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Chasing Records Forum: Question of the Day - NCAA Tournament

2009-03-23T23:23:00.000-04:00

Hello ‘Chasing Records’ Sports Fans!

Question of the Day – On The Rise: College Sports

** Have you been watching the NCAA Tournament? **

** Who is your pick to win it all during March Madness? **

Share your thoughts on the Chasing Records Forum:
http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LkNoYXNpbmdSZWNvcmRzLmNvbQ==

We look forward to hearing from you,
--Chasing Records & Full Focus LLC

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It's A Wrap For Team USA, Emliminated From WBC

2009-03-23T11:49:00.006-04:00

It was a good run but ultimately it was wasn't meant to be for Team USA. They lost in their semi-final game against Team Japan thus eliminating them from the WBC.

Team Japan advances to the Finals of the WBC for the second straight time. Team USA will break up and everyone will go to their respective camps to complete Spring Training and get ready for the season.

"To put on that Team USA jersey, to be a part of this, it's such a blessing," Brian Roberts said. "It was so awesome."

It was a tough time for Team USA this year in the tournamet as they battled through injuries to key players such as Chipper Jones, Kevin Youkilis, and Ryan Braun. Many people have questioned the moves by manager Davey Johnson for leaving pitchers in longer than they should've been in but the name of the game is to win. Team USA didn't.

They were 3 outs away on Monday night from being eliminated by Puerto Rico and they fought back to win and advance. There should be no shame in this team, they played as hard as they could but their weaknesses were exposed at the hands of Team Japan.

"You want to win," Mark DeRosa said. "It's frustrating. We just didn't go out there and perform tonight."

Tonight is the Championship Game for the WBC between Korea and Japan, Team USA will be watching from afar, maybe next time Team USA can go all the way.

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"I Dated A-Rod" Says Manhattan Madam

2009-03-22T09:28:00.004-04:00

Here we go again...another Alex Rodriguez story! In Sunday's Daily News, it is reported that Alex dated a former Manhattan madam. The madam is Kristin Davis. She claims to have provide A-Rod with hookers, something she also did for former NY Governor Elliot Spitzer.

Alex has been the talk of the town in 2009. He was outed last month for using steroids back in Texas Rangers days, thus prompting several questionable public interviews. Then came his mysterious hip injury which required surgery a few weeks ago, then had a questionable photoshoot recently, now this.

Alex is know to be a playboy so this comes as no surprise. It's funny how he's out and on thew injured list yet he's still able to create headlines with off the field stuff. He's been linked to gambling,strippers, steroids, and everything else you can think of. Alex must be living one grand ol' life.

"Throughout the years, there were a number of clients that I befriended and it was not uncommon for them to want the women they can't have whether it be the phone bookers or the madam," Davis said.

"In regard to Alex, all I can say is our paths have definitely crossed personally and professionally."

The two met in June of 2006 in Philly at a gym, one of Alex's favorite places to hang.

"He gave his real name," Davis said. "The next day (I) found out who Alex Rodriguez was. The girl we (the agency) sent freaked out. Her father (works for) another Major League Baseball team."

Does this explain his inability to hit in the clutch? Possibly lol. It seems like he has no problem performing in other pressure spots.

Here's some more info about this latest A-Rod revelation:

In an e-mail exchange provided to The News by a former booker for Davis' Wicked Models, Rodriguez purportedly told Davis on Nov. 17, 2006: "Thanks for setting me up with Samantha. She was gorgeous. But she is not you. When can I see you you are gorgeous . . ."

The exchange goes on:

Davis: "Hi Alex. You don't want to see me. I'm no fun. lol. Just because your (sic) so sweet, here are some pics of me and I appreciate the compliments. Your (sic) a doll. Thanks, Kristin"

Rodriguez: "You have been playing hard to get for a year now, your (sic) killing me."

Davis: "It's not playing I am hard to get. Maybe you should try harder."

Rodriguez: "Kristin, I definitely will and I love the pics. I put the one on my cell so I can look at you all the time. Alex."

Davis: "You are too sweet. I'll let you know when I get someone you like."

Two former agency workers said A-Rod hired prostitutes more than a half-dozen times, often meeting them at the Four Seasons hotel on W. 57th St.

"Alex was a very nice client to talk to," the booker said. "He didn't like one girl we sent over there. He sent her away. He kept calling the agency.

"He kept trying to reach Kristin. Kristin wouldn't talk to most of the clients, but she said she'd call him back. She told me, 'Don't worry about sending him another girl. I'm going to go over there and have drinks with him, hold his hand. He spends a lot of money.' "

Rodriguez' persistence is said to have paid off with the buxom, 32-year-old Davis. Though Davis' agencies typically charged clients more than $1,000 an hour, Davis told a friend: "Alex didn't pay me . . . I went out with him just because he was so flattering. I couldn't not give in."

On Feb. 9, 2007, Rodriguez purportedly e-mailed Davis: "My sexy blonde girl. When can I see you again? I am addicted to you. Did you get the flowers I sent?"

That e-mail brought this reply: "I received your flowers. You outdid yourself, I feel very adored. Thank you. And I received your other gift today. You really spoiled me."

A source said A-Rod confided the pressures he felt as a player.

"He told her that he'd used steroids," the source claimed. "He said a lot of players did. He just wanted to be a good ballplayer."

This stuff is amazing, you can't make it up. It looks as the money Alex is making is getting put to good use (depending on who you ask).

Once again our guy Alex is front and center with another controversy. I wonder what the reaction will be to this.

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Murphy's No. 2 Says Manuel

2009-03-22T08:24:00.005-04:00

Jerry Manuel is a smart baseball guy, a well liked guy around the game. This spring he's raised some eyebrows with some potential moves.

First, he wanted to bat Jose Reyes third and Carlos Beltran second. That's crazy! Now, he wants Daniel Murphy batting second behind Reyes. So much for the previous thought. This move is a more logical. Murphy is coming into his own and is impressing a lot of people around the Mets, especially Manuel.

"I'm confident that I can go out there and try to put a quality at-bat on them every time," said Murphy.

Murphy hit .313 2 HR and 17 RBI in his brief stint with the Mets last season. He won over the fans in the process. He gave them another young gun to be proud of and someone to look forward to seeing.

He has 20 hits this spring, which is tied for the Major League lead. His average... .364. Not too shabby.

"That's what my goal is. It's not numbers. It's not hits. It's not home runs. It's not doubles or RBI. It's quality at-bats."

If he's able to get on base ahead of Beltran, David Wright and Carlos Delgado the Mets will be a hard team to beat.

"I hope over the course of a season this year I'm able to do things to help this team win," Murphy said.

With Murphy batting in the second slot, Luis Castillo will slip down in the lineup to 8th. I think that makes a good balance for the Amazin's. If Murphy is the real deal as he's appeared so far, the Phillies might have to look over their shoulder a little more closely.

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C800 2009 Yankees Outlook: 2B

2009-03-21T09:16:00.000-04:00

Chasing800 is going to look at each position and give you insight and opinion on the current situation and what may loom ahead. Today we will look at Second Base.

Second Base
Much like Shortstop, this position is not up for grabs, it belongs to Robinson Cano. Cano is coming off his worst Major League season. He hit .271 14 HR 72 RBI in 2008, all were down from .307 19 97 in '07. Cano was hitting better in September last season after hitting coach Kevin Long made some adjustments to his stance. At 26, Cano is still maturing at the Major League level and is continuing to improve his game. Last season we saw some lackluster defense from Cano. One in particular came in a game last summer in which manager Joe Girardi had to bench his second baseman. It was a move that many believed was overdue. Hopefully Cano learned from that experience last year. He's got a sweet swing and his defense seems so effortless at times. We know he has tremendous talent, his head just has to be in it.

Chasing800 Prediction:
I expect a 2007-like performance from Cano, somewhere along the lines of .313 17 89. A little below what he did in 2007 but I'll take that from Robbie this year. I still see him making a few mental mistakes on the field but they will be few and far between. He can make the All-Star team this year if he gets off to a good start, something he didn't do last year. The Yankees expect a bounce back year from Cano, so do I

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Wright Rallys USA Past PR and Into Semi-Finals

2009-03-18T09:18:00.000-04:00

What a game! Team USA down 5-3 in the ninth and manages three runs in their last at-bat to avoid elimination from the WBC and sends Puerto Rico home.

David Wright got a two-run single off of Puerto Rico closer Fernando Cabrera to win the game and send Team USA in the semi-finals. If you watched this game you saw Home Runs from Carlos Delgado, Alex Rios and Kevin Youkilis. But with the Semi-Finals on the line Puerto Rico couldn't close the door and blew a two run lead in the final inning.

Puerto Rico beat Team USA on Saturday night but lost to Venezula last night, which forced tonight's do-or-die match-up. Puerto Rico looked strong throughout the tournament but within a 24 hour span, they lost twice and find themselves going home.

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Bernie's Seen Better Days

2009-03-14T09:28:00.000-04:00

The Bernie Williams Comeback isn't exactly going according to plan. In his return to baseball Williams is 0-4 with 2 walks. Not only has his on the field game taken a hit, so has his off the field reputation.

Bernie has a complaint filed against him from a woman who says the former Yankee star hit her. According to a police report that was filed, Williams took the camera from the woman damaged it and hit her in the face. Here is a statement released from Williams' manager:

“Yesterday evening we learned of the filing of a complaint against Mr. Bernie Williams. The news has taken us all by surprise. On the night in question, Mr. Williams had gone out after accepting an invitation to be a guest performer with a local music act. Mr. Williams denies any wrongdoing and we feel that some published media reports today are inaccurate. At this time, Mr. Williams has been advised by his legal counsel, José M. Marxuach, to not make any further comments, inasmuch as we do not want to interfere with the ongoing investigation. We want to assure everyone that Mr. Williams will fully cooperate with the local authorities to have this matter clarified as soon as possible.”

I find this a little hard to believe, but then again nothing surprises me anymore. Hopefully Bernie is able to clear up this mess and move forward.

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Can We Start The Season Already?

2009-03-14T09:27:00.000-04:00

Is it me or is anyone really paying attention to Spring Training this year? I, for one am not. I wish I could say I'm following the WBC more closely as a result but that isn't true either. In here lies a problem.

The WBC is a great idea and I'm all for it but how the hell do you know when the games are on? They have been on at the most random times. If I want to follow Team USA, how would I go about that? Some would say "easy, just watch SportsCenter" or "look online" which are fair statements but what if I'm unable to? Is there a set schedule to this thing or are they moving games to the most convinent times? I have seen games at 5:30am and seen games at 10:00pm. While I realize this is an international tournament, there has to be some way of organizing this tournament better. Team USA played Saturday,Sunday and Wednesday. Where's the consistency there? That's hard to follow. I'm a working man, sometimes SportsCenter and the internet aren't accessible to me 24/7. Maybe I'm in the minority but it should be better organized. I know during the Yankee season I know to look for a game at 1,4,7,10 depending on the opponent. That's easy to follow. I have the same problem with basketball, if I wanna follow the Knicks and Nets I need a pocket schedule on me at all times, their games are all over the place. It's an inconvience for me, the fan, the customer, the one you WANT to lure to buy your product.

Now that I vented about that here's another. Spring Training games usually have some watchable factor to them. Not this year. ST is overshadowed by the WBC because in essence the ST games mean nothing. Sure, we tune in to see the stars but after about the 5th inning the regulars start to exit the game. Now, some people like to see the young guys in action, I do too but if the game means nothing, then what am I watching for? For the love of baseball usually, but when the WBC is session I can't be bothered with ST games. The WBC brings you fierce competition and that's what I wanna see, not no.94 taking a grounder at shortstop.

I think I'm ready for the season to start and that's where all this bickering is coming from. I mean we've talked and talked and talked about the Yankees and the upcoming season for so long that it's time to get things started. No more talking, let's play already!

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C800 2009 Yankees Outlook: SS

2009-03-14T09:24:00.000-04:00

Chasing800 is going to look at each position and give you insight and opinion on the current situation and what may loom ahead. Today we will look at Shortstop.

Shortstop
This position needs no debate, it belongs to Derek Jeter. The Captain is entering his 14th season as the starting shortstop. Many have argued that Jeter's defense is the worst of all shortstops in baseball. There was a study done last year that backs up Jeter's incapabilities. I don't care about that stuff. His all around numbers have been in the decline over the last 3 seasons but he is getting older, he will be 34 in June. He is still the guy I want on the field and in the batter's box with the game on the line. His leadership is a driving force both on and off the field. He is one guy on the Yankees I never worry about, neither should you. Last year the Yanks missed the first time in Jeter's career and I expect that to moviate him this year. He will also be helped by the addition of Mark Teixeria and his gold glove caliber defense at first base.

Chasing800 Prediction:
Jeter has another Jeter-like season. While his numbers won't resemble an 18 million a year player, he will bring the intangables that he always brings to the table. I expect a better season from Derek this year than 2008. Look for .308 12HR 84 RBI. He will play above average defense but not enough to secure another gold glove.

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Team USA Advances in WBC

2009-03-09T21:30:00.000-04:00

Team USA is having a blast with the WBC. Kevin Youkilis hit a two-run homer, Adam Dunn and Ryan Braun added solo shots. For Dunn and Youkilis, it was the second straight day with a HR. Team USA went on to beat Venezula 15-6, thus advancing to the 2nd round of the WBC.

Team USA's lineup is stacked with All-Stars and it showed last night. They scored 8 runs in the 6th inning to break open the game.

"With that lineup, I don't see why we shouldn't have a few of those innings a night," Dunn said. "It was a lot of fun, but I don't think it was very unexpected on our side."

The only downfall from last night's win was Chipper Jones leaving the game in the 6th because of a mild strain on his side. It looks that he will be out for the time being. That means David Wright would be the starting 3rd Baseman now.

"I told David Wright, 'This is probably the last time you're going to DH,'" Team USA manager Davey Johnson said. "Anytime somebody has a little strain in the spring, you have to be real cautious."

Jones said after the game that the injury isn't serious but it will still be treated with caution.

I'm so glad that we have meaningful games this spring. I hate Spring Training games but I watch them because it's baseball but I like the WBC. The games mean alot to the guys that are playing and there's alot of emotion that goes into it. I like watching competitive games and this tournament I think is a great idea. I like seeing our Yankee players playing in different uniforms and playing agains one another, I find that cool, it's not everyday that you see that. I saw a groundball hit to Derek Jeter at short and then he handed it to Dustin Pedoria for the final out of the 8th inning last night. I thought that was cool, who would've thought you'd ever say that? It's things like that, that makes the WBC a good idea.

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C800 2009 Yankees Outlook: RF

2009-03-08T09:42:00.000-04:00

Chasing800 is going to look at each position and give you insight and opinion on the current situation and what may loom ahead. Today we will look at Right Field.

Right Field
This position belongs to Xavier Nady. He is the power threat of the three outfielders. After being acquired in July Nady provided some much needed pop the Yankee line-up. He hit .268 12 HR and 40 RBI in 59 games while in the Bronx. He has an above average arm and plays pretty good defense. His value to the team will be on offense. He combined for 25 HR and 97 RBI last year between the Yanks and Pirates so expect similar production this season. This is also his walk year, as he becomes a free agent at year's end. He's a hard nose player who likes to get dirty and is a player the Yankees need around. In a game last season at the Stadium he went off and recorded 6 RBIs in a game against the Angels, a show of his capabilities.

Nick Swisher will also see time behind Nady as he's the utility outfielder for the Yanks this season. Expect a spot start from him every now and then.

Chasing800 Prediction:
Nady has another solid season. He will almost certainly leave the Yanks when he becomes a free agent because he's a Scott Boras client and will command more money than the Yankees are willing to pay. I see a .278 23 HR 95 RBI from the X-Man this year with solid defense. His arm is not Bobby Abreu's but his hard nose effort and grind-it-0ut mentality will win us over in a full season...maybe just enough to bring him back for '10?? Let's see about that.

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USA Edges Canada in WBC Opener

2009-03-08T09:39:00.000-04:00

he World Baseball Classic got underway for the United States yesterday and went well. Team USA was able to escape with a 6-5 victory over Team Canada yesterday in Toronto.

Jake Peavy started for Team USA and went three innings, allowing two runs and two hits. He walked three and struck out four.

“This is a playoff atmosphere,” Peavy said. “Everything is on the line, you’re doing everything you can to win and advance in this tournament, and playing for your country just takes that through the roof. It’s as good an atmosphere as it gets, I believe.”

Kevin Youkillis of the Boston Red Sox added a homerun for America in the 4th inning. Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann added a two-run shot a couple batters later.

The Yankees' Derek Jeter went 2-for-3 in yesterday's opening game.

There were numerous spots in the game in which both teams had chances with runners in scoring positions but couldn't deliver. Team USA had the bases loaded twice and couldn't score.

In the ninth inning, the Mets' JJ Putz closed out the game for Team USA but in typical Mets bullpen fashion, he made it interesting. Putz gave up an RBI double to the Reds' Joey Votto that brought Canada within 6-5. Then Putz got the Twins' Justin Moreanu to ground out for the win.

