Sgt. Slaughter Discusses Hulk Hogan, Vince McMahon, His Career Highlights, WrestleMania, And His Heel-Turn As An Iraqi Sympathizer

Sgt. Slaughter with the Cobra Clutch on Matt.

  By Matt Straub  

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Every day is a good day in my day job, but there are some days which are especially interesting.

Saturday night, while covering a minor league baseball game in Connecticut for the newspaper Brad and I work for, I got the chance to meet Sgt. Slaughter, who was at the New Britain Rock Cats game as part of the team’s ceremonies for Military Appreciation Night.

We did an interview about his days as a real life marine and his love of the military (as well as his impressive knowledge of the New York Jets, and no, he doesn’t like the Revis trade), but I couldn’t resist slipping in a couple of old-school wrestling questions.

I meant them to be quick questions with one-line answers, but it turns out Slaughter, whose real name is Robert Remus, was way too insightful for that.

State Of The Yankees Week 7: Hiroki Kuroda, Yankees Rolling To AL East Lead, Third-Best Record In Majors

  By Brad Carroll  

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If the New York Yankees could pitch Hiroki Kuroda every day, or simply play the Toronto Blue Jays, they may just win 140 games this year. That's how good Kuroda has been, and how dominate the Yankees have been over their AL East rivals this season. Kuroda has allowed eight total runs in his past seven starts, including throwing an eight-inning shutout this week. And, with two more wins this week, the Yankees are now 8-1 against the Jays. Did we say 140 games? Maybe 150 is more like it.

  Opening Statement  

Of course, while the Yankees may not be as good against the rest of the league as they have been against Toronto, it's still pretty darn impressive what they've done as a whole this season. The Yankees are 27-16 overall and in first place in the AL East. That record is also good enough for third best in the entire major leagues, trailing just the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals. And that's after a sub-par week in which the Yankees went just 4-3, including losing two of three to the Seattle Mariners. There's a lot of positives surrounding the team, including the Cy Young-type season Kuroda is having, but the biggest may be the return of Curtis Granderson from injury. Why? Because it means the rest of the Yankees' wounded stars are getting closer and closer to returning as well, including Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez. If the Yankees can put together the third best record in the majors without those players, just imagine what they can do with those big bats added to the lineup. Granderson's return also means Ichiro Suzuki can become a bat off the bench, as he's been struggling mightily this season, and shouldn't be playing every day. There shouldn't be a worry about ruining team chemistry either, as the star-studded returns should be gradual enough to work everyone into the lineup slowly and without disturbing the team's winning ways.

Yankees 3 Up & 3 Down Week 7: Hiroki Kuroda, David Phelps, David Adams Up, Ichiro Suzuki, Phil Hughes, Jayson Nix Are Down

  By Brad Carroll  

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If there's been a more impressive pitcher in the major leagues this season than Hiroki Kuroda, I wouldn't believe it. Sure, there's the group of young phenoms, led by Matt Harvey and Matt Moore, and the consistent greatness of guys like Clayton Kershaw, but nobody has impressed like the Yankees pitcher. He may not lead the league in wins and he may not have the lowest ERA, but Kuroda has been simply fantastic for the first-place New York Yankees. Not surprisingly, he had yet another great start this week and he leads off our latest 3 Up and 3 Down column.

  3 Up  

Hiroki Kuroda: The new Yankees ace has now put together seven straight quality starts, the latest coming Friday during a 5-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. Kuroda allowed just two hits and no runs over eight innings of work, winning for the sixth time this season. He's now 6-2 on the season with a 1.99 ERA. In those last seven starts, Kuroda has allowed a total of eight runs. He's fourth in the AL in wins, third in ERA and fourth in WHIP. More importantly, he's the best pitcher on one of baseball's best teams this season.

State Of The Red Sox Week 7: After Strong Week, It's Official, The Red Sox Are One Of Baseball's Best Teams

  By Matt Straub  

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A week ago we talked about the importance of ending losing streaks during the course of a long baseball season. Every team is going to have a bad week on occasion, so you have to avoid getting worked up over them. The good teams are able to keep their focus and get back on track relatively quickly. Based on that logic and the team’s overall record, I think it’s now officially safe to include the Boston Red Sox among the list of baseball’s good teams.

  Opening Statement  

After a disastrous week put the Red Sox on their heels, Boston bounced back with two huge wins over the Tampa Bay Rays and a workmanlike sweep of the Minnesota Twins in a 5-1 week which stopped the bleeding and turned the ship back in the right direction. Things went so well, even John Lackey flirted with perfection. Let’s look back at a week that restored the Nation’s faith in its team.

Red Sox 3 Up & 3 Down Week 7: Will Middlebrooks, John Lackey, Jacoby Ellsbury Up, Clayton Mortensen, Ryan Dempster, Ryan Lavarnway Down

  By Matt Straub  

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For the Boston Red Sox, this 5-1 run through the week might have been the most satisfying and important yet. Not only did it end the skid which had seen the Sox lose 9 of 11, but it gave the Red Sox a bit of their swagger back. Good teams that think they’re good are dangerous, and teams which get contributions from so many players are tough to beat.

