WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

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WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2007. By John F. Bailey. November 3, 2007. The White Plains Commissioner of Finance is disputing Independent Party Candidate Robert Stackpole’s prediction last Monday that the city faces a $33 Million decline in its Assessment Roll in 2008-2009. In a written statement, and subsequent interview, Gina Cuneo-Harwood debunked the prediction as “totally false” and Mr. Stackpole did not understand the equalization rate effect – saying the Equalization is just “a measurement” and has no effect on the assessment roll. WPCNR has also learned the city has known about the decreased Equalization Rate since August 21, and not informed the Common Council until October, according to Council President Rita Malmud.

Cuneo-Harwood issued this statement to WPCNR:

A Unique Perspective.

This statement is in sharp contrast what has been said for years by city officials, councilpersons, and school district officials that the state setting of the Equalization Rate that applies to assessment of commercial property as being at the root of the problems of White Plains fifteen years of declining assessments. The Mayor, the assessor and councilpersons have lobbied very hard for Assemblyman Adam Bradley to push a bill setting a separate assessment rate for commericial properties. Most recently, last week, when Corporation Counsel Edward Dunphy told the Common Council that the new equalization rate  would affect PILOTed properties coming off the tax rolls to the extent they would pay less than what they were paying in PILOTS, but Mr. Dunphy did not have the numbers.

 Council Not Informed of Rate Decline Until October.

Council President Rita Malmud  told WPCNR this week, she first learned of the equalization in October, not saying the actual date, or whether the work session of October 25 was the first she heard of it when Mr. Dunphy made his comments.

However the city, according to the New York State Office of Real Property Services, which sets the Equalization Rates across the state, has known about the Equalization Rate of 2.69% since August 21. A press officer  for the NYSORPS told WPCNR the Assessor is e-mailed on the day the new Equalization Rates are set, and if there is no e-mail address for the City Assessor, he or she receives the new Equalization Rate within a week by mail. This means the city knew about this decline at least by September 1, unless the information never reached the city.

The city, its Budget & Management Committee and councilpersons  have been very positive about their financial situation the last three months even with the knowledge of their new Equalization Rate, which apparently they did not share with the Common Council unto mid-October.

Puzzling.

WPCNR has asked Ms. Harwood, in a series of follow-up questions, if the Equalization Rate had no affect on the Assessment Roll, why is the city appealing it.

WPCNR also asked whether in view of the new equalization rate, the city was going to refigure its balanced budget financial forecast three years out which they have given to the state to qualify for their Aid and Incentives to Municipalites (AIM) grant of $5.7 Million for each of the next three years.

Stackpole Comments of Last Monday

In an interview with WPCNR this week on his prediction of a $33 Million decline in the City Assessment Roll he made at the Downtown Residents Association meeting last Monday night. He based it on the historic pattern of Equalization Rate Decline related to Total Market Value average projections.

 Stackpole said the current state equalization rate of 2.69% issued August 21 – which the city is appealing – would indicate the city may experience a $33 Million decline in the Assessment Roll which Stackpole noted would have the city have to increase taxes or find other sources of revenue to make up a $7 Million decline in property tax revenues. WPCNR separately estimated that if Stackpole’s observation of the assessment, tax roll and equalization rate trends held true to past city assessment/tax role relationships, the school district would face a $14 Million tax receipt shortfall.

State Uses Total Market Value and Assessed Value to Determine Equalization Rate.

WPCNR asked Ms. Harwood, why the historic pattern of Equalization Rate Decline in tandem with rising Total Market Value which showed the assessment decline each year, was not in effect. She said it was not an indicator of how the assessment roll would decline.

Harwood said the $33 Million decline is totally false and not possible. She declined to offer an estimate of Total Market Value for the city for 2007-2008, saying the assessor was working on those figures. (Though to compute the new equalization rate, the Office of Real Property Services has to be either given current Total Market Value by the city assessor, estimate it to figure the new Equalization rate. The formula for figuring the Equalization Rate, according to the NYSORPS is this:

Total Assessed Value  Divided by Total Market Value Equals= Equalization Rate.

