Random Thoughts

February 20, 2009

Alex Rodriguez's Story Continues to Fall Apart; Daily News Connects Him to Banned Trainer

During Alex Rodriguez's press conference on Tuesday he claimed that his cousin was able to walk into a pharmacy in the Domincian Republic and legally buy "boli" which turned out to be Primobolan, a steroid he later tested positive for along with testosterone, over-the-counter, legally without a prescription. Unfortunately for A-Rod, according to officials in the Dominican Republic that can't be true because Primobolan has never been available legally, by perscription or not in pharmacies. Dr. Pia Veras who is in change of the agency that regulated pharmaceutical drugs in the Dominican Republic said,

"What Alex Rodriguez stated at the press conference [in Tampa] doesn't make sense. It is important for us to clarify that such substance has not been registered and is not currently registered for legal sale in Dominican pharmacies -- not now and the same applies for the years 2001 to 2003."

However, the drug is apparently available on the black market in the Dominican Republic so if the cousin did in fact go to that country to get "boli" for A-Rod he likely did so illegally on the black market. Which should have been a further clue to A-Rod - if one believes that he didn't know what he was doing - that what he was injecting into his ass was wrong and might get him into trouble one day.

Potentially even worse news is that the Daily News is reporting that four sources have confirmed to them that A-Rod has a long-time relationship with Angel Presinal, a trainer who has been banned by MLB from every team's stadium since 2001 when he was caught with a gym bag of steroids (that he claimed belonged to Juan Gonzalez). According to the article, A-Rod has been close with this trainer, even though he was warned to stay away from him, since he was a member of the Texas Rangers and had him traveling with him on the road while he was a Yankee as recently as 2007, though he avoided being seen with him in public. Supposedly A-Rod continued to have contact with him in 2008 as well in both New York and Miami. It's certainly possible that A-Rod was only working out or getting advice from Presinal, but I think it looks terrible for A-Rod that he's been connected to someone who was banned by MLB because of his involvement with steroids. At the very least it's yet another sign that A-Rod has extremely poor decision-making skills and I think it also opens the door to speculation that perhaps A-Rod isn't on the level when he says that he hasn't used performance enhancers as a Yankee.

All of this should be expected. A-Rod never should have given specifics about how his cousin supposedly got the steroids for him because it opens the door for the media, MLB or even the feds to do some investigating. And it's not a surprise that it appears that there are major holes in A-Rod's story. Someone on NYYFans.com said that if any evidence surfaces that A-Rod used performance enhancers while he was a Yankee surfaces he (A-Rod) is done and I agree. Unfortunately the news about Presinal may open the door to exactly that happening so things may get worse for A-Rod - and the Yankees - before they get better.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:50 AM | Comments (0)

February 19, 2009

Not Impressed With Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez held his much anticipated press conference on Tuesday and as I said in an opinion piece I wrote for NYYFans.com, I thought it was pretty disappointing because instead of taking steps towards putting everything behind him, A-Rod only fanned the flames. In fact, I thought the press conference was pretty much a disaster and that was pretty surprising considering that A-Rod had hired a team of advisers, including some who specialized in public relations and damage control to weather this storm. Many of A-Rod's answers to reporters questions were evasive and contradictory, and admitting to "misunderstanding the facts," aka, fabricating a story about Selena Roberts breaking into his house made me wonder just exactly what else A-Rod might be "misunderstanding" or making up all together. I found it very hard to believe much of what he said.

ESPN.com is reporting that they've found out who A-Rod's mystery cousin is and it's 46-year old Yuri Sucart which makes A-Rod trying to excuse it all away by blaming youthful naivety to be even more ridiculous than when he said it on Tuesday given that Sucart was in his late 30's when he was injecting A-Rod, hardly a kid. In addition, on Tuesday A-Rod claimed that his cousin convinced him to try "boli" but Sucart is portrayed by ESPN as a "mule" who only did what he was told by A-Rod which begs the question as to whether it was actually A-Rod who asked Sucart to get some sort of performance enhancers for him. It will be very interesting if Sucart speaks publically what he says and whether his story holds up any better than A-Rod's.

Members of the media have brought up numerous questions that still need to be answered even after A-Rod's press conference and they aren't the only ones looking for answers. MLB's investigators would also like to speak with A-Rod as to whether his cousin had access to the Texas Rangers clubhouse and whether he or A-Rod provided any other players with performance enhancers. While A-Rod can't be punished for his use of performance enhancers in the past, he could be penalized for giving performance enhancers to others so I hope that never happened. Some are already saying that A-Rod should refuse to speak with MLB and I couldn't disagree with that more. For his own good A-Rod needs to cooperate because any failure to do so will make him look like he has something to hide. In addition, while MLB turned a blind eye to the performance enhancers problem in the past, if there is any hope of them making up for past mistakes and addressing it now, they need to get as much information as possible about the use of performance enhancers in the past and present.

Experts in the field of anti-doping also have a few questions such as just exactly what is "boli?" According to ESPN.com those in the field including the leading expert, Dr. Don Catlin, have never heard of it. There are additional questions about how taking "boli" produced a positive test for both Primobolan and testosterone since according to Catlin it's unlikely that one injected substance would cause a positive test for both, though he acknowledged that it could have been tainted. That opens the door to even more questions such as whether "boli" is even what A-Rod used or whether that was a "misunderstanding of the facts" like the Selena Roberts story.

Something tells me that what's been revealed so far about A-Rod and his use of performance enhancers thus far only scratches the surface.

Posted by silverdsl at 08:07 AM | Comments (0)

February 10, 2009

Alex Rodriguez Admits to Using Steroids For Three Years While he was With the Texas Rangers

Yesterday Alex Rodriguez admitted in an interview with ESPN's Peter Gammons that he used steroids from 2001 to 2003 while he was a member of the Texas Rangers. A-Rod says he felt pressure to use after having signed his mega-deal with the Rangers and because he wanted to prove that he was the best player in the game. So sad that he didn't realize that given his natural ability he could have shown that many times over without having to resort to using performance enhancers. A big question in the minds of many Yankee fans is whether A-Rod might still be using and he claimed that he stopped using steroids before he came to the Bronx.

While some fans are falling all over themselves to congratulate A-Rod for coming clean, this fan gives him no special credit for his admission. Fact is, A-Rod had no choice. Some are impressed that he admitted to using for three years when he could have just claimed that he tried it once or twice but I suspect A-Rod and his handlers were concerned about some evidence surfacing from that time period that would prove he used steroids. In addition, there's no doubt in my mind that A-Rod was heavily coached on exactly what to say and how to act during the interview so there's no telling how much of what he said was from the heart or even what he's truly thinking. That's just the reality of the situation - A-Rod has many people around him who are paid to help him handle problems and do damage control and there's no way they're going to let him do an interview without making sure he's very prepared for it.

My problem with A-Rod's interview is that it's hard for me to know what to believe. He lied to Katie Couric in 2007 when she specifically asked him if he ever used steroids. So how I am supposed to know that he's telling the truth now when he says he didn't know what steroids he took, that he only took steroids for three years and never while he was with the Yankees? What really makes me skeptical is that A-Rod made some questionable accusations about the writer of the Sports Illustrated article, Selena Roberts, in which he claimed that she stalked him to the point where she was cited by the police. Only one problem - that's apparently not true so A-Rod either "mis-remembered" or was fed bad information. Attacking the accuser is often a strategy that backfires, and while it may play to those fans who don't think much of Roberts, it likely won't work too well for him in the end. As much as some, A-Rod included, would like to discredit Roberts by bringing up her controversial coverage of the Duke Lacrosse case or how she's writing a gossipy book on him, the fact is she accurately reported this story.

Some thing that now that A-Rod's confessed this will all blow over and be forgotten about by the time spring training rolls around. Unlikely. There's the possibility he could be called to testify in front of Congress and I have to think the Feds are going to be interested in talking with him. At some point A-Rod will likely have to name names and explain where he got the steroids from. Unfortunately for the Yankees it's not likely this story is going away any time soon.

Posted by silverdsl at 12:52 PM | Comments (0)

February 08, 2009

A-Rod Revealed to be A-Roid

A number of people have asked me what I think about the news that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids twice in 2003, and while I'm disappointed I can't say I'm upset... or surprised. I've thought for quite some time now that it's likely that more players have used performance enhancers at some point in their career than less, particularly now that amphetamines are considered performance enhancers. There isn't any player whose name I'd be surprised to see connected to performance enhancers or on a list of players who have tested positive and that includes Derek Jeter. That's not to say I think Jeter has used steriods but again, when you add amphetamines into the equation, consider how widespread their use was, and that many players probably didn't see anything wrong with using them, especially since they weren't on the banned list there probably aren't too many players who played completely clean in every single game of their career. I think that the use of more serious performance enhancers like steroids and HGH was likely widespread as well, particularly before Major League Baseball instituted a testing policy, and even now I believe there are probably many players using HGH, which can't be detected in testing, and designer steroids that are hard to pick up in tests.

Of course just because a lot of players used doesn't make it right and that's why I'm disappointed in A-Rod. Even if he used steroids A-Rod is a player with a tremendous amount of talent and he is still one of the best players in the game. Steroids can't make a player without talent into an All-Star so even without the help of performance enhancers A-Rod would likely have put up some impressive numbers so it's unfortunate that he seems to have felt the need to give himself an extra edge over other hitters - or maybe keep up with the Jones so-to-speak, since he may have felt that he couldn't put up the kind of stats that some other players were unless he used performance enhancers like so many others were.

What I find the most disturbing is that allegedly Gene Orza, chief operating officer of the player's union, tipped off A-Rod about a test slated for September of 2004. That's inexcusable. The player's union should never have been informed that players were going to be tested and they shouldn't have been warning any players either. One has to wonder if A-Rod was warned about a test whether other players were as well. Both MLB and the union should be doing everything in their power to catch those who are using performance enhancers, not protect them and help them from being discovered.

I also question why A-Rod is the only player from the 104 who tested positive in 2003 whose name was leaked. Unlike some fans I don't believe it's because the entire world is out to get the New York Yankees. Perhaps it's simply because A-Rod has denied using performance enhancers in the past, and because he's one of the best players in the game so it makes for the biggest possible splash to have him be revealed as a steroid user. I have a feeling that more names will likely leak out and that it might be for the best for all the names of all the players who tested positive to end some of the speculation about who did or didn't test positive. Of course just because a player tested positive in 2003 doesn't mean they're still using now, and just because a player didn't test positive in 2003 doesn't mean that they didn't use at some other point in their career including now.

More than a few fans are upset with the reporter, Selena Roberts, who wrote the initial story for Sports Illustrated, but those fans are placing blame where it doesn't belong. I highly doubt that SI would run with a major story like this without properly checking Roberts's sources. In addition, like any good reporter she gave A-Rod an opportunity to comment and explain, but he choose not to. She did her job. Investigative reporting sometimes uncovers stories that are unpleasant that a lot of people would rather not know about but it's essential that the media reports all stories both good and bad.

What's unfortunate is that Spring Training is going to be a zoo for the Yankees. There's no way to sweep this under the rug and make it go away even if A-Rod holds a press conference to give his side of the story. A-Rod isn't Andy Pettitte, he's one of the faces of the sport. This will likely follow A-Rod - and the Yankees - not only throughout the 2009 season but for years to come as well. One can only hope that there aren't more revelations, but something tells me that what's been reported in relation to performance enhancers only scratches the surface of what was really going on, not just with A-Rod but throughout baseball.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:31 PM | Comments (0)

November 26, 2008

Thankful on Thanksgiving

Given the poor economy it's easy to get caught up in worry and stress because things are so difficult for everyone right now. However, it's Thanksgiving tomorrow and I'm trying to focus on the things that I'm happy and thankful for. Most of all my husband, my friends and family. My snuggle-monster, Bailey the pug, who is currently happily snoring away on my lap as I tap this on my laptop. I'm also thankful that myself and my husband still have good jobs and that our employers, while effected by the economy just like any other, are involved in areas that aren't some of the more volatile ones right now like retail, banking or the automotive industry. I'm thankful for good health and that we'll be seeing lots of our family over the next few days.

I'm thankful that even though 2008 was an off-year for the New York Yankees that I've been a fan of the team during a time when they've had so much overall success. I'm thankful for the community at NYYFans.com and our moderation team who help us so much when it comes to running the site. I'm thankful for David Cone, Paul O'Neill, Tino Martinez, Robin Ventura, Mike Mussina, John Olerud and Jason Giambi, all former Yankees and all favorite players of mine who I was lucky enough to see play in person.

I've loved watching racing since I was a little girl but there was a time when I didn't watch as avidly as I do now. So I'm thankful that I got back into watching a number of years ago and that I became a fan of Steve Park which led me to becoming a fan of Michael Waltrip. I'm thankful for the friends I've made through the forum on Michael's site, for being lucky enough to meet Michael several times, for the adventures I've had at the track and for "Michael Waltrip Out Loud" which I hope returns in 2009. I'm thankful that Michael's won two Daytona 500s and has had success on the track otherwise. I'm thankful that Michael Waltrip Racing has taken some hits but has survived and especially that Michael is going to race both Cup and Nationwide next season.

I'm thankful that back in 2004 Michael and those around him decided to raise $1 million for the Victory Junction Gang Camp via Operation Marathon because it came at a time when I was looking for a way to do something in memory of my grandmother who had passed away the year prior. My grandmother was of limited means but she was very kind-hearted and tried to do whatever she could to help others. What Michael did with Operation Marathon inspired me to organize a variety of charitable efforts over the past few years in my grandmother's name because I realized that if he could do these things even with the busy schedule he had then surely there were things that I could do.

I'm thankful that I decided to do this blog because it gives me an outlet for all the many things that I question and think about. I'm sure my husband is thankful for that too because it means that he doesn't have to spend as much time listening to me ramble on about racing, something that he has no interest in! I'm thankful for all those who have taken the time to read this blog, particularly those who are repeat visitors. As one who loves news and has many, many things I'm interested in I'm thankful for the internet in general because it allows me to read and learn about things that I might not easily find information on otherwise.

Sometimes I wish I lived in the Southwest so I could photograph all the beautiful canyons and rock formations there but then I'm thankful for living in the Northeast where it's just an hour's drive to the ocean or an even shorter trip to Manhattan. I'm thankful for all the natural wonder that I get to photograph and thankful for the internet that I can see so many beautiful photographs from talented photographers of the places I can't visit. The world is a beautiful place and I'm constantly in awe of everything around me even if it's just the sunrise on the horizon on my way to work in the morning.

There are times when I get stressed out and down, and there's things that I wish were different, but I feel lucky that I also have a lot to be thankful for!

Posted by silverdsl at 10:55 AM | Comments (0)

November 20, 2008

Mike Mussina Likely Retiring

Sad day for me. Reports are that New York Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina has decided to retire. Moose has been my favorite Yankee since 2001, his first season in pinstripes. He'll be very much missed, not only because of his talent on the mound and for how much he helped the Yankees win, but also because of his approach towards the fans. Mussina has always had a reputation for being aloof, but the reality is that when it comes to the fans he couldn't be any better. Mussina is a player who truly "gets it" and it's clear he appreciates the support from his fans. To my knowledge, Mussina is the only player who had meet and greets with his fans (twice a year, schedule permitting) during the season and had an annual fan club dinner. During the dinner, Mussina did a lengthy Q&A session, took a photo with every person in attendance, had an auction to raise money for his foundation and signed two items for every fan there as well. A Stanford graduate with a business degree, Mussina is also highly intelligent and a good sense of humor.

Although I'm sad that Mussina is retiring I'm also happy for him that he was able to go out on a high note having won 20 games for the first time in his career this past season and he's also going out on his own terms. I also know that he'll very much enjoy being able to spend more time with his family. Still, he will be very much missed by this fan. Enjoy your retirement Moose!

Posted by silverdsl at 09:25 AM | Comments (0)

October 22, 2008

Joba Chamberlain Taunted at Strip Club Before Being Arrested for DUI

Turns out Joba Chamberlain not only had a blood-alcohol level of .134 which pretty much ends any questions about whether his arrest for DUI was legitimate or not, but prior to getting behind the wheel when he was in no condition to do so, Chamberlain was involved in a shoving match at a strip club with a fan who taunted him by saying "Too bad you didn't play for the Red Sox. Otherwise, you wouldn't be sitting here in a strip club in Nebraska." Chamberlain's friends were able to stop the incident from turning into anything more serious than a little pushing, but unfortunately they weren't able to stop him from driving. Hopefully this is only a one-time incident for Chamberlain because DUI arrests and getting into physical confrontations with fans after a little taunting are the kinds of things that can end one's career prematurely.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:14 AM | Comments (0)

October 20, 2008

Joba Chamberlain Arrested for DUI in Nebraska

Everyone makes mistakes so I'm not about to stop cheering for Joba Chamberlain but it's certainly disappointing to hear that he was arrested for DUI in Nebraska early on Saturday morning. Chamberlain, a rising young star pitcher for the New York Yankees, was initially stopped for speeding and the officer who made the stop smelled the odor of alcohol in the car. He also saw an open container of alcohol in the car. Of course innocent until proven guilty and all but given that Chamberlain has already apologized for his "error in judgment" I'm thinking the odds of it turning out that he was completely sober aren't too great.

What bothers me the most is the open container of alcohol. That means that at some point Chamberlain made a conscious, although possibly impaired, decision to take that container in the car with him. The possibility that he might have actually been drinking from it while he was driving sends shivers down my spine. I've seen some say that Chamberlain shouldn't be condemned because everyone drives after having a few at some point but "everyone" most certainly doesn't drink and drive. Because I'm very petite I won't drive after having even one alcoholic drink let alone multiple ones. And just because a lot of people do something it doesn't make it right. Although I don't think Chamberlain should have his contract terminated by the Yankees or anything over this, I wouldn't be upset if they took some sort of disciplinary action against him. Being arrested for DUI is a serious matter and drinking and driving can have serious consequences.

Posted by silverdsl at 12:15 AM | Comments (0)

September 29, 2008

Mike Mussina Wins His 20th... Future Uncertain

Although I don't talk about the New York Yankees too much anymore in this space, I continue to be just as much as a fan as ever. One thing I can't let go by without comment is Mike Mussina winning his 20th game of the season yesterday against the Boston Red Sox. I'm thrilled for Mussina that after 18-years in the majors that he was finally able to win 20! Mussina was outstanding for the Yankees this season, one of the lone bright spots of the season, and he pitched far better than I think anyone expected he would. Mussina is the oldest at 39 to ever win 20 for the first time.

Mussina's 20th win could end up being his last game ever since he's not signed for next season and he may opt to spend more time with his family instead of continuing to pitch. I would understand if he made that decision and as sad as it would make me if Mussina retired I think it would be a good time to do so since he would be going out on a high note instead of trying to hang on and struggling as has happened to so many others. However, with as competitive as athletes are, it's very difficult to walk away for good, so I would also understand if Mussina wanted to keep pitching, particularly since a good season next year would make 300 wins be in reach.

Since joining the Yankees in 2001, Mussina has been one of my favorite Yankees. Aside from the fact that he's an extremely talented pitcher, Mussina is a quirky and intelligent man, who really "gets it" when it comes to the fans. I don't know of any other MLB players who does what Mussina does when it comes to the fans. He has two meet and greets (pitching schedule permitting) with members of his fan club, one in New York and one in Baltimore, where he used to play. In addition, he also has a fan club dinner every January. I went to the dinner a couple of years ago and it was outstanding - Mussina did a Q&A session for about an hour, posed for photos for every person who attended (at least 75-100 people), and signed any two items for every person as well. It was a really well-done event and more like something you see in Nascar than in MLB. Although Mussina has been known to be prickly with the media, the sport needs more players like him, not less. He will definitely be very much missed by this fan if he retires.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:11 AM | Comments (0)

August 28, 2008

Done.

That would be the New York Yankees. Done as in stick a fork in 'em, done. As I'm writing this the Yankees are on the verge of possibly getting swept by the Boston Red Sox at home in the Bronx which would seal the inevitable - the Yankees are almost certainly going to miss the post-season for the first time since 1995. The Yankees are ten and a half games out for the division and it's no better in the Wildcard standings - seven games back there. Some fans refuse to give up until the Yankees are mathematically eliminated but it's hard to have much hope when the team has so many weaknesses. Even if the Yankees some how pulled off a miracle and made it to the post-season odds are they wouldn't get too far. Not with so many issues with virtually all aspects of the team.

After last night's game in which the Yankees lost 11-3 Hank Steinbrenner said that the team sucked and while I really hate to bash or be overly negative, I really can't disagree with that assessment. It's really disappointing, particularly considering how many talented players are on the team, and it's no fun to watch games when they aren't playing well but this is the reality of the 2008 Yankees. They just aren't very good. I'm really not as upset about it as a lot of fans though. I'm as die-hard as any other Yankee fan but I saw the writing on the wall pretty early on this season. I feel very lucky that I've been gotten to see the Yankees put together such a great streak of post-season appearances that included multiple World Series Championships and some outstanding and very exciting baseball. I wish that streak was going to continue but nothing lasts forever. I have no doubt that in the off-season the Yankees will put a lot of time, money and effort into making changes to the team that will hopefully result in the start of a new streak of post-season appearances beginning in 2009.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:28 PM | Comments (0)

July 21, 2008

Random Thoughts on Other Sports on Random Thoughts

*I don't know much about golf nor is it something I watch regularly but I enjoy watching just about anything other than competitive eating in which at least two people are competing against each other for something. So at times I've found myself drawn into watching golf. Aside from the competitive aspect I find the intricacies of the different courses interesting and I'm impressed by the skill of the competitors. I was in awe of them playing and making shots this weekend at the British Open in crazy wind! It was also pretty cool to see Greg Norman at 53 and only a part-time golfer be a contender - he came up short of the win, but still neat to see.

*The New York Yankees swept the Oakland A's this weekend, something which I'm very happy about! What I found myself really loving aside from the Yankees wins, was David Cone in the YES broadcast booth. Of course I'm biased since David is my all-time favorite baseball player and I'd probably like him doing just about anything but I think he's really come into his own in the booth. At first he was a little stiff but he's become much more relaxed. He's very insightful and funny, and he's very enthusiastic, which is one of the things I like so much about Michael Waltrip being in the booth during truck races. There's actually more than a few similarities between Michael and David, which is probably why I like them both so much, such as that they've both got dynamic personalities, they both have a presence that commands attention, they've both very media savvy and they're both extremely fan-friendly among other similarities. This season there hasn't always been a lot to be happy about with the Yankees, but David joining the TV broadcast team is definitely one thing I'm thrilled about!

*Speaking of David, hard to believe that Friday was the 9th anniversary of his perfect game! I remember that day like it was yesterday. Unfortunately I wasn't able to watch the game on TV since I was driving home from Connecticut but I still remember hearing the call on the radio - baseball immortality for David Cone! He was never the same pitcher after that game but oh, what an incredible day, and on Yogi Berra Day no less!

*Danica Patrick didn't take too well to the way the only other female Indy car racer in the series, Milka Duno was racing her during a practice so she went over to confront Duno after the practice concluded. Some seem horrified by Danica's behavior. I'm not a fan of drivers confronting each other, nor do I particularly like Danica, however, if a male driver can confront another driver, without being considered a whiny bitch, and have it excused because of the emotional nature of the sport, then why isn't the same true for Danica?

Posted by silverdsl at 08:30 AM | Comments (0)

June 18, 2008

New York Yankees Sign Sidney Ponson to a Minor League Deal

I was just joking with Jim the other day when I heard that Sidney Ponson got released by the Texas Rangers that the New York Yankees were going to sign him since they've always been fond of brining back players who have been with them previously. Well, that's exactly what the Yankees did and even though I understand it was just a minor league deal and that they are very much in need of more pitching, I'm not too happy about it. Ponson was signed today to a minor league deal and given that he was pitching well with the Rangers I'd guess we'll be seeing him on the mound in the Bronx sooner rather than later. Some might be wondering what the problem is, after all he was pitching well for the Rangers. That's exactly it - teams almost never get rid of players who are playing well so it speaks volumes that the Rangers released him even though he was pitching well for them. The quote from Rangers general manager Jon Daniels says it all - "We don't feel Sidney deserves to be here or wants to be here."

Apparently Ponson was warned about his behavior but that still didn't stop him from getting into a "serious" disturbance in a bar on a road trip or being disruptive after he didn't agree with being taken out of a game or getting a start pushed back. This on top of Ponson's problems in the past from punching a judge in his native Aruba to the two DUIs he got when he was with the Orioles, at least one of which he tried to hide from the team. My issue with Ponson isn't that he might have a drinking problem - I have a lot of sympathy for people who have issues. My problem is that Ponson's behavior was extremely disruptive. If Ponson acted out with the Rangers in spite of being warned, what makes the Yankees think he'll be any better behaved for them? I try to cheer for every player who plays for the Yankees even when I don't like their attitude (Gary Sheffield, Chuck Knoblauch) or just don't like them at all (Roger Clemens). But it's going to be hard with Ponson - I just don't like that someone who has been such a problem thoughout the course of his career - and didn't work out in his first go-around with the Yankees - has been brought back.

Posted by silverdsl at 08:52 PM | Comments (0)

June 06, 2008

That silverdsl is not this silverdsl

Since I've been getting a lot of continuing traffic from NoMaas let me just say that the silverdsl over there isn't this silverdsl, though someone would like people to think that. Of course that's kind of obvious given the avatar (which I actually find hysterical) and a few other things. It's pretty funny that someone finds me and this blog worthy of so much attention that they copy and paste stuff from here to post there and created a sock puppet to pretend to be me.

Posted by silverdsl at 11:26 PM | Comments (0)

June 04, 2008

Steve Park a Red Sox Fan!?

So I came across some photos of Steve Park working on his #35 East Series car while wearing a Boston Red Sox hat. As a die-hard New York Yankees fan this was a bit of a shock. To be clear I have a great deal of tolerance for Red Sox fans - I respect everyone's right to be a fan of the team that they choose and unlike some of my fellow Yankee fans I don't hate those who cheer for the team up North. That we allow Red Sox fan to post on NYYFans has caused us no small amount of aggrivation as there are some who are quite vocal about disagreeing with our philosophy that we won't discriminate against users just because of the team that they cheer for. So one would think that would mean that it wouldn't bother me to see Steve wearing a Red Sox hat. But it did - it wasn't just a shock, it was like a knife through the heart - the driver I cheer for is a Red Sox fan?!

The worst thing is that Steve is actually from Long Island - I could understand if he was a Mets fan, but the Red Sox? Years ago back when Steve was still racing the #1 car for DEI there was a commercial FOX did to promote their baseball coverage in which they had various drivers wearing hats for the teams they supposedly were fans of. In Steve's case the hat he was wearing was a Yankees hat. Subsequently he said in an interview that he wasn't much of a baseball fan so I would guess that the producers of the commercial gave him that hat to wear because he's from New York. So he may not actually even be a fan of the Red Sox either. Since he's with a team based in the Northeast that may seem like the thing to do to wear a Red Sox hat (jump on the bandwagon).

I'm sure someone, somewhere is thinking "bad fan!" - you're going to stop being a fan of Steve's because he was wearing a Red Sox hat? But I didn't say that did I? It's like how a lot of Nascar fans take issue with fans of other drivers. When you see another fan wearing a hat or shirt of a driver you don't like - Kyle Busch for instance - I would guess that a lot of people wonder why that fan likes Kyle. Some might even think less of that fan because they cheer for Kyle. Conversely if you see another fan who is also wearing something that reflects that they're also a fan of the same driver that you like, particularly if it's your favorite driver, you might smile, give them a thumb's up or even stop to chat. People tend to be drawn to others who have the same interests.

Of course there are some fans who take the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry so seriously that they might stop being a fan of Steve's because he wore a Red Sox hat or in the case of Red Sox fans if he wore a Yankees hat. I suspect Steve might not have any idea just how intense the rivalry is - kind of the way Dale Earnhardt, Jr. fans feel about Kyle Busch these days only multiplied by about a hundred.

Why, Steve why?

Posted by silverdsl at 09:37 AM | Comments (0)

May 16, 2008

A Few Yankees Thoughts

I don't often talk about the Yankees or baseball in this space these days, one reason being that the majority of my visitors are more interested in racing so I decided to focus on that, but also because time constraints don't make it possible for me to do an entry about everything I'm thinking about. In fact, while I used to post on a bunch of different baseball forums these days other than with the Roger Clemens mess where I was really horked off about it, I can't remember the last time I posted on a baseball forum that wasn't NYYFans.com, and even there I don't get to post as much as I'd like. But I'm still watching the games, as painful as it is right now with the Yankees in last place.

This morning someone on NYYFans posted an opinion piece someone from MSNBC had written about the return of the Bronx Zoo. While I don't agree with this writer that Hank Steinbrenner is a fool, I have to say that I agree that I wish that he would put a sock in it. From the start Hank has rubbed me the wrong way and I find that I don't really care for him too much. Of course many of my fellow fans love him and the way he mouths off. I question how any of that is actually productive. Joe Girardi and the players know they need to win games. They just need to go out and do it without Hank creating any distractions.

I also agree with the writer that Joba Chamberlain's antics on the mound could cause a problem for the Yankees. If the Yankees were in first place and crushing the competition I might feel differently, but with how much they're struggling I'm not entirely comfortable with Joba's fist-pumps and all. That's not to say he shouldn't be enthusiastic or excited - I do like it when players show emotion, just that maybe dialing it down for a while would be a wise idea, particularly since there's a lot of attention being paid to what he's doing. Joba is also far from a veteran - sometimes there's more tolerance for what veterans do as compared to players who have just a year or two of experience.

It's the Subway Series this weekend - what a snoozer this series has turned into. Much of the excitement has faded thanks to how often they now play each other, plus both teams aren't exactly playing their best baseball ever. Seems like it's also really early in the season for these teams to be playing each other. In the past fans got very worked up over a series like this but to me at least the Mets are just one more team that the Yankees will be playing. Of course I still hope that the Yankees sweep the series, though the way this season had gone I don't really expect that to happen.

Posted by silverdsl at 08:03 AM | Comments (0)

April 01, 2008

Photo of the Day - Mike Mussina

In honor of Yankees opening da... I mean night, here's a pic of Mike Mussina from his fan club dinner in 2006.

Yankees win their home opener 3-2!

Posted by silverdsl at 10:18 PM | Comments (0)

February 18, 2008

Andy Pettitte Addresses the Media

I gained new respect for Andy Pettitte today. Instead of hiding and letting his affidavit to congress speak for him, something that no one would have blamed him for doing, Pettitte addressed his admission to using HGH head on today in a press conference during which he candidly answered questions from the media as much as his lawyers would allow him to. Petittte didn't just answer one or two questions either, he sat there for over an hour. Contrast that with Roger Clemens who stormed out of the press conference he had called to defend himself against the allegations he used performance enhancers after less than 15 minutes. Gee, who came off better between the two? Guilty or innocent and in spite of having many people his legal and PR teams, Clemens has horribly mishandled everything related to his inclusion in the Mitchell Report.

One thing that's pretty clear is how difficult this situation has been for Pettitte since he says that he's good friends with both Brian McNamee and Clemens. One thing that really made an impact on me is that Pettitte said that he said what he had to say not only because he was under oath but also because he will one day have to answer to god. Really, the odds of him making things up or "misremembering" as Clemens said, doesn't seem too likely in light of that.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:07 PM | Comments (0)

February 13, 2008

Roger Clemens Not Looking Too Good

The danger for Roger Clemens and his legal/PR team in presenting him as an unblemished saint who is unjustly being persecuted and going on the attack against Brian McNamee's credibility is that it would set Clemens himself up for a hard fall if anything surfaced that put his own credibility in doubt. That's exactly what's happened today. What astonishes me the most about the proceedings today is that the committee was willing to issue their findings in a written report but Clemens's own legal team urged them to have the public hearings so Clemens could tell his side of the story. Major mistake. From his opening statement and throughout the hearings Clemens has come off extremely poorly. Disastrously really.

A few of the issues for Clemens today:

Told the committee numerous conflicting stories, inconsistencies and apparent falsehoods. Gave rambling, sometimes nonsensical answers to some questions that often didn't answer the actual questions that were asked to him.

Can't explain why Brian McNamee would tell the truth about Andy Pettitte and Chuck Knoblauch, something that is supported by both of their testimonies, but isn't telling the truth about him.

Can't explain why Pettitte, someone he says is extremely honest would make false statements about conversations with Clemens in which Clemens admitted to using HGH. Claims that Pettitte must have "misheard" or "misremembered."

Insisted he was never at a Jose Canseco BBQ, then when his nanny indicates he was in fact there, recants and says that it was possible he was there after all.

Might have engaged in witness tampering by speaking with the nanny prior to the hearing and trying to coach her on what to say.

Blamed his mother for advising him to take B12 even though he didn't have any medical condition for which it would be prescribed which apparently made his use of it illegal.

Insisted that he never discussed HGH with McNamee but later said that he had a heated conversation with McName about his wife, Debbie's use of HGH.

Claims he never got any of the numerous letters from George Mitchell and his aides asking him to speak with Mitchell for the Mitchell Report. Blames his agents.

Can't explain other than to say that he's a trusting and forgiving person why he kept McNamee on his payroll through 2007 even though numerous issues had come up with McNamee previously.

Had an abscess on his ass that a medical expert said is more likely to have come from a steroid being injected than B12 as Clemens claims.

Of course there were issues with McNamee's credibility as well that were pointed out by members of the committee but McNamee was able to handle the questioning put to him far better than Clemens by giving mostly short and sweet answers, something he probably learned is most effective from his time in law enforcement. There really isn't anyone who is likable or who comes off well here - both Clemens and McNamee are likely liars and both likely did things they shouldn't have. But we already knew those things about McNamee prior to today. Clemens had more to lose and I think lose he did.

It'll be interesting to see what the fallout from this is and whether Clemens will face prejury charges at some point. Clemens's best bet would be to keep his mouth shut from here on out, same with his legal team, and keep a very low profile.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:18 PM | Comments (0)

February 08, 2008

Tino Martinez Returns to the Yankees as a Special Instructor

David Cone isn't the only former member of the World Championship winning Yankees teams of the late 90's to return to the Yankees fold; Tino Martinez has also returned to the team (again), this time as a special instructor. Tino has already been working with first baseman Shelley Duncan at the Yankees's minor league complex in Tampa, and he'll also be assisting the team during the season as well. Tino will also continue to volunteer as an assistant coach for the University of South Florida's baseball team.

I used to be a huge fan of Tino's. No question that for a while he was one of my favorite Yankees along with David Cone and Paul O'Neill. However, along the way while I've remained just as much of a fan as ever of Paul and especially David, my enthusiasm for Tino definitely faded. Not that I stopped being a fan of his - I'll always like Tino, take an interest in what he's doing and wish him well, however there's no question that the way I feel about him has changed over the years, similar to how the way I feel about Steve Park has changed.

Of course in some people's eyes it makes me a bad fan that I'm less of a fan of Tino and Steve. After all, fans are supposed to be loyal, passionate and supportive of their favorite athletes no matter what. And to some degree I'm still that way. But my way of being a fan of both of them is just different than it once was. And I don't feel ashamed about that in the least. Things change and people change.

With Tino it started when he left the Yankees. I think that part of it didn't have as much to do with Tino as much as it had to do with being burned out by the Tino-Giambi wars on NYYFans.com. I got really sick of having to moderate people for arguing over Tino and whether the Yankees were making the right move by signing Jason Giambi to replace him. Some of the viewpoints that were expressed on both sides were extreme and flat out ridiculous, and I really don't have much patience anymore for extreme fandom anymore (when I mean extreme I mean people who hate athletes, who live in fantasy worlds, who harass other fans in the name of their fandom, are stalkers, are obsessed with the object of their affection, or otherwise act inappropriately).

Beyond that, what really changed the way I viewed Tino was when I met him at an autograph signing a year or two after he left the Yankees. How an athlete interacts with fans is pretty important to me and I didn't think he was particularly fan-friendly. In fact he almost seemed indifferent to those who were there for the signing which I thought was the wrong attitude to have when people were spending a minimum of $100 to get his autograph and had been waiting in line for hours. I'm one of the most understanding people there is when it comes to the reality that sometimes athletes are going to not be feeling well, have things on their minds or otherwise not be in the right frame of mind at an appearance. But I've heard other stories about Tino not really being particularly friendly towards fans at signings so I knew that this probably wasn't just a one time thing. He may be a nice person who is well-liked by everyone he plays with, but there was something about my encounter with him that left a bad taste in my mouth.

With Steve, I'm still a pretty big fan of his, I just know that he's no longer even close to being my favorite driver like he once was. As anyone who has read this space in the past couple of years can surely tell I've been extremely disappointed in Steve's attitude towards certain things. As accepting as I am that drivers are going to have opinions and make choices that I don't necessarily agree with, and that I can still like them anyway, it's been hard to overlook some things. I've been frustrated about his approach towards racing at times, and there are a few other things that bother me. Maybe some of this might not be an issue for me if there was more positive things that had happened for Steve the past few year because there'd be more to cheer about, but instead there seems like there's been a lot of disappointment and negativity. Now that Steve has a Camping World East ride maybe my attitude will improve... but I tend to doubt it because no matter how well Steve does in that ride some of the same issues will still be there.

There's some athletes I'll always be a fan of and I don't anticipate that changing. David Cone and Paul O'Neill will always be favorites of mine. I discussed some of David's virtues in an earlier post, and Paul will always have my admiration for the way he played the game, for how he helped the Yankees win and for what he brings to YES broadcasts now that he's retired. I also anticipate always being a fan of Michael Waltrip - I've talked about the many things I admire about him in this space, he's always been great to me when I've seen him in person, and the majority of his fans, particularly the Wal-Nutz are really outstanding people.

So yeah, I'm happy that Tino's back with the Yankees but maybe not as happy as I might have been in the past.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:40 AM | Comments (0)

January 28, 2008

David Cone To Broadcast 50 Yankees Games for YES

There really hasn't been all that much to get me excited about the upcoming season for the New York Yankees... until now. The reason for my excitement? David Cone, my all-time favorite Yankee, will be in the YES booth for 50 games next season and will also host the weekly show, Yankees on Deck! David has never feared giving his opinions openly, to the point where it's gotten him in trouble in the past, and he's also very good with the media. I expect that he will have a lot of good insight to share during the games he works, and overall I expect that he will be an asset to YES this season. After David left the Yankees there was a falling out between himself and George Steinbrenner because Steinbrenner took offense to David trying to restart his career with the New York Mets and that prevented David from returning to the Yankees fold sooner. But now Steinbrenner's sons are in charge and David is welcome at Yankee Stadium once again much to the delight of the many fans that David still has!

David is my baseball version of Michael Waltrip - someone who I will always be a fan of no matter what they're doing, whether they're still actively involved in their sport or not, someone who will always have a special place in my heart. It's likely because there's some similarities between David and Michael. Both are incredibly fan-friendly, have a way with people, very media savvy, and both have magnetic personalties. Michael and David are both unafraid to give honest opinions, though David never had sponsors or a conservative garage area to worry about so he likely said what he thought openly even more than Michael does. David has had much more success than Michael over the course of his career, but like Michael, David has had his share of problems to endure, including a horrible 2000 season that I don't even like to think about it was so painful to watch during which he appeared to lose the ability to pitch. But just as Michael and his team showed up weekend after weekend to race even when they failed to qualify for any number of races in a row and had other issues to worry about, David kept going out to the mound, never gave up and kept fighting to help his team win. If I could pick any two athletes to invite to dinner, it would surely be Michael and David, though given how gregarious both are, I doubt that I'd be able to get a word in!

