By Dan Rodgers
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm a contributing writer on an up-and-coming sports media site, and the one I'm with is NYSportsNut.com.
I finally contributed another piece now that I've actually moved to Pennsylvania and the craziness is starting to subside a bit.
The Yankees made a move to get Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki. They didn't give up much and here's the link to my article.
Yankees Acquire 10-time All-Star Ichiro
Rodgers That
By Dan Rodgers
We are almost an entire month into the MLB season. There have been a few surprises so let's talk about 'em.
Records
By Dan Rodgers
Well, it's official...after winning game five and keeping their hopes alive, the Yanks lost game six in Texas 6-1. The Rangers advance to their first World Series in franchise history.
I don't really want to talk about it too much right now because of how upset I am, but it is important to get the news out. I am extremely disappointed in the Yankees and how they performed in the ALCS after sweeping the Twins in the ALDS.
I guess congrats to the Rangers...it will be a tough challenge for them whether it's in Philly or San Fran...should make for an interesting Series.
ALCS MVP: OF Josh Hamilton
As Chuck Tanner, manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates during the World Series championship in 1979, said, "It's hard to win a pennant, but it's harder losing one."
There's always next year boys...I love you.
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By Dan Rodgers
Today we experienced just about everything except the NFL, which of course, is saved for Sundays at this point in the season. Some of the exciting headlines
MLB:
By Dan Rodgers
This is just a quickie to give some respect to MLB. My New York Yankees came back from five runs down last night to beat the Texas Rangers, in Texas, 6-5.
It was an unbelievable win for the Yanks and a crushing loss for the Rangers. C.J. Wilson threw a great game and was taken out when OF Brett Gardner beat out a ground ball to the first baseman. After that, the next six Yankees got basehits, totaling five runs in the eighth inning off of a combined five Texas pitchers.
Mariano Rivera came in, and we all know when he's in the game is as good as over. Game 1: Yankees win. Game 2: Today, should be interesting to see how the Rangers respond to the loss.
The NLCS is what everyone will be paying attention to today though because it is a phenomenal pitching duel. Probable Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay looks to teach a lesson to young phenom Tim Lincecum. Philly is hoping to continue their dominance in the post-season as the favorite to win the NL Pennant.
The Giants typically don't score a ton of runs and will be going against someone who threw a no-hitter in his first career post-season start. If the Giants can steal this one, Philly should get nervous, but I don't see it happening.
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By Dan Rodgers
It's late and I'm tired, but this is too good to not mention.
On Wednesday Oct. 6, 2010, Roy Halladay joined former Yankees pitcher Don Larson as the only two pitchers in MLB history to throw no-hitters in the post-season. Of course, Larson's was a perfecto in the 1956 World Series and Halladay's was only a no-no in the ALDS. I am not trying to take anything away from Halladay by any means.
Roy Halladay is the most ridiculous pitcher of my generation. **Correction: starting pitcher. Doc got screwed for the first 12 seasons of his career because he had to pitch for the Blue Jays. No disrespect to the Jays, but they were mediocre in the best division in baseball that boasts an AL East representative in the World Series nine of the 12 seasons he was there.
Roy is unreal and I couldn't have more respect for him. He is a phenomenal pitcher, far above anyone right now. He has been great and deserves a ring, but I'm just hoping it won't come at the expense of my Yankees.
Good luck to him and if only his pinstripes were blue instead of red.
Rodgers That
By Dan Rodgers
Last night in the New York Yankees game Derek Jeter was "hit" by a pitch. This is in quotes because it appears that the ball hit Jeter's bat and then his leg. That would, by rule, be a foul ball and Jeter would have to finish his at-bat. However, the homeplate umpire ruled that it hit him and Jeter was awarded first base. Of course, Curtis Granderson then hits the go-ahead two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning.
This would have become extremely controversial if the Yanks had held on for the win, but Phil Hughes gave up a two-run homer to Dan Johnson in the bottom of the inning. The Rays ended up holding for the 4-3 victory.
Given that Jeter's acting essentially didn't hurt the Rays, I don't think it's that serious. In fact, Jeter was just doing whatever it took to get on base. Without replay, we wouldn't have even known that he did it. Players could have been doing this for years and no one would know without replay. Players always look for the competitive edge in whatever sport they play, for example:
By Dan Rodgers
It's late, very late...and I sit here thinking what it's going to be like when I say to my kid..."Man, Lou Piniella was too funny when he argued a call..."
He will probably say, "Who is that?" I will sigh and explain to him who this guy is.
