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Yankees on top of wild card? ROFL!!! a half game lead in a race with at least 2 other teams a game or less out. Are you delusional enough to actually think that the AL wild card lead won't change over the course of the next month?? Despite the Tampa Bay buzzsaw the angels ran into over the weekend (at least they didnt get swept by KC), they have been overall consistent in holding onto 1st place in their division for pretty much the whole season. The yanks have been streaky at best, they go on a tear only to lose several in a row. Excuse me if I don't pencil them in for the wild card just yet.

Kirk Gibson ring a bell? I know it was one AB, but as a DH, its not like he's goin to have much action outside of trotting around the bases.

If there was a possibility of trading Manny this season where is the production going to come from? There is NO ONE on the Mets that can approach what he gives this team. I hear and respect both sides of the argument as to whether he should stay or go, but in the end, you have to do what's best for the team. If its in the best interest to keep him and his production then we don't have to like him personally but we should accept it and move on. Face it, not every impact, clutch player tjhese days is a good guy. Gone are the days of the Pete Rose type players who gave their all day in and day out. I had stated in another thread that just about every all star/HOF player nowadays gets preferential treatment...some have it stated in their contracts (Barriods & Clemens for example). As much as we may despise this attitude, the question is, do you wanna lose w/hardworking blue collar guys or win with great players who may not always have the club's best interest in mind and couldn't give a f*** what anyone else thinks? (T.O. anyone??) :dunno:

Personally I think its lighter fluid and a zippo because obviously he's brought his gascan with him to the mound.

he's the guy the angels got from washington/montreal for jose guillen. he was considered good young prospect...guess its paying off...

Look no offense Buffett, but Manny = mashing - RBI producing - idiot savant. I know these types of double standards kinda suck looking from the outside in, but after what he has given to the red sox nation I don't care if he takes every 3rd or 4th day off from now until he no longer is with the team. Btw, he isn't the only player that gets preferential treatment, e.g. Barroids (when he was playing :thumbdown ) and Clemens just to name a few. You gonna tell me if you had either of those guys you wouldn't look the other way to keep them happy?

i plan on going back to the game on sunday, anyone know who's starting sunday?

well just got back from the game....understatement of the night: U G L Y! :wtf: was THAT!?!?

If I'm Wakefield and 1st is open, I'm walking Vlady everytime. He could throw a pitch in the dirt and Vlad could hit it out of the park

Todays pitching matchup is Colon v Wakefield? The way Colon has been pitching recently, gotta give the edge to the halos, but it we can get to their pen, I think we have an excellent chance of taking the series. I'm not gonna predict a sweep, but we'll see. I'm gonna go to the game tonight and maybe tomorrow too! Can't wait! :thumbsup:

With Demitra signing earlier, I had really hoped Ziggy was gonna stay in LA, he wanted the chance to play alongside his friend, but in the end, Pitt was able to guarantee that extra year dave taylor didn't want to match. Overall with this offseason of free agent signings and trades, I haven't been this excited for NHL in a long time.

If I'm USC, the only teams I'm worried about are Oregon (its always difficult to play in Oregon), CAL (they always play SC tough) and UCLA (ditto). If they can get through them, I can't see anyone else they would be worried about.

ouch! tell us what you really think...

lol yeah you did...in a close game it could go either way...btw, how long before Vlady starts getting the Bonds treatment and is pretty much getting walked in every AB?

While the Angel bullpen has been imploding lately, they're still dangerous. They just took Oakland's best shot and still have a 2 game lead in the division. This week's series looks like a preview for the pennant. Any surprise Sheff was friends with Bonds until he said Bond's arrogance/personality got in the way? Hahahahah (Pot meet Kettle...)

But I think you are all overlooking how difficult to wave that towel and pour those shots of JD. Talent like that doesn't come around everyday. Once in a generation if you're lucky...

wouldn't you? its not like he's injured...maybe a little gassed...

Jose Cruz Jr. anyone?

