Game 2, tomorrow night, also in Minneapolis: Andy Pettitte vs. Carl Pavano. With every team he plays for, including the Yankees, Pavano has been a pain in the neck for the Yankees. And Andy, well, you know the story: Follows up a bad postseason start with a good one, but also a good one with a bad one. His last postseason start? Game 6 of last year's World Series, he only made it into the 6th but it was good enough to make him the winning pitcher. Which means... Uh-oh, Twins win this one, but it goes to New York tied.
Game 3, Saturday night, at Yankee Stadium II: Phil Hughes vs.... Brian Duensing? Don't laugh, he's 10-3, 2.62, a 1.202 WHIP. Still, Hughes has pitched in the postseason, Duensing has not. Yankees win.
Game 4, Sunday night, also in The Bronx: CC vs. Nick Blackburn. 10-12? 5.42 ERA? Against CC, even on 3 days' rest? This does not bode well for the Gopher Staters. Yankees take series.
If it does go to a Game 5, it'll be the following Tuesday night, in Minneapolis, Pettitte vs. Liriano. And Andy follows up a bad postseason performance with a good one. Good night, Twins.
Bring on the Rays for a grudge match in the ALCS, right?
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Maybe not: The Texas Rangers did something today they've only done once before in the 50-year history of the franchise: They won a postseason game.
They beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-1, behind the pitching of Cliff Lee.
I say, let that one go 5, with both teams wrecking their bullpens in the process.
*
2008: Cliff Lee pitches for the Cleveland Indians.
2009: Cliff Lee pitches for the Philadelphia Phillies.
2010: Cliff Lee pitches for the Texas Rangers.
2011: Cliff Lee pitches for the... ?
His contract is up after this postseason.
Is there some reason why he keeps going from team to team? True, it means that lots of teams want to get him. But it also means that lots of teams aren't exactly straining themselves to keep him.
Something for Brian Cashman to think about before he opens Hank & Hal's vault.
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Some of these, like for the milestones, have been adjusted now that this regular season’s final statistics are in.
Days until the Devils play hockey again: 2, Friday night, at home at the Prudential Center in Newark, against the Dallas Stars. I am optimistic for this game, and for the season as a whole.
Days until Rutgers plays football again: 2, Friday night, home to Connecticut. I am not optimistic, for this game or for the rest of the season.
Days until East Brunswick High School plays football again: 9, a week from this Friday, at home against Shore Conference team Howell.
Days until Rutgers and Army play the first college football game at the new Meadowlands Stadium: 10.
Days until the Devils play another local rival: 18, on Sunday, October 24, at Madison Square Garden against The Scum. Under a month. Then the Rags come to the Prudential on Friday, November 5. The first game of the season against the Islanders is on Friday, November 26, the day after Thanksgiving, at the Nassau Coliseum, followed the next day by the first game of the season against the defending Eastern Conference Champion Philadelphia Flyers, at The Rock.
Days until the next North London Derby: 45, Saturday, November 20, at New Highbury.
Days until the next East Brunswick-Old Bridge Thanksgiving clash: 50. A little more than 7 weeks.
Days until the next Yankees-Red Sox series begins: 184, Friday, April 8, 2011, at Fenway Park.
Days until Derek Jeter collects his 3,000th career hit: 251 (estimated: June 14, 2011, his “slump year” pushing it back by a month).
Days until the Rutgers-Army football game at Yankee Stadium: 402.
Days until the last Nets game in New Jersey: 564 (estimated).
Days until the 2012 Olympics begin in London: 660.
Days until Alex Rodriguez collects his 3,000th career hit: 968 (estimated).
Days until Alex Rodriguez hits his 700th career home run: 1,090 (estimated).
Days until Super Bowl XLVIII at the Meadowlands: 1,215.
Days until Alex Rodriguez hits his 756th career home run to surpass all-time leader Hank Aaron: 1,710 (estimated).
Days until Alex Rodriguez hits his 763rd career home run to become as close to a "real" all-time leader as we are likely to have: 1,824 (estimated).
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