Retirement, or something, appears to be changing Sammy Sosa(notes). He and wife, Sonia, were recently in Las Vegas for the Latin Grammys, which included a tribute on Wednesday to singer Juan Gabriel. Photogs caught the Sosas on the red carpet and Sonia looks fabulous as always. As for Sammy ... well, there's no getting around it, but Sammy looked kind of pale.

His skin is undeniably lighter than at any time since he broke into the majors in 1989. Is it an illness, or a condition such as Vitiligo, in which depigmentation occurs? Is Sammy just bleaching his skin for fashion's sake? (Heh, "just.")

I wonder if he is changing his look, simply because his eyes are a different color. Sammy was born with brown eyes. He's taken to wearing green contact lenses and, quite frankly, they are extremely creepy. Is he co-starring in the upcoming "Twilight" sequel? The plastic suit also bothers me, just because it does.

Sammy, who hasn't played since 2007, has been accused of using modern chemistry to help him attain 609 career homers — including three seasons of 60-plus. Perhaps he's turning to science to give him a different veneer as he approaches his 41st birthday. Below, check out a few comparison shots to judge for yourself.

Shiny suit: check. Shiny hair: check. New fake eyes: check. Skin: as you were.

There's our brown-eyed handsome man. He generally resembles the skinny kid from San Pedro De Macoris. He also married well.

Sammy liked to do stuff to his hair back in the day. Has it lead to some kind of total obsession about his look?

The King of Pop underwent a similar kind of transformation.

• Due credit: 'Duk checked his e-mail and found this link from Jerod at Midwest Sports Fans. They discovered, to the best of my knowledge, the Sammy Sosa lightening. If you will.

• Sports By Brooks also puts its own slant on the Sammy-turning-white saga, so check them out too.

Yes, feel the heat, folks.One day after the White Sox and Royals swapped Chris Getz(notes) and Josh Fields(notes) for Mark Teahen(notes), the Brewers have sent shortstop J.J. Hardy(notes) up I-94 for Twins outfielder Carlos Gomez(notes). 

Though he was once part of the franchise's foundation, Hardy struggled with the Brewers in 2009 and even earned a trip to the minor leagues in August. With young Alcides Escobar(notes) already tabbed as the Brewers' shortstop of the future, Hardy became expendable and he'll have a shot at becoming the productive shortstop the Twins are seemingly always searching for.

As for Gomez, he struggled at the plate in 2009, posting a dismal .623 OPS over 137 games. His promise comes in the fact that he plays great defense and will still only be 24 years old on Opening Day. He was the key prospect in the Johan Santana(notes) deal, but a crowded Twins outfield means that he'll have to try to realize that potential at Miller Park.

Initial edge: Minnesota gets the early win here as it adds a solid piece for 2010 and possibly eliminates the need of paying Orlando Cabrera(notes) to return. Meanwhile, the Brewers are still dealing with a raw commodity and the only currently visible benefit is that they could save money by not bringing back Mike Cameron(notes) to play center field.   

Yahoo! Sports MLB editor Steve Henson is checking in with periodic updates from today's Yankees victory parade in Manhattan.

11:22 a.m. ET Commerce has pretty much shut down in Lower Manhattan today. Thousands of members of the work force are showering ticker tape and toilet paper from their high-rise office windows all over the Yankees as the World Series champions and their families inch up Broadway from the U.S. Customs House on Battery Place to City Hall Park.

Kids all over the city who stayed up too late Wednesday night to watch their Yankees win the World Series skipped school Friday to catch a glimpse of their heroes riding in cars and pinstriped-themed floats that mostly New Jersey-based fans began assembling after the Yankees took a 3-games-to-1 lead over the Phillies.

Good thing, though, that Dept. of Sanitation workers aren't playing hooky. Hundreds of workers with brooms are already cleaning up mounds of toilet paper piled cut loose from office windows along Broadway long before the parade even began.

It's 44 degrees with a slight, sharp wind blowing, and parade veterans know to grab a spot in the sun because stretches of sidewalk shaded by buildings are a good 15 degrees colder.

Yogi Berra, 84 years old and winner of 10 World Series as a Yankee, was the first to emerge from the Customs House where the team convened this morning, a scene described by a Yankees official as "a cocktail party without cocktails." Yogi might say, "This parade gets so crowded nobody goes there anymore," but the assembled fans appear to total in the hundreds of thousands, and the mayor's office undoubtedly will estimate it in the millions by day's end. Berra was also in the lead float during the Yankees' last parade, in 2000.

A.J. Burnett(notes) was the first current player to jump into a vehicle, but Series MVP Hideki Matsui(notes) eventually cut in front of him and will be the first player to ride. One of the last floats in line looks like a huge sailboat, with the sail a huge Yankees jersey.

New York knows the drill. More than 200 ticker-tape parades have been held in the ``Canyon of Heroes'' since 1886, when folks tossed ticker tape out of windows during a parade to dedication the Statue of Liberty. The most recent parade honored the football Giants for their 2008 Super Bowl victory.

TV reporters grabbed players as they walked to their floats. Not much controversial, as you'd imagine: "Thank you New York, we love you and we hope you are out here celebrating," pitcher Joba Chamberlain(notes) said, his hands tucked into his pockets as he braced for warm reception along the long, cold ride up Broadway.

* * *

12:08 update: Talk about moving the needle. Alex Rodriguez(notes) began the season in shame, admitting to steroid use years ago with the Texas Rangers. Today he's basking in the adulation of fans lined up 20 deep along Broadway, waving, smiling and casually chomping on gum from the railing of Float No. 4.

Rodriguez is sharing his float by hip-hop rapper Jay-Z, whose song with Alicia Keyes, "Empire State of Mind" has become something of a Big Apple anthem despite being panned by Rolling Stone as "a pallid New York shout-out."

As the ride progressed A-Rod's face went from bemused yet stoic behind dark sunglasses to smiling broadly and waving his hands above his head. The thaw between Rodriguez and Yankees fans has been a long time coming, and today it seems complete.

Amazing what batting .365 with six home runs and 18 RBIs during a single postseason can do to change perception.

Not far behind A-Rod and Jay-Z's ride came the $340 million float as Mark Teixeira(notes) ($180M) and CC Sabathia(notes) ($160M) rode together. After them, Derek Jeter(notes) and Jorge Posada(notes) shared a a long, comfortable flatbed with plenty of room aboard for friends and family, including Jeter's parents and Posada's wife and two children.

Once the parade ends, the Yankees will duck into City Hall for lunch, then emerge for a ceremony, speeches and assorted whooping and fist-pumping.

* * *

1:12 p.m. ET: A subtle difference between this celebration and the Yankees' most recent one in 2000: Players riding the floats no longer hold video cameras and tape the fans taping them. Nick Swisher(notes) was spotted filming a short from his phone, but, well, that's Nick Swisher.

Maybe the absurdity of filming a parade from the inside struck players after they dropped in a tape at home one night and realizing how incredibly boring it was to watch hordes of people cheering.

Or maybe video cameras are just passé, so 2000. To the current Yankees' credit, I never saw a single one talking on a cell phone or typing into a Blackberry during the parade. This was a day to honor tradition, and gadgetry didn't belong.

The supposed 1 p.m. ceremony at City Hall won't start on time. Yankees highlights were shown on a huge video screen while the crowd waited for the players to emerge from the City Hall building and take their seats on stage.

* * *

2:15 p.m.: Keys to New York City were handed out to everybody on the Yankees roster and to everyone in the front office, from GM Brian Cashman all the way down to the assistant trainer and Hideki Matsui's interpreter. Hal Steinbrenner and his sisters received keys. The ceremony ended with Hal returning to the podium to accept a key for his father, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. Conspicuously missing, however, was George's other son, Hank, who until sticking his foot in his mouth several times had been the family's most visible member the last two years. No key for Hank and no clue to his whereabouts.

Enduring images from the ceremony included A-Rod's dapper chapeau and the war whoop he let out as he snatched his key from Mayor Bloomberg; Derek Jeter sitting next to manager Joe Girardi in the front row, two close friends coolly enjoying another euphoric moment; and CC Sabathia towering over Jay-Z after the rapper concluded the ceremony with another rendition of his Sinatra wanna-be anthem, "Empire State of Mind."

One big complaint is that players either had nothing to say or they weren't allowed to say anything. Derek Jeter took the microphone at the beginning and said, "It's been too long, hasn't it? I'm a spokesperson for the team. . . . You really forget how great it feels." Then he said the Yankees fans were the greatest in the world, and that was it. Nobody else said a thing. I wasn't exactly expecting Sabathia to reprise Shaq and bellow, "Can you dig it?" but he at least should have had a chance to say something.

So everyone dispersed to the five boroughs, presumably without incident. It was a happy day, a city on the same page, a parade ritual without a hitch. New York might be the city that never sleeps, but after this ceremony nobody can again call it the city that never sweeps: Hundreds of workers wielding push-brooms flooded Broadway to clean up the shredded recyclable paper that had been handed out to numerous businesses as a facsimile of ticker tape. The authentic stuff hasn't rained from the windows in over 40 years.

A lot of wind was blown by politicians and Yankees broadcasters about a dynasty. Even Girardi referenced a conversation he had with George Steinbrenner earlier in the day in which the overriding topic was winning another World Series title next year. There was the sense that a November Yankees procession down Broadway could again become as regular as Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Yet even given the Yankees' enormous edge in revenue and payroll, repeating won't be easy. No team has done it since the Yankees won three in a row from 1998 to 2000.

The five winningest Yankee teams — 1927, 1932, 1939, 1961, and 1998 — all won between 106 and 114 games in the regular season and went a combined 27-3 in the postseason en route to five of the most famous championships in history. Their shadows loom large over all other Yankee teams, just as the Yankees themselves loom large over the rest of the league. Each had a run differential over 200 runs. The 1939 Yankees, behind Joe DiMaggio's first MVP campaign, had a mind-boggling run differential of 411 runs over 154 games, which translates to 2.7 runs per game and the top spot on ESPN's ranking of all the Yankee title teams. (The '09 squad is ranked 10th on that list.)

By contrast, the 2009 Yanks lost four playoff games in this postseason (which included two more rounds than the first four teams mentioned had to play). The '09 Yankee squad also finished second in baseball with a run differential of 162, exactly one run a game.

Good, of course, but not historic — it's only the 40th-best differential in Yankee history.

In other words, 2009 may be the most expensive Yankee championship in history, but it's far from the best — more 1999 than '98. The offense was terrific, leading the majors with 915 runs and a club-record 244 homers.

But the pitching was merely pedestrian, as the team allowed slightly more than the major league average of runs. By the time the World Series rolled around Joe Girardi could trust only three starters and one reliever. They were far from the halcyon days a decade ago of Mendoza-Stanton-Nelson-Rivera, despite my expectations to the contrary.

The best Yankee teams have had both dominant pitching and dominant hitting, but when push comes to shove the Yankees have always made their name — and their nickname — on their offense. The 1920s Yankees basically invented the modern offense, centered around sluggers in the No. 3 and No. 4 holes and supplemented by mashers throughout the lineup with few weak hitters anywhere on the diamond. The template hasn't changed much in the four score and several years since then.

These Yankees arguably have the best infield in franchise history, even compared to the highest-scoring offense in Yankee history, the '31 Yanks, with Hall of Fame C Bill Dickey, 1B Lou Gehrig, 2B Tony Lazzeri, and 3B Joe Sewell. In 1931, Lazzeri, Sewell, and light-hitting shortstop Lyn Lary all put up an OPS under .800, and Dickey's was only .820. The five combined for 76 homers and 46 of those were from Gehrig.

By contrast, every 2009 infielder had an OPS over .871, and though no one had more than Mark Teixeira's(notes) 39 homers, the five combined for 134 round trips.

