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New York Yankees: AJ Burnett Expects To Start And I Do Too

Posted by on 28 January 2012, 2:16 am
The hottest topic in Yankee Universe at the moment is who should win the fifth spot in the starting pitching rotation between Phil Hughes, AJ Burnett and Freddy Garcia.

So, over the last week I have read and heard many opinions on the topic from bloggers to analysts to the manager at my local Starbucks.

The most annoying trend is the immediate discounting of Burnett, as entitled Yankee fans have branded him as the pitcher’s A-rod.

Personally, I like both A-rod and Burnett because they work hard and when they are on, they are great. But getting into that discussion is for another time.

The point is that no matter what happens in Spring Training, Burnett deserves the fifth spot in the rotation. This has nothing to do with money because it is not like I am writing the paychecks.

The reason is Burnett has earned it, and here are three reasons why:

  1. Since signing with the Yankees, Burnett has been totally healthy making all 33 starts each season. This is not the case with Hughes as he has spent more time on the DL with multiple injuries than the mound; and Garcia had that kitchen knife accident last season, and was sidelined for most of August.
  2. If you look closely, four of Burnett’s 11 losses in 2011 were due to the Yankee hitters only scoring 0-2 runs because he posted an ERA of 3.00, gave up just four homers and maintained a WHIP of 1.00. Compared to 14 of 18 of Hughes wins from 2010 came on days when the Yankee bats scored 6+ runs. Hughes won ZERO games when the bats scored 0-2 runs, had just 3 wins were when the team scored 3-5 runs and one win he got coming out of the bullpen.
  3. If any player is going to step it up, especially in New York, it should be in the month of October. Burnett stepped it up BIG TIME last season to keep the Yankees in the playoffs.

Now I kept this list short by choosing three points that covered a lot of ground. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: AJ Burnett Expects To Start And I Do Too’ »

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New York Yankees: Fifth Starter Competition Looks To Be A Dogfight

Posted by on 27 January 2012, 3:16 am

A. J. Burnett

New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman took the words “Pitching is a priority,” right out of ex-Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks mouth this off-season.

Cashman has left skipper Joe Girardi and Co. with a tough decision to make come Spring Training, as seven starting pitchers cannot fit into five spots.

The situation is as follows, CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Michael Pineda and Ivan Nova look to be the locks to start the 2012 season, pending no extenuating circumstances say otherwise.

This leaves AJ Burnett, Freddy Garcia and Phil Hughes all fighting for the one remaining spot left in the starting rotation.

So, the question is who should be the Yankees fifth starter out of the above three?

Ok…. before you all unleash on me, please note that I based purely on who out of the three would be the most effectively to start the 2012 season in the rotation.

So, I decided to use a process of elimination to see who looks best on paper. It was the only legit option for now, as no one knows who shows up in what shape yet etc.

First, I looked at Burnett, Garcia and Hughes basic stats for the first-half of 2011. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Fifth Starter Competition Looks To Be A Dogfight’ »

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New York Yankees: You Want Answers I Got 3 Questions

Posted by on 26 January 2012, 4:12 am

In a few days it will be February, which means Spring Training is right around the corner as pitchers and catchers report on the 19th.

English: A-Rod batting in 2007.

Image via Wikipedia

So, while baseball fans are ready to end another long off-season, team’s front offices are scrambling to get everything in order.

As for the New York Yankees, this off-season got started uncomfortably late but in the end trading for Michael Pineda and signing Hiroki Kuroda were well worth the wait.

Still, the fate of the 2012 Yankees hinders on getting the right answers to some lingering questions.

So, here are 3 substantial subjects to keep your eye on as things get started:

1.     Can Alex Rodriguez stay healthy?

When A-rod is healthy, he is hitting and without question makes the Yankees tougher to beat. It is no secret that A-rod is 36 years old and entering his 19th MLB season, but he is a true competitor with a lot of talent. There is no lack of effort on his part either, as A-rod works harder than most athletes and this off-season was no different. A-rod piggy-backed the 2009 team straight to a World Series, and the Yankees could use 30 homers and 100 RBIs out of him. Solid production from A-rod would be a difference maker; but that entails staying off the DL.

