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New York Yankees: Proving Age Before Beauty

Posted by on 16 August 2011, 3:14 am

Finally, the New York Yankee bats and starter AJ Burnett were in sync in Kansas City against the Royals, winning the game 7-4.

Burnett racked his first win in pinstripes the month of August ever, a jinx that had run its course for all involved as he posted an 0-8 record with a 7.18 ERA in his 13 August starts since coming to New York.

However, Burnett just can’t figure out that ‘one inning’ he has built his career around. Even with the W, tonight was no different but the damage was more minimal. Burnett gave up three earned runs in the bottom of the fifth; and he got yanked after 5.2 innings in total, giving up 10 hits, while fanning just two.

The aim was to win, and it was a total team effort with Burnett on the hill doing his part.

Generally an ideal start for a team whose, no thanks to Mother Nature, schedule just got more grueling due to rainouts being penciled in on their off days.

Basically, the Yankees have 42 games left with only three days sans a game. Two of those days sandwich a mid-September road trip out West, so they are a wash.

So theoretically the Yankees have only one-off day and owe a bug thanks to the Baltimore Orioles, who agreed to a Saturday doubleheader in the Bronx on August 27th. Still, I would bet my left arm if the Yankees well-being were factored into that decision.

Numerous experts have even called the Yankees lucky because who wouldn’t want to play the bottom feeding Orioles eight more times this season? Personally, I wouldn’t as this match-up has David vs. Goliath written all over it and we all know how that story ends.

Plus factor in the six games vs. the Red Sox, Rays and Blue Jays; a trip out West to face the Angels and Mariners with no real break makes things a lot harder.

Nonetheless, the way the Yankees have played gives little room for whining; and fans keep forgetting that Alex Rodriguez is set to return at the end of this week too.

One thing is for sure; the deemed aging Yankees finally have their opportunity to show the world, or just ESPN’s predicting machine that age does come before beauty.

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New York Yankees: Believe You Me…. Hughes Is Moving To The Bullpen

Posted by on 15 August 2011, 12:35 am

Honestly, what New York Yankee fan is not debating who will be demoted when skipper Joe Girardi dismantles the six-man pitching rotation?

From my dad, to my doorman, to even my Phillies fan friend (yes, I have one) everyone has an opinion about who has earned their pinstripes to stay.

One collective belief, myself included is that it will be either AJ Burnett or Phil Hughes that will be heading into a reliever roll.

This makes sense because out of all the Yankees starters, Hughes and Burnett were the Jekyll and Hyde’s in the rotation.

Literally, these two are the definition of extreme. When they are good, they are brilliant; but when they are bad they are incompetent.

Burnett logically looks like the bigger mess because he has pitched in the bigs for 13 seasons and is 34 years old, so he has been at it longer.

Where as Hughes is nine years younger, and technically is in his fifth year in the majors but has only pitched one full season in 2009.

So, the question remains is who is less risky of the two?

Win, lose, or draw the Yankees have a lot to consider due to the repercussions.

Girardi and GM Brian Cashman have to take paychecks out of the equation because the right decision will be more plentiful in the long run for everyone.

Personally, I don’t trust Hughes’ stuff compared to Burnett. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Believe You Me…. Hughes Is Moving To The Bullpen’ »

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New York Yankees: Injury Update On Mariano Rivera

Posted by on 5 July 2011, 12:49 am

Following the game, I was driving back to the city from the long July 4th weekend listening to 1010 News for traffic updates.

As the news anchor was going over the sports scores, he was summing up the New York Yankees 6-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians. He said AJ Burnett was perfect through six innings until he gave up a three-run homer to ex-Yankee Austin Kearns; how Curtis Granderson hit his 23rd home-run in the eighth…. this was all true.

Then the one-thing Yankee fans don’t want to hear was uttered; that All-Star closer Mariano Rivera was not available even if skipper Joe Girardi needed him. It was due to a sore left triceps and the newscaster went on to say that no tests were scheduled for Rivera at this point.

AP Sports Writer, Tom Withers confirmed the news after Girardi revealed it following the game in Cleveland. This is not comforting for Yankee fans, as masking the severity of injuries is a Bomber specialty.

The Sporting News is insinuating that this is enough of a reason for the Yankees to really explore obtaining the New York Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez, better known as K-rod.

K-rod has already said that he would happily accept a set-up role if traded to the Yankees.

The question that remains whether the Yankees trade for another possible closer, or just use should-be All-Star David Robertson for the time being, while keeping their fingers crossed down the stretch.

Regardless, the 41-year-old Rivera is the rock of this ball club posting 21 saves and a 1.91 ERA on the season so far.

All fans can do is just pray that the Yankees are not down-playing this one because as of right now, this is not encouraging at all.

All I know is that life without Rivera is no life at all.

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Yankees vs. Red Sox: Burnett To Square Off Against Wakefield

Posted by on 8 June 2011, 2:15 am

It was a blisteringly hot day in New York on Tuesday, and by game time, the evening provided no relief.