No, they weren't quite as balanced top to bottom as they were in 1998, or 1927. But they were still the best team in baseball. And when you've reached the point where you start inspiring comparisons to the best Yankee squads of all time, you're a pretty good team.

With the World Series win in the bag, New York's late night television shows wasted no time in appropriating some of the Yankees stars for a ratings boost like the one Fox received. 

A couple of the clips from Thursday night are below and if you're a Yankees fan who can't get enough (or a non-Yankee fan who's already cringing) don't worry: This is only the start.  

* * *

Here's a highlight reel of Derek Jeter(notes), Andy Pettitte(notes), Jorge Posada(notes) and Hideki Matsui(notes) stopping by Letterman on Thursday night. Extra points to Jeter for being the only guy cool enough  to make fun of Dave's love life (besides Dave himself, of course) and also for the band's rendition of Blue Oyster Cult's Godzilla. For the full version, see parts 1, 2 and 3

* * *

Daily Show host Jon Stewart is a big Mets fan, but that didn't stop him from opening Thursday night's show by offering his heartfelt congratulations to the Yankees. 

Joba Chamberlain(notes) hugging his dad may have been one of the best World Series moments, but Joba Chamberlain appearing on Jimmy Fallon's show is definitely one of the worst. On an awkward scale of 1 to Michael Scott, this one is a nine. The show's writers are aware they're expected to provide jokes for their guests to tell, aren't they?

* * *

Something had to break us out of our intense World Series focus, so it might as well be a report that Tim Lincecum(notes) was cited for marijuana possession in Washington state on Oct. 30.

Tim Lincecum was busted for pot? Of course Tim Lincecum was busted for pot. I mean, you hate to stereotype here, but we're talking about the guy who dresses like this, fantasizes about stockpiling Dinty Moore beef stew and is often compared to the kid in Dazed and Confused who Wooderson thinks would be a lot cooler if he did. 

Here are the details from the AP:

"Washington State Patrol spokesman Steve Schatzel said Thursday that the 2008 Cy Young Award winner and former star at the University of Washington was pulled over for speeding on Interstate 5 about four miles north of the Oregon border on Oct. 30.

"An officer approached Lincecum's 2006 Mercedes and smelled marijuana. Schatzel says Lincecum immediately complied with a request to hand over the drug and a marijuana pipe.

"The amount measured was 3.3 grams. Schatzel says police consider that a small amount for personal use."

It doesn't sound like this will affect Lincecum's drive for a big contract too much — if anything, it'll only boost his status in most San Francisco neighborhoods — but you hate to hear that he had it so readily accessible while driving around.

You also hate to hear he's let down the parents of children who hang his poster on their walls. Timmy may be the Stew's favorite ballplayer for being such a counterculture force on the mound, but he's also a big role model for Little Leaguers out there, too.

For those of you who might be wondering, I've taken the liberty of doing some research and the answer is no — pitching 225 innings last season and trying to cope while watching San Francisco's woeful offense  are not on the list of qualifying conditions for medicinal marijuana use in Washington.

Over his seven seasons with the New York Yankees, Hideki Matsui(notes) seemingly blended into the background of the Yankees universe, his talent drowned out by the star power of those in the lineup around him. In Japan, he has always played second banana to Ichiro(notes), the face of all things Major League Baseball to the Japanese population.

But after Wednesday's big performance against the Phillies, Matsui turned into the king of both spheres, making the World Series a bit more true to its name by becoming the first Japanese player to be named World Series MVP.

From the Associated Press:

"Japanese workers crammed into downtown electronics stores to watch the final few innings on giant TVs. The game ended just before 2 p.m. local time Thursday, giving workers an excuse to take an extended lunch break.

"'All the news recently has been about Ichiro Suzuki,' said office worker Hiroyuki Takeuchi, who took the morning off to watch the game. 'But Matsui's presence is huge. He overcame injuries and came through with the performance of a lifetime. As a Japanese, I'm very proud today.'"

The AP speculates that the 35-year-old Matsui could return to Japan to play for the Hanshin Tigers — the fierce rival of his former team, the Yomiuri Giants – if he doesn't sign a new deal with the Yankees. Whether or not a few hot days against the Phillies will talk the Yankees into bringing back Matsui's bad knees remains to be seen, but the outcome will never take away from the one day he was the brightest star in the baseball world.   

Especially when the feat is compared to what Girardi did after the party at Yankee Stadium ended.

Police say Girardi stopped in the wee hours Thursday to help a motorist who crashed her car into a wall after losing control on the Cross Country Parkway in suburban Westchester County.

The crash happened at a particularly dangerous section of roadway, so it not only surprised police to see Girardi on the scene jumping up and down and waving his arms to flag them down, but it also worried them.

From Lohud.com: 

The area is notorious for its blind spots and Girardi, who parked his car along the right side of the parkway, and then ran across the traffic to get to the injured motorist, put his life at risk, police said.

"He could have gotten killed," county Sgt. Thomas McGurn said, adding that responding police units take extra precaution in that area because of the blind curve and speeding cars. "Traffic goes by at 80 mph."

The driver was stunned from the accident and otherwise unhurt, but Girardi probably didn't know that as he became a human Frogger, rushing into traffic to reach the accident scene. The motorist didn't realize who was helping until police told her afterward.

Shortly after the cops arrived, Girardi said he "had to get going." And then he darted across traffic again, got into his car, and presumably drove home.

"The guy wins the World Series, what does he do? He stops to help," said Westchester County police officer Kathleen Cristiano, who was among the first to arrive at the accident scene. "It was totally surreal."

And revealing about what kind of person Girardi is. Baseball fans can forever debate about Girardi's managerial decisions — and sometimes, he makes rather curious ones.

But when it comes to real life, he's going to do the right thing.

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NEW YORK — My time in the Big Apple is drawing to a close — there's a plane at LaGuardi to catch — but this whole World Series bender on the East Coast has certainly had its share of moments. Here are a few candid shots I took on my clunky point-and-shoot during Wednesday's celebration at Yankee Stadium. From paparazzo shots of Spike Lee and Jason Sudeikis to pictures of the crowded clubhouse scene, I'm amazed at how they turned out.

We'll have plenty of more World Series goodness once Stew Force One touches back down in the Windy City, but I want to thank everyone for coming along on the ride for both the regular season and all of our postseason coverage. It's always an honor and a pleasure and I already can't wait to do it again next season. Go baseball.   

NEW YORK — The throng of media members around the makeshift stage seemed impenetrable, but Harlan Chamberlain motored his way through all of the cameras and notepads anyway. Reaching a blue barrier, he stopped his scooter, strained to look over a crowd of world champion Yankee ballplayers and tried to get a glimpse of his son. When that proved useless, he simply resorted to his considerable vocal chords.

"Jaaaaaaahba!" he yelled. "Jaaaaaaaaaahba!"

Harlan said his son's name a few more times, then spied A.J. Burnett(notes) in the crowd.

"Burnett!" he said. "Can you get my son!"  

Burnett could and a few moments later, Joba Chamberlain(notes) put down the giant blue Yankee flag he had been waving up on stage. The big Yankees pitcher hopped off the stage, disappeared from the view of the Fox cameras and quickly made a beeline for his father. When they came together, they wrapped each other in a huge rocking bearhug.

It wasn't long before both were crying.

They said the same thing over and over. 

"We did it, dad," Joba said.

"We did it," Harlan said.

"We did it," Joba said.

"We did it," Harlan said.

And on and on. They held tight for almost a minute. Their eyes were red when they let go.

You see the Yankees' $200+ million payroll and it's easy to get cynical. Same goes for their $1.5 billion new stadium, the seats that cost more than the average mortgage payment, the steroid controversies involving some of their team members and all the endless hype and hooey about mystique, aura and all the Yankee legends and ghosts. 

But then you see this very simple and very real scene of a 24-year-old pitcher sharing the hug of a lifetime with his dad and you remember that those father-son relationships — one of the only things that really matter — are at the very heart of this great game that we love. 

The same dynamic was on display everywhere at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night. Way up in the upper deck, a dad tossed his little son into the air whenever Hideki Matsui(notes) came through (which was often). A mid-20s hipster sitting next to them made sure to ask one of my co-workers to snap a photo of him and his pops with his grainy cell phone camera. CC Sabathia(notes) did his postgame interviews with his little son on his shoulders the whole time.

And while all of those tiny little snapshots meant the world to those pictured in them, none of them seemed quite as remarkable to outsiders as the one taken by the Chamberlains.

Their story has been told often since Joba became a pitcher with the Yankees. Harlan was stricken with polio as a child and his health problems have confined him to the trademark scooter that gets him recognized by Yankee fans everywhere. Despite his limitations, he raised both Joba and his sister in Nebraska and provided for them while working in a prison. The sad story of Joba's mother is sadly well-known — she's facing 20 years in jail for a drug charge — but he's always had the love and support from an extraordinary father. They call each other their best friends. It's impossible for them to be any closer. 

I caught up with Harlan later on Wednesday night and asked him what it was like to see his son pitch a scoreless inning in a World Series clincher. Then I asked him what it was like to have the hug on the field with him afterward. His eyes were still teary as he talked. 

"I told my son for years that he would do this, we would talk about getting to the World Series all the time" said Harlan while stopped near home plate of Yankee Stadium. "We just shared that moment while realizing that he did it. I pinched myself a few times. It's pretty awesome.

"We love each very much. This whole adventure in life is about family and in our case, it's about father and son."

In the days ahead, we're sure to see a lot of scenes from the Yankees 27th championship. Some we'll be bound to remember. Some we'll be bound to forget.

It's not hard to tell which category the Chamberlains' special moment will fall under, because it rarely gets much better than that 

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This isn't the last we'll see of his Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series.

"I'm gonna tell you something. We will be back," Manuel said. "As MacArthur said, I guess, we will be back."

MacArthur might have been talking about retaking the Philippines from Japan, but Gen. Manuel probably means it just as much as ol' corn cob pipe (right) did. These have been two amazing seasons put together by the Phillies, who have proven just by getting back to the World Series that success doesn't have to be fleeting.

General manager Ruben Amaro has some issues to address, because if the World Series against the Yankees showed anything, it's how flawed two teams playing for a championship can be. But the Phillies can visit the World Series again next season, and win, if they follow through on these three simple steps:

1. Sign John Lackey(notes). This is pretty straightforward. He doesn't have all that many miles on him. Has postseason experience. Doesn't lack colefidence, um, confidence. Lackey and Cliff Lee(notes) give you guys you can count on. Joe Blanton(notes), too, if you're not going to count on him too much. The rest of the rotation — J.A. Happ(notes), Jamie Moyer(notes), Marty Bystrom — will sort itself out.

2. Sign Mark DeRosa(notes) to play third base and buy out Pedro Feliz(notes). Actually, Chone Figgins(notes) would be better (Jimmy Rollins(notes) isn't a leadoff hitter) but where's all the cash going to come from? What, are the Phills made of money, or something? Anyway, DeRosa has a habit of making the playoffs (six times in 10 seasons) and, if his hand injury is healed, he will fit like a Lego in a Legoland.

3. Take your best guess with Brad Lidge(notes). Relief pitchers are like the content of a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get. The Phillies bullpen was pretty much a disaster in the World Series, but relievers are so flighty, it's hard to say what Amaro should do. If he leaves them all alone, maybe they come back like 2008. Maybe he changes them around and none of them work out. He just needs to make sure the closer is sound, no matter who it is. It all flows from there, as Mariano Rivera(notes) demonstrated.

NEW YORK — It only took six seasons with the Yankees and 16 years overall, but Alex Rodriguez(notes) can finally call himself a World Series champion. The controversial third baseman is no longer among the greatest players to never win a title — sorry Ernie Banks, Dan Marino and Patrick Ewing! — and the relief on A-Rod's face was visible in the champagne celebration that followed the Yankees' 7-3 victory in Wednesday's Game 6 of the World Series.

