Who's Your Daddy?

Later tonight, the Yankees will try to rebound from Game 1's drubbing. Thankfully, mercifully, Cliff Lee is not pitching for the Phillies. In his place steps Pedro Martinez, the former face, arm, mouth and jheri curl of the Boston Red Sox. There was a time, back in the late 90s and early 2000s, when Pedro, one of the greatest pitching talents of all time, terrified Yankee fans and silenced Yankee bats. In 1999, during his heyday, Pedro struck out 17 Yankees in a dominating one-hitter at the old Yankee Stadium, before out pitching Roger Clemens in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.

As dominating as Pedro could be, his stellar performances weren’t why Yankee fans—and many members of those Yankee teams-- disliked, even hated, Pedro. When Pedro wasn’t blowing fastballs past the Yankees, he was throwing at them. In 2003, for instance, he hit Derek Jeter and, in that same game, Alfonso Soriano, sending both infielders to the hospital. And, of course, later that same year, during the 2003 ALCS, he tossed 72-year-old bench coach Don Zimmer to the ground during a benches-clearing brawl, which started after Pedro hit Karim Garcia in the shoulder.

Pedro was never well liked in New York. 

Never one to shy away from the spotlight, Pedro embraced the role of villain. At times, he even fed off of it. He seemed, at least to this fan, as if he were born to wear the black hat and, in this particular case, the red socks.

More often than not, though, the Yankees usually got the best of Pedro—particularly when it mattered most. Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS, for instance. In 37 career games against the Yankees, including postseason play, Pedro is a rather pedestrian 12-13, with 12 no-decisions. Not exactly overwhelming. After one rough outing against the Bombers in 2004, Pedro famously lamented, “I just tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddy.”  

But that was all a long time ago. That Pedro is gone. He no longer exists. His fastball, once thrown in the mid-to-high 90s, now stalls around 85, and his curveball and change aren't nearly as sharp as they once were. Instead of power and intimidation, Pedro today gets by with guile, nerve and junk, really.

This is not to say, however, that Pedro can’t win tonight. Earlier this month, he pitched a gem against the Dodgers in the National League Division Series, and maybe Pedro makes the most of his final game against the Yankees. Maybe we’re all in store for an encore performance. Vintage Pedro.

I doubt it, though. Pedro hasn’t face an American League line up in more than a year, and this Yankees team is ready to take out last night’s frustrations on the team’s former nemesis. Even if the pitcher formerly known as Pedro is no longer worthy of the role.

BEN:

I wish I had time to say more about this one before Pedro goes to the mound; but we can revisit it after the game has been played. I feel sure it will be an entertaining one. Pedro pitched inside and hit a lot of players in his day; that was part of his strategy, just as part of Jeter's is to crowd the plate. There has been plenty of bad blood on both sides of this rivalry, and while the Zimmer fight was not exactly a proud moment for the Red Sox, let's also remember that the Yankees horse in that particular race, Roger Clemens, was less than a class act. I would also add that Herr Zimmer, geriatric though he may have been, was physically attacking a player and yelling obscenities about his family. I'm not saying it gave Pedro the right to fight back, but he did have to do *something*.

In that peak year of 1999, Pedro was the greatest pitcher I've ever seen toe the rubber. I am proud to have attended some of his thrilling performances, including a 16-strikeout masterpiece at Fenway that June. The fact that he fed off the rivalry and didn't mind pissing off the enemy fans never bothered me--I didn't think he was a bad guy, just a fiery competitor. So what if he hit a few batters? So did Bob Gibson. And, by the way, let the record show that Pedro did not hit Soriano in that 2003 game, which took place on July 7th; and that Jeter was back in the lineup on July 9th; and that he pinch-hit in the only game in between. Somehow, life went on.

The pressure in tonight's game is really on the Yankees, who are down 1-0 in the series after a truly incredible performance last night from Cliff Lee. I think Pedro will be a solid option for them, and has the chance to pitch well; but the most crucial issue for New York will be controlling the erratic AJ Burnett, who has a pretty nasty lineup to deal with himself.

MILES:

Truth be told, I always liked Pedro. Talented, entertaining and provocative, he made the game that much more exciting to watch. And he gave the Sox-Yanks rivalry an edge. Sure, he was arrogant, but that's why it was so much fun to play him. As a fan, I always knew he would bring it, and the Yankees would have to play nearly flawless baseball to best him. Fortunately, more often than not, they usually did. 

I have to admit, I was wrong. Pedro pitched great last night. I really didn't think he had it in him. Granted, his performance last night was more Joe Saunders than Pedro, circa 1999, but he gave the Phillies a chance to win the game, even if it fell apart for him in the 7th, one inning longer than he should have pitched. Thank you, Charlie Manuel. 

If things had been different last night, say had the Yankees been up three runs in the 7th, I like to think Yankee fans would have given Pedro a standing ovation after Manuel finally came out to take the ball. His exit, though, in the middle of a very close game, happened almost too quickly to notice. That's a shame. Although Pedro was never our favorite opponent, he certainly was one of the best.  And he probably deserved our best on his way out.   