This may be viewed in further detail on the NYSORPS website, www.orps.state.ny.us., by clicking on “Equalization” where this formula is located.

Sales Tax Up 8% in First Quarter.

She did inform WPCNR that city sales tax receipts for the first quarter of 2006- were up 8%, year to year from July through September over last year at $10.9 Million

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WPCNR NEWS & COMMENT By John F. Bailey. November 2, 2007: You know you’ve arrived in politics when a media outlet investigates your past and hangs you out to dry  5 days before an election, when they had five months to do it.

You know they’ve been on a search-annoy-destroy mission when they cannot find out certain things and write something like was published Thursday about Candyce Corcoran.

You know you’re a threat when an editor and writer takes your campaign literature and attempts to verify  the unverifiable and shakes their head in print when they cannot verify,  leaving the impression with the reader that the person puffed up their resume.  This was done to Robert Bork, Clarence Thomas,  Justice Roberts, and let’s see, some Liberals, too – John Kerry and Dan Rather.

You know you’ve been targeted when the media selects you from all the other candidates with a lot more things to question on their resumes, and they pick you to investigate.

Remember what happened to John Kerry with the swift boaters? They questioned his war record. They raised doubts. They had the audacity to say he ran from combat. Kerry defended his record bogging down in the criticism. The campaign collapsed.

 Remember what happened to Dan Rather? Dan relied on his staff, who failed to verify a document. Though Dan reported what was widely known and said by sources about President Bush’s no-show weekends at the Texas National Guard, Dan was criticized, lost his job, and lost his credibility because one document was not real. This made Dan unsuitable so CBS fired him. Thanks CBS for the backup.  Dan reported an “impression” – which is what happened in the Thursday “corking” of Corcoran. But it is Corcoran that the media has viciously hacked to pieces. The truth was ignored because of the means.

It is so easy to dig up dirt on somebody.  The trouble is getting people to go on the record because they are afraid.

We all have dirt on our resumes, don’t we? Candidates, officeholders and party bosses? Real dirt.  Really dirty rotten things. Legacies of incompetence rewarded. Rewards for sycophantic sucking up and support. You know who you are. You sleep with yourself every night. Why do I know this, you’re politicians and political “leaders.” Lying comes naturally, only you believe it is the truth.

To put into perspective what they did to White Plains’ Candyce Corcoran. Let’s pretend Jesus Christ returns to Earth.

When Jesus returns to Earth, I can imagine how the media will treat Him.

Mr. Christ,  Twist of the News here, there is this big gap between when you took up your preaching and seeking disciples. What did you do at that time? How come there is no record of employment after you left carpentry? We cannot seem to find any record at Moshe’s Fabulous Furnishings. Can you furnish a reference?

Alexandra Erin Van Credible of The Times here.: Your family was counting on your Mr. Christ,  are we to believe this is what a true Messiah would do?  Did you leave your family when they were counting on you for support?  Because you heard voices? You say you were in the wilderness and tempted? How are we to believe that you saw Satan?  Were you in rehab? Why did you leave carpentry?  

Am I not right?

They would interview His fellow carpenters (Was he good? Or did he slack off? Was his technique careless? Did He work hard? Why did He leave?  You say He was always a dreamer? Did He have a superior attitude? Did He ever pass the Carpentry exam?)

How could Jesus ever remember back that far?

Then there would be the questions of the Miracles.

Mr. Christ,  Inez Innuendo of  the Journal here, this feeding the 12,000 with one loaf of bread? How did you manage that, a secret arrangement with Raining Bagels franchise in The  Galilee Mall? I have a baker here that says you ordered 11,000 loaves hidden in caves at the top of the mountain and you owe him big time.  Do you deny that?

