Oh, The Trials Of Being A Big League Player!

In Pittsburgh last night, the game between the Pirates and Yankees was delayed by rain after 2.2 innings and, eventually, it was rained out. They'll start again from scratch on July 10th. That'll be the second off-day the team loses, the first being one that'll actually come in September when they make up a game with the Tigers.

Because of today's double-header with the Mets, the Yankees had wanted to play last night's game in the daytime, but the Pirates refused. Also, today's game 1 starter, Dan Giese, was supposed to return to New York yesterday afternoon, but according to Pete Abraham, Giese missed his original flight because he was getting something to eat. He then couldn't get a second flight out of Pittsburgh because of the weather. So he ended up flying back with the team and getting in at some ungodly hour this morning.

As I look out my window now, I see lots of clouds and no sunshine. At some point today there's going to be a huge downpour. Will there be another rainout?

What will the guys do? How will they get through it? This is terrible.

Yeah, right. If anyone feels sorry for these guys they're crazy. When a mediocre pitcher like Shawn Chacon can slam his GM to the ground, be otherwise insubordinate, get released and still collect his Major League salary, it's very difficult to feel sorry for guys in the same union who have to travel in the middle of the night, play a two-stadium double-header the next day using a tired game 1 starter and lose a couple of off-days along the way.

Suck it up guys.

The Lady

MLB Discussing The Maple Bat Issue

The MLB Safety & Health Advisory Committee met here in New York today via conference call, to discuss the whole maple bat issue. For anyone living under a rock, maple bats have been shattering at an alarming rate, causing injury to coaches, umpires and fans. This was, hopefully, a first step to ending this before more series injuries occur.

Yankee fans know that Johnny Damon's bat explodes into pieces almost every time it makes contact with a pitch. Johnny's a prime example of just how frightening this maple bat thing is, right? Wrong. This season Johnny got rid of all his maple bats and went back to the traditional ash bat. So why does he continue to shatter so many bats? Broadcasters have offered guesses as to why, including suggesting that it happens because he slashs at the ball or that he's pitched inside a lot. Whatever the reason, Johnny Damon probably isn't considered to be a friend of environmentalists, because ash is so rare these days.

I hope MLB doesn't drag its feet on this maple bat issue, waiting until a tragedy occurs before new rules are put into effect. Today's conference call gives me hope that it won't.

The Lady

Mets Just Need To Play Better

So, Willie Randolph will remain the manager of the New York Mets. For the time being. He's on the shortest of leashes and if his team doesn't starting winning more consistently, he's probably out the door.

The Mets have been under .500 since the middle of last season. They collapsed last September. Jose Reyes no longer knows how to play baseball. Johan Santana has been just an average pitcher so far this season. The clubhouse has been cancerous.

Are any of these things Willie Randolph's fault? The clubhouse problems might be but only partially. It comes down to the players themselves and yesterday, for what I think was the first time in a long time, the players confirmed it. David Wright, Billy Wagner, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado spoke up. The strongest quote came from Carlos Delgado. When asked what he thought about his manager's situation, he said:

“I’ll tell you what I think, we need to play better. This is not about the manager. I’m not in the position to think or not think, they don’t pay me to think. They pay me play baseball."

Amen, Brother Carlos.

The Lady

Foul In The Fourth

In the Yankees 11-2 loss to the Mets last night Carlos Delgado's 4th inning shot to the left field corner was a fair ball. The umpires ruled it foul however. It wasn't the only foul thing in that inning. Everything the Yankees did in that frame could have been called foul by anyone who was watching. After being lights out for the first three innings, Chien-Ming Wang fell apart, giving up 4 runs. The Yankees never recovered.

Is a pattern developing here? Wang had a meltdown in the 4th inning last night. Andy Pettitte fell apart in the 4th inning in each of his last two starts. The fourth inning. That's about the time a pitcher begins to work his way through a line up for the second time. How did opposing batters adjust so quickly in these three games? I don't know the answer to that, but if it continues I'm going to really start scratching my head.

In other news: Per Peter Abraham's blog, Giambi's thong story is old news. Portfolio.com presented it recently as something new, when, in fact, it's not. This is the second time (that I know of) that Portfolio has been the bearer of juicy Yankee gossip, the first time being their expose about George Steinbrenner, in which he was portrayed as a rambling, feeble old man. I don't know about you, but I'm not impressed with the contents of this portfolio.

