I battle the infamous Los Angeles traffic as I crawl down the I-5 to Anaheim to watch the Los Angeles (of Anaheim) Angles take on the Oakland As, to battle for the first place position in the AL West. I left the office in downtown LA early to make the game on time. I get to the big A with 5 minutes to spare. A friendly neighborhood scalper sells me a nice field box in the right field corner by the foul pole about 10 rows behind Vladimir Guerrero.

I know things are going to be good when I get an Alexander Hamilton tattoo in my Cracker Jacks, my favorite founding father is now tattooed on my left arm.

Oh yes the game. What a game! Only 7 hits, Oakland did not even have a runner advance beyond second base. The classic pitchers duel, my absolute favorite: Joe Saunders (5-0) out-pitched Greg Smith (2-1). The only scoring was in the bottom of the 3rd, when Smith issued a one-out walk to Brandon Wood, who advanced to third on Chone Figgins’ double and scored on a wild pitch. Figgins then came home on a fielders choice by Gary Matthews Jr. Smith got the complete game loss while only allowing 3 hits.

Vlad made a really cool grab in the seats right in front of me by a few rows. (I keep an eye out for the Mets score knowing that the Tank is at that game. This is my second west coast game this month and the second time the Tank and I were at games at the same time on different coasts.)

The Big A is an old school stadium and like Shea, it lacks character. It does the job and makes up for the lack of charm with the  best looking ball girls and tee shirt cannon girls in the major leagues. The hot dogs are actually grilled so they taste good.

On the way out I visit the 2002 World Series Trophy.

Posted LIVE! by Steve at the Big A.

Steve and I co-wrote an post last year about Barry Zito.  We warned of the "caveat emperor", or buyer beware, of Barry Zito changing his delivery prior to 2007 Spring Training. 

Zito's first season with the Giants last year was a bust.  It's even worse this year and the Giants have sent him down to the minors.

Zito's greed got him on a bad team with the Giants.  The Giants are now getting burned for signing him.

The Mets were lucky not to sign Zito.  Steve and the Tank know that Mets GM Omar Minaya will be calling us soon to thank us for the advice and maybe even offer us a job.  :-) 

Posted by a philosophical Tank in NY on my way to Shea to see the Mets new real ace, Johan Santana.

Carlos Delgado hit two home runs yesterday turning all of the boos into cheers. Even with the two home runs, Delgado's days are numbered. He is to be 36 in June and struggling at the plate and is not a rock star fielder to justify staying at First.

How can the Mets address this? Their best Fist base prospect is still in AA and while tearing it all up, needs at least a season at AAA to mature and tone his stills. There are not too many people on the market, maybe a deal can get them a good hitter.

Or maybe they can think outside the box. Maybe Endy Chavez or Angel Pagan can play first? I am serious, I know Mets fans have visions of Mike Piazza on first base when I say this but it is worth a try. Both are young and great athletes and can lean the position very fast. When Alou comes up, send Pagan down to AAA to play a few weeks at First and then call him back up.

Some have joked that Johan Santana should play First on his off days since his batting average, slugging percentage and OBP are better than Delgado.

Posted by Steve in LA.

Second seed Rafael Nadal defeated first seed Roger Federer 7-5, 7-5 today in the Monte Carlo Masters title. Federer shows his only true vulnerability and that is clay. Federer is 1-7 against Nadal on clay lifetime.

Rafael Nadal continues to dominate the Monte Carlo Masters. Nadal has won 22 consecutive matches in Monte Carlo since he lost to Guillermo Coria in the third round in 2003. He has not lost a set in two years: Federer was the last person to take a set from him in the 2006 final.

Next major stop is the French Open, another clay surface. Having already lost Australia to the Tank's countryman Djokovic, Federer will look to wins in the US and UK this summer.
Posted by Steve in New York

He is human afterall.

Over 26 games, Joba Chamberlain's career had been pretty much perfect, but yesterday he gave  up the winning run in the ninth inning in the White Sox's 7-6 victory. Pushing up his ERA to 1.12 for the year.

“He’ll be fine. He’ll bounce back. He’s given up a run before in his life,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Joba.

The loss will do him good, the pressure to continue the near perfect streak is now over and Joba can get on with being one of the most dominating set up men (and eventually starters) in the league. The loss will take some pressure off and make him reflect on his role. It will mature him pretty fast.

Posted by Steve in New York

The Mets were is a batting slump and lost three games in a row. Mets fans (including myself) had visions of September 2007 in our head. But there are two reasons why that is not the case.

First the stopper known as Johan Santana. Seven solid innings (2 ER, 4K and only 1 BB) and even a pair of doubles at the plate. The second reason is 8th inning setup work by Duaner Sánchez, back to his old form after missing a year and a half.

In 2007 there was no stopper, someone you can give the ball to and expect a W. In the last week of the season, the Mets asked that of Tom Glavine twice and twice he got shelled. In addition there was nobody to go 7+ innings to give the bullpen a rest. Santana has pitched into the 7th inning in all of his starts (and into the 8th in one) to record 34.2 innings in 5 starts.

The second reason this is not 2007 is Duaner Sánchez. His presence with his 4 pitches in the bullpen makes him the perfect 8th inning set-up man, a role Aaron Heilman was not comfortable in, nor were Mets fans comfortable with him in.

