Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2009 was one of the worst and one of the best years of my life.

My daughter Grace was born on Feb. 13th and since then she has made me laugh, smile and stand in amazement at the beautiful wonderful, intelligent and funny little girl that she is.

My mother died on March 23rd at the age of 59 after a 13 year battle with pancreatitis, diabetes and various other complications. ...It has rocked my world more than anything else ever has.

I got a new job. ...

My wife's grandfather and my brother-in-law's mother passed away which again rocked my family and left me to question yet again what God's plan is ...

The Yankees won their 27th World Series and brought some enjoyment to my life ...

And through it all, I have seemingly kept it together while trying to do the best I can for the people around me that I love.

More than anything else, this year has taught a number of lessons that I will take with me. Cherish what you have in life. Take care of yourself and the people around you. Don't take anything or anyone you know for granted. Be grateful for what you have. If you want something, don't sit around waiting for it to happen. And each day tell the people that you love how much you care for them.

That last one is the most important of all, I think.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Giants-Eagles Running Blog - The Battle for 1st Place in NFC East

7:50 p.m. - I'm back by unpopular demand with a new running blog of tonight's Giants vs. Eagles game. Let's see how it goes.

7:57 p.m. - Things are working out well for me in fantasy football this week and this year. I'm in 1st place in two leagues and 2nd in another. I advanced in the first round of my Fanball.com league, have a bye week in the Auxiliary league and am fighting for regular season first place ($55) and points leader ($55) in my Keeper league. I never do well in fantasy football, so I'm extremely happy about this.

8:05 p.m. - In the keeper league, I'm in good position to take home both the regular season and the points championships.

Me - 87-67 with Steve Smith, Frank Gore and Eagles Def. yet to play against Vern Davis, Lesean McCoy and Brent Celek.

Pit Crew (First place...he needs to lose and I need to win to capture the regular season championship). He is losing 74-67 with Jacobs going against him tonight. He has Boldin tomorrow.

Pacman Jones (Current points leader by 1 point.) He has 57 points with Kevin Boss and Larry Fitzgerald yet to play.

It's going to be crazy close in every matchup, but I'm hoping to bring home the dough

8:18 p.m. - It's a huge, huge game for the Giants tonight - maybe the Game of the Year - after the Cowboys wet the bed against the Chargers today. Giants win and they are in first place. That's about the furthest thing I thought could happen after watching the team stink up the place for 5 of the last 6 games. Let's see if they answer the bell tonight.

8:25 p.m. - The Giants always play better with their backs against the wall and love playing the "Nobody believed in us card." It's that attitude that won them Super Bowl XLII.

8:27 p.m. - I've heard a ton about Battlestar Galatica since it premiered in 2005, but I never watched it for one reason or another. I was wrong to wait. I just blew through the 4 hour pilot and first 8 episodes and have loved it. It rivals The Wire as my favorite drama of all time.

8:29 p.m. - I don't care how bad he's played this year, if Brandon Jacobs steps up big-time tonight - on the real life and fantasy football side of things - all will be forgotten.

8:30 p.m. - I continually marvel at Justin Tuck's head. It's egg shaped. Very strange.

8:34 p.m. - Eagles are driving and the Giants defense does not look good at all. Yuck.

8:35 p.m. - Al Michaels refers to Michael Boley as one of the "new" Giants. When does he not become a "new" Giant Al? This is the 13th game this season. He ceased being new after the first game.

8:36 p.m. - Celek scores and hurts both the Giants (7-0) and my fantasy team (87-73).... Crap.

8:39 p.m. - Nice runback by Dom Hixon who runs it from the 5 yard line to to the 33.

8:40 p.m. - Hakeem Nicks gets his first pro start. He's earned it with 575 yards and 5 touchdowns this season. Pretty nice for a rookie.

8:42 p.m. - Jacobs fumbles (NO!!!) and the Eagles defense takes it back for a TD. It's good for my fantasy defense, but a complete and utter disaster for the Giants who are now down 14-0.

8:46 p.m. -- Well at least my fantasy team is in good shape. 106-73, although that Jacobs fumble hurt the guy who is playing Pit Crew.

8:47 p.m. - Nicks catches a 17-yard slant from Eli. Every time he gets the ball he makes a ton of things happen.

8:49 p.m. - Great, great year for the real Steve Smith -- not the fake one from Carolina. Smith has 80 catches, 1,007 yards and 5 TDs through 12+ games. He's a dominant No. 1 WR and has completely replaced Plaxico...Plaxico who?

Who would have expected that?

8:51 p.m. - G-men going for it on 4 and 1. They need this right here.

8:52 p.m. - Jacobs buries his head ahead for a first down - for the first time this season - and gets a big first down.

8:52 p.m. - Just got my first glimpse at the wet soggy field turf at the Meadowlands. Lots of puddles. It looks like a little league field.

8:53 p.m. - Kevin Boss makes a crazy, Phil McConkey type catch off a deflection from Eagles DB Jeremiah Trotter.

8:54 p.m. - Giants need to score right here to get some of the momentum back in this game.

8:55 p.m. - Manningham catches a TD out of bounds. Just horrible field awareness there as he should have gotten two feet in bounds.

8:56 p.m. - And the Giants settle for a short field goal. 14-3 Philly.

9:01 p.m. - Forgive me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the route that Manningham ran the same Slant n Go route that Burress caught the SuperBowl XLII winning TD on?

9:03 p.m. - Nice pressure by Giants defense and Eagles offense goes 3 and out.

9:05 p.m. - Giants need to score here to cut the Eagles' surprisingly early lead.

9:11 p.m. - Nicks drops a wide open sure TD. ...And then he drops a second bomb by Eli. Both would have been complete daggers to the Eagles. Luckily Eagles get back-to-back illegal contact calls.

9:14 p.m. - And Nicks follows that up with a crazy Madden like 68-yard TD catch started by a nifty catch, a juke and a spin followed by a sprint to the end zone. I believe you execute those moves in Madden by hitting Y, RB, B and then RT. Ha. 14-10 Eagles.

9:18 p.m. - 101-73. Still winning in fantasy as Eagles defense has taken a few lumps from Giants defense. Luckily. Yes. I am rooting for Giants and not my fantasy team. I'm serious. No, really.

9:21 p.m. - Of course, the Giants D is letting the Eagles take the momentum right back. Can they stop someone please?

9:24 p.m. - Considering that the Eagles are on the 2 yard line and bound to score a TD here, can I ask that it be someone other than McCoy or Celek. Please?

9:25 p.m. - Wow, the Giants D actually stops them. Nice work by Aaron Rouse on last two plays. FG attempt by Eagles. 17-10 Eagles.

9:26 p.m. - 6:42 left until the half. Can the Giants tie it up before the half. That would be nice.

9:35 p.m. - And Giants don't do it and instead - aided by a missed block in the back by the Eagles - allow Jackson to run it back 72 yards for a punt return TD. 24-10 Eagles.

9:36 p.m. - Up 107-58 vs. Pacman right now, which pretty much puts the points championship in my pocket. He still has Boss and Fitzgerald, but I'm not guessing they are scoring 50 points combined. It would take like 300 yards and 5 TDs. That still doesn't make the Giants' 2 TD deficit better.

9:49 p.m. - Bradshaw leads the Giants down the field with a number of great runs. He ends it with a short 3 yard TD up the middle. 24-17 Eagles.

9:52 p.m. - Honestly, the Giants offense has looked good tonight. They are losing because of a Eagle fumble recovery TD and a punt return TD. I think we can take that into the lockerroom if they hold right here, with 1:08 left in the 1st half.

9:54 p.m. - Boley drops a sure pick-6 that would have tied up the game going into the half. Ahhhh.

9:55 p.m. - Not sure why Coughlin calls a timeout. It's 3rd and 10, crowd is going wild and they have the Eagles offense on their heels. Of course, after the timeout, they complete a long pass to Jackson.

10:02 p.m. - The convicted dog killer runs it in for a TD and the extra pt is blocked. 30-17 Eagles.

10:12 p.m. - First time I've ever seen it, but boy is the Tailgating History bit really, really bad. It's worst than SNL. ...and that's pretty bad.

10:12 p.m. - Gotta love Tony Dungy promoting his pet - no pun intended - project Mike Vick by showing a Vick pass completion highlight during the half-time show.

10:17 p.m. - After the TD to end the half by the Eagles, I'm really not sure how to characterize the first half. Giants need to really try to score early in the 3rd quarter to set the tone for the 2nd half.

10:29 p.m. - Jacobs runs it in to cut Eagles lead to 30-24 and to increases Clams lead over Pit Crew to 82-67 (with Boldin yet to play for Crew). I can smell the regular season championship money!

10:32 p.m. - If the Giants really want to make the playoffs here, their defense needs to start coming up with stops against the Eagles offense.

10:35 p.m. - JON GOFF WITH A HUGE INT AT EAGLES 35 YARD LINE. BIG TIME!

10:37 p.m. - Eli runs it to the 10 and fumbles the ball after diving head first. The booth is reviewing the play now. Was he touched? Hope so?!

