Television curmudgeon Larry David and former TV bartender Woody Harrelson take in the Yankees/Red Sox game at Fenway Park. What do you get when you combine "Seinfeld" and "Cheers?"--a bored kid.
The little Yankees fan seated behind the two celebrities didn't seem to impressed to have the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star and Boston's favorite dimwitted bartender from "Cheers" blocking his view.
I guess not everybody knows their names.
The Yankees come-from-behind victory extended their win streak to eight after defeating the Red Sox, 3-2, last night. It was the opening game of a three-game series and put the Bombers into sole possession of first place in the AL East and masters of their domain
Boone Logan picked up the win for the Yankees after coming in for Bartolo Colon and striking out Adrian Gonzalez, the best hitter in the American League, with the bases loaded in the fifth inning. It was only the second Yankees win in 10 games against Boston this season.
With two outs, Yankees manager Joe Girardi pulled Colon after his pitcher loaded the bases. It was a risk the manager felt he had to take and it paid off.
"You look at Gonzalez," said Girardi of the hard-hitting batter. "He has a lot of power and Bartolo was getting tired."
Yankee-killer Jon Lester (8-2 career vs. Yanks) then turned into Mayday Malone and got knocked out in the sixth after giving up three runs. Lester struck out seven, walked four and allowed five hits.
The move seemed to take the wind out of Boston's sails. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
Girardi used five pitchers from the bullpen, including Rafael Soriano who was asked to get big outs for the first time in three appearances since returning from the DL. He pitched a perfect seventh inning with one strike-out.
The Yankees haven't lead the division since July 6 or beaten Boston in Fenway since April 9. Girardi was philosophical about also getting the double-dip win against his rivals this season.
"Winning the game [was] more important than anything," said the manager. "There is a long way to go."
Yada, yada, yada.
Showing posts with label Boston Red Sox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boston Red Sox. Show all posts
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Friday, August 5, 2011
Phil Hughes Headed to Yankees Bullpen This Weekend
New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi said today that Phil Hughes will be used out of the bullpen, if necessary, in this weekend's series against the Boston Red Sox. Hughes, who is thick in the mix of the Yankees six-man starting rotation drama, will be available from the bullpen for the next three days as insurance, the manager told the YES Network.
According to the YES, Hughes is tentatively scheduled to start Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels, but all that could change if he throws this weekend.
Meanwhile, Ivan Nova, who had a spectacular 10-strikeout performance against the Chicago White Sox last night, will be kept with the team and may start Thursday. The team is 13-5 in Nova's starts.
The six-man soap opera just keeps getting better and better every day.
One thing was made clear by Girardi; the the team's least effective starter, A.J. Burnett, will not be going to the bullpen.
In his last start on Tuesday, Burnett had a chance to pick up his first win since June 29 after the Yankees staked him to a 12 run lead, but the struggling hurler didn't last five innings. He is scheduled to pitch on Wednesday.
"We are not going to jump to conclusions due to one good start or one bad start," said Girardi.
Meanwhile, it's hard to figure out why the manager would make Hughes available from the bullpen during a mid-season series, other than that's where the pitcher started his Yankees career. The Yankees already have seven pitchers in the bullpen and Hughes threw a three-hit, six-inning gem in his last outing.
Girardi doesn't want anyone to start putting too much thought into which pitcher is the odd man out with these moves-- especially Hughes.
"I would love to get distance out of starters and not use him [this weekend]," said Girardi of Hughes. "But as I said these series get a little crazy at times and you've got to protect yourself."
It's not really the DaVinci Code, if you believe Girardi, it's about beating the Red Sox.
Nova is still hanging around on pins and needles about being called into Girardi's office.
"It's hard, especially in a moment like what if they call you into the office," said Nova. "I hope they don't call me today or the rest of the month because September is almost here."
If anyone thought last week's pitching performances by Hughes, Burnett and Nova against the White Sox cleared anything up, they were wrong.
Stay tuned for for more of the Yankees six-man drama for at least another week.
According to the YES, Hughes is tentatively scheduled to start Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels, but all that could change if he throws this weekend.
Meanwhile, Ivan Nova, who had a spectacular 10-strikeout performance against the Chicago White Sox last night, will be kept with the team and may start Thursday. The team is 13-5 in Nova's starts.
The six-man soap opera just keeps getting better and better every day.
In his last start on Tuesday, Burnett had a chance to pick up his first win since June 29 after the Yankees staked him to a 12 run lead, but the struggling hurler didn't last five innings. He is scheduled to pitch on Wednesday.
"We are not going to jump to conclusions due to one good start or one bad start," said Girardi.
Meanwhile, it's hard to figure out why the manager would make Hughes available from the bullpen during a mid-season series, other than that's where the pitcher started his Yankees career. The Yankees already have seven pitchers in the bullpen and Hughes threw a three-hit, six-inning gem in his last outing.
Girardi doesn't want anyone to start putting too much thought into which pitcher is the odd man out with these moves-- especially Hughes.
"I would love to get distance out of starters and not use him [this weekend]," said Girardi of Hughes. "But as I said these series get a little crazy at times and you've got to protect yourself."
It's not really the DaVinci Code, if you believe Girardi, it's about beating the Red Sox.
Nova is still hanging around on pins and needles about being called into Girardi's office.
"It's hard, especially in a moment like what if they call you into the office," said Nova. "I hope they don't call me today or the rest of the month because September is almost here."
If anyone thought last week's pitching performances by Hughes, Burnett and Nova against the White Sox cleared anything up, they were wrong.
Stay tuned for for more of the Yankees six-man drama for at least another week.
Yankees To Go Old School On Red Sox With Colon and Garcia
Everything is just like it was scripted. The New York Yankees roll into Fenway Park to battle the Boston Red Sox for first place. Sporting the same records (68-42), both teams are on sizzling hot streaks headed for a collision course to claim supremacy in the AL East. In the Sox corner: Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and John Lackey. For the Yankees: CC Sabathia, Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon...huh?
Many people rolled their eyes when the two aging hurlers were picked up in the offseason for a song and slow dance and now, the two veterans figure mightily into the Yankees playoff hopes.
The 38 year-old Colon, who hadn't even pitched in the majors since 2009 while he was rehabbing his repaired his shoulder and elbow in the Dominican Republic, has been the Yankees real No. 2 starter this season after undergoing some kind of mysterious treatment for the injuries.
Garcia, 34, almost didn't make the team after spring training.
Now, the two elder statesmen are being called the adhesive which kept the shaky Yankees rotation from collapsing this season. Funny, at the beginning of the season, skeptics talked like Colon and Garcia were ready for the glue factory. They were right.
Colon and Garcia wouldn't have been the first names mentioned, as the pitchers picking up the slack when Phil Hughes went down with dead arm for most of the season and the inconsistent A.J. Burnett went into his annual June/July funk-- but they were.
For a couple of guys picked up as consolation prizes after the Yankees inability to land Mr. America, Cliff Lee, the old guys are the keys to the Yankees season.
Most experts wondered if the rotund Colon (8-6, 3.30 ERA) and the undervalued Garcia (10-7, 3.22) could make it through a whole season and-- two-thirds through-- they are actually getting better.
Colon opens the three-games series tonight against a 27 year-old toddler, Jon Lester (11-4, 3.17 ERA) and sandwiched around Sabathia is Garcia, who will square off against that "tweener," Josh Beckett.
Lester is a Yankee-killer. He boasts a 8-1 lifetime record against his division rival but Colon comes into tonight's game with a 2-1 record with a 2.45 ERA over his last three starts.
Garcia has won three in a row but has two losses this season against the Sox. He faces Beckett on Sunday night. The last time the Yankees saw Beckett, he was spectacular. He struck out 10 and allowed two runs in eight innings in an ESPN Sunday night game in April.
Both Yankees hurlers will have their hands full.
Don't let Boston's 8-1 series lead over New York this season fool you. In 2009, the Sox won the first eight games between the two bitter rivals, then dropped eight of the final nine meetings.
The Red Sox have their problems right now. Lackey has been inconsistent. He lost Monday after giving up five runs and eight hits against the Cleveland Indians. Now, Boston's last minute trade-deadline deal to snag a reputable starter, Erik Bedard, doesn't look as good as advertised last week.
Last night, Bedard posted a no-decision after allowing three runs and seven hits in five innings during his Red Sox debut. It threw cold water on a Boston eight-game win streak.
The Yankees come into Fenway sporting a seven game win streak themselves-- with lots of offense to boot. The Bombers scored 63 runs during that run.
It looks like the Red Sox and Yankees will be seeing a lot more of each other this season. They play three more series this year and it looks like both are headed to the playoffs. So count this series as a preliminary round.
As for Colon and Garcia's success so far. Yankees GM Brian Cashman deserves a lot of credit for taking chances on them. He heard the snickers and AARP jokes, then watched as Boston loaded up their line-up with the acquisitions of young talent like Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford. Cashman stayed patient while fans screamed for the big names.
Cashman has been through this before. He knows when it comes to the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry, it's pitching that matters most.
Maybe that's why the Yankees GM also stayed pat at the trade deadline. He went against public opinion and refused to give up prospects for the suspect Ubaldo Jimenez and stuck with Ivan Nova. Looks like a brilliant move right now.
Cashman knows it's all about the arms-- sometimes they just happen to be a little older.
Many people rolled their eyes when the two aging hurlers were picked up in the offseason for a song and slow dance and now, the two veterans figure mightily into the Yankees playoff hopes.
The 38 year-old Colon, who hadn't even pitched in the majors since 2009 while he was rehabbing his repaired his shoulder and elbow in the Dominican Republic, has been the Yankees real No. 2 starter this season after undergoing some kind of mysterious treatment for the injuries.
Garcia, 34, almost didn't make the team after spring training.
Now, the two elder statesmen are being called the adhesive which kept the shaky Yankees rotation from collapsing this season. Funny, at the beginning of the season, skeptics talked like Colon and Garcia were ready for the glue factory. They were right.
Colon and Garcia wouldn't have been the first names mentioned, as the pitchers picking up the slack when Phil Hughes went down with dead arm for most of the season and the inconsistent A.J. Burnett went into his annual June/July funk-- but they were.
For a couple of guys picked up as consolation prizes after the Yankees inability to land Mr. America, Cliff Lee, the old guys are the keys to the Yankees season.
Most experts wondered if the rotund Colon (8-6, 3.30 ERA) and the undervalued Garcia (10-7, 3.22) could make it through a whole season and-- two-thirds through-- they are actually getting better.
Colon opens the three-games series tonight against a 27 year-old toddler, Jon Lester (11-4, 3.17 ERA) and sandwiched around Sabathia is Garcia, who will square off against that "tweener," Josh Beckett.
Lester is a Yankee-killer. He boasts a 8-1 lifetime record against his division rival but Colon comes into tonight's game with a 2-1 record with a 2.45 ERA over his last three starts.
Garcia has won three in a row but has two losses this season against the Sox. He faces Beckett on Sunday night. The last time the Yankees saw Beckett, he was spectacular. He struck out 10 and allowed two runs in eight innings in an ESPN Sunday night game in April.
Both Yankees hurlers will have their hands full.
The Red Sox have their problems right now. Lackey has been inconsistent. He lost Monday after giving up five runs and eight hits against the Cleveland Indians. Now, Boston's last minute trade-deadline deal to snag a reputable starter, Erik Bedard, doesn't look as good as advertised last week.
Last night, Bedard posted a no-decision after allowing three runs and seven hits in five innings during his Red Sox debut. It threw cold water on a Boston eight-game win streak.
The Yankees come into Fenway sporting a seven game win streak themselves-- with lots of offense to boot. The Bombers scored 63 runs during that run.
It looks like the Red Sox and Yankees will be seeing a lot more of each other this season. They play three more series this year and it looks like both are headed to the playoffs. So count this series as a preliminary round.
As for Colon and Garcia's success so far. Yankees GM Brian Cashman deserves a lot of credit for taking chances on them. He heard the snickers and AARP jokes, then watched as Boston loaded up their line-up with the acquisitions of young talent like Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford. Cashman stayed patient while fans screamed for the big names.
Cashman has been through this before. He knows when it comes to the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry, it's pitching that matters most.
Maybe that's why the Yankees GM also stayed pat at the trade deadline. He went against public opinion and refused to give up prospects for the suspect Ubaldo Jimenez and stuck with Ivan Nova. Looks like a brilliant move right now.