The Lady

[Photo: Al Bello/Getty]

Dance Class

Well, it all begins again this weekend. With the first round of Interleague Play comes the 2008 Subway Series. Game 1 is tomorrow night at Yankee Stadium: Johan Santana vs Darrell Rasner.

In honor of this year's festivities (so to speak) I've pasted a copy of the new ESPN commercial featuring Jose Reyes. Have a look:



[Thanks Metsgrrl.com]

No. 42 To Be Un-Retired Again (Yawn)

Next Tuesday, April 15th, will be Jackie Robinson Day. It'll be the 61st anniversary of the day Robinson broke Major League Baseball's color barrier. Last year, for the 60th anniversary, Robinson's No. 42, which had been retired throughout MLB, was put back into circulation for that one day, and dozens of players wore it to honor Robinson and his legacy.

Well, now MLB is putting the number back into circulation again. Players will once again have the opportunity to wear No. 42 on Jackie Robinson Day. I have one question: Why?

Seeing it being worn last year was a beautiful thing. (It would have been even more beautiful if more white players had worn it.) However, doing it again this year only waters down the whole idea. I can understand wearing it on a milestone anniversary like the 60th. But, doing it again a year later borders on travesty as far as I'm concerned.

Wait until the 70th anniversary to wear No. 42 again. Do it every 10 years, not every year.

The Lady

[Photo: Jon Soo Hoo/Dodgers]

Lady's Choice 2008: The NL East

Well the new site is still keeping me very busy, but I did manage to sit down this morning and analyze the 2008 NL East.

Here in the New York City area, Met fans seem to be panicking over the injury bug that has landed down in Port St Lucie. Unless Johan Santana gets hurt and Pedro Martinez fails in his comeback from surgery, they're wasting their time. They do have some questions with their lineup, but their refusal to go after Bonds, Sosa or Lofton won't hold them back that much.

Both the Mets and Phillies seem to be trying to become the National League's version of Yankees-Red Sox. I don't think there's enough bad blood between the two teams for that to happen. I also don't think the Phillies are as good as the Mets, this year or last year. Everyone knows the Philliles didn't win the division last year; the Mets lost it, thanks in large part to Tom Glavine, who has gone back home to Atlanta. Now that he's back with the Braves, I believe he'll pitch well. In fact, though it's a little long in the tooth, I like their rotation more than I like Philadelphia's.

The Washington Nationals look like a powder keg to me. I still can't get over the fact that Elijah Dukes and Lastings Milledge are on the same team. Then there is Paul Lo Duca with his mouth and Dimitri Young, who I'll admit, was able manage himself and his demons last year. However, this time around Young could end up in a diabetic coma before the end of Spring Training. I know virtually nothing about their pitching, which probably isn't such a bad thing. I know even less about the pitching of the Florida Marlins. Again, probably not such a bad thing. The only person I think is worth paying attention to on the Marlins is outfielder Cameron Maybin, who Detroit was forced to give up in the trade for Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera. Maybin looks like a pretty good-looking player.

So, here is The Lady's Choice for the 2008 NL East:

1) New York Mets
2) Atlanta Braves
3) Philadelphia Phillies
4) Washington Nationals
5) Florida Marlins

The Lady

Johan & "No-Wan"

Mets GM Ormar Minaya insists this is not the time to panic, but the injury bug is alive and well down in Port St Lucie. Let's see: Moises Alou, Carlos Delgado and Ryan Church are sidelined with a groin pull, an impinged hip and a concussion respectively. Then there are all these other players who are not quite 100% because injuries suffered last season:

Carlos Beltran

Luis Castillo

Endy Chavez

Duaner Sanchez

Damion Easley

Jose Valentin

Ben Johnson

Ambiorix Burgos

Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez
Pedro Martinez

Imagine the pandemonium that would have ensued if the Mets had not signed Johan Santana! If a few more guys go down you'll almost be able to say the team is comprised of Johan and "No-wan!"

The Lady

Lower Leg Kick For El Duque? Say It Isn't So!

From Newsday.com: Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez has adjusted his windup to include a lower leg kick. This is due to surgery on the second toe of and a bunion on his right foot. Years of rising on the toes of that foot during his trademark high left leg kick have caused all of this.

