lenNY's Yankees - A Bronx Bombers Blog

Jorge Posada to retire Tuesday at 11 a.m.

2012-01-23T11:25:00.000-05:00

In a little less than 24 hours from now, Jorge Posada will retire from baseball, the Yankees said today.

We knew this day would come. Seeing Posada in a Florida uniform would have been too awkward. He spent 17 seasons in pinstripes, and that's how his career will end. It is awkward, however, to use the past tensefor the first time when describing Posada's baseball career.

He was a five-time All-Star and Silver Slugger, and had two top-10 finishes in MVP voting -- the only year he slugged 30 homers (2003) and the only year he hit .300 (2007).

Andy Pettitte retired from baseball Feb. 4, 2011, nearly a year ago. As of tomorrow, only two of the Core Four will remain.

Poll results: Posada more valuable than Pettitte

2012-01-19T09:23:00.000-05:00

Last week I asked fans which of the Core Four was more valuable: Jorge Posada or Andy Pettitte. The fans have spoken, with most saying that Posada was more valuable. A good portion of voters thought the two were equally valuable to the Yankees.

It's easy to give the nod to Posada just because he's an everyday player. He was also a very productive catcher, making him stand out from the crowd. But I'm sure those who voted that the two were equal remembered that Posada wasn't the best defensive catcher.

Pettitte, on the other hand, won 203 regular season games in New York (37 in Houston). He was 18-9 for the Yankees in the postseason.

Bottom line: Both are likely to have their numbers retired in Monument Park, and are borderline Hall of Fame candidates. But I don't think either are quite worthy of the Hall.

New poll: Who won the Michael Pineda-Jesus Montero deal?

Yankees got	Mariners got
Michael Pineda	Jesus Montero
Jose Campos	Hector Noesi

A.J. Burnett should fire his agent, or get lost

2012-01-14T18:09:00.001-05:00

Either he should fire his agent or he should find another team that will take his attitude.

I just caught wind of what Darek Braunecker, A.J. Burnett's agent, told the Daily News (h/t BBD) and felt obligated to share it with you.

“I haven’t spoken to A.J. since (Friday) night, but it’s safe to say everyone assumed the Yankees would make moves to improve their rotation,” Braunecker told the Daily News. “How and if it affects A.J. is yet to be seen. I know he has worked as hard this offseason as any, even more so, to make sure he’s healthy and capable to pitch as well as he can.

“He fully expects to be in the rotation.”

That first part is fine, but those last eight words may not have been the wisest way for Burnett's camp to respond to the Yankees' two big pitching acquisitions yesterday.

I expect fake (hopefully genuine) clarifying remarks from Burnett himself, as well as a really vague and confused response from Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi, though Girardi would be wise to keep his mouth shut when the new manager in Boston is making his fans look like fools.

As for Burnett's realistic chances at making the Yankees' rotation, he's got some competition in spring training now. The top four, in some order, is pretty clear (CC Sabathia, Michael Pineda, Hiroki Kuroda & Ivan Nova), but two other pitchers besides Burnett are vying for the final spot (Freddy Garcia & Phil Hughes).

Unfortunately for Burnett, and his agent, he probably trails Garcia and Hughes in this race before spring training starts, in that order. Do I really need to remind you of Burnett's numbers the last two seasons?!

Frankly, he'd be the odd man out in my book purely based on his representation or (if it is his) an attitude like that.

Yankees sign Hiroki Kuroda for a year at $10 million

2012-01-13T20:39:00.002-05:00

It seemed that the Yankees were going to go quietly this offseason despite NOT winning the World Series in 2011. What were we thinking?

Minutes after reports surfaced of the Yankees trading Jesus Montero for right-hander Michael Pineda, Jack Curry reported the Yankees have signed Hiroki Kuroda for a one-year deal worth $10-11 million. Buster Olney confirmed it will be $10 million.

Kuroda had a strong season with the Dodgers last year, posting a 3.07 ERA in 202 innings pitched, striking out 161 with a 1.21 WHIP. At first glance, Kuroda likely becomes the No. 3 starter between Pineda and Ivan Nova.

Two big deals announced within minutes of each other in mid-January. Amazing.

BREAKING: Yankees trade Jesus Montero for Michael Pineda

2012-01-13T20:00:00.002-05:00

The Yankees traded their most beloved and touted prospect in recent memory, for an unproven 22-year-old starter (he turns 23 in five days.

That's right. Jesus Montero, who is also 22 and made an impact on the Yankees last September and earned a spot on the playoff roster, was traded to the Mariners for Michael Pineda, according to Jon Heyman. Heyman adds that more players are involved and the Yankees initially inquired about Felix Hernandez but were denied.

UPDATE: The Yankees also gave up Hector Noeisi and the Mariners gave up Jose Campos.

Pineda is a very promising pitcher. The righthander throws consistently in the mid-90s and had a 3.74 ERA in 171 innings last year, his rookie season. He won nine games (which is apparently very good in Seattle) and lost 10. He was an All-Star and finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting.

Pineda must have made quite an impression on Brian Cashman on May 27, when he faced the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. He threw five innings, allowed three earned runs, three hits, walked five and struck out five.

Gammons: Yankees might try to sign Edwin Jackson

2012-01-12T14:19:00.001-05:00

If Yankees ownership isn't satisfied with the team's starting pitching, they might seek free-agent starter Edwin Jackson, according to Peter Gammons.

Jackson played with the White Sox and Cardinals last season, finishing with a 3.79 ERA and 148 strikeouts in 199.2 innings pitched. Jackson would provide some stability to the Yankees' rotation, as he's pitched at least 183 innings each season since 2008.

As a reminder, right now they have (via official depth chart):

1. CC Sabathia

2. Ivan Nova

3. Phil Hughes

4. A.J. Burnett

5. Freddy Garcia

6. Hector Noeisi

Jackson threw a no-hitter once but has proven to be inconsistent throughout his nine-year career.

More importantly than the report, to me, was the fact that I had a chance to ask Mr. Gammons about the Yankees' offseason personally (over the phone). I was helping him lead a live chat with readers on Boston.com for his Hot Stove Cool Music show, and I had a chance to ask him a question.

While speaking with him, I thought his ability to answer some of the readers' questions with such detail, even from the early '70s, was remarkable.

Speaking with the Hall of Fame reporter was truly an honor, and I have nothing but nice things to say about him. He told me, and I think I heard him say this once before, that he started working for The Boston Globe the same day as Bob Ryan, June 5, 1968, the day Bobby Kennedy was shot.

On second thought, I wish I had asked him about his non-vote for Bernie Williams for the Hall of Fame.

Bernie Williams should join Kirby Puckett in the Hall of Fame?

2012-01-12T11:30:00.000-05:00

If two players are similar enough, they should be honored similarly, too.

We've had five years to contemplate Bernie Williams' similarities to Kirby Puckett, who was elected to the Hall of Fame with 82.1 percent of the vote on his first ballot in 2001.

Williams received 9.6 percent of the vote, as announced in Monday's Hall of Fame balloting results, and frankly that appalls me. Puckett and Williams are very comparable players, but 72.5 percent of the members of the Baseball Writers Association of America disagree. How can this be?

YES Network's Steven Goldman made insightful comparisons of the two center fielders in this post, and I wish every voter would give it a read for the sake of the Hall of Fame. Not including Williams in Cooperstown would be a shame.

Takeaways from Goldman's article:

Through their age-35 seasons, it's a virtual tie: Williams (.301 AVG/.388 OBP/.488 SLG, 1,804 games) vs. Puckett (.318/.360/.477, 1,783).
Unlike Williams, Puckett didn't have a decline phase because he had glaucoma.
The Metrodome was a hitters' park, contributing to Puckett's high batting average.
Both were Gold Glovers, won a single batting title and are remembered for their postseason play.

There's really not much to add for Williams's case, but this should be more than enough for voters to elect him.

Now, can you believe that there was a 72.5 percent difference among the voters for these two players' first ballot results? Neither can I. And, unfortunately, with the title wave of first-ballot Hall of Famers coming to the ballots in the next few years, Williams doesn't stand a chance. As long as he can garner at least five percent of the vote in the next few years, he's a player that I see getting elected in his 15th and final year on the ballot. At least I hope so.

Is it too early to start using #VoteBernie on Twitter?

Stat: Brett Gardner and Albert Pujols had equal value in 2011

2012-01-12T09:30:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure if Brett Gardner and Albert Pujols have ever been mentioned in the same breath by anyone until now. And I've determined that they still shouldn't unless one hits the ball to the other (very possible in 2012).

According to WAR (wins above replacement), the leading advanced metric to determine a player's value, Gardner and Pujols were worth the same last season.

Long pause

You heard me (to all the non-believers, click here). The 5-foot-10, 185-pound nine-hitter and the man known as The Machine both had a 5.1 WAR last season. So, how on earth is this possible?

Obviously, the standard batting statistics indicate otherwise.

Player	AVG	OBP	SLG	HR	RBI	R	SB
Gardner	.259	.345	.369	7	36	87	49
Pujols	.299	.366	.541	37	99	105	9

For those unfamiliar with WAR, the statistic factors in defense, too, using UZR (ultimate zone rating): "The number of runs above or below average a fielder is in both range runs, outfield arm runs, double play runs and error runs combined," according to FanGraphs. Unsurprisingly, UZR accounted for Gardner's great spike in WAR. Gardner (25.2 UZR) led all of baseball last season and ranked far greater than Pujols (2.4).

The primary offensive statistic used to calculate WAR is wRAA (weighted runs above average), in which Pujols (36.0) leads Gardner (6.4) by a significant margin.

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For the record, I was sparked to write this by a post over at Yankee Analysts that posited whether it was time to trade Gardner. The author listed Matt Holliday, Lance Berkman, Mike Stanton, Josh Hamilton, and Carlos Gonzalez as players who ranked lower than Gardner in WAR. I'm going to assume he didn't include Pujols (an exact match) because the comparison is, of course, laughable.

(I'd suggest following FanGraphs' advice when it comes to using WAR: "You should always use more than one metric at a time when evaluating players.")

However, to credit the author he makes a good point about Gardner's trade value. With the Yankees, he's stuck in left with Curtis Granderson occupying center field. His excellent glove could be more valuable to another team in need of a center fielder. Trading him would create a hole in the Yankees' outfield, though, and Chris Dickerson is currently the fourth outfielder. But if the Yankees can find a team willing to part with a quality starting pitcher it might be a good move. Good luck convincing teams he's worth as much as Pujols.

Poll results: Yankees fans split on team's offseason grade

2012-01-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

Some fans say the Yankees needed to do more this offseason. Others said they will be just fine. The results were split.

It's pretty clear to us at this point that Brian Cashman didn't like what was available this offseason and is waiting for next year's stacked free agent class, including Giants ace Matt Cain. It's either that or he has a lot of trust in his farm system and top four prospects Jesus Montero, Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances and Gary Sanchez.

I have several poll ideas but I want to start with the one that is most timely. I've heard fans discuss over and over again who was more valuable to the Yankees: Mariano Rivera or Derek Jeter? I think it's pretty clear that you have to give the edge to the everyday player, even though Mo's consistency as a reliever is unprecedented and he'll undeniably enter the Hall of Fame on his first ballot as the greatest reliever in the history of the game.

But, what about the other two Core Four members? Jorge Posada's retirement is imminent, and Andy Pettitte left the game for good (we think) last offseason. So I ask you this, fans: Who was more valuable to the Yankees: Posada or Pettitte?

Here are their career stat pages for reference, but I would hope people weigh in more than just the numbers for this poll.

On this day, this blog turns 3

2012-01-10T23:59:00.000-05:00

Phew, I almost missed my own party. Three years ago to the day, I created this blog.

Thank you all so much for reading.

As always, it's time to start counting the days until the day pitchers and catchers report: 41 days. It may not be the same without another member of the Core Four absent, but it of course will still be exciting.

New poll: Should the Yankees have done more?

2012-01-03T16:11:00.000-05:00

I'd say it's about time for a new poll.

Should the Yankees have done more this offseason?

Even though I wasn't blogging for most of it, I didn't miss any big moves by Brian Cashman – because there haven't been any.

The Yankees re-signed Freddy Garcia, and more recently they brought back Andruw Jones. Those are Cashman's two biggest moves this offseason, making it pretty evident that Cashman either was not very fond of this year's free agent market, or that he is confident in his current team.

The Red Sox have bolstered their bullpen through trades while the Yankees have not. This might have to do with the Yankees' list of prospects, which is stacked at the top with Jesus Montero, Dellin Betances, Manny Banuelos and Gary Sanchez.

Perhaps Cashman believed in his prospects more than in what was available. Maybe he's right, maybe he's wrong. We won't know, of course, for another 15 years when these prospects are either on their ways to Hall of Fame careers, out of baseball, or somewhere in between.

So, this poll is pretty much putting the fan in Cashman's shoes. Would you have done more? Less? Anyone in particular that he missed out on? Cast your vote on the left.

Start 2012 off right with an old Yogi commercial

2012-01-01T16:20:00.002-05:00

This might just be my favorite commercial of all-time. Yogi Berra + Aflac duck + barber shop = classic. Enjoy, especially if you haven't seen it before.

(Let's not forget this is also in honor of Yogi being named "Wisest Fool of the Past 50 Years" by The Economist magazine in January 2005.)

Yankees re-sign Andrew Junes

2011-12-30T16:29:00.000-05:00

The Yankees don't have a lot on their wish list this offseason, but one thing many fans have clamored for is to see Andruw Jones back in pinstripes.

Now he is, reports Jon Heyman, for one year and $2 million plus incentives.And it's hard to find fans upset with this deal.

For good reason, Jones spent most of his time hitting out of the sixth or seventh spot in the order last season. Jones hit .286 with a .384 on-base percentage and .540 slugging percentage against lefties last season, which accounted for two-thirds of his plate appearances. (Yes, hitting sixth or seventh in the Yankees lineup is an accomplishment. He could probably hit cleanup against lefties for some teams.)

However, the Yankees should try harder to avoid using him against right-handers; whom he hit just .172/.303/.406 against last season.

Red Sox add Andrew Bailey, GM is #winning

2011-12-28T17:35:00.001-05:00

New closers keep coming to Boston while the Yankees haven't had to change in 16 years.

