Ironies.

…and so we have the Super Bowl in Indianapolis. In a place dominated by one Peyton Manning (at least before THIS year…)

…and what do we have here? His chief rival, Tom Brady, against whom Manning lost the AFC title game to in 2003, only to best him in 2006.

…and who is Brady facing? None other than Peyton’s brother Eli.

…and in what could be the most ironic thing of all, Eli, if he and the Giants win, would then have one more SB ring than Peyton (two to one). Given Peyton’s injury, and the Colts’ 2-14 season this year, you have to think that should Eli get #2 in a few weeks, that Peyton may never catch him.

And who would have thought that?

The early line is New England by 3. I’ll be rooting for the Giants.

Easiest pick of the year?

Ok, so I got into an argument with someone at the local pub tonight.

I don’t know if he was an Eagles fan or not (Good joke: E-A-G-L-E-S stands for: Eagles Are Gonna Lose Every Season). But I mentioned that this game may have been the best bet of the week for the following reasons:

1) You have a team coming off a tough game vs. one of the top teams in the NFL in the Patriots.

2) That team played Sunday at 4:15, then is playing at 8:20 (both times Eastern) on Thursday against a team IT HAS TO FLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO PLAY.

3)  That team is in disarray. There are calls for the head coach to be fired, and meanwhile at the last game, there were two coaches (one offensive, and one defensive) who almost got into a fight with each other.

4) The Home team, who didn’t have to travel across the country, was a three-point underdog.

Now the person I argued with said that it was easy to mention that with four minutes left in the game. My retort? Sorry I didn’t see you two days ago. Now the ideas listed to bet on Seattle (and take them outright) were not my own, but ideas I heard (and agreed with COMPLETELY) on the Colin Cowherd show (and I  am NOT a big fan of Cowherd).

But think of it. A team reeling after being annointed a Super Bowl contender. Said team going with a backup QB. Said team facing a tough team Sunday, then flying across the country to play four days later. Said team with a coach on the brink, and two coordinators ready to stage their own “Thrilla in Manilla or wherever.” Said team a three-point favorite despite all that.

Wouldn’t you have taken the Seahawks and the points? If not to flat out win?

And win the Seahawks did. By a whopping margin.

I don’t know if the said person was an Eagles fan or not.

But the outcome of this game seemed obvious—to me, to Cowherd, and to anyone who may have analyzed.

Sorry I told him it was obvious with four minutes left.

I only wish I could have told him a few days ago.

Trouble brewing? Championship games?

Before even being named Boston manager, there could be trouble brewing in Beantown regarding Bobby Valentine.

Championship Games? Have you seen the lines on some of the conference championship games this weekend?

LSU by 13 1/2 over Georgia  Ok, LSU is #1
Wisconsin by 9 1/2 over Mich. St. (that’s reasonable)
Va. Tech 7 over Clemson
Houston 13 over So. Miss.

Ok… but here is the one that tops all.

Oregon 31 1/2 over UCLA.

You read that right. What UCLA at 5-7 is doing in a conference title game (probably due to USC’s suspension?) is beyond me.

31 1/2?  For a Conference Championship?

David DeJesus signed a deal with the Cubs. 2 yr., 3rd yr. option. He hit .240- 10-46, OPS+ 93 this year for the A’s. From MLB.com: DeJesus, who turns 32 next month, will earn $4.25 million each of the next two years, and the 2014 option year is for $6.5 million with a $1.5 million buyout. DeJesus, 31, is a .284 career hitter, OPS+ 106.

 

 

 

Could Alex be facing a suspension?

MLB is investigating A-Rod. Is a suspension looming? Alex was warned before about frequenting and participating in illegal underground poker games. MLB is investigating continued involvement in them, and some unsavory incidents. Selig is said to be not happy with Alex. Could he be suspended? Stay tuned.

SWB bound.

Heading to SWB this afternoon to check out the AAA game.

As for later today, I’ll find out if my KY Derby bet is the most interesting horse in the world. Stay thirsty, my friends.

Congrats to Andre Ethier on his hitting streak reaching 30, but as Joe D. said, “call me when they hit 40…” It’s amazing how much press they get when they’re only halfway there at 28.

Game #12. Nova struggles. Along with Hughes, rotation problematic. Yanks GIDP 6x in 5-3 loss.

Tonight’s lineup. Texas will have a lefty on the mound in each of the next two games. Gardner is 1 for his last 20. (.150)

Derek Jeter SS Just 1 XBH; 2936 hits
Nick Swisher RF leads majors in sac flies
Mark Teixeira 1B 279 HR
Alex Rodriguez 3B .412 (14 for 34); leads AL in R, SA, OPS, majors in OPS+ (278) (Hot start). 617 HR
Robinson Cano 2B
Andruw Jones LF 408 HR
Jorge Posada DH 5 of 7 hits are HR; leads AL; 266 HR
Russell Martin C Catcher has played every inning of every game.
Curtis Granderson CF

Ivan Nova RHP looking for 3rd MLB victory

Texas gets one in the second and another in the third off Nova. 2-1 Texas after three.

