Howie Karpin's 3 Balls 2 Strikes

This is Not Buhner for Phelps All Over Again

2012-01-14T13:06:00.004-05:00

After the Yankees announced their acquisition of young right hander Micheal Pineda from Seattle, I heard someone moan that this was going to be "Jay Buhner for Ken Phelps all over again".

In July of 1988, the Yankees traded a 23 year old right handed hitting, slugging outfielder named Jay Buhner to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for a 33 year old, left handed designated hitter named Ken Phelps. (Note the age differences)

It turned out to be one of the worst trades in Yankee history.

Buhner went on to have a creditable major league career while Phelps "bombed" in the Bronx.

Buhner was on the upswing at the time he was traded, while the Yankees got Phelps because of a lack of left handed power. The thinking was that Phelps would be able to take advantage of the short porch in right field, but the Yankees made a severe miscalculation. Phelps was not a "dead-pull" hitter, he was a "gap" hitter. At the old Seattle Kingdome, the "gaps" were not as deep as Yankee Stadium, so even though Phelps put up power numbers in Seattle, that didn't translate into the same success in New York.

This trade is in no, way, shape or form, the same kind of deal.

The Yankees are more patient with young players these days and are using them the right way to improve their team from within and for deals such as the one they completed Friday night.

The Yankees pick up a young pitcher who burst onto the scene last season and still has plenty of upside. The key word there is "young"

Jesus Montero projects to be one of the real up and coming offensive stars but he will not cut it as a big league catcher, no matter who's telling you he will.

Montero will be a 1B/DH type who will thrive in the bigs for his bat, not his defense.

Hector Noesi could be the real loss here, but you have to give to get and the Yankees are getting one of the best young arms in the game.

Pineda's numbers dropped off in the second half, but that's to be expected from a rookie. Most first year players who have success in the early going, tend to drop off later on in the season. It's a natural regression, but one that shouldn't put a damper on this deal.

The 22-year old (soon to be 23) did not fare well against some of the AL East teams, but again, that could be a matter of inexperience, not one of ineptitude.

Pineda dominated right handed hitters to the tune of a .184 batting average. Lefties did better (.237 against) but the youngster has the stuff to be consistently stingy against all hitters.

There are some questions that will need to be answered.

How will Pineda fare in his second year?

The hitters will be more aware of what he throws and will make adjustments accordingly. Pineda will need to make some adjustments as well and there could be some "roadblocks" that come attached to this process.

Also, Pineda is now being thrown into the AL East, quite a difference from the AL West, and he will be under alot more pressure pitching in NY for the Yankees, instead of "pressure-free" Seattle. How he handles these new responsibilities will bear watching.

In the grand scheme of things, the Yankees got a young, stud pitcher who they hope will be their number two starter behind C.C. Sabathia and eventually, will develop into their ace.

Dealing Montero is a loss, but the Yankees executed this trade from strength (their minor league depth) to radically improve their chances this season.

The Yankees plan all along was to get younger and this trade is a step in the right direction.

No Defense For Bad Shots

2012-01-12T12:05:00.006-05:00

The bottom line is to get the win, but some red flags surfaced in last night's 95-89 Knicks win over the 76ers.

The Knicks had a 78-61 lead with a little over nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, yet, they had to struggle down the stretch to preserve their advantage.

With a 17 point lead in the fourth quarter, the Knicks had a chance to not only cruise to a win, but give their key players time off, which could prove to be a valuable commodity in this condensed NBA season.
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This wasn't one you could pin on the defense, that part of their game has actually been much better. The Knicks' offense suddenly went south at that point and the Sixers nearly took full advantage. Philly was playing their third game in three nights and the Knicks were letting them off the hook with their shot selection, which was absolutely horrendous (they didn't score a FG) for the final 9 minutes of the game.

After the Sixers' Thaddeus Young scored to make it 78-63, Bill Walker launched a three with 14 seconds remaining on the shot clock.

Young hit another shot to narrow the gap to 13 pts and the Knicks followed that up with Iman Shumpert missing a three with 11 seconds left on the shot clock.

Andre Iguodala canned a 21 foot jumper for six straight points and a 78-67 deficit.

Shumpert hoisted up another three (at least this one came with five seconds left on the shot clock) and missed, but the Knicks got the offensive rebound and instead of running more clock, Carmelo Anthony put up a three almost immediately and missed, giving Philly another chance to cut into the lead.

I was working for Sixers TV last night and after Anthony's attempt, I happened to look over at Walt "Clyde" Frazier who gave a look like, "Why is he taking that shot?".

If the Knicks are to go anywhere this season, they need to learn how to protect leads and finish games.

With a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter, you don't hoist up three point shots.

Yeah, it's great if they go in, but those are not good shots in that situation.

If the Knicks run a solid possession with a big lead, even if they miss the shot, it's productive because you're running time off the clock. The opposing team and the clock become a team's enigma when they're trailing by a large margin in the fourth quarter.

At least with Shumpert's shots, you can attribute that to his inexperience, but no excuse for 'Melo and Walker's attempts.

The lack of a floor leader certainly didn't help but that doesn't excuse the offensive approach in the fourth quarter, that seems to always end up with an Anthony isolation, while the rest of the team stands around.

For all his years in the league, Amare Stoudemire still tries to put the ball on the floor in a crowd and ends up turning it over. He did that a number of times last season and that habit has continued into this year.

To be fair, the Sixers are a very, very good defensive team and that certainly contributed to the offensive malaise.

However, if the Knicks are to go beyond where they went last season (swept in four games in the first round) they need to learn how to "milk" the clock when they're up big.

If You Haven't Been Watching, You May Be Missing Something Special

2012-01-07T13:44:00.007-05:00

If you haven't been taking notice of what the NY Rangers are doing, then you may be missing something special.

The Rangers have vaulted to the top of the NHL with a formula that lends itself to championship hockey clubs.

Great goaltending, outstanding defense, lots of grit and resolve and an ability to find ways to win is a recipe for success in today's NHL.

Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves yet.

The Rangers have yet to face the best team in the league, the defending Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins, but they will get their shot later this month in what should be a great regular season hockey game.

The Rangers still have lots of room for improvement. The power play is inconsistent, (which is actually an improvement, considering that it's been poor in recent years)and they've had some trouble with opposing teams that have alot of speed, but Henrik Lundqvist is having a tremendous season and that has been a huge help in covering up for the flaws.

Anyone that's watched Lundqvist over the years, always felt that if he had a good team in front of him, then the sky's the limit.

That's exactly what has happened this season. Lundqvist doesn't have to be great every night because as mentioned previously, the Rangers find ways to win. It's also proven out in the record of the back up goaltender. Martin Biron is not only 8-2, but he's taken pressure off of Lundqvist to play every night, which will serve the team very well come playoff time.

Unlike heralded free agents of the past, Brad Richards has been an excellent sign and the Rangers made absolutely the right call when they named Ryan Callahan to be the Captain.

Amazingly enough, the Rangers only got better this past week when Marc Staal returned. That's not a knock on the "D" men who were playing in his place (Steve Eminger, Micheal Sauer, etc) but the Rangers are better with their best defenseman in the lineup.

I'm not the biggest John Tortorella fan, but you can't complain about the job he's done molding this team and getting it to play hard every night.

There is a tendency in sports when a team (that wasn't picked to be this good) reaches certain heights, to look down the road and ponder a "delicious" finish to a wonderful season.

There's still a long way to go, but, so far, the Rangers have passed every test.

They don't let losing streaks linger; they've gone on a number of extended winning streaks already this season; they're tough to beat when they have the lead and they can play from behind as well.

Will this turn out to be a special season? The Rangers have not had many since the 1964-'65 season, (when I started following the team) but it's going to fun to go down this road with them.

If you haven't been paying attention, you may be missing something special

Knicks Are Trying To Fit Round Pegs Into Square Holes

2012-01-05T11:35:00.006-05:00

Watching the Knicks for the first six games of this abbreviated season, I get the feeling that they will have trouble coming together on the court.

Last night, I got a good view of what was happening on the court as I was sitting courtside, working stats for Bobcats TV.

