Mike Mussina back on track - Mets keep rolling

The Yankees are going to be in the playoffs, the only question will be about the rotation. Even the bullpen is looking solid. Joba Chamberlain and Edmar Ramirez have added the power arms needed against the top teams, and they have the control/composure that Farnsworth seems to have lost in pressure situations. Joba gave up a run but it was unearned - thanks A-Rod, what no homer last night.

As far as the rotation goes - with Phil Hughes straightened out, I like Wang, Petite, Clemens, Hughes. Different stuff, lefty/righty, different looks. The only question will be how is Clemens health and Hughes composure. This relegates Ian Kennedy and Mussina to the pen. Even if Mussina is right, the only guy you could take out is Hughes and with the injuries this year and the youth, moving him for a couple weeks doesn't make sense. They moved Joba early and had him prepare in triple A. 2 more turns through the rotation should give us a good idea.


As far as the other NY team goes, the Mets are in the playoffs. As long as Philly doesn't sweep them again, and if Martinez gets better each start, we are left with three playoff vets in the rotation and only the fourth slot unknown. Maine or Perez - the question is who would be better in the pen. I will leave this to Willy but I would want a power arm as Mota is nothing (without steroids) and there is no one else to set up Wagner except Heilman, and it seems he is pitching everyday.

As soon as Reyes gets a couple days off and Delgado comes back (or Green/Anderson play there), the Mets become the team to beat in the NL (again - see 2006). The playoffs will be great, let the Cubs make it and get heartbroken again.

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Yanks on a Roll

The Yankees are burning up the AL, but still need to do better against the better teams everyone says. Well in the past month, they swept the Sox at home, split with the Angels at home/road, beat the Mariners, split with the Tigers, and own the Indians for the year. Who have they not beat.

No one is saying that the Sox can't beat anyone good, they just lost to Tampa the other night. If they didn't get off to such a good start while the Yankees were doing so poorly, the 5 game lead wouldn't exist and this upcoming series would be for the division.

Even though Boston broke the curse, go up to the city and tell me that the Sox fans aren't scoreboard watching. With a healthy Clemens and Hughes straightening out, I will put up our rotation against theirs in the playoffs, especially with the Yankees finally having a bench. Betemit, Duncan, Molina, etc.

The only hope I have is to avoid the Angels in the first round. Though they aren't as good as the past few years, Sciosa is a great manager and they have had the Yankees in the palms of their hands. Between that and avoiding as many overnight flights as possible for an old team (Giambi, Damon, Matsui, etc.) the Indians are playing great but don't scare anyone.

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Vacation Over - NFL is here

The Patriot's are cheaters. Okay some people feel taking away the win from last Sunday's game would be too much, but if the allegations are true: Stealing defensive signals and listening to the Coach-QB communication of the Jets, then it isn't too much.

I could coach an NFL team to victory if I knew what the other team was going to do on offense and defense. The score was close in the first half and then the game got silly. Maybe at halftime, the Pats had time to determine the meaning of the defensive signals.

To me this is worse than past steroid abuse in baseball as there was no rule against it at the time. I still don't like it, but they didn't brazenly break the rules of the game like it sounds Belichek may have. We already know that the Packers said they did it in the past. At what point do we start questioning the genius of Bill as a defensive coach and wonder if he is just a really good spy.