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New York Yankees: The Real Situation

Posted by on 30 August 2010, 3:53 pm

The New York Yankees have a situation. And it is pretty simple to know what the situation is regarding: the AL East.

The Yankees goal is to win the division, but the Tampa Bay Rays are standing in the way. The Rays have kept pace with New York and vice versa, as both teams are tied for first place.

The Yankees need to get in sync and end this awful August run.

A turn-around by AJ Burnett, who is taking a lot of blame, is not the main issue.

Is Burnett a problem? Yes, Burnett is throwing heat clocking 95+ mph. However, Burnett lacks control and command, and hitters are crushing the ball when he does throw strikes. His ERA in August is 6.08 in 26.1 innings pitched, giving up 5 homeruns, 18 earned runs, 10 walks, and 18 strikeouts. Yikes!

In 2009, Burnett played a vital part in the team’s success. Obviously something is not clicking on the mound, but whatever is being done to fix the issue is not working.

My suggestion is to use Burnett where he is most reliable, in the first three innings of a game. Javier Vazquez and Sergio Mitre (both of whom have starting experience) are in the pen and can at least cover four or five innings total. Then Joba and Kerry Wood can cover an inning and a half.

With the expanding rosters effective tomorrow, the Yankees can bring up some extra pitching arms for the bullpen. This allows Burnett to relax and allows Andy Pettitte to return from the DL without rushing or else it could be trouble again.

The other problem comes from the Yankees’ hitters, who are starting to leave runners on the base pads over and over again.

In Friday night’s loss to the Chicago White Sox, the Yankees stranded 11 runners on base. The only production came from Nick Swisher’s bat.

For now, the Yankees are sans the power of Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixiera. It is not ideal, but it is manageable. In addition to Robinson Cano and Swisher, getting production from Marcus Thames, Brett Gardner, and Curtis Granderson is enough to win. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: The Real Situation’ »

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New York Yankees: Phil Hughes To Finish-Off Blue Jays To Win The Series

Posted by on 25 August 2010, 3:00 am

After losing the first game, the New York Yankees demolished the Blue Jays at home in Toronto on Tuesday night.

Marcus Thames, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira all homered in the affair.

Wednesday night’s game determines the series; both teams want to win but are on very different paths.

The Blue Jays have a chip on their shoulder. My guess is because Toronto resides in the AL East, which diminishes any hopes at a playoff berth.

This season the Blue Jays are legitimate. Proof is in their record, which is 16-4 over their last 20 games vs. the AL East teams. It must be frustrating.

So, making it harder, for the teams like the Yankees must be a distance second.

The Yankees are fighting to get in the playoffs, to defend their title and that takes winning inter-division series. In an important game, so having Phil Hughes is on the mound is an advantage.

Hughes is settled in again, after the stress of the “Hughes Rules” seem to simmer down. Thus far, Hughes’ 2010 totals are a solid 15-5 record, pitching for 140.0+ innings, with 116 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.90.

In his last start, Hughes earned his 15th win of 23 starts against the Detroit Tigers. A first inning home-run to Miguel Cabrera, who is the best hitter in baseball was the only bump. Hughes struck out six, walked zero and went six innings. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Phil Hughes To Finish-Off Blue Jays To Win The Series’ »

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New York Yankee’s Latest Hero: Marcus Thames

Posted by on 16 August 2010, 12:04 am

New York Yankees Marcus Thames has been the talk of the town lately—and for good reason.

Thames has come up big for the Yankees as he led the team in victory over the Texas Rangers Cliff Lee, this past Wednesday night.

The switch-hitter went 3-5 with two hits, a homer, and two RBI. Thames had the game-winning single in the top of the ninth inning that put the Yankees on top.

In 2001, Thames caught the Yankees attention after being named to the Baseball America minor leagues All-Star team after hitting .321, with 97 RBI and 31 homers in AA.

Thames started his pro career in pinstripes on June 10th, 2002. In his first at-bat, Thames hit a homer off Arizona Diamondbacks Randy Johnson and received a monstrous curtain call from a packed house at Yankee Stadium.

One year later, Thames was traded to the Texas Rangers for Rubin Sierra, but free-agency landed him with the Detroit Tigers three months later.

Thames remained a Tiger through 2009, playing mainly in left field but also used as a DH and first baseman.

In 2008, Thames hit eight home runs in eight games, making a new Tigers record.

Thames’ solid hitting in the clutch, along with proving success against left-handed pitching, appealed to the Yankees.

GM Brian Cashman signed Thames to a minor-league contract with nothing promised but the possibility of a good match.

Thames fought in Spring Training and made the 2010 Opening Day roaster as an outfielder competing with Brett Gardner and Randy Winn for playing time.

