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2012 MLB Power Rankings – Week 5

Posted by on 11 May 2012, 4:08 am

Well another week in the 2012 MLB Season is in the books, and so far each one brings more excitement and drama than the last.

And this week history was made both good and bad.

First, the Yankees are learning what life is like without the greatest closer in the history of baseball. Losing Mariano Rivera to a torn ACL and a newly discovered blood clot did not just take a toll on Yankees fans, as it sadden baseball fans all around the world. There is not anyone like Mo on the mound, or off of it. He is the definition of rarefied air.

The Rangers are dominating baseball this season and so is slugger Josh Hamilton. Hamilton achieved something that has only been done 16 other times in the Majors, hitting four home-runs in one game. It was an incredible feat, and one that will be remembered for decades to come.

Now to my Week 5 – Power Rankings… as don’t you want to see what I think of your team this week?

Also, whether you agree or disagree please let me know in the comments below.

Enjoy!

Week 5 rankings 1-17.

Continue reading ‘2012 MLB Power Rankings – Week 5’ »

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New York Yankees: Time to start hitting

Posted by on 10 May 2012, 4:43 am

It was a long, rainy night up in the Bronx as the Yankeeslost a 4-1 heartbreak to the Rays.

Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Yankees beat the Rays 5-3 on Tuesday night, so the tonight’s rubber match couldn’t be a more perfect stage for CC Sabathia and David Price to face off.

Here is what I took away from last night’s game:

  • David Phelps was better in his second Major League start; and I think he will continue to get stronger as he adjusts. Overall the starters are getting better, as Nova looked solid on Tuesday night.
  • The Yankees middle relievers are still dominant, and are tops in baseball for a reason, thank God.
  • Closer David Robertson deserves a little breathing room to adjust to his new role, and I do not think anyone can base his future off last night’s blown save. He is not Mariano Rivera, but he is good and Yankee fans need to appreciate the position he has been thrust into here. Compassion is not a word New York fans are familiar with but this qualifies as the exception.
  • The Yankee bats left eight runners on base in the loss, and that is just unacceptable. The only run scored came off a Robbie Cano double in the first inning that scored the Captain.

So, what is going on here with the Yankees and how can they avoid losing fewer games?

As I thought about it, I remembered a quote I once heard from motivational speaker Paul J. Meyer:

“Enter every activity without giving mental recognition to the possibility of defeat. Concentrate on your strengths, instead of your weaknesses… on your powers, instead of your problems.”

The Yankees biggest strength is their hitting, and compared to the rest of the American League their stats give off that impression. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Time to start hitting’ »

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Are the Yankees stealing the spotlight in 2012? I think not

Posted by on 9 May 2012, 2:49 am
New York Yankee closer Mariano Rivera before a...

New York Yankee closer Mariano Rivera before a game against the Baltimore Orioles on May 8, 2009 in Baltimore, MD. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What MLB stories have hogged headlines so far in the 2012 season?

Shockingly, it is not the New York Yankees, as the Universe is in mourning and adjusting to life being Mo-less, which is about all they can handle now anyway.

So for those Yankees fans who have lived in a box since Opening Day; or if you need to make/fake an impression with some baseball knowledge; or maybe you decided to become a baseball fan yesterday…well, whatever it is you came to the right place.

So, in no particular order, here are the 5 biggest headlines from the first month of 2012 season. I included links to both the baseball blogosphere, and MLB experts/analysts under each subject line.

Enjoy!

Fragile closers.

MLB Analysis: It’s Not Easy Being a Closer These Days – Opposing Views

There’s only one Mariano Rivera – Baseball Insider; CBS Sports

Fragile bunch in high-risk job – Republican-American

Marmol likely out as closer – Cubs Den

Closer Turnover In 2012 – Beyond the Boxscore

Phillies Cole Hamels names himself president of MLB’s welcoming committee, just ask Nationals rookie Bryce Harper.

Spike Eskin Says: The Bryce Harper Incident Was Cole Hamels’ Free Agency Audition – CBS Sports Philadelphia.

Cole Hamels Pays a $468,750 Price for Honesty – Forbes Magazine.

The Juice: Bryce Harper steals home, Jayson Werth breaks wrist in Phillies win – Big League Stew

Charlie Manuel wishes Cole Hamels hadn’t been so honest – High Cheese Continue reading ‘Are the Yankees stealing the spotlight in 2012? I think not’ »

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Yankees vs. Rays: Series deux preview

Posted by on 8 May 2012, 12:44 am

The Yankees are back in New York after a 5-5-road trip to host the Tampa Bay Rays for a three-game set at the stadium starting tonight.

James Shields at Yankee Stadium.

Last time these two teams met was the start of the 2012 season, and the Rays swept the Yankees right out of Tropicana Field.

The Rays stand atop the AL East, tied with the Orioles with a 19-10 record but are coming to the Bronx on a two game losing streak.

Still, the 15-13 Yankees are the ones looking up at the Rays and have a perfect opportunity to make a move in the division and get some of their pride back.

The Rays are without third baseman Evan Longoria, and possibly Desmond Jennings too; but the Yankees will be without Mariano Rivera for the first time at home since 2003 along with a slew of others, including Brett Gardner, on their lengthy DL list.

The pitching match-ups are as follows, along with my predictions:

Tuesday: James Shields (5-0) vs. Ivan Nova (3-1)

Shields is clearly the better pitcher, but the recent awaken of Robbie Cano’s bat could give him some problems as Cano has hit four homers, five doubles, two triples and posts a .400 batting average against Shields. Cano was not a factor for Shields in their earlier meeting this season.

Nova is coming off his first loss after a 15-game winning streak but I do like the way he has pitched lately. He is reminding me of a 2010 Hughes, as he is getting a ton of run support. He has held the Rays to a .170 batting average, allowing two homers, three RBIs, three walks, while striking out 10 of the 47 total at-bats he has logged against them. Continue reading ‘Yankees vs. Rays: Series deux preview’ »

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New York Yankees: Are you going to sink or swim?

Posted by on 7 May 2012, 3:17 am

Nick Swisher - 'roll call'

SUNDAY SUMMARY:

The New York Yankees wrapped up the four game series in Kansas City with a 10-4 win, splitting the series 2-2 with the Royals.

Phil Hughes got the win, and he did pitch better but reality is the Yankee bats were really responsible for the win yesterday.

As Ibanez and Granderson each had a RBI; followed by Cano’s much-needed grand slam and Swisher’s solo shot both in the third; and finally A-Rod joined the party with a three-run bomb in the eighth.

It was great to see Cano break out of his slump, as that was only his second shot on the season but hopefully a sign of good things to come.

The Captain’s hot bat showed zero signs of slowing down, hitting a double off the first pitch thrown in the game and had a successful bunt in the third. Teixeira also helped out by drawing two walks in the game.

REALITY BITES:

The excuse of ‘it still early in the season’ has about worn its welcome but even more so for teams who live in the AL East.

Reality bites and it will sooner than you think if the Yankees don’t get the ball rolling here. They sit at 15-13 on the season, fourth in the division and four games back of the 19-9 Orioles. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Are you going to sink or swim?’ »

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New York Yankees: TGIF

Posted by on 5 May 2012, 8:04 am

Waking up yesterday morning, I had that pit in my stomach and you can bet I wasn’t the only New Yorker with that feeling.

On Opening Day 2010 at Yankee Stadium, Derek J...

I had realized that last Friday night might have been the last time I ever would hear ENTER SANDMAN blasting over the speakers at Yankee Stadium.

Like most baseball fans, I was distraught and now would have the weekend to think about things.

That is until Mo confirmed in the visiting clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium, “I’m coming back. Write it down in big letters. I’m not going out like this,” and all of a sudden I smiled again.

Yes, losing Mo for a season stinks, but it doesn’t compare to the feeling it left when it was possibly for forever.

Friday continued to get better as the Yankees snapped a three-game losing streak beating the Royals 6-2.

Ace CC Sabathia took charge throwing for eight solid innings, and Captain Derek Jeter went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer and drove in two runs.

All that came to my mind was TGIF…thank God it’s Friday.

And that is when I started digging around the web for some other Yankees-positives, a tad silly yes but figured I might as well would share a few: Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: TGIF’ »

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New York Yankees: David Phelps to start

Posted by on 3 May 2012, 4:04 am

It is no secret that the New York Yankees plethora of starting pitchinghas been whittled down to scrambling to fix holes left by the absence of Michael Pineda and the inefficiency of Freddy Garcia and Phil Hughes.

And thanks to Hughes, Garcia, and after last nights 0-5 defeat at the hands of the Orioles, Ivan Nova, the Yankees starting rotation’s numbers, thus far, are alarming:

Yankees starters 2012 stats to date.

Reality is everything falls on the Yankees bats when any pitcher not named CC Sabathia is on the hill, and that is not only unfair but it won’t work. The Yankees can kiss October ta-ta if the pitching cannot pull its own weight.

Skipper Joe Girardi finally kicked Garcia to the bullpen, and he proved to be almost as useless in that role as last night. Garcia had to throw 31 pitches to get out of two innings.

Hughes should not be far behind, but until the Yankees stop daydreaming of 18-wins, fans will be forced to endure watching him implode every five-days.

And now Nova seems to have caught the 2012 Hughes syndrome, of performance being masked by run support.

Yikes….but wait all isn’t lost yet as there is still hope and his name is David Phelps. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: David Phelps to start’ »

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