After hitting .365 with six homers and 18 RBIs this postseason, A-Rod eagerly grabbed the Commissioner's Trophy and paraded it into the Yankees clubhouse. He appeared emotional when talking with reporters and cried while hugging teammates. He seemed more at ease with everything around him, the stress of playing under the Big Apple pressure relieved by bringing the first title to New York in almost 10 years.

A-Rod also even took time to cut loose in front of everyone, sharing a shot of an unidentified brown liquid with backup catcher Jose Molina(notes) and the ensuing scene with Kim Jones of the YES Network made every onlooker laugh. The Stew was right there and we noww present you with a shot-by-shot account, complete with captions the participants really didn't say!

"This commercial break is taking way too long. Don't they know we just won No. 27?"

* * *

A-Rod: "Oh! Oh! It's Jose Molina and he's carrying a large jug. Time to quench my thirst."

Kim Jones: "You sure that's a good idea, A-Rod? We're about to go live."

* * *

"That tasted terrible!  Take it back ... take it back!" 

* * *

A-Rod: "That iced tea you just handed me must've gone bad, Jose!" 

Molina: "What's with you and always ingesting things without asking what they are first?" 

* * *

"Woo! Whoa! Hoo boy!  My head, it feels light ..." 

* * *

" ... the back of my throat, it burns ..." 

* * *

" ... and I think I left my credit card at that last bar!" 

* * *

A-Rod: "I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit." 

Jones: "He just threw up in his mouth a bit!"

* * *

"I just had a brilliant idea: We'll get slices of pizza on the way home!" 

* * *

"Just let me close my eyes for a rest first." 

Score and situation: Yankees 7, Phillies 3  Yankees win Series 4-2

Leading lads: Stone-faced Hideki Matsui(notes) went 3-for-4 with a homer and six RBIs to almost single-handledly (or double-handedly, since we're talking swinging) make the Yankees offense go in Game 6. He made the most of his limited plate appearances, clubbing three homers and driving in eight runs in just 13 at-bats to win Series MVP. He also might have played in his final game with the Yankees; he will be a free agent.

Mariano Rivera(notes) was the Yankees' rock at the end of the game as usual, going the final 1 2/3 innings to close it out for a save — in spirit.

Head hangers: The Phillies went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and most of it hangs around the neck of Pedro Feliz(notes), who left five runners stranded.

Key play: The Phillies' best threat of the night came with them down four runs in the seventh, but left-hander Damaso Marte(notes) struck out Chase Utley(notes) with two men aboard to sink the rally. Marte had an awful, injury plagued regular season, but he was unscored-upon in eight playoff appearances.

Key stat: Pedro Martinez(notes) threw 77 pitches but 31 were outside of the strike zone. His inability to command, plus a lack of zip made it amazing the Yankees didn't score more.

What they're talking about: The Yankees won their first title since 2000, which seems like a couple of lifetimes for the Bronx Bombers.

What they're saying: "You never know where you're going to get back here." — Jorge Posada(notes).

What's next: A parade for the Yankees. Then spring training in about 3 1/2 months.

NEW YORK — Hideki Matsui(notes) sure picked a good time to have his finest game as a Yankee.

With free agency (and a possible departure from New York) looming in the offseason, Matsui went 3-for-4 with a homer, a double and six RBIs in New York's 7-3 title-clinching victory against the Phillies in Game 6.

For his efforts, Matsui was named World Series MVP and is the first Japanese player to receive the honor.

"It's awesome, it's just unbelievable," Mastui said through a translator. "I mean, I'm surprised myself."

His six RBIs tied a Fall Classic record for most in a game (set by the Yankees' Bobby Richardson in 1960) and gave New York more than enough offense to win their 27th World Series title.

For a man nicknamed Godzilla, Matsui went straight monster mash against Philadelphia. His killer night started in the second inning with a two-run home run that ended an eight-pitch battle with Phillies starter Pedro Martinez(notes), continued with a two-run single in the third and extended itself with a two-run double in the fifth. Only a RBI single by Mark Teixeira(notes)  prevented announcers from calling the score as "Matsui 6, Philadelphia 3."

The absence of the DH in National League parks kept Matsui on the bench for the start of all three games against  Philadelphia. He only had 13 total at-bats in the series, finishing with a .615 batting average and a 2.027 OPS.

NEW YORK — There are now just under two hours left until the first pitch of World Series Game 6 and it can't come fast enough.* While it was fun to talk about storylines like Chase Utley's MVP status, the possibility of Pedro Martinez's last turn on the big stage and factors that may or may not affect Andy Pettitte's effort, it's time to play ball.

*Because there are only so many chuckles you can get out of a NY post cover.

Are we headed for another high-scoring affair like Game 5? A duel between the two old horses, Pedro and Pettitte, like in Game 2? I think we're headed for the latter and it'll turn into a classic on what's a very chilly November night in the Bronx. For fans as baseball, it doesn't get much better than two familiar opponents facing off with the World Series on the line. (Well, unless it's a Game 7 that features CC Sabathia(notes) vs. Cliff Lee(notes), but first things first.) 

More to come later, but feel free to discuss the game in the space below.   

I can't say for certain what Yankees catcher Jorge Posada(notes) is saying to Joe Girardi's son Dante here, but I'm willing to bet a large Ray's pizza it has something to do with pops letting Jose Molina(notes) start two games in the World Series. 

So have at it, amateur Intenet copy editors of the world. How should this caption read?

Follow the jump for winners from the last World Series C-a-C:

No one told Tommy about the Dodgers?

1st — NorCalJon: "Are you saying there's no hard feelings?" ...  "Son, at my age, there's no hard anything."

2nd — Peter D. "Judo chop!"

3rd — Brandon. "I get that you just had a garlic knot but I still don't wanna smell your hand!"

So how do the fine citizens of the Bronx sweeten the pot and lock down the only player capable of making the Brett Favre coverage look like a mere blotter item for the rest of his career?

Why, they build him his own bridge near Yankee Stadium and slap his name on it, of course.  

According to a report, there is serious consideration being paid to naming a future 512-foot bridge after the Yankees shortstop. The bridge would "span the Metro-North tracks that bisect East 153rd Street between Park Avenue and the Grand Concourse" and cost an estimated $87 million.

(Only $102 million less than the contract that Jeter signed in early 2001.)

From the New York Post:

"There have been conversations at the community board, and I know the idea is being examined," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., a Bombers fan who confesses to a "man crush" on the Captain.

"It's something I am ready to support. We're moving on it."

No idea if such a bridge would be enough (along with about $25 million a season) to keep Jeter from turning the Earth on its axis and preventing the collapse of everything is good and true. But a bridge with the Captain's name on it has to be better than a dingy Tex-Mex restaurant or the Derek Jeter 24 Hour Fitness I walked by in midtown last night, no? 

A big BLS head nod to FanHouse for the redirect.

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It's mostly full of fans complaining that if you're going to pop the bubbly, you should man up and avoid the damage with a time-honored flinching and a closing of the eyes that will come too late and do nothing.

But writer Jocelyn Noveck also took the time to call up a doctor to get an interesting medical explanation — past the usual "it's alcohol in your eyes, dummy"  — for why baseball players don protective eyewear while engaging in various title parties. 

From the Associated Press:

"Talk to an eye doctor, though, and you'll be converted to the pro-goggle side with the speed of one of (CC) Sabathia's fastballs.

"Champagne has a high alcohol content, high enough to damage the surface lining of the cornea, says Dr. Matthew Gardiner, director of emergency ophthalmology services at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. (For those medically inclined, the lining is called the epithelium.)

"'A corneal abrasion like that usually heals within two to three days, but it can be extremely painful while it's healing," says Gardiner.'"

The Corneal Abrasions. Sounds like a great name for a punk band.

I can't say that I blame ballplayers for protecting their multi-million dollar eyes from the dangers of the champagne spray. Hitting a fastball in the World Series is tough enough ... why make it tougher with burning epitheliums from an ALCS postgame scrum?

NEW YORK — So I was ordering lunch in Philadelphia the other day when the counter person at the market rang up my items and delivered the total: $6.66.

The number of the beast! Hell's address! The devil's digits!

Now, this has happened to me before and whenever it does, my superstitious self has either ordered another item or left a little extra tip or both to help even the daily balance between good and evil. Perhaps many of you do the same.  

Many of you are probably also wondering where I'm going with this and ultimately it's toward this clumsy yet interesting comparison: For the first three Game 6s of his storied postseason career, Andy Pettitte(notes) seemed all sorts of cursed while pitching in that sixth slot of the series. To wit:

• In Game 6 of the 2001 World Series (above and right) Pettitte blew the Yankees' chance to clinch by giving up six runs to the Diamondbacks over just two innings. Arizona would win the game 15-2 and would go on to take the Series in seven games. 

• In Game 6 of the 2003 ALCS, Pettitte gave up four runs over the first five innings of a clinching effort against Boston. Though he received a no decision, the Yankees lost the game (but it turned out to be somewhat of a blessing: The defeat paved the way for Aaron Boone's(notes) memorable home run in extra innings of Game 7).

• In Game 6 of the 2003 World Series, Pettitte pitched great, giving up only one earned run over seven innings while striking out seven. The Yankees offense, however, went missing and Pettitte was tagged with a hard luck loss in a 2-0 game that gave the Marlins the world championship trophy at Yankee Stadium.

For the next six seasons, that was the personal 6-6-6 for Pettitte, who was (and is) otherwise the most victorious pitcher in MLB playoff history.

Then came Game 6 of the ALCS against the Angels on Oct 25. Pettitte was his old lockdown self, giving up only one earned run while striking out six over 6 1/3 innings. The Yankees headed to the World Series on the strength of the win and it just may have been the pitching equivalent of tossing two bucks in the tip jar. 

(See? I told you that would be clumsy. Blame it on the dementia-causing dirty water dogs.)

Pettitte's performance in his fifth Game 6 outing, of course, will be less about the number of the game and more about the three days rest he's pitching on because he's 4-6 with a 4.15 ERA while pitching on that plan.

Still, if you're a superstitious sort like me, it never hurts to be too careful. That Angels win could have made all the difference.

That's the question being asked today by The Sporting News' Dan Levy, a noted Phillies fan and a Philadelphia-area based friend of The Stew. 

(Translation: Don't get all over my case, because it was a Fightins' fan who first brought it up.) 

At any rate, I love this type of argument, particularly for the lazy workout day before what should be a great Game 6 on Wednesday. Losing MVPs are the farthest thing from a frequent occurrence in the playoffs, but they haven't been completely absent either. There's been one losing Super Bowl MVP (the Cowboys' Chuck Howley in Super Bowl V), one losing NBA Finals MVP (the Lakers' Jerry West in 1969) and five losing Conn Smythe winners in the NHL (which is based on the entire Stanley Cup run, not just the finals).

There's also been only one losing World Series MVP in Yankees second baseman Bobby Richardson, who had 12 RBIs against Pittsburgh in the 1960 World Series and presented a case that apparently couldn't be swayed by his Pirates counterpart hitting one of the most famous home runs in the history of baseball.  

So could Utley join Richardson as guys who left with a nice parting gift?

As much as I'd like to be non-conformist and say yes, I think I have to say probably not. 

If you were to take a vote right now — ie: without a World Series winner having been decided —  there's probably no question that Utley would get the award. His two multi-homer games have keyed both of Philadelphia's wins and he's hit five overall homers to join Reggie Jackson as the most homeriffic Fall Classicker. He's hitting .333 overall and produced enough power to pull the weight of the guy striking out behind him. 

