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MLB Hot Stove: Jeter Negotiations Make Yankee Fans Miss “The Boss”

Posted by on 6 December 2010, 10:42 am

My hometown is a small island known as New York City.

Numerous pro-sports teams bear the words New York on their jerseys.

Fans and players alike wear their respective team’s apparel with such pride.

No matter the number or name, or whether it’s game-green or pinstriped, they all represent the same special place.

This is why the last few weeks have been so tough, as the talk turned to obsession regarding New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter.

Jeter was the talk of the town, which is no easy feat in the Big Apple, and not necessarily something you want to go through.

It’s a city of ego, making jealousy an easy path to choose and Jeter isn’t so hard to envy.

With a resume consisting of professional athlete, Yankee captain, not hard on the eyes, easy-going, polite, five-time world champ and an endorsement list that rivals Michael Jordan—who named a sneaker in his honor—caused New Yorkers to get nasty.

Other than Jeter’s desperate need for an off-the-field stylist, try and find me a guy who wouldn’t want to be Derek Jeter for a day, because he is living the dream.

Looking back on Jeter’s contract negotiations, the emotions were not so jealously driven as much as I felt betrayed.

Baseball is a business, but the players are still people. Continue reading ‘MLB Hot Stove: Jeter Negotiations Make Yankee Fans Miss “The Boss”’ »

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MLB Hot Stove: Why New York Yankees Fans Should Choose Team Jeter

Posted by on 25 November 2010, 6:40 am

No one suspected that New York Yankee captain Derek Jeter’s contract negotiations would start to resemble a page out of the Alex Rodriguez biography.

The new Yankee regime sans “the Boss” has made it very clear that this is a business decision and not a personal one. The rumored offer made was somewhere in $45-$50 million range for a period of three years.

Whatever exactly was left on the table did not go over well in Jeter camp, as Jeter’s agent Casey Close stated he was “baffled” over it.

Close’s public statements did not go over well. Yankees GM Brian Cashman, along with Hank Steinbrenner defended the decisions with an attitude that if the offer is not generous enough than Jeter should go test open market, and hear the other 29 teams offers.

This has caused pandemonium in Yankee Universe, as neither the media nor the fans can rationalize whose side to take. Unfortunately, I am having this same dilemma.

The predicament remains is it Jeter or the Yankees that needs to take a step back and get real? Will you be wearing a “TEAM JETER” or “TEAM YANKEES” t- shirt?

Speaking for myself, I can’t imagine life in Yankee Universe without Jeter, but than maybe Jeter is not the man I thought he was….

TEAM-JETER

Many feel the Yankees are victimizing Jeter, as Cashman and the Steinbrenner brothers’ open lack of appreciation for someone who is the face of the franchise.

What seems more insulting is the lack of respect for the Captain of the team, who single handily made the Yankee brand what it is today.

Justifying the significant salary reduction for Jeter makes no sense. This is an organization notorious for over-paying players and out-spending every other team in baseball.

Now is not the time for the Yankees to become spending thrifty. Jeter is a special athlete, in a world full of cheaters and quitters and he should be treated accordingly.

The Yankees are officially under new ownership with the passing of “the Boss” but his sons’ reassured fans that there dad’s motto and passion for winning would never change.

Hal Steinbrenner once described the Yankees big spending as “I look at it as reinvestment for the fans sake, like we always due”.

If that statement bears any truth than Derek Jeter would be back in pinstripes already. Jeter is a winner through his leadership. The Yankee fans get to be arrogant and proud because of Derek Jeter.

Derek Jeter is the Captain every other fan base, franchise and fellow players want because he makes baseball better at time when the game has taken it’s biggest fall.

Up next….MLB Hot Stove: Why New York Yankees Fans Should Choose Team Yankees.

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New York Yankees: Starting Early Pre-Free Agency Drama

Posted by on 5 November 2010, 3:32 pm

The latest message from the New York Yankees is that they will not be caught up in the bidding for the Philadelphia Phillies‘ Jayson Werth or the Tampa Bay Rays‘ Carl Crawford.

