The Sully - Erin Foley Interviews

 I interviewed comedian Erin Foley at my home. We were supposed to get a podcast recorded in 20 minutes.

We talked for over an hour.

I split our discussion into two different Sully Baseball Daily Podcasts.

The first one, which was first posted on May 13, 2013, discusses our fandom for the Red Sox and Yankees.





The second one, first posted on May 15, 2013, Erin talks about attending the Aaron Boone game while I remembered going to the Bloody Sock game.





Erin is a great comic. Check out her schedule, clips and links at her OFFICIAL SITE.

For the record Clayton Kershaw, Mitch Moreland, Neil Walker and Matt Moore owned baseball on May 14, 2013.

To see the up to date tally of "Who Owns Baseball?," click HERE.

Subscribe on iTunes HERE.


 

The Rivera, Roberts, Robertson connection

There is a strange connection between two of the lowest moments of Mariano Rivera's career.

What was the most famous failure in Rivera's career?
Probably not closing out the Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS.

And what was the famous image of that comeback?

The stolen base by Dave Roberts.

Now Rivera's 2012 is over and his career is in danger, which is no doubt the lowest point of his Yankee tenure.

With Rivera gone, who is taking over?

David Robertson.

There is something about the combining of the names "David" and "Robert" that just doesn't mix with Mariano Rivera.

If I had a friend named Dave and another named Robert, I wouldn't introduce them to Mariano in that order. Or maybe I'd call the Robert "Bob."

It's kind of like the Lincoln/Kennedy coincidences.
 

Farewell Lobster

Jason Varitek is retired. And it is the right thing to do. His bat is gone. His ability to catch is diminished. And the great collapse last year showed that maybe his ability to handle the pitchers and lead may be in the past as well.

There is new leadership in Boston. Francona, Theo and Wakefield are all gone.
It makes sense.

It was time.

And now is the time to salute the Captain.
The man who has played in more post season games than any Red Sox player ever.
Has the most post season homers for any catcher.

He hit the game tying homer in the decisive Game 5 of the 2003 Division Series.
He drove home the first run in Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS.
His first inning triple started the scoring of Game 2 of the 2004 World Series.
He drove in 2 runs in Game 1 of the 2007 World Series

And of course he caught more no hitters than any other catcher in history.

He was the captain for two World Champion Red Sox teams.
One of these days he'll probably be the manager.

But for now, let's salute the player I have insisted on called The Lobster.

Farewell my captain.

It is indeed a new day in Boston.

If you think Mariano Rivera is overrated, then you are an idiot

Seriously.
It's a good litmus test. If you ever have wondered to yourself "Hmmm. I wonder if I am an idiot" just ask yourself "Do I think that Mariano Rivera is overrated?"

If the answer is "Yes" then congratulations. You are a buffoon.

Mariano Rivera is the single biggest reason the Yankees have remained dominant over the years, even if their team has fluctuated in quality.

Tonight was a prime example.
It was a 1 run game between the Red Sox and Yankees. The Sox got a man on first. The winning run was at the plate.

Fenway had the energy of being down 7-0. The game was over.
If the Red Sox had won that game it would have been a damn miracle. As in "Call the Pope, I think this can go towards making someone a saint" territory.

Who else can have the tying run at first on with 1 out and have there be no tension?
Who?

Not Bryan Wilson. Not Jonathan Papelbon. Not Heath Bell. Nobody. They are all terrific closers who flame out from time to time.

With Rivera, the game doesn't seem fair. And he's been doing it forever.

Think of all the closers who have flamed out since his arrival.
You see Keith Foulke pitching anytime soon? Tom Gordon? Billy Koch? Eric Gagne? Chad Cordero?

Rivera keeps pitching on.
Using my "You don't start following a team until you are 7 years old" rule, there are 21 year old Yankee fans with no memory of a closer other than Rivera closing out games for the Yankees. And that DOESN'T include the years he was setting up John Wetteland.

One reason why the Yankees have such confidence is they don't sweat the 9th inning. They know it is a done deal.

It's funny, the starting pitcher tonight for the Yankees was Bartolo Colon, who won the Cy Young Award in 2005.

Colon didn't deserve it. It belonged to Rivera. I argued that year that Rivera should have won the Cy Young AND MVP.

But Sully! How can someone who only pitched 78 1/3 innings be the Cy Young winner and MVP?

