Sports Bytes: September 30, 2010

It appears the Yankees have forgotten that the AL East is still up for grabs, as is home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs. Last night it was the "Javier Vasquez Horror Show" as the useless right-hander was pounded for seven runs in just 4.2 innings. Then again, maybe Yankee fans should be happy with his performance since he didn't hit three consecutive batters like he did in his last start--an accomplishment I had never seen before, not even in Little League. The Yankees lineup scored only four runs despite banging-out 11 hits. Toronto, on the other hand, scored eight runs on 12 hits, a much closer ratio to what a "championship offense" is supposed to deliver . . .

Tampa Bay should continue lighting candles, carrying rabbit's feet, and doing whatever else is bringing them their good luck. The Rays have lost two of their last three games, but have not lost their ½ game lead over NY because the Yankees have done the same. Similarly, although Tampa is only 5-5 in their last 10 games, NY is an even worse 4-6 during the same span . . .

The Braves are determined to deliver Bobby Cox one last postseason berth before he retires. Yesterday, Atlanta won its third-straight and completed a sweep of the Florida Marlins. Derek Lowe (5.2 innings, 1 earned run) won his fifth game this month . . . It's difficult to imagine Atlanta eliminating Philadelphia in the playoffs, but if this three-game winning streak indicates that Atlanta is getting hot anything is possible . . .

Two-time defending CY Young Tim Linecum delivered a CY Young-worthy performance yesterday, striking out 11 batters and surrendering only one run in seven innings. If Linecum returns to 2008-2009 form, the Giants could make a run in the postseason . . .

San Diego remains within striking distance of both the Giants and the Braves. Last night they shut out the Cubs 3-0 to stay two games behind the Giants and 1½ games behind the Braves . . .

Remember when the Mets were nearly unbeatable at CitiField? Yesterday, NY was swept at home in a doubleheader by the Milwaukee Brewers. Geesh! . . . It should take all of 10 minutes following the completion of game number 162 for Fred Wilpon to announce the firing of Minaya and Manuel. Any longer and Wilpon should be carried off in a straight-jacket because he is obviously not of sound mind and is plagued by masochistic tendencies . . . Congratulations to David Wright on reaching the 100 RBIs threshold this season. The Mets should clean house in the off-season and get rid of players like Beltran and Reyes, but it'd be a big mistake to get rid of Wright. He and Angel Pagan are two fine players I would hold on to . . .

The NY Giants have spent the week telling the world that they should have won Sunday's game against the Titans. "If we hadn't made those mistakes we would be 2-1 right now." No kidding. That's like saying, "If unemployment wasn't so high, the U.S. economy would be in great shape" . . .

I hope Eagles' fans treat McNabb with respect on Sunday when he returns to the "City of Brotherly Love." No, McNabb never did win the big game, but he sure played a big role in why the Eagles were as good as they were for so long . . .

Packers S Nick Collins regrets not walking away from a Bears fan who taunted and spit at him following Monday night's game. I understand Collins remorse, but I don't blame the guy for getting upset. There's no reason athletes have to put up with that. Being yelled at by other fans is part of being a professional athlete, but there are times when fans are over-the-top and I think this was one of those times . . .

Oops! Looks like Colts' owner Bill Polian was slapped on the wrist by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for announcing that the 18-game NFL season was a done deal. According to NFL.com, on Wednesday Polian said he was "very imprecise" when he made the comment. It seems Polian forgot that the NFL Player's Union has to agree to the change before anything becomes a "done deal." Not exactly a good negotiating tactic, Bill. If the NFLPA harbors any suspicions that ownership wants to force feed the players into accepting an 18-game season, your faux pas didn't help . . .

Tomorrow I will announce my Week 4 NFL Predictions. I'm sure the world is waiting with baited breath . . .