But MVP cases have also been mounted on the other side of the field by Alex Rodriguez(notes), Mariano Rivera(notes) and Johnny Damon(notes), while Derek Jeter(notes) is just waiting for one signature moment to build a case. It's hard to imagine that one of them (or another late-charging Yankee) won't figure even more prominently into a World Series clinching win.

Throw in the fact that the media will be eager to give either A-Rod or Rivera a lifetime achievement award and it's hard to see Utley stealing the MVP — no matter how good his numbers are.

But Utley, of course, is just a way of Trojan horsing our way into the debate on whether a player from a losing team can ever win World Series MVP. The Phillies could win the next two games while A-Rod hits a grand slam in both of them and this argument would be completely reversed. 

My take: While a player can win a regular season MVP without a plethora of team achievements, I tend to think that the World Series MVP should be reserved as an honor for the winning team, much like the extra playoff kitty they get to divide up into shares.

If the award was defined by the entire postseason run — in which case it'd be going to A-Rod — that might be another story. But in a six- or seven-game series, the spoils should mostly go to the victor with an exception only being made in the rarest of cases.

What do you think? Should a World Series MVP ever come from the losing squad?

The Yankees employ long-standing regulations about personal grooming standards when it comes to hair, but it seems like SOME people are flouting the rules. Hmm, Johnny Damon(notes)?

That's OK, with the World Series returning to the Big Gotham. The N.Y. Daily News has found local options for ballplayer hair-trimming — if the Yanks only follow the lead of folks in the seats.

Fans who have spirit (yes, they do!) are headed to borough barbershops and salons to have a stylist shave the Yankees' logo into their heads.

Party like it's 1992. The haircuts recall to some the 2000 Subway Series (the last World Series the Yanks won, oddly enough) in which fans declared their allegiance to either the Mets or Yankees by trimming their domes appropriately. The Phillies forcing Game 6 apparently is enough to make some New Yorkers' hair stand on end.

From the Daily News:

"I only do it for the World Series," says Tom McBride, a 38-year-old electrician from Queens.

Only for the Series. Astor Place Hair Designers in the East Village, for example, charges $40 for this service.

The price falls well within the budgets of Damon and teammate Nick Swisher(notes) — whose "Swish Hawk" looks more like a Jimmy Neutron pompadour and needs to go. It's killing the Boss on the inside.

Whatever the Yanks do, they must act soon. Damon turns into the Wolfman any midnight now.

... Yeah, I'd like a lot off the top and the Empire State Building in the back. ...

* * *

Phillies slugger Ryan Howard(notes) hasn't let teammate Chase Utley(notes) enter the World Series record books all by himself during this World Series against the Yankees.

In an almost balancing fashion, Utley's home run power surge against New York has been matched by Howard, whose strikeout binge has tied Royals' speedster Willie Wilson for the most Ks in World Series history with 12 trips back to the bench.

Phillies fans probably recall the 1980 World Series, which ended with Tug McGraw striking out Wilson to end Game 6 at Veterans Stadium and clinch the first title in club history.

Like Utley's five Series homers to tie Reggie Jackson's 32-year-old mark, Wilson's was a good record for the Phillies. On the other hand, Howard wants nothing more to do with swinging and missing. After winning the NLCS MVP against the Dodgers, he's batting .158 (3-for-19) in the Series and is 1-for-14 since he hit a pair of doubles in Game 1.

Howard's 12th strikeout came between solo home runs for Utley and Raul Ibanez(notes) against left-hander Phil Coke(notes) in the bottom of the seventh of Monday's Game 5. Howard can't say it's all good Yankees pitching that has him struggling.

The Yankees will start devilish lefty Andy Pettitte in tonight's Game 6 and lefty CC Sabathia(notes) (if necessary) in Game 7, so if Howard is to break his slump, he'll have to do it against southpaws. And we all know he's significantly weaker against lefties.

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Warning: This video has some late night TV language. Proceed with caution. 

Nobody puts folks in their place quite like the Daily Show, and if anyone needed to check themselves in the past 48 hours, it's probably those who root for New York and Philadelphia sports teams.

Specifically, fans of the Yankees and Phillies, along with the Giants and Eagles. Representatives from all of the above squeezed into the same sports complex in South Philly on Sunday for the imperfect storm of NFL and World Series tailgaiting madness.

Most were on their best behavior, probably. Some, though, not as much. Lots of trash talk. Lots of potty mouths. Lots of testosterone (and that's not a steroid reference). Lots of "You suck!" and "No, YOU suck!" Some of it was more imaginative than that. And meaner. And possibly drunker.

Whose fans were on their worst behavior? As it usually does, the Daily Show let the people speak for themselves.

Tip of the hat to SBNation for taping the Daily Show for us.

Chase Utley(notes) may be Mr. November, but let's at least credit the Phanatic with an assist.

They'll have a few points to touch on, of course: Their next two pitchers will be throwing on the same three days' rest as A.J. Burnett(notes). Mark Teixeira(notes) continues to be a postseason phantom. The bottom of the lineup has been about as productive as a rusted-out wheat thresher.

There are probably a few more issues I'm forgetting that will be resurrected over the next 32 or so hours, but the truth is that the Yankees maintained a pretty even keel after Monday night's Game 5 and so should their fans.

Did the Phillies lineup look impressive on Monday night? Yes. Is Chase Utley(notes) crushing the ball? Mmm hmm. Is Philadelphia a team capable of pulling off a comeback from 3-1? You bet.

Still, the fact remains that New York holds a 3-2 lead with the two remaining games scheduled for their own place. They have the postseason's most victorious pitcher scheduled for Game 6 and the $160 million man going for Game 7. They have a superior and more trustworthy bullpen and history remains on their side because a World Series winner hasn't overcome a 3-1 deficit since the 1985 Royals. (And only six teams out of 43 have resurrected themselves.) 

There will be time to worry should Pedro Martinez(notes) and the Phillies summon a little Game 6 magic on Wednesday night. But for now the Yankees have a one-game lead over a team that has just as many areas to worry over. All's well in the Bronx, everybody remain calm. 

PHILADELPHIA — When he finally emerged from the postgame showers, Shane Victorino(notes) acted like he was surprised to see a media crowd gathered around his locker. 

"Two thumbs up, everyone," the Phillies center fielder said while lifting a Philadelphia UFC shirt over his head. "That's all you need to know. No broke, no fracture."  

That, of course, was the diagnosis everyone had been waiting to hear from the Phillie himself, even though he kept insisting it was not much of a story. 

But the truth is that anyone who watched the Phillies' 8-6 victory over the Yankees in Monday night's Game 5 knew that the status of Victorino's right index finger — as well as the perseverance of the player attached to it — would be a hot topic.

Victorino was hit square on the digit by A.J. Burnett(notes) in the first inning and fell to the ground in considerable pain. He stayed in the game, though, and came around to score on Chase Utley's(notes) three-run home run (above), which occurred on the next pitch from Burnett. Victorino clearly favored the finger over the next few innings, shaking it vigorously before catching an Alex Rodriguez(notes) fly ball to center and then ducking into the clubhouse for X-rays during the Phillies' extended at-bat during the third inning. 

"It got stiffer as the game went on, but throwing was fine," Victorino said after an 0-for-3 night that ended when he was lifted for Ben Francisco(notes) in the eighth. "Hitting was a little different, a little tough. I couldn't find my grip.

"That's no excuse for me stinking it up at the plate, but everything's fine."

Victorino kept his right hand in his pocket for most of the postgame interview, but briefly revealed the finger's swelling when asked by reporters. He said the off day on Tuesday should give it time to heal and that he should be good to go for Wednesday's Game 6.

In a strange coincidence, it was Burnett who shattered Jayson Werth's wrist in spring training a few years back. Also, any thoughts that the HBP was a revenge measure for all the A-Rod peltings this season should have expired after considering that Jimmy Rollins(notes) had just led off the inning with a single and Burnett was pitching with an early 1-0 lead.

"A.J. looked at me when I got to first base and said 'my bad.' " Victorino said. "It was no retaliation, I'll tell you that much."  

Score and situation: Phillies 8, Yankees 6  New York leads series 3-2

Leading lad: Chase Utley(notes), is there anything you can't do? Utley homered twice, giving him five in the Series to tie Reggie Jackson's 32-year-old record. Reggie can still be Mr. October however; three of Utley's homers have come in November. Utley also has seven career homers in the World Series; only Duke Snider, with 11, has more in a career among NL players. Utley is hitting .333 in the series, but has yet to single. His other hit in 18 at-bats was a double.

Head hangers: Somewhat predictably, A.J. Burnett(notes) wasn't as sharp as he was in Game 2. Pitching with three days of rest, he allowed six runs, four hits and four walks in two-plus innings.

Phil Coke(notes), whose job it is to get out lefties, allowed solo homers to lefties Utley and Raul Ibanez(notes) in the bottom of the seventh, giving Philly insurance it would need.

Key play: With Alex Rodriguez(notes) on deck as the potential tying run in the ninth, Derek Jeter(notes) grounded into a double play to kill the Yankees rally against closer Ryan Madson(notes).

Key stat: X-rays on Shane Victorino's(notes) hand were negative for a break, which gives the Phillies a huge break for the rest of the Series.

What they're talking about: It's hard to second-guess manager Joe Girardi for using Burnett instead of, say, Chad Gaudin(notes). Gaudin tossed one inning in the ALCS on Oct. 20, but hasn't started a game since Sept. 3. Even the mighty Yankees lack pitching depth.

What they're saying:

"It's cool. It's pretty surreal. I'm glad we got the win tonight. We're going back to Yankee Stadium." — Chase Utley

What's next: A rested Pedro Martinez(notes), who lost Game 2, gets one more crack at the Yankees in the Bronx at 7:57 ET on Wednesday night. Andy Pettitte(notes), the winningest pitcher in postseason history, probably goes for the Yanks with three days of rest.

Except for the L.A. Looks gel in his hair, Chase Utley(notes) finishes second to Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson on style points.

When it comes to substance in the World Series, though, Utley is right there with Mr. October.

Utley tied Jackson's record for most home runs in a World Series when he connected against Yankees' left-hander Phil Coke(notes) in the bottom of the seventh inning of Game 5, helping the Phillies to an 8-6 victory. 

Here's Utley's homer against Coke.

It was Utley's second homer of the night; he also hit a three-run shot against A.J. Burnett(notes) to help the Phillies extend their lead in a win-or-else situation; they trail the Yankees three games to two heading back to New York on Wednesday.

Jackson set the mark in the 1977 World Series, famously hitting three homers in the Game 6 clincher against the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. The performance went a long way in creating Jackson's "Mr. October" nickname and persona.

PHILADELPHIA — And on the fourth day, A.J. Burnett(notes) wilted.

Charged with taking the ball on three days rest and carrying the Yankees over the threshold to their 27th championship, the pitcher wasn't up to the challenge in the Phillies' 8-6 victory in Game 5. The $80 million righthander gave up six runs — including a three-run homer to Chase Utley(notes) in the first inning — over just two innings of work against the Phillies. 

"I had a chance to do something special tonight and I failed," Burnett said.

Burnett was masterful against the Phillies in his big Game 2 win last Thursday and was the owner of a three days rest record that was a bit reassuring to Yankees fans. But neither was enough to guarantee great command or a compliant Phillies lineup the next time out. It's hard not to applaud Burnett's willingness to be handed the ball with a championship on the line, but he just didn't have enough to lock it down early in Philadelphia.

Andy Pettitte(notes)? You might be next. 

PHILADELPHIA — I've heard and read more than a few Phillies and Yankees fans going back and forth the past few days about payroll. Should the Yankees wrap up title No. 27 tonight (or sometime this week), that bickering will only continue deep into the offseason.

