Yankees Fan in Boston

2009-08-09T14:27:00.002-04:00

Wow

2009-06-10T20:44:00.001-04:00

2009-05-26T11:13:00.002-04:00

2009-05-19T08:27:00.002-04:00

Cano?

2009-05-11T11:07:00.002-04:00

Robinson Cano is a confusing player.

He has a great, smooth swing and at times looks like a world class hitter.
However other times he looks lost, impatient and out of his league.

It?s becoming very hard to judge him, because his numbers year to year are so different.

Really, his numbers within the season are also a bit strange and he's still struggling with men on base. He hit's .380 with the bases empty and .412 when there's a runner on first, but that drops to .231 with a runner on second and down to .186 with RISP. Still, despite those terrible stats he's still fourth on the team in RBI?s and third in Runs.

Another strange occurrence: he?s hitting .407 in day games (54 AB?s) and just .260 at night (77 AB?s).

He's a hard player to figure out and he's slumping bad right now, but when that swing is working he puts on a clinic. As a team (aside from Damon) the Yankees numbers with RISP need to go up but Cano's numbers, I think, are the most surprising.

I like where he's hitting in the lineup lately. The 7 spot is a good place for him. Some people point to his average and want him behind Matsui or A-Rod, but I don't think he's suited (yet) for that role. He needs to become a better all around hitter.

Fearless ARod Prediction

2009-05-08T14:22:00.001-04:00

1-4, 2K's, 0-2 with RISP.

This is Becoming Normal

2009-05-05T22:02:00.000-04:00

Through May 5th:

2007: 13-15
Runs Scored: 169
Runs Allowed: 147

2008: 16-16
Runs Scored: 148
Runs Allowed: 145

2009: 13-13
Runs Scored: 146
Runs Allowed: 159

Those numbers will go up once tonight's game is final...

There are a lot of excuses the Yankees can use, but they don't hold water. The bullpen is a mess, clutch hitting is still terrible, and the manager's decisions lately have been questionable at best.

This team is in a decent amount of trouble, once again.

Sigh

2009-05-05T17:45:00.000-04:00

Hey Yankees, get it together.

Let's start with a win tonight.

Situational Struggles

2009-04-28T10:24:00.001-04:00

The Yankees currently have the second most hits in the league, yet they can't seem to get a hit when it counts. Here are some stomach turning stats from baseball-reference.com:

Yankees RISP:
.223 Avg, .320 OBP (42 for 188, 55 RBI)

Yankees with runners on first and second:
.204 Avg, .315 OBP (11 for 54, 7 RBI)

Yankees with the bases loaded:
.071 Avg, .063 OBP (1 for 14, 5 RBI)

Now compare that to the hottest team in baseball:

Red Sox RISP:
.290 Avg, .419 OBP (51 for 176, 81 RBI)

Red Sox with runners on first and second:
.317 Avg, .414 OBP (19 for 60, 25 RBI)

Red Sox with the bases loaded:
.286 Avg, .464 OBP ( 8 for 28, 22 RBI)

The Yankees get runners past first base, and the offense shuts down. They hit .328 with a runner on first, but .221 when that runner is on second. The Yankees are hitting, but not when it counts most. Their individual averages look good, but the situational averages are terrible.

Look at Cano, he's having a great season hitting .380 on the year. However, if you break that down you'd see that he's hitting .192 with RISP (5 for 26). And when there is more than one runner on the bases, Cano is 1 for 15.

They don?t need to become the most clutch team in baseball, but an improvement has to happen in order for the Yankees to have a chance. Are they looking to hit home runs? Is it just good pitching? Is it just a phase in this long season? Who knows, but hopefully they break out of this pattern sooner rather than later.

Hoping History Repeats

2009-04-27T10:45:00.001-04:00

The Yankees are making it a tradition to start off slow and play some incredibly frustrating games.

They signed two players in CC and Teixeira whose April numbers are unbelievably bad.

This team is playing better then past Aprils, but they still can't figure out how to get off the ground.

The offense is clicking, but the starting pitching has been suspect and the bullpen is a mystery. The Yankees seem to have a pen filled with two-faced pitchers. One day you get someone whose lights out, the next they can't make it through an inning.

Will this change? History says so. The last few years the Yankees record has been terrible for April and May, but something clicks and they turn it on.

The division is as tough as ever, so the Yankees can't afford to wait as long as they have in the past to get moving.

Although the games themselves have been awful lately, there is good news under the surface. For one, Mark Teixeira looks to be coming around. Sure over the last 7 days his BA is only .238, but his OBP is .429. He's seeing the ball better.

Matsui has also looked good this past week, hitting .421 with a .450 OBP. Really the only hitter who looks lost is Brett Gardner.

Overall I think the Yankees look better than their record and are poised to go on a winning a streak. These slow starts are annoying but I think this one is going to end much sooner than it has in years passed. If history repeats itself then some important Yankees will flip the switch and get hot very soon.

Hoping History Repeats

2009-04-27T09:09:00.001-04:00

Can We Focus on The Season Now?

2009-02-17T22:43:00.003-05:00

I hope so, but I'm not optimistic.

I honestly might mute the first 20-30 games when A-rod comes to bat, just so I don't have to listen to color commentators go over this mess time and time again.

I get that this A-Rod mess is important and a big deal, and part of me wants it to stay a headline so the pressure stays on to get the other 103 names released. Still it'd be much more fun to just focus on baseball and let this all fade away.

Normally this is the time of the year where paying close attention to baseball helps me forget that it will still be winter outside for another month and a half. That hasn't really worked out for me the past couple of seasons.

The Bench

2009-02-04T10:38:00.002-05:00

The Yankees bench could really use some help.

Right now the Yankees will have Melky, Gardner, Swisher and Molina on the bench at any given time... Then maybe a minor league call up of Cody Ransom or Shelley Duncan.

I think that group is solid enough to fill every now and then, but can the Yankees really expect them to play a few days in a row or more? Maybe you can get away with saying that they have a good amount of depth in the outfield, but the infield depth is atrocious.

Lately here in Boston the talk has been about the Red Sox and their depth. Many people I've talked to felt they were the better team to begin with, and with some recent signings are in even better shape. These signings haven't been huge stars, but they provide them with decent back up possibilities. And now comes news that they've signed another low risk player with some pop in Brad Wilkerson.

I'd argue that as far as the 'starting lineup' goes the Yankees get a slight edge, but depth wise I have to agree that the Sox have more of it.

As spring training inches closer, the prices for the remaining free agents is dropping. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing the Yankees sign Nomar. He can play a couple different infield spots, and I think he could stay healthy if he's not asked to play everyday.

Man Ram

2009-01-20T16:48:00.000-05:00

My cousin sent me a text message today saying 'We don't need Manny!'.

I tend to agree with that. I think the Yankees are pretty balanced as a team right now.

If anything, what they need is more bench help and another starter.

Manny could become interesting if his price continues to drop. I'm as worried as anyone about his club house attitude, but who really knows how blown out of proportion it really is.

In the end I think Manny stays with the Dodgers or maybe ends up with the Angels. But once those teams make an offer, expect Scott Boras to let every other team know about it. If the Yankee we're interested, that's when you'd see them make an offer of their own.

Baseball is on it's way.

2009-01-12T19:58:00.005-05:00

I've been toying with the post below for a few days. I kept putting off actually posting it. Tonight I learned of the death of Todd Drew. Todd was a great writer and a passionate Yankee fan. My only interactions with him where through the comment sections of different blogs, but I enjoyed his view on things as well as his writing. He seemed like a great guy, and this is a sad day for our little community of Yankee bloggers. My very best wishes go to his friends and family.
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It's been a long, cold and dark few months. Winter seems to be dragging and there's only ice and snow as far as the eye can see. Meanwhile, the sporting news is dominated with playoff football and college basketball with only the occasional free agent signing reminding us that baseball season is coming.

However with each day, the season inches closer to starting. Sometimes the only way I can get through these icy cold New England winter days is to close my eyes and imagine myself sitting on my porch listening to game on a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon. That time will be here soon enough, and I plan on enjoying every minute of it.

C.C or Tex? The Great Debate.

2008-11-04T13:59:00.000-05:00

The majority of the attention this off season will swirl around C.C. Sabathia and Mark Teixeira.

While I think it'll be the smaller, less attention grabbing moves that make or break the Yankees, I couldn't go the entire off season with out talking about these two.

By now you've all seen the stats and the arguments for each.

I'd say that generally the majority are calling for the Yankees to pony up the dough and sign C.C. for a long time.

I don't agree.

I think Tex is the way to go. I wouldn't mind the Yankees shelling out a 7 or 8 year contract for him.

The idea of the Yankees as an offensive threat is getting as old as the players themselves. I think it's fair to expect the majority of the Yankees offensive numbers to drop, and the available minor league options right now do little to cause encouragement for future offensive production coming from within, save for maybe two or three prospects.

