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Monday, April 27, 2015

Mets Learn First Lesson of Baseball: Never Discount the NY Yankees

      Discount is exactly what the NY baseball pundits have done until now.

      http://diaryofarepublicanhater.blogspot.com/2015/04/to-think-yankees-prefer-michael-kay-to.html

      My objection hasn't been the lauding of the Mets-though their 13-3 start was only 16 games and they no Michael Kay, they hadn''t played that many good teams; ok they did beat the Nationals 2 of 3 games to start the year. Of course, the question that begs is: are the Nationals still a good team?

      http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/WSN/

     Ok, the Mets have to play who's on their schedule, I grant that. And, what you notice in today's baseball, is there aren't that many good teams-period.

      https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/standings/

      However, you know who has beaten some good teams? How about the Yankees? Nobody thinks they're the dominant team anymore but they keep beating the teams that are supposed to be the top teams. First they played the Tigers. They lost the first one where CC pitched lights out but he lost a tough pitching duel 2-1. At that point Detroit was 11-2 and the Yanks were 6-7. The Yanks then went on to sweep the last 3 in Detroit.

     http://diaryofarepublicanhater.blogspot.com/2015/04/yankees-13-tigers-4-old-bombers-blow.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DiaryOfARepublicanHater+%28Diary+of+a+Republican+Hater%29

     Now, this weekend, playing-according to the Michael Kays of the world-the Amazin Mets, maybe the best team to ever play the game-that's what you'd think listening to Kay or the announcers on last night's game on ESPN.

     The Yanks ended their 11 game win streak and then went on to beat them 2 of 3.

      http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/27/sports/baseball/alex-rodriguez-closes-in-on-willie-mays-as-yankees-beat-mets.html?_r=0

     http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/27/sports/baseball/alex-rodriguez-closes-in-on-willie-mays-as-yankees-beat-mets.html?_r=0

     http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/04/26/baseball-roundup-yankees-beat-mets-win-subway-series/Aukv1QBuWyHkFtbXniqlGP/story.html#


    Now the Bombers-they lead the league in home runs-play the Devil Rays tonight with both teams sharing the AL East lead at 11-8. I guess this is another chance to beat a top team-though the Rays sure didn't look like a top team last week when the Yanks swept them in Tampa.

    P.S. Listening to the announcers on ESPN Sunday Night last night as usual we were treated to the anti A-Rod management position. The idea that we could be treated to the other side of any question is unthinkable I guess. Apparently A-Rod should just forget the $6 million the Yankees are supposed to pay him when he ties Willie Mayes at 660-which he will do with his next HR after last night's first inning shot-because: He doesn't need it. 

   Ok, so do the Steinbrenners or Cashman need the $6 million? One of the worst arguments about why you don't have to pay money that you've agreed to pay them is: Well, gee, you don't need it, so I'll just hold onto it.

   Because you know. the Steinbrenners can't afford $6 million.

   In truth, this is purely vindictive. Why you would want to do this, where the team has a real chance to contend, and A-Rod if he can stay healthy looks like he may be a big part of this. Why would you want to argue about $6 million right now.

   The answer is that it's not about the money-for either side, it's true. For A-Rod it's about recognition of what he's accomplished-yes, a lot of people claim what he's done is tarnished, though I have no sympathy for that view.

   For the Cashman, it's just a vindictive desire to hurt A-Rod and deny him this recognition. The argument that the Yankees are making that his 660th HR is no longer a marketable event is absurd. If that were true whey are we all talking about this? In a way there's more focus than ever precisely because of this conflict.

   They're upset that A-Rod sued them-but I for one think he had cause-to say nothing about the Player's Union who had promised that those tests in 2004 would be anonymous.

    P.S. Some have suggested the people criticizing the Yankees for their treatment of A-Rod hate the Yankees. Obviously, reading me you can see this is not true-I love the Yankees, just think they should be smarter than this, even better than this.

    At least they're not being as shortsighted as how the Angels treated Josh Hamilton-simply eating that huge contract and letting him go to the Texas Rangers-a major divisional rival.

    "Hamilton's trade back to the Rangers is not official, so no reintroductions are in order yet. The proposed swap – with no other player involved – has to be approved by Major League Baseball and the players association because of the amount of money involved and because Hamilton would be forfeiting about $6 million of the more than $80 million left on the five-year, $125 million contract he signed in December 2012."

    "With Hamilton forfeiting money - expected to be made up by Texas' lack of a state income tax - and the Rangers kicking in about $2 million a year, the Angels are expected to pay Hamilton $68 million to go away."

    "And end a strange and at times ugly saga in the franchise's history."

     "The Hamilton deal, in which the Rangers will add the slugger for the cost of a tank of gas in Southern California, has percolated all weekend. With the Rangers, Angels, Hamilton's representatives, Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association all involved, there is a lot of dialogue and a lot of detail to iron out and approve. It is expected to be receive final approval Monday morning."
     "The bottom line is this: When everything is completed, the Rangers will get Hamilton back from Los Angeles at a cost of about $6 million spread over three years. The Rangers will send no players back to the Angels. Hamilton, however, has not played this season while recovering from shoulder surgery. He is expected to be ready in 2-3 weeks. For now, his "arrival" is more of a conceptual boost for the beleaguered hitters."

    http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/04/26/angels-josh-hamilton-rangers-farewell/26431967/

    http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/texas-rangers/headlines/20150426-grant-rangers-suddenly-find-life-as-josh-hamilton-deal-looms.ece

    So at least, the Yankees are not the Angels.

 

 


     

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