A Tex Message

Teixeira watches the 300th home run of his
career sail off the left field wall.

The New York Yankees closed out June, a month that saw them go 18-8, with another piece of history. All-Star first basemen Mark Teixeira launched his major league-leading 25th home run of the season Thursday, it was also the 300th of his career. 

Batting from the right-side, Teixeira hammered a 2-1 offering from Milwaukee Brewers' left-hander Randy Wolf into the left field seats, giving him a milestone he won't soon forget, as it was a no-doubter.

It was only the eighth time Teixeira had homered batting right-handed this season compared to his seventeen from the left-side.

Teixeira becomes the second player this season to reach the 300 home run plateau as Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz did so earlier this year in an Interleague game against the Chicago Cubs. With this home run, Teixiera becomes the first switch-hitter to hit 300 home runs in his first nine seasons in the big leagues. Another Yankee great Mickey Mantle came close, putting 280 balls in the seats his first nine years in pinstripes.

The two-time All-Star has hit 30 home runs or more in seven straight seasons with him well on his way to making it eight straight, needing only five more the rest of the way. His 25 home runs before the All-Star tie his career-high for the most before the Mid-Summer Classic.

Teixeira's home run came in the third inning, giving New York a 3-0 lead, eventually finishing a sweep of the first place Brewers for their fifth straight victory behind the brilliance of ace left-hander C.C. Sabathia.

Not to take away from Teixeira's historic day, the real story was on the mound with Sabathia facing his former team. Sabathia tied a career-high fanning 13 Brewers over 72/3 innings for his major league-leading 11th victory of the season. The win also tied him with Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven for the most wins before their 31st birthday with 168.

Sabathia had said he was nervous to face his former club, after leading them to a postseason berth in 2008. After being acquired by the Brewers in July of that season, the 290 pound left-hander went 11-2 in his 17 starts for Miwaukee with a 1.65 ERA. His final three starts came on three days rest after volunteering to do so.

Sabathia has been worth every penny for the
Yankees when they signed him prior to the
2009 season.

As for the team, New York is now 23-4 in day games this season and winners of 15 of their last 19 games. Thanks in large part to Teixeira and Sabathia, the Yankees sit atop the American League East with a 2.5 game lead over the Red Sox and the American League's best record.

Both seem to be locks for this years All-Star game in Arizona and will need to continue their dominance in the second half for New York to fin off the talented Red Sox for yet another division crown. 

Oh Roger!

Federer has mastered the grass court in
England, but has yet to even reach the
 semi-finals the last two years.

For the second straight year Roger Federer will not be playing for his seventh career Wimbledon title. Federer was ousted from the tournament Wednesday in five sets, 3-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, by French men Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

It wasn't so much shocking that Federer won't be in the finals once again, like he is seemingly every year at the All England Club, but more how he lost.

The world's former No. 1 had won the first two sets and seemed to coasting to yet another semi-finals appearance. Tsonga never lost faith and fought all the way back, accomplishing something no other player has against Federer in a Grand Slam tournament.

Federer had been 178-0 when holding a commanding two-sets to none lead in a Grand Slam heading into Wednesdays' quarter-final match. That all came to a screaming halt when Tsonga did the impossible defeating a very passive Federer. It was not the first time the twelfth-seeded Tsonga had beaten Federer in dramatic fashion.

In August of 2009, Tsonga rallied from 5-1 down in a third set against Federer and eventually came back to win the set and match. Tsonga is also no stranger being down two-sets to none and make a great comeback. Wednesday marked the second time he had accomplished that feat in his young career.

For Federer, he has now not won a Grand Slam title in his last six chances matching the longest drought of his career before he won the first of his record 16 Grand Slam singles titles in 2003 on this very stage. It is the second straight year the six-time Wimbledon champion has lost in the quarter-finals.

It was the second time Tsonga had defeated
Federer in his career.

With Federer knocked out three of the top four seeds have now reached the semi-finals and are ready to begin battle. Rafael Nadal currently has 19-match winning streak at Wimbledon with him winning two of the last three. The defending champion was unable to defend his title in '09 due to suffering a knee injury causing him to pull out of competition.

Federer doesn't seem far removed from his reign as the world's No. 1 for a record 237 consecutive weeks, but it looks to be a changing of the guard. Move over Switzerland, the Spaniard has taken control.

It Was Inevitable

Different Year...Same Result

As Expected Irving Taken First Overall

A Mighty Duck

Despite losing their first-round series to the
Predators, Perry an Co. will be back.

The 2010-11 season was a magical one for Anaheim Ducks right wing Corey Perry and Wednesday came the icing on the cake. Perry was named this years recipient of the Hart Memorial Trophy, an award handed out annually to the NHL's Most Valuable Player.

He becomes the first player in franchise history to have his named etched onto the trophy.

Perry outlasted Vancouver's Daniel Sedin, who was this years scoring champion with 104 points, to win the award. A year after his twin brother Henrik Sedin received the honor, Sedin was thought to be the favorite after he was the focal point of a team that won the Presidents' Trophy for the first time and represented the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup finals.

The Canadian native became only the second player from the Southern California area to win the award, falling in elite company with the "Great One". Wayne Gretzky is the only other player to capture the award while playing for a Southern California team after receiving the honor for his ninth and final time with the Los Angeles Kings in 1989.

San Jose's Joe Thornton is the only other player to bring home the award in state of California when he won in 2006.

This was not the only piece of hardware the twenty-six-year-old took home this season. Perry led the NHL is goals scored, reaching 50 for the first time in his young career, earning himself the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, an award presented to the league's highest goal-scorer.

Perry became the first Duck to lit the lamp 50 times in a single-season since fellow teammate Teemu Selanne did so 52 times during the 1997-98 season, when he finished third in the MVP voting.

Along with his 50 goals, Perry also dished out 48 assists during the year, just missing the century mark in points with 98. He was named to his first All-Star team, but none of this would have been possible without the help of his teammates and their dangerous front line.

Center Ryan Getzlaf and right wing Bobby Ryan fill an incredible first line in Anaheim, giving head coach Randy Carlyle one of the best in game. All twenty-six years of age or younger the three of them are some of hockey's most exciting young and dynamic players when skating the ice.