Cashman knows it's all about the arms-- sometimes they just happen to be a little older.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Could Ivan Nova Knock A.J. Burnett From Yankees Rotation?
If Ivan Nova is super tonight, does the young right-hander deserve a spot in the New York Yankees rotation? After A.J. Burnett's implosion last night, it might be a credible thought; although Yankees manager Joe Girardi confirmed Burnett would make his next scheduled start Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels.
When last seen last night, Burnett was headed to the locker room, popping buttons all over the dugout as he ripped off his Yankees jersey.
Burnett's seven-run debacle against the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field had to concern Girardi.
The Yankees pounded out 23 hits--five players had at least three apiece-- and handed the struggling Burnett a 12-run lead and he still couldn't get a win. It would have been his first W since June 29.
The Yankees were ahead, 13-1, and Burnett allowed five runs in the fourth-inning. In the fifth, Girardi made the decision to yank his inefficient starter with two men on the corners. He gave up seven earned runs in all.
Girardi did the exact thing with Phil Hughes a couple of weeks ago when the Oakland A's started to chip away at a big Yankee lead.
This four-game series against the White Sox was originally an audition for the No. 5 slot in the rotation between Hughes and Nova but now, with Burnett's flame-out, it could now be a rotation casting call.
Hughes passed his screen test with flying colors. His six-inning, three-hit, no runs, rain-shortened gem probably secured the slot for Hughes handily.
Tonight is Nova's turn to be seen. In what was essentially a go-see could possibly turn into something more important-- a spot on the roster.
Nova is making his second appearance after being sent down to Triple-A to make room on the roster for Hughes. He has won his past five decisions by sporting a 3.26 ERA, with 28 strikeouts and 12 walks in 38 2/3 innings. Nova has been the beneficiary of a robust Yankees offense. The team has averaged nine runs during those starts while Nova has given up six home-runs and 34 hits during that span. Amazingly, the 9-4 pitcher is fighting a demotion back to Triple-A.
Burnett is going in the opposite direction. His ERA has steadily climbed every month since April and his 4-0 start. He was 0-4 with a 7.80 ERA in July and is now 8-9 with a 4.56 ERA for the season.
A couple of things keep Burnett in the rotation . One, his huge contract ($16.5 mil-a year with two more to go) and two, the underlying hope (and capability) that the Sybil-like righty can throw a brilliant game. Still, Burnett is untradeable and will never see the bullpen for that price.
When Burnett is on, he is great but when he is alternately off, he is horrible. It's not uncommon for Burnett to strike out a side one inning then, in the next, throw a wild pitch, hit a batter and walk in a run. I'm not sure, but it wouldn't surprise me if he's done all three at the same time. Baseball's first Triple-Bobble.
Girardi has said all the right things regarding his overstocked starting rotation. He didn't pass judgement on Hughes until Tuesday night and it looks like the manager's support paid off. He's showing the same respect for Burnett.
"His day will be on Wednesday," said Girardi, putting the kibosh on any talk that Burnett's position is in jeopardy. "His numbers aren't that bad. We look at the whole year, and A.J.'s been decent for us. He's starting on Wednesday."
Girardi had that same 'look at the past' outlook with Hughes the past few weeks until Hughes came through. The Yankees are winning, even with the rotation distraction, and are only one game behind the division leading Boston Red Sox and have an eight game lead in the wild card race. So Girardi doesn't want to rock the boat.
As for last night's benching, Burnett was already off the mound when Girardi came out to relieve him. The embarrassed pitcher slapped the ball into his manager's hand and stormed off-- only two outs from a win. Girardi didn't take it personally but, didn't take chances either.
"I'm frustrated for him," said Girardi. "Because that's a night that he should be able to go out and get a win."
Burnett meanwhile, knew what was coming.
"I was a little upset, but then again, you got to look at how I'm pitching too," said Burnett. "I wasn't exactly doing anything out there. You've got to stop the bleeding somehow."
If Nova picks up his 10th win tonight, he may be the tourniquet the Yankees need.
When last seen last night, Burnett was headed to the locker room, popping buttons all over the dugout as he ripped off his Yankees jersey.
Burnett's seven-run debacle against the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field had to concern Girardi.
The Yankees were ahead, 13-1, and Burnett allowed five runs in the fourth-inning. In the fifth, Girardi made the decision to yank his inefficient starter with two men on the corners. He gave up seven earned runs in all.
Girardi did the exact thing with Phil Hughes a couple of weeks ago when the Oakland A's started to chip away at a big Yankee lead.
This four-game series against the White Sox was originally an audition for the No. 5 slot in the rotation between Hughes and Nova but now, with Burnett's flame-out, it could now be a rotation casting call.
Hughes passed his screen test with flying colors. His six-inning, three-hit, no runs, rain-shortened gem probably secured the slot for Hughes handily.
Tonight is Nova's turn to be seen. In what was essentially a go-see could possibly turn into something more important-- a spot on the roster.
Nova is making his second appearance after being sent down to Triple-A to make room on the roster for Hughes. He has won his past five decisions by sporting a 3.26 ERA, with 28 strikeouts and 12 walks in 38 2/3 innings. Nova has been the beneficiary of a robust Yankees offense. The team has averaged nine runs during those starts while Nova has given up six home-runs and 34 hits during that span. Amazingly, the 9-4 pitcher is fighting a demotion back to Triple-A.
Burnett is going in the opposite direction. His ERA has steadily climbed every month since April and his 4-0 start. He was 0-4 with a 7.80 ERA in July and is now 8-9 with a 4.56 ERA for the season.
A couple of things keep Burnett in the rotation . One, his huge contract ($16.5 mil-a year with two more to go) and two, the underlying hope (and capability) that the Sybil-like righty can throw a brilliant game. Still, Burnett is untradeable and will never see the bullpen for that price.
When Burnett is on, he is great but when he is alternately off, he is horrible. It's not uncommon for Burnett to strike out a side one inning then, in the next, throw a wild pitch, hit a batter and walk in a run. I'm not sure, but it wouldn't surprise me if he's done all three at the same time. Baseball's first Triple-Bobble.
"His day will be on Wednesday," said Girardi, putting the kibosh on any talk that Burnett's position is in jeopardy. "His numbers aren't that bad. We look at the whole year, and A.J.'s been decent for us. He's starting on Wednesday."
Girardi had that same 'look at the past' outlook with Hughes the past few weeks until Hughes came through. The Yankees are winning, even with the rotation distraction, and are only one game behind the division leading Boston Red Sox and have an eight game lead in the wild card race. So Girardi doesn't want to rock the boat.
As for last night's benching, Burnett was already off the mound when Girardi came out to relieve him. The embarrassed pitcher slapped the ball into his manager's hand and stormed off-- only two outs from a win. Girardi didn't take it personally but, didn't take chances either.
"I'm frustrated for him," said Girardi. "Because that's a night that he should be able to go out and get a win."
Burnett meanwhile, knew what was coming.
"I was a little upset, but then again, you got to look at how I'm pitching too," said Burnett. "I wasn't exactly doing anything out there. You've got to stop the bleeding somehow."
If Nova picks up his 10th win tonight, he may be the tourniquet the Yankees need.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Girardi: Jeter Will Be Leadoff Hitter...Probably
New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he is sticking with Derek Jeter batting in the leadoff spot right now, but his endorsement didn't sound like it was etched in stone.
With the aftermath of the Derek Jeter 3,000th hit love fest over the weekend behind him, Girardi is getting back to the main task at hand, namely, keeping pace with the Boston Red Sox and juggling an injury-plagued lineup.
There was no way Girardi was going to take Jeter out of the leadoff spot with number 3,000 within his grasp at Yankee stadium, but now Girardi has to make the practical decision about who will most benefit the team in the first spot of the Yankees lineup.
Jeter was in his familiar role of Yankees leadoff batter on Sunday and went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
Jeter, himself, might have made Girardi's choice a little easier. The Yankees shortstop's magnificent 5-for-5 day on Saturday might not have been a mirage. Jeter is batting .391 in five games since coming off the DL. Girardi sounded confident of Jeter's ability to stay in the top of the lineup, but there was a twinge of non-commitment to his comments.
"Yes I can tell you, there's probably a good chance he's going to hit leadoff on Thursday," said Girardi. "I'm not sure who we're facing (in Toronto) but right he's our leadoff hitter. People talk about when Swish (Nick Swisher) comes back, will it be Swish? Well, Swish led off only against lefties, but Derek's numbers against lefties are really good. So would you lead off with Gardy (Brett Gardner) against righties? I'm probably going to stick with Jeter."
The 37 year-old Jeter is thoroughly to focused on getting the Yankees into the playoffs after becoming the 28th player to collect 3,000 hits in the momentous game against the Tampa Bay Rays. His Saturday night celebration sounded like it was shorter than his 3K trot around the bases.
"I went to sleep," laughed Jeter asked about the after-party. "Just with family and friends. I had to play and I don't really recover like I used to."
Jeter has owned the leadoff spot since 1996 and hopes all the attention surrounding the milestone hit and scrutiny about his calf injury is behind him. Girardi only wants the stability of penciling a single player's name into the leadoff spot.
"I don't want to change the lineup everyday. It makes it difficult on our players," said Girardi. "I might have to move around, but right now, Derek's my leadoff guy."
Jeter is skipping the All-Star game to rest up. There will be a wait-and-see period to see if Jeter is his old self.
Girardi has realistic expectations.
"Is he hitting .320 like he did in 2009," Girardi wondered aloud. "No, he's not. But are you convinced he can't hit .320 in the second half? That would be my question to everyone."
The Captain said he feels like he's recovered enough from the strained calf which kept him out of pinstripes for three weeks.
"Any time you feel good you want it to continue as long as it can," Jeter said.
With the aftermath of the Derek Jeter 3,000th hit love fest over the weekend behind him, Girardi is getting back to the main task at hand, namely, keeping pace with the Boston Red Sox and juggling an injury-plagued lineup.
There was no way Girardi was going to take Jeter out of the leadoff spot with number 3,000 within his grasp at Yankee stadium, but now Girardi has to make the practical decision about who will most benefit the team in the first spot of the Yankees lineup.
Jeter was in his familiar role of Yankees leadoff batter on Sunday and went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
Jeter, himself, might have made Girardi's choice a little easier. The Yankees shortstop's magnificent 5-for-5 day on Saturday might not have been a mirage. Jeter is batting .391 in five games since coming off the DL. Girardi sounded confident of Jeter's ability to stay in the top of the lineup, but there was a twinge of non-commitment to his comments.
"Yes I can tell you, there's probably a good chance he's going to hit leadoff on Thursday," said Girardi. "I'm not sure who we're facing (in Toronto) but right he's our leadoff hitter. People talk about when Swish (Nick Swisher) comes back, will it be Swish? Well, Swish led off only against lefties, but Derek's numbers against lefties are really good. So would you lead off with Gardy (Brett Gardner) against righties? I'm probably going to stick with Jeter."
The 37 year-old Jeter is thoroughly to focused on getting the Yankees into the playoffs after becoming the 28th player to collect 3,000 hits in the momentous game against the Tampa Bay Rays. His Saturday night celebration sounded like it was shorter than his 3K trot around the bases.
"I went to sleep," laughed Jeter asked about the after-party. "Just with family and friends. I had to play and I don't really recover like I used to."
Jeter has owned the leadoff spot since 1996 and hopes all the attention surrounding the milestone hit and scrutiny about his calf injury is behind him. Girardi only wants the stability of penciling a single player's name into the leadoff spot.
"I don't want to change the lineup everyday. It makes it difficult on our players," said Girardi. "I might have to move around, but right now, Derek's my leadoff guy."
Jeter is skipping the All-Star game to rest up. There will be a wait-and-see period to see if Jeter is his old self.
Girardi has realistic expectations.
"Is he hitting .320 like he did in 2009," Girardi wondered aloud. "No, he's not. But are you convinced he can't hit .320 in the second half? That would be my question to everyone."
The Captain said he feels like he's recovered enough from the strained calf which kept him out of pinstripes for three weeks.
"Any time you feel good you want it to continue as long as it can," Jeter said.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Prince Fielder Leaves New York and Talk of Joining Yankees Goes Too
It happens every time a visiting super-star plays in Yankee Stadium. Fans wonder how the player would look in pinstripes. Prince Fielder was no exception this week when the Milwaukee Brewers came to the Bronx and were swept by the Yankees. It sounded like there was a size 50 jersey already hanging in the locker room for the end-of-season free agent.
