Yankees Haven't Won Any Thing Yet

This has been one terrific postseason run by the Yankees so far.

They took care of the Twins with ease, and defeated the Angels, the team they have had the most difficulty beating over the past 10 years, in six games.

The Bronx Bombers have been led by a resurgent Alex Rodriguez, who has quieted the critics who said he can’t do it in the clutch, along with the usual suspects, such as Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. There were questions about C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett and their lack of postseason credentials, but they have delivered as well.

All of which is great for Yankees fans. There is one other sobering thought, however, and that is this: the Yankees haven’t won any thing yet.

For all the chest-thumping and giddiness that has gone on in New York since beating the Angels to win the American League pennant, the truth of the matter is that the Yankees were expected to get this far. Heck, they are expected to win the World Series.

It will not be easy. When the Yankees meet the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the World Series tonight, they will be looking at a team that can match them in a lot of areas.

The Phillies can hit, can hit for power, and have a strong starting rotation and a decent bullpen. The weak link this season has been closer Brad Lidge, who has turned it around during the postseason. The Phillies also have something the Yankees do not, and that’s team speed. Any one of their top three batters – Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino and Chase Utley – is a threat to steal a base.

The Yankees know this, of course, and aren’t going to say any thing to get Philadelphia fired up. In the button-down world of the Pinstripes, disrespecting an opponent is never in vogue. The Yankees would never stand for somebody like the Phils’ Rollins, who chirped that the Phillies would win the Series in five games.

“He’s been Nostradamus, that’s what I heard,’’ Yankees catcher Jorge Posada said. “He’s been (making) a lot of good predictions, so we’ve got to take that away from him.”

For the Yankees to win their first World Series since 2000 – really, it has been that long – they will need Rodriguez to deliver in the clutch. He has hit .438 during the playoffs with five home runs and 12 RBIs. He helped pick up an offense that struggled otherwise, as Mark Teixeira (.205, 5 RBIs), Robinson Cano (.229, five RBIs) and Johnny Damon (.238, 5 RBIs) have all struggled so far. The Yankees need A-Rod to continue his hot October run.

Just as important, the Yankees need to slow down the Phillies’ offense. Ryan Howard (.355, 2 home runs, 14 RBIs) has been Rodriguez’s peer in the postseason, and Utley, Carlos Ruiz and Victorino all have hit better than .300 this October.

It promises to be an exciting World Series, and many people consider the Yankees the favorite. If they do win their 27th World Series, then truly a celebration will be in order. But for now, the Bronx Bombers are still short of the goal that they, and their fans, have set.

Saints Expose Giants' Defense

Going back to their first Super Bowl victories, the Giants have always been defined by their defense.

Sure they had Phil Simms and some others, but this is a team that loved defense. The fans love their defense. The NFC East is all about the defensive side of the ball, and stopping the other team from moving the ball.

So when, exactly, did the Giants turn in the old San Diego Chargers, a team that couldn’t stop any body? Because that’s what it looked like Sunday, as Drew Brees drove the Saints all over the field on the way to an easier-than-it looked 48-27 victory.

It was like Brees had the keys to the hot rod, and he could drive it wherever he pleased. The Saints scored on their first two possessions, compiled 626 yards of total offense and easily won the battle of undefeated teams.

The biggest problem for the Giants was their pass rush, because they hardly laid a hand on Brees. He was only sacked one time, completed 23-of-30 passes for 369 yards and made every key play. He threw the ball all over the lot, and the Giants never could stop him. You had the feeling if Brees lined up Saints owner Tom Benson at wide receiver, he could’ve hit him for a 10-yard completion.

The defensive line was virtually invisible the entire game, which is hard to believe with a unit that features Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Mathius Kiwanuka. This was a team that was supposed to make offenses cringe, and they hardly laid a hand on Brees.

Absence a pass rush, the Giants’ secondary got torched all game long. The team undoubtedly misses Kenny Phillips and Aaron Ross, both of whom are out with injuries. Ross should return soon, but Phillips is gone for the year. Their replacements, Terrell Thomas and C.C. Brown, were beat time and again yesterday.

Granted, Brees played a terrific game. He marched the team down for a touchdown on the opening drive of the game, and his touchdown pass to Jeremy Shockey late in the first quarter made it 14-0.

He continued to riddle the Giants’ pass defense the entire game, throwing touchdowns to four different players. The Saints were able to run the ball, too, rushing for 133 yards, including 72 by Pierre Thomas.

Through the first five games of the season, the Giants made it look easy. They had surrendered just 71 points, and were dominating against a weak schedule that included Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Oakland, who had a combined one victory entering Sunday’s games.

Sunday, on a big stage against a quality team, the Giants’ defense was exposed time and again. If this is a team that wants to return to the Super Bowl, it has to find answers for its defense.

Give Cashman Credit, Too

There has been a lot of discussion about the personnel moves made by the Yankees over the past few years in their bid to get back to the World Series.

What a lot of commentators have missed is the one move the Yankees didn’t make.
Back in 2007, after the team parted ways with manager Joe Torre, there was also a lot of conjecture on the future of general manager Brian Cashman.

The team lost to the Cleveland Indians in the Divisional Series, and Cashman’s contract was done. More than a few teams were interested in having Cashman come work for them.

The Yankees retained Cashman, and it may have been one of their smartest personnel moves.
That was my thinking last night when I watched Jerry Hairston score the winning run in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series against the Angels. Hairston was picked up just before the trading deadline by Cashman, who has made a series of strong moves over the past 12 months to fortify the Yankees.

Detractors, of course, will point out that Cashman has the deep Yankees’ coffers with which to work. Give any general manager the opportunity to get C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira, as the Yankees did in the last off-season, and they could win the pennant.

There is more to the Yankees, however, than their start-studded lineup. There are several other contributors that have played a large part in the team’s success. And the reason they are in pinstripes? Brian Cashman.

Take, for instance, Nick Swisher. He hit just .219 last year for the White Sox, with 24 home runs and 69 RBIs. Cashman acquired the switch-hitting outfielder for Wilson Betemit and two minor leaguers. During the regular season, he hit 29 home runs and had 82 RBIs while drawing 97 walks.

Swisher might have had the greatest impact this season, but there have been others. Cashman also brought in Phil Coke and Hairston, who have been key additions as well. He stuck with Melky Cabrera in the outfield, and backed him up with Brett Gardner, who has also been an important player.

Certainly, not every move Cashman has made has worked. He has made a lot of poor decisions regarding pitchers – Carl Pavano and Randy Johnson comes to mind – but don’t forget, a lot of teams would’ve made those same choices. Cashman got burned going after them, but a lot of teams also wanted those pitchers.

Cashman also made the choice to pursue Sabathia and Burnett last winter, and it certainly looks smart now. He knew the Yankees’ biggest shortcoming was pitching, and he addressed it. He need not apologize simply because the Yankees can afford to pay the big salaries. He’s just playing by the rules.

It is not, however, the mega stars that win championships. A lot of times it is the supporting cast that is just as instrumental, and Cashman has done a terrific job in strengthening the Yankees’ bench and the bullpen. They were two major flaws in the team last year, and Cashman improved the team in each of those areas.

