Results tagged ‘ Cano ’
With Free Agency Upon Us…Let the Greed Begin!
The last time I had made an entry…I proclaimed the Yankees were dead…and within a few weeks, they indeed were. I said that the Swiss Family Steinbrenners should fire Brian Cashman and replace him with longtime Yankees’ executive Gene Michael. I also suggested that the Yankees replace Joe Girardi with one time Yankee skipper Buck Showalter. Unfortunately for us in the Yankees Universe, neither of these moves occurred. With the unrestricted free agent period upon us though, some of my August predictiions appear to possibly be coming to fruition over the next few weeks. Let us review…
I said both Moose and Andy “The Clunker” Pettitte had to go. Moose had the best year of his career at the end of it…Mussina has since decided to retire after going 20-9, and finishing 6th in AL Cy Young voting. Pettitte is simply washed up. Let him go back to Houston to his wife and kids, his church and Roger Clemens, and Drayton McClane and the Astros. Not worth another $16 million to have a repeat of 2008. As much as I love the Great Giambino, his time too has come and gone. Never once did Giambi produce anywhere close to his AL MVP season. Sure, he had his fair share of bombs, but a lackluster batting average for the most part. He also battled injuries, played subpar first base, and brought a cloud of controversy into the Bronx with the sterioid/BALCO investigation. Pudge Rorgriquez was not the Pudge of even three seasons ago, so he had to go as well. From this point, we shall take a look at what I said the Yankees should do, what they have done, and what we can look forward to in 2009.
Sabathia was an obvious move. After the youth movement imploded with the failures of Hughes, Kennedy, and Chamberlain, and factor in the Yankees shed just under $90 million in payroll, an immediate upgrade in starting pitching was a must. 5 or 6 years at $140 million will lure C.C. to the Bronx, regardless of what the west coast teams may try to come back with. A.J. Burnett did indeed opt out of his contract in Toronto and has been offered a 5 year deal for $80 million. Nobody will outbid the Bombers for his services. The one move I suggested that the Yankees should’ve make was the pursuit of Ben Sheets, the other big name Brewers free agent. Sheets broke down physcially at the end of the year, and no team in their right mind would offer him more than a 2 or 3 year deal…based completely on his health. Insert former BoSox postseason hero Derek Lowe. Yes, the possibility of the man who helped complete the greatest comeback in baseball history donning pinstripes bothers me too. But what better way to get back into the AL East race in 2009 than keeping him from returning to a depleted and one year older Boston rotation and signing Lowe as a back of the rotation guy? I’m smiling already!
I remember back in August when I wrote my entry, I received a comment from a what I believe is a fellow Yankees’ fan, who stated it all sounds good, but is not very realistic. Well my friend, whomever you may be…reality is upon us, Sabathia and Burnett along with Lowe could very well be Yankees come New Year’s Day…but, and that is a very big but, that wasn’t all I had to say about whom the Yankees need to import to drastically overhaul the 2008 roster. I also suggested the Yankees outbid everyone else and bring in a Gold Glove, switch hitting first baseman by the name of Mark Texeira. The Angels can’t afford Scott Boras’ demands…The Red Sox would have to move Youkilis to 3rd, and platoon Lowell and Ortiz at DH-THAT WON”T HAPPEN…Baltimore and Washington could make a run at him since they are his native area teams…Does Mark really want to play for basement dwellers? Scratch them as well. Leaving the Bombers to overpay for quality, and in this case as well as the Sabathia signing, will and must happen. Now, for the final pieces of the free agent puzzle…who else could help put the Yankees over the top either offensively or pitching-wise? Ready for this Bronx Bomber fans…Manny Ramirez! That’s right…the Washington Heights native has been a Yankee killer his entire career, the Yankees can afford him and he has stated multiple times since his exile from Boston, that he wants to stick it to the heart of Red Sox Nation. DH Manny, re-sign Abreu, and ship Godzilla Matsui to either Seattle or San Francisco-both of whom have inquired about Matsui’s services over the last season plus.