Start with the lack of a legitimate point guard.

Toney Douglas is making poor decisions on the court, both passing and shooting.

I credit him for his grit and toughness but he can't continue to hoist up threes, especially when there is no one underneath for a potential offensive rebound.

I know Tyson Chandler is not an offensive machine, but he started off fast last night by scoring off some solid, fundamental plays and then didn't see the ball for what seemed like the rest of the game.

Did Bobcats Head Coach Paul Silas suddenly make an adjustment to not let Chandler beat them?

Chandler didn't even get into his usual foul trouble, which is actually not a good sign. He got most of his fouls in the fourth quarter.

The Knicks have a good front line but is it a great front line?

That brings me to Carmelo Anthony, who despite his supporters, is a great scorer but is not a great player because he doesn't make other players around him better.

When Anthony plays with Amare Stoudemire, it appears that they "get in each other's way".

The two of them are essentially the same players, they are great scorers who dont defend and are sub par rebounders.

When only one of them is on the court, it seems as if they play better.

Stoudemire has not been the same since Anthony came on board. Before the trade, Stoudemire was a dominant player who was making others around him better. Since the deal was made, "Stats" game has changed and not for the better.

The Knicks have to be Stoudemire's team or Carmelo's team. They can't have it both ways.

If Iman Shumpert is healthy, he should start. He can't be much worse than Douglas at the point. The rookie is fearless and tends to shoot a little much, but I feel he has the tools to develop into a star. Maybe start Douglas and Shumpert and let Landry Fields come off the bench.

The Knicks look dysfunctional and lacking of an identity on offense.

We know this is not a great defensive team but we should expect a little better than what was put out last night. The Knicks made the Bobcats look like the Miami Heat.

I don't advocate cheap shots but the Knicks need to toughen up when teams like Charlotte are taking it to them, even if it means a hard foul here and there. Most players these days do not like contact so when they get it, it throws them off their rhythm.

The Knicks are making a mistake if they're relying on Baron Davis to bail them out. You don't know what or how much you're going to get out an older player who is coming off a back injury.

Finding a better way for Stoudemire and Anthony to co-exist on the court, acquiring a solid point guard who can distribute the basketball and adding a bench player who can rebound are the needs right now.

Finding ways and means to incorporate the current assemblage is another issue that involves the head coach Mike D'Antoni. This "helter skelter" offensive philosophy does not, and will not work with these players.

Either D'Antoni adjusts, or Knicks management will. If I may borrow a line from the late Warden Samuel Norton of Shawshank Prison. "You get my drift? Or am I being obtuse?"

Did Mets Make Right Call on Reyes?

2011-12-05T23:16:00.008-05:00

The New York Mets and their fans took a punch to the stomach when Jose Reyes agreed to a six year deal to join the division rival Marlins.

The "knee-jerk" reaction is, of course, "what are we (the Mets) going to do without Reyes?"

The Mets are a different team without Reyes, but what kind of team were they with him and what kind of team can they be without him?

With Reyes in the lineup, the Mets got dynamic offensive production and, for the most part, stellar defense. There was no questioning his talent. What the team received from that talent was the real inquiry.

When he's on the field, we all saw what he can bring to a ballclub with the season he put together in 2011.

Unfortunately, his injury history is too significant to ignore. The Mets could not and did not ignore that injury history and apparently, a bunch of other teams that needed a shortstop, felt the same way.

They weren't exactly knocking down Reyes' door with offers. Reyes' passion and energy can be contagious, but some people around baseball view that through a different lens, which also hurt his value on the open market.

As mentioned previous, Reyes was one of the best fielding shortstops in baseball. He has the range, he has the arm and he also has those lapses where he would stay back on a ball and rely on his arm, only to throw it in the dirt or throw it away for an error.

Speaking of errors, Reyes demonstrated his immaturity when it came to scoring calls.

Reyes would reportedly go ballistic when he felt he was unfairly charged with an error.

One time I charged him with an error and he had a "fit" after the game. I have it on good authority that Reyes had to be calmed down in the clubhouse, and only did so when he was told that the error kept earned runs off of Orlando Hernandez' record.

I can tell you that during the '06 NLDS against the Dodgers, Reyes had a problem with an error call that I made, not against him, but when he was batting.

Has he grown up? That remains to be seen.

Lest we forget his base running exploits.

No doubts about his speed and his ability to take the extra base, but sometimes, he takes the notion of the extra base too far.

Last season, there was a game where he was on second with two out, and on a 3-2 pitch, he took off for third. The batter walked and Reyes was not thrown out at third, so no one questioned the play because it became insignificant. If he gets thrown out there, he's being questioned for his smarts in that spot.

It's interesting that he goes to the Marlins after the 2007 incident on the day before the season ended, where Reyes got into a scuffle with Florida C Miguel Olivo that sparked a bench clearing brawl. Remember, some Marlins admitted to using that as fodder to crush the Mets playoff hopes on the final day.

It may not seem like it, but the Mets will move forward. Since Reyes only played one year under the current regime headed by Sandy Alderson, there was no loyalty factor involved, which may work in the club's favor.

Ruben Tejada does not have Reyes' talent, but he does have ability and a knack for having a "good at-bat" at the plate. If you surround him with the right parts, he can contribute to a winning atmosphere. There are times that Tejada looks lackadaisical but he's young and needs to learn from veteran players.

If the Mets think Daniel Murphy can be an everyday second-baseman, then they're asking for trouble. I know about Murphy's bat and all that but he is not a good defensive player at any position he's played, much less second-base.

Even if Reyes came back, the Mets still have many holes to fill. It's going to take time to build this team back up to contender status and by that time, would Reyes still be a productive player. There are no guarantees that the Marlins will get their money's worth over the length of the contract, so that puts more pressure on Reyes to deliver in the early years of the deal.

The Marlins have created a little bit of a dilemma for themselves. I would be surprised if Hanley Ramirez plays an innnig at 3B in Miami. There is already a published report that says Ramirez won't play third and that he wants a trade. I can see the Cardinals and Giants making a push for Ramirez, despite his reputation.

I look at this Reyes situation as being similar to when Darryl Strawberry walked away from the Mets to sign with his hometown Dodgers in 1991.

Years later, Darryl always regretted his decision to leave New York.

I wonder if Reyes will come to that same conclusion

Outrage Over Paterno Firing Is Misplaced

2011-11-10T11:20:00.004-05:00

409 victories and two National Championships doesn't cut you any slack when the stuff hits the fan, and it was a big time hit.

What happened last night on the campus of Penn State was not only a disgrace, it was a microcosm of what's going on in this country when it comes to sports, professional and collegiate.

Just because Joe Paterno was revered on the campus of Penn State, it doesn't excuse the heinous crimes that were committed under his watch and literally right under his nose.

To those knucklehead students, who decided this was an appropriate time to release their juvenile inhibitions, your support for the man who coached the college football team for 46 years is totally misplaced.

Those who were creating the situation that occured last night on campus, had no regard for the eight (and counting) who were violated by the alleged predator, Jerry Sandusky.

It wasn't the entire student body that went "ape-sh.." last night. In fact, it was a very small percentage of students who went nuts, but a large enough percentage to further tarnish the sanctity and dignity of the University.

If Paterno had not been the coach for 46 years, won two National titles and 409 games, do you think there would have been such an outrage over his dismissal?

This obsession with sports success has fueled an arrogance and a stupidity that has threatened the security of innocent people.

Consider the case of Bryan Stow, who was beaten to a pulp, because he "dared" to wear a Giants jersey into Dodger Stadium last season.

Because a pair of idiots took exception to the jersey, Stow nearly died.

Last night, the "out of control" students not only flipped over a TV News truck, but with the smell of gas in the air, some moron threatened to "light a match".

There were some students who supported the firing, but were afraid to speak out because they feared for their lives from the moronic throng that felt they were empowered to dish out justice.

People around the world have been protesting and rioting over being abused by cold hearted dictators who mis-use their power of authority for years at a time.

The Penn State Board of Trustees is not made up of dictators who have abused the student body for years and years.

The Penn State Board of Trustees absolutely did the right thing by letting go of Paterno and the University President.

