Jason Bay is a good player.

"Here the New York Mets go again, throwing money at a big-name free agent whom they misguidedly convince themselves will solve their troubles."

???

I'm rooting against the Mets and take some delight in their misery.

But their biggest problems in 2009 were (a) the Phillies and (b) injuries.

Jason Bay doesn't solve their problems if Santana, Reyes, and Beltran are injured -- nobody said he did.

I don't think anybody expects 36/119 with the bigger home ballpark and the inferior lineup. But he's a good player and good players are a key ingredient of good baseball teams.


"All of this highlights an endemic problem with the Mets that they try to cover with their payrolls, which provided among the highest cost per win in baseball this past decade: Their player-development system is a mess, and not the kind of mess a toddler makes at dinner. It is whole-cafeteria-food-fight bad, and in that respect, the coupling of Minaya and the Mets seems perfectly matrimonious."

That's probably true. But Bay is a second-tier player who just signed for third-tier prices -- I fail to see how this signing severely strains the Mets' finances.


"Together, they have spent hundreds of millions to go backward. There was the ill-fated Pedro Martinez deal. And the on-deathbed-ill-fated contract for Oliver Perez. They blew money ($25 million on Luis Castillo). They lavished it ($37 million in a closer-loaded market for Francisco Rodriguez, with an easily attainable $17.5 million option). They spent themselves out of all the good will engendered by the tremendously club-friendly contracts for David Wright and Jose Reyes."

Pedro? Bad deal because he was too old.

Oliver Perez? Very bad deal because he's bad.

Luis Castillo, K-Rod, Wright, and Reyes are all good players.


"Wright and Reyes represent the only worthwhile thing the Mets can call their own. Since 1985, the Mets have signed and developed five players who later wore their uniforms in an All-Star game. Five. Wright, Reyes, Todd Hundley, Edgardo Alfonzo and Bobby Jones. Even Kansas City can say it has passed eight homegrown All-Stars through its system."

Which is why you sign Jason Bay rather than waiting for Lastings Millege.


"Still, it speaks to the team’s recognition that baseball trades in a new currency – youth – and that the Mets always arrive late to the party of the latest trend."

I don't really think baseball trades in a new currency called youth.

But, even if it did, Bay is relatively young and relatively cheap.

It's not like the two-year Julio Franco deal.

The Mets will be fine. They just need to swap DLs with Philly.

The more Cashman denies it ...

"It appears as though the Evil Empire isn't going to add insult to injury this offseason by swooping in and taking Jason Bay, after all.

...

'It won't be a big-name situation,' he said. 'I can promise you that.' "

Well, "promise" is a strong word.

But I remember when Bubba Crosby was going to be the CFer, when Mike Lamb was going to be the third-baseman, and when Todd Williams was going to be the primary setup man.

You seriously don't think the Yankees are going to sign Bay?

Archives.

Mike Lupica on January 29, 2006: "You have to say that the Red Sox don't lose much offense replacing Johnny Damon with Coco Crisp, and pick up younger legs in the process. In Boston they now think of Johnny Damon as the guy who used to play center for the Red Sox right before Cocoa [sic] Crisp."

Mike Lupica suddenly loves Johnny Damon.

I clearly remember when the Yankees signed Damon, Lupica praised the Red Sox for obtaining Coco Crisp -- "same player for 1/3rd the price," or something to that effect.

During Damon's Yankee career, Lupica endlessly ripped Damon's age and Damon's arm.

Now that Damon is leaving the Yankees, check it out:

"If the Yankees aren’t trying to drive down the price on Johnny Damon the way they did last season with Andy Pettitte — another time when they talked about a 'budget' that is about as real as the Loch Ness Monster — they are going to miss Damon next season.

They are going to miss a perfect No. 2 hitter for their team.

They are going to miss the pop in his bat.

And they are going to miss the kind of winning ballplayer that you don’t just let walk out the door.

Other than that, I guess they’ll pretty much be fine."

They will be fine, though I detect irony in your tone.


Are you unaware that the Yankees acquired Curtis Granderson? Who will bat second for the Yankees?

Granderson has more speed, more power, and a better arm. Granderson is a much better fielder. Granderson is a lot younger and a lot less expensive.


Oh, and by the way, the Yankees are the reigning Champions.


"Curtis Granderson was saying the other day that not only are he and Joe Girardi both Chicago guys, but they both like Italian food and right away I was thinking: Boy, what are the odds?"

Very good journalism.

Entering Yankees get ripped. Exiting Yankees get praised.

Zzzzzzzzz.

Lupica, you really need a new thing.


"If Jason Bay is the Mets’ left fielder next season, he makes them a better baseball team.

And they’re not offering the moon to get him.

And so I guess my question to Mets fans is:

One more thing on Tiger: If his sponsorship with Accenture was supposed to be such a big deal for it and a crushing loss for it — how come I have no idea after all these years what Accenture DOES?"

"My question to Mets fans is:"

Your question to Mets fans is: "how come I have no idea after all these years what Accenture DOES?"


Okay, okay, I'm sure that's just a misprint/editing goof. Lupica really had a question for Mets fans. I'm sure it was very enlightening, such as, "Who's going to pitch the ball for your team?"

Because Mike Lupica noticed the Mets don't have a deep starting staff.

Because Mike Lupica is New York's premier sportswriter.



See, the Yankees are going to sign Bay.

So, as long as Lupica thinks Bay is going to the Mets, Lupica will praise Bay. Lupica probably voted Bay for AL MVP last season.

But as soon as Bay signs with the Yankees, Lupica will find twenty reasons to dislike Bay.

I'm still worried about Justin Verlander in the playoffs.

"Phil Coke, a lefty out of the bullpen, is gone in the Granderson trade, Coke being the latest young pitcher the Yankees fell out of love with at warp speed, especially after Damaso Marte remembered how to get people out in October and November."

Get people out in October?

Unlike, say, Jonathan Papelbon?

Sorry, Lupica. I know it's a painful memory for you.

Also, Joe Mauer and Albert Pujols.

It's easy being an imaginary General Manager.

Not everything, just baseball.

Kind of an odd criticism to direct towards the current champs:

"Has there ever been a single baseball winter out of the last 10 or so when the Yankees weren't declared the champions of everything and everybody all over again?"

I don't really know, actually. I haven't ever paid attention to the winter meetings reactions. They got Granderson for garbage, so I don't think the Yankees made out too poorly.

Has there ever been a single baseball winter out of the past 10 or so when Mike Lupica didn't root for the Red Sox?

Yankees acquire outfielder described as "hard-nosed."

We're looking at you, Melky.

Melky, you seemed a little too happy to miss the last few games of the World Series with a hamstring injury.

Who knew one could injure their hamstring while jogging half-speed to first base?

"Intriguing," he says.

Halladay would be "fascinating" and Pujols would be "mesmerizing."

2009 NL MVP.

Them		Us
Albert Pujols	448	Albert Pujols	60
Hanley Ramirez	233	Prince Fielder	24
Ryan Howard	217	Ryan Howard	21
Prince Fielder	203	Hanley Ramirez	16
Troy Tulowitzki	113	Jose Reyes	4
Pablo Sandoval	89	David Wright	4
Chase Utley	84	Manny Ramirez	3
Derrek Lee	66	Troy Tulowitzki	2
Matt Kemp	49	Tony Bernazard	1
Ryan Braun	43	Bobby Abreu	1
Adrian Gonzalez	30	Ryan Braun	1
Todd Helton	28	Daniel Murphy	1
Chris Carpenter	25
Adam Wainwright	16
Matt Holliday	15
Jayson Werth	10
Shane Victorino	8
Tim Lincecum	8
Yunel Escobar	6
Mark Reynolds	6
Joey Votto	4
Yadier Molina	3
Miguel Tejada	3
Huston Street	2
Juston Upton	2
Ryan Zimmerman	2
Jeremy Affeldt	1
Chris Coghlan	1
Brad Hawpe	1

2009 AL MVP.

Them		Us
Joe Mauer	387	Joe Mauer	55
Mark Teixeira	225	Mark Teixeira	30
Derek Jeter	193	Derek Jeter	23
Miguel Cabrera	171	Miguel Cabrera	11
Kendry Morales	170	Alex Rodriguez	8
Kevin Youkilis	150	Kendry Morales	7
Jason Bay	78	Justin Morneau	3
Ben Zobrist	34	Jorge Posada	3
Ichiro Suzuki	33	Vladimir Guerrero	2
Alex Rodriguez	31	Bobby Abreu	1
Chone Figgins	31	Jason Bay	1
Aaron Hill	23	Trevor Hoffman	1
Bobby Abreu	23	Adam Lind	1
Mariano Rivera	17	Manny Ramirez	1
Adam Lind	14	Ichiro Suzuki	1
Michael Young	13	Kevin Youkilis	1
Zack Greinke	12
Robinson Cano	12
Evan Longoria	9
Justin Verlander	7
CC Sabathia	4
Michael Cuddyer	4
Victor Martinez	4
Jason Kubel	3
Placido Polanco	2
Felix Hernandez	1
Ian Kinsler	1

2009 NL Cy Young.

Them		Us
Tim Lincecum	100	Tim Lincecum	38
Chris Carpenter	94	Adam Wainwright	38
Adam Wainwright	90	Chris Carpenter	31
Javier Vazquez	3	J.J Putz	4
Dan Haren	1	Cliff Lee	3
		David Wright	3
		Dwight Gooden	3
		Josh Johnson	2
		Jose Reyes	2
		Heath Bell	1
		Jorge De La Rosa	1
		Trevor Hoffman	1
		Brad Lidge	1
		Daniel Murphy	1
		Nolan Ryan	1
		Johan Santana	1
		Javier Vazquez	1

2009 AL Cy Young.

Them		Us
Zack Greinke	134	Zack Greinke	50
Felix Hernandez	80	CC Sabathia	31
Justin Verlander	14	Felix Hernandez	25
CC Sabathia	13	Roy Halladay	12
Roy Halladay	11	Justin Verlander	7
		Jonathan Lester	5
		Carl Pavano	4
		Mariano Rivera	4
		A.J. Burnett	3
		Pedro Martinez	3
		Roger Clemens	2
		John Smoltz	1
		Suzyn Waldman	1

You know nothing.