It did not stop Yankee fans from packing into the Stadium. A well-deserved welcome home for their first-place team from a successful road trip, and hoping to cheer the Yankee players to victory as they open a three-game set against the Boston Red Sox.

Plain and simple, this was not the Yankees night as it started the moment Freddy Garcia threw his first pitch, a home-run off the bat of Jacoby Ellsbury.

Finally getting threw a half an inning; the Yankees got a turn at the plate, only to watch the team’s best player Mark Teixeira take one in the knee from Boston ace Jon Lester. Tex fell down in utter agony, as Yankee fans hearts sank watching baseball’s best first baseman get carried off the field.

So not only did the Yankees lose the game 6-4 to the Red Sox, and have to endure Tex getting injured; now they share the top spot in the AL East with their rivals. A first place that the Yankees were in sole possession of just hours ago.

NYY AJ Burnett (6-3, 3.86 ERA) vs. BOS Tim Wakefield (2-1, 4.40 ERA):

Now, Yankees Universe will look to the arm of AJ Burnett for some reprieve and a needed pick-me-up on Wednesday night.

Burnett has the advantage on the mound facing the oldest active MLB player, 44-year-old knuckle-baller Tim Wakefield. Wakefield has emerged as the emergency rotation filler, due to holes left by injuries and he has adapted to the role very well considering his prime was almost two decades ago.

Wakefield has made five spot starts for Boston, and three times it resulted in team wins. Wakefield has been more effective coming out of the bullpen, but over his five starts he has only given up three home-runs, seven doubles, 14 earned runs, walked eight and posts 28.5 innings pitching in total.

Not so great, but Wakefield is a hit or miss, but without his knuckleball that 70-73 mph fastball offers zippo refuge.

Skipper Terry Francona is not expecting milestones from Wakefield, but if he can eat six innings like he did in his last three outings that is just perfect enough for the Red Sox’s potent offense to win.

The Yankees will be looking to shutdown Boston’s bats to make Wakefield’s job harder and this was something that Burnett used to do to perfection as a Toronto Blue Jay. It was the selling point that yielded the Yankees to ink Burnett, as his success within the AL East was undeniable and specifically vs. the Red Sox.

Well, Burnett came into this season with less accountability than Wakefield. Through hard work and a desire, Burnett worked his butt off during the odd-season and he has without question righted himself mentally.

In 2001, Burnett has pitched 74.2 innings in 12 starts,

Out of every line-up in baseball, the Red Sox have the best odds of pushing the ‘new’ Burnett over the edge. Right now, that one disastrous, game changing inning that Burnett was renowned for has not reared it’s ugly head yet this season. Continue reading ‘Yankees vs. Red Sox: Burnett To Square Off Against Wakefield’ »

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2011 New York Yankees: One-Third Season Team Report Card

Posted by on 31 May 2011, 1:00 am

The New York Yankees have officially played 52 games and post a 29-23 record respectively, which makes them now tied for first place with the Boston Red Sox, who are 30-24.

So, how has the 2011 Yankees preformed with 108 games (+two make-up games) remaining on the regular season’s schedule?

PITCHING:

The starting rotation has been surprisingly better than everyone predicted and the main reasons are solid outings by veterans Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia, who both have 3.26 ERAs.

CC Sabathia is the obvious ace and continues to eat innings, posting a 6-3 record, with a 2.98 ERA over 85 innings pitched. The Yankee brass would be smart to not let Sabathia hit the free agent market when he opts out at the end of the season and give him two more years on his current contract.

Also, AJ Burnett has been a different pitcher, as mentally he is in much more control than in the past. Burnett has earned the fans and his teammates trust again, as he hasn’t allowed himself to collapse on the mound like we were so used to seeing every fourth or fifth start.

The bullpen has been pretty good considering they have one lefty, Boone Logan. Led by the chief Mariano Rivera, Joba Chamberlain and David Robertson have been solid.

GRADE: B

HITTING:

The Yankees line-up is top to bottom stacked, but they have been weaker than anticipated even with the most home-runs in all of baseball, a whooping 80 on the season so far.

The bats also have the most RBIs with 262 and the highest slugging percentage with .447. Still, leaving runners stranded on base is becoming an all to common issue that has to improve as the team heads into the summer months.

Another issue is the lack of small ball which has killed the team, but that seems to be improving.

The players are well aware of these issues and are the first to admit that they need to fine-tune this, which is half the battle right there.

Fact is this line-up has the ability to hit better and the team should not be losing as many games because of the bats.

GRADE: B-/C+

SURPRISES:

Catcher Russell Martin has fit in like a glove in New York.

ESPN’s Amy K. Nelson recently interviewed Martin and when asked what is most important he said:

“The relationship I have with my pitchers. I want them to have to trust me with their lives.”

Not only has he earned the trust of the pitchers, his bat has come up big more than a few times already this season. Martin is posting nine home-runs, six doubles, 26 RBIs, 22 walks and has stolen five bases since donning the pinstripes.

