It's All About New York Sports

Rosen performs 'Make It Through' to help Sophia's Cure

2011-03-28T22:58:00.002-04:00

Original Article Written by me on March 26, 2011, published by the New York Islanders Official Website

At 17 years of age, most teenagers are enjoying their last few years of being a teenager.

But not Robbie Rosen. At 17 years of age, Rosen, a Merrick native, has experienced something that many can only dream about. Rosen set out to become a contestant on American Idol this past summer and he did so well, he made it all the way to the final 16 contestants.

Now, back on Long Island, the New York Islanders invited him to sing a song that he wrote specifically for a two-year old with a terminal illness. On Saturday, March 26, 2011 during the second intermission of the Islanders-Philadelphia Flyers game, Rosen sang his new song “Make it Through” for his new inspiration, Sophia Gaynor. He also signed autographs for Islanders fans on the concourse.

Gaynor, who turned two years old on February 27, suffers from the most aggressive form (Type 1) of SMA, Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

According to SophiasCure.com, “SMA is the leading genetic killer of children under the age of two. It is a terminal, degenerative disease that takes away a child’s ability to walk, stand, sit, eat, breathe and even swallow. It is usually inherited as an autosomal recessive trait (a person must get the defective gene from both parents to be affected).”

Rosen was excited to sing his new song tonight for his new inspiration.

“I had the most fun of my life on American Idol; it was an amazing experience and atmosphere. I was asked to do something for Sophia and I was happy to offer my music. Her story really touched my heart and I wrote this song for her in two days. I [couldn’t] wait to sing it tonight,” Rosen said.

Performing for this cause is something Rosen said he was proud to do.

“This [was] a very special night for me because being a part of a competition is so different than something like this. I’m really supporting something so special. I’m trying to save this girl’s life and it is really different than singing in a competition with other singers. This is a totally different feel, I love those emotional songs and this is one of them,” Rosen said.

Nerves were not an issue for Rosen, and he didn’t believe it was any more difficult to put on his performance as it was to perform on stage in front of millions of Americans. “The stage is like my home, I [wasn’t] nervous at all. I love this and I love influencing people with my music,” Rosen said.

Rosen isn’t just a singer though; he is also an AP Honors student with an A+ average at Calhoun High School. He was selected to All-State vocal jazz and he has been “playing baseball my whole life.” He was voted All-County as a third baseman and switch hitter for Calhoun. “Sports and music are my two biggest things,” Rosen said.

Sophia Gaynor might be fighting for her life at the young, ripe age of two, but Rosen’s song lets her know she isn’t in it by herself. “I wrote this song to say ‘together we will be behind Sophia and we will make it through no matter what it takes to do it. She will make it through,’” Rosen said.

Camp Anchor Remembers Lost Counselors

2011-03-28T22:53:00.001-04:00

Original Article Written by me on January 15, 2011, published by the New York Islanders Official Website

If you ask anyone what the most important aspect to any successful organization is, they would probably tell you one word: teamwork. Its importance can never be understated and in the case of Mike Mulhall, Paige Malone and Jamie Malone, their teamwork with Camp Anchor was a big reason for the success of that organization. The camp’s name is an acronym for Answering the Needs of Citizens with Handicaps through Organized Recreation.

The Malone sisters and Mulhall had been working with Camp Anchor, a year-round recreation social program for children and adults with special needs supported by the town of Hempstead, N.Y., since they were about 14 years old. They worked there until their lives were tragically taken last July 15 in a horrific car accident while on their way to help the children who they loved to spend their summers with.

“Everyone loved Mike so much, he was the greatest guy,” said the camp’s coordinator Joe Lentini. “It was a tremendous loss losing him. Not only was he a co-worker, but also he was a friend to so many people. For us he was like one of our kids. He had been working for us since he was 14 as a volunteer and through college too. He just graduated college and became a specialist at the camp. Jamie and Paige were similar situations, had worked there for many years.”

Camp Anchor runs year-round, and during the school year they run programs every day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. including weekends. During the summer they have a six-week summer day camp in Lido Beach, N.Y., where the kids are transported to from all parts of the town of Hempstead. They have an array of recreational activities during a seven period day that include art, music, sports, fitness, and aquatics with help from their convenient beach side location. The camp gives the parents a rest from the difficult task of raising their children and it gives kids a social outlet.

Mulhall didn’t only give his love to these kids; he also shared it with his love for the New York Islanders, his favorite team. When the Islanders heard about this, it prompted the team to host a Mike Mulhall Night for Thursday night’s contest against the Ottawa Senators to honor his life.

“Mike would’ve loved it,” Lentini said. “Any opportunity to honor them, show them they’re still with us and we think about them all the time is a good thing. We are at the part of the mourning stages of celebrating their lives. That is the reason this night was so important for the camp.”

They wanted to be able to bring everyone together to honor Mulhall, who played college hockey at the University of Scranton, and they couldn’t think of a better way to do so than at the arena of his favorite hockey team. Most of Mulhall’s very large family was in attendance for the event, as well as many of the Camp Anchor staff and participants. “It means a lot for all of us to come together to honor him,” Lentini said.

On Thursday night, the Camp Anchor team stationed themselves on the concourse in hopes of garnering the attention of other Islander fans to ask them to donate money to the Anchor Building Fund, a non-profit organization raising money to build a recreation center at the camp facility. The parents and Rotary District 7250 have raised $1 million and the Town of Hempstead is chipping in $6 million, leaving Camp Anchor close to the amount they need to start building the recreation center. The building will include a gym, stage, kitchen, dining area, computer room, handicapped accessible toilets, and many other essentials.

The camp needs this building to further their cause of helping these special needs people and to give them the full experience. During the school year they have to rent space from schools and, as a result, have to work around that school’s schedule, but when there is an event at that school, the camp has to look elsewhere for their activities. It is becoming increasingly difficult to transport the kids at a moment’s notice.

The summer weather also causes some concern. When the weather is dangerous, the kids can be transported to the movie theaters or on field trips, but only if the camp knows in advance about incoming inclement weather. If the weather changes rapidly, it is very difficult to get the kids out, leaving a very precarious situation for everyone involved.

“We never get enough space for what our needs are because we are so big,” Lentini said. “We really need our own recreation center and we’ve been fundraising for that for the last three years. The center will be named after Paige, Jamie and Mike.”

The camp will do anything to keep the memory of these prized individuals alive. “We did scholarships through fundraising in their name and the building will be named after them. Anything we can do to move forward with that is a great thing and this is a night that can help make that happen,” Lentini stated.

The New York Islanders work with groups and foundations such as Camp Anchor to give them the exposure necessary to raise enough money and to make others aware of the needs of these people. If you would like to make a donation to help get this recreation center started, you can forward any check to:

Rotary District 7250 Foundation
Att: Anchor Program
P.O. Box 202
Glen Head, NY 11545

or

Camp Anchor Parent Association
630 Lido Beach
Lido Beach, NY 11561

Thrashers Grab Schremp Off Waivers

2011-02-28T14:05:00.000-05:00

Former New York Islanders forward Rob Schremp was claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Thrashers today.

Schremp, a former first round pick of the Edmonton Oilers and New York native, had 10 goals and 12 assists in 45 games played with the Islanders this season.

The Islanders placed Schremp on waivers on Friday after being unhappy with the forward's offensive output on the season, but because of the weekend waiver rules that don't enable a player to be claimed over the weekend, Schremp was in the lineup on Saturday night against the Washington Capitals.

Schremp is quick and has fantastic hands. He is smooth around the net and is a crisp passer. Unfortunately, he was unable to translate that to the expected great success scouts thought he would be out of the draft.

On a personal note, I will miss the guy. He is one of the funniest people in the NHL and a great personality in the locker room that loved going to battle for his teammates and his teammates loved him.

I understand hockey is a business and from a business stand point this needed to be done, but I am genuinely upset by this today.

He worked very hard every day and, although he battled a knee and back injury in his two years on Long Island, he battled every night. He is a good friend and I will miss him. Good luck in HotLanta Schrempy!

Martin Will Not Play First Spring Game

2011-02-23T19:30:00.001-05:00

If you're one of those Yankees fans that was worried when the Yankees signed Russell Martin to be their starting catcher because of his long, but recent, injury history, you should be just that, concerned.

No, actually you shouldn't be very concerned, but at first glance you have every right to be.

I read the headline that Martin would miss the first spring game because of his ongoing recovery from offseason knee surgery and I immediately said "oh great, here we go." But then I read on and discovered that it is just precautionary and just part of the recovery process that Martin is going through.

"I don't think he's quite ready to go and I'm not going to rush him,'' manager Joe Girardi said Wednesday at George M. Steinbrenner Field. "He still talks about [his knee] doesn't quite feel the same as it did before. I told him, I want to know when you're 100 percent. Because I don't want any setbacks with him. When I put him in, I want him to be ready to go.''

The 28-year-old Martin passed a physical before signing a one-year, $4 million contract in December to replace Jorge Posada behind the plate. But within a matter of days, it was announced he would undergo surgery to repair "a small meniscus tear'' in his right knee, the same surgery both Posada and CC Sabathia underwent in the offseason.

At the time, general manager Brian Cashman said, "It's not a serious surgery at all,'' that Martin's recovery would take two to three weeks and that the catcher would be "back to normal within a month.''

But now, nine weeks after the surgery, Martin is still feeling discomfort. Worse, on Wednesday, he added three ominous letters to the mix: MCL, as in medial collateral ligament.

"I injured my MCL in the offseason,'' Martin said. "But the surgery wasn't for the MCL, it was for the meniscus. When they looked at my knee they saw that I had a meniscus issue as well, so in the time it would take for the MCL to heal, the surgery would heal, so they might as well do it. It was just a prevention type thing.''

Whatever the real extent of the injury, it has so far prevented Martin from participating in the full range of catching drills -- he has not taken part in blocking drills yet -- and will keep him out of the first spring training game at least.

Coupled with the injuries that marred his 2010 season with the Dodgers -- Martin tore his right hip labrum on a slide last August -- it raises the possibility that Posada -- penciled in as the full-time designated hitter for this year -- may still have use for his catching gear after all.

Girardi refused to say who would catch on Saturday -- Francisco Cervelli, last year's backup, and rookie Jesus Montero are the likely choices -- but Posada put the gear on for the first time Wednesday and is scheduled to catch his first bullpen of the spring on Thursday.

"We're just keeping Jorge's catching skills sharp,'' Girardi said.

Girardi said he was not sure when Martin would be well enough to catch in a game.

"I hope it's just three or four days, but if it takes more, it takes more,'' he said.

"It's still a little bit stiff, it's not 100 percent yet,'' Martin said. "But how it felt the first day compared to now the progression has been really good. This is more a conservative-type thing, to make sure I will be ready. Instead of getting started too early and having a setback and missing the early part of the season, which I do not want to do. I want to be out there from Day 1."

Let's be realistic here and don't over react. Martin will be fine and behind the dish when Opening Day 2011 comes around 35 days from now.

He is coming off knee surgery. Yeah, it was a minor surgery, but people rehab differently than other people and just because Sabathia and Posada are fine now, doesn't mean Martin is 100% yet.

Once you go under the knife once, you are never the same again, no matter how minor the surgery is. If Martin can get back his hitting ability, which I really think he can with Kevin Long as his hitting coach, he will be a huge asset in the No. 9 hole in the Yanks lineup.

Don't read much into this, folks. Martin will be fine.

Islanders Keep Taking Hits, Poulin Now Out for Season Too

2011-02-09T15:07:00.003-05:00

Rick DiPietro has already been knocked out of action -- literally -- and now the New York Islanders have lost their backup goalie.

Kevin Poulin dislocated his left knee cap and will require surgery that will keep him out for the remainder of the season, the team announced on Wednesday.

Poulin hurt himself in warmups before the Isles' 5-3 loss to the Maple Leafs Tuesday night. He left Nassau Coliseum on crutches and underwent an MRI Wednesday.

Mikko Koskinen was the emergency starter in the nets for New York.

The Islanders also announced that forward Jeremy Colliton has a rib injury that will keep him out two weeks.

DiPietro was decked by the Penguins' Brent Johnson in a rare goalie fight last week. He is out four to six weeks with facial fractures and knee swelling.

Is it just me or does this feel like 2008 all over again? But seriously, this is painful. Poulin hurt himself when he got his skate caught in a rut at the net in warm-ups before the game against the Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.

Now the Isles get to see just what they got when they drafted Koskinen in the beginning of the second round in the 2009 Amateur Draft, let's see what the kid has. If his play in Bridgeport is any indication of what things might be like in the NHL, then Koskinen could be in for a wake up call.

DiPietro Out 4-6 Weeks with Broken Face

2011-02-04T15:21:00.001-05:00

It went from embarrassing to serious very quickly for Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro, who announced Friday he will miss 4-6 weeks because of numerous facial fractures resulting from a punch he took from Penguins goalie Brent Johnson during Wednesday’s 3-0 loss in Pittsburgh. DiPietro lost the fight to Johnson after that one punch to his cheek.

To watch the fight, click here.

On top of that, there’s swelling again in DiPietro's surgically repaired left knee, which very much puts in jeopardy the rest of the beleaguered netminder’s season.

“It’s unfortunate and frustrating and every other emotion you can throw in there,” DiPietro said at the Coliseum while in street clothes. “You don’t ever want a broken face to be the reason for extra rest, but you keep telling yourself everything happens for a reason. I’m not sure what that reason is yet, but I’m sure at some point it will come to the surface and make when we win the Stanley Cup that much sweeter.”

The original X-rays taken on DiPietro’s face in Pittsburgh came back negative, but upon returning to New York, the CT scan showed multiple fractures.

“I can’t sit here and tell you how long it’s going to take my bones to heal,” DiPietro added, “but I’ll drink a lot of milk and say a lot of prayers and hopefully this thing heals up quick.”

DiPietro has a 7-10-4 record with a 3.36 goals-against average and .890 save percentage in 21 games this season.

I don't even know what to say. I hope he heals quick because Ricky is the nicest guy and deserves better. He works so hard and is the ultimate teammate. Hopefully he comes back in top shape and can stay healthy for the future.

Sanchez Will Not Need Shoulder Surgery

2011-02-04T15:13:00.001-05:00

Mark Sanchez ended several weeks of speculation about his injured throwing shoulder, delivering a final verdict Thursday night -- no surgery.

The New York Jets quarterback, who underwent an MRI exam the day after the AFC Championship Game, said he received the news this week from Jets doctor Ken Montgomery, who consulted with shoulder specialists.

Sanchez said he was "absolutely" relieved to hear the news; the last thing he wanted was another offseason of rehabilitation. A year ago, he spent most of the offseason rehabbing from knee surgery.

"They were just really pleased with the way things have healed," Sanchez told five reporters before a promotional appearance at a resort hotel. "The swelling and bruising type stuff is gone, so they're really happy about that. ... That's good news."

Sanchez is planning to have one more shoulder exam with the team doctor before March 3, the day before a possible lockout would begin. In the meantime, he said the doctors prescribed "active rest," meaning a regimen of rehab exercises and stretching. He threw lightly earlier this week.

"[Montgomery] said it's not going to be a sit-around-and-see-how-you-feel-in-August-type thing," said Sanchez, relaxed and in good spirits. "I said of course not. I'm committed to the team, number one. I'll do everything I can mentally and physically to be ready to play, and I know I will."

Sanchez hurt his shoulder Dec. 19 at Pittsburgh, although he never missed a play. He underwent an MRI exam the following day. For the remainder of the season, the team referred to it as a "sore" shoulder.

Sanchez battled through the injury for the next five games, including three postseason starts. He admitted "it was painful, but nothing I couldn't handle." He was limited in practice, but he actually played well with the injury. He said he didn't take any painkilling injections.

With a possible lockout looming, Sanchez said he will look to organize informal workouts with teammates, perhaps a reprisal of the "Jets West" camp he hosted last offseason near his home in Southern California.

Sanchez arrived in the North Texas area for a whirlwind of pre-Super Bowl activities. He admitted it was weird to be so close to the Super Bowl site after falling one game short. He issued a quasi-guarantee for 2011.

"We expect to be right where we were, and one game further," he said, adding, "It was weird, just seeing the Super Bowl logo everywhere, seeing the Steelers' logo. It's like, 'Man, we were so close.'"

Cano Signs on as the Latest Boras Client

2011-02-04T15:06:00.000-05:00

It just got that much harder to re-sign Robinson Cano once he is ready to become an unrestricted free agent. The Yankees All-Star second baseman has hired super agent Scott Boras as his agent, a source told ESPNdeportes.com.

The All-Star second baseman and Boras had a meeting Friday in San Pedro de Macoris, Cano's hometown, and they even played some ball before a crowd of onlookers.

Cano, who finished third in AL MVP voting for 2010, was previously represented by agent Bobby Barad.

In 2011 he will play the last year of his $30 million contract signed in 2008. New York has options for $10 million and $14 million in 2012 and 2013.

Cano, 28, has a .309 career batting average in six seasons with the Yankees. He hit .319 with 29 home runs, 41 doubles and 109 RBIs and scored 103 runs in 2010, receiving the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards.

Boras is known for being extremely demanding in negotiations and general managers often are scared away from signing top players because of that. Boras gets the very best for all of his clients and even though he may be tough to negotiate with, the Yankees will not let that get in the way of resigning their star second baseman in the future.

Andy Pettitte Hangs 'Em Up

2011-02-03T23:55:00.001-05:00

Andy Pettitte, who has toyed with the idea of retirement since the 2006 offseason, has officially decided that his time has come and he will announce his retirement tomorrow during a press conference at Yankee Stadium.

Pettitte, baseball's all-time leader in postseason victories (19), flew to New York yesterday afternoon and is scheduled to make his announcement official Friday morning.

His decision, which the Yankees did not try to talk him out of, is another blow to the team's rotation, the first being when Cliff Lee chose to pitch for the Phillies.

The Core Four is down to three. Jorge Posada, moving from catcher to DH this season, is probably not going to be back in 2012. Mariano Rivera has two more years on his new deal, while Derek Jeter has three and an option for a fourth.

"It is just one more person gone from that special time in New York," said former Yankee warrior Paul O'Neill, who won four championships with Jeter, Pettitte and Rivera.

Pettitte added a fifth ring in 2009, but the Yankees now go into 2011 in an unfamiliar role -- they are not the favorites to win it all. In fact, they have a rotation short on sure things.

Even with Pettitte, the rotation had question marks; now the hole he leaves is gaping. As of now, Phil Hughes, A.J. Burnett, Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre follow CC Sabathia.

General manager Brian Cashman, who did not return a call but is expected to attend today's news conference, said all winter he assumed Pettitte wasn't going to pitch in 2011. He brought in Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia in the last week on minor-league contracts to compete for a rotation spot.

Nova, 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in his career, is in position to win the Yankees' fourth starter spot. The fifth slot is up for grabs between Garcia, Colon and Mitre. The Yankees do feel they are stocked with potential starters in the minors, but the best of the best -- Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances -- are more likely to arrive in 2012 than 2011.

Cashman could add another past-his-prime guy like Kevin Millwood, but to really replace Pettitte, especially after failing to sign Cliff Lee, Cashman will likely need to practice patience. Still, the Yankees will be waiting to pounce on any top-of-the-line starter, via trade, that becomes available.

But although Pettitte had said he was leaning toward retirement, there was hope within the organization that he would return for a 17th season. After all, Pettitte had vacillated in previous years and decided to return each time. Hope increased when he recently began throwing at his home in Deer Park, Texas.

"I'm really sad that Andy is going to retire,'' said Posada, who caught Pettitte from 1995-2003 and 2007-10. "He was so much more than a teammate to me - he was one of my closest friends. I admire everything that he has accomplished as a Yankee, but Andy was someone who always put the team first. I'm going to miss him deeply."

Pettitte finishes his career 240-138 with a 3.88 ERA in 16 seasons - 13 with the Yankees - and likely will be remembered for his performances when the pressure was most intense. He went 19-10 in the postseason, winning all three series-clinching games in the Yankees' run to the 2009 World Series title.
His 203 victories as a Yankee trail only Whitey Ford (236) and Red Ruffing (231).

Pettitte was off to the best start of his career in 2010 - 11-2 with a 2.70 ERA - before suffering a groin injury in his first start after the All-Star break. It cost him nine weeks of the season, and he finished 11-3 with a 3.28 ERA. He then beat the Twins in Game 2 of the ALDS and lost Game 3 of the ALCS to Lee and the Rangers.

Instead - he said then and at other times when asked about it - his decision would come down to family. He and his wife, Laura, have three sons and a daughter.

"Those off-days get hard, trying to fly home to see your family for a day, 24 hours. That's a tough deal," Pettitte said in October. "The kids are getting to an age where I want to be home."

After this morning's news conference, Pettitte will head there, presumably for good.

Pettitte's retirement really comes as a shock to no one because he never has waited this long to decide in years past and when he walked out of the clubhouse after the Yankees series-clinching Game 6 loss to the Texas Rangers in the ALCS he told his teammates "I probably won't be back."

He is arguably the greatest clutch pitcher of all-time, but that is a debate for another time. His value to the team is often understated, just ask O'Neill. "He's going to be missed more as someone for the younger guys to lean on," O'Neill told ESPNNewYork.com. "He's going to be missed every fifth day, but I still think and feel Andy was the leader and lot of people didn't realize it."

"Usually, someone you consider a big-game pitcher has a fiery personality, but Andy was laid back until he took the mound," said O'Neill, now a Yankees broadcaster on YES. "He has been the staple of that pitching staff. Even with bigger names and everything, people looked to him. I think he is going to be missed in that respect as much as pitching the important games."

The Yankees right now have placeholders to fill in for Pettitte. A big-time, big-game starter is tougher to find. Especially one who might never have led the rotation, but was a leader in the clubhouse.

Freddy Garcia Signs with Yanks on Minor League Deal

2011-02-01T22:36:00.002-05:00

Like I predicted, the Yankees added competition to their fight for the fifth starter's role as the signed former Mariner and White Sox pitcher Freddy Garcia to a minor league contract.

Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre are among the other candidates in the mix for spots in manager Joe Girardi's rotation. Garcia, Nova and Mitre will have to fight off challenges from recently acquired right-hander Bartolo Colon and several prospects the Yankees believe are nearly big league ready.

Garcia will receive a $1.5 million base salary if he makes the big league club. He can earn $3.6 million in possible incentives, topping out at 30 starts, according to a source. It also lets Garcia opt out by March 29, according to a report.

This move is a better signing and potentially more rewarding than the signing of Bartolo Colon but as the saying goes "the best of people come out when there is competition for their job." Garcia has fought through numerous shoulder injuries over the last few seasons, three to be exact.

He bounced back from three injury-interrupted seasons to pitch well for the White Sox last season. The Yankees got a close-up look at him when he threw seven impressive innings to beat them in Chicago on Aug. 27. Garcia also lost at Yankee Stadium in late April.

Garcia enjoyed successful, durable years early in his career with Seattle. He went 17-8 as a rookie in 1999 and was 18-6 with an American League-leading 3.05 ERA and 238 2/3 innings in 2001. He was an All-Star for Seattle in 2001 and 2002.

Garcia has the ability to be a lights out starter when he's on, but the problem is he isn't always on because of his ongoing shoulder injuries. Garcia's deal is a better deal for the Yankees than the Colon deal because Garcia is younger, weighs less and has a better repertoire than Colon does.

I think Garcia is possibly the best candidate to win the fifth starter's role because of his experience and his big-game ability. He has pitched in the postseason and has experience in a playoff run, as he was a part of the Mariners team that won 116 games in the 2001 season.

My prediction is that Freddy Garcia will be sticking around longer than Bartolo Colon will be this Spring Training.

Isles Re-up Moulson for Three More Years

2011-01-28T14:32:00.003-05:00

Forget all the trade rumors of Matt Moulson going to the Boston Bruins. Forget the talk that the Islanders can't afford Moulson and that he doesn't want to stay on Long Island.

Why forget it, you may ask? Well, the Islanders have signed Moulson to a three-year contract extension worth $9.4 million that will kick in after this season.

Moulson, 27, has 29 points (17 goals, 12 assists) in 49 games this season in his second season with the Islanders.

Last year, the North York, ON, native led all Islanders in goals (30), while also establishing career highs in assists (18), points (48) and games played (82). Moulson has yet to miss a game through his two seasons with the Islanders, currently leading the team with 131 consecutive games played.

Moulson decided that the loyalty factor was a big deal and remained loyal to the team that gave him his first real shot in the NHL. Moulson is thrilled to remain on Long Island for the next three years, as he continuously stated that it was the place he wanted to be.

“I’m extremely excited to be a part of the team for the next three years,” Moulson said. “I love this organization. I love the guys that are a part of it. I’m just happy I’m not going anywhere.”

Signing the contract was extremely important to Moulson. It means he’ll get the opportunity to continue working with a team where he has built a strong bond.

“We’re a tight bunch of guys,” Moulson said. “We’re like a family. It’s tough to leave people like that. I love the fans, love the area. I love Long Island. So this is somewhere that I wanted to be, somewhere my wife wanted to be and we’re just extremely excited to be able to be here for the next three years.”

That closeness between the players is what makes this signing even more special. It's also that closeness that enables the guys to want to go to battle for each other every night. As players and teammates, they depend on each other to keep working hard to move the team in the right direction and to hopefully, in the not-to-distant future, bring the Stanley Cup back to Long Island.

“We want to win for each other,” Moulson said. “We’re like a family inside that locker room. Obviously winning is a lot more fun, but when it’s with guys you’re close with, it’s even more special. We’re never going to lose hope, we’re never going to stop working and I think we’re just growing closer and closer each day.”

Moulson being locked up is a great sign for an Islanders franchise that has an uncertain future. The team is in search for a new arena but have been unable to obtain one. Their lease with Nassau Coliseum runs out after the 2015 season.

Signing Moulson was so important for the Islanders because it shows Islanders faithful that their team is committed to keeping and developing their young star talents and that they will not be stopped when they want to pony up some cash for their young guns.

This also keeps their franchise face, John Tavares, very happy because it keeps the best friends together. Tavares and Moulson have been roommates and linemates since they both came to the Islanders and they have developed a chemistry that can't be understated.

With 33 games remaining in the season, Moulson now can put all his focus into setting a new career high in goals - he currently has 17 in 49 games. His previous career high was 30, set last season in Moulson's breakout campaign.

“Hopefully I can just be part of a group of guys that gets this team back into the win column and back in to the winning tradition of the Islanders,” Moulson said. “I’m just honored and thankful to be a part of that. We still have a lot of games to play this season. And I’ve worked on a lot of things to get wins this season. So every single day, for everyone on the team, hopefully we can just continue to grow and mature as players and as a team to develop something special.”

Now that Moulson will be on the Island through 2014, he will have that chance to bring the winning tradition back to Long Island.

Yankees Sign Bartolo Colon to Minor League Deal

2011-01-26T15:02:00.000-05:00

So the Yankees decided they needed a new starting pitcher for their rotation. They have signed 38 year-old starting pitcher Bartolo Colon to a minor league deal.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that Colon will earn $900K in the majors and has the right to be released if he isn't on the team after Spring Training.

Colon, 38 in May, last pitched in the majors for the 2009 White Sox. He started 12 games for Chicago and posted a 4.19 ERA with 5.5 K/9, 3.0 BB/9 and a 44.4% ground ball rate in 62 1/3 innings. Before that he pitched for the Red Sox, where he was effective for a seven-start stint in 2008. Colon's last standout season came in 2005, when he won the Cy Young Award for the Angels.

Colon, 37, didn't pitch in the majors last season. He last appeared in the majors in 12 games for the White Sox in 2009, going 3-6 with a 4.19 ERA.

In 13 major league seasons with the Indians, Montreal Expos, White Sox, Angels and Red Sox, Colon has a 153-103 record with a 4.10 ERA. He averages 7.0 strikeouts and 3.1 walks per game for his career.

The Yankees lost out on free-agent left-hander Cliff Lee, leaving the rotation thin behind CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett.

General manager Brian Cashman has said the team is searching for another starter, but he also has called the free-agent market, after Lee, a weak one.

I don't see Colon making the team out of Spring Training and I see the team signing other pitchers to fill the spot they are hoping Colon is able to fill himself. He is vastly overweight, very old and hasn't pitched a full season in the majors since 2005.

He also has numerous injuries that usually are the kiss of death for pitchers, and that's been proven right so far, such as shoulder and elbow injuries.

This signing is a security blanket for if they aren't able to sign anyone else and it's a great signing with no risks because if he doesn't make the team, he gets cut and not paid but if he makes the team and pitches well the Yankees get a fifth starter for $900,000.

My money is on him getting cut, though, as I said. We'll see once Spring Training finishes up at the end of March.

Isles Suspend Nabokov After He Fails to Report

2011-01-26T14:54:00.001-05:00

The New York Islanders have suspended recently claimed goalie, Evgeni Nabokov, for failing to report to the team. The 35-year-old goaltender signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings on Jan 20.

As per the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement, if a player claimed off waivers in this situation does not report to the team he was claimed by, he will not be permitted to play for another team in the NHL that season.

Nabokov’s agent, Don Meehan, never contacted the Islanders to request the professional courtesy of not claiming the goalie off the waiver wire. There were no calls to suggest that Nabokov would not report to the Islanders if they selected him. There was only word, sent out via the national hockey media, that Nabakov wanted the opportunity to be a No. 1 goaltender somewhere.

So the Islanders, with one injured goalie (Nathan Lawson), one still attempting a comeback (Rick DiPietro) and one top prospect better served in the minors (Kevin Poulin), claimed Nabokov. He did not report. Nabokov is within his rights to blow off the Islanders, but he could have handled this better.