Despite the Ducks falling short in their first-round matchup against the Nashville Predators this postseason, the future looks bright in the Honda Center with these three youngsters looking to find the back of the net.

As for Perry with his unorthodox scoring technique, he is a player that wears his heart on his sleeve, but this time will hoist it to all those who are quacking.

Reyes On The First Subway Out Of Queens?

Reyes' speed adds a different dynamic to his
game.

New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes is one of baseball's most exciting and dynamic infielders, and could be well on the verge of becoming one of the wealthiest.

Reyes is set to become a free agent at seasons end and will be one of the hottest commodities this winter.

Despite already having eight major league seasons under his belt, Reyes is still only twenty-eight and enjoying a career year. The Mets shortstop is currently leading the National League with .341 batting average and a share of the lead in runs scored with 54. He only trails Boston's Adrian Gonzalez for the major league lead in hits with 103 compared to the first basemen's 104.

However, Reyes is known for his speed and athleticism with the 2011 season being showcase for that thus far. He is leads the majors in the most exciting play in baseball with 12 triples and is second only to Houston's Michael Bourn with 26 stolen bases.

It looks to be paid day for Reyes, but are the Mets willing to pay him the money he is looking for?

It has been reported that Reyes is seeking a contract similar to that of Carl Crawford, who signed a seven-year $142 million deal this past offseason to man left field in Fenway Park for the Red Sox. That is an average of $20 million per season compared to the $11 million Reyes is making this season.

Crawford's '11 salary is approximately $14.8 million, but increases greatly throughout the contract. He is set make $19.5 million next season with the final five years of the contract paying the speedy outfielder $20 million or more per year.

Longtime Mets owner and investor Fred Wilpon doesn't see Reyes receiving that type of contract from him or anybody else for that matter, especially with his injury history. "He's a racehorse. He thinks he's going to get Carl Crawford money. He's had everything wrong with him. He won't get it," Wilpon stated.

Reyes' injury history is the only reason that statement could hold true. Now in his ninth season, the three-time All-Star has only played in 150 games four times in his career, averaging 115 games per season. He missed 29 games last season after starting the year on the disabled list with a thyroid problem.

With similar career numbers, Reyes will
be seeking Carl Crawford type money
this offseason.

If Reyes can stay healthy there is no question he is one of the best shortstops and players in the game today.

He is currently the fifth highest paid player on New York with left-handed ace Johan Santana, who is out until mid-season recovering from surgery, is the highest at $22.5 million. He and Florida Marlins' shortstop Hanley Ramirez are tied for the third highest paid at their position, trailing only the Dodgers' Rafael Furcal ($13 million) and the Yankees' Derek Jeter ($14 million) for the top spot.

The Mets have the seventh largest payroll in baseball this season at $118.8 million, but might not have the money to resign Reyes at that price given the current financial situation of the organization and commitment that have made to other players.

New York in recent years have overpaid for players like Jason Bay, Carlos Beltran, and Francisco Rodriguez with the type of production they have received from each during their time with the club. This has handcuffed ownership and the organization putting them on the verge of bankruptcy.

It was reported in Febraury that Wilpon and the Mets were loaned $25 million from Major League Baseball last November to cover the day-to-day expenses of the team after facing a liquidity crisis.

The Mets would become the second team in last year to declare bankruptcy if they choose that route. The Texas Rangers were delcared bankrupt last May with the Los Angeles Dodgers and embattled owner Frank McCourt on the verge of following suit.

All that being said, Reyes, when healthy, is the most important piece to this franchise moving forward and need to find a way to keep him in Queens for the long haul.  With New York having other major contracts expiring at seasons end, this leaves the possibility they could do just that.

Beltran's seven-year $119 million contract he signed prior to the 2005 season expires at the close of '11. Rodriguez also finds himself in the final-year of the three-year $37 million deal he signed in December of 2008, giving the Mets some financial flexibility this offseason

All-Star third basemen David Wright is not a free agent until after next season, but his future with the team could directly linked to Reyes.

The Mets could lose Wright, left and Reyes,
right in consecutive years if they are not
careful.

Along with Reyes, Wright has been the face of the franchise since 2004. While together they have yet to appear in a World Series, they have drawn comparions to another great left side of the infield just a subway ride away. Reyes and Wright have been said to be the younger verision of Yankees' third basemen Alex Rodriguez and Jeter, who have also played along side one another since '04.

That is high praise for two players that have had their share of health issues.

However, like Reyes, Wright is only twenty-eight and if the Mets can find someway to keep these two together and healthy those comparions could be validated soon.

A lot depends on the way this team plays the rest of the season. The Mets, who are currently 35-38 and in fourth place in the NL East, could be prone to trade Reyes at the July 31st trading deadline if that doesn't improve. Cinninatti and San Franciso are looking too upgrade at shortstop and increase their chances of getting back to the postseason with Reyes looking to be the logical fit for both.

Whatever the future holds for Reyes, it's sure to be a bright one with the sun right above the horizon.

Just Like Old Times

Rodriguez felt it was in the best interest of
 the team to step down.

It was just three weeks ago that the young upstart Florida Marlins were 10 games over .500 and only 1 game back for first place in the National League East, my how things have changed. The Marlins have now lost ten straight and their manager, sinking to the bottom of the division standings. Edwin Rodriguez, who replaced current Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez as skipper almost a year ago to the day, resigned Sunday, claiming it was best for the future of the team.

In the Marlins final 92 games of the 2010 season, Rodriguez led them to a 46-46 record, finishing third in the division behind two postseason bound clubs. The Philadelphia Phillies captured their fourth straight division crown while the Braves earned a wild card berth.

The native of Puerto Rico finishes his tenure in Florida with a record of 78-85 in just over a full seasons load at 163 games.

Injuries to All-Stars Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson played a major role in the teams recent skid, losing 18 of their last 19 games. Ramirez, who despite his injury is only batting .201 on the year, had been sidelined since the 29th of May with back soreness that included a trip to the disabled list.

As for Johnson the news had not been good. The 6-foot-7 hard throwing right-hander was placed on the 15-day disabled list back on the 22nd of May with inflammation in his throwing shoulder. Initially  Johnson was thought to miss a couple of weeks, but that will not be the case.

