowl. And the AD needs to be fired. In August we'll see what the NCAA will do.
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Last night the Boston Red Sox sent the Baltimore Orioles to their 5th straight loss in a 10-3 win at Fenway. It was the 4th time in 5 games that the Orioles gave up 10 or more runs. In the bottom of the 8th inning, Oriole reliever threw 3 pitches inside to David Ortiz. Big Papi apparently took exception and a bench clearing brawl ensued with 4 players, including Gregg & Papi being thrown out of the game.
Take a look at the article above and read Kevin Gregg's comments. I love it!!! Gregg was sick and tired of the Red Sox arrogance and he says as much. Maybe he's the type of guy the Yankees could use. He immediately makes my favorite player list. After you read the article you will know why. Three cheers for Kevin Gregg!!!!!!!
Nonsense Reigns In Sports World
Many years ago, sports news was all about the game. There wasn't talk of arrests, court cases and the constant second guessing of every move that every player, coach and general manager makes. You didn't here about what these guys were doing in the off season or how they spent their time after hours. But its all different now which leads to stories that just won't go away.
The Roger Clemens saga continues with the trial beginning next week. It's gotten to the point for me that I really don't give a damn whether Clemens lied to Congress or not. Has there never been a politician who's lied before Congress??? Seems to me we had a President say there was weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. How did we make out with that??
Yet, the Clemens trial will drag on and sports media outlets will cover it like its big news when in reality it means nothing. Do I believe Roger Clemens did performance enhancing drugs?? Yes. Does it matter to me?? No it does not because Major League Baseball under the auspices of that high-brow, know-nothing, look the other way Commissioner Bud Selig allowed it to happen. If you really want to do something they should put MLB and the MLBPA on trial because they knew what was going on and allowed it to happen because of the long green.
Up in Toronto, there has been continual debate over the fact that Toronto Maple Leafs President and General Manager Brian Burke was visiting Canadian troops in Kandahar, Afghanistan on July 1st, the first day of free agency. Steve Simmons, columnist for the Toronto Sun, wrote an article calling Burke out for being in Afghanistan thus reducing the likelihood of the Laefs signing Brad Richards. Simmons says its his duty as a sports writer to bring out issues that are on sports fans minds. Really???
Simmons response illustrates what's wrong with the media these days. While I'm certainly not saying that the media should just take everything that their given as being the absolute truth. Nor am I saying that they shouldn't question anything. But what I am saying is that there is some responsibility attached to being a part of the media. If people are thinking that they would like to see Erin Andrews of ESPN in a Playboy centerfold would Simmons report that?? If Toronto Maple Leaf fans tweeted to Simmons that they would like to see Daniel Alfredsson get a severe knee injury ending his career would he report that??? The answer to both questions is no he wouldn't and that's why his response is a bunch of crap. He wrote the column because he wanted to start a controversy and what better way to do it than to go after Brian Burke. By the way, in this day and age Burke was accessible to Dave Nonis and Company. Oh and by the way, it was a given that Richards was going to the Rangers.
I have no problem talking about trades, player moves or game strategies. But I'm fed up with the made up controversies. Oh well, such is life in 2011.
Yankees Go Home & Browns Interest In Pryor??
The Yankees closed out their road trip to Cleveland with a lackluster 5-3 loss to the Indians, losing their first series since the debacle in the Bronx against the Red Sox. Coupled with Boston's win last night, the Yanks are just 1/2 game ahead of their blood rivals. Justin Masterson looked like Bob Feller last night as he held the Yankees to only 3 hits and no runs over 8 innings. One of those 3 hits was a double by Derek Jeter which sets the Captain up to get three hits over four games to get to 3,000 hits at home against the Rays starting tonight.
After a rough 1st inning, Phil Hughes settled down and allowed only 2 runs over five innings. His fastball was clocked consistently between 90 and 92 which was an improvement over earlier this year. Hughes may have only given up one run if Russell Martin had made a better throw to third base. However, the throw was wide of ARod and the ball went into left field allowing the Tribe to score their second run. In looking at the pitcher's work over the five innings, the Yankees have to be somewhat hopeful. It seemed that what got him in trouble was pitch location and that I think can be corrected.
With Tampa coming to the Bronx, the Yankees need to bounce back. I really believe that ARod needs a day off. He made a great play in the field saving Boone Logan and kept the game at 2-0 however he looked bad at the plate. I wonder if it makes sense for ARod to participate in the All-Star Game. If it were up to me, he would take a pass on it.
One good thing going into the Tampa series, Mariano Rivera will be good to go.
