 Sunday, July 29, 2007
To Trade or Not to Trade
Tuesday's trade deadline is almost upon us. Many major league teams face the dilemma of being buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. Teams have to decide whether to give up promising prospects to contend for now or get prospects for a player another team now. Omar Minaya said last week trades have to be fair to both teams.
The Mets and Yankees are lucky to be contenders but it's not clear what they will do. Omar said that he is looking for eighth inning bullpen help. The Yankees need to get anyone for Kyle Farnsworth (AKA Yankees Team Cancer). There were rumors of a deal with Colorado to a recent Yankees radio broadcast. Ron Villone and Scott Proctor could be on the dock.
Due to the dearth of available quality starting and relief pitching, I doubt there will be a blockbuster deal unless you think Jose Contreras is an ace.
I think the Mets and Yankees should keep their cards close to their vest and not deal unless the Red Sox want to deal Okajima and/or Papelbon. You and I have a better shot of winning the Lottery than those guys being traded to us. 
Seriously, the Mets and Yankees have great team chemistry and you don't want to mess with that. Anyway, both teams will hopefully add players coming back from injury, touch wood. Hughes, Karstens, Rasner, and Giambi are expected back within the week or two for the Yankees and Pedro for the Mets in the next few weeks or so, God Willing.
Giambi should pinch hit and be happy that he is not in more trouble. Phillips is a better first baseman and more consistent hitter. Mientkiewicz is on the mend and will hopefully be a late inning defensive substitution after a Giambi at bat.
Posted by the Tank in NY.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Welcome to the Baseball Hall of Fame Tony and Cal
Congratulations to Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken, Jr. for their induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame tomorrow. Super Twin Gil and I attended Cal's last regular season away game at Yankee Stadium. It was actually supposed to be the last game of his career but the 9/11 attacks changed the schedule.
By all accounts especially those from San Diego Rich and friends, Tony Gwynn was an all around good guy.
Players who have played their entire careers with one team are a dying breed and Tony and Cal are to be complimented for doing that. Congratulations Tony and Cal!
Posted by the Tank in NY.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Barry Bonds Is Lucky Not to Be in the Tour De France
Steve commented on Wednesday about Bud Selig doing the right thing and following Barry Bonds to San Francisco in his pursuit of Hank Aaron's mark. I think Selig was in no-man's land -- damned if he did, damned if doesn't. Like Steve, I have and will boo Bonds. For instance, Medford Bob and I were at the Giants-Mets game at Shea where Lastings Milledge hit his first MLB home run last season.
Imagine a different scenario if Bud Selig went to San Francisco and kicked Bonds off Giants. He could not break Hank Aaron's record. That's not going to happen in MLB because the players union is too strong but it just happened in cycling. For instance, Mark Rasmussen was in the lead after Wednesday's stage when his sponsor, Rabobank, kicked him off their team and the Tour de France.
As Steve noted, Bonds has NOT been indicted or even convicted, much less formally charged. Therefore, he has a right to play on. Reading between the lines and reviewing various media outlets, Bonds is winning the game of chicken. Bonds knows he took steroids but knows MLB is even dirtier. If MLB presses him, Bonds will take MLB down with him. If there is an explicit gentlemen's agreement between thieves, MLB will let Bonds break the record in return for Bonds stepping aside after the season is over. I don't have confirmation from Bonds and/or MLB offices because this is something they would never admit to.
If Bonds doesn't step aside at the end of the season, don't be surprised if the feds step in and try to bring up the fact that Bonds may have perjured himself. With the 2008 Presidential Election upon us, you don't want politicians of all stripes tampering with baseball, especially MLB's anti-trust monopoly exemption. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) needs an issue to energize his lagging presidential campaign and don't be surprised if he redoubles his past commendable efforts in cleaning up steroids, the perfect non-partisan issue that doesn't go against special interests like campaign finance reform does.
As Steve blogged a couple of months ago, cycling has been plagued by doping performance enhancing scandals but is trying to clean it up. Both sports need to be cleaned up and cycling is taking the right steps in cleaning up its image. If Selig, MLB owners, and the players union are smart, they'll do the same because they don't want to play chicken with Senator McCain, a man who spent seven years in a North Vietnamese prison.
Posted by the Tank in NY.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
#299 for Glavine and #499 for A-Rod
Steve and I hoped to travel to Shea last night to watch Tom Glavine win his 300th but he couldn't hold the lead in LA last week.
However, Tom did the next best thing and won his 299th game last night. Tom Glavine fought through a tough bases loaded jam in the first inning to lead the Mets to a 6-3 victory. His batterymate and Greenwich, Connecticut, neighbor, Paul Lo Duca, had four RBIs.
Congratulations are also in order for A-Rod for his 499th home run in Kansas City last leading the Yankees to a 7-3 victory.
A-Rod will get his shot at his 500th home run tonight in Kansas City while Glavine will have to wait for wait for his first attempt at 300 will come next week in Milwaukee. Good luck A-Rod and Tom!
