The Sports Section

Originally posted on Gothamist.

Major League Baseball has released the Hall of Fame candidates for the 2007 induction and among the thirty-two nominees are five former Mets and seven former Yankees.

All of the Mets alum played only briefly for New York, going on to establish themselves with other teams. Of the Yankees on the list, Scott Brosius and Paul O’Neill are the biggest names of the freshmen class. Brosius was the World Series MVP in 1998 and played for the Yankees in five fall classics. O’Neill, considered by many to be Derek Jeter’s predecessor to the title of Mr. Yankee, also played in four World Series with the Bombers and won the AL batting title in 1994.

These two first timers join one very beloved Yankee, Don Mattingly, who is on the ballot for the seventh time. Mattingly, currently the Yankees Bench Coach, played for the Yankees for his entire 14-year career, he won the AL batting title in 1984, was the MVP in 1985 and was one of the best defensive first basemen to play the game.

This year’s ballot, which also includes Cal Ripken, Jr., Tony Gwynn and Mark McGwire is considered to be more competitive and controversial than in previous years.

Here is a list of all the nominees (first time and repeat) who played in New York:

Derek Bell (Mets)
Bobby Bonilla (Mets)
Scott Brosius (Yankees)
Jay Buhner (Yankees)
Jose Conseco (Yankees)
Tony Fernandez (Mets)
Rich Gossage (Yankees)
Orel Hershiser (Mets)
Tommy John (Yankees)
Don Mattingly (Yankees)
Paul O’Neill (Yankees)
Bret Saberhagen (Mets)
Lee Smith (Yankees)

Posted by Snugget at 5:05 PM | Permalink | Comments

Originally posted on The Bleacher Report

It was perfect timing for the Ravens and the Colts this week. These two division-leading teams took the spirit of Thanksgiving with them to the football field and feasted on their opponents—the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles—and made for certain that it was a bad week to hail from the Keystone State.

It was a warm, sunny day in Baltimore, Ray Lewis was back on the field after a two-week hiatus, M&T Bank Stadium held a record-breaking crowd and the Baltimore Ravens absolutely demolished their division rival Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens didn’t just settle for a win, they shut-out the defending champs, limited them to 21 rushing yards and sacked Roethlisberger 9 times. They allowed the Steelers to cross midfield only three times and their seemingly unstoppable defense scored its fifth touchdown of the season. Unbeaten since the firing of offensive coordinator Jim Fassel, the Ravens seem to have solved their quandary of relying only on defense, and Brian Billick, who has assured the safety of his job as head coach, may have finally silenced his critics who said that he would not be a more effective play caller. Even more importantly the Ravens have maintained their three game lead over the formerly dominant Cincinnati Bengals, and can clinch their division with a win against them on Thursday. For the Steelers, known to be a gritty, come-from-behind and very physical team, Sunday’s loss represented the end of their dynasty dreams and left fans and players alike wondering what happened to Big Ben. Maybe it was the motorcycle accident, maybe it was the appendectomy, maybe it was the concussion, but whatever it was the Steelers ended Thanksgiving with nothing to chew on but a big, round goose egg.

On the other side of a big state, scores of passionate fans in Philly were just as disappointed. The Eagles’ are lost without McNabb and the Colts remain dominant because of Peyton Manning and the pairing of these two teams illuminates the importance of a team-leading quarterback. Brian Westbrook rushed for over 124 yards but Joseph Addai was better, rushing for 171 yards and four touchdowns. The Colts took the lead on their first possession and though the Eagles did come within ten points in the third quarter, they never got any closer. It’s hard to imagine what the Colts would look like without Manning and this is now the third season in the McNabb era in which the Eagles have realized the nightmare that is losing him early. Jeff Garcia proved himself a decent but not overpowering replacement, and it remains to be seen what he can do against a less formidable opponent. In the meantime, the Colts (10-1) maintain their one-game lead over the Chargers and the Ravens (both 9-2), they proved that last week’s loss was a fluke and left fans in Philly with little to cheer for. But hey, at least they’ve got Ryan Howard.

