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’ »
Image via Wikipedia
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’ »
Could the New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman be pulling a Philly fast one by secretly going after the top free agent on the market, Albert
Pujols?
The Yankees are one of the few, if not the only, team that could legitimately offer Pujols the money he wants; along with the stage and superstar teammates that will allow him to flourish.
Even though superstar Mark Teixeira now occupies first base, but where there is a will there is usually a way.
Maybe you did realize that Tex did make 11 starts at third base, logging 99 innings and committed seven errors back in 2003.
This leaves the Yankees with the two scenarios.
Do you want to know the truth about where I heard this rumor?
Can you handle the truth? Continue reading ‘New York Yankees Trade Rumors: Truth About Pujols’ »
2011 MVP Winner..Justin Verlander Image via Wikipedia
Much to my dismay (click HERE to read why) , I obviously still extend my sincerest of CONGRATULATIONS to Detroit Tiger ace, and
recent CY Young receipt Justin Verlander for being named the 2011 Most-Valuable-Player.
There was no question that Verlander was the best pitcher across baseball this past season. Verlander finished the regular season 24-5 in 34 starts. He also boosted a 2.40 ERA, had four complete games and two shutouts during the 251 innings he pitched. Verlander gave up 67 earned runs, 24 home-runs, and 57 walks but managed to strike out a whooping out 250 batters of the 969 he faced. That explains why Verlander held opposing hitters to a .192 average and 283 total bases.
Not since Oakland Athletics Dennis Eckersley was named 1992 MVP has baseball given its most coveted award to a pitcher. Eckersley was just the 23rd pitcher in baseball history to win the MVP; and now after a 19 year drought, Verlander becomes #24.
The New York Yankees were represented with five players making the MVP final voting list: Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Granderson, Cano, CC, Tex, Houdini All On MVP List’ »
Welcome back to the Bronx… Tigers!
What happened to having the celebration in Detroit — 100 percent this past Tuesday night?
Well, I guess that the Tigers had to cancel the big party after getting waxed 10-1 by the New York Yankees, forcing them to come back to the Bronx to play the Yankees in the eleventh hour, ALDS Game 5.
The Yankees had their backs against the wall on Tuesday night in Comerica Park being down 1-2 in games.
Then AJ Burnett pitched a six-inning gem, at the same time the Yankee bats woke-up and the Tigers got a nice whiff of reality to realize the ALDS was not over just yet.
So, the Yankees will send Ivan Nova to the hill in the winner takes all ALDS Game 5; and the Tigers will counter with Doug Fister…. making it a rematch from last Saturday’s ALDS Game 1, Part 2.
IVAN NOVA:
Coming in relief after CC Sabathia’s start got rain out, Nova threw six+ scoreless innings of no hit baseball against the Tigers powerful bats. This 24 year-old seems to not get phased by situations, and the Yankees hope he remains calm and collected, but you can be sure that Yankee fans will be rocking at the Stadium particularly hard this time.
DOUG FISTER:
Fister took the loss, lasting just under five innings, giving up seven hits, six earned runs but struck out six Yankee hitters. This guy can without a doubt throw strikes, and at moments dominated over the Yankees line-up.
Fister has good control over the strike zone, as he doesn’t walk batters much, just two Yankees last Saturday. This might be Fister’s biggest problem too, as batters can hit him because he is easy to figure out. Even before he met the Yankees last weekend, he never has much success against them in the past but the stats are scarce, so it is hard to judge just yet.
BIGGEST FACTOR IN GAME 5:
This will come down to a battle of the bullpens, but realize that the bullpens include everybody with an arm.
And don’t believe Tigers skipper Jim Leyland statement that ace Justin Verlander will not be available for Game 5. Unless Verlander is secretly injured, there is no rhyme, nor reason that Leyland would give up going to the ALCS to keep the AL’s best pitcher on the bench. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Welcoming The Detroit Tigers Back To Bronx’ »
The New York Yankees are back in the Bronx after splitting series against their AL East foes, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays.