Paul Ritz of  The Weather or Not Channel here: Mr. Christ, I have a chart here of the Sea of Galilee where you were said to walk on water that convinced your disciples. The chart shows a sandbar 1 foot deep at this point in the bay where your disciples saw you walking. What do you have to say to that?

Barbarella Cistern of  NCN, Mr. Christ,  these healings. We have the medical records of the leper man you cured. I understand he was homeless in White Plains, and it was 15 degrees, he would have done anything. Do you have proof he was a leper?

They would explore His relationships–  Kelly Rageous of CROX NEWS, Mr. Christ, Who is this Mary Magdalene? Is she your Girl Friend?  The Roman Governor says these disciples are a gang and dangerous they can tell they are a gang by their bandanas.  Who is funding you for your stay in Jerusalem?  Is the Year 33 Political Action Committee of the Friends of Caiaphas funding you?  How can you afford booking the Ritz Villa for your Last Supper Gala and why are you calling it the Last Supper?

With all due respect to Jesus, a seeker of truth Himself, I do not exaggerate.

Corcoran did not provide the answers as best she could, she is eager to please. A real politician would say I’ll get that to you. Then, I can’t seem to find it.  But Ms. Corcoran tried to explain. The media whores pounced.

But the question a voter should consider is not whether a person is lying on their resume which is what the article about Ms. Corcoran was set up to indicate without actually saying it.

The question the reporters should be asking is what will you do when you get on the Council? What is your reputation in the community.

 Corcoran is one of the only candidates other than Mr. Zicca and Mr. Pilla, Stackpole and Levine who has stated specifics about what he or she will work to do in detail. The others have stated platitudes and criticism about the past. Corcoran has stated the most, hammered on specifics that could change things.

The media when it has chosen to cover the debates has not pointed out this difference. The media has not noticed the hypocrisy of the incumbents running for council, compared to their records (well-documented on this site), and their lack of grasp, interest or knowledge in financial matters, PILOT impacts and illegal housing, parking ticketcide and  they never met a giveaway they didn’t like. They hide behind their experience and strategic votes in the face of protest.

To not ask Ms. Corcoran about what she did for the banks she worked for as to the nature of her work is missing from her report. Now, the fact that one of her major bosses 30 years ago died is unfortunate, the paper could not verify so lingering doubt is left in the readers mind.  BOOM! The reader gets the impression she is fluffing her resume. That is the technique of the stiletto job. A doubtful situation that cannot be verified is brought up – and the impression conveyed the person is gilding the lily. It’s like giving half a quote to twist the meaning of a quote.

One can only imagine the questions the media could ask of the other candidates running that might make some very uncomfortable. But the media has never asked them.

Like what was your employment history and  situation before you went on the Common Council? What was your performance like? Who are your clients now? How were you appointed to your present position, what were the circumstances?  Have you ever been fired?  If so, how many times? Would you serve a client who was in this country illegally?  

Were the media had been as thorough with the other eight candidates as they were with Ms. Corcoran, the other candidates  most likely would have thought it was very unfair and out of line. Why was only Corcoran singled out for the swift boat treatment? There’s another candidate who has a very interesting background that the media have not explored.

Everyone in White Plains knows Candyce Corcoran. If you want help, you call Candyce. If you have a committee you want Ms. Corcoran on it because she will work the hardest and get it done.

Corcoran has always done extraordinary volunteer work in the community. She has been a volunteer nurse. She has, I believe a nursing degree. She has organized parades. She, when she broke her foot lobbied and succeeded in getting some handicapped-friendly devices and services in the city. When she sees something wrong she speaks out.

Savvy politicians laugh at people like Corcoran and the late Ron Jackson, but they stand up and be heard and work for change. They do not give up.

Ms. Corcoran’s campaign savvy as Campaign Manager put Benjamin Boykin, one of her opponents on the Common Council. Apparently Boykin then did not think her resume was padded.