Ahhh... the idiot refrain. Like the absurdity of pitch counts that assume all pitches are created equal and wear down the arm identically, the low inning count argument also assumes all innings are created equal.

They aren't.

What are the innings that Mariano Rivera pitches?
The last one.
In close games.

The ones if he fails, the game is over and his team loses.
(A worry that 21 year old Yankee fans never had to really deal with.)

In 2005 the Yankees had a mediocre starting staff and shaky middle relief. But they knew that if they out slugged the other team, they just needed to hand Rivera a lead and the game was over.

If the Yankees had merely an excellent closer that year, they would have missed the post season.
They needed a super human one. That's why I felt he was the MVP.

And not all losses are created equal. The games that are within grasp of victory that slip away can pile up on a team. They can linger. And they can haunt a club. And that has been rarely a factor for the Yankees.

Ask yourself, what are the two most stunning baseball victories in the past decade? They would be the Diamondbacks beating Rivera in 2001 and the Red Sox beating Rivera in 2004. They were stunning because of how infallible Rivera was on the mound.

Was the Marlins beating Jose Mesa as stunning in 1997?
Or the Yankees topping Mark Wohlers or Trevor Hoffman or Armando Benitez?
How about the Angels defeating Robb Nen or the White Sox besting Brad Lidge?

If the Blue Jays DIDN'T beat Mitch Williams in 1993 it would have been stunning.

Closers can be overrated for sure.
Saves are certainly overused.

But Rivera?
He's unique. He's extraordinary. And he is showing no signs of slowing down.

Remember when Joba was going to be his successor?
Rivera is going to keep pitching long after Joba throws his last pitch.

He makes games an 8 inning affair.

He is incredible.
And if you say otherwise, you are an idiot.

Time to update the tally.

DODGED BULLET GAMES - 36

April 8 - 9-6 win against the Yankees. (The Sox end their 6 game losing streak with a slugfest. John Lackey stinks but Phil Hughes stinks even more.)
April 10 - 4-0 win against the Yankees. (Beckett and Sabathia duel in a game that was 1-0 until the late innings.)
April 20 - 5-3 win in Oakland. (Red Sox survive a lead off homer and two bases loaded situations and facing the tying run at the plate to win their first road game.)
April 21 - 4-2 win in Anaheim. (The Red Sox stranded 15 men on base and Josh Beckett's went 8 strong with no decision. But the Sox rallied in the 11th to win.)
April 22 - 4-3 win in Anaheim. (Peter Bourjos makes a 2 run errors and the Red Sox survive a bizarre passed ball by Jarrod Saltalamacchia that let a run scored from second.)
May 1 - 3-2 win against the Mariners. (Ichiro loses a ball in the sun that turns into a 9th inning triple for Lowrie. Crawford singles him home for the win.)
May 8 - 9-5 win against the Twins. (Dice-K lets up 3 runs in the first but settles down as the Red Sox clobber Carl Pavano.)

May 9 - 2-1 win against the Twins. (A bullpen breakdown cost Beckett the decision but Cark Crawford ended the game with an 11th inning walk off hit.)
May 13 - 5-4 win in the Bronx. (Youkilis homers off of Joba and Bard and Papelbon make it more interesting than it needed to be.)
May 15 - 7-5 win in the Bronx. (Sox fall behind 4-1 but come back as Youk, Papi and Salty all homer.)
May 16 - 8-7 win against the Orioles. (Down 6-0 after 6 innings, the Sox rally and win it with a 2 run walk off double by Adrian Gonzalez)
May 18 - 1-0 win against Detroit. (With 2 outs in the 8th, Salty doubles home Crawford from first for the only run. Papelbon gets himself in and out of 9th inning trouble.)
May 19 - 4-3 win against Detroit. (Bard blows Beckett's lead but Carl Crawford wins it with a walk off hit.)
May 24 - 4-2 win in Cleveland. (Varitek throws two runners out and homers as the Red Sox win their first game against the Indians.)
May 29 - 4-3 win in Detroit. (The Red Sox blow an early 3-0 lead but David Ortiz wins the game with a pinch 9th inning homer.)
June 3 - 8-6 win against Oakland. (Buchholz lets up 4 runs in the first but the Sox come back thanks to Carl Crawford's 2 run single.)
June 4 - 9-8 win against Oakland. (Red Sox blow a 4 run 9th inning lead and trail in the 11th before Ellsbury ties it and Drew wins it in 14.)
June 7 - 6-4 win in the Bronx. (Papelbon strikes out A-Rod to end the game with a runner on base.)
June 9 - 8-3 win in the Bronx. (Down 2-0 to Sabathia in the 7th, the Sox score 7 runs as Papi exacts revenge after getting plunked. A 3+ hour rain delay pushed the game past 1:30 AM)