Even though I haven't been overly excited about baseball this off-season, of course I was still planning on watching and cheering for the Yankees just as much as ever - but now I have something to be excited about and I'm really looking forward to the start of the baseball season even though it's still a few months away!

Posted by silverdsl at 01:14 PM | Comments (0)

January 11, 2008

Chuck Knoblauch Surfaces

After he retired from baseball in 2002, Chuck Knoblauch almost completely disappeared, to the point where apparently even the New York Yankees, the team he played for from 1998-2001, didn't know how to contact him. When the Mitchell Report was released, Knoblauch was named as one of the players who used performance enhancers, specifically HGH. Knoblauch has finally broken his silence to say... well, not much of anything other than that he was no desire to be involved with anything to do with baseball. Bitter much Chuck?

Knoblauch didn't address whether the allegations in the Mitchell Report were accurate or not, simply saying that he has nothing to defend or hide. Which makes sense either way - if he didn't use performance enhancers he has nothing to be ashamed of and with the way Knoblauch's career went, I don't think it's going to make much difference if it turns out he did use performance enhancers. Knoblauch's reputation can't be any more damaged than it already is from the way he lost his ability to field his position to the point where one of his errant throws hit TV personality Keith Olbermann's mother in the face while she was sitting in the stands. Plus, there's Knoblauch's surly and unpleasant demeanor at times. Knoblauch said in his comments to the media that he didn't care what anyone though and that attitude was pretty obvious while he was playing.

One thing that's interesting to me is that Knoblauch was called to testify in front of Congress along with Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens, but not other players who were named in the Mitchell Report. The common link between all three, aside from having all played for the Yankees and that they allegedly got performance enhancers from Brian McNamee is that all three (at least at the time when Knoblauch was still an active player) have the Hendrick Brothers as an agent. That may have nothing to do with any of this mess, and they might have been approached to testify because they are big-name players, but I still found it interesting that Congress singled the three of them out and not others (as of yet).

Although we'll likely never know for sure if Knoblauch used performance enhancers unless he admits to it, I wouldn't be surprised if he did use, and not because he was such a stellar player. By the time he allegedly started using his career was in a major downward spiral - once thought of as one of the best fielding second basemen in the game, Knoblauch became unable to play that position due to his throwing issues, and he wasn't able to contribute much at the plate either. So I could see him trying performance enhancers in the hopes that it might help him regain some of his prior success.

And just for old time's sake, something I almost never say about any athlete ever - Chuck, you suck! That should give some indication about my feelings on Knoblauch.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:05 AM | Comments (0)

January 07, 2008

Roger Clemens Speaks on 60 Minutes

Last night Roger Clemens sat down with Mike Wallace for an interview on 60 Minutes to discuss the allegations in the Mitchell Report that he used performance enhancers. I wasn't at all convinced by Clemens repeated denials that he didn't use performance enhancers. While Clemens strongly denied taking steroids and said multiple times very adamantly that Brian McNamee's allegations in the Mitchell Report were false, I felt that he was evasive at times in his answers to some questions and didn't provide a very compelling explanation as to why the allegations were false or why McNamee would lie. Nor did Clemens give any evidence other than his word that showed that McNamee is lying, which of course is the whole problem - until someone comes up with some concrete evidence right now it's one man's word against another's.

What I find really damning for Clemens is that he admitted that McNamee did in fact inject him with some substances which Clemens claims was vitamin B-12 and Lidocaine. First of all that makes McNamee more credible because at the very least he's apparently telling the truth about injecting Clemens. But the Lidocaine explanation really doesn't make much sense. Apparently Lidocaine is something that's administered locally, and wouldn't be injected in the ass to help with joint pain. In addition, as someone brought up on NYYFans.com, Clemens says that team doctors were injecting him with various things all the time. If the team doctors were available on a moment's notice to inject him - legally - with whatever he needed, why would he have McNamee, who isn't a doctor or any other kind of medical personnel, inject him with anything at all?

One thing that struck me was that when Clemens was asked what the penalty should be for those who are caught using performance enhancers he said,

"I think it's a self-inflicted penalty. They break down quick. It's a quick fix. They're in and out of the game."

No being banned from the game, no involvement with the legal system, no jail time or any other kind of punishment. Just the self-inflicted penalty of the damage done to their bodies. I can't help but wonder if Clemens doesn't want to put himself on the line and talk about how severe the penalties should for someone who uses because he knows full well that he used and could be subject to those penalties? I also found it interesting that Clemens talked about the possible damage to his body done by taking the painkiller Vioxx. If he suffers health issues down the road he could claim it was caused by the Vioxx, not the performance enhancers (if he actually took performance enhancers).

Clemens complained a lot about how his fame has made him a target and how his stature as a player should make him more deserving of the benefit of the doubt. While I agree that at times those in the public eye are the subject of some extremely harsh criticism that they don't always deserve, that's something that comes with the territory. This is a major story that can't be swept under the rug just because it would be more comfortable for Clemens and make it easier for him to get into the Hall of Fame. In addition, that he's accomplished a lot in the game over the 25 years or more that he's played doesn't make him immune from criticism. It also doesn't mean that he's not going to lie or distort the truth. People lie, including major league baseball players. I'm not going to automatically believe that Clemens is telling the truth just because he's famous or because he's won a bunch of Cy Youngs. Clemens might very well be telling the truth - but so could McNamee.

Now comes word that Clemens has filed suit against McNamee for defamation. If that goes to court it could prove to be more damaging than anything in the Mitchell Report since McNamee's investigators will be free to dig deep in an effort to uncover anything and everything about Clemens in an effort to show that their client was telling the truth. It's already publically known that McNamee was accused of date rape and has a checked past (something Clemens brought up in his interview - if McNamee had such a questionable past why was Clemens working with him?), but even the smallest piece of negative information that wasn't previously known about Clemens could be very damaging, particularly in relation to his bid for the Hall of Fame. It could be particularly bad for Clemens if the report in the New York Daily News is true that McNamee has multiple witnesses who will back him up.

Along with Andy Pettitte, McNamee and others, Clemens has also been called to testify in front of Congress. The question is whether he'll speak openly and risk prejury charges if he's ever found to be lying about something he says or whether he'll take the fifth. At first I felt that Clemens should strongly deny the allegations himself if he was really innocent. Now that he won't stop talking - though much of it seems scripted - he may be digging himself a rather large hole that he won't be able to climb out of.

Posted by silverdsl at 11:46 AM | Comments (0)

December 26, 2007

Roger Clemens Goes on the Offense

Roger Clemens has a Youtube video in which he proclaims his innocence and an interview set up with 60 Minutes in which he will respond to any and all questions about his alleged use of performance enhancers as detailed in the Mitchell Report. And now his lawyers are launching their own investigation, claiming that there are people that George Mitchell should have interviewed but didn't, all in an effort to clear Clemens.How hypocritical of Clemens's lawyers to imply that the Mitchell Report is faulty when any "investigation" they'd do would be far more biased than anything that George Mitchell did.

What does this all amount to? Nothing more than a carefully crafted public relations campaign. If Clemens wanted to clear his name so badly why didn't he give a statement of his own to Mitchell when he was contacted? Why didn't he answer reporters questions and make a statement himself directly to the media and fans when he was first named in the Mitchell Report instead of speaking through his agents and lawyers? And the youtube video - give me a break. Nothing more than Clemens and his "people" trying to control the message.

There's no hard evidence that Brian McNamee is telling the truth; unfortunately for Clemens there's no real proof that he's telling the truth either. Just one man's word against another's.

Posted by silverdsl at 11:27 PM | Comments (0)

December 19, 2007

Roger Clemens Denies Using Steriods or HGH

While other players, including his good friend Andy Pettitte, have stepped forward to confirm that information contained in the Mitchell Report is mostly accurate, Roger Clemens continues to insist that he never used performance enhancers. In a statement released yesterday by his agent, Clemens said,

"I want to state clearly and without qualification: I did not take steroids, human growth hormone or any other banned substances at any time in my baseball career or, in fact, my entire life. Those substances represent a dangerous and destructive shortcut that no athlete should ever take."

I'd like to give Clemens the benefit of the doubt - no fan has any way of knowing for sure without a positive drug test, federal indictment, and admission or other concrete evidence, for sure if a player's used performance enhancers. But I don't believe Clemens. For one thing, it wasn't until fairly recently that Major League Baseball cracked down on the use of performance enhancers and added substances like HGH to the banned list. So Clemens may very well have been taking performance enhancers but because they weren't on MLB's banned list at the time he was using them he may feel he's done nothing wrong. In addition amphetamines, otherwise known as "greenies," are also considered performance enhancers. Greenies were widely used by many players, including those who would never touch steriods or HGH. I find it hard to believe that at the very least Clemens didn't use greenies at some point.

Clemens continued,

"I am disappointed that my 25 years in public life have apparently not earned me the benefit of the doubt, but I understand that Senator Mitchell's report has raised many serious questions. I plan to publicly answer all of those questions at the appropriate time in the appropriate way. I only ask that in the meantime people not rush to judgment."

Clemens has had plenty of opportunities to defend himself starting with talking to George Mitchell for The Mitchell Report. Clemens declined to do so even though that would have been the perfect opportunity to refute Brian McNamee's claims. Or now that the report has been released Clemens could prove McNamee wrong. But he hasn't, and I suspect an "appropriate time and appropriate way" will never come. There's been some talk that Clemens wants to sue MLB or McNamee over these allegations. That'll never happen. By doing so Clemens will open himself up to having every part of his life examined and investigated and I highly doubt he wants that to happen.

Clemens should have let his initial denials last week speak for him and remained quiet. But by being so insistent that he's an innocent man that's been wrongly targeted on the basis of false accusations, I think Clemens is digging a rather large hole for himself that he might have trouble climbing out of . Someone, somewhere right now is likely taking Clemens statement that he's never used performance enhancers in his entire life as a challenge and eventually if there's proof out there that Clemens used it will surface. In addition, there's going to be another round of congressional hearings on performance enhancers in baseball. Clemens could get called to testify and he will get questioned about McNamee's allegations under oath. Will he answer their questions or take the Mark McGwire route?

What's most damning in my mind is that Pettitte confirmed some things from the Mitchell Report which means that McNamee is telling at least part of the truth. If he told the truth about Pettitte it seems to me that there's a good change he was telling the truth about Clemens as well. It will be really intersting to see what's going to happen at the congressional hearings if Pettitte is called to testify as well - he'll say that he got HGH from McNamee and then Clemens is going to say that McNamee is a liar? Either McNamee is a liar or he isn't.

Some are wondering why Clemens would issue such a strong denial if he really did take performance enhancers and I'd guess that's because he's trying to salvage his chances to still be considered for the Hall of Fame. It remains to be seen whether he'll be elected to the Hall or not, but one thing's for sure, Clemens's accomplishments in baseball are forever tainted much like those of Barry Bonds.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:39 AM | Comments (0)

December 16, 2007

Andy Pettitte Admits to Using HGH

Andy Pettitte is the first player since the Mitchell Report was released to admit that allegations in the report that he used performance enhancers are (at least partially) true. Pettitte released a statement yesterday in which he admitted to using HGH for two days in 2002. It's not surprising to me in the least that Pettitte did use performance enhancers. However, like Peter Abraham of the Journal News I think Pettitte's apology/statement is lacking but I suppose we should be happy he's even acknowledging it since so many players who are accused or caught using performance enhancers deny it, even when there's a positive drug test.

For me it's this part of his statement that's so troubling:

"If what I did was an error in judgment on my part, I apologize. I accept responsibility for those two days. Everything else written or said about me knowingly using illegal drugs is nonsense, wrong and hurtful. I have the utmost respect for baseball and have always tried to live my life in a way that would be honorable. I wasn't looking for an edge; I was looking to heal."

There are no "if's" about it. The use of HGH without a doctor's prescription was illegal even though it wasn't specifically banned by baseball until 2002. Pettitte knew that it was illegal to use HGH but he still made "an error in judgment" and used it anyway.

In addition, the excuse that he was only looking to heal faster and return to the team quicker, not gain an advantage over other players, is ridiculous. Again, as Abraham points out, Pettitte was gaining an advantage over other players who also had injuries but weren't using HGH to help them heal. As I've said before every players has excuses to justify it to themselves and others - it was to heal faster, it was to perform better on the field and help the team, everyone else was doing it so it wasn't a performance enhancer I was just keeping up with the other players, etc... While more than a few fans are willing to excuse Pettitte's use of HGH because he was trying to return to help the team, in my mind the use of performance enhancers is still wrong regardless of the reasons why he was using.

Pettitte's admission to using HGH is bad news for Roger Clemens. While Pettitte doesn't mention Clemens or Brian McNamee, it certainly makes McNamee's statements seem more credible. Clemens denied everything in his own statement, but it's hard for me to believe that McNamee would tell the truth about Pettitte but lie about Clemens, especially when he had a good relationship with both players until fairly recently.

Some fans feel that MLB is to blame for Pettitte using HGH because they didn't address the problem of performance enhancers soon enough or that Pettitte was manipulated by others into using HGH. I don't agree. Pettitte is the only person who is responsible for what he puts in his own body. He was fully aware of what he was doing. MLB, Clemens, McNamee, nor the media are to blame for Pettitte using HGH.

Many Yankee fans are bending over backwards to discredit the Mitchell Report, but while I believe the report is flawed, I think there's likely a lot of truth there too. That Pettitte used performance enhancers doesn't really change the way I think of him - he's very good pitcher who has helped the Yankees win and will hopefully pitch well for them next season as well. However, unlike many fans I don't think his use of performance enhancers is okay no matter what his excuses are. I accepted a long time ago that the athletes that I admire, whether they're Nascar drivers or baseball players, are going to say and do things that I don't agree with and that doesn't make me any less of a fan of their's. Some fans put the players they admire on pedestals and think that they can do no wrong, but I know that just like any other human beings the players can and will make mistakes and do things that they shouldn't be doing - like Pettitte did when he used HGH.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:17 AM | Comments (0)

December 13, 2007

Yankees Finalize Deal with Alex Rodriguez

No one really noticed because of all the fuss over the Mitchell Report but Alex Rodriguez and the New York Yankees announced that the $275 million deal that will keep A-Rod in the Bronx for the next ten years has been finalized. Maybe that was by design that the announcement was made on a day when they knew that few people would pay much attention.

What's more interesting rather than the actual deal is the comments that A-Rod made regarding the opt-out mess in which he acknowledged that it was extremely poorly handled, and that the timing of the announcement (by Scott Boras) was "distasteful and very inappropriate." Most interesting is that A-Rod indicated that Boras led him to believe that the Yankees weren't interesting in retaining him. I can only guess as to why Boras misled A-Rod in that way, but I would think that was an effort to get A-Rod out on the open market in the hopes of cashing in on a big payday. A-Rod also acknowledged that he should have done things differently - including reaching out to the Yankees personally. Thing is it's hard to know whether A-Rod genuinely means what he's saying regarding the opt-out decision or whether it's just PR in an effort to fix the damage that was done to his image. I've not seen anything to indicate that A-Rod has fired Boras, and if he keeps him, how unhappy is he really with the the job that Boras has done for him?

Posted by silverdsl at 07:06 PM | Comments (0)

Random Thoughts on the Mitchell Report

*Just because a player wasn't named in the Mitchell Report doesn't mean that they never used performance enhancers.

*Members of the New York Yankees without question used performance enhancers. That isn't something that was made up by George Mitchell, Bud Selig, the Red Sox or the media.

*Maybe Brian McNamee exaggerated the truth regarding Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte. Or maybe he told the full and complete truth that he injected both players with performance enhancers. While his allegations should be taken with a grain of salt because there is no collaborating evidence such as the canceled checks that we see in the case of some other players, the information that he provided to George Mitchell shouldn't be immediately dismissed either.

*Contrary to some early rumors, Albert Pujols, Johnny Damon, Jeff Bagwell, and Jason Veritek were NOT named in the Mitchell Report.

*It'll be interesting to see whether any of the players named in the report who haven't already done so, will come clean and admit to their use of performance enhancers or whether there will be denials like the one issued by Roger Clemens. Or maybe we'll hear the ever popular excuses about how the players thought it was vitamins that they were ingesting or being injected with. Sure.

*The report doesn't capture the full picture of the performance enhancers problem in baseball. For one thing it doesn't include any information about the use of greenies, which were probably the most widely used performance enhancer. In addition, information comes from a limited amount of sources. Every active player declined to speak with Mitchell other than Jason Giambi, and Giambi was forced to do so by Selig. There is also no doubt that players obtained performance enhancers from more than just Kirk Radomski and Brian McNamee. Those two only had information about the players they dealt with, but there are many more players who used performance enhancers that they wouldn't have information about.

*Chuck Knoblauch is named as a user of performance enhancers. He should have asked for a refund as they apparently caused him to be unable to field his position or hit.

*The report includes an email exchange in which Theo Epstein brings up Eric Gagne's possible use of steroids to a scout. A number of months after that exchange Epstein traded for Gagne, which to me is an indication that teams don't really care if a player has used performance enhancers as long as it doesn't effect their ability to play and produce for the team.

Posted by silverdsl at 06:28 PM | Comments (0)

The Mitchell Report

The Mitchell Report on the use of performance enhancers in baseball comes out today, in about a half hour to be exact. Odds are there's going to be a number of New York Yankees named besides just those who have already been connected to steroid use. Nothing would surprise me. I believe that the use of performance enhancers in baseball is and has been wide-spread, likely even more so than the Mitchell Report will detail, throughout baseball and across all teams. Especially if one considers amphetamines to be performance enhancers - that this report apparently doesn't address the use of greenies is a major oversight and flaw in my opinion. There are other issues with the Mitchell Report - that George Mitchell was on the payroll for the Red Sox raising the question of potential bias, that no player other than Jason Giambi spoke with Mitchell which means that all of the information of who used comes from others as opposed to the players themselves, not to mention that these players will be accused of using performance enhancers but there's no positive tests in many cases to prove it definitely. In addition, the context of how the players are named is important - there's a big difference between someone saying that they sold steroids directly to a player and someone saying that they suspected a particular player of using. Unfortunately a lot of fans will take it as a done deal that the players named used performance enhancers just because they're named in the report even if they're mentioned in just a casual way. I'm hoping that the full report will be available online somewhere because I'd like to read for myself what it say. More to come...

Posted by silverdsl at 01:23 PM | Comments (0)

November 19, 2007

Alex Rodriguez Wins His Third MVP Award

Speaking of incredible like I just was in relation to Jimmie Johnson, that word also applies to Alex Rodriguez, who won his third MVP award. A-Rod had an amazing season for the New York Yankees with a .314 batting average, 54 homers, 156 RBIs and 143 runs. A-Rod was the first player since Roger Maris in 1961 to lead the majors in homeruns, RBI and runs. It's stats like that which is why the Yankees are re-signing A-Rod to such a big-money, long-term deal because a player with production like that doesn't come around very often. I'm not too thrilled with the way A-Rod and his agent handled the opt-out mess, but I'm in awe of A-Rod's ability as a baseball player, and I'm very happy that he's a Yankee!

Posted by silverdsl at 04:09 PM | Comments (0)

November 15, 2007

Mariano Rivera Wants Guaranteed Foruth Year to Remain With the Yankees

I guess Mariano Rivera wants in on some of the ridiculous amounts of cash that the Yankees have thrown at Jorge Posada and (possibly) Alex Rodriguez. The Yankees made Mariano a very generous offer - 3 years for $45 million, but he apparently wants a guaranteed fourth year. I think Mariano is one of the greatest closers ever in the history of baseball but I think the Yankees are crazy to sign him to a four year contract. At the end of four years Mariano would be 42 years old and I have my doubts about whether he'll be able to be as effective at 42 as Roger Clemens still was. What's particularly concerning is after four years with an ERA under 2 his ERA jumped to 3.15. Maybe that's an aberration for just this season, or maybe at age 38 Mariano, while effective, isn't quite the pitcher he once was. So the Yankees might be taking a risk in signing Mariano for four years. Problem is, unless they want to make Joba Chamberlain the closer, they might not have any other choice but to sign Mariano.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:10 PM | Comments (0)

A-Rod to Return to the Yankees?

Has the world gone mad? Just a couple of weeks after insisting that there was no way that they would negotiate with Alex Rodriguez after he opted out of his contract, that's exactly what the New York Yankees are doing, and it appears likely that A-Rod will return to the Bronx next season to a tune of $270 million over ten years. A-Rod said on his website yesterday,

“Prior to entering into serious negotiations with other clubs, I wanted the opportunity to share my thoughts directly with Yankees’ ownership. We know there are other opportunities for us, but Cynthia and I have a foundation with the club that has brought us comfort, stability and happiness.”

A-Rod's trying to make it seem as if he reached out to the Yankees because of how much he wants to continue playing for the team, but I'd say there's a few other things at play. For one thing, A-Rod's one of the most image conscious players in the game, and he was probably none too pleased at how much of an asshat, Scott Boras made him seem by mishandling the decision to opt-out so badly. In addition, I suspect it was a bit of a surprise to both Boras and A-Rod how little interest there was from other teams. Fact is, even for teams who can afford it, the $350 million that Boras said they were looking for it a lot of money. Tying that kind of money up in one player comes with a lot of risk even if it's invested in a player like A-Rod who is one of the best in the game. Not to mention, some teams may balk at having to deal with some of the baggage that comes with A-Rod, such as this opt-out mess.

On one level, I don't have any complaints about the Yankees re-signing A-Rod. After all, he's one of the best players in the game, a force at the plate and he'll help them win for years to come. But the way the opt-out decision was handled left an extremely bad taste in my mouth, and it's going to be hard for me to view A-Rod in the same way that I once did. I was extremely disappointed by the way things went with the opt-out, particularly the timing of the announcement and that A-Rod initially refused to meet with the Yankees before opting out. Although A-Rod and those around him will likely try to shift blame onto Boras, ultimately the responsibility for much of the way things went rests with A-Rod. He made the decision to opt out, he refused to meet with the Yankees, he gave the impression that he didn't want to play for the team anymore, and most importantly, he allowed Boras to handle the decision to opt out in the way that he did. A-Rod could have put his foot down a lot sooner, but didn't.

Some fans are upset with the Yankees for negotiating with A-Rod after they took such a hard stance after he opted out. But I understand why they've reversed course. Fact is, when there's an opportunity to re-sign the best player in the game who was key to the team this season you do it. Short of bloody murder, the Yankees are going to overlook just about anything and let by-gones be by-gones if it means keeping a key player who they think will help them win for years to come.

Of course the money that's involved is ridiculous. Make no mistake A-Rod opted out of his contract because he wanted even more cash than he was already raking in. $270 million (and it could be more with incentives) is more money than anyone can spend in a lifetime and that comes on top of all the money he's already earned in baseball and through various endorsements and business ventures. The greed that's involved is disgusting to me. I don't blame the players for wanting to get the money they think they're worth, and it's a reality of the way that things work that they get millions of dollars thrown at them, but it's outrageous to me that one person is going to earn all that money. And it's not like he saves lives or is an international peace keeper - he may be very talented, but A-Rod is only a baseball player.

So unless things fall apart at the last minute it looks like A-Rod will be playing for the Yankees next season, something that seemed unlikely just last week. Unbelievable.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:05 AM | Comments (0)

November 06, 2007

Andy Pettitte Declines $16 Million Option

While many fans are falling all over themselves to poo-poo Andy Pettitte declining his $16 million option with the New York Yankees as no big deal, I think it's very much is cause for concern. It's not Pettitte becoming a free agent and signing with another team that's an issue - he's said that either he'll play for the Yankees or retire next season and that he just needs more time to decide what he wants to do. It's that if Pettitte opts to retire, it leaves the Yankees without a player they were counting on next season for their rotation. Sure, Pettitte might decide he wants to keep pitching and return to the Yankees next season, but just as he hasn't said for sure he's retiring, he's also not said for sure he's coming back. Fact is, losing Pettitte would be a big deal for the Yankees. Some fans seem to think that the Yankees can sign or trade for any player at any time to fill their holes, but quality pitchers don't grow on trees, not every team is willing to make trades with the Yankees, and not every player wants to play in the Bronx.

This isn't the first time that Pettitte has talked about being unsure if he wants to continue pitching. He expressed many of the same sentiments even before the 2006 season started, and it seems like he's made a few similar comments since. That was one reason I was concerned when the Yankees signed Pettitte prior to the 2007 season because I'm leery of a player who waffles about whether they still have the desire to continue playing. I think it's a bit unusual for a player who isn't ancient and appears to still have the ability to play the game well to consider retiring every season. Usually the ball has to be pried out of player's hands because their competitive spirit is so great, and they try to extend their careers well past when they should retire and go out gracefully. Some fans have wondered whether the Mitchell report and the possibility that Pettitte might be named could be a factor. I think that's not too likely considering Pettitte has felt this way for a few years now.

Some think there's no way that Pettitte will retire, since in their minds no player would ever turn down an opportunity to play for the Yankees. But the reality is that the Yankees are a team in transition. Joe Torre is gone, Don Mattingly is gone, A-Rod is gone, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera, may leave as well. Pettitte may rather retire than play for a team that might be very different than the Yankees teams of the past he's played on.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:44 AM | Comments (0)

November 02, 2007

What Does $350 Million Get You?

Well, if you're the New York Yankees, $350 million would have gotten you Alex Rodriguez for eight years. If you're Bruton Smith and SMI, you can buy New Hampshire International Speedway for $340 million, use it for a lot longer than eight years and still have $10 million left over. That's how ridiculous A-Rod's demand was that the Yankees make him an offer worth at least $350 million if he was to meet with them. The purchase of a race track actually cost less than the amount that an individual baseball player wanted a team to pay him! Insanity. A-Rod already has more money than he'll be able to spend in a lifetime. I don't expect him to play for nothing, but at the same time how much is enough? Will his next contract have another opt-out clause that will allow him to become a free agent again, and try to leverage even more money out of some team? Whatever team ends up with A-Rod better hope that he not only has an MVP season every year, but that he also gets over his inability to be productive in the post-season.

As for SMI buying New Hampshire, I'm not too happy about it since it will likely lead to one of New Hampshire's Cup dates being shifted to Las Vegas. I'm not against Las Vegas getting another Cup race, but I don't think it's right for a track that sells out every Cup race to lose a date. If Las Vegas is to get another Cup race, maybe a track that doesn't sellout should be the track to lose a date. This past weekend at Atlanta there were supposedly many empty seats, and I realized that since there's so many sponsors based in the Atlanta area, there would likely have been even more empty seats without large blocks of tickets being given to those sponsors for their employees. When Nascar is dealing with a decline in fans who are willing to buy tickets to races, and a decline in ratings, it doesn't make sense to me that they would take a date away from a part of the country where the fans are extremely supportive.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:12 PM | Comments (0)

October 30, 2007

Joe Girardi New Manager of the New York Yankees

Although it was assumed by many that Don Mattingly was a shoo-in to replace Joe Torre, I hoped that the New York Yankees would select Joe Girardi, so I'm thrilled that's what they ended up doing. Even though Girardi lasted only one season as the manager of the Florida Marlins due to a clash with the Marlins's owners, he was impressive enough to win National League Manager of the Year, no easy feat considering it was his first season managing any team, let alone the Marlins. Apparently Girardi impressed the Yankees with his ideas, and that along with that he had slightly more managerial experience than Mattingly probably gave him the edge. Tony Pena was also interviewed but never seemed to be seriously considered by the Yankees. Girardi was one of my favorites when he played for the Yankees and I was happy when he returned to the team as a bench coach, and most recently as a member of the Yankees broadcast team. I'm even happier that he'll be managing the Yankees next season and beyond! Torre had a very laidback style whereas Girardi seems to manage with more emotion. At times the past couple of years the Yankees have played very lifeless baseball - hopefully we'll see much less of that attitude with Girardi there to spark them.

As is to be expected Mattingly didn't take the news very well that he wasn't selected to manage the Yankees next season and immediately announced through his agent that he wouldn't be returning to the Yankees coaching staff next season. Speculation is that Joe Torre will be named manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers once they fire Grady Little and that Mattingly will follow Torre to the Dodgers to be his bench coach as he was under Torre in the Bronx. In some ways it'll be sadder to see Mattingly go to another team than Torre but I can understand why he might not want to stay.

Times are definitely changing in the Bronx and I'm looking forward to seeing how it all plays out. And A-Rod is still an a$$hat.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:40 PM | Comments (0)

October 29, 2007

Alex Rodriguez Opts Out

This fan of the New York Yankees is very disappointed today. Not because the Boston Red Sox won the World Series - they were the better team and once the Yankees were eliminated from the post-season the Red Sox were my pick to win, so that doesn't upset me at all. What I'm extremely disappointed by is Alex Rodriguez's decision to opt-out of his contract, which pretty much puts an end to his tenure as a Yankee. A-Rod has long been one of my favorite players, well before he was a Yankee, but I'm not too happy with the way he's handled himself in relation to his decision to opt-out.

A-Rod's agent, Scott Boras claimed that A-Rod opted out because he had concerns about whether Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera were going to return to the Yankees. I'm calling BS on that. First of all, A-Rod played for the Yankees for a couple of years prior to Pettitte rejoining the team. But more than that, A-Rod never gave the Yankees the courtesy of a face-to-face meeting so he could find out what direction they were planning on taking the team in and what they were going to do to ensure that the players he was supposedly so concerned about were going to remain in pinstripes. By not meeting with the Yankees, he also didn't give them the opportunity to offer him a contract extension, which was rumored to be for an additional five years and $140 million. A-Rod never even returned phone calls from Hal or Hank Steinbrenner! Hello, show some common courtesy for the team you've been with for the past four years!

What it boils down to to is what Hank Steinbrenner told The Daily News,

"It's clear he didn't want to be a Yankee. He doesn't understand the privilege of being a Yankee on a team where the owners are willing to pay $200 million to put a winning product on the field. I don't want anybody on my team that doesn't want to be a Yankee."

I have to agree. If A-Rod had any interest in remaining a Yankee he would have returned their phone calls and met with them. He would have at least listened to their contract extension offer. But knowing that the Yankees planned on taking a hard-line stance about negotiating with him if he opted out says to me that A-Rod didn't want to stay in pinstripes. And I also don't want a player on the team who doesn't really want to be there.

I'm also irked by the handling of the announcement. There is no excuse for making this announcement during game four of the World Series. It's incredibly disrespectful to all who are involved with the World Series, from MLB to the teams and players involved, because there shouldn't be any announcements made that take focus away from the World Series. Now much of the media attention isn't solely on the Red Sox winning, but also on A-Rod opting out. The Red Sox shouldn't have to share the spotlight. But it's typical Scott Boras - no regard for anything other than getting his clients a big payday which in turns means a lot of cash coming his way as well. Boras didn't even wait for a return phone call from Brian Cashman after he left a voicemail before making the announcement.

Some Yankee fans feel that the team won't miss A-Rod in the least. Ridiculous. It's true that A-Rod has been a non-factor in the playoffs but he's a big reason why the Yankees made the post-season this year. MVP type players don't grown on trees. How exactly are the Yankees going to replace his bat during the regular season? And what happens if Posada also leaves the team? The Yankees could end up with some major holes they need to fill and that's not even taking into consideration that they may have issues with the pitching staff as well if Rivera and Pettitte walk too!

What a kick in the head this is to the Yankee fans like myself who have supported A-Rod even when he struggled so much last season. There were plenty of fans who booed A-Rod unmercifully, and maybe that played a role in why he's opting out because he doesn't want to deal with that kind of negativity, but there's also a tremendous amount of fans, maybe even the majority of fans who might not have been happy with A-Rod's lack of production and lack of clutch at times, but cheered for him regardless. Of course players have to do what they feel is best for themselves and their careers, not do what the fans want them to do, but I'm still left with an incredibly sour taste in my mouth.

Posted by silverdsl at 08:51 AM | Comments (0)

October 18, 2007

New York Yankees Part Ways with Joe Torre

The Joe Torre era is over in the Bronx. Today Torre rejected a deal worth a minimum of $5 million and as much as $8 million with incentives to manage the New York Yankees next season. Although the deal would have still made Torre the highest paid manager in baseball, it appears that Torre might not have taken too kindly to the idea of performance-based incentives. Some fans are practically hysterical that Torre won't be managing the Yankees next season and are predicting disaster, but I don't think a managerial change is a bad thing. I appreciate everything that Torre has done to guide the Yankees to so much success the many years that he's been manager but it seems to me that it's time for the Yankees to move in a new direction, with a new manager. I have no clue who will end up managing the Yankees next season. The top candidates appear to be Don Mattingly or Joe Girardi but there's quite a few others who might be available who would probably work out well.

One big question is going to be what happens with Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Alex Rodriguez since there's been some speculation that those players might either opt out of their contracts or choose to not re-sign if there was a manager other than Torre next season. That's a concern. The Yankees have no replacement for Rivera or Posada if they were to sign elsewhere - elite closers and catchers who can also hit don't grow on trees. A-Rod's production at the plate will be impossible to replace. Pettitte has also been solid for the Yankees. So it'll be very interesting to see how that all plays out and what moves the Yankees make.

Posted by silverdsl at 05:25 PM | Comments (0)

October 09, 2007

Yankees Eliminated From Playoffs

I haven't really blogged much about the New York Yankees or baseball for quite some time, not because I'm any less of a fan, just because I have less time to blog these days and I figured I would just concentrate mostly on Nascar since those entries seem to be the ones that are read the most. However, I can't ignore the fact that the Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs last night. I was pretty disappointed in the way the Yankees played in this series against the Cleveland Indians. That they nearly got swept speaks to how they couldn't seem to get anything done - neither the pitching nor the offense was there and at times even the defense looked a little shaky.They were a mere shadow of the team that stepped up and won so much during the second half of the season after many - including myself - thought they had no chance of making the post-season.

On one hand I'm just happy that they played in the post-season. In July when they were so many game out of both the division lead and the wild card I thought that the Yankees were done. I was thrilled when they proved me wrong and not only grabbed the wild card, but made the Boston Red Sox sweat for the division lead. However, once they got to Cleveland it was like the wheels fell off. The hitting was completely non-existent and although Andy Pettitte pitched well in his start, overall the pitching wasn't as dominant as it needed to be. When the Yankees were down two games I knew it was unlikely they were going to pull this one out like they've done in the past when they've been in a similar position. I don't think the depth is there like it has been with World Series winning teams of the past.

Over the weekend George Steinbrenner said that Joe Torre wouldn't be brought back as manager if the Yankees didn't win this series. While I'm not against a change in manager, I think it's ridiculous to blame Torre for the failings of his players. He did he best he could with the players he was given, and many of them were ineffective or underperformed. There's nothing he can do about Roger Clemens being injured, Mike Mussina getting old or Derek Jeter being cold at the plate. If Steinbrenner follows through it's likely that Don Mattingly or Joe Girardi will become the next Yankees manager, but I'm not sure either one of them will have better luck with this group of players than Torre did.

I could rant and rave and place blame on individual players for the Yankees losing this series, but the reality is that the Yankees win and lose as a team. As a whole they failed to execute, and failed to win this series. Some of best Yankees teams of the past are those who didn't necessarily have a lot of big superstars, but simply had players who knew how to work well together and how to win.

One thing's for sure - in this off-season the Yankees must ensure that Alex Rodriguez stays. If he opts out of his contract and goes elsewhere, the Yankees are in big trouble. Although A-Rod struggles to be productive in the post-season, he is one of the best players in baseball and he certainly showed that this season. Without A-Rod it's likely that the Yankees would never have even made the playoffs.

I would have liked to have seen the Yankees advance to the next round at least, though of course it would have been awesome to see them in the World Series again, but after how poor the first half of this season was for the Yankees I think I'm just glad they were in the playoffs at all.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:44 AM | Comments (0)

June 22, 2007

Random Thoughts on Random Thoughts

*Jason Giambi agreed yesterday to speak with Sen. George Mitchell as part of his on-going investigation into the use of performance enhancers in baseball. What choice did Giambi have really? If he didn't talk he risked a suspension by Bud Selig, which would have led to a major legal battle between the Player's Union and MLB, which he surely didn't want to go though. I think it's ridiculous that Giambi was forced to speak with Mitchell, as punishment for having the courage to be one of the few people who actually used performance enhancers who has given some honest opinions about it. There's probably very little to be gained by Mitchell in his discussions with Giambi that weren't already known thanks to the leaked grand jury testimony in the BALCO case since Giambi has already said that he won't talk about other player's use of performance enhancers. Selig will surely point to this as an example of how successful the investigation is, though I think it's highly unlikely the investigation overall will uncover any new information or come to any earth-shattering conclusions. Giambi will continue to be the poster-boy, along with Barry Bonds, for steroid use, even though there are surely countless other players who have or are using performance enhancers.

*Dale Earnhardt, Jr. signed a deal with a sponsor, but it's not for his new ride at Hendrick Motorsports. Instead, it's a personal endorsement deal with Sony, something Junior is very happy about given his love of computers and other electronic devices. Word is a similar deal is in the works with Adidas, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him sign one or two other deals like this as time goes on. At DEI Junior apparently had a lot more restrictions about what kind of sponsorship deals he could enter into, even personal endorsement deals, but at Hendrick, there's far less issues of that nature. So I expect that Junior's "people" will look to capitalize on the desire by many companies to use the sport's most popular driver to promote their products or services.

*Speedway Motorsports, Inc. has decided to put North Carolina Motor Speedway, otherwise known as Rockingham, aka "The Rock" up for auction. Apparently they've been unable to find a buyer, which gives an indication of what the track and the land it's on is worth. I heard someone from SMI on XM yesterday, and he was very much trying to push the idea of a team or manufacturer buying it to use as a test track, particularly since it's only a couple of hours from Charlotte. But I imagine there would be considerable costs associated with purchasing the track, renovating it to suit that purpose, and then maintaining it that most organizations probably wouldn't want to deal with. It's sad that The Rock is up for auction - Steve Park won his second Cup race at this track, and it was a very emotional and meaningful win, not only to Steve's fans, but to many in the garage area, since it came the week after Dale Earnhardt's death.

*The Trucks and Busch cars race at Milwaukee this weekend, while the Cup Series is at Infineon. Normally, I'd be extremely excited about the race at Infineon since I love road course racing. However, some of the excitement is gone for me since Michael Waltrip won't even be attempting to make this race since he's put Terry Labonte in the #55. Unlike some fans who don't even turn the race on if their favorite driver isn't racing, I'll still be watching, just like I've watched all the other races this season whether Michael was racing or not, I just wish that he was going to be the one in the #55 this weekend since this is such a good track for him. One day Michael will retire, and I'll have to find a new driver to be my favorite, though I suspect I'll never like another driver as much as I like Michael, just like I've never found another baseball player who is as much of a favorite as David Cone was. But for now, I'd like to see him at least trying to make races.

Posted by silverdsl at 12:59 PM | Comments (0)

May 31, 2007

Speaking of What A-Rod Does on the Field...

Last night Alex Rodriguez was involved with a controversial play during the game between the New York Yankees and the target="_blank"Toronto Blue Jays, a game in which the Yankees went on to win 10-5. In the 9th inning Jorge Posada hit what should have been a catchable fly ball, but A-Rod was on base, and as he passed third baseman Howie Clark he yelled something (he says it was just "Ha," the Blue Jays say it was more like "I got it!"), which caused Clark to back off because he mistakenly thought it was the shortstop, John McDonald calling for the ball. The result was that no one caught the ball, and it turned into a run-scoring single. Naturally the Blue Jays were livid, and I can't say I blame them.

