Why I'm Done With Major League Baseball:

By Chris


Sources: Teixeira, Yanks agree to 8-year deal

Free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira has reached agreement with the New York Yankees on an eight-year contract worth more than $170 million, two sources involved in the negotiations tell ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.

The Yankees swooped in on Teixeira on Tuesday when it was believed the Boston Red Sox or the Washington Nationals were the likeliest to be his future employer. The Red Sox's offer was believed to be in the range of $170 million, and the Nationals reached out with an offer perhaps greater than that of Boston.

[...]

The Yankees have spent more than $400 million in salary in the last month, with $171 million going to left-handed pitcher CC Sabathia and $82.5 million on right-hander A.J. Burnett.

The agreement with Teixeira gives New York the four highest-paid players in baseball -- third baseman Alex Rodriguez, shortstop Derek Jeter, Sabathia and Teixeira.

Now I consider myself a Yankees fan. And there's nothing wrong with what the Yankees are doing. They're playing within the economic system fair and square.

It's the economic system that's screwed up. Cash-strapped teams like Minnesota need to sell their best players just to survive while juggernauts like the Yankees and Boston can buy up players at will (The Red Sox had the money to spend).

I'm going to find it very difficult to cheer for the Yankees this year (what fun is having a team that's supposed to win 120 games and a world championship--you're just setting yourself up for a major disappointment). And I'm going to have a harder time defending anything that happens in MLB for a long time.

Good for the players...make as much money as you can (careers are short). But the owners and Bud Selig need to realize that this free-spending mentality doesn't help the game. I'm more disgusted with the whole system than anything else and I hope I'm not alone.

UPDATE: Now it's apparently a $180 million deal. Good Lord.

Yellow Paint and Wire Mesh

by Ryan




I would say something kind about Yankee Stadium, but I've never been there in my life. There was just something that held me back, probably the fact that wearing a Sox hat in that place would get my face caved in.

Either way, as you read the Red Sox are playing their last game ever in Yankee Stadium, and I have to admit it feels odd.

Now I'm not going to say I have many great memories about the place, because according to a YES Network graphic the Sox are 200 or so games below .500 at the Stadium. However, one of the greatest moments of my life was when the Red Sox won Game Seven of the 2004 ALCS in Yankee Stadium.

I may lose my hearing at any moment, but I will never forget the sound of Mark Bellhorn's home run off the shrieking off foul pole to put it away. It sounded like a million cats being shanked by a paper clip while the tears of Yankee fans rained down from the upper deck. It was glorious.

So here's to you foul pole, thanks for the memories.

Shutting the Door

by Ryan




Michael Kay sounded so sad tonight, and that makes me so, so happy.

That is all.

Getting Off On the Right Foot

by Ryan

If this were an exclusively baseball blog, we would be a two team blog. For those of you who are new to these parts, myself and Rich are Red Sox fans, while Jon and Chris are Yankees fans. If you also haven't noticed, I'm around much more often than Jon and Chris.

Keeping this in mind, I'm delighted to bring you a recap of the Yankees home opener:



Quite scenic, eh?



Thank God they came out to see the universe put back in order.



I would feel bad, but I'm too busy waiting for Jon to get his retaliation ready. I have a feeling this will continue all year.

Knowledge is Power

"Red Sox Nation? What a bunch of [expletive] that is. That was a creation of the Red Sox and ESPN, which is filled with Red Sox fans.

Go anywhere in America and you won't see Red Sox hats and jackets, you'll see Yankee hats and jackets. This is a Yankee country. We're going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order."- Hank Steinbrenner

Things I've learned from this quote:

1. Sean Salisbury is a Yankees fan. It just makes so much sense now.

2. In all the history of time and space the universe has only been in order a mere 26 years. That explains a lot as well. For example, people ordering food while on their cell phone. Or not getting that little package of mixed nuts on your flights anymore. Or SARS.

3. Bad things never happen while the Yankees are champions. Like Pearl Harbor. Or 9/11.

Now I know what Hank actually means, but I just can't believe the words are actually coming out of his mouth. Really, what's the point in all this? I as much as anyone hate the whole Official Red Sox Nation thing they are pawning on us, mostly because I don't need a card in my wallet to tell me what team I root for. Still, don't you dare tell me I don't exist. As a Sox fan not living in Boston, I make a point of knowing what is going on with my team.

Sure, there are some "fans" that will see one of my non-existent hats and tell me how much they love Jonathan Papelbon yet not know who Keith Foulke is. I've had to put up with my fair share of pink hats and people who just think that "B" has nice font. At the same time, I know someone who fills one of those hats and can give you the scouting report of every player we have in our farm system, as well as his own personal opinion of him. I guess you take the good with the bad.

It is a stupid quote, and one meant to do exactly what it has: stir some people up. Most people know, especially those from Buffalo, that a team's fanbase will show up in a surprising number of places to form the "Nation" moniker Hank takes offense to. People shuffle across this country from place to place but very rarely do they forget their home. What resonates with a displaced citizen more then a city's food and sports teams?

