With Philadelphia and New York 108 miles apart and the New Jersey Turnpike between them, here's an offbeat look:
Jeter's Tampa picture show
For winning the Hank Aaron Award, Yankees SS Derek Jeter received a 65-inch Aquos LCD TV. With his new 30,875-square-foot, seven-bedroom mansion under construction on Davis Islands and Sharp chairman/CEO Doug Koshima on the dais Sunday, Jeter made a pitch for more. "I thank Mr. Koshima for agreeing to outfit my entire house down in Tampa with TVs," he said.
Bucs fan David Wells won't be moving to Philly
Former big-leaguer David Wells ripped Philadelphia in a guest column for the New York Post, writing that all the bad stuff you've heard is "absolutely true" and calling people there ruthless and rude. "The people in that town would give the finger to their own mom. That's how bad that town is," he wrote. Wells, by the way, said he got firsthand experience at the NFC Championship Game during the 2002 season when he was there rooting for the Bucs.
Maybe Bill Clinton can throw out the first pitch
There have been only 58 players from Arkansas make it to the big leagues in the past 50 years, and two of them will be the starting pitchers tonight: the Yankees' A.J. Burnett and the Phillies' Cliff Lee. Plus, they have the same agent, Little Rock's Darek Braunecker. "It's interesting, two country boys from Arkansas going out there,'' Burnett said. "It's gonna be fun.'' Memorable, too, Lee said. "That's going to be a neat deal for our state,'' he said, "and going to be a lot of fun and something we can talk about for the rest of our lives."
Faces in the crowd
Access Hollywood's perpetually perky Maria Menounos was on the field, hanging out with Chase Utley's wife, Jennifer, and interviewing Jeter. … Boxing legend Joe Frazier took part in a skit with the Phillie Phanatic. … Phillies Hall of Famer Steve Carlton threw out the first pitch to Phillie Jamie Moyer. … Air Force Sgt. Jody Johnson sang the anthem, and Palmer Township, Pa., police Detective Matthew Allshouse sang God Bless America.
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