It may be brief, but the view from the top is magnificent…

 

 

After tonight’s games, the Yankees may or may not be in first place, but at least they started the day that way.  Of course, the last time I was excited about this was at the start of the last series with the Boston Red Sox.  That didn’t end so well for me, and a pink hat and a Red Sox shirt later; the Yanks were back chasing the Sox in the standings.

 

 

Once again, thanks to a series sweep of the Minnesota Twins, combined with a Red Sox loss last night, the Yankees were once again tied atop the AL East Standings with Boston (despite the 0-8 mark against same).

 

 

Associated Press

 

The Yankees open a weekend series against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim tonight.  Of all the teams I want to face right now, the Angels aren’t one of them.  For whatever reason, the Yankees have historically not done very well against the Angels.  I don’t know the exact stats off the top of my head, but it seems that the team loses more than it wins against those pesky Halos.  I’d like to say that this dates back to the 2002 play-offs, but it has been much longer than that.  I remember teams with Bobby Grich, Rod Carew, and Reggie Jackson giving the Yankees fits.

 

Getty Images 

 

You can’t say that the Angels’ mastery over the Yankees is because the team doesn’t match up very well against the Angels.  If you compare the starters of Game 4 of the 2002 American League Division Series in Anaheim on October 5, 2002, only Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada remain with their original team (you could consider Juan Rivera but he has switched sides). The Yankees lost that night, 9-5, effectively ending the Yankees’ most recent World Series run.  But despite the roster turnover, the Angels’ domination continues.

 

Getty Images 

 

I wish I understood the reason, but the Yankees did to figure out the Angels if they want a chance to return to the World Series.

 

 

 

I know, they also need to figure out Baltimore and Boston.  But one thing’s for sure, they know Minnesota!

 

 

For the record, the Red Sox won tonight, so pending the Yankees game against the Angels (which starts shortly), the Sox are up by a ½ game.  Why is it that Boston gets the Royals while the Yankees get the Angels?  It’s so not fair!  😉

 

 

I thought the New York Mets’ acquisition of Jeff Francoeur from the Atlanta Braves for Ryan Church was a solid move.  I realize that Francoeur has struggled the last couple of years, but I still think that the “light bulb” will eventually come on and he’ll be every bit the productive player that he showed in Atlanta when he first came up.

 

 

 

I still think that there’s no way that either the Red Sox or the Yankees will trade for Roy Halladay.  Both teams have done such a great job protecting their young talent in recent years, and it would “break the bank” to bring Doc to Boston or New York.  They’ve mentioned the Philadelphia Phillies as the front-runner and I agree with that, or perhaps the St. Louis Cardinals.  I’d like to see the San Francisco Giants become a player but I don’t think they have what it takes to make a deal.  A starting rotation led by Tim Lincecum and Halladay would be incredible, and would definitely be a major roadblock in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ attempt to crush the NL West.

 

Tony Avelar/AP

 

Luc Leclerc/US Presswire 

 

I am definitely in agreement that the question is ‘when’ Brett Favre joins the Minnesota Vikings, not ‘if’.  He has apparently placed a $30,000 deposit on a condo in Edina, Minnesota.  I am sure that he didn’t do it just so he could go ice fishing this winter.  The Vikings’ single-game tickets go on sale July 20^th, so an announcement could be forthcoming prior to that date.  I don’t think it is the right move and I think that Vikings coach Brad Childress will be forced to play Favre the entire season regardless of how he performs.  There would be   a huge stigma attached to the coach who “sat” Brett Favre.  It’s really shaping up to be a ‘lose-lose’ scenario…

 

 

Well, it’s time to go check in to see how Mr. Chamberlain is doing…

 

 

–Scott