ChiSox Top Yanks, 9-4 posted by richard Kagan

The Chicago White Sox scored in bunches to put away the New York Yankees 9-4 on Friday night in Chicago.  The Sox put up two 4 run innings to take control of the game.

The White Sox came out early and scored 4 runs in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by A.J. Pierzynski's double which scored two runs.  The Sox also got a nice performance from pitcher Freddy Garcia (11-5) who kept the Yanks off balance all night.  Garcia went 7 innings and ate up some innings.  The bullpen has been battered, and reliever E. Threets possibly re-injured himself and had to be taken out of the game.  Both Matt Thornton and JJ Putz are on the DL.

The Sox needed this win badly.  Tomorrow they face C.C. Sabathia, one of the best starting pitchers in the league.

John Danks (12-8) is scheduled to pitch for the Sox who need a great outing from him tomorrow.  If the Sox are going to stay in this AL Central chase, they need to continue to win games.  And, even though Sabathia is the mound, the White Sox need to show that they will find a way to get to him and make him throw a lot of pitches.  The more pitches he throws, the greater a chance to make a mistake on a pitch.

Buyer or Seller? posted by David

With the Dog Days of August about to begin, now is the time for teams to decide whether they are buyers or sellers – that is, whether they should mortgage their future and go for it this year or trade away their veterans for up-and-coming prospects.  “Going for it” says to a team’s fans that the organization thinks it has a legitimate chance to win it all, but a more conservative approach can send just as strong a message.  While a middle-of-the-pack team may have to acknowledge that this isn’t the year, going out and building for the future – as long as it is not the distant future – can usually be taken to mean that the front office is willing to sacrifice an outside shot at the playoffs in order to increase its chances of winning in the long term.  Buyer or seller, every GM will be busy until tomorrow’s trade deadline.

How ‘bout that?

How about Buster Posey?  The 22-year-old rookie has been on fire since taking over as the Giants’ starting catcher when Bengie Molina was traded to the Rangers.  Though his 21-game hitting streak came to an end on Thursday, Posey has helped San Francisco go 17-8 in the month of July, in the process taking the lead in the Wild Card race.  It won’t be easy to edge Jason Heyward and Stephen Strasburg, but Posey has a legitimate chance to claim the National League Rookie of the Year award.

How about José Bautista?  Bautista leads the power-happy Blue Jays with 75 RBI and a .585 slugging percentage (teammate Vernon Wells, who is second, has driven in 55 and slugged .515), but more impressively, leads the majors in homers.  The journeyman played for Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh before finding a home in Toronto, and while he has always shown some pop, the Dominican native’s previous career highs were 16 homers (2006), 63 RBI (2007), and a .420 slugging percentage (2006).

A-Rod On The Verge for 600th HR posted by richard Kagan

Alex Rodriguez of the NY Yankees is a great home run hitter. Period.  Ok, he used performance enhancing drugs when he played for Texas 8 or 9 years ago.  Well, a lot of time has passed since then, and A-Rod is still hitting Homers.  He will hit his 600th possibly today at home.  If not today, maybe tomorrow.  But he will hit it.  And,  some years down the line, he will be on the verge of hitting his 700th.  If he is clean, he is randomly tested by MLB, he should be given a pass. 

People should know that this is one great slugger.  He has predetermined ability to hit the ball out of the park. He hits big homers in big spots for the Yanks.  You need a slam, call A-Rod, you need to tie the game in the late innings, bring up A-Rod.  The fans, have finally embraced him. 

The rivalry with Derek Jeter is over.  They both respect each other.  Most likely, both will make the Hall of Fame, I suspect Jeter will make it on the first ballot.  But we're jumping ahead of ourselves.

A-Rod will be the youngest player to reach the 600 milestone.  He may be the the youngest to reach 700.  People should know that he will be chasing big numbers for the rest of his career.  It is time for the fans and media to get used to it.

Valiant Jew loses crown to Puerto Rican icon in the Bronx posted by Colin Linneweber

In a fight marred with controversy, Puerto Rican icon Miguel “Junito” Cotto defeated aspiring rabbi Yuri Foreman by a ninth-round TKO to capture the WBA super welterweight crown Saturday night at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. 

Cotto (35-2, 28 KOs) was extremely aggressive and he dominated the lanky Foreman (28-1, 8 KOs) from the outset of the bout.  In the seventh round, Foreman slipped and badly twisted his right knee. 

“I will need surgery and I don’t know yet how big it is,” said Foreman, 29, who tore his meniscus and stretched numerous knee ligaments when he fell to the canvas. “I feel OK.” 