There is no merit to an argument of which team has better fans in better places. You can tally up anything you'd like, any generalities and stereotypes you can remember and you still don't have real proof. Somewhere out there is a nice Flyers fan, a skinny Packers fan, and even a Marlins fan. I'd make the same guess for a Yankee fan from Cambridge and a Sox fan from Brooklyn.

Whether Hank wants to admit it or not, it happens and the numbers are there for both sides.

I guess it just goes to show you that the old saying is true: the apple doesn't fall far from the douchebag.

Three Sixty

By Jon

It seems as if A-Rod has decided pinstripes don't look so bad on him after all.

Rodriguez has apparently all but ditched Scott Boras and reopened talks with the Yankees.

This could mean a couple of different things:

A) A-Rod and Boras realized there wasn't a team willing to take on his enormous contract demands (reportedly $350 million). This is probably the most logical explanation. There's no way one player is worth that much cash. You know you won't have a suitor if your demands are too much for the Yankees.

B) A-Rod realized that Boras is a moron and more or less told him to hit the road. All of the crap Boras pulled with A-Rod pumping wealth into the YES Network is just that..... crap. Sorry Scott, but the Yanks don't need your client to pimp their network, they have history and one of the most dedicated fanbases in baseball on their side. Boras has reduced A-Rod's market value (just how much it is reduced remains to be seen) and drew the ire of baseball followers everywhere with his dubious Game Four announcement, and A-Rod may have finally had enough.

C) Boras may be up to something. The fact that Boras is even a teensy bit involved in the negotiations seems a bit fishy. Color me incredibly skeptical. This may be some elaborate scheme concocted by Boras to make A-Rod more appealing to the Yankees and the media. With A-Rod contacting the Steinbrenner's personally, as opposed to through Boras, it seems that he WANTS to be in pinstripes, and this very well could be true. It also makes Boras look like the villain, and effectively takes away any blame from Rodriguez for the crazy demands and dramatics caused by his opt out. Boras may have been the one to put A-Rod up to personally contacting the Yanks as part of his master plan to save Rodriguez's credibility and may save him some of the dollars he threw away over the past few weeks. Also, if it seems like they are in serious talks with the Yankees, another team may feel forced to offer Rodriguez the contract that he can't refuse, making Boras seem like a "superagent" once again.

After typing this out, I may have convinced myself that Boras is still in control. There's no other reason that I can think of as to why Scott is still around, even if his role is diminished. A-Rod giving up the $20 million of Tom Hicks' money is certainly a nice gesture, but when you are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars, it's just a drop in the bucket. Call it my gut feeling, call it intuition, whatever. But I won't believe that Rodriguez had a change of heart until he signs on the bottom line.

You say, "Goodbye" and I say "Hello"

By Chris

Eh, why not one more photo blog?

Say hello to the newest manager of the New York Yankees, Mr. Joe Girardi.



From one Joe to another...

The Yankees faction of the Roost approves this decision. Now does anyone know where we can find some starting pitching?

RoosTV: Buffalo gets the four-letter treatment

By Chris

Welcome to Monday Night Football, live from Buffalo, NY--well sort of live, and sort of from Buffalo, NY (the Bills play in Orchard Park and I'm at home in Lockport, a few minutes north).

It's just after 9:00 now and I literally just walked in the door ten minutes ago.

I had class until 8:30 and for the first time, I made it from college to my house in 15 minutes. God bless green lights and a heavy foot.

I've also been rocking my Todd Collins jersey all day and I don't plan on changing it anytime soon.

I did catch the Bills first drive on the radio and here's what transpired:

At 8:37 I turned my car on and switched the radio. John Murphy, the voice of the Bills, and Mark Kelso are on the air. Kelso just called the Cowboys' 4-0 record misleading. I knew there was a reason why I try my hardest not to listen to these games on the radio.

Marshawn Lynch busts out for a 15 yard gain on the Bills first play from scrimmage. I notice Murph and Kelso are on a first name basis with the players. Roscoe on the kick return. Trent takes the snap. Marshawn with a nice gain.

I actually wonder if punters can win Player of the Game awards. After running for a first down on a fake punt to keep the drive alive, the Bills go three and out, setting Moorman up for another punt. Murph goes nuts as Brian pins the Cowboys on the one yard line.

Romo throws a pick to wide receiver turned defensive back George Wilson, who runs it in for the score.

The 12th man is in mid-season form right now.

Lindell's kick is good, 7-0 Bills.



Finally got the laptop set up, I'm ready to write and Roost TV is live:

9:16: Sweet graphic as ESPN shows Tony Romo walking off the field. "Dallas Cowboys: aaaaaaaag." Maybe the Four-Letter is on our side after all.

9:17: Yankees Update (yes, I'll be flipping from time to time): Yanks down 4-1 in the top of the fourth. I think I might start rooting for the Indians the rest of the post season.

9:19: Romo's finally finding his groove. Three straight completions, Cowboys keep moving the chains.

9:22: Great catch by T.O., then takes the spiking penalty. Not much of a call but whatever, we'll take the 5 yards. Romo's taking a lot of hits after the throw.

9:23: Witten takes those extra five yards and catches one in the end zone. We've got a tie game, 7-7.

