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New York Yankees: Lose to Ron Gardenhire and lose Brett Gardner

Posted by on 19 April 2012, 1:33 am

 A LOSE/LOSE FOR THE YANKEES…

Brett Gardner makes a outstretched catch durin...

Brett Gardner makes a outstretched catch during a game between the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles on April 24, 2011. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It was a double whammy in the Bronx, as the New York Yankees lost to the Minnesota Twins for the second time this week 5-6; and minutes after the game ESPN New York’s Andrew Marchand tweeted that Brett Gardner was placed on the DL with strained elbow.

Marchand followed with the details that Gardner was sent a half-hour before last night’s game to get an MRI after his arm swelled after he took some swings in the batting cage. Gardner was placed on the 15-day DL after the test’s results.

This is a big loss for the Yankees as Gardner’s speed makes life a lot harder for opposing pitchers because he is such a pest but his defense is also irreplaceable, as he superb left-fielder.

The Yankees will have veterans Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones, along with Eduardo Nunez man the outfield until Gardner returns, which Yankee fans can only hope is soon.

It would have been nice if Girardi had the option of calling up an outfielder with some speed, but due to the depleted bullpen he called up reliever Cody Eppley.

The Yankees starting pitchers are to thank for that as, except for CC Sabathia, the rotation has been shoddy. And with Phil Hughes on the mound tonight you have to expect the bullpen will get over worked once again. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Lose to Ron Gardenhire and lose Brett Gardner’ »

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Why the Yankees were supposed to lose to Twins

Posted by on 18 April 2012, 4:15 pm
Carl Pavano

Carl Pavano (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As I was throwing out papers today, I came across the reasons the Yankees were doomed to lose the first game of their series against the Twins.

The notes were a mess; as I had written them late on Sunday night but my reasoning actually turned out to be pretty accurate so I thought why not pass it along. So, here it is just a day and a dollar short….

After wrapping up a tough series against the Los Angeles Angels last Sunday night, the New York Yankees knew the Minnesota Twins were in town for four games.

The Yankees have literally manhandled the Twins posting a 23-4 record since 2009 including sweeping Minnesota in the 2009 and 2010 ALDS.

Still, that was when the Twins were still a contending playoff team, but that has not been the case since last season so winning all four games this week would seem like a no-brainer, right?

Well, not exactly because Monday night the Yankees had all the odds you don’t want stacked against them, almost guaranteeing they would lose.

 What the heck am I talking about?

Here is what I took into account before the first pitch was thrown on Monday night.

1)   Minnesota was already in NYC before the Yankees Sunday night against the Angels had even started.

2)   I find that when a new opponent comes to town after just being swept, the players tend to step it up a bit as they have a chip on their shoulders. The Twins flew in after just being swept in Arlington by the Rangers, add that to their history of losing to the Yankees and you have a team with a lot of incentives to win.

3)   The Yankees have a bad history when playing back-to-back ESPN games, as when they win on Sunday, they tend to lose on Monday. Continue reading ‘Why the Yankees were supposed to lose to Twins’ »

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New York Yankees: Things are about to get harder.

Posted by on 17 April 2012, 3:26 am

Pavano on the hill at Yankee Stadium - 04.16.2012

After a lovely weekend of taking two of three from the Angels, the Yankees looked good minus Phil Hughes.

Last night the Yankees opened a four game set in the Bronx against the Minnesota Twins with a 3-7 loss.

It didn’t help that Carl Pavano (aka. American Idle) was on the mound for the Twins, as considering his history in New York losing to him didn’t sit well with Yankees fans; of course not much does these days.

Minnesota is in town for three more games, and the Yankees have manhandled the Twins over the last decade, winning 33 of their last 44 meetings in the Bronx; so winning the next three games should be mandatory.

Reality is the Yankees cannot really afford to lose any of them, as things are about to get a lot harder starting this Friday when they head to Fenway Park.

Their schedule is about to get kicked into high gear and the Yankees could very well wind up in a hole come mid-May if they don’t take advantage when possible. Figuring out which way this team will go is the million, I meant billion-dollar question.

Attempting to come up with a logical formula of where any team will be a month from is fundamentally impossible and might even send Bill James brain into a tailspin.

Still, like every team, the Yankees have issues that need to be ironed-out sooner than later but time is not on their side…look for yourself. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Things are about to get harder.’ »

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Yankees captain wants his MVP

Posted by on 16 April 2012, 7:02 am

I WANT MY MVP?

Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter (Photo credit: Keith Allison)

Most people would say that the New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter has it all, but they are wrong.

Ok, so Jeter is rich, handsome, dates hot brunettes, has enough World Series Championship rings for every finger on his right hand, Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers and countless awards in just about everything.

Now, if you asked Jeter about what is missing from his trophy case he would probably say another WS ring because it is all about the championships; or so he says.

See, Jeter has never won the AL MVP Award; and even though I do believe in a team first attitude, anyone with a half-a-brain who could achieve that kind of personal accomplishment would strive for it.

Now, a lot of people feel that Jeter got swindled in the 2006 MVP voting, as he came in second behind Minnesota Twins Justin Morneau. After looking at both players’ 2006 stats, I have to disagree on this one.

I do think Jeter got robbed of the award in 2009 when he finished third behind teammate Mark Teixeira and the winner, who ironically was another Twin, Joe Mauer.

Winning an MVP would be the icing on the cake for the Yankees Captain, but the odds are stacked against him. Continue reading ‘Yankees captain wants his MVP’ »

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Yankees are out of Phil Hughes excuses

Posted by on 15 April 2012, 4:35 am

New York Yankees pitcher Phil Hughes made his second start yesterday afternoon against Los Angeles Angels, and ex-Ranger CJ Wilson.

And Hughes preformed exactly how I thought he would, terribly.

Phil Hughes in 2007

Phil Hughes in 2007 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have received endless criticism from LLP readers about my harsh stance on Hughes not having the stuff to be a starter; and that his 2010 season was a fluke.

Yes, Hughes went 18-8 in 2010 but in 14 of the wins the Yankees scored six or more runs, which was the most run support in baseball. Hughes pitched 176 innings and gave up 25 home-runs, which is not typical for an 18-game winner who made 31 starts.

Hughes was voted to the All-Star team in 2010 as his wins record turned a decent first-half into something it was not. And ever since Hughes pitched in that All-Star game he has not gotten back to being even close to decent again.

The real Hughes was on display in yesterday’s loss; and he couldn’t complete four innings, allowed six runs to score but managed to strike out five Halos in another pathetic outing.

And I hate to gloat…. but I told you so.

Everyone is so focused on how Hughes looks on the radar gun; and yesterday was no different as there were references to his velocity returning to the low to mid 90’s again, but in the grand scheme of things does it really matter?

No it doesn’t because the fact is Hughes cannot finish off hitters because they figure him out, like they did in the second half of 2010, like the Angels did yesterday and like the Rays did a week ago; and that my friend loses games.

Just watching Albert Pujols down 0-2 in his second at-bat, you could tell that he had figured Hughes out; and third pitch he hit a double.

The reality is Hughes is good for about two innings, as he proved successfully during the regular 2009 season coming out of the bullpen.

The question is how many more chances are Cashman and Girardi going to give Hughes when there are other viable options that would give the Yankees a better chance to win? Continue reading ‘Yankees are out of Phil Hughes excuses’ »

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2012 MLB Power Rankings – Week 1

Posted by on 13 April 2012, 2:07 am

The first week of the 2012 season was far from boring, as the competition is even better than I realized.

My advice is if you want to make a baseball fan out of someone this is the season to do it but that is for another post.

For now, here are my weekly power rankings…remember weekly isn’t limited to just the past week as I prefer looking at the bigger picture; and comments are just my quick notes.

Lady Loves Pinstripes - Week 1 Power Rankings

Continue reading ‘2012 MLB Power Rankings – Week 1’ »

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Yankees got a win but there are still issues

Posted by on 10 April 2012, 1:26 am

Yankees finally got a win in 2012....

The New York Yankees finally got their first win, down in Baltimore beating the Orioles 6-2.

No doubt that a win was needed because New York fans had hit panic, yesterday.

Even my doorman, who never fails to have the Yankee game on the radio, said he could not listen after this past weekend.

Well, now that those three long, losing days are history Yankee fans will sleep well tonight but before I do I have to tell you the good, the bad and the ugly.

THE GOOD

1) Ivan Nova looked great tonight, and after posting an 8.06 ERA in Spring Training there was plenty of reason heading into the game that the Yankees were about to get a fourth loss.

Nova threw seven solid innings, giving up two runs, striking out seven and walking none. As the game went on, Nova got better and looked like his old self again. His breaking ball was so nasty, and I believe Nova will only get better as the season goes on.

2) Derek Jeter is playing like it is 1998, and that is totally fine by me.

Jeter went 4-4, scored in the first inning off Mark Teixeira’s single, and had a run-scoring double in the fourth inning. And I must say, the Captain looked as good as ever.

Just in case you hadn’t heard this fact from a Yankee fan yet, 1998 was the last time the Yankees started a season 0-3 but went on to win the World Series.

3) David Robertson is insane, as he loves to stir up trouble but never seems to get caught.

After striking out two Orioles, Robertson gave up two hits and looked like he was about to walk a third to the load the bases but in true Houdini form came back from a 2-0 count and struck him out.

THE BAD

I really like Joe Girardi, always have but he has managed to make me question his moves more in the last four days than in the last four years.

Specifically, why is he resting guys in the first four games of the season? Continue reading ‘Yankees got a win but there are still issues’ »

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