Al West

The Jackie Robinson of Gay Rights

In one of the more light-hearted moments in 42, a nearly-naked Ralph Branca (played by Hamish Linklater) confronts an equally near-naked Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) on the question on why he doesn't shower with the rest of the team. After a minute or so of hemming and hawing, Branca blurts ou ... More >>

Yankees 2012: OK But No Cigar...Yet

Is it possible that following one team up close, day by day, for an entire season, can actually give you a distorted rather than accurate perception of how good they are? Like many Yankee fans, I've been ruthlessly criticizing the team's performance, or at least its performance since the All-Star ... More >>

The 2012 Yankees Don't Suck Nearly As Much As We All Thought They Did

I don't think anyone, even the most arrogant of Yankee fans -- am I being redundant when I say "arrogant Yankee fans? - thought the Yankees would be in 1st place in the AL East at the All-Star break. Certainly not after losing their big stud starter Michael Pineda before the season started and Mar ... More >>

A New York Team Didn't Sign Roy Oswalt?

The Texas Rangers are probably the best team in baseball, and that is, in large part, because they are also the smartest. Nolan Ryan took a gamble today, and it's the best kind of gamble: one that doesn't cost a lot of money and one with a good probability of delivering some dividends. Roy Oswalt i ... More >>

Don't Worry About Andy Pettitte -- Worry About Tex

You could tell that it was a special day at Yankee Stadium when the Bleacher Creatures broke from tradition and started a chant for Andy Pettitte which got most of the 41,000-plus to chime in. I don't recall the Creatures ever chanting the starting pitcher's name when they do the first inning lineup ... More >>

Kuroda Wows In Yanks' Home Opener

Any Yankees victory over the Los Angeles Angels is sweet, but this afternoon's 5-0 win was particularly sweet. No sooner did Albert Pujols say, in effect, that Opening Day at Yankee Stadium was "no big deal," Hiroki Kuroda went out and made a big deal out of it: 8 innings, 5 hits, 6 Ks, ZERO runs. ... More >>

TAKE ME OUT

New York Yankees host California Angels

Cardinals Win World Series; Suicide Bomber in Afghanistan; Qantas Flights Grounded

​The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Texas Rangers 6-2 last night to win their 11th World Series. After letting up 2 runs in the first, the Cardinals scored 6 unanswered to take the series. They were down 2-3 in the Fall Classic after losing game 5 to the Rangers. David Freese was the World Serie ... More >>

Euro Crisis Meeting; Earthquake in Turkey; Gaddafi's Autopsy

​EU leaders are in Brussels today for a crisis meeting on how to resolve the Euro's financial woes. Germany is resisting calls to increase the bailout fund and cut Greece's debt. Bloomberg reports "measures on the table include writedowns of as much as 50 percent on Greek debt, 100 billion eur ... More >>

74 Arrests Made at Occupy Wall Street Protests; MLK Memorial Dedication; Demonstrators Killed in Yemen

​A total of 74 people were arrested yesterday as Occupy Wall Street protesters marched from Zuccotti Park to Times Square. 24 people were arrested and charged with criminal trespass at a LaGuardia Pl. Citibank. Witnesses and protesters say some of those arrested were trying to close their acco ... More >>

Yankee Post-Mortem, Part 2: Too-Much-Moneyball and the Crapshoot Factor

If you're sick of Moneyball clichés, try the cure: Too Much Moneyball, a video from Jest.com that's making the rounds. Our favorite scene is when the actor playing the Brad Pitt role — or, rather, in this scenario the Brian Cashman role — is thinking of new ways to spend money: "Ove ... More >>

Does Brad Pitt Play A Gay Baseball Star In Moneyball?

I could have sworn as much the second I started watching the based-on-a-true-story movie and heard Brad being referred to as Billy Beane. I knew someone by that name! (See above.) He was the hot-looking ex-major-league player who made international headlines when he came out in 1999. He's histori ... More >>

If Mets Go Under, Who Pays for Citi Field?

​If the last ten days in the life of Mets owners Fred and Jeff Wilpon were a baseball game, they would have been shut out, made 17 errors, and hit into a game-ending unassisted triple play. (That last feeling, admittedly, is one that they're already familiar with.)

It's the Real and the Rise of the Rap Nerd

Why this duo's white, Jewish comedy-rap is funnier than you think

Mike Lupica Achieves Long-Sought Sportswriting Perfection

​You could single out almost any Mike Lupica column as typical, but the one in today's Daily News as the Yankees prepare to play Texas in Game Three of the ALCS is really classic. We don't want to belabor the obvious -- that's Mike Lupica's job. Some examples: "The Yankees come home no ... More >>

Robinson Cano For MVP? The Drumbeat Begins

​Robinson Cano for American League MVP? Cano's grand-slammer against the Seattle Mariners on August 22, a game in which he drove in 6 runs, awakened quite a few to the possibility. His performance last night against the Oakland A's -- three for four with three RBIs, including his 26th home run ... More >>

Last Night: Live From Sunday's Dark Disco, A Coveted (And Increasingly Rare) Successful Manhattan Dance Party

​Oakland A's fan there, so the crowd was way better than usual. Pics by Puja.​The struggle between party promoters and Manhattan clubs isn't a new one. Fact is, downtown hip just doesn't bring in the numbers (at the bar or at the door) compared to mainstream crowds and tourists--increasi ... More >>

A-Rod's Winning New Strategy: Collect on Your Debtors, the Texas Rangers

​How's A-Rod doing this season? Well, you know, he's batting .291, having produced 29 runs and 48 hits out of 165 at-bats. Could be worse, but as they say: "It's early." Even better, however, is the other strategy he's employing against rival teams (and we're not talking about his fielding abi ... More >>

PLAY BALL!

The Yankees host the Angels (and our beloved Matsui. Sniff.)

Congress Considers Congratulating Yankees; Bill's Future Uncertain (Update: Bill Passes 386-17; 11 "Present," 19 Abstain)

​Among other urgent business, the House of Representatives is considering today a bill, introduced by Jose Serrano of The Bronx, "Congratulating the 2009 Major League Baseball World Series Champions, the New York Yankees." Among the bill's many Whereases: "Whereas this year the Yankees opened ... More >>

Speed on the Bases

Does Jason Giambi's blabbing mean he wants to be one for the Angels?

The Yankees' Clean-Up Man

Rudy went to bat for the Yanks, and look what he scored.

The Old Brawl Game

Baseball trades fights for hugs in the age of steroid testing

Columbia Students Walk

They're Still Your Idols

Zen and the Art of New York Yankee World Championships

Classic Fall

Careful, Yanks. The Boss Is Watching

Sports

Get a Grip

The $25 Million Man

The Real Reason Baseball Players Are So Rich

Sports

Karmic Relief

Remember When the Knicks Were Good? Even Fairly Good?

Sports

Follow the Money

You’ve Got Baseball Questions. We’ve Got Answers.

Sports

Clemens: The Greatest of All Time

It’s Not a Popularity Contest. It’s a Fact.

Fall Classics

Life in the Cheap Seats Suddenly Becomes Precious

Through the Looking Glass

Steve Phillips Undergoes Transaction Analysis

Crouching Pussycats, Hidden Gems

Moviegoers Avoid Big-Budget Pitfalls

The Winners

2000 Village Voice Sportswriters' Poll Results

Sports

Sports

Capping a Career

A Century Of UNI Watch

The Ultimate Sky Box

Catching the Game From the Cockpit of an Aerial Advertiser

Oh What a Relief It Is

The Cast of Misfits in the Mets Bullpen

Tip o' the Cap

Competing With Cancer

Winterball Heats Up

Grading baseball's off-season moves

Pinstripe Destiny '98

Inside The Yankee Docudrama