eight and half lead.
























playing for 2nd place?

And those who were taking smack can SHUT UP too.

Expected fans for tomorrows victory rolling-rally: 3-5 million

more baseball news:

Oakland Athletics shortstop Bobby Crosby won AL Rookie of the Year
and
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Jason Bay won the NL Rookie of the Year award.

- talks are going on for Sammy Sosa and Shawn Green swap

- Jason Varitek, catcher of the boston red sox, called off the contract negotiation with the Red Sox. Varitek wants 5 year deal. He may end up with Dodgers blue.

- Red Sox offers 2 year deal to Pedro Martinez worth $25.5 millions with 3rd year option

- Yankees great Don Mattingly is returning back as Yankees batting coach

- Yankees may bring Jorge Posada?s mentor Joe Giardi as a bench coach.

- Many teams are interested with Florida Marlins pitchers Carl Pavano.

- Yankees wants to bring back Tino Martinez, one of my favorite Yankees players.

- Sexon and The City ? Mets are interested to the power hitting 1st baseman.

- Chicago Cubs are interested in Angels long time closer Troy Percival.

Minnesota Twins Left-hander Johan Santana won the AL Cy Young award. Unanimous Cy Young winner went 20-6 and led the AL with a 2.61 ERA and 265 strikeouts.

Houston Astros Roger Clemens won the NL Cy Young Award at age 42. He is the oldest player to bag the award and it was his 7th award (6 ? AL, 1 ? NL). He went 18-4 with a 2.98 ERA and 218 strikeouts. His last Cy Young award was during 2001 season and he was playing for NY Yankees.

As everybody expected San Francisco Giants Barry Bonds won the NL MVP award. It was his 7th award in his lustrous and controversial career. The 40-year-old Bond received 24 first-place votes and 407 points. He hit .362 to win NL batting title and hit 45 homers and 101 RBI and shattered the major league record with a .609 on-base percentage with unprecedented 232 walks.

Angels right fielder won the AL MVP award first time. It was his first year with the Angels. He hit .337 with 39 homers and 126 RBIs and led the league with 124 runs scored. NY Yankees right fielder Gary Sheffield finished second. It was his first year with the NY Yankees.

- NY Yankees rotation could be Randy Johnson, Mike Mussina, John Leiber, Eric Milton, Al Leiter.
- Chicago Cubs are trying to ship slugger Sammy Sosa to NY Mets for Cliff Floyd.
- Ex Yankees 2nd baseman Alfonso Soriano nixed the idea of playing right field for NY Mets
- White Sox is the leading candidate to land Minnesota Twins shortstop Christian Guzman
- Angels decline to pickup option for Pitcher Ramon Ortiz
- 9 time(???) gold gloves winner Omar Vizquel signs 3 year contract with SF Giants

Pedro heading towards wearing pinstrips. Oh god !!!!!!

NY Yankees is the most recognized team in the Baseball world. Every player wants to get a piece of it and oh yeah Yankees are generous regarding PAY. I don?t know Players are attracted to Yankees for the money or the Yankees tradition; I will leave that to players. Yankees always attracts the best players in the market. Mussina, the most coveted pitcher during 2001 free agent signed with Yankees, next year AL MVP Jason Giambi signed multiyear deal and the Godzilla from Japan preferred to play with Yankees and last year AROD, 2003 AL MVP signed with Yankees to play and agreed to switch to play 3rd base.

Another year, another free agency and same thing for the Yankees organization. All the players want to get a piece of Yankees, be it Pavano, Pedro, Delgado or Sexon. All of them are fascinated to play in Bronx. Pedro was so interested to play for Yankees that he flew to Florida to meet BOSS (personally I don?t want Pedro in pinstripes) and BOSS seems to like him to play for Yankees. Red Sox was so worried that owner Mr. Henry sent his posse next day in his private jet to meet Pedro (did it include presidential hopeful John Kerry?s lawyers???) Did we find out if Red Sox upped their 2 year 24 mil(???) offer??? I hope BOSS was just trying to send message to Diamondbacks regarding Randy Johnson. I would love to see Randy Johnson in pinstripes.

