muchismas gracias to ESPN, from whom I procured this glorious pic
The Yanks are back in the Bronx, but things were a little different from the last time they played at home. No A-Rod, Tex-Mex at first, new pitchers in the clubhouse, and, oh yeah - a new stadium!
The new Yankee Stadium opened its doors to fans today at last as the Yanks played the Cubs (why?) in an exhibition game, the first of two to be held at the new stadium before the Yanks head to Baltimore to open the season (again: why?). The lineup was quite a bit different than last year, with the Jeet leading off, and Texixeixeioxioewxioa in the 3-spot (Abre-who?), but these kiddos were hitting as if they'd been batting this way for years. The bats were on fire: Jeter did exactly what you'd expect him to do by grabbing the first hit in the new stadium's history (Ken Burns has already filmed a lovely yet slightly creepy retrospective on the moment, I'm sure), Gardner and Melky each had a hit (I think Girardi was seriously onto something by forcing those two to compete for jobs; A+ to him for that stroke of genius), Matsui hit a homer, Cody Ransom did his best A-Rod impersonation with a homer of his own, and Cano continued his fabulous spring with a homer himself. The Wangster didn't do so hot - 5 IP, 6 hits, 4 ER - but we did get to see Mo, Veras, Ramirez, and Albaladejo each pitch hitless innings!
Today's game may not have "counted", but it sure did provide an excellent glimpse into what this team is capable of. As I said the other day about CC, I cannot fathom this team NOT succeeding - I'll bet a burrito on the division title right now. Let's get crazy.
Gimme a D! Gimme an E! Gimme a Fense Who the Hell Needs Drills?!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Time sure does fly when there's not a Yankees game to sit down and watch every night, doesn't it?
It's been a couple weeks since I last had a moment to stop by here and chit-chat, but not because there hasn't been anything about which I could blather. Quite the contrary! I had a fabulous time watching the WBC and even went to see the USA humiliate themselves against our superior Japanese brethren on Sunday evening, allowing myself to holler such foreign phrases as "GO D-WRIGHT!", "USA! USA!", and "YOU BLEW IT JETER!" After watching the games on TV and seeing the semi-final up close and personal (and by "up close and personal" I mean "far, far away in the upper deck"), I think it's fair to say that the WBC has highlighted a fundamental truth that has been overlooked in the MLB lately:
DEFENSE IS IMPORTANT. ERRORS COUNT.
The Domincan Republic, Venezuela, China, and the USA all lost huge games thanks to lazy and sloppy defense, while teams like Japan and Korea cruised past their competition with seamless, textbook play in the field. When Team Japan was in the field, you could just about guarantee that any ground ball hit to the infield was going to result in an out - no need to fear the bobble or wayward throw. The half-assed fielding efforts displayed by the likes of Dunn (not entirely his fault; what was he doing in right field anyway?!) and even our dear Jeet offered no such assurances.
I'm sure that defensive drills are boring as hell, and there's nothing overtly sexy about watching a game packed with tight defense (we don't cheer for defensive feats with quite the same gusto as we cheer a home run... unless a player dives into the stands, I suppose). Everyone loves a stolen base or a stand-up triple, but the results of the WBC make it clear that defense is important too.
Let's hope Jeter brings that message back to Tampa.
Honestly dudes, how can anyone not like the sideshow that is the WBC?! The rosters include everyone from Bernie to Sidney Freakin' Ponson (seriously), Rollins and Wright are kissing each other's asses, and the Jeet got the opportunity to score against the Yanks - would you really rather be watching Spring Training?
The USA team beat the Yanks today, thanks in part to Jeter's 9 innings in the field, 2 hits, and 2 RBI. It was hilarious and slightly creepy to see him go up against Hughsie (who looked good again, BTW) and seeing him smiling and chatting with Dustin Pedroia filled me with an oddly reassuring cumbaya-esque sensation. We Are The World, Peace on Earth, etc etc.
The Yanks have actually had quite a few of those tender moments this spring, what with all the A-Rod hugging and billiards tourneys. Perhaps the days of the robotic, going-through-the-motions style of play is finally coming to a close for the Bombers?
...people get all up in arms about players participating in the WBC.