If Schil can't be effective in the rotation, he should just be sent down until he can be effective. IMHO, closing and starting are a completely different animal. As inconsistent and fragile Gagne was as a starter, he has been lights out as a closer (but it didn't happen overnight). Typically, Schil would need an inning or two to settle down before he just cruised the rest of the game. Now for him to go into a role where every bad pitch is magnified because it usually costs the team a game is a huge gamble to step into. I'm not worried he is going to stink for 6 innings (he would be the first to advocate removing himself completely before then), but if it's still a case of getting his velocity and endurance back, then just keep him in the pen, but NOT as the closer. He could be brought in as either a spot starter or long relief until he felt good to actually go back to starting every 5th day.

I don't think its disrespectful to call things how they are. And right now, Schil is pitching like he is washed up. That's not to say he can't get it back, but right now I agree with his quote last night about costing his team games when he's tryin to "learn" a new position. At the same time, with respect to Gagne, Cordero, etc., the last 2 mo. of the season is not the time to try throwing someone in the closer's role to inherit all the stress/pressure for a team that is defending WS champs, and fighting to insure they clinch the division. Do you really want to put a kid in that kind of position and risk crushing whatever confidence he might have? The time for experimentation is usually in the preseason, or at least early enough in regular season where it can't hurt you too much.

its official the schilling/closing experient is ovah! After tonight it should be blatantly obvious he is no Dennis Eckersley. Hell, I'd take an Eric Gagne about now, but either way he is just not effective as a closer. I've seen some of the games where even when he did get the save, he was shaky...giving up a walk here, a double there, and I don't even want to mention the homeruns. He wasn't exactly on fire when he left Pawtucket, but because he and mngmt were in a hurry to have him join the club asap, the thinking was even in the bullpen he might be able to work out the kinks and rediscover his game....well it hasn't happened...and even worse, he has been detrimental to the team, giving the yankees confidence about their chances to sneak back into the race for the division. Now I appreciate what he has given the team in the past, but at this point if he's still gonna stay on the roster he needs to rejoin the rotation ASAP!!! If he is going to rediscover any semblance of he former effectiveness as a #1, its gonna be by grinding it out starting and not closing.

Oh I'll give credit where credit is due, but he always complained the loudest the second he felt he was being disrespected. While it wasn't a secret he was not going to be brought back for what he was asking for (only decent investment by Mets ridiculously overspending this past offseason) he could have left with a bit more class and thanked the organization that helped him win his only championship instead of smacking them.

Re: Yankee payroll, that was taken out of context. While it is obvious the Yankees spend the most, I acknowledge that Boston isn't exactly operating on a budget like Tampa Bay. However, as a baseball fan, it seems disheartening to see a championship/pass to the playoffs can be had by purchasing all the talent available when trades do not bring in the rest. That being said, at five years and counting, it brings immense pleasure to see all that money being misspent. While ordinarily I'm against a salary cap in sports, parity does have its advantages. Never have I looked forward to an NHL season like I do this one. And while I prefer soft caps like in the NBA over what they have in the NFL, you can't argue with the success New England has had building a dynasty.

Well I for 1 was giddy with joy that dodger win. I'm glad the ingrate got what was coming to him and not only lost his no-hitter, but also lost the game. MUAHAHAHAH :harhar:

LMFAO, thats what happens when your bullpen is close to the top in the majors in IP right now. These guys are exhausted and when you're tired, you're liable to go brain dead and make mental mistakes. Ever since the previous roadtrip to Toronto & New York, they've been running on fumes. Before that marathon 18 inning game against Toronto, the bullpen was their strength, but since then, they have single-handedly been reponsible for letting the yanks and A's take 2 of three. However with the sweep of Seattle over the weekend, and the way they continue to battle, I still think its gonna come to ANAHEIM v. Boston for the pennant. With the exception for the last couple fluke losses to Oakland and New York last week, (games that were up in the 8th/9th inning) Boston is the only team that consistently beat them. They have OWNED NY and regularly beat Oakland this season with the exception of that last series. Should be interesting...