New York, U.S.A. - Two things immediately come to mind this time of year – baseball and iced coffee. Dunkin’ Donuts, America’s all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods, has all your bases covered this summer season. New York Mets Manager Terry Collins and New York Yankees Manager Joe Girardi will be featured in a two month campaign in the New York Metro area to promote Dunkin’ Donuts Caramel, Mocha and the new Mocha Almond Iced Coffee flavors.

Dunkin’ Donuts will showcase both managers through a multi-tiered promotional campaign. Collins and Girardi will be featured in the television and radio campaign, “Fuels Any Series,” which will spotlight the friendly rivalry between both managers, with Collins promoting Mocha Iced Coffee and Girardi promoting Caramel Iced Coffee.

Additionally, the managers’ likeness will be prominently displayed in Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants throughout the New York Metro area, including store standees, door decals and in-store POP. The “Fuels Any Series” campaign will also be leveraged through Dunkin’ Donuts’ various social media channels during the promotion.

“It is an honor for Dunkin’ Donuts to partner with both Terry Collins and Joe Girardi for this exciting promotion. Dunkin’ Donuts has a long standing relationship with both the Yankees and Mets and this partnership will be a fantastic way to highlight Dunkin’ Donuts’ leadership in the iced coffee category,” saidRuss Romeo, Field Marketing Director for Dunkin’ Brands in the Mid-Atlantic Region. “Whether you are a Yankees fan or a Mets fan, Dunkin’ Donuts is sure to fuel your summer!”

Collins was named the 20th manager in Mets history on November 23, 2010 and has led the Mets to a 31-25 record this season. He first joined the Mets in 2010 as a Minor League Field Coordinator overseeing all on-field aspects of the Mets’ Minor League Spring Training, mini camps and Fall Instructional League. Collins previously spent six years as a major-league manager leading the Anaheim Angels and Houston Astros to winning records and second place finishes.

Girardi became manager of the Yankees in 2008, and led the team to their 27th World Championship in 2009. Girardi led the Yankees to the post-season the past three years, and currently has the Yankees near the top of the American League East with a 30-24 record. During his playing career, Girardi spent 15 seasons as a catcher in the big leagues, winning three World Championships with the Yankees (1996, 1998 and 1999).

Dunkin’ Donuts has been at the forefront in developing an innovative process for brewing iced coffee, which has set the standard for the industry. The unique process, called double brewing, uses twice the amount of coffee when making the beverage to achieve consistent flavor and freshness that are never compromised at the expense of serving it cold. The result is a smooth, rich taste sensation–iced coffee that is never bitter or watered down.

Image Courtesy  of  jason aron / Shutterstock.com

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And they’re off – MLB has entered its final month of a long season, but there is still much to be decided in the final stretch. The division, wildcard, and pennant races are yet to be determined. With less than 20 games to play, teams are focused in on magic numbers to clinch a playoff spot. The stats of all the following teams/players come prior to Monday’s action:

AL East: The New York Yankees lead a tough division and are only 3 ½ up on the Boston Red Sox. The Bronx Bombers and Boston are one and two in runs scored, homeruns and RBI’s in the league respectively. The Yankees pitching staff is led by ace CC Sabathia and surprising rookie Ivan Nova.

The Red Sox are led by Jon Lester and Josh Beckett. Beckett is having a great bounce back season and holds an ERA of 2.49. These two will battle to the end of the regular season to see who gets home field advantage in the playoffs.

AL Central: Cy Young and even possible MVP candidate, Justin Verlander has been nothing but spectacular for the Detroit Tigers. He has been the reason the Tigers have built a 10 ½ game lead in the central. He leads the AL in ERA with a 2.44, in inning pitched with 229 and strikeouts with 232.

Verlander also has a no-hitter to his credit this season and a record of 22-9. If the Detroit pitching staff can somehow catch up with Verlander then they could make some noise in the playoffs.

