Tampa Bay Rays

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 >>

In Mets-Rays Match, Will R.A. Dickey Reach MVP Status?

I'm trying to remember -- was last night the first time ever that Yankees fans rooted for the Mets and vice versa? The two teams helped each other out by whipping the others' division rivals, and in doing so, I think, helped give good definition of their teams' respective character. The Mets, beati ... More >>

Bullpen Keeping Bombers In The Fight

You'd probably think that a baseball team's losing its young, hot right-handed starting pitcher and three-quarters of what was being touted as the best bullpen in baseball would hurt any chances it has of staying in contention. But after a rare sweep of the A's in Oakland, capped by a 2-0 shutout Su ... More >>

Jose Reyes: A Franchise Player the Mets Can't Possibly Replace?

​Judging from the enthusiasm being displayed on the radio call-in shows, Mets fans may be putting a little too much stock in Jose Reyes' resounding statement on Friday that he's not going to go with Scott Boras as his agent in upcoming contract negotiations. That is, if they are assuming t ... More >>

David Wright Trade Rumors Another Sign Mets Fire Sale May Be Imminent

​Are Mets fan going to be responsible for a self-fulfilling prophecy? As ESPN.com's Adam Rubin points out, "The chatter on the airwaves about considering dealing [David] Wright has intensified, since he would yield more than any other player on the roster. It is a far more extreme suggestion t ... More >>

Valiant Losses? Here's Why the Knicks Shouldn't Even Be Playing

​Let's put the Knicks' postseason performance so far into perspective. Yes, Melo's dazzling performance in Tuesday's night game -- not just the 4 points but the 17 rebounds and six assists, not to mention the 13 points in a row -- was the most memorable Knicks night in several years. And yes, ... More >>

Why The Mets Are Only Going to Get Even Worse

​Just when you think things can't get any worse for the Mets, you think they can get worse. As Bill Madden points out in today's Daily News, the Mets don't have much to look forward to in the free agent market this winter "when the two biggest sluggers coming to the market, Albert Pujols an ... More >>

Manny Ramirez: No Chance for the Hall of Fame?

​If it hadn't happened while Barry Bonds was on trial, Manny Ramirez might have made the Hall of Fame. As you've heard by now, Manny's career is over. Late last week Major League Baseball released a statement confirming what many had been whispering about: Ramirez was in some violation of bas ... More >>

Buck Showalter Ticked Off By Derek Jeter? He Shoulda Kept Quiet About It

​Let's deal with this now so we don't have to deal with it before the April issue of Men's Journal hits the stands. According to the Sporting News, Orioles manager Buck Showalter -- who for some reason Men's Journal thinks is a hot subject for a profile -- has taken pot shots at Boston's g ... More >>

Who Wants to Be the Next Mets Owners?

​This morning's New York Post made it a lot easier to set up your office "Who's going to end up owning the Mets once the Wilpons have to repay their Madoff money?" pool, by running a helpful list of rich guys who, it claims, are in the running to buy at least a share of the Amazin's. Less help ... More >>

Yankees' Biggest Loss of the Year: The Worrying Omens

​Apparently I wasn't the only one who watched the Yankees' hideous 10-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays last night feeling that the Bombers had just bombed in their most important game of the season. There is Filip Bondy, for instance, in today's Daily News: "This was a very big game...C.C. Sabat ... More >>

Derek Jeter Is a Melodramatic Pussy (Video)

The (second-place) New York Yankees are heading into their first game tonight since losing against the (first-place) Tampa Bay Rays. In those games, though, the the Yankees lost more than the game: They took a hit of pride, too.

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 >>

Joe Girardi and the JV Squad Somehow Get Love from the Daily News

​Apparently there were two baseball games between the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays played Sunday afternoon - the one I saw and the one written about by John Harper in the Daily News. In the game I saw, Joe Girardi, with his ace C.C. Sabathia on the hill, had an inexplicable attack of ... More >>

New York and Philly Go Nuts, Real Americans Less Interested

TV executives expect big things from the Yankees and the Phillies, ratings-wise. "We don't have to worry about anything," says the President of Fox Sports. Perhaps. But while Series Fever is high in New York and Philadelphia, we are reminded that folks in the hinterlands disdain big eastern cities; ... More >>

Tampa Bay Resumes Role as Pain in My Ass

​So we're back to this again, huh? Tampa Bay just secured a place on my fantasy team of "People to Kill." Or rather, I think this is more in line with what I have in mind. Saturday's game between the Yanks and the Devil Rays (which is what I'm back to calling them for the next day of the sea ... More >>

162 Games Later, The Job(a) Gets Done Right

​From the Daily News: Joba Chamberlain will return to his old role today, heading back to the bullpen for the Yankees' regular-season finale against the Rays. I don't know whether I find this aggravating or amusing. I can't over the image of Girardi and Co. saying to themselves, "Hmm, you k ... More >>

CC Sabathia Bookends Outstanding Season with Brutal Outings

​When CC Sabathia introduced Yankee Stadium to the world in the regular season home opener, his $161 million paycheck was a real knee-slapper to haters everywhere. Yankees don't lose home openers. They just don't. And in their new stadium's maiden voyage? No chance lance. But I guess the In ... More >>

The Penultimate Regular Season Game

​It sounds a lot more dramatic when you say it like that. But really, like every game since this past Monday, it means nothing. The Yankees play the Rays, and then they'll go on to play more baseball next week, too. The same can't be said for Tampa Bay. Where do teams get their drive from, af ... More >>

A Nice, Round Number for a Nice, Round Pitcher

​ Last week the games didn't count. The Yankees called upon the "the linebackers," aka the young farm boys with jersey numbers that are more typically seen on defensive linemen than they are on the baseball diamond. Girardi still filtered in his star players, but it was clear and unsurprisin ... More >>

PLAY BALL!

The Yankees host the Tampa Bay Rays

Jockbeat: Yanks With Best MLB Record, So They're The Best Team in Baseball, Right?

​After sweeping the big four-game series with the Red Sox, are the Yankees now favorites to win the AL East -- and to go on and win the World Series?  You betcha, but let's not print those World Series tickets yet. Though New York has the best record in the AL -- heck, they've got the be ... More >>

Interview: MSNBC's Willie Geist on New York Baseball, His Jeter Love, His Desire to Drill Pedroia, and More

​ We're pleased to see that our Morning Joe favorite Willie Geist has finally been given his own TV show. Way Too Early With Willie Geist now leads off MSNBC's morning schedule, airing (if one "airs" on cable) at 5:30 a.m. (That's 2:30 a.m. Pacific time, where the show is no doubt known as Wa ... More >>

The Queer Issue: Beefcake's Golden Age

Jockbeat: Red Sox Cry Uncle After Yanks Spend Half a Billion

For years, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have been locked in a bidding war for baseball's highest priced free agents. And now it appears that the Red Sox have finally blinked.According to the Associated Press and Business Week, Red Sox owner John Henry called -- for the second time -- for ... More >>

E-mails Show City's Tricky Math in Yankee Stadium Deal

Evening Edition: Golisano's Mind/Money Games, B'way/Mets Notes

Bronx Bumblers

How can a team with four Hall of Famers fall so far?

Doubting Thomas

Even Isiah can't fix the Knicks

Fantasy Baseball

A fan's notes: How the Yankees became the Freuds of Summer

Sports

Sports

Sports

The Baseball Wars

A Labor Conflict Primer

Sports

Kickin' It Old School

Major Leagues, Minor Men

Life Is a Perpetual State of Audition for Players on the Fringe

A Century Of UNI Watch

Mayor Pander

'Single-Standard' Rudy Bows to Baseball Bigwigs and Staten Islanders

Ball Bearings

World Theories Preview