More news/rumors:
- El Duque wants to be back with Yankees
- Going to be Washington Senators signs shortstop Guzman and 3rd baseman Vinny Castilla
- Detroit Tigers signs longtime Angels closer Troy Percival to 2 year, $12 million deal
- Righthander Kris Benson, whom the Mets acquired before the trade deadline, is expected to sign today.
- Glendon Rusch is expected to resign with Chicago Cubs.
- 1995 AL MVP Mo Vaughn is considering a comeback, the first baseman missed all of last season with an arthritic left knee.

AX,

I think it is money,more than anything else, that draws players to Yankeeland. Everyone knows that the Boss can pay like no other team, so if a player wants to get the max amount, he either goes to Yankee or makes a big news flash about how the Yankees are interested in him. This way, any team that wants that player has to propose a deal that at least comes to close matching the perceived Yankee's offer.

Take Pedro's case for instance. Despite what he might say now, there is no way Pedro would prefer to play for Yanks. He knows most Yankee fans (I saw a poll saying 70% +) don't want him to wear the pinstripes. However, he has to enter this "dance" to squeeze out the most he can get from be it Sox or any other team. Also, don't forget, the Boss also has an incentive in meeting Pedro even if he has no intention of signing him. He would want Sox to spend all the $$ on this guy so Sox can't pay other players.

B_D.

p.s. Pedro's follow up meeting with Sox at Tampa this week was pre-arranged, before me bet the Boss. Pedro was just tightening the screw on Sox Brass by meeting "the enemy" before meeting them. Gotta hand it to Pete. He is pretty damn smart.

B_D Thanks for sharing the info. BOSS doesn't meet with everybody and doesn't negotiate the deal, unless he is really serious about it, eg: deal with Sheffield last year and with Boomer few years ago. It's really interesting what BOSS is going do. He doesn't hesitate to pay if he likes the player. I hope this is not the case here with Pedro. No offense to Pedro and his fans, he used to be a dominant pitcher but not anymore. He is a #2 at his best. I hope you are right about Pedro and him trying to get more money from Red Sox. Have Red SOx upped their offer from 2 to 3/4 years???

I want to see Big Unit - MUSS - Milton - Leiter - el Duque/leiber Yankees rotation next year. No need to sign big bat, Yankees will have better offens next year with healthy Jason Giambi. I don't mind seeing Alfonso Soriano playing with Yankees again, he makes only 7-8 mil a year and is a terrific lead off hitter with speed that Yankees lacked this season.

TRADE TALKS;;;;;;;;;;;

Oh COME ON the BIG apple... this and that.
THat's nothing new.

THE BIG UNIT didn't sign with the Yankees during this year's MID-season. IF he signs with the yankeess then that should be at least $16 million. I know Yankees wants all the best players available. OH well... who doesn't? It's the MONEY that counts.

I have been of the opinion that Pedro should be a SOX for life. However, I do agree with MR. AX regarding the fact that... HIS best years are behind him. This doesn't undermine his strengths. HE can still win 17-19 games for any teams for at least next 3 seasons. But teams will hesitate to pay him the same CASH they pay for their #1 guy. Well, pedro might not be #1 starer for Yankees or sox.. but he still can be # 1 for lots of other teams. Again, how many of them can afford to have him??

I am hopeful that Pavano will give THE SOX his top priority. Not that he doesn't (because of SCHilling). Again, this guy will certainly test the SOX's bank. He knows what Schilling is getting paid and what Pedro has demanded.. so HE is gonna be HEADs up. If we can keep Pedro here and sign Pavano... I believe even with losing Lowe, Cabrera, Kapler... we can win another World series. After Pedro/Pavano.. Varitek should be the top priority. He is second to none in the business. I know SOx had offered some $7 MIll/year contract to the Oalkand's catcher.. yet that's just the initiative.

Lowe is a pitcher I had been liking for last 3 seasons. After saving some 45+ games as a closer, he jumped to the #2 positiong in the rotation. He won more games than Pedro did... He had his ups and downs but at the end he proved out to be a winner. I like him in the rotation because he brings a new variety. Pedro and Schilling's fast balls, Wakefield's knuckleballs anD lowe's groundballs had been really good combosss.. it will be sad to see him go.

And those infielders they are superb.
I just hope THEO doesn't disappoint the RED SOX nation by NOT upgrading LINEUPS...

What about NOmar???

