Time to celebrate

that was awesome mark.....i wish we could all cyber douse each other with internet champagne

wow mark added an update to the update.....congrats to ur friends....so would you say this team's chemistry is a better dynamic than all the other years since the dynasty? I sense that by what little I know about their clubhouse

*Soaks Vince with Champagne*

looks like i was wrong about this year. huh. who saw THAT coming?

enjoy the rest of the season and the postseason, everyone.

*Soaks Kasey with champagne*

*Soaks all three with champagne*

what a great post! It is great to get an inside report on the Yanks celebration. I would give my left nut to be celebrating with those guys! Very glad to have clinched now and can play out the rest of the season resting key guys and getting sheff and matsui in the field risk free. Its going to be a great october!!!!

Love Jeter's quote:

"It doesn't get old," Jeter said. "This ranks up there with all of them. Every one is different. People say, 'Is this one more special than the others?' They're all special.

"People understand that there's more work to do, but let's enjoy this."

Yup. It never gets old and they are all special...

Spritz me later...no booze on the job!

Daily News reporting:

... that despite a visit by Mets officials on Tuesday afternoon after a Yankee Tuesday morining visit, that the Yankees are on the verge of announcing the AAA move to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The announcement could be made as early as today.

It appears Columbus will be the AAA team of the Nationals.

The Mets contract is up with Norfolk, and they tried a SWB ploy at the last minute. They then tried going back to Norfolk but Norfolk is leaning toward the Orioles.

It looks like the mets are going to be the ones screwed here, as it looks like they are going to wind up in New Orleans.

"who saw THAT coming?"

A lot of people ;-)

I am not really all that excited right now though. This is more than a bit anti-climactic. We all knew they'd be here. The Season starts in ten odd days.

But congrats to them all the same.

who does Mike Lupica think he is?

Whom should he think he is, Lola?

Say it ain't so, the Yankees could shop A-Rod? He could be traded? I know he hasn't had the greatest of seasons, but can we not jump to conclusions until the post-season is over? After all, he is still A-Rod. He was the 2005 MVP. Who would play 3B anyway?
I'm sorry, I know he hasn't been clutch this year, but that's allowed Jeter to move into the MVP spotlight, something I think Jeter has deserved for years. If A-Rod was batting .300-plus and 50 or so HRs, we wouldn't be talking about Jeter for MVP, it would be an A-Rod repeat. Well, can we give the guy a break until the post-season? I'd still rather have A-Rod in pinstripes than batting against the Yankees...especially for the Angels or BoSox. Please, please please tell me the rumors are just rumors.

Haha Lola. Its amazing how two different reports can get something so vastly different out of the same article. Vaccaro from the Posts take is completely different.

OK, I guess I am going o have to go see what Lupica wrote. I don't read his columns.

Who does Mike Vaccaro think he freaking is??

lol, you might need to put on a protective suit or something if that's the case.

sportswriters make me SICK!
The all of them!

why do i even read this ****??? They make me want to *puke*

IDIOTS!

except you mark feinsand. u are cool.

Mike Vaccaro is just jealous because he will never ever be a quarter bit as rich, smart and good looking as Alex is :-p.

Are they just idiots that cant read or do they realize that the interviews where done OVER A MONTH AGO?????????
Who wants to donate to the Mikes getting laid fund? (Mike Lupica and Vaccaro). They need to get laid! LOSERS!

lol, sorry about my outburst. =)

Are they just idiots that cant read or do they realize that the interviews where done OVER A MONTH AGO?????????
Who wants to donate to the Mikes getting laid fund? (Mike Lupica and Vaccaro). They need to get laid! LOSERS!

Posted by: Lola | September 21, 2006 11:34 AM

MMM...Sounds interesting...

Oops, you didn't mean me.

Mike, u arent a loser type of Mike, you are the winner type of Mike. =)

lol

OK, I found and Read a Lupica column "Giambi's still needling - Time to get off A-Rod's case" and actually found it to be pro-ARod.

What problem did you have with that column Lola?

And now who is Mike Vaccaro? Does he write for a paper somewhere?

I'll freely admit I'm a cynic. I think the timing of that article is not exactly coincidental.

"looks like i was wrong about this year. huh. who saw THAT coming?"