Don't get me wrong - I didn't just fall off the ol' turnip truck, I understand that there is a real risk of injury that comes with playing in the tournament. But the WBC is a unique experience that any player should be thrilled to be a part of and it's no wonder so many of them do anything they can to get on their country's roster. This is an opportunity to play on a world stage, against the best of the best from all corners of the Earth (believe it or not, the USA is not the only country in the world and MLB players are not the only guys that can play baseball). While it may sound cheese-tastic there's no denying the fact that there's something special about seeing all these different countries uniting to show off their skills. Plus, the players play with passion and heart, having fun in a way we don't see often enough - particularly as Yankees fans!
The rosters were announced this evening, and several Yanks (and Bernie!) are playing for a wide variety of teams:
Cano, Robinson DOM Cervelli, Francisco ITA Jeter, Derek USA Liu, Kai CHN Marte, Damaso DOM Ramirez, Edwar DOM Rodriguez, Alex DOM Vazquez, Jorge MEX Veras, Jose DOM Zhang, Zhenwang CHN
Of course it would crush me to see my dear A-Roid or the Jeet get injured, and I certainly understand why guys like AJ Burnett would choose to opt out of the Classic in favor of the tried-and-true ST regimine. For those that want to play, though, they deserve our support! I'm looking at you, Girardi - quit your bitching, buy a WBC hat, and get in the spirit.
B.Q.E. o' the Week: Cuz He Didn't Feel Bad Enough Already
Friday, February 06, 2009
From the "10 Easy Ways to Emasculate and Humiliate a Man" file:
"Alex tried just so desperately to be that guy, all the time... I don't care how talented you are or how much money you make, this is Jeter's ballclub. I think what he tried to do was be close to Derek and to try to -- I don't want to say imitate him -- but just try to get a feel of what the personality is supposed to be on this ballclub."
Yes, that's Joe Torre, talking more smack about A-Rod. JT was on the MLB network today chatting up his new book The Yankee Years with Bob Costas and took the opportunity to dispel all the controversy surrounding his brutal honesty exposed in therein. Just kidding, he reiterated the fact that A-Rod is a pathetic chump with no personality (or dignity) of his own.
Consolation Prize, LETS GO RAYS, and A-Rod in His Panties
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Who needs a World Series ring when you can win a place on the Sporting News All-Star team? Not Jeter or A-Rod! I'm sure they're happy just to have received any honor at all, right?
No offense to the TSN. I'm sure all the honored players appreciate the shout-out and I image A-Rod and Jeet have both cleared off a space in their trophy rooms (both of which are larger than my home, I have no doubt) for their 12th and 9th respective TSN prizes. Do they get trophies? I might have made that up.
That said, it's time to refocus our attention on the HUGE game tonight, essentially a make or break contest for the Rays. If they lose, they COULD make up comeback, of course - no one that's watched them this year could put that past them - but who wants to have to rely on a game 4 win at the Phillies own stomping grounds? Judging by their year-long tradition of coming from behind, I'm anticipating a home run derby-esque game with Longoria putting the team up 3-1 in the 1st.
And before I sign off for the day, let's all have a good chuckle over A-Rod's latest endorsement deal with Guitar Hero (partially funded by The Boxer Brief Association of America):
BTW... a) This is the first time I've been able to use the Bern Bernie Bern tag in 9 months b) It is also the first time I've used Jorgie Porgie's tag since his injury
So! Y'all know that I've been more than just a tad disappointed about the FAIL way the team played in the middle of the season and truly think that they HAD the potential to make it to the post-season and simply squandered away their chances by playing sloppily and without passion. I do understand that a team can't make the playoffs every year and blah blah blah, but when a team is packed with talent it's still a disappointment.
Last night, though, I completely forgot about that disappointment. In a word, last night was magical. I know that sounds a bit cheesy, but I implore you to deny that it was just that. I could not have imagined a better send-off for the stadium - it was incredibly well done. The turnout of Yankee legends made the night so special, especially to see them all on the field. The highlight for me was the tribute and special attention given to Bernie, since nothing like that was done after his final game back in '06. I kind of thought they might take the opportunity to retire his number, but perhaps they'll do that once he finally "officially" retires.
Other fave moments:
Boomer! God I love that man. He seems like such good times, even though I fear that if I were to hang out with him (how 'bout it, Boom Dawg?) I would wind up in a jail cell in Tijuana (even if we were partying at a bar in NYC. Somehow, we would end up there.)
I'm so glad Jorgie was there. It was awesome to see him back in the dugout and chit-chatting with the Jeet et al.
Having Babe's daughter throw out the first pitch was the most perfect choice they could have made.