The Yankees still have work to do to win the World Series. But at least they have the weapons to do it, thanks to Brian Cashman.

Yankees Will Need to Play Better

There were more than a few encouraging signs from the Yankees in their American League Division Series sweep of the Minnesota Twins.

Alex Rodriguez finally produced some October magic, Derek Jeter delivered a big home run and another brilliant defensive play, and Mariano Rivera performed like, well, Mariano Rivera. The team even got contributions from A.J. Burnett and Joba Chamberlain.

All of that is fine, but here’s one other point to consider: the Bronx Bombers must play better if they are going to beat the Angels in the American League Championship Series. The Yankees swept the Twins, but it also helped that the Twins made critical mistakes that helped the Yankees. It’s not so much that the Yankees won, but the Twins made miscues that practically gift-wrapped the series for New York.

Such as? Glad you asked.

The most glaring was in Game 2, where the Twins summoned closer Joe Nathan to protect a two-run lead. The Yankees held a 1-0 lead in the series, and to that point had managed all of three hits against four Minnesota pitchers. Nathan surrendered three hits, including a two-run home run by A-Rod, and the game went extra innings.

In the 11th, the Twins loaded the bases with none out against Damaso Marte and David Robertson, but failed to push in the go-ahead run.

A lot of people complain about umpire Phil Cuzzi’s blown call on a ball hit by Mauer down the left field line, which he incorrectly called foul. Mauer should have been on second base, no question about it. Yet if the Twins can’t push across the go-ahead run in that inning, they didn’t deserve to win the game. And they didn’t, losing in the bottom of the inning on Mark Teixeira’s walk-off home run off of Josa Mijares.

In Sunday’s series clincher, the Twins took a 1-0 lead in the sixth inning on an RBI by Mauer. Carl Pavano, a former Yankees bust, kept his former teammates guessing through the first six innings. So what does he do when he gets a lead?

He promptly gives it up, yielding home runs to A-Rod and Jorge Posada, as the Yankees took the lead for good.

In the eighth, Nick Punto’s basesrunning mistake proved costly, as he was gunned down after a terrific play by Jeter, who saw Punto running through the stop sign at third. Punto was dead on the relay from Posada, and it killed the rally. The bullpen then promptly blew whatever chance the Twins had by allowing two tack-on runs in the 9th as the Yankees won, 4-1.

And while everybody pointed to A-Rod, did any one notice that few others hit for the Yankees? Johnny Damon and Nick Swisher hit .083, Melky Cabrera, Robinson Cano and Teixeira were at .167. Hideki Matsui was .222. Phil Hughes pitched all three games, but had an ERA of 9.00.

Rodriguez had a fantastic series, hitting .455 with two home runs and six RBIs. His postseason struggles are legendary, but his shot off Nathan in Game 2 changed the series, and he crushed another home run off of Pavano. The starting pitcher with CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte was solid.

But if the Yankees think the Angels are going to make the same errors the Twins made, they have another thing coming. They need to dial it up even more in the ALCS, because unlike the Twins, the Angels won’t hand them any thing.

A Team Effort Propels Yankees

It wasn’t just important that the Yankees defeated the Twins, 7-2, in Game 1 of the American League Division Series Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.

What was impressive is the way the won, because if this team is going to win its first World Series title since 2000, it will need to have contributions from every one.

Wednesday night, they did.

There were the usual suspects that delivered big in October for the Yankees. Derek Jeter had a home run, scored three runs, knocked in two more. Mariano Rivera pitched a scoreless ninth. They did what they’re supposed to do in October.

They were not the only ones, however, who starred on this night. CC Sabathia, Hideki Matsui, Alex Rodrgiuez, even Joba Chamberlain, contributed in this one.

If the team is going to do anything this October, they will need to continue to produce.
Sabathia and Rodriguez are the perhaps the most critical pieces, and they each delivered in their own way last night.

Sabathia pitched 6 2/3 strong innings, allowing just one earned run with eight strikeouts and no walks. He also allowed a run on a wild pitch, but he handcuffed the Twins most of the night.

"I was able to hold them down," Sabathia said. "It got a little sketchy in the third, but I was able to come back and put up zeroes like I have all year - and these guys scored runs like they did all year."

Sabathia is crucial to the Yankees postseason plans. He’s their top starter, and with the unpredictable A.J. Burnett following him, the Yankees need him to be at his best. Sabathia came into the postseason with a shaky past – a 2-3 record with a 7.92 ERA – but he was superb Wednesday. He pitched the way he did during the regular season, when he was 11-2 with a 2.74 ERA after the All-Star break.

"This is what you come here for, to pitch in the postseason and play in October," Sabathia said. "It was electric tonight."

The other key figure in Wednesday’s win was A-Rod, who had two hits, two RBIs and scored a run. The numbers were gruesome. He was 0-for-29 with runners on base in postseason games dating back to Game 4 of the AL Championship Series. He hit .071 in the 2006 playoffs, and hit just .256 with six strikeouts in 14 at-bats in the 2007 divisional round.

It was just a pair of singles for A-Rod Wednesday, but it took the pressure off him. At least for a little while.

"I'm sure it makes him feel good inside," Girardi said. "Whenever you contribute, it's important. It puts you in a good place."

There were others, too. Hideki Matsui hit a two-run home run. Phil Hughes, Phil Coke and Joba combined to get four outs before handing the ball over to Rivera for the ninth. Steve Swisher, an overlooked component of the Yankee who had 29 home runs during the regular season, delivered an RBI single.

It was all good for the Yankees Wednesday against a drained Minnesota team that was playing less than 24 hours after beating Detroit in a playoff for the AL Central crown. Few people expected Minnesota would be able to win Game 1, and the Twins looked like a tired team.

Still, it was important for the Yankees to take that first step toward 11 postseason wins. What was impressive was not how they won, but in the way in which they did it. If they continue to get contributions from their entire roster, they might just win that elusive 27th World Series.

Sanchez Takes a Step Back

Mark Sanchez is finding out there is a steep learning curve for young quarterbacks in the NFL.

The question for the Jets rookie is how quickly can he overcome his first subpar effort?

Make no mistake about it: Sanchez needs to perform better than he did in Sunday’s 24-10 loss to New Orleans.

The final numbers were these: 14 completions in 27 attempts, a mere a 138 yards. The bigger numbers were these: Three interceptions and one fumble that resulted in a Saints touchdown.

It wasn’t just the turnovers or the fumble that were killers for the Jets. It was also when he fired the interceptions. The most critical one was early in the second quarter, with the Jets trailing 3-0 but deep in Saints territory. His pass intended for Dustin Keller was picked off by Darren Sharper and returned for a 99-yard touchdown.

Talk about turning points. The Jets get the lead there, they can let their defense loose. Coach Rex Ryan’s team will be difficult to beat once they get a lead, but Sanchez’s critical interception cost them that chance.

“That’s a classic rookie quarterback looking at his receiver and Sharper read me the whole way,’’ Sanchez said. “I took him right to it. It was a poor decision and poor use of my eyes.”