Uhh, just about every Yankee fan with a brain in their head. You were the guy claiming win after win that it wouldn't matter, the Red Sox juggernaut was just too much for the Yankees to overcome. A 5 game beatdown occured and you STILL thought it wasn't enough. So the answer to your question Kasey is EVERYONE. Go Yanks.

Vaccaro writes for the Post.

A friend e-mailed me, he got off the phone with someone from Scranton and says the AAA move is a done deal.

Thanks, Mike. I will have to look for his column. I do not read the Post unless a specific srticle draws me there.

The NY paper I read the most is Newsday, mostly because I grew up on Long Island, and the Times as a secondary source.

Paul, dont bother. Its just a rehash of everything u have heard. These writers need new material. I am tired of the same old same old. *yawn*

And oh, by the way, i wasnt saying that because he said anything bad about alex (i dont only defend alex, u know :-p ) just in general what he said about giambi and his tone.

Plus i just think he needs to **** cause i am tired of him thinking he is the smartest guy in the room.

plus the title really got under my skin. like really.

The Sports Illustrated article is just plain stupid.

Stupid for the players involved, each of them.

It was intended to sell magazines, stir up a little trouble maybe.

But the bottom line is the players allowed the article to happen, knowing full well no good could come of it.

Good clinching afternoon everyone!! :)
This comment caught my eye when scrolling thru:

//Who wants to donate to the Mikes getting laid fund?//

Ummm can I donate to the Mike Mussina getting laid club.. I will give all I have! hehe *evil grin*

LOL sorry...You ladies on this blog are very good at not drooling over Yankee hawtness but that one was just too good to resist :)

Anyhoo, I did just go out and get Post and Daily News.. not only is Mike Vaccaro a complete piece of poop-for-brains but he's also a plagiarist..he's saying the EXACT same thing John Kruk said last night. If he has to bite his caustic one liners off the fat, ugly, annoying cohost of BBT, then he is even more pathetic than I first thought. If A.Rod is reading his press today, I hope he realizes this!

Now I just wrote a long treatise which I was going to post here. I think maybe I won't.

But I am disturbed by the tone this blog has taken this last hour.

When someone does not agree with you on a sports issue you declare him unable to sexually satisfy himself?

I saw the same thing happen a couple of days ago when a few jackals ganged up on Kasey's foolish pessimism.

Tawdry stuff. I am disappointed.

The attack on Kasey was on Pete Abe's blog.

Hi Paul :) ...re: your post..
As much as I malign certain baseball journalists, as a journalism student myself I do understand their dilemma. Their jobs are on the line, if they don't/can't produce interesting and sometimes controversial copy, the editors will find someone else who can. So while I do understand where they're coming from, the A.Rod situation is REALLY out of hand and at this point theyre just rubbing salt in a wound that *was* already practically healed. Also I am REALLY sick of ESPN's anti-Yankee bias...especially when Tino has to sit there and listen to it :( A.Rod *should* be able to ignore bad press but he is who he is, and I just hope he is not letting this get to him.

You ladies on this blog are very good at not drooling over Yankee hawtness but that one was just too good to resist :)

Posted by: a24diun@yahoo.com | September 21, 2006 12:17 PM

LOL, says who. I am never ashamed to drool over yankee hotness. LOL, ask around =) ha ha

Paul, my mistake on getting laid comment. I guess its a youth speak habit...we dont mean malice by it, but i see your point.

and i work around guys..lol..the solution to everything and everyone is "they need to get laid". i picked up the habit, i guess.

LOL, says who. I am never ashamed to drool over yankee hotness. LOL, ask around =) ha ha
Posted by: Lola | September 21, 2006 12:31 PM

****, glad I am not alone there! :)

Gina,
i can talk about yankee hotness all day, but i'm sure Mark Feinsand would shut me down, ****!

Check the new tagline on my blog http://yankeeslo.mlblogs.com ha ha

Just read Pete's blog about Giambi and Bruney doing shots of Jack, I love it!! :) LOL I knew Giambi would go for something harder than bubbly. Gotta love him and every time I celebrate a big Yankee win that I know they're celebrating too, I motivate myself by asking, "can I drink more tonight than Giambi will?" hehehe

Yeah, Bruney does seem like a Jack kind of guy...

