Mariano Rivera | It's On Broadway

Derek Jeter Does Not Deserve a Unanimous Vote into the Baseball Hall of Fame

Posted on January 24, 2020 by Bobby Broadway

Full disclosure, I hate the Yankees!

This week Derek Jeter was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame along with Larry Walker. Jeter fell 1 vote short of receiving a unanimous vote into the hall, and this had Yankee fans run to social media talking about how “we” need to find this writer who dared to vote against Jeter.

And to be fair it wasn’t only Yankee fans, but it’s always more fun to point them out HAHAHA!

Now, if you are honest and you put your Yankee/NY bias aside for a moment. You will realize that Jeter receiving 99.7% of the vote is a great accomplishment, and all of this complaining about 1 vote is really stupid.

Let’s start with some facts:

In his 20-year career, Derek Jeter was never the best player in baseball. Without a doubt a top 5 and top 10 player in baseball but never dominated the sport like say Mike Trout
Derek Jeter was never a MVP, he finished top 3 in voting 3x

So when you look at the only player to be voted in to the Baseball Hall of Fame unanimously, Mariano Rivera stands out from Derek Jeter. Rivera without a doubt is the greatest reliever/closer of all-time; he’s the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time). Mariano dominated baseball, and there was no question he was the best closer in the game. Derek Jeter never reached that level, and that’s ok, it doesn’t take away from what he accomplished.

Here’s something for Yankee fans to think about, Joe DiMaggio, ‘The Yankee Clipper’; was voted the sports greatest living player in 1969. Joltin’ Joe was not a 1st ballot Hall of Famer, in fact it took 3 years for him to be voted into the hall and he only received 88% of the vote.

As always…

there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

NY Mets fire Manager Mickey Callaway #MetsTwitter #LGM

Posted on October 3, 2019 by Bobby Broadway

The Mickey Callaway era with the NY Mets is now over, and I can admit, I was wrong.

When the Mets named Callaway the manager back on October 23^rd in 2017, I was all-in. I believed in what Callaway did as a pitching coach and his belief in analytics and it being used in baseball. While Mickey wasn’t my first choice (Alex Cora) I felt Mickey was the best next thing.

I was so confident in the hire that I talked trash on Twitter and referred to Callaway as a top 5 managing candidate at the time.

Clearly, I am not ready to be a GM yet, LOL!

Callaway struggled with handling the bullpen, although I will give him a pass for the most part when it comes to the pen. The talent wasn’t there and it’s difficult to manage a pen when relievers are not doing their jobs. What could not be forgiven was Callaway’s in-game moves with pinch hitters and being out maneuvered by opposing managers.

A perfect example of this was a couple of weeks ago, with the Mets in the hunt for the playoffs. Callaway allowed the Phillies to pinch-hit Bryce Harper to hit against Tyler Bashlor (Righty), and explained he wanted to get Phillies regular old reliever Mike Morin out of game. We are not talking about Mariano Rivera here…

While it’s not great that the Mets must find a new manager, this is different from previous years. This is a Mets team that has talent, a young core in Pete Alonso, Amed Rosario, Jeff McNeil, Michael Confronto, and a pitching staff that is formidable (Jacob deGrom). For the first time in a long-time, this is team that can attract top managerial candidates.

Of the top candidates, Joe Maddon and Joe Girardi would be at the top of my list. As of right now the word is Maddon will head west to take the Angels job. If that’s the case Joe Girardi would have to be the guy previous experience handling the NYC market and not afraid of the bright lights.

But…

If I had a dark horse, Houston Astros’ manager AJ Hinch, who could be looking for a challenge and good friends with Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen.

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

@Mets vs. @Yankees the 2015 Edition #SubwaySeries

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Bobby Broadway

Full Disclosure, I am a HARDCORE Mets fan and I hate the Yanks aka the Skanks!

Once again it’s that time of the year in the baseball season; New York Mets vs New York Yankees!

