Blog Archives

Yanks drop second straight game to Sox in 7-4 loss

Apr 3

Posted by

On Monday, the Yankees offense (besides Cervelli) was absent. Tonight, the Yankees hit two home runs but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Red Sox, as the Yanks dropped their second straight game at Yankee Stadium by the score of 7-4.

Hiroki Kuroda was forced to leave the game in the second inning after a line drive hit him in his middle finger. The results came back as a finger contusion but the Yankees were going to send him to get x-rays just to make sure that’s all it was. Cody Eppley came in afterwards, allowing four runs, who was then relieved by Adam Warren who only gave up one run. Shawn Kelley was the only Yankee pitcher who didn’t give up a run to the Red Sox.

The Yankees had two home runs during tonight’s game, one by Travis Hafner and one by Vernon Wells, both of those accounting for the four runs the Yankees scored; Hafner a solo shot. Wells a three-run shot.

Tomorrow the Yankees will send Andy Pettitte on the mound in order to break the losing streak, as they fear that they’ll be behind 0-3 to start the season.

Update: Hiroki Kuroda’s X-Ray’s came back negative and he’s day-to-day. However, Joe Girardi says it’s too early to tell whether Kuroda will make his next start or not.

About these ads

Posted in Game Reviews

3 Comments

Tags: , , , , ,

Behind the music: The 2013 Yankees walk-up songs

Mar 31

Posted by

600full

When the baseball season starts, fans usually go to the ball park in order to take in nine innings of glorious baseball. As much as I enjoy going to the ball park to hear the crack of the bat, the fans cheering loudly and the food, I usually love going to the ball park in order to listen to the walk-up music of the Yankees. Music is one of my biggest passions, and to me the Yankees have done more than play great baseball over the years; they’ve also introduced me to new music and have filled up my iTunes with songs that I listen to on a consistent basis. Since Opening Day for the Yankees is tomorrow, I went on the Yankees website, found the list to some of the Yankees walk-up songs and took a listen to them, introducing myself to the different types of music that our players listen to.

1. Brennan Boesch: Brennan Boesch didn’t waste any time in choosing his songs for the 2013 season as he went and chose two songs for his walk-up music. The first song was “Sail” by Awolnation. When I first took  a listen to the song, I found it intimidating in a good way. It’s not as intimidating as Evan Longoria‘s walk-up song (which is arguably one of the best walk-up songs in the Major Leagues), but it makes you think that something big is coming. The second song that Boesch chose was “We’ll Be Fine” by Drake. This is one of those songs that has you nodding your head while Boesch comes to the plate. Boesch hasn’t played a real game for the Yankees yet, but if I must applaud him on one thing, it’s his good taste in music.

2. Brett Gardner: I have to admit that before I started watching Gardner play baseball, I did not listen to country music; at all. But in 2011, Gardner had “Dirt Road Anthem” by Jason Aldean as one of his walk-up songs and ever since then, half my iTunes is consumed with country music. This year, Gardner went with “Hell On Wheels” by Brantely Gilbert which is another great country song. Now, let’s hope that Gardner’s 2013 season is as dynamite as his walk-up song choice.

3. Chris Stewart: Chris Stewart is close to having one of the best walk-up songs on the Yankees if he only played the first twenty seconds of the song over the P.A. Stewart’s song choice is “Forsaken” by Skillet and if there’s one thing I must say, is that the guitar riffs were amazing. I wouldn’t normally listen to music like this, but after today now I would. Now, all he has to do is play on a consistent basis so I could heart this song over and over at the ball park. I wouldn’t mind paying money for that.

4. Curtis Granderson: We all remember the famous video where Curtis Granderson was picking his at-bat music and then almost cried when he chose “Friday.” Well, maybe all those hours of going through his laptop did the Grandy Man some good. His walk-up song (when he comes back) is none other than “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See (Instrumental)” by Busta Rhymes. Not too fond of the lyrics, but I do love the beat, so a smart move by Granderson in just using the instrumental.

