July 25, 2006
NY's NL This Week
By jrhippe
Talk about a team that's grand slam happy.
After Cliff Floyd and Carlos Beltran each hit one in the same inning last Sunday in Chicago, Beltran slapped another out in the very next game and Jose Valentin recorded his second GS of the season against Houston.
According to Elias Says on ESPN.com, the Mets are the first team in major league history to hit four grand slams in a five game span. That's pretty darn impressive.
The Mets' pitching this week was also impressive. Rookie John Maine pitched a complete game shutout of the Astros on Friday night after Mike Pelfrey went six innings on Tuesday and improved to 2-0 on the season. He came back to earth on Sunday afternoon against Houston, giving up five runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Who says this team needs another starter anyway?
John Delcos of The Journal News blogs that Jeff Wilpon doesn't see the need in added another arm right now.
"The Mets have spoken to Washington for Livan Hernandez, but the Nationals keep asking about Mike Pelfrey and/or Lastings Milledge.
That's too high, and with a double-digit lead, the Mets don't feel they have to deal to get into the playoffs. And, once they get there, they will go to a four-man rotation anyway."
I tend to agree.
BASE HITS
- Jose Reyes returned to the Mets' lineup on Tuesday in Cincinatti after suffering the sore wrist from sliding headfirst into first base. He went 0-4, was walked once and scored two runs in the 8-3 New York win.
- A bit of controversy was stirred up after David Wright was seen promoting a "faith healer" that is going to be appearing later in July at MSG. On Saturday afternoon on WPIX in New York, Wright reportedly said "Hi, I'm David Wright. I invite you to the 'Salvation Miracles Revival Crusade' with Dr. Jaerock Lee, at Madison Square Garden, July 27, 28 and 29." On Tuesday the team and Wright issued statements denouncing any such affiliation or association and the commercial was "produced without authorization or approvals through an abuse of a media-newsgathering credential." Intriguing stuff to start the week.
ON DECK
- The Mets (perhaps) get to feast on the poor Cubs pitching again with a three game series at the Sheadium. Wednesday's game starts at 12:10 PM.
- Then it's off to the ATL for a weekend set with the Braves. Will Atlanta keep their hot play up when they play New York for the first time since early May.
- Trade deadline is next Monday (July 31). Who'll come and who'll go?
Sorry for the delay again this week. NY's NL This Week will be a regular feature here on YankeesSuck.com, appearing on Mondays.
Questions, comments, conundrums, concerns? email: jrhippe@canada.com
To the people who run this site...
I have 2 questions...
1) Why are you letting a Met fan have his say on this site. It seems inappropriate. And...
2) Why is it so difficult to post comments? This is the 4th time I've tried to post something today. It keeps asking me to register, but my grandson did all that for me already. WHy so much trouble just to voice an opinion.
Send that Met guy back to NY where he belongs.
-Montgomery
Hey Montgomery,
Thanks for the message.
As far as I understand it, this isn't only an "anti-Yankee" site, but a baseball site in general. There are several Mets' fans who are also on staff, but unfortunately too busy to post, so I'm glad they've given me the opportunity to write about New York's other team. Yes, NYC does have two baseball teams. And just for the record, I'm not from New York.
Hopefully your login problems have been solved and you don't have any trouble in the future leaving comments.
Jim Ross, Mr. Ewing or Junior,
At least it's the first non-writer comment posted in the past month.
Furthermore, this site is NOT a general baseball site for all intents and purposes; some writers have attempted to accomplish that metamorphasis, but the majority of the YS community is drawn in by the blunt title: Yankees Suck. It is that core community that makes this site so interesting and unique. Sure, anybody can write about baseball in general (as Karlsie, myself and various others have), but this site will always and forever be "Yankees Suck".
Monty,
Just by the by -- the person who owns this site is a Met fan, perhaps his interests in the New York Mets add yet another dimension to how this website is anti-Yankee (remember, the Mets and Yankees ARE major rivals). Regardless, I do understand what your point is, and I can see what you mean.
As far as the posting system goes. I'll go on record as saying this: I have told Lefty that this system is broken, that it should be changed, and quite frankly, I think it sucks.
Welcome to the site.
Cheers,
Jack Jablin
Jack,
I always respect your opinion, but I disagree with something you have written. As a Yankee fan, I do not consider the Mets to be major rivals of the Yankees(other than the six games they play a year). That's a baseball reality to me. Mets fans on the other hand, I think are preoccupied with the Yankees. I think they are tired of being second to the Yankees all these many years. I am not just talking about championships won either. The Yankees will still outdraw the Mets in ticket sales this year- even with the Mets doing so well and being in the same lucrative market. Many high profile players have said how they would love to play for the Yankees- I don't hear that said of the Mets. The Yankees started their own network- then the Mets do the same. I come from a family filled with Mets fans, and I see the way they compare everything about their team to the Yankees. I personally find the current Mets team to be a bunch of fun guys to watch and root for. As a New Yorker I want them to do well- just not when they play the Yankees.
Sonshine,
There is a difference between a hateful rivalry (Boston/New York) and a "rivalry" (Kansas City / St Louis springs to mind). Rivalries to not have to be two teams hating each other as much as two teams that frequently compete.
The Yankees and Mets compete for New York fans through ticket sales, TV ratings, and sponsorships. Are the Yankees way ahead in this rivalry? Of course they are. But to say the Mets and Yankees are not rivals is to say that the Brewers and Twins are not rivals; just because the two teams don't play each other 20 times a year (as the Sox and Yanks do) doesn't mean that there is not a deap yearning to one-up a team.
