 Sunday, September 10, 2006
Mets demolish Dodgers at Shea
It's September and the leaves are a changin' so the playoffs are right around the corner.
As I am riding the 7 train to Shea, I see a Mets fan writing "2006 NL East Champs" with a black Sharpie pen on a white t-shirt. I yell out "No! You're going to jinx it!". Even though I recent wrote "Braves Burial" that the Atlanta Braves were ALMOST mathematically eliminated, the Braves are still 14 time defending NL East Champions until they are dethroned. Hopefully sooner than later but I am very superstitious.
Saturday's showdown at Shea offered a possible playoff preview with the Dodgers on Italian Day at Shea.
El Duque started for the Mets and future Hall of Famer "The Professor" Greg Maddux started for the Dodgers who is second on the all time wins list behind Roger Clemens with 330.
It was my first time seeing Nomar Garciparra play since Derek Jeter's classic dive into the stands to catch a foul ball on July 1, 2004. Unlike most of the Boston Red Sox, Nomar was actually sitting down in the dugout. Within a month, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs.
The Dodgers fans must have brought the sun and humidity with them to Shea today.
The Mets take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a Carlos Delgado home run.
Kenny Lofton, who has played for eight teams over the past six seasons including the Yankees, starts the top of the fourth and flies out to right field because of a nice catch by Shawn Green at the wall. Steve and Mets GM Omar Minyara are so right about this guy.
As the Tank goes to the restroom in the bottom of the Fourth in his inspirational superstition, David Wright doubles to right-center but is not driven home.
Lofton singles home catcher Russell Martin to tie the game at one in the top if the sixth. Nomar lines to DW who gets "The Professor" in a run down going home and El Duque tags him out. (Maddux later admits that the run down wears him out as he gave up the single to Valentin to start the bottom of the sixth.)
J.D. Drew singles home to take the lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, a little boy a couple of rows in front of me and a little girl several rows back yell out "Let's Go Mets!" and Jose Valentin immediately doubles. Very cute and it's better than them crying. Carlos Beltran is intentionally walked and "The Professor" goes to the bench. Tim Hamulack is the new pitcher. Delgado flies out to right field to advance the runners to second and third. The Dodgers bring in a new pitcher to face DW.
DW singles to center to score two runs. Mets lead 3-2 after sixth innings.
Get up and stretch!
As a pinch runner, Lastings Milledge is caught in a run down to end the seventh.
Aaron Heilman works an effective eighth.
Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" is the XM Satellite Radio Eighth Inning Song.
El Profesor Jose Reyes hit a ground rule double to center to start the bottom of the eighth which could have been another inside the park home run as Steve reported Thursday night because he was actually running sooner out of the box. Valentin flies out to first while trying to sacrifice him. Reyes steals third while Beltran is at bat with one out. The Dodgers decide to intentionally walk Beltran with Delgado coming up. Whoa! Buckle up! The Dodgers unfortunately turn a 5-4-3 double play.
Metallica's "Enter Sandman" blares as Mets closer Billy Wagner comes into the top of the ninth.
The Armitron Attendance is 47,062.
J.D. Drew grounds out to Valentin. Jeff Kent is almost called out on 2-2 but singles on 3-2 to center. Kent is replaced with pinch runner Jason Repko. Olmedo Saenz is the pinch hitter. On a strike 'em out, throw 'em double play, the Mets strike out Saenz and solid defensive backup catcher Kelly Stinnett throws out Repko to end the game. Put it in the books, the Mets are "Takin' Care of Business" and demolish the Dodgers 3-2.
Posted by the Tank live from Shea!
 Live! | MLB
 Saturday, September 09, 2006 11:21:02 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
|  Trackback
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Jooose, Jose, Jose, Joooose, Jose
Joooooooooooooooooose!
Linda, her Mom and I get to the game at Shea and we are in the 3rd row behind the Dodgers on-deck circle. Besides the years I worked at Shea, this is the closest I ever sat at a Mets’ game.
The Mets put runs on the board early. Tom Glavine was putting 0s on the board. I booed Jeff Kent. As the game progressed security kept “shushing” me when I taunted the Dodgers in the on-deck circle or when I taunted the Dodgers ball boy trying to get the Tank a ball. Linda thought Dodgers’ starter Brad Penny was cute (“but in a red neck kind of way”), I did the only thing a good friend can do; I tried to get his digits for her. (Security goons have more issues.) Linda’s Mom suggested I set her up with David Wright since we are on the 3rd base side of home plate. Linda thought the 11 year age difference was too much. I remind her of David’s recent huge contract.
Linda’s mom was keeping score. We argued over if a walk was a W (as indicated in the Mets’ scorecard) or BB. A tigh-ass lawyer in front of us shushed Linda and I since we were talking about Sarbanes-Oxley and my company’s potential WTO lawsuit. Whatever, lighten up dude.
Well he did lighten up. In the bottom of the 6th, David Wright scored a much needed insurance run (hey Tom Glavine is only at his second game back.) Then with 2 on and 2 out my MVP candidate, Jose Reyes hit his 18th home run of the season. But this was no normal home run; it was hit Jose Reyes style. It was an amazing Inside the Park Home Run! He hit the ball 400 feet off the left-center wall and by the time the outfielder picked up the ball, Jose was rounding third-there was not even a play at the plate (he slid anyway).
