Bronx Bomber 30-Day Look Ahead, Charlie Manual Opinion, the NBA, and Danica Patrick
The New York Yankees overcame two nine-run deficits (that’s right, they were behind by 9 runs, which is a lot) to beat Texas 14-13 last night. They did this despite getting a horrific start from Shawn Chacon, who has been their best starter over the past 100+ games for this team, and despite their formerly untouchable closer Mo Rivera giving up the go ahead run in the top of the 9th (when a team fights back from a big deficit, take the lead, and then fall behind again, they almost always lose). The Yanks have been shaky all year long, their starting pitching has been abominable (especially Randy Johnson, who is pitching can be compared to a gallon of milk out in 100 degree heat for six hours, in other words, not good), their closer has been human, their left and right fielders have missed significant time, and their third baseman is playing defense like it is October and not May. But they somehow won this game. They are 22-15 now. This will propel this team to a 23-7 run over the next 30 games. You mark my words, in five weeks this team will be 45-22. You heard it here first. Then you can tell people Dils called this on his blog before it happened when Fox Sports does a retrospective of the first half of the year and they point to May 16th as they day that turned the Bronx Bombers season around.
Speaking of the Yanks, has anyone besides Mr. Stitzer noticed that Derek Jeter is having far a
nd away his best season of his first ballot Hall of Fame career (note: you know I do not throw HOF inductions around lightly, but this guy is my FIRST CHOICE for the Hall of Fame among ALL ACTICVE PLAYERS, including Clemens, Maddux, Johnson, Bonds (only because he cheated), A-Fraud, and Pujols; if you care to debate this, I would be more than happy to, just let me know)….The Phils dropped a game for the 2nd time in 15 games last night. I attribute this loss to two main factors. First, they ran into a graduate of Duke University toeing the opposing mound. That is right, a rarity, a professional baseball player from Duke. And a good one. So what can you do there? Second, Jolly Chollie Manual had to make a decision for one of the few times in the past couple weeks, and of course it basically costs the Phillies the game. When the game was tied 2-2 in the 9th inning, the Brewers had their closer in the game, while the Phillies, coming off a day off yesterday, had their, best case scenario, fourth best reliever in the game. You have Rheal Cormier, who has yet to give up a run all season, plus your set up man and closer, and you go with Ryan Freaking Franklin. That would be like George W. Bush going to Iraq and telling the soldiers that even though guns were available, we were going to fight the war with knives only. Now you know if I am making a negative comparison to GWB what I think of Jolly Chollie…..
The NBA playoffs are going on right now. It seems as though there are some close games and series going on. If I cared about the NBA as much as I care about watching paint dry, I might be able to comment on the playoffs with some level of insight. However, it seems as though the NBA product is now more unwatchable than The New Adventures of Old Christine.
Did anyone buy that new Edwin McCain record I recommended, Lost in America (http://www.edwin.com/). If not, go buy it, it rocks!
Has there ever been more of a win-win trade than Jim Thome for Aaron Rowand. Ever? I am serious with this question.
I know I said I do not care about the NBA, but I do like reality television. I would watch every episode (maybe even re-runs) of a reality show involving the New York Knicks. I really want to know whether Isiah Thomas has pictures of one of the Dolans (the Knicks owners), or whether Marbury has something on Isiah, or if Isiah took an IQ test, whether he would actually score a negative number. Based on some of his writings in the past, I know the Sports Guy Bill Simmons would support this idea. I think it would be a ratings bonanza. You know ABC would run it, their ratings cannot get any worse….
Look for Sam Hornish, Jr. to capture the pole this week at Indianapolis. Look for him to win the race as well. My brother-in-law Ted will be happy if I am right (and look for an Indy 500 preview from him next week). Speaking of Indy car racing, I am ready to officially go out on a limb and say that despite having a very funny ESPN commercial with Dan Patrick, Danica Patrick is the most over-rated driver in the IRL or Nascar. By far. She has the best equipment money can buy, the best team that can be assembled, great car owners, and she is nothing more than average. If she were on a mediocre team, she would be near the bottom of the barrel. I know this is not the popular opinion right now, but this girl is getting all this credit because she is an attractive girl, and for that reason only. She cannot drive well. Period. And yes that means you should open an online gambling account and put all the money you can on her to win Indy!
Note: picture courtesy of www.espn.com
posted by Dils @ 5/17/2006 02:27:00 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Dils,
Your comment on Jeter being ahead of all active players in terms of being deserving for 1st ballet in the HOF is among the stupidist comments you have ever made (right up there with, "is that Roth"). Jeter has career numbers of 169 HRs and 763 RBIs. He led the league in one category once in his whole career. He is overrated defensively. All that said, he has been an excellent post season performer and is a hall of famer but is so far behind someone like Clemens who is 9th all time in wins, 2nd all time in Ks, led the league in ERA twice, was CY Young 6 times. I think Maddux is also way ahead of Jeter and Pujols will get there in time. You can say Jeter has the rings but he plays in a sport without a salary cap with an owner who is willing to spend. If he played his whole career for the Twins, he might be a marginal HOF guy but no where near the other guys you mentioned.
Coop,
I respectfully disagree with you. Stats are not nearly as important to me as they are to you (although I will list a couple for you below). I do not care if someone led the league in different categories. What I care about is will he make my team win games and championships. The answer with Jeter is an absolute and unconditional YES. He may not lead the league in hits or hitting or home runs, but there is no one in the game (including Pujols and Bonds) that I would rather have at the plate with the game on the line than Derek Jeter. Also, I agree that he is not great defensively. But again, he makes uncanny plays that nobody in the game can or does make at just the right times. Two examples: when he flew head first into the stands to catch a foul ball in a big game against the Sox a couple years ago, and the play he made on the other side of the first base line to relay a throw and nip Jeremy Giami at the plate about five years ago. Nobody makes plays like that....except Derek Jeter. If I were playing in the World Series against you, and I got first pick of all major leaguers, give me Jeter, then you can choose between all those other guys. I will take my chances. Derek Jeter is the most clutch player in baseball. In addition, he is one of the best leaders that I have ever seen. By the way, Clemens is 12-8 with a 3.66 ERA and less than 8 strikeouts per nine innings in the playoffs. Maddux is 11-14 in the playoffs. Johnson is 7-8 in the playoffs.
Your friend,
Dils
For starters, Coop, a lifelong andthe most objective and knowledgable Met fan I know, just validated my response to Ritterbusch's Met Column a few weeks ago. Coop did not respond to something he should have cared deeply about and did not. Instead he responds to Dils' opinion about a Yankee. My point, as usual, is Met fans are so insecure, that they care more about bad things happening to the Yankees than good things happenning to the Mets.
I will have a lengthier take on Jeter later in the week.
Dils -- Your memory is not serving you well. Take another look at a replay of Jeter's catch before heading into the stands against the Sox in '04 and then watch Pokey Reese's in the same game. Not even close as to whose is better. Jeter is great but its the hyperbole spouted about him which are a turnoff. How many World Series titles has he won since he's been the unquestioned leader of the team? Try zero on for size.
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