After losing six-year closer Jonathan Papelbon to free agency (Phillies, $50 million, 4 years with vesting option), the Red Sox weren't quite set on plugging in flamethrower Daniel Bard as the full-time closer. So they added Mark Melancon, as noted earlier today, saying he would be in the mix for the job after a strong 2011 with Houston. Just minutes ago, the Red Sox acquired Andrew Bailey, the Athletics' All-Star closer.

In addition to Bailey, the Red Sox get Ryan Sweeney in exchange for right fielder Josh Reddick, Miles Head, a 20-year-old 3B, and Raul Alcantera, a 19-year-old pitcher, according to Buster Olney, who first reported the news.

Obviously the Red Sox haven't declared any roles yet, but it seems likely that Bailey will assume closer duties and Melancon will be the setup man. Bard is slotted as a starter for spring training, but could move to the bullpen as needed.

Bottom line: The Red Sox have made two great deals to bring in bullpen weapons for cheap. I'd assume all the credit goes to replacement GM Ben Cherington, and I'm sure replacement manager Bobby Valentine will consider this a belated Christmas gift.

Hideki Okajima, Yankees agree to minor league deal

2011-12-28T12:36:00.000-05:00

The Red Sox signed an ex-Yankee earlier this offseason in Mark Melancon, now the Yankees have agreed to a deal with a former Red Sox player, tweets David Waldstein.

Hideki Okajima had a 3.11 career ERA in five seasons with the Red Sox, but spent most of last year in Triple-A with Pawtucket, where he had a 2.29 ERA in 51 innings. Okajima was shaky with the Red Sox in 2010, and his general upward trend in ERA indicates that he's lost his deceptiveness with major league hitters.

The Yankees only had Boone Logan as a lefty out of the bullpen last season because both Pedro Feliciano and Damaso Marte missed all of last season due to injuries.

Okajima is invited to join the Yankees in Tampa for spring training, according to Waldstein, but likely won't make the team.

I hope not.

By the way, the Yankees traded Melancon along with Jimmy Paredes to the Astros for Lance Berkman at the 2010 trade deadline. Melancon pitched great for Houston (2.85 ERA over a season and a half), and is now in the running for the closer spot with the Red Sox, their new GM Ben Cherington says.

100,000 hits ... and counting

2011-12-27T11:30:00.000-05:00

While I was slaving away last semester at Quinnipiac not blogging about the Yankees, some faithful readers still kept coming back here. (And I'll be honest, some random Googlers showed up, too.)

Faithful reader or not, this blog you are reading has been visited more than 100,000 times before it reached 3 years old. Thank you, thank you, thank you. This means a great deal to me.

Unlike most journalists, I happen to like math. With some quick arithmetic I can tell you that six-digit number breaks down to about 100 visits per day for 1,000 days. Or four visitors per hour, or one visitor every 15 minutes.

When I first started this blog Jan. 10, 2009, I had no idea if I'd give it up after a day, a month, a year – especially after the Yankees won the World Series – or if I'd ever stop. Even though I stumbled down the finish line – fittingly, as that's how many career milestones are reached – I made it.

Why? Why not just retire on top after that memorable World Series victory? Or those amazing career milestones set by Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez? Well, in the words of Forrest Gump, I just felt like ~~running~~ talkin' baseball.

But it wouldn't have been as fun without you, and I wouldn't still be writing if nobody was reading.

I've interacted with so many people on this site and met so many great people, leading to opportunities I had never have dreamed of.

Thanks again for visiting, and here's to 100,000 more.

American Legion baseball lost a great man in Bill Broughton

2011-12-27T09:18:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry to tell you that an important person in my life passed away recently, but I would be remiss not to mention him here.

Bill Broughton, the founder of American Legion baseball Post 22 and my coach for two summers, was an inspiration and a motivator to me and so many other kids who played baseball in New Hampshire over the last two decades.

Bill Broughton is in the back row on the far right, and I'm standing behind No. 11 in the center. This season we made the playoffs for the first time in Post 22's history. (Click to enlarge.)

Make no mistake, if I didn't love baseball, this blog wouldn't exist. I didn't know a thing about blogging when I first started playing for him, and he wasn't the one who turned me on to this (he probably never knew the word "blog" existed). But he did strengthen my love for the game.

Below is a letter of appreciation that ran on the sports front of my hometown newspaper, the Valley News, this morning. Even if Bill Broughton is just a name to you, he was a man worth meeting and certainly worth writing and reading about.

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A Coach And A Mentor

I've never seen anybody show his love for baseball more openly than Bill Broughton did.

I played Legion ball for him for two summers. In the latter, Post 22 made the playoffs for the first time, a feat that I never really valued as much as I do now that Bill is gone.

I threw the last pitch for our team that season. And even though we lost on that sunny day at Keene's Alumni Field, it remains one of my most cherished memories.

I was too young to play baseball when Bill founded the program in 1993, but Bill realized then that this was something meant for the long-term.

Post 22 brought two rival towns together, and opened its doors to kids around the state as far as Merrimack and Newport. Hanover and Lebanon's most devoted players made up Post 22, and I'm proud to say I was a part of that group for the 2008 and 2009 seasons.

When I first saw a short, scrawny, gray-haired man wearing dark shades and a pulled-down cap show up at the end of one of my Hanover High School baseball practices, I didn't know what to expect. But when he first spoke to us, pitching Post 22 to us, I knew right then I wanted to play for him.

And when I made the team, playing for him exceeded my expectations.

Bill was fond of my breaking ball, or "big hook," as he would call it, and always encouraged me. Addressing the team, he was a hard-nosed son of a gun. But when he pulled players aside, he offered constructive criticism, motivation and inspiration. He was always there; nobody questioned his devotion or love for the team. He was our rock.

In 2009, I was the only college student on Post 22 who wasn't playing ball for his school. I had no other reason to play that summer except my undying love for baseball, and there's no person I'd ever want to play for more than Bill Broughton. He was also part of the reason why I loved the game so much.

As the team's business manager, money was never a factor to Bill. Or at least that's the way he made it seem to us. He provided uniforms, equipment and coaching to us for free, not to mention cash for food on road trips, and occasionally free pizza – when we were good.

To this day, I tell people that the best time of my life was playing Legion baseball. This is all thanks to Bill, who gave me and so many other kids in the area the opportunity to play.

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I will miss him dearly. So will my town, my state, the American Legion, and the game of baseball. We all lost a great man.

Yankee Stadium right now: Uprights and hash marks

2011-12-22T17:41:00.001-05:00

Rutgers plays Iowa State in the Pinstripe Bowl Dec. 30. I can't say I've ever made it out to the stadium for a non-Yankees game, but I bet it would be an interesting experience.

Photo via @ISUCy

Anyone ever been to a bowl game at Yankee Stadium? If yes, I'd love to hear what it's like. If not, do you like the idea?

The stadium is only a few years old and it already has hosted an array of non-baseball events. The first occasion was actually a prayer service, held by pastor Joel Osteen.

Here's a look at the first boxing match in the Bronx since 1976: Miguel Cotto vs. Yuri Foreman on June 5, 2010.

The stadium's first Pinstripe Bowl was a year ago to the day of the upcoming game, featuring Syracuse and Kansas State.

My sister and a few other friends of mine made it out to the first concert at Yankee Stadium Sept. 13, 2010. I heard it was amazing.

Another friend of mine attended one of Paul McCartney's two shows at Yankee Stadium this past summer. Here's a video account of the famous Beatle singing "Golden Slumbers."

Opponents Boston loved to hate in 2011 [Globe]

2011-12-22T10:26:00.001-05:00

I am back, faithful readers.

And I’m damn glad.

It’s been two and a half months since my last post — by far the longest hiatus this blog has ever gone through — but I have every intention to resume daily blogging activities from this day forth. I’m a little ashamed to say my first post back isn’t an original lenNYsYankees.com work, but I figured it would be a good start.

I’m still working for Boston.com (remotely from Quinnipiac, my home in New Hampshire and even once from Florida), and my latest work is a feature on opponents who Boston fans loved to hate in 2011. So yes, some Yankees made the list. One of them was even voted the most hated opponent of all (including basketball, football and hockey opponents).

Can you guess the three players on the list? Check it out here, and let me know in the comments if there’s someone I forgot, or if there’s someone you feel doesn’t belong.

Editor’s note: After more than two and a half years of blogging nearly every day I didn’t think I was ever going to stop writing. Full transparency: It killed me inside that I had to stop. I should have left a note explaining why, but I’ll try to make up for it now.

In my first semester of senior year at Quinnipiac, I assumed my responsibilities as Editor-in-Chief of the university’s weekly newspaper, the Chronicle. I have worked toward making it a daily website, and also assumed duties designing our print version. That, combined with my obligations for Boston.com, my classes and the Learning Center (I’m a math and writing tutor) led to the blogging hiatus. Trust me, I wasn’t slacking.

I wanted to post on several occasions as I kept up with the news, but just had no time. Even my Twitter took a hit, but that’s also returning in full force. I expect to continue writing during my winter break and my final semester at school, as I will be gradually relinquishing some of my responsibilities with the Chronicle to next year’s leaders. Then after I graduate who knows where I’ll be. I’ll let you know when I know.

This blog is my most treasured accomplishment, and I wouldn’t still be writing without your continued support. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading.

Now get excited! There’s plenty to talk about. Making fun of my preseason predictions is item No. 1 on the agenda, but what’s the outlook for the Yankees next year? Is Brian Cashman doing enough this offseason to ensure another division title? What’s been stopping the Yankees from winning it all? That’s just a road map for the near future.

Ivan Nova test results provide silver lining after tough loss

2011-10-07T16:52:00.001-04:00

Nobody’s happy after last night’s loss, but at least there’s some good news on Ivan Nova’s arm.

Nova underwent an MRI on his throwing arm today after leaving last night’s start early. The results were good; he has a Grade 1 Flexor Strain, which is “expected to heal without complications this winter,” according to the Yankees announcement.

Where the Red Sox collapse ranks [Globe]

2011-09-28T16:03:00.001-04:00

Last game of the season is tonight, and the Yankees still don’t know who they are playing in the first round. Meanwhile, the Red Sox are tied in the wild card race with the Rays, who face the Yankees young hurler Dellin Betances tonight.

If the Red Sox miss out on the playoffs, they would fit in with this list of baseball’s biggest collapses feature I did for Boston.com. Enjoy.

Twitter speaks: Jesus Montero, Ivan Nova to figure in Yankees postseason [Storify]

2011-09-24T17:54:00.001-04:00

My mini blog hiatus is over — thanks to Twitter. Finally with a second to breathe, as I was watching the Yankees demolish the Red Sox I thought of how young Yankees might contribute to the Yankees’ postseason run.

So I polled Twitter. In two unanimous sets of results, Jesus Montero WILL make the postseason roster and Ivan Nova WILL pitch Game 2 in the ALDS. See all of the responses below. To contribute in future polls, follow me on Twitter @lenNYsYankees.

View the story "Young Yankees in postseason: Jesus Montero, Ivan Nova" on Storify]

Mo’s 600 > Wakefield’s 200 + Damon’s 400

2011-09-14T10:21:00.001-04:00

Last night was a night of milestones in baseball, but one stood out from the rest. Tim Wakefield earned his 200th win, albeit on his ninth try. One hundred ten pitchers have won 200 games. Johnny Damon stole his 400th base against the Orioles. Seventy players have stole 400 bases.

Mariano Rivera saved his 600th game against the Mariners, becoming the second player to eclipse that milestone. There’s no doubt about it; Mo’s milestone is superior.

Rivera now trails Trevor Hoffman by one save for the all-time saves record.

sports betting websites http://topbet.com/

(But yes, it’s kind of cool all three happened on the same night.)

Nate’s Takes: Rafael Soriano, Alex Rodriguez, Joe Girardi, Jesus Montero

2011-09-12T11:30:00.000-04:00

Well football is back, which is bad news for baseball. With very few division races even close, baseball may have to take a backseat to football for the next month. The Yankees had an interesting week. They didn’t play particularly well and they suffered a few injuries that may have a long-term affect on their roster.

But after a week where the Yankees suffered some heartbreaking losses, you look at the standings and find that not only are the Yankees up by three and half games, but the Rays are dangerously close to being a real wild card threat. The Rays are only three games behind the Red Sox in the loss column and Yankee fans can only hope that a Red Sox team that has dominated the Yankees all year fails to reach the post season. Here are my takes.

Rafael Soriano has no place on this team and should not be pitching the seventh inning. Sorry, Rafael, but you had enough chances this year. Take a spot on the bench and come back next year and try to actually earn your paycheck.

With every day that Alex Rodriguez misses, I wonder if we are getting closer and closer to A-Rod as the full-time DH.

Does anyone get annoyed at Joe Girardi for not starting a starter to give him a day off and then putting them in later in the game? If you are going to give them a day off give them a full day off. Staying healthy and resting players should be the top priority.

It was pretty cool seeing Jesus Montero and Austin Romine each catch in a major league game on Sunday. We have been hearing about these two for a few years now.

Speaking of Jesus, what is the over-under on how many home runs he hits as a rookie next year? I am going to say 20.

With all the extra players on the roster, it would be nice for the Yankees to have a blowout or two this week so that they can rest the whole bullpen a few days.

With Sept. 11 marking the 10-year anniversary of the Twin Towers being struck, I thought I would at least mention a related baseball thought. What would the parade have been like if the Yankees won the 2001 World Series? I have always wondered that and we will never know.

The Yankees finish their road trip this week against some lesser competition. But the Blue Jays always do play them tough. Look for them to continue to expand their Al East lead.

Poll Results: Jesus Montero should continue playing this season (duh)

2011-09-12T09:30:00.000-04:00

In a poll aimed more at discovering Jesus Montero’s role than whether or not he should even be playing, the voice of the fans rang loud and clear: play him at catcher and designated hitter.

Montero has exactly seven professional games under his belt and nearly has an RBI per game (six). He also has three home runs and is hitting .348 with a .423 on-base percentage.

Not only do most fans think he should be playing, but some I’m sure have toyed with the idea of Montero finding his way on the playoff roster. That decision could depend on Jorge Posada’s success/failure.

In Posada’s last 10 games, he is hitting .269 with three homers and three RBIs.

Next poll: Who are your four playoff starters?