Inter-league play started back in 1997 and for Mets fans, outside of the 2000 World Series and the 2006 playoff run, Mets’ fans have looked forward to the Subway Series.

And after all these years the Subway Series has lost its initial luster, but now we have the 2015 edition of the Subway Series!

For the first time the two teams will meet with both teams in 1st place, and both teams coming in on a high note.

The Mets are currently riding a 11-game winning streak and owning the best record in baseball (13-3). Their young squad with pitching studs Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom, 2014 Gold-Glove center fielder Juan Lagares, rising star behind the plate Travis d’Arnaud (injured), and Lucas Duda are leading a revival in Queens. Of course we cannot forget about the ‘Captain’ David Wright who was looking like his old self before straining his hamstring.

The Yankees after a slow start, finished a strong road-trip going 7-3 and taking 2 out of 3 from the powerful Detroit Tigers. Working thru a transition from the golden age of the ‘Core 4’ (Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, and Andy Pettitte), the Yanks veterans seem to be coming together with unlikely heroes in Alex Rodriguez and former Mets cast-off Chris Young. Jacob Ellsbury, Brett Gardner and Mark Teixeira round out this experienced team. If they can live up to their impressive resumes they will be a tough team offensively.

This should be a great series, as a Mets fan I am beyond excited! Looking forward to seeing deGrom and Harvey cleanup the Bronx!!!!

HAHA, anyone that knows me knew I was going to at least take one shot at the Skanks!

Let’s Go Mets!!!!!!!!!

#TakeTheDamnThing

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

Arrogance of Yankee fans…

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Bobby Broadway

So if you heard that loud annoying noise last night around midnight (eastern), it was Yankee fans crying about the news that Cliff Lee was going to sign with Philadelphia Phillies. Don’t confuse the Yankee fans crying with the sobbing of Houston Texans as once again they lost a game in heartbreaking fashion, but that story is for another day; LOL!

Back to Yankee fans, the typical NY Yankee fan is so arrogant that they feel EVERY free agent should sign with them and that going anywhere else is like turning down the advances of Selita Ebanks. After the disbelief of the idea that the #1 free agent on the market Cliff Lee would tell the Yankees no, fans of the Bronx Bombers began to go after the mental makeup Lee and his wife. Seriously, was it not enough that classless Yankee fans rudely heckled Lee’s wife during the ALCS last year at Yankee Stadium?

In my opinion any attack on Lee’s mental makeup is just silly, and any comparison to LeBron not wanting to come to the Knicks is off as well. In the case of LeBron you can say LeBron was wanting to avoid being the man as basketball is more of an individual sport than baseball. Bron would have had the focus of the NY media on him every day as he would be playing every game. Unlike LeBron, Lee would only pitch every 5 days while sharing the marquee with other Yankee players like Jeter, Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera. Keep in mind that for the past 2 seasons Lee has been a hired gun that has been thrown into the fire of stretch runs for teams making a push for the playoffs. He also has been the #1 pitcher leading teams in the playoffs…

Postseason Pitching Statistics
SEASON	G	GS	CG	SHO	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	W	L	SV	HLD	BLSV	WHIP	ERA
2009	5	5	2	0	40.1	27	10	7	0	6	33	4	0	0	0	—	0.82	1.56
2010	5	5	1	0	35.2	27	12	11	2	2	47	3	2	0	0	—	0.81	2.78
Total	10	10	3	0	76.0	54	22	18	2	8	80	7	2	0	0	—	0.82	2.13

Sorry Yankee fans but these are not the numbers of some one scared to pitch on the big stage, LOL! As a matter of fact Lee has done it in Yankee Stadium as an opposing pitcher, which is worse than playing for the home team. Yankee fans will just have to get over it and realize Lee just likes Philly better; yes there are people out there not obsessed with NYC and being part of that scene. It’s even coming out that Lee never wanted to leave Philly last season when he was traded. If you want to question Lee’s intelligence, well that is a different story… LOL, who wants to live in PHILLY! At the end of the day Yankee fans should applaud Lee for not just being about the money and coming to NY to cash checks. It will truly be OK Yankee fans, you still have C.C. Sabathia…

Now as a Mets fan, I am the one that should be mad!!!!