I will give Cashman credit for his buyout and re-signing of Damaso Marte. Most feel Marte did nothing upon his return to the Bronx, but he is young, throws hard, and is lefthanded. Pair him with the rest of the young Bombers bullpen who lived through the growing pains and will be a year better, along with the Sandman to slam the door, and you have yourself a recipe for another run at a World Series title in 2009. I also suggested the Yankees infuse some youth into their lineup, and I love the Gardner kid. Watching the final few weeks of the season, and making the pilgramage to the Cathedral one last time, I got to see firsthand what this young man is capable of. Platoon Gardner and Damon. Keep Chamberlain as the 8th inning setup guy for Rivera, and hand him the closer’s job upon Rivera’s retirement. So, with all of my suggestions, this is what the 2009 Yankees lineup should look like, followed by the starting rotation….
CF Damon/Gardner
SS Jeter
DH Ramirez
3B Rodriguez
1B Texiera
RF Abreu
LF Nady
C Posada
2B Cano
SP Sabathia
SP Burnett
SP Wang
SP Hughes
SP Lowe
One last note…I read yesterday that Yankees Legend Bernie Williams wants to return to the Bronx and play in 2009…he stated that playing in the new Cathedral is a dream come true and that he has been able to enjoy life while out of baseball since 2006. Here’s an idea…instead of giving Bernie the opportunity to embarrass himself, plan and execute a Bernie Williams Day at the new Stadium and retire his beloved #51. He could barely compete in 2006, and at age 40, probably has very little or less to contribute to the Yankees in 2009.
As always, be good, take care of yourself, and take care of your buddy next to ya!
One Game…Does It Really Matter Now?
Okay, so Jason Giambi comes off the bench, and delivers not once, but twice. Good for him. I have always liked Gumbi, but his time in the Bronx is short. He is just as much of the problem with this year’s Yankees as anybody. His numbers look nice, but like A-Rod, he is a compiler. Before today, when was the last time Gumbi had a meaningful, game changing at bat for the Yankees. The whole team simply stinks…so don’t be getting all excited that this could be a turning point. Not enough games remaining, not enough heart or balls.
Yes, the Yankees won the final meeting between themselves and the Red Sox, 3-2 Thursday afternoon in the Bronx. Whoopee, I think I’ll pee my pants now. 29 games remain, they are 5 back of the Sox (Red that is) in the wild card, and in comes Toronto led by A.J. Burnett. The Yankees still have not solved their starting rotation problems, there are no signs of Wang or Chamberlain coming back anytime soon, if at at. Friday night’s matchup will pair former teammates against each other, when Burnett faces convicted armed Yankee robber Carl Pavano. At least in Burnett’s case, he has pitched great this season. Not the others, but this season. Pavano hasn’t had a full season since coming to the Bronx. Perhaps he has motivation (free agency), but it is far too little, far too late. Even if Wang and Chamberlain come back and pitch at 80%, that would necessitate the Yankee lineup scoring runs consistently, which they have not done throughout the 2008 season.
Moose Mussina pitched a great game, but yet fell short of yet another step towards his 20th win of the season. Instead, the bullpen, which I feel is a strong point for the Yankees heading into the 2009 season, held the Sox at bay until the Sandman could close the door for another win. Good for my fantasy stats, but not good for Moose in his search for a career milestone. Defense was solid, Jeter is inching closer to his career .300 average, and the pressure is visibly getting to A-Rod, who after popping out in the 6th inning, returned to the dugout only to crush his bat against he bat rack close to a dozen times. I’m surprised he made solid contact.
It will indeed take a miracle for the Yankees to salvage the 2008 season. I just don’t think this group has it in them. Girardi doesn’t have a magic potion to wake this flatline group from the dead and the abyss, and the best we can all hope for is 82-85 wins to finish the season. I heard a great idea on Jason Smith’s Allnight Show on ESPN Radio last night. He suggested that had Steinbrenner used his head, he would’ve put a winterball clause into each and every one of the Yankees’ player’s contracts. You don’t make the playoffs, you play winterball and figure it out there…at the remedial level.