Players are not even legal free agents until Saturday at midnight, so shouldn’t their respective teams be allowed to negotiate without the Yankees butting in yet?

The Yankees made it clear: They want to bring the talents of Texas Rangers ace Cliff Lee to the Bronx. Add Lee’s monster deal with new contracts needed for a captain, a living iconic closer and a superstar southpaw who are also three of the infamous Yankees “Core Four.”

Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte all command huge paychecks, and let’s hope the new Steinbrenner ownership doesn’t make a mess of what daddy built.

The usually non-confrontational and sensible brother, Hal, made older brother Hank-like public statements in regards to Jeter’s contract talks. Hal’s testimony sounded like a warning to Yankees fans explaining that these proceedings have to work for the business and the pinstripes. Here are Hal’s exact words:

“You just never know with these things… Both parties need to be happy with the deal—that’s absolutely going to happen—and that may make things more complicated, I don’t know. There’s always the possibility that things could get messy. I’ve got to try to do my job on behalf of the partnership and our partners and everybody else involved with the organization, and Hank and I need to keep a level head and realize… that we’re running a business here.”

My only hope is that Hal didn’t mean it to come off as a warning regarding Jeter’s future as a Yankee being in question. I feel I can speak for 99 percent of Yankees fan by saying that turmoil and anarchy would result from losing out captain. God only knows how the players would feel, but I would presume lost and upset.

Truth is, Yankees fans wish those words came out of Hank’s mouth, but they did not.

Jeter’s agents fought right back, making the normally private Jeter’s professional affairs ESPN’s needed replacement for any Brett Favre stories. Jeter’s camp had every right to invalidate Hal’s remarks. Referring to recent comments by Steinbrenner and GM Brian Cashman, Jeter’s agent, Casey Close, said:

“While it’s not our intent to negotiate the terms of Derek’s free agent contract in a public forum, we do agree with Hal and Brian’s recent comments that this contract is about business and winning championships. Clearly, baseball is a business, and Derek’s impact on the sport’s most valuable franchise can’t be overstated. Moreover, no athlete embodies the spirit of a champion more than Derek Jeter.”

Now Yankees fans should bear in mind that even with the resigning of Jeter, Mo and Pettitte, and if they can get Lee, it doesn’t completely close the door on anything.

Rewind back to the 2008-2009 offseason when the Yankees claimed not to be mixed up in bidding on Mark Teixeira‘s talents, following the monster signings of CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett.

Where is Teixeira playing now?

Exactly my point. So I am not giving up on my dreams of getting Jayson Werth just yet. Having a four-man rotating outfield of Swisher, Granderson, Gardner and Werth (or Crawford) gives significant rest without forfeiting any talent. It adds another quality fast base-runner and power hitter to the lineup, while keeping the group healthy, considering all three were hurting at one point or another in 2009 season.

This should make for some seriously historical Yankees drama. Unlike before, fans want the “older and declining” players to be the first priority.

Looking back to about a week ago, age and experience can still win championships—just go ask the San Francisco Giants World Series MVP or leading regular-season RBI hitter about that.

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New York Yankees: Now Go Get Your Money’s Werth

Posted by on 24 October 2010, 9:14 pm

Free agency. It is what consumes GMs, owners, players and fans during baseball’s offseason.

This free agent market looks to rival that of 2008-09, when the New York Yankees went on a shopping spree scooping up CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, AJ Burnett and Nick Swisher.

Names like Cliff Lee, Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena, Jim Thorne, Derek Jeter, Josh Beckett, Mariano Rivera, Victor Martinez, Adam Dunn, Jayson Werth, Derrek Lee, Jorge De La Rosa, Brandon Webb and Javier Vazquez are all on the market.

Rivera and Jeter will stay in pinstripes, as they are the face of the Yankees and are vital elements to New York’s allure. Yankees ace Sabathia waived his opt-out clause to stay in New York through 2016.

Same story goes for Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Josh Beckett. Beckett is the leader of the Red Sox pitching staff, which has a lot of young talent that look up to Beckett, which means his recent back problems get over looked.