I like the fact that A-Rod plays hard, and trys to make things happen on the field. However, just like I wasn't completely comfortable with "The Slap" or more recently "The Elbow," when A-Rod jammed his elbow into Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia as he was sliding into second in an effort to break up a double play, I'm not comfortable by what A-Rod did last night. To most Yankee fans it's hysterical that he fooled the Blue Jays, but I wish that that he didn't feel the need to resort to tricks like that. Fact is, he made the Blue Jays look stupid, and humiliated them in front of their own fans. But more importantly than that, what's going to happen the next time these two teams play? Odds are that the Blue Jays are going to be looking for some revenge which may come in the form of A-Rod getting hit when he goes up to bad, which could lead to the Yankees retaliating and even more bad blood. The Yankees simply don't need to be drawn into any petty nonsense with other teams when they have to be concerned with winning as many games as possible to turn this season around.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:57 PM | Comments (0)

It's hard for me to understand the fascination with the personal lives of athletes or any celebrities for that matter. Sure, I pay a little attention to who's dating who, and read some gossip columns on occassion. But for the most part I think the personal lives of those that I'm a fan of isn't really much of my business, unless something happens that's especially newsworthy or effects the way they race, play the game or otherwise go about their chosen career path. I also accept that athletes cheating on their significant others is common and an accepted part of many athlete's lifestyles. To be clear, I don't agree with people cheating on their significant others, and that's not a choice I would make in my own life. However, I also accept that not everyone is going to live their lives the way I would. I also suspect that if I stopped being a fan of everyone who ever cheated on their significant other, I might have a hard time finding anyone to cheer for.

But a lot of people don't see things as I do. To many fans the recent stories in some of the New York area newspapers about Alex Rodriguez being spotted with a woman who wasn't his wife is big news. Not that anyone actually knows who this woman is, or what kind of an arrangement A-Rod might have with his wife, but that hasn't stopped any number of people from leaping to all sorts of conclusions. Some of which may very well be true, but it seems to me that the status of A-Rod's marriage is something that's between him and his wife. Not that I like it, but I can understand why a photographer followed A-Rod and his lady friend, as well as why the Post printed the photos since they knew it was going to sell a lot of papers. Still, I think it's very unfortunate that A-Rod's private life is suddenly a topic of discussion as much as how he plays the game.

Posted by silverdsl at 01:12 PM | Comments (0)

May 23, 2007

Jason Giambi Tested Positive for Amphetamines?

There has to be a huge question mark on the title of this entry, because no where in the exclusive story has about how supposedly Jason Giambi tested positive for amphetamines in the past year do they offer up a single shred of evidence that this is true, other than "sources" told them that he failed the test. The test results of which are supposed to be kept strictly confidential from everyone outside of MLB's Health Policy Advisory Committee and Giambi, because it's a first offense in relation to testing positive for amphetamines. So one immediately has to wonder where this information came from, and whether The Daily News's "sources" are actually in a position to know, if so few people are informed when a player tests positive for a first offense.

That Giambi might have tested positive for amphetamines should come as no surprise, regardless of his involvement with Balco. The fact is that the use of amphetamines, aka "greenies," has been widespread by players for years. It's likely that numerous players on every team have or are currently still using amphetamines, at least occassionally. The attittudes among players towards amphetamines isn't the same as it is regarding steroids or other performance enhancers, and many of them don't think it's a big deal to drink some spiked coffee or pop some greenies before a game. My guess is that since the penalities for testing positive the first time are so light, including that the positive test results aren't make public, more than a few players are probably willing to risk continuing to use amphetamines to fight the fatigue that comes from playing such a long season.

But I can't get beyond the fact that The Daily News nothing including nothing more than what some mysterious "sources" told them as a basis for this article. To be clear, that doesn't mean that I think the story's false, simply that I don't like it when the media doesn't do a good job of sourcing their stories, or providing factual information to back-up what they're claiming is true. I'd feel a lot more comfortable if instead of just saying "sources," they said "sources in the Commissioner's Office," or "a highly placed Yankee official," or "a source close to Jason Giambi," to put this information in context. Otherwise, there's no way of knowing how accurate this story is since anyone can claim anything if they know they're going to be completely anonymous. How are we supposed to know if the "sources" are perhaps just some employees of the Yankees who might have heard some higher-ups speculating, or whether they're actually people in a position to really know?

In addition, there's the agenda of the source to consider. Is someone feeding The Daily News this information because they want to stop Giambi from speaking further publically about performance enhancers? Are they trying to ensure that other players don't speak up too? Are the Yankees looking for other ways to make Giambi look bad to help them void his contract, as it's been rumored they'd like to do? As someone on NYYFans.com brought up, could Giambi himself have leaked this information to make it seem as if his comments about "doing that stuff" referred to amphetamines, not steroids? I also think it's very convienient that the only two players that I can recall information about them having tested positive for amphetamines becoming public knowledge are Giambi and Barry Bonds, two players already tainted by their association with Balco. Seems to me that it's a good way of showing that testing is working if news of positive tests are leaked, but this way no damage is done to players who to this point aren't connected to performance enhancers.

What boggles my mind is that even after being the posterboy for the use of steroids, and his involvement with Balco, to the point where he had to testify in front of a grand jury, Giambi still might not have had enough sense to stay away from performance enhancers. And make no mistake - amphetamines are a performance enhancer even though a lot of people don't view them in the same way. Giambi should have been doing everything in his power to make sure every test he takes comes back negative. Instead he felt the need to once again put something in his body that he shouldn't in the hope of getting an edge, an advantage, or more likely since he was using amphetamines, trying to give himself some extra energy and focus for a game when he was feeling particularly wornout.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:25 AM | Comments (0)

May 18, 2007

What Was Tino Martinez Thinking?

Tino Martinez was always one of my favorite players before he retired in 2005. However, I don't care for comments he made on Michael Kay's ESPN radio show this week about the current players on the New York Yankees, a team he was a member of for seven seasons, including just before he retired. Tino said,

"It seems like too many guys get hurt and take days off, and there's not that really burning desire to win from nine or 10 guys. You have two or three guys playing hard every day but you don't see the whole entire team just getting after it night after night."

and

"It eats [Jeter and Posada] up inside when the team loses. It drives them crazy when they're [eight] games behind. It just seems a lot of [other] guys really don't care."

Now I would agree with Tino that at times the team collectively seems to play with a lack of fire. It's frustrating to see, and it's particularly troubling to see instances in which players don't appear to be playing hard. However, I think singling out Derek and Jorge as the only two Yankees who care about winning and play hard is ridiculous and insulting to the rest of the players on the team.

For one thing Tino's not in the clubhouse anymore. I have no doubt that he tallks to Derek and Jorge often since he's long-time close friends with them, and there's likely other players he might interact with. But he's simply not around the team enough anymore to pass judgement on who cares about winning and who doesn't. He really had no idea about the mindset of the majority of players. I find it very hard to believe that players like Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, both of whom won multiple World Series with Tino; Mike Mussina, Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui or Johnny Damon, who won a World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2004, don't care about winning. These are players who have enjoyed a great deal of success during their careers and I doubt they'd be able to achieve that if they didn't care about what happened on the field.

In addition, Tino seems to connect the Yankees injury issues, and that there's players who've missed time due to injuries with a lack of a desire to win. Also ridiculous. There may be some attitude issues for Carl Pavano, but otherwise there's been a rash of hamstring injuries, and it's essential for players with that kind of an injury to take as much time as is needed to heal before returning to the field. I also don't recall that there were any players other than Pavano who've had injuries that have lingered on the disabled listed longer than has seemed necessary.

Tino was a big part of the Yankees World Series Championships in 1996, and 1998-2000. He also came through at the plate for the Yankees many times. However, there were also times that Tino slumped at the plate, so badly in fact at times that Joe Torre had no choice but to bench him. Did those times reflect a lack of desire to win on Tino's part? Of course not. So I don't know why he would accuse other players of not caring about winning because they're struggling right now.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:02 PM | Comments (0)

Jason Giambi Apologizes for Doing "That Stuff"

Not only did Jason Giambi apologize for doing "that stuff," which is obviously steroids/performance enhancers, he also thinks that all of MLB needs to make some apologizes. He said,

"I was wrong for doing that stuff. What we should have done a long time ago was stand up — players, ownership, everybody — and said: 'We made a mistake.' We should have apologized back then and made sure we had a rule in place and gone forward. … Steroids and all of that was a part of history. But it was a topic that everybody wanted to avoid. Nobody wanted to talk about it."

Giambi's getting slammed for daring to be critical of MLB, and for daring to say that an apology is owed, but I think he's right. First of all, who better knows what was going on regarding the use of steroids and performance enhancers through the years than Giambi? If he thinks there's something to apologize for, there likely is. I also think he's dead-on in that Major League Baseball's handling of the issue of performance enhancers in the sport was dreadful until Congress got involved. Everyone looked the other way - MLB who didn't have testing rules in place with strong enough punishments for players who tested positive until fairly recently, teams who surely knew that players on their teams were using but looked the other way, and players themselves who either used or knew that some of their teammates were using and kept silent. It's absolutely correct that no one wanted to talk about steroids in the past, and they still don't want to talk about it as evidenced by George Mitchell struggling to get players to talk to him for the investigation he's leading for MLB into the issue of steroids. MLB should have taken a stronger stance on the use of performance enhancers in the sport a long time ago, and considering there's still players testing positive, they still have a way to go before they eliminate the problem completely.

Giambi also said,

"Unfortunately, (the rumors) are going to be a part of it. But that's OK. I'm probably tested more than anybody else. I'm not hiding anything,. That stuff didn't help me hit home runs. I don't care what people say, nothing is going to give you that gift of hitting a baseball."

I have to agree. If steroids magically made players into All-Stars who hit endless homeruns then the other Giambi brother - Jeremy needs to get his money back from his supplier since he also used steroids and they did nothing for him. I think performance enhancers do exactly what their name indicates - enhances. Steroids can't made a bad player into a great one, but they can help good players be even better. Steroids aren't what gives players a good eye at the plate, or the knowledge a pitcher needs to know how to throw a baseball, or what pitch they need to throw to get hitters out.

But what Giambi said about the rumor is probably what's damaged the sport forever. Fans will always suspect that players implicated in Balco or who have tested positive are still using but that they just haven't been caught again yet. In addition, fans will also always be suspicious that other players are using and either haven't tested positive or are using HGH, a performance enhancer that MLB doesn't test for. Not only that but fans are constantly questioning records and achievements of the past as to whether they were achieved with help from performance enhancers. The sport is tainted and damaged in a way that it's likely to never fully recover from.

While others are ripping Giambi for his comments, I'm somewhat impressed with him for being one of the only players involved with performance enhancers who has stepped up to apologize and be as candid as he can about using.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:34 PM | Comments (0)

May 07, 2007

More on Roger Clemens Return to the Yankees

I know I should be happier about Roger Clemens making a return to pinstripes. And I am glad that the New York Yankees signed Clemens because I know that there's a good chance that he's going to help them win. Still, as I mentioned in a previous entry I'm not a big fan of Clemens. But besides that there's something about paying one player $28 million (pro-rated) for one season's worth of work that doesn't sit quite right with me. I'm not a big fan of a lot of the big-money deals because it often seems excessive to me, maybe because I know I'll never earn anywhere close to a $1 million a year, let alone $28 million. However, it particularly bothers me when an older player is involved. Sure, Clemens hasn't show any signs of slowing down, but eventually his age is going to catch up with him. In addition, one has to wonder if Clemens is going to be as effective in his return to the American League as he was in the National League where the bottom of the order is weaker given how the pitcher bats. Of course it's not my money so I shouldn't be concerned that the Yankees were willing to sign Clemens at any price, but I still can't find myself able to jump up and down about big-money deals like this one.

In addition, I don't like how Clemens is going to get special treatment from his teammates. Clemens will have the option of not traveling on road trips if he's not pitching so he can spend more time with his family. Last season Joe Torre had indicated that he wouldn't agree to that kind of a scenario with any player, not even Clemens, but apparently he changed his mind, maybe because of how desperate the Yankees need for quality pitching is. Supposedly the veteran players were asked if they would object to the special treatment for Clemens, and all of them supposedly indicated that it would be fine with them. But I have to wonder if at some point some players may come to resent Clemens being able to stay home when he wants to. I'm sure there's many players who would love to spend extra time with their families, some of whom are also very talented. Some may wonder why they can't do the same. I think that could especially become an issue if Clemens doesn't live up to expectations - Clemens not pitching well or the team not winning could really sour the current good will he's enjoying with fans and everyone else before he's actually taken the mound t his season.

Hopefully I'll be wrong but something about this is giving me a bad feeling that Clemens might not be the savior that many Yankee fans are hoping he'll be. Hopefully I'll be wrong about that though.

Posted by silverdsl at 06:47 PM | Comments (0)

May 06, 2007

Roger Clemens to Return to the New York Yankees

Roger Clemens just announced to the crowd at Yankee Stadium between innings that he's making a return to pitch for the New York Yankees. With the Yankees pitching woes that's not a big surprise - the Yankees probably threw a ton of money at him, plus agreed to any special treatment that Clemens wanted to make sure that he'd come back. Not to mention close friend, Andy Pettitte re-joined the Yankees prior to this season as well. Apparently Clemens won't be ready to pitch for another month which means that the Yankees still have to find a way to fill the holes in their rotation until then. But once he joins the rotation, hopefully Clemens will be just as good as he was in his first go-around in pinstripes, and he'll help the Yankees get back to the post-season.

That said, I dislike Clemens. A lot. I never liked him the first time he was a Yankee, I didn't care for the way he retired and unretired several times, and I still don't like him. But I'll cheer for him if he helps the Yankees win games.

Perhaps I should get something bedazzled to celebrate this happy event.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:19 PM | Comments (0)

April 16, 2007

New York Yankees Place Carl Pavano, Mike Mussina on the Disabled List

With Chien-Ming Wang already on the disabled list with a pulled hamstring, the last thing the New York Yankees needed was for any more of their starters to get injured, but that's exactly what's happened. The Yankees have now lost two more starters to injury. It should be a surprise to no one that just two starts into the season, Carl Pavano is back on the DL - he's so fragile that just getting out of bed in the morning is probably risky. But I think most were counting on Mike Mussina to stay healthy and be one of the foundations of the starting rotation - hard to do on the DL.

Pavano is downplaying the tightness in his forearm that put him on the DL, but any kind of pain in a pitcher's throwing arm isn't a good thing. Pavano also hasn't shown the ability that other players have to pitch through pain either. I'd like to be optimistic and think that it's as the Yankees are saying, that they're putting him on the DL just as a precaution, and that he'll be back after the minimum DL stint. But I'm not holding my breath. What would be minor injuries for other players seem to be season ending for Pavano. It's unfortunate because in his last start he was pretty solid. I've always said if healthy Pavano could help the Yankees win, it's just that he's rarely able to stay healthy.

As for Mussina, given his age I think it's too be expected that he might have some injury issues here and there, but I definitely didn't think the Yankees would lose him in the first month of the season. The worst part is that hamstring injuries can be notoriously slow to heal so there's no telling how much time Mussina might miss. Hopefully though this won't be something that lingers and Mussina will be back soon because I think the Yankees really need him.

What's troublesome is how many hamstring injuries the Yankees have had to deal with so far. It might just be coincidence but Wang, Mussina and Hideki Matsui all have hamstring injuries. In addition Andy Pettitte hurt his back lifting weights and Johnny Damon strained his calf. So attention has turned toward the Yankees strength and conditioning program, which has undergone some changes this season, after the longtime strength and conditioning coach, Jeff Manigold was fired at the end of last season. New "Director of Performance Enhancement" (really!) Dave Miller has de-emphasized running to build leg strength, and also changed some of the stretching routines the players would do with Mangold before games. Does that mean MIller is to blame for the injuries? Maybe not. However, it should concern the Yankees that just after they make changes in that area, there's so many muscle related injuries, and it should especiallly send up a red flag when players have themselves expressed concern and not fully embraced Miller's program.

I think what really got my attention in relation to Miller is how little experience he has working with professional atheletes, and none of it recently. Miller's experience in professional baseball is limited to two years in the Montreal Expos minor league system as a trainer, adn for the last nine years he's been a fitness director at a country club in Palm Gardens, Florida. So I have to ask, how exactly did he get this job? It seems to me that the Yankees would want someone with at least some experience working with major league players to ensure that he or she understands the demands on a MLB player's body, and what their needs are. There's a big difference between the strength and conditioning routine for a member of the New York Yankees, and a retired executive working out at a country club.

Back to Mussina and Pavano, does losing them mean the Yankees are doomed? Of course not. It's only April, so there's still plenty of baseball to be played. Hopefully both players willl be back in the minimum amount of time. However, it's a real concern when three of the Yankees starters are on the DL, and the defense has been shaky. The Yankees have to play solid baseball anyway to get back to the post-season, but without most of their starting rotation, the rest of the team is going to have to really step it up until those three pitchers return.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:03 AM | Comments (0)

April 07, 2007

A-Rod is the Man!!!

Alex Rodriguez has long been critcized for not coming through in the clutch for the New York Yankees, to the point where just a few games into the season, he's been booed when he doesn't get an RBI hit when the Yankees need one. Well, this afternoon he came though in a very big way! In the 9th inning with the Yankees down by one run, and the bases loaded, A-Rod came to bat. And he showed why he's considered one of the best players in the game. With two strikes, A-Rod hit a monster grand slam to win the game! That should quiet some of the fans who are so quick to boo, at least for a few games. A-Rod's a truly outstanding player that the Yankees are lucky to have. He was the MVP as a Yankee a couple of years ago, and he had two homeruns in this game alone. Good game for Jason Giambi as well, who hit a three-run homerun to break out of a mini-slump.

What wasn't so good is that Hideki Matsui had to leave today's game with a hamstring strain. Hopefully it's nothing too serious because they're already missing Johnny Damon who's recovering from a strained calf.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:35 PM | Comments (0)

March 30, 2007

Carl Pavano Named Yankees Opening Day Starter

Carl Pavano is being handed a golden opportunity to go from zero to hero, but will he make the most of it? Hard to believe, but after not having pitched in the majors since 2005 due to various injuries, "Glass Ass" as he was dubed by one fan, has been named the New York Yankees Opening Day starter. It's not because they want him on the mound on Monday of course since the Yankees have no clue what they're really going to get out of Pavano this season in spite of some positive signs during Spring Training that he might be able to contribute on the mound for the Yankees instead of as the butt of all the jokes in the clubhouse. Unfortunately, Andy Pettitte's back spasms, and Chien-Ming Wang's strained hamstring, means that Pavano will have to be pressed into duty since the other option would have been making Mike Mussina pitch on short rest. No reason to do that for a game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at the beginning of the season, even if it is Opening Day.

Many fans are predicting that Pavano will be a disaster, not just on Opening Day but in every start until he inevitably injures himself. I'm willing to give Pavano a chance to show that he can be a decent pitcher. It seems to me after having missed so much time, and there being so many questions about his mental make-up and talent, that Pavano might be extra-motivated to prove himself to his team, to the media and to the fans. Problem is will he be able to stay healthy for long enough to do that? If Pavano can keep himself from getting injured - maybe enclosing himself in a glass bubble when he's not on the mound would help - and he can pitch well enough to help the Yankees win more often than he puts them in a position where they might lose due to his pitching, then a lot of the past problems with him will be forgotten. Only time will tell how successful he'll be.

Posted by silverdsl at 01:26 PM | Comments (0)

March 13, 2007

Random Thoughts on Random Thoughts

*Why couldn't I be this lucky when I was eight-years old? Eight-year old twins in Arkansas found a 2.5 carat diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park,where visitors are encouraged to look for diamonds in the park. As a collector of gems and minerals myself, it definitely sounds like my kind of place! The diamond that the twins found is thought to be worth thousands of dollars - I wonder if they'll get to keep it, or whether their parents will sell it for them?

*Word is that Gary Sheffield's first choice was to go to the Boston Red Sox during the off-season. No wonder the New York Yankees excercised their option on his contract and then traded him to the Detroit Tigers. Both Sheffield and David Ortiz talk about how Sheffield didn't get credit and how his contributions weren't thought to be "good enough." Basically that nonsense boils down to Sheffield's usual complaint about not being respected enough by the Yankees. Sheffield earned something like $13 million a season, but I guess he was expecting that the Yankees name the stadium after him, or have him carried out on the field in a gold cart or something. The more Sheffield runs his mouth, the more I'm glad the Yankees got rid of him!

*I can't believe it took Curt Schilling until now to start doing a blog. What a perfect outlet for him to get all his thoughts down, in detail and at length. For a few years Schilling has posted on the Red Sox fan forum, Sons of Sam Horn, and occassionally on the New York Yankees fan forum my husband and I run, NYYFans.com. Although many, including some Red Sox fans think he talks too much, I've always found Schilling's opinions, particularly when they're on the game of baseball in general as opposed to just about the Red Sox or Yankees to be pretty interesting. There aren't that many players who are as willing as Schilling is to share their insights on baseball directly with the fans, and I'm glad that Schilling is willing to put up with the criticism he takes from fans who not only don't agree with his opinions, but believe he should have no right to express them. Thus far, Schilling's blog has been well-written and pretty interesting.

*Viacom is suing YouTube, and their coporate owner, Google, for more than $1 billion for damages due to copyright infringement. I've often wondered why YouTube doesn't face more lawsuits like this - there's a huge amount of material posted on YouTube that's copyrighted to someone else. I enjoy watching YouTube videos as much as anyone else, but I can see the site going the way of Napster. I can't see how YouTube could win a copyright infringement lawsuit.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:34 PM | Comments (0)

February 21, 2007

Photo of the Day - Tino Martinez

Tino Martinez. New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Indians. June, 2001.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:59 PM | Comments (0)

Notes on Spring Training

So far the news out of spring training so far for the New York Yankees has been more like a soap opera than anything to do with baseball.

*Steve Swindal, the Yankees general partner and George Steinbrenner's Son-in-Law got into a little trouble last week. Swindal was arrested for driving under the influence in Tampa, after he was spotted driving erratically, so erratically that he almost hit a police car. I've really come to expect it - at least once in spring training someone associated with a baseball team is going to be arrested for doing something stupid while intoxicated. Yes, people make mistakes, but it's not too smart to drink and then get behind the wheel of a car. Even worse when one is in a high-profile position where one's reputation often matters. Drinking and driving is something that really bothers me. (and no, I've never gotten behind the wheel of my car under the influence - some seem to think everyone does it, but that's not the case. I don't drive after even one drink, let alone multiple drinks.) It'll be interesting to see if this effects the previously announced plans for Swindal to one day take over the Yankees.

*Then we have Mike Mussina vs. Carl Pavano. While I agree with a lot of Mussina's comments, I can't quite figure out what he's up to. Starting with his fan club dinner at the end of January, Mussina's been publically taking shots at Pavano. At first it was just a joke at the fan club dinner, then he followed it up a few days later with some mild critcism of Pavano to the media at an event where he was receiving an award, now during spring training he came out swinging, going so far as to question Pavano's desire and saying how he needs to prove himself to his teammates. Perhaps Mussina was trying to be something of a team leader, and say what he felt Pavano needed to hear that was representative of how his teammates feel about him, but I question why Mussina didn't make those comments to Pavano directly and privately, instead of saying it to the media. A few days later Mussina met with Pavano to clear the air, and acknowledged that was indeed what he should have done in the first place, but it's a little strange to me that Mussina, who has no love for the media, wouldn't have realized that in the first place.

*Andy Pettitte must have been feeling left out because he jumped into the mix by announcing that he had told Pavano that he was on the other man's side, and that he's got Pavano's back, even though he had only been a teammate to Pavano for all of one day in spring training, and apparently didn't know him previously. I understand that Pettitte is a veteran now, and he's certainly familiar with what it takes to succeed in New York. However, having not been with the Yankees for the past few years, he really isn't familar with the Pavano situation and how his teammates feel about Pavano being such a "glass ass" to borrow a phrase another fan used to refer to him as. Although I'm not sure going to the media was the best way to handle the situation, Mussina was completely correct that Pavano is going to have to prove himself - not only to his teammates, but to fans as well. I think Pettitte might want to wait to find out a little more about Pavano and his situation, not to mention wait to see whether Pavano lasts all of spring training without injuring himself, before rushing to the defense of someone he really doesn't know.

*A subject of much debate by the fans and the media has been the friendship between Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, and whether it still exists. At one time Jeter and A-Rod were extremely close, spending a significant amount of time together, even going so far as to sleep over at each other's houses. As time went on the two drifted apart, particularly after an interview a number of years ago in which A-Rod seemed to take a shot at Jeter as being a lesser player. Often friends grow apart and that's to be expected. However, there's been some speculation that Jeter and A-Rod didn't just grow apart, but that they aren't even friends at all any more to the point where there's animosity there. Both Jeter and A-Rod addressed the issue over the past few days, with A-Rod acknowledging that they aren't as close as they once were. What I think is pretty telling is that they didn't address the media together - that would be a sure way to end a lot of the speculation. Instead they both insisted they get along just fine and support each other on the field - pretty much all the standard things that one would expect them to say.

What struck me is that Jeter tried to downplay the whole thing, saying that relationships don't matter, and that it was a non-issue. While it's to be expected that teammates aren't all going to be best friends with each other, that some players are going to dislike each other, and that sometimes there are going to be arguments between players, I think relationships between teammates do matter. When there's a coolness between people or they don't get along, it can effect group dynamics. As team captain, I think that's something Jeter should be conscious of - he needs to make sure that even if the team goes their separate ways after the games are over that while they're in the clubhouse and on the field they can work together as a cohesive unit because that will help them win games and get back to the post-season.

*One of the big questions heading into spring training was whether Bernie Williams was going to accept the Yankees offer for a minor league deal or not. But Bernie let it be known what his answer was not with a phone call, but simply by not showing up. He didn't even bother to return his former teammates phone calls. Apparently Joe Torre spoke with Bernie recently and encouraged him to come to camp to compete for a roster spot, but that wasn't something Bernie was willing to do as he felt that he deserved a guaranteed spot, even though the Yankees don't really have room for him. Bernie's agent Scott Boras says that Bernie will work out privately in the hopes that the Yankees will change their minds, but I think that's highly unlikely. Time for Bernie to face the facts - his career as a Yankee is over. And since Boras says that Bernie isn't going to entertain offers from other teams - more likely he didn't get any - odds are his playing career as a whole is over. I appreciate everything that Bernie did as a Yankee - he was a huge part of the Yankees success from 1996 to the present, but that was then and this is now.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:31 AM | Comments (0)

February 13, 2007

What do Steve Park and Bernie Williams Have in Common?

What could a baseball player and a Nascar driver possibly have in common? Both Bernie Williams and Steve Park are in limbo as far as their careers go. Both want to continue taking part in the sport that they love but there doesn't seem to be a place for either one, at least not on their terms. One of the local papers actualy referred to Bernie as being in limbo - not retired, but not signed to play this season - and I immediately thought of Steve because the same is true of him. He's expressed his desire to keep looking for a ride, but so far nothing has turned up for him for this season. I would guess that we won't be seeing much of either Bernie or Steve in 2007.

In Bernie's case his preference is to play for the New York Yankees. Out of respect for all that he's done for the organization, the Yankees offered him a non-guaranteed minor league contract. But even if Bernie played well in Spring Training there's no role for him with the Yankees. He could gauge other teams interest in his services, but in spite of some comments that indicated that he might do exactly that, Bernie seems unwilling to actually follow through. So essentially that means that Bernie's career is over if he's not going to play for the Yankees. Which might be a good thing because there's nothing more painful than watching a player try to hang on even as their skills continue to erode to the point where you cringe when you see their name in the lineup. Such was the case with Bernie the past couple of years. Although he was able to contribute at the plate at times, he looked terrible in the field, and overall he was a meer shadow of the player he once was.

Likewise, it's been painful to watch Steve on the track the past couple of years. As I've said many times before, I believe in his talent behind the wheel, and that if he's given a competitive car or truck he can race up front and win. However, it's been quite some time since Steve has raced a competitive car or truck in any of Nascar's three highest series - probably since 2005 when he won in the #62 truck. It was no fun watching Steve ride around in back last season, and it's been less fun waiting for announcements about rides that as of yet haven't materialized. Steve has said in the past that he's only willing to consider rides that are competitive and will give him a chance to win, so at this point as sad as it might be, I think that means that his career, at least as a full-time driver, is over like Bernie's. The elite teams simply aren't going to be lining up to offer rides to 40-year old drivers who haven't had impressive results the past few years, even if the fault for that is due to the lack of resources or other failings of the teams they've been with. So I'm thinking unless Steve decides to consider some rides that are less than ideal, he'll be watching races from his couch instead of from behind the wheel this season.

I think for both Steve and Bernie, their respective sports have moved on without them. If they were willing to consider a wider variety of options, maybe they'd both be able to find some way of staying involved - Bernie with a team other than the Yankees and Steve with a less competitive team than he might like. But I don't think that either one would really be happy with those scenarios. For Bernie the Yankees are all he's known his entire career so after this long playing for another team probably sounds extremely undesirable. Especially since in his heart he probably realizes he's not the player he once was. And for a race car driver, riding around in back every race is no fun at all.

There's fans who think that if Bernie goes to spring training and plays really well that the Yankees will make room for him on the roster even if it's at the expense of a player who's likely to perform better over the long-term. As loyal as Joe Torre is to his veterans, I think that he even he recognizes that there's not a role for Bernie with the Yankees any more. There's also fans of Steve's who think that some team is going to suddenly decide to give Steve an ultra-competitive ride or that if he sits out 2007 he'll find a ride for 2008 as rides open up via drivers moving to other organizations. But what's becoming increasingly clear is that there doesn't seem to be any teams who believe in Steve's ability to get results like his fans do. In addition, Steve's not Ricky Rudd. Ricky was able to sit out a year and get a full-time ride for this season because of his accomplishments over his 31-year career as a Cup racer during which time he won 23 races. Steve's not even Ward Burton. For Ward to come back he recognized that he was going to have to work with a team that wasn't as competitive as he might like, something that Steve doesn't seem willing to do.

So do I think Bernie is done in baseball? Yes. Do I think Steve is done in Nascar? As a full-time driver, yes. Am I ashamed of thinking that as some fans in both sports think I should be? Not one bit. Fact is that every athlete's career comes to an end sometimes. If they're lucky it's on their own terms. If they're not, it's on someone else's terms, and I think that's what's happening to both Bernie and Steve. I'd love to be wrong, but so far it's not looking too good for either Bernie or Steve.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:05 PM | Comments (0)

January 31, 2007

Bernie Williams Gets a Spring Training Invite

Bernie Williams has been an outstanding player for the New York Yankees, and has contributed significantly to their success since 1996. However, he's well past his prime. So much so that it's painful when he plays the outfield these days. Although Williams wasn't as horrible as I thought he might be at the plate last season, he's definitely not the same offensive player he once was either. In addition, the Yankees really don't have a spot for him unless they opt to carry less pitchers. But that hasn't stopped the Yankees from extending a non-guaranteed spring training invitation to him. Respect and loyalty to a player who has been a big part of the organization for a long time is likely what's behind the invite, but I'm not exactly jumping for joy about the possiblity that Williams might somehow find his way onto the team at the end of spring training. After all, Joe Torre is intensely loyal to his veterans, sometimes it seems to the point where he seemingly overlooks that they aren't the player that they once were.

What I'd like to see happen is for Williams to accept the invitation, go to spring training and then retire. That way he can say he retired as a Yankee. A number of other players went that route. Or Williams declines the invitation if he still wants to continue playing and signs with another team. I just don't want to see a scenario where Williams is on the Opening Day roster.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:38 PM | Comments (0)

Mike Mussina Honored

Anyone who regularly reads this space has probably noticed that I've not written about the New York Yankees as much recently as I used to. I'm still just as much of a fan as ever, it's just that nothing's gone on that I've felt particularly motivated to blog about other than the major stories like the return of Andy Pettitte (one of the few whose still not loving it), Randy Johnson being traded, and the possible return of Roger Clemens. I'm very much looking forward to the start of the season so hopefully I'll have more to say about the Yankees then.

In the meantime Mike Mussina was honored last night at the 27th annual Thurman Munson Awards dinner. The dinner raises money each year to help those with diseases, and also honors New York atheletes who are involved with philanthropic causes. This year's baseball honoree was Mussina, whose foundation awards scholarships to high school students for college. Mussina is my favorite Yankee, and his committment to helping others with his foundation makes me like him even more!

Mussina was also asked about a variety of Yankee-related topics. About Carl Pavano, Mussina said,

"He's got to earn some trust from some players again, and from the coaching staff and the manager and the organization. If he can do it, we know he can pitch and we know he can get people out. If he gets over those hurdles, he'll be an asset."

Not only does Pavano need to earn the trust of those on the team, but he also needs to earn the trust of the fans again. There's very few people who think that Pavano is capable of contributing in a positive way to the Yankees. Even if he pitches well to start the season, how long is it going to be before he goes down with another injury? That said, if he stays healthy and pitches extremely well, I think a lot of fans will forget that he missed so much time. If fans can forgive Jason Giambi for Balco, then I'd say they can forgive Pavano for seemingly being made out of glass. That same is likely true for his teammates.

Another topic that came up was the recently traded Randy Johnson, whom Mussina seemed to indicate never enjoyed playing in New York. Mussina said that Johnson,

"...doesn't seem like he has a lot of fun pitching in New York, and he certainly wears it on his sleeve."

and

"When you put on the pinstripes, you're expected to do that 35 times a year. Realistically, that's not possible, but you can't fight it either. You have to roll with it and expect to do well. I just think he got a bad taste in his mouth."

Which essentially means that RJ never adjusted to, or was comfortable pitching in New York with all the pressure. That's kind of amazing to me because if there's one player I figured would be albe to handle playing for the Yankees and all that goes along with it, I would have thought it would be RJ. Instead of being intimidated, RJ's used to intimidating others. But that never happened with the Yankees, and I guess RJ wasn't able to deal with not living up to expectations. Which makes me even happier that the Yankees traded him because a player with a bad attitude, who isn't really enjoying where he's playing probably isn't able to give his best to the team.

As for Roger Clemens, Mussina joked that he wanted the Yankees to sign him because, "He'd be the only guy older than I am." Which is exactly why I hope the Yankees ultimately pass on Clemens.

Posted by silverdsl at 11:27 AM | Comments (0)

January 12, 2007

The Wooing of Roger Clemens Begins

Let me admit to my bias - I don't like Roger Clemens. Never have, never will. I appreciate everything he did to help the New York Yankees win when he played in the Bronx, but I've never cared for him, and I wasn't sorry to see him leave by way of "retirement." So I suppose it's my dislike of Clemens that's making it hard for me to jump on the bandwagon of fans who feel that the Yankees must do everything in their power to convince Clemens to play for them. I see a 44-year old, who will sooner or later go into a decline, who seems to enjoy playing games regarding whether he's going to retire or keep playing, who will likely want a significant amount of money to play for the Yankees, and possibly some special priviledges such as not having to travel to road games when he's not pitching.

Unfortunately, the Yankees seem determined to pursue him, even if he's only going to pitch for half a season. At the official press conference to re-introduce Andy Pettitte as a Yankee, general manager Brian Cashman said,

"He's kind of like your perfect employee. "If Roger is interested in coming to New York, I'd love to talk to him," Cashman said. "He came in here and not only delivered a huge performance on the field but had a major impact within the clubhouse.""

and that if Clemens decided to play the Yankees would put on a

"full-court press."

Bleech. I just can't get excited about the Yankees re-signing Clemens. I'd like the Yankees to sign a pitcher who is at least ten years or more younger than Clemens, is likely to contribute for longer than a half season, already knows he wants to play for the Yankees, and won't ask for any special conditions to him playing in the Bronx. Granted, there aren't that many future Hall of Fame pitchers hanging around unsigned at the moment who have pitched as well as Clemens has in the recent past. But going after Clemens doesn't feel right to me.

He won't be able to keep pitching the way he has forever. I suppose only pitching for half a season is one way that he tries to prevent himself from declining. But sooner or later it's going to happen. I don't want it to happen when the Yankees are depending on him to lead them to another World Series and after they've thrown a huge amount of money at him. The Yankees seem like they might be hoping to capture some of the magic of the past by bringing back Pettitte, and possibly Clemens, but it's not 1999 anymore.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:08 PM | Comments (0)

January 09, 2007

Yankees Trade Randy Johnson to the Diamondbacks

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is a magician. Somehow he convinced the Arizona Diamondbacks to accept a "Return to Sender" on Randy Johnson. What's really amazing to me is that not only did the D'Backs take the 43-year old RJ back, but they also gave him a two-year extension to his contract, worth $26 million! This for a pitcher who was only average as a Yankee, who isn't getting any younger, who has chronic back and knee problems, and had off-season back surgery that might mean he's not ready for Opening Day. Oh yeah, he's grouchy too! In exchange the Yankees get right-handed reliever Luis Vizcaino, as well as three minor-leaguers, pitchers Ross Ohlendorf and Steven Jackson, and shortstop Alberto Gonzalez.

A lot of fans are disappointed with RJ's performance in pinstripes, but not me. Although RJ was a pitcher I long admired, and one of my favorite non-Yankees, I knew that it was a risk trading for him given his age and other factors. So my expectations were never very high for him, which meant that I wasn't really disappointed that he never pitched like the ace he was supposed to be. In addition, things started off on the wrong foot for RJ in New York with a run-in with a WCBS cameraman on his first day in town. To me that was a bad sign about how his tenure as a Yankee was going to go. Luckily he wan't involved in any other similar incidents, but never did he really do anything all that wonderful on or off the field either.

Good bye, Randy, you won't be missed by this fan!

Posted by silverdsl at 08:04 PM | Comments (0)

December 18, 2006

Yankees Exploring Trading Randy Johnson?

This rumor is probably entirely false given that it comes from the New York Post, and they don't have the best track record when it comes to getting things right. But it gives me something to talk about at a time when the news is pretty slow in coming. George King claims that Randy Johnson has asked the New York Yankees to explore trading him back to a team closer to where he lives with his family in Arizona. And given that RJ's been underwhelming as a Yankees, supposedly they are more than willing to try to make it happen. Alan Nero, RJ's agent denied the rumor flatout, but Brian Cashman said,

"He hasn't called me officially and asked me to trade him, no."

If the Post is reporting that quote accurately - and that's a big if - then that could be interpreted to mean that RJ hasn't officially asked for a trade, but that unofficially he's made some noise about how he would like to be traded to a team out West. Still, there's not much to support this rumor having much merit.

In fact, it doesn't make much sense in some ways because I find it hard to believe that there'd be much of any interest in RJ at the moment when no one knows for sure whether he's going to be ready to pitch by Spring Training due to having just undergone back surgery during this off-season. That's without taking into consideration his decline on the mound, his age, and other reoccuring health issues such as his knees. So even if the Yankees can get some team interested in RJ, it's unlikely they'd get much of anything for him, and they'd probably have to pay quite a bit of his salary. Doesn't seem like a deal that's likely to happen.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:09 AM | Comments (0)

December 06, 2006

Andy Pettitte to the Yankees?

All off-season there's been rumors that the New York Yankees are interested in re-signing Andy Pettitte , who pitched for them for nine seasons, from 1995-2003. Now comes word that the Yankees are dangling a one-year deal worth $15 million in the hopes that Pettitte will sign with them instead of going back to the Houston Astros, the teams he's been with since 2004. Many fans are excited about this possiblity, but I'm not one of them. Pettitte is 34, and has battled injury issues since he's left the Yankees. But more than that Pettitte has expressed a great deal of doubt over whether he wants to pitch in 2007, or whether he wants to retire. I'm leery of a player who isn't sure they want to continue playing baseball. I think the best chance for success is when a player is as confident as possible in their abilities, and has a tremendous amount of desire to play the game and help their team win. If Pettitte isn't sure he wants to keep playing, is the desire and passion about the game really there any more?

