It's a sad day for us Yankees fans. The Yankees have decided not to pick up Nick Johnson's option. I'll give you each a minute to overcome your sorrow over this crushing news...
OK, now seriously, has any Yankee in the last 10 years been more useless than Nick Johnson? What was Brian Cashman thinking? I really need somebody to explain that to me. They let both Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui walk away as free agents so that they could "spread the DH at-bats around," then go out and sign a left-handed first baseman, who just happens to be injury prone! Am I the only person who remembers Nick Johnson sucking the first time he was a Yankee? What, did Cashman think all that time on the DL in Florida and Washington made him any less useless? (Quick career rundown: 2002-missed two months with a stress fracture in his hand; 2003-actually healthy for an entire season; 2004-missed first two months with back injury, season ended when hit by a bad hop in the face; 2005-06-actually healthy; 2007-missed entire season with broken leg; 2008-broken wrist; 2009-actually healthy; 2010-wrist again) From my count, there are only two people in this world who think Nick Johnson is actually a serviceable Major League first baseman: Nick Johnson and Brian Cashman.
Now, there was one good thing about Nick Johnson. For whatever reason, I need to have a guy on the team that I just don't like that I can blame everything on. After Kyle Farnsworth finally got traded, I had to stretch to find that guy (last year it was Mark Melancon), but Nick Johnson was an easy call. Now I need to find somebody else to hate next season (Ivan Nova is an early candidate). And the running joke I had going with my Mets-fan brother-in-law was which will happen first: Johnson goes on the DL or Carlos Beltran goes off. I upped the ante by saying he'd be out for the season by Mother's Day, and I was right about both! Nick, I'll miss you as much as I miss your "brother" Rob, who, coincidentally, was made the starting quarterback at exactly the same time the Bills started to suck (11 years and counting with no playoffs).
Coincidentally enough, when the Yankees got rid of him the first time, they traded him to the Expos for Javy Vazquez. We all remember how well that turned out (not bad at the start, made the All-Star team, Johnny Damon grand slam in Game 7 of the ALCS). So well that he was traded to the Diamondbacks after one year for Randy Johnson. So of course, he was brought back, too. And things didn't go much better this time. I don't really get keeping him off the postseason roster, but carrying the equally useless Dustin Moseley, Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre, but that's a discussion for another day. There's at least hope for Javy, but it looks like he's destined to be a pitcher in the realm of Kenny Rogers and Carl Pavano.
The Yankees also declined the options on Kerry Wood, who was probably going to command too much money and wants to be a closer, and Lance Berkman, who at first was slightly less useless than Johnson, but ended up being necessary after Tex got hurt in the playoffs and wasn't actually that bad. And I might be the only person who's happy Joe Girardi re-signed, but he's handled the crucible wonderfully and the two years he didn't win the World Series weren't really because of anything he did.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Happy World Series!
Well faithful readers (both of you), I'm back after an absence of a few days ready for what should be one of the better World Series we've seen in a while. I can't believe I actually did this, but since Cablevision and FOX are still fighting (12 days and counting), I made a trip to Target and picked up an antenna for $19.95, just so I can watch the World Series. With that and the $9.95 postseason.tv package on MLB.com, I'm officially ready to go. (I'll have a very unhappy volleyball team on my hands when/if they find out I've ditched them to watch the baseball game, but who schedules a volleyball match during Game 1 of the World Series anyway?)
And I've finally decided which team I'm going to root for. ESPN.com's Jayson Stark has convinced me. I'm pulling for the Giants. Plus, the greatest player in Giants history is Willie Mays, the greatest living ballplayer and the greatest centerfielder ever. The best player in Rangers history? It's a toss-up between Roger Pavlik and Jim Sundberg. Just kidding, it's probably Pudge Rodriugez, who's no Willie Mays. Besides, Willie Mays is always happy! (Remember when he was laughing in the dugout after the earthquake during the '89 Series?) Say Hey, San Fran!
I got some "heat" for not including the fact that Bengie Molina is guaranteed a ring in my last post, but I decided not to include that one since it's obvious. Although, I do agree with the assertion that was made on ESPN.com earlier this week that neither team gets here without that trade. It's the rare trade where you can't figure out who got the better of the deal, since both sides made out well. It's just weird that they ended up on a collision course for the World Series. Ring No. 5 for the Catching Molinas!
