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MLB Trade Rumors: Red Sox + Mets = Screw Yankees

Posted by on 18 July 2011, 5:31 pm
New York Mets SS - José Reyes

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The Boston Globe recently featured a story by Nick Cafardo that suggested the Red Sox should have interest in New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes; as acquiring Reyes talents would put Boston over the top.

Fact is no matter the team, if any, were lucky enough to trade for Reyes, they would without question get better. On a team as skilled as the Red Sox his addition would be lethal.

No doubt the Red Sox’s weakest link is Marcus Scutaro at shortstop. Still, one would think that Boston’s off-season acquisitions of Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez would suffice when added to a line-up that already has Dustin Pedroia, Big Papi, Kevin Youkilis and Jacoby Ellsburyto breed enough confidence but I guess Mr. Cafardo doesn’t agree.

The Mets price mid-season for Reyes would and should be huge. So, is it worth it for Boston to cripple their already depleted farm system and possibly plus another significant player?

My guess, if anything the package that could entice the Mets would have to include the likes of a Papelbon and a truckload of prospects. Boston skipper Terry Francona can rotate around Daniel Bard, Dan Wheeler and Alfredo Aceves in the closing role.

Who knows if Paps’ contract has a no-trade because you can bet he will pass on going to queens and wait to hit the free agent market at the end of 2011 instead. He is not the same closer he once was that is for sure.

That is just my thoughts on the situation, but according to Cafardo the Red Sox need for a better shortstop is grave.

Any team with a player as talented as Jose Reyes is getting more than just a good shortstop, as he is a five tool player.

The Globes Cafardo’s idea of the Red Sox obtaining Reyes would defiantly stick it to the Yankees.

Hopefully this was like the idea I had last week, when the Yankees were trading with the Phillies for Roy Halladay. Kidding…..

 

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New York Yankees Freddie Garcia Vs. Boston Red Sox Jon Lester

Posted by on 7 June 2011, 7:22 am

The New York Yankees are looking for some revenge against the Boston Red Sox, who are in the Bronx to play a decidedly scrutinized three-game set.

Right now the Yankees are hanging on to the top sot in the AL East by just a game over the Red Sox.

Boston has been working hard to get back into a position to pounce. Now, the perfect opportunity to finally dethrone New York, who has been sitting pretty above them all season long, is now.

The Yankees as they say, can kill two birds with one stone. Not only does this open the door to sweep ahead by four games in the division, but also yields their 1-5 record against the Red Sox. Don’t think I forgot to mention how Yankee fans would love to forget about the Boston May 13th series, when they brought out the brooms in the Bronx.

NYY FREDDY GARCIA (4-4, 3.34 ERA) vs. BOS JON LESTER (7-2, 3.94 ERA)

To start this three-game set, the Yankees send veteran Freddy Garcia to the hill to face 27-year-old Boston Red Sox Jon Lester.

Garcia is looking to get some revenge, which falls right in line with Yankees overall theme for this series, after his two awful starts this season vs. the Red Sox.

In the two losses, Garcia faced 24 Red Sox batters who posted a .292 batting average, while allowing seven hits, three doubles, two home-runs and three walks. Garcia needs to pay special attention to Big Papi and Kevin Youkilis, while also remembering that Carl Crawford’s bat has officially arrived.

If Garcia’s off-speed stuff gets going, along with his 13-seasons of experience he should have not problem prompting strikes. Garcia has an arsenal of pitches to choose from and is looking to keep his team in the game, but the Yankee bats have to give him some cushioning.

Not if Lester has anything to say about it, as he will try to tame the Yankees line-up. Lester will pay particular attention to the Captain, who is 14 hits away from being Mr. 3000 and has a .316 batting average in his career vs. Lester.

My bet would be that with a .333 batting average against the Red Sox ace, Andruw Jones will be in the Yankees line-up Tuesday night to shake the lefty up. Jones could be key for Yankees, as Lester has baffled the Yankees in his four-year career keeping the Bombers hitting just .235 against him.

Lester lost his last start Chicago White Sox, who tossed him around by scoring seven earned runs in eight hits, with one homer, four walks before hitting two batters causing his five-inning exit.

The outing incorporated him to throw 127-pitches and why he was left in so long is a darn good question. He also has a very un-Lester like 6.52 ERA over his last five starts; add that to laying 56 runners on base in 29 innings, and that could spell trouble.

Lester will have to improve drastically against the Yankees line-up that is the hardest hitting so far this season, posting the most home-runs with 88, second overall, but top in the AL in RBIs with 285 and also lead the AL with 293 runs total. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees Freddie Garcia Vs. Boston Red Sox Jon Lester’ »

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Three American League Teams Baseball Fans Will Miss in 2010 Playoffs

Posted by on 29 September 2010, 1:52 pm

With the regular season about to end, playoff spots are getting filled by eight of the 30 MLB teams who compete each season.

