The NFL season is knocking on the door step, but there are still several notable and intriguing preseason contests. That means, there is still time to access your favorite team before opening kickoff. Last night, Gang Green lost the battle of New York when they were defeated 31-16 in the new stadium at the Meadowlands. Big Blue quarterback, Eli Manning, was battered and bloodied as the Giants beat up the Darrelle Rivas-less Jets to christen their new home.
Monday night football in August began with both teams dominating on defense. Rivas’ holdout aside, Gang Green prevented Manning from completing a pass on the opening drive of the game. Mark Sanchez, the former USC signal-caller and sophomore quarterback for the Jets, threw an interception on his first snap of the game. Giants’ cornerback, Antrel Rolle, snagged the pickoff and ran it back 59 yards to the one yard line. From the one yard line, it took Brandon Jacob three carries to reach the end zone for a 7-0 Giants lead.
Sanchez settled down after his opening interception to tie the game on the Jets’ next drive. Wideout, Brad Smith, grabbed a four yard pass from Sanchez to complete a 68 yard drive at 8:42 in the first quarter. Gang Green added a Nick Folk field goal to forge ahead 10-7 at the end of the first quarter. Manning orchestrated a drive in the second quarter that left him stunned and knocked him out of the game. Manning faked a handoff to Jacobs on a third and two from the Jets five yard line but the ball popped in the air, causing Manning to crash with Calvin Pace. Pace, the sturdy Jets defensive end, sent the quarterback face first into Jim Leonhard. The brutal exchange with Leonhard occurred without Manning’s helmet protecting his head. Manning exited the game with a cut, finishing an uninspiring 4-for-8 behind center. The Giants did recover the fumble, however, and on fourth down tied the game on a 32 yard field goal.
Gang Green carried a 13-10 advantage into halftime following Folk’s second field goal. The Jets’ kicker added a third field goal seven minutes after the break. Jim Sorgi, Manning’s backup, hit free agent receiver, Victor Cruz for a one-handed 64 yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. Cruz helped Big Blue increase their lead with a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns. Sorgi struck Cruz in the end zone after the speedy wideout raced past a Jets defender. Cruz hauled in six receptions for 145 yards during the win, including a five yard pass from Rhett Bomar to finish the fourth quarter scoring. It was arguably the best preseason receiver performance since Terrell Owens’ 49er days. Sanchez completed 13 of 17 passes for 119 yards. The Jets’ signal-caller does have poise and accuracy, but I don’t see him becoming a gunslinger any time soon. I think Rex Ryan should enact more running plays on offense. As for Tom Coughlin and the Giants, they won the game, but may have suffered the bigger loss. Preseason games are essentially meaningless and for Big Blue to lose Manning for even a game would be an incredible setback. Chewing up their cross-town rivals in August is one thing. Missing Manning for the real deal is quite entirely another.
Parting Points: The Rays are hanging around—to nobody’s surprise. I can’t wait for September baseball. The AL East is up for grabs and the NL West looks like another tight pennant race to the finish.
RIP Bobby Thomson.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
The Payoff Pitch
Decisions do laps inside my head
Zoned in on the home plate corners
The satin hands of the batter ahead
Grip the wood between the mixes of purrs
She chokes up as I wind to throw
A careful focus contrasting a hasty hurl
The momentous release treats the crowds to a show
Where a circling ball choosing how to swirl
It’s the payoff pitch one can’t afford to let pass
The same offering that could draw a walk
Behold the strike zone, for it is not crass
An undefined box inside definitive white chalk
Zoned in on the home plate corners
The satin hands of the batter ahead
Grip the wood between the mixes of purrs
She chokes up as I wind to throw
A careful focus contrasting a hasty hurl
The momentous release treats the crowds to a show
Where a circling ball choosing how to swirl
It’s the payoff pitch one can’t afford to let pass
The same offering that could draw a walk
Behold the strike zone, for it is not crass
An undefined box inside definitive white chalk
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Rodriguez on Repeat
The Bombers skated to an 8-3 victory in the third installment of a four game series with the Royals in Kansas City on Saturday. All-star third baseman, Alex Rodriguez, ripped three homeruns to back another solid performance by pitcher, Phil Hughes. Hughes tossed six innings and allowed all three Kansas City runs to notch his 14th win of the season. The Yankees improved to 72-44 and lead the majors in wins. Rodriguez has 604 career long balls.