GO SOX GO
jai NEpal

Welcome back TINO?... You belong to the Yankees. He was the fan favorite first baseman during his stay from 1996-2001. He helped to win four World Series championships in six seasons in New York. He was a solid replacement for soon going to be Hall of Famer Matingly (current hitting coach) with solid stats and his leadership skills were unmatchable. He was a close ally of Derek Jeter. He was let go after 01 season, Boss wanted to replace him with the biggest present on that year free agency, Jason Giambi.

Last Saturday, Yankees re-signed him to a one-year contract with an option for 2006 worth $3 million guaranteed. Tino will have different assignment this time around. He is singed to backup Jason Giambi, if Jason is not going to be able to play (trade/injury), Tino will fill the position. Tino is not the same hitter as he was but with the Yankees lineup he will get a ball to hit and will have more than 100 RBI season (if plays full time). Tino batted .262 with 23 homers and 76 RBI last year with Devil Rays.

He was one of my favorite non Yankees farm products (another being Paul O?Neill) I really didn?t like the signing of Jason Giambi to replace Tino. Even after his poor performance at plate, I thought Tino was doing great job, his main asset was his leadership skills and a clubhouse aura. Everyone on the team respected him and liked him and his work habits were beyond question. When Yankees needed him, he delivered. I still remember that Hallowen day, when Tino Martinez belted the 2 run HR to tie on the 9th with 3-1 down on the series during 01 series with Diamondbacks. Later Derek Jeter hit HR on the 10th to win the game. Next day Scott Broscious belted another HR in similar situation. It all started with Tino, eventually they lost the series with Louis Gonzalez blooper in the 9th. I am sure Yankees brasses must be thinking hard now after the revelation of Giambi?s admission of taking Steroids. I hope Tino has few years left to service Yankees and retires as a Yankees.

The other thing that will seem strange to Martinez when he returns to the Stadium's home clubhouse is that the Yanks have not won a championship since he left.. Yankees doesn?t have same clubhouse chemistry after the departures of Martinez and retired teammates like Paul O'Neill, Scott Brosius. Yankees have been signing great players (Mussina, Giambi, Vazquez) every year but they come up short in October. I hope Tino will bring back the magic in the locker room and brings another championship to the best baseball city in the world, NEW YORK.

Yankees have almost revamped their pitching rotation. The deal with Diamondbacks for Big Unit seems to be done deal. If so Yankees will have the best starting rotation (big three from A's is gone so is Pedro from Red Sox). They had pretty good batting lineup last eyar, so i don't think anything needs to be changed. Cairo is replaced by veteran Womack at 2nd base and Tino Martinez would do better job at 1b/DH position. Alot of it will depend on Giambi's health. I am one of the Yankees who think the star loaded offense is good to win another championship. We don't need Beltrans and Delgados new contract. If they need to get someone, I would like to see Soriano back.

2004 --------------------------------------------------- 2005
Pitching rotation
1. Mike Mussina------------------------------------------ 1. Randy Johnson
2. Kevin Brown ------------------------------------------ 2. Mike Mussina
3. Javier Vazquez----------------------------------------3. Carl Pavano
4. John Leiber --------------------------------------------4. Jared Wright
5. Orlando Hernandez -----------------------------------5. Kevin Brown
6. Jose Contreras/Estaban Loaiza----------------------6. Brad Halsey/Alex Graman

Bullpen
1. Tom Gordon --------------------------------------------1. Tom Gordon
2. Paul Qunatrill -------------------------------------------2. Mike Stanton
3. Felix Heredia -------------------------------------------3. Felix Rodriguez
4. Tanyon Sturtze ----------------------------------------4. Steve Karsay
5. Mariano Rivera (closer) -------------------------------5. Mariano Rivera (still the closer)

Batting Lineup
1. Derek Jeter ---------------------------------------- 1. Tony Womack
2. Alex Rodriguez ------------------------------------ 2. Derek Jeter
3. Gary Sheffield --------------------------------------3. Alex Rodriguez
4. Hideki Matsui ---------------------------------------4. Gary Sheffield
5. Bernie Williams -------------------------------------5. Hideki Matsui
6. Jorge Posada --------------------------------------6. Bernie Williams
7. Kenny Lofton/Ruben Sierra ----------------------7. Jason Giambi
8. John Olerud/Giami ---------------------------------8. Jorge Posada
9. Miguel Cairo ----------------------------------------9. Tino Martinez

Bench:
1. Enrique Wilson -------------------------------------1. Bubba Crosy
2. Kenny Lofton ---------------------------------------2. John Flaherty
3. Tony Clark
4. Bubba Crosby
5. John Flaherty

Hey AX:

Thanks Pal for the Update of Yankee Circle....

