GETTING UP TO DATE

***YANKS STEAL ONE***
Down 6-1, the Yanks staged a slow, professional come back, to beat the Rangers 7-6 and send new President, Nolan Ryan, home with acid reflux. This is probably not too far from the truth, if you saw Nolan's face after the final out. Marcus Thames, batting in Mark Teixeira's third spot, continued the hot hitting from #3 in the lineup, ultimately knocking home the winning run in the ninth. The bottom of the ninth presented it's own little drama: Mariano Rivera, as if to say, 'Okay, you caught me in an off night last night. Let me remind you who's the best!', promptly gave up a lead-off triple and then calmly stranded Elvis Andrus by retiring the #s 2, 3 and 4 hitters in the Ranger lineup. Remember that come October, Nolan.

***SPEAKING OF OCTOBER...***
The contenders and pretenders have been pretty much established in the AL. New York & Texas will be in the playoffs while Minnesota & Chicago fight it out for the AL Central, with the loser probably going home. Boston and Tampa will battle for the wild card as long as Terry Francona continues to win his fight with the Grim Reaper (backup catcher Kevin Cash is now on the DL). Boston is in third place in the AL East with a record better than the the other two division leaders.
In the National League East, Atlanta is preparing to go to war with the Phillies. In the West, San Diego is holding off San Fran while Colorado looms in the shadows, preparing for their patented late season run. In the Central, St Louis is relying on their experience to get them home and Cincinnati is proving that they can trash-talk a whole lot better than they can play.

***A MANAGER BITES THE DUST***
The Seattle front office fired manager Don Wakamatsu for...well, just being there, I guess. He was saddled with a roster full of players that were either over the hill, gambles that were never going to work out and those that are simply unproductive. 37 year-old Mike Sweeney was finished, Milton Bradley's history was well-known, and Ken Griffey should not have tried for one more year. Wakamatsu didn't pick these guys, but no matter, someone had to go, and I've never seen a General Manager stand out on the field with a microphone and proclaim, "Sorry, fans. I'm the one who put these bums out here." ...and I never will.
Speaking of front office mistakes, the New York knuckle...er, Knicks, tried to hire Isiah Thomas back as a consultant. Luckily, cooler heads prevailed (I can't believe I just said that) when Isiah refused the offer, stating that he couldn't take the job because, "It's against League Rules." Oh, really? I'm thinking: A team cannot hire totally incompetent, convicted sex-offenders for the front office.
Good rule.

***GOOD, BUT TWO MONTHS LATE***
It seems that Curtis Granderson has gone to Kevin Long and basically said, 'I'm lost. Help me.' Just in time for Curtis, too, since it was beginning to look like his role was pinch-running and late-inning defensive replacement. Kevin Long has been working with him for two days, changing his stance, his swing, his mental focus and, I think, his breakfast cereal. Long worked wonders with Nick Swisher, but that took all winter. We'll see tonight. Luckily, Granderson has two things going for him: 4 games against the lowly Kansas City pitching staff and no Zack Greinke. And, I understand, Captain Crunch cereal can work miracles.

A fun lunch yesterday with a couple of relatives: two really nice guys and three crazy women. Everybody got picked on and made fun of, or as Dave said, "Everyone spent time in the barrel."

CP-