5. David Robertson: We all know that David Robertson is an Alabama boy. He was born in Tuscaloosa and he is constantly helping his hometown with High Socks For Hope. So it doesn’t surprise me that his walk-up song is the awesome “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd. It’s actually a good thing I know about this now because I made a deadly mistake in asking my Twitter followers last season what D-Rob’s walk-up song was. Let’s just say they weren’t too happy with me during the game when they found out I seriously didn’t know. Well, I know now and it’s an awesome song. I’m looking forward to the 8th inning where I could sit back and listen to the tune that introduces us to the Yankees favorite set-up man.

6. Derek Jeter: The Captain won’t be there on Opening Day for us to hear his walk-up music but he made sure that he chose a song. I’m not too fond of rap music but, “Otis” by Jay-Z and Kanye West was a decent choice by Jeter. It would be nice to hear it at Yankee Stadium when The Captain returns, but in the meantime I guess the closest we can hear this song is on Youtube (and on iTunes if you have it already).

7. Hiroki Kuroda: Hiroki Kuroda has some great taste in music! Kuroda’s walk-up music is “The Whip” by Locksley and when I heard it for the first time, I heard some influence of ‘The Beatles’ in the chorus of the song. It’s nice that Kuroda was able to take us back to the good music–without actually taking us all the way back to the 1960′s.

8. Ivan Nova: Ah, is there nothing better than listening to some awesome Spanish music at Yankee Stadium? That’s what Ivan Nova introduced to the fans when he made his walk-up choice “Marta La Reina” by Antony Santos. This is one of those songs where you can’t help but get up from your seat and start dancing. According to the Yankees website, I don’t think it’s available for purchase but they have the song on Youtube where you can hear it over and over and over. It’s actually a great song to hear on a Sunday morning (with your headphones on).

9. Mariano Rivera: Mariano Rivera’s song choice is as fitting as his role on the Yankees. When the Yankees have a lead and they go to the 9th inning, Mariano Rivera comes in the game and puts it to bed, dubbing him “The Sandman.” Rivera’s song choice is the best song choice by far on the Yankees with “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. The guitar riffs in the song are simply amazing and when Yankees fans hear it, they can’t help but get excited, knowing that the greatest closer of all time is coming in to make the opposing team’s offense go to sleep. Yankees fans better soak in all of “Enter Sandman” that they can this season, since Rivera plans on retiring at the end of the season. I know I’ll soak up every moment.

10. Mark Teixeira: If there’s anyone that we can count on to take us back to when rap music was at it’s best, it’s Mark Teixeira. His song choice “It’s Tricky” by Run D.M.C  is a great way to pay a homage to rap at it’s finest. Of course, we expect nothing less of Teixeira since he has been famously known of using classics from the Twisted Sisters in the past. But Teixeira didn’t stop there. His second song choice was “This Town” by O.A.R. which is one of my favorite songs. Teixeira hit a home run with his song choices and I can’t wait until he gets back on the field so we can hear it blaring from the P.A speakers.

11. Phil Hughes: Phil Hughes’s walk-up song is pretty vague. There’s no artist next to his song choice ”Tomorrowland” so I did a search on Youtube and it sounds more like Hughes is ready for summer in a club than ready to play baseball. If this is his song, I’m not too fond of the techno-beat, but I can see it getting fans excited.

12. Robinson Cano: Robinson Cano simply outdid everyone when it came to choosing songs. He didn’t choose two songs, he went the extra mile and chose three! His first song was “El Que No Aguante La Presion” by Secreto El Biberon which is a great song choice. It reminds me of summer like Hughes’s song choice, but Cano’s song reminds me more of running through fire hydrants that have water coming out of them than the club. Cano’s second song choice was “Me Kitee” by Black Point. Again, it reminded me of  summer. Cano’s last song was “Te Prendo” by Chimbala. As far as Spanish songs go, all three of Cano’s song choices hit it out of the ball park. Simply great. If his goal was to get Yankees fans on their feet while he comes to bat, he succeeded.

13. Vernon Wells: I’m not a fan of rap music, but if you choose a song with Dr. Dre and Eminem, then you are in my good graces for the entire season. And that’s exactly what Vernon Wells did by choosing “Forgot About Dre” by Dr. Dre & Eminem. The beat is fantastic and this was when rap was still at it is greatest. It’s great that someone chose a throwback song, and now I will await his arrival to the plate just to hear this awesome song.