Everyone looks at the powerful lefthanded-hitting Fielder and fantasizes about what his home-run totals would be if he was swinging for the short right-field seats at Yankee Stadium. Home run records would be shattered with no asterisks attached, agree the experts.
"Man, I'd hate to think how many he could hit in this sandbox," said a scout watching the first game. "Put Fielder in the line-up as a DH and they [the Yankees] might never lose."
Here's a reality check. Fielder finished the three-game series against the Yankees, in their "sandbox", 2-for-11 with no home-runs and a single RBI. The big leftie was last seen flailing at a CC Sabathia fastball.
Fielder has been a one man wrecking crew for the Brewers this season. The early-MVP candidate is batting .305 with 21 home runs and 68 RBI's. If Fielder becomes the National League MVP, he would be the first player to win the award in a walk year since Barry Bonds did it in 2001.
We're talking about a BIG payday.
The rumors of the Yankees trading for Fielder or snagging the first-baseman when he becomes he is a free-agent could be squashed by the Yankees on two fronts.
First, the Yankees already have a slugger at first in Mark Teixeira. Tex is also arguably the best fielding first baseman in the majors. The 30 year-old Teixeira leads the majors with 25 dingers so he's not going anywhere.
Secondly, there isn't even a place for platooning a $25 million(?) DH on the Yankees, not with Alex Rodriguez tied up for another six years and already showing signs of age in the field. A-Rod may be seeing more and more DH starting this season.
So the possibility of the 275-pound Fielder coming to New York is just psyche.
Make no mistake, the 27 year-old Fielder is going to get Yankee-size money, only not with the Brewers and probably not with the Yanks.
There is little chance a small-market team like Milwaukee could afford the big guy. It's the kind of dough that lured Sabathia from Milwaukee to New York.
Yankee fans can still dream. Imagine penciling these names in the middle of your line-up card: Curtis Granderson, Teixeira, A-Rod and Robinson Cano followed by Fielder batting sixth. That's 200 home-runs right there.
While all the sports-radio talk these days in New York centers around keeping up with the potent Boston Red Sox line-up; the Yankees are concentrating on pitching, namely a middle reliever. The team already hits home-runs by the truckload, scores runs and lead the Sox by 2 1/2 games. Another big bat is not a priority--not one in Fielder's new tax bracket.
Fielder's uncertain future doesn't seem to faze him too much. The Brewers lead the NL Central and he is in the midst of a playoff race. The two-time All-Star has is concentrating on his play and there no need to show his hand just yet.
"His numbers have been impressive," said Brewers GM Doug Melvin. "But I think the way he's been able to focus is even more impressive."
Fielder surely hasn't slammed the door on the Yankees and made it clear a DH role in the AL isn't out of the question.
"I'm not ruling anything out," said Fielder. "But as for right now, I like playing first base."
.
Everyone looks at the powerful lefthanded-hitting Fielder and fantasizes about what his home-run totals would be if he was swinging for the short right-field seats at Yankee Stadium. Home run records would be shattered with no asterisks attached, agree the experts.
Here's a reality check. Fielder finished the three-game series against the Yankees, in their "sandbox", 2-for-11 with no home-runs and a single RBI. The big leftie was last seen flailing at a CC Sabathia fastball.
Fielder has been a one man wrecking crew for the Brewers this season. The early-MVP candidate is batting .305 with 21 home runs and 68 RBI's. If Fielder becomes the National League MVP, he would be the first player to win the award in a walk year since Barry Bonds did it in 2001.
We're talking about a BIG payday.
The rumors of the Yankees trading for Fielder or snagging the first-baseman when he becomes he is a free-agent could be squashed by the Yankees on two fronts.
First, the Yankees already have a slugger at first in Mark Teixeira. Tex is also arguably the best fielding first baseman in the majors. The 30 year-old Teixeira leads the majors with 25 dingers so he's not going anywhere.
Secondly, there isn't even a place for platooning a $25 million(?) DH on the Yankees, not with Alex Rodriguez tied up for another six years and already showing signs of age in the field. A-Rod may be seeing more and more DH starting this season.
So the possibility of the 275-pound Fielder coming to New York is just psyche.
Make no mistake, the 27 year-old Fielder is going to get Yankee-size money, only not with the Brewers and probably not with the Yanks.
There is little chance a small-market team like Milwaukee could afford the big guy. It's the kind of dough that lured Sabathia from Milwaukee to New York.
Yankee fans can still dream. Imagine penciling these names in the middle of your line-up card: Curtis Granderson, Teixeira, A-Rod and Robinson Cano followed by Fielder batting sixth. That's 200 home-runs right there.
While all the sports-radio talk these days in New York centers around keeping up with the potent Boston Red Sox line-up; the Yankees are concentrating on pitching, namely a middle reliever. The team already hits home-runs by the truckload, scores runs and lead the Sox by 2 1/2 games. Another big bat is not a priority--not one in Fielder's new tax bracket.
Fielder's uncertain future doesn't seem to faze him too much. The Brewers lead the NL Central and he is in the midst of a playoff race. The two-time All-Star has is concentrating on his play and there no need to show his hand just yet.
"His numbers have been impressive," said Brewers GM Doug Melvin. "But I think the way he's been able to focus is even more impressive."
Fielder surely hasn't slammed the door on the Yankees and made it clear a DH role in the AL isn't out of the question.
"I'm not ruling anything out," said Fielder. "But as for right now, I like playing first base."
.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Bartolo Colon Set To Start Saturday Against Mets
Bartolo Colon, who has been on the 15-day DL since June 12, is set to return as the New York Yankees starter against their cross-town rivals the New York Mets on Saturday. On Thursday, Yankees manager Joe Girardi claimed Colon threw well enough in a bullpen session earlier that morning to be activated for Saturday's inter-league game.
Colon threw the ball and ran through some fielding drills before the Yankees Thursday afternoon game against the Milwaukee Brewers to Girardi's satisfaction. If everything continues to check out, the hefty righthander will start the second of the three game series at Citi Field.
Colon strained the hamstring on his planting leg against the Cleveland Indians back on June 11 but says he is more than ready to get back to throwing.
"I felt good," Colon said through a Yankees source. "I'm ready to come back and help the team. My bullpen went well. I'm happy to be back with everyone. I'm looking forward to Saturday."
Barring a freak accident, Colon will be on the mound for Saturday's 4 p.m. game.
While Girardi was not so confident about Colon's return last night, Yankees GM Brian Cashman painted a brighter picture and said Colon would return if Thursday's bullpen session went according to plan.
"I think there's a good likelihood you'll see him back this weekend," said Cashman. "That's our mind-set."
To make room in the rotation, the 38 year-old Colon will replace Brian Gordon, who was 0-1 with a 5.13 ERA in two starts.
Colon, who was out of baseball since injuring his elbow and shoulder in 2009, was a surprising 5-3 with a 3.10 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 78 innings before he went to the DL.
If Colon's return is a success, the Yankees will have the luxury of five good arms in the starting rotation and one sitting on the back burner.
The anticipated return of Phil Hughes next week might lure the Yankees into the extravagance of having too many live arms for the team to go around.
Not so says Girardi. He knows the overabundance of starting pitchers is better than too few. Girardi looked at the situation like an artist surveying his canvas.
"Do we feel a guy needs an extra day off, do we skip a guy to give him a little rest?," said the manager. "There are some different things you can do to be creative with a six-man rotation, if you do a six-man."
Too many pitchers, it's a problem any team would like.
The Yankees are 14-4 over the last eighteen games, their starters have a 3.15 ERA and the team has overtaken the Boston Red Sox for first place over that span.
Imagine, the Yankees with a surplus of pitching arms. Take that Phillies.
Colon threw the ball and ran through some fielding drills before the Yankees Thursday afternoon game against the Milwaukee Brewers to Girardi's satisfaction. If everything continues to check out, the hefty righthander will start the second of the three game series at Citi Field.
"I felt good," Colon said through a Yankees source. "I'm ready to come back and help the team. My bullpen went well. I'm happy to be back with everyone. I'm looking forward to Saturday."
Barring a freak accident, Colon will be on the mound for Saturday's 4 p.m. game.
While Girardi was not so confident about Colon's return last night, Yankees GM Brian Cashman painted a brighter picture and said Colon would return if Thursday's bullpen session went according to plan.
"I think there's a good likelihood you'll see him back this weekend," said Cashman. "That's our mind-set."
To make room in the rotation, the 38 year-old Colon will replace Brian Gordon, who was 0-1 with a 5.13 ERA in two starts.
Colon, who was out of baseball since injuring his elbow and shoulder in 2009, was a surprising 5-3 with a 3.10 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 78 innings before he went to the DL.
If Colon's return is a success, the Yankees will have the luxury of five good arms in the starting rotation and one sitting on the back burner.
The anticipated return of Phil Hughes next week might lure the Yankees into the extravagance of having too many live arms for the team to go around.
Not so says Girardi. He knows the overabundance of starting pitchers is better than too few. Girardi looked at the situation like an artist surveying his canvas.
"Do we feel a guy needs an extra day off, do we skip a guy to give him a little rest?," said the manager. "There are some different things you can do to be creative with a six-man rotation, if you do a six-man."
Too many pitchers, it's a problem any team would like.
The Yankees are 14-4 over the last eighteen games, their starters have a 3.15 ERA and the team has overtaken the Boston Red Sox for first place over that span.
Imagine, the Yankees with a surplus of pitching arms. Take that Phillies.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
A-Rod Helps CC Become Major's First 10-game Winner of Season
CC Sabathia, the New York Yankees big lefthander, pitched another stellar game and, in the process, became the major league's first 10-game winner this season. Sabathia (10-4) pitched eight dazzling innings in the Yankees 8-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies.
Alex Rodriguez chipped in with a couple of singles and 3 RBI's. A-Rod also started a rally-killing double play in the 6th inning that was the only threat Colorado posed to CC all day.
Sabathia tortured the Colorado batters with a fastball consistently in the 96-97 mph range but it was his perfect slider which left the Rockies shaking their heads. Five of Sabathia's nine strikeouts were of the little burger's namesake.
The big guy also came through in the clutch. The befuddled Rockies hitters were 2-15 with runners on base. Sabathia finished the game allowing only one run, one walk and seven hits to go with the nine K's.
Sabathia has been consistent all season. After a couple of early-season no-decisions, the victory today gave the 2007 Cy Young winner his seventh win in his last eight starts. He is a sure bet to make the All-Star game.
The win also gives Sabathia his 50th victory in pinstripes in 85 starts. The leftie matches Chien-Ming Wang as the fastest Yankee pitcher to reach that total in thirty years.
Manager Joe Girardi couldn't stop singing the praise of his workhorse starter.
"CC has won 50 games in the 2 1/2 seasons he's been here," marveled the manager. "That's just in the regular season."
This year, Sabathia is continuing that trend. He has a 3.25 ERA with 93 strikeouts and has allowed 119 hits in 122 innings.
"CC's a great guy to be around," said Girardi. "He's the same guy every day. He works quick and teammates like to play behind a pitcher who is quick."
It's also no coincidence that, as the Yankees beat up on the National League during their current intra-league jag, A-Rod has been lighting up every ballpark since Wrigley. The aching third baseman is on a blazing hot streak and has 10 hits in his last five games while batting a sizzling .556 during that span. Currently, A-Rod is the only .300 hitter in the Yankees line-up.
A-Rod also reached base in the seventh on a missed communication between the Rockies' Chris Nelson and Eric Young in shallow right field.
When asked why he pulled Rodriguez in the eighth, Girardi claimed it wasn't for anything more serious than sore legs.
"A-Rod's a little beat-up," answered Girardi. "He's been sore since Chicago."
Sabathia also put an end to Troy Tulowitzki's New York City home-run streak. The Rockies shortstop hit four dingers against the Mets in Flushing last week before jacking one last night against the Yankees in the Bronx. He was the first visiting player to homer in five straight games since Ernie Banks.
Mark Teixeira chipped in with his 22nd home-run of the season in the eighth.
The Yankees are now 44-31 and could take over first place in the AL East if the Boston Red Sox lose tonight.