"Somebody's relaxing him, that's all I can say," Torre replied with a smirk, "because he certainly looked like he enjoyed himself this year."

Maybe it's because his manager isn't a blameshifting scumbag who batted him eighth.

I like the way the game six HR landed right above the Japanese advertisement.

"But if the object is to win every year, and the object IS to win every year, and the question is money, both Damon and Matsui give them their best chance to repeat."

I think Matsui's definitely gone because he can't field and he can't run.

Damon, maybe a one-year contract.

But why would Damon -n- Matsui give the Yankees their best chance to repeat?

I'd say the additions of Albert Pujols and Roy Halladay give the Yankees their best chance to repeat.

Rich Gedman on acid.

Give this man a Pulitzer:

"The catcher, Jorge Posada, sometimes ran the bases as if he were Rich Gedman on acid…"

Fact check.

"Rodriguez, who entered the postseason with a .136 batting average, was hugely responsible for terminating the Yankees' nine-year World Series drought."

Not sure what .136 batting average this is referring to.

Maybe his last 40-or-so playoff at-bats?

In any case, ARod's postseason numbers basically mirror his HOF regular season numbers.

A lot of people should be eating crow, but probably aren't.

Angels in 2010.

Very easy formula to success, as demonstrated by the Phillies and the Yankees.

Just get rid of Bob Abreu.

Titles avoid that guy like he avoids the right-field wall.

Game Six.

This is why Girardi is a genius.

Not only is Everybody's Favorite Pitcher, Chad Gaudin, available out of the bullpen on lots of rest, but even Burnett is available out of the bullpen due to his low workload the other night.

Mission 27 in full effect.

Still implying Girardi's job security is up for debate.

One win away from a title.

Because it's Girardi's fault that he went with A.J. Burnett instead of Chad "Cy Young Jr." Gaudin.

"Because if the Yankees blow this Series, if the Phillies come all the way back, then Yankee fans are going to wonder how the Yankees could spend $206 million on baseball players and not have enough left under the bed to buy a reliable fourth starter."

Chien-Ming Wang's injury was unexpected. He was their reliable fourth starter. Next question.


Upon closer inspection, the Yankees don't have three reliable starters, unless you consider A.J. Burnett reliable.

That's not Girardi's fault, that's Cashman's fault.

Not too hard to figure out how this could happen. Good pitchers are difficult to find. That's why mediocre pitchers, such as A.J. Burnett, can command such high salaries.


In any case, if the Yankees blow games six and seven, it's not Girardi's fault. Other than Girardi's pathetic decision to start Molina, his personnel decisions have been correct. If Burnett and Pettitte can't do their job, it's their fault, not Girardi's fault.

It's really tired and ignorant at this point.

Girardi will be fired if:

• Yankees miss the playoffs.
• Yankees blow the AL East.
• Yankees lose to the Twins.
• Yankees lose to the Angels.
• Yankees lose to the Phillies.

113 wins isn't enough. Girardi has to win the World Series every year or else he will be fired.

Yeah, right.

Maybe Mattingly would have done better.

Whatever you do, panic.

"Title hopes not so bright for Yanks after Game 5"

Yankees are one win away from a title. They're not 30 games out of first place at the All Star Break.


"So the Yankees picked up, packed up and slogged up the Jersey Turnpike, wondering what happened to the Animal House party they were supposed to throw after Game 5 of the World Series."

The Yankees were supposed to win. The Yankees are supposed to win every game.


"It was going to be mother of all blowouts, the one that would've ended a nine-year championship drought. All the Yankees needed to do was cash in on the leftover momentum for Game 4, the one Johnny Damon literally stole from the Phillies, and that 120-mile bus ride to the Bronx would've been the stuff of a reality show."

I don't know a single person who thought the Yankees would beat Cliff Lee in game five. Which is why game four was so important.


"In any other circumstance the Yankees would be the strong favorites to close out the Phillies. In most respects they still are."

Good.

The Yankees are strong favorites to win the World Series.

Phew.

Because I was reading a column by this guy named Bob Klapisch who said their title hopes were dim.

Even the writers step up their game in October.

"Here is the best possible game plan for the Yankees as they go into Philadelphia for Game 3 of what is some World Series already: Mo' offense, less Mo Rivera."

I totally get it, partner.

"Mo" (short for "Mariano") sounds like "More."

Well played, maestro.


"Really, the best way for them to get ahead of the Phillies in the Series is to score so many runs Saturday that Rivera can take the night off."

Score a lot of runs?

Lupica, you are a traitor to New York.

If you publish this "score a lot of runs" theory-- henceforth, known as the Lupica Doctrine -- in a public forum, the Phillies might read about it. Charlie Manuel is probably devising a diabolical counter-stratagem.

Nobody complains during the regular season.

Relevant data.

Where were you the last time Jerry Hairston Jr. had a hit off Pedro Martinez?

The Yankees should probably get Aaron Boone to play third base since they're getting nostalgic.

My impression of Torii Hunter's postgame press conference...

I might have to start rooting for the Nationals.

The NY Yankees' "mess" is as follows:

• Despite a 13-15 start, the Yankees won 103 regular season games.
• After losing their first eight games vs. the Red Sox, the Yankees won nine of their next ten games vs. the Red Sox.
• The Yankees easily won the AL East.
• The Yankees won more regular season games than any team in baseball.
• The Yankees swept the ALDS.
• The Yankees have a 3-2 lead in the ALCS.
• The final two ALCS games are at Yankee Stadium where the Yankees have, like, 18 walkoff wins and where they have won, like, 35 of their last 43.
• Out of the 30 teams in MLB, one has advanced further than the Yankees.
• The Yankees are one win away from the World Series.

Let me repeat that: The Yankees are one win away from the World Series. Pettitte, Sabathia, Rivera ready to go.

Go back to the day when ARod got hip surgery and tell me you wouldn't take this kind of "mess."

Win Game Six .... Or Else Win Game Seven.

"Without a Game 6 win, New York Yankees risk it all against Los Angeles Angels."

Yes.

Also, without a Game 6 win, the Los Angeles Angels risk it all against New York Yankees.

I did the math and it all checked out.


"You're the Yankees and you shouldn't even be playing Game 6, you should have put the Angels away after six runs in the top of the seventh Thursday night. Only you couldn't. The Angels were too tough and proud to let you do it."

Again, I'm not really sure what everybody expected the Angels to do.

Burnett punked out and walked Aybar. Almost hit Aybar with a 3-2 pitch. It was a disgraceful, gutless, choke move by an overrated, knucklehead pitcher who led the league in walks.

I'm not really sure what Aybar was supposed to do with that 3-2 pitch. Ground into a double play because he is weak and meek and wanted to lose the ALCS rather than win the ALCS?


"With next season creeping into Angel Stadium, the Angels got up. The Yankees better put them back down tonight, at the new Yankee Stadium, where they haven't lost a game in this postseason and better not lose one now."

OF COURSE the Yankees want to win game six.

But they have Sabathia at home in game seven.


"If they don't, if they give the Angels another game and another chance and more hope than they have now ... "

So what you're saying, in essence, is that winning is better than losing.

It sounds crazy at first, but I'll have to give it more thought and get back to you.


"But who says Jered Weaver can't give Mike Scioscia seven or eight innings like he gave Scioscia an eighth inning Thursday night? Who says Weaver can't pitch the game of his life? Or John Lackey can't come back with a vengeance if Game 6 is rained out tonight?"

Who says Swisher can't hit three homeruns tonight? Who says Sabathia can't throw a no-hitter on Sunday?


"The Yankees could have won Game 3 and gone on to sweep. Could have closed out the Angels Thursday night. But if A-Rod doesn't hit that home run off Fuentes to tie it in the 11th inning of Game 2, guess what? It is the Yankees who are playing for their season tonight."