Joe Paterno wasn't wronged here. Joe Paterno will not be charged with a criminal offense because, according to Pennsylvania State Law, he fulfilled his legal obligation, but the long time coach deserved to go because had more than an inkling of the horrendous events taking place at his "palace" and did nothing to stop it.

Individuals become very brave when they're on the same side as an angry mob, no matter their beliefs. If anyone is injured (or worse) because a football coach was justifiably let go, then our society needs to take a good, hard look at itself

Just Like Ol' Times

2011-10-21T16:40:00.003-04:00

That was a great World Series game last night and it reminded me of the good ol' days when I used to cut school to watch a Series game in the afternoon.

You had a little bit of everything. From "smallball" to strategical maneuvers, the game showcased the sport like no other.

All that was missing was the longball and yet, Albert Pujols deep fly out to RCF in the 8th, thriled the Cardinal fans until it landed in Nelson Cruz' glove.

Cardinals Mgr Tony LaRussa "put his hand in the cookie jar" once too often and it came back to bite him in the rear.

In the ninth, with runners on second and third and no one out, LaRussa needed a strikeout, yet, he lifted Jason Motte in favor of Arthur Rhodes, who gives you less of a chance at a "K".

Rhodes did not give up a hit but he did not record a strikeout to keep the runner at third.

Back to back sacrifice flies did the trick for the Rangers who recorded (up to this point in time) the biggest win in franchise history.

There was no guarantee that if the Rangers had lost, they couldn't have come back to win the Series, but winning as they did, gives Texas a "leg up" in this Fall Classic.

Elvus Andrus' diving play and flip to second to end the fifth turned out to be huge as was Pujols' error that allowed Andrus to get to second.

I found it strange that there was no error called on that play at the time. Andrus would not have advanced without an error, but the official scorers (there is a 3-man committee in the World Series) reviewed it and issued an error on Pujols after the game was over.

As I've posted before, the Rangers can play the National League style and that surfaced in last night's ninth inning.

It was a clinic of finding a way to win and suddenly, this World Series has found some "juice" and should be fun to watch the rest of the way.

World Series Preview

2011-10-19T13:41:00.012-04:00

Don't expect the TV ratings to be high (they never are these days) but this figures to be a highly competitive World Series.

The Rangers and Cardinals both shoved aside the theory that you need good starting pitching to win in the post season, as both rode their bullpens to qualify for the Fall Classic.

Don't expect that to happen in this series. The team that eventually wins, will need some semblance of quality starting pitching. Both lineups can score runs and both can hit against opposing bullpens.

We'll try and examine this series without the usual (and to me, a ridiculous way to analyze baseball) position-by-position breakdown, which is only useful on defense. i.e. Ian Kinsler doesn't hit against Ryan Theriot. Get my point.

Thanks to the ludicrous concept of deciding homefield advantage in the World Series via the result of the All Star Game, the Rangers will lose the DH in the first two games and potentially, four of seven.

There are many baseball observers who downplay the significance of homefield advantage, but, for you stat guys, consider these numbers.

The DH was first used in the World Series in 1976. Since that time, when National League teams have had the homefield advantage, they are 10-4.

Since 1986, when the DH was used in the AL parks on an annual basis, when NL teams have had the homefield advantage, they are 7-2.

There is no questioning the fact that the American League team is hurt by the loss of the DH in World Series games, but this Rangers team is different in that they can play the NL style and they can play it well.

Texas has good speed throughout their lineup and they won't hesitate to use it. They are aggressive on the bases and they can play small ball with the best of 'em, so the Cardinals will have to keep the top of the Rangers lineup off base.

As mentioned above, both teams can score. For Texas, one of the keys to their success will be limiting Albert Pujols' chances with men on base.

If there's an opportunity, Texas will not hesitate to pitch around Pujols and take their chances with Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman.

The Cardinals have the edge in starting pitching because Chris Carpenter is the best starter in this series, but they will have to slow down a hot hitter in Nelson Cruz.

What's fascinating about this match up is that there are no real track records against each other. It almost takes you back to the time before interleague play came into being.

These teams last met in 2004 and the rosters have changed dramatically since then.

Along those lines, here is something to take note of.

Cardinals reliever Mark Rzepczynski did not have much success with the Texas hitters while he was in the American League, but Tony LaRussa will only use him for a batter or two. Octavio Dotel has had some success against Texas so he could be a key.

On the flip side, Rangers reliever Mike Adams has been dealing with command issues during this post season, but he's had good numbers against the Cardinal hitters, including Pujols who is 1 for 8 off the right hander.

As anyone who follows baseball knows, there are no guarantees, these trends will hold true to form in this World Series, but some of the bullpen/batter match ups will go a long way towards determining a winner.

The benches will play a large role in this Series, especially for the Rangers in St Louis. Texas is using Micheal Young at first base to get his bat in the lineup at Busch Stadium, so their bench gets stronger because a bat like Mitch Moreland cannot start the game.

When the Cardinals get to Arlington, their bench actually thins out, because you put an extra hitter in the lineup for the pitcher and that's one less cog in reserve. You can say that they would not have as much need for a pinch hitter, but when your team is not built to play like the AL teams, it becomes a different game for the NL club.

Beacuse of the uncertainty of the starters, this Series has a shot at going the distance.

I give Texas' defense a slight nod overall because of their athleticism. The Rangers are better defensively in the outfield and have two great arms in Hamilton and Cruz. The infield defenses are a "wash" because Elvus Andrus has shown that he can make some errors and Young is not a polished defensive first-baseman. I give St Louis the edge defensively at catcher. Yadier Molina is a better glove than Mike Napoli, who's in the lineup for his bat.

Both teams can win on the road, both teams can score, both teams have arms in the bullpen, but one team is on a mission.

I'm not saying the Cardinals will be satisfied to be there. They deserve all the respect in the world for what they've accomplished, but I believe the Rangers have kept their "eyes on the prize" so to speak.

The Rangers are playing at a very high level with Cruz leading the way, but what's scary about this team is that some of their hitters, like Josh Hamilton (0 post season HRS) and Ian Kinsler, (1 post season HR, 32 during the regular season) have not gotten hot yet.

This will be the best team that the Cardinals have faced all season long, but they'll be up to the task to make it real tough.

Rangers in 7
MVP: Kinsler

There's More To This Yankee Loss Than Meets the Eye

2011-10-09T22:02:00.014-04:00

Now that the dust has settled over their loss in the ALDS, the Yankees don't need to know how they lost, they need to know why they lost and what they can do to improve those flaws and move forward.

SEVERE LACK OF CLUTCH HITTING:
Why they lost can be broken down to a few sub-categories, but the main thrust was a lack of hitting in the clutch.

What went into this lack of clutch hitting needs to be examined.

If you were paying attention, you saw the Yankees go into these lapses of timely hitting throughout the season.

A couple of numbers that clearly demonstrate a lack of clutch hitting is a team's record in one run and extra inning games.

In 2011, the Yankees were 21-24 in one run games and 4-12 in extra innings (that included losing their last eight games that went more than nine innings, last x-tra inning win was June 16th)

The outcomes of one run games are also detemined by a team's bullpen and the Yankee bullpen was a strength, which puts more onus on the hitters.

My point is, maybe this Yankee offense, which was considered a deep and dangerous lineup, was overrated.

Some of the individual numbers were great, but numbers can justify an analyses or sometimes they can be very misleading. I'm not married to the stats all the time, but those numbers in the two categories above are overwhelming and may have provided a portent of things to come in the post season.

If you're not successful in 1-run games and extra inning games during the season, how can you expect to be good at it in the post season.

TOO MANY STRIKEOUTS
Another reason for a lack of hitting in the clutch is not making contact. Plain and simple, the Yankees struck out too much, especially in situations where they had a runner on third and less than two out. You don't need numbers to see that flaw.

The great Yankee teams that won four of five World Series made it a lock to cash in on those opportunities, which also provided a "fear factor" to the opposition. If you were playing those Yankee teams and they had a scoring chance, you felt like it was a lost cause to try and get out of it. All you could do was limit the damage.