Alex Rodriguez chipped in with a couple of singles and 3 RBI's. A-Rod also started a rally-killing double play in the 6th inning that was the only threat Colorado posed to CC all day.
Sabathia tortured the Colorado batters with a fastball consistently in the 96-97 mph range but it was his perfect slider which left the Rockies shaking their heads. Five of Sabathia's nine strikeouts were of the little burger's namesake.
The big guy also came through in the clutch. The befuddled Rockies hitters were 2-15 with runners on base. Sabathia finished the game allowing only one run, one walk and seven hits to go with the nine K's.
Sabathia has been consistent all season. After a couple of early-season no-decisions, the victory today gave the 2007 Cy Young winner his seventh win in his last eight starts. He is a sure bet to make the All-Star game.
The win also gives Sabathia his 50th victory in pinstripes in 85 starts. The leftie matches Chien-Ming Wang as the fastest Yankee pitcher to reach that total in thirty years.
Manager Joe Girardi couldn't stop singing the praise of his workhorse starter.
"CC has won 50 games in the 2 1/2 seasons he's been here," marveled the manager. "That's just in the regular season."
This year, Sabathia is continuing that trend. He has a 3.25 ERA with 93 strikeouts and has allowed 119 hits in 122 innings.
"CC's a great guy to be around," said Girardi. "He's the same guy every day. He works quick and teammates like to play behind a pitcher who is quick."
It's also no coincidence that, as the Yankees beat up on the National League during their current intra-league jag, A-Rod has been lighting up every ballpark since Wrigley. The aching third baseman is on a blazing hot streak and has 10 hits in his last five games while batting a sizzling .556 during that span. Currently, A-Rod is the only .300 hitter in the Yankees line-up.
A-Rod also reached base in the seventh on a missed communication between the Rockies' Chris Nelson and Eric Young in shallow right field.
When asked why he pulled Rodriguez in the eighth, Girardi claimed it wasn't for anything more serious than sore legs.
"A-Rod's a little beat-up," answered Girardi. "He's been sore since Chicago."
Sabathia also put an end to Troy Tulowitzki's New York City home-run streak. The Rockies shortstop hit four dingers against the Mets in Flushing last week before jacking one last night against the Yankees in the Bronx. He was the first visiting player to homer in five straight games since Ernie Banks.
Mark Teixeira chipped in with his 22nd home-run of the season in the eighth.
The Yankees are now 44-31 and could take over first place in the AL East if the Boston Red Sox lose tonight.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Jose Reyes Will Make Mets Pay For Wilpon's Remarks
Last month, New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon told The New Yorker magazine that his star third baseman and soon to be free-agent, Jose Reyes, would never get "Carl Crawford money." He also threw in a few tidbits like Reyes had "everything wrong with him" and "he won't get it" to stress his point. Those fateful words may now come back to haunt the financially-troubled owner.
Reyes is off to a mind-boggling MVP-type season and leading a mid-season surge to a once improbable Mets wild-card playoff spot.
Forget Carl Crawford bucks, Reyes has even been bandied about as the next New York Yankees shortstop--replacing cross-town icon Derek Jeter. We're talking desperate Yankees dollars now.
Reyes has not publicly mentioned himself as being trade-bait or packing his bags for another team, but Metsies shouldn't speculate that their star wants to remain with the Mets.
The 28 year-old Reyes is still attached to his long-time agents even though there has been rumors about super-agent Scott Boras poaching the highly-desirable Reyes.
Reyes' current agents are Chris Leible--the godfather of two of Reyes' kids--and Peter Greenberg. Both associates have stood by Reyes through a couple of injury-plagued seasons and cries of overrated by fans and media. By the way, the two men are also friends of their client.
Reyes claims people are getting the wrong idea after a Fox Sports story said the Mets player had spoken with Boras.
"There is no chance I would ever leave those guys," said Reyes of Leible and Greenburg. " I mean, I have been with them since I was 17."
Wilpon might one of those people who are getting the wrong vibe from Reyes. The Mets owner might read into Reyes snub of Boras as some sign of loyalty.
The Mets are probably under the impression that by staying with his agents, Reyes can't be shopped around by Boras and a reasonable offer could keep their prize in his Flushing surroundings. That glimmer of hope is based on the delusional reasoning that since Reyes isn't represented by a blood-seeking shark who seeks the maximum contract for his clients, he is more about keeping contract talks simple and staying cozy with the Mets.
Fat chance.
Reyes doesn't need Boras to get a huge contract. About two-third of the majors could use a lead-off third baseman who is currently leading the NL with a .341 average and 103 runs scored.
If Reyes isn't traded by the July 31 deadline, expect the free-agent flood-gates to open and the Mets left standing without their rubber boots.
Reyes' agents have not said what they are seeking, but it's a sure bet it will be a lot more than the $17 million per season that Jeter is getting.
Crawford signed a seven-year contract with the Boston Red Sox for $142 million.
At the moment, the Mets and Reyes are world's apart on what the team wants to pay and what their third baseman is expecting. He's earned it and Wilpon showed no devotion of his own when he dissed Reyes in public.
According to the New York Daily News, Reyes' friends say he talks about what he is looking for when the Met is away from the diamond.
"He talks about it all the time," said one buddy. "And if the Mets think they're getting him for, like, $95 million, they're wrong. He's going to get paid. He's clear about that."
Whatever the outcome, Wilpon is going to have to put a lot of money where his big mouth is if the Mets want to keep Reyes in blue and orange.
Reyes is off to a mind-boggling MVP-type season and leading a mid-season surge to a once improbable Mets wild-card playoff spot.
Forget Carl Crawford bucks, Reyes has even been bandied about as the next New York Yankees shortstop--replacing cross-town icon Derek Jeter. We're talking desperate Yankees dollars now.
The 28 year-old Reyes is still attached to his long-time agents even though there has been rumors about super-agent Scott Boras poaching the highly-desirable Reyes.
Reyes' current agents are Chris Leible--the godfather of two of Reyes' kids--and Peter Greenberg. Both associates have stood by Reyes through a couple of injury-plagued seasons and cries of overrated by fans and media. By the way, the two men are also friends of their client.
Reyes claims people are getting the wrong idea after a Fox Sports story said the Mets player had spoken with Boras.
"There is no chance I would ever leave those guys," said Reyes of Leible and Greenburg. " I mean, I have been with them since I was 17."
Wilpon might one of those people who are getting the wrong vibe from Reyes. The Mets owner might read into Reyes snub of Boras as some sign of loyalty.
The Mets are probably under the impression that by staying with his agents, Reyes can't be shopped around by Boras and a reasonable offer could keep their prize in his Flushing surroundings. That glimmer of hope is based on the delusional reasoning that since Reyes isn't represented by a blood-seeking shark who seeks the maximum contract for his clients, he is more about keeping contract talks simple and staying cozy with the Mets.
Fat chance.
Reyes doesn't need Boras to get a huge contract. About two-third of the majors could use a lead-off third baseman who is currently leading the NL with a .341 average and 103 runs scored.
If Reyes isn't traded by the July 31 deadline, expect the free-agent flood-gates to open and the Mets left standing without their rubber boots.
Reyes' agents have not said what they are seeking, but it's a sure bet it will be a lot more than the $17 million per season that Jeter is getting.
Crawford signed a seven-year contract with the Boston Red Sox for $142 million.
At the moment, the Mets and Reyes are world's apart on what the team wants to pay and what their third baseman is expecting. He's earned it and Wilpon showed no devotion of his own when he dissed Reyes in public.
According to the New York Daily News, Reyes' friends say he talks about what he is looking for when the Met is away from the diamond.
"He talks about it all the time," said one buddy. "And if the Mets think they're getting him for, like, $95 million, they're wrong. He's going to get paid. He's clear about that."
Whatever the outcome, Wilpon is going to have to put a lot of money where his big mouth is if the Mets want to keep Reyes in blue and orange.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Here's A Few More R-Words For Yankees A.J. Burnett
A.J. Burnett continued losing another game, 11-6, to the Boston Red Sox as a New York Yankees starter, and was asked after the game why he seemed top have more success against the Sox when he was with the Toronto Blue Jays. Burnett's partial answer to the pertinent question, "it's retarded."
For the record, as a Blue Jay, Burnett was 5-0 with a 2.56 ERA against the Sox but in eight starts as a Yankee, he is 0-4 in eight starts and has given up 40 earned runs in 41 1/3 innings for an ERA of 8.71 against the same ballclub.
The losing pitcher later apologized for his politically incorrect reply and it got me thinking about some R-words which could be used to describe Burnett. Let's start with repulsive to describe the relapsing starter's answer last night.
Let's continue with red, as in Red Sox and red-faced. Burnett seems to revert back to his rattled self every time he faces the Boston line-up. Last night was rocked by the Sox for seven earned runs on seven hits and four walks over 5 2/3 innings. Repugnant comes to mind.
Remember is another R-word. Did Burnett forget about the night before when Jon Lester plunked Mark Teixeira and Russell Martin and David Ortiz humbled rookie Hector Noesi by flipping his bat after homering.
Last night, with Yankee Stadium buzzing about revenge in the steaming air, Big Papi stepped to the plate in the first inning and jacked his 15th home-run ten rows deep for an early 3-0 Boston lead. Surprisingly, no brush-back by Burnett for Ortiz's celebratory bat toss or the boppings by Lester. Retaliation isn't in his vocabulary.
"He's been doing that for years. Who cares?" Burnett said of Ortiz's antics. "I didn't watch him when he hit it off me and I didn't see it last night. Rerun.
The Yankee manager, Joe Girardi, was watching--both nights. Girardi repeatedly remarked that he didn't appreciate Ortiz's funky bat move and expected his pitcher to rattle the Boston slugger because "it bothered him."
Ortiz showed no remorse about how he threw the bat after his home-run and had his own retort.
"Why should I?" said the rotund DH. ""I don't care about what Joe Girardi says, man. No, I come to play the game every day and that's about it. I'm done with that."
Either way, Burnett showed no resilience on the mound and resented the question afterwards.
"I'm not in Toronto anymore, so I'm tired of hearing that. It's retarded," said Burnett. "If anything is different I made pitches in Toronto. I didn't make pitches tonight. That's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard of."
Besides the $82.5 million dollar starter, there is a lot of blame to share for last night's defeat. Brett Gardner fell asleep on a passed ball and Derek Jeter dribbled into a double-play with the bases loaded, but the real concern has to be about Burnett's reversal of fortune every year down the stretch. He now has a 2-4 record after a 4-0 start.
Are the Yankees going to chance putting Burnett on the mound in a Game 2 playoff series? If he can't hold down the Red Sox in June, how can the team expect the righthander to put them down in October? Risky.
The Yankees starting line-up is ramshackle at best right now and being held together by CC Sabathia and 38 year-old Bartolo Colon's reanimated arm. With Phil Hughes recovery a crap-shoot, Burnett is an important cog in the rotation. He was specifically paid big bucks to come over from Toronto for his Red Sox slaying prowess and he has failed to reciprocate on the deal.
Should Burnett have represented by going after Ortiz last night?
Former-Yankee, Dwight "Doc" Gooden, on his Twitter account wrote: "In the 80's Ortiz would be laying on his [backside] right now after the stunt he pulled [Tuesday] night."
The Yankees are 1-7 this season against the reviled Red Sox and looking up at first place.
Here's an R-word Burnett needs to earn whenever it involves the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry--it's called respect.
For the record, as a Blue Jay, Burnett was 5-0 with a 2.56 ERA against the Sox but in eight starts as a Yankee, he is 0-4 in eight starts and has given up 40 earned runs in 41 1/3 innings for an ERA of 8.71 against the same ballclub.
Let's continue with red, as in Red Sox and red-faced. Burnett seems to revert back to his rattled self every time he faces the Boston line-up. Last night was rocked by the Sox for seven earned runs on seven hits and four walks over 5 2/3 innings. Repugnant comes to mind.
Remember is another R-word. Did Burnett forget about the night before when Jon Lester plunked Mark Teixeira and Russell Martin and David Ortiz humbled rookie Hector Noesi by flipping his bat after homering.
Last night, with Yankee Stadium buzzing about revenge in the steaming air, Big Papi stepped to the plate in the first inning and jacked his 15th home-run ten rows deep for an early 3-0 Boston lead. Surprisingly, no brush-back by Burnett for Ortiz's celebratory bat toss or the boppings by Lester. Retaliation isn't in his vocabulary.
