Results from my 2018 MLB predictions

Of course, the one year I pick the Yankees to win it all the Red Sox win it instead.

Weakest silver lining ever: I'm pretty sure this is my first year getting both of the Rookie of the Year picks right.

AL East 
1. Red Sox CORRECT
2. Yankees* CORRECT
3. Orioles INCORRECT (Rays)

4. Blue Jays CORRECT

5. Rays INCORRECT (Orioles)

To sum up tonight's win...

IBANEZ CERVELLI IBANEZ CERVELLI IBANEZ CERVELLI IBANEZ CERVELLI IBANEZ CERVELLI IBANEZ CERVELLI IBANEZ CERVELLI IBANEZ CERVELLI IBANEZ
— Lenny Neslin (@lenNYsYankees) October 3, 2012

(Watch it here.)

Possible outcomes for Red Sox-Yankees series [Globe]

The Red Sox and Yankees are at it again this weekend. The Sox could tie the season series with a sweep or pretty much drop out of the playoff picture for good if they get swept. A lot of other stuff could happen too, but sadly we won't get to see another Vicente Padilla-Mark Teixeira showdown. Padilla is inactive. Check out my latest work for Boston.com Sports.

A closer look at the AL wild card [Globe]

The Yankees are in a bit of a slide, but still have a 4.5-game lead over the Red Sox Rays Orioles in the AL East. It's pretty weird seeing the Orioles, not the Red Sox or Rays, in second place and playoff-bound this late in the year, isn't it?

I'm looking at you, Buck Showalter.

Since I work for the Boston Globe, and because some people around here still think the Sox can turn it around this year, I whipped up this primer on the AL wild card race. There are currently five teams within two games of a wild card spot, and the Red Sox are 5.5 games out.

After looking closely into this race, I am actually one of the few who think the Sox have a shot at making the postseason. Read all about it, and then feel free to state your case. Who are your two AL wild card predictions?

A primer to the Yankees-Red Sox series [Globe]

Check out my latest piece for Boston.com, comparing the Yankees and Red Sox once again for the series ahead.

My prediction? I'll call it a split. Do you agree/disagree with that, or any of the points made in the piece? Let's chat in the comments or on Twitter @lenNYsYankees.

David Ortiz, Red Sox proving clubhouse chemistry is important

David Ortiz thinks it's embarrassing to make $14.575 million in one season. He even went as far as saying to USA Today that it's humiliating.

Now, he's right to feel humiliated – but only for these comments.

He's the team's best player, sure, but he's only a designated hitter. And he's 36 years old. The Red Sox' deal was more than fair. Put a cork in it, Papi.

All of this ranting about the media and his contract reminds me of Gary Sheffield, who memorably complained about his three-year, $39 million deal, among other things, with the Yankees.

Kenyan students reenact Buckner play [Globe]

Finally, I have a second to post here, and it's a good one, too. As posted on Boston.com, I present Kenyan students reenacting Bill Buckner's infamous play nearly 16 years after it happened.

Red Sox-Yankees positional comparison [Globe]

It pains me that I haven't been blogging here daily, but I will take any chance I get to provide my followers with content. My most recent work for Boston.com is a comparison between the Yankees and Red Sox. Who doesn't like to scout their archrivals? I asked the fans who they thought had the edge at each position for Boston.com, but below I provide my picks and analysis.

Red Sox add Andrew Bailey, GM is #winning

New closers keep coming to Boston while the Yankees haven't had to change in 16 years.

After losing six-year closer Jonathan Papelbon to free agency (Phillies, $50 million, 4 years with vesting option), the Red Sox weren't quite set on plugging in flamethrower Daniel Bard as the full-time closer. So they added Mark Melancon, as noted earlier today, saying he would be in the mix for the job after a strong 2011 with Houston. Just minutes ago, the Red Sox acquired Andrew Bailey, the Athletics' All-Star closer.

Where the Red Sox collapse ranks [Globe]

Last game of the season is tonight, and the Yankees still don’t know who they are playing in the first round. Meanwhile, the Red Sox are tied in the wild card race with the Rays, who face the Yankees young hurler Dellin Betances tonight.

If the Red Sox miss out on the playoffs, they would fit in with this list of baseball’s biggest collapses feature I did for Boston.com. Enjoy.

