Why have New York writers forgotten that Cliff Lee didn't want to be a Yankee in the first place?

When Cliff Lee rejected the Yankees' free agent contract offer in the winter of 2010, he was arguably the biggest high-profile free agent ever at that time to diss the Yankees. (Of course, this was three years before Robinson Cano packed his bags for Seattle!) If you may remember way back then, a whole 3 1/2 years ago, I wrote over and over that I was extremely skeptical he would be a Yankee. Once Kristen Lee, Cliff's wife, let it be known that she was unhappy about Yankee fans cursing, throwing beer at her and spitting on her in the 2010 ALCS, I figured there was pretty much no way he would sign with the Yankees. Remember, she said this about Yankeeland:

"The fans did not do good things in my heart," Kristen says.

"When people are staring at you, and saying horrible things, it's hard not to take it personal."

Then Lee even took less money to go back to Philadelphia, and also let it be known that 1) the Yankees were his last choice, after the Phillies and Rangers, 2) didn't even call Brian Cashman himself (he had his agent do it), while he personally called Jon Daniels to say no, and 3) said that the Phillies gave him the best chance to win,. All of these things made it abundantly clear exactly how he felt about the Bronx Bombers.

While I was shocked he went back to Philly, instead of staying in Texas, I wasn't the least bit surprised that he turned down the Yankees. And I was appalled at the spin from Yankeeland at the time trying to make Lee's rejection a good thing.  There were these anonymous, ridiculous quotes from Yankeeland:

"Obviously he wasn't all about the money, which is refreshing," said one of the sources. "He left a lot of it on the table."

"I think we should celebrate the fact that a guy took less money to go to a place he loves," the other said. "I honestly don't think he or his wife were afraid of New York, just that they enjoyed their experience in Philadelphia to such an extent that they would rather go there for a lot less money."

Yeah, right. As I wrote back then, there must be a pony in there somewhere!

Anyhow, let's fast-forward to 2014. As I was drinking my morning coffee just now, I saw that the New York Daily News' Mark Feinsand is the latest Yankee writer to propose that the Bombers trade for Cliff Lee. Feinsand writes this, in an article entitled "Brian Cashman must do what it takes to bring Cliff Lee to the Yankees":

If Lee proves to be healthy, wouldn’t he be the ideal candidate for the Yankees? Yes, he’s owed a ton of money over the next couple of years, but he likely won’t require the same type of package Samardzija commanded, making it far more realistic for the Yankees to go after Lee than, say, David Price.

He is not the only New York writer to propose this idea, but all of them seem to have something in common -- they have conveniently forgotten that Lee already turned down the Yankees in 2010. This isn't some obscure bit of trivia -- it was kind of a big deal at the time!

Aside from the fact that Lee is a soon-to-be 36-year-old, who is currently suffering elbow problems and is on the disabled list right now -- not exactly a sure thing -- these writers also don't even consider the fact that Lee's limited no-trade clause includes the Yanks. And that, again, he has made it clear that he hates the Yankees. And that if Lee is going to be traded, the Phillies are going to try to get the best prospects for him, something the Yanks do not have. And that Lee would want to go to a team that guarantees him another spot at postseason glory. With a .500 record at the moment, that sure isn't the Yankees!

There are literally 15 teams in baseball with a better record than the Yanks right now, but Lee is going to waive his no-trade clause for a team he spurned in the first place to put on pinstripes? C'mon now.  (I guess Feinsand maybe thinks Lee is "the ideal candidate for the Yankees" because he is old, injury-ridden, and makes a lot of money!)

The only way this could possibly happen would be for the Yankees to pay a big financial price in order to get Lee to be on the team, aside from the $25 million a year he is guaranteed for 2014 and 2015. The team will probably have to either agree to pick up the $27.5 million for 2016, or give him some sort of contract extension in order to get him to be a Yankee. And even then, I am very skeptical that this would happen.

Quite frankly, given the Yankees' shoddy lineup, coupled with the loss of CC Sabathia, perhaps they should be sellers, and not buyers, this season. But that is not likely in Yankeeland! Neither is Cliff Lee actually becoming a Yankee.

What do you think? Tell us about it!

Pride, Power, Proctor

So the Yankees allow a cast of scrubs to blow a seven-run lead while sitting All-Star relievers Mariano Rivera and David Robertson and some folks give Jose Reyes grief for not being Ted Williams?

Before I get to the conclusion of my brief stint as a Yankee fan, I want to congratulate Jose on becoming the first Met to win a batting title. And there's nothing on the final day to apologize for. As Squawker Lisa points out, the reason we remember Ted Williams' heroics 70 years later is that they are so unusual.

Players sit on their stats in meaningless games all the time. As Mike Vaccaro pointed out in the Post, Bernie Williams left the last game of the 1998 season early to protect his batting title. And as one of Lisa's Facebook friends pointed out, in 2008 Derek Jeter left the game early and sat out the last two games, finishing with a batting average of exactly .300.

I do feel a little bad for the loyal fans who came out to Citi Field yesterday, but they ultimately got what they paid to see - Reyes win a batting title and appear in what could be his last game as a Met.

Reyes' early departure was handled awkwardly, but these are the Mets. And my main concern with Reyes is that the Mets now avoid an early departure for Reyes from his Mets career.

***

So much for my three-day stint as a Yankee fan. If I had wanted to see epic bullpen meltdowns, I could have stayed in Flushing. But the Yankees are not obligated to use Mariano and Robertson in a meaningless game for them as they prepare for the playoffs any more than Reyes was obligated to play the whole game.

