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Showing posts from October, 2024

Dodgers Take World Series Thanks to Yankees Miscues

 Thanks to an unfathomable New York implosion that started in the top of the fifth inning of Game 5 and carried until Alex Verdugo struck out for the final out of the night, the Dodgers edged out the Yankees 7-6 to take the World Series in five games. For a few innings, it felt like the Yankees would be on their way to sending the series back to Los Angeles for Game 6. Gerrit Cole looks on in frustration. Getty Images. Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning, and Giancarlo Stanton hit a solo shot in the fourth to stake New York to a 5-0 lead. Then the bottom fell out in the top of the fifth as the Yankees fumbled it away. Judge dropped a pop-up by Tommy Edman to get the ball rolling in the wrong direction. Then Anthony Volpe threw the ball away on an attempted play at third, allowing Kike Hernandez to reach safely. Finally, Mookie Betts reached first base on an infield single when Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rizzo miscommunica...

Yankees Show Little Punch, Face Dodgers Brooms in Game 4

 DODGERS 4 - YANKEE 2  The New York Yankees have their backs up against the proverbial wall now following a 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the World Series.  Ever since Freddie Freeman launched a grand slam into the right field bleachers at Dodgers Stadium on Friday night, the Yankees have looked totally lost as a baseball club. They can't hit; struggle in the field, and their pitching isn't up to snuff.  Giancarlo Stanton out at the plate. Getty Images.  By the seventh inning of Game 3 on Monday night, you could hear a pin drop at Yankee Stadium. By the eighth inning, fans were starting to hit the exits. The Yankees had nothing, and everyone knows it.  While the Yankees had a good season this year, and got to the Fall Classic for the first time in 15 years, they aren't even close to being as good as Yankees teams of the past who have made it this far into October.  Let's be honest the Yankees got here thanks to a soft American League...

Jets & Giants Equals at Horrible in 2024

 If you were a betting man, and decided to put down some dough on the Giants AND Jets both being horrible this year, it would have been an ill-advised bet ... back in August.  But, now? Well let's just say both the Jets and Giants are back in familiar territory -- at least familiar for the past decade -- both are 2-6 and buried in last place in their respective divisions.  For the Giants this was expected.  Daniel Jones runs from the Steelers. Getty Images.  The Giants made a lot of bad decisions the past two years, namely re-signing quarterback Daniel Jones to a multi-year deal, and letting running back Saquon Barkley walk to the Philadelphia Eagles. We could look at Big Blue's infamous appearance on 'Hard Knocks' in the off-season, and come to the conclusion that the ship Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll are running isn't exactly tight.  Yet, owner John Mara gave both the dreaded vote of confidence last week, hinting he won't make any sudden moves during the y...

Freddie Freeman Has Kirk Gibson Moment as Dodgers Stun Yanks

 There is a line in the movie "Moneyball" where Brad Pitt says, "How can you not be romantic about baseball?"  Well on Friday night in Los Angeles, in a city known for Hollywood endings, Freddie Freeman not only won a World Series game for the Dodgers, he channeled the legend of Kirk Gibson from the 1988 World Series.  It was at the end of that Game 1 of the '88 Fall Classic that Gibby cracked a three-run homer to win it for the Dodgers over the Oakland A's.   Freddie Freeman celebrates his Grand Slam. Getty Images. Ironically, Gibson was hobbled by a bad hamstring, and his at bat was a pinch hit.  Likewise, Freeman -- a veteran player and borderline Hall of Famer, was also hobbled by a lower leg injury, his ankle.  Both hitters are left handed.  And the home run that Gibson hit 36-years ago, and the Grand Slam that Freeman hit on Friday night, both wound up in nearly the same location in the right field bleachers.  Talk about symmetry. ...

Mets Magical Season Ends in Game 6 of NLCS

 The 2024 New York Mets season came to an end Sunday night in Los Angeles. Their storybook season didn't have the Hollywood ending many Mets fans would have hoped for, but it didn't diminish what they had accomplished. The Dodgers won Game 6 of the NLCS 10-5, punching their ticket to the 2024 World Series where they will face the Mets crosstown rivals, the New York Yankees in what should be an epic clash of titans. Still the when the dust settles on this defeat for the Amazin's, New York Mets fans should be left with nothing but good feelings. Francisco Lindor Looks on. Getty Images. This was a team many picked to finish dead last in the National League East. The belief was that with a new manager, a new President of Baseball Operations, and many free agents to be, the 2024 season would be a transition year.  Instead, after a woeful 0-5 start, and, at one point, finding themselves 11-games under .500 in May, the Mets turned out one of the best seasons in thei...

