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New York Yankees vs. New York Giants

Posted by on 7 February 2012, 3:04 am
English: Tom Coughlin, George W. Bush and Eli ...

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Just two days after watching the New York Giants win their second Super Bowl in four years, it is hard not to dream of the Yankees capturing a World Series title.

Being on the brink of the 2012 MLB season, I got to thinking, what do the Giants have that the Yankees are missing?

So, I started writing down the advantages that both New York team’s posses and after mulling through two messy lists, below are the most important points.

ADVANTAGE YANKEES:

-        Have all-star roster in place.

-        The ‘Yankees’ brand itself.

-        Players want to be Yankees because of the illustrious history.

-        Yankees haven’t missed the playoffs in 15 seasons, except for 2008.

-        Most successful sports franchise ever, with 27 World Championships.

-        A generous ownership.

ADVANTAGE GIANTS:

-        QB/Captain who is really a team player, a quiet leader off the field, but not on; and just an overall good guy.

-        Players who call each other out publicly.

-        A Coach who stuck to his plan.

-        A stellar GM who makes incredible draft picks.

-        A team that talks the talk and walks the walk.

-        Team consists of an array of characters, but all have equal voices.

-        One of the most respected ownerships in sports today.

-        Fighters.

-        Believe in each other through and through.

These two lists are very broad because football and baseball are very different sports, but being a team is not.

Still, I could not figure out what the Giants had that the Yankees don’t that turns a team with a 9-7 record into World Champions? Continue reading ‘New York Yankees vs. New York Giants’ »

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New York Yankees Hot Stove: Hughes Problem Gets A Raise

Posted by on 18 January 2012, 2:49 am
All I thought was, what the heck were the New York Yankees thinking when ESPN New York reported that Phil Hughesgot a one-year deal, for $3.2 million, plus another quarter million in incentives just to avoid going to salary arbitration with him?
Photograph of Phil Hughes taken on April 29, 2...

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I mean honestly, how much more money could an arbitrator really give Hughes?

In Hughes’ first three starts in 2011 he pitched a total of 10 innings, giving up 16 earned runs, four home-runs and only had three strikeouts. He became a liability to the team, so Hughes went back and forth from the DL for the rest of the season with everything from a shoulder issue to a herniated disc.

For the rest of 2011, Hughes made 11 more starts for a total of 14; he posted a 5-5 record, with a 5.79 ERA, giving up 48 earned runs, nine home-runs, while walking 27, and fanning 47 batters over 74 innings pitched. And FYI, the team scored 39 runs total in Hughes five wins.

The Yankees did not pay Hughes $2.7 million for those numbers, so why did he get such a big raise to pitch, or at least try again in 2012?

The whole thing just boggles my mind since ESPN New York reported back in November that GM Brian Cashman knew that Hughes did not train properly last off-season, and he showed up out of shape. Hughes definitely fooled me into thinking that was added extra “muscle” at the start of 2011 Spring Training, now that it was confirmed he was part of the “fat camp” crew.

No offense but I am not a Hughes believer. Everyone is always talking about his 2010 campaign, but Hughes got massive run support as in 14 of those wins the Yankee bats scored 6+ runs, which masked over his genuine lack of pitching ability. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees Hot Stove: Hughes Problem Gets A Raise’ »

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New York Yankees Hot Stove: How To Be Insanely Sane By Doing Nothing

Posted by on 11 January 2012, 4:42 am
CC Sabathia

Ace CC Sabathia Image via Wikipedia

Since winning the 2009 World Series, the New York Yankees have been desperately trying to add a legitimate starting pitcher to the rotation, unsuccessfully.

THROWING A HAIL MARY:

As defending champs heading into 2010 season, GM Brian Cashman’s solution was Javier Vazquez, again, which irritated Yankee fans to no avail, again. No need to chat about Vazquez ever, so if you don’t know trust me that it is a good thing. Just for when, click HERE but you were warned, it was sad.

Then last off-season; after Vazquez happily packed his bags and Andy Pettitte retired the situation went from a priority to desperately needed.

Cashman did all he could offering ace Cliff Lee the sun and the moon to come play in the Bronx. And thanks to some Yankee fans for spitting and taunting Mrs. Lee during the 2010 ALCS, Mr. Lee opted for Philadelphia for less money and years.

This left the Yankees stumped, but to his credit Cashman pieced together veteran tryouts in Spring Training, which gave the Yankees Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia. The two literally saved the 2011 season, surpassing all expectations by winning 20 games and throwing 300+ innings combined.

IS THE 2012 STARTING ROTATION INSANE?

Freddy Garcia, Pitching Coach Larry Rothschild & Catcher Russell Martin - Pre-Game

So where does this leave the Yankees rotation now?

Well, sorry to break the news but extending ace CC Sabathia’s contract and getting Garcia for one more season were necessities’, not improvements.

And since no World Series ring is equated to a busted season in New York, throwing another Hail Mary and almost catching it again will be tough.

So my question is….

Wouldn’t one think the general consensus might be that repeating a 2011 campaign that ultimately failed to be a tad insane?

WHY MY ANSWER WAS YES:

A very clever man once said:

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. - Albert Einstein

Personally, I always thought the dumbest, smart guy must have come up with that one. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees Hot Stove: How To Be Insanely Sane By Doing Nothing’ »

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Lady Loves Pinstripes: 2012 NFL Playoff To Superbowl Picks

Posted by on 7 January 2012, 4:35 am

The New York Yankees and MLB will take a backseat as it is Wild Card weekend, which officially marks the start to the 2012 NFL Playoffs.

So, which of the 12 contending NFL teams are Super Bowl XLVI bound?

And what team has enough swagger to be named the 2012 Super Bowl Champs on February 5th in Indianapolis?

Here are this lady’s official picks from Wild Card Weekend all the way to the Superbowl Champions: Continue reading ‘Lady Loves Pinstripes: 2012 NFL Playoff To Superbowl Picks’ »

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New York Yankees: Psychic Predicts 2012 Bombers To Rise Up

Posted by on 3 January 2012, 2:54 pm

All I can say is thank goodness for the New York Post because if the paper’s latest report is true the 2012 New York Yankees are in for a stellar season.

The feature story in the weekly Pulse pullout titled “It’s Crystal Clear” gives psychics predictions for the upcoming year.

And Yankee fans should be ecstatic if psychic Frank Andrews’s vision stands true:

“I feel that the Yankees will rise up this year. They’re going to prove to everyone, ‘We’re OK,’ and we’re back in the saddle.”

It is noted that Andrews was ‘particularly struck’ by his vision for the pinstripes, as he is the furthest thing from a sports fan; going as far as admitting he does not follow sports at all.

So just who is this Frank Andrews? Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Psychic Predicts 2012 Bombers To Rise Up’ »

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New York Yankees Hot Stove: Happy New Year You Cheapskates?

Posted by on 30 December 2011, 1:17 am

Cheapskates? Or Victims?

At the start of the 2012 off-season the New York Yankees brass turned reformed savvy shoppers?

The Yankee and cheapskates… it just sounded wrong. And guess what, it just might be.

In actuality, MLB’s new collective bargaining agreement could be a bigger influence behind this thrifty transformation in the Bronx.

See, the Yankees have to pay a 40% tax rate on any money that exceeds MLB’s payroll maximum, which now sits at $178 million. So for 2011, the Yankees will be writing a check for $13.9 million, a franchise low since 2003.

Under the new CBA any team that chooses to overspend year after year will be penalized.

This means the Yankees tax rate will jump to 42.5% in 2012, and 50% in 2013; but the kicker is when overspending teams manage to drop below the set payroll it cuts their respective tax rate by 17.5%.

The league-wide payroll most will stay at $178 million through 2013, but jumps to $189 million for the following three years.

This puts a damper on GM Brian Cashman’s offseason plans, as it seems the baby Stein’s will never be reckless as papa-Boss, but with a current payroll north of $215 million can you blame them?

So is this the post-Boss-era essentially a travesty or are Hank and Hal changing the mantra of winning first?

New Year = New Yankees?

The MLB offseason is baseball’s equivalent to a New Year, as it allows changes to be made, and with any luck for teams to get better.

Inevitably, rules and finances do force teams to look in all directions of how to make these improvements happen.

Certain teams rely on spending cash, others exploit trades and some cultivate the draft.

It is no secret that the Yankees are baseball’s shopaholics, but the new rules implemented even make a big spender, like New York pull in their spending reins.

This sort-of explains why the Yankees have done zilch this offseason, but it also doesn’t.

See, GM Brian Cashman has spent the last few years turning an almost obsolete farm system into one of baseball’s best, so why not dip into the honey jar? Continue reading ‘New York Yankees Hot Stove: Happy New Year You Cheapskates?’ »

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New York Yankees: Remembering The Top 6 Headlines From 2011

Posted by on 27 December 2011, 12:45 am

The New York Yankees and their fans are trying to forget how the 2011 MLB season ended, as losing the ALDS in five games at home was rough on everyone.

Still, with a New Year just days away gives the perfect reason to reflect on the noteworthy, and in 2011 a lot of historic Yankee memories were made.

So, here are the 6 newspaper headlines, some to be etched in Yankee Universe forever, but all had a significant part in the 2011 season; and ones I will never forget:

START SPREADING THE NEWS…and in specific order:

1)    Mr. 3,000: Derek Jeter joins club with unexpected homer. – Big League Stew

2)    Rivera Notches Save No. 600 in Seattle as Yankees Win. – New York Times

3)    Yes, we Cano: Derby win is a family affair…Yanks slugger sets final-round record with father throwing. – MLB.com Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Remembering The Top 6 Headlines From 2011’ »

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