Chamberlain placed on DL; Kennedy to start vs. Angels

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If the Yankees lose Joba, are they done for the season??

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Who was the Greatest Yankee of All-Time

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You guys decide talk smack. video upload or text comment. winner will get a shout out in my next blog

Ramirez traded to Dodgers, Red Sox get Jason Bay

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LOS ANGELES -- Manny Ramirez is heading west, a summer rental of sorts for the Los Angeles Dodgers following an ugly exodus from Boston. The Dodgers acquired the future Hall of Famer from the exasperated Red Sox on Thursday, giving up two minor leaguers in a stunning three-team trade that sent outfielder Jason Bay from Pittsburgh to Boston. The Dodgers also received cash considerations, general manager Ned Colletti said, in a deal that was completed just before the 4 p.m. EDT deadline for making trades without waivers. The Red Sox will pay the estimated $7 million owed to Ramirez through the end of the season, at which time he can become a free agent. Ramirez was in the final guaranteed year of an eight-year, $160 million contract, and the Red Sox held $20 million options for the next two seasons. As part of the trade, the club options were eliminated, meaning the mercurial slugger might be playing elsewhere next season. Ramirez is expected to make his Los Angeles debut Friday night against Arizona's Randy Johnson in the second game of a four-game series. The Dodgers trail the NL West-leading Diamondbacks by two games. "We figured we had to do it," Colletti said. "Hopefully it pays dividends. We're confident we've got one of the best hitters in baseball coming in here -- one of the best hitters of his generation from the right side. He's a champion, he's a winner, and we really couldn't be happier with trying to make the club better at this point in time than to do this. "We wanted this player at least for the next two months, and hopefully longer. So we're willing to take the chance and go with this guy." It appears the Dodgers need some pop if they're to reach the postseason, much less experience playoff success. They have a dreadful postseason history since winning the World Series in 1988, qualifying only four times and winning just one game. Former Boston teammates Derek Lowe and Nomar Garciaparra, now playing with the Dodgers, were delighted with the move. "I think people for some reason think he's lazy and a bad teammate and that he doesn't care," Lowe said. "He's none of the above. Does he do some goofy things? Absolutely. He does do some goofy things. But as far as preparation and knowing the game and wanting to win, there's no way you put up those numbers year in and year out unless you're a special talent and work at it. And he does both." The 36-year-old Ramirez, who hit his 500th home run earlier this season, was batting .299 and led the Red Sox with 20 homers and 68 RBIs. He is one of eight players to hit at least 20 homers in 14 consecutive seasons. Among active players, Ramirez ranks third in RBIs (1,672), fifth in home runs (510), sixth in on-base percentage (.409) and seventh in batting average (.312). He also ranks eighth in baseball history, and second among active players behind only Albert Pujols (.620), with a .590 slugging percentage. His 2,318 hits rank 10th among active players and his 493 doubles are tied for fourth. "It's nice to see we've done something like this, to make a push for the next two months," Garciaparra said. "He'll be just fine. Manny is really a simple person. He works extremely hard. He just wants to play baseball and go home and be with his family. How can you not respect and love a guy like that?" As of early Thursday, it appeared Ramirez might be on his way to the Florida Marlins. When those talks collapsed, the Red Sox and Pirates found a willing third partner in the Dodgers. Colletti said Boston general manager Theo Epstein got in touch with him early Thursday. "It really wasn't many hours at all," Colletti said. "Theo reached out to me in midmorning and wanted to gauge our interest, and I said, 'You know what? We have an interest.' Then, we probably spent the next two-plus hours hammering it out. This wasn't on the board for very long." Ramirez, the MVP of the 2004 World Series, remains one of baseball's best hitters and has enjoyed plenty of big moments in October. But his relationship with the Red Sox soured -- again -- in recent months. So now, Manny can be Manny on the West Coast. "Manny being Manny can also mean he'll hit a lot of home runs and drive in a lot of runs," Colletti said. Even before landing Ramirez, Los Angeles had a crowded outfield. Dodgers manager Joe Torre has been juggling Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Andruw Jones and Juan Pierre. "When a player like Manny becomes available, I don't think there's a manager in baseball who wouldn't say they're interested," said Torre, whose Yankees teams went toe-to-toe with Ramirez for years. "Manny's certainly not a simple personality, that's for sure. He's complex. But I've seen him when he competes. "I've had some colorful personalities on my clubs like David Wells and Jimmy Leyritz. If you feel somebody's going to help your club, you've got to find a way to make it work. And that'

Yanks Vs Angels ... And If Manny changed his ways would you like to see him in pinstripes?