One state north New Yorkers are holding out hope that the Jets can close the two-game lead that the Patriots hold and one state south Baltimoreans are finally seeing their team get the recognition it deserves. Pennsylvanians can celebrate that at least they don’t have to deal with Eli Manning who helped the Giants blow a 21 point, fourth quarter lead and who lofted an idiotic pass that would eventually lead to a game winning field goal, but that may be all they can be thankful for. So even though it may still be worse to be Eli, from the Steel City to the City of Brotherly Love, it was a bad week to be from Pennsylvania.

Posted by Snugget at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments

Both the New York Giants and the New York Jets suffered losses this week, and for both teams much of the criticism is being directed at their quarterbacks, Eli Manning and Chad Pennington.

With the recent success of Tony Romo (Drew Bledsoe’s replacement in Dallas) and David Garrard (Byron Leftwich’s replacement in Jacksonville) many New York football fans may be wondering if their team needs a replacement as well.

Giants and Jets faithful didn’t have to ponder that for long; at their press conferences yesterday Tom Coughlin, head coach for the Giants, and Eric Mangini, head coach for the Jets told reporters that their starters would continue to start.

One issue for both teams is that neither one of them has a particularly inviting replacement. They each have a veteran—Tim Hasselback (Giants) and Patrick Ramsey (Jets)—and they each have a youngster who is not ready to start; Jared Lorenzen (Giants) and Kellen Clemens (Jets). A looming question regarding Pennington arises in an interesting post on Benmaller.com which reports that he is “due a $2 million roster bonus on March 2 and the Jets must make a decision by then if he will remain the quarterback [next season].”

Neither team’s season is over but both face important games this week. Should the Jets (5-5) lose to the Houston Texans they will dip below .500 and give New England the chance to extend their lead to three games in the AFC East. The Giants (6-4) play the Cowboys in two weeks, and the two teams are currently tied atop the NFC East, so they need to gain momentum this week by beating Tennessee. Both quarterbacks have played well in some games this season and both of their opponents this week are beatable. Their futures seem to depend on which versions of Manning and Pennington show up.

Posted by Snugget at 2:48 PM | Permalink | Comments

Originally published on The Bleacher Report.

Rare is the week when Peyton and Eli Manning play on different days and can watch each others’ game, and how unfortunate that this time they had to watch each other lose. Yes folks, for this first family of football, it was a bad week to be a Manning.

It started with Sunday night’s game and the Cowboys capitalizing on the Colts’ weaknesses where other teams could not. Tony Romo, who won for the third time in four games, has established himself as a team leader and actually put a smile on Bill Parcells’ face. Manning uncharacteristically threw two interceptions but ultimately when he needed to make the big plays he is known for he just couldn’t do it. Now that Peyton can’t go undefeated he can stop worrying about being perfect and concentrate on playing well in the playoffs; a more worthwhile endeavor and one he has struggled with. For Tony Romo and the Cowboys the win on Sunday propelled them to 6-4 and it became an even sweeter victory with the Giants’ disaster of a game last night.

Cut to that game, where Eli Manning is struggling to make Giants fans believe that he was worth that first round pick which will be an even tougher battle for him because his play last night was atrocious. Certainly Plaxico Burress needed to put in more effort; when your only job is to catch a football, you can try a little harder. And someone should tell him that when your team already seems to be playing with no emotion that its probably a bad idea to pretend to faint when an official rightly calls back a pass that you didn’t even catch. Instead of getting back in it, he stood at the line of scrimmage shaking his head. Manning needed more protection then he was given, but more often then not his throws were too low, too high, too hard or poorly timed. The announcers said Eli never looked comfortable and as such they lost to a team that has lost twice this season to the Houston Texans.

Though both Mannings and their teams lost, it was a worse for the New York Giants. With the Eagles suffering the loss of Donovan McNabb and the Redskins playing terribly, the Giants had the chance to secure the lead in the NFC East. Instead, their loss combined with the Cowboys victory ties the two teams and leaves the Giants as the team with something to prove. For Jacksonville, the AFC south is clearly in the hands of the Colts, but their defense looked sharp and David Garrard has emerged as a fast and physical replacement for Byron Leftwich. This was an important game for Eli whose season looks to be unraveling. Maybe the pressure to be Peyton-esque is too great, or maybe he just isn’t that good but in a week where being a Manning was not synonymous with being a winner it was still worse to be Eli.

