Bleacher Report - Articles by Matthew Falkenbury

Best Current Baseball Players by Uniform Number 11-20

Matthew Falkenbury — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:20:45 -0400

Some of the best players in baseball history have been identified by the uniform number they wore. Mickey Mantile was number seven, Ted Williams was number nine, Joe DiMaggio was number five and of course Babe ruth was number three. This got me wondering what players in this era are the best players to wear the uniform numbers, 1-10. After the success of that article and the debate that raged in the comments, people wanted to see the series continue with the next group of Ten. Well you ask and you shall now recieve. I now present to you the best players in the Major Leagues to wear the Uniform Numbers 11-20. Agree? Disagree? Tell me about it in the Comments Below. And most importantly, Enjoy!

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Best Current Baseball Players by Uniform Number 1-10

Matthew Falkenbury — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:56:35 -0400

Some of the best players in baseball history have been identified by the uniform number they wore. Mickey Mantile was number seven, Ted Williams was number nine, Joe DiMaggio was number five and of course Babe ruth was number three. This got me wondering what players in this era are the best players to wear their certain uniform numbers. Some of the choices were head and shoulders above others whose numbers they shared and some were tough choices between All-Star Players. I now present to you the best players in the Major Leagues to wear the Uniform Numbers 1-9. Agree? Disagree? Tell me about it in the Comments Below. And most importantly, Enjoy!

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Top Five: How the Mets Will Be Successful This Week

Matthew Falkenbury — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:01:18 -0400

We heard about it for weeks. The Phillies and Yankees are coming.

We have thought about it. The Phillies and Yankees are coming.

And now the week of games we have heard about so much is finally here.

Beginning with the mid-week series against the NL East-leading, arch rival Philadelphia Phillies, and ending with the cross-town rival New York Yankees, the Mets have a week to prove themselves ready for the long haul of a pennant race this season.

With only four games against teams under .500 left before the break, the Mets need to get off to a good start this week starting with their series against the Phillies. With that, I bring you my list starting with Number Five.....

5. The Mets Need to Support Johan Santana

What exactly is a bad Johan Santana start? It's actually what is considered a quality start, six innings and three runs. But with this Mets offense, it may not good enough.

To be successful in Santana's two starts this week, the Mets have got to get him an early, multi-run lead and let him do his work.

Will the Mets score five to seven runs? Not likely. But if they can support Santana in the field and give him an early lead, that could be enough for the ace of the Mets staff.

4. The Mets Need to Continue Good Play Versus Left Handed Pitchers

This season has been good for the Mets when it comes to taking on lefties; they are hitting .299 with 11 home runs and a .368 on-base percentage.

At 7-5 against lefties and facing four more this week—including J.A. Happ, Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer, and Andy Pettitte—the Mets are primed to keep up their solid play against southpaws.

Outside of Hamels, none of these lefties are overpowering and the Mets offense should be able to take advantage.

3. Bobby Parnell Has to Take the Eighth Inning by Storm

With lefties and switch hitters like Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez, Mark Teixeira, Johnny Damon, and Robinson Cano, Bobby Parnell could face some very tough eighth innings this coming week.

The hard-throwing rookie, who has taken over as the prime set-up man for Francisco Rodriguez, will have to prove that he can take it up another notch.

He showed flashes of brilliance in the big series at Fenway against the Red Sox, hitting 100 mph and performing well in a role that Mets fans look at very closely.

Parnell gives up hits, which happens, but if he can stay away from walks like he has most of the season, he could be very big in these two series.

If the Mets have a lead after seven innings, they have to be able to shut it down with Parnell in the eighth and Rodriguez in the ninth, where he has been perfect.

2. David Wright and Carlos Beltran Need to Carry This Team Offensively

These two guys are superstar players who can carry a team for a week all by themselves.

Hitting homers can be very overrated at times, and for Wright and Beltran, it's better they drive in runs with base hits instead of trying to hit homers in every at-bat.

If they can relax and thrive on the intensity of the fans, then Wright and Beltran can lead the Mets to great heights.

1. The Mets Need to Play Confident and Smart Baseball

The New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies will never stop coming. They are two of the most confident teams in the Majors and feel they can beat anyone at anytime in any situation.

The Mets, from time to time, get down on themselves and play to the scoreboard instead of the game. They'll need to be a confident and smart team this week if the want to succeed.

This means playing solid defense and making smart plays like getting bunts down, driving in runners in from third with less than two outs, and running the bases well.

If the Mets can play smart, fundamental baseball, this could be a week to remember.

That's my Top Five. Agree? Disagree? Tell me about in the comments and remember, LETS GO METS!

Visit Smoking With Hank for more baseball and humor goodness. (www.smokingwithhank.wordpress.com)

Off to Battle with the New York Mets

Matthew Falkenbury — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 03:10:22 -0400

As the New York Mets continue to frustrate me to no end, I’m wondering if there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

According to the Mets Manager Jerry Manuel, the light is close because, the Mets are battling!

That’s right, the team with the second highest payroll in Major League Baseball is falling apart and yet, they are battling folks.

Wow, isn't that just great.

A team with not a clutch bone in its collective body, and it’s a wonder these bones aren’t attached to muscles that aren’t torn, is making sure while losing 7-1 to the worst team in baseball and grounding into five double plays in the process is...

BATTLING!

With their starting first baseman, shortstop and primary set-up Man on the DL for a long time coming, who or what will come along to step up and lead us?