  3 Up  

Will Middlebrooks: I’ve talked before about how important winning the rubber game of a 3-game set can be. And if you can win a series in dramatic fashion, the momentum swing can be huge. That’s why what Middlebrooks did Thursday was so big. With the Sox down 3-1 with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the ninth in Tampa, he was down to his (and the team’s) last strike. One three-run double against Fernando Rodney later and the Red Sox were rolling again. It could end up one of the biggest hits of the season as much for the way it lifted the team’s spirit, much like Wednesday’s win, as much as for the math. 

State Of The Mets Week 7: Other Than David Wright, Daniel Murphy And Matt Harvey, Not A Lot Going Right With Mets This Season

  By Brad Carroll  
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The bright side this week saw the New York Mets winning two straight games, with Matt Harvey and Jonathon Niese on the mound, to head into the weekend with some positive vibes. The dark side, which has been more the norm this season, had the Mets losing six straight before that mini win streak and then again Saturday. The season has gotten so bad so quickly, the talk around the team has been more of who is going to be sent to the minors rather than anything good on the field. It all equals a 16-24 record and fourth place standing in the NL East.

  Opening Statement  

Ike Davis was 1-for-28 this week. Ruben Tejada was 1-for-23. Jordany Valdespin was 1-for-10, Mike Baxter was 2-for-17 and Lucas Duda was 4-for-24. All of those players had a lower batting average this week than pitcher Matt Harvey. Mets general manager Sandy Alderson says Davis is safe for now. Tejada is apparently safe, as is the rest of the roster. The question, obviously, should be why. As in why do the Mets continue to put forth a lineup that can't do anything at the plate? The answer might not be so easy. Sure, the Mets can send all the struggling players down to Triple-A they want, but the influx of players isn't going to be any better over the long haul. Still, it's almost impossible to watch Davis, Tejada and the rest of the team, minus David Wright and Daniel Murphy, fail time and time again. There is still over four months to go this season, however, and playing in the worst division in the National League means a chance remains to make a run toward a postseason berth. Playing as they have been won't get it done, but there's no reason to write the season off just yet. After all, Wright and Murphy are hitting well, Harvey hasn't stopped his Cy Young-type start to the season, and the team is just seven games back in the NL East and 7.5 out of a wild card spot. The Mets just need to turn six-game losing streaks into six-game win streaks going forward. And it wouldn't hurt if Davis or Tejada could get a hit every now and again.

Mets 3 Up & 3 Down Week 7: Daniel Murphy, Rick Ankiel, Jonathon Niese Are Up, Ike Davis, Ruben Tejada, Jeremy Hefner On Down List

  By Brad Carroll  
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There's a lot of things that have gone wrong with the New York Mets this season, but the low point may just be the team's performance from the leadoff spot. From that spot in the order, the Mets are batting a combined .185, the lowest average in the majors. The total on base percentage is just .255, the second worst in baseball, with only the Minnesota Twins being worse. So, it's no surprise manager Terry Collins has decided to address the problem, even if it may be a little late since the season is already seven weeks old. Sunday, the Mets moved Daniel Murphy to the leadoff spot against the Chicago Cubs. Murphy's recent success at the plate makes it a no-brainer, and he leads off our 3 Up & 3 Down list for the week.

  3 Up  

Daniel Murphy: The Mets second baseman is the seventh player to be used in the leadoff spot this season, and while his recent prowess at the plate makes him a candidate to be put at the top of the order, it's not a spot he's accustomed to. He's only batted first four times, and that was in 2009. Still, if he continue to hit, the move could pay off for the offensively-challenged Mets  Over his last seven games, Murphy is 14-for-28 (.500) with five doubles, a home run and four RBI. He carried a seven-game hit streak into Sunday's game. He's batting .301 with three home runs and 18 RBI on the season.

David Garrard To Leave Jets Due To Injury, Leaving Mark Sanchez Vs Geno Smith in Jets QB Competition

David Garrard is leaving the Jets due to injury. (AP photo)

  By Brad Carroll  

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Before the New York Jets went ahead and drafted West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith in the second round of the NFL Draft last month, David Garrard, the former Jaguars passer, was the one who was given the best chance to unseat incumbent Mark Sanchez as the team's starter next season.

Even with Smith now on the roster, Garrard was still expected to be in a three-way competition for the starting job. But the soon-to-be much-hyped quarterback competition in New York will be down to just two after a shocking development even by Jets' standards.

