Who is firing up the hot stove?

Just a day after the Yankees won their 27th World Series Championship, some interesting story lines are cropping up around Major League Baseball.

For the Bombers themselves, the story surrounds their pending free agents and the overall age of the team. World Series MVP Hideki Matsui and World Series catalyst Johnny Damon are both now free agents and their are major questions on whom New York should bring back. Can you let a World Series MVP walk? Does Damon's speed and fractional ability in the outfield make him a better fit?

The Red Sox didn't waste any time making a deal. They picked up Jeremy Hermida from the Florida Marlins. It seems many in Red Sox nation think this could be a bargain deal for the former first rounder. The Sox gave up two second-tier pitchers for the 25 year old outfielder. It doesn't seem this is indicative of what the BoSox plan on doing with Jason Bay, but it could be a move that helps soften the blow of Bay leaves.

Tim Lincecum had another great year for the San Francisco Giants. The diminutive righty has been known for smoking major league hitters with his high 90's heat. Now, he'll be know for smoking something else. Lincecum faces misdemeanor marijuana possession charges after being pulled over for speeding near the Washington/Oregon border.

And Bobby Abreu resigned with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim with a two year deal for 19 million dollars. Abreu was once again his consistent self this year and decided to stay put. The question now isl; did Abreu set the market for outfielders?

Baseball Fundamentals

It was the top of the ninth inning and Johnny Damon had just had a great at bat against Brad Lidge. He had fought off fastballs on the outside corner, seemingly reacting a split second before the pitch would cross the plate. He got a pitch out over the plate and seemingly placed it into left field.

This game was a strange one. New York seemed to be losing the momentum as the game wore on. Joba Chamberlain had served up a mammoth homerun to Pedro Feliz in the bottom of the eighth to even the score at 4-4 and Citizens Bank Park was absolutely electric.

Brad Lidge looked great through two batters. He had Damon in a hole and the Phillies were ready to charge into the dugout for the bottom of the ninth.

Damon battled. He fouled off pitch after pitch until he got one he can handle. The game of baseball is full of cliches and adages. One that always comes to mind in this situation is that the batter's probability of getting a pitch to hit increases as the at-bat is prolonged. So as Damon fouled off the good fastballs from Lidge, you could feel the at-bat swinging into his favor. Lidge didn't want to walk Damon, so he grooved one, and the Yankees left fielder dropped it into left.

That's when things got just plain nutty. Damon took off for second early in the at-bat by Mark Teixeira. He would say after the game that he wanted to give Teixeira the best opportunity in the at-bat, so he broke for second early. The pitch was low and the throw from Carlos Ruiz skipped towards second base. Pedro Feliz was covering (the shift was on to combat Tex batting lefty). The throw pulled him only slightly towards the first base side of the bag.

What happened next just doesn't happen. Damon popped up from his slide, looked at third and took off running. I thought I was watching the Twins or Angels run the bases. I thought that Johnny Damon had been fooled by the player covering the base into thinking the ball got a way and would be easily caught in a run down to end the inning. I thought even more momentum was going to swing to the Phillies. But there was no one at third base. Lidge had ducked on the mound when the throw went through, Ruiz hadn't hustled down to cover, and the bag was there for his taking. Two stolen bases, one play. Johnny Damon changed the entire complexion of the inning, game, and the series. Teixeira was hit by a pitch and then Alex Rodriguez followed with a clutch hit.

It's not often I suggest taking professional players and using them as examples for kids learning the game. Sometimes they are just too good of athletes to use as examples and other time they just don't try hard enough. But what Johnny Damon did should be replayed over and over again for Little Leaguers. His at-bat was a thing of beauty and his hustle and quick thinking were amazing.

That will be second guessed...

Joe Girardi brought in Alfredo Aceves to replace David Robertson with two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the 11th when Robertson seemed to be throwing well. Aceves then proceeded to give up a single to Howie Kendrick and a game winning RBI double to Jeff Mathis.

Why in the world did Girardi take out Robertson?

Is he a "true" Yankee now?

Alex Rodriguez has been absolutely haunted by his shortcomings in the post-season in New York. He has been raked over the coals on both sports talk stations in NYC (1050 ESPN Radio and 660 WFAN) for his lack of "clutch" play. And he never quite helped himself, always pushing to hard and saying what just seemed like the wrong thing.

Then, as all of you know, this season put everything on its ear. A-Rod was outed for having done steroids. Whether you take him at his word that he only did them in Texas or not, he no longer had to carry that secret with him. He was a cheater, right up there with Barry and Manny. Then came the hip injury that might sideline him the entire season and the surgery that followed.

When Rodriguez returned to the Yankee lineup, Mark Teixeira started to hit and the Bombers line up finally started to click. Since rejoining the club back in early May, they have been one of the best records in the majors, as evidenced by their run to the playoffs. But last night, A-Rod put so many demons to rest. Rodriguez hadn't driven in a runner since the 2004 series against the Red Sox. In game one, he picked up two RBI, which most certainly helped to set up last night.