The Yankees choosing their own walk-up music is a way for them to connect to their fans. It shows fans what kind of music their idols like and in their own way, they introduce you to music you may have never heard of before. The Yankees are always winners in the fans eyes, but they’ve become more than. They’re role models with impeccable taste in music. So the next time you go to the ball park, open your ears when your favorite Yankee goes to the plate. You just might have a new favorite song that you’ll want as soon as you get home.

Posted in Personal Opinion

3 Comments

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Opening Day is coming, so how’s the team shaping up?

Mar 15

Posted by

Brett Gardner could be a valuable player in the Yankees lineup...

Brett Gardner could be a valuable player in the Yankees lineup…

In a little less than three weeks, the Yankees will begin their home-opener against the Boston Red Sox with CC Sabathia on the mound. However, this year’s Opening Day lineup might be a little different than what we’re used to due to all of the injuries the Yankees were plagued with during the 2013 season. The Yankees are missing Curtis Granderson (broken forearm), Mark Teixeira (strained forearm) and Alex Rodriguez (hip surgery) in their offense which is sure to look like the ‘Robinson Cano Show’ for the first month and a half. But with still some time to go, just how are the Yankees shaping up as they prepare for the season?

Lineup:

The Yankees lineup has many question marks after losing so many players to free agency and injuries. The bats of Nick Swisher, Russell Martin, Raul Ibanez and Eric Chavez will be with different ball clubs, while we will most likely have to wait for Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson to return to their post in early to mid-May. However, the lineup hasn’t looked as puzzling as it did when Spring Training started. The Yankees proved that they can manufacture runs by using a key element that they possess: speed. Players like Brett Gardner, Ichiro Suzuki and Eduardo Nunez are capable of getting on base, going station to station on their own before a key teammate has to drive them in with an RBI. Speed will play an important part this season since the Yankees have lost over 100 home runs than in season’s past. But just because the Yankees are relying on speed, it doesn’t mean we should start calling them the ‘Bronx Bunters’. They will still find a way to hit home runs with Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira making their way back into the starting lineup.

Starting Pitching:

Throughout the course of Spring Training, the starting pitching has been one early glimpse of how our starters will perform during the 2013 season. It looks as if they left off from last season. Hiroki Kuroda looks to be in mid-season form, David Phelps has a 0.63 ERA 14 Spring appearances  Ivan Nova has an ERA of 1. Andy Pettitte has still proven that his pitches are effective although he’s the oldest starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. And as expected, there is no concern over CC Sabathia, whatsoever. The starting pitching looks to be one of the Yankees strong points like it was in season’s past. Let’s hope that the pitching can carry the Yanks this season.

Bullpen:

...while Mariano Rivera could be a dynamic piece to the Yankees bullpen

…while Mariano Rivera could be a dynamic piece to the Yankees bullpen

The Yankees bullpen was another one of their key pieces that helped define the Yankees last season. With pitchers such as David Robertson, Boone Logan, Clay Rapada and Joba Chamberlain, it seemed like an easy task to get the ball to the 9th inning before handing it off to the greatest closer of all time, Mariano Rivera. Last season’s bullpen dynamic was different since there was no Mariano in the bullpen due to an ACL injury, giving the Yankees a glimpse of what it would look like if Mariano Rivera wasn’t there. With Rafael Soriano, the Yankees were able to still close games with a dominant force but this year there is no Rafael Soriano. Mariano Rivera plans to retire after the 2013 season, which gives Yankees fans one last look of the greatest closer before he hangs up his cleats and says goodbye to the game. The bullpen is expected to be a strong part of the Yankees once again, and from Spring observations, I wouldn’t be surprised if Shawn Kelley and David Phelps get spots in the bullpen. With both of their arms this spring, the Yankees bullpen could become an iron gate to prevent runs from scoring.

There’s only 17 days until Opening Day so from now until Spring Training is over, it would be a good time to start watching the games to see who has a legitimate shot of making the team. And from what I’ve seen all Spring so far, there are quite a few who have a chance to go north.