Another Yankees-Red Sox New Era ad with Alec Baldwin & John Krasinski [Video]

I’m sure you’ll see this New Era Yankees-Red Sox commercial with Alec Baldwin & John Krasinski again in tonight’s finale. These are fantastic, but I think this one is still my favorite.

A few grand slams and another Globe item

The Yankees scored 22 runs today for Phil Hughes and he didn’t pick up the win.

…

In other news, I helped put together this gallery for Boston.com that compares the Yankees and Red Sox down the stretch. Lots of good info on their remaining opponents and some playoff preview stuff. Check it out. Feedback/comments are appreciated.

Editor’s note: I thought it was pretty cool to see my name on that gallery side-by-side with the ex-Yankees beat writer I aspired to when I started lenNY’s Yankees. Enjoy.

Baseball’s unusual batting stances [Globe]

Caution: the following gallery presents major league baseball's most unconventional batting stances and pre-at-bat mannerisms that are not recommended for replication by youth baseball players.

Click here to proceed.

Ex-Yankees on the list include Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon, Albert Pujols and Alfonso Soriano. (I was going to include Bobby Abreu, but frankly I don’t know what his current stance is. I read on the Interwebz that before he had his loose hands grip with the Yankees he had an overlapping golf style grip. Plus, Abreu torched the Yankees last night. No point in featuring him.)

For laughs, look for Dallas Braden and Dae-Sung Koo, too.

Robinson Cano a victim of the Home Run Derby curse [Globe]

All four American League participants in the Home Run Derby, coincidentally, have seen a decline in power numbers in the second half. One of the curse sufferers is Derby winner Robinson Cano. But his decline hasn’t been as extreme as Sox sluggers David Ortiz and Adrian Gonzalez. Read all about it here, currently featured on Boston.com’s sports page.

Do you believe in the Home Run Derby curse?

Nate’s Takes: Jorge Posada, Jesus Montero, CC Sabathia, Rafael Soriano

The Yankees were three outs away. Three outs away from winning two out of three at Fenway Park. Three outs away from an excellent road trip. Three outs away from ending all the talk that the Yankees can’t beat the Red Sox. It just wasn’t meant to be, as Mariano Rivera blew his fifth save of the season and the Yankees found themselves in second place once again.

While this was a heartbreaking loss, Yankee fans can’t lose sight of how good this Yankee team still is. The Yankees are in great position to make the playoffs and still have a chance of winning the division. With that said, here are my takes for the week.

Alec Baldwin owns John Krasinski in latest New Era commercial [Video]

See for yourself what Yankees fan Alec Baldwin does to Red Sox fan John Krasinski in the latest installment of the hilarious New Era commercials.

Joe Girardi’s bullpen call was huge tonight

In a fantastic opener to the series, the Yankees bullpen won. And it all boiled down to a gutsy call by Joe Girardi.

Bartolo Colon threw his 94th pitch but hadn’t completed the fifth inning. With two out, the bases loaded and Adrian Gonzalez stepping in the batter’s box, Girardi walked out to the mound.

Yankees-Red Sox Series Preview: For the East

The Yankees have come to visit me (and the Red Sox) in Boston this weekend, and they couldn’t have picked a better time. Riding a seven-game winning streak, they’ve tied the Red Sox for the division lead. This means whichever team wins this series will also leave with the division lead.

On the Hill:
Friday: Bartolo Colon (8-6, 3.30) vs. Jon Lester (11-4, 3.17)
Saturday: CC Sabathia (16-5, 2.55) vs. John Lackey (9-8, 6.23)
Sunday: Freddy Garcia (10-7, 3.22) vs. Josh Beckett (9-4, 2.20)

Red Sox-Yankees: Who’s hot, who’s not? [Globe]

More Red Sox-Yankees content for Boston.com…

David Ortiz and Carl Crawford were red hot the last time these two teams met in June. Jon Lester was not at his best, and Derek Jeter still needed 14 hits to reach 3,000. That's all changed heading into this weekend's Sox-Yankees series.

Continue reading who’s hot, who’s not here.

5 questions for Red Sox & Yankees [Globe]

It’s nice when my job and my blog converge. This way I can kill two birds with one stone, like my latest feature: five questions for the Red Sox and Yankees. I have much more prepared for the series coming to you a bit later.

I included a poll at the end of the feature, asking which team has tougher questions to answer. The results coming from Boston.com will likely be skewed, so feel free to discuss this debate in the comments.