The two-time All-Star was recently transferred to the 60-day DL and will now be out until mid-July.

That being said it has not been all bad in Florida. Outfielder Mike Stanton has hit 16 home runs in 67 games for the Marlins after a solid rookie campaign. Although Stanton has struggled during the teams current losing streak, batting only .192 in his last 22 games.

That could be a product of the recent struggles of Ramirez and the absence of Dan Uggla. Uggla, who was the teams primary power source in recent years, was traded to Atlanta in the offseason, leaving a lot of responsibility of their young twenty-two-year-old right fielder.

With the recent resignation of Rodriguez a familiar face has decided to put the uniform one last time. Eight-year-old and Major League Baseball lifer Jack McKeon will manage the team the rest of the season and believes that the season is not lost.

He becomes the second-oldest manager in major league history behind only Connie Mack, who was eight-seven when he managing the Philadelphia Athletics in 1950.

Cigar and all McKeon is back at the
helm in Florida.

This will be McKeon's second stint as Marlins manager and it was a very similar situation his first go around. In May of 2003, a not so much younger McKeon took over a underachieving Florida team and help guide the team back to .500 and clinch their second wild card berth in franchise history.

That postseason the Marlins would make their mark yet again winning the National League Pennant and reaching the World Series for the first time since 1997. There they eventually beat the heavily favored New York Yankees in six games. It was the second World Series title for the Marlins, but the first for McKeon.

That was the last time the Marlins made the playoffs.

Eight years later McKeon will try and raise this team from the ashes once again and finally prove he's still got what it takes. His first order of business comes prior to tonight's game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim with the benching of his embattled superstar shortstop. Will this be the fire that sparks Ramirez and the fish? Marlin fans sure hope so.

Here's Johnny

Damon tips his cap to the Tropicana
faithful after his 500th double.

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder/designated hitter Johnny Damon entered elite company Saturday with his first inning double in their Interleague game against the Florida Marlins. It was the 500th two-bagger of his career adding to his already impressive resume.

Damon now joins a small group of Hall of Famers to record 2,500 hits, 100 triples, 200 home runs, and 500 doubles during their careers. The two-time All-Star is the eleventh member to swing his way into this exclusive club joining the likes of Al Simmons, Babe Ruth, George Brett, Goose Goslin, Lou Gehrig, Paul Molitor, Robin Yount, Rogers Hornsby, Stan Musial, and Willie Mays.

    Five of these now eleven players has recorded 3,000 hits throughout their careers. While Damon is not one of those five he has an outside chance of reaching a milestone only twenty-seven players in major league history have totaled with him currently at 2,646.

    There's a catch. Damon will turn thirty-eight in November and might not have too many years left in his legs. One of the most durable players in the last decade will need to average 120 hits over the next three seasons to accomplish that feat.

    Damon is one of only four major league players to play in at least 140 games each of the last ten seasons. Albert Pujols, Bobby Abreu, and Ichiro Suzuki are the other three.

    One mark none of the other ten players on that list have accomplished, Damon will. He is currently 8 steals shy of 400 for his career and when he swipes his 400th bag, he will become the first on the list to do so. Mays is the next closest coming up 62 short with 338 career stolen bases.

    With these numbers Damon is making a bid for his day in Cooperstown. Most see Damon as a complier rather than a Hall of Famer. He has never finished in the top ten of the MVP voting or been the best player on any team he has been in.

Damon's '04 grand slam might be the single
biggest hit in Red Sox history.

However, Damon has been one of the most clutch postseason performers in recent memory. While he was a productive postseason player during his time with the Oakland Athletics many will remember Damon has the "caveman" on the 2004 World Series champion Boston Red Sox.

    In Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS he propelled the Sox to their first World Series appearance since 1986 with two home runs including a grand slam against the hated New York Yankees. That same postseason he led off the clinching Game 4 of the World Series to ignite their sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals, ending the teams 86-year curse.

    Five years later as a member of the Yankees, he found himself in another World Series. Damon made the Series-defining moment when he stole second and third on one pitch in their Game 4 victory over the then-defending World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies. He and then-teammate Eric Hinske became only the ninth and tenth players to win a World Series with the Yankees and Red Sox.

    In the twelve postseason series he has played in, Damon as accumulated .279 average with 9 home runs and 30 runs batted in. While it's unclear if Damon is a Hall of Famer, he is putting together quite a case.

    As he moves closer to 3,000 the seventeen-year veteran might be preparing a speech for that Summer day in July in the not so distance future.



  

McIlroy Approaching History

McIlroy has beaten to his own drum all
tournament with the field trying to
follow suit.

A day after his record-setting second-round at the 2011 U.S. Open young Rory McIlroy continued his Tiger-esque performance Saturday with yet another record breaking day. McIlroy started the day at 11-under par for the tournament, running away from the field.

    He became the first player in Open history to reach 13-under at any point in the tournament Friday, passing Tiger Woods' previous mark of 12-under set in 2000 at Pebble Beach, but his double-bogey on eighteen dropped him to 11-under. The twenty-two-year-old eclipsed his own mark Saturday with his third-round of a 3-under 68 heading into Sunday's final-round bringing his tournament total to 14-under.

    McIlroy currently holds an eight-shot lead over Y.E. Yang (-6) going into Sunday, the second highest lead total after 54-holes of golf in Open history. The record belongs to none other than Woods himself coming during his '00 Open rout where he held a 10-shot lead after 54-holes, eventually winning by 15 strokes.

    Haven't we seen this before from the young man out of Northern Ireland?

    It was only two months ago that McIlroy held a four-shot lead at the Masters heading into the final-round with the coveted green jacket within his grasp. The Ireland native began to feel the pressure and hear the foot steps of golfs greats when he eventually collapsed on the back nine.

    McIlroy shot an 80 the final day of the tournament finishing 4-under and tied for 15th on golfs biggest stage. It was the biggest collapse at Augusta National since golfing great Greg Norman held a 6-shot lead on Sunday only to give way and the green jacket to another golfing great in Nick Faldo after shooting a terrible 78 the final-round.

    In the last forty years there have been seven players to hold a 5-shot lead or better in a major-championship after two rounds of golf, only to have one not cross the finish line first. Bobby Clampett led most of the 1982 British Open, but ultimately fell short in his best chance to capture a major-championship.

