Clean-up in the toy aisle...

Two straight games now the New York Yankees have scored eight runs against the allegedly superior Tampa Bay Rays pitching staff.  An 8-3 win last night stretched the Pinstripers lead at the top of the AL East to 2.5 games.  Getting the feeling more and more than homefield is going to be key for whoever comes out of the American League, with the Yanks, Tampa and Minnesota all being so strong at home this season. Also last night, Yanks catcher Jorge Posada took a page from The Captain and seemed to mile a questionable hit by pitch.  Listening to the Tampa Bay announcers get all indignant with it was pretty laughable, considering their own manager Joe Maddon - as clear and honest a voice in the game as there is - said he wished his own players would do the same.

Looks like Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid has seen the light after all, as he announced yesterday what anyone with a brain thought made sense: Michael Vick will remain the starter until further notice. Easiest move ever.

Not very classy of the allegedly classy Joe Torre to go on radio in New York while in town for the George Steinbrenner monument unveiling at Yankee Stadium and mention the New York Mets managerial job while Jerry Manuel is still the manager. Manuel, of course, is not impressed. 

The always great Jason Whitlock says that the OHB won't be long for the NFL with the way things are going.  Come on now, OHB, just when I was starting to come around to you.

Roy Halladay is the first 20 game winner in the National League after last night.  Pretty impressive, given it feels like Colorado Rockie Ubaldo Jiminez has been at 17 since like, April.  The Phillies now lead the sinking Atlanta Braves by five.

Toronto FC's visit to Mexico City to face Cruz Azul in CONCACAF Champions League play last night could've been a disaster.  Playing against a strong, revenge-minded team at altitude with short rest after Saturday's dramatic comeback, you'd think "beatdown", no?  Well, it wasn't.  In fact, Toronto FC showed the kind of heart we've rarely seen in their existence and fought their way to a scoreless draw.  Shocking.  Almost as shocking as a referee in this competition actually being competent.

In games that have been started by Josh Beckett and John Lackey, the Boston Red Sox are only 25-25.  That, as much as a brutal rash of injuries this year, is why they're all but mathematically out of it already.

Speculation is there could be as many as 16 managerial changes this baseball off-season, and that would be a record.  I'm going to throw an early suggestion at the Toronto Blue Jays: Willie Randolph.

There's no simpler way to describe this: man enters Wal-Mart.  Man picks up Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.  Man rubs one out in the toy aisle.

Check out some NHL third jerseys for this year and years past.  Winners: Buffalo, and anything work by the Montreal Canadiens save for the candystriped jersey (none pictured, however). Losers: Tampa Bay, Phoenix, LA, Anaheim.

New York Giant Brandon Jacobs is a piece of work, isn't he?  After tossing his helmet into the crowd in Indy in anger, he was benched, and of course, is now demanding a trade.  Check out the video from Sunday here:

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Arsenal outgunned

The LA Dodgers are now a perfect - and MLB record - 12-0 at home to open the year. They're going to destroy that division and have it wrapped up by mid-August, if not sooner...Denver Nugget Carmelo Anthony gives the fourth most to charity in the U.S. Not just among athletes, anyone. That's damn impressive for a guy with a less than stellar reputation among most observers. Good for Melo...Bill Simmons ("The Sports Guy") asks if people really think that General Motors would have been worse off if it were run by Gary Bettman and Isaiah Thomas. Ouch...somebody get Jason Bay off of the New York Yankees. He pwns them, with three homers and 10RBI in five games this season, all Sox wins...see the video of Britney Spears where a fan jumped on stage and scared the life out of her? Watch her reaction at 2:15 and note the lack of change in audio...RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie is at it again, with an offer of $212.5 million in to buy the bankrupt Phoenix Coyotes. Would be nice to have the former Winnipeg Jets back in Canada, but given Bill Simmons question above as it pertains to Gary Bettman, you're as likely to see them land in Mexico. Now would be a great time for the Player's Union to recognize that their pay is based on revenues, and pushing for another team in Toronto/Ontario can only help them, not hurt them. A fight with Bettman should be a given...I've solved the New York Yankees problems by dropping a 140 kilotonne nuke on Boston. Very therapeutic website here...it didn't take long for Manchester United to essentially finish their semi-final with Arsenal. Two goals in the first 11 minutes will do that kind of thing, and they cruised to a 3-1 win. United defender Patrice Evra said it was 11 men playing against 11 boys, which is notable in that it is the first time a Frenchman is smack talking anyone as being weak. Three weeks from today, they'll meet the winner of the Chelsea/Barcelona semi-final, which goes today at 2:45 on TSN...New York Yankee outfielder, and former Red Sock, Johnny Damon on the difference between the two clubs and how the Sox treated captain Jason Varitek this off season: "I couldn’t believe that they were letting him walk and try to find a team. That’s the difference between New York and Boston...If you’re a part of New York, they’re going to keep you there: Posada, Jeter, Mariano, it’s the first time in history guys have been on the same team for 15 years. It goes to show you something about how the Yankees think, and how many Yankees players have been exclusive with one team. They keep them forever. (The Red Sox) were ready to let (Varitek) go." Not sure if Damon has paid much attention, but moving in younger, cheaper talent has served the Sox well, and Varitek didn't deserve a dime more than he got after a horrific 2008. The Yankees keeping Derek Jeter at short when he's as much a statue as those in monument park, or keeping a catcher past his mid-30's (Posada) has done what, exactly, other than weaken the defence and waste payroll? But good of Damon to back a guy who shares Scott Boras as an agent...Selena Roberts, the author of "A-Rod", was also the author who burried the Duke lacrosse players well in advance of them being 100% cleared of any wrongdoing - something she never retracted or apologized following, notes Jason Whitlock, who takes her to task for flimsy deductions and rushing to judgment...Toronto FC host the Vancouver Whitecaps tonight in the first game of the Canadian Championship. Kickoff is 8 bells on SportsNet...for tonight, play the Yankees/Rays over 10. Enjoy.