Nate’s Takes: Jesus Montero, A.J. Burnett, Nick Swisher, bullpen

2011-09-05T11:01:00.001-04:00

A very solid week for the Yankees as they took two out of three up at Fenway and swept the Blue Jays at home. The Yankees saw some interesting pitching performances, too, including a start from A.J. Burnett that may have saved his spot in the rotation.

And finally, Jesus Montero received the call to the majors and the Yankees continued to stick with a six-man rotation. The Yankees have a one and a half game lead and have a very easy schedule coming up. Here are my takes on the week.

It was nice to see Montero pick up a pair of hits Sunday. Hopefully there are plenty more to come for the highly touted prospect.

I would like to see Joe Girardi continue to rest players over the next week and a half. Staying healthy and fresh is going to be an important part of the Yankees playoff run.

What a year Nick Swisher is having, especially considering he didn’t hit a lick in April or May.

If the Yankees biggest problem is who pitches better Phil Hughes or Burnett the rest of the way, they don’t have many problems. Neither one deserves to be on the postseason roster.

The Yankees bullpen continues to dominate. Hopefully they can get some blowouts to give some pitchers rest.

The Yankees will look to sweep a terrible Orioles team this week, before an 11-game road trip that makes stops in Anaheim, Seattle and Toronto. This is the time for them to bury Boston in the AL East Race.

Poll Results: Curtis Granderson is Yankees top MVP candidate

2011-09-05T10:53:00.001-04:00

When I introduced this poll, it wasn’t quite so obvious that Curtis Granderson was the Yankees top MVP candidate. But now that we’re a week into September, there’s no question where Grandy ranks among Yanks.

Granderson trails Jose Bautista by two for the major league home run lead with 38 homers, but leads the majors in both RBIs (107) and runs (125).

This is nothing against other candidates Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano or CC Sabathia. Teixeira (.247/35/100), Cano (.306/23/101) and Sabathia (19-7, 2.97) are having huge seasons.

New poll: Should Jesus Montero be playing?

Jesus Montero hitting seventh tonight

2011-09-01T16:07:00.001-04:00

I’m shocked, but Joel Sherman has the news. Jesus Montero will make his debut tonight hitting seventh as a DH.

Against the Red Sox. In September.

Unreal. Tonight’s game just got a heck of a lot more entertaining. (As if it needed anymore attention.)

Another Yankees-Red Sox New Era ad with Alec Baldwin & John Krasinski [Video]

2011-09-01T15:30:00.000-04:00

I’m sure you’ll see this New Era Yankees-Red Sox commercial with Alec Baldwin & John Krasinski again in tonight’s finale. These are fantastic, but I think this one is still my favorite.

Yankees September call-ups: Jesus Montero and an old friend

2011-09-01T14:20:00.001-04:00

Alas, the day has come. The day so many fans finally get their wish of seeing top prospect Jesus Montero dawn a Yankees uniform. And what a debut it would be if he gets any action tonight — against the Red Sox.

Along with Montero, Yankees fans can expect to see Brandon Laird, Chris Dickerson and — you won’t believe this — Scott Proctor! Here’s some required reading for Proctor fans.

What to expect from Montero
I don’t think a whole lot, but Joel Sherman’s report said, “he is going to get opportunities to play and specifically hit, which is by far his best tool. Jorge Posada’s postseason roster spot remains tenuous enough that Montero could have a big September and make himself viable for October at-bats as a DH.”

Let’s daydream for a second, shall we?

It’s the ninth inning, two outs, trailing by 1 to the Sox. Multiple opportunities for Montero to make an appearance have come and gone, but now the Yankees are down to their final batter and need some pop. Eric Chavez just provided the bloop, now the only thing missing is a blast. In comes Montero. And here’s the pitch…

WAKE UP! It’s not gonna happen, but maybe one day it will. Just not tonight.

Montero hit .308/.370/.604 with eight home runs and 19 RBIs in August, so he heated up at the right time. It will be interesting to see how a team coached by a few former catchers use Montero, an uncertain defensive catcher with a big bat.

Nate’s Takes: A-Rod, lefties, OBP, Andruw Jones, Brett Gardner, David Robertson

2011-08-30T10:08:00.001-04:00

It wasn’t a great week for the New York Yankees as they dropped some heartbreakers to the weakest teams in the League. They now sit 1.5 games out of first place as they once again try to win a series against the Red Sox.

The Yankees are facing two main questions. Can they enter the playoffs healthy? And who will start behind CC Sabathia in the playoffs? The Yankees are showing signs of wear and tear and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Yankees used the expanded rosters to give some players extended days off. With a midweek rivalry series hours away here are my takes:

Sounds like we will not see Pedro Feliciano and Damaso Marte ever wear a Yankee uniform again. Both of whom suffered setbacks in their rehab assignments. With Marte, at least we had 2009.

The Yankees might as well put Alex Rodriguez back on the DL. With a playoff berth almost locked up they should get him back 100 percent, no questions asked. They can compete for the division without him.

Top OBP on the Yankees: Nick Swisher, Curtis Granderson, A-Rod. Lowest OBP on the Yankees: Jorge Posada, Russell Martin, Robinson Cano.

Andruw Jones now has 11 home runs on the year. He is my sleeper to become an All-Star next year. I bet some team signs him at a bargain, makes him a starter and he has a monster year.

Brett Gardner could really use a few days off to avoid another end-of-the-season slump. He seems to tire out as the season winds down.

I don’t even get nervous anymore when David Robertson has the bases loaded.

Yankees do not have great pitching matchups vs. the Red Sox this weekend. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Yankees lose two games. I am predicting that A.J. Burnett doesn’t make it out of the third inning. He could be making one of his last starts of the season.

A few grand slams and another Globe item

2011-08-25T22:48:00.001-04:00

The Yankees scored 22 runs today for Phil Hughes and he didn’t pick up the win.

…

In other news, I helped put together this gallery for Boston.com that compares the Yankees and Red Sox down the stretch. Lots of good info on their remaining opponents and some playoff preview stuff. Check it out. Feedback/comments are appreciated.

Editor’s note: I thought it was pretty cool to see my name on that gallery side-by-side with the ex-Yankees beat writer I aspired to when I started lenNY’s Yankees. Enjoy.

Nate's Takes: Alex Rodriugez, Jorge Posada, September call-ups, Bartolo Colon

2011-08-23T10:42:00.000-04:00

Finally the Yankees find themselves alonein first place. After the Red Sox got shut out by the Rangers last night theYankees sit a full game above Boston. They also have a comfortable 7.5 gamelead in the wild card to fall back on. The Yankees rotation is eating upinnings like its 2003 and the only question mark seems to be A.J. Burnett. With all the winning theYankees have done in the past three years it seems like Burnett has not donehis part to contribute. It’s nice to hear that Brian Cashman won’t make decisions based on money, but I willbelieve that when I see it. Here are my takes on the week as the Yankees lookto make a push on the best record in baseball.

Alex Rodriguez is back inthe lineup and it will be interesting to see if he can hit 30 home runs againthis season. He always seems to find a way to do it.

How much fun is watching Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira try to outdo each otherwith home runs? Now imagine if A-Rod was in on their friendly competition.

Is it too soon to put Jorge Posada back as the full-time DH? Itseems as though the second Joe Girarditook him out of the lineup he started hitting.

We are approachingSeptember 1^st call-ups. If you were the Yankees, who would you callup? I would take a backup catcher (JesusMontero), another lefty (Steve Garrisonor Raul Valdes), a backup infielder (BrandonLaird) and another outfielder or two (GregGolson and Chris Dickerson).

It is time for Bartolo Colon to showing the Yankeessome more if he wants to be the No. 2 starter in the playoffs. He started theseason on fire and after coming back from the DL has been effective, but notthe same.

The Yankees have a quickthree-game homestand versus Oakland before hitting the road to play the Oriolesand Red Sox. This is where the Yankees can spate themselves a little bit fromBoston. Look for the Yankees to end their six-man rotation after Sunday’sdoubleheader. If I had to guess unless Burnett throws a gem his next time out,he will be bumped to the bullpen.

The final stretch begins today, A-Rod returns

2011-08-21T13:22:00.001-04:00

The most important part of the season begins today. Forget the last four months ever happened.

Just like any sport, the magical championship mix is born late in the season. It's not usually the team that wins consistently from the beginning of the season to the end; it's the team that puts all the puzzle pieces together down the stretch and steamrolls into the postseason.

Alex Rodriguez returns to the Yankees lineup today, and the Yankees are tied with the Sox in the win column. Going by Steinbrenner standards, anything short of a World Series title is failure.

With A-Rod back in the heart of the order and the pitching staff working itself out (gulp, A.J., gulp), the Yankees will look to their current roster for their 2011 championship run.

Poker scandal or no scandal, using PEDs or not, A-Rod is the most important part of this lineup. Despite Curtis Granderson's MVP-type season, A-Rod could be even more valuable for the stretch run. Plain and simple: he is capable of doing things Granderson is not.

Don't believe me? Look here. Then look here. That's what I thought.

A-Rod's record streak of 13 consecutive seasons of 30 homers and 100 RBIs will come to an end this season, but a great finish and another heroic postseason would overshadow that record without question. A-Rod has the ability to carry a team on his back, something only a few other players in baseball can do. Obviously it takes a lot more than one player to win a championship in baseball, but I can still use the saying "put the team on his back" and you understand what I mean.

So this is it. If he goes 0-for-4 today just start thinking about 2012.

...

Kidding, of course. But A-Rod's performance the rest of the season will be a strong indicator of how much success the Yankees have this season.

Nate's Takes: Alex Rodriguez a DH, Curtis Granderson's defense, Eduardo Nunez

2011-08-16T13:46:00.002-04:00

Disclosure: This postwas written after Sunday’s rainout and the editor of this blog failed to postNate’s Takes during the usually scheduled time – Monday morning.

After a tough series in Bostonthe Yankees had an OK homestand and continued to keep pace with Boston in the AL East race. Mariano Rivera struggled in threestraight outings causing Yankee fans to once again wonder if he was done. Curtis Granderson continued to crankhome run after home run and the rotation seems to get more crowed be the day. WithAlex Rodriguez days away from joiningthe lineup here are my takes.

Rivera has had blimps in August before. I refuse to believethat he is done until it actually happens.

Should A-Rod be the Yankees’ full-time DH when he getsback? This would make Eduardo Nunez and Eric Chavez as a platoon at third base. I think this would give A-Rodmore of a chance to stay healthy the rest of the year and have a productivepostseason. I can’t believe he isn’t even halfway done with this horrendouscontract yet.

ESPN defensive stats showed Granderson as the worstdefensive center fielder in baseball this year. I didn’t see that one coming. Heseems to get to a good amount of balls in the outfield, although this year hedid have a few misplays.

Nunez isstarting to remind me of a young RobinsonCano. He can hit the ball anywhere, but fails to show great platediscipline. That does not mean he can’t be a productive player. I am surprisedthe Yankees farm system doesn’t put a higher emphasis on plate discipline like Boston’s does.

Any chance Rafael Soriano will opt out of his contract if he has a goodfinal few months? Yankee fans can only hope.

I hate to think this way, but could we be watching CC Sabathia’s final few starts in aYankee uniform?

Freddy Garcia notdisclosing how he cut his hand reminds me of A.J. Burnett not telling the media how he got a black eye. TheYankee PR department continues to do a great job since 2004.

With a rain out Sunday, the Yankees will push their rotationback one day. Burnett will try tofinally win a game on Monday against a pretty bad Royals team (he did). If it were up to me the Yankees should havejust skipped A.J. this time through the rotation. The Yankees will play 15 outof the next 18 games on the road as they enter the worst part of the schedule. Withthe wild card basically locked up all that’s left is to chase Boston for home-field advantage in the ALCS(hint, hint).

Poll Results: Forget about Joba’s history, call up Manny Banuelos or Dellin Betances

2011-08-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

Fans voted in my latest poll that the Yankees shouldn’t worry about what happened to Joba Chamberlain when they consider whom to call up in the coming weeks. The big names in Triple-A are Manny Banuelos and — after a promotion just yesterday — Dellin Betances.

I’m a little surprised by the results but I still think it makes for good banter. By calling up one of those two studs, they risk infecting him with I-Don’t-Know-My-Role syndrome, which we all know Joba has suffered from (he’s rehabbing from Tommy John Surgery right now). On the other hand, who doesn’t remember how valuable Joba was down the stretch in 2007?

I’m not sure if Banuelos or Betances have the electric stuff Joba had (notice the ‘d’ at the end of that last word, not ‘s’), but I know that both are pegged to be big-time starting pitchers and work in the mid-90s. Banuelos is a short lefty, Betances is a tall righty, and both have had successful minor league careers. I also know that Banuelos was born almost a year after me (I’m starting to feel old).

We’ll see what the Yankees choose to do in the near future, and it should be even more interesting with their current “excess pitching” problem. Here’s a fun idea I want to leave you with:

2013 rotation
1. CC Sabathia
2. Phil Hughes (if cured)
3. Banuelos
4. Betances
5. Colon? Why not.

Pinstripe Alley interviews CC Sabathia

2011-08-14T10:32:00.001-04:00

The good guys over at Pinstripe Alley had a chance to interview CC Sabathia at the MlB Fan Cave in NYC earlier this week and posted the full transcription on their blog. They grilled him pretty hard about the six-man rotation, and as usual, that “problem” is working itself out. Freddy Garcia was supposed to pitch today but was scratched due to a cut on his finger. This adage goes without saying: You can never have too much pitching.

Anyway, the guy who today is replacing Garcia is also the topic of their last interview question — and it’s worth the read!

Two righties: CC Sabathia & Billy Wagner

2011-08-12T17:12:00.001-04:00

No typo in that headline; just fact.

Besides pitching, CC Sabathia does everything with his right hand, the Daily News reports. Sabathia said he couldn’t catch while playing T-ball right-handed so his dad let him try going lefty — and that turned it OK for him.

Billy Wagner, the retired lefty closer, also was born right-handed. His story is a bit different than CC’s. I’m sure there are others like these two, but Wagner was the first that came to mind. Former Yankee hurler Jim Abbott would be next in my mind, but his story is even more bizarre than CC’s and Billy’s.