LOL I love it Lola! Left you a comment!

the yankees are the most good looking team in the mlb. You've got a shortstop that every girl and their grandmother wants, a 3rd baseman with movie star good looks, a 2nd baseman with an incredible smile and twinkle in his eyes (my hubby!), a incredibly delightfully adobarable outfielder named Melky (even comes with a cute name!), the best dimples in the league in bobby abreu, a tattooed first baseman with bad boy appeal, Farnsie the Fox as the makeshift closer, an incredibly gorgeous top pitching prospect in phillip hughes, the cutest 1st baseman ever in andy phillips, a tenured catcher with the most adorable ears i've ever seen, a loveable top 50 best looking people nominee in mr williams, ...need i go on?
Kevein Thompson, Jose Veras, Dotel, Wang, Jaret, Mariano...all men that are also attractive. Man, i'm a lucky girl! :-D

//Yeah, Bruney does seem like a Jack kind of guy...//

Indeed! This whole time I have pictured him driving a jacked-up pickup truck that's roughly the size of my bathroom, blasting Metallica.. the Jack fits into that picture perfectly!

Amen, Farnsworth is so hot it should almost be illegal. Especially w/his glasses on!
LOL I gather all my fellow Yankee chicas here already have their hubbies set..I know we all have to share Jeter and A.Rod lol but I hope Moose is not taken yet cause he is sooo mine! :)

Ha ha, i dont believe the Moose has been hooked on this site yet. I think the moose is pretty handsome too. I might admire andy, farnsie and tanyon sturtze (i miss him :-( , but i am already hooked to the second baseman and i have eyes for him and him only. :-D
(except if Grady Sizemore happens to, you know, be in the area.. :-D)

Hey folks ... just because you don't agree with someone doesn't make them wrong.

I haven't read Vaccaro's column yet, but he is one of the best columnists in the city.

As for the SI piece, I thought it was very good. Verducci may be the best in the business, and his reporting is tremendous. Again, you may not like it because you feel people are picking on Alex, but it was a very interesting piece.

Hi Mark,
i agree with you that just because we dont agree doesnt make them wrong.

And it is a matter of opinion that you think Vaccaro is one of the best columnists. He may very well have written some pretty good columns, but for the most part, the impression i get from reading him is that of someone who lacks objectivity and doesnt care to see the issue from a neutral standpoint, or from both sides of the fence. This impression was reinforced in today's column, and i honestly wouldnt have paid it mind, because i am familiar with his writing tactics by now, but today's column was pretty bad. Not only did it implicitly state incorrect "facts", but it also seemed to be spurred more by personal malice than just reporting of sports.

I miss Sturtze too...does anyone know if he will be back next year?

As for Verducci, i dont believe anyone can disagree with his writing style and talent he has to carry along the reader with him. He's a good writer, thus he writes good pieces.
I dont believe the case in question is of if the piece was good or not, but rather the intent and timing of when it was released. The said interviews were done a month ago. I find it interesting they perfectly timed it for now to release. I believe it was all a scheme to create propaganda and drama in other to sell papers. I dont fault them...the sports business is just that, a business. So to me, he is just doing his job.

Who i do fault though, are the people who refuse to think objectively themselves. And thats with every issue past sports. Politics, current affairs, whatever...the media should not be seen as a voice of reason, but rather a source of information for the masses to take and draw up their own logical conclusions.

I just found it interesting because two writers got two completely different columns out of the same article. A lot of that article is in how you intepret it. I do agree with whoever it was who said that all of the players involved allowed themselves to be interviewed. Its not like they have editorial control over the final result OR how its interpreted. If they want control, don't say anything. Simple as that. I dont think Alex helped himself out by some of the things he said, to be honest. I also think it didn't portray Giambi in the best light, I really dont think he meant things the way they came accross, but thats just my interpretation. I dont particularly care for SI as a magazine - I canceled the trial subscription I had - but I do think it was an interesting article. I think the timing of it (just as the yankees are going into the playoffs) is unfortunate, but I admit to being cynical, lol. I do realize that lengthy *to print* times between when an interview is conducted and when the actual article is released are actually quite normal for magazines. I personally think a mountain is being made out of a molehill with this, and all I hope is that it doesn't hurt the team. Arod has been great in September and I think it would speak volumes if he didn't allow this to derail that, or even be perceived as doing so. I dont think Arod is infalliable or perfect, and I can see what people mean when they talk of his strange people skills..they maybe could be a little better developed, lol. Like Lola says though, he's not a criminal or a wife beater and he plays hard and gives his all, and there are things about him to be admired too. I'd love to see them win #27 and put some of this to bed for once and for all.