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For those of you who didn’t watch the Yankees 12-6 loss last night to the angels it was not an easy thing to do. But I had the privilege to watch the game at Yankee Stadium in its final year. While my friends and I were watching the game, we got into a debate with a woman sitting in front of us. She had asked us what we thought of the Dodgers acquisition of Manny Ramirez. We stated that Manny would be a great guy to have batting for you in a clutch spot. Of course we do not agree that Manny’s personality would fit in the Yankee club house, but for arguments sake Manny the baseball player and not Manny the person would be a great addition to any team. At this point the woman became irate and starting accusing us of being Boston fans. This was completely ridiculous, we are by no means any where close to being Boston fans, and we were just saying that Manny the player could be the missing piece to winning that 27th Championship we all long for. The woman asked “how could we ever want a Red Sox player to be in pinstripes?” We replied by saying Johnny Damon is with us now and it’s not a problem. At that point the woman was completely dumbfounded and didn’t know what to say. She then said “it’s not all about winning”. As a Yankee fan I can honestly say that we are one of the few organizations that if we don’t win the World Series every year than the past season was a disappointment. Honestly if it’s not all about winning another World Series than why is Joe Girardi wearing number 27? All this leads me to ask you if the Yankees had made a late push before the trade deadline to acquire Manny Ramirez with the stipulation that he would shave his head and change his ways would you be supportive of the deal?

Will Yanks buy Bonds? Slugger on the table at team meeting

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But it remains "highly, highly, highly unlikely," according to a source, that the team would actually pursue the controversial slugger, according to ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. High-ranking Yankees officials gathered for meetings at their spring training complex Thursday, a day off for the team before it begins an important three-game series Friday night in Boston. Missing injured sluggers Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada, the Yankees discussed ways to improve for the stretch run as next Thursday's trade deadline approaches. After a three-hour meeting, co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner confirmed that one of the topics was the indicted home run king. Should the Yankees sign Barry Bonds? Yes No "We covered everything, including Bonds," Steinbrenner said. Steinbrenner wouldn't say if the Yankees are interested in Bonds, but it appears unlikely the team will pursue him -- partly because it's so late in the season. The slugger, who turned 44 on Thursday, became a free agent when the San Francisco Giants did not bring him back this season. A day before the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium last week, Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, said the seven-time MVP had not received a single offer. Borris previously said Bonds would be willing to play for a prorated share of the $390,000 minimum and donate his salary to buy tickets for kids. In addition to Hank Steinbrenner, his brother, co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner, president Randy Levine, general manager Brian Cashman, special adviser Gene Michael and senior vice president of baseball operations Mark Newman were among those at the meetings. Matsui has been on the disabled list since June 23 with a balky knee that could require season-ending surgery. Posada could also be looking at surgery for his right shoulder, after an MRI exam showed fraying in the tendons around the labrum. Both are trying to rehab, and their progress over the next week could go a long way toward helping the club decide what moves to make before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. Hank Steinbrenner declined to get into specifics about potential trades, but said "there's a couple things that might be promising." New York already added first baseman Richie Sexson, who was released by Seattle. The Yankees have won six straight since the All-Star break. They began Thursday 3½ games behind AL East-leading Tampa Bay. "We're playing great. That's the key thing," Hank Steinbrenner said. "Considering we're not 100 percent because of the injuries, it's pretty impressive. Where we can add, we'll look into it." Among the players the Yankees are thought to be looking at are San Francisco catcher Bengie Molina, Colorado left-hander Brian Fuentes, Pittsburgh lefty Damaso Marte and Seattle starter Jarrod Washburn. Molina is the brother of Yankees catcher Jose Molina, who is getting most of the playing time behind the plate following Posada's injury.

Mets in first place since April.

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Will the Mets hold the lead until the end this year or will there be a repeat of last year?

A-Rod signs with William Morris agency

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Posada and Matsui can both face season ending surgeries! Where does this leave the Yankees?

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Yankees sign Richie Sexon

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Can a guy batting under 220 really help a team like the Yankees?

Free The Fan talks to Joe Girardi

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We sit down with Joe to talk about the chemistry of the yankees

Would you say its a crime not to have a Yankee in the 2008 Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium??

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Who is going to win the World Series

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How do you fell about Yankee Stadium coming down

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FTF: MLB Power Rankings

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Are the Yankees looking like Yankees now?!

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They beat the rays 2 in a row and with great pitching comes an ass whooping!

Jennings may just be a pioneer for 'student-athletes'

