Saturday, December 12, 2009

Holy Double Entendre, Batman!

The Yankees will enter the 2010 season having cut loose their Wang.

The Mets will enter the 2010 season having cut loose their Putz.

'Tis the season to be silly.

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The Mets cutting loose J.J. Putz is no big deal. But the Yankees cutting loose Chien-Ming Wang -- who was only the best pitcher in baseball for 2 years, winning 19 games in both 2006 and 2007 -- before a string of injuries began in 2008 and left him a mere mortal, is very, very depressing.

Someone will pick him up, and take a chance that he hasn't permanently wrecked his pitching career. With my luck, that someone will be an American League contender.

UPDATE: Wang was signed by the Washington Nationals, but missed the entire 2010 season due to injury. He pitched for the Nats in 2011 and 2012, washed out in an attempted return to the Yankees in Spring Training 2013, then signed with the Toronto Blue Jays but hardly pitched in the majors before being designated for assignment.

He then pitched in the minor leagues for the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves and Seattle Mariners, before finally returning to the majors with the Kansas City Royals in 2016, being released in September, at age 36. His career record was finalized at 68-34. It should have been much better than that.

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Navy 17, Army 3. Navy has now beaten Army 8 years in a row.

I was at the Army-Navy Game once. Sort of. In 2006, I went down to Philadelphia to see the Devils take on the Flyers at the Wachovia Center. The gates were opened right after the Army-Navy Game let out at Lincoln Financial Field next-door. Navy won that one, too. And the Devils beat the Flyers.

Tonight, the Devils play the Flyers on Army-Navy Day again, this time at the Prudential Center. I hope the Devils win, but I really hope it's not a shutout for Martin Brodeur. I want him to get it this coming Friday against Ottawa, so I can see the historic moment live.

Not sure if Texas quarterback Colt McCoy or Alabama running back Mark Ingram deserves the Heisman Trophy more. But Tim Tebow of Florida? No joining Archie Griffin in the Two Heismans Club for him.

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Days until the Devils play another local rival: 0, as previously mentioned.

Days until Rutgers plays football again: 7, next Saturday, in the St. Petersburg Bowl in Florida, against the University of Central Florida. Shouldn't be too tough.

Days until the 2010 Winter Olympics begin: 62. A shade over 2 months.

Days until Opening Day of the 2010 baseball season: 114.

Days until the next North London Derby between Arsenal and Tottenham: 119, on April 10, 2010 at White Hart Lane.

Days until the Yankees' 2010 home opener: 122.

Days until the 2010 World Cup begins: 182. A shade over 6 months.

Days until the World Cup Final: 213.

Days until the new Meadowlands Stadium (still unnamed) opens: 237.

Days until East Brunswick plays football again: 272 (presumably), on Friday, September 10, 2010.

Days until the next East Brunswick-Old Bridge Thanksgiving clash: 348. (Yes, I'm counting it down already.)

Days until Derek Jeter collects his 3,000th career hit: 518 (projected).

Days until the Rutgers-Army football game at Yankee Stadium: 700.

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