For our first ‘official' item of business: The Yankees did a nice thing this week by re-naming Legends Field in Tampa to Steinbrenner Field, after owner George Steinbrenner. Over his 35 years, ‘The Boss' has brought 6 titles and glory back to the Bronx. It got me thinking Yankee fans: Should Steinbrenner get a bust in Cooperstown? My immediate reaction: No. That goes for any owner of say, the last 60 years or so. Here's my take:

A sports owner is no different than any other investor. You buy a house and hopefully watch the investment grow. You landscape your lawn, remodel the den, so that the value goes UP. The value goes up, and you or your family earns a large profit when the house is sold.

Steinbrenner is no exception. He turned a laughingstock of a franchise into a perennial power—nearly abandoning his ship building business to do it. How? George threw lots of cash into the team. There are owners that don't—just like the guy on your block who doesn't paint his fence or mow his lawn. The decision to spend or not spend cash is a choice at the individual and corporate level. There are fans in Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Minnesota who wish Fred Wilpon, George Steinbrenner or John Henry signed the checks.

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Hi Everyone:

With baseball about to get underway in the good ol’ USA, I thought I’d drop a note to baseball commissioner Bud Selig.

Dear Bud:

I know things have been kind of tough for you lately. Barry Bonds, Congress on your back, what to DO about all those guys in the Mitchell Report. Let’s face it, if the boys on Capitol Hill hadn’t taken time away from the Iraq war, health insurance and how I’ll pay for my next house-you’d be talking about your ‘legacy’ again-how the game has grown internationally and attendance is going up. Hey, you and I BOTH know that you wanted to convince the owners something was wrong in ’98 with McGwire and Sosa hitting 3 homers a day. We’re all to blame-fans and media alike. As that old MLB promo ran, “Chicks Dig The Long Ball.”

Former Mets slugger Ed Kranepool looks back at the Amazin's '69' Miracle season, as well as the infamous fight between Mets shortstop Bud Harrelson and Reds star Pete Rose during the 1973 NLCS.


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Former Met Art Shamsky talks about his experience playing at Shea and how he was first welcomed by fans back in 1967 when he was traded to the Amazins by the Cincinnati Reds.


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Former Mets third baseman Ed "The Glider" Charles recalls his fondest memories with the Amazins, including being a part of the 1969 'Miracle Mets.'


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Keith Hernandez, the former Mets first baseman and MVP, talks about his most memorable moment at Shea Stadium and the feeling he had, walking out onto the field for the first time.


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Former Mets slugger Rusty Staub reminisces on his first time playing at Shea, and talks about his most cherished memories at the Stadium. Rusty also opens up about a bad encounter he had with an outfield wall during the 1973 NLCS.


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Howard Johnson looks back at some of his favorite moments playing at Shea, including the crucial error by Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner that gave the 1986 Mets the momentum they needed to win the World Series.


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What would a website be without SOME sort of cheesy advertising plug? Here’s mine: Check out the CW11 this Saturday, March 29th at 7:30. The 2008 Mets: Built to Win, sponsored by Audi. Sal Marchiano, Lolita Lopez and John Muller preview the 2008 contingent of Flushing’s Finest. Can the Mets rebound from the biggest collapse in baseball history? Will Johan Santana do EVEN BETTER in the NL? Can the Mets close out the 45 year run of Shea Stadium (a park only a mother or a Met fan could love) with a world Championship? Tune in Saturday night to get the info on all things ‘Amazin.’

More on the Mets: As all Met denizens know, this is the final year in the 45 year history of Shea Stadium. During our Mets preview, we’ll hear from Ron Swoboda, Ed Kranepool, Rusty Staub, Art Shamsky, Ed Charles and Keith Hernandez on their recollections of the biggest landmark within LaGuardia Airport’s flight pattern. We want to know: What are YOUR favorite memories of Shea? Opening Day in 1964? Perhaps you were stuck in line as several restrooms weren’t functioning! Tom Seaver’s ‘Imperfect Game’ against the Cubs in July of 1969-serving notice the ‘Miracle Mets’ were a force to be reckoned with. Did you run on the field after the Mets shocked the Orioles to win the World Series? Did you leave game 6 in ‘86 against the Red Sox EARLY, thinking Boston had the title? Maybe your memories are more personal—the first time your Dad took you to a game. he foul ball you caught the day you skipped school. Whatever...if it brings forth passion and recollection, leave a comment and share your thoughts.

Hey Everyone, I’m Bob Taute, welcoming you to the CW11 Sports Blog. If you’re looking for a place to comment, question, rant and rave on all things sports—THIS IS THE PLACE. You can post your thoughts on the Mets, Yankees (THANK GOD baseball season is upon us!) or whatever sports topic YOU feel is important. Keep it real—and clean—but have fun. We’re looking forward to seeing how much the masses really enjoy anything with a ball, bat, club, stick or puck.