Oh, i apologize for the length of that post and the bad spelling/grammar that will be contained in it. Proofreading is my friend, but I didnt do it on that post - too much of a hurry and it was longer than I though, lol.

*thought.. not though.

I give up, lol.

No more posting when I can't be sure to post something that somewhat articulate, lol.

Sturtze will be 37 next year and is coming off major shoulder surgery.

It might be a good bet to think that his career could be over.

Who's a Wang Lover here?

If you want to see a cool multimedia interview from the NY Times with Wang (just him talking), go here:

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/khtml/2006/08/11/sports/baseball//20060813_WANG_FEATURE.html

A related/printed version can be found here with a link to the multimedia show:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/13/sports/baseball/13wang.html

Vaccaro is good at times, although I have called him out a few times for not doing his research. (I've done that to a few columnists...some appreciate it, some don't...hey, I'm not the one who did the sloppy research!). Once I corrected Jayson Stark twice in the same week. He recognized his errors and was very gracious in thanking me.

The last time I called out Vac was when he was pleading for the Yanks to take Clemens back and I argued against it. I know Roger is doing nicely in his "half-season" but I still would argue against it.

Olney stated yesterday or today that he thinks Roger will go to Boston next year. Let him. Another "half-season" and if he goes to Boston he may find the AL lineups too tough for him. He will be 45 next year so he may also find that he lost it, and that's just what we would love! Nothing better than for Boston to find out in mid-August that their nice rotation addition simply doesn't have it anymore in some key divisional tilts.

Just my opinion...

I prefer Joel Sherman.

Pretty cool eh?

Playoff predictions (has no bearing on reality whatsoever):

Twins pull the miracle an win the AL Central. Face the A's in the ALDS.

Yanks face the Tigers.

ALDS:

Twins beat the A's in 3 games to 2.

Yanks beat the Tigers 3 games to 1.

NLDS:

Mets beat Wildcard 3 games to 0.

Cards beat NL West champs 3 games to 2.

ALCS:

Yanks beat Twins 4 games to 2.

NLCS:

Mets beat Cards 4 games to 1.

World Series:

Yanks beat Mets 4 games to 2.

I'd have to look this up, but I believe the Yanks won the season series against both the Twins and Tigers (I know they did vs. the Tigers). So if there is a 2 or 3 way tie, I believe that the Yanks own the tiebreaker.

What was the Twins/Tigers matchup like? Who won that tiebreaker?

if you have the numbers on the head to head, post if you can. I'm on a work break so I can't do it until I get home.

Here are the remaining games. As of now the Yanks are 92-60, Detroit 91-61 (-1) and Minny 90-61 (-1 1/2) for AL best record.

Yanks...4 @ TB, 3 home Balt, 3 home Tor.

Det. ... today a makeup @ Balt., 3 @ KC, 3 home Tor., 3 home KC

Minny...today @ Boston, 3 @ Balt. 4 home KC, 3 home White Sox.

Somehow, despite the teams involved not including the Braves, Atlanta will still lose 3 games in the playoffs' first round.

Mike,

3-3 with the Twins

Fri Apr 14 @Twins L 1-5 Sat Apr 15 @Twins L 5-6

Sun Apr 16 @Twins W 9-3

Fri Sept 1 Twins W 8-1

Sat Sept 2 Twins L 1-6 Sun Sept 3 Twins W 10-1

Thanks, Paul. If the Twins win the division, and they finish tied with the Yanks, who gets the tiebreaker?

I'll try to log on later tonight, but I have a column to write for our fanclub before I do.

Later!

OK, that was hard to read. I should have Previewed first.