"He's been doing that for years. Who cares?" Burnett said of Ortiz's antics. "I didn't watch him when he hit it off me and I didn't see it last night. Rerun.
The Yankee manager, Joe Girardi, was watching--both nights. Girardi repeatedly remarked that he didn't appreciate Ortiz's funky bat move and expected his pitcher to rattle the Boston slugger because "it bothered him."
Ortiz showed no remorse about how he threw the bat after his home-run and had his own retort.
"Why should I?" said the rotund DH. ""I don't care about what Joe Girardi says, man. No, I come to play the game every day and that's about it. I'm done with that."
Either way, Burnett showed no resilience on the mound and resented the question afterwards.
"I'm not in Toronto anymore, so I'm tired of hearing that. It's retarded," said Burnett. "If anything is different I made pitches in Toronto. I didn't make pitches tonight. That's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard of."
Besides the $82.5 million dollar starter, there is a lot of blame to share for last night's defeat. Brett Gardner fell asleep on a passed ball and Derek Jeter dribbled into a double-play with the bases loaded, but the real concern has to be about Burnett's reversal of fortune every year down the stretch. He now has a 2-4 record after a 4-0 start.
Are the Yankees going to chance putting Burnett on the mound in a Game 2 playoff series? If he can't hold down the Red Sox in June, how can the team expect the righthander to put them down in October? Risky.
The Yankees starting line-up is ramshackle at best right now and being held together by CC Sabathia and 38 year-old Bartolo Colon's reanimated arm. With Phil Hughes recovery a crap-shoot, Burnett is an important cog in the rotation. He was specifically paid big bucks to come over from Toronto for his Red Sox slaying prowess and he has failed to reciprocate on the deal.
Should Burnett have represented by going after Ortiz last night?
Former-Yankee, Dwight "Doc" Gooden, on his Twitter account wrote: "In the 80's Ortiz would be laying on his [backside] right now after the stunt he pulled [Tuesday] night."
The Yankees are 1-7 this season against the reviled Red Sox and looking up at first place.
Here's an R-word Burnett needs to earn whenever it involves the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry--it's called respect.
Friday, June 3, 2011
New York Yankees Off-Season Acquisitions Get Passing Grades...So Far
New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman didn't land the the two big studs he had hoped for in the off-season and had to settle for a mish-mosh of cast-offs, over-priced players and more old guys. One-third through the 2011 season and it's time to grade Cashman's big winter pick-ups.
The Yankees missed out on landing the class valedictorians Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford and ended up settling for the Sweathogs. The Yankees still have a slim lead in the AL East and can attribute some of their success to a couple players in this unlikely group.
The Yankees lost Andy Pettitte and the starting rotation still got older. Contributing to that math is the addition of 38 year-old Bartolo Colon and 35 year-old Freddy Garcia.
Both pitchers were picked up for bargain-basement minor-league contracts and looked like they were headed down to the farm until no young arms rose to the occasion in spring training and Phil Hughes later went down with "dead arm."
Colon, coming off a a season-and-a-half layoff has been sensational for the most part. He is coming off a complete game shutout against the Oakland A's and has the best strikeout-to-walk ratio of his career. The hefty rightie has a 3-3 record with a 3.26 ERA and 62 KO's against only 15 walks. Colon's remarkable recovery from arm troubles is being scrutinized by MLB because of the controversial stem-cell procedure he underwent last year. That's one demerit. He still hits 96 mph on the radar gun and has become the Yankees #2 starter. Gets extra credit for comeback of the early season.
Bartolo Colon: Grade B-plus.
Garcia won the fifth spot in the rotation, but hasn't been as over powering as Colon. He came over from the Chicago White Sox where he was 12-6 last year. Garcia threatened to dump his contract if he went to the minors but has been a capable #5. He didn't get his first start until the third week of the season, but has gone 4-4 with a respectable 3.34 ERA and 41 strikeouts.
Freddy Garcia: Grade B-minus.
Catcher Russell Martin was coveted by the Red Sox but chose the Yankees because he said they seemed to want him more in the Bronx. The Yankees are glad he is in pinstripes. The 28 year-old Martin has been hot and cold but has made fans forgetting about Jorge Posada being behind the plate a little easier. The former Los Angeles Dodger All-Star has showed no signs of last year's bum hip and performed capably behind the plate and beside it. He is only batting .242 but has hit 9 home-runs and knocked in 26 RBI's--typical Posada numbers when he was in his prime. Martin also has stolen 6 bases. Martin is also a nice catching bridge until the team can bring up Jesus Montero--if he's not traded.
Russell Martin: Grade B.
Andruw Jones has seen limited time in the outfield and at DH, but has shown he still possesses the power he wielded at the plate. The 34 year-old slugger has less than 60 at-bats, and with Nick Swisher finally starting to show some pop in his bat, it looks like Jones will only be replacing Posada against lefties most of the time. Jones has gotten his few hits in critical situations and has 4 HR's and 10 RBI's which makes his .230 average a push.
Andruw Jones: Grade C.
Utility infielder, Eric Chavez, has seen limited time and is more valuable to the Yankees as Alex Rodriguez's replacement when he tweaks a hammy or hits in the DH spot. The 34 year-old veteran is batting .303 and has knocked in 6 RBI's. He gets extra credit for understanding his place on the team.
Eric Chavez: Grade C.
Last but not least is the class clown Rafael Soriano. The $35 million set-up man has been nothing but trouble since Cashman reluctantly signed him to a three-year contract. Soriano has been disrupting the classroom ever since.
The moody pitcher is currently on the DL for 6-8 weeks but not after blowing crucial saves, avoiding the press and, when he does utter something, says such bon-mots like "I don't think the bullpen is the problem right now. I think it's the hitters," after he self-destructed on the mound.
Until Soriano gets over his elbow and mouth issues, he gets detention for joining a long list of Yankee newbies unable to handle the New York media.
Rafael Soriano: Grade Incomplete.
All-in-all, Cashman did a respectable job filling in the pieces with questionable and recovering players. It's a passable class with a lot of repeat seniors. More like the scrappy vocational guys in auto shop than the academics concentrating on their SAT's. It remains to be seen how long Colon and Garcia hold out.
For the record, so far this year, Carl Crawford is spotting a C and Cliff Lee is looking at a soft C-plus for being the teacher's pet.
The Yankees missed out on landing the class valedictorians Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford and ended up settling for the Sweathogs. The Yankees still have a slim lead in the AL East and can attribute some of their success to a couple players in this unlikely group.
Both pitchers were picked up for bargain-basement minor-league contracts and looked like they were headed down to the farm until no young arms rose to the occasion in spring training and Phil Hughes later went down with "dead arm."
Colon, coming off a a season-and-a-half layoff has been sensational for the most part. He is coming off a complete game shutout against the Oakland A's and has the best strikeout-to-walk ratio of his career. The hefty rightie has a 3-3 record with a 3.26 ERA and 62 KO's against only 15 walks. Colon's remarkable recovery from arm troubles is being scrutinized by MLB because of the controversial stem-cell procedure he underwent last year. That's one demerit. He still hits 96 mph on the radar gun and has become the Yankees #2 starter. Gets extra credit for comeback of the early season.
Bartolo Colon: Grade B-plus.
Garcia won the fifth spot in the rotation, but hasn't been as over powering as Colon. He came over from the Chicago White Sox where he was 12-6 last year. Garcia threatened to dump his contract if he went to the minors but has been a capable #5. He didn't get his first start until the third week of the season, but has gone 4-4 with a respectable 3.34 ERA and 41 strikeouts.
Freddy Garcia: Grade B-minus.
Catcher Russell Martin was coveted by the Red Sox but chose the Yankees because he said they seemed to want him more in the Bronx. The Yankees are glad he is in pinstripes. The 28 year-old Martin has been hot and cold but has made fans forgetting about Jorge Posada being behind the plate a little easier. The former Los Angeles Dodger All-Star has showed no signs of last year's bum hip and performed capably behind the plate and beside it. He is only batting .242 but has hit 9 home-runs and knocked in 26 RBI's--typical Posada numbers when he was in his prime. Martin also has stolen 6 bases. Martin is also a nice catching bridge until the team can bring up Jesus Montero--if he's not traded.
Russell Martin: Grade B.
Andruw Jones has seen limited time in the outfield and at DH, but has shown he still possesses the power he wielded at the plate. The 34 year-old slugger has less than 60 at-bats, and with Nick Swisher finally starting to show some pop in his bat, it looks like Jones will only be replacing Posada against lefties most of the time. Jones has gotten his few hits in critical situations and has 4 HR's and 10 RBI's which makes his .230 average a push.
Andruw Jones: Grade C.
Utility infielder, Eric Chavez, has seen limited time and is more valuable to the Yankees as Alex Rodriguez's replacement when he tweaks a hammy or hits in the DH spot. The 34 year-old veteran is batting .303 and has knocked in 6 RBI's. He gets extra credit for understanding his place on the team.
Eric Chavez: Grade C.
The moody pitcher is currently on the DL for 6-8 weeks but not after blowing crucial saves, avoiding the press and, when he does utter something, says such bon-mots like "I don't think the bullpen is the problem right now. I think it's the hitters," after he self-destructed on the mound.
Until Soriano gets over his elbow and mouth issues, he gets detention for joining a long list of Yankee newbies unable to handle the New York media.
Rafael Soriano: Grade Incomplete.
All-in-all, Cashman did a respectable job filling in the pieces with questionable and recovering players. It's a passable class with a lot of repeat seniors. More like the scrappy vocational guys in auto shop than the academics concentrating on their SAT's. It remains to be seen how long Colon and Garcia hold out.
For the record, so far this year, Carl Crawford is spotting a C and Cliff Lee is looking at a soft C-plus for being the teacher's pet.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Time For Yankees Girardi To Make The Switch From Swish
It's been hard to watch Nick Swisher struggle at the plate while the New York Yankees bob-and-weave their way through the AL East, but it's even tougher to seeing Andruw Jones gathering rust in the dugout.
Last night, Jones was the knockout punch after he went 3-for-3 with 2 home-runs and 4 RBI's in the Yankees 7-3 win over division-rival the Toronto Blue Jays. Swisher's struggles continued as he went 0-for-3 and his average dropped to a miniscule .204.
It's time for Yankees manager Joe Girardi to make a move in right field and give Jones more at-bats.
Jones has been used sparingly since he signed a one-year deal with the team for $2 million. The reserve right-fielder/DH is batting .240 with 4 home-runs and 7 RBI's in 50 at-bats.
Swisher, meanwhile, has been consistent this year--consistently horrible. He has 2 home-runs and 19 RBI's to go with that barely-beating average in 152 at-bats.
It seems like a no-brainer, but it's not an easy call for Girardi. Swisher is one of the best liked players on the team, among teammates and fans, and played a major part in the Yankees 2009 World Series run. But facts are facts and Swisher is a black hole in the line-up right now.
Girardi always allows the regular players to get their fair share of time in so they can gain momentum and not lose confidence. Swisher's 152 at-bats has been enough time for him to lose momentum and confidence in one fair shake. Through it all, Swisher keeps smiling.
Jones' confidence is what Girardi should be nurturing. Especially with a rugged 19 game schedule facing the Yankees over the course of the next three weeks. Three weeks that could be the barometer of which direction the Yankees are headed.
The Yankees begin a nine-game west coast swing against three of the top four team pitching ERA's in the AL--the Seattle Mariners, the Oakland A's and Los Angeles Angels-- before coming home to three power-packed line-ups--the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers.
Girardi will need all the fire power he can muster.
The 34 year-old Jones knows his place on this team but, besides being a solid hitter, is a 10-time Gold Glove winner.
"It was a great day, you know," said Jones after yesterday's victory. "I had three swings today, I got three hits. So that's what I'm looking for."
Last year, with the Chicago White Sox, Jones was a back-up, but got 276 at-bats due to injuries to Carlos Quentin, and still banged out 19 home-runs.
The Yankees have shopped around the idea of adding another big bat. Jorge Posada's woes as DH and Swisher's light hitting have to be a concern to Girardi, even though the manager stuck with Brett Gardner through his slump until the left-fielder found his groove. Maybe Jones' bat has been the answer all along.