“I just tried to get ahead of him and we were able to,” Putz said. “We tried to get him to chase some sliders and he laid off a couple of good ones. With (Matt) Stairs sitting on deck, he’s a guy that I’ve had some trouble with in the past, so I really wanted to focus in and try to get Bay to end the game.”

If you watched this game you could feel the emotion going into the game. This was surely not your average exhibition game.

“It was one of those situations where you’re on the edge of your seat,” Jeter said. “It’s a lot more nerve-racking watching, I think, than it is playing.

As the tournament continues, so will the intensity. Team USA is off to a good start, lets see how far they can go from here.

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A-Rod Will Have Surgery Monday

2009-03-08T09:37:00.000-04:00

The decision was announced a few minutes ago that Alex Rodriguez will indeed have arthroscopic hip surgery on Monday and is expected to miss six to nine weeks. Rodriguez has a torn labrum and a cyst in his right hip. The cyst was drained on Wednesday.

The Yankees are looking for fill-in at third base during Alex's absence. The leading candidate is Cody Ransom but of course the Yankees will try and get someone via trade. Names like Mark Teahan of the Royals and Bobby Crosby of the A's have been mentioned. The likely move here will be the Yankees signing free agent Mark Grudzielanek. Life without A-Rod offically begins.

As I alluded to in yesterday's post, the surgery should be done ASAP. With the Yanks in Spring Training for the rest of the month, this time can be used to get Alex rest and rehab. It won't hurt the Yankees because they won't start the season until April 6th. Hopefully Alex is ready to go by late May and things won't be so bad in the Bronx.

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Yanks Should Opt For Surgery With A-Rod

2009-03-07T08:50:00.001-05:00

As of right now there is no decision made on what is going to happen with Alex Rodriguez. The Yankees are trying to explore every possible option before making a decision. That's only logical considering the magnitude of the situation. Alex is a player you can't replace no matter how hard you try and if the Yanks can keep him in the lineup then that's what they're going to do. But how smart is that move?

If Alex needs surgery then he should get it ASAP. Some sources have claimed that the surgery for A-Rod's hip can happen as early as Monday. If that is the case then he will be out for around four months and he won't be back until the All-Star Break in July. This is really a tough situation the Yankees are put in again with Alex. It really is amazing how much has gone on with Alex over the last month or so, it seems surreal.

The reality of this situation is that the Yankees are handcuffed either way so they should just opt for the surgery. You would get a free month (this month) of rest and rehab and then just hope that Mark Teixeria can handle the new found pressure on his shoulders. The rotation WILL have to live up to their billing and deliver in the absence of Rodriguez. A lot is expected from the Yankees this year, with or without Alex so you have to do what's best for the team and have him get the surgery and get healthy. There is no sense in having him play the year hurt, especially if it could jeopardize his remaining years in pinstripes.

It's a no win situation for the Yanks. They are going to have to hope from bounce back years from Robinson Cano, Hideki Matsui, and Jorge Posada. If those guys along with Derek Jeter play up to expectations then the Yanks will be fine, but if they don't, Boston and Tampa Bay will be right there every step of the way ready to return to October.

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Network Us

2009-03-07T08:04:00.000-05:00

Chasing800 on Sunday, February 15, 2009

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Don't forget to join us for our Tuesday Night Chats! Live at 8pm at www.ChasingRecords.com.

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Question Of The Day- A-Rod's Hip Injury

2009-03-06T08:48:00.000-05:00

Hello ‘Chasing Records’ Sports Fans!

Question of the Day – NY Baseball: Yankees

** Alex Rodriguez – Hip Surgery – Out for 10 Weeks **

** How should the Yankees handle the A-Rod injury? **

Share your thoughts on the Chasing Records Forum:
www. ChasingRecords. com

We look forward to hearing from you,
--Chasing Records & Full Focus LLC

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Question Of The Day- March 4

2009-03-04T08:46:00.000-05:00

Hello ‘Chasing Records’ Sports Fans!

Question of the Day – NY Baseball: Yankees

** The World Baseball Classic – WBC Debate **

** Are you a Fan of the WBC? Will you tune in and watch? **

Share your thoughts on the Chasing Records Forum:
www.ChasingRecords.com

We look forward to hearing from you,
--Chasing Records & Full Focus LLC

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Question Of The Day: March 3

2009-03-03T08:42:00.000-05:00

Hello ‘Chasing Records’ Sports Fans!

Question of the Day – NY Baseball: Yankees

** Player Spotlight: Melky Cabrera – CF **

** What do you expect from Melky Cabrera in 2009? **

Share your thoughts on the Chasing Records Forum:
www. ChasingRecords. com

We look forward to hearing from you,
--Chasing Records & Full Focus LLC

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Reyes Batting Third? No Way!

2009-03-01T09:22:00.006-05:00

I have a hard time trying to figure this out....Jose Reyes batting third? Luis Castillo hitting lead-off? What exactly is manager Jerry Manuel thinking? I don't think that will help the Mets in any way.

Reyes is a lead-off guy, not a homerun hitter. He's not an RBI guy, so why have him bat third? If Reyes shows the skills he had in 2006, when he showed that he could be a five-tool player, then the decision to bat him third is still debatable. Castillo has come to camp in shape and ready to play but that doesn't mean it'll result in decent numbers in the regular season.

Castillo is better suited for the no 2 spot in the lineup or no 8. As the second guy in the order he can bunt, hit and run, take pitches and move over Reyes on the basepaths if need be. Reyes is the better hitter so wouldn't you want him to get as many at-bats as possible? Batting him third won't accomplish that. Castillo can also add value to himself in the 8th hole if he hits and gets on base. Why? With the pitcher's spot due up after him he can easily be moved on the bases with a sac bunt by the pitcher, thus setting up an at-bat with a runner in scoring position for Reyes.

We'll have to see what Castillo does the rest of the spring. I just don't see a need to hit Reyes in the third spot, it's not going to work. But Manuel might have something up his sleeve with this idea. If I were him, I wouldn't mess around with the lineup, it was fine the way it was. If Castillo is able to hit and play good defense then the Mets are just better, with him in the leadoff spot, they're not.

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C800 2009 Yankees Outlook: CF

2009-03-01T09:15:00.001-05:00

Chasing800 is going to look at each position and give you insight and opinion on the current situation and what may loom ahead. Today we will look at the CenterField.

Center Field
The current CF situation is unclear at the moment. As we roll along in Spring Training, we will find out who will be the Opening Day CF. It will either be Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner.

I've discussed this in the past and I went to bat for Melky. My stance hasn't changed since, even with Melky's atrocious 2008. The reason is because he showed last April his potential. He hit 6 HR's in the first month and did as much as anyone to carry the offense. I also like his range in center. But what I like the most is his arm, he has a cannon of an arm that on many occasions have saved the Yanks a few runs. His presence in CF makes runners think twice about taking that extra base, which is important these days. He still has some time to show the Yanks what he can do but his time is running out.

Gardner is a different player in his own right. Think of a scrappy, line drive, speedster. That's how I see Gardner. His downfalls are his arm and the fact he can't get on base often enough to create runs. So far this Spring, he's shown his ability to get on base and cause the opposition some frustration. If he's able to maintain his success over the course of a season then the Yanks have a great weapon in Gardner. Batting 9th would provide the Yanks with their second lead-off hitter and give the guys behind him in the line-up, Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter some at-bats with runners in scoring position.

Nick Swisher could see some time in CF but that would be an unlikely scenario due to the fact he hated playing there in Chicago and he's the 3rd CF on the team.

Chasing800 Prediction:
Melky gets the Opening Day nod because of his prior experience. Although if Gardner has an impressive spring, then Gardner gets the nod, but I'm still sticking with Melky on this one. If Melky doesn't produce right off the bat, look for the Yanks to turn to Gardner and give him a longer leash to work with.

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C800 2009 Yankees Outlook: LF

2009-03-01T09:14:00.001-05:00

Chasing800 is going to look at each position and give you insight and opinion on the current situation and what may loom ahead. Today we will look at the Left Field.

Left Field:
Johnny Damon seems as the likely candidate to get most of the playing time in LF. He is entering the last year of a four-year contract that he signed prior to the 2006 season. Last season, Damon proved he was again one of the elite lead-off hitters in the game. His defense in LF is better than average in my opinion and he's better suited there, than he is in CF. His consistency at the plate will keep him in the line-up in some capacity, even if it means he gets a few days at DH.
On the days Damon isn't in LF, Hideki Matsui and Nick Swisher will be there. Matsui is looking to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2008 in which he only played 92 games. I'm optimistic in thinking he will have a solid season. Matsui will get the majority of his at-bats at DH because the Yanks want to keep his knees healthy but I believe he will still be a key player for the Bombers this season. Swisher was the starting First Baseman before Mark Teixeria signed in December but he's now been reduced to a part time role, mainly in the outfield. Swisher should provide reliable defense in LF and a decent bat at the bottom of the order when he's playing.

Chasing800 Prediction: Damon has another solid season in LF, in his free agent walk year, I expect him to bat around .315 14 HR 78 RBI. His speed is not what it once was, but I expect around 20-25 steals and to play above average defense. I don't see Matsui getting much time in LF, and I see Swisher being a nice back-up. Yankee fans shouldn't worry about this position because they will get production and defense from whoever is out there.

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Yankees Cap Gets A New Look For '09

2009-02-28T09:11:00.000-05:00

The Yankees will wear a new hat this season to commemorate the inaugural season in the New Yankee Stadium. It will have a patch on the back of the hat instead of the side. It's a little weird that they would place a patch on the back of the hat but it's not a bad logo. It will just get a little getting use to. Here are some photos of the new design:

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Yanks Win In Spring Opener

2009-02-25T20:34:00.001-05:00

Today, there was actual baseball played. No more talk, it was time for business. Spring Training offically began today as the Yankees played their first game of the spring.
Some highlights of today's game against the Toronto Blue Jays was Brett Gardner hitting the second pitch of the game for a homerun. Alex Rodriguez also went yard, as he hit a 2-run shot in the 4th innning. The Yankees won the game 6-1. Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, and Nick Swisher were the other "main" Yankees that played in today's opener. Mark Teixera should make his spring debut tomorrow.

Manager Joe Girardi announced his rotation today, he said it was going to go as follows: CC Sabathia, Chein-Ming Wang, AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte, and Joba Chamberlain. This rotation makes the most sense as the Yanks want to seperate the power arms of Sabathia and Burnett and they want to limit Joba's innings. Things might change as the season gets closer but for now Girardi has things set.

Not much of a reaction for A-Rod today when he came to the plate for the first time, but some boos were heard when he hit the homerun but that's expected. This will be an interesting thing to keep an eye on as Alex travels from city to city.

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Orton's Destiny Points Him To The WWE Title

2009-02-23T23:35:00.005-05:00

Last week Randy Orton's road to WrestleMania was made a little more clear, thanks to a few seconds of rage.

Last Monday night Shane McMahon wanted a return match with Orton from the previous night where they battled at No Way Out in a No DQ match. Orton won the gruesome match with a sudden RKO that came more out of desperation than it did strategy. Orton accepted Shane's request for a return match on RAW. Stephanie McMahon however was against the idea from the start. Fearing that Shane might jeporidize his health even more, the Billion Dollar Princess made a call. On tv, it wasn't made clear as to whom she was calling. Her father Vince McMahon has been out since Orton punted him in the head about a month back, so with Shane already in the arena, who was there left to call?

With Shane in the ring, Orton made his way down the aisle and was met with fists of fury from Shane. They battled around the ringside area to the announce table. This is wher Shane got the upperhand and even nailed Orton with the ring bell. Shane then brought Randy into the ring and set him up in the corner and placed a steel chair in front of Orton and was prepared to go "coast-to-coast" on Orton, until Legacy arrived. Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes jumped Shane and continued to attacked Shane until Orton got back to his senses and joined the assault. Then Orton called off his henchemen and measured up the younger McMahon. We knew what Orton was getting ready for...his punt. Was he going to deliver? On this night he did! Orton punted Shane in the head and watched as Shane laid motionless in the ring. A distraught Stephanie came running to the aide of her fallen brother. Once she realized the damage that was done, she got up and got in the face of Orton and proceeded to cry over what had just happened, until suddenly Orton gave Stephanie and RKO!

Afterwards Orton looked in shock as it appeared his emotions got the best of him again and he realized he was in deep trouble and he had gone too far. Within seconds The Game HHH arrived to the ring to attend to his fallen wife. This was the first time the WWE publicly acknowledged HHH's and Stephanie's relationship. After a few moments HHH turned his attention to Orton and Legacy at the top of the ramp and was nearly convulsing at the image of his fallen wife. The stage was apparently set for WrestleMania, HHH vs Randy Orton!

Tonight on RAW, HHH came to confront Orton. Orton was ready for the WWE Champion. With a sledgehammer in hand, Orton and Legacy waited for The Game to show up and he did. He also, with a sledgehammer in hand made his way to the ring. After a ploy of Orton's backfiring, HHH took a swing at Orton and his Legacy teammates. He got Rhodes in the stomach but ran after DiBiase and Orton. If you didn't see this tonight, you missed out on an entertaining segment. The show went off the air with Legacy driving away and avoiding further damage from the WWE Champ. It'll be interesting to see where this story goes as we get closer to WrestleMania.

I happen to like both men and think they will put on an entertaining match at WrestleMania. I also like the basis for this storyline. I'm hoping Orton prevails over HHH. As always, the weeks leading into WrestleMania are always the best, so I can't wait to see what happens in this renewed rivalry.

Here's the video of the punt on Shane and the RKO on Stephanie:

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A Day Of Fun In The ....Poolhall?

2009-02-23T23:34:00.001-05:00

Spring Training is under way and the Yankees are eager to make sure the team is ready for Opening Day. After a week straight of workouts, manager Joe Girardi called for a day off and an afternoon of fun for the Bronx Bombers.

Girardi wants to build a better relationship with his players than he had with them last season and this, was a step in the right direction. He took his guys to play pool. Now this, you don't see everyday. I have to give the manager a round of applause for this. It's a nice way to get the guys to bond and get to know one another off the field and lt loose for an afternoon and not have to go through the everyday stress of baseball.

Here are what some Yankees had to say about Girardi's idea:

Johnny Damon:

"It was a great day. We’ve been at spring training for a week and Joe came up with a great idea to get us together as a team. It was great to break up spring training a bit, get the team together, get some camaraderie there.

“I think everybody had a great time. We got to see who’s been spending too much time at the pool hall and we know the ones that don’t spend enough time in there.

“For Joe to let us take a day off from practice like that, it makes you want to work even harder for him.”

“Camp has been going great so far. We all have been rallying around each other, having a good time in the clubhouse. Today is one of those days that, as a ballplayer, you’ll never forget. I don’t think any team has ever really done this. It’s a day I’ll never forget. It says a lot about Joe. He knows we’ve been working hard and he rewarded us with a day off.”

Mark Teixeria:

"It was great. That was probably the most fun I’ve ever had in spring training in my whole career.”

“I thought it was a great idea. We’ve been working really hard – the pitchers a little bit longer than the position players. We had a good week of practice and we’re going to start games here soon, so I think Joe just wanted to give us some time off.”

“I’ve never have (heard of a team doing something like this), but I think more teams should. This was a great time, great for all of us to get together.”

“There were probably 16-18 pool tables, there were some card tables, we had darts, we had guys playing dominos and we had lunch also. Everyone was just having a good time.”

“It makes you relax and realize that we can have fun off the field. Once we get on the field, it’s business, but we can build some relationships as well.”

“Usually during the season, you get to hang out with guys because we’re always on the same bus or the same plane. Our schedules are identical. In spring training, you don’t go on trips together, the pitchers have different schedules than the hitters and the hitters are in different groups, so there might be a couple guys you don’t get to know at all.”

In case you were wondering, Mariano Rivera won both pool tournaments the Yankees held amongst themselves. Not bad Mo, maybe he has another career lined up after baseball.

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Network Us!

2009-02-15T12:35:00.001-05:00

MySpace

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Don't forget to join us for our Tuesday Night Chats! Live at 9pm at www.ChasingRecords.com.

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Jeter's Bachelor Days May Be Over

2009-02-15T12:33:00.003-05:00

The following news may upset a lot of females out there. There's a rumor swirling that Derek Jeter might be getting married to his girlfriend Minka Kelly. This rumor came about from Hideki Matsui.

Last season Matsui, Jeter, and Bobby Abreu made a bet as to who was going to get married first. Matsui got married last year before the season began, thus leaving Abreu and Jeter behind. Jeter said he didn't have a girlfriend so the bet was extended for him an extra year. That year is about to be up.

“We’ve got a bet going,” Matsui replied. “If he doesn’t get married within a year, I win the bet. Basically the bet was, whoever gets married first wins. Jeter said he himself doesn’t have a girlfriend, so he’s getting a one-year handicap” Matsui said last year.

Most people, myself included found this hilarious. Derek had a different take on it:

“That’s not hilarious, that’s sad, that’s real sad,” Jeter said. “If he wanted the money, all he had to do was ask. He didn’t really have to do it.”

