September 2007
Monthly Archive
Sat 22 Sep 2007
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-On a college football Saturday, the Phillies are trying to keep pace with the Mets who took their second straight over the Marlins 7-2 Saturday behind eight strong innings from Oliver Perez.
Philadelphia has just gone ahead of those pesky Nats 2-1 in the 10th thanks to a Ryan Howard runscoring single which plated Chase Utley. The 2006 NL MVP has since come into score courtesy of a bases loaded walk to teammate Jayson Werth.
It would probably be wise for the Phils to tack on as many runs as possible so that they insure a ninth win in their last 10.
Not known as the best pitching team, lately that hasn’t been the case. Especially with Charlie Manuel’s once shaky pen which continues to put up a lot of zeroes and keep them afloat in this riveting playoff race as we close in on the final week of the regular season.
If they do prevail, they’ll overcome three miscues in the field which led to Washington’s only run in the sixth off starter Kyle Kendrick.
Since, J.C. Romero, Geoff Geary, Tom Gordon and Brett Myers have combined to shutdown the Nationals, giving their team a chance to pull out a third consecutive win in the nation’s capital.
Carlos Ruiz has since delivered a pinch hit RBI single to put Philly up three with three more outs to get.
That’s been the story of this surge for the team from Brotherly Love. Finding ways to pull out tight games with clutch hits and big time pitching. More than you can say for the NL East division leading Mets whose pen is in shambles. Especially with ex-Phillie closer Billy Wagner day-to-day with back spasms which held him out of a dreadful 8-7 loss to the Marlins the other night.
The good news for the Amazin’s is they have won the past two days and taken advantage of some awful fielding from the Marlins which included a club record six errors in last night’s 9-6 New York win.
It’s now all over in D.C. Clay Condrey pitched around a leadoff hit to get the save as the Phils got another huge victory, pulling it out 4-1 over the Nats.
The win not only keeps them a game and a half behind the Mets (two in loss column) but puts more pressure on the NL WC leading Padres to comeback and win tonight over the red hot Rockies who at last check were ahead 3-0.
Friday night’s 14 inning hero Brad Hawpe (GW HR in 2-1 win) has knocked in a couple of more to stake Mark Redman to a three-run lead early.
If Colorado prevails, the Phils would be just half a game out and the Rockies would suddenly be within two and a half. They’re aiming for their seventh straight victory and clearly need a sweep in San Diego to give themselves a realistic chance of making the postseason for the second time in franchise history.
Sure would be fun if it played out that way. 
-How about Alfonso Soriano coming up big for the Cubbies in another win over the hapless Pirates earlier today at Wrigley. Two more home runs, an RBI double and five runs knocked in. Teammates Derrek Lee and Friday’s hero Aramis Ramirez also went yard for the third time in two days.
Soriano was a big disappointment for most of his first season as a Cub. But since returning from missing a month, the 2006 40/40 member (Wsh) has been unbelievable in September.
The two dingers were numbers 11 and 12 giving him 31 for the season in his 129th game. The guy has been earning his money when his team needed it most. And that’s a big part of why Sweet Lou’s club leads the Brewers by two and a half with a week left.
-So Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide scratch and claw their way back from 10 down in the final quarter to tie it and then watch Georgia complete a great fourth down and miss a 48-yard kick wide left to force overtime. They celebrated like they’d won.
But as fate would have it after a big upset over Arkansas a week ago on the same field, they settled for three and then watched Bulldog QB Matthew Stafford make a perfect 25-yard pass to Mikey Henderson for the game-winning score and an exciting 26-23 road win for Georgia.
Got to love college football!
-Brian Brohm threw 65 times completing 45 for 555 yards and four touchdowns but it still wasn’t enough as Louisville lost at home to out of all teams Syracuse 38-35 for the Orange’s first win of the season- ending the nation’s second longest home winning streak at 20.
Where’s the D?
-Brohm is a very good quarterback and should go very high in next year’s NFL Draft but find me a more composed QB than Kentucky’s Andre Woodson. A week removed from springing the upset of Louisville, he followed it up with a come from behind 41-29 victory at Arkansas directing the final three unanswered Wildcats’ scores including a 32-yard TD pass and two-point conversion to Keenan Burton plus a QB sneak to salt the contest away helping improve No.21 ranked Kentucky to 4-0.
It looks like they could be heard from in the top heavy SEC.
-The Fighting Irish lost yet again at home to Michigan State 31-14 allowing the final 24 points to fall to 0-4 for the first time in school history. They also are the only BCS team from last year still without a win.
Not exactly the kind of history Charlie Weis envisioned making when he took over for Ty Willingham three years ago. Talk about poetic justice.
-I love how Daily News columnist Mike Lupica continues to go on his latest crusade of ripping Garden CEO Jim Dolan and their defense attorney in the on-going sexual harassment case versus former MSG employee Anucha Browne Sanders. As if this know it all knows all the facts and has sat in on the case and is one of the 12 jurors. For as ugly as Isiah Thomas and Dolan’s company look along with Stephon Marbury, it doesn’t really have much bearing on the decision.
Unless Browne Sanders’ prosecutor proved without a shadow of doubt that their client was sexually harassed by the Knicks President and GM, then the verdict will be not guilty.
You almost get the feeling that a narcissistic writer such as Lupica has the popcorn out and is openly rooting against MSG here so he can write another one of his biASed columns celebrating like it’s the greatest thing ever.
You can’t look at a case that way. But funny how all the New York tabloids are because of their disdain for Dolan who by all accounts is just an absurd owner. That doesn’t apply here. What does is the facts. Something these papers don’t want to bother using as front page material unless it upholds their hidden agendas.
It might sell papers but it’s a laughingstock. Try being a juror trying to listen to all the evidence and see if every witness is credible next time. Something we’ve experienced.
-You’d think the D-Rays after all these pathetic years as a franchise could do better than journeyman Al Reyes as their closer in a game. Yankee fans didn’t actually think he was closing the Sahhhxxx out there, did they?
-Speaking of the Bronx Bombers, it’s a good thing Joe Torre has three relievers he can trust for October because after what we saw today from Kyle Farnsworth and a couple of others, the other alternatives become scarier than a Met reliever not named Wagner, Pedro Feliciano or Aaron Heilman.
-You look at that Jays team and have to feel like they’re close. Just imagine them in the NL with that staff and that lineup. They’d probably have at least 10-12 more wins and have a good shot to get to the World Series.
-Antonio Pierce blowing an airhorn under his shirt three times to irk a Fox reporter is a bit much but it sure was entertaining. The Giants better perform on the field tomorrow at Fed Ex Field against the Redskins. But why do I get this feeling Chris Cooley will have about eight catches for 160 yards and three scores?
Just for the record, he’s got only three catches for 35 yds in two weeks. This after we guaranteed Big Blue victory on our Hard Hits show. That’s what happens when you’re a Giant fan.
It could be worse. Try being a Bills fan with J.P. Losman as your QB.
-I want to know what’s in the water with those USC cheerleaders. God never created better creatures.
Wed 19 Sep 2007
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-Are the Red Sox about to blow the division? Well, it got even more interesting tonight as they were swept by the Blue Jays up in Toronto falling 6-1 to the Yankees’ next opponent.
Boston did have their chances late but Julio Lugo left the bases loaded in the seventh grounding out to short. Maybe if the shortstop had actually hustled out of the box instead of assuming Ray Olmedo would field his routine grounder cleanly, he might’ve beaten it out. Instead, he dogged it and Olmedo barehanded his bobble and threw out a frustrated Lugo who slammed his helmet. What would you expect from a former D-Ray?
A night after not going to his closer, Boston skipper Terry Francona decided to bring Jonathan Papelbon into the game in the eighth to try to keep it a one-run deficit. Instead, he served up a grand slam to last night’s pinch hit hero Russ Adams putting the game out of reach.
Jays’ closer Jeremy Accaro who got Mike Lowell swinging to end the eighth retired the side in order for his 28th save to send the Sahhhxxx to their fourth consecutive defeat.
Meanwhile at The Stadium, the Yanks edged the Orioles 2-1 to complete a three-game sweep to pull within one and a half. They now trail the Sox by one game in the loss column.