For players on the Yankees and Phillies, October is a familiar time of year but for many it will remain a mystery.

What is so crazy about baseball is an ace like the Phillies’ Roy Halladay is pitching for the first time in his career in the playoffs. There are many players, both veterans and rookies, who are virgins to October baseball, but the butterflies from the possibility of winning remain the same for anyone so lucky to partake.

There are three AL teams, which due to uncontrollable circumstances (i.e. injuries) will not be around past this Sunday. These usual suspects make the road to the World Series that much more competitive, as one team from each AL Division is represented on this list.

Which three teams am I referring too?

1) Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox couldn’t catch a break in 2010. Injury after injury, plus more injuries is the best way to describe it. Still, even with numerous All-Stars on the DL like Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, and Jacob Ellsbury, the Sox managed to keep fighting. They challenged other teams to count them out all season, but Boston continually proved that was a bad idea. Skipper Terry Francona should be the AL Manger of the Year for the way he handled himself and this ailing group. It would have been old school to have a 2010 Yankees-Red Sox’s ALCS again. Maybe next year…

2) Los Angeles Angels
The Angels’ season ended with a walk-off. On May 29th, 2010, All-Star first baseman Kendry Morales hit a walk-off grand-slam homer in the 10th inning to win a game versus the Seattle Mariners. Running around the bases, his Halo teammates waited for him at home plate to celebrate. Instead, Morales jumped on the bag and broke his ankle. The season was over for Morales and the Angels after the grand slam heard around the world.

3) Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers are not regulars out of the AL Central, like the Red Sox and the Angels are out of their respective divisions. Still, the Tigers make the Central much harder and considering the best hitter in baseball—Miguel Cabrera—is a Tiger, it would have kept the Twins on their toes. In 2009 the AL Central featured a tiebreaker between the Twins and Tigers that was incredible; surely one for the history books. It was the perfect start to an exciting postseason and the Tigers were halfway to blame for that.

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New York Yankees Vs. Boston Red Sox: Pitching Will Dictate Rivalry

Posted by on 5 August 2010, 10:20 am

With #600 now in the past, the New York Yankees are ready to take on their rivals, the Boston Red Sox.

Boston has been hit hard with the unfortunate injury bug. Making the six and a half games the Red Sox need to catch the first place Yankees, who are tied with Tampa Bay Rays, not completely out of reach.

This puts a lot of pressure on Boston, as the importance of winning in the Bronx is pretty much a make or break situation.

The Yankees can’t afford to lose the series either because the Rays are playing great baseball right now.

It is no secret that the Yankees have lost two series in a row and to say that Alex Rodriguez’s 600 mark turned the team around has yet to be proven.

The Red Sox most recent DL member is first baseman Kevin Youkilis who is one of the best hitters in baseball and a Yankees killer. Youkilis is a significant loss and his absence will be noticed by both ball-clubs.

The Red Sox have their pitchers all back now and all healthy, so the Yankees have to counter at the plate.

Since pitching always dictates, let’s look at the four match-ups, over two posts: Continue reading ‘New York Yankees Vs. Boston Red Sox: Pitching Will Dictate Rivalry’ »

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Reviewing Top Three American League East Teams

Posted by on 28 June 2010, 5:37 am

The AL East is proving itself worthy of it’s reputation as the toughest division in baseball.

It is difficult to imagine the post-season will be without either the Yankees, Red Sox or Rays, who have each have won the ALCS the last three seasons. (2007-BRS; 2008-TBR; 2009-NYY)

Let’s take a look at this three-headed-beast:
 Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox were counted out way too soon, as they have been on a leap to get back into the AL East race. The crucial difference has been Boston’s middle line-up is finally hot , as Big Papi, Victor Martinez and Marcus Scutaro are taking some pressure of Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia.

The Red Sox have missed the rapid lead-off bat of center-fielder Jacob Ellsbury. Ellsbury has only played for nine games this season due to broken ribs. He is set to return after the All-Star Break, which will only help the Red Sox get better.

The greatest surprise is the pitching rotation, sans ace Josh Beckett, who’s been plagued by a bad back for a few seasons. John Lester has filled in as the team’s ace, with solid starts by Daisuke Matsuzaka, John Lackey, Tim Wakefield and the pleasant surprise of Clay Buchholz, who leads the team with a 2.45 ERA.

Buchholz left during his last start after hyper-extending his left knee but is said to be fine. Boston has gotten solid outings from the Boston bullpen, and closer Jonathan Papelbaum has been substantial, but he cannot give up back-to-back saves like he did in Colorado anymore.

J.D. Drew is back since being on the DL since June 18th, but the Red Sox recent luck has not fared regarding injuries. All-star second-baseman Dustin Pedroia was placed on the 15-day DL with a fracture of the navicular bone in his left foot, which is typically a minimum six-week recovery. This is a monumental loss as Pedroia is the best player, both athletically and emotionally on the team.