At times, this team seemed to be inept at this part of the game.

HE AIN'T HEAVY, HE'S MY ACE
C.C. Sabathia did look heavier as the season wore on, but was that the reason he didn't pitch so well in the ALDS.

It may have been a factor but remember, this is a guy who has thrown 1199 innings over the past five seasons, so maybe, just maybe, the innings have started to catch up to him. That's something that the Yankees may have to come to grips with. If Sabathia does return next season, (that's not a lock) they're going to have to start to lower the demands on his arm (more on the C.C. situation in the next post)

MAYBE THOSE FINAL REGULAR SEASON GAMES WERE MORE MEANINGFUL THAN WAS PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT
The Yankees dropped their final four games of the regular season. Games that were considered meaningless because the Yankees had everything locked up so Girardi rested the regulars.

If you take into account the regular season finish (4 straight losses including blowing a 7 run lead in the eighth in the finale against the Rays) and the ALDS against Detroit, the Yankees lost 7 of their final nine games.

I had a bad taste in my mouth after that last loss to Tampa?

Did Girardi set a bad tone for his team down the stretch, just as he had done the previous season when he rested all his players and did not try to win the division?

Baseball players are used to playing, not sitting for two or three days at a time. In all fairness, the weather did not help the situation, because that created a need for doubleheaders, but in the final week, some of the regulars may have been too well rested.

Speaking of rest, Girardi used that factor as an excuse for not going to one of his main relievers in the ninth inning of game two.

Girardi elected to use Luis Ayala (not a second guess) in a game that the Yankees trailed 4-1 going to the ninth. Ayala did not pitch well in the final weeks of the season, and with the front of the bullpen being well rested, it was an "iffy" call from the start.

Ayala proceeded to hit his first batter, who eventually came around to score a huge fifth run.

In the bottom of the inning, the Yankees rallied but came up short. You can say that fifth run changed the complexion of their final at bat. The Yankees were down four runs and got it to three, but when Detroit scores their fifth run, that's an emotional swing that favors the Tigers and kinda demoralizes the home team.

Girardi didn't help matters when he made a comment (and I'm paraphrasing) after the game, about Jose Valverde's season, as if it wouldn't have mattered if he used someone else to pitch the top of the ninth.

To me, that comment says Girardi was intimidated by Valverde and that filters down to the team.

Mariano Rivera faced four batters in the entire series, and oh yeah, he had to finish game one because Ayala was threatening to have an eight run lead blow up on him.

Remember back to 2008, Girardi's first season. Many people, including Yankee personnel, felt the Manager had to tone down his act, that he was too tense and it reflected on the team. I'm not in the dugout or the clubhouse, but maybe Girardi has reverted back to his old ways.

There's plenty of blame to go around but the bottom line, its time for the Yankee hierachy to "do their thing" and improve this club's chances for 2012.

Next post: Planning for 2012

Girardi Managing Scared

2011-10-04T12:03:00.003-04:00

If the Yankees go on and lose to the Tigers in the ALDS for the second time in five years, there will be plenty of blame to go around.

Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira are a combined 1 for 21 with two RBI's (courtesy of a pair of ground outs by A-Rod) in the series, thus the Yankees are on the verge of elimination.

There are other factors that need to be addressed.

C.C. Sabathia came up small last night and maybe, just maybe, all those innings that he's compiled over the years may be catching up to him.

The manager needs to be held accountable here as well.

Joe Girardi is managing scared and Jim Leyland has taken him to school.

In game 2, the Yankees trailed 4-0 in the bottom of the seventh and with two on and two out, Girardi elected to pinch hit for Brett Gardner with Eric Chavez.

Girardi said he was looking for a long ball but Chavez only hit two homeruns all season long.

I'm not the biggest Gardner guy, but he did have a big hit in game one, and yes, this wasn't a second guess. When Chavez was announced, I thought that was a strange move.

The Yankees were down 4-1 entering the ninth, and Girardi elected to use Luis Ayala.

David Robertson, Mariano Rivera and even, Rafael Soriano, were all well rested, yet, Girardi goes to Ayala, who has been absolutely abysmal the past few times he's appeared in a game.

Ayaya proceeds to hit the leadoff batter, Brandon Inge.

A sacrifice and a two out hit by Don Kelly gives Detroit a four run lead and changes the complexion of the game for the bottom of the ninth.

What is appalling about this move is what Girardi said in his post game comments.

On why he brought in Ayala to pitch the ninth, Girardi said "We still have two more games in a row. And we're down three. If we got it down to two, we were going to make a change. Being down three runs and you know what Jose Valverde has done all year long, we decided to go to Ayala".

"You know what Jose Valverde has done all year long" is a statement that says to me that Girardi was intimidated by the Tigers closer. Are you kidding me? You are basing your decision on that?

Ayala is not a very good pitcher and the Yankees were fortunate to get what they did out of him. Remember, he pitched in game one with a big lead in the ninth and the Yankees still had to go to Rivera to finish it off, yet Girardi comes right back with him the very next day.

Girardi seems to have this fixation with saving his pitchers but now is not the time to save the arms, now is the time to use the arms that you saved during the regular season.

Last night, it was apparent that Gerry Davis strike zone was the size of a pinhead, but it was no excuse to how Sabathia pitched. C.C. was getting rocked and maybe should've been out of the game a little earlier than he was. I won't second guess Girardi on that because I didn't first-guess it, but to cite the umpires inconsistency with the strike zone was a road the Manager should not have traveled.

Blaming the umpire for a poor strike zone sounds like sour grapes.

Girardi manages by the numbers and always seems to play the safe move, the one where he has a convenient alibi if it doesn't work.

Leyland uses data (Ramon Santiago was in the lineup hitting second because he had good numbers against C.C.) but he doesn't let the data take away from using his gut.

It's true that the players need to produce and the pitchers need to pitch, but the Manager can set the tone for a team. With some of his post-playoff game comments, Girardi may have set a negative tone.

It doesn't bode well for tonight. They've got A.J. Burnett on the mound and the Yankees have never won a post season game at Comerica.

It may be deja vu all over again.

10 Years Later, Time Hasn't Healed the Wounds

2011-09-10T23:13:00.003-04:00

The phrase, "Time heals all wounds" doesn't apply here.

This wound will never heal. This wound is re-opened every year on September 11th but on the ten year anniversary of this horrific day, the memories are all too vivid.

This wound left a scar that cannot be ignored.

All those innocent people who were merely going to work that morning, merely trying to live their lives.

No matter what race, what creed, what color or whatever culture you live your life under, no one was spared of this wound.

You may not have any direct ties to those who perished, but you are tied to those who perished.

As long as you live in this country and believe in freedom, then you were wounded that day as well.

There are constant reminders of what happened on that stunningly bright and sunny day.

Stories of those real heroes who were still trying to help others, yet knowing all too well that their lives were probably going to come to an end.

My personal remembrance of that day is of those who jumped to their deaths off the towers because the heat was getting too unbearable.

Those people had a choice, a choice of how they wanted to die. A choice that no person should ever have to make.

The scum that drove those planes into the Twin Towers got off easy. The "pure evil" that directed and coordinated this heinous act will never have to confront those families whose lives were ruined that day.

Never forget, never forgive, never cave in to the cowards who promote the use of terrorist acts.

Ten years later, the wound is still fresh and will never heal

Please Stop the Comparisons, Let the Kid Grow

2011-09-06T14:12:00.006-04:00

The first two homeruns of his big league career has put 21-year old Jesus Montero into the "dangerous game" of making comparisons.

Already, you have heard Montero being compared to Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez but let's slow down a bit.

As Yankee Mgr. Joe Girardi said after yesterday's game, "One thing is you don't get too giddy after one game or too down on another game".

Girardi knows all about the expectations that have been placed on this kid's bat, so he's trying to stem the tide that has started to swell.

There's no questioning the talent that Montero brings to the plate. He's got great hands and terrific bat speed, two ingredients that are needed for a young player to become a big time hitter. He's got great power to the opposite field and once he gets experience, it appears he's going to be tough to pitch to, even with off speed stuff.