AL West: The tightest division in all of baseball is between the Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Angles of Anaheim. The Rangers lead the Angels by only 2 ½ games. Texas is all offense and improved their bullpen at the trade deadline by acquiring Mike Adams and Koji Uehara.

Los Angeles offense is anemic but their starting pitchers are keeping them in it. Led by Jered Weaver, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana they are trying to carry their teams hitting into the postseason.

AL Wildcard:  The race is really on with the Tampa Bay Rays climbing back in it after sweeping the weekend series against the Boston Red Sox. They sit only 3 ½ games back and the Sox are worried. Red Sox David Ortiz said, “Hell yeah, you’ve got to worry.” Boston was chosen by many to represent the American League in the World Series.

Let’s see if they can even hold off the Rays for a playoff spot. The two kick off a four game series starting Thursday  at Fenway.

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Metal fans are in for a treat as the Big 4 prepare to take the stage at the Yankee Stadium on the 14th September. The former quarreled bands have put aside their differences and plan to rock out to a seven-hour performance.

Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax have already reunited in California and the response was abysmal: “Obviously, this thing should play more places in America,” Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich told Rolling Stone Magazine. The legacy and perseverance of everyone involved have cleared any signs of a feud.

The Big 4 will celebrate their thirtieth anniversaries in 2011 and hope to bring the success of their European Tour to New York. Even though metal bands receive little to no media attention, the underground heavy metal movement is far greater than what anyone could have foreseen: hundreds are expected to attend the metal fest in New York City, with no sign of ever slowing down.

Anthrax’s upcoming studio album Worship Music, the first featuring Joey Belladonna since their nineties album, Persistence of Time, is expected to hit the shelves in the U.S. September 13th. The band plans on showcasing some of their new songs to an eager crowd on the 14th.

According to Rolling Stone, Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian is hoping for a metal mayhem: “I think back to my heyday of going to concerts as a kid in New York from the years of like ’79 to ’83, and I remember going to see Judas Priest on either Screaming For Vengeance or one of those sold-out Madison Square Garden shows,” said Ian.

“There was an energy level at shows like that that was just out of control. I don’t mean this in a bad way, but I remember being in the Garden for Judas Priest in 1981 and actually feeling scared sometimes because it was just so intensely rowdy and nuts and people were just losing their mind.”

Scott Ian hopes that New Yorkers can gather all that buzz again. “I would love to feel that energy again at this Yankee Stadium Show, like the old-school New York energy that I used to feel at gigs back then,” he says. This show also has great meaning for drummer Charlie Benante, whose father was scouted to play professional baseball but was told he couldn’t do it.

In a recent Rolling Stone interview, Benante opens up about what this show really means to him: “My dad died when I was five so he never really got to see how far I’ve come in my career,” he says. “I just know if he knew that I’d be playing Yankee Stadium he would be fucking going nuts to find that his son did this and achieved this goal.

Here I am playing Yankee Stadium and I know in some way he’ll probably be there with me.”
oorka / Shutterstock.com

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Have you ever heard non-baseballs fan talk about baseball? Well the general consensus among the cow-hide hating public is that the sport is just well, boring. I love baseball, but unfortunately after watching the 82^nd MLB All-Star game, the baseball hate club might be right after all.

The All-Star game has been a staple of every summer I’ve had growing up. I couldn’t wait for mid July to watch the Homerun Derby and All Star game in consecutive nights and discuss how “sweet” it was with all the kids at camp. Now, I pity those little campers.  What will they be talking about at camp tomorrow? I personally couldn’t help but watch a little Family Guy on my computer while the game was going through its mid inning dullness. It was just boring to watch; my eyes were in pain. I wanted to see homeruns, web gems, some late inning drama; not Washington Nationals Pitcher Tyler Clippard. Wait, who? …Exactly.