Jones' grin is a little puffier than the 19 year-old Atlanta Brave who batted .400 against the Yankees in the 1996 World Series or when he hit 51 homers in 2005, but the pop is still in his bat. Yesterday, one of his blasts cleared the 408-foot wall in centerfield.
For now Jones is thankful for any playing time.
"Everybody wants to play more," said Jones. "Nobody wants to be on the bench and watch the game."
Maybe it's time for Jones to stop watching. He deserves a shot.
Last night, Jones was the knockout punch after he went 3-for-3 with 2 home-runs and 4 RBI's in the Yankees 7-3 win over division-rival the Toronto Blue Jays. Swisher's struggles continued as he went 0-for-3 and his average dropped to a miniscule .204.
It's time for Yankees manager Joe Girardi to make a move in right field and give Jones more at-bats.
Swisher, meanwhile, has been consistent this year--consistently horrible. He has 2 home-runs and 19 RBI's to go with that barely-beating average in 152 at-bats.
It seems like a no-brainer, but it's not an easy call for Girardi. Swisher is one of the best liked players on the team, among teammates and fans, and played a major part in the Yankees 2009 World Series run. But facts are facts and Swisher is a black hole in the line-up right now.
Girardi always allows the regular players to get their fair share of time in so they can gain momentum and not lose confidence. Swisher's 152 at-bats has been enough time for him to lose momentum and confidence in one fair shake. Through it all, Swisher keeps smiling.
Jones' confidence is what Girardi should be nurturing. Especially with a rugged 19 game schedule facing the Yankees over the course of the next three weeks. Three weeks that could be the barometer of which direction the Yankees are headed.
The Yankees begin a nine-game west coast swing against three of the top four team pitching ERA's in the AL--the Seattle Mariners, the Oakland A's and Los Angeles Angels-- before coming home to three power-packed line-ups--the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers.
Girardi will need all the fire power he can muster.
The 34 year-old Jones knows his place on this team but, besides being a solid hitter, is a 10-time Gold Glove winner.
"It was a great day, you know," said Jones after yesterday's victory. "I had three swings today, I got three hits. So that's what I'm looking for."
Last year, with the Chicago White Sox, Jones was a back-up, but got 276 at-bats due to injuries to Carlos Quentin, and still banged out 19 home-runs.
The Yankees have shopped around the idea of adding another big bat. Jorge Posada's woes as DH and Swisher's light hitting have to be a concern to Girardi, even though the manager stuck with Brett Gardner through his slump until the left-fielder found his groove. Maybe Jones' bat has been the answer all along.
Jones' grin is a little puffier than the 19 year-old Atlanta Brave who batted .400 against the Yankees in the 1996 World Series or when he hit 51 homers in 2005, but the pop is still in his bat. Yesterday, one of his blasts cleared the 408-foot wall in centerfield.
For now Jones is thankful for any playing time.
"Everybody wants to play more," said Jones. "Nobody wants to be on the bench and watch the game."
Maybe it's time for Jones to stop watching. He deserves a shot.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Posada Should Have Gotten Bronx Cheer Not Standing O
It only took one day for New York fans to forgive Yankees designated hitter Jorge Posada for abruptly yanking himself from the line-up one hour before a critical game against the Boston Red Sox. The slumping Posada got a standing ovation from most fans when he pinch-hit for Andruw Jones in the eighth-inning of last night's 7-5 loss to their division rivals.
Neither Posada or the Yankees deserve any sort of applause after dropping their fifth straight game and nine of their last 12.
True blue Yankee fans will claim that the one-time starting catcher had shown remorse for his temper tantrum and earned the right to be upset after being demoted to batting in the ninth spot by manager Joe Girardi. A spot where he hasn't hit in 12 years.
Truth is, Posada has been moping since platooning with Francisco Cervelli last year and was batting a measly .165 when Girardi penciled the prideful DH in at the # 9 spot.
Besides Posada's lack of production, it is his lack of clubhouse instinct. After 17 years in the big leagues, you would think Posada would have figured out that something was in the wind. A player with less of a history with the Yankees would have been benched weeks ago. He was hanging on by tenure and World Series rings. The statistics don't lie, so why was it such a surprise?
The anemic batting average aside, Posada hasn't hit a leftie in his last 24 at-bats. His six home-runs came mostly during a hot streak early in the season when it looked like he might realistically bash 40 homers this season.
Posada has always been a notorious fast starter who slows down in the stretch. What else could Girardi do? Posada had 38 games to prove his worth at DH and produced diddly. It seems like ages ago since the former-catcher was an All-Star at that position and it is sad to see him lose control--especially during a crucial series and losing streak.
Derek Jeter went to bat for his long-time friend last night, and rightfully so. They've shared a lot over the past 16 years. Even so, Jeter sounded vague when it came to details about the spat with Girardi without rocking the boat. Typical Jeter.
"But my understanding is he [Posada] went, told the manager he needed a day, and if that's the case, I don't see anything wrong with that," said The Captain.
The other remaining member of the Core Four, Mariano Rivera was just as diplomatic after he was asked if Posada should have apologized. "I don't know," said the closer. "That's a decision he has to make."
The Yankees are putting Posada's issue on the back burner and spinning a nonchalant slant on the story. He will not be disciplined. The Yankees have more pressing things to concern themselves with.
Age has reared it's ugly head in more than Posada's form. Jeter and Alex Rodriguez are also on the back-end of 30--and showing it. The whole team has creaking joints holding it together.
The three-game sweep by Boston has put the talented Red Sox back into the thick of the AL East race and the Yankees now face the younger, division-leading Tampa Bay Rays for three games.
Next weekend's series against cross-town rivals the Mets once looked like a minor distraction. Now, where these games were once just for New York bragging rights, they might be orange and blue nails in the Yankees' coffin.
The 39 year-old Posada has earned the right to discuss his position with his manager but his timing was awful. He is not in any way, shape or form to argue with facts. And the fact is Posada is a burden to the team right now. An apology is not enough.
"I let some people down," Posada confessed. "All the frustration just came out."
It is sad to see a once-great warrior try to battle his demise. It was a shame to see the injury-plagued Ken Griffey Jr. go through the same motions in his final years. Or any other sports star. Only an athlete knows that frustration and, as with a player of Posada's stature, it could be unfathomable.
Girardi hasn't revealed how long Posada (with 30 strikeouts in 109 at-bats) would sit while he figures out what to do with his $13 million lame duck.
"Yeah, he's gotten off to a real slow start," said Girardi. "But I don't think that's how this chapter has to end this year for him."
If Posada is a borderline Hall of Fame candidate, I hope voters remember the 15 great years behind and at the plate, not the foot-stamping behavior of a player having a "bad day."
Neither Posada or the Yankees deserve any sort of applause after dropping their fifth straight game and nine of their last 12.
Truth is, Posada has been moping since platooning with Francisco Cervelli last year and was batting a measly .165 when Girardi penciled the prideful DH in at the # 9 spot.
Besides Posada's lack of production, it is his lack of clubhouse instinct. After 17 years in the big leagues, you would think Posada would have figured out that something was in the wind. A player with less of a history with the Yankees would have been benched weeks ago. He was hanging on by tenure and World Series rings. The statistics don't lie, so why was it such a surprise?
The anemic batting average aside, Posada hasn't hit a leftie in his last 24 at-bats. His six home-runs came mostly during a hot streak early in the season when it looked like he might realistically bash 40 homers this season.
Posada has always been a notorious fast starter who slows down in the stretch. What else could Girardi do? Posada had 38 games to prove his worth at DH and produced diddly. It seems like ages ago since the former-catcher was an All-Star at that position and it is sad to see him lose control--especially during a crucial series and losing streak.
Derek Jeter went to bat for his long-time friend last night, and rightfully so. They've shared a lot over the past 16 years. Even so, Jeter sounded vague when it came to details about the spat with Girardi without rocking the boat. Typical Jeter.
"But my understanding is he [Posada] went, told the manager he needed a day, and if that's the case, I don't see anything wrong with that," said The Captain.
The other remaining member of the Core Four, Mariano Rivera was just as diplomatic after he was asked if Posada should have apologized. "I don't know," said the closer. "That's a decision he has to make."
The Yankees are putting Posada's issue on the back burner and spinning a nonchalant slant on the story. He will not be disciplined. The Yankees have more pressing things to concern themselves with.
Age has reared it's ugly head in more than Posada's form. Jeter and Alex Rodriguez are also on the back-end of 30--and showing it. The whole team has creaking joints holding it together.
The three-game sweep by Boston has put the talented Red Sox back into the thick of the AL East race and the Yankees now face the younger, division-leading Tampa Bay Rays for three games.
Next weekend's series against cross-town rivals the Mets once looked like a minor distraction. Now, where these games were once just for New York bragging rights, they might be orange and blue nails in the Yankees' coffin.
The 39 year-old Posada has earned the right to discuss his position with his manager but his timing was awful. He is not in any way, shape or form to argue with facts. And the fact is Posada is a burden to the team right now. An apology is not enough.
"I let some people down," Posada confessed. "All the frustration just came out."
It is sad to see a once-great warrior try to battle his demise. It was a shame to see the injury-plagued Ken Griffey Jr. go through the same motions in his final years. Or any other sports star. Only an athlete knows that frustration and, as with a player of Posada's stature, it could be unfathomable.
Girardi hasn't revealed how long Posada (with 30 strikeouts in 109 at-bats) would sit while he figures out what to do with his $13 million lame duck.
"Yeah, he's gotten off to a real slow start," said Girardi. "But I don't think that's how this chapter has to end this year for him."
If Posada is a borderline Hall of Fame candidate, I hope voters remember the 15 great years behind and at the plate, not the foot-stamping behavior of a player having a "bad day."
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Posada Pulls Himself From Line-Up Before Crucial Yankees/Red Sox Game
In a move to shakeup the New York Yankees line-up, Manager Joe Girardi penciled his slumping designated hitter, Jorge Posada, into the ninth spot of the batting order before tonight's game against their division rivals the Boston Red Sox. Posada, the one-time starting catcher regulated to a DH position this season, apparently disagreed with the demotion and pulled himself from the line-up before Saturday's nationally-televised game.
According to Fox Sports, the proud Posada met with Girardi an hour before the game and came out saying he wouldn't play. No one knows what was said in the meeting.
Before the two met, Girardi explained why he was juggling the line-up and said, "It's been a struggle this year, we're trying to get things going."
During the past three losses, the Yankees have left 37 runners on base.
There was speculation that the 38 year-old Posada would not accept batting ninth and that there was even talk of retirement. Chances are Posada, one of the Yankees original Core Four players, wouldn't walk away from the remainder of his $13 million contract.
This weekend's series against the Sox is an important barometer of where the Yankees are headed. The team has lost three straight and dropped out of first place in the AL East. They in the midst of a grueling schedule where they play 32 games in 33 days. Discord in the clubhouse could make things worse.
Posada has been slumping badly. He has an anemic batting average of .165 as the DH and hasn't hit a home run in weeks. Fans have been calling for his head for the last month of play.
Russell Martin has been the Yankees starting catcher all season and hasn't let the team down. The Yankees also have a streaking prospect, Jesus Montero, on their Triple-A club in Scranton. Montero is batting .325 and has 2 home-runs. He looks ready to jump up to the bigs.
Whether or not Posada is in breach of contract with the Yankees is one thing, but acting like a spoiled brat is another issue.
The next month of the schedule will probably exhaust a lot of Yankees players. If Posada decides not to play, it might be a blessing in disguise. It would free up the DH spot and allow older players like Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and even Martin the luxury of resting while having just DH duties.
Posada, as one of the respected veterans on the Yankees, should conduct himself in a more fitting manner. He has no one to blame but himself for his poor showing so far this season.
According to Fox Sports, the proud Posada met with Girardi an hour before the game and came out saying he wouldn't play. No one knows what was said in the meeting.
During the past three losses, the Yankees have left 37 runners on base.
There was speculation that the 38 year-old Posada would not accept batting ninth and that there was even talk of retirement. Chances are Posada, one of the Yankees original Core Four players, wouldn't walk away from the remainder of his $13 million contract.
This weekend's series against the Sox is an important barometer of where the Yankees are headed. The team has lost three straight and dropped out of first place in the AL East. They in the midst of a grueling schedule where they play 32 games in 33 days. Discord in the clubhouse could make things worse.