Two other issues regarding Nabokov: calling a member of the media and taking a shot at a team - “I was like, ‘Wow, what’s the point”? he told Pierre Lebrun of ESPN about the NYI claiming him - before speaking with Garth Snow was bad form from a solid professional. Also, the goalie told Lebrun that he hasn’t skated in a while. He hasn’t played since November. He is 35. When, exactly, is he going to be ready to help the Islanders or any other NHL team? It’s almost February.

Of course, Nabokov has every chance to make it right should he decide to report to the Islanders this week.

Islanders Claim Evgeni Nabokov, Nabokov Not Reporting?

2011-01-23T16:26:00.004-05:00

The Detroit Red Wings were desperate for a goaltender. They lost Chris Osgood for six to eight weeks with a sports hernia injury and starting goaltender Jimmy Howard has been out with a knee injury.

Their current starting goaltender, Joey MacDonald, is not exactly someone that comes with a lot of faith, just ask Islanders fans about his 2008-2009 horrid season with the team.

So with those thoughts in GM Ken Holland's mind, he set out to sign the best available goaltender on the market to alleviate the pain caused by the losses of Osgood and Howard by signing 35 year-old former Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov after he was released from his contract in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

The Red Wings signed Nabokov to a one year, $570,000 contract for the remainder of the season and the only thing between Nabokov officially signing with the Red Wings was him clearing waivers.

The rules of the waivers system are that Nabokov is offered to the other 29 NHL clubs (in reverse order of the standings) at the same price the Red Wings signed him for. If he clears waivers without another team claiming him, then he becomes property of the Red Wings.

The problem for the Red Wings is the New York Islanders have claimed the goaltender and he is now property of the Islanders.

Nabokov is a great fit for the Islanders because they have a glaring need in the net since they traded Dwayne Roloson on New Years Day. Since then, Rick DiPietro has been sidelined with a groin injury and the flu, Nathan Lawson has been shoddy in net and Kevin Poulin is only 20 years-old. The part that confuses many, though, is that the Islanders are in third-to-last place in the NHL, so why would they block the Red Wings like that?

That's not the part I am here to focus on, I am focusing on the effect this signing has on the other Islander goalies and how it helps Kevin Poulin.

With the signing of Nabokov, the Islanders have the capability to send Poulin back to the AHL to develop more, as many see him as the future netminder of the franchise. Poulin has held his own since being called up, but could use some more seasoning in the AHL. They can also send Lawson back to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers so he can back-up Poulin. The signing of Nabokov gives the Islanders the ability to keep Rick DiPietro healthy by splitting the starting duty between the two netminders.

The problem the Islanders now have, though, is Nabokov is refusing to report to the team.

As per the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement, if a player claimed off waivers in this situation does not report to the team he was claimed by, he will not be permitted to play for another team in the NHL that season. Also per CBA rules, Nabokov cannot be used as an asset in a trade to another team, now that the Islanders have plucked him off the waiver wire after he signed a contract with Detroit.

If Nabokov fails to report the Isles have two options: they could suspend him for not reporting, but that probably won't accomplish much, or they could put him back on waivers. The latter option means the Wings -- and other NHL clubs -- now have a second shot at landing Nabokov.

Isles GM Garth Snow thinks Nabokov will, in fact, report. “They are making his jersey as we speak,” Snow said. “We have reserved a flight tomorrow for him to get to Long Island as soon as possible.

“Every thing is on the up-and-up,” Snow said. “I am waiting to speak to the player, but we have spoken to his agent Don Meehan and, as a veteran in this business he knows what is to come next.”

Islanders Trade Roloson to Lightning

2011-01-01T23:39:00.002-05:00

First, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

Now, onto the news. The Islanders have traded 41-year old goaltender Dwayne Roloson to the Tampa Bay Lightning for 22-year old defenseman Ty Wishart. Wishart will report to the Islanders' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

Wishart, 22, was the San Jose Sharks’ first round draft choice, 16th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He was acquired by the Lightning in the deal that sent defenseman Dan Boyle to the Sharks. Currently in his third professional season, the 6’4”, 222-pound defenseman from Belleville, ON, has 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) in 31 games with the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League.

The Islanders’ newest defenseman has played in five career NHL games, all with Tampa Bay, and recorded one assist with an even rating. In 173 career AHL games with Norfolk and the Worcester Sharks, Wishart has 14 goals and 43 assists for 57 points. Before turning pro, Wishart played four years of junior hockey in the Western Hockey League with the Prince George Cougars and the Moose Jaw Warriors.

Roloson has a 6-13-1 record this season with a 2.64 goals against average (GAA) and a .916 save percentage. The Simcoe, ON, native has a 196-229-42-33 career record with a 2.64 GAA and a .910 save percentage in 532 NHL games. Roloson is just the 11th goaltender in NHL history to play a game after his 41st birthday.

This could turn out to be a good deal for the Islanders because long term, Wishart projects as a top pairing defenseman who plays a lot of minutes and who contributes at both ends of the ice.

Wishart has excellent size, is mobile and has the hockey sense to be a dominant defenseman. He possesses good offensive tools with a heavy shot and good vision in the offensive zone. He does not play the punishing game that is expected of a player of his size, but he is a skilled defender who knows how to use positioning and angles to his advantage. Wishart has continued to improve in two seasons at the AHL level and is on the cusp of being NHL-ready.

I am willing to bet that Wishart comes up to play full-time for the Islanders in a few weeks and when he does, he probably will play big minutes.

After Further Consideration...Sanchez to Start Against Bills Sunday

2010-12-31T13:39:00.001-05:00

The Jets have nothing to play for this Sunday afternoon against the Buffalo Bills, something that we are now able to say not thanks to the Jets themselves, but thanks to the Washington Redskins. Because the Redskins beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in overtime last Sunday, the Jets clinched a playoff berth in consecutive seasons for only the fifth time in franchise history.

You would think that because the Jets clinched they would take this time to rest some players with some dings and injuries, and, for the most part, you would be correct in thinking that; however, one player that will be playing is quarterback Mark Sanchez. Head coach Rex Ryan said Sanchez practiced well on Thursday, and that cemented Ryan's decision to start him.

Yes, he has that slight tear in his throwing shoulder, but he has actually played better with it and the Jets don't want to ruin Sanchez's rhythm. Sanchez has played very well the last two games against the Steelers and Bears defenses with a quarterback rating of 82.8, completing 65.2% of his passes for 439 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Coach Rex Ryan doesn't want to ruin that rhythm or the routine that Sanchez has established. "More than anything it's just that routine he's established," Ryan said. "He's got a good thing going right now and he's comfortable and I just want to keep that going. And the other thing [is] we could be playing a Saturday game and if we are all of a sudden, you haven't done anything, and all of a sudden you're on a short week."

Sanchez won't play the entire game, though, and how long he will play has yet to be determined. "He looked good, had some on the ball and all that stuff, so we'll go ahead and start Mark this game," Ryan said. "How long he plays, we'll just determine that as the game goes. But he will start for us."

Fullback Tony Richardson said that the blockers would do their best to protect Sanchez's shoulder leading up to the postseason.

"Our mindset with anything is make sure he's well protected and not taking any hits and make plays for him," Richardson said. "And as long as he's in there we're going to go out there and protect him, and try to do things to help our offense move the ball down the field."

It's clear what Coach Ryan's gut is telling him, though -- see his immediate reaction after the game -- but the league frowns upon teams taking a "preseason" approach to late-season games when nothing is on the line. This is an unusual position for the Jets, as this is the first time since 1998 that they clinched a playoff spot before the final game.

Ryan sent mixed signals. He expressed the importance of winning and not easing up, but in his next sentence, he also predicted substantial playing time for the younger players. That group includes running back Joe McKnight, defensive end Vernon Gholston, cornerback Kyle Wilson, fullback John Conner and defensive tackle Marcus Dixon.

But the decision has been made and Sanchez will start against the Bills. This is a good decision because Sanchez has been god awful when faced with a long layoff between games. Three of his worst outings came after 11-, 14- and 11-day layoffs. Against the Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots, respectively, he completed only 47 percent of his passes and threw five interceptions with no touchdowns.

Ryan acknowledged he's aware of that trend, claiming, "It's an interesting thing and ... I've been reminded of it a bunch."

Sanchez was at his best in "the tournament," as Bill Parcells used to call it, last season and has to be even better if the Jets are to go all the way as they always proclaim they will. Sanchez gives the Jets the best chance to win this game on Sunday, but the real focus is on next weekend when the road to the Super Bowl begins. Whether the Jets play the Chiefs or Colts/Jaguars in that round one match up will be determined this Sunday.

Teixeira Says Pettitte Leaning Towards Retirement

2010-12-29T13:58:00.005-05:00

New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira has been exchanging text messages with Andy Pettitte during the offseason as Pettitte sits at home in Deer Park, Texas, deciding whether to pitch for the Yankees in 2011 or retire.

Teixeira said on Tuesday that, through his communication with Pettitte, he's gotten the sense that the veteran left-hander is "leaning toward retirement." But the Yankees first baseman is holding out hope that Pettitte will return to a Yankees rotation that sorely needs him next season.

The Yankees are hoping that those thoughts change in the next month and a half because they desperately need Pettitte to fill out their rotation that already has question marks at the back end. Even with Pettitte, the Yankees, as it stands now, have to rely on either a rookie or highly inexperienced starter to fill out the back two spots of their rotation. Without Pettitte the Yankees have a starting rotation with serious holes, with the uncertainty of AJ Burnett, Sergio Mitre, Ivan Nova and whether or not Phil Hughes can repeat his 18 win season. This is something that has left many uneasy and really trying to convince Pettitte to return for the 2011 season.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman echoed similar sentiments about Pettitte earlier this month. Pettitte, 38, is coming off one of the best seasons of his 16-year career. He finished 2010 with an 11-3 record and a 3.28 ERA. He missed most of the second half with a groin injury but returned late in the regular season. He went 1-1 with a 2.57 ERA in two playoff starts for the Bombers, who were eliminated in the ALCS by the Texas Rangers.

For the past two seasons, Pettitte has used the offseason to decide whether to return to baseball or retire. He pitched last season on a one-year, $11.75 million contract. He indicated after the Yankees' Game 6 loss to the Rangers in Texas that he was leaning toward retirement.

But Teixeira hopes that Pettitte changes his mind in the next few weeks and shows up in Tampa on Feb. 14, when pitchers and catchers report to the Yankees' spring training complex, and quite honestly, so do many others.

The Yankees need Andy Pettitte badly and they know it. I don't think they are overly comfortable with their rotation without Pettitte and if he decides to retire I think the Yankees would make a move to acquire a starting pitcher with a reputation; someone like Mark Buehrle, Carlos Zambrano or Edwin Jackson.

If the Yankees do re-sign Pettitte I think the Yankees would like to see Ivan Nova fill out that last spot in the rotation instead of having to rely on Sergio Mitre, who has been mediocre at best each time on the bump.

Pettitte, who made $11.75 million last season, has increased financial leverage now that Cliff Lee spurned the Yankees and is headed to Philadelphia. His 2010 salary was very low for someone that was essentially the number two starter and Pettitte has said he will not come back if the Yanks low ball him with another incentive-laden deal.

Here's to hoping Pettitte decides to return in 2011 because the Yankees need him badly now more than ever.

Islanders Trade Wisniewski To Habs

2010-12-28T20:06:00.001-05:00

The Islanders have traded James Wisniewski to Montreal for a second round pick in 2011. If the Canadiens make the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs and Wisniewski plays in at least 50-percent of the Canadiens' playoff games, the Islanders will receive the Canadiens' 2012 fifth-round pick as well; if that pick is unavailable the Islanders will get a fourth-round pick in 2013. The second rounder is the Canadiens’ compensatory pick for not signing a recent first round selection. The 26-year-old Wisniewski is having a career offensive season for the Islanders, with his 21 points tying him for the team lead. He also has a team-best 18 assists.

Since he won’t be asked to be the man in Montreal, Wisniewski - unable to shoulder the load when Mark Streit was sidelined with a serious shoulder injury - should be okay for the Habs. Some more wheel-spinning for the Islanders, but good value for Garth Snow. According to Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet, the compensatory pick should be around 50th overall.

No problem with the timing here; if Snow waited any longer, I doubt Wisniewski’s value was going to go up. The Canadiens got the player they targeted. The Islanders got as much as they could get.

Even still though, you have to wonder, why trade Wiz? At 26 years old and $3 million he is young enough and skilled enough to be considered part of the rebuilding process. Now we can only wonder what next year could have been like with Wiz and Streit on the point together, unless the Islanders re-sign Wisniewski in the offseason. That is a possibility, but it doesn't seem likely, but we'll have to wait until July to know for sure.

Wiz is a stand-up guy that was well liked in the locker room that provided great leadership and hard work day in and day out. My guess is that the emergence of Andy MacDonald and Travis Hamonic as the top pairing on the team (and legitimate NHL pairing) enabled Snow to pull the trigger on this one.

Last season with Anaheim, Wisniewski finished second among Ducks defensemen in scoring with a career-high 30 points (three goals and 27 assists) in 69 games. He also led the Ducks in blocked shots with 102, ranked second on the team with 129 hits and finished fourth among skaters in average ice time at 24:20. Wisniewski was Chicago’s fifth round selection (156th overall) in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.

Jets May Rest Sanchez Against Bills--His Health Key for Playoff Run

2010-12-27T18:14:00.001-05:00

After declaring in his postgame press conference Sunday that Mark Sanchez, who played with a slight cartilage tear in his throwing shoulder, would most likely sit out Sunday's regular-season finale against the Bills, Ryan today said he may prefer to keep Sanchez and the hot offense going for at least part of Sunday's game.

"I don't want to say 100 percent he's out or he's in," Ryan said on a conference call from Chicago, where the team was stuck for another day with the storm shutting down airports at home. "I don't know if [sitting out] is best for him. Obviously his health is the No. 1 priority. But we can't afford to have him take a dip here heading into the playoffs."

Sanchez had two miserable games before he pulled himself together in the win over the Steelers. He threw for a touchdown on Sunday and was clearly not the cause of the 38-34 loss.

And Ryan still sees a benefit to playing his healthy starters to get to 11 wins and avoid going into the postseason having lost four of five.

"I want to win this game," he said. "It's important to win this game. We want to go in [to the playoffs] with a win."

The Jets don't have much to gain by beating the Bills, although they can improve their seed from No. 6 to No. 5. Even then, they'd still have to go on the road for the first round of the playoffs.

Sanchez has improved his accuracy over the last two games too. He has completed 65 percent of his passes for 439 yards, one touchdown and one interception. With the once-vaunted defense struggling, the Jets may have to rely on Sanchez and the offense in the playoffs.

"My first thought was, 'Let's not even play him,' " Ryan said. "But two things: I want to win this game. It's important to win this game. If we get to 11 wins, it's happened only five times in the history of the franchise. That would be huge. Plus, you want to go in with a win.

"But his health is the No. 1 concern. It's a fine line. He's hot right now. We need him to stay at this level. ... So those are the things we'll consider. I don't want to say he's 100 percent in or out, to be honest."

Sanchez's health was a concern, but he made it through the game without any apparent problems. Sanchez (24-for-37, 269 yards, one touchdown) played well until his final pass, when he was intercepted by Bears safety Chris Harris in the final minute.

Afterward, Sanchez acknowledged that his right shoulder is "pretty sore." He has a slight cartilage tear in his throwing shoulder. Sanchez said he'd like to play next week, but he recognized the importance of rest.

"This isn't my 18th year, so I need as many reps as possible," he said. "With the situation we're in now, with my shoulder, we want to see how it responds to the game. We'll take it day to day. I'm with Coach. Whatever he thinks is best for me and the team, we'll handle it like that."

But the fact Sanchez' health already looms as a key playoff story line is itself a story line.

The Jets and their quarterback have come a long way from Week 1, when coaches resumed the 2009 game plan of merely trying to prevent Sanchez from losing games.

That night he totaled a season-low 10 completions in a season-low 21 attempts for a season-low 74 yards in a 10-9 loss to the Ravens.

Since then Sanchez has grown while the defense has regressed compared to last season, a reality that was clear throughout the loss to the Bears.

But it's fair to say Sanchez has improved enough to where the Jets don't have to be great on defense to win, only better than they were against the Bears - and, obviously, the Patriots.

Sanchez looked good for most of Sunday, finishing the first half 13-for-15 for 156 yards, with one of the misses being a key drop in the end zone by Dustin Keller.

The second-year, 24-year-old quarterback now is 2-for-2 making the playoffs and can no longer use Ryan's formerly feared defense as a crutch.

But in a season in which the Jets generally have gone as the quarterback has, and in which their pass rush has evaporated and their secondary has looked confused at times, he might be their best hope.

Not that Sanchez is quite ready to look at it that way.

"We're all going to have to do it at the same time if we're going to make a run like we did last year," he said. "We know we're a tough matchup for some people.

"We have great wideouts. We have great offensive linemen. When the defense is on, they are on, and there's no stopping them. You can't throw it anywhere, or you can't run anywhere."

Note the interesting choice of words: "When the defense is on."

Remember when that was a given?

So What Went Wrong For Jets?

2010-12-27T15:23:00.002-05:00

There were four big issues that led to this loss by the Jets: the defense, the fake punt on fourth down while up a touchdown, the punting game and the decision to keep Shonn Greene on the sideline for much of the fourth quarter.

The Jets (10-5) are a wounded team, at least on one side of the ball. After befuddling Bears quarterback Jay Cutler for the first half, the defense suffered an unimaginable, 21-point meltdown in the third quarter. New York Giants-esque anyone? Never mind. They allowed three touchdown passes and 117 yards through the air in that third quarter, negating another encouraging performance by Mark Sanchez and the offense.

"It's a huge, huge deal that we have to get fixed," head coach Rex Ryan said of the defensive slide.

So much for building momentum for the postseason.

In the third quarter, Cutler threw all three of those touchdown passes for more than 21 yards, something he had only done twice before all season. The Jets defense couldn't stop Betty White coming down the sideline. Their once stout run defense gave up its first 100 yard rusher on the season and they again gave up over 300 total yards of offense. Their pass rush was non-existent and their lack of safety depth was severely exposed throughout the game.

Coach Ryan said about the inability to stop anything on defense, "We couldn't stop a nosebleed then. Everybody has to step up. It would've been easy if it was just one guy's mistakes or whatever, but you have to give them credit. When [quarterback Jay] Cutler is hot, he's as good as there is."

The Jets had several breakdowns in the second half and didn't look very good schematically. They also were caught with only 10 men on the field on Devin Hester's 25-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter.

One of a few head-scratching moves came on fourth-and-3 early in the third, when the Jets attempted a fake punt that backfired worse than an old clunker.

Sanchez lined up as an upback in front of punter Steve Weatherford, took the snap and rolled right, looking to hit Brad Smith. But Smith dropped the ball, setting up the Bears at the Jets' 40 and leading to some serious second-guessing. "The defender made a pretty good play," Sanchez said. "I thought it was the right call at that time. We get that and [Mike] Westhoff is a hero. High risk, high reward."

On the next play, Cutler hit Johnny Knox streaking down the right side for a 40-yard touchdown, squaring things at 24-24.

Rashied Davis, the Bears' special teamer who broke the play up, wasn't impressed with the call by Ryan.

"We knew it was a fake, everybody knew it was a fake," Davis said. "You leave your starting receiver out there, you shift Brad Smith over to [the] side and bring the starting quarterback back into the game, you knew it was a fake. You just have to diagnose and figure out what is happening and what they are trying to do to you. At first, I thought they were going to keep Smith in the backfield and try to run some kind of option, or direct snap or misdirection or something like that. But once they shifted him out, it was obvious they were going to throw the ball to him. You can't throw it to the receiver out wide because there is no pass interference."

Everyone and their mother knew it was going to be a fake with Sanchez standing on the field in the punt formation, but even if it wasn't Sanchez, it still would have been very ease to determine that the play would be a fake punt because there was a player standing directly in front of the punter.

Are you kidding me?

Watching the game with my friends yesterday, I had been yelling to them how they were going to call a fake when I watched them line up. I also told them that it was an awful call up seven points in the middle of the third quarter in their own territory. Sure enough, it backfired big time because that was the turning point of the game.

The next dubious call, or calls depending how you choose to look at it, was the decision to actually punt the ball to Devin Hester and they got burned because of it. Punting away from Hester was the very thing Ryan said the Jets weren't going to do too. He took one back 38 yards to the Jets' 32, and three plays later, Cutler found Hester, who beat Drew Coleman for a 25-yard touchdown reception that gave Chicago a 31-24 lead.

That punt wasn't even supposed to go to Hester, leaving punter Steve Weatherford less than thrilled with his performance. "No, because he had a 40-yard return on me," Weatherford said. "I'm not satisfied, but that's the mystique of playing up here. It's a tough place to kick and they have the best returner in the game."

Sanchez's 23-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes tied it at 31, but the Jets' defensive struggles on those short fields continued. Hester's 40-yard kickoff return to the Jets' 49 set up Knox's 26-yard touchdown reception over Antonio Cromartie that gave the Bears a 38-31 lead.

Finally we get to the Jets decision to rely on LaDainian Tomlinson instead of Shonn Greene throughout the fourth quarter. Why? Good question because I don't have the answer either.

Shonn Greene averaged 6.2 per rush through the first three quarters, but received only two carries in the final stanza. Inexplicably, they leaned on LaDainian Tomlinson (2.2 per rush). That was ill-advised play calling. Futhermore, the field conditions at Soldier Field yesterday called for the type of runner that Shonn Greene is: an uphill runner that will pound it down your throat. LT is a finesse runner, Shonn Greene was definitely better suited for the slippery turf in Chicago yesterday.

If the Jets plan on winning the Super Bowl they better fix the leaking holes in their defense because another game like this next week and they will need dams to fix it. Their lack of safety depth is showing and it's hurting the ability of Antonio Cromartie to play his best game. Their inability to rush the passer yesterday must change because Cutler had way too much time to make decisions yesterday, carving up the defense ad nauseam.

Jets Lose in Chicago, Back Into Playoffs--Defense Is Now Big Question

2010-12-27T14:22:00.000-05:00

If it was easy, they wouldn't be the New York Jets. Nothing is ever easy for this team, but they locked up a second straight trip to the playoffs Sunday, only the fifth time in franchise history they have gone to the postseason in back-to-back seasons.

With their 38-34 loss to the Bears in Chicago yesterday the Jets had to hold out hope that either Indianapolis or Jacksonville would lose, and Jacksonville did when Washington Redskins kicker Graham Gano kicked a game winning field goal in overtime to lock up a Jets playoff berth. But never mind the recent drama. Rex Ryan and the Jets are headed back to the playoffs, and they're not complaining even if they backed in with a loss.

Jay Cutler completed 13 of 25 passes for 215 yards and three touchdown passes, Matt Forte ran for a touchdown on 113 yards and 19 attempts in the Bears win, sending the Jets to their third loss in four games. Chris Harris intercepted Mark Sanchez on a pass intended for Santonio Holmes with about a minute left to end New York's comeback bid.

As Coach Ryan addressed the media after the game there was a loud roar from the coaches' locker room when the Jaguars lost, and Ryan stopped himself to talk about it.

"By the way, I think we're in the playoffs," he said. "Not the way I wanted it, but I'll take it."

It made for a surreal scene in the locker room because some players, like guard Brandon Moore, were disgusted by the loss. Others, like LaDainian Tomlinson, were giddy to be in the postseason. Some didn't know what to feel.

"We just lost a game, so I'm thinking, 'Am I allowed to celebrate?'" Keller said.

Quarterback Mark Sanchez was conflicted, saying he would have to check with backup/mentor Mark Brunell to find out the proper reaction for backing into the playoffs.

"I have no idea what that's supposed to feel like," he said.

Here's the big picture, the silver-lining view, if you will: Despite an inordinate number of off-the-field issues, from Darrelle Revis' holdout to TripGate to foot fetish videos, the Jets maintained their focus and gained consecutive playoff appearances for only the fifth time in franchise history. They did it with a second-year coach and a second-year quarterback.

Impressive stuff.

But there's the other view: After a fantastic 9-2 start, the Jets have dropped three of their past four games. They blew a possible No. 1 seed and blew a shot at the AFC East title. The most troubling thing is how their once-vaunted defense allowed 45 and 38 points in two of those losses. That's not the kind of late-season performance that inspires confidence.

And now they'll have an extra night in Chicago to savor it after a snowstorm delayed their return to New York.

Forte had a big game and, assuming those numbers stand, is the first opponent to run for 100 or more yards against the Jets this season. Pittsburgh's Rashard Mendenhall had a yard deducted after initially being credited with 100 last week. With 169 yards from scrimmage, Forte has 1,465 for the season and is the first player in franchise history with at least 1,400 in each of his first three NFL seasons. Forte and Hall of Famer Gale Sayers are the only Bears to record at least 1,000 yards from scrimmage in each of their first three NFL seasons.

Sanchez seemed to be just fine after playing most of last week's win over Pittsburgh with a shoulder injury. He threw for 269 yards and a touchdown, completing 24 of 37 passes after a sizzling start, but his interception sealed the win for Chicago and capped another wild week for New York that included more headline-grabbing distractions, mainly Ryan's foot fetish video with his wife.

"To lose the game and I still make the playoffs, that's the best news you can ever have after a loss," said Sanchez, who will likely sit out next week's game against Buffalo. Sanchez completed 13 of 15 passes for 156 yards in the first half, and the Jets led 24-17, but the momentum turned in a big way after halftime.

A fake punt by New York on the opening drive of the third quarter failed as Sanchez's pass to Brad Smith fell incomplete and things only got worse from there because Cutler tied it on the next play when he hit Knox in the end zone with a 40-yard touchdown, and in a flash, the Bears were leading thanks to two big plays by Devin Hester.

He returned a punt 38 yards to the New York 32, putting a neat juke on James Ihedigbo as he turned up the right side that caused his leg to give way and left him with a knee injury.

Then, Hester beat Drew Coleman and caught a 25-yard TD pass from Cutler along the left side that gave the Bears a short-lived 31-24 lead."That was disappointing to say the least," Ryan said. "I understand you get a play or two, but we're going in there trying to kick away from that guy. We tried to do that all day and he got his hands on it and that's why you see how important it is to kick a way from that kid. He is the best returner in the game."

New York immediately tied it on a 23-yard pass from Sanchez to Holmes, but Knox put Chicago ahead for good when he beat Cromartie for that 26-yarder with about 6 minutes left in the quarter.

"We talk a lot about finishing. That's definitely what we did," coach Lovie Smith said.

As for the Jets?

"I'm a huge Redskin fan, I can tell you that right now," Ryan said.

Islanders NOT for Sale, Says Owner Wang

2010-12-25T13:40:00.000-05:00

Owner Charles Wang slapped a "not for sale" sign on his Islanders Thursday night, asserting his commitment to both the area and the team, even as it struggles badly on and off the ice.

"We are working very hard to try and keep the team on Long Island because that's my home," he said in a rare, nearly hourlong interview on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. "That's where it belongs."

But what if the Lighthouse Project that Wang has championed as part of a renovation of Nassau Coliseum never comes to fruition?

"If it doesn't work out on Long Island [at the current site], I'd like to be close enough so I can commute to the game and go to all the home games as best I can," he said. "If it's Queens, great. If it's Suffolk, great. Obviously we want to be in this area because it's our home."

So, Wang is not looking to sell the team? "No," he said. "It's not for sale."

That last question was asked by National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman, who conducted the interview of Wang and Islanders general manager Garth Snow in a studio at the NHL Store in Manhattan.

The Islanders executives also took calls from fans, most of whom had pointed questions about both the franchise's future and the team's current last-place standing.

"We are playing in the Coliseum right now until 2015, which is when our lease is up. We are exploring every opportunity to stay there."

Wang said the Lighthouse idea came about only after he had bought the team, as he sought creative solutions to fund improvements to the aging arena.

The owner said he continues to lose millions of dollars each season on the Islanders.

"We spent about $180 million to buy the team," he said. "It's cost me over $200-some-million to run the team," he said.

But he insisted he is willing to stay the course, believing Long Island needs a pro team and destination attractions, in part because "we should be known for more than being 30 minutes from Manhattan."

Snow, who has numerous times reiterated that the Islanders will not give up young players and prospects for a "quick fix" on the ice, echoed that again Thursday and added that injuries have taken a toll as well.

Still, Wang said of the team's performance, "We are probably as disappointed if not more disappointed, I would say more disappointed, than all of the fans."

As a current New York Islanders employee, I have gained a new perspective on this issue that fans never get to see. Mr. Wang does, in fact, care a great deal about this team and has made severe renovations to the press box, press lounge, locker rooms, training rooms and players lounge in order to ensure comfort for visiting and home press, as well as the players. He has put in over $250,000 to ensure this and visiting players don't get to see that as much as the Islanders players do.

High-end players that come to visit the Island that are potentially going to sign here look at Nassau Coliseum and think that it is the only thing there is to offer on Long Island. Mr. Snow and Mr. Wang have time and again offered more money and years to players that have signed for less with other teams (i.e.: Ryan Smyth, Paul Martin, Dan Hamhuis, Sheldon Souray and many others), but the dump of an arena that the Islanders play in deters players from signing here.

Sanchez Probable for Sunday, Will Play

2010-12-25T13:06:00.001-05:00

If there was ever any doubt in your mind that Mark Sanchez would take the field for the Jets on Sunday to take on the Chicago Bears, erase it now because Sanchez is set to start after a successful day of practice yesterday.

Sanchez is listed as probable for Sunday’s game and coach Rex Ryan said his chances of playing are at least 90 percent.

In the third day of the back-and-forth evaluation of Sanchez’s sore right shoulder, Ryan said the second-year quarterback looked much better Friday than he did on Thursday.

Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer was more optimistic about Sanchez on Thursday, but Ryan said he felt Sanchez’s throws on Thursday were not “NFL caliber." Those throws, however, were greatly improved during Friday’s practice.

Sanchez, who had an MRI on Monday and reportedly has a slight cartilage tear, tried to keep his shoulder loose during the portion of Friday’s practice open to the media. He repeatedly moved his arms in a windmill motion and began practice with short passes to Schottenheimer and Jets players.

The cartilage in his shoulder is, in fact, the labrum. Don't be alarmed, though, Jets fans. The labrum is a ball-in-socket joint and is the cartilage attachment to the shoulder, so most likely he has a small tear in his labrum. That sounds horrible, but partial tears in the shoulder are generally well tolerated, and then can generally be rehabbed.

This injury is very common in athletes and it occurs in more than 30% of them in all sports. This is not another Chad Pennington scenario though, don't fret. Sanchez may opt for surgery in the offseason just to stabilize the shoulder, but it is not necessary. Take it from someone that has had shoulder surgery before. I tore my labrum and rotator cuff in high school (I was a catcher) and played with it for three seasons. Surgery was not necessary, but I decided to get it because I wanted to be able to lift weights without any pain in preparation for playing in college. My injury was significantly worse than Sanchez's because he doesn't seem to have rotator cuff damage.

Sanchez will be fine and will be ready to go on Sunday, but that's why this has been day-to-day. The tear will not heal, but if the inflammation goes down, the strength is there and Coach Ryan deems his play acceptable, then they will put him out there Sunday afternoon. Small cartilage tears like this does not happen with one play either, it happens over time with the wear and tear of playing the quarterback position or any position that requires excessive throwing. This is called Overhead Athlete's Shoulder, described briefly here.

“I threw it just like I did the week before and throughout the season,” Sanchez said in a statement. “The treatment has been working; I felt better than the two days prior and I’m going to be ready to play on Sunday.”

If Sanchez is not able to play, the Jets would start the 40-year-old back up Mark Brunell. Ryan said the Jets' game plan will remain the same for either quarterback.

“Nothing would change with Brunell,” Ryan said. “He’s zipping it and throwing balls over linebackers. He’s pumping (the ball) in there. I think he sensed as the week (went on) that there might be a chance (for him to play). His excitement and intensity kind of (rose) a little bit. Not that he hadn’t had it, but not at this extent."

Sanchez is Game-Time Decision for Jets Sunday Matchup in Chicago

2010-12-23T18:10:00.000-05:00

Is Mark Sanchez kidding? Sadly, the answer to that question is no. Mark Sanchez has been taking it slow in practice this week due torn cartilage in his throwing shoulder that he suffered on one of his run plays in the second quarter of the Jets 22-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday.

How did Sanchez injure his shoulder then, you might ask? Well, what shouldn't surprise you is that Sanchez still hasn't learned the all important art of SLIDING, something that is essential to the safety of every quarterback. I could see when he got up slowly on the play that something wasn't right and he was slightly favoring his right shoulder, and, sure enough, it is now an injured right shoulder.

Sanchez will now be a game-time decision for Sunday's game against the Bears in Chicago, head coach Rex Ryan announced on Thursday.

Sanchez was relegated in practice on Wednesday, mostly soft-tossing and handing the ball off.

The second year quaterback was on the field Thursday morning for Jets practice, but he didn't look comfortable. The quarterback made a soft toss here or there, but nothing with any power behind it. A few times, he held his arm awkwardly.

Both Mark Brunell and Kellen Clemens, the Jets' backup quarterbacks, made a full complement of throws, and Ryan said he felt good about having Brunell start if Sanchez isn't able to go.

It would be a high-stakes game for the veteran quarterback's first start with the Jets.

"Everyone knows the situation, we're close to potentially getting in the playoffs," Brunell said. "You think about that game, and in that game you think about one play at a time."

Several players addressed the notion that a potential quarterback switch so late in the season could put more pressure on the running game. Fullback Tony Richardson said that in the cold weather, ground and pound is the strategy anyway, so Brunell wouldn't affect the strategy that dramatically.

Ryan scaled back the certainty that Sanchez would start from 99 percent to 80 percent. Sanchez was limited after practice Wednesday and had his weekly news conference afterward.

"I'll be ready to go for Sunday," Sanchez said. "I felt good in practice. Felt like I could have done more and they're just holding me back to be smart. [We'll] take it from there, but if we were playing today, I'd play."

Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said he expects Sanchez to play, but there would be minimal adjustment needed if Brunell starts.

"There's really not much that we would adjust or change," Schottenheimer said. "The biggest issue is probably the fact that he's left-handed, there'd be a few things here or there you might want to flip over and run the other way. For the most part you don't change too much, the volume might be cut back just a little bit but we wouldn't really adjust too much what we do."

Schottenheimer said Sanchez got better as practice went on. He said there was an 18-yard pass on a curl route that had a good amount of zip on it, and Sanchez had the majority of reps.

"He looked good today," Schottenheimer said.

I'm going to go ahead and assume that Sanchez is under center for the Jets first offensive play on Sunday afternoon and that if he can't play with a slight cartilage tear in his throwing shoulder, he should seriously consider doing something else. When he has a torn labrum and rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder and plays through that, then we can have a conversation. I did that two years ago and it is no easy task.

By no means am I calling out Sanchez or taking shots at him, I love the guy and have since he was at USC, but I am just saying that the Jets need him to play this weekend against the Bears and need him to perform well if they plan on making it out of the first round of the playoffs.

New Pitching Coach Rothchild to Work with Burnett Next Month

2010-12-22T14:04:00.001-05:00

The Yankees appear as though they will be relying heavily on AJ Burnett to have a season like 2009 and not like 2010 as GM Brian Cashman has repeatedly said. So with the Yankees being so dependent on the success of Burnett, new pitching coach Larry Rothchild has said he will spend a week to ten days with Burnett in his Monkton, Md. home next month to get a feel for Burnett as a person and pitcher.

The Yankees are relying on Burnett to be their number three starter next season after barely putting up numbers that would resemble even a number five starter. He posted a 5.26 ERA in 1862/3 innings. It proved a far drop from the 4.04 ERA in 207 innings he posted in 2009. Many times Burnett looked lost on the mound, his fastball sailing to the backstop and his devastating 12-6 curveball bouncing in the dirt. His mechanics were atrocious for most of the season and his head never seemed to be in the right place.

"Mechanics are everything for him," Cashman, the Yankees' general manager, said of Burnett. "Getting it down pat is the challenge. I know our guys know what they have to do, and I know A.J. is up for the challenge. He's committed to doing it."

My feeling is, and I've repeatedly said this to anyone that has tried to throw Burnett under the bus, that Burnett will turn it around this season. Burnett has arguably the best stuff in the game today with that absolutely filthy 12-6 curveball, but his head is sometimes in the wrong place. He is a fantastic pitcher when he is right, and as evidenced by this past season, god awful when he isn't; there doesn't seem to be an in between.

I was just as surprised as the next guy when the Yankees hired Rothchild to take over for the departed Dave Eiland - I thought it was a mistake to fire Eiland in the first place, but that's neither here nor there - but after careful consideration and some stat checking, this could be a good move for the Yanks.

The specific statistic that drew me in was the strikeout totals: During Rothschild's Cubs tenure, the team's pitching staff led the majors in strikeouts (11,604). That is a big thing for the Yankees, especially for AJ Burnett and Joba Chamberlain, as Rothchild will be held responsible for turning around Burnett and Chamberlain, and since both men rely heavily on the strikeout, Rothchild could bring that back for them.

Yankees Going with Current Pitching for Now Going into 2011

2010-12-21T22:44:00.000-05:00

After losing out in the Cliff Lee sweepstakes to the Philadelphia Phillies and not trusting Zack Greinke's psyche enough to trade for him, the Yankees seem as though they will head into Spring Training this February with the current pitchers on their roster. GM Brian Cashman does not see anyone on the current trade or free agent market that would be worth bringing aboard to bolster his team's starting rotation depth.

Cashman is prepared to go into the season with CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes, AJ Burnett and two newcomers, probably rookies, to the full-time rotation, many of whom have never pitched above the Triple-A level.

Yes Yankees fans, notice that short list did not include Andy Pettitte. Cashman is operating under the assumption that Andy Pettitte, back home in Deer, Park, Texas, following an excellent season cut short by a groin injury, will not be returning for a 17th major league season.

Cashman acknowledged his team could use a major league ready starter as well as another arm in the bullpen but seemed pessimistic about the chances of getting one before Opening Day.

"Could I go out and get a starter? Yes, I could. But there's just not much out there," Cashman said. "I have March, April, May, June and July, really, to come up with someone."

Cashman also ruled out, although not absolutely, the possibility the Yankees might include catching prospect Jesus Montero in a trade for a front-line starter now that the Yankees have signed Russell Martin to assume every-day catching duties. "There's just nobody out there I would consider trading Montero for," Cashman said.

Asked if that included Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez, Cashman said, "That ain't happening."

So heading into spring training, Cashman said the Yankees would try to select two starters from a young crop that includes Ivan Nova, who is virtually assured a spot in the 2011 rotation, as well as right-handers Andrew Brackman, Dellin Betances, Adam Warren, Hector Noesi and left-hander Manny Banuelos.

Of the six, only Nova has pitched at the major league level, appearing in 10 games the second half of last season (seven starts), and compiling a 1-2 record and 4.50 ERA, but displaying enough stuff and poise that the Yankees are counting on him to fill one of the starting spots.

None of the others has pitched at a higher level than Double-A, and Banuelos and Betances, who had Tommy John surgery in 2009, spent last season in Class A ball.

"We have 10 prospects starting from Double-A on up that our organization can choose from," Cashman said.

Cashman declined to say whether he was interested in free agent right-hander Freddy Garcia. According to a report, the Yankees asked for the medicals on the 35-year-old Garcia, who was 12-6 with a 4.64 ERA for the White Sox in 2010. "We ask for the medical records on every free agent," Cashman said.

The Yankees need Pettitte to return, otherwise they risk having a rotation that was once deemed a strength become a potential weakness. Pettitte has stuff left in the tank at 39 and the Yankees will need him to be their number two starter once again this season.

I don't think Phil Hughes is quite ready to be the number two starter because, let's face it, we don't exactly know if he can repeat this past season's 18 win performance. Let's hope the Yankees rotation doesn't become the old Milwaukee Braves adage "Spahn, Sain and pray for rain." If Andy Pettitte returns, the chances of that saying coming to life aren't very high, but if he doesn't, I'm a little nervous of what the Yankees rotation may be able to accomplish as a whole.

Mottau Done for Season

2010-12-21T19:00:00.001-05:00

As reported by Katie Strang, the Islanders have placed defenseman Mike Mottau on season-ending IR with a torn labrum in his right hip. The injury was a lingering issue that pre-dated the eye injury (hyphema) that has sidelined him since November 21.

The 32-year-old veteran, signed when top defenseman Mark Streit suffered a serious pre-season shoulder injury, played 20 games this season for the Islanders.

Mottau was a steady force on the Islanders depleted blueline for the 20 games he played for them, collecting three assists. His leadership and steady presence will be missed on the Islanders blueline and this is a big blow to a unit already missing Mark Streit and Mark Eaton and one that missed Milan Jurcina and Andy MacDonald for extended periods of time as well.

Kind of interesting to see the guy the Islanders signed to replace Mark Streit is now out for the season as well, but what can you do?

DiPietro to IR?

2010-12-21T13:40:00.001-05:00

In the wake of 21-year old forward Matt Martin's two game suspension for his hit to the head of Phoenix Coyotes forward Vernon Fiddler Saturday night, the Islanders have to call up a forward to take his spot. In order to do that they have to place someone on IR and the most likely candidate seems to be franchise goaltender Rick DiPietro, according to Newsday's Arthur Staple.

DiPietro has experienced swelling in his knee after earning the first star in the team's 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks last Thursday and has not skated since Saturday. DiPietro would have to miss the next two games - at least - if he's placed on the IR.

A potential call up is Josh Bailey, who has been tearing it up in Bridgeport to the tune of six goals and 11 assists in 11 games with the Sound Tigers. If Bailey were to return, though, it would not be for the two games Martin is out. His return would be for the long haul because the first game he plays upon returning would be his 160th career game, thus the team would have to put him through waivers if they were to send him down again.

UPDATE: Rick DiPietro has been placed on IR. The former first-overall draft pick, who is 4-6-4 with a 3.68 goals-against average this season, is eligible to return after seven days.

Yankees Officially Sign Russell Martin

2010-12-18T15:10:00.000-05:00

The Yankees, obviously not overly comfortable going into Spring Training having Jesus Montero and Francisco Cervelli competing for the starting spot behind the plate, have signed former Dodger, and native Canadian, Russell Martin to a a one-year, $4 million contract to become the Yankees' starting catcher on Thursday.

Martin now becomes the low-risk, high-reward acquisition general manager Brian Cashman was looking for to address an uneasy situation behind the plate. The ultimate reward would be for Martin to feel completely healthy and somehow reacquire the skills that made him one of the best catchers in the National League just two years ago.

"I'm expecting what I've done in the past, and hopefully even better," the former Dodgers backstop said via conference call. "I'm going to do everything I can to get back to those ways. Because talent just doesn't go away. I know I can hit, you know what I mean? I just want to get back to that consistency."

Martin wasn't just consistent -- he was great for a two-year stretch from 2007-08, when he put up a .286 batting average, .380 on-base percentage and 32 home runs while making two All-Star teams and winning both Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards.

But he batted just .250 in 143 games the following year, then had a nightmarish 2010 that began with a Spring Training groin injury, proceeded with a .248 batting average and five homers in 97 games and ended prematurely with a broken right hip.

The Yankees are also hoping that Martin can return to the Gold Glove caliber defensive player from two seasons ago. Last season the Yankees were atrocious defensively behind the plate, where Jorge Posada and Cervelli were less than adequate behind the plate, failing to throw out runners at, what seemed like, every other attempt. Martin brings a career 31% caught stealing rate to New York with him, surpassing Posada's 28% and Cervelli's 22% for their respective careers.

Martin threw out 30.6 percent of runners attempting to steal, the seventh-best percentage among qualifying MLB catchers (81+ games) while Cervelli and Posada had two of the five worst caught stealing percentages in the majors, combining for only a 12.4 percent success rate at nabbing basestealers. Furthermore, Martin had four pickoffs last year (only Humberto Quintero of the Astros had more). Posada and Cervelli combined for one the entire season (by Cervelli) and Posada hasn’t had one since 2006.

Posada and Cervelli combined for ten passed balls, 21 errors last season (easily the most in the majors) and their pitching staff threw 67 wild pitches when they caught, 8th most in the majors in 2010. They also allowed the fourth most stolen bases in the majors, something that the Yankees hope will change with the acquisition of Martin. Posada ranked fourth in the majors with eight passed balls and sixth in errors, 8, in only 83 games caught and Cervelli ranked second in the majors with 13 errors in 90 games caught.

Martin's career high in passed balls was six in 2008, 14 errors in 2007 in 145 games caught and his pitching staff threw 41 passed balls in 2006, the most he has ever been behind the plate for. It seems that the Yankees are getting a significant upgrade behind the dish for the 2011 season, and the presence of Martin also gives the Yankees a lot of flexibility because now they don't have to rush Montero and 22-year old Austine Romine into action with the big club and they can develop at a steady pace in the minors.

Romine is considered to be a plus defensive catcher and has progressed significantly offensively over the last couple of seasons, which has many people believing he will be the catcher of the future and, as a result, Montero's big bat may be dangled in a trade for a big name pitcher.

"The assets this organization currently possesses is high-end pitching depth, as well as high-end catching depth," Cashman said. "If we ever choose to shoot those bullets, we're in a better position to do so.

"I'm not saying I want to shoot any of these assets for trade purposes, but sometimes you have to."

After an extensive physical examination on Martin, it was revealed that he has a small meniscus tear in his right knee and will undergo the same surgery that Posada and CC Sabathia had earlier in the offseason, with recovery time expected to be three weeks. Cashman said he's "very comfortable with what I've been told" regarding Martin's injury, which is more common with football players and is believed to have a high recovery rate.

The Yankees will no doubt be careful, but the 27-year-old Martin is expected to be ready by Spring Training, and Martin said his hip issues are "over with."

"It feels great," Martin said. "I haven't felt anything wrong with it for at least a month now. There's absolutely no problem with it. Before I hurt my knee, I was really pushing [the hip] pretty hard in training and stuff, and I never really had any side effects of pain or anything of that nature. I had full range of motion and everything, so I feel pretty comfortable with my hip."

Now he just needs to get comfortable at the plate again and the Yankees think that their highly regarded hitting coach, Kevin Long, can fix his swing like he did for Curtis Granderson in the second half of last season, and Nick Swisher two seasons ago.

Martin, who believes he's "getting better every year" defensively, believes the key to that is a return to basics.

After a successful '08 season, Martin went on a very strict diet and intense offseason training regimen that made him more athletic, but also caused him to lose pop in his bat. He said that forced him to do more with his swing to try to compensate and thus led to an inconsistent approach at the plate.

Heading into the 2010 campaign, Martin took the opposite approach. He put on about 25 extra pounds that put him at 231 at the start of Spring Training, but he still struggled.

Now, Martin said he wants to weigh between 215 and 220 pounds. He vowed he'd be in the best shape of his life when camp opens up in February, and he preached a return to what made him successful in the past.

"I think I got almost in my own way," Martin said. "So this year, I made sure to just come back to the roots and what really got me to where I wanted to be those two All-Star seasons and my first year."

DiPietro Out Tonight With Minor Swelling in His Knee, Lawson Called Up to Start

2010-12-18T13:27:00.002-05:00

After arguably his best performance of the season in Thursday night's 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks Rick DiPietro will miss tonight's game against the Phoenix Coyotes with minor swelling in his knee.

The swelling in his knee doesn't seem to be anything major, as the franchise goaltender implies it's not a big deal and "the setback is (a) minor one."

However, as a precaution, since it is clear DiPietro would not be able to back-up Dwayne Roloson tonight, the Islanders have called up AHL netminder Nathan Lawson on an emergency basis from Bridgeport. Lawson, 27, will start for the Isles in the contest tonight against the Phoenix Coyotes. It will be Lawson's NHL debut.

In other news, Jon Sim was put on waivers yesterday for the sole purpose of sending him to Bridgeport. He was skating this morning with the team, so it appears he has, in fact, cleared waivers and will be assigned to the SoundTigers.

UPDATE: Sim cleared waivers and was recalled from Bridgeport and was in the lineup tonight in the Isles 4-3 shootout loss to the Coyotes. Sim saw 10:45 of ice time.

Yankees Sign Feliciano, Begin the Bullpen Rebuild

2010-12-17T11:58:00.001-05:00

And we're back. Sorry for the two month hiatus, it's been a hectic two months at that. Back to business now though.

So back the Yankees. After watching the Red Sox sign Carl Crawford, trade for Adrian Gonzalez, sign Bobby Jenks and watching the Phillies swoop in and steal Cliff Lee, the Yankees went out and signed Russell Martin, Mark Prior and now Pedro Feliciano.

Not exactly an earth shattering move, but a great one nonetheless. With the signing of Feliciano, the Yankees get that second lefty in the 'pen that they've been searching for. And Feliciano is no slouch. He has pitched in New York, with that team in Queens, for the past eight seasons, breaking the franchise record and leading the National League in appearances by appearing in 86 games in 2008, 88 games in 2009 and 92 games in 2010.

"After I broke the record the first time, I just tried to put in my mind that I tried to break it again, and I did it," Feliciano said. "This past year I just put in my mind that if I could break it again I would do it. And I did it."

Feliciano, 34, doesn't think all the games will impact him going forward.

"Not at all," Feliciano said. "I work hard for every year. I don't let down and just do what I did last year. I want to keep proving I can do more than what I did last year."

Feliciano has been a late bloomer, which had a lot to do with ex-Mets pitching coach Rick Peterson instructing him to drop down to a low three-quarters delivery in 2004. Feliciano went to Japan in 2005 and when he returned to the Mets in 2006 he was a difference-maker against lefties.

"I had that in my mind," Feliciano said. "Before I dropped down, I was thinking, 'Next year I'm going to come a little more sidearm.' All of a sudden, they said, 'Let's drop you down.' They put in my mind that Buddy Groom and all those guys, they were average lefties, and then they dropped down and changed from average to one of the best. I started working out."

Lefties hit just .211 against him last season.

SI.com first reported the deal will be for two years with a team option for a third. It is expected to be in the $8 million range. The deal could be announced as soon as Friday.

Now onto the bullpen "rebuild" that the Yankees are trying to accomplish. After the Yankees got absolutely manhandled in the ALCS against the Texas Rangers in just about all facets of the game, they realized that their biggest deficiency in that series was their pitching. Their pitchers had a 6.58 ERA against the Rangers, surrendering 63 hits in 52 innings pitched. Part of the problem was that two of the key cogs in the bullpen, David Robertson and Boone Logan, had ERAs of 20.25 and 27.00 respectively.

CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes, Sergio Mitre and the enigma that is AJ Burnett combined for an ERA of 8.84 in the six games against the Rangers, nothing very comforting for the Yankees brass. Basically, their pitching staff was atrocious and since they really don't need a major upgrade in the rotation, unless Andy Pettitte decided to pack it in, they are going to try and load up the bullpen.

It has been rumored that the team is looking into signing left-handed setup man Brian Fuentes as well as right hander Grant Balfour and Rafael Soriano. Fuentes is a possibility and the team has been in discussions with his agent. Balfour may be less of a possibility because he is a Type A free agent, and thus the Yankees would have to give the Twins their first round draft pick if they signed Balfour. Soriano seems to just be talk because the Yankees have no interest in paying closer money for Soriano to set up Mariano Rivera, and Soriano will close somewhere. I guess since the Yankees are taking the patience approach that's just what we will have to be, patient. Hopefully the Yankees can make some moves that counter those great ones made by the Red Sox.

Yankees: Burnett Will Start Game 4 Regardless of Game 3 Outcome

2010-10-18T10:59:00.000-04:00

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi plans to stick with right-hander A.J. Burnett in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Tuesday, no matter the result of the previous night's matchup between Cliff Lee and Andy Pettitte.

Before the Yankees' workout at the Stadium on Sunday, Girardi said CC Sabathia -- who would have been the alternative, working on short rest -- would proceed with his normal between-starts bullpen session. Girardi added that using Sabathia in Game 4 would require Phil Hughes to pitch on short rest in Game 5 on Wednesday, something the 24-year-old right-hander has not been asked to do in his career.

"We set up our rotation for a number of reasons," Girardi said. "We're just staying with it. Phil Hughes has never thrown on short rest. We have Andy Pettitte, who is coming off an injury. There's a lot of things that go into making up your rotation. We believe in A.J. I know it's been a tough year for him at times this year, but we believe in A.J."

Burnett last appeared in a game on Oct. 2, at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox. He threw a simulated game last Wednesday in the Bronx between rounds, before the Yankees departed for Texas. During that outing, Burnett hit teammates Greg Golson and Austin Kearns with pitches.

"It's different when they're our guys," Burnett said after the simulated game. "They know I didn't mean to do it. But it's still not a good feeling."

During his final 22 starts of the regular season, Burnett was 4-13 with a 6.48 ERA.

"A.J. hasn't questioned -- and I haven't heard any rumblings from the clubhouse -- 'Am I starting Game 4 of not?'" Girardi said. "...Maybe other people have talked about it, but my message has been clear that we're on rotation."

Wisniewski Suspended Two Games for Obscene Gesture

2010-10-12T23:27:00.001-04:00

New York Islanders defenseman James Wisniewski has been suspended for two games for making an obscene gesture to New York Rangers forward Sean Avery during Monday's game in Long Island.

"A lot of actions on the ice are regrettable," Wisniewski said. "I've been given a suspension from the league and I'm going to accept it and move on from here."

Wisniewski and Avery jostled in front of the Islanders' net after the play was stopped in the first period Monday. Wisniewski made the gesture with his hand and mouth at Avery as the two were separated by officials.

Wisniewski will miss the Islanders' game on Wednesday against the Washington Capitals and Friday's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Before the season started Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Nick Boynton was suspended for a regular-season game for making a throat-slashing gesture during a preseason game against Tampa.

While playing for Anaheim last season, Wisniewski was suspended on March 17 for eight games after he knocked Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook out of a game with a hard check into the glass.

Wisniewski is now considered a repeat offender under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. Because of that he will lose two games' salary worth $79,268.30 instead of two days' salary.

Yanks Shut Down Marte, Surgery Likely

2010-10-11T18:35:00.000-04:00

To the surprise of exactly no one, the Yankees have pulled the plug on the attempted rehab of lefthanded reliever Damaso Marte and now believe shoulder surgery is in his immediate future. The Yankees were hoping that Marte, who missed a chunk of time in 2009 with shoulder soreness but returned to play a key role in last year's post-season, would be able to recoved in time to help them this October, too.

But Marte, who has been on the DL since July 17 with a similar case of left shoulder inflammation, has not responded to treatment. "He's attempted to come back but it just hasn’t worked out,'' GM Brian Cashman said. "We’ll have to go the more aggressive route. That could involve surgery, and most likely will.''

Cashman said Marte will fly from Tampa, where he has been rehabbing, to New York tomorrow to be examined by team physician Dr. Chris Ahmad, before a final determination is made. In Marte's absence, Boone Logan has emerged as the Yankees left-handed specialist out of the pen.

Ryan Says He Would Have Convinced Favre to Return Had Team Not Drafted Sanchez

2010-10-05T01:10:00.001-04:00

Technically, Brett Favre was Rex Ryan's quarterback for 23 days in the winter of 2009 -- from Ryan's hiring by the New York Jets to Favre's "retirement" announcement.

They spoke only once, and it wasn't until the day Favre quit -- an "uncomfortable" phone conversation, according to Ryan. The perception was that Ryan wanted to start fresh at quarterback, that he wanted no part of the interception-prone gunslinger.

On Monday, Ryan added a new twist to the coach-quarterback relationship that never made it to the field.

"If we never drafted Mark Sanchez, there would've been major recruiting," said Ryan, claiming he would've tried to talk Favre out of retirement to return to the Jets. "Maybe nobody knows that, but I can promise you, that's what I was feeling."

That Ryan never mentioned this until now seems a bit odd. There were ample opportunities to throw it into a conversation over the last 17 months, but he always was curiously vague about his ever-so-brief overlap with Favre.

Of course, the Jets (3-1) are facing Favre and the Minnesota Vikings (1-2) Monday night at home, and it just so happens that Sanchez is the fourth-highest rated passer in the NFL (105.3) after three straight wins.

Obviously, the Jets are thrilled with Sanchez, but Ryan made it sound like he would've been happy to coach Favre, whom he described as "a once-in-a-lifetime quarterback." Revisionist history?

If Ryan really wanted him back, he would've called a lot sooner than the day of Favre's retirement -- a retirement that lasted only six months. Ryan said he wanted to draft a quarterback, revealing that he was smitten with Kansas State's Josh Freeman before Sanchez. As the pre-draft process unfolded, they got hot for Sanchez, selecting him fifth overall.

The day after the draft, Favre asked the Jets to release him from their reserve/retired list. Obviously, he already had designs on joining the Vikings, his preferred destination in 2008. The Jets were his third choice, his only choice really, as the Green Bay Packers refused to trade him to an NFC team.

If necessary, Ryan believes he could've convinced Favre to stay a Jet.

"Yeah, I do, because he would've seen how sincere I was and the kind of passion I have," Ryan said. "I'm not going to say it's equal to his, but maybe it is. We both want to win, I know that."

It would've taken one of the all-time sell jobs because Favre never got comfortable in the Jets' offense and, according to friends, didn't love living in New Jersey.

Favre's only season with the Jets ended dismally after a promising start. The team was 8-3, in first place, but he injured his throwing arm (not disclosed until after the season) and played horribly down the stretch. The Jets finished 9-7, missed the playoffs and Eric Mangini got fired. Enter, Ryan.

Favre was reborn last season with the Vikings, enjoying a career year, but he'll be remembered in New York as the hired gun who failed to deliver.

"I'm sure they're probably not going to embrace him," said left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, anticipating the crowd reaction at the New Meadowlands Stadium.

It's hard to second-guess the Jets' decision. After struggling for most of his rookie year, Sanchez has won seven of his last nine starts (including playoffs), with 12 touchdown passes and only two interceptions in that span.

"It worked out I'm sure for Brett and the Jets," Ryan said. "We got a quarterback that'll be here for the next 10 years. Brett Favre, he's a great player. Last year, those statistics [33 touchdowns, seven interceptions], I kept saying, 'That can't be right.' This guy is ridiculous, how good he is."

Santonio Holmes Returns to Jets

2010-10-05T01:06:00.001-04:00

The New York Jets' streaking offense got stronger Monday with the return of wide receiver Santonio Holmes, who served a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.

Holmes, who learned of his suspension before his trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers in April, has spent the last few weeks at the Jets' facility. He was allowed to attend meetings and work out, but wasn't permitted to practice or attend games.

The former Super Bowl MVP will practice Wednesday, when the Jets begin preparation for their Monday night home game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Adding defensive-line depth, the Jets re-signed tackle Howard Green, as expected. They released Green last week to make room for defensive end Trevor Pryce. The uncertain status of end Shaun Ellis (sprained knee), injured in Sunday's 38-14 win over the Buffalo Bills, adds to the importance of line depth.

To make room for Green and Holmes, who was activated from the suspended list, the Jets waived wide receivers David Clowney and Patrick Turner. Clowney has one reception for 22 yards. Turner could be added to the practice squad.

Longtime Yankees Writer Maury Allen Dies at 78

2010-10-04T01:42:00.000-04:00

Longtime sports writer Maury Allen, who penned biographies of everyone from Jackie Robinson to Joe Namath and spent 27 years writing for the New York Post, has died of lymphoma. He was 78.