Posted in Personal Opinion, Misc. News, Analysis

10 Comments

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“Experienced” players will decide the outcome of 2013

Mar 3

Posted by

Turning 39 years old this June, Derek Jeter has re-iterated over the past few years that age is simply just a number to him and the rest of his veteran teammates.

Of course, most baseball minds have thought otherwise, saying as they have in prior offseasons that this upcoming season will be the season the old guard finally breaks down and prevents the Yankees from making the playoffs.

“I’ve heard it before,” Jeter told the New York Post in response to the skepticism. “Regardless of how old anyone is, it’s our job to come here and be ready to play and help us compete. We’ve been able to do that pretty successfully over the years. Our plans don’t change.”

It’s definitely great to hear The Captain having that mindset, and he’s right. With the old age and doubt at its highest, the Yanks have won consecutive division titles and made two ALCS appearances in three years. Mind you, the reason there was even a chance for a pennant last October was thanks to a 40-year old carrying the team on his back in the late innings – Raul Ibanez.

So whether it’s the experience factor, fate, plain luck, or some other reason, time nor age has phased this Yankees team. They have remained just as big a threat to win the World Series as they were when Robinson Cano was a teenager in the late nineties.

Without saying its a problem, however, the oldest guys on the roster must do the un-expected once again to keep the Yanks at the top of the American League’s totem pole.

That may have been stating the obvious, but the team is definitely centered around a group of extraordinary, extra-old veterans who somehow have kept up with the rest of MLB over the past decade. Jeter (38), Andy Pettitte (40), Hiroki Kuroda (38), Ichiro Suzuki (39), and Mariano Rivera (43) are absolutely essential parts of this year’s ball-club. As I said, it’s not too often players their age are still in the game, let alone performing at a high level.

Now is it fair to doubt them, with all they’ve done in each of their careers? No. But people will, and have some reason to do so. To think that these players can lead the team through a six-month season and still have it in them to keep it up [hopefully] in October is a lot to ask. It’s not impossible, but I wouldn’t consider it the most likely scenario.

I refuse to say this will be the year the Yankees’ age finally catches up to them, as each year in thinking that they surprise me and win the division. They are not too old to compete, but we’ve seen in the past few seasons the team dominating in the regular season, and just running out of gas come October. Things could change between now and September, but a realistic take on the 2013 Yankees is that they have the talent to return to the postseason. But their efforts to win in the postseason may again derail their quest for a 28th title.

Posted in Analysis, Personal Opinion

Leave a Comment

Tags: , , , , ,

Cervelli has good game, but Yanks fall to Phillies 10-5

Mar 1

Posted by

The more we chant “It’s Just Spring Training”, the more frustrated we become. Why? Because the Yankees last (and only) win came one week ago, tomorrow. Now, the fans don’t like to see the Yankees lose, but the Yankees are playing sloppy baseball. That’s what summed up today’s 10-5 loss against the Phillies. Sloppy.

There was more bad than good that came out of the game, a game that was plagued with four errors. Now, let’s try to look at the bright side, because that’s all that we can do at this point.

Francisco Cervelli: Francisco Cervelli is seemingly pulling himself away from the catchers competition, going 2-for-2 with a walk, and throwing out yet another runner. Chris Stewart hasn’t played since the second inning of yesterday’s game, where he was ejected for allegedly pointing at the umpire after the umpire warned him not to point, so it gives Cervelli an edge so far this Spring.

David Robertson: D-Rob came into another tight jam, relieving Hiroki Kuroda who only went 1.2 IP and allowing 4 runs (1 earned). In five pitches, Robertson got out of the jam and stopped the game from further damage at that point. I said it once and I’ll say it again: D-Rob is in midseason form.

Hiroki Kuroda: Now, some people will argue that Kuroda had a bad outing, but when you watched the game, the numbers don’t translate to how he actually pitched. He actually got the ground-balls when he needed them, unfortunately, the infielders were unable to field the ball and their positions, allowing three unearned runs to score. Was Kuroda sharp? No. But did he look decent for his first time on the mound? Yes.

Melky Mesa: If the Yankees are looking for someone to take Curtis Granderson‘s spot for the next 4-6 weeks, then I strongly suggest Melky Mesa. He played the entire game, and hit another home run. He hit one yesterday vs. the Astors as well, making his total 2 HR’s and 4 RBI’s in the last two days. His bat’s on fire, and just in time too. He’s planning on going to the World Baseball Classic.

