NYCFC Winless

NYCFC Winless Drought Extends to Seven Matches

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 4- After a Sunday night loss to the Seattle Sounders (5‐2‐1), 3‐1, at Yankee Stadium, NYCFC (1‐5‐3) continues to languish in the group below the playoff contenders. 

Their six points are only above one club, the Montreal Impact, in the Eastern Conference. NYC’s winless match streak grew to seven after the match on Sunday. For the Sounders, on a hot streak, the win was their third straight and their fourth in the last five matches.

The first goal of the match was scored in the 23rd minute. Obafemi Martins scored his fifth goal of the season, which tied him for first place in the MLS. The native of Nigeria has played the last 12 seasons against top competition in Europe. The striker has played

on clubs in Italy, England, Germany, Russia and Spain. Martins also had 38 caps and scored 18 goals in international competition while a member of his national team. The assist was from Marco Parra, another international who has 30 caps on the Guatemalan National Team.

That was the only goal of the first half. Mehdi Ballouchy knotted the score at 1 with his second goal of the season at the 54th minute mark. He was assisted by Patrick Mullins, a collegiate standout at the University of Maryland.

Four minutes later, the contest took a dark turn for NYCFC as the USMNT captain Clint Dempsey’s goal returned the lead to the Sounders. The United States football legend with 112 caps for the national team has scored goal or assist in each of the six matches in which he participated this season. Like Martins, earlier in the game, Dempsey’s fifth goal added his name to the top scorers in the league. He was also assisted by Parra and by Martins.

Ten minutes later, Martins the single season goal and points record holder for Seattle, cored his second goal of the evening. His sixth goal now game him the league lead. In a reversal of the previous goal, Dempsey assisted. The assist, his fifth of the 2015 season, tied him for second in the MLS.

After the match, Martins spoke of the high scoring duo of him and Dempsey, “We did our part. We made it work.” NYCFC coach Jason Kreis said of the Seattle strikers, “We came up against two of the greatest strikers in the league.”

The winningest coach in MLS history, Sigi Schmid of the Sounders, discussed his daily game plan for his club, “It’s about getting points, as many as you can, as fast as you can.”

The three points the Sounders received for the victory raised their season total to 16, which brought them to the top of the western Conference standings.

NYCFC coach Jason Kreis, who in the past had great success as an MLS coach, is finding it difficult to accept his club’s losing record, “I didn’t realize it would be this difficult. [I’m having] a lot of sleepless nights. I have little patience.”

The match most looked forward to by residents of the New York metropolitan area will take place next Sunday night as the NYCFC travels to Harrison, New Jersey to play the Red Bulls.

#Soccer #NYCFC #Sounders #YankeeStadium #Bronxnews

Highbridge News: FREE Bus Rides?

Highbridge News: FREE Bus Rides?: FREE Bus Rides?  Fare-minded Fool Hardy City Council wants to Decriminalizing Fare-Evasion By David Greene BRONX, NEW YORK, AP...

FREE Bus Rides?

FREE Bus Rides? 
Fare-minded Fool Hardy City Council wants to Decriminalizing Fare-Evasion

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 30- Members of the little known 'Eagle Team' working undercover in plain clothes and searching for fare-beaters along the route of Fordham Road's BX-12 Express Bus, quickly cornered and disarmed their suspect of his knife and placed him under arrest as the City Council continues to negotiate with Mayor Bill de Blasio such minor arrests as fare-beating-- non-criminal offenses.

Members of the NYC Metropolitan Transportation Authority's unit the Eagle Team and undercover officers from the 48th Precinct asked the individual for a bus receipt as the express bus picked up passengers outside of 464 East Fordham Road at 10:25 a.m., on April 23. The suspect told officers he had no receipt and members swooped into action and quickly removed him from the bus and eventually placed him under arrest.

The suspect, Leonardo Henning, 53, of the Bronx offered no resistance as the unit ordered him off the bus and removed a knife from his back pocket and placed him under arrest. According to the criminal complaint, Henning admitted to cops, "I have a knife, I keep it for protection."

NYPD spokesman Detective Marc Nell said of Henning, "He was arrested for intent to fraud, obtaining transit without payment, a misdemeanor and criminal possession of a weapon." Nell revealed that Henning also had a prior bench warrant out for his arrest, but Nell could not say what that charge was for.

What began as a pilot program on express busses, the Eagle Team expanded in July, 2012 to cover bus routes across the city with high rates of fare-evasion, such as the BX-12 that travels across Fordham Road and Pelham Parkway to Bay Plaza.

The City Council is currently in negotiations with the de Blasio administration that if agreed upon would make such crimes as fare-evasion, drinking alcohol in public and public urination, a violation and subject to a ticket and fine, but would no longer constitute an arrest.

However, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton warned of legalizing quality-of-life crimes, telling reporters on April 27, "If you lose those powers to arrest, that's where Pandora's Box is opened and the 1970's, the 1980's have the potential to come roaring back again."

However, supporters of the idea like City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverto who proposed the change, believe that the overwhelming number of arrests are concentrated in minority neighborhoods, clogging up the courts and the jail system and creating additional tension between minority neighborhoods and police.

One recent video posted on Facebook from February, 2014, shows a pair of cops question a man at what appears to be Pelham Parkway South and White Plains Road. Within minutes, six officers would soon wrestle their subject to the ground and eventually place him under arrest.

Orlando Smith, a University Heights resident who saw the video, fumed, "A confrontation escalating into a beating is inappropriate. It's uncalled for if he doesn't have a weapon and isn't doing anything and is just talking, they shouldn't have the right to put their hands on him."

According to the NYPD, there were 25,867 arrests in 2014 for fare-evasion, but the NYPD does not track how many of those arrests lead to additional charges, for such crimes as drugs or weapon possession.  