Despite Foreman’s severe wound, referee Arthur Mercante Jr. insisted that the fight continue and he even boldly disregarded a towel that was thrown into the ring by one of the Israeli’s cornermen to halt the bout.  

As evidenced by his paltry knockout ratio, Foreman could not hurt the immortal Glass Joe.  

Foreman relies heavily on his speed and defense and, once he injured his wheel, he was essentially a lamb to the slaughter going to combat with Cotto. 

Courageously, Foreman decided to continue fighting regardless that his agility at that point rivaled John Goodman’s. 

However, Cotto landed a vicious body shot in the ninth round that crippled Foreman and caused Mercante to mercifully cease the pummeling. 

Prior to the match billed as the “Stadium Slugfest,” many fans and analysts considered Cotto to be a broken commodity. 

Junior hangs 'em up posted by David

Though it was overshadowed by Armando Galarraga’s nearly perfect game, Ken Griffey Jr. announced his retirement on Wednesday, marking the end of a historic career.  Griffey’s various injuries over the last 10 years prevented him from breaking the all-time home run record, but The Kid will still go down as one of the very best of his era.  He was a 13-time All-Star (including 11 in a row) and totaled 2,781 career hits, 630 homers (good for 5th all-time) and 1836 Runs Batted In.  He won 7 Silver Sluggers and an MVP Award, and his 10 Gold Gloves tie him for third-most among outfielders; he won them in consecutive years.  Known for his sweet swing, tremendous defense in center field, and contagious smile, Griffey will take his place in Cooperstown before we know it.

How ‘bout that?

How about Justin Morneau?  The Twins’ first baseman is hitting .369 – over 100 points higher than he hit in 2009.  In addition to his improved batting average, Morneau’s slugging percentage of .674 is second in the majors to Miguel Cabrera’s .684.  Though his power numbers are better away from home (10 out of 12 home runs on the road), Morneau has fared well at Target Field, compiling a line of .378/.517/.567 in Minnesota’s brand-new open-air stadium.  Along with teammate Joe Mauer, Morneau is a major reason the Twins lead the AL Central by two and a half games over the Tigers.

How about Robinson Cano?  The Yankees’ second baseman is leading the big leagues with a .373 batting average, has 43 RBIs (third in the majors) and 30 extra-base hits (tied for fifth in the bigs), and is slugging an outstanding .632 (also third in MLB).  With Mark Teixeira struggling at the plate with a .220 batting average and A-Rod off to a slower start than usual, Cano has been the heart of the Yankee lineup, helping the Bronx Bombers lead the majors with a .288 average.  (The next-closest is Kansas City at .276.)

Puerto Rican icon will trump Jewish champ at “The House that Derek Jeter built” posted by Colin Linneweber

WBA super welterweight champion Yuri Foreman and former WBO welterweight titlist Miguel Cotto will fight Saturday at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. 

Cotto (34-2, 27 KOs) last fought on November 14 when he relinquished his belt to Manny Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs) by a brutal 12th round TKO. 

On the undercard of the Pacquiao versus Cotto contest, Foreman (28-0, 8 KOs) defeated Daniel Santos (32-4-1-1, 38 KOs) by a unanimous decision to become Israel’s first ever world boxing champion. 

Foreman, 29, an aspiring rabbi who won the New York Golden Gloves in 2001, was once considered as a potential opponent for Pacquiao after the WBO champion’s proposed matchup with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (41-0, 25 KOs) deteriorated earlier this year. 

However, Pacquiao rejected and his trainer, Dedham’s Freddie Roach, rejected the offer mainly because Foreman, at 5’11”, is quite tall for a welterweight. 

“Foreman is a solid boxer,” said Brad Sherwood, 29, a personal trainer at Gold’s Gym in Medford, Mass. “He is way taller than Cotto and Cotto has been through so many wars that he is old for a 29-year-old. But, I still think Cotto will win because he is such a powerful warrior. I would take Cotto by a stoppage in the later rounds.” 

As evidenced by his paltry knockout percentage, Foreman does not possess tremendous power in either of his fists. 

Still, Foreman is a tactician in the ring and his height has posed problems for his opponents in the past. 

Foreman, who is three years into a program to become a religious leader, was born in Gomel, Belarus. 

Papelbon needs more coffee posted by Joe Franciosa, Jr.

I don't remember if it was Garciaparra or Boone who jinxed Pap with one of those, "A mistake over the plate could tie the game" comments, but as soon as they said it, I knew the next pitch was going out of the yard.