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There had been some rumblings coming out of Northeast Ohio that the Cleveland Browns might be interested in selecting Terrell Pryor in the supplemental draft when that takes place. In my opinion, this is nothing more than Ohio State nonsense. Pryor in no way shape or form fits in with the new West Coast offense system that is being put in place by the Browns. In addition, Pryor is an unfinished product at quarterback. He could have used another year in college at QB however that was not going to happen because he was in up to his eyeballs on the Buckeye tattoo scandal.
Bringing Pryor in would also be planting the seeds for another quarterback controversy which seems to have been a hallmark of the Browns since they have come back into the league. The team needs to find out what they have in Colt McCoy without the distraction of Ohio State product Terrell Pryor being on the bench. I've never been impressed with Pryor as a quarterback, though he did look good in his bowl appearance last year. I don't see the Browns messing with Pryor. One thing I have found while following the Browns, there are many in Northeast Ohio who want the Browns to take any Buckeye star that's out there. Hopefully, that won't happen with Pryor.
Yanks Win, Phil Is Up & More Farve Nonsense
CC Sabathia showed Indians fans what they missed by shutting down the Tribe last night as the Yankees defeated the Indians 9-2. Curtis Granderson belted 2 home runs and Derek Jeter inched closer to 3,000 with two hits moving him to 2,996. Once again this morning, both major NY dailies questioned Jeter's ability to remain in the leadoff position and whether we will ever see the old Jeter again. Incredible. Joe Girardi is saying he may give Jeter the night off today as to not over do it with 4 games coming up against Tampa. I'm kind of thinking he may need to also give ARod a night off soon as its being reported that Alex's right knee is barking. Not to mention Mariano Rivera's right elbow. The All-Star break will be badly needed.
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Tonight may be one of the biggest night's in determining the Yankees playoff hopes as Phil Hughes heads to the mound against the Indians. Hughes has looked really good in his last 2 rehab starts and it is hopeful that the young 25 year old can regain the form that made him an all-star last year. A return to form Hughes can certainly stabilize the Yankee rotation and would relieve the need to get another starter.
I like Phil Hughes. I remember in 2007 when he came in to relieve Roger Clemens in Game 3 against the Indians to hold the fort to allow the Yankees to come back and win the only game they did in that series. He's a tough kid and loves being a Yankee. Here's hoping Phil has a good game tonight at Progressive Field.
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Yesterday on the web site, Pro Football Talk, it was reported that Brett Farve is considering another comeback. Are you kidding me??? Farve is an egomaniac. Who the hell does he think he is to think that he can still play football. The NFL and the football media can do us all a favor: ignore the old bastard.
Tuesday’s Thoughts
While wondering if there is a better month than July for weather, here's what is on my mind today:
* The New York media's obsession with Derek Jeter's place in the batting order is borderline annoying. In today's editions, the fact that Jeter was 0-4 last night was the major story despite the fact that the whole team was hitless through 6 innings. Here's hoping the Captain gets to 3,000 before the All-Star break.
* The fact that CC Sabathia was not chosen to the American League All-Star team is a complete and total joke. It's hard to pick a pitcher who is more important to his team than CC.
* The Baseball All-Star Game has lost its luster for me. Interleague play has destroyed the novelty of the game. I can remember wanting to see how Reggie Jackson would do against Steve Carlton. In today's game, they may have faced each other in a weekday series in May.
* The whole idea that the league winning the All-Star game gets home field advantage in the World Series is a joke and an over reaction to the tie game that took place several years ago. Another one of the dumb moves made by clueless Bud Selig.
* The trading of Brett Lebda and Robert Slaney for Matthew Lombardi and Cody Franson was a good move on the part of the Maple Leafs. Lebda was flat out terrible last year and Slaney was a low level prospect. Lombardi is trying to come back from a concussion which kept him out of action for Nashville all of last year. If he can bounce back he will certainly help the Leafs particularly in face-offs and penalty killing. But the prize of the deal is Franson, a 23 year old defenseman who played on the Predators second power play unit. He's big and has offensive skill. Suddenly the Leafs have 8 NHL defenseman to choose from and hopefully some assets to make another move. Nashville made the trade in order to free up cap space in order to take care of Shea Weber and Ryan Suter.
* Still shaking my head as to why the Leafs would sign Tim Connolly.
* A group of retired NFL players (Franco Harris, Marcus Allen, to name a couple) have filed a lawsuit against the NFL and the NFLPA for failing to address the pension issue. Shame on the current players and the owners if they don't do right by the retirees. If it wasn't for these old NFLers, the league wouldn't be where its at today and the current players wouldn't be making the money their making today.
* The NBA players are locked out and the season is in severe jeopardy. Who cares??