The Jets’ loss can’t be pinned entirely on Sanchez. The Saints had a fourth-and-one play in Jets’ territory late in the fourth quarter and protecting a 17-10 lead. Coach Sean Payton said the team was content to take a delay penalty and punt, but nose tackle Kris Jenkins jumped offside and the Saints maintained possession.

There were other errors, too, but Sanchez’ mistakes were critical. “We spotted them 14 points, and the final score was 24-10,’’ Sanchez said. “That was huge. I’ve got to learn from that and improve.”

How quickly, and how much, Sanchez improves will define his career. He won his first three games as an NFL starter, and certainly shows as much promise as any Jets quarterback has shown in a long, long time. But if the team is going to make a run at the postseason, he will need to improve. Quickly. Things change on a weekly basis in the NFL, and the Jets need Sanchez to minimize turnovers and let the defense keep the team in the game.

We will find out quickly if Sanchez is up for the challenge. His next opponent is the Miami Dolphins in a nationally televised game on Monday night. There is no question Miami general manager Bill Parcells and coach Tony Sparano saw Sanchez get exposed Sunday, and will try to capitalize on that.

It is too soon to tell if the Jets made a mistake by taking Sanchez with the No. 5 pick in April’s draft or even if he will be a starting quarterback in the NFL for any length of time. We will have a much better idea, however, after the next couple of games.

Jets Need to Show Saints Something

New York is What-Have-You-Done-Lately town, and that will certainly be evidenced by the New York Jets in Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints.

The Jets have shown in three games thus far that these are not the Same Old’ Jets.
Things have a way turning around quickly in this town, however, which is why Sunday’s game at New Orleans is critical for Gang Green.

Certainly, the Jets have taken care of business so far. They are 3-0, beat New England at home, and have shown an aggressive defense that is capable of shutting down any one. Coach Rex Ryan has injected new life into the team, and first round quarterback Mark Sanchez has played as well as any one had any right to expect.

What was impressive in Sunday’s win over Tennessee was how the Jets were able to capitalize after getting a turnover. The game changed when Titans’ rookie Ryan Mouton fumbled a punt deep in his own territory. The Jets scored a few players later on Mark Sanchez’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Jerricho Cotchery, and the defense allowed very little the rest of the way in a 24-17 victory.

The Saints and quarterback Drew Brees might be the Jets’ toughest test yet this season. It is on the road, and Brees and Co. have been putting up staggering offensive numbers. If the Jets are as good as people think they are, this will be a good chance for them to show it.
”People are going to say what they want to say whether you win, lose or draw, Ryan said at Thursday’s news conference. “ I think people realize now that the Jets have a pretty darn good football team. That’s important to us.”

The Jets don’t necessarily have to beat the Saints on Sunday, because there is still a lot of season left. Nobody expects the team to go undefeated and losing on the road to an upper-echelon team is not going to end their season.

The one thing that positively cannot happen, however, is for the Jets to lose ugly. Their defense can’t surrender 40-plus points, Sanchez and the offense can’t survive multiple turnovers and the defense has to show that it can stop one of the marquee teams in the league.

If any of those things happen, many of the good vibes that have been generated by the good start will get washed away. New York is a town that breaks legs jumping on and off bandwagons, and if things get rolling in the wrong direction, people will be quick to dismiss the team’s good start as a fluke.

That’s not Ryan’s fault, but that’s the way things are in New York. If Ryan wants to keep the faith among the team’s hard core (and long-suffering) fans, it needs to play well against the Saints. Otherwise, many of the good feelings engendered from their September sprint will be wiped away.

All Around the Big City

So as we wait for the Yankees to get ready for the playoffs, the Mets to end their season, and the

Jets and Giants to get ready for their next opponents, here’s a few thoughts to that crossed my

mind:


-- Does anybody miss Eric Mangini? Really, the effort his Cleveland Browns put up

Sunday in a 34-3 loss to Baltimore was pathetic. His team is winless, and the quarterback

situation is still a mess. Meanwhile, the Jets are 3-0, the defense is vastly improved from a year

ago and Rex Ryan looks like he’s a better coach than his old man. Miss Mangini? Don’t think so.

-- The Mets lost again last night, this time to the Nationals, and have 90 losses for the season.

They are 23 ½ games out of first place and and only the pathetic Pirates and the Nationals have

worst records in the National League. Yes, it’s all because of injuries, right? Well, last night’s

lineup included David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Luis Castillo and Jeff Francoeur. In fact, Wright

and Beltran have been back for a while, and Castillo and Francoeur have been in the lineup just

about every day. There is no way this team should be this bad. No way. But manager Jerry

Manuel is coming back, Omar Minaya is hanging on and everybody thinks it will get better next

year when the injured players come back. Here’s a news flash: It won’t. The Mets need to totally

rebuild. Another 90-loss season in 2010 is not out of the question.
-- The Giants are 3-0, will be 4-0 after playing the Chiefs on Sunday, and have looked

impressive doing it. But the season-ending loss of second-year safety Kenny Phillips slipped

under the radar of a lot of fans last week, and it’s a critical one. Phillips was a promising young

player, and losing experienced talent in the secondary is always a problem. The Giants didn’t

need Phillips against Tampa Bay – they probably could have won the game playing with 10

defenders – but down the road, the Giants will feel the loss of Phillips. Maybe it won’t cost them

a trip to the playoffs, but it could be the difference between them making the Super Bowl or

suffering an early loss in the playoffs.


-- The Rangers are in full preseason mode. That’s great. Can somebody tell me when the games

become important in April?

-- There have been lot discussions about various postseason awards for the Yankees, but few

people have talked about Joe Girardi getting named the American League Manager of the Year.

Yes, he did have a bloated payroll and more weapons at his disposal than any manager in the

game, but the team got off to a slow start, the team did not have a consistent fourth and fifth

starter and he somehow managed to juggle an outfield with Melky Cabrera, Brent Gardner, Nick

Swisher, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Jerry Hairston and get all of them playing time.

Most importantly, he managed to get a big year out of Alex Rodriguez after the third baseman

missed the first 1 ½ months of the season. Girardi’s ultimate assessment will be determined by

how the team fares in the postseason, but 100 wins and the best record in baseball are not too

bad for the manager in just his second year in pinstripes.

Yankees Will Be Measured by October

The Yankees clinched a spot in Major League Baseball’s postseason tournament earlier this week, but that can only be the beginning for this proud franchise.

For the Yankees, and second-year manager Joe Girardi, it’s all about October. In New York, it is always a pass/fail grade. Despite being the first team to secure a spot in the playoffs, the Yankees’ final report card won’t be distributed until next month.
Going into the playoffs, there are a few reasons to be concerned.

First, the Yankees have to take care of business and secure the AL East division title. They can take a big step toward that direction this weekend with a three-game series against Boston, their closest pursuer in the division chase. After finally winning a series in Anaheim this week, the Yankees need to keep the momentum going and play well this weekend. Boston leads the season series, 9-6, after taking the first eight games against the Yankees this season. Boston enters this weekend 5 ½ games behind the Yankees.