Allen primarily covered the New York Yankees for the Post, which confirmed that the author died Sunday at his home in Cedar Grove, N.J. Allen also worked for The Journal News and Sports Illustrated, wrote more than three dozen books and served as an adviser on "The Bronx is Burning."

Allen made a cameo in the ESPN miniseries about the 1977 Yankees, along with a minor acting role in "The Odd Couple." He also was a staple in several sports documentaries.

He recently completed a book about former Brooklyn Dodgers outfielder Dixie Walker, which was released earlier this year.

Jets Sign Trevor Pryce

2010-09-30T19:45:00.002-04:00

The New York Jets have intercepted the Ravens' plans to re-sign defensive end Trevor Pryce, who was waived by Baltimore on Wednesday.

New York signed Pryce on Thursday and Jets coach Rex Ryan said that Pryce would play Sunday against the Buffalo Bills in passing situations.

"We saw it as an opportunity, a window maybe," Ryan told reporters. "As soon as we saw that they released him, we of course got a little excited about it."

"The guy's a finisher," Ryan said.

The Jets released Howard Green to clear a roster spot for Pryce but Ryan hinted that the team would like to eventually re-sign the defensive tackle.

Baltimore is on the hook to pay Pryce his $2 million in guaranteed salary, plus whatever the Jets have paid him on his new one-year deal, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Pryce was given a tour of the Jets' facility by Ryan, owner Woody Johnson and general manager Mike Tannenbaum during the media's locker room availability.

"I'm just here for a visit," a smiling Pryce said before Ryan officially announced the signing.

Pryce ranks third in sacks among active players but has only one tackle this season. The 35-year-old has not started any of Baltimore's three games.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Wednesday that there was a "high possibility" that Pryce would return.

Pryce was waived to make room for safety Ken Hamlin, who was released by Baltimore last week. Hamlin will probably contribute on special teams in Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"You've got roster issues that you deal with. It's not something we wanted to do," Harbaugh said of the move. "Trevor is a big part of what we're doing here, and we anticipate getting him back. It's just what we had to do for now."

Harbaugh insisted that Hamlin was simply a better fit on the roster for this week.

"We're going to put the 45 best guys out there," he said. "I would rather have Trevor here this week playing, but we're not able to do that. We just have a numbers situation."

Pryce's locker had not been cleared out at the Ravens' facility Wednesday and remained untouched Thursday, according to the Baltimore Sun. Safety Ed Reed wore Pryce's jersey Thursday before practice, according to the newspaper.

"I found out last night," Ravens nose tackle Kelly Gregg told the Sun. "He called right after we got out of practice. It's just sad to see a guy like that go. He was instrumental in our defense and in our room, and it's just a crazy situation."

The Jets were in need of some depth on the line after losing Ropati Pitoitua and Kris Jenkins to season-ending injuries. The move to bring in Pryce might also allow the Jets to leave Vernon Gholston primarily at outside linebacker until Calvin Pace returns from a broken right foot suffered in the preseason.

New York also has the NFL's top active sacks leaders in Jason Taylor, who has a sack in each of the last two games but has played a lot more than originally expected because of Pace's injury.

"He's an amazing player," defensive end Mike DeVito said. "To add this great a player to the team will only help us."

The 6-foot-5, 290-pound Pryce was a first-round pick of the Broncos out of Clemson in 1997 and was a part of two straight Super Bowl championship teams in 1998 and '99. He was also selected to the Broncos' 50th anniversary team last year.

Pryce signed with Baltimore in 2006, and had a career-high 13 sacks in his first season under Ryan, then the Ravens' defensive coordinator.

Jets Don't Feel Great About Revis for Sunday, Pace Making Progress

2010-09-30T14:48:00.001-04:00

It could be time for Plan C at cornerback.

With Darrelle Revis expected to miss his second straight game because of a strained hamstring, and with rookie Kyle Wilson struggling in Revis' spot, the New York Jets might promote Drew Coleman to a starting role for Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills.

Coleman and Wilson rotated with the first-team defense Wednesday in practice, and coach Rex Ryan later volunteered that he was mulling a change. That would be a setback for Wilson, their first-round pick.

"He closed out the game pretty well," said Ryan, alluding to Coleman's victory-clinching, end-zone interception last Sunday night in Miami. "He deserves a look in there. We'll see how it develops as the week goes on."

In an ideal world, the Jets wouldn't have to make that decision, but Revis missed his fourth straight practice. He hasn't practiced since injuring his hamstring late in the first half of their Week 2 win over the New England Patriots. Officially, the Jets haven't ruled out Revis for the Bills, but they aren't counting on him.

"I don't feel great about Darrelle right now," said Ryan, adding, "I don't want to rule him out yet because I don't want to get fined by the league if he plays."

The chances of that happening are slim. The doctors believe it could take another two weeks for Revis to be 100 percent.

Outside linebacker Calvin Pace, who hasn't practiced since breaking a foot in the third preseason game, is hoping to return Thursday. He did light work Wednesday, but didn't participate in any positional or team drills. Pace estimated his chances of playing Sunday are about 50-50. If he does, he'll likely be limited to third-down pass rushing.

Clearly, the Jets' pass defense has issues, as it surrendered 363 yards to the Dolphins' Chad Henne. Wilson, in his second NFL start, was roughed up. Unofficially, he allowed seven completions for 95 yards, plus a 27-yard penalty for pass interference.

"He's playing green right now," said Ryan, claiming the potential change isn't designed as a motivational play to push Wilson.

Wilson, the former Boise State standout, was expected to be the third corner, but he was thrust into a bigger role during the preseason because of Revis' long holdout. Man-to-man coverage is his forte, but he's having trouble adjusting while the ball is in the air.

"I have to be a smarter player and envision myself making those plays out there in the future," said Wilson, who believes he needs to be more physical at the line of scrimmage.

Fortunately for the Jets, the Bills (0-3) don't scare anybody with their passing attack, although new starter Ryan Fitzpatrick provided a spark last week by passing for 247 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in a loss to the New England Patriots.

Fitzpatrick's top receiver is Lee Evans, who probably will be covered by Antonio Cromartie. The Bills' other wideouts are Steve Johnson and slot receiver Roscoe Parrish, who likely will be marked by Wilson.

Coleman, who hasn't started a game since his rookie year in 2006, has been used mostly as a fourth or fifth corner. This would be a big promotion for him, but Ryan doesn't want to shatter Wilson's confidence by making him an every-down target for the opposition.

"He's struggling a little bit, without question," Ryan said.

A-Rod Hits 30 Home Runs for 13th Straight Season

2010-09-30T14:33:00.000-04:00

Leading off the sixth inning against lefty Brett Cecil in last night's 8-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, Alex Rodriguez connected for his 30th home run of the season, his 14th season with at least 30 dingers and 13th straight.

Rodriguez has 122 RBIs. He has a total of 14 seasons overall with 30 home runs and 100 RBIs, the most in major league history.

Hank Aaron holds the record with 15 seasons with at least 30 home runs. Rodriguez and Barry Bonds are tied for second with 14.

When Rodriguez went on the DL August 21 with a left calf strain, it seemed like his streak of 30 home runs and 100 RBI seasons would end at 12 straight. Upon his return September 5th, the New York Yankees slugger needed just three RBI to reach 100 RBI, but he had to hit nine HR to reach 30.

That seemed like a daunting task when you consider Rodriguez's track record. The last time he hit at least nine home runs from September 5th through the end of the regular season was in 2002. While with the Texas Rangers, he hit nine HR from that point on to finish the year with a career-high 57 HR.

But Rodriguez would go on a tear down the stretch this season, culminating with Wednesday's home run, which gave him nine since his return from the DL and 30 for the season. He became the first player since RBI became an official statistic in 1920 to have 13 straight seasons with at least 30 HR and 100 RBI, breaking Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx's record.

This is just a testament to how great of a baseball player Alex Rodriguez really is. I can only think of one other player that has the ability to do what Rodriguez has done: Albert Pujols. You might have heard of that guy from the St. Louis Cardinals. Rodriguez is one of the best hitters in baseball history and this proves just that.

Three Days After Losing Streit for Season, Isles Lose Okposo Until December

2010-09-29T12:27:00.002-04:00

The New York Islanders just can't catch a break. The preseason games haven't even started yet and they are already missing arguably their two most important players. Three days after top defenseman Mark Streit suffered a left shoulder injury that will likely sideline him for six months, the Islanders announced Tuesday that forward Kyle Okposo is out indefinitely with an injured right shoulder that requires surgery.

According to a source, Okposo suffered a torn labrum and is expected to miss two to three months.

Okposo, who recently visited a shoulder specialist, has not practiced since suffering the injury Thursday. It is believed the injury occurred when Okposo extended his arm to reach back for a puck during the team's intrasquad special-teams scrimmage.

Like Streit, Okposo will seek a second opinion with shoulder specialist Dr. Anthony Miniaci of the Cleveland Clinic before deciding on surgery.

"Kyle has a big role on our team and whenever you're in a situation where you lose a player like Kyle, it's going to have an effect on the team," general manager Garth Snow said. "That being said, this is an opportunity for younger players to step in and play a bigger role, much like with Mark."

With both Okposo and Streit slated to miss significant time, the Islanders have seen two of their best players fall to injury even before they play their first preseason game.

"Make no mistake about it, they are big losses," Snow said. "On the flip side, if we can get out to a good start and play as a team and accumulate points through the first half of the season, it's going to be a big bonus for our club when Kyle and Mark do come back at some point."

Okposo, who had 19 goals and 33 assists in 80 games last season, finished second on the team in scoring behind rookie John Tavares and led the Islanders' forwards in ice time. Along with Streit, Okposo was also one of the team's four alternate captains last season.

Despite the monumental blows the Islanders have suffered this week, Snow said the team's goal remains the same.

"For us, it doesn't change our mind-set," Snow said. "We need to go out and win hockey games. This is a great opportunity for other players to win ice time."

Now in response to the lack of depth as a result of these two big injuries, the Islanders signed 32-year-old defenseman Mike Mottau to a two-year, one-way deal worth $1.6 million. Mottau, who played the past three seasons with the Devils, had two goals and 16 assists for New Jersey last season. "Mike was a player we had interest in back in July," Snow said. "We think very highly of Mike. He's a good puck mover, he has a physical element to his game and is a solid all-around defenseman."

The Islanders are in big trouble. In my opinion, they didn't have enough fire power with Okposo and Streit in the every day line-up, and now that they are out for extended periods of time, this team might very well struggle to stay alive. Sure they have great young prospects, but that's exactly what they are right now, great young prospects.

You can't replace the leadership and point production that came from Streit and Okposo, two alternate captains, and now the Islanders might have to look to the waiver wire, free agent market, or trade market to fill those two gaps.

Or maybe they fill Okposo's spot from within. Maybe this mean that first round pick Nino Niederreiter will be guaranteed a spot in the every day line-up. Maybe this opens up an opportunity for David Ullstrom, Matt Martin or Jesse Joensuu to earn their spots in the line-up permanently.

I guess that's what training camp is for though, fellas. We'll find out who's going to step up for the Islanders, or will it be another long season only to be rewarded with another top five pick? We'll see.

Pace Close to Return for Jets

2010-09-29T00:39:00.001-04:00

The New York Jets' defense, shredded Sunday night by Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne, may welcome back a familiar face this week. But don't expect it to be cornerback Darrelle Revis.

Outside linebacker Calvin Pace, who missed the first three games after having foot surgery, continues to make progress and could return to face the Buffalo Bills, according to Rex Ryan. If Pace isn't ready for a full-time role, he might be able to contribute as a situational player.

Ryan sounded less optimistic about Revis, who pulled a hamstring last week and missed the first game of his career Sunday night. The Jets' coach said he's "hopeful" that Revis can play this week, but the feeling inside the organization is that he will need at least another week of rest, according to sources.

"You almost have to be 100 percent, or right at 100 percent, to play corner or you're going to be having to face this the whole season," Ryan said. "Hopefully, we can have him this week. If not, we have to find a way to get it done."

Revis hasn't practiced since pulling the hamstring, which happened when he was covering the New England Patriots' Randy Moss on a long touchdown reception. Revis was nowhere close to being able to play against the Dolphins; in fact, he was ruled out last Wednesday.

Ryan seemed taken aback by the defensive performance, and with good reason. Only once in the previous 75 games, dating to 2005 with the Baltimore Ravens, did one of his defenses allow more than 436 total yards in a game. That came in last season's AFC Championship Game, when the Indianapolis Colts racked up 461.

Revis was replaced by rookie Kyle Wilson, who struggled against the Dolphins.

Rivera Human After All

2010-09-29T00:35:00.001-04:00

The sight was striking and a little surreal: Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer of our generation and arguably the best of all-time, long-tossing in the outfield under the watchful eye of a pitching coach.

It happened about four hours before Monday night's game between the Yankees and Blue Jays, and it probably happens about as often as Rivera blows three saves in a month, which is practically never.

But it happened this month, the third of which came Sunday night in as close to a must-win game as the Yankees have played all season, and as a result there were Rivera and Dave Eiland working on something that is usually the problem of mere mortals. Namely, mechanics.

"Just location,'' Rivera said. "Nothing big. It's a process and we're working on it.''

"Hand position on the ball,'' is how Eiland described the subject of Monday's lesson. "When he lets his hand fall to the side of the ball instead of staying on top, sometimes his cutter gets too big, and sometimes it just spins and stays flat. Nothing major. He's a human being and sometimes he needs a little tune-up.''

Asked jokingly if he was working on a new pitch, perhaps a changeup to go with his lethal cutter, Rivera laughed. "No changeups,'' he said.

Knuckleball? "Not yet.''

Eiland was quick to assure Yankee Nation that Rivera's problems were mechanical, not physical. "He's fine, he's fine,'' said Eiland, who insisted he would have no hesitation using Rivera Monday despite his having thrown 29 pitches in a 1 1/3 inning outing in which he not only blew the save but would have taken the loss had his Red Sox counterpart, Jonathan Papelbon, not returned the favor in the bottom of the ninth.

Rivera was less reassuring about his overall physical condition. "Problems are in abundance, bumps and bruises and things,'' he said, "but nothing that will affect me.''

Rivera has suffered from a muscle strain in the left side of his back this year and some knee soreness, injuries that he acknowledged were still there. "Nobody can play 162 games and say they're 100 percent,'' he said. "Everybody has them and I'm no exception. But everything;s fine. Don't go trying to find things. Everything is great.''

Rivera and Eiland moved their tutorial to the visitor's bullpen, where the 40-year-old closer threw an undisclosed number of pitches in an effort to make what the pitching coach said would be minor adjustments.

"I liken it to when Tiger Woods was at his peak, he still spent several hours a day with his swing coach just to make sure everything was working right,'' Eiland said. He said such tune-up sessions took place "two or three times a year.''

"Every now and then he needs to be touched up a little,'' Eiland said.

Of even less importance to Eiland was the four stolen bases off Rivera and Jorge Posada by Ryan Kalish and Bill Hall that set up the two Boston runs that gave them a short-lived 3-2 lead. "He might have been getting a little predictable,'' Eiland said. "But our main concern was making a good pitch and getting the hitter out.''

Rivera had an even simpler solution to his problem of holding runners on. "Don't let anyone get on base,'' he said.

Burnett's Current Struggles May Leave Him on Outside Looking In

2010-09-29T00:32:00.001-04:00

More and more, A.J. Burnett is looking like the No. 4 starter in a three-man rotation.

Despite public proclamations of faith, his manager refuses to commit to him beyond his next regular-season start, which will also be his last.

And despite rave reviews on the quality of his stuff, it has gotten to the point where the Yankees will no longer even hazard a theory as to why a pitcher as talented as Burnett has so much trouble staying in ballgames, let alone winning them.

Without saying so, it is becoming obvious that the only one who still has any faith in A.J. Burnett is, well, A.J. Burnett. And that may no longer be enough.

"Yeah, I expect to pitch in the postseason,'' Burnett snorted, almost defiantly, in answer to the question on everyone's mind and on more than a few lips in the Yankees clubhouse after their 7-5 loss to the Blue Jays Monday night. "I'm not gonna let this one bother me. Everyone says the regular season doesn't matter around here, the postseason does, so there you go.''

But the only thing that's going is Burnett's chance to start in said postseason, especially in the opening best-of-5 series that can so easily trip up a team like the Yankees. Asked point blank if Burnett would be part of the postseason starting rotation, Joe Girardi said, "A.J.'s gonna start for us.''

Pressed to elaborate, Girardi said, "He's got one more start coming, and we've got things to work out.''

Then, the manager began to hide behind the cliches of evasion, ranging from "We've got to get there first'' to "I'm not going to speculate because we're not in yet.''

However, when asked if CC Sabathia was guaranteed a starting spot in the postseason, Girardi said, "I think that's a pretty fair assumption.''

But when it came to Burnett, another fair assumption was dismissed as mere speculation.

Realistically, despite their recent struggles -- the loss was the Yankees fifth in their last six games, and over their last 50 games are barely over .500 at 26-24 -- the Yankees are headed for the postseason.

The only question left is how far they are going, and when you see pitching of the caliber that Burnett showed Monday night, it makes you think they won't go very far at all.

Anyone with two eyes, a clear head and no vested interest in keeping a $16.5 million pitcher happy for the rest of this season plus three more years can see right now, there is no earthly reason to trust Burnett with something so precious as a start in a series in which three losses means death. And there is plenty of evidence to prove it is less of a gamble to go with three starters in the Division Series -- meaning one pitcher (Sabathia) would pitch on short rest -- than to go with a four-man rotation that includes Burnett.

"I'm not gonna talk about playoffs until we're in,'' Girardi said. "But you got to remember A.J. has pitched a lot of big games for us. He was big in the playoffs for us last year.''

But not Monday night. On a night in which Girardi would have loved to rest his bullpen, he got just a tick more than two innings out of Burnett, whose horrendous line -- 2-1/3 IP, 7 hits, 7 earned runs -- was not even his worst of the year. But when you factor in all that was at stake -- coming at a time when his team is trying to finally put this playoff run to bed and when he himself is trying to re-establish his credentials to be an important part of the post-season pitching staff -- Burnett could hardly have failed any worse.

Burnett attributed his failure to the usual culprits -- poor fastball command, a curve without any bite, pitches leaking out over the plate -- but particularly disturbing was the third inning, when he simply could not seem to get anyone out. Already trailing 2-0 and victimized for a long solo homer by John Buck in the second, Burnett started poorly -- walking Travis Snider to open the frame and plunking Yunel Escobar in the buttocks even before his pitches were being used for batting practice by the Major League's leading home run hitting team.

After barely keeping Jose Bautista, the league's leading slugger with 52 homers, in the ballpark, Burnett surrendered a long three-run homer to Vernon Wells, and then allowed a double to Lyle Overbay, an RBI single to Buck and a single to Adam Lind before Girardi came to get him to a standing ovation from the Yankee fan-heavy crowd at the Rogers Centre.

By then, it was 7-0, and the discouragement that lately has set in on the Yankee offense, as outlined by Alex Rodriguez after the Yankees 10-8 loss to the Red Sox Friday night, began festering again. It didn't help that Marc Rzepczynski, a pitcher the Yankees had previously manhandled, was striking batters out at a record rate, at one point obtaining eight straight outs by strikeout.

"His ball was moving everywhere tonight,'' Mark Teixeira said. "It was like swinging at a ghost.''

The Yankees battled back, getting a two-run homer (No. 24) from Curtis Granderson in the fifth and a three-run bomb to dead center by Teixeira, his 33rd, in the seventh, to make a game of it. But the seven-run deficit proved to be too much to overcome, as had the 10-1 hole the Yankees found themselves in Friday night.

But the starter responsible for that mess, Andy Pettitte, is coming off two months on the disabled list and has an October track record the Yankees know they can can rely upon. Burnett has two seasons of maddening inconsistency leavened only slightly by his excellent performance in Game 2 of last year's World Series (it should also be remembered that Burnett did not make it out of the third inning in Game 5, the game that temporarily gave the Phillies some life).

The Yankees got by with a three-man rotation last October and one of those men was Burnett. But it would seem to be asking too much of the baseball gods to expect them to get that lucky again. Now, Girardi is forced to use Sabathia Tuesday night in yet another attempt to nail down a playoff spot for a team that not long ago seemed destined to win at least 100 games and run away with the division.

Now, they can win no more than 98 and their playoff spot, incredibly, is still in doubt. Nothing has been nailed down yet, and nothing has been lost. Except, possibly, A.J. Burnett's chance to be a part of it.

Mark Streit Basically Out for Season with Serious Shoulder Injury

2010-09-26T17:35:00.003-04:00

According to multiple sources, Islanders defenseman Mark Streit is out six months with an injured left shoulder and will likely require surgery. Initial test results indicate a torn labrum and torn rotator cuff, but the 32-year-old defenseman may have also suffered a dislocation.

Streit, who suffered the injury during the third period of Saturday's Orange vs. Blue scrimmage, will seek out a second opinion this week. He is expected to visit shoulder specialist Anthony Miniaci at the Cleveland Clinic, the same doctor that repaired Doug Weight's shoulder back in March.

"He's a top guy for us," Islanders head coach Scott Gordon said after the scrimmage. "Any team that loses one of their top defensemen is going to have a hole in their lineup."

Streit hurt his shoulder during the third period of the team's intra-squad scrimmage at Nassau Coliseum Saturday. Streit was hit by Matt Moulson and fell into the boards awkwardly in what both Moulson and coach Scott Gordon called a "fluke play." Streit left the arena with his left arm in a sling.

"There's a lot more contact in practice than what happened on that play. That was more of a fluke," Gordon said after the scrimmage. "I think [Streit] couldn't get out of his own way more than anything else. He just got himself jammed up against the boards."

After the play, Streit was doubled over in pain and skated off the ice clutching his left shoulder.

According to one source, Streit's shoulder was out of socket for 20 minutes and he was in severe pain; he had to be given tranquilizers so medical staff could pop it back into place.

Moulson, who received a cross-checking penalty on the play, felt terrible about what happened.

"I know it was a fluke, but I still felt bad," Moulson told Newsday for Sunday's print edition. "Never like to see someone go down."

The Islanders, who have declared Streit as "out indefinitely" until he sees a specialist, are bringing in one defenseman on a training camp tryout--former Ranger Anders Eriksson. In addition to Eriksson, the Islanders will also bring in forwards Dean McAmmond and Krys Kolanos and goaltenders Many Legace and Joel Martin.

The native of Switzerland, who played all 82 games for the Islanders last season and averaged over 25 minutes of icetime per game.

With Streit out for most, if not all of the season, the Islanders still have seven defensemen on their roster on one-way contracts. They could also provide an opportunity to 2009 12th overall draft pick Calvin de Haan, a left-shot defenseman with poise who could fill the void on the first-unit power play with James Wisniewski.

The Islanders can play de Haan for nine games in the NHL before returning him to his junior club, the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League, without losing a season off his three-year entry level contract.

The team has reliable depth defensemen, such as Dylan Reese and Dustin Kohn, who were likely ticketed to start the season with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League. The Islanders may also look at any available defensemen on the waiver wire or free-agent and trade market.

The way I see it, the Islanders will, without a doubt, have a difficult time replacing the point production that Streit gave them the last two seasons, but they have three options: 1) let 20 year-old Travis Hamonic play on the defensive corps and see what he has. Option two would be to bring back their 1995 first round pick, second overall, defenseman Wade Redden, who was just placed on waivers by the Rangers. The third option would be to try and trade for a defenseman with the hardest shot in the NHL, Sheldon Souray.

Souray, who has been on the trade block for some time now, would fill the need on the powerplay the Islanders now have with Streit out for so long. Let's see what Garth Snow has up his sleeve.

Girardi Pushes Panic Button, Decides to Start Hughes to Avoid Sweep Against Red Sox

2010-09-26T17:12:00.002-04:00

With the New York Yankees tumbling to the finish line, manager Joe Girardi has decided to finally show some urgency by starting Phil Hughes on Sunday night against the Boston Red Sox. He replaces Dustin Moseley.

Hughes is 17-8 with a 4.31 ERA.

The Yankees are making the move because the Red Sox suddenly have a shot to make the final week of the season very interesting if they can win on Sunday. The Yankees, losers of 13 of their last 19, have a magic number of three to clinch the wild card. If they were to win on Sunday night, the Yankees would basically end the Red Sox chances.

However, if Boston were to win, the magic number would remain at three and the Red Sox would still have life, though they still would almost have to win out, while the Yankees would have to lose nearly all of their remaining games. Boston plays four games in Chicago against the White Sox, while the Yankees are in Toronto for three with the Blue Jays. The Yankees go to Boston for the final three games of the season.

Sunday was Hughes' turn to start, but the Yankees were skipping him because he has an innings limit of around 175 innings. He entered Sunday at 169 1/3.

When Girardi made the move earlier in the week, he didn't think the Yankees would need to win Sunday night as badly as they suddenly do. The Yankees began Sunday 1½ games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East and 5½ games ahead of the Red Sox in the wild-card race.

This move comes on the heels of the media ripping Girardi apart after it has appeared in recent games that he has hit the cruise control button and doesn't care whether his team wins the AL Wild Card or the AL East.

Many in the media believe that Girardi is hogging the spotlight, doing and saying things that, if true, makes him seem delusional at best and incompetent at worst. They have a very famous third baseman who squarely pointed the finger at the team's starting pitching as the problem of late. And they are tumbling toward the finish line, losing 13 of their last 19 and suffering their first four-game home losing streak of the season.

On Saturday, the Boston Red Sox again shellacked the Yankees in a 7-3 beating as rookie Ivan Nova could only pitch 4 2/3 innings, which left Alex Rodriguez to draw a line between the hitters and the pitchers.

"It's hard to play with an edge when you are down five or six runs," said Rodriguez, refreshingly honest, if impolitic.

Even as the Yankees slowly fade -- they are now 36-31 since the All-Star Break -- their manager, Joe Girardi, says that if the Yankees were in a tighter playoff race he would be handling his pitchers the same way.

That means, even if the Yankees weren't at the postseason one-yard line, Girardi claims he would have turned to Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre in a first place showdown with the Rays on Sept. 13.

"I would manage the same way," Girardi said before the Yankees' latest no-show.

Girardi said that he values the players' health first and that they are more productive rested. Of course, if the Red Sox were a game back and the Rays were up a game -- which is the exact scenario a reporter put forth to Girardi -- it is unfathomable he would turn to Moseley to avoid a sweep. But those were the manager's words. That is the message he sent out.

Girardi is very careful not to say that he is managing like the Yankees are already in, but his actions belie his nonsensical words. The Yankees' magic number to clinch the wild card is still just three, meaning they would guarantee at least a tie if they win Sunday night.

"We're still in a good spot," Girardi said.

With that in the back of his mind, Girardi continues to use his pitchers as if it were spring training. Girardi is valuing health over home-field, which is not an unreasonable way to go. However, the jogging to finish line approach may play better in theory than in reality. As programmed as many of the Yankees act, they are still people.

But similar to when the tumble began gaining steam with Girardi in the middle of it all on Sept. 13 -- the Gaudin-Mitre game -- this season is becoming all about Girardi, not his players. From every decision he makes from here until November, which includes the "Will he stay or will he go to the Cubs?" drama that awaits the day after the Yankees are either eliminated or win the World Series.

Being the manager of the Yankees is praise-less position, and Girardi is setting himself up to take all the blame if the Yankees fail to play through October and into November when the World Series ends. They increasingly look as if they will cede the division to the Tampa Bay Rays and take their chances as the wild card.

Quite honestly, at this point, I couldn't care less if Girardi were to take the job with the Cubs. I don't like the way he manages this team and I don't like the way he speaks. He tends to over-manage more than he let's his best players play the game, which has cost the Yankees numerous times over the past two seasons. It will certainly be interesting to see who replaces Girardi if he were to leave for the North Side of the Windy City.

The Yankees were tremendous in the first half, sprinting out to a 56-32 record at the All-Star break. They were up two games in the American League East.

Since the break, they entered Saturday with 30 losses. There were 11 teams who entered Saturday with 30 losses or fewer. So, basically, the Yankees have barely been a playoff team in the second half of the season.

Currently, they have lost four in a row -- and to A-Rod's point -- by allowing six or more runs in each of the games. It is the first time they have done that in three years, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

They have lost 13 of their last 19 games and their manager is elbowing out Rex Ryan at the top of the list for listeners who burn up talk radio lines.

"Bottom line, we need to win games," Girardi said.

They do, but he is not managing like it. He said his team is not tight and he is comfortable. It may get a lot more uncomfortable if they don't win soon.

Hughes Skipped Again, Won't Start Against Red Sox

2010-09-25T14:49:00.001-04:00

Phil Hughes' turn in the New York Yankees rotation will be skipped one more time this season, meaning the 24-year-old right-hander could go as many as 10 days before starting a game in the postseason.

Joe Girardi announced before Friday night's game against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium that Hughes, scheduled to start on Sunday, would be moved instead to Wednesday night against the Blue Jays in Toronto. In his place, Dustin Moseley will start Sunday against the Red Sox.

"It has to do with innings," said Girardi, referring to a team-imposed innings limit on Hughes, a closely-guarded secret but believed to be 175. Hughes (17-8, 4.31 ERA) has pitched 169-2/3 innings so far this season, his first as a full-time starting pitcher.

With the Yankees clinging to a narrow half-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays and the AL East still very much in play, it seems risky to start Moseley in a game that could help determine the division winner and with it, home-field advantage for the first two rounds of the postseason.

"Obviously, it's not the best situation when a guy gets skipped, because sometimes they're on a roll and feeling good about themselves and throwing the ball good," pitching coach Dave Eiland said. "But you have to protect their health and that's what this thing's all about."