And whatever the Yankees did, it was the Red Sox who were responsible for their own collapse. While I wanted to see the Red Sox win, I have to say that I don't mind seeing the Sox and Braves pass the 2007 Mets on the list of epic chokes.

Especially the Braves.

While my brief stint as a Yankee fan was a bust, my brief stint as a Phillies fan went well, with the Fightins finishing off the collapsing Braves. And the Phillies did themselves proud, with veterans Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and even ancient Raul Ibanez playing all thirteen innings of last night's game.

***

Thankfully, the postseason is here, so I can go back to rooting against both the Yankees and the Phillies. I just hope I don't have to make another grim choice in the World Series.

Backwards Day for the Squawkers

It's as if Squawker Lisa started watching "Doctor Who" and I tuned in to "Dancing With the Stars." As if Lisa started quoting Monty Python, while I quoted Oprah. Lisa is rooting for the Yankees to lose, while I am rooting for the Yankees to win.

People complain that fantasy baseball causes fans to compromise their rooting interests. But look what the collapse of the Red Sox has done to the Squawkers!

Not that it's any fun being a Met fan pulling for the Red Sox these days, when Boston is making the Mets looks good. The Mets have only won five of their last 16. The Red Sox have only won five of their last 22.

And just when I'm putting the 2007 Mets collapse in the past, I get to be reminded of it every day.

Since I know all too well how these collapses turn out, it's not like I have any hope that the Red Sox will turn it around.

The one bright spot about the Red Sox completing their historic collapse is that it will be even worse than that of the 2007 Mets. So maybe every time a team falls apart, the Mets won't be one of the first teams mentioned.

Meanwhile, the Braves are on the verge of their own historic collapse, which would be great, except now I have to root for the Phillies, since they are playing Atlanta.

I'm still rooting for the Mets to finish on a positive note, but even Jose Reyes' pursuit of the Mets' first batting crown is tainted by the fact that these could be his last appearances in a Met uniform.

But when I was hoping for meaningful games in September, I didn't expect it would involve rooting for the Yankees and the Phillies.

Shocker! Pedro Martinez Admits to Being "Embarrassed" About What He Did to Don Zimmer

DVR Alert: I got an email today from MLB Network letting me know that Pedro Martinez is going to appear on Bob Costas' Studio 42 MLB Network Show next Wednesday, March 30, at 7 p.m. Eastern. And yes, I will be watching it!

While I hate what Martinez did to Don Zimmer, I also appreciate that Pedro has a quick wit and a real love for the game. Not only was Martinez one of the most exciting pitchers I ever watched, he also is smart and entertaining. I loved to hate him as a Red Sox, and grew to just like him when he was a Met. He was even fun to watch in the World Series as a Phillie, especially when he lost to the Yankees!

Anyhow, the MLB Network sent some of the quotes from the interview, and a link to a sneak peek of the show. He said that throwing Don Zimmer to the ground "was probably the only thing that I might be embarrassed" about for his career, that Grady Little deserves another shot at managing, and why Ted Williams' complimenting him at the 1999 All-Star Game meant more to him than winning the game's MVP that night. Here are some of the topics listed. Thanks again to the MLB Network for sending these quotes!

ON HIS ALTERCATION WITH DON ZIMMER DURING 2003 ALCS GAME THREE:
I think that’s probably the worst highlight that you could ever find about me. Everything else, I don’t mind. …But Don Zimmer was probably the only thing that I might be embarrassed [about] for the rest of my career.

ON BOSTON RED SOX MANAGER GRADY LITTLE LEAVING HIM IN TO PITCH DURING THE EIGHTH INNING OF 2003 ALCS GAME SEVEN:
I say he did what he felt was right for him to do. I would say that I still had stamina and I had good enough stuff to get them out. I would stick to that and I believe that. What you have to do is give those guys on the Yankees side credit for making it happen. I made some great pitches. I don’t think Grady has anything to be blamed for. As a matter of fact, Grady should be in the big leagues with a team, managing a team right now regardless of what happened that day.

ON WHETHER HE COULD PITCH IN 2011:
I’m not ruling it out, I’m leaving the door open but at the same time I’m really getting used to being with the family and getting comfortable. I’m not used to being at home yet, I’m still eager to move and step away from the house and all that, but at the same time my family’s becoming the number-one aspect in my life.

ON MEETING TED WILLIAMS AT THE 1999 ALL-STAR GAME AT FENWAY PARK:
It meant probably so much that I cannot even describe. And not only putting up a show, it was being called in by Ted Williams and autographing my program, and saying, “That was some of the best pitching performance I’ve ever seen.” Those were his words when he said that. He said, “You’re going to be a great one.” To me, that meant so much. Forget about the MVP trophy, it was what he said and what he wrote in that program that meant really a lot to me.

You know, I hope that in 20 years, they do an Old-Timers game with the Yankees and Red Sox of the early 2000s era facing off. Wouldn't that be fun to watch?

What do you think? Tell us about it!

Yankees on Cliff Lee rejection: There must be a pony in here somewhere!

There is no way to spin Cliff Lee rejecting the Yankees to sign with the Phillies for less money as anything short of a debacle. But some sources in the Yankees' front office are trying to find a pony in here somewhere.

In an attempt to spinning this rejection as no big deal, here's what two anonymous sources in Yankeeland told ESPN's Wally Matthews:

But it was clear in talking to Yankees insiders that the organization was neither surprised nor particularly disturbed by Lee's choice. In fact, there was a sense of relief that Lee was out of the American League and, with the Yankees and Phillies not scheduled to play during the regular season, could not torment them again until the World Series.


"Maybe this is all for the better," one of the sources said. "Do you really want to give a seven-year deal to a guy who doesn't want to be here?".... 

