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Red Sox John Lackey Needs Tommy John

Posted by on 25 October 2011, 4:38 pm
The Prudential Tower lit up for the 2007 World...

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Well, the good times are no longer rolling up in Boston as the Red Sox clubhouse turned frat-house will be without one founding member for the 2012 season, pitcher John Lackey.

Ben Cherington confirmed the news during his first official press conference as Boston’s new GM.

Cherington said that Dr. Lewis Yocum out in Los Angeles recently examined Lackey’s elbow and he determined that Tommy John surgery was the way to go.

Lackey has been a mess since arriving in Boston, and he made a ritual of beer drinking taking precedence over supporting fellow teammates during games. Lackey was dealing with off-the-field issues this season, but that is no excuse to be disrespectful.

Many people in the world deal with severe personal issues, and they still show up to work and do their job. The whole Lackey-issue seems to be a lack of immaturity, but even more worrisome is the negative effect it had in the clubhouse.

If Lackey actually rested his throwing arms in between starts, instead holding brewskies all the time, maybe he could have avoided this predicament in the first place. Whether the Red Sox would have made the playoffs if Lackey weren’t around, my answer is yes they would have. Continue reading ‘Red Sox John Lackey Needs Tommy John’ »

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The 2011 New York Yankees Team Was Built To Win This WS

Posted by on 25 October 2011, 9:00 am

With each fleeting game, my attempts not to notice the absence of the 2011 New York Yankees in the World Series is wearing thin.

The more I watch the Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals play, the more I realize that the 2011 Bombers were truly molded to win this postseason.

With only five games down and at most two left to play, the Rangers are looking to close this WS out after taking a 3-2 lead over the Cardinals. The Rangers won this unexciting Game 5 by a score of 4-2.

When this revelation really dawned on me was after viewing the Rangers and Cardinals make a slugfest dull in Game 3, that the Yankees could have beaten both these teams. I mean the Bombers beat the Rangers 7-2 in regular season games, and even if the Rangers win the whole shebang, I am still not buying it.

I recognize how totally outlandish this theory is based on the Yankees early exit from the ALDS, as they lost a heart wrenching Game 5 to the Tigers but that was the Bombers at their worst.

The Yankees bats were all out of sorts because when a team has one or two opportunities to tie a game and fail that is getting outplayed. It is different when a team strands a total of 12 men on base, as that my friend is choking.

By no means am I taking away from the Tigers performance, as Detroit was playing at the top of their game. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that the Yankees were not.

So, how can I say that an eliminated team is built to win the World Series?

Well, anyone with a brain would realize that the Rangers and Cardinals are not winning off dominant starting pitching; instead they are disarming opponents with their powerful bats and shutdown bullpens.

And what were the Yankees biggest strengths all season long, hitting and relief pitching. Continue reading ‘The 2011 New York Yankees Team Was Built To Win This WS’ »

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Do You Want To Be Inspired? See This Sports Movie

Posted by on 24 October 2011, 12:18 am

Hey sports fans – - do you need to be inspired, or get reminded why you love sports all over again?

Well, then go no further than your local movie theater and buy a ticket to Sony Pictures new film, The Mighty Macs.

You can thank me later…..but  just check out the trailer below, courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

About The Mighty Macs 

The Mighty Macs  is based on the incredible true story of the 1971-72 Immaculata College team that started in obscurity but became the original Cinderella story in women’s basketball. This team of pioneers went from barely making that inaugural tournament to the first dynasty in their game. And Cathy Rush, the woman who was ahead of her time, became immortalized when she was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Mighty Macs opens nationwide on Friday, October 21st 2011 and is rated G.  To buy tickets and for more information visit www.themightymacs.com. Continue reading ‘Do You Want To Be Inspired? See This Sports Movie’ »

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New York Yankees: In Defense Of A-rod Part Deux

Posted by on 22 October 2011, 3:33 am
Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees at Amer...

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October 6, 2011 – It was the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Yankee stadium scoreboard read 3-2. With two out already posted, the fate of the season lied in the bat of baseball’s richest, three-time MVP New York Yankees Alex Rodriguez.

That was the calm before the storm in Game 5 of the ALDS, as Detroit Tigers Jose Valverde went on to strikeout A-rod, as Yankee fans couldn’t even muster the strength to boo.

That was the second time A-rod struck out in key spots that Thursday night, as well as the second season he would shoulder the majority of the blame for the Yankees early October exit.

If I were A-rod, I would have tried to run out the side door and avoid the counterattack that was about to in the Yankees clubhouse. Instead A-rod faced the media head-on and made no excuses:

“When you have opportunities like that, we talk about keeping momentum going, even if it’s a sac fly to at least get one run in there,” Rodriguez said. “I didn’t get the job done.”

He went on to say:

“It’s devastating. This is going to hurt for a long time. This one stings, especially at home.”

Now, fast-forward to the top of the ninth in Game 2 of the 2011 World Series.

With no outs, the Cardinals were trying to hold a one-run lead, until Texas Rangers Elvis Andrus hit a line drive into center-field.

The single moved teammate Ian Kinsler from second to third-base, and just as Andrus was about to comfortable on first base, the unthinkable happened.

Cardinals fist baseman, Albert Pujols missed a textbook cut-off throw from the centerfield, and Andrus took off to second base, now leaving the Rangers with two runners in scoring position. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: In Defense Of A-rod Part Deux’ »

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New York Yankees: Alex Rodriguez, Josh Hamilton, Excuses And Excuses

Posted by on 21 October 2011, 2:14 am

Sure you are well aware that the New York Yankees are not playing in the 2011 World Series, as the team lost to the Detroit Tigers

Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers Cropped

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in the ALDS.