Posada has been slumping badly. He has an anemic batting average of .165 as the DH and hasn't hit a home run in weeks. Fans have been calling for his head for the last month of play.
Russell Martin has been the Yankees starting catcher all season and hasn't let the team down. The Yankees also have a streaking prospect, Jesus Montero, on their Triple-A club in Scranton. Montero is batting .325 and has 2 home-runs. He looks ready to jump up to the bigs.
Whether or not Posada is in breach of contract with the Yankees is one thing, but acting like a spoiled brat is another issue.
The next month of the schedule will probably exhaust a lot of Yankees players. If Posada decides not to play, it might be a blessing in disguise. It would free up the DH spot and allow older players like Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and even Martin the luxury of resting while having just DH duties.
Posada, as one of the respected veterans on the Yankees, should conduct himself in a more fitting manner. He has no one to blame but himself for his poor showing so far this season.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Russell Martin's .600 Slugging Percentage Is Pretty Good So Far, Eh?
The New York Yankees have to be pleasantly surprised with their collection of garage-sale pick-ups this off-season and rising to the top of the scrap-heap is catcher Russell Martin. The Dodgers cast-off, who was coming off two disappointing and frustrating seasons in Los Angeles, has a .600 slugging percentage this season; which ranks seventh in the AL.
Martin, who has caught every game this season except one, is taking over nicely for the veteran Jorge Posada. The Yankee backstop's new-found positive attitude is showing too. He blamed his poor performances in 2009-10 on being unfocused. According to his new Yankees teammates, that is all in the past.
The young righthander's chemistry with his new battery-mates is blossoming as well. He even painted his fingernails orange to make it easier for the pitchers to pick up his signals.
Starter A.J. Burnett--the recipient of three wins with Martin--joked that his new catcher might have just wanted his nails orange, but got serious when asked how the catcher is calling for more change-ups over fastballs in a game.
"He believes in it, and I'm starting to, more and more," said the 3-0 starter.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman took a chance on Martin. The Canadian native came up with the Dodgers in 2006 and had three solid years in a row before slumping in 2009 and breaking a hip in 2010. He is a two-time all-star and has a Gold Glove award on his mantle. Last season looks like a faded ghost of the real Martin. He hit only five home-runs in 97 games last year.
Now the new Yankee is hitting .289 with four home runs and 11 RBI's in 13 games. If anyone believes a catcher, built like a fullback, can't steal bases, especially after watching Posada chug around the base paths, should know Martin already has a couple of stolen bases too.
Martin chose the Yankees over the Boston Red Sox because he said the Yankees wanted him more. He signed a one-year deal for $4 Million. Now the insecurity of his last two seasons has been put far behind.
"I want to prove to myself I can do it," said Martin. "I'm 28 years-old. I don't really feel old. I don't really feel beat up. I've healed from my injuries. I feel back in shape and I' enjoying playing baseball."
Martin's transition from Dodger blue to Yankee pinstripes had to be made easier by associating with Dodgers and former Yankee idols--hitting coach Don Mattingly and manager Joe Torre. Martin was under the tutelage of the two Yankee legends for the past few seasons and it's a sure bet Yankee tradition was not unspoken in the L.A. dugout.
Cashman's flea-market pick-up of Dodger's reject Martin, so far, looks like an "Antiques Roadhouse" type bonanza. One man's trash...
Besides his offensive resurgence and contributions, Martin has ingratiated himself to the veteran World Series-winning Yankee players with his sense of humor and humility.
The six-year veteran Martin actually went up to Posada, whom he is replacing, and asked the veteran catcher--with 16 years under his belt-- for advice at the beginning of the season. Not a bad company move by Martin--even for a pro with a couple of All-Star appearances himself.
"On this team, they think about winning, whatever it takes," he said. "It's just a good environment to be in."
Martin may be considered to be one of the first-place Yankees' consolation prizes after the losses of Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford; but has already proven to be healthy and back to All-Star form. He said his injuries were blown out of proportion and claims he's had only one surgery to "cleanup" a knee and his broken hip has healed on it's own.
"You guys can't always believe what you read in the paper," he joked.
.
Martin, who has caught every game this season except one, is taking over nicely for the veteran Jorge Posada. The Yankee backstop's new-found positive attitude is showing too. He blamed his poor performances in 2009-10 on being unfocused. According to his new Yankees teammates, that is all in the past.
Starter A.J. Burnett--the recipient of three wins with Martin--joked that his new catcher might have just wanted his nails orange, but got serious when asked how the catcher is calling for more change-ups over fastballs in a game.
"He believes in it, and I'm starting to, more and more," said the 3-0 starter.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman took a chance on Martin. The Canadian native came up with the Dodgers in 2006 and had three solid years in a row before slumping in 2009 and breaking a hip in 2010. He is a two-time all-star and has a Gold Glove award on his mantle. Last season looks like a faded ghost of the real Martin. He hit only five home-runs in 97 games last year.
Now the new Yankee is hitting .289 with four home runs and 11 RBI's in 13 games. If anyone believes a catcher, built like a fullback, can't steal bases, especially after watching Posada chug around the base paths, should know Martin already has a couple of stolen bases too.
Martin chose the Yankees over the Boston Red Sox because he said the Yankees wanted him more. He signed a one-year deal for $4 Million. Now the insecurity of his last two seasons has been put far behind.
"I want to prove to myself I can do it," said Martin. "I'm 28 years-old. I don't really feel old. I don't really feel beat up. I've healed from my injuries. I feel back in shape and I' enjoying playing baseball."
Martin's transition from Dodger blue to Yankee pinstripes had to be made easier by associating with Dodgers and former Yankee idols--hitting coach Don Mattingly and manager Joe Torre. Martin was under the tutelage of the two Yankee legends for the past few seasons and it's a sure bet Yankee tradition was not unspoken in the L.A. dugout.
Cashman's flea-market pick-up of Dodger's reject Martin, so far, looks like an "Antiques Roadhouse" type bonanza. One man's trash...
Besides his offensive resurgence and contributions, Martin has ingratiated himself to the veteran World Series-winning Yankee players with his sense of humor and humility.
The six-year veteran Martin actually went up to Posada, whom he is replacing, and asked the veteran catcher--with 16 years under his belt-- for advice at the beginning of the season. Not a bad company move by Martin--even for a pro with a couple of All-Star appearances himself.
"On this team, they think about winning, whatever it takes," he said. "It's just a good environment to be in."
Martin may be considered to be one of the first-place Yankees' consolation prizes after the losses of Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford; but has already proven to be healthy and back to All-Star form. He said his injuries were blown out of proportion and claims he's had only one surgery to "cleanup" a knee and his broken hip has healed on it's own.
"You guys can't always believe what you read in the paper," he joked.
.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Sheen Says The Red Sox Will Be Just Fine
Sheen appeared on the Toucher & Rich on 98.5 Sports Hub in Boston Wednesday morning and gave his assessment of the Red Sox.
"I'd tell everybody to shut up, that they'll bounce back. It's a long season and there's a ton of talent there and a really bitchin' hitter's park they play in. Relax," Sheen said.
He also said there's a script written for Major League 3.
I didn't know a role in a baseball movie made you an analyst on the sport.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
N.Y. Yankees Digging the Long Ball and Not Much Else
The New York Yankees are tied for the league lead in home runs with 18 but still look anemic at the plate. A .236 team average is something the team is not used to--even if it is only nine games into the season--and seems worse when you realize four regular starters are well below the Mendoza Line with two others barely above it.
The Yankees No. 4 and No. 5 hitters, Robinson Cano (.324) and Alex Rodriguez (.321), are batting at least 115 points over the leadoff and No. 2 spots--Brett Gardner (.167) and Derek Jeter (.206).
Out of the Yankees 70 total hits this season, 18 have gone over the fence. They are on pace for a record 324 jacks and only 1260 hits.
Hot starts by Jorge Posada, Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira are faded memories. The sliding threesome went 0-for-9 with 8 strikeouts against Josh Beckett and the Boston Red Sox on Sunday. They have combined for nine home-runs but, with an average of .182, Teixeira is the stud of that bunch. Take away the homers and those three are a combined 6-of-81.
Yankee hitting coach Kevin Long hasn't heard the Steinbrenner alarm yet--thanks to the awful start by the Red Sox and he puts on a happy face when asked about the slumping players.
"I've felt good about our offense thus far and I still do," Long said after the Sox ace struck out ten Yankees on Sunday. "This isn't any time to hit the panic button just because Josh Beckett came out and threw the ball really well."
True. But how does he justify the lack of hits against pitchers who didn't throw the ball as well as Beckett so far this year?
It seems unlikely that Jeter or Gardner won't pick it up at the top of the order or that Mark Teixeira won't be rattled from his annual April swoon. And there's no way that the DH Posada or outfielder Granderson will still be batting .138 and .172, respectively, at the end of the season, but there has to be concern--even with a 5-4 record.
If anything the Yankee hits have been timely. They were sixth in runs scored (50).
Manager Joe Girardi knows nine games do not make a season. "You can't make too much of a few at-bats," he said. "You can't just do it because early in the season you're going to see guys have ups and downs. You're going to see it, and then as they start getting more at-bats under their belts, they start to get more consistent."
The Yankees may be hiding their lack of hits behind their home-run onslaught. Everyone knows chicks really dig the long-ball, but I don't think hitting coaches do.
The Yankees No. 4 and No. 5 hitters, Robinson Cano (.324) and Alex Rodriguez (.321), are batting at least 115 points over the leadoff and No. 2 spots--Brett Gardner (.167) and Derek Jeter (.206).
Out of the Yankees 70 total hits this season, 18 have gone over the fence. They are on pace for a record 324 jacks and only 1260 hits.
Yankee hitting coach Kevin Long hasn't heard the Steinbrenner alarm yet--thanks to the awful start by the Red Sox and he puts on a happy face when asked about the slumping players.
"I've felt good about our offense thus far and I still do," Long said after the Sox ace struck out ten Yankees on Sunday. "This isn't any time to hit the panic button just because Josh Beckett came out and threw the ball really well."
True. But how does he justify the lack of hits against pitchers who didn't throw the ball as well as Beckett so far this year?
It seems unlikely that Jeter or Gardner won't pick it up at the top of the order or that Mark Teixeira won't be rattled from his annual April swoon. And there's no way that the DH Posada or outfielder Granderson will still be batting .138 and .172, respectively, at the end of the season, but there has to be concern--even with a 5-4 record.
If anything the Yankee hits have been timely. They were sixth in runs scored (50).
Manager Joe Girardi knows nine games do not make a season. "You can't make too much of a few at-bats," he said. "You can't just do it because early in the season you're going to see guys have ups and downs. You're going to see it, and then as they start getting more at-bats under their belts, they start to get more consistent."
The Yankees may be hiding their lack of hits behind their home-run onslaught. Everyone knows chicks really dig the long-ball, but I don't think hitting coaches do.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Yankees Teixeira Deals With April's 'Funky Stats' Again
If New York Yankees Mark Teixeira is 0-for-18, it must be April. Never mind showers that bring flowers, it's usually his April slumps that bring a little power every spring.
Teixeira, notorious for his slow spring starts, may have been fooled by the season's early start date and stormed out of the gate. He batted .333 with 4 home-runs in his first five games leading fans to believe the first-baseman had conquered the spate of early-season struggles which have dogged Teixeira throughout his career.
The surprisingly great start had a reality check and now a dreadful 0-for-18 slump leaves Teixeira batting .182 in the third spot. The slide was highlighted by a hitless weekend against the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees dropped 2-of-3 against their division rivals culminating with Josh Beckett's 2-hit gem on Sunday night.
Teixeira, who turns 31 today, had a blistering start to the season. He hit four home-runs with 10 RBI's during that span. He now has six hits and 10 strikeouts in 33 at-bats.
The top of the Yankee order is, so far, pretty bland and can't be helping Teixeira much. Leadoff batter Brett Gardner is hitting .167 followed by Derek Jeter and his piddling .206 average. The healthy stats of the No. 4 and 5 batters, Alex Rodriguez (who sat out last night's game) and Robinson Cano, make Tex less of a concern to opposing pitchers than the hitters who follow him. Teixeira has become the cheese on a white-bread and multi-grain sandwich.
"They pitched me really tough this weekend," Teixeira said last night. "Any ball I hit hard got caught. They pitched me tough. [Today's] day off will be nice to just regroup and get back to work on Tuesday."