Unfortunately, A-Rod will be dealing with a divorce and custody battle, Jeter will retreat to Tampa for fun in the Florida winter sun, and who cares what the rest of them do. The work will come during the month of December in my hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada. Why? That is where the coming Winter Meetings are going to be held. Whomever the GM is, he best be carrying an open checkbook. With the added revenue that a new stadium will provide, along with the cash flow that the YES Network consistently provides, it is not beyond normal reason to see the Yankees sign 2-4 top flight free agents. Who? Manny to DH, Sabathia and Sheets to pitch, Tex to play 1st. Perhaps this wishlist is unrealistic as a nice e-mailer pointed out earlier today, but this is not a normal offseason for the Bombers. Holes need to be filled, an arm in the bullpen (Joe Beimel perhaps), a trade here and there (Damon, Cano, Melky), could reface this organization with guys that want to win, rather than players that simply want to show up and collect a check.
Regardless of what the Yankees do, they must do something. Standing pat and throwing the young guys to wolves failed this season, and if the Yankee brass believes it will get better next season, remember a couple of things…Joba and Hughes got hurt, thus eliminating crucial experience that could’ve been gained. Ian Kennedy is not ready. He would be pitching in the AZ Fall League and winter ball-whether he wanted to or not. He must learn to throw a first pitch strike AND work on his breaking stuff. He simply stunk this year. If the Yankees make the same mistakes this offseason that they did last offseason, they can look forward to a dead last place finish in 2009. Why? Look up and down the rosters of the other teams within the division. They are all getting better, younger, and more competitive as each day passes.
As always, take care of yourself, be good, and take care of your buddy next to ya!
Hey Yankeeland…Can You Hear Me Now? Good.
I hate to be the one that said I told you so…BUT I TOLD YOU SO! All of you diehards out there with your navy blue caps and your interlocking NYs…I said during spring training that THIS Yankees team would finish double digits behind the division winner, which appears as if it is going to be the Rays, not the Red Sox. At least Boston still has a legitimate chance to win this division and defend their world championsip. What do the Yankees have to look forward to? Eliminating the bloated contracts (well, a few of them anyway) and rebuilding for 2009.
Tuesday night’s harrowing experience in the Boogie Down was a perfect example of why the Red Sox are competing for a World Series title every year now, and the Yankees are doing nothing but running in place. The difference is, running in place for the Yankees is actually watching them fall deeper and further behind as the Rays are young, the Red Sox have built from within, the Orioles are a couple of arms away, and the Blue Jays aren’t going anywhere. The names on the lineup card look real nice…if the year was 1999. It is time to take the wrecking ball to this club and do something productive during the 2008-2009 offseason.
I will quickly go over what happened yet again last night. Pettitte couldn’t find the strike zone, A-Rod was well, A-Rod, and before the Yankees knew what hit them, a second run had scored on an infield hit. I will personally send anyone $5.00 if they can find and certify to me, the last time 2 runs scored on 1 infield hit..all while Jason Giambi stood there, ball in hand and watched. 
The Red Sox are a model of what to do right when it comes to building a major league franchise. The Bombers…everything that is wrong. Overpriced free agents who underperform, turning down trades to acquire the elite players that can help win titles, and such a thin farm system, that the scouting is so ignorant, that they tend to trade off talent that turns into what? Productive major league talent within years of leaving the Yankees stunted farm system.
I hate to be the one to say I told you so Yankeeland…but I told you so. Joe Girardi looked absolutely clueless in the dugout as the Red Sox continued to rack up hits, score runs, and get quality pitching from everyone they threw out there. I can only ride that horse so many times. Will the Yankee brass wake up and fire this incompetent ******* already? It’s almost comical to watch Buck Showalter on ESPN discuss the Yankees, knowing what he would and wouldn’t tolerate from THIS bunch of Yankees. Buck has that sly grin as he knows the phone should be ringing this coming offseason, that he doesn’t have to take a jersey number to signify what his goal as manager would be. To listen to Joe Girardi and A-Rod make their customary excuses for last night’s performance, click the link next to Girardi’s Corky-lookin’ mug:
What could have the Yankees done to salvage this season? Well, as I come to understand the waiver-trade markety, they could’ve acquire Paul Pyrd, oh wait, the Red Sox did that. They could’ve signed Freddie Garcia for the stretch run, oh wait Detroit did that. They could’ve acquired themselved a SOLID centerfielder to upgrade the defense, oh wait, Boston did that too by getting Mark Kotsay from the Braves. Now it could all be too little too late. Then again, I have been tootin’ that horn for weeks as well. The Tigers recently placed Kenny Rogers on waivers. Before you get excited about the possibility of the Gambler returning to the Bronx, let me remind you what he did as a Yankee, when it truly mattered:
In one ******** World Series start back in 1996, Rogers lasted exactly 2 innings, while giving up 5 earned runs. If it weren’t for the heroics of Jim Leyritz, the Yankees probably don’t win that series. If Brian Cashman happens to be reading this…DON”T BRING HIM BACK! You would have better results cokin’ Doc Gooden up and hoping for a few innings. Hell, bring Boomer Wells back. At least that guy knows how to win when the chips are down, but don’t you dare bring back the gutless wonder, Kenny Rogers.