Lou Piniella was an OF for 18 years in the big leagues. He spent most of his career as a Yankee, lucky him. However, that is not even close to what he will be remembered for. "Sweet Lou" will be remembered for the 23 years he spent as a manager.
He got his start with...none other than the New York Yankees. He didn't last long, and left after his third season. Piniella was hired by the Reds and 
won the World Series in his first season as manager. He became well-known for the fits he had when arguing; primarily kicking dirt, throwing his hat, and throwing a base.
Piniella only lasted three seasons in Cincinnati as well. He was then hired by Seattle where he last for 10 seasons, including: two Manager of the Year awards, tied the record for most wins in a single season (116), only manager to take Seattle to the playoffs.
Piniella was traded to the Rays in 2003 and spent another three seasons in Tampa Bay before heading to the "Windy City". He spent approximately three and a half seasons there, retiring in the middle of the 2010 season.
"Sweet Lou" will undoubtedly be remembered for his temper, as well as the shows he put on when arguing a call. However, we will definitely miss him.
W 1,835 - L 1,712
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By Dan Rodgers
We will start with the only sport that is currently in season and run down the important things that have happened recently.
MLB
By Dr. Jekyll
It’s been a long hiatus, but thankfully baseball is a long season. Looking back on the first part of the season has offered a lot of incredible story lines. There’s the incredible performances of Ubaldo Jimenez, the deaths of The Boss and The Voice, and a complete dominance of big league pitchers. There are potential triple crowns and pitchers throwing their brains out and more than likely not breaking ten wins on the year. So with that, let’s take a look at how each team stacks up at the half way point of the season.
AL East
Let’s start things at the top, and by the top, I mean with three of the four best teams in baseball, who all happen to be playing in the same division.
New York Yankees: They lead the majors in runs. They’re deadly from top to bottom in the lineup. And as though that's not enough, they have a lot to play for. What better way for the Bombers to send off Steinbrenner than taking a championship home in his honor. Really, there’s no reason apart from injuries or their own division to keep the Yanks from putting up another banner come next season.
Tampa Bay Rays: Always the brides maid, never the bride. And this season looks to be playing out similarly. Behind a top 5 pitching staff and a very solid middle of the lineup the Rays are a dangerous team, and probably the best shot at knocking New York off their pre-made pedestal come postseason.
Boston Red Sox: Injuries, injuries, injuries. With an all-star lineup sitting on the DL, it’s impressive that the Sox have hung on as long as they have. As great as it is to have a gritty underdog, an August swoon looks inevitable for this club. The bullpen has been atrocious, and apart from surprising contributions from minor leaguers like Bill Hall, this season has turned into a feel-good wash.
Toronto Blue Jays: They’re leading baseball in homers, but that doesn’t do much when no one is on base for them. They’re probably the best .500 team in baseball, and in a weaker division may be making a playoff push. They’re starting to look like the Rays from a few years back when they showed flashes of promise but ultimately were left without a helpful result. Look for them to make a one and done attempt akin to what the Marlins do in the next year or two.
Baltimore Orioles: Anyone who saw this team going somewhere at the start of the season was either a season ticket holder or thought Matt Wieters could magically play every position. Neither happened, although the latter was probably for the best. Wieters is having a porous sophomore season after all the hype from tearing up the minors. This is a team that reeks of rebuilding, and probably should get used to their spot as division bottom feeders for the foreseeable future.
AL Central
Chicago White Sox: There is absolutely nothing special about this ball-club, and I’d be shocked to see them do anything come playoff time, assuming they’re still in position to even make the post season. Literally middle of the pack in every offensive and defensive category, this team is a testament to all that is good about Ozzie Guillen. Apart from being a great sound bite, he can coach a team. They make playoffs and this is a coach of the year candidate.
Detroit Tigers: Miguel Cabrera is putting together an MVP season and willing this team to stay in the division. Currently he’s sitting either second or first in all three of the triple crown categories, and the Tigers need every bit of it if they’re going to hope to hang in there until the end. This is a three team race, and they’re probably on the short end of the stick when it comes to a supporting cast for their star players.
Minnesota Twins: Probably the best team in the Central to seize control of the division, Minnesota is only just out of first despite losing their closer to start the season and having Joe Mauer play through quite the slump this season. They’ve found a diamond in the rough in Carl Pavano, and Francisco Liriano is showing some of the flash that made him so great a few years back. Once they start clicking they’ll be repping the division come playoff time.
Kansas City Royals: They have the best batting average in baseball. They have a top of the line starting pitcher. They’re everything you’d want in a sleeper team, but they just haven’t clicked quite yet. Still a year or two off, this is a team on the rise in a winnable division, just not quite ready to break over the hump. Get Billy Butler another season under his belt, and get some run support for Zack Greinke (who may not break ten wins despite a great statistical season), and this team can make some noise at the top of this division. A second place spot next year isn’t out of the question by a long shot.