I also think that some fans are nostalgic for the past when Pettitte was a part of the World Series winning teams of 1996-2001. However, the past can't be duplicated. Pettitte isn't the same pitcher he was in those years, and the Yankees aren't the same team. Pettitte might be able to pitch decently for the Yankees if he remained healthy, but adding him isn't going to mean that the Yankees are going to be able to recapture the magic of those years.

A one-year deal isn't terrible, and I think Pettitte is better than some other options that the Yankees might have. But I'm not jumping up and down about his possible return to the Bronx - maybe if I hear him talk about how committed he is to playing baseball and pitching well in 2007 I'd feel better about it.

Posted by silverdsl at 01:59 PM | Comments (0)

November 28, 2006

Mike Mussina Re-Signs With the Yankees For Two Years

Whoo-Hoo! Finally, Mike Mussina's deal with the New York Yankees has been finalized! It was a pretty safe bet that Mussina was going to be re-signed, in spite of some concerns about his age and injury issues the past couple of seasons, and both the Yankees and Mussina's agent were talking very positively the past few weeks that a deal was going to happen. But until everything is signed and Mussina passed a physical, there was still a chance that it would fall apart at the last minute. It was a good sign when the news broke that the Yankees and Mussina had agreed to a deal in principle last week, and I was even happier to see an official announcement that the Yankees had re-signed Mussina to a two-year, $23 million deal.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said,

"I know Mike Mussina, my manager knows Mike Mussina, our coaching staff knows Mike Mussina. We know how he prepares, we know the commitment that he provides to put himself in a position to be successful, and he has been successful for quite some time. He's consistent. I can't stress that enough."

Indeed Mussina has been consistent as a Yankee - he's had to battle a few injury problems, but otherwise he's averaged 31 starts, 200 innings and 15 wins a season. I'm not usually a fan of older pitchers being signed to big money deals because the risk of injury increases the older a player gets, not to mention there's the natural decline that all players go through. And Mussina isn't the same pitcher he once was. But I have no doubt that he's going to do next season exactly what he did every other season as a Yankee - give his all to pitching as well as he can to put the Yankees in a position to win as many of his starts as possible.

Mussina's also my favorite Yankee, so I wasn't really looking forward to the possiblity of him pitching for another team. As much as I understood the reasons why a player and team part ways, as a fan it wasn't that fun when David Cone and Tino Martinez left the Yankees to play elsewhere. So I was hoping that given how much Mussina wanted to stay with the Yankees, and how the Yankees seemed to want to keep him they'd work out a new deal - and they did!

Aside from admiring the way that Mussina pitches, he's also one of the most fan-friendly players that I've encountered. Some people are surprised to learn that because he had a reputation as being stand-offish. And I do think that Mussina has a quirky personality, with a dry sense of humor, that not everyone "gets." But Mussina is one of the few players to have a yearly fan club dinner, during which he does a lengthy question and answer session, signs autographs and poses for photos with every person in attendance. During the season his fan club also travels to games and if Mussina isn't pitching that day he will meet with those who attend. Mussina also has a foundation which benefits children and children's charities. So there's a lot to like about Moose!

Definitely a good day for Mussina fans!

Posted by silverdsl at 04:03 PM | Comments (0)

November 10, 2006

Sheffield Gone!

I know very little about the three pitchers the Detroit Tigers traded to the New York Yankees for Gary Sheffield, and I barely care! I'm more excited that Sheffield is gone. As much as he was a force in the lineup at times, I definitely won't miss his mouth. I'm sure he'll be productive for the Tigers, but eventually he'll wear out his welcome in Detroit too, just like he has virtually everywhere else he's played.

The three pitchers the Yankees got are all young and pitched well this season in the minors. So hopefully they'll continue to develop for the Yankees and will eventually contribute on the major league level.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:29 PM | Comments (0)

The Yankees Fire Back

Almost every other time Gary Sheffield has mouthed off the New York Yankees have either ignored him or been very careful in their response. But now that his tenure with the team is soon to come to an end, the gloves are coming off and the Yankees are making it clear that Sheffield's remarks are not appreciated. Yankee president Randy Levine had the most to say, characterizing Sheffield's remarks as "noise." I couldn't agree more - it's noise designed to distract, and the Yankees aren't going to let that happen.

In relation to Sheffield's contract, Levine said,

"Gary Sheffield signed a contract he negotiated himself and took great pride in negotiating it himself. The contract is what it is."

That's what's so ridiculous about all the complaining that Sheffield's done about the terms of his contract is that he negotiated it himself! There's no one to blame if he's not happy with it but himself. If Sheffield had an agent who didn't listen to Sheffield or didn't do a good job of negotiating the contract he might have grounds to complain. But he personally crafted this contract directly with George Steinbrenner so the responsiblity for the way it turned out is completely on him. But I guess Sheffield's hoping that no one's going to remember that.

Levine then continued,

"We picked up his option. If we choose to have him play with us, he will. If we decide to trade him, he'll be traded. It's very obvious to everybody he doesn't have a no-trade clause; he's trying to pretend he does. I don't blame him for attempting to provide leverage. The truth is, he has none."

Some have taken issue with Levine's comments but I think the Yankees are correct in making is clear where they stand. Levine is sending Sheffield a message that like it or not, the Yankees are in control of where he plays next season and will make the decisions they feel are best for the team, even if it's something that doesn't make Sheffield happy. I wouldn't like to see the Yankees and Sheffield engage in a war of words, but I think it's entirely appropriate for the Yankees to respond. If Sheffield has the right to speak his mind, then the Yankees have the right to speak their collective minds as well in the form of Levine's comments.

What I didn't pick up on earlier is that the appearance that Sheffield did at the opening of The Bronx Diner in Time Square where he made these comments was actually something of a charity event because Sheffield was picking up a sizable check for his Foundation. Of course the reporters are going to ask him questions about the Yankees, but Sheffield is under no obligation to respond or respond so harshly. It seems to me that a charity event might not be the best time to rip the team that at the moment he's still under contract to.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:21 AM | Comments (0)

November 09, 2006

Gary Sheffield Spouts Off... Again

I can't wait until the New York Yankees trade Gary Sheffield. They picked up his option for $13 million, not because they want to keep him, but because they want to control what team he ends up with rather than let him go as a free agent and potentially sign with a free agent. Well, the day that the Yankees work out a trade can't come too soon. I'm very appreciative of the ways that Sheffield helped the Yankees win since he came to the Bronx in 2004, but I'm sick of him whining and complaining. A little lesson for Sheffield, who thinks that loyalty and respect are so important - it works both ways. If you don't seem to have much respect for your team, none might be shown to you in return. But I think Sheffield is pretty oblivious to any life lessons. Instead he'd just rather take shots - again - at the Yankees.

Sheffield had plenty to say last night at the grand opening of The Bronx Diner in Manhattan. Among other comments he said,

"My situation, honestly, to be truthful about it, I was never comfortable. I was always feeling a little insecure about where I fit here, where I belong, do they want me here?"

Sheffield wasn't comfortable with the approximately $37 million the Yankees paid him while he was with the team? He wasn't comfortable being a part of a winning team that made it to the post-season every season he was with them? He wasn't comfortable with a team that felt he was so valuable that had him play first base so they could get him in the lineup? He wasn't comfortable with the constant assurances from Joe Torre, Brian Cashman, and likely others about how much they wanted him when he mouthed off in similar ways in the past? It's not like Sheffield was relagated to sitting on the bench - when healthy, he played every day. The Yankees treated him with kid gloves and never responded in kind when he lashed out at them. Maybe Sheffield feels that he should be treated like target="_blank"Derek Jeter, but he's not a Yankee icon like Jeter, and never will be.

Something else that gets Sheffield's goat is that he's not being allowed to speak directly to Yankees owner George Steinbrenner because he thinks if he was able to do that, he'd be able to remain a Yankee. Well, after talking about his dissatisfaction with the team, why exactly does he want to stay? Maybe because he knows that the next team he plays for might not be as committed to winning as the Yankees are and he might not end up playing in October as often as he did with the Yankees. Sheffield said,

"When you got middle men blocking and won't let you do certain things, they get in the way and their personal feelings get in the way. And that's what happened."

After spewing so much negativity for so long, is it any wonder why some might have "personal feelings" that effect their decisions? Especially when one considers if he's so harsh publically, I can only imagine how bad the things are that he says privately. No employer or individual is going to take too kindly to that. In addition, even Jeter doesn't often get an audience with Steinbrenner, so why would Sheffield think he would get one?

Sheffield then proceeded to diss Bobby Abreu, by saying that he's not as good of a player as he himself is.

"He's a good player, but like I say, you can draw it up any kind of way. He ain't me. And that's the .bottom line. I understand them having to make this move for the remainder of the season, but to sit here and I'm leaving because of it, I always was told you leave because someone is better than you. I don't think that's the case here."

That's right, Abreu isn't Sheffield. He's not a sour, negative jerk. He didn't have a major wrist injury that kept him out of action for months. And he was productive for the Yankees and likely will be in the future. And I've got news for Sheffield - you get moved whenever your team decides it's time for you to go.

Apparently Sheffield and Alex Rodriguez were close in the clubhouse, and Sheffield feels there won't be anyone else for A-Rod to talk to.

"You all got to get ready. There's nobody."

A-Rod is coming off a season where he struggled terribly, and much of it seemed like he was dealing with some mental roadblocks. I can't help but wonder what nonsense Sheffield might have been filling his mind with? And if A-Rod's isolated in the clubhouse, how much of that is because of Sheffield? Of course responsibility for A-Rod's issues rests on his shoulders, but it seems to me that hanging around a player who had as bad of an attitude as Sheffield often does can't be good for A-Rod.

Sheffield then promised he would show the Yankees what a big mistake they've made.

"When you let me go, I have a chip on my shoulder, and I'm coming with it."

Anything you say, Gary. Odds are he'll be traded to a National League team or to an American League team that doesn't pose much of a threat to the Yankees. And more than likely the amount of times the Yankees actually face him and his new team will be minimal. So I'm doubting that he's going to be "coming" with much of anything other than more digs at the team.

What really gets me is that all of this is brought on by the Yankees picking up his option, something he bitched and moaned about in Spring Training that he needed the Yankees to do. So they do that and he's still not happy. I think there's no way for the Yankees to make Sheffield happy. If they kept him he'd find something else to be miserable about. So I'm glad that he and his "accidental" steroid-using, asshat self are going to be some other team's problem soon.

Posted by silverdsl at 01:49 PM | Comments (0)

October 11, 2006

Yankees Corey Lidle Dead in Plane Crash

A variety of sources are confirming that New York Yankees pitcher Corey Lidle, who joined the team this season in a trade from the Philadephia Phillies, has been killled in an awful plane crash this afternoon. Lidle was apparently the pilot of a plane that crashed into an Upper East Side apartment building.

Horrible, horrible news and I'm beside myself. RIP Corey.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:59 PM | Comments (0)

October 10, 2006

Joe Torre to Stay on as Yankees Manager

Joe Torre's future as manager of the New York Yankees had been a subject of much debate since the Yankees were eliminated from the post-season this past weekend. Although Torre has one more year remaining on his contract, the rumor was that he was going to be fired immediately and replaced with Lou Pinella, because Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was so furious for Torre for the Yankees failings this season. As it turns out, either that rumor was never true to begin with or Steinbrenner changed his mind because Torre said today that Steinbrenner told him that he's not getting fired and that he has his support.

I know a lot of fans are very disappointed about this bit of news. Often when a team doesn't live up to expectations, one of the first people to get blamed is the manager. Torre isn't a perfect manager - he makes mistakes, doesn't always handle the bullpen very well, and sometimes makes some questionable calls. However, Torre can't be blamed for his players not hitting or pitching well. In addition, even though the Yankees haven't won a World Series since 2000, they've still been in the post-season every season since Torre has been manager. I'm sometimes puzzled by the moves that Torre makes, but I wasn't thrilled with the idea of Pinella taking over. In fact, I think that overall, Torre's shoes will be a lot harder to fill than many fans think. So I'm pretty happy that for now at least, Torre's job is safe.

Posted by silverdsl at 01:45 PM | Comments (0)

October 08, 2006

Yankees Crash and Burn

Hard to believe that the same New York Yankees team that swept the Boston Red Sox in five straight games this summer is the same team that failed so spectacularly - again - in the post-season, this time against the Detroit Tigers. I have to admit that I can't say I'm surprised either - once they lost game 2 on Thursday, I just had a feeling that the tide had turned and things weren't going to go their way. When a team can't hit, and the pitching is just okay, instead of outstanding, it's not a good sign. And indeed the Yankees went out with a whimper, not a bang, losing the next two games.

I'm usually one to take losses in stride, even bad or post-season losses. No team is perfect, no team will always win - even the Yankees, and no player can always come up with a big hit or pitch well. However, this time I'm taking the Yankees being eliminated pretty hard. To me the season it's a failure if the Yankees don't win the World Series like some fans think. But I did expect them to advance to the Division Series at least. Not because I thought the Tigers were a weak team like some other fans, but because I thought that a team this good, with players as talented as those on the Yankees, would surely be up to the challenge presented by any team. Of course the Yankees are proof that even good teams can fall apart, but a team that has so much money sunk into it, with so much talent shouldn't have fallen apart so quickly.

George Steinbrenner isn't one to take losing and failure lightly. In fact he said today,

"This result is absolutely not acceptable,'' Steinbrenner said in a statement. ``Rest assured we will go back to work immediately and try to right this sad failure and provide a championship for the Yankees, as is our goal every year.''

Which means that odds are there will be personnel changes. The question is how many of those changes will be to the players or to the managerial staff? The New York Daily News is reporting that Joe Torre will be fired any day. His replacement - Lou Pinella. First of all, Torre is far from perfect as a manager, but what manager doesn't have their weaknesses? In addition, Torre can only make the best of the players that he's given. He can't do anything about the problems of the starting rotation - Randy Johnson's age and ailing back, Mike Mussina struggling in the day game, Jaret Wright being only a five-inning or less pitcher, or Carl Pavano not being able to pitch at all this season. Nor can he do much about the offense not being able to get any hits with men on base. What he has done is guide the Yankees into the post-season in every season that he's managed the team. Would that have happened with a different manager during that time? I'm not so sure.

I would be very disappointed if the Yankees hired Pinella to replace Torre. One thing that I think the Yankees need to do is get younger, whether it's through developing young talent in the farm system or aquire young players when they become available through trade or as free agent signings. What I don't want to see happen is those young players get verbally abused by Pinella. His childish outbursts might be entertaining to some fans but I find them embarassing. I also think they do nothing to help his players become better - they only make players afraid of him. And the veterans certainly won't respond well to a manager who yells and screams when he's angry at them.

Another change that the Yankees are rumored to be making is with Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod had a subpar season, no question of that, and did nothing in the post-season. For the amount that the Yankees are paying him, that's pretty unacceptable. Fans have booed A-Rod all season, the media has been on his back and even Steinbrenner has commented on his failings. So the current speculation is that the Yankees are going to trade A-Rod or he will ask for a trade. I wouldn't be happy if the Yankees traded A-Rod. For one thing he was the league MVP last season. Odds are he's going to work hard during the off-season and come to spring training ready to show that this season was an abberation. A-Rod is too talented of a player to suddenly become average. I can't see the Yankees wanting to take the risk that they'll trade him and then he'll help another team beat them. I also think that the Yankees would have a very hard time finding a team willing to take on his contract without the Yankees paying a signficant percentage of it. And if they're going to pay him, he may as well be playing for them too.

I also can't see A-Rod asking for a trade. It's pretty obvious that A-Rod cares what others think of him, perhaps too much. If he asks for a trade after saying that he's committed to the Yankees, he'll be ripped over the coals. But beyond that how many other teams could A-Rod play for and know that he's going to have an owner who's willing to spend any amount of money to make the team better? How many other teams can A-Rod play for that he knows he has a good chance of perpetually being in the post-season? Not that many. So I don't anticipate A-Rod going anywhere unless the Yankees are overwhelmed with an offer that some team makes for him.

Other players who may not return include Gary Sheffield, Mussina and Bernie Williams. The Yankees have an option for both Sheffield and Mussina. I think they'll decline both but may try to re-sign both for less than they would have to pay them if they picked up the option. Mussina had some injury issues, but he was fairly solid this season. It's always a risk with an older pitcher, and I don't think Mussina will ever be the pitcher he once was again, but Mussina is an extremely intelligent man and I think he can adjust and be a decent pitcher for another couple of years. As for Sheffield, the sooner he's gone from the Yankees the better as far as I'm concerned. I love how productive Sheffield has been at the plate for the Yankees, which is one reason why I think there's a possiblity they might try to keep him next season, but I really dislike his attitude towards a lot of things. Williams played a lot better than I thought he would this season, but I don't see how there's going to be room for him next season unless the Yankees trade Melky Cabrera, which I think would be a mistake.

I have no idea what the Yankees are ultimately going to do, but I definitely think there needs to be some changes, particularly to the pitching staff. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that Steinbrenner is going to force Brian Cashman to make a lot of sweeping changes and not all of them might end up being for the better.

Posted by silverdsl at 07:28 PM | Comments (0)

September 22, 2006

Jason Giambi Has a Torn Ligament in His Wrist

Jason Giambi's wrist has been bothering him for a while, to the point where he got his third cortisone injection this week for the pain. As it turns out the source of the pain is not just tendinitis, but also a small tear in a ligament in his wrist. It's so bad that it might necessitate surgury in the off-season. Giambi will sit out this weekend's series with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and hopefully the rest will go his wrist some good. I don't think this bodes well regardles of how much rest he gets this weekend for Giambi's ability to put up big power numbers during the post-season. There's no telling how productive he'll be able to be period.

Presumably Gary Sheffield is going to make some starts at first base this weekend. Suddenly the question of how well he's going to be able to play first, as well as whether he's going to be able to be as productive as he was before his injury, looms large.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:52 PM | Comments (0)

September 21, 2006

New York Yankees Clinch American League East!

It probably wasn't the way they wanted to do it, but last night the New York Yankees were able to clinch their ninth consecutive American League East Division title, and of course a spot in the post-season. Awesome! Unfortunately, the Yankees didn't clinch because they won - they lost to the Toronto Blue Jays - but because the Boston Red Sox lost to the Minnesota Twins. Still, the Yankees sprayed champagne and celebrated just as much as if they had won to clinch. And they should celebrate. The Yankees haven't always had it easy this season. There's been many injury issues to contend with and some spotty pitching. But as the season went on, the team pulled together and became one that seems to be able to play as well as any other.

I think one of the biggest turning points was when the Yankees swept the Red Sox in five games last month. That seemed to really put a stake through the hearts of the Red Sox. From there the Yankees really took off and it's been exciting watching them play. The past couple of years it's seemed like the Yankees have struggled to come back when they fall behind in a game. But not this team. Suddenly I have so much more confidence that even if they're losing, the game truly isn't over until the final out because the Yankees might somehow find a way to win. There's no telling what might happen in the post-season, but I'm very much looking forward to seeing how things play out.

And for all those who think that the Yankees would have won all those Division titles, without Joe Torre and all his failings, Mariano Rivera said,

"We're not standing here without that man. All this, this is what he has done. Eleven years of this."

Posted by silverdsl at 10:17 AM | Comments (0)

September 12, 2006

A Few Items

*This afternoon Claire B. Lang played an interesting interview with Kyle Petty on her show on XM. Kyle is very good at PR speak, but he also can most definitely tell it like it is, very candidly when he wants to. One of the topics that he discussed in the interview was sponsorship, and he said that he's set with not only his sponsors, but also just signed a new contract with Dodge. The only sponsor he's apparently unsure about what their plans are is Schwan's, but Kyle's fine with them leaving Petty Enterprises, in fact he's encouraging them to do so. Why? Because he feels that they belong back with Ken Schrader. Apparently, when Ken left BAM Racing, Schwan's wanted to leave as well. However, since Ken had a non-compete clause in his contract, Schwan's couldn't go with him to the Wood Brothers Racing but still wanted to remain in the sport. So Ken called up Kyle and asked if he had room for Schwan's to come on board at PE, which Kyle said that he did. However, for next season Kyle feels that they should go back to Ken (presumably the non-compete has expired) and enter into a personal services contract with him because he's been associated with them for so long. That's pretty classy of Kyle that he's not going to attempt to pitch to Schwan's in an effort to get them to stay on board, even though PE could probably use the extra sponsorship money.

*If a charity doesn't deposit the check that you and others sent them after four months, even though they have them, apologized for the delay and promised to deposit them asap, does that mean that they don't really want your donation after all? I guess in the face of much larger donations on a regular basis, this group of donations seems insignificant.

*There had been some speculation that when A.J. Allmendinger made his debut in the #24 truck for Bill Davis Racing, that the truck was either going to be sporting some sponsorship that Allmendinger brought with him, or that one of the leftover sponsors from Steve Park's failed deal was going to be on the truck. Based on the preliminary entry list, the truck is actually going to be unsponsored. Of course that could change, as for now that means that BDR is essentially running the truck out of their own pocket. In fact none of their four trucks this weekend appear to have outside sponsorships other than what Toyota is providing them. But I have to say this - a lack of sponsorship was what prevented BDR from being able to field a truck for Steve. Yet they can field an unsponsored (as of now) truck for Allmendinger. So again, why exactly can't they put a truck on the track for Steve for a couple of races, if a lack of a sponsor doesn't seem to be a barrier to them fielding a truck?

*The New York Yankees sure aren't having any problems handling the Tampa Bay Devil Rays tonight. It's the 6th inning and the score is already 12-0. Bobby Abreu is responsible for knocking in seven of those runs. What's really incredible is that Abreu got six of those RBI in the first inning thanks to a three-run homerun and a three-run double, becoming the first Yankee in 55 years to get six RBI in an inning. He later added another RBI with a bases loaded sacrifice fly. That's a career high for Abreu for RBI in a game. Just as awesome is the return of Hideki Matsui. He's been out since May when he fractured his wrist making a catch in the outfield. That he came back before the end of the season is wonderful enough, but Matsui has thus far also gone 4-4, with an RBI and two runs! Wow! Sure it's only the Devil Rays, but Matsui hasn't faced major league hitting for months! I've kept my expectations for Matsui very low, but perhaps he will end up being able to contribute for the Yankees not only the rest of this season, but also in the post-season.

*My husband got me an IPod as an early anniversary gift. I never thought I'd have one of those as I was content with the iRiver portable digital music device that I had. That is, until I lost the charger and couldn't find it anywhere. So that necessitated either tracking down a new charger or getting a new device. Jim opted for getting me an IPod. I have to admit it's pretty fun and easy to use.

Posted by silverdsl at 08:36 PM | Comments (0)

September 07, 2006

Mike Mussina Nominated for Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award

Every year each team's players select one of their own to be nominated for the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award, which recognizes outstanding performances on the field in combination with contributions to community service. Fans can go to MLB.com and vote for one player in each division. Then players will vote for who they feel should be the winner of the Award from among the six finalists. This year, Mike Mussina has been voted by his fellow players on the New York Yankees as being the one from the team who is most deserving of being nominated for this honor. Mussina was nominated because

Mike established the Mike Mussina Foundation in 2000 in his hometown of Lycoming County, Pa., to benefit local children and child-related charities. Through the Foundation, Mike has directed the College Bound Program, which grants a college scholarship to a graduating senior from 12 local high schools. Always concerned with helping young ballplayers, Mike donates his time to the International Board of Directors for Little League Baseball. He and the foundation also have donated more than $300,000 to Little League Baseball. Mike is also involved with the American Red Cross, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Major League Baseball Players Trust's Buses for Baseball program.

Mussina has been one of my favorite Yankees since he joined the team, but I came to like him even more once I found out how much he does in the area around where he lives in Pennsylvania, as well as all that he does with his foundation. I'm very happy that Moose was nominated for this award and I hope he wins!

Posted by silverdsl at 01:40 PM | Comments (0)

August 28, 2006

Carl Pavano Has Two Broken Ribs He Hid From the Yankees

It's always something with Carl Pavano. Every time it seems as if he's close to returning to the New York Yankees and actually making himself useful by pitching for them on the major league level he re-injures himself. It's truely incredible how fragile he seems to be. This time while rehabbing from having bone chips removed from his elbow, Pavano was in a car accident in West Palm Beach which caused him to suffer two broken ribs. Some might wonder why they didn't hear any news reports about a car accident with a Yankee player and that's because Pavano kept the accident quiet and hid the injury until now, almost two weeks later. Apparently Pavano thought he could pitch through the injury and that it would get better on it's own, only it didn't, and he had to finally go to the Yankees medical staff. So it was discovered today that he's got the two broken ribs. Pavano is still scheduled to make a rehab start in the minors on Wednesday, as it's thought that he can indeed pitch through this, but with how delicate he seems to be, who knows if that will really happen?

Some see this as more evidence that Pavano doesn't want to pitch on the major league level. But I see it as the opposite. Pavano dearly wants to get back to pitching in the minors and he wants to prove to the naysayers, including those on his own team, that he can contribute, stay healthy and pitch well. So he opted to try to hide his injury so as to not let down his team - again. He's not the first player to try to hide an injury and play through it, and he won't be the last. It's just unfortunate when players do stuff like this because it often ends up backfiring, as it might have in Pavano's case.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:28 PM | Comments (0)

August 24, 2006

Mike Mussina Placed on the Disabled List

Just days ago, the New York Yankees were downplaying the extent of Mike Mussina's strained groin, today he's on the disabled list. When I saw this scroll by on ESPN, my eyes just about popped out of my head. Mussina's been pitching so well this season and after stuggling with arm aches and pains the last two seasons, it seemed like he was on his way to an injury-free year. Not so. Mussina and the Yankees are still talking as if this is no big deal, that they're just being cautious and that putting him on the DL will allow them to bring up someone to strengthen the bullpen. They're also saying that Mussina will only miss one start and that's it. But a DL stint is never a good thing and strains can sometimes be unpredictable. I hope that Mussina heals quickly and really does come off the DL when they are predicting he will!

Mussina isn't the only Yankee who's ailing. Alex Rodriguez was sent "home," (to his hotel room) when he showed up with a sore throat. I would guess that the Yankees don't want him infecting the rest of the team with whatever it is that he has. On top of that, Jason Giambi's left hamstring is sore, and he'll be the DH for the next few games. Just what the Yankees need in the midst of a West Coast road trip.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:06 AM | Comments (0)

August 21, 2006

Sweep! Sweep! Sweep!

I'm both astonished and excited beyond belief because the New York Yankees completed a five-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox with a 2-1 win this afternoon! How awesome is this?! WIth the Red Sox pitching problems I figured the Yankees had a good chance to take the series, but never did I imagine they would sweep - so much has to go perfectly for a sweep to happen - but it did! Yay! So the Yankees are now 6 1/2 games ahead of the Red Sox. How quickly things change - not long ago the Yankees were five games back and many fans thought the season was over. Not so, not by a long shot!!

Posted by silverdsl at 09:41 PM | Comments (0)

Outstanding Weekend for the New York Yankees!

What a weekend for the New York Yankees! Any time the Yankees play the Boston Red Sox it's sure to be an exciting series and this one's been no different! I didn't really know what to expect heading into this series since the Yankees would have to face the Red Sox five times over four days. I would have been satisfied if the Yankees won three games, I was hoping they'd win four, and now that they've done that, I'm really excited to see if they can complete the sweep this afternoon. Momentum is certainly on their side so I'm thinking that they have a very good chance of doing it.

Of course anything can happen, and the Red Sox have a dangerous offense - they will play hard to do everything they can to win today, just as they have in every other game this series. But how awesome would it be if the Yankees were to win today and sweep all five games? That would put them 6 1/2 games ahead of the Red Sox for the division lead, and while there's still plenty of baseball to be played, that's a decent-sized lead that if they were to build on by a few more games, might make it extremely difficult for the Red Sox to overcome.

Today Corey Lidle faces David Wells. Neither Wells nor Lidle is exactly the ace of either of their respective pitching staffs, but nor have either one been horrible either. Wells has a way of rising to the occassion and pitching well in big games - perhaps even more so today against his former team. And Lidle's going to want to prove to a team that he's still a newcomer to that he can pitch well against a division rival. Of course both team's offenses have been on fire this series, so if the pattern we've seen the rest of the weekend continues it will be a very high scoring game today too.

I have to admit I'm still hoping that Alex Rodriguez gets his big hit today to "prove" himself to some fans who feel that nothing he does is every good enough because he doesn't ever seem to come up big against the Red Sox. The thing is that he's been getting on base and contributing, it's just that every time he comes up to the plate with the bases loaded, he can't seem to get that one really big hit that everyone expects from the player who is probably one of the best in the game. It will happen one day, could today be the day?

Posted by silverdsl at 10:21 AM | Comments (0)

August 18, 2006

Kevin Brown: Once An Asshat, Always an Asshat

Once upon a time, when Kevin Brown was a pitcher for the New York Yankees, he got upset and punched a wall, breaking his hand at a time when the Yankees needed him. Apparently now that he's retired, his anger issues haven't gone away. On Monday, Brown got into a dispute with a neighbor over grass clippings, and ended up pulling a gun on the neighbor. Yes, over grass. The situation was diffused by Sheriff's deputies and no charges were filed because neither man wanted to press charges. The neighbor, Michael Haws said,

"It was kind of an awkward evening. Luckily nobody got arrested and nobody got shot."

Yeah, awkward is a bit of an understatement! Apparently Brown intends on putting up higher fences around his property - is that to keep his neighbor out or him in?

Posted by silverdsl at 11:29 AM | Comments (0)

July 30, 2006

Yankees Trade for Bobby Abreu, Corey Lidle for Prospects

As widely rumored would happen over the past few days, the New York Yankees have made a trade for Bobby Abreu and Corey Lidle from the Philadelphia Phillies, for four prospects, including shortstop C.J. Henry left-handed reliever Matt Smith. I wasn't crazy about this deal when I first heard about it, but gradually I warmed to it, particularly when I heard that Lidle was going to be included and that the Yankees wouldn't have to give up any players who are already making an impact on the major league level such as Scott Proctor, who was rumored to be included at one point. The Yankees will have to pay the entirety of Abreu's contract for 2007 - $17 million, but won't have to pick up his $15 million option for 2008, which was rumored to be one potential hang-up preventing the deal from going through.

While the Yankees have done an outstanding job of staying in the thick of the chase for the Division lead, and are also in contention for the Wild Card, in spite of the loss of Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield to injury, Abreu will be an asset to the lineup who should fit in very well. A lot of fans were thinking that the Yankees didn't need to trade for a bat because Matsui and Sheffield would be back soon and they would provide a boost to the lineup. But there's no guarantee how Matsui and Sheffield will hit when they return, or even if they will return on schedule. What I also like about this trade is that it pretty much assures that the Yankees won't be picking up Sheffield's option for next season, since while I appreciate everything Sheffield has done to help the Yankees win, he's become one of my least favorite players on the team.

I'm glad that the Yankees got some pitching in this deal. Lidle might not be a top pitcher, but he will probably be an upgrade over Sidney Ponson, the latest to be in the #5 spot in the rotation. I have no idea what the Yankees are going to do with Ponson, since one reason he was released by the St. Louis Cardinals was because he didn't work out well in the pullpen, but maybe they'll keep him around anyway, particularly since it's not unusual for the Yankees starting pitchers to struggle to go deep into games, despite Chien-Ming Wang's complete game the other day.

What this also means is that Bernie Williams's playing time is likely to be reduced. Williams has been playing well and has been more productive than I thought he would be this season. But he was signed to be a bench player, and the Yankees are a stronger team with him not being in the field. That he will likely only be occassionally at DH and when an outfielder needs a rest is sure to upset some fans, who feel that would be a sign of disloyalty to Willilams, but the Yankees have to make the moves they feel are in the best interest of the team, that will give them the best chance of getting back to the post-season. Their vision might very well be entirely different from that of the fans.

The Yankees have an off-day tomorrow but Abreu should be with the team on Tuesday - I'm looking forward to seeing him play!

Posted by silverdsl at 05:20 PM | Comments (0)

July 17, 2006

Curt Schilling and "Getting It" as Far as the Fans Go

Last night pitcher Curt Schilling, of the Boston Red Sox, stopped by the forum at NYYFans.com. (Yes, it's really him.) This wasn't by request, Schilling, or Gehrig38 as he's known online, was reading an ongoing thread that exists on the site to discuss topics related to the Red Sox and decided to jump in on the discussion, as he's done in the past. But this time Schilling spoke much more at length on a variety of topics and responded to quite a number of questions and comments from fans. What makes this a bit unusual for those that don't know is that NYYFans is a site for New York Yankees fans. While we do not bar fans from other teams, including from the Red Sox, from participating, the site and forum always has and always will have a Bronx/Yankees bias. So essentially Schilling was in enemy territory, posting with fans who really don't care for him too much since he's a member of the hated division rivals. However, where the discussion could have gone in an ugly direction, it evolved into an outstanding discussion between a player and a bunch of baseball fans. I applaud all those who took part and Schilling for taking the time to respond at length to so many questions and comments. It's extremely rare for baseball players to interact with fans like that, particularly in such a casual and spontaneous setting. And it's probably pretty much unheard of for a player to engage the fans on a rival team.

My point in bringing this up isn't just because it was a great discussion. It's also because I think Schilling is an example of a sports figure who really gets it when it comes to the fans, but especially the fans online. Schilling seems to respect the right of fans to their opinions, even if they disagree with him, even if they are critical of him, even if they diss him, even if they don't like him. He understands the passion that fans have for their sport. He gets that how fans react, in a sometimes emotional way, is all a part of being a fan. Not only that but Schilling doesn't take the stance that whatever he says is gospel. Nor does he post with a superior attitude that one might expect from a MLB player. If Curt Schilling can have a civil discussion about baseball with fans, some of whom have been harsh in their criticism of him, then it seems to me that other players (and drivers) and those associated with them should be capable of the same.

Curt Schilling to my knowledge has never called fans "classless" as the representative of one Nascar driver did. He's never lectured fans about being critical like so many who claim to be "in-the-know" as supposed associates of players or drivers are sometimes fond of doing. He's never bashed fans for having opinions that are different than his or other players. Schilling seems to have a considerable amount of tolerance for the opinions of fans and others - I find that refreshing considering how many people seem to think that opposing opinions or anything the least bit critical of a player/team/driver should be avoided at all costs.

I'm open about saying what I think pretty much everywhere, without worrying too much about what the person/people I'm talking about might think if they read it. I try to post my thoughts with as much respect as possible so that I'm not insulting, nor do I engage in bashing or name-calling, but I call things as I see them. If that means that I'm critical of someone, so be it. Plenty of people are critical of me, why should someone be exempt from criticism because I'm a fan of their's? I certainly celebrate all the positive things that my players/team/drivers do, but I don't feel obligated to agree with everything that my favorite players/drivers say or do and I also don't shape my opinions based around what they think or say. I sometimes find it scary how many fans seem afraid to speak their minds or feel they need to base their opinions around what their favorites think lest they offend them should they come online and read something they don't like from a fan. I say if a player (or driver) truly respects the fans, then they have tolerance for fans stating their opinions openly, whether those opinions are negative or positive, like Schilling does.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:18 PM | Comments (0)

July 13, 2006

Yankees Sign Sidney Ponson

I know the need some pitching help, particularly since Shawn Chacon hasn't been working out too well at the back of the rotation but Sidney Ponson? Oh yes, the Yankees signed Ponson and he will make his first start on Tuesday. Where to begin on Ponson? He was released by the St. Louis Cardinals this week after going 4-4 with a 5.24 ERA. Ponson had begun the season in the starting rotation for the Cardinals and eventually pitched his way to the bullpen. From there it was being designated for assignment last Friday. So Ponson isn't exactly Cy Young material. There's also the little matter of Ponson's weight which has sometimes seemed to balloon out of control, no small matter for a pitcher.

What really disappoints me about this signing is that Ponson has a very checkered life off the field. If it was just one incident, one might be able to chalk it up as a mistake that wouldn't be repeated. But Ponson was arrested for assaulting a judge in his native Aruba, an offense he spent 11 days in jail for, allegedly got into a fight during Spring Training last season, and has been charged with DUI, not once, not twice, but three times in less than a year. Supposedly he hasn't touched a drop of alcohol since last August but that Ponson's first two DUI's, one of which he apparently tried to hide, contributed to him being released by the Baltimore Orioles, should say something not very good. That he didn't learn from the first two DUI and was charged a third time is especially troubling. Usually I can excuse a lot by saying that just like everyone else, the players aren't perfect. But I really have a hard time ignoring multiple DUI charges. That has always been an offense that has really bothered me.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:53 PM | Comments (0)

July 03, 2006

Is That Good Enough?

Alex Rodriguez had seven RBI last night, including a grand slam, as the New York Yankees beat the New York Mets 16-7 in interleague play. That's on top of a 12th inning two-run, walkoff homerun, last Thursday, which allowed the Yankees to beat the Atlanta Braves 4-3. Yes, A-Rod hasn't had a lot of big hits this season until now, but for all those who have said that he's not ever capable of coming up big in key moments - obviously you are wrong. Stats are great, they can predict what a player is likely to do. However, they aren't the be all, end all. Just because a player hasn't often come through in the clutch or had big hits, doesn't mean that it will never happen. A-Rod has shown that in a very big way over the past week.

The best part of all of this is that A-Rod got his big hits at Yankee Stadium where he's been booed so terribly. I hope that sends a message to those fans who were sometimes booing him before his at-bats were even completely over - A-Rod can and will get the job done at the plate, however, he is a human being who is going to fail at times. Unfortunately some fans will probably be convinced that their booing is what caused him to break out of his slump and might be inclined to boo him even harder the next time he goes into a slump. Which he will, because all players do.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:08 PM | Comments (0)

June 28, 2006

Robinson Cano On DL With Hamstring Injury

Another day, another injury to a key player for the New York Yankees. This time it's second baseman Robinson Cano, who suffered a pulled left hamstring running to second on a double during Saturday night's game. It was obvious then that Cano would likely have to make a trip to the disabled list and that is what has happened. Unfortunately the problem with hamstring injuries is that they can be unpredictable and linger. Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman said,

Some [hamstring injuries] go quick, some don't go as quick. We'll see."

Indeed we will. The Yankees have been struggling as of late, and at the worst time possible since the Boston Red Sox are on a hot streak, having won ten games in a row, to put them 3 1/2 games ahead of the Yankees in the division. So losing another player who has been a solid contributor hurts, particularly when they will be facing another hot team in the form of the New York Mets this weekend. I hate to be all doom and gloom, but I'm not feeling particularly good about how the Yankees are going to fare this weekend.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:35 PM | Comments (0)

June 26, 2006

Mike Mussina Gets 2,500th Career Strikeout

This is a pretty impressive accomplishement for Mike Mussina - yesterday he became only the 28th pitcher to get 2,500 strikeouts. Just as good was the fact that Mussina rebounded from a couple of outings in which he struggled with seven strong innings to help lead the New York Yankees to a 2-1 win over the Florida Marlins in the first of two games the teams played against each other yesterday. By striking out Cody Ross in the 7th, Mussina became only the second Yankee, after my favorite former Yankee, David Cone, to get his 2,500th strikeout in pinstripes. There are a lot of fans who feel that Mussina has underachieved as a Yankee or that he's not as good as the amount of money he's being paid. But there are only 27 other pitchers who have as many stikeouts as Moose does. And at the moment Moose has a 9-3 record and an ERA of 3.28, even though he's struggled a bit prior to yesterday's game. So I think that the Yankees are very lucky, particularly in light of some of their other pitching woes to have a pitcher like Moose!

Posted by silverdsl at 02:26 PM | Comments (0)

June 15, 2006

Derek Jeter Not Supportive of Alex Rodriguez?