David Wright? Carlos Beltran? Bobby Parnell? K-Rod? Johan Santana?

I highly doubt it.

Wright and Beltran can’t take the heat.

K-Rod needs a lead first before he makes his presence felt.

Parnell is only a rookie, and Santana can only work his magic once every five days, so they can’t help.

IF not one of our current players, what about a trade?

It’s so easy for fans to make trades through a call in show on WFAN or too blog about all the rumors that even mentions the word Mets and get fans excited about Matt Holliday or Victor Martinez or Mark DeRosa.

But will it happen? In this person’s opinion...No way.

We all know the farm system is garbage and the Wilpons have no money to spend. So what will GM Omar Minaya do exactly?

Nothing.

He’ll claim he is always looking for talent and yet oddly enough, surprise, surprise, won’t be able to find it.

Omar built a team that was centered on a group of players that are head cases, over anxious or lazy and most of all have no heart.

Are they talented players, All-Stars, even?

Oh no doubt about it, but when it comes to moments where the Mets need them the most? Forget it; it’s not even worth the

Sure when Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado return along with JJ Putz and Billy Wagner in August, this team will finally be together in health and will be ready to try to erase the demons of the last three seasons.

But we all know they won’t.

We all know that in the end the Phillies will come out on top and we’ll be sitting at home wondering what went wrong.

And yet we’ll be comforted with the message our Manager has been trying to send us.

That the Mets were BATTLING!

Of course, when you’re only beating yourself, does it even matter?

Walter Johnson: The Train Nobody Could Stop

Matthew Falkenbury — Wed, 13 May 2009 09:26:36 -0400

Throughout the grand history of baseball, we have heard of legends that have come and gone. The players who touched the lives of generations of baseball fans from across this great nation.

In the city of Washington D.C. a player who played almost 80 years ago is still so revered that the current baseball team, which has no connection with him other than the city, has a statue of him outside their ballpark.

That player is Walter "Big Train" Johnson, maybe the greatest pitcher most people don't talk about. Here are just some of the accomplishments that the Big Train accumulated over his 20+ year career.

2nd All Time in Wins with 411

9th All Time with Strikeouts with 3,508 and was the first player with 3,000+ K's, and was the only one till 1974 in MLB History.

A 2 Time MVP in 1913 and 1924

Led the AL in Strikeouts 12 times and did for 8 straight years (1912-1919)

Walter Johnson is the only pitcher to win 20 games and bat .400 in the same season. In 1925, he went 20-7 and hit .433 (42-for-97) with two homers and 20 RBI.

9th all time in hitting Home Runs by a Pitcher with 23 Homers.

Walter Johnson threw 38 1-0 shutouts in his career, and lost by that score 24 times.

Won the the Pitching Triple Crown (Leading in Wins, ERA, K's) for the AL 3 times, twice he won the Triple Crown for the entire Majors.

The funny thing is that there is plenty more where that came from. Walter Johnson was Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens and Roy Halladay all rolled into one.

When Ty Cobb, the greatest Hitter of the early 20th century faced him for the first time, even he was amazed at what he saw.

"On August 2, 1907, I encountered the most threatening sight I ever saw in the ball field. He was a rookie, and we licked our lips as we warmed up for the first game of a doubleheader in Washington. Evidently, manager Pongo Joe Cantillon of the Nats had picked a rube out of the cornfields of the deepest bushes to pitch against us... He was a tall, shambling galoot of about twenty, with arms so long they hung far out of his sleeves, and with a sidearm delivery that looked unimpressive at first glance... One of the Tigers imitated a cow mooing, and we hollered at Cantillon: 'Get the pitchfork ready, Joe-- your hayseed's on his way back to the barn.' ...The first time I faced him, I watched him take that easy windup. And then something went past me that made me flinch. The thing just hissed with danger. We couldn't touch him... every one of us knew we'd met the most powerful arm ever turned loose in a ball park."

In a 21-year career, Johnson had twelve 20-win seasons, including ten in a row. Twice, he topped thirty wins (33 in 1912 and 36 in 1913). Johnson's record includes 110 shutouts, the most in baseball history.

In his 1913 season, the man literally carried the Senators on his back. It ranks as one of the greatest seasons by a pitcher...of all time.

Johnson won the triple crown - 36 wins, 243 K's, and 1.14 ERA. His ERA, adjusted to the league, is the fifth best in history.

Opponents batted .187 and had a .217 OBP (sixth lowest all-time). He tossed 11 shutouts, completed 29 games, and threw 346 innings - all league bests.

Perhaps most amazing is the fact that the rest of the Senators were 54-57. In 1913, Walter Johnson carried Washington to a second place finish on his back.

That was the story of Johnson's career, he was the best pitcher on a bad team, and yet that wasn't always the case.

Although his Hall of Fame plaque reads that he pitched 'for many years with a losing team,' during his career the Senators finished in the first division 11 times, and the second division 10 times.

Of course the greatest moment of his career came when most people thought his career was winding down, the Big Train steamed ahead to the MVP and finally to his moment in the sun.

Johnson finally led the Washington Senators to the World Series against the New York Giants in 1924, his 18th year in the American League. Johnson lost the first and fifth game of the 1924 World Series, but became the hero by pitching four scoreless innings of relief in the seventh and deciding game, winning in the series clincher in 12th innings.

Johnson would retire in 1927 and would become a Manager in the Minors and the Majors and actually had a winning percentage of over .550.