Girardi stated before the game yesterday that New York had to win 2 of 3 to stay in this thing. WRONG AGAIN! The Yankees needed a sweep. Why? Because heading into play last night, the Yankees were only 5 back of Boston in the wild card chase. A sweep makes it a 2 game deficit. Now, they are starting play tonight 6 back in the wild card and the best they can hope for, is to be back within 4 games IF they can take the next 2. That is a full two game swing, if they win the next 2, which is highly unlikely. At least when the Yankees stunk in the late 80s and early 90s, they played hard. This batch of Bronx Bums are playing like death, which is exactly where their season is close to ending up.
The Red Sox have the perfect blend of youthful talent and veterans that care about winning. What a noble concept. The Bombers youngsters either have underperformed (Melky Cabrera, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy), or don’t care because they’ve already been paid (Robinson Cano, Chien Ming Wang). How refreshing is it to hear players like Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury talk about the team, about winning, and getting back to October. The only thing this group of Yankees care about is getting paid. Well Mr. Steinbrenner, you have gotten exactly what YOU have paid for. I was just discussing this the other day with my wonderful, who I remind you is a Red Sox fan. I asked her if a rivalry can truly exist without both teams being competitive, She didn’t think so, and neither do I. The Red Sox have done their part…perhaps someday, the Yankees will to.
I will be back later to discuss various topics throughout the world of baseball, or if anything new occurs in Yankeeland between now and the opening pitch of game 2 between Paul Byrd and Sir Sidney.
As always, take care of yourself, be good, and take care of your buddy next to ya!
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New Blood Shines Through, Yanks Finally Win…One
It’s only one game. As Fox’s Kevin Kennedy said after viewing the highlights of the Yankees’ thrilling 13th inning win yesterday against Kansas City: “It’s a start, but for the Yankees to make it to October, they will have to play around .750 ball with roughly 40 games to go.” And with that, finally someone on the national stage not named Peter Gammons is calling it “Mission: Impossible.” Don’t get excited Yankee fans, this was one win against a team they should own, but for some reason don’t.
Congrats to speedster Brett Gardner went 3-5 with the game winning single, driving in Robbie Cano to lead the Yankees to a hard fought 3-2 victory. Yesterday’s win can be viewed in one of two ways. The first is, is that it is just another win, and it shouldn’t have taken 13 innings to handle a team from Kansas City. Or, this win is just what the doctor ordered, hopefully getting this group of Bombers in the mindset that every game from here until the end of September should be viewed as an elimination game. Fortunately for the Yankees, Tampa and Boston also went down to defeat, thus gaining little, but precious ground on what will be a long road back to the promised land.
I also want to send kudos out to the Yankees young, and ever improving bullpen, who shutout the Royals for 6 2/3 innings Saturday afternoon. This performance coming off of the heels of arguably the worst road trip mentally and emotionally for this franchise in a decade. It will take these types of gritty, hard nosed performances for the Yankees to find light at the end of the tunnel. Myself, I believe yesterday was a mere aberration and they could just as easily lay down to Brian Bannister later today. The Moose is taking the mound for New York, looking for season win #16, and to get one step closer to that magical 20-win season he has longed for his entire career. I have been fooled too many times by this Yankees’ team before…they string together a nice winning streak of 7 or 8 games, get you thinking that they have turned the corner, and then they lay an egg on the road, all but eliminating themselves without trying very hard.