On the other hand, the Yankees are stacked with highly regarded pitching prospects. Some are close to major league ready, others are still developing.

That, along with the availability via free agency of other half-way decent pitchers (Burnett, Lowe, Garland, Dempster, etc) makes picking C.C. over Texeria the wrong choice.

There are other things to consider, like how C.C. has logged over 500 innings on that left arm in just 2 seasons, or how badly he has preformed in the few playoff appearances he's had.

At the end of the day, I feel better about the Yankees when I picture Texeria on the roster, rather than C.C.

Then again, maybe they'll sign both. That'd be ok too.

Ok fine, I was wrong.

2008-10-19T23:41:00.001-04:00

Already Over.

2008-10-19T18:05:00.000-04:00

It's tough to sit here waiting for the game to start.

I think everyone knows the Rays aren't going to win. I think even the Rays know that.

It really is like watching a movie when you already know the ending.

I wish I knew how to bet online, I'd have placed a lot of money on the Sox after their come from behind win.

This probably sounds really negative, but I don't mean to be. In my mind it's just a fact already. The Rays don't have it anymore, and I wouldn't be surprised if this collapse followed them into next season.

Having to go to work here in Boston tomorrow will be no picnic.

But hey it's just a game... Right?

That's Just Super.

2008-10-18T23:58:00.002-04:00

Does anyone really think the Sox will lose another game this postseason? I don't.

I'm just disgusted.

Go Rays.

2008-10-10T17:23:00.000-04:00

Wow

2008-10-06T23:44:00.002-04:00

How much are the Red Sox paying Mike Scioscia?

The End of the Angels Season.

2008-10-02T12:48:00.003-04:00

Call me a bitter Yankee fan, most people around here do, but last nights game marked the end of the Angels.

The Angels were given a big break not having to face Beckett in game one, and they blew it.

Now they face Dice-K in game two. A lot of people seem to be pointing out Dice-K and his high walk total as the reason the Angels can beat him.

People figure the Angels will work walks and cause chaos on the base paths.

The only problem, is that this year the Angels saw very few pitchers per plate appearance. They're free swingers and that works in favor of Dice-K. I honestly don't think game 2 will be close. And does anyone think the Angels can win down 2-0 and having to go to Boston?

The Angels, once again, look like a team built for the regular season and not the playoffs.

End of the Road...

2008-09-29T09:41:00.006-04:00

The season is over, and everyone is now looking forward to the off season. Chances are there will be a lot of changes made to the Yankees. Nothing can really get going though, until Cashman makes up his mind.

Now truly is the hardest time to be a Yankees fan here in Boston. The locals are geared up for the postseason and all I can do is sit back and shake my head.

Hey at least the Jets won.

WWCD?

2008-09-25T13:31:00.005-04:00

What Will Cashman Do?

The Yankee brass seemed on board with the 'Brian Cashman Plan' when they held back from trading their young players for Santana. That move should have signified at least a few more years of the Cashman era as he continued to retool and rebuild the farm system.

Now though, it's really up in the air.

He was given basically full control for a few seasons, but as Hank continues to take a more active role in the organization, that full control could be slipping away.

Does Cashman want to deal with having Hank over his shoulder every day? Can he deal with Hank making comment after comment without checking in with his GM first?

It's a lot for Cashman to think about, even knowing that the Yankees will offer him loads of money.

Motivated

2008-09-22T10:17:00.002-04:00

I haven't posted in a long time.

There's a whole bunch of excuses I could use, but the biggest is that the Yankees just didn't excite me enough to warrant writing about each game or player... I came here a few times and even wrote a few words down, but I couldn't find that spark that I needed to write about this team.

I found that spark again this weekend. My family and I visited Yankee stadium one last time this past Saturday, and we had an amazing time. I didn't really know what kind of feel the stadium would have going into this weekend. The Yankees are all but out of it, players are being booed on a regular basis, and no one knows what this team will look like next season.

But even with that, the Yankees and the fans brought an energy to that Stadium that reminded me of the feeling I get during the playoffs. The stadium has an aura and a vibe that only Yankee stadium can have.

I'm not really eloquent enough to put into words what watching last nights ceremony and game was like. I think there's a thousand writers who will put it better. I know it meant a lot to me and helped remind me why I'm a Yankees fan. The ceremony, the game and the post game all served to remind the sports watching world what type of organization the Yankees have. I know I'll never forget this weekend.

They reminded us of the history, the tradition and the class that makes the Yankees the Yankees.

So this season is about to end and the Yankees will go home. There will be an eventful off season, controversy with Hank, Hal and probably Arod. There will be arguments and debates about who the Yankees should keep, let go and sign. There will be people yelling again as the Yankees get hit with a luxury tax, and as always there will be people calling the Yankees bad for baseball.

In the end, a new season will begin, and a new stadium will provide new memories, history and legends.

It's been very easy to get down on the Yankees the last few seasons and for me, it's been easy to forget their history and tradition. It's been easy to get caught up more in all the controversies than the actual baseball. Now I feel renewed having watched this weekends events at Yankee stadium, and I'm truly thankful to be a Yankee fan.

Ice Cold

2008-08-15T15:48:00.000-04:00

If you pull the lens back a little on a baseball season, then you will generally see that a teams season is made up of hot and cold streaks. There might be some .500 baseball in between, but most teams make their move by going on more hot streaks than cold.

This year the Yankees have had a couple nice hot streaks, but not nearly enough to overshadow the cold ones.

Right now the Yankees seem, once again, to be lost as a team. Pick whatever reason you want. Chemistry, their numbers with RISP, injuries, new manager... Doesn't really matter at this point.

They do have the talent to win, but not when everyone on the team looks as bad as they have the last 2 or 3 weeks.

I'll be at the game Saturday, so hopefully they haven't thrown in the towel just yet. Maybe they can get something going with a few wins of the Royals.

Although at this point would another hot streak matter? If the Yankees win 10 out of 12 games, how improved would their position in the standings really be? Hey at least they sent Melky to the minors finally.

Either way I'll keep following them, because thats whats fans do. Lets hope they give us something to root for the last month and a half or so.

Pudge by the Numbers

2008-07-31T13:16:00.003-04:00

Here are a few interesting numbers on the newest Yankee, Ivan Rodriguez,

He's a career .283 hitter in Yankee stadium. (And a career .302 hitter in Fenway)

He doesn't walk. He only walked 9 (Nine!) times last season... He's managed 19 walks so far this season.

He has a.240 .Avg this season with RISP, and with 2 outs and RISP he's hitting .216

He's also listed as hitting .196 in "late and close" situations.

Pudge is an improvement at the plate, but he's a roleplayer now, not a superstar. He's turned it on lately, hitting .350 over his last 16 games so let's just hope that lasts another few months.

Hey, Someone Gets It.

2008-07-29T16:00:00.003-04:00

CBS put up their weekly Power Rankings today which I can never help but look at. Writer Larry Dobrow makes a pretty good comment in the Yankees section when he says:

"The Red Sox spent the past five seasons plunking Derek Jeter with impunity, but now Joba Chamberlain's the jerkhead for going after Kevin "Looooouuuu" Youkilis? The funniest thing is Youkilis seems genuinely surprised every time it happens."

Don't get me wrong, clearly throwing at someones head is a bit different than hitting a guy in the elbow a hundred times, but the point is the same.

When Pedro was here in Boston, he was a well known head-hunter. Who doesn't remember the game where Pedro looked in at Jorge Posada in the dugout while pointing at his head.

A few people spoke up back then, but it seems like people have forgotten how many Yankees have been hit over the last few years in these heated Yankee/Sox games.

Manny the Hot Topic...

2008-07-26T13:16:00.003-04:00

I found myself in the car for about an hour today, and since the Yankees won last night, I decided to listen to some Boston sports radio.

For almost the entire hour, there wasn't a mention of Beckett, Chamberlain, or the great game that was played... All the focus was on Manny. At first, it seemed a lot like the types of things we've been hearing year after year about Manny, but when you pay more attention you can see that this is a bigger deal.

Check out this article by Boston sports writer Dan Shaughnessy. This type of action was never even discussed in years passed and was just played out as 'Manny being Manny'.

This really is the teams fault. They've let Manny do whatever he wants since 2001, because his performance on the field was so good. All his antics were played off as cute and funny, but now things have reached a boiling point. The ownership, the team, the media and even the fans are starting to turn on Manny. It seems like they've finally had enough.

Now all eyes are waiting to see if he's in the lineup for todays game. If he pulls himself, the feeling is that the team will take some disciplinary action.

Now it's Getting Exciting...

2008-07-22T08:18:00.002-04:00

The Yankees seem to finally be pitching and hitting well. Everyone seems to be falling into a rhythm, and the timing couldn't be better.

They have these last two games against the Twins, before heading into Boston for 3 big games.

The start of the Boston series also marks a stretch in which the Yankees play 20 straight games from July 25th until August 13th. The Yankees have to hope they can stay as consistent as they have, and hope that they have the depth to carry them through...

