Pettitte Makes Spring Training Debut

On April 4th, Andy Pettitte made his spring training debut, throwing a 1-2-3 inning against the crosstown New York Mets in Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida. He started with a leadoff single to Cory Vaughn, who was caught stealing later in the inning, while he made the next two batters pop out and ground out.

Pettitte, who hasn't pitched since the Yankees 2010 ALCS loss to the Texas Rangers, retired after the 2010 campaign, but announced his comeback earlier last month, signed a 1 year $2 million minor league contract with the Bronx Bombers. If everything goes well, he should be pitching in the Bronx as early as May, and is a major reason the Yankees are favored to win the 2012 World Series.

Jeffries: Woodson Has Earned Starting Job

Mike Woodson would be the permanent head coach of the New York Knicks if Jared Jeffries bought the Knicks.

In an interview with ESPN New York's Ruocco and Lundberg, Jeffries said that Mike Woodson has earned the head coaching job for the Knicks 9-2 Record in the first 11 games of the Woodson era, saying he has done a "wonderful job in a difficult circumstance." The power forward also cited his knowledge of defense and his ability to motivate the club.

As for his own knee injury, Jeffries said that he should be back from his knee injury from a week to two weeks. He also said that the Knicks would make the 2011-2012 playoffs.

How The Knicks Can Win Without Lin and Stat

I miss this guy.

This guy too.

But this guy is going to make it all okay.

Yes, the loss of Amare Stoudamire for potentially the rest of the season and Jeremy Lin for definitely the rest of the season is absolutely terrible for the New York Knicks squad. But that doesn't mean the men of Manhattan, who won today in Cleveland, will lose every single game the rest of the way and miss the playoffs. There are three things that need to occur in order for the Knickerbockers to make the playoffs.

1) Carmelo Anthony must play like a bona fide superstar. 

This is something he has been doing, having a 36 point night in Atlanta and having a +10 plus/minus ratio in today's victory versus Cleveland. My bet is that Carmelo will play like a total stud, for really the rest of the Mike Woodson era, for this reason: He knows his legacy is on the line. Mike Dantoni is no longer the coach of the New York Knicks because Carmelo Anthony did not want him to be the coach of the New York Knicks, and we all know it. If the Knicks do that thing they haven't done since 1973, Carmelo will be called a God. If not, coach killer. 

2) Baron Davis must stay healthy.

Before he was traded to Cleveland last year, Baron Davis was a solid top 5 point guard, and the best Clipper not named Blake Griffin. This goes to show that the 32 year old can still play, if he's still healthy. Guess what the key part of that sentence is. Baron's bad back kept him from playing a majority of this truncated season, and can become a major issue if he can't play with the absence of Mr. Lin. If Baron is healthy, the Knicks will get the fix at point guard they thought they had.

3) Steve Freaking Novak.

48% from behind the arc. How is that even close to legal? He has to become a more focal part of the offense, because the man is deadly behind the arc

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Michael Pineda to Start on DL

The injury bug must have an apartment on the Upper West Side; because much like Jeremy Lin, Yankee starter Michael Pineda is on the disabled list.

Pineda, who the Yankees traded for in January, giving up big league ready prospect Jesus Montero to Seattle, has inflammation in his throwing shoulder, according to the Boston Herald.

The good news for both Pineda and Yankee fans alike is that there is no structural damage to his arm, so (knock on wood) the 21 year old should not be plagued with shoulder problems for the rest of his career.

Lin Out Six Weeks With Torn Meniscus

Linsanity is going to have to take a back seat.

On Saturday, it was reported by ESPN New York that MRI's revealed that Jeremy Lin will be out six weeks with a torn meniscus in his left knee. Lin has missed the last three games with what the Knickerbockers were calling a sore knee, but feared was something more serious before last night's loss in Atlanta.

This means Baron Davis, who has injury missing problems of his own, missing a large portion of this season already with back problems, will be forced to become the starting point guard and play at least 35 minutes a night. Davis is a two time NBA All Star, yet is 32 years old and has struggled with back problems since his days as a UCLA Bruin.

Tebow Cromartie Feud a No Go

Before Tim Tebow became a member of the New York Jets, headlines were made when Antonio Cromartie, (overrated) cornerback for the aforementioned Jets, tweeted "We don't need Tebow. We sell out every home game let him go to Jacksonville Tampa or Miami. Our wildcat offense can b ran by J. Kerley or Joe McKnight we straight." While many people are saying that this might create problems in an already tumultuous Jet locker room, Cromartie says he was just trying to defend his quarterback, Mark Sanchez, and Tebow agrees.


Tebow went on The Michael Kay Show on ESPN 1050 in New York Friday, and echoed Cromartie's sentiment, and said Antonio should be applauded for going out of his way to defend his quarterback. Jet fans can only hope that the former Heisman Trophy winner will heal all locker rooms riffs like he has done with the one between him and Cromartie.

How Far Can Mike Woodson take the Knicks?

8 out of 9. Carmelo Anthony is happy. Jeremy Lin and Baron Davis can coexist, and very well at us. In the strange, strange roller coaster life that's being a fan of the Knicks, right now is a very amazing high. But even the most optimistic of Knickerbocker supporters need to ask themselves the following question:

How far can Mike Woodson take the New York Knicks?

There's no reason to believe the Knicks can't beat any team in the East that don't play in Chicago or Miami. During this nine game stretch, the NYK have beaten the Philadelphia team that's leading the Atlantic Division, the fifth seeded Indiana Pacers twice, and absolutely demolished the third seeded Orlando Magic. They are playing fabulous defense right now, arguably the best in the league since Woodson took over. Carmelo Anthony is playing like a bona fide superstar right now. If the Knicks make it to the 6th seed, which they will at this rate, they will make it to the second round.

Once they play Chicago or Miami, however, things are going to be very different. They will not have the best player on the court, that will be DRose or LeBron. It's hard to believe the Knicks will play better defense, considering both teams have been together since before the lockout, while this incarnation of the Knicks will have had a third of a truncated season together. Then there's the 6'11 elephant in the room; how can A'mare and Carmelo gel together? The best basketball Carmelo has played since leaving Denver has been when STAT is on the bench or hurt, and STAT has a dreadful plus/minus this season. If they can win games together, they can possibly beat Chicago or Miami, but odds are they won't.

All in all, winning a playoff series is huge for this franchise that hasn't won a playoff series in over a decade. Even though many prognosticators thought the Knicks could make the Eastern Conference Finals, considering how this season has gone, coming one series short of this goal is nothing to be ashamed of. The real question is will Mike Woodson be the head coach of this team for 2012-13 and beyond.