The Bronx Journal/April 2001 A 1 4 S P O RT S Title: Undecided...

GREG VAN VOORHIS Inside: The Reason for Life SPORTS EDITOR

PETER MONSEES:THE BERGEN RECORD: Yankee Derek Jeterand

rolled team not making it to the playoffs in major league history. The additions of A- Rod, Andres Galarraga, Ken Caminiti, and Randy Velarde only help Ivan Rodriguez, as he will not be pitched around this season, but their lack of pitching will cost them a playoff spot. We all hope A-Rod enjoys the $252 million deal he signed, which keeps him and his team out of title contention until the contract expires, rather than opting for a more reasonable offer from and returning there to a very strong team. Speaking of Seattle, the loss of A-Rod does hurt them, but don’t count them out just yet. They won the bidding war for the rights to try to sign Japanese star , and were able to complete the deal PETER MONSEES:THE BERGEN RECORD Tino Martínez, 33, running laps with right-fielderPaul O’Neill, 38 that brought him over. He will replace Jay Buhner in right field, and will become the

nce again, as season Okay, let me think. Well, let’s see if I can Mariners’ , the position that THOMAS FRANKLIN:THE BERGEN RECORD rolls around, I find myself sitting think of something that happened during was manned by last sea- The Yanks celebrating afterwinning the . at the computer, typing away, the off-season. The Yankees signed starting son. Also, they signed away deleting, typing again, deleting again, try- away from the from the Yankees, which helps bolster their coming close to signing A-Rod doesn’t ing to come up with the most clever title for , but as I said, I tried that already solid pitching staff. Get ready to see count for anything. At best, they’ll be as the start of the season. one. some 1-0 games come October if Seattle good as last season. First I try to upstage the M.C. Hammer The Yanks also lost Jeff reaches the post-season. The only other contender in the NL are remake of “Tell Me Have You Seen Her?” Nelson to the suddenly-strong-pitching Another potential contender are the the St. Louis Cardinals, who also took a with “The Yankees Have Mussina,” but that , but what can I say about . Fresh from coming when they lost power hitter Fernando Tatis doesn’t seem right. Then I try to play that: “Yanks lose Full-Nelson?” No! away with last season’s AL West division and pitcher . McGwire and around with a possible Part is starting the season on the crown, Oakland made themselves that Edmonds will do their parts in making the II idea, by writing “The Good, the Bad, and shelf, so how about “Jeter extends shelf much scarier with the acquisition of hitting team believe they can do it, but it will take the Ugly,” until I realize that there’s no third life?” Close, but NO again! guru . Last season’s MVP strong pitching and at least one other big team, and which would be which anyway? Or I can try the whole Doc Gooden retire- award winner, , is ready to bat for them to beat the Braves again, or do How about starting it off by insulting Alex ment thing. Maybe I can tie it into Jeter’s again lead his troops into battle this season. any damage to the Mets. Rodriguez’s contract? I can call him “pAy- injury like, “Gooden retires to play Doc My only question: Has all the ink in his So there you have it. A lot happened this Rod” instead of A-rod. That sounds cute, with Derek.” That might catch your atten- arms slowed his bat speed, or will it help off-season, and I can’t even think of a title but there’s no Bronx flavor to that one. And tion, but maybe in the wrong way. put any extra oomph into his swing? for this piece. I thought for sure that some- people think coming up with term paper Hmmm... this is really tough! Well, let’s The got some much thing would have snuck into my brain and titles are tough. switch tracks now. What’s doing with the needed support and veteran leadership forced me to throw it onto the paper. Maybe Imagine.... I could spend almost as much other half of the Subway Series: the by signing Juan Gonzalez this off-season, not every article needs a title, and maybe time thinking of the title for my article as I Amazin’Mets. Let’s see, they lost ace Mike but the defection of to the “no title” is actually a title for an article. do the article itself. I want to draw your Hampton to the , and hurts them more than Maybe everyone will be so curious that attention by coming up with something replaced him with Oakland’s , Gonzalez helps. they will have to read it, right up until the catchy, but I don’t want to go overboard or so ‘It Appiers like Mike’s gone Hamping in As for the Sox, don’t look for them to beat end, just to see what comes next. Well, this you might just think of it as a “kiddie” arti- the Rocky Mountains.” A little long. the Yanks out for the division, but they may is almost the end. Are you curious to read cle. I also don’t want to go into too much No title so far I guess, but I’ll keep work- make some noise this season as a wild-card what comes next? It’s the answer to the detail because then I might lose some of my ing. Well, what else happened during this team. questions we all ask each day as to why we potential readers. What’s a sports journalist o ff-season? The have How about over in the NL? The Braves press on in life. The answer is... Opening to do? become the best hitting and highest pay- took a hit with the loss of Galarraga, and Day!