Yankees Start the Break Early

2008-07-13T22:33:00.002-04:00

Today the Yankees faced a pitcher, whose team had publicly said was on a pitch count. So what do they do? They let him pitch almost the entire game while keeping his pitch count under 100.

This was another game in which the Yankees just looked bored and in a hurry to leave. I'm sure that's not the case, but most of them looked like they were thinking ahead to what they had planned for the All Star Break.

Now the Yankees find themselves with 67 remaining games. Last year they played great in the second half, and this year they have to do it again. They should be able to do it again, but who knows. Baseball is always unpredictable in the end.

Didn't See That One Coming

2008-07-10T08:44:00.003-04:00

Sidney Ponson pitched great and kept the Yankees in the game. Eventually, their lack luster offense managed to put another run across and win a very exciting game.

Hows this for a stat...

They Yankees are 17-11 in 1 run games. That's second best in the AL only in the to Texas, who is 18-10.

Last year at this time, the Yankees were 7-14 in 1 run games. The worst in the AL at that time.

In Other News...

2008-07-07T13:22:00.002-04:00

Suspect in Cape baseball bat attack held without bail

Man beats another with bat, believing him to be a Yankees fan.

Brett Gardner after 21 At Bats...

2008-07-07T10:21:00.005-04:00

Brett Gardner had a dramatic 10th inning hit to win the game. You know that by now.

You also probably know that after last nights 2-5 performance, he's hitting .143 on the season.

Lets look closer at the numbers. He has 3 hits, and 2 walks. Of those 5 times that he has been on base, he has come around to score on 4 of those occasions. He is also a perfect 3 for 3 in stolen bases.

Still, he is only hitting .143 with just a .208 OBP. Yes, he has hit a few balls hard that found their way into gloves, but not enough times to think he'd be doing much better than .143.

His defense has been great. When I watch him approach a fly ball or throw in, I haven't been worried.

I think he has the potential to be a good all around player for the Yankees. I don't know if he'll hit .270, but he could steal 30 bases the rest of the way. He also seems to do what a lot of the other Yankees can't right now, and that's just put the ball in play. His sacrifice fly in Saturdays game was huge, and seemed like something the Yankees haven't been able to do all season. He also tends to see a lot of pitches, which is great for the Yankees since they need a lead off man right now.

We'll see how it goes the rest of the way, but so far despite the low average Yankee fans have to be encouraged by what they've seen from Gardner.

The Start of Something?

2008-07-03T08:55:00.001-04:00

Watching the bats come alive last night was both refreshing and encouraging. Sometimes a game like this can really get a team on a roll.

A few weeks ago, on June 12th, Matsui blasted a grandslam in a Yankee victory over the Oakland A's. This put the Yankees over the .500 mark at 34-33. This seemed to spark the team, as after that game they went 10-4 in the next 14 games.

Of course that didn't last, and the bats had seemed to go silent again during the last few days of June and the beginning of this month.

In last nights game, Giambi bashed a grand slam and had 6 RBI on the game. The rest of the Yankee offense also did their part.

The Yankees are entering a critical part of the year, so lets hope last nights offense performance carries over into the couple weeks.

He's. Getting. Worse.

2008-07-01T14:07:00.003-04:00

Melky Cabrera:
last 28 games: .191 avg.
last 14 games: .170 avg.
last 7 games: .148 avg.

And of course like every other Yankee, his avg. with runners in scoring position is terrible, currently at .222.

I really don't like picking on Melky, especially a day after the whole team looked inept... However the majority of the team had been producing the previous 3 or 4 weeks, while Melky continues to slide closer to the Mendoza line.

Yankees should bounce back tonight.

In a Pretty Good Spot

2008-06-30T09:22:00.002-04:00

The poor start seems to be behind the Yankees, and they now are in a fairly good spot to make a big move.

The Yankees are only 5-5 in their last 10, but over the last 3 weeks or so they have made up a good amount of ground.

They sit 5.5 out of first in the east and 5 out of the wildcard.

They also have a big month of July to look forward to. In July they play 18 games at home and only 7 on the road.

They'll host both Boston and Tampa Bay who are currently both ahead of the Yankees in the east.

They'll also host both Oakland and Minnesota, who are ahead of them in the wild card.

They are in a position to make up a lot of ground in the next 30 days or so.

The Sinking Ship That is Darrell Rasner

2008-06-25T09:20:00.004-04:00

He helped keep the Yankees a float and pitched great when the offense was struggling, but teams have now figured him out.

It's not rare for this to happen really. Teams get video and send out advanced scouts, and they find something about a pitcher. After that it's up to the pitcher to adjust and figure out a new way to get hitters out. Rasner hasn't done that, and he's getting the tar knocked out of him.

Rasner is 1-4 in his last 5 starts, with a 7.00 ERA. In 27 innings he's given up 39 hits. Opposing teams are also hitting .313 off of him with men on base.

Rasner was spectacular for a few weeks but his time in the majors might be up. Ian Kennedy has started rehabbing and could be back in a few weeks. Jeff Karstens seemed to have a leg up on Rasner during spring training before he was hurt and just won pitcher of the week honors in AAA so he's another option.

It'll be interesting to see if he makes his next start or not.

2008-06-20T22:38:00.002-04:00

This is the video of Pat Venditte that's floating around.

I'm sure everyone has seen it already, but it's still so incredibly entertaining.

Heres the link to it from River Ave.

Be sure to check it out.

Yankees Keep Rolling

2008-06-18T09:10:00.000-04:00

Not much more to say right now.

The Yankees seem to be clicking on all cylinders lately.

They do face a hurdle tonight though, when they face Padre's ace Jake Peavy.

Peavy pitched for the first time since May 14th last Friday against the Dodgers and was outstanding. 6 innings, 3 hits, no runs, no walks and 4 strikeouts.

There are still some who feel the Yankees may have just been beating up on bad pitchers and bad teams the last couple weeks. How they play tonight will say a lot about the team when it has to face someone of Peavy's skill level.

Fanning the Flames

2008-06-13T11:45:00.001-04:00

Brett Gardner was 2 for 4 with his 9th triple of the year last night. This raised his average to .297

Melky Cabrera is 1 for his last 18, dropping his average to .261, and also dropping his OBP to .312.

I'm just saying...

Yankees Drafted Ambidextrous Pitcher

2008-06-10T21:40:00.002-04:00

The Yankees drafted a switch-pitching pitcher named Pat Venditte. Apparently they have drafted him before.

This time around he's a senior.

Check out his video, it's pretty wild.

Melky's Time Running Out?

2008-06-10T08:59:00.004-04:00

A couple weeks ago I jumped on the wagon with those fans who were seriously questioning if Melky should stay as the Yankees starting CF.

Since then he has hit a little bit better. In his last 13 games he's hitting at .348, which has raised his average to .270 for the season. But more times than not, he looks lost at the plate.

Enter Brett Gardner. The movement in his favor was small at the beginning of the season, but has since grown with both River Ave Blues and the LoHud blog seemingly jumping on board with the idea of giving him a chance.

And why not? Even if he can't hit higher than .270, he has speed and is a smart base runner. (So, for example, you won't see him slide head first into first base) He can steal, he can cover more ground in the OF and now in AAA he's even hitting for power and getting extra bases.

So far in Scranton Brett has hit .295 with a .414 OBP (compare that to Melky's .322) . He has already stolen 25 bases, and only been caught 8 times. He has also hit 9 doubles and 7 triples on the season.

It's hard to say how long he'll be ignored. One thing working heavily against him, is that he is a left handed hitter. The Yankees are so loaded with lefties, I'm not sure they want to add another one permanently into the lineup.

It'll be interesting to see what happens, but right now the call for him to come to the big league is getting louder. Melky should be hearing footsteps.

Just for comparison purposes:

Jacoby Ellsbury 2007 in AAA-
87 games, .298 Avg, .360 OBP, .380 Slg, 14 doubles, 5 triples, 33 SB, 6CS

Brett Gardner 2008 in AAA-
61 games, .295 Avg, .414 OBP,448 SLG, 9 doubles, 7 triples, 25SB, 8CS

Farnsworth...

2008-06-06T12:07:00.000-04:00

I hate to post a semi-negative post the day after an exciting win, but I feel I must keep pointing out just how bad Kyle Farnsworth has been lately.

In his last 11 games, he has thrown 11.1 innings, giving up up 17 hits and 4 home runs for a 6.35 ERA (!!!) and opponets are hitting .328 off of him.

And how is this for a stat?

Over the whole season, the first batter he faces in the beginning of an inning is hitting .423 off of him, with 4 HRs. They're slugging .923 off of him.

All stats aside, people are starting to just feel like he can't handle the roll. Just like last season, every time he takes the mound, all of Yankee universe collectively holds it's breath.

I don't know that Ohlendorf, Veras or Edwar are a better option, but I know that I have no real faith in Farnsworth at this point.

Swing and a...