#NYPD #FareEvasion #CityCouncil #deBlasio #Bronxnews

Highbridge News: Concern about Tanaka will cause Yankees To Step up...

Highbridge News: Concern about Tanaka will cause Yankees To Step up...: Concern about Tanaka will cause Yankees To Step up By Rich Mancuso BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 29- Of course there is a concern abou...

Concern about Tanaka will cause Yankees To Step up

Concern about Tanaka will cause Yankees To Step up

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 29- Of course there is a concern about Masahiro Tanaka and how long it will take to get the right-hander back in the New York Yankees pitching rotation. The bad news became official in the fifth inning up in the press box when GM Brian Cashman addressed the media.  

Slight tendinitis in the right wrist have put the Yankees $175 million investment on the 15-day disabled list. So the immediate concern was this latest setback to Tanaka would ultimately mean that Tommy John Surgery is not far behind, and that this has been caused by more strain to the right elbow that shut him down last season.

Cashman would only say that it will be a month before he takes the mound again. That is the Yankees hope though the immediate concern is that there is more damage to the elbow. An MRI earlier in the day, according the Yankees medical report, detected the tendinitis, a mild strain in the forearm and no further injury to the elbow.

Tanaka said through an interpreter by the Yankees clubhouse, “I feel I will come back strong.” And the Yankees hope that is the case, though one longtime American League scout was quick to say that this latest injury has all indications leading to more issues with the elbow and it would not be a surprise if Tanaka does not pitch again this season.

The Yankees certainly hope that is not the situation. And if it is, even with relatively good starting pitching the past week, the Manager Joe Girardi said, “People have to step up.” Chase Whitley the right-hander made his season debut Tuesday night and he stepped up allowing 1-run in five innings in the Yankees 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

It was to be one start for Whitley who was called up to give the starters extra rest with the demanding April schedule. Now Whitley will stay in the rotation and be one of the pitchers to step up. 

“Right now he’s on our rotation,” said Girardi. And without Tanaka, who was scheduled to make his next start Wednesday afternoon, the Yankees have sole possession of first place in the AL east and improved to 4-1 on the six-game home stand. They are also playing good baseball, 10-2 since April 17th,   

Tanaka made four starts, thus far, and has compiled a 3-3 mark with an ERA of 3.22 Whitley joins CC Sabathia, Michael Pineda, and Adam Warren in the rotation. By mid June the Yankees expect Ivan Nova to return and fully recovered from Tommy John surgery. And Chris Capuano out with a right quad strain is expected back by the first or second week of May, 

Cashman explained, “Every year you have to deal with adversity. That’s part of a baseball season.” The Yankees will now deal with that and hope Whitley, who was 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA at Triple-A Scranton Wilkes Barre, can continue to one of the arms in the rotation to step it up.

Said Whitley after his first win: “I am not trying to look ahead to anything else. Just pitch when and where they tell me to pitch.” And with no specific timetable as to when or if Tanaka will return, Whitley will now have a set spot in the rotation and fill the void.

In the meantime, Girardi said this latest setback to Tanaka is different from last year. In a way it was because it happened later in the season and that was the elbow that caused much of the concern. The Yankees then were still fighting for a playoff position and now, with April coming to an end, they sit in first place.

But this is April, and as we all know there is plenty more baseball to be played even if the Yankees have won 10 of their last 12 games. 

THE GAME:  The bullpen once again did their job allowing an earned run in 4.01 innings and since April 22 they are 3-0 with four saves, a 0.77 ERA. With Dellin Betences and Andrew Miller not available for the save, Girardi went to Chris Martin who tossed a scoreless ninth inning and notched his first career save.

Prior to Martin, Esmil Rogers threw 2.2 innings of scoreless ball and a hit. A strikeout and ground ball out accounted for two outs and got the Yankees out of a potential jam in the eighth inning.  

“It was a little nerve racking the first pitch but I settled down there,” said Martin, the 28-year old right-hander. “ I feel like everyone is helping this team win. This is a team effort. Hope I can be pitching well and all of us contribute….” 

Brian McCann continued to pace the Yankees with two doubles and drove in three runs. “I feel good, been feeling good all season long,” said McCann. “Hits are starting to fall and I’m finding the barrel.”

Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com  Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso  Twitter @Ring786

#MasahiroTanaka #Yankees #Bronxnews

Highbridge News: Ain’t That a Pitch!

Highbridge News: Ain’t That a Pitch!: Ain’t That a Pitch! Masahiro Tanaka to go on Disabled List By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 29- During the fifth innin...

Ain’t That a Pitch!

Ain’t That a Pitch!

Masahiro Tanaka to go on Disabled List

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 29- During the fifth inning, the media members at Yankee Stadium were addressed by General Manager Brian Cashman. The GM informed the media that right-hander Masahiro Tanaka will be placed on the 15-day DL. 

He explained that Tanaka arrived at the ballpark at about 2 p.m. and complained that his wrist was bothering him. An MRI was immediately taken that was negative. It was determined that he has slight tendonitis in his right wrist. 

To check on his elbow, a second MRI was taken that was also negative. It was realized that there was a very mild strain in his forearm.

To be careful it was decided to place Tanaka on the disabled list. He will be immediately shut down for 7-10 days. Cashman said the organization was taking a “safe, conservative route.” His elbow appears fine, but it will probably “be a month till he gets back to the rotation” according to Cashman. 

Tanaka was scheduled to pitch on the following day, Wednesday afternoon. He has made four starts, thus far, and has compiled a 3-3 mark with an ERA of 3.22.

Cashman explained, “Every year you have to deal with adversity. That’s part of a baseball season.” 

#MasahiroTanaka #Yankees #Bronxnews