Hideki Matsui hit his 25th home run and Doug Mientkiewicz came into score the winning run on a wild pitch out of all things while Andy Pettite held the O’s in check giving up just one earned over seven and two thirds to win his 14th- becoming the 27th southpaw to win 200 career games. Congrats!
He’s won 10 of 14 starts since the All-Star break and been the Yanks’ best starter.
Mariano Rivera made things interesting loading the bases but got pinch hitter Scott Moore looking at a cutter to pickup his 30th save for the 10th season in 11 years as Yankee closer.
Suddenly, the Yanks who have now won 12 of 14 are right there for not only the AL East but for the league’s best record just two out in the loss column behind both the Indians who swept the Tigers basically ending their season and the Angels, whose magic number is down to three to clinch the AL West.
Back on May 29, the Yankees trailed their bitter rivals up in Massachusetts by 14 and a half. During the infamous 1978 comeback, they were 14 out on July 19.
Can another great comeback be about to take place?
The Sox travel to Tampa for the weekend while the Yanks host the Jays.
-The Mets got off the deck finally to win their first game in six 8-4 over the Nationals. Mike Pelfrey wasn’t great but did pitch into the sixth allowing three runs despite giving up nine hits. So he did okay enough for the New York offense to support him. David Wright drove in three and Jose Reyes decided to show up for a change as the Amazin’s got a huge win to go back up two and a half because the Phillies lost in extras to the Cards 2-1.
Who was the hero? Met killer Yadier Molina. So the catcher helped them out this time.
Biggest inning in this one was the Nats’ sixth when Pelfrey ran into trouble putting runners at the corners before leaving with a two-run lead in favor of Jorge Sosa.
He had been brutal lately but got pinch hitter D’Angelo Jimenez looking on three pitches and then a pitch later induced Nook Logan into a 6-6-3 inning ending double play which SNY announcer Gary Cohen nearly orgasmed on. I wish we could make this up but if you’ve ever watched a Mets game, you know how much he screams when his team makes a big play. He’s almost gotten as annoying as John Sterling.
You can’t blame him for getting excited. But geez. Call the game. Howie Rose is much better at that but somehow is on the radio instead. Why? Even if his “put it in the books” has gotten silly, he’s still a much better play-by-play man than Cohen.
-If you saw the conclusion of an exciting Cubs’ 3-2 win over the Reds despite the fact Adam Dunn actually caught Derrek Lee’s ball (if only he had argued more) which turned into the winning run in the eighth, then you know all you need to about why putting Cubs home games on national TV is great.
Just watching how into it the fans were pitch by pitch was awesome. With the fans behind the plate literally on top of the field standing as Bob Howry closed out the Reds getting rookie Joey Votto swinging, it was pandemonium.
The ESPN cameras went to chaotic Cubs fans hugging each other like they won the pennant and a crazed fan who held up a sign that read, “Its Gonna Happen.”
Unbelievable. This was baseball at its finest. That’s why you have to root for Lou Piniella’s team to make it back to October. They’re great for the game.
They now lead the Brewers by a game because despite Richie Weekes tying two-run dinger in the ninth off Brad Lidge who blew his seventh save, Milwaukee fell in extras 5-4 on rookie Hunter Pence’s walkoff hit.
In that one, Prince Fielder slugged his senior circuit leading 47th to extend his career best hitting streak to 17 straight. What a season the son of Cecil has had. Will it be enough to get them in?
-I know there’s been a lot of talk about Wright for MVP but Matt Holiday deserves it. He hit two more home runs tonight in Colorado’s 6-5 come from behind win over the Dodgers.
He’s now hitting .340 with 35 dingers and 128 RBI’s. His average ranks first as does the RBI’s while the homers place him fourth behind Fielder (47), Ryan Howard (40) and Adam Dunn (40).
It’s not like the Rockies are a bad team either. Their 80-72 record is only a few games worse than the Mets and NL WC leading Padres. They still have a slim chance of making the postseason but must continue to win and get some help.
Holliday’s season can’t be ignored even if they miss. We’ve seen A-Rod rewarded on a last place team before. The Rockies would be in the playoffs if they played in the NL Central.
Wed 19 Sep 2007
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-It’s all going the Yankees’ way now. While they were blowing out an overmatched O’s team that’s tossed in the towel, they got even better news late up north when the Blue Jays rallied for three runs off bust Eric Gagne with two outs in the eighth to comeback and beat the suddenly slumping Red Sox 4-3.
You can’t make it up with the former lights out Dodger closer who was good with Texas in the same role this year before coming over to Fenway in a setup role. Most observers felt that with him in the fold along with Japanese import Hideki Okajima pitching the seventh and eighth for second-year closer Jonathan Papelbon, the Sox would become virtually impossible to comeback on in late innings.
But it hasn’t come close to working out as Gagne has busted and Okajima has struggled mightily since August. Suddenly, a team strength looks like a weakness for the Sox who have dropped four of their last five and seen the red hot Yankees slice their once huge lead to just two and a half games and two in the loss column.
What’s more confusing about last night’s Gagne meltdown was that Terry Francona had Papelbon warming up while it was taking place. But instead of pulling him, the Boston skipper left Gagne in and watched him lose the plate after getting two quick outs. He loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a hit and then walked his third batter of the inning in light hitting Toronto catcher Greg Zaun to force in the tying run. Jays’ pinch hitter Russ Adams became the fifth consecutive Jay to reach base with a tiebreaking two-run double which turned out to be the difference despite Zaun getting thrown out at the plate plus Julio Lugo’s two out solo shot in the ninth off a brilliant A.J. Burnett who was going for the complete game with 11 K’s throwing 124 pitches before he was lifted in favor of reliever Scott Downs. The southpaw came on to get promising Boston rookie center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury looking on a nasty bender to preserve Burnett’s ninth win and notch his first save.
As for the Bronx Bombers, they were busy beating up on the hapless Birds putting up six on Jon Leicester in the fourth highlighted by resurgent first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz’ upper deck three-run blast into the right field seats. Since getting a start in the final game at Fenway, he’s gone 5-for-8 with six RBI’s and come up with some web gems while playing a sparkling first.
The Yanks also had to be pleased to see center fielder Melky Cabrera snap out of a 1 -for-29 slide with a sac fly and two-run single in a five run seventh driving home three. Hideki Matsui also drove in three and is now just two RBI’s shy of 100. The captain Derek Jeter also chipped in with three hits and two runs scored.
Meanwhile, Mike Mussina had his second straight solid outing tossing seven shutout frames to pickup win No.10. The Moose was dealing allowing just three hits while walking one and striking out six against his former team. In two starts since returning to the rotation, he’s gone 12-plus without permitting a run.
More importantly, he seems to have rediscovered his stuff and fixed the problem. Maybe the time off was a blessing because his ball was really moving Tuesday and kept hitters off balance. When you see that wicked knuckle curve starting waist level and then just dipping down, it’s a good sign. He also was able to paint a few corners and catch some frustrated O’s looking.
Mussina is definitely making a case for himself for October. He’s battling rookies Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy for that fourth spot in the playoff rotation. If they each continue to pitch well, it will give Joe Torre even more to think about.
With the Tigers losing yet again at Cleveland to drop even further back (five in loss column) in the wildcard, things are definitely looking up for the Yanks. They’re also the closest they’ve been to Boston since April 21.
Even with only 11 games remaining, it’s become realistic for them to catch the Sahhhxxx and win a 10th consecutive AL East. Having won 11 of 13, baseball’s hottest team just needs to keep winning and continue to get help. In the event both teams finish tied on the final day of the season, the division would go to the Yankees because they own the season series 10-8.
Now if they could just get A-Rod going again. The certain AL MVP has hit a little slump going three for his last 25. He’s been pulling off the ball lately. It’s just a matter of getting his timing back.
-Meanwhile, the Mets continue to limp towards the finish line. Their latest defeat at Washington- a 9-8 crusher along with Willie Randolph’s continued lack of panic even going as far as to say, “The champagne will taste that much sweeter,” referring to when they clinch, has Amazin’s fans in a state of panic.