BEN:

I appreciate the gentlemanly spirit. Sadly, this video confirms that Pedro was booed when he got pulled last night. The silver lining: he clearly enjoyed it.

Green Machine

The Celtics and Cavs kicked off the season for America's third best sports league last night, a rematch of the Eastern Conference finals that didn't wind up actually happening last year. The C's got a nice road win in Cleveland, an important positive sign for a team that was starting to look a bit washed-up last season. It was especially encouraging given today's negative press around Glen "Big, Huge Baby" Davis and his physical and emotional maladies.

Much-wondered-about forward Kevin Garnett turned in a solid performance, helping allay the fears of many fans, and the Celtics also got good nights from their other go-to players: Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, and Rasheed Wallace. All of this is good news, but, truth be told, the main occasion for this post is to announce to the reading public the first-ever official You're Wrong About Everything sports bet: Danilo Gallinari's scoring average.

Your editors have discussed the matter and agreed on an over/under for the New York Knick superstar-in-waiting. So, here it is: if Gallinari scores more than 16 points per game this year, I lose the bet. If he scores less, I win. We'll keep you posted on how it's going.

Miles, anything to add here? It's just a $20 bet--until we got our sponsors lined up here, all stakes will remain modest--but it's about pride. What specifically I'm going to take pride in is TBD; but I'm sure we can argue enough that this will all feel important.

I might as well mention here that I chose this bet because the Knicks continue to be dramatically worse than the Celtics, and this seemed like a pretty decent way to level the playing field. Hey, I aim to please.

MILES:

Hell yes. Danilo Gallinari better produce, otherwise it's going to be another long, disappointing season for the Knickerbockers, their ninth consecutive craptastic season. This is a crucial year for the Knicks. Although their chances of making the playoffs are slim, the team's core players--Gallo, Wilson Chandler, David Lee, Jordan Hill and Toney Douglas--need to prove to the rest of the league that they can play. If they don't, Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni are going to have one hell of time convincing LeBron or any other free agents to sign with them. Maybe Rajon Rondo will still be available. 

My guess is, before the end of the season, Walsh will trade Nate Robinson to a playoff-contending team in need of some scoring off the bench. Maybe the Suns or the Mavericks? That's the only way, at least as far as I can see, of getting back a draft pick, which Isiah very generously included in the misbegotten trade that brought Stephon Marbury home to the Garden.  

As for the Celtics, they looked good last night. But one question kept springing to mind: When did Rasheed Wallace start resembling Cornel West?  

MILES:

We'll, I guess we're off to a good start. The Rooster finished with 22 in last night's disheartening loss to the Miami Heat. 

Yankees Win 40th Pennant

This never gets old. 

Yankees 3, Girardi 2

So twittered Sports Illustrated's Jimmy Traina at the end of last night's surprising Yankee loss in Anaheim.

Yankees Manager Joe Girardi, who continues to not win over any fans in his 2nd year on the job, has been justly criticized for costing his team a victory in Game 3 of the ALCS. In a high-impact situation, he removed an effective reliever for no readily apparent reason, and replaced him with someone who instantly gave up the game-winning run.

Last night's misadventures were less clear-cut. Girardi is taking heat for sticking with his starter, A.J. Burnett, who was coming off five consecutive scoreless innings and hadn't thrown too many pitches. On the other hand, it was the 7th inning, and Girardi had a fully stocked bullpen to rely on, and Burnett had been on the bench a while. TV announcers Tim McCarver and Joe Buck questioned the decision immediately, and looked wiser when Burnett proceeded to give up a single and a walk before exiting the game. I'd classify this as a 50/50 decision, and there are no guarantees that starting the inning with another pitcher would've yielded a better result.

His next move, however, was to hand the ball to a situational lefty, and there was a best and obvious choice: Phil Coke. He had been the team's #1 lefty all season long, and had checked in with an ERA around 4.50 for the season. But Girardi instead chose Damaso Marte, whose ERA during the season was 9.45. Less attention has been paid this morning to that call, since Marte managed to get two outs (one a sacrifice bunt) before Phil Hughes gave up the game-turning hits.

Bringing in Marte, though, is a continuation of something we Bostonians have seen from the happily-behind-us days of Jimy Williams and Grady Little: a maneuver that goes against prevailing wisdom for no readily identifiable reason. There are aggressive managers, like Tampa Bay's Joe Maddon, who make moves that buck convention, for a reason. But Girardi's odd habits with shuffling his lineup and his curious management of his pitching staff make very little sense, even to observers more charitable than I.

There are at least seven MLB managers from whom you never see this type of behavior: Tony La Russa, Jim Tracy, Charlie Manuel, Joe Torre, Terry Francona, Mike Scioscia, and Ron Gardenhire--the managers of the other playoff teams. I would go so far as to say that Girardi is clearly the worst manager in this year's playoffs. Et tu?