Montero's second homerun was hit on a pitch that looked low and away. To even get that kind of pitch in the air is a feat in itself, not to mention, putting it into the right center field seats (and yes, that wasn't just a "Yankee Stadium homerun", that ball would've gone out in just about any other ballpark as well)

On his YesNetwork.com blog, Jon Lane brings up three former Yankees who burst onto the scene, garnered alot of fanfare, but never really lived up to those early expectations.

Kevin Maas, Shane Spencer and Shelley Duncan all started their Yankee careers in the fast track but ended up out of the race. As Lane so aptly pointed out, "Last I checked those names were never listed in any of Baseball America’s top-five Yankees and baseball prospects"

That's one of the major differences here when comparing Montero to past "Yankee phenoms".

There's also the matter of his attitude and maturity.

Montero was reportedly "bored" at Triple A earlier this year so that is something that bears watching down the road, especially if he continues to have early success at the big league level.

An attitude problem can sidetrack even the most promising careers.

The Yankees have handled him well during the developmental stage of his pro career and they've done well in breaking him in slowly. If he's developing faster than anticipated, then that can only help the team in the long run.

Let's all take a step back and enjoy watching the development of this highly touted prospect, but please, stop with the inane comparisons.

Martin Evokes Memories of Munson

2011-09-02T16:06:00.003-04:00

He's not as good a player, but Russell Martin is showing that he's got some "Thurman Munson" in him.

Martin's 2 run double in the seventh was the key blow in last night's 4-2 win over the Red Sox.

The Yankee catcher drove a ball into the right centerfield gap at Fenway to provide the impetus for a huge win.

Sound familiar?

With all due respect to Jorge Posada's career, he doesn't come close to what Martin has given the Yankees behind the plate.

I have to laugh because when the Yankees signed Martin back in December of last year, there were reports that the Canadian born backstop was not a good defensive catcher.

The Red Sox were showing heavy interest in Martin, as were the Yankees and Blue Jays.

Here is a quote from last December on "Extra Bases", a Red Sox blog that appears on Boston.com.

"Martin is not an especially good defensive catcher but would likely be considered an upgrade on Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who has minor-league options"

"Not an especially good defensive catcher". That phrase sounds like it was born in LA and was a result of sour grapes coming from the Dodgers.

Martin has been a terrific defensive catcher this season, not to mention that he's shown some toughness behind the plate that has not been seen in Pinstripes since Munson's tenure.

Thurman Munson was one of the greatest leaders in Yankee history. Whether it was blocking the plate, or getting on a pitcher who had his head down, or coming up with a clutch hit whenever it was needed, Munson was the player who led the Yankees out of the doldrums in the late 1960's when the heralded "dynasty" was no more.

Martin gives you glimpses of that leadership this season.

What may be one of the seminal moments of the 2011 season, Martin's block of the plate at Wrigley Field earlier this year was when I first considered the comparison.

It was June 28th, when the Yankees led the Cubs 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth. Following a pair of back to back errors, Chicago had the bases loaded and one out when Geovany Soto hit a fly ball to left field that looked like it could be a game tying sacrifice fly. Brett Gardner caught the ball and threw home as Carlos Pena tried to score from third.

Technically speaking, Martin had the plate blocked perfectly as Pena slammed into in an attempt to dislodge the ball.

The Yankee catcher was slammed to the ground but he held on, got back up and showed the ball to Pena, the Cubs bench and whoever else was watching, in a gesture that said, "don't mess with us".

The bench was alive after that play and the Yankees went on to a 4-3 win over the Cubs.

It was only one game and one moment, but it was significant in its meaning.

Munson had that kind of impact behind the plate and Martin is carrying on a proud tradition.

It's not only his defense that has impressed the Yankee brass, Martin's bat has started to come around, thanks to his hard work with hitting coach Kevin Long.

I can still remember Thurman Munson coming to the plate at a key spot of the game. With the Yankees needing a big hit, the 1976 AL MVP would "deposit" his signature clutch hit into rightfield.

If there was a need for an extra base hit, Munson would provide that as well.

Russell Martin is not Thurman Munson, but he's sure reminding long time Yankee fans of the late Captain

A Simple Solution to Speed Up Baseball Games

2011-08-31T14:40:00.006-04:00

Whenever the Yankees and Red Sox play, there is the constant complaining about the length of the games.

It's true that the games may be a little lengthy between the two rivals, but a big part of the reason for the "marathon" type ballgames is that both teams have the same offensive philosophy.

Both the Yankees and Red Sox work the pitchers and take alot of pitches.

With that in mind, there is a very simple solution to speed up the games. Have the umpires call more strikes.

These days, it seems like the strike zone is the width of a "pin" and the pitchers have to throw the ball down the middle to get a strike.

In last night's game, it appeared that HP Umpire Ed Rapuano was making calls along the lines of a limited strike zone. If Rapuano called strikes on some of the closer pitches early on in the game, then the batters could not be so selective.

According to the "Official Rules", "Home base shall be marked by a five-sided slab of whitened rubber. It shall be a 17-inch square with two of the corners removed so that one edge is 17 inches long, two adjacent sides are 8 1/2 inches and the remaining two sides are 12 inches and set an angle to make a point".

Maybe the solution is to widen home plate by an inch on each side. Home plate should be 19" wide, instead of 17" and presto, you will have quicker games. If you feel that's too much, then widen the plate by a 1/2" on both sides to make home plate 18" wide.

The home plate umpire wields alot of power with regards to the length of a game.

Games are faster when there are more strikes called. It becomes a "snowball effect" because when more strikes are called, batters become more reluctant to let a pitch go by.

The solution is simple. Call more strikes and you will see the length of the games decrease by a significant margin.

Yanks' Faith in A.J. is Unwarranted

2011-08-10T13:55:00.007-04:00

All you need to do is analyze last night's sixth inning of the Yankees 6-4 loss to the Angels to get all you need to know about A.J. Burnett's Yankee tenure.

Burnett had a 1-0 lead but he gave up a game tying homerun to a struggling Bobby Abreu to lead off the inning. He had the former Yankee at an 0-2 count but could not put him away. Remember the last five words of the previous sentence, because that's one of his big problems, putting hitters away.

OK, he's entitled to one mistake but wait, there's more.

Burnett gets Torii Hunter on a fly out but he walks Mark Trumbo on four pitches.

After Vernon Wells flew out to deep centerfield, Trumbo tagged and went to second.

Here's where it really gets dicey.

Mgr. Joe Girardi elects to intentionally walk the seventh place hitter, Maicer Izturis, and pitch to Peter Bourjos. One problem, A.J. got behind Bourjos 2-0 and ended up walking him on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases.

I would not have walked Izturis.(and that's not a second guess) First off, he's the seventh place hitter. Secondly, its bad enough when Burnett has one man on, now you're putting two runners on for a guy who has had numerous innings collapse on him.

Girardi felt Izturis had gotten good swings on A.J. earlier in the game. "He was 5 for 13 or his last 14 off him. I just kind of liked the matchup a little better".

If he was so concerned about Izturis, then why didn't he lift A.J. there instead of trying to get him through the inning.

So the bags are loaded for the .180 hitting Jeff Mathis. You would think a veteran major league pitcher would be able to buckle down and get himself out of the inning without giving up the lead.

Not A.J. Burnett!!!

The first pitch to Mathis demonstrated another one of Burnett's major flaws.

I repeat, Mathis is hitting .180 so what does A.J. throw with his first pitch? A curveball.

Now, he got strike one, but again, the man is batting .180.

Second pitch was a curveball, which Mathis just saw, and you're helping a .180 hitter speed up his bat.

Boom, a bomb to dead centerfield which goes for a two run, ground rule double. 3-1 Angels.

You would think a veteran major league pitcher would be able to buckle down and get himself out of the inning without giving up any more.

Not A.J. Burnett!!!

With Erick Aybar at the plate, A.J. uncorks one of his patented wild pitches and it's 4-1 without the Angels even taking a swing.

Burnett got Aybar to line out to right but did not throw one fastball in that at-bat.

Pitch selection has always been a problem with him and if you want to put some of the blame on Russell Martin, that's fair, but this has been happening with multiple catchers. If A.J. is shaking off Martin, then that's on Burnett.

