New York Acts - sports

New York Islanders

noreply@blogspirit.com (Jason JOHNSON) — Tue, 20 Sep 2005 22:50:00 +0200

Right wing Mark Parrish signed his one-year qualifying offer worth $1.9 million with the New York Islanders on Tuesday.

Parrish was the last remaining player not yet under contract before the team departed for training camp, which started on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old Parrish has 94 goals and 79 assists in his four seasons with the Islanders. He is expected to be a member of the United States team that will compete in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Italy.

The Islanders acquired Parrish and Oleg Kvasha in the trade that sent Roberto Luongo and Olli Jokinen to Florida in June 2000. http://www.nwtix.com/New_York_Islanders_Tickets.html

Parrish scored on a career-high 22.9 percent of his shots in 2003-04, recording 24 goals in 59 games while fighting through an ankle injury. He posted a plus-eight rating in helping New York to the playoffs for the third straight season.

In 2001-2002, Parrish recorded 30 goals and 30 assists in 78 games and had a career-best plus-10 rating, earning a spot in the NHL All-Star Game.

New York Rangers

noreply@blogspirit.com (Jason JOHNSON) — Tue, 20 Sep 2005 22:35:00 +0200

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has reassigned several players to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL), along with two skaters to their respective junior teams. The Rangers now have 38 players remaining in training camp, including four goaltenders, 14 defensemen and 20 forwards. New York begins their exhibition schedule Tuesday, September 20, when they travel to Long Island to face the Islanders. The Rangers first home pre-season game is slated for Sunday, September 25 versus the Boston Bruins at 5:00 PM. http://www.nwtix.com/New_York_Mets_Tickets.html

New York Mets

noreply@blogspirit.com (Jason JOHNSON) — Tue, 20 Sep 2005 22:06:12 +0200

It was the first week of January and baseball awareness was in the deepest stage of hibernation when the Mets made the move that for months, if it were mentioned at all, was identified as the Vance Wilson trade. They moved Wilson, one of Mike Piazza's understudies, to the Tigers, for a Minor League infielder with two last names.

The trade went virtually unnoticed through Spring Training when No. 78 played some late innings of exhibition games. But when he began playing for the Mets' Double-A Binghamton affiliate in April, WhatEverHisName morphed into Anderson Hernandez. And by the next time the Mets play an April game, his identity may have changed again -- to Mets second baseman.

In the never-jump-to-conclusions world that is the Mets, Anderson isn't any closer to playing second base at Shea next season than Tom Glavine is. Willie Randolph nearly discounted the possibility Sunday morning, hours before Anderson made his Major League debut behind Glavine in the Mets' 4-1 victory against the Braves. http://www.nwtix.com/New_York_Mets_Tickets.html

"I do want to see him. I'm not going to go so far as to get ahead of myself and say he's going to be our second baseman next year. He's got some skills. He's a switch-hitter. He's a little above-average runner. In Spring Training, I noticed he's got good hands. I'd like to have a better idea before Spring Training how he's going to look."

The manager made other comments as well, though ones that suggested Hernandez already is more advanced at second base than Kaz Matsui, the oft-injured, by-default, quasi-incumbent at the position. Randolph noted that Hernandez seems more comfortable and familiar with the duties at second and the right side of the infield than Matsui, even though his experience there isn't as great at Matsui's.

"But he's played a lot of baseball, you can tell," Randolph said. "He's got a more natural flow. The kids in his country [the Dominican Republic] play a lot and gain a lot of baseball poise. He seems sure of himself."

Now if Hernandez is more advanced defensively than Matsui, and because the Mets don't anticipate Miguel Cairo expanding his range in the next six months, it's not impossible to conclude Hernandez, 22, has a chance to play second base next season for a team that needs to shed years from its average age and add double plays and reliable defense.

Moroever, the Mets face a multitude of decisions involving other assignments -- first base, catcher, closer, bullpen. If Hernandez demonstrates a degree of Major League readiness, the club might feel comfortable pushing second base further down on its lists of winter priorities.

"I'm not saying that if we get a chance to bring in a veteran second baseman who can really help us, we should say, 'No way, we have Anderson Hernandez,'" Randolph said. "He might need another year. But he's young and talented and sure of himself. We owe it to ourselves to take a look."

Hernandez seems to be a bright light. His smile was intact after he had gone hitless -- with a three-pitch strikeout -- in is first four big league at-bats. He handled the ball at second base six times without incident and showed the kind of on-field sense Randolph wants and seldom gets from the more mechanical Matsui.

Hernandez nearly picked Andruw Jones off third base in the fifth inning when the Braves center fielder took a wide turn around the bag after advancing from first base on Jeff Francoeur's double. The manager liked the play.

Randolph had wanted to audition Hernandez, but when the Mets said they couldn't accommodate the infielder on their 40-man roster, Randolph said he would have to be content to wait for Spring Training or winter ball. Hernandez was to come to Shea, but only to receive the Sterling Award as the outstanding player with the Double-A Binghamton Mets.

Hernandez had begun the season as the Binghamton shortstop, batting .326 in 66 games. He was reassigned to second base in July when he was promoted to the Triple-A Norfolk team. He batted .303 in 66 more games. He thought his season would end then.