In 1936 he would be part of the first group of players to be inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

On Tuesday, Dec. 10, 1946 Johnson would die of a brain tumor in Washington five weeks after his 59th birthday.

A Career maybe played in the wrong city, (If he was a Yankee, The Publicity would be through the roof), a career where the numbers are startling, and a career that is sometimes forgotten.

Walter "Big Train" Johnson was a pitcher that took the baseball world by storm during the years where hitting the home run was taking off.

He certainly was the Train that nobody could catch.

Top Five: How To Fix The Yankees

Matthew Falkenbury — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:03:13 -0400

Well, the fans and media that occupy Yankee-land have started to push the panic button.

After a two game sweep on Monday and Tuesday, the Yankees have now lost five in a row to the Boston Red Sox. Then after coming back from down three to the Rays on Wednesday, only to see that wasted by a Phil Coke fastball to Carlos Pena that went very far in the 10th, the Yankees last night saw the ultimate sign of the apocalypse.

First Carl Crawford goes deep...and before Yankees could rub their eyes in disbelief of what just happened up comes Evan Longoria and out goes Evan Longoria. 8-6 Rays, Mariano Rivera stunned, as he gives up back to back bombs for the first time in his Hall of Fame career and Yankee fans bitter and upset.

Well, we all have a right to be annoyed as we watch this group of overpaid underachievers take the field night after night already looking beat.

Have no fear though, I'm back with another version of the Smoking With Hank Top Five. This time I'm focusing on how in just five ways, the Yankees season can be saved and order restored to the Yankee Universe. Enjoy!

5. Improve their record against the AL East

The Yankees this season are 3-10 against the AL East, and they still haven't faced the first place Blue Jays yet. The only way this team is going to go anywhere in this division is to take care of the teams that it shares it with. It starts in Baltimore and Toronto this week and winning at least four of six would be a wonderful start.

4. Find a way to get Tex on track

Mark Teixeira is a career .287 hitter, who in almost five weeks into a huge contract with the Yankees is hitting .198, that wont cut it in the Bronx. He is way too good of a hitter to keep this up, but the longer it goes the more the Yankees are going to suffer. A-Rod return will of course be massive for Teixeira, but he has to do it on his own as well. Shutting up the boo-birds in Baltimore would be a good start and lets hope his three run double on Wednesday night is the spark of good things to come.

3. Get the fire back with a signature win

We all thought that the win over the Oakland A's a few weeks back in 14 innings was that early signature win for the Yanks. Well one Jason Bay homer in Boston seemed to wipe that away pretty easy. The fact is that the Yankees need a solid 9-2, 8-1 type win to get the ball rolling here, playing in Baltimore should help that cause. The Yankees have to build up that fire and beating up on Baltimore and Toronto will do the trick.

2. Move Joba to the bullpen

This one I know will be disputed in the comments below. But I'm a Yankee fan who believes that Phil Hughes is good enough to allow Joba to go back to his role in the 8th inning and make the best one-two punch in any bullpen anywhere. I know in his last start Joba had 12 k's, but with his pitch count being monitored so, he could only go five-and-two-thrids and eventually left the pen to try to get seven outs before Rivera...not Good.

With Joba in the pen, it takes the pressure off of Bruney, Veras and Marte and allows the Yankees to shorten up the game by as many as 6 outs before Mariano comes in to shut the door. Moving Joba to the pen is a good idea and can only help the Yankees. Its time to trust Hughes and make the Bullpen as strong as it can be.

1. Get Healthy

This team hasn't been playing with a full deck. A-Rod, Nady, Wang, Bruney, Marte, Posada, Molina have been hurt or are hurt as I write this piece. Once this team gets it all on the field at once, the monster team we all thought we were getting will finally be ready to go. I know with Jeter, Damon, Tex, A-Rod, Nady, Swisher, and Posada, the Offense will be as good as advertised.

The Pitching, with a healthy Wang, a more confident Hughes, with AJ, CC, and Pettitte as well, nobody can turn back the Yanks. Plus Joba and Mo and Bruney in the pen, how could this team keep struggling? Get all your injuries out of the way now guys, better now then in September.

Those are my Top Five, Agree? Disagree? Tell me all about it below.

Also, don't forget to check out my blog Smoking With Hank!

Is It Time for Joe Girardi to be Fired?

Matthew Falkenbury — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:11:17 -0400

We all remember where we were when it happened. The third inning of Game 6 of the 1996 World Series against the Defending Champion Atlanta Braves, Greg Maddux on the mound, the Yankees and their light hitting catcher they picked up from the Rockies at the plate.

With one crack of the bat, and a circle of the bases towards the biggest triple in Yankees History, Joe Girardi had just helped to start the Yankees late 90's dynasty and was now part of Yankee lore forever.

Now lets fast forward to today, May 5th, 2009.

Joe Girardi is now the 32nd manager in Yankees history. The former National League Manager of the Year has a record of 180-170 in 2 + seasons with the Florida Marlins and Yankees and has 102-86 record as Yankees skipper.

So what exactly is the problem with Girardi that I would think that the Yankees should fire him? Two Reasons...

His 9-13 record against the Red Sox and the 0 postseasons he has been apart of since he became a Manager in 2006 with Florida.

Now the Florida situation was a no win situation for him and as such, Jeffrey Loria is a crazy owner. Though when after 13 years of making the playoffs, Girardi can't seem to get it together to help the Yankees make it 14 is mind blowing.

Then add on the fact that this current edition of the Girardi led Yankees are as consistent as the stock market, it begs the question, When is enough going to be enough?