10:38 p.m. - Question is should Joe Girardi have trained Mark Sanchez or Eli Manning to slide feet first?

10:41 p.m. - Giants' don't win the call and Eagles retain possession.

10:47 p.m. - Hixon takes a short pass from Eli 67 yards to tie the game for Giants!! What a crazy game! Extra pt by Tynes and its 31-30 Giants!!

10:52 p.m. - Another big play by Eagles and they go right back up. 37-31 Eagles.

11:01 p.m. - I'm amazed that Andy Reid got a contract extension. He's a horrible game manager.

11:08 p.m. - Why are the Giants running on 3rd and 5. What kind of play calling is that?

11:15 p.m. - And the Giants defense is bending on a mid-4th quarter Eagle drive that is featuring a lot of screens and a lot of running plays. Even a FG here is bad news. We need a turnover!

11:18 p.m. - And Eagles score TD to go up by 2 TDs. The Giants Defense let them go 91 yards and tear up 7 1/2 minutes of 4th quarters. Worst drive of the game. There goes 1st place and probably the playoffs. 45-31

11:20 p.m. - The defense should be ashamed of themselves. They've given up 85 points....85! in the last two games against the Eagles. Fire defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan right now.

11:34 p.m. - Manningham makes his second out of bounds TD catch. Another play where he should have gotten 2 feet down.

11:41 p.m. - Boss scores to cut lead, but it's pretty much over. ...

Recap not needed....Blech.

Cheetah Woods

I heard a funny, albeit it extremely corny joke today: Eldrick is changing his name from Tiger Woods to Cheetah Woods.

That's all I'm saying about this topic. What he did was reprehensible, but a person's private life is just that....no matter how much money he makes or how much his persona is in the public eye. He isn't a role model. He is just extremely talented at a job that nets him an extremely lucrative income.

That doesn't give me the right to know everything he does or the troubles/addiction/problems he has outside of the public eye. I'm not paying to look in on his private life. I'm paying to watch a talented athlete perform in his sport.

Happy Thanksgiving

It has been a tough year to be thankful this year with the passing of my mother, my wife's grandfather and recently the passing of my sister's mother-in-law, but I am indeed thankful this holiday, for a couple things:

The healthy birth of my daughter Grace and the wonderous smile she continually brings to my face and the healing spirit that this little girl has brought to my heart.

and...

The support and love of my wonderful wife who has stuck by me during the best and worst year of my life.

I love my girls....

The U.S. House of Rep. Vote....

.....no, not that vote.

House Resolution 893 -- congratulating the New York Yankees for winning the World Series -- passed last week by a vote of 386 to 17, with 11 Congressmen voting "present."

HRES 893 IH

111th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. RES. 893

Congratulating the 2009 Major League Baseball World Series Champions, the New York Yankees.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 5, 2009

Mr. SERRANO (for himself, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. ARCURI, Mr. BACA, Mr. BISHOP of New York, Ms. BORDALLO, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. CROWLEY, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. DICKS, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. HALL of New York, Mr. HIGGINS, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. ISRAEL, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mrs. LOWEY, Mrs. MALONEY, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. MCMAHON, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. MURPHY of New York, Mr. NADLER of New York, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. NORTON, Mr. OBEY, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. PASTOR of Arizona, Mr. PIERLUISI, Mr. REYES, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey, Mr. SALAZAR, Mr. SIRES, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. TONKO, Ms. VELAZQUEZ, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. WAMP, Mr. REHBERG, Mr. HOLT, Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky, Mr. HONDA, Mr. KUCINICH, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. WATT, Mr. RANGEL, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. MASSA, Mr. GRAYSON, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. MAFFEI, Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. SABLAN, and Mr. UPTON) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

---

RESOLUTION

Congratulating the 2009 Major League Baseball World Series Champions, the New York Yankees.

Whereas the New York Yankees are the most successful franchise in the history of Major League Baseball;

Whereas prior to this year the Yankees had won 26 World Series Championships, the most in the Major Leagues;

Whereas this historic franchise is located in the Bronx and is known as the ‘Bronx Bombers’;

Whereas the Yankees franchise has included all-time great players;

Whereas for many years the Yankees played baseball in the historic Yankee Stadium;

Whereas this year the Yankees opened a new stadium and hope to emulate the success achieved in the ‘House that Ruth Built’;

Whereas during the 2009 regular season, the Yankees had the best record in baseball, going 103-59;

Whereas the Yankees finished at the top of the American League East Division;

Whereas the Yankees went on to beat the Minnesota Twins 3 games to 0;

Whereas the Yankees then faced off against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the American League Championship Series, and emerged victorious in 6 games;

Whereas that victory represented the 40th American League Pennant that the Yankees have won;

Whereas the Yankees were matched up against a valiant Philadelphia Phillies squad for the World Series title;

Whereas the Yankees were able to defeat the defending World Series Champions by 4 games to 2;

Whereas this victory represents the Yankees’ 27th World Series Championship win;

Whereas this number of championship wins is 17 more than their next closest competitor;

Whereas the contributions of the Yankees’ players throughout the season were all vital in securing the title; and

Whereas the Yankees were guided to victory by Manager Joe Girardi, General Manager Brian Cashman, President Randy Levine, and the leadership of Hank and Hal Steinbrenner: Now therefore be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives congratulates--

(1) the 2009 Major League Baseball World Series Champions, the New York Yankees, for an outstanding season and a record 27th World Series Championship win; and

(2) the players, coaches, staff and leadership of the Yankees organization for their great success

World Series Champions!

Delivering #27 - Right Now

3:34 p.m. - You would literally think I was playing in tonight's game based on how nervous I have been the whole day. Instead, I've hid in my office buried in preparing for a meeting tomorrow and following the healthcare debate on the web while listening to nervous Yankee fan after nervous Yankee fan on WFAN who were equally as nervous as I am right now. The Yankees need to win tonight to clinch their #27 World Series.

3:35 p.m. - Jay Z's Empire State of Mind has also been stuck in my head today and I've listened to the clip on iTunes at least 5 times today. I might even buy it. ....

3:41 p.m. - 6th time: In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of....There's nothing you can't do now you're in New York. These streets will make you feel brand new. Big lights will inspire you, let's here it for New York, New York, New York.

3:43 p.m. - I am so tired of hearing about "3 days rest" and "short rest". It's been a topic on WFAN for the last week and Burnett's blow up in Game 5 on 3 days rest did not help. Now Andy Pettitte, winner of the most postseason games and series clinching games ever, is pitching on 3 days rest and everyone is freaking out. I think he'll do well tonight. He's Andy "freaking" Pettitte.

7:23 p.m. - In New York!! Concrete Jungle.....(Yes, it is still stuck in my head.) I'm even dancing along to it now.

7:33 p.m. - I'm crazy hyper tonight.

7:52 p.m. - Nearly gametime and I'm crashing.

7:57 p.m. - Andy's got some really great numbers this postseason: 3-0 with 3.24 ERA. 25 IP with 22 Ks, including game 3 of WS....

7:59 p.m. - Francesca talked on WFAN the last two days about how he didn't think Andy was going to do well on 3 days rest. I disagree. I think he's going 6 innings and going to win it for us.

8:01 p.m. - Keep the freaking ball away from Chase Utley, please.

8:02 p.m. - Andy coerces a double play out of Utley after Vic Torino hits a tiny, tiny infield single and gets out of the first 1-2-3 (in the unconventional sort of way.) Good start.

8:04 p.m. - Let's get the bats rocking in the new Stadium!!

8:05 p.m. - Jeter strolls to the plate and his music comes on: "Big lights will inspire you, let's here it for New York, New York, New York." Let's go!

8:06 p.m. - Yankees have to make Pedro work tonight and get into the bullpen early.

8:07 p.m. - Pedro calls Phillies catcher Ruiz to the mound after the first pitch to ask him who his parental guardian is.

8:09 p.m. Frankly I'm shocked at how cold that Mark Teixiera has been during this year's playoffs. He has 2 hits during the World Series (HR and Double) -- he's 2 for 19 -- and needs to do something tonight.

8:11 p.m. - Tex gets JUST under the ball and hits it to the track for a loud 3rd out to the 1st inning.

8:16 p.m. - I've said it before and I'll say it again: Joe Buck and Tim McCarver are rooting for the Phillies. It's not just the inflection in their voices when the Phillies do something well, it's the stats and commentary they give about the Phillies. Maybe I'm hearing things, but I don't think so.

8:25 p.m. - Seriously if the producers of 2012 wanted to do something cool, they would release the movie on December 21st, not November 13. We all know - if you are Mayan - that the world is going to end on December 21, 2012. It's common knowledge. :-)

8:28 p.m. - The Yankees' lineup is significantly better when they play in their park. Despite winning 2 of 3 in Philadelphia, they really missed Matsui's bat.

8:29 p.m. - Question for you: Do you know who your daddy is?

8:32 p.m. - The new Yankees Stadium sounds loud tonight...on my TV at least.

