Well NOW it's official! Congrats to the Yanks on their 9th straight AL East title! So you guys thinking Subway Series yet or what?

"It ended the way it was supposed to end. They (the New York Yankees) played a lot better than us over the course of the season," said Red Sox starter Curt Schilling, who returned from a three-week layoff but lasted just five innings and did not get a decision. "I don't think we opened the door for them as much as they kicked it in."

Also, sorry Don Jasani, but I told you Toronto wouldn't make the playoffs Maybe next year but I hope they can finish strong and come in 2nd this year

WTF is this shit, from a "Yankees fan"??

Hooray!! In spite of losing Matsui, Sheffield and Cano for a huge chunk of the season, the Yankees did it! Back in June, when everyone was saying that they were toast because of the loss of such great players, they made it happen anyway. Real champions can do that IN SPITE of injuries.

Edited because June is spelled J-U-N-E, not J-U-N-T.

WTF is this shit??

WTF is this shit, from a "Yankees fan"?? [/b][/quote]I'd rather them be the runner-up than Boston. That's still what Toronto is fighting for, 2nd place (it'd be an accomplishment to them)

[/quote]There has been trade rumours, mainly based on whether A-Rod has a good or bad postseason. Personally, I think its garbage...he's recovered to have a good-if-not-great season (obviously not by his standards, but still...) and should be alright in the postseason. But the consensus, at least from what I'm hearing on Mike and the Mad Dog, Mike and Mike, and ESPN is that if A-Rod bombs in the playoffs, they will try to move him. Of course, that's irrelevant, since he has a no-trade clause, and said he'd rather "retire than not be a Yankee." Time will tell.

Besides, I'd never trade him to the Angels. They kick our ass it seems like every time we play them, no way I'd make them stronger. Chone Figgins? Why? Like we don't have a glut of outfielders already. Santana, maybe. Shields, dunno. K-Rod, absolutely. Prospect, not so much.

I still think the Yanks rotation, if they can re-sign Moose, will be strong enough next year that they don't have to deal away any marquee players for awhile:

Wang
Mussina
Johnson (Even though I don't know about this, I12)
Hughes
Pavano (?)
Karstens

[/quote]There has been trade rumours, mainly based on whether A-Rod has a good or bad postseason. Personally, I think its garbage...he's recovered to have a good-if-not-great season (obviously not by his standards, but still...) and should be alright in the postseason. But the consensus, at least from what I'm hearing on Mike and the Mad Dog, Mike and Mike, and ESPN is that if A-Rod bombs in the playoffs, they will try to move him. Of course, that's irrelevant, since he has a no-trade clause, and said he'd rather "retire than not be a Yankee." Time will tell.

Besides, I'd never trade him to the Angels. They kick our ass it seems like every time we play them, no way I'd make them stronger. Chone Figgins? Why? Like we don't have a glut of outfielders already. Santana, maybe. Shields, dunno. K-Rod, absolutely. Prospect, not so much. [/b][/quote]I couldn't agree more DJ. The Angels have the Yankees number without A-Rod, so why would we trade him to them? It doesn't make any sense. Plus if he did, you know he'd come back to torch the Yankees every time they play. And as you mentioned, A-Rod can veto ANY trade. He's staying in pinstripes.

You know, something is fucked up in the head of George Steinbrenner when he seriously considered firing Joe Torre after the 2005 season.

Really Yankee fans, don't you all think that shit is silly?

I mean in spite of consecutive playoff appearances since 1996, 4 World Series titles within 5 years, 6 American League Pennants, and over 1,000 games won...and as well for being somehow able to tolerate Steinbrenner's insanity.......he could very well still get axed after this season if the Yanks fail to win another title, or worse, he's pressured to resign.

The Yankees have a strong chance at another World Series title this year, but it definately won't be easy.

If the Yanks hold the Tigers off and clinch Homefield Advantage, they'll face either the Twins/Tigers, whoevever of which wins the Wildcard slot. If the Tigers eclipse the Yanks, then while the Tigers will be forced to fight the Twins in the playoffs in the Division playoffs, the Yanks will have to deal with the Angels, and you Yankees fans know that shit won't be pretty.

Can Jason Giambi come back in time? Can the Yankees pitching, despite the jokes on sports radio shows, make due what was promised? Can A-Rod deliver in the clutch? Will Derek Jeter's possible AL MVP season success flow into this the postseason? Will Joe Torre keep his job before George fires him for losing more than one game in a playoff series? STAY TUNE!

Wang's starting game 1, Moose game 2, Unit game 3 and as of now Wright for game 4. Also, Pedro's done for the postseason. Looks like that Subway Series might be in jepordy

Why, you don't think we can make it??

Why? Pedro has does absolutely nothing for the Mets since May, so its basically like they've been pitching without his help anyways.

The Mets, even without Pedro, are still the team to beat in the NL.

True but they still lost their ace, that doesn't exactly help them going into the playoffs.

But again, the Mets have had all of their success without Pedro for most of the season.

Tell me one other team in the NL that could lose their ace and still be virtually unharmed or unimpeded in their playoff race?

