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New York Yankees: One Sox Down, Six Soxs To Go And A New Attitude

Posted by on 2 August 2011, 6:05 am

The New York Yankees won the first game in Chicago 3-2, as Ozzie and his White Sox just couldn’t muster much even against off a so-so CC Sabathia.

An off night for Sabathia was still good enough to earn him his MLB leading 16th win, with just enough help from the Yankee bats to make sure that it happened.

So one SOX down and six SOXs to go, as the Yankees have three more in the Windy City before heading to Boston for a three-game weekend series against the Red Sox.

This is just not any old road trip because their team and fans pride will be on the line against the Red Sox. Remember the Yankees are now 1-8 against Boston, and the last two series were sweeps in the Bronx.

It makes me sick to even type the above; and it doesn’t help when every media outlet has preached how overmatched the Yankees in comparison to their division rivals.

Look no one can negate statistics, as they clearly confirm that Boston victimized the Yankees like you read about and that is just not going to fly in Yankee Universe.

Add that to the Yankees just acted so out of character by standing firmly at the trade deadline that they are confident with what they already have.

Whether GM Brian Cashman was acting sensibly or stupidly has Yankee fans spilt down the middle.

Being an outsider, while other teams improve themselves is clearly not something that Yankee universe is used too. Especially with teams like the Phillies behaving so Yankee-like by nabbing Hunter Pence from the Astros. I mean wasn’t getting Cliff Lee during the offseason enough?

I am intrigued and proud that the Yankees are going to see what these youngsters can do instead of making some desperate trade in a panic.

A few days before last Sunday’s deadline YES Jack Curry tweeted that Cashman said:

“We aren’t going to do anything stupid.”

Personally, this new attitude of sticking with the homegrown talent could be just what the doctor ordered in the Bronx.

Is it enough for the Yankees to get in the playoffs?

In my opinion, Jesus Montero, Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances and Austin Romaine bring an unpolluted enthusiasm that the Yankee players are not accustomed too. It is the kind of eagerness that can’t be unmatched, no matter the clubhouse; but something the Yankees have craved for years.

These players are also uber-talented and trust me get to know their names now because they are the future.

I can’t verify that all Yankee fans agree with my sentiments, but for some reason the way Cashman has handled this, just feels very right.

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2011 New York Yankees: What Do May, June And # 28 Have In Common?

Posted by on 29 April 2011, 4:34 am

New York Yankees ace CC Sabathia earned his second win, as the team whacked the Chicago White Sox right out of the Bronx after Thursday night’s 12-3 win and spilting the four game set with Ozzie’s boys.

The Bombers have been cruising right along in April, and certainly earning their nickname leading the Majors with 41 homeruns. Just so you get how good a number that is, following behind the Yankees with 33 homers is the Texas Rangers, who have played three more games due to all the rain delays in New York.

The Yankees also lead in slugging percentage with .485; rank third in RBIs with 125; fifth in OBP posting a .335; fifth in runs with 126 and they are tied, with the Minnesota Twins for second to last in strikeouts with 145.

Look I am well aware that these are just April’s numbers, but something has to be said after all the negative pre-season talk surrounding the 2011 Yankees.

Having a bench of veteran All-Stars might be brilliant and I expect it to continue through the season because between Andruw Jones and Eric Chavez they have 16 Gold Gloves, two Silver Sluggers and appearing on the MVP ballot in nine seasons.

Sorry, I have even had enough of my new Brian Cashman fixation when in essence the man was just doing his job.

My point is that as fun as April has been and about to be was, in the next 24 hours the calendar will read May and looking at the Yankees schedule to say they will be tested is an understatement.

May gradually gets pretty tough, as the Yankees play a series against all four AL East teams, who all want to kill each other.

Then the Yanks hit the road three times to visit the Tigers, Rangers, squeeze in a Subway Series at home and end the month out West with three game sets against the A’s and Mariners.

The above is accurate, except the AL East series are scattered but all are happening in May.

Why am I bothering to recite the Yankees schedule, like some babbling idiot?

Well, have you looked over the Yankees schedule for May and June?

If your answer is YES, than you must understand exactly where I am coming from.

The months of May and June could very well decide the Yankees fate because the summer is going to be brutally hard.

Don’t think I am jumping the gun here.

In June the Yankees, like every other team, play four inter-league series and they will face the Cubs, Reds, Rockies and Brewers. All four are hot NL teams with pitching that the Yankees are entirely unacquainted with, which does NOT work in their favor.

Then throw in series against the Red Sox, Angels, Indians and Rangers before even wishing America a Happy Birthday.