    While McIlroy's historic run at his first major-championship has been the talk of the tournament, and rightfully so, he hasn't been the only one the course has been kind to. Saturday's third-round at Congressional saw 26 players shoot under-par for the day, the most ever for a third-round at the U.S. Open.

    The talk around the water cooler has now become that McIlroy might the one to challenge Jack Nicklaus' all-time major-championship mark of eighteen with the recent injury to Woods and his inability to take control of his new swing.

    Golf lost their Superman almost two years ago, but this might be the fire that ignites Woods back to the top of his game and reclaiming his number one world ranking. If McIlroy wants to meet those expectations and begin a rivalry that the golf world has lacked for far too long, he will need to close the job Sunday and win his first major-championship.

The Bronx Bombers

Teixeira, left and Granderson, right have
combined for 42 home runs this
season.

It has been fifty years since the 1961 Major League Baseball season was played when two New York Yankees took the baseball world by storm. Now two other Yankee teammates are starting to remind those fans how exciting it was to watch. New York's Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle began a historic chase of then-Babe Ruth's single-season home run record he set in 1927.

That season Maris would pass Ruth's mythical 60 home runs with his 61st coming the final day of the regular season in Game 162. Mantle fell off the pace when a hip injury derailed his season, but still managed to slug out 54 long balls.

Maris would win his second consecutive American League Most Valuable Player award that year, but would never hit more than 33 home runs in a season following his record-breaking campaign. The four-time All-Star would never be inducted into the Hall of Fame, but was honored by the Yankees with the retirement of his number 9 jersey on Old Timer's Day in 1984.

As for Mantle, many believed he underachieved with the natural ability he was given. A switch-hitter that could run like the wind and hit a ball a mile long suffered from injury and drinking demons most of his career, leaving many to wonder what he might have accomplished if he took his health seriously. Nonetheless, Mantle was a first ballot Hall of Famer after launching 536 home runs during his eighteen-year career.

Yankees first basemen Mark Teixeira and outfielder Curtis Granderson are the first pair of Yankee teammates since Maris and Mantle to record 20 home runs through the teams first 66 games. With his two home runs in New York's 12-4 victory over the Texas Rangers Wednesday, Teixeira tied Grandserson and Toronto's Jose Bautista for the major league lead with 21.

It was the eleventh time in his career that Teixeira had homered from both sides of the plate.

As of the 14th of June, Teixeira and Granderson had both combined for 40 home runs, the same total as Maris (22) and Mantle (18) in '61, but have since fallen off the pace. Through their first 66 games Maris had hit 27 home runs while Mantle was five behind with 22.

Despite his hot start and hitting as many as 30 home runs in a single-season back in 2009 with the Detroit Tigers, Granderson refuses to call himself a power hitter. "If I hit a 100 in a season, then I'll say I am," Granderson stated Wednesday.

For Teixeira, he has been the definition of a pure power hitter throughout his career. The two-time All-Star has eclipsed 30 home runs in seven of his first full eight big league seasons, hitting a career-high 43 in 2005 with the Rangers. Upon an injury, Teixeira will be sure to reach that total for the eighth time, needing only 9 the rest of the way with the All-Star break a little less than a month away.

Teixeira was the '09 American League home run champion in his first year in the Bronx tallying 39, a title he shared with then-Tampa Bay Rays' first basemen Carlos Pena. He is only the 61st player in major league history to record over 265 home runs through the age of 31 with his 296 career home runs. When he hits his 25th home run of the season, he will become the second player to reach 300 home runs for a career in 2011, Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz was the first launching his 300th earlier this year.

Maris, left and Mantle, right are the last
pair of teammates to each homer 20 times
in their team's first 66 games.

New York currently leads the the majors in home runs with 103 after their five home run outburst on ESPN's Wednesday Night Baseball. The surprising Arizona Diamondbacks are second with 80. It's a good thing the Yankees have found the long ball because the team is only 6-9 when they don't have a ball reach the seats.

While Teixeira and Granderson will never top that '61 season and the excitement it brought back to the Stadium that Summer, they are yet another pair of Yankee switch and left-handed hitting teammates that help us remember the M&M Boys so fondly, so sit back and enjoy the show.

Welcome Back To The City Of Champions Lord Stanley

Thomas, left and his Bruins earned this
championship after a high drama postseason.

As One drought ends another continues. The Boston Bruins ended their thirty-nine-year drought between Stanley Cup championships with their 4-0 Game 7 victory of the heavily favored Vancouver Canucks Wednesday night. It is the sixth Stanley Cup the Bruins have brought back to the city of Boston since they were established as a franchise in 1924.

    For the Bruins this is a bit of revenge after the way last years postseason ended. Boston had a 3-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Philadelphia Flyers, but lost the next four becoming only the third team in NHL history to squander a 3-0 lead in a best of seven series.

    This year they were determined to finish the job.

    Of the four postseason series the Bruins had to play in route to a championship, they were forced into three decisive seventh games, becoming the first team in NHL history to win them all. The only series Boston was not faced with a seventh game was against none other than their second-round matchup with the Flyers. The Bruins took a 3-0 series lead yet again and were set to rewrite history.

    Boston outscored the Flyers 20-7 in the series sweeping the defending Eastern Conference champions out of the postseason.

     As for the Cup Finals the story like it has been much of the season for the Bruins was their goaltender Tim Thomas. Thomas turned aside all 37 shots attempted on goal by the Canucks Wednesday, tossing his second shutout of the series and fourth of the postseason.

    He is only one of four goalies to record a shutout in a Game 7 of the Cup Final, but the first to do so on the road.

    Thomas becomes the oldest and second American in history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy after his magical season comes to a close. The thirty-seven-year-old goalie save percentage for the Cup Final was an astonishing .961 percent compared to his .938 in the regular season. However, that is nothing to snuff at as Thomas set a modern day record with his save percentage during the regular season breaking Dominik Hasek's mark of .937 set back in 1999 as a member of the Buffalo Sabres.

    This was Thomas's first Stanley Cup championship and he couldn't have done it without the help of his teammates. The four Bruin goals were scored by two players as center Patrice Bergeron and left wing Brad Marchand each scored a pair of their own. 