Okay, now you're just being a senseless prick.

"If ARod doesn't hit that homerun."

Well, gee. If I had wheels, I'd be a wagon.

The Yankees are 6-2 in the playoffs and both of the losses are one-run losses.

If Vlad didn't hit that homerun; if Swisher had dunked in a single; if Cano had more range to his left or Jeter had more range to his right.

Then, the Yankees are 5-0 vs. the Angels in a best-of-seven series, which is pretty good.


Jeez, I just hope the Yankees score about 22 runs tonight and Girardi spits on a Torre's effigy during the postgame celebration.

I've never seen a fan base so angry about being one win from the Championship series.

Where are the preseason favorites, the New York Mets? They added K-Rod and J. J. Putz.

Speaking of consequences for bad decisions ... was your boss ever reprimanded for hiring a pathetic hack?

"But let's get this out of the way now, so it's not a reactionary thing if the Yankees lose their sixth and seventh consecutive games with the American League pennant within their grasp: So this is not to say that the Yankees will lose this ALCS, but if they do, Joe Girardi should be fired."

Just because the event has not yet taken place ... just because the event may not ever take place ... your proposed reaction to this event is still reactionary.


But Girardi obviously won't be fired, and you're really stupid to suggest that he should be


Also, out of curiosity, who is going to manage the Yankees in 2010 if Girardi is fired? Dallas Green?

It's all Nick Swisher's fault.

"Curled up on couches, the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies must have broken into Cheshire cat grins. These New York Yankees are powerful, but not so perfect after all. These Los Angeles Angels are plucky, but they’ll undo themselves as often as not."

You're wrong.

The Yankees are perfect. Their #8 hitter, Nick Swisher, is the first batter since Ted Williams to bat .400 over the course of an entire season.


"The only thing more promising to the Phillies than watching Angels closer Brian Fuentes try to retire Yankees batter Nick Swisher with the bases loaded and two out in the ninth was watching Swisher try to square up one of Fuentes’ eminently hittable offerings."

Jeez. Batters make outs all the time.

Were the Phillies watching the Yankees put up a six-spot in the 7th inning?


"It was like capping a spectacular meal with stale cake and lukewarm coffee."

I agree. Swisher should have hit a homerun.


"The 7-6 victory Thursday night that kept the Angels alive in the American League Championship Series and forced a Game 6 on Saturday in New York was rife with heroics. It just didn’t end with any."

Unless you're the Angels pitcher.


"Fuentes entered in the ninth and recorded two quick outs, bringing up Alex Rodriguez. Manager Mike Scioscia has zero confidence in Fuentes’ ability to retire the Yankees slugger since their 11th-inning matchup in Game 2 resulted in a home run, so A-Rod was walked intentionally. But rather than attack the left-handed Hideki Matsui, Fuentes picked around the strike zone, walking him. Then he hit Robinson Cano, loading the bases."

Thanks for the recap, Mr. Sports Writer!


"Two teams with questions will go at it at least once more in the ALCS. The team that had all the answers in the NLCS will relax and enjoy watching. Especially if weaknesses continue to be revealed the way they were by Fuentes and Swisher."

Both the AL teams are really good. Not "perfect," but really good.

The teams combined for 13 runs. During the process, 51 players made out, which is typical of major-league baseball games. I don't really know why Swisher's particular would have much of an effect on the outcome of the World Series. Cliff Lee might give up four HRs in the first inning of game one.

For cryin' out loud.

The Yankees have lost one whole playoff game and have two home games remaining in the ALCS. The Yankee starters for those games are Pettitte and Sabathia, not Shawn Chacon and Kevin Brown.

We get it: It's the playoffs. Every game is either pivotal or must-win.

But this particular game is a must-win for the Angels.

It's not a must-win for the Yankees.

Joke Torre.

Just caught a Joe Torre press conference.

Talked about a Springsteen concert and the 1998 Yankees.

Let's go Philly.

You are right, a lot of other people are wrong.

"I'd like to think the above paragraphs will help to put an end to the myth that October is somehow different. Sabathia and Rodriguez had assembled recent track records in postseason play that served to define them as failures in the eyes of many who want to believe that success on a baseball diamond is a moral issue. You cannot evaluate baseball players on a handful of starts or plate appearances, and that remains true no matter the date. Given time, all players perform at their established levels, and that's what we're seeing now from Sabathia and Rodriguez. Would that this lesson took hold, but even I'm not that naïve."

When people say ARod has 5 HRs in his last 7 postseason games, I'd like to remind them that he hit a HR in his final 2007 postseason game.

So it's really 6 HRs in his last 8 postseason games.

Prorate that for a full season, son.

2-for-18.

So, he's a $20 million player choker, right?

Right?

Anybody?

Nobody cares about the $20 million first baseman hitting .111?

Interesting.

So everybody is suddenly aware of the pitfalls of analyzing small sample sizes. Unless we're talking about ARod. Who has to hit a homerun every game.

Today's lesson.

Playoff baseball is the same as regular season baseball.

If your team hits homeruns, then hit homeruns in the playoffs.

Don't waste roster spots on pinch runners.

Jeff Passan says Torre is overrated.

"One look at Alex Rodriguez this postseason, just killing everything he sees, and it’s evident: Something is different. Left unsaid is the reason he dare not mention, because A-Rod has finally learned that sometimes the truth is best read between the lines.

Joe Torre is gone from New York, and the Yankees are better for it."

I actually agree with that conclusion.

First of all, the bullpen management that Girardi is currently being criticized for ... I mean, c'mon, get serious. Torre would have thrown Pettitte for 7 2/3 innings, invoking the 1996 World Series, and then Torre would have brought in Bruney for the rest of the game.

Or, more likely, the Yankees wouldn't have a bullpen. They'd all have been Scott Proctored during the regular season.

Also, while the player is ultimately responsible for their on-field performance, Torre was a prick. Torre only cared about the Four Ring Club and everybody else was treated like a dog.

"It also reinforces the double standard that exists for Torre as he skates to his ninth straight season without a championship after winning four in five years with the Yankees."

That's why it's offensive to listen to Torre continually bring up the past successes. He even did it after the Yankees lost to Detroit in the playoffs.

"Torre starred in a commercial before he managed a game in Los Angeles. He wrote a tell-all book about his decade with the Yankees after spending a year with the Dodgers. Torre is about Torre."

Yep.

"The pregame scouting report, Mr. Torre? Bigelow Tea moved 650,000 units and your cut is $24,000."

" 'Ain’t nothing Mr. Torre can do,' Dodgers second baseman Orlando Hudson said. 'His playing days are over with. All he can do is put the lineup out there and tell us to go about it.

'What can he do? Come over here, bend us all over and spank us?' "

No, he wouldn't bend you over and spank you. He'd ask you to sit on his lap while he tells stories about Warren Spahn.

Perhaps there's nothing Torre can do.

Perhaps managers receive too much credit and too much blame.

If so, Torre may need to refund his $4 million.

Out of curiosity, how many runs were the Yankees going to score in the 12th inning?

And who was going to close the game? Robertson? Aceves? You're 100% sure that strategy would have worked?

At least change the tone of the discussion. The Yankees might have won if Robertson had stayed in the game. There's really no reason to think they would have won.

Maybe Pettitte was supposed to throw 10 innings and 180 pitches, and then Rivera could have pitched the last 2 innings. After the Yankees scored 4 or 5 runs in the 12th.

I also wonder what Lupica would be saying if Robertson had given up a HR to Kendrick.

"Joe! Why didn't you use Aceves?"

The bullpen should never give up a run.

The Yankee bullpen allowed two runs over four innings and it's described as a "collapse." I'd say the Yankee offense "collapsed" over the final six innings.

Joba gives up one run and his outing is described as "disastrous." I'd say Mark Teixeira's offense has been a lot more "disastrous."

When teams lose close games, the manager is often blamed, and the blame is almost always assigned to the last bullpen move. Because the bullpen should have an ERA of 0.00 and your team should always win:

"There are things a manager can do and things he can't do. A manager can't really win any games for his team. But he damned well better not lose any."

Or what?

A 45-year-old with a porn star mustache will write a nasty article in the newspaper?


"Monday, Joe Girardi lost one for the Yankees, 5-4, in 11 innings to the Los Angeles Angels, who now have a reason to believe they can come back and win this thing."

Blame for yesterday's loss, in order:

1) Swisher.

2) Pettitte.

3) Aceves.

4) Joba.

5) Melky.

6) Teixeira.

7) Cashman.

8) Girardi.


"Because despite having swept the first two games in the series and having a golden opportunity to go up 3-0 Monday and put a stranglehold on the Angels and the series, Girardi is the one who managed scared Monday, who managed, in fact, as if it was his team that absolutely could not afford to lose."

Yes, the Yankees had a golden opportunity to take a 3-0 lead, that is definitely true. Swisher really needs to hit a sac fly. The sac fly that will put his team in the World Series.

Or I've got an even better idea, which may sound completely crazy. Ready, everybody? How about a postseason RBI by Robinson Cano?