Posted by an excited Tank in NY.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Bud Selig Made the Right Call
With so many scandals in the world of sports, I decided to comment on the Barry Bonds scandal. Now that MLB commissioner Bud Selig has decided to come to San Francisco games there is a little less suspense in the air, but Bud did not really give Barry a ringing endorsement, he said: "I felt it was the right thing to do," Selig said of joining the Bonds chase Tuesday in San Francisco. "I decided I would rather be here than sitting at home watching the game on TV and listening to my wife grumble about me watching the game on TV." The bottom line is this. The home run record is the most sacred of all sports records in the USA. The baseball commissioner has to be there, even if we get Barry Bonds-756*. Last time I checked we are not living in the Soviet Union, but in the USA where everyone is innocent until proven guilty. The media has convicted the man already. Everyone thinks he has cheated, even Patrick Arnold. While I personally believe that Barry Bonds has been cheating and I also feel that in the late 90s after the strike Selig turned a blind eye to the cheating, so he is at fault as well. At the moment, there is no clear and convincing proof that Barry cheated. Until that proof surfaces, we have to treat Barry with the respect he deserves. That said I will still boo him at Shea. Posted by Steve in New York.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Playboy's Miss November 2007
Life is about beating the odds and I recently beat them in Los Angeles -- I met a supermodel. Yes, on July 4 of all days celebrating America beating the odds as the 13 fledgling colonies declared and won independence from England.
I was on vacation but had to file this report as another SteveAndTheTank.com exclusive. Months before the rest of the world will know her name and face, I met Playboy's Miss November 2007, Lacey Von Erich. Lacey is the daughter of wrestling legend Kerry Von Erich. Kerry was another of the many professional wrestlers to tragically die young.
What's Lacey like? She's really nice and down to earth. We are pictured below at an LA bar.
We hung out with mutual friends and I spun her around to the tune of Lynyrd Skyrnyd's "Sweet Home Alabama".
Life is about living your dreams and I am thankful to live one of mine and meet a supermodel. To quote "Journey", "Don't Stop Believin'" -- see you at the Playboy Mansion.
Posted by the Tank reporting Live from Los Angeles, California.
Monday, July 23, 2007
D-Rays Versus the Yankees "300"
Before the Yankees' great offensive displays on Saturday and Sunday, I witnessed the Yankees 14-4 loss at the Stadium on Friday night.
The Yankees had early chances on Friday night but D-Rays made some good defensive plays. Mike Mussina gave up four runs in the third inning including a two run upper deck home run to B.J. Upton. He must have pitched 30 plus pitches in the inning. Moose only went 4.2 innings. Ramirez gave up a grand slam home run. D-Rays 9 - Yankees 0 at the end of five. Edwin Jackson pitched a four hitter through six innings and lowered his ERA to 6.65. His record is improved to 2-9. He gets his second win against the Yankees. Just our luck.
Time for the Tank to put on his rally cap. You know I did.
After the D-Rays added a run in the top of the seventh, Andy Phillips hit a solo shot in the bottom of the inning to make it 10-1. Jeter singles with two outs but Abreu struck out swinging on a full count.
The D-Rays added another run in the eighth off Brian Bruney and another two off Ron Villone.
In the bottom of the eighth, Will Nieves hit a double off the right field wall to drive home Miguel Cairo. Cano singles home Nieves. Shelley Duncan's first career hit and RBI drives home Cano. Damon singles to center. "The Germans bombed Pearl Harbor!" John Belushi's character in "Animal House" says as the D-Rays go to the bullpen. D-Rays 13 - Yankees 4 with two out in the eighth inning. Out of a hearly full house of over 53,000 at the beginning of the game, there are MAYBE 5,000 people left total (more like "300") and we are going wild. Tampa brings in their closer to strike out Cabrera looking. (Cabrera was batting for Villone.) D-Rays 13 - Yankees 4 at the end of eight innings.
Scott Procter gives up a solo shot to B.J. Upton in the top of the ninth. D-Rays 14 - Yankees 4.
After Matsui hit a popfly in the bottom of the ninth, I yelled "drop it" from the left field bleachers and the D-Rays second basemen dropped it by the first base line. Matsui advanced to second. Gotta love the Little League "drop it" cheer!
After nearly four hours, Nieves struck out to end the game with a 14-4 loss. It would be Nieves next to last day. It would be Nieves next to last day before assignment. It's a shame to see him go but nice to see the Yankees acquire veteran Angels catcher Jose Molina.
Bottom Line: Though the Yankees lost, we didn't quit, especially the backups and diehard fans. Most encouraging were the five year old girl and her six year old brother a few rows in front of me in my section who led the Y-A-N-K-E-E-S cheers. They give me hope for the future in a world gone mad. Fueled by the youth who will lead us in the future, the Yankees to come back and capture the next three games. Just what the doctor ordered.
Keep the faith! Go Yankees!
Posted by the Tank reporting Live from Yankee Stadium in the Boogie Down Bronx.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
How Much Will Referee Tim Donaghy Hurt the NBA's Integrity?
I follow the NBA pretty closely but am shocked to learn of the latest accusations of an NBA points fixing scandal. 40 year old referee Tim Donaghy is the son of a college referee.
From different accounts that I have heard, it is very difficult to fix games because every referee is graded on every call they make and don't make. How he shaved points is beyond me and possibly the NBA and the FBI.
After low television ratings in last month's NBA Finals, this scandal is the last thing the NBA needs. The integrity of the sport is at stake.
I hope to write less about scandals and off the field nonsense and get back to on the field stuff in the near future.
Posted by a puzzled Tank in NY.
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