June 15 - 3-0 win in Tampa Bay. (Youkilis homers in the 7th for the only runs in Beckett's 1 hit masterpiece.)
June 16 - 4-2 win in Tampa Bay. (Papelbon wiggles out of a 2 on, nobody out jam in the 9th thanks to Youk's diving catch.)
June 26 - 4-2 win in Pittsburgh. (The Pirates make 4 errors and the Red Sox score 2 in the 7th to avoid a sweep by the Bucs.
June 30 - 5-2 win in Philadelphia.(An injury to Cole Hamels leads to the Red Sox bats waking up.)
July 1 - 7-5 win in Houston. (The Sox score 6 in the 7th inning to come back and win.)
July 3 - 2-1 win in Houston. (The Red Sox score a run in the top of the 9th on a walk to break a tie.)
July 5 - 3-2 win against Toronto. (Lester gets hurt but Darnel McDonald throws out the tying run at the plate to end the game.)
July 6 - 6-4 win against Toronto. (The Sox score 4 in the 4th to take the lead and Wakefield and company hang on for dear life.)
July 10 - 8-6 win against Baltimore. (The Orioles score 6 runs off of rookie Kyle Weiland in the second, but the Red Sox hit three homers in the bottom of the second to tie the game and hold for dear life.)
July 16 - 9-5 win in Tampa. (Lackey puts the Sox in a 3-0 first inning hole, but 3 Sox homers bring them back for the win.)
July 17 - 1-0 win in Tampa. (Beckett throws a masterpiece and the bullpen throws 8 amazing innings. But the Sox bats go dead, leaving 17 men on base before Pedroia drove in a run with 2 outs in the 16th inning.)
July 18 - 15-10 win in Baltimore. (The Sox blow a 6-2 lead but score 8 runs in the 8th to take the game.)
July 22 - 7-4 win against Seattle. (John Lackey beat Felix Hernandez and Mike Carp's error helped the Red Sox score 5 in the 7th to give them some breathing room.)
July 23 - 3-1 win against Seattle. (Ellsbury gets Beckett off the hook in a tight pitchers duel when he got a 2 out, 2 strike 2 run go ahead single in the 8th.)
July 26 - 13-9 win against the Royals. (The Sox trailed in the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th before the bats exploded in the 5th.
August 2 - 3-2 win against Cleveland. (Youk tied the game with a 6th inning homer and Salty dove home for the winning run in the 9th.)
August 3 - 4-3 win against Cleveland. (Ellsbury hits a walk off shot in the 9th.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 29

April 1 - 9-5 loss in Texas. (The Sox tie Opening Day in the 8th with an Ortiz homer only to have Bard implode and the Sox let up 4 in the bottom of the 8th.)

April 5 - 3-1 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox drop their 4th straight as the bats are dead in Cleveland.)
April 7 - 1-0 loss in Cleveland. (Sox blow a great Lester performance on a squeeze bunt and Darnell McDonald overrunning the bag to end the game.)
April 12 - 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. (A solid Lester performance is wasted as Kyle Farnsworth of all people shuts down the Sox.)
April 15 - 7-6 loss to Toronto. (Bobby Jenks implodes with a 4 run seventh inning as the Red Sox waste Pedroia and Youkilis homers and a clutch RBI double by Scuatro.
April 19 - 5-0 loss in Oakland. (Pedroia gets picked off, the Sox bats go dead and waste a solid Lackey start.)
April 26 - 4-1 loss in Baltimore. (Buchholz pitches tentatively and the Sox let Kevin Gregg of all people to close out the 9th.)
April 27 - 5-4 loss in Baltimore. (The Sox tie the game with a 3 run 8th only to have Bard lose it in the bottom of the 8th.)
April 29 - 5-4 loss to Mariners. (Bobby Jenks blows a 7th inning lead, wasting 2 Mike Cameron homers.)
April 30 - 2-0 loss to Mariners. (The Sox strand 11 runners and let Milton Bradley double home the go ahead run.)
May 4 - 5-3 loss to Angels. (7 hours with rain delays and stranded runners. Marco Scutaro was thrown out at the plate in the 12th)
May 10 - 7-6 loss in Toronto. (8th and 9th inning heroics, including a homer by Adrian Gonzalez, are undone by a walk off sacrifice fly by David Cooper.)
May 21 - 9-3 loss to Cubs. (Up 3-1 in the 8th inning, the bullpen and defense implode. The Cubs score 8 runs while both teams wear their 1918 uniforms.)
May 23- 3-2 loss in Cleveland. (The Sox blow a 2-1 8th inning lead when the Indians rally with 2 outs. Crawford ends the game on a double play.)
May 29 - 3-0 loss in Detroit. (Verlander keeps the Sox off base and prevents the sweep.)
June 1 - 7-4 loss to White Sox. (Konerko drives in three, spoiling a game tying Ortiz homer.)

