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All wins are NOT created equal in NYC. Once you grasp that Yankees fans would prefer one walk off against Boston over 16 consecutive game winners against Kansas City, Minnesota, Oakland, Tampa Bay etc, you'll get the point why Yankees fans fear BOTH Ortiz and A-Rod being up in the clutch, though for drastically different reasons.

I don't think Boston would have even made the playoffs with A-Rod instead of Manny in 2004, but that's neither here nor there. He routinely comes up small in big situations. He's got Michael Jordan talent but lacks the killer instinct. Yes, he hits 40+ HR every year, but out of 162 games he gets about 135 "meaningless" games per year and fattens up against teams like KC, Minnesota et al where there's no pressure. A-Rod tends to double and triple up his homers in 13-4 type games while he K's at a pitch in the dirt in a 2-1 game in the 8th or 9th inning with men on 2nd and 3rd where a sac fly or ball to the right side ties it, and a single likely wins it. If A-Rod hit .250 with 15 HRs and 70 RBIs this year but won a postseason series over Boston with a sharp single, or won the World Series with an infield hit he'd be a hero for life. If he hits .430 with 74 HRs and 200 RBIs one year, but hits into the A-Rod Special aka an inning/game ending DP to cost the Yanks a postseason series against the Sox or Mets he'd be (remain?) a goat. It's that simple. In NYC and Boston no one cares for your regular season stats. Success is measured against rivals and with rings, and A-Rod is basically a zero in both departments.

Wow. I'd like to see the reasoning behind that one. They would have given up Manny to get him. Manny is Ortiz' best friend, and Ortiz has credited Manny for helping him learn how to hit like a pro. I don't think the team chemistry would have been the same with A-Rod there since he seems to be an outsider wherever he goes. More importantly, swapping A-Rod in Manny's spot in the lineup against the Yankees when they're down 3-0 it's more likely they would have just gotten swept than anything else. Boston is the only team in MLB where the pressure would be just as high as playing for the Yankees or Mets. The change of scenery wouldn't have made life any simpler for him and we've seen him spit the bit just about every time he plays against the Mets or Red Sox. What makes you think he'd have fared better as a member of the Sox against the Yanks?

In what other sport does having the "best player in the league/game" almost guarantee defeat in a close series in the postseason because he can't handle that situation at all? A-Rod is baseball's version of Marbury in that every team he leaves gets better in the short run. It's almost a lock that the Sawx wouldn't have won their World Series in '04 if A-Rod had been on that squad.

You and me both. Barring a huge upset tonight we've already seen how the Spurs/Suns, Pistons/Heat and Spurs/Pistons will turn out (again).

I was just looking at the recap for Mets/Yankees last night and it said that Chacon was indeed put on the 15 day DL after the game, and that Terrence Long's contract was purchased from Triple-A Columbus. I'm not too upset with the idea of bringing up Soler instead of Pelfrey, especially since anybody they call up will be better than Lima. I'm hoping Maine comes back soon just so the team can figure out if he's any good before having to make another move. Bannister seems to have inherited Beltran's hammy from last year, so I'm guessing he won't be seen until about the AS break.

Praise be to A-Rod! Wagner does a good job in 2 out of 3, but that one shitty outing cost us the sweep and Pedro another 'W'. At least Glavine got # 282. Now if we can just avoid getting swept by the Phils with Trachsel and two automatic losers I'll be content.

Double post. A-Rod just got benched

Thank you A-Rod. You are my hero.

The Phillies version of Alex Gonzalez retired today. I'm sure that will make some fans of the team quite happy. The ESPN2 Bottom Line says Minnesota received approval for an open air stadium in downtown Minny. Is that a retractable roof stadium? or are the bitter cold months up there just not part of baseball season?

I actually wouldn't mind Detroit winning another title if, and only if, the PA guy got "accidentally" killed in the ensuing riot/partying/parade.

Lesson to be learned here? Do NOT lose Game 6 at home against a favorite, or get your ass whooped on the road in Game 7. McDyess robbed me of my margin of victory with that pointless dunk at the end. Bastard. What an awesome end to the series. I know it was my hope to see a team set a record for the fewest points in the history of Game 7's and make maybe 3 shots in the second half. [/sarcasm]

Detroit's still on pace for the 16 point victory I predicted. Cleveland is just the first of the 3 underdogs to get smoked during the next 32 hours or so.

You'd think you could win a game where the other team makes 4 errors, and your ace gives you 7 shutout innings. But not when Willie Randolph is the manager. He won't bring Wagner in in a tie game on the road because it's not a save situation, but why not toss him out there in a 4 run game at home when he had plenty of options? It's obviously because he was afraid of using Julio, but instead of leaving well enough alone we get Julio pitching the endgame because he killed the bullpen for no reason. On top of that, now we can't use Wagner tomorrow even in a save situation because he threw 30+ pitches. It's games like these that make me realize how much it sucks to be a fan of a team that just never gets it done because it's run by a bunch of morons. It's been about 20 years since we had a good manager, and although this is the best team we've had in forever I'm confident Willie's moves will take our 92+ win potential and end us up at about 86, or 2 games short of the wild card.

It's better to get shutout than lose a 4 run lead in the 9th to your hometown rivals, and lose your 3rd straight game that your ace started because Wagner couldn't finish it yet again. The Mets should have won this shit an hour ago, taken the series and had momentum. Now we're right back in the situation to lose 2 out of 3 for the 4th straight series.

It figures. Andy Phillips gets the game winner. Way to go Willie and Wagner. It's always exciting to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Glavine will probably get shelled tomorrow and then we'll lose at least 2 out of 3 to the Phillies with Trachsel and the jabronies starting.

People are sheep. They boo Bonds because they think they should hate him. They then cheered because they realized they can now tell people "I was there when he hit 714!". I think Bonds might just get 715 today too.

Bonds hits 714 and I don't get to see it? Never would have imagined that sentence being typed.

Jose Reyes is gonna take Mo deep right now.* * In no way do I think this is going to happen

Right, but the Mets have nobody left in the pen now. If Julio gets in trouble in the 9th you still had Wagner, Bradford & Feliciano. Now they DIE with him.

Now the Mets have to burn up another arm if they don't score in the bottom of the 9th, and we'll get Jorge Julio pitching to Giambi and A-Rod. Well done Willie. Waste Sanchez, Wagner, Feliciano and Bradford to get 3 outs, when you could have just left Sanchez in or put Julio in to start the 9th and brought Wagner in if he got in trouble. Instead you blow out 4 or 5 pitchers for no fucking reason. Well done!

Why he put Wagner in when Sanchez threw just 10 pitches, I'll never know. Why he left him in after he lost Cabrera from an 0-2 advantage, I'll never know. Why he left him in to pitch to Bernie, I'll never know. Willie's retarded. Another Pedro gem goes down the shitter.

Jesus Christ Willie! Go get that piece of shit already.

Wagner doesn't like closing out Pedro games for some reason. This guy is giving me an ulcer. Just get a grounder to short damnit.

Delgado barely swung at that ball and drove it 398 feet the opposite way. That dude is as strong as an ox.