Rodriguez stepped to the plate five times and connected for hits on four appearances. After former Bomber, Wilson Betemit, provided the home team with a 1-0 lead in the first inning, the Yankees tied the game in the fifth and took the lead for good in the sixth. The Yankees used some big swings, but it was ARod who carried the team. Rodriguez took Sean O’Sullivan deep on a 1-2 offering in the fifth for his first homer of the game. Jorge Posada went long on a full count and Curtis Granderson contributed a solo shot to put New York ahead by three. O’Sullivan yielded four runs on eight hits through 5 1/3 frames and was dealt the loss for Kansas City.
Betemit went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. The shortstop planted his fifth homerun of the year into the stands during the sixth frame to draw Kansas City one run closer. The Royals added a tally on Chris Getz’s groundout but wouldn’t plate another runner during the contest. The Bombers’ offense beyond the seventh came courtesy of their star clean-up hitter. Batting DH, ARod smoked a pair of two-run homers in the seventh and ninth frames to give the Yankees a five run cushion. His second tater of the game came off Kanekoa Texeira and Greg Holland was the victim of the third. It was the fourth time in Rodriguez’s career he went long three times in one game. Joba Chamberlain induced three consecutive groundouts in the home half of the seventh for New York. Boone Logan and David Robertson combined to throw a scoreless eighth as the Bombers’ bullpen looks more and more efficient through August. Sergio Mitre faced the minimum in the ninth to seal the deal for the Yankees.
Parting Points: The RichRod interrogations have begun. I sure can’t wait for college football season.
Song for Sunday- “Addicted” by Simple Plan
Rodriguez stepped to the plate five times and connected for hits on four appearances. After former Bomber, Wilson Betemit, provided the home team with a 1-0 lead in the first inning, the Yankees tied the game in the fifth and took the lead for good in the sixth. The Yankees used some big swings, but it was ARod who carried the team. Rodriguez took Sean O’Sullivan deep on a 1-2 offering in the fifth for his first homer of the game. Jorge Posada went long on a full count and Curtis Granderson contributed a solo shot to put New York ahead by three. O’Sullivan yielded four runs on eight hits through 5 1/3 frames and was dealt the loss for Kansas City.
Betemit went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. The shortstop planted his fifth homerun of the year into the stands during the sixth frame to draw Kansas City one run closer. The Royals added a tally on Chris Getz’s groundout but wouldn’t plate another runner during the contest. The Bombers’ offense beyond the seventh came courtesy of their star clean-up hitter. Batting DH, ARod smoked a pair of two-run homers in the seventh and ninth frames to give the Yankees a five run cushion. His second tater of the game came off Kanekoa Texeira and Greg Holland was the victim of the third. It was the fourth time in Rodriguez’s career he went long three times in one game. Joba Chamberlain induced three consecutive groundouts in the home half of the seventh for New York. Boone Logan and David Robertson combined to throw a scoreless eighth as the Bombers’ bullpen looks more and more efficient through August. Sergio Mitre faced the minimum in the ninth to seal the deal for the Yankees.
Parting Points: The RichRod interrogations have begun. I sure can’t wait for college football season.
Song for Sunday- “Addicted” by Simple Plan
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Sinking the Sox
It was a Lonestar letdown for the AL East’s third place team Friday in Arlington. Texas topped the visiting Red Sox 10-9 in 11 innings on Nelson Cruz’s leadoff homerun off Tim Wakefield. The Boston knuckleballer had his first pitch crushed into the seats to suffer his third loss of the season. The Red Sox bullpen folded in relief of Josh Beckett, who allowed six runs in five innings. Still, Boston staked to an 8-2 advantage thanks to a seven run fourth inning to lead 8-2. Boston crumbled through the next five frames, allowing Texas to tie the game in the eighth inning. The Rangers went on to win the game to prevent the Sox from gaining any ground on the second place Rays. Both Texas and Boston have 66 wins, but the Rangers hold a sizeable division lead in the West, while Boston trails two teams for the East lead.
Cruz collected a pair of RBI’s for Texas, including a first inning infield single to drive in the Rangers’ first tally. Josh Hamilton scored the first run and was the offensive and defensive star for the home team. Hamilton went 4-for-5 at the dish and scored four runs while making three great outfield snags. Hamilton robbed Jed Lowrie of a possible homerun in the seventh before scoring the tying run in the eighth following his extra-base hit. Hamilton raised his major league leading batting average to .362.