2008-06-05T18:27:00.006-04:00

Well, Giambi crushed a HR and gave the Yankees a great dramatic win.

Meanwhile, the Yankees drafted Garrit Cole...

Who was number #7 on Rivals top 100

It's pretty incredible that he fell to 28. Some scouts believe he has one of the most explosive fastballs of any pitchers in the draft.

They also drafted LHP Jeremy Bleich out of Stanford. He might not be somebody that the experts are excited about, but he sounds like a fairly solid LHP who could contribute in the majors soon.

He also patterns his game off of Andy Pettitte.

This was a good first day for the Yankees. I was wrong about Tanner Scheppers, who was taken in the second round with the 48th pick by the Pirates.

Update 7:46PM:
The Yankees have also taken Joseph Bittle in the second round and David Adams in the third.

Check out River Ave. for some great draft coverage.

My Guess on the Yankees First Pick...

2008-06-05T09:37:00.001-04:00

This is an absolute guess. The chances he slides to the Yankees is real slim.

Tanner Scheppers

This page has some info on him. Throws a mid-level fastball, along with a plus-slider. His recent shoulder injury may let him slide down to 28.

Trying to figure out an MLB draft is really tough. Guys rise and fall all the time. Teams evaluate differently.

I think Tanner would be a steal if he slides.

I Don't Understand the Bullpen

2008-06-03T08:36:00.001-04:00

Or to be more specific, I don't understand bullpen management.

I don't get how different managers get attached to certain pitchers.

Torre was attached to Proctor, and it seems Giradri is attached to Farnsworth.

I don't understand why he has so much faith in the guy. Over the last 6 games, he has a 5.68 ERA. Overall he has a 4.44 ERA and has given up 8 HRs in just 26.1 innings. That hardly screams '8th inning set up man'.

Meanwhile there are better pitchers, like Edwar and Chris Britton, just sitting there watching Farnsworth's pitches fly over the walls.

I don't think Giradri managed last nights game well at all. He needs to rethink his strategy, and quickly.

Who Won This Trade?

2008-06-02T08:46:00.000-04:00

2008 Season:

Wilson Betemit:
14 Games
.237 AVG
.256 OBP
1 HR
3 Runs
3 RBI

Scott Proctor:
24 Games
24.1 IP
21 Hits
6 HR
15 ER
14 BB
26 K
5.55 ERA
1.44 WHIP

Own The Legacy

2008-05-30T17:12:00.004-04:00

Upper Deck is running a pretty neat promotion right now.

They've inserted 6,661 different cards into assorted packs of Upper Deck cards, they're calling it the Yankee Stadium Legacy set.

One card to represent each game or event played at Yankee Stadium.

I'm told this is the largest card set ever produced.

Check out their Own The Legacy page for more information.

Is Melky's Starting Job Secure?

2008-05-30T09:20:00.000-04:00

Everybody loves Melky.

He brings a whole bunch of energy and usually looks like he's actually having fun playing the game. He has handled the pressure of being the Yankess starting center fielder pretty well, and we all know how great his defense has been.

His hitting though, still hasn't really come around.

As of today, he's currently hitting .254 with 6 homeruns and 21 RBI. In 2007 he finished the season at .273. In 2006 he was at .280.

He's in quite a slump right now, but overall on the season he doesn't seem to be providing the team with that spark that he had been the last two years.

Meanwhile in Scranton, Lefty Brett Gardner is hot. Through 48 games he's hitting .281 with 3 homeruns and 21 RBI. He has also hit 6 triples and stolen 18 bases. He has also yet to make an error this year, and has 2 outfield assists. He's fast, he's a smart base runner and he's the kind of guy that opposing teams do not want reaching base.

He might be just the kind of player the Yankees need to get their offense going.

Right now Melky is in no danger of losing his job. However if he continues to struggle and if Gardner keeps up the pace he's at right now, it's going to be hard to ignore him.

Just something to keep an eye on.

Bullpen Moves?

2008-05-28T09:20:00.001-04:00

With Joba moving into the rotation, the Yankees will have to shake up their bullpen a bit.

It's becoming more and more clear that Ross Ohlendorf needs to spend some time in the minors, and that something is just not right with LaTroy Hawkins.

Hawkins seems like one of those cases where because of his contract, he's given a lot of wiggle room in the majors. That's really to bad, because his 6.75 ERA is downright terrible.

He's becoming the Kyle Farnsworth of last year. Each time he enters a game, Yankee fans cringe.

Batters are hitting .308 off him with runners in scoring position, and .317 overall with men on.

I think you'll see Chris Britton replace Ohlendorf soon. Who could replace Hawkins?

I think J.B Cox and Mark Melancon should keep pitching in the minors for a bit. They can be great, but lets give them time.

One name to look at is Dan Giese. He's a 31 year old journeyman starter who was having great success up until his last outing. He could take Hawkins spot on the roster and fill in as the long reliever for awhile. So basically you have Britton take over Hawkins roll, and Giese take over the roll Ohlendorf has been pitching.

This would only be temporary, until Cox, Melancon or even Jeff Karstens are ready.

But again, I doubt they move Hawkins. His contract will keep him afloat in the majors for awhile.

Turning Point.

2008-05-22T08:27:00.002-04:00

Yesterday could end up being a day that Yankee fans point to later in the season as the day things turned around.

Up until yesterday, the Yankees seemed almost bored to be playing. Yesterdays win was a good one. The whole team looked alive, and I hope they hold onto that feeling.

It was also announced, that Joba Chamberlain is beginning his switch to the starting rotation. He threw 35 pitches last night, which is more than he has thrown all year.

There's no word on how long it'll take to get him there, but this is an exciting change.

Don't count the Yankees out yet. They are still capable of stringing some wins together and getting back into race.

Have We Hit the Low Point?

2008-05-21T08:27:00.003-04:00

Eventually, the Yankees will hit the lowest point, and bounce back. They just can't play this bad all season long.

Last nights game was very ugly. In my opinion, the ugliest of the season so far. The Yankees looked lost, frustrated and weak.

Have the Yankees finally hit bottom?

Can they really fall any further?

They are 3-7 in their last 10, and have lost 4 in a row.

In their last 5 games, the Yankees are hitting .206. That's the worst in all of MLB for this last week.

Through 5 games they are also sporting a 5.81 ERA, the third worst mark in MLB.

This has to be rock bottom. Eventually, the trend needs to change. There's really nowhere to go but up.

Headphones.

2008-05-20T12:40:00.001-04:00

Headphones: Invented to be used to drown out Red Sox fans at work and in everyday life. Especially on days like this when the Red Sox stock seems to keep rising just as fast as the Yankees falls.

Andy?

2008-05-13T08:55:00.000-04:00

I love Andy Pettitte. His demeanor, his glare under the bill of his cap, and of course his many great games in a Yankee uniform.

But somethings not right with him currently. Andy's last 3 starts have been terrible:

16.1 IP, 20 hits, 12 ER, 3 HRs, for a 6.61 ERA.

And, all season long, he's been getting pummeled in pressure situations. This year, with men on base, opponents are hitting .371 against Andy, including hitting .293 with runners in scoring position.

Andy is also getting beat up as the game goes on. In a hitters first at bat against Andy, they're hitting .242. But the second time around batters are hitting .311, and after that they're hitting .328...

Is he not adjusting? Is he getting fatigued? I'm not sure, but the Yankees need more from him if they're going to survive.

Coming Around?

2008-05-11T09:57:00.000-04:00

I remember last year, I tracked Abreu's numbers through the first couple months. He was hitting third in the order, but he just looked lost. It was clear that the Yankees needed him to figure it out in order to succeed.

This year, it's Cano and Giambi that the Yankees need to start hitting. Lately, they've been showing signs of life.

Cano in the last 6 games is hitting .364 and sporting a .391 OBP and an impressive .727 SLG. Yankee fans have to hope this keeps up. If Cano starts turning it on, things will improve quickly for the Yankees.
Also, a sort of pointless stat, but Cano is hitting .538 in the 5th inning of games. In 13 ABs during the 5th inning, he has 7 hits.

Giambi has also looked better. In his last 5 games, he's hitting .333 with a .421 OBP and a whooping .933 SLG.

They're both small sample sizes, but the results are the same. If these guys keep it going, the rest of the league will have to watch out. The Yankees will start putting up some powerful offensive numbers.

What to do...

2008-04-30T11:54:00.000-04:00

Well the great debate this morning is what is to be done with 21 year old Phil Hughes.

Hughes has been flat out terrible so far in 6 starts, as we all know. Everyone knows the kid has talent and can compete at this level, but it's not clicking yet. So whats wrong?

Well first, hes not consistent at all. He can't throw a few good pitches in a row. Hitters are being more patient and know if they wait a pitch or two, he'll make a mistake.

He also is getting rattled very quickly. You can see it on his face. He gets flustered and can't calm himself down enough to focus on the next hitter.

In my opinion this is pretty understandable. In his minor league career, Hughes was a beast. He dominated and hardly ever ran into trouble or tough situations. Hughes never got knocked around. He has never experienced this kind of adversity.