2.     Seven starters for a five-man rotation? Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: You Want Answers I Got 3 Questions’ »

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New York Yankees: 8 Headlines You Don’t Want To See In 2012

Posted by on 12 January 2012, 11:46 pm

New York Post - back cover - 11-24-2012

Whether you read it in the local newspaper; watch it on ESPN’s Sportscenter or MLB Network’s Quick Pitch; or hear it on Mad Dog Radio, there are certain words like setback, injury, slump, suspension that a fan immediately knows means trouble.

Not one of the 30 MLB teams is devoid of issues over the course of the 162-game regular season, but the severity can vary and sometimes recovering becomes impossible.

The worst is when a baseball fan is unprepared, as I am all to familiar with those dreadful mornings when open my door to grab my New York Post and bam, the front page is enough to make me sick, literally.

It is always a treat like back in November 2012 when one NYP headline read, PICTURE THIS with Derek Jeter in a Red Sox’s uniform linking to a feature story that the Yankees were going to let the Captain take other offers; and that Boston was coming guns a-blazing. Can you even image?

So, this got me thinking of what Yankee headlines would I NOT want to see in 2012, or ever for that matter? Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: 8 Headlines You Don’t Want To See In 2012’ »

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New York Yankees: Remembering The Top 6 Headlines From 2011

Posted by on 27 December 2011, 12:45 am

The New York Yankees and their fans are trying to forget how the 2011 MLB season ended, as losing the ALDS in five games at home was rough on everyone.

Still, with a New Year just days away gives the perfect reason to reflect on the noteworthy, and in 2011 a lot of historic Yankee memories were made.

So, here are the 6 newspaper headlines, some to be etched in Yankee Universe forever, but all had a significant part in the 2011 season; and ones I will never forget:

START SPREADING THE NEWS…and in specific order:

1)    Mr. 3,000: Derek Jeter joins club with unexpected homer. – Big League Stew

2)    Rivera Notches Save No. 600 in Seattle as Yankees Win. – New York Times

3)    Yes, we Cano: Derby win is a family affair…Yanks slugger sets final-round record with father throwing. – MLB.com Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Remembering The Top 6 Headlines From 2011’ »

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New York Yankees Hot Stove: Cashman Makes Progress On His Not-To-Do-List

Posted by on 9 December 2011, 11:48 am

I guess it is so far so good for New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman, as he crossed a lot of things off his 2012 off-season not-to-do-list at the Winter Meetings this past week.

Continue reading ‘New York Yankees Hot Stove: Cashman Makes Progress On His Not-To-Do-List’ »

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New York Yankees Trade Rumors: Apologize To AJ Burnett

Posted by on 8 December 2011, 1:15 am

I might be the only New York Yankees fan who doesn’t think trading AJ Burnett, as New York Post’s George E. King confirmed the rumor to be true, is a good idea.

Here are my three reasons why:

1)    If Burnett goes to an AL East team or a playoff contender, the Yankees might have to face AJ down the stretch. And if you forgot why the Yankees signed Burnett in the first place, a main reason was that they hated facing him. Wouldn’t that be a slap in the face if that started happening again?

2)    The Yankees will have to eat $8 million of the $33 million still owed to AJ , but what will they get back for him? It is a risk because the Yankee are not going to get an arm with a better skill set than Burnett type, and acquiring a worse pitcher isn’t worth it.

3)    Also Burnett is liked by his teammates, he works hard and was the only positive thing that came out of the 2011 ALDS. Fact remains that Burnett came through when the team needed him most, under intense pressure of win or bust Game 4, and he did it not in Yankee Stadium. That is more than I can say about the rest of the Yankees.

So, now that everyone knows about Burnett being offered up, you have to presume word got back to him as well. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees Trade Rumors: Apologize To AJ Burnett’ »

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