Off Night Links: Electric Relaxation

After a weekend series packed with high-scoring, long-lasting baseball games, the Yankees get a break today. The schedule makers were kind to the Bombers, cushioning the blow of a 10 game road trip punctuated by a trip to Fenway by bookending that series with two off-days. Per usual, since there is no electrifying Yankees action, we have compiled some links and suggestions of things to watch on this slow Monday evening.

The Little League World Series is on ESPN2 tonight, and the team from Staten Island takes on the crew from the ironically named Urbandale, Iowa at 8PM. The LLWS isn't really my cup of tea, but you can be sure Dustin Pedrioa's brother will be watching intently, scouting for talent.

YES is showing the Game 3 of the 1999 World Series episode of Yankees Classics if you prefer to live in the past.

There is also some preseason football, with the Jets facing off against the Ravens on ESPN. Now that Brett Favre has moved on to some purpler pastures, the Jets have been relieved of all of the distractions associated with him and are left to do what they do best: play mediocre and uninteresting football.

Sorry, Jets fans. For you and others that hate the Giants, here you go.

Plaxico Burress has agreed to an interview with E:60, portions of which will be shown on SportsCenter tonight. (/yawns)

In a battle of Sox, Boston hosts Chicago as they look to widen their lead over the Rangers in the Wild Card standings.

Why does Jim Rice hate America? (h/t BBTF)

Maybe we should ask Peter King. And his baggy shorts.

This can't be true, can it? Derek Jeter would never eat with A-Rod. (h/t to reader Eric Miller)

Via MLBTR, here is the latest on Johnny Damon's, Andy Pettitte's and Hideki Matsui's outlooks for next season.

This may come as a shock to you, but Mariano Rivera actually is aging.

Do the Yanks rely too much on the long ball? Joel Sherman thinks so. He also adds later in the column that the Yanks can finish 17-21 and still win 95 games. Wow.

Main Entry: ten·u·ous
Pronunciation: \ˈten-yə-wəs, -yü-əs\
Function: adjective
Defintion: (3) Having little substance or strength : flimsy, weak. A tenuous connection.

Youk's got a new nickname!

This is probably the most accurate thing I've read all day. (via Joe P)

That's all I've got for tonight, Fackers. Feel free to drop your own in the comments, and we'll see you in the morning.

Countdown To Opening Day: #33

[Update: 10:58PM: Thanks to a comment by our always vigilant reader mmb1980, I made a few corrections to this post. Check the comment itself for some more detail because it's about three times better than my half-assed effort.]

A few things I didn't know about Charlie Hayes:

• Hayes is one of only 11 players to play in the World Series and Little League World Series, appearing for his hometown of Hattiesburg, Mississippi in 1977.
• He was the Yankees starting 3rd baseman for most of the 1992 season.
  
• And played games for seven MLB teams (Yanks, Pirates, Phillies, Giants, Brewers, Astros, Rockies)
  

Hayes arrived just in the nick of time. He was traded to the Yankees a day before the waiver deadline in 1996 by the Pirates, for Chris Corn. Despite the fact that he played in 20 of the team's final 28 regular season games, spelling an aging Wade Boggs in his last year as an All-Star, Hayes had more at bats in the WS than Boggs (16 to 11).

He was brought in the top of the 7th of Game 6 as a defensive replacement, which is why he was drifting towards the stands along the third baseline when John Wetteland got Mark Lemke to pop up.

I briefly shared the story of where I was when Charlie made that catch. Would anyone else like to chime in? I'm sure some of you weren't awkward 12 year olds with braces, sitting alone, saying to themselves, "Thisccch isscch scchhoooo sccccchhweeet!"