9:28 Nice shot of Jerry Jones and Michael Irvin in their box having a coke party---errr watching the game intently.

9:28: Lynch with a 23 yard run after a quick dump from Edwards. This guy is the real freaking deal. He works for every yard. Instant fan favorite here, although his hard nosed running style doesn't bode well for a long career.

9:30: Roscoe with a nice run after the catch to pick up a first. He tried the Playmaker button from Madden 04 to call his block, but caught his teammates off guard. Parrish with 3 catches for 24 yards already, all pretty big plays. Edwards looks great.

9:34: Kornheiser telling America what everyone in Buffalo already knows: J.P. Losman is pretty much unemployed after this season. There's no allegiance to J.P. and everyone is already anointing Edwards. Sentiment here is that even if the Bills lose tonight, people are going to want to see how he bounces back after the bye week.

9:37 Does anyone else think that Mike Tirico is boring? I mean the 2007 quarterback draft is interesting and all, but I think I fell asleep after he said, "Edwards was the sixth quarterbaaaaaaaaayaaaaawwwnnnnn..."

9:37: Bills are in the red zone. They're using play action well. As the half winds down, a field goal is a success here.

9:40: Third and goal. Nice little throw to Gaines. Nothing special like Jaws says, but Edwards is doing the right thing by playing it safe on that throw.

9:41: Lindell puts it through the uprights. I'm still trying to figure out when this guy became a legitimately reliable kicker. I remember when he stunk outside of 40, now he can kick it from pretty much anywhere.

This 24-yarder put Buffalo up 10-7 with 3:26 to go.

9:45: Chris Kelsay tips up a Romo pass to himself and catches it in the end zone. TOUCHDOWN!!!! And did I just hear "Song 2" by the Blur after that score? Really?

17-7 Bills.



So much for being satisfied with the 10-7 lead going into half.

Tirico: "Unbelievable."

The 12th man is rocking.

9:45: Waiting for the "Shout" song.

9:46: Still waiting.

9:47: There it is! "BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP THE BILLS MAKE ME WANNA SHOUT!!!"

9:48: On a side note, it's a great thing I've already got a comfortable lead in my fantasy league. Tony Romo is killing my team.

9:49: Romo looks like he's going to cry. Picked off by AFC Defensive Player of the Week Jabari Greer. I just got two instant messages almost instantaneously.

The first one, from the Roost's own Jon: "!!!!!!!!!!1 this is the most fun i have had watching football in years."

The second from my sports editor at the UB newspaper, Rubin: "is this really f**king happening?"

It's been a good night to be a Bills fan.

9:58: Lindell misses a 54-yarder. No worries. The crowd's still roaring and Romo is still jumpy.

10:00: I think they just showed a replay of T.O. on the bench giving Romo some pills that will "make him feel better."

10:01: Dallas now in field goal range as Romo gets blasted by Kelsay but makes the throw to Sam Turd--I mean Hurd.

10:02: Field goal is good, Bills lead 17-10 at half. Cowboys will start with the ball for the second half.

Bills are really playing above their level right now. You wouldn't know they were playing with a patchwork defense and a rookie quarterback. It'll be amazing if Dick Jauron can keep the emotional level up, all while making sure they don't get too over anxious and cough up the lead. It'll also be interesting to see what adjustments Dallas makes coming into the half.

Be back in a few...

10:04: Back sooner than I thought...Quick Yankee update, they're down 6-1 in the middle of the sixth. I'm not sure even Ronan Tynan could save them now.

10:15: Wow. Yanks in the middle of a nice min-rally. 6-2 now in the bottom of the sixth with one out and a man on first. Not a bad half time show.

10:16: Duncan moves to third on a base hit by Johnny Damon. In the words of Mike Tirico, "Unbelievable."

10:20: The usually clutch Jeter pulls an A-Rod and grounds into a double play to end the inning.

Whoops, football game's back on...no worries, it's still 17-10.

10:22: Niagara Falls looks pretty good at night. Just please don't show the rest of the city. Please.

10:23: Bills just won some sort of challenge, either way Dallas earns a first down. I'm more shocked to see Wade Phillips wearing a headset. He never wore them when he was a head coach here.

10:25: Kornheiser agrees with Kelso's earlier assessment that the Cowboys maybe aren't as good as we thought they were. What--what we thought they were. After all they ARE in the NFC.

10:28: Jaws is from Lackawanna, a Buffalo suburb. He freaking loves us.

10:29: Romo's head seems clear, as they're driving on their first drive of the half. The T.O. pick-me-ups seem to be working.

10:30: John "Poppa" DiGiorgio almost picks off a Romo pass of his own. Forces a fourth down.

10:31: Kick from Nick Folk from 29 yards is good, capping off a nine minute, 72 yard drive. Cowboys only trail by a score of 17-13 now.

10:33: TERRENCE MCGEE!!!!!! Gotta love special teams, a 103 yard return. Bobby April for President. And just like that the Bills respond. 23-7. I may never wash this Todd Collins jersey again. And John Murphy just had a heart attack.



10:33: Jerry Jones is in the fetal position, coked out with Playmaker.