The road to greatness doesn’t get any easier for the Bombers in the coming week either. After a much needed day off on Monday, the Yanks head north of the border for three against what is always a tough Blue Jays squad, and then next weekend, after possibly having their collective ***** handed to them in Canada, they get to go to the birthplace of the Bambino, to face the Orioles, whom like the Angels, seem to have their number this season.
This weekend marked the 60th anniversary of the death of the Bambino, and I want to take this time and say to all of you out there, take a half an hour, go to baseballreference.com, and simply look at Ruth’s numbers, season by season. It never ceases to amaze me what an awesome player the Babe truly was, and how we as Yankees’ fans should never forget that he was the Yankees’ long before anybody else was. He is the one that gave us today in 2008, the ability to strut around, proud that we wear the interlocking NY and know that when people see Yankees, hear Yankees, or think Yankees, they think of winning, tradition, and excellence. It may not be so in 2008, but as the memory of the Babe lives on, so to will the greatness he provided regardless of whether or not it is in his original house, or the new one next door.
I will return tomorrow with a summary of the Kansas City series, as well as the key matchups the Yankees will face before heading into Toronto on Tuesday against the Blue Jays.
As always, take care of yourself, be good, and take care of your buddy next to ya!
It’s Official: Yanks Should Start Looking Towards 2009
I could’ve sworn that I have seen this before. I could’ve sworn I saw this identical ending to a game, less than a week ago. Wait a minute, I did. In fact, this game looked eerily similar to the game my family and I travelled to Anaheim for this past Sunday. Shoddy defense, inattention to detail on the basepaths (A-Rod last weekend, Justin Christian last night), and the Yankees fail to drive in runners when the game is on the line. Last weekend: Angels 4, Yankees 3. Last night: Royals 4, Yankees 3.
I hate to be the one to break the bad news (I know all of you out there in Yankeeland are some of the smartest fans alive), we can officially stick the proverbial fork in the New York Yankees for the 2008 season. A miniature pre-game roster shakeup did nothing to motivate the players that needed to find something within themselves. Cashman can’t simply blame Melky Cabrera and Richie Sexson for this mess. Given, Melky has regressed since making his debut three seasons ago, but so has Robinson Cano. Perhaps sending both of them back to Triple-A would’ve turned some heads, stating that nobody is safe. Hell, at least Wilson Betemit hustles out his hit balls and plays hard on defense. Can anybody, and that includes Robbie’s dad, the former major leaguer, say that Robbie Cano has done that in 2008? And poor Richie Sexson…steals a king’s ransom from the Mariners, underperforms, gets cut, signs for the league minimum, and cries that he can’t change to being a platoon player. Here’s some advice for you Mr. Sexson: don’t strike out 190 times every season, and hit better than .215, and perhaps somebody else will take you seriously. If not, perhaps you should spend your offseason in Henderson, Nevada at the Jason Giambi Hitting Academy. Sure couldn’t hurt.
As for the present…the Bombers now fall 10 1/2 behind the Rays in the AL East, basically ending any chance of winning the division with 39 games left to play, and I believe the count is now at 7 or 8 games behind Boston in the wild card chase. The historic consecutive postseason run of this proud franchise will indeed end in 2008. What should the Yankees do now? Here are some ideas…1. Bring back up Hughes and Kennedy. Why? Let them take their lumps at the major league level against big league hitters. Make this an extended spring training so that by the time next year starts, these two promising arms have some experience to fall back on. 2. Do not, and I cannot overstate this enough, give Carl Pavano a snowball’s chance in hell of taking the mound in 2008. Why? He has already fleeced this team for $40 mil, and is only trying to rush back before he hits the free agent market in 2009. Don’t help him do this to another team for God’s sake. 3. Bring up some of the younger players along with Hughes and Kennedy and get them some big league at bats and innings pitched. The future has to start somewhere, and it might as well be now. Christian and Gardner are already here, give a young catcher like Chris Stewart the opportunity, afterall, Molina and Posada won’t be around forever. Give guys like Alan Horne and Mark Melancon the chance to show their stuff at the Stadium.