Girardi's team underperformed and some of his managerial moves backfired. But he wasn't scared.


"If the Yankees lose Tuesday, a definite possibility with Sabathia going on three days' rest and Chad Gaudin the only fresh arm in the bullpen, then we are back to even in this series but with all the momentum flowing back to the Angels."

Hey, Mr. Stupid, all the bullpen arms are fresh. Yesterday, they pitched ten pitches or less.

Oh, and if the Yankees win Tuesday ... a definite possibility with CC Sabathia vs. Scott Kazmir ... a definite possibility with Jeter, Damon, Teixeira, Matsui, Posada, and ARod ... then Girardi is one win from the World Series.


" .... to pulling Johnny Damon for Jerry Hairston Jr. on defense in the 10th, which resulted in a triple-whammy - the loss of the DH, the loss of Damon, who had homered earlier, and the need to pinch hit for Mariano Rivera in the 11th when Mo was still fresh enough to have pitched the 11th."

Mo was still fresh enough to have pitched the 11th?

If that's true, then Mo should be fresh enough to pitch tomorrow.

Which is impossible, since Gaudin is the only fresh bullpen arm.


"Winning the game was the job of the players. Girardi's job was simply not to lose it for them. Monday, he did."

I like how everybody is suddenly a big David Robertson fan. As if removing David Robertson from a tie playoff game is akin to benching Scottie Pippen.


If anything, Girardi's trigger finger was too slow: He removed Pettitte two batters too late and he removed Hughes one batter too late.

The biggest Yankee mistake was Pettitte's 2-2 pitch to Guerrero. This mistake occurred in the sixth inning and maybe that's why everybody has forgotten about it.

On the other side, Scioscia used six pitchers, including one starting pitcher out of the bullpen, and he had another starting pitcher warming up in the bullpen. I suppose Scioscia was managing scared.


My biggest gripe with Girardi's in-game moves is the Gardner pinch-running decision, which may have cost the Yankees the game. No need to get caught stealing. No need to take Matsui out of the game. Sit back and wait for a HR.

I don't know why the playoffs start and teams forget who they are. I don't know why everybody in baseball suddenly over-emphasizes small ball.


Other than that, the biggest mistakes were made before the game even started ... before the series even started.

Three catchers and two pinch runners? The Yankees might have won yesterday if Eric Hinske or Shelley Duncan were on the roster. Maybe Albaladejo or Bruney could have helped out more than Freddy Guzman.

You're bringing up the 1996 World Series?

"Earlier in the afternoon, Torre had declared Game 3 a key to the series.

'It's a momentum changer,' Torre said. 'In the past, I've had (Mike) Mussina pitch in Oakland because he can pitch well there, and we were fortunate to win that game. And David Cone in the '96 World Series, I picked him for Game 3 because he was the only one that had pitched in Atlanta.' "

During the telecast, the broadcasters said that Torre also compared two of the current Dodger players to Bernie Williams and Paul O'Neill. Torre also compared Cliff Lee to Warren Spahn.


I mean, how much are the Dodgers paying you to manage their team?

Can't you at least learn the names of the players on your team?

Is this the 2009 NLCS or the Joe Torre Nostalgia Tour?

Let's see ... Rush Limbauh, Isiah Thomas, Pedro Martinez ...

... maybe I'll write something about Alex Rodriguez if I have to:

"Alex Rodriguez keeps saying that when you think hip surgery, you think Bo Jackson, but I'm thinking there have been one or two improvements for fixing hips since Bo went down.

Sounds good, though."

Yeah, ARod is a dick.

Oh, and another thing, ARod may very well be invoking Bo Jackson. I don't know if he keeps saying it, but it's the first I've heard of it.

In fact, I don't think ARod is doing much whining or must chest-thumping.

Just a lot of hitting.

I predict bad grammar.

"The Yankees can't afford to give free bases to the Angels, and they're my pick tonight."

Betcha don't know which team is Jesse Spector's pick to win game two of the ALCS.

It's called a "dangling participle" and, really, Jesse Spector should be fired on the spot.

Save the drama for your mama.

The Yankees had a three-run lead in the ninth inning and Mariano Rivera came in to close the game.

Mariano, of course, has a career postseason ERA of 0.74.

Mariano walked the first batter (squeezed by the home plate ump, if you ask me) and then got three easy outs.

After Vlad k'd, Juan Rivera was the batter with the dangerous Kendry Morales on deck.

As a Yankee fan viewing the action, I felt quite comfortable.

Naturally, anything can happen, but there's really nothing more a team can ask for than to have a three-run lead in the ninth inning with Mariano on the mound. Other than a four-run lead with Mariano on the mound. Or a five-run lead with Mariano on the mound. Or a ten-run lead with Mariano on the mound.

Anyway, Joe Buck pointed out that Kendry Morales had 34 HRs this year and, you know, the Angels weren't out of it.

I'm not sure if Buck is creating drama, which is part of his job, or just wishfully rooting against the Yankees, which often seems like it's part of his job.

But, just to counteract the danger of Morales's 34 HRs in 2009, I'd like to present a few Mariano Rivera stats:

1) 22 HRs allowed lifetime vs. lefties in 2,106 at-bats.

2) 2 postseason HRs allowed.

3) 0 postseason HRs allowed vs. lefties.

Good luck, Kendry. You'll need it.

Third in the league in steals, first in the league in caught stealing.

The team that hits the most HRs will win the ALCS.

So what you're saying is that the best way to get Alex Rodriguez out is to make good pitches ...

... it sounds crazy, but let me think about it:

"In their scouting report for that first-round playoff series, according to a person with knowledge of it at the time, the Angels told their pitchers that it was crucial to pound A-Rod inside with fastballs, the goal being to make him so inside-conscious that it affects his approach."

In other words, if Rodriguez was worried enough about being pitched hard inside, then he might not react as well to fastballs and breaking stuff on the outer half of the plate, where he is most dangerous." I think that goes for ARod and every other player who every played baseball.

It's called "pitching."


"As a scout from a different AL team said yesterday: 'The book on (A-Rod) hasn't changed over the years. You need to come inside hard, above the hands. That's where his hole (in his swing) is. If you get his attention in there, then you have a better chance of getting him to chase breaking stuff away.' "

Just don't miss, or ARod might hit it very far.


Good work, by the way, John Harper.

Very timely analysis of Alex Rodriguez's swing, and very revealing.

Breaking news: The book on Mariano Rivera is that he throws a cut fastball. So, look out for the cut fastball.

Bill Plaschke questions Joe Torre's baseball managerial decisions.

So why did you leave Kershaw in to pitch to Howard?:

"You know, to me he's a starting pitcher in Game 1, so I felt that's what I wanted to do."

Nice.

I'm not even saying it was a bad managerial move. I'm just saying it's completely pointless to ask Joe Torre to explain his managerial decisions. He has no idea what you're talking about.

When Plaschke first asked Torre why he left Kershaw in the game, Torre responded, "Who?"

An admittedly obscure message for Joe Mauer.

Vladimir Guerrero finally gets a big postseason hit.

Which must mean one thing: Kate Hudson is a slut.

In Little League, I was taught to keep my eye on the ball.

Nice catch on the "triple" in the sixth inning, too, you bum.

Let Damon get it.

.125.

Will Torre move Manny down in the batting order?

Yup.

"They had just parted with Manager Joe Torre. They had lost their third division series in a row, chiefly because their No. 1 starter, Chien-Ming Wang, had been trounced twice. They needed an ace like the Twins’ Johan Santana, and the general partner Hank Steinbrenner wanted him badly.

Yet, the Yankees made no deal. They had the money to pay Santana, and the prospects to get him, starting with pitcher Phil Hughes. But General Manager Brian Cashman never authorized a formal trade proposal because he saw another pitcher on the horizon: C. C. Sabathia.

...

The wait was painful. The Yankees missed the playoffs in 2008, winning 89 games but never seriously contending. Santana had 16 wins for the Mets. Hughes had none for the Yankees."

And now Santana is injured.

It's Girardi's fault.

"And yet for one or two games in this AL division series they will be starting a catcher, Jose Molina, who is batting .217 with a .268 slugging percentage, who can barely make it from first to third on those rare occasions when he gets on base.

For this development, you can't blame Molina, who is doing his best."

That's kind of presumptuous, but nobody questioned his effort, just his ability.

I see no reason to pick Molina over Cervelli for backup catcher.

"You can't blame Jorge Posada, who has worked hard all season to climb on the same page with A.J. Burnett."

Again, somewhat presumptuous, but it's not even worth discussing.

I could call a big-league ballgame for A.J. Burnett: "Stop walking people, you tattooed, overrated, overpaid piece of garbage."


"You can't blame Joe Girardi at this late stage. He is simply trying to coax a decent playoff start out of his No. 2 pitcher, hoping to make Burnett more comfortable."

Of course Girardi deserves the blame.

For the sake of argument, let's just say that Burnett has trouble communicating with Posada. Once Girardi is aware of this, then one of the priorities for the rest of the season is to improve communication between Burnett and Posada. Molina should have never caught Burnett again.