10:33: Tony Romo is wrapped up in a towel, crying, humming Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats."

10:34: Ronan Tynan singing "God Bless America" at Yankee Stadium. Is there anyone who DOESN'T love this guy?

10:38: Coming into this game, I would have been satisfied with a close game midway through the third quarter, as long as the team didn't embarrass themselves and Edwards continued to make progress. Now, it's a totally different ballgame. The Bills need to hang on to win this game. This team looks like it's ready to become something the entire community can rally around.

It's amazing what happens when you put a competent quarterback under center, and not one that lines up behind the guard, like Losman once did. Sustain some long offensive drives and it'll allow your defense to stay fresh so they can make some big plays. I don't know where this Bills team came from, but I'm loving it.

10:40: A bomb to T.O. just ruled incomplete. He looks flustered, maybe he'll punch someone soon and make this game reeeally interesting.

10:41: Another incomplete pass intended for Owens. He's going to flip anytime now. He better go take his medication.

10:44: Josh Reed comes up with a great 50-50 ball. Peerless who?

10:45: Jaws analyzing Edwards' footwork. Staying balanced, looking good. Poised. 17/21, 121 yards. Welcome to the Show, kid. Glad to have you.

10:47: Good God, Edwards looks great. Reads the blitz, gets hit, still makes the quick throw, Roscoe picks up 8 yards. I love this guy. Trent Edwards has thrown just two incomplete passes since the 11:00 mark of the second quarter.

10:49: Slowly but surely, Yankees are coming back. Down 6-3 in the bottom of the 7th with two outs. 3-1 count to Matsui.

10:50: Walk. Missed an A-Rod home run (I couldn't believe it either) and the Yanks look to rally again.

10:51: Another beautiful punt by Moorman. Tirico says it won't be as good as that one in the first quarter...duh.

10:56: ESPN now talking about Kevin Everett's progress and the Miami Project. Glad they were able to fit that in now while we're all feeling good. Keep up the positive stuff, please.

10:58: Good presence by Romo. He's looked kind of syzcho out there lately. On that throw he had a good play action, pump faked deep, when he saw he didn't have that, he just dumped it off for a nine yard gain. Bills need to keep the pressure on him and keep him uncomfortable.

11:00: You know, it's nice to see a lot of former Buffalo Bisons succeeding in the postseason. From Sizemore to Garko to Shoppach, we've seen all these guys play live and it really is a treat to see them come up big in October. And this is coming from a Yankees fan.

11:02: Buffalo forces yet another fourth down and another field goal attempt for Folk. In the words of Butch Cassidy, "Who are these guys?"

11:03: Kick is good. Buffalo still leads 24-16. The Todd Collins jersey isn't coming off.



11:05: It's been 13 years since Monday Night Football was last in town. I have a feeling they'll be making a few more stops here in the future (that is until we get the police reports tomorrow morning).

11:05: Thurman's kissing Suzy Kolber. Best memory: "To go into the Hall of Fame as a Buffalo Bill." I love having the old guys from the Glory Years back together and active with the team.

11:08: Edwards hangs onto the ball too long on consecutive plays. Edwards fumbles but recovers. 3rd and 29 now. Edwards made two bonehead mistakes there, but he still looks really really good. I've got a feeling the Bills are going to need at least one more score.

11:10: Yankees update: Rivera gets Pronk to ground out. Jeter charged and made a great play to get him out. Hafner thinks Posada interfered. Wah. Eighth inning's over.

11:13: FUMBLEROOSKIE!!! Romo fumbles, further sinking my fantasy team. Bills recover, crowd goes wild. Five, count 'em, five, turn overs for Romo. He walks off the field crying again. This is surreal.

11:16: Roy Williams horse collars Lynch. Will this idiot ever learn? Officials call a face mask instead of the horse collar and the late helmet to helmet hit from Newman. Lynch, getting abused but still getting the yards. Already he's one of the toughest runners in the league.

11:17: A thinner Wade Phillips is shown on the sideline coaching the Denver Broncos in a flashback to the last time the Bills hosted Monday Night Football.

11:19: Lynch busting out. The line looks great tonight. Fourteen yard run puts the Bulls on the 13 yard line.

11:20: Now we're going to see what Trent Edwards is all about. This is his real moment of truth. Up 24-16 in the red zone with 7 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Are they going to go the conservative route and settle for three?

11:22: Damn. Edwards throws a pick. Bad decision in the red zone. Terrence Newman returns it for 70 yards back to the Buffalo 17. Lot of heart by Lee Evans on that play. The pass was intended for him, but Newman jumped in front of the route, and Evans tracked him down all the way down the field to make the tackle. Turns out he even forced a fumble, but Dallas recovers.

11:24: Bills need a Billy Fucillo-eque "Huuuuuuge-ah" stop here.

11:25: Romo's garbage tonight. Papa DiGiorgio picks him off in the red zone. Bills get the ball back.

11:26: Tony Kornheiser: "It's not delivery, it's DiGiorgio!" Damn straight.

11:28: Romo must be -35 in fantasy points tonight. Good thing I've got Marshawn Lynch balancing this one out.

11:32: McGee has a chance to end the game, drops the pick.