Jets Humiliated in Pittsburgh Beatdown

 STEELERS 37 - JETS 15  The New York Jets season is starting to slip away, if it didn't totally slip away on Sunday night in Pittsburgh, as Gang Green was totally outclassed by the Steelers 30-15. New York now drops to abysmal 2-5 record, the same record as their MetLife Stadium co-tenants the New York Giants.  The difference between the two being, there were very little expectations for Big Blue coming into the year. Many had the Jets pegged for the playoffs, if not the Super Bowl this year.  That's all out the window now.  With the Pittsburgh Steelers offense reeling, and Russell Wilson looking as rusty as ever, the Jets built a 15-6 lead in the second quarter, and quickly squandered that lead on mistakes and turnovers.  In fact, just the fact that the Jets even had that nine-point lead was a miracle in of itself. Aaron Rodgers hit tight end Tyler Conklin for a one-yard touchdown that almost was nulified by the Jets themselves, when Interim Head Coach Jef...

Juan Soto's Blast Sends Yankees Back to Fall Classic for First Time Since '09

 Juan Soto is gonna make a lot of money this off-season.  And we mean a lot of money.  The free agent outfielder-to-be, who is already expected to break records on his next contract, probably blew all future offers out of the water when he launched a three-run homer to right-center in the top of the 10th inning to give the Yankees a 5-2 lead , and ultimately send New York back to the World Series for the fist time in 15-years. Juan Soto homers.Getty Images.   It all went down perfectly for New York in that 10th inning. A walk to Austin Wells started the inning. Another error by Guardians short stop Bryan Rocchio followed, setting up Soto with two men on and two out. After fouling off four straight pitches, Soto got a pitch he liked and crushed it. You knew it was gone as soon as center fielder Lane Thomas started back-peddling for the wall. When the ball went over, Soto stopped looked back toward the dugout and screamed, before rounding the bases. T...

Yankees Survive, Take 3-1 ALCS Lead Over Cleveland

 YANKEES 8 - GUARDIANS 6  The Yankees don't like to make things easy do they?  The Bronx Bombers survived Game 4 in Cleveland, winning by the count of 8-6 as the Guardians once again staged a late inning comeback that had to give Yankees fans in the Bronx palpitations.  Giancarlo Stanton, Getty Images   The Yankees held a 6-2 lead thanks in major part to another monstrous home run by Giancarlo Stanton in the top of the sixth inning. It looked like New York would be on cruise control until the bottom of the seventh inning when things went sideways.  RBI doubles by Jose Ramirez, and Josh Naylor brought the Guardians to within a run at 6-5. Then in the eighth inning, David Fry, who broke Yankee hearts with the game winning homer in extras in Game 4, tied Game 5 by reaching on an infield single to plate Bo Naylor with the tying run.  The Yankees bullpen which had been so good this postseason was charged with four runs, including Mark Leiter who wound up ge...

Mets Awaken, Blast Dodgers Force Game 6

METS 12 - DODGERS 6  The New York Mets are alive, and they still have a shot in this NLCS. After back-to-back blowout losses to the Dodgers in Games 3 and 4, the Mets jumped all over LA in Game 5, winning 12-6 to keep the dream alive for at least one more day.  If there is one thing this 2024 New York Mets team has taught us all season: they never give up.  They didn't give up when they got off to an 0-5 start to the season.  They didn't give up when they were 11-games under .500 in May.  Pete Alonso celebrates. Getty Images They didn't give up in Atlanta on the last day of the season to get into the postseason. They didn't give up when the Brewers had them on elimination's door in Game 3 of the Wild Card round. And they didn't give up in Game of the NLCS while facing elimination at home.  The Mets tattooed Dodgers starting pitcher Jake Flahtery, who dominated them in Game 1. On Friday night, the Mets returned the favor, knocking him out after three innings...

