Know Thy Enemy - The Evil Empire

[Frayed Knot]

What: Mets (35-37) vs Yanks (37-35)
It's Round 2 of "The Thrilla .... um, ... Near Broxville-ah"
No? OK, how 'bout: "The Boredom Not All that Far from Fordham"

Ahhh, I'll work on it later.


Where: Yankee Stadium
When: Friday, 7:10 PM - FSNY / YES / ESPN (National Telecast)
Saturday: 4:20 PM - Ch 11 / YES
Sunday: 8:10 - ESPN (National Telecast)
No excuses for youse outta towners to miss these.

Who: Why the Yankees of course, who just this past week announced plans to tear down that old, ugly, crumbling and barely functional monstrosity and pump $800million into it's replacement ... but hey, enough about their roster.


Game 1:
Pedro Martinez: (5-1, 2.86 ERA, 0.78 WHiP) - vs - Mike Mussina (R): (8-4, 3.82, 1.33)
Mussina has been the winner in his last 3 starts.

Game 2:
Tom Glavine: (4-7, 5.06, 1.71) - vs - Sean Henn (L): (0-2, 10.29, 2.86)
Henn's been called up twice this year as an injury replacement - and lossed both times.

Game 3:
Kris Benson: (6-2, 3.90, 1.16) - vs - Randy Johnson (L): (7-5, 4.02, 1.19)
The 'Big Unit' can still be dominate at times, although leads the league in excuses when he doesn't.


So what's new since with these guys since the last time we saw them?

* Well the most important news is that Derek Jeter hit a grand slam. I'm sure you saw it since I believe it was carried on all three network news programs. Previously, "Captain Clutch" held the active record (and 2nd most ever in the expansion era) for most ABs w/bases loaded w/o a GS. And I know that you're thinking; "but wait Mr. Knot, I was told he was the most clutch player on earth! How can this be?". Well, it seems that the 'clutch advocates' somehow maintain that this somewhat inglorious streak was actually 'proof' of his clutchness rather than a counter to it because it just showed how he was smart enough to be a team player and take a hit rather than try for slams. Of course his record w/bases loaded wasn't especially good even w/o the slams, plus had he held the mark for MOST slams in that time then you just know that THAT would also have been cited as proof of clutchness - thus making it the perfect 'can't lose' argument. It should also be noted that 'Captain Intangibles' also admitted to have been actively trying for slams since he became aware of his mark years earlier.

* At 1st base during May, Tino Martinez was red-hot and Jason Giambi was ice-cold. Now, it's Tino who's ice-cold (4-for-33 in June) while Giambi is ... well, slightly warmer than ice cold. He's actually has 5 extra-base hits in June - which brings his season total to 11 - and tonight (Thursday) was so desperate for a hit that he got one by bunting against the shift.

* Reservations have started for 2nd baseman Robinson Cano's induction into Cooperstown. Calls can be made to Suzyn Waldman and Associates Travel Agency so as to not get shut out.

* Alex Rodriguez is still up there in all the AL 'Triple Crown' categories ... and his own fans still hate him.

* That ticking sound you hear is the time running out on Tony Womack's Yankee career. It won't be long now.

* Hideki Matsui nearly had his two-continent consecutive game streak (some 1,300 and counting) ruined when he rolled his ankle last week. Instead, he was forced into the DH role where ... he suddenly became a much better hitter! After hitting 1 HR from early April thru early June, he's hit 5 since being hobbled. He may be back to playing LF (something I did for several years) by this weekend.

* Sean Henn: You loved him in 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' and 'Mystic River'; now he's subbing for the beloved Kevin Brown. Tallies are now being taken to determine whether he's punched more photographers or walked more batters (9 in 7 IPs over 2 starts). No word on whether Madonna is expected to attend.

* Scott Proctor is new to the bullpen. He's right-handed, throws hard, but probably won't be seen unless the game's out of hand one way or the other.

Injuries:
Them: Jared Wright, Kevin Brown, Felix Rodriguez, Rey Sanchez.
Us: Kaz Matsui, Miguel Cairo, Felix Heredia, Steve Trachsel

[Guest Edgy DC]

[Guest Bret Sabermetric]

The Adventures of Robinson Cano

and his man (Friday at 7:10 P.M.)


Good KTE.

[Willets Point]

Proctor & Gamble and the Yankees are both alleged to have links with Satan. Coincedence?