8:34 p.m. - Matsui hits BIG BOMB IN THE SECOND DECK OF RIGHT FIELD JUST INSIDE THE FOUL POLE FOR A 2 RUN HR. Yankees break out ahead. Yankees 2-0.

8:35 p.m. - My lovely, beautiful, fabulous wife just told me that I am a fairweather Hideki Matsui fan. I told her not true, but she may be right. Who knows. Who cares. Yankees lead!!

8:36 p.m. - Tim McCarver just said that Godzilla is hugely popular in Tokyo. Well, why did they run away screaming from him then?

8:41 p.m. - RT @YankeesWFAN: Matsui now 6 for 10 in the series with 3 HR....I think there's a chance he could be the WS MVP if Yankees close out the series tonight.

8:42 p.m. - I'm a record (read my previous blogs) but after the Yankees take an early 2-0 lead, Pettitte needs to shut down Phillies in the Top of the 3rd.

8:44 p.m. - That was a horrible play of the Ruiz carom off the wall by Gardner. It allowed the Phillies to score on a sac fly by Rollins. 2-1 Yankees.

8:52 p.m. - There's nothing you can't do now you're in New York. ...Jeter singles to center on a sinking line drive.

8:59 p.m. - Johnny walks to put runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out. Pedro has 51 pitches through 2 1/3 innings. Yankees are cooking!

9:00 p.m. - Tex is hit on first pitch to put the ducks on the pond with Mr. Alex Rodriguez coming to the plate. About time to break this open Mr. WS MVP.

9:04 p.m. - A-Rod strikes out looking on a pitch that was not a strike. It was in the other batters box.

9:05 p.m. - Matsui up here with bases loaded and 2 outs. He gets a hit and he's the MVP for sure.

9:07 p.m. - Matsui hits an 0-2 pitch for 2 RBI single to center field. Jeter and Damon score. 4-1 Yankees. Nice! That's 4 RBIs tonight and 6 total in the series for Matsui.

9:12 p.m. - Hairston is in for Johnny in left field. Not good for Yankees as Damon as been one of the team's MVPs this series. As you know, I think A-Rod and Matsui have been the others.

9:14 p.m. - Pettitte strikes out Utley to start the 4th inning. Bout time.

9:17 p.m. - Totally meaningless comment that you will clearly not care about or remember tomorrow: RT@TylerKepner: Matsui was MVP of Japan Series in 2000 vs. Hawks. He was 8x21 with 3 HR, 8 rbi in Series, including 2x2 with 4 RBI in Game 6.

9:18 p.m. - Joe Buck is totally rooting for Ibanez to hit a HR here.

9:19 p.m. - This "3 days rest" b.s. is so overblown. You would have thought it was 2012 that world was ending the way everyone was talking about it the last few days.

9:20 p.m. - Despite a few idiotic statements - re: people in Toyko loving Godzilla and the daylight savings time one - I think Tim McCarver has been very good this postseason with his commentary.

9:23 p.m. - Pettitte gets out of a big jam to end the top of the 4th. He's pitching well so far as thru 4 innings, he has given up 1 run on 2 hits.

9:27 p.m. - I have no idea why Pedro is still in there to start the 4th inning. He's got nothing tonight. Does Charlie Manuel realize that this is an elimination game for him and not a game in mid-May.

9:32 p.m. - Brett Gardner should be a career pitch runner. He is truly atrocious at the plate. I hope Austin Jackson is ready next year.

9:37 p.m. - Andy strikes out Francisco with a fastball on the corner. He's finally gets that call from Joe West, who Andy talked to (more like yelled at) after the top of the 4th inning.

9:39 p.m. - Human Target on Fox looks interesting. I might have to watch that when it starts up. However, Fox cancels its new shows far too quickly as the network gives its shows about 2 episodes to build a fan base and if they don't, they cancel it - remember Drive, you Fox producing punks -- so I'm not holding my breath.

9:41 p.m. - Andy gets another DP off the bat of Jimmy Rollins to end the 5th inning. He has walked 4 tonight and given up 2 hits, but is pitching very well out of jams.

9:43 p.m. - Is Avatar going to be really bad or really good? I can't tell after watching the trailer for the fifth time. It's not going to be just okay. It's the kind of movie that will be a box office disaster or a Top 10 highest grossing movie. No in between.

9:46 p.m. - Pedro's out and Durbin in to start the bottom of the 5th. Jeter knocks a ground rule double.

9:49 p.m. - Tex singles to center (3rd hit this WS) to drive in Jeter from 3rd. 5-1 Yankees.

9:57 p.m. - Matsui rockets a double to deep center (it nearly goes out) to drive home Tex and A-Rod. 7-1 Yankees.

9:58 p.m. - 6 RBIs tonight for Matsui. Yeah, he's the MVP.

10:00 p.m. - @Ledger_Yankees Matsui has tied a WS record with 6 RBIs (the Yanks' Bobby Richardson v Pit in 1960)

10:02 p.m. - @YankeesWFAN Matsui: 8 for 12 in the Series, 3 HR and 8 RBI (6 in Game 6). Really???

10:03 p.m. RT @BrendanPrunty: List of cities destroyed by Godzilla: 1) Tokyo. 2) Philadelphia.

10:07 p.m. - Based on how he's pitched in this year's playoffs and during the regular season: (14-8 4.16 ERA), I think the Yankees need to re-sign Andy this offseason. Just a clutch, stellar performance by him in the biggest game of the year.

10:09 p.m. - Crowd is chanting "Andy Pettitte" loudly like they were for Paul O'Neill in 2001 WS - in last Yankee Stadium game before he retired.

10:10 p.m. - Howard hits 2 run HR to cut score. 7-3 Yankees.

10:13 p.m. - Jayson Werth strikes out looking on a pitch that Andy has thrown for a ball 4 or 5 tonight. West has been soooo inconsistent tonight.

10:15 p.m. - Andy is pulled and gets a standing O. Here comes Joba with 2 outs in the 6th inning.

10:18 p.m. - Joba gets out of 6th inning without further damage.

10:19 p.m. - Andy's final line tonight: 5 2/3 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 3 K, 5 BB. A lot of walks for Andy and he needed to work out of trouble a few times, but an overall gutty performance from the all-time leader in postseason victories. Take that Mike Francesca! I wonder what he will say tomorrow.

10:32 p.m. - Guess what?! The Box (the movie) is sponsoring Fox's In Game Box Score. How original! And pathetic that everything is sponsored now. (This insta-blog is sponsored by Newcastle Beer imported from England.)

10:34 p.m. - Stop talking about greatest Philly-Phillie comebacks ever Tim McCarver. I will hurt you.

10:36 p.m. - 9 more outs. I'm just saying....

10:37 p.m. - For the last couple days, Francesca has completely obsessed -- even more than he is obsessed with the Joba in the bullpen discussion -- with the fact that Mariano should be in Game 6 during the 7th inning if the game was close. By close, he meant 1-2 runs. Right now, it's at 4 runs.

He literally ripped apart Sweeney Murti and any caller who contested him about his thesis. I love listening to him, but he can be a complete bastard sometime. Hopefully he won't have a chance to be right this inning.

10:40 p.m. - Joba strikes out Francisco swinging....8 outs.......

10:43 p.m. - Rollins grounds into FC......7 outs.

10:45 p.m. - Joba walks Italian BMT Sub Torino to put runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 outs. Marte in

10:48 p.m. - Big spot by Marte here. Hughes warming up in pen. Just give me one out Marte, please

10:50 p.m. - Marte gets Utley to chase a ball out of the strike zone and the ump calls him out for breaking his wrists! 6 outs to #27!!

10:53 p.m. - I'm kinda in awe at how Marte is pitching this postseason since we've really never seen this from him before....except when he was with the Pirates...okay, no one really saw that except the 32 people in the stands.

10:55 p.m. - RT@Ledger_Yankees Outlandish: Damaso Marte comes up with one of the biggest pitches of the season.

11:01 p.m. - Web 2.0 has helped to calm my fears during the 2009 World Series. While I was watching the World Series in the '96, '98, '99, '00, '01, and '03, all I did was drink beer and sit on the edge of my seat. I was a complete and utter nervous wreck.

Now -- because of Web 2.o - along with watching the 2009 World Series -- I am talking to my wife (in person), reading what people are Twittering about the game, writing this insta-blog, Twittering myself, reading videogame reviews and Im'ing a friend. It has made me much more busy and decidedly less nervous about the game. The 7-3 score tonight also helps.

11:11 p.m. - I know we're ahead by 4 runs Robbie, but you looked like you didn't care in that at-bat.

11:12 p.m. - Is Mo coming in to start the 8th? 6 outs left.

11:13 p.m. - Marte, who has pitched really well in the playoffs, to start the 8th.

11:14 p.m. - Howard strikes out for 14th time this WS to break the mark set by Willie Wilson in 1980. 5 outs left.

11:15 p.m. - Joe isn't messing around. Mariano coming into game amongst cheers and Metallica's Enter Sandman. Here we go.

11:17 p.m. - In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of....There's nothing you can't do now you're in New York. These streets will make you feel brand new. Big lights will inspire you, let's here it for New York, New York, New York.