The Yankee bullpen has been a joke in the two years under Girardi, the injuries that this team has suffered when it comes to muscle pulls is frustrating and the lack of consistency with Runners in Scoring Position still has me scratching my head raw.

To me when I watch Girardi come out of the dugout to take another bad pitcher out of a game and I see that 27 on his back, I don't think of his stated goal of bringing us our 27th world championship, I think of a bulls-eye.

The Yankee players look like they are just going through the motions, as if they feel they are entitled to a playoff spot. It seems that Girardi is trying to find the right line between being laid back and being fired up with his players. Girardi was not cut out for this job and its beginning to show more and more every day.

The Yankees need to find their version of Red Sox Manager Terry Francona. A skipper who has the trust of the players, fans and media alike. It seems that Girardi was over his head when he was with the Marlins and that is certainly the case when it comes to his career as Manager of the Yankees.

It was 13 years ago that bringing in Girardi helped lead to one dynasty and it may come to letting him go that may help to start another.

Also Seen @ Smoking With Hank, go to www.smokingwithhank.wordpress.com

Top Five Yankee Moments vs. Red Sox at Yankee Stadium

Matthew Falkenbury — Mon, 04 May 2009 16:03:52 -0400

Well, after the embarrassing sweep at the hands of the Red Sox two weekends ago up at Fenway Park, the Sawx travel down to the Bronx for their first games in the New Yankee Stadium.

In honor of this occasion tonight, I have come up with another edition of the Smoking With Hank Top Five, where we take a look at the top five moments between the Yankees and the Red Sox to take place at the Old Yankee Stadium. Enjoy!

5. Dave Righetti throws a no-hitter vs. the Sox on July 4, 1983—Dave Righetii entered Yankee lore when he threw a 4-0 no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox. It was the first Yankee no-hitter since Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series, and the first by a Yankee left-hander since 1917.

4. Bernie Williams 1999 ALCS game one walk-off homer—The Yankees won game one of the ALCS against the Red Sox on a 10th inning walk-off home run by Bernie Williams off Boston reliever Rod Beck after a controversial call by umpire Tim Tschida against the Red Sox in the ninth let the game to continue.

The game is the first actual postseason meeting between the rivals because the one-game playoff in 1978 technically counted as a regular season game.

3. Roger Maris hit his 61st home run—On the last day of the season, Roger Maris hit his 61st home run of the year off Red Sox rookie pitcher Tracy Stallard at Yankee Stadium, breaking the previous record of 60 home runs in a season set by Babe Ruth in 1927.

The Yankees won the game, 1–0, and clinched their 26th American League pennant, on their way to their 19th World Series title.

2. Babe Ruth opens Yankee Stadium with HR against the Red Sox—On April 18, 1923, 74,200 watched the Yankees defeat the Red Sox, 4–1, in the first game played at Yankee Stadium.

Babe Ruth hit the new stadium’s first home run, and finished the year with a .393 batting average, while being walked a then-record 170 times.

1. Aaron Boone’s 2003 ALCS game seven walk-off homer—While holding a 5–2 lead in the eighth inning of game seven at Yankee Stadium, Red Sox manager Grady Little elected to leave starter Pedro Martínez on the mound.

Martinez proceeded to give up four hits and three runs in the inning, allowing the Yankees to tie the game.

In the bottom of the eleventh inning, lead-off hitter Aaron Boone hit a solo home run off Tim Wakefield to left field, ending the game and the series, giving the Yankees their 39th American League pennant.

Tonight will hopefully be the beginning of a new chapter of great memories for the Yanks in their new ballpark against their old rivals.

I hope you enjoyed this walk down memory lane, and remember, LET'S GO YANKEES!

As seen on Smoking With Hank...Please Visit @ www.smokingwithhank.wordpress.com

Top 10 Athletes that New Yorkers Hate

Matthew Falkenbury — Fri, 01 May 2009 02:27:02 -0400

Over the years, athletes on other teams have come to New York and have gone above and beyond their abilities to have them become legends for being NY Team Killers. Reggie Miller, Manny Ramirez, Michael Jordan, Dan Marino, Emmitt Smith, Mario Lemieux, Greg Maddux have all come along in the past 20 years and have been killing our favorite teams in New York. Now we have a new group of enemies that New York fans just love to hate and this is my top 10 of those athletes. My Criteria: I first wanted every team reprsented that is a New York based team, so at least each team and the player I feel is hated the most by the fans of team are listed. Outside of Marbury, cause he is a special case, players who played in NY and performed badly before leaving are not included. So no Carl Pavano, no John Abraham, no Aaron Heilman. That could be a list all by itself and so it wont be on this list. The Islanders (Who cares about them), The Devils/Nets (Not NY Teams) were not involved. So Without further stalling, here they are, the Top 10 Athletes hated by NY Fans....Enjoy!

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The Return of Philip Hughes

Matthew Falkenbury — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:41:10 -0400

The Yankees were in a slump that although it was only April, was sending shock waves all across the Tri-State area. After being swept by the Red Sox, which included the now infamous slap to the face known as Ellsbury stealing home plate on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball, and then not being able to hit Justin Verlander, who last year and this year has been hit more times then a pinata, in a loss to the Tigers had sent the Yankees and their fans into pandemonium.