Cleveland Indians: The Cleveland Indians are a shell of the team they were just three seasons ago. Fausto Carmona is the only player on this team even worth mentioning by name. Like the Orioles, they are in clear rebuilding mode, but don’t seem to have the depth of talent to make that a quick transition. Get used to the basement fellas.
By Dan Rodgers
We have reached the midway point in the Major League Baseball season. The all-star break is approaching and every team has played about 80 or so games. The all-star lineups were listed today, but I will write another post on that closer to all-star weekend.
This post is for predictions the rest of the way.
AL EAST
1. New York (1 seed)
2. Boston / Tampa Bay (tiebreaker for 3 seed)
4. Toronto
5. Baltimore
AL CENTRAL
1. Minnesota (4 seed)
2. Detroit
3. Chicago
4. Kansas City
5. Cleveland
AL WEST
1. Texas (2 seed)
2. Los Angeles
3. Seattle
4. Oakland
NL EAST
1. New York (2 seed)
2. Atlanta (3 seed)
3. Philadelphia
4. Washington
5. Florida
NL CENTRAL
1. Cincinnati (4 seed)
2. St. Louis
3. Milwaukee
4. Chicago
5. Houston
6. Pittsburgh
NL WEST
1. Los Angeles (1 seed)
2. San Diego
3. San Francisco
4. Colorado
5. Arizona
Divisional Round
New York (AL) over Minnesota
Tampa Bay over Texas
Los Angeles over Cincinnati
New York (NL) over Atlanta
Championship Round
New York (AL) over Tampa Bay
Los Angeles over New York (NL)
World Series
New York (AL) over Los Angeles
^Six game series in a rematch of the classic New York Yankee/Brooklyn Dodger series.
Look for an awards prediction post in a bit.
Rodgers That
By Dr. Jekyll
Apologies for the hiatus, but when life gives you
The Los Angeles Lakers remind me that every sport constantly needs a bad guy. I’m not an NBA fan by any stretch of the imagination, but I tune in to watch them lose… Andrew Bynum makes me feel like a failure at life for doing what he does at my age. Originally, I ate cake while watching the game for enjoyment, now it’s eating feelings…
Strasmus came early this year in DC, as the resurrection of the franchise is in the hands of ohmygodthiskidcanpitch… For how awful it is that
I really hate Chris Pronger, and Duncan Keith was robbed of a playoff MVP trophy in the only sport where the playoff MVP trophy is just about pointless…
I watch soccer games on mute, thank you vuvuzela. Also, ESPN should have Spanish announcers do the World Cup as well; they’re much more active…
Speaking of active, Rajon Rondo is the reason the Celtics will win this NBA finals, as opposed to ’08 where they won in spite of him…Kobe Bryant is still “the next Michael Jordan”. No knock on LeBron, but when
Everyone throwing no-hitters every week is getting annoying. Want to make an anniversary less special? Have one every other day. See what I mean…?
Soccer won’t make it big in the states for one reason: that all of our best athletes play football or basketball. And the moment they’re good enough to play at an international level for soccer, they’re shipped to
The realignment of the conferences will be the death of age old rivalries, but will eventually lead to the playoff system over the BCS that we all desperately want…USC is doomed, Lane Kiffin will miss Oakland, if such a thing is possible…
By Dan Rodgers
My Tuesday night was fairly eventful. My girlfriend and I decided to attend our second Yanks vs. Orioles game in a week, this one at Camden Yards. Of course she forgot the camera so I took a couple pictures with my phone...nothing special. Whoever said Yankees fans aren't nice was dead wrong. My girl and I were standing in line to buy the eight dollar cheap seats when some guy motioned for me to come over to him. Kind of sketchy right? Well, he had two seats he wanted to give away to me. Fine with me considering 
they retailed for sixty bucks each and we were going to spend eight bucks on our tickets. They were beautiful and under cover, just in case.
Granderson, Swisher, and Teixeira all homered for the Yanks; Adam Jones hit a two-run homer for the O's. Granderson's bomb was a grand slam, an extremely exciting moment in the game... for Yanks fans. O's fans had had enough and most of them left the game early, but the Baltimore team did show some fight scoring two runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth.