11:19 p.m. - Mo strikes out Werth swinging. 4 outs.

11:25 p.m. - After a double to center by Ibanez, Mo gets Feliz to foul out to Posada. End of 8th.

11:27 p.m. - 3 OUTS TILL #27!

11:32 p.m. - Despite the fact that he can't hit for anything, you have to still respect Gardner for completely tearing down the line after he hit a routine grounder to 2nd base.

11:36 p.m - Derek lines single to right field for 3rd hit in the game and 175th hit in postseason. That's his 11th hit this series. He sure is something else.

11:38 p.m. - The 8th inning is over and Game 6 heads into the Top of the 9th inning with the best closer in MLB history taking the mound to finish off the Phillies.

11:39 p.m. - 3 outs until the Yankees capture their 27th World Championship!

11:43 p.m. - Matt Stairs, who totally looks like Darvin Moon who is at the final table at the 2009 WSOP, lines out to Jeter. 2 outs left!

11:46 p.m. - Swisher catches a fly ball by Rollins at the track and we are down to the final out!

11:51 p.m. #27!

In Andy We Trust

Andy Pettitte is starting for the Yankees tomorrow night in Game 6 of the 2009 World Series. If he wins, the Yankees will secure their 27th World Championship and Andy Pettitte will win his record breaking 17th playoff victory and 6th series clinching win.

He clinched the ALCS for the Yankees against the Angels and I'm confident he can do it again against the Phillies.

Let's go Yankees!!

Delivering #27 Diary - Game 5 World Series - Yankees vs. Phillies - 1 win till #27

7:31 p.m. - Yankees won a very important game last night against the Phillies to put them up 3-1 in the series and 1 game (27 outs) away from their #27 World Championship. Taking the mound is A.J. Burnett who was completely stellar against the Phillies in Game 2.

7:33 p.m. - Burnett's line in Game 2 was: 7 IP, 1 R, 4 Hits, 9 Ks and 2 BBs. It was the best that he's pitched all season long as he used his emotion to get ahead of 22 of 26 Phillie hitters with 1st pitch strikes.

7:43 p.m. - Sorry Fox analysts, including YOU Ozzie Guillen who I can't understand at all, you are all wrong: The Yankees are winning #27 tonight. Mark it down.

7:47 p.m. - Uh, why is Alanis Morrisette singing the United States National Anthem. Isn't she Canadian? Way to go Philly!

7:53 p.m. - Melky Cabrera strained/tore his hamstring in last night's game and is out for tonight's game. He's replaced by Ramiro Pena on the 25 man playoff roster.

7:54 p.m. - I have a feeling that the bottom of the Yankees lineup is going to do something tonight, despite the loss of Melky, Molina catching Burnett and AJ batting tonight. Maybe AJ will get a big hit?

7:57 p.m. - I just love the pine tar on Lee's hat - NOT. Cheater. If he touches it once to put something on the ball I'm going to scream. Why do you think he was so good in Game 1.

8:01 p.m. - Johnny continues his great World Series with a single to center. I sung his praises yesterday and can't say enough about what a great at-bat and heads up play on the basepath in the Top of the 9th last night.

8:02 p.m. - Tex hasn't done anything this series. He has 1 hit. Granted it was a homerun, but he's better than that. ...and he flies out to right.

8:04 p.m. - That's quite a pick off attempt for Lee, as he lobs the ball over the Howard to "chase" back Damon.

8:05 p.m. - A-Rod smashes a ball down the right field line to chase home Damon. Nice early lead for the Yankees...and great baserunning again by Johnny. 1-0 Yankees.

8:07 p.m. - That's A-Rod's 16th RBI of postseason, which is a new Yankees team record.

8:11 p.m. - I've mentioned it in previous insta-blogging sessions, and I'll say it again. It's important right here for AJ to shut down the top of the Phillies lineup after the Yankees took an early lead.

8:13 p.m. - Jeter just gave AJ a short pep talk before the 1st pitch. I love that. I wonder what he said?

8:16 p.m. - AJ hits Vic Torino on his right hand (the one he uses to twirl spaghetti on his spoon.) Payback for last night?

8:17 p.m. - How many HRs can grease ball hit this series? 3-1 Phillies

8:19 p.m. - Howard throws his bat at ball and the bat goes flying. Maybe he should use some of the pine tar on Cliff Lee's hat.

8:25 p.m. - Teixiera makes another patented Mark Teixiera play as he dives to his right to steal single from Ibanez and gets the force at 2nd base. Again, he makes a play like that at least once a game.

8:28 p.m. - AJ gets out of a rough inning after giving up a 3 run HR to Utley. Yankees need to start the climb back.

8:30 p.m. - Lee threw 20 pitches in first inning giving up a run on 2 hits and a walk. The Yankees need to continue that this inning.

8:35 p.m. - AJ actually looks good at bat. Let's see what he does. ...and he strikes out looking. Pitchers shouldn't hit.

8:37 p.m. - I totally forgot that there's a Monday Night Football game tonight and I have a bunch of guys playing who are on my fantasy football team.

8:42 p.m. - Vic Torino's finger is clearly hurt. Hopefully that comes into play later. Mwahhaaaahaaa...

8:48 p.m. - Top of Yankees order to start the 3rd. They need to get some runs in here.

8:52 p.m. - Johnny walks and once again if Tex wants to come up big in the WS, now would be the prime time.

8:59 p.m. - What does Chase Utley have in common with Duke Snider, Baroid Bonds and a Bankrupt Speculator who formerly moonlighted as a Mets/Phillies CF? I'll give you a hint, it's not greasy hair or steroid use.

9:03 p.m. - Jeter should have caught that short-hop and tagged out Utley. Not a good play by the Captain.

9:08 p.m. - We are continuing to see a classic AJ Burnett - a phenomenal performance in Game 2 followed by a turd in Game 5. 4-1 Phillies.

9:09 p.m. - I don't care what WFAN's Mike Francesca says, Joe Buck and Tim McCarver are clearly rooting for the Phillies. 5-1 Phillies. AJ is coming out of game now. Jesus.

9:16 p.m. - Robertson replaces Burnett and gets two ground balls, one of which leads to a run for the Phillies. I'm disgusted. 6-1 Phillies.

9:20 p.m. - This half inning has been a half hour long.

9:37 p.m. - Why does Tim McCarver feel it necessary to tell us that David Robertson's father is a poinsetta farmer?

9:38 p.m. - Son of a poinsetta farmer aside, I've been very impressed with Robertson this postseason. I never really paid too much attention to him during the regular season, but now that I've seen him I think he's got a real bright future for the Yankees. He could be our future closer if Joba stays in the starting role.

9:42 p.m. - I feel like vomiting. And it's not because I've eaten too much leftover Halloween candy.

9:45 p.m. - Jeter just singled to right for his 8th hit this World Series. He is something else. He's hit safely in 31 of 37 World Series games and all five games this year.

9:46 p.m. - Yankees have 1st and 3rd with 1 out. Yankees are cooking, hopefully.

9:47 p.m. - Howard is a horrible 1st baseman. He gets force on Johnny, but neglects to check back Hinske who scores. 6-2 Phillies.

9:51 p.m. - Aceves who hasn't pitched since Oct. 19th comes into the game to relieve Robertson. Can he hold the Phillies?

9:53 p.m - Gardner makes a great catch and slams into the wall. Please get up. We don't havfe a replacement for you. He is a great fielder and a terror on the basepaths, but he is not a good hitter.

9:58 p.m. - Joe Buck just said that the Phillie Phanatic was the best mascot in sports. Uh, thanks Homer. There are probably 100 college mascots that are better.

10:05 p.m. - Gardner comes up and takes three pitches right down the middle. Doesn't swing the bat once. He looks lost at the plate completely.

10:34 p.m. - Utley hits his 7th HR of World Series. How many singles does he have? 0. With the homerun he ties Mr. October for most HRs in World Series. 7-2 Phillies.

10:35 p.m. - Can this game just be over or can the Phillies bullpen relieve Lee? I'll take either.

10:37 p.m. - Not to be outdone by record breaking Gordon Gekko, Howard strikes out for 12th time and ties Willie Wilson for most K's in World Series.

10:38 p.m. - Great job Phil Coke as Ibanez hits another one out. 8-2.

10:39 p.m. If we are going to score against a tiring Lee (at 103 pitches), now would be the time with Damon, Tex and A-Rod coming to bat. Get your rally caps on, boys!

10:49 p.m. - Johnny walks, Tex doubles and A-Rod steps to the plate. Do we have one more come from behind rally in us?

10:50 p.m. - Those tack on solo HRs in last inning were huge for the Phillies.

10:51 p.m. - How many pitches is Lee going for tonight? 130?

10:51 p.m. - A-Rod hits 2 run double to cut Phillies lead. 8-4 Phillies. Nice job by A-Rod.

10:52 p.m. - Lee is taken out with no outs in 8th. Rally time for Yankees!