So Jose Reyes is a legitimate MVP candidate. Batting .300, 18 home runs, a gazillion steals, 71 RBIs and 111 runs scored, this guy is an MVP. If he is not MVP he should be MEP, Most Exciting Player. If the Mets do win the World Series, Jose will be the MVP, mark my words-you read it here first.
Mets win 7-0. Glavine passed Jim Kaat and moved into 32nd place on baseball's career strikeout list with 2,463 while getting his 288th Career Victory. 12 away from 300. Mets Magic Number is down to lucky 7.
Posted By Steve Live From Shea Stadium.
Live! | MLB
Thursday, September 07, 2006 10:46:06 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
| Trackback
NFL Picks
As the NFL Season is about to kick off, it is time to bring on offline tradition online. For the past several years, long-time friend and former co-worker Buffalo Steve and I pick the division winners, conference, and Super Bowl XLI champions. Without further ado, please find my picks below:
AFC East: Patriots
AFC Central: Steelers
AFC South: Colts
AFC West: Broncos
Wildcard: Dolphins, Bengals (if they stay out of the police blotter)
Dark Horse: Chargers, Chiefs
AFC Champion: Colts
NFC East: Cowboys
NFC North: Bears
NFC South: Panthers
NFC West: Seahawks
Wildcard: Giants, Buccaneers
Dark Horse: Eagles, Cardinals
NFC Champion: Seahawks
Super Bowl Champion: Colts
----
Local Team Outlook:
Giants: Improved with new stars like LaVar Arrington but the NFC East is the toughest division in the NFL. The Cowboys got better with T.O. but he may implode sometime during the season. The Eagles have an easier schedule this year as Donovan McNabb was injured and T.O. redefined "team cancer" to epidemic perportions last year. The Giants will finish 10-6.
Jets: New Coach Eric Mangini has his work cut out for him but the Jets will be playoff contenders by 2009 or 2010 if management gives him a chance. I expect the Jets to go 5-11 or better because of Mangini's Magic and toughness.
Bills: Since the Jets and Giants aren't real "New York" teams as the play in New Jersey and I am a Bills Believer, I must review the Bills. I unfortunately don't expect much from the Bills because owner Mr. Ralph Wilson's family can't afford the estate tax ala the late Dolphins owner Mr. Joe Robbie so he is preparing to sell and/or move the team to Los Angeles. Granted, this may seem far-fetched but even former Bills star Thurman Thomas was publicly critical of Mr. Wilson's personnel moves. As then Commissioner Paul Tagliabue went to announce his last pick at the NFL Draft on Saturday, April 29, 2006, the Tank stood up in Radio City Music Hall and asked him to keep the Bills in Buffalo. Literally, a cry for help but that isn't the first time I did that to further a cause I believe in. (Please don't confuse this with Mr. Wilson's fighting for small market teams but without much needed estate tax reform or Mr. Thomas Golisano buying the team as he did with the Buffalo Sabres, the Bills days in Buffalo are unfortunately numbered.) The Bills finish 6-10.
Go Bills! / Jets! / Giants!
Posted by The Tank in NY.
Braves Burial, Randy pitched dandy
As the song says after the Mets win at Shea, the Mets are "Takin Care of Business" and swept the Atlanta Braves today including a 4-1 victory over future Hall of Famer John Smoltz. Oliver Perez was very impressive in the second game 8-0 victory pitching a five hit complete game shutout. This all but mathematically de-thrones the Braves as the 14 time NL East Champions.
Next up, the LA Dodgers for a four game set at Shea in what could be a playoff preview. Let's hope the Mets destroy the Dodgers! I haven't forgiven the Dodgers for beating the Yankees in 1955 and for leaving Brooklyn after the 1957 season and both were before I was born. The Tank forgives little and forgets less.
Speaking of impressive pitching performances, Randy Johnson pitched a no-hitter into the seventh and only gave up one hit and eight strikeouts through seven innings at the Kansas City Royals. The Yankees won 8-3. (Had Randy completed the no-no, he would have matched the Florida Marlins rookie Anibal Sanchez who pitched one earlier in the evening.) Next up for the Yankees are the Baltimore Orioles starting on Friday for a four game wrap around weekend set.
Both the Mets and Yankees won two out of three in their respective series. Very impressive!
Posted by The Tank in NY.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Monday, September 04, 2006
Is A-Rod breaking out of his slump?
A-Rod had two home runs, five RBIs, and a couple of curtain calls in the Yankees 10-1 victory Sunday over the Minnesota Twins at the Stadium. A-Rod now has nine consecutive seasons of 30 home runs and 100 RBIs.
Even Boston Bob, A-Rod's biggest critic, called me to congratulate A-Rod on his breakthrough. I really think that Steve, Tony Robbins, and I have been making a difference with A-Rod. If the Yankees win the World Series this year, I think the three of us should get a WS ring and a playoff share. 
