The Morning After
Thursday, April 7th, 2005Some good writing by Cliff Corcoran at Bronx Banter.
Archive for the ‘Sports’ Category
Rivera Blows Save, Yankees Lose
Wednesday, April 6th, 2005Well, the bases got loaded with no outs and then Mariano started to work out of it. He struck out Nixon and induced a relatively slow grounder to A-Rod. But, then A-Rod made a pretty big error. After knocking down the ball, he couldn’t pick it up. So, a run scored and the bases remained loaded. Next, Mo got Ortiz to hit a slow roller to first, which brought the second out, but also brought in a run. It was downhill from there.
If A-Rod picks it cleanly, you have 2 outs and the game is over. If he picks it up after bobbling it, you have 1 out and then Ortiz is the last out and it’s a tie game at worst (possibly Yankees win). But, the mistake was made… Mo made some mistakes, too… but, he really didn’t look that bad. Especially on Nixon, Manny and Ortiz. He looked very good while facing them. This is a bit of tough luck with a bit of lack of performance on Mo and A-Rod’s parts and that’s it. Just got to move on and keep plugging.
Walkoff by Jeter in Ninth Gives Yankees the Win
Tuesday, April 5th, 2005Man, awesome! He was 3-0, but he’s such a confident 2 strike hitter that he can take 2 pitches, knowing that a baserunner with A-Rod, Sheff and Matsui up next is gold. 3-2, good bye.
Mo blew the save, but he looked pretty good in all. Happens. Pavano looked good. Godzilla had another great game, as well.
Good stuff.
Johnny Damon and the Yankees
Tuesday, April 5th, 2005Taking some quotes from the New York Daily News and Newsday:
… when Damon made an appearance on “Live with Regis and Kelly” yesterday morning and host Regis Philbin, a Yankee fan who watched Sunday’s opener from George Steinbrenner’s box, told Damon that The Boss had been gushing about him.
Damon, the Red Sox’s center fielder and leadoff hitter, is a free agent after this season and the Yankees likely will need someone to replace Bernie Williams. The Yankees are unlikely to exercise their $15 million option on Williams for 2006.
No no no no no. No no no no no. No no no no no.
Several times during spring training, Damon said he wants to remain in Boston and added yesterday that he was “a true Red Sox.” But he’d be a challenge to Derek Jeter’s matinee idol title in New York, judging from his book signing.
A “true Red Sox”, eh? And no, no he couldn’t challenge Jeter as “matinee idol” (whatever that is). Jeter’s special. Jeter’s everything you want. Damon… Damon’s not. And here is why (in the very same articles):
“It’s nuts,” Damon said. “I heard the line outside is pretty long. There are a lot of Johnny Damon fans here. Mostly Boston fans. Hopefully, a lot of people around here like me.”
…
One 11-year-old girl, Casey Moran, was crying and speechless after meeting with her favorite player.
“Sometimes you do that to fans,” Damon said. “You know she’s real passionate about the Red Sox, and perhaps me as a player.”
…
“I have a decent following here in New York City,” Damon said. “It’s kind of like if [Derek] Jeter had something go on in Boston, people would show up. I think people have all the respect in the world for Jeter, and I think people have a lot of respect for me here in New York.”
(Emphasis mine).
So, again, why isn’t Damon like Jeter? Because, as far as I have ever seen, he doesn’t talk like this. He doesn’t talk about what he does to fans, how passionate his fans are about him, what kind of following he has, what kind of respect other people have for him. People simply show respect for him because he’s earned it fom them. He doesn’t talk about the respect people have for him.
Via Pro Sports Daily.
Yankees 9, Red Sox 2
Sunday, April 3rd, 2005Good way to open the season.
Matsui went 3 for 5 with 3 runs, 3 RBI and a fantastic catch to rob a home run. Jeter went 2 for 5 with 2 runs and a walk while A-Rod went 2 for 6 with 1 run and 1 RBI. Sheffield, Sierra and Bernie each had 1 RBI, as well.
The Unit was impressive in his 6 innings of work, allowing 5 hits, 1 run, 2 walks while striking out 5.
Quote of the Day
Sunday, April 3rd, 2005Sierra to Bat Fourth in Opener
Sunday, April 3rd, 2005Joe Torre has announced his opening day lineup:
1. SS Jeter
2. 3B Rodriguez
3. RF Sheffield
4. DH Sierra
5. LF Matsui
6. C Posada
7. 1B Giambi
8. CF Williams
9. 2B Womack
2. 3B Rodriguez
3. RF Sheffield
4. DH Sierra
5. LF Matsui
6. C Posada
7. 1B Giambi
8. CF Williams
9. 2B Womack
The thing that jumps out at me is Sierra at cleanup. Surprising. I can expect some people to be really displeased with that. I don’t really mind it… I wouldn’t be surprised if it is a one day thing, given that Sierra is a .371 career hitter against David Wells.
Via Bronx Banter.