Because the playoffs are coming and it's important for Posada to catch when Burnett is pitching.

Because you don't want to play the catcher with the .268 slugging percentage.

One star.

It is quite true the Yankees are not infallible.

The top three issues are not Sabathia, ARod, and Girardi.

John Flaherty Redux.

The last time Posada was benched in the playoffs, the Yankee pitcher gave up 5 runs in 3 innings.

What about Justin Verlander and Ron Gardenhire?

Now the Yankees are a "lock."


That's not what Lupica said on TV the same day.

But, whatever.

When you pick both sides of an argument, you can never be wrong.

Lupica: Mariano Rivera is good.

Of course, Lupica is one of the few people in the Universe who has suggested on numerous occasions that Papelbon is better.

So, yeah.

Lupica is a liar and a hypocrite.


"He struggles in one or two games early in the season, and people start saying he's done. Then he pitches the way he pitched this season and he's back to being as great as ever."

Right.

The "people" who start saying he's done.

People such as Mike Lupica.

"Sometimes you think: If he doesn't give up the home run to Sandy Alomar in Game 4 of the ALDS in 1997 … if he gets out of it against the Diamondbacks somehow … if he doesn't walk Kevin Millar to start the bottom of the ninth in Game 4 in '04 … then maybe he has won seven World Series already with the Yankees.

Well, since 4 + 3 = 7, then he'd probably have won 7 World Series with the Yankees.

Of course, in 1997, the Yankees would have still have had to win two more rounds. But I'll give them the victory over the Cardinals in 2004 ... though it's a bit dismissive of a team that won 105 games in the regular season.

So, what's your point? Did you just want to prove you can perform simple arithmetic?


I mean, that's how the playoffs work in baseball. If you win every series, you win the World Series and you're the champion. If you lose, then you're not the champion.

If Rocker, Benitez, Hoffman, and Wohlers could have closed out their games, then maybe Mariano has zero rings.

Remember me?

I just think it's funny that none of the unofficial AL Cy Young "polls" list Halladay as a candidate.

Uh oh.

New rule: No more ex-catchers for managers.

Seriously, if Gir-orre actually starts Molina behind the plate for a single playoff game, I truly hope the starting pitcher gives up 14 runs in the first inning, killing once and for all the absurd notion of the importance of "calling a game."

"Anything worthwhile is worth waiting for."

Words of wisdom.

The Dodgers have waited 20 years for a World Series title.

Here's to making it 21 years.

"Whatever the ideal onomatopoeia for regurgitation – is it blergh, or mmblah, or rawlf, or huaaaa?"

The ideal onomatopoeia for regurgitation is blergh.


"The Central could today find its prom king, and he is riddled with acne, bad grades and a hooptie. The Detroit Tigers are a feel-good story, conquerors from a conquered city, and if this afternoon they beat their greatest challenger, the Minnesota Twins – braces, trombone player, never kissed a girl – they will win the division and start the postseason at Yankee Stadium."

Jeez, the Yankees are the clear favorites, but the Tigers aren't that bad.

1967 called and wanted their power numbers back.

Red Sox fetishist claims to be impressed with David Ortiz's 2009 power numbers:

"What kind of odds could you have gotten in Vegas in May that David Ortiz - who didn't hit his first home run until May 20 - would get to 30 home runs and 100 RBI this season?"

I don't know what kind of odds you'd get. 2:1? 3:1?

A 6' 6", 275-lb. DH playing half his games in Fenway Park? A guy who, just a few years ago, was pushing 50/150?

Is 30 HRs and 100 RBIs a lot?

I truly think if 4' 11" Brian Roberts batted in David Ortiz's place, Roberts would have had 100 RBIs this season.

If Ortiz has a good final week, he'll be almost as good as Nick Swisher or Jose Lopez?

No, I guess not, because Ortiz can't field and he can't run.

Talk to me when his slugging percentage is higher than Shin-Soo Choo's.


Oh, and by the way, Ortiz doesn't even have 30 HRs and 100 RBIs yet.

Which team is a cinch to win the World Series?

Picking a team to lose in the playoffs is easy. I pick all teams to lose. I will be correct 7 out of 8 times.

???

Curt Schilling on Alex Rodriguez:

"His problem has always been that he's a guy with holes and you can pitch to those holes," Schilling said. "For a guy that's as good as he is, he still strikes out a lot. Guys who strike out a lot tend to have a tough time in October."

Babe Ruth struck out a lot.

Reggie Jackson struck out a lot.

David Ortiz strikes out a lot.

#28.

Yankees win the World Series again, second time this year.

With Burnett on the mound, no less.

In terms of "messages," maybe beating the Angels helps Girardi's cred. We know Mr. Bigelow couldn't beat the Angels.

It's a nightmare for Tiger fans!

Verlander pitches like this while Sabathia pitches like this!

2009 ALDS, game two at Yankee Stadium, down 1-0, Burnett pitching like this, and Fernando Rodney is your closer. You know, Fernando Rodney: A 32-year-old with 7 2/3 postseason innings.

Which is why the Yankee fans need to be worried.

.378 with the bases empty.

.259 with runners on base.

.211 with runners in scoring position.

Let's not talk about the 1998 Yankees.

Another opinion that credits the 1998 Yankees for teamwork rather than immense talent.

I can't even get into a point-by-point argument because the premise isn't even worth discussing.

• Simply replacing Melky/Gardner in CF with Bernie Williams is probably worth 15 wins.
• The 1998 Yankees had a #5 starter who won 13 games.
• Every single game, the 1998 Yankees had the superior starting pitcher. Every single game out of 162. No, not really, but close.

You know, the Yankees won 100 games three years in a row from 2001 - 2003. Before you take on the 1998 titans, try the 2002 team. (Which is actually one of my favorite Yankee teams due to Karim Garcia Index.)

In other words, before you get to Paul O'Neill, start by comparing Nick Swisher to John Vander Wal.


I mean, even the idea that 2009 ARod is better than 1998 Brosius.

Brosius drove in 98 runs in 1998.

The 2009 Yankee third baseman is not Alex Rodriguez. The 2009 Yankee third baseman is ARod-Hairston-Pena-Ransom-Berroa. While ARod is clearly a more talented baseball player than Scott Brosius, the 2009 version of ARod-Hairston-Pena-Ransom-Berroa is simply not as talented as the 1998 version of Scott Brosius.


The 1998 Yankees are a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence where a bunch of great player all have career years at the same time.

It was great when it happened.

It was eleven years ago.

Stop talking about it.

Oh, gee, the Yankees could never beat the Red Sox.

It would be a miracle to get past Verlander and the Tigers. It will be nearly impossible to keep home-field advantage against MVP Morales, Figgins, and Scioscia.

So, no, I hadn't even considered the ALCS, because you've already convinced me that winning the ALDS will be too difficult:

"But now the batting order has organized around Martinez, and David Ortiz, after a bad start that was almost Biblical, still has a chance to finish with 30 home runs and 100 RBI. The Yankees are first in the league in hitting. But the Red Sox happen to be third. They are also third in pitching. The Yankees are sixth."

I like that: Sixth in "pitching."

As if there was a measurement called "pitching," and the Yankees ranked sixth.

"A month ago, it was the Red Sox who had more questions about pitching, and not just with their starters. Now the Yankees don't even know who pitches Game 2 of the division series. CC Sabathia may win the Cy Young - although Mo should - but the last time he had a big playoff game to pitch in the American League, Game 5 of the 2007 ALCS against the Red Sox, the Indians up three games to one, a chance to pitch the Indians into the World Series, the Red Sox took him apart"

1) Greinke should win the Cy Young.

2) It was you, not us, who predicted the end of Mariano's career in April. Remember the Jason Bay HR?

3) I totally forgot about Game 5 of the 2007 ALCS. How could I forget about Game 5 of the 2007 ALCS? Now I'm totally worried.


So, Lupica has now hyped up the Tigers, the Angels, and the Red Sox.

He forgot about Mauer and the Twins. I know there is a good chance that the Twins won't even make the playoffs, but Lupica should cover all his bases and scare Yankee fans as much as possible.

Love this guy.

ARod goes .300/40/120 every year, wins three MVPs, boosts attendance 33% at home and probably 300% on the road. Gives bad press conferences and is therefore considered a bust:

"Hampton can become a free agent after this season. He signed an eight-year, $121 million deal with Colorado after the 2000 season, and has gone 63-62 since then."

Yankees win the World Series.

Burnett is 11 - 9 and he isn't very good.

Career 98 - 85:

"More than perhaps any other Yankee, Burnett could undermine a 100-plus win team come the postseason."

You never know.

Hughes might blow a save, Melky might drop a fly ball, Damon might throw a ball into the stands because he thinks it's the third out, Teixeira might leave 15 men on base in one game.


"He is penciled in to start Oct. 9, Game 2 of the Division Series."

Is he?

I'd go with Pettitte.

Though the road/home splits suggest otherwise, I'd still go with the lefty at Yankee Sadium.