What’s Next:

– The Yankees will try again to get their second win of the Spring tomorrow against the Detroit Tigers, who are coming from Lakeland to Tampa. Robinson Cano and Mark Teixeira are both slated to play their last game with the Yankees before heading off to their separate teams for the World Baseball Classic. That game will be at 1:05 p.m. on YES Network.

Posted in Game Reviews

Leave a Comment

Tags: , , , ,

Cashman goes into Winter Meetings with a lot on his plate

Nov 30

Posted by

With Russell Martin going to the Pirates, Brian Cashman's winter list got a little bit longer

With Russell Martin going to the Pirates, Brian Cashman’s winter list got a little bit longer

When the Yankees ended their 2012 season with an ALCS loss to the Tigers, the pieces that the Yankees have to pick up again seemed legitimately small. They knew they were going to have to sign Hiroki Kuroda and Mariano Rivera to contracts. They knew they had to wait for Andy Pettitte’s decision on whether or not he would return in 2013–which came quickly this year. They knew they were going to have to replace the right fielder since Nick Swisher most likely won’t come back next season. They also knew that they were going to have to re-sign Russell Martin to another contract to play behind the plate in the Bronx. Well, as of last night Brian Cashman’s list got a little bit longer.

Although he was able to re-sign closer Mariano Rivera to a 1 year, $10 Million contract, he let another player get away–Russell Martin. The offseason plan has always been to take care of starting pitching first before going off and extending contracts to other players. Apparently, Russell Martin couldn’t wait for that, signing a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates for 2 years and $17 Million, rejoining ex-Yankee A.J Burnett in the process. This leaves Brian Cashman heading into the Winter Meetings on Monday with no catcher and no right fielder, two moves that he has to fill up before Spring Training.

With Martin gone from the Yankees, heading to Pittsburgh there are two legitimate catchers on the free agent market that are still available: A.J Pierzynski and Mike Napoli. Although the Yankees aren’t reportedly targeting either catchers, at this point they don’t have much of a choice.

Last season if Martin had ever gotten hurt, Francisco Cervelli would have been the starting catcher. Now that Martin is gone, that looks to be the case with Chris Stewart at backup and Austin Romine as an emergency choice. As much as I like Cervelli (he’s a big fan favorite), he’s not a power hitter. The same goes for Chris Stewart. Although Stewart is an amazing defensive catcher, he doesn’t have the pop in his bat.

Brian Cashman believes that the answer to the catcher situation could possibly already be on the team, but with players like Cervelli, Stewart, Romine and new Yankee (who is currently in the process of clearing waivers) Eli Whiteside, I don’t see a legitimate starting catcher in the Yankees organization. 2014 is a year away Cashman. Time to take out your wallet and make a deal for someone for this year, no matter what it takes.

Posted in Hot Stove, Misc. News

12 Comments

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Yankees Offseason Notes: For Kuroda its the Yankees

Nov 20

Posted by

Earlier this week, it was looking as if Hiroki Kuroda‘s chances of coming back to the Yankees were slim. The LA Dodgers were in the race as well as the LA Angels. Well, on Tuesday evening, a source claimed that the Dodgers were no longer in the mix for Kuroda. The Angels soon followed the Dodgers lead and weren’t interested in Kuroda. Now Kuroda has one of two choices–the Yankees or Japan. If Kuroda wants to pitch in the states, he could choose the Yankees. If he wants to go to Japan, he can sign there. This is relatively good news for the Yankees–and bad news for the Dodgers and the Angels. Now all Brian Cashman has to do is make Kuroda an offer he can’t refuse.

BREAKING NEWS: The New York Yankees have signed Hiroki Kuroda to a 1 year, $15 Million contract for the 2013 season. The Yankees prevented one of their worst fears from happening. Now, Yankees need Pettitte.

In Other News:

– The New York Yankees claimed RHP Mickey Storey off waivers from the Houston Astros.

– The Yankees added LHP Manny Banuelos, OF Ramon Flores, RHP Brett Marshall, RHP Jose Ramirez, LHP Francisco Rondon and LHP Nik Turley to the 40 man roster.