June 14 - 4-0 loss in Tampa Bay. (Wakefield's solid outing is spoiled. Longoria scores on a passed ball.)
June 18 - 4-2 loss to Milwaukee. (The Brewers hit three homers early off of Lester and hang on.)
June 21 - 5-4 loss to San Diego. (Ortiz hits a double play in the 9th to stifle a potential winning rally.)

June 24 - 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh. (The Red Sox strand 7 runners in scoring position.)
June 25 - 6-4 loss to Pittsburgh. (The Red Sox fall out of first as Pedroia's error leads to a Pirates run.)
June 29 - 2-1 loss in Philadelphia. (Vance Worley duels John Lackey and slumping Raul Ibanez drives in both runs.)
July 4 - 9-7 loss to Toronto. (John Lackey's miserable start puts the Sox in too big a hole to climb out of.)
July 19 - 6-2 loss in Baltimore. (Scutaro gets thrown out stealing and the Orioles tack on 3 big runs late.)

July 25 - 3-1 loss to the Royals. (Scutaro botches a potential game winning squeeze play in the 12th as the Red Sox lose in 14.)

July 28 - 4-3 loss to the Royals. (Crawford's bid for a walk off homer falls just short.)
July 29 - 3-1 loss to the White Sox. (Sox blow a late 1-0 lead and spoil a solid Wakefield start.)

August 1 - 9-6 loss to Cleveland. (Asdrubal Cabrera's second home run was an 8th inning tie breaking shot off of Daniel Bard.)

August 4 - 7-3 loss to Cleveland. (Carlos Santana's homer broke a 3-3 tie.)
August 5 - 3-2 loss to the Yankees. (The Sox leave the bases loaded in the 5th and the Yankees score 3 in the 6th to take the lead.)

Down to +6

And of course fallen from first place.

Let's hope the Sox take the lead early this afternoon and never have to face Rivera.

And if you have to ask "Why not face Rivera?" then thou art an idiot.

10 Reasons the Red Sox and Yankees Rivalry is still cool

Two recent champions are squaring off tonight. Two proud franchises who have memorably faced off in the LCS have some scores to settle. Two baseball crazed fan bases eagerly are watching the games this weekend seeing what will hopefully be a preview for the 2011 LCS. With stars on each side this weekend’s series is THE series to watch.

And the Red Sox and Yankees are also playing.

Of course the match up I was referring to in the first paragraph was the Giants and Phillies series, which has a little more electricity than the Red Sox and Yankees series.

Cliff Lee’s complete game gem last night gave the series an early boost. If baseball had ANY sense, they would be promoting the hell out of Philadelphia and San Francisco’s friction as a cool new rivalry for the 2010s.

But guess what?
Red Sox and Yankees still have a few sparks in them.

Here are 10 things that are cool about Red Sox vs. Yankees in 2011.

1. It’s Cano’s Yankees and Ellsbury’s Red Sox

Both Robinson Cano and Jacoby Ellsbury were young members of their teams most recent World Series titles. But this year, both players are standing center stage as the identity of the teams going into the new decade. And showing with a game that includes speed, power and defense they are complete players. And with a look at their lean physiques, they are the face of a ‘roid free era.


