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Yankees Vs. Red Sox: Looking At The Facts Spells A Different Story For Rivalry

Posted by on 10 March 2011, 4:04 pm

MLB is home to one of biggest rivalries in sports between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.

Over the last few seasons’ things have been become quieter and tamer in comparison to the bench clearing brawls of the late 90’s and early 00’s.

Boston and New York fans live for these 18 games every season because so much pride is on the line.

I am lucky enough to have attended countless match-ups between the two, both at Yankees Stadium and Fenway Park, and let me say it is baseball at its peak.

Heading into 2011 season, every Tom, Dick and Harry has staked claim that it is the World Series or bust for the Red Sox. Leaving the Yankees with the Wild Card as their only viable hope of getting into the postseason.

Maybe it’s because this off-season could not have gone more differently, as Boston signed two monsters in Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez and the Yankees lost two giants in Cliff Lee and Andy Pettitte.

Don’t get to cocky yet Red Sox nation, as when you get to the nitty gritty and compare players position by position the teams don’t look all that different.

Getting Gonzalez would be huge for any team, but the Red Sox needed to get a player of his caliber to match Yankees Mark Teixeira. Tex is no slouch and it was a hole for Boston, especially after losing Adrian Beltre and Victor Martinez’s power bats in the line-up.

Overall, things are pretty even but even though I am a Yankees fan, realistically the Bombers have a slight edge.

Here is my breakdown (click picture to enlarge) of the Red Sox vs. Yankees, position by position (pitching post is coming shortly) and which team has the stronger player. Continue reading ‘Yankees Vs. Red Sox: Looking At The Facts Spells A Different Story For Rivalry’ »

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2011 MLB Team Preview: Boston Red Sox

Posted by on 13 February 2011, 11:10 pm

The Boston Red Sox didn’t make the postseason in 2010, and that is unacceptable response following a 2009 New York Yankees World Series win.

Boston’s GM Theo Epstein clearly did not want this to resonate in the minds of Red Sox Nation.

So, Epstein made the Red Sox the unmistakable winners this off-season, by signing LF Carl Crawford and trading than signing 1B Adrian Gonzalez, two of the best players in the game.

Crawford and Gonzalez’s paychecks for bringing their talents to Boston for the next seven years are $142 and $154 million bucks respectively. That is a lot of coin, but both players are well worth the money. Guess the Yankees now share the evil empire, with an evil nation.

The Positives:

Signing Crawford and initially trading for Gonzalez made an already substantial line-up into a lethal one. Last season, the Red Sox hit the second most homeruns in the Majors with 211 and led the AL with 358 doubles.

Expect these numbers to grow, as Gonzalez will be hitting in batter friendly Fenway Park. This is heaven compared to his old stomping ground of Petco in San Diego, where Gonzalez went yard 31 times in 2010 and posted 40 homers just a year earlier.

Crawford retains all the tools, as a hitter, as a defender and is just in his prime at 28-years-old. Crawford’s speed is undeniable, with a career average of 54 stolen bases and posting 47 total last season.

Add the swiftness of a healthy Pedroia and Ellsbury who stole 70 bases in 2009, the Red Sox surely won’t be ranking 12th in steals in the AL like last year, with a team total of 68.

Don’t forget that the two newest Red Sox join a line-up that includes David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis, JD Drew, Pedroia and Ellsbury, which gives skipper Terry Francona lots of choices.

Speaking of Francona, he is one of the paramount skippers in the game. Francona has a fantastic report with his players, but they respect him even more. After what Francona did with his injury ridden team in 2010 just certifies what we already know, that the Red Sox are in some good hands.

Boston’s starting rotation has a one-two punch of 27-year-old Jon Lester and 26-year-old Clay Buchholz, who both verified their worth in 2010. Buchholz pitched just shy of 174 innings, posting a 2.33 ERA; and Lester had a 3.25 ERA, with 225 strikeouts over 208 innings pitched.

Epstein also added needed depth to the Red Sox’s bullpen by picking up Dan Wheeler and Bobby Jenkins.

What didn’t, excuse me couldn’t Epstein not achieve this off-season?

Pretty much nothing because he took a great team and made them even better. This is stuff of a GM-Genius, but the Red Sox owners deep pockets help a little too.

The Negatives:

Even with as much ‘wow-factor’ as the 2011 Red Sox radiate, it doesn’t exempt them from having areas of concern.

Epstein and Francona’s primary worry has to be the decline of closer Jonathan Papelbon, who lead the league with eight blown saves last season, which equaled his 2008-09 numbers combined.