The national media always says that the Yankees don’t rebuild, they reload. Okay, given, the Yankees perhaps go a little overboard on their free agent spending. And what has it gotten us as fans since 2000? Two World Series losses, an LCS collapse, and a handful of 1st round ousters. These should be the finals weeks of Yankee careers for the likes of Andy Pettitte, Mike Mussina, Jason Giambi, Bobby Abreu, and Carl Pavano. The free agent market shows some promise with Brewer aces C.C. Sabathia, and Ben Sheets, along with a guy out in Anaheim that plays first base…Mark Teixiera. I would also propose attempting to deal Cano for some arms, and a power hitting outfielder (one that is in his prime for once…Matt Holliday anyone?), and insert Betemit as the future second baseman. He plays better defense, hustles, and has much better power numbers over the long haul than does Cano…and he is a switch hitter. I like the makeup of the young bullpen…they are taking their lumps, but they will be a strong point for New York in ’09 led by the aforementioned Mark Melancon assuming the 8th inning role left vacant by Joba Chamberlain. Melancon will be and is the heir apparent to Mariano Rivera in the closer’s role. Throw in a healthy Humberto Sanchez, Jason Jones, and Daniel McCutchen, along with Chamberlain, Hughes, Kennedy and whoever the Yankees sign between Sabathia and Sheets, no to mention a fully recovered Chien Ming Wang, and the Yankees not only have a stable of young horses, but young horses with firepower.
Now, who should the Steinbrenner’s use to harness and nurture all of this youth and inexperience? The same two men that did it the last time the Yankees were in the toilet and needed mouth to mouth an electric shock to the heart to get them back where they belong…Buck Showalter in the dugout, and Gene “Stick” Michael in the GM’s chair. While Big Boss was gone suspended, Michael drafted and kept the likes of Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera. I don’t think those guys turned out too bad did they? Hard to argue with 4 World Series titles, 6 American League pennants, and 10 division titles with those cornerstone players. Buck was rushed out the door, and Stick had simply had enough. Perhaps the younger Steinbrenner will look to the past to brighten the Yankees’ future.
Sidney Ponson will be taking the hill for the Bombers in Game 2 of the home set, and I have absolutely no idea who is pitching for the Royals. At this rate, it really doesn’t matter, because the Yankees will play shoddy defense, pitch well enough to win, and find a way to let an inferior team beat them yet again. It truly amazes me how long this Yankees’ squad was able to stay in contention before the wheels came off. I do have one question, and perhaps one of my fellow Yankee fans can answer it for me. This is the third year in a row that injuries have decimated this team. Why isn’t the training team being questioned or held accountable for this annual M*A*S*H unit that is held together from one DL stint to the next? I know the team loves assistant trainer Steve Donahue, but they also loved Mickey Mantle. Mantle knew when it was time to go…perhaps Donahue needs a push from upstairs to find his way out as well.
I will be back on later today or early tomorrow morning to summarize what I am sure will be another agonizing loss for Yankee fans to stomach, and perhaps shed some light on what went wrong yet again.
As always, take care of yourself, be good, and take care of your buddy next to ya!
Reality Check…They Just Don’t Care
“One hit? That’s all we got, one goddamn hit?”
Tribe Announcer Harry Doyle-From Major League
Normally I would be angry, seething at the opportunity to shred this Yankees team apart for their customary lackluster play…but after the final leg of this roadtrip has begun, I will quote the mighty Led Zep…”The Song Remain the Same”. So much for urgency, these games are playoffs from here on out. They are indeed, but don’t tell that to the Yankees, who were shutout and four-hit by a pitcher who was running on next to no rest as he became a father less than 24 hours prior to the start of this game. Didn’t matter. Minnesota starter Perkins showed heart…Perkins showed guts…Perkins pitched with a sense of urgency…a sense that his team had to win the game against the Yankees if the Twins’ season was to continue past the final week of September. This is a reoccurring theme for the Bombers, as they needed another win to keep the pace, and instead they packed it in like a second rate, second division team. Perhaps that is indeed what they are.
