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Moses spent 40 years in the desert before shepherding Israel through the desert enroute to the Promised Land. Michael Jackson grew up in a musical family and became the King of Pop over a span of 50 years. Don Zimmer tops them both. We're talking 61 years in the game and he's still going. Homeboy loves baseball. He was Joe Torre's bench coach when he managed the Yankees to 4 World Series championships. He had left Yankee management over a dispute with the boss George Steinbrenner after the 2003 season. Check out this interview with Kimberly Jones from the YES Network.

Continue reading "Much love for Don Zimmer at Yankee Stadium"

He’s got 4 World Series rings: 1 with the Mets and 3 with the Yankees. His career was tainted with drug abuse. He’s Darryl Strawberry. He was a special guest on the show “Centerstage” with Michael Kaye on the Yes Network. He was a class act. Whatever questions Michael Kaye had about the negative things that happened in his life, he took full responsibility for it: drugs and tax evasion. You name it! Whatever he did wrong he took full responsibility for it, unlike Roger Clemens, who’s given denial after denial that he did steroids.

Darryl is an overcomer, then and now! He mentioned how he grew up in South Central L.A: in the hood. His dad used to abuse him and his brothers. Straw said his dad used to…uh you’re gonna have to watch the show. Don’t want to spoil it for you. Eventually, his mom had enough and divorced his dad. Throughout the show, he mentions that because he didn’t have a father figure in his life, he had to figure out things on his own. Straw even admitted to believing what his dad used to tell him: “You’re good for nothing and you’ll never amount anything.” His father was wrong. His upbringing in just one of the things that he overcame.

Continue reading "Straw Humble on Yes Network's "Centerstage""

Wrestling fans, in the past you've seen snakes from Jake "The Snake" Roberts, parrots from Koko B. Ware, bulldogs from Davey Boy Smith and the Dynamite Kid. Victoria is back in wrestling as "Tara" in TNA and she's striking fear in the hearts of the TNA Knockouts. Check it out (if you're afraid of spiders, don't click play):

I love it! When Tara was in the WWE, she was such a dominant force. She didn't need a gimmick. She just pretty much dominated through every match with her strength and intensity, leading her to hold the WWE Women's Championship numerous times. Her finishing move the Widow's Peak is one of the most feared finishers in women's wrestling. Just check out how this move gained her her first TNA Knockout title:

Continue reading "TNA's Tara (formerly WWE's Victoria) bringing arachnophobia to the opposition"

A NY Daily News reporter has penned Cody Ransom as A-Rod's understudy. This player is no stranger to injuries. I checked out his bio on MLB.com. He survived a car crash that killed 2 of his teammates while in college. He is a family man with a 5 year old daughter. He been spending the last 7 seasons going up and down from the Majors to the Minors with the San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros, and New York Yankees. Just what exactly is an understudy? Random House dictionary defines it as "a performer who learns the role of another in order to serve as a replacement if necessary." Scary, isn't it? To be the understudy to a player with a tainted history. Some might say, "Uh-oh! A-Rod's gonna teach him how to use steroids." Others might say, "Uh-oh, he's hanging o

Continue reading "Yankees backup infielder Cody Ransom: A-Rod's Understudy?"

It was a series where Alex Rodriguez got closer to Rafael Palmeiro on the all-time home run list. Mariano Rivera continued to pile up saves. Joba Chamberlain continued to pile up no decisions. The mark set by Andy Pettitte and Mo continued to increase. Ken Griffey Jr continued to approach Willie Mays in career HRs. Ichiro Suzuki continued to get hit after hit. Could he be on his way to a 9th consecutive 200+ hit season? Let's break this all down.

A-Rod's been getting a day's rest every week and will continue to do so until the All Star Break. It's been paying off for the Yankees with home runs in Games 1 and 2: 2 days, 2 homers. You go, Alex, rest up that big bad hip! A lot of people will say, "Oh, he's juicing up again." Others will say, "Oh, he's been hanging out with Kate Hudson." I say leave him alone. He's a grown boy. Unfortunately, baseball's steroid policy has become like rules in pro wrestling. It's legal as long as the ref doesn't see it. I guess in baseball terms, it would be that they can take whatever they want as long as they don't test negative. As long as he continues to test negative and keeps hitting home runs, I'm a happy camper.

Continue reading "Mariners-Yankees: A Series of Milestones Approached & Standards Set"

It's starting to look like Joe Torre is running away with a 14th consecutive trip to the playoffs as a manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They've been straight up dominating the opposition in the NL West. Some might say, "Oh, the NL West has the worst teams in baseball. It's the easiest division." Regardless, the Dodgers are where they're at 79 games into the season. All this and they're doing it without Manny Ramirez. They're hasn't been a superstar in the lineup. Everybody on the team is pitching in. Over the past 14 years, Torres had a knack of making things happen with the players given to him yet still make the playoffs.This team is starting to remind me of Torre’s 1998 Yankees. How’s does this Dodger team compare? Let’s take a look.