– RHP Dave Herndon elected for free agency instead of being outrighted to Triple-A Scranton thus making the 40-man roster a 39-man roster.

– There’s still no word about if Andy Pettitte will return next year. Although Pettitte could most likely return, it’s not guaranteed.

Posted in Hot Stove

45 Comments

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Yankees Offseason Notes: Yankees plan to offer Kuroda 1 year, but is that enough?

Nov 18

Posted by

The Yankees are offering Kuroda a one-year deal, but could that be enough to keep him in pinstripes?

The Yankees continue to have a slow offseason while every other team around them is spending some type of  money on certain players. With the Winter Meetings occurring in 2 weeks, there are bound to be Yankees rumors, but until then–

– The Yankees reportedly want to offer Hiroki Kuroda a one year deal and Japan might be the reason that Kuroda could ultimately rejoin the Yankees in 2013. See, Kuroda wants to be able to pitch in Japan before he decides to hang up his cleats and ideally the best idea for him would be for him to join a team that is offering him a one year contract. the Los Angeles Dodgers and the LA Angels are offering Hiroki Kuroda a two year deal, which might be too much on Kuroda’s arm if he still wants to be effective to pitch in the States and in Japan in the near future.

The Yankees are in dire need of a top end starter in their rotation since the rotation after CC Sabathia is a bit hazy. Andy Pettitte is still debating whether he will return in 2013 (I believe he will), Ivan Nova was horrible and Phil Hughes is coming back from a bounce back year after a horrendous 2011 season. Kuroda who is 16-11 with a 3.32 ERA in 2012 for the Yankees, just might be worth more than the $13.3 Million the Yankees offered before he turned down. If Kuroda signs with the Yankees, it will solve their rotation woes to an extent. If not, then the Yankees could look forward to add more depth to their minor leagues should a different team sign him. If the Dodgers or the Angels sign Kuroda, they lose their first round pick while the Yankees would get another draft pick between the first and the second round.

Kuroda could possibly choose the Dodgers since he has two young daughters in Elementary School in California and has expressed desire that he would like to be near them. If Kuroda does sign elsewhere, then the Yankees might want to start thinking of a backup plan because right now, it seems like they don’t have one.

Posted in Hot Stove, Signing & Trade Speculation

9 Comments

Tags: ,

Morning Bits: Hunter, Rivera, Kuroda

Nov 11

Posted by

Good morning everyone and a Happy Sunday to you all. Let’s get on with the Morning Bits, shall we?

– With Nick Swisher not likely to return, the most sought out right fielder on the free agent market is Torii Hunter. He had an OPS of .817 last season, he’s a good defender and he’s 37. What’s bad about it? He’s 37 and might want two years.

– While filming a commercial the other day, Mariano Rivera threw 25 tosses off a mound. He said he “felt great.” It was the first time he threw off a mound since tearing his ACL in May.

– If Hiroki Kuroda signs with another team, it could be tough for the Yankees this offseason.

Posted in Misc. News, Notes & Links

1 Comment

Tags: , , , ,

It’s Official: Soriano, Swisher & Kuroda decline qualifying offers

Nov 9

Posted by

Hiroki Kuroda, Nick Swisher and Rafael Soriano have all declined their qualifying offer thus making them free agents. Should any of the three sign elsewhere, the Yankees will get draft picks in the 2013 MLB Draft. All nine players that were offered the deals declined but only 8 of them are free agents. David Ortiz signed a two year deal with the Red Sox last week. The following players also hit the free agent market: Josh Hamilton, Michael Bourn, B.J Upton, Kyle Lohse and Adam LaRoche.

Josh Hamilton might be too expensive for the Yankees (although he has power and the short porch in Yankee Stadium favors him) and he also has a history with problems off the field while Michael Bourn is equivalent to Yankees OF Brett Gardner although Gardner is injury prone, BUT Gardner is more affordable than Bourn. The Yankees have decisions to make this winter. Maybe B.J Upton? Kyle Lohse? Adam LaRoche?

Posted in Hot Stove

5 Comments

Tags: , , ,

Yankees expect Kuroda to decline qualifying offer

Yankees expect Kuroda to decline qualifying offer

By Delia E.