Ex-Yankees update: Chien-Ming Wang, Arodys Vizcaino, tons more

2011-08-10T15:37:00.001-04:00

This blog has been starving for an update on ex-Yankees, and I thought there would be no better time than today to revive this blog’s old periodic feature.

Why today? Well, that’s easy. Haven’t you seen the Nationals box score from last night?! If you were too lazy to click through that link, I’ll just go ahead and tell you that old friend Chien-Ming Wang picked up his first win since beating the Mets on June 28, 2009, while wearing pinstripes. Wang had a no-hitter through five innings, lost it in the sixth, but left without allowing a run. Although it may hurt some of you to see him back to his winning ways, I feel really good for him. It’s been a long journey for him, and I guess he needed a fresh start.

Another reason to bring back the ex-Yankees feature today is due to some news out of Braves camp. Atlanta called up pitching prospect Arodys Vizcaino, who went from the Yankees to the Braves in the Javier Vazquez deal in the 2009 offseason.

Without further ado, below are updates on some more old friends.

Hitter (team)	AB	H	AVG/OBP/SLG	HR	RBI
Lance Berkman (STL)	341	99	.290/.399/.589	28	75
Nick Johnson (CLE, AA-AAA)	133	28	.211/.323/.376	6	10
Austin Kearns (CLE)	150	30	.200/.302/.287	2	7
Juan Miranda (ARI, AAA)	72	19	.264/.369/.472	4	18
Chad Huffman (CLE, AAA)	352	83	.236/.348/.412	13	52
Randy Winn (retired)	---	--	---/---/---	--	--

Pitcher (team)	G	IP	ERA	K	WHIP
Kerry Wood (CHC)	39	36.2	3.68	38	1.39
Mark Melancon (HOU)	52	53.1	3.04	43	1.29
Javier Vazquez (FLA)	23	127.2	4.72	94	1.43
Royce Ring (BOS, GCL-AAA)	32	30.1	5.34	39	1.45
Chad Gaudin (TOR, AAA)	1	3	9.00	1	2.00
Dustin Moseley (SDP)	20	120	3.30	64	1.28

And the 2010 version…

Hitter (team)	AB	H	AVG/OBP/SLG	HR	RBI
Johnny Damon (TBR)	424	111	.262/.317/.389	9	50
Austin Jackson (DET)	411	100	.243/.310/.358	5	26
Hideki Matsui (OAK)	349	92	.264/.335/.415	11	56
Melky Cabrera (KCR)	477	145	.304/.338/.461	13	62
Xavier Nady (ARI)	202	50	.248/.284/.361	4	35
Jose Molina (TOR)	119	36	.303/.376/.445	2	11
Eric Hinske (ATL)	200	50	.250/.320/.440	10	25

Pitcher (team)	G	IP	ERA	K	WHIP
Chien-Ming Wang (WAS)	3	15	3.60	3	1.33
Vizcaino (ATL, A+-AA-AA)	26	97	3.06	100	1.13
Ian Kennedy (ARI)	24	163.1	3.20	137	1.10
Phil Coke (DET)	29	90.2	4.76	45	1.52
Brian Bruney (CHW)	23	19.2	6.86	16	1.93

Quick analysis: the Yankees lost a lot more talent two offseasons ago than they did this past offseason.

Baseball’s unusual batting stances [Globe]

2011-08-10T14:34:00.001-04:00

Caution: the following gallery presents major league baseball's most unconventional batting stances and pre-at-bat mannerisms that are not recommended for replication by youth baseball players.

Click here to proceed.

Ex-Yankees on the list include Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon, ~~Albert Pujols~~ and Alfonso Soriano. (I was going to include Bobby Abreu, but frankly I don’t know what his current stance is. I read on the Interwebz that before he had his loose hands grip with the Yankees he had an overlapping golf style grip. Plus, Abreu torched the Yankees last night. No point in featuring him.)

For laughs, look for Dallas Braden and Dae-Sung Koo, too.

Fan offers Torii Hunter cash for dropped glasses [Photo]

2011-08-09T20:41:00.001-04:00

A fan wearing a “Low Wage Puppet” T-shirt dropped his glasses in right field at Yankee Stadium Tuesday night and then held out cash for Torii Hunter, who returned the glasses without taking the money.

There, that’s your story in one sentence and a picture to prove it.

Now can’t we get other right fielders — past and current — to be as courteous as Hunter? Sorry, Gary Sheffield and Ichiro Suzuki. (Kidding about Ichirio, but still hilarious.)

Robinson Cano a victim of the Home Run Derby curse [Globe]

2011-08-09T12:22:00.001-04:00

All four American League participants in the Home Run Derby, coincidentally, have seen a decline in power numbers in the second half. One of the curse sufferers is Derby winner Robinson Cano. But his decline hasn’t been as extreme as Sox sluggers David Ortiz and Adrian Gonzalez. Read all about it here, currently featured on Boston.com’s sports page.

Do you believe in the Home Run Derby curse?

A walk in the wild

2011-08-08T19:57:00.001-04:00

Somebody honked. Another hollered. Maybe I was just paranoid.

I don’t know what I was thinking; my mind was out of whack. But that’s another tale for another date.

In this tale, I walked the streets of Boston — Dorchester to be precise — with a Derek Jeter 3K shirt on. Although it was only for about 10 minutes, still, I am thankful to have returned unscathed.

Heck, I’m glad to have spoken to two friendly natives.

Although I’m calmly sitting here now, safely typing away on my laptop in my home, about to chow down on the monster sandwich I just picked up, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared.

To and from the restaurant, I walked quickly. Quicker than normal. So quickly I passed a happy couple on a skinny sidewalk. I’m not proud of that, but at least they were friendly about it.

And so, even though I really, really want to declare that I now feel safe walking through Boston sporting Yankees merch, I don’t think I can without second-guessing myself. It was an extremely short walk, and my shirt wasn’t displaying the Yankees insignia very prominently. It’s actually kind of an incognito Yankees shirt — perfect for a Yankees fan in Boston!

Plus, I’d say Sox fans are in a pretty good mood right now when it comes to the state of the rivalry. But the Red Sox fans we all love to hate — trust me, I know my fair share of Red Sox Nation from living in New Hampshire for the first 18 years of my life — tend to gloat, right? Maybe, just maybe, they were feeling secure enough tonight to take the high road. They only lead the division by a game, but wouldn’t you be feeling pretty confident knowing you can beat your rival’s best starter and reliever? Handily, too.

Now that I know the feeling of walking around Boston with a target on my back, I am certain that it was my first and final time.

Phew.

Nate’s Takes: Jorge Posada, Jesus Montero, CC Sabathia, Rafael Soriano

2011-08-08T13:00:00.000-04:00

The Yankees were three outs away. Three outs away from winning two out of three at Fenway Park. Three outs away from an excellent road trip. Three outs away from ending all the talk that the Yankees can’t beat the Red Sox. It just wasn’t meant to be, as Mariano Rivera blew his fifth save of the season and the Yankees found themselves in second place once again.

While this was a heartbreaking loss, Yankee fans can’t lose sight of how good this Yankee team still is. The Yankees are in great position to make the playoffs and still have a chance of winning the division. With that said, here are my takes for the week.

Yankees offense failed to show up at Fenway: 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position in the final game basically sums it up.

How many teams carry around a player who just can pinch hit? Maybe a few National League teams. Is it possible that we don’t see Jorge Posada on the postseason roster?

Jesus Montero could be days away from joining the Yankees. Yankee fans have waited a long time for this.

Did CC Sabathia cost himself a chance at the CY Young by not being able to beat Boston this year?

Who would have thought Rafael Soriano would be the Yankees $12 million dollar seventh-inning man? He now makes 20 times more than David Robertson.

Phil Hughes continues to baffle Yankee fans. Can the Yankees keep him with the big league club much longer? He is one bad start away from being sent down, and he’s being skipped this time around.

The Yankees have a week long homestand against two solid American League teams. Hopefully, a week from now the Yankees are in first place and Yankee fans can forget this frustrating series. Look for the Yankees to continue to play good baseball and for Ivan Nova to continue to force the Yankees to keep him in the majors.

Poll Results: Fans happy with Brian Cashman after silent trade deadline

2011-08-08T09:40:00.001-04:00

The majority of Yankees fans voted the trade market was too thin for Brian Cashman to trade prospects for pitching. I would have to agree with the fans, but I’m curious to see which reinforcements from the system Cashman will call on this month or the next — if any at all. Will it be Jesus Montero, who probably doesn’t have a place defensively this season with Francisco Cervelli in town but has had the bat for years? Or how about Manny Banuelos, who is raising eyebrows in Triple-A Scranton these days?

The reason I’m so curious — other than pure excitement for seeing prospects of any sort get their first cracks at the big leagues — is that making Banuelos a late-season call-up, like the Yankees did with Joba Chamberlain in 2007 (four years ago, yesterday, actually), might turn out for the worst. History could repeat itself. That’s why I’m making this my poll topic for the week. Cast your vote!

Should the Yankees have second thoughts about calling up a star pitching prospect late in the season with Joba in the back of their minds?

Alec Baldwin owns John Krasinski in latest New Era commercial [Video]

2011-08-06T10:30:00.000-04:00

See for yourself what Yankees fan Alec Baldwin does to Red Sox fan John Krasinski in the latest installment of the hilarious New Era commercials.

Joe Girardi’s bullpen call was huge tonight

2011-08-05T23:13:00.001-04:00

In a fantastic opener to the series, the Yankees bullpen won. And it all boiled down to a gutsy call by Joe Girardi.

Bartolo Colon threw his 94th pitch but hadn’t completed the fifth inning. With two out, the bases loaded and Adrian Gonzalez stepping in the batter’s box, Girardi walked out to the mound.

Boone Logan met him their minutes later. The 26-year-old lefty was having a down year, somehow allowing lefties to hit for a higher average against him than righties. But that didn’t stop Girardi from making the move.

In short, Logan came through. And the rest of the bullpen took care of business just the way Brian Cashman jotted down in his notes in the offseason.

In defense of Girardi’s naysayers, it may not have been very gutsy to start the bullpen in the fifth inning knowing that the man he has starting for him tomorrow, CC Sabathia, hasn’t left before the seventh inning since May 8. Still, I don’t know if I could’ve made that call.

The Yankees might be lucky to walk away with a win after Jon Lester’s sixth-inning implosion; he hasn’t walked four hitters in a game since May. But the bullpen made a statement tonight, and I’m sure the thought of the Yankees’ historic comeback in the season series is creeping up into the minds and keeping many of Boston’s faithful awake tonight.

The Yankees, after all, are back in first.

Yankees-Red Sox Series Preview: For the East

2011-08-05T19:08:00.001-04:00

The Yankees have come to visit me (and the Red Sox) in Boston this weekend, and they couldn’t have picked a better time. Riding a seven-game winning streak, they’ve tied the Red Sox for the division lead. This means whichever team wins this series will also leave with the division lead.

On the Hill:
Friday: Bartolo Colon (8-6, 3.30) vs. Jon Lester (11-4, 3.17)
Saturday: CC Sabathia (16-5, 2.55) vs. John Lackey (9-8, 6.23)
Sunday: Freddy Garcia (10-7, 3.22) vs. Josh Beckett (9-4, 2.20)

Players to Watch:

Mark Teixeira: Teixeira has hit six home runs and driven in 18 runs since July 22.

Jacoby Ellsbury: In 87 at-bats since his first All-Star appearances he is hitting .322 with seven home runs and 16 RBI. He also batted .382 and had 14 multi-hit games in 110 July at-bats.

Prediction:
The pitching matchups don’t look good for the Yankees except for Saturday. Not good at all. Sabathia wins No. 17 (or the Yankees win but he doesn’t factor in the decision), and the Yankees drop the other two.

Red Sox-Yankees: Who’s hot, who’s not? [Globe]

2011-08-05T17:29:00.001-04:00

More Red Sox-Yankees content for Boston.com…

David Ortiz and Carl Crawford were red hot the last time these two teams met in June. Jon Lester was not at his best, and Derek Jeter still needed 14 hits to reach 3,000. That's all changed heading into this weekend's Sox-Yankees series.

Continue reading who’s hot, who’s not here.

5 questions for Red Sox & Yankees [Globe]

2011-08-05T09:52:00.001-04:00

It’s nice when my job and my blog converge. This way I can kill two birds with one stone, like my latest feature: five questions for the Red Sox and Yankees. I have much more prepared for the series coming to you a bit later.

I included a poll at the end of the feature, asking which team has tougher questions to answer. The results coming from Boston.com will likely be skewed, so feel free to discuss this debate in the comments.

Baseball’s unwritten rules [Globe]

2011-08-02T12:22:00.001-04:00

They’re guidelines, really. Nothing’s official, but the players know to follow them. Or else … watch out! What I love most is these are really put on display during a rivalry, like the one we’ll all be watching this weekend when the Yankees come to my town (at least for the next few weeks). Other times you’ll see them come to light during a no-hit bid, or a dirty play.

I put together this list of baseball’s unwritten rules for Boston.com, but it may very well foreshadow the Sox-Yanks series. Enjoy.

Ochocinco: Why can’t New York and Boston get along and start a Prius gang?

2011-08-01T12:02:00.001-04:00

Chad Ochocinco is the newest member of the New England Patriots. In his first few days as a New Englander, he tweeted some words of wisdom for fans.

I can't believe New Yorkers n my Boston folks don't get along.If we all united we could be 1 huge Toyota Prius car gang with cool jackets.

There you have it. By the end of this season, we’ll all drive Priuses (Prii?) and wear cool jackets that say “Mad Chad” on the back.

Nate’s Takes: Trade deadline, OBP & SLG, Freddy Garcia, Derek Jeter

2011-08-01T10:30:00.001-04:00

The trade deadline has come and gone and the Yankees have the exact same roster. Although there might be some uproar from Yankee fans, I really don’t have a problem with Brian Cashman standing pat. The Yankees have the third best record in baseball, they rank second in runs and eighth in ERA.

Would a trade for Wandy Rodriguez, Erik Bedard or Heath Bell really have made them a better team? Would it have been worth giving up one or two top prospects to marginally help the 2011 New York Yankees? In my opinion it does not. However, I do think that Bedard was a great pickup for Boston. With the Yankees about to hit the road, here are my takes.