Not only pitch selection, but the way he uses the curveball. A.J. seems to try and throw the curveball for a called strike instead of out of the strike zone, so it hangs in the hitting zone where it can be crushed.

How many times has Burnett given up a run or two after he gets the first two outs fairly easily.

The act is wearing thin, and it's getting tiresome of hearing that "he threw the ball well" or "just one bad inning or pitch" or "he's got electric stuff".

Consider this anomaly.

Phil Hughes comes off an outing where he tosses six scoreless innings, albeit against the light hitting White Sox. A.J. Burnett comes off an outing, against those same light hitting White Sox, where he implodes with a 12-run lead and has to be lifted before he can complete five innings.

Hughes goes to the bullpen and Burnett remains in the rotation, and there's talk of sending Ivan Nova (who's been their second most consistent starter the past few weeks) back to the minors. (I know it was only one outing for Hughes, but Burnett didn't have one bad outing, this has been going for months)

In last night's game, Burnett held a 1-0 lead through five, but how many times this season has he blown the lead the very next inning after the Yankees get him one.

His ERA in innings after the Yankees get him a lead is way over 5.00.

This number is mind boggling. No August wins as a Yankee and now we're going on three years.

The flaws in A.J.'s game continue to haunt him and he's never been able to shake his bad habits.

The Yankees need to come to grips with the fact that they made a poor free agent signing and that A.J. is not getting the job done. Remember, they signed Burnett first, as almost an insurance policy in case they couldn't get C.C. Sabathia. Do you realize that if the Yankees didn't sign Sabathia, then they would've looked to Burnett to be the ace.

ARGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

If they continue to use the six man rotation, then A.J. should not get any preferential treatment.

Only Sabathia should be working every five days, and you would be doing Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia a favor if you could get then an extra day here and there.

In a six man rotation, A.J. should pitch when he is told to pitch. Stop using that excuse that he pitches better when he's on the proper schedule. Burnett hasn't shown that he deserves that consideration.

"The Decision" Puts LeBron in the Twilight Zone

2011-06-14T12:37:00.008-04:00

Hours after losing game 6 of the NBA Finals to the Dallas Mavericks, LeBron James is lying in his bed, in his mansion, looking to fall asleep.

Nearly one year earlier, James "annoyed" the basketball world and walked out on the city of Cleveland with his decision to join the Miami Heat.

LeBron went to Miami to win a championship but came up short and is now facing a slew of criticism for his failure to deliver in the big spots.

(A voice, like that of Rod Serling, begins to narrate)
"Here is LeBron James. He's rich and he's a superstar basketball player who is seeking that elusive championship ring. James has gone to sleep knowing that he just lost the NBA Finals to Dallas. At the sign post up ahead, the next stop, the Twilight Zone."

It's a bright sunny morning in Miami, Florida. The rays of the sun permeate the room as James gets up to begin his day.

It's the morning after LeBron's Heat team was defeated by the Dallas Mavericks in game six of the NBA Finals, or is it?

LeBron's radio alarm goes on and we hear "the Heat come up short once again".

"Come up short once again", LeBron mutters, "we only lost once".

LeBron turns the radio off, showers and heads outside where he meets some fans on the street who tell him, "tough loss last night but there's always next year".

"Yeah it was", James says to himself.

James goes out and drives to the convenience store where he notices the headline on the morning paper, "Ho Hum, Cleveland is Celebrating".

"Cleveland is Celebrating?". LeBron ponders the headline and says to himself, "I didn't realize losing to Dallas would have such an effect on Cleveland".

LeBron leaves the store and drives back to his Miami mansion.

LeBron caused quite a stir in Cleveland with his decision to leave and play for the Miami Heat, but he was surprised it got this far.

As LeBron pulls into his driveway, the radio is on and a sports report comes on where the broadcaster says, "Congratulations to the Cleveland Cavaliers".

"Congratulations to the Cleveland Cavaliers? Why is he saying that?". LeBron thinks that the city of Cleveland is ecstatic that he lost the Finals after he bolted the city last year.

As LeBron enters his mansion, a radio is playing and the announcer says, "Last night, the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Miami Heat in game six of the NBA Finals to win their fourth straight Championship. LeBron James is once again stymied in his attempt to win a title".

"This can't be", a shocked LeBron said.

The morning newspapers, that LeBron has delivered to his home, were still lying by the front door.

LeBron picked one up and was stunned to read the headline, "Cavs Win Again. Capture
4th Straight NBA Championship with six game win over Miami".

LeBron couldn't believe it. "We lost to Dallas, not Cleveland".

Hungry for more information, LeBron began to read the papers.

"The Cavs were led by their dynamic duo of Hakeem Raoul Bajar and Mitchell Jordann. Bajar, considered by many to be the greatest player in the history of the NBA, scored 43 pts and grabbed 22 rebounds in leading Cleveland. Jordann scored 35 and handed out 29 assists. As he's done in previous NBA Finals, LeBron dissapeared in the fourth quarter".

"This is unbelievable", uttered LeBron.

"In a twist of irony, James left Cleveland to give himself a better chance at winning a title, but the Cavs took Bajar with the first overall pick of the 2011 draft and selected Jordann with the fourth overall selection. Blajar and Jordann now have four rings while LeBron is still seeking his first".

"This has got to be a joke. Someone put this together to play with my head", said LeBron.

At this point, LeBron checked the date on the newspaper.

"June 13th, 2017"

Rod Serling voice chimes in once again.....

"LeBron James.....superstar basketball player.....seeking that elusive NBA Championship.....he makes 'The Decision'....LeBron's next stop, the Twilight Zone"

Deja Screw

2011-06-04T11:54:00.003-04:00

Once again, the Knicks are screwed.

For the past three years, things seemed to be on the up and up.

Noted basketball executive Donnie Walsh was brought in to clean up the mess that he inherited from Isiah Thomas. Walsh fired the Head Coach Thomas and then proceeded to overhaul the roster with the idea of getting under the salary cap.

Walsh accomplished this goal with intelligent and gutsy moves and has done everything that he said he would when he took over.

James Dolan has not done everything that he said he would do when Walsh took over, and now it's cost him a highly respected basketball executive.

Walsh was promised autonomy to run the franchise but that was dispelled when Dolan stepped in and took over the Carmelo Anthony trade discussions.

During his tenure as Knicks President, Walsh has had to endure the constant chatter of Thomas having Dolan's ear.

Dolan never totally dismissed Isiah as having input into the team and now that Walsh is out, Thomas' ability to input ideas into Dolan's feeble mind becomes an even bigger factor.

Dolan "lowballed" Walsh by offering an insulting 40% paycut. Most of the reports say that wasn't the main reason Walsh left, but it was a factor. Don't let the reports fool you, Dolan made that offer to insult Walsh and hasten his departure from the team.

The other major factor is Isiah.

Walsh fired Isiah but never really got rid of him, thanks to Dolan's blind loyalty.

Isiah was a "cancer" for the Knicks. He single handedly destroyed any credibility that the franchise had; he got involved in a sexual harassment lawsuit that terribly embarassed the Garden brand and has been nothing from trouble from the moment he arrived in NY.

When Thomas first came aboard, he ordered the MSG TV Network to cool it on the critiques of the team. That should've been a "red flag" for the trouble that was yet to come.

Dolan is gutless and it shows in his adverse reaction to any media types.

Dolan never speaks to the media because he's scared that he'll be exposed for the fraud that he is.

According to Frank Isola's article in today's NY Daily News, Dolan was upset that Walsh gave an interview to Mike Lupica (Dolan can't stand Lupica); and reamed him during a phone call.

Another item in Isola's article points out how Dolan looked to Walsh for losing out on LeBron James. "Privately, Dolan blamed Walsh, confined to a wheelchair following spine surgery last June, for losing James".

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith (who is shockingly back on the air) took the James episode to another level back in February when he sounded like a spokesman for Isiah. These quotes appeared in Bob Raissman's column in the February 22nd edition.....