So, now do you get what Do May, June And # 28 Have In Common?

Simply, that the next two months will prove a lot and it could end any hope of #28 in 2011.

Hey maybe this first month’s courteous start is officially over, but it surely doesn’t mean the honeymoon phase has to end.

Let’s go Yankees!!

 

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Bartolo Colon: CY Young Zero To New York Yankees Hero? Who Knew

Posted by on 28 April 2011, 4:35 am

After winning the 2005 CY Young Award (MVP for pitching), Bartolo Colon went from pitching hero to CY Young zero pretty quickly.

Physically, Colon was never the poster boy for anything athletic. Standing at 5’11 and hovering around 250 lbs. certainly explained the numerous injuries, which understandably exhibited a poor and lazy attitude.

In 2005, the 32-year-old Colon made 33 starts and posted a 21-8 record, with a 3.48 ERA, 157 strikeouts, over 223 innings for the Los Angeles Angels.

Even though 2005 earned Colon the coveted CY Young Award, this was not his best season on record but it would prove what seemed to be his last.

Following being the best pitcher in baseball, the next four seasons were atrocious, as Colon’s downfall compares best to that of the 2007 New York Mets. It was that bad.

From 2006-2009, Colon played for the Angels, Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox. In total he made 47 starts, posting a 14-21 record, with an ERA just shy of 5.00, while striking out 172 batters, over 256 innings in total.

So, anybody saying that Yankee fans had no foundation to be apprehensive is just a hater because Colon’s history did not spell anything but possible problem.

Rightfully the Brian Cashman criticism followed, as confusion over the definition of a GM’s job was being questioned. Wasn’t a GM supposed to sign players to help the team win?

Well, Colon is making Cashman look like a certified genius.

Look, I am not forgetting that this was a HUGE gamble for Cashman and even though it is working out BIG time, it could have easily gone south too but it didn’t.

Fact is at 38-years-old and still way over-weight, Colon can still pitch and completely control a baseball game. Colon throws the ball sharply, with enough velocity (clocking a mid-90’s fastball) and movement to be game winning effective starter.

In 2011, Colon has made two starts and three appearances in long-relief, posting a 2-1 record, with a 2.77 ERA, with 26 strikeouts over a total of 26 innings. Opposing bats are averaging .237 when Colon is on the hump.

I witnessed Colon throw eight brilliant innings against the White Sox at the Stadium on Wednesday night, leading the Yankees to a much-needed win following two losses in a row.

Point is, what potentially could have been a mess with the unfortunate Phil Hughes situation; has actually become an unexpected shock.

At this point, even if Colon fell on his face, he has delivered well beyond any Yankee fans expectations and it has been an absolute pleasure thus far.

To be honest, I am still in complete shock at what Colon and the rest of the tattered veterans are doing in the Bronx thus far in 2011.

 

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New York Yankees: White Sox Not Struggling Thanks To Rafael Soriano

Posted by on 27 April 2011, 1:37 am

It was another tough night in the Bronx, as the New York Yankees lost for the second night in a row to the Chicago White Sox.

Rookie pitcher Ivan Nova pitched a great game, as did White Sox’s Gavin Floyd who was still on the bump on the ninth inning. Skipper Ozzie Guillen knows that his bullpen has blown too many close games already this season so it was a no-brainer to leave Floyd out there while he was still dealing.

Ivan Nova left the game to 40,000+ Yankee fans on their feet cheering on a great outing, smart move by skipper Joe Girardi to get Nova out on a high like that.

David Robertson came in and did his job, keeping the White Sox at bay 2-1 but handing the ball to 2010’s AL top closer once again failed the Yankees.

Rafael Soriano is definitely proving GM Brian Cashman’s reasoning behind NOT signing him during the off-season semi-true.

Hey, I was a huge supporter in grabbing Soriano after being burned by Cliff Lee. I thought Soriano would make the bullpen lights-out, but he honestly just looks like he doesn’t care.

Joba Chamberlain, Boone Logan and Robertson have all shaken off their early season jitters and are whizzing threw innings to keep the team in a position to win. These are the younger pitchers who should be admiring Soriano and it is not even his performance necessarily, but his attitude, which is evident and apparent when he gets into trouble.

Look, I hate to admit booing players and up to this point, other than Kyle Farnsworth I have been not participated in that at games. Then I sat tonight watching a pitcher who just didn’t seem to care, as if it was everybody’s fault but his and that is what bothered me more.

At this point I need to get a tattoo on my forehead that reads, CASHMAN RIGHT. I AM SORRY.