Mets Not in Dodgers Class as LA Dominates Game 3 of NLCS

 The New York Mets are really up against the proverbial wall now. Yes, Game 3 was only one of potentially seven games in the 2024 NLCS, but the LA Dodgers came to Citi Field and made a huge statement that the National League, and likely this series is there's for the taking. When Kike Hernandez crushed a Reed Garrett pitch, and deposited it over left-center field wall to give the Dodgers a 4-0 lead, you knew Game 3 was all but over. Shohei Ohtani and Max Muncy then put the series itself in question when they launched pitches to the moon. Ohtani's homer skied the top of the right field foul pole, and Muncy's homer landed in the second row of the upper deck. Just like that the scoreboard read Dodgers 8 - Mets 0. Mets owner Steve Cohen once said when he purchased the team that he wants the Mets to one day emulate the Dodgers and their current run of success. It's clear that the Amazin's have a long way to go to catch them.  For the second time in this seri...

Judge Awakens as Yanks Bomb Guardians in Game 2

 The New York Yankees are closing in on their first World Series appearance in 15 years. And they can thank slugger Aaron Judge, who has finally shaken off the cobwebs of his October swoon, crushing a two-run homer in the Yankees 6-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium. Through two games of this American League Championship Series, it has been a total mismatch. While the Yankees haven't been clicking on all cylinders, they are doing just enough to beat a Cleveland team that can't get out of its own way. Aaron Judge watches it go. Getty Images.  No better example than in the bottom of the first inning of Game 2 when Cleveland's Bryan Rocchio dropped a pop up by Judge, allowing Gleyber Torres to score the games first run.  Finally in the bottom of the seventh inning, Judge ripped the proverbial roof of the 'House that Jeter Built' when he crushed a two-run bomb to Monument Park in dead center to make it 6-2. On the hill, Gerrit Cole did just e...

Jets acquire Davante Adams After Monday Night Disaster

 The New York Jets landed star wide receiver Davante Adams in a blockbuster trade with the Las Vegas Raiders in the early morning hours, Tuesday, less than 12 hours following a disheartening 23-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football. The move reunites Adams with his favorite quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. Aaron Rodgers vs. Bills. Getty Images.  The pending Adams-Rodgers reunion has been the worst kept secret in the NFL for some time. The Jets tried to make a move for Adams last season, but the Raiders balked on a trade. The talks between the two fledging franchises heated up again this summer, and started boiling as the trade deadline neared. According to reports, the Jets surrendered a third round pick, which could become a second rounder. Meanwhile Gang Green will assume all of Adams contract, which is no bargain. Adams is due $11 million the rest of this season, and over $36 million in each of the next two seasons.  One would think that a rework...

Soto & Stanton Power Yankees Past Listless Guardians

 The New York Yankees continue their domination of teams from the American League Central this postseason. The latest victim: The Cleveland Guardians.  As Derek Jeter admitted during the MLB on FOX pregame show on Sunday, the Yanks have the easiest route to the World Series they have seen in the two-plus decades of playoff excellence since the late 90s.  The Yankees dominated the Guardians 5-2 on Monday with Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton both going yard on balls that were no doubters when they left the bat.  Juan Soto - Getty Images.  With Aaron Judge still struggling this postseason, batting only .133 in five games, the Yanks needed someone to step up, and they have gotten just that from their other two sluggers in Soto who is batting .353 this postseason, and Stanton, who is sizzling at .368.  It really has been a two-man show for the Bombers at this point. And so far it's working.  It also helps that the Yankees are finally getting the most out of...

Vientos Powers Mets Past Dodgers to Even Up NLCS

 The New York Mets evened up the National League Championship Series with a resounding 7-3 victory on Monday afternoon, as Mark Vientos proved to be the star of the show thanks to his grand slam home run. Vientos launched the homer in the second inning as the Mets jumped out to an early 6-0 lead, one night after getting plastered by the Dodgers in Game 1. The 24-year old infielder has been terrific in the postseason, batting .378 with three homers and 11 RBI. More importantly Vientos has been clutch in big spots. Mark Vientos - Getty Images.  Meanwhile, the Mets didn't make things easy on themselves the rest of the night. After a strong start, Sean Manaea left in the sixth inning as the Dodgers rallied to plate a pair of runs to cut the Met lead in half at 6-3. Still give the Mets bullpen a ton of credit. Phil Maton, Ryan Staneck and Edwin Diaz all worked out of trouble on Monday. Diaz bailed out Staneck in the eighth when he got Kike Hernandez to fly out to right wi...

