On the Win

So after a first week loss and a second week win to get even, I laid a whoopin' on my opponent this weekend, winning by 40+ points. I think my reserves actually outscored the other guy.

So now SoulSlam is 2-1 and looking to take this weekend's game against a certain KISS fan (no that is not a typo) who likes to talk trash, fantasy-wise. Good luck, Starchild.

Oh, AJ

I'll bet the Yankee faithful have a nice warm and fuzzy for the enigmatic Mr. Burnett after last night,s hitting clinic...I mean game.
In a game that could have clinched a playoff spot, AJ came up less than big.

2.1 INNINGS PITCHED
7 HITS
7 RUNS
7 EARNED RUNS
2 HOME RUNS

Which makes him 10-15, with an ERA of 5.33 on the season. Worth every penny he's getting.

So what does this do to the Yankees rotation during Rd1 of playoffs? CC for GM 1, Pettitte for GM 3, who knows everywhere else. I'm sure Hughes will be in the mix, but that will be a lot to ask of a kid.

Sold Out

So let me get this straight. I'm watching the Bosox put a 10-spot on the Yankees last night, and since they can't hide the fact that the royalty section behind home and extending past the dugouts cant be more than 40% full, that huge, bloated bag of wind, Michael Kay has the absolute balls to say that the game is sold out again. Huh?

Maybe that works if I was listening on the radio, but my eyes don't deceive. Yankee Propaganda. Get yours.

So today the Sox smack the Yankees around again. And now the Yanks look less like a lock to win the division and more likely the Wild Card. And since they cant beat up on the Royals or Orioles in the playoffs, they better hope they can beat somebody, cause I don't see it.

And guess what? Yankees have to play three to end the season at Fenway. It's a longshot but here's to Boston making a week to go run. Now that would be sweet. Like Jeter striking out in the big spot.

Even Steven

That means my FF Team is 1-1. After week 1's dismal showing, I took the game over the aforementioned Gym Tan Laundry (with the league's high score I might add) to even it up.

Week 3 is crucial. So says a geek of FF.

Did I mention I have to go to Japan again. Not happy.

Officially Done

Mets are out of playoff contention with last night's loss to the fish. That's the official, mathematical point. Unofficially, they were done in early August. Funny, the team was 10 games over .500 around the All-Star break, then we get Beltran and Castillo back and the air came out of the balloon.

So what's next? Lots of rumblings about shaking things up, gettin' creative...whatever.

Early predictions:
Beltran is traded. The team attempts to trade Perez and Castillo, but that's a tough one.
K-Rod (who's gonna be going to jail, no doubt) is dropped. Like a hot rock.
Mets will explore trade for Reyes. 50-50 he's on team next season.
Outfield next season is Pagan, Duda, and somebody else.
Mets will go after Lee, but won't land the big fella.
They will once again try to sign a #3 or #4 starter. Again. A vicious circle.
Look for a deal with Boston. Maybe for Ellsbury and Papelbon (I am not kidding).
Manager will not be Joe Torre.
Mets fans will still complain not enough is being done.
Citi Field will be a little empty until this gets turned around.

Hambone

Word is Josh Hamilton has broken ribs from the crash a few back. I guess that will quiet the rubes who say he's sitting out to ensure the batting title.

Anyway, I'm sure the AL Teams in the hunt are breathing a sigh or two. Texas is good, but they are a juggernaught when he's in the lineup.

Hope he can come back and make some hay during October.

Audi.

Sunday Sunday

Had some open gym for basketball today, now I'm just flippin' the channels watching the NFL and the Mets. Might turn on the Yanks to see what's what in Bodymore, Murderland - they gotta play three against the Rays this week, so they need to sweep the O's now!

My fantasy team is up 60-12 right now, but I'm sure we'll be coming back to Earth in the later games. Aaron Rodgers is really chapping my a#$ though. Mr. Cover Boy.

Back to hoops. Looking to start a 4th grade travel team, got some talent there. See what we have a couple of weeks from now at the tryout. Should be fun. Combined with the 7th grade team I help coach - I should be busy 'til baseball.

Lucas!