She worked for WESTHAB on its Advisory Board. She was a Treasurer for Pro Choice PAC. She throws herself into what she does and finishes things. She is a great salesperson, singlehandedly funding the Little League Parade herself several years running. She gathered signatures herself to put her name on the ballot this year, as did Mr. Stackpole and Mr. Levine.

She has intuition. She found the legal case that the highly paid officials of The County Board of Elections did not know about that showed Mr. Lafayette, the head of the County Board of Elections, the courts have already ruled that an unfilled out portion of petitions is acceptable to get on the ballot. She can smell a setup a long way off. Too bad she did not smell this tabloid stink bomb that she was hit with yesterday.

 The leadership of the Democratic Party feared Corcoran so much they attempted to get her petitions thrown  out by Mr. Lafayette on this petty technicality. So much for “Democratic” Democrats. They aren’t.

People, it is all about the power.

But it is much easier to believe the politicians’ soothing general platitudes and mock a straightforward eager enthusiastic and loyal person who just wants to do good. Politicians hate do-gooder types, unless it is to their benefit.

Corcoran can dig into things, something no one on the present Common Council does.  Like her Bichon Frise trio of dogs she bites into things and never lets go and is inconveniently vocal about raising questions.

No one  in power in government, (the poshly carpeted rat warren of the incompetent,  the cruel,  the vicious and the amoral), likes a person who will outwork you and try and find the truth,  and won’t  be quiet about the truth.

Politicians hate that.

Corcoran would not be silent in Common Council work sessions.  Her speeches on votes at  “Common Council Theatre” the first Monday of every month would not be scripted according to what she is told.

You would not be able to keep her quiet, which seems the thing our present Common Council does best remain quiet and silent in the face of things that are just plain not right.

The easiest thing to do is cast doubts on a person’s past.  It is the oldest journalism technique in the book.

The public falls for it every time.

The comfortable lie is better than the uncomfortable truth.

Mock the concerned. Mock the feeling, the committed, the dedicated.

Paint them with an unverified past. Cast doubt.

Works always.

It’s so easy.

There’s only one reason to do a story on Corcoran like that and that is to get her.

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WPCNR THE HOMELESS NEWS. By John F. Bailey. October 31, 2007: A group of White Plains clergy, led by the Rabbi Lester Bronstein  will continue to explore the possibility of providing any of 3 churches to house some of the White Plains homeless left without overnight sanctuary since the county closed the 85 Court Street shelter August 5.  Names of the churches considering housing the unfortunate who shun county Department of Social Services programs were not disclosed, at the suggestion of the Mayor. The group learned that locating an emergency shelter for the homeless was permitted in the city central district, but not in the outlying neighborhoods, if a special permit was granted for such a facility.

The Homeless of the Night:

A White Plains man, with no place to go bunked out at 10:00 P.M. Monday evening at the Galleria entrance as the temperature dipped into the mid-40s.

The hour and a half meeting Wednesday afternoon ended with Rabbi  Bronstein saying they would seek permissions from three church congregations to house the homeless. 

Reverend Bronstein said he and a colleague had approached Mayor Joseph Delfino and County Executive Andrew Spano separately to broker a meeting of the minds on achieving a solution to the wandering homeless of White Plains.

County to Provide. Homeless Are Out There.

Bronstein said three churches had stepped forward, willing to house the homeless, provided the county would provide the security and professional personnel to staff the shelters. The Director of Open Arms Shelter said he knew of at least 25 homeless persons who wander the streets of White Plains at night. The Open Arms advocate said he would explore housing some at the Open Arms/Samaritan House Grace Church locations. He said they were in Silver Lake Park, in doorways, in malls.

The Mayor said police were out every night looking for sleeping homeless with a County TRUST representative (to counsel them to enter into a DSS program). He suggested to the Open Arms director the list of homeless should be given to the police.