Your points well taken. All I'm saying is that I think it will hurt the Mets. True they've had much success without him (and could possibly win the World Series with out) but again, it's not going to help the team with him out (physically or psychologically)

Well, I agree, but they've still got Glavine, Hernandez (who is an excellent postseason pitcher), Trachsel and Maine, all of whom should at least provide competant starting pitching, which, when combined with their batting lineup, should vanquish almost any of the other contenders in the NL.

Who's getting in in the NL? San Diego, Los Angeles, Houston or St. Louis? Should make for a fun weekend (BTW, I'm rooting for San Diego, St. Louis and Philadelphia)

Yanks' Johnson has herniated disc, playoffs in doubt

NEW YORK -- Yankees left-hander Randy Johnson has a herniated disc in his lower back, an injury that could prevent him from pitching in the playoffs next week.

The injury was discovered during an MRI exam this week, and Johnson received an epidural injection Friday.

"Hopefully that will ease the discomfort," New York manager Joe Torre said. "If it doesn't ease the discomfort, I'm not sure he's going to be able to pitch. But we don't expect that to be the case."

Torre's announcement came one day after the crosstown Mets said Pedro Martinez will miss the postseason because of a torn tendon in his left calf muscle.

Johnson, who turned 43 on Sept. 10, is expected to play catch Saturday and throw a side session Sunday at Yankee Stadium.

Johnson has a 7.64 ERA over his last three starts, giving up five runs each outing and failing to last longer than six innings. He is 17-11 this season with a career-high 5.00 ERA.

Chien-Ming Wang and Mike Mussina will pitch the opening two games of the best-of-five series against Detroit or Minnesota. Johnson is scheduled to pitch Game 3 on the road next Friday.

"If he says he's ready to go or will be ready to go on Friday, we'll write him in. If things change, then we'll do something else," Torre said. "I certainly want Randy Johnson, bad back and all. His capabilities are very, very high. He's pitched for as long as he's pitched, and we know darn well he wasn't 100 percent every single step along the way."

If after watching the weekend sessions the Yankees don't think Johnson can pitch next Friday, Torre said he probably would omit the Big Unit from his first-round roster. If that happens, the Yankees would use Jaret Wright and Corey Lidle in Game 3 and, if necessary, Game 4.

Johnson has been bothered by back spasms over his past few starts, beginning a day after his birthday, but didn't tell the team until after he allowed five runs and seven hits over six innings in an 8-0 loss last weekend at Tampa Bay. The Yankees then decided he would skip his final regular-season start.

"You don't know what you're going to get when he pitches," Torre said earlier this week. "The one thing I'm hoping for is that he feels better, and then we'll deal with the command at that time. But you can't have both. You can't have him stay sharp and throw and be able to rest something."

Johnson missed more than four months of the 1996 season with a herniated disc in his lower back that required surgery. Torre said he was unsure if this injury would also require surgery during the offseason.

Source: ESPN.com

Is Yanks losing Johnson a bigger disaster for them than say Pedro for the Mets?

DEBATE!

I dare you, for I am the Master Debater!

Yanks lockup home field advantage throughout the playoffs

Yes, because Johnson has been 17-11 for the Yankees this year, while Pedro has gone 9-8.

As aforementioned, Pedro was of little help to the Mets, while Johnson, despite being the Shrunken Unit, still performed fairly well. He's not dominating, he's not even the Yankee ace anymore, but he did have flashes of brilliance sprinkled in between mediocrity.

In the playoffs, this means the Yanks will need to go:

Wang
Moose
Wright
Lidle/Rasner/Karstens (?)
Wang

in a five-game series.

Which means now Wright will have to pitch, whereas with Johnson in the rotation, he might not have had to.

You sure are....would you like us to pass you a tissue?

It is the Yankees way of getting Johnson out of the rotation. Why you ask? BECAUSE HE SUCKS and they know it.

Ahh, it couldn't be a postseason without fathersson

Hell, they are doing all Yankee fans a favor.

If they don't go all the way this year, then they should give everyone half price tickets next year, and cut all players pay by half.

No if they don't win it this year they should resign Sheffield and try to grab Barry Zito off the free-agent market and try again next year.

And getting back to ronnie's question, yes, losing Randy Johnson is a bigger loss to the Yankees than lossing Pedro is to the Mets.

I'm not a particularly big Barry Zito fan. Besides, with the A's in the playoff mix, I doubt they'll let him get away. When they were mediocre, sure, they let Hudson and Mulder go, but now, Zito is the ace of a decent rotation, they'll probably lock him up ASAP.

True they could and should make a run at him but it's up to Barry now. Maybe the lure of Johnny Damon and Jason Giambi playing for the Yankees who make the postseason every year (which Oakland missed out on last year) might just be enough to make him go. Look at all the A's who've left in the past (such as Damon, Giambi and Miguel Tejada, etc).

Report: Clemens, Pettitte, Tejada named in Grimsley drug case

LOS ANGELES -- Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and Miguel Tejada were among the players that a former major league pitcher accused of using performance-enhancing drugs, according to a federal agent's affidavit, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday on its Web site.