In other news, Stephen Strasburg showed absolutely dominance in his MLB debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates. I know he gave up a two-run homer, but he also struck out 14 and walked a magical zero in seven innings of work. He is the first pitcher in MLB history to strike out 11 or more batters and walk none in their debut. That's pretty impressive considering the sport is over 100 years old. He finished his appearance retiring the previous 10 batters he faced, striking out the last seven. The Nationals did him right and scored five runs and Strasburg was credited with the win, as Matt Capps closed it out for the Nats and now has a MLB-leading 19 saves.
There isn't much else to say about Strasburg besides the fact that his next opponent, the Cleveland Indians, have already sold the most tickets to that game then any other this season. Enough said.
Oh, I also heard that there is restaurant in D.C. that now has the "Strasburger". So if you're in the area you should check it out...I know I'm going to.
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By Dan Rodgers
Just a quickie here guys. I am going to the Orioles vs. Yankees game tonight to watch my beloved Yanks hopefully kick the crap out of the O's. I'll take some pictures at the game and post them for you.
However, the real point of this quickie is because Stephen Strasburg will be starting for the first time in the big leagues tonight. He will face the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park.
Strasburg pitched in eleven games in the minor leagues, earning nine decisions. He posted an impressive 7-2 mark with an astounding 1.30 earned run average. He seemed to completely dominate while he was down there and proved to the Nats and the rest of baseball that he is ready to pitch in the majors.
He struck out 65 batters in 55 and a third innings and only walked 13 batters. Only one lucky fella hit a homer off of him, and we'll see if the Pirates can add to that total tonight. Look for Strasburg to only throw a maximum of 90-95 pitches. However long he can drag that out is up to him.
I wish the best for him and the Nats; living in the D.C. area for so long has put the Nats in my heart.
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By Dan Rodgers
This post is going to simply and clearly explain why this year's NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs prove why sports are great.
The eight-seeded Montreal (Habs) Canadiens beat Sidney Crosby and the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games. The Habs absolutely owned game seven, winning 5-2 on the road. The team from up north now looks to take on either the (7) Philadelphia Flyers or the (6) Boston Bruins.
This series is another great story because the Bruins were up three games to none and now the Flyers have won three in a row. Coming back from three down in a series is an almost unprecedented feat in the sports realm. (I would know, my Yanks blew it to the Sox in '04)
No one should care about the other conference right now. The Sharks beat the Red Wings four games to one, and the Blackhawks overtook the Canucks in six games.
The reason the West doesn't matter is because it's one vs. two in the conference finals. In the East, it's eight vs. six/seven.
That's awesome and it's awesome that the Flyers came back in the series. This is when random people pay attention. I'm not a Flyers/Bruins fan by any means, in fact, I strongly dislike both those sports cities to say the least. However, I will definitely at least be semi-watching the game because of how awesome the story is. Maybe it's just the journalist in me, who knows.
All I know is that I'm rooting hard for the Habs to go all the way, preferably against the Blackhawks. I think if Montreal plays the way they've been playing, they have a legitimate shot to win the Cup.
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Hey everyone,
Just so you know, I will be heading off this weekend to a retreat with my fraternity brothers of Alpha Epsilon Pi.
I hope everyone has a great weekend, and have no worry that we will crank out some posts as soon as I return on Sunday. Here are some things you might want to think about over the weekend:
By Dan Rodgers
Many people, especially non-baseball fans, think that the game is way too long and there should be time constraints. The Yankees/Red Sox opening weekend series took nearly 12 hours to complete. Umpire Joe West felt the need to openly complain about the series, calling the two teams "pathetic and embarrassing" for needing so long to play the game.
Personally, I feel like this is ridiculous. West should be fined and/or suspended just like a player. Not to mention, the two teams he insulted are arguably the two best teams in the Major Leagues who will die to win. He has no right to call these teams out when his job is to sit back and call balls and strikes. They take their time and are careful because it is a part of strategy. I have great respect for teams who find every aspect of the game as part of their strategy. Every pitch, mound visit, time out, and substitution matters.
Somebody with authority needs to tell these umps to shut up. This is baseball, sit back and enjoy the beautiful weather...and the game of course.
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By Dan Rodgers
Oh my how time flies...it's finally April and that means....the start of the MLB season!
Tonight, my New York Yankees re-enter the biggest rivalry in sports and take the field in Boston against the Red Sox.
This game is one of over a dozen that these two rivals will play this year. Last year the Yanks lost the first eight in a row against the Sox before winning nine of the last 10. The Bombers have shown that they have developed chemistry and the additions of Curtis Granderson, Javier Vasquez, Nick Johnson will add plenty of depth and experience to the powerful Yankee lineup. Vasquez and Johnson will both be entering their second stint with the Yanks and Granderson brings a good bat and a great glove in the outfield.