WTF, now my squad which has no money to spend not only has to deal with Roy “Doc” Halladay but now in a 3 game series we could be facing Halladay, Lee, and Hamels/Oswalt!! Screw a Yankees fan, I am the one who should be crying, HAHA!!!

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!!

F-A-Nactic Fridays – Mariano Rivera signed… so what’s Jeter’s problem?

Posted on December 3, 2010 by Bobby Broadway

Mariano Rivera

Late last night news came in that Mariano Rivera and the NY Yankees have allegedly agreed to a 2 year deal for $30 million dollars at $15 million dollars per year. The negotiations between Rivera and the Yankees have been in stark contrast to the soap opera affair that has been going on between Jeter and the Yankees. Unlike Jeter there was an actual market for Rivera; and to Rivera’s credit he also made it known he wanted to remain a Yankee to close out his career.

So I ask what’s Derek Jeter’s problem.

Why can’t he and his agent get it together and hammer out a deal with the Yankees?

I’ll tell you why… Jeter needs to realize as far as the baseball free agent market goes, he is not a wanted commodity like Alex Rodriguez was a couple of years ago and Mariano Rivera is now! Now there are a lot of Yankee fans and Mr. Jeter himself who would never admit it but it is what is.

Nothing has been confirmed but Rivera was offered a deal for $17 million that forced the Yankees to act quickly and lockup the closer. For the Yankee fans who want to criticize the Yanks for supposedly disrespecting Jeter aka “The Captain” check how the Yankees were originally offering Rivera a 1 year deal with an option for a 2^nd year. Because of the market for Rivera the 41-year-old closer was able to solidify a guaranteed 2^nd year. At $15 million a year Rivera will remain the highest paid reliever in baseball.

With all that said the Yankees as an organization are not completely innocent in the Jeter situation. Brian Cashman is playing tough with Jeter as he seems to be trying to show this is his show to run and he is enjoying the leverage he has over Jeter. Like Jeter Cashman also needs to take a step back and NOT embarrass “The Captain”. From recent reports it sounds like that is exactly what the Yankees are doing. If Jeter does not sign with the Yankees both sides will look bad.

So Jeter when the Yanks increase their initially offer of $15 million a year (total $45 million) to something like $20 million a year (increase in dollar amount not years); TAKE THE OFFER!!!

Jeter will end up being the 2nd highest paid shortstop behind Troy Tulowitzki (who recently inked an extension at $24 mil a year); That is more than a fair enough offer!!

Derek Jeter

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!!

Is Derek Jeter serious?

Posted on November 22, 2010 by Bobby Broadway

Derek Jeter

It’s no secret that I am not a NY Yankees fan; I pretty much hate everything associated with the Yankees. With all that hatred I am still a fan of baseball and I will always respect talent. So when it comes to Derek Jeter I fully respect what he has accomplished as the Yankee Captain.

Since day one in the majors Jeter has experienced being Yankee Royalty; and it was all earned by Jeter. He has been able to keep his nose clean for the most part; I can only recall the tax evasion on his NYC apartment and some whispers questioning his offseason workout habits a few years ago.

Other than that he has had a spotless career; all while being a major sports icon in NYC.

During his seemingly spotless career Jeter has been paid very well for what he has done for the NY Yankees. In the era of big money contracts where fans scrutinize if players are living up to the dollar amount of their contracts. No one has ever questioned if Jeter has ever made too much money. The Captain has done everything for the Yankees except pitch for them.

For 15 seasons Jeter has performed at the highest level, but like everything else father time eventually dulls the senses.