Martin’s talent was never in question but whether he still had a wish to play after countless injuries was what no one knew for sure, but now we do and Yankee fans couldn’t be happier.

GRADE: A

 

HONORABLE MENTION: Relief Pitcher David Robertson who has dominated under pressure and come up big when the team needed some help. Robertson has a 1.27 ERA, 35 strikeouts, allowed zero home-runs, in over 21 innings of work.

CLASS CLOWNS:

Rafael Soriano, as the $13 million set-up man has only brought negative energy and now he is on the DL with an inflamed elbow for the next two months. Continue reading ‘2011 New York Yankees: One-Third Season Team Report Card’ »

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New York Yankees: Mariano Rivera Is Human After All

Posted by on 20 April 2011, 4:46 pm

What baseball fan doesn’t love the extra inning, walk-off win?

Maybe the fans whose team didn’t win and get to witness their favorite players partake in baseball’s version of a mosh-pit of joy.

Well, last night that was my life, but ten times worse, as the New York Yankees lost in the 10th inning to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Why was it 10x’s worse?

It is like a dagger through any Yankees fans heart when Mariano Rivera is the culprit because it so seldom happens.

Understand that Mo allows New York fans to be cocky, without any disagreement from even the biggest Yankee haters. He is our ego.

In comparison it feels like you just got dumped because, speaking for myself, that same pit comes back in my stomach.

Mo is not supposed to have bad days because Yankee fans really believe he is super-human. So when a game ends like yesterday’s it makes Mo seems real, and that is the one thing he is not.

AJ Burnett imploding; Joba loading the bases; or even Boone Logan giving up a homerun are disappointments Yankee fans expect.

Sincerely, acknowledging that the day when Enter Sandman will be no longer play in the ninth inning is coming makes each appearance by Mo that much more extraordinary. Which, in turn makes a loss like last night’s become very personal.

Look, it happens and it will happen to Mo again but that doesn’t make it any easier for Yankee fans to swallow.

See, each of Mariano Rivera’s 566 saves or one of his 978 appearances in relief means special to someone because they get to say that they saw the greatest closer ever.

He defines what rarified air is in sports, but what makes Mo stand out even more is that even his superior talents can’t surpass his individual character.

Toronto battled in the ninth inning to tie the game, and then win it in the 10th with a score of 6-5.

The Blue Jays well deserved the win, as they outplayed the Yankees, even it did break chip away at my soul  just a little.

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New York Yankees: Pitching Test For AJ Burnett Vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Posted by on 19 April 2011, 7:07 am

The New York Yankees are up in Toronto to play a quick two-games against their AL East Division rival Blue Jays.

The Bombers left New York after taking two of three games from the Texas Rangers, who they had not seen since the 2010 ALCS, so the team is feeling pretty confident right now.

For the Blue Jays, coming home was not nearly as sweet following a tough, 3-7-road trip.

With both teams having good reason behind taking the first game, let’s look at Tuesday night’s match-up on the mound.

AJ BURNETT, NYY:

In the first game on Tuesday night, the Yankees will send AJ Burnett to the bump at the Roger Centre, a very familiar place for the ex-Blue Jay.

Unfortunately any fond Canadian memories are long gone for Burnett, as his spectacular month of April could come crashing down if history dictates anything.

In 2010 Burnett’s last start against the Blue Jays he got pulled after 2.1 innings of crap, allowing two homeruns, seven earned runs, a walk, a strikeout and he managed to hit one of the 16 total batters he faced.

The Yankees have lost to the Jays the last four times Burnett started the game, two of which were in Toronto.

This could certainly end Burnett’s 3-0 April winning streak, as Burnett is known to start off every season hot only to fall on his face. This is the ideal situation for past-disasters, so this is a big test for Burnett to earn some real trust back.

Burnett is up against a Jays-team that is 4-2 at home, with nine homeruns so far this season.

It comes as no shock that slugger Jose Bautista is responsible for two of the long balls. Bautista has continued right where he left off last season hitting .455 thus far.

In his nine at-bats against Burnett, Bautista is hitting .444, with four hits, one double, two homeruns, six RBIs, drawn two walks and struck out twice.

Pretty sure Burnett will be watching out for Bautista, who might not be ready for Burnett’s resurrected change-up. This change-up proved dominate against the Orioles just day ago and Burnett claimed he has not thrown this pitch in over 12 years. It is certainly a nice addition to his wicked curveball and mid-90’s fastball.

KYLE DRABEK, TOR:

Toronto will counter with 23-year-old righty Kyle Drabek, who has pitching in his blood, as his dad is former CY Young winner Doug Drabek.

So far in his first three starts Drabek has been phenomenal posting a 1.93 ERA, with 17 strikeouts in just shy of 19 innings pitched. Drabek’s only real issue is the 11 walks he has allowed, which could potentially be a real problem facing the patient Yankees line-up. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Pitching Test For AJ Burnett Vs. Toronto Blue Jays’ »

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