MILES:

Girardi's made some very questionable and infuriating decisions with his relievers. However, in last night's game, everybody's favorite manager Mike Scioscia made two dubious decisions that could have (should have, really) cost his team the American League pennant: 1.) Removing a dominant John Lackey in favor of the less effective Darren Oliver, who quickly gave up a bases-clearing triple to the now-right-handed Mark Teixeira, and 2.) Taking out Jered Weaver, who blew through the Yankees in the 8th, in favor of Brian Fuentes, the Angels' ersatz closer, who did everything in his power to give the Yankees the game. 

I respect Mike Scioscia, but last night was not his finest managerial hour. Nor was it Girardi's. 

But, I don't think you can get on him for calling on Marte, especially since he got Bobby Abreu to ground out. Marte, despite his bloated ERA, did what he was called on to do. And, lest we forget, the last time Abreu faced Phil Coke, he doubled into the gap, but was thrown out in between second and third base. 

Girardi's primary mistake, I think, was leaving Burnett in to face Erick Aybar after giving up a lead-off hit to Jeff Mathis. I wanted Girardi to call on Joba Chamberlain there, but he didn't. And it cost him, but only because Phil Hughes didn't locate his last pitch to Vlad. For all his curious maneuvering, Girardi was still a Hughes' curveball or eye-high fastball away from getting out of the inning with a 6-5 lead. Rivera would have then pitched the eighth and ninth innings. 

Giradi is not the best manager in the league, but he's certainly not as bad as Jimy Williams or Grady Little. I'd put Girardi in the middle of the pack, behind Francona, but in front of Torre.  

BEN:

This is a surprise--you think he's better than Torre? As in, you think the Yankees would be a worse team with Torre at the helm this year?

And for the sake of the public record, apart from Torre, which are the other playoff managers you think are worse?

I totally agree that Scioscia made the wrong call pulling Lackey, but it doesn't shake my belief--shared by most everyone, I think--that he's the better manager. He's put his stamp on the team, the players and media respect him, and he has an outstanding career record as a manager. Most to the point, he seems to have a coherent and consistent philosophy built around defense, speed, and contact hitting, and his decisions all work within it.

Girardi also made other dubious decisions that didn't affect the box score. Failing to get Rivera up in time, and having to use stall tactics to rush him out there; pinch-running for two of his best hitters in a close game that could easily have gone into extra innings. More importantly, it seems like patterned behavior--he seems to get rattled, and to make inconsistent decisions, and that can be deadly.

Yeah, he's probably better than Grady Little, and certainly better than Jimy Williams, who has to be one of the worst managers I've ever seen work. But that's pretty faint praise, when you get down to it.

Big Bats, Bigger Stage

Since the sixth inning of the Yankees’ regular season game against the Tampa Rays, when Alex Rodriguez hit two home runs and drove in seven RBI to bring his season total to 30 home runs and 100 RBI, respectively, I’ve been texting my friends every time A-Rod hits one out or drives in another run. It’s starting to get expensive.

So far in the postseason, A-Rod has five homers and 11 RBI. With three more hits last night, including a monster home run into the left field bleachers, Rodriguez is now batting .407 in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

The man is on fire.

Believe it or not, though, A-Rod is, arguably, only the second best player of the 2009 postseason. Ryan Howard’s driven in an amazing 14 runs in eight games, more RBI than he had in 17 playoff games over the past two years. Although he’s only homered twice, compared to A-Rod’s five, Howard does have four doubles and triple, while batting a cool .379, with seven runs scored.

This after a regular season in which he launched 45 home runs, drove in 141, while batting .279, his highest average since 2006, when he hit .313 on way to picking up the National League Most Valuable Player award.

Both Rodriguez and Howard are putting on a display, matching Lou Gehrig’s postseason record of driving in at least one RBI in eight straight playoff games. Not too shabby, that.

If the Yankees meet the Phillies in the World Series, a match up that suddenly seems inevitable, Major League Baseball will get to showcase, on its biggest stage, two of the sports biggest-- and most prolific-- sluggers.

I think even a Red Sox fan can get behind that. 

(Originally posted here) 

BEN:

No arguments here. As I previously mentioned, A-Rod's previous postseason numbers are actually not that bad. He had two abysmal playoff series in a row, then a subpar one, but on the whole has an OPS very close to what he's always had in the regular season. (It's interesting to note, too, that is also true of David Ortiz and Derek Jeter).

I will say that I think consecutive playoff games with an RBI is sort of a weird stat, especially considering that A-Rod's streak includes Game 4 of the 2007 ALDS, but there's no question that he and Howard are absolutely murdering the ball.

Here's a little debate for you Yankee-lovers: when your team wins the ALCS tomorrow night, will you give the series MVP to A-Rod or CC Sabathia? I might actually argue the latter, who has more or less singlehandedly delivered 3 of the team's 6 postseason wins so far. Speaking of shaking off playoff demons, jeez.

(By the way, a tip of the cap to those members of my family in the Cleveland Indians organization, who have provided the likely Game 1 starters for this year's World Series. If only the Tribe had the money to hold onto them, these two would be the best thing since Schilling and Johnson.)

The Phillies are the only team in baseball with a lineup that stacks up against the Yankees. It's too bad their bullpen is such a mess, or this one might be a series.