I agree, the return of Soriano, he was the most underdog of Yankees History. Why not Soriano??? Why Tino??? Randy will be the valuable asset... A Rod really disappointed us last year and so do obese Giambi... Godzilla, Jeter, Bernie are quite satisfactory..... I always admire Posada, true athelete.

Way to go for Yankees and Yankees Die Hard Fan- AX and VR....

Saadurbaad to AX for such a lovely insight....

Pheri Vaytaula...!!!

Welcome VR. This is the place to be if you are yankees fan. You get the info here that you can't get in NY tabliods (post, daily news ) :p

I really liked Sori when he was with the team. he is the kinda player you want as a leadoff hitter. DJ is doing great job as a leadoff hitter, but he is really a #2 hitter. He commands around $8 mil his year, that could be the another erason Tino is with the team and Sori isn't. I hear Soriano is available if Yankees wants, if womack doesn't do better job, we can always get him during the season paying money to money strapped Texas Rangers ;) Beliee me pal, AROD will have a monster season coming year, he needs to prove the world, why he is paid $25 mil a year.....

Hope to see more Yankees fans in this forum.

As for the Yankees news?
AX ? Halsey is no longer on the team. He got traded for the Big Unit deal

They won?t get Soriano (if they did he would play center field) because to get someone you got to give someone. Rangers want young pitching.
And the Yankee don?t have anyone to give?believe me their minor system is the worst (also traded away everyone)
Halsey, Grahman , Duncan?.etc all suck (except Ming, he was hurt)
Yankees always overate and campaign to market their prospects. Eg. Milton, J.Rivera, N.Johnson?..
Dioneer Navarro has ONE big year in class A ball. Before that he didn?t do anything.
The Yanks presents him as blue chip b/c is a switch hitter but his defense is bad and has no power.

My other ripe is about Jaret Wright
He has one good year and the yanks give him all that money.
Plus he got shelled in the playoffs this year.
I would have gotten Perez, a lefty or even Wade Miller.
A big mistake here?..forget about Beltran, they should get Santana next year!!!

For the Red Sox Nation---
Kevin Millar is such an A-hole
How does your team tolerate such an idiot?

Last Night on TV, I saw an interview of Kevin Millar by Tom Arnold.
Millar refer to his wife as a MILF?called Schilling chubby and out of shape and David Wells even more out shape. Then as a surprise Wells is on the phone line. Millar says to him that this year the whole team is going to grown their hair long. Are you going join in? (Wells is bald). He makes fun of Doug Mientkiewicz by asking Tom if he can spell it.

Also, I remember last year when the catcher Mirabelli said that they are not using the phrase ?cowboy up?. In response Millar says does anyone know who Mirabelli is ? Does he play for the Red Sox.




Damn?it has been 4 years since the Yankees won the World Series and 1 year since we went to the World Series.
I am beginning to understand what the Red Sox went through ;)

brainiac thanks for the update. i can?t believe what you said about Millar, he is not as good of a player he was. He is a marginal defensive player; I think that one of the 1st baseman (Doug M or Millar) would be traded before the start of the season.

4 years of agony, finally 05 will be the year Yankees will win 27th championship ;) another excuse for me to travel to NYC during October :)

As a Yankees fan I am static to hear about the Randy Johnson and I am sure all of the Yankees fans all over the world feels the same way. He is the player Yankees been eyeing for soooo long. I believe it was 98 (???) we almost had him and last year as well. He is the kind of pitcher Yankees lacked last year. Not to anything away from Moose (he is awesome pitcher) I always thought he is #2 guy.

I am already excited about the next season and already ordering YES channel ;) with the totally revamped starting rotation, it must be the best rotation in the league. Big Unit ? Moose ? Pavano ? Wright ? Kevin Brown are Starting Pitcher?s Dream Team :=) get ready Posada and Flaherty. Randy what would be your NO? don?t be asking 51 from Bernie, I want that no to be retired when Bernie leave the game for good.

I hope this was the last move Yankees brasses are thinking of. I don?t want to see any change on the offense. If Giambi can?t play whiles on the season, Tino can fill the void or they can trade during the season. I don?t like the idea of tinkering offense too much. SO much of Beltran and his 100 Million tag, we don?t need him.