"And Yankees fans already have imagined the nightmare scenario: Justin Verlander outduels CC Sabathia in Game 1 and it is up to Burnett to keep the Yankees from heading to Motown down 0-2 in a best-of-five."

Yankee fans and their nightmare scenarios.

How unimaginative.

My personal nightmare scenario usually involves a fiery plan crash combined with Suzyn Waldman's head morphed onto a talking dog. Most of my nightmares involve transmogrified animals.

Oh, and Torre winning a World Series with the Dodgers.

So ...

1. Entire Yankee team injured in a fiery plane crash, forcing the Yankees to play the ALDS with the Scranton-Wilkes Barre team.
   
2. Suzyn Waldman's head on a talking dog.
   
3. Torre's Dodgers winning the World Series.

Losing game one of the ALDS seems quite tame in comparison.


"Burnett might just be a version of David Wells or Orlando Hernandez, needing the urgency of October to fully engage a flitting attention span. So you can imagine him dominating with his awesome stuff."

Awesome stuff, dude.

A.J. Burnett's curveball is, like, so pitted.



"In his first season as a Yankee, Burnett has shown the ability to be unhittable and awful, often in the same game."

Every pitcher is unhittable every game. Except for the times when the other team gets hits against them.

"Why is Burnett so susceptible to such destructive detours? Well, he has a lot of combustible qualities that do much to negate a fastball/curve combo that at times is overwhelming.

He is tied for the most walks in the majors and has unleashed three more wild pitches than anyone else. There have been 21 stolen bases with Burnett pitching, tied for fifth worst in the majors. And he already has allowed a career-worst 24 homers. Put those all together with a wandering focus and you have a guy who pitches below the quality of top-tier stuff."

Burnett is not very good.

Never has been.

I think he'll pitch well enough to get a win in the ALDS ... if the Yankees score a lot of runs.

Be afraid of the Angels.

Last week, it was the Tigers.

This week, it's the Angels.

Next week, it will be the Red Sox or the Rangers:

"The way A.J. Burnett is pitching, Mike Mussina may have to start Game 2 of the playoffs.

Seriously?

How can a team be on the kind of rip the have been for months, and have this many questions with its pitching staff?"

To answer your question, the offense is how a team can be on this kind of rip for months and have this many questions with its pitching staff.

Starting staff, to be precise. The bullpen has been quite good.


"Angels fans must look at Kendry Morales' stats and wonder why anybody from the Yankees is more of an MVP candidate than Morales is."

The Yankee players are not "more of" candidates.

Just because Mike Lupica didn't notice Kendry Morales until this morning, when Lupica decided to hype up the Angels, doesn't mean the rest of the baseball-viewing public is unaware of Morales's season.


"For everything the Yankees have done this season, they came out of yesterday a total of four games better than the Angels in the loss column."

Only four games? Is Lupica being serious? The best record in baseball, but it's only four games?


Flashback to April. Most people predicted a third-place AL East finish for the Yankees.

The Yankees finished in third place in the AL East the year before and, this year, they were going to be hampered by ARod's steroid confessions.

Right?


So now that the season has worked out so well, we're supposed to forget about it and worry about Justin Verlander, Kendry Morales, Josh Beckett, and Ian Kinsler.

It has been a very enjoyable and successful Yankee season.

You can ask anybody except for Mike Lupica.

I knew Babe Ruth. You're no Babe Ruth.

"In an eyeblink, the ball was past Chris Richard at first base, rolling on the outfield grass, and now Yankee Stadium -- the new one, the one Derek Jeter helped build every bit as much as Babe Ruth built the old place -- was a clamorous combination of Times Square on New Year's and the Garden for a U2 encore."

Let's say Jeter is the most popular Yankee ever. (Untrue.)

Let's say Jeter is the most popular baseball player ever. (Untrue.)

Let's even say Jeter was solely responsbile for the four Championships in the late '90s. (Untrue.)

Even if these exaggerations were true, Jeter's influence on the Yankees and Yankee Stadium is not nearly the same as Ruth's influence on the Yankees and Yankee Stadium.

Old Yankee Stadium was literally designed to help Babe Ruth hit homeruns and also to save baseball from the Black Sox scandal.


This is the endless problem with the Jeter discussion.

Jeter is one of the best shortstops to ever play baseball. It's a particular joy to watch him hustle and play fundamentally sound baseball, especially when the second baseman and the CFer can't run a whole ninety feet. I completely understand why he represents old-school hustle and team-first attitude and even a pre-steroids, pre-freak-show game. Jeter has merely one grand slam in his career, and this negative stat is a badge of honor in Jeter's small-ball throwback universe.

But ...

• Jeter isn't the best Yankee ever.
• Jeter isn't the best baseball player ever.
• Jeter isn't the 2009 AL MVP.

When you compare Jeter's accomplishments to Babe Ruth's or Lou Gehrig's, you really sound ignorant.

No, really.

If Lou Gehrig drove in 175 runs, he'd get a pay cut.

Modern baseball would probably cease to exist without Babe Ruth. It would be cricket.


"They had waited for this and wanted this, each of the 45,848 who sat through an otherwise tedious scrimmage, this 4-2 Yankees victory just another small acceleration in the passing lane as autumn beckons."

"Tedious scrimmage."

I thought it was one of the most exciting baseball games I've ever attended.

Fraud.

Manager intentionally walks two batters in a row to load the bases. Naturally, the pitcher then unintentionally walks in the winning run:

"Joe Torre chose to look on the bright side after the Los Angeles Dodgers walked in the winning run in a 4-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night.

...

'I'm very positive about this series,' Torre said. 'This was a disappointment, this game. You'd like to win the ballgame, but you had your opportunities.'

...

Torre said he walked Drew and Upton to set up a force at home. He also hoped Troncoso could strike out Reynolds, who leads the majors with 190 strikeouts."

As if Joe Torre knows Reynolds or any of Reynolds's stats.

Completely insane.

It's somewhat refreshing to see this idiotic "pressure" argument being applied to somebody besides ARod, but this is jaw-dropping in its ignorance:

"Suddenly, the normally unflappable Derek Jeter is finding the rarified air where the Yankee deities reside can be suffocating."

Guy goes a whole eight at-bats without getting a hit.

Hit the ball hard, too.


"But while he may be starting to make a dent on the Yankee deities, they are still all what they are - in a separate class insofar as the greatest Yankees of all time. On that list, the best Jeter can be viewed right now is sixth - behind Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle and Yogi Berra. DiMaggio, Mantle and Berra all won three Most Valuable Player awards apiece to Jeter's none, while Ruth and Gehrig undoubtedly would have won their share of MVPs had most of their careers not occurred before 1931 when the award was incepted."

"Incepted"?

Bill Madden, how sure are you that "incepted" is a word?

It might be one of those modern made-up words -- I'm all for the malleability of the English language -- and it may be acceptable for Scrabble -- but, at best, it's an assault on the eardrums.

No matter: Wordsmithing is hardly the biggest problem with this article.

Wallace Matthews says something nice.

Praises Joe Girardi even:

"Mattingly would never do that. Hell, he wasn't even going to replace any of Torre's coaches, not even the ones who grumbled behind Torre's back that he spent too much time on the Racing Form and not enough on the lineup card.

As a Yankees employee told me, 'It had become a country club in there.'

Under Mattingly, Cashman suspected it was going to be business as usual, and that wasn't going to be good enough.

...

But Girardi has brought his own brand of tough love to this party, banishing candy, soda and junk food from the players' lounge but letting music and kids back into the clubhouse.

It's not exactly Parris Island in there, but it's not Torre's day spa, either."

I completely agree.

But is Girardi as good a baseball manager as Tom Coughlin?

I'd rather be Joe Girardi.

Since the Mets are 26 games behind the Yankees, Mike Lupica has to look elsewhere to find an imaginary "battle of New York":

"Maybe this all changes with the Yankees in October, and even into November, and Joe Girardi pays off on the No. 27 he wears on his back and the Yankees finally win it all"

Finally.

Nine whole years for the Yankees and two whole years for Girardi to finally win it all.

You sound like an arrogant jerk. The kind of ignorant Yankee fan who believes the Universe is out of order just because the Yankees aren't World series champs.


"You know if it happens like that there will be the perception in New York - but only in New York - that order has finally been restored to the universe."

Ignorant, arrogant jerks -- like you.


"Since the last time the Yankees won the World Series, in 2000, that Subway Series over the Mets, the only local team (outside of hockey) to have won it all is Coughlin's."

(outside of hockey.)


"The Yankees are covered like the company in a company town. Giants fans, and that includes young Giants fans, are just as passionate about their team. The Internet traffic about the Giants, in season and out, is a consistent wonder to those who monitor these things, on our Web site at the Daily News and everywhere else."

The NFL is 10 times more popular than baseball.

What does that have to do with Joe Girardi?

I'd rather be Joe Girardi than Tom Coughlin. For one thing, I like baseball more than I like football. Also, Joe Girardi is younger, better-looking, and is surrounded everyday by the angelic effervescence of Derek Jeter.


