Trouble in the Meadowlands

Most New Yorkers are understandably busy with the Yankees these days, but all is not quiet on the football front. The once-invincible Giants, after rattling off 5 straight wins to start the season, have dropped to 5-3 and lost control of the NFC East. The change in the winds may have something to do with the quality of their competition--4 of those 5 wins came against teams that currently have a combined record of 5-24--but may also be attributable to injuries that have hampered Eli Manning and Mario Manningham, a QB-WR duo that recently looked like one of the top tandems in the NFC.

But even these stumbling Giants, who have a home date with the schizophrenic Chargers this weekend, are looking like the best New Jersey has to offer lately. The New York Jets, who only a month ago anointed themselves Super Bowl champions, have dropped 4 out of 5 games, including two straight to the Dolphins, and one devastating home loss against the Bills. The throaty-in-every-possible-sense Rex Ryan, who feuded with the Dolphins in the offseason and renewed his arrogant vows last week, will have to wait until next year to get his licks in against this self-appointed nemesis. Despite a couple better-looking performances from Mark Sanchez, the Jets have failed to cash in on a string of weak opponents. There's no doubt that this team is reeling.

With the Patriots having coasted comfortably into their bye week against two (formerly) winless teams, they've now got a solid 1.5-game lead in the division. The next few weeks will keep it interesting, with the Pats taking on, in order, Miami, Indianapolis, the Jets, New Orleans, and Miami again. With road games against the last two undefeated teams in the NFL, they've got their work cut out for them. And, at the same time, the Jets are looking at a minimum of four more easy games: Jacksonville, Carolina, Buffalo, and Tampa Bay, interrupted only by a big game in Foxboro against the Patriots. Despite the embarrassing losses of the past month, the Jets have a chance to get back into the divisional race if they can sweep up against crappy teams. But, with their overly emotional personality and inconsistent play, it's got to be gut-check time going into the bye. One more of these "oops" games, and they're going to be in trouble.

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.