11:33: Yankees in the bottom of the ninth, down by three. Heart of the order up, with Jeter leading off.

11:34: Jeter pops out. One out. Back to football.

11:34: IM from Jon: "have you seen Wade Phillips' daughter? shes hottttttt. shes a burlesque dancer."

If anyone's interested:
Here and here.

11:37: Just flipped back to New York. Abreu jacked one. 6-4. A-Rod's up, maybe in his last Yankee at bat. Football can wait.

11:38: Baseball can wait. Dallas completes a first down on the Buffalo 15 with 40 seconds left. Time out Cowboys.

11:39: A-Rod pops out. Final out.

11:39: Barber falls near the goal line. Twenty four seconds left. I'm wearing out the "Prev. Channel" button on my remote. Football game goes to commercial.

11:40: Posada crushes one foul. Jeez I thought that was gone.

11:41: Posada strikes out. Cleveland v Boston. For some reason they're playing Sinatra at Yankee Stadium. They lost.

11:41: Tirico just called the football game the "Game of the Year." We're honored.

11:42: Touchdown pass to Creighton. 24-22 with 20 seconds left. Need the 2 point conversion to tie. Bills are due for another interception, right? Right?

11:43: Play of the season right here. Watch out for Marion Barber.

11:44: Dallas sets up at least eight wide for the two point conversion.

11:44: JABARI GREER JABARI GREER JABARI GREER JABARI GREER JABARI GREER JABARI GREER. BREAKS IT UP! T.O. IS GOING TO MURDER SOMEONE! John Murphy just had another heart attack.

11:45: Twenty seconds left.

11:46: Onside kick...Dallas recovers. Wade Phillips looks confused. Officials discussing. Clock reset. Dallas on the 47. Play of the year coming up.

11:47: :18 left. Bills NEED to close this one out. Please, Bills. We need this one.

11:47: Play under review. Illegal touch? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease!

11:48: My editor Rubin is freaking out, has been since that last touchdown.

11:49: Thank you, ESPN for showing the Music City Miracle. Maybe they're not on our side.

11:49: Play stands, Dallas football.

11:50: Catch at the 25 yard line by Owens. Romo spike it with one second left. Oh God.

11:50: Booth to review the Owens catch. Looks like an incomplete pass from replay.

11:51: After that Denver game Week One, I'm not sure if Bills fans can take another last second field goal loss. I know I can't. This is unfreakingbelievable.

11:53: Jaws: "Is there a full moon in Buffalo tonight?" Might as well be...

11:53: The Ruling: Incomplete Pass. Game Clock back to :13, ball goes back to the 47.

11:54: Barber gets out of bounds on a dump pass. Seven seconds left, would be a 60 yard kick. They're going to run one more play. The 12th man needs this one.

11:55: Romo to Creighton. Two seconds left. Ball on the Buffalo 35. Here we go....

11:55: Kick is up

11:56: Kick is good.

11:56: Time out Buffalo, prior to the snap. Wade Phillips looks confused.

11:56: Mike Shannahan-esque. Very nice, Dick Jauron. Very nice.

11:57: Kick attempt #2 coming up. Let's hear you, Buffalo.

11:57: 53 yards. Good. Cowboys win.

11:57: Flag on the play. Offsides against Buffalo. Penalty declined. Game over.

How hard do you have to fight?

No Contest

by Ryan

Chen Ming Wang has a no hitter going to the 6th.

This is relevant because this is the second straight day the Red Sox have failed to get a hit until the second half of the game.

To remedy this, I am posting the fact that he has a no hitter and hoping someone takes him deep. It worked last night, when I called someone screaming "NO HITTER NO HITTER!" The next batter, David Ortiz, went yard.

To be honest, I'm not really concerned with the Yankees anymore. This is the series they take 2 of 3 games and look poised to make a run. They are the Yankees, and they will. Will they make the wild card? I have no idea, I don't watch Mariner's baseball enough. I'd have to say probably.

Watching this on the YES Network feed is fun because words such as "handcuffed", "incredible", and "Jetergasm" are sprinkled in like wildflowers in a prairie. Personally when I think of Wang and "handcuffs" I think of this.

Robinson Cano just hit another home run. Maybe this was a bad idea.

Again, I'm not terrified by a sweep; I just don't want anything substantial to happen. For years Red Sox fans were the ones saying "yeah, but Pedro owned you last night!" as we were six games back. Now the shoe is on the other foot.

It is interesting to consider that if not for Shannon Stewart, Schill would have a no hitter under his belt this year. His struggles since that game have almost erased the memory of that magical game. Here he is, seemingly battling through the twilight of his career just a few months after he looked as good as ever.

That's the thing about "almost" and "could have"; they aren't remembered because they didn't happen. If everyone remembered the "almosts" this city would have a completely different image. Buffalo knows "what ifs" more than we ever would care to, and no one on the outside will ever care.

Dustin Pedroia just lined out. This game will keep going, but let this post be a reminder of the potential sports bring. This game may go down in history as one of the all time greats. Just one pitch, however, can make it just another game.

If you are a Red Sox fan watching this game, what do you hope for?