Even though he can be annoying, I appreciate them giving Michael Kay the mic for all the pre-game announcing. He's the TV voice/face of the Yanks and deserved the honor.
Mariano's 1-2-3 9th was the perfect way to end the game and cap off 85 years of Yankee Stadium. He's the best closer in the history of the game and to have anyone else throw out the final pitch would have been a shame.
Obviously, the fact that they won was ideal. Woulda been a bust if they went out on a loss.
Jeet's fan-appreciation speech after the game was classic and heartwarming. Things wouldn't be the same without all the hardcore fans, and it was nice to see the crew tipping their hats in thanks.
I am not one of those folks that think moving to a new stadium is some horrible act of sacrilege that will ruin tradition - I'm looking forward to it and think sparkly new digs suit the grand aura of the Yanks. Last night was the perfect way to end the era, celebrate the past and get excited for the future.
One last thing: I honestly and truly believe that ANY true baseball fan should have enjoyed or at the very least appreciated the extravaganza last night. I don't care if you're a Red Sox fan, lifelong Yankee hater, engaged in a plural marriage with Manny Ramirez and Pedro Martinez - last night was about history. I've already heard a couple Red Sox fans denouncing it and saying "YOUR TEAM DIDN'T EVEN MAKE THE PLAYOFFS LOLZ" and I find that pathetic. Don't bother calling yourself a baseball fan.
One more last thing: Here's a vid of the final inning I found on the ol' You Tubez. Relive the magic!
Now that we've all given up on the season in terms of "success", it's time to settle for hoping our dudes will pad their stats a bit and at least let the year die with a little dignity. It's a true pity that they couldn't manage to scrape together a few wins and send the old stadium out with a bang, but we can't do anything about that at this point, so let's focus on the good sugar instead.
Good thing numero uno: A-Rod hit a sweet grand salami yesterday for his 34th homer of the year, leaving him just 1 shy of 12 35+ homer seasons. I am still holding out hope for a hearty 40, but that would take some serious work and perhaps luck. He's always good when there's no pressure, though, and with the season essentially over there really is none to speak of. It could happen.
Giambi hit a big homer himself during the game on Sunday, number 30 on the season. He's now hit 30 or more longballs 8 times in his career - and some of those 8 were steroid free!!! WOOOT!
Those weren't the only homers in the game! I've reserved lo mas importante for last. The Jeet hit #11 in the 5th, the 1,269th hit in his career. With just 7 home games left to play, Jeter tied up Lou Gehrig for the most hits in Yankee Stadium. Twas a heartwarming moment indeed (and hats off to the fan that caught the ball and gave it back to the Jeet, you're a kind soul and a good fan).
Speaking of DJ, his average is a healthy .306 now. Moral of the story: Jeter never disappoints. He always comes through.
Yes, yesterday was indeed a good day for the team - a bright spot amidst what has been a truly pathetic/embarrassing/soul-crushing season. The boys were hitting, Mo actually got the chance to save a game, the bullpen didn't jack things up, A-Rod hit a homer, and Jeter played the role of legend. It honestly breaks my tender heart to know that for the first time in my fandom, the season ends after 162 games.
Generally speaking, I'd say that approximately 87% of my blog posts contain at least one or two cogent thoughts, whether I'm explaining the consequences of some sort of devastating injury or my thoughts on an awesome trade (sorry, Farnsworthless). Today, though... no such luck. The season has spiraled downhill in such a ridiculous fashion (it actually has the potential to be comical, if it weren't so sickening) that I find myself incapable of retaining any semblance of rationale, calm, or writing ability (do you like how I imply that I usually DO possess some ability? Ha!).
That said, let's take this post in a direction more akin to free-floating hostility and stream of consciousness reporting...
...I know that lamenting the fact that the Yanks may not make the playoffs sounds very spoiled, but what fan doesn't want their team to make the post-season - regardless of how many times they've been there before? What, am I just supposed to sit back and console myself with the fact that they DID indeed win a lot over the past 15 years and be happy for other teams? The YCBF (a dirty dirty Mets fan) seems to think so. False.
...I guess I am sort of happy for the Rays. They're a fun team to watch and they've been working on their roster for years, sans big bucks. No such love for the Angels or Red Sox.
...Has anyone else noticed that this team has essentially become the Braves, making the playoffs every year and FAILING? The hell?
...At least the Jeet has returned to good form. As usual, he's doing his best to carry his team through tough times.