On a more serious note, it was great for rookie Darrell Rasner get the win. Both rookies Rasner and Jeff Karstens have pitched great lately to let Mike Mussina get the proper rest. Mussina is scheduled to return on Tuesday at the suddenly surging Kansas City Royals who recently and thankfully swept the Boston Red Sox. Rasner and Karstens will hopefully pitch more in the Bronx in years to come.
Though the Mets lost Sunday, they took two out of three against the Houston Astros in the weekend series at Houston. Next up, the Atlanta Braves at Shea. The Braves are almost mathematically eliminated from winning the division but it would be nice for the Mets to knock them farther back in the division and wildcard races and to continue to show that they are the new boss in the NL East.
Posted by Tank in NY.
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Friday, September 01, 2006
College Football Preview
As summer becomes fall, it is one of my favorite times of year as the leaves change and hopes of an Indian Summer with warm days and cool nights. One constant is college football replete with wonderful rivalries, i.e. Army-Navy, Ohio State-Michigan, Texas-Oklahoma, Auburn-Alabama, etc. I like college football slightly more than pro football because it's harder to move a college team than a pro team as the Jets moved from NY to NJ (moment of silence please -- thank you).
Though I am still in baseball mode, I wanted to comment on the upcoming college football season. Ohio State is the consensus #1 which I agree with. I also root for Ohio State as I was admitted to graduate school there in 1994 for Eastern European studies but did not attend because of funding issues as the areas I was interested in studying, the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, had or were disintegrating and scholarships were far and few in between. For various reasons, I also root for Army and Syracuse were physically and emotionally near and dear to my heart and I am a Alabama fan especially of former Jets quarterback Joe Namath and the late Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, R.I.P. Go Army and Roll Tide!
Who will face Ohio State in the National Championship Game in January? Go Buckeyes!
Notre Dame is ranked #2 and tied for #3 in the AP and USA Today Polls, respectively. If Notre Dame can get through a difficult first month including at home against #19 Penn State and #14 Michigan and overall schedule, then I see them running the table until USC on November 25. If Notre Dame trips up, last season's title game teams, USC and Texas, are waiting in the wings. Under Charlie Weis' guidance, Notre Dame is a year or two ahead of where I thought they would be. Brady Quinn is the front runner to win the Heisman Trophy.
Most games this weekend are warm-ups except for #9 California at #23 Tennessee (Go Bears though don't bet against the Vols at home) and a classic in the making in Miami with the #11 Seminoles visiting the #12 Hurricanes. The latter game is normally later in the season but the loser still has enough time to get back in the title chase. Yes, I am proud of the fact that I was offered admittance to Miami, the "U", during senior year of high school but glad that I went to Syracuse for freshman year because I would have partied out of the "U" focusing on women's tan lines and fun in the sun. Go Canes!
Syracuse's games can be heard on ESPN 1050 AM in NYC. Saturday's opener is scheduled to be broadcast at 6 p.m. Go Orange!
I am happy that former Nebraska star Turner Gill took over my alma mater, SUNY Buffalo. Go Bulls!
Bring on the cheerleaders and the tailgate parties!
Posted by The Tank in NY.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Mets Playoff Ticket Invoice
I received my Mets playoff ticket invoice in the mail the other day and am filling it out in anticipation of a great post-season as my ticket plan has one game in both the NLDS and WS and two games in the NLCS, respectively, God Willing!
I have yet to receive my Yankees playoff ticket invoice as they have gotten my snail mail address wrong with my old Manhattan address. I'll have to call them to square it away once again. I hope I don't have to repeat the stress of getting my season tickets where I ended up picking them up at the gate a few minutes before first pitch on Opening Day (whew) instead of going to the updated address that I specified.
Speaking of playoffs, kudos to our friend and Mets fan extraordinaire Linda for the following "Playoff Odds" website!
As for our teams, the Yankees split against the Tigers 2-0 and 5-3. The Yankees should have won the second game but Proctor blew a 3-2 lead with two strikes and two outs in the ninth. Darn it!
The Mets continue to steamroll and beat the Rockies 11-3 as David Wright broke out of his "slump" with a grand slam and a key defensive play. If the Mets don't make in error in Thursday's game, they will break their twelve game errorless streak set in June 15-27, 1999, according to WFAN.
Posted by The Tank in NY.
|
| January, 2009 (7) |
| December, 2008 (34) |
| November, 2008 (30) |
| October, 2008 (31) |
| September, 2008 (29) |
| August, 2008 (30) |
| July, 2008 (30) |
| June, 2008 (30) |
| May, 2008 (31) |
| April, 2008 (30) |
| March, 2008 (31) |
| February, 2008 (29) |
| January, 2008 (30) |
| December, 2007 (32) |
| November, 2007 (32) |
| October, 2007 (33) |
| September, 2007 (33) |
| August, 2007 (31) |
| July, 2007 (33) |
| June, 2007 (30) |
| May, 2007 (32) |
| April, 2007 (33) |
| March, 2007 (31) |
| February, 2007 (29) |
| January, 2007 (32) |
| December, 2006 (30) |
| November, 2006 (26) |
| October, 2006 (32) |
| September, 2006 (28) |
| August, 2006 (23) |
 |