The same cannot be said for starting pitcher Javier Vazquez, whose second time around as a Yankee was even worse than the first. Neither side should want to continue this relationship because it has not benefited either. Vazquez will get offers; my guess would be mainly from National League teams.

As a Yankees fan, GM Brian Cashman first order of business should be to pick-up the option for Kerry Wood. Wood was the best pick up of the year by Cashman and he has electric stuff out of the bullpen, as well as a nice mentor to Joba Chamberlain whom the Yankees owe at least another season to straighten himself out.

Second priority, at least I hope, is that Cashman goes after Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth. Werth’s attitude, bat and personality are a perfect fit for the Yankees. Werth is a big-game clutch hitter, he can steal bases and would be a nice addition in the outfield next to Curtis Granderson.

A question remains about who would not start, Brett Gardner or Nick Swisher, if the Yankees did get Werth.

Swisher hits power, but Gardner is a pest with his legs as he is fast as hell on the basepaths. Both are known to draw long at-bats and have great eyes at the plate.

Swisher and Gardner sharing time would be a nice option for the Yankees manager to have at his disposal because Werth and Granderson will both start for the majority of the time.

Starting Pitcher Cliff Lee’s arm will be the 2010-11 offseason’s prize for sale. Everybody wants a piece of Lee because he is that good, but he is 32 years old and has suffered from back problems.

The Yankees don’t need another pitching arm of that caliber, but that is not why Lee won’t come to the Bronx. To be honest I don’t think Lee wants to be a Yankee. The Yankees need a bat like Werth to help the aging lineup and a four-man outfield of Swisher, Werth, Gardner and Granderson is solid.

I fully realize that Rays’ Carl Crawford is a dynamite player and will be coveted by many teams. Crawford in pinstripes doesn’t work for me. Yes, Crawford’s numbers are ridiculously good, but he is young will cost more money and years than Werth. Plus, Brett Gardner is maturing and the Yankees would be dumb to let him go anywhere, just to load up on all-stars.

Another factor is how the new Yankees ownership of Hal and Hank Steinbrenner without “The Boss” in the background any longer with the final say. Let’s see how deep Mr. Steinbrenner’s sons’ pockets are in comparison to dad’s generosity.

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2010 ALCS Game 3: Time For Yankees Fans To Step It Up In The Bronx

Posted by on 17 October 2010, 12:41 am

The 2010 ALCS is tied at one game apiece.

The New York Yankees couldn’t muster together another comeback win last night and the Texas Rangers won 7-2.

Phil Hughes followed in CC Sabathia’s footsteps with another not-so-great performance from a Yankees starter. They’re human, just like the rest of us, and nobody is perfect.

The postseason isn’t built for chances or mistakes.

The Rangers have Cliff Lee on starting Game 3 on Monday night. This gives Texas the clear advantage considering Lee’s history with Yankees and in the postseason.

The Yankees are at home with Southpaw Andy Pettitte on the mound. Andy is a phenomenal, but one earned run might be all the Rangers need if Lee brings his A-game to the Bronx.

The game is in New York, which means Yankee Stadium needs to be louder than ever. As a person who will be in attendance Monday night, I hate imagining a silent stadium because the Yankees need their fans more than ever.

Lee is a shutdown, nine-inning pitcher, but the Yankees bats can get him but not alone. It’s time to help out our beloved Yankees by cheering like hell until the last out.

This team plays hard to win for New York every game and admittedly, I cannot say the same for the Yankees fans.

It’s time for us to get over the high expectations because the players have exceeded those for years. No more bitching about a player’s performance because so-and-so makes 200 trillion dollars, or how Joe Girardi doesn’t know what he is doing; not going to help, not this Monday night.

Andy Pettitte is pretty darn good himself in the postseason. Pettitte deserves Yankee Stadium to be rocking like never before because this is supposedly the Southpaw’s last year in pinstripes.

Let’s give back what Pettitte, the Yankees and most importantly Mr. George Steinbrenner have given us, the fans, too many times to count…A WIN!