This is not disregarding what Hank and Hal Steinbrenner had to do because Yankees fans would have rioted if the off-season did produce some big-time player contract signing. That my friend, is a fact.

So after the amount of time I wasted criticizing Cashman, look at how things are turning out. Guess that is why I am not the Yankees GM, but can I please blame something for all of my anger?

Yes, it is crazy but the rejection by Cliff Lee did break my heart a little because who would not want to come to New York? It is my hometown and isn’t everything about money these days?

Add that to the re-signing Derek Jeter stress, and my aggression had to be taken out on someone, I guess. I just forgot that being the most expensive doesn’t guarantee anything but a nicer seat.

Hey, now who looks like the fool?

I do but booing doesn’t make me look any better.

What it really comes down too is the reality is that Soriano has appeared in 10 games this season and the team boosts a 7-3 record respectively.

So, it is more of just expecting Soriano to be a little bit better and maybe it is because I wanted him to be the Cliff Lee the Yankees will never have.

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Lady Knows Best: Predicting 2011 MLB Season Winners And Losers

Posted by on 30 March 2011, 4:02 am

With baseball fans counting down the hours till Opening Day, it is time to predict how the 2011 MLB Season will look when it’s all said and done.

Predictions divided per the six divisions, listed in order of finish and the eight postseason teams (including the wildcards) will be highlighted.

If only I were a psychic….here is this lady’s prognosis:

AMERICAN LEAGUE:

East:

*New York Yankees 97-65
*Boston Red Sox 97-65
Tampa Bay Rays 89-73
Baltimore Orioles 84-78
Toronto Blue Jays 83-79

Central:

Chicago White Sox 90-72
Detroit Tigers 89-73
Minnesota Twins 87-75
Kansas City Royals 74-88
Cleveland Indians 64-98

West:

Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim 87-75
Oakland A’s 82-80
Texas Rangers 80-82
Seattle Mariners 64-98

*NYY wins tiebreaker in Boston 5-3

NATIONAL LEAGUE:

East:

Philadelphia Phillies 95-67
Atlanta Braves 90-72
Washington Nationals 80-82
Florida Marlins 79-83
New York Mets 78-84 Continue reading ‘Lady Knows Best: Predicting 2011 MLB Season Winners And Losers’ »

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2011 MLB Team Preview: Chicago White Sox

Posted by on 7 March 2011, 1:41 pm

Don’t underestimate the Chicago White Sox heading into 2011, because this team is well-rounded enough to win ballgames.

The White Sox lack the star power names that their division rival Twins and Tigers have with Joe Mauer and Miguel Tejada respectively, but they make up for this in depth.

Led by one of my personal favorite personalities in baseball, Manager Ozzie Guillen makes this one wild group. Tough as nails and never short of drama with Guillen’s no-hold-bard remarks, the White Sox look better than they did heading into 2010.

Whether the White Sox can utilize all their skills is another thing. They have the pieces, but it will take an concerted team effort to have seasonal success.

The Positives:

White Sox fans should be ready to witness home-run mania in 2011.

Acquiring powerhouse hitter Adam Dunn from the Nationals brings a monster bat to an already powerful line-up.

Just how serious?

Well, Dunn had back-to-back seasons hitting 38 home-runs at Nationals Park, which is not a hitting friendly venue. Prior to that Dunn had four seasons of 40 home-runs between 2005-2008. This guy is just 31-years-old and he can flat out hit, expect 45+ from his bat at welcoming US Cellular Field.

Than add the bat of 1B Paul Konerko, who led the team in 2010 with a .312 batting average, 39 home-runs and 111 RBIs. Konerko is 35-years-old, so repeating those numbers is unlikely but he will still produce close to them. Dunn also takes pressure of Konerko.

Round off the line-up wit Alex Rios, Alexei Ramirez and Carlos Quentin A forgettable factor is if Quentin can stay off the DL for the whole season, it could be the silent difference maker. Rios can pop up 25+ homers and he is a threat on the bases stealing 34 in 2010, while Ramirez had 29 doubles, 18 home-runs and 70 RBIs making him one of the strongest bats at the shortstop position.

Outfielder Juan Pierre stole 68 bases last season, which makes him a pain for any pitcher on the mound but he has to stay base. Pierre was early to Spring Training, as he wants to improve so this could be an asset. That is if Guillen really works on bunting with Pierre.