10:56 p.m. - Yankee bullpen hasn't been horrible tonight outside of the 2 solo shots by Phillies last inning that were given up by Coke. Burnett was a disaster though.

10:59 p.m. - Any chance that Cano puts together a good at-bat here to get on base? I say no.

11:00 p.m. - Cano flies out to shallow center and A-Rod tags up to score. 8-5 Phillies.

11:02 p.m. - Once again Gardner can't buy a hit as he flies out to end the Yankee rally. I miss Melky already.

11:06 p.m. - RT@BobKlap Home runs allowed by Coke look even worse now....

11:10 p.m. - Yankees go to the Top of the 9th with Posada, Matsui, Jeter, Damon (and beyond) and a chance to tie it against Phillie-Philly bullpen. I can guarantee you that Brad Lidge will not be the pitcher facing them.

11:15 p.m. - Jorge juices one - nearly out of park - and gets a stand up double. Yanks are cooking. Matsui is up. Let's go!

11:17 p.m. - Matsui singles to bring up the Captain as the tying run!

11:21 p.m. - Jeter grounds into DP and Posada scores. Not good. 8-6 Phillies. I hate Phil Coke, btw.

11:24 p.m. - Johnny singles up the middle to bring Tex to the plate as the tying run. Another great at-bat by Damon.

11:27 p.m. - Tex strikes out in yet another horrible WS at-bat to end the game. He's killing me.

Wrap-up - A very poor performance for Burnett and Coke tonight and that in a nutshell (help, I'm in a nutshell) is the reason that the Yankees lost the game tonight. Another valiant effort by the Yankees offense to come back, but it wasn't enough as the Phillies force Game 6 back at the new Yankee Stadium.

Delivering #27 Diary - Game 4 World Series - Yankees vs. Phillies - 1 win till #27!

7:54 p.m. - Welcome back to the Delivering #27 Diary. Yankees are just two wins away from delivering their #27 World Championship to their fans.

7:55 p.m. - In Game 4, C.C. Sabathia has a chance to put a strangehold on this series and with a good performance put the Yankees up 3-1.

8:02 p.m. - Yes, the New York Giants got drubbed by the Philadelphia Eagles today. I don't know what's wrong with the Giants. Tonight, with a win, the Yankees have the chance to make up for that 40-17 drubbing, ten fold.

8:22 p.m. - It's game time. The one promise I'll make tonight is to not do so much play-by-play and be more of a color commentator. Not, that surpassing Tim McCarver is that difficult.

8:25 p.m. - After Jeter and Damon reaches base on hits, Tex drives in a run on a fielders choice.
1-0 Yankees.

8:26 p.m. - It's getting ridiculous how many times A-Rod has been hit this series. He just got hit for the 3rd time this series. The umps then make a horrible decision to warn both benches which greatly hurts the Yankees if C.C. has a pitch mistakingly go awry.

8:30 p.m. - Jorge drives in another run this World Series with a sac fly to left to drive home Damon. 2-0 Yankees. A very nice early start for the Yankees who are not doubt upset about how many times Eli Manning was intercepted by the Eagles earlier today.

8:37 p.m. - Fox just showed a comparison of how C.C. pitched against Chase Utley (Utley was 2 for 2) and how the rest of the Phillies did (2 for 22). McCarver's response to this was: "Wow, that's quite a tele-graphic." Uh, okay Tim.

8:38 p.m. - Utley continues his dominance of C.C. and hits a double to drive in Vic Torino, my wife's favorite Italian player. 2-1 Yankees.

8:42 p.m. - C.C. pitches superbly to Ryan Howard coming back from a 3-1 count to strike out Howard for the 10th time this series.

8:47 p.m. - C.C. works out of a 1st inning jam by striking out Raul Ibanez to end the threat.

8:51 p.m. - Seriously Joe Buck. I don't need you to mention how the Eagles dismantled the Giants. I know they dismantled them as does every Yankee-Giants fan. Quit it with the bad vibes, man.

8:53 p.m. - Here's C.C. for his first at-bat of the playoffs. I hear he's a good hitter. Let's see it C.C. ...and he strikes out. Have I mentioned how I hate that pitchers are batting in this series? Yes, I know Pettitte got a hit to tie up the game yesterday.

9:15 p.m. - Excellent play by Tex on a groundball by Giuseppe Torino (he he). Tex makes at least one tough play a game that Jason Giambi would never make in his life...on or off steroids.

9:21 p.m. - A-Rod's up to start the 4th inning with a chance to strike back at the people who've hurt him deeply in the past... Or something like that.

9:26 p.m. - Cano strikes out again and looks very bad doing it. He's having a horrible World Series. After that K, he's 1 for 13 this series.

9:34 p.m. - The home plate umpire tonight is wildly inconsistent with his strike zone and waits far too long to determine if it's a strike or not. The hitters on both teams are not happy about it tonight. The umpires in this year's playoffs are truly being talked about far too often for their ineptitude and bad calls. Umpires are like offensive lineman in football. You don't talk about them until they do something wrong.

9:36 p.m. - Johnny Damon's arm continues to hurt us as Howard scores on a line drive single to right. That should never happen. What does happen though is that Howard never touches the plate and is still called safe by the umpires. The lunacy continues! 2-2.

9:39 p.m. - Blanton strikes out badly to end the Phillie-Philly threat in the 4th. What am I going to say about that?....

Yes, pitchers shouldn't hit.

9:41 p.m. - After the Phillies tie up the game, the Yankees need to strike back in the Top of the 5th inning.

9:41 p.m. - Watching a Verizon Fios commercial featuring an actor who used to star in NBC's My Own Worst Enemy. What ever happened to that show? Was it cancelled? It was one of my favorite shows and I haven't heard anything about Season 2.

9:42 p.m. - I saw the extended preview of James Cameron's Avatar today. Looks pretty awesome.

9:43 p.m. - Nick Swisher starts the 5th and walks on 4 pitches. He is usually such a patient hitter - with a great eye for balls and strikes. He's been in such a bad slump - before last night's breakout game - that I think that's his first walk this postseason. Or it seems like it.

9:45 p.m. - Melky grounds ball up middle and Chase Utley tries to backhand throw the ball like he's a juggler in Cirque Soleil. Yankees are cooking with 1st and 2nd and no one out.

9:46 p.m. - And here comes Carsten Charles to the plate.

9:48 p.m. - Jeter sneaks a single past Rollins into left field and Swisher races home to put the Yankees up again. 3-2 Yankees.

9:50 p.m. - Johnny Rockets - or loops - a single to center and Melky displays some stellar baserunning - even goes back to step on the plate after he initially missed it (something Ryan Howard didn't do) - to tack on another run for the Yankees. 4-2 Yankees.

9:59 p.m. - Is Charlie Manuel incapable of talking to Buck and McCarver between innings. Girardi does it, yet Phillie hitting coach does it for their team. Would he talk if they agreed to only talk about NASCAR, Pabst Blue Ribbon and scrapple?

10:03 p.m. - Not a good start to the bottom of the 5th for C.C. as Rollins reaches on a hit and Cappacola Torino walks.

10:12 p.m. - C.C. works in and out of trouble after the first two batters reach base. Great performance for his right there.

10:15 p.m. - Verizon has a brilliant 3G commercial where they play off the iPhone's: "There's an app for that" theme....instead Verizon says "there's a map for that, which highlights their superior 3G nation-wide coverage when compared to AT&T's. My question is: Does AT&T even utilize 3G? I thought they used a different technology?

10:17 p.m. - Cano is hitting .077 this series..ouch.

10:20 p.m. - Howard short hops the ball and throws it to Blanton for the force of Cano. Hey, umps. Did you see that. HE SHORT HOPPED IT!

10:22 p.m. - Swisher walks again. There you go Nick. You're on like Donkey Kong.

10:33 p.m. - Great bottom of 6th for C.C. Only 7 pitches for 3 outs. He's at 95 pitches for game. The question is does Girardi let him bat to lead off the inning. I say yes. I love when pitchers bat.

10:35 p.m. - And the big man is batting to lead off the inning.

10:38 p.m. - I would love it if the Yankees could tack on a couple runs right here. After C.C. flies out to Werth - I swear, it's an adventure everytime it's hit to Werth -- Jeter walks and brings up Damon.

10:48 p.m. - Rollins grounds out to A-Rod and up steps Ziti Torino.

10:52 p.m. - Utley homers to right. C.C. threw one too many curve balls. 4-3 Yankees. According to Fox, Utley is 4 for 6 against C.C. in this series, while the rest of the Phillies are 7 for 45. That's what you call a stark contrast there.

10:53 p.m. - Girardi pulls C.C. who battled (and pitched well at times) tonight on short rest. His final line was:

6 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 7 hits, 6 K, 3 BB

Now, it's up to the Yankee bullpen to get the final 7 outs tonight.

10:57 p.m. - Marte comes in and coaxes a fly out out of Howard. Hey, at least he didn't strike out again. We go to the 8th inning (as Joe Buck might say). Yankees need to re-tack some runs on the board.