Who could blame them? The Phillies are charging towards the finish line. They got past the Cardinals last night in 14 innings 7-4 with pinch hitter Rod Barajas out of all people delivering the game-winning two out hit. Overlooked right fielder Jayson Werth added a two-run triple for insurance as Philly won their six in a row to close the deficit to one and a half (two in loss column)- the smallest margin it’s been for them since Opening Day.
Since the streak began which included a three-game sweep at Shea, Charlie Manuel’s ballclub has shaved five and a half games off what was a Mets’ seven-game lead a week ago. You can’t make this up.
According to the AP, no major league team who was leading their division as late as Sept.12 by seven-or-more games has ever failed to finish in first.
The alarms were sounded off at WFAN this morning by show co-hosts Craig Carton and Boomer Esiason.
So can it actually happen? Tough to say. Logic says the Mets are too talented to keep losing while the Phils have too weak a pitching staff to make up that large a margin and pull off an amazing comeback which would make Jimmy Rollins look like a profit.
When you’re a team that’s scored four times in the first inning two straight nights and then watched an offensively challenged opponent light you up to the tune of 19 runs to take the first couple of games extending your losing streak to five, there can’t be a lot of positive reinforcement going on.
How bad is it for Randolph? His bullpen has been so miserable that he left John Maine in and watched a 7-3 lead evaporate as the Nats scored five times in the fifth including a BP pitch which had hit me on it that Ron Belliard hammered into the second deck for a go-ahead three-run dinger that at last check hadn’t landed.
The final line on Maine was ugly: 4.1 IP, 8 ER, 11 H, 2 HR
Yikes. Hey. They did have Scott Schoeneweis replace him. And on cue, when Randolph sent him out for the sixth, the struggling lefty gave up a home run to pinch hitter D’Angelo Jimenez. It was the well traveled journeyman’s second dinger of the season. No wonder Schoeneweis threw a fit in the dugout.
There was a plus. Guillermo Mota recorded the final out of the inning.
During this skid, the Mets have had some tough losses. This was probably the hardest because the tying run was 90 feet away in the ninth when Nats’ closer Chad Cordero who had already given up a run dug out of a 3-0 hole to fan pinch hitter Ruben Gotay on some cheese stranding runners at the corners to end it. Gotay slammed his bat in frustration.
To their credit, after Cordero recorded the first two outs, they didn’t give up. Instead, Shawn Green and Paul Lo Duca singled. Then Jeff Conine drove home Green with another single to put lightning fast pinch runner Carlos Gomez at third. Though Gotay worked the count in his favor and got some good hacks, he just couldn’t come through with the big hit.
The Mets will send Mike Pelfrey to the mound tonight and hope his resurgence continues against Matt Chico.
Long after last night’s game ended, the Phils and Cards were locked in a tight game which went extras. It didn’t have to take as long as it did if Brett Myers could’ve closed out St. Louis in the 10th. But these are the Phillies. So he allowed a Scott Spezio sac fly before getting out of further trouble.
How much luck did they have? Jose Mesa actually came out of the pen to toss two scoreless innings striking out two to get his first win. Clay Condrey became the ninth Phillie to save a game this year to finally end the game which took over five hours to complete.
You know things are going your way when Mesa and some journeyman we’ve never even heard of deliver. Oh. And Barajas’ game-winning hit was his first RBI as a pinch hitter. Exactly.
They won despite only getting three innings from ace Cole Hamels who was rusty in his first start back from the DL giving up three runs before the Philadelphia pen took over and gave up just one more run the rest of the way. Not possible.
If that isn’t weird enough, the Phils’ top five of Rollins, Chase Utley, Pat Burrell, Ryan Howard and Aaron Rowand were a combined 4-for-25 with nine strikeouts and no RBI’s. Yet they still managed to win because of contributions from others such as Greg Dobbs, Carlos Ruiz, Barajas and Werth (3 RBI’s).
Philadelphia is now at a season high 13 over (82-69). They still trail the WC leading Padres by the same game and a half they trail the Mets by. Both teams now have identical 83-67 records meaning it’s actually possible for the Phillies to overtake their NL East rivals for the division and send them home for the winter.
That’s what is now at stake. The Padres never seem to lose anymore. They won their fifth consecutive game last night to remain a game behind NL West leader Arizona who shutout the Giants. The Diamondbacks now have the best record in the senior circuit. So that is very much in play as well.
-What makes it even more interesting is that the Rockies are trying to make one last push. Thanks to Todd Helton’s game-winning two-run home run in the ninth with two outs, they swept a doubleheader from the Dodgers last night to get to 79-72.
The problem for them is they’re still five down in the loss column behind San Diego and have to also leap ahead of the Phils and Dodgers who they just tied.
It’s probably asking too much for Colorado to make up that ground and make the postseason but they sure are a fun team to watch. It’s ashame Matt Holiday probably won’t get to play this October.
-The NL Central is again all even because the Brewers took their fourth in a row 9-1 in Houston despite losing their ace Ben Sheets who left with a left hamstring injury and is uncertain for his next start at Atlanta.
Claudio Vargas worked four scoreless out of the pen to win his 11th while Johnny Estrada hit a grand slam and certain NL Rookie of The Year Ryan Braun added a two-run shot for his 31st as the Brew Crew slugged four homers to rout the Astros.
They got help from Aaron Harang who pitched the Reds past the Cubs at Wrigley 5-2 to improve to 16-4. He went seven giving up two earned while striking out six to get within two K’s of 200 for the season. On a better team, he might have 20 wins and be a Cy Young candidate.
Amazing considering that the Reds have only won 69 games. That means that the righty has accounted for nearly a quarter (23.2 percent) of the team’s wins. Just amazing.
He outpitched Carlos Zambrano gave up four earned in a disappointing outing.
The Cubs need their ace to pitch better if they want to take the division.
Tue 18 Sep 2007
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-The Yanks got off on the right foot against the Orioles beating them 8-5 Monday night. Despite a shaky beginning for rookie Phil Hughes, he settled down to go five and two thirds permitting just a first inning Nick Markakis two-run double. The former 2004 first round selection improved to 4-3.
A two-run Doug Mientkiewicz single in the second tied it. An inning later, Hideki Matsui blasted a Daniel Cabrera offering to right center for his 24th home run giving his team the lead for good. It was Godzilla’s first dinger since Aug. 8 snapping a 33- game drought.
Robinson Cano had a runscoring double and Bobby Abreu knocked in a couple including an RBI single which brought home Derek Jeter for some insurance in the eighth. The right fielder is just two RBI’s shy of 100.
A shaky Kyle Farn$worth forced Joe Torre to use Mariano Rivera a night after he struggled to close out Boston the night before partially due to accidentally taking a wild Eric Gagne throw off his pinky. Though he allowed a first pitch Aubrey Huff RBI single which sliced the deficit to three and brought up the tying run, he got Melvin Mora swinging to notch his 29th save showing no wildness like the previous night.
Rivera needs one more save for a fifth straight season of 30-or-more. During his illustrious 11-year career as the Yankee closer, Mo has saved at least 30 in nine.
Mike Mussina will get another start later tonight in Game 2 against Jon Leicester.
-The Yanks got some good news as well with Detroit blowing a three-run lead at Cleveland falling 5-4 in 11 when Casey Blake walked off.
Protecting a two-run lead in the eighth, Joel Zumaya allowed a tying two-run shot to Cleveland shortstop Jhonny Peralta. It was his second dinger of the night.
Zach Miner served up the game-winner to Blake who went down and golfed one out to left center for his second walkoff home run of the Indians’ homestand. He later got the pie treatment from teammates during an interview. Fun stuff.
The costly loss for the Tigers snapped a five-game winning streak and put them three and a half behind the Yanks. They trail by four in the loss column with 11 to go.
-Meanwhile up in Toronto, the Red Sox were victimized by Frank Thomas’ second career three home run game in a 6-1 loss which cut their AL East lead to three and a half (four in loss).
The Big Hurt slugged his first two homers off Tim Wakefield in the first and sixth. Ironically, his first career three homer game came against the knuckleballer in a Sahhhxxx uniform 11 years prior. He then completed his big night by taking Kyle Snyder deep in the eighth.