Whoop-de-do. Is that all you got? Puh-lease.

First of all, if I could figure out in October that the Yankees' chances of signing Lee were slim, then why couldn't the brainiacs in their front office?  Contrary to them claiming now they weren't surprised by this, the fact remains that they put all their eggs in the Cliff Lee basket, now the eggs look like a steamroller ran the basket over, and they're acting like it just gives them more material for omelets? Leggo my eggo!

Second, what is the Plan B here? It could have been signing Carl Crawford and trading a current outfielder for a pitcher, but that ship has sailed. Who's going to be starting for the Yankees -- Sergio Mitre? Carl Pavano?

And both used the same word -- "celebrate" -- to describe the rarity of an athlete opting for less money in favor of playing for a particular team.


"Obviously he wasn't all about the money, which is refreshing," said one of the sources. "He left a lot of it on the table."


"I think we should celebrate the fact that a guy took less money to go to a place he loves," the other said. "I honestly don't think he or his wife were afraid of New York, just that they enjoyed their experience in Philadelphia to such an extent that they would rather go there for a lot less money."

There must be a pony in here somewhere! Hey, let's "celebrate" Cliff Lee taking less money to go to the Phillies. Break out the champagne! Wheeeeeee!!

Are you kidding me? This attempt at damage control is pathetic.

And nobody said that Cliff and Kristen Lee "were afraid of New York;" instead, they were reportedly ticked off at the unruly fans. Big difference.

Besides, what is "refreshing" from the Yankee perspective about Lee taking less money to play elsewhere? That he hates the Yankees so much, not even the lure of filthy lucre couldn't convince him to come to the Bronx? And they're acting like this is a good thing?

Squawker Jon says that Yankees "refreshing" comment is one of the most hypocritical things he has ever heard. I can't disagree.

The reality is that unless Brian Cashman has some secret rabbit he's going to pull out of  his elf hat, the Yankees have completely wasted the offseason so far on the Lee pursuit. And no matter how much the Yanks try to spin, spin, spin, there is no pony in here anywhere!

What do you think? Tell us about it!

Cliff Lee takes his talents to South Street, rejects Yankees and Rangers

It was a good day yesterday. Brett Favre's streak was over, which put joy in my heart. And I was sound asleep last night, dreaming peacefully, when Squawker Jon called me and woke me out of my slumber to deliver the big news -- that Cliff Lee had signed with the Phillies. I went all, "Whaaaattttt!!!!"

I'm not shocked in the least that Cliff Lee is not a Yanks. I've been skeptical all along that he would sign with the Bombers, thanks in no small part due to his wife. And while pretty much everybody in the media assumed for most of the winter that the Yankees would win the race due to money, I didn't buy that, either. Squawker Jon and I spent a lot of time arguing about this, as I wrote this weekend:

As I have written before, I have been very skeptical that the Yankees would sign Cliff Lee. Squawker Jon and I have been arguing about this offline for the last two months. He figures the Yankees always get what they want. I contend that if anybody might turn down the Yankees' money, it's Lee.

What does shock me is that Lee is taking his talents to South Street, instead of staying in Texas. But hey, look on the bright side, Yankee fans: As one of my brothers reminded me this morning, at least we'll have Derek Jeter at the top of the lineup and at shortstop again for the next four years!

I heard the talk yesterday of the Phillies being the mystery team, but I decided not to put much stock into those rumors after somebody on Twitter named IncarceratedBob said wrongly on Saturday that Lee signed with the Rangers (I was going to wait for what Red from Shawshank had to say!)

The biggest loser here has to be Brian Cashman. Squawker Jon says all Cash is capable of doing as a GM is writing a check, but he wasn't even able to do that effectively this time around, given that Lee is taking less money and years from the Phillies.

Aside from the fact that the Yanks had to spend a month kissing Derek Jeter's tuchis instead of negotiated with Lee, I found nothing cute or charming about Cashman spending the weekend before the winter meetings dressed like an elf, and rappelling down a building.

George Steinbrenner's name gets used a lot these days -- What Would George Do? seems to be a big mantra in the fan base. And I'm not going to claim that if The Boss were alive that Lee would be a Yankee; after all, John Smoltz turned down Steinbrenner and the Yankees after the 1996 World Series. That being said, as I wrote earlier in the month, Steinbrenner would never have allowed Cashman to have spent critical hot stove time dressed as an elf.

It showed exactly how much esteem Lee had for the Yankees when he personally called Jon Daniels, the Rangers GM, to say he was signing with Philly, while Cashman only got a call from Lee's agent.

I hope Cashman came up with a Plan B when he was hanging off the side of that building, but I'm doubtful. And I certainly hope that his offseason plans don't again involve giving failed Yankees a second chance, like the No. 2 free agent pitcher out there, Carl Pavano!

There has been a lot of talk since last night about how Cashman failed in not including either Eduardo Nunez and Ivan Nova in that possible trade for Lee. Could the Yankees have gotten to the World Series with Lee? Yes, but given that it turns out that CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte were both injured, I don't know if they would have been able to beat the Giants. At any rate, Lee might very well have stiffed the Yankees again this winter, leaving them without Jesus Montero as well as the other prospects in the deal.

One other thing -- I've admired the Philadelphia Phillies for being the NL's version of the Yankees, but now they've gone too far. Break up the Phillies!

What do you think? Tell us about it!