These are the 1998 Standings for that record-setting Yankee championship team 79 games into the season:

Continue reading "Are Joe Torre's Dodgers looking like Torre's 1998 Yankees?"

There's a new face on the New York pro baseball scene. His name is Francisco. Sorry Mets fans, I'm not talking about K-Rod, who granted has been perfect this year in saves opportunities except for that 1 save opportunity that slipped away when a route pop fly by second baseman Luis Castillo was dropped. A.J. Burnett might as well have snuck behind him during his interview on SNY and stuffed a whipped cream pie in his face.

Anyway, I'm talking about Yankees rookie catcher Francisco Cervelli. In Wednesday night's victory against the Atlanta Braves, his home run brought revival to the Yankees offense. Check out the drama here: Joe Girardi gets kicked out of the game for arguing that call on a play at first base. (Replays show that Brett Gardner was safe) Next up is Frankie Cervelli.

Continue reading "Frankie serves up some spark for New York...(no, not K-Rod)"

The Colorado Rockies, a team that went from the N.L. West cellar to just a half a game out of the wildcard spot, have won nine of their last 10 games. They have gone from hosting an 18-28 record to currently standing strong at 37-33.

 

Better yet, they have won 17 of 18 games, very much similar to the run to the World Series just two years ago. Colorado is 19-5 under head coach Jim Tracy and is 8-2 in interleague play, the best in the majors by percentage points. They have also won nine games in a row on the road, which is unheard of based on previous history.

 

Surprised? Well, you shouldn’t be. This is what should be expected, even with the off-season departure of Matt Holiday.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is no fluke. No one ever seems to take the Rockies seriously, which in 2007, and now, has provided an advantage, which has led to six-straight series wins. Also, a lot of the great play has been catered to Tracy. Since he has taken over, the team seems to be playing much looser, and are smiling more, which is evidence that they are having fun on the diamond.

Continue reading "Surprised with the Rockies? Well, you shouldn't be!"

Dateline: last season. New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada injures his shoulder. He ends up needing season-ending surgery leading to a Pudge Rodriguez summer rental. Fast forward to this season. There is no doubt his shoulder's gotten better. It just seems like every time I turn on the Yankee game on TV, some baserunner is trying to steal 2nd and the throw from Jorge is...........IN TIME! He's caught a couple stealing in last week's series against the Washington Nationals. I remember him catching somebody stealing against the Marlins. I believe it was Hanley Ramirez and if I remember correctly Ramirez was perfect so far this season until he got caught by Posada. Cool, huh? There is no doubt that Jorgie is back to form before the injury. Throw in a couple of home runs here and there and you've got yourself one of the most exciting Yankee players to watch. I love it! Every time he throws the ball to second and catches a baserunner stealing, it shuts the mouths of all those skeptics out there who think he's coming off shoulder surgery and he's an easy stolen base. It shuts the mouths of all those skeptics out there that think he's done. It shuts the mouths of all those skeptics out there that think the Yanks should have kept Pudge. Don't get me wrong I have nothing against Ivan Rodriguez. Congrats Pudge on beating Carlton Fisk for most appearances as a catcher. I have a lot of respect for him. He's just too clutch against the teams I root for and a straight-up dud when he plays on teams I root for. This frustrates me just a little bit. Let Pudge be a journeyman going from team to team making history. I'll just stick with Jorgie, the best catcher in baseball as a staple on the New York Yankees.

Continue reading "Posada's shoulder holding up nicely for the Yankees"

Hazel Mae interviewed Ken Rosenthal from Fox Sports the other night on MLB Network’s show Quick Pitch. Mae brought out the point that the Yankees needed to improve their bullpen. Ken mentioned that the Yankees are all set with Brian Bruney and that they expect improvement in their bullpen upon his return. He also brought out some possibilities considering that Brian has been on the DL twice this season. Here are his picks along with my personal reaction to each pick:

 

Jose Valverde (Houston Astros) – Valverde is the closer for the ‘Stros. Last year he had over 40 saves for them for the 2nd year in a row. Last I read, he’s only got 3 saves this year so far. He’s been hampered by an injured calf and an injured foot from a comebacker hitting off his leg against the Dodgers earlier this year. He tried his best to work through it but ended up on the disabled list and ex-Yankee LaTroy Hawkins filled in for him. Do you think Houston will give him up if they fall out of contention? At first I thought, “He is their man. He is their closer. He’s their version of Mariano Rivera. He’s had 40+ saves the previous 2 seasons. They’re keeping him.” Then I looked at their place in the standings and found that they were in the cellar 6 games behind the 1st place Cardinals in the NL Central. If they fall out of contention by the trade deadline, I believe they might trade him to a team looking for a reliever.

Continue reading "Rosenthal’s Picks to Improve Yankees Bullpen before the trade deadline"