It was career home run No.512 which tied him for 18th on the all-time HR list with Hall of Famers Ernie Banks and Eddie Matthews. That’s where Thomas belongs as well. Not bad company for the two-time AL MVP.
On the pitching side, Thomas’ Jay teammate Dustin McGowan went all the way allowing just a fourth inning Mike Lowell RBI double while fanning nine to pickup his 11th victory.
One year, the pitching strong Jays are going to challenge the Yanks and Sox for a division. With former Cy winner Roy Halladay, A.J. Burnett, McGowan, Shaun Marcum and rookie Jesse Litsch, this team boasts a very deep staff. If Gustavo Chacin returns from a strained left shoulder next year, they could be even stronger.
Don’t forget about closer B.J. Ryan either who will try to comeback from season-ending elbow surgery. In the meantime, they’ve discovered a good backup plan in Jeremy Accaro who’s saved 27 while posting a respectable 2.32 ERA. Scott Downs is also an effective setup man who’s K’d almost a batter an inning (54 in 54.2 IP). Hard thrower Jason Frasor also has K’d an identical amount in 54.1.
If they’re able to keep their nucleus together and get a bounceback 2008 from underachiever Vernon Wells, figure the Jays to be in the mix next season.
-Stat of the night comes from another sloppy Mets’ loss. In a game they once led 4-0, the first place Amazin’s butchered the ball around for an ugly 12-4 defeat to the Nats in the nation’s capital.
| Fielding |
| E - D Wright (19, ground ball); S Schoeneweis (1, throw); R Castro (4, throw); J Reyes (11, ground ball). |
How bad was it? If you saw a couple of them in the highlights, pretty brutal. Jorge Sosa also should’ve gotten charged with an error for his indecisiveness on whether he should go to first or come home. The mental error cost him as Nick Logan came into score on what was generously ruled a fielder’s choice. If he comes home right away, he gets him.
In the Mets’ 10-6 loss Sunday, they made six errors. The 10 miscues in two straight games were the most in franchise history. Not exactly the kind you want to be part of.
They do still lead the Phillies by two and a half (three in loss column) because Philly just held on to beat the Cardinals 13-11 in a game they once led 11-0 and 12-3.
The Phils got two dingers each from Ryan Howard (39, 40) and Aaron Rowand (25, 26) plus a homer from Jimmy Rollins (28th). It was barely enough because their pen really is that bad unless it’s pitching against the Mets.
St. Louis got three in the sixth, six in the seventh and two more in the eighth to cut the Philadelphia lead down to one. As a matter of fact, the Cards had the tying and go-ahead runs on base but Kane Davis got Ryan Ludwick to fly out to deep right center before a scrambling Rowand hauled it in.
The center fielder then ledoff the ninth with a solo blast off Jason Isringhausen to give his ballclub some insurance before Fabio Castro and Francisco Rosario closed it out.
The Phillies will get ace Cole Hamels back tonight as the southpaw returns off the DL from a mild left elbow strain which has kept him out a month.
-In the exciting NL Central race, both the Brewers and Cubs won which means Chicago still leads the division by a game.
But while Milwaukee got eight strong innings from rookie Yovani Gallardo in a 6-0 shutout at Houston, the Cubs rallied for three in their final at bat to beat the Reds 7-6.
Aramis Ramirez’ two-run triple off Cincinnati closer David Weathers tied it. The hero was second baseman Mark DeRosa who delivered the clutch game-winning hit which plated Ramirez sending excited teammates on the field to greet him.
It completed a perfect night for the free agent pickup who finished 5-for-5 with his 10th home run and two RBI’s.
With a couple of weeks to go, neither team will face each other to decide it. Instead, it will come down to which plays better ball down the stretch.
The Cubs have 11 games left with the next five at Wrigley against the Reds and Pirates before finishing the season on a six-game trip at Florida and Cincinnati.
As for Milwaukee, they still got 13 remaining with a couple of more at Houston before heading to Atlanta for four. They conclude with a seven-game homestand with three against St. Louis and four against San Diego.
If you based it on schedules alone, you’d have to say the Cubs are the favorite. We’ll see how it plays out.
-The Padres shutout the Pirates 3-0. Mike Cameron doubled home a run in the first and Khalil Greene hit his 23rd in support of rookie Jack Cassel who picked up his first major league victory tossing six scoreless before the pen worked the final three with Trevor Hoffman picking up his 38th save.
Combined with the Giants’ come from behind 8-5 win at NL West leader Arizona, the Padres are only a game out.
Randy Winn and Pedro Feliz hit eighth inning home runs off D-Backs setup man Tony Pena.
The Padres lead the NL wildcard by a game and a half over the Phillies.
-I’m no expert but somehow, I don’t believe anyone had the Eagles and Saints 0-2 to start the football season. And I know no one had the Lions, Texans and Redskins all 2-0 so far. Just maybe this is going to be a different NFL season.
-With the Chargers getting hammered by the Patriots Sunday night on national TV, what are the chances the Pats had a video camera in the San Diego locker room? Just saying.
-Did you ever think you’d see the day when former coach and pupil in studio analyzing games like Bill Parcells and Keyshawn Johnson were doing quite well actually on ESPN breaking down some of the early NFL surprises?
-If you haven’t read Sunday’s special feature Daily News article by Christian Red on a new spinal cord treatment for serious injuries such as the one Bills tight end Kevin Everett suffered, we suggest you go read it.
It details how hypothermia treatment has been around for a couple of decades and was used on the former Hurricane with some succession. A player once believed to be paralyzed has made good progress so far able to bend his elbows, move three fingertips and bend his knee.
This treatment could gain more steam due to the results.
For once, a positive story in sports with maybe a happy ending.
Mon 17 Sep 2007
Posted by Derek Felix under
More HBNo Comments
-If you’re a New York football fan, then the day after another Week 2 disappointment has to take its toll. The NFL season is two weeks old and already both the Giants and Jets have dug themselves an early hole with identical 0-2 starts.
For Big Blue supporters,the frustration has to be boiling over after yet another pathetic display of missed tackles and blown coverages by a defense that has already allowed 80 points in the first two games.It’s the first time in Giants history that’s happened to begin a season. Great job guys!
A week removed from letting Tony Romo account for five touchdowns in a 45-35 loss at Dallas, they allowed a 37 year-old Brett Favre to torch them for 286 yards and three second half scores in a humiliating 35-13 home opening defeat yesterday.
In a game they actually led 10-7, Tom Coughlin’s Giants apparently stayed in the locker room getting outscored 28-3 in the second half. They had no answer for Favre who passed Hall of Famer John Elway to become the winningest QB in league history with his 149th victory.
Just how accurate was the Canton bound Green Bay signal caller? He was 18-of-21 for 147 yards and three TDs in the second half, taking apart a pathetic New York D who need a course in the art of tackling.
As for Favre who led his team to its first 2-0 start in six years, he remained humble about his accomplishment:
“I’m not going to sit here and lie to you. I’m not going to turn it down. I’ve always been about the team. That hasn’t changed. I think it’s unfair that the quarterback gets labeled with wins and loses. I think it’s a team effort.“
The man gets it. Love or hate him, he understands how much it takes to win that many games.
As for the Giants, Eli Manning performed admirably despite a shoulder sprain finishing 16-of-29 for 211 yards with a touchdown and interception before coming out in the fourth quarter when Packers’ rookie back DeShawn Wynn put the contest out of reach with a 38-yard score.
“Physically I’m fine. Mentally, I am upset with the loss and missed opportunities.“
Who could blame him? He’s demonstrated a lot of leadership in the first couple of games but hasn’t been rewarded because of a dreadful D. Aside from that, Eli could’ve had better stats if a couple of his veteran teammates used their heads instead of picking up costly penalties like the ones Jeremy Shockey (5 yards for spike negating first down) and Amani Toomer (15 yards for taunting) had. Both brain locks negated good drives leading to only field goals instead of TDs.
These guys have been in the league long enough. There are no excuses.
As for the embattled coach, he isn’t pushing the panic button yet:
“I think we are a better football team than we have shown. Obviously I don’t have any real grounds for saying that, it is just a belief. I do believe we are all in it together and I do believe we are all embarrassed.“
If they are, they better show it in next week’s crucial divisional meeting at Washington or their season could spiral out of control leading to Coughlin’s dismissal.