So what do the Yankees do? They can either leave him in the rotation and hope that a 21 year old kid can develop the mental focus a pitcher needs to succeed, or they can send him down to work the kinks out and bring up someone like Darrell Rasner.

Rasner is pitching like a man possessed in AAA. He's currently 4-0 with a 0.87era.

That might be best for the team, but what does it mean for Hughes? Does he develop any further in AAA? Can you teach a kid to deal with pressure situations in the minors?

It's a tough call, and I'm glad I'm not Yankee management today.

Hanging in There...

2008-04-29T11:17:00.000-04:00

At 14-13, the Yankees don't look that impressive. However considering what they've been through so far this season, and the trouble the offense has been having, 14 wins is a pretty solid achievement.

Moose looked pretty good tonight, earning his 253rd career win. I wish he could have gone more than 5 innings, but the bullpen did a great job of shutting the door. Even Krazy Kyle looked good.

So, the Yankees sit at 14-13 and are just 1 game behind the first place Rays(!!), Orioles(!!?), and Red Sox.

The pitching of late has been fairly solid, but the bats have yet to come around. Even during last nights 4 run rally in the 6th, the Yankees managed to only get one ball out of the infield. The lineup hasn't truly gotten going just yet.

Solid Outing for Moose

2008-04-24T19:43:00.000-04:00

This was an important start for Moose... There were very few people still on his side, and even those people had been quietly backing away from defending him and his pitching ability.

Moose though, answered the call and pitched great.

The biggest difference in this outing was the amount of pitches he threw inside to the Chicago hitters. It's something he's been hesitant to do his entire career, but it worked out tonight. He even broke a few bats.

A pitcher that has been doing this for a few seasons now is Greg Maddux. His fastball is comparable with Moose at this point in their careers, but Maddux has been able to find more success late in his career because he's been pitching inside...

Let's hope Moose sticks to this plan and continues to pitch inside. It'll keep guys guessing and stop hitters from just waiting for that 86 MPH fastball on the outside...

Tonight, all eyes are on the winless Hughes... People are being more patient with him because of his age, but eventually he needs to put together a quality start. Lets hope that's tonight.

Stop Pitching to Manny...

2008-04-18T11:14:00.000-04:00

Seriously.

I'm not a baseball expert, and I don't know all the statistics so maybe there is something I'm missing...

But why in the world do the Yankees, and Mike Mussina specifically, continue to pitch to Manny? Can someone explain to me what I'm missing?

Also, I'm ok with pushing hitters back and sending a message, but not with a 97MPH fastball aimed at the head...

If it slipped, then fine.. But I'm not so sure.

Yankees Bash Their Way to a Win

2008-04-17T14:45:00.000-04:00

Well.. That wasn't pretty from a pitching standpoint, but the Yankees won..

The starting pitching was terrible for both sides, but the Yankees bullpen looked better than the Red Sox.

Ross Ohlendorf got knocked around a bit, but overall he looked pretty good. He was throwing hard and his slider was really moving. Bruney was topping out at 97 MPH, and the ball was moving. Thats tough to hit.

I was also happy to see Billy Traber get Ortiz out with one pitch.. He should expect to be facing Ortiz quite regularaly this season.

The Yankees are now tied for first, which is exciting to say, considering where they were last year in April.

Game two tonight.. Moose needs to show up big and the Yankees need to try and get to Beckett early.

A Test for the Yankees..

2008-04-14T19:08:00.000-04:00

With the offense struggling and the starting pitching being fairly suspect, the last thing the Yankees need is more bad news..

But right now this is a Yankee team that seems to have a lot working against.

First, they are in the middle of a brutal schedule, which has them traveling all over the country, without a day off in between. They are professional athletes, but traveling so much can take a lot out of anybody.

Second, the injury bug has come into the Yankee club house and begun tossing around a plethora of annoying little injuries. Jeter is scheduled to start tonight, but is he 100%? Posada's shoulder still hurts and Molina has gone down with a hamstring injury. Who knows how long he'll be out. And recently the Yankees announced that Wilson Betemit will have to hit the DL with a bad case of Pink Eye. That explains a lot...

A-Rod and his wive are due to have a child any day now, which would cause the Yankees to lose his bat for at least a few games. Thats the last thing this struggling offense needs. But, somethings are more important.

Finally, Joba's dad isn't doing well, or so it sounds. Everyone remembers Harlen Chamberlain watching his son pitch for the first time in a Yankees uniform. He was so proud of his son, that was easy to see. From listening to Joba talk about his family and his upbringing, it's clear that his father means a great deal to him. I know we're all certainly hoping and praying he pulls through this.

It's easy to forget sometimes that Joba is just a 22 year old kid.

Jeter's Injury Opens the Door...

2008-04-08T11:12:00.000-04:00

A good game last night by the Yankees was marred only by Jeter leaving the game in the early innings. Moose and the pen combined for a 3 hit, 1 run effort, which is just stellar.

We'll hear more about just how serious the injury is, but the feeling seems to be that Jeter could miss up to a week, although they do want to keep him off the DL.

So, of course everyone wants to know who plays shortstop?

Jeff Passan has an article here, where he suggests that we might see A-Rod take over at short.

Really what other choice do the Yankee have?

If Jeter doesn't hit the DL, then they can't really call someone up to play short. So Girardi would have to pick from whats on the bench, or use A-Rod.

Betemit is technically their utility infielder, but hes a big guy who doesn't have the greatest range. He is much better suited at first or third base. Ensburg could maybe do it, since hes a bit more agile and has played third his whole career so he would be use to throwing across the field. Of course he has played a grand total of 2 innings at shortstop and hasn't really been knocking the cover off the ball. That leaves Shelley and Molina... Right, moving on...

I think A-rod would make the most sense, but I think at least for a few games, we'll see Betemit field the position. Girardi won't make to drastic of a change if Jeter is only going to miss a couple games.

Not as Bad as it Seemed...

2008-04-03T11:52:00.000-04:00

But still not all that good either...

A.J. Burnett dominated the Yankee hitters last night, pitching like the #2 starter he is and Moose pitched more like a 5th starter, which is really what he should be on this team. He's not going to give them the amount of innings a team needs out of a #3 starter.

I believe the hitting will come around shortly. It always seems that early in the season, the pitchers have a great advantage over the hitters. Moose was an exception to this rule last night, because it's hard for a batter to not hit a 84 MPH fastball.

I expect Moose to get better once he settles into the regular season routine, but I still don't see him giving this team more than #4 starter numbers.

Phil Hughes takes the mound tonight, and I think all of Yankee universe is excited about that. Hopefully its warmer at the stadium for tonight's game. Everybody looked freezing last night.

Beautiful Start

2008-04-02T01:28:00.000-04:00

What a great game.

It was so refreshing to watch Yankees baseball again, and I don't think we could have asked for a better game.

What stood out to me the most, was the energy and the vibe that the team projected tonight. From the first pitch to the last, the Yankees seemed alive and focused. I know I for one jumped out of my seat a few times. Specifically after Melky's catches and after Joba's final K of the 8th.

God I love baseball.

Ready To Begin

2008-03-31T11:24:00.000-04:00

Well it's opening day, and in a few short hours, Chien-Ming Wang will take the mound and the season will begin for the Yankees.

What can we expect from the Yankees, and what kind of season is in store for us?

Well, if you've been reading around, you'll see that the majority of the paid sports writers and broadcasters out there are picking at least 2 American League teams that are better than the Yankees. Namely, the Tigers and the Red Sox.. Some also have the Angels, Indians and Mariners as stronger teams this year, but injures and a poor spring for all three teams has some of them second guessing. Still, it's clear that the American League is a beast this year, with some very improved teams.

Whats interesting is a lot of the columnists out there point to an unproven starting rotation as the Yankees main weakness.. But if you look at the Sox, they are in the same basic position with John Lester and Clay Buchholz. The Tigers will mash, but can their starting pitching keep up? And what about their bullpen which was hit hard with injures during the off season..

So it's hard to say. I'm clearly bias, no matter how hard I try not to be. There are a few people out there picking the Yankees to finish third in the division. I don't see that happening. The East will be a brutal division, as both the Blue Jays and the Rays are improved, but The Yankees and Sox are still the most complete teams there.

Overall I think a solid lineup, a good bench, a re-tooled bullpen, and a balanced rotation of veterans and youngsters is going to keep the Yankees in the hunt all season long. They will have their ups and Downs just like any team, but the Yankees are built to win, and I think they have a good shot to.

Traber on the 40 Man Roster

2008-03-15T22:55:00.000-04:00

Pete Abe is reporting that Traber was added to the 40 man roster. I'm excited about that, I've been rooting for him since they signed him.

Wow

2008-03-14T22:06:00.000-04:00

So I go on vacation for a few days and all hell breaks lost in Yankee land.

Fights, injures and the signing of Billy Crystal. Wow, things were calm when I left!

