The Best of Times, The Worst of Times

Last week was almost perfect.

My favorite rap group, Team Facelift, finally got their due (as noted by my main man A.F.O.M.G.).

My favorite baseball player, Eric Byrnes, got a pretty good contract. 3 and 30 is a lot of money. But contrary to what Cheddar Ben wrote, Byrnesy was worth a lot more. It's not just cause I like him, it's just baseball. I would argue more, but one article on Eric Byrnes is enough for this non-Diamondback rooting audience.

Two good friends of mine from days in S.F. got married. They are about the nicest people in the world and the perfect couple. It was my first "Friend" wedding and it was just a ton of fun. I had a heck of a crew back in S.F. and they were all there (sans a few) to celebrate the perfect occasion. It was just really nice.

Things seemed to be coming up Sip. They really did.

Except for the you-know-who's that play in our city that have over the last month, solidified themselves as the "Best Team in Baseball."

I don't need to rub it in. But for all of you guys that were hating on the Sip back in June when I told you this would happen, only to scorn me and call me a trader, well...fuck you.

With Phillip Hughes back on the hill, the Yankees march out a No. 2 starter or better every single night.

Their lineup, with A-Rod playing like the best player in baseball, Jeter being DJ, Abreu back, and Jorge Posada all of a sudden looking like Jack Parkman, is the game's best.

Yes, the middle of the pen is shaky. But recently it just hasn't mattered. It seems like this team is winning 11-4 every single night. But what happens when Phil Hughes is pitching the 6th and 7th inning come October? Oh, and don't forget "Joba Time." All of a sudden the one weakness may be a strength.

Put it all together and we as haters of those pesky Bombers are in a very scary place. When the Sox were up 14 games a few months back everyone wrote off the season. But even with 2004 behind them and the curse finally lifted, these are still the Yankees and these are still the Red Sox. It's the classic case of a favorite vs. an underdog and the favorite will always be the Yankees.

I told my buddy KFC about 2 weeks ago that the Yankees would win the division by at least 3 games. Today, I'm willing to take that number up to 4.

Should make for some awesome Sox-Yanks series come season's end, which to me is when baseball is most enjoyable from an objective stand point. So that is pretty cool.

As for those pesky Amazins...

They're still in 1st place. Not one real solid string of consecutive weeks all season and they remain at the top. You have to think this team is due. With Beltran and Alou both in the lineup, lets see what this team can do. The one thing I want to see happen that won't is getting Carlos Delgado back in the cleanup spot. I think that could really get him going. He certainly has shown flashes of late.

I wouldn't count on Pedro. But that doesn't matter. He'd be good for 6 starts at best in the regular season and I doubt he would crack the postseason rotation- let alone roster.

Baseball is exciting in New York again. Fact is, when the game's greatest villains are not in the mix, there is something missing. Now that they are back, there's a reason to check the AL scoreboard every night.

It's exciting.

Vaya,
Sip