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New York Yankees: Who to watch this spring

Posted by on 17 February 2012, 3:52 am
CC Sabathia

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This Sunday, pitchers and catchers report to 2012 Spring Training, and like most baseball fans, I feel like a kid on the night before Christmas.

The New York Yankees might not be able to top the Lin-sanity going on at Madison Square Garden, but you’d be hard pressed to find anything that could.

Still, one week of Lin-somnia doesn’t change a century in pinstripes, or the unrelenting anticipations put on the boys in the Bronx each season.

So, what will I be watching for this Spring Training?

1) As I said before the pitching rotation competition looks to be a dogfight. For now, all we know is pitching coach Larry Rothschild clearly stated that CC Sabathia is No. 1 and after that is a toss-up, literally. Also, skipper Joe Girardi told MLB.com that Sabathia would pitch the first game of season for the Yankees, as he is the team’s ace. After Sabathia, the other four spots will be determined this spring between Ivan Nova, Michael Pineda, Hiroki Kuroda, Freddy Garcia, Phil Hughes and AJ Burnett.

2) How will AJ Burnett be affected by the inundated, almost borderline psychotic obsession everyone had with the Yankees getting rid of the righty? I have never seen such mayhem caused by a just a trade rumor. The talk has gotten pretty nasty. The only real deal, reported on MLB Trade Rumors, was from the Angels who wanted to send Bobby Abreu back to New York for the pitcher, but Burnett nixed that and rightly so as his wife doesn’t fly and everyone knows they live in Maryland. So, for now it doesn’t look like Burnett is going anywhere. I just try to picture how badly the situation would make me feel. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Who to watch this spring’ »

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New York Yankees: 2012 Projected Batting Order

Posted by on 13 February 2012, 10:01 pm

The 2012 New York Yankees batting order is not so hard to project, which is a Godsend for skipper Joe Girardi who will already have his hands full weeding though an abundance of starting pitchers.

The only real lineup issue the Yankees have is a lack of a fulltime DH, which is not an imminent need but certainly a luxury that GM Brian Cashman would like to secure.

Here is the presumed 2012 batting order: Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: 2012 Projected Batting Order’ »

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New York Yankees: 3 pre-season reasons to be very afraid of this team

Posted by on 13 February 2012, 5:20 am
English: CC Sabathia (left) and Mark Teixeira

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The 2012 New York Yankees have a team that is built to win the World Series, and offer plenty of everything for opposing teams to be very afraid about.

And here are the three reasons why:

1) MOTIVATION.

From CC Sabathia to Mark Teixeira to Alex Rodriguez, if the Yankees have made one thing very clear this offseason it is how unhappy they were with their 2011 ALDS early exit. I saw first hand back in December how hard Sabathia was training by his evident weight loss.

Tex is throwing out the BSOHL card, Best-Shape-Of-His-Life. He recently tweeted about his 14-pound off-season weight loss, and told the NY Post that he plans to be laying down some bunts this season, which would be a first for the switch hitter. With the way defenses shift over when Tex bats lefty, it could really be a difference maker even if he only bunts 10 times all season. The first basemen also tweeted “One of the greatest thrills of my life…the victory parade down the “Canyon of Heroes”, while watching the New York football Giants parade on February 7th. It is safe to say that Tex wants to stroll down the parade route in NYC once again.

A-rod went as far as Germany; on the advice of NBA star Kobe Bryant to have experimental procedures on his knee and shoulder. A-rod is doing everything possible to make sure he stays healthy this season, and regardless what some critics say, the Yankees are better all around with A-rod active.

And the NY Post confirmed that Spring Training has already started for the Captain, who has been hard at work at Steinbrenner Field for well over two weeks already. This is standard for Derek Jeter, who is always the first to arrive at camp, and is happy to help 19-year old shortstop Cito Culver who is taking full advantage by shadowing the Captain. Jeter is already in the batting cage, as he wants to start 2012 the way he ended 2011.

2) FLAWLESS. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: 3 pre-season reasons to be very afraid of this team’ »

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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: 2012 Resolution That’s Easy

Posted by on 2 January 2012, 11:23 pm
Making a New Year’s resolution is a time-honored tradition, and after going to the gym today I can tell you that it is still done, as it was

jammed packed.

Certain resolutions are irresolvable; such as I will never win a World Series for the obvious reason that I am female. Regardless, the majority of living men in the world today are not even remotely talented enough to play in the minor leagues.

Now the above does not apply if your name is Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez or Mariano Rivera as not only have all three already been WS Champs, they have the opportunity to do it again but the window is closing.

The 2012 New York Yankees won’t look much different from 2011, as most know that this off-season has been lifeless thus far and I do not foresee any surprises prior to the start of Spring Training.

Luckily, the Yankees have the talent to be relevant without much change but with the looming retirement of Rivera, along with the ages of Jeter and A-rod make 2012 the last season that winning a World Series might still be manageable.

I don’t think fans realize what life in the Bronx will be like when Enter Sandman no longer plays at the Stadium in the ninth inning; or in two or three years when the team no longer has their Captain.

The time is now, and after being on-hand for the Game 5 of the 2011 ALDS one would hope that would be enough for the entire Yankee team to work harder this off-season. So at least the players would know that they did everything humanly possible not repeat another early exit again in 2012.

For now, all I hope is that the majority of active Yankee players have this same sentiment. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: 2012 Resolution That’s Easy’ »

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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: Stop Blaming, Start Winning And Shut-Up

Posted by on 21 December 2011, 2:45 am

New York Post - Back Cover- 12/20/11

Stop blaming, start winning and shut-up…. is a lesson both the New York Giants and Jets could learn from the New York Yankees.

Both the Jets and Giants represent New York and the NFL, but these professionals act more like spoiled brats who just talk the talk, but can’t seem to walk the walk.

Have you ever heard a Yankees publicly blame his teammates; or whine about lack of fan support after a loss?

Did anyone overhear Derek Jeter & Co. complaining about Alex Rodriguez’s playoff choke after the Yankees lost ALDS Game 5 this past season?

No, and even if Jeter thought it, as A-rod did blow three series-winning at-bats, it would have been for a passing second because the Yankees win and lose as a team.

See, even my mother knows that the Yankees play every game with all they got, so why can’t the Jets and Giants do the same?

Speaking as a Giants fan, what pisses me off is that the talent is clearly there, but the attitude doesn’t match-up. No one knows which Giants ‘team’ is going to show up that day. And the worst part is I don’t think the Giants players do either because they seem to give-up, instead man-up.

Look, the Giants are not alone here, as I am sure many Jets, Cowboys and Eagles fans feel the same way each week but that doesn’t excuse it.

So, this weekend other than a Giants shellacking of the Jets, I hope the game does not embarrass New York, two of the city’s loyal fan-bases and the game of football itself.

As reality is if both teams play like they did last Sunday, we are in for a turbulent four-quarters on Saturday.

NOW…. ABOUT THE G-MEN:

Let me clear one thing up, the Jets are not the Giants, just like the Mets are not the Yankees. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Stop Blaming, Start Winning And Shut-Up’ »

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