"Personality is what matters once the money is not an issue," Smith said Sunday night on ESPN-1050. He said when Walsh met with LeBron James last summer, the King couldn't "relate to a 70-year old man in a wheelchair, wearing a neck brace.

"It's about relationships," Smith said. "Most young brothers don't have relationships with a 70-year-old executive. One's white. One's black. It's about personality. You need a big-time personality to relate (to these players)."

Those quotes sound just like the ones that Thomas whispered into Dolan's ear when the Knicks failed to land LeBron.

How do you think Walsh reacted when he read those quotes?

Isiah and Dolan are the only two (maybe Stephen A. is in that group also) who thought Thomas could make a difference when it came to LeBron. The bottom line is that, no matter who was running the Knicks, James was not coming here.

Its true that Thomas will never return as the Knicks President or General Manager, but he's still around and still has Dolan's ear and if you don't believe that, I've got a bridge to sell.

Don't sugarcoat this disastrous occurence by saying, "The Knicks have Anthony and Stoudemire so the future is bright".

I'll say this about Stoudemire. He had a tremendous impact on the Knicks in his first year and probably set the table for the acquisition of Anthony, (Do you think Carmelo comes here if Amare is not here?) but here's my prediction.

The Knicks got the max out of Stoudemire in his first year and will not get any better for the remaining length of his contract. That is not a criticism, that is merely a belief that Stoudemire's health will suffer throughout the remainder of his deal.

Hopefully, that doesn't happen. As I reiterated, it's only my opinion but what has happened is that Donnie Walsh is gone and somehow, Isiah is still around.

The Garden is undergoing a massive renovation. Too bad it doesn't extend to the Knicks ownership.

Get ready for more misery Knick fans. No matter how they slice it, Isiah is back

Manager Deserves Some Blame for Colon Meltdown

2011-05-24T13:52:00.006-04:00

If you missed last night's Yankees/Blue Jays game and you're reading the accounts of the game, you're being led to believe that Bartolo Colon collapsed when he gave up five runs in the sixth inning to power Toronto to a 7-3 win.

Joe Girardi deserves some of the blame for Colon's poor inning because his strategical maneuvers threw the portly righthander off his rhythm.

Colon was pitching great for the first five innings but he made a bad pitch on Corey Patterson who led off with a double to right-center field.

With Jose Bautista (who had already homered off Colon) due up and an open base, Girardi intentionally walked the Major League's leading homerun hitter.

You can't argue with that move, but to be frank here, I would've taken a chance and see if you could get Bautista to swing at a bad pitch out of the zone.

I would argue with what happened after that, and I'm not second-guessing because I don't play that game. I didn't like this move from the start.

Yunel Escobar sacrificed the runners to second and third which brought .228 hitter Juan Rivera to the plate.

Girardi tells Colon to intentionally walk Rivera to set up the double play.

A second intentional walk in one inning can throw off a pitcher's rhythm, that's why you don't have a pitcher, who is just entering a game, intentionally walk the first batter he faces. The pitcher, who is already in the game, issues the intentional pass before the reliever comes in.

Consider what happened next.

The first pitch to Aaron Hill was a single to left to score the go ahead run. Colon then walks rookie Eric Thames (who has all of 5 days of ML service) on four pitches to force in a run.

J.P. Arencibia clears the bases with a double to make it 6-1.

Colon then strikes out Edwin Encarnacion and gets Rajai Davis on a soft comebacker to the mound.

Did Colon suddenly find his rhythm after the Arencibia double?

Girardi has done this kind of stuff before.

In 2008, Girardi's first season, the Yankees were hosting the Reds. Mike Mussina was on the mound. The game was tied at one in the top of the fifth when the Reds had a runner on third and one out. Mussina got Paul Bako on a grounder to second with the runner holding at third. Rookie OF Jay Bruce was up next with shortstop Jolbert Cabrera, a more experienced hitter, in the hole.

At the time, Bruce was in the bigs less than a month, yet Girardi ordered Mussina to intentionally walk the rook.

I know that Bruce is a left handed hitter, but he was a rookie and had not faced Mussina before that night.

Cabrera doubled in two and scored on Ken Griffey Jr's single, and the Reds went on to a 4-1 win.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me

Jose Reyes Holds Himself Back From Being Great

2011-05-05T19:47:00.006-04:00

Mets SS Jose Reyes is off to a great start, but there's an underlying current of immaturity that still clouds his ability to play to his potential.

Reyes is hitting .313, he's scored 19 runs and a third of his 42 hits have been for extra bases including 10 doubles and 3 triples. Reyes OBP is .363 and his slugging pct. is .455.

Impressive numbers to say the least, but beyond the numbers, there are still some negative intangibles that hamper Reyes from being a great player.

In the top of the 5th of yesterday's 5-2 win over the Giants, Nate Schierholtz hit a slow grounder towards Reyes, who was playing pretty deep at short for a left handed hitter. Reyes didn't charge the ball which resulted in him having to uncork a throw that went off Ike Davis' glove at first and allowed Schierholtz to take second.

In the previous inning, Reyes was called out on strikes and showed his disdain for the call by having a little "temper tantrum" on the field before he took his position.

Mets broadcaster Howie Rose has harped on this point before, saying Reyes sometimes takes his frustrations out on the field, and maybe, that's what happened.

This is just one example of why Reyes may never live up to his full potential.

In the past, it's been a health issue, but these little mistakes have also plagued him throughout his career.

Reyes has tremendous ability both at the bat and in the field, but he sometimes allows those talents to camouflage his lack of a fundamental approach to the game.

Reyes rarely charges a ball at short, instead he relies on his arm and yesterday, it burned him. It didn't help that he had Luis Castillo on his left for a few years, because Castillo did some of the same things that rubbed off on Reyes.

It's not just defensively where Reyes can have these "lapses".

Consider what went on in a 4-3 loss to the Astros earlier this season.

In the bottom of the ninth, Reyes led off with a single and was the tying run on first. Josh Thole tried to sacrifice but popped it up in the air. Reyes was late getting back to first and was doubled off, which killed the rally. There's no reason to get caught off first like that.

That wasn't the only mistake of the game for Reyes. Another one went unnoticed because nothing happened on the play.

It was the bottom of the first and Reyes was on second with one out after having stolen the bag. David Wright was batting and worked the count full. Remember, it's one out and Reyes is not forced, with Wright at the plate, who can be a "strike out machine" at times. Reyes took off for third on the 3-2 pitch but Wright fouled it off. On the next 3-2 pitch, Reyes stood still at second.

Staying back on routine grounders and relying on his arm, bad base running plays, these are just some of the flaws in Reyes' game that have never improved.

In the opening game against the Giants, Reyes was the tying run on first but never tried to steal second against SF's closer Brian Wilson to get himself in scoring position.

No matter how many stolen bases, no matter how good he is offensively, if Reyes does not "polish up his act", then he will never be the great player that many expect him to be.

Bitten By the EEL Once Again

2011-04-21T00:17:00.004-04:00

Twelve minutes and thirty six seconds of hockey, that's 12:36 if you're keeping a score sheet.

If you're a Ranger fan, you got zapped by the "EEL" (Eventual Emotional Letdown) once again

I had just finished keeping score at CitiField, working the Mets/Astros game when I got bit by the "EEL".

All I needed to see was the second overtime. 12 minutes and 36 seconds of hockey was all it took for the "EEL" that comes with rooting for the Rangers.

Not only do they lose this key playoff game in double-overtime, they blow a 3-0, third period lead to set themselves up for an "EEL".

Throughout their history, losses like this have been the norm, not the exception.

The 1994 Stanley Cup Championship was like a blip on the Rangers history radar screen. (I still pinch myself and make sure that banner is still hanging at the Garden)

I felt all along that the power play was the key. The Rangers had to cash in on opportunities and they're 1 for 18 with the man advantage in this series, a number that you cannot ignore.

You can only get so far with grit and great goaltending, you have to score goals and the Rangers have had problems putting the puck in the net all year long.

There's no questioning the heart and the character of this team, but they come up short on the talent end of the stick.

