lucylily's blog: "ght"

HOUSTON -- Alex Rodriguez said dealing with his 211-game suspension stemming from baseballs Biogenesis drug investigation has been a "big burden" and adds hes ready to face it "head on" when the arbitration hearing on his grievance begins Monday. The New York Yankees third baseman didnt expect to play this weekend during the teams season-ending series at Houston because of soreness in his legs. He said hes excited to get the hearing started before arbitrator Fredric Horowitz and he plans to attend every day. Horowitz has set aside all five business days next week for sessions. "Im fighting for my life and my whole legacy," Rodriguez said. "Yeah, I should be there." Rodriguez was suspended by MLB on Aug. 5, the day he returned from January hip surgery and a quadriceps injury sustained during a minor league rehabilitation assignment. He dodged the question when asked whether he would consider it a victory if his suspension were shortened or would he would be satisfied only if it were overturned completely. "Im not going to get into that," he said. "I told you guys about a month-and-a-half ago that Im not going to talk about it during the season. Im kind of just giving you some colour on it, but Im not going to get into my expectations and whatnot." He said he will discuss the case in detail at some unspecified point. "Obviously this is going to be a grueling process all the way through," he said. "Youll hear the full story when the time is right for me, and that time is not just now." The 38-year-old is hitting .244 with seven homers and 19 RBIs in 44 games this season and is six homers shy of tying Willie Mays 660 for fourth place on the career list, behind only Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714). Rodriguez is owed $86 million in salaries by the Yankees: $25 million next year, $21 million in 2015 and $20 million in each of the final two seasons of his $275 million, 10-year deal. He can also earn five $6 million bonuses contemplated to be tying the home run marks of Mays, Ruth, Aaron and Bonds, and breaking Bonds record. How much money the Yankees save during any suspension could help determine whether they re-sign second baseman Robinson Cano or try to sign free agents such as catcher Brian McCann. After missing so much time because of injuries this season, Rodriguez is eager to get back in a training routine and prepare for next season. He said however long he is suspended; it will leave him on the field more than he has been recently because of his health problems. "Its not going to be longer no matter how you draw it up," he said. "Its not going to be longer than (when) I was out almost an entire year with no training. Whatever it is I think it should be hopefully less than that." He believes he can still be a productive member of this team and cant wait for next season. "Im looking forward to coming back in great shape and being a big contributor," he said. www.saintssportsfansshop.com/Authentic-Jonathan-Vilma-Jersey-Wg-29.html . After criticizing Clevelands fans for failing to support the first-place Indians, Perez wasnt sure what to expect when he came in for the ninth inning with another game on the line.www.saintssportsfansshop.com/Authentic-Patrick-Robinson-Jersey-Ei-49.html . -- The San Jose Sharks are bringing back forward James Sheppard and defenceman Nick Petrecki on one-year contracts. http://www.saintssportsfansshop.com/Authentic-Isa-Abdul-Quddus-Jersey-It-49.html . Alex Gordon and Chris Getz each hit a bases-loaded triple and the Royals rallied to beat Philadelphia 13-4 Friday, spoiling the Phillies home opener.www.saintssportsfansshop.com/Authentic-Thomas-Morstead-Jersey-Xd-58.html . Daniel Alfredssons first goal of the season Wednesday was one of 12 different scorers on the gamesheet in Ottawas 5-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. www.saintssportsfansshop.com/Authentic-Cameron-Jordan-Jersey-Kn-41.html . Barthel will play Kirsten Flipkens next after the Belgian beat Monica Niculescu of Romania 2-6, 6-4, 6-0. Eighth-seeded Sloane Stephens advanced by downing fellow American and qualifier Lauren Davis 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 in the quarterfinals.NEW YORK -- Justin Turner cranked up Frank Franciscos new theme song, Project Pats "Chicken Head," as soon the New York Mets closer entered the clubhouse. After wriggling out of a ninth-inning jam Friday night with his arm, it was a lot easier for Francisco to laugh at a bit of headline-grabbing trouble he made with his mouth earlier in the week. Francisco closed out the Mets 6-4 victory over the Yankees a couple of days after calling their crosstown rivals "chickens." "Awesome," he said. Ike Davis received a bit of help from the Yankees on his three-run homer, Turner had a two-run single and the Mets scored five runs in the first inning with two outs. Andy Pettitte looked flat after waiting out a rainstorm that set back the start of the seasons second Subway Series by 53 minutes. Davis followed Turners hit with a fly to right that a leaping Nick