The game was played at beautiful Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. I mention this because the highlight for my viewing party was the awesome pool behind the right field fence with its scantily clad party goers. The starters for the game were Philadelphia Phillie, Roy Halladay for the National League vs. Jered Weaver of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for the American League.

I’ll chalk that one up for one of the few right things the MLB did right with this game as both are top pitchers in their respected leagues. Sad though that the AL did not have much of a choice since a large amount of its aces were unable to play in the game, but that’s a different story.

Now, to the lack luster game itself. The first inning breezed by with both pitchers making minced meat of their competition. Hey, it’s a pitchers league now right? Of course, both Halladay and Weaver were out of the game by the second inning proving once again the poor coaching tactics in the All Star game.

In the second inning, Sox nation all held its breath at once when Josh Beckett was scratched from the game with a sore knee. At this point I was still very much into the game as the pre-game hype really got to me. It was when old time announcer Tim McCarver compared Yankees reliever David Robertson to Mariano Rivera when I lost all hope for the mid-summer classic. Yes, it got worse from there.

Nothing great happens until the fourth inning when the Boston Red Sox, Adrian Gonzalez continues his amazing season and bombs a solo shot to right center field giving the American league a 1-0 lead. This was only the first hit for the American League, and the first time I looked up at the TV since McCarver’s off based comments.

Then in the fifth inning, AL manager, Ron Washington brings in his prized Ranger pitcher in C.J. Wilson to show why he was originally picked over Sabathia for a spot on the All-Star squad. Wilson goes on to give up a three-run homerun to Prince Fielder and Washington bows his head in disgust. Wilson would go on to lose the game and folks that pretty much wrapped up the 82^nd MLB All-Star game.

The American League would later go on to give up two more runs in the most non-dramatic sporting event of all time. At least the game doesn’t mean anything like in every other sport right? Oh wait, this is awkward. Well the American League really blew this one and the National League pitching staff looked like a bunch of Cy Young’s.

It was great to see young aces like Jair Jurrjens and Clayton Kershaw show their electrifying stuff because I know I’ll probably never see them pitch again unless it’s on a “SportsCenter” Highlight.

The All-Star game finished 5-1 in favor of the National League.  It will probably be remembered for being the most unmemorable All-Star game of all time; if that makes any sense. Usually, I like my All-Star games filled with stars. I wanted to see Jeter, Sabathia, Felix Hernandez, Albert Pujols, not Tyler Clippard (Two Tyler Clippard mentions in one article? Must’ve been a poor game). Personally, I would have rather this game meant nothing and witnessed another tie again like in 2002 to add a little controversy.

Any press is good press right? Baseball is just too slow for our high speed world and I don’t know if it can catch up. I’m still not sure I will be able to recuperate in time for the 83^rd game next summer.  Chalk the All-Star game up with the irrelevancy of the Pro Bowl and NBA All-Stars; sure looks like its heading that way.

Richard Paul Kane / Shutterstock.com

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The New York Yankees defeated the New York Mets 9-3 Sunday after a huge seventh inning to take the first leg of the Subway Series and tie the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East.

The six games between the Mets and Yankees are always some of the most looked-forward to games of the entire season by fans in New York. No matter how the teams seemed to have been playing before, the stakes rise with pride and bragging rights on the line.

Since 2000 when the two teams met in the World Series, the games have only gotten more intense. Countless unforgettable moments make this series so much more than just a few games in the standings.

Fans will always remember the feud between former Mets’ catcher Mike Piazza and Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens which resulted in a hard fastball to Piazza’s head.

The Mets’ faithful will of course never be able to live down Luis Castillo’s error on a routine fly ball off the bat of Alex Rodriguez in the bottom of the ninth inning to lose the series in June of 2009.

It seems as though when these two teams get together, there are bound to be fireworks. Unfortunately, all we had heard about these teams early-on in the 2011 season had to do with abundant struggles and big problems that needed to be addressed to turn their seasons around.

This series showed signs that such rash judgments may have been a bit premature.

