Division of a different feather
The American League East is no longer a two-team race — just ask the last-place New York Yankees.
“Normally it has just been Yankees-Red Sox and for a while it was just Yankees,” New York outfielder Johnny Damon told The Examiner. “But Toronto — I said last year they might have the best pitching, top to bottom in the league — and Tampa Bay, everyone is saying they are a year or two ahead of schedule and they are young and fast.”
Damon and the Yankees (26-27) entered Friday six games out of first, trailing Baltimore (26-26), Toronto (29-26), Boston (32-24) and Tampa Bay (32-21).
Three of the four teams in front of New York boast a top-tier front line pitcher. Tampa Bay has received a phenomenal start from Scott Kazmir (4-1, 1.50 ERA), Boston has Cy Young candidate Daisuke Matsuzaka (8-0, 2.53 ERA) and Toronto has star Roy Halladay (6-5, 2.93 ERA).
The Orioles have been bolstered by the early play of troubled starter Daniel Cabrera (5-1, 3.70 ERA), who, after struggling in his first four years, finally seems to be putting it all together.
“I think Cabrera could someday be the best pitcher in our league,” Damon said. “He has the size, he has the arm, he has the movement. I put him up with one of the best in the league right now.”
His teammate, former All-Star pitcher Andy Pettitte, has also seen the improvement in Baltimore.
“What I have noticed most is their starting pitching,” Pettitte said. “Their starters have thrown the ball extremely well this year. They have a good rotation and are doing things right.”
And it’s still a long way until the end of September.
“It could only take 90, 92 wins to win this division. I would rather go out there and pound teams,” Damon said. “I wish it were easy, but it’s not.”
Charles has a Manu-crush
Another week with the lovable Round Mound of Profound and TNT analyst:
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ON THE STRAW THAT STIRS THE SPURS » Manu Ginobili is the emotional leader of [the Spurs]. He gets the crowd going in the game. He plays with such reckless abandon and that’s why he’s one of my favorite players. He’s not afraid to fail.
BARKLEY RATING » 3. Anytime an announcer gushes over a player it’s great, especially when that announcer is one of the all-time greats.
ON THE NON-CALL IN THE LAKERS’ GAME 4 WIN » The Lakers outplayed them tonight and if the official had called that foul he would have given the Spurs that game. Referees are sensitive, the Lakers deserved to win because they outplayed them, and if they had called the foul the ref would have decided the game.
BARKLEY RATING » 2. Sir Charles provides insight into the minds of referees, but we still feel there should have been a foul called.
ON THE CELTICS-PISTONS SERIES » When a series is 2-2, I think the team that wins that fifth game gets the momentum. Whoever wins game five will win the series.
BARKLEY RATING » 1. Boston took Game 5, so we will find out soon if this prediction increases or decreases’ Chuck’s score.
ON BEING WIRED WITH A MICROPHONE » It’s an invasion of privacy, you can’t be yourself. Number one, I cursed a lot when I played — at myself — and every now and then when I was with Mike Gminski or the great Derek Smith, Rick Mahorn, Dan Majerle, I cursed at those guys.
BARKLEY RATING » 3. Charles at his best, being honest about the intensity on the floor and how the media sometimes overextends itself in its coverage.
UNC’s Lawson is keeping it ‘simple’
Ty Lawson might be moving up. And Donte Greene won’t be going anywhere, not after signing with an agent.
That means Greene, the Baltimore native who left Syracuse after his freshman season, will stay in the NBA draft. He told ESPN.com that his mind was sealed when the NBA told him he only had to take part in the physical-only aspect of the pre-draft camp, a sign that he was a top-15 player.
Greene has been predicted by most to go in the top 20.
As for Lawson, hehad a strong showing in his first game in Orlando. The North Carolina sophomore, and Clinton, Md., native, was, according to draftexpress.com, “a cut above everyone else on the floor.”
Lawson made just four of 10 field goals for 10 points to go with four assists. But what stood out was his ability to make the game “very simple for all of his teammates” as well as his shutdown defense. Lawson had not impressed some executives before this workout.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Is there a more catching headline than this one on ESPN.com yesterday: “Angry sumo wrestler attacks apprentice with ladle?” Of course there isn’t. So here’s the story: Japanese sumo wrestler Toyozakura smacked a junior wrestler with a ladle, apparently as part of a hazing ritual. Problem was, the 18-year-old wrestler needed eight stitches because of the incident. Toyozakura was ordered to take a 30-percent paycut for three months as a result of his actions.
JUST ASKING
Do you realize Brian Urlacher might be risking a portion of his signing bonus, $5.77 million, if he skips a mandatory minicamp — if the Bears wanted to take him to court for violating terms of his contract?
Both sides say there’s no agreement yet, but when Doug Collins ends up in Chicago to coach the Bulls, should we ask how many years or how many months?
Is there any way the Pistons can beat the Celtics if Richard Hamilton doesn’t play?
If you’re Chicago, why wouldn’t you draft Michael Beasley over Derrick Rose?Especially knowing the starting point guards in the finals could be Rajon Rondo and Derek Fisher?
ON THE RECORD
“I proved myself at 40 that I was better than a lot of guys who were 25. But I can’t get a job. Everybody says, ‘Why doesn’t anybody sign Barry?’ I say, ‘Why doesn’t anybody sign Kenny?’”
— Unemployed outfielder Kenny Lofton in an interview with the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
“Too many babies in here. They don’t know how to play the game and how to win games. That’s the problem here. Now I know why this organization has been losing for a while. It doesn’t have anything to do with our manager. He cares more than anyone.”
— Kansas City’s Jose Guillen after the Royals 10th-straight loss.
