ESPN betrays the Yankees and MLB

Over the last year or so, ESPN and other sports carriers have been providing “open- or all-access” to professional sports.

You, the viewer, get to (for example) sit in the locker room and listen to Doc Rivers instruct Paul Piece, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and the rest of the Boston Celtics on what they should be doing in the second half of the game. Typically the coach has already told the team private, strategic message. By the time the camera is turned on, the viewer usually hears meaningless dribble like “fight over the pick-n-rolls” or “play hard, we have this game.”

In another sports scenario, a hockey player will be mike’d. You hear some of his conversation and banter. The viewer sees and hears a very moderated and edited clip. There is specifically no cursing and “important” interaction with the coaching staff.

We know ESPN (et al) are trying to give the viewers a taste of being behind the scenes at a professional sporting event. Nice try but weak. And now it seems like ESPN may have pulled a “Bill Belichick” and poked the cameras where they don’t belong.

According to Bronx Liason, “(July 7, 2008 ) While Brett Gardner led off the eighth inning, the ESPN cameras peered into the tunnel - which they’re not supposed to do - and caught Bobby Abreu showing Alex Rodriguez how Manny Delcarmen tips his pitches.” ESPN and everyone knew what they (ESPN) were doing was wrong. ESPN announcer Joe Morgan said, “I don’t think we should have showed that…”.

ESPN had been showing the players sharing how the pitcher was tipping off his pitches.

ESPN stepped over the line. Not just the Yankees, but Major League Baseball (MLB) needs to reinforce the rules with them. Obviously this needs to be done in a delicate way in that ESPN pays major fees to MLB, but it needs to be done.

ESPN is given special permission to be invasive. They need to use better judgement and not give up something strategic to the entire viewing public. They knew exactly what they were doing.

(photo pitchingtips.files.wordpress.com)

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Tapped: Early morning Yankee chat

The other person is unaware the chat will be posted. All “tapped” postings have had their screen names changed to protect the innocent. Date: 6/20/08:

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(7:55:35 AM) TopOfTheThread: joba
(7:59:47 AM) Friend_of_TopOfTheThread:

The unbelievable story

of Alfredo Aceves continues to grow as the 25 year-old RHP proved tonight he has no challenges left for him at AA-Trenton. Over eight scoreless innings Tuesday night, Aceves allowed just one hit, struck out four and walked two. Over six starts at AA, Mr. Aceves has a 1.64 ERA over 44 innings [7+ innings per start], striking out 33, walking just 5, with 33 hits and a ridiculous WHIP of 0.86.

In the same game, Austin Jackson went 4-for-5, hit his fourth homer in as many games [his se

(8:00:18 AM) Friend_of_TopOfTheThread:

and look up mark melancon-the next joba-is being moved to scranton

(8:00:57 AM) TopOfTheThread:

looks good

(8:01:02 AM) TopOfTheThread:

but what about 2008?

(8:01:26 AM) Friend_of_TopOfTheThread:

he’ll be up in 2008 melancon is the closer of the future

(8:03:14 AM) TopOfTheThread:

the yanks are only 5 out of 1st and 3.5 out of the wildcard. Make the playoffs and you never know

(8:05:03 AM) Friend_of_TopOfTheThread:

I don’t think the season could have worked out better to this point-the infusion of youth, conversion of joba, adversity of monstrous injuries, and now this close.

(8:06:37 AM) TopOfTheThread:

Agreed. And now Chien-Ming Wang goes down. Forces them to look harder at their youth. Psyched.

(8:09:22 AM) TopOfTheThread:

(8:09:49 AM) TopOfTheThread:

g2g

‘Told you about Joba… (Should have stayed in bullpen)

Followup to previous post — See post of May 22, 2008
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Hopefully this (experiment, move, transition) works out better than Joba’s first start.

Now, Joba is shaky and the bullpen is shaky. The starting rotation is no better. The pen is worse.

If you move him back, you show you have lost confidence in him. He loses confidence in himself as a starter and then has additional pressure as a reliever.

The Yankees have hurt themselves and have painted Joba in a corner. Exactly what they did not want to do.

(photo beatricebaseball.com)

Yankees moving Joba Chamberlain to starting rotation — BIG MISTAKE!

The main issue this year has been the lack of run production. ARod and Posada have been out. Many of the other players have been producing below average offensively.(As you may remember, last year ARod single-handedly carried the Yankees through April and part of May. He has already hit 2 home runs in 2 gams… Really 3 home runs but we’ll discuss that on a later date.)

