Bittersweet End

The Knicks are done. Just like that, in the blink of an eye, the most exciting and hopeful Knicks season in a decade is over. New York was the first team out of the playoffs this year and the only team to be swept in the first round.

The Celtics are quite simply a better team than the Knicks. The defending Eastern Conference Champions most certainly proved this with their clutch play and defensive dominance throughout the series. Naturally, they were the overwhelming favorites going in. They finished with a 56-26 regular season record, which was good enough for the third seed in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks finished a mediocre 42-40. Despite this, they meshed well towards the end of the season, winning 7 of their last 9. New York marched into the playoffs with confidence, momentum, and plans to spring an upset. But it wasn't to be.

Rightly so, many pundits gave the Knicks a legitimate shot in this series. Most expected a lengthy, drawn out battle and some even predicted an upset. I expected the Knicks to push Boston to a deciding seventh game, with the Celtics most likely pulling off the victory on their home court. Boston is not exactly a young, spry bunch and, unlike the Knicks, they faltered down the stretch of the regular season. Boston's identity revolves around experience and defense. Their "Big Three" consists of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. Pierce is 33, Garnett is 34, and Allen is 35. The Knicks are younger and significantly more athletic. But the Celtics were able to make quick work of New York by relying on veteran experience, superior play down the stretch, and stout defensive play. They were also fortunate that the injury bug hit New York at an inopportune time. Injuries were the prevailing factor that led to the sweep.

The basketball gods were with Boston in this one. Injuries played a major role in the series and severely hampered New York's chances. Chauncey Billups sprained his left knee with 51 seconds remaining in game 1. It was unfortunate timing for a serious injury to their starting point guard, with both teams tied at 82 at the time. The Knicks would go on to lose a heart-breaker and Chauncey subsequently missed the rest of the series. Billups' presence on the court goes beyond stats. He's the Derek Jeter of basketball. His intangible qualities are invaluable, especially on a team comprised mostly of players with minimal playoff experience. Chauncey has a championship ring and a Finals MVP award on his impressive resume. He's a clutch shot-maker and a seasoned veteran who won't be fazed by the bright lights. Losing your point guard is like losing your general in battle. All hopes and dreams of an upset died when Chauncey limped off the court.

On top of this, Amare Staudemire was forced to battle back spasms in the final three games of the series. Due to this, his minutes and overall production dropped considerably. He shot just 38.2% in the series, averaging 14.5 points. To compare, he averaged 25.3 ppg in the regular season. Amare is the heart and soul of the team. Unlike Carmelo and Billups, he's been with the Knicks since the start of the season. His absence, coupled with Chauncey's, spelled doom for New York.

The Knicks showed tremendous heart throughout the series. Despite the injuries, they gave the Celtics all they could handle. Fans and players were surely left with a bad taste in their mouths. Getting swept is no fun. But it's a bittersweet feeling. The year ended in a fizzle, yet the future for New York Knicks basketball is finally bright. It's time to look forward. At last, Madison Square Garden got another taste of playoff basketball. General Manager Donnie Walsh will continue to work his magic this offseason and the Knicks will only improve from here on out. "Getting swept in the first round, I don't do this," Billups said. "We're on the move, and it's how fast we can get that elevator up."

The response of Knicks fans spoke volumes after their disappointing loss in game four that officially put an end to this rollercoaster season. With the Cetlics celebrating in the middle of the Madison Square Garden court, fans in the arena gave the Knicks a standing ovation. I can't imagine Yankees fans ever doing this. Or Knicks fans during the mid-90's when every year was supposed to be their year. Let's be honest, this season was never about winning anything. At no point were the Knicks good enough to get passed the elite teams. Fans are just happy their team is relevant again. And they should be. This was the first season since 2001 that the Knicks had a record above the .500 mark.

After game 4, Carmelo and company were losers on the scoreboard. But they were winners everywhere else. That was made evident by the fans' standing ovation. Truth is, Amare and Melo accomplished all they had to this year the moment they put on the orange and blue uniform and officially became Knicks.

New York lost game 4 and the series, but they restored hope in the hearts of Knicks fans. And that's good enough, for this year at least. Next season is a different story.

Least of The East

Someone tell the Red Sox the season started. It is April 15, and the 2-9 Sox are looking up at the rest of the league. Who would've guessed that? They're not only at the bottom of the AL East. With all their star power, they've somehow managed to capture the worst record in the majors. Every other team has at least four wins. Surprisingly, their only two wins this season have come against the Yankees. The AL East was expected to be a battle between the Sox and Yankees, as it usually is. It likely still will be. But looking at the standings and seeing Boston at the bottom of everything and everyone is a delightful experience for any Yankee fan.