Mission of Conciliation.

A representative of the clergy had met with County Executive Spano, Bronstein said, and reported the County Executive had said Wednesday “the county would allow in White Plains whatever the Mayor and the City Council agreed to.”  Bronstein indicated this would include a shelter with cots in a location in the city.

Bronstein cautioned that the church congregations involved had not been asked to approve nightly homeless sheltering in their buildings yet. 

Councilmen Glen Hockley and Arnold Bernstein allowed that if the shelter were to go into a church, whether or not the congregations wanted it, having such persons would impact the surrounding neighborhood, indicating that was a problem.  Mr. Hockley made reference to sex offenders being housed at 85 Court Street and that the population dispersed was at best an unknown quantity.

 Hockley suggested the homeless be sheltered at the former bus depot (above) to the West of the White Plains Railroad station, that the county reopen the airport shelter they had closed in 2006, also suggested a new building good be built on an executive park outside the city, and finally suggested a “warming tent” to be pitched on a parking lot.

Councilpersons Malmud and Roach were noncommittal on the idea of the church outreach effort. Roach said that at no time had White Plains suggested the homeless sleep in chairs overnight, that this was strictly a county policy. Roach said that it was his understanding that the other emergency shelters in Yonkers, Peekskill, New Rochelle and Mount Vernon would only provide chairs for the homeless to use overnight beginning today (November 1)

Bronstein clarified that the Department of Social Services had approached several churches in White Plains to take on the locations as “warming centers” with the homeless to be provided chairs to sit in overnight. Bronstein said this was unacceptable to the clergy whom the county approached.

Rabbi Bronstein said that it was not the clergy’s purpose or desire to open shelters in the churches, but the clergy was seeking a way to show that White Plains had a solution to house the homeless and was not refusing to do so.

Bronstein said the idea was to prevent homeless from freezing to death now that cold weather was coming in.

The Commissioner of Planning informed Rabbi Bronstein and his group that such homeless shelters  were only allowed by Special Permit in the Central Business Parking District from North Broadway south to Post Road and West to the Train Station.  The inference was that in order for a church  ( or any organization) within that area to open such a shelter they would have to seek a special permit.

The director of Open Arms said he had the ability to house 20 and another site possibly could hold 20. The Commissioner of Planning noted that the number of beds had to be held to 19, in order to open an emergency shelter without having to be licensed by the state.

Trying to prevent a person freezing to death.

Bronstein at the close of the meeting said “We’re trying to circumvent all that.  We made the assumption that nobody was going to come up with a site. Plain and simple nobody wants this…We did not come to ask the council and mayor to help us with our great desire and goal  to open shelters in our churches. We’re well aware of neighborhood concerns. We did something else to say at least that you all will have a site in your back pocket. ..at last resort you’ll be able to say you have this site, But a good site. “

Another said,

“We will go back and talk with other religious leaders and our concern is not to be pulled in to certain aspects of this and but we are very aware it’s the first of November, there have been temperatures in the 30s, and  we’re trying to do something with some haste that prevents somebody from dying on the streets to hold back some other things that are going to happen, more protests, people sleeping on the streets.”

The group left with a sense that a site in the downtown, whether it be in a church, a parking lot, or wherever was possible with special permit under zoning. The council did not endorse it wholeheartedly, (note opposition of Mr. Hockley and Mr. Bernstein), but did not reject the concept either.

 Recap of last week’s Homeless Action:

The County in their statement to the media last week said, “In fact, Mayor Delfino and the White Plains Common Council, passed a resolution to get the drop-in (at 85 Court Street, closed August 5), closed. ..To be helpful, the County offered to move the drop-in to three different locations (not disclosed). The Mayor refused to consider these options.” This overstates the resolution passed. The resolution only asked the county consider another location, (away from downtown) and that White Plains was housing more than its share of the homeless.