2. Granderson and Gonzalez want in!

The Yankees have brought in one of the truly good guys in all of baseball when they acquired Curtis Granderson from the Tigers. The Red Sox picked up one of the great players you never heard of from San Diego in Adrian Gonzalez. New blood gives the rivalry a nice boost. Both of their next rings will be their first. Good solid veterans deserve titles.



3. The last time for some familiar faces

When the Yankees and Red Sox played in the 1999 ALCS, Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera were all on the Yankees roster. Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield were in uniform as well. All 5 are still there. Wouldn’t it be something if they played for the pennant in 3 different decades?

(Yes I know that Wakefield wasn’t on the active roster for the 1999 ALCS, but you get my point.)



4. Yup they are still there too.

Since 2004, David Ortiz and Alex Rodriguez have been linked to something a little less savory than team spirit to boost up their numbers. Are they both clean now? Well at least we know they being tested. Will they savor a post “getting busted” ring? You can bet on that. (Don’t REALLY bet on it, A-Rod.)



5. The Padding of Sabathia, Lester and Beckett’s resumes
Jon Lester and CC Sabathia are two of the top left handed aces in the American League. Lester won a World Series clincher. Sabathia was an LCS MVP. Beckett? He spits on those credits. He was a World Series MVP for one team, an LCS MVP for another and threw a complete game shutout to clinch a World Series… IN Yankee Stadium! Another big October for them and they can call themselves some of the best post season arms in their era… something that comes in handy if they want to make a case for Cooperstown.


6. Alfredo Aceves wants to join an elite group

Ramiro Mendoza, Johnny Damon and Eric Hinske are the only three living people to play in the post season with a World Champion Red Sox and Yankee team. If the Red Sox win the 2011 World Series, add Alfredo Aceves to the list.

He seems like a nice guy.

He should have that distinction.


7. For all the complaining, there still seems to be a lot of Red Sox and Yankees fans out there

Remember how everyone said they were sick of American Idol? I was bored with it after Simon Cowell left. And everyone was saying how it was dead. And yet it was consistently the top rated show. So SOMEONE must have been interested.

Watch a Red Sox and Yankees ALCS get amazing ratings and become the talk of sports… even if the talk is people saying “I am so SICK of these two teams that I watched every game!”


8. It’s a new decade!

The Red Sox Yankees rivalry had its sparks in the 1940s and 1950s. The 1960s? Not so much. The 1970s? It seemed like a fever pitch. The 1980s? It was muted. The 1990s? It was rekindled. The 2000s? It reached Armageddon. It’s a new decade. We need new clips for the montages!

9. Hey. They are STILL the best teams in the American League!

Sure the Rangers are the defending champs and have a super deep pitching staff and solid line up. But as of this typing, the Sox and Yankees are tied for the best record in the American League. You can’t say the rivalry is dead when it is, statistically between the two best records with the most fans. You want YOUR teams to have a better rivalry? Win more games.

10. The Rivalry is Evolving

The Red Sox and Yankees rivalry used to be the proverbial “Lawn Mower versus Grass” match up. The Red Sox would get great players and put up a fight, but the chant 1918 had teeth. Then 2004 turned the tables on the Yankees and suddenly Red Sox fans had a come back.

Both teams have recent World Series titles. Both teams have had superstars tainted by steroids. Both teams have had euphoric wins and heart breaking losses. In other words the Red Sox and Yankees are entering new territory. Perhaps not equality, but in this century, the two teams each have two World Series titles and two LCS face plants.

We’re seeing the two franchises like we have never seen them before.
No more curses.
No more crying over grandparents graves.

Just baseball.

Guess what?
That’s worth watching!

So trash Red Sox and Yankees all you want.
Me?
I’m watching it.

I'm glad I saw the Red Sox win 2 World Series before the Rapture

I guess I am a glass half full kind of guy.

Sucks for Indians and Cubs fans.

I can't tell what I love most about the Lakers 3-0 hole

There are so many wonderful things about this Lakers collapse, I can't pick what is the best part.

- The Lakers are a loss away from a monumental face plant and doing it because the team is imploding from within.

- The Lakers are a loss away from having Phil Jackson's career end with a whimper. Red Auerbach's coaching career ended with the 1966 NBA Title. See the difference?

- The Lakers are a loss away from forever ending any talk of Kobe Bryant being on the same level as Michael Jordan. Kobe is a great player. A Hall of Famer. But would Jordan be swept out of the playoffs like this?