I disagree when people say the Red Sox came out of the gate slow. In reality, they never left it, losing their first six games. 0-6 is the franchise's worst start since 1945. Impressive, but the Red Sox aim for the stars. They wanted an all-time record. As of now, their record stands at 2-9, their worst start in history.

Boston went big this offseason. Yankee-like big. First, they traded for elite first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. Then, they signed high profile free agent left fielder Carl Crawford to a 7 year, $142 million contract. Crawford was the most coveted offensive free agent this offseason. More importantly, they beat out the Yankees, who were also in contention to snag Crawford.

Through the first 11 games, Boston would've probably been better off leaving left field empty. Crawford has been nonexistent, hitting .152 with no homers and one RBI. Playing in Boston is nothing like playing in Tampa. A regular season game at Fenway in the middle of June has a more electric atmosphere than a playoff game in Tropicana Field. Northeast sports fans are an entirely different breed. Most Floridians weren't even aware there was a baseball team in Tampa before the Rays made their playoff run in 2008. In Boston, fans live and die with each pitch. The pressure and expectations are astronomically high and unavoidable. All of this may be playing into Crawford's disastrous start. Naturally, due to his contract and reputation as an elite player, everyone will point fingers at him. But he isn't the main culprit for Boston's struggles. Not even close.

The primary reason for Boston's painfully slow start has been their pitching. Right now, their team ERA stands at an abominable 6.77. That ranks last in the majors and is almost a run higher than the second worst team. Their starters have been laughably bad. Mastsuzaka and Lackey have done their best impressions of Phil Hughes. Dice-K's ERA stands at 12.86, but Lackey managed to outdo him with a 15.58 ERA. Buckholz's ERA is hovering just above seven. Beckett and Lester have been the only reliable ones.

The Red Sox, one of the offseason favorites to reach the World Series, are off to an historically slow start. Their bodies are in Boston. Their minds and hearts are still in Fort Myers, Florida, home of their spring training facilities, where warm weather, fishing, and meaningless games dominated most of their daily schedules. Eventually, they'll wake up. Before we know it, they'll be back in the thick of things challenging for first place in the AL East. But in the meantime, all Yankee fans should enjoy this prosperous time as the Red Sox do their best to avoid breaking another unwanted record.

Knicks Back On Track

On March 28, I wrote a blog entry detailing the Knicks' struggles. At that point, they had lost six in a row and nine of their last ten. They were 7-12 since the acquisition of Carmelo Anthony.

Since March 28, the Knicks are 7-1. On Tuesday night, they fell to the Bulls, who hold the best record in the Eastern Conference. Before that loss, the Knicks were 5-0 in April and had won seven consecutive games. On April 3, they clinched a playoff spot with a convincing 123-107 win over the Cavaliers.

Carmelo and company are clicking at the right time. The Knicks' team chemistry has vastly improved. With the playoffs approaching, it was imperative that they started to kick it into high gear. They've done that and more. Much of this success should be attributed to none other than Melo.

Since coming to the Knicks, Carmelo has averaged 26.5 points and 7.3 rebounds. New York's bright lights and big stage have not fazed him one bit. His arrival brought immense and arguably unfair fan expectations. Carmelo has not wavered. He's been clutch, hitting two game-winning shots. The most recent one came against the Indiana Pacers this past Sunday to extend the Knicks' winning streak to seven games. Against the Pacers, the Knicks were without the services of Amare Stoudemire for the second straight game. Amare has missed the last three games with a tweaked ankle, but Anthony has kept New York afloat during this time, leading them to a 2-1 record. The one loss came against the powerhouse Bulls.

The playoffs start Saturday, April 16. But this time, the Knicks won't be watching from their couches. There will be playoff basketball in the Garden for the first time since 2004. Stoudemire is expected to be ready for the opening round. The Knicks will go into their first matchup with momentum, confidence, and chemistry. It's amazing what a difference a couple of weeks can make. On March 28, the world was crashing down for Knick fans. Now, in their eyes, the Knicks are favorites to win it all.

Hughes Strugglin

CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes were supposed to be the backbone of an otherwise questionable rotation. Now, Phil Hughes is a question mark. He has somehow managed to make A.J. Burnett an afterthought in Yankees Universe.

After two starts and six total innings this season, Hughes has given up 12 hits, 3 home runs, and 11 earned runs. He has just one strikeout and a ridiculous 16.50 ERA. "It's kind of a hopeless feeling," said Hughes after his latest start against the Red Sox.