11:06 p.m. - My new buddy Nick Swisher is at the plate with runners on 1st and 2nd and 1 out. Tack on!

11:13 p.m. - Joba's in the game to face Werth. This is a big spot right here for him.

11:14 p.m. - Joba overpowers Werth with a high fastball.

11:15 p.m. - Everytime Fox shows a picture of Utley without his hat on, I marvel at how much grease is in his hair. What in his right mind is he thinking.

11:16 p.m. - Joba overpowers Ibanez with a high fastball.

11:18 p.m. - Feliz ties it up with a homerun. Ugh. 4-4.

11:19 p.m. - Joba looked really solid for the first two outs of the inning. I'm shocked that just happened.

11:23 p.m. - Matsui, Jeter and Damon to start the 9th gives the Yankees a good shot to take the lead again.

11:33 p.m. - After a tough 9 pitch at-bat, Johnny singles to left and gives Mark Teixiera a chance to write his first golden NY Yankee moment.

11:34 P.M. - In a weird, weird play, Johnny steals 2nd and then outraces a shifted Feliz to 3rd base. That's two stolen bases on one play. Just plain weird.

11:36 p.m. - Lidge hits Tex and somehow the ump doesn't throw out Lidge. Wasn't there a warning?

11:36 p.m. - And up comes A-Rod with a chance to drive in a big, big run for the Yankees.

11:38 p.m. - And Alex rips a double to left to put Yankees ahead! 5-4 Yankees! HUGE HIT FOR A-Rod. Maybe bigger than all of his homeruns in ALDS and ALCS combined.

11:40 p.m. - Yes, I'm not happy that Brad Lidge wasn't thrown out of the game after hitting Teixiera.

11:40 p.m. - RT @YankeesWFAN 15 RBIs for ARod, ties Bernie in 96 and Brosius in 98 for most ever by a Yankee in the postseason.

11:41 p.m. - If a man approached you in 2006 and said by 2009 Alex Rodriguez will be a World Series Hero and Eli Manning will have been a Super Bowl MVP, would you believe either?

11:42 p.m. - Posada doubles to deep center to drive in 2 for Yankees. 7-4 Yankees.

11:43 p.m. - A-Rod is now 16 for 46 this postseason with .347 AVG, 6 HR, 15 RBI and 12 Runs. Wow. That's a stark contrast from prior postseasons.

11:44 p.m. - Mariano comes on to start the bottom of the 9th. He has never given up a 3-run lead in his postseason career.

11:48 p.m. - Mo quickly dispatches Phillies with an 8-pitch save, his 39th career postseason save.

11:52 p.m. - Johnny Damon has been really great this series. Tonight, was his biggest game by far as he was 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored and an RBI. Overall, in the series, he's been 5 for 17, 3 Runs, 3 RBI, 2 SB

Wrap-up - This was such an important win for the Yankees, especially after the Phillies tied the game up in the Bottom of the 8th. This game and frankly series could have turned in the Phillies favor if the Yankees did not score 3 runs in the Top of the 9th. Instead, the series is 3-1 and the Yankees are 1 win.....1 WIN away from capturing #27.

Delivering #27 Diary - Game 3 World Series - Yankees vs. Phillies - 2 wins till #27!

7:11 p.m. - Happy Halloween. It's 46 minutes till first pitch of Game 3 of the 2009 World Series and also 46 minutes until we stop answering the door for neighbor kids looking for a free handout of candy.

7:12 p.m. - Question: If the US Government was giving out free candy tonight, would Republicans stauchly oppose it and crazed Americans hold packed town hall meetings to scream about it?

7:27 p.m. - Joe Girardi announced today that C.C. Sabathia is pitching for the Yankees in Game 4. If Andy Pettitte wins tonight against Cole Hamels, I think that gives the Yankees a considerable edge in the series.

7:32 p.m. - Just turned on the Fox pre-game and found out there is a rain delay for Game 3. Guess, the trick or treaters have a few extra minutes to fleece me out of candy. Come and get it.

7:34 p.m. - Honestly, how is Ozzie Guillen a commentator on the pre-game. He doesn't even speak good english. I can't even understand him. He sounds worse than Shannon Sharpe....And Sharpe is unintelligible.

7:36 p.m. - On Twitter: BobKlap (From The Bergen Record) Curious how Pettitte, who is as gentle as a dove, will handle a hostile crowd tonight....Really, Bob? Andy has the most postseason wins in Major League HISTORY. Plus, this is his 8th World Series. He will pitch well tonight.

7:42 p.m. - I keep saying this before every game, but this is a big game tonight that will turn the momentum of the series. Andy Pettitte is the person I want pitching this game.

7:46 p.m. - From LoHud Blog: "Tonight is Andy Pettitte’s 11th World Series start for the Yankees, which is the second-most in team history. Pettitte passes Waite Hoyt and Red Ruffing."

7:51 p.m. - I echo what Eric Karros just said on the pre-game: "Alex Rodriguez is going to have a good game tonight. Isn't it interesting how he had an other worldly ALDS and ALCS and now that he's gone 0 for 8 in the World Series, that people are starting to question him again. What the hell. I think he's going to do well and go deep tonight.

8:10 p.m. - We're in a rain delay and I switched over to Ocean's 11 on TNT, one of the few movies I have watched a thousand times and will still watch again and again whenever it is on TV.

8:32 p.m. - The rain delay has forced me to desperate measures. We're taking advantage of the free Halloween Black Taco from Taco Bell.

9:03 p.m. - I'd imagine that those 3 Taco Supremes that I just ate aren't going to feel good later.

9:05 p.m. - The cast of Glee is singing the National Anthem and the guy who plays Artie Abrams in the show is standing. It's a Halloween Miracle!

9:20 p.m. - It's game time, finally!

9:22 p.m. - God, I hate Phillies fans already. They suck. They are surprisely loud in the first inning.

9:23 p.m. - The home plate umpire is the horrible 1B ump from Game 2. This is going to be rough.

9:26 p.m. - Rollins singles to left and A-Rod makes another bad defensive play. 1st one resulted in only run for Phillies in Game 2. Let's hope trend doesn't continue.

9:30 p.m. - I wonder if Chase Utley's hair is as greasy tonight as it was in Game 1. Do you think the rain watered it down somewhat tonight?

9:32 p.m. - I think I hate Philly fans more than I hate more than Red Sox fans. ...And I've only had to endure them for one inning. I've had to endure Red Sox fans for years upon years.

9:36 p.m. - Great pitch by Andy to strike out to Chase Utley. Big, big time.

9:42 p.m. - Ryan Howard strikes out to end the inning with Rollins on second base. It's his 7th K of series and he's now 2 for 10 in the series. Earlier in the at-bat, Fox was comparing A-Rod to Howard (in snarky fashion) as a way to show how bad both team's sluggers have been this series. Are Philly fans getting on Howard the same way NY fans are getting on A-Rod? Probably not.

9:43 p.m. - Yes, I realize I just said NY fans are "getting on A-Rod." Don't be dirty!

9:46 p.m. - A-Rod leads off the second and it hit in the shoulder by Hamels.

9:47 p.m. - How is it that Tim McCarver can see Hamels balk from up in the TV booth, but the umps can't see it and they are on the field?

9:49 p.m. - Mr. .114 steps to the plate after a 1 game layoff. Can you make up for your previous playoff suckyness, please?

9:50 p.m. - Mr. .114 flies out to Jason Werth. Is it me or does it look like Werth is going to drop the ball everytime he catches it?

9:55 p.m. - Well, I shouldn't have made fun of Werth. He hits a homerun to lead off the 2nd. 1-0 Phillies.

10:02 p.m. - I don't think I could ever root for a National League team. I hate when the pitcher bats. It's just unnatural.

10:03 p.m. - How does Pettitte not make a play on that bunt by Hamels?

10:04 p.m. - And the whole pitcher wearing a jacket when he's on first base is just plain dumb.

10:05 p.m. - Walk to Rollins with the bases loaded. Andy is not looking good tonight. 2-0 Phillies

10:07 p.m. - Sac fly on an 0-2 pitch and it's another run for Philly. 3-0

10:10 p.m. - And Pettitte mercifully gets out of the 2nd with a strikeout of Utley. Yankees have 6 innings to come from behind, as they are so good at doing this year.

10:14 p.m. - Pettitte comes to bat. Can he make up for the 3 runs he just gave up. Probably not. That's why pitchers shouldn't hit.

10:17 p.m. - The Yankees are making Cole Hamels look good tonight. And he's not good.

10:19 p.m. - I feel sick. I don't think it's from the Taco Bell I ate an hour ago.

10:21 p.m. - Howard strikes out for 8th time in series. No, I'm not making fun of you Ryan. Don't hurt the Yankees later.

10:24 p.m. - 1-2-3 inning for Pettitte and hopefully he's calmed down. Damon, Tex and A-Rod to start the 4th. Let's break it open here.

10:27 p.m. - No, I would not like to get paid in gum, Trident Layers guy. Trident should fire their marketing staff. They should have totally played it off of Shrek's classic "onions have layers...donkeys have layers."