After spending most of June on the DL, Thames’ return has been been a difference maker for the Yankees. His reliable hitting has gained the trust of Yankee fans.

Since rejoining the Yankees, Thames, in 116 at-bats, has had 37 hits, five doubles, four home runs, 16 RBI and has a .319 batting average.

Yankee fans everywhere are happy to welcome back Marcus Thames.

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New York Yankees Get 2009 Swagger Back by Beating Cliff Lee and Rangers

Posted by on 12 August 2010, 11:22 am

GAME NOTES:

The odds were stacked up against the New York Yankees before Texas Rangers Cliff Lee even threw his first pitch.

By the top of the sixth inning, Lee was schooling the Yankees again, with a 6-1 lead, posting 11 strikeouts, no walks, and a stacked bullpen just waiting.

Yankees Javier Vazquez pitched just shy of six innings. Vazquez is fighting a pitcher’s “dead arm,” which is fatigue from throwing, but regardless Vazquez didn’t skip his start and that is a sign of a true ballplayer.

Mark Teixeira was on a mini-paternity leave, but is back today and his hot bat is always appreciated.

Replacing Tex at the plate and at first base was Marcus Thames, who was the player of the game by a landslide. Thames hit a homer and the ninth inning single that drove in the needed runs for the win.

I really like Thames because he has preformed since joining the Yankees this season. Thames is like a subdued Swisher, just happy to be a Yankee and fans are happy to have him too.

MANAGER NOTES:

I am not even going to try and dissect Skipper Joe Girardi’s decision making because it gets me too upset. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees Get 2009 Swagger Back by Beating Cliff Lee and Rangers’ »

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Yankees Did Not Lose They Got Beat

Posted by on 20 May 2010, 1:03 am

I was not a devoted fan tonight.

I left the New York Yankees game in the seventh inning, as the Tampa Bay Rays were up 6-2 and Boone Logan was jogging to the mound.

The Yankees looked tired. This does sound like an excuse, which it completely is but it is still a fact. The Boston Red Sox were just in town, meaning games are intense, long and both Monday and Tuesday’s tactics were no different. Both went down to the wire and last night they played till around 1am.

At the same time, the Tampa Bay Rays provide a full-court press on the Yankees. This group pushes and pushes stealing six bases tonight off AJ Burnett, who has only allowed six this season.

Burnett got beat tonight; as the Rays are abundant everywhere and the fourth inning topped the cake with a result of 6-0, Rays.

It was not completely Burnett’s fault. The Rays could see Burnett’s pitches from the get-go, and they utilized on it.

The bottom line is the Rays out played the Yankees, I saw it with my own eyes, and I could not watch it anymore.

Leaving the game was a better option, even though I listened on the subway as Logan did exactly what I thought he would do. Continue reading ‘Yankees Did Not Lose They Got Beat’ »

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Hero To Zero At Yankee Stadium

Posted by on 19 May 2010, 1:17 am

Monday night, Marcus Thames went to bed a hero.

Wednesday morning, Marcus Thames will wake up a zero.

Thames had a catastrophic error in the 9th inning, which would have ended the inning with the score tied at 5-5, instead of 7-5 Red Sox.

It was a textbook catch, which cost the Yankees game.

Before this mess started, for a second time this season, Red Sox Josh Beckett took the meaning of slack to a new level.

Beckett, a certifiable ace in the past, has been a problem in his two outings against the Yankees. Red Sox has been led by Beckett’s dominating influence for years.

Add a lot of injuries, along with a faint Big Poppi, and Terry Francona has his work cut out for him. Continue reading ‘Hero To Zero At Yankee Stadium’ »

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Yankees Win In Perfect Thames

Posted by on 17 May 2010, 11:41 pm

God bless you Arod, but the hero in tonight’s Yankees win was Marcus Thames.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees seemed doomed to lose after being up 5-0 after the 1st inning.

After Brett Gardner, who once again hit a single under pressure, was on base when Arod came up to the plate.

Arod tied the game with a two-run homer, and Thames won the game with a blast to left field with a final outcome of 9-7.

All these hits were off Red Sox closer Johnathan Papelbon, who is not a favorite anywhere. Paps, with his blow fish face, drives me crazy but it is rare that he gives up a save. It makes it more enjoyable to run circles around Paps for the win.

Phil Hughes struggled tonight but left with the lead 6-5, in the sixth inning. His command was not as hazardous and he overused the cut-fastball again. Both Red Sox homers came off that exact pitch.

Javier Vazquez was impressive in relief. He also gets a well-deserved win. After Vazquez had such a strong start in Detroit that wound up in a loss, Vazquez has got to feel happy about what he did against strong Red Sox hitters, like Kevin Youkilis. Continue reading ‘Yankees Win In Perfect Thames’ »

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