...Johnny Damon in center is driving me absolutely batty. I don't even hold his disgusting defense against him personally. He shouldn't be out there in the first place. I understand that Matsui has to be the DH, leaving no other place for JD but in the field, but that doesn't make it any easier to watch. Tis a sad state of affairs.
...I am so disappointed in Cano. He is so much better than this. Did he just give up? Was his performance over the past couple years due solely to the hugs of Joe Torre?
...The fate of Joba seems like a cruel joke. How often is it that a reliever turns into a starter with essentially ZERO adjustment time - no pathetic outings, the ability to go deep in the game, etc?
...Speaking of cruel jokes, what the F is wrong with Hughes and I-Ken? I know it's rare that even a top prospect ends up living up to his hype, but we were led to believe these dudes were sure things. I honestly expected at least ONE of them to contribute SOMETHING this year. I don't think there's a Yanks fan amongst us that didn't think exackle the same thing. The fact that neither of them was even seriously considered to pitch on Saturday speaks volumes about the lack of confidence the Girardino et al have in them.
...While I'm not exactly thrilled about the great C-Pav making a return to the mound, I'm trying to remain positive - I've even brought back the seldom-used "Pavano Must LIVE" tag. We have zero other options. He's worked hard (allegedly). I'd say there's a decent chance he pitches well. Plenty of pitchers come back from Tommy John surg raring to go, no?
...Does anyone else find themselves rooting for the Dodgers a bit now that Torre and Mattingly are at the helm of that ship?
...Perhaps I'm just living in a state of denial, but I'm not ready to give up just yet. Let's give them a couple more weeks. They might still have it in them.
A-Rod Returns, Moose Burns, and YC Yearns (for wins)
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Allow me to sum up last night's game in one word: Debacle.
Yes, twas quite the mess of a game. After the sorry way they played against the Mets over the weekend, the Yankees needed to bounce back in a big way and start clawing their way back towards that elusive .500 mark, and boy did they fail. Moose lasted a grand 0.2 innings and gave up 7 runs, and while 6 of them were technically unearned, his off-the-mark pitching should have put him on the hook for at least 4 or 5 more in my humble YC opinion. Jeter and Damon didn't help matters, blowing two plays that should have been tailor-made outs. After the Yanks were down by 10 runs, Jeet got smacked in the hand by a pitch and had to leave the game; he's now "day-to-day" but luckily the x-rays didn't show any bone breakage. A few innings later, LaTroy Hawkins threw two pitches right around Luke Scott's head (I'm still not convinced it was intentional, though... I think he was just sucking) and succeeded not just in getting himself ejected (BTW: with LTH getting suspended for that slip-up, the Yanks lead the league in suspended players [Melky, Spirit Coordinator, and Farnsworthless have all been booted]) but in clearing the benches for what turned out to be the weakest almost-brawl I've ever seen. No punches thrown, no coaches thrown to the ground... very disappointing.
There was one fleeting bright spot when A-Rod smacked a homer in his first game back after three weeks on the DL for that busted quad, but those two runs barely made a dent in the O's hearty lead. At least we got to see that he has fully recuperated from the injury, but the rest of the offense needs to get their asses in gear and start following suit with some hits of their own, because even A-Rod can't carry a team of slumpers to the playoffs all by his lonesome.
Tonight we've got Rasner vs Olson, both 3-0 this year with similar ERA's (3.00 for Ras and 3.47 for Olson), and the Yankees need Ras to hang in there for a good long time to give the poor over-taxed bullpen a little relief. Let's cross our fingers that Girardino sits the team down before the game tonight and fires them up... because I can't take much more of this.
I normally wouldn't put much stock into anything Ozzie "You Want Crazy? I'll Give You Crazy, BEYOTCH" Guillen - who does? - but one of his latest quoties made me smile...
I keep saying the best [Yankees] player who ever happened - bigger than someone else, but I'm not going to say the name here - is Derek Jeter. Derek Jeter has everything in his life. He's got money. He's got rings. He's got ...he's not married. At the All-Star Game I looked around to see if he has anything I don't like. No. He's the perfect man. Too bad I don't have a daughter.
That's right, folks, Ozzie has a man-crush on Jeter. Big time.
To be fair, who doesn't?
I see that he doesn't have a daughter, but does he have a son? There's nothing wrong with that.
The baaats are aliiiiive, with the sound of muuuuuuuuuuuusic...
...God that was lame.