It sure seems that way based on some of Derek Jeter's recent comments, or shall I say the comments he hasn't made. Alex Rodriguez has been getting boo'ed unmercifully by New York Yankee fans at Yankee Stadium while he fights his way through a slump at the plate. The booing has gotten so bad that fans don't even wait to see an outcome of an at-bat before they start booing him. So when Derek Jeter was asked to comment on the booing he said,

"It happens to everyone, man. We won the game. Come out and play tomorrow. I was getting booed, Mo [Mariano Rivera] was getting booed at the beginning of the season. Everybody goes through it. You've got to work your way out of it. It's not like this is the first time somebody's been booed. It happened to Tino when he came here. It happens to everyone."

On the surface I don't think Jeter said anything wrong. He's 100% right in that every player gets booed when they fail in the fan's eyes, especially when it's over an extended period of time. He's also right that players simply need to suck it up, deal with the booing and end it by breaking out of the slump. Those comments might be fine coming from another player, but Jeter is the team captain. As such, I believe that he should find a way to be supportive of A-Rod, as he's done with other players who have been booed in the past. Jeter can't tell the fans to quit booing A-Rod, because it makes it seem like A-Rod is weak and can't handle it, but he certainly can say something like, "Alex was the league MVP last season and he's an important part of this team. I have full confidence that he will break out of this slump and start hitting like he's capable of soon."

But Jeter opted not to go that route. It's particularly glaring when one considers that Jeter stuck up for Jason Giambi when he was getting booed after grand jury testimony that he used performance enhancers was leaked and he was slumping terribly. At that time Jeter said,

"The fans need to start cheering for him. If you're a Yankee fan and you want to win, you need Jason to do well."

Jeter can manage to tell the fans to cheer for Giambi, when he's the face of steroid use in MLB, something which is a lot more serious and a lot less forgiveable than a slump. So why not a similar comment in relation to A-Rod?

On the other hand, closer Mariano Rivera didn't have any qualms about stating his feelings on the fans booing A-Rod.

"It's a shame all the fans are booing a guy for nothing. Everybody goes through this."

Which is exactly what Jeter as team captain could have, no, should have, said. As captain, it's Jeter's responsibility to lead his teammates, but also to support them. Some say that Jeter never wanted to be captain, so therefore he doesn't have to live up to the responsibilites that goes along with that prestigious title. I don't agree. Like it or not, that is his role.

What this does is fuel the speculation that hard feelings still exist between A-Rod and Jeter, and that Jeter doesn't really like A-Rod very much anymore. If that's true, that's Jeter's right. Not every teammate is going to like each other. But I still say that a team captain needs to be publically supportive of all his teammates, whether he likes them or not.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:43 AM | Comments (0)

Esteban Loaiza Arrested for DUI, Reckless Driving

As much as they've probably tried to forget about him, some New York Yankees fans may remember Esteban Loaiza, who the Yankees aquired from the Chicago White Sox for Jose Contreras. I'm just guessing that's a trade the Yankees would like a do-over on if given a chance. But a couple of teams later, Loaiza is in the news again because, ESPN is reporting, that he was arrested for DUI and reckless driving. The reckless part probably has something to do with the fact that he was caught doing over 120 mph in his Ferrari. Loaiza was supposed to start for the Oakland Athletics in today's game, his second since coming off the disabled list recently, but I'm guessing that after spending the night in jail, might not be up to taking the mound. I'm sure the A's are very displeased that he got arrested, but I'm sure they also aren't thrilled that he was out drinking the night before he was due to pitch.

I think the same things every time an athlete is caught driving under the influence. First I think - asshat! Same as I think about anyone who drinks and drives. But from there I wonder why they don't hire a limo for the evening? The majority of athletes have enough financial resources that they don't have to put themselves in that kind of a position because they can afford to pay for transportation for the evening. In addition, one would think that with as careful as most athletes are about their image, that they wouldn't take the risk of doing something that could get them a lot of negative publicity and do damage to their reputation.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:29 AM | Comments (0)

June 13, 2006

Hating Players and Drivers Makes No Sense to Me

I'm really getting tired of some of my fellow fan's attitude towards some baseball players and Nascar drivers. There are many, many, many wonderful fans out there, but it seems like the amount of hateful, venomous fans is on the rise. It's okay to dislike players or drivers - there are definitely some that I don't care for. It's okay to criticize them and disagree with the things that they might say or do. It's okay to speak one's mind - I do it all the time in this space and elsewhere. But what's not okay in my mind are the fans who hate people they don't even know for frivilous reasons, spew insults, bash players and drivers, or rip them unmercifully for not living up to their lofty and impossible to attain expectations for performance and behavior.

Let's be clear about one thing - no matter how easy Derek Jeter might make playing baseball look or how simple it seems for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to jump in a car and race around in circles, it's not. Playing professional baseball or racing in Nascar is extremely difficult. It only looks easy because of the talent level of the people involved. The vast majority of fans who think that they can do what the players and drivers are doing - and do it better - are very much mistaken. To get to the major league level in baseball, or to one of the three highest levels in Nascar, takes a tremendous amount of hard work, dedication, sacrifice, passion, committment, focus, competitive drive, and yes, talent. Oh yes, there is not a single player or driver in either sport, as much as some would like to think otherwise, who do not have talent. Although the talent levels may vary between a Tony Stewart and a Tony Raines or between an Alex Rodriguez and a Bubba Crosby, the fact of the matter is that drivers and players do not get to this level of professional competition - and stay there - if they are not among the elite in their respective sports. As such I think that the players and drivers are deserving of some respect, not only for their abilities behind the wheel, on the mound or at the plate, but also because of how much they had to go though to get to where they are.

The reality is that no baseball player is always going to get a hit every time they go up to bat or isn't always going to pitch a shutout every time they are on the mound. There are some drivers who have to race lousy cars that are non-competitive because they are with teams that have very few resources and sometimes no manufacturer support. Players and drivers are going to say and do things that fans disagree with. None of these things mean that the driver or player is a worthless human being. It means that in an individual situation they didn't come through, the results weren't very good or that they did or said something disappointing. What we are exposed to as fans, via what happens on the field, on the track or even in interviews, is often a very, very, very small part of the person that the driver or player actually is. I guess because of how much media there is - TV, radio, print, internet - that cover all the sports so in-depth, it's easy to think that we know exactly who a player or driver is. But we don't know. Let me repeat - in the vast majority of cases, just like with everyone else we encounter in a casual way, we only know what that person chooses to share with us. Even if you've seen a player or driver at the track or at the stadium a bunch of times, even if they might recognize you and exchange pleasantries with you, often you have no idea who the real person is, unless you've spend a considerable amount of time with this person, really getting to know them. I say all of this because I'm completely amazed sometimes by the conclusions that some fans jump to and how personal their attacks are and how it fuels their hatred.

One reason I'm saying all of this is because I'm really sick of how many fans think it's okay to say vile and insulting things about Michael Waltrip, thinking that they know who he is based on his appearances on some TV shows or because of his results on the track. A lot of fans are taking issue with Michael right now because they don't agree with some of the things that he says or does - as I said above there's nothing wrong with that. No one has to like Michael. But some of the reasons why they not just dislike him, but downright hate him, border on the ridiculous.

It's really distressing to me that there's a huge backlash against Michael, and to a lesser degree Dale Jarrett, simply because they've choosen to align themselves with Toyota. I have no problem with those who don't like Toyota because they are fans of other manufacturers or other legitimite reasons. But I do take issue with it when a fan's hatred for Toyota and anything associated with it is simply because Toyota is a foreign manufacturer and they feel that this sport should stay all-American. That kind of intolerance really disturbs me. And I believe it's a big reason why Michael is taking so much flack right now - until Red Bull Racing and Bill Davis Racing announce some of their drivers and sponsors for 2007, Michael is the face of Toyota entering Cup so he's going to take all the heat. Which might be fine if that heat didn't come in the form of people bashing and booing him simply because Michael Waltrip Racing is going to be fielding Toyotas next season.

Of course a lot of Junior fans have turned on Michael as well simply because he no longer drives for DEI. There were Junior fans who were hating on Michael last season because at points he was doing better on the track than Junior, but the amount of Junior fans who dislike Michael has definitely increased. It seems like a lot of Junior fans (and fans in general) have trouble wrapping their minds around why Michael would possibly want to leave DEI, even though doing so is going to allow Michael to fulfill some of his dreams of having his own Cup teams. The thing is that all evidence seems to indicate that Junior and Michael are still on good terms, but it seems impossible for some of his fans to accept that. And don't even get me started on those who try to deny that Dale, Sr. and Michael had a close friendship - denying that is simply trying to rewrite history to suit the way you would like things to have been.

One thing that I've always liked about Michael is that he often says and does what he wants, as much as he can in an environment where the drivers always have to be careful about not offending sponsors, teams or fans. That is even more the case this season since he is racing for himself and no longer has to answer to DEI. That has given Michael the freedom to be even more candid in his opinions on both Inside Nextel Cup and Tradin' Paint. Well, there are a lot of fans who hate him for it. A lot of people think he's an arrogant, asshat who has no right to his opinions because his results on the track have been awful this season. It makes me laugh because Michael has been racing Cup for over 20 years - there is no doubt that he knows more about Nascar and racing than the vast majority of fans who are watching. Michael acts like he knows what he's talking about because he does! And why does poor results on the track negate someone's opinions? Michael, and Ken Schrader for that matter, are every bit as intelligent about racing running at the back of the pack as they are running up front.

I also find it really sad how things have evolved to where fans complain when drivers are too vanilla and speak like they've been handed a script by a PR person. Yet when a driver is candid and honest in their opinions, fans seem to hate that too. What it comes down to is that a lot of fans only want the drivers to speak thier minds when they're saying what the fans want to hear. Agreeing with Nascar is bad, and a driver should never do that lest they be accused like Michael of being a kiss-ass, never mind that when it comes to things like the fact that speeding penalities are black and white, he's right! Criticizing another driver is wrong in many fan's eyes no matter how mild it might be, unless it's saying how much the Busch Brothers suck - yet it's funny how the same fans have no problem ripping the offending driver and any others they don't like for their perceived faults. I do think that there are times when some drivers have on occassion been too harsh in their remarks - they should also have respect for their fellow drivers - but simply put, a driver can never win, and especially one like Michael who shares his opinions so openly.

I also have to say that just because a driver isn't getting very good results doesn't mean they suck. No, not even Derrike Cope, Carl Long, Mike Garvey, Kevin Lepage or any of the other "field-fillers." Fact of the matter is that those drivers are with tiny teams, few personnel, very little financial resources and the cars aren't very competitive. In fact in some cases, the drivers are lucky to be able to nurse the cars around the track for half a race without parts falling off. Michael suffers from some similar problems, in that the cars that he's getting from BDR are slow, the engines are weak, they have no manufacturer support due to the Dodge lawsuit, and half the time there's mechancial problems on top of everything else. Just like Steve Park is with a truck team with no manufacturer support, no sponsor, not many personnel and limited resources. What driver can succeed and race as well as they are capable of under those circumstances? Unfortunately many fans fail to take all the other factors into consideration - if a driver doesn't run up front, he's washed up, he sucks, he should retire. Well, let's look at Todd Bodine - so many fans felt that he was a worthless driver given his lack of success in Cup and I saw a few fans wish he was out of the sport. He goes to the truck series and now he can barely lose. Sometimes all it takes is good cars or truck and a team that believes in their drivers. And regardless of results, I believe every driver, crew chief and pit crew member is working their asses off to get the best finishes possible.

A-Rod is also feeling the heat these days, not just by those who dislike him, but by Yankee fans as well. I've discussed it before, but it truely boggles my mind. Last season A-Rod was the league MVP, but that wasn't good enough for many fans. In their eyes he was still a failure because he didn't carry the team on his shoulders through the post-season and to the World Series. And even though A-Rod has been one of the most productive players on the team, there are many fans who are convinced he never has big hits or comes through because he didn't get an RBI hit in every at-bat against the Red Sox in the games the Yankees have played against their division rival this season. A-Rod has been getting boo'ed like crazy by home fans at the stadium recently, because he's not so far been putting up MVP numbers this season. However, no player can produce like that all the time and especially when they're just getting over being so sick with the flu that they had to miss time.

I understand that some fans feel that they have to make their displeasure known in a way that they players can hear by booing. I also think that there are certain things, such as when a player doesn't run out ground balls, thus seeming to only be putting half-effort in, or if a player has been found to have used performance enhancers, that the booing is a lot more understandable. But when players are slumping or otherwise not coming though on the plate or at the mound, they don't need to be told that they aren't producing - they know. At this level of baseball, its not just the fans who have very high standards, the players do as well, and they are going to be just as disappointed, maybe even more so, when they can't come up with a big hit when it's needed. Booing a player isn't going to make a light bulb go on in their head and suddenly they're going to realize they stink and immediately be able to fix things.

Another thing that bothers me is when fans who don't like a driver or player question their sexual orientation, and accuse them of being "gay" as if it's an insult. Sexual orientation has nothing to do with what a player or driver does on the field or racetrack. But beyond that the gay jokes are nothing more than homophobia and it's vile. Of course that speaks to a larger problem in society as a whole that people are intolerant of those that are gay, lesbian or bi-sexual, but I think it's particularly troublesome how accepted it seems to be by some, that a good way to bash a driver is by making gay jokes. Or how many fans seem to think that they can tell whether a player or driver is gay by the way they sit or how they do their hair.

I think the bottom line for me in all this rambling is how disturbed I am by how far some fans take their dislike for players or drivers and how little it takes for them to start hating someone. A few years ago I read a fan's discourse on why she couldn't stand Steve Park and it came down to the way he smiled when he was posing for photos with fans. Not just why she disliked him, but why she just about hated him. Because of the way he smiled! How is that enough to start hating someone?

As I said at the beginning no one has to like every driver or player. There are some that I don't like, who have done or said things that I don't agree with or who just annoy me. I understand that just like all other human beings the drivers and players have faults and flaws. I understand that not every driver and player is going to have the same opinions or do things the way that I would. I accept that the world is full of all different kinds of people with all different personalities. But the narrow-mindedness and lack of tolerance by some fans is really hard for me to take sometimes. I see no reason to hate any driver or player, and especially when they've never done anything to me personally. Of course that might be the key - some fans have so much personally invested in the sports, teams and drivers that they follow that they take everything incredibly personally, which probably makes it easy for dislike to turn into hate. It's sad - I wish that everyone spent as much time commending the drivers when they do something positive d as they do spending time hating on them for even the tinest of flaws.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:04 AM | Comments (0)

June 09, 2006

Sheffield Needs Surgery, Out Until September

I pretty much expected that this was going to be the case given the New York Yankees poor luck when it comes to injuries this season. Unfortunately rest isn't going to cure Gary Sheffield's wrist - he will need surgery to repair a torn ligament. Brian Cashman, the Yankees general manager says that this doesn't mean that Sheffield's season is over because it's expected that he will return to the team in September. But I think that's assuming that Sheffield's wrist heals as expected and his rehab goes well. If there are any problems or setbacks, Sheffield could easily miss the rest of the season. Although the Yankees have been playing very well right now without him and Hideki Matsui, I think in terms of the big picture, this is a big loss for the Yankees. Sheffield has been a force in the lineup ever since he joined the team and I don't think his contributions will be so easy to replace, no matter how well some of the young kids the Yankees have called up have been playing.

The only question is how this is going to effect whether or not the Yankees pick up Sheffield's option. Cashman claims that it won't have any effect on it at all, but I'm not sure I believe that. How can the Yankees pick up a $13 million option on a player, who is no spring chicken, that was on the disabled list for the majority of the season with a major injury to his wrist? Sheffield's wrist problems could very well be an issue for him in the future as well. If he comes back early enough in September, maybe Sheffield will get the opportunity to show that he's completely healed and that he can still swing the bat just as good as ever. Of course there's a degree of risk any time a team picks up a player's option, but in this case, there might be even more risk involved. I can see the Yankees not picking up Sheffield's option but trying to re-sign him for less money, unless there's an outfielder who will be a free agent that they have their eye on.

Posted by silverdsl at 01:52 PM | Comments (0)

June 07, 2006

Former Yankee Jason Grimsley at Center of Federal Probe into HGH

It was only a matter of time before there was another scandal involving performance enhancers on the level of Balco, and this may very well be it. Yesterday Federal agents raided the home of Arizona Diamondbacks reliever, Jason Grimsley, who played for the New York Yankees from 1999-2000, looking for evidence relating to the purchase, use and distribution of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and other performance enhancers, as well as evidence that might relate to money laundering. Apparently Grimsley was first busted by the Feds back on April 19, when he was caught receiving two packets of HGH at his house. When confronted, Grimsley initially agreed to cooperate, giving them in-depth information in interviews about his, and others, use of HGH, amphetamines and steroids, as well the sources from where they got the performance enhancers.

The biggest potential bombshell in all of this is that Grimsley named names of other players that he knows use or have used performance enhancers. Considering that Grimsley has played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Indians, Anaheim Angels, Kansas City Royals, and Baltimore Orioles, in addition to the Yankees and Diamondbacks, that means there's a considerable amount of players who will now fall under suspicion. While the names of the players that Grimsley named are blacked out of the affidavit that's been made available publically, I suspect that the names of those players will eventually be leaked, just like they were in the Balco case. That could have huge ramifications for those players, their teams and Major League Baseball as a whole.

While MLB has improved their policy as it relates to the use of performance enhancers such as steroids and amphetamines, they don't test for HGH. Grimsley said that once MLB started testing for the other performance enhancers he simply switched to using HGH exclusively. I would guess that a lot of other players did the same, so there's no way of knowing who or how many players might be using, though this case may tip us off to some who do. I think MLB has tried to ignore the whole HGH issue, but if specific players are named as HGH users, and especially if other players are investigated by the Feds, I think they will have to address this issue in a much stronger way than they have previously. I think not only has MLB tried to ignore the HGH issue but so have a lot of fans because unless MLB comes up with a way to test players for HGH, then any and all of them can continue to use HGH, as long as they don't get busted by the Feds like Grimsley did. I don't think a lot of fans want to consider the possibility that it might not be just Barry Bonds or Jason Giambi who used performance enhancers, but maybe their favorite players on their favorite team as well.

What this also does is throw the spotlight on the fact that it's not just hitters who use performance enhancers because Grimsley is a pitcher. He wasn't using steroids or HGH for increased strength, he was using those substances because it helped him heal. Those are benefits that any player might want to take advantage of regardless of the position they play. He also admitting to using Greenies, but that's certainly far from a surprise since it's well-known that their use is widespread thoughout baseball by both hitters and pitchers. But before now most fans have assumed that it's muscle-bound hitters who are the most likely to use performance enhancers. This however highlights that fans can't determine which players have or do use performance enhancers on the basis of which players have gained a lot of muscle since they first started playing. Just because a player is skinny, doesn't mean they aren't using.

More is sure to become known about all of this in the days to follow but it will certainly be interesting to see the response by MLB to these revelations.

Posted by silverdsl at 12:58 PM | Comments (0)

June 06, 2006

Random Thoughts on the New York Yankees

I figured I would do one big entry on some things related to the Yankees instead of spreading it out over a few small entries...

*I really try to avoid calling players names or otherwise personally insulting them but sometimes... I understand that players get upset and lose control sometimes but they make their living off of their physical abilities. So why then, do they do thinks that jeapardize their health or put them at risk for an injury? Such was the case for New York Yankees pitcher Scott Proctor, who punched a metal door after Saturday's game against the Baltimore Orioles, because he was upset about giving up a run and a miscommunication between himself and the bullpen coach. Idiot. I'm sorry, but punching a door/wall/any other object is sheer stupidity. Kevin Brown punched a wall when he was with the Yankees in 2004 and broke his hand. I think it's somewhat of a selfish thing to do, considering how much Proctor has been used out of the bullpen, if he had broken or otherwise severely injured his hand it could have been very costly to the team, especially since they're already dealing with a significant amount of injury woes.

*While we're on the subject of the Yankees injury woes, it's incredible how well they've been playing while missing some key players. Just over the past few days Alex Rodriguez and Jason Giambi missed time due to a stomach virus and Derek Jeter has been out with a bruised thumb. Yet the Yankees still managed to win eight of their last ten games, including last night, when they crushed the Boston Red Sox 13-5. Some of the replacement players have really stepped up, including Andy Phillips and Melky Cabrera. But I think the team as a whole has been playing some outstanding baseball lately. As a result the Yankees are in first in the division. Sure, it's only by a half game, but a lot of other teams that had to deal with this many injuries might have collapsed completely. Not the Yankees.

*Yesterday A-Rod was named the American League Player of the Month for May. So A-Rod was deemed the best of all American League hitters in May, yet many Yankee fans have been on his case because they feel that he's not been living up to expectations or coming up big. Meanwhile, A-Rod led the league with 28 RBI, hit .330, with eight home runs and a .416 on-base percentage, as well as hit safely in 25 games during May. This is a player who is a disappointment? I understand that some fans measure a player's worthiness against Derek Jeter, who always seems to be clutch, or decides if a player is earning their salary on the basis of how well they hit against hated rivals like the Red Sox or Mets, but the reality is that A-Rod is an exceptional and very productive hitter. The stats bear that out. Being AL Player of the Month reflects that. There are many teams who would love to have A-Rod on their team, it's too bad that some Yankee fans are unable to truly appreciate him.

*Mike Mussina pitched his way to another win last night, and now has a record of 8-1 with an ERA of 2.67. That's outstanding! After two years in which he's been inconsistent at times, I love seeing him pitch this well regularly! Some fans have noted that Mussina's contract runs out after this season and feel that he's pitching so well because he's deliberately turned it up a notch in his contact year. This upsets other fans, because the implication is that some players only give a half-assed effort until they have to prove their value to their team so they will either get re-signed by their current team or signed to a deal by a new team. I think the main reason Mussina is pitching this well is because there are no injury issues like there were the past two seasons.

But in general, I do think there is something to the idea that some players step it up in a contract year. I don't believe that this is really something deliberate, but rather something subconsious and part of human nature. Every person wants to do their best and never more than when they are being evaluated. A player's entire future might depend on what they do and there is certainly increased attention in a contract year. It's the survival of the fittest in a way because the competition in MLB among players is so intense so the players need to do whatever they can to ensure that there is interest in their services. I don't think it's anything for them to be ashamed of either, whether they do it purposefully or not.

*I'm really sick of the excuse that if someone wears the opposing team's logo on their person it somehow justifies vile things getting screamed at them, things thrown at them or even in some cases, being physically attacked. That kind of behavior is NEVER okay. Not for any reason, no matter what team the other person is a fan of. I know some people talk about the rivalries in terms of doing battle, but this is a sporting event, not a real war.

Posted by silverdsl at 01:30 PM | Comments (0)

May 31, 2006

More Injury Woes for Sheffield; Damon Still Hurting

But before I get to that... I didn't get to see the whole game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers last night, which the Yankees eventually won 11-3, in extra innings. These days with how early I have to wake up for work, I often miss the end of games and on the weekends it seems like I'm always running around somewhere or I'm watching a race. So even though I'm just as much of a fan as I ever was, I don't get to watch as closely as I used to be able to. But I did see Derek Jeter's big error that led to two runs. A lot of fans are willing to give Jeter a complete pass on that in a way that they wouldn't for other players - after all he is the Captain and the player who has led the team to multiple World Championships - but I really cringed when I saw that error. Of course all players are going to make errors, but the Yankees defense has been a concern of mine since day one of the season. It's not too costly to make an error that leads to two runs against the Tigers, and especially when the Yankees go on to win the game, but the Yankees need to ensure that their defense is strong so that kind of thing doesn't happen in games against division rivals or during the post-season when it could really hurt them.

Onto the Yankees continued injury woes, it's bad enough that Hideki Matsui is lost for the year, but the Yankees other starting outfielders aren't feeling so great either. Just after Gary Sheffield got off the disabled list because of an injury to his left wrist, the very same wrist is bothering him once more. On Monday Sheffield's wrist felt good enough to the point where he was able to play the outfield but after batting practice before yesterday's game it hurt him badly enough that he was a late scratch for last night's game. Hopefully this is nothing more than a minor setback because the last thing the Yankees need is for Sheffield's wrist injury to be something that lingers for the rest of the season. Sheffield has played a major role in the Yankees offense the past couple of years and with Matsui out and other players also hurting, they're really going to need him in the lineup.

Johnny Damon has been playing with a broken sesamoid bone and the pain has spread to other parts of his foot. Yesterday it was so bad that he also missed the game. Damon said,

"It's a small bone that can heal, but it can't heal if it's constantly being used."

That comment makes me think that Damon might be headed to the disabled list. Which might not be such a bad thing if it would enable the bone to heal completely. There is also the possiblity that Damon might require surgery, and if so, I hope the Yankees opt to have Damon do that sooner rather than later. Damon has been solid for the Yankees and I'd rather have him miss time now than down the road.

Damon also said,

"It swells up a lot more on days I do run more. If it's concentrated in just one spot, I wouldn't notice it, but now it's a bigger area, and that's what we're concerned about ... It's a pretty big area where it is compared to where it was."

In light of that comment and the overall state of his foot, I find it very puzzling why Damon was put into the game as a pinch-runner last night. If running makes it worse, why have him run more? If they were truly trying to get him some rest so that the foot can heal, why put him in? I didn't see that part of the game so maybe there was some reason that I don't know about, but if he needs rest, give the man some rest so the foot doesn't get any worse!

Posted by silverdsl at 01:30 PM | Comments (0)

May 23, 2006

On Steve Park, Carl Pavano and Disappointment

Last week someone on Steve Park Central made some very interesting comments regarding the possibility they might be disappointed in Steve depending on some of his choices as to the direction in which his career goes in. The thread ended up being nuked because of another comment this same person made, which also brings up an interesting topic that I will discuss in a entry later or tomorrow. But both of those entries are for anyone who saw the thread and didn't get their say, or might have thought about similar issues. Since this is my blog, on a domain that I own, hosted on a server that my husband owns, there are no fears that either of these entries will meet a premature end.

Let me say one thing up front - I'm not the kind of fan who thinks my driver walks on water and that they can do no wrong. I've been disappointed before in Steve Park. I'm not ashamed to admit I was disappointed by the way that he pulled out of the events he had signed a contract to participate in for the Operation Marathon Getaway last year in Las Vegas after people paid a lot of money. I've been disappointed by others that I'm a fan of as well. I was terribly disappointed in Jason Giambi when it was shown that he used steroids in the past. I'm not overly thrilled when Kevin Harvick mouths off like a schoolyard bully about some of his fellow drivers. I was disappointed when Michael Waltrip choose to retaliate against Jeff Green last season during a race, because I don't like it when drivers use their cars as weapons against each other. I was disappointed by Mike Mussina's attitude about playing in Japan. The list goes on. The drivers and players that I'm a fan of are human beings who are imperfect, but besides that they are sometimes going to say or do things that I disagree with. No one should feel that they are any less of a fan because they feel disappointed or don't agree with something that their favorite driver does. I accept that those that I am a fan of will make mistakes, will do things I don't like, will let me down, will sometimes make me angry. I refuse to put any driver or player on a pedestal and pretend that nothing bothers me or they can do no wrong.

At the same time, I believe that as grown adults the drivers and players are capable of making good, intelligent, well-thought out decisions. I trust that they make decisions that are in their own best interests and that they are doing the things that they think will give them the best chance of happiness and success. As veterans of their respective sports, I also figure through the years they've gained more than a little knowledge about racing or baseball and how to keep their careers going as long as possible. However, that doesn't mean that I, or any other fan, is doing something wrong if we respectfully disagree with an opinion a driver or player has, or if we worry about the consequences of a decision that they make. I really hate using the term "bad fan" because there really isn't any such thing, but inappropriate behaviors to me are harassment, stalking, rudeness, bullying, etc... Behaviors which are unacceptable in any setting. A fan expressing an opinion in a way that doesn't involve bashing, insults or rudeness, doesn't make one a bad fan.

With that out of the way, let's get to what this entry is really about. How this one particular fan might be disappointed in Steve Park. Before going any further it should be mentioned that this person is very dedicated, supportive and has been a fan of Steve's for years. So this isn't a casual fan or someone who in reality doesn't like Steve. To set the stage for how this came up, there was a discussion about whether Steve would be interested in a Cup ride with Robert Yates Racing, as unlikely as that might be to actually happen. It was then suggested by those who have spoken to Steve recently that, while nothing is ever ruled out completely, he really wouldn't have much or any interest in taking a Cup ride. The other fan then said that if Steve wasn't interested in getting back to Cup racing that he would be very disappointed in him. He felt that if Steve wasn't racing with the goal of trying to secure another Cup ride, what was the point of what he was currently doing? To be clear, he said that he wouldn't be disappointed if Steve never raced Cup again, because there are so many factors out of Steve's hands that might prevent that from happening, but that if Steve had the opportunity to get into a quality Cup ride and turned it down, that would be disappointing to him.

Before I get into discussing Steve specifically, I think what this person brought up leads into some larger issues in relation to drivers and their goals. Does every driver in Nascar race with the goal of eventually racing at Nascar's highest level? Are some of them satisfied with less? I had always assumed that a race car driver's passion to race and extreme competitiveness meant that even if they acknowledge that it's unlikely to happen, they all dream of racing against, and beating, the best of the best drivers in Nascar, which are found in the Cup series. To get to one of Nascar's highest three levels takes not only a tremendous amount of talent, but also a lot of drive, focus, motivation, a desire to perform on a high level, and also the ability to fullfill some very lofty goals that many are unable to achive. So it's hard to wrap my mind around the idea that some drivers lose the qualities that they surely had to have at one point to get to this level of racing. How can men and women who have had racing in their blood from childhood give up on their dreams? Are some drivers satisfied with just riding around the track, making laps in subpar cars or trucks, with no hope of winning, as long as they're out on the track "racing" something? How does a driver decide that after years of hard work with the goal of reaching one of Nascar's highest three levels, they aren't interested in advancing any further?

I really don't have too many definitive answers to those questions because it's hard to really know the thought process in relation to a lot of those issues without talking directly to a bunch of drivers. However, I do believe that some drivers are satisfied with not racing in the Cup series, even if the desire to one day race in that series isn't entirely gone. Some drivers are in more competitive equipment in the truck or Busch series than they would ever get in the Cup series, so for those drivers they are going to be satisfied if they are enjoying a great deal of success on a lower level. But being successful in a competitive truck isn't enough for Todd Bodine, and Germain Racing, as they will attempt to qualify for several Cup races later this season, even though he is a Championship contender in the Truck Series. There are other reasons why drivers on lower levels might be okay with their circumstances, even if not completely satisfied. Some drivers are very attuned to the realities of the environment that Nascar operates in these days. Teams and sponsors are looking for young, very marketable drivers who will win a lot of races for them; they want drivers who will get a lot of exposure one way or another for the sponsor; drivers who bring sponsorship with them; or drivers who have a Champion's provisional they can use that will guarantee the car a spot in each race. The drivers who are aware of those things - and I think that some drivers are more attuned to the business side of the sport than others - know that their chances of getting back to the Cup series aren't great. But I don't think that those drivers completely give up on Cup racing, even if they know it might happen. I also think there are some drivers, particularly as their career start to wind down, who may find that just being on the track racing, even if it's in cars or trucks that aren't very good, is enough because they love racing so much that they are happy just to be out on the track.

But I've been wondering lately if it's possible that some driver's goals are much less than others. Maybe some don't care about winning as much as they used to. Maybe some don't care if they race on the Cup level again - or ever. Is the passion and desire there for every driver? If it is, I would think that they would all want to race so well that they either ensure that they keep the Cup ride they are currently in, impress an owner enough that they are asked to take an even better Cup ride when their current contract runs out, or advance up to the Cup level if they are currently in one of the lower levels. I would think that a big dream for every driver, no matter how good the racing might be on the level where they're currently racing, is beating 42 of Nascar's most elite drivers to get into Victory Lane on the Cup level. To be showered with confetti and the cheers of 100,000 fans with the knowledge that for at least one week, they've beaten the best of the best. I've got to admit that if I were to find out that a driver doesn't want to go Cup racing, even if it's only a dream that they keep locked away deep inside because they think it will never happen, that would stike an odd note with me. I would like to know that the drivers are striving for more, whether it's on one of Nascar's lower levels or if they are currently a Cup driver. I would like to know that they aren't willing to settle for less, when there might be an opportunity to achieve even more.

I'm going to bring baseball into the mix here because I think that's a big reason why I feel the way that I do. Baseball's version of the truck and Busch series is the Minor League System. It is completely unacceptable for a player to not strive to one day play in the majors, or if they were once in the majors and aren't anymore, to not try to get back. No player ever gives up on dreaming about playing in the majors, where all the best players are, or will be, and where one day a player might help their team win the World Series. It doesn't mean that they aren't realistic about their situation - there are going to be players whose talent level has either declined to the point where they can no longer play in the majors or their skill level was never good enough to get them to the majors. But no player doesn't dream of the day that they get called into their manager's office so that they can be told that they are being called up so they can help their team on the major league levell. If a professional baseball player is completely satisfied to not be in the majors it raises serious questions about their work ethic, their motivation and their goals. That is the kind of player that no one wants on their team.

Which is where New York Yankees pitcher Carl Pavano comes in. Pavano hasn't started a game for the Yankees since last June, when he was put on the disabled list. Since then it's been setback after setback for Pavano as he's tried to make his way back to the Bronx. His shoulder, his back, a bruised ass, tightness in his biceps, now a chipped bone above his elbow which will necessate surgery and likely means the end to his season. Because of how long Pavano has been on the disabled list, rehabbing from various injuries, some of which seemed mysterious and hard to pinpoint, many fans have questioned whether he is really interested in getting back to the majors with the Yankees or whether he is just content nursing his brusied ass, and now his elbow, down in Tampa. Personally, I think that Pavano is just extremely fragile and injury-prone, rather than a player who doesn't want to play on the major league level. I find it hard to believe that a player who has subjected himself to all the hard work that rehab requires, doesn't have the work ethic or motivation to play on the major league level. But many fans believe this is the case and would like the Yankees to sever ties with him as soon as possible.

So if it's unacceptable for Carl Pavano to not want to pitch on baseball's highest level, why is it acceptable for Steve Park, or any of the other drivers who might turn down an offer for a Cup ride, to not want to race on Nascar's highest level? Now that doesn't mean that a driver should take any ride that's offered to them - there are some Cup rides that are very non-competitive. And there are also drivers who have expressed a desire to truck race full-time in "retirement." But it's hard for me to understand why a driver in Steve's situation, wouldn't jump at the chance to get into a situation where they could race on a higher level against Nascar's most elite drivers, for more money and potentially in a more competitive ride. Anyone who has gotten this far in this entry is probably familiar with Steve but for those who aren't - he's 39 with potentially many years of racing ahead of him; he's only racing part-time in the Busch series for a very small team that will struggle to be competitive against the Cup-backed Busch teams; and he been racing the #59 truck, a truck with no primary sponsor, no manufacturer support, no guaranteed spot in each race and given their small resources it's unlikely they will be racing up front too often unless there are major changes to the team's circumstances. With that in mind, in all honesty, it would be disappointing to me if Steve were to turn down an opportunity to race for a quality team in a competitive ride on the Cup level. Fact is, that kind of ride would offer Steve a better chance to race up front and win than what he's in currently and isn't that what racing is all about - winning?

Some who have talked to Steve recently say that he is very happy with what he's doing now, racing in the Busch and Truck Series. But is he really? Is Steve, the race car driver, not Steve the person, really satisfied with the rides that he has now? Because if he is, then it's being implied that Steve is happy with results that are subpar and don't have a lot of hope of getting better unless major changes are made to the teams that he's with. Steve has said that he believes that the #59 team could be a team that could win races - I would agree if hard work was all it took to win races. However, right now this team is going to have an extremely hard time being competitive in comparision to the best teams in the truck series. Is that acceptable to Steve? I would think the answer would be "no!" especially given the amount of cursing that it was said that Steve did this past race weekend because of how bad his truck was and how unhappy overall he was with the inability of the team to make any improvements. So why then would he possibly refuse a Cup ride that might be better than the situation he's currently in? I can understand turning down a ride where the car will struggle to even qualify for races, let alone win any. But would Steve really turn down a ride with Red Bull Racing, Evernham Motorsports or Bill Davis Racing, even if he might be in a position to have better results than he is now? It would be hard for me to understand that.

It's been said that after his accident Steve learned that there are more important things in life than racing and that racing in Busch and the truck series, with less demands on his time, since there are less races and less obligations to sponsors and fans, gives him the opportunity to enjoy more time with his friends and family. I believe that it is very important for the drivers, and fans, to realize that there are more important things than what happens on the track. Many, if not all, of the drivers have to sacrifice time with friends and family during their racing careers, which isn't always an easy thing to do. But I can't help but think though that kind of attitude is one that is usually seen in drivers who are nearing the end of their careers, rather than a driver like Steve who should have years of racing left. Mark Martin, Ricky Rudd and Bill Elliott among others have cited wanting to spend more time with their families as reasons for retiring from racing Cup full-time. Michael Waltrip has also discussed learning as the years went on that there are more important things in life than what happens on the track, yet he is also a driver that probably only has a few more years left racing full-time. Maybe it is simply an attitude shift because of the accident, but it seems curious for a relatively young man to be talking like someone who might believe that most of their best years of racing are behind them - which may or may not be true in Steve's case. Beyond that it's hard for me to understand why Steve, or any other driver, wouldn't want to better their situation, even if they have learned there are more important things in life than racing.

I suppose it sounds like I'm being very critical of Steve and I guess that may be true depending on what his actual thought process is, something I know very little about. But really I'm just pondering some of what came up in the discussion that came to a premature end. I still think the world of Steve, I still believe in his abilty behind the wheel 100%, that he can race up front and win if he has a competitive car or truck. Maybe it's that belief that is why it's hard for me to understand why Steve wouldn't want to go Cup racing again - I believe that he can still do it and succeed at it. But of course, as someone said during the course of the discussion on the possibility of Steve returning to Cup racing, what Steve wants and what the fans might want could be two entirely different things. As it should be. Steve needs to do what is best for himself, no matter how much he wants to please those around him, including his fans. He needs to do what he thinks is going to give him the best opportunity at happiness and in the end only Steve knows what that would be. But in spite of all of that if fans were to find out that he turned down a Cup ride that, some may still be disappointed or question his reasoning.

Posted by silverdsl at 11:13 AM | Comments (0)

Homeruns that Don't Count?

Again, with the homeruns that don't count nonsense. Alex Rodriguez is getting a lot of flack from the media and fans because, in their eyes, it seems as if A-Rod only comes up big when the game isn't on the line. That he's not clutch. So to a lot of people A-Rod's two-run homerun last night was meaningless because it came when the Yankees were down by eight runs. I would just like to point out that if A-Rod's other teammates had been more "clutch" earlier in the game, perhaps A-Rod's homerun would have been one to give the Yankees the lead. In addition, A-Rod's homerun started a four-run rally by the Yankees, had they been able to keep the rally going and gone on to win the game, A-Rod would be a hero right now. I'm sure I've said it many times before in this space, but I'll repeat it again - even the best of players, and A-Rod is among the best in all of baseball, are going to fail to produce in big situations, maybe even a lot. But some will never be satisfied until A-Rod hits a homerun in every single at-bat. That of course is impossible, which means that A-Rod will never live up to expectations in some people's eyes, no matter how well he plays.