- The Lakers are a loss on Sunday away from making last Wednesday's 93-81 fiasco their last home game of the year. That would mean the last game Phil Jackson coached at home, the Lakers got booed by the remaining fans in Staples at the end of the game.

- The Lakers call in show on 710 ESPN are filled with fans complaining about refs calls and intense denial. Schadenfreude is fun.

- Because the Lakers are down 0-3 in the series, there is talk about how no NBA team has ever come back from that. But guess what other team they brought up? What other team came back from an 0-3 hole? I'll give you a hint... they don't bring up the 2010 Philadelphia Flyers.

That's right. My 2004 Red Sox! So I get to hear about Laker misery and how they probably won't match Red Sox heroics.

It doesn't get any better than that!

Manny to the Yankees? Another Christmas gift for Red Sox Nation

Could it be?
Seriously... could the Yankees be finally saying to the world "WE ARE RUDDERLESS!"?

The Yankees are potentially thinking about bringing in Manny Ramirez?

Why not just tell Andy Pettitte to stay home?

Why not tell Derek Jeter "We think the clubhouse has been too peaceful"?

Could the Yankees be reverting back to all of their awful late 1980s, early 1990s habits of bringing in people that are recognizable instead of addressing their needs?

How can they POSSIBLY spin their interest in Manny Ramirez as anything other than "Hey! We got a player fans have heard of! And a former Red Sox player to boot! Hey! How about that? We're the Yankees and we get stars!"

The Steinbrenner Yankees have always had a mild obsession with bringing in players who have beaten them in October. From Don Gullett to Randy Johnson, the notion has always been "If you can't beat 'em, BUY em!"

And they thought that Cliff Lee was going to be the next name on the roster.
But he's gone. And so is every other potential big impact pitcher. (Unless you consider Joe Blanton to be awesome.)

The Yankees need pitching depth. BIG TIME. Yeah they can use outfield depth, but do you know what? There are never a shortage of outfielders looking for a job. Hell, Jermaine Dye has been looking for one for over a year. He's a former World Series MVP. And unlike Manny, he hasn't left a series of teams in his wake saying "It's just not worth dealing with this crap!"

But here we are. It could just be an internet rumor... but there's something about it that doesn't seem far fetched. That the need to make an off season splash to off set the Cliff Lee humiliation is there. And a move to counter act all of the "Red Sox have passed them" talk.

Bringing in Rafael Soriano would be a good solid move to upgrade their bullpen depth. But does bullpen depth put the Yankees on the back page?

Manny does.

The symbolism of taking ANOTHER 2004 Red Sox player and putting him in Pinstripes would have some allure. Alan Embree, Mark Bellhorn, Johnny Damon, Mike Myers and Doug Mientkiewicz all played with the Yankees after winning with the '04 Red Sox. (So did Ramiro Mendoza, but who are we kidding? He was a Yankee in Red Sox clothing!)

Why not Manny?
Well, first off 2004 was six years ago.
Manny was 32 then. He'll turn 39 in 2011. And the days of guys getting BETTER in their late 30s have ended. Manny has already been caught and guess what? His bat has slowed down.

I of course LOVED Manny when he was with the Red Sox, but as I wrote in my Dodgers piece for The Hardball Times, he is like a trip to Las Vegas. It is super fun at first but by the end you find yourself thinking "Oh God, this HAS to stop or else something terrible will happen."

So the Yankees will get all the headaches of Manny without his amazing bat.

And remember, Manny is a spoiled little kid who gets what he wants because his butt has been kissed. It was kissed by the Indians who wanted to develop a big star and get their team back to respectability.

It was initially kissed by the Red Sox because his signing was a counter reaction to the Yankees brining in Mike Mussina. So they had a new superstar to coddle. And later his butt was kissed because they knew they had a potential championship combo if only he stayed happy.

And the Dodgers kissed his butt because they had the first real draw to Chavez Ravine since Mike Piazza was traded.

So plop him into Jeter's clubhouse and see what happens.

You will get the symbolism of trying to erase the past while the problems of the present are left unchecked.

It's the whole bringing in Ken Phelps to a team where there is nowhere to play him all over again.

As I said before, it probably won't happen. But the fact that we have to say "probably" shows how bad the off season has been for the Yankees.

How great is this for Red Sox fans?
The idea that the Yankees could be doing essentially what Isiah Thomas did with the Knicks! Just bringing in big names for the sake of getting a headline.