"Friday night was just one more night when I had to remind myself I was looking at a future Hall of Famer with Joba."

Ha ha. Good one.

As if you were actually watching a baseball game.


You know, Joba isn't tough to figure out. He walks too many people because the batters have learned to lay off the slider. If Joba can adjust, he'll be fine. If he doesn't, he'll be Andy Hawkins.

But nobody ever said Joba was a future Hall of Famer.

On the other hand, morons like Lupica specifically hyped up Wright/Reyes as MVP candidates. Odd how the ARod/Jeter comparisons have died down. I have to remind myself everytime I watch Mr. Met play third base that Eric Hinske has as many HRs in the 2009 season.

I guess Lupica is going to have to compare ARod to a player from another sport. ARod is better than Wright, but ARod is not as good as Mark Messier. The Girardi/Coughlin comparisons make no sense, so why not?

"You know what the real nightmare scenario is for the Yankees?

That Justin Verlander pitches Game 1 of the division series the way he pitched on Friday against the Rays."

Game one of the division series is at Yankee Stadium, right?

Verlander's road ERA is 4.14, right?

The Yankees have a better lineup than the Rays, right?

A right-handed power pitcher at Yankee Stadium, right?

I mean, you could say the same thing if the Yankees were playing the Blue Jays in the first round. If Halladay pitches like he did against the Yankees on Friday night.

Or the Royals, if Zack Grienke pitches like he did against the Angels on Saturday.

Or the Astros, if Wandy Rodriguez pitches like he did against the Phillies on Friday night.


The Yankees have the best team in the entire league, but the Yankees don't have every single good player in the entire league.

Besides, the Yankees will be sending out Sabathia in game one, right?

What, Sabathia is Oliver Perez, or something?

I miss the guy who hit .300.

Separated at birth.

I'd like to think I'd have thought of it eventually, but I must give credit to a coworker.

Yeah, I'm sure he wasn't the first ...

As long as the Yankees got a win.

"The ground ball didn't appear to take any sort of bad hop, no matter what the Yankee players were saying afterward. In truth it was the type that Jerry Hairston could field without a bobble 100 times out of 100 under ordinary circumstances."

Bad timing for an error, but baseball players make errors every day.

Obviously, Pettitte wasn't going to throw a shutout, much less a no-hitter, much less a perfect game.

"Baseball infamy." Right. Like Shoeless Joe Jackson or Pete Rose.


I also like the idea of "baseball immortality."

Does anybody remember hard-hittin' Mark Whiten's four-homerun game?

Does anybody remember Len Barker's perfect game? Mike Witt's?

I think John Sterling cheapened the English language with this term and it inexplicably caught on.

Key Element.

I just think it's funny that the game vs. Atlanta is identified as the turning point of the season and no mention is made of the homerun hit by Cervelli right after Girardi was ejected.

If the game was the turning point of the season, then Cervelli's homerun was the turning play.

In fact, Francisco Cervelli for AL MVP. Or Husqvarna Clutch Player of the Year, at the very least.

It would be amazing if they didn't.

"It is rather amazing that after paying Alex Rodriguez $300 million in one baseball offseason, the Yanks had to go get somebody else - Teixeira in this case - to really be the man in the middle of their lineup."

ARod is hurt. Hopefully. Hopefully, it's not a lack of steroids.

But the addition of Teixeira is not amazing at all.

The Yankees lost Abreu and Giambi in the offseasn.

In 2004, the Yankees acquired ARod and Sheffield.

In 1960, the Yankees brought in Maris to hit back-to-back with Mantle.

I've never heard of a team in the history of pro sports that thought one good player was enough. It's like being amazed that the Bulls brought in Pippen and Rodman.


"But there have to be times when the people paying him the money do secretly wonder if they've already gotten the biggest years out of him they're going to get."

Let me end the mystery. When ARod drove in 156 runs in 2007, the Yankees knew that was the most production they'd ever get out of their $300 million man. (Actually, $275 million, with the rest being tied to performance. But, whatever.)


It's like every long-term contract. Like Bernie's, Giambi's, Posada's, Jeter's upcoming ten-year deal, and even Teixeira's. Mysteriously enough, players are usually paid for what they've done rather than what they're going to do.

Consistently, with the Yankees, ARod has been .300/40/120, plus or minus ten percent. Not this year. Mostly due to injury. Hopefully, due to injury.


Lupica is not a credible source, of course. Lupica also said decrepit ARod was going to be forced to play first base and that Mariano was shot.

But is ARod worth $300 million? Of course he is. ARod moves the merch; and guys like Lupica just can't stop talking about him.

In Tampa this afternoon, the stadium was half-empty for a game between the reigning AL champs and their chief wild card rival.

If the Yankees were playing in Tampa this afternoon, an extra 20,000 people would have shown up to boo ARod.

The Yankees might not win the World Series this year ...

... and the Angels are a good team.

The Angels have a .612 winning percentage and Bill Madden has reached the stunning conclusion that they are a good baseball team.


It's almost enough to make me hope for a Minnesota/Texas ALCS.

Many.

"When Alex Rodriguez launched a ball into the Bronx night to finish off the Yankees' 15-inning marathon against the Red Sox on Aug. 7, many believed the memorable moment would spark another hot streak for the Yankees third baseman."

I'm not sure who these "many" people are.

He hit a HR off a hanging curveball thrown by a minor leaguer.

All of a sudden, this one HR indicated a "new" ARod, accepted by his teammates and the fans. His soul was finally free and unburdened.

Yes, that HR was certainly memorable. ARod has four of five well-timed HRs this year which have diverted attention from the fact that it's his worst season ever.

Maybe on account of the hip. Probably on account of the hip.

But I'd prefer a miserable jerk who hit 50 HRs and batted .300.

Yankee Announcer Drinking Game

This list is an inferior imitation of the Mets version. Credit/blame goes to several of my friends for adding to the list.

One sip

• "It is high, it is far, it is gone."
• After the 15th out, John Sterling explains how you can save 15% on your car insurance.
• After a homerun, Suzyn Waldman analyzes the pitch location and determines it was right down the middle of the plate.
• One of Suzyn Waldman's keys to the game is that the Yankee pitchers need to keep the ball down.
• One of Suzyn Waldman's keys to the game is that the Yankee batters need to be patient.
  
• Paul O'Neill says, "You know?"
• John Sterling says, "Whoa!"
• Daily News Hometown inning goes by quickly.
  
• John Sterling mentions that baseball is different than other sports.
• John Sterling mentions that baseball is difficult to predict.
• Specifically, baseball is different than other sports because the most important player on the field changes every game.
• Specifically, baseball is different than other sports because baseball players can't physically dominate their opponent.
• Complaints about the length of the game.
• Complaints about the travel schedule.
• Complaints about the sound effects in the ballpark.
• Suzyn Waldman says something she thinks is funny, but you don't laugh.
• Suzyn Waldman explicitly describes the art of hitting a baseball or pitching a baseball, though she has never played major league baseball.
  
• Ken Singleton brings up Eddie Murray.
  
• Michael Kay brings up "Moneyball."
• Suzyn Waldman is impressed when Nick Swisher works the count full.
• A full count with two outs "helps the runners out."
• Fouling off a lot of pitches constitutes a good at-bat.
• Hitting the ball to the opposite field is a "good piece of hitting."
• Ordinary catch described as "one of the best plays you will ever see."
• Michael Kay doesn't understand why a fielder can't get an error on a flubbed double play.
• John Sterling decries the Yankee bad luck if an opposing batter gets a soft hit or if a Yankee player hits a line drive at a fielder.
• Al Leiter jokingly takes the pitcher's point of view while Paul O'Neill jokingly takes the batter's point of view.
• Al Leiter describes a pitcher's attribute as "plus."
  
• "Jeter-esque."

Two sips

• "It is high, it is far, it is caught."
• After the 15th out, John Sterling forgets to explain how you can save 15% on your car insurance.
• Michael Kay confuses Channel 9 for the YES Network.
• Ken Singleton brings up Earl Weaver.
• Al Leiter describes a pitcher's attribute as "plus-plus."
  
• Michael Kay contradicts something he said on his radio show.
• David Cone explains the pitcher's mindset during a particular game situation and concludes that the pitcher should try to minimize the number of runs allowed.
• Complaints about the Yankees' inability to hit young pitchers they've never seen before.
• Alex Rodriguez is best when he hits the ball to the opposite field.
• "Nominal first half" of the season.
• The runs scored in the top of the inning are not "validated" until the bottom of the inning is concluded.
• Michael Kay texts a newspaper columnist.
• Player records all three outs in one inning and Michael Kay announces the player just tied a record "held by many."
  
• John Sterling mocks the complaints of small-market teams.
• Lengthy radio silence because John Sterling is irritated with Yankee play.

Five sips

• Joe Girardi is referred to as Joe Torre.
• Robinson Cano is compared to Rod Carew.
• Paul O'Neill overhypes Melky Cabrera.
• Michael Kay mentions his 1976 trip to the first game at the refurbished Yankee Stadium.
• John Sterling mentions his triplets.
• Suzyn Waldman effusively praises the worst player on the team.
• John Sterling complains about an umpire who takes too long to indicate the ball/strike call.
• Michael Kay says a resting player is "getting a blow."