Not to fear….PHIL HUGHES IS HERE. (Cue the Superman music)

After the Yankees let him go down to the minors and let Joba pitch in the starting rotation, which he shouldn’t be, the Yankees watched as Chien Ming Wang went from bad to worse and they had to call up the big Texan to take his spot.

Phil Hughes is a pitcher that everyone had high hopes for a few years back, he had a no hitter into the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers, in Texas mind you, before a leg injury during the game derailed him for the year. Then the next season, he was thrown under a ton of pressure by Brian Cashman after he didn’t pull the trigger on the Johan Santana deal and told anybody who would listen, and the NY media loves to listen, that Hughes was going to be a huge part of the plan.

He failed early on, got hurt, and a Sidney Ponson and Dan Giese later, the Yankees ended up missing the playoffs for the first time in a non strike year since 1993, in the final year of the Old Yankee Stadium no less. It was fair to say that Mr. Hughes had a lot on his plate heading into spring training this season.

He excelled during the Spring and had people believing in him again, that he was the real deal and was a bright spot for the Yankees in the future. Of course that future just happened to be on April 28th in a near half empty Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan.

Hughes would pitch six shutout innings against the Tigers, and once the Yankee bats exploded to the tune of a 10 run top of the seventh inning, Hughes, who had thrown 99 pitches, had earned his first win since 2007.

“He looked really good,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who said he took Hughes out because of the length of the New York seventh. “He had his legs under him tonight.”

Phil Hughes has alot to learn about being a major league pitcher, especially being 21 years old and pitching for the New York Yankees. He will have his moments of greatness and failure and his job is to make sure the greatness is reached and the failure is minimal.

“I feel like I’m back to where I was a couple years ago,” Hughes said. “I just wanted to pitch well and earn another shot.”

Phil Hughes earned his shot last night and all the Yankees and the fans want now is for Hughes to finally become Superman.

-The Falk

What Is Your Field of Dreams?

Matthew Falkenbury — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 23:25:33 -0400

While watching the 1989 baseball film "Field of Dreams" starring Kevin Costner, Ray Liotta and James Earl Jones, I thought about what the movie meant to me and what my dream would be.

I thought about every fan who comes along and watches baseball games in the stands or at home on television or radio. Wondering if they had one dream when it came to the game of baseball, what would it be?

If your a Yankee fan, is it to play Center Field where the greats like Joe Dimaggio and Mickey Mantle played for so many years and produced great moments?

If your a Cubs fan, is it to hit the game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth to win the World Series for first time in over 100 years?

Or your a Red Sox fan, is it to play Left Field at Fenway Park like Ted Williams and Carl Yastremski did for so many years?

For fans of every team in baseball, Major Leagues or Minors, there are dreams that one day those fans would get the chance to play with the greatest players who ever lived. To be on the mound, or at bat during the World Series with the game on the line and to come through in the clutch in the biggest of ways.

For me, I feel like I'm living my dream right now. To be able to know that no matter what, that for everyday in the summer there is another to follow and that there is always baseball to take me away for 3 hours at a time.

To know that no matter how good or bad something is going in your life, that the game of baseball is there to help you to forget and remember there are more days to come.

James Earl Jones said it best when in his monologue towards the end of the Movie he remarks...

"The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again."

You know my dream...Whats Yours?

Top Five: Red Sox Players Hated by Yankee Fans

Matthew Falkenbury — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:55:22 -0400

This is the kind of weekend that has the suits at Fox Baseball salivating.

The New York Yankees will make the trip up I-95 to Fenway Park to take on the Boston Red Sox.

Over the years, this rivalry has been as hot as ever before. Villains like Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling, Many Ramirez, Dave Roberts, and Kevin Millar are no longer around from those wars in 2003-2004.

But this rivalry has produced new enemies for Yankee fans to hate who have sprung up over the past few years to join David “Big Papi” Ortiz and the Sawx.

Today, Smoking With Hank will bring you another edition of the Top Five, where we will look at five current Boston Red Sox that get the Yankee blood boiling.

5. Josh Beckett

Although the hatred for Josh Beckett is rooted in his Game 6 performance in the 2003 World Series as a Florida Marlin, Yankee fans have enjoyed bombing this guy since he has been on the Red Sox.

An ace for the Red Sox since his trade from Florida and already a World Series Champion there, he is a great pitcher whose numbers in the regular season aren’t great against the Yanks.

Then again, seeing him in a Red Sox uniform after his performance in 2003 is more than enough for Beckett to be hated.

Career vs. NYY: 12 Starts, 7-4, 5.33 ERA, .280 BAA.

4. David Ortiz

Make this same list five years ago and Big Papi is in the top two. However, that depends on the Yankee fan you asked and his level of hatred for Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez.

In 2004, this guy really helped himself get on this list with clutch hits in Game 4 and 5 of the ALCS—games that were en route to the Sawx' comeback, cause enough for Yankee fans today to loathe him.

Although the past few years have seen Big Papi fall on this list to No. 4, what he has done to the Yanks in the past will always keep him in the top five.

Also, who can forget the guy who tried to bury an Ortiz jersey inside the New Yankee Stadium? The guy knew Ortiz was hated and tried, unsuccessfully, to jinx the Yanks.

Career vs. NYY: 118 Games, .313 AVG, 25 HR, 90 RBI.

3. Dustin Pedroia

Much like a fly, you try and you try and you try, but you just can't kill the pest that is Dustin Pedroia.

He ran his mouth during his rookie season after a series in the Bronx after a wide, take-out slide on A-Rod. He won Rookie of the Year and a World Series that same season, and an American League MVP the following year.