The once dependable Papelbon has to prove himself reliable again, as any team without a dominant closer will have serious problems, especially in the AL East.

This also adds pressure on the Red Sox starters to try to stretch out seven or eight innings every fifth day. Boston’s back-end of the rotation of Josh Beckett, John Lackey and Daisue Matsuzaka were not reliable last season. Continue reading ‘2011 MLB Team Preview: Boston Red Sox’ »

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MLB Trade Rumors: Jesus Montero and 8 Others Yankees Who Might Be Trade Bait

Posted by on 31 January 2011, 11:48 pm

It is no secret that the New York Yankees were hoping that there 2011 starting rotation would include the names of Cliff Lee and Andy Pettitte.

Moving forward, the Yankees have to fill the fourth and fifth spots, at least temporarily, until they make a trade for a legit arm before the July All-Star break.

Of course, this is contingent on a few factors:

Who is available?

Will A.J. Burnett right himself back to being a viable starter again?

What players are the Yankees willing to part with midseason?

And the biggest factor of all: Is the team is winning or losing?

No one can know for certain, but rumors are flying around about which players the Yankee will dangle in front of other teams.

Unlike in the past, the Yankees have talent down on the farm—in particular, a trio of catching prospects led by Yankees top prospect Jesus Montero.

This is a nice cushion to have a if the rotation needs a boost, as my bet is the Yankees make a go at King Felix again.

In no particular order, let’s look at Montero and eight other Yankee players rumored to be potential trade bait…that is if the price is right.

  1. Jesus Montero not only sits atop the Yankees prospect list but is also the top catcher in the minors. Scouts refer to Montero as having a “Mike Piazza” swing, but unfortunately Montero also struggles on defense like Piazza. At 6’5″, Montero’s days behind the plate could be numbered, as he has yet to prove he can catch every day. Still, his monster and mature bat is enough to make other teams drool. If the Yankees need another starter by midseason, Montero could command a nice return.
  2. What Montero lacks behind the plate, Austin Romine surely does not. Another top catching prospect throughout the minors, Romine doesn’t have the huge bat, but he is no slump either. Romine’s swing is improving nicely, and that should continue to improve over time. Romine is an everyday catcher with a strong throwing arm that can get out a ton of baserunners. With the Red Sox getting Carl Crawford, Romine’s arm might prove more valuable than Montero’s bat, but only time will tell.
  3. Gary Sanchez is the youngest of the Yankees’ stellar catching trio, and probably the most coveted. In 2009 the Yankees paid the then-16-year-old a record $3 million, and so far the money looks to be paying off. Sanchez has the best of both Montero’s bat and Romaine’s defense. Now, at age 18, Sanchez will play in his first full professional season either in Charleston (Low-A), as his age is too young for High-A Tampa just yet. Nothing is set in stone, but so far Sanchez is on the path to becoming superstar. It makes trading Montero a whole lot easier for the Yankees to swallow because of this kid’s potential. Continue reading ‘MLB Trade Rumors: Jesus Montero and 8 Others Yankees Who Might Be Trade Bait’ »

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2011 MLB Predictions: Is the AL East a 3-Team Race Again?

Posted by on 25 January 2011, 1:00 pm

Last week the Tampa Bay Rays reunited two old pals, but will it feel good enough to make the Rays legit in 2011?

The Rays are now proud owners of Johnny Damon‘s and Manny Ramirez’s talents heading into the season.

Veterans, who both have two World Series rings (Manny’s are both with the Boston Red Sox, and Damon has one with Boston and the other with the New York Yankees). The two were teammates on the historical 2004 Red Sox, who broke an 86-year-old curse.

Now, as part of the Rays organization, the two 38-year-old stars have a chance to stick it to their old teams, but is it enough to help Tampa Bay finally beat their two division rivals?

Not necessarily, but it does give the Rays something they have been missing the last few seasons, and that is experience.

Even with Manny being Manny, his power bat gives the Rays a solid DH. Over his 18 seasons, Manny has 555 home runs and 1,830 RBIs. Manny only played in 90 games last season, with nine home runs and 42 RBIs as part of the Dodgers and White Sox organizations.

Damon is a solid clubhouse guy and he will play everyday as an outfielder. Damon is not physically close to making up for Carl Crawford, both on the field and on the bases, but he can get the job done.

In 2010, Damon played in 145 games posting his lowest numbers with eight home runs, 51 RBIs and 11 steals.