Jon celebrates the Yankees and Phillies losses, and I agree with Wally Matthews on something

Squawker Jon must be exhausted from doing the Snoopy Dance this weekend. First, he got to see the Yankees get humiliated by the Rangers. Then, the Giants beat the Phillies, thanks in no small part to Bruce Bochy's great work. He was a manager who was unafraid to pull out all the stops, taking out his starter in the second, and using his best bullpen arms, including Tim Lincecum, in the game.

To top it all off, Ryan Howard pulled a Carlos Beltran, leaving his bat on his shoulder with the bases loaded, striking out to end the game, and the series. (Yeah, yeah, I know the same thing happened with A-Rod Friday, but he had nobody on base, and a 6-1 deficit to overcome -- what was he going to do, hit a six run homer)?

At any rate, two of the Mets biggest rivals ended their season this year, while the Braves' season ended in the NLDS. Jon as I were arguing on the phone last night over what team was the Mets' biggest rival these days -- the Yankees or the Phillies? He said Yankees, I said Phillies, telling him that right now, the rivalry between the Yankees and Mets is like the rivalry between the hammer and the nail. For some strange reason, Jon hung up on me over that. Touchy!

As for myself, a strange thing happened yesterday. I was reading Wally Matthews' analysis of Joe Girardi's bullpen mistakes in the Yankees' loss, and instead of muttering and cursing to myself, as I often do when reading his work, I found myself agreeing with nearly much everything he wrote. I hate it when that happens!

It gets better -- or worse, depending on how you look at it. I wrote words to that effect to him, and he wrote me a funny, self-deprecating response. Matthews came across as a likeable guy. I hate it when that happens, too!

What do you think? Tell us about it!

Did the Phillies get their binoculars - um, I mean groove - back against the Yankees?

Oh great. The Philadelphia Phillies - who had been floundering since getting caught using binoculars in the bullpen last month - looked like worldbeaters against the Yankees this week.

I had a lot going on in my personal life this week, so I didn't get to watch as much of these games as I had hoped, although I did enjoy watching the Yankees knock around Roy Halladay Tuesday!

Squawker Jon and I had a great night seeing "The Winter's Tale" in Shakespeare in the Park on Wednesday, and I was flipping back and forth between the Yankees and Game 7 of the NBA Finals last night. (My pro-Kobe Bryant Pilgrim's Progress campaign worked, with the Los Angeles Lakers beating the hated Boston Celtics!)

An aside on the play we saw - I recognized the shepherd's voice right away as being a character actor I knew on TV. It was Max Wright, the dad on "Alf"! I may not know classical theater very well, but I do know my silly sitcoms!

Anyhow, maybe it was fortunate I didn't get to see much of these games, given that the Phillies won two of three. Or hey, maybe Philly got to see better - did they get their binoculars back or something?

At least I did get to see Ron Artest thank his psychiatrist after the Lakers'
victory last night. And promote his new single!

What do you think? Tell us about it!

Jimmy Rollins sez the Yankees would have kept both Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay

Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins is at it again. Talking about the Yankees, that is. But Bomber fans won't get angry over these remarks, as opposed to last October, when he predicted the Phillies to beat the Yankees in the World Series.

I read on Big League Stew that Rollins was on the Dan Patrick Show (listen to the audio here) the other day, talking about a number of burning issues, including the Donovan McNabb trade and the Cliff Lee deal. Here's what J-Roll said about why the Phillies didn't hang on to Lee:

“That, I have no idea. I’m sure we could afford him. We turned nearly 4 million people through the turnstiles last year. I don’t know. You should have (Phillies GM) Ruben (Amaro) on here… When the trade happened, I actually got a text from Jayson Werth and he was like, ‘What are we doing?’ And I was like, ‘Didn’t we get Halladay?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, but we traded Lee.’ And my mouth dropped like, ‘That wasn’t part of the deal.’ I really don’t know. I thought we had enough to keep him. I thought we could have done enough to keep him."

Here's the part that Yankee fans will like:

"I guess that’s just a move the Yankees do… That’s just the truth. The Yankees would have been like, ‘Hey, we got a chance to keep both of them. We’ll pay them both for a year or two and we got a chance to win a championship.’”

He's got that right! There's no way the Yankees would have traded Lee, no matter how good the prospects may have been. I just had this very discussion with a Phillies fan last week. I said that if the Yankees had the opportunity to have both Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay on their team, they would have kept them both.

Squawker Jon and I have discussed this as well, and he had some good points on why what the Phillies did makes little sense:

After trading for him, the Phillies gave Halladay a three-year, $60 million contract extension (he is making  15.75 million for this season.) But here's the thing. After the Phillies traded Lee, they signed Joe Blanton to a three-year, $24 million contract extension, avoiding arbitration for 2010. What would Cliff Lee had made in 2010 for the Phillies? Nine million.

In addition, according to the numbers I found on Cot's Baseball Contracts, the Blue Jays are subsidizing $6 million of Halladay's 2010 contract. You tell me the Phillies couldn't afford both Halladay and Lee? C'mon now!

And yes, I know that Lee would cost more with a post-2010 contract extension. But, worst case scenario, if you ride out having Lee for another year and don't re-sign him, you have a chance at another World Series title in 2010. Why wouldn't you go for it now? We play today, we win today, dassit, as Yankee Mariano Duncan used to say.

Cliff Lee was terrific for the Phillies in the playoffs last year. He wanted to stay in Philadelphia. But maybe it's a good thing - for Yankee fans, at least - that he's now with Seattle. Because Halladay and Lee as the 1-2 punch really would have made the Phillies, to use a Rollinsism, The Team To Beat in the World Series!

What do you think? Tell us about it!