Hughes' fastball has averaged around 89 MPH in his first two starts. In 2010, his fastball averaged 92-94 MPH. His velocity was down all spring as well, according to Yankee pitching coach Larry Rothschild. "The arm strength hasn't been there all spring," Rothschild said. "I don't know if he's lost it or just hasn't built up all the way yet. Some guys are slower like that, and he's clearly right now one of them."

Anything is possible, but it would be quite befuddling if Hughes somehow permanently lost his velocity at this point in his career. I think the more plausible answer would be that he hasn't built up the arm strength yet. Hughes is just 24 years old and has yet to reach his peak. Last year was his first season in the majors as a full-time starter. As a result, he threw a career high 176.1 innings. Before this, his innings high was just 86, which occurred in 2009 when he was primarily a relief pitcher. It is likely that Hughes' arm is still recovering from the innings jump.  

Yankee fans should take a deep breath. Hughes has thrown just six innings in the 2011 season. There is no need to think worst case scenario just yet. In time, the Hughes of old will be back. When that happens, we can all go back to making fun of A.J. Burnett. 

Not So Amazins

The Mets opened the season with a series win over the Florida Marlins. Their record stands at a monumental 2-1. I advise Met fans to soak up that above .500 taste while it lasts. It won't be there for long. 

In all seriousness, the Mets are likely in for a rough year. We all know the Phillies locked up the division in the offseason when they acquired Cliff Lee. The Mets' best player, Johan Santana, is out until late June or early July. He went under the knife for shoulder surgery in September 2010 and still needs time to recuperate. When he does return, there is no guarantee he will be the Johan of old. Carlos Beltran is banged up as well. He missed most of last season with a knee injury and underperformed when he was on the field. There is no telling what type of production he will provide the Mets with this year. 

Terry Collins, the new manager, and Sandy Alderson, the new General Manager, will work to steer this ship in the right direction. Collins has a fiery personality and won't accept lackluster and uninspired play, regardless of their position in the standings. Met fans are certainly delighted about the release of Louis Castillo and Oliver Perez, but this team is still littered with question marks. It is unlikely that 2011 will be anything more than a rebuilding year for the Mets.

The season is young though. Miracles do happen. Just ask the '69 Mets.

Play Ball

On Thursday, March 31, the 2011 baseball season officially began. The Yankees opened with an impressive 6-3 win over the Detroit Tigers. After four games, New York is 3-1. Their offense, to the surprise of no one, has been dominant. They blasted 11 home runs in the first four games. In previous blog posts I have discussed their suspect rotation. Four games is certainly not enough to draw any solid conclusions, but here is how the Yankee starters have performed thus far:
Sabathia - 6 IP, 2ER
Burnett - 5 IP, 3ER
Hughes - 4 IP, 5ER
Nova - 6 IP, 3ER
Pretty unspectacular but good enough for a 3-1 start.

The most positive aspect of the first four games has been the performance of Mark Teixeira. Teixeira has pummeled the ball so far, hitting .357 with 3 homers and 7 RBIs. This is unfamiliar territory for him. Teixeira is infamous for his painfully slow starts. After four games last year, his average was an awe-inspiring .000. Mark waited until the fifth game to get his first hit. He did not obtain his seventh RBI until April 22 and he did not hit his third homer until May 8. Despite all of this, Teixeira still managed to slug 33 homers and drive in 108 runs last season. The sky is the limit for him this year if he continues his hot start.

Another reason Yankee fans should be optimistic is the performance of the bullpen. At 41 years of age, Mariano has given us no reason to believe he is no longer an immortal freak of nature, compiling 2.1 scoreless innings and three saves so far. The 7-8-9 inning combo consisting of Joba, Soriano, and Mariano worked together to hold the opposition scoreless and close them out in two of the first four games. If these three pitchers can continue to deliver in the late innings, then the Yankees can essentially shorten the game to six innings. The Yankees' bullpen is one of the deepest in the majors. Hopefully they continue to perform.

Jeter had a lackluster season in 2010. He hit a career low .270. Pretty un-Jeter-like. Again, it is difficult to make any assumptions after four games, but it would have been nice to see some signs of life from him. Years ago, a bad stretch from Jeter was nothing to worry about. I mean, he's Derek-freaking-Jeter. Unfortunately, those days are over. He's 36 years old and well passed his prime. Jeter needs 72 hits to reach 3000. At the pace he's been going since last year, he may be an eligible senior citizen by the time he gets there. Still, nobody would be surprised if Jeter had a bounce-back year and put together a remarkable season.

It is not often that the Yankees are an underdog. That is the case for them this year. The Red Sox and Phillies both have better teams on paper. But nobody feels bad for the Yankees and their 200 million dollar payroll. They still have more than enough weapons to win it all. Underdogs or not, Yankee fans expect number 28.