Roger Clemens, Brett Favre, Lance Berkman

Here are a few quick hits about current things taking place in the sports world.

Roger Clemens has been indicted by a federal jury today, ESPN is reporting.

Clemens is accused of lying under oath about taking performance enhancing drugs.

According to Yahoo! Sports, Brett Favre’s ankle wasn’t the only thing that was weighing in his mind while debating his future.

Yahoo! reports that the Gunslinger does not trust head coach Brad Childress with the offense.

And finally the Yankees have placed Lance Berkman on the 15-day DL after he sprained his ankle during a collision with the Kansas City Royals pitcher at first base.

Yankees Lose Out On Lee

The Seattle Mariners announced today that they have traded Cliff Lee to the Texas Rangers for Justin Smoak and a few other players in a 6 player deal.

The deal came as a shock to many as the though was the Lee would be headed to the Yankees as ESPNs Buster Olney said Lee to the Yankees was “just about done”.

Apparently trade talks between the Yankees and Mariners started to unravel when the Marijers questioned the health of second base prospect David Adams who is out with a sprained ankle.

When the Rangers staff heard of this they swooped in grabbed Lee from right out of the Yankees hand.

To me, I’m certainly disappointed that Lee will not be pitching for the Yankees this year, but in the long term, I’m excited about the fact that the Yankees can keep highly touted prospect Jesus Montero and have the possibility of signing Lee in the offseason without having to give up such important pieces of the Yankees future.

The Melk Man Delivers No More

The New York Yankees announced today that they have traded Melky Cabrera to the Atlanta Braves.

The trade was actually a fiver player deal with the Yankees acquiring righty Javier Vasquez who had a great year last year with a 15-10 record and a 2.87 ERA. The Yankees also got righy Boone Logan.

The Braves received Melky Cabrera, of course, lefty Mike Dunn and a minor league player.

In my opinion it was a good move for the Yankees. They had a clusterfuck of an outfield with Swisher, Melky, Gardner, and Granderson, with the latter three all playing center field. This allows the Yankees a little flexibility in the outfield. In my opinion, I think Swisher should go back to playing left field which is his natural position. I think that Gardner should be the everyday centerfielder for the Yankees with Granderson rounding out the outfield for the Yankees in right field.

This does not, however, allow the Yankees much room if one of the outfielders were to get injured.  I’m not sure the Yankees have anyone on the bench to play if one were to get injured, yet….

I’m sure Cashman has some tricks up his sleeve so keep notice, he’ll probably be making a move in the next few days.

Just remember, it was right before Christmas when the Yankees announced the blockbuster move that brought Teixeira to the Yankees, so be on the look out.

Curtis Granderson’s A Yankee.

This is really late and I apologize for this, but here we go anyway. Curtis Granderson was traded to the Yankees last week in a three team deal. The Yankees gave up CF Austin Jackson, LHP Phil Coke and RHP Ian Kennedy. I think it was a tad too much. I was looking forward to Austin Jackson and liked both Ian Kennedy and Phil Coke, but Coke was a bullpen guy who is easily replaceable and Kennedy, while I was high on him, he didn’t seem to draw much interest.

Hopefully Austin Jackson doesn’t turn into the next Joe DiMaggio, but I don’t think we have to worry about that.

What do you think of the move?

27

So the Yankees that World Series thing the other day. Finally, it may have been only nine years since the last championship, but it seems like a lifetime.

It seems to have silenced all the haters, at least for a little while anyway.

Hideki Matsui had a monster night, with a two run home run, a two run double and another two run double, tying the major league record for most RBI in a World Series game with six. He was also named the World Series MVP becoming the first full time DH to win the award.

I have never seen the Yankees win a World Series as I was too young to remember 2000, but this was probably the greatest thing I have ever witnessed.

Joe Girardi has to get a lot of credit, he may get criticized for overmanging the team, but the players seem to like and respect him and his decisions. Starting Molina, going with a three man rotation and using Mo when need be were all decisions that people second guessed, but guess what? It worked.

Also, hats off to Andy Pettitte who won every clinching game for the Yankees this year. He won the game that cliched the AL East, the ALDS, the ALCS and the World Series.

I’m not gonna mention anything about free agency or the offseason or anything like that until probably early/late December. Enjoy this victory, the Yankees truly are the best team in baseball and probably sports.

Yankees/Phillies Game 6: It Ends Tonight

The Yankees and Phillies will square off again tonight in game 6 of the World Series. On the hill for the Yankees will be veteran left hander Andy Pettitte. For the Phillies, it will be everyone’s favorite former Red Sox player, Pedro Martinez.

Melky Cabrera won’t be playing tonight for the Yankees as he is still injured and has been taken off the roster and replaced by Ramiro Pena.

The starting line-up is:
Derek Jeter SS

Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Hideki Matsui DH
Jorge Posada C
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Brett Gardner CF

Pitching: LHP Andy Pettitte (3-0, 3.24 ERA in postseason)

Tonight’s game will be on FOX and the first pitch is scheduled for 7:57 pm.

