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Since six-time Gold Glover Eric Chavez seems to be AWOL, at least on the New York Yankees radar, GM Brian Cashman is up to his old tricks and I don’t mean off the field.

Once again Cashman is handing out minor league deals and 2012 Spring Training invites, and the latest recipient, according to the New York Post, is 37-year old Russell Branyan.

The left-handed batting Branyan can play in the outfield, and at first and third base if he makes the team this spring. The latest team Branyan got released from was the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and the rest of his 14 MLB seasons reads like a bad wrap sheet.

Branyan started his career as a Cleveland Indian and from there has played for the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Let me just say that this signing makes me think that Cashman is really pushing his luck, or is not thinking clearly.

Last season, Branyan split time between playing first and third base for the D-backs and the Angles. Combined, Branyan had 127 at-bats and posted a .197 batting average, five home-runs, 14 RBIs, 18 walks and struck out 41 times. His OBP was a mere .295, while slugging .370 in the 68 games he played in.

In 2010, Branyan did hit 25 homers, with 57 RBIs and 46 walks over 109 at-bats but he also struck out 131 times. This was again while playing for two teams, as the Indians traded Branyan to the Mariners.

This is almost making me sick knowing Chavez is sitting somewhere as a free agent.

The Yankees should not even waste five cents on Branyan, and here are three reasons why:

1) Throughout his career, Branyan has been prone to injuries but not just on the baseball field. One example dating back to late September 2010, while playing for the Mariners, Branyan reportedly injured himself while out a pizza parlor according to NBC Hardball Talk’s Craig Calcaterra. Calcaterra also broke the news when Branyan had injured himself back in July, this time a hotel table hit his foot at 5am.(...)
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Post tags: Arizona Diamondbacks, Branyan, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, New York Post, New York Yankees, Run batted in, Russell Branyan, Yankees

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So, if you need to catch up on what the heck the Yankees have done you came to the right place.

Here are 3 news stories that you might have missed:

1) ESPN New York’s Wallace Matthews reported that the Bronx Bombers will be launching “New York Yankees” and “New York Yankees for Her,” the franchise’s own male and female fragrance line. The official release will be on Tuesday, February 21 at a cocktail get-together in Manhattan.

So, for male fans who want to smell like Driven by Derek Jeter after playing four hours of baseball in mid-July, than your prayers have been answered? Alas, the scents will probably fly off the shelves.

Once again this proves my point that the Yankees seem too focused on extorting the pride, power and pinstripes brand, instead of actually living it. Athletes are supposed to stink like the sweat of competition in their uniforms, not be forced to advertise some cologne that smells like yesterday’s Dakar Noir.(...)
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Post tags: Bill Hall, Brian Cashman, Eric Chavez, Jerry Sandusky, New York Yankee, Rikers Island, Yankee, Yankee Universe

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Just two days after watching the New York Giants win their second Super Bowl in four years, it is hard not to dream of the Yankees capturing a World Series title.

Being on the brink of the 2012 MLB season, I got to thinking, what do the Giants have that the Yankees are missing?

So, I started writing down the advantages that both New York team’s posses and after mulling through two messy lists, below are the most important points.

ADVANTAGE YANKEES:

-        Have all-star roster in place.

-        The ‘Yankees’ brand itself.

-        Players want to be Yankees because of the illustrious history.

-        Yankees haven’t missed the playoffs in 15 seasons, except for 2008.

-        Most successful sports franchise ever, with 27 World Championships.

-        A generous ownership.

ADVANTAGE GIANTS:

-        QB/Captain who is really a team player, a quiet leader off the field, but not on; and just an overall good guy.

-        Players who call each other out publicly.

-        A Coach who stuck to his plan.

-        A stellar GM who makes incredible draft picks.

-        A team that talks the talk and walks the walk.

-        Team consists of an array of characters, but all have equal voices.

-        One of the most respected ownerships in sports today.

-        Fighters.

-        Believe in each other through and through.

These two lists are very broad because football and baseball are very different sports, but being a team is not.

Still, I could not figure out what the Giants had that the Yankees don’t that turns a team with a 9-7 record into World Champions?(...)
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