Still, nothing calls for motivation more for these two than sticking it to both the Red Sox and Yankees. Continue reading ‘2011 MLB Predictions: Is the AL East a 3-Team Race Again?’ »

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2011 New York Yankees: Why Gardner And Granderson Need To Come In Hot

Posted by on 20 January 2011, 12:05 pm

In 2010, the Yankees were adamantly clear that it was repeat or bust.

The reigning 2009 champion New York Yankees lost in the ALCS, eventually passing the World Series crown to the San Francisco Giants.

Most teams would be elated if that was how their last two seasons had panned out, but up in the Bronx expectations run high.

Reading the 2011 roaster is not going to provide much comfort, as the Bombers have more holes to fill this season compared to the last two combined.

Still, there are positives that weren’t there in 2009 or 2010, in particular the emergence of outfielders Brett Gardner and Curtis Granderson.

Gardner and Granderson’s roles are more vital than ever this coming season.

The Yankees are confident in this duo’s abilities, so much so that GM Brian Cashman did not go after Carl Crawford or Jayson Werth during the offseason.

Why, and how, is this tandem so important in 2011?

Let’s look at both guys individually:

Curtis Granderson:

Granderson’s first year in pinstripes did not start on the right foot. After hitting a game-winning home run in Fenway on Opening Day weekend, Granderson started to struggle, which turned into a slump and fans were starting to stamp him as a bad trade.

Granderson had only posted seven home runs, 24 RBIs and 51 strikeouts in the first half of the 2010. He also missed the entire month of May due to a pulled hamstring.

Things were not looking good, and frustrations were growing on both sides. Had Grandy forgotten his talents in Detroit? At the All-Star break it sure seemed that way.

After tweaking his swing with Yankee hitting coach/miracle-man Kevin Long, Granderson starting crushing balls again, and he hasn’t looked back since.

In the second-half of 2010, Granderson more then doubled his home runs going from seven to 17. His meager 24 RBIs in the first half raised by 19, as in July, August and September he had 43 RBIs, 71 hits, nine double and four triples.

Granderson has been known to strikeout a ton, but in those three months he only bit it 72 times in 282 at-bats, which was a marked improvement.

Granderson has always been an elite outfielder and his skills never faltered defensively in 2010, which kept Yankee fans optimistic.

What I love about Granderson is that neither clutch situations, nor location faze him. It is as simple as, he is either hitting or he is not. Continue reading ‘2011 New York Yankees: Why Gardner And Granderson Need To Come In Hot’ »

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MLB Hot Stove: Cliff Lee the Key Factor in Yankee-Red Sox Battle for Supremacy

Posted by on 10 December 2010, 5:37 pm

All the New York Yankee brass and fans can do is wait for ace Cliff Lee to make his decision.

The Yankees need Lee, and anyone who doesn’t think so is living in denial.

The recent acquisition of two lefties, Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, by the Yankees rival in Boston, does make the Red Sox slightly better.

Here is why:

Crawford is a five-tool player who posted a .307 batting average last season. What makes him such a pain at the plate is he can turn a single into a triple if the ball is fielded with any imperfection.

Crawford was a Tampa Bay Ray for the last nine years, so all AL East teams are well aware of the damage he can do.

Gonzalez is one of the top first basemen coming from the National League. What he lacks in speed he brings in power with his bat, finishing with a .298 average last season.

Considering Gonzalez spent the last five years with the San Diego Padres, who play at pitching-friendly PETCO Park, his bat should only be better at his easier new home of Fenway.

Remember the Red Sox did lose Adrian Beltre and Victor Martinez, who had batting averages of .321 and .302 respectively. Continue reading ‘MLB Hot Stove: Cliff Lee the Key Factor in Yankee-Red Sox Battle for Supremacy’ »

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Carl Crawford: Boston Red Sox Think They’re the New York Yankees By Signing CC

Posted by on 9 December 2010, 1:42 am

The city of Boston must be ecstatic tonight with the announcement of the signing Carl Crawford

Crawford’s home has been Tropicana Field for the last nine seasons, as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays. In 2010, Crawford’s batting average was .307, with 30 doubles, 13 triples, 19 home-runs, 90 RBIs and 47 stolen bases.

Add that to the other new Red Sox, 1B Adrian Gonzalez, who’s 2010 average at the plate was .298, with 31 home-runs, and 101 RBIs.

It would be hard to find anyone who doesn’t agree that the Red Sox are by far the AL East, if not baseball’s favorite heading into 2011. Continue reading ‘Carl Crawford: Boston Red Sox Think They’re the New York Yankees By Signing CC’ »

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