A week after giving Hiroki Kuroda a 1 year, $13.3 Million qualifying offer, Brian Cashman and the Yankees expect that Kuroda will decline the offer. Although nothing is official yet, Cashman did speak with Kuroda’s agent unofficially. The other two players that were offered a contract (Nick Swisher, Rafael Soriano) will decline. Soriano is most likely gone from the team since the Yankees refuse to spend $26 Million on the closer role that will now become Mariano Rivera’s in the 2013 season.

Posted on | Aside

Yankees Offseason Notes: Red Sox interested in Kuroda, Martinez, GIBBY Awards, Roster Rules, Pitcher Protection?

Nov 8

Posted by

Good evening everyone. With the GM Meetings happening in California there has been news coming from the Yankees organization all day. Here are some notes from today.

– The Boston Red Sox are reportedly interested in both Hiroki Kuroda and Tino Martinez. Kuroda has until tomorrow whether to accept or decline the qualifying offer and if Kuroda declines, he could test the waters. The Red Sox have contacted Kuroda about the matter. Now, for Martinez the Red Sox want him–but we all know it’s not to be a player. They want him to be a hitting coach. The Red Sox aren’t that desperate to have Martinez play on the field for them–or are they?

UPDATE 6:16pm: The Red Sox were interested but the Marlins made a hire. They hired none other than Tino Martinez for the hitting coach job.

– As we all know the 2012 GIBBY Awards are around the corner so it’s time for fans to vote. Here are the Yankee candidates this season:

Hitter of the Year: Robinson Cano (He’s good, but I don’t think he’s the hitter of year).
Setup Man of the Year: David Robertson (Robertson won the award last year)
Defensive Player of the Year: Mark Teixeira (Aside from the Game 4 ALCS debacle, he’s one of the best defenders in the game)
Manager of the Year: Joe Girardi (He’s a good manager, but I’m almost positive ‘Binder Joe’ won’t win this category)
Executive of the Year: Brian Cashman (Cashman, Cashman. Hmm….again, he’s good…but if he was the Executive of the year, he would have possibly got a younger team. He won’t win).
Postseason MVP: Raul Ibanez (He was the Yankees Postseason MVP but remember, the Giants won the WS. One of their players might win the award).

Play of the Year: Russell Martin‘s play in front of the plate in Game 1 of the ALCS
Hitting Performance of the Year: Curtis Granderson, 5-for-5, three-homer game
Walk-off of the Year: Raul Ibanez walk-off vs. Red Sox in October
Postseason Moment of the Year: Raul Ibanez in Game 3 of the ALDS

To vote for your Yankees in the 2012 GIBBY Awards, click here.

– Now, MLB was speaking about expanding replays,  maybe changing the 25 man roster rule in September and possible pitcher protection for when they get hit in the head (not a bad idea at all). Here is the Associated Press with that information:

On Expanding Replays

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Baseball is considering a broader expansion of video review for umpires than first discussed.

Instant replay in baseball began in August 2008 and has been limited to checking whether potential home runs were fair or cleared over fences. Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig has been saying since early 2011 he wants to expand it to two additional types of calls.

“He was talking about really basically fair-foul, trap plays. But we’re looking into more than that,” Joe Torre, MLB’s executive vice president for baseball operations, said Wednesday at the general managers’ meetings.

Torre did not detail what types of calls a broader expansion might include.

MLB experimented with the Hawk-Eye animation system that is used to judge line calls in tennis and the TrackMan radar software used by the PGA Tour during tests late this year at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field.

“We still have some questions on the way it is now, if that’s going to fit with baseball,” Torre said. “I’m not saying it can’t be adjusted or they can do something would make it work for our game.”

He pointed out tennis courts are smaller than baseball fields.

“It’s easier to cover as opposed to what we have,” he said.

Depending on what baseball decides, changes might have to be negotiated with the umpires’ and players’ unions.

Selig has said he hopes to have wider replay in 2013.

On September Roster Rules

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Major League Baseball is considering a change to its longtime rule allowing active rosters to expand from 25 to 40 from Sept. 1 through the rest of the regular season.

MLB executive vice president for baseball operations Joