The case for Nick Swisher, and some other news and notes............

Let me get this out of the way first: I still believe Mark Teixeira is the best possible option at first base for the Yanks. Every writer with a byline has laid out what Teixeira brings to the table and, quite honestly, if you are a Yankee fan and you are NOT on board with Tex manning first starting next year then you either care way, way, way too much about The Steinbrenners' checking account balance or have bought into this new "everyone who wasn't brought through the Yankee system is evil" mentality that has been promoted by Brian Cashman and certain members of the media.

The notion that the Yanks could lose BOTH Giambi and Abreu and NOT replace one of them with a big bat would seem to be OVERLY optomistic at best and moronic at worst.

Every other option should be considered option B when it comes to first, in my opinion.

However, signing Tex is no guarantee. While the Yanks seem willing to basically hand CC Sabathia a blank check and say "write a number down big guy," they seem to be a little more budget conscious when it comes to first. That means the Angels, Dodgers and, yes, even the Red Sox might offer Tex similar or more lucrative offers than the Bombers before the end of the year.

So, if they don't sign Teixeira, where do they go?

I have advocated a couple of different moves here on this blog, from the logic-defying idea of bringing Nick Johnson and his 131 broken bones back to the Yanks to trading for the likes of a Jeremy Hermida and either moving the talented youngster to first OR putting him in he outfield and moving Nady to first (a moot point now that the Marlins traded Mike Jacobs).

But by far the most interesting name floated out there has been Nick Swisher.

The White Sox obviously want to get rid of Swisher, and considering his somewhat high contract and absolutely dreadful year (he batted .219), it would seem that the 28-year old could be had for a compliment and a Coca Cola.

Here is what Swisher would bring to the Yanks: a good defensive first baseman who has the flexibility to also play the outfield (he played a lot in center for the Sox this year). A switch hitter who ALWAYS has an OBP at or close to .400. A guy with pop who has hit 20+ homers for five straight years now. Proven success in larger, pitcher ball-parks that would seem to bode well for a move to Yankee Stadium and, most importantly, the AL East, which has almost all hitters parks. A veteran track record at a relatively young age, meaning that he might have some room to get better (remember, he is a former number1 draft pick with a lot of talent). And, finally, a chip or two on his shoulder after a terrible year where he seemed to fail under the direction of Ozzie Guillen.

If Swisher could just return to the form of two years ago, where he batted .262 with 22 homers and 76 RBI while missing 12 games overall and walking 100 times while getting on base at a .381 clip, would make him a valuable player on the Yanks, and if he ever returned to his 2006 form, where he belted 35 homers and drove in 98 RBI, he could be a steal. Regardless, he could provide a better option at first than ANYONE else the team currently has on the roster at a discounted price of probably some B prospects.

The problems with Swisher?

The truth is Swisher could be closer to the .219 hitter he was this year than the .262 he was in 07, and if that were the case, and Swisher were collapse even more, and his power numbers diminish by any amount, no matter how small, it would make him a liabilty for the Bombers. Also, unless Swisher matched his career year in 2006, his addition would not solidify a starting lineup that is going to have to reshuffle in order to replace their third and fifth place hitters from a year ago. Swisher would seem to add another unknown to an equation filled with question marks (how Posada responds after surgery, does Matsui have much power left, can Nady be a legit middle-of-the-order threat, will Cano become a middle-of-the-order threat, etc....) It would be hard to imagine that the yanks would feel comfortable with a potential lineup of Damon, Jeter, Cano, A-Rod, Matsui, Posada, Nady, Swisher, Gardner, does it? I mean, that lineup has the POTENTIAL to be pretty good, but it also has the potential to have the Yanks shopping for a bat come July 31st in 09.

Like I said, I still believe Teixeira is option A for this team, and should be, but unlike Sabathia, who I fully expect the Yanks to sign, I am much less optomistic about Tex. If that is the case, I would really love to see the Yanks nab Swisher. I just have a sense that Swisher could end up being a Mike Lowell-esque type player for the team - a guy taken off the proverbial scrap heap and turned into a very good, clutch player and a fan favorite.

*Peter Abraham had a note for all us Ian Kennedy doubter's the other day. It seems the righty from Cali pitched 4 strong innings in the Puerto Rican Winter League, striking out 5 and walking, I believe, none. This, I guess, is suppose to prove that Kennedy is well on his way to becoming Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine combined.

I love Abraham, but his defense of both Hughes and Kennedy borders on the comical. Is he related to these two guys? Was he made fun of a lot on blogs as a small beat writer and has pent-up hostility against message board writers? When you are literally bragging about how someone performed in Puerto Rican winter ball, there is something going on here beyond reasoned journalistic logic. Shouldn't ANY half-way decent pitcher be able to pitch well in Puerto Rican winter ball?And is 4 strong innings ALL that is required now for a pat on the back? Really?

The truth is the Yanks would be FOOLISH not to trade Kennedy this offseason if his value remains high. Could he be a solid MLB pitcher? Sure, he is young and has some talent. But is there anyone who watches him and believes he is gonna be special? I doubt it.

If the Yanks could package him for a good, young, athletic outfielder, that would be terrific. The kid is a middle to low end pitcher in the making. If someone wants to give up a valuable piece to see if they can get #3 starter talent out of him, so be it, bully for them. Kennedy is not the type of talent you hang on to at all costs.

*What the hell is taking Mike Mussina so freakin long to announce his retirement?

Moose is an intelligent guy, no question. If he wants to think this decision over, so be it. But, seriously, Moose told EVERYONE he was ready to retire during the season. Has he really had such a pronounced change of heart?

Mussina had one of the more amazing seasons in baseball history this year, but I think the smartest thing for him, and the best thing for the Yanks, could be for him to move on. Pettitte makes much more sense as a veteran signing than Mussina, who has said that "if I come back for one, I am coming back for three" to try and pursue 300 wins.

I know Moose wants to make the right choice for himself here, but seriously, let's get a move on. Announce and move on. I am sure that's what the Yanks would like to see happen.

*Is there one reporter in baseball that has access to ANYONE in the Yankee front office because it seems somewhat odd to me that, here on Nov. 9, there have been almost NO reports as to who the Yankees will focus on and what their options may be. We all know the big man, CC Sabathia, is object # 1, but what about Teixeira? Are the Yanks REALLY interested or not? Have no idea. What if the Yanks don't land Sabathia, who are their next two options? No idea. What about trades, who are the Yankees targeting right now? I haven't heard any hard rumors, only speculation by reporters looking over the baseball landscape and surmising whether it makes sense.

Could someone PLEASE call Hank Steinbrenner? I need some information, even if it's wrong.

I am not getting this...........

Okay, Hank Steinbrenner spoke up this weekend, bringing the number of useless, idiotic interviews to approximately 6,000 in less than a year of being "in charge" of the New York Yankees.

Fredo, according to Peter Abraham's blog (the best on the net) said that the Yanks would be interested in Manny Ramirez. Hank the Tank described Manny as a "free spirit" and praised the slugger for being one of the best hitters in history. On that, Little Stein is certainly correct, but it still doesn't answer the question as to why the Yanks would truly be interested in the ageing, moody left fielder. Haven't we been down this road before? Hasn't signing the likes of Manny been the problem in the past?

Now, anything Hank says should be treated like, well, Hank Steinbrenner said it, meaning it should be laughed at and then pretty much discarded as worthless. But Ken Davidoff had a similar report today in Newsday, citing Yankee insiders suggesting that the team was more likely to sign Manny than Mark Teixiera when all is said than done. Again, reports that come from "Yankee insiders" should be treated with the same amount of skepticism as the Fredo Steinbrenner proclamations, but I think it's worth looking at both moves and comparing and contrasting.

Manny Ramirez:

Pros - When Hank called Manny one of the great hitters in the game he was downplaying what the guy can do at the plate. Love him or hate him, Manny is one of the most prolific hitters in the history of the game. As a Yankee fan, can you think of another player who instilled sich fear when he came to the plate? Big Papi has certainly killed the Yanks in his time with the Red Sox, but even at his best Papi was only as intimidating as Manny. The guy is almost automatic in big moments. He is simply a machine and, if he were given the opportunity to beat up on the Red Sox 19 times a year, do you have any doubt that his average would rival what he did against the Yanks all those years? He would make it his mission, especially next year, to pound on the Sox every chance he got.

Last year, the Yankee offense suffered in large part due to the ineffectiveness the Yanks displayed with runners in scoring position. No one was particularly good in those moments, but the middle of the lineup (A-Rod and Giambi) were especially brutal. Manny would immediately make the Yanks middle of the lineup virtually impossible to handle. If A-Rod were to regain the same form he had in 2007, and Manny were simply Manny, Jeter and Damon could both score 120 runs. The offense would be amazing.

Also, Manny would be energized to play in New York that first year and be primed to play against his old team. His motivation would be high, the same as it was when he first got to L.A., and I have no doubt the man would put up gigantic numbers in 2009.

Cons - Manny isn't a spring chicken. He is 36 years old. Eventually, he is going to start to show his age, even if it's a little bit. Now, there is a good chance that Manny doesn't start to decline for another two years or so, butManny is gonna probably want a contract that takes him to the end of his career, perhaps as many as four years from some other team, and that kind of contract, one that would take him to 40 and beyond, just wouldn't make any sense at all.

If the Yanks are truly interested in taking a different route to success, wouldn't Manny be exactly the SAME kinda move that's gotten them in trouble before? An ageing player signed to a long term contract who will produce at the lowest levels of their career, no matter how productive, would seem to be symptomatic of the mistakes the Yanks have made for so many years. At a time when the Yanks are professing a commitment to youth and change, how could they justify a "business as usual" signing, even for the quality of player such as Manny?

But there are other, less obvious reasons why this move wouldn't make sense.

Conclusion - There is no doubt in my mind that Manny could be exceptional for at least one year, but Manny being Manny is a catch phrase in baseball circles for a reason. With a multi-year contract, the problems Manny had in Boston would show up in New York. There would be lack of hustle moments. There would be loss of concentration. There would be times when Manny would show up at the ballpark with some strange knee issue or hammy pull and refuse to play. Now, everyone has raved about Manny as a teammate, but can you honestly imagine that kind of mentality playing in a clubhouse with Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, and Mariano Rivera? And does Joe Girardi, who obviously had a slew of problems transitioning from the Joe Torre era to his new way of doing things, really need an attitude like Manny in that clubhouse? Can you imagine Girardi's reaction the first time Manny throws to the wrong base, or forgets how many outs there are, or hits a ball he thinks is going out and ends up on first base because he didn't run out the play? Can you imagine how much more gauling it will be for G.I. Joe when Manny comes back to the dugout laughing about his latest mistake?

Then, there is the Robinson Cano factor. The Yanks seem hell-bent on retaining Cano, believing the second baseman is still a star in the making, despite his bad season. Cano's major problem is his lack of concentration and it is hard for me to believe that having Manny on the team would be a positive influence on him. Cano needed a coach like Larry Bowa on him from day one last year and, when that didn't happen, he fell off. Can you imagine Manny being Manny around Cano? Can you imagine those two forming a bond? It is hard to see how the Yanks could bring Cano back from that, isn't it?

Manny just doesn't make a whole heck of a lot of sense for the Yanks. For the Dodgers, who need that big bat in the middle and have the clout of Torre to handle the situation, if seems perfect, but not for the Yanks. The team needs younger, more dynamic players to build a new core around, and despite his incredible abilities, Manny doesn't fit that bill.

Mark Teixiera:

Pros - This is a pretty long list so let's start with the basics: he's 28 years old, meaning that, if you committed to him for 8 years he would only be 36 at the end of the contract (the same age Manny is now). He's a switch hitter. He's a gold glove caliber third baseman. He's had 30 or more home runs the last five years. He bats at or over .300 every year. His OBP, SLG, and OPS are all well above average. He plays almost every day. And, this year, in the postseaon against the Red Sox, he batted .467 with a .550 OBP.

He has also proven to be very clutch, hitting .308 with runners in scoring position this year and batting a whopping .352 in close and late situations. That would certainlu seem to be the type of resume you would want to add to the middle of your lineup.

Cons - Honestly, all I can see as a con here is the money and the years. The Yanks seem to be hesitant to commit to Teixiera at the expected asking price (somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 years, $200 million). I can understand that. First, the Yanks have been paying through the nose on both luxury tax and revenue sharing for years. The amount of money they hand over to MLB every year is actually obscene (a perfect example of a socialist mindset when it comes to economics). If the Yanks wanted to scale back their payroll, how could anyone really argue?

Also, let's face it, the Yanks are more than likely not completely recession proof here. If you have a pulse, you know the economy aint exactly sparkling right now. Baseball, and the Yankees, can fool themselves into believeing the national pastime won't be hurt by this recession, but that would seem to be a dream. Eventually, people are going to begin to cut back everywhere, and someone who was excited at the prospect of attending a game in the new Yankee Stadium next year might put those plans on hold, especially considering the outrageous and somewhat absurd prices the Yankees plan to demand for an opportunity to see their team perform.

With starting pitching being the Yanks number one concern, and with the team seemingly ready to offer CC Sabathia a "you'd be an idiot to turn us down" kind of offer, I can see the logic in the Yanks deciding that two giant contracts would be wrong headed.

Conclusion - As I said, everyone can understand a business addressing financial concerns in this economic market, but the Yanks are asking A LOT of their fans in these trying times, raising ticket prices and making it more and more difficult for the average consumer to attend games. In light of that, and considering that, eventually, the economy will rebound, it would seem to me to be hypocritical of the Yankee brass to start the corner cutting this year, tightening the straps as they ask their fans to commit more to the cause. Even if the financial burden becomes more extreme, it is hard to imagine the Yanks actually losing money in 09, and even with staggering price hikes, the team stands to see its attendance pass 4 million again next year. Add in the success of the YES Network and budget concerns don't seem to be an issue.

That leaves us with the merits of Teixiera on the field.

Unlike Manny, Tex is younger, more athletic, and can field his position with the best of them. He is the type of bat the Yanks could plug into the lineup for the next decade and forget about. He has all the skills that would make him a valuable asset for the duration of his contract.

There has been this mindset that has infected Yankee land that free agent signings, any free agent signings, are quick fix pyramid schemes that don't work. The disasters of everyone from Carl Pavano to Gary Sheffield have seemingly poisoned the water for many who follow the Yanks when it comes to free agents. Yet, the problem is not with free agent signings. The problem is WHO you choose to give your money to.

Teixeira is the type free agent who will give you a return on your investment. He also gives you security to build from within. If you sign Teixiera and put him at first base, you have an infield of him, Cano, Jeter and A-Rod (along with Posada), meaning that you can expect to get A+ quality offense out of each of your infield positions for the next several years. That means you can take a chance on a kid like Brett Gardner in center if you want, believing that you can carry average offense at that position if the kid doesn't pan out. It also means that you can hand an outfield position over to Austin Jackson in a year, if he progresses the way people expect him to, and watch him mature without worrying that his growing pains would destroy the offense.

Some will argue that first base should be left wide open for Posada or even Jeter and their eventual move when age makes a switch of positions necessary. That seems somewhat idiotic, doesn't it?

The Yanks have already toyed with the idea of trading Hideki Matsui, but even if they didn't, Matsui's contract ends after this season and Posada could move into the everyday DH role afterwards. Jeter's defense seemed to actually improve this year and, considering how athletic he is and how he keeps himself in such good shape, it seems hard to believe that Jeter would REQUIRE a position change for another 3 years or more. By that time, Posada would be gone (most likely retired) and Jeter could move into a DH role as well, or move to a corner outfield spot. Saving first base for possible position changes doesn't seem like a winning strategy to me. What seems like a winning strategy would be putting the best players on the field right now and in the future. It would seem hard to argue that Teixiera doesn't make that possible.

Plus, signing Teixiera would allow the Yanks to use prospects to acquire a young center fielder or corner outfielder via a trade.

Teams are built through smart trades, wise free agent investments, and a clear understanding of which home-grown players are worth keeping. Teixiera is the type of free agent the Yanks could invest money in and not worry about that investment going belly up.

Congrats Phillies!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, I am a HUGE baseball fan. It's my favorite sport. When it's played well - when it is played at the pinnacle, it is by far the most entertaining.

But, let's be honest here, most of us were praying to everything that is holy in this world that baseball only had 3 1/2 innings left in this season. The Rays were a terrific story and the Phillies were a gritty, gutty team that started this climb three years ago. Baseball wise, it was a great scene. HOWEVER, for 28 other teams the only thing we need to do right now is get on with the hot stove.

But there will be plenty of time for that. For now, hey, the Phillies are the world champs and it got me thinking about a couple of different things:

*You have to give the Phillies a lot of credit for building a team almost completely from the inside out. There were no BIG TIME free agents on this club. There were no superstar additions that made the team their own. The Phillies didn't win this world series by increasing their payroll by $200 million in one year. They didn't try to "buy" anything. They have three OUTSTANDING homegrown kids in Rollins, Howard, Utley, and Hamels, as well as some well above average guys in Victorino, Burrell, Werth, Myers, and Madson. I am not one to go all Mad Dog Russo on people about payroll and whatnot, but you have to respect a team that is standing at the top of the mountain with a group of guys they watched come through their system. Good for them.

*Joe Maddon is the no doubt manager of the year..............but he screwed the pooch in this series, culminated by his decision tonight to go back to the easily hittable Grant Balfour in the beginning of this game. Why not just start David Price? I know, he is essentially your closer now, but this was a MUST game and Price IS a starter by trade. Why wouldn't you put him out there to give you perhaps two innings, keep the game close or get a lead, get this game, and then worry about game 6 when you get there? Maddon's bullpen was always teetering on the edge, it really was. Price was really the only sure thing and you can't wait and save something for tomorrow when you HAVE to win tonight.

It doesn't take anything away from how wonderful a job the man did leading this team to the big show, but let's be honest, his world series managing wasn't exactly making people forget about Casey Stengal.

*Can we PLEASE stop with the dire talk about ratings when it comes to the World Series? Sports talking heads need to come to grips with the fact that Football is truly the only national sport. Baseball has been and always will be a regional sport. Go ask a Yankee fan, Red Sox fan, Cardinals fan, or even a Twins fan about their team and they can tell you who the top rated prospect at the teams AA affiliate is believed to be. They live and breath their team and they KNOW the best players in the game. But, when this time of year comes around and their teams are out of it, they aint watching. No ifs, ands, or buts. What does that mean? Nothing. Nothing at all.

Baseball attendance is through the roof almost everywhere in the country. People are following the sport as passionately as ever and baseball is truly the ONLY one of the big, major sports that is followed year round. As I said before, any baseball fan not in Tampa tonight wanted this game to end so that the hot stove could finally, and legitimately start to heat up. The popularity of the sport is fine, even if the ratings are low. Get over it. Ratings are down for any event. It doesn't tell you one thing about how popular baseball is around the country.

*Memo to Bob Costas and Chris Russo and Tim McCarver and all the idiot Yankee haters out there who LOVE to spread the rumor that the only way to win in baseball is to expand your payroll up into the stratosphere. Since the Yankees last won a world series in 2000, let's see which teams made the championship round: Diamondbacks, Angels, Giants, Marlins, Yankees (2), Red Sox (2), Cardinals (2), White Sox, Astros, Tigers, Rockies, Rays, Phillies. By my count, 13 DIFFERENT teams have made the series since 2001, with only the Red Sox, Yankees, and Cardinals making it multiple times. What is the definition of parity again? Is it different teams having a chance to win each and every year? How can any rational, right minded person argue that baseball is inherently unfair when nearly HALF the teams in the league have made an appearance in the world series in the last eight years?

Parity is here my friends. Each year now we, as baseball fans, can legitimately look and ask "who is gonna be that surprise team?" Would you have picked the Rays before this year? Would you have picked the Rockies before last year? Next year, perhaps it's the A's. Perhaps it's the Twins. Perhaps it's the Reds. Right now, they might be long shots, but does anyone doubt that, given the maturity of a few young players and, perhaps, the addition of a couple of nice, veteran players, and any one of those teams could be standing on a podium, accepting the trophy from Bud Selig?

In my opinion, baseball is the ONLY sport that has not compromised its regular season, or its product on the field, in an attempt to produce parity.

*Can CC Sabathia sign with the Yankees tonight or does he have to wait 24 hours before he can put his signature on a deal?

*Watching Brad Lidge finish off the Rays tonight, and seeing how well, and how durable, Kerry Wood seemed to be as the closer for the Cubs, is it so outlandish to believe that Mark Prior could be a terrific closer who could actually stay healthy if he wasn't straining his body through 170 innings per year? Reclamation projects have worked for a lot of other teams, and Lidge was about as big a project as one could take on. Now, Lidge has always been a closer and his short stints on the DL are nothing compared to Prior's continued injury history, but what, exactly, could be the harm?

Prior has terrific stuff when healthy, and asking him to pitch one or two innings every few days would allow him to really let his stuff loose without fear of tiring. Plus, he has big game, big moment experience, so you have to believe he wouldn't be rattled under the spot light. Finally, if Prior were to take to his new bullpen role and stay healthy, he could conceivably be the heir apparent to Mariano when the great one decides to ultimately step aside. Prior has that bulldog mentality, but the demeanor of a Rivera, showing little to no emotion on the mound. Wouldn't he be a nice addition to the Yanks young, inexperienced yet highly talented pen? It wouldn't cost anything. It would simply be a no risk all reward move, and Prior is still under 30.

*I have decided to become an NBA fan this year but, I have to admit, it is difficult rooting for the Nets when they play in New Jersey. My Nets fandom was based on their move to Brooklyn and signing Lebron. Is any of that gonna happen now? Can I hang on and wait that long?

Nine more years of A-Rod..........here's what needs to happen

For some reason I was thinking a lot about Alex Rodriguez this weekend, in a purely sports related, non-homosexual way (though his hair and sunbathing tendencies do peak even the most staunch heterosexual's interest). First, there was the whole Madonna, Guy Ritchie divorce that shockingly looks like it will be mean and messy (no way Madonna is a mean, vindictive b*tch, right?). Of course, the reports still insist that A-Rod and the Queen of class herself are an item, although no one has gone on record confirming such rumors.

Then, there was Manny Ramirez's proclamation that he was "going to the highest bidder," which is not exactly taken out of the "always say the right, if obviously false, thing to the media to avoid controversy" play book. And finally, there was the report that Derek Jeter joined Roger Clemens on the sidelines of yesterday's Texas game - the first indication that Clemens was, in fact, alive and that someone was willing to be within three counties of the right hander.

Why did all of this get me thinking about A-Rod?

Because I am 30 year's old right now and, by the time Alex is finally ready to retire, I will probably be about 38 or 39. That's my entire 30s as a fan right there. That's a decade of watching games and whether you love A-Rod or hate him, there is no question that he will remain one of the most important pieces of the Yankee offensive machine for that length of time.

So, how does A-Rod shed his choking tendencies and become a force in big games and big situations?

He has to embrace his inner asshole.

What do I mean by inner asshole, you may ask.

That's simple. See, I am of the belief that A-Rod is truly just a prick of a person, maybe not as bad as a Barry Bonds or a Gary Sheffield, but in that discussion. Let's face it, he did cheat on his wife, evidently while she was pregnant, with Madonna; he opted out of his contract in the middle of a World Series game to try and capture as much attention for himself as possible; he blamed all of his bad PR on his agent, Scott Boras, after having been complicite in all of his actions; and he has already establish a reputation as a "team of one" that is disconnected from the rest of the Yankees. He just doesn't seem like the sweetest guy in the world.

Yet every action A-Rod takes seems to be deliberate, a if he has a little note card in his locker that says "what would Jeter do?" and he adhers to it's principles each time. A-Rod tries desperately to always say the right thing. He has stock answers for questions, and none of them ever really seem to be sincere. He is utterly obsessed with making sure that each movement he makes on the field is for effect, and that HAS to hurt when you're up at the plate, with two outs, 9th inning, bases loaded, down by a run.

So instead of trying to pretend he is something he isn't why not just embrace his true self, his true asshole self, and go with it? Look at Manny. Manny is a jerk. He's a scumbag who openly gave up on Boston, purposely dogged it to get out of town, and even made a few jokes out of his deliberate tanking along the way. Why? Because Manny doesn't try and pretend, he just walks out there and performs. He isn't worried about the headlines for tomorrow or what talk radio is saying about him. Hell, he might not even know talk radio exists. Instead, he does what he wants, says what he thinks, and performs at the highest of levels because he isn't encumbered by anything other than hitting a baseball as high and as far as possible. Yes, it means we see what a true asshole he is, and when he comes out and blatantly says that he will go to the highest bidder as a free agent, we know he means it. But, on the field, it seems to work for him.

On the flip side, look at Jeter. Now, Jeter is Mr. Professional, a man of infinite cliches who never lets too much out of the bag. Yet Jeter, far from being an asshole it would seem, is obviously comfortable in his own skin. Buster Olney of ESPN pointed out that there are "several image conscious players" who wouldn't have been caught dead with Clemens on Saturday afternoon. Was it the right thing to do or the wrong thing to show up with Roger the Law Dodger? I have no idea but what we do know is that Jeter didn't care a bit. Why? Because like it or not Jeter and Clemens are friends and Jeter obviously didn't care much about image when he went to that ball game on Saturday. Think A-Rod would have ignored the possible tabloid headlines and gone to the game? Hard to imagine, isn't it.

Look, A-Rod's calculated response to every thing makes him difficult to root for. I, personally, would find it far easier to cheer the guy on if he were just himself. Talk some trash to the other team. Acknowledge that you're freakin better than the players on the other side of the field because, hell, we know you believe that and you're probably right. Go out with some not-too-pure looking women. Stand at home plate and admire your shot. Have an ego that is blasted away because some obese, semi-retarded know-it-all (Mike Francesa) is gonna get on you about it the next day. Just be yourself, even if that means you're not the most likeable guy in the world. Guess what buddy, you're trying your hardest to be the most likeable guy in the world and everyone hates you. Embrace that.

I don't know about you but I happen to believe that such openness would relax the guy a little bit. If you don't care what EVERYONE else is saying then you will just play your game and, if the dick does that, no one, not Manny, not anyone, can match his talent.

Please, for the love of GOD, someone end this horror

Couple of random sports thoughts:

*If the Rays lose game 7 against the Red Sox it will be devastating for several reasons. First, because the Red Sox are made up of a bunch of douchebag morons (hello Papelbon) who would be well on their way to a THIRD championship in 5 years, making their team one for the ages. Right now, they are the Florida Marlins with two championships. Good for them. A third gives a group of whiny little pricks a third championship. That isn't good for baseball or for history. Second, you can't lose a game, let alone a series, when you have a 7-0 lead in game 5. You just can't. That is historic choking, pure and simple. Finally, while the Sox could lose and field a big team again next year and the year after that, only the most pie-in-the-sky fan could believe the Rays can make it back to this level again. The Sox will be good again. The Yanks are gonna retool. The Blue Jays are always a good and dangerous team. Everything came together perfectly for Tampa this year. What are the chances the stars align once again like that?
*Peter Gammons wrote an article about the "ghosts of Fenway" coming out for that game 5. The ghosts of Fenway? Did someone die off that 2004 team cause those are the only "ghosts" around. Before that, all the ghosts in Fenway knew how to do was bend over and lube up.
Don't you just love how Red Sox fans now like to try and re-write history? Suddenly, no one remembers the 86 years of futility and choke artistry that defined Beantown for two generations. That didn't exist. The complete ineptitude and inability to come up with a big win for decades is swept under the rug. Suddenly, Fenway has ghosts? PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!! And exactly when can we put Peter Gammons out to pasture? Has he had one interesting or informative thing to offer in the last 10 years? His gyrations over the Red Sox are all he has to offer now. Oh, and note to ESPN, if you're gonna have columnists, could you PLEASE try and find someone who isn't jerking off in a corner to lurid pictures of Kevin Youkalis and Jonathan Papelbon in the shower? Bill Simmons? Does he write about anything other than Boston sports? Peter Gammons? Rob Neyer? All these guys do is try to one up each other over whose chubby gets bigger when someone mentions Dustin Pedroia. It is to the point where you can't even read a column by one of these guys if you're not a rabid Bostonite.
*Is it me or is Jake Peavy's complete refusal to play for an AL team enough of a reason not to explore a trade for him? Oh no, those big, mean, nasty AL teams don't give a pitcher three automatic outs with a no hit infielder, no hit catcher, and can barely stand at the plate pitcher each game. How can one be expected to perform?
You know what then nancy, stay in the NL. Have fun getting big outs against the pitcher, or fielding the 200 bunts per game because each lineup only has three or four guys who can hit. I'll take Sabathia, who won a Cy Young in the AL, and even AJ Burnett, who has faced down the AL East meat grinder each year for the past several years over a guy who is peeing his pants at the prospect of coming to a real league.
*Is it me or does it seem somewhat strange to anyone else that the rise of this Red Sox team has coincided with the demise of Western civilization as we know it? Back in 2000, when all was right with the world, the Yankees were winning. Now? Stocks crashing, wars raging, unemployment rising, and all the while those pit stains are winning ballgames. Sorry, I think a blind man could see a trend there.
*Why is it that, even now, Tom Coughlin's team can still allow themselves to read their own headlines and believe them, to the point where they HAVE to have a let-down game? This drill sargeant, task master coach lets his team spit the bit at least once a season, losing to a team they have no business even being in a game with. Granted, the Browns are a better team than their record, but still?
*Just a question but does anyone still read Mike Lupica anymore? Does he know he isn't a political commentator? Hell, he's barely a sports columnist.
Why is it so hard for people to understand that we don't give a shit about their political views? I don't want or care to hear it. Lupica has spent his life stewing over how to eloquently question why a coach decided to punt on fourth down instead of going for it. Does he honestly believe I take his political ruminations seriously?
*I have decided to be an NBA fan from the beginning of the season now and I was going to adopt the New Jersey Nets as my favorite team. First, I have the YES network, meaning I could follow the team all year long. Second, I think Rod Thorn is about as good a GM in basketball and I am sure he is gonna rebuild his team to be exciting. Third, it seems the general consensus is that LeBron James, who counts himself a friend of Nets part owner Jay Z, and a big Yankee fan, may end up playing for the Nets in 2o1o when his contract ends with Cleveland and I LOVE LeBron, I really do.
Of course, all of this is contingent upon them moving to Brooklyn in the next few years. Now, I heard some rumor that the move to Brooklyn might be off. Is that true? If so, I don't think I could root for the Jersey team because their facility and their fans are, shall we say, freakin BORING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's like watching a game at Tropicana Field. It is depressing, it really is. But a move to a gorgeous arena in Brooklyn, the inevitable jazzing up of the jerseys and the logo, and the addition of Bron Bron would be too much for me to pass up.
So I am jumping on the Nets bandwagon this year, with Devin Harris poised for a break out year, Josh Boone, my boy from Uconn, getting better each year, Brook Lopez playing nasty defense in the middle, and Vince Carter actually trying a little bit, and they could be a fun team to root for. So I might as well start now. GO NETS!!!!!!!!!!