What will it look like? I can't wait to see it. You know, now that I think about it, the windup could explain why El Duque has an arthritic neck. He always cocked his head to the left during that windup! It sure couldn't have helped him, that's for sure.

The lady

Without A Pot To Pitch In

The Cardinals will be letting Sidney Ponson use their facilities on Thursday to show scouts what he has. Tony LaRussa wants to "keep an open mind," so Cardinals scouts will also be taking a look at Ponson, who has slimmed down to 245 pounds. My guess is that unless Ponson's changed his attitude and work ethic, it'll be a big waste of time.

Ponson's not the only pitcher hoping for a chance in 2008. Get a load of these names:

Tony Armas, Jr
Freddy Garcia
Kyle Lohse
Jose Mesa
Eric Milton
Jeff Weaver
Jay Witasick
Ron Villone

Do any of these hurlers deserve a pot to pitch in? Most of them don't but I'll bet they'll all get their chance somewhere at some point this season. Good luck, guys.

The Lady

Lady's Choice 2008: NL Central

My new site continues to take up most of my day now so, it's been a little difficult finding the time to analyze and predict the 2008 MLB Season. I did manage to give it a little thought this morning, though:

The Pirates are still the Pirates; the Astros are almost the Pirates; the Reds aren't that much better; the Cardinals remain the same; the Cubs are the favorites; and, I'm infatuated with the Brewers.

Here's The Lady's Choice for the 2008 NL West:

1) Milwaukee Brewers
2) Chicago Cubs
3) St Louis Cardinals
4) Cinncinati Reds
5) Houston Astros
6) Pittsburgh Pirates

The Lady

Out Of The Mouths of New Sites

So for the last six months or so I've been working on developing this new baseball site. It's called Out Of Write Field. It's all about Major League Baseball from the point of view of independent baseball bloggers. I'm still working out some of the kinks but, it's live now and I'm so excited!

I'll be making a more formal announcement in the coming weeks, but I wanted to mention it here first. Please visit and, if you like what you see, you can sign up for free to be a member. In addition to baseball news and information, lots of other things are planned for members, including forums, contests and other interactive features. All are welcome, whether you're a blogger or not. Enjoy!

The Lady

Lady's Choice 2008: The NL West

It's snowing here in the Bronx right now and as I look out my livingroom window I can see that the baseball field at Roberto Clemente State Park has turned into a winter wonderland. It seems as if the weekend warriers will never get their chance to play in the sun. Meanwhile, TCM is showing Pride Of The Yankees right now. I guess someone remembers that Spring Training has started.

Anyway, let me begin my Lady's Choice 2008 Series with a look at the NL West:

Although some people picked them, the Diamondbacks surprised a lot of people last year (including me) by winning this division. This year they have just about the same team, with the exception of Dan Haren, who replaced Livan Hernandez in the rotation. (I'll believe Randy Johnson when I see him.)

I love Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki and Matt Holliday, but the Rockies played over their heads toward the end of the season. Well, not that far over them.

I'm not that impressed with the Padres pitching: Will Greg Maddux still have it? Is Trevor Hoffman still a reliable closer? Plus they have some age at first base in Tony Clark, as well as in the outfield with Jim Edmonds and Brian Giles.

This is a big year for the Dodgers and an even bigger year for Joe Torre. With all the talk here in New York about how easygoing Torre was with the Yankees, and how this hurt the team the last few years, it'll be interesting to see how his managerial style translates to a National League team. Any player who needs structure will not do well under Torre. That includes Esteban Loaiza, who had no work ethic as a Yankee.

The Giants will celebrate 50 years in San Francisco this year and Barry Zito will be their opening day starter. Need I say more?

So things should turn out just as they did last year. Here is The Lady's Choice for the NL West, 2008:

1 Arizona Diamondbacks
2 Colorado Rockies
3 San Diego Padres
4 Los Angeles Dodgers
5 San Francisco Giants

The Lady

Kyle Goes Krazy

Heard about the prank Brett Myers pulled on Kyle Kendrick? I thought it was a terrible thing to do to a young pitcher until I saw the video:



Did Kendrick get wise to what was going on? During the phony press conference he was fighting a losing battle with a smirk that kept sneaking onto his face. Hmmmmmmm. Ya gotta wonder.

The Lady

A Load of Crap

"I've taken a lot of crap from a lot of people. Probably more than anybody in the history of this sport. I know Hank [Aaron] and Jackie [Robinson] took a good deal of crap, but I guarantee it wasn't for six years. I just keep thinking: How much more am I supposed to take?"