Leadoff man, Elvis Andrus, gave the Rangers a 2-0 cushion in the second by driving in his 30th run of the year. Boston answered in the next inning off Texas starter, Tommy Hunter. Lowrie blasted a homerun off Hunter to pull the Sox within a run. Hunter allowed six hits for the gritty AL West Rangers. Boston knocked him around in the top of the fourth and eventually out of the game all together. David Ortiz led off the inning with a game tying solo shot. Adrian Beltre, the next batter, also went deep to give the Sox the lead. Beltre’s 427 foot shot was followed by another homerun. J.D. Drew took Hunter’s 1-2 offering for a ride to give Boston three straight long balls in the span of seven pitches. Scott Feldman came out of the pen, signaling the end of Hunter’s night. Mike Lowell drew a walk off the reliever and Marco Scutaro singled him in. Victor Martinez added a two-run base hit to put Boston ahead by five. Boston batted around in the fourth, completing their high scoring frame with Ortiz’s grounder that scored Scutaro.
The Rangers began to chip away at Boston’s lead beginning in the bottom of the fourth. Texas tallied two runs on Mitch Moreland’s homerun and made it a two-run game in the fifth on Michael Young’s tater. Drew found the seats again for Boston in the seventh inning off Texas’ Darren Oliver. Terry Francona taxed his dismal bullpen, sending seven relievers to the mound to preserve the game. Texas finished with 17 hits and rallied from a 8-2 deficit to close the gap in the seventh. The home team picked up a run on David Murphy’s sacrifice fly off of Felix Doubront. Boston set-up man, Daniel Bard, surrendered a run on Bengie Molina’s double to score Cruz.
Bard faced the dangerous Vlad Guerrero with two outs and a runner on second in the eighth inning. Guerrero grounded weakly to second base, but the Lowrie rushed the throw to first. The Texas slugger was ruled safe after Lowell came off the bag and Hamilton kept running until he crossed the plate. Both bullpens were effective in retiring batters in the ninth and tenth. Neither team connected for a hit until the decisive eleventh. Wakefield’s first pitch was drilled to left to send Boston home losers and handing David O’Day the win. O’Day hasn’t been scored upon since June 1 and has 26 1/3 straight scoreless frames for the Rangers. The teams go at it again tonight with Daisuke Matsuzaka facing off against the Texas southpaw, C.J. Wilson.
Parting Points: It’s great to see Karl “The Mailman” Malone and Scottie Pippin get some recognition.
K-Rod’s suspension is not severe enough. The Mets’ closer should be facing jail time because this is not the second time he’s been involved in off-the-field scuffles.
Cruz collected a pair of RBI’s for Texas, including a first inning infield single to drive in the Rangers’ first tally. Josh Hamilton scored the first run and was the offensive and defensive star for the home team. Hamilton went 4-for-5 at the dish and scored four runs while making three great outfield snags. Hamilton robbed Jed Lowrie of a possible homerun in the seventh before scoring the tying run in the eighth following his extra-base hit. Hamilton raised his major league leading batting average to .362.
Leadoff man, Elvis Andrus, gave the Rangers a 2-0 cushion in the second by driving in his 30th run of the year. Boston answered in the next inning off Texas starter, Tommy Hunter. Lowrie blasted a homerun off Hunter to pull the Sox within a run. Hunter allowed six hits for the gritty AL West Rangers. Boston knocked him around in the top of the fourth and eventually out of the game all together. David Ortiz led off the inning with a game tying solo shot. Adrian Beltre, the next batter, also went deep to give the Sox the lead. Beltre’s 427 foot shot was followed by another homerun. J.D. Drew took Hunter’s 1-2 offering for a ride to give Boston three straight long balls in the span of seven pitches. Scott Feldman came out of the pen, signaling the end of Hunter’s night. Mike Lowell drew a walk off the reliever and Marco Scutaro singled him in. Victor Martinez added a two-run base hit to put Boston ahead by five. Boston batted around in the fourth, completing their high scoring frame with Ortiz’s grounder that scored Scutaro.
The Rangers began to chip away at Boston’s lead beginning in the bottom of the fourth. Texas tallied two runs on Mitch Moreland’s homerun and made it a two-run game in the fifth on Michael Young’s tater. Drew found the seats again for Boston in the seventh inning off Texas’ Darren Oliver. Terry Francona taxed his dismal bullpen, sending seven relievers to the mound to preserve the game. Texas finished with 17 hits and rallied from a 8-2 deficit to close the gap in the seventh. The home team picked up a run on David Murphy’s sacrifice fly off of Felix Doubront. Boston set-up man, Daniel Bard, surrendered a run on Bengie Molina’s double to score Cruz.