The Yankees have used innings and pitch-count limitations with other young pitchers, with mixed results. Joba Chamberlain, restricted under the so-called Joba Rules as a rookie, still suffered shoulder soreness and has not been the same dominant pitcher that he was in 2007.

And Hughes, whose turn in the rotation has been skipped three times already this season, has not always responded well to the extra time off. Given nine days between starts in June, Hughes allowed six earned runs in 5 2/3 innings in a loss to Seattle on June 29. Skipped just before the All-Star Break, Hughes returned after 10 days of idleness to allow six earned runs in five innings in an 11-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

"The hardest part is mentally figuring out how to handle it," Eiland said of Hughes. "Pitchers, especially starters, they're creatures of habit. If they get knocked off their routine a little bit it kinda messes with them mentally. I think that's what we've all learned from this. Especially with him."

Hughes was skipped again earlier this month, going nine days between starts from Sept. 5 to Sept. 15 and fared slightly better, allowing four earned runs in six innings of a 4-3 loss to the Rays in Tampa. In between, Hughes was used for an inning out of the bullpen. It is that effort that Eiland is offering as evidence that Hughes will not be adversely affected by the layoff.

"We gave him some side work and did some simulated innings down there and kept him sharp," Eiland said of the last time Hughes was skipped. "But who's to say that's what did it. Maybe he got used to it and figured out how to approach it a little different mentally. I don't look at the negative part of it.''

Hughes has accepted the innings limitations without being fully in agreement with their effectiveness. "I don't feel like I need any time off," he said before the last time he was skipped. Friday, he did not appear in the pregame clubhouse to speak with reporters.

The Yankees have yet to reveal their postseason rotation, but Eiland said, "I don't think it's all that hard to figure out. We're not gonna make any late-season trades or anything. The four or five we have is the four or five we have."

Assuming the Yankees will go with their regular rotation, that means CC Sabathia would pitch Game 1 of the ALDS on Oct. 6, followed by A.J. Burnett in Game 2 on Oct. 7. After an off-day for travel, Andy Pettitte would pitch Game 3 on Oct. 9, followed by Hughes in Game 4 on Oct. 10.

The Yankees have already begun reshuffling their rotation for the final nine games of the season to line up their playoff pitching. Sabathia, who pitched Thursday night and would normally go again on Tuesday, told the New York Daily News he will not pitch again until next Friday in Boston in order to have him on regular rest for Game 1.

The possibility remains that Hughes could be used out of the bullpen in one of the three games in Boston next weekend, but Girardi said, "Right now, the way we're looking at it, Wednesday will probably be it. But I'm allowed to change my mind."

A-Rod's Two Homers Puts Him Past Sosa for Sixth All-Time

2010-09-25T14:45:00.001-04:00

Alex Rodriguez has homered twice to give him 610 in his career, passing Sammy Sosa for sixth place in major league history.

Rodriguez hit a solo shot in the sixth inning Friday night off Boston Red Sox starter Josh Beckett and a two-run drive in the seventh against reliever Scott Atchison. The first homer followed Mark Teixeira's solo shot, and the second one trimmed New York's deficit to 10-7.

It was A-Rod's 58th career multihomer game and fourth this season. His previous one was last Friday at Baltimore.

Next up on the home run list for Rodriguez is former teammate Ken Griffey Jr., who retired this season with 630.

Ripken's Advice to Yanks: Stick With Jeter at Shortstop

2010-09-22T15:57:00.000-04:00

No one in baseball can relate to Derek Jeter and the Yankees current situation better than Cal Ripken Jr. During his career with the Orioles, Ripken went through what Jeter is facing. Ripken was the iconic shortstop, the face of an organization, who started young and grew old all in the same uniform.

Ripken even changed positions, moving from short to third. So with Jeter's contract up at the end of the season, his average headed toward a career low finish and his 36 years of age, what would Ripken do with Jeter?

"I would ride him at shortstop as long as I could," Ripken told ESPNNewYork.com.

Ripken is optimistic about Jeter's future. He said he wouldn't move Jeter unless there was an obvious replacement for him.

"Right now unless you had somebody else, if you had the next Derek Jeter to replace this Derek Jeter, maybe if you are really strong about that and you are 100 percent sure, then maybe that is a different situation," said Ripken, who will work the playoffs as a studio analyst for TBS. "I see him as the shortstop of the Yankees in the short-term and then I would deal with it that way."

Just as it was difficult to imagine Ripken without a bird on his hat, Ripken can't fathom Jeter in anything other than pinstripes.

"I can't think of Derek not being a Yankee," Ripken said. "The fact that he has been Mr. Clutch in the playoffs, the fact that he has cut down on his errors the last couple of years and the fact that he has played really, really well at shortstop. He has gone in a little slump this year and his average is down, but in my estimation, all the other things he brings. His presence on the field and off the field. And the ability to be the table-setter and to score 100 runs. He has been the face for that franchise for some time and he represents himself very well." Jeter entered Tuesday, hitting .264 with 10 homers and 64 RBIs. He has scored 103 runs. He is in the final year of a 10-year, $189 million contract.

If the Yankees do have any plans to move Jeter from shortstop, they should talk to him about it first, according to Ripken.

"I wouldn't overcomplicate it," Ripken said. "Derek is athletic enough to play all positions. Derek could play second. Derek could play center. I think Derek could play any position."

But right now, Ripken thinks shortstop is Jeter's best spot.

"As you get older, you are fighting against time," Ripken said. "Some of the things you were able to do when you were younger may not be able to do, but you make up for that in experience. Derek is in extraordinary shape. He is still running. He is still stealing bases. He is still doing a lot of things that you start to lose when you get older."

Yanks Closing in on Divison Title

2010-09-22T15:53:00.002-04:00

The Yankees are closing in on crossing off everything on manager Joe Girardi’s and GM Brian Cashman’s checklist. No. 1, they are moving into position so they can rest their stars heading into October. This has always been the Yankees’ top goal. No. 2, they are closer to home-field advantage, though the Twins and Rays are keeping it interesting..

Home-field has importance, even if it is not the end-all, be-all. The Yankees are now 51-25 at home compared to 41-34 on the road. The Rays are 17 games over .500 at home, but just 11 on the road. The Twins entered Tuesday 50-35 at home, but just 40-35 on the road. Texas is actually five games under.500 on the road.

The games the last two nights have lacked the buzz that the ones in Tampa possessed last week. It is probably because the Yankees were struggling, trying to figure out how to win on the road as they watched their AL East vanish.

Revis Out Against Dolphins Sunday Night

2010-09-22T15:52:00.000-04:00

Darrelle Revis was not on the practice field for the New York Jets, and later coach Rex Ryan said he will not play Sunday against the Dolphins.

The All-Pro cornerback strained his left hamstring in the Jets' 28-14 victory Sunday against the New England Patriots.

On Monday, Revis would not rule himself out for the Dolphins game, but acknowledged it could take him a week or two to heal. He will remain in New York for treatment and will not accompany the team to Miami.

All-Pro center Nick Mangold also was not practicing in the portion open to the media, but he rode a stationary bike -- along with backup offensive lineman Wayne Hunter -- on the sideline. Mangold injured his right shoulder against the Patriots.

Linebacker Jason Taylor was practicing with a brace on his left elbow after injuring it against New England.

Braylon Edwards to Dress, Not Start Sunday Night

2010-09-22T15:48:00.001-04:00

Braylon Edwards will dress when the New York Jets play at Miami Sunday night, but he will not start after being charged with driving while intoxicated on Tuesday.

"In light of the facts as we have them, [coach] Rex [Ryan], [owner] Woody [Johnson] and I have decided he will not start," Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said. "He will dress, he will play at some point. When, we don't know. This is an area we pour a lot of organizational resources into. We're very disappointed in what happened."

Earlier Tuesday, the Jets revealed that two of Edwards' teammates were with him when he was pulled over and -- to his surprise -- arrested for driving while intoxicated in the early-morning hours Tuesday. Tannenbaum said there will be no sanctions against those players -- left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and defensive end Vernon Gholston.

The wide receiver appeared in court late Tuesday afternoon in ripped jeans, wearing a black T-shirt with the words "One Love" on the front and silver angel wings on the back, to answer the DWI charges.

Police documents, parts of which were read aloud during the hearing at the Manhattan Criminal Courts Building, revealed that he didn't understand why he was pulled over.

"Why was I stopped for tints when my driving didn't lead you to believe I was drunk driving?"

Edwards said, according to the report of the arresting officer, Armando Urbina.

Officers on the lookout for vehicle violations like excessively tinted windows or missing registration stickers pulled over Edwards' white Land Rover on Manhattan's West Side at 4:47 a.m. ET and noticed a strong smell of alcohol and that he had bloodshot, watery eyes, the police report states.

"I had a couple of drinks," Edwards said to the officer, according to the police report.

There were four other people in the car with Edwards at the time, two of them his teammates.

According to the arrest report, the officer asked Edwards when he had his last drink.

"About an hour ago," Edwards responded.

Urbina asked Edwards if he was familiar with a breathalyzer. He responded that he was but asked why he would not undergo a field sobriety test like in Michigan, where he went to college. The officer said that was not procedure in New York.

Edwards said to Urbina: "How about I just leave the car and take a cab and go home?"

But the wide receiver did undergo the breathalyzer exam, blew a .16 and was arrested.

Edwards has had his license suspended and will have to appear in court Nov. 9 to answer the charges.

After the court appearance, he left in a black Cadillac Escalade SUV to go to the Jets training facility and speak with team officials.

When asked if he had any comment on the situation, Edwards said: "There will be plenty of time to talk. I'll address everybody."

But his attorney, Peter Frankel, said: "He wants to speak to his teammates and he wants to speak to his coach."

Frankel added that Edwards "hadn't slept in two days."

The attorney said he would challenge how the breathalyzer was administered, but he did not offer more details.

Frankel also was apparently annoyed by prosecuting attorney Alyssa Gunther's relaying with such detail the conversation between Urbina and Edwards. During the court appearance, Frankel said sarcastically that he "appreciated the candor," which caused his fellow attorneys to laugh quietly. But he did say to the judge that he hoped it would be "dealt with along the line."

This isn't Edwards' first off-the-field issue. The Jets acquired Edwards, a former first-round pick out of Michigan in 2005, from the Cleveland Browns only days after he was accused of punching a man outside a Cleveland nightclub in October 2009.

The victim was an acquaintance of LeBron James'. Edwards pleaded not guilty at the time, but he ended up pleading no contest to misdemeanor aggravated disorderly conduct. He received probation and a $1,000 fine.

Pending the outcome of the New York City case, Edwards may have to return to Cleveland to face a possible probation violation, which could carry jail time. The Cleveland Municipal Court judge handling his case has been notified of his New York arrest, court spokesman Ed Ferenc said.

Gunther said in court that the district attorney's office is "still investigating the circumstances of the Cleveland incident."

Edwards currently can only be disciplined under the league's substance abuse policy, in which he faces a maximum fine of $50,000 under terms of the collective bargaining agreement. According to a league spokesman, teams can't suspend or deactivate a player for an alcohol-related offense.

"Braylon's actions clearly come under the purview of the league's substance abuse policy," Tannenbaum said. "This is going to have to run its course through the legal system, and any discipline that occurs will be by the league under that program."

If Edwards is convicted or pleads no contest he likely will be subject to the league's personal conduct policy and face a possible suspension, a league source clarified to ESPN NFL Insider Chris Mortensen late Tuesday.

Edwards' misdemeanor disorderly conduct conviction in Ohio resulted in a previously undisclosed fine of his first game check of an estimated $200,000, even though he was not suspended by commissioner Roger Goodell, the source said.

A conviction or no contest plea likely would be viewed as a second violation of the personal conduct policy, a league official said.

The Jets had few options in terms of discipline due to the rules of the collective bargaining agreement. Any punishment they would dole out now -- other than what the NFL eventually decides -- would violate the CBA. That means the Jets could not deactivate him or keep him active and not play him without risking a violation.

In August 2008, Edwards was stopped for driving 120 mph in a 65 mph zone on an interstate near Cleveland. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Edwards already had his left hand out of the window, holding his driver's license and registration, as the officer approached the vehicle. Edwards hadn't been drinking and wasn't intoxicated, police told the newspaper, but Edwards' passenger vomited on the dashboard.

In March 2009, Edwards was drinking with teammate Donte' Stallworth in Miami Beach, Fla., the night Stallworth killed a pedestrian while driving. Edwards wasn't at the scene of the accident and wasn't charged. Stallworth was suspended for a year.

While with the Browns in 2009, Edwards was fined $1,701 by coach Eric Mangini for failing to pay for a $3 bottle of water on his hotel incidentals. The fine was so high, sources said, because Edwards already had accumulated several team violations.

Calvin Pace Healing Quickly

2010-09-21T12:38:00.001-04:00

Calvin Pace, who had surgery on a broken bone in his right foot 21 days ago, ran outside today for the first time on Monday afternoon. It is an incredibly short amount of time to be this far along in the healing process, and one that Jets coach Rex Ryan said had team doctors using the word extraordinary.

"Calvin's doing great," Ryan said. "He's way ahead of where most people are at this time."

Monday the Jets linebacker ran through some football drills on the field for the first time since his injury. He is doing so well that he wouldn't rule out playing against Miami.

"Everything's going good right now," Pace said. "If I had to give you a percentage chance of me playing, 30, 40 percent -- today. It might get batter later in the week."

Pace, who was at the facility Monday with his right foot in a sleeve, said he feels good about the possibility of returning to action in two weeks against Buffalo.

"The way he's progressing, there's no reason to think he can't do that," Ryan said.

The Jets have been using some innovative techniques with Pace to assist in the healing process. He has a screw in the bone, so he won't be able to rebreak it as he accelerates the return. Pace said he has to get used to the idea mentally that he can put weight on it.

"Getting that in my head," Pace said.

Pace has been working out in the water, which reduces pressure on the foot, and today walked on a treadmill that puts the user's lower body in a bubble. Pace said the treadmill can make it feel like his body weight is reduced from 265 to 130 pounds. Gradually, weight is added as a the foot gets better.

"Takes some of the strain off your foot and build it up in your mind, I can do this," Pace said. "Luckily I'm in a team with state of the art stuff. Ten days after my surgery I was doing some stuff."

But it isn't all about big movements. Some of the other therapies involve more discrete muscle involvement.

"Simple stuff like picking up marbles with my feet," Pace said. "Just try to work those muscles back. It's crazy, you don't do something with your leg and its sitting up in the cast for a week, and you feel like it's a new leg. You feel like you've got to teach it all over again."

Pace has transitioned from crutches to the boot on his foot and now a shoe. When he was out on the field today, he said things felt fine until the very end.

"It felt good," Pace said. "The thing that I saw today, doing some football motion stuff that felt fine, but when they told me to pick up my leg, that felt crazy."

So perhaps some more time is in order. But after breaking the bone in late August, even shooting to be back against Buffalo is a remarkable feat.

"Ultimately I would love to play but I don't want to be that guy force a comeback and get injured worse," Pace said.

Braylon Edwards Charged with DUI

2010-09-21T12:24:00.002-04:00

New York Jets receiver Braylon Edwards was arrested on a drunken driving charge in New York early Tuesday morning.

The Jets expressed their disappointment in the receiver in a statement from general manager Mike Tannenbaum on Tuesday.

"We are very disappointed in Braylon's actions this morning. The Player Protect program is in place for our organization to prevent this situation. Braylon is aware of this program and showed poor judgment," Tannenbaum said.

"We are reviewing the information with the league and will impose the appropriate disciplinary measures."

The 27-year-old Edwards was pulled over for having overly tinted windows in his Range Rover. He was arrested at 5:15 a.m. after police smelled alcohol and administered a breathalyzer. According to the New York Post, Edwards blew .16 on the breathalyzer -- a blood-alcohol content that is twice the legal limit.

Edwards, who caught a touchdown pass and two-point conversion on Sunday in the Jets' victory over the New England Patriots, is currently in police custody and will be arraigned later Tuesday, the newspaper reported.

The Jets acquired Edwards, a former first-round pick out of Michigan in 2005, from the Cleveland Browns only days after he was accused of punching a man outside a Cleveland nightclub in October 2009. The victim was an acquaintance of LeBron James. Edwards pleaded not guilty at the time, but he ended up pleading no contest to misdemeanor aggravated disorderly conduct. He received probation and a $1,000 fine.

Edwards was required to make that plea in person, and it took him away from the Jets for a day as they prepared for a playoff game last Jan. 12. At the time, the Jets feared he would be slapped with a one-game suspension from the NFL, but they learned in late June that there would be no sanction from the league.

According to a league spokesman, DUIs are reviewed under the NFL's substance-abuse policy. There is no automatic suspension under any circumstances. The league isn't commenting on a possible outcome or specifics.

The first substance-abuse offense is not subject to suspension for a player, only a fine, which is half of a game check with a maximum of $50,000. It is not known if Edwards ever had a violation under the substance-abuse policy (the program is confidential) and if he would be subject to a suspension for a second offense.

The assault charge that Edwards previously had while in Cleveland is covered under the NFL's personal conduct policy and the two can't be used together against a player.

Edwards' big game Sunday was overshadowed by a taunting penalty he received after his touchdown.
On Monday, Edwards was chastised by coach Rex Ryan -- publicly and privately. In a team meeting, Ryan announced that he was prepared to give Edwards a game ball for his performance, but he decided against it because of the penalty.

"I love the way he played -- he was really into it -- but you're killing us," Ryan told reporters. "You can't put the team in that kind of jeopardy. I appreciate how passionate he is, but you don't want to be selfish. That's basically what that is."

This could be Edwards' final season with the Jets. In the offseason, he signed a one-year tender for $6.05 million, and he's due to become an unrestricted free agent in 2011.

The Jets were heavily criticized in the offseason for acquiring players with off-the-field issues. They traded for wide receiver Santonio Holmes even though he was facing a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. He has served two games.

Also, they traded for cornerback Antonio Cromartie, whose tenure with the San Diego Chargers was tainted by paternity issues. At the time of the trade, in March, Cromartie had fathered seven children from six different women and was late on $25,000 in child-support payments. To help Cromartie, the Jets fronted him $500,000 of his $1.1 million salary.

Let's be realistic here, folks. How stupid can he get? He knows that he's on thin ice after the Jets acquired him, amid the allegations of punching James' friend last year. If he didn't drop the ball so much this might not be an issue, but now that he's got other things on his mind than football, this could be disastrous for the Jets because they need everything part of Edwards' brain focused on catching the football. Hopefully for Jets he doesn't get suspended for this Sunday night's game in Miami. What will Goodell do?

Revis Has Strained Hamstring

2010-09-21T12:11:00.001-04:00

The New York Jets proved they can play 30 minutes of great defense without Darrelle Revis. What about an entire game? Two games? A month?

They're about to find out.

Although he refused to rule himself out of Sunday night's game in Miami, Revis acknowledged Monday he could miss one to two weeks after an MRI exam revealed a strained left hamstring. The star cornerback, hoping to prevent it from becoming a nagging, season-long injury, said he doesn't want to return until he's 100 percent.

In that case, Revis Island could be shut down until October. The feeling in the organization is that it may take up to four weeks to completely heal.

"We don't want to push it to where it's a problem, where I have to keeping coming out of a game and can't practice," Revis said. "Right now, we're going to take our time with it. Until I feel it's 100 percent, and the trainers feel I can go at 100 percent, I doubt I'll be out there."

Jets coach Rex Ryan said he didn't have a prognosis, although he didn't sound optimistic about Revis' chances of facing the first-place Dolphins (2-0). Ryan said he's encouraged that center Nick Mangold (shoulder) and outside linebacker Jason Taylor (elbow) will play, adding that he's uncertain about Revis.

"With hamstrings, you really can't tell," Ryan said. "Could he play in nickel situations? Is it best to rest him the whole time? We've got to be smart with this one."

Translation: You're more likely to see Ryan high-fiving Dolphins fans than Revis playing in the prime-time showdown.

The good news for the Jets (1-1), coming off an impressive 28-14 win over the New England Patriots, is the schedule. The Dolphins are a run-oriented team with only one threat at receiver, Brandon Marshall, who probably will be covered by Antonio Cromartie. Marshall, the former Denver Bronco, has 12 receptions for only 124 yards and no touchdowns.

The following week, the Jets face the Buffalo Bills (0-2), who aren't doing much of anything on offense.

Revis admitted that his injury could be attributed to his 36-day holdout, which caused him to miss the entire preseason. He landed a four-year, $46 million contract, including $32 million in guarantees, but it cost him training camp.

"It's tough coming back from holding out, trying to get back into football shape," said Revis, who hasn't missed a game in three-plus seasons. "I'm in shape, but there's another shape, and it's called football shape."

After playing the entire game in the Monday night season opener (75 plays), Revis came back on a short week and reported stiffness on Thursday. He was limited in practice Thursday and Friday, but started Sunday against the Patriots.

Revis played 34 snaps against the Patriots, chasing Randy Moss all over the field in man-to-man coverage. On the Patriots' 34th snap, their final play of the first half, he pulled the hamstring, trailing Moss on a 34-yard touchdown pass. Revis went to the locker room and was finished for the day.

Revis said he has no regrets about the holdout or the decision to play Sunday, claiming he felt fine before the game. He believes his contract "could've been done a while ago, but negotiations, they're tough. ... But this is the stage I'm at and that's how it is," he said. "I'm trying to deal with it the best way I can and play football."

Without Revis, the Jets put Cromartie on Moss, and he held the star receiver without a catch in the second half. Rookie Kyle Wilson went from nickelback to starter, with Dwight Lowery and Drew Coleman stepping into key backup roles. Remarkably, they befuddled Tom Brady, who went 7-for-16 for 69 yards in the second half. It was the first time in his career that he threw two interceptions against the Jets.

In theory, the Jets shouldn't be worried about Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne, who has only 296 yards and one touchdown. But Ryan, recalling Henne's 241-yard passing day last season against the Jets, said, "I thought we were playing Dan Marino."

And that was with Revis.

Torre, Cashman Meet Behind Closed Doors, Resolve Differences

2010-09-21T12:06:00.001-04:00

Over the 10 years that Brian Cashman was the New York Yankees GM and Joe Torre his field manager, the two spoke on the phone sometimes as many as a dozen times a day.

But that ended when Torre co-authored a book that Cashman and the Yankees believed was inaccurate and, worse, disloyal.

On Monday night, about an hour before the Yankees staged a lavish memorial for the late George Steinbrenner, fate brought the two them together for the first time in nearly two years, a happenstance that Cashman could only attribute to the power of The Boss.

"He was a great individual at bringing people together," Cashman said. "That's the only explanation I can come up with. There was a little bit of divine intervention in how this all played out."

On Friday night in Baltimore, Cashman had said he and the Yankees had "no issues" with Torre and would gladly welcome him back to Yankee Stadium as soon as their estranged ex-manager could find the occasion to return.

Little did Cashman know that three days later, he would find himself in the middle of a very public manhug with Torre outside the interview room, and soon afterward would be having a very private discussion with him in a remote area of the Yankees clubhouse.

"Hey, we gotta talk," an emotional Torre had said to Cashman in the midst of the embrace, and the two began the long process of hashing out their differences over all that has been written and said since the publication of "The Yankee Years" in January 2009.

"I don't want to go through all that was said, but I think we've agreed to put it behind us," Cashman said. "We had a good constructive meeting. We've taken steps to repair whatever got broke."

What got broke was the trust between two men who collaborated on three world championship teams and five American League champions. It had begun to fray at the meeting in Tampa following the 2007 season in which Torre rejected the one-year contract offered by the Yankees, and tore asunder with the publication of the book, co-authored with Tom Verducci, in which the Yankees felt Torre betrayed some players and front-office employees and misrepresented some events.

"We had a long, terrific run," Cashman said. "I would put our relationship while we were working together up against any manager/GM combination in the game. We had a magic carpet ride and almost all of it was positive. My frustration is that you wouldn't necessarily know that from the book."

Torre, who announced Friday that he was stepping down as Dodgers manager after the season, was approached by Yankees chief operating officer Lonn Trost about returning to the Bronx for the memorial ceremony. Both Torre and his bench coach, Don Mattingly, who will replace him as Dodgers manager next season, took advantage of an off day in the Dodgers' schedule to accept the offer. It was their first visit to the new Yankee Stadium since it opened before the 2009 season.

"I'm glad we had a chance to talk and get things moving in the right direction," Cashman said. "We hadn't had a chance to have an honest dialogue. And I hope we can get to the point where we can pick up the phone and have conversations with each other. We've both agreed it's time to turn the page and just move on."

Steinbrenner Monument Unveiled

2010-09-21T11:45:00.002-04:00

Dwarfing all the honorees in the historic park that now sits behind the center field wall at the new Yankee Stadium, George Steinbrenner's monument is at least twice the size of the ones for Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio.

In a ceremony Monday, the Yankees unveiled the mammoth monument to Steinbrenner, who passed away two months ago at the age of 80.

Shortly after 7 p.m., the Steinbrenner family took the field between the white interlocking "NY" and the dirt behind home plate. Next, Joan Steinbrenner, George's widow, was escorted by commissioner Bud Selig and his wife to join them.

Following a video tribute, all the current Yankees and the Steinbrenner family walked out to Monument Park, where Joan Steinbrenner revealed the contents of the first new monument at the new Yankee Stadium. The monument itself is 7 feet wide by 5 feet tall, not including the base. The team said it weighs 760 pounds.

"Do I think George should be in the Hall of Fame? Of course I do," Selig said. "He changed the sport in a lot of ways."

"A true visionary who changed the game of baseball forever," the monument reads. "He was considered the most influential owner in all of sports. In 37 years as principal owner, the Yankees posted a major league-best .566 winning percentage, while winning 11 American League pennants and seven World Series titles, becoming the most recognizable sports brand in the world.

"A devoted sportsman, he was vice president of the United States Olympic Committee, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame's board of directors and a member of the NCAA Foundation board of trustees. A great philanthropist whose charitable efforts were mostly performed without fanfare, he followed a personal motto of the greatest form of charity is anonymity."

While the return of Joe Torre and Don Mattingly received the most attention, former Yankees from Reggie Jackson to Yogi Berra were also in attendance. Frank Sinatra Jr. sang the national anthem.
"We are grateful to have been able to share this night with so many special people who brought fulfillment to our father's life," the Steinbrenner family said in a statement. "To see all of the distinguished Yankees alumni, friends and family gathered with us was a meaningful tribute to him.

"Our father always believed that this organization was an extension of his family, and he felt our fans were the heartbeat and soul of this baseball team. His unrelenting vision and passion for success was unmatched, and we are humbled that his likeness will forever greet the people he cared so deeply for in Monument Park.

"We would like to thank everyone who came out to support our father and the Yankees tonight. He was a proud owner, but he was also a great husband, father and grandfather to us."

With a crowd looking on that included Donald Trump, Torre received the loudest cheers as he was shown three times on the giant video board, and Mattingly -- who will succeed Torre next season as Los Angeles Dodgers manager -- got the second-loudest applause.

"George is responsible for really the best years of my life professionally," said Torre, who managed the Yankees to four of their seven World Series titles under Steinbrenner. "Did we get along all the time? No. But it never lasted very long that we, you know, disagreed."

Mattingly recalled how Steinbrenner dispatched a plane to Indiana for him when the first baseman's back ailed. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman remembered how Steinbrenner's mere presence upped the tension at old Yankee Stadium.

"Before text messages, Internet, cell phones and things of that nature, you didn't know what his travel schedule was. He liked to surprise people all the time," Cashman said. "You'd walk into that facility, and you could feel within two steps into the lobby that The Boss was here. Some people say in the parking lot you could feel it."

Without Steinbrenner, the Yankees' culture has changed.

"He was the ticket director, the marketing manager, the general manager, the manager in the dugout, the stadium operations guy," Cashman said. "He ran everything, and he told everybody what to do. He was the department head of it all. And now you need I can't tell you how many people to replace him."

Torre, Mattingly to Be at Steinbrenner's Monument Unveiling at Stadium Monday Night

2010-09-19T21:53:00.001-04:00

With no game on the Los Angeles Dodgers' schedule for Monday, manager Joe Torre and hitting coach/manager-in-waiting Don Mattingly will travel to New York to take part in a pregame ceremony at Yankee Stadium on Monday night to unveil a monument honoring George Steinbrenner, the Yankees' late owner.

It will be the first trip to the new stadium for Torre, who managed the Yankees from 1996 to 2007. Mattingly spent his entire 14-year playing career with the Yankees and later coached them under Torre from 2004 to 2007.

"I got a call from their COO Lonn Trost on Friday before I made my announcement. He invited me and Donnie," Torre said. "He asked if we wanted to come for a memorial for George. I had been hoping they were going to have something, and I was hoping it would be at a time when I could make it.

Said Mattingly: "I'm excited, and I obviously want to do this for Steinbrenner because he did so much for me and my family over the years. ... It's a tough decision because of the travel. I'm excited that they invited Joe, because Joe hasn't been back. I'm sure he wouldn't say it, but I'm sure that hurt a little bit. So I'm excited they're bringing Joe back too.

Several Yankees who played under Torre and were coached by Mattingly are happy the two will get a chance to return to New York.

"Well, I think it's good that they get the opportunity to come back to the stadium," Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said. "I'm sure they'll be well received by everyone. I'm glad they get an opportunity to come back because I know Mr. Steinbrenner has meant a great deal to both of their careers."

Said pitcher Andy Pettitte: "It'll be a great thing for this organization and for Joe, sure, because he ought to be part of this. He was part of this organization for a long time. That's great to see."

Yankees closer Mariano Rivera has fond memories of Torre especially.