An Existential At Bat

by Ryan


I've been thinking a lot about baseball recently.

I guess it's only fair, seeing as it's the only thing going on. If you are new to the site, we have some pretty conflicting rooting interests here in the Roost. Jon is a New York Yankees fan, while I am a firm believer in the way of the Red Sox. And while I won't wuss out and run for president of Red Sox Nation, I am seriously considering getting one of these beauties.

That being understood, you would think I have something interesting to say about the AL East and the gradual slipping the Sox have been doing over the past month. Yet somehow, I really don't know what there is to say. All year I have believed that it will happen; that the Sox will start to lose a few here and there, and the Yankees will get it together at the All Star Break and make a push.

I'm no psychic, they are simply too good a team not to. There is too much money on the payroll for it to happen otherwise. So while the numbers dwindle, and Michael Kay's erection grows, all I can say is I told you so.

It's a strange thing, living here as a Sox fan. YES Network is on basic cable. Do you know what that's like? It's a Holy Day if I can get a Sox broadcast at all, but Satan and Co. has a constant feed going on channel 71. Every day I have to watch "the other guys" while Papi and friends play on a three digit channel I don't have. (The theory is if I save to buy a better TV, I will upgrade to digital HD. It's a preliminary theory at the moment...)

Still, as I sit praying someone beats the Yankees, I can't help but be calm about it. Yes, things have changed since this whole "rivalry" entered my life. It is overstated, yes. It is repeated relentlessly, in fact. But there is a complete truth to it, and something that will never be proven otherwise.

Dave Roberts happened.

Sure, he's on the west coast now, but he took that base, the Sox took that series; and whether anyone else knows it, my life has never been the same.

Every sporting event I've seen from that point on has been viewed with a different pair of eyes. Dave Roberts made the cliche Aiddas made famous come true: Impossible is nothing. It may not always happen, but when it does you will never forget where you were when you saw it.

Let's face it, being a sports fan sucks. You have no control over any aspect of the game. You can't make roster decisions, call plays, or even suggest what logo to wear. (And even when you do, some fruitcake is going to pick Steely McBeam...) It's expensive, time consuming, and emotionally draining.

Yet all it takes is that one moment to make it all worthwhile. Sometimes it takes 90 feet. Sometimes 90 yards. Others 90 seconds. But when it happens, and when you finally get to celebrate what we've dreamed about since childhood; there is no comparison.

Someday it will happen here, you know. It's bound to eventually. In the meantime, I will celebrate Wake two hitting the D-Rays, praying Dice K pulls it together, and Youk and the boys keep hitting. It's a long way to October, but all you have to be is in the hunt to make it fun.

I trust we'll be there.

New York, New York

By Jon

Editor’s Note: This is the first of a two-part series. The first of which chronicles Jon’s (a Yankee’s fan) first trip to the Bronx, while the second will highlight Ryan’s (despicably a Red Sox fan) trip to Boston.

Say what you want about the Yankees. They spend too much, no chemistry, crazy ownership, whatever. As a Yankee fan for the better part of my existence, I’ve heard it all. Say one negative thing about Yankee Stadium, and you have found yourself a sparring partner.

For the first time in my life, I made a pilgrimage to the Bronx; and oh, what a pilgrimage it was.

Before I go any further, I have to make a mention of my lovely girlfriend and her ability to score tickets to the sold-out Subway Series finale that took place last Sunday. I will not, however, make any mention of the one-hour (plus) fight that took place as we were lost in the less-than-safe parts of the Bronx prior to batting practice (whoops).

I have been to my fair share of MLB games, but every game I have gone to has involved either the Pirates or the Blue Jays. Needless to say, this was the first time I had been able to see a marquee match-up live (interleague or not, a game between two NYC-area teams is a marquee match-up), and also the first sellout I had ever attended. I was a bit excited, to say the least.

Whether you have been to a particular stadium/arena once or if you have been there a thousand times, nothing beats the moment where you first lay your eyes upon it while walking towards the entrance. You see the people dressed in your team’s garb, you heart starts to beat a bit faster, you walk faster without realizing it. It’s truly an amazing feeling, and it’s amplified when there is history at a place. We parked in the perfect spot, as we were on the opposite side of a hill, and Yankee Stadium couldn’t be seen until we reached the peak of said hill. As I walked towards the entrance at Yankee Stadium, I gazed upon the legions of cars, fans, street vendors, and merchandise stands and I wondered what it was like during any of the World Series that have been held there. The place was at a fever pitch for a mid-season match-up, I couldn’t even fathom what it would have been like during a WS run. It was truly a sight to be seen.

Anyone who has seen a picture of Yankee Stadium or watched an episode of SNL knows that it is quite plain. The entire way around is basically the same basic off-white stone pattern. I, just like any other hardcore baseball fan, am a sucker for the old stadiums. Prior to Yankee, I have found myself in the area of Fenway Park and Tiger Stadium. I can’t even begin to tell you how beside myself I was just walking around those stadiums for hours on end, not even making my way inside. All of these stadiums have a simplicity to them that has been lost with the construction of new parks. The basic pattern just adds to the mystique, and really puts the focus on the history rather than the aesthetics of the park.

I made my way to the bleacher entrance in the back of the stadium, and I found myself gazing into the aisles as I found my seat, just trying to catch a glimpse of the field that I have seen so many times on TV. We finally descended upon Section 49, my home for the next few hours.

As I sat in my seat at about 6:30 (Gametime- 8:05), I kept reliving some of the great moments that have happened in that stadium that I either watched on TV live or they have become so famous that I have seen the replay a thousand times. I looked to the left field seats and thought “Hey, that’s where Aaron Boone had the only moment of his career that mattered.” I looked towards right center and I saw Tino’s bomb(s) leave the park off of Byung-Hyun Kim. I looked at right and saw a young Jeffrey Maier reach over and steal a home run. I saw Derek Jeter leap into the stands after catching that miraculous foul-pop. There were more than a few times where I couldn’t do anything but shake my head and smile, because I felt like I was there.

The Yanks had just finished up their BP session, and the Mets began to hit. I hung against the bottom railing with a few hundred other people and begged Mets LHP Oliver Perez, who was shagging fly balls, to toss a ball my way. Now, I have been to close to 100 professional baseball games (mostly minor leagues), and never have I caught a ball. Not during BP, not from a batboy, not a foul ball. Nothing. I’m sure you could imagine my excitement as Perez tossed a ball way up in the air in my general vicinity. I got two hands on the ball…….. but unfortunately so did two other men. I struggled for a second, and I’m sure if I kept fighting I could have had it (those who know me know that I’m a pretty big guy, to say the least), but I realized that there may be nothing more pathetic than three grown men fighting for a BP ball thrown by a pitcher that no one will remember in three years. I let go of the ball. As I’ve told myself dozens of times over the years, there’s always next game.

As game time crept closer, I heard a familiar voice that reassured me that I was really at the stadium. Bob Sheppard’s old, deep voice began booming through the stadium, reading advertisements and public service announcements. Of all the recognizable things in the stadium, this one struck the biggest chord with me. Any home Yanks game I have watched since I was born, I have heard that voice. The thing is, he doesn’t have the most, shall we say, “attractive” voice. If you see a picture of him, you may think he is a ghost. But any Yankees fan knows that it will be a sad day in the Bronx when Sheppard finally hangs up the mike.

Gametime finally came, and the game flew by. No, it wasn’t a very good game. No, it didn’t flow well and it was three hours in length, but as far as I was concerned, that game was over in the blink of an eye. I was awestruck throughout the whole thing, and before I knew it, we were in the car going home.

Nearly one week later, I returned to Yankee Stadium. The Yanks offer tours for the price of 15 dollars. Upon completing the tour, I would have paid three times that. We started in monument park. For someone who is a sucker for history, I was in heaven. Like the nerd that I am, I imitated Roger Clemens and David Wells and wiped a bit of sweat from my brow and put it on the Babe’s monument. We then moved to the dugout, and I posed for the token photo-op. We hit up the clubhouse, and the press box. I couldn’t have been more pleased, and if I hadn’t taken the tour before the stadium closed (ETA on new Yankee Stadium: 2009), I can honestly say that I would live my life with a bit of regret.

As I circled the stadium before we took our tour, I looked at one of those plain stone walls, and I said something to the effect of, “Look at her, isn’t she gorgeous?”

The person I was with responded, “It’s just a wall.”

No, it isn’t just a wall. It’s Yankee Stadium.

Where is Roger? Maybe he's coming to Buffalo.

By Chris

Roger Clemens was scheduled to pitch for the New York Yankees against the Chicago White Sox tonight. ESPN even put the game on its schedule to celebrate the Rocket's return. But fatigue in his groin has delayed the comeback and he hopes to make his first real start of the season on Saturday against the Pirates.

However, according to this report, GM Brian Cashman says that it's possible that Clemens' next start could be in the minors.


Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the Yankees Triple-A affiliate, is playing against our hometown Buffalo Bisons this week. After Clemens' MRI in Tampa, scheduled for today, it's possible that he could pitch here in Buffalo sometime between Tuesday and Friday. It's unlikely, but possible.

But that possibility brings about a world of excitement. Two years ago, two former MVPs on rehab assignments squared off in Buffalo. Now Frank Thomas and Juan Gonzalez were big stars in their day, but they weren't much of a draw here. Sure it was a nice story and a great trivia tidbit (the only two former MVPs to play against each other in a minor leauge game). But bringing Clemens in to pitch in a predominantly Yankees market would be huge. The game would sell out within ten minutes of his start being announced. ESPN would probably show up and it would be the top story on every local newscast. For one night, the majority of the crowd might actually cheer against the home team, if only for a few innings.

If nothing else, it would be fun. To have a future Hall of Famer take the mound in a minor league baseball town like Buffalo would be a blast. And since Clemens is still pitching well, it wouldn't be like John Kinsella seeing a washed up Shoeless Joe play under an alias in some throw-away league. It would be more like having Shoeless Joe, in mid-season form, playing in our little backyard stadium just for us.