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Need a PR Specialist? Perhaps my 13 years of PR experience can satisfy those needs. I have publicized world champions such as Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield, and mega-events like Lewis-Tyson and De la Hoya-Vargas. Contact Donald Tremblay (The Rain Maker) at 718-664-3405 or at dtremblay@earthlink.net. For more info about me visit my LinkedIn Profile.

Sports Bytes - September 29, 2010

Congratulations to the NY Yankees who clinched a playoff spot yesterday with their 6-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. As expected, since they are the defending champions and have made the playoffs in 15 of the last 16 seasons, their post-game celebration was subdued. CC Sabathia was stellar, surrendering only one run in 8.1 innings. It was his 21st win. Derek Jeter was responsible for four of the Yankees runs, scoring three and driving in another . . .

Congratulations also to the Tampa Bay Rays who also clinched a playoff spot yesterday, and maintained their ½ game AL East-lead, by defeating the Baltimore Orioles 5-0 . . .

But the biggest congratulations go to the Cincinnati Reds, who locked-up the NL Central division title with a 3-2 victory over the Houston Astros. It is the first time in 15 years that Cincy has reached the postseason . . . FYI to Dusty Baker's detractors: he is now only the second manager to ever lead three different National League teams to the playoffs--the Reds, Giants, and Cubs. Pretty impressive . . .

I will not lose any sleep because Tony LaRussa is not in the playoffs . . .

Beginning of the end for the Padres? Maybe, as their 5-2 loss to the Cubs combined with wins by the Giants and the Braves has pushed them closer to playoff elimination. They now trail the Giants by two games for the NL West crown and the Braves by a 1½ games for the NL wildcard spot . . .

Green Bay safety Nick Collins alleges that a Bears' fan yelled a racial slur and spit on him as he was leaving Soldier Field on Monday night. The Associated Press reports that a Milwaukee TV station has video of Collins throwing his mouthpiece at the fan. If Collins' take on the incident is accurate, then it is just the latest example of a fan believing that the purchase of a game ticket also entitles him to abuse the players. It's a disgrace, and if it is true that individual should be banned from the stadium. The NFL is investigating . . . Incidentally, a word of advice for Collins. If you're going to throw something at a fan, choose an object of no importance. It can be difficult to find a mouthpiece that fits comfortably, so why toss it away because of a jerk? Follow Mike Ditka's lead, instead. When Ditka needed to heave something at a fan, he pulled a wad of gum from his mouth and fired it into the seats . . .

John Carney's agent says that the 46-year-old kicker will be signed to a one-year deal by the New Orleans Saints. No truth to the rumor that New Orleans has also contacted Ray Guy . . .

Ever forced to follow your boss' directives only to be held personally responsible later when those directives prove unsuccessful? If yes, then you can sympathize with former 49ers offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye. Raye reports, "I was carrying out the head coach's wishes. I was doing what I was brought here to do under his philosophy he wanted installed." Sadly, Jimmy, no good deed goes unpunished . . .

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Need a PR Specialist? Perhaps my 13 years of PR experience can satisfy those needs. I have publicized world champions such as Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield, and mega-events like Lewis-Tyson and De la Hoya-Vargas. Contact Donald Tremblay (The Rain Maker) at 718-664-3405 or at dtremblay@earthlink.net. For more info about me visit my LinkedIn Profile.

Sports Bytes - September 28, 2010

What a surprise! The Yanks lost again. This time it was to the Toronto Blue Jays (7-5). And take a wild guess who the losing pitcher was? If you said A.J. Burnett, you are correct. Burnett was his usual awful self, surrendering seven runs in just 2.1 innings. Burnett is so bad right now that if he tried to hit one of the Yankee players in the face with a pie, he'd probably miss . . . The Yankees stormed back from a 7-0 deficit to close to within 7-5, but naturally they still left seven men on base . . . NY blew an opportunity to reclaim first place as the Rays were shut out by Baltimore 4-0 . . .