"Well, I think that's going to be nice, the first time Mr. Torre is gonna be back since he left the team," Rivera said. "For us and the fans it will be excellent. Hopefully, they feel the same way about him that we feel about him, or the way I feel about him."

Steinbrenner owned the Yankees from 1973 until his death earlier this year at age 80.

Torre turned down an offer to return for a 13th season as manager of the Yankees after the 2007 season and was named manager of the Dodgers soon after. He announced Friday that he will step down at the end of this season, and the Dodgers announced that Mattingly, who has been the Dodgers' hitting coach since the 2008 All-Star break, will succeed him.

Sabathia Wins His 20th Game

2010-09-19T01:59:00.002-04:00

After reaching an elusive milestone, CC Sabathia sounded as if he wanted to postpone celebrating it.

Sabathia became a 20-game winner for the first time in his stellar career, pitching the New York Yankees past the Baltimore Orioles 11-3 Saturday night.

"Maybe after the season," Sabathia said. "But right now we're right in the middle of this thing -- trying to win a championship, trying to win a division first. ... Maybe after the season I can sit back and enjoy it a little more. Right now, I'm just looking five days ahead and who I'm pitching against next."

Sabathia (20-6) leads the majors in victories. He twice finished seasons with 19 wins, and succeeded this year in his third try at No. 20.

The historical significance is high for a Yankees pitcher to be the first to 20 wins. History says he will win the Cy Young award. Since the award was first given out in 1956, Yankees pitchers have been the first in MLB to 20 wins in a season now four times (Sabathia being the fourth). The previous three times, those Yankees pitchers went on to win the Cy Young that same year and the Yankees went on to win the World Series.

"He has been our ace all year, really since he's got here, and to get to 20 wins is quite an accomplishment," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Sabathia.

Sabathia already had a Cy Young Award, a World Series championship and several All-Star selections to his credit over 10 seasons. Winning 20 games was about the only thing missing on his pitching resume.

"I think it's meaningful to any pitcher," Girardi said. "I think as he gets older, he'll appreciate it more. I think CC realizes how difficult it is. As good as he's been, it's the first time he's done it."

But the ultimate tribute of how good Sabathia really is came out of the mouth of teammate Derek Jeter just minutes after the Yankees win at Camden Yards to nail down Sabathia's 20th victory of the season.

"I didn't even know it was his first time until after the game," Jeter said. "I just assumed he had done it before."

The big lefty allowed three runs on seven hits over seven innings for the AL East leaders. Sabathia, denied the big win in a home loss to the Orioles on Sept. 7, walked one and struck out four, improving to 14-2 all-time against Baltimore.

"We spoiled it once, but against a pitcher of his caliber, it's tough to do it twice," said Baltimore's Nolan Reimold.

Sabathia found one perk: "People will stop asking me about it now."

Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson homered for the Yankees, who spotted Sabathia a 2-0 lead before he took the mound and never trailed."

These guys swung the bat, put some runs up on the board and took a lot of the pressure off," Sabathia said.

Cano's two-run shot in the fifth put the second baseman at 101 RBIs. That gave the Yankees three infielders with 100 or more RBIs in a single season for the first time in franchise history -- first baseman Mark Teixeira and third baseman Alex Rodriguez previously reached the mark.

"It's big for [Cano]," Girardi said. "Everyone was concerned who was going to hit fifth for us [after] losing [Hidek] Matsui. Robbie has stepped in and been tremendous for us all year long."

Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter each had two RBIs for New York and Brett Gardner had three hits.

Jeter was hit in the ribs by Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie (10-14) on the game's first pitch and came around to score on Posada's two-run single later in the first. It marked the 13th time in Jeter's 16-year career that he has scored 100 or more runs in a season.

Jeter's sacrifice fly scored Gardner, who led off with a triple, for a 3-0 lead in the second.

The Orioles loaded the bases in the second on singles by Adam Jones and Reimold and a walk to Craig Tatum before Cesar Izturis hit a sacrifice fly.

A sacrifice fly by Ty Wigginton made it 3-2 in the third.An RBI groundout by Jeter restored the Yankees' two-run cushion in the fourth.

In the fifth, Rodriguez singled and Cano followed with a homer onto the right-field flag court, his 28th.

Robert Andino homered for the second straight game in the fifth.

Nick Swisher added an RBI double in the sixth off Orioles reliever Mark Hendrickson. Jeter reached on an infield single and Swisher then doubled into the left-field corner.

Gardner singled and later scored on Alfredo Simon's wild pitch in the eighth. Granderson added a three-run shot, his 19th, in the ninth.

Cashman Says Torre Would be Welcome Back with Yankees

2010-09-18T10:31:00.000-04:00

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said there are "no issues" between Joe Torre and the team he led to four world championships but ultimately spurned in a tell-all book. In fact, Cashman said that if Torre truly is retired -- Torre announced earlier Friday that he would not return to manage the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2011 -- he would be welcome at Yankee Stadium functions such as Old-Timer's Day.

"Joe Torre is welcome at any time," said Cashman, who traveled to Baltimore to keep an eye on his struggling team this weekend. "Joe Torre the manager is already enshrined in history with us. The marriage with him and the Yankees will go on forever. There's been no divorce in that. Just because of the way it ended doesn't change the fact of how successful and great a manager he was for us. He'll be a Hall of Famer and he'll go in as a Yankee."

Torre, of course, walked away from a conditional offer to return as Yankees manager following the 2007 season, and later wrote a book -- "The Yankee Years" with Tom Verducci -- that was perceived by some in the organization as a betrayal of team confidences. But Cashman said any lingering resentments over the book would not stand in the way of Torre being welcomed back into the Yankees family.

"You can have subjective opinions about that stuff and what was accurate and what wasn't, and should he have done it or shouldn't he have done it," Cashman said. "But in terms of what Joe did and what we all did together, nothing's gonna change that and no one wants to change that. We're really proud of what we all did together. We had success beyond all of our wildest dreams. We all got rings on our fingers to show for it."

The players who played for Torre were unanimous in their well-wishes for their former manager, and optimistic about the chances of former Yankees legend Don Mattingly -- Torre's bench coach in both New York and Los Angeles and a finalist for the job to succeed Torre that ultimately went to Joe Girardi -- to follow in the footsteps of his mentor.

"I'm happy that he gets an opportunity to do it when he wants to do it," Derek Jeter said of Torre's retirement. "It goes without saying how much he's meant to the game of baseball not only as a player but as a manager, you know, here and other places as well. I'm happy that he's decided to do it and I wish him the best."

Jorge Posada said he had texted Torre but had yet to hear back from him. "He means a lot to me," Posada said. "He means a lot to the Yankee fans and to the Yankee organization."

Posada was also full of praise for Mattingly. "Donnie's great," he said. "I was a big fan of Donnie growing up and I couldn't believe it when he was my hitting coach. I was blown away. He's great at communicating, I think that's why he's gonna be a good manager."

Girardi, however, wondered if the pull of managing would lure Torre back to the field next season, even though he turned 70 in July. "It'll be interesting to see how he feels in December, if he stays retired," Girardi said. "Joe's been doing it a long time and I'm sure there are other things he wants to do in his life. I know how much he loves to manage and I know how much he loves his family, so I won't be surprised either way."

Asked if he could see himself managing at age 70, Girardi replied with a single word: "No."

Howard Green Re-Signs with Jets

2010-09-15T23:26:00.002-04:00

The New York Jets moved to help fill the massive void left by the loss of nose tackle Kris Jenkins by agreeing to a contract with defensive tackle Howard Green on Wednesday.

A league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter that Green's deal is for two years.

Jenkins will miss the rest of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his surgically repaired left knee in the team's opener against Baltimore on Monday night.

The extent of the injury was determined Tuesday following an MRI exam.

Green, listed as 6-foot-2 and 365 pounds, appeared in 12 games for the Jets last season, registering 16 tackles. He signed with the Washington Redskins this offseason but was cut before the season began.

After Jenkins' injury, the Jets were down to four veteran defensive linemen: Shaun Ellis, Mike Devito, Sione Pouha and Vernon Gholston, a converted linebacker. They have Matt Kroul and Marcus Dixon on the bench. In the preseason, they lost Ropati Pitoitua (Achilles tendon) to a season-ending injury.

Jenkins tore the same ACL midway through last season and used a graft from a hamstring to repair it. Monday night's game was his first in the regular season since that injury.

Jenkins said in training camp that he used the time while he was rehabilitating to do some soul searching, and rededicated himself to football after contemplating retirement. He has often spoken about how he now considers himself a family man first and a football player second, and the latest injury may test his desire to play again.

On Tuesday, Jets coach Rex Ryan said Jenkins hadn't spoken to him about his long-term plans.

"I think he's going to get away from it, and then he'll make a decision," Ryan said.

Vazquez Officially Dropped From Rotation

2010-09-15T23:24:00.001-04:00

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi has officially bounced Javier Vazquez from the rotation.

Before Wednesday's Yankees-Rays game, Girardi announced Vazquez would pitch out of the bullpen for the foreseeable future. After CC Sabathia, the returning Andy Pettitte, A.J. Burnett, Phil Hughes and rookie Ivan Nova will fill out the Yankees rotation.

A year ago, Vazquez was finishing up a season in which he finished fourth in the National League Cy Young voting. On Wednesday, he was told he was out of the rotation, something he expected.

ESPNNewYork.com first reported Vazquez would be removed from the rotation on Sunday. It is the third time he has been taken out of Girardi's rotation.

With Thursday's off day, the Yankees will start Burnett Friday, Sabathia on Saturday and, after two months on the disabled list, Pettitte on Sunday in Baltimore.

Girardi held a series of meetings on Wednesday in his office at Tropicana Field. His talk with Burnett went for around a half-hour. Girardi would not detail the contents of the meeting other than to say they spoke about pitching and life. His meeting with Vazquez lasted one minute, at most.

"He wants to pitch," Girardi said of Vazquez' reaction.

Vazquez and Burnett were both unavailable for comment because Girardi made the announcement when the Yankees were taking batting practice.

While Vazquez has been disappointed about the shuttling back-and-forth from the rotation, he admits if he were pitching better there would not be any problems. Vazquez is 10-9 with 5.09 ERA. Last season with the Braves, he finished 15-10 with a 2.87 ERA.

Dropping Vazquez effectively puts Sabathia on schedule for a rematch with fellow Cy Young candidate David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays next Thursday in the Bronx.

Sabathia and Price matched up on Monday in which both pitched eight innings of shutout ball. The Rays eventually won 1-0 in the 11th inning.

Pettitte Set to Rejoin Rotation on Sunday

2010-09-15T23:23:00.000-04:00

New York Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte is set to rejoin the rotation on Sunday.

Manager Joe Girardi announced the plan for Pettitte before Wednesday night's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Pettitte has been sidelined since July 19 by a strained left groin.

With his return, Javier Vazquez will shift to a long relief role.

A.J. Burnett will start the opener of a three-game series at Baltimore on Friday. CC Sabathia will pitch on Saturday, which also lines up the 19-game winner to face Tampa Bay's 17-game winner David Price five days later in the final game of a four-game series with the Rays at Yankee Stadium.

Also, injured outfielders Nick Swisher (left knee) and Brett Gardner (right wrist) could return to the starting lineup this weekend.

The Yankees signed left-hander Royce Ring to a major league contract. The left-hander joined the team on Wednesday.

Kris Jenkins Tears Left ACL Again, Career May Be Over

2010-09-14T17:09:00.001-04:00

The New York Jets star defense took another hit last night, as DT Kris Jenkins tore his left ACL on the sixth defensive snap. It's the same knee that required reconstructive surgery last October, putting Jenkins' career in jeopardy. His season is over, and his career may be as well.

"Obviously, that's going to be a huge blow for us," coach Rex Ryan said Tuesday. "Again, we're about the team, but I just feel really bad for Kris."

Jenkins, 31, a former Pro Bowl selection, was hurt in a first-quarter pile-up. He left the game and didn't return. After the game, the Jets anticipated the possibility of a season-ending injury, with one source telling ESPNNewYork.com there was a 50-50 chance it would end his season.

Jenkins went for an MRI exam Tuesday morning, confirming the tear. The previous injury to that knee also involved the ACL. It was repaired in October with a graft, using a tendon from his hamstring. He made a strong recovery, dropped more than 30 pounds and reported to training camp at 359 pounds.

"I just spoke to Kris and he's down, but I think he'll battle and come through this," Ryan said. "But, it's a big loss."

Ryan said surgery had not been scheduled yet.

Jenkins was looking forward to a bounce-back season, but it lasted only six plays.

Ryan said Jenkins hadn't spoken to him about his long-term plans.

"I think he's going to get away from it, and then he'll make a decision," Ryan said.

Jenkins, one of the team's leaders, entered training camp in terrific shape after using a so-called cookie diet to help win a weight-loss competition among himself, Ryan and right tackle Damien Woody. He was eased back into the lineup in the preseason, and said he felt 100 percent entering the regular season.

"We lost a heck of a football player," Ryan said. "The thing is, we did overcome him last year. Our defense rallied around the guys who were out there."

A year ago, the Jets compensated for Jenkins' absence and still finished No. 1 in overall defense. Sione Pouha and Mike DeVito stepped in and were solid in Jenkins' place.

Both players had good games Monday night, but the Jets are not particularly deep on the line. But now their depth will be tested. In the preseason, the Jets lost defensive end Ropati Pitoitua (Achilles tendon). Ryan said the Jets might explore bringing in a veteran to help.

"We'll consider that, for sure," Ryan said.

Jenkins, in his third season with the Jets, also tore the ACL in his right knee in 2005 while with Carolina.

"He's got a physical mismatch against anybody he plays against," Ryan said. "There's not too many people walking the face of the Earth that are like that, just a big, powerful man that's athletic, who's hard to block one-on-one. Impossible, really."

This is just outright unfair, to say the least. Not even nine months ago the big fella was starting rehab on the same injury. This is also one of the toughest injuries to rehab because most of it is trusting the ability of the reconstructed knee once it has been through enough rehabilitation.

This will now fuel the speculation on what the Jets will do to replace him, with Albert Haynesworth's name now entering the fray; however, Haynesworth probably is not a good fit for the Jets because he has already been fighting with Coach Mike Shanahan about not wanting to play the nose tackle position in the 3-4 defense, which is exactly what he would be doing with the Jets.

But now this big injury begs the question: will Vernon Gholston now play a bigger role in the Jets defense? Now that the Jets need more defensive line depth, Gholston at his new defensive end position could become a key component to the Jets defense for the rest of the season.

The Jets did just fine against the run last night without Jenkins, as Baltimore finished with 35 rushes for just 49 yards (1.4-yards per carry). Even last season when the Jets were without Jenkins, the jumped up to finish sixth in rushing defense as he missed the last ten games of the season.

I do think this year is a little different, though, in the fact that the line depth is thinner this season than it was last season for Gang Green, but I think Rex Ryan can figure anything out on defense and Jets fans must have faith in the best defensive mind in the game.

Yanks to Skip Vazquez Again, This Time Probably For Good

2010-09-14T16:51:00.001-04:00

The New York Yankees plan on bouncing Javier Vazquez from their rotation.

With Andy Pettitte on target to return from the disabled list next Sunday in Baltimore, a team official told ESPNNewYork.com that the Yankees plan to use Thursday's off day to skip Vazquez's next turn.

CC Sabathia will start in Tampa on Monday. He will be followed by rookie Ivan Nova and Phil Hughes. A.J. Burnett will start Friday in Baltimore. On Saturday, Sabathia will go again, followed by Pettitte, who will return Sunday against the Orioles. Pettitte still needs to get through his final minor league rehab start in Altooona on Tuesday.

When the specifics of the Yankees' plan were laid out to Yankees manager Joe Girardi, he declined to confirm it.

"It could line up that way," Girardi said. "Like I said, I'll announce it when I have it."

Girardi prefers to wait to announce such moves in case Pettitte has trouble on Tuesday or another injury changes the team's plans.

Girardi did confirm that Vazquez will be available out of the bullpen on Monday. He did not throw a full side session on Sunday, which is his normal routine after starting on Friday. Vazquez said the Yankees have not yet told him he is out of the rotation.

"I would love to find out, but I'll find out eventually," Vazquez said.

This would be the third occasion on which the Yankees have skipped Vazquez. Vazquez has returned to the rotation each time, but this may be it. If there were an injury to one of the aforementioned five starters, it is unclear whether Vazquez or Dustin Moseley -- who pitched well in Sunday's loss to the Rangers -- would earn the next start.

Vazquez has shuttled in and out of the rotation all year, which he admits is largely because he is only 10-9 with a 5.09 ERA.

"If I were throwing lights-out, it wouldn't be a question," Vazquez said.

Brodney Pool Likely Out for Season Opener Against Ravens

2010-09-11T22:08:00.001-04:00

From all indications, it looks as if Jets safety Brodney Pool won't play in the team's season opener Monday night against the Ravens.

Pool has yet to complete a full practice since he sprained his left ankle in the Jets' 16-11 exhibition loss to the Redskins on Aug. 27. He is listed as questionable by the team.

Rex Ryan said Saturday that the team is deciding between playing Pool on Monday night -- and putting him at risk to aggravate the injury -- or sitting Pool to give him a chance to return to the field completely healthy.

"He's almost at that point, where [we say], 'Do we push him through it and risk him [having a] more longer, nagging injury? Or do we give him a little time off so he gets to one hundred percent?' " Ryan said. "That's what we're weighing right now."

Pool sat out of drills during the portion of Saturday's practice open to the media.

The safety said afterward he still feels a stiffness in his ankle that limits his ability to cut and change direction.

"I feel better than I felt then when I first did it [but] it's going to come down to Coach's [decision]," Pool said, adding that the stiffness needs to subside before he feels "comfortable enough to cut on it."

The 26-year-old Pool said he injured his ankle when a player fell on it during a fumble recovery against the Redskins.

The Jets signed Pool in the offseason to replace departed safety Kerry Rhodes. In theory, the hard-hitting Pool is a better fit than Rhodes for Ryan's blitz-heavy defense. Pool, who played five years in Cleveland before signing with the Jets, was limited to 11 games in 2009 due to a concussion.

Reserve safety Eric Smith likely would start in Pool's place Monday night against Anquan Boldin and the Ravens.

"It's one of those things that's probably a game-time decision but I'm preparing like I'm the starter right now," Smith said.

Slauson Wins Battle for Starting Left Guard Position

2010-09-11T22:03:00.001-04:00

Matt Slauson will be the starting left guard for the New York Jets when they host the Baltimore Ravens to open the regular season Monday. Jets coach Rex Ryan made it official Thursday.

Slauson does not expect it to be an easy debut.

"I just got to know what to expect, I know they're going to be coming after me because they consider me the weak point now in the line," Slauson said. "But it's my job to not just win the starting job, it's to play at the same level as Nick [Mangold] and D'Brickashaw [Ferguson] and Brandon [Moore] and [Damien] Woody and all those guys so I've just got to study and prepare and get it done."

Mangold, the Jets center, said it will be a high-profile moment, but that's not a bad thing.

"It is going to be difficult for him but I think you want that as a player, you want that on your shoulders, you want to prove that you know what you're doing," Mangold said. "And I'll be there as a guiding force as best I can."

Slauson was vying with second-round draft pick Vladimir Ducasse for the left guard spot that opened when the Jets cut Alan Faneca.

Slauson's biggest moment of training camp might just have been during the second preseason game of the year, when his missed block led to a sack that came dangerously close to Mark Sanchez's surgically repaired left knee.

Nonetheless, his linemates think Slauson will be fine.

"I think he's ready; preseason is preseason," Woody said. "Everybody wasn't crisp in the preseason but he has been working hard at this all offseason. He's been waiting for this moment so I have all the confidence in the world in Matt Slauson and his ability to go out there and perform at a high level."

Slauson came to the Jets by way of Nebraska, where he was recruited by Jets offensive line coach Bill Callahan. Callahan recommended Slauson to Ryan during the sixth round of the 2009 draft. Slauson has the advantage of many years in the current system and one year under Faneca, who is now playing for the Arizona Cardinals.

The move to cut Faneca stunned some fans. Former quarterback Joe Namath, who came out during the first week of training camp in Cortland, arrived full of praise for Sanchez but was so preoccupied with the offensive line that several questions led back to the same point.

"I'm more worried about our left guard position than I'm worried about anything," Namath said. "The offensive line is a major factor in letting the offense produce."

As a high pick, Ducasse was expected to put up more of a fight, but he was ultimately too raw. He may not have won the job this time, but the rookie with the prototypical LG frame will be looking to improve as the season goes along.

"Right now I've just got to keep working hard," Ducasse said. "That's what I can do, that's what I can say right now."

Slauson will be flying his parents in for the game, so they can see him play in front of a sold out New Meadowlands Stadium and a "Monday Night Football" viewing audience.

"It's a dream come true being able to play on the best offensive line in the NFL," Slauson said. "I couldn't be more pleased right now."

Andy Pettitte Nearing Return to Yankees

2010-09-11T21:53:00.001-04:00

If all goes according to plan, New York Yankees starter Andy Pettitte could return exactly two months after he first went on the disabled list with his injured groin.

Pettitte's pain-free minor league rehab outing at Double-A Trenton on Thursday was a step in the right direction, and the Yankees hope that one of their farm teams is still playing on Tuesday so Pettitte can pitch at a lower level before starting again for the Yankees.

If all goes well, Pettitte would then return to the majors on or around Sept. 19 when the Yankees host Tampa Bay. Pettitte has been on the disabled list since July 19.

The Yankees have not fully fleshed out what they will do with Pettitte if there are no minor league games Tuesday. The most likely scenario would be for him to pitch a simulated game.

"I would lean more toward a simulated game, but my mind could change," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

The other option would be to bring Pettitte to the majors to start on Tuesday, which seems very unlikely.

Wherever Pettitte pitches next, the plan is to rev him up to five innings and 85 pitches. Ideally, Girardi would like him to reach that number before throwing in the majors so he could get up to near 100 pitches in his return to the big leagues.

In his minor league rehab start Thursday, Pettitte pitched well and, more importantly for him, didn't feel much, if any, pain in his groin. He threw 51 pitches, 37 of which were strikes. In all, he fired four shutout innings and felt very good afterward.

This is a great sign for the Yankees, who seem as though they desperately need him in order to maintain their AL East lead over the Rays. Everyone not named C.C. Sabathia has seemed to struggle as of late and the return of Pettitte would become a huge addition to the rotation, as he would be able to bring a stable presence to the mound every fifth day. The Yankees will need him to be the Andy Pettitte that he was before his injury if they plan on having a shot of repeating as World Champions; hopefully they get him.

Richard Park Signs with Swiss Team

2010-09-09T23:59:00.000-04:00

NHL veteran Richard Park has signed a three-year contract with Swiss club Geneva-Servette.

Coach Chris McSorley says the 34-year-old winger chose Geneva-Servette over NHL and European teams.

Park has played 722 games in 16 seasons in the NHL, including the past four with the New York Islanders.

McSorley tells The Associated Press he spoke with the Islanders' Swiss defenseman Mark Streit about Park before making him the top offseason acquisition. The club lost to Bern in the Swiss playoff finals last season in game seven.

Park previously played in Switzerland with Langnau in 2004-05 during the NHL lockout season.

Yanks Shut Down Aceves and Marte

2010-09-08T20:24:00.001-04:00

Joe Girardi confirmed on Wednesday morning what has been obvious for quite some time now: Neither Alfredo Aceves nor Damaso Marte will be seen in a Yankees uniform again this season.

Aceves, on the disabled list since May 12 with what is officially termed a "strained lower back," has been shut down and was being evaluated by a back specialist Wednesday, with surgery a possibility.

And Marte, who went on the DL on July 17 with left shoulder inflammation, hasn't thrown a pitch since and said, "It feels bad."

Both Aceves and Marte are relief pitchers.

Marte missed four months of the 2009 season but returned in time to pitch well in the postseason, allowing no runs in 10 appearances, including four against the Phillies in the World Series.

But while continuing to hold out hope he could recover in time for the upcoming postseason, Marte acknowledged his shoulder pain was a lot worse this season. "It hurts when I bring my arm to here," he said, raising his hand above his head.

Marte's role in the Yankees bullpen, a left-hander specializing in retiring left-handed hitters, has been assumed this year by Boone Logan, and Aceves' role as a right-handed long reliever by Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre.

"We would love to have them both back, because we saw how important they were to our bullpen last year," Girardi said. "Fortunately we have some guys who have picked up the slack, but you can never have too many arms out there."

Yanks' Hughes to be Skipped Again Due to Innings Limit

2010-09-08T20:22:00.001-04:00

Phil Hughes' turn in the New York Yankees starting rotation will be skipped this weekend in Texas in conjunction with the innings limit the team has placed upon the 24-year-old starter.

Hughes (16-7, 4.29 ERA) has pitched 155 1/3 innings so far this year and is believed to be on a 175-inning regular-season limit, a number the Yankees have refused to make public.

But it is expected that Hughes will make his final three starts of the season, beginning next Wednesday in Tampa, and at an average of six innings per start would finish up just below the 175 innings threshold.

Then, the Yankees have said Hughes' odometer would rest for the postseason.

"I had a feeling this was coming," a mildly disappointed Hughes said at his locker before Wednesday afternoon's Yankees-Orioles game. "I wasn't 100 percent sold it was coming but I knew it was a possibility, so it's not really a surprise."

Still, Hughes, who was also skipped just before the All-Star break, did not seem thrilled with either the decision or the timing. "I usually pitch pretty decent in Texas, so I'm kinda mad that I get skipped out of that start," he said with a laugh.

Hughes has never been beaten at The Ballpark in Arlington, nor has he even allowed a run. He is 2-0 in two starts with a 0.00 ERA in 14 1/3 innings pitched there. In fact, it was there as a rookie that Hughes took a no-hitter into the seventh inning only to leave with a hamstring pull -- suffered while pitching to future teammate Mark Teixeira -- an injury that cost him three months of the season.

On Sunday, Dustin Moseley will start in Hughes' place, drawing the unenviable task of facing the Rangers' ace, Cliff Lee.

"I don't think any starter likes to get skipped," manager Joe Girardi said. "But when I told him, he just said, 'OK.' That's about all the emotion you get out of Hughsie."

"There's nothing I could say, so it's not worth the fight," Hughes said. "They have a plan in mind and it's kinda what they're going to do. I don't really have a say in it, so I just kinda deal with it."

Hughes isn't the only Yankees pitcher taking a seat. Girardi confirmed Wednesday morning what has been obvious for quite some time now: Neither Alfredo Aceves nor Damaso Marte will be seen in a Yankee uniform again this season.

Aceves, on the disabled list since May 12 with what is officially termed a "strained lower back," has been shut down and was being evaluated by a back specialist this morning, with surgery a possibility.

And Marte, who went on the DL on July 17 with left shoulder inflammation, hasn't thrown a pitch since and said, "It feels bad."

Hughes started the season extremely well, his record 10-1 and ERA 3.17 after beating the Mets on June 19. But since then, he has gone 6-6 and his ERA has risen by more than a run.

Two of his most recent three starts were probably his worst of the season. On Aug. 25, he couldn't make it out of the fourth inning against the Blue Jays, allowing five earned runs, and on Sunday, he was shelled by Toronto again, surrendering six runs, and three homers, in six innings.

Asked if, at this point in his first season as a full-time starter, he felt as if he needed a break, Hughes said, "No. Simple answer."

He's getting one Sunday in Texas, whether he likes it or not.

Pettitte to Make Rehab Start for Trenton on Thursday

2010-09-06T20:08:00.000-04:00

After throwing another successful bullpen on Monday, Andy Petttitte is headed to Trenton on Thursday to start a Double-A playoff game for the Yankees affiliate. If that goes well, then he may start one more minor league game before pitching for the Yankees.

Originally, Yankees manager Joe Girardi thought Pettitte -- who has been on the disabled list because of an injured groin since July 19 -- might just need the one minor league start before returning to the majors, but now Girardi is more on the fence. If Pettitte needs a second minor league start, then his return to the majors could be pushed back from around Sept. 13 to around Sept. 18th.

Right now, the likely date for his return is Sept. 18th at Baltimore.

Originally, the Yankees were going to have Pettitte start on Wednesday, but they changed it to keep him online with his normal work week. With the Yankees off on Thursday, it also may give them more flexibility to where and when they want Pettitte to pitch in a major league game.

Pettitte said he felt great after his session on Monday. He will face New Hampshire in a Double-A playoff game on Wednesday. Pettitte will throw 60 pitches. He seems like an unfair advantage for a playoff game.

"I told them I'd go down there and ruin the poor kids' season," said the self-deprecating Pettitte as he referred to Trenton, not New Hampshire.

The Yankees just hope he is fine for their October playoff games.

Jets Resign T-Rich a Day After Releasing Him

2010-09-06T20:06:00.001-04:00

After one day of unemployment, fullback Tony Richardson returned to the New York Jets, re-signing Monday after being cut Sunday in a procedural move.

"I know there were a lot of nervous people," said coach Rex Ryan.

The Jets needed three roster spots Sunday after acquiring three players on waivers. They cut wide receiver David Clowney, running back Chauncey Washington and Richardson -- a move that stunned and angered some players. Those players weren't aware of the team's strategy when they made comments to ESPNNewYork.com.

As a vested veteran, Richardson wasn't exposed to waivers. He became a free agent and the Jets were "very confident" they'd be able to re-sign him, Ryan said.

To make room for Richardson's return, the Jets waived rookie cornerback Brian Jackson. They didn't want to release Jackson on Sunday; they wanted to wait until Darrelle Revis' contract was finalized before cutting a cornerback.

By midday, it was apparent that Richardson was coming back. His locker at the Jets' training facility was intact. Everything was still in it, from practice jerseys to shampoo to toothpaste. It didn't look like the locker of a player who was gone for good.