About Shelley, I don't know what to think. It sure does look like he did it on purpose, but I do like how the Yankees are showing early that they'll defend their players this year.

I also wanted to mention that I hate Jim Rome.

He torched Shelley and the Yankees today, and even stated that his teammates don't have his back.

Really Jim? How about explaining these quotes then:

Brian Cashman: “I’ll take 25 Shelley Duncans. How about that?”

Derek Jeter: “If I were Shelley I wouldn’t change the way I play the game. There’s no reason to change the way he plays the game.”

Report: Bobby Murcer's Biopsy Negative

2008-03-05T03:50:00.000-05:00

A report from NJ.com and from Michael Kay from the YES network states that Bobby Murcer's cancer biopsy came back negative.

I know we're all glad to hear that.

Why It's Fun to Be a Yankees Fan in Boston

2008-03-04T13:50:00.000-05:00

I joke a lot about how it can be tough to be a Yankees fan in these parts, but these types of stories are getting more and more frequent, and frankly it's pathetic.

I'm as passionate about baseball as anybody, but at the end of the day, it's a game.

"Then the mob of Red Sox fans allegely threw the victim to the ground and repeatedly kicked him."

What's really sad about the whole thing isn't the story itself, which can probably be explained away by to much alcohal. What's sad, is that there will be Red Sox fans who are happy about this. People who think this kind of stuff shows some sort of Red Sox pride. People who think that their fans are better because they start fights over baseball. You stay classy Red Sox fans.

More Billy Traber Talk

2008-03-03T01:48:00.000-05:00

The good folks over at River Ave. Blues added a nice little Organizational Depth Chart with some educated guesses as to who is ahead of who.

Of course what caught my eye, was who they think has the inside track for the LHRP position.

The more I follow this guy the more I find myself rooting for him. Right now I have no faith in Sean Henn or Igawa so if Girardi does take a LHRP, I hope it's Traber.

Billy Traber Throws Well

2008-03-02T01:55:00.000-05:00

Traber faced three lefties today, and looked good getting all three out.

He pitched in the intra-squad game, and got knocked around a bit, but that was against right handed hitters.

Although Girardi has said he won't necessarily take a lefty when they go north, you have to think him and the Yankees are hoping somebody steps up..

Igawa will be given every chance to earn the job, mostly because the organization is still embarrassed about the contract.

But Traber could steal that job away if keeps getting the opportunity to pitch against left handed hitters. I know I'd much rather see him rather than Igawa or Henn at this point.

ESPN's comments on Hank

2008-03-01T21:03:00.000-05:00

Here's a link to an ESPN article and video clip of some ESPN folks talking about Hank's statement..

If you can't pick out the Red Sox bias in the article and in the video, then chances are you're a Red Sox fan yourself.

I especially like how Steve Phillips completely side steps the last question when he's asked if he's a Red Sox fan.

I like Hank

2008-03-01T01:12:00.000-05:00

Saw this over at River Ave. Blues and I had to copy it here because it made my night.

“Red Sox Nation?” What a bunch of [expletive] that is,” he [Hank Steinbrenner] said in an interview with The New York Times’ Play magazine. “That was a creation of the Red Sox and ESPN, which is filled with Red Sox fans.

“Go anywhere in America and you won’t see Red Sox hats and jackets, you’ll see Yankee hats and jackets. This is a Yankee country. We’re going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order.”

This man is passionate about this team.

Yankees Have Options for the Pen

2008-02-27T13:54:00.000-05:00

If there is such a thing as having to many options when it comes to the bullpen, then it's safe to say the Yankees currently have that problem.. The bullpen is such a vital part of a team. The Yankees will probably have some tough choices to make once Spring Training ends.

By all accounts, the bullpen has 3 spots that are up for the taking. Girardi has said he won't necessarily put a left handed specialist in the pen, unless someone really stands out to him.

Today, the Yankees play an intrasquad game. There are 13 pitchers due to pitch today, and 12 of them are fighting for those 3 bullpen spots.

But that's only part of the list of players fighting for a spot. There is also Chase Wright, Kei Igawa, Brian Bruney, Chris Britton, Jose Veras and Jeffrey Marquez (Though he is real a long-shot).
All of them are sure to get work in the next few days as the Yankees try and make a choice on who to take with them when they had north to New York.

If I had to guess, I'd say the Yankees would first look to take one long-relief man. That would have to be either Rasner, Igawa or Karstens.. I'll just guess it's Karstens because he has the experience and pitched pretty well over the winter for Team USA

I also think the Yankees will give Edwar Ramirez a shot early on in the season. He has a bit of MLB experience and offers a change of pace from all the hard stuff the rest of the bullpen throws. He got knocked around pretty hard in the majors, but its hard to ignore his numbers in the minor leagues

I also think that Giradri will decide to take at least one left hander. Again, I think Igawa has a chance at this spot. The Yankees will give him every chance to succeed. I think the wild card here will be Billy Traber. He has had a spotty career, but has always handled left handed hitters fairly well. That said, there has been word that Sean Henn has been pitching well in the early going, so it wouldn't surprise me if he made the team too. He's also out of options, so he could be gone if they don't add him to the MLB roster.

Who do you think should fill in the last 3 bullpen spots?

A Sign of Spring

2008-02-15T12:08:00.000-05:00

This is a fantastic day..

Pitchers and catchers checked in yesterday, but today marks the first full day of practice and drills..

This has to be one of my favorite parts of the season. Every team comes in with a clean slate.

In the next few days we'll be hearing interviews and reports from all the camps, we'll get a look at the new comers on the team. We'll get to see what a Joe Giradri led Yankee team looks like. Things will slowly start to take shape, we'll get a feel for what the lineup will look like, as well as the rotation and bullpen.

This is a team that is a lot different from the last few years. It is filled with youth, but still has the solid veteran presence that we're use to.. Slowly this Yankee team will develop an identity of it's own that it will carry through this season.. And that all starts today.

Heres a link to NewsDay who have some pictures from yesterday.

Someone to Keep an Eye on This Spring..

2008-02-05T12:56:00.000-05:00

In the middle of January the Yankees signed a 27 year old pitcher named Billy Traber, and invited him to Spring Training..

Traber was a first round pick back in 2000, but never lived up to his hype.. Hes been floating around different minor league systems ever since.

So why should we keep an eye on him? Because he is a lefty.

If Giradri goes the route of 'matchups' then the Yankees have Traber, Sean Henn, Kei Igawa, and Chase Wright competing for the 'lefty-specialist' spot on the roster..

Here's what left-handed batters hit off of these four pitchers last season:

Traber: .176 Avg
Chase Wright: .250 Avg
Sean Henn: .288 Avg
Kei Igawa: .320 Avg (wow)

Numbers do mean little when it comes down to it, and these are limited samples... But right now, of those pitchers it's Traber that has had the best success, in general, against lefties.

They'll give Igawa a big chance, because of the money they have wrapped up in him.. But keep your eye on Billy Traber

Quite a Slow Month..

2008-01-30T12:15:00.000-05:00

I really enjoy writing this blog, but you wouldn't know that by looking at the recent history.

As exciting as some of the off season trades and news is, it's not exciting enough in my mind to write about.. I love following the trades and free agent signings as much as the next blogger, but I can't seem to find enough interesting things about the deals to warrant a post.. And I basically refuse on principle to write about the Mitchell report or any of the Congressional hearings..

The biggest piece of news to come out of this month, in my opinion happened just yesterday with the Santana trade.

Most experts and writers out there seem to feel that the Twins got the short end of the stick with this deal.. However according to Baseball America and Mvn.com, the Twins received the Met's #2,3,4 and 7th ranked prospects..

That's really not a terrible deal, but the consensus seems to be that none of the prospects taken are major league ready. Which is a lot different from the packages the Yankees and Red Sox were offering earlier this winter. In each of those packages, the Twins would have received at least 2 major league ready players.

I do think the Twins and their ownership over played their hand. We're in a era right now where teams, even the big market ones, are protecting their best prospects more and more. The Twins sat back and hoped that the Yankees or Red Sox would throw an over-the-top offer at them, but that didn't happen. They were left with a decent deal from the Mets, but it's probably not as good as the ones they could have had if they had pulled the trigger when the Yankees and Red Sox came calling.

It's a lovely 43 degrees outside today, which is considerably warmer then it has been.. As the weather goes up, so will the amount I'm posting on this blog. Stay tuned!

Clemens on 60 Minutes

2008-01-06T21:53:00.000-05:00

I don't know about the rest of the blogging community and what they'll say about the interview, but frankly I found it pretty uninformative..

I don't think hes going to change many minds with that interview, but I don't think he has much choice but to keep telling people that the report is a lie.

Public opinion is still stacked against him pretty heavily.

Personally, I really wish there was more of note going on in Yankee land. I haven't updated in awhile, because frankly I find this steroid/HGH thing very boring.

I get that it's important and I understand that it's a big story, but I do feel like theres only so much that can be written and said about a topic before it just gets dull.