This poor kid was hitting about .032 before yesterday's game and no that is not a typo. Then he hits a couple of doubles last night, drives in a couple, scores two. Now tonight he's 2 for 2, with a single and his first home run (no cheapo either), and has raised his BA almost 100 points.

He kept going out and doing his best and he's gettin' paid now.

I Like this kid.

Unemployed?

A (former?) pal (just kidding!) sent this to me. It is funny.

METS ARE HIRING!

0-1

That's me. At the bottom of my division (DIVISION 1!) in the fantasy football league I got roped into.

Had our draft, acted like a dork. Thought I drafted a pretty good team. Then game day. Here's how I feel about these guys:

Aaron Rodgers - ESPN the Magazine cover boy. Scored me 15 points. Week 1 Grade: Loser.
Marion Barber - maybe if that fat-a Wade Phillips let him run a little instead of splitting his time 3 ways I could have had something. Week 1 Grade: Incomplete.
Rashard Mendenhall - scored a TD late with P'Burgh's anemic offense. Week 1 Grade: A
Wes Welker - Two TDs. Week 1 Grade: A
DeSean Jackson - what can you say when your QB goes down and the dog killer comes in and can't do anything but run. Week 1 Grade: Loser (by no fault of his own).
Brent Celek - see DeSean Jackson. Week 1 Grade: Loser (by no fault of his own).
Adam Vinitieri - I guess when Indys O can't go, he suffers. Week 1 Grade: Bum.
CJ Spiller - "Oooh, great pick". 7yds rush, 6yds rec. Sucky. Week 1 Grade: Rookie Loser.
Steelers DST. Week 1 Grade: C.

Next up a team called Gym Tan Laundry. I better win that one.

Bad Juju

Does the glorious NY Yankees getting swept by the mighty Texas Rangers count? And the Rangers were without their best player...

(So somewhere the Red Sox Nation is smiling.)

Batting a .261 hitter at leadoff may end up being the undoing of the Yankees. Especially since his OBP is about .329.

---

About three weeks left in regular season, so time for the Rockies to turn it on full again. So San Diego and San Fran better watch out.

Votto is MVP in the NL. Hamilton in the AL, no matter what flavor koolaid NYY fans are drinking over Cano.

Did I mention the Mets are done?

Absolution

So the Mets are 69-71 with 22 games left and going nowhere. Johan Santana is having season-ending surgery for the 2nd year in a row. The Mets best pitcher is a 35 year old knuckleballer. We have a kid playing 2B who can't hit his own weight (a sweet .188 so far!). Jason Bay went on the DL and has been apparently kidnapped by aliens, cause nobody knows where he is. The team goes to Walter Reed to visit the troops and three of the players don't show, the three that the fans hate most it seems. And who knows who's running the team next year. Maybe Bozo the Clown is available.

A mess. Again. And again. And again.

So SoulSlam has done the only thing a father of two boys can. I have given them absolution and told them they can be fans of another team. There is absolutely no reason they have to go through a lifetime of heartache and heartbreak that I have.

So I will turn on the games this weekend vs. the Phillies (who look like they will go far into the October season) and begin hoping for 2011.

Collector Heaven

Got a sweet new item for my collection. Check it out.


All in honor of my man Ike.

Let The Geekness Begin

Fantasy Football draft tonight. On-line.

I feel like a dork.

BACK!

Vacation over, get a couple extra days before work and school. It always seems long but then it seems short at the same time, whatever that means.

Caught Red Sox - Rays in Tampa (actually St. Pete) the Friday we departed. We took Jet Blue for the first time, so I was watching the 36 channels of DirectTV on the flight and saw chance of rain, thought the game might be cancelled and then realized (DUH!) the park is indoors. Anyway, it was a little strange, SoulSlam has never seen a baseball game indoors before. Great experience, and they have a mini-HOF inside that the boys and I could stroll through. Nice.

Took a cruise to the Western Caribbean - Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Super time had by all. Then came back to Tampa for a couple of days spent at Busch Gardens and Adventure Island, the best waterpark I've ever been in.

All in all, one of the best family vacations ever. I'll get to the Mets downward spiral later.