Teixeira doesn't have to feel relatively bad about last night's three-strikeout performance. Beckett made the rest of the Yankees team look just as small. The rejuvenated Boston right-hander mowed down 10 pinstripers on strikeouts and looked like the Beckett of old.
For the weekend, Tex was 0-for-12 with six strikeouts. When last seen he was arguing a strikeout call against Jonathan Papelbon.
"He [Beckett] was really good tonight," said Teixeira. "Some nights you beat yourself up and some nights you tip your cap and this was one of those nights."
It looks like the Yankees will have to just wait until May for Teixeira to get his groove back. While the four-time Gold Glove winner earns his keep in the field, Teixeira says he doesn't put too much emphasis on early-season swoons and batting stats.
"If I did, I would have retired years ago," he said. "The first nine games you're going to have some funky stats. You're going to have guys that you say that this guy is going to be the next MVP and he's sent down a month later. You're going to have guys that are hitting .050 and then he wins the MVP. It's a such a small part of the season."
Yankees manager, Joe Girardi, seems to take Teixeira's .232 career April average in stride.
"He's just missing balls a little bit, that's all," the manager said. " And you're seeing good pitching out there."
Teixeira may be sugar-coating his frustration. While the Red Sox were celebrating their win, after Teixeira's final swing, he followed the umpire to dispute the call.
"You guys saw it," Teixeira said. " I'm not allowed to say anything. I didn't yell at him. It is what it is. He said he might have missed it. I wasn't going to hit a grand slam with no one on. I might have gone nuts, but we didn't get the job done."
"It's raining, it's cold. You can't get a rhythm sometimes," said Teixeira. I'd love to be able to hit .300 from day one...that's the way baseball is."
Funky.
Teixeira, notorious for his slow spring starts, may have been fooled by the season's early start date and stormed out of the gate. He batted .333 with 4 home-runs in his first five games leading fans to believe the first-baseman had conquered the spate of early-season struggles which have dogged Teixeira throughout his career.
Teixeira, who turns 31 today, had a blistering start to the season. He hit four home-runs with 10 RBI's during that span. He now has six hits and 10 strikeouts in 33 at-bats.
The top of the Yankee order is, so far, pretty bland and can't be helping Teixeira much. Leadoff batter Brett Gardner is hitting .167 followed by Derek Jeter and his piddling .206 average. The healthy stats of the No. 4 and 5 batters, Alex Rodriguez (who sat out last night's game) and Robinson Cano, make Tex less of a concern to opposing pitchers than the hitters who follow him. Teixeira has become the cheese on a white-bread and multi-grain sandwich.
"They pitched me really tough this weekend," Teixeira said last night. "Any ball I hit hard got caught. They pitched me tough. [Today's] day off will be nice to just regroup and get back to work on Tuesday."
Teixeira doesn't have to feel relatively bad about last night's three-strikeout performance. Beckett made the rest of the Yankees team look just as small. The rejuvenated Boston right-hander mowed down 10 pinstripers on strikeouts and looked like the Beckett of old.
For the weekend, Tex was 0-for-12 with six strikeouts. When last seen he was arguing a strikeout call against Jonathan Papelbon.
"He [Beckett] was really good tonight," said Teixeira. "Some nights you beat yourself up and some nights you tip your cap and this was one of those nights."
It looks like the Yankees will have to just wait until May for Teixeira to get his groove back. While the four-time Gold Glove winner earns his keep in the field, Teixeira says he doesn't put too much emphasis on early-season swoons and batting stats.
"If I did, I would have retired years ago," he said. "The first nine games you're going to have some funky stats. You're going to have guys that you say that this guy is going to be the next MVP and he's sent down a month later. You're going to have guys that are hitting .050 and then he wins the MVP. It's a such a small part of the season."
Yankees manager, Joe Girardi, seems to take Teixeira's .232 career April average in stride.
"He's just missing balls a little bit, that's all," the manager said. " And you're seeing good pitching out there."
Teixeira may be sugar-coating his frustration. While the Red Sox were celebrating their win, after Teixeira's final swing, he followed the umpire to dispute the call.
"You guys saw it," Teixeira said. " I'm not allowed to say anything. I didn't yell at him. It is what it is. He said he might have missed it. I wasn't going to hit a grand slam with no one on. I might have gone nuts, but we didn't get the job done."
"It's raining, it's cold. You can't get a rhythm sometimes," said Teixeira. I'd love to be able to hit .300 from day one...that's the way baseball is."
Funky.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Ex-Yankees Trying to Block Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's Wife-Swap Film
Former Yankee pitcher Mike Kekich is attempting to halt production on Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's film "The Trade." The movie, based on the 1972 drama when Kekich and another Yankee pitcher Fritz Peterson swapped wives, has yet to start shooting.
The scandal, which was outed in 1973, began when the two Yankee pitchers joked about switching wives--then actually did it.
According to a source from the New York Post, Kekich is desperately trying to block the film from seeing daylight and said," Kekich isn't too keen on having the scandal dredged up again after all this time. He is panic-stricken. He has moved away and has a new identity. He is freaked out that those working on the movie found out where he is."
Boston-raised Red Sox fanatic Affleck and his brother Casey are rewriting the script. The brothers are reaching out to veteran reporters and ballplayers from that era for more background on the story. They aren't having an easy time.
The source said," Other Yankees from that time have also been really unhelpful with facts and details of what happened. They are stonewalling."
The proposed film centers around Kekich and Peterson, both starting pitchers and friends on the fourth-place '72 Yankees, joking about swapping wives during the tail-end of the swinging, free-love era. Marilyn Peterson eventually moved in with Kekich--which didn't last--and Susanne Kekich moved in with Fritz. Susanne and Fritz are still married. Kekich reportedly remarried, had another daughter and started a new life in New Mexico. The current Petersons live in New Jersey and Colorado.
Affleck hasn't named anyone who would star as Kekich and Peterson but hinted that Damon would direct. Naomi Watts, Rachel Weisz and Rebecca Hall are all being considered for the female leads.
According to the Post, the script has not been shown to Major League Baseball or the New York Yankees and a start date hasn't been announced.
Affleck hasn't been quiet about making a film about the Yankees lean years and an episode which takes the Yankees superior image down a notch. He told MTV, "I've come to have a little respect for the Yankees. There are some of those guys...that look like good guys...But as an institution? Disdain. Contempt."
Regarding the film's storyline, Affleck said, "Guys [bleep]ing each other's wives...that's those Yankees."
Can't wait to see who plays Horace Clarke.
The scandal, which was outed in 1973, began when the two Yankee pitchers joked about switching wives--then actually did it.
Boston-raised Red Sox fanatic Affleck and his brother Casey are rewriting the script. The brothers are reaching out to veteran reporters and ballplayers from that era for more background on the story. They aren't having an easy time.
The source said," Other Yankees from that time have also been really unhelpful with facts and details of what happened. They are stonewalling."
The proposed film centers around Kekich and Peterson, both starting pitchers and friends on the fourth-place '72 Yankees, joking about swapping wives during the tail-end of the swinging, free-love era. Marilyn Peterson eventually moved in with Kekich--which didn't last--and Susanne Kekich moved in with Fritz. Susanne and Fritz are still married. Kekich reportedly remarried, had another daughter and started a new life in New Mexico. The current Petersons live in New Jersey and Colorado.
Affleck hasn't named anyone who would star as Kekich and Peterson but hinted that Damon would direct. Naomi Watts, Rachel Weisz and Rebecca Hall are all being considered for the female leads.
According to the Post, the script has not been shown to Major League Baseball or the New York Yankees and a start date hasn't been announced.
Affleck hasn't been quiet about making a film about the Yankees lean years and an episode which takes the Yankees superior image down a notch. He told MTV, "I've come to have a little respect for the Yankees. There are some of those guys...that look like good guys...But as an institution? Disdain. Contempt."
Regarding the film's storyline, Affleck said, "Guys [bleep]ing each other's wives...that's those Yankees."
Can't wait to see who plays Horace Clarke.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Ex-Idiots Manny and Johnny Reunite In Tampa Bay
The Tampa Bay Rays, who lost more than a few key players this off-season, have reloaded their depleted line-up with a couple of familiar faces from the AL East--Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez. The former Boston Red Sox teammates and ex-Idiots will be signed to one year deals pending physicals. The Rays may want to throw in a head examination for the enigmatic Ramirez to see what's under those dreads.
Both Damon and Ramirez were being considered by the New York Yankees this winter but, with the signing of Andruw Jones the other day, their fourth outfielder position looks capably filled.
Damon and Ramirez were teammates for four years in Boston and were two members of the self-proclaimed Idiots squad who won four games in a row to beat the Yankees in the classic 2004 ALCS.
The 37 year-old Damon bent a lot of Boston fans noses by joining the hated Yankees from 2006-09 after being unceremoniously released by the Sox. He spent 2010 with the Tigers.
Ramirez spent a few contentious years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, after his lease on his Red Sox padded cell ran out, and split the 2010 season between the Dodgers and Chicago White Sox. The troubled DH has seen his numbers decline in recent years and in 2009 he failed the league's Performance Enhancing Drug policy and was suspended for 50 games. The 38 year-old Ramirez has been dogged recently by numerous injuries and may see more time on the DL than as the DH.
The 2010 AL East Champion Rays, the Yankees and the Red Sox continue to play a comical game of roster-chess by trading and picking up each other's players.
Boston added former-Ray Carl Crawford, who was desired by the Yankees, to their team and the Yankees signed the Rays relief pitcher Rafael Soriano last week. Now the Rays pick up two experienced, but aging, AL East warriors from their adversaries' glory days, hoping to keep the three-way rivalry alive.
The durable Damon signed for a salary of $5.25 million plus attendance incentives--not an easy task at fan-starved Tropicana field--that bring his total earnings to $6 mil. I wouldn't spend that extra $750,000 just yet Johnny.
Ramirez signed for a flat $2 million. A far cry from his $20 million years in Boston.
The Red Sox have dominated the free-agent market this off-season while adding power, speed and youth. The Yankees have chipped away at nagging problems but still look a lot like last years team without a strong starting rotation. Advantage to Boston.
Now the Rays are flexing whatever financial muscle they can muster to show their three-year mini-dynasty wasn't a flash-in-the-pan and they will continue to give the other teams in the division a run for their money in 2011.
Can't wait for the love-fest at Fenway Park on April 11 when the Rays visit Boston. It'll be an Idiot's delight.
Both Damon and Ramirez were being considered by the New York Yankees this winter but, with the signing of Andruw Jones the other day, their fourth outfielder position looks capably filled.
The 37 year-old Damon bent a lot of Boston fans noses by joining the hated Yankees from 2006-09 after being unceremoniously released by the Sox. He spent 2010 with the Tigers.
Ramirez spent a few contentious years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, after his lease on his Red Sox padded cell ran out, and split the 2010 season between the Dodgers and Chicago White Sox. The troubled DH has seen his numbers decline in recent years and in 2009 he failed the league's Performance Enhancing Drug policy and was suspended for 50 games. The 38 year-old Ramirez has been dogged recently by numerous injuries and may see more time on the DL than as the DH.
The 2010 AL East Champion Rays, the Yankees and the Red Sox continue to play a comical game of roster-chess by trading and picking up each other's players.
Boston added former-Ray Carl Crawford, who was desired by the Yankees, to their team and the Yankees signed the Rays relief pitcher Rafael Soriano last week. Now the Rays pick up two experienced, but aging, AL East warriors from their adversaries' glory days, hoping to keep the three-way rivalry alive.
The durable Damon signed for a salary of $5.25 million plus attendance incentives--not an easy task at fan-starved Tropicana field--that bring his total earnings to $6 mil. I wouldn't spend that extra $750,000 just yet Johnny.
Ramirez signed for a flat $2 million. A far cry from his $20 million years in Boston.
The Red Sox have dominated the free-agent market this off-season while adding power, speed and youth. The Yankees have chipped away at nagging problems but still look a lot like last years team without a strong starting rotation. Advantage to Boston.
Now the Rays are flexing whatever financial muscle they can muster to show their three-year mini-dynasty wasn't a flash-in-the-pan and they will continue to give the other teams in the division a run for their money in 2011.
Can't wait for the love-fest at Fenway Park on April 11 when the Rays visit Boston. It'll be an Idiot's delight.
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