The Yanks had back-to-back singles to open the 1st, but Teix struck out and A-Rod GIDP. Hit #2937 for Derek. His eleventh of the year, but tenth single. (He has one double).

Swisher got an RBI single in the third.

Not good. Nova gets knocked out in the fifth. Hughes three starts, not giving innings, out of rotation for a while, on DL ERA 13.94; Nova now has an ERA of 7.36 after three starts. This is a problem. Five walks and a HBP hurt Nova tonight.

Robertson in. Hughes’ problems last night and Nova’s tonight don’t bode well since Garcia starts tomorrow. The Yanks’ did come back to win last night, but they need better pitching. Hughes and Nova went just 4 1/3 each on back-to-back nights.

2 WP by Robertson makes it 5-1. Along with a WP by Nova, that’s three in the fifth inning. Texas got three runs in the fifth on only one hit.

Nova’s line: 4 1/3 IP, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 hits, 5 walks, 3 strikeouts, 1 HBP. 1 WP.

The Yanks have GIDP three times tonight.

After 4 1/2, Texas 5-1.

Logan for the sixth. Robertson’s line: 2/3 IP, 2 WP. 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk and 1 K.

Logan goes one inning. 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk, 1 K. After six, 5-1 Rangers.

27 year old Lance Pendleton’s dream comes true. He’s in for the seventh. It’s his major league debut.

Pendleton only hits 88 (GameDay) but has a 1-2-3 with 2 Ks. Nice MLB debut inning.

Bottom of 7th. Yanks GIDP for the fifth time tonight. Still 5-1.

Another 1-2-3 for Pendleton in the 8th.

We are subjected to terrible John Sterling singing in the 8th. I like when Granderson HRs, but as to Sterling’s terrible “Grandy Man Can” singing, ugh. Allen and Barber just rolled over. 5-2. Jeter gets another single. Hit #2938. I’d just like to see some power from him. 108 games now (2/3 of a season) with just one jack. So far this year? 12 hits. 11 singles, one double. Problem? I’d say so. It appears his power is gone. What’s the O/U on his HRs this year? I definitely go less than 10. I’ll say 7 and that could be a reach. I should add something…how many of Jeter’s twelve hits are infield hits? Three? Four?

Immediately after Jeter’s single, Swisher…you guessed it! GIDP. Six tonight in 8 innings.

Nice outing by Pendleton. Saves some of the bullpen.

Pendleton: 3 IP, nine up, nine down. 2 K.

Wow. Boston losing again and could fall to 2-10.

A-Rod doubles and scores on a two-out Chavez single in the 9th. They get the potential tying run to the plate. Posada walks. They get the potential winning run up there with Martin, but Martin flies out.

Yanks lose 5-3. GIDP Six times. Good job by Pendleton, but Nova struggled. Yanks fall to 7-5.

Panic, greed lose games in NCAA tourney.

All too often in watching March Madness, I’m struck by one thing.

Teams lose because they panic and get greedy.

Think about it. If you are losing 50-48 with 15 seconds left, how many points do you need? Two, right?

Too often, teams go for the three and the win. All too often, they put up a three—often way beyond the arc with a bad shot with a good five seconds left on the clock—than go for an easier, closer shot and the tie and overtime.

I saw Kentucky do that last night. Down by two, the youngster puts up a three with six seconds left. Six seconds is more than enough time to swing the ball around twice more and get an easier shot, perhaps a layup (and maybe a foul; a three-point play wins the game, but then again KY WAS 4 for 12 from the charity stripe last night).

But no, and it wasn’t only Kentucky. I’ve seen it throughout the tournament. Maybe next year, instead of looking at talent when filling out my bracket, I should look at character. Try to figure out which teams won’t panic in those last fifteen seconds and throw up a needless three when two will do.

Find out which college kids can COUNT. Who know that they can work that clock down further instead of hoisting up a 35 footer with five seconds left. Who know that settling for the layup to tie the game may be better than trying for a miracle from way out to win it.

Maybe that’ll be the secret for my brackets next year. Also, maybe some teams will learn.

Nah, won’t happen.           

S.T. Game #24. CC tosses 6 2/3 good innings in Yanks’ 8-1 win; another HR for A-Rod.

Yanks vs. Phils. Game on ComCast from Philly, and WCBS 880 AM

 Today’s lineup and subs, starters, except for Posada. Alex DHs. Gardner lead off could or could not be a foreboding.