The agent for Clemens and Pettitte denied the accusations. Baltimore teammates Brian Roberts, Jay Gibbons and Tejada also were implicated in the sworn statement, the Times said; an Orioles spokeswoman said the team had not seen the report and had no comment.

In June, federal agents searched reliever Jason Grimsley's home in Arizona after the pitcher admitted using human growth hormone, steroids and amphetamines. Grimsley was later released by the Arizona Diamondbacks and suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball, and has not played since then.

In a 20-page search warrant affidavit signed by IRS Special Agent Jeff Novitzky, the Times reported, he said Grimsley identified other players who had used drugs. Those names were blacked out when the document was released.

The Times said an anonymous source with access to the document -- minus the crossouts -- let the newspaper see it, but kept the copy. The Times said a second source who had identified the other players provided additional details about the document.

According to the affidavit, the Times said, Grimsley told investigators Clemens and Pettitte "used athletic performance-enhancing drugs."

The affidavit also alleged Grimsley told federal agents that Roberts, Gibbons and Tejada "took anabolic steroids."

On Wednesday, Gibbons told ESPN The Magazine's Amy K. Nelson he had not seen a copy of the affidavit and was told by his agent and other journalists only that his name was on the document. He also said he thought he was named as part of the group Grimsley referred to when discussing amphetamines. "I barely knew [Grimsley]," Gibbons said.

In June, the Orioles' front office held separate meetings with Tejada, Gibbons and Roberts, according to three sources. The context of the conversations was to inform the players that their names were rumored to be on the affidavit, and that they should all consult their lawyers. According to one source in the room, it was simply a forewarning, and no other intimate information related to the affidavit was shared.

Gibbons said that all questions the media had would likely be referred to his lawyer.

"I know it'll make me only look more guilty, but I have to protect myself," Gibbons said earlier this week. "I don't have to protect anybody else. This is my livelihood."

Orioles vice president Jim Duquette, also reached at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, said he had seen only a redacted version of the document, but he was aware the three players were known to be on the list.

Novitzky also was the lead investigator in the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative probe. Two BALCO officials and Barry Bonds' personal trainer, Greg Anderson, served jail time after guilty pleas in that investigation.

Grimsley has complained to friends, the Times said, that federal agents attributed statements to him that he did not make.

"I'm told he has denied saying all of this," Randy Hendricks, who represents Clemens and Pettitte, told The Associated Press on Saturday night. "It's an agent's recollection about a conversation he had about conjecture."

"I've grown weary of having to defend [Clemens] from innuendo and conjecture about every six months for the last several years when he's complied with all of the rules and regulations," Hendricks said. "Andy is just surprised and stunned, and has no knowledge of any such activity."

Clemens and Pettitte pitch for Houston. The Astros won 5-4 at Atlanta on Saturday night.

Tejada, Gibbons and Roberts had left the clubhouse in Boston after Baltimore's 5-4 victory Saturday night when an AP reporter sought comment.

"I don't pay attention to what [Grimsley said]," Tejada told The (Baltimore) Sun. "I know that I've never had a problem with that. I know that I've never used that and I know I am clean.

"I don't worry about anybody who puts me in that stuff. I'll get checked out for anybody, any time, any moment -- whenever they want."

Gibbons told The Sun: "I have passed every test administered by Major League Baseball over all the years. And I am not going to dignify these claims and accusations with any further response."

Along with the federal probe, baseball hired former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell to investigate the use of steroids.

All major league players are tested at least twice a year for banned drugs. There is no test for HGH, but it is banned by baseball.

Source: ESPN.com

Right, That is why so many people think that the system is so off whack. When does it stop? If they don't make it, then go out and BUY the fix. They have the money.
Other teams don't have the large market or if they don't make it, so the fans don't show. Then the money flow stops so they clear out their big stars because they need to make a profit for their stock holders/owners.

I know, the same old crap from Non die hard Yankee fans.
But, has it ever been fair? Can you really say it has, even going back years and years ago? Or has New York always had this advantage because of the size of its market.
Look at the Mets, They finally sink some money into players and Bam....They are in.

Does more money mean a deeper Bench? Of course it does.
So you can over come injuries, slumps or just plain burnout after a long season? Look how the Yankee can fill spots so quickly with other players or by throwing cash at other teams.
Hell, so you have to pay an extra fee, who cares. We just get it back by filling the seats with the stars.

I know, same old things, BUT many of us feel, that with a roster like this, that they should/have to win the whole thing every year. So it is no big deal if they win the thing. Now, give us a team that pulls it all together without being over star filled and we think that it is a special year and great plays/players like the Cubs and Mets in 69 when they made their run. (or what ever the year was.)

And getting back to Ronnie's question Irish. What, no reason for your answer? A die hard fan like you should be given us all kinds of reasons. I am sure the Mets Fans don't think that way. Looks like Pedro will be out for eight months, but with his age, I would bet he will be out longer. Then will he be over the hill? How big a hole does it leave when they need it most. I think Mets fans are worried right about now.


The Yankees remind me of a rich playboy who droves as fast as he wants. Speeding tickets? who cares I have more then enough money to pay the fines. Wreck the car, I'll buy another one.