When someone does that on the team you despise, you're going to hate them even more.

Pedroia is someone who is always coming up with the big hit, and in limited action against the Yankees has already done a nice job. Oh, did I mention he also is on the cover of MLB '09: The Show?

At least we know where to pitch him: high and inside.

Career vs. NYY: 34 Games, .321 AVG, 1 HR, 18 RBI.

2. Kevin Youkilis

The man at No. 2 is someone who burst onto the scene just in time to annoy the crap out of Yankee fans and also win a 2007 World Series ring.

Kevin Youkilis is a hated man in New York, specifically the Bronx. He has a stance that just looks annoying, he's always screaming and yelling, and of course he comes up with the big knock when needed.

The Youka, as he is called by Sawx fans, has been front and center in the rivalry the past couple of years. His head has been a frequent target for baseballs thrown by Joba Chamberlain.

Chamberlain will actually be making the start today, and that means we may see some hunting along with our baseball tonight. I’m sure Youkilis is waiting with baited breath.

Can you say brawl?

Career vs. NYY: 58 Games, .308 AVG, 4 HR, 32 RBI.

1. Jonathan Papelbon

And now we have reached No 1.

Over the past couple of years, Papelbon has both river-danced and trashed Mariano Rivera enough that Yankee fans have a new public enemy No. 1.

When he told the media at the 2008 All-Star Game—in Yankee Stadium, no less—that he should close ahead of Rivera, the reaction was, well…loud.

When he entered into the game, Papelbon was greeted with a rousing chorus of "OH-VER-RATE-ED."

In the end, when you trash one of the most beloved Yankees of all time and you're a member of the hated Red Sox, you're going be hated.

Career vs. NYY: 22 Games, 0-3, 7-9 in save opp., 4.43 ERA, .217 BAA.

So, there is my list of the Top Five hated Red Sox as of today. I hope you all enjoy the series this weekend. Let's find new people to hate and new reasons to hate the people above.

LET'S GO YANKEES.

- The Falk

Nobodies who became New York Yankees

Matthew Falkenbury — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:29:20 -0400

In honor of just finding out that Yankee folk hero Clay Bellinger grew up in our college town of Oneonta NY, I decided to make the most important list you will ever see. No, it is not the best Yankees ever, nor the greatest ballplayers alive, and not even the best Hollywood actors; these are just a few of the athletes who emerged from the cold darkness known as obscurity. Their batting averages and other statistics cannot tell their whole story for their careers. Heck, some of these guys are considered more of a Yankee than A-Rod ever will be. Alright, I can't tell a lie, they all are. Here the most obscure Yankees of recent memory:

Begin Slideshow

The Return of the Giambino

Matthew Falkenbury — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:10:49 -0400

For a lot of fans of sports teams, when a former player comes back after leaving as a free agent, it brings back memories that are either good or bad.

Well, here at SWH with the return of the Giambino, tonight for the Yankees series with the Oakland A’s we will now present a top five of the best moments of Jason Giambi’s career as a New York Yankee.

5. On Dec. 13, 2001 after the Yankees had lost the World Series to the Diamondbacks, while struggling on offense throughout the playoffs, Giambi, the 2000 AL MVP with the Oakland A’s would sign a seven-year $120 million contract. In his first year hitting .314 with 41 Homers with 122 RBI while winning the Sliver Slugger for first baseman

4. On July 31, 2005 Giambi hit his 300th career home run off of Esteban Yan of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. This was his 14th home run of the month, tying Mickey Mantle for the Yankee record for home runs in July.

3. During the final game at the original Yankee Stadium, Giambi would record the final hit at “The House that Ruth Built” with an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning to drive in Brett Gardner in 7-3 Win over the Baltimore Orioles.

2. After a disastrous 2004 season that saw him diagnosed with a benign tumor, and a continuation of that season in the first half of 2005, he was able to turn around his season, around to end the year, hitting 32 homers, leading the American League in walks and on-base percentage and finishing fifth in the AL in on-base plus slugging en route to the AL Comeback Player of the Year.

1. Down 12-9 to the Minnesota Twins in the bottom of the 14th inning with the bases loaded and the game closing in on six hours long, Giambi’s top moment as a Yankee occured in his first season when he hit a game winning grand slam to lead the Yankees to a 13-12 win. Giambi joined elite company in Yankees history. According to the Yankees, Babe Ruth was the only other Yankee to hit a game-ending grand slam with his team down three runs, Ruth did it on Sept. 24, 1925.

-The Falk

(As seen on the blog www.smokingwithhank.wordpress.com)

Turkeys, Ducks, and Chickens Beware: John Madden Has Retired (Humor)

Matthew Falkenbury — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 22:44:41 -0400

This Article was Written by Smoking With Hank Co-Creator and Blogger Brenden Monroe

John Madden announced his retirement today. The football, and most importantly video game legend will no longer be bumbling and tele-strating alongside Al Michaels. We here at Smoking With Hank will truly miss him.

However, just like Star Wars, this saga will not end.

During an exclusive interview obtained by SWH, Madden revealed that he will be competing in a special edition of the Food Network’s Iron Chef America. He will be up against celebrity chefs Bobby Flay, Gordon Ramsey, and Emeril Lagasse to see who can make the best Turducken.

The competition will take place in Madden’s bus, which will be parked in Brett Favre’s driveway. Since there is only one oven, the competition will be a fierce one.

Madden had some scouting reports on his competition:

On Ramsey: “Wasn’t Ramsey the name of one of Santa’s Reindeer?”

On Emeril’s controversial win last year: “I still don’t know how that referee changed that call. He was right there, the referee has one responsibility and that’s the quarterback. He’s the guy standing right behind the quarterback. He sees that play and called it a fumble—that was his call on the field. His call—not a back judge, a side judge or an umpire—the referee made the call. Now he’s the same guy that goes and looks at it during a challenge. On the field he made the call a fumble and I didn’t see enough evidence with the pictures to change that from a fumble to an incomplete pass. I know the “tuck rule” and the arm going forward—all that stuff—but I still didn’t think there was enough visual evidence for him to change that.”

On Flay: “With all his tumid boasts, he’s like the sword-fish, who only wears his weapon in his mouth.”

On Favre: “It’s just straight up bromance, dawg.”

Now for my predictions:

Ramsey drops more expletives in an hour than all of the obvious statements made by Madden in his entire broadcasting career.

Madden and Lagasse get into a war of words which just turns into Madden yelling “BOOM!!” and Emeril yelling “BAM!!”

Bobby Flay admits that he is sick of acting like he is better than everyone and retreats to the back of the bus to have a good cry. Ramsey follows him, calling him an “arsehole” and a “bloody bloke."

Madden wins after delivering a bus-clearing bathroom break, which promptly occurs right after testing out his Turducken.

Well, at least we’ll get a good analyst for NBC football.

Wait, whose replacing him?

Chris Collinsworth?

Too Thin for this fan.

Top Five: Curses Still Looking To Be Broken

Matthew Falkenbury — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:44:06 -0400

We have all heard this song and dance before when it comes to sports curses. The Red Sox and Babe Ruth, The White Sox and Shoeless Joe Jackson, The Rangers and 54 Years without a Cup, the KFC Curse in Osaka, Japan with the Hanshin Tigers that was reported earlier this year and of course the Billy Goat curse of the Chicago Cubs.

Its amazing to me how people can think that a Goat, a Gambling Scandal or a plastic statue of "Colonel" Sanders (He wasn't a colonel, but has served this country a ton of fast food) could be the reason why their favorite team has sucked for x number of years.

Well in honor of the Hanshin Tigers at least attempting to reverse the curse of the Colonel and all those other teams trying to break a hex. I now bring you another installment of Top 5: The top remaining curses left in Sports.

5. Buffalo Bills' Comeback Curse

The Buffalo Bills rebounded from a 32-point deficit to defeat the Houston Oilers in a National Football League playoff game on Jan. 3, 1993. Since then, teams based in New York State have lost all championship finals in which they have faced teams from Texas.

4. Curse of Bobby Layne

The Detroit Lions have won four NFL championships, in 1935, 1952, 1953, and 1957, all (except for 1935) led by quarterback Bobby Layne.

In 1958, the Lions traded him to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Rumor has it that when Layne was asked to comment on the trade, he said that the Lions would not win again for 50 years.

Since then, the Lions have won only one playoff game (1991), and have never come close to playing in a Super Bowl. In the 50th anniversary of the trade, the Lions became the first NFL team to finish 0-16 (although not the first to have a win less season).

3. The Curse of Rocky Colavito

A phenomenon that supposedly prevents the Cleveland Indians baseball team from winning, be it the World Series, the American League pennant, reaching postseason play, or even getting into a pennant race.

Its origin is traced back to the unpopular trade of right fielder Rocky Colavito for Harvey Kuenn in 1960. It is a classic example of an urban legend or a scapegoat for the Indians' past failures.

2. The Curse of Keith Hernandez

The New York Mets have collapsed the past two seasons after reaching a point in September where there was only 17 games remaining in the regular season. The number 17 was the Number of Keith Hernandez, a current broadcaster for the Mets, and a number fans think deserves to be retired.

Because the number has not been retired and the Mets collapses have been with 17 games remaining, some fans believe the team is cursed.

1. The Curse of the Billy Goat

A legend commonly cited to explain why the Chicago Cubs Major League Baseball team has not been to the World Series since 1945.

The Billy Goat curse was supposedly placed on the Cubs in 1945 when Billy Goat Tavern owner Billy Sianis was asked to leave a World Series game at the Cubs' home ground of Wrigley Field because his pet goat's odor was bothering other fans.

He was outraged and declared, "Them Cubs, they aren't gonna win no more," which has been interpreted to mean that there would never be another World Series game played at Wrigley Field.

- The Falk

The House that Hank Smokes In

Matthew Falkenbury — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:36:49 -0400

Well, it was quite a day yesterday, as the new Yankee Stadium opened up for business for the first time during the regular season.

The fans jammed the stands, the legends of Yankee past came out onto the field, and Hank went from his customary cig at first pitch to a carton, when Veras and Marte entered the game. Damon got the first hit, Posada the first home run and Veras and Marte got the first Bronx cheers.

The Indians won the game 10-2 on a nine-run seventh inning to blow the game wide open and ruin what was really a perfect afternoon to open up a building that has a friggin' butcher cutting steaks for you to bring home.

The real story, though, was the stadium. It looks like an amazing place to watch a game and all the wonderful things that are in there.

A sports bar in center field, an art gallery, the great hall with pictures of all the Yankee legends (of course, they are missing one for Hank), and even a Yankees museum, where a young fan can see a ball signed by Suzyn Waldman.

