Graham Flashner - Baseball Analysis

To expect that Bradley could go an entire season without a blow-up with Kent seems, in retrospect, laughable. It?s hard to imagine a more oil-and-water combination than Bradley and Kent. The dour Kent is never shy about criticizing when he feels it?s warranted?just ask Barry Bonds. Read more »

Pedro Martinez had never pitched a no-hitter, and the Mets had never thrown one. For seven-and-one-third innings in Los Angeles on Sunday, Martinez looked ready to put himself and the Mets in the history books. Read more »

For a guy who doesn?t trust reporters, Gary Sheffield sure can?t stop talking to them. This Monday, in an article that will appear in New York Magazine, Sheffield gives his state-of-the-union address on who the real leader of the Yankees is, and it isn?t Derek Jeter or Alex Rodriguez. Read more »

If Palmeiro wants to be remembered for anything more than being a cheat who injected himself to 500-plus home runs, he?ll fess up to what he did and why he did it and dedicate the rest of his playing days (and after) to making sure that kids don?t follow in his footsteps. Read more »

It?s one thing to trade Manny even up for Alex Rodriguez, as the Sox tried to do two years ago. But for Cameron and Huff? Did someone say, ?Curse of the Man-Ramino?? These kinds of wish-fulfillment trades just don?t happen for the Mets. Read more »

It was bad enough losing Olympic basketball gold to Argentina. Bad enough that the Olympic party-poopers eliminated softball, a sport where U.S. women are unchallenged. Now U.S. men?s baseball supremacy is about to be challenged by the newest Dream Team? the Dominican Republic. Read more »

He may be a Dominican in his heart, but Alex Rodriguez officially became a Yankee Thursday night. His game-winning two-run homer off ersatz Red Sox reliever Curt Schilling was the kind of dramatic blow Yankees fans have been waiting for since the $25 Million Man donned pinstripes in 2004. Read more »

Luckily for Carlos Beltran, Mets fans who need someone to boo have settled on Kaz Matsui and Kaz Ishii as their whipping boys for 2005. But the Mets designated center fielder of the future shouldn?t get too comfortable: if he doesn?t improve on what has so far been a disappointing season, he could easily be the next target of choice. Read more »

Never has the difference between $29 million and $200 million seemed as obvious as it did last night at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees spotted the Rays a 10-2 lead, then took them apart 18-1 the rest of the way, including a 13-run eighth inning that was appalling even by the Devil Rays? lowly standards. Read more »

It?s not a question of if, but when. If Barry Bonds doesn?t hit his 756th home run before he retires, rest assured that, somewhere around the year 2016, Alex Rodriguez will. Read more »

In acquiring Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran, Mets General Manager Omar Minaya did almost everything right this off-season. But his failure to land Carlos Delgado may turn out to be the defining reason why the Florida Marlins, and not the Mets, will make the playoffs in 2005. Read more »

Leading off the seventh inning with the Mets nursing a 2-0 lead, the left-handed swinging Koo likely was just looking to survive against the 6?10 lefty known as the Big Unit. Mets players moved to the top step of the dugout, anticipating another embarrassing adventure at the plate by the man known as ?Mr. Koo.? Read more »

Carlos Beltran didn?t waste any time making his presence felt once he became a Met in January. Of course, you?d expect a guy who?s just signed for $119 million for seven years?about $17 million more than he apparently was willing to settle for to play for the Yankees?to do something significant. Read more »