-As for the Jets, they at least competed in a tough 20-13 road defeat against Baltimore.
Trailing by 17 in the final quarter, second-year QB Kellen Clemens rallied Gang Green with two scoring drives. Following Mike Nugent’s second FG of the day from 21 got them within 20-6, Clemens drove them down the field throwing his first career TD to tight end Chris Baker from three yards out when the TE was able to get both feet in. Initially ruled incomplete, a video review helped reverse the call to give the Jets life with 3:12 left.
They got the ball back after stopping the Ravens. Clemens, who had struggled the first three quarters in his first career NFL start showed tremendous poise late hooking up with budding wideout Jericho Cotchery for 50 yards which suddenly put the ball at the Baltimore 20 with two minutes remaining.
He nearly completed the comeback with a good throw to an open Justin McCareins but the receiver couldn’t haul it in turning into a goat. It was one he should’ve had and was his second costly drop of the day.
Clemens still got his team all the way to the Raven 7 but on second and goal, his pass for Laveranues Coles was tipped and intercepted by a diving Ray Lewis in the end zone with 64 seconds left to give Baltimore the victory.
The former 2006 second round pick completed 10 of 19 passes for 176 yards in the final quarter after going just nine for 18 for 84 yards through three quarters.
As for being baptized under fire against last year’s No.1 ranked defense with starter Chad Pennington sitting out due to his ankle, Clemens understood what he was up against after being sacked four times and having two balls picked off:
“They were everything that they were chopped up to be, that’s for sure. They’re very talented, they made a lot of plays. They held us pretty much in check for most of the game.“
Regarding the fourth quarter improvement along with the frantic drive which just came up short:
“We needed to score quickly, so we went to the no-huddle and we were fortunate to make some plays. We threw the football and it got us back into the game.”
Pretty expected from a guy who made his first start which had its ups and downs.
Still, if you’re a Jets fan, you had to like what you saw from him under the gun. He showed a lot of poise and his ability to throw the ball down field against an excellent D was encouraging.
So, will he get another start when they host bitter rival Miami next Sunday? Probably not. You have to figure Eric Mangini will give the ball back to Pennington who should return from a week off a little healthier.
It wouldn’t be a fair shake to the gutsy QB who’s been a true leader for his team. Maybe Clemens eventually supplants him as starter. But Pennington wasn’t exactly bad in his first start last week either. So he deserves another chance to get out there, especially in a big spot against the Fins which could determine how their season will play out.
One other plus for the Jets was Cotchery, who finished with seven receptions for a game high 165 yards. A year removed from a career best 82 catches in his second season, the former 2004 fourth round selection out of N.C. State continues to impress. He already has 13 catches in two weeks and might be passing Coles as the team’s best receiver.
So far, Cotchery is proving last year wasn’t a fluke. Along with Coles, it gives the QBs two weapons. If offseason acquisition Thomas Jones (67 rushing yds Sunday) rounds into shape, suddenly the Jets will have a nice balance.
They’ll still need to fare better defensively than they have thus far. Allowing Kyle Boller to go 23-of-35 for 185 yards and two scores plus permitting 97 on the ground from Jet killer Willis McGahee just won’t get the job done.
Neither will the lack of pressure as they recorded no sacks. That must change.
-As for New York’s other team upstate, the Bills haven’t done much better. After losing in heartbreaking fashion a week ago at home on a final second Jason Elam kick, they were routed in Pittsburgh 26-3.
The Bills were outgained 420-223 as third-year QB J.P. Losman again struggled completing 15 passes for just 154 yards while being sacked four times.
Rookie back Marshall Lynch had 64 rushing yards with Losman adding 38 on the ground on only four runs. So he was more effective there.
To their credit, the Buffalo D kept their team in the game for a half bending but not breaking in giving up four Jeff Reed field goals to keep it within reach 12 down at half time.
But after the Bills got a FG of their own from Rian Lindell from 24 out to get within nine, the defense finally caved giving up a TD to Ben Roethlisberger who found Matt Spaeth from a yard out to put Pittsburgh up 19-3.
A Willie Parker 11-yard TD scamper in the fourth quarter put the game out of reach.
Same old Bills as a couple of my buddies would say. You have to wonder when this team is going to give their fans something to get excited about.
With the unbeaten Patriots next coming off a 38-14 blowout of the Chargers in response to Belicheat, some Buffalo fans are already jumping ship and probably ready to take a dip into Niagara Falls.
Can you blame them?
-Biggest surprise yesterday has to be the crazy result at The Dawg Pound with the Browns led by new QB Derek Anderson putting up a ridiculous 51 on the Bengals to win a shootout 51-45.
Are you kidding? The teams combined for 96 points, 12 touchdowns, 56 first downs and 1,085 total yards.
In his first start after Cleveland traded Week 1 starter Charlie Frye to Seattle, Anderson was 20-of-33 for 328 yards and five TDs, which tied the franchise record shared by Frank Ryan, Bill Nelsen, Brian Sipe and Kelly Holcomb.
How absurd was this game? Former Raven Jamal Lewis ran for 215 yards including a 66-yard score. A player thought to be washed up averaged a whopping 7.7 yards-per-carry. Guess D was optional at practice for Marvin Lewis’ squad.
On the Cincinnati side, Carson Palmer threw for 401 yards and six TDs but lost. Chad Johnson caught 11 for 209 and two of those TDs while sidekick T.J. Houshmandzadeh hauled in eight for 69 and two more scores. Rudi Johnson also had 118 yards on the ground.
Despite all that offense, it still wasn’t enough because they turned it over three times and the Cleveland offense was even better.
Both Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow had 100-yard receiving days combining for 14 catches and 246 yards plus three TDs. Joe Jurevicius also had two TDs.
Do you think all this offense might make Bills, Chiefs and Falcons fans just a tad jealous? Don’t answer that.
-Speaking of shocking, what’s up with the Saints? They fell badly at Tampa 31-14 and now are 0-2 to start the season.
Can anyone explain not showing for a divisional opponent they swept last year after having their doors blown off on national TV at Indy? They gave up the first four touchdowns which included two from new Tampa QB Jeff Garcia connecting twice with an uncovered Joey Galloway plus a couple of rushing scores from Carnell Williams.
Meanwhile, the RB combo of Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister had just 20 total carries for 76 yards and no scores. By comparison, Williams was 24-for-61 with two. Something’s wrong here.
Next week’s home opener against a feisty Titans’ squad which lost only by two to the Colts becomes a must win for Sean Payton’s team before a bye week. It probably won’t be easy.
-What’s wrong with this picture? The Lions and Texans are 2-0. Speaking of the Texans, you think Atlanta wishes they had kept Matt Schaub? He threw for 227 yards and two scores in a 34-21 upset at Carolina. Looks like Andre Johnson (7 catches, 120 yds, 2 TDs) finally has a real QB now that David Carr is holding a clip board for the Panthers. Amazing, isn’t it?
-Derek Jeter has looked pretty banged up lately but was anyone surprised that the Yankee captain delivered the big hit with that three-run home run off Curt Schilling which gave his team a huge win?
The shortstop might be starting to break down but he’s still money when a big game is on the line. Nobody has a better average with runners in scoring position with two outs this season.
-Six errors plus a grand slam to somebody named Greg Dobbs must mean that the Phillies have the Mets’ number. Have you ever seen as sloppy and inconsistent a first place team as Willie Randolph’s club?
They dropped the final eight to Philly but it still probably won’t matter because they’re still four clear in the loss column with two weeks to go. Plus the Phillies turn into pumpkins against other teams which explains why the Mets are in good shape to win their second straight division.
At what point does Randolph finally pull the plug on this Guillermo Mota project? He makes Kyle Farnsworth look like a lock for the Rolaids award. Jorge Sosa also looks about done. Unless their pen straightens out, it will be the Mets’ undoing this October.
The good news for the Mets is they have more talent than any other NL team. With MVP candidate David Wright having his first 30/30 season plus a lineup which features the most dangerous leadoff hitter in Jose Reyes along with Carlos Beltran and Moises Alou, they can score with anyone. You have to still include Carlos Delgado and Paul LoDuca and Luis Castillo are no slouches either.
Randolph has a deep bench too with either Endy Chavez or Lastings Milledge plus Ruben Gotay and Marlon Anderson who morphs into SuperMet when he puts on a Mets uniform. With Pedro pitching well along with Tom Glavine, if El Duque comes back healthy, either he or maybe John Maine will go to the pen which should help.
They only have to be lights out in the playoffs. And you figure the Mets will sharpen up when the second season begins. If they are, they should make the World Series. No ifs ands or buts.
-That bases loaded two out situation Mariano Rivera put himself in up at Fenway against a dangerous hitter in Big Papi who has owned him was pretty dicey. Most closers would’ve faltered and given up the big hit to the big slugger in that spot. Especially with Mo not having his best stuff. But even at his age, he still has the ability to reach back for something extra when he needs it. The guy has ice water in his veins.
-Make me care about OJ.
-Madison Square Garden isn’t looking too good these days especially the longer this embarrassing sexual harassment case goes against former employee Anucha Brown-Sanders which involves Isiah Thomas who can do no wrong in Jim Dolan’s book. Just reading the testimony of Stephon Marbury boast about a sexual encounter he had with a former MSG intern is disturbing.
That’s bad enough but to also see him say he called Brown-Sanders “a bitch” but not something more derogatory is just pathetic. This kind of behavior is acceptable at Dolan’s Garden? Maybe former Rangers City Skater Courtney Prince wasn’t lying about what kind of behavior goes on behind the scenes.
It’s just another disgrace for everyone associated with MSG no matter the end result of this case.
-Having an Outdoor Heritage Game for the first time in the United States is a good idea for the NHL. Especially sticking it up in Buffalo at Ralph Wilson Stadium against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins. However, who was the marketing genius that decided it was smart to stick this exciting NHL event on New Year’s Day on NBC when it’s going to be against big college football Bowl games? Just brilliant.
It was probably the same geniuses who thought it was a great idea to change all the jerseys and charge higher prices to fans when some aren’t as good as the old ones. Only the NHL!
Sun 16 Sep 2007
Posted by Derek Felix under
Random ThoughtsNo Comments
Derrick Ward looks like he should be the Giants No.1 back. Brandon Jacobs (knee) might be out but this guy has a better burst and can bust runs. Now if only they could get a better snapper and holder for field goal attempts.
Sun 16 Sep 2007
Posted by Derek Felix under
Pic of DayNo Comments
Our pic of the day comes courtesy of the Trenton Thunder’s 10-5 Game Four win over Akron which helped them wrap up their first ever Eastern League Championship. Congratulations to the entire Yankee Double-A farm team in helping deliver the franchise’s first ever title in 14 years!
Congratulations to everyone involved! 
Sun 16 Sep 2007
Posted by Derek Felix under
More HB1 Comment
-It was a busy college football Saturday. And while a few of the elite teams cruised to victories to remain in the BCS hunt, a couple of Top 25 schools became upset victims in probably the two best games of the night.
One was No.16 Arkansas who fell at Alabama 41-38 thanks to some last second heroics as Matt Caddell hauled in John Parker Wilson’s throw in the corner of the end zone to give the Crimson Tide the first huge victory under new coach Nick Saban with eight ticks remaining. Wilson threw for 328 yards and four scores to help string the upset despite a brilliant night from Heisman hopeful Darren McFadden who carried the ball 33 times for 199 yards and two touchdowns for the Razorbacks.
Unfortunately, the future NFL top five selection’s effort came in a tough defeat after his team scored four straight TDs to take a seven-point lead after trailing 31-10. But ‘Bama would get within four thanks to a Leigh Tiffin 42-yard field goal. Their D would stop Arkansas and get the ball back setting the stage for Wilson’s successful final drive which started at his own 27 with 2:13 left, giving the undefeated Crimson Tide the win which improved them to 2-0 in the SEC and 3-0 overall.
You have to figure they’ve earned a ranking.
-While that upset was taking place, another was brewing in the Battle of Lexington between the No.9 ranked Louisville Cardinals and the host Kentucky Wildcats.
If you’ve followed the Cards, then you know that their D was a laughingstock just waiting for the right opponent to expose it enough to destroy their championship aspirations. So maybe it wasn’t too shocking that the Wildcats burst their bubble thanks to a late Andre Woodson 57-yard touchdown pass to Steve Johnson with 28 seconds remaining to give them a 40-34 upset win- snapping Louisville’s four-game win streak in the series.
Ah. But only if you had caught the final frantic five-plus minutes to understand just how exciting this game was.
With his team trailing 33-28 with six minutes left, Heisman candidate Brian Brohm calmly led the Cards down the field for an 84-yard go-ahead score. After finding the underneath route all drive, he handed off to Anthony Allen, who ran in from two yards out for his second TD of the night which gave Louisville a 34-33 edge.
But Brohm’s intended pass on the two-point attempt for Mario Urrutia was too long leaving his team only a point up.
With still under two minutes left plus a timeout, it was enough time for the Wildcats to do something. After a Woodson fourth down completion kept the drive alive, a foolish unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on one of their linemen made it second and 25 from their own 44, amazingly enough Woodson found an uncovered Johnson wide open at the Louisville 20. He then outran a couple of scrambling Cards in the secondary for the shocking game-winning score.
How was anyone left that open at such a pivotal point of the game? I wouldn’t want to be the D coordinator or personnel after that one.
It got even more bizarre when the Kentucky coach inexplicably passed up going for the two-point conversion opting to kick a meaningless PAT which made it 40-34. What if Brohm somehow led the Cards down the field in 22 seconds for a quick strike? He only QB’s one of the most dangerous offenses in the nation.
It made no sense. When you had a Kentucky player putting their hands up when they sent kicker Lones Seiber on the field, that’s not exactly a ringing endorsement.
Good thing the timekeeper ran 1-2 extra seconds off the clock on a couple of Louisville plays because who knows what might’ve happened. Especially when Brohm’s hail mary was knocked into the hands of main target Harry Douglas (13 catches for 225, TD) at the Kentucky 10 before he was tackled thankfully for the Wildcats.
As for the game’s two QBs, Brohm was 28-of-43 for 369 yards, two TDs and an Int while Woodson was 30-of-46 with 270 yards and four scores. The Kentucky QB not only got the better of his rival dating back to high school but extended his streak without a pick to 257 consecutive passes- breaking David Greene’s 2004 SEC record set with Georgia. He’s still 14 shy of former NFL QB Trent Dilfer’s NCAA mark.
-Aside from these two great games, who else impressed?
1.Florida and QB Tim Tebow, who combined with Percy Harvin and Brandon James for 600 all-purpose yards in the defending champion’s 59-20 rout of No.22 Tennessee in Gainesville.
After the only mistake Tebow made turned into a 95-yard interception TD return for the Vols’ Eric Berry which cut it to 28-20, the Gators caught a break when Adrian Foster fumbled and lost the ball to Dustin Doe who recovered and ran it back 18 yards for a crushing score to make it 35-20.
The Gators ran off the final 31 points as Tebow and Harvin each ran for a score in the final quarter as they outscored the Volunteers 24-0.
The final numbers on the Florida trio which destroyed Tennessee:
Tebow- 14-of-19, 299 passing yds 2 TDs, 62 rushing, 2 TDs, 1 Int
Harvin- 195 total yds (120 receiving, 75 rushing), TD
James- 105 total yds including 83-yard punt return for game’s first score
Pretty scary stuff. We’ll see how they fare at No.2 ranked LSU next month (Oct.6).
2.No.1 ranked USC had no trouble with 14th ranked Nebraska coasting to a 49-31 win which wasn’t that close. They led 49-17 at one point. The 49 they put up against the Cornhuskers were the third highest ever at Lincoln.
Pete Carroll’s Trojans ran up and down the field literally totaling 313 yards on the ground including 144 from Stafon Johnson plus one of their five rushing touchdowns.
Believe it or not, Nebraska once led 10-7 thanks to 10 straight points coming from a Cody Glenn score from a yard out and an Alex Henery 37-yard field goal early in the second quarter. But a Stanley Havili rushing TD followed by Johnson’s score gave USC a 21-10 into the half. They never looked back pushing it up to 42-10 with three more TDs in the third quarter as they rolled.
If they were wondering about their final regular season game in December against UCLA to avenge last year’s upset, they might want to take note as the 11th ranked Bruins got hammered by Utah 44-6 turning it over five times against a team who entered winless. Go figure.
Maybe they should just focus on next week’s clash against Washington State instead which might be close if it’s like last year. USC prevailed 28-22 in that one.Up 17 late against Idaho, the Cougars should enter next week’s clash 2-1.
3.Other easy winners included second ranked LSU (44-0 over Middle Tennessee St.), third ranked Oklahoma (54-3 over Utah State), No.8 California (42-12 over LA Tech), No.12 Penn St. (45-24 over Buffalo) and 13th ranked Rutgers (59-0 over Norfolk State).
The Scarlet Knights got three first half scores each from Heisman hopeful Ray Rice and QB Mike Teel. They only led by 45 at halftime.
So far, they’ve won their first three games against Buffalo, Navy and Norfolk St. outscoring these perennial college football programs 138-27. The Big East is good this year but could they at least try to schedule some more respectable opponents?
Greg Schiano’s team will step up in competition two weeks from now when they play host to Maryland in Piscataway. The Terps played Big East power West Virginia close before the Mountaineers pulled away in a 31-14 victory this past Thursday night.
So this game could be worth checking out.
4.No.6 Texas narrowly escaped the upset bug hanging on for a 35-32 win on the road over Central Florida. Kicker Ryan Bailey was the hero making five-of-six field goals including one from 40 and another from 37 which put them up 29-24 before a 46-yard scamper from Jamaal Charles put the competitive game out of reach.
Though the Golden Knights’ Kyle Bruce never quit tossing a seven-yard score to Kamar Aiken plus a two-pt conversion to him which cut it to three late, his team couldn’t recover the onside kick as the Long Horns ran out the clock.
That’s more than you can say for Jim Tressel’s Buckeyes, who opted to run another play with a once close game already won getting a bonus 37-yard score on a third down from Brandon Saine at the buzzer for a 33-14 win at Washington for No.10 ranked Ohio State.
Was this final score really necessary? Nothing like running it up to get some more points in the polls. In some way, you can’t blame the coach because the way the system is setup is flawed. They value blowouts and margin of victory. The problem is it encourages this sort of thing which in our book is poor sportsmanship.
It would be nice to see them take a knee. Maybe if they ever go to a playoff system. But will it ever happen? Tough to say. There’s so much money in the BCS and other Bowl games for these schools that it discourages change. Plus if they did go to a system, that would mean more wear and tear on student/athletes plus maybe less time in the classroom.
So while you want a defined BCS winner if there are a couple of teams unbeaten, there are some drawbacks.
-So how bad are the Fighting Irish? After taking it on the chin at Michigan getting spanked 38-0, Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis backed up the truck and said his struggling team which can’t seem to get out of its own way won’t bother watching the tape. That instead, it was “time to get back to work and start training camp and come out swinging.”
It’s only the second time in Notre Dame history they’ve started a season losing their first three. A far cry from where this program was a year ago under the former New England offensive guru. It’s probably a good thing they don’t watch the tape because it would only make them feel worse.
Mike Hart backed up his guarantee by rushing 35 times for 187 yards and two scores.
Just how uncompetitive was it? From the outset, it went completely wrong for the Irish whose first snap went over running back Armando Allen’s head. In fact, they lost 27 yards on their opening two drives. At the half, they had rushed for negative 45 yards due to a few of the Wolverines’ eight sacks on sitting duck Jimmy Claussen.
The QB had little chance due to no protection completing 11 passes for 72 yards and an Int. Notre Dame was outgained on the ground 286-27. Michigan had 27 first downs and 376 total yards compared to the Irish’s 10 first downs and 110 total yds. Yikes.
While the Wolverines can feel good about themselves entering next week’s Big Ten showdown against undefeated Penn State (3-0), it’s back to the drawing board for Notre Dame who has yet to net an offensive score in getting outscored a discouraging 102-13 in its first three blowout defeats to Georgia Tech, the Nittany Lions and Michigan.
Sadly, it might not get much better with nemesis Michigan State on tap next week in South Bend. After that, here’s what follows:
9/29 @ Purdue
10/6 @ (11) UCLA
10/13 (21) Boston College
10/20 (1) USC
Good luck.
-After getting hammered by the Sooners last week, Randy Shannon’s Hurricanes struggled offensively in a 23-9 win over Florida International. If you rack up 427 total yards including 203 on the ground thanks to the combo of Javarris James (92 yds) and Graig Cooper (11-for-48, TD), you have to do better than 23 points and two scores.
Especially against a lesser foe who is best known for an ugly brawl with your team last year which further embarrassed Miami’s program and helped lead to the firing of Larry Coker.
The good news was Kyle Wright did toss an 80-yard touchdown to Lance Leggett. The bad was once highly thought of senior who just got his job back completed just 10 passes in 19 attempts including a couple to the other team which might help explain why his team didn’t manage more points. He did hook up five times with Darnell Jenkins for 108 yards.
Until the Canes’ pass game becomes consistent, they can’t be taken seriously. You can only run it so often before teams start stacking the line making you beat them through the air.
They’ll get a stiffer test against Big 12 team Texas A & M this Thurday night at The Orange Bowl. The No.25 ranked Aggies can put up points quickly. So we’ll see if the Canes are ready.
-Congrats to Duke on snapping their nation long 22-game skid with a 20-14 road win at Northwestern, holding off the Wildcats whose final attempt at the end zone came up short to become their first victim since Virginia Mary Institute back on Sept. 17, 2005. No joke.
It has to feel pretty good for the Dukies. Ah. I can hear Dick Vitale warming up for the hoops season as he sweats. They really need to send him a lifetime supply of towels.
-Pedro Martinez should’ve won his third game for the Mets yesterday going six allowing only a run on seven hits while walking nobody and fanning nine Phillies. But his pen failed him. That’s what happens when you have a questionable pen.
The Phils waited until he was out before they rallied to tie it on Aaron Rowand’s solo homer and Jimmy Rollins’ two-run triple which should’ve been caught by Carlos Beltran- instead resulting in the winning hit as Philly took their seventh straight against the Amazin’s.
Pedro did it with a fastball which only sometimes reached 83. How did he baffle hitters including Jayson Werth three times? By mixing his pitches well, changing speeds and locating. He’s always been able to do it. If you have a young starter who can’t throw overly hard, just get them a tape of the future Hall of Famer and they can learn a lot about how to pitch.
One other thing about why he’s been so effective. Well two actually.
A.He’s fresh. It helps a lot. His arm might not be throwing as hard but it’s healthy and he’s throwing strikes.
B.Teams are seeing him for the first time. It takes hitters time to adjust. Anytime you go against a calibre of a Pedro who’s back from rotator cuff surgery, you don’t know what to expect. By allowing him to return late, it’s an advantage for the Mets because their opponents won’t be as familiar with the pitching artist or have much to go on.
-The Red Sox hammered the Yanks 10-1 in the second game at Fenway going back up 5.5 with the final game later tonight on ESPN when the Rocket opposes Curt Schilling. Think this game isn’t important? The Bronx Bombers only lead the Tigers by two and a half for the wildcard now. So they really need it even if they’re not going to win the division.
-If you ever get the chance, take a look at the seasons a pair of Marlins are having. There’s leadoff hitter and shortstop Hanley Ramirez who’s chasing 30 home runs and 50 stolen bases. The 2006 NL ROY is one of the best young players in the game and has flown under the radar due to the senior circuit’s crop of shortstops.
Those Marlins who have taken two against the WC contending Rockies also boast one of the best young sluggers in the game in Miguel Cabrera. Very similar to Manny Ramirez, the third baseman can hit for a high average as well as drive balls out of the park to all fields. He hit his 32nd in last night’s win.
It’s ashame that two such gifted players play in obscurity. If you haven’t caught them yet, we suggest you do so before the season ends.
-I’m no expert but maybe the Giants would be better off sitting Eli Manning against the Packers in today’s home opener. Given their schedule this year, they could still win 8-9 games if the D straightens out.
-The Jets better go with Kellen Clemens today at Baltimore if they know what’s good for Chad Pennington.
-So where will the hidden camera be for the Chargers tonight at Gilette? Just asking.
-The Browns say they’re about winning. Jamal Lewis is their RB and Brady Quinn isn’t starting yet. Maybe they should rethink their philosophy.
-One reunion off concert in a bad part of London for Led Zeppelin and only 20 million registered for tickets. What? 30 million was asking too much?
-This could be a special year for Tom Renney’s Rangers and much of it will depend on ex-Devil Scott Gomez. If he flourishes with Jaromir Jagr and brings a good work ethic, then the sky’s the limit. But if he shows the inconsistencies the playmaking pivot had last year, he’ll morph into Bobby Holik. And we all know how that turned out on Broadway.
Only difference is he wanted the spotlight and was genuine about it. He’s still cashing much bigger paychecks now and must deal with plenty of expectations. We’ll see if the Alaska kid with the winning personality is up to the task because there aren’t going to be many more chances for Jagr at another Stanley Cup.
It says here though that Henrik Lundqvist must stay healthy for them to be in the mix. If he does, the Swede could win his first Vezina along with some other hardware.
-One year after captaining the Devils, Patrik Elias found out he’s not good enough yet for new coach Brent Sutter who has exactly zero total NHL games so far. Only them.
-So we found out from our buddy Patrick Murray that ESPN’s Erin Andrews isn’t very friendly away from the field. That’s too bad because she sure is easy on the eyes.
-Six years later, 9/11 still haunts many. As a fellow New Yorker who got to see the historic tragedy unfold from Bayonne NJ, it still pains me to watch the tape or think about what transpired and affected so many taking innocent lives in the process.
It still feels like yesterday. And when you see all those troops putting their lives on the line in Iraq, not much has changed. You just hope the ones who have survived thus far come back home alive so you don’t have to see another family pained with grief over what’s an unwinnable situation. It’s a tough situation.
One you just wish would end already.
Sat 15 Sep 2007
Posted by Derek Felix under
More HBNo Comments
-The inning of the night comes courtesy of that lengthy four hour 43-minute nine inning game which the Yankees managed to comeback from five runs down with a six-run eighth to pull out a great 8-7 win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
With the game seemingly at hand, Boston skipper Terry Francona blinked when he replaced an ineffective Hideki Okajima with closer Jonathan Papelbon, hoping the second-year fireballer could get a six out save. It backfired as the Yanks got to him with three consecutive hits including an RBI single from Derek Jeter, a tying two-run Bobby Abreu double and a money RBI single from certain AL MVP Alex Rodriguez to complete a stunning comeback which started thanks to leadoff back-to-back solo shots from Jason Giambi and Robinson Cano.
Here’s how the huge inning looked:
| J. Giambi homered to deep right |
| - R. Cano homered to deep center |
| - M. Cabrera walked |
| - J. Damon doubled to left center, M. Cabrera to third |
| - J. Papelbon relieved H. Okajima |
| - D. Jeter singled to right, M. Cabrera scored, J. Damon to third |
| - B. Abreu doubled to deep center, J. Damon and D. Jeter scored, B. Abreu to third on shortstop J. Lugo’s throwing error |
| - A. Rodriguez singled to center, B. Abreu scored |
| - J. Posada grounded out to second, A. Rodriguez to second |
| - H. Matsui struck out swinging |
| - J. Giambi struck out swinging |
| - End of Inning (6 Runs, 6 Hits, 1 Error) |
It was a stunning reversal in a game which the Sahhhx were firmly in control of before that huge eighth. You have to wonder why Francona didn’t at least try going to Manny Delcarmen with Okajima clearly not sharp also walking Melky Cabrera and giving up a double to ex-Sock Johnny Damon who torched them for four hits in setting the Yanks up.
With Francona’s ballclub still five clear in the loss column, why was it so necessary to bring in Papelbon for something he’s not accustomed to doing? It was a boneheaded move which led to the usually lights out closer’s third blown save.
The Yanks took their fourth straight against the Sox with Mariano Rivera closing things out by getting promising Boston rookie center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury to chase a high fastball stranding J.D. Drew at first. It was Mo’s 27th save of the season.
This was a statement win and kept the Bronx Bombers’ slim chances of catching their bitter Massachusetts rivals. In order to actually have a realistic opportunity, Joe Torre’s ballclub will need to get the final two games of this series starting with later today when a featured AL Cy Young battle takes place between a pair of 18-game winners Chien-Ming Wang and Josh Beckett on Fox.
If the Yanks take today’s game, Game 3 Sunday night features a throwback battle between Roger Clemens against Curt Schilling.
More importantly, Friday’s big victory kept the Yanks three and a half clear of the Tigers for the wildcard because Detroit posted a 4-2 win at Minnesota thanks to three RBI’s from one-time Met Timo Perez. Yes. Really. Him.
The Yankees still lead the Tigers by four in the loss column.
-On the other side in Queens, the Mets fell to the Phillies for the sixth straight time at Shea 3-2 in 10 innings.
The Amazin’s led by two runs thanks to MVP candidate David Wright’s 29th homer and a Moises Alou runscoring single which helped extend his hit streak to 18.
But another MVP candidate on the other side Chase Utley turned on a Tom Glavine pitch with a runner on and blasted a tying two-run dinger in the sixth. Despite missing a month with a broken hand, the second baseman still has 20 homers and 96 RBI’s and is a big reason the Phils are still within one a half of NL WC leading San Diego who used a walkoff homer from Khalil Greene in extras to comeback and defeat the Giants.
The Phillies got the go-ahead run in the 10th thanks to a sac fly from pinch hitter Greg Dobbs which scored Jayson Werth from third.
Brett Myers retired the Mets in order fanning two including Jose Reyes swinging to pull Philadelphia within five and a half, keeping New York’s Magic No. at 11.
Kyle Lohse goes for Philly against the comebacking Pedro Martinez who’s looked sharp so far in winning his first two starts today. The final game of the series will see Adam Eaton oppose Oliver Perez in a southpaw battle.
-In the NL Central, the Cubs defeated fading St. Louis 5-3 to pull a game and a half up on the Brewers whose comeback try fell short in a 6-5 home defeat to the Reds.
Daryle Ward’s pinch hit bases clearing double in the ninth proved pivotal because the Cards hit a pair of homers to try a comeback of their own off Ryan Dempster before Bobby Howry came into get the final out and save the game.
It was St. Louis’ eighth loss in a row dropping them six out with a couple of weeks to go. They really have freefalled. So it looks like it’s a two-team race in the Central between Chicago and Milwaukee. Last year, 83 wins was enough for the Cardinals to take the division and then stun the baseball world winning it all. Maybe 82 will be enough this time around.
-There are two big college football games we’ll be keeping a close eye on as Tennessee visits defending national champ Florida while No.1 ranked USC battles Nebraska. It should be an exciting football Saturday.
Fri 14 Sep 2007
Posted by Derek Felix under
Hard HitsNo Comments
Last night’s show covered a variety of topics including the Yanks’ chase of the wildcard along with discussion of A-Rod’s amazing season as co-host John Giagnorio (JPG) joined myself for the first hour gutting it out.
Also discussed was JPG’s much anticipated 22nd birthday tomorrow as well as his return to Stanford. Will he be returning to Broadway in the foreseeable future?
As the two talk more baseball, close buddy and The Anti E$PN Show host Brian Sanborn (Sambone) called in to voice his displeasure at target Bill Belichick and ESPN as well as ponder if the Bills’ luck will ever change.
Greg Oden’s probable season-ending knee surgery was also discussed by the trio and the impact it could have on Portland.
They were also joined by Nate’s Gridiron Talk host Nate Sousa (Nas) who quickly gave JPG some friendly advice for his final day of work before he prepares to return to school.
Derek ponders who will win NL MVP as JPG shoots each choice down in a stat game.
Also covered was Roger Federer, Justine Henin plus more NL MVP breakdown and the first edition of Giants rehab.
To check out the show archive, here’s the link below:
Hard Hits 9-14-07
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