The man has his finger on the pulse of the New York sports scene.

Mike Lupica on Sunday, March 16, 2008:

"This isn't to suggest that somehow the spring training silliness of the past few weeks is some sign that the Yankees are now officially mad as hell and aren't going to take it anymore, or that Yankee pitchers are maybe going to move David Ortiz off the plate."


March 17, 2008:

"The very next inning, Andy Pettitte threw inside to David Ortiz, before striking him out for the second time in the game. And my guess is that very soon in The Rivalry, Ortiz will get plunked by a Yankee pitcher for the first time ever.

...

Make no mistake - Pettitte’s pitch yesterday was intentional. And Girardi had a lot to do with it."