I could just imagine the memories that will bring up….(Picture the Saved by the Bell's pink wavylines along the side of the screen with the customary music that goes with it as we take this look into the future):

Son: Hey, Dad?

Dad: Yeah son?

Son: Who was Suzyn Waldman?,

Dad: Well son, back in the year 2006, this legendary figure came into our hearts and minds when the day that Roger Clemens…

Son: The steroids guy?

Dad: That’s right son, the steroids guy. Any how, when Suzyn proclaimed with her mighty nasally voice, “OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS, ROGER CLEMENS IS IN GEORGE STEINBRENNER'S BOX!!!” from that day forward, she was the greatest Yankee broadcaster that ever lived.

Son: Wow Dad, I hope one day I can grow up to be just like her.

Dad: Well son, I do too, I do too.

(Tear rolls down Dad's face as the wavy lines and dream sequence music ends).

Side Note: Man, I just hope that Jose Canseco’s and Roger Clemens' signed baseballs are right next to each other.

But in the end, the game ended in a loss for Hank’s Yanks. The stadium debut beyond the field was a success, and we’ll all be watching when many other great moments take place at Yankee Stadium over the next 100 years, like Hank on a nicotine high, when he leaves his pack of Marlboro Red 100’s at home.

- The Falk

New York Rangers Sign Naslund and Kalinin, Say Goodbye to Jagr

Matthew Falkenbury — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:03:44 -0400

Longtime Vancouver Canucks' captain Markus Naslund has agreed to terms Thursday with the Rangers on a two-year deal. Naslund, who scored 25 goals and added 30 assists last season, leaves Vancouver after 12 seasons with the last eight as the captain.

The winger, who will turn 35 later this month, reached a deal with the Rangers on the same day the team agreed to terms with former Buffalo Sabres' defenseman Dmitri Kalinin.

Earlier this week, New York dipped into the free agency pool by signing defenseman Wade Redden and forwards Patrick Rissmiller and Aaron Voros.

The signing of Naslund likely ends the Rangers' career of captain Jaromir Jagr, who is still mulling his future as an unrestricted free agent. “It’s unfortunate that sometimes things like this come to an end,” Rangers general manager Glen Sather said.

Well, what can you say, an era that saw the Rangers go from laughing stock to Stanley Cup contender has come to pass. Jaromir Jagr will not be coming back to Broadway as the Rangers have decided to move on and give the keys to the team to Chris Drury, Henrik Lundqvist, and Scott Gomez.

The New York Rangers are a team in transition and have decided that getting younger and plugging in a veteran here and there, much like the 2005-2006 team, is the better way to go.

With Brandon Dubinsky, Scott Gomez, and Chris Drury as your top line centers for the next few years, who will be on the wings?

Meet the candidates as of today: Freddy Sjostrom, Nikolai Zherdev, Petr Prucha, Nigel Dawes, Ryan Callahan, Aaron Voros, Markus Naslund, Patrick Rissmiller, Colton Orr, Ryan Hollweg, Lauri Korpikoski, and Mats Sundin??

Wow, not exactly Adam Graves and Jean Ratelle there, the youth movement that the Rangers franchise promised us in 2005 has finally come to pass, and the new era of Rangers hockey is upon us. But before all is said and done and the Rangers head to Prague to open the season, Mr. Sather, PLEASE NOW GET MATS SUNDIN.

Nikolai Zherdev Dealt to New York Rangers

Matthew Falkenbury — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:57:44 -0400

Day two of the NHL Free Agency period has come and gone and the New York Rangers were once again busy, this time on the trade market.

A day after signing both Wade Redden and Michal Rozsival to long term deals, the Rangers sent defensemen Fedor Tyutin and Christian Backman to Columbus in exchange for wingers Nikolai Zherdev and Dan Fritsche.

“Zherdev is a talented player—a shifty, talented winger with nothing but upside written all over him,” Rangers general manager Glen Sather said. “We’re trying to get younger and faster. There’s a certain chemistry we’ve been trying to build here for the past five years. We were looking to make a deal (for Zherdev and Fritsche) before the management change there last year. This deal sort of fell into our laps, but it’s something we were thinking about for a while, though we never talked about who would go the other way.”

Zherdev, often a player the went missing on the ice in Columbus, will be the key to the deal for the Rangers. He was the fourth overall pick in the 2003 draft and is coming off his best offensive season.

He scored 26 goals and added 35 assists in 82 games with Columbus. Fritsche was a second round pick, also in 2003. A developing two-way player, Fritsche scored 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points last season in Columbus, and had a plus-two rating on a bad team.

After parting ways with Sean Avery and Martin Straka and watching Marian Hossa sign with the Red Wings, the Rangers were in a bind for offensive firepower to surround centers Brandon Dubinsky, Scott Gomez, and Chris Drury.

I have mixed emotions about this move. I loved Fedor Tyutin and thought he was on his way to great things, but to get a good young player, have to give up something.

This deal has two parts. If you look at it as Tyutin for Zherdev and nothing more, this trade will be judged by the production those two players give to their new teams. But the trade also includes the dump of Christian Backman's salary for another young winger looking for more spotlight time in Fritsche, much like Freddy Sjostrom.

At the end of the day the Rangers didn't get Hossa and let Sean Avery walk over $3 million (they also got $2.5 million off the books by trading Backman) and have no assurances that Mats Sundin or Jaromir Jagr will be New York Rangers next season.

The Rangers got younger and have a chance to make out like bandits in this deal, but time will tell. But do Rangers fans want to wait?