Bard faced the dangerous Vlad Guerrero with two outs and a runner on second in the eighth inning. Guerrero grounded weakly to second base, but the Lowrie rushed the throw to first. The Texas slugger was ruled safe after Lowell came off the bag and Hamilton kept running until he crossed the plate. Both bullpens were effective in retiring batters in the ninth and tenth. Neither team connected for a hit until the decisive eleventh. Wakefield’s first pitch was drilled to left to send Boston home losers and handing David O’Day the win. O’Day hasn’t been scored upon since June 1 and has 26 1/3 straight scoreless frames for the Rangers. The teams go at it again tonight with Daisuke Matsuzaka facing off against the Texas southpaw, C.J. Wilson.
Parting Points: It’s great to see Karl “The Mailman” Malone and Scottie Pippin get some recognition.
K-Rod’s suspension is not severe enough. The Mets’ closer should be facing jail time because this is not the second time he’s been involved in off-the-field scuffles.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
The Putout
The preconceived notions occupying her mind
Were of the rudimentary mechanical kind
She remembered how to grip in continental style
While approaching a forehand with crafty guile
Brushing the back of the ball with the strings
Awakened inside her those nervous butterfly wings
She could feel her touch taut and precise
Her concentration connected in accord with her slice
Respiring in the muggy mess of the sultry summer
The slick handle held loosely like the stick of a drummer
She swept a splattering shot ‘cross the net’s chin
A harmonious blend of terseness and acumen
Her opponent, she fell back with a step and a scowl
Undetermined whether to fight or cry foul
This isn’t to say she powerfully performed
But perhaps her stroke proved what others had warned
She embraced the chance to put you out
The lightning pings of her thunderous clout
Were of the rudimentary mechanical kind
She remembered how to grip in continental style
While approaching a forehand with crafty guile
Brushing the back of the ball with the strings
Awakened inside her those nervous butterfly wings
She could feel her touch taut and precise
Her concentration connected in accord with her slice
Respiring in the muggy mess of the sultry summer
The slick handle held loosely like the stick of a drummer
She swept a splattering shot ‘cross the net’s chin
A harmonious blend of terseness and acumen
Her opponent, she fell back with a step and a scowl
Undetermined whether to fight or cry foul
This isn’t to say she powerfully performed
But perhaps her stroke proved what others had warned
She embraced the chance to put you out
The lightning pings of her thunderous clout
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Salvaging the Split
Jon Lester pitched a thrifty six inning game of four hit ball to win his 12th game of the season for the Boston Red Sox. Lester, Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon were an overpowering pitching trio Monday afternoon in the Bronx as the Sox split a four game series with the Yankees. Boston defeated the Bronx Bombers 2-1 to take the middle two games of the set and remain within six games of the division leaders. New York finished 3-4 on their recent home stand and next head to Texas to battle the first-place Rangers.
Phil Hughes was tagged with his fifth loss of the season for New York. Hughes allowed a pair of runs in the second inning, and was essentially blemish-free the rest of the game. The Yankees’ offense did not give their starter much run support, stranding 11 total base runners in the loss. Mark Teixeira drove in the only Bomber run on his team-leading 26th long ball of the year. Teixeira’s crush came in the bottom of the eighth off Daniel Bard. The Red Sox did all their scoring in the top of the second, pounding out three hits and capitalizing on a Jorge Posada throwing error. Lester tossed 6 1/3 innings, limiting the Yankee bats and fanning six. Newly-acquired Yankee, Austin Kearns, was first to break out against the tough Lester. Kearns’ one-out base hit in the fifth was one of six Bomber hits on Monday. Boston also banged out six hits during the contest, struggling after Hughes’ shaky second inning in which he threw over 40 pitches.
The Yankees had an opportunity in the seventh frame after Lester loaded the bases. Lester buckled down to strike out Curtis Granderson for the first out before being replaced by Bard. Bard needed just six pitches to get Derek Jeter and Nick Swisher whiffing on his 98-plus mph heaters to keep Boston clinging to a two-run edge. Teixeira put the Yankees on the board with a towering leadoff homerun in the eighth and pitted runners on first and second with two outs. Papelbon induced a Kearns ground ball to end the threat and struck out the side in the ninth for the save. Boston continues their road trip when they head to Toronto tomorrow, knowing the Yankees squandered a chance to put them in a deeper division hole.