Mets & Senga Fall Flat in NLCS Opener, Blanked 9-0

 DODGERS 9 - METS 0 (LA Leads Series 1-0)  The New York Mets didn't get off the mat Sunday night in Los Angeles, falling behind early as Kodi Senga imploded, and the offense was held in check in a disappointing 9-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers out at Dodgers Stadium in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.  The Mets and manager Carlos Mendoza rolled the dice on starting Senga for the second time this postseason, and only the second time since coming off the I.L. where he spent the entire second half of the year recovering from a hamstring tear. The decision to pitch him proved fatal in Game 1.  Senga didn't have it.  Getty Images. After getting fellow countryman, Shohei Ohtani to ground out for the first out, Senga lost control of the strike zone. He walked the next three batters to face him, and got lucky as Will Smith's fly ball to center wasn't deep enough for Mookie Betts to score on a sac fly.  Still the Dodgers made Senga pay moments l...

Stanton Lifts Yankees Past Royals to Inch Closer to ALCS

The New York Yankees are one step closer to returning to the American League Championship Series, and they can thank Giancarlo Stanton for all of it. The veteran slugger went off on the Royals, knocking three hits, including a solo home run in the eighth inning that proved to be the game winner in a nail-biting 3-2 victory in Game 3 of the ALDS in Kansas City.  The Yankees haven't made it easy on themselves or their fans in this series. Every game has been close, and both victories have each been decided by a single run.  Giancarlo Stanton celebrates with Anthony Volpe Getty Images.   New York built a 2-0 lead thanks to a RBI double by Stanton in the top of the fourth inning, and a sac fly by Juan Soto in the top of the fifth, but Clark Schmidt just couldn't handle a little prosperity.  Schmidt coughed up the lead, surrendering a pair of runs to the Royals in the bottom half of the fifth inning on RBIs hits by Kyle Isbel and Michael Massey.  The score remained t...

Mets Eliminate Phillies, Advance to NLCS

  The New York Mets are heading back to the NLCS for the first since 2015, following a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the League Division Series out at Citi Field on Wednesday night. As he has all season, Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor played the role of the hero, crushing a grand slam home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to propel the Mets back to the League Championship, while bringing down the house in the process. The Mets had struggled the entire night with the bases loaded, leaving ducks on the pond in both the first and second innings, respectively. Francisco Lindor. Getty Images When Lindor connected on a fastball from Jeff Hoffman, Citi Field rose in anticipation, then erupted into a deafening and dazzling display of euphoria as Lindor rounded first base after sending the ball over the right-center field wall.  It was easily the loudest Citi Field has been all season, and that is saying a lot, because this Mets team has been...

Robert Saleh Fired in Early Tuesday Stunner

 Robert Saleh's tenure as Head Coach of the New York Jets is over, and it stunned everyone. Yes, the Jets are 2-3, their season hangs in the balance heading into Monday's match-up with the Buffalo Bills, but nobody, and I mean nobody expected owner Woody Johnson to pull the trigger now, in-season, with 12 games left.  But, as Johnson said publicly Tuesday, he feels this is the best roster of talent he has had in his 25-years as owner.  And that was enough impetus for him to make the move to fire Saleh in the early morning Tuesday. In fact, according to reports, Saleh arrived for work as he would normally and found out of the Johnson's decision shortly there after.  Johnson only consulted with General Manager Joe Douglas, even though his mind was already made up, and according to reports, Aaron Rodgers was not an influence, directly.  If you want to believe that.  There were also reports Tuesday that Saleh was considering demoting Offensive Coordinator Nath...