"They told me they were going to call me up, but they couldn't," Hernandez said. "I said, 'OK, I'll keep my award and go back home.'"

But Matsui left the game Friday because of a strained right hamstring. And Chris Woodward already had a tight right calf. So the club designated Dae-Sung Koo for assignment, creating room on the roster for Hernandez.

He was given uniform No. 1, which assures him of nothing, but says he no longer is considered a defensive tackle. And considering how slowly Matsui heals, how much the club need to get younger and how Randolph was intrigued by Hernandez, it hardly is beyond the realm of possibilty that the two starting second basemen in New York next season will be named Anderson and Robinson.

New York Knicks

noreply@blogspirit.com (Jason JOHNSON) — Tue, 20 Sep 2005 21:55:39 +0200

http://www.nwtix.com/New_York_Knicks_Tickets.html

If Jerome James suddenly blurted out, “I decided to retire in order to play amateur air hockey” he couldn’t have startled his listeners more. “I wish I could play Shaq EVERY night,” the new Knick center said -- and looked like he meant it, too -- at his introductory press conference. “At least I’d go up against another seven-footer I could hold my strength against and not worry about fouling out of the game.”

Of course, his courage and the willingness to face -- and face and face -- the game’s most daunting challenge is far from only thing attractive about the 7-1 James. In fact, the Knicks’ free-agent signing of this (very) big man probably qualifies as one of those rare instances of the ideal coming together of player, coach, and team need.

“When I look at Jerome, the first thing I see is his shot-blocking ability, presence, and ability to clog up the middle -- and that is what we lacked last year,” President, Basketball Operations Isiah Thomas said. “We needed a space eater. We also needed some intimidation in the middle. Well, we definitely have a presence in the middle now. He provides all of that.”

“Defense is my forte, my claim to fame,” smiled the extremely personable James. “I know (Coach) Larry (Brown) is all about defense. Playing for him, it’s going to be wonderful.”

Though he had himself a nothing less than other-worldly playoff series against Sacramento (17.2 ppg, 9.4 rpg), James’ numbers overall were just 4.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots a game. But more often than not numbers tend to lie: for one thing, James played just 16 minutes per game. For another “what blew me away about him is that in the games where he managed to play extended minutes on the floor, 25 or 30, he was putting up extremely good numbers,” said Thomas. “It’s a matter of him controlling his aggression and learning how to stay out of foul trouble. If we can keep him out of foul trouble, we’ll really have ourselves a find.”

“I think we’re catching him at the right time of his career,” added Thomas. “They always say big guys take time to develop. Last year Jerome has become comfortable with his size and also his aggression.”

James certainly subscribes to the “perfect place at the perfect time” theory. “Three years ago, when I was a free agent, I almost became a Knick,” he says. “It was pretty close -- but now I’m happy I didn’t do it. At that point I wasn’t ready for New York. But three more years of playing in Seattle, and playing under Coach Nate (McMillan), definitely prepared me for this.”

“Yes, staying out of foul trouble will be huge,” agreed James. “And I think during that playoff run, and altogether toward the end of last year, I learned how to do that.”

“I think I’ve only barely scratched the surface of my potential so far,” added James. “That eye-opener came to me last season. It was about me learning the game of basketball. It was about doing whatever it takes for my team to win. People have to understand, I didn’t play in high school at all. I barely played college basketball -- I got a late start doing that. I’m still learning. So Coach Larry Brown fills me with excitement and interest. My last great coach, Nate McMillan, talked about Larry Brown, and what he learned from Larry Brown, all the time.”

“I also came here because I really, really like Isiah Thomas,” said James. “Chris Webber, who is a great friend of mine, took me under his wing when I was a rookie. And he told me if I ever get a chance to play for Isiah, I should take it.”

From all points of view, “The Knicks are the best move for me at this point in my career,” said James. “I wanted to get to another level. In the past I’ve been very comfortable in a supporting role but I want to hold myself more accountable not only to the game of basketball but also to an organization that wants more from me.”

New York Yankees

noreply@blogspirit.com (Jason JOHNSON) — Tue, 20 Sep 2005 21:40:00 +0200

http://www.nwtix.com/New_York_Yankees_Tickets.html

The Yankees received an unlikely lift from reserve outfielder Bubba Crosby on Monday night, as he bashed a walk-off home run to bring the Bombers just a half-game from first place in the American League East.

On Tuesday, New York turns to its most unlikely success of the season, as Aaron Small takes the mound against Baltimore's John Maine.

Small's unlikely season continues, as the right-hander looks to improve to 9-0. Small had his worst outing of the season on Thursday, but he earned the win despite allowing five runs in 6 2/3 innings. Small has walked just four batters in his last three starts.

The Yankees have won eight of their last nine, cutting Boston's lead in the division from four games to a half-game.

Even after Monday's dramatic victory, the Yankees insist they're keeping their eyes on the immediate future, not the big picture.

"We're not worried about anything but tomorrow -- first pitch at 7:05," said Alex Rodriguez. "If we stay in that frame of mind, we're going to be fine. We can't worry about who's doing what; we have to be narrow-minded."