It is unlikely. After all, the Yankess Double-A affiliate in Trenton also have a homestand this week. If he does decide to make another minor league appearance, why wouldn't the Yanks front office try to make it closer to "home?" I guess we'll just have to wait and see, but I'm still holding out hope. Stranger things have happened.

Tommy John Strikes Again

By Ryan


A story like this makes a Schilling blowout bearable, especially when the standings are still that lopsided.

One of the interesting things about the current state of the Yankees is that the majority of the damage has been self-inflicted. Signing a paper-mache free agent has nothing to do with the rivalry, aside from the asinine one-up mentality Ca$hman and crew have developed.

I will readily admit that the Red Sox have done much of the same in recent history, (Read: Dice-K) but as usual, the Yankees seem to counter with similar tastes. (I wonder how Igawa likes Tampa...)

Speaking of Tampa, this little nugget about Elija Dukes was released today. I think it's fair to say D-Rays skipper Joe Maddon has pulled out to an early lead for manager of the year after electing to sit the embattled fielder for the night.

"I'm just concerned in general, how he's going to handle things. We'll wait and see how it all shakes out. ... For today, I felt it was in his best interest and our best interest to not start him." Maddon said.

Hopefully he won't be getting any picture messages of a glock on his cell tonight.

I secretly enjoy stories like this because they usually include the entire quote with the naughty bits censored. After reading Dukes' threat I immediately tried to figure out what it was he said. Sadly, as versed in threats as I may be I still have a few options to pick from. I'm hoping ESPN will get a hold of the voicemail and play it, I may need the first syllable to get the whole story.

A big thank you....

By Jon.

I would like to expand on the previous post written by Chris, specifically regarding Jason Giambi and his positive amphetamine test.

I would like to personally thank Mr. Giambi for making me look like a fool.

Just two days ago, I wrote this:

"One thing I do know, I support Jason Giambi. He sounds genuinely remorseful, and he is the only current player to be somewhat upfront about 'roids. He went through the motions in 2003, he got clean, he doesn't deserve to go through it again. The worst part about this whole thing is that the general baseball public agrees with him. MLB does owe it's fans an apology, especially older fans who lived through the dead-ball era and remembered a time where drugs didn't rule the sport."

I honestly feel like a significant other cheated on me. I mean, I stuck up for the guy. I fought for him, I even commented on how remorseful he sounded! And then he goes and fails an amphetamine test. Never have I been more personally offended by one athlete's actions. In fact, I can't remember a time where I was offended at all. Being a Buffalo sports fan, I usually approach sports with more cynicism than the average fan, but I truly believed that the Giambino cleaned up his act. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Thanks Jason, you've lost a fan.

With an end, comes a new beginning....

As was the case last year, the extended Sabres playoff run severely cut into my time generally reserved for baseball in the summer months. Now that the Sabres season is over, I am proud to say that baseball season has finally started. Well..... for me, at least.

That's not to say that I won't watch the remainder of the NHL playoffs. There is no hockey like playoff hockey. There are some intriguing storylines that could play out. Many people forget that Dominik Hasek played his hockey up in Canada's capitol last season, before injuring that tissue paper groin of his at the Olympics. That thrust Ray Emery into the spotlight, and well...... that didn't work out so well (last year, at least).

The entire country of Canada seems to be behind the Sens at this point (if you believe Hockey Night in Canada coverage), and I seem to remember Chris Pronger betraying a Canadian team this past off-season after the city of Edmonton found themselves in a love affair with him. Granted, this story is a bit of a stretch, but you can be sure that all of Edmonton and the Canadian bandwagon fans will be pulling for an Anaheim exit.

On to baseball......

This story puzzles me: Report: Yankees might try to void Giambi’s deal (ESPN.com)

Major League Baseball as a whole has dug themselves a hole. They knew something was going on during the great home run chase of 1998, but there was no steroid policy in place, so Bud Selig essentially batted a blind eye. Here we are, some nine years later, and the only current player who is acknowledging the problem and admitted he made a mistake might be ostracized from his team? What's even more mind boggling is that a struggling team like the Yanks would even consider getting rid of one of their best and most productive players. A team that is struggling to score runs ousting one of their best RBI men? Granted, he's not having an outstanding year, but still.... this makes very little sense.

I'm also aware that this is all based on a "report" from "unnamed sources." So this rumor could very well have been started by the hot dog vendor behind the right field bleachers in the Bronx.

Also, the Giambi USA Today interview is one of the most blown out of proportion stories I have ever heard. Jason Giambi took steroids. This isn't new. He apologized for it in 2003, though he never said what he was apologizing for. Anyone who thinks he was saying sorry for anything else needs to have their head checked. So here we are, four years later, and now he's getting heat for shooting 'roids (or taking the clear, or rubbing the cream, or whatever)? How does this make sense?

One thing I do know, I support Jason Giambi. He sounds genuinely remorseful, and he is the only current player to be somewhat upfront about 'roids. He went through the motions in 2003, he got clean, he doesn't deserve to go through it again. The worst part about this whole thing is that the general baseball public agrees with him. MLB does owe it's fans an apology, especially older fans who lived through the dead-ball era and remembered a time where drugs didn't rule the sport.