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Underestimating Underdogs: New York Yankees Beat Minnesota Twins Again

Posted by on 8 October 2010, 2:55 am

Before the start of the 2010 ALDS, the state of the New York Yankees went as follows:

Fact…. the New York Yankees are looking old.

Fact…. the Yankees played awful baseball in September. Finishing the month with a 12-15 record and playing under .500 baseball for the first time since April 2008. They lost 7 of they’re last 10 games.

Fact…. the Yankees starting pitching was in shambles at end of regular season, while the hitters were becoming pros at stranding runners on base.

Fact…. the majority of sports media deemed the Yankees the underdogs, while predicting that losing would be they’re ultimate fate.

All of the above are legitimate statements. Both haters and lifelong fans pounce on any weakness displayed by the Bombers, myself included

Coming in, as the Wild Card team is not the usual entrance the Yankees make into the postseason.

Thanks to ESPN for repeatedly reminding viewers that the franchise has never made it past the ALDS as the wild card team. That stat is spanning over so many decades it started sounding desperate.

Still, some day’s it seems like Yankees fans hate losing more then the Yankees themselves. Rest assured the players like the over-criticism from their beloved fans. It is the only way the players would have it.

As far as the ALDS, so far so good for the Yankees, who head to the Bronx with a 2-0 lead against the Minnesota Twins.

Each win answered some very big questions looming all around in Yankee Universe.

With so many unknowns, Game one was a must win for New York because the team’s only proven ace CC Sabathia was on the mound. If the Yankees lost with Sabathia pitching things could have gotten ugly.

Well, the Yankees got the win on Wednesday night in Minnesota, and Sabathia wasn’t even at his sharpest.

So how did the team manage the win?

As a whole, the team played all around solid baseball, and that will always win in October.

Anyone who was afraid that Andy Pettitte forgot how to pitch, you are not worried any longer.

Pettitte pitched great, as he always does in the postseason. Both his off-speed and breaking ball pitches were on target, like he had not missed a beat.  Everyone discounted Pettitte’s exceptional career and experience way to fast, which will never happen again.

Everyone knows the ALDS is not even close to finished yet. Yankees fans are hoping that Mariano Rivera will get that final over the weekend, but until than thinking any further than Saturday would be absurd.

All eight postseason teams are first-rate, have talent beyond comprehension, and each well deserves and rightly earned to play in October.

One thing I continually re-learn during each postseason, is that critiquing October baseball continually reminds us that a team’s future is not in the past.

There are no excuses in this postseason that is for sure.

“Don’t talk to me about aesthetics or tradition. Talk to me about what sells and what’s good right now. And what the American people like is to think the underdog still has a chance.”

-George Steinbrenner, “the Boss”

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New York Yankees: Couldn’t Get A Loss When Honoring The Boss

Posted by on 21 September 2010, 4:31 am

New York Yankees are finally home in the Bronx.

Monday night opened a four game set against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Before the start of the game, the Yankees honored owner George Steinbrenner, who passed away on July 13th, which ironically was the same day of the All-Star Game.

The ceremony was surreal, as the Yankees escorted the entire Steinbrenner Family along with Yogi Berra, Reggie Jackson, Joe Torre, Don Mattingly and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig to Monument Park to unveil a statue in honor of the Boss.

A tribute played on the center field screen that brought fans to tears. Mr. Steinbrenner was not just the Yankees boss; he was New York’s boss.

A man who lived to give to others but held the personal motto that “the greatest form of charity is anonymity.”

Watching the current Yankees walk in a united group out to center field was perfect.

Seeing Torre and Mattingly was overwhelming for both the fans and the two ex-Yankees. There were only cheers, as an entire stadium was chanting the loudest “Let’s Go Yankees” ever heard.

It was perfect start, followed by the only appropriate ending, a Yankee win.

Winning on Monday night wasn’t for the playoffs, or to stay in first place it was for the Boss who made winning the Yankee way.

Here are some pictures from the memorable ceremony for the greatest Yankee ever, Mr. George Steinbrenner III:

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