Cheers
Jack,
You make a fair point. I think the rivalry however, is more with the teams owners and fans (towards each other). The actual games played between the two teams is no more important than any other. It isn't the fact that the Yankees play the Red Sox 19 times that makes the games important, it's the fact that they are in the same division. It also helps the current rivalry that both teams are powerhouses trying to reach the same goal.
Isn't it somewhat of a pissing contest? Without interleague
play the NYY and NYM might meet in the world series every fifty years or so. Big Deal.
Is there a rivalry between the Celtics and the Red Sox,
between Kelly Clarkson and Katharine McPhee, between Keanu Reeves and Ashton Kutcher? NO.
We Bostonians hate the NYY because they get in our way of winning almost every year.
I could careless about the Mets, there may be only one or two cute guys on the whole team.
-Nat
The truth is, the Yankees and Mets do have a rivalry.
It doesn't matter that they only face each other six times a year, it's more of a proximity thing and something that the fans want to brag about.
I have a few Yankee friends who I love to rib about when they lose to the Mets and vice versa. It's the beauty of interleague play, having these geographic rivals.
I understand how some fans feel the games between the Yankees and Mets somehow matter more than the games between say, the Braves and Yankees do. But the reality is they don't matter more. If and when the Mets start to win their division with regularity, and maybe start to pull some fans to their side, maybe then the games will mean more. For the past decade the Mets couldn't even win their own division. I would rather lose to the Mets, than lose to the Red Sox, period.
Jack,
Dear Jack...
Thank you for welcoming me to the site, and to you and J.R. for clearing things up regarding the Mets' postings. The way you put it makes more sense to me now. I agree with your 'rivalry' discussion, but I must ask (rhetorically, of course) -- will there ever be a better rivalry then Yankees/Red Sox?
-Montgomery (or 'Monty' as you guys call me)
P.S. Please write back. It's good to have new 'friends'.
Monty,
At the end of the day, the Red Sox / Yankees rivalry is a great definition of mankind. We Americans think of it as the greatest rivalry ever, as we think of ourselves as the greatest species ever.
However, the fact of the matter is that to the rest of the world, the Sox/Yanks rivalry isn't nearly as great as the Manchester/Liverpool rivalry or even a number of international sporting rivalries. Just like how Mankind is just a footnote to the history of the Earth.
As far as the limitations of BASEBALL goes, yes, the Sox/Yankees rivalry is large. However, had the Sox and Yanks not gotten tremendously good in the late 90's, I don't think we would even be talking about it today. I think Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez and Wade Boggs are the only reason that this site even exists, for they are the ones who truly elevated the rivalry to legend.
Cheers,
Jack Jablin
Jack,
Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez and Wade Boggs sure did add to the rivalry, no doubt. But I gotta tell you, this rivalry existed long before you or I have. I know you have heard of Munson and Fisk- now those guys hated each other! The Yankees have been a thorn in the side of the Red Sox even before Bucky Dent. It was a pretty strong rivalry during the Dimaggio/williams era as well. The thing about this rivalry is we can actually pinpoint it's beginning: It all started when Babe Ruth was sold to the Yankees. Sure, it has grown since then, but I think it finally became a TRUE rivalry when the Red Sox embarrased the Yankees in '04. I mean, how could it be a rivalry if the same team always won?
Jack...
I don't think of makind as the greatest speicies ever. Far from it. In fact, I think we suck. For one, we're selfish, egomanics. We watch way too much TV; we don't exercise; and when we finally get sick, we expect the doctor to give us a quick fix. We're a nation of of pill-popping narcissists.
Technology has created a compartmentalized society where people rarely interract with each other (unless they have to, or need something). Our 'elected' leaders are corrupt. Our religious institutions are just out to make a buck. And the environment is now in the toilet.
Call me an old man with distorted views, but I've seen this society rapidly deteriorate over the last 50 years. I pray for my grandkids. Sorry for the tirade...
Getting back to your point about the Manchester/Liverpool rivalry, sure it's a rival with plenty of history, but I don't care for soccer (like most Americans). Some say Michigan/Ohio State is the biggest rivaly in sports. I don't care for college football either. I love baseball. I love the Red Sox. And I love the rivalry. And I agree with that 'Sonshine' fellow about how far back this spectacular rivalry really goes. Thank you for listening.
-Monty
Monty,
You didn't understand the point I was making. The human race IS egotistical and DOES think of itself as the greatest species alive... For all of the reasons you mentioned! We ruined our own planet, we designed inventions that MADE us lazy because we decided we were too good to push ourselves.
Yes, we aren't the greatest species, but that wasn't the point I was making.
As well, you simply prove my point by saying you don't watch soccer. IF you lived in Europe, you wouldn't know who David Ortiz is. The "greatest rivalry" is all a matter of perception.
Cheers
Jack...
I like the way you write -- with insight and intelligence. My apologies for missing your point. As I re-read your previous post, I see the error of my ways. Mea culpa.
Regarding rivalries, yes it's all subjective. I'm just happy I love in the states. I love baseball. And I love them Sox. Two things I know you too are passionate about.
Keep up the good work, son. You're an asset to the baseball commmunity.
-Monty
Just caught a typo in my previous post. I meant to write...
"I'm just happy I LIVE in the states."
Oops!
-Monty
Monty,
Don't sweat it. If the worst thing you do in your lifetime is take something the wrong way, you should be a very happy person.
Welcome to YS.com
Cheers,
Jack Jablin
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