    Bergeron got the scoring started at the 14:37 mark of the first period giving the Bruins a lead they would never surrender. After Marchand scored his goal in the second period, Bergeron would record his second, coming shorthanded. In the third, Marchand would score his second on an empty net putting the game and champagne on ice.

    Twenty-two-year veteran Mark Recchi hinted at retirement throughout the postseason and officially announced his departure from the game after winning his third Stanley Cup with his third different team. Recchi, now forty-three, played for seven different teams during his career and in the his final game delivered. The left wing contributed an assist on the second goal of the game while going out a champion.

    So much for Daniel Sedin's Game 7 guarantee.

    The Canucks offense really never showed up in the series thanks in large part to the great defense and goaltending of the Bruins. The Canucks outshot the Bruins 37 to 21 in their Game 7 loss, but were unable to solve Thomas's craft in net. Vancouver found the back of the net only eight times in the series putting a lot of pressure on goaltender Roberto Luongo.

It could be a long road back for
 the Canucks and their goaltender.

Luongo, who had been almost unbeatable at home this postseason allowed three goals in this one after only allowing two the first three homes games of the series. The season ends in disappointment for the Canucks after winning the President's Trophy during the regular season.

Vancouver won the first two games of the series, but would go onto lose the next four of five games along with the series. Boston became only the tenth team in NHL history to force a Game 7 after facing an 2-0 deficit to open the series and the fourth to win the Cup.

    Cars were lit on fire much like their goaltender this series in the streets of Vancouver following the loss as Canadians still await their first Stanley Cup since 1993.

    In one of the most heavily penalized postseason series' in the last twenty-five years there were only three in Game 7 with two of them coming late in the third period.

    Since 2001 the New England area has had a plethora of teams win championships, winning six times in the four major sports. The New England Patriots kicked off the decade with three Super Bowl rings in '01, '03, and '04. The Boston Red Sox ended their 86-year curse with a sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2004 World Series and added another in 2007, that time at the expense of the Colorado Rockies. The most successful team in the history of Boston sports, the Boston Celtics captured their NBA record seventeenth championship in 2008.

    Now the B's can add a seventh and start the decade off the right way, finally joining the City of Champions.

Pursuit Of 3,000 Takes A Stop To The DL

Jeter's injury might allow him to join the
3,000-hit club at home.

It has been a tough year and a half for New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter and Tuesday wasn't any better. In the second of inning of Monday night's 1-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians, Jeter was running out a fielder's choice to first base when he appeared to hurt his right calf. The shortstop stayed in the game, but after he flew out to right field in the bottom of the fifth inning, he gingerly ran to first in obvious pain. Jeter didn't return to play defense the following half inning as utility infielder Eduardo Nunez replaced the seventeen-year veteran.

    Jeter has suffered a Grade I strain of his right calf and was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday leaving a huge hole atop the Yankees order.

    This is the first time Jeter has been on the disabled list since 2003 when he suffered a separated shoulder on Opening Day against the Toronto Blue Jays. The injury now puts Jeter's pursuit of becoming the first Yankees and 28th player in history to reach the 3,000 hit plateau to a straining hault.

    Jeter singled in his first at-bat Monday giving him 2,994 hits for his career, closing the gap to 6 hits shy of a mark that dignifies longevity and consistency.

    With Jeter now on the disabled list and two games left on New York's current home stand, the possibility of the captain doing it in front of a sold out Yankee Stadium or at least in New York never seemed more apparent.

    The eleven-time All-Star is eligible to come off the disabled list on the fifth game of the Yankees next home stand in an Interleague game against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 29th. There Jeter will have two games to try and get six hits before New York heads out on to the road once again. However, the Yankees play their second of their two annual Subway Series meetings with the New York Mets on the year to begin the road trip, giving Jeter the chance to at least reach the milestone in the Big Apple.

    Many Yankee fans remember closer Mariano Rivera recorded his 500th career save in the final game of the first Subway Series at Citi Field back in 2009. It might be a fitting place if not at the Stadium for Jeter to do it there.

Rivera recorded his 500th career save away
from the Stadium back in '09.

Jeter is already the Yankees all-time hits leader with his current mark, growing with every hit, after he passed the mythical Lou Gehrig in '09. He also passed Gehrig for the all-time hits mark at the Old Yankee Stadium in it's final year of play with 1,274 hits during his time in the House That Ruth Built.

    In 62 games this season Jeter is batting .260 with 2 home runs and 20 runs batted in and while those are not the number we are accustom to seeing with the Yankee captain we should be celebrating this historic moment rather than critcize one of the greatest players in Yankee history.

Let's Play One More

Thomas, right has been virtually unbeatable
this postseason, but especially when wearing
his home uniform. (Harry How/Getty Images)

The Stanley Cup Finals will engage in the two most exciting words in sports Wednesday night across the border, Game 7. The Boston Bruins continued their dominance of Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo at home with a 5-2 spanking of the Western Conference champions. While the score wasn't as lopsided as Boston's 8-1 victory over Vancouver in Game 3, it was over from the drop of the first puck.

    In a game the Bruins had to have to keep their championship aspirations alive, they came out firing on all cylinders scoring four times in the first period. Boston became the first team this postseason to accomplish that feat in the first 12 minutes of play and it couldn't have come at a better time.

    The Bruins scored their first four goals in a 4:14 stretch causing Luongo to be pulled for the second time in this series.

    It has been a tale of two series for the Canucks goalie as the Montreal native has been virtually unbeatable at home, but eaten alive in Beantown. In three home games the Canucks have played this series Luongo has only allowed 2 goals, both coming in one game. He has 95 saves in 97 attempts on his home ice compared to 51 saves on the road in 66 attempts.

    Vancouver has been outscored 17-3 on the road this series, while Boston has lit the lamp 15 times at Luongo's expense.

    In the other net Boston's Tim Thomas, who is arguably the best goaltender in the NHL and led the league in save percentage (.938) and goals against average (2.00), has been remarkable no matter the venue. Thomas has turned aside 168 of the 175 shots he has faced by this devastating Canucks offense, good enough for a .960 save percentage on hockey's biggest stage.