Giants Special Teams Perserve Win in Seattle

 Hey Giants fans, you got a season after all!!  The New York Giants are not toast just yet, as Big Blue showed true grit in a 29-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks late Sunday afternoon to improve to 2-3 on the year.    Daniel Jones was exceptional, throwing for 257 yards and two touchdowns as the Giants never trailed again after an early first quarter deficit.  Jones' first touchdown went to Wan'Dale Robinson to tie the game at seven with 9:09 to go in the second quarter. His 30-yard pass to Darius Slayton put Big Blue out in front 17-10 early in the third quarter. The Giants would never look back, building their lead to as much as 10-points.  Perhaps the coup de gras came with 55 seconds to go in the game when the Giants blocked an attempted field goal by Seattle that would have tied the game. Instead the ball bounced into the hands of Giants linebacker Bryce Ford Wheaton, who ran coast to coast for a touchdown to give the Giants a thrilling 29-20 win....

Castellanos Leads Phils Past Mets, Knots Series at One

PHILLIES 7 - METS 6  When the chips are down, Nick Castellanos almost always seems to be in the middle of good things for the Philadelphia Phillies, and he was again on Sunday night, leading Philly to 6-4 win over the Mets at Citizen's Bank Park in Game 2 of the NLDS.  Nick Castellanos and the Phillies celebrate. Getty Images.   The series is now knotted at a game a piece, as it heads back to Citi Field on Tuesday.  The Phillies' veteran outfielder was 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI. His solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning tied the proceedings at three. And finally when the Phillies needed it with two men aboard, he delivered a sharp single into the left field corner to plate the winning run.  After the celebration, Castellanos walked up to his son who was sitting behind home plate to celebrate with him. All of sudden we got a new series.  For the Mets, it was a humbling loss, but this has been a team that has defied the odds so many times this year...

Jets Fall Flat Against Darnold's Vikes in London

 VIKINGS 23 - JETS 17  The New York Jets season FEELS like it's on life support. And I stress the word 'feels' mainly because their upcoming Week 6 opponent the Buffalo Bills are mired in a two-game losing streak themselves. But when those two teams meet up at MetLife Stadium, the loser will feel like their season is done. For the Jets, Sunday morning's 23-17 loss to Sam Darnold and the 5-0 Minnesota Vikings was horrible. The Jets looked stuck with a case of jetlag for three whole quarters as they once again failed to muster much offense at all as Minnesota held onto a 17-10 lead.  Aaron Rodgers after a 23-17 loss to Vikings. Getty Images   Even though it was a seven point game at that point, it felt like a 30-point deficit.  Before waking up late in the fourth quarter, the Jets mustered only 168-yards of offense and 11 first downs.  Breece Hall was non-existent ... AGAIN.  And Aaron Rodgers was having easily his worst game in a green and white unifor...

Pete Alonso Slams Door on Brewers & Doubters with Heroic Blast

 For the second time in a week the New York Mets have given their fans a game that will never soon be forgotten. And this time it was none other than Pete Alonso who delivered the heroics when he crushed a three-run homer in the Mets stunning, thrilling 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in a winner-take-all Game 3 of the NL Wild Card series.  Alonso who was 0-for-3 in the game, and had struggled throughout the entire series in Milwaukee faced arguably the biggest at bat of his career, and passed the test with flying colors.   Pete Alonso Celebrates his Home Run in Game 3. Getty Images He silenced the entire crowd in Milwaukee, and sent Mets fans across the country into an absolute tizzy.  There was a watch party at Citi Field. The videos that have suffered through X and Instagram are beyond epic.  Mets play-by-play man Howie Rose , who called the historic homer, heard it played back over the loudspeaker on the Mets plane, in a wonderful moment as Rose got out ...

Mets Dominate Brewers in Game 1 of Wild Card Round

  OMG!! The New York Mets keep rolling right along. About 24 hours after celebrating a dizzying, thrilling playoff clincher down in Atlanta the day before, the Mets kept pedal to the metal on Tuesday with an 8-4 thumping of the Milwaukee Brewers in the opener of the NL Wild Card round. Any thoughts of a hangover were quickly dissipated when the Mets erased a two-run deficit in the top of the second inning, Tuesday, platting three-runs to take a 3-2 lead.  Francisco Lindor and Jose Iglesias - Getty Images.   Former Brewer Jesse Winker turned the game on its head when he stayed on a fastball out of the over plate and laced it down the right field line, scoring both Mark Vientos and Pete Alonso to tie the proceedings at two. The moment also led to a bizarre altercation between Winker and Milwaukee's Willy Adames, where the two were yelling back and forth at each other. Regardless, Winker would eventually come in on a sac fly by Starling Marte to give the Met...