The Philadelphia Story: How I wore a Yankee hat in Philly - and lived to tell about it

Who makes a better Philly cheesesteak - Pat's or Geno's? Who do Phillies fans hate more - Yankee fans or Met fans? And can you wear a Yankee hat in Philadelphia and stay safe? I tried to discover the answers to these and other questions by visiting the city this week.

I live only 90 miles away from Philly, yet I hadn't visited the town in decades. But the Yankees playing the Phillies piqued my interest in the city - it actually looked like a fun place. Besides, as I noted last month, I wanted to do a Yankee victory tour, with me reenacting the Rocky steps scene. So, I decided to go check out the town, and I brought my pal Squawker Jon along as my partner in crime.

To my blogging friend's dismay, I insisted on wearing a Yankee hat or a Yankee winter cap around Philadelphia for most of the trip. (Squawker Jon hid his Mets fandom and went incognito.) I wasn't sure what reaction I would get, but I hoped that I would merely get good-natured ribbing. I figured Phillies fans just don't have the same hatred for Yankee fans that they do for, say, Met fans. And I was correct.

Plenty of people noticed the hat, but nobody booed, cursed or threw snowballs at me, although one guy teased me to throw the hat out. Another fan seemed genuinely interested in asking what I thought of Philly, asking me how I liked visiting the city of the National League champions. For the most part, there was grudging respect for the Yankees - and with me for the Phillies - as opposed to the New York/Boston hatred. Also talked with several Phillies fans about our common enemy - the Mets (although actually, calling the Mets the enemy is like saying the nail is the enemy of the hammer!)

But the best reaction came from a Philadelphia police officer at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I made Squawker Jon take pictures of me as I ran up the steps like Rocky, and hoisted my arms in triumph at the top of the steps. The cop, who was there with other police officers doing some training exercise where fellow cops rode bikes down the steps (looked pretty scary to us!) took in the scene, and told me this: "Parading around in a New York Yankees cap at the Philadelphia Art Museum? That's illegal!" Fortunately, he said it in a joking manner - and made his fellow cops (and us!) laugh as well. That quote might have been the highlight of the trip!

We also saw some of the usual sights, like the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, as well as some other less-known treasures. For example, we absolutely loved the Reading Terminal Market, a combination farmers' market/high-end butcher/seafood store/unique shops/food court. There's really nothing quite like it in New York. We also liked just walking around and seeing what's what around town.

At the end of the trip, we decided to weigh in on the great cheesesteak debate. Here's the story - rival restaurants Pat's and Geno's - across the street from each other at 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue in South Philly - both claim to be the go-to cheesesteak place. Jon and I figured we would argue about this, as we argue on pretty much everything else. We split a cheesesteak at each place (both with Cheez Whiz and onions, or Wit' Whiz, as I think it's called.) Then we made our votes.

But, for once, Squawker Jon and I did not argue. We both agreed that Geno's was the clear winner. The city of brotherly love brought us on the same side for once!

All in all, it was a great trip. The streets of Philadelphia were a lot of fun. And I have a sneaking suspicion the Yanks will be back there for next year's World Series.

Coming tomorrow - my thoughts on the state of the Yankees! But in the meantime, tell us what you think.

Congratulations, Yankee fans

As I posted on Squawker Lisa's Facebook page last night, I want to congratulate her and all of our Yankee fan readers on championship #27. The better team won, and, as I also wrote on Facebook, at least Shane Victorino made the final out.

My side hasn't won very much lately, but I did beat Lisa in one area - predictions. Lisa had Yankees in seven, while I had Yankees in six. She was willing to give the Phillies more credit than I was!

Many of my other predictions also panned out:

• A-Rod will have a great Series, but will not win MVP.
• Johnny Damon will do well enough that the Yankees will want to bring him back next year.
• Nick Swisher will be benched for at least one game.
• Jayson Werth will be much better known by the end of the Series.
• Cliff Lee will have a better Series than CC Sabathia.

I got this one half right:

• Pedro Martinez will pitch well, but I agree with Squawker Lisa that Brad Lidge will blow the game.

Pedro did pitch well in Game 2 without winning, but he was charged with all three Yankee runs. There was no lead for Lidge to blow - he did not even pitch.

These two I would like to have back:

• If Joe Girardi goes to a three-man rotation, he will regret it. Start Sabathia on three days rest if you want, but have Chad Gaudin start Game 5.
• Jimmy Rollins will do well because he loves sticking it to New York.

*

Squawker Lisa has the last laugh - she will be there bright and early for her first ticker-tape parade since the days of Sister Claire. If you are planning to go to the parade, let us know.

Why I don't think the Yankees will win tonight

I know we're all eager to see the Yankees win No. 27 tonight, but I don't think it will happen just yet. I think they're going to end up clinching at home. Here are my reasons why:

* Cliff Lee on regular rest vs. A.J. Burnett on short rest: I know A.J.'s numbers (small sample size, of course - even smaller than originally thought) are very good in such situations. But even workhorse Sabathia was laboring last night on short rest. Could the same happen to A.J.?

* Weaker lineup: With Burnett batting, Jose Molina hitting, and a hurting Melky Cabrera out of the lineup, the lineup is even weaker than the one the Yankees used in Game 1 against Lee.

* Phillies pfight: I just don't see the Phillies going down that easy. Even the Angels battled the Yanks to six games. I will be very surprised if Philly doesn't.

* Reverse jinx: Never misunderestimate the power of the reverse jinx!

What do you think? Leave us a comment!

Some of my favorite - and least favorite - moments of Game 3

Last night's win was a great game, of course, providing some pretty compelling World Series drama. I wrote a few thoughts for The Faster Times on the game. Here are some other ones:

* For some reason, seeing Andy Pettitte at bat cracks me up. But I was cheering - not laughing - when he got the game-tying hit against Cole Hamels. I also loved seeing Derek Jeter nearly pass him when they both scored on Johnny Damon's game-winning hit, and hearing Jeter joke about it afterwards. Great stuff.