Yankees Win Series Against Jays 2-1

The Yankees wrapped up their series against the Blue Jays last night with a 3-2 win over their AL East rival. The Yankees started the scoring in the top of the first when Damon doubled, Teixeira and Matsui walked and Swisher drew a bases loaded walk to put the Yankees up 1-0. In the bottom of the fourth CC Sabathia gave up a solo home run to Alex Rios tying the game at 1. In the bottom of the fifth Scott Rolen lead off the inning with a walk. Millar struck out and Rod Barajas hit a double to deep center field scoring Rolen from first. The next play Gardner made up for the double when he threw out Barajas at the plate on a bullet throw from center field. In the top of the seventh Gardner lead off with a walk, Cervelli singled to left-center and Gardner advanced to third, Jeter singled to right-center scoring Gardner. In the top of the eighth Matsui lead off the inning with a solo home run to right center putting the Yankees up 3-2. Mo came on in the bottom of the ninth to relieve CC who pitched 8 innings and was lights out. Rolen grounded to second. Millar grounded it back to Mo. And Barajas struck out swinging to end the game.

Sabathia is now 4-3 with 3.70 ERA. He went 8 innings giving up 2 runs, 4 walks, one HR and struck out 5.

Rivera had his seventh save of the season and lowered his ERA to 3.37.

Yankees Player of the Game: Hideki Matsui: 1-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, BB, 1 run scored.

No posts over the weekend back on Monday with the Yankees/Twins series wrap-up.

Yankees Beat Jays 8-2.

The Yankees beat the Jays 8-2 last night.

The Yankees didn’t score first last night when Aaron Hill scored on a throwing error by Robinson Cano. In the top of the second the Yankees batted for almost a half hour. Brett Gardner had his first homer of the season a two-run shot scoring himself and Cabrera. Damon tripled to left scoring Pena. Teixeira doubled to center scoring Damon making it 4-1 Yankees. And finally in the second still, Cano singled to right scoring Teixeira. In the bottom of the fourth Rod Barajas singled to center scoring Scott Rolen. In the top of the 5th Gardner continued his hot night driving a triple to center scoring Cano. Cervelli reached on an infield single scoring Gardner from third making it 8-2. 

Hill left the game for Toronto in the fifth inning with a foot injury.

Yankees are now 16-17.

Yankees Player  of the Game: Brett Gardner, 2-3, HR, 3 RBI’s, BB.

Yankees Drop Game To AL East Leading Jays

The Yankees dropped another game last night against the AL East leading Toronto Blue Jays 5-1. Former teammates Roy Halladay and A.J. Burnett squared off in a pitcher’s duel. After Burnett issued two walks and a hit to load the bases Scott Rolen who had previously been 0-19 against Burnett launched a double to left scoring Wells and and Rios and moving Lind to third. Next batter Rod Barajas hit a Sac Fly to right scoring Lind making it 3-0 Jays. The score would remain that way until the top of the 7th when Alex Rodriguez singled to left scoring Damon. That was all the scoring that the Yankees would get. In the bottom of the eight Aaron Hill homered to left making it 4-1 and later in the same inning Rolen hit a single scoring Rios making 5-1. Roy Hallday went 9 innings, walking none, striking out 5, and giving up just one run on 5 hits. Burnett went 7.2 innings with 7 hits, 5 runs, 4 walks and striking out 3.

Hideki Matsui left the game in the top of the fifth with tightness in his right hamstring.

The Yankees are now 15-17.

A-Rod Silences Critics With One Swing.

On the first swing of first pitch of his at-abt in his first game since his injury Alex Rodriguez silenced all of his critics. People have been questioning whether or not he could perform at the same level or not. But, the with his first swing he answered that question with a resounding YES. A-Rod sent the first pitch over the wall with a three run shot and that was all the Yankees needed to beat the O’s. CC Sabathia gave the Yankees everything they were hoping for when they signed this offseason. He pitched 9 innings giving up just 4 hits giving the bullpen a much needed break and with the day off today the bullpen should be rested and ready to go against the AL East leading Blue Jays tomorrow.

Sunday the Yankees faced the O’s for the split game of the three game set. The Yankees fell behind early and were down 3-1 when Johnny Damon continued his hot-hitting sending a three run shot over the wall putting the Yankees up 4-3. In the 9th inning Mariano Rivera came on and did what he does best and closed the game out for the Yankees. Yankees win 5-3.

The Yankees record is 15-16 after 31 games. not what you would expect from this team looking at it on paper, but Teixeira is a slow starter, A-Rod has just returned, CC and AJ are doing well but the bullpen has been questionable at best. None of the bullpen pitchers have specific roles so it’s hard for them to be comfortable on the mound one night they’ll be pitching the third because the starter and the next they’ll be in the eight trying to set-up Mo.

Hopefully the Yankees will make the playoffs because I am NOT sitting through another boring postseason in the MLB.