It's over in the NL East as Roy Halladay's 21st victory--an 8-0 win over the Nationals yesterday-- clinched the fourth-consecutive division crown for the Philadelphia Phillies. That's quite an accomplishment, especially considering the number of injuries the Phils incurred this season and the number of games they trailed the Braves by on June 21 (seven). In September the Phils are 20-5 . . .

Talk about missing the bus. Three teams already eliminated from playoff contention have decided that now is a good time to get hot: the Detroit Tigers (8-2 in their last 10 games), the Toronto Blue Jays (also 8-2 in their last 10 games), and the Pittsburgh Pirates (7-3 in their last 10 games) . . .

I know Albert Pujols' numbers are stronger, but I would still give the NL MVP Award to Joey Votto, simply because Cincinnati will win the division. Remember, the award is for Most Valuable Player, not for Best Player . . .

Roy Halladay is a no-brainer for the NL Cy Young Award . . .

I know he has been injured for a good part of September, but I would still give Josh Hamilton the AL MVP Award based on the Texas Rangers winning of the AL West Division. Miguel Cabrera has had a great season and so has Jose Bautista, but again when your competitor's team is going to the post season and you are not, he has the edge . . .

David Price is the AL Cy Young. CC Sabathia has more wins than Price (20 to 18), but Price's ERA is almost a ½ percentage point lower than CC's (2.84 to 3.26). John Lester deserves an honorable mention for his phenomenal season, despite Boston's probable failure to make the playoffs . . .

San Diego had a chance to move back into a first-place tie with the San Francisco Giants yesterday, but failed miserably. The Padres were limited to four hits and were shut out by the Cubs 1-0 . . . According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano--yesterday's starter--has compiled a 0.78 ERA for the month of September . . .

Thanks to Green Bay's Monday night meltdown (18 penalties, 2 turnovers) my week three NFL picks were a less-than-stellar 7-9, bringing my three-week total to 25-23 . . .

49ers management has begun lopping off heads in response to the team's pathetic 0-3 start. Yesterday, off coordinator Jimmy Raye was eliminated, and if San Fran does not start winning soon head coach Mike Singletary may be next--which may not necessarily be a bad thing. Singletary's legendary intensity may be an asset as a player, but not necessarily as a coach. Not everyone can sustain that level of focus 24/7, and Singletary may be wearing out his club . . .

According to the Associated Press, Indianapolis Colts owner Bill Polian "believes the debate over an 18-game NFL season is over, and an expanded schedule will soon become a reality." I'm not convinced the players will agree to it, but if they do they will regret it. Injuries will increase as the extra games inflict even further punishment on the players, which in turn will shorten the already-paltry average career span of an NFL player. (3½ years according to the NFLPA) . . .

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Need a PR Specialist? Perhaps my 13 years of PR experience can satisfy those needs. I have publicized world champions such as Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield, and mega-events like Lewis-Tyson and De la Hoya-Vargas. Contact Donald Tremblay (The Rain Maker) at 718-664-3405 or at dtremblay@earthlink.net. For more info about me visit my LinkedIn Profile.

Sports Bytes: September 27, 2010

My Week 3 NFL Predictions, and a comment (or two) about each game:

Chiefs over 49ers (31-10): Loss - 49ers coach Mike Singletary talks as if he knows what he's doing, but so far his team looks unprepared and overwhelmed. At 0-3 they are among the league's biggest disappointments having been outscored 87-38.

Vikings over Lions (24-10): Win - It's the Lions--a team that has lost 22 consecutive road games.

Patriots over Bills (38-30): Win - I wouldn't get too excited if I were Bill Belichik. His defense surrendered 30 points to a team ranked 32nd in passing and 23rd in rushing.

Falcons over Saints (27-24): Loss - The Saints may be 2-1, but they very easily could be 0-3. Plus, Brees now has a knee injury.

Titans over Giants (29-10): Win - The Giants were unprofessional, undisciplined . . . and every other "un" word you can think of. Three turnovers, two missed field goals, 11 penalties (including five personal fouls), and a safety. Why would Tom Coughlin want his contract extended after this season?