It Means Very Little.

2007-12-14T10:49:00.000-05:00

This investigation is a joke.

First, the main guy in this ridiculous 400 page document is Kirk Radomski. Who agreed to a plea deal in exchange for giving over information. Lets go over that again. He serves LESS time in jail by giving out names..

There is nothing in this plea deal that states he has to give EVIDENCE in relation to the names hes giving out. Just names.. Come on now..

Secondly, we all know that Mitchell is on the board of the Red Sox. He is a director. Unpaid or not, he has a bias.

Even if he is somehow the most honest man in the country, there is an unconscious instinct that we all have, to protect things that we have value in.

This investigation was basically 2 people giving names.. That's not much of an investigation.. Do we really believe that 2 people ran the entire steroid scandal in Baseball? Give me a break..

Nothing should come from this. Congress should stay out of baseball, and the league shouldn't suspend anybody. This report is full of holes. Anybody that actually breaks it down, instead of just comparing the names and the numbers of players on a certain team, will see that it is very weak.

No Santana for the Yankees

2007-12-06T00:56:00.000-05:00

At least for now..

We all know that Hank has told everyone that the dealing for Santana is over.. I'm always hesitant in the world of baseball to call anything 'over' because, we know that nothing is 'over' until theres 0 chance left..

Personally I couldn't be happier about it.

I'll never argue that having Santana at the top of the rotation is a bad thing, but, hes 29 years old with a lot of innings on that arm already.

Meanwhile, Hughes and Kennedy's' journey is just beginning, and I for one want to watch it. I would have been very sorry to see them go.

I think a rotation made up of (in no real order..) Wang, Pettitte, Moose, Kennedy, Hughes, and of course, Joba, has the potential to be very good.

The Yankees really need to keep on focusing on their bullpen.. Joba needs to join the rotation, and I don't want any second-guessing that move this year because of struggles by the bullpen..

Can Farnsworth hold his own in a set up role? The Yankees brass is staying optimistic.. But we all know we'll be holding our breath with every pitch..

The bullpen really will be the most important part of this team.. It seems like the Yankees know that this year, so I'm feeling optimistic too.

Don't trade Hughes.

2007-12-03T01:48:00.000-05:00

That's all..

A-Rod Probably Back.. So Now What?

2007-11-14T23:50:00.000-05:00

Alright so if the rumors are true, and Alex is back in pinstripes, what does that mean for the Yankees?

Well for one thing, it means the Yankees will be fielding basically the same offense as they did this past year.

It also means that they now really need to focus on their pitching.

I'm honestly not sure how to feel about this. I do like Alex, but his playoff record since 2004 really does scare me.

And what is this going to do to the clubhouse chemistry now? He blew the team off, didn't return calls from the other players and basically turned his back on them...

That does honestly worry me.

But... Again, if the Yankees can get some pitching, and solidify the bullpen, the Yankees will once again be a team to fear.

Jorge Gets 4 Years.

2007-11-13T12:04:00.000-05:00

So the Yankees signed Posada. They tried to get him with a 3 year deal, but that didn't work. So they were forced to give him the 4th year.

Thats a long contract for a 36-year-old, but the Yankees had no choice. Posada will give the Yankees some solid time behind the plate, but you have to figure he'll be eventually moved to firstbase, or to the DH spot.

All an all this was the one player the Yankees absoluty had to sign, and I'm glad they did.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox haven't been able to sign Lowell yet, and he is now on the open marker. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the Yankees stay far far away from him.

Don't Trade for a Third Baseman

2007-11-07T14:43:00.000-05:00

Ok, heres my stance. The Yankees should not trade anybody for a third baseman.

They shouldn't trade for Crede, Atkins or Miguel Cabrera.

Furthermore, they shouldn't sign Mike Lowell.

Crede is a medicore player, coming off major back surgery. Plus, he'd likely cost the Yankees Johnny Damon. This would be a bad deal for the Yankees.

Go ahead and take a second to look at Garret Atkins home/away spilts.
He has hit .349 in Colorado, and .254 everywhere else..

Cabrera is a great player, no doubt. But hes going to cost the Yankees WAY to much. You don't trade stud pitching.

Mike Lowell is a great player at Fenway, but he would not be suited for the Yankees. Take a look at this article and this spray chart by River Ave Blues He would also more than likely be looking for a 4 year deal. Thats just to long.

The Yankees #1 concern this offseason, after Posada and Rivera, should be the BULLPEN.

Focus on building a dominent bullpen.

2007-11-01T14:15:00.000-04:00

Alright I added a poll to the side.

This poll is based on this article, which speculates that A-Rod wants to at least sit down with the Yankees.

The question here isn't whether or not you think the Yankees should try and sign Alex, the question is should they enter into talks with him at all? Is it worth it to try and negotiate with him and Boras, or should the Yankees turn their backs completely?

With the Yankees out of the picture, Alex's price gets driven way down. No team can match the type of extension plan the Yankees were planning on offering. That hurts A-Rod bottom line.

On the other hand, there are no real attractive third basemen options out there. Put all the crazy trade talk aside for now. The Yankees aren't going to be trading Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy to get Miguel Cabrera from the Marlins.

So who plays third? Joe Crede? Wilson Betemit? Arron Boone? Scott Brosuis?

I think the chances are very good that Alex and Boras have trouble finding teams willing to pay as much as they're looking for. More and more organizations are seeing that it takes more than one player to win. If that happens, and Alexs' price keeps dropping, do the Yankees at least have a sit down with him?

Feel free to answer the poll and leave any comments you might have below.

Girardi It Is

2007-10-30T20:13:00.000-04:00

It's official, and a good call.

Now they need to focus on Mo, Posada and Abreu..

Then they need to turn their eyes towards 1B, 3B and the bullpen..

Its going to be an interesting 100 or so days..

Girardi?

2007-10-22T22:52:00.000-04:00

Girardi is the long shot in this race.. Chances are the Yankees are making it seem like they are giving him serious consideration for bussneiss reasons..

That said, it would show a nice breaking of the mold to hire him over Mattingly or Pena..

I love both Mattingly and Pena, but their personality seems to be right along the same lines as Torres.. The team next year would have the same 'feel' or 'personality' as they have the last 7 or 8 years..

Girardi would bring something almost completey different with him. I think he has a completely different style of managing compared to Pena and Mattingly..

Would that be good or bad? That's a much harder question..

So Long, Joe.

2007-10-19T18:55:00.000-04:00

Ok well, Joe is gone.

Let's be blunt about this.

I myself didn't partake much in the Joe Torre debate over the last few years. Everyone knows his bullpen managment is suspect, but everyone also knows that the Yankees have made the post season 12 years in a row.

I very much disliked what they did to Torre, he did deserve to be treated better. To fly him down there take him away from his comfort zone and put him in a spot like they did, was an ugly choice by the Yankees brass.

Heres the thing, the Yankees are a business and because of that, they need to sometimes make hard and unpopular choices. It can't always be friendly.

As a team, as a business, the Yankees demand perfection. They passionately want to put winning teams on the field. They tried to play Torre, and he called them on it. Now, change happens.

Things are electric right now, but they'll calm down. The Yankee will hire a new manager, he'll have a tough task, but this is the Yankees. They respond to this kind of thing.

Try not to get caught up in the media tornado that's going on right now. ESPN and the like hate the Yankees. They'll milk this for as long as they can. Just remember that change is always inevitable, but this is the Yankees. Don't forget about the players. Don't forget that despite what happened with Torre, the Yankees brass knows what they're doing. This team will shape up and although many of us will miss Joe, things will work out in end.

End of an Era?

2007-10-09T02:48:00.000-04:00

It would seem so...

So disappointing, but lets not overlook what this Dynasty did.. It was a great ride..

This was this Dynasty's last breath.. Year after year we try to fool ourselves and say 'making the playoffs is enough', but we know that's not true.. We need to win.

But these teams have not been enough.. A lot of things will need to be looked at... It's time for a change, and I think we all know it.

Thankfully, we have a core of young players that are eager to step up and start a new Dynasty for the Yankees..

For now, take a deep breath, remember the good times this team has given us and try to focus on the future because it truly is bright for the Yankees.

Don't Stop Believing

2007-10-04T23:23:00.000-04:00

It's just one game folks. Lets relax, regroup, and get them tomorrow.

Go Yankees!

Yankees vs. Indians Preview

2007-10-03T13:02:00.000-04:00

Well it definitely was an exciting regular season. Or at least, exciting in retrospect... After all, it wasn't very exciting back in April and May.

Now the real fun begins. The pose season. I'm looking forward to the anxiousness, the pacing around the room, the tension and the emotion.

So the Yankees play the Indians. What does this mean? Well it means the Yankees have to go up against a couple of pitchers who could very well finish 1 and 2 in the CY Young voting. In a 5 game series, C.C Sabathia will likely be scheduled to pitch twice, first in game 1, and probably in game 5. Because of that, the majority of the experts seem to favor the Indians, though I have seen quite a few pick the Yankees.