Brett Gardner LF
Derek Jeter SS
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Curtis Granderson CF
Eric Chavez 3B
Russell Martin C

CC Sabathia LHP

 • Off the bench: C Jesus Montero, 1B Jorge Vazquez, 2B Ronnie Belliard, SS Doug Bernier, 3B Brandon Laird, LF Kevin Russo, CF Melky Mesa, RF Justin Maxwell. No backup DH listed.

• Out of the bullpen: Rafael Soriano, Boone Logan, Dave Robertson, Romulo Sanchez, Steve Garrison, Eric Wordekemper, Ryan Pope, Josh Schmidt and Andy Sisco.

If you didn’t hear, Ichiro is donating $1.24 MM to help his native country of Japan.

5-3 in first 8 games of Sweet 16. I had Pitt in the Elite 8, but not in the Final 4. Didn’t trust them, and now you see why. One of the strangest endings to any basketball game I ever saw, with some of the DUMBEST fouls. For the record, I have Ohio St., Kansas, Texas and Fla. in my Final Four, with Ohio St. over Kansas for the title.    

Buster Olney’s picks: Current picks (and still have time to change): AL divisions — Boston, CHW, Texas, with NYY as wildcard. NL–ATL,CIN,SF; PHI as wildcard.  Wonder what those Phillies fans who predicted 100, 105, 110 wins after getting Lee think of that?

Phils using no DH today (wants pitchers to get their ABs) Yanks are. Makes sense in this S.T. game.  

 My profile on Bob Meusel is now up on BBD. Check it out.

A double by A-Rod (who has hit in all 13 S.T. games he’s played in ) followed by a SF by Swisher give the Yanks a 1-0 lead in the 2nd.

End 3. 1-0 Yanks. To the 4th. Make it 2-0. Teixeira hits one out. Um…. 3-0. Teix and A-Rod go back-to-back. 

After 5, still 3-0 Yanks. CC looks good, just 3 hits given up and 2 of those were infield hits.  

In the sixth, CC got the first two men out, then Rollins (3 for 3 off CC, 3 of their 6 hits) Hr’d. Howard doubled, Francisco singled but Swisher threw out Howard at the plate (by a large margin). Good outing for CC, probably tired a bit as the Yanks try to stretch him out. 6 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 1 walk and 4 K. 3-1 Yanks after 6.  

Yanks got two in 7th on doubles by Granderson and Chavez (having great spring; big surprise and will make the team). Gardner singled in PR Laird. 5-1.

CC got the first two outs in the 7th before coming out. 6 2/3, 1 R, 6 H, 1 walk and 5 K. Robertson finished the inning with a K. In the 8th, Belliard doubled and Swisher singled him in. 6-1 Yanks after 7 1/2.     

One batter only for D-Rob, the K. Soriano for the 8th. One runner reaches on an error by Belliard, but Soriano retires the other three. As for Belliard, I’d expect him to be released soon. He isn’t beating out Nunez/Pena for the utility infielder job (which I expect to go to Nunez).

Justin Maxwell doubled in two runs in the 9th. Earlier, Montero just missed a HR with a double. Boone Logan came in for the 9th and struck out the side.

Final: 8-1 Yankees.  

   

 

  

S.T. Game #23. Garcia has inconsistent performance in Yanks’ 5-5 tie. A.J. named #2.

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Today’s lineup. Interesting. With Gardner nursing a bruised shin, he gets a day off and the Yanks take the opportunity to test out Nunez in LF to see if they can make him more versatile. Romine (still in the mix for backup C?) and Mesa get starts. The Yanks are home at GMS Field against Toronto. The game will be on YES and WCBS radio @ 1 p.m.  

Derek Jeter SS
Eduardo Nunez LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada DH
Andruw Jones RF
Austin Romine C
Melky Mesa CF

Freddy Garcia P

Garcia is looking to rebound from a bad outing the last time out.

Joe Torre has been invited to Old Timer’s Day this year and he plans on attending. I wonder if the Yankees will take the opportunity on that day to retire his #6.

After a 12-4 start, I slipped up. I finished my 1st round of the NCAA bracket at 22-10. Just two of my Sweet 16 are out, and none of my Elite Eight.    

From LoHud:

Off the Bench: C Jesus Montero, 1B Eric Chavez, 2B Kevin Russo, SS Doug Bernier, 3B Ronnie Belliard, LF Ramiro Pena, CF Justin Maxwell, RF Jordan Parraz, DH Gustavo Molina

• Out of the Bullpen: Mariano Rivera, Manny Banuelos, Mark Prior, Luis Ayala, Steve Garrison, Eric Wordekemper, Ryan Pope, Wilkins Arias, Hernandez

NOTE: Mo and Banuelos, Along with Prior, who hasn’t done badly.  

Single by Jeter, RBI double by Alex and a 2-run HR by Cano give Yanks 3-0 lead after 1.