Posted by Snugget at 3:44 PM | Permalink | Comments

Originally published on The Bleacher Report.

The Chicago Cubs are making headlines this off-season; there is no doubt about that. It started when they signed Lou Pinella to manage the club, and has hit an all time high with the recent signing of Alfonso Soriano to an eight-year $136 million deal.

The Cubs have yet to sign a starting pitcher, they have yet to play a game under Pinella with their newly revamped line-up but already they are being called contenders.

Anyone else think this is just a tad premature?

What the Cubs have successfully accomplished this off-season is convinced everyone in baseball that they don’t want to be losers anymore. Soriano could have a great season, or he could flop, but the Cubs are not afraid to spend the money to get the big names, and this method is what lures other talented players. Toronto did this last winter, then they finished above the Red Sox and have added Frank Thomas this year hoping to prove once again that they want to win. Someone was going to sign Soriano, someone was going to pay big for it, so why not the Cubs?

But if we have learned anything from the 2006 season it is that a potent line-up and a mega-million dollar bat can’t carry an entire team. The Yankees had the “best line-up in baseball” last season, and every single announcer felt compelled to remind viewers of that at nearly every opportunity. Jim Leyland was openly terrified of the kind of offensive damage that the Bronx Bombers were likely to unleash on to his Tigers. And look what happened. All those all-stars, all those big bats, and all those zeros.

Still, even if the Cubs do sign a solid starting pitcher, they will still not have the depth to their starting rotation that has proven the winning ingredient in the last few post-seasons and World Series. Even more alarming is that Soriano was signed to play center field and there is a chance he may not be good there.

So, to get things straight, a team that won 66 games last season, has one outstanding pitcher and a solid line up, signs another star player, to a new position and is now a contender. Sure they would only need to win 21 more games to equal the Cardinals’ total from last season, and so maybe they will come in a bit closer, but rarely does one off-season provide the kind of total turn around that a team like the Cubs needs, and I think this year is no exception.

The Cubs have made things interesting, they have given their division a little more competition and they have assured that they will be better then they were last year. But with so many teams and so few spots in the post-season I think we should let the games begin before we bestow the title of contender on this team.

Posted by Snugget at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments

You know all those people who tell you that it's rediculous to be afraid of flying because it is SO unlikely that you will die in a plane crash? Well I sure hope no one said that to Bob Cartwright.

He was a close friend of Cory Lidle's flight instructor, Tyler Stanger, who also happened to be his personal pilot. He was supposed to be in the plane with Lidle and Stanger which crashed into a building on the Upper East Side of Manhattan on October 11.

He opted out of that flight, boarded another one on Tuesday, headed for Las Vegas, only 34 days after Lidle died. In a frightening twist of fate this plane also crashed, and this time Stanger was not so lucky.

Amazingly this is not even the most insane part of the story. Another man, Rod Watkins, was supposed to be on both Lidle's flight, AND the one to Vegas, but could not make either, and each time, learned later that the planes had crashed.

ATTENTION ROD WATKINS: STAY OUT OF AIRPLANES!!!!!

Posted by Snugget at 2:18 PM | Permalink | Comments

The Toronto Blue Jays finalized a deal with Frank Thomas at $18 million for two years.

The first move for the team north of the border, it signals, according to many, their desire to contend more signifiantly for the top of the AL East.

The move also protects the Jays should Vernon Wells, and his big bat, depart for another team.

The contract also includes a $10 million option for the 2009 season.

Posted by Snugget at 2:12 PM | Permalink | Comments

In the post-season shuffle and ensuing clamor for the top free agents in baseball few people are thinking ahead to the presentation of the 2006 World Series rings. Yankees fans, already frustrated by their team’s poor post-season play, may be further annoyed to learn that in fact one Bronx Bomber from 2006 will be receiving a ring after all. Though he won’t be on the field with the St. Louis Cardinals, starting pitcher Sidney Ponson will likely receive his ring in the mail.