Posted by silverdsl at 11:00 AM | Comments (0)

May 16, 2006

More Injury Woes for the Yankees

It's looking like it might be a rough year for the New York Yankees in terms of injury problems, which really might not be so unexpected given that they have a lot of older, veteran players on the roster. First we have one Mr. Tanyon Sturtze, one of the Yankees's relievers, who decided that he wasn't going to tell anyone that his shoulder was bothering him. So Sturtze was trotted out there for inning after inning this season, in spite of not pitching very well. As it turns out one reason he wasn't pitching very well is because he has a small rotator-cuff tear and bursitis, which might result in Sturtze being out for the remainder of the season. Sturtze has been far from good this season but the loss of a veteran reliever is still one less experienced body in the bullpen. He's been replaced by Scott Erickson but I'm not thinking that he'll be able to pitch a whole lot better than Sturtze. Luckily, the Yankees have Octavio Dotel in the wings, and it's expected that if his rehab continues to go well he should be ready to pitch in the majors in a month.

I understand the mentality of a player is to try to play through aches and pains, it's what they learn to do from an early age - grin and bear it. But for so long? Sturtze had apparently been feeling pain in his shoulder since Spring Training and never said anything to anyone. For three months! Maybe he figured it would go away eventually, that it wasn't anything serious, or that the pain wouldn't effect the way he pitched. Or maybe he was afraid that with Dotel on the horizon he might be the odd man out if the Yankees needed to get rid of someone in the bullpen to make room for Dotel. Bu tthe problem is that in the long-run trying to play through an injury can be costly, both to the individual and to the team.

Even Joe Torre, who adores Sturtze, said,

"I care very deeply about him, and I know what he was trying to do, because he has a big heart. Even if you think you're not injuring yourself further - and you don't know that because you're not a doctor - he was going out there without the ammunition he needs. He was able to throw 90-something mph, but he couldn't finish his pitches."

But it's not just that Sturtze wasn't pitching well. He was also putting himself at risk for making the injury worse. That's exactly what happened to Victor Zambrano of the New York Mets, who didn't tell anyone his elbow was hurting, tried to pitch through it, and ended up blowing out his elbow so badly that he had to undergo a second Tommy John surgury and now his career might be over. It's admirable to want to want to help one's team. It's impressive when a player guts it out and plays through some minor aches and pains. But I think it's stupidity when they put their careers on the line, say nothing about constant or recurrent pain, and try to play through it. The players know their own bodies well enough to know when an ache or a pain is something that is unusual and needs attention from the team's medical staff... they just don't always have an easy time admitting it openly that they aren't fine even if they know it internally.

But the Yankees injury concerns aren't limited to Sturtze. During last night's 4-2 loss to the Texas Rangers, Yankees first baseman, Jason Giambi, dived to make a play on a resulted in a neck injury. Giambi shrugged off the injury after the game and claimed it wasn't anything serious, but his neck is stiff and there's no telling how much worse it might be when he wakes up this morning. Hopefully the injury truly isn't anything serious because losing Giambi would be disasterous for the Yankees, since they are already missing Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui. But even if the injury isn't anything major I don't want to see Giambi rush back and force himself to play before his neck is completely better. The last thing the Yankees need is for Giambi to hurt his neck worse and then miss significant time.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:10 AM | Comments (0)

May 12, 2006

Yankees Lose Hideki Matsui to Injury, Possibly for the Season

The New York Yankees lost last night's game to the Boston Red Sox, 5-3, but they lost a lot more than just the game and the series. In the first inning, Yankees left fielder, Hideki Matsui, injured his left wrist while catching a ball hit by Mark Loretta. To anyone watching it was obvious that the injury was probably a serious one and tests at the hospital comfirmed those fears. Matsui has a broken wrist and will undergo surgery today. Early guesses are that Matsui will miss at least three months, but it's possible he could miss the entire season. To make matters worse for the Yankees, The New York Times is reporting that Gary Sheffield's right wrist injury may be worse than originally thought and he too might need surgery.

Losing one key player is bad enough but losing two big offensive contributors for an extended period of time could be deadly to the Yankees. While Matsui has been pretty quiet at the plate so far this season, he normally is extremely productive by season's end and the Yankees were surely counting on him to put up his usual numbers. Sheffield is also a key piece of the offense and even if he is able to come back in a few weeks, there's a chance that his swing might be affected all season by his injury. Should the Yankees panic and go out and make a trade for another outfielder? No, there is no need to do that, especially when it's unknown as to how long Sheffield is actually going to be out for. However, it's essential that the other Yankees step it up at the plate, in the field and on the mound. The pitching must be excellent because while the Yankees are missing two big hitters, the offense might not have as easy of a time coming back from a deficit as they have in the past.

The effects of the Matsui injury won't just be felt in the Bronx. With last night's game, Matsui's streak of 1,768 consecutive games played comes to an end. In this country that streak seemed to be more of an annoyance to a lot of fans who felt that playing every day no matter what caused Matsui to wear down. But in Japan Matsui is revered for that streak. His injury will be huge news there, probably even more so than in this country. Matsui's streak is the third longest ever in the majors, behind only Cal Ripken and Lou Gehrig.

As for the game itself, Loretta was also the man who gave the Red Sox the lead by hitting a grounder to Derek Jeter. Throwing from his knees, Jeter threw high to first and the ball came out of Miquel Cairo's glove, as he attempted to both jump to catch the ball and tag out Loretta. On the play two runs scored. Shawn Chacon was rocky for the Yankees, lasting only 4.2 innings, giving up five hits and five walks, and throwing just 52 out of 104 pitches for strikes. However, by some stroke of luck, Chacon only gave up one run, which kept his team in the game, until Loretta's hit in the 6th.

This weekend the Oakland A's come to town, and weather permitting, fans will get a taste of how the Yankees are going to fare without Matsui and Sheffield.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:11 AM | Comments (0)

May 11, 2006

Yankees Win 7-3!

The New York Yankees rebounded from their embarassment of the night before by beating their division rivals, the Boston Red Sox, 7-3. Last night's win was highlighted by an outstanding pitching performance by Mike Mussina, who won his sixth game, best in the American League and tied for best in baseball overall with Brandon Webb of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Alex Rodriguez also partially redeemed himself in the eyes of Yankee fans by hitting a key homerun in the 5th to give the Yankees the lead.

So far this season, even though Randy Johnson is supposed to be the Ace of the Yankees pitching staff, he is clearly not. Instead Mussina has stepped up and I couldn't be happier. Mussina struggled with injury issues last season so I am thrilled to see that not only does he appear to be 100% healthy but he seems to be pitching as well as he ever has. I have to admit that I was worried at first because he gave up homeruns to David Ortiz and Mike Lowell early in the game. In the past the ball flying out of the stadium would be a sign that Mussina was going to have a bad night. But not last night. He was unphased by the homeruns and went on to pitch an excellent game otherwise.

On the mound for the Red Sox was Curt Schilling, who has also been pitching extremely well. After the homeruns that Mussina gave up I was thinking that it might be Schilling's night but the Yankees offense had other ideas. Schilling ended up giving up six runs on eight hits and two walks in just five innings of work. Other than the homerun by A-Rod, Jason Giambi hit his 12th of the year, to put him two behind Jim Thome for the AL homerun lead, and Jorge Posada added a two-run blast in the 5th.

So now that A-Rod hit that homerun last night he is in favor with Yankee fans... until his first at-bat in tonight's game. If A-Rod doesn't continue to come up big, particularly against the Red Sox he will be back in the dog house. so far A-Rod isn't having an outstanding season but the expectations by some fans for him are ridiculous. Some feel that anything less than an MVP season, in which he has multiple homeruns in every post-season or Red Sox game, with no errors, is a disappointment. But those expectations are simply not realistic. I would like to see A-Rod be more productive at the plate and not have games in which he has multiple errors like he did on Tuesday night, but I'm not going to hate him if he doesn't have as good of a season as he did last year.

Tonight's game will determine who wins the series. Obviously I'd like to see the Yankees win but the Red Sox will have knuckleballer Tim Wakefield on the mound who has given the Yankees a lot of trouble in the past. Shawn Chacon will start for the Yankees. It's hard for me to predict how tonight is going to go for Chacon - he's been okay on the mound but the Red Sox have some tough hitters. I just hope the rain holds off long enough for them to be able to get the game in.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:20 AM | Comments (0)

May 10, 2006

Ugly Night in the Bronx

Games between division rivals, the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees, are almost always eventful. Unfortunately, last night it was because the Yankees were humiliated, losing to the Red Sox 14-3. I had been looking forward to watching the game tremendously last night, figuring that the Yankees would play at their best, considering how heated the rivalry continues to be. I was very disappointed to say the least. Randy Johnson was putrid and Alex Rodriguez made two costly errors but overall the game was horrible for the Yankees. If the starting pitcher has a rough night or players in the field make errors, their teammates need to compensate - that certainly didn't happen last night.

Johnson started off the season extremely well and I think it gave a lot of fans a false sense of confidence that after a so-so season in 2005, the dominant RJ of old was back. But since those first few starts Johnson has been extremely inconsistant. Last night was his worst outing yet as he wasn't even able to last four innings, despite being given an early lead due to a Jason Giambi two-run homerun. In just 3.2 innings of work Johnson gave up seven runs, though only two of them were earned, on five hits and five walks. According to the New York Times, Johnson threw 92 pitches and the Red Sox hitters swung and missed only three times! Worst of all is that Johnson looked completely bewildered on the mound, as if he had no idea what was going wrong for him and what do to about it.

Johnson could be experiencing some trouble with his back that he hasn't admitted to publically which could be affecting his ability to pitch well. But it's also possible that Johnson's age has caught up to him and he is going through the kind of likely irreversible decline that many players do as they get older. Some players are able to make adjustments to the way they pitch or hit, but other players seem to be unable to change their approach. It may be hard for Johnson than some others since he was so dominant for so long that it probably seemed like he could pitch like that forever. I think that the Yankees are lucky that Johnson is as talented on the mound as he is otherwise the results this season might be even worse. I hope that Johnson is able to fix whatever the problems are that he's experiencing but it's possible that he might struggle all season. In that case the Yankees are in big trouble because they were counting on him to be the Ace of the pitching staff.

Of his two errors, which earned him the wrath of team owner, George Steinbrenner, Rodriquez said,

"Both plays I should've made without question. That's baseball. Sometimes, you've got to laugh it off."

He is correct that in baseball it's unavoidable that there are going to be bad games and players are going to make errors. But laugh it off? I don't think so. Not in a game when the starting pitcher is struggling, when it leads to two runs scoring and it's a game against the team that the Yankees are battling for first place in the division. Yes, it's still early in the season but if the team can't play well now against the Red Sox, what's going to happen later in the season when the games are even more important? The Yankees are going to lose games, lots of them, and even to the Red Sox. But it's much easier to take when the team doesn't make sloppy mistakes and fights back. Usually I'm not a fan of the times that Steinbrenner mouths off when he's upset, but in this case it was a terrible game and he has good reason to be displeased with what he saw.

Melky Cabrera, who was just called up from the minors to take the place of Gary Sheffield, who went on the disabled list yesterday, also had a bad error in right field which led to two runs scoring. Ironically, when Cabrera was called up last season he also had a costly error against the Red Sox, when he misplayed a ball so badly that it led to a Trot Nixon inside the park homerun. But fans need to remember that Cabrera is a rookie without much experience in the majors before they burn him in effigy. Young players aren't going to be as polished as the veterans. If he's as good of a player as some seem to think he is, then he will learn and there won't be those kinds of errors.

Tonights game, if it doesn't get rained out, features a battle between Curt Schilling and Mike Mussina, both of whom have pitched extremely well this season. I'd like to say that I'm really looking forward to it, but after last night's game I'm not sure what to expect. Unfortunately more than a few times in the past Mussina has been solid on the mound, only to lose because the offense can't score any runs or the bullpen blows it. I fear the same thing happening tonight.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:50 AM | Comments (0)

May 08, 2006

Gary Sheffield Won't Play While Injured Anymore

On April 29, Gary Sheffield injured his left wrist during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays, as a result of a nasty-looking collision at first base with Shea Hillenbrand. Since then he made one successful pinch-hitting appearance and started one game against the Texas Rangers but otherwise has been sitting on the bench because of how much the wrist has been bothering him. Previously as a Yankee, Sheffield has played through all sorts of pain and injury including shoulder issues that led him to consider retiring at one point. But now Sheffield has a different plan. He said,

"I'm just not going to go out there and play injured. Been there, done that. I'm not going to do that again. It's just that simple."

and

"I'm just waiting for the pain to go down to what I can tolerate. I'm not going to tolerate a lot, not at this point in my career."

Some fans are tying Sheffield's refusal to play hurt to the Yankees not picking up his option as of yet. But I don't think that's the case and this is coming from someone who doesn't care for Sheffield too much.

For one thing, Sheffield has experienced this kind of injury before, in 2002, when he was with the Atlanta Braves. So he is well-aware of how it could effect him at the plate and in the field. In addition, as a player gets older I think it becomes harder and harder for them to play through injuries. It's also harder to heal. Sheffield also said,

"I'm going to take the extra time to make sure it's right. When it's right, then I'll play. Until then, I'm not playing."

I think what he's doing is being smart. I'd much rather see Sheffield go on the disabled list now for a little while to allow the wrist time to heal, then to miss time later in the season or to play though the injury and potentially make it worse. The Yankees have many great hitters in their lineup but there's no doubt that they are a stronger team with a completely healthy Sheffield. He will see a doctor today in New York, and hopefully the news is good, but regardless I have no problem Sheffield and the Yankees taking a conservative approach with his wrist.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:11 AM | Comments (0)

Joe Torre Gets 1,000th Win as Manager of the New York Yankees

Yesterday's 8-5 win by the New York Yankees over the Texas Rangers gave Joe Torre his 1,000th win as manager of the Yankees, a remarkable achievement considering that only three other Yankee managers have won more games. Even more impressive when one considers that at the time that Torre was hired before the 1996 season, many questioned his ability to successfully manage the Yankees. There have also been times that it's seemed as if Torre's time as manager was hanging by a thead, but unlike other managers who owner George Steinbrenner grew impatient with, Torre was never fired. As a result, Torre has been manager for the longest uninterrupted period since Casey Stengel, who was manager from 1949-60.

What made me laugh was that in an article on CBSSportsline, the writer said,

Players credit Torre for his even-tempered disposition and ability to handle different personalities.

Meanwhile, later in the article Torre is quoted as saying in relation to Tanyon Sturtze who was underwhelming yesterday, to say the least,

"I wanted to wring his neck."

Certainly not an even-tempered remark there! That comment came after Sturtze loaded the bases with two walks and a wild throw in the 7th inning to put Torre's 1,000th win in jeopardy. Sturtze has not been good by any stretch of the imagination this season, which really isn't surprising considering he's never been an elite reliever, even though he did well for the Yankees at times last season. But Torre has trotted Sturtze out there this season seemingly endlessly, but that comment, which is very uncharacteristic of Torre, who almost never expresses disappointment or criticizes his players specifically in public, indicates that perhaps he is finally running out of patience with Sturtze.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:51 AM | Comments (0)

May 04, 2006

Now that Carl Pavano's Ass Has Healed...

... he might actually return to the New York Yankees and make himself useful pitching in the Bronx. Of course as it turns out Carl Pavano's bruised ass was really a back problem. A problem which may never fully be resolved. Pavano said,

"I don't know if it is ever going to be perfect. And I'm not looking for it to be perfect. I'm looking to manage it and be consistent as far as my mechanics."

Sore shoulder, back problem, headcase, it's all been mentioned as reasons why Pavano hasn't pitched for the Yankees since June of last season. Supposedly Pavano is on schedule to return to the Yankees this June, a whole year later, but that's only if he doesn't experience any more setbacks. And once he does return to the team, what will his role be? The Yankees have enough starting pitchers right now so someone will go to the bullpen. On top of that, how long will it be before Pavano goes back on the Disabled List due to his back or some other issue? I'm thinking that it won't be long.

Posted by silverdsl at 05:51 PM | Comments (0)

May 03, 2006

Jason Giambi Named Player of the Month

A couple of years ago, most people, including many New York Yankees fans, had written Jason Giambi off. Between Balco and his health issues, most assumed that he would never be a productive player again and expected the Yankees to aggressively find a way to void his contract. Good thing the Yankees never went that route. Giambi began his comeback last year and this season he's showing that his fine hitting last season wasn't a fluke. It's only one month into the season but so far he has been unbelievable at the plate. As such he has been named the American League's Player of the Month for April.

Giambi batted .344, hit 27 RBI, scored 17 runs, had a .852 slugging percentage and a .554 on-base percentage. he is currently first in the league in RBI, walks, on-base percentage, slugging as well as in OPS (on-base plus slugging). He is also 9th in the league in homeruns. Really it's remarkable how far he's come. Yes, he hit like this in his younger years when he was an MVP, but often when a player declines as Giambi did when he joined the Yankees, it's very hard for them to get back to that level of play, especially as they get older. But Giambi has. Outstanding and impressive. I hope he can keep it up.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:48 PM | Comments (0)

April 23, 2006

Jason Giambi Powers the Yankees Past the Orioles

Awesome day for Jason Giambi! His three hits, including two homeruns and five RBI, helped led the New York Yankees to a 7-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Last week, Giambi was named the American League Player of the Week by hitting .571 with four home runs, 10 runs batted in and six runs scored in five games, along with a .700 on-base percentage. Say what you will about Giambi and steroids but he has to have a good eye and talent at the plate to be hitting this well. Even yesterday he didn't have any hits but he walked three times. I don't know how long Giambi will be able to continue to be this productive at the plate, but he is clearly a huge asset to the Yankees right now.

Giambi wasn't the only hero for the Yankees today. Randy Johnson was outstanding today, going eight innings and giving up only one run on just three hits and one walk. All three hits came off the bat of Miguel Tejada, who also had the only other hit for the Orioles off of Mariano Rivera. Johnson absolutely dominated the Orioles. I am so happy to see this kind of pitching performance from Johnson considering his last time on the mound he didn't last very long. If he had some sort of injury issue it's apparently resolved itself as Johnson couldn't have looked better! If he can pitch like this more often than not this season, the Yankees will be in good shape.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:58 PM | Comments (0)

April 20, 2006

Random Thoughts on Random Thoughts

*There's really not much to talk about today. It's an off day for the New York Yankees and since Nascar is in Phoenix this weekend, there won't be much news until later today once the first practices and qualifying is complete.

*However, there was a Yankees game yesterday, which the Bronx Bombers won against the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1. Mike Mussina was strong, giving up just one run in seven innings. In the process Mussina lowered his ERA to 2.67 which is outstanding. Many Yankees fans are concerned about Mussina because he hasn't been as durable or as dominant the past couple of seasons as he once was. But by all reports Mussina is completely healthy this season so if that continues it could be a very good season for him.

*Best Western announced yesterday that they renewed their sponsorship agreement to remain Nascar's official hotel through 2009. It was mentioned in the press release that Best Western also has an agreement to be an associate sponsor at Michael Waltrip Racing through 2008. In fact they are the primary sponsor on Michael's #99 this weekend. Michael was 26th in the first practice. That's not great but it could be worse. Hopefully it will end up being a good race for Michael. I'm not sure he'll get a top ten like last week but a top fifteen would be great.

*There's a forum that I read occasionally but don't post at where things are really out of hand right now. It always boggles my mind that so many sites think it's a great idea to have a forum where people can post their opinions on various subject but aren't willing to put the work in to moderate. That almost never works out well unless the site is extremely small and not very active. If the forum does happen to be an active one, like the one I'm thinking of, people often take advantage of the fact that no one is paying attention to what goes on and treat each other pretty poorly because they aren't afraid of having to face any consequences. Which causes others to lash out in an equally harsh way. And it goes on and on and on until the forum becomes so unenjoyable to read that there's not really any point to visiting any more. Like this one. I don't think people who run some sites realize just how poorly that kind of thing can reflect on their site overall.

*Apparently Kevin Harvick is going to be involved with a reality show that will let drivers try out for a one-race ride in a Kevin Harvick, Inc. truck at Martinsville in 2007. How exactly is this show different from Roush Racing's Gong Show or "Racin' For a Livin'? It's great that young drivers are getting some exposure in this way but it seems like there's an awful lot of these shows popping up these days.

*Speaking of Racin' For a Livin' that show has to have the most confusing and convoluted system for drivers being voted onto the show. But what is kind of bothering me is that it's nothing more than a glorified popularity contest thus far and suffers from the same problem as any other poll based on internet voting. The results aren't really a true reflection of which drivers are most deserving of being on the show but instead of which driver is able to get the most fans to vote the most times for them. Of course being popular with the fans and fan relations is important when one is a Nascar driver but I would rather see drivers get a chance to be on the show by being selected on the basis of their racing talent. Supposedly this show is going to end up on TV but I heard an interview with someone involved with it on XM and that doesn't sound like a sure thing by any means. There are some well-known names in racing involved with this and that should draw interest but perhaps TV is a little unsure of how well the concept as set-up on the website is going to translate over onto the screen.

*It's really interesting how different organizations in the same field have different approaches. It's sometimes obvious why one organization is a lot more successful than another. Little things sometimes tell the tale. I am sometimes amazed by how little thought some organizations give to customer service and being responsive. The organizations who make an effort to make their customers feel valued or address concerns are often the ones who have loyal and happy customers. Yes, there is a specific scenario that I have in mind that I'm going to decline to detail. But it really is incredible sometimes the differences and how lacking one organization is in comparision to another. And it's very unfortunate because through the years it's probably hurt their bottom line.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:02 PM | Comments (0)

April 19, 2006

Not a Pretty Game

I'm not happy with the way the New York Yankees played against the Toronto Blue Jays last night. When it comes to division rivals the Yankees have to be on their game, especially against a team that is improved over last season and to start the season is hitting extremely well. Poor pitching from starter Randy Johnson and sloppy fielding was very disappointing to see and it led to the Yankees losing to the Blue Jays 10-5. It's great that the Yankees played so well against the Kansas City Royals, but those are the teams that they are supposed to beat. They must be able to play well against stronger teams as well.

Johnson left his last start for mysterious reasons. At first Johnson and the Yankees tried to claim that there was nothing physically wrong with him, that he was tired or that he wanted to let another pitcher get some work in. Eventually after being questioned further, Johnson admitted that he had gotten "stiff." That concerned me because Johnson is 42 and has existing issues with his back and knees. But when he was slated to make the start last night I figured everything was fine with him. Now I'm not so sure. Johnson gave up seven runs on nine hits in just 3.1 innings of work. That is a very poor start, especially for a pitcher who is supposed to be the Ace of the Yankees pitching staff.

Johnson is still denying that there's anything physically wrong with him. He said,

"I just didn't execute my pitches and I paid the price," Johnson said. "It's just one of those games where you take it on the chin."

I'd like to believe him but unfortunately players often try to play through various aches, pains and minor injuries. Johnson's back could be bothering him, he could have tweaked something in another start, there could be countless things going on with him... or nothing. Maybe as he says it really was only a bad start where he didn't execute properly. Johnson being successful is going to be extremely important to the Yankees overall chances for success this season so I hope whatever is going on with him straightens itself out before his next start.

What was also troubling last night was some sloppy play in the field. Of course this is nothing new for the Yankees and something I've complained about before in this space. For the past few years there hasn't been as much emphasis on the defense as there once was and when you combine that with players who appear to not be giving it their all it spells trouble. There was an ugly looking play early in the game where Johnson was late in getting off the mound to field a ball. Jason Giambi made a great stop but then threw the ball away for an error. Worst was that not a single person was covering home plate on the play! Then in the 7th inning Gary Sheffield half-assed it on a play and dropped the ball, also for an error. Those are the mistakes that the Yankees have to cut down on because other teams are going to take advantage of those miscues if they aren't careful.

Another thing that I didn't like seeing last night was Bernie Williams in left field. Williams has gotten just as much playing time as he did when he was a starter and that's exactly what I, and many other Yankee fans, feared when the Yankees re-signed him. Williams is simply not the player he once was at the plate or in the field. It's bad enough when Williams is the DH but he shouldn't be playing the outfield except in an emergency. The problem is that Joe Torre has so much loyalty to his veteran players that he is sometimes blind to their limitations. And in Williams's case, he has a lot of limitations at this point.

But despite how aggrivating it was to watch the Yankees last night there were some positives. The Yankees offense managed to score five runs, highlighted by homeruns from Alex Rodriguez and Jason Giambi, as well as an RBI double from Derek Jeter, who also had a triple in the game. In some games this season the Yankees have struggled to score even two or three runs let alone five so I was happy to see that the offense had some life. In many games five runs is sufficient to win.

Something else that I loved seeing is how well Johnny Damon tracked down balls in centerfield. He really made three great plays out there. Of course Damon's throwing arm is weak to say the least but he can definitely get to a lot of balls that I think that Williams would have had trouble with if he was still the regular centerfielder. I think it will take a while longer for Yankee fans to warm to Damon but if he continues hitting well and making impressive plays in the field I think they will eventually become very happy with his signing.

This afternoon Mike Mussina starts for the Yankees in the final game in this short series. Last time out Mussina was solid but the Yankees offense couldn't muster any run support for him. Hopefully today's game will be a different story.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:17 AM | Comments (0)

April 17, 2006

How Do We Know That Jason Giambi Isn't Still Using Performance Enhancers?

That's the question posed by Wallace Matthews in Newsday today. The answer is we don't know for sure that Jason Giambi isn't using performance enhancers but that's true of every player in Major League Baseball. There will always be more questions and louder whispers about the players who were a part of the Balco scandal. But the reality is that in spite of MLB's stronger testing policy there is no way to know absolutely for sure that every player is completely clean. Many of the players have money enough to pay for designer steroids that might not be detectable by MLB's tests, some might be willing to take performance enhancers and risk getting caught since it's only a ten-day suspension for a first positive and any player can use human growth hormones without fear of getting caught because MLB doesn't test for it.

In yesterday's game between the New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins, Giambi hit two homeruns which is why Matthews is writing about him today. I can't say I feel sorry for Giambi for being singled out yet again as one of the poster boys for steroid use in baseball. He put himself in the position in which every time he has an outstanding game at the plate many people, including plenty of Yankee fans, will be asking in the back of their minds whether he is back on steroids. Of course Giambi still has to have plenty of natural talent of his own to achieve what he has in baseball. Steroids can't make a poor hitter into a great one, otherwise Jeremy Giambi would also have won an MVP. But Giambi will have to deal with this kind of speculation for the rest of his career.

Posted by silverdsl at 01:19 PM | Comments (0)

April 12, 2006

New York Yankees Win Their Ninth Home Opener in a Row!!!

It was looking bleak for a while but New York Yankees fans were happy when the Bronx Bombers rallied in the eighth inning to come from behind to beat the Kansas City Royals 9-7. Derek Jeter was the hero as he hit a three-run homerun to give the Yankees the lead. Is there a more fitting savior than Jeter, who is the Captain and face of the Yankees to many fans? Jason Giambi also had a three-run homerun earlier in the game and Bernie Williams, Robinson Cano and Hideki Matsui also contribued with RBI hits. Yesterday also was the first save of the season for closer Mariano Rivera, the first of what is sure to be many this season.

Even though the season officially began over a week ago, yesterday felt like the real start of the season since it was the home opener and the Yankees are back on the East Coast so I can actually watch some of the games. So I was really excited for yesterday's game even though I could only listen on XM rather than watch on TV since it was a day game and I was at work. I was even happier that they pulled out the win! I guess it's become routine for the Yankees to win their home opener, but I'm estatic for each home opener win.

The offense bailed out the Yankees pitching staff yesterday because Chien Ming-Wang was shaky and Tanyon Sturtze wasn't very good either. Wang will hopefully be better in his next start but I can't say that I have much hope for Sturtze. At times he has pitched extremely well for the Yankees which has made fans think that he is always capable of pitching that well. Some have attributed his struggles to Joe Torre overusing him but but over the course of his career Sturtze has a 5.19 ERA so he's never been an elite reliever. I'm not sure how much longer Sturtze will last in pinstripes if he continues to struggle, though it's still early in the season and there's time for him to right himself.

What was amazing to me is that yesterday's loss was the Royals' 12th straight loss at Yankee Stadium since August of 2002. This in spite of how much trouble the Yankees seemed to have with the Royals last season. Today looks like it's going to be no better for the Royals as the Yankees are leading in the 8th inning 12-5. I don't know if the Yankees will end up winning tomorrow to sweep the Royals but at the very least assuming they can hang on in this game, they will win the series which is what they should be doing against the weaker teams.

One note from today's game is that Gary Sheffield has three hits, including a homerun, four RBI and scored two runs. So far to start the season Sheffield has looked awful at the plate so some fans were getting worried. But this game should make them feel a little better that he's not done yet. Considering Sheffield's age it would be surprising if he started to decline one of these days but he's such a great player that I think the process will be gradual rather Sheffield suddenly losing the ability to hit. So Sheffield was likely in an early season slump and this might be a sign that he is breaking out of it.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:58 PM | Comments (0)

April 07, 2006

On the Yankees

I've been quiet about the New York Yankees the past few days mostly because I couldn't watch much of the games that were played on Tuesday and Wednesday nights so I missed most of the key plays. And yesterday was an off-day. Aside from that the Yankees lost and I didn't want to get all negative-nellie about things three games into the season. Really, it's too early to draw too many conclusions about which way the season is going to go for the Yankees or how individual players are going to do. However, I will say that I am concerned that the Yankees are going to have defensive problems that are going to be costly to them this season. The lack of attention to having a strong defense over the past few seasons has troubled me and the last two games errors have helped set up Yankees losses. Perhaps it was only early season butter-fingers but that is something that I didn't like hearing about. The Yankees won't be able to depend on their offense to hit them out of every jam. The pitching and defense must also be strong.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:48 AM | Comments (0)

April 04, 2006

New York Yankees Win on Opening Day!

I didn't get to watch a single pitch of this game due to how early I have to get up for work in the mornings and how late the game started since the New York Yankees opened the season on the West Coast. But oh, how I wish I did! The Yankees beat the Oakland A's last night 15-2 thanks to a seven run second inning highlighted by a grand slam by Alex Rodriguez. Sweet! Big night for A-Rod as he ended up going 3-5 with five RBI and a walk. Hideki Matsui also had an outstanding night in spite of a lingering knee injury from spring training, going 4-4 with four RBI and two walks. And Johnny Damon got off to an excellent start in his debut in pinstripes with three hits, an RBI and two runs scored. It's way too early to draw any definitive conclusions about the Yankees but apparently Joe Torre said during spring training that this could be one of the best lineups he's ever had and last night certainly indicated that they could potentially be a powerhouse offense. Of course it's also possible that the Yankees offense looked so good because Barry Zito really was pitching that badly - without having seen the game it's hard for me to know.

On the other hand Randy Johnson was dominant last night. He lasted seven innings and gave up just one run on five hits. That is exactly what the Yankees need out of their starting pitchers and I'm very happy that RJ started off the season on a positive note to set the tone for the rest of the pitching staff. Some are concerned that RJ only had three strikeouts last night but I have no problem with that. The reality is that RJ is 42 and he may not be able to pitch the same way that he did when he was younger. So the wins may now come in a different fashion as RJ makes some adjustments to how he pitches. I will always be satisfied with a pitching performance like last night. Some other pitchers might have taken it easy when their team put them ahead by so much early on but not RJ. Very impressive.

I'm also happy that the Yankees started off the season with a win. To some it might seem insignificant because of how long the season is, and in a lot of ways it is, but I think that it's a good thing for the team to start the season on a positive note. They didn't just win either - they won big! And on opening day no less! So I think that has got to fill the team with some added confidence, though I'm sure they are already feeling very confident about how they are going to do this season.

As always I remain concerned about the starting pitching for the Yankees. I'm not convinced that all the Yankees starters will stay healthy or pitch effectively, but I'm sure every other team has the same worries. I also think that age remains an issue for the Yankees - some of the players are older and there is an increased risk of injury with those players. Two off-the-field issues bear watching as well. The MLB investigation into steroids and how it will effect Gary Sheffield and Jason Giambi is one. The other is how MLB placing amphetamines (greenies) on the banned list, is going to effect not only the Yankess but every other team. I believe there will be effects as some players find it difficult to function as well as they did on greenies.

But those are storylines that will play out as the season goes along. For the more immediate future Mike Mussina makes his first start of the season against the A's tonight. Unfortunately I will also be missing that game but I hope that Mussina is able to pick up a win just like RJ did last night!

Posted by silverdsl at 09:37 AM | Comments (0)

April 03, 2006

White Sox Give Jose Contreras Three-Year $29 Million Extension

Is this really such a wise idea? Most New York Yankees fans are looking at this through glasses colored by the fact that Jose Contreras didn't work out well as a Yankee but my issue is whether it is a good idea to throw this much money at a pitcher who will be 37 by the end of the contract? Contreras never put the pieces together to pitch as well as he was capable of when he was in pinstripes but last season for the Chicago White Sox he was 11-2 for them after the All-Star break and was 3-1 in the post-season, helping the White Sox to win a World Series. So in that regard he showed signs that he can be a solid pitcher.

I think it's possible that Contreras will continue to pitch well for the White Sox in the near future. Some players blossom when they change teams whether it is because they are more comfortable elsewhere, a different coach helps them find the key to improvement or a number of other reasons. But the question is whether Contreras is going to be as durable in 2009 as he is now? I'm guessing he might not be. Even Mike Mussina who rarely had any major health or injury issues during his career has started to experience some problems as he has gotten older. That is always the risk with signing a player, especially an older one, to a long-term contact - by the end they may not put up the stats to justify all the money they are being given.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:42 AM | Comments (0)

March 30, 2006

George Mitchell to Lead MLB Investigation Into Alleged Steroid Use by Bonds, Others

Today Bud Selig announced that former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell will head a Major League Baseball investigation into the allegations of steroid use by Barry Bonds and other players as detailed in the book, "Game of Shadows." That MLB has decided to conduct an investigation is a good thing but what took them so long? Selig said,

"Nothing is more important to me than the integrity of the game of baseball."

and

"The unique circumstances surrounding BALCO and the evidence revealed in a recently published book have convinced me that Major League Baseball must undertake this investigation."

Um, did he just hear about BALCO when the book was published? Allegations that BALCO provided steriods to Bonds, Gary Sheffield and Jason Giambi have been around for years. Yes, the evidence was based mostly on leaked grand jury testimony published in the San Francisco Chronicle but guess what? That's exactly what some of the evidence in the book is! If the integrity of the game was so important to Selig it seems to me he might have launched an investigation when BALCO first became an issue or when Jose Canseco's book was published, when Congress held hearings on the steroids issue or even earlier when the FBI went to MLB with information that players might be using steroids.

What's really disappointing is that the focus of the investigation is not the overall issue of the use of performance enhancers it's BALCO, Barry Bonds and to a lesser degree Giambi and Sheffield. Most of the details regarding BALCO and which players were implicated in that mess are well-known to all. I have to wonder if MLB is reluctant to conduct a wider investigation because they are afraid of what they might find out. It's bad enough that some big names have already been connected to the use of performance enhancers but it would be even worse for MLB if they uncovered evidence that even more prominent players used performance enhancers and personally I think there are likely other well-known players who have used.

I'm wondering how long the investigation is going to take. I doubt this is something that can be wrapped up in a couple of months. So it's possible that it will get dragged out for months, maybe even until the end of the season and by that time Bonds might be on the verge of retiring. Of course MLB is in a bit of a sticky situation as it relates to any celebrations if Bonds passes Hank Aaron as all-time homerun leader but for now they are planning on celebrating the accomplishment. If the investigation hasn't concluded by then they can say that they don't have definitive proof that Bonds was a steroid user until the final report from the investigation and use that as an excuse for proceeding. But some of MLB's sponsors have no such qualms about not celebrating the accomplishment - Bank of America and Home Depot have both indicated that they will not be part of any celebration.

I'd also like to know what exactly will happen once MLB's investigation concludes and the final report is released? Will Bonds, Giambi, Sheffield and others face penalties? And if so what will they be? MLB may have a hard time penalizing players for past use of performance enhancers so they may face nothing more than being branded as steriod-users publically... oh, wait that's already happened. Could they be suspended or expelled from baseball? Would MLB be willing to send that harsh of a message? I'm kind of doubting it, particularly since Bonds will be retiring sooner rather than later.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:07 PM | Comments (0)

March 29, 2006

Randy Johnson Has Secret Daughter

Unfortunately that Randy Johnson has a daughter that no one ever knew about and is suing her mother in a dispute over child support money is news because these days many people are more interested in gossip about celebrities personal lives than they are about the celebrities professional lives. So this story has been splashed all over the tabloids in New York because those media outlets know that it will sell papers. Since there are always two, and often more, sides to every story it's hard to know who is right or wrong as it relates to the child support issue. But what does strike me is that Johnson hasn't seen or communicated with his daughter since just after her mother gave birth to her. I'd say that perhaps the mother didn't let her daughter see her father but it appears that there have been some unsuccessful attempts by the daughter to communicate with Johnson. So that's the most unfortunate part. No matter what issues exist between the mother and Johnson ideally he should have some sort of relationship with his daughter that goes beyond money.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:03 PM | Comments (0)

March 28, 2006

Photo of the Day - Tino Martinez

Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, June, 2005. Tino Martinez during batting practice.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:04 PM | Comments (0)

March 22, 2006

"Game of Shadows" Alleges That Gary Sheffield Injected Himself with Steroids, HGH

Game of Shadows is due to hit bookshelves tomorrow and not only are there bombshell allegations about Barry Bonds but some about New York Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield. The book alleges that Sheffield injected himself with Testosterone and Human Growth Hormone in 2002. In addition, even after Sheffield and Bonds were no longer on speaking terms Sheffield tried to maintain a relationship with Bonds trainer Gary Anderson who apparently had a calendar that showed Sheffield's schedule of when he used the steroids and HGH.

Some Yankee fans are trying to brush this off as no big deal. But the fact of the matter is that any time a player is linked to the use of performance enhancers it's a big deal. In addition, Sheffield claimed many moons ago that he never used steroids. As it turns out that was a lie. First because he admitted to a grand jury that he "unknowingly" used steroids that were in The Cream and The Clear provided to him by Balco via Bonds but also if the allegations in the book are true, via injecting himself. If Sheffield was injecting himself I think it's almost impossible for him to claim that he didn't know what he was injecting himself with meaning that his claims that the only steroids he used were the ones he used unknowingly might be total fiction.

There are also fans who think that if Sheffield used performance enhancers before he became a Yankee then it doesn't matter. It still matters. Especially when one considers that Major League Baseball has no drug test that detects HGH. So Sheffield and any other player can use as much HGH as they want and no one will ever know. So that Sheffield mght have used HGH in the past opens him up to speculation that he is still using HGH in the present. Which opens up his accomplishments with the Yankees to being tainted in some fan's eyes in the same way that some don't view Giambi or anything that he's done in the same way since it was revealed that he used performance enhancers.

Sheffield will likely deny everything. That's all he's done in relation to Balco and the issue of performance enhancers is try to portray himself as an innocent victim who was duped by others. Sheffield has never struck me as stupid so I've always been skeptical of his claims. Even more so now if it turns out that he really did knowingly inject himself with performance enhancers.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:34 PM | Comments (0)

March 19, 2006

Al Leiter Retires

Today Al Leiter pitched his last game as a major league baseball player. He successfully faced one batter in the New York Yankees win over the Cleveland Indians, getting Eduardo Perez to ground out and then left the game. Afterwards he confirmed his retirement after nineteen years in MLB. Over the course of his career Leiter had a record of 162-132, pitched a no-hitter, was an all-star twice and was a member of two World Series winning teams, the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays and the 1997 Florida Marlins. Leiter said,

"It feels good to be able to go out on your own term. I love the game very much, but when you were a certain type of player for a few years, being a front-end starter, that's the way I still think I can pitch. But the body tells you no.It feels right. Family, kids, I'm constantly being asked when I'm coming home."