Add Victor Martinez  to the injury list, but not the DL yet as the catcher took two foul tips off his left thumb. Martinez says it is just pain and plans not to miss any time, but will know more after he gets checked out.

Terry Francona is saying all his prayers before bed tonight.

The replacements players like Bill Hall , Darnell McDonald and Daniel Neva are getting the job done, but Youks and Big Papi have to take this team on their shoulders right now.

One thing is for sure it’s doubtful anyone will ever question GM Theo Epstein again.

Tampa Bay Rays

Heading down south to Tampa Bay, home of the Rays who finally proved that their human by losing. The problem is their also developing and can’t seem to grasp the concept of defeat. It took them an entire season after losing the World Series in 2008 for the Rays to stop pouting, so Joe Madden needs to get attitudes in control now. Continue reading ‘Reviewing Top Three American League East Teams’ »

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New York Yankees Look Good After Losing In Boston

Posted by on 5 April 2010, 1:03 am

Both bullpen’s battled for starters CC Sabathia who called it a night in the sixth, and Josh Beckett finished an inning before at the top of the fifth.

The Yankees were up 5-2 in six innings, but Sabathia sixth inning was all the Red Sox needed to score two runs to get momentum going.

Girardi will suffer unwanted heat for not pulling Sabathia at 100 pitches, but finishing out the six seemed logical. It just got unlucky. Sabathia had a solid first outing, and no reason he won’t win 19-20 games this season.

Both teams battled it out, but the Red Sox utilized on the Yankees mistakes to win 9-7.

Since it is the first out of 162 games, no need to get worked up even if the Yankees had not lost.

There are however a few things of note:

  1. Curtis Granderson fits. This is no small feat on the Yankees. Many kudos to Brian Cashman for adding another Cinderella following CC, AJ, Tex and Swisher.
  2. Joba gave up a hit, but overall he is much more comfortable in this role than as a starter. As time goes on Joba will succeed, and he can serve two, even three innings if needed.
  3. Alex Rodriguez started slow, but came through in the seventh inning after the Red Sox tied it up, scoring Tex and putting up a run as well. This together Arod looks so relax and sure it is tremendously encouraging.
  4. Jeter and Posada are still Jeter and Posada. Posada had three hits, two in clutch situations and Jeter was park of a double steal with Garner, who stole home. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees Look Good After Losing In Boston’ »

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Playoff Pleasure Is Such A Treasure

Posted by on 10 October 2009, 3:49 am

This 2009 October baseball post-season, is by far at its very best.

Eight teams, eight possible World Series Champions, marked by the emotions behind all this genuine talent displayed by each team.

It can’t get much better than this.

Here are a few observations that have stuck in my mind.

1) The Umpires need to be trained a little better. This is not attempting to excuse a team’s neglect or a win at all. It is just a fact that incompetent and inexcusable calls cannot be made consistently.

One case of this happened on Thursday night’s game, Red Sox vs. Angels. Howie Kendrick whacked a grounder to Alex Gonzalez, who threw a tangled ball to first baseman Kevin Youkilis. Youkilis had to maneuver himself to the home plate section of the bag to get it.

Clearly, he tagged the runner out. The replay was not even necessary to see because it was that absurd and shocking of a call.

This is not just recently, all season the umpires are lacking in spots that they should not be. Making outlandish calls over and over it starts to look like it is a personal vendetta.

I know seeing everything is hard, but it is their business A job that needs to be done better. These athletes work their butts off and justify it to be as equally ruled as possible.

2) Joe Torre is not some miracle worker because the Dodgers have won the first two games against the Cardinals. Torre has quality players at his disposal.

Torre has never been complemented for the way he handles his pitchers. Let’s not act like Torre is some ideal because the team that gave him any form of distinction he stabbed right in the back.

Guess one could say that this is individualized for me or any other Yankee fan.

3)The above makes me feel even more adamant that the five-game series needs to be changed to seven games. With five games team’s can get hot or accidental and win three games in a row.

In baseball, the most-talented teams need the opportunity to regenerate themselves. During the season the length allows it, over and over again.

Best of five games does not provide that modest amount of games that legitimately could be the difference. I just imagine all eight teams in the post-season value that time for getting there.

4) There is undisputed magic in the Bronx. Walk-off city could be a new nickname. In particular one player has hit it hot with the fans and his teammates, Alex Rodriguez.

Arod, has been a post season flop, and that does not operate in New York. That was the Arod of the past as he is not the same player from October before. He is the player we see all season long.

I am not forgetting the steroid detail People make poor decisions and coming clean is undoubtedly the right stuff to do. Arod is the best and with that comes jealous critics who will get your every flaw.

Arod haters’ out there can now shut-up finally.

Embrace talent like his because it is rarified air.

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