The White Sox pitching is made up of innings eaters. Not one stands out from the next and don’t expect too much out of Jake Peavy who is returning from serious shoulder surgery. The good thing for Peavy is he doesn’t have to be the team’s ace because with a staff of Mark Buehrle, Gavin Floyd, John Danks and with Edwin Jackson’s newfound form, Peavy doesn’t have to be anymore.

Some might think that they lost Bobby Jenks to the Red Sox, but the White Sox didn’t need him with Chris Sale and Matt Thornton. Guillen has yet to name the closer of the two, but regardless that is a nice one-two combo coming out of the bullpen. My bet is Sale will be the starting closer.

Catcher AJ Pierzynski who is a solid defender and is familiar with the staff. He has been a stud behind the plate for Chicago since arriving in 2005, the year they won a World Series. His production with the bat has not been great, but at 35-years-old he is a team leader in the clubhouse.

Finally, how can you not love Ozzie, Ozzie, Ozzie, I absolutely adore him the way he does Derek Jeter. Colorful, doesn’t sugarcoat anything, and just oozes emotions that he must be a trip to play would be my guess.

The Negatives:

Between injuries, wasted money on former high draft picks and slumps the White Sox have a tendency to wildly inconsistent. Last season’s ups and downs were so severe that it had to be emotionally draining for the players.

The White Sox still have no clear ace in their rotation, which means there is never that semi-guaranteed win every five games.  It just can’t be Buehrle, though he will probably pitch Opening Day, as he easily had the play the year when he launched the 2010 season. Continue reading ‘2011 MLB Team Preview: Chicago White Sox’ »

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Yankees Hot Stove: 4 Reasons Not To Trade For White Sox Edwin Jackson

Posted by on 17 February 2011, 3:19 pm

With the New York Yankees state of mind fully focused on pitching, or lack there of, it is likely that GM Brian Cashman orchestrates a trade in the first half of the season.

This all depends what substantial pitchers are available and at what it will cost the Yankees.

Some things Cashman will look for is a teams that have an surplus of starters, a need for a young catcher or one that by July is already out of contention for 2011.

One team with a plethora of arms is the Chicago White Sox. With ace Jake Peavy slated to return in May or June, they need to make room on their overcrowded roster.

The Yankees have been rumored to be interested in right-hander Edwin Jackson, but after researching this trade possibility, it is risky.

Why? Here are 4 No’s (+a bonus) about trading for Jackson:

1. Nor Gardner, No Way….

Rumors are the Yankees are willing to package Brett Gardner in a deal—but then who is going to take his place?

The outfield is not even the main issue, but Gardner’s speed is irreplaceable and is way to vital to even contemplate trading him anywhere.

There is no way GM Brian Cashman and the Steins are this stupid. Ideally, Montero for Danks would work out for both teams, at least as a Yankee fan this I could handle.

Imagine if the Yankees were to offer Derek Jeter to Ozzie, he would give us Danks, Sales, Bherele and Floyd…. kidding about Jeter cause I want him never to leave. Regarding Ozzie, for the Captain he might throw in some bats too.

1. AJ Burnett and his twin….

The Yankees have their hands filled with AJ Burnett mechanics this season, so acquiring his pitching twin is way too much chaos for one team to handle.

By no means am I undervaluing new pitching coach Larry Rothschild because he is one of the best, but it’s his first year with this team.

Remember that Burnett might not get fixed right away, but I have faith he will get there. Still, it could be just too much for on rotation to deal with Burnett squared.

2. Walk-A-Thon….

When Jackson is on the mound it can resemble a walk-a-thon. Even with his recent drop in walks, which was staggering, it was the first time in Jackson’s career opposing teams didn’t looked as if they hosting a track meet on the base pads. From 2007-2009 Jackson walked 235 batters, which is so overwhelming that he has to prove himself unreliable, which can be decided in the first half of 2011.

Jackson’s career number of walks per innings is four per nine, sounds a little too Burnett-esque…YIKES!

3. Home Sweet Home….

Jackson debuted in September 2003 at age 19, and was one of the Los Angeles Dodgers most coveted prospects. He spent the next two seasons in Los Angeles, going back and forth between the minors and the majors.

Now 27, the White Sox is Jackson’s fifth team in eight seasons. He spent three seasons with the Rays, one with the Tigers and a half-season with the D-backs. That is a lot of moving around for such a youngster. Chicago seems to be a perfect fit and trading Jackson anywhere might be too much. Jackson has finally pitched like he can, but it was only for 11 starts and it would confuse anyone as to why no one wants to keep him, good or bad.

4. What About Gavin Floyd? Continue reading ‘Yankees Hot Stove: 4 Reasons Not To Trade For White Sox Edwin Jackson’ »

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