10:29 p.m. - How do the Yankees not even have a hit yet?

10:31 p.m. - If Alex was looking for a time to break out, here might be a good place with Tex on first after a walk.

10:32 p.m. - Alex rockets a ball to right and the ball hits the camera hanging over the wall in right field. That was a homerun. The umps need to replay that!

10:33 p.m. - And they are replaying it. It better be in the Yankees favor.

10:34 p.m. - And it's RULED A HOMERUN! 3-2 Yankees.

10:34 p.m. - I am Nostradamus, by the way.

10:35 p.m. - It took the umps literally 1 minute to look at the replay and rule it a Home Run. Wouldn't it be nice to replay plays in all cases to make sure the call is right?

10:40 p.m. - Out of A-Rod's 6 HRs this postseason, 5 of 6 have been hit to right or right-center field.

10:42 p.m. - Andy needs to get out of this inning without giving up a run. The Yankees offense is going to come alive the next inning.

10:44 p.m. - And Hamels bunts again and Posada actually makes the play this time. THIS IS WHY THE PITCHER SHOULDN'T BAT!

10:45 p.m. - MLB really needs to discuss this offseason about expanding the "limited use of replay". The technology is in place to warrant it. Of course, Bud Selig is spineless, puppet commissioner so I would not bet on it.

10:46 p.m. - Pettitte stymies Philly threat in 4th and I'm feeling some fireworks from Mr. .110 to start the Top of the 5th.

10:49 p.m. - Is it Philly or Phillie? Who cares. They and their fans both suck.

10:51 p.m. - Mr. .110 with leadoff double to start the 5th! Yes, I am Nostradamus!

10:53 p.m. - Andy Pettitte with single to center and Swisher scores! 3-3. That's why pitcher's should bat!!

10:54 p.m. - Jeter singles to put runners on 1 and 2nd with 1 out and the Yankees have something going. Come on Johnny!

10:56 p.m. - Johnny Rockets a double to center and drives in two to put the Yankees ahead for the first time tonight. 5-3 Yankees!

10:59 p.m. - A-Rod comes to the plate again with runners on 1st and 2nd and a big chance to make a big impact again in this game.

11:06 p.m. - The Yankees Suck chants by the Phillie-Philly faithful don't have the same affect now that Yankees are leading as they did when they were losing 3-0.

11:08 p.m. - Again, the bottom of the 5th is another big inning for Pettitte to shut down the Phillies.

11:09 pm. - I've been playing Borderlands and Halo ODST lately for XBox 360 and recommend both if you are fan of shooters. While both are shooters, Borderlands has a heavy RPG (role playing game; not rocket propelled grenade) angle to it and ODST is more of a straight shooter.

11:10 p.m. - Those pumpkins with Yankee and Phillies logo on them (behind Buck and McCarver) are very nice. Are they carved or drawn?

11:15 p.m. - Pettitte downs Phillies 1-2-3 and looks like he is back to his usual self after a rough start to the game.

11:16 p.m. - Yankees need to start tacking on runs in the Top of the 6th to give Pettitte and eventually the bullpen some breathing room.

11:19 p.m. - Robinson Cano really needs to take more than one damn pitch to start the 6th. He's 1 for 10 this Series. Not good.

11:21 p.m. - My buddy, Mr. .114 just nailed a homerun to left. I guess that 1-game benching was a wake up call, huh? 6-3 Yankees! It's a Swish-a-licious! That's 2 extra base hits this game for Nick Swisher.

11:26 p.m. - According to my DVR, the "Talkshow with Spike Feresten is supposed to be on now. Yes, that's the only time you'll ever see my DVR tuned to that show.

11:27 p.m. - Jason Werth leads off bottom of 6th with his 2nd homerun of the night. 6-4 Yankees. That makes Swisher tack on solo homerun even more important.

11:35 p.m. - McCarver just said: remember to turn your clocks back so you won't be late for the start of 1 p.m NFL games tomorrow. Uh, if we don't turn our clocks back won't we be an hour early Tim?

11:36 p.m. - I've said it before and I'll say it again. Yankees need to tack on in 7th. Pettitte definitely isn't starting the 7th.

11:38 p.m. - McCarver is totally getting blasted on Twitter right now for his lack of understanding for Daylight Savings Time.

11:43 p.m. - Damon walks and steals second. A-Rod up with a chance to tack on run for Yankees.

11:46 p.m. - A-Rod gets hit for 2nd time tonight. Intentional? Maybe. Nonetheless, Jorge steps up with chance to add run for Yankees.

11:49 p.m. - Jorge comes up clutch again as he dunks a flare single into left to drive home Damon. 7-4 Yankees!

11:50 p.m. - Wow, Robbie takes a pitch. Good for you.

11:54 p.m. - I love the U.S. Military for what they give to our country, but the guy who sang God Bless America was worst than the one who sang it at Yankee Stadium. Sorry. Ronan Tynan was the best God Bless America singer, his horrible comments recently aside.

11:56 p.m. - Joba comes in to start the 7th for Yankees.

11:57 p.m. - Great start tonight by Pettitte. He got into trouble early in the 2nd inning, but pitched very well after that getting 12 of the next 14 batters out. Here's tonight's line for Pettitte: 6 IP, 4 runs, 5 hits, 3 BB, 7K

11:59 p.m. - Joba gets Phillies out 1-2-3.

12:05 p.m. - I'm glad to hear that Brett Myers bowled a 298. Who cares about that?

12:06 p.m. - Phil Hughes warming up in bullpen and of course Joe Buck mentions that he hasn't pitched well lately. Thanks for bringing that up there Joe. You'd mention Don Larsen was pitching a perfect game while he was doing it if you were an announcer back then.

12:07 p.m. - Matsui pinch hits for Joba and smacks a homerun to left field. 8-4 Yankees. Oh, how I wish you could play in the field tonight and didn't have the knees of an 80-year-old.

12:08 p.m. - How crap it's November. And Mr. November steps up to the plate! Any coincidence?

12:11 p.m. - Jeter strikes out, but I still can't believe it's November and we're playing baseball.

12:12 p.m. - Marte comes in to start the 8th. A little bit of a surprise, but lets see what happens after Howard bats.

12:16 p.m. - Howard strikes out for 3rd time tonight and 9th time in series. If the Phillie-Philly fans don't get on him tomorrow for his series, I don't know what to say.

12:17 p.m. - Interesting that Marte stays out there to pitch to Werth. I'm surprised when Girardi doesn't overmanage, I guess.

12:19 p.m. - Very nice 1-2-3 inning by Marte. That's two straight 1-2-3 inning for Yankee bullpen, which is saying something after their recent struggles.

12:21 p.m. - The Phillie-Philly faithful who were loud as hell early in the game sure are quiet right now. Do they all have Philly Cheesesteak stuck in their craw?

12:27 p.m. - Uh, why did A-Rod just try to pick up that ball in the dirt like he was a ball boy? Is he trying to get a World Series souvenir for his girlfriend Kate Hudson?

12:30 p.m. - A daylight saving time question for you and Tim McCarver: Does Grace, my 9 month old, know it's daylight savings time and she gets an extra hour of sleep or will she wake up on Sunday at 5 a.m. instead of 6 a.m.? And will she miss the 1 p.m. game if she tunes in late-early, whatever?

12:37 p.m. - Good thing Phil Hughes has some breathing room as Ruiz hits a homerun, 8-5 Yankees.

12:39 p.m. - Girardi isn't messing around and brings in Mariano. I don't have a problem with this move despite what Joe Buck is saying on TV now. McCarver agrees with me.

12:43 p.m. - And Mo closes it out on 5 pitches. Yankees win 8-5.

Wrap-up: This was definitely a big game for the Yankees as their offense finally broke out and they got a good game from Andy Pettitte and a great effort by the Yankee bullpen. Tomorrow C.C. is up with a good chance to put a strangehold on this series.

2 wins till #27!

Let's go Yankees!

Happy Halloween!

World Series Game 2 - Yankees vs. Phillies - 3 wins to #27

7:53 p.m. - Simply put, this is a huge, huge game for the 2009 New York Yankees. They were dominated by Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee last night and need to make a statement right here to tie the best-of-seven series at 1.

7:55 p.m. - As I've stated in past insta-blogging sessions during this years playoffs, A.J. Burnett has awesome stuff, yet he tends to get a little too amp'ed up when he starts in a 2009 playoff game. Thus, his "awesome stuff" can be more likely classified as wild. He needs to have awesome stuff tonight to get his team back on track tonight.

7:57 p.m. - Here we go. ...Yes, I am more nervous than I was in any game against the Angels. It's the World Series for cripes sake!

8:00 p.m. - My wife is so cute. Last night she asked if Vic Torino was Italian. I told her that his name was Shane Victorino.

8:02 p.m. - I'm playing Facebook's Farmville while watching the 1st inning of the 2009 World Series featuring the Yankees, a team I've loved since 1984. Would you say I obsess much?

8:04 p.m. - 1-2-3 for A.J. and I can already tell that he's keeping it under control and has his "awesome stuff" tonight. Great cut on his fastball and he got ahead of all three hitters in the first inning.