With a payroll ledger twice the size of Philadelphia, the Yankees certainly enjoy a nice advantage over the World Series opponents (although no one ever mentions that spending all that money hasn't bought them anything since 2000).

Still, I don't think that Phillies fans — which had a team with an opening day payroll of $113 million, good for seventh highest in the league — have much of an argument. That type of beef should be reserved for the Oaklands and Kansas Cities of the world.  

After the disappointment of Sunday's 7-4 loss to the Yankees, it's not hard to understand why that sentiment reigns and the natural reaction is to compare Brad Lidge's(notes) three-run meltdown to Mitch Williams' blown save in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series. Both rank among the biggest gut punches ever delivered to Philadelphia fans and both came from the arms of relievers who came into the World Series with a reputation for being shaky.

With the exception of a few knee-jerk reactionaries, the overwhelming opinion seems to be that Mitch Williams serving up that legendary three-run homer to Toronto's Joe Carter hurt much worse. I agree with that take, but thought I'd take it a bit further and break it down with a trio of arguments for both bottom-of-the-barrel moments.  

Why Mitch Williams in '93 was worse

1. It lost the World Series: This is easily the biggest trump card owned by either side. Wild Thing's down-and-in fastball was caught by Carter's bat, which sent it over the left-field fence for only the second homer to end a World Series. The '93 Phillies had no more life after the blast, whereas the '09 edition could come back and play the next day.  

2. Phils were leading at the time: After falling behind to Toronto 5-1 in the fifth inning, the Phillies scored five runs in the seventh to take a one-run lead. Williams could have forced a Game 7 with two more outs, a guarantee that didn't exist with Lidge.

(As much as the feeling in CBP suggested otherwise, there's nothing saying the Phillies definitely would have scored to win the game in the bottom of the ninth.)

3. Philly didn't have previous success: Should the Phillies go on to lose this Series, the '09 Fightins' fans will eventually be able to appreciate how much their team achieved just by successfully defending its '08 NL championship and reaching the Fall Classic for the second straight October. The '93 squad, meanwhile, was the only bright oasis in what was otherwise a dim 25-year period between World Series appearances. The team had a very short window of sucess and once Carter slammed it, there was no opening it back up. You can't say the same about this current core.

* * *

Why Brad Lidge in '09 was worse

1. It came at home: The difference between '09 and '93?  Over 45,000 Philadelphians who paid hundreds of dollars to watch the horror and had their soaring hopes stunningly crushed after Pedro Feliz's(notes) tying home run in the eighth inning. 

2. It came at the hands of a New York team: With apologies to the fine people of Canada, Toronto-Philly isn't exactly New York-Philly. Preening Yankees fans might always be able to point toward Johnny Damon's double dash as a living moment of New York's baseball superiority and life near the Phillies-Yankees DMZ line in New Jersey suddenly got a lot tougher for those who prefer red.   

3. Expectations were higher: The 2009 crew did not enter the season like a bunch of happy go-lucky ballplayers who preferred the mullet. No, they entered the season as WFCs and the pressure to become the first National League team to repeat since the 1976 Reds was enormous. The only way to prove that this edition was better than '08s was with a World Series championship and Lidge's surrender — though it came against three of baseball's best — severely hurt those dreams. Unless Philadelphia can come through and win three straight, the prospect of almost evening up the World Series at 2-2 is going to hurt for awhile. 

Which meltdown do you think was worse?

Ho hum. Another season, another title for the Bronx. There'd be more soon, undoubtedly. We were just trying to figure out what enraged Roger Clemens(notes) enough to whip a shard of Mike Piazza's broken bat right back at the slugger in Game 2 (right).

What was with the red glare, Rocket?

In the year 2000, the Earth was a different planet compared to the rock on which we live today. Let's step into the wayback machine, or take a ride in the DeLorean if you like, to see just how different it was ...

... the last time the Yankees last won the World Series ...

• ... Still on a high because of his Famous Flip against the Athletics in the ALDS, Series MVP Derek Jeter(notes) was linked to Miss Universe Lara Dutta. At least eight more celebrity girlfriends came and went until the current Ms. Right, TV's Minka Kelly.

•  ... The Backstreet Boys were larger than life; Justin Timberlake, Joey Fatone, J.C. Chasez and Jeter's pal Lance Bass were still all *NSYNC with each other; America's temperature was a collective 98 degrees, thanks to Nick Lachey and the fellas with their top-10 hit, "Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)."

• ... A 25-year-old Alex Rodriguez(notes) took the hand of agent Scott Boras and steeled himself for a journey into free agency that ignored Boston and New York but landed him in Texas for a record $252 million dollars after Rangers owner Tom Hicks outbid himself.

• ... Music consumers were rushing to their Gateways to download files called MP3s, trying to abuse Napster as much as possible before metal gods Metallica shut down the service for stealin' their gold (records).

• ... A 14-year-old Joba Chamberlain(notes) was trying to avoid wedgies, swirlies, wet willies and other freshman terrors at Northeast High in Lincoln, Neb.

• ... Feeling safe in the knowledge that Deadspin wouldn't even launch for five years, Mets general manager Steve Phillips continues monkey business as usual ... 

• ... PlayStation2 hadn't been released in the U.S. yet — not until the day after the Series ended. And its first baseball games wouldn't come out until the following spring training.

• ... Terry Francona had finished his second season as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, who finished 77-85 with shortstops Alex Arias and Desi Relaford(notes), second baseman Marlon Anderson(notes) and first baseman Rico Brogna.

• ... The nation, possibly overconfident because of the successes of Livan and Orlando Hernandez(notes), was still reeling over the repatriation of Elian Gonzalez to Cuba.

• ... Hanging Chad was more likely to be a porn star than a quaint phrase having to do with a disputed presidential election.

• ... A record 5,693 homers were hit in the regular season, with Sammy Sosa(notes) edging Barry Bonds(notes) 50-49 for the individual title. Everybody pretended it was on the up and up. BALCO, Grand jury, HGH? What? Nothing! Move along, move along.

• ... The most frequently played song at Yankee Stadium wasn't "God Bless America," but instead "Who Let the Dogs Out?" — which was still reverberating as the summer anthem of choice at empty ballparks across the nation.

• ... Red Sox angst? We didn't know what Red Sox angst was. The Grady Little/ Pedro Martinez(notes) game wasn't for due for three years.

... the last time the Yankees won the World Series.

Phillies fans reading this morning's editions of the Philadelphia Inquirer were given a momentary reprieve of believing Sunday night's meltdown was nothing but a bad nightmare. In reality, someone in the paper's pre-production department must have been even more confident than Jimmy Rollins to schedule this ad for the day after Game 4.

No word on if the papers will be shipped to Africa with the shirts they advertise.

A big BLS head nod to HHR and The 700 Level for the redirect.

PHILADELPHIA — Had Derek Jeter(notes) been the culprit of the double theft, it would have gone down in the history books as the all-time greatest display of "baseball smarts."

But since it was a self-described Idiot doing the thieving? Well, every ensuing description of the heads-up play seemed to use a decidedly less brainy term — "instinct."

In the end, the label doesn't change much of anything, because Johnny Damon's(notes) seizure of an unoccupied third base during Sunday night's Game 4 was a definite game changer and ranks as one of the rarest and strangest World Series plays we've ever seen. 

Indeed, no player in Fall Classic history had ever stolen two bases on one pitch until Damon did it off Philadelphia reliever Brad Lidge(notes) in the ninth inning of the Yankees' 7-4 victory over the Phillies. The ultra-aware play — which arguably stands as the most iconic of the 2009 World Series — put Damon on third base with two outs, robbing Lidge of his slider and sparking a three-run rally that helped salt away a 3-1 World Series lead for New York. 

Watch the steals unfold here

The play began as the Phillies defense put the infield shift on for lefty Mark Teixeira(notes). Damon ran on the first pitch (a ball) and was able to easily beat the throw from Carlos Ruiz(notes), which bounced short into the glove of Pedro Feliz(notes). The third baseman was actually playing shortstop because of the shift and Damon noticed that Lidge had not moved to fill the hole on the left side of the infield.

Like an unlocked Huffy outside a convenience store, third base was unguarded and just begging to be stolen. 

"What I had to see before I could start running to third base was how Pedro caught the ball," said Damon, who reached base after a nine-pitch at-bat that ended with a single to left. "I knew [the throw] kind of drug him off some. I'm just glad that when I started running I still had some of my young legs behind me."

Damon easily separated himself from Feliz and then beat Lidge to the bag. The Yankees dugout erupted and manager Joe Girardi later described the play as "instinctual."

But Girardi also said Damon had to be "100 percent sure" he'd be safe before taking off with two outs (and with Teixeira and A-Rod up next), which prompted another question:

Exactly when did Damon know he'd be safe? 

"Probably when I was halfway down," Damon said. "I mean, I know that I still have some decent speed left in the tank, but ... I knew Pedro's speed also. I mean, if that was [speedy Angels third baseman] Chone Figgins(notes), that might have been tough."

In actuality, it couldn't have been easier for Damon, who then watched Lidge hit Mark Teixeira with a pitch before surrendering a game-winning RBI double to Alex Rodriguez(notes) and another two runs off a single by Jorge Posada(notes). 

Though all of the headlines on Monday morning will likely focus on A-Rod reaching the brink of his first World Series title, it was Damon staging the postseason's biggest coup since Dave Roberts(notes) in the 2004 ALCS that made it all possible.

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Score and situation: Yankees 7, Phillies 4  Yankees lead series 3-1

Leading lads: Alex Rodriguez got the big hit to put the Yankees ahead in the ninth, but it doesn't happen unless Johnny Damon(notes) singles and then steals two bases on the same play in one of the "What-the-heck?" World Series moments.

Damon's at-bat against Brad Lidge(notes) was killer, too, where he spoiled a hard slider on 1-2, then worked the count full until he laced a 3-2 fastball into left field for a single.

Mariano Rivera(notes) jumped right in a half-inning later and retired the Phillies in order. He's needed only 13 pitches to get five outs over two appearances so far.

Head hanger: Bushy bearded Lidge hadn't allowed a run in over a month (eight straight appearances, playoffs and regular season).

Key play: Of course, Damon's single and steals are mere footnotes unless A-Rod comes through with the double against Lidge. A-Rod came into his ninth-inning at-bat 1-for-13 in the World Series.

Key stat: The Yankees are one victory from their 27th championship and first since 2000.

What they're talking about: It appeared Charlie Manuel's tactic of using Joe Blanton(notes) instead of Cliff Lee(notes) was working out. The Phillies hit CC Sabathia(notes) just enough and got to Joba Chamberlain(notes) in the eighth, tying the score on Pedro Feliz's(notes) solo homer — putting themselves in great shape to win in the bottom of the ninth. Lidge just couldn't get that third out without giving up the lead.

What they're saying:

"I saw Feliz, the way he caught the ball; I knew third base was wide open." — Johnny Damon

What's next: It's Cliff Lee Day again in Philly on Monday, as the Phillies try to force the Series back to New York starting at 7:57 ET. Yankees right-hander A.J. Burnett(notes) can apply the knockout punch.

Only in the World Series can the placement of a TV camera make headlines.

From the Associated Press:

"As a precaution, we've moved the right-field foul pole camera back slightly so that the edge of the lens is completely in line with the top of the wall," Fox spokesman Lou D'Ermilio said Sunday before Game 4.

Jimmie Lee Solomon, baseball's executive vice president for operations, said the camera was never supposed to hang over the fence.

"Get it back and keep it back," he said MLB told Fox.

I have no idea why the umpires wouldn't have made the same order before Saturday's Game 3 — long before Alex Rodriguez(notes) plunked a home run off it — but their original decision to rule contact with the camera an automatic home run showed an incredible lack of foresight and, dare I say, spine. It shouldn't have taken an incident like A-Rod's home run to tell Fox it doesn't run the show on the field of play. 

