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Yankees Make History Right And Left

As Spring Training is wrapping-up, Joe Girardi still had yet to see one special youngster for himself.

This phenomenon Yankees pitching prospect, Pat Venditte who is ambidextrous, successfully as able from with either arm. Venditte also has two entirely different deliveries, overhand from his right and 10 o’clock sidearm as a lefty.

As a child Venditte’s father traced his son’s hands in order to have a custom glove made that caters to both hands. Venditte still wears this unique glove design, and can change it from hand to hand faster than most people can make a glove off just one.

The sports world has not seen a player like Venditte in over a century.

The question remains, will Venditte ever make it to the Bronx or play at the major-league level?

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ESPN’s Baseball Machine Even Hates The Yankees

Finally, after winning the World Series there was no way Buster Olney and Tim Kurkjian could not predict the Yankees as the favorites in the AL East, and the team to beat.

Well, ESPN Magazine’s Baseball Preview issue done  by the duo predicted that Boston Red Sox will win the division by four games over the Yankees. Yes, the currently reigning champs, who just barely make the Wild Card in 2010 as the Tampa Bay Rays are just a game shy.

Wait it gets better, Mariano Rivera will lead the AL East serious decrease in ability. Mo will nearly doubling his ERA from 1.76 to 3.18, about ten less strikeouts than 2009, and all done throwing less innings too.

The player with the biggest upside, is Red Sox’s 3B Adrian Beltre who’s home-run total will double in 2010 season. Beltre’s SLG percentage will increase from .379 to .454, and the one word sentence containing ‘Jackpot.’ finished it off this declaration.

So how did this one make sense because he had a career year in 2004? Maybe it’s because ESPN considers a player with multiple injuries the equivalent striking gold?

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Baseball Basics: Watching A Game, Part Two

Part two: Watching A Game, is to help the newbie fan with basic game lingo.

It will come in handy especially when watching a game on TV or listening on the radio to start to understand the announcers jargon and relating it to whats going on in the game.

BASEBALL’S BASIC LINGO:

Bat: If you don’t know this, STOP and forget baseball.

Baseball: The ball pitchers throw and batters try to hit with the bat.

Bases Empty: Bases are empty.

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Cashman’s Careless Comments Continue

It’s official, Phil Hughes earned himself the fifth spot in the New York Yankees rotation, sending Joba Chamberlain to the bullpen.

Regardless, Yankees GM Brian Cashman couldn’t to shut-up for even a day that Joba still cold be a starter. No one wants to hear it anymore.

Here are the facts:

  • Mariano Rivera will be 41 on his next birthday.
  • Homegrown closers have proven to be more effective, Nathan, Papelbaum, Rivera.
  • Chamberlain has the mindset of a closer.
  • Chamberlain thrived in the World Series out of the bullpen.
  • In 60 innings of relief Chamberlain has relinquished only two home-runs with a WHIP of 0.98; as a starter in 220 innings he gave up 25 home-runs with a WHIP of 1.48.
  • Chamberlain can utilize his fast ball and his slider at full strength in relief, both pitches lost velocity when he started.
  • Chamberlain has said he feels comfortable in relief and he sure looks confident in the role.

Sounds like all the makings of a future start closer. Chamberlain has a ideal mentor in Mariano Rivera and easing in his replacement would seem critical considering what Mo has accomplished.

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Battle Of The Blogs

Double G Sports (check out his blog, it’s great) kindly invited me to join his fantasy baseball league Battle Of The Blogs” and we just had our draft.

It is a 20 team H2H (head to head) league on ESPN.com, with a six player keeper rule which means six players will carry over to next season fantasy season.

In the draft I had the first pick, and used it for NYY Alex Rodriguez, partly because of Albert Pujols has been bothered again by back spasms which are a concern, and partly out of loyalty.

Arod is healthy and will put up monster numbers this season, as he always has consistently. Automatically a keeper so please no time for negative Arod comments as he is on my team for better or for worse.

Any suggestion would be appreciated, as after multiple mock drafts my team is not my ideal and I could use the help.

MY FANTASY TEAM: Lady Loves Pinstripes:

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Two Worries Of A Cocky Yankees Fan

The world saw the worst collapse in sports history take residence in Shea Stadium, in 2007, the pictures and tears brought city-wide shame. The Mets have been face first since, and the fans hate them for it.

Jump to a few months later, when the scrappy Giants miraculously beat an undefeated Patriots to win the Superbowl. New York went crazy for sports again, and inspired by the proof playing with heart institutes champions.

Are you getting the point here?

New York fans have been emotionally drained, with the ups and downs being so harsh.

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2010 MLB Preview: The Two Beasts In The AL East

Since I reaffirmed, for the second season, just how scared I am of the Tampa Bay Rays in the prior post; it seems fitting to preview the two shoguns of the AL East.

My New York Yankees, and our biggest rivals the Boston Red Sox. Yes, still have some smoke left for these two teams, but after watching and reading about the Rays there is major reason for both to worry.

New York and Boston fans had cemented spots in their brains to make the playoffs over the last decade. The Yanks and Red Sox represent the biggest rivalry in sports, which is never short of drama and has ruled the division and the league since 1995 brought the term wild-card into play.

No question these two hate each other, and nothing fires up the ‘nation’ more than when the Universe is back on top. Now add the annoying and pushy Rays, who are starting to learn why these two teams have earned, not bought every success and all the respect by playing their hearts out each season.

How do the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox look for the coming season?

Let’s sort it out:

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