I will give you this nugget, though (which came to me as I was watching the other Giants on Monday night). The Cowboys are home on Sunday afternoon, then the Rangers, who share the Cowboys' parking lot, host Game 4 of the World Series on Sunday night. That also happened last year, when Philly fans got a double-dip of the Big Apple with Eagles-Giants then Phillies-Yankees. (If you've never been, those stadiums are literally right next to each other.) Since MLB moved the World Series to the stupid Wednesday start in 2007, this is the third time that there'll be a football game and World Series game scheduled in the same city on the same day. In 2007 it didn't happen, but if they didn't get swept, the Rockies would've hosted Game 5 while the Broncos were hosting the Monday night game at the same time. So, basically what I'm saying here is that any baseball team that shares a parking lot with a football team should ask the NFL to schedule the football team at home on the Sunday of the World Series next season (provided there actually is a next season in the NFL).
In other sports news, the (New York) Giants broke Tony Romo. Boo-hoo! The Cowboys are done anyway. Brett Favre is an old man. The three best teams in the NFL are all in the AFC (Jets, Steelers, Patriots). And it's opening night in the NBA. Whoop dee-damn-do! I don't care at all about either the NBA or BCS football, so that might be the last NBA mention ever made on this blog unless I'm making fun of something stupid (like LeBron).
And I've finally decided which team I'm going to root for. ESPN.com's Jayson Stark has convinced me. I'm pulling for the Giants. Plus, the greatest player in Giants history is Willie Mays, the greatest living ballplayer and the greatest centerfielder ever. The best player in Rangers history? It's a toss-up between Roger Pavlik and Jim Sundberg. Just kidding, it's probably Pudge Rodriugez, who's no Willie Mays. Besides, Willie Mays is always happy! (Remember when he was laughing in the dugout after the earthquake during the '89 Series?) Say Hey, San Fran!
I got some "heat" for not including the fact that Bengie Molina is guaranteed a ring in my last post, but I decided not to include that one since it's obvious. Although, I do agree with the assertion that was made on ESPN.com earlier this week that neither team gets here without that trade. It's the rare trade where you can't figure out who got the better of the deal, since both sides made out well. It's just weird that they ended up on a collision course for the World Series. Ring No. 5 for the Catching Molinas!
I will give you this nugget, though (which came to me as I was watching the other Giants on Monday night). The Cowboys are home on Sunday afternoon, then the Rangers, who share the Cowboys' parking lot, host Game 4 of the World Series on Sunday night. That also happened last year, when Philly fans got a double-dip of the Big Apple with Eagles-Giants then Phillies-Yankees. (If you've never been, those stadiums are literally right next to each other.) Since MLB moved the World Series to the stupid Wednesday start in 2007, this is the third time that there'll be a football game and World Series game scheduled in the same city on the same day. In 2007 it didn't happen, but if they didn't get swept, the Rockies would've hosted Game 5 while the Broncos were hosting the Monday night game at the same time. So, basically what I'm saying here is that any baseball team that shares a parking lot with a football team should ask the NFL to schedule the football team at home on the Sunday of the World Series next season (provided there actually is a next season in the NFL).
In other sports news, the (New York) Giants broke Tony Romo. Boo-hoo! The Cowboys are done anyway. Brett Favre is an old man. The three best teams in the NFL are all in the AFC (Jets, Steelers, Patriots). And it's opening night in the NBA. Whoop dee-damn-do! I don't care at all about either the NBA or BCS football, so that might be the last NBA mention ever made on this blog unless I'm making fun of something stupid (like LeBron).
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Random World Series Facts
So baseball fans, we have ourselves a World Series between one of New York's football teams and one of New York's hockey teams. Giants-Rangers. Who saw that coming when the playoffs started? I obviously wanted the Yankees to pull it out, but they were completely outplayed for the entire series and the Rangers absolutely deserved to win. And it was really cool to see them hoist the pennant right away during the on-field celebration. And since my general approach to the World Series is that it's fine if the Yankees aren't in it as long as Boston can't win, which they can't. I don't know which side I'm taking just yet, but it should be a good series. Rangers hitting vs. Giants pitching. Now we'll see if great pitching really does beat great hitting. Lincecum vs. Lee in the opener will be fun. I'll have to figure out some way to watch it if Cablevision and FOX can't start playing nice by then, but MLB.TV has a $9.95 package for the remainder of the postseason, so that might be the plan.
And here are some random World Series facts for you to chew on:
And here are some random World Series facts for you to chew on:
- Cliff Lee will start Game 1 of the World Series in back-to-back years for different teams (2009 Phillies, 2010 Rangers). The last guy to do that was should-be Hall of Famer Jack Morris (1991 Twins, 1992 Blue Jays).
- Either Dallas or San Francisco will celebrate a World Series championship for the first time. These two teams have played in their current cities for a combined 92 seasons after moving from their original homes, yet neither has won a title since moving. The Rangers moved to Texas in 1972 and didn't win one in the 11 years before that when they were the Washington Senators (1961-71), and the Giants' last championship came in 1954, when Willie Mays was in his third full season in the big leagues and they still played in New York.