PHILADELPHIA — Brett Favre's return to Green Bay might mean that South Philly can't officially be the center of today's sports universe, but it certainly feels that way from inside the Lager-and-pretzel-fed belly of the beast. The Eagles beat the Giants, 40-17, to take a share of the NFC East lead earlier on Sunday and now some of the same fans who watched the dismantling are in Citizens Bank Park awaiting Game 4 of the World Series.

(How lucky have Philly fans been lately? This is the second year in a row they've hosted a NFL game and a World Series game in the same parking lot on the same day.)

I anticipated seeing a lot of back-and-forth between the New York and Philly fan camps, but by the time the game let out at Lincoln Financial Field, it seemed as if all of the blue shirts had already fled for the New Jersey turnpike. They left behind a lot of happy Eagles fans, many of whom returned to their tailgates to watch Vikings-Packers or stood in a long line for McFadden's — the bar inside CBP — to get a good spot to watch the baseball game.

Things overheard at the intersection between the two stadiums included: "Thank you, Eli!" "One more win to go!" "Who needs two?" and, of course, "New York sucks!" The most popular sign was a newspaper placard reading "Beat NY" and with all of the red-and-green being worn simultaneously, Christmas references were in surplus.

Said a guy on a Sunday morning news show: "If the Eagles and Phillies both win today, it'll be waaaaay better than Christmas."  

PHILADELPHIA — Nick Swisher's(notes) Game 3 line of 2-for-4 with a homer earned the previously slumping outfielder a trip to the World Series interview room on Saturday night. Before taking the stage, Swisher hammed it up with his own flip-cam, recording the moment (and the slightly annoyed amused media) for posterity's sake. He then sat down to answer a few questions and one of them was something about maintaining faith despite being benched for Game 2 and having every New York tabloid and blog write about his tiny numbers.

Said Swisher:  

"I don't really read the papers. I'm more of a guy that looks at the pictures."

You don't say.

I remain a conflicted man on Swisher. On one hand, we can't rip players for not showing emotion and then hypocritically rip them when they actually do. 

On the other, Swish reminds you of that guy in the back of your English class who never pays attention and keeps asking to go to the bathroom so he can go look in the doors of other classrooms and try to make his friends laugh. Funny at first, but after awhile you start looking for the 'off' switch.

Maybe he's just best taken in measured doses. What do you think?

But there definitely were a few that could help speed that destruction up and one of them managed to pass Hamels' lips in the emotional moments following a momentum-changing  8-5 loss to the Yankees in Game 3 of the World Series.

"I can't wait for it to end," Hamels said, referring to his wildly inconsistent 2009 season. "It's been mentally draining ... It's one of those things, a year in, you just can't wait for a fresh start."

The "fresh start" Hamels is presumably referring to would be an offseason free of the celebrity appearances and endorsements that booked his days after winning the 2008 World Series MVP. The lefty pitcher showed up to spring training in less-than-choice shape and then said in April that his offseason was holding the Phillies back. One year after being unhittable in the '08 postseason, Hamels is now 1-1 with a 7.71 ERA in three '09 postseason starts and his "Hollywood" nickname now seems like more of a jeer or slam.

You can kind of see where Hamels is coming from. After a night in which the Yankees jumped on him after he stupidly delivered a curveball to slugger Andy Pettitte, he probably just wanted to slink away. (Or, given his proclivity for doing commercials, maybe go immediately film a 'Wanna Get Away?' ad for Southwest.)       

But the problem is that he just lost Game 3, the Phillies are still only one game behind in the series and Hamels would be in line to start a decisive Game 7 in Yankee Stadium. There's no way Phillies fans can look at Hamels' pallid appearance and attitude in the clip above and feel any confidence in his start should the series go that far. 

A big BLS head nod to The 700 Level for the redirect. 

But it wasn't until Saturday night's Game 3 that the old lefty from Texas helped New York's cause with his bat, hitting a tying RBI single off Cole Hamels(notes) in the fifth inning of the Yankees' 8-5 win over the Phillies.

The hit and ensuing run that Pettitte scored on a Johnny Damon(notes) double put the pitcher in line for his 17th postseason victory. His one knock was one more than Shane Victorino(notes), Chase Utley(notes), Ryan Howard(notes) and Raul Ibanez(notes) had combined.

Said Pettitte after the game:

"(With) runners in scoring position, I'm going to be a little bit more aggressive. I wasn't taking — I just saw a ball up in the zone, so I'm not trying to hit a home run, I'm trying to slap the ball around, and fortunately enough I got a ball up in the zone, and I was able to slap it back up the middle.

"I was joking with a few of the guys, I've got a few World Series knocks now, and now I've got an RBI, so pretty happy about that."

Pettitte's only other World Series hit came in 2001 off Randy Johnson(notes), but that Game 6 had a much different outcome. Though he had a single to left off the Big Unit, Pettitte only lasted two innings, giving up seven hits and six runs in a clinching attempt.

Contrast that to Saturday night, when not only did Pettitte get his first postseason RBI, he also got through some early struggles to help give the Yankees a 2-1 series lead. (When discussing his effort in Game 3 Pettitte used the world "grind" four times during his postgame press conference.)

Derek Jeter(notes) later joked with the home plate umpire that the Yankees would never hear the end of the RBI single from Pettitte, but at least he'll have some material to shut his friend up. Pettitte's crawl home from second on Damon's double took forever and Jeter was hot on his tail for the final 90 feet until home plate.  

"I have no wheels at all. I know that. I am very slow. I mean, very slow. And the first thing Derek said was, 'I almost caught you.'"

Score and situation: Yankees 8, Phillies 5  New York leads Series 2-1

Leading lads: He came in 0-for-8 with six strikeouts in the series, but Alex Rodriguez(notes) got on his centaur and drove a two-run home run to right field in the fourth to get the Yankees on the board. The play at first was ruled a double, but umpires changed the call after checking video replay. It hit a TV camera that actually stuck out over the field of play, but the ball's trajectory appeared to be over the fence.

Benched for Game 2, Nick Swisher(notes) rebounded to go 2-for-4 with a homer and two runs scored.

Revved up by a 75-minute rain delay before the first pitch, Phillies fans were in full throat in hopes of seeing their idols take a step toward another championship, but the Yankees stayed calm despite falling behind in the second inning.

Head hangers: The Phillies cheese-staked Cole Hamels(notes) to a 3-0 lead in the second inning but he continued to struggle, allowing five runs in 4 1/3 innings. He has allowed 16 earned runs and 25 hits so far in 19 postseason innings, a far cry from his 2008 domination. If the Twitterverse is any indication, Phillies fans want the 2008 World Series MVP shelved until Clearwater.

Ryan Howard(notes) went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts — he had six straight overall at one point — and is batting .154 in the Series. Jayson Werth(notes), who clubbed two homers, is the only Phillies player producing.

Key play: Pitcher Andy Pettitte(notes) tied the score with an RBI single in the fifth inning. If he makes an out there, like pitchers usually do, who knows how the rest of the game goes?

Key stat: Of the past 10 times the World Series has been locked at 1-1, the Game 3 winner has won the title nine times. The exception: The 2003 Yankees, who fell to Florida.

What they're talking about: It took umpires about a minute to check the A-Rod replay and get back on the field for the next pitch.

What they're saying:

"It was much more like myself. The last couple nights, they made good pitches but I helped them out and chased some bad pitches off the plate. Tonight was a lot more disciplined and better results." — Alex Rodriguez.

What's next: CC Sabathia(notes), pitching with three days of rest, tries to help the Yankees take a commanding lead in Game 4 beginning at 8:20 ET. Right-hander Joe Blanton(notes) tries to get the Phillies even with Cliff Lee(notes) going in Game 5.

One year after the Yankee star became the first player to have a home run reviewed in the regular season, Rodriguez also became the first player to have video technolgy employed in the World Series in the Yankees' 8-5 victory in Game 3 on Saturday night.

Here's video of how it unfolded.

The game-changing turn came in the top of the fourth inning as A-Rod roped a line drive to right field off Cole Hamels(notes). The ball appeared to hit the top of the wall before bouncing down to the warning track. It initially looked like a double that sent Mark Teixeira(notes) to third base, but the Yankees immediately suspected that something wasn't right.

"Our coaches thought it hit something funny. It didn't carom right," Yankees manager Joe Girardi later told Fox announcers Joe Buck and Tim McCarver. "I went out and asked (right field umpire) Jeff (Nelson) and he said it made a funny noise and that they would check."

After meeting in the middle of the infield, the umpires decided to check instant replay, which showed the ball hitting a television camera near the foul pole on the other side of the metal fence. The play was ruled a home run and Teixeira and his centaur-wannabe teammate came home for the Yankees' first runs of the night.

One of the arguments used against implementing instant replay in baseball is that it would add too much time to the already lengthy games, but the whole process was over and done with in less than five minutes. More importantly, the correct call was made and baseball was able to avoid another black eye in a postseason full of incorrect rulings. 

Remind me again why Bud Selig doesn't want instant replays for the non-home run plays?

Follow 'Duk's Twitter feed as he covers the World Series in Philadelphia and New York. 

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PHILADELPHIA — The weather Citizens Bank Park is featuring more tricks than treats on Saturday night, but the World Series fans in attendance are taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather to break out their Halloween finery. There are plenty of red rock wigs, Cole Hamels(notes) "beast" costumes and monster masks. The best costume choice? Flood victim wearing rain poncho, but if I see anyone with a Bud Selig-in-an-ark costume, I will buy them some crab fries.

A few more Halloween pics follow below:

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PHILADELPHIA — No matter what happens in tonight's Game 3, the Yankees have a definite plan for Game 4 of the World Series. CC Sabathia(notes) will get the start on Sunday night and New York manager Joe Girardi said that it's "a possibility" A.J. Burnett(notes) and Andy Pettitte(notes) could go on short rest for Games 5 and 6. The move keeps Chad Gaudin(notes) as the Yankees' long-relief specialist and out of the fourth spot in the team's rotation.

As I headed to the park today, I thought the Yankees would wait until after the game to make the announcement. If New York won Game 3, it seemed that it would make more sense to keep Sabathia on his regular rest and let Gaudin take his chances against Joe Blanton(notes) in Game 4.

But the more I think about it, the more I like the move, even if Sabathia struggled against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in last season's NLDS with Milwaukee. The Phillies are starting the untouchable Cliff Lee(notes) in Game 5 and it doesn't make sense to burn CC against his former teammate when he could be moved up a day to give the Yankees the biggest starting advantage of the series. Regardless of whether they win Game 3, Girardi and the Yankees should go for the wins they can get them. I'm still not sold on the idea of Burnett and Pettitte on short rest, but I suppose the Yanks will cross that bridge when they get to it.

WARNING: The above video contains offensive language and images. Click with caution.

Ever since being named last year's World Series MVP, Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels(notes) hasn't met an endorsement opportunity he didn't like. His whirlwind rise to being a top pitchman was met with plenty of criticism, which only intensified during his so-so 2009 season (and might come to a head if he doesn't show up against the Yankees tonight).

At any rate, all of Hamels' previous appearances could be filed under the category of white bread, All-American goodness. Well, at least until this clip from the "Call of Duty" video game line. The spot is just plain strange with a digital Hamels — an avid video game fan — talking about the "Fight Against Grenade Spam" (check out the acronym) before swearing when he realizes that his video self is going to be blown to bits.

Though this gives some more, uh, "ammo" for his detractors, I don't have a big problem with Hamels' appearance. Like I said, I just find the whole thing very odd, especially considering MLB has been pushing its "Welcome Back Veterans" initiative very hard for the past few years. (Can't imagine that real soldiers who have been seriously injured or had friends killed by explosives like the idea of a pretty boy pitcher posing like this.)