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In all likelihood, Brandon Jennings won't be the last big-time basketball recruit from the 2009 class to choose overseas money rather than the stereotypical, under-the-table college package. More on Jennings...Video: It's official: top Arizona recruit has opted to play professionally in Europe. Jeff Goodman explains the decision, right here. Discuss: Is it the right move? Jennings opts for Europe over 'Zona Why risk being the next O.J. Mayo, the USC one-and-done-er who was done in by sloppy ESPN reporting, a former, opportunistic friend/ex-drug-dealer and antiquated NCAA rules? For talented, teenage basketball players, a slow boat to China is a better option than being the victim of award-winning gotcha journalism. We all (know) assume that big-time basketball and football recruits receive "illegal" benefits for pretending to be student-athletes at America's institutions of higher learning. We also (know) assume that journalists and news organizations can make names for themselves by exposing the fact that the kids and their parents/guardians are just as greedy as the constantly renegotiating coaches we put on pedestals. Brandon Jennings, a former Arizona commit, is smart. Why play the silly game? Why pretend to be a college student for one semester when he can't even "pass" the SAT or ACT? Why let a jealous member of his posse do what Louis Johnson did to O.J. Mayo? Johnson is the wannabe author-turned-snitch who went on "Outside the Lines" and blabbed that he had receipts proving, among other things, Mayo had a flat-screen TV in his dorm room, ate a few illegal meals and received walk-around money from one of agent Bill Duffy's flunkies. Shocking! O.J. Mayo is really O.J. Simpson. The story didn't hurt Mayo's draft stock, but it certainly damaged his endorsement appeal and will likely cost him money in legal fees sorting through the allegations. It's a rigged game. Why are we playing along? Why are we demonizing kids for an insanely stupid set of rules created by adults? O.J. Mayo isn't the bad guy. Neither is Brandon Jennings, or the other five-star recruits wise enough to follow him for a year of basketball study abroad. Rich kids do it all the time. They take a semester or two, move to Europe, party, study and broaden their perspective. A 19-year-old from Europe can join the NBA without anyone objecting. But a teenager from the states who hasn't spent a year masquerading as a college student and justifying CBS's billion-dollar NCAA basketball package is forbidden from joining the NBA. Why? The NCAA needs to be blown up. It pimps mostly black basketball and football players to provide welfare to sports played by mostly white athletes. In exchange, the football and basketball players get a half-baked shot at an education they're not prepared for upon arrival and a long-shot audition for pro scouts. It's a bad deal, flawed from top to bottom. The Yankees just gave a 16-year-old Venezuelan catcher a $2 million contract. Children play professional golf and tennis and sing for the approval of Simon, Paula and Randy. But football and basketball players are special. Why? Look, I'm not someone who wants to see the NBA and NFL flooded with teenagers. It's not good for the games — any of them. Michelle Wie would've been better served playing golf in college. As a fan and as a former college football player, I'd like to see college basketball restored to a place of prominence. But I'd like the restoration to have a hint of integrity. That won't happen as long as the process is filled with lies from the very outset. There are two options to correct this: 1. Acknowledge that college basketball and football players are entertainer-athletes, not student-athletes. Bring them on campus, pay them, free them of academic responsibility and let them entertain students, alums, boosters and fans while auditioning for a pro career. 2. Form an alliance with the NFL and NBA and invest in education/athletic academies for talented young basketball and football players (of all colors) beginning in eighth and ninth grade. The NCAA pays its basketball and football players with a currency (education) many of them aren't prepared to spend or value. That has to change, and it's incumbent on the NCAA to be a big part of the change. I don't care how solution No. 2 jibes with Title IX. Is there something in our Constitution that states a TV contract driven by (mostly) black basketball players must be used to fix America's history of sexism? The money can't be used to educate basketball players when they're 13, 14 and 15 and there's a chance of getting them to a level where they can compete academically in college? Maybe Brandon Jennings will go down in history as the young man who forced the NCAA to honestly deal with the hypocrisy, stupidity and immorality of its rules.

A-Rod brainwashed by kabbalah

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In a bombshell interview with The Post, Dodd Romero - Rodriguez's former trainer and godfather to his two daughters who spent last week in Paris with Cynthia Rodriguez - said he and C-Rod believe the Yankee superstar has been gradually drawn away by Madonna's allure. "Alex, God bless him, is lost," A-Rod's ex-pal lamented. "I think he got pulled in by the dark side, if you can say that nicely. He's totally brainwashed." "She believes it's what ruined her marriage," Romero added. A-Rod's first encounters with the Material Mom came through their common friend, Miami nightclub owner Ingrid Casares, Romero said. Once Madonna and A-Rod started working out together in New York in November 2007, he was under the complete spell of kabbalah's most famous practitioner, the slugger's confidant said. "He's more infatuated with the fact he's with an icon instead of realizing what's important, which is family and truth," said Romero, 46. "Alex [is acting like] he wants a divorce." The trainer said he severed ties with A-Rod shortly after Cynthia gave birth to their second child this spring. Sources said Alex arrived in Miami just in time for the birth of Ella on April 21. He spent as little as 10 minutes with mother and child, then bolted back to New York and straight to Madonna's Central Park West pad, where he has allegedly spent a number of late nights. Meet the players Having trouble keeping up with who's supposedly dating who in the A-Rod drama? We've got you covered. Check out this gallery to meet all the players. Since then, A-Rod has seen his little daughter only a couple of times, said Romero. Cutting off his relationship with A-Rod "was one of the hardest things I've had to do, because he's like a brother to me," Romero said. He said A-Rod is going through a kabbalah practice called "cleaning out your vessel," which means getting out the old and taking in the new.

Should Mariano Rivera Retire?

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Last nights game really got me thinking. If you hit 2 batters in the same inning, and barely get the save, should we let Joba close? If he is going to cost the Yankees wins which they clearly couldnt afford to do, should he retire? We already know he is a hall of famer.

Are the Tampa Bay Ray's for real?

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