In the end, the one day in limbo didn't cost Richardson any pay. If he had been re-signed after Week 1, he would've lost one game check ($50,000) and the balance of his $855,000 wouldn't have been guaranteed.

Ryan said Richardson will play against the Ravens in the opener.

Some players still were upset that Richardson was used as a pawn in the unconventional chess game. One player said it was a "[crappy]" thing to do. Several said they were stunned when they heard the news late Sunday.

"It was jaw dropping," said tight end Dustin Keller, who has the locker next to Richardson. "I couldn't believe it. He's our top veteran on offense. If we become the Super Bowl team we want to be, to do it without him would be tough.

"T. Rich has been a mentor to so many guys on this team, especially myself."

Revis Comes Off His Island, Signs Deal and Returns to Jets

2010-09-06T09:34:00.001-04:00

After a seven-month stalemate often marked by acrimony, the New York Jets and holdout cornerback Darrelle Revis agreed in principle Sunday night on a new contract, the team announced early Monday morning.

Revis, whose holdout lasted 35 days, is expected to fly to New Jersey Monday to sign the contract. Barring any holdups, the All-Pro will be on the field in time to have a full week of preparation for the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens, a week from Monday.

"I'm coming home baby!!! Revis Island. Let's Go," Revis tweeted shortly after midnight.

Revis will sign a four-year contract, GM Mike Tannenbaum announced. He declined to discuss the amount, but a source said it's a $46 million deal, including $32 million in various guarantees.

Under his old contract, Revis was due to make $21 million over the next three years, all of which was guaranteed until he didn't show up for training camp, voiding the guarantee. After a long holdout that resulted in $578,305 in fines, Revis secured $11 million in additional guarantees while committing an extra year to the team.

Tannenbaum wouldn't say if Revis will be responsible for paying the fines. He called it an internal issue, adding Revis and Ryan would discuss how to handle it.

"This is an intermediate step to what we hope will be an entire career of Darrelle as a Jet, for him to retire as a Jet and for him to hopefully go to the Hall of fame as a Jet," Tannenbaum said in an early-morning conference call with reporters.

Tannenbaum admitted that he explored possible trades for a cornerback over the weekend. While he did that, coach Rex Ryan and owner Woody Johnson took a spur-of-the-moment trip to South Florida on Saturday afternoon to meet with Revis, his mother and his uncle, former NFL defensive lineman Sean Gilbert. Gilbert once sat out an entire season in a contract dispute with the Washington Redskins.

The meeting was first reported by the New York Daily News.

Ryan met most of Sunday with Gilbert and Revis. By the time the meeting ended, both sides felt that progress had been made and their differences could be bridged.

At that point, negotiations heated up between the Jets and Revis' New-York based agents.

"Those guys going down there was a huge step," Tannenbaum said.

Revis has a home in South Florida, which he went to last week after spending more than a week with family in his hometown, Aliquippa, Pa. Ryan and Revis have a good relationship, and the Jets were counting on Ryan's persuasiveness to change Revis' stance.

"I really wasn't optimistic, I really wasn't," Tannenbaum said. "It was a hard set of dynamics. I'm optimistic by nature, but gosh, this was really hard. There was a lot of heavy lifting. This honestly and truly was really, really hard."

Despite the upbeat meeting in Florida, the two sides didn't have "a significant breakthrough" until around 10 p.m., according to Tannenbaum. That's when they agreed to the length of the contract and the total amount.

With Revis still in Florida, Tannenbaum negotiated by phone with the cornerbacks' agents, with Johnson available on speaker phone. Asked to describe Ryan's reaction when the deal was finalized, Tannenbaum said, "I think I had to medicate the head coach."

Revis made $15 million in his first three seasons. He wanted to become the highest-paid cornerback in the league, seeking about $16 million per season. According to family members, he was angry at the organization because he believed it reneged on a promise to make him the highest-paid corner.

Initially, the Jets offered Revis a 10-year, $120 million contract and a four-year, $40 million deal, but there was only a small amount of guaranteed money in each proposal. Revis' agents countered by asking for $162 million over 10 years, with more than $40 million guaranteed.

On Friday, several players told ESPNNewYork.com they were resigned to starting the season without Revis. One player said it was "a tragedy" that the stalemate got this far.

Sometime around 11 p.m. Sunday, Tannenbaum said, employer and employee found "a landing spot that was good for both sides." That landing spot would be identified as $46 million.

"I'm comin home baby!!!" Revis wrote on Twitter.

Suddenly the GM who helped script the fairy tale that his team would be fine without Revis was talking about the corner ending up in the Hall of Fame -- as a Jet, of course.

"I think it's a win-win," Tannenbaum said.

The Jets haven't won anything yet, other than Revis' commitment to sign a four-year contract. Finally the franchise that forever leads the NFL in empty promises has made good on a pledge.

The Jets will make for a credible contender on Opening Night. Darrelle Revis, who makes a living cutting the field in half, just made his team whole.

Jets Cut Richardson

2010-09-06T09:19:00.001-04:00

Continuing the purge of veteran leaders that began six months ago, the New York Jets released well-respected fullback Tony Richardson Sunday -- an immediately unpopular move in the locker room.

The announcement came only four days after the latest episode of "Hard Knocks," in which Rex Ryan and his assistants bemoan a lack of leadership on offense. According to a league source, the Jets hope to re-sign Richardson after Week 1, when the balance of his $855,000 salary wouldn't be guaranteed.

Dumping Richardson, even if only for a week, means rookie fullback John Conner will have to block All-Pro linebacker Ray Lewis in his first assignment.

"Terrible," one player said of Richardson's release, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Another player said, "[It's] f------ ridiculous."

The Jets are taking an interesting approach to their season opener.

While they have solved the Darrelle Revis problem, the Jets are prepared to face the Baltimore Ravens with a shortage of veteran wide receivers, having released Laveranues Coles because they didn't want to guarantee his $855,000 contract. They also won't have Santonio Holmes, who will miss the first four games due to a violation of the league's substance-abuse policy.

In the offseason, the Jets unloaded running backs Thomas Jones and Leon Washington and guard Alan Faneca, all popular leaders. Cost-cutting factored into each decision. If the Jets re-sign Richardson, 38, after the Baltimore game, they will have saved $50,300 -- one game check.

In last week's "Hard Knocks" show, general manager Mike Tannenbaum and coach Rex Ryan seem at odds on what to do with Richardson. Tannenbaum, citing Richardson's salary, seems in favor of cutting the 16-year veteran. Ryan defends Richardson, saying the team needs two fullbacks to implement his "ground-and-pound" rushing philosophy.

Publicly, Ryan gave Richardson several strong endorsements, saying he'd be "shocked" if the fullback was not on the roster.

"Each season, there are difficult choices when constructing the 53-man roster, and this year is no exception," Tannenbaum said in a statement. "We appreciate Tony's contributions and leadership over the past two seasons and have nothing but the highest respect for him as a person and as a player."

Richardson didn't return an e-mail seeking comment.

This move shocked me to no end. I couldn't believe the reports when I read them. Why would the Jets cut such a vital piece to not only their offense and the growth of Mark Sanchez as a quarterback, but to the team as a whole? I just don't understand the logic in this move. He was making $850,000, not exactly Peyton Manning-esque numbers.

I trust Tannenbaum, but he better not have made a mistake with this one because Tony Richardson was one of the key reasons why the Jets were the best rushing team in the NFL last season. I don't understand this move one bit, but we'll see what John Connor brings to the table once the regular season starts up next Monday night.

Ryan is smitten with Conner -- a.k.a. "The Terminator" -- whose crushing blocks have become one of the main storylines of "Hard Knocks." But, in the final preseason game, he lost a fumble and dropped a pass. Against the Ravens, he will face a defense that is the mirror image of the Jets' -- complex and unpredictable.

The Jets released Richardson and waived wide receiver David Clowney and running back Chauncey Washington on Sunday to make room for three waiver pickups -- wide receiver Patrick Turner (Miami Dolphins), defensive tackle Marcus Dixon (Dallas Cowboys) and offensive tackle Patrick Brown (Minnesota Vikings).

Turner will be reunited with quarterback Mark Sanchez -- they were teammates at USC in 2008. Turner was a third-round pick of the Dolphins in 2009; it's unusual for team to unload a relatively high draft pick after one season.

Clowney's roster spot appeared tenuous in recent weeks, ever since the coaches criticized him on an early episode of "Hard Knocks." They felt he never developed as a receiver, and they also had questions about his desire on special teams. The plan was to make him a "gunner" on kick coverage.

Thing is, Turner (6-foot-5, 220) has less special-teams potential than Clowney, according to an NFL personnel executive. As a receiver, Turner is strictly a possession type, with limited speed. He played in only three games last season and had no catches. In Miami, he was beaten out by two undrafted free agents.

The Jets play the Dolphins in Week 3, so it's possible they could pump Turner for information on his old team.

Clowney made positive headlines for his off-the-field efforts, taking trips on his own to Haiti and Ghana last offseason in relief efforts. On the field, Clowney had 15 receptions for 217 yards and one touchdown in two seasons.

The Jets have only four receivers on the roster. Turner will be behind Jerricho Cotchery, Braylon Edwards and Brad Smith. It's hard to imagine Turner receiving any early playing time, but if he impresses in practice, the Jets may decide not to re-sign veteran Coles after Week 1. They told Coles that was their intention when they released him last week.

A-Rod Fires Boras

2010-09-03T15:59:00.001-04:00

New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez confirmed Friday that he has split with longtime agent Scott Boras and has been using sports attorney Jay Reisinger and lawyer Jim Sharp for his legal matters, USA Today 's Bob Nightengale reports. The Pittsburgh-based Reisinger is a certified agent with the players association.

"Scott and I had a good run," Rodriguez said before Friday's Yankees-Blue Jays game at Yankee Stadium. "Nothing drastic happened, but at this point in my career, my goal is to finish as a New York Yankee and be a world champion again. And some of the things I needed 20 years ago I really don't need now."

According to a recent Sports Illustrated report, Rodriguez fired Boras in a letter more than a month ago and the two haven't spoken since.

Rodriguez is using Madonna's agent, Guy Oseary, as his "manager" now.

Call me crazy, but if someone gets me $500 million, I'm at least going to break up with the dude face-to-face.

Boras negotiated Rodriguez's $252 million, 10-year contract with the Texas Rangers in 2001. Rodriguez was traded to the Yankees after the 2003 season and, after opting out of the contract with three years to go on the deal, he received a record $275 million, 10-year contract from New York.

The opt-out, though, was messy. Boras informed Yankees general manager Brian Cashman of the decision during Game 4 of the 2007 World Series between Boston and Colorado, drawing disapproval for the timing.

Later, Rodriguez criticized Boras for his handling of the situation, and upon re-signing with the Yankees, Rodriguez said he negotiated the contract without Boras' help.

Yanks Awarded Waiver Claim on Lilly, Dodgers Pull Him Back

2010-09-03T15:53:00.001-04:00

Ted Lilly will not be making his second tour of duty with the New York Yankees after all.

A source confirmed Wednesday morning that although the Yankees had been awarded a claim on the left-hander Tuesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers informed the Yankees they had no intention of trading Lilly.

The Dodgers not only believe they still have a shot at the NL wild card, sitting only 6½ games behind the Phillies, but also would like to keep Lilly long term.

"They're going for it," the source said. "They put [Hiroki] Kuroda on the wire, too, and didn't move him either."

Lilly is also interested in staying in Los Angeles.

"Both the Dodgers and Ted would like Ted to stay," said Larry O'Brien, Lilly's agent.

Lilly, 8-9 overall with a 3.59 ERA, has gone 5-1 since the Dodgers acquired him from the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline. Lilly, 34, pitched for the Yankees from 2000 to 2002.

Lilly, 34, is in the last year of a four-year, $40 million contract he signed with the Cubs before the 2007 season. He will be eligible for free agency in November.

O'Brien spoke with Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti and assistant GM Kim Ng.

"At least what they're telling me is that the Dodgers are interested in Ted for the future ... And I told them that Ted would be interested in staying with the Dodgers, even before putting his name in the ring for free agency. We might go in that direction."

The contract talks may take place at the conclusion of the regular season.

With owner Frank McCourt going through a contentious divorce, the Dodgers had very little flexibility in the free agent pitching market last fall. But with Manny Ramirez having been traded -- along with his enormous salary -- the Dodgers should have more room to add pitching this offseason. That could start with Lilly, who is 111-93 in a 12-year career.

Vazquez Back in Rotation, Starts Saturday in Place of Moseley

2010-09-03T15:49:00.002-04:00

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi is returning Javier Vazquez to the starting rotation. Vazquez will start Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays in place of Dustin Moseley.

"This is not permanent, but this is what we are doing now," Girardi said.

With Andy Pettitte throwing a bullpen session Wednesday as he tries to return from his groin injury and with A.J. Burnett on a short leash, Girardi may have another move soon.

"There might be something else we do," Girardi said.

The Yankees also have an innings limit on Phil Hughes. Hughes has thrown 149 2/3 innings and it is believed the limit is around 175, so Girardi could skip Hughes at some point.

Vazquez pitched a very efficient 4 2/3 relief innings Monday night to pick up his 10th win. Vazquez gave up just one run on two hits. He entered for Moseley in the fifth inning with two men on and one out and escaped unharmed. All night, his stuff had more zip than it did at any time over the past month. Vazquez even touched 90 mph on the radar gun, which is something he had not done recently.

In his seven starts before being demoted to the bullpen, Vazquez had a 6.69 ERA and hitters batted .327 against him. Vazquez has been removed and re-inserted to the rotation twice this season.

The Yankees also activated Lance Berkman from the DL. Their September call-ups are reliever Jonathan Albaladejo, outfielder Greg Golson and catcher Chad Moeller. Damaso Marte was transferred to the 60-day DL.

Jets Cut Kevin O'Connell, Keep Clemens as Number 3

2010-09-03T15:47:00.000-04:00

One day after saying Kellen Clemens has a "strong chance" of making the New York Jets' roster, Rex Ryan all but handed the No. 3 quarterback job to Clemens Tuesday, releasing Kevin O'Connell.

Clemens and O'Connell competed for the third-string job, behind starter Mark Sanchez and backup Mark Brunell. O'Connell played poorly in the preseason, completing only eight of 16 passes for 70 yards with two interceptions and no touchdowns.

The Jets acquired O'Connell last preseason from the Detroit Lions for a conditional draft pick, which became a seventh-round pick in the 2011 draft. The Jets had a fairly high draft grade on O'Connell, a third-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2008, but they were disappointed that he never developed as hoped. Scouts say the 6-foot-5, 225-pound O'Connell has the physical tools for the position, but lacks the necessary intangibles.

Clemens appeared to be on shaky ground as far back as the spring, when the Jets put him on the trading block. When they signed Brunell before the start of camp, it looked like Clemens was a goner.

In last week's episode of "Hard Knocks," in a scene that reveals the Jets' depth chart, Clemens' name appears with an "X" next to it -- seemingly an indication he was in jeopardy of being released.

Barring the unexpected, Clemens isn't going anywhere, although his $1.1 million salary -- high for a No. 3 quarterback -- could become an issue. The Jets have renegotiated his contract to fit that of a third string quarterback.

The Jets still have Erik Ainge, but he was placed on the non-football injury list at the start of camp. At the time, Ainge was undergoing drug counseling.

Butch Goring to Fill in for Billy Jaffe

2010-08-31T09:51:00.001-04:00

Butch Goring has been hired by MSG Network and approved by the Islanders as the new color commentator on the team’s television broadcasts. Goring suceeds Billy Jaffe, whose four-year run in the job ended when the Islanders would not grant their approval to a contract negotiated between Jaffe’s agent and MSG Network, the employer.

Since joining the network in 2007, Goring has received increased responsibilities in the MSG studio and as a sideline analyst during select Islanders games. No word yet whom MSG Network will hire to take the four-time Stanley Cup winner’s place in the Islanders’ chair on “Hockey Night Live” and on game broadcasts. It does not appear that Denis Potvin, the Islanders’ dynasty captain who is now based out of Ottawa, is in the mix for a regular role.

Two weeks prior to the opening of training camp, the Islanders have yet to announce their plans for radio broadcasts. Last season, the team made a financial-based move to simulcasts. After criticism in the media and from their fan base, there has been some discussion about returning to a traditional radio broadcast. If they do, hopefully invaluable Islanders broadcast mainstay Chris King will have a central role.

Jets Will Wait on Adalius Thomas

2010-08-31T09:46:00.000-04:00

One day after saying the ideal scenario would be to sign free-agent LB Adalius Thomas this week so he could play Thursday night in the final pre-season game, New York Jets coach Rex Ryan backed off Monday, indicating that's not likely to happen.

"No, I don't think so," Ryan said. "I was wanting to before, to give him an opportunity to see if he's still the same guy. That would've made the decision really easy. But, really, we need to give these (other) guys a good look."

Here's the deal: As a vested veteran, Thomas' salary (likely $855,000) would be guaranteed if he's on the opening-day roster. The Jets probably wanted to bring him in for the Philadelphia finale, evaluate him, release him and re-sign him after Week 1 -- unless, of course, he looked great against the Eagles. Thomas told Sports Illustrated's Peter King Monday that he's interested in signing with the Jets, but he said GM Mike Tannenbaum doesn't want him until after Week 1.

That contradicts what Ryan said Sunday. It looks like Ryan and Tannenbaum initially had different thoughts on how to approach Thomas. Now it appears as if they're going the Tannenbaum route.

If nothing else, the waiting time will allow the Jets to evaluate other outside linebackers on their roster, namely Jamaal Westerman and Vernon Gholston.

Yes, Gholston. Even though he was moved to defensive end, he's still getting reps at outside linebacker. In fact, he expects to start there against the Eagles. Bryan Thomas and Jason Taylor, along with the other starts, won't play in the game.

Jets Cut Coles...For Now

2010-08-31T09:44:00.001-04:00

Just the other day, Laveranues Coles beamed with veteran pride, talking about how some of his position mates could see that "Sizzle Man" still had something left in the gas tank.

Apparently, though, the needle now might stay stuck on empty forever. The wide receiver's third and final stint with the Jets was a short one. He was released Sunday after signing two days before camp began four weeks ago.

Rex Ryan hinted that releasing Coles was a financial decision; his $855,000 salary would be fully guaranteed if he made the opening day roster. But if the Jets signed him after their first game, Coles' salary wouldn't be guaranteed and they could release him without having to pay his entire salary.

That would make more sense fiscally because the expectations were that Coles would be waived once Santonio Holmes serves his four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. So there is a chance Coles will be asked back.

"He did an outstanding job for us,'' Ryan said yesterday. "He's a leader. He came in here and I know he knows the system, he's tougher than nails, a great teammate. So I think that's a real possibility.''

But the move likely means the end of Coles' 10-year career. He said the first day of camp that this would be his last step no matter what, and he reiterated last week that he had no plans to go anywhere else if things didn't work out with the Jets.

"No, no, unless somebody makes me an offer I can't refuse, which I doubt will happen,'' Coles said at the time. "This is it. Once the buck stops here, I'm done. It started here, it's going to end here for me. That's what I'm thankful for."

Coles spent seven of his 10 seasons with the Jets, with 459 receptions, 5,941 yards and 37 touchdowns. He ranks fourth in club history in receptions and fifth in receiving yards and is tied for fifth in touchdown catches.

Coles said the other day that he has plans to stick around with the organization in some form, though he wasn't sure exactly what he'd be doing.

"I'm going to be here in some capacity," he said. "I might not be playing ball here, but I will be around the building working. So that's one of the positive things about it. They've given me an opportunity.

The least I can do is put a stamp on it once it's finally done and say, 'This is it.' "

MLB Investigating Ivan Nova

2010-08-29T12:09:00.003-04:00

Major League Baseball is investigating New York Yankees pitcher Ivan Nova and a former minor league teammate for allegedly injecting each other with B-12 shots, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Associated Press.

The person spoke Saturday on condition of anonymity because MLB is not discussing the matter publicly.

The New York Post first reported the investigation, saying that baseball was looking into whether Nova and pitcher Wilkin De La Rosa injected each other last season while they were teammates with Double-A Trenton.

"I didn't use it," Nova told the Post. "No comment. I was surprised."

B-12 is not on baseball's list of banned substances, but the Post said MLB is focused on the issue of whether the players injected each other and wants to make certain the shots were in fact B-12.
The person who spoke to the AP confirmed those details.

Nova is scheduled to start Sunday for the Yankees against the Chicago White Sox.

"We talked to him about it. We are unaware of any investigation at this time," New York manager Joe Girardi said Saturday. "We talked to him yesterday just to say you might be asked about it. I feel like his head will be in the right spot."

The 23-year-old Nova was called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last weekend and pitched well in his first major league start Monday at Toronto.

De La Rosa is still at Double-A Trenton, where he has been used primarily as a reliever this year.

Teixeira Leaves Game Saturday with Bruised Right Thumb

2010-08-29T12:07:00.001-04:00

Mark Teixeira left U.S. Cellular Field on Saturday night with a thick wrap around his right hand and questions regarding when he would be able to play again.

Teixeira removed himself from Saturday night's New York Yankees win over the Chicago White Sox after the top of the third inning with a sore and swollen right thumb that reduced him, he said, to a one-armed bandit at the plate. "I wasn't going to do the team any good tonight,'' he said. "We'll see how it feels [Sunday].''

From the looks of the wrapping, a heavy Ace bandage over a lighter gauze bandage that gave his entire hand the look of a boxer's fist ready to be inserted into the glove, it doesn't seem likely Teixeira will be able to go Sunday. Joe Girardi said Teixeira suffered a bruise to the fatty part of his thumb alongside the palm. Teixeira described the injury as a bone bruise on the outside of his lower thumb, which is potentially more serious injury.

"I've been lucky, I haven't missed a game all year because of injury,'' said Teixeira, who missed two games in mid-August to attend the birth of his son. Otherwise, he had played in every other game this year, 126 in all. He leads the team in home runs with 28 and is second in RBIs with 91.

"I'm going to come in early and get some treatment and see how it goes,'' he said. "I tried to play through it today but I had nothing. Swinging one-handed just wasn't going to work today.''

Teixeira suffered the injury diving for a ball off the bat of Mark Teahen in the eighth inning of Friday's 9-4 White Sox win. "They don't water the foul ground here and it's real hard,'' he said. "When I dove I braced myself with my right hand and that's when I jammed my thumb.''

Teixeira remained in the game, coming to bat once in the ninth and getting grazed by a pitch. But when he came to the park Saturday, he knew the chances were good he wouldn't be playing.

"I felt it in BP but I thought maybe adrenaline would kick in and I'd be all right for the game,'' he said.

But after fouling out in the first inning, he told Girardi he would remain in the game just to play the field until his next at-bat. In the top of the third, Girardi sent Curtis Granderson up to hit for Teixeira and in the bottom of the inning, reshuffled his outfielders and moved Nick Swisher to first.

Girardi said no tests were scheduled and he hoped his first baseman would be good to go Sunday. "He's day-to-day, but obviously, we'd like him to play [Sunday]. It's possible.''

Pace Out "A Few Weeks," to See Foot Specialist

2010-08-29T11:58:00.006-04:00

UPDATE: 12:02PM: Pace will undergo foot surgery on Monday in North Carolina that could sideline him four to six weeks, according to league sources.

Noted foot doctor Robert Anderson will perform the surgery on Pace, who was injured Friday night. The Jets will not want to make any final determinations on Pace's availability until after the surgery. The preliminary prognosis of Pace's injury is that he will miss four to six weeks.
____________________________________________________

The Jets vaunted defense took another blow on Friday night when starting left outside linebacker Calvin Pace left the game against the Redskins with an apparent foot injury. The Jets won't know the full extent of his injury until after Pace receives his MRI on Monday.

After the game, Pace was in the locker room, his right foot heavily wrapped and encased in a walking boot. Based on the preliminary prognosis, Pace figures to miss the season opener, Sept. 13 against the Baltimore Ravens.

Pace is scheduled to fly to North Carolina to meet with the noted foot specialist, Dr. Robert Anderson, to determine how much time he might miss, according to two league sources.

Until Anderson examines Pace and his foot injury, the Jets are hesitant to put a timetable on their linebacker's absence.

Jets coach Rex Ryan had said Pace could miss a few weeks, and a New York Daily News report said Pace would six weeks with a broken foot.

But the Jets want to wait to see what Anderson determines before making any definitive declarations on Pace's absence.

Pace is the Jets' best pass-rusher. In 2009, he recorded eight sacks in 12 regular season games -- he missed the first four games of the season after being suspended for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing substance policy. (Pace said he used an over-the-counter dietary supplement, unaware that it contained a substance that violated the policy.)

"It's a big loss, there's no doubt," Ryan said. "But we're fortunate. We have a lot of depth at that position."

With Pace out, Ryan said Jason Taylor -- signed as a free agent this offseason to be a situational player -- will take Pace's place in the starting lineup.

"Jason Taylor, his M.O. is gonna change from 75 percent of the plays to 100 percent until Calvin gets back," Ryan said.

Taylor, the former Miami Dolphin and Washington Redskin, was once one of the NFL's elite pass-rushers -- in fact, he's the NFL's active leader with 127½ career sacks. But Taylor turns 36 on Tuesday and hasn't done much in the Jets' first three preseason games.

Nevertheless, Taylor said he's growing more and more comfortable in the Jets' defensive scheme, and sounded up for this challenge.

"As a player, you wanna play," Taylor said. "Whatever the case is, whatever the team needs you to do, you go do. Does it take a toll on you? Sure, it takes a little bit of a toll. It's a very physical game. But you can take care of yourself throughout the week and have plenty of gas in the tank come Sunday.

"I've been doing it for a long time. It won't be my first rodeo."

The Jets survived Pace's absence well a year ago -- they went 3-1 in their first four games while Pace was suspended. But this year, it appears the Jets will also begin the season without holdout cornerback Darrelle Revis, the team's best defensive player overall and arguably the best defensive player in the NFL.

Playing without Revis and Pace is a very tall order.

Pace's injury will no doubt renew the speculation that the Jets could sign free-agent linebacker Adalius Thomas. Thomas, the former Baltimore Raven and New England Patriot, played for Rex Ryan when Ryan was the defensive coordinator in Baltimore. Ryan has downplayed the Jets' interest in Thomas in the past, but Thomas does play outside linebacker and would be a natural replacement for Pace.

But in the meantime, it's Taylor's job. There will be many doubters as to whether Taylor can get the job done, but he said he is used to that.

"I've always had that kind of chip on my shoulder throughout my career," Taylor said. "People always said I couldn't do things. They said I couldn't play defensive end at 240 [pounds] and I've been going on 14 years now. So I've got my little box of motivation that I have in the back of my head, and that won't change regardless of the situation. It's incumbent on me now to go out and help this team any way I can."

Jets fans should at least be a 75 on the worried scale. Taylor was signed to be a situational pass rusher, not to be the starting outside linebacker and his age is a huge reason why. And the worst thing is that Taylor has really yet to show up in the preseason.

If he were a no-name free agent, battling for a roster spot, he'd receive a pink slip off his performance Friday night against the Washington Redskins.

In 37 defensive snaps, unofficially, Taylor engaged in actual contact only twice, not counting the play in which he was blindsided by a backup center named Kory Lichtensteiger. Taylor exerted less energy in the game than in one of his old "Dancing with the Stars" episodes.

Maybe the former Miami Dolphin has earned that right, having compiled a career resume that probably will put him in the Hall of Fame, but his old enemy/new team needs him to flick on the switch come Sept. 13 -- opening night. Pace probably won't be ready for the Baltimore Ravens, meaning Taylor goes from situational pass rusher to every-down player.

Most of the attention will focus on how Pace's absence will impact the pass rush, but one NFL personnel executive believes the Taylor-for-Pace change will be felt more in the running game.

"I don't think they'll take too much of a step back in terms of one-on-one pass rushing," the personnel executive said Saturday, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "What really becomes a deficiency for them is the addition of Jason Taylor as a point-of-attack run defender.

"With Jason in the lineup, you'll be exposed in your edge run defense. Calvin Pace can set the edge, push tight ends back and play downhill. You won't see Jason do that stuff. He's more of a lateral player, more of a finesse player."

Taylor and Pace were supposed to be the bookend rushers in the nickel package. Now what? Bryan Thomas is a better run defender than pass rusher, Jamaal Westerman is too green and Shaun Ellis too old. Maybe Vernon Gholston gets a shot. Maybe Ryan places a call to free agent Adalius Thomas, one of his former Ravens.

Ryan's problem will get bigger if he also doesn't have holdout cornerback Darrelle Revis, whose glue-like coverage allows the coaches to take chances with their blitzing. When Pace missed the first four games last season because of a league suspension, the Jets didn't miss a beat because Revis locked down star receivers Andre Johnson, Randy Moss and Marques Colston in three of the games.

No Revis, no lockdown. Antonio Cromartie is a talent, but as he showed Friday night with some sloppy plays, he's no Revis.

So, in a crazy twist, the Jets turn their desperate eyes to Taylor, who prepares for his last tango.

Steinbrenner to Get Monument in Monument Park

2010-08-25T17:25:00.000-04:00

George M. Steinbrenner III will join Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio and Miller Huggins as the only former Yankees to have actual stone monuments in Monument Park beyond the center field fence in Yankee Stadium.

The Steinbrenner monument will be unveiled in a ceremony on Sept. 20, prior to that night's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Steinbrenner, the principal owner of the Yankees since 1973, died of a heart attack at 80 on July 13.

"And I think rightfully so, he should be honored,'' Joe Girardi said before last night's game. "I've always liked looking at the statue of him at Gate 2 and I look forward to seeing this. I think its a wonderful idea.''