Dolphins Bits
Friday, April 1st, 2005DE Williams goes back to St. Louis:
The Dolphins offered Williams, an 11-year veteran, the chance to return but only if he took a pay cut to the veteran’s minimum salary. He refused and was released. There still are hard feelings between the Dolphins and Williams’ agent, Ron Del Duca, over the perceived slap-in-the-face offer.
“Jay is excited to have the chance to win a ring again — which isn’t going to happen in Miami anytime soon,” Del Duca said.
A parting shop from Jay Williams agent. Who is Jay Williams? Good point. He’s a defensive lineman. Those are some nasty comments.
Saban has met with cornerback Patrick Surtain. If the Dolphins can’t net a first-day draft choice in a trade, they likely will keep him for this season at $8.3 million and assign him the franchise tag in the future. Surtain wants a multiyear deal with more than $14 million guaranteed. Kansas City is amenable to those terms. But the Chiefs, also considering ex-Patriots cornerback Ty Law, are unwilling to yield anything higher than a fourth-rounder.
I’d like to see him stay. If they aren’t willing to offer more than that and we can afford to keep him with the direction we are going in, that’d be great.
Via FinHeaven & Co and Pro Sports Daily.
“Griffey Won’t Rule Out Being Yank”
Thursday, March 31st, 2005From the New York Daily Times:
“To be honest I never thought I would hit 500 home runs, or even 400,” Griffey said. “The one person I wanted to be like was my dad, and he wasn’t a home run hitter. Numbers don’t mean anything. There’s only one number that means anything to me: how many championships do the Yankees have, 26? That’s the number. How many have I got?”
He pointed to his bare ring finger and said: “That’s all I want.”
…
It may be too late to mean much, but Griffey, who has a no-trade clause, says he would no longer be opposed to playing for the Yankees.
A few things. I’ve always liked Griffey. In his prime, it’s hard to think of anyone you’d rather have in CF in the history of the game. He was that good. I met him years ago when he was still in Seattle and at the height of his success/popularity. I got his autograph. He seemed like a nice enough guy, really and I’ve always remembered that.
I’ve always been interested in having him come to the Yankees and play left (when we had Bernie, O’Neill and … some other guy in the OF), not center – that’s Bernie’s spot and I’m loyal. But, if Bernie is gone next year… it might be cool. But, he’s got issues. He’s 36 next year (the age Bernie is this year) and, of course, the injury thing. Still, if no one jumps at us and Bernie is out, I would be interested in hearing about it.
Via Pro Sports Daily.
Yankees Milestones to Watch For
Tuesday, March 29th, 2005From ESPN.com:
Jason Giambi: needs 19 home runs for 300.
Derek Jeter: needs 17 doubles for 300 and seven RBI for 700.
Randy Johnson: needs 39 strikeouts to join Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens as the only players with 4,200 all-time and four wins for 250.
Carl Pavano: needs 62.1 innings pitched for 1,000.
Jorge Posada: needs 90 hits for 1,000.
Paul Quantrill: needs nine appearances for 800.
Mariano Rivera: needs five saves to tie Rollie Fingers (341) for 7th all-time.
Alex Rodriguez: needs 19 homers for 400 and one HR as a shortstop to tie Cal Ripken Jr.’s record for most homers as a shortstop (345).
Gary Sheffield: needs 11 homers to tie Billy Williams (426) for 34th all-time and 14 doubles for 400.
Joe Torre: needs a 100-win season to become the first manager if history to lead his team to 100 wins for four straight years, breaking a tie with Bobby Cox (Atlanta, 1997-99), Connie Mack (Philadelphia 1929-31), Billy Southworth (St. Louis, 1942-44) and Earl Weaver (Baltimore, 1969-71).
Bernie Williams: needs 17 walks for 1,000.
Derek Jeter: needs 17 doubles for 300 and seven RBI for 700.
Randy Johnson: needs 39 strikeouts to join Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens as the only players with 4,200 all-time and four wins for 250.
Carl Pavano: needs 62.1 innings pitched for 1,000.
Jorge Posada: needs 90 hits for 1,000.
Paul Quantrill: needs nine appearances for 800.
Mariano Rivera: needs five saves to tie Rollie Fingers (341) for 7th all-time.
Alex Rodriguez: needs 19 homers for 400 and one HR as a shortstop to tie Cal Ripken Jr.’s record for most homers as a shortstop (345).
Gary Sheffield: needs 11 homers to tie Billy Williams (426) for 34th all-time and 14 doubles for 400.
Joe Torre: needs a 100-win season to become the first manager if history to lead his team to 100 wins for four straight years, breaking a tie with Bobby Cox (Atlanta, 1997-99), Connie Mack (Philadelphia 1929-31), Billy Southworth (St. Louis, 1942-44) and Earl Weaver (Baltimore, 1969-71).
Bernie Williams: needs 17 walks for 1,000.
Bolded the ones I find to be cool.
A-Rod getting 400 home runs… insane. He’ll turn 30 in July.
RSS
E-Mail 