MILES:

I have absolutely no problem with a co-MVP, although I think A-Rod will win the award if he has a big game tonight or, if necessary, in Games 6 and 7. 

I'd also like to add a caveat to my A-Rod/Howard comparison. It's since come to my attention that Howard, unlike A-Rod, doesn't handle left-handed pitching. Like at all. Against lefties, Howard's only batting .207, with 6 home runs, compared to his .319 average and 39 homers against righties. Further, his OPS is 433 points lower when facing lefties. Mr. Howard, let me introduce you to Mr. Sabathia, Mr. Pettitte and Mr. Coke.

BEN:

Yeah but being hot means being hot. Howard had big hits in the NLCS against Clayton Kershaw and Randy Wolf, the best and only lefties the Dodgers threw at him. He also drew a walk against their lefty reliever, George Sherrill. Your biggest concern should be whether Girardi will overmanage his bullpen for these situational matchups.

MILES:

Point taken. Although it is nice to know there is a way to, at least theoretically, pitch him. As for Girardi, I really think he's just messing with New Yorkers. He wants to give us all agita.  

How 'Bout Them Yankees

Over the course of a 16-game National Football League season, there are, on average, an equal amount of highs and lows. A team that finishes the season 10-6, four games over .500, for instance, will spend roughly 42 days a year lamenting missed opportunities and piss-poor performances, possibly longer, if they bow out in the first round of the playoffs. Winning in this league ain’t easy. Which seems to indicate that losing, like it or not, is inevitable, just as much a part of the game as zone blitzes and three-and-outs.

Just try telling that to a Jets fan.

Yesterday’s ugly loss was as bad as it gets. Bad quarterback. Bad coaches. Bad special teams. Bad game plan. Bad execution. 

How bad was it? Let the professionals count the ways.

Manish Mehta, The Star-Ledger: 

The numbers were ugly. In the worst game of his life Sanchez completed 10 of 29 passes for 119 yards, no touchdowns and career-high five interceptions. Sanchez doubled his season total of picks to a league-high 10.

George Willis, New York Post:

It was the kind of performance that makes you wonder how long it's going to take the franchise quarterback to actually play like one. Yesterday, Sanchez didn't just play like a rookie quarterback; he played like he had no clue, no confidence and no concept of what it takes to win a close game.

Mark Cannizzaro, New York Post:

Frauds. This is what the big-talking, chest-thumping, swaggerlicious Jets have shown themselves to be since their audacious 3-0 start. 

Vedmedv, The Gang Green Forum:

Ryan Fitzpatrick just beat us at home.

Just a brutal loss. 

...And Twice on Sunday

What a Sunday. The Patriots rebounded from their tough loss in Denver with a monster 59-0 win at home over the surprisingly hapless Titans, a game that set nine franchise records and as well as two NFL marks (biggest halftime lead and most touchdowns in a single quarter). Brady was magnificent, throwing six touchdown passes, including three to Randy Moss. Actually, come to think of it, there's almost nothing the team didn't do well. Much-doubted running back Laurence Maroney had a huge day, rumbling for 123 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, his best performance in more than a year. The defense caused 5 turnovers, allowed zero points, and permitted negative seven passing yards during the game. The Titans ran a total of seven plays on New England's half of the field on the day, and four of them were fumbles (three recovered by the Patriots). Moss and Wes Welker each had well over 100 yards receiving, and the Patriots outgained their opponents on the day 614-186. It was, in short, a total domination.

And it was exactly what this team needed. At 3-2 coming into the game, the Patriots were playing competitively but being dogged for failing to pull together big plays. Critics were waiting for them to step up and show some force. And what a way to put those concerns to rest. Though the Pats of course never trailed in the game, there was nevertheless a turning point: a 40-yard flea flicker touchdown pass from Brady to Moss that served notice that this team still has some swagger in its step. And the win put the Patriots at 4-2, in the lead in the AFC East.

But of course, the Pats couldn't be alone at the top without some help from the suddenly imploding New York Jets, who dropped their third straight game this week, this time a truly ugly overtime loss to the bottom-dwelling Bills at the Meadowlands. This Bills team, coming off an abysmal 6-3 loss to the lowly Browns, was in full self-destruct mode. Dick Jauron was looking like the next fired coach in the NFL (a distinction which now belongs to Washington's Jim Zorn), and trade rumors about wide receiver Terrell Owens were beginning to swirl. Not only that, the Bills lost their starting QB, Trent Edwards, early in the 2nd quarter. And with an offensive line comprised almost entirely of rookies, Buffalo looked to be in for a long day. But Mark Sanchez had other plans.

San-chise threw no fewer than five interceptions, needing overtime to cross 100 total passing yards, and only getting there because Bills kicker Rian Lindell missed a potential game-winning 46-yard field goal as time expired in regulation. The Jets were effective on the ground, with Thomas Jones breaking off two huge runs, one for a touchdown, on his way to over 200 total yards. But it was not enough, not with Sanchez having his second meltdown in three games. They just kept on giving the ball back to the Bills, time after time. Even backup quarterback Ryan "I went to Harvard" Fitzpatrick was able to squeak out enough points for the win. By the time Lindell's second game-winning FG attempt finally sailed through the uprights, the Jets were looking depressed, bewildered, and just grateful to finally get off the field.