The Yankee captain Derek Jeter came up big amidst his struggles, driving a two-rbi single up the middle to tie the game in the bottom of the 7^th, sparking a monstrous eight run inning for the Bronx Bombers en route to victory.

The Yanks welcomed their hot inning, since they are so often criticized for only being able to score via Home Runs (most of which from the bat of the red-hot Curtis Granderson), and their lack of ability to play “small-ball” and manufacture runs. These criticisms are quite unfair.

As any baseball fan knows, teams always seem to hit better in the summer months when the whether gets better and the new players on the team (which the Yankees have plenty of) get a chance to become accustomed to their new surroundings.

Yankee fans need not worry, their team will be fine. Judgments of a team by their mediocre record in May must come with a grain of salt. Not to mention they are perched atop one of the toughest divisions in Major League Baseball, and have a better record than the Boston Red Sox who were deemed the favorites in the entire American League after all of their off-season acquisitions.

Injuries have really bitten both teams early on in the 2011 season. Yankee manager Joe Girardi is patiently awaiting returns from pitchers Phil Hughes and huge free agent pick-up, Rafael Soriano, who should bolster a pitching staff that when healthy, can be scary for opposing lineups.

In Queens, first year manager Terry Collins has had to deal with star players David Wright, Jason Bay, and Angel Pagan see stints on the DL, not to mention waiting for left-handed ace Johan Santana to return from off-season shoulder surgery.

All things considered, Collins has done a fine job so far in his first go-around in New York. Jose Reyes is having a career year, Carlos Beltran seems to be healthy again for the first time in nearly two-seasons, and knuckleballer R.A. Dickey seems to have become a fan favorite, holding down a seriously depleted pitching staff.

Coming into the 2011 season the Mets did not seem to have very high expectations, and yet they find themselves hovering right around .500, with a renewed attitude that could carry them into a fight for a wild-card spot in the National League should things go their way.

If nothing else, this series proved that the Mets could at least hang with one of the better teams in the league, even on the road.

As for the Yankees, winning this series may be a small victory in terms of the standings, but it was a bigger sign for fans, proving that this teams struggles are not permanent. The team must adjust to now being one of the older teams in the league, and with that, must come the knowledge that losing streaks happen. They have proven winners, veterans, and a solid mix of young talent that should allow them to make yet another run at a World Series title this season.

All in all, good things seem to be on the horizon for both New York ball-clubs. As summer begins, look for the bats to heat up, and both teams to compete night in and night out. There’s no quit in New York.

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AL East

Rays: Although this team won the highly competitive AL East last season, it will be a tough feat to repeat. They lost some major components from last year’s pennant team including Matt Garza, Carlos Pena, and Carl Crawford. The team did add veterans Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez, and although they will definitely contribute offensively, they are past their prime, and don’t fill the giant shoes left behind by the key departures. The team still has a lot of talent with Evan Longoria, B.J. Upton, David Price, and James Shields, but the AL East is that much better this year, and the Rays will have a tough time keeping up with the Yankees and Red Sox.

Yankees: This is a classic Yankees team with All-Stars at every position. The only question on this team is the rotation that is after C.C. Sabathia. Phil Hughes is becoming a nice player, but A.J. Burnett had a rough go last year. After these three pitchers there are a lot of question marks which could make it tough for the Yankees to keep up with the Red Sox, especially in a division so loaded with offensive talent. The Yankees will compete for the division, but will likely take the wild card again this year.

Red Sox: This team is built to win the World Series, and is my favorite to represent the American League this season. They filled all their holes in the off-season, adding Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, to load up their lineup. They also have the best rotation in the AL, their No. 5 starter, Daisuke Matsuzaka, would be a No. 2 on most major league teams. It is nearly impossible to see a letdown in Boston, and this team should be a treat to watch all season long.