Parting Points: Buck’s birds? Buck Showalter certainly has a way of motivating an underperforming ballclub. Perhaps he should take over the Seattle job too.
I don’t understand NFL players who hold out and don’t show up at camp. Aren’t these guys making enough money?
Phil Hughes was tagged with his fifth loss of the season for New York. Hughes allowed a pair of runs in the second inning, and was essentially blemish-free the rest of the game. The Yankees’ offense did not give their starter much run support, stranding 11 total base runners in the loss. Mark Teixeira drove in the only Bomber run on his team-leading 26th long ball of the year. Teixeira’s crush came in the bottom of the eighth off Daniel Bard. The Red Sox did all their scoring in the top of the second, pounding out three hits and capitalizing on a Jorge Posada throwing error. Lester tossed 6 1/3 innings, limiting the Yankee bats and fanning six. Newly-acquired Yankee, Austin Kearns, was first to break out against the tough Lester. Kearns’ one-out base hit in the fifth was one of six Bomber hits on Monday. Boston also banged out six hits during the contest, struggling after Hughes’ shaky second inning in which he threw over 40 pitches.
The Yankees had an opportunity in the seventh frame after Lester loaded the bases. Lester buckled down to strike out Curtis Granderson for the first out before being replaced by Bard. Bard needed just six pitches to get Derek Jeter and Nick Swisher whiffing on his 98-plus mph heaters to keep Boston clinging to a two-run edge. Teixeira put the Yankees on the board with a towering leadoff homerun in the eighth and pitted runners on first and second with two outs. Papelbon induced a Kearns ground ball to end the threat and struck out the side in the ninth for the save. Boston continues their road trip when they head to Toronto tomorrow, knowing the Yankees squandered a chance to put them in a deeper division hole.
Parting Points: Buck’s birds? Buck Showalter certainly has a way of motivating an underperforming ballclub. Perhaps he should take over the Seattle job too.
I don’t understand NFL players who hold out and don’t show up at camp. Aren’t these guys making enough money?
Sunday, August 8, 2010
The Dock
Whenever I need a little inspiration, motivation or self-reflection, I write a poem. Here's one I penned in between yesterday's final exam study sessions.
I can't write without someone or something in mind. "The Dock" is a poem about entering recklessly into love. One of the greatest romantic poets of the 19th century was Sara Teasdale. Teasdale was born August 8th, so it's only appropriate to share my attempt at modeling Teasdale's style.
The Dock
He is a song, a placid sea
Never one to rattle waves at me
I love his voice upon my lips
My hips his careful fingertips
The quayside grins he freely grants
Stir my heart to gingerly dance
He leads me on a bouncy path
Consequences are an aftermath
I need his touch, his tinsel eyes
An inheritance of endless sighs
The only way to describe him true
Would be to climb a cloud, and follow through
He is the rush of August night across a crescent moon
Throttling me with pleasantries, prompting me to swoon
Best kept inside summer’s playful face
Stand the all-consuming shadows of his trace
I think he’s enough to catch my breath
From this dock to the ocean’s breadth
Parting Points: Happy Birthday to Drew Lachey---who's music will always be my sunshine after the rain.
Song of the day- NOFX's "August 8th"
I can't write without someone or something in mind. "The Dock" is a poem about entering recklessly into love. One of the greatest romantic poets of the 19th century was Sara Teasdale. Teasdale was born August 8th, so it's only appropriate to share my attempt at modeling Teasdale's style.
The Dock
He is a song, a placid sea
Never one to rattle waves at me
I love his voice upon my lips
My hips his careful fingertips
The quayside grins he freely grants
Stir my heart to gingerly dance
He leads me on a bouncy path
Consequences are an aftermath
I need his touch, his tinsel eyes
An inheritance of endless sighs
The only way to describe him true
Would be to climb a cloud, and follow through
He is the rush of August night across a crescent moon
Throttling me with pleasantries, prompting me to swoon
Best kept inside summer’s playful face
Stand the all-consuming shadows of his trace
I think he’s enough to catch my breath
From this dock to the ocean’s breadth
Parting Points: Happy Birthday to Drew Lachey---who's music will always be my sunshine after the rain.
Song of the day- NOFX's "August 8th"
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