The County chided White Plains churches and advocates for not championing the homeless cause earlier in the process: “At no time, while the City was putting pressure on the County to close the drop-in (at 85 Court Street), did any church group or advocate come forward to try to get White Plains to change its stand. Now these same groups are rightly making their voices heard, but they are talking to the wrong person. The County would allow cots in the warming centers if the Mayor and City Council would agree. Having cots, as opposed to chairs, creates a defacto drop-in (shelter), something the City has opposed. If they change their minds, the County would be happy to permit cots (in the warming centers), instead of chairs.”

Meanwhile with the first cold snap of the season, temperatures drifting into the 40s this week, the homeless wander the streets. One even attended the Candidates forum at Vintage Restaurant Monday evening. WPCNR interviewed this person who said the reason he did not respond to county efforts to get him to agree to go into the Department of Social Services program, was that he likened the county Valhalla/Grasslands shelter to a prison population which he did not want to associate with. Asked by WPCNR if he would work in exchange for a place to stay with local businesses, churches, or organizations, he said he would not do custodial work or odd jobs. He would not say how he spent his nights.

Meanwhile, the refugees from the drop-in have been seen around town in Battle Hill, in parks, such as Liberty Park, sleeping on benches, in doorways and garages, since the Drop In Shelter at 85 Court Street was closed

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WPCNR PHOTOS OF THE DAY. By the WPCNR Roving Photographer. October 30, 2007: Parker Stadium is preparing to have its  synthetic Field Turf surface installed with 24 days to its Thanksgiving Day Turkey Bowl debut when White Plains High plays Stepinac. Here is how the field looks with 18 workdays to go. White Plains, with a 20-6 Win over Clarkstown North Saturday afternoon in rain and wind,  plays Gorton this Saturday, and hopes to get back within one game of .500 going into the Turkey Day tilt.

The Fifty Yard Line Monday afternoon.

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WPCNR VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK. By Bull Allen. October 29, 2007: BOOM! (that’s sound of the Yankee Stadium locker room door slamming behind A-Rod at 12:30 A.M. this morning.

What a surprise! Alex Rodriguez wants to be a Yankee so much, he could not even wait 10 days — to start negotiating with other teams. A real Yankee, A-Rod. Quick now — how do the Yankees replace 54 homers and 156 RBIs?

Even before the Saux John Papelbon got the last out of the World Series, the Yankees Brian Cashman had been notified by voice mail by the super agent, Scott Boras  that A-Rod was opting out. I am shocked, simply shocked A-Rod would do that.

`

Home of Champions no more. The Big Ball Park, 1956.

The Sayonara to the Bronx  hit the wires seconds during Saux disposal of the pretender contenders, the Wild Card Colorado Rockies. I LOVE IT when a Wild Card gets shown up big. Is the National League STILL in the Major Leagues? (Couldn’t resist that shot. When are they going to go DH and play with the BIG DOGS)

Don’t forget to turn off the light at Yankee Stadium on your way out, Alex! It will a pleasure not to have to watch your immobility down at third base next year. The Statue at third. I can never remember Alex Rodriguez diving for a ball behind third and he never played the line in the lates. And I will not miss those fumbled barehand pickups on the grass. A Brooks Robinson he was not.

 Derek Jeter could have been All Star at two positions this year, third and short. And, Alex, we’ll always remember your sense of team camraderie and leadership. If the Yankees go after this soldier of fortune with the rest of the pack, they are fools. Now, they are forced to sign Posada, at least.

Tomorrow, it will be interesting to see how new manager, Don Mattingly answers the question, how will you replace A-Rod? I mean it has to be Mattingly now. If I’m Joe Girardi or Tony Pena, I have to be crazy to take the thankless job of presiding over the rapid elevator ride down the standings, the Yankee franchise is about to take and taking the fall for it. Pena might take it. But Tony, you’re too smart to be the fall guy. Don’t do it. Pena won 85 games with the Kansas City Royals. He’s good. Don’t wreck yourself with this use-you-up franchise.