8:07 p.m. - Yankees need to be patient at the plate tonight against Pedro Martinez and let "Who's Your Daddy?" beat himself.

8:08 p.m. - Yes, the "Who's Your Daddy?" chants are already starting.

8:19 p.m. - A.J. makes Ryan Howard look silly as he strikes out his 2nd batter of the night.

8:20 p.m. - Joe Buck just called A.J. Burnett...Beckett. I hate you Joe Buck. Have I mentioned that lately?

8:27 p.m. - A dumb bloop double and single that gets past A-Rod puts Phillies up in first, 1-0 Phillies.

8:43 p.m. - Ibanez makes a diving stop to deny the Yankees of their first run. That's the difference right there in this game. The Phillies got a couple lucky bounces in the 2nd inning. The Yankees did not.

8:44 p.m. - Come on Jerry Hairston Jr. Make your Manager look like he made a good decision for once. ....Girardi got killed all day about this move on WFAN. What else is new. And Hairston flies out. Girardi is the worst manager ever," so says everyone on WFAN tomorrow.

8:49 p.m. - And I finally finished planting carrots in my farm for harvesting tomorrow. Yes, I obsess much. Now, to concentrate on the gae.

8:56 p.m. - I don't like Vic Torino's double ear flapped helmet. What is he in: the little leagues?

8:57 p.m. - AJ needs to concentrate on batter right here. Game is slowing down to a snails pace and he is off his rhythm.

8:59 p.m. - Thanks for the old news, Fox: Brett Favre returning to play in Green Bay is so 2006. Oh wait....

9:01 p.m. - Do you think Charlie Manuel and Johnny Lackey drink Pabst Blue Ribbon at a Texas trailer park together? See my Game 1 ALCS insta-blogging for reference.

9:03 p.m. - Phillies on 1st and 2nd with 2 outs in the Top of 3rd. And up steps Ryan Howard, who is hitting .500-something with runners in scoring position during this year's playoffs. Jesus.

9:05 p.m. - Nice sequence there for AJ as he strikes out Ryan Howard to end the threat.

9:07 p.m. - Pedro has 43 pitches to the first 7 Yankee batters. We need to break thru in the 3rd inning against him.

9:12 p.m. - Molina walks and reaches first base for the first time in the 2009 Playoffs. At least, that's something. Maybe he'll score and make his start tonight worthwhile.

9:13 p.m. - I wish Joe Buck would stop talking about Pedro's good years in Boston. I wonder if Fox announcers will talk about Favre's good years in Green Bay on Sunday. Ya think?

9:16 p.m. - I wish the Yankees could actually score a run. That would be nice.

9:23 p.m. - Excellent, excellent throw by Molina to get Werth out. Posada definitely doesn't make that play there. So, Molina's got that going for him, too.

9:28 p.m. - Tex with a big bang, deep to center to finally break through against Pedro. 1-1. Bout time Tex. Bout time.

9:32 p.m. - Matsui walks and the Yankees have something going. ...The Yankee threat ends shortly after.

9:42 p.m. - I wish Buck would stop openingly rooting for the Phillies. Seriously. He is spewing stats about Phillie prowess.

9:48 p.m. - It's the start of the bottom of the 5th and time for the Yankees to break it out against Pedro. He's tiring. We need to finish him, Mortal Kombat-style!!

9:52 p.m. - After Jeter doubles to left (typical), Damon swings at first pitch from a tiring Martinez to end the 5th.

10:01 p.m. - Burnett thru 6. Pedro coming out with Tex, A-Rod and Matsui coming up. I smell big things.

10:03 p.m. - No matter what happens tonight, it won't surpass the fact that my 8-month-old daughter Grace stood up today by herself for the first time.

10:08 p.m. - Fox just showed a shot of Rudy Giuliani's girlfriend trying to calm him down. That makes me feel better about my nervousness. The guy was the NYC mayor during 9/11 for cripes sake

10:11 p.m. - Matsui dings one to right field and beer goes flying everywhere. Shades of Tino Martinez's grand slam in 98 against Padres. The flying beer, I mean. 2-1 Yankees. First lead for the Yankees in the World Series.

10:13 p.m. - AJ needs to lock Phillies down in 7th after homer by Matsui.

10:15 p.m. - RT JoeandEvan I know its early in the series...but I go Mo for 8th and 9th tonight. I don't think Girardi will though

10:16 p.m. - My response: @JoeandEvan I think you have to go Mo in 8th and 9th. This is a must win for #Yankees and there's an off-day tomorrow.

10:18 p.m. - AJ strikes out Stairs for 9th K of night. Good stat by Fox. AJ has thrown first strike to 22 of 25 Phillie batter tonight.

10:21 p.m. - After that 1-2-3 inning by AJ, I'd revise my 10:16 thoughts. He's dealing and it's his game. Let him start 8th and only take him out if a runner reaches base.

10:29 p.m. - Hairston singles to start the 7th inning (validation for Girardi?) and is replaced by Gardner.

10:29 p.m. - BTW, Pedro surpassed 100 pitches (his dreaded career highwater pitch count) right before Hairston singled.

10:29 p.m. - RT @YankeesWFAN Pedro back for the 7th. Did Grady Little chloroform Charlie Manuel and take over as Phillies manager?

10:30 p.m. - Melky singles on a hit and run and Gardner speeds to third to put runners on the corner with no one out.

10:32 p.m. - Pedro lifted to raucous boos and he actually smiles. He loves it! Wow. You could tell that he was completely fueled - and not hurt at all - with the "Who's Your Daddy?" chats. Just an interesting, interesting individual even though I hate him more than Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin combined. And I hate them, a lot.

10:34 p.m. - And here comes HIP HIP..Jorge! to replace Molina behind the plate.

10:35 p.m. - What the hell happened to Chan Ho Park? He looks completely different. Like he was a snow-bound in a Alaskan log cabin for years and finally let out.

10:37 p.m. - Jorge lines a single up the middle for Yankees to add another run on for Yankees. 3-1 Yankees. I'm seeing shades of 2003 ALCS right there.

10:39 p.m. - Bad decision by Jeter there to bunt with 2 strikes.

10:43 p.m. - Ryan Howard completely trapped that ball. Another horrible call by umps though, as they say it's a double play. Horrible, horrible call.

10:46 p.m. - Girardi's not messing around tonight as he brings Mo in to start the 8th. Guess that he's listened to the bashing he's gotten on WFAN about his handling of the bullpen throughout the 2009 playoffs.

10:53 p.m. - Burnett's line on the night: 7 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 9 K and 2 BB (1 intentional).

10:59 p.m. - Huge double play (Cano to Jeter to Tex) and the Yankees get out of a tough, tough jam there. Biggest outs of the night for the Yankees as the Phillies were threatening.

11:04 p.m. - DJ Hero? What? EA and Activision are out of control with their music-based games. Guitar Hero 1-3 and Rock Band were awesome and were crazy successful. So -- what usually happens -- money hungry execs step in and oversaturate the marketplace, including specialized versions of GH Aerosmith, Metallica, Van Halen, Guitar Hero: World Tour, Rock Ban 2 and Rock Band Beatles. It's just out of control. Stop already.

11:06 p.m. - Aceves is warming up in bullpen. Jesus. He can't come into this game. He just can't. Please just be getting your day work in.

11:19 p.m. - Mariano strikes out Ryan Howard looking to start the 9th. Howard is very foreboding player who reminds me of Manny and Ortiz - when they were taking steroids from 2004-2007.

11:26 p.m. - Mariano comes on for a six out save and wins it for the Yankees. Burnett was completely lights out tonight for the Yankees and pitched like a big-time pitcher on the biggest stage.

Wrap-up - Big, big win for the Yankees and the Series moves to Philadelphia tied at 1. All is right with the world.

2009 World Series - Game 1 - Yankees vs. Phillies - 4 wins to #27

It was a rough game last night, but you have to remember something: It's not the Super Bowl.

It's a best of 7 series where the winning team usually loses a few games. So, the Yankees got drubbed 6-1 last night, who cares.

It's not the end of the world. Really, it's not.

I've never seen so many people overreacting more to Yankee playoff game losses then they have this year.

The Yankees swept the Twins and then beat the Angels in six games. After both of the Yankees' two ALCS losses you would have thought that every Yankee fan had lost their minds. It wasn't the end of the world then though, and it's certainly not the end of the world now.

I've feeling bummed this morning, but know in my heart and in my head and that this is a resilient Yankee team that can still win the World Series backed by great starting pitchers and a clutch starting lineup. Sure, they played poorly last night, but it was more about the dominance of Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee than it was about anything else. Despite the loss, I thought C.C. Sabathia, while slightly off at times, pitched great and the Yankees weren't patient enough at the plate.

Tonight A.J. Burnett takes the mound with a chance to right the ship against long-time Yankee nemesis Pedro Martinez. If A.J. is under control, we're golden tonight. If he isn't and Pedro finds his early 2000s form, then I'll admit they are in trouble. Stay tuned.