Make no mistake: this was a BAD football game. The Jets were unrecognizable, struggling to bottle up a mediocre running game, not getting through to the quarterback enough; most likely because they were so tired from having to jog back onto the field after turnovers. And sure enough, the team is now having an identity crisis. Head coach Rex Ryan admitted to thinking about pulling Sanchez from the game, and the New York Post has now posted a poll in which just under 40% of fans are willing to chalk this game up as growing pains. This is the problem with playing the Super Bowl in September: the next three months are your offseason.

Will the Jets bounce back next week in Oakland? Probably. And they still have enough talent to make the playoffs. But after two straight divisional losses and now at .500, it's time for Rex Ryan to check with his considerable gut. That Patriots team at the top of the division just put on a show, and while nothing is decided, I sure like the view from the top this morning.

MILES:

Ah, yes. The 59-point drubbing of a dead-on-its-feet Titans team, in inclement weather, at home. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but yesterday's win isn't a reflection of your team. It's just a reflection of what your team can do against a winless, dysfunctional team that clearly did not want to play yesterday. But it's a still a win, and given the Jets recent state of play, it ensures the road to AFC East still goes through Foxborough. 

BEN:

Well, sure, they're not looking good, but then neither are the Bills. And the inclement weather makes it harder to score, not easier. Oh and also if this were a mere drubbing, and not a record-setting win. And if the Patriots didn't have outstanding personnel who were just waiting to get their groove back. If all those things weren't true, then perhaps I'd chalk it up as a repeat of the Cardinals game from last year. But it wasn't. It was a big, meaningful win for a team that appears headed in the exact opposite direction as the Jets.

MILES:

I’d be wary of pumping up another record-setting performance by the Pats. We’ve already heard that story, and it doesn’t end well for you.

BEN:

Nice. I'd wondered aloud last week what resort was left for Rex Ryan if the Jets lost again, but I hadn't realized it would be the bloggers who resorted to low blows. This makes sense, I suppose. After all, Rex wants to involve the fans, right?

Is Bud Wise?

Interesting little side discussion that has been happening this week.

As none of you will recall, a few days ago I decided to not post an open letter to TBS complaining about their mishandling of the postseason coverage for which they (presumably) paid a great deal. The primary thrust of that letter was my complaints about the awful experience of Postseason.tv, a so-called "companion" to TBS's broadcast of the MLB division series games. I won't go into depth on this topic know--there are other fish to fry--but my complaints were numerous: poor video feed quality; failure to synchronize the 4 cameras; the failure of any one camera to actually show the game; their misunderstanding of the online video market. Cursory web searches and anecdotal evidence suggests most fans agree with me on these points.

But the larger scope of this problem has to do with baseball's failure to generate hype going into its crucial playoff series. The reigning champion Philadelphia Phillies, who are 4-1 so far this postseason and looking like a legitimate threat to repeat as champions, have played just once during a prime-time television slot. They've also had a game rescheduled owing to snow, and been forced to change their starting pitcher because of it. Last night's exciting contest against the Dodgers, came with what seemed like zero national attention.

Today's Game 2 of the NLCS is again happening during work hours, at 1 pm local time/4 pm eastern. This is needless to say a television ratings killer, and also the start of a dubious weekend schedule concocted long ago by MLB. The Phillies and Dodgers will play while I'm at the office, then take Saturday off entirely, leaving baseball fans with only one playoff game to watch, at 8 pm. They'll then follow this up with two games on Sunday, when they're set to compete with a full schedule of NFL games.

This, after nearly a full week of non-games that would've received nonstop national coverage for about 72 hours. Not only that, the Yankees and Angels, which seems clearly to be the bigger-market matchup, has been set since late Sunday. Rather than play Game 1 on, say, Wednesday night, giving both teams two days to travel and rest, MLB has instead opted for a cold and rainy Friday night.

The fault for these errors lies both with TBS, whose mediocre productions (both online and on television) do very little to capture the drama of the games, and with Bud Selig--or someone in his office--who seem to have forgotten basic rules of television broadcasting.

The biggest victims so far appear to be the Phillies, who are actually having a pretty thrilling postseason, not that you'd ever know it.

MILES:

You know things are bad when I'm aching to hear Tim McGarver's voice. Things could get a lot worse for MLB, if tonight's Yanks-Angels game is rained out, which would force two baseball games to be played on Sunday and, most likely, push back the start of the third game in Los Angeles until at least Tuesday. It's not fair to expect the Yankees and Angels to finish a game late Sunday night, fly across country, and then play again Monday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. Both teams deserve a day off for travel.  

I understand that this schedule was probably set weeks, if not months, ago, but I just don't understand why MLB couldn't adjust after the Yankees and Angles both won their respective series in three games. 