Boston made major renovations to both their lineup and rotation. The Sox added Adrian Beltre, Marco Scutaro, and Mike Cameron to the starting lineup. They also picked up Jeremy Hermida and Bill Hall to provide some depth off the bench.
The rotation, however, is the most impressive in the big leagues. Yes, even more so than the Yankees and the Phillies. The rotation headlines with Josh Beckett of course, but there is no drop off to the number two in Jon Lester. Not to mention the fact that John Lackey is the number three. All three of those pitchers have the potential to be 20-game winners. Oh, by the way, Dice-K is the fourth and he has already won 19 games in a season. Youngster Clay Buchholz and veteran Tim Wakefield round out the staff.
This game should be exciting as Sabathia battles Beckett in a game I think the Yankees will take. The Bombers developed a ton of chemistry last year during their World Series run. That was something they had been lacking in previous years. It is also the reason the Yanks win tonight and take the division. The Sox made a lot of changes this off-season and it will take time to develop the chemistry the Yankees now have.
Enjoy the game...and the season.
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By Dr. Jekyll
Ah, spring training. A time of high hopes and dreams, where everyone in the Major Leagues is convinced that this could just be the year. After a five month hiatus, baseball is ready to get back in full swing. The sight of the bright lights in the stadium, the scent of freshly trimmed grass, and the sound of Ozzie Guillen enhancing the Spanish to English vocabulary of every boy and girl.
But most importantly, a time for looking into crystal balls and knowing exactly how this season will unfold. Just a quick side bit, order of appearance is order of division standing. So, without further ado:
The Yankees consistently find ways to upgrade what is consistently the most talented roster in baseball, and barring a slew of freak injuries look to be playing postseason baseball once again. Upgrading with Curtis Granderson and letting a struggling Johnny Damon walk. Letting Wang walk after this past season may come back to hurt the Yankees on pitching depth, but let’s be honest, as long as Mariano Rivera is closing things out, there won’t be much to fear.
The Red Sox bring arguably the strongest starting rotation in the majors to the mound, with an All-Star ageless wonder in Tim Wakefield even battling it out for a roster spot. But the hits on David Ortiz over the past two seasons have to make you wonder if a team in such a strong offensive ballpark is going to be able to keep pace with the Bombers.
The Tampa Bay Rays are one of those teams you just consistently feel sorry for. With one of the youngest and most talented teams in the league, it’s got to be frustrating being consistently stuck behind big spenders in
Things in Baltimore haven’t been this hopeful since Ripken Jr. retired, but unless Matt Weiters can pitch and bat for all nine roster spots, this team is still a year or two from being in contention.
As for the Blue Jays, at least they still have Roy Halladay… er, I mean hockey. Yeah, they still have hockey…
AL Central
Apart from
Meanwhile, Zack Greinke mops in more sympathy votes after the Royals fail to put together anything impressive over the offseason. Alex Gordon isn’t ready to carry this team to anything other than a third place finish in the division at best.
Which leaves
AL West
Folks in
The fact that the Rangers look to finish second in this division is more a testament to the bleeding out of their
And on the topic of those Angels, so long Chone, Vlad, and Johny Lackey. Staples from this team’s success have all departed the golden state, and the man to replace them? Hideki Matsui. Yeah, good luck with that. The saddest part is that with enough injuries to
Money Ball hasn’t been worth a dime in quite a few years, and it still looks to be another solid year for coming to fruition. A healthy Ben Sheets makes this an average team, but without him they could be looking at one of the poorer records in the league.
By Dan Rodgers
The Philadelphia Phillies have said they have reached an agreement on a 3-year deal worth upwards of $60 million. Oh, I forgot to mention that the deal is with Toronto Blue Jays all-star Roy Halladay. The deal would send Halladay to the Phillies for prospects and in the process the Phillies would send could-have-been World Series MVP Cliff Lee to the Seattle Mariners for prospects.
This is the kind of deal that baseball fanatics, such as myself, love to see in the offseason because baseball disappears for a few months. So it is nice to see the MLB making headlines in the middle of December. However, it is even better to see that a divisional foe of my Yankees got rid of its ace/Yankee killer. Halladay was always spectacular but especially against the Yankees so I am glad to see him cross over to the NL. However, it is not nice to see that the Phils dealt Cliff Lee, who was phenomenal against the Yanks in the World Series, to the Mariners who are in the AL. Now Seattle has King Felix to go along with Lee and if you as me, that is one of the best one-two punches in the majors.
The Phillies are also looking to sign outfielder-first baseman Ross Gload to add some depth to the team. However, a more notable action is their pursuit of Fernando Rodney or John Smoltz to bolster up their bullpen.
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