NYC Tennis Club to Open
Manhattan is great place for for sports fans. But not so great for tennis players who live in the City, as they often find their game deteriorating due to a lack of play. It is not only expensive, but a pain in the butt to secure court time. But that will get at least marginally better soon with the opening of City View Racquet Club. Although you will have to hit a bridge or tunnel. Read all about it at TheStreet.com.
Mets Slumping
The Mets may not be lighting it up offensively right now, but they’ll come around. They are in a pretty bad slump and Philly seems to be breathing down their neck in the NL East. The bats will come around-every team has some bad stretches. I’m more worried about the starting pitching staff with this team. John Maine hasn’t looked as sharp as he did earlier in the season and I’m still waiting for Jorge Sosa to revert back to his earlier years as a 4 inning 5 earned run guy. Maybe Sosa can keep it up-he sure as hell looks the part this year. As long as Tom Glavine stays healthy, he’ll consistently keep them in the game and same goes for Olando Hernandez, but those two have a combined age of like 80. I love Oliver Perez! He’s still young and he looks like the guy who had good stuff when he first came up with the Pirates. He’s been pitching with confidence and even looking dominating at times this year. Let’s not forget Pedro Martinez will be back hopefully sometime in August. He may not be the Pedro of old, but even at 75% he’ll be a nice addition especially if one of the others goes down with an injury.
With that said, I ultimately have confidence in this team getting it done in the long run.
Play the Ponies
Coming Soon.
Race breakdown and analysis
Race of the Week:
June 16th
Churchill Downs
Stephen Foster Handicap (G1)
Every week I will handicap the race of the week. After I get married this Friday. Odds are 5-2 I go through with it.
Tigers Verlander throws No-Hitter
That last time the Tigers had a pitcher throw a no-hitter was April 7, 1984. That was the year the Tigers started 35-5 and won the World Series. I listened to that ‘84 game on the radio-it was a chilly Saturday afternoon day game. Ernie Harwell got me through it- he was perhaps the greatest baseball radio announcer of All-Time. The Tigers ore in the hunt. Congratulations, Justin.
Fantasy Baseball Watch
5 Players to add to your team
1. Ryan Braun
3B Milwaukee
Scoop him up at 3rd base if he’s not yet taken. He was a hot prospect out of U of Miami who got an early call because of the early season woes at the hot corner in Milwaukee. Already off to a good start-only question is his fielding at the major league level.
2. Andrew Miller
SP Detroit
Another hot prospect who has already had 2 quality starts with the Tigers and he shouldn’t have a problem racking up some wins on that team.
3. Willy Taveras
OF Colorado
Having a career year so far with Colorado. If he’s still free, grab him.
4. Antonio Alfonseca
RP Philadelphia
The closer now for Philly and when Meyers comes off the DL he’ll probably go back to his starter role. At least Alfonseca is a nice stop gap for now if you need saves.
5. Yovani Gallardo
SP Milwaukee
Lighting up the minors and is considered by some the best pitching prospect in baseball. If one of the rotation regulars gets hurt or goes downhill, watch out. If you have a bench stash him away or keep an eye on his progress for a possible call up.
Cards to Defend Title?
St Louis to defend title?
St Louis is going to be hard pressed to make the playoffs this season to defend their World Series title. Milwaukee looks like the real deal in the division and the wild card slot will be up for grabs between LA, San Diego and Atlanta with New York staying a top the NL East.
Outside of Pujols they are going to struggle to produce runs and their pitching is the worst in the NL. Even if/when Carpenter comes back, the long season will have its effect on relievers turned starters in Looper and Wainwright. After that, there is not much else anyway. The loss of Jeff Suppan to the rival Brewers has cost them a quality proven starter.
The Brewers have been hitting the cover off of the ball with Prince Fielder leading the way (23HR, 51 RBI). They are very deep in the outfield with Billy Hall, Cory Hart, Kevin Mench and Tony Gwynn. The emergence of Star call up Ryan Braun solidifies the infield with JJ Hardy, Rickie Weeks and Fielder.
They’re also getting great efforts from their pitching staff and waiting in the wings in possibly the best pitching prospect in baseball, Yovani Gallardo (Triple-A: (8-1), 2.14 ERA, 95 K, 0.950 WHIP).
They will hit some rough patches during the long season, but will come out on top in the Central Division.
Count on it.
24 homers
A website about A-Rod? Not even-he might have 24 homers but this site is the personal blog of Manny Ramirez. OK..maybe not. But it is pretty damn funny.
When we got into the Arizona clubhouse, I saw this dude who claims he was my first ever agent, mang. He’s a hardcore swindler, rattlesnake type, OK? When I came into the league, in the minors, he said he was gonna get me a sweet endorsement deal with some sneaker company or something like that. I was young and I didn’t know any better, so I entered a gentleman’s agreement with him, mang. I said, you get me a deal with endorsements, signing posters and doing commercials, you get 10 percent. Sounds like a good deal, right? Well this guy, he don’t do nothing for me, joo see? He keeps making promises, but I still got no money in the bank and night after night I still cooking Spaghetti-O’s in my apartment, waiting for my paycheck. I didn’t even have a stove in my place, I used an iron turned upside down to heat my Spaghetti-O’s! And one night this guy, he gets an idea to show up at my place, says I owe him 20 grand for services rendered. I say NO WAY and shut the door on his face, mang, and I stay away from him ever since. 24 homers