3-3 with the Twins

Fri Apr 14 @Twins L 1-5

Sat Apr 15 @Twins L 5-6

Sun Apr 16 @Twins W 9-3

Fri Sept 1 Twins W 8-1

Sat Sept 2 Twins L 1-6

Sun Sept 3 Twins W 10-1

The April team was a different team though. That seems eons ago.

Can someone explain this to me?

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=caple/060921

It is much uglier vs the A's.

The Yanks are 3-6 against Oakland and 6 games were in NY.

Mon Apr 3 @Athletics W 15-2 Randy Johnson

Barry Zito

Tue Apr 4 @Athletics L 3-4 Huston Street

Scott Proctor

Wed Apr 5 @Athletics L 4-9 Joe Kennedy

Jaret Wright

Fri May 12 Athletics W 2-0 Chien-Ming Wang

Barry Zito

Sat May 13 Athletics W 4-3 Jaret Wright

Brad Halsey

Sun May 14 Athletics L 1-6 Dan Haren

Randy Johnson

Fri Jun 9 Athletics L 5-6 Dan Haren

Randy Johnson

Sat Jun 10 Athletics L 2-5 Kirk Saarloos

Mike Mussina

Sun Jun 11 Athletics L 5-6 Barry Zito

Kyle Farnsworth

Against the Angels the Yanks were 4-6 and 6 of those games were at the Angels.

Say what we might about the Angels but Oakland seems to be a greater nemesis.

Ok, I'm cheating very quickly....

The Proctor loss was after Proctor just got off the plane after dealing with a serious family situation (if I recall, his wife and baby?).

Andrew, Caple is known for being very anti-Yankee.

There are times when he is a real wise-*** jerk in being that.

This is another of those times.

Tigers vs Twins

Tigers 11 wins

Twins 8 wins

Tigers vs A's
9 games, 6 in Oakland, 3 in Detroit

Detroit wins 5, Oakland wins 4

____________________________

Twins vs A's

10 games, 4 in Oakland, 6 in Minneapolis-St Paul

Minnesota wins 6, Oakland wins 4

Andrew, I read the article you linked to, the ARod victory speech and I thought it was hysterical. I loved it.

Thanks.

Caple even wrote an entire anti-Yankee book called "The Devil Wears Pinstripes."

Anywho, as one of the ladies on this blog, I think Scott Proctor is a hottie. Sure, there's Jeter, A-Rod, a clean-cut Johnny Damon looking all Calvin Klein out there, sure, there's Farnsworth and Mariano, and Dimples Abreu...what's not to like about looking at the Yankees?

But, contrary to popular belief, that's not why I'm a Yankee fan. I'm a Yankee fan because they're the most awesome team in baseball! Woo hoo!

Ok, seriously, I hate watching baseball on ESPN. It's all about how great the Red Sox are, how much adversity they had...that Jon Miller is a complete blow-hard who just likes to hear himself talk. The best way to watch a Yankee game on ESPN is with the mute button. I am so sick of all the anti-Yankee drivel, the A-Rod saga (which the idiot announcers only make worse). During one of the Red Sox games Sunday, I could hear the fans chanting "A-Rod! A-Rod! A-Rod!" when he came up to bat in the 9th with one out, a runner on first and the Sox up by 1. Face it, fickle as we apparently are, we love A-Rod and still believe he'll come through in the clutch. I don't think he or Giambi meant to sound like they did in SI. But hey, what's a season without some controversy? Remember Munson and Reggie?

*Soaks all of the above with champagne*

Yes, I've compared the A-Rod 2006 to Reggie's 1977. Hopefully the end result will be the same.

I do see that the twins were 16-2 in interleague and the Yanks 10-8. Since tiebreakers probably deal with what you did within your OWN league, does that mean the Yanks would have the advantage?

Twins/Yanks 3-3 this year...hmm...if twins win division and have same record as Yanks, who is # 1 seed?

Back at ya Alex, soak it up.

They might use a coin flip in that case Mike.

Did they come out with the schedules for the Divisional Series yet? Usually 3 of the 4 will start on the 3rd, with the other starting the following day. Any word?

Not from what I've seen. But the Yankees schedule might look like this presuming they get home field.:
Oct. 3: Home

Oct. 4: Home

Oct. 6: Away

Oct. 7: Away (If necessary)

Oct. 8: Home (If necessary)

That is what I thought and what i am going by, Alex. Thanks.