A big BLS head nod to Kotaku and The Fightins' for the redirect.

PHILADELPHIA — It was a fun time being in New York for the World Series, but it's great to be back in the City of Brotherly Love for another October. It's hard to explain, but the feeling is just different. Unlike two-team New York, the Phillies are the only show in town and you can't walk five feet in downtown Philadelphia without seeing red. Almost every hotel and lamp pole wears a Phillies banner and the evening news is packed with every Phillies story you can imagine (and lots of stories that you can't). 

Catching up on the World Series news that I missed while traveling down to Philly via Acela Train: Joe Blanton's(notes) going for Philly in Game 4 instead of a short-rested Cliff Lee(notes), the Yankees traveled to Philly on a train and A-Rod reportedly has a picture of himself as a centaur hanging above his bed. You know, all very standard stuff. 

We'll have more Big League Stewie goodness — wit wiz, of course — starting on Saturday afternoon and leading up to Game 3 at night. Until then, it's off to experience some Phillies Phever with the godfather of all Phils fans, all while keeping an eye out for this little guy. 

After appearing to lick his unfair reputation for bombing in the postseason during a strong ALCS, Alex Rodriguez(notes) finds himself off to a rough start in the World Series.

The Yankees aren't collectively stinging the ball against Phillies pitching, but A-Rod's line so far — 0-for-8 with six strikeouts — has folks talking and will get New Yorkers booing if he doesn't turn himself around in Game 3.

So, what's the matter with baseball's highest-paid player? A-Rod's got a lot of personal baggage, from admitting to using performance-enhancing drugs, to his self-loving Details Magazine photo shoot, to his celebrity relationships, including his current romance with Kate Hudson. A recent US Weekly article reports that Rodriguez put portraits of himself as a centaur over his bed. The alleged detail might mean nothing, but most reports paint A-Rod as one complicated guy.

Here are 10 educated guesses as to what's going on inside A-Rod's head right now:

10. Not having agent Scott Boras standing behind home plate at all times (like he was at Angel Stadium) = Linus van Pelt not having his blanket.

9. Explosive capsules injected into bloodstream by potential father-in-law Kurt Russell was thrilling at first, but applied a little too much pressure.

8. Says the World Series culture just isn't as "loosey-goosey" as it is the ALCS, where he slugged .952.

7. Never quite sure when changeling manager Joe Girardi is going to write "C. Ransom 3B" in Yankees lineup card.

6. Penny Lane told him she was moving to Morocco for a year with Russell from Stillwater.

5. He thinks Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks put something in the Gator ... ade (blacks out).

4. Misdiagnosed condition of having to slap the ball away every time one comes near continues to mess with his swing.

3. When told by his hitting coach to visualize success, all he can see is this lady, Selena Roberts rummaging through his garbage.

2. Identity crisis deepens after mistakenly thinking Yankees fans chants of "Who's your daddy?" are for him.

1. Explaining the centaurs above his bed was easy enough, but Hudson's persistent questions about the portraits he owns depicting Derek Jeter(notes) as a unicorn make A-Rod really uncomfortable.

Yankees and Pirates and Reds, oh my!

To learn more about the names, dates and details in each photo, visit the set's Flickr page.

Previous sets: 2000s, 1990s, 1980s

It was the sight you never thought you'd see: Jay-Z climbing a stage near second base and rapping with Alicia Keys as the Phillies and Yankees prepared for Thursday's Game 2 of the World Series. For a sport that's usually as flexible as a fungo bat and usually stuck in the past with its marketing and musical choices, the on-field performance of Jigga's "Empire State of Mind" seemed like the dawn of a new era.

But how did the man in charge, MLB commissioner Bud Selig, view the streets creeping up on his game? Luckily we were there to capture his reaction with a photo essay and we present it to you below. (OK, we really weren't, but use your imagination.)

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"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Jay-Z and Alicia Keys to Yankee Stadium." 

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"Thank you very much! How's everyone doing tonight?"

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"That doesn't look like Bobby Vinton. Nor Fergie, for that matter." 

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"Yeah I'm out that Brooklyn/Now I'm down in Tribeca/Right next to DeNiro/But I'll be hood forever I'm the new Sinatra/And since I made it here/I can make it anywhere."

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"Did he just say he was the new Sinatra? I thought I requested the old Sinatra." 

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"I used to cop in Harlem/All of my Dominicanos ... Cruising down 8th street/Off-white Lexus/Driving so slow/But it's from Texas!"  

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"How dare he buy a car from someone other than Selig Leasing Company." 

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"... Sitting courtside Knicks and Nets give me high-5/I be spiked out/I could trip a referee/Tell by my attitude that I'm most definitely from ..." 

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"My friend Donald is not impressed. Neither am I." 

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N

"New York!/Concrete jungle where dreams are made of/There's nothing you can't do ...These streets will make you feel brand new/the lights will inspire you/Let's hear it for New York!"

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"I know what you're thinking, but some of my best friends are ... well, you know."

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"One of my favorite entertainers, too." 

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"...Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game/I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can/you should know I bleed Blue, but I ain't a Crip tho ..."

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"Home of the hip hop, yellow cab, gypsy cab, dollar cab/ holla back for foreigners it ain't fitted act like they forgot how to act/ eight million stories out there and they're naked/city it's a pity half of y'all won't make it ..." 

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"I'm sorry, but this isn't for me. I'm just going to read quietly until you're done." 

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"New York!/Concrete jungle where dreams are made of/There's nothing you can't do ...These streets will make you feel brand new/the lights will inspire you ..."

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"Honestly, what kind of person would replace my Hardy Boys novel with a rule book?"

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"... New York! New York! New York!"

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"OK, I'll come clean: You're not the only one 'big pimpin'' around here, Mr. Carter." 

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"Thank you very much, Mr. Selig!" 

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"Yeah, yeah ..." 

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"Go Yankees!" 

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"Where do you think you're going, H.O.V.A.?" 

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"To watch the Yankees even the series up!" 

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NEW YORK — The crowd at Yankee Stadium was booing like only the Bronx can, but Pedro Martinez(notes) walked off the field with his head high. As he neared the Phillies' dugout, the 38-year-old pitcher looked down, then quickly looked up. He broke out into a smile, drank in the scene for an extended moment and then disappeared down the steps.

It's not every day that you see a pitcher grinning while still on the hook for a World Series loss. Then again, we haven't seen many pitchers like Pedro, who added another great chapter to his memorable career in Thursday night's 3-1 Game 2 loss to the Yankees.

Despite battling a cold, the self-described old goat kept the Phillies in the game by striking out eight batters over six innings. Martinez gave up a total of three earned runs — including solo shots to Mark Teixeira(notes) and Hideki Matsui(notes) — before departing with no outs in the seventh. It wasn't his greatest outing, but with just a little more offense from his teammates, a good start would have been validated with a victory.

Instead, Martinez's consolation prize was showing his old friends at Yankee Stadium that he can still get people out and then skewer them a bit through the media. The great rivalry between the righty and Yankees fan is alive and well.

To prove it, here's a selection of Pedro's best quotes from his big night in the Big Apple: 

• "I remember one guy sitting right in the front row ... with his daughter in one arm and a cup of beer in the other hand and saying all kinds of nasty stuff. I just told him, 'Your daughter is right beside you. It's a little girl. It's a shame you're saying all these things.' I had to stop and tell him because I'm a father myself, and God, how can you be so dumb to do those kind of things in front of your child? What kind of example are you setting?" 

• "But the fans, I enjoy that, because at the bottom, I know I played for the Mets. I know they really want to root for me. It's just that I don't play for the Yankees, that's all. I've always been a good competitor and they love that. They love the fact that I compete. I'm a New Yorker as well. If I was on the Yankees, I'd probably be like a king over here." 

• "I wasn't going to give anybody the opportunity to take me out, regardless of how much I coughed and how much my chest hurt and sore throat or whatever. It doesn't matter. I was going to take this start, because there was something I had in mind when I first chose that team. It was to pitch a game in the World Series ... I got it. I can finally say I got it." 

When asked by a reporter, Pedro said he wasn't sure about retirement just yet, but he strongly hinted it might be dependent on if the Phillies win the World Series this season. Considering that he might still get the Game 6 start, he could have a direct hand in that.

And should he decide to hang them up, I can only hope that he'll end up in broadcasting sooner rather than later. At this late point in his career, Pedro has evolved into a player who knows that the game is supposed to be entertaining and that there's nothing more entertaining than a good rivalry. Baseball would be a lesser place without him needling New Yorkers and hopefully NESN or WEEI will recognize that and give him a job. 

We now interrupt our World Series coverage to bring you this image that was posted late Thursday night on the Facebook page of Athletes Premier International — the sports agency that is currently representing Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman in his bid to get a major league pitching contract.

We say "currently" because we're not sure what kind of agency aims to get a $40 million deal for their pitching client, then tries to help the cause by posting images like the one above — Chapman is on the left — and this one, which is a bit more risqué. Don't they know employers are hitting social networks like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace to research prospective employees like never before?

There are certainly no crimes being committed in the pictures — hey, he's just posing with his fans! — but you think you'd want to portray a different image when trying to convince some team that your 21-year-old fireballer is worth such a big investment. I could be wrong, but this has to be the first time that a player's agent has beat Deadspin to the punch by posting such, uh, "nightlife pictures" on the Internet.

The two photos were in an album titled "Aroldis Chapman, Boston visit" before being pulled down early Friday morning. The location makes sense considering Chapman just met with the Red Sox. He's also been invited to New York by the Yankees for Game 6 of the World Series and one can only imagine what kind of snapshots that visit will produce. We're guessing they won't go up on Facebook this time, though. 

Score and situation: Yankees 3, Phillies 1  Series tied 1-1

Leading lads: With so much attention being paid to Pedro Martinez(notes), perhaps A.J. Burnett(notes) felt able to blend into his surroundings in the biggest start of his career by a mile. And he was great. His fastball moved with a serpent's tail and his curve broke every which way he wanted. A run and four hits with nine strikeouts over seven innings was exactly the bridge Joe Girardi needed to get to closer Mariano Rivera(notes).

Like Tiger Woods in a bunker, Hideki Matsui(notes) golfed a breaking pitch from Martinez — OK, Tiger's ball wouldn't be moving — onto the short porch in right field for a home run and a 2-1 Yankees lead in the sixth. A great piece of hitting by Matsui, who went 2-for-3 with a walk.

Mark Teixeira(notes) picked up his game check with a home run to put New York on the board in the fourth.

Things worked out for Girardi, who added Jerry Hairston and Jose Molina(notes) to the starting lineup. Both contributed to the victory.

And any time you get a two-inning save, as Rivera did, you've had a good night.

Head hangers: Alex Rodriguez(notes), who was having a great postseason until the World Series started, went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. He has six whiffs in eight at-bats so far. Ryan Howard(notes) did even worse, going 0-for-4 with four strikeouts, though he had a beef on the ump's call with the last one.

The umpires. Again. Specifically first-base ump Brian Gorman, who missed Howard trapping a sinking liner on what turned into a rally killing double play for the Yankees in the seventh. He also missed Chase Utley(notes) beating out a grounder on an inning-ending double play (with Howard on deck) in the eighth.

Key play: If there's such a thing as momentum in a baseball game, it turned in the fourth. The Phillies led 1-0 and Jayson Werth(notes) singled to right, but soon was picked off first base by Molina — a somewhat surprising starter in Girardi's lineup. It was a great throw, basically going through batter Raul Ibanez(notes), and it was monumental mental laziness on Werth's part. The Yankees, coincidentally or not, were in control at that point.