Good for What Ails You

I've been out of commission the last couple of days. A lack of a reliable home Internet connection and a virulent strain of influenza have rendered me pretty much useless. I did take note, however, of a number of important sports results over the weekend. I'll start with the Jets: Brutal loss, but I think it's the best thing for them. Rex Ryan was getting a little too big for his XXXL britches, and his defense was operating under the impression that it was the best defensive unit since Stalingrad. Reports out of New York (fine, Jersey) claim that Ryan didn't sleep after the game, opting instead to re-watch Sunday night's debacle against the Dolphins before heading over to Florham Park to devise a game plan for next week's game against the Bills. As a fan, I appreciate that, and think Ryan will get his defense back on track. My confidence was buoyed, though, by Mark Sanchez's rebound performance. He seems to have already established a pretty good rapport with Braylon Edwards, which is only going to help the team as the season unfolds. Too bad Ryan didn't leave any time on the clock for his rookie quarterback to try his hand at a comeback. Time outs are your friend, Rex. Use them accordingly. 

Despite the loss, the Jets are still in first place, because a day earlier, across the country in Denver, the Patriots coughed one up against the Broncos and Bill Belichick protege Josh McDaniels. After the loss, Belichick, true to form, orchestrated another dick move. You stay classy, coach. 

Let's see, what else? Oh, right. The Yankees took care of business, while the Red Sox finished their season with a performance worthy of the New York Mets or the '86 Sox. Jonathan Papelbon, prince of the postseason, turned into Calvin Schiraldi, giving up 2-out hit after 2-out hit until the Angels had stolen the game right from under him. I'm not going to lie. That was fun to watch. Almost as much fun as watching the much-maligned Alex Rodriguez picking up more hits than Kevin Youkilis, Jason Bay and David Ortiz combined. His 6 RBI, as previously noted, were one less than the total runs the Sox managed in three games against the Angels. 

All in all, this past weekend wasn't a total waste. It was actually kind of nice.

BEN:

It's a relief to know that we've still been totally disagreeing while we've been away. I'll just tick off the things you are wrong about in the order that you incorrectly stated them.

Mark Sanchez: this is only a bounce-back performance if your definition of "effective" is "not throwing three picks." Sanchez was clearly the 2nd best rookie quarterback on the field to Chad Henne, checking in for just 172 yards (his 3rd straight game under the 200 mark) and 50% accuracy. The offense was 4-11 on third down. The offense was also aided by a much-disputed pass interference call that handed them 50 yards and a first-and-goal in a crucial situation in the 4th quarter.

Rex Ryan: I'm sure he's glad for your vote of confidence, but he sure did his best to help blow this game. His failure to conserve timeouts was, per his own admission, caused by arrogantly assuming the Dolphins wouldn't get into the end zone, and his histrionics after the fact are pretty unbecoming. What's left for him to do in the (admittedly unlikely) event that they lose next Sunday?

Bill Belichick: feels like you're fishing for insults here. Is it a dick move to agree on something in advance and then do it? Does it complicate your view of things to learn that the two of them met up after the game? That McDaniels has tremendous admiration and respect for his former boss? That this is the dumbest non-story of the week?

The Red Sox: actually, you're not wrong about anything here. Very disappointing, but I think we all suspected the Sox might not have it this year. I don't blame Papelbon too much--this ship was on its way out. He thrives on the excitement, and, I'll be honest, it wasn't there during the ALDS. There will be much to examine this offseason, but we can revisit that after the inevitable Yankee lovefest that will come over the next few weeks.

A-Rod: Interesting thing about him--apart from two bad series for the Yankees in '05 and '06, he's actually always been a pretty good postseason hitter. I say this not because I like him--indeed I would like to emphasize that I have no interest in ever having to root for Alex Rodriguez, and have to think most Yankee boosters, somewhere deep down, envy that about other fans--but because it shows that it's not all about the numbers. What A-Rod has is an incredible knack for the wrong headlines. The Madonna thing, the strip club, shirtless in central park, opting out of his contract in the middle of the world series, false accusations about the reporter who outed him as a steroid user, the slap. He has perhaps the most negative intangibles of any player working.

Has he worked out how not to be a total weirdo? Maybe. He certainly turned in a great ALDS. But forgive me if I'm holding off judgment until after the postseason is over.

MILES:

Don't worry: A-Rod will always be a total weirdo.

Huge Preseason Victory for the Celtics

Totally nailed the Nets 100-93.

Clearly, a great day for Boston sports.

Yankees Keep on Keepin' On

No real surprises, except for Alex Rodriguez's two-RBI performance. One of those was important, too.

One win down; 10 to go.

Braylon and the Jets

Braylon Edwards has been traded to the Jets. Despite his recent troubles, I'm pretty sure this is a very good thing for the team, especially Mark Sanchez. A receiving corps of Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery, while not the greatest tandem in the National Football League, is formidable. 

My only immediate concern is, how does this affect the Knicks' pursuit of LeBron James?

BEN:

I wish I could disagree, but you're absolutely right: a talented WR with a serious attitude problem is a perfect fit for this team.

Let the record show that Eric Mangini has now given the Jets a long-term QB and a #1 receiver as the head honcho of the Browns, two things he never accomplished when he was working in Jersey.