I'm on vacation 10/2 to 12, so I'll be camped in front of the TV watching the games!

I'm part of a play on the 6th and 7th so hopefully both games will be scheduled for 8 ET (which is 9 here). So I'll be able to catch it around the 2nd or 3rd hopefully.

Or maybe the Yanks could just sweep so I only have to worry about it on one night.

i just watched video of clubhouse celebration. it didnt look to me like the team hates arod as the media is puting it. they looked pretty happy with him, cause he got champagned and celebrated with, just like everyone else.
happy to see that.

Lola, I think you're taking all of this A-Rod stuff the wrong way. No one has said that everyone hates him. The SI piece focused more on Giambi and Torre taking a little more of a "tough love" approach with him to get him out of his slump.

To think that he wouldn't have been celebrating would be ridiculous. There have been several players over the past five years that most other players couldn't stand, yet they also took part in the celebrations.

Also, stop lumping all media together. It's just not fair.

Mark, do you have any idea as to what the playoff schedules are or where they can be found?

As far as I know, the Yankees will have their home games on Tuesday and Wednesday, with Games 3 and 4 on the road Friday and Saturday. Game 5 would be back in the Bronx on Sunday.

Times won't be announced until the matchups are set.

Oh ok that's the same as last year except reversed. Thanks Mark.

I'm glad the Yankees won't have to face a west coast team. That was ridiculous last year playing game 2 at 10:05 ET. I came home from school and slept for 3 hours so I could watch it. haha

Ok Mark, i apologize for lumping all the media together =).
And its not the SI article that makes it seem as such, its the other ones taking the article which was already probably taken out of context, yet again out of context and reading too deeply into it as all his team mates hate him. Thats not what the article was about, i know that. But we all know all SOME sportswriters needed was a little petrol to light their fire and they'd take it into a whole new dimension. In the past day alone, i have heard and read way too much nonsense for me to not be peeved about it as i am.

I am not trying to lump the media together...there are some sportswriters i respect for being objective, yet being able to do their jobs. Its just that when it comes to certain issues (the yanks, arod), some of them lose all objective edge and completely go haywire.. :-/

But i should stop talking about this issue...i'm tired of it. Its just that i just read this article about him being a clubhouse cancer that nobody likes, and i watch the video and i'm like, thats right about the most stupid thing to say, given what we all can see happening here.

*Pours champagne on Lola*

Alex how did you celebrate last night. As a fellow underage, I had a bottle of coke and a can of Pringles.

Well, Andrew, the Yankees didn't clinch until after about 11:30 so I listened to the end of the game on the radio then went to sleep before the Twins and Sox finished (I knew Minny would win anyway) so this morning I got up and had a bowl of Frosted Flakes while reading all the aritcles and looking at the celebration pics. haha

LOL, Alex u are like the Randy Johnson of this blog, pouring champagne on all of us cause you are taller than us :-D ****

Interesting questiont today that was debated on Mike and Mike.....Santana is scheduled to start the last game of season for Twins. Do you use him and if Twins are tied and win, Twins get home field, or do you by pass him so he'd face the Yankees twice in a 5 games series and possibly lose home field? Of course Mike Greenburg said he'd save Santana for NY and Golic said he'd pitch him to win home field...

Wow I want some Pringles.

I had 3/4 of a glass of wine and then went back to iced tea.

I like those baked potato flavored Pringles.

And the Baked Lays chips.

And those Harvest Grain ones or something like that. Other potato chips are too greasy to me.

I agree with Paul about the ARod acceptance speech. Capele is responding to the SI article with humor and playing to the idea that everything ARod does is scripted. Yankee fans might be a little defensive right now becuase the SI article has become a news story itself, but I think the acceptance speech is funny.

Mark, is there anyway we can try to get one of our players to keep a mlblogs like David Wright, Jorge Cantu, Haren and Robertson do??

even if its just our batboy (although i'd personally prefer robbie :-p)

I think Melky should blog in Spanish (since he doesn't speak a word of English) and then Jorge or Rob can translate for us.