Abreu earlier this week signed with the Los Angeles Angels and apparently didn't uphold his end of the bet.

“Bobby left without paying,” Matsui said.

Bobby was expecting a hefty contract this winter and didn't get it. He might have to give Matsui an IOU until the Angels come to the Bronx. Jeter's bachelor days may be numbered.

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Mo Ready For '09 After Painful '08

2009-02-15T12:33:00.001-05:00

Yesterday Mariano Rivera addressed the media and let them in on a little secret...he was pitching through a lot of pain last season.

"I felt it all day," Rivera said. "I don't want to go through that again....It was painful but I did it," said Rivera, who said the worst days were the ones when he pitched more than an inning or for the third game in a row."

It was quite the season for Rivera in 2008, it was possibly the best season of his career. Rivera had a 1.40 ERA and allowed only 41 hits over 70 2/3 innings. He struck out 77 and walked six while recording 39 saves. To Mo, it wasn't such a great year because the Yankees failed to make the playoffs for the first time since Rivera came aboard 14 years ago.

"I look at how we finished," he said. "To me, personally it was a year we didn't go nowhere."

With the new additions to the team this offseason, the Yanks look poised to return to October baseball in 2009.

"I can't wait; it's going to be an exciting year. We have a great team to bring a championship to the new Stadium."

Rivera is coming off of shoulder surgery this winter and is a question mark going into the season as to whether he will be the same Mo we have all come to know and love.

"I will find out when I get to the mound. I feel good; my shoulder feels great. But I haven't thrown."

That's no surprise, Rivera is known not to pick up a baseball during the offseason and it hasn't affected his control or arm strength.

"Ultimately he's a question mark," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. "All the reports are good, but you just don't know."

Based on Mo's track record, I wouldn't worry. He's one of those guys you may take for granted because he's always so good, so hopefully this year is no different. Another 30 plus save season is awaiting Rivera and hopefully some October baseball.

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Oswalt Critical Of A-Rod, Forgets '05 Astros

2009-02-15T12:30:00.000-05:00

Sometimes people need to think before they open their mouths. I wasn't going to mention this but it's such an ignorant opinion I feel the need to address it.

This past week Houston Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt was very critical of Alex Rodriguez in part due to his admission of using steroids. Ok, so were alot of people. Here's what Oswalt said:

"A-Rod's numbers shouldn't count for anything," Oswalt said in a phone interview with MLB.com. "I feel like he cheated me out of the game."

Did Oswalt forget his Astros were led to the 2005 World Series by Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens? Two men who were using performance enhancing drugs combined for about 30 wins that season. Come on, are you serious Roy?

"It does bother me," Oswalt said. "Especially for the guys that went out there and did it on talent. We're always going to have a cloud on us, and that's not fair at all.

"The ones that have come out and admitted it, and are proven guilty, [their numbers] should not count. I've been cheated out of the game," Oswalt continued. "This is my ninth year, and I've done nothing to enhance my performance, other than work my butt off to get guys out. These guys [who took PEDs] have all the talent in the world. All-Star talent. And they put times two on it.

"I'm going out there with the ability God gave me. They have that ability, too, and they're putting something on top of it."

While with the Rangers, Rodriguez was 3-for-5 against Oswalt with two doubles, one home run, three RBIs and two walks. Last year, as a Yankee, Rodriguez was hitless in two at-bats against Oswalt.

"The few times we played them, when he got hits, it could have cost me a game," Oswalt said. "It could have cost me money in my contract. He cheated me out of the game and I take it personally, because I've never done [PEDs], haven't done it, and they're cheating me out of the game."

Did I fail to mention that Oswalt's Astro teammate Miguel Tejada is going to court because he lied to Congress about PED's? Oh, I think Roy forgot that too. This is an example of when a player should just keep his mouth closed and just play the game. While I understand his logic behind his rant, it's not justified because that 2005 team won because of the use of HGH and in Clemen's case, "steroids" (which has still been unproven but given the evidence against Clemens in his case against Congress, it appears to be a given Roger took PED's).

Unbelievable. It's time people stop worrying about the steroid scandal and start worrying about the upcoming season, sorry Roy but you just made yourself look bad here. Nice try, better luck next time.

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Now, It's Time For Baseball

2009-02-15T09:17:00.000-05:00

aturday, February 14, 2009

A lot has gone on this week regarding Alex Rodriguez and steroids. I'm a little tired of all the talk about it, hence the inactivity of the blog since Monday. I don't think it's necessary to state my opinion over and over again or cover everyone's opinion. I think we all have our views on the matter and there is little room for changing that.

Of course anything A-Rod does is big news but some of it is really not worth covering but it's interesting to see the fascination with Alex. Now that Spring Training is under way we can start talking actual baseball. Alex is suppose to report to camp on Tuesday and sometime this week will hold a press conference based on his admitted steroid use. I hope once he addresses the media that he can focus on the task at hand, winning a world championship. I hope the media and the fans do the same. That is asking alot, especially from the media but I hope Alex can put it behind him and this won't be a season long distraction.

With the World Baseball Classic set to start in just a few weeks, the focus will eventually turn to actual baseball games being played. I, for one, can't wait. It'll be an interesting 2009 baseball season all across the board.

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The Forum's January Winner...

2009-02-15T09:15:00.001-05:00

Full Focus, LLC and ChasingRecords is glad to announce The January winner on the Sports Talk Forum: Meghann - Yankee4613

Be sure to visit the Chasing Records Sports Talk Forum for your chance to win FREE appreciation gifts!
(with 50 posts, you're in the drawing)

Thank you very much,
--ChasingRecords Staff

www.ChasingRecords.com

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Yankees Issue Statement Regarding Alex

2009-02-09T21:18:00.000-05:00

STATEMENT FROM THE NEW YORK YANKEES

RE: ALEX RODRIGUEZ

“We strongly believe there is no place in baseball for performance enhancing drugs of any type, and we support the efforts of the Commissioner to continually improve the testing process.

“We urged Alex to be completely open, honest and forthcoming in addressing his use of performance enhancing drugs. We take him at his word that he was. Although we are disappointed in the mistake he spoke to today, we realize that Alex—like all of us—is a human being not immune to fault.

“We speak often about the members of this organization being part of a family, and that is never more true than in times of adversity. Alex took a big step by admitting his mistake, and while there is no condoning the use of performance enhancing drugs, we respect his decision to take accountability for his actions. We support Alex, and we will do everything we can to help him deal with this challenge and prepare for the upcoming season.”

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Coming To The Defense Of Alex Rodriguez

2009-02-09T09:19:00.000-05:00

A week before Spring Training starts we have one of the biggest scandals to ever hit baseball. Yea, it's that serious. Just as things looked to be getting away from the whole steroid talk Sports Illustrated comes out with an article on Saturday morning telling us that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003. On top of that, the head of the Major League Baseball Players Association Gene Orza tipped A-Rod as well as other players on when their drug tests were going to take place. This is a HUGE mess and puts MLB in a fragile state just days before the 2009 season is to begin.

I was shocked to hear Alex tested positive. Yes, shocked. Why? Because Alex has always been a consistent .300 35-40 HR 100 RBI guy. Steroids or not, he's one of the most gifted players to ever play the game. Now with the steroid allegations all of a sudden he's a big cheat and he's not worthy of the Hall of Fame? Give me a break! This is a big story only because of the name attached to it and the team he plays for. If the name was Endy Chavez, then would we be making such a big deal? No! That's because people find this a story, A-Rod cheated. Ok, so he "cheated", my guess is he was trying to keep up with the rest of baseball but I could be wrong. It was no secret that most of baseball was on something and no one did anything about it. MLB knew guys were taking steroids but didn't care because they were cashing in, now it's come to bite them in their rear. MLB should find a way to get behind A-Rod in this because in essence his rights were violated. Those results should've never been released. Nonetheless, Alex will prove in the next 8 or 9 years how great he is by still performing at a high level.

We are all human beings and we all make mistakes. Alex is no different. I know many people think he's a machine and isn't allowed to sun bathe in Central Park or hang out with a female while on a road trip but come on, seriously, get over it. Andy Pettitte admitted last year to using HGH a few years ago to heal from an injury. He admitted to being wrong and making a mistake in judgement and all was forgiven. Why? Because he won all those championships for the Yankees. Is that fair? No. Listen, I'm a big fan of Andy's but you can't have a double standard here. If A-Rod didn't make the most money in the game's history would this still be a big story?

Maybe A-Rod tried the steroids once. Don't tell me that you haven't tried some type of drug at least once? Personally I can say I haven't but unfortunately I fall in the minority on that. But does that make the people that have tried certain substances any less of a person, any less of a worker? No. This is America, let the guy do whatever he wants. You pay money to watch him entertain you right? So now because he might've taken steroids, he's a phony and you want answers. Well here's a news flash, we live in a corrupt world. A-Rod taking steroids is the LEAST of our problems. The country is in a finanical crisis and you're worried about A-Rod 24/7. At some point you have to leave the guy alone. We all know how fragile his state of mind can be at times and this could very well get him over the edge. Hoepfull it isn't. Some people will not be satisfied until the man is in a mental institute and out of baseball. Well to those people who are anti-Alex because of this, shame on you. He was the man that represented everything that was good in baseball, now that changes because of a leaked test that was suppose to remain anonimous.

Another point I want to get across is, how in the world is Alex's name the ONLY name leaked to the public? There were 104 names in the paperwork the government got their hands on,104! And ONLY Alex's name is leaked. Give me a friggin break! Four sources confirmed that A-Rod's name was indeed among the names that tested positive in '03. Ok, great but where are the other 103 names? Somewhere in here there's a lie and someone had it in for Alex. The way Alex's name was obtained was just as wrong as him taking the steroids.

The documents of the 2003 tests were suppose to be destroyed. I want to know why they weren't and why the government got their hands on it. Someone in the MLBPA didn't do their job and made sure those documents were destroyed. The MLB Union is not helping A-Rod in this matter, that's a shame. MLB themselves want nothing to do with this either. So basically A-Rod is on his own here. I think Yankee fans should stand behind the man that will be the face of the franchise after Derek Jeter calls it a career. Remember there was no penalty for using performance enhancing drugs back in '03 so A-Rod if he did take steroids, was not breaking any rules. It is also vaguely mentioned that Alex has NOT failed a drug test since. And guess what, he's still producing amazing numbers. You can't tell me they didn't test him in 2007 when he had one of the greatest season known to man with 54 HR and 150 RBI. He didn't test positive then. That means yes, he IS that good and will continue to be.

Alex's next move is huge in terms on how we view the Yankees' Third Baseman. His legacy is tainted whether the SI.com story is true or not. It's a shame that this has happened. As if Alex didn't already have the weight of the world on his shoulders, now this. I'm not excusing his "cheating" but I certainly am going after the hypocrits that are bashing him. One person I have seen that should find a new hobby is the Daily News Bill Madden. He is all over A-Rod and how he should not make the Hall of Fame because of the allegations. Madden also compares A-Rod to Mark McGwire, that's horrid. McGwire is a one dimensional player, Alex is a five tool player, don't insult my intelligence Bill. It's funny how people are quick to switch sides. That's not good journalism. If you switch sides so quick how am I suppose to read your work and see any credibility? It just looks to be that Madden needs to jump on the "A-Fraud" bandwagon. I bet Madden came up with the "A-Fraud" thing too.

A lot of people have jumped to conclusions before we even hear from A-Rod. This story is far from being over so let's see how this pans out ore we place judgement on the legacy of Alex Rodriguez.

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Alex Rodriguez Tested "Postive" For Steroids In 2003

2009-02-07T09:20:00.000-05:00

According to Sports Illustrated Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003, his last with the Texas Rangers. SI.com is reporting that they have four sources that told them Alex tested positive for two anabolic steroids.

From SportsIllustrated.com:

In 2003, when he won the American League home run title and the AL Most Valuable Player award as a shortstop for the Texas Rangers, Alex Rodriguez tested positive for two anabolic steroids, four sources have independently told Sports Illustrated.

Rodriguez's name appears on a list of 104 players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball's '03 survey testing, SI's sources say. As part of a joint agreement with the MLB Players Association, the testing was conducted to determine if it was necessary to impose mandatory random drug testing across the major leagues in 2004.

When approached by an SI reporter on Thursday at a gym in Miami, Rodriguez declined to discuss his 2003 test results. "You'll have to talk to the union," said Rodriguez, the Yankees' third baseman since his trade to New York in February 2004. When asked if there was an explanation for his positive test, he said, "I'm not saying anything."

Well I JUST wrote how everyone should leave A-Rod alone. That didn't last too long did it? Let's see how far this story goes, I'm sure it will take a life of it's own because....well it's Alex Rodriguez. I find this hard to believe because Alex has been so consistent throughout his entire career. We'll have more as this story unfolds.

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Cashman Says A-Fraud No Big Deal To A-Rod

2009-02-07T07:21:00.000-05:00

Yankees Genreal Manager Brian Cashman doesn't think Alex Rodriguez will be effected by the Joe Torre book. As everyone knows by now, it is said in the book that players called Alex "A-Fraud". People close to Alex say it's a non issue, so does Cashman.

"He's fine," Cashman said. "It's something he's going to have to deal with."

Every spring A-Rod has had to deal with some type of controversy and this year will be no different. He will again be asked about his relationship with Derek Jeter, something Torre also alluded to in his book. Cash said he's spoken to Alex recently about the book and it's topics and he has no issues with it.

"He's already dealt with stuff like this way too many times," Cashman said of the "A-Fraud" fallout. "It's just another thing for him to swat out of the way."

I agree, we're beating a dead bush here. How many times are we going to ask about A-Rod's status in the clubhouse? He's been here for four years, it's time to find something else to talk about with Alex, or how bout leave him alone for once....well the latter may never happen. As long as the media continues to make A-Rod's every footstep a big deal so will we here on the blog.

Players report to camp on Feb. 17th.

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Kobe Bryant Sets MSG Scoring Record

2009-02-03T22:41:00.005-05:00

Last night Knicks fans witnessed history. No, it wasn't anything done by the Knicks. This time the opposition made history. Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers scored 61 points in the win over the Knicks. The 61 points was the most scored EVER by a player in Madison Square Garden. Kobe's 61 surpasses the previous record of 60 by Bernard King on Christmas Day in 1984. Kobe also passed Michael Jordan's 55 points which was the most ever by an opposing player.

The Lakers won 126-117. Bryant was 19-31 from the field and 20-20 at the line. Remarkable. The crowd at MSG went from booing Bryant to chanting MVP at the end of his record setting performance. New Yorkers know a good show when they see one and believe me they haven't seen one in awhile with the Knicks.

"It's a blessing to do what you love and to have moments like this," Bryant said.

Last night marked the the 24th 50-point game of his career. The Lakers were short handed because their big man Andrew Bynum was out due to injury. Kobe knew going into the game he had to pick up the slack, something he did just fine.

"He was on fire from the start and finished the game almost the same way," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "That was a remarkable performance."

I couldn't agree more. Next up for the Knicks: Lebron James and the Cavs. Can Lebron duplicate Kobe's record performance just two nights later? That'll be interesting to watch.

Here's a video of every point made by Kobe Bryant last night:

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I Was On WFAN - Joe Torre Book Signing

2009-02-03T22:41:00.001-05:00

I went this morning to go buy the Joe Torre book, "The Yankee Years" and had no problem finding it. I bought it at Barnes and Noble on 86th street. When I went to go pay for the book the cashier told me about a book signing Torre was doing on 46th and 5th. I orginally wasn't going to go through the hassle of waiting on line to meet Joe because I would be waiting for hours. I asked when the signing started and the cashier replied "in 5 mins". So I said I might as well go ahead and try, after all it was snowing like crazy so the line couldn't have been that long, right?

Well a few train stops and a few blocks later I reached my destination. Now I had to see what I was dealing in terms of a line and waiting time. I was also trying to do this and make it back in time for work at 3pm so could the unexpected happen? Could I get Joe Torre to sign my book AND make it back in time for work? It was def worth trying. I walked down the block from where Barnes and Noble's main entrance was and turned the corner only to see a LONG line of people who were there before me to get a glimpse of Joe. As I went to the very back of the line optimism was still with me. Just as I settled into my place on line, I was approached by WFAN and was interviewed about the book. I gave my two cents and they were off to interview another person on the line. All in all I didn't get to see Torre or get my book signed but at least I made it on the radio/tv/internet. That made the attempt worthwhile. I'll be posting my thoughts on the book as I go through it. In the meantime, here's the video from today, look for me around the 2:00 mark.

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ChasingRecords Week In Review: Jan 26-30

2009-02-01T09:02:00.002-05:00

Every week we'll try to get you up to speed with this week's hot topics in case you missed them. If you haven't been to the ChasingRecords Forum you should check it out. Not only can you share your thoughts on the New York sports scene, you can talk about whatever you want. Going out this weekend? Tell us where you're going, what are the hot spots to hit? Like the UFC or WWE, we got a place on the Forum just for you too. You name it, and we've got it on the ChasingRecords Forum. So click the link at the bottom of this post and register, it's FREE. You may even win some gifts from the ChasingRecords staff. Hope to see you on the boards!