    Many believe that Thomas will be awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy, an award given to the Most Valuable Player of the series, no matter the Game 7 result. Boston is now 3-0 when facing elimination this postseason seeing Thomas play his best only allowing five goals in those three games. They will need to fin off elimination one last time if they want to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup for the first time since 1972.

    The Bruins will try and become the first team to win a Game 7 on the road since Sidney Crosby led his Penguins to a Stanley Cup champsionship back in 2009 when they had to go into the Octopus Tank and defeat the Detroit Red Wings, but history is not on their side.

The Sedin twins must play well for the
Canucks to capture their first Cup in
franchise history.

The home team has accumulated a 12-3 record in those decisive seventh games on their ice, but their is hope for Boston. With the consist play of their goaltender all year and the Canucks inability to closeout a series this postseason the Bruins might have a celebration in store.

   Vancouver is 3-5 in potential closeout games this postseason, but will host a Game 7 for the first time in their franchise's history maybe adding extra fuel to the fire.

    The first team to score in every game in this years Cup Finals has gone onto win the game with the home team yet to lose. Will that hold true Wednesday night in what is sure to be one of the most exciting and intense seventh games in NHL history? Let's wait and see.

A Taste Of Sweet Revenge

With his win Sunday in Miami, Nowitzki has

cemented his legacy as one of the best

all-time.

It's time to celebrate in South Beach, but not the party many anticipated. The Dallas Mavericks capped off their magical postseason run by defeating the Miami Heat in six games to capture their first NBA title in franchise history. In one of the greatest NBA Finals in recent memory they're so many story lines, but none bigger than Dallas exercising their 2006 NBA Finals demons and silencing their critics once and for all.

    Once labeled soft, Dirk Nowitzki has solidified his legacy as one of the greatest players in NBA history with one of the most remarkable postseason runs the game has ever seen. The seven-foot German finishes the postseason averaging 27.7 points per game with 8.1 rebounds, but his ability to get to the free throw line was a key component not just in the Finals, but throughout Dallas's postseason run to a title.

    He set an NBA record for free throws made in a single postseason game without a miss in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder after going 24 of 24 from the line.

    Nowitzki attempted 186 free throws in the Mavericks twenty-one games this postseason knocking down 175 for them at 94 percent. He becomes just the eleventh player in NBA history to have a least 10 All-Star selections, a regular season Most Valuable Player award and be named the NBA Finals MVP.

    Even though Nowitzki was only one of four players in NBA history heading into this years postseason to average 25 points per game and 10 rebounds in his postseason career, many believed he was not mentality tough enough to perform when it mattered most. You can put all those doubters to bed.

    In the last fifteen postseasons only two players had averaged 10 points or more in the fourth-quarter of the NBA Finals. Those two players include the recently retired Shaquille O'Neal, who is arguably the most dominating presence the NBA has ever seen, for the Los Angeles Lakers and the greatest player of all-time Michael Jordan for the Chicago Bulls.

    Now you may add a third player to that list with Nowitzki averaging 10.3 points in the fourth quarter of this years NBA Finals cementing his legacy as one of the clutchest players in postseason history. It was not easy for the longtime Mav, struggling from the field in the first half scoring only 3 points on 1 of 12 shooting.

    The second half would be his stage yet again scoring 10 of his 18 second half points in the final period ensuring himself his first NBA championship while fulfilling a childhood dream. Nowitzki had a total of 62 fourth-quarter points in the series, that's as many as Miami's LeBron James and Dwayne Wade scored combined.

    Thanks in large part to his hard work, dedication to the game and longtime German coach and mentor Holger Geschwindner, he has finally reached the mountain top with his resume now complete.

    Yes, there is no question that Nowitzki was the MVP of this Mavericks team, but this was in fact a team and without the help of his supporting cast, the calm of demeanor of his veteran point guard Jason Kidd and the brilliance of head coach Rick Carlisle this fairy tale ending would have never become reality.

The 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks are the optimity
of a team.

Jason Terry, who was the only other remaining member of that '06 Finals team, called out James prior to Game 4 and delievered. "JET" as they call him scored 19 first half points and was the main reason why Dallas held a 2-point lead at the break even with their superstar struggling.

    Point guard J. J. Barea became the spark that ignited this team when he torched the two-time defending champion Lakers in their second-round series. After shooting only 5 of 23 in the first three games against the Heat, Carlisle inserted Barea into the starting lineup and Dallas never looked back winning the next three games of the series.

    The oldest point guard to ever start a NBA Finals game, Kidd is a seventeen-year veteran, who had squandered both his opportunities to win a championship during his time in New Jersey. This time it would all be different.

    Kidd was the orchestrator to Dallas's late fourth-quarter comebacks. His sense of calmness, defense and ability to stay emotionless when the game had taken a turn for the worst enabled the Mavericks to comeback time after time. Now at 38, Kidd becomes the second oldest player only to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to play and win in the NBA Finals.

    The leadership and determination of forward Shawn Marion and Tyson Chandler add to the list of players that contributed to this Dallas win as a unit.

    As for Carlisle, his coaching was the X-factor in this series and if they could give the MVP to a non-player, he would have earned it. It continues to be the little things that win basketball games and that is exactly what Carlisle did. His attention to detail and call of the right number at the right time is something that can't be taught.

    Inserting Barea into the starting lineup, playing a zone defense most of the series, and not allowing James and Wade to play to their strengths by getting to the basket and draw fouls, but rather have them beat Dallas with jumpers were all key decisions made by the former Celtic, putting together one of the greatest coaching clinics we have seen in years.

    How can we forget the benching of sharp-shooter Peja Stojakovic in favor of the custodian Brian Cardinal, whose contributions to the series will not show up in the box score, but will be forever remembered by Mavericks fans across the nation.

    Carlisle is now 11-3 in potential closeout games of a series which is the best mark all-time.

James walks away yet again on the losing
end of a NBA Finals.

For the Heat, it is a bitter end to season that overall was a success. Just a year into three superstar players coming together they exceeded many people's expectations besides their own. After taking a 2-1 series lead, the Heat just fell out of sync and never found their rhythm again.

    They finish the postseason 9-2 at home, but they started the series 8-0. After winning Game 1 in their home building they lost what would be their final two games at the AmericanAirlines Arena on the year. Those included blowing a 15-point lead in the fourth-quarter in Game 2 and of course the closeout game of this series.