* The Philly crowd - at least at the beginning - was much more lively and loud than the ones at Yankee Stadium so far. If this series goes to a Game 6, the Yanks need to do something to get more regular fans in.

* Joe Girardi did the right move in benching Nick Swisher for Game 2. He looked so much better in Game 3 - and provided two key hits - and a hilarious postgame interview.

* I also agreed with Joe going to Mo when he did, after Phil Hughes gave up a homer. Squawker Jon - and some people in the media - thought Girardi should have waited, given it was still a three-run lead. But I think it was absolutely the right move, because it didn't allow the Phillies to get off the mat. Five pitches, two outs, game over.

* Remember all of Jimmy Rollins talk about seeing something in Mariano's pitching? I think Rollins saw himself popping up to end the game! Oh, and so much for J-Roll's Phillies in five prediction!

* Joba looked very good out there. And Damaso Marte is an unsung hero of this postseason - he reminds me of Graeme Lloyd in the 1996 World Series.

* It's funny. When Alex Rodriguez had six strikeouts in his first two games - the same that Ryan Howard did - we saw all sorts of hysterical media accounts about how A-Rod was pressing/choking. I guess Alex made a miraculous recovery in one game, thanks to that instant replay homer! If the Yankees win the series, that homer will be the turning point.

*And will we now hear "what's wrong with Ryan Howard," now that he has nine strikeouts in three games? Hmmm.

* Two notes on the media's coverage of A-Rod:

- I was appalled last night over how many journalists covering the game last night tried to outdo each other on Twitter with all sorts of tasteless frat house jokes about A-Rod and that centaur picture tabloid report. How unobjective. How unprofessional.

- On the other hand, ESPN.com columnist - and noted Yankee hater - Jim Caple (he once wrote a book called "The Devil Wears Pinstripes") actually had the fairest take I've seen on A-Rod's World Series so far.
Please check it out.

What do you think? Leave us a comment!

More on a Philly sportswriter's "pain and suffering" at Yankee Stadium

My Squawk about Philadelphia Inquirer sportswriter Frank Fitzpatrick's complaints over the Yankee Stadium auxiliary press box has gotten picked up in the tweetosphere, so I thought I should follow up on it.

The biggest thing that got me about Fitzpatrick's complaint about the press box was that he was griping about the very same weather conditions that the fans - and, for that matter, the players - also had to endure. Besides, as I wrote, it was 52 degrees at game time. That's not exactly the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.

Look, I get that sportswriters don't have the easiest of jobs - they have to write quickly, they don't always get treated very well from the people they're covering, they have a lot of travel, and their industry is shedding jobs like crazy. But at the same time, to gripe that - shocker - there are a lot of press jammed in at a World Series game seems a bit much to me.

We count on sportswriters to give us the inside scoop on what's going on with the teams we follow. And we want to hear the sportswriters' insights on the game, not their moaning that they didn't get a good seat in the main press box.

What do you think? Tell us about it!

Boo-hoo! A Philadelphia sportswriter complains about getting paid to watch baseball

Philadelphia Inquirer sportswriter Frank Fitzpatrick is waxing indignant over the way he was treated at Yankee Stadium at Game 1. Let's take a look at his piece, Fire Joe Morgan style:

Many of you seem to enjoy getting an inside look at how the media covers a big event like a World Series. Allow me to offer a glimpse into last night's glamorous Game 1 experience.

Um, no. Most fans care to hear about who's in the lineup, and what funny stories you might know about the players. Hearing about what it's like to cover the game, especially when there's a very good chance it will degenerate into self-indulgent whining, isn't really on the list. Most fans think you should be happy because you get paid to watch baseball, and in this economy, it's hard to argue with that opinion.

Rode to stadium with six Inquirer colleagues and a cooler packed with our postgame meal - or, more simply put, with six turkeys and seven turkey sandwiches.

Sure your colleagues are thrilled with this shoutout.

Four hours before Game 1, the main press box resembled the Tokyo subway. Bodies and computers made things impassable. The adjoining work rooms were overflowing too, the precious spots apparently having been claimed at dawn by savvy veteran journalists.

The poor Yankees. How were they know people would be interested in covering a World Series? Having hosted 39 others, there was no way they could possibly have anticipated a crowd.

Maybe if your paper didn't send seven writers, and every other paper didn't send so many writers, and so on and so on, there wouldn't be such a mess. Didn't you guys ever see that Herbal Essences commercial when you were a kid?

Beat a hasty retreat for the auxiliary press box, a lofty, outfield perch where Philadelphia sportswriters were assigned seats and sherpas to get them there.

After rappelling up there, it was quickly apparent that more clothing, binoculars and oxygen would be required. The freezing wind howled like a New York cabbie. The puddles of water that two days of rain had left on our chairs and tables were icing over.

Let's review. First you complained that the main press box was too crowded, and then the auxiliary press box wasn't close enough for your liking. Boo hoo. You also had to deal with the same weather conditions and sight lines that, um, every fan not ensconced in the luxury suites had to put up with. And you expect readers to be on your side about this, why, exactly?

We all would have huddled near the TV monitors for warmth had there been any TV monitors. Apparently it was OK for the cream of the nation's sportswriters to get wet but not for TVs.

If all you want is the TV monitor, and dry, warm, weather conditions, why didn't you just stay home and watch the game from there, like us bloggers? The paper could have saved their money in sending you to the game.

