Yanks Interested in Mench

The Yanks have shown interest in so many players this offseason, it’s been hard to keep up with them all. The list grows longer today, as reports indicate that the team is interested in Kevin Mench as another right-handed bench option (fifth outfielder). The old spaghetti approach continues….

The Kids are Eager to Play

Phil Hughes had a good Super Bowl Sunday. He also wants Sean Henn’s number (34). Also, Shelley Duncan has started his training already and is healthy despite a blood clot scare, earlier in the winter season. He’s prepared to play 1B or a corner OF position if need be (in case of injuries).

Monday’s Bits: Pettitte Talks to Congress, Bedard Headed to Seattle

Shall we?

• Andy Pettitte spoke with the Congressional committee for 2 1/2 hours today regarding his alleged (and actual) steroid/HGH use. Andy did not speak with any reporters after the affair, therefore, it’s not sure whether or not he had been asked–by Congress– about Clemens or any other players (outside of himself).
• Next up, the Erik Bedard to Seattle trade is nearly complete, according to the Baltimore Sun. Adam Jones, Seattle’s highly touted OF, is supposedly in Baltimore today, having his physical done. Since I now live in Seattle, for me, this will be a fun team to watch. They’ll have Bedard and Hernandez in the 1-2 slot for a few seasons and the 2 will likely become one of the better pitching combinations in the AL. (Thanks to MLBTR for the info.).

Back with more later.

Tough Times for the Mattingly Bunch

Kim Mattingly, Don Mattingly’s wife, was arrested over the weekend for “public intoxication.” The two were already going through tough times, filing for divorce in November. It’s easy to see (in light of all this) why Mattingly decided to opt-out (excuse the A-Rod language) from his batting coach position with the Dodgers. Hopefully, Don and Kim will somehow come to an amiable resolution.

VT Game Will Be a Closed Event

For those who don’t know, the Yankees will be playing Virginia Tech in an exhibition game in March (the 18th). A ton of you have stumbled upon this site in search of ticket information for that game.

Well, I’m sorry to break it to those who were hoping to attend, but the game is not open to the general public. Instead, all tickets will be awarded to VT students (only) via lottery (3,000 tickets) and there will be about 1,000 tickets available to faculty and staff. However, the game could end up being broadcasted in Virginia and the surrounding area.

Tax Breaks for the Rich

From the Gotham Gazette:

After years of debate, the City Council approved a resolution urging the State Legislature to rescind an approximately $12 million annual tax break for Madison Square Garden, which has been in place since the Koch administration.

The resolution (Reso 90-A) was approved by a voice vote, and little opposition was heard.

For 25 years, city officials said, the Garden, whose parent company is Cablevision, has not had to pay approximately $300 million in property taxes. The exemption was first granted during the 1980s, a bleak fiscal era for the city, to keep several New York sports teams, including the Knicks and the Rangers, inside the city limits. Now, said city officials, since the city is no longer at risk of losing these athletic franchises, it is time for the Garden to start paying.

“Madison Square Garden is the only entity of the city of New York that has or has ever had an open ended tax abatement,” aid Quinn. “They have been more than fairly compensated for staying in this city.”

Some members, such as council members Letitia James and Domenic Recchia, questioned whether the resolution equally treated other developments or corporations in the city. Recchia pointed to breaks given to both the Yankees and Mets for their new stadiums’ construction, while James cited the breaks given to Atlantic Yards.

The legislation’s prospects, some observers said, does not look rosy, because Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is unlikely to take up the measure. (Some point to Bloomberg’s doomed West Side stadium, which Silver blocked, possibly because of a lobbying effort by Cablevision in the state capital.)

In response to the resolution, the Garden released the following statement: “We have previously communicated with the mayor and agreed to discuss this issue with him at the appropriate time. The City Council’s decision to single out Madison Square Garden, an engine of economic activity that provides jobs for New Yorkers, when more than a billion dollars in benefits have been given to the other pro sports teams in New York City is obviously based on politics, not sound public policy.”

What is this garbage? Companies like Cablevision make over 4 billion dollars a year. How the hell are they recieving exemptions like this, especially over an exceedingly long period of time? $12 million annually? To them, that’s really nothing at all (until you don’t pay and it becomes $300 million altogether).

Also, I don’t quite understand the Yankee Stadium comparisons. MSG/Cablevision has been avoiding property tax payments since the 1980’s and, in defense of that, you’re going bring up the tax breaks for a new stadium in the Bronx (that will ultimately do a lot of good for the surrounding area, economically).

Some things literally make my head spin (seriously, the spinning makes it hard for me to type). Tax breaks for people who don’t need tax breaks, are one of those things.

Jeter’s G2 Commercial

Here’s Derek Jeter’s G2 Super Bowl commercial (with a bit of added commentary at the beginning).