Blue Jays: They were surprisingly competitive last year, even after the departure of Roy Halladay, but the average baseball fan can’t name a single player on this young team. Without stars, this division is simply too tough to win, and the Blue Jays will continue to be a second tier team in this division until they can gather, or grow some stars.

Orioles: Buck Showalter got this team fired up last year after taking over this perennial cellar dweller, but it’s going to be awhile before the Orioles are back to competing for championships. The team is headed in the right direction, but a highly competitive 40-man roster is impossible to build overnight, even if they did have the money of the Yankees or Red Sox. The additions of Derrek Lee and Vladimir Guerrero are a good start, but the team still has a young rotation, and it’s tough to win in the AL with subpar pitching.

AL Central

Twins: Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer continue to drive this team which always seems to be competing for the division and the playoffs. Their rotation is pretty solid, topped by Francisco Liriano, and the team has a legitimate shot to win the division again this year. The Central has gotten better as the White Sox made some moves, but the Twins will be in the hunt all season long.

White Sox: This is a solid team built to make a playoff run this year. When your No. 5 starter is Edwin Jackson, you have a pretty solid starting rotation, and they boast the best in the Central. If Carlos Quentin can stay healthy, the addition of Adam Dunn makes this a power-loaded lineup, with a good combination of veterans and young players. This team will be in the division hunt all season long, and has the staying power to edge out the Twins with their bats and pitching depth.

Tigers: The team has Magglio Ordonez, Victor Martinez, and Justin Verlander, but with questions about Miguel Cabrera, and his legal and alcohol related issues, there could be issues for this team. After Verlander, there is a huge drop-off in the rotation which is not very deep. If Cabrera misses a lot of time, or is suspended, there will be a huge hole in the lineup. They just don’t have enough pitching or depth to keep up with the increasing talent of the Twins and White Sox.

Indians: This is a young team that had a rough season last year. They added a couple of veterans to make them a little more competitive, but they are still a few years of rebuilding away from being a factor in the Central. They were thoroughly decimated as one star player after another left the team, and now they must pick up the pieces and start over, with young players that need a lot of developing.

Royals: Besides Wilson Betemit and Jason Kendall, the Royals are roster full of unknown players. Zack Greinke, their biggest star of the last few years is now a Brewer, and the Royals are in full rebuilding mode. They will continue to play young players, hoping to develop and cultivate some stars from their high draft picks.

AL West

Rangers: They shocked many in the baseball world by making it all the way to the World Series, knocking off a pair of AL East teams en route to the Series. They were no fluke last year, but the loss of their ace, Cliff Lee is really going to hurt them. They still have a nice rotation and added Brandon Webb, who before getting hurt was a legitimate ace. There have been issues with Michael Young, and the Rangers could look to deal him to try to round out their rotation and make it more complete. With their firepower, and the bat of Josh Hamilton, the Rangers will stay the favorite in the West.

Athletics: The A’s have some nice pieces, including pitcher Dallas Braden, but overall they just aren’t a complete enough team. They have a nice lineup, but it doesn’t boast the type of power of the Rangers, and with a mostly unproven pitching staff, it will be tough for the A’s to get over the playoff hump. They are still a few pieces away from making the playoffs.

Angels: Although they missed the playoffs last season, the Angels have a very complete team that will fight the Rangers for the division. Vernon Wells, Torii Hunter, and Bobby Abreu give the lineup some nice power, balancing it with speed guys like Howie Kendrick. Their rotation is also very complete with Jered Weaver at the top. If Scott Kazmir, the No.5 starter can get back to form, this rotation could be the best in the West.

Mariners: The Mariners have a couple of nice pieces with Ichiro Suzuki, Chone Figgins, Brendan Ryan, and ace Felix Hernandez. The Mariners will have a much better season than last year and are on the right track to getting back into the playoffs after a ten-year drought. They still lack a complete rotation, and a feared lineup, but if they can get some players to step up, they have a shot at competing for the division. Some additions to the rotation though would go a long way to securing this.

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