Yanks Win, Winnipeg Gets the NHL Back

The Yankees pounded the Oakland Athletics last night, 10-3 at the Your Company Name Goes Here-Alameda County Coliseum.

Curtis Granderson hit his 17th homer, and Robinson Cano his 11th, putting a shelling on A's starter Brett Anderson (3-5) in support of an effective Freddy Garcia (4-4).

Derek Jeter got 2 hits. He's now 17 away from 3,000.

The Red Sox lost, so the Yankees are now in first place by a full game, two in the loss column. The Rays are a game and a half (2) back, the Jays 3 (4), and the Orioles 6 (6).

The Yanks go for the sweep this afternoon, a 3:35 start, A.J. Burnett against Gio Gonzalez.

Jeter hits 2983 17
Rivera saves 572 29
A-Rod homers 622 141
A-Rod hits 2723 277
Magic Number 108 (to eliminate Rays, 107 for Scum, 105 for Jays, 104 for O's)

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The Mets did something last night that they've never done before: The lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field. They took every home game with the Bucs as the opponent in 2009 and 2010, and the first game of this series, but Terry Collins made his first blatantly boneheaded pitching decision, leaving R.A. Dickey in for the 8th when he was clearly tiring. And you thought knuckleballers don't get tired.

The South Beach LeBrons won Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. Boo.

The NHL's Atlanta Thrashers have been bought by a group that will move them to Winnipeg, to replace the Winnipeg Jets, who became the Phoenix Coyotes in 1996. Yay. Now, if we can get the Carolina Hurricanes to move back to Hartford, turn the Florida Panthers into the new Quebec Nordiques, and get the Coyotes out of Phoenix and put them in a real hockey city, we'd really have something good going.

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Days until the Red Bulls play again: 3, this Saturday night, home to the Columbus Crew at 7:30. At 4:30, the U.S. National Team faces World Cup Champion Spain in a "friendly" at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, home of the New England Revolution (and, of course, the NFL's New England Patriots. Cheaters. The diving, whining Spaniards should feel right at home.)

Days until the next Yankees-Red Sox series begins: 6, this coming Tuesday, June 7, at Yankee Stadium II.

Days until the Red Bulls play another "derby": 10, a week from this Saturday, June 11, against the team that should be considered their biggest rivals, the New England Revolution, at Red Bull Arena. They next play the team that is usually considered their biggest rivals, D.C. United, on Saturday, July 9, at Red Bull Arena. And they next play their closest rivals, the Philadelphia Union, on Thursday night, October 20, at Red Bull Arena.

Days until Derek Jeter collects his 3,000th career hit: 18 (I've moved it up a bit because he's on a bit of a hot streak.)

Days until the next North London Derby: As yet unknown. The 2011-12 Premier League season begins on August 13, so it can't be any earlier than that. The schedule -- sorry, forgot to speak English there, the fixture list -- is usually released in the 2nd week in June.

Days until Rutgers plays football again: 104, on Thursday, September 1, home to North Carolina Central. 13 weeks.

Days until East Brunswick High School plays football again: 98, on Friday night, September 9, and the opponent and location are TBD. That would be 14 weeks.

Days until the Devils play another local rival: As yet unknown. The next season's schedule hasn't been released yet, save for the season-openers at the neutral but hockey-loving site of Helsinki, Finland, games that will include the Rangers. That will be on October 7. Figure the Devils' season opener will be the next day, which is 177 days from now. Figure they'll probably play a local rival, either the Rangers, the Islanders, or the Flyers soon thereafter, maybe a week after, so, tentatively, I'm going to say the number of days is: 136. That would be 19 weeks.

Days until the Rutgers-Army football game at Yankee Stadium: 164. Just 24 weeks.

Days until the next East Brunswick-Old Bridge Thanksgiving clash: 176. Under 6 months.

Days until the last Nets game in New Jersey: 326 (estimated, as the 3rd Sunday in April 2012 is the 22nd). Less than 11 months, unless new owner Mikhail Prokhorov decides he'll stay in the Prudential Center, the great new arena he's already got.

Days until the 2012 Olympics begin in London: 422 (July 27).

Days until Alex Rodriguez collects his 3,000th career hit: 733 (estimated).

Days until Alex Rodriguez hits his 700th career home run: 855 (estimated).

Days until Super Bowl XLVIII at the Meadowlands: 977 (tentatively scheduled for February 2, 2014, although it could end up being moved back a week or 2).

Days until Alex Rodriguez hits his 756th career home run to surpass all-time leader Hank Aaron: 1,475 (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: 1,589 (estimated).