There we have it. Another thing the editorial staff of You're Wrong About Everything can agree on: Eric Mangini is a disaster.

MILES:

The Mangini investment is finally starting to pay dividends. Edwards is a prick, but if he acts up, the Jets have guys like Bart Scott, Calvin Pace, Kris Jenkins and, yes, Rex Ryan, to smack him around. Edwards is also playing for a contract, so he's more likely to show up each week. His presence alone should open up the running game, which is only going to give Sanchez more room--and time-- with which to work. This is a very good move. Unexpected, too. I'm excited. 

Decisions, Decisions

The Yankees don't even know which team they're playing tomorrow, but Joe Girardi's already announced his plans for the series. Not surprisingly, the Yankees picked the longer Series A, which allows them to go with only three pitchers, Sabathia, Burnett and Pettitte. Girardi also announced that Sabathia will take the ball in Game 1, again no surprises there. Burnett, however, will pitch in Game 2, followed by Pettitte for Game 3, which will be on the road, in either Detroit or Minnesota, depending on which team wins tonight's playoff. I support Girardi's decision to pitch Burnett at home and Pettitte on the road. The numbers back him up, although I'm too lazy to cite them here. You're just going to have to trust me that Pettitte is much more susceptible to the home run at Yankee Stadium, while Burnett, a strike-out pitcher, is more effective at home than on the road. I'm totally fine with this decision. 

More surprising, though, is Giradi's decision to let Jose Molina catch Burnett instead of Jorge Posada. Granted, Burnett pitches better with Molina as his batterymate, but removing Posada's bat, which is far, far, far superior to Molina's, from the lineup is a risk, to say the least. (Matsui will reportedly be the designated hitter in Game 2, while Posada will only be available to pinch hit). Girardi's call puts even more pressure on Burnett to pitch well, and pretty much makes Burnett's first playoff appearance a must-win game. Girardi also runs the very real possibility of alienating Posada, who can be, according to many, a petulant little bitch when he doesn't get what he wants. (See Burnett, A.J.) This could get interesting. Then again, the Yankees could very well sweep their first-round opponent, which would make the whole matter moot. 

BEN:

The verdict is in--it's the Twins. This is very likely to make the whole thing irrelevant, since Minnesota is a thoroughly mediocre team that whose ace won't be ready to pitch until Game 3. For Game 1, the Twins have the unenviable choice of tabbing rookie Brian Duensing or Nick Blackburn on three days' rest.

Uninspiring though he is, it's hard to fault Girardi for trotting out Jose Molina. He's actually a pretty fair matchup when compared to the likes of Brendan Harris and Nick Punto. The only real risk the Yankees are facing is a self-generated meltdown, and Burnett, with his attitude problems and lack of playoff experience, is the prime candidate. (Except for A-Rod, I mean.)

MILES:

Orlando Carbrera still makes me nervous, but I think the Yankees will win this series pretty easily. It won't go longer than 4. My bold prediction: Carl Pavano will win one for the Twinkies. 

Answer the Belle

In an unexpected maneuver, former Indians great (and Orioles paycheck recipient) Albert Belle phoned the Cleveland Plain-Dealer to share some thoughts on the firing of Indians manager Eric Wedge and other news from around the league. Belle offered to head up a coaching staff with Eddie Murray, Wayne Kirby, Kenny Lofton, and Charles Nagy, all of whom are presumably fine with reporting to the notoriously unlikeable ex-slugger. I'm guessing he will not be taken up on this offer.

Turning to other matters, Belle offered an opinion on the Manager of the Year race:

"Joe Girardi is going to probably win Manager of the Year. I could manage the Yankees from home. I'd just call in the lineup every day from the golf course."

One guesses Belle might have trouble getting on with Steinbrenners.

Still, he's got a point. Girardi, who saw the $218m Yankees to their first non-playoff appearance in 13 years last season, does seem, oddly, to be in line for an award traditionally given to someone doing an above-average job.

I might suggest a vote for Ron Washington, who led a completely unexpected Rangers team to 87 wins with a payroll approximately 1/3 the size of the Yankees'. He accomplished this with a pitching staff that had two rookies and two pitchers in their second full season, plus working around a crucial stretch-run injury to emergent slugger Nelson Cruz. The Rangers may not have hung in for the entire stretch run, but they vastly exceeded expectations and made a race of it with both the Angels and Red Sox. That was enough for the baseball writers last year, anyway.

So, what about it, Doyle--can you lay aside your Yankees enthusiasm and stand with me and (sort of) Albert Belle?

MILES:

Since Girardi already has a Manager of the Year award, I'm more than happy to lend my support to Ron Gardenhire, who managed the Twinkies to 86 wins and a probable American League Central title, with a payroll approximately 1/2 the size of the Small Market Socks'. 

Grounded

I’m not terribly upset about Mark Sanchez’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. He’s a rookie. The Saints are a playoff-caliber team. The Super Dome is a hostile environment, and the Saints D is better than advertised. Everybody predicted Sanchez would implode sooner or later, and Sanchez, God bless him, did his best to oblige. Going forward, though, he would do well to wrap his head around this aspect of the game: sometimes an incomplete pass is your best option. Learn it. Live it. Love it.