Key stat: Burnett threw first-pitch strikes to the first 11 Phillies batters.

What they're talking about: Commissioner Bud Selig seems unwilling to expand instant replay, despite the calls that continue to be missed.

What they're saying:

"I knew it was gonna be crazy. I knew he was gonna be on his game and he was. I'm not much into watching the other guy but I did tonight. That was the fun." — A.J. Burnett

What's next: Just a train ride or two away, Citizens Bank Park takes over for Game 3 on Saturday night. Andy Pettitte(notes), Mr. Playoffs, goes against Cole Hamels(notes), the 2008 World Series MVP.

After a five-year period of slumping numbers, the amount of American televisions tuned into the World Series soared Wednesday. I would surmise that news obviously put network execs in the position of hoping this matchup between two teams with huge fanbases will turn into an extended series and not end with a quick Phillies sweep.

From The Associated Press:

"Game 1 on Wednesday earned an 11.9 fast national rating and 19 share. That's up 29 percent from the opener last year, when the Phillies-Rays series drew record-low ratings.

"Fox said Thursday it's the second-best Game 1 rating this decade, trailing only Red Sox-Cardinals in 2004. It's also the best rating for a non-decisive World Series matchup since Game 3 that year."

It's funny. Everyone outside of New York and Boston pitches fits over how no one wants to watch the Yankees and Red Sox that much and yet the only recent World Series to post any great numbers have involved both those teams.

Of course, it also raises an interesting debate. Are the numbers that way because those are the only two teams anyone wants to watch? Or has ESPN and FOX conditioned the American public — the people who don't consume baseball actively during the regular season — into believing that those are the only two teams worth tuning in for? I'd say it's a little of both.

1. Losing Game 1 at home: Teams that win the opener have captured the entire World Series at a 62 percent clip since 1903, but winning the first serve has been a much bigger advantage in recent years. Game 1 winners have won the Fall Classic six straight times and 11 of the last 12. The 2001 and '03 Yankees both lost their openers — one on the road and one at home — en route to eventual defeat.

2. A.J. Burnett(notes) starting Game 2: Eighty million sure doesn't go as far as it used to. Burnett has struggled with his control during the postseason — well, his entire career actually — and his start in ALCS Game 5 featured a bomb of a first inning. It's entirely possible that he'll perform well tonight, but his presence doesn't inspire the type of confidence you'd usually ask from someone in his rotation spot or at his salary level.  

3. CC neutralized: CC Sabathia(notes) was the Yankees' biggest trump card in the first two rounds, fueling his team to three victories that seemed almost automatic. Though he pitched well on Wednesday, Cliff Lee(notes) and the Phillies finally stepped up with an antidote and deflected the biggest bullet in New York's rotation.

4. Cliff Lee isn't going anywhere: Let's make this simple. Four postseason starts. 0.54 ERA. 30 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings. Two more possible turns in this World Series.  Any more questions?

5. Poor Phil Hughes(notes): Though he developed into a reliable bridge to Mariano Rivera(notes) during this season, the young reliever has been shaky in his past two appearances, getting only one out while allowing three earned runs via two hits and three walks. Not exactly the time for an emerging star in the bullpen to start struggling. 

6. Bottom of lineup bottoming out: The trio of Robinson Cano(notes), Melky Cabrera(notes) and Nick Swisher(notes) went 0-for-9 on Wednesday night and with the exception of Cabrera's ALCS, has been notably nonproductive this postseason. The Yankees' lineup depth could be a big advantage over Philadelphia, but unless that black hole closes up it certainly won't be.

7. Disappearing DH: After tonight's game, the series will head to Philadelphia where neither team will have the luxury of the designated hitter. For a Yankees' fan base that has become terrified of Joe Girardi's next call to the bullpen, having him manage his pitchers under National League rules has to rank as a scary thought.

8. Absent A-Rod? As I said after Game 1, there's no reason to push the panic button or get down on Alex Rodriguez(notes) after an 0-for-4, three-strikeout night. However, it's perfectly  acceptable to stress over who will replace his production in the lineup if he struggles a few games. As much as he'd like to, A-Rod can't carry the team every game. 

9. Leering lefties: Coming into Wednesday night's game, Sabathia had not allowed a home run to a left-hander at the new Yankee Stadium. Chase Utley(notes) changed all that with two home runs and the prospect of having both Utley and Ryan Howard(notes) (2-for-5, two doubles) aiming for that right field fence for three more games (if necessary) has to be a frightening one.

10. Philadelphia is tough: New York fans are always going to be confident their teams can beat all comers, but I think the No. 27 dreams were halted a little bit by Game 1's realization that the Phillies are defending world champs for a reason. The king stay the king and to change that paradigm, the Yankees have to come up with an extraordinary effort above and beyond what it took to beat Minnesota and Los Angeles. Starting tonight.

A big BLS head nod to The Fightins for the facepalm screencap.

"Because of you guys in some ways I might be at times the most influential player that ever stepped in Yankee Stadium,"  Philadelphia's Game 2 starter told members of the media on Wednesday.

It's a well-known fact that Pedro's  1999-00 peak might be the best two-year peak of any righthander in the history of baseball. But when people think of him in the playoffs, they usually think of two games, neither of which saw him at full strength:

• Game Five of the 1999 ALDS, where he was injured and still no-hit the Indians for six innings in relief (back when Charlie Manuel was the Indians' hitting coach)

• Game Seven of the 2003 ALCS, where he gave up three runs to the Yankees in the eighth inning before Grady Little finally came around to the idea of yanking him.

Pedro isn't the same guy he was in 1999, of course. He struck out 313 men in 213 1/3 innings that year and put up a 2.07 ERA in the height of the Steroid Era, more than two and a half runs lower than the major league average of 4.71. His fastball reached the mid-90s, he averaged over seven innings and 10 strikeouts a start and, and his hair still fit inside his baseball cap. By the statistic ERA+ (an adjusted version of ERA), it was the eighth-best season of all time — and Pedro's year in 2000 was the single best.

What can we expect from Pedro tonight, just days after he celebrated his 38th birthday? Well, he had at least one hit batsman in each of his last four starts of September and he's pitched just twice in the past month. On Sept. 30, he gave up two homers and three earned in four innings against the Astros, getting just two strikeouts. Then, on Oct. 16, he rediscovered some of the old magic, holding the Dodgers to just two hits in seven scoreless innings in Game Two of the NLCS. He touched 92 with his fastball and dipped below 70 with his curve. His average fastball velocity was actually the highest it's been since he left the Red Sox — he averaged 88.5 miles per hour on his fastball this year, after averaging between 86.2 and 88 with the Mets over his time in New York.

Much has been made of the decision to go with Pedro over Cole Hamels(notes) and it has been a controversial decision. While the FanGraphs folks dislike it, David Murphy(notes) of the Philly Daily News is agnostic and Big League Stew's David Brown is in favor.

Clearly, the Phillies think that Hamels can't be counted upon like he was last October — but considering that Pedro pitched five innings or less in five of his nine starts this year, allowing a .789 opponents' OPS, it's hard to call him a known quantity. Latter-day Pedro has been particularly bedeviled by the home run: After allowing 0.7 HR per nine innings through 2004, he's allowed 1.5 per nine in 2008 and 2009, including seven homers in just 44 2/3 innings this year. With his diminished fastball, his margin for error is far, far less.

And the margin of error is even lower when you consider that the 38-year old will be facing the best offense in the game with no pitcher's spot in the lineup. Pedro hasn't pitched against an American League team since 2008 — when he gave up six runs in 5 2/3 innings to the Yankees. Manuel will need to monitor him extremely closely. Five or six innings may be the most they can reasonably ask of him, but after Cliff Lee's(notes) complete game on Wednesday night, the Phillies will have the luxury of a rested and ready bullpen. 

According to USA Today, the current Fall Classic marks the first time since 1992 that a Venezuelan ballplayer will not be on either roster. The Yankees left catcher Francisco Cervelli(notes) off their World Series roster in favor of adding Eric Hinske(notes), while the Phillies opted for a 12th pitcher — Brett Myers(notes) — instead of Miguel Cairo(notes).

Apparently this did not play well down in South American, because one Venezuelan reporter cut straight to the point during Charlie Manuel's pregame press conference Wednesday and asked why Cairo had gotten the shaft.

For a baseball-mad country like Venezuela, the omissions have to come as a big disappointment, considering the success its countrymen have experienced on the sport's biggest stage. Hall of Famer Luis Aparicio became the first Venezuelan to reach the World Series with the 1959 White Sox and Guillen became the first Latin American manager to win it in 2005. (The clinching game that year was a shutout pitched by Freddy Garcia(notes).)

Meanwhile, Venezuelans have been able to watch Dave Concepcion play a key role in the Big Red Machine, Luis Sojo be a part of the last Yankees dynasty,  Francisco Rodriguez(notes) spark the '02 Angels, Miguel Cabrera(notes) participate with the '03 Marlins and '06 Tigers and Magglio Ordonez(notes) put the '06 Tigers into the World Series with that home run against Oakland. 

Yet despite all those achievements and the presence of 52 Venezuelans on rosters during the 2009 season, the country will be left out unless an injury forces a roster change.

Wait 'til next year, Hugo. 

Hey look! Rick Dempsey! Twice!

To learn more about the names, dates and details in each photo, visit the set's Flickr page.

Previous sets: 2000s, 1990s

Yankees manager Joe Girardi hasn't been himself lately.

His increasingly gaunt and pale appearance.

All of those extra trips to the mound.

Pinch running needlessly for Alex Rodriguez(notes).

These changes aren't happening because of "pressure" to win the World Series, or because Joe's "over-managing" or even because of illness. They happen because Girardi's not who we thought he was anymore.

It remains to be seem how it affects the Yankees the rest of the way, but Girardi appears to be turning into actor/comedian/author Richard Belzer before our very eyes.

Belzer plays snarky Det. John Munch on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (and on at least eight other TV shows). The Belz doesn't have much major league managing experience, but his ability to say something witty at just the right moment could lift the Yankees through rough times against the Phillies.

Belzer-as-Munch does have experience on a ballfield. While on the Baltimore-based "Homicide," he had fun at the expense of Yankees fans. He and his partner were investigating the murder of a Yankees fan at Camden Yards and Munch goes:

"We should check the Maryland Annotated Code. I don't think this is a crime in Baltimore."

Just the kind of thing A-Rod needs to hear to lift his spirits after a three-strikeout night in Game 1.

And, while he doesn't have Girardi's Northwestern pedigree and major league career, Belzer isn't afraid to mix it up with professional athletes, of sorts, as he proved with Hulk Hogan in 1985.

By spring training, Girardi will be riffing sardonic one-liners with Captain Jeter and Jorge Posada(notes) like he was at brunch with Paul Reiser and Pauly Shore. Yankees camp will be zanier than a ... Zanies.

NEW YORK —  Swing and a whiffa! Big whiffa! Whiff-whiff-whiffaroo!

OK, so this shot is a bit of an optical illusion, actually portraying Alex Rodriguez(notes) fouling off a Cliff Lee(notes) pitch in the top of the fourth inning. But three pitches later, Lee got A-Rod swinging for one of the Yankee star's three strikeouts on an 0-for-4 night. It was the first time that A-Rod went hitless this postseason.

"I don't think we need to think about it too much," A-Rod said after the game. "He dominated our lineup. He probably would have dominated any lineup." 

We'll likely wake up on Thursday morning to find that some hyperactive balloonhead has put A-Rod back into the camp of playoff chokers, but that person will be the one deserving of the scarlet letter. Rodriguez may have had the worst night of any Yankee, but he's still having the best postseason of anyone in his clubhouse. He's been carrying New York's offense all October and if there's any reason for Yankee Nation to panic, it comes in the realization that he can't bear the load every single night.