The Yankees will hit this year.

The Yankees moving Joba Chamberlain to the starting rotation is a BIG mistake.

While the Yankees have had a bad year, their pitching strategy has been solid.

• Get the starting pitcher through the 1^st 6 inning. (Mussina is a good example of this.)
• Have Kyle Farnsworth, Jose Veras, or Latroy Hawkins pitch the 7^th inning
• Have Joba Chamberlain pitch the 8^th inning
• And have Mariano Rivera pitch the 9th

• This has worked well for Mike Mussina (until his last start)
• This strategy lets Pettitte only concern himself about 6 innings. (He is getting older)
• Chien-Ming Wang can pitch as many innings as he wants.

This allows the Yankees to also have “starting pitching by committee”.

Why not groom Joba to take over for Mariano?

Joe - Keep Joba in the ‘pen. Don’t move him to the starting rotation!

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(photo:cfs4.tistory.com)

Yankees Jason Giambi wears a gold thong; “outs” his friends

The Daily News reports Jason Giambi wears thong when in slump, shares it with teammates

OK. Athletes are superstitious. Creatures of habit. It happens. We all saw the movie Major Leagues.

Do you know what’s on your way? Can you imagine the taunting you, and your teammates are going to receiving at Shea and Fenway? What were you thinking? Or did the steriods go to your mind?

And it’s one thing to admit your wearing a gold lamé, tiger-stripe thong under your uniform, but you “out’d” your teammates Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Johnny Damon, Robin Ventura, and Robinson Cano.

Notes to Giambi’s teammates, do not share any information with Giambi that you don’t want in the press:

• Don’t tell him if you are dating more than one woman.(Derek)
• Don’t tell him if you are considering asking to be traded
• Don’t tell him if you tried a performance enhancing drug
• Don’t tell him if you don’t like Joe Girardi or Hank Steinbrenner
• Don’t tell him if you missed curfew
• Don’t tell him anything….

No code. No honor.

This potentially extremely long season just got longer for you and your teammates.

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Hey Babe - What size thong do you wear?

Jose Reyes - Mets should hire a team psychologist

Met fans…

Baseball is a great sport. Hate the Yankees as much as you want. The salaries. Whatever. But the Yankees always have heart.

The Mets will not “win” until they get rid of Jose Reyes (among others). He is an example of a player with all the physical talent in the world. Physically he is a hall of famer. Psychologically he belongs in double-a.

He is a head case and does not hustle. Remember his not running out balls the end of last year. That “record setting” last year.

It starts at the top. The hustle and attitude starts there. The Mets need a Lenny Dykstra type at the top… Perhaps they should get a team psychologist.

To Boston Red Sox and NY Mets fans who feel the Yankees’ Derek Jeter is overrated…

To Boston Red Sox and NY Mets fans who feel Derek Jeter is overrated…

For years Boston Red Sox fans hate and scream obscenities at Derek Jeter. My favorite is a saying on a t-shirt that is sold around the corner from Fenway… “Jeter Swa????s”. Kudos. Funny. Creative.

The Mets fans whining that Jeter is overrated. That’s simply the green-eyed monster in Flushing. (Great finish last year boys.)

Jeter will be a 1st ballot Hall Of Famer…lifetime .310+ hitter… 3-time Gold Glove Winner…. 4-time World Series winner… 8-time All Star…

In addition to Jeter’s World Series rings, All Star trophies, Gold Gloves, money, etc… he has dated, or been connected with, 6 of the top 100 models on Maxim’s Top Model List.

We never again want to hear that Derek Jeter is overrated! All the stats, trophies and now the women!!! Case Closed.

One of baseball’s best home run hitters of all time; Ken Griffey

Chuck is absolutely correct about the focus. on sports

Ken Griffey is nearing 600 home runs and we hear not a peep about it. He has been one of the best all around players in the last 50 years, and if he had not gotten injured, he would be nearing 800 home runs! He is a true role model and drug free!

Meanwhile there has been constant chatter about Barry Bond’s breaking Hank Aaron’s record. The asterisk. Should it count… That is basically focusing on the half empty glass.

We should be taking positive looks on Ken Griffey… and soon Alex Rodriguez… ARod.. as they show how it IS stiill possible to do things the clean, correct way and succeed! (ARod.. get off the 15 day DL asap).

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