Your not as quick as you used to be…

It takes you a millisecond longer to pickup the ball from the pitcher…

You can’t cover the same ground moving to your left or right…

Without a doubt Jeter will be one of the Greatest Yankees of all-time and he will have his plaque side by side with the greats in monument park at Yankee Stadium. He will also be a 1st ballot hall of famer; anything short of a unanimous vote will be a travesty…

With all that said, the alleged 5-6 year deal in the range of $20 million per year that Jeter is requesting is a little crazy. The Yankees are said to be offering a 3 year deal worth $50 million dollars. This is more than enough money for an aging shortstop who has CLEARLY lost a step in the field and at the plate!!

People automatically believe since the Yankees make so much money that they should have money to burn; this type of thinking is selfish. Why should the Yankees lock themselves into a 5 to 6 year deal for a declining player who has not given any inclination that he is wiling to change positions for the good of the team. No matter how stringent of an off-season program he could put himself through, he will never regain the steps he has lost in the field. He will be a liability in the field. At most MAYBE he could capture some lighting in the bottle at the plate and get back to a .300 average along with a high on base %.

Also we have to keep in mind that the Yankees have paid Jeter something like $200 million dollars during his career; so this is not a case of the Yanks being cheap.

It’s never easy for an athlete or a fan to except that the end is near; its time for Jeter to recognize his time in baseball is coming to an end. It’s not like he is Mariano Rivera; who is still pitching at a high level. Derek should take the 3 year deal bust his ass and show that he should get another deal if necessary; right now it just doesn’t make a lot of sense for the Yankees to lock up a 36-year-old for the next 5-6 years. The sooner Yankee fans admit it to themselves the better!

By the way I realize it is easy for me as a Mets fans to say play hardball with a baseball icon. The Mets are not exactly the epitome of Baseball organization excellence; we tend to avoid these difficult situations by dealing our GREAT players…

Nolan Ryan, and Tom Seaver just to name a few

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!!

Militant Mondays – I can’t support Pres. Obama

Posted on April 26, 2010 by Bobby Broadway

As you all may know I have been a strong supporter of President Obama and his policies; Health Care Reform, Financial Reform, his stance on foreign affairs etc…. But now the president in my eyes has gone too far, I can’t lie I am VERY disappointed in the direction Obama wants to go in with his latest act. I guess there were going to be some issues that I would not agree with Obama but I am a little shocked by this one.

What’s scary is that I think I can finally understand where the far Left Southern contingent is coming from when they talk about Obama being dangerous. I just can’t figure out how I could have missed this glaring issue with the president. This is not the “Hope and Change” I voted for in 2008, here is a perfect opportunity for the president to stand up and send a strong message to those who support Evil Empires! Instead Obama will be inviting an Evil Empire to the White House to enjoy pleasantries that MY tax dollars pay for; SOMETHING MUST BE DONE!!!

So what could the president have done that was so bad that a strong supporter like myself would 2nd guess his actions?

There is only one thing Barack Obama could do that would shake my confidence in his ability to lead. That one action is the most unforgiving of all; having the hated New York Yankees at the White House to celebrate their World Series victory.

I know, it is tradition for the President to host the World Series Champs, but where is my “Hope and Change”? The president is Chicago White Sox fan and I would have expected better from him. It’s not so unreasonable to ask that the president not invite the Yankees aka “The Evil Empire” to the White House. The president showed his loyalties to the White Sox’s by wearing their hat on Opening Day when he threw the 1st pitch at the Washington Nationals game.

So where are his loyalties to the White Sox’s or all enemies of the Yankees? Where is the leadership to show the country we will not stand for the evil of the Yankees and their winning ways? By having the Yankees at the White House President Obama is basically validating the fakeness of Alex Rodriguez, the wild and crazy ways of Nick Swisher, and the demoralizing ways of Mariano Rivera as he continues to take the hearts of opposing hitters.

Arrrggghhh, I just hate the Yankees and everything about them. Maybe I can petition the president to sign an executive order to just dismantle the Yankees, hmmmm… Hey if we can have a Black President I can dream the Yankees would just go away, LOL!!!!

LET’S GO METS!!!

As always….
If there is something to be said, “Its On Broadway” to step up and say it!!!