    They had never lost back-to-back games this postseason until they decided it was time to lose three in a row following their Game 3 win in Dallas. It didn't help that after James averaged 26.7 points per game in the regular season only averaged 17.8 in the Finals. That 8.9 point differential is the largest in NBA history.

    It was just not Miami's time as they were beaten clearly by a better team, but they will be back. Whether or not they win is a whole different issue.

    Miami showed signs of their immaturity in this series and that was never more apparent than when James and Wade were caught of camera prior to shoot around mocking Nowitzki and his illness in Game 4. The jokes on them with the Mavs superstar getting the last laugh.

    It was a team of destined as the "Comeback Kids" did not have a single champion on this squad, but now go home as champions together. Their sometimes outspoken owner Mark Cuban kept his mouth shut throughout and showed his class by relinquishing the Larry O' Brien Trophy to the Mavericks original founder and owner Donald Carter.

    America can finally breathe their sigh of relief after David slaved Goliath and this time Goliath was a three-headed monster.

Tyson Claims His Spot Among Boxing's Elite

From One Bob To The Next

Geren is the first manager to be fired
in '11.

The Oakland Athletics had dropped nine in a row and found themselves in the the American League West cellar before deciding to make a change and it comes at the expense of their manager Bob Geren. Geren was fired Thursday after almost four and a half years as the Oakland skipper.

    Geren became yet another former big league catcher to manage in the big leagues when he was hired by longtime friend and A's general manager Bill Beane prior to the 2007 season. He had spent the previous three years as their bullpen coach before being promoted in '06 to bench coach under then-manager Ken Macha.

    He was no stranger to a position of power after managing a ton in the minor leagues before landing his gig in the show. There Geren was able to rack up 452 victories along with 390 defeats.

    During his tenure in Oakland the A's never made the postseason along with recording their first losing season since 1998 his first year on the job. In the 710 games Geren managed, Oakland posted at .470 winning percentage with a record of 334-376.

    Despite his orthodox managerial style, Geren had the Athletics finish second the the AL West a year ago at 81-81, trailing only the eventually American League Champion Texas Rangers. With their young pitching staff leading the majors in earned run average in 2010, many believed they could catch lighting in a bottle and be the San Francisco Giants of 2011. That has not been the case as injuries and a dismal offense has derailed their train.

    All-Star closer and '09 Rookie of the Year Andrew Bailey had been out since the end of spring training with a strained forearm before returning before the start of June. A pair of talented left-handed starters in Dallas Braden and Brett Anderson are both currently on the disabled with their own arm troubles. Braden is lost for the season after having shoulder surgery at the beginning of May. As for Anderson, he is suffering from an injury he dealt with last season, an inflamed elbow. Oakland fears the worst and he could be next to fall victim to Tommy John Surgery.

    Even with all the injuries to their pitching staff they have managed to rank in the top five in both ERA and quality starts the first half of the season, but firing Geren will not fix their offensive woes.

    They currently rank 26th or worse in five major offensive categories marking their offense as maybe the worst in Major League Baseball. The A's currently have six players batting under .250 with a minimum of 100 at-bats and two others under .260.

    Geren is the first manager to be fired this season with plenty of others on the hot seat. Former Arizona Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin has been named his replacement for the reminder of the season. Melvin brings along a respected resume after leading the D-backs to a 90 win season in '07, winning the NL Manager of the Year in honor of his success. They went on to make their first NLCS appearance since 2001 where they eventually lost to the Colorado Rockies.

Melvin might be able to light a fire
under this underachieving A's team.

Although his first game at the helm did not go as planned, losing their tenth straight game Thursday, Friday night was a different story. rallying for four runs in the ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox and giving Melvin his first victory as the A's skipper.

If in fact Oakland has plans to make the postseason they will need to get their offense rolling and overcome an eight game deficit in both the division and wild card standing to make that happen.

    

A Broken Bullpen In The Bronx

Chamberlain burst onto the major league
scene back in '07 postings 0.38 ERA.

At one point in his career Joba Chamberlain looked to be the air apparent to Mariano Rivera and would eventually close games for the New York Yankees. Oh how things have changed with Chamberlain now fighting for his major league career. A day after being placed on the 15-day disabled list with what was initially thought to be a strain of the flexor muscle in his throwing elbow, was revealed to be a torn ligament and could require Tommy John Surgery.

    With the injury to the hard-throwing right-hander, he is almost certainly lost for the rest of the season, leaving a gapping hole in Joe Girardi's bullpen. Originally thought to be a strength of this Yankee club, now becomes a weakness. Yes, they still have the godfather of closers in Rivera, but outside of the forty-one-year-old reliever and right-hander David Robertson there sits an abundance of question marks.

    When the Yankees were unable to sign prized left-hander Cliff Lee in the offseason, who would sign on for his second stint with the Philadelphia Phillies, Yankee brass went against general manager Brian Cashman and signed former Tampa Bay Rays closer Rafael Soriano to a three-year $35 million deal.

    Ownership felt with their longtime rivals in Boston making all sorts of offseason acquisitions, they needed to make a splash of their own and has not panned out.

    Soriano, who led the majors with 45 saves a year ago, last pitched on the 13th of May and has been sidelined since with an inflamed ligament in his right elbow. He and Chamberlain are just two on the laundry list of Yankees to land on the disabled list thus far.

    New York also signed former New York Mets left-hander and workhorse Pedro Feliciano in the offseason, but has yet to pitch in a regular season for the Yankees after suffering a torn rotator cuff during spring training. Feliciano led the National League in appearances each of the last three seasons, appearing total of 266 games for New York, by far the most in the majors during that time span.

    That is thought to be the main cause of his recent injury as his durability has been outstanding throughout his career.

   Another left-hander in Damaso Marte, who was a viable part to their 2009 World Series team, underwent rotator cuff surgery last October. He is currently on the 60-day disabled list with return expected to come sometime in September.

    That might be too late as the lone left-hander in the Yankee bullpen Boone Logan has struggled out of the gate after having a breakout season a year ago. Lefties are hitting a sensational .316 against the southpaw compared to right-handers, who are riding the Interstates at a .190 clip.