 Pap, you either need to do less commercials and work on restoring your arm strength... -94 mph fastballs just don't cut it against the Yankees- or you need to have that cannon from your commercial surgically attached permanently.

 Dice-man... your ERA is now above 7. Do you think you could maybe pitch past the first inning without giving up 4 or 5 runs? Starting you every fifth day is more of a gamble than Wake's knuckleball fluttering or not that day.

 I don't know what to say about this team right now. They've got heart. That's obvious. Just the same, they also find new ways to lose every day. When the pitching is good, the offense is attrocious. When the pitching is bad, and the offense picks up the slack, the bull pen goes and completely cuts the line. Every time we think the Sox have figured things out and are hitting their stride, they lose a game they should have won, and proceed to lose the next two or three as if for good measure. That's not good. That's horrible. That's ridiculous. I know its early, but by the end of May the Sox could be Double Digits out of the Wild Card, nevermind 1st place.

 The season is 1/4 the way over. Remember the Rays, Yankees, Red Sox mantra I kept repeating? Well now its Rays, Yankees, Blue Jays! Red Sox... I swear to the baseball gods that if the Orioles pass the Sox at any point this season, I will write hate mail to every Sox pitcher with an ERA above 5.00, and every batter with an average below .250

Farewell to a pair of the game's greats posted by David

The game of baseball lost two old-timers this week, as beloved Tigers broadcaster Ernie Harwell passed away at the age of 92 and Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts died at 83.

Harwell is best known for his 42 years broadcasting Tiger games, but before his career in Detroit, Harwell made history.  For this, I turn to wikipedia: In 1948, Harwell became the only announcer in baseball history to be traded for a player when the Brooklyn Dodgers' general manager, Branch Rickey, traded catcher Cliff Dapper to the Crackers in exchange for breaking Harwell's broadcasting contract.

In 1981, Harwell became the fifth broadcaster to receive the Ford C. Frick Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame.  Harwell was inducted into The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 1989, and in 1998, he was elected to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame as well as the Radio Hall of Fame.  “The Voice of the Tigers” retired after the 2002 season.

Roberts spent the bulk of his career with the Phillies.  His best full season came in 1952, when he led the majors with 28 wins, 30 complete games, and 330 innings pitched, all of which would be considered absurd numbers in today’s game.  He won 20 games six years in a row, throwing 300 innings in each of those seasons as well.  Though he was a seven-time All-Star, Roberts never won a Cy Young Award, as the award was introduced in 1956, just after the peak of Roberts’s career.  He finished with 286 wins, 305 complete games, 2,357 strikeouts, and a 3.41 ERA.  Roberts also holds the record for surrendering the most home runs in major league history, with 505.  Jamie Moyer – still pitching (for the Phillies, no less) at age 47 – has allowed 498 and could pass Roberts some time this season.

The Tri-fecta, the Trinity, TGIF for Boston Sports. posted by Joe Franciosa, Jr.

Red Sox vs. Yankees. Celtics vs. Cavaliers in game 3 of a 1-1 series. Bruins vs. Flyers in possible series sweep.

There are so many story lines for this Friday night in Boston Sports.

Red Sox: You just swept the Angels. The Angels have problems of their own, being staked to a 4-0 lead after the ist inning thanks to the Dice-man's proclivity to gamble on his pitches. I understand that the Japanese strike-zone is different than MLB...but Dice-dude, you've been here 3 years now. I know you can speak English. You have to at least understand it, or else what exactly is V-mart and his own heavy accent conveying to you when he goes to chat on the mound after you walk 3 straight? What does John Farrell say while the umpire walks all the way out to the mound to break the conversation up. That's always a great way to get on the Ump's good side. Throw a ton of balls, and then make the Ump actually walk the 60'6" to the pitchers mound. In any event, the Sox offense again came up huge. The Angels certainly helped, but at this point we'll take whatever help we can get. On a 4 game win-streak, Bring on the Yankees!

Celtics: You have the momentum. Keep it. Don't come out flat. Don't wait for the crowd to get you going. Get the crowd going and you'll get yourselves further into the play-offs. The Cav's think they have the experience and the talent to finally get Lebron a ring. If Lebron is at 80%, and the rest of his team can't pick up any of that other 20%, do they really deserve to advance? Celtic basketball is better than Cavalier basketball. Enough said.

Will The New York Yankees Win The 2010 World Series? posted by john smaltzos

Will The New York Yankees Win the 2010 World Series?
  YES
  NO
  
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