[Guest SI Metman]

So lets see, Game 1 is a rematch from many classic Yankees-Red Sox duels over the last 4 years

Game 3 is a rematch from the one game the Mets won against them this season.

Hopefully Pedro commits more patricide this weekend without the pen and defense hurting him.

The SBS is going to kill me, but last July, the MFY gave us in Round II:

Game 1: Mike Mussina/Mike Mussina
Game 2: Jose Contreras/Sean Henn (both guys who struggled to stay afloat in most of their starts)
Game 3: Javy Vazquez/Randy Johnson (both guys who had difficulties in making the transition from quiet NL towns to the Bronx but were still pretty dominant pitchers)

Of course this year the Mets will be throwing out their 1-3-2, while last year the Mets threw out their 3-4-5, and last year was at Shea while this year is at Yankee Stadium for the second round.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Hey, um, Frayed Knot, what kind of crappy start time is 4:20?

[MFS62]

Willets Point wrote: Proctor & Gamble and the Yankees are both alleged to have links with Satan. Coincedence?

Only if you play them backwards.

Good KTE. I never knew that Suzyn had a trave; agency.

EDIT: This is really putting pressure on me to come up with something creative for my Phillies Part Deux.

Later

[Guest Rotblatt]

]Hey, um, Frayed Knot, what kind of crappy start time is 4:20?

It's MLB's shout-out to all the pot-smoking baseball fans out there.



Great KTE! I'm pissed the game isn't on local tv tonight, but I suppose it's just one more excuse to go to a bar instead . . .

[Guest Edgy DC]

This is really putting pressure on me to come up with something creative for my Phillies Part Deux.

Let the facts lead and you'll be fine.

[MFS62]

Edgy DC wrote: This is really putting pressure on me to come up with something creative for my Phillies Part Deux. Let the facts lead and you'll be fine.

Thanks for your support, Edgy, but I feel that pressure building up. Stay tuned.

Later

[Guest sharpie]

If MFS62 doesn't come up with something extra creative for his Phillies KTE I move that he be banned.

[MFS62]

heh heh :twisted:

Don't worry.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

]Hey, um, Frayed Knot, what kind of crappy start time is 4:20?

Probably an incorrect one now that I think about it.
I orginially thought this was a FOX Netwok game which usually don't start until 20-25 minutes after the hour so Kevin Kennedy and what's-her-blonde have time to get their pre-game jive in.
Turns out it's just each teams' local stations carrying the load and I forgot to adjust to the usual 10-minutes after the hour first pitch.

[metirish]

Excellent KTE, I especially liked the truth about Captain Fantastic, today on MSG you can watch these subway series classics,,


12:00 PM Subway Series Classics: Mets @ Yankees (6/9/2000)
3:30 PM Subway Series Classics: Yankees @ Mets (7/4/2004)

[Guest Edgy DC]

Is that Grant's right hand doing the lighting or somebody else's reaching in? It's (a) really big, and (b) kinda meaty. All flesh and no boneage.

[MFS62]

Which reminds me:

http://www.acepilots.com/usaaf_bong.html

Later

[Elster88]

] and tonight (Thursday) was so desperate for a hit that he got one by bunting against the shift.

Seriously though, why doesn't everyone do this against the shift? If Giambi's fat ass can beat it out, any one can.

[Frayed Knot]

It was actaully a good play by him in that situation (although wouldn't always be). They were down by 5 in late innings at that point and needed baserunners and I think he was leading off the inning.
Thing is, if he - or any of those power hitters who get their own shift - were to do that when an extra-base hit would be a dagger they'd be doing the other team a favor even if it worked.

[metirish]

TV & Radio announcers, just in case you didn't know...

some reading for your enjoyment..

http://boards.yesnetwork.com/forums/

[Guest Edgy DC]

What's with the halos?

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I have NO IDEA what's going to happen this weekend. None. I can't figure either team out really.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Yeah, me neither. Both teams have been wildly inconsistent--though the Yankees have swung a little farther on both sides of the pendulum.

I'm going to miss pretty much every game but Sunday's, which makes me sad. Stupid quasi in-laws.

[MFS62]

Sheesh. I thought in-laws were bad enough. What's a "quasi in-law"?

Outlaws?

Later

[soupcan]

Man is she scary.

OE: Not your quasi-mother-in-law Rotty, I was talking about Suzyn Waldman.

[Guest Rotblatt]

family of my girlfriends sister's boyfriend! We peeled off and caught the last inning, though--just in time to see my boy Minky hit a double down the right field line! And, of course, Loopy make things interesting.