I don’t know what makes me more depressed. The fact that 75,000 people showed up for Wrestlemania Sunday night, or that boxing’s one real star, Floyd Mayweather, was paid 20 million bucks and ‘knocked out’ The Big Sham, er, make that Show. Just reminds you that boxing is just about dead. Don King’s twin brother Vince McMahon will do anything for a buck. At least no wrestler died in the ring, like Owen Hart a few years back. (McMahon didn’t cancel the event after Hart died in front of 20 thousand people.)

Its been almost a year since Chris Benoit killed his wife, son and himself. The litany of wrestlers who die young is longer than than Lindsay Lohan’s visits to rehab. Still, McMahon churns out ‘sports entertainment’, making Bud Selig look like a DEA agent when it comes to drugs and concern for his employees. McMahon has admitted to using the stuff, and beaten charges for distributing. If you’re over 12 years old and need that to see this garbage, get a life.

You don’t have to be an Olympic swimmer to know that the Amazins have no depth. They CAN win-if nobody gets hurt. If Reyes, Wright or Beltran (hope his knees are alright) is lost for any part of the season, Shea will be a ghost town in September. There are already question marks in the lineup. Moises Alou is on “vacation” for a month recovering from a hernia. Meanwhile, Schneider is defense first at the plate. Ramon Castro is a good hitter-but he had health issues last year and starts 2008 on the DL. Until he shows me otherwise, I assume Ryan Church can’t hit lefties.

Delgado: Most guys would be happy with Delgado’s 24 homers and 80+ rbi last year. Keep in mind, Carlos struggled with injuries and at the plate in big chunks last season before hitting a pedestrian .258. Can we trade to get Mike Jacobs back right now? Letting young, speedy Ruben Gotay go was an out and out FOOLISH move by Omar Minaya. Luis Castillo is aging and over rated. Gotay may not turn out to be Joe Morgan-but the arch rival Braves wasted no time picking him up. Letting Gotay get away seems as spiteful as not letting Aaron Heilman start a game with all the injuries the Mets had the last few years. We don’t know what Angel Pagan is yet. Marlon Anderson (a TERRIFIC pinch hitter), Endy Chavez and Damian Easley are good role players, but that’s all they are. The team better get and stay healthy. If you’re a Mets fan. you know a meaningless game at Shea in September is about as fulfilling as going hunting with Dick Cheney-WITHOUT a bulletproof vest.

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That’s right Yankee fans. Phil Hughes is and will be the real deal, if not this year, than next-high ERA this spring notwithstanding. But the way Baby Boss Hank is pressing the kids (Hughes, Ian Kennedy and especially Joba Chamberlain) to go easy, WHO is gonna cover innings 6-7 (sometimes 5 if Mussina REALLY struggles) for you on a regular basis? That Yankee bullpen will see much work. You better hope Andy Pettitte can keep his head on straight if the Roger Clemens mess rears up during the summer-not forgetting Pettitte’s nagging elbow and at least for now, sore back. The Good Book says, “Bad company corrupts good character.” Andy, known as a man of strong Christian faith, should have remembered this before his good ‘friend’ Clemens introduced him to Brian McNamee and steroids. If my best friend told the whole world I ‘misheard’ and ‘misunderstood’ conversations about using steroids-or anything bad-I’d ask the Lord for strength not to kill him-and probably get a new best friend.

Ok, by the time this entry goes up, the local baseball season will be underway. The Yankees open the final season at The House That Ruth Built. In all the hoopla about the last season for the big ballpark, sentimentality and revisionist history are the norm. The ‘current’ Yankee Stadium is really The House That George (Steinbrenner) remodeled, only somewhat resembling the ball yard the Bombers of Babe Ruth’s time played in.

The Mets, with lefty gun Johan Santana starting in Florida Monday afternoon, are saying good bye to Shea Stadium after the season.

Both teams will be LUCKY to make the playoffs.

The Mets are 1-0 after their Opening Day win. Get used to it Met fans-Johan Santana was everything as advertised. I can see it now-guys sitting at home thinking, “Can Johan go 30-and oh?” :) If you’re in Vegas every 5th day, Santana’s be a good way to supplement you’re income.

The Mets roughed up lefty Mark Hendrickson for 6 runs in the 4th inning. Yes, the offense scored runs. But the key was the lefty from Venezuela. 7 innings, 100 pitches, 2 runs, three hits and eight strikeouts.

But of course, I couldn’t let a blog go without a COMPLAINT. Can we let Johan start the eighth? He was in no real trouble in the 7th. Instead, Willie Randolph used Wise, Schoeneweis and Sosa in the 8th. Sosa struck out Josh Willingham (who had homered off Santana for the only two Fish runs) with two on to end the inning. I understand that Willie Randolph wants to get all the guys involved. But in this era of micro-managing and high salaries, you get four, five, six pitchers in a 7-2 game. Santana at 75 percent is better than anyone else the Mets have. Let him pitch the eighth.

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