Swisher got his glove on. But when he hit the wall, the ball was nudged off the top of the fence and over for a 5-0 lead. "I thought he was going to catch it the way he went back," Davis said. Still, the homer-happy Yankees rallied with three late drives to set up a chance to see Francisco. Alex Rodriguez hit his 641st homer and Andruw Jones also connected for the Yankees against Jonathon Niese. Robinson Cano added a two-run shot off Miguel Batista in the eighth to cut the lead to 6-4 after David Wright had an RBI double in the seventh. Francisco made headlines in New York this week by saying "I cant wait to face those chickens" and expressing his desire to strike out the side against the Yankees. He explained Friday afternoon what he meant by his strange comment, saying he thinks the Yankees often complain about umpires calls, especially balls and strikes. "I didnt mean to hurt anybodys feelings," Francisco said after the win. "It was a simple comment." His teammates certainly had fun with it -- though Mets reliever Tim Byrdak might have taken ribbing Francisco to an extreme. He posted a close-up video on Twitter of a chicken bobbing around on the carpet in the Mets clubhouse. A tweet several minutes earlier says he bought it in "China Town." Yankees manager Joe Girardi didnt see getting an opportunity against Francisco as a shot at payback. "I dont really worry about what he said," Girardi said. "The way weve been finding ways to win games, you think that you have a chance there." In a heavy drizzle, Francisco made his first appearance against the Yankees for the Mets and -- you got it -- played chicken with a powerful lineup. Andres Torres made a stumbling catch in deep centre field for the first out. The right-hander walked pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez before Derek Jeter singled. Francisco then struck out Curtis Granderson and got Mark Teixeira to pop out for his 18th save in 21 opportunities. "They tried to give me a little bit of a hard time," Francisco said. "Lately, Ive been fighting a little bit with my command but I (found) myself out there and got out of the situation.dddddddddddd" The Yankees lost their third in a row following a 10-game winning streak that began against the Mets. They had not lost three in a row since May 19-21. The afternoon rain didnt deter a crowd of 40,191 from filling Citi Field. It did help alleviate the sizzling heat of the last few days that even inspired a Mets ticket offer. The team sold a limited number of choice seats for $94, the price set to the temperature at the start of Wednesday nights game against Baltimore. The Mets totalled seven runs when they were swept in three games in the Bronx in early June. In the finale at Yankee Stadium, Niese (5-3) carried a 3-0 lead into the seventh but he was betrayed by his defence and gave up two unearned runs. This time, he gave up the two homers and eight hits in 6 1-3 innings to help the Mets win their seventh straight interleague game. Pettitte (3-3) gave up five runs for the second time this season and for the first time in an inning since Sept. 4, 2001, against Toronto. Torres walked in the first and Ronny Cedeno, activated from the disabled list before the game, singled. Wright hit into a fielders choice and Lucas Duda flied out. But the Mets lead the majors in two-out runs (155), and they soon cashed in. Turner hit a two-run single to centre. Davis then hit his eighth homer of the year. Batting just .162 entering the game on June 10, Davis didnt even start with Pettitte on the mound. But the left-handed hitter had a pinch-hit double that tied the score in the ninth that day and has played well enough recently to earn a place in manager Terry Collins lineup Friday against the crafty lefty. "Ike is very determined to get out of this. Hes been fighting it, fighting it, fighting it," Collins said. "And now, all of a sudden, some of the balls hes swinging at, hes hitting them on the barrel of the bat instead of swinging and missing, and if he can do that, hes going to be dangerous." As has often been the case this season, the Yankees had trouble with runners on base. Leading the majors with 105 homers coming in but hitting only .218 with men in scoring position, the Yankees put two on in the first and second and had a runner on in the third, fourth and seventh without scoring. "We keep putting them on, eventually its going to change," Girardi said. "Thats all I can really tell you. We are who we are." Rodriguez homered with one out in the sixth, his drive landing in the container that holds the big apple in straightaway centre. Jones homered to left in the seventh. Cano hit a two-run shot in the eighth. NOTES: Mets LHP Johan Santana was given the key to the city by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in honour of his no-hitter June 1, the first in franchise history. ... To make room for Cedeno, the Mets sent reliever Elvin Ramirez to Triple-A Buffalo. ... Rodriguez was thrilled for the Miami Heat, NBA champions. He said he understood what LeBron James had gone through. ' ' '