Boras is reported by the Associated Press that A-Rod left because negotiations between the Yankees and Posada, Rivera and Andy Pettitte would not be completed before the 10 days were up. Pretty lame. Boras said A-Rod was afraid the closer, “his catcher” and a major pitcher would not be on the team. Lame. He knew that all year.

If the Mets do not seriously go after Posada or Rivera now they are just as dumb. These two great New York players are available and they can give the Mets what they need. The Bombers have a big problem. The failure of the Yankees to renegoiate Rivera and Posada during the season indicates more than ever the long range plan to sell this team el rapido. It will never be worth more than it is today. Not only that but with A-Rod off the payroll they will be more profitable to any new owner.

New York now has a big hole at third base and needs to either make a trade or sign somebody. But, but, but it is pitching New York needs. Soon they may need catching too. Do you really think Posada wants to catch another 130-140 games next year with a .500 club? Because without the A-Rod threat  the Yankees have no long ball threat in the middle of the lineup.

Well before we go into absolute panic we have to see the free agents available.

But, once again the New York sports writing buffet-grazers have pushed out the Yankee publicity surrounding the A-Rod, Posada, Rivera signing problem without seeing it for what it really is — a totally dumb move by the inept hierarchy now that George Steinmbrenner is no longer apparently directing the team closely.

If you were going to sign Mo and Jorge — you should have done it during the season — or unloaded them to the METS who would have won the pennant with them– and given up some young talent which the Yanks could need. Now, the Yankees will get nothing for them. Mo needs another pitch in my opinion, but can still be effective. Posada…what a catcher for 36 years old — but this again was a walk year.

Haven’t general managers gotten the walk year syndrome in the free agency era? Players go out of their way to have a great year in the walk year of their contracts. I know I would.

Congratulations to the Red Sox and Gansetts all around. Forever Fenway!

 And, unlike the Patriots, the Red Sox don’t cheat. You got the idea the Red Sox were toying with the Yankees during that stretch run.

When you come down to it, baseball is so great it survives the greedy, shallow, fan-insensitive people who run it.

And, I got to tell you if Bud Selig wants to continue ruining the game, just keep televising the series and playoffs at night.

This is sooooooooooo dumb!

When is Bed Selig going to tell the NFL and the Networks that baseball needs to be televised when the kids can see the games — and not in prime time so as to give the football networks exclusive ratings poaching.

The insidious growth of sports like soccer among our youth is not a good sign for baseball. No kids are playing it any more. Pickup games are not seen any more.

Why is that? The games now are too slow. They last too long — mainly due to the curse of Sparky Anderson, (bringing in 4 relievers a game in the mid-70s) and the horrendous invention of the pitch count which has ushered in the 6-inning quality start.

When I was sitting in the upper deck in the old Yankee Stadium, anyone who did not pitch into the 8th was a bum. The 5-inning starter pitched the second game of a doubleheader.

I see 10 and 12 and 14 year old girls who can throw 120 pitches a game, walk nobody, and still have heart and intelligence to throw a pitch with something on it at the end of a game. Besides Mr. Schilling and Mr. Beckett, who does that in the big leagues today?

Major league baseball has to examine the teachings of the great pitching coaches Johnny Sain, and the wisdom of Warren Spahn who threw every day. It is not pitch counts that build an arm, it is building arm strength through throwing. I’m not saying that, Spahnie said that and he won 363 games in the bigs — most of them complete games.

And another thing. Can we go back to the real strike zone: letters to knees and the corners? The small strike zone is causing the walks, making it easier to hit homers and allowing the hitters to bottom feed off pitchers who cannot throw a finesse strike. It’s obvious.

More to come.

And it’s 36 degrees, the softball and baseball seasons are over.

Perhaps a certain well-known, hands-on local developer will buy the Yankees. You never know.