We as Yankees’ fans cannot blame the players alone. I will give you an example. During this 2008 campaign, Perkins batting average against when facing left-handed hitters is .468. Instead of facing a barage of lefties, Girardi benches Johnny Damon and Jason Giambi and inserts Justin Christian and Richie Sexson. Given that Christian seems to be the only one on the roster even showing a spark of hustle, as his crashing attempt to rob Adam Everett of a 2-run homer showed. Christian is trying to win himself an opportunity to play at the big league level not only this season, but beyond, as his wheels and ability to run once he gets on base should earn him a spot on the 2009 roster.
The same hustle cannot be seen by Robinson Cano, who is starting to show signs of prima donna behavior, much like his better paid teammates. Instead of hustling down the line during a second inning base hit, Cano stood their and admired his work, while the centerfielder bobbled the ball, and then overthrew the second baseman. Cano trotted down to first content on staying at first. Only after a botched pickoff throw by Perkins did Cano advance to third. Then, to top things off, Melky “I still can’t hit Major League pitching” Cabrera grounds into an inning-ending double play. That was the sum of the game. I won’t go any further into the details of Monday night’s sleeper. I should’ve watched Aaron Rodgers debut as Packers quarterback instead. This team flat out sucks. Michael Kay of the YES network was not happy about Cano’s lack of hustle either, over and over repeating his displeasure with how after getting humiliated in California, this team still is showing the life of a corpse.
Mike Mussina takes the mound later tonight for the Yankees. Talk about a guy with the personality of a corpse. At the game out in Anaheim during batting practice, he along with one other player were the only ones in the bullpen. Fans are yelling for Moose, attempting to get something signed by the future couldbe Hall of Famer, and instead of playing to the fans, he sits with his back turned as if none of us are there. Shame on you Moose. The reason the Yankees have all that dough laying around to pay over the hill bums like you is because of the fans like us…the fans who come from all over the country to see your sorry ***** make little to no effort in a game you had to win. Moose owns the Twins, but so did Ponson. One other note about Moose in Anaheim…I spoke to a nice couple, all decked out in Yankees’ gear just like I was, with an infant boy dressed up in the pinstripes…I witnessed them attempt to get an autograph of any kind from anybody in the bullpen numerous times…and walked away with nothing. You pieces of crap almost aren’t even worth the trouble.
The Red Sox won, and the Rays were off, so the Yankees now fall 4 1/2 back in the wild card, 9 back in the east. It would take a Ruthian miracle during the final months of the House that Ruth Built to see this team turn it around. Never during this latest postseason streak (’95-’07), have I been so disappointed and hurt by the performance of the Yankees. Yes, the ’04 collapse hurt, the ’01 World Series hurt, but this team reminds me a bunch of the ’03 Yankee squad that barely got past Boston, only to lay down to a far inferior squad in Florida. At the end of that World Series, I literally packed all of my Yankee gear away for the winter, and had to have friends and family talk me out of burning it all in a barrel. I’m to the point where I am sick all over from the lack of anything this team shows. I don’t want to hear about injuries, lack of experience, and so on. I don’t want to hear it anymore. This team is the highest paid in baseball history, and they don’t care.
I was sitting with my wife (remember, she is the Red Sox fan), she could be gloating over my Yankees; failures and apparent postseason-free life that is coming in less than 8 weeks. Instead, she seems almost sorry for me, knowing what this team is capable of doing, and yet they don’t care. I asked her what she thought was wrong, and she replied “They’ve got no heart.” She is absolutely right. Her Red Sox know what heart is all about. Twice in the last four years, her Red Sox have been on the ropes in the ALCS, and not only do they come back to win the series, but then go on in both years to SWEEP the World Series. Perhaps Brian Cashman, Joe Girardi, and the rest of the Yankees should take lessons in competition and intestinal fortitude from their hated rivals up north.
Tune in later as I breakdown what will probably be another nail in the coffin of this franchise as they embarrass themselves before moving into the new house across the street.
As always, take care of yourself, be good, and take care of your buddy next to ya!