Last week I predicted the Yankees would sweep the Mariners and O’s. Is 7-3 a bad home stand? Not really, but I expected more against two of the worst teams in baseball.

The two factors that influence runs scored the most are OBP and SLG percentages (read Moneyball if you still believe that batting average is important). The Yankees are second and third in those categories respectively. The problem is that Boston is first in both categories – and by a wide margin.

Does Freddy Garcia remind anyone of El Duque? Of course El Duque was one of the best postseason pitchers of all time, but they both seem to scrap wins with mediocre stuff.

Look for Cashman to make a move once some big contract players clear waivers.

Eric Chavez is a very valuable piece to the Yankees right now. Alex Rodriguez is still weeks away from a return.

After Derek Jeter was hit by a pitch today, the Yankees are third in the league in HBP. What this actually means is that the Yankees OBP could be a lot lower than it really is. Although HBP is a skill set in some sense.

The Yankees have a tough Road Stand ahead of them. The White Sox are looking to make a push for the division and the Red Sox continue to be red hot. If the Yankees want to show the rest of the league that their starting pitching can hold up, this would be the week to do it. The Red Sox boast the top offense in baseball and I will be interested to see whom Joe Giradi trusts at the dangerous Fenway Park. My guess is not Garcia. I am predicting a 5-2 road trip for the Bombers. Enjoy some later games this week!

For your baseball betting, head over to Luxbet.

Poll Results: Fans favor Curtis Granderson over Jacoby Ellsbury

2011-08-01T09:06:00.001-04:00

In one of the most voted on polls in recent memory, fans gave the edge to Curtis Granderson over Jacoby Ellsbury in the center field rivalry. Judging by newer metrics, Ellsbury has the edge, but traditional stats favor Granderson. The way I look at it, both teams are in good shape at center for the next few years.

Next poll: Did Brian Cashman make a mistake by not adding reinforcements?

Yankees notes: A win, a promotion, but no trades

2011-07-31T16:49:00.001-04:00

A lot going on in baseball on this fine Sunday. Justin Verlander almost pitched his third career no-hitter, the Red Sox unofficially acquired Erik Bedard from the Mariners, the Indians traded for Ubaldo Jimenez, and much, much more.

The Yankees, however, didn’t make any of the major headlines. For the first time that I can remember, the Yankees didn’t add a single piece to their team before the trade deadline. I guess initial rumors were true in that the Yankees real acquisitions were just the returns of both Eric Chavez and Rafael Soriano.

Here are some Yankees news items to be aware of for Sunday.

Brian Cashman told Joel Sherman he was never close to doing a trade of any type. I was surprised they didn’t land anybody, but it sounds like they weren’t even close.
No trades? Fine. They’ll take a 4-2 win instead, completing a series victory against the Orioles. Brett Gardner led the way with a three-run triple and Freddy Garcia earned his 10th win. Derek Jeter exited early after being hit by a pitch but X-Rays were negative.
Manny Banuelos, a highly regarded prospect for the Yankees, was promoted from Double-A to Triple-A, according to Jack Curry. It’s nice to see the Yankees move a prospect at the deadline — within their organization.

A sad ending to Hideki Irabu’s memorable career

2011-07-28T17:08:00.001-04:00

It appears Hideki Irabu took his own life at his home in Los Angeles today, a shocking ending to one of the most peculiar lives for a baseball player.

Irabu pitched in an independent league in 2009, and last pitched in the majors in 2002 with the Rangers. His first two professional seasons were in pinstripes, posting a 4.80 ERA with a 29-20 record.

George Steinbrenner once called him a “fat pussy toad,” immortalizing him in Yankees history.

This news ruined my day.

Guest Post: Moneyball: A great book, an upcoming movie, a correct baseball theory

2011-07-28T09:30:00.000-04:00

Ryan writes a WordPress blog where he blogs about music, politics, and sports (namely the Yankees) with a graduate school classmate. He’s written for LenNY’s Yankees before when he discussed the Yankees false reluctance to move their top prospects. You can follow him on twitter @Ryan_Kantor.

I just finished reading Moneyball by Michael Lewis—a phenomenal book that explained how a more objective way of managing baseball was discovered and resisted. It was great for its statistical objective look at baseball, its bashing of Joe Morgan, and its nostalgic reminder of Scott Hatteberg, Chad Bradford, Jeremy Giambi, and the Oakland A’s always falling just a hair short of beating the Yankees.

There’s also a movie based on the book coming out on Sept. 23, with Brad Pitt playing the role of Billy Beane. It should be pretty good, but it’ll be hard for it to capture even half of what the book gets into. You can see the movie trailer here.

If you want to read a book review you can read one on my personal blog, but I’m going to use the rest of this post to discuss about the actual style of baseball that Moneyball purports.

Nick Swisher is portrayed as the beloved poster boy of the theory (along with the disgusting Kevin Youkilis). Swisher is the guy Beane wants more than anyone else. Why? He takes walks, a lot of walks. He has a good on-base percentage, and it’s a lot cheaper to get a player with a high on-base percentage than someone with a high batting average. It’s also a lot more effective. The basic tenets of Moneyball are:

There is a strong causal relationship between run differential (runs scored-runs allowed) and the number of wins that team will have at the end of the year. Therefore the goal of every front office should be to make moves that will increase the total amount of runs scored; reduce the total amount of runs given up. This seems like an obvious given, but it’s not always acted upon.
Batting average and stolen bases actually don’t have a strong relationship with runs scored.
On-base percentage and slugging percentage have the strongest positive relationship with runs scored, even more so than home runs.
Outs are the scarce resource of a baseball game, and sacrifice bunts have a negative relationship with total runs scored.Stolen base attempts also have a negative relationship with total runs scored until SB% reaches 70%. By that metric Elvis Andrus’s base running last year (2010) when he stole 32 bases actually hurt the Rangers because he got caught stealing 15 times giving him a 68% Stolen base percentage.

These principles were pretty well illustrated in 2002 when at season’s end Oakland was matched up with Minnesota who had a higher team batting average and a more homeruns, but less total runs scored. Why? Because Oakland’s on-base percentage was higher and they had much fewer sac bunts and base runners caught stealing.

What frustrated Beane the most was that the sample size in a short playoff series wasn’t big enough for any of it to matter. (The A’s lost to the Twins in 2002). Essentially he was making the most efficient team in baseball only to see their season end in what amounted to a total crapshoot in the playoffs and then he had to hear pundits like Joe Morgan make up nonsense about how they lost because they didn’t bunt and steal.

Now I’m making the assumption that most readers of this blog are Yankee fans. Our team doesn’t have the suffocating financial restraints of the A’s, and we’re nowhere near satisfied with a 102-win season and elimination in the ALDS. So does this philosophy still hold up?

Frankly, there’s no doubt. This “theory” is proven through a series of statistical tests. While not perfect, there’s no real doubt about its validity.

So should the Yankees try to abide by it more?

Well yes, like I said it’s statistically proven. Speeding around the bases, an aggressive approach at plate, and sacrifice bunts are all great ways to score less runs.

Admittedly, there are some limitations. After other teams realized what Beane was doing they started taking OBP more seriously. That’s why you see OBP shown more often. He can’t get overlooked veterans with amazing OBP as cheap anymore. The market is now more “efficient.” Nonetheless, we can afford it and OBP is still the most telling stat.

The theory works on the fact that more total runs equals more total wins, which in general is true, but you don’t need to win by 10 to win, so the one situation where I’d still sacrifice bunt (and the this is the one and only situation) is late in a tight game with runs on first and second and a righty or slow runner up to bat. I’ve seen Jeter ground into a double play in that very situation a million times and I still say he should be bunting there. Will the Yankees score fewer total runs by the seasons end if they bunted in these situations? Most likely yes, but they’ll win some close games that they would have otherwise lost (and win some games by less runs).

But overall, yes, Moneyball is correct and when the Joe Morgans of the world try to say otherwise just know they’re wrong.

Editor’s note: Thanks so much for this, Ryan. Excellent job summing up a staple in the baseball blogging community. For those interested in guest blogging with LenNY’s Yankees, you can contact me with your ideas here.

CC: K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K

2011-07-26T22:43:00.001-04:00

Oh what a night. Not even two rain delays could stop CC Sabathia from picking up his major league leading 15th win. He flirted with perfection, struck out 14, but lost it all in the eighth. Fortunately, David Robertson bailed him out of yet another jam and Mariano Rivera did his thing in the ninth to preserve a 4-1 victory.

Scoreboard Says:
Yankees 4, Mariners 1
W: CC Sabathia
L: Doug Fister
S: Mariano Rivera

Seventeen … Again?:
The win kept the Yankees on pace with the Red Sox, but it was the Mariners’ 17th consecutive loss. M’s manager Eric Wedge’s days may be numbered.

Welcome Back, Eric Chavez:
Eric Chavez made his first appearance since May 5, going 1-for-3 with an RBI. He also made a few sterling plays at third base.

Sluggers Slug:
The Yankees top two home run hitters added to their totals tonight. Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira connected for their 28th homer of the season, both solo shots.

Game Ball:
CC Sabathia. Oh what a night.

Paul O'Neill proposed to his wife over the phone on a collect call

2011-07-25T23:20:00.000-04:00

Paul O'Neill proposed to his wife over the phone on a collect call, O’Neill said during tonight’s YES broadcast. He was in the minor leagues and couldn’t wait to see her in person, apparently.

UPDATE: Via BleedinYankeeBlu on Twitter: O’Neill called her father before proposing.

UPDATE II: She picked out a ring O’Neill couldn’t afford, but she’s upgraded a few times since then. He was playing in the Florida State League when he proposed as a 21-year-old. They met when they were five. “Love story for the ages,” Michael Kay said.

That’s all I’ve got. Carry on.

And you thought Curtis Granderson was having a good season

2011-07-25T12:00:00.000-04:00

There’s no doubt about it: Curtis Granderson has been this season’s biggest surprise bat for the Yankees. But measuring by WAR, wins above replacement, he’s not even the best center fielder in the game today.

That honor goes to Jacoby Ellsbury, who boasts a 5.3 WAR compared to Granderson’s 4.8. Ellsbury only trails teammate Dustin Pedroia (5.7) and Jose Bautista (7.0) for the league lead in WAR.

For those who have doubts or are unfamiliar with WAR, it’s worth noting the Red Sox are the only team to have more than one hitter with a WAR in baseball’s top 10. And they have three, Adrian Gonzalez (4.7) being the third.

The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn sparked the idea for this article after posting one of his own this morning. Below is a quick comparison of Ellsbury and Granderson based on more commonly used statistics (leaders italicized).

Player	HR	RBI	R	SB	AVG	OPS	WAR
Jacoby Ellsbury	16	58	74	31	.320	.893	5.3
Curtis Granderson	27	74	88	19	.265	.926	4.8

Surprisingly, Finn only makes reference to left fielder Brett Gardner, neglecting Granderson, in his article. He does, however, revive some of the greatest seasons in baseball history in comparison to Ellsbury’s projections. Definitely worth a look.

Done yet? Now that you’ve seen all the numbers and had time to deliberate, take your pick: Jacoby or Grandy? Or … Gardy?

Nate’s Takes: Brandon Laird, Brett Gardner, Robinson Cano, Adam Warren

2011-07-25T10:30:00.000-04:00

In any division besides the AL East, Yankee fans would be talking about how the Yankees are rolling and approaching 25 wins over .500. But in the AL East, Yankee fans can only look up at the red hot Red Sox and wonder if they can keep pace. The Yankees had a so-so road trip, splitting two of four against division rivals before almost sweeping the A’s.

Mark Texeria continues to have a terrible month, while Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon just won’t give up. The reinforcements are on their way as Eric Chavez and Rafael Soriano continue to rehab, and as the trade deadline approaches Yankee fans must sit back and see if Brian Cashman has anything up his sleeves. Here are my takes.

Brandon Laird is not a prospect. Any Yankee fans that think he has any future with the Yankees are kidding themselves. It was funny to hear John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman talk about how he has such a good approach at the plate. I would like to note that before getting called up he had zero walks in July with Scranton.

Who would have thought Teixeira would be hitting .240 after the month of April that he had?

Remember when everyone was talking about how Brett Gardner forgot how to steal bases? Now can anyone remember the last time he got caught stealing?

Robinson Cano needs to take more pitches and walk more. With his talent his OBP should be closer to .400 than .300. Dustin Pedroia continues to be twice as valuable as Cano even though Cano constantly hits more home runs.

I hate the idea of Derek Jeter batting second. Let’s take the person on the team that hits the most ground balls and grounds into the most double plays behind the batter that gets on base the most. That’s just stupid.

Who is the next prospect that gets the call to the Bronx. My guess is Adam Warren.

The Yankees face the Mariners starting Monday and it will be interesting to see if the Mariners can snap their 15-game losing streak. Most likely it will be on Tuesday’s game in which I am attending. The Yankees need to start sweeping bad teams if they want to keep pace in the division. My prediction for the week is that the Yankees sweep the Mariners and Orioles.

Poll Results: Fans split on Jesus Montero’s trade value

2011-07-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

My latest poll was inconclusive, so the debate will linger until Sunday’s trade deadline. Would you include Jesus Montero in a trade for Ubaldo Jimenez? Some of you said yes, some said no, and one said as long as it would only be him in the deal.

This type of result tends to occur with prospect value. Some fans put an incredible value on potential, while others realize they are still just prospects. If that statement didn’t reveal my vote then I’ll be a little more blunt for you: Yes, the Yankees should absolutely include Montero in a trade for Jimenez.

The Yankees farm system is loaded with catching prospects, but pitchers with electric arms don’t come around every day. Plus, if you aren’t making comparisons to the division-leading Red Sox, you aren’t fulfilling your duties as a fan. While Red Sox Nation is worried about their current third starter John Lackey (Clay Buchholz is on the DL), Yankees fans should be trembling when any starter after CC Sabathia toes the rubber.

The Yankees need pitching more than the Red Sox do, and that should be the determining factor for Brian Cashman if a reasonable deal is negotiated for a star pitcher.

Next poll: Take your pick: Curtis Granderson or Jacoby Ellsbury?

Interview with John Smoltz on baseball, Mariano Rivera [Audio]

2011-07-21T14:00:00.001-04:00

I had the opportunity yesterday at work to interview John Smoltz over the phone. We talked about the division races, awards, Red Sox and Yankees.