More importantly, however, the Yankees have to sort out their pitching. It is difficult to fathom how the team has won 97 games because 40 percent of its starting rotation has been downright frightful. Joba Chamberlain has looked lost for the past two months and the No. 5 starter has been either Sergio Mitre (3-3, 6.88 ERA) or Chad Gaudin (5-10, 4.78 ERA). Neither of them figures to be important factors in the postseason.

The wild card as the Yankees get ready for October is Chamberlain. The enigmatic right-hander gets a start tonight against the Red Sox, and it is important that Yankees see some progress after a string of poor performances.

His most recent effort was perhaps his most disappointing. Last Sunday against Seattle, Chamberlain pitched three innings and gave up seven earned runs, six hits and three walks. Ouch!

He hasn’t won a game since beating Boston on Aug. 6, and is 8-6 with a 4.72 ERA in 29 starts this season.

The Yankees have mishandled the “Joba Rules” from the outset, trying to cap his innings to protect his valuable right arm. He has only pitched six innings once in the last two months, and has been limited to three innings in four of his last five starts. He pitched four innings in the other one.

Besides Chamberlain, however, there are other concerns as well. A.J. Burnett (12-9, 4.19 ERA) has been nearly as enigmatic as Joba. He can be ridiculously nasty in one start – like he was Wednesday in Anaheim, where he struck out 11 in 5 2/3 innings – or he can be awful. He gave up six runs in seven innings in a Sept. 12 start against Baltimore. If the Yankees are going to do any thing in the postseason, they need the dominating Burnett.

Mariano Rivera anchors the bullpen, but there are questions in the bullpen as well. Phil Hughes has emerged as the eighth inning set-up man, but how will the 23-year-old perform in October? There are questions about the other relievers as well, such as Phil Coke, Alfredo Aceves, David Robertson and Brian Bruney. Can they get big outs in October?

And what happens if Alex Rodriguez has one of his famous October meltdowns? Is the lineup good enough to have an unproductive A-Rod batting in the middle of the order?

Those are some of the key questions that will be resolved. When we get the answers to them, we can the final grade to the Yankees’ season.

A Signature Win for the Jets

This just wasn’t any victory for the New York Jets.

This was over New England, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. At home, in front of a rabid, energized crowd that was tired of losing to the Patriots.

Sunday’s 16-9 victory was, quite simply, one of the biggest wins in this decade for this franchise.

“The Patriots are a hell of a football team. I just thought we were the better team today,’’ coach Rex Ryan said. “That’s all we said the whole time. We believe that we are the better team today. We went out and showed it.”

If anybody doubts how the Jets are going to go about this season, their blueprint has been on display through the first two games.

They are going to be an aggressive, physical team that is defined by its defense. Two games, two victories, and Ryan has shown that he’s not afraid of any team, even one that has won a couple of Super Bowls.

“The big deal is, we’re a football team that should be respected,’’ Ryan said. “Sometimes we talk a little bit, but only because we have confidence in our football team. We believe it to be true that we are an outstanding football team. We have to go out and show it each week.”

The Jets made Brady look positively average yesterday. Brady was 23-for-47 for a pedestrian 216 yards and a quarterback rating of 53.1. The Jets didn’t’ sack Brady – he was hit seven times – but the most important number is this: No touchdowns. For the first time since 1993, the Jets played consecutive games without allowing a touchdown by the opposition’s offense.

That’s how the Jets are going to play this season, and that’s how Ryan wants it.

“In the past, it was aggressive and semi-laid back,’’ defensive end Shaun Ellis said. “In the past, in the second half, we would have been more laid back. With Rex, we are more like, “get it!” We were just going to keep coming out there with that game plan, keep coming out there and working, and not (going) to sit back one bit. We put as much pressure as possible.”

No quarterback likes pressure, even one that has won Super Bowls. But under Ryan, the Jets promise to be an aggressive team that gets after the quarterback and makes him feel the heat. If it worked against the Patriots, it can work against any team.

What Sunday’s victory did was show the rest of the AFC that the Jets are coming after them. They might not win every game, but the Jets are going to play hard in every game. That you can count on.

“This is a new beginning. I don’t pay attention to the past,’’ Bart Scott said. “The past is the past. It’s a new day, It’s a new team. It’s not the same old Jets people are used to. When you come in here, you have to fight and battle for every yard. Not one or two yards. If you get down to the goal line, you are not in the end zone until you are actually in the end zone.”

Jets, Ryan Not Afraid to Tweak Patriots

If any body is surprised by the tactics Jets coach Rex Ryan has used to prepare his team for Sunday’s game against the Patriots, they haven’t been paying attention.

One of the first things Ryan said when he landed the head coaching job was he didn’t plan to “kiss Belichick’s rings”, alluding to Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

The teams meet for the first time since that statement on Sunday at Giants Stadium, and Ryan hasn’t backed down from that comment. He has brought a new attitude to the Jets, a bold approach that runs contrary to just about every thing Belichick stands for.

Ryan went so far as to record a message this week for Jets season-ticket holders, asking them to make things difficult for the Patriots and their stud quarterback, Tom Brady. The fans have seen enough of the Patriots winning at the Meadowlands, where they have walked off with eight consecutive victories over the Jets. The last time the Jets beat New England at home was in 2000.

"I’ve always challenged our players, as you know," Ryan said Wednesday. "And I've challenged our fans. I want our fans to be a factor in this game to help our defense out, make it loud and make the communication tough.

"I know Brady has seen it all before, but still, let’s look like we have about 13 or 14 guys out there. It would be great. Sometimes I’ve seen that happen where it gets so loud — it just takes one guy to miss a check. And so I’m challenging our fans to maybe be the difference in the game this week."

Ryan’s attitude has rubbed off on his players. Safety Kerry Rhodes said in The Daily News on Thursday that he merely doesn’t want to beat the Patriots, he wants to “embarrass” them.

That’s fine with Ryan, who likes to talk the talk. Sunday, we’ll see if his team can walk the walk.

The Patriots, following the cue of the keep-it-zipped Belichick, have refused to be drawn into the war of words. There’s not a whole lot of talking come out of Foxborough, but then again, you don’t expect a lot. Belichick never gives any team bulletin board fodder, and certainly won’t give any to the Jets.

“Our main focus is us and what we need to take care of as a team. We try not to pay attention to everything else,” wide receiver Wes Welker said.

That attitude plays well for the Patriots, but the Jets needed a new attitude, and Ryan has given it to them. Even if it doesn’t result in a victory on Sunday, at least Ryan has made the Jets an interesting franchise. After several years under the rudder-less leadership of Eric Mangini, that’s certainly a welcome sign.

Posada Puts Teammates in Jeopardy

The Yankees have shown a fighting spirit this season, winning 47 games in come-from-behind fashion on their way to the best record in the Major Leagues.

But last night’s brawl against the Toronto Blue Jays was a lose-lose proposition for the Yankees, and it never should have occurred. It was a virtual Fight Night in the Bronx.

After two Blue Jays were plunked earlier in the game, Toronto reliever Jesse Carlson threw a pitch behind Jorge Posada while the Yankees catcher was batting in the eighth inning of Toronto’s 10-4 victory. Posada eventually got on base and came around to score. Upon crossing home plate, he threw a forearm to Carlson, who was backing up on the play. That touched the bench-clearing melee.

Posada is a team leader, but he is also a hot-head whose temper has cost the team before. Fortunately for the Yankees, there doesn’t seem to be any injuries associated with Tuesday’s brawl. With the playoffs just a few weeks away, Posada put his team in a dangerous spot to have a player get injured in touching off the brawl.

“I told them, there's a lot at stake here and we can't afford to get anyone hurt or get anyone suspended," manager Joe Girardi said. "In the heat of the moment, sometimes we get caught up. We make decisions that maybe we wouldn't have made if we weren't in the heat of the moment. It's an ugly incident that probably shouldn't have happened."

Girardi is correct there. The brawl shouldn’t have happened, and Posada was the player at fault. Home plate umpire Jim Joyce called Posada’s forearm to Carlson “a cheap shot” and immediately ejected Posada.

A large welt decorated Carlson’s forehead after the brawl, and Girardi had a small bruise under his left eye and a cut on his left ear. Posada’s actions placed his teammates in jeopardy of being injured against a team that can’t wait for the season to end. It makes no sense.

“I don't know if that was too smart, because they certainly have a lot more to lose than we do," Toronto manager Cito Gaston said in The Daily News. "They're going to the playoffs and maybe the World Series, and you can get guys hurt out there.”

It’s no surprise that Posada would be the player to start the brawl, but the veteran catcher has to be smarter than that. Not only is there a risk of injury, but there could also be suspensions. For a team that is starving to get back to the World Series, Posada simply can’t take the chance to touch off a brawl against a team that has nothing to play for.

It didn’t need to happen. Posada should have returned to the dugout and let the incident go. He is fortunate neither he nor his teammates were seriously injured, but with so much at stake, the veteran catcher simply needs to be smarter in these situations.

Osi a Big Return for Giants

It was a transaction that slipped under the radar of a lot of NFL observers in the off-season, but the Giants acquired the services of an All-Pro defensive end.
For a defense that was already one of the best in the business, that is no small addition.

Having Osi Umenyiora back on the defensive line is a major addition for the Giants, and he proved why in Sunday’s easier-than-it-looked 23-17 win over Washington.

Umenyiora, 27, missed all of the 2008 season after undergoing knee surgery last August. He suffered a torn lateral meniscus cartilage in his left knee in a preseason game against the Jets on Aug. 23 and was placed on injured reserve three days later.
The injury came after a brilliant season in 2007, when he led the team in sacks with 13 and was the only member of the Giants defense selected to the Pro Bowl.

Oh, and the Giants won the Super Bowl that season.

Umenyiora returned Sunday, and he made his presence felt. In the second quarter, he stripped quarterback Jason Campbell, picked up the fumble and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown.

Welcome back, Big Fella.

“I can't even explain it to you.,’’ Umenyiora said on what it was like to be back on the field. “Sometimes when you're out there all the time, you kind of forget what it feels like to not be out there. Last year, I missed it and I'm happy I was able to come back this year.”

Umenyiora finished with three tackles as the Giants defense set the tone for the season by stifling the Redskins for most of the day. The Giants forced two turnovers and held the Redskins to just 85 yards rushing, 34 of which came on a Clinton Portis run on the first play from scrimmage. The front line pressured Campbell all afternoon.

“I don't know many sacks we ended up with but it felt like we were getting to him,’’ linebacker Antonio Pierce said. “But he did break out of the pocket and made some great throws. I think everybody knows what the New York Giants defense is about, getting after the quarterback and applying pressure throughout the game. We did a pretty good job of doing that.”

A lot of the preseason talk regarding the Giants centered on quarterback Eli Manning and a virtually new crop of wide receivers. No Amani Toomer, no Plaxico Burress. But they still have a veteran offensive line, a strong running game and Manning, who is the highest paid player in the league.

This is a team, however, that will be defined by its defense. The strength of the Giants is their defensive line, and adding Umenyiora to the mix makes them even stronger. Having Umenyiora back harassing quarterbacks makes the Giants one of the top defensive teams in the NFL.
If any body doubts that, they should just ask Jason Campbell.

Jets Might Be a Surprise Playoff Contender

There is a lot of anticipation in New York as the NFL season prepares to get under way.

Most of the talk centers on the Giants, who are generating a lot of attention as a preseason NFC favorite to win the East and reach the Super Bowl. They improved their depth on the defensive line, have one of the league’s top quarterbacks and a strong running game.

They also have a strong pedigree, winning the Super Bowl in February of 2008 and a coach most regard as one of the best in the business in Tom Coughlin. There is no reason not to believe the Giants won’t be playing in January and perhaps making it to the Bowl once again.

But the intriguing team in New York is the Jets, who turned over some key personnel after going 9-7 last year. They have a new quarterback in Mark Sanchez, and a new coach in Rex Ryan but the most important thing is this: a new defense, orchestrated by Ryan, which will go a long way toward determining Gang Green’s fate this fall.

The Jets open their season Sunday in Houston.

The key addition to the defense is linebacker Bart Scott, who came over with Ryan from the Ravens. He will play on the inside with David Harris, and with a defensive line anchored by Kris Jenkins, the team should be difficult to run on.

“I expect him to play lights out,’’ Ryan said of Scott at Thursday’s news conference. “I expect him to be a physical presence like he always is and bring that type of mentality to the defense. He already has. The great things is, I think he feels great about David (Harris) playing right next to him. That’s the big two right there in the middle and then you’ve got (Kris) Jenkins in there with them. He’s just a guy that’s fantastic for the whole unit.”

If Scott and Co. can control opponents’ rushing attack, the Jets appear to have a strong secondary that will make them difficult to attack through the air. Darrelle Revis was an All-Pro selection last year, and CB Lito Sheppard joined the team from Philadelphia. Kerry Rhodes was one of the best safeties in the league in 2007 and veteran Jim Leonhard also comes over from Baltimore. The defensive backfield should be one of the team’s most improved areas this season.

The key will be getting a pass rush, but Ryan’s aggressive mentality should help the team keep heat on the quarterback.

The Jets were in the running for a playoff spot last year until a late-season swoon derailed their season and led to the firing of coach Eric Mangini. The Jets were 8-3 after beating Tennessee on Nov. 23, but followed with consecutive clunkers against Denver and San Francisco. After beating Buffalo in Week 15, the Jets lost to Seattle and Miami and missed the playoffs. In their final five games, they surrendered an average of 24.4 points per game.

It didn’t help that quarterback Brett Favre, as we found out this week, played most of the season with a torn biceps. The No. 4 Sideshow is off to Minnesota now, and Sanchez takes over with a veteran offensive line and shifty running back Leon Washington.

The Jets won’t be a high-octane offense, but maybe it won’t have to be. If the defense plays as well as Ryan promises, this could be a team that is fighting for a postseason berth in December. Maybe both New York NFL franchises will be playoff-bound, which would be a welcome sight for New York fans.

A Typical Jeter Performance

The Derek Jeter Show finally re-emerged in Wednesday’s 4-2 victory over Tampa Bay, and the great Yankee captain showed why he’s poised to step into history.
Jeter collected three hits in the victory to tie Lou Gehrig for most hits in a career by a Yankee with 2,721. The shortstop can surpass the Hall-of-Famer in Friday’s game against Baltimore.
The way Jeter went about getting the hits showed why he’s also bound for Cooperstown.
In the first inning, he dropped a bunt down toward the third base line and beat the throw. The hit snapped a 0-for-12 drought, his longest hitting slump of the season.
"That's why I bunted in the first inning. I needed to get one hit, right?" Jeter said.
Then, showing the power that makes him such a dangerous threat, he hit a booming double to deep center field in the fifth that took one hop over the wall. He tied the Iron Horse with a sharp grounder to right field off of Rays pitcher Jeff Niemann in the seventh. It was the classic Jeter stroke, and the sellout crowd roared its approval.
"I really didn't know what to do because we were losing at the time and I didn't want to disrespect Tampa," Jeter said in an on-field interview with Kimberly Jones of the YES Network after the game. "I never dreamt about all of this."
It was a typical reaction by Jeter, who could give lessons on how to show class and humility in any circumstance. He didn’t showboat and didn’t embarrass the pitcher. The game didn’t become All About Jeter. It was just a historic moment in a taut game, and the Yankees were trailing 2-0 at the time.
The Yankees rallied for three runs in the eighth inning, capped by Jorge Posada’s three-run home run, for the victory.
In his final at-bat, Jeter had an opportunity to overtake Gehrig but walked against pitcher Grant Balfour.
Jeter settled for a share of the record with Gehrig – for now. Gehrig’s career ended in 1939, and even in the great Yankee legacy, no player has come close to toppling the record.
Until Jeter came along.
"He's one of the classiest people to ever play this game," Jeter said.. "It's just kind of mind-boggling to have my name next to his."
In the end, the night showed why Jeter is on the cusp of history. He showed his versatility with a surprise bunt, power with a booming shot to center and dexterity with the single to right, where so many of Jeter’s hits have landed before.
He did all of that while playing a flawless game at shortstop, leading the Yankees to another victory and doing it with dignity.
It was, in essence, the Derek Jeter Time Capsule game. It was a game to bottle for the archives, a typical Jeter performance that will one day pave the way for his path to Cooperstown.

Oudin Steals the Show at U.S. Open

The Yankees have opened up a season-high nine game lead on the Boston Red Sox in race for the American League East.
The Giants and Jets haven’t started their seasons yet, and the Mets … wait, are the Mets still playing?
So it is against that backdrop that a 17-year-old girl from Marietta, Ga., has seized the September spotlight on the New York scene. She is enjoying her tennis Coming Out Party on the world's biggest stage.
When Melanie Oudin defeated Nadia Petrova in three tough sets in the U.S. Open Monday, she did more than advance to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open. She created a buzz in the New York consciousness, which is difficult to do for a women’s tennis player not named Williams or Sharapova.
Very few people outside of the tennis community knew of Oudin before the U.S. Open fortnight began, but with victories over No. 4 Elena Dementieva, three-time major champion Maria Sharapova and now Petrova, Oudin has become the “it” girl.
“It's really a great feeling. I mean, to know like everyone stood up when I had my first match point,” Oudin said about the crowd support during Monday’s victory. “Just when I won the second set, a standing ovation. I mean, it's crazy how many people are cheering for me and supporting me.”
Oudin was impressive against Petrova after dropping the first set, 6-1. She won the second set, 7-6 (2), and captured the third set, 6-3. Oudin doesn’t throw a lot of bombs with her serve – she did not have any aces – but uses her quickness to get to balls many others would give up on.
“You know, I think it's just mentally I'm staying in there with them the whole time, and I'm not giving up at all,’’ Oudin said. “So they're going to have to if they're going to beat me, they're going to beat me, because I'm not going to go anywhere.”
Oudin is the first U.S. teenager to make the Open quarterfinals since Venus Williams in 1999. She has drawn comparisons to Tracy Austin, who won the U.S. Open as a 16-year-old and Chris Evert, who reached the semifinals as a 17-year-old.
More importantly, she has provided a spark to the U.S. Open. There are no Americans left in the men’s draw, and Venus Williams has been knocked out on the women’s side. Serena Williams is in the opposite bracket from Oudin, who will meet ninth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki in the quarterfinals.
Whatever the outcome there, Oudin has shown that she isn’t going any where. She’s a new face, but she also brings a fresh perspective. She writes “Believe” on her sneakers before her match, and has shown that she does indeed believe.
And belongs.
”Going into the tournament, I did believe that I could compete with these girls, but it was just figuring out a way to win in these tough matches and these pressure situations actually coming through and winning,’’ Oudin said. “So now, even if I get a set down, I still, like, believe in myself and my game. I know that if I fight as hard as I can, do the best I can, hopefully I can do it.”

Giants, Jets still face questions

The NFL preseason has come and gone for the Jets and Giants, and heading into next week’s season-openers, the big questions on both teams still have to be answered.

The Jets open their season Sept. 13 at Houston, and the Giants open their season the same day at home against Washington. For all of the new faces and big-name players on both squads, how each team fares this season will be determined by two very different phases.

The Giants, who went 1-3 in the preseason, are one of the favorites in the NFC to reach the Super Bowl. They have a stout defense that overcame a rash of injuries last year and is one of the best in the league.

Quarterback Eli Manning is steady, if unspectacular like his brother Peyton, and Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs give the team what they believe is one of the best backfield tandems in the league.

The question marks are at wide receiver, where Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer are gone and will be replaced by an untested group. The team believes it has the replacements for the two veterans in Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Hakeem Nicks and Domenik Hixon.

Smith, in his third year out of USC, is the most experienced and caught 57 passes last year for and will probably be the guy Manning looks for in the clutch. Whether he can become the team’s No. 1 option is unclear. The Giants struggled down the stretch last year when Burress left the team, and Smith will see a lot of extra coverage this year.

Manningham, in his second year out of Michigan, had just four receptions last year. Nicks, the team’s first round draft choice out of North Carolina, has played well in the preseason. He caught six passes against the Jets last week and Thursday against New England, he took in a 64-yard touchdown pass.

Hixon’s value is primarily on special teams, where he is a dangerous return man, but he could also see time at receiver in obvious passing downs.

It’s going to be critical for the Giants to develop a passing game so teams can’t load up in the box against Jacobs and Bradshaw, who will also see their share of passes from Manning. But if the young receivers can’t get separation and force the Giants to become one-dimensional, they won’t be heading to the Super Bowl.

The Jets (2-2 in the preseason) aren't considered Super Bowl contenders, but Rex Ryan was brought in to improve a defense that played poorly during last year’s 9-7 campaign.
The team brought in Mark Sanchez as the team’s top pick and named him the starting quarterback after a preseason competition with Kellen Clemens, but the team’s success will be determined by its defense.

Ryan brought over linebacker Bart Scott from Baltimore, and he should help improve a defense that had difficulty stopping teams last year. The Jets surrendered 356 points last year, the most allowed in the AFC East. With Scott and All-Pro safety Kerry Rhodes, there are some pieces for an attacking defense, which Ryan employed as the defensive coordinator for the Ravens.

While Sanchez and running back Leon Washington are the featured offensive players, it will ultimately be the defense that decides the fate of the Jets this year.

Jeter On The Brink Of History

There are some critics of Derek Jeter who believe he’s slipping.

He’s not the player he once was, the critics say, and believe his skills have diminished significantly since he was named the American League Rookie of the Year in 1996.

Those critics haven’t been watching this year.

The future Hall-of-Famer is poised to step into history sometime over the next few days, when he will become the all-time Yankees hit leader. After getting another hit last night in a 9-6 win over Baltimore, Jeter is 10 hits away from surpassing Lou Gehrig’s record of 2,721 hits. He could surpass Gehrig this weekend in Toronto.

Don’t let that information pass without giving it some thought. In the history of the Yankees, baseball’s gold standard and the team with the most World Series championships, the team with legendary names such as Ruth and Mantle and Berra and DiMaggio and Jackson, Jeter will have more hits than any of them.

When Jeter’s career is over, he will have a lot more than all of them. He already owns the record for most career hits by a shortstop, passing Luis Aparicio earlier this year, and he’s among the candidates for the MVP award. Jeter has collected a lot of hardware, but never an MVP trophy.

This has been another vintage year for Jeter. He’s hitting .333, and ranks fifth in the American League in hitting. He’s second in the league in runs scored and hits, sixth in on-base percentage and ninth in total bases. Pick a hitting statistic, and you can usually find Jeter’s name among the league leaders.

When Jeter was a rising young star back in the mid 1990s, more than a few wondered who would be the better shortstop of the course of their careers: Jeter, Nomar Garciaparra or Miguel Tejada.

The conversation almost seems laughable now. Garciaparra and Tejada started off well, but their careers have slipped noticeably in recent years. Tejada is now with his third team, and rumors of performance-enhancing drugs have clouded his career statistics. Garciaparra is with his fourth team, and has played more than 120 games only twice in the past seven years. He is nearly 1,000 hits behind Jeter for his career, and is not even a shortstop any more.

Jeter, by contrast, continues to play almost every game at the most demanding defensive position. He has been in the lineup 2,111 times and will soon pass Yogi Berra for third for most games played with the Yankees. He has played 148 games more every season since 1996, except for 2003 when he missed 43 games with an injury.

Jeter’s name pops up frequently throughout the Yankees record book, but the career hits mark might be the most significant. With all of the Yankees legends that have worn the pinstripes over the years, Jeter will have more hits than any of them.

Hopefully we will have the privilege of watching Jeter play for a few more years. He is still a treat, and any critic who thinks No. 2’s skills are eroding simply isn’t paying attention.

Yankees Coasting to Division Title

We all know there have been teams that have blown leads in September as the pennant races heat up in Major League Baseball.
The Mets did it just two years ago, when the Phillies came back from seven behind with 17 to play to steal the National League East division title. In 1964, the Phillies blew a big lead and lost the National League pennant by a game to the St. Louis Cardinals.
But don’t expect that to happen to the Yankees this year.
Heading into the final 32 games of the season, the Bronx Bombers have a commanding six game lead on Boston in the American League East race. They have 32 games left in the season, but the way the Yankees are playing, they would need a total collapse for the Red Sox to catch them. It’s not going to happen. Neither manager Joe Girardi nor anbody else on the team will say it, but this race is over.
There are some issues worth monitoring as the team heads down the stretch.
The most critical one is their pitching as the Yankees try to get their rotation set for the postseason. CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett are a formidable frontline, but Sabathia’s postseason history is not good (2-3 with a 7.92 ERA in five starts) and Burnett has not thrown a postseason pitch in 11 years in the majors. No one knows how he’ll do in October.
Andy Pettitte (14-9 postseason, 3.96 ERA) has a good history, but he’s not the lock that he was in his prime. The fourth starter will likely be Joba Chamberlain, and good luck trying to figure out what the Yankees have planned for him. He pitched three innings yesterday, giving up two runs and four hits, and wasn’t even in long enough to get the victory. The way the Yankees seem to be tinkering with the Joba Rules on the fly, there is no way to ascertain how effective the right-hander will be during the postseason.
The Yankees seem to have steadied their bullpen by inserting Phil Hughes into the set-up role for Mariano Rivera (36 saves, 1.83 ERA). If the starters are effective in getting the ball to Hughes, the Yankees will be fine. If they have to rely on other pitchers to get key outs in the sixth and seventh innings, they could be in trouble.
The other issue the Yankees will face is a difficult September stretch. They have six games left against a Tampa Bay squad that is fighting to make the playoffs. They also have a six-game trip to the West Coast that includes three games against the Angels, who have given the Yankees fits over the past few years. They also have three games at home against Boston in late September, and the Red Sox won’t concede the division easily.
With six games each against Baltimore and Toronto, and games against Seattle and Kansas City, the Yankees should have a big enough cushion to secure the division title.
That will put them back into the postseason after a one-year hiatus, and with them, that’s what will determine whether this season was ultimately successful. The Yankees can’t afford another early exit, and nothing less than a World Series victory will satisfy an ownership that has paid handsomely to win its 27th championship.

The division title may be within reach, and for some teams, that may be enough. The Yankees need to do more. October will be the time for the ultimate judgment on this team.

Sanchez and Manning Square Off

Never has a game that has meant so little meant so much for the quarterbacks in Saturday’s preseason game between the Giants and Jets.
The third preseason game is always the most critical of NFL schedule, because it is when the starters get the most reps. The final preseason game is almost pointless, because teams rarely let starters play more than one or two series for a fear of injuries.
So it is that tomorrow’s 8 p.m. contest is important not only for Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, but also Giants quarterback Eli Manning. There is much more at stake for Sanchez, the highly-heralded rookie from USC who was anointed the starter earlier this week by coach Rex Ryan. But Manning will also be under pressure to perform, if for no other reason than to show he’s still the top quarterback in town.
Sanchez got his first start on Monday against the Ravens and looked shaky. His first pass was returned for a touchdown and he completed 3-of-8 attempts for 43 yards and one touchdown
It came as no surprise that Ryan decided to go with the rookie Sanchez over four-year veteran Kellen Clemens, who was also competing for the starting job. Of course, the competition was like the Globetrotters going up against the Washington Generals. The outcome was pretty much decided when training camp began, despite what Ryan or anyone else connected with the Jets will say. Now, Sanchez has to go out and prove he was worth taking as the No. 5 pick in April’s draft.
“This comes with a lot of responsibility,” Sanchez said on NewYorkJets.com. “I know as happy as I am, this is just the beginning and I’m really excited to get the chance to play with such great players.”
Sanchez won’t be able to do it by himself. He’ll need a strong running game led by Leon Washington and a veteran offensive line that should be one of the team’s strengths. The Jets also need to improve on the defensive side of the ball, and they should under Ryan and his aggressive schemes.
Look for the Jets to play a lot of their games like last year’s Ravens’ team, where Ryan was an assistant, and the team used its running attack to take the pressure of rookie quarterback Joe Flacco.
Manning’s situation is altogether different. He’s now the highest paid player in the NFL, and is in his fifth full season as the team’s starter. He already has a Super Bowl victory in his pocket, and is clearly the face of the franchise.
But there is also pressure on him to perform well in the contest against the Jets. Sure it’s preseason, but neither team likes to lose this game. If Manning struggles and gets outplayed by Sanchez, there will be more than a few Giants fans who will wonder if Eli is worth all the money.
Manning, for his part, knows the struggles that Sanchez will face. He didn’t get the starting nod as a rookie, but he was a starter by midseason during the 2004 season.
"The hardest thing about it is learning the game," Manning said in the New York Daily News. "It takes time. The media is going to play a role because if you play well, they will promote you and say you are the greatest. If you don't play real well, then you will be the worst. It is about believing in yourself and listening to your coaches and earning the confidence and respect of your teammates. That is what you kind of have to learn."
Manning and Sanchez will face off for the first time against each other Saturday, and there is a lot riding on it for both of them. It’s rare, but it is actually a preseason game that has a compelling angle.