    Not to mention starter Phil Hughes has made only three starts for New York in 2011 posting a 13.94 earned run average. This after coming a year after his first All-Star appearance that saw him win a career-high eighteen games. Hughes has been sidelined since mid-April with a dead arm and is expected make his first of five rehab starts on June 14th.

    On the up side, Robertson has been spectacular for New York in his first 26 appearances, striking out 38 batters in only 23.1 innings. Veteran Luis Ayala has also been a pleasant surprise for Girardi and Co. posting a 1.47 ERA for the Yankees.

The Soriano signing has not bowed well for
New York thus far.

As for Rivera, well he is still Rivera. He has recorded 16 saves to begin the season, three off the major league lead.

If in fact Chamberlain does undergo surgery, he will began a grueling 10-14 month rehab process causing him not only to miss the rest of this season, but a portion of the '12 season. Cashman will look to be the market for relief help like most teams before the July 31st trading deadline and San Diego might be a gold mine.

    All-Star closer Heath Bell is in the final-year of his current contract with the Padres and almost certainly not returning to San Diego when he hits the open market this offseason. He along with his set-up men Mike Adams and Luke Gregerson could be prime targets for Cashman.

    Once under the "Joba Rules", question marks now surround Chamerlain's future along with the Yankees the rest of the way as they start the day a game back of the division leading Red Sox and are in danger of being swept by their arch rival for the second time this year in the Bronx.

Not Out Of The Woods Yet

Will we ever see the triumphant fist
pump again wearing his Sunday red?

The 2008 U.S. Open was the site of Tiger Woods's last major championship victory, but it will not be his next. Woods announced Tuesday due his ailing knee and achilles tendon he will not participate in the 111th year of the event at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland.

The World's former No. 1 pulled out of the PLAYERS championship in May for the second straight year as a result of recent his leg injuries, but have they are nothing new.

    Many remember his gutsy performance in the '08 U.S. Open when he defeated fellow American Rocco Mediate in an eighteen-hole playoff, hobbling along the Torrey Pines fairways on a torn ACL, but that's now just a mere memory for Woods. He has yet to win a PGA Tour event since then and with his three-year anniversary of that victory approaching rather quickly despite what he says, his once unbreakable confidence is growing to mediocrity.

    At one point in time golfing legend Jack Nicklaus's record of eighteen major championships looked in serious jeopardy with the rapid rise of a kid from Cypress, California and his greatness, but now at the advanced age of thirty-five and ongoing injuries, Woods is no longer a spring chicken with the record continuing to slip away.

    Woods currently has won fourteen major championships throughout his career and looked to regain his form at this years Masters. The ten-time PGA Tour Player of the Year finished fourth at Augusta National, making an unbelievable push for the lead the final day of the tournament, but ultimately came up short.

    Woods with his newly revamped swing has showed signs of the golfer we once knew and loved, but has yet to find his rhythm on the course. His recent personal issues have been well documented over the last year and half, but those seem to be a thing of the past, needing now to get back to playing good golf.

    There is no question the once dominant Woods we saw play is gone, but with his track record and skill set still in tact he will in fact win again. The question will continue to be his health and if it will allow him enough time to surpass the Golden Bear as the greatest ever to swing a golf club.

Locked Up To Locked Out

Burress's catch in Super Bowl XLII is one
of the biggest in NFL history.

After serving a twenty month prison sentence former New York Giants wide receiver and Super Bowl XLII hero Plaxico Burress was released Monday and will now begin his long journey back to the National Football League. Once one of the most dynamic receivers in the NFL, Burress was originally sentenced to two years, but with good behavior he was released early and is ready to get his life back together.

    The former Michigan State Spartan was charged with possession of a firearm that not had been license in the state of New York putting his future in the league in doubt. He accidentally shot himself in the thigh at a Manhattan nightclub in November of 2008, and the incident not only cost him almost two years away from the game, but also his life.

    Now at age thirty-three and the NFL in a current lockout, Burress is looking to stay in shape and show NFL teams that if in fact there is a 2012 season, he will be ready to make a major impact like he did not so long ago.

    Drafted in the first-round with the eight overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers back in 2000, Burrness developed into a solid receiver for then-head coach Bill Cowher, catching 22 touchdowns in his five seasons in the Steel City. It would not be until he signed with the Giants that he would become one of the best wideouts in the league.

    The Giants signed Burress to six-year deal worth $25 million in March of 2005, which at the time looked like a poor decision by the 6-foot-5 receiver. The Steelers won their first Super Bowl since 1979 that year without Burress, while him and his new team were shutout in the first-round of the playoffs, losing to the Carolina Panthers 23-0.

    In would not be until 2007 that Burress would get a taste of Super Sunday. Heading into the the 2007 Super Bowl the Giants were twelve point underdogs to the 18-0 New England Patriots, and when quarterback Tom Brady connected with wide receiver Randy Moss for a go-ahead touchdown with 2:42 left in the fourth quarter, it set the stage for the biggest moment of Burress's career.

    Eli Manning would orchestra one of the most incredible comeback drives in NFL history capping it off with 13-yard touchdown pass to Burress with 0:35 left in regulation, giving New York a 17-14 lead and their third Super Bowl title in franchise history.

Burress worked out four times a week
while serving his prison sentence.

A moment that should have defined Burress's career forever sadly will not.

Following their Super Bowl victory, the Giants got off to a great start, opening the '08 season 11-1 and looked primed to defend their Super Bowl crown. However, they lost Burress due to his legal issues and was later released the troubled receiver in April of 2009.

    There seems to light and the end of the tunnel for Burress and his comeback as he can learn from Philadelphia Eagles quaterback Michael Vick, who also served time for different reasons, but found a way to again be successful in the NFL, adding his name to the MVP discussion last season.

    The St. Louis Rams, New York Jets, and Atlanta Falcons are among the teams that would be interested in adding Burress as they have needs at the wide receiver position they are willing to address. The Rams seemed to be the mostly likely landing spot for him as their head coach Steve Spagnuolo is familiar with Burress during their time in New York together when he was Tom Coughlin's defensive coordinator.

    Whomever decides to take a chance on Burress could be greatly rewarded as he becomes a player with a lot to prove and a chip on his shoulder.