Look, at least I can understand sportswriters griping about deadlines, and rude players, and long hours. But to hear a writer complain about how his seats weren't up to snuff is a bit much.

Far below, set up atop the right-centerfield wall, we could see a pair of NYPD snipers. Had New Yorkers finally tired of the Yankees uber-obnoxious broadcast team of John Sterling and Susan Waldman?

Is this Philly's idea of humor? Sniper jokes about our radio hosts? Good grief.

By game time, the rain and cold climate brought to mind Nome or a Rockies game in October.

Gametime temperature was 52 degrees. Maybe that seems like Alaska or Colorado - to somebody from Florida. Not Philly.

On the field below, we could see Yanks starter CC Sabathia - the only human large enough to be visible - ambling toward the bullpen for warm-ups.
Even up here, in the section formerly known as Pluto, the ground shook.

Gee, a CC fat joke. How edgy of you. Yeah, I can totally understand why you wanted the good seats. A wit like that shouldn't be wasted in the auxiliary press box.

Sorry, I give up. I feel like I'm killing brain cells even recounting this nonsense - you can go here to read the rest of his article; it goes on and on for many more words, with lists, limericks, and more lame jokes.

It's not that this writer was anti-Yankee - heck, I loved the Philly City Paper's look at the Yanks, even though it was mocking them - it's that Fitzpatrick is just like every other whining sportswriter who thinks he should get the best seat in the house. And thinks that fans should care about his troubles. Leave the whining to the trained professionals - us bloggers! Thanks.


What do you think? Leave us a comment!

World Series Game 1: Get off the ledge, everyone! It's only one game!

Last night was a bad loss, but it's still only one game. One game, not four, unless they somehow changed the rules and are giving the World Series trophy to the Phillies just because they dominated the Yankees in Game 1.

The game reminded me of Opening Day at the new Yankee Stadium. In both games, CC and Cliff Lee pitched well, but Lee got the win. In both games, the Yankee bats were stifled, and in both games, the bullpen imploded. And in both games, the fans seemed really out of it.

Remember all the hysteria in Yankeeland over that humilating loss? I do. But somehow, the Yankees managed to get it together, and win 57 games in the new ballpark.

You would think sportswriters would be able to keep some perspective - CC was very good (other than giving up the Utley homers) but Cliff Lee had one of the all-time great postseason performances, and at any rate, it's still only one game.

But not New York Post columnist Joel Sherman. He wrote this on Twitter after the game:


@nyp_joelsherman Whose season feels more over: #Yankees 0-1 in World Series, #Knicks 0-1 in regular season

Get a grip, dude. Are you really serious? What a breathtaking lack of perspective.

But sadly, that's typical for Sherman, though, when it comes to his columns, tweets, and blog posts after bad losses. Here's what he wrote after the Yankee's season opener loss, when Sabathia and Teixeira had lousy debuts in their first game in pinstripes:

Sabathia was the highest-paid free-agent pitcher of the offseason and Teixeira the highest-paid position player. In a down economic climate, the Yanks invested $341 million on just those two. They are not going to feel bad about those decisions at 0-1. However, no one wants to make a bad first impression as a Yankee because the hole is always a little deeper, so deep that many never truly escape.

It's true! CC and Tex never truly escaped that bad first impression. We're doomed!

Then there was this Sherman hysteria after A.J. Burnett and  the Yankees lost 14-1 at Fenway Park in August, the day after beating the Sox. He even brought up the specter of the 2004 over this one loss, fretting that the Yankees could lose the division to the Sox.

Just about the only downside for the Yankees in Friday night's blowout of the Red Sox was how much it was reminiscent of their Game 3 victory in the 2004 ALCS.

The Yankees won that contest 19-8 at Fenway, Hideki Matsui hit two homers and the Yanks took a three-games-to-none lead. At that moment, the Yanks appeared more likely to join a Broadway chorus line en masse than fail to reach the World Series. Their magic number was one with four games to play. But they never did get that victory, and no one ever Cursed again.

Turns out that the only thing that Saturday loss to Boston - the one where A.J. Burnett yelled "Why, why, why" on the mound - was that Jorge Posada stopped catching Burnett. The Yankees ended up winning the series finale, didn't lose a game to the Sox for the rest of the year, and Boston finished in second place, eight games behind this Yankees. And after losing the first eight games of their head-to-head matchups, the Yanks ended up tying the season series. Oh, and did I mention that the Yankees are in the World Series now? Other than that, Sherman's prognostication was on the money!

So why am I doing this whole walk through memory lane? Because while it's true that this Yankee team has had some brutal losses this year, but they have invariably prevailed. If you're a Yankee fan who really thinks that the World Series is over because of one brutal loss, do yourself - and the rest of us - a favor and jump off the bandwagon now. Thanks.

Yes, other than Derek Jeter, the Yankee bats looked flat all evening. And yes, Phil Hughes was terrible. And yes, why Joe Girardi would put Brian Bruney on the postseason roster at all, let alone have him pitch in this game, made no sense.

But it's still only one game. In 1996, I flew up to New York and spent almost $300 on a ticket to see Andy Pettitte get his butt kicked in the rain in Game 1 of the World Series to the Atlanta Braves, the defending world champions. And then the Yanks lost Game 2 at home. The bridge-jumping then was fierce, and the media was in hysterics. Yet somehow, the Yankees managed to win three games in the then-intimidating atmosphere of Atlanta, and then clinched their first title in 18 years at home.

Am I saying the same thing will happen this time? No. I'm just saying that it's ridiculous to even suggest that the season feels "over" because of one game.