(You liked it)
Last night's game was quite the sight to behold. The pitching got a tad out of control on both ends (could have used some Jobamania action... update on that is that his daddy-o is doing better and the kid should be back in the 'pen soon), but the offense's performance proved that when the bats are on there is just no stopping the Yanks.
The 15 runs they scored was the most they've scored in a game thus far this year, and every single starter contributed to the hit parade, and all but Matsui rocked at least one RBI. Jeter, who was mired in a bit of a slump before taking a week off, has now gone 7-13 with 5 RBI since his return and his average is up to a sweet and much more Jeter-esque .324. In fact, most of the team is climbing out of their respective slumps (save for Cano and Giambi, but let's give them some more time before we start getting too fired up). In one night they boosted their team batting average from a paltry .261 up to .272.
The game also featured another fine performance by 3rd string catcher Chad Moeller, who went 3-4 and now has a .400 batting average. How lucky are the Yankees that they're getting production out of a guy they most likely had no serious intention of using?
The Yans and Sox are playing again tonight, same time, same place. The season series tied at 2 games apiece and if last night was any indication, we're in for another loooooong night. If you can't watch the game on TV or simply prefer to avoid Michael Kay at any cost, join me back here at about 6:30 EDT for some live blog action!
No live bloggin' this fine evening, but I'll be popping in a few times during the game with some exclamations and/or bitching.
Here's what's going on before the game...
Joba's father and fan favorite Harlan is currently in the hospital and Joba has returned to Nebraska to be with him. Everyone is concerned and hoping for the best for Daddy Chamberlain. Joba had this to say about the situation:
As many of you know, my family is dealing with a serious, personal medical condition involving my father Harlan. He is currently in critical but stable condition. We cannot express how much we appreciate the enormous amount of love and compassion that has been shown to my family by so many.
I also want to thank my teammates and my manager for giving me so much support when I have needed it most. Their actions are the reason I was able to reach my father’s side as quickly as I did. I ask that you please afford my family the privacy that it needs to deal with my father’s condition appropriately. In turn, I will provide updates through the Yankees as they become available to me.
Let's all send lots of love and good vibes the Chamberlains' way!
In lineup news, Jeter is back in the game tonight after nearly a week off. Cano, however, is out of the lineup, presumably due to his incredibly crappy start. Hopefully a mental and physical breather day will do the trick. Alberto Gonzalez, who did a great job filling in for Jeter last week, is going to spend the day at Cano's post.
Full Lineup: Damon LF Jeter SS Abreu RF Rodriguez 3B Matsui DH Ensberg 1B Cabrera CF Moeller C Gonzalez 2B
Interesting lineup. Quite the B-Squad, but that's not necessarily a bad thing considering the relatively poor performances of so many of the usual starters. No Posada tonight - not quite ready to catch again and that DH spot has to be rotated.
Game on in about 40 minutes!
7:13pm EDT: SEEEEYA x 2! Damon leads off with a solo shot and then A-Rod follows suit a couple batters later with a solo shot of his own. Could it be? Could the bats be awakening at long last?
Keep 'em quiet, I-Ken!
7:21pm EDT: What is this, batting practice? Morgan Ensberg just hit the third solo shot of the game off Sonnanstine. 3-0 Yanks.
I-Ken looked great in the first inning, BTW.
8:00pm EDT: Damon again! Sonny serves up a bases-loaded dub to Damon. Score goes up to 5-1 Yanks and there are still two guys on base.
They need a big win! Without our Spirit Coordinator, they need to make their own morale-boosters.
8:47pm EDT: We're through five now, and I-Ken has done a great job. Just over 70 pitches, 5 hits, 2 ER, 3 K's and a walk.
And the B-Squad Bombers are cheering me up!
GOOOOOOOOO MOELLER!
9:18pm EDT: Uh oh... Bartlett just hit one back to the mound and hit I-Ken, who left the game immediately. He wasn't crying or bleeding, at least... but a hit pitcher is never good (see Hughes, Phil, and Rasner, Darrell.)
Billy Traber in.
9:32pm EDT: You've got to be kidding me, dudes! Rays came into the seventh and hit three homers - 1 off Traber and then back to back jacks off Bruney. The score is now tied 7-7 with two out in the bottom of the seventh.
How bout a couple back to back jacks of your own, B-Squad B's?
9:40pm EDT: SEEEYA! A pinch hit home run by Robby Cano puts the Yanks up 8-7 here in the top of the eighth. Great time to bust yourself out of that slump!
10:10pm EDT: Ball game over, Yankees win 8-7! Congrats and thank you to A-Rod (4-5) and Cano (tie-breaking homer in the 8th) for making this delightful win possible.
Notable FanHouse Commenting: Jeter is a Shortstop GOD!!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
In addition to my usual Yankees Chick posts, I have also begun writing regularly for AOL's FanHouse blog on all things AL East. I will post the beginnings of those articles here on YC, and then you'll have to click the link to jump on over to FH to read the rest... stick with me here, amigos! --------------------------------------------------------
In the wake of Derek Jeter's quad injury and subsequent necessary bench time, there has been plenty of discussion about who should replace him while he's out. Since Wilson Betemit and Morgan Ensberg are both capable of playing third base there was some speculation of whether Alex Rodriguez might see some playing time in his old SS post, which brought up the question/debate over whether Jeet of MVP-Rod is the better shortstop. In the posty I wrote about the situation I contended that A-Rod is the better of the two by a miles, a view commenter Ben did not agree with:
A Rod is an excellent fielder but he is not now nor was he ever as good a shortstop as Jeter. To suggest that he is only means that you have not been watching them play.
Injury Update: Spirit Coordinator Out, Jorgie and the Jeet IN
Last night was a disaster offensively. They managed to put seven hits together but couldn't score a run to save their pathetic lives.
This has got to stop.
The good news here is that neither Jeet nor Jorgie is hurt enough to require a vacation at the DL Resort and should be back in the lineup in a matter of days. The MRI on Jorgie's shoulder revealed nothing more than serious than a simple strain, which can be remedied by a nice rest, and Jeter is already tossing the ball around, a good sign for the state of his quad muscle boo-boo.
Unfortunately, they were both mired in slumps before getting injured, which makes me fearful that even upon their respective returns they might not be contributing as much as we would hope right away. I have no doubt that they'll both get rolling eventually, but it sure would be nice if they could put their goddamn bats in a manner that would not result in a double play or pop out -- wouldn't that be fun to watch?
The sad news, by the way, is that our dear Spirit Coordinator was busted down to Triple-A to make room for Alberto Gonzales, who came up to play shortstop yesterday. The Yanks chose to send Shelley down instead of one of their other bench boys because he was the only one with a minor league option and can be brought back up after just ten days and start boosting morale with copious amounts of enthusiastic fist pumps, so he is not gone forever. It's a good thing, too, because I can't stand seeing Giambi play first base for much longer.
It's been but one week since the start of the season and our dear team has already been struck not once but twice by Pavano's Patented Pain Plague. Jeter was the first to go down, with a strained quad and/or groin muscle - I'm actually not sure which one... I keep reading/hearing different things. If anyone has a direct line to Jeter's groin, please ask it if it's OK - on Monday, and yesterday Jorgie Porgie had to be taken out of the game because his bum shoulder was acting up again (perhaps it was just tired of not throwing people out and decided to take a breather).
Neither Jeet nor Jorgie has been busted down to the DL just yet, but they're both out for the time being. Jorgie is going in for an MRI on that pesky shoulder today, so we'll know more this afternoon, I'd imagine. I'm far more worried about Jorgie than I am about The Jeet - not only is he older and more fragile, he's also tougher to replace. That is no slight to Jose Molina - a team could do far worse than a Molina brother when it comes to backup catchers (sorry, John Flaherty) - but the catcher is traditionally the heart of your team, and Posada has exemplified that role for the Yankees throughout his career. The team will absolutely notice his absence every day he's not on the field. Furthermore, the Yanks simply have a lot more options when it comes to plugging someone into an infield slot.
Just yesterday I was remarking how odd it felt to rely on our pitching while the offense sat around gorging themselves on sunflower seeds, and unfortunately all signs are pointing towards more of the same. Cano and Giambi are still muddling through ridiculously slow starts and now Jeter and Jorgie are out before even having the chance to pull themselves out of their own slumps. I hope Better Mint, Mo-Ens, and J-Mo are ready to back up our pitching, since our starters apparently don't feel like it...
In addition to my usual Yankees Chick posts, I have also begun writing regularly for AOL's FanHouse blog on all things AL East. I will post the beginnings of those articles here on YC, and then you'll have to click the link to jump on over to FH to read the rest... stick with me here, amigos! --------------------------------------------------------
Everybody loves Derek Jeter (how could you not?!), but ever since Alex Rodriguez joined the team many fans have lamented the fact that the better shortstop of the two was relegated to third base. After yesterday's injury to Jeet -- he left the game after the second inning due to a strained quad -- those fans might be getting a sneak peek at what the team might look like in MVP-Rod was indeed our starting shortstop.
There's no point in playing the "what if?" game, but I'm going to play it anyway.
The 2008 season just a week old now, but seven days or so is plenty of time for people to fail. Six of seven games is obviously a very small sample size and henceforth not a good indicator of continued failure, but that's not going to stop me from pointing fingers and laughing (or crying, in the case of #10 and #7).
Top Ten Week One Failures
10) Derek Jeter 9) Ryan Howard (ps: did he gain another 40 lbs?!) 8) J.J. Putz 7) Jason Giambi 6) Barry Baked Ziti (Worst free agent signing in a loooooooong time) 5) Josh Beckett 4) Trever Hoffman 3) Mike Hamptom (Pavano's lover) 2) Pedro Martinez (Pavano infected him) 1) Detroit Tigers
The usual M.O. for the Yankees teams of the 2000s has been to stack the roster with powerful offense and worry about pitching second, relying on the bats to propel the team to winville. The Yanks are off to a good start this year (especially compared to last year. And compared to the Tigers.), but it's actually been the pitching that's been winning the games while the batters swing and miss over and over again. Even though we're only one week into the season and obviously don't need to be rushing to conclusions, it's a bit frustrating to see the pitching produce while the offense struggles to provide them with run support.
After six games, only four starters are hitting over .300: MVP-Rod (.333), Matso Ball Soup (.350), the Melkinator (.364), and Abreu (.318); on the other side of the spectrum, there are four starters hitting under .200! Those losers are Jorgie (.143), Giambino (.083), Demon (.136), and Robby (.174). What's worse, the team is only hitting .146 with runners in scoring position! FOR SHAME!
Again, it's only been a few days. There's no need to panic (it's not like they're 0-6 or anything...). I'm confident that Jeter and Cano will end up with .320 BA's, Giambi will work his OBP magic as usual. Girardi will fire everyone up (he has something we haven't seen in a Yanks manager in 12 years: emotion other than sentimental tears and loving pats on the back) and all will be well in the world.
Let's just hope that happens before our pitchers get tired.
Congratulations are in order for our dear Hideki Matsui, who got hitched this week - to a ballpoint pen sketch, apparently, but a marriage nevertheless. While we're at it, you might want to buy two extra "Congratulations onf Your Marriage; Why Wasn't I Invited to the Ceremony?" greeting cards for Bobby "I Still Haven't Exhibited Enough Personality to Earn Me a YC Nickname" Abreu and Jeter Jeter Pumpkin Eater. It seems that prior to getting hitched, Matso Ball Soup wagered a bet with the two, decreeing that once he tied the knot with his lady/sketch those two would have to follow suit. Jeter was givin a year to find a lucky lady and lead her down the aisle of Vegas's finest wedding chapel, and Abreu was only alotted six months to do the deed as he already has a girlfriend and thus is partway there already.
I'm not sure how much money is at stake here, but I'd venture to guess that Matso has a better chance of collecting from Abreu than from Jeter. Actually, both of them have said that they might as well just pony up whatever dough is on the line right now. As Jeter put it:
I got one year? No chance. I’ll give him the money today. That’s pretty good. How do you say sneaky in Japanese? Ain’t that something? I should have known he was up to something.”
I think we Jeter fans should help out. There's no reason the man should that bet; he's a very eligible bachelor. Perhaps he simply hasn't got the time to take care of some of the important steps that lead up to securing a significant other, like setting up an online dating account or sorting through the sizable stack of phone numbers he surely receives daily. Jeter, if you're reading this (and I'm positive that you are, as YC is surely the home page of not only every Yankees fan in the universe but of every Yankee player past and present), keep me in mind as a potential matchmaker/personal date-finder extraordinaire.
I hear that lovely young lady Britney Spears is single...
In 2009 Curtis Granderson published a book: All You Can Be: Dream It, Draw It, Become It! Granderson "shares the lessons that he learned growing up--the importance of family and choosing the right friends, the power of listening and staying positive, and most important, the value of being yourself."
Interleague Play: Love it or Leave it?
Previous Poll Results
Which Former Yank Free Agent Would You Most Like to See in Pinstripes in 2010?
Add to RSS