Ponson pitched for the Cardinals until July 11 when he lost his spot to Jeff Weaver. From mid-July through August 18 he pitched for the Yankees, notching a 4-5 record with a 6.25 ERA, but again lost his spot, this time to Cory Lidle.

Certainly this will be more gut-wrenching for Baltimore, where Ponson had to schedule his starts between DUIs and court dates. But for the Yankees, a team with World Series aspirations and many ring-less superstars, Ponson with a ring on his finger is hardly the stuff that pinstriped dreams are made of.

Posted by Snugget at 3:37 PM | Permalink | Comments

Recently Bud Selig, the commissioner of Major League Baseball, declared that we are currently living in the “golden age of baseball.” It’s always a risk to take ownership of a piece of sports history, or sports present, as in this case, because rare is the sports fan who can be divorced from the period to which he or she is most attached. It is impossibly hard to declare another era the best.

To say that right now is the golden age is, in the eyes of many a disgrace to the game of baseball itself. We are in the age of inflated contracts and steroid controversies. Of course, before this, was the age of corked bats, of throwing games, of insider betting. We are in the age when many records are being reset, Gherig no longer owns consecutive games and Maris no longer holds home runs. Ted Williams’ still has the best season batting average, but it is only in the last quarter century that we’ve seen athletes good enough for initiation in the 40-40 club.

Some could argue that baseball players are not the fully rounded athletes they once were. Some would say that the DH rule has turned American League baseball into a less glorified version of the sport and that all pitchers should know how to hit, just like Babe Ruth did. They’ll recall the days when it was no feat for a pitcher to pitch a complete game, not these days of strategically taking pitchers out to limit an opposing team’s offense. Still, pitchers are throwing over 100 miles per hour, the DH has given a role to aging power hitters and the National League can still win games with small ball. The game of baseball today is at once more powerful and less raw.

The advancements of the 21^st century allow us to know for sure when a player is doping up, allow us to zoom in on a pitcher’s hand, and baseball has followed suit, developing new ways of punishing those who break a rule. Though fans of ole may groan at the thought of 200 million dollar contracts, they can rest easy in the fact that ultimately more money has not necessarily meant an uneven playing field. The development of sports TV allows for more fans than ever, just as ever rising ticket prices limit the accessibility of live action for all fans, no matter their economic status.

Even as these things change though, so many aspects of this sport are the same. It is still breathtaking and rare to see a perfect game pitched. It is still a thrill to see a team win in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, just as it is to see a pitcher pitch-out of a bases loaded jam. A grand slam is still the most exciting hit and there is still something special about a perfectly executed suicide squeeze. No matter how developed the statistics are, no one knows who is going to win, and if this year is any indication, the bullies can still lose and the underdogs and still take in all.

So maybe Selig was right to say that we are living in the golden age, simply because we are living in it. Maybe the last person to say it was right also, and maybe the next person to say it will also be right. Though baseball struggles to stay current, there is never a lack of appreciation for the past. No matter how good a shortstop A-rod is, he will always revere Cal Ripken, Jr. Every player from Puerto Rico will name Roberto Clemente as his nation's hero. Winning teams will continue to be honored at the anniversaries of their championship wins, and moments of silence will be observed for former greats who are playing now on the great baseball field in the sky. Baseball, it seems, is in its golden age, it has always been, and if history is any indication, it always will be.

Posted by Snugget at 6:20 PM | Permalink | Comments

Posted originally on Gothamist.

When the dust cleared after the elections on Tuesday, the Democrats were the last party standing. Even in a blue-leaning state like New York, Democrats had to play hard in their quest to dominate the old boys' club known as the Republican party. As Dems claimed victory in every state race, Republicans retreated and joined the ranks of some other New York losers.

Sort of like the 2006 New York Yankees and Mets. Focusing on offense to overpower a league where pitching wins games, the Yankees took their AL East Division title as far as Detroit. Though they were heavily favored, the exit polls told a different story, and the underdog Detroit Tigers went on to the next round. The Mets followed suit; the best team in baseball for the entire season couldn't hold it together at the end. The St. Louis Cardinals pulled out a final-hours victory, and their campaign manager, Tony LaRussa, led his well oiled machine all the way to a championship.

While the Yankees and Mets set out to reorganize and prepare their next campaign, New York sports fans are left searching for their own Democratic party. Jets fans, like Green Party candidates, still have hope, but their team is competing with New England, Baltimore, Indianapolis and Denver for a playoff spot. And with football season half over, another mid-term election of sorts will take place tomorrow night when the New York Giants (6-2) face the Chicago Bears (7-1). The winner will not only gain bragging rights in an intense league rivalry, but will also dominate the NFC.

A must-win for both teams, Sunday night's game is huge for New York. Democrats had to work harder for the win but they were sick of waiting until next time, and the results proved that this country is ready for a change - much like how New York sports fans want change. In a city that all but demands championships, the underdog New York Giants are playing for an even greater glory. It's been a year of unexpected losses and New York sports fans don't want to keep hoping for next season. Having watched the beloved Yankees and Mets either leave too soon and suffer a heartbreaking loss, on top of having no faith in the Knicks, New York needs a winner. Badly.

Posted by Snugget at 9:26 AM | Permalink | Comments

The majority of baseball fans won't see their team play or win the World Series. According to ratings, not many of them will even bother watching the World Series if their team isn't playing. Fans of the St. Louis Cardinals probably didn't want October to end, but for the rest of us, the drama begins all over again the day after the World Series. The season is officially over and from every team players being announcing their status as free agents. Suddenly your lackluster infield has reason to hope, the hole in your starting rotation is soon to be filled, your aging bullpen can get some young blood and your line-up can finally secure that elusive power hitter.

The day when free agents annouce their availability begins a time of hope for baseball fans. Even fans of terrible teams have reason to believe that their front office will set up the blockbuster trade of the off season, and put their players back in contention. It is also a time when you can begin to bury the pain of the previous season, look critically at what your team needs, search through lists of who you could possibly get and then pray each night before bed that you do.

There are so many aspects of teams that free agents need to consider. Location is a big one for many, how close a team is to a player's home, and hoe disruptive it would be to move. Others need to consider the weather of a certain city. Many analysts pondered if Kenny Rogers' late season success this year was partially due to not having to play in the murderous heat of Texas in July and August.

Many free agents will want to use their status to join a team they think will immediately be in contention (Johnny Damon to the Red Sox). Others will join a team regardless of contention as long as they are given a chance to play (Julio Franco to the Mets). Some will join a team for one season, even if that team has no shot, in order to attain greater personal status (Alfonso Soriano to the Nationals) and others will join a team a few years out, hoping to be part of a larger rebuilding strategy (Ramon Hernandez to the Orioles).

There are quite a few high profile free agents this year and fans will be eager to find out where Barry Zito will end up, who will win Daisuke Matsuzaka, and if Roger Clemens will go back to Beantown. We will look at the mega stars, Thomas, Bonds and Garciaparra, and wonder if they will get contracts that end up lasting longer then their skills. We will try to guess which youngster will find the best fit and the team he'll play on for the rest of his career.

Fred Claire, in his MLB.com column insists that free agency is about money, and about players leaving teams that cannot afford them. No one can argue that this isn't the case, but this is nothing new. Everyone knows that wealthier teams have an edge in acquiring the top free agents. Unfortuantely for those teams, money guarantees nothing. The Yankees, with the largest payroll in baseball choked in the first round of the playoffs. The Marlins dumped all their expensive players and still had a shot at the NL Wild Card.

I think it would be great if every team had the same amount of money, and if players joined teams they wanted to be a part of. I respect those players who stick with their teams in order to make something happen, the Detroit Tigers are a great example of this. But in the meantime I want to enjoy the optimism of free agency without getting pissed yet again that my team doesn't have a New York payroll. Good teams lose, healthy players get injured, top prospects choke at the plate, no name pitchers throw perfect games and teams that win fewer than 90 games can apparently win the World Series. I want to hold on to my optimism, no mater how fruitless and I plan to embrace whomever my team selects.

I know in baseball you have to consider the politics, the money, the steroids and the smudges on the hands. But I think there's still a lot of magic left to the sport, and I think free agency season is a pretty fantastic one: let the bidding wars begin.

Posted by Snugget at 2:07 PM | Permalink | Comments