The bullpen was one of the main reasons why the collapse occurred last year. Willie will have more depth and options in his bullpen as well as a stopper of small streaks who comes in and sets the tone the way Santana set it last night. While the Mets still have to do a lot of things right to win the NL East, but at least they won't just give it away like last year.

Posted By Steve in New York

I had the pleasure of meeting Baseball Hall of Famer and 1986 Mets World Champion catcher Gary Carter in Midtown Manhattan last week.  He was autographing his new book, "Still a Kid at Heart: My Life in Baseball and Beyond".
                             

Speaking of kids, I asked him to autograph a copy of the book for my 12 year nephew Elijah.  Elijah is playing Little League baseball, soccer, and other sports thank God.

Gary mentioned that many school districts across the country are cutting physical education programs.  I knew this and we discussed the alarming rate of childhood obesity.  I mentioned that I was watching a 220 pound 12 year old boy who was on the "20/20" program a few years ago.  It is scary because of the future health ramifications.
       
It was great that Gary continues to inspire and hope that school districts get with the program.  We should all be "kids at heart".  :-)

Posted by an inspired Tank reporting live from Midtown Manhattan.

Here is a news flash, a Steinbrenner is making rash public statements that contradict the GM, Manager, and the situation on the field. Then the next day that same Steinbrenner comes out and tones down his statements but is still pretty confrontational. Yankees of 1978?

The names have changed, but this is the Yankees of 2008. Hank Steinbrenner went on a rant in the media yesterday about the role of Joba Chamberlain, the Yankees 22 year old bullpen ace (30 career IP, 2 earned runs, 100 mph fastball.) "I want him as a starter and so does everyone else, including him, and that is what we are working toward and we need him there now," Hank Steinbrenner told The New York Times yesterday. "There is no question about it, you don't have a guy with a 100-mile-per-hour fastball and keep him as a set-up guy. You just don't do that. You have to be an idiot to do that."

GM Brian Cashman disagrees. "Joba's staying in the bullpen right now." Cashman told Newsday yesterday. He also said that Hank already knows this and was confused by his statements to the NYT.

Steinbrenner is already second guessing the pitching situation since he lost the battle to get Johan Santana to Cashman. While Kennedy and Hughes struggle early on, it would be foolish to push Chamberlain into a starting role.

While Hank was vocal all winter, this is the first time we are seeing his true stripes, and they are the same color as his dad's. This is not good news for Yankee's fans, but this is Yankee baseball.

Posted by Steve in New York

MLB has conspired against the Yankees again.  They suspending Kyle Farnsworth for three games for throwing behind and high to Manny Ramirez on Thursday night. 

Why is this wrong?
(1) A-Rod was hit by a pitch on Wednesday.  Was anyone on the Red Sox was suspended or thrown out of the game?  NO.

(2) Was Farnsworth thrown out of the game?  NO.  Therefore, MLB is overruling its own umpires.
     
(3) Manny has killed the Yankees over the years, especially this season.  No Yankee, especially Mussina, has had the guts to thrown inside to, much less hit Manny.  Granted, Farnsworth misexecuted but at least was trying.  You have to give him credit for trying to stop the beaning of Yankees.

Manny understood why he was thrown at in the post-game interview.  Therefore, why the suspension? 

Bottom Line: MLB continues its anti-Yankee conspiracy.  No Red Sox or other team has been suspended for beaning Jeter, A-Rod, and other Yankees over the years.  This is on top of Senator Mitchell's conflict of interest.
           
Yankees Early Outlook:

Bad: Mussina is nowhere near a #2 starter but had to because of Pettitte's back injury.  He hasn't been an ace since Bay Ridge Bob, Howard, Ronjon, and myself saw him pitch a perfect 8.2 innings at Fenway Park on Sunday, September 2, 2001.  Mussina needs to be reassigned as a #4 or #5 starter, made into a long man, or traded.  (I don't think he will be traded because no one will want to take the contract.)  Granted, he'll complain but the Yankees are his last best chance at a ring so he has to play ball because he's doesn't have it anymore.

Good: 
Joba, Hughes, and there some young guys in the minor leagues are great.  I am so-so on Kennedy because he is a location guy like Mussina, though younger.  We need power pitchers.  The only exception is if we get a proven knuckle baller like Boston's Tim Wakefield to throw batters off in between starts.

The Yankees won more games in April 2008 so far, 10-10, than all of April 2007, 9-14.  The Yankees should have at least two more ones (one against the Red Sox as Pettitte should have been pitching those games rather than Mussina).  The Yankees should have one more each against the Royals and Orioles.  Anyway, not bad but the rotation needs to be Wang, Pettitte, Hughes, Mussina, Kennedy.  That adjustment will hopefully start to be made with Monday's off-day.  Pettitte is going to be inserted between Hughes and Kennedy to stop overworking the bullpen according to ESPN 1050 last night.  Well, it's a start.    

Future:
It will be a challenge to contend this year but we have enough hitting and better pitching than last year.  Moreover, I am excited about next year and beyond because we'll be able to get some key free agents, compensate the kids, and save luxury tax money as $53+ million will be coming off the books (Mussina's $11 million, Farnsworth's $10 million, Pavano's $10 million, and Giambi's $20+ million).

Posted by The Tank in NY.