Still, as bad as Sanchez was, the Jets defense was just as good. They are, without question, a legitimate unit, ranking in the top 10 in passing yards (6th), total yards (5) and points allowed per game (3). And Darrelle Revis is as good as the game. He and the rest of the defense held Drew Brees to 190 yards, his second so-so outing in as many weeks. They had two fourth-down stops, including a solid goal-line stance, and if not for Kris Jenkins’ false start on fourth-and-1, would have been in a position for a third. If not for Pierre Thomas, the Jets would have held the Saints vaunted offense to zero touchdowns. An impressive showing on an otherwise forgettable day.

All in all, I like where the Jets sit. Four games into the season, they are 3-1 and in first place in the AFC East. In the coming weeks, they face Miami, Oakland, Buffalo and Miami again before their bye in week 9. Is 6-2 or even 7-1 out the question? I don't think so, especially with this defense.

Showdown Sunday

What a day of football.

Though Ray Lewis and Ed Reed have checked in to whine about some dubious officiating, the fact is, the Patriots pulled out a huge win against an extremely tough Ravens team that has looked, as per the ESPN power rankings like the best in the league.

We saw a little bit of everything from the Patriots: the familiar third-down scampering of Wes Welker (6 catches, 48 yards); a balanced, in unspectacular, running game that controlled the clock; 9 receivers catching passes, and of course, the most familiar and cherished sight: Tom Brady finding Randy Moss in the end zone. Special teams were effective, recovering a fumble on the opening kickoff and nearly pulling off a gutsy and ingenious fake FG that was called back by a penalty. And the defense, led by 3rd-year stud Brandon Merriweather (9 tackles, 2 passes defended) permitted just 14 points to a team that came in averaging 34.

Meanwhile, the Jets dropped a big game in New Orleans, putting up a strong performance against the league's top offense but unable to overcome 4 costly mistakes by their apparently-not-literally-made-out-of-gold quarterback, Mark Sanchez. Yes, it's only one game, and yes, Sanchez will probably be fine. But let there be no doubt that this game was 100% his fault. Two of turnovers led directly to Saints touchdowns. Another one would have if the Saints hadn't kneeled out the clock from the 5-yard line at the end of the game. And all four of them were momentum killers at key moments in the game. But, actually, it's not only about the turnovers, although that surely would have been enough. Sanchez managed to complete just 14 of 27 passes for 138 yards against a defense that surrendered 27 points to the lowly Lions.

Don't look now, but having a rookie quarterback may become a significant problem for the Jets. It's early in the season, but Sanchez is sitting on a 71.4 QB rating and 5 interceptions. More importantly, the Jets aren't doing much scoring. Here are the NFL teams who have played four games and scored fewer points than the Jets: Oakland, Kansas City, Washington, Cleveland, Tampa Bay, St. Louis. Combined record of those teams: 3-21. All three of those wins happened because one of those 6 teams played another.

The Jets are an upstart team, and the risk you run with upstarts is that they look like world-beaters until a strategy against them starts to evolve. And while they're clearly not going away, a game plan is beginning to reveal itself: strike early, play possession football, force Sanchez to beat you. And don't think the rest of the NFL didn't take notice that the QB lost his head under pressure yesterday.

Look, nobody wins the Super Bowl in September. (Not even Kerry Rhodes.) There is a lot left to be decided for both of these AFC East frontrunners. But the Patriots, who still look like they're sorting it out, made a big statement this Sunday. A few hours later, the Jets had their first big failure of the season. You were right: the Patriots were looking up at the Jets--for one week. And now it looks like the Pats are strong, and getting stronger. Can the Jets keep pace? And if they drop next week's treacherous game in Miami, what becomes of the smack-talking then?

MILES: Simultaneous posts. See above. 

Meh

Hockey season is officially underway. You're Wrong About Everything is your one-stop shop for sports commentary that has absolutely nothing to do with hockey. Anyone here care about the Rangers? I hereby concede whatever it is you're looking for me to concede.

MILES:

I'm going to the Rangers home opener, and I am somewhat excited about their new addition. And their goalie, the Scandinavian Don Draper. The Bruins, though, are the early favorites to win their division and, quite possibly, the Eastern Conference. I like Pittsburgh to repeat, provided, of course, the National Hockey League doesn't fold before June. 

Still, I think if we're going to write about hockey, however sporadically, we should probably include photos of an American hockey team. Isn't that a shot of the Kontinental Hockey League, Jaromir Jagr's new stomping ground?

BEN:

I just googled "hockey who cares?" and posted the first image that came up. There were a surprising number of choices, actually.

MILES:

I have to say, I had a blast Saturday night at the Rangers game. A friend has season tickets, but this year he downgraded the seats from 8 rows behind the net to the 400s, the ninth floor of the Garden, where all the women have mullets, smoking is not discouraged and the roof leaks. It's like Thunderdome up there, and I love it. I might just have to follow the Rangers this season.