OK, the Knicks are a harsh example. But what if they are the Mets? Bringing in recognizable names only to see it blow up in their face!

They won't be able to resist making a big move before spring training. And having Andy Pettitte come back isn't a big move. That's avoiding a loss.

Carl Pavano isn't coming back.

But there are no more big names left... except Manny.
No other names that would get anyone's attention... except Manny.

They may not be able to resist it.
And what a beautiful sight that would be.

It would be worth it to see if he would take a leak in Monument Park during the game. What wonderful symbolism that would be.

Vazquez won't flop as a fish

I’ve written some nasty things over the last few years about Javier Vazquez… and got an anonymous reader to lash out at me every time I did.

I got on his case when he was with the White Sox and I made the easy prediction that he was going to be a flop when he returned to the Yankees.

So you might think I am going to kill the Marlins for spending some of their revenue sharing by forking over $7 million to a guy who pitched himself out of a Yankees rotation that desperately needed an innings eater and off a playoff roster that screamed for bullpen depth.

It’s tough to get excited about someone who posted a 5.32 ERA for the season. A guy who posted a 5.96 ERA in August and a 8.84 ERA in September.

Yes, that first number was an 8… and yes he pitched in more than one game.

But truthfully, it is an ideal move for both the Marlins and Vazquez.

Florida should always be an ideal spot for pitchers to revive their reputations. Remember how Todd Jones became an All Star caliber closer in Miami?

Even the perennially awful Armando Benitez found his grove in the stadium formerly known as Joe Robbie.

Every once in a while, Vazquez puts together a terrific season that makes everyone think he is an ace. He’s not. He’s a .500 pitcher who throws a lot of innings and lets up a run about every other inning he throws.

He’ll probably go 16-5 next year… his ERA will be in the mid 3’s… he’ll be among the league leaders in innings pitched.

And his one year contract will be up and a team like the Mets or the Angels will overpay him and they’ll be stunned when he doesn’t post those numbers again.

And the back of his baseball card will get more and more cluttered… and he’ll have made over $100 million over his career.

$7 million will be well spent by the Marlins.
Good luck (and thanks again for both of Johnny Damon’s ALCS homers in 2004.)

Jim Thome and Kenny Lofton’s post season luck

So it goes for the Twins… their post season losing streak at 12 and they have been swept out of the playoffs again.

Homefield advantage?
New ballpark?

No difference.

And it also goes for Jim Thome, who in his 20 seasons, is still in search of his first World Series ring.

His luck has been truly rotten.

He’s appeared in 9 post seasons, including 2 trips to the World Series (1995 and 1997 with Cleveland.)

He’s been in the last 3 post seasons with three different franchises.

And of course he was part of that magical Cleveland Indians squad that, for at least a few seasons, made the Indians a fun powerhouse in the late 1990s.

Among his teammates was Kenny Lofton… the only guy with WORSE luck than Thome in the post season.

Lofton, a 6 time All Star, played in 11 different post seasons with 6 different franchises.

And somehow made it through without a ring.

Lofton was part of some classic near miss teams.

Besides the 1995 squad that played the Braves so closely n the World Series…

Lofton and Thome were on the 1999 and 2001 Indians teams that won 2 games in the Division Series and had a lead at home in a potential clinching game… and lost.

Lofton, the hero of the 2002 NLCS with a walk off clinching hit, was part of the San Francisco Giants team that lost the World Series despite having a 5-0 lead in a potential clinching game.

Lofton was on the 2003 Cubs squad that blew a 3-1 NLCS lead (and gave too much grief to Steve Bartman.)

Lofton was on the 2004 Yankee squad that blew the 3-0 lead to the Red Sox. (Not sure I remember that.)

And was on the 2007 Indians squad that blew a 3-1 series lead to the Red Sox.

(Before anyone tries to correct me, Lofton and Thome were NOT teammates on the 1997 Indians team. That one season Lofton played for Atlanta before coming back to the Indians.)

So Lofton and Thome played in 8 series over 5 different post seasons as teammates.

Lofton played in 12 more series over 6 different post seasons on his own.
Thome played in 7 more series over 4 different post seasons on his own.

So if you are keeping score, over the last 16 years, 15 different post season teams had either Jim Thome or Kenny Lofton on their roster.