Enough chatter about A Rod and this and that. It is playoff time, which means our pitching has to step up, we have to get everyone 100% healthy, and get some timely hitting. I don't want it to be a repeat of the 2005 ALDS. Let's go Yankees!!!! More often than not, solid pitching and quality defense will wins titles......

I don't think Harvest Grain is the name of the chips I like. it is Sunchips or something like that.

Congrats again, seems NY is in quite happy mood of city. Can't believe it is first yr both NY teams got division titles, too much cyclic.

I know the media is all biased and all, with some reporters very anti-Yankee. But that's media--that's why there's free press, you have people saying what they want, and how they think. It is good for society. You don't need to read/listen to it, or agree it. They can say all they want about A-Rod, thing is just for A-Rod to ignore them, and just play his game.

As for playoffs:

AL East: Yanks

AL Central: Twins (I think they can surge past)

AL WC: Tigers

AL West: A's

This would be more favourable for Yanks than facing Twins first. If they face Twins first, unfortunately, I have to give Twins the edge in the first round. If home field and wc/division comes to final weekend, I think the Twins will look at their chances, and would prefer to rest Santana for Game 1 instead of using him in last game, unless they win No. 1 seed. I think so, and that'd be wise for anyone to do.

DET @ NYY: Yanks in 4 - Detroit's miracle season will not last long as postseason glare blinds and traps tigers; their fantastic pitching staff will win them a game, but offence is too behind

OAK @ MIN: Twins in 4 - Twins have awesome combination of pitching and fundamentals with improved offence, while A's will fight usual late fatigue; Metrodome will be big advantage

No predictions further, since that's hayseedish.

When you look at season series, look closeless beyond the number of wins. Important are how the games are when, when were they played, any players unavailable then, where the games were played, the team's standing before the series, important plays during the games, and how the games were won. Those are all critical, and series later in the season and on the road really magnify a team's potential against opponents.

The only teams Yanks don't want to face are California teams. Simple as that.

Paul, yes sunchips are the brand and I agree they are excellent. Harvest Grain or harvest cheddar or something is the flavor.

Uh oh. Looks like Rich Harden is back and rolling.

3 IP, 1 ER, 7 Ks...

Thomas, I asked last night, but you may have missed it.

Of which team are you a fan, if any, or do you just like baseball?

From the UK? Canada?

Yes, Alex, that's it.

Sun Chips® Harvest Cheddar Multigrain Snacks or

French Onion.

Wow, I want some!

I also love French Onion Soup...especially the melted cheese on top.

The best I ever had was at a small bar/restaurant in Montreal. They make all their own soups but the French Onion is outstanding.

The most unusual French onion soup I had was in a Lebanese restaurant.

What was the name of the place in Montreal?

Saloon on East St Catherine St., out of the way of the center of activity.

A friend recommended it and I went back a number of times.

Not sure if it is still there but when I return to Montreal I will be sure to go if it is.

Another great place to eat there is Mike Bossy's Steakhouse.

But we did not see Mike when we went.

I had a favorite Thai restaurant that was on Amherst St but closed.

Oh and Carlos and Pepe's on Peel St, I think. Good Mexican place. About a block from the good movie theater with stadium seating.

I used to also go to the Peel St Pub which had cheap pitchers of beer and chicken wings. Great place to watch hockey games.

Also was there with friends for a bachelor party. Yeah, we went to Montreal for a bachelor party.

Some of the guys who were not familiar with Montreal expected to use lots of $1 bills during our nighttime excursions for entertainment and were surprised that there were $1 and $2 coins and the smallest bill was $5. It is awkward using a $1 coin in the same way you would use a $1 bill.

OK I am just rambling on. Devoid of baseball tonight, dagnabbit, I babbled without making my desired point on the Peel St Pub.

It was closed right after the bachelor party visit by the health department for recirculating beer among other things.

I have to say, that on that visit we left no beer in the pitchers nor glasses that could be recirculated.

I am getting ready to intercept the your-child-was-missing-today message from school at 7pm.

I got back from lunch 20 minutes late because one of my friends had the brilliant idea to go to Starbuck's after lunch. So naturally, we step back out and see that we were supposed to be in class 5 minutes ago. We sped back, almost killing ourselves and when we got back we were 20 minutes late so we really didn't feel like going to class and just skipped. So now I need to intercept that phone message.