Fri 15 Apr 2011
There’s so much happening in sports these days. It just never seems to end. What. With the exciting Masters that saw Tiger fail while younger competition stepped up, the Knicks back in the playoffs versus the hated Celtics, the Rangers battling old nemesis Washington, plus the plight of two New York baseball teams who only play in the same city but sure aren’t the same, it never stops.
Not in the city that never sleeps where beloved April baseball is front and CENTER. Who cares about the prayoffs playoffs?!?!?!?!?! The Knicks and Rangers both in at the same time means Hell must have frozen over or perhaps 2012 really is the acopalypse for mankind. James Dolan actually gets to steal more money from loyal fans because his two Garden main attractions with apologies to the Liberty, are playing meaningful games this Spring for the first time since ’97. Some 14 years ago before this blog and so many others along with the radio madness that’s become WFAN with callers ready to jump off the Verrazano after 15 games are played of a 162-game season.
The Yanks are in first after their great comeback over the Birds assisted by Buck Showalter, who didn’t load the bases to set up the force at home for Jorge Posada. Who cares if his homer tied it off immortal closer Kevin Gregg? Posada was a perfect double play candidate. Instead, the great Uncle Buck watched Mr. Clutch, Nick Swisher’s sac fly score Mark Teixeira for the Bronx Bombers’ two-game sweep to get back into first.
But Jeter’s finished and Phil Hughes needs to be taken out of the rotation for Old and Older Bartolo Colon. Brett Gardner sucks! Get him outta here borrowing a classic line from Jerome of Manhattan. Imagine if these pampered fans rooted for the Mets. There’s nothing Amazin’ about what’s going on in Flushing where you can probably hear the sound of toilets, signifying the putrid homestand under new skipper Terry Collins. The Mets won one game and lost six, falling to a suicidal 4-9. We kid. They can’t be this bad. Can they? Well, if Pelfrey continues his inconsistencies and Jon Niese isn’t a lock, then that rotation sure weakens in a hurry. Even R.A. Dickey’s looked human.
Jose Reyes is hitting and reaching base daily but not stealing much. David Wright looks primed for a big year but his fly to the warning track left the bases jacked with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, allowing Colorado to escape in the first of a doubleheader. Instead, it was all for naught as they blew leads in all four games, allowing the Rockies to sweep highlighted by Troy Tulowitzki’s four home runs. But the season’s ovah! Well, if you believe that Family Guy skit.
Folks. Baseball’s long and teams can turn it around. The Mets at one point last year were eight over .500 with Jerry Manuel in the dugout laughing to every paycheck. Relax!
Besides, there are bigger things going on. Knicks/Celts for the first time since Ewing and Jackson in ’89. And the Rangers/Caps with King Henrik looking to even it up tonight. Paging Marian Gaborik! This is a fun time to enjoy playoffs for both Garden teams when it only happens every 14 years. Better cherish it.