I think Leiter made the right choice. Other players try to keep it going much too long and end up being remembered for their inability to produce at the plate or pitch well at the end rather than all their accomplishments previously in their careers. I've always been a big fan of Leiter not only for the way that he's pitched but because he's an intelligent man who has always done a lot for charity. I am very happy that he came back to the Yankees last season and that he ended up retiring as a Yankee. Leiter would make an excellent addition to the YES broadcast team so I hope that we will end up seeing him as part of YES broadcasts of Yankees games this season.

Posted by silverdsl at 08:51 PM | Comments (0)

Put a Cork in it Gary!

I am so sick of Gary Sheffield whining about having to prove himself because the New York Yankees haven't yet picked up his option for 2007. I'm sure someone is going to say that it's all the media's fault for asking Sheffield the questions and making a big deal of what he says but Sheffield isn't forced to say what he does. Last month he started complaining about his option as well as other related issues and he's still yapping. In this case he said,

"I'm still not comfortable. The thing is, I'm not allowed to be comfortable. And that's the reality of my situation. I always have to play with my back against the wall. Just one more year of that, and then I don't have to do it no more."

and

"It's always my situation. It's always, I've got to be somewhere for one or two years, they re-evaluate you from here and there and then go from there."

Um, Gary I've got news for you - it's always that way because that's the way teams operate particularly as players age. When it comes to picking up options and extending contracts they want to ensure that players are going to remain productive and also weigh their options in terms of whether keeping a player around for the following season or even longer is their best course of action. None of this is anything different than what is done with any other player yet Sheffield acts like he's being personally insulted.

I don't know what else the Yankees can do. They treat Sheffield with kid gloves and go out of their way to reassure him. Brian Cashman told Sheffield that the Yankees would likely pick up his option, even though he couldn't commit that they would definitely do that this early. Joe Torre is always complimentary of Sheffield and he enjoys a huge amount of fan support even when he mouths off. But nothing is ever good enough. Sheffield still feels as if he's not "comfortable," that he needs to prove himself or that he's being disrespected. Give me a break!

Sheffield is an outstanding player who is very productive for the Yankees. He gives 110% almost all the time even when he's battling injuries. He's been a huge offensive force for the Yankees and he likely will be in 2006 as well in spite of some poor numbers thus far in Spring Training. But I find his constant whining to be irritating.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:29 PM | Comments (0)

March 17, 2006

Andy Pettitte Considers Retiring After This Season

Andy Pettitte hasn't had it that easy since he left the New York Yankees for the Houston Astros. While Pettitte has pitched well at times injuries have kept him from pitching like he did when he was with the Yankees when he was solid and dependable. Really that's the natural progression of things for a lot of players - as they age they are more at risk for injury and an erosion of their skills. For most players the competitive fire and love of playing baseball causes them to attempt to prolong their careers for as long as possible even when they are faced with injury issues that they have to battle through. Not Andy Pettitte.

Although the regular season hasn't even started yet Pettitte is talking about possibly retiring at the end of the 2006 season if he has any more injury problems. While I understand that it is probably difficult to have to deal with health issues and that the past two years have probably been a little disappointing since he might not have pitched as well as he would have liked at all times, it seems unusual for a player to be talking about retirement at age 33. It's been said that Pettitte's wife Laura was a big reason why he opted to sign with the Astros instead of re-signing wth the Yankees and one has to wonder if she is also playing any role in why he's talking about retirement so early. That thought certainly occured to Joe Torre. Pettitte should be commended for wanting to spend more time with his family if that's weighing on his mind at all but it seems to me that barring a serious injury he could still have a few more good years ahead of him as a pitcher.

Posted by silverdsl at 01:54 PM | Comments (0)

March 16, 2006

Another Day, Another Injury

The news out of Spring Training for the New York Yankees continues not to be so great. Now Aaron Small is expected to start the season on the disabled list after straining his hamstring running. Right now the injury is being downplayed but hamsting injuries always concern me because they can be hard to heal completely and a pitcher's legs are almost as important as their arm. Small said,

"I just tweaked it a little. It will set me back a little bit, but I've never done it before, so I don't know how long it will be. They said these things need time to heal, since they have a way of lingering."

Of course losing Small isn't like losing Mike Mussina or Mariano Rivera but given how well he pitched after he joined the team last season, it was expected that Small would be a solid member of the Yankees pitching staff this season. Carl Pavano is also going to start the season on the DL and Jaret Wright is (not surprisingly) pitching extremely poorly. Of course spring training isn't always a good indication of what will happen during the regular season and Small might still be ready for Opening Day and Pavano shortly after but I have to admit that anytime I hear about issues with the Yankees pitchers it makes me nervous. Of course part of the problem for the Yankees as it has been for some time is age - the more older players a team has the more likely it is that they will have injury issues. Hopefully Small's hamstring will get better quickly and he won't have to miss too much time. It's never a good thing for a pitcher to start the season behind everyone else - sometimes they will push themselves to get ready and catch up with everyone else and that can cause problems as well.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:56 AM | Comments (0)

March 14, 2006

No Positive Drug Tests So Far in World Baseball Classic

One of the most interesting subplots to the World Baseball Classic to me is that the testing policy for performance enhancers that the players are subject to is much tougher than that of Major League Baseball. So the question in my mind was whether any players would get caught for illegal substances. But thus far there have been no positive tests which is a good thing. The International Baseball Federation tested 90 player prior to the start of the WBC and has conducted two daily tests, which are presumably random, per team each day. Of course the lack of a positive test doesn't mean that a player is clean for sure - there are designer steroids that the tests might not pick up on or a player might suspend their use of some performance enhancers prior to the start of the WBC and resume afterwards. And it doesn't sound like every single player has been or will be tested. But I do think that it's a encouraging sign that indicates that it's more likely that these players are clean than not.

Roger Clemens and Johnny Damon are two players who are often accused of using performance enhancers but it seems to me that neither player would be participating if they had anything to worry about. While players who test positive at the WBC wouldn't be subject to any punishments by MLB, the backlash by fans and the media would be immense and very damaging. Clemens would especially have a lot to lose since he is a virtual lock for the baseball Hall of Fame. So perhaps this will quell some of the speculation about both men... nah, there are some fans who are so convinced that certain players use performance enhancers in spite of a lack of evidence that they do that even a public negative test that tests for a wide variety of performance enhancers still wouldn't be good enough.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:55 PM | Comments (0)

Johnny Damon Sidelined from WBC With Sore Shoulder

Yesterday I was complaining that there hadn't been much news of note regarding the New York Yankees this spring training. I guess I really should be careful what I wish for because this morning brings the news that Johnny Damon has a sore shoulder that prevented him from playing in the past two games for the United States in the World Baseball Classic. Damon tired to downplay the problem by saying,

[It's]... just a problem for the short-term. Long-term, I’m good, but we’re playing it safe. Obviously, I would love to be in there and do what I can, but we’ve got to wait, which kind of stinks. It's just spring training tired. As much as I want to push, I know Cash and George (Steinbrenner) don't."

That doesn't sound like a major injury but there is a lot on the line for Damon heading into this season as he will be looking to prove he is worth the Yankees big investment in him this off-season. So if there's any way that he can play through an injury I'm sure he will. But Yankee fans shouldn't panic yet. It's possible that this is indeed only some minor soreness that will clear up after Damon rests for a few days. But it is definitely better to be safe rather than sorry so it would probably be a wise idea for Damon to return to Tampa instead of remaining with the U.S. team if they advance further in the WBC. Of course there are going to be plenty of fans, not to mention George Steinbrenner, who will blame Damon's sore shoulder on his participation in the WBC but I suspect he might have developed a sore shoulder regardless. Players get injuries all the time but they especially experience soreness and various aches and pains.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:39 AM | Comments (0)

March 13, 2006

Quiet Spring Training for the Yankees So Far

Is anything significant going to happen at Spring Training for the New York Yankees? Seriously, I would really love to do a blog entry about some exciting piece of news out of Tampa but so far things have been slow, slow, slow for the most part. I could talk about individual pitcher's performances but anyone who comes by this space looking for items on the Yankees has likely read all about that elsewhere. I guess it's because some of the players are at the World Baseball Classic but I really haven't felt like there's much to talk about for the Yankees yet. Of course I should be careful what I wish for lest I wake up one morning to news of a major injury hitting a key player.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:16 PM | Comments (0)

February 27, 2006

Gary, Gary, Gary... Will You Ever Keep Your Mouth Shut?

The problem with Gary Sheffield isn't that he's outspoken - speaking one's mind is a good thing. It's that Sheffield has no clue when to stop talking. Not only that but when it causes controversy instead of standing by his words, understanding why it might have attracted some attention or clarifying what he meant, Sheffield often blames the media. Either they've misquoted or misrepresented him somehow.

Such as is the case this weekend when Sheffield wigged out about the way that he was portrayed in an ESPN segment about Sheffield's discussion with New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman about whether the Yankees planned on picking up Sheffield's option for 2007. Sheffield claims that ESPN made him look like a "two-year old" because they made it seem as if he didn't understand that when Cashman spoke in positive terms about the Yankees picking up the option, he made no guarantees. Well, I don't see how ESPN can be blamed for that. Sheffield spoke about being pleased about the conversation and implied that the option had definitely been picked up - more than one member of the media had that impression, later clarified by Cashman who indicated that while it was a positive discussion no promises had been made.

What gets me is how, as usual, most fans are excusing Sheffield's comments. Virtually every fan is focusing on his comments on ESPN and the media in general but Sheffield said far more over the course of several days.

In relation to his contract and whether or not his option is going to be picked up.

"Just like I said, tear up the whole contract. Send me somewhere else. It doesn't matter. I'm sick of it."

So let me get this straight. The man who last year said that he doesn't want to play for any other team but the Yankees is talking about how the team should send him somewhere else because he's sick of his contract and whether his option is going to be picked up next season? He had a positive discussion with Cashman. How about feeling happy with that, as it appeared initially that he was and then worry about next season after this season is over?

On Cashman,

"I trust him, but I don't trust him totally. I don't trust no one totally."

Which essntially means that no matter what Cashman and the Yankees say Sheffield is going to be mistrustful and paranoid about it. Lovely.

About some of the long-term contracts that his teammates have.

"Just like all those other guys feel comfortable here, I want to feel comfortable, too. Why do I always have to have my back against the wall and prove something to everybody?"

What's amazing to me is that Sheffield is in the midst of a long-term contract! How much more comfortable can the Yankees make him? Oh wait, he wants more money, as he's always complaining about wanting his contract renegotiated so he'll feel "appreciated", and he wants the Yankees to pick up the contract on him without even seeing how productive he's going to be this season! Odds are Sheffield will put up the usual good numbers at the plate but he is getting older and it's not unusual for players who are Sheffield's age to start to decline.

On playing for the Yankees in the future:

"You got to think about, 'Do I still want to keep putting up with this every year, or go play someplace where it's simpler?' Now I have to go make that choice. Since you can't appreciate what I do, maybe somebody else will."

Again, these comments are ridiculous in light of Sheffield's comments about the possibliity of the Yankees exploring a trade for him last season. Back then he flatout refused to consider the option of playing for another team, indicating that he would refuse to report and be disruptive. Now, he's willing because it might be somewhere that he would be appreciated (someone willing to pay him more than the Yankees)? And just exactly what is he putting up with each year other than being on a team that is in the post-season every year he's been with the team? If anything it's the Yankees who have to put up with a lot from him since he is constantly mouthing off and complaining.

Then Sheffield was apparently asked by a reporter about who had the upper hand when it came to his contract - the Yankees or himself.

"It's always in my hands. Trust me. I know how to get out of anything."

Well, he certainly was brilliant in the way that he ensured that the Yankees couldn't trade him by stating that he would be a disruption to any team that aquires him. That meant that no team would even show any interest because who wants to have to deal with that kind of a headache? So I have no doubt that Sheffield has any number of tricks up his sleeve that he could use to get his way.

I love everything that Sheffield does on the field. He's a tremendous hitter, he gives 100% the vast majority of the time, he plays hard and he will play through injuries. But I still wish that he'd shut his mouth once in a while.

Posted by silverdsl at 11:55 AM | Comments (0)

February 22, 2006

Tino Martinez: "I Won't Criticize"

When I heard that Tino Martinez was up for a gig as a baseball analyst for ESPN my first thought was whether he was going to be willing to speak his mind openly, particularly about players that he played with or against recently. Tino is by all accounts a great person, but at least when the media was around when he was an active player he tended to be fairly reserved and didn't offer up a lot of opinions. So I wondered how that was going to translate on ESPN when there are times when they don't pull punches when it comes to talking about players. Apparently I'm not the only one who wondered the same. Neil Best, who covers sports broadcasting for Newsday asked Tino about his approach.

"I obviously know the game of baseball and can analyze games and the talent of players and stuff," he said. "But I'm not going to criticize players, because I know how tough it is ... Obviously, I'm not going to destroy a guy who's not playing well. I know what it's like."

So what is Tino saying? Is he never going to say anything negative about any of the players? Because if that's the case I don't think he was a good choice by ESPN to join their staff as a baseball analyst. Yes, playing baseball is difficult. Yes, I think there are some in the media who are too harsh and go too far in their criticism. But at the same time the reality is that players are going to slump, are going to make errors and in some cases misbehave on and off the field. Saying that the game of baseball is hard to excuse all of those things isn't going to make for a very interesting analysis. There are ways to point out flaws that a player has without being overly critical. It's a matter of choosing one's words carefully. Tino has always seemed to do that when he's given interviews in the past but there's such things as being too careful. The reality is that life isn't always flowers and rainbows and there's nothing wrong with pointing that out and discussing how the players might improve, especially since as a former player, Tino would know what he's talking about.

Posted by silverdsl at 01:54 PM | Comments (0)

February 20, 2006

Tino Martinez Signs With ESPN

Tino Martinez, a key player in the New York Yankees' amazing championship run of 1996-2001, has signed with ESPN as an in-studio baseball analyst, his player career apparently over. Though Tino hasn't officially announced his retirement, quietly, as has always been Tino's way, that's exactly what he's doing. Tino always said that he would like to retire as a Yankee and that's exactly what he did. Tino was less than stellar for the Yankees last season, hitting just .241 but he had an outstanding May which earned him a nod as Player of the Week after he hit .391 with six homeruns over the course of six days. Tino was also solid throughout the season as he ever was at first base. But it was obvious that he wasn't the player that he once was and I'm glad that he retired instead of trying to hang on

I'm sad that Tino retired. He was always one of my favorite players and the last active player of my three favorites from the magic years of '96-'01, the other two being David Cone and Paul O'Neill. While I love baseball and have other favorite players among the current Yankees, I'm not sure that there will ever be other players who captivate me in quite the same way that Tino, Coney and Paul did. There was just something about them and the teams that they played for that I admired tremendously. They might not have been the best players on the field or the biggest superstars but each one of them gave everything they had towards helping the Yankees win.

Tino wasn't re-signed by the Yankees at the conclusion of the 2001 and he ended up signing with the St. Louis Cardinals. His time in St. Louis was a disaster as Tino hit extremely poorly and Cards fans never warmed to him. It's strange because Tino was always a fan favorite in New York even when he struggled at the plate. But Cards fans never forgave Tino for not living up to their lofty expectations and were thrilled when he was traded to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays prior to the 2004 season. Tampa is where Tino grew up and where he lives in the off-season and being in familiar surroundings appeared to help him as he put up better numbers for the Devil Rays than he did for the Cards. But at the conclusion of the season the Devil Rays weren't interested in re-signing him which opened the door for a return to the Bronx since the Yankees were unsure of what they were going to get from Jason Giambi and needed a back-up. As it turned out the Yankees got a lot from Jason and not so much from Tino but that was okay - Tino was signed only to be a bench player and he filled that role without once ever complaining about playing time even though previously he had always been a starter.

Now Tino moves into a new phase of his career, one that takes him into broadcasting. This year he will work for ESPN but in the future I hope he will eventually end up with YES. He'd be a fine addition to the broadcast team there.

Posted by silverdsl at 12:48 PM | Comments (0)

February 10, 2006

Johnny Damon Thanks Red Sox Fans, Yankees Fans Upset

On Wednesday Johnny Damon, who recently joined the New York Yankees, took out a full-page ad in the Boston Globe> to thank Red Sox fans for their support while he played for the Boston Red Sox. The text of the ad said,

"Many thanks to the great fans of New England and the city of Boston. It was a privilege and an honor."

Some Yankee fans are up in arms and feel insulted that Damon would dare to show his appreciation for the fans who were so good to him while he played for the Red Sox. I can't understand what's wrong with Damon taking out this ad. In fact, I see it as a positive, not a negative that he's reaching out to the fans, regardless of what them they may cheer for or what team he may play for now. I strongly believe that players should show their appreciation for fans in a variety of ways and I think it says something good about Damon that he seems to recognize why it's important to reach out to the fans. Sometimes I think some players take the fans for granted but it's nice to see a player who doesn't.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:46 PM | Comments (0)

January 24, 2006

Barry Bonds Pulls Out of World Baseball Classic

In November Barry Bonds was announced as one of the players who would play for the United States in the World Baseball Classic. However, yesterday he pulled out saying on his website,

"When my name was first announced for the WBC, my gut reaction was that I wanted to play. After much thought and discussion with my family I have decided to remove myself from the upcoming World Baseball Classic roster.After the announcement I received a lot of criticism as well as concern from fans and my family and friends. The obvious objections were about my health and whether or not I would be ready to play. In the end, I decided that I can't take any chances that might jeopardize my season."

Bonds had several surgeries on his knees which caused him to miss the majority of the 2005 season. However, given Bonds' connections to the Balco case naturally there is going to be speculation that Bonds is opting out of the WBC not because of his desire to avoid doing anything to risk his ability to play for the San Francisco Giants, but instead because he's concerned about the Olympic style testing for performance enhancers that players in the WBC will be subject to. That testing is far more comprehensive than Major League Baseball's current testing and may include tests for HGH. While players who test positive in WBC testing won't be punished by MLB, their names would likely be known publically and that is far greater of a punishement than anything MLB could do. I wonder if there will be other players who will drop out between now and the WBC citing their ability to be ready to play for their teams who might actually have other concerns in mind?

Posted by silverdsl at 01:38 PM | Comments (0)

January 18, 2006

Alex Rodriquez to Play for U.S. in World Baseball Classic After All

Huge surprise here. Alex Rodriguez has apparently changed his mind once more and he will now play for the United States team in the World Baseball Classic. First he was on WFAN in December talking about how he was going to play for the Dominican Republic, a decision that apparently drew some criticism. So A-Rod decided that he would skip the WBC all together because he couldn't make up his mind which team to play for and didn't want to dishonor either country. In early January reports surfaced that this wasn't A-Rod's final decision after all and that he would likely play for the U.S. Those reports were denied but yesterday the rosters for the various countries' teams were released and A-Rod was included on both the U.S. and D.R. 60-man rosters. I wondered then if it's such a done deal that A-Rod isn't playing then why was his name included? That indicated to me that there was some possiblity that he'd play.

So under pressure from Major League Baseball and the Player's Union it was confirmed today that A-Rod will play for the U.S. team. Some fans blame the Player's Union for forcing A-Rod to play but I don't agree that's necessarily what happened. First, A-Rod apparently wanted to play in the first place and the only reason he backed out was because he didn't want to offend anyone. Second, is that ESPN reports that A-Rod was still leaning towards not playing after meeting with Union Head Gene Orza. But late yesterday evening A-Rod had a change of heart for reasons that aren't revealed - maybe he thought more about what Orza or Bud Selig said and did give in to pressure. Maybe he decided on his own that he had an obligation to participate. Or maybe he just decided that it was something that he wanted to be involved with. There's no way to know for sure.

But A-Rod did make the following statement on his website:

"In recent weeks, following dialogue with caring friends and players, both Dominican and American, I reached the conclusion that if I played in the Classic, I would play for the United States and honor my American citizenship.

"I appreciate the support and understanding of my fellow Dominican players and friends who aided me in making this decision. The World Baseball Classic offers baseball and its fans an exciting new forum and I look forward, if selected, to representing the United States in what will be baseball's greatest international competition."

I notice how he referred to consulting some of his Dominican friends and players as well as mentioning their support and understanding. Clearly, he is still worried about getting flack from Dominicans who think he should honor his heritage. Personally, I think A-Rod worries too much about what other people think. The reality is that no matter what he does there are going to be some people, maybe even a lot of people, who are upset. He's an extremely high-profile and well-paid player whose every move is going to be picked apart. There is no way of making everyone happy or avoiding all criticism. A-Rod simply needs to make his decision and stick with it.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:46 PM | Comments (0)

January 10, 2006

Al Leiter Signs Minor League Deal With Yankees

This actually happened last week but I'm just getting around to blogging about it now. Really that Al Leiter signed a minor league deal to go to Spring Training with the New York Yankees really isn't a big deal by any means. After all, at the end of last season it appeared that Leiter didn't have much left, in spite of how well he pitched in the one game against the Red Sox when he first joined the Yankees. So Leiter is just one of many players who are signed to minor league contracts by teams who don't really expect much but figure it's worth a shot or that they could be insurance in case of injury.

Or as I think it is in Leiter's case as a favor. Apparently Leiter would like the opportunity to play in the World Baseball Classic and this would offer him a way to not only get in pitching shape but to also show that he can still be useful on the mound. Leiter said of playing in the WBC,

"This could be really exciting. Maybe before I die it ends up being a rival to the soccer World Cup."

In the face of all the negativity about the WBC it's nice that someone is excited about it. While I think the timing of the WBC isn't great and there are some other issues to work out I think that it has the potential to be a good event that could really promote the game of baseball internationally. I hope that everything works out for Leiter and he does get to play in the WBC.

Even if Leiter doesn't go to the WBC and he doesn't make it onto the Yankees 40-man roster, he might still end up in the Yankees organization as part of the broadcast team for YES. I'd be pretty happy about that. I've always enjoyed Leiter as a broadcaster. He's also a good guy who is committed to charitable causes through his foundation, Leiter's Landing. Definitely someone that I'd like to see remain with the Yankees in some capacity.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:18 AM | Comments (0)

December 22, 2005

Matt Lawton: Talking to Teammates Played Role in Decision to Take Steroids

I'm surprised that this has gotten so little attention. In a recent article by Bob Nightengale from USA Today Matt Lawton, who tested positive for steroids at the end of the 2005 season, claims that before he made the decision to use steroids to try to improve his playing for the New York Yankees, that he talked to teammates about what he should do, then made the call to get some steroids. In a major oversight by Nightengale, he never follows up on exactly what he talked to his teammates about and exactly which teammates he's making reference to. Perhaps Lawton only got advice on ways to improve his hitting by taking extra batting practice but if a teammate on the Yankees suggested that he shoot himself up with the veterinary steroid boldenone, which Lawton ultimately did, that would be huge news. Unfortunately we will likely never know because Nightengale chooses to focus on Lawton's search for a team willing to take a chance on him and how he tested positive after, according to Lawton, he only used the steroids once. I most certainly hope that the only advice that Lawton got from his teammates was the innocent kind and not about which steroids he should look into getting.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:00 PM | Comments (0)

December 21, 2005

Johnny Damon Agrees to Four-Year $52 Million Deal With New York Yankees

Assuming he passes a physical, Johnny Damon is a member of theNew York Yankees. Last night Damon and the Yankees agreed to a four-year $52 million deal that may also include a partial no-trade clause. Many Yankee fans are up in arms about this signing but I think once spring training rolls around and Damon shows why the Yankees signed him I think he will quickly become a fan favorite. I suppose to some that seems unthinkable since he's been a member of the hated division rival, Boston Red Sox, but Damon is bringing a lot to the Yankees. He's a solid lead-off hitter, a good baserunner and oh boy does he hit! Last season he led the Red Sox with a .316 batting average. He had a .366 on-base percentage, had 197 hits and scored 117 runs. Granted the Yankees already had plenty of offense but I think he's a nice addition to the lineup especially considering two of the Yankees hitters are unknowns - Jorge Posada appears to be on the decline and despite an outstanding season there are likely still some lingering questions about Jason Giambi.

What Damon isn't is an outstanding defensive centerfielder. I don't think he's as bad as Bernie Williams was towards the end of his recently expired tenure in pinstripes. But Damon doesn't have a great arm, that's certain. So I'm a little disappointed that in addressing the centerfield problem the Yankees weren't able to get someone who is a strong centerfielder. However, I think he's a much better option than Bubba Crosby and certainly a better option than Williams as the everyday centerfielder. Crosby would probably be decent defensively but he would likely not hit very much. I suppose the team could have managed since there's so many other great hitters in the lineup but obviously he wasn't their first choice. And Williams, as much as I love everything he's done for the Yankees in the past, is simply not the player he once was either offensively or defensively. Playing him everyday, which surely would have been a temptation for Joe Torre, if Williams is in fact re-signed and Damon wasn't, would not have been a good idea. So Damon is definitely an upgrade at centerfield, even though there are some fans who don't want to admit that.

I'm not completely thrilled with the terms of Damon's deal. I would much prefer the deal to have been for only three years and of course for less money since I'm not a fan of big money deals. But the Yankees weren't going to get Damon to agree to a deal for less years or less money. Originally Damon wanted a seven or eight year deal from any team that signed him so compared to that four years looks good. There is the question of whether Damon will be worth the money by the time the fourth year rolls around, especially since he will be 36. But there's always a risk with any player when signing them to a long-term contract, even if they're younger than Damon, that by the end of the deal they won't be the player they were then they first signed due to injury or the natural decline every player goes through.

What I really don't like is the partial no-trade that Damon might have gotten. A partial no-trade would certainly be better than a complete no-trade but I never like those kinds of clauses on contracts because of how much it limits the moves that the team can make. The Yankees have quite a few big contracts that are already unmoveable, I hate to see them add one more. If Damon plays well but the Yankees have a big need down the road he could be moved for other players. Or if he struggles another team might be interested if they think that he might fare better with them. But with any kind of a no-trade it makes the possiblity of those things happening much smaller because Damon would have to agree to waive it.

I think that Damon is going to turn out to be a player that will be very popular with fans. I'm sure a lot of fans right now think that idea is outrageous - after all who could ever warm to an icky player who used to play for the Red Sox? While there are times when Damon takes his act too far, he's a goofy guy who seems to have a lot of fun playing the game. He will likely tone down his persona when he joins the Yankees but I think someone who might be able to loosen the normally rigid Yankees clubhouse might be a good thing. But more than that I think Damon is the type of player who will be able to develop a rapport with the fans. He has always seemed to enjoy Red Sox fans and having a relationship with them, so I see no reason why that wouldn't happen with Yankees fans.

Overall, a solid signing for the Yankees to go along with several other solid signings to improve the bullpen. The Yankees should be an improved team in 2006.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:45 AM | Comments (0)

December 20, 2005

Alfonso Soriano Refuses Washington Nationals Request to Change Positions

Ever since Alfonso Soriano was traded by the New York Yankees to the Texas Rangers in the 2004 trade that brought Alex Rodriguez to the Bronx, many Yankee fans have wanted the team to reaquire him via another trade or by signing him as a free agent in the future. Given the Yankees current lack of a centerfielder some fans have dreamed of seeing Soriano switch positions from second base to the outfield. However, if Soriano is ever going to re-join the Yankees it won't be as an outfielder. When Soriano was traded to the Rangers they inquired if he would consider moving to the outfield and he refused. Last week when Soriano was traded from the Rangers to the Washington Nationals apparently the same request was made and once again Soriano refused.

Soriano said,

"I don't want to change. If I haven't done it before, I won't do it now."

Maybe that's why Soriano has been unable to reduce his strikeouts and learn how to take more walks - if he hasn't done it before why would he bother learning how to do it now? On one hand I actually am sympathetic to Soriano because I don't think it's as easy as some fans think for players to change positions and elite athletes take great pride in playing the game at the highest level possible which they might not do at first as they adjust to playing a new position. But on the other hand, Soriano is about to turn 30 and that's not too late to make adjustments to improve at the plate or expand his usefulness to the teams he plays with.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:18 PM | Comments (0)

December 18, 2005

Nomar Garciaparra Signs With the Dodgers

Although the details are still sketchy because it's not been officially announced, it appears that Nomar Garciaparra has signed a one-year deal to play first base for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Garciaparra will earn $6-8 million and could also see some time in the outfield. The New York Yankees had also been vieing for his services but Garciaparra wouldn't have gotten as much playing time, particularly at one position as he will likely get with the Dodgers. Since Garciaparra is trying to prove that he can still be the impact player he once was I'm not surprised he choose the Dodgers over the Yankees since he will surely want to show what he can do as an everyday player. In addition, Garciaparra lives in California so that likely played a role in his desire to play for the Dodgers. Another factor was apparently the intense media scrutiny in New York. Garciaparra didn't enjoy the way the media operated in Boston and it would likely have been very similar for him in the Bronx - I didn't think that would work very well for him, particularly while he's trying to focus on rebuilding his career. Though Los Angeles is a major media market as well, the media is a little more laid-back in terms of the way they cover the Dodgers and the players.

While I think Garciaparra would have contributed towards helping the Yankees win, I think they have other more important holes they need to fill, most importantly at centerfield. Yes, Garciaparra could have played in the outfield but I'd like to see the Yankees get an actual centerfielder rather than throwing Garciapparra out there or moving Matsui over and having Garciaparra in left. In addition, $6-8 million is quite a bit of money for a player who might not be an everyday player, especially one who appears to be as physically fragile as Garciappara has been the past few years.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:00 PM | Comments (0)

December 16, 2005

Alex Rodriguez to Skip World Baseball Classic

But not for the reasons one might think. Alex Rodriguez isn't worried about possibly injuring himself in games that don't count in the New York Yankees quest for winning another World Series. And he's not concerned about missing time in Spring Training to go to the World Baseball Classic. Instead A-Rod can't make up his mind which team to represent, the United States or the Dominican Republic, and to avoid offending anyone he will choose neither. A-Rod said in an interview with The New York Post,

"When faced with the decision to choose between my country, the United States of America, and my Dominican heritage, I decided I will not dishonor either."

Ridiculous. A-Rod isn't concerned with dishonoring either the United States or the Dominican Republic, he doesn't want to open himself up to criticism from those who will say that he's un-American or un-patriotic if he doesn't play for the United States or those who will say that he's forgotten what his heritage is if he doesn't play for the Dominican Republic. If there's one thing about A-Rod it's that he's incredibly image conscious. What A-Rod and his handlers are worried about is that a controversy over which team A-Rod plays for will overshadow anything he might do on the field during the WBC and that could reflect negatively on him.

I'm astonished. Earlier in the week A-Rod was on WFAN talking about playing in the WBC and how he was likely going to represent the Dominican Republic. So what changed his mind between now and then? I think if he wants to play he should have made a decision, stuck to it and let the chips fall where they may. There is no way to avoid all controversies when one is in the public eye - A-Rod certainly knows all about that. But I think sometimes he tries so hard to say and do the right things to avoid controversy that he opens himself up to more of it. The reality is that no matter what A-Rod does there are going to be some who take issue with his decisions, just as I am right now in relation to his decision to withdraw from the WBC. There is no way of pleasing everyone, all the time, though A-Rod certainly seems to try. In the end had he played for one team or another, though he might have been critcised for it by the time the regular season rolled around it would be forgotten in the face of what he does on the field to help the Yankees win.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:35 AM | Comments (0)

December 14, 2005

Milton Bradley Traded to A's, not Yankees

There had been some talk that the New York Yankees were interested in trading for Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Milton Bradley but thankfully that didn't turn out to be anything more than talk. Instead Bradley has been traded to the Oakland Athletics and to the A's I say: "Good luck!" It's not that Bradley isn't a talented player - he is and he's only 27. But quite simply Bradley is a powder keg waiting to explode. No matter how many assurances there are that he's been through anger management and all his incidents ranging from run-ins with his former manager on the Cleveland Indians, Eric Wedge, that led to his trade from that team to being suspended for five games in 2004 for a incident with a fan to his more recent dispute with teammate Jeff Kent, there's no doubt in my mind that the A's will eventually decide he's more trouble than he's worth just like the other teams he's been with. Most troubling is that over the summer Bradley was investigated twice for domestic abuse against his pregnant wife, who has since given birth. While he was never arrested and his wife also got physical with him in at least one of the incidents, that should give any team pause about whether that is the kind of player that they want on their team no matter how talented he might be on the field.

After undergoing surgery for a knee injury in late August, Bradley never played again for the Dodgers in 2005. Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said that there was no choice but to trade Bradley,

"I went into it with the idea of trying to keep him a Dodger. It was clearer and clearer there was no way to make this thing work. At every turn, I just got stopped. I got it from a lot of different places including inside the clubhouse, outside the clubhouse, people who have known him very well and have known him for a long time."

While I don't know exactly what Colletti is referring to in terms of why Bradley remaining with the Dodgers wasn't going to work, though I imagine it might have something to do with his dispute with Kent, that's a pretty telling comment about Bradley that even in his own clubhouse the sentiment was that he was better off being traded.

I don't like every player who puts on pinstripes. In the past I haven't liked Chuck Knoblauch or Roger Clemens. Currently, I don't care for Gary Sheffield. However, I've always been able to put my distaste for those players to the side and cheer for them like I do any other Yankee. I also appreciate their contributions to the team and how they help the Yankees win. But it would be different for me with Bradley. I think he would be one of the few players that I would have trouble supporting or cheering for no matter what he did on the field for the Yankees. I have a problem with someone who is a possible domestic abuser and coupled with his other anger management issues, I think that Bradley would have been one of the rare cases in which what a player does off-the-field matters.

None of the players are saints. They drink, they party, some of them aren't faithful to their significant others, they get into trouble off-the-field sometimes. I don't care for some of that kind of behavior but I accept that they have their flaws and that they are going to make mistakes and sometimes do or say things that I don't like. Most of the time I can overlook it. But Bradley's behavior to me crosses all sorts of lines that I wouldn't be able to ignore. So I'm very happy that the Yankees didn't trade for him.

Posted by silverdsl at 08:59 AM | Comments (0)

December 13, 2005

Robinson Cano Disses Fans at Autograph Signing?

If there's one kind of athlete behavior that tends to irk me it's when an athlete doesn't seem to have too much respect for their fans. I'm not talking about when a player or driver is having a bad day, is preoccupied with more important matters than signing autographs or is put in a position where there's no way that they can make every fan happy. Any or all of this may be what happened to Robinson Cano when he appeared to be very disinterested in interacting with fans at a recent autograph signing in Scarsdale. It's also possible that the writer of this article slanted things in a more negative way than they actually were because he was upset about being denied an interview with Cano after he was promised one. But if it's true that Cano rushed through the signing and was more interested in talking on his cell phone at times than posing for photos or shaking hands with fans I'd be less than impressed, particularly when one considers that each of the fans who were present at the signing paid $50 for his autograph.

Of course it's certainly possible that Cano had personal issues to attend to or some other reason why he rushed through the signing. But particularly at a paid autograph signing it seems to me that athletes owe their fans the decency and respect to not be talking on the phone if at all possible and to take an extra second to at least make eye contact and smile. I think that athletes owe their fans very little. As such I keep my expectations very low in regards to how much a player or driver is going to interact with me when I see them. That's especially true at an event where there might be hundreds of people there - it's going to be impossible to satisfy every single person in the way that they might all want and by the end of the signing the athlete is sure to be tired. But there are some who are definitely better than others at handling themselves and interacting with the fans at these kinds of signings.

I've been to three baseball signings where I've paid money to get an autograph. I don't like paying for autographs, especially since each time I had to pay around $125 an autograph. But I had photos that I had taken of the players that I wanted signed and since it's very difficult to get free autographs from members of the New York Yankees I had no choice but to pay the price at those signings if I wanted my photos signed. Not only did I pay the price but at each of these signings I waited for several hours, something that I'm not sure I'd be too keen on doing again unless it was for a very special signing.

Sad to say but one of my favorite Yankees was the least impressive to me. By all accounts Tino Martinez is an extremely good-hearted and nice person but the day that I went to a signing that he did it seemed as if he would much rather have been anywhere else. Tino barely looked up, didn't say a word to me and based on his body language seemed a little put out that I asked to take a photo with him, even though that was something that was being allowed at the signing. Afterwards I heard other similar stories from other appearances which is unfortunate because I think the way he is at some signings at least may give some a bit of a negative impression about him that might not be entirely correct. While I wasn't disappointed by Tino exactly, I definitely wasn't impressed either.

Paul O'Neill was excellent. There was a tremendous turnout at his signing since he has always been a tremendously popular Yankee but he was gracious, smiled, shook hands and had a word or two for everyone. That was surprising in a way because while Paul is known as a good guy, he has always had a reputation for not always having a tremendous amount of patience and to be frank had been known when he was an active player to get surly when things didn't go his way on the field. So I figured that at a long autograph signing he might get worn out easily and might not interact with fans as well as some others might. But that definitely wasn't the case. Paul did things exactly the right way. As each fan came up to him he smiled and said "hi." No big conversation but an acknowledgement that there is a real human being standing in front of him.

Far and away the best was David Cone. In fact out of all the sports figures that I've met he was probably the most impressive this side of Michael Waltrip. Coney made an effort with every single person, young and old, to make their brief time in his presence memorable. He had a conversation with virtually everyone, high-fived kids, shook hands with everyone and overall made every single person feel like at least for the 30 seconds they stood in front of him they mattered. I've seen him at two signings and both times I was incredibly impressed with his way with people. From start to finish Coney acted like he was in good spirits and having a good time meeting his fans, even though in reality signing autographs for hundreds of people probably wasn't the ideal way he would have liked to have spent the day. From what I've heard Coney was just like that when fans encountered him randomly out and about. He was always friendly and nice, as hard as it might have been at times. A player that truely got it when it came to the fans.

Then we have Robinson Cano. Of course I wasn't there so I don't really know what Cano was really like other than what the article says. But his demeanor as described in the article certainly sounds vastly different than Paul or Coney. Some of that might be due to a language barrier between himself and many of the fans which makes it hard to connect. But a smile is a smile and has the same meaning in any language. 2005 was Cano's rookie season so he is still learning all of the ropes when it comes to being a major league baseball player. I hope along the way if his normal behavior when it comes to interacting with the fans is like it was described in the article, some of his teammates will teach him about the importance of showing his appreciation for the fans when he can, even if it's in the smallest of ways like with a smile.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:56 AM | Comments (0)

December 12, 2005

Yankees Won't Let Posada Play in the World Baseball Classic

Fans rejoice! The fan response to the World Baseball Classic which will be played during Spring Training has been overwhelmingly negative to say the least. So it's not a surprise that most fans are pretty happy that the New York Yankees have blocked catcher Jorge Posada from taking part in the WBC by saying that playing might add to the already heavy workload he has to endure during the season and could increase the chance that he will become injured. I think that the Yankees have a valid concern as it relates to Posada since he's getting older and it does seem that every season he has a tendency to wear down and appear tired as the season goes on. But many fans feel that the Yankees should block the rest of their players who are slated to participate - Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriquez, Robinson Cano and Hideki Matsui from playing as well and I can't agree with that.

The most common argument is that by playing they will put themselves at risk for suffering an injury. But if the players weren't taking part in the WBC, they would be playing in games during Spring Training where they could be injured just as easily. Or they could suffer a serious injury on day one of the season as Derek Jeter did a few years ago. On top of that it appears that the physical health of the players is of concern to the powers-that-be who are in charge of the WBC as there are limitations in place in terms of how much players on the 40-man roster of a MLB team can play. Beyond that if there are concerns that players are too fragile to play at maximum an extra eight games if I'm understanding the format correctly if their team advances to the finals, perhaps there should be concerns about whether or not they will be able to play through an entire 162-game season successfully as was apparently the case for Posada.

