The Yankess have run away from Boston and Mr. May has now become Mr. September. The pressure's off and A-Rod is hitting like a relaxed man in batting practice. Of course, no one has ever went into a slump in batting practice. However, at The Stadium in the Bronx, Corporate Headquarters for October Baseball, it's not what you do but when you do it that matters. After his past playoff failures, let's see if Mr May/September can become Mr. October.
A-Rod may be having his troubles at the plate but the losses in Anaheim are a result of pitching problems and not hitting woes. On Friday night they scored 5 runs yet Jaret Wright couldn't get out of the 3rd inning for the 2nd start in a row. On Saturday the Yanks scored 7 but the pitching staff let 12 runs score. The starter, Lidle, couldn't get out of the 3rd either. A- Rod is anemic at the plate right now but the biggest dogs lately in the dog days of summer are the pitchers. It could be time to bring up Philip Hughes. He can't be any worse than Wright's been. And how much pressure can there be on him following Jaret Wright...someone who hasn't pitched past the 6th all year.
Dear Joe - it's time to realize that Gay Rod just is not a cleanup hitter for the Yankees. If he could just get some hits with risp he could beat Hack Wilson's RBI record. Cano's hot - how about batting him 4th , Giambi 5th and A-Rod 6th? They couldn't pitch around Cano because Giambi is dangerous. If Giambi walks then A-Rod comes up with a people on but Cano and Giambi both had the opportunity to drive in Damon, Jeter and Abreu. One more thing, with all the injuries this year Posada's been a trooper. He needs some rest and he should not be batting 6th in your lineup - he'd be fine in the 8 hole. He's a double play machine...and that's on offense.
Abreu is a great pickup for the Yanks. The kid works the count and can hit. He's always on base and is an upgrade in right over Sheffield - who should have no problem at first since he's played both short and third in the major leagues. I'm still skeptical of him making it back this season.
This is a team that constantly does nothing because of their moronic owner. Mud Selig should suspend Angelos for actions that are detrimental to the good of baseball. But...since Mud partly owes his "job" to Angelos he's going to be peterless and just let that Big Peter run his minor league franchise into the ground. At the baseball trade deadline they again do nothing. Then I'm listening to the Orioles TV broadcast and of course Jim Palmer is whining about the Yankees picking up Abreu, Lidle and Wilson. Can we get some cheese with with that whine???Complaining that it's the Yankees again using their big payroll to do things noone else can. HULLLOO. The Orioles could have traded Tejada and gotten a # 1 starter from Houston as well as a starting shortstop. Or they could have gotten a very good established young starting pitcher from the Angels and the Angels top shortstop prospect. Those are certainly trade chips for the future. The O's could have had Craig Wilson as well. All the Yanks did was a little research - they knew that Wilson was one of the better hitters in the National League in 2004 and then last year was hurt. They also knew he is a good first baseman, plays the outfield and is the 3rd string catcher as well. They gave up...Shawn Chacon. A starter who had played his way out of the Yanks rotation and even out of their pen. The O's could have probably had him for Bruce Chen. A servicable lefty starter who is more suited to the National League game - with a reasonable salary to boot. But they didn't. Cashman didn't use his financial muscle to get Wilson - he used his brain. That deal would have also freed the O's to trade Conine to a contender for a mid level prospect - or a younger major league bench player. As for Abreu, anyone could have had him if they did what Cashman did. Don't overpay the Phils because you are picking up his salary. Abreu could have been had by the O's to anchor their merry go round outfield and they would have to only commit to next year and the year after. No long term deal if it doesn't work out. Plus, he's an offensive and defensive upgrade over every Oriole outfielder. He's an ALL STAR folks. If smart they would have had Wilson at first and an outfield anchor and upgrade with Abreu in right. Instead those guys are Yankees. No they weren't out muscled by Brian Cashman - they were outsmarted.
What a surprise? He's GUILTY! Floyd Landis CHEATED. Pure and simple. He's a CHEAT. I knew from his tap dance last week that this wasn't looking good for the man who aspired to be Lance. However, Lance, the most tested man on the planet, never failed a drug test and after his cancer admitted he had to take HGH to recover. He still never tested positive. Landis deserves to lose his Tour de France title.
Floyd Landis' "story" about his high testosterone levels sounds very suspicious to me. If he normally has high testosterone levels then why doesn't he parade out his personal physician to confirm his account. If he is innocent then why the " I can't talk about it today but will have a Press Conference tomorrow" act? And why didn't he just say I'm innocent. He's doing a lot dancing. His excuse sounded a little too much like the Congressional Steroid hearings with Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro.
Abreu goes to Yanks without giving up any Major League talent or any top prospects. I like this deal. Matt Smith, a 25 yr old lefty, could be an ok reliver but let's be real here...with the Yanks having bullpen problems all year he couldn't stick with the club and was sent down a couple times. The Yankees assume Abreu's salary and significantly upgrade in right field. He may not hit home runs but he's an on base machine with a real arm in right field. I'm not big on Corey Lidle but he's got to be better than Sir Sidney or Kris Wilson etc as the 5th starter.
Mr. May - A-Rod is the new Mr. May. He's just not a good situational hitter. He doesn't hit to the right side with runners on 2nd or 3rd. He oftentimes strikes out or hits into a rally killing DP with risp. He doesn't hit sac flies with a runner on 3rd and less than 2 outs. I like the Yankees and am not necessarily an A-Rod hater but if I was Joe Torre and I had my horses back I'd bat A-Rod 7th or 8th - probably behind Cano and Posada.
I'm a 50 yr old male sports nut. I love watching baseball, football and basketball - even golf when Tiger's in the hunt. I grew up in Southern California and had sports radio and TV shows on local stations while in high school. I've been married to Robin for 125 years.