The March Towards October Postseason Begins in Arlington
Well, what can I say? I was prepared for the worst, and was pleasantly surprised by not the best, but a pulse. After watching the best team in baseball march into Fenway, gut the Red Sox like fish, and march right into the Bronx and do the same thing Thursday night, I truly believed the season for all intents and purposes was going to be over in terms of mattering by Sunday afternoon. Instead, the Yankees found purpose, they found some grit, and they eeked out a little bit of pride by pulling off a split with a team they over the last handful of years, literally owns the Yankees. Thursday night the Bombers got blasted, then shut out, and magically they rediscover their bats on both Saturday and Sunday, scoring in the double digits both days, led by a career day for newly acquired Xavier Nady, who went 4-5, with his 3rd bomb in pinstripes, and garnering 6 RBI in Sunday’s defenseless victory.
Where does that leave the Yankees? 5 1/2 games back of Tampa as play starts Monday night, but more importantly, the road trip that Yahoo! Sports claims is going to be the iceberg that sinks the Titanic of the Bronx. New York starts a trip where their next 16 of 19 possible games will be away from the Cathedral. Unfortunately the Yankees don’t have an easy ride on this road trip, playing the Rangers, the Angels and the Twins, with a quick stop back at home, before heading north of the border to face the pitching strong Blue Jays, who just happen to believe that they too are still in this race.
Joba Chamberlain takes on Vincente Padilla in Game 1, as the Bombers best bring not only their A-game, but their bats, because you can best believe as the heat continues to sizzle in the summer of Texas, their bats led by AL MVP Josh Hamilton is starting to recover from his post-Home Run Derby slump. As mentioned before, Xavier Nady is making his new presence felt, blasting 3 bombs, and 9 ribbies since coming over from Pirateland. With reports that the Yankees might be willing to say goodbye to rightfeider Bobby Abreu this next offseason, he is either playing to stay, or playing to get his dollars up-either way, Abreu is finally starting to heat up again. The biggest question is however, will the rest of the slumping Bombers follow? Pudge did hit his first home run as a Yankee, and he has always hit well in his original stomping grounds of Arlington. Look for Pudge to have a nice series against his former team.
Injury concerns have reared their ugly head once again, as Robby Cano is battling a hand injury, and Mo Rivera was unavailable due to back spasms. Edwar Ramirez looked lost at times against Anaheim, but the Bombers did gain back a power arm-no, not Kyle Farnsworth (thank god…1/3 of an inning, 3 earned runs Sunday), but fellow Oregonian and friend to my cousin, Brian Bruney. I still can’t believe with all of the relief corp problems the Diamondbacks have had over the last couple of years, the they simple let Bruney walk. I love this guy’s arm, and his mental makeup. Look for Bruney to have a big final 8 weeks of the regular season out of Yanks’ bullpen.
Mark August 5th (tomorrow) on your schedules, as free agent pitcher Freddie Garcia will be holding an all scouts welcome workout, trying to fetch some quick cash to pitch the remainder of this season. This is where being a Yankee fan is always worth it…Brian Cashman will, and I love it, overpay for Freddie just to attempt to upgrade the mistakes that are Ponson and Rasner. Ponson did indeed pitch a gem Friday night against the Angels, and yes, he is 4-1 since joining the Yankees, Garcia has big game, pennant race experience. Not knowing for sure if and when Chien Ming Wang returns, the Yankees don’t know for sure what he has left this season. He just got into a walking boot, and is several weeks away from being able to pitch, if at all in 2008. As much as I have always loved Eric Milton, and loathed Carl Pavano, it might be Pavano who makes a start for the Yankees in 2008 before the season is over. Pavano threw 28 pitches the other night, and looked relatively good. We shall see, I am still not sold on that piece of human cow flop.
In closing for this entry, I want to send my condolences to the Caray family, as long time Braves’ broadcaster Skip Caray passed away yesterday at the age of 68. Long before the MLB Extra Innings package was available, and the only games to be seen in Oregon were on WTBS, ABC Monday Night Baseball, and NBC’s Saturday Game of the Week, Mr. Caray was one of the voices I grew up listening to as the Braves struggled with fellow Oregonian Dale Murphy at the helm. He will be sorely missed, as another piece of my childhood (I turned 32 two days ago) fades into the memories of my mind.
To you all, be good, take care of yourself, and take care of your buddy next to ya!
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