And last night was some of that old school Yankee magic. I am not one who really compares teams over the years. I think each team is different and when you compare you are doing yourself and the team you are talking about a disservice. But last night, listening to the game, it was hard to not get that warm and fuzzy feeling (or that sick to your stomach feeling if you are not a Yankee fan) when Teixeira lined the ball to right. Then walked up arguably one of, if not the, best player I have ever seen play, even if he is a cheat.

Last night, A-Rod was able to help the Yanks win a playoff game and continue a journey that still has some very large steps to it. But it was a culmination for Rodriguez. It was a moment in time where a very proud and talented man could pump his fist and realize it was "about time".

Will A-Rod ever be a "True Yankee"? I really have no idea. But for one night, and maybe one post season, A-Rod doesn't have to worry about the boos. The fans were chanting his name in the bottom of the ninth, and I am sure there is no sweeter sound in the world for him.

Hate to do this...

I always hate to tell you I told you so...

But... check out this link.

And I told you so.

Random ...

So, I am sure many of you have seen this somewhere on the web over the past two days. But Mike Blowers made the prediction of his life time on Sunday. The Mariners radio broadcast crew has a segment in the pregame show where they discuss which players they think will have a big day. Blowers stated that he thought Matt Tuiasosopo would have a big game. He predicted that Tuiasosopo would go deep in his second at-bat, on a three-one pitch, and drive the ball to left center.

Check out the audio in the link. It is pretty amazing.

Hot Or Not...

As the calendar officially recognizes Fall this afternoon (5:18 PM here on the East Coast), it looks like we have a few more playoff/division races than we expected two weeks ago.

The Boston Red Sox have pulled within four games in the loss column of the Yankees. New York is currently playing in Anaheim against the Angels. And, as you know, that place has been anything but heavenly for the Bombers over the past few years. Last night, they lost to 5-2, wasting a decent start from Andy Pettitte (6 IP, 3 ER).

Luckily for them, the Red Sox blew two big leads in Kansas City, eventually losing to the Royals 12-9. Boston has been on a tear of late, winning ten out of its last twelve games to cut into the Yankees lead in the AL East. And Red Sox Nation has a reason to be pretty excited too. Though they lost to the Royals last night, they do have two more games against the hapless AL Central squad while New York has to play two more games against the Angels. Then, there is the big three game set between the two in the Bronx this weekend. Conceivably, Boston could be two games back in the loss column by the time the first pitch is thrown on Friday night.

While Boston is winning ten out of twelve, New York has gone five and seven. That opens the door ever so slightly...

Can the Yankees win at least one game in Anaheim? Can Boston continue to win at the pace they set over the past two weeks? Are we watching another collapse like the Mets the past two seasons?

Anaheim really has been a "House of Horrors" for New York ever since Mike Scioscia took over as manager of the Angels. Chad Gaudin is on the hill tonight for the Yanks, not really a major boost of confidence there. Gaudin has proven to have a more effective slider since coming over from San Diego, but is he a stopper? You have to hope the Bronx Bombers show up tonight and provide Gaudin with plenty of support. A big crooked number on the scoreboard could go along way in quieting any unrest.

Boston is playing great baseball, that clearly cannot be denied. They have gotten some great pitching of late from their rotation and their bullpen. There is no reason to think they are going to slow down at any point. I would love to say that no team can win like they are over a longer period of time, but the Colorado Rockies of years past have proven that to be wrong a couple of times now.

I don't think the Yankees are going to lose the AL East. It might end up being a little closer than they would have liked, but I think they'll have enough to get by. Being up four games in the loss column gives them plenty of wriggle room and you have to assume CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte will step up over the final two weeks. Boston has done a great job of separating themselves from the Wild Card pack, so watch out ALCS, we could have yet another Beantown v. Big Apple matchup.

The AL Central is an even closer race with Minnesota closing the gap over this past weekend, taking two of three from the Tigers in the Metrodome. Detroit has gone six and nine over their last 15 games, opening the door for the Twins to step right back into the pennant hunt. Jim Leyland's squad narrowly avoided disaster with a Sunday win. Over that same period of time, the Twins have gone ten and five. The math here isn't at all hard to do. But does Minnesota have the pitchers in the starting rotation to get them past the lead horse as they turn for home? Or will the Tigers right this problem and crawl past Ron Gardenhire's bunch into an open round series with the Yankees?

You have to like the Tigers rotation right now over the Twins. Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson have proven they can step up when needed. And though there is little factual basis to it, I don't trust any rotation that is even slightly dependant on Carl Pavano. I think the Tigers will hold on and face New York in round one. I think we've seen this setup somewhere before. At least Kenny Rogers isn't pitching for Detroit anymore.

And the last race of interest is the National League Wild Card, which has essentially boiled down to a race for second place in the NL West. San Francisco continues to chase the Rockies for the fourth and final spot in the playoff shootout in the NL. San Francisco simply does not have enough offense to pull them through to the playoffs. And you have to take notice when Tim Lincecum, in a big game, can't give his team a chance to win. San Fran has had a great run and can really build on their pitching staff next year. But Colorado is going to hold on to the Wild Card spot and may pose a real danger in the first round.

Just my two cents (or 15 cents as it were!). What are your thoughts about the three most contentious playoff races?