Joba Frustrates Again

Well now, this whole Joba Chamberlain move to the Yankees starting rotation is working out swimmingly, don’t you think?
Watching the big right-hander with the even bigger attitude during last night’s 10-9 debacle of a loss to the Texas Rangers was like seeing someone without a clue trying to hang wallpaper. It was ponderous, frustrating and, just when you thought success was at hand, the whole thing came unraveling and he had to start over.
Last night’s outing may have been the most frustrating of his career. Staked to a four-run lead in the first inning, Chamberlain quickly proceeded to give it all back and then some. He labored through four innings on 96 pitches, giving up nine hits, seven earned runs and three walks.
He was removed after a brutal fourth inning when the Rangers scored five times to take a 7-4 lead. He threw 44 pitches in the inning, which began to unravel with a two-out walk to Ivan Rodriguez. He then allowed five straight singles.
The seven earned runs were a career-high against Joba, and all of them came with two outs. Chris Davis, hitting eighth in the Texas lineup with a .206 average, had two hits against Chamberlain, who never seemed to find his rhythm.
"It's frustrating [to not get that third out], but at the end of the day I just didn't do what I needed to do to help this team win," Chamberlain said. "And that's the frustrating part: I just didn't have it to finish [the inning]."
The Yankees have to bear some of the responsibility for the struggles of Chamberlain, who had his fourth straight subpar start. He has not pitched beyond the sixth inning in those starts, and has allowed 19 earned runs in 20 innings. Control has been a big issue, as Joba has walked 15 batters during his four-game rut and had just 55 strikes in last night’s 96-pitch outing.
It was Chamberlain’s first start since Aug. 16, when he labored through five innings against Seattle. Manager Joe Girardi and his staff have been carefully limiting Chamberlain’s innings. The Yankees haven’t disclosed how many innings they are going to allow Chamberlain (8-4), but it is expected to be near 160. He has thrown 130 2/3 innings this season and is projected to make his next Sunday against Chicago.
"We have him scheduled starting for the rest of the season," Girardi said. "At times, he will go on extra rest."
What makes Chamberlain’s recent struggles more perplexing is his brief surge after the All-Star Break. Chamberlain returned from the break confident and fearless, and it looked like the Yankees had finally solved the Joba Riddle. He allowed two earned runs in 21 2/3 innings after the All-Star Break, and looked like the Chamberlain who dominated opponents as a set-up man for Mariano Rivera. Since then, however, Chamberlain has returned to the frustrating, inconsistent pitcher he was during the first half of the season.
No one knows where it goes from here for Joba and the Yankees, but if the team is to make a deep October run, it will need to solve the Joba Riddle over the next five weeks.

Minaya, Manuel escape the ax

Fred Wilpon’s announcement Saturday that Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel would return next year was the Mets owner’s version of hitting into a double play and killing any potential chance for a team rally.
Wilpon told the New York Post’s Mike Puma that general manager Minaya and manager Manuel, who have presided over this wreck of a season, are safe for next year. "Am I going to bring Omar (Minaya) back next year? Absolutely. That's a fact,” Wilpon told the Post.
As for Manuel, Wilpon said “Jerry is my guy.”
Really? Why?
The two have run this ship into the ground, even with all the injuries that have devastated the team this year. They are 57-68, a staggering 16 ½ games behind first place Philadelphia. The only thing that is preventing them from a seat in the basement in the National League East is Washington, which is still waiting for a major league franchise to come its way.
Indeed, the Mets are closer to last place (13 games) than they are first place. And don’t expect the gap to close any time soon. Florida and Atlanta are much improved, and in the National League wild-card race. Both teams are stocked with young talent that has them primed to be contenders over the next few years. The Mets farm system is threadbare, and their veterans are injured or unproductive.
Shockingly, Wilpon’s comments indicate neither of them will take the fall for a team that has totally collapsed this season.
Minaya, who took over as general manager in 2004, should be the one feeling the most heat. The team went 83-79 in 2005, and then went a National League-best 97-65 in 2006. The team missed the playoffs each of the past two seasons, winning 88 and 89 games, before this season’s collapse, which finds them at 57-68 entering Tuesday’s game against Florida.
Manuel’s record is just as troubling. He was 55-38 last year after replacing Willie Randolph, but the team faltered down the stretch. The Mets went 13-12 in September, blowing a 3 ½ game lead and allowing the Phillies to win the National League East. He has been directing the ship for the entire year in 2009, and it has not been pretty. The starting pitching is weak behind the now-injured Johan Santana, and the bullpen still can’t get important outs, even with Francisco Rodriguez as the closer.
The team will point to the injuries, of course, as the reason for falling off the cliff this season. To be fair, the team has been ravaged by the injury bug. Santana will miss today’s start with an elbow injury, and some teammates expect that he will need surgery. That could be the most significant injury all season to a team that has seen marquee players such as Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, Oliver Perez, John Maine and J.J. Putz miss significant time. David Wright is also on the disabled list, and Jeff Francouer now has a thumb injury.
The injuries have indeed played a significant part in this meltdown, but it seems someone needs to be held accountable for this disaster of a season. If neither Minaya nor Manuel gets held accountable for this debacle, who does? The trainers? The medical staff? The hot dog vendors?
Compounding the problem is Minaya’s contract, when a three-year extension kicks in next year. The team doesn’t want to buy out that contract – reported to be worth about $12 million – but you have to wonder how the team can survive with a GM that has given hefty deals to Moises Alou and Awful Ollie Perez while also trading some promising prospects such as Heath Bell, Brian Bannister and Matt Lindstrom.
The Mets will contend next season will be better once all of the injured players return. Certainly that will help, but the fans are losing confidence that Minaya and Manuel will be the ones that get this team back to the postseason.