Here's what you may have missed this week:

Monday: What are feelings towards Joe Torre's new book "The Yankee Years?" HERE
Tuesday:How do you feel about the Yankees Starting Rotation now that Andy Pettitte is back? HERE
Wednesday:Are you a fan of the Winter Season? Were you hit by the Snow Storm today? HERE
Thursday: What is the # 1 reason as to why you can’t exercise on a consistent basis?
Could it be the lack of time, no motivation, your finances, or is it something else? HERE
Friday: What are your plans for the weekend? Are you going to be watching the Super Bowl on Sunday? HERE

We look forward to hearing from you,
--Chasing Records & Full Focus LLC

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Randy Orton Is ChasingWrestleMania

2009-01-29T21:26:00.004-05:00

The road to the promiseland has begun. On Sunday night, the WWE held their annual Royal Rumble pay-per-view. The main event of the evening as always is the Royal Rumble match itself. The winner of the Royal Rumble match is gauranteed a World Championship match at WrestleMania. This year's winner was the "Legend Killer" Randy Orton.

Orton came in the rumble drawing no.8. He immediately went toe to toe with former Evolution member Triple H. Orton waited for his own group "Legacy" to arrive so they could help Orton obtain his goal of winning the rumble and going to WrestleMania 25 in Houston. Ted DiBiase was the first man from Orton's Legacy group to come out at no.10 and went right to the aid of Orton. As the match progressed Orton built momentum. He served numerous RKO's throughout the match. At one point he nailed one on every superstar in the ring. Cody Rhodes, the other member of Legacy came in at no, 15. Legacy combined to eliminate 4 superstars in the match. At one point it took all 3 members of Legacy to eliminate Kane.

The ending of the match saw Legacy and Triple H as the final four. Triple H did his best to survive the 3 on 1 attack. The ending of the match saw Triple H going for the pedigree but couldn't complete it because Orton went for a clothesline and instead was thrown over the top rope. Triple H thought he eliminated Orton but didn't see how Randy saved himself and went back in the ring under the bottom rope. Triple H then elimated both Rhodes and DiBiase but before he was able to turn around Orton snuck up behind him and eliminated him and won the Royal Rumble. Orton is now going to WrestleMania 25 to headline in the main event.

Here are some stats regarding Orton's win:
It was his 1st Royal Rumble win.
Orton eliminated Kane, The Big Show and Triple H.
Orton drew no. 8 and lasted 48:27.

I'll be following Randy Orton's Road to WrestleMania. Does Orton have what it takes to win the gold at WrestleMania? What title will he challenge for? We'll find out in the upcoming weeks as Orton will be ChasingWrestleMania.

Share your thoughts on The Forum: http://www.chasingrecords.com/

Read The Book, Then Critque

2009-01-28T07:39:00.000-05:00

There's a lot to said about the upcoming Joe Torre book, the "Yankee Years". I am looking to obtain a copy of the book hopefully next week and will be able to come up with my own opinion.

I wrote an article for Peter Araham's Yankees blog on Sunday as part of his pinch-hitting series. The article was focusing on Joe Torre's time as Yankees manager. How I thought he did a great job and how we took him for granted while he was here. I had no idea about the upcoming book. The first sounds of the book came around also on Sunday, so it was just a coincidence that my Torre article was posted on the same day the news about Torre's "ant-Yankee" book was released to the public. Now that caused quite a stir on the LoHud Yankees Blog and brought new readers to this site. I thank those that have come and shared their opinions on the matter. I realize that many people became anti-Torre towards the end of his tenure but I think people should read the entire book first before passing judgement on Joe. We have all heard and read different passages from the book, all covering a varitey of topics, David Wells, Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson, Alex Rodriguez, and Brian Cashman.

So far it looks to me Torre just told it the way it was and Tom Verducci wrote it in the book as such. Nothing I've heard has surprised me yet so it'll be interesting to see what else comes to light as a result of this book. I wonder what Torre's response will be when he's interviewed on the matter. Oh man, how quick you can go from hero to goat in this city....only in New York. But please read the book first THEN cast your opinion.

Share your thoughts on The Forum: www.ChasingRecords.com

Pettitte's Coming Back

2009-01-26T12:38:00.000-05:00

ESPN's Buster Olney is reporting the Yankees are close to a deal that will bring back Andy Pettitte to the Bronx. The deal is a 1 year deal at a $6 million base salary with another $6 million offered in incentives. This could make the deal worth $12 million.

Pettitte will be the 4th or 5th starter for the Yankees this season. The move will now give the Yankees the best rotation in baseball and gives them the pitching depth they lacked last season. Youngsters Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy will be the 6th and 7th starters if any of the starting 5 go down due to innjury. It's certainly a move the Yanks needed to make. I'll have more throughout the day as more details become available.

Share your thoughts on The Forum: www.ChasingRecords.com

He's No Average Joe

2009-01-25T07:35:00.000-05:00

**This article can also be found on Peter Abraham's Yankees LoHud Blog**

They say you don't know what you got until it's gone. Boy are they right. 2008 saw a changing of the guard in the Bronx. Joe Torre was no longer leading the men in pinstripes, Joe Girardi was.

After 12 seasons as Yankees manager, Torre had worn out his welcome. We said goodbye to a man that brought pride,power and respect back to the pinstripes. He made Yankee Stadium the place to be again. He gave so many people so many memories. He gave us everything he had. There was that magical '96 season. Or how bout one of the most dominating teams ever in the '98 team. Or what about 2001 when he gave us strength after the 9/11 attacks. He was as much a face of the recovery in New York as anyone was. He gave Aaron Boone an inspirational pep talk in 2003, right before his homerun in Game 7 won the Yankees the A.L. pennant . That was the last great Yankee moment. For all those reasons and more, I thank you Joe.

I thought I wanted change after the 2007 season. Making it to October was something of the norm around here since Torre took over. I expected nothing less, I admit, Joe spoiled me. He was a good manager and he was the right man for the job all along. He got those Yankee teams through the rough times, he got them through the good times, but most importantly, he got them to October. It's no coincidence that the year he leaves, the Yankees fail to make the playoffs and the team he went to go manage for, went to the LCS. After all this time of questioning his ability to manage, it was Joe that got the Yankees that far, not their open checkbook. The way he handled every situation was all in good taste and it was all in the best interest of the Yankees. Some of us just never knew it unil now.

Now that I see Torre in a different city and see how much he is loved out west, makes me want him back in the Bronx. It doesn't feel the same here without him. I grew up to be such a big Yankee fan because of him and what he did for the team and how he made the Yankees a proud organization again. His pinstripe days are behind him now but that's ok. Those memories will last a lifetime. He will always be a Yankee in my book. One day that no. 6 will get retired right along with the other Yankee greats......that's where he belongs.

Share your thoughts on The Forum: www.ChasingRecords.com

Andy Pettitte Has The Public's Support

2009-01-24T12:10:00.002-05:00

The fans have spoken. Over on Chasing800.com you'll see a poll asking whether the Yankees need Andy Pettitte back and so far it's an overwhelming YES. This has also been a hot topic on the ChasingRecords Forum. If you have time you can participate on the poll on the right and visit the Forum to give us your thoughts on the situation. Here are what some people are saying about Andy:

BBall1 says:
I say give him a private deadline where the public never knows. That way he saves face and the Yanks make a class move. Also, I say give him an incentives package that could reach 12 or 13 million with a second year club option for the same package. What do you guys think?

Yankees4613 says:
The longer Andy makes me wait the more difficult it gets Lol I really don't know how confident I am in a deal getting done to be honest. The longer Andy holds out the more I question if he truly wants to come back. I hope he does. Personally I am willing to raise the offer to get him back but I know the Yankees are not and they just hope he realizes that's the best he is going to get and if he really wants to be a Yankee then he needs to take it. I don't really blame Andy though when it comes to the money. Come on, the Yankees have thrown money around like crazy this off season and I understand it's for younger arms etc but Andy has proven he can win in NY. He is a true Yankee.

ChasingRecords Forum says:
::keeping fingers crossed::
I still think Pettitte will come to his senses and sign with the Yankees.

Someone needs to blink in this stalemate and a deal needs to get done. We all want Andy back so hopefully he'll be back in pinstripes in 2009.

Share your thoughts on The Forum: http://www.chasingrecords.com/

Is Jones A Good Fit In NY?

2009-01-18T09:40:00.007-05:00

Earlier this week the Dodgers released Andruw Jones. That now makes him a free agent and begs the question, where does he go from here?

The logical answer is going back to the Braves where he played his entire career before last season. But many New York baseball fans have shown interest in bringing Jones aboard to their respective teams. On Yankees Rumors, Bob Ruffolo says he's not sure that's a great idea for the Yanks considering they have guys like Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner as guys yet to reach their potential. I have to agree with Bob on that, although if the Bombers can work out a "cheap" deal with Jones for 1 year I'd say why not. If he bombs out of the Bronx before year's end, then trade him or release him, at least you took a shot. Right now he wouldn't be a good fit for the Yanks because of the surplus of outfielders they already have on the roster.

As for the Mets, it might be a better risk. If Andruw can return to his pre-2008 self the he can help any major league team but on the Mets he would add so much. It would have to be as a corner outfielder though. He surely wouldn't move Carlos Beltran out of center. Jones is familiar with the National League and the NL East. I also think he would like being under manager Jerry Manuel, plus the Latin influence on the Mets is greater than it is with the Yanks.

This is Andruw's make or break season. He is capable of a 40HR 110 RBI season but what the hell happen last year? Did he eat himself out of superstardom? Injuries? Who knows, but he has the chance to bounce back. He has to earn his money again and his reputation as one of the game's best. Let's see what 2009 has in store for Mr Jones.

Share your thoughts on The Forum: www.ChasingRecords.com

Who's On The Radar Now For The Mets?

2009-01-18T09:12:00.004-05:00

What are the Mets waiting for? They don't exactly have a starting rotation like their crosstown rivals. The opportunity to get Derek Lowe came and went this week as Lowe signed a 4 year, $60 million contract with the Atlanta Braves.

Not only did they not get Lowe, but they let him go to another team in the division. $15 million a year is too much money for Lowe, which is why they probably stood back from Lowe but he was the best option available for the Mets, who need pitching. It would've been ok if they overpaid for Lowe simply because he's a solid workhorse. He'll get you 200 innings and about 14 or 15 wins, something the Mets desperately need after Johan Santana in the rotation. Don't forget the Mets are also moving into a new stadium this year and need to put a playoff caliber team on the field, especially after their late season flops in '07 and '08.

The next target is Oliver Perez, who is another Scott Boras client. In other words, they're probably going to overpay for him, so my question is why don't you just do that for Lowe. Perez is too inconsistent to be overpaid. Ben Sheets would be a nice risk for the Mets. I think he would be a better fit for the Mets than he would the Yankees. If Omar Minaya plays his cards right why not get both. If both pitch up to their capability then the Mets should find themselves playing October baseball again. Until then, the waiting game continues.

Share your thoughts on The Forum: www.ChasingRecords.com

Why Are We Bothering With Roger?

2009-01-18T08:39:00.001-05:00

Does anyone still really care about Roger Clemens? Do they care if he took steroids? At this point I don't think so. I, for one, don't.

This on-going saga between Clemens and his former personal trainer Brian McNamee is quite frankly played out. It's a waste of time. If McNamee has the proof on Clemens then hand over the evidence and test it. I believe this is where most people draw the line on this case. The rest of the back and forth between both sides is just ridiculous. I want to see this come to a conclusion and have everyone reach a final verdict. Most people believe that Clemens lied to Congress last Febuary when he stated he did NOT take steroids.

Call me crazy but I was on Roger's side and thought he was telling the truth. Well I have since changed my tune. Too many things are going against Clemens that it's hard to believe everything is a coincidence. This whole thing is a mess. Now they've involved convicted steroids dealer Kirk Radomski into the whole ordeal. Radomski says he injected Clemens on several occasions with performance enhancing drugs. Ok but with no evidence, you're side of the story has no credibility.

If the evidence is lying around somewhere, my question is, why isn't it collected and tested? Until that happens we're just wasting our time with Clemens and McNamee.

Share your thoughts on The Forum: www.ChasingRecords.com

First Peak At The New Yankee Stadium

2009-01-13T21:51:00.001-05:00

Here is a sneak peak of the new Yankee Stadium courtesy of MLB 09: The Show

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

How pumped are you now for the new season?

Share your thoughts on this video on The Forum: www.ChasingRecords.com

Giant Disappointment: Eli and Company Going Home

2009-01-11T16:23:00.004-05:00

The Giants played one of their worst games of the season today against the Philadelphia Eagles and won't be repeating as champs.

The 23-11 loss comes as a shock to many as the Giants were thought to give it a better run than this. This is a different season and different team. The day Plaxico Burress shot himself in the leg is possibly the day the season ended for the Giants. In the 5 games since the shooting incident on Novemeber 29th, the Giants have lost 4 of them. Burress was an instrumental part of the Giants postseason success last year and his absence proved to be huge. The Eagles move on to the NFC Championship games against the Arizona Cardinals next week for a trip to the Super Bowl at stake.

Eli Manning threw 2 interceptions and nearly a 3rd one late in the 4th quarter. There's no need to go over what happen in the game, the Giants lost. They didn't take advantage of good field position on several occasions, they didn't covert on 2 critcial 4th down coonversions in the 4th quarter.

It was a nice run by the Giants over the last calendar year but now it's over. They can still be a strong team next season but for now, they go home and the rest of the city will wait for April and baseball season. The Giants looked so good for so long this season until the Plax shooting. Blame whoever and whatever you want for this loss, the Giants didn't get the job done. Thanks Eli for a magical run over the last year, now it's time to say goodbye.

Road To Repeat Begings Today

2009-01-11T11:31:00.005-05:00

Today the Giants start their defense of their World Championship. They play the Philadelphia Eagles at 1pm at Giants Stadium in a much anticipated match-up. Does Big Blue have enough to repeat as champs? That question begins to get answered today.

The Giants and Eagles have split their two meetings this season. The Giants won in Philly earlier this season in week 10, 36-31. The Eagles beat the Giants in their own home a few weeks ago in week 14 20-14. It'll be interesting to see if the G-men can top last year's unprobable feat. There's no Michael Strahan this year, no Plaxicio Burress, no Osi Umenyiora, no David Tyree. So how can the Giants win today, much less the whole thing? Easy, there's Eli Manning, there's the defense, and they have guys like Kevin Boss, Brandon Jacobs, and Corey Webster that can step up to the plate when the time is right. Granted Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook and company are playing their best football of the year, I don't think their best is enough to overtake the champs.

Eli is going to need a big game if his defense lets him down. Jacobs hopefully is healthy enough to run over the Eagles defense. This one will be close I believe until the end. I would pay special attention to the latter stages of the 4th quarter.

In a season where the Jets and the Mets collapsed at the very end, the Yankees didn't make the playoffs and the NBA teams around here are circling the .500 mark, the Giants are the team to make things happen, just like they did one year ago. This time they might have a tougher road ahead of them but that's the way they like it, that's the way they win, that's the way they plan on repeating as champs.

Keep Nady AND Swisher

2009-01-11T08:57:00.001-05:00

The Yankees are looking to trade Xavier Nady, a move that most fans are not too supportive of. It's either trade Nady or Nick Swisher.

Going in Swisher's favor is the fact he's a switch hitter and makes $21 million over the next three seasons as opposed to Nady who will be a free agent at the end of the 2009 season. Nady is also represented by Scott Boras which ultimately means he will walk come season's end because the Yankees probably won't give Nady the money he'll be asking for.

To continue reading this article please visit www.Chasing800.com

Now Playing For The NY Yankees, No. 25 Mark Teixeira

2009-01-07T11:15:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday the Yankees formally introduced Mark Teixeira to the world. Mark put on the pinstripes for the first time with the No. 25 on his back. That's awesome becuase that now turns my old Jason Giambi jersey into a Teixeira jersey.

According to Tex, the Yankees were in the running the whole time and they were in contact all along, yet the only offer made was on December 23rd, the one Mark accepted.

“Once we got the contract figured out, it was a no-brainer for me,” he said.

To continue reading this article please visit www.Chasing800.com

Help Christina Stoffo: Get Traffic Reports Back on ESPNRadio

2009-01-06T22:49:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

Not sure if you heard, but ESPN Radio has decided to do away with their traffic report updates during their shows. With most tri-state listeners tuning in from their vehicles, it would make sense to provide the traffic service... but I guess ESPN Radio is no longer going that route. (no pun intended)

Needless to say, it also means that the lovely Christina Stoffo is no longer a part of the Michael Kay Show.

So with that being said, we are asking our loyal members here on The Forum to leave a comment on the 1050 ESPN page and ask as to why they did away with the traffic report, and to also let them know that we want the lovely Christina Stoffo back on the air!

Click The Link Below:
ESPN Questions/Comments Page

Thank you so much for taking a few minutes to share your thoughts! We're hoping to help out and make a difference in support of Christina as she has always been a big supporter of the Chasing Records team.