Melo Needs to Prove He's A Winning Player

2011-04-19T14:31:00.003-04:00

Following the Knicks two point loss to the Celtics in game one, some of the post game analysis that was orated:

"Carmelo could've taken a better shot at the end", "why didn't Stoudemire get the ball when he was a dominant force on offense" and "why wasn't Landry Fields on the floor in the second half after he did a good job defending Ray Allen".

Sound like familiar refrains?

During their six game losing skid in March, that's exactly what was happening, except no one noticed.

All you heard and still continue to hear is that the Knicks have only been together a short time. That short time has already extended into a tenure.

We all know Carmelo Anthony is a great scorer, but is he a great player? A great player would've found a way to, at the very least, get off a better shot with time running out.

A great player would've found a way to acquiesce to a teammate who was having a better night. Think back to Micheal Jordan's "double-nickel" game against the Knicks. Jordan scored 55 points that night, yet he passed to Bill Wennington for the winning bucket to beat the Knicks in the waning seconds at the Garden that night.

Let's be real. Carmelo hogs the ball. That's fine when he's scoring and having a good game. It's the times that he's not having a good game where his decision making comes into question.

Stoudemire was their best offensive player in game one and deserved to have the ball at the end. Don't give me this "the Celtics played good defense on him in the fourth quarter".

If you look at the final possession, Stoudemire was on the left side and had screens in front of him. All he had to do was move back and he would've been open, but Anthony decided to launch his shot instead.

The Knicks could've found a way to get "Stats" open. Part of this is coaching but that's for another day.

I know Landry Fields is not a lock for the Basketball Hall of Fame, but ever since Carmelo arrived, his game has gone backwards.

The Knicks basically asked Fields to make a change in mid-stream. After playing 50+ games in one system, Fields has had to learn another style on the fly, thus you have a kid who's game has gone in reverse.

Fields minutes immediately went down and now he's not attacking the basket for offensive boards and put-backs as he did in the games before Anthony arrived. I think Fields is intimidated by Anthony's presence and has become tentative because of it.

I'm not saying the Knicks should not have made this trade, but with all things being equal, you wonder if the "pre-Carmelo" Knicks would've had a better outcome.

Remember the game in December when the Knicks played the Celtics "toe to toe" and lost because Paul Pierce made a big shot and Stoudemire just missed beating the buzzer. Who was on the court that night for the Knicks?

'Melo doesn't know what he's in for if he doesn't perform well in these playoffs. The honeymoon with the fans will be over and then he'll know what its really like to play in New York

Shades of Jean Ratelle

2011-04-05T15:11:00.002-04:00

If you've been a Ranger fan as long as I have, you knew something bad had to happen.

It was going too good. The Rangers were playing well at the right time of the season and even though they have not clinched a playoff spot, things were looking up for the Broadway Blueshirts.

This 2010-2011 gritty and gutsy edition of the NY Rangers succumbed to their checkered past when Ryan Callahan (the Captain to be) broke his ankle late in last night's stirring 4-3 come from behind win over the Bruins.

Callahan was one of two players (Henrik Lundqvist the other) that the Rangers could least afford to lose.

After blocking a Kris Letang shot back in December that broke his hand, Callahan missed 19 games and the Rangers were a totally different team without him.

To lose him now is a crushing blow but one that Ranger fans have been used to for years.

Go back to March of 1972.

The Rangers had their GAG (goal a game) line of wingers Vic Hadfield and Rod Gilbert and the center was Jean Ratelle who was having his best year as a Ranger.

That line led a team that was a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, but Ratelle broke his ankle in March and was never the same. He returned for the playoffs but was not the same offensive force he was before the injury and the Rangers lost to the Bruins in the 1972 Finals.

Eerily similar is this Callahan injury.

Despite their grit and their hard work ethic, Callahan is the "heart and soul" of this Ranger team and his loss will be felt bigtime.

Mets 162-0

2011-03-29T15:26:00.002-04:00

My brand new book is out. "Mets 162-0, Imagine A Season Where They Never Lose", published by Triumph Books is in stores and available on line.

I've also got a Facebook and Twitter page dedicated to the book, so please check it out. On each page, we're giving away a copy of the book to the 100th follower.

If you're a Met fan or if you're just a baseball fan and love to read about games of the past, you will love this book.

Check it out and N-Joy the read.

"Mets 162-0"

Montero Behind the Plate Not Catching On

2011-03-25T15:00:00.005-04:00

The Yankees should abandon the idea that Jesus Montero can develop into a serviceable, defensive Major League catcher and try to find another position for him.

Montero swung the bat well in the early part of the spring and defensively, he was showing progress. Since his defense has literally gone south, his hitting has followed.

It's obvious that he's taking his defense into his at-bats, because if you have any kind of an eye for baseball talent, this kid could be some kind of big league hitter.

If I'm the Yankees, I try and find another spot for Montero.

I know the Yankees are blocked at certain positions that he could possibly adapt to, but I would try him in the outfield and I would do it now.

You could try him as a corner infielder, as the Yankees are short on outfielders on the big league roster, while being a little thin in their farm system at that spot.

Why not try Montero in a corner outfield spot?

Some baseball officials say Montero's defensive liabilities as a catcher is limiting his trade value.

If that's the case, another argument for a position change.

Montero is going to be sent back to the minors and the Yankees will keep trying to duplicate what they've had with Jorge Posada the past 15 seasons.

For this kid's own good, and, more important, for the team's best interests, a move from behind the plate should be seriously considered.

Courtside Observations

2011-03-24T16:52:00.004-04:00

Last night, I was the statistician for Orlando T-V, so I sat courtside for the Knicks/Magic game. Here are some observations, take them for what they're worth...

Its becoming increasingly apparent that Chauncey Billups is playing "very old" these days. The veteran guard made some terrible decisions down the stretch, took some bad shots and cannot guard anyone with quickness like Jameer Nelson.

To me, Toney Douglas should be the starter and Billups should come off the bench.

The bottom line is that the Knicks functioned better on offense with Raymond Felton than they're doing with Billups.

Speaking of the Head Coach, it surely looked like Mike D'Antoni seemed very disinterested, especially in the fourth quarter after the Knicks lost the lead. There was no fire from him on the bench, he just sat there and seemed to accept the loss.

The Knicks took their cue and also looked lost at that point.

David Steele and former NBA'er Matt Guokas both made the comment on their broadcast that the Knicks body language was indicating that they were beat.

The Knicks lack of height and presence in the middle is really costing them against the better teams. They can't out-rebound most teams and they're giving up too many second chance points.

There were times when they played very good defense on Orlando, only to see a shot missed and the Magic get the offensive rebound and eventually score off the added possession.

Once again, the mystery of Landry Fields continues to rear its ugly head. Fields started off fast and was the best player on the floor for the Knicks in the first quarter, yet D'Antoni pulls him with a little over three minutes left.

I was sitting next to Walt Frazier, who was doing the MSG Broadcast, and he questioned the wisdom of taking out Fields during his commentary.

Before the trade, there were 14 games that Fields had ten or more rebounds and was averaging 7.1 rebounds/game. Since the trade, he's had only one and is averaging 5 rebounds/game in that time.

Fields was nowhere to be found in the fourth quarter and now there are some "experts" out there who are saying that he's hit a "rookie wall" and that the Knicks should've traded him.

Amare Stoudemire had his worst game as a Knick. After the game, D'Antoni said "he (Amare) was tired". If that was the case, why did he keep Anthony on the bench for the first four and a half minutes of the fourth quarter when the game was getting away from them.

There were some positives:
It looked like Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire actually "meshed" a little more than they have been down the stretch. Anthony looked to pass the ball and set up Stoudemire for some inside shots.

Lack of height and backcourt play are the two biggest issues at this point of the season. The Knicks won't be able to get a rebounder or inside presence this year, but they can change the guard rotation.

I'm not calling for D'Antoni's dismissal, but you get the feeling that if the Knicks collapse and fall out of the playoffs, there could be a change at the Head Coaching position.

I wouldn't be shocked, and this is just an opinion, that D'Antoni is so fed up with how these changes went down, that he may walk away from his deal with a year remaining on the contract.

Don't forget, the Lakers will need a Head Coach after this season. Does anyone else see a connection?