After losing the first two games vs. the Blue Jays coming home 4-4 is a miracle, not ideal but keeps the Bombers just two games behind the Boston Red Sox.
Next up, the Yankees will host a 10-game homestand against the three bottom feeders in the American League, the Oakland A’s, Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles.
The A’s and Mariners have same 43-55 records, the second worst in the AL but still a lot better than the Orioles.
Once again the O’s are posting a 39-56 record (=19.5 games back in AL East), making the Birds not only the worst team in the AL, but in all of baseball. Well you can’t call Baltimore inconsistent, as the O’s continually find a way back down to the basement, season after season.
Still, don’t get any ideas that this homestand will be a breeze because it actually is the opposite.
HUH? WHY VS. THREE-BOTTOM-FEEDERS?
The reason is not one of these teams has anything left to play for this season; and that can be lethal. This theory applies even more so for the Yankees for three reasons:
1) The line-up is still sans Alex Rodriguez, which is once again sending Mark Teixeira into a slump.
2) Swisher and Posada are not hitting, again.
3) The starting rotation is inconsistent, minus Sabathia who finished the road trip with a 1-2 loss to the Rays Thursday night; which was also his 31st birthday.
HOMESTAND SERIES PREDICTIONS:
Vs. Athletics 07-22/07-24:
First up is the A’s who come to town beat-up like you read about, and the Yankees should sweep them right back to Oakland. Yankees win series 3-0.
Vs. Mariners 07-25/07-27:
Next series is against Seattle. Everyone knows the strength of the Mariners is pitching, and it gives them a legit chance to win each night. So, the Yankees bats needs to wake-up ASAP. Even though the Mariners have lost their last 12 games in a row, the tides are bound to turn. ESPN reported that manager Eric Wedge held a closed-door team meeting following #12 with hopes to motivate his players, at least initially by lighting the first match. Yankees win series 2-1.
Vs. Orioles 07-29/07-31:
And lastly, Buck Showalter’s Orioles, who scare me the most. Hard to believe when Baltimore is awful more often than not. Problem is when it is the later; the O’s can beat anyone. Yankees win series 2-1.
WHY THIS HOMESTAND IS SO IMPORTANT:
Fact is the Yankees need to pounce because the schedule gets a heck of a lot harder. In August the Yankees will play 29 games, with 21 on the road. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Bombers Vs. Bottom Feeders’ »
For the second night in a row, the New York Yankees gave the Texas Rangers a good old-fashioned whooping with an identical score of 12-4.
Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira went 3-5, going deep twice from each side of the plate. Tex hit his 20th homer on the season batting right in the first inning and in the sixth he hit a bomb from the left side for #21.
Tex’s 21 home runs move him into a three-way tie with Yankee teammate Curtis Granderson and Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista for the most homeruns in baseball.
The Yankees are on a role winning five of their last six games, but what other choice did they really have following the abomination against the Red Sox.
I cannot speak for all Yankee fans, but I am still reeling in fury over the 1-8 record against Boston.
Since I am not a player, I don’t have to adopt the philosophy that when a game ends you have to leave it on the field and get ready for tomorrow.
My guess would be the Yankee players are struggling to apply this to Boston or at least they shouldn’t be able too because it was that pathetic.
Reminding myself that this same scenario played out in 2009, when the Yankees were 0-9 vs. Boston at the All-Star break. This works for about ten minutes, until I recall that I was pissed off back then too.
The Yankees have a chance to sweep this series on Thursday afternoon, which might stop ESPN from throwing the Rangers another bone this season excusing why they are under-performing.
Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz are healthy again, so maybe it’s finally time to get off the Texas bandwagon. I am still standing firmly behind my anti-Rangers campaign of being an overrated ball-club.
For the Yankees the bottom-line is there is only one way, one thing that needs to be done in order for the team and fans to feel right again….and we all know what that is.
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