December Forum Winner

2009-01-05T08:36:00.000-05:00

Full Focus, LLC and ChasingRecords is glad to announce The December winner on the Sports Talk Forum: Staci - YankeeGirl

Be sure to visit the Chasing Records Sports Talk Forum for your chance to win FREE appreciation gifts!

(with 50 posts, you're in the drawing)

Thank you very much,
--ChasingRecords Staff

www.Chasing74.com

WildCard Week Showdown: Sunday

2009-01-05T05:30:00.005-05:00

Sunday Jan 4, 2009

Recap: Chad Pennington threw 4 INTs and the Dolphins turned the ball over 5 times. That pretty much told the story yesterday in Miami.

"We heard all week that they don't turn the ball over," linebacker Ray Lewis said. "But we force turnovers."

Baltimore allowed just 52 yards rushing. The Wildcat formation that helped turn Miami from a 1-15 team to AFC East champs got them all of 7 yards. Joe Flacco was 9-for-23 for 135 yards, which did just enough to get the Ravens to move on.

Recap:
A 71-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter put the dagger on the Vikings as Philly was able to pull away for the win. Asante Samuel had a 44-yard interception in the 2nd quarter to set the tone of the game. Donovan McNabb, went 23-of-34 passing for 300 yards in Sunday's win.

"I've seen this team have confidence in each other and try to have one another's back," McNabb said. "What you're seeing is a team playing with a lot of energy, playing with emotion and just having fun."

The Eagles will now face the defending Super Bowl Champs in the Giants next week week in Jersey. Since the week 12 2nd half benching of McNabb the Eagles have responded with their best play of the season.

Wild Card Weekend Rundown: Saturday

2009-01-04T11:32:00.007-05:00

Saturday Jan 3, 2009

Recap:
Darren Sproles ran for 22 yards on the winning drive 6:20 into overtime as the Chargers beat the Colts 23-17 Saturday night. The loss ended Indy's nine game win streak and pushed the Chargers win streak to five. It also comes a day after Peyton Manning was named NFL MVP for this season, the third MVP of his career.

"It's disappointing to lose a playoff game," Manning said. "We certainly had some chances to win, but give them credit. We had chances to put the game away, but we just didn't do it."

The Chargers took advantage of two holding penalties that were called against the Colts in OT. This was the fourth time the teams met in two seasons and the sixth time in five years. The Chargers have won four of the six.

Recap:

"A lot of people coming into this game said we were the worst playoff team ever to get in," Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "... I think we rallied around that."

Kurt Warner (19-of-32, 13-for-17 in the second half, for 271 yards, 1 INT)got the best of Altanta rookie QB Matt Ryan (26-of-40 passes for 199 yards and 2 TDs) on this day. Ryan was intercepted twice, was tackled in the end zone for a safety and fumbled one ball. Warner threw a 42-yard pass for a touchdown to Larry Fitzgerald to open up the game. The Falcons recorded a season low 60 rushing yards. That didn't help their chances of moving on either.

"They controlled the line of scrimmage," Falcons coach Mike Smith said of the Cardinals' defense.

Better luck next year for Atlanta.

Joba's Call Is To The Rotation

2009-01-04T11:30:00.001-05:00

The great Joba debate begins again. With the recent free agent additions of CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett many have thought that Joba Chamberlain should be moved back into the bullpen to set-up Mariano Rivera. I disagree.

To continue reading this article please visit www.Chasing800.blogspot.com

One More Chance For Brett and Jets

2008-12-28T09:49:00.003-05:00

So it comes down to this, Brett Favre vs Chad Pennington in the final week of the season for a shot at going to the playoffs. Everything is on the line today at Giants Stadium. Eric Mangini's tenure as Jets head coach, Favre's career, the Jets credibility, and Pennington's status. A lot to play for today, it'll be interesting who comes out on top.

Favre has met expectations, he turned the franchise around from 4-12 last season to 9-6 so far this season. How many would've thought he would've gone this far? Not many. The problem is that the Jets started out 8-3 and beat both New England and Tennesse on the road and people were already thinking Super Bowl. Are you serious? I mean really, it's a nice thought but everyone knows you have to play out the season and make it to the playoffs first before you even think that kind of stuff. This is why people get on Jets fans because they jump the gun when they really jump the shark. If you don't know the expression "jumping the shark", google it, then you'll get it.

Pennington comes back to the place where he called home for most of the career. He led the Jets to the playoffs 3 times and plans on doing the same for the Miami Dolphins. How ironic is it that he faces the man he was replaced by and can end his "storybook" season? I hope he does. All this nonsense about this comeback and how the Jets were going to be so much better. All baloney. Don't get me wrong, I'm a casual football fan, so it's not like I have a hate for the Jets, I just don't like for people to brag about their teams when they haven't proved anything. Win today, then talk, then win, then talk, then let's see how the season ends for Brett and the Jets.

I'm going with Chad and the Fins today. Mangini and Favre are as good as done. Who cares if Favre comes back next season, you won't make a difference. If you're not sure of that just see Roger Clemens.

Our NBA Teams Need Help ASAP!

2008-12-28T09:10:00.005-05:00

Does anyone notice these days that the Knicks and the Nets are two really bad teams? The Knicks made their franchise changing trades a few weeks and haven't been good since. The Nets have gone on a roller coaster all season and find themselves hovering the .500 mark again. The two NY area NBA have taken a backseat to everything and I have to say that's disappointing.

Once upon a time, the Knicks use to be the talk of the town. They use to have people talking and watching. Now, they just have people laughing. Now granted the laughter isn't nearly as bad as it has been in recent years but the point is, the Knicks still stink up the joint far too often. They are currently going through a season worst five-game losing streak, the latest coming at the hands of the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves, a team who went into the Garden Friday night losers of 13 straight. A team with so much promise can't find any consistency. The lack of defensive ability has really hurt them this season as there have been countless times where they have had a lead only to blow it. Coach Mike D'Antoni knew he had quite a mess when he took over as coach but at some point he needs to at least try and preach some defense, please in time for the new year.

The Nets are a different story. They have a consistency of being average. The problem with that is that they have shown times of brillance but end up losing games they should win. They lose to bad teams and blow leads just like the Knicks but unlike them, they have two superstars in Vince Carter and Devin Harris. Harris is putting together one of his best seasons but for what? A .500 team? The Nets traded their main stars in the last year, Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson so they can sign Lebron James in 2010 but the Knicks did the same thing so someone is losing for no reason right now. I gotta say I think if Lebron does come to the New York area, it'll be with the Knicks, the money in endorsements alone will outweigh whatever the Nets can offer him. The Nets should add another scorer and a couple of quality guys off the bench to help their team win. It wasn't too long ago where they were the best team in the Eastern Conference.

The local NBA teams need help in a bad way. They need it soon because once football is over, what in the world is gonna get us through the winter to baseball season? I shutter to think, maybe I'll be better taking up a new hobby. In that case, I better psych myself up for the World Baseball Classic in March!

Mets Have Shot At Perez and Lowe For Price Of One

2008-12-28T07:24:00.001-05:00

According to Buster Olney of ESPN.com the Mets are in a good position to sign free agents Derek Lowe and Oliver Perez. That's because the Cardinals, Brewers, Dodgers and Braves are no longer in the mix for both starters.

The Mets reportedly want to have this situation resolved by the new year. If the Mets can somehow find a way to add both men then they will certainly find themselves as the team to beat in the NL East, if not the entire league.

With the market dropping for both men, the Mets can sign both at a price more to their liking instead of overpaying. The Mets found themselves in a similar situation earlier this offseason when they signed Fransico Rodriguez at a reasonable price. It might be a hard task to achieve given that both are represented by super agent Scott Boras. He's known to hold out as long as possible so his clients can get top dollar. So far that hasn't worked with Boras' other client Manny Ramirez.

"With [David] Wright and [Jose] Reyes on that side of the infield, Lowe is a good fit," a Mets team executive said.

The Red Sox are still in the running for Lowe but have not made any substantial progress. The Sox should lock up Lowe so it gives them to a rotation to match the Yanks' suddenly dominant staff.

With the new year approaching the Mets want their rotation set, I don't blame them. After all, they need to compete with the defending champs, the Phillies. It's the Mets chance to regain control of division, can they seize the opportunity? They need to.

Formula For Success Is In The Bronx

2008-12-26T20:08:00.003-05:00

There's another month and a half until spring training but like many baseball fans, we like to worry about next season now. With the Yankees making their big splashes this offseason, the typical fan wants to see the new product on the field already. I'm getting impatient.

To continue reading this article please visit www.Chasing800.blogspot.com

The Rich Get Richer Part 2: Teixeira Wearing Pinstripes

2008-12-24T11:54:00.004-05:00

They did it again! The Yankees have once again gotten the premeir player on the free agent market, this time it's Mark Teixeira coming to the Bronx. Oh happy days are here again!

To continue reading this article please visit www.Chasing800.blogspot.com

Manny Not A Good Fit For Yanks

2008-12-21T08:54:00.001-05:00

According to the NY Daily News, Manny Ramirez is seeking at least a three-year deal from the Yankees. This is something I don't think will happen but I also didn't think Alex Rodriguez was going to come back to the Yankees last winter.

To continue to read this article please visit www.Chasing800.blogspot.com

ChasingHistory: Hansbrough Sets UNC All-Time Scoring Mark

2008-12-20T09:54:00.004-05:00

Top-ranked North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough scored 20 points to break North Carolina's career scoring record and help the top-ranked Tar Heels beat Evansville 91-73 on Thursday night.

"I'm usually not nervous before games, and I was a little nervous before tonight just because I felt like there was a lot of pressure," said Hansbrough, who sat between Ford and coach Roy Williams during the postgame news conference. "One thing for me, I didn't want us to strictly focus on trying to break a scoring record. We had a game and I was trying to do whatever I could to help the team."

He needed just nine points coming going into the game Thursday night.The record setting point was the 2,292nd point of his career. That broke the mark of 2,290 that point guard Phil Ford set from 1974 to 1978.

"It was very fitting -- three guys on him, he was moving to the basket, kind of off-balance, he banks it in with his soft hands," said Gene Hansbrough, who surprised his son by attending the game. "It was a perfect shot for Tyler to break the record on."

Hansbroughalso topped UNC's chart for all-time free-throw attempts, he passed the 1,000 mark Thursday night.

Congratulations to Hansbrough on his accomplishment. He was "ChasingHistory" as SportsCenter liked to call it and he now is in the history books. Good job Tyler. Now people at UNC will be ChasingTylersRecord.

Yankees Show Off Their Christmas Gifts

2008-12-20T09:49:00.000-05:00

The Yankees offically introduced CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett on Thursday at the old Yankee Stadium. It was really surreal to see those two men standing next to eachother wearing pinstripes. They were the top of the free agent market and the Yankees were able to get them to commit to the Bronx. It was a good day in Yankeeland.

To continue reading this article please visit www.Chasing800.blogspot.com

Andy's Bluff May Cost Him Yankee Pinstripes

2008-12-16T22:42:00.001-05:00

The more time that goes by the more I start to think that Andy Pettitte WONT be a Yankee next season. Mysteriously he was given a 3 year $36 million offer from an unknown team, sure he did. I love Andy but I'm calling his bluff here.

To continue reading this article please visit www.Chasing800.blogspot.com

Yankees Set To Introduce New Arms

2008-12-16T19:24:00.004-05:00

A.J. Burnett took his physical yesterday, and CC Sabathia's physical was scheduled for today.

As a result, the Yankees have scheduled a 1 p.m. news conference on Thursday. There is a chance both could be introduced at the same time, but that has not yet been confirmed. The Thursday press conference will take place in the old Yankee Stadium. It will a happy day in the Bronx when Sabathia and/if Burnett get introduced. There could be more press conferences this winter if the Yankees do decide to sign either Manny Ramirez or Mark Teixiera. Manny seems more of the logical signing in terms of finances and years they would get him for (2) but we'll see how that story develops. For now, CC your time in the Bronx is here.

New Look Mets Will Mean Business In '09

2008-12-13T09:44:00.007-05:00

The Mets did quite a job this week in fixing their main problem, the bullpen. That problem cost them a playoff spot down the stretch in 2007 and 2008. In a matter of hours the Mets were able to land 2 top notch closers to assure themselves that there will be no encore performance of the recent collapses.

In signing Francisco Rodriguez the Mets got one of the game's best closers. Last season as everyone knows he saved a single-season record 62 games. I believe he will do just fine in New York and he will be able to handle the pressure. He's young, he's energetic, he's talented, he's the right man for the job. A day after getting K-Rod, the Mets went out and got closer JJ Putz from the Seattle Mariners in a 3 team trade. This move put the Mets over the hump and gave them the advantage over the Phillies in the quest for NL East crown. Putz is a closer and it's yet to be seen if he will adapt well to being K-Rod's set-up man but you have to like their chances. Mets GM Omar Minaya brought his A game to the Winter Meetings. He got rid of sour faced Aaron Heilman and didn't give up much to gain Putz. He also didn't break the bank in getting the best closer in baseball not named Mariano Rivera. He turned the Mets from jokes to contenders in the matter of hours. Now, let's see how long it takes for Met fans to call for Minaya's head during the season. Let's be serious here, it'll happen at some point.

The Mets have the best starter in baseball in Johan Santana and they have K-Rod but that doesn't even put them as the main attraction in the city. The Yankees have a big lefty of their own, CC Sabathia and they have the best closer of all time in Rivera. The back page of the newspapers will be a fight for supremcy.

All in all I gotta the Mets credit where it's due. The Mets appear to be the front runners for the NL Pennant but of course it's only December and the games have to played on the field, not on paper. I'll tell you one thing, I can't win for the Subway Series between the Mets and Yankees. That first Santana-Sabathia match up is going to be great.

The Rich Get Richer: Burnett To The Bronx

2008-12-13T09:13:00.002-05:00

They keep on coming. The Yankees have their second big name free agent this week. It's being reported that AJ Burnett has agreed to a 5 year $82 million contract. He joins CC Sabathia who agreed to a record setting 7 year $161 million contract earlier this week.

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End Of The Road For Pettitte?

2008-12-11T20:21:00.001-05:00

If I were a betting man, I'd say Andy Pettitte is coming back to the Yankees. It makes sense for both sides and tonight could be the time we could get an answer on what happens with the lefty.

Brian Cashman left the winter meetings early so he could fly to Houston to meet with Andy and discuss a contract for 2009. Knowing Cashman, he probably has an idea already set in his mind and will tell Andy to take it or leave it. As things look now, it's almost certain that the Yanks will bring in another top free agent pitcher to go along with CC Sabathia. Pettitte could very well fit into the Yankees plans as the no. 5 starter. Let's hope this meeting between Andy and Brian work out for the better.

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Sabathia Deal Makes Sense For Everyone

2008-12-11T20:05:00.001-05:00

It's a great time to be a Yankee fan. If you were like me yesterday and woke up to the news that CC Sabathia had agreed to contract with the Yankees then you had a hell of start to your day. If you found out mid-day, it made your breakfast/lunch a whole lot better. It's pretty much a done deal at this point, the Yankees and Sabathia have agreed to a 7 year $161 million contract, with an opt-out clause after 2011 in case CC doesn't like New York and wants to go elsewhere.

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Sabathia On His Way To The Bronx

2008-12-10T06:59:00.005-05:00

CC Sabathia is now a Yankee. According to the NY Post, Sabathia met with Yankees GM Brian Cashman last night and told him he would accept the 6 year $140 million offer. Sabathia will become the highest paid pitcher in MLB history. At 28, he now becomes he ace of the Yanks, one they so deseperatly needed. I'll have more later today when more details are released. This is a great day if you're a Yankee fan.

Giants Lose?! Wow, That Never Happens

2008-12-07T22:00:00.003-05:00

For the first Sunday this season the Giants looked flat, tired and got outplayed. The Giants were beat at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles 20-14. Could this be the result of Plaxico Burress and all the distraction surrounding last week's incident?

To most people the answer would probably be yes. I will have to say that the Burress situation did affect the Giants this week, even if it was indirectly. The focus all week was on Plax and Anotonio Pierce and about what the Giants were going to do as a result of the shooting. Question after question, report after report, rumor after rumor. I honestly don't remember hearing anything about the Eagles this week. Everything I saw was about Plaxico so I can only imagine how things were around the Giants all week. This whole situation was embedded in all of our minds and was the focus in the Meadowlands.

"I thought we had a good week of practice despite what everyone is going to say," Pierce said after the game. "It was just a bad game."

The Giants didn't score until a last second field goal block at the end of the first half. Justin Tuck blocked a Philly FG attempt and it was recovered by Kevin Dockery and he went all the way for the Touchdown. In a matter of seconds the G-men went from lifeless to right back in the thick of things down 10-7 at the half.

"That was what I was looking for. ... We had a chance. We didn't do anything with it," Coach Tom Coughlin said.

