So Much for Brashear

The Rangers have replaced him with Jody Shelley. Although it cost them a draft pick, something the Rangers should value these days. At least we're armed and ready for Philly!

I guess Sather liked what he did to Colton Orr:

Brashear on Waivers

This has already been mentioned in the previous post. I ridiculed the signing, but only because he was put on waivers after signing a 2 year deal for 1.4 million per just this past offseason.

I'm probably the only one who wants him in the lineup at this point. I don't like big hockey players who don't play with an edge. The Rangers have that in a center now turned left wing Brian Boyle. All he does is kill penalties. We have plenty of guys who can do that. I would rather have the physical presence of Brashear in the lineup. Sure, he's lost most of his fights this season. But you tell me who would you rather have in the lineup for those three remaining games vs. Philly?

When the Rangers acquired Brandon Prust from the Flames, I actually liked the idea of having Avery, Prust, Voros, and Brashear in the lineup just for Philly. After all they have Hartnell, Asham, Laperriere, and Carcillo, just to name a few. You would not see anything like what happened to Gaborik that last game. The Rangers would actually be- is it possible?- tough.

Two of those three games vs. Philly are the final two of the season. For all we know the team could be out of it by then. Might has well have the goons to go down with a fight.

Giambino

I'm sorry, I had to post another picture of David Wright in the helmet.

Jason Giambi, of all people, breaks the game open last night. That's all I can make out after breezing through the DVR this morning, choosing not to watch the live action.

Did not watch much of this game last night due to Rangers season subscriber event. Donald Brashear is a big dude, and just a few months after cursing him out, you didn't want to do so given the opportunity. He's on our side now, after all.

The third game of the series is streaming via the Gameday audio at work. Almost forgot about this one like that Arizona game last month, but only remembered because I needed to post a game 2 recap. 5-0 Mets halfway through. Pat Misch!

Big Pelf, Marian and Donald

Around this time last season, Mike Pelfrey established himself as the number two starter we were expecting him to be this season. Although we would've liked to have seen it from the beginning of the season, hopefully we see a repeat performance. Yesterday was a good start.

The Mets were outhit 7-5. They struck out 12 times. Hey, a win is a win. Right now you take it.

I thought Pelf would get another batter or two in that eight inning, at least for the righties leading up to Prince Fielder, which is Feliciano time. It would've been a shame had Sean Green blown that one, but thankfully it didn't happen.

Fernando Martinez went 0-for-3. Send the kid down. The team should be fine alternating Ryan Church and Jeremy Reed in center.

The black and gold house of horrors is up next for yet another weekday afternoon game, which means more of MLB Gameday and the occasional radio call.

***

As for Day 1 of Free Agent Frenzy regarding the Rangers:

Once you lose Colton Orr, you had to get an enforcer. Donald Brashear, at two years, 1.4 mil per? Not sure about that one. Maybe Colton wanted more years, after all he did get four from Toronto. As much as you hated Brashear (my last memory of him featured one of my rare Garden cussing outbursts) you have to like a guy like that on your team. Age is a concern and you wonder if he can keep doing what he's always been doing. Sather said he's a little quicker to the puck that Orr. Really Glen, did you factor age into this at all and wonder if he might lose a step? One year fine, but two, you can only hope for the best.

Marian Gaborik is now a Ranger. Bottom line is the guy is worth it if he's healthy. But all those groin injuries is A LOT to be concerned about. Sather can talk all he wants about the hip being 100%. It's not about the hip. It's the fragile groin, which is always under stress when skating.

They needed a pure 40+ goal guy. Heatley has attitude problems. Gaborik has injury issues. Hossa wanted 12 years. That's all that was available. I guess you take the best out of your options and hope the injury bug does not strike.

Now let's pick up a mean defensive defenseman and we're ready for training camp in September.

Bloody Sunday

A lot similarities between this game 6 and Friday night's game 5. The only difference was the Rangers actually tied the game in the first period. Same sad story, however. Donald Brashear recklessly elbows Blair Betts in the head, knocks him out and gets only two minutes because he was roughing with Paul Mara. The Rangers absolutely roll over the rest of the game. Only Callahan and Dubinsky put out some effort.

When the game is pretty much out of reach, you want to at least send a message the next game. There was none of that. Lob a soft shot on Varlamov and no one follows up with a few hacks at the smothered puck. No one challenged Brashear like Shanny did a couple of years ago. Did the Rangers not watch or see highlights of yesterday's Pitt-Philly game? Down 3-0, Maxime Talbot gets into a fight, gets his ass kicked, but sparks his team to a comeback and eventual win. No one on the Rangers had any guts today. Scratching Colton Orr today backfired. Scratching Sean Avery on Friday backfired today, as he did not look like himself at all.

With an average Henrik Lundqvist, this series is now 6 games to 0 for Washington. Oh wait, they only need four to win. The Rangers have three wins in this series??



Being at the Garden this afternoon I had the pleasure of missing the Met game, the other half of the Washington massacre. I see David Wright struck out three times and was booed. As for Oliver Perez, the score says it all.

Let's see, Nelson Figueroa throws a quality start last week and gets DFA'd. His replacement, Casey Fossum, gets DFA'd after his second appearance today, throwing some gasoline on the fire in the 5th inning. Who's next?