State Of The Mets Week 6: How Bad Is The Mets Outfield? Bad Enough To Sign Astros Castoff Rick Ankiel; Plus Not Sticking Up For A Teammate

  By Matt Straub  

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It wasn’t a good week for the Mets. The offense has been so lost the Mets signed Rick Ankiel, recently released by the Houston Astros, not to a minor league deal, but for the big league team. He was in the lineup Monday night. If there was any question left as to how bad the Mets outfield was, let my repeat: Rick Ankiel, who hit .194 for a team with a 10-28 record which let him go, is your starting center field Monday.

  Opening Statement  

The pitching got clubbed for 18 runs in two games by the Pirates, then saw the bullpen give up another game to Pittsburgh, which is much better than it used to be, but still isn’t any kind of world beater. Perhaps worse, however, was that the Mets found themselves in a situation where they were accused of not protecting a teammate. Jordany Valdespin, who hit a home run Friday while the Mets were losing big, got drilled on Saturday. Not only did the Mets not show any sign of wanting to fight, David Wright actually openly criticized Valdespin. He was correct, the guy is too much of a hot dog, particularly for someone who probably won’t be a star, but you don’t do that in public. Wright saying he “had his back” rung hollow, as did most things the Mets did this week.

Mets 3 Up & 3 Down Week 6: Justin Turner, Matt Harvey, David Wright Up, John Niese, Jordany Valdespin, Terry Collins Are Down

  By Matt Straub  

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The New York Mets are struggling, there’s no question about that. But as they look to find a way to save their season, there are some players doing well that they can look upon for inspiration. There are also several players slumping as badly as the team who are some of the main causes of the Mets  issues. On the bright side, Mets GM Sandy Alderson said Monday, “I’m not sure things can devolve any further.” So there’s that.

  3 Up  

Justin Turner: He’s made the most of his recent run of games, getting four hits in four days. He’s hitting .340 for the year and starting to see time at first base. It might be a sign of things to come.

State Of The Yankees Week 6: Another Strong Week Has Yankees In First Place In AL East, Among MLB's Best

  By Brad Carroll  

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When the Yankees go 5-1 in a week, like they did against Colorado and Oakland, there shouldn't be much to complain about. And there isn't. Sure, the offense hasn't been hitting light's out, but it hasn't had to, with a pitching staff, from the starters to the bullpen, that has been as good as any group in baseball this season. The best part, is the two have complimented each other. In one victory, where Phil Hughes allowed six runs in 5.2 innings, the offense scored 11. Hughes even got the victory. It's been that type of run for the Yankees  who are 23-13, tied for second best in the majors.

  Opening Statement  

The Yankees offense didn't do much this week, save for scoring 11 runs in a victory Friday against Kansas City, but with the way the pitching staff has handled opponents, it doesn't matter. The Yankees totaled 24 runs in six games, which when you factor in 11 coming in one game, the week was truly all about pitching. The pitching staff allowed a total of 15 runs, which included six in one game, an 11-6 victory over the Royals. Hiroki Kuroda, despite going 1-1 this week, continues to pitch at Cy Young-level. CC Sabathia was sharp in his rain-shortened outing. Andy Pettitte is back to being Andy Pettitte, beating the Royals 3-2 Saturday. David Phelps pitched well enough to win, but took a no-decision in an eventual Yankees victory. David Robertson has regained the arsenal that made him an All-Star, going five straight appearances without allowing a run. And then there is the great Mariano Rivera, who saved all four of his chances this week and is a perfect 15-for-15 on the season. On offense, Vernon Wells and Lyle Overbay, two castoffs from other clubs, were the hot bats for the week, combining for four home runs and 12 RBI. It all adds up to the Yankees holding a 23-13 record, which is good enough for a one-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles and two games over the Boston Red Sox for first place in the AL East heading into Monday's action.

Yankees 3 Up & 3 Down Week 6: Mariano Rivera, Hiroki Kuroda, Vernon Wells Are Up, Ichiro Suzuki, Brett Gardner, Travis Hafner Down

  By Brad Carroll  

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A big part of the New York Yankees' success in the early going this season is due to the team's veteran players. Three of them continue to put up big numbers, especially this week, and will be represented on our Up list below. Thanks to those players, and a host of others, the Yankees are 10 games over .500 and have won five straight heading into Monday afternoon's doubleheader against the Indians.

  3 Up  

Mariano Rivera: While closer after closer in the major leagues has disappeared as quickly as they emerged as a likely successor, it's the original that is still by far the best. Mariano Rivera is having perhaps the best season of his career. It just so happens it's the last season of his career as well. If there was ever any doubt as to who the best closer of all time is, there should be no doubt now. Rivera is a perfect 15-for-15 in save chances this season. He saved four games this week alone. He's allowed one earned run in his past 10 appearances and just three on the entire season. He has a 1.65 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP on the season. His fast start sets up what could be the perfect individual sendoff for the greatest of all time -- to leave with the single-season career saves record. Francisco Rodriguez, another much-hyped but ultimate failure as a closer, holds the record with 62 saves in one season. Rivera with 63 this season? Now that would be perfect.