Was it a Philly upset on Sunday or was it that the Giants were due for a loss. I think it's a little bit of both. When Brian Westbrook and Donovan McNabb are playing well, they are hard to stop. McNabb finished 19-of-30 for 191 yards. Westbrook gained 131 yards on a season-high 33 carries and caught 6 passes for 72 yards all while recording 1 rushing and receiving TD.

“I just think we kind of beat them,” said Eagles tight end L.J. Smith, who had six catches for 44 yards. “It’s tough to say. That’s one of those: ‘How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll?’ Who knows if the distractions hurt them and helped us? I don’t know.”

The win for Philly gives them life in their pursuit of making the playoffs. The Giants even with the loss clinched the NFC East.

The Giants will face the Cowboys in Dallas next Sunday night in what appears to be a sure classic in the making. The Cowboys are coming off a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday in which they dominated most of the game but lost in the final minutes of the 4th quarter. The Giants 7 game winning streak was snapped and hope that this game was just a bump in the road and the Burress situation is behind them so they can move forward and concentrate on a Dallas team looking for revenge because they didn't put up much of a fight earlier in the season when the teams met in Giants Stadium.

Time for the Giants to put this game behind them and focus on the task at hand, getting by the Cowboys and getting things ready for the postseason. Let's hope Coughlin and his crew are free of distraction the rest of the way.

A-Rod Will Be Dominican For '09 WBC

2008-12-07T09:23:00.005-05:00

Alex Rodriguez is making headlines again, this time it's actually about baseball. Rodriguez says he will play for the Dominican team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. A-Rod played for Team USA in 2006 after months of indecision on what country to represent.

“I am 100 percent sure that I will play for the Dominican Republic team,” he said. “This time, there will be no doubts and it is a dream of my mom’s that I intend to fulfill.”

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The November Winner on The Forum is...

2008-12-03T20:26:00.005-05:00

After the month of November, we have five {5} members here on The Forum who posted 50 or more posts within the month. As a result, they were all entered in a drawing for a FREE appreciation gift from the Chasing Records & Full Focus staff. We thank you for the support!

Goldy
BobbyJenkins
BBall1
Yankeegirl49
Adam_Hexum

And the Winner for November is....

ADAM HEXUM

(Please contact Chasing Records with your mailing information. Thank you.)

Yankees DVD - Heart of the Order

**Derek Jeter, Joe Torre, Yogi Berra, Bernie Williams, Tommy Lasorda, and actor Robert Loggia are among the commentators featured in this tribute to baseball legends: Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, and Babe Ruth.

10 Things NY Sports Fan Should Be Thankful For

2008-11-29T07:29:00.012-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving weekend to all, I hope everyone had a good holiday and is enjoying their weekend. There's a lot of things we can be thankful for this year, especially in a time of finanical crisis. As New York sports fans we can be thankful for many things but I'll give you just a few things we can be thankful for this year. In no particular here they are:

Top Ten Things New York Sports Fans Can Be Thankful For:

10: Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Kei Igawa combined to lose only 9 games. It could've been A LOT worse, given that Kennedy and Igawa don't belong on a major league mound.

9: Anyone notice the New York Red Bull made it to the MLS Cup? They didn't win it all but at least they represented New York in a championship.

8:Johan Santana didn't blow out his arm this year. If the Mets had made the playoffs they probably would've had them out there on 3 days rest throwing 120 pitches aan outing to make up for a disasterious bullpen. At least you know he'll have some life in his arm for the nexy few years.

7: Mike Mussina found the fountain of youth. If it weren't for Moose, the fianl season at Yankee Stadium could've been horrible. His 20-win season gave the Yanks some respectibility this year or else they would've been done in August.

6: The Nets still have some star power. With Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson as the main attraction the past several years the Nets were competitive, but now the star-studded duo of Vince Carter and Devin Harris should do just fine bringing the Nets to the top of the Atlantic Division.....right?

5: Alex Rodriguez's fling with Madonna keeps the Yankees in the mainstream. Bad publicity is always good publicity.

4: Isiah Thomas was shown the door at Madison Square Garden.

3: Brett Favre stumbled his way onto Broadway. Did anyone mention the Jets as a player in the Favre sweepstakes this summer? I don't think they were ever mentioned but somehow Gang Green got the big star they oh so desperately needed and now are one of the NFL's top teams.

2: Stephon Marbury is not far behind Thomas walking out the door. Thank God Cablevision owner James Dolan found some guys with some type of intelligence in Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni to run the Knicks. In one Friday afternoon Walsh got rid of some bad contracts and set the Knicks up to make a run at the best player on the planet, Lebron James in June 2010.

1: The Giants have played so well this year going back to last year's playoffs to make this city forget how much the Yankees stunk up the town in 2008. Much of the focus has been on Eli Manning and company instead of General Girardi and his wounded crew.

I'm sure there are more things to be thankful for this year but those are some of things that come to mind. Did I miss anything? Maybe, probably. Personally I just want to see the NFL go to the playoffs already and see if the Knicks are going to make progress over the course of the season. Oh, how could I forget CC Sabathia and the Yanks? I wanna see where the hefty lefty goes and for how much. Will the Steinbrenners and Brian Cashman open the checkbook for CC? We'll see. For now I'llbe thankful Joba Chamberlain didn't kill himself when he was arrested for his DUI. Anyways, back to the holiday weekend, until next time.

Favre,Jets End Titans Undefeated Season

2008-11-24T12:27:00.007-05:00

It's starting to get interesting for the other team that plays at Giants Stadium. The Jets have won 5 in a row and are one of the top teams in the AFC. This deserves some space on the blog as they have earned their way on. Brett Favre has led a team that was 4-12 last year to 8-3 so far this season. The last 2 wins coming at the expense of AFC powerhouses, the New England Patriots and the Tennesse Titans.

The Titans came into yesterday's game against the Jets undefeated, they left with their first loss of the season. They beat them in convincing fashion 34-13. Favre threw for 2 touchdowns, Leon Washington ran for 2 and thus the Jets are making waves around the league.

“I’m not going to sit here and say we’ve established ourselves as the best team in football,” Favre said. “All it says is I think we beat the best team in football today, definitely if you go by record and the way that they’ve played. They have been the best team in football.”

The Titans didn't look anywhere near being the NFL's best team yesterday. The Titans went three-and-out on three of their first five drives and had only 55 yards offense until a final drive just before halftime. Favre and the Jets wore out the Titans defense by holding the ball on offense for 40 minutes. Brett threw 25-32, 224 yds 2 TDs, 1 INT. His Tennesse counterpart Kerry Collins threw 21-39, 243 yds 1 TD. The loss for the Titans snapped a 13 game regular season winning streak, dating back to last season. As for New York it was their 5th straight win, the last they did that was October 2004. They have also won 7 of their last 8 games.

“Now people are going to start looking at us and say, ‘They are a team you have to reckon with,”’ Jets linebacker Bryan Thomas said.

Favre has given the Jets a boost of confidence with his presence. The ability to win is there. The Jets are now just 2 games behind the Titans for the AFC's best record, that would secure home field advantage for them in the playoffs. The ability to win big games is also there for the Jets who if faced with a playoff matchup with the Pats or Titans can look them eye to eye and know they can stand toe to toe with them. The confidence is building week after week. All this talk about a New York-New York Super Bowl might be premature at this point but with the way both teams are playing, you have at least acknowledge it as being a reasonable thought.

Now here's a little stat for the record books, with the win, Favre broke a tie with Dan Marino for victories in the most NFL stadiums by winning in his 32nd at LP Field.

For now Brett and the Jets will have something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, a top spot in the AFC.

Giants Return To Super Bowl Site, Improve to 10-1

2008-11-24T11:41:00.010-05:00

The last time Eli Manning and the Giants were in Glendale, Arizona they won Super Bowl XXII. Manning had won the MVP award for his performance in that game, a game that established him as an elite NFL QB. Yesterday, the Giants returned to the scene of their Super Bowl win. They left with the same result, a win. They beat the Arizona Cardinals 37-29, snapping Arizona's 7 game home winning streak.

“It’s just a totally different feel, it’s just a different time,” Manning said. “You never really compared it to the last time we were here. We knew we’d have a tough contest with Arizona.”

Manning threw for 3 touchdowns and went 26-33, 240 yds passing. The Giants were without RB Brandon Jacobs who was out with a knee injury and they also lost WR Plaxico Burress in the 1st quarter beacuse he injured his hamstring. This was no problem for Eli who led the offense to 37 points, thus marking the 4th week in a row they have scored at least 30 points. Domenik Hixon had kickoff returns of 83 and 68 yards and caught 6 passes for 57. Manning connected with a 10 yard pass to Kevin Boss in the 4th quarter. Kicker John Carney also connected on 3 field goals.

The Cardinals, led by QB Kurt Warner did their best to stay with the Giants. Warner was 32-for-52 and passed for 351 yards, the 5th straight game in which he passed for at least 300. He was intercepted once and fumbled once, both leading to Giants touchdowns.

“They’re a good defense and we matched up with them very well and went toe to toe with them for 60 minutes,” Warner said. “Of course, you never want to go away a loser and that part is disappointing. I think you leave from this game and move ahead. If we eliminate some of the mistakes we can play with anybody in the league.”

The Giants improved to 10-1 on the season. They are defending their championship with pride and passion. They have stepped up to every challenge that has come their way this season. Yesterday was another win on the road for New York. One would think that the Giants at some point would lose some steam but they have continued to roll. They are the best team in the NFL without question. The schedule gets a little tougher next week as the Giants travel down to Washington to play the Redskins, a team they took care of at the Medowlands in Week 1. The 'Skins have played well and are 7-4 on the year and should provide the G-men another challenge. I guess when you're the defending champs nothing comes easy the second time around. Let's see how far the Giants go with this hot streak.

Moose Goes Out In Style

2008-11-23T10:20:00.004-05:00

This week Mike Mussina called it a career. He was able to go out on his terms. He admitted that he knew this was going to be his last season as he made the decision back before spring training. So now Mussina is offically done after recording the 1st 20 win season of his career, good for him.

"I knew that was going to be my last year since the first day of spring training," Mussina said via conference call. "I just didn't want it to be part of the season. I just wanted baseball to be the season, and (to) go enjoy the game."

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QUITE FRANKLY: Change Has Come....Finally For the Knicks

2008-11-22T07:47:00.006-05:00

What just happened here? The Knicks made two trades in about 3 hours that just set the franchise up for possibly the biggest move/s in their history. Yesterday the Knicks shipped their top 2 leading scorers out of town so they can clear enough money to make a run at the NBA's biggest name, Lebron James.

In one deal, the Knicks sent Jamal Crawford to the Golden State Warriors for Al Harrington. The other trade, Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins were sent packing to the Los Angeles Clippers for Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas.

Knicks President Donnie Walsh is a big fan of Harrington, a man he drafted while with the Indiana Pacers.

"I drafted Al back in 1998, and I think his talents are a great fit for our style of play," Donnie Walsh said. "This trade also gives us more long-term flexibility, while enabling us to remain competitive this season."

What a bold move by Walsh, who put the foundation down on his vision for the Knicks. By the summer of 2010 the Knicks will be under the salary cap and have enough money to go after James. They might even be able to get Lebron and another superstar, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Steve Nash anyone? The Knicks will take those names and would love to put any of those on the back of their jersey's.

Clearly the direction of the Knicks has changed drastically within the last year. With Isiah Thomas out of the picture the Knicks are doing whatever they can to put a consistent winner on the court. They've benched superstar Stephon Marbury and big time bust Eddy Curry all season, perhaps waiting for another team to make an offer for both or maybe they just simply want to make their lives miserable, who knows. The new head coach Mike D'Antoni wants to win and doesn't deal with drama, hence the benching of Marbury and Curry. His style is up-tempo and aggressive, Marbury and Curry don't fit into his system so why waste everyone's time and have them attempt to fit his mold. They won't do it so let's not bother thinking about it. Marbury and Curry are as good as dead in Knick uniforms.

The plan for the Knicks is in place and ready to go. Now, even after an era in which Madison Square Garden has never seen, the Knicks' days as an NBA laughingstock appear to be coming to an end. The Knicks have played decent this season and gave fans a sense of hope for a competitive season, one that may still happen, but the sign from management indicates change is on the way to MSG and once it hits, the Garden will be rocking again, like the days of the 90's.

"It's always going to be a possibility that one day the face of this franchise is going to change," Mike D'Antoni said early Friday. "(Walsh's) plan is pretty clear... In a couple of years we're going to be under the cap. Everything he will do will lead us to being under the cap in two years. And I'll deal with making sure the team is competitive and we'll try to make the playoffs this year."

Optimism at its best. I like it. Wouldn't it be great if New York had a championship contender in baseball, football and basketball? The Rangers have been inconsistent the last few years so it's hard to call them a championship contender but New York is the sports capital of the world, it's time it's also the Championship Capital of the world. Could we ever see a year where New York could dominate the sports world, much like Boston has done in recent memory? The Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox all have won championships in the last few years and if it wasn't for Eli Manning and David Tyree's "greatest catch ever" Boston would've won the championship in 3 of the 4 major sports in 2007-08 season. Wow. 2010 looks like a good year for New York, I mean we have enough damn teams around here that we should be in contention every single year. Well, here's to Donnie Walsh and his plan to resurrect MSG. Lebron is on his way to NYC!

Pedoria Wins AL MVP

2008-11-20T07:30:00.001-05:00

The AL MVP was announced this week and went to Dustin Pedoria of the Boston Red Sox. Pedoria in his second year captures the league's top award a year after he was named the American League Rookie of the Year.

G AB R H HR RBI AVG OBP SLG OPS
157 653 118 213 17 83 .326 .376 .493 .869

Dustin received 16 of 28 first-place votes. The runner-up Justin Morneau recieved seven. Along with leading the league in hits, runs and doubles, Pedroia was successful on 20 of 21 steal attempts.

In a season where David Ortiz wasn't Big Papi and Manny Ramirez decided Boston wasn't for him and didn't play up to his capability, Pedoria was a constant strength in the Red Sox lineup. When Ramirez was traded in July, Pedoria was inserted as the no 4 hitter in the lineup and responded with a couple big performances. He also won a gold glove this year.

Congratulations to him and the season he had.

Pujols Gets His 2nd MVP

2008-11-17T19:54:00.006-05:00

The NL MVP was announced on Monday and the award went to Albert Pujols of the Cardinals. It is Pujols' second MVP award, his first one coming in 2005. The Phillies' Ryan Howard placed second in the voting.

Pujols hit .357 37 HR and 116 RBIs while playing with a sore right elbow. Pujols got 18 of the 32 first-place votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. It seemed like many people thought Pujols would get the MVP nod over Howard because Albert played on a team that was in contention until September mainly because of his production. Howard led the majors with 48 HR and 146 RBIs but ultimately lost out on the award. Pujols had a significant advantage over Howard when it came to batting average (.357 to .251) , slugging percentage (.653 to .543) , and on-base percentage (.462 to .339). Howard also got to the plate 50 more times than Pujols with runners in scoring position. So that could've been a factor the writers took into account as well. Pujols earned a $200,000 bonus for winning the award.

This was a good call by the writers. Even tho the Cardinals didn't make the playoffs Pujols was the right choice. He hit .398 in August that kept the Cards in the playoff hunt into September, he also had no supporting cast around him, not to mention he dealt with a sore elbow all year. Gotta give the him credit where credit is due. Howard did help the Phillies past the Mets in Septemeber by having his best month at the plate. He set a team record with 32 RBI in the season's final month.

The AL MVP will be announced on Tuesday. That choice was a lot tougher to make because there wasn't one clear cut winner. It'll be interesting to see who wins as both the Red Sox and Twins have a couple men up for the award.

Lesnar KO's Courture To Win UFC Championship

2008-11-16T08:28:00.004-05:00

He was labeled "The Next Big Thing" while he was in the WWE and now, he's just that in the UFC. Last night Brock Lesnar became the new UFC Heavyweight Champion defeating Randy Courture for the tittle.

"It sounds really good," Lesnar said after being introduced as the new heavyweight champion. "I can't believe it.

Couture(16-9), 6-foot-2, 220-pound was at a disadvantage physically against the 6-3, 275-pound Lesnar (3-1). Not to mention the age difference, Lesnar is 31 and Couture 45.
Lesnar gave Courture a right hand that landed behind the ear and Randy went down. Brock wasted no time in capitalizing on the moment and got on top of Courture and delivered numerous hammered fists. The referee stopped the bout at 3:07 in the 2nd round when Randy was unable to defend himself from Lesnar's onslaught.

Good for Brock. I liked him as a wrestler in the WWE and I wanted to see him succeed in the UFC. A lot of the critics didn't think a former wrestler could make the transition to the "real" world of the ring but Lesnar has done just that. It took him 4 fights to reach the top in the UFC but honestly does this surprise anyone? The guy is a beast. He has ungodly strength, raw power, brute force, and can move around pretty well for a guy his size so his early success doesn't shock me. He is going to get better in time and we've seen him progress since his first fight back in Janurary.

"I just believe in hard work and it pays off."

The Next Big Thing has arrived. That means a lot of money for Lesnar and the UFC, it also means that the guys in the UFC better beware of Brock because he's just getting started.

Knicks Top Thunder 116-106

2008-11-15T08:21:00.005-05:00

The Knicks are 3 games over .500, call the President! Call Isiah Thomas, call James Dolan, call anyone you can reach. Alright I went a little overboard but the Knicks are playing well these days and it's been awhile since I been able to say that.

Last night the Knicks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-106 at MSG.Zach Randolph scored 29 points and had 19 rebounds to help the Knicks to victory last night.

"He's a stat-gatherer," D'Antoni said after Randolph had recorded his seventh straight double-double by halftime. "He's unbelievable. He's got great instincts, great feel, and long arms help."

Jamal Crawford also added 29 points. David Lee scored 18 and Nate Robinson 15. The last time the Knicks were 3 games over .500 was in December of 2004. Like I said, it's been awhile since the Knicks were this "good". I use the term "good" loosely. But it's nice to know the Knicks are tolerable these days and you can actually watch them.

"We're just becoming a better team, period," Robinson said

All this without Stephon Marbury and Eddy Curry who are still riding the bench. The thinking of coach Mike D'Antoni and GM Donnie Walsh is that these two men are the cancer of the team and don't want them anywhere near the court. Sweet. I want to see them go, I don't care how you get rid of them just do it. The big money men have done nothing but create headaches since their arrivals and have worn out their welcome. Good riddance. Get them the hell out of here.

I want to see how the Knicks respond from here. They have the tough Dallas Mavericks in the next couple days, we'll see if they can continue to ride their momentum of good fortune against their old pal Jason Kidd and company. The offense is srating to flow and the defense is getting there. These are exciting times at the Garden, if you're into early season success. But with the Knicks any success is exciting. So take it for what it's worth and enjoy it. I'm sure Curry and Marbury are enjoying it too.

Yanks Make Offer To Sabathia

2008-11-15T08:15:00.006-05:00

The Yankees missed the playoffs this season for the first time since 1993 and they do not want that to happen again....EVER. Yesterday marked the first day of free agency and the Yankees were ready.

The biggest need for the Yankees right now is starting pitching. The biggest free agent out there is CC Sabathia who happens to be a starting pitcher. Well there's a perfect match.

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A-Rod and Jeter Add More Awards

2008-11-13T21:12:00.001-05:00

On Thursday both Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter picked up awards, they received Louisville Slugger's Silver Slugger Award in the American League for their respective positions. It marks the 2nd year in a row in which they have won the award as a pair.

Louisville Slugger's Silver Slugger Award winners were determined by a vote of Major League Baseball coaches and managers who vote for the players they felt were the best offensive producers at each position in both the American and National Leagues in 2008.

A-Rod's 2008 numbers were .302 with 35 home runs and 103 RBIs (That can be seen at the left of the page). 2008 also marked the 11th consecutive year that Alex hit at least 35 HR and drove in 100 RBI. That's quite an impressive feat. It's numbers and facts like that that remind us why Alex is one of the greatest players to ever play the game of baseball. His October failures in recent years are what we remember most about Alex. Not to mention his off the field dilemmas. Yet he finds a way to be a constant power producer in the lineup every year. Gotta give the man credit, he got skills. This is the 10th time Alex has won the award.

As for the Yankee captain, Jeter hit .300 for the 4th consecutive year, adding 11 HRs and 69 RBI. This is the 3rd straight year that Derek has won the award. He is another consistent bat in the Yankee lineup that Yankee fans and teammates can count on on a night in and night out basis.

Here are the rest of the winners for the Silver Slugger Award.

2008 Silver Sluggers
AMERICAN LEAGUE
C Joe Mauer, MIN
1B Justin Morneau, MIN
2B Dustin Pedroia, BOS
3B Alex Rodriguez, NYY
SS Derek Jeter, NYY
OF Josh Hamilton, TEX
OF Carlos Quentin, CWS
OF Grady Sizemore, CLE
DH Aubrey Huff, BAL

NATIONAL LEAGUE
C Brian McCann, ATL
1B Albert Pujols, STL
2B Chase Utley, PHI
3B David Wright, NYM
SS Hanley Ramirez, FLA
OF Ryan Braun, MIL
OF Matt Holliday, COL
OF Ryan Ludwick, STL
P Carlos Zambrano, CHC

David Wright of the Mets also won the award for his production at 3B this past season.

Yanks Starting To Make Moves For '09

2008-11-13T19:59:00.006-05:00

The Yankees front office, Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner said a few days ago that they were going to be aggressive this offseason and would address all the teams' needs and issues. Over the last 48 hours they have made some moves to help the roster.

--Marte Re-signs --

--Yanks Get Nick Swisher --

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Giants Continue To Roll In Philly

2008-11-10T11:52:00.005-05:00

The NFC East was suppose to be the toughest division in the NFL but the Giants have made sure the only tough thing about their division is them. Last week they gave the Cowboys a beating, last night they took care of the Eagles.

It was a little tougher for the Gmen this week as the game went down to the final minutes to decide who was coming out on top. Eli Manning threw 2 touchdown passes (17-31,191 yards) and Brandon Jacobs had 2 TD runs in the 36-31 victory. It was the second week in a row where the Giants offense exploded for 30 plus points. The game was ultimately decided with 1:55 remaining in the 4th quarter. The Eagles had the ball at their own 45 and were facing a 4th and 1. The Eagles elected to give the ball to Brain Westbrook to try and gain the yard they needed for a 1st down but he was stopped by Chase Blackburn and thus sealed the win for New York.

The win puts the Giants at 8-1 on the year and puts Philly at 5-4, 3 games back of New York and tied with Dallas.

It was a back and forth game which saw numerous lead changes. Eagles QB Donovan McNabb threw for 3 TD passes (17-36, 194 yds 1 INT) and that still wasn't enough. Another big moment in the game was in the 3rd quarter when Manning threw a 17 yard pass to Kevin Boss but the play was ruled illegal because it appeared Manning was ahead of the line of scrimmage. The Giants challenged the ruling on the field and replays showed Eli's back foot was still behind the line and thus the ruling on the field was overturned and gave the Giants a 1st down. Two plays later the Giants scored on Jacobs' 3 yard TD run making it 27-24.

“I think the way the rule is written, it was worth taking a shot at it,” said Manning, who urged Coughlin to challenge the call. “If you have one toe on the line of scrimmage, then it’s a legal pass. I thought it was worth the risk.”

The risk payed off for New York. The Eagles weren't too thrilled with the overturn of the call.

“I don’t know what they were looking at,” defensive tackle Mike Patterson said.

This was another big win for the Giants as they further themselves from the rest of the division. The Eagles needed a win to stay afloat wit New York as a win would've seperated the two teams by 1 game in the NFC East. It was a hostile crowd in Philadelphia but the Giants are no strangers to winning on the road and look forward to the challenge.

“It’s great to win here,” coach Tom Coughlin said. “It reinforces everything we believe about team, supporting each other and finding a way to win the game.”

The defending Super Bowl Champs are finding ways to win these tough games and that makes them a scary team going into the second half of the year. If they can keep things up, the playoffs look like they'll no sweat for Eli and the boys. Another meeting with the Eagles, Cowboys, and Redskins still awaits the Gmen so they can get through those games like they did the first time around, I'd say this team is set to make a run at returning to the Super Bowl.

QUITE FRANKLY: Bring Back Andy

2008-11-09T23:00:00.005-05:00

What do the Yankees do with Andy Pettitte? Do they re-sign him, do they let him walk? It's a tough call if you're Yankee management but given Andy's track record, why not give him another chance?

To continue reading this article please visit www.chasing800.blogspot.com

MLB Gold Glove Winners : 2008

2008-11-09T18:53:00.008-05:00

I didn't the chance to post the Gold Glove Award winners this week so here they are:

2008 GOLD GLOVE WINNERS
(Position, player, Gold Gloves won and team)

AMERICAN LEAGUE

P--Mike Mussina, 7, New York
C--Joe Mauer, 1, Minnesota
1B--Carlos Pena, 1, Tampa Bay
2B--Dustin Pedroia, 1, Boston
3B--Adrian Beltre, 2, Mariners
SS--Michael Young, 1, Texas
OF--Torii Hunter, 8, Los Angeles
OF--Grady Sizemore, 2, Cleveland
OF--Ichiro Suzuki, 8, Mariners

--------------------------------

NATIONAL LEAGUE

P--Greg Maddux, 18, Los Angeles
C--Yadier Molina, 1, St. Louis
1B--Adrian Gonzalez, 1, San Diego
2B--Brandon Phillips, 1, Cincinnati
3B--David Wright, 2, New York
SS--Jimmy Rollins, 2, Philadelphia
OF--Nate McLouth, 1, Pittsburgh
OF--Carlos Beltran, 3, New York
OF--Shane Victorino, 1, Philadelphia

It's nice to see some new names on the list and not just your usual All-Star at every position. Congratulations to the winners.

Willie Named Bench Coach In Milwaukee

2008-11-09T18:07:00.005-05:00

Willie Randolph is back in the dugout as he was hired as a bench coach for the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday. He will be under new manager and personal friend Ken Macha.

"I'm excited, looking forward to this next challenge and getting to work," Randolph said in a conference call. "I love teaching and I'm passionate about being in the game."

Good for Willie. He was let go as manager of the Mets back in June around 3am Eastern time in Anahiem, one game into a west coast trip by Mets management. A move that was highly criticized. I, for one thought this was a disgrace. How Mets ownership let Randolph board a plane and fly across the country, play one game into the trip (a game they won, and then fire him while most people were asleep was disgusting. They handled the situation poorly and have since admitted such.

Since Willie's firing he has shown up on several occasions in Yankee pinstripes. He was apart of the Yankees Old Timer's Day back in August and also apart of the final game celebration of Yankee Stadium. Willie spent 11 seasons as a coach for the Yankees until he was named Mets manager in 2005. Randolph still vows that he wants to manage but for the time being he has no problem being a coach.

"Eventually, I do want to get back to managing," Randolph said. "I didn't really want to wait around. ... I thought it was best to make this move."

Randoplh served as Joe Torre's bench coach in 2004 so this is not unfamilar ground for him. Let's see how the Brewers respond to the new men in charge next season. They might take a step back if they are unable to sign free agents CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets. The Brewers have a nice young team but it'll be tough to overcome a loss of one or both of these men. All I have to say is good luck Willie, you're a good man and I hope when you visit Citi Field in 2009 there's a way you can stick it to the Mets.

FanPost: Philly Love

2008-11-08T09:12:00.000-05:00

I recently received an email by a reader who wanted to share her love of sports and nightlife with us. Her name is Amanda, she's from Philadelphia, she's apart of the Philly Music Video Street Team, she's also a huge of the Phillies. I think it's great when someone is passionated about their teams and their sports. Amanda does an excellent job of showing some Philly pride. Now just as a sidenote, this was written earlier this year. It's based on Philly culture, nightlife and sports. Hope you guys enjoy this special contribution from Amanda.

---------------------------------

Philly Music Video/clubs/sports April/2008

Most clubs have the potential to create a good time. However, few are among the upper echelon of excellence.

Nightlife varies from region to region. The best party cities in the US are traditionally defined as New York, Los Angeles, and most recently Miami.

L.A. and Miami have the benefit of warm weather to enhance their appeal. New York has no scenic advantage, but manages to consistently be the city that sets the precedent for exquisite night life.

So I wonder why in the city of Philadelphia, a city that has so much pride and so much heart (and let’s not forgot cheese steaks, the best late night food ever!) are these clubs so few and far between.

We can’t manage to win a championship, but Philly fans are the most devout ever. It’s not enough for us to love our teams, everyone else even considering coming to South Philly for a game has to embrace and love our teams too. Come on, what other city has a precent in their stadium to hold enthusiastic fans that get a little too crazy?

Even though the Eagles didn’t even make it to the playoffs this year, the love at the Linc was so strong on any given Sunday that you would think we already had super bowl rings. When the 07’ football season ended without avoiding the curse. The momentum for the Sixers and Flyers was already in full swing. We are so sure that one of these teams if not both (*the Sixers and the Flyers both qualified for playoff spots this season*) will be the ones to break the curse, and give Philly its long awaited, much anticipated, and well deserved championship. If they can’t get it together to win big this season, then there is always our beloved Phillies who are certain to bring on a Broad Street parade.

So with moral of this magnitude Philly has no excuse not to be the Golden Global (yeah that’s right even better then Ibiza) standard of nightlife…Unless William Penn cursed night life as well…

The Curse:

Anyone living in Philly that has been even semi- conscience since 1987 is aware of that damn William Penn curse plaguing our city.

And like most of my partying peers we want a championship we can remember. I was 1 when the Sixers defeated the Lakers in our last Philadelphia championship victory. I want to experience the ambiance reminiscent of that magical era, but remixed to reflect all that Philly is, and all that is has become.

So even if we don’t get to see a Philadelphia team break the curse and win a championship game. I still want to pop bottles and party like we took home championship rings!

Death is nothing, but to live defeated is to die every day.
Napoleon Bonaparte
1769-1821

So what, we have some crazy azz curse. A touch of darkness only adds to Philly’s mystique. Philadelphia is not by any means defeated. Hey, even Rocky had to get knocked down before he got back up.

We are all too familiar with increasing violence that has inflicted our city, and seems to have infected some of our youth. The media and even some fellow Philadelphians are calling the city of brotherly love, killadelphia…how’s that for irony?

On a lighter note amongst all that is bad about Philly there is so much more that truly makes the city shine. Cheese steaks, water ice, culture, arts, the Mummers, South St., SOUTH PHILLY!!, olde city, just to mention a few, but the list could go on for days.

It’s the dawn of a new day. We have a new mayor. We have a chance to vote in the democratic primary this year. Philly’s pride, strength, and heart transcends any curse.

So to elevate the curse I present to you, Philadelphia…

The Gift:

Clearly we have what it takes to survive in the city, but do we have what it takes to revive the city?

The atmosphere of a city is captured in the clubs. It is a reflection of the spirit and energy of a city.

Philadelphia has all of the ingrediants for the recipe of superior nite life. Its just a matter of bringing them all together to elevate Philly to the top tier of nite life excellence.

Philadelphia was our nations first capital. Clearly, we have what it takes to start a revolution. So Philadelphia I invite you to partake in the revolution of Philly nite life, and you have VIP access to be a part of Philly’s rise to prominence, to reclaim our number one spot. I believe that the summer of 08’ will redefine Philadelphia nite life, and take Philly to another level. You will be able to go to the best city to party without ever leaving the city.

Veni, vidi, vici
Julius Caesar

------------------------------------

Much love goes out to Amanda and the Philly Music Video Street Team. I want to personally thank them for reading the blog and supporting myself and ChasingRecords. If you have something that is sports related and you would like to submit it please contact us.

Knicks Win Another One Without Marbury

2008-11-08T07:48:00.000-05:00

Stephon Marbury still hasn't played this season and it hasn't affected the Knicks at all. They took another step in the right direction last night as Mike D'Antoni and his crew beat the Washington Wizards 114-108 in the nation's capital.

The Knicks are now 3-2 on the young NBA season, putting them a game over .500 for the first time since Janurary 4, 2005. Wilson Chandler got the start at power forward and responded with 17 points. Jamal Crawford added 23 of his own.Zach Randolph scored 22 and added 13 rebounds.Chris Duhon, Marbury's replacement at point guard led the team with 12 assists.

"I was brought here to come out and play Coach D'Antoni's style and help turn around the Knicks," he said. "I know the situation with Steph is going to have a lot of effect on me. Every little thing that I do is going to be multiplied by 10. But if I worry about that, then I'm just going to fall into that trap. I've just got to go out and compete every night and try to do the best I can."

The Knicks are still getting use to D'Antoni's run and gun style so it may take some time to see some consistency on their part but the last few games they have been. Defensively they still need some work but over time they will get there. I believe they need to clear up their mess with Marbury and Eddy Curry before they can finally focus JUST on basketball. Both Curry and Marbury have been inactive this season. Good move by the Knicks to sit out these guys. Marbury has an all about me attitude and Curry is just lazy and out of shape. These two men are very talented but when they are not on their games can seriously put the team in a rut, both offensively and defensively. They got their money, so why play hard? They might be better off sitting out the way they're doing, so far it's helping the team win. That's something the Knicks haven't done in a long time. So I say, keep ridin' the pine!

Giants Stomp All Over Cowboys 35-14

2008-11-03T12:10:00.001-05:00

The Giants collected another victory yesterday, this time at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys. With the 35-14 victory it puts the G-men at 7-1 on the year.

Eli Manning threw 3 TDs and went 16-27, 147 yds with 1 INT. Runningback Brandon Jacobs rushed for 117 yds and 1 TD. The Cowboys were without Tony Romo who has been out with a broken pinkie. The loss for the Cowboys leaves them at 5-4 going into thier bye-week. The Giants defense had another good showing as they got 3 INT off Dallas quarterbacks yesterday.