After 4, it’s tied at 3. Garcia went 9 up, 9 down in the first three innings, but gave up 3 runs on 3 hits and a WP in the 4th.

RBI single for Posada in the 5th puts the Yanks up 4-3.

A strange outing for Garcia. In the sixth, he gives up a leadoff double, then gets two outs. He’s 3-2 on the batter, one pitch from getting out of the inning, and going 6 with 3 R on 4 H when he gives up a 2-run HR. He retires the next batter. In six innings, four of them are 1-2-3, but 3 R on 3 H in one inning (4th) and 2 R on 2 H in another inning (6th) lead to this line: 6 IP, 5 R, 5 H, 0 walks and 6 K. 5-4 Toronto after 5 1/2.   

Maybe the moral here is if Garcia (and Colon for that matter) make the rotation (either/or), that Girardi will have to be VERY careful come the sixth inning for fear of leaving them in one batter too long.

Nunez RBI single ties it in the 6th. Jeter leaves after a 3 for 4 day. Cano has gone 2 for 3. BTW, observations from Chad Jennings at LoHud: Nunez made one nice play in LF, couldn’t catch the one double later on. Jennings also not impressed with Andruw Jones’ play this spring.

Rivera in for the 7th. Rivera is incredible. 1-2-3, K, K and weak groundout. Prior for the 8th. He pitches a scoreless inning, gives up one hit, gets two K. He’s been a pleasant surprise, with a S.T. ERA of 1.59.

Luis Ayala pitched a scoreless 9th, giving up a double. Ryan Pope got two outs in the 10th, giving up one hit. Steve Garrison got the last out of the 10th.

The game ended in a 5-5 tie, the Yanks’ third tie of the spring. They are 8-12-3.  

My hunch was correct. A.J. Burnett was named the #2 starter today. Phil Hughes is #3. 

More from LoHud:

Dellin Betances has been optioned to Double-A Trenton, and Andrew Brackman cleared out his locker to officially report to minor league camp. “Their innings got kind of eaten up,” Girardi said.Speaking of which, Manny Banuelos did not get into today’s game and has been rescheduled to pitch behind Bartolo Colon on Monday.

 

 

S.T. Game #21. Experimentation as it’s Gardner 1, Jeter 2 tonight, Montero 9. Yanks win 3-2.

Tonight’s lineup.

Gardner LF
Jeter SS
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Cano 2B
Swisher RF
Posada DH
Granderson CF
Montero C

Hughes RHP

I don’t know how you can top Nova’s performance of last night. Let’s just hope for a good one from Phil. A little experimentation today as Gardner leads off with Jeter 2nd. Maybe necessary due to the rookie, Montero, at the bottom. Another foretelling of how the lineup would look like when Montero plays?

Home tonight at 7. No TV or radio.

Off the bench: C Gustavo Molina, 1B Jorge Vazquez, 2B Ramiro Pena, SS Doug Bernier, 3B Eduardo Nunez, LF Brandon Laird, CF Melky Mesa, RF Kevin Russo, DH Jordan Parraz

• Out of the bullpen: Boone Logan, Romulo Sanchez, Luis Ayala, Eric Wordekemper, Steve Garrison, Ryan Pope, Pat Venditte and Josh Schmidt.

Heartbreak for this PSU alum. In a great game (back and forth all game long) PSU lost to Temple in the NCAA’s, 66-64 on a basket with 0.4 seconds left. Great, great, game. Of course, the spread was 2 1/2. How do they do that?  Got hurt on Louisville. Had them in Sweet 16. Nailed Richmond over Vandy. One 12 always knocks off a 5, I called that one.

End of 3, Rays 2-1. A-Rod hits his 4th HR of S.T. Hughes gave up a couple hits, SF in the 1st. Gave up HR in the 3rd. Alex having great S.T. Big year ahead? Meanwhile, Hughes not exactly lighting it up in ST so far… Montero threw out Damon trying to steal.

A-Rod has HR’d in 3 straight games.

Actually, a good start for Hughes.  6 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 1 walk and 3 K. S.T. ERA, 4.20 so far. Average.

Still 2-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth. A-Rod’s HR is the only Yankees hit. 

Leadoff triple by Granderson in the sixth. He is left stranded. Bad job.   

Logan for the 7th. Gives up 2 hits, but Ks 2, no runs.

Swisher 2-run HR in the 7th. 3-2 Yanks.

Romulo Sanchez gets two outs but walks the bases loaded in the 8th. Steve Garrison gets out of it with a K. Keep an eye on Garrison. The Yanks have Logan and Feliciano, but lefty Garrison could be a callup this year.

Ayala for the 9th. 1-2-3. Yanks win 3-2 despite getting only 3 hits, two of them HRs. (Alex and Swish).