Steelers over Bucs (38-13): Loss - Tampa Bay's 2-0 start was obviously a tease. It's difficult to take a team serious that makes Charlie Batch look like Charlie Connerly.

Bengals over Panthers (20-7): Win - The Panthers lost to the Giants on opening day. That is all you need to know about the state of Carolina's football team.

Ravens over Browns (24-17): Win - The good news for Baltimore: Joe Flacco threw three TDs. The bad news: Baltimore hardly dominated the game. The Ravens trailed the Browns as ;ate as the 4th quarter, and Browns RB Peyton Hillis rushed for 144 yds.

Cowboys over Texans (27-13): Loss - Impressive, much-needed win for the Cowboys. The word "pretender" comes to mind with respect to the Texans. Last week the Texans fell behind the Redskins by 17 points before escaping with a win. Yesterday, the Texans didn't reach the end zone until there was only 1:15 left in the game.

Rams over Redskins (30-16): Loss - Still think the Redskins are a playoff club? They were blown out by a team that had lost 14 consecutive home games. After three games Washington has been outscored 46-13 in the 2nd half/OT.

Eagles over Jaguars (28-3): Win - No surprise here. The Jaguars' passing defense is ranked 29th in the NFL, which explains how Eagles WR DeSean Jackson caught five passes for 153 yards--an average of 30.6 yards per catch . . .

Colts over Broncos (27-13): Win - The Broncos compiled 519 total yards and managed only 13 points

Cardinals over Raiders (24-23): Loss - Never, ever leave a game in the hands, or I should say, the feet of a kicker. A field goal should always be considered the last resort, something you settle for. Just ask Raiders head coach Tom Cable. Cable watched his club lose to the Cardinals thanks to three missed Sebastian Janikowski field goals.

Seahawks over Chargers (27-20): Loss - San Diego continues its typical early season swoon, turning the ball over five times and allowing Leon Washington to return two kickoffs for TDs.

Jets over Dolphins (31-23): Loss - Jets survive tough divisional showdown against Miami. Defense not great, but offense very impressive. Jets 2-0 against AFC East.

Prior to Monday night's contest between the Packers and the Bears, my predictions for Week 3 are a dismal 7-8.

A wacky ending to last night's huge win for the Yankees. As if it wasn't weird enough watching Mariano Rivera and Jonathan Papelbon both blow saves, Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima walked in the winning run in the 10th inning. Phil Hughes pitched well (6 innings, 1 run), as did Daisuke Matsuzaka (8 innings, 2 Runs). Both teams left seven men on base. The big blow for the Yanks was an Alex Rodriguez two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning. The win moved NY, which had surrendered 17 runs to Boston in the first two games, within a ½ game of the first-place Tampa Bay Rays . . .

The Texas Rangers scored more points yesterday against the Athletics (16), than the Houston Texans did against the Cowboys (13) . . .

The Mets may be out of playoff contention, but they were not going to let Philadelphia clinch the NL East at NY's expense. Carlos Beltran homered twice and David Wright once to lead the Mets to their fourth victory this season over Cole Hamels . . .

Cain was able (pun intended) to pitch the Giants back into first place in the NL West, throwing a no-hitter through 7.1 innings to lead San Francisco to a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies. Combined with San Diego's 12-2 drubbing at the hands of the Cincinnati Reds, the Giants returned to the top spot by a slim ½ game . . .

The Braves, losing again yesterday, are in grave danger of missing the playoffs--even as the wildcard. Atlanta is 4-6 in their last 10 games, and is ½ game behind the Padres in the race for the NL wildcard spot . . .

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Need a PR Specialist? Perhaps my 13 years of PR experience can satisfy those needs. I have publicized world champions such as Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield, and mega-events like Lewis-Tyson and De la Hoya-Vargas. Contact Donald Tremblay (The Rain Maker) at 718-664-3405 or at dtremblay@earthlink.net. For more info about me visit my LinkedIn page.