Smoltz is very well-spoken, as he has broadcast games for TBS and MLB Network ever since leaving baseball after 2009 (he hasn’t officially retired).

Here’s the audio:

I asked him about Mariano Rivera (begins at 6:12) when he got a chance to see him in the 1996 World Series, and if he knew right then that Rivera was the real deal. Surprisingly, he said, “no doubt,” he’d be special. Rivera was terrific in 1996, don’t get me wrong, but it’s hard to foresee a Hall of Fame type career for a reliever (there are so few).

For the full interview transcription, head over to Boston.com or read more below.

Lenny: We're a little past the halfway point now, but no team is running away with its division. What race is the most intriguing to you?

Smoltz: The most intriguing would certainly be what's happening in the NL Central, but when it comes down to Boston and New York every year that's always what most people want to see or like to see and the animosity that exists between the two of them. It certainly looks like it's going to go down to the wire. Both teams have jockied, both teams have had injuries -- significant injuries -- both teams have stayed right where they're at for the most part. It's going to be a battle.

L: As you mentioned, is there any bigger surprise team in baseball than the first-place Pirates right now?

S: No. They've won the last two games with just dominant pitching. Their closer [Joel] Hanrahan is having an unbelievable year. Kudos to what's going on there because this time a year they are about ready to ship players other places, now they may actually be in the market looking for players.

L: All right, awards time. Who are your AL/NL Cy Youngs and MVPs?

S: That AL Cy Young is going to go absolutely down to the last start because you've got three horses right now in the race: CC [Sabathia], [Jered] Weaver and [Justin] Verlander. I never got caught up in one start, so that's why I'm still going to give Verlander the edge, but if CC continues at the rate he's continuing he's going to win it. Verlander had one bad start in his last nine or 10 games.

As far as MVP, at this current rate [Adrian] Gonzalez. For National League Cy Young, it's going to be interesting to see how the team of — whatever team, the Braves or Phillies, that wins the division is going to have the Cy Young.

As far as MVP, that one's more wide open. [Jose] Reyes has got a chance on a team that may not going anywhere. He might get traded; he might end up being the losers MVP because he gets traded. You got Prince Fielder in the last year of his contract, maybe trying to put his team on his back to win the MVP. I think the National League is wide open; there isn't an obvious choice.

L: The Red Sox have a small lead over the Yankees, but with the trade deadline looming many expect those two to make some upgrades. What is a bigger need for the Red Sox: pitching or a right fielder?

S: Well, you know what's interesting is I never would have said pitching, but they seem to find ways to sustain injuries every year and can overcome some of them, but not when you get a rash like they've got, a 1-2-3-4-5 situation. Every starter has been hurt.

L: [Josh] Beckett has been fairly healthy.

S: Yeah, but he missed a start or two and tweaked his knee. You're right, he hasn't gone on the DL. As far as needs, I think they are the most balanced team. If they all of a sudden made a rule that nobody could trade Boston would be in the best position. There's no team without a weakness, but I think it's kind of hard to even imagine that Boston could upgrade, depending on what they'd be willing to give up, in a scenario that if they get healthy they're as good as anyone.

L: You spent a little time in a Red Sox uniform at the very end of your career. When you were on the mound in Fenway, how would you compare it to the experience in Atlanta?

S: Well there's really no comparison. Fenway is unique in itself, the whole idea of pitching in Fenway is unlike any other ballpark, period. The atmosphere as well as the tradition of the guys that played there and the fans, games being sold out all the time, there really isn't a comparison I can make with Atlanta that I can make. Atlanta is a bigger ballpark, nicer, bigger room for the pitcher to give up mistakes, certainly not sold out all the time. Two totally different kind of venues.

L: Along with working for Boston.com, I also run a Yankees blog and my boss is allowing me to ask one Yankees-related question if you don't mind.

S: Sure.

L: You faced the Yankees in the World Series in 1996 and 1999 -- hard-luck loser once in each series, but pitched a gem in Game 1 of '96 against Andy Pettitte. Which series was more memorable to you? And, in 1996 did you see anything in Mariano Rivera that would indicate that he would go on to have a Hall of Fame type career?

S: He already has.

L: In '96, though, when you were watching him.

S: What's amazing in '96, he wasn't the closer obviously. John Wetteland was. When Mariano Rivera came out of the game, Which is the greatest compliment you can give him, you felt like you had a chance against Wetteland, and Wetteland was tough in his own right. So, yes, I think everybody who saw Mariano pitch knew he would be the type of pitcher he is today. That's just something you don't see, a guy who can repeat a pitch over and over and over again. That was one of those you could say, no doubt.

---
Check out my other interviews with Jim Bouton and Bernie Williams.

Luis Ayala steals foul ball from Rays fan with his hat [Video]

2011-07-20T16:13:00.001-04:00

The stunned look on the Rays fan’s face is the reason for watching this video, not the nice grab by Luis Ayala. It looks like Ayala gave the ball back to the fan, but the video evidence was inconclusive.

Tonight’s matchup is Freddy Garcia vs. David Price. Should be fun.

Christian Lopez is a Steiner Sports receptionist … for a day [Photo]

2011-07-20T10:35:00.001-04:00

Recognize this guy? That’s Christian Lopez, the lucky fan who snagged Derek Jeter’s home run for hit No. 3,000. Eleven days after making a name for himself, he’s still reaping the benefits. It appears he’s spending the day with Steiner, doing memorabilia type things.

He also autographed a DJ3K ball with a note, “I caught DJ3K.” You can purchase that ball here for $34.99 (just type in your email address to view it).

If you didn’t hear, Brandon Steiner, founder and chairman of Steiner Sports, estimated Jeter’s 3,000th hit ball would have sold for $200,000-300,000.

Photo courtesy of Steiner Sports

Curtis Granderson featured on ESPN’s E:60 tonight [Video]

2011-07-19T15:00:00.000-04:00

The Yankees are on at 7 p.m., but set your DVRs to ESPN during the game. Curtis Granderson will be featured on ESPN’s E:60, which might be the best show on that station. Click read more for the press release.

ESPN's award-winning primetime newsmagazine E:60 will feature a heartwarming story involving New York Yankees star Curtis Granderson in the episode airing Tuesday, July 19, at 7 p.m. ET.

Granderson could get away with living the bling lifestyle – after all, he’s got a loud contract on the proudest team in baseball. But that’s not who Granderson is. Exemplifying this, as E:60’s Rachel Nichols discovered, is his bond with the family of Brian Bluhm, a lifelong Detroit Tigers fan who was gunned down in the Virginia Tech shootings in 2007.

Launched in October 2007, ESPN’s E:60 combines investigative reporting, in-depth profiles of intriguing sports personalities and features on emerging star athletes. These stories are presented in a fresh and innovative format that incorporates producer/correspondent meetings.

Right now, who do you want at second base: Robinson Cano or Dustin Pedroia?

2011-07-19T14:32:00.001-04:00

Former Yankees beat writer and current Red Sox beat Peter Abraham posted an interesting comparison between Robinson Cano and Dustin Pedroia on his Extra Bases blog today.

He concludes: “You could not go wrong with either player. But right now, Pedroia is the clear choice given his 1.177 OPS in the last 35 games.”

Both hitters are hot right now, so I don’t mind the comparison for “right now.” Cano is hitting .321 in July, just not as hot as Pedroia (.410).

The key distinguishing factor between these two is the ability to take pitches and walk. Cano has trouble with this while Pedroia thrives. Here’s a fun fact: the two second basemen have both struck out 50 times this season, but Pedroia has walked 47 more times.

Based on the stats Abraham used in his post, it’s tough to disagree with his conclusion. Any takers?

Yankees-Rays Series Preview: Meet Brandon Laird

2011-07-18T19:16:00.001-04:00

The Rays are probably a bit tired after last night’s 16-inning affair against the Red Sox. The Yankees can catch the Rays sleeping tonight, as the two AL East giants start a four-game series at the Trop.

On the Hill:
Monday: A.J. Burnett (8-7, 4.15) vs. Alex Cobb (2-0, 3.41)
Tuesday: Bartolo Colon (6-5, 3.47) vs. Jeremy Hellickson (8-7, 3.21)
Wednesday: Freddy Garcia (7-7, 3.43) vs. David Price (9-7, 3.73)
Thursday: CC Sabathia (14-4, 2.64) vs. James Shields (8-8, 2/60)

Players to Watch:

Brandon Laird: He was late for batting practice today — he had a delayed flight — but he could make his major league debut this series, and that’s always exciting to watch. Here’s his digital version of the backside of his baseball card (without the cool cartoon you saw on old Topps cards).

B.J. Upton: He crushed the Yankees in the series before the All-Star break and he continued his hot hitting against the Red Sox. Just don’t let him turn on a low fastball, Yankee pitchers.

Prediction:
The Yankees could lose this series 3-1 if they don’t watch out. Hellickson and Price are nasty and the Yankees have never seen tonight’s starter.

Rockies mistaking Ubaldo Jimenez for Roy Halladay in Yankees trade talks

2011-07-18T12:00:00.000-04:00

Starting pitchers are hot commodities at the trade deadline. Always have been, always will be. But, according to Jon Heyman, the Rockies are going overboard in the preliminary negotiations with the Yankees for Ubaldo Jimenez.

how apart are rox, yanks? colo seeks banuelos, betances AND nova w/ montero. nyy says it wont trade any of those 3 w/ jesus

In other words, the Rockies want the Yankees’ top three prospects and a 24-year-old major league starter in exchange for a 5-8, 4.08 ERA pitcher.

Right.

Let’s ignore the fact that the Yankees would never consider parting with that much talent for anyone less than Roy Halladay.

The Rockies have all the leverage in this deal, especially with his friendly contract. Also, Jimenez’s numbers can be a bit deceiving. Half the time he gets hit hard in the most hitter-friendly stadium in the majors, and on the road he’s been the brilliant, 2010 Ubaldo. Below are Jimenez’s splits you need to know before debating this trade:

	ERA	WHIP
Home	5.89	1.71
Road	2.28	0.90
April/May	5.86	1.52
June/July	2.56	1.12

Oh, and Ubaldo has a no-hitter on his resume, too.

Now pretend you are Brian Cashman and are vying for a World Series championship this season. What do you offer the Rockies for Jimenez?

Nate’s Takes: Jesus Montero, Phil Hughes, Ivan Nova, Sergio Mitre, Joe Girardi’s dog

2011-07-18T10:30:00.001-04:00

After an anti climatic All-Star Game the Yankees got off to a rough start in Toronto. Before that, Robinson Cano brought the Home Run Derby crown back to New York after his teammate Derek Jeter was bashed for making the first mistake in career full of perfection. In the past couple of days, CC Sabathia showed why he should be the front-runner for the AL Cy Young award and Brett Gardner showed why he should replace Jeter in the leadoff spot.

The Yankees right now find themselves in an interesting spot. With the trade deadline looming it’s hard to find a legitimate trade target that makes sense for them. The signing of Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon have worked out well so far, but who knows if they can keep it up. While the bullpen has suffered injury after injury, they still remain one of the best in baseball. While the lineup has had its ups and downs the Yankees feature one of the best lineups in baseball and have very little room for an acquisition.

One trade target the stands out is Ubaldo Jimenez. While the name sounds good, Jimenez has struggled for almost a year now. The Rockies would want a huge package in return starting with at least Jesus Montero. With the trade deadline approaching here are my takes.

For a while now I have been very opposed to trading Montero. However if there is anything that this year has shown, it is that the Yankees can get by with a catcher that is not an elite hitter. Russell Martin has done a great job and the Yankees minor league system is stacked with solid catchers.

While Phil Hughes looked better against Toronto I am still not convinced. Hughes should be throwing in the mid 90s as he did in the minors. Hughes needs to show something this year or else his time in the Bronx might be numbered.

Could you imagine if the Yankees could get Pedro Feliciano and Damaso Marte back in pinstripes this year? That would be a huge boost for a bullpen that has had one lefty since last year.

What is the over-under on how much longer Ivan Nova is in the minors? Meanwhile Sergio Mitre continues to hold Joe Girardi’s dog hostage for a roster spot.

The Yankees take on the Rays for four games, before heading home to play the garbage of the American League. This would be a good time for the Yankees to put together a winning streak and take over first place in the American League East.

Hopefully by next week the Red Sox are looking up in the standings.

Poll Results: Most people watched some of the All-Star Game

2011-07-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

Most voters said they watched some of last Tuesday’s All-Star Game. In other news, the sky is blue and grass is green.

OK, but I hope you know what I was getting at when I posed that question last week. There is so much wrong with baseball’s All-Star Game, from the fan voting to the game’s management to the impact on the World Series. Bud Selig only has one more year left in his reign over baseball. If he can’t change all — or at least some — of what is wrong with the Midsummer Classic, I hope his successor will be able to fix it.

Next poll: Would you include Jesus Montero in a trade for Ubaldo Jimenez?

Yankees-Blue Jays Series Preview: 2nd half begins

2011-07-14T16:03:00.001-04:00

The Yankees begin the second half tied with the Red Sox in the loss column and two behind in the win column. Don’t fret, there’s still plenty of Boston-New York matchups ahead — nine, to be exact.

But first, the Yankees have another AL East foe to handle. The Blue Jays took three of eight games against the Yankees in the first half, and they’re set to begin a four-game series tonight.

On the Hill:
Thursday: Bartolo Colon (6-4, 3.20) vs. Jo-Jo Reyes (4-7, 4.57)
Friday: Freddy Garcia (7-6, 3.13) vs. Brandon Morrow (5-4, 4.60)
Saturday: CC Sabathia (13-4, 2.72) vs. Ricky Romero (7-8, 3.09)
Sunday: Phil Hughes (0-2, 10.57) vs. Carlos Villanueva (5-1, 2.99)

Players to Watch:

Mark Teixeira: In his eight seasons prior to this year, Tex has been a second half slugger. He’ll have a tough time topping his first half this season, as he cranked 25 homers. The second half begins tonight.

Jose Bautista: Every time the Yankees face the Blue Jays, there should only be one guy to watch out for. Quite obviously, it’s the major league home run leader, who is lapping the field. He has 31 while the next closest — two Yankees — have 25.