And somehow NONE of those teams won the World Series.

That is some bad luck.

I often wonder what guys like Thome and Lofton think about guys like Francisco Cervelli who win a World Series ring in their rookie year.

Maybe Thome and Lofton will win a ring as a coach.

10 Reasons to watch this weekend's Red Sox/Yankees Series

When the 2010 schedule was published showing the season beginning and ending with Red Sox and Yankee series, it sure felt exciting, didn't it?

Perhaps there would be a great showdown for the AL East... maybe playoff positioning?

When the Red Sox were hovering around contention the 6 head to head meetings over the final 10 games sure looked inviting.

Now...
Flop.

The Red Sox are all but done... the tragic number is 4. They are playing out the string and getting ready to play golf this October.

The Yankees are cruising to another October appearance and trying to right their pitching staff while jockeying for position with the Rays and Twins.

So why should Red Sox fans even watch this series?
There are some reasons...


1. WIN THE SERIES AND THE RED SOX HOLD OFF ELIMINATION

Yeah elimination will be inevitable... but if it can be held off until Monday, then as a point of pride we can say "We weren't eliminated until the last week of the season."

With all the injuries on the team, that's a nice (if misleading) thing to say.


2. DELAY THE YANKEE CELEBRATION

It's clear by the way Joe Girardi is managing that he is simply trying to make the post season without worrying about the Division... sure he would LIKE to win the Division but he'd RATHER have a healthy pitching staff. So the Yankees clinching a playoff spot seems to be the goal.

They'll get there, but it doesn't have to be on OUR watch.


3. JON LESTER, COMPROMISE CY YOUNG CANDIDATE?

Can Jon Lester get to 20 wins? If he does will he be a Cy Young Candidate? (Sabathia's 20 wins seem to be his only qualification over Felix Hernandez but he is talked about as the front runner.)

If Lester gets 20, his name will be in the mix. He goes for win #19 on Saturday.


4. 90 WINS IS A GOOD GOAL FOR THIS TEAM

Seriously, with all the injuries and strife on this team to finish with 90 wins would be a real accomplishment.

They need to win 6 games out of their last 10 to pull that off. That would give Francona six 90 win seasons out of seven years in Boston. Not bad.


5. MAYBE SOMEONE ELSE WILL GET HURT

The Red Sox have had 19 guys on their disabled list.
Why not 20? Seriously... a nice round number is easier to remember. And that would be the legacy of the 2010 Red Sox... 20 dudes on the DL.

That would make 90 wins even MORE impressive.






6. IT WILL TAKE YOUR MIND OFF OF THE PATRIOTS/JETS LOSS

Perhaps seeing a New England team beat a New York team will take the sting out of it.

Yeah that is petty... but so are we!



7. YOU'LL GET TO SEE THE RED SOX SEE THE SUBTLE STEINBRENNER MEMORIAL

Then again they can probably see it from Fenway Park.






8. MAYBE THEY'LL SHOW SOME CLIPS OF THE 2004 ALCS

Those are always fun to see.

Granted they will also show clips of Bucky Dent, Aaron Boone etc... but those don't hurt as much since '04 and '07.

Plus it is always interesting to see how they can spin the rivalry since the whole Bambino thing is over.




9. NO MATTER WHAT THE STANDINGS ARE, IT IS ALWAYS FUN TO SEE THE YANKEES LOSE

It isn't nice to admit that, but it is true.

Admit it Sox fans... when you saw that the Yankees were getting killed last night, you checked in... hoping to see Joba and Vazquez get slapped around. Seeing the seed of doubt creep into Yankee land, especially on the dawn of the playoffs, is a beautiful thing. Why not see the Sox contribute to that?


10. YOU WILL SEE THE BEGINNING OF THE GREATEST END OF THE SEASON COLLAPSE IN YANKEE HISTORY AND THE RED SOX STORM INTO THE PLAYOFFS

Hey... how is that any less likely than the Red Sox coming back from a 3-0 series hole, trailing in the 9th facing Mariano Rivera?

I bet you thought we were dead then too!

The come back starts NOW!



So have fun, and remember Sox fans who make the trip, you will be in THEIR home. Play nicely.

Besides, Red Sox fans and Yankee fans should be friends.

So play ball! Go Sox and make us proud in what is left of this season.
(And let's hope Joba gets an appearance or two.)