- Speaking of New York, the Giants lost in seven to the Yankees in 1962, and Game 5 of that series remains the last World Series game the Giants have played outside the state of California. San Francisco's last two appearances have been against the Oakland A's (1989) and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Orange County, California, United States of America (2002).
- The Giants' last two World Series appearances are against the two teams (the Angels and Rangers) that came into existence in 1961, the start of the expansion era, and it was the first World Series for both American League clubs.
- Keeping with the theme of a random team making the World Series every year, the Rangers are the fourth team in the last six seasons to reach the World Series for the first time (2005 Astros, 2007 Rockies, 2008 Rays). (You can even include the 2001 Diamondbacks and 2002 Angels to make it six in 10 years if you want.) In that time, the number of franchises never to reach the Series has dropped from six (or eight) to two, and both of those teams currently play in Washington (the Nationals and Mariners).
- And finally, the best random Giants-Rangers fact: the Giants and Rangers played the first regular season interleague game in Major League history on June 12, 1997. The Giants' DH in that game? The legendary Glenallen Hill (thanks Wikipedia for that one).
Friday, October 22, 2010
My First Blog
Hello Everybody,
On the urging of my work colleagues, I've now become a blogger. I'm a sports guy and I have opinions about stuff, so they figured I ought to find somewhere to get those opinions out. And what better place than cyberspace?! I also like TV, so that will make its way into my blog from time to time. With all that out of the way, let's begin:
The whole thing that brought up this blog conversation was the fact that I don't think Sports Illustrated gives the NHL enough love. This week's issue (10/25) is the NBA preview. All 30 teams got their own page. Same thing with the baseball preview. Same thing with the football preview. The college football and basketball previews both give a whole page to the preseason Top 25. You know how many pages the NHL preview consisted of? 12. That's it. Each division got two pages. Basically, one column per team. Now I know that the NHL is No. 4 in the pecking order, but 12 pages? Really? I understand that a lot of the American public doesn't care about the NHL (there are even cities in the South (Phoenix), where I'm not even sure if they realize they have a team), but can't SI at least humor those of us who do? You already have ESPN not giving a crap, yet shoving LeBron and Favre down our throats everyday, as if we care about them. (If I did, I'd follow them on Twitter, which is the stupidest thing ever.) What's it going to take for the NHL to get a cover? After the Blackhawks won the Cup, they were only on the cover in Chicago. Oh by the way, it was their first Stanley Cup in 50 years!
I'll limit it to two topics for today. Evidently the Giants and Phillies are playing quite a series in the NLCS. It's not like I would know, since I'm one of 3 million New Yorkers caught in this Cablevision-FOX b.s. We're on a week of no FOX now, and instead of actually doing something about it, both sides are trashing the other and blaming them for the blackout. It's like they're the two candidates running for office. FOX is the ridiculously right-wing Republican (for obvious reasons) and Cablevision is the blue state. But seriously, I think I speak for most people when I say cut the crap and settle it. This is the classic case of your mom's old "Two wrongs don't make a right." I don't care which side is "right" or who ends up "winning," because they're both wrong. The only people that are getting screwed are the customers!
Anyway, it's been a different experience listening to the NLCS games on the radio. It's like I'm back in the '50s. I can say this, Dave Campbell isn't much of a TV analyst, but he's excellent on the radio. That's where he should stay. Between listening live on the radio and watching the replay on MLB Network the next day, I've managed to survive week one of no FOX, but that's not gonna last much longer. The World Series starts on Wednesday, and I don't plan on listening to the World Series on the radio. Fortunately, we have DirecTV in my office, so if I stay at work late enough, I can watch at least some of the game live. That's what I did for Game 1, that great Lincecum-Halladay duel. (Silver lining of not being able to watch FOX: not having to listen to Tim McCarver.)
I haven't missed the Yankees at all since every game has been on TBS, but I'm so sick of Conan commercials! Just in case you didn't know, Conan's new show debuts on TBS on Nov. 8. The Yankees didn't play yesterday, so TBS didn't get a chance to play 30 Conan commercials (and have a Conan blimp) in a four-hour period to remind us all. Leno's better anyway. I'm not upset Conan hasn't been on TV in six months. Just had to say that. And while I'm on the subject of the TBS games, there are a few elements of their broadcasts that have to go. For starters, get rid of the "pitch tracker" thing on the side, which is only on the centerfield camera (and only on the HD broadcasts) by the way. It probably wouldn't be as annoying if it was on more than just the one camera and actually stayed on the screen for more than two seconds at a time, but does it really add anything to the broadcast? The answer is "No." Ernie Johnson and Craig Sager need to go, too. EJ is just bad. He should stick to studio stuff. And Sager relies on shtick, which isn't working. He makes stuff up, he's not funny, and he dresses worse than Don Cherry (which I didn't even think was possible)! John Smoltz made a comment in Game 4 that came straight out of the Tim McCarver School of Broadcasting, but he's been good for the most part and Ron Darling is excellent.