Do you believe that this statement was made by John Rocker? John Rocker thinks he's been handed more crap than Hank Aaron and Jackie Robinson. Really, John? Please.

What a load of crap.

The Lady

Mattingly's Wife Arrested

I just read in an article that Don Mattingly's wife, Kim (left), has been arrested for public intoxication and disorderly conduct. The arrest happened after she refused to leave her husband's property.

Mattingly and his wife filed for divorce in November. Now we know why he was moved from Dodgers hitting coach to special assignment coach last month due to "family reasons."

I'm shocked. I guess I shouldn't be, though. It's just that for years the word around Yankees Universe was that Mattingly and his wife were very happily married. Now he's reduced to being put on "special assignment" and his wife appears in the scariest mugshot I have ever seeen.

Years ago I went to Boston to see the Yankees and Red Sox play at Fenway. I stayed in the same hotel the Yankees stayed in and, one night during the trip my friend Lisa and I happened to be eating dinner in the same restaurant as Don and Kim Mattingly. Their oldest son (and only child at the time), who was just a baby, was with them. They looked very much in love, with each other and with their baby. I'll always remember that scene. This current scene will take an awful lot of getting used to.

The Lady

Mr Met, You've Changed!

Well, the trade appears to have been made. The Mets have pulled the trigger and made a deal for Johan Santana. If you're a Red Sox fan you have to be glad, because now you don't have to worry about your team having to give Josh Beckett at least the same money they would have given Santana. If you're a Yankee fan you have to be ecstatic, because the Red Sox don't have him.

Yes, Johan Santana is Mr Met now, because he gives that team the 1A starter it's lacking, assuming that both parties can agree on a long-term deal (and that Santana passes his physical). Will the Mets give him the deal? If they do, it'll be a big departure for them. They're a team that usually keeps their purse strings pretty tight.

We shall see.

The Lady

[Photo: Eric Miller, AP]

Thank you, Baseball Hall Of Fame

The National Baseball Hall Of Fame has saved me from tearing my hair out. That was exactly what I was going to do if I had to write another post about Roger Clemens. Instead, it's all about Rich Gossage.

It looks like the HOF is finally acknowledging that relievers deserve to be enshrined. Poor Goose had to wait nine years for this and it was totally unfair.

As a Yankee fan I'll always remember Gossage in pinstripes, but Goose played for eight other teams in his twenty-two year career, including the San Diego Padres. During this time he accumulated 310 saves, for many of which he pitched more than two innings. Mariano Rivera would be long-retired if he'd pitched that often.

He'll be inducted with his Padres manager, Dick Williams. There should be lots of laughs on July 27 when images of those old Padre uniforms pop up.

Congratulations Goose.

The Lady

The Mitchell Report: Incomplete

I have a million things to do today and I don't have time to delve into this Mitchell Report thing. I'll only ask this question: Why are so many names missing from The Mitchell Report?

Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte being on the list really doesn't surprise me. There have been whispers about them for the past year or two. However Mark McGwire not being on the list does. Also, I wasn't expecting the 2007 AL MVP to be on the list and he wasn't, but Jose Canseco is surprised that Alex Rodriguez is not on the list.

This report does nothing to end the steroid era. All it is is one big can of worms.

The Lady

Tiger Mauling At Winter Meetings

So while everyone else was focusing on Johan Santana and where he'll play in 2008, the Detroit Tigers swooped in at Nashville late yesterday and completed a deal with Florida that brings highly coveted 3B Miguel Cabrera to Detroit along with The D-train, Dontrelle Willis.

If you didn't think the Tigers should be taken seriously before this trade, you'd better start changing your thinking. They already have a great lineup and Cabrera puts them closer to the top. I'm not sure how Willis will do in the American League, but being part of a solid Tigers rotation shouldn't hurt him any.

The American League is now even stronger. This move just brings more truth to what I said back in September: Those weaker sisters in the Senior Circuit can't hold a candle to the American League. Teams in the AL continue to work on being competitive because they know the Yankees and the Red Sox are that much better. Perhaps the day will soon come when everyone will be adding a third or even a fourth team to that list. We might be saying, "...they know the Yankees, the Red Sox, the Tigers and the Angels are that much better."

The Lady