"When a football team comes in here and it is kind of depleted as far as
injuries go, you don’t want to give them any sunlight,” said Giants
defensive end Justin Tuck. “You don’t want to give them any light whatsoever.”

The Giants have now won 5 straight at home. Kevin Boss,Steve Smith and Amani Toomer were all on the recieving end of TD passes from Manning on Sunday. Smith and Toomer got their TDs after Corey Webster picked off Romo's replacement Brad Johnson.

“The coaches preach turnovers,” Webster said. “We pin our ears back and let ourselves go once we start getting turnovers. If we keep getting turnovers, it builds more and more confidence.”

The Cowboys turned the ball over on 4 occasions, 3 on INTs and 1 on a fumble by Terrell Owens in the 2nd quarter. The Dallas offense never got going in the game. The Cowboys were coming in injured on many fronts, no Romo, no Jason Whitten, no Roy Williams, no Mat McBriar, and no Pacman Jones (because of his suspension).

Too bad for the Boys. They were picked by many in the preseason to go to the Super Bowl and represent the NFC. That doesn't look likely at the moment. Things could change when Romo comes back. As for the Giants, they continue their strong season next weekend in Philly as they match up against the Eagles who are coming off a dominating win against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The road is getting a little tougher for Eli and his men but they are up to the task. Just because they're heading down to Philly next weekend, doesn't bother the Giants, they win on the road too. I hope Donovan McNabb is ready for a fight, because the G-Men are bringing it.

ChasingRecords Forum October Winner

2008-11-02T21:39:00.000-05:00

After the month of October, we have eight (8) members here on The Forum who posted 50 or more posts within the month. As a result, they were all entered in a drawing for a FREE appreciation gift from the Chasing Records & Full Focus staff.
We thank you for the support!

*Goldy
*A-Rod Hater
*Bobby Jenkins
*RicRocks
*BBall1
*Yankeegirl49
*Adam_Hexum
*Nikki

And the Winner for October is....

RIC-ROCKS!

(Please contact Chasing Records with your mailing information. Thank you.
)

Phillies Finest Are Word Champions

2008-10-29T23:02:00.001-04:00

Game 5 of the World Series finally ended on Wednesday night, about 48 hours after it started. How did it end? The Philadelphia Phillies are your 2008 World Series Champions.

After the game was suspended with the game tied at 2 in the middle of the 6th inning on Monday night many questions arose. When was the game going to be restarted? Who benefited more from the rain delay? Did MLB handle this situation with the best interest for both teams? Either way it didn't matter tonight because the Phillies are the World Champs.

Cole Hamels was named the World Series MVP. He started Game 5 back on Monday and despite the score being tied at 2 going into the bottom of the 6th, the Phillies scored a run to go ahead 3-2 and Hamels was in line to get the win. No starter had ever gone 5-0 in 5 postseason starts. Hamels was on his way until the Rays' Rocco Baldelli caught up to a Ryan Madsen fastball in the 7th and re-tied the game. In the bottom of the 7th the Phillies regained the lead. Pat Burrell hit a double to center off the wall 409 feet away to start the inning and was later driven in by Pedro Feliz. Philadelphia closer Brad Lidge came in and closed things out as he completed his season perfect in save opporutunities, 48 for 48. After all it was all said and done about Game 5 and the rain and the delay, it belonged to Phillies and belonged to the city of Philadelphia.

“They could taste it just as much as we could,” Series MVP Hamels said.

It was the 2nd championship in the 126 year history of the Philadelphia Phillies.

“It’s over,” shortstop Jimmy Rollins said. “It’s over, man.”

It's humorous to note that the city's sport hero is probably Rocky Balboa, he isn't even a real person. Now the city can call Ryan Howard, Rollins, Hamels,Lidge and Chase Utley their heores.

The Tampa Bay Rays came up short in their quest to complete the Cinderella season with a World Series Championship but they have nothing to be ashamed of. They outlasted the Yankees and the Red Sox in the division and took care of the White Sox and Red Sox again to get to the Series. They lost 96 games last season, so the fact they made it to Game 5 of the World Series is an amazing feat.

“I believe this firmly, our guys are not going to be satisfied without playing in October from now on,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “And that’s a good thing. And that’s all because of this group of people this year.”

This is going to be the lowest rated World Series in terms of tv ratings but after what happened the last couple days and how much of a stir Gmae 5 caused, I think a lot of people tuned in to seeing the conclusion of this game. It went back and forth before Philly finally closed the door on the 2008 season. Congratulations to the Philadelphia Phillies for winning the World Series. They certainy deserved it, and I'm happy for the city, their 25 year drought without a major sports championship is over.

This concludes the 2008 baseball season. What a season it was. For the 5th year in a row, the World Series didn't reach a Game 6, that has never happened before. As the Phillies celebrate a World Championship, the rest of the baseball world now shifts to the Hot Stove season, a season in which the free agents take centerstage. That'll be interesting to keep track of but for right now the Philadelphia Phillies are the WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS.

Philly Wins Game 4, Could Win it All Tonight

2008-10-27T12:43:00.000-04:00

The 25 year chamionship drought in Philadelphia is almost over. Last night the Phillies gave the Tampa Bay Rays a pounding 10-2 in Game 4 of the World Series. The win gives the Phillies a 3-1 series lead heading into Game 5 tonight, a game in which their ace Cole Hamels is on the mound.

The Rays looked as if they were still sleepwalking from the night before. The Phillies offense is coming alive just at the right time. Ryan Howard, who entering this series only had 3 RBI this postseason hit a 3-run HR to left in the 4th inning and later added another HR, a 2-run shot to right-center, giving him 5 RBI's on the night. Jason Werth and pitcher Joe Blanton also added HR's in Philly's onslaught of Rays pitching. Blanton pitched 6 plus innings giving up just 2 runs, striking out 7, and walked 2. The Rays middle of the lineup, Longoria and Pena all are still hitless in this series. This might explain why the Rays are down 3-1 in the series. Also I said that the Rays starting pitching is superior to the pitching of the Phillies....well boy is my face red now. The Phillies' starters have outpitched the Rays starters. Tampa's defense has been shaky, something else I gave them an advantage in. Man, I might need to re-evaluate how I make my predictions.

“We know what’s going on, we’re just not reacting very well yet, but there is time,” Joe Maddon said. “We have to not give them four outs in an inning. We have to have better at-bats.”

Philadelphia has Hamels going in Game 5 tonight and that might be enough to bring a championship to Philly tonight. He's 4-0 this postseason. Eerily resembles how Josh Beckett pitched last season for Boston and led them to the championship. If Hamels can finish off this postseason 5-0, he'll also finish as a champion.

“Cole looks for these moments. I call him Hollywood, because when the lights are on, that’s when he’s at his best,” Rollins said last night. “And tomorrow night, the lights will definitely be on.”

The Rays are a scappy team and still make this a series but in order for that to happen they need their big guns in the lineup to step up.

“It’s win or go home. It’s simple, and no one in here wants to go home and wonder what if,” Tampa's Cliff Floyd said.

The Rays have Scott Kazmir going tonight in hopes of sending the series back to St. Petersburg on Wednesday for a Game 6. The defense also has to step up and make plays because the Philies are eating the Rays alive with their mistakes. Tonight might be the final baseball game of 2008, for Philly they're ready to celebrate, for Tampa they're ready to play party poopers. I know I predicted the Rays in 7, which could still very well happen, but the Phillies look like they have Tampa Bay's number.

Eli's Comeback In 4th Shows Whos' the Mann

2008-10-27T11:57:00.000-04:00

Eli Manning and his troops yesterday showed why they are the defending Super Bowl champs. They were facing defeat at the hands of Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers when Manning (19-for-32, 199 yards) led the charge in a 4th quarter comeback. The Giants scored 12 points in the final 8 and 1/2 minutes to get a 21-14 victory at Heinz Field.

"We're a great fourth-quarter team," said receiver Amani Toomer. "Today was kind of a demonstration of how we play in the fourth quarter and what kind of a team we are. We didn't play great the whole game. But in the fourth quarter, when all the chips are on the table, that's when we're at our best."

It was a good matchup of two strong defenses and coming into the game both teams knew it was going to be a struggle. Big Ben threw 4 interceptions and got sacked 5 times. The Steelers defense held the Giants to 3 field goals in the first half, a half where the Giants entered the red zone 4 times but couldn't get in. Giants RB Brandon Jacobs was stopped 3 of those times right before getting to the goal-line. It was a frustrating half for the G-men but still went into halftime leading 9-7.

The turning points of the game came in the 4th quarter. With the Giants coming off a timeout after Jacobs was again stopped just short of a first-down, they were facing 4th and 1. Then Manning tried calling another timeout but couldn't because it's against league rules to call back-to-back timeouts. This caused a 5 yard pentalty and put Manning facing 4th and 6. Eli found Toomer for a 30 yard pass and left the Giants at the Steelers 4. They had to settle for another field goal. It was now 14-12. Then a few minutes later a botched snap by the Steelers led to a game tying saftey. Pittsburgh was using linebacker James Harrison for the snap after their long snapper Greg Warren was injured in the 3rd quarter. With the game now tied at 14, the Giants had possession. After 7 plays and 3:41 off the clock Manning found Kevin Boss for a 2 yard TD. This put the Giants up 21-14 with 3:01 left to go. The Steelers weren't able to put anything together to mount a response and thus the Giants walked out with the win.

"We never gave up," said Manning, who wasn't sacked once by a defense that had a league-best 25 coming into the game. "We hung in there tough. The defense played outstanding and gave us a shot in the fourth quarter to win."

This was a great game to watch. Both defenses were on their game and both QB's did what they could to get the win but Eli won the battle. It seems that the Giants play their best down the stretch and when their backs are up against the wall, yesterday's win proved just that. Plaxico Burress didn't start the game because he missed a treatment on Saturday and coach Tom Coughlin told him "he'll let him know" when Plax was going to enter the game. Apparently that didn't matter because the Giants were fine with Burress coming off the bench. At 6-1 the Giants now enter Week 9 against their rivals the Dallas Cowboys. As always it should be an interesting matchup.

Who's The Man? Eli or Big Ben?

2008-10-26T10:57:00.000-04:00

Today's meeting between the Giants and Steelers could be a Super Bowl preview. Ok, I'm getting a little ahead of myself but with both teams at 5-1 it's not an outlandish thought.

Much talk leading into this game is which QB is better, Eli Manning or Ben Roethlisberger? Both were drafted in the 1st Round. Both are the only Super Bowl winning QB's who were drafted in the same 1st round.

"I think you've got to throw (San Diego's) Philip Rivers in there, too," said former Steelers coach Bill Cowher, who was in Pittsburgh when the Steelers drafted Roethlisberger with the 11th pick and now works as a studio analyst for CBS. "I don't think you're going to find a quarterback class like it. Certainly you can go back to '83, but this class of Rivers, Roethlisberger and Manning is going to go down as one of the great classes of quarterbacks. You're not going to be able to match that."

The Steelers' defense is ranked No. 1 in the NFL and is first in sacks with 25. The Giants are ranked fourth overall, and second in sacks with 21.

Both men met back in 2004 when the Steelers won 33-30. On that day Manning went 16 for 23, 182 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while Roethlisberger had his first 300-yard game and 18 of 28, 316 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions.

"They are both guys who have had accelerated experiences, let's put it that way, because of the nature of playing at such a young age (and) going through the amount of experiences that they have had against the great defensive teams in the league," Tom Coughlin said. "Without a doubt, there are similarities in the way in which their experiences have gone, even though there are differences in what you might call style of play."

Today's game in Pittsburg is going to be a messy one as rain poured down all day yesterday. If you saw last night's World Series Game 3, you saw it get delayed 91 minutes by heavy rain. It was also like that here in New York. Hopefully by the 4pm start today the field will be in good condition. The weather should be pleasant with game time temp hovering around 50 but the wind is suppose be around 15mph is that going to be a factor? We'll see.

This game is going to be close and one to watch. I got the Giants going over Big Ben and his boys today. No matter the outcome today, both teams have a good shot at making the playoffs. One guy who knows about both QB's is Giants WR Plaxico Burress. Here's what he had to say about his former QB:

"Oh yeah, there was no question about it," he said. "Some of the things he was capable of doing -his athleticism, making crazy throws, getting out of the pocket, giving his receivers the opportunity to make plays down the field -he's continued to do that. Because of that he's an elite quarterback and a Super Bowl champion. I can't say enough about the guy."

Well let the talking turn into playing on the field and let's see who emerges on top.

Isiah's Coverup Is A Disgrace

2008-10-26T08:38:00.000-04:00

I usually do a lot of baseball blogs but once the season is over I go and cover basketball mainly as football is 3rd on my list of favorite sports but one thing that is high on my list of topics to cover...Isiah Thomas. I love bashing the guy every chance I get and just when I thought those days were over here comes a new story.

This further proves how much of a slimball Isiah is. On Friday he was rushed to a Westchester hospital for overdosing on sleeping pills. Police authories revealed Thomas had taken 10 Lunestra pills and lost consciousness by the time emergency workers arrived.

Thomas was asked about this incident and replied by saying it wasn't him who was rushed to the hospital. He claimed it was his 17 year old daughter Lauren. Isiah's son Joshua also backed up his dad's story by saying it was his sister who was the one who had an accidental overdose of sleeping pills.

"I love both my sister and dad and am glad that both are doing well. Thanks for all the support, but as a family we are fine and stronger than ever." Joshua said.

I see that Joshua takes after his dad with his false sense of reality. They're stronger than ever? Ha, ok. The father blames his daughter for OD on pills and the son lies right along with him. Disgraceful. Harrison Police Chief David Hall, involved in the case also blasted Thomas for his coverup.

"My cops ... know the difference between a 47-year-old black male and a young black female," Hall told The Associated Press. "It wasn't his daughter - and why they're throwing her under the bus is beyond my ability to understand."

It really is a shame how Thomas' rep has taken a hit in the last few years. He turned the Knicks organization into a disgrace all the way from the brawl they had with the Nuggets a few years ago to the sexual harassment case that cost the Knicks and Cablevision $11 million. Thomas was finally shown the door at the end of last season when the Knicks got tired of his act and released him of his duties as Team President and Head Coach. Both moves were long overdue.

This latest story regarding Isiah is sad. The man needs to get a grip on reality and apparently so does his son. It's not bad enough he's turned a once great franchise into a laughingstock, he's cost a company millions of dollars and now he's thrown his own family into a media circus for his own selfish reasons. How could you place blame on your daughter for something like that? What kind of man is Isiah Thomas? This guy has some serious problems and I hope he gets them fixed because something's not right up there. Let's see how this story unfolds. Nothing surprises me with this guy anymore, he's a scumbag, what do you expect.

2008 World Series Prediction: Rays in 7

2008-10-25T10:16:00.000-04:00

Two games into the 2008 World Series and we are tied 1-1. Where am I going with this? Game 7 in Tampa, thats where. It's a tough call as far as giving a prediction for who's winning this series but I think I will have to go with the Rays in seven again!

Here's how I view it:

Starting Pitching
Advantage: Rays
James Shields has pitched well this postseason and Matt Garza's impressive ALCS performance earns them the edge here. Phillies' Cole Hamels can't pitch every game, that becomes a problem considering the rest of the rotation is questionable, but it's possible they can get the job done, I just like the stability of the Rays' staff over the course of a long series.

Bullpen
Advantage: Phillies
The Rays don't have a closer unless they plan on using David Price, which they should do. The Phillies 1-2 combo of Ryan Madsen and Brad Lidge are untouchable and have been lights out this October. That's a HUGE factor in October. This is the biggest difference between the teams.

Lineup
Advantage: Even
Philly with Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Pat Burrell can go to-to-toe with BJ Upton, Evan Longoria, Carlos Pena and Carl Crawford. So far we haven't seen as much offense as we thought we might see but the guys listed can certainly set off some fireworks.

Defense
Advantage: Rays
This is a close call but the Rays all around defense is stellar. The outfield is one of the game's best. Upton and Crawford for TB cover a lot of ground. Philly's outfield isn't bad either led by Shane Victorino but TB has the edge there. As far as the rest of the infield it's a tough call but I gotta call it even there. While Philly I think has the better doubleplay combo TB has Dioneer Navarro behind the plate and I think he's the main difference maker. He has come into his own this year and has the almighty task of directing the pitching staff, that kind of leadership is important in a series like this. A plus is he can throw out runners, that's important because if Rollins or Victorino ever get on base, they'll think twice before swiping a bag.

Rays won my breakdown 2-1-1. Hey, I told you it's close but when it comes down to the playoffs, starting pitching is the most important thing. If the Rays can take the lead early then they have a good shot at keeping it, but if Philly has a lead late in the game it'll be tough for Tampa to comeback. I hope people have been watching this series as it's been competitive so far and the trend looks to continue as the series progresses. I won't be disappointed if Philly wins because then it means they can show up to Citi Field next season with their world championship hats and t-shirts. They can taunt the Mets fans all year long and I would love to see it. If Tampa wins and not only am I right with my prediction but it completes the Cinderella story for 2008. Let's hope for a memorable World Series, that's what I'm rooting for the most.