Anyway, that's it for today. Maybe entry No. 2 will pop up if I get bored this weekend (which seems probable). Otherwise, I'll see you next week. Must-win game tonight. Go Bombers!
On the urging of my work colleagues, I've now become a blogger. I'm a sports guy and I have opinions about stuff, so they figured I ought to find somewhere to get those opinions out. And what better place than cyberspace?! I also like TV, so that will make its way into my blog from time to time. With all that out of the way, let's begin:
The whole thing that brought up this blog conversation was the fact that I don't think Sports Illustrated gives the NHL enough love. This week's issue (10/25) is the NBA preview. All 30 teams got their own page. Same thing with the baseball preview. Same thing with the football preview. The college football and basketball previews both give a whole page to the preseason Top 25. You know how many pages the NHL preview consisted of? 12. That's it. Each division got two pages. Basically, one column per team. Now I know that the NHL is No. 4 in the pecking order, but 12 pages? Really? I understand that a lot of the American public doesn't care about the NHL (there are even cities in the South (Phoenix), where I'm not even sure if they realize they have a team), but can't SI at least humor those of us who do? You already have ESPN not giving a crap, yet shoving LeBron and Favre down our throats everyday, as if we care about them. (If I did, I'd follow them on Twitter, which is the stupidest thing ever.) What's it going to take for the NHL to get a cover? After the Blackhawks won the Cup, they were only on the cover in Chicago. Oh by the way, it was their first Stanley Cup in 50 years!
I'll limit it to two topics for today. Evidently the Giants and Phillies are playing quite a series in the NLCS. It's not like I would know, since I'm one of 3 million New Yorkers caught in this Cablevision-FOX b.s. We're on a week of no FOX now, and instead of actually doing something about it, both sides are trashing the other and blaming them for the blackout. It's like they're the two candidates running for office. FOX is the ridiculously right-wing Republican (for obvious reasons) and Cablevision is the blue state. But seriously, I think I speak for most people when I say cut the crap and settle it. This is the classic case of your mom's old "Two wrongs don't make a right." I don't care which side is "right" or who ends up "winning," because they're both wrong. The only people that are getting screwed are the customers!
Anyway, it's been a different experience listening to the NLCS games on the radio. It's like I'm back in the '50s. I can say this, Dave Campbell isn't much of a TV analyst, but he's excellent on the radio. That's where he should stay. Between listening live on the radio and watching the replay on MLB Network the next day, I've managed to survive week one of no FOX, but that's not gonna last much longer. The World Series starts on Wednesday, and I don't plan on listening to the World Series on the radio. Fortunately, we have DirecTV in my office, so if I stay at work late enough, I can watch at least some of the game live. That's what I did for Game 1, that great Lincecum-Halladay duel. (Silver lining of not being able to watch FOX: not having to listen to Tim McCarver.)
I haven't missed the Yankees at all since every game has been on TBS, but I'm so sick of Conan commercials! Just in case you didn't know, Conan's new show debuts on TBS on Nov. 8. The Yankees didn't play yesterday, so TBS didn't get a chance to play 30 Conan commercials (and have a Conan blimp) in a four-hour period to remind us all. Leno's better anyway. I'm not upset Conan hasn't been on TV in six months. Just had to say that. And while I'm on the subject of the TBS games, there are a few elements of their broadcasts that have to go. For starters, get rid of the "pitch tracker" thing on the side, which is only on the centerfield camera (and only on the HD broadcasts) by the way. It probably wouldn't be as annoying if it was on more than just the one camera and actually stayed on the screen for more than two seconds at a time, but does it really add anything to the broadcast? The answer is "No." Ernie Johnson and Craig Sager need to go, too. EJ is just bad. He should stick to studio stuff. And Sager relies on shtick, which isn't working. He makes stuff up, he's not funny, and he dresses worse than Don Cherry (which I didn't even think was possible)! John Smoltz made a comment in Game 4 that came straight out of the Tim McCarver School of Broadcasting, but he's been good for the most part and Ron Darling is excellent.
Anyway, that's it for today. Maybe entry No. 2 will pop up if I get bored this weekend (which seems probable). Otherwise, I'll see you next week. Must-win game tonight. Go Bombers!
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