The Texas Rangers are playing for the franchise’s first WS Championship, for the second season in a row.

It is no secret that the Yankees don’t get any favors from anybody; even the most loyal of New York fans are pissed if the Bombers are anything but perfect. It is kind of ironic when the Yankees are baseball’s saving grace in terms of popularity, because even the haters can’t get enough.

So it came as no surprise when the Yankees lost that tragic ALDS Game 5 in the Bronx that everyone blamed Alex Rodriguez. A-rod did miss opportunities at the plate, but so did his teammates and why is it not about the Tigers winning?

So, why did no one care that the guy was playing hurt?

Oh right…. because no one can get over A-rod’s paycheck. Unlike other players, A-rod can wrap his wounds in $100 bills so how they cannot hurt that much.

Ok, I get it…. A-rod is public enemy #1, and he plays for sport’s most evil empire, but what really bugs me is that other players don’t get the same treatment.

One example is Rangers Josh Hamilton.

Hamilton has made immense mistakes throughout his career, and to say he was a drug addict is putting it politely.

Hamilton’s compulsions were so bad that the Rangers have a ‘special assignment coach’ on staff whose only job is to watch Hamilton. This job includes sharing adjoining hotel rooms on the road, eating every meal together, has to hold Hamilton’s wallet and never allowing Hamilton to be alone for more than a few minutes.

Without a doubt Hamilton has made an admirable recovery, but it is a tad scary that Texas has a babysitter on their payroll. Guess the Rangers know they need Hamilton to win and they cannot afford to take any chances with their best player.

Hamilton was probably the second most scouted prospect coming out of high school, the first being A-rod. Both men have baseball running in their veins, because they ooze exceptional talent. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Alex Rodriguez, Josh Hamilton, Excuses And Excuses’ »

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New York Yankees: Opting In Or Optioned Out

Posted by on 20 October 2011, 2:34 am

OPTING IN:

Ben Nicholson-Smith at MLBTradeRumors.com has reported that New York Yankees reliever Rafael Soriano has no plans on using his contract’s opt-out clause.

Not officially confirmed, according to ESPN New York, but there is no reservation that Soriano will play out the 2-years left on his contract, which earns him a $25 million paycheck.

In his first season with the Yankees, Soriano pitched just shy of 40 innings, posting an ERA of 4.12, with 36 strikeouts, 18 earned runs, four home-runs and 18 walks.

Those numbers are not reflective of how Soriano did after he returned from a two-month long DL stint after the All-Star break. In August and September, Soriano showed signs of the 2010 pitcher that led the AL with 49 saves. He pitched 24 innings, fanned 26 batters and his strikeout per nine-innings went from 6.0 in the first-half to 9.6 in the second.

Considering Soriano agreed to take a demoted role to come to New York, and the attitude he displayed in beginning of the 2011 season was certainly not there in the end. The extraordinary amount of money the Yankees are tied to with Soriano is definitely a good reason to stay too, but I think this partnership will continue to get better and be viewed as a success when done. 

Soriano-Robertson-Mariano was a great late inning threesome, and with Joba Chamberlain returning from Tommy John surgery in 2012, the Yankees bullpen should be tops in baseball once again. And if the latest post season tells baseball fans anything, it is that the role of the bullpen is no longer an unheeded group, but a pivotal one.

OPTIONED OUT: Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Opting In Or Optioned Out’ »

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2011 WS Rangers vs. Cardinals: Impartial Prediction

Posted by on 19 October 2011, 2:35 am

The battle for the title of 2011 World Series Champion starts tonight, as the St. Louis Cardinals will duke it out with the Texas Rangers in a match-up that you won’t want to miss.

The only sure thing is the one team will be crowned the champs, while the other will join the long list of World Series meltdowns.

Before getting to my prediction, read my posts about the good, the bad and the ugly about both the RANGERS and the CARDINALS. (Click on team name to read previews.) Click HERE for TV schedule for all World Series games.

So, who do think has the upper hand in this battle royal?

MY 2011 WORLD SERIES PREDICTION:

On paper the Rangers have a slight edge over the Cardinals, but neither team has an overwhelming advantage over the other.

Both teams have gotten sub-par performances in the postseason thus far from their starting pitchers, so look for the team whose rotation steps it up to play a big part of the series.

Looking at the regular season numbers, the Rangers have better starting rotation, but not as much vs. the Cardinals. See, the strength of the Cardinals hitters is the long-ball and the Rangers starters have given up 16 of the team’s 20 home-runs this postseason, with six off Rangers ace CJ Wilson. Wilson only gave up 16 homers in the regular season, so they need a big start from him in Game 1.

The Cardinals fate hangs on the Game 1 performance of ace Chris Carpenter, who is now suffering from elbow soreness but says he is good to go, but what else is he going to say.

Since Game 1 is in St. Louis, it gives the Cardinals home field advantage to start this World Series. The Cardinals are slightly better defensively than Texas, and have a better bench.

While the Rangers have the edge in their starting rotation, as they feature three lefties, which could make it tougher for the Cardinals righty dominate bats to get going. This is pending on at least two of the three lefties kicking it up a notch. Continue reading ‘2011 WS Rangers vs. Cardinals: Impartial Prediction’ »

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