Is anyone surprised that in the men’s draw, only one American, Andy Roddick, was left standing just four days into the French Open?
Intriguing is how differently the U.S. men approach this major. Roddick chose the early clay court season as a perfect time to get married. Mardy Fish spent five weeks in Europe, only to fall in the first round at Roland Garros. Bobby Reynolds, a scrapper who has cracked the top 100, played four challengers to prepare for Roland Garros -- all on hard courts. It’s absurd, but Reynolds is practicing self-preservation, playing in the arenas that give him the best chance for success, and thus ranking points. The French Open is simply an obligation for Reynolds.
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I watched defending French Open champion Ana Ivanovic stumble through a first-round win in Paris, and it triggered the thought of what has happened to the women’s game?
Just six years ago, there was Serena, Venus, Jennifer Capriati, Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters, Lindsay Davenport, and Amelie Mauresmo. Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova were on their way. The game was rich with rivalry, and the Grand Slams were wars of attrition.
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Bobby Valentine is currently finishing his sixth season managing the Chiba Lotte Marines. Hard to believe it has been seven years since Valentine was let go by the Mets.
And this appears to be Valentine’s last season with Chiba Lotte. His contract will not be renewed after this season because he makes too much money.
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Had a chance recently to dine with my former Mets broadcast colleague Keith Hernandez. I've come to treasure these chances as Keith became a friend during our four years together. And any play-by-player should relish the opportunity to learn more about the game from a bright mind like Keith. He sees the game differently, as do most who excelled at it, and he knows a ton about winning.
So I was immediately dealt a lesson: Never judge a team or player on his April performance. These reminders are essential in our era of never-ending "bliggedy blogs and tweety pages" (the genius words of Denis Leary in the new Hulu commercial) where opinion is demanded, and judgment rendered before its due time.
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Had it not been for rain which delayed the start of the game by 2 hours, 30 minutes, Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City would have been packed last night. When was the last time the Royals had a chance to sell out a May game that didn't involve the Cardinals?
Zack Greinke, reluctant recent Sports Illustrated cover boy, pitched, and upped his record to 7-1 as the Royals clubbed the Orioles, 8-1. Greinke has become the face of resurgence for the long-dormant Royals. People in Kansas City care, about Greinke and about baseball. The stadium is sparkling after a $250 million renovation.
The Royals are one of the season’s early surprises, but their 19-17 start has come with some ominous signs.
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I blogged on the perilous state of certain managers earlier this week, and a question bounced back: Does Yankees skipper Joe Girardi belong on the list? How much of a leash does Girardi have in his second year on the job?
Well, the answer will determine whether general manager Brian Cashman is truly running the Yankees.
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The dam broke when Arizona fired Bob Melvin last week, just two years removed from his winning National League Manager of the Year honors.
Now conversation quickens about the fate of other managers whose teams are stumbling, or like Arizona, have young players stagnating.
For Clint Hurdle in Colorado, and Eric Wedge in Cleveland, nights are uncomfortable. Will they have a job the next day?
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CAN THE YANKEES BEAT THEIR DIVISION FOES AND CAN THEY PITCH?
They are 4-10 against the AL East, just finished a 0-4 home stretch against the teams to beat, and have a pitching staff in disarray.
While CC Sabathia hopes he can repeat 2008, and dismiss a bad April, the Yankees really miss Chien-Ming Wang.
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There should be no panic over the Mets’ uneven start.
Easy to say from a distance, I admit, and tougher to employ in the New York cauldron, but the Mets, mired in a sea of negativity, have to ignore rather than fight that sensation.
Why? Well, because they have kept contact with the Phillies. And that must be the Mets' barometer. Florida has shown enough to convince they will be a contender in the NL East, but the title will run through Philadelphia. Atlanta can't score, and Washington is irrelevant so figure the division is three teams strong. The Mets are in the midst.
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There’s no doubt that Rafael Nadal plays too much tennis. Rather, the question is about the price he will pay down the line.
Since the ATP Tour moved to European clay a month ago, Nadal has won three more titles (he now has equaled Roger Federer's total of 14 Masters wins), and has a 30-match clay win streak. Neither run looks to be in imminent danger.
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