Expect for AROD to have a monster season. I am sure he must training hard down south in Florida, he had sub par 1st season with Yankees. DJ2 will have fabulous no as #2 hitter and Sheffield would have better season as well since he would be fully healthy.

Proud to be a Yankees fan.

Puerto Rican Carlos Beltran, the most coveted free agent in this year free agency, is near certain to sign with the NY Metropolitans. He signed for $119 Mil over 7 years.

His amazing performance during the series with St Louis grabbed everybody attention. He played the leading role for Houston Astros? playoff appearance. He belted 38 HR and scored 121 runs and stole the base 42 times with .267 hitting average playing for KC Royals (69 games) and Houston Astros (90 games). He has been playing fulltime for 5 years in the major league and following is the comparison with other premier players:

Players------------------------Game---Runs------Hits---------HR-----RBI------SB------avg
Carlos Beltran (17 mil)------145-----101---------162---------24------94------32-----.280
Vladimir Guerrero (11 Mil) 148-----102---------185---------36-----109------22-----.331
Alex Rodriguez (21.7 mil) ---158-----126---------183---------47-----127-----17-----.304
Miguel Tejada (9 mil) --------162-----105---------183---------31-----123------8------.287
Derek Jeter (18.6 mil) --------146-----110---------185---------17------70-----23-----.313

DJ and AROD signed their contract when the salary was inflated. Even one dimensional player like Manny Ramirez was getting $20 Mil per year contract. Last few years, the salary has gone down, Vladimir signed affordable $11 mil per year and Tejada signed lesser contract a year before Guerrero.

I am sure my frens back in Forest Hills and Rego Park are enjoying the new look of their beloved NY METROPOLITANS.

I wonder what made Mr. Wilpon to be this generous to open his wallet. Was he always like this and the problem was the Doubleday or it?s Omar Minaya?s vision or they got insight form ex Yankees Willie Randolph, the new manager of the METS or the YES influence???

NY Yankees signed the Randy ?Big Unit? Johnson. The Yanks acquired Big Unit for Javier Vazquez, Dioner Navarro and Brad Halsey and cash. This is the pitcher Yankees wanting for long time (since 1995???) If there were not grudges between Boss and horrid owner from Diamondbacks (rem Boomer saga???), Yankees would have gotten him last summer.

He got 2 year extension for waiving his no trade clause. I know it?s little hard to digest giving 2 year extension for 41 years old, but the stature of player like him doesn?t come easy. He is the 1st ballot hall of fame players with 5-time Cy Young award winner and 1 of 5 (?) pitchers to pitch no hitter and perfect game. He is among the most intimidating pitchers ever (ask Larry Walker, St. Louis Outfielder). He has impressive record of 246-128 and impressive 3.06 lifetime ERA. He started his major league at Montreal, and blossomed at Seattle, Houston and Arizona in his 17 major league seasons. He struck out more than 300 batters for each season from 1998-2002. Last year he was 16-14 with a 2.60 ERA, he pitched 245 innings, walked only 44 and struck out 290.

More on Randy Johnson
http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/J/Johnson_Randy.stm


go YANKEES go

most improved teams during the off season

1. Arizona Diamondbacks: Russ Ortiz (SP), Javier Vasquez (SP), Shawn Estes (SP), Shawn Green (outfield), Troy Glaus (3rd base), Tony Clark(1st base/DH),

2. NY Mets: Kris Benson (SP), Pedro Martinez(SP), Carlos Beltran (outfield), Andres Galaragga (1st base/PH)

3. Seattle Mariners: Adrian Beltre (3rd base), Pokey Reese (SS), Richie Sexon (1st base),

4. NY Yankees: Karl Pavano (SP), Randy Johnson(SP), Jaret Wright(SP), Tino Martinez (1st base/DH)

5. Atlanta Braves: Brian Jordan (outfield), Raul Mondesi (outfield), Tim Hudson(SP)


others: San Francisco Giants, Anaheim Angels, Chicago White Sox,

players still available: Andy Ashby, Ramiro Mendoza, David Segui, Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Delgado, john olerud, hideo nomo, barry larkin, pedro astacio, Jeromy Burnitez, Scott Erickson(comeback player of the year???)