The Steinbrenner family released a statement earlier today: "We remain profoundly grateful and touched by the many expressions of sympathy and support from so many. We wish to thank everyone for their kind thoughts and prayers, which we continue to hold close. We are especially appreciative that our family's privacy was respected as we grieved the loss of George. We know we will always share George's memory with Yankee fans everywhere, and a monument in his honor to be located in Monument Park will reflect the special connection, appreciation and responsibility that George felt for New York Yankees fans everywhere as they were always uppermost in his mind.''

Just as Girardi said, this is a spectacular idea by the Yankees and it is, in fact, the right thing to do. This man was everything that resembled the Yankees and he made them into what they were from 1973-today. The man was an American icon and resembled many things that Americans are today with his dedication, hard work and determination for greatness.

Sanchez Will Wear Protective Brace on Knee

2010-08-25T17:19:00.001-04:00

On orders from Rex Ryan, Mark Sanchez dusted off his old knee brace this week, and there's a chance he will wear it on his surgically repaired left knee for the remainder of the season -- for precautionary reasons.

On the sixth play of last Saturday night's game in Carolina, the New York Jets' quarterback narrowly avoided a potentially devastating blow to the knee from Panthers defensive tackle Derek Landri, who blew past inexperienced left guard Matt Slauson.

"I had him put the brace on after I saw that thing," Ryan said Tuesday. "It was close ... It was like, 'That's enough.' That's the play that got my attention. Absolutely."

Because of an old college injury, Sanchez played last season with a brace on his left knee. After the season, he underwent surgery to strengthen the patella tendon. His hope was to play this season, sans brace, but he sounded resigned to having it again.

"It's just a matter of getting used to it again," said Sanchez, adding, "It's the right thing to do."

Ryan said they will re-evaluate after Friday night's game against the Washington Redskins, but he added, "I feel much better about him just having that thing on."

It made for a light moment Monday in practice, when Sanchez stepped into the huddle. Slauson sheepishly recounted the conversation, which started when center Nick Mangold noticed the brace.

According to Slauson, the exchange went something like this:

Mangold to Sanchez: "Oh, you're wearing the big brace again?"

Sanchez: "Yeah, it's because of the shot I took during the game."

Pause.

Slauson: "Sorry."

Another pause.

Mangold: "Awk-ward!"

They were able to laugh it off, but the close call underscores a key issue: After releasing perennial Pro Bowl left guard Alan Faneca, the Jets don't have an experienced option at the position.

Slauson has been working with the first unit since the start of camp, and he will start Friday night, but he still doesn't have the job locked up, according to Ryan. The coach said rookie Vladimir Ducasse still has a shot.

"[Slauson] has been ahead the whole way, but the kid is coming," Ryan said. "If we can eliminate the little mistakes [Ducasse] had in the game and make it a physical contest, I think he could close the gap even more. It's still a contest in my opinion."

In reality, Slauson probably has the job sewn up -- too late to turn back -- but Ryan probably couldn't bring himself to anoint him after seeing his franchise quarterback almost leveled.

"I saw Slauson get beat like a drum," said Ryan, alluding to the play that could've been a disaster. "He just got beat clean by an old-school pass-rush move where the guy lined up wide, gave him a little head fake, came off the ball and swam him."

Slauson felt bad about it, but the former sixth-round pick from Nebraska believes he's improving each week. But he understands that it's still an open competition.

"I expect it to be that way all season," he said. "Vlad will be nipping at my heels all year."

A year ago, the Jets had a veteran offensive line with rare continuity. Now they're trying to break in a relative novice, threatening the unit's chemistry. It's fair to wonder if the left-guard leak (if it remains a leak) gets into Sanchez's head.

"You have to trust your guys," Sanchez said. "You can't even think about it like that."

Nova to Start, Vazquez to 'Pen for Time Being

2010-08-25T17:15:00.001-04:00

It appears that Ivan Nova's guest appearance in the New York Yankees rotation on Monday was actually an audition for a regular spot on the pitching staff.

He passed.

Manager Joe Girardi announced Nova will replace the struggling Javier Vazquez for Sunday's start against the White Sox in Chicago, and perhaps longer than that.

"We liked what we saw out there," Girardi said before Tuesday night's Yankees-Blue Jays game. "I saw toughness. I saw resiliency. I liked his presence out there. And we think his stuff is even better than he showed."

It was a 180-degree turn from Monday night, when Girardi dismissed with a wave of his hand the question of whether the 24-year-old had earned another start. "It's way too early to think about that," he said.

Barely 12 hours later, Girardi had not only thought about it, but done it.

Called up from Triple-A Scranton on Sunday, Nova threw 5 1/3 innings of six hit, two-run ball in the Yankees' 3-2 loss Monday night, including one of Jose Bautista's two home runs. But Girardi and pitching coach Dave Eiland were especially impressed by the first inning, in which Nova was faced with a bases-loaded, none-out jam and the dangerous Vernon Wells at bat. Nova got Wells to pop out to short left on a 2-0 pitch, and Brett Gardner turned it into a key double play when Fred Lewis foolishly tried to score from third.

"He could have caved right there but he didn't," Girardi said of Nova. "He continued to make pitches."

The Yankees were also impressed by Nova's standing up to Bautista in the sixth inning, when the Jays slugger took a few steps toward the mound after a high, tight fastball flew past Bautista to the backstop, triggering an incident that cleared the benches but did not erupt into a brawl.

"That kid showed me something, standing up to the top home-run hitter in the game," one Yankee said. "He's the kind of kid who can help us a lot."

Clearly, the Yankees no longer felt that way about Vazquez, the 34-year-old right-hander who has struggled on and off all season and lately has suffered an alarming drop in velocity that no one seems able to explain.

Vazquez (9-9, 5.05 ERA) hasn't made it through the fifth inning in any of his last three starts, and was yanked just three innings into his last outing, against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday, after surrendering three home runs -- two to Ichiro Suzuki and one to Russell Branyan. Vazquez was told before Tuesday night's game that he would not be starting Sunday, although Girardi indicated his banishment to the bullpen could be permanent.

"I can't tell you right now," Girardi said when asked if Vazquez would remain in the 'pen. "I want to see where we are after Sunday, and we'll continue to evaluate how everyone's doing and how everyone's feeling."

Vazquez said he was disappointed but not surprised by the move.

"I haven't been doing my job, so I understand it," he said. "I'm feeling good but I'm just not throwing the ball well. That's why I'm a little frustrated."

With the Yankees in a dogfight for control of the AL East -- they are tied with the Tampa Bay Rays heading into Tuesday night -- their rotation now consists of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and, with Andy Pettitte on the DL, three pitchers who were not full-time major league starters last year: Phil Hughes, Dustin Moseley and Nova.

Asked this afternoon if he could foresee Nova possibly starting a game for the Yankees in the postseason, Girardi said, "I think that's getting too far head."

Which is precisely what he had said Monday night about the possibility of Nova getting another start this weekend.

Jets Sign Mangold to New Seven Year Deal

2010-08-24T14:30:00.003-04:00

The New York Jets and All-Pro center Nick Mangold have agreed on a new seven-year deal worth a maximum of $55 million, a league source told ESPNNewYork.com Monday. The new contract could be signed as early as Tuesday.

Mangold decided to participate in training camp while awaiting a new deal, unlike cornerback Darrelle Revis, who did not join the team in Cortland, N.Y., on Aug. 1 and whose negotiations became frayed.

When Jets coach Rex Ryan was asked Monday if there was any word on any other contract negotiations, he sounded skeptical.

"That'd be news to me," Ryan said.

Earlier on Monday, Mangold said he had discussed the contract situation with Revis, who will make roughly $1 million if he plays this season under his current deal. But he didn't think it was ultimately fruitful on anything but a personal level.

"We talked," Mangold said. "I would say being in the same situation I didn't feel that we should be taking advice from each other."

Mangold declined to talk about the negotiations, based on advice he got from his agents, but he did talk about his decision to come to camp after considering a holdout as early as minicamp.

"[Holding out] didn't fit my personality," Mangold said. "It's not me, it's not who I am, and it's not what I do."

Mangold ultimately decided he needed to be in camp for the starting left guard battle, and his teammates respected him for it.

"He treated it like a professional," said fellow lineman Brandon Moore. "He could've easily made a stink about it, did some things here even when he was here. You wouldn't have known. A lot of guys didn't even know it was an issue. I think that's a testament of how professional he is, able to put that aside, and just come to work."

In theory, since he wasn't talking about football, Mangold said he'd be happy to play center long-term for the Jets, which is something Ryan can get behind.

"He's a tremendous player obviously and that would be a huge thing for our franchise," Ryan said.

Ryan has referred to Mangold as the best center in the NFL.

"He can handle nose tackles, and that's where it starts now with all these 3-4 teams I think," Ryan said. "It could be every team in our division playing a 3-4 and you better have a center who can match up with these nose tackles."

Jets Close to Deal With Mangold

2010-08-22T22:59:00.001-04:00

With the Darrelle Revis holdout dominating headlines for three weeks, the New York Jets quietly have been negotiating a long-term extension for All-Pro center Nick Mangold. The two sides are close to a new deal that likely will make Mangold the highest-paid center in the league, league sources told ESPN.com.

Mangold, reached Sunday night at his home in New Jersey, declined to comment, saying he wanted to speak with his agent Monday before discussing it publicly. But a source close to Mangold said, "It should be done any day now."

A Jets spokesman would not confirm the deal.

Mangold, a first-round pick in 2006, was entering the final year of his rookie contract. Because of an escalator, he was due to make $3.3 million. In the spring and leading into training camp, Mangold expressed his displeasure with his contract, saying the two sides had barely spoken to each other.

At one point, Mangold hinted he might not show up for training camp. Ultimately, he decided to report because he wanted to "be there for my teammates and the coaches, and we'll see how it all plays out."

General manager Mike Tannenbaum, in a stalemate with the Revis camp, turned his attention toward Mangold, one of the team's core veterans. Details of the contract weren't immediately available, but the benchmark is believed to be Jason Brown of the St. Louis Rams. In 2009, Brown signed a five-year, $37.5 million deal that included $20 million in guarantees, making him the highest-paid center.

Mangold's deal was complicated by the 30 percent rule in the CBA, but the two sides evidently found common ground and worked around the restrictions. The 30 percent rule states that, in an uncapped year, a player's salary in an extension can't increase by more than 30 percent of his previous year's salary.

This is a significant move for the Jets, who have locked up the two centerpieces on their vaunted offensive line. In July, left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson signed a six-year, $60 million extension. Ferguson, too, was a first-round pick in 2006, Tannenbaum's first year as the GM.

In the spring, the Jets' chances of re-signing their so-called "Core Four" appeared bleak. Now it's two down, two to go -- Revis and linebacker David Harris. Harris, an emerging defensive star entering the final year of his rookie contract, is seeking around $9 million per year.

The Mangold deal should intensify the pressure on Revis, who has rejected long- and short-term proposals. Revis, signed through 2012, is due to make $1 million this season, which would bring him to $16 million over his first four years. He's seeking about $16.5 million per year, which would surpass the Oakland Raiders' Nnamdi Asomugha as the highest-paid corner.

Revis has told friends he won't report until he receives a new deal. The negotiations turned contentious at the start of camp, with the two sides trading barbs through the media. Finally, they released a joint statement, claiming that negotiations would be kept confidential.

A-Rod Placed on 15-Day DL

2010-08-22T15:10:00.001-04:00

Siding with the most cautious approach, the New York Yankees have placed third baseman Alex Rodriguez on the 15-day disabled list because of his strained left calf.

"We are going to play it extremely safe," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said after the Yankees' 9-5 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday.

Rodriguez had been out of the starting lineup four of the past five games because of the injury, but before Saturday's victory Girardi said the disabled list was not an option.

However, after the win, general manager Brian Cashman and Girardi decided not to risk the calf becoming a bigger problem than it already is. Rodriguez now won't return until the first week of September, at the earliest.

If he hadn't played on Friday, the Yankees could have put A-Rod on the DL retroactive to Monday.

When Girardi announced the decision, he said he had not spoken to Rodriguez about it. Rodriguez did not talk with the media on Saturday. On Friday, Rodriguez said he felt "stiffness" in the calf when he swung, but he didn't think it had worsened.

In place of Rodriguez, the Yankees have recalled Triple-A starting pitcher Ivan Nova from Scranton. Nova will start Monday in Toronto. All the other Yankees starters will be moved back one day.

The Yankees are bringing up Nova, who, if effective, they hope can limit the innings of their starters.

Phil Hughes is on an innings count. He has pitched 140 2/3 innings this season. He believes his innings limit is around 175 for the regular season, but the Yankees have never revealed the exact number to him or the media. In the postseason, Hughes will have no innings limit. Girardi said that Nova's impact on Hughes' innings count is getting "a little too far ahead."

With Nova up, Girardi said he will look to split up Javier Vazquez and A.J. Burnett, who have both struggled recently. For most of the season, the two have not pitched back-to-back.

"That is something I will look at," Girardi said.

Girardi said he is not inclined to go with a six-man rotation. If Nova pitches well, he could either alleviate Hughes' innings or replace Dustin Moseley in the rotation. Mosely has been starting in place of the injured Andy Pettitte.

"It might be something we have to look at," Girardi said of a six-man rotation. "Sitting here right now, it is not what I'm assuming we are going to do."

On Saturday, Eduardo Nunez, starting at third in place of Rodriguez, nailed his career first hit, a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh. Nunez, one of the Yankees' top prospects, had been mostly a shortstop in his minor league career, but the Yankees had him play multiple positions at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season so he could serve as a utilityman in the majors. He and Ramiro Pena will play third in Rodriguez's absence.

Oddly, despite the fact that A-Rod is second in the American League in RBIs with 97, the Yankees are 11-0 without Rodriguez in the lineup. They have also averaged 8.2 runs without A-Rod compared to five runs with him.

Pettitte Out Until September

2010-08-18T21:17:00.001-04:00

New York Yankees starting pitcher Andy Pettitte will not be ready to return to the mound until the first week of September at the earliest, and more likely the middle of the month, which could compromise his ability to be at his best for the postseason.

"I think if you get into the third week of September, and we haven't gotten him back, you'd be somewhat concerned," manager Joe Girardi said before Wednesday night's Yankees-Tigers game at Yankee Stadium.

Pettitte's rehab of the left groin muscle he strained July 18 was shut down for a week by the Yankees training staff Tuesday after an MRI showed that the injury still had not healed.

"To say I'm frustrated, that's an understatement," Pettitte said. "I'm trying to stay as positive as I can, but I want to pitch. I just want to get back and I want to pitch and I want to be healthy."

Pettitte felt pain during a bullpen session Tuesday when, after playing catch in the outfield and then throwing with diminished intensity first off a half mound and then a full mound in the bullpen, he tried to cut loose as if pitching in an actual game.

"When I tried to go, to throw like I was trying to get a batter out, it would grab me," he said. "I felt actually like I was being a weenie out there, like I could pitch through this."

But Pettitte was overruled by pitching coach Dave Eiland and team physician Dr. Chris Ahmad, who sent him to Columbia Presbyterian for the MRI.

"Doc said, 'Let's do it so you can know if you're healed and you can just push through it,'" Pettitte said. "It's a good thing we got it because it told me I could hurt myself if I tried to push through it."

Being Pettitte, he blamed himself for pushing too hard in attempting to come back sooner than expected. "It's my downfall, the anticipation and expectations I have," he said. "I literally felt I was gonna be ready to pitch against Boston maybe, or in Kansas City on the weekend, no doubt about it. Obviously, that was last week and I'm sitting here and I'm not gonna be ready to get back on the mound for another week. A lot of stuff is going through my head as we get to the end of the season here."

Some of that "stuff" included the frightening prospect that after posting the best start of his career, 11-2 with a 2.88 ERA, Pettitte might not be able to pitch again this season.

"Of course that crosses your mind," he said. "I'm sure age has a lot to do with it. I got a lot of wear and tear on my body since 10 years ago or nine years ago the last time I did this. I'm sure that has a lot to do with this also."

Pettitte went on the disabled list July 20, two days after leaving a start against the Tampa Bay Rays in the third inning after suffering the injury on a pitch. At the time, the Yankees projected Pettitte would be out four to five weeks. Pettitte insisted his absence would be closer to three. Now, it turns out both sides were wrong.

"It's going to end up, right now, at least seven weeks, and that's longer than we anticipated," Girardi said.

And that is the best-case scenario, which assumes that the prescribed week of rest -- during which Pettitte will still be allowed to play catch -- is followed by a normal rehab progression, meaning long toss followed by a bullpen session followed by a simulated game and then at least one rehab start.

Even Girardi seemed to think that blueprint overly optimistic. "The last thing you would want is for him to come back and say, you know what, I feel like I can only give you 60 pitches," Girardi said.

"That's not really going to help us. My thought process is he might have to make two [rehab starts]."
Pettitte is notoriously impatient when coming back from injury, but seemed resigned Wednesday to having to curtail his activity if he hopes to come back in time to be effective in October.

"Mentally, I'm just gonna try to stay as positive as I can, and whatever it is, it is," he said. "I'm gonna go with it and prepare as good as I can and I'm gonna just give it everything I got to get ready and help us get to the playoffs, hopefully."

Jets No Longer Have Safety Net With Dearth

2010-08-18T21:14:00.002-04:00

On the same day Rex Ryan expressed concern about long snapper Tanner Purdum, the Jets lost a potential safety net at the position when James Dearth signed a free-agent contract Saturday with the Washington Redskins.

Uh, oh.

Dearth was the New York Jets' long snapper from 2001 to 2009 -- and a good one -- but he's 34 and is entitled to about $800,000 in salary (the veterans' minimum for a player with his experience). The Jets chose not to re-sign Dearth, an unrestricted free agent, opting for Purdum.

Purdum, 25, who has no NFL experience, was doing nicely until Friday, when he experienced a couple of hiccups in practice.

"That concerned me," Ryan said. "He's been doing a great job. He can really snap the ball. He has to be accurate. That can't be a question because he doesn't have great size (6-3, 270)."

Why not re-sign Dearth?

"The way the game is set up, you try to get younger, cheaper players if you can," Ryan said. "That's the harsh reality of this game."

In the back of their minds, the Jets always felt they could re-sign Dearth if Purdum didn't work out. Dearth isn't a lock to make the Redskins, but as of right now, he's no longer an option.

Mangold Returns to Practice

2010-08-18T21:05:00.001-04:00

New York Jets center Nick Mangold, apparently recovering from a hard hit in practice last week, took himself out of Monday night's preseason game against the New York Giants because he said he "didn't feel right."

On Wednesday Mangold said he feels normal again.

"Or, at least, Mangold normal," the All-Pro center said with a smile.

He practiced in full pads on Wednesday and believes he will be ready and available to play against Carolina on Saturday.

"That's my assumption going into it," he said. "I wouldn't see any reason things would change."

Mangold, who did not dress for Monday's game, said he didn't believe he had a concussion from an Aug. 11 training camp hit from Sione Pouha that knocked him out of practice for two days. He and coach Rex Ryan said that Mangold has undergone the regular testing that is part of the NFL's head injury protocol.

Mangold said he had never experienced a similar feeling, which he described as "foggy," since becoming a professional and alerted the Jets coaches to his concerns.

"I don't have the medical definition or anything," Mangold said on Wednesday. "In five years of being in the NFL I've had my share of bumps, bruises and everything in between. This time it just didn't feel right. I was fortunate we took it seriously and had the chance to sit down for it."

"He had a little bit of a headache and I said aw, forget it," Ryan said. "I played doctor on that."

Mangold said he woke up feeling "decent" on Tuesday, and then felt fine by the time he reported for camp at SUNY Cortland later that night.

One of the wittiest players on the roster, Mangold offered another zinger when he asked if he was experiencing any fogginess.

"Just when I talk to you guys," he told reporters.

Mangold added that he thanks Pouha "repeatedly" for the hit, and is hoping to parlay his malaise into a meal.

"I'm actually looking to try to get a dinner out of it," he said. "I figured that would be a good way to mend the fence, make things better."

Mangold reported for camp on time despite being unhappy with his contract situation. He's making $3.3 million entering the final year of his rookie deal, but is seeking a long-term contract extension.

Despite sitting out Monday night, he insisted he didn't think about whether he might have made a mistake by reporting without a new contract.

"It's part of the game," Mangold said. "I've been fortunate that I haven't had any major injuries. I think that's also a function of me trying to play at a high level at all times. If you play not to get hurt, you're bound to get hurt."

Clemens Could Be Dealt

2010-08-18T21:03:00.001-04:00

If it looked like the New York Jets were showcasing quarterback Kellen Clemens on Monday night for a possible trade, it's because they were.

With Mark Sanchez and Mark Brunell locked into the first two quarterback jobs, the Jets are willing to deal Clemens before the start of the regular season, according to league sources.

The Jets found no takers when they tried to trade Clemens before the draft, but the recent arrival of Brunell could make him expendable. Clemens may have improved his value around the league with a solid performance against the New York Giants.

If the Jets don't receive a worthwhile offer, they could keep him as the No. 3 quarterback. But make no mistake: They will answer the phone if another team calls with an offer.

Coach Rex Ryan was unusually short when asked Wednesday why Clemens, not Brunell, was the first quarterback off the bench in the preseason opener.

"We knew we were going to go with Brunell [as the permanent No. 2]. I wanted to play Kellen," Ryan said. "We just threw him in there in that situation. He showed himself well."

Clemens completed 7 of 10 passes for 84 yards. He was replaced by Brunell, who was followed by Kevin O'Connell (two interceptions). The Jets also have Erik Ainge, who is not in camp. He was placed on the non-football illness list, but his future with the team is murky.

"I don't think that was any sort of pecking order or indicator," Clemens said after the game. "I was told they were going to give me a shot earlier on in the game, but I haven't been told that has anything to do with where we [the quarterbacks] are ranked as far as 1-2-3. As far as I know, the No. 1 and 2 spots are pretty locked up."

Clemens is due to make $1.1 million this season (non-guaranteed), which is high for a third-string quarterback. That, too, could factor into a decision to trade him.

Jets' Owner Johnson Not Optimistic About Revis Talks

2010-08-09T21:14:00.001-04:00

The New York Jets, responding to a new contract proposal made last Friday by Darrelle Revis' agents, painted a bleak picture Monday of the contract stalemate. A grim-faced Woody Johnson said he's not optimistic about their chances of signing the All-Pro cornerback to a new contract before the start of the regular season.

"The answer is no," the Jets' owner said tersely, adding, "My impression is no progress ... no movement whatsoever."

Expanding on that sentiment, Johnson told ESPN's Jeremy Schaap Monday that he doesn't expect Revis to play for the Jets this season.

"My gut feeling is, I would say no," Johnson said.

Revis is entrenched in his position and has told friends he won't play in 2010 for his current $1 million salary, according to league sources. This could blow up on the Jets, who will be hard-pressed to fulfill their Super Bowl mandate without their best player.

Revis' agents, Jon Feinsod and Neil Schwartz, met with general manager Mike Tannenbaum for three hours last Friday at a diner in rural Roscoe, N.Y., about two hours from Cortland. They handed him a three-page document.

"We gave Mike a proposal to show Mr. Johnson," Schwartz told ESPNNewYork.com Monday afternoon. "We're awaiting a response."

Tannenbaum said he made the agents aware of the team's position at the meeting. He said the new proposal included some "technical changes." But he added, "We still have a very fundamental difference of opinion on what the appropriate compensation should be. Until we get that solved, there's really not much to discuss."

Johnson said the proposal contained "nothing new and different, as they say in marketing." But Schwartz disagreed, saying there were new elements.

"This proposal addressed all parties' issues and concerns to be resolved in this matter," he said.

The latest back-and-forth came on a day in which coach Rex Ryan said the team is preparing for the possibility of life without Revis, whose holdout has reached nine days. Revis has accumulated more than $148,000 in fines.

"We're going to prepare like he's not going to be here," Ryan said after the morning practice. "If he comes through the door, that's fine. Somebody will kiss him on the lips, probably. It doesn't matter. We're getting this team ready. The guys that are here, we're getting ready."

It was the first time that Ryan acknowledged the possibility of an extended absence by Revis. The two sides are trying to negotiate a new contract for Revis, who has three years remaining on his current deal, but they appear far apart.

Last Thursday, the agents called Tannenbaum to propose a meeting. They opted for Roscoe because it's roughly the midpoint between Cortland and Rockland County, N.Y., where Schwartz and Feinsod are based. The meeting also included Ari Nissim, the Jets' contract guru, and it lasted three hours.

The group huddled at the Roscoe Diner, a popular stop for college students driving to schools in upstate New York. In fact, the diner's walls are covered with pennants from dozens of colleges. Amid that backdrop, the two sides took what could be a significant step toward reaching a resolution to the contract impasse.

Interestingly, producers of HBO's "Hard Knocks" wanted to film the meeting for the reality show, which debuts Wednesday night, but Revis' agents declined, according to Schwartz.

Schwartz refused to reveal any specifics from their written proposal, but it's said to contain a unique clause that would help bridge the gap in negotiations. The Jets' last offer came on the eve of training camp. They offered a long-term package of more than $100 million, but it included only a small amount of fully guaranteed money -- about $5 million in 2010. Revis was so upset that it sealed his decision to stage a holdout.

Tuesday could be a key date in the stalemate. By rule, if a holdout doesn't report by Aug. 10, he doesn't get credit for 2010 as an accrued season. Basically, that means he loses a year toward free agency. That might cause some players to reconsider their stance, but the Aug. 10 deadline will have no bearing on Revis' thinking, according to sources close to the Jets' star. As one source said, "He's dug in."

A week ago, Ryan said Revis would be in the starting lineup even if he didn't show up until the eve of the regular-season opener. But he backed off on that, saying he was talking "facetiously." The original statement probably didn't sit well with the front office, which needs all the leverage it can get.

Revis is seeking to become the highest-paid cornerback in the league, surpassing the Oakland Raiders' Nnamdi Asomugha ($15.1 million average per year).

There are complex rules that restrict the Jets' ability to offer full guarantees in future years, but they can overcame that obstacle by giving a substantial signing bonus. After all, this is an uncapped year.

As a contingency plan, the Jets have tweaked their secondary, moving former San Diego Charger Antonio Cromartie to Revis' spot (left cornerback) and opening up the right-corner position to other candidates.

First-round draft pick Kyle Wilson, projected as the nickelback, is working with the first-team defense. He replaced Dwight Lowery, who, oddly enough, told the coaching staff that Wilson deserved to be in the starter's role.

"Yes, it surprises me, but he sees that [Wilson] needs the work. He needs the reps," Ryan said. "The kid has rare ability."

Let's be realistic here. The Jets defense is arguably the best in the game right now. Yes, Revis is the best player on that best defense, but their cornerback depth is so great that they might actually be able to overcome Revis not playing to start the regular season.

However, with that being said, the Jets need Revis on the field for that first game if they have hopes of winning the Super Bowl this season, like they have been talking about all offseason.

Jeter Passes Ruth on All-Time Hits List

2010-08-09T21:07:00.001-04:00

New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter passed Babe Ruth on the all-time hits list with an RBI single in the second inning of a 7-2 win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night.

Jeter ripped Josh Beckett's 2-2 fastball to center with one out in the second, driving in Brett Gardner from second base. It was career hit No. 2,874 for Jeter, who passed The Babe for 39th place on the all-time hits list. Jeter finished the night 2-for-5 with three RBIs and now needs two hits to pass Mel Ott (2,876) and six to pass Frankie Frisch (2,880).

Jeter was greeted with a long, loud ovation and chants of "De-rek Je-ter!" after news of the milestone flashed on the Yankees' JumboTron in center field. He acknowledged the crowd of 49,096 with a tip of the cap. Alex Rodriguez retrieved the ball after it was rolled to the Yankees dugout.

"Anytime you're name is alongside one of the all-time greats, it's a special moment," Jeter said.

The Yankees captain also hit a two-run double to right-center during a five-run fifth and snapped an eight-game RBI drought on Sunday night.

Jeter said he wasn't aware that he was approaching Ruth on the career list until it was brought to his attention a few days ago.

"Obviously it means a lot to baseball, but especially to this organization," Jeter said after the Yankees' win, which put them 2½ games up on the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East and seven games ahead of the Red Sox. "Any time you get a chance to pass [Ruth] in anything it's pretty special."

Jeter passed Lou Gehrig for the most hits in franchise history last September. Ruth had 302 hits in six years with the Red Sox and 13 in 28 games with the Boston Braves. Jeter, of course, has collected all of his 2,875 career hits with the Yankees. With 125 more, Jeter will be the first player in franchise history to reach the 3,000-hit plateau.

Mike Westhoff Re-ups with Jets for Another Year

2010-08-08T17:34:00.001-04:00

Mike Westhoff, the highly-regarded special teams coordinator of the New York Jets, signed a one-year contract extension through 2011 on Saturday, a league source told ESPNNewYork.com.

Barring a change of heart, Westhoff's plan is to retire after the 2011 season, the source said. He is 62 and has endured at least nine operations on his left leg to combat bone cancer.

Westhoff, hired by the Jets in 2001, stepped down for health-related reasons after the 2007 season. In February 2008, he underwent a 10-hour femur replacement at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. He figured his coaching career was over, but he recovered so quickly that he returned to the Jets before the start of the 2008 regular season.

For much of his tenure with the Jets, the popular Westhoff has used a metal cane on the field. But he's moving remarkably well this summer in training camp, with almost no trace of a limp.

Coach Rex Ryan predicted recently that the charismatic, sometimes acerbic Westhoff would emerge as one of the stars on HBO's "Hard Knocks," which is chronicling the Jets' training camp. Ryan jokingly referred to Westhoff as "Old Crusty."

For a quarter-century, Westhoff has been known as a pioneering special teams coach in the NFL. His units are generally ranked among the league leaders.