* And finally, is there anything more disgusting than watching idiots fill their faces to see who can eat the most hot dogs?? What's more disgusting is the fact that ESPN covers the whole mess.
Happy 4th!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Taking a day off today. Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July. I'll be posting "Tuesday's Thoughts" tomorrow with plenty to say on All-Star selections, the latest Leaf trade and more.
Happy Birthday U.S.A.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Connolly??? Colon Keeps It Going
The Maple Leafs, having lost out on Brad Richards, signed Tim Connolly to a two year deal at $4.75 million per year. Richards went to the Rangers in spite of the fact that the Leafs actually offered him more money per year, however the Leafs contract was only for 5 years while I believe the Rangers deal was for 8 years.
Every pundit that I have read indicate that the Connolly signing was a good move despite his injury history. I don't see it. If you look at Connolly's career it is average at best, one filled with promise but not production. His best year was in the 2009-2010 season when he played the most games (73) in his career scoring 17 goals and 48 assists. Last year in 68 games he scored 13 goals and had 23 assists. Hardly the stats of a first line center.
I think the Leafs should have tried to make a trade and maybe they still will do that. Dave Nonis indicated that there may be some other moves. I certainly hope so otherwise I think that before the end of the season Tim Connolly will be out for some period of time and the Leafs will be relying on one of the kids to fill the role.
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Bartolo Colon continues to impress as he looked masterful in his return from the disabled list by shutting down the Mets as the Yankees won game two of the Subway Series at Citi Field. Brian Cashman rolled the dice based on Tony Pena's winter observations of Colon down in the Dominican and it has paid off big time for the Yankees. Today the Pinstripers look to sweep their cross town rivals as Freddy Garcia faces R.A. Dickey, the same guy who confounded the Yanks with his knuckleball at the Stadium leading the Mets to a 2-1 victory back in May.
Yanks Draw First Blood/NHL Frenzy or Lunacy
The Yankees drew first blood in the Subway Series by spanking the Mets 5-1. I was really impressed with Ivan Nova as he was very good in getting out of trouble particularly in the 5th inning when he got Angel Pagan to strike out with the bases loaded. Nova has shown me that the Yanks have a pitcher that they can slot in their rotation for years to come. Probably a 3rd or 4th starter. Mark Texiera continued his hot hitting and Alex Rodrigeuz continues to drive in runs. In fact, I have been impressed with ARod's leadership. I read an article where in had a comversation with Boone Logan about Logan's importance to the team and that he just needs to go out their and pitch, not think. Since the conversation, Logan has somewhat turned it around.
On my continual Michael Kay stupidity watch, last night BigHead was just amazed at the number of Yankee fans at Citi Field. BigHead said he couldn't believe how many people he saw coming off the L.I. Railroad wearing Yankee jerseys, t-shirts and ball caps. Really Michael!!! You're surprised?? Who is he trying to impress? There are plenty of Mets fans at Yankee Stadium when the Mets come in. It's a classic example of Kay's melodramatic, trying to create a story/controversy when there isn't one. I really enjoy Al Leiter in the booth. Too bad he can't be a regular with Ken Singleton and Paul O'Neill.
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Canada Day marks the beginning of the NHL free agency period. TSN called it Free Agent Frenzy. I'll call it Free Agent Lunacy. Once again I want to bring everyone back to the Fall of 2004 when Gary Bettman announced that the players would be locked out in order to "bring fiscal stability" back to the league and help small market teams be viable. Hmmmm... Guess what team has the highest payroll in the NHL today??? The Buffalo Sabres. Who signed the most free agents yeasterday??? The Florida Panthers. Small market teams the last time I checked.
The contracts given out yeatserday were unreal particularly since its still unclear whether these signings will significantly improve the clubs involved. There's no question that the defense moves the Sabres made will help them but the signing of Ville Leino, who the most goals he has ever scored in a season is 19, will help them offensively. The Panthers signed the players they did in order to reach the cap floor of $48 million, including acquiring Brian Campbell, whose contract is one of the worst in the NHL.
The Maple Leafs were quiet yesterday however they are one of 4 teams waiting to hear what the Brad Richards decision is today. My gut tells me that Richards will sign with the Rangers. I'm hoping that the Leafs do not sign Tim Connolly. What I think will happen is that the Leafs will be involved in a trade to attempt to get a center to play with Phil Kessel. If not, I have no problem with them going into camp giving Joe Colborne a shot at the first line. He didn't look out of place in the season finale against the Canadiens when he was with Kessel and Lupul. The other thing that needs to be considered, its a long summer and trades can be made up and through training camp in September. Plenty of time for Burke and Company to get the job done.
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