Prediction:
The Yankees will split this series with Garcia and Hughes taking losses.

Sherman: Yankees rejected K-Rod deal

2011-07-13T14:40:00.001-04:00

Via Joel Sherman’s Twitter:

Heard #Yankees rejected similar deal for K-Rod, in part, because then either Soriano or K-Rod have pitch 7th inning and (cont) #Mets

If you haven’t heard, Francisco Rodriguez wound up with the Brewers in exchange for two players to be named later.

It certainly would have been an interesting situation with two loose cannons in the bullpen who think they should be closing when there’s a guy named Mariano Rivera still in town. I think it’s a scene the Yankees were right to avoid, even though they could use some bullpen help to make up for all of their injuries. Your thoughts?

It’s worth noting that Scott Boras had some interesting comments regarding K-Rod after representing Rafael Soriano this past offseason.

… Boras told Newsday’s Ken Davidoff on Monday, “Francisco Rodriguez is a historic closer. He’s not going anywhere to be a setup man.”

Boras added, “Closers don’t make good setup men. Does anyone want an unhappy setup man in their clubhouse?”

Nice, Scott.

Robinson Cano representing Yankees in Home Run Derby

2011-07-11T20:09:00.001-04:00

The Yankees have Robinson Cano representing them at tonight’s Home Run Derby. The lefty has 15 jacks this season.

Personally, I have to put my money on Adrian Gonzalez. His smooth swing reminds me of Bobby Abreu’s, and he won it a few years ago.

Who do you like? Follow my tweets during the Derby tonight @lenNYsYankees.

Nate’s Takes: CC Sabathia, Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez, Russell Martin, trades

2011-07-11T10:15:00.000-04:00

Hey Yankees fans, I have returned from my trip to Europe just in time to watch Derek Jeter make history. Only Derek Jeter could reach a milestone in the fashion and even the most optimistic Yankee fan couldn’t see that coming. Hopefully Jeter can start hitting right away, but in my opinion he should be moved down in the order as soon as possible.

While I was in Europe the Yankees were cruising and it seemed as though they were going to put some distance between them and the Red Sox. Unfortunately, after Mariano Rivera blew the save against the Mets, the Yankees proceeded to lose ground and now find themselves one game behind their rivals going into the break. With a lot of Yankees banged up, this break could not have come at a better time. Here are my takes:

The Yankees need to give CC Sabathia whatever he wants to stay at the end of the year. Not only has Brian Cashman never signed a
pitcher that has performed this well, but the Yankees rotation without the big guy would be a mess. Jeter should make an appearance the All-Star game. In the year where he becomes the first Yankee to 3,000 hits he should at least show up in a suit and tie.

Not a big fan of Robinson Cano participating in the Home Run Derby. The Home Run Derby seems to mess up the swings of players who are not typical homerun hitters. Although Cano is known for killing the all in batting practice so watch out, David Ortiz.

Alex Rodriguez having surgery was the right decision. Hopefully he comes back strong for a playoff push.

Russell Martin and Larry Rothschild deserve a lot of credit in the
first half. I know Martin has a low batting average, but he has
handled the pitching staff better than anyone could imagine. Another good signing by Brian Cashman.

I have been looking at the rosters of teams that could be sellers at the deadline. I found it hard to come up with a name that fits the Yankees needs. I think they Yankees may add a bench player or two, but besides that they need to just hope everyone gets healthy.

The Yankees have the All Star break followed by a road trip to see the Blue Jays and the Rays. They eventually play the Red Sox in early August and the schedule starts to bunch up as they have very few off days. Hopefully the Yankees start getting players back little by little and can finally win a series against the Red Sox. MY prediction is that the Yankees come back from the break healthy and red hot. Go AL All-Stars, home field advantage in the World Series would be nice.

Poll Results: Yankees need starting and relief help at trade deadline

2011-07-11T09:15:00.000-04:00

Fans weren’t conclusive in my latest poll results, but one thing is for certain: the Yankees need to pursue pitching at the trade deadline.

This shouldn’t be news to anyone, as most contending teams will look to bolster their staffs at the deadline. The only teams who probably aren’t looking for pitching are the Phillies, Braves and Giants.

It’s still unclear whether teams will be buyers or sellers so it’s too early to tell which pitchers will be on the market. Felix Hernandez is the first name that comes to mind but NY Daily News beat Mark Feinsand unequivocally refuted that notion.

New poll: Will/did you watch the All-Star Game?

Derek Jeter homers for No. 3,000 [Video]

2011-07-09T15:40:00.001-04:00

As the clock struck 2, No. 2 cranked a low curveball over the left-field fence for his 3,000th hit. Jorge Posada was the first to congratulate him at home plate and an on-field celebration ensued. Better quality video here.

Derek Jeter joined Wade Boggs as the only player to homer for No. 3,000. Meanwhile, he’s 4-for-4 and vying for the cycle.

The lucky fan who caught — picked up — the home run ball, Christian Lopez, showed a lot of class by giving the ball to the Yankees without a fight. The Yankees gave him several prizes in return, including tickets for the rest of the season through the World Series.

Obviously I will have more on this later. For the time being, congrats, Jeet!

Red Sox trade targets likely overlap with Yankees’

2011-07-08T15:02:00.001-04:00

I compiled a list of players the Red Sox could potentially target for this year’s trade deadline for Boston.com — I’m working there this summer, don’t hate. The thing is, the Yankees are usually competing with the Red Sox to nab the top players available at the deadline, which is why I’m sharing this list.

I put asterisks next to the players who I thought would particularly make sense for the Yankees to pursue.

Carlos Beltran
Jeff Francoeur
Ryan Ludwick
Jeff Baker*
Coco Crisp
Carlos Quentin
Ty Wigginton*
Jonny Gomes
Hunter Pence
Ryan Spilborghs*
Conor Jackson
Derek Lowe
Michael Cuddyer
Josh Willingham*
Heath Bell*
Jose Reyes

Yankees might be scouting Cubs John Grabow, Aramis Ramirez & Alfonso Soriano

2011-07-08T09:13:00.001-04:00

The Yankees had three scouts at yesterday’s Nationals-Cubs game, and ESPN Chicago’s Bruce Levine says, “it appears the Yankees may have some interest in Cubs left-handed reliever John Grabow as well as hitters such as Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano.”

The Yankees were also linked to Nationals lefty reliever Sean Burnett yesterday, originally reported by Craig Heist of WTOP 103.5 FM in Washington (via MLBTR).

Below are quick profiles for all four possible Yankees’ trade targets.

John Grabow, LHP
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard Grabow’s name in trade talks; the longtime Pittsburgh Pirate has drawn interest by many teams over the years. However, with the Cubs he hasn’t been very effective (5.24 ERA in three seasons). But that number is a little deceiving, as he’s still prevented lefty sluggers from making an impact on games (.196 BAA in 56 ABs this season).

Aramis Ramirez, 3B
One of the hottest hitters in baseball lately, Ramirez already has four homers in July and 12 since the start of June. The stocky third baseman would be a major upgrade at DH over Jorge Posada, but he would come at a high price.

Alfonso Soriano, OF
Remember him? I sure do. He was one of my favorite Yankees in the early 2000s, but also the centerpiece in the A-Rod deal. He’s only had one 100 RBI season since his MVP-like 2002, but he’s still a quality player — again, at a high price.

Sean Burnett, LHP
Like Grabow, Burnett hasn’t been very effective in 2011 but that depends on which way you look at it. He has a 5.76 ERA, but has faired much better against lefties than against righties (.240 vs. .308 BAA). Also like Grabow, Burnett is a former Pirate, which always bodes well for the Yankees’ chances.

What say you: Of these three, whom do you see fit for pinstripes?

Nike’s Derek Jeter 3,000 hit T-shirts are awesome

2011-07-07T18:29:00.001-04:00

And I thought Jeter’s 2,722 T-shirt was cool (see below).

Sadly, I won’t be at the stadium to see Derek Jeter get his 3,000th hit (unless it takes him until July 30) like I was to see him pass Lou Gehrig. But I’m not going to miss out on snagging this T-shirt. It’s a thing of beauty, and it also comes in navy.

Here’s me wearing the Gehrig shirt. I can’t believe I’m putting a photo taken by my mother on my blog.

River Ave. Blues had the photos of the new Nike shirt.

Rays-Yankees Series Preview: Finishing the 1st half

2011-07-07T15:27:00.001-04:00

In the last series before the All-Star break, the Yankees face division foe Tampa Bay in a four-game series at Yankee Stadium.

The Rays are 5-5 in their last 10 and the Yankees are coming off their first series loss since the Red Sox swept them nearly a month ago.

On the Hill:
Thursday: Jeff Niemann (3-4, 5.05) vs. Bartolo Colon (6-3, 2.88)
Friday: Jeremy Hellickson (8-7, 3.21) vs. Freddy Garcia (7-6, 3.13)
Saturday: David Price (8-7, 3.56) vs. A.J. Burnett (8-7, 4.12)
Sunday: James Shields (8-6, 2.47) vs. CC Sabathia (12-4, 2.90)

Players to Watch

:
Casey Kotchman: He’s been the hottest Ray over the last month, hitting .350 with 13 RBIs. In July, he already has three multi-hit games.

Derek Jeter: 3,000. Need I say more?

Prediction:
The Yankees will take three out of four, and Jeter will reach 3,000 on Sunday off James Shields in the third inning by bouncing a low-and-away curveball up the middle for a single.

Derek Jeter Featured Card of the Week, again

2011-07-06T19:10:00.000-04:00

And why not?

I made an attempt to shine the spotlight on Phil Hughes’s return tonight, but that was an impossible endeavor with the most popular baseball player on the planet vying for 3,000 hits on ESPN tonight.

That’s right, Derek Jeter, fully recovered from a calf injury (speculative), is now just four hits shy of 3,000 hits, a feat only 27 men in the history of baseball have accomplished.

The stage is yours. If not tonight, it will be again tomorrow. And Friday, and Saturday, and … hopefully not Sunday — I don’t know how much longer I can take the hype.

When should Joe Girardi bite the bullet and move Derek Jeter down in the order?

2011-07-05T11:00:00.000-04:00

Yes, I have more Derek Jeter commentary from Tyler Kepner’s column I alluded to earlier this morning.

As usual, Kepner penned an excellent piece. He didn’t dance around the tough Jeter lineup question, and he also acknowledged Joe Girardi’s points about keeping him as a leadoff hitter.

“I think people sometimes manage short term,” Girardi said. “When [Brett Gardner] was in the leadoff spot and wasn’t hitting, everyone wanted me to move him out of the leadoff spot.”

As Kepner later mentioned, Jeter isn’t just going through a cold spell; he hasn’t hit like the 3,000-hit Jeter since 2009.

Fans would never exonerate Girardi if he moved Jeter down in the lineup, or even benched him, before he gets the last six hits he needs to reach the major hitting milestone.

The Yankees play two more with the Indians this week before returning home for a four-game series with the Rays to conclude the first half. That means Jeter needs to average a hit per game to reach 3,000 on the nose before the All-Star break. Girardi will hope Jeter hits the milestone quickly if he starts plaguing his suddenly hot team.

After watching the Yankees win 14 of 18 games in Jeter’s absence, I think Girardi is just waiting for a few days after Jeter reaches the milestone before moving him down in the order.

What about you, when do you think Girardi should move Jeter down in the lineup?

Derek Jeter doesn’t always get the Yankees on cable at his home in Tampa

2011-07-05T09:00:00.000-04:00

I’ve successfully blocked out yesterday’s 6-3 loss with this stunning news about Derek Jeter culled from Tyler Kepner’s column.

Jeter deflected a few tough questions by saying he could not always watch the Yankees play on his cable system at home in Tampa, Fla.

A man as rich as Jeter can’t watch his own team from his castle in Tampa, but me, a college journalist living in the heart of Red Sox Nation, watches the Yankees nightly without any trouble. Quite the conundrum, isn’t it?

And yes, despite his .256 batting average, Jeter earned a trip to Arizona for his 12th All-Star Game selection. He also has the lowest on-base percentage on the team (with more than 150 at-bats) and is its leadoff hitter.

Much to the chagrin of the Dos Equis man, Derek Jeter might just be The Most Interesting Man in the World.

Rosenthal: Yankees to pursue relief help at trade deadline

2011-07-04T16:00:00.000-04:00

Via Ken Rosenthal:

The Yankees, knowing that the trade market is thin in quality starting pitching, likely will pursue relievers aggressively after suffering numerous injuries in their bullpen.

The report mentioned Padres closer Heath Bell, who is having another stellar season.

Rosenthal is right, kind of. The Yankees have had the worst luck with injuries to their bullpen this season. Losing Rafael Soriano, Joba Chamberlain, Pedro Feliciano and Damaso Marte for extended periods of time hasn’t made it easy for the Yankees. Plus, the trade market for starting pitchers will likely be incredibly thin.

However, I do NOT think the Yankees should pursue a stud reliever because the asking price is almost never worth it for relievers. Other than Mariano Rivera, there haven’t been too many relievers to consistently be great and healthy.

On the other hand, the Yankees could try and strike gold on a Kerry Wood type, and not spend a whole lot of money and/or prospects. It’s a tough call, which is why I’ve made it this week’s poll question. Cast your vote and make your case in the comments!

Poll Results: Fans happy with Yankees season

2011-07-04T15:45:00.001-04:00

What more could you ask for on this beautiful July 4 holiday? Derek Jeter returns from the disabled list to continue his pursuit of 3,000 hits, the Yankees have won seven of their last eight games, and they hold a 1.5 game lead over the Red Sox.

Oh, and in case you missed it, six Yankees made the All-Star team, four of whom will start. CC Sabathia (11-4, 3.05 ERA) did not make the team, however, because he’s scheduled to start two days before the All-Star Game. (If you ask me, CC should at least be recognized as an All-Star.)

Anyway, enjoy your holiday, catch some fireworks and watch the Yankees face the Indians at 6:35 p.m.

New poll: What should the Yankees pursue at the trade deadline?

Yankees likely have two undeserving All-Star starters

2011-07-01T18:01:00.001-04:00

Every year, the fans miss a few players — and the reason for that usually circles back to New York’s overwhelming fan base. You could even blame mainstream media for not giving enough credit to some of these snubs, but for some players the fans just get it wrong.