Many fans are also trying to dismiss this tournament as meaningless. I don't agree with that point of view. Many of the players didn't wait to be invited to play, they expressed their desire to represent their countries in the WBC. That's because representing their country on the world stage would be a source of great pride. Posada said,

"I wanted to play since my family is from Puerto Rico, it's where I am from and I was excited. "I was the first one to ask for the documents. I can't do anything about it. The Yankees have the last word. I respect that and I will prepare for spring training like I always do."

and Sammy Sosa said,

"It would be a great honor to represent my country."

So to those players like Posada and Sosa who feel it is an honor to play for their team, the games are most certainly not meaningless. Some fans seem to view it as if the players are being forced to play but it doesn't appear to me as if that's the case.

I also think that promoting the game, which is a major reason why the WBC was created in the first place, is important as well. The fact of the matter is that without kids becoming interested in the game of baseball and deciding that they want to play the game, there would be a dearth of new players coming into the minors. Of course there are many economic reasons why MLB wants to expend it's reach and be as successful as possible on a world-wide basis. It's necessary for the health of the sport to ensure that interest remains high in baseball both in this country and throughout the world. So I can't fault Bud Selig or anyone else in baseball for coming up with the WBC. Nor can I fault the players who are playing for wanting to take part.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:35 PM | Comments (0)

December 08, 2005

John Olerud Retires

After sixteen years of playing Major League Baseball, first baseman John Olerud has retired. Although Olerud only played for the New York Yankees briefly in 2004, he has always been among my favorite players even prior to when he put on pinstripes. There was something about the way that he played the game that always appealed to me. Olerud was solid at the plate and in the field, the type of player who fans felt confident in when he came to the plate in a big spot that he would get the job done more often than not. But Olerud wasn't flashy or flamboyant like a lot of players are. A very quiet person in general, Olerud always let his bat and his glove do the talking for him. An All-Star in 1993 and 2001, Olerud also won the American League batting title in '93 with a .363 average. In addition he was part of two Toronto Blue Jays World Series winning teams in 1992 and 1993. He is also the winner of three gold gloves - in 2000, 2002 and 2003.

When Olerud became a Yankee in 2004 I was estatic even though it was apparent that his skills were starting to decline and that he was nearing the end of his career. But after joining the Yankees he showed that he had a little something left, hitting .280. Unfortunately Olerud's tenure in pinstripes was cut short by a post-season ankle injury but I was very happy that I got to see him play in person one more time as well as watch him on TV in games more often than I did when he was with the Seattle Mariners. In 2005 Olerud joined the Boston Red Sox and did a nice job as a part-time player for them as well.

I wish Olerud well in all his future endeavors and I hope that he enjoys his retirement!

Posted by silverdsl at 02:13 PM | Comments (0)

Bernie Williams Likely to Be Back in Pinstripes in 2006

I guess I should be happier about the news that the New York Yankees and Bernie Williams apparently have a handshake deal that will lead to a one-year deal for Williams to return to the Bronx in 2006. After all, Williams was outstanding for much of his career as a Yankee and was a key part of their success in from 1996-2001. But I actually find it disappointing to hear that the Yankees offered Williams arbitration and he turned it down because they already have the parameters for a deal for 2006 in place. Supposedly the deal will be a major pay cut for Williams and he will accept a part-time role. However, if the Yankees don't find themselves a new centerfielder and start the season with Bubby Crosby out there I suspect before too long Torre will be platooning Crosby and Williams. Which could eventually led to Williams being back out there full-time. The reason being that I have significant doubts as to whether Crosby will be able to hit enough to justify keeping him in the lineup every day.

Many fans would be thrilled to see Williams return as the full-time centerfielder. Not this fan. Williams simply cannot play centerfield any longer to the point where I think he's a liability out there. Strong pitching and a strong offense are important but I think players who are solid defensively are almost as important. In addition, Williams' production at the plate has declined as well so I'm not sure how much the Yankees will realistically get out of him. Which makes it even more ridiculous to sign him in my opinion because if he can't play centerfield and doesn't hit enough to make him useful as a designated hitter or pinch hitter then just exactly what role is he going to have on the team? He's not even a good baserunner so you can't even slot him in as a pinch-runner! Many fans couldn't tolerate the thought of Williams playing for a team other than the Yankees in 2006 but there may come a point next season when they can't tolerate the amount of playing time that Williams is getting for the Yankees either. I'm all for players and teams showing loyalty to each other, especially when we're talking about a Yankee as awesome as Willams once was, but it should make sense to show that loyalty and in this case I'm not sure that it does.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:49 AM | Comments (0)

December 06, 2005

Letter to Santa

Got the idea from a thread on NYYFans.com...

Dear Santa,

I realize that I am Jewish thus your sleigh normally passes over my house instead of stopping but since I am asking for presents for others I hope you will make a one-time exception and fulfill the wishes on my list.

* Steve Park . I know you keep track of who's been naughty and who's been nice but I can't imagine that Steve has really been naughty enough to deserve all the lousy rides and trying situations that he's been in on the track the past few years. Getting the pole then wrecking on lap one? Winning his first truck race then the following race his engine blowing in something like the first ten laps of the race? Getting an awesome chance with BDR only to be involved in a firey wreck on lap one of race one in the truck? You must have put him on the naughty list by accident! Oh, yeah, just to be sure we're clear I'm not talking about the wink-wink, nudge-nudge kind of naughty - get your mind out of the gutter! By all reports Steve is a great guy, wonderful with the fans, an awesome race car driver and would represent any sponsor well. So for Christmas could you please leave a shiny, new ride for Steve under his tree? In any series will do as long as it's a competitive ride in which he will contend for some wins. Also, a supportive sponsor would be great too. But as much as a certain kind of sponsor is trying to get into the sport to pitch to the huge amount of female Nascar fans, please no feminine product sponsors!

*Michael Waltrip. Michael does so much good for others. I submit as Exhibit A, Operation Marathon. Plus, there's the way that he goes out of his way to treat his fans like gold and help those around him when he can. So why does Michael seem to have the worst luck on the track of any driver not named Steve Park? What didn't happen to ruin a race for Michael in 2005? Blown engines, other mechanical failures, countless cut tires, getting wrecked by others, the car flipping over, it all happened to Michael to ruin some very fine runs. I'm surprised that he didn't get kidnapped by aliens! I think Michael deserves some better luck as a Christmas present this year. No matter what Jeff Green says. Or Robby Gordon.

*Dale Earnhardt, Jr and Kasey Kahne. Michael's probably too nice to include this in his own letter to you but being Jewish I don't have a stocking so I don't have to worry about getting a lump of coal. Funny how that works. Anyway, Junior and Kasey both blatantly ran Michael over in two separate races which resulted in Michael getting wrecked when he was on his way to great finishes in both races. Now if that doesn't deserve coal in the stocking I don't know what does. Junior especially - ran over his own teammate! Naughty or nice? Not nice!

*Ken Schrader and Kyle Petty. I know it's a lot to ask considering 41 other Cup drivers are probably asking for something very similar but can't both Kenny and Kyle get a win in 2006? One more win for each of 'em to show that they can race just as well as any other driver out there. Yeah, I know it means that you might have to arrange for a 42-car wreck in two separate races (no injuries of course) to make this possible but it's got to get a wee bit tiring to show up at the track week after week and know you have little to no change of winning. Good guys who it would be great to see in Victory Lane.

*The New York Yankees are in dire need of a centerfielder. Since it is a very thin market for cetnerfielders to be had via trade or free agency signing I will also ask as another user on NYYFans.com did for you to reincarnate Mickey Mantle. No, I do not know where you might find his frozen head to assist you in this process.

*Albert Pujols and Johan Santana" target="_blank">Albert Pujolsto become Yankees. Yes, I realize that they are with other teams and the Yankees don't actually need a first baseman or another starter. But surely you can assist with the removal of some of the Yankees spare parts. One tip - I heard Jaret Wright has been a very naughty boy. I'm not sure what he did but it was very naughty! I don't think just giving him a lump of coal will do. Perhaps a trip to the North Pole is in order?

* Mike Mussina- aside from a healthy elbow if you could please ensure that the next time that Moose is having himself a good time in a bar that no potentially embarassing photos are taken that could end up on the internet? Yeah, I know it's a big job to run after all those baseball players who don't seem to realize that posing for photos while drunk/partying/licking whipped cream off a bartender's neck might not look so good to the fans or their significant others. Not that Moose did any of that but at the very least please ensure that what happens on the road as innocent as it may be for Moose and his teammates not only stays on the road but doesn't end up on Webshots!

*Jason Giambi. He had a great season in 2005 once he got on track and I hope he repeats that in 2006. However, he is clearly in need of a few new t-shirts. Recently Jason was spotted in Las Vegas at a nightclub wearing a t-shirt that said "Better Living Through Chemistry." Not a wise idea for one of the poster boys for the BALCO steroids scandal. Suggested slogans for alternate t-shirts - "I Heart Frequent Drug Tests" or "All Natural!"

Thanks Santa, you're a real pal!

Posted by silverdsl at 02:54 PM | Comments (0)

December 02, 2005

Tom Gordon Signs With Phillies, Yankees Close to Signing Kyle Farnsworth

One of the areas in which the New York Yankees need to upgrade is their bullpen and they've not had a huge amount of luck with that thus far. In fact Mariano Rivera's set-up man, Tom Gordon, has signed a three-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies for $18 million. But it appears that the Yankees are on the verge of signing former Atlanta Braves reliever, Kyle Farnsworth, who might also be the recipient of a three-year $18 million deal.

Some might wonder if the Yankees were willing to offer Farnsworth a three-year deal worth $18 million, then why not offer that to their own free agent who has had success in pinstripes? Well, one big factor is age. Gordon will be 41 at the end of his deal with the Phillies while Farnsworth will be 32. I have my doubts that Gordon, who has pitched a significant amount of innings over the past few years, will be as effective then as he is now. And his effectiveness has been in question at times while he was in pinstripes. There have been times that Gordon struggled to the point where he blew games at costly times for the Yankees, particularly in the post-season. I think Gordon takes more heat than he deserves from Yankees fans because what he does in the regular season also matters since unless the Yankees win those games too they won't make it to the post-season. But given those struggles it's possible that the Yankees believe that Gordon is starting to lose his effectiveness. Which is a big problem since he was mostly being used in a very important role as Rivera's set-up man.

I'm not really tremendously familar with Farnsworth but hopefully he will be the right move for the Yankees to improve the bullpen.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:47 AM | Comments (0)

November 27, 2005

Red Sox Trade for Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell

I'm definitely quite a few days late on this one but last week the Boston Red Sox traded for starting pitcher Josh Beckett and third baseman Mike Lowell from the Florida Marlins. As much as New York Yankee fans would like to down play this trade and pick out all the negatives I think it's an excellent one for the Red Sox and there's a good chance that it will make them a stronger team if Beckett pitches like he's capable of. Of course there's never any guarantees that a player isn't going to go down with an injury or suddenly fall off a cliff production-wise, but Beckett is 25 and was the MVP of the 2003 World Series, when the Marlins beat the Yankees. Beckett has had to deal with recurring blister problems and his shoulder was bothering him last season but he says he's healthy now. So if that's the case then he potentially could be the ace of the Red Sox pitching staff.

Essentially the Red Sox were forced to take Lowell if they were going to trade for Beckett. What a difference a few years makes. It wasn't too long ago that Lowell, a former Yankee prospect, was thought of as one of the better third baseman in the game. But 2005 was an extremely poor season for him at the plate and he's owed $18 million in 2006 and 2007. That's a huge amount of money for a player who might not be an offensive force at the plate any more. However, Lowell is still outstanding in the field and he won a Gold Glove this season. So while he might not do enough to justify the $9 million that he will be earning next season he could still be useful, at least defensively. And one never knows - perhaps Lowell will rebound in a new setting and put up better numbers in 2006. I've always liked him so I'd like to see that happen, except of course when he's playing the Yankees. Then I hope he goes o-fer.

To get Beckett and Lowe the Red Sox traded their best prospect, Hanley Ramirez, plus a few minor-league pitchers in the form of Harvey Garcia, Anibal Sanchez and Jesus Delgado. I don't know much about Garcia, Sanchez or Delgado but I did see Ramirez play in person over the summer at a Portland Seadogs game. While some in the Red Sox organization have been down on him for not progressing as much as expected, I thought he looked very good, both at the plate and in the field, especially in comparision to some of his teammates. I'm not sure he will be a superstar but I'd guess that he will be useful to the Marlins or some other team on the major league level at shortstop eventually.

Of course many Yankee fans are eager for what move the Yankees are going to make to respond to the trade the Red Sox made. Some are impatient that nothing much has happened yet other than the Yankees re-signing Hideki Matsui. I'm glad that the Yankees are taking their time and aren't rushing into anything. Instead of worrying about what the Red Sox are doing the Yankees need to worry about making sure that the moves they make address what their real needs are - centerfield and the pullpen. If they make the overall team as strong as possible they will match up well with any team, not just the Red Sox.

Posted by silverdsl at 12:45 PM | Comments (0)

November 16, 2005

New York Yankees Re-Sign Hideki Matsui

Hideki Matsui has a lot to celebrate today as the New York Yankees re-signed him to a four-year, $52 million contract which includes a no-trade. At this morning's press conference Matsui stated that remaining with the Yankees was his first choice rather than signing with another team. But he indicated that a big factor in his decision was that Joe Torre didn't quit as manager like it was rumored that he might do. That's interesting because I can't help but wonder if the shift in attitude by George Steinbrenner and some of the other Yankee higher-ups towards Torre was because they knew that if he left they might lose Matsui as well and he might not be so easy to replace.

I was pretty sure that the Yankees would come to terms with Matsui on a new deal and as much as I don't like huge contacts, especially those with no-trade clauses, I think Matsui is one player that I don't mind the Yankees spending the money on. The whole time he's been in pinstripes Matsui has been solid and I think he was extremely important to the team the past two seasons in particular. While he goes into slumps just like any other player, he's one of the Yankees I have the most confidence in when he comes to bat in a big situation that he's going to come through. Matsui isn't flashy and he doesn't look for attention, he just tries to do the best that he can to help the Yankees win every single game. From the Yankees perspective aside from what he contributes on the field, they probably very much enjoy the extra revenue and attention from Japan that comes because Matsui is a Yankee. So I imagine that might have played a role too in why they were anxious to re-sign him.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:10 PM | Comments (0)

November 15, 2005

Predictable: Media and Fans Questions A-Rod's Selection as MVP

As I predicted yesterday, even winning the American League Most Valuable Player Award isn't enough to silence all of Yankee third baseman Alex Rodriguez's critics. There's a slew of negative A-Rod stories in the local papers this morning but it's really not unexpected. There are countless fans who can't stand A-Rod and many of them root for the very team that A-Rod plays for. So reporters reading and hearing all the criticisms of A-Rod are really only giving the people what they want - articles that debate A-Rod's worthiness as a player and as winner of the MVP award.

I think A-Rod is very much worthy of the MVP and I think it's laughable to question him receiving that award. It's not like A-Rod posted inferior numbers - he was outstanding throughout much of the regular season. Some fans are pointing to A-Rod's shortcomings in the post-season as evidence that he's undeserving but that's why baseball is a team sport. If the Yankees as a team can't overcome A-Rod not being productive at the plate or his error in the field then they aren't worthy of advancing to the next round in the post-season in my opinion. Yes, that error was big but what player hasn't made errors, including the sainted Derek Jeter? Yes, A-Rod should have hit better and if he did the Yankees might have had an easier time against the Angels. But A-Rod was far from the only player who didn't do much at the plate. It's absolutely impossible for even the greatest of players to come through in every key moment or make every single play in the field. That A-Rod didn't have a good post-season is disappointing but in no way do I think it takes away from his accomplishments during the regular season.

Posted by silverdsl at 01:32 PM | Comments (0)

November 14, 2005

Alex Rodriguez Wins American League Most Valuable Player Award!

For the second time in three seasons Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriquez has won the American League Most Valuable Player Award, voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. I couldn't be more thrilled! A-Rod's first season in pinstripes didn't live up to anyone's expectations for what one of the best players in baseball should have achieved but he definitely made up for it during the 2005 regular season. A-Rod hit .321 with an AL-high 48 homers and 130 RBIs and those 48 jacks were the most by a right hander for the Yankees since Joe DiMaggio. With this MVP win A-Rod becomes the first Yankee MVP since Don Mattingly in 1985 and only the fourth player overall to win for two different teams. His last MVP win was in 1003 for the Texas Rangers who then traded him to the Yankees.

Of course this won't quiet some of A-Rod's most vocal critics who don't view his selection as AL MVP as any big deal because they believe that he should be able to win the MVP every single season and anything less is a failure. There are also some who think that because A-Rod didn't hit well in the post-season that negates everything that he did during the regular season. Well, without A-Rod being such a strong offensive force and solid defensively during the regular season the Yankees might not have made it to the post-season in the first place. There is no way that any player can come through all of the time - A-Rod will not be able to hit well in every post-season nor will he win the MVP every season either, despite being one of the best players in the game. It's simply unrealistic to think that he will always be able to put up huge numbers in every situation.

I think that the only way for A-Rod to further quell some of his critics is if the Yankees were to win the World Series. Correction, if the Yankees were to win the World Series and he were to play a big role in that championship. Otherwise, there will be some fans who will continue to find reasons to criticize him. But the problem is that getting to the post-season and winning a World Series is a team effort. A-Rod needs all of his teammates to play to their abilities and work together for that goal that every baseball player wants more than anything. He can't do it on his own no matter how much some fans seem to think that he can. As much as some players can be big contributors or their absence can hurt a team no one player is soley responsible for a team's collective success or failure over the course of a season.

But back to A-Rod's MVP win - David Ortiz from the Boston Red Sox also had a terrific season so I wouldn't have been surprised if voters had chosen him over A-Rod. Sometimes it seems as if every time he comes to bat he does something huge in a big situation to hurt the other team. But Ortiz is a designated hitter while A-Rod is a position player so that probably helped A-Rod. Overall, both the Yankees and A-Rod should be very happy today with his selection as MVP!

Posted by silverdsl at 02:54 PM | Comments (0)

November 08, 2005

Yankees Decline Option on Tino Martinez

Tino Martinez has always been one of my favorite Yankees but when the Yankees declined the $3 million option they had on him for 2006 they made the right decision. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman cited the Yankees need to get younger and reduce payroll and I fully agree. Tino is 38 and although he was awesome in May for the Yankees, his skills have been on the decline the past few years. In addition, $3 million is too much for a back-up first baseman. From Cashman's initial comments it sounds like they are considering Andy Phillips who is younger and cheaper as Giambi's back-up.

At one point Tino had said that the Yankees would be the last team he played for and once they no longer wanted his services he would retire. Now Tino is saying that he's not sure what the future holds for him and that he hasn't ruled anything out. I'd guess that he might get a nibble or two for his services for next season as a back-up but it's likely that his days of getting regular playing time, even as much as he got with the Yankees this season as Giambi's back-up are over. Tino is a classy guy, a great asset to the Yankees on the field and in the clubhouse, and was a big part of the Yankees success in 1996-2001. No matter where Tino's journey in life takes him I wish him all the best and much success.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:28 PM | Comments (0)

November 04, 2005

Jason Giambi Truely Makes a Comeback

Selected as Player's Choice for Comback Player of the Year

Signs Deal with Reebok

In December of 2004, Jason Giambi's testimony to the Balco Grand Jury in which he admitted that he used steroids was leaked. Fans, the media and Congress were outraged. Many called for Giambi to hang his head in shame and leave baseball forever. But my have things changed since. At first Giambi was the poster boy for steroid use in baseball and many fans, as well as those in the media, were calling for the Yankees to get rid of him, particularly after the first two months of the season during which Giambi hit so poorly that the Yankees asked him to accept a demotion to the minors in May. But Giambi refused, insisting that he was still capable of being the player that he once was and said that he would show the Yankees and everyone else who doubted him what he could do in the majors where he belonged. And he most certainly did prove that he is still one of the better hitters in baseball. Once he got going he was on fire at the plate for much of the remainder of the season to the point where some wondered if he was back on steroids again because he was almost as impressive at the plate as he was during his MVP years. As a Giambi fan, I was absolutely thrilled beyond belief to see how much Giambi contributed to the Yankees success this season. Without him I'm not sure they would have gotten back to the post-season and I loved seeing him play a big role in that.

It wasn't just Giambi fans who took notice of his ressurgance. Last month Giambi was voted American League Comeback Player of the Year by fans, and in a greater honor, he was just voted Comeback Player of the Year by his fellow players in both leagues. So not only have fans recognized how hard Giambi worked to overcome his issues, both medical and steroid related, but his peers have as well. I can't even begin to imagine how good that has to make Giambi feel. It's like when Steve Park won the Most Popular Driver Awards. There's the one voted on by the fans but even better than that is the one that is voted on by his fellow drivers - to get the fans award is great but to be recognized by your peers has to be an incredible feeling. As much as the drivers and players value and appreciate the fans, I would guess that the opinions of the people who are on the field or in the garage area with them mean even more to them.

After being connected to the use of steroids, Giambi lost endorsement deals with Pepsi, Arm & Hammer and Nike. I never thought that another major company would want to be connected to him because of the negative publicity that might arise from having a player who is so closely connected to the use of steroids endorsing their products. But Reebok thought otherwise and has signed him to a deal, the terms of which were not disclosed. John Lynch, Reebok's vice president of sports marketing said,

"Being named this year's American League Comeback Player of the Year is a true testament to Jason's determination and work ethic."

Which is very true - Giambi was determined in the face of a tremendous amount of criticism to work as hard as he could to show that he could still be a hitter to be feared at the plate and he did it. That is something to admire. But more than that Giambi has remarkably become a feel-good story.

Everything could have gone so differently for Giambi given the backlash he recieved when his testemony was leaked. But Giambi handled things exactly right. He addressed the media and apologized, though he didn't specify exactly what he was so sorry for. But fans are much more sympathetic to those who show remorse rather than those who act like they did nothing wrong and have nothing to be sorry for. In addition, Giambi made an effort to reach out to fans who attended spring training, singing autographs on a regular basis. Fans always appreciate the players who are fan-friendly just a little bit more. But more than that Giambi helped his team to win. Whenever that happens almost every sin can be forgiven.

I don't know what kind of a season Giambi is going to have in 2006 but I hope he builds on what he did in 2005 and shows the remaining doubters that it wasn't a fluke, that he is just as good of a player now as he was when he was using steroids.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:38 AM | Comments (0)

November 02, 2005

Matt Lawton Suspended for Steroids

12th Player to Test Positive

Matt Lawton wasn't a Yankee for long, only about two months, but during that time he managed to test positive for steroids. Now a free agent, Lawton will have to serve a ten-day suspension for steroids at the start of next season. Lawton was ineffective at the plate and not much better in the field for the Yankees when he was aquired via trade with the Chicago Cubs on August 27. In fact Lawton was so bad that he was left off the post-season roster entirely. So it's almost incredible that it turns out he was using steroids, though perhaps he was desperate to improve his performance since he's a former All-Star and at some point this season decided to try performance enhancers. That was apparently a poor decision as they not only did absolutely nothing for him (or maybe he would have been even worse as a Yankee without them) and will have an even harder time finding a new team with the steroid user tag and the suspension he will need to serve hanging over his head.

To his credit, unlike virtuallly every other player who tested positive for steroids, Lawton isn't trying to claim that he didn't know what he was taking. He said,

"I made a terrible and foolish mistake that I will regret for the rest of my life. I take full responsibility for my actions and did not appeal my suspension. I apologize to the fans, the game, my family and all those people that I let down. I am truly sorry and deeply regret my terrible lapse in judgment."

'd like to see a few more players who test positive take responsiblity for their actions. Is it possible that some of them accidentally ingested something in a poorly labeled suppliment? Yes, it is. But all those players? No way. Some of them, like Lawton apparently, were surely taking steroids knowingly and willingly.

Unfortunately for Yankee fans there are a lot of current and former Yankees who have either tested postive for steroids or been linked to steroids. Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield are the most notable, due to their connection to the Balco case. But the last three players to test positive, Lawton, Felix Heredia and Carlos Almanzar are all former Yankees. I'm sure that's just coincidence but it is interesting to note. Fans of other teams shouldn't gloat too much though. I'm quite sure that every single team has players who still use performance enhancers despite the increased testing. They either haven't been caught yet, are using designer steroids or are using performance enhancers that MLB doesn't test for like HGH and amphetamines.

I'd say that I hope no other players test positive but I think that's unrealistic. As long as there's pressure to perform, players will be looking for an edge and will be willing to take a risk to perform better. And what's ten days anyway? Not much. I'm just surprised that there aren't more prominent players testing positive but either they all weren't using in the first place, quit using or just have better access to designer steroids than some of the fringe players that have been caught so far.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:15 PM | Comments (0)

Alex Rodriguez and Gambling

Report: Yankees Tell A-Rod to Stay Away From Illegal Poker Clubs

Gambling is never a non-story in baseball. The Black Sox scandal of 1919 and Pete Rose are the reasons why. So when Alex Rodriguez, one of the most popular and most well-known players in baseball started getting media attention for playing poker in illegal poker clubs that were later raided by the New York City Police Department it should be no surprise that it might have attracted the attention of both the New York Yankees and Major League Baseball. There is absolutely nothing wrong with A-Rod playing poker. Nor is there anything wrong with gambling, as long as he's not gambling on himself or the game of baseball. I'm quite sure that there are numerous players who play poker and gamble on a regular basis just like many non-athletes do. However, the vast majority of those players are extremely low-key about it because they realize that MLB takes an extremely dim view on anything that might look inappropriate in relation to gambling, even if in reality they aren't doing anything wrong.

Scott Boras is denying that the Yankees ever had a chat with A-Rod about gambling or playing poker in illegal poker clubs but I wouldn't be surprised if they did. There has to be some concern about the way it looks to MLB, to the media and to some fans who might not be so inclined to look at playing high-stakes poker in an illegal poker club as innocent fun. In addition, there has to be some concern about who A-Rod might associate with while he's there and what those people could claim down the road. It's similar to the chat that Nascar might have had with Brendan Gaughan about his admission that he bets on himself as well as some of the discomfort that some at Penske Racing expressed in relation to the Gaughan family's involvement with the casino business. I'm certain that Brendan has done absolutely nothing wrong, the same with A-Rod, but if great care isn't taken there can be an appearance of something improper.

What I don't understand is why A-Rod felt the need to go to these illegal poker clubs in the first place. Perhaps he didn't realize that they were unlawful, though after the first one was raided and got some media attention he should have paid some attention. But A-Rod could go to Las Vegas to gamble and play poker, not to mention he can play poker as much as he wants with his friends in a variety of other locations just as everyone else does. A-Rod is extremely image conscious and it seems strange that he would put himself in a position where he's doing something that might and has resulted in negative publicity. He should feel free to enjoy himself playing poker and gambling, but be low-key about it. Just as since Nascar has no rule about drivers gambling on themselves, Brendan should go ahead and do that if he wants, but he doesn't need to announce that publically because it raises questions in people's minds.

This will not be popular with my fellow Yankee fans but I completely understand why MLB and the Yankees might take a look at exactly what A-Rod does when he goes to those illegal poker clubs and what other gambling related activities he might be involved in. This isn't some sort of anti-Yankee conspiracy, especially since the Yankees might have had a chat with A-Rod. As I said, A-Rod is doing nothing wrong. But the integrity of the game is extremely important to MLB as it relates to gambling considering past scandals. So they need to make sure that everything is above board. In fact, I don't think it's a bad thing if MLB takes a look at A-Rod's activities because they would be in a position to publically clear him of any wrong-doing.

Odds are from here on out A-Rod will be a lot more careful about where he plays poker and with whom whether or not the Yankees or MLB has had a discussion with him. As well he should because if there was one scandal that would overshadow the steroids scandal it would be a gambling scandal.

Posted by silverdsl at 05:13 PM | Comments (0)

October 31, 2005

What Would They Think?

Anyone from NYYFans.com knows that Curt Schilling lurks and occasionally posts at Gehrig38 on our fan forum as well as at Sons of Sam Horn and in a couple of other places. It's been said many times that Steve Park and Brendan Gaughan read Steve Park Central frequently. Michael Waltrip, Kevin Harvick, Brendan Gaughan and other drivers sometimes read and post on the fan forums on their own sites. So the question of what these folks think when they read what fans post on forums on in blogs is frequently an issue, usually in the form of "Gasp! What would driver X think if they read that!?" So I'm wondering really what do they think when they read fan forums? What would they think if they happened to come across my blog?

First of all, I don't think it's too likely that any driver or player spends as much time on fan forums as some fans seem to think that they do, with the possible exception of Curt. A quick read here and there but how much time do drivers and players really have to sit there and read everything that fans say about them? How much do they even care anyway about what fans think? Afterall, our opinions are often formulated on less than complete information about any given situation. That said, I'd like to think that players and drivers understand that we are posting from a fan's point of view and that our opinions are no less valid or worthy just because we've never been behind the wheel of a race car or at-bat against a tough pitcher. My guess is that there are times that they are curious about how they are perceived by the fans. I would hope that the majority of players and drivers respect the right of their fans to express their opinions on a full range of topics both pro and con. I hope that they understand that fans aren't always going to agree with everything that happens. As I'm fond of saying this world would be a very boring place if everyone agreed. I'm quite sure that on any given team and in the garage area not everyone agrees so I don't think the fans have to agree all the time with the team, players and drivers that they are fans of.

So when I post on Michael Waltrip's forum or Steve Park Central the vast majority of time I don't hold back or censor myself out of fear of what Michael, Steve or Brendan might think of what I'm posting. That doesn't mean that I bash or name-call - I'm very against posting in anything but a respectul manner and name-calling really bothers me. But I am outspoken and I'm not always a rah-rah cheerleader about everything that happens. I speak my mind everywhere else, why should I have to change the way I am? That implies that speaking one's mind is so offensive to those people that I shouldn't be doing it. And just exactly what is so offensive about giving honest opinions anyway? I didn't like the way Orleans Racing handled Steve Park's release and I have no problem saying that, even if Brendan might and probably did read it. Fact is to a lot of fans it didn't feel right no matter what all parties have said. I'm quite sure that Brendan has read a lot worse than me wondering what the real story was behind Steve's release when that story seemed to change on a daily basis. I would hope that he has thicker skin than to let one fan's insignificant opinion bother him.

It is possible, though unlikely, that some of these folks could have read this blog since a link to this place is usually in my sig file on the forums that I post in. I say unlikely because I doubt that anyone of significance cares what I think about much of anything. I'm just one voice in a vast sea of fans, many of whom are much more vocal than I am when it comes to their fandom. And let's face it while 99% of the time I'm extremely positive about both Michael and Steve as well as most of the other drivers and players that I like, I'm not the type of fan who usually gushes or only writes about how wonderful everything and everyone is. I'm sure that most of the drivers and players would rather read the more rah-rah comments than someone like me rambling on about what they think. But this blog exists for me to discuss all sorts of topics and if I only restricted myself to talking about how great Steve, Michael, Mike Mussina, Alex Rodriquez and others are then I don't think it would be very interesting for myself or anyone else. But above all this blog isn't written to get anyone's attention. Sometimes I get the feeling that some post on fan forums or create blogs trying to get certain people's attention but I'm writing this blog to satisfy myself, no one else.

However, if I'm being honest I do have to admit that I've written a few entries that I've later removed from public view down the road. This is particularly true after I started posting on Michael's site, just on the very remote and unlikely chance that he wanders by here. I'd guess that I've never said anything here or elsewhere the slightest bit critical of Michael but there are one or two comments about others that he knows, specifically other drivers that he might be friendly with or folks at DEI, that I did feel uncomfortable with. Most likely it wouldn't even phase him to read what I wrote because as I've said previously I stay away from name-calling and bashing so in comparision to what a lot of other fans say what I wrote was probably extremely mild. Still, I figured with those one or two items it was best to err on the side of caution just in case. I almost never post here with what Michael or anyone else might think if they read it because again, odds are they aren't and this is for me not them, but I'm also sensitive to the fact that you never do fully know who is reading what, when. I guess in some ways that means that I do care to some degree what Michael and those around him think, which isn't necessarily a good thing since Michael is a stranger, but I guess that comes with the territory of being a fan - sometimes you do care what your favorite driver or player might think about some things.

Maybe some of us care more than others. I guess my expectations are that Michael, Steve, A-Rod and all the other players and drivers respect the fans right to express our opinions which may be different than theirs. In fact I think I'd be more than a little disappointed if I found out that some of these folks think that all the fans are no-nothing idiots who should just shut the hell up unless they're talking about how wonderful their favorite drivers or players are. I'm not an expert on anything but I'd like to think that I know a little about a lot of things and I'm not an idiot. So that gives me the confidence to speak my mind because I'm hoping that there is some measure of respect, understanding and acknowledgement that sometimes fans do know what they're talking about and have valid opinions. But sometimes it seems like a lot of fans are so afraid of what driver X or player Y might think that they're afraid to give much stronger of an opinion than "Derek Jeter is awesome!" or "Dale Earnhardt Jr. Rules!"

However, I do think it's also possible for some fans to go too far in the other direction. For example, Michael Waltrip fans hate DEI and have taken to ripping DEI on his site every chance they get. When I say ripping I don't just mean harsh words I mean name-calling and personal insults directed towards Richie Gilmore and outright bashing as if driving for DEI was the worst thing that ever happened to Michael. That makes me uncomfortable given that he might be reading some of what is being posted. While I'm sure Michael has heard and read it all we have no idea who Michael might be friends with at DEI, nor was his entire time at DEI awful in spite of having to deal with some issues. I think there's no problem with fans being critical and having hard words for DEI or anyone else but when it comes to calling someone a name, that seems excessive since again, we really don't know who Michael likes and doesn't like at DEI, nor do we really know how he truly feels about everything that went down at DEI. It hasn't always been easy for him there but he did get those four wins, he did get to work with Tony Eury, Jr. this season which I think he very much enjoyed and there's also the connection to Dale Earnhardt, Sr. So it's at those times such as when someone is ripping his crew chief. to shreds that I do wonder - what the heck is he thinking if he reads this? He, like all the other drivers, probably appreciates the passion of the fans and loves that there are so many fans that will support him so strongly. Likewise, while I was critical of Orleans Racing when Steve was released some of what other said was really over-the-top to me. We are all devoted fans of Steve but he isn't a friend or relative to most of us, just a driver we passionately cheer for. The urge to lash into people that harshly sometimes makes me uncomfortable in some situations.

I guess we'll never really know what these folks think when they read fan's opinions. None of the drivers or players can say openly that they think their fans are morons. Maybe that's what they think of all of us. Or maybe not. I just hope they respect the fan's right to say what we think, just as we respect their right to their own emotions, opinions and beliefs. I would never in a thousand years expect my favorite drivers and players to think or believe exactly the same as I do so I hope that they are also tolerant of the diversity of their fans and their opinions.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:47 PM | Comments (0)

Alex Rodriguez, Gary Sheffield Win Silver Slugger Awards

A-Rod Wins Eighth Silver Slugger Award

The Silver Slugger awards were announced earlier today and both Alex Rodriguez and Gary Sheffield are among the winners. The award is voted on by major league managers and coaches who consider offensive statistics as well as a player's offensive value. With how outstanding A-Rod and Sheffield both were this season at the plate it's no suprise that they won this award. While A-Rod is among my favorite players, I don't care for Sheffield. But I sure do appreciate everything he does for the Yankees at the plate and he is a big part of why they were able to get to the post-season this year. I have my fingers crossed that this won't be the only award that A-Rod collects this off-season - the AL MVP award will be announced in a few more weeks.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:42 PM | Comments (0)

October 27, 2005

Brian Cashman Will Remain Yankees General Manager

Signs Three Year Deal

It's not been officially announced yet since Major League Baseball frowns on teams making annoucements until after the World Series is over, but apparently Brian Cashman has signed a three-year deal worth $5 million to remain as general manager of the New York Yankees. I've got to admit that I'm surprised. I had thought that when Cashman reportedly started getting emotional when asked about his future with the team after the Yankees were eliminated that was a sure sign that he had decided not to return. Maybe he just had something in his contact lense. At any rate, Cashman will be back and I'm very happy about that. I think he does a very good job as the Yankees general manager and since he's been with the organization for so long he is excellent at navigating the unique challenges that come with working for the Yankees.

The open question of course is how much freedom Cashman will have to make decisions. One problem that he's always had to deal with is the influence of various others in the organization on George Steinbrenner as well as Steinbrenner's insistance on having the final say. If the Tampa faction has less control and Cashman and Joe Torre have more of a say in the decision-making process I think the Yankees will be better off. But only time will tell if that will actually happen.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:30 AM | Comments (0)

October 25, 2005

More Interesting Photos

I can't believe after mentioning the Giambi/Chacon/Pavano webshots photos last night there's a new batch of photos of a major league baseball player getting down with some young hotties making the rounds. I'm not even going to bother to link to these photos or name the player. It's not a Yankee and I stumbled upon a whole bunch of links which indicates you can find photos like these for at least one player from every team. A lot of them are pretty innocent, just a bunch of people having a good time in a bar. Some are more suggestive with women hanging all over the players. In a perfect world no one would jump to any conclusions about what's going on but this isn't a perfect world. And it especially is going to raise questions when the players in question are married and even more so if they have young kids. As I've said before I don't expect any player to be a saint - they drink, they have sex with many women, some of whom might not be a significant other, some may even use drugs. If the average person can party and have a good time, then so can athletes. Not to mention everyone makes mistakes. But in the sports world image matters.

The problem is that even if the photos are completely innocent many fans will assume that they aren't and a player's image becomes tarnished. So what? Well, two things happen. First of all fans are more likely to believe other rumors they hear and also connect poor performances on the field to the possiblity that the player was partying the night before. There's a rumor circulating about Mike Mussina that I'm not going to repeat because it's likely to be completely false but some fans seem to believe it and attribute his poor performance in the post-season to what he might have been doing in California. And why are they so willing to believe this rumor about Mussina? Because he posed for those unfortunate photos in Toronto. I adore Mussina and he's my favorite Yankee but he did damage to his reputation and image that will likely not be so easy to fix.

Here's the thing - as I said the photos might be completely innocent but the reality is that people will make judgements on the basis of what they see and jump to conclusions that may be very incorrect. Is it right? No. But that's the reality of the way the world works and it's even more so for those in the public eye. That's not to say that people who are well-known can't have a good time or pose for photos with fans but if they have anything to lose they need to use caution. I would guess that most major league baseball players feel they don't have much to lose. In fact a lot of them probably don't give two hoots about what the fans think. However, if the players want the fans to continue to support them and the team, unfortunately some of this does matter. The fans are who cheer for the team and spend money on tickets and merchandise.

It especially matters for Nascar drivers where image is everything and that's why I'd guess we see far fewer of these kinds of photos with those guys because they are more conscious of why it might not be a good idea. And for the drivers there can be consequences. Sponsors are extremely demanding and unless a guy is driving for a beer company where certain behaviors are likely more acceptable, they don't want someone representing their brand or product who might embarass them or connect them with some sort of negative behavior. My understanding is that most of the drivers have some sort of morality code as well in their contracts. I've never heard of that morality code being used as a reason to release a driver but that doesn't mean that it hasn't happened and it just hasn't been made public knowledge or that it couldn't happen in the future if such a clause actually exists.

It's simply the way of the world that we are judged by who we choose to associate with, our appearance and the way that we dress, as well as for other superficial reasons. And as unfair as it may be sometimes our behavior has to adjust accordingly. So athletes should take all the photos they want with fans but consider the circumstances under which they're posing and remember that an