Opinion

Derek Jeter cheated.

Derek Jeter—the ultimate role-model, leader, and winner—cheated.

So people say.

However, it really is just part of the game.

For those who haven't seen or don't know about the incident in the Yankees-Rays game at Tropicana Field on Wednesday night (and if you call yourself a Yankees fan and haven't, I'm guessing you live under a rock), Derek Jeter came to bat in a crucial divisional game with his Yankees down by one in the late innings.

No, I'm not just excited because Alex Rodriguez hit a three-run home run with two strikes and two outs in the ninth inning of last night's game to claim a dramatic, 4-3 come-from-behind victory for the Yankees in Baltimore.

The New York Mets have good news and bad news right now. As the season is winding down, they are finally at the .500 mark and for those keeping track at home, 13 games out of the division. That's not the news I refer to.

New York Yankees legend Don Mattingly will be replacing Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre at the end of the season. This ends a disappointing fun for Torre as the Dodgers manager.

Torre started his Dodger career with a 5-0 victory and kept on winning right into the 2008 playoffs. There, he managed his team to a 3-0 sweep over the Cubs.

You don't have to be a fan of the Seattle Mariners to be a fan of Ichiro Suzuki. After all, Ichiro is approaching his record tenth 200-hit season, and also his 10th season leading the league in singles. No one else has more than four.

He's even been known to toss out the occasional funny quote.

If Joe Girardi decides he had enough of the Yankees experience and goes to the Cubs, the Yankees can forget about Don Mattingly managing them.

The Dodgers hired Mattingly as their new manager after Joe Torre announced he won't return as the Dodger manager next year.

The Dodgers need pitching, hitting, a great closer, a first baseman who can hit for power and the same at third, and probably a new center fielder and what do they end up with? 

A new manager who has never managed before.

I love Don Mattingly as a player. With that steady career batting average of .307, nine gold gloves, an MVP Award and some batting titles - but can he transpose his personal winning attitude and baseball acumen to his team?

For Minnesota, the magic number for clinching the American League Central title (8) is smaller than the Twins' lead in the division (9).

Since the All-Star break no one has been better than the Twins this year—and over the past 50 years there are only two teams that have been this good. 

At 88-58, they are but one half-game from the best record in all of baseball and home-field advantage through the American League Championship Series.

The Twins are near the top of the team leader boards for defense, offense and pitching. 

As most Dodgers fans expected, Joe Torre is stepping down as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers and hitting coach Don Mattingly will be replacing him.

I don’t know how well Mattingly will do as a manager because he has never managed at any level, but I don’t think it will really matter who the Dodgers' manager is.

Please be sure to check out Mets Paradise and our forum for everything Mets!!!

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The New York Mets are certainly no stranger to Bobby Cox. The Atlanta Braves' skipper has managed to win 192 of 352 games played against the Mets. Tonight will be the last time the Mets start a series against the Braves with Cox as their manager as he will not return for the 2011 season.