Ten sips

• John Sterling gives a homerun call for the wrong player.
• Suzyn Waldman says "goodness gracious."
• Suzyn Waldman weeps on the air.
• John Sterling mentions the Triple Play contest after an out has already been recorded in the inning.

Twenty sips

• Suzyn Waldman sings on the air.

Fifty sips

• John Sterling misses a game.
  

Bernie Williams probably belongs in the Hall of Fame.

"If Johnny Damon, bless his heart, does end up with 35 home runs this season, then we really do have to look at the big food court on 161st as Coors Field East, right?"
Call it Coors Field East or call it a big food court. Your opinion doesn't matter because you don't attend baseball games, even though you have press credentials and are allowed to go for free.

The Yankees have enjoyed eleven walk-off wins at the big food court and are playing .700 baseball at Coors Field East.

Yes, it's too easy to hit HRs there, and that's why Damon has so many HRs. It's also the only reason Joba's ERA isn't under 3.00.


"It seems like just the other day that the Yankees were sending Melky Cabrera to the minors, right before they were going to send him out of town. Now it looks like he wants to stay in center at the new Yankee Stadium almost as long as Bernie was out there at the old joint."

Truly stupid analysis by a stupid man.

Melky Cabrera isn't even as good as Brett Gardner, much less Bernie Williams.

Bernie Williams was the best Yankee player of the Torre-era dynasty.

Melky Cabrera is batting a whole .269 with 46 RBIs.

You know how many HRs Melky has this year in 52 games away from "Coors Field East"? Three. You know how many RBIs Melky has this year in 52 games away from "Coors Field East"? Twelve.

Multiply by 3 and you get a full season. That's 9 HRs and 36 RBIs. That's not a Bernie Williams season, that's a Bernie Williams month.

Also, not for nothing, but Melky Cabrera has never thrown the ball to a cutoff man in his entire career. For the three guys he's thrown out on the basepaths this year, he's given back 15 runs.

Whatever your analysis of a particular Yankee player in 2009, you have to be purposefully ignorant to ignore the Yankee Stadium Effect for some players while mocking the inflated stats of other players.

Candidate, yes. Winning candidate, no.

I just find it odd that certain players aren't scrutinized by the supposedly tough NY press.

Teixeira is having a fine year, largely fueled by the team he plays for and by the ballpark in which that team plays.

• Away from Yankee Stadium, Teixeira is hitting .267 with 11 HRs. An .867 road OPS. Double that and he'd be considered a $20 million bust rather than an MVP candidate.
• Twenty-one of his thirty HRs have come with the bases empty.
• Despite a great BA with two outs and RISP, his overal RISP ba is a mediocre .270 with four HRs in 122 at-bats.

Also, I don't remember all that many "clutch" hits by Teixeira, especially given the enormous number of opportunities for "clutch" hits.

In other words, if ARod was doing the same thing, he'd be run out of town.


Also, Teixeira's season will probably not be as good as Giambi's first season with the Yankees (.314/41/122/121 runs). Now, Giambi came in fifth in MVP voting (which sounds about right for Teixeira), but Giambi was completely ignored by his hometown fans and writers.


Of course, none of these observations necessarily exclude Teixeira from the MVP discussion. "Road OPS" or "BA with RISP" are not necessarily the most important critieria in determining an MVP candidate. I can cherry pick the stats to the positive or to the negative.

Teixeira deserves to be in the discussion and will probably win a gold glove while spearheading the best offense in the league.

Except it's really Yankee Stadium which deserves most of the credit for the best offense in the league.


Oh, and if there's any doubt who the AL MVP is so far, please gaze upon the stats of Joe Mauer.

All the NYC anti-ARod playa-hatas should be forced by law to vote for the guy who's batting .403 with RISP and .457 with RISP and two outs.

I know Teixeira's a more likeable guy than ARod, but if you invent criteria, you should apply that criteria evenly.

RISP BA was suddenly very fashionable when it was used to denigrate ARod. Not so much when it can be used to denigrate Teixeira.

Grow up.

"BRONX BOMBSHELL: DEREK JETER SAYS HE USED STEROIDS"

I seriously doubt Jeter took steroids, but he certainly knew his teammates were taking steroids and he kept his precious mouth shut. He also scored 130 runs and cashed in largely because his cheater teammates were helping inflate his stats. So I fail to see how anybody come out of this completely clean.


"Bronx Bombshell" is very clever, though. It's sort of like a play on the phrase "Bronx Bombers." That's why it's funny!


"Well, what would you do if ESPN interrupted your regularly scheduled programming for that one?"

What would I do? I'd probably say, "Please get back to my regularly scheduled programming, damn it. This is the one where Cartman travels into the future. I love this episode.


"Would it be enough to make you shred your season tickets, douse your baseball cards with charcoal fluid and delete America's pastime from your Facebook friends list?"

Well, no.

I don't have season tickets; I don't have a collection of baseball cards since I'm a grown-up adult; and I don't have MLB on my Facebook friends list.

Funny stuff, though, and an excellent use of the Rule of Three.


"If I ever see Jeter's name attached to the hip of performance enhancers, I'm done. I mean it -- I'll never watch another big league game again. Because if Captain Pinstripes could do the Vitamin S deed, then anybody can."

Oh no! You guys!

If Jeter's name appears on the PED list, then Gene Wojo ... Gene Woja ... Gene WojSomething won't be a fan anymore!

MLB attendance would fall from 80 million to 79,999,999.


Worse, Gene WojSomething would have to find a new job. The world would suffer because we'd miss clever wordplays such as referring to steroids as "vitamin S."


"To me, Jeter is the anti-Barry Bonds, the anti-Roger Clemens and the anti-Alex Rodriguez. He understands that if you compromise the game, you compromise yourself."

To me, Jeter is a shortstop for the Yankees and the Yankees are my favorite team.

Despite what you've heard recently, he's still a pretty bad fielder. Excellent in all other aspects of the game and a future HOFer.

That's about it.

I suppose I'd be disappointed if he cheated. But I'd be even more disappointed if he hit .240.


"A Jeter steroids admission would be the deal-breaker for me. Pujols, too. If those guys went pharmaceutical, I couldn't go to a big league game if Bud Selig paid me. Who would it be for you?"

Alex Rodriguez.

If they ever find out that Alex Rodriguez took steroids, I'll quit watching baseball forever.

Because ARod is not just a baseball player to me. He's a God walking the Earth. He is my idol. I worship him, and I love him.


Either ARod of Andrew Eugene Pettitte. If either of those guys get caught, I will shut down my blog and find another recreational activity that is untarnished by drug use. Maybe professional knitting.

You forgot Steve Karsay.

"There, you were either a Joe Torre Guy or you weren't. If you were a Torre Guy, you pitched pretty much until your arm fell off. Isn't that right, Tanyon Sturtze, Scott Proctor, Paul Quantrill, Flash Gordon and Ron Villone?

And if you weren't, you subsisted on Alpo and Milk Bones."

I can't believe he noticed.

I can't believe a NY columnist criticized Joe Torre.

"In 2005, three Yankees were among the top 11 in the AL in innings pitched by a reliever; in 2006, three Yankees were among the top nine; in 2007, two were in the top 13. Last year, in Girardi's first season running the show, no Yankees relief pitcher was among the top 12."

Also ... it works!


Next up? ARod wins the WS MVP and mentions how important it was to have the support of his manager.

I don't quite understand how the Rangers are playing so well while this guy is playing so poorly.

"The best thing that could have happened to Josh Hamilton was the indignity of seeing himself lick whipped cream off a pair of fake breasts that didn’t belong to his wife."

As long as they're female human breasts, I think it goes without saying it's the best thing that could have happened.

Well, to be fair, I can think of a few things that are even better.


"Only now can he fully understand what his sobriety means to people. Not just his bride, Katie, and his children, and his Texas Rangers teammates."

Oh, for cryin' out loud.

If this clown is your inspirational hero, go find another inspirational hero. It shouldn't be difficult to find someone more inspiring. Throw a dart at the phone book.


"All of this was fascinating and raw, a man of enormous talent and crystalline fragility confronted with his worst nightmare and willing to offer the truth, or at least the version he remembers. Hamilton stood tall and spoke resolutely. He fell off the wagon and needed a hand back up."

.239, 8 HRs this year in 230 at-bats.

If that's indicative of an "enormous talent," Juan Rivera must be the second coming of Hank Aaron.

A middle infielder with a .972 OPS.

Jeez, Dustin Pedroia won the AL MVP last season with an .869 OPS.

Who is this mystery player who is absent from MVP discussions?

Why, it's Robinson Cano.

But only when the bases are empty.


Can anybody explain why this is happening? I guess the easiest answer is that the pitchers bear down with runners on base, but the batter does not?

The pitchers are pitching from the stretch and this throws Cano's timing off?

Why can't Cano just pretend the bases are empty?