There is one Squawker cohort who doesn't feel the same as me, though - my cat, C.C. After giving a grudging paw of approval to the Yankees ace, she takes it all back, hissing and scratching in CC Sabathia's direction after each Utley homer. She's not pleased. Cats have no loyalty.


What do you think? Tell us about it!

The wait is over! Here are my World Series predictions

Phillie Phanatic, you're going down. Rocky, you too. And Michael Vick, stop barking!

For the next week or so, Philadelphia is enemy territory. Until this series, I didn't really have anything against the city, or the Phillies - after all, the team makes Met fan Squawker Jon miserable, and that always warms my heart. And, as I wrote last month, I think the bad rep Philly fans have is both overblown and a little unfair. There are good fans and not-so-good fans in each and every fanbase. (Speaking of which, can we vote Artie Lange out of Yankee Universe? You could fit what he knows about the Yankees in a thimble. This is the clown who actually told Bill Simmons that the 1978 Butch Hobson, who had 43(!) errors that year, was a better player than Alex Rodriguez.Good grief.)

I digress. I was looking forward to seeing one Philadelphia Phillie's return to the Bronx. After all, this player was part of the 2004 ALCS, and Yankee fans need to get revenge on him. He has a lot to answer for.  But then Charlie Manuel left Miguel Cairo off the World Series roster. Bummer.

Anyhow, I'm one of the few Yankee fans who digs both Jimmy Rollins and Pedro Martinez - as I always say, I like players with larger-than-life personalities. (On the other hand, Shane Victorino gets on my last nerve. Go figure.) But they are the enemy this week. They're a tough team, but they haven't faced any team as tough as the Yankees yet.

Without further ado, here are my predictions:

* I see CC Sabathia as having an edge over Cliff Lee in Game 1.

* As for Game 2, I think Pedro Martinez will be fired up and wired up after the crowd gives him a Bronx cheer or two, and he'll outpitch A.J. Burnett. Why do I say this, even though the Yanks have smacked him around in recent years? Because he's a competitor who loves the drama. I would be very surprised to see Pedro do poorly. I think this game will be a walkoff win- the third Game 2 walkoff win in the postseason for the Yanks this year - with the Yankees smacking around Brad Lidge. Remember, Lidge got two blown saves off the Yankees this May.

* My guess is that the Yanks will only win, at most, one game in Philadelphia. And that will be whatever game Cole Hamels pitches.

* As for the rest of the series,  I'm going to agree with Jay-Z's prediction for how it will end:

I actually predicted the Yankees in six with the Angels, so I think I’m like Jigga the Greek. I’m gonna say, Phillies are a bit tougher than the Angels. I’m gonna take Yankees in seven. Dramatic A-Rod walk-off at the end of the game redeeming him for all the time the papers and the media vilified him. Is that specific enough?

* Needless to say, given that prediction, A-Rod is my prediction for theWorld Series MVP.

Here are some of my other predictions:

* Whatever reception Michelle Obama gets after throwing out the first pitch at Game 1 will be a super-big story. Another story will be people griping about the super-strict security. (Not exactly going out on a limb here, I know.)

* The Phillie Phanatic will do something controversial against the Yankees. (Incidentally, what kind of animal is the Phanatic, anyway? Is he like Gonzo or something?)

* Shane Victorino will be a thorn in the side of the Yankees, while Johnny Damon will be the same against the Phillies.

* Sleeper pick of a breakout Yankee World Series star? Dave Robertson.

* And finally, chances that this series will be an all-tiime classic? Excellent!

What are your predictions? Tell us about it!

Squawking with the enemy: A look at what Phillies' blogs are saying

This time, it's personal. After taking a look at what Red Sox blogs and Mets blogs thought about the World Series, I went behind enemy lines today to ask Phillies' fans what's what.

I spoke with meech.one of The Fightins, Tom Goyne of Balls, Sticks & Stuff, Mike Mariano of We're the Team to Beat, Matt of The Shibe Times, Bill Baer of Crashburn Alley and Estebomb of Fire Eric Bruntlett.


Check out the article, and visit their blogs to see what the other side is thinking about the World Series. Thanks to all of them for participating!


Coming soon - my World Series predictions. But in the meantime, please leave us a comment with your thoughts on the series.

Jimmy Rollins declares the Phillies are the team to beat in the World Series

Jimmy Rollins is at it again. The shock-talking shortstop is now running his mouth about how his Philadelphia Phillies will beat the New York Yankees in just five games in the World Series. Check out my Faster Times piece on the issue.

Gee, I'm thinking this pronouncement might become a big deal. Unlike today's New York Post photoshopped cover of Shane Victorino in a cheerleader's skirt, which is fictional (as far as we know!) Rollins actually made this proognostication about the Phillies' chances. (As for the Post cover, shouldn't they have called the "Frillies" the "Phrillies"? Just wondering!)

What do you think of Jimmy Rollins? Tell us about it!

Who's your daddy? Yankee nemesis Pedro Martinez set to pitch Game 2

Oh goody. As if this Philadelphia-New York World Series weren't already intense enough, Phillies pitcher - and longtime villain - Pedro Martinez is going to pitch Game 2. At Yankee Stadium. Wonder if some t-shirt sellers will dig up those old "Who's Your Daddy" duds to mark the occasion.

Unlike most Yankee fans, I think Pedro Martinez is one of the more interesting, intelligent characters in baseball - he's funny, entertaining and even eloquent, as I noted in this Faster Times piece. I enjoyed seeing him knock the Mets out of the playoffs this year. But I hope he loses - bigtime - against the Yankees Thursday, with him babbling under the mango tree when all is said and done!

What do you think? Leave us a comment!