​Willie Mays' catch off Vic Wertz in the 1954 World Series may be the most famous play in Series history. May be. I'll bet if there was some way of measuring all the hits on the various versions of Bill Buckner's error on Mookie Wilson's ground ball in the 1986 World Series, it would top Willie by a landslide.

More >>

Strawberry!

Did I miss it, or has someone written tributes to the 1986 Mets that I didn't see? October 18 marks the 25th anniversary of the first game of the great 1986 World Series, and we just passed the 25th anniversary of perhaps the greatest division series ever, the one with the Houston Astros — you know, the one Tim McCarver famously called "an epic of our time … like Beowulf."

Don't people think silver anniversaries are important any more? Have the Mets' miseries this past season — for the past few seasons, for that matter — drowned out memories of the one of the greatest teams and greatest seasons in baseball history?

I have a theory: The Mets' fans get a pang when they remember the '86 team because it was a dynasty that never happened.

More >>

Sabathia: Big drama

C.C. or C.J.? Does it come down to that for the Yankees? We still don't know who's going to the World Series, but the internet is abuzz with speculation about whether the Yankees are going to try to re-sign C.C. Sabathia or Texas Rangers left-handed ace C.J. Wilson — or both.

C.C. is getting $23 million a year for the next four years, and the Rangers had a $91 million payroll last year. Does anyone seriously think they're going to take on a grossly overweight 31-year old for, what, $27 or $28 million a year for three or four seasons?

It's not my money, so I don't care how the Yankees spend it, but I do care how it affects the team. And not only can't Texas afford to pay that kind of money, I don't think anyone else can, either. Well, the Yankees could, but why should they?

More >>

If you're sick of Moneyball clichés, try the cure: Too Much Moneyball, a video from Jest.com that's making the rounds.

Our favorite scene is when the actor playing the Brad Pitt role — or, rather, in this scenario the Brian Cashman role — is thinking of new ways to spend money: "Overpay for hometown heroes," he says and the camera cuts to footage of Derek Jeter jumping up and down.

The video is more than a picture-perfect turnaround of the movie. It's a virtual compendium of all the reasons that big-market teams don't win every year, despite their obvious advantages.

As the postseason hits full swing, it's amusing watching the three richest teams in baseball scramble frantically to figure out why they lost despite their enormous resources. Well, it's amusing if you're not a fan of those teams.

More >>

Al Davis, circa 1970.

The best and most balanced obit for the Oakland Raiders' Al Davis, who died Saturday, was by Bruce Weber in the New York Times. There is, however, a curious and unexplained line in the story: "Wherever the team called home, Oakland or Los Angeles, Mr. Davis was a fan favorite — until he wasn't."

Part of the explanation has to do with the word "extort."

We don't feel it's necessary to recount Davis's many accomplishments, and we grant that he was a "maverick," for whatever that may be worth. High on the list of those accomplishments is bringing a Hispanic coach, Tom Flores, and a black coach, Art Shell, into the NFL. He was also the first owner to put a woman, Amy Trask, into an executive position.

But it also should be remembered that he was one nasty son of a bitch when a player crossed him. We'll probably never know why he feuded with his great running back, Marcus Allen, unless Allen chooses to spill the beans. And Davis was an asshole to the end regarding the players' union.

More >>

The parade's gone by: A-Rod in 2009

​Let's look on the bright side ... no, scratch that. There is no bright side. Let's try to take in the big picture ... no, skip it. That's crap, too.

The Yankees' 3-2 elimination loss to Detroit on Thursday night was as ugly as a one-run defeat can be. They were a better team than the Tigers, not by much, but a little. They had a lower team ERA and scored more runs, they were playing at home with their relief corps rested, and Justin Verlander didn't pitch. The Yankees should have won.

Why didn't they? Well, apparently it is all Alex Rodriguez's fault. But isn't it possible that some of the other Yankees didn't get the job done, either? And what does this tell us about this Yankee team?

Alex Rodriguez didn't not do the job all by himself. Not by a long shot.

More >>

Verlander: Use him or lose it?

If you were about to play what could be your last game of the season, would you use every weapon you had? If we are to believe Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland, he wouldn't.

Leyland has repeatedly said he "probably wouldn't use Justin Verlander in relief" in tonight's Game Five against the Yanks, that it was "unlikely." The press took this as "absolutely will not." Earlier this afternoon, ESPN's Buster Olney tweeted that Leyland was "emphatic" about not using the best pitcher in baseball this season in relief.

Does anyone believe this?

More >>

"Stupidity." That's how former NFL head of officiating Mike Pereira, now an analyst for Fox, cut through the crap surrounding the Victor Cruz play in yesterday's Cardinals-Giants game. The Giants sealed a 31-27 victory over the Cards when Cruz took a pass from Eli Manning for a 19-yard gain and then went down at the 29-yard line. Cruz went down, but he didn't come up with the ball.

The Cardinals claimed that it was a fumble — and they were right. As is so often the case on a controversial NFL play, a literal reading of the rulebook only serves to confuse matters.

More >>

Scary: Verlander vs. Sabathia

If I were a Yankees fan, I'd be afraid — very afraid. Of course, as I've said all season, whenever I look at the pitching staff I'm afraid. But in addition to being afraid all season, I've also been wrong all season, so maybe I'm wrong now. Maybe there's something I'm not seeing here, but the numbers I'm seeing tossed around by most analysts are, I think, very misleading.

Justin Verlander is the best pitcher in baseball, and he's going against the Yankees tonight. C.C. Sabathia is very good, but he's not in Verlander's league — no one else is, either — and Sabathia has not been a great pitcher over the last third of the season. To be honest, I've never thought he was a great big-game pitcher anyway, but since they're playing at Yankee Stadium, I guess it's close to being a toss-up.

More >>

Reyes: Sign him up!

So, what's the answer to the only question Mets fans really want to know right now? Will the Mets sign José Reyes?

Never mind that the way Reyes ended the season produced more sour press — unjustifiably — than almost anything else done by anyone on the Mets all season.

Is that really how you want to remember José? Is that how you want him to remember us?

The official answer to whether the Mets will re-sign Reyes is cloaked in impenetrable policy-speak.

More >>