Yankees who deserved to make the team (and likely will):
1. Mark Teixeira — Adrian Gonzalez (.352, 16 HR, 71 RBI) is the sure bet starter, but Teixeira (.243, 25 HR, 63 RBI) continues to pump out homers.

2. Robinson Cano — Not a whole lot of competition here for Cano (.289, 14 HR, 51 RBI).

3. Alex Rodriguez — There is a surplus of stellar third basemen in the AL, but A-Rod (.299, 13 HR, 51 RBI) is having the best year among Adrian Beltre (.259, 14 HR, 57 RBI), Kevin Youkilis (.269, 11 HR, 55 RBI) and Evan Longoria (.249, 10 HR, 36 RBI).

4. Curtis Granderson — He leads all outfielders in RBI and is only three homers behind Jose Bautista (.326, 24 HR, 52 RBI), who is my pick to win this year’s Home Run Derby (if David Ortiz picks him).

Yankees who likely will start but weren’t deserving:
1. Russell Martin — Alex Avila (.303, 10 HR, 56 RBI) of the Tigers is having a better season than Martin (.230, 10 HR, 34 RBI) on all fronts, but he’ll likely make it as a backup.

2. Derek Jeter — This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Among qualified AL shortstops, Jeter (.260, 2 HR, 20 RBI) ranks in the bottom half of all Triple Crown categories. Asdrubal Cabrera (.296, 13 HR, 47 RBI) is my pick to start. Cabrera should make it as a backup, but Jhonny Peralta (.313, 13 HR, 47 RBI) will get snubbed.

Conclusion:
So the Yankees likely will have six starters around the diamond, two of whom are undeserving, and then I bet two of their pitchers make it: CC Sabathia & Mariano Rivera.

Oh, I can’t resist writing about the All-Star Game without linking back to my argument for why the Midsummer Classic just doesn’t make any sense.

Here’s today’s What the Heck Idea of the Day … starring Prince Fielder

2011-06-29T09:48:00.001-04:00

OK, I’m not really sure if this WTH Idea of the Day will be an ongoing thing here on lenNY’s Yankees, but if there were any time to start today would be the day. Below you will find a headline on a column from NY Daily News’s John Harper (courtesy of HBT).

Harper chose the worst possible fit for the Yankees likely because they happen to be playing the team Prince Fielder plays for and he needed a catchy headline while working on deadline.

Still, as we found out last winter, when Cashman was overruled on the signing of Rafael Soriano, selling tickets sometimes supersedes critical thinking.

And while pitching may be the priority for these Yankees, the free-agent market will have little in the way of frontline starters, with the possible exception of C.J. Wilson. Meanwhile, Cashman believes he has his own elite pitching coming in Dellin Betances and Manny Banuelos, either of whom could be ready to step into the rotation in 2012.

Harper’s logic in brief: The Yankees need pitching but the trade market is thin this season, so they should upgrade their hitting.

That doesn’t quite work like the bullpen upgrade did (or was supposed to do) this offseason for balancing the pitching staff’s lack of starters.

Listen, I’m as big a fan as Fielder as anyone, and let’s not forget who his dad was. But Brian Cashman shouldn’t even make a phone call to the Brewers about the pudgy, expensive slugger.

Poll Results: Interleague play is just right

2011-06-27T09:00:00.000-04:00

Fans voted in my latest poll that baseball’s interleague play is just right. Not one person said it was time to realign.

The two big things I’ve been hearing from players about the divisions are “we play too many games against teams in our division” and “why change a game that’s already great?” I tend to side with the latter, but I could stand for an addition of a wild card to each league. This would create a short series scenario between the league’s two wild cards and would place more importance on winning a division.

Next poll: What’s your overall take on the Yankees in 2011?

Link: Derek Jeter’s delayed milestone

2011-06-21T21:50:00.001-04:00

With tonight’s rainout, the Yankees will play a split doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 12:35. So instead of a game recap, for a change of pace I’m going to show you something I didn’t write.

Over at the Hardball Times, Chris Jaffe recognized Derek Jeter’s delayed milestone and looked at other delayed milestones in history.

In Jaffe’s article, he says, “There are three clubs that matter: 3,000 hits, 500 homers, and 300 wins.” Every player retired for more than five years who has achieved these milestones are in the Hall of Fame, or are in someway tainted by steroids. I agree with all three benchmarks except for the last one.

Due to the evolution of the bullpen in our beloved game, three hundred wins is a number no pitcher will ever reach. The only active candidate with a reasonable career record is CC Sabathia, who needs about 15 wins a year until he’s 40 to reach 300. I think the benchmark should be lowered to 250, and even that is a little high.

Some may argue that 500 homers aren’t enough to deserve an automatic bid to the Hall because of the inflated numbers in the steroid era. I still think 500 is a safe number.

What do you think, are these three key numbers still reasonable for Hall of Fame qualifications?

Joba Chamberlain shows us his arm post-Tommy John surgery

2011-06-21T13:28:00.001-04:00

Joba Chamberlain had Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm last Thursday, according to Mike Mazzeo. Joba posted on Twitter today, “Feels really good. Not as stiff as I would have thought. Thanks again for everyone's thoughts and prayers.” Here’s the accompanying picture.

No wonder TJS rehab takes a year.

Video: Cameron Diaz feeds David Letterman popcorn

2011-06-21T12:51:00.001-04:00

Remember that time at the Super Bowl when Cameron Diaz fed her boyfriend Alex Rodriguez popcorn? Well, Cameron was at it again last night, only this time she fed David Letterman. She also reveals her side of the story that night at the Super Bowl. Just skip to 2:40 for the popcorn part.

But if you watch the whole thing, you get to find out how Diaz answered Letterman’s question, “What do you guys do?”

Thanks, Hot Clicks for video

Ivan Nova pitches Yankees past Reds

2011-06-20T22:17:00.001-04:00

Ivan Nova pitched brilliantly over eight innings, ~~easily~~ maybe the best start of his career, and the Yankees escaped a ninth-inning Reds’ rally to win their sixth game in seven days.

Scoreboard Says:
Yankees 5, Reds 3
W: Ivan Nova
L: Travis Wood
S: Mariano Rivera

Gardner benched in favor of slacker:
Joe Girardi’s move to bench Brett Gardner against the left-handed starter backfired in a big way. In the third inning, Andruw Jones, Gardy’s replacement, grounded to third with a man on first and one out. The second baseman was slow on the transfer and the ball was hit slowly enough that Jones should have beaten it out no problem. Instead, he ran about a quarter of the way down the line and practically walked the rest of the way. He was out by a mile. Girardi and a trainer came out, according to Marc Carig, but Jones stayed in the game until the seventh.

It wasn’t an injury. It was an ugly play by a veteran worthy of benching. Girardi didn’t embarrass Jones, but I don’t think he’ll forget it. And maybe, just maybe, he’ll think twice about sitting one of his hottest hitters. If you’re Joe, do you bench Jones immediately following the play?

Rivera inches closer to 600:
Mariano Rivera earned his 18th save of the season, giving him 577 in his career. There’s an outside shot he reaches 600 this year, but he’ll need two more than that to surpass Trevor Hoffman as the all-time saves leader.

Game Ball:
Unquestionably, Nova. 8 IP, 4 H, ER, 0 BB(!), 7 K. Great for him.

Nate’s Takes: Joe Girardi, Brett Gardner, Eduardo Nunez, Phil Hughes

2011-06-20T10:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Father’s Day, Yankee Fans! Just wanted to send a special shout out to my dad Ron. Playing catch with him in the backyard is what got me into baseball years ago. I am sure most of you guys have similar stories. While this week started with an embarrassing 1-0 loss to Cleveland, the Yankees played relatively well and ended the week with a blowout win on Sunday Night Baseball.

The Yankees offense has been magnificent overall so far this year and a big part of that are home runs and walks. They continue to frustrate their fans for two reasons. One, they don’t hit particular well in clutch situations (they leave a lot of runners on base and do not score a lot of runs late in close games). Two, they continue to get shut out randomly by terrible (Doug Davis) pitchers. A lot of this can be drawn up to luck, or weather or maybe a late flight, but great offenses do not randomly get shut out. With that off my chest, here are my takes on the week.

Joe Girardi has done his best managerial job so far this year. With all the injuries, aging stars and poor seasons, the Yankees find themselves one and a half games out of first.

I love it when people try to predict the next closer of the Yankees. I’ve heard everything from Edwar Rameriz to Joba Chamberlain to Rafeal Soriano. It’s about time people start talking about David Robertson. This guy has done nothing but rake up strikeouts all the way back to his minor league days.

Brett Gardner should be batting leadoff. Versus lefties and righties. End of story.

Can someone teach Eduardo Nunez how to throw to first. Enough is enough. If only we could combine Ramero Pena’s fielding with Nunez’s bat.

Who would have thought the Yankees would have the best bullpen in baseball? Oh wait that’s what everyone thought at the beginning of the year. But, that was before all the injuries…

Good news, Phil Hughes reportedly hit 95 in his first start in Tampa. Hopefully he is just weeks away from joining the rotation.

Note: Monday afternoon I leave for Europe. As a graduation present to myself I bought a one-way ticket. Not sure when I will be back, but most likely 2-3 weeks. Hopefully the Yankees are still playing great baseball when I get back. I am not sure how much baseball I will be able to watch while I travel, so Ill probably have Lenny fill me in when I get back. Enjoy the rest of interleague play! When I get back it should be about time to talk about some potential trades (not Carlos Zambrano). Adios.

Poll Results: Bartolo Colon’s short leave hurts more than Joba Chamberlain’s injury

2011-06-20T09:00:00.000-04:00

Last week’s poll yielded some firm results, as voters felt Bartolo Colon’s absence in the rotation would be more damaging to the Yankees than losing Joba Chamberlain for more than a year.

In brief, where did all the Joba hatred come from? Colon definitely made quite the impression on the Yankees and their fans with his superb pitching, but just a few months ago we were joking around about his size and didn’t think he had a chance to pitch in the majors again.

It’s too soon for updates on either players’ rehabs, but I’ll be sure to post Colon’s when the news is available because, clearly, you seem to care!

Next poll: What’s your take on interleague play?

Happy Father’s Day!

2011-06-19T13:04:00.001-04:00

To all the Yankees who are dads, to all the Yankees fans who read my blog and are dads, and to my dad, happy father’s day. Today’s your day.

~~lenNY’s Yankees~~

Yankees even series with Cubs

2011-06-18T20:09:00.001-04:00

The Yankees had too many base runners to lose a baseball game, but they still managed to keep the score close.

Scoreboard Says:
Yankees 4, Cubs 3
W: A.J. Burnett
L: Ryan Dempster
S: Mariano Rivera

A-Rod & Cano Continue Quest to .300:
It’s mid-June and still no Yankee starter is hitting .300. Alex Rodriguez (.282) and Robinson Cano (.293) approached the mark today, as both collected two hits. As it turns out, this quest has been going on for so long that Brett Gardner (.286) and Curtis Granderson (.285) have overtaken A-Rod in the hunt.

Rivera Inches Closer to 600:
Mariano Rivera earned his 17th save of the season, giving him 576 in his career. There’s an outside shot he reaches 600 this year, but he’ll need two more than that to surpass Trevor Hoffman as the all-time saves leader.

Game Ball:
Burnett. Not a fabulous game by any means, but he did have eight K’s in 5 1/3 innings. His ERA now sits a hair above 4 at 4.05.

Brett Gardner delivers walk-off in 12th

2011-06-16T17:35:00.001-04:00

The Yankees finished their sweep of the Rangers, but it took more than nine innings. After an excellent spot start by journeyman Brian Gordon, the Yankees finally got a hit with a runner in scoring position from Brett Gardner in the 12th inning.

Scoreboard Says:
Yankees 3, Rangers 2
W: Cory Wade*
L: Michael Kirkman

*No-Name Pitchers Can Pitch:
Fittingly, after a no-namer started the game, a different no-namer won it. The Yankees signed Wade to a minor-league contract on Sunday and called him up yesterday. Wade, 28, pitched for the Dodgers in 2008 and 2009; he was great in ‘08 and terrible in ‘09. I’m sure you’ve heard about Gordon by now.

Too Many Men Left on the Bases:
Between the Rangers and Yankees, there were a combined 23 men left on base (10 & 13, respectively). The Yankees had 11 of the 20 hits in the game. And, sometimes, there are games when there are more runs than hits. ***John Sterling chimes in, “You know, you can’t predict baseball.”***

Russell Returns:
Without playing since Sunday, Russell Martin had two hits and apparently called a great game in the win. Good to see him back in the lineup and not on the disabled list. He sat behind the plate for all 12 innings, too.

Game Ball:
Gordon. The Yankee newcomer allowed seven hits and two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings. That’s all the Yankees could ask for, and more.

Quinnipiac poll: CT has more Yankees fans than Red Sox fans

2011-06-16T11:43:00.001-04:00

Any time Quinnipiac, Yankees and Red Sox are involved in the same story, I feel obligated to post about it.

According to an annual Quinnipiac poll, there are more Yankees fans in Connecticut than members of Red Sox nation.

Boom. Roasted.

Here’s the voting breakdown, courtesy of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Yankees: 43%
Red Sox: 38%
Mets: 7%
Cubs: 1%
Reds: 1%
Rockies: 1%
Tigers: 1%
Twins: 1%
Phillies: 1%
Cardinals: 1%
Don’t know/NA: 3%

Hey, look! My school newspaper, The Quinnipiac Chronicle, even got a shout out in the CBS story because Mariano Rivera’s son, Mariano Rivera III, is attending Quinnipiac in the fall. But no link, unfortunately.

Nick Swisher hitting leadoff tonight

2011-06-15T16:14:00.001-04:00

OK, I wasn’t that surprised about this news, because there’s really nobody else the Yankees want hitting first against lefties, but it’s still Nick Swisher’s first time starting at leadoff for the Yankees.

The reason you don’t see Brett Gardner up top is the Yankees don’t like him against lefties all that much. They’ve only given him 34 chances against lefties this year, and he’s hitting .250/.364/.286.

And they aren’t messing with Curtis Granderson because, well, who would? He’s tied for the major-league lead in homers and is getting hot again. Fine by me.

Swish had another homer and a double last night, so it really might not be a bad idea after all.