When writing this preview, I tried to decide how much of it I wanted to dedicate to statistics. Did I want to list out batter vs pitcher comparisons and rattle off number after number? I'm sure we've all seen the stats and that we all know the Yankees haven't faced C.C since 2004.. I'm sure we all know the Yankees are 6-0 against the Tribe this year, etc, etc..

In the end, I've decided not to list all these stats. I feel that numbers lie when it comes to the post season. The post season is a whole different season. Yes, a lot of things will stay the same. Certain patterns we've seen and certain player tendencies will not change. But some things will. Every post season, we all see a multitude of things that don't add up to what we've been told.

Things happen that the 'experts' didn't predict.. Things happen that completely go against all the stats. So yes, I could list off each teams stats. I could give you their regular season clutch hitting numbers, or how they pitch with men in scoring position, and who knows, maybe those numbers will carry over to the post season.. But I really think history tells us otherwise.

All that long winded talk aside, of course I'm picking the Yankees. Here near Boston, all I have been hearing is how bad the Yankees pitching is. It's the same thing I've heard for years. Just like I've always heard them say 'The Yankees have no farm system'.

So, just as the 'Yankees have no farm system' proved to be wrong, I believe the idea that the Yankees have no pitching will be proved wrong as well.

I also just have a feeling about this team. There's a chemistry on this team that has been absent in years past. They have a winning attitude that was lacking in past seasons.

There is also the myth that this Yankee team is just on a streak at the end of the season, and that they're playing above themselves. Well, here's something that a lot of the 'experts' as well as the people here in Boston are missing... The Yankees have won 73 of their last 112 games. That's a .652 winning percentage.. That, simply, is consistent winning baseball. That is what the Yankees play.

There is an aura around this team. They're having fun and they're winning. This is the Yankees year. Anyone over looking the Yankees and counting them out for whatever reason will be in for a big shock.

So, I'll turn the TV on, and I'll be nervous, excited and anxious. I'll be perfectly still, and ill pace around the room. But somewhere inside I'll know that in the end, it's all going to be worth it.

Start Times for The ALDS

2007-10-01T20:13:00.000-04:00

Lohud has reported the start times will be:

Game 1 at Cleveland on Thursday: 6:30 p.m.

Game 2 at Cleveland on Friday: 5 p.m.

Game 3 at New York on Sunday: 6:30 p.m.

Game 4 at New York on Monday: 6 p.m.

Game 5 at Cleveland on Oct. 10: 5 p.m.

Here's whats interesting..

The Yankees are 29-27 in day games, and 65-41 in night games, which is the third best night record in the league.

I have no idea what category these random start times fall into.. But I consider these times closer to night, rather than day.. So lets go with that.

Yankees To Play the Indians

2007-09-29T13:56:00.000-04:00

So the Yankees will be the wild card team, no 10th straight division.

The Yankees will play the Indians, and the Indians will have home field advantage.

It'll either be on Wednesday or Thursday. I'm hoping for Wednesday because I'm ready for some post season baseball.

All Is Calm.. For Now..

2007-09-28T18:08:00.000-04:00

So there is a real lull right now. It's pretty apparent to fans I think.. Yes, we still keep an eye on the division, and we can talk about match ups and who we want to play in the post season..

But right now, the remaining games don't hold much interest. I think collectively as fans, we're still soaking in how good it feels to see this team rise up from where it was.

I'll mostly watch these last few games to see our younger players. Following the minors and our younger players is something I really just started doing this year.. I'd always keep an eye on things in the past, but this is the first year I really thoroughly followed our prospects and their development.

Things will get more exciting in the next couple days. We'll hear more about the lineups and the schedule, we'll have stats thrown at us from every direction and we'll have every expert and their brother telling us what's going to happen.

For sure, it'll give us all plenty to talk about.

There Will Be Yankee baseball In October!

2007-09-27T01:50:00.000-04:00

Oh how many people counted the Yankees out?

How many people were just so thrilled that they could belittle and bash the Yankees?

How many writers and 'experts' counted this team out?

None of it matters now. The Yankees fought back, and fought back hard and they're now on their way to their 13th post season in a row.

It's been quite a season so far, and it's far from over.

Lets go Yankees!

The Edwar Enigma

2007-09-26T14:02:00.000-04:00

Edwar is a strange player. Some nights his change up has the whole stadium fooled, other nights, even casual fans can tell what the pitch is when it leaves his hand..

In 25 games a AAA this year, Edwar pitched a total of 40 innings. In those 40 innings, he gave up 20 hits, stuck out 69 and didn't give up a single home run.. He also only walked 14..

This gave him a 0.90 ERA and a ridiculous 15.53 K per 9 ratio..

Those numbers are completely out the window in the majors

Starting September 5th, Edwar appeared in 4 games, giving up 3 hits, striking out 5 and not giving up a run..

However, he has now given up at least 1 run in his last 5 appearances, while only striking out 3..

He's pitched 1.2 innings against the Devil Rays and given up 9 earned runs.. That's a 48.60 ERA...

I really think the Yankees want him on the play off roster because his change up is so different from what the other relief pitchers throw.. But right you have no idea what Edwar is going to do when he goes out there. He might stirke out the side, he might give up 4 runs, or he might give up 4 runs, but still manage to stirke 3 batters out..

I for one can't figure it out.

Lets not worry about the post season roster though. The Yankees can again clinch tonight. So Go Yankees.

1

2007-09-25T12:58:00.000-04:00

The Yankees are now 1 game from clinching a spot in the post season.

In honor of that, I'm going to list a few tracks from the Beatles album 'The Beatles 1', as they relate to the Yankees.

A few things about this album:

It was realized in November of 2000. Just after the Yankees finished winning the World Series...

How many songs are on this album? 27.

What championship are the Yankees winning this year? #27.

1. Love Me Do

There's a lyric in this song that goes "Ill always be true", so this is dedicated to all the fans who didn't jump of the wagon in April and May

2. From Me to You

"If there's anything I can do, just call on me".. Does this remind anyone else of Rivera?

3. Can't Buy Me Love

This ones dedicated to the rookies who have stepped up and outplayed the high-priced players on the Yankees.. Carl Pavano anyone?

4. A Hard Days Night

There's a lyric in this song that goes "When I'm home, everything seems to be right".. And that's the truth for the Yankees, who are 52-29 at home this season. The second most wins at home by any team in the league.

5. Help!

"I need somebody, Help! Not just anybody".. This reminded me of Roger Clemens.. Before he signed, the Yankees pitching staff really needed help, and Clemens was the person most Yankee fans wanted to see.

6. Yesterday

Looking back to the beginning of the season, we saw a season that looked lost, but now we're fighting for the best record in the league.

7. Hello Goodbye

Hello there Carl Pavano! What? You're hurt again? Ok, goodbye...

8. Let it Be

This is dedicated to Brian Cashman, who for the most part left the Yankee team in tact this season. He could have dismantled it before the trade deadline, traded away prospects for aging players like in years past.. He could have sent Ian Kennedy and Melky to Texas for Gagne.. Instead, he let things stand, and after the all star break the Yankees took off.

9. The Long and Winding Road

This ones pretty easy right? If this doesn't describe this season, I don't know what does. Twists and turns, ups and downs, valleys, peaks, etc.. It's been a strange journey for Yankee fans, but I know this is a season I won't soon forget..

If anyone can think of any other songs that relate, feel free to comment!

Yanks drop makeup game 4-1

2007-09-24T19:04:00.000-04:00

Ick. Game went pretty quick today... Wasn't to strong of a showing as Litsch shut the Yankees down only allowing 1 run on 5 hits..

Andy Pettitte ran into one bad inning, but that's all it took..

This loss gives the Yankees a record of 28-27 in day games...

Compare that to their record of 62-39 in night games..

Apparently the Yankees need some better sunglasses, or something..

And Around The Turn They Come

2007-09-24T08:38:00.000-04:00

7 games remain in the 2007 MLB regular season. The Yankees magic number sits at 2, which means a Yankee win coupled with a Tigers loss will guarantee the Yankees a play off spot.

They do still sit 1.5 games back in the division.. That half game will be decided today as the Yankees play a makeup game and the Red Sox are off.

But don't get caught up to much in the division race. The Yankees are 3 games into a 10 game stretch that ends when the regular season ends.. Look for Torre to try and get his guys some regular rest once the Yankees clinch the wild card.

There's been a lot of debate about whether or not the Yankees should push for the division title, but that debate as been between the fans. The Yankees will focus on making the playoffs and setting up their pitching staff for the first round. The Yankees have cut the Red Sox lead by 13 games. Even if they don't catch them, that's still pretty amazing.

Lets hope the Yankees clinch tonight. It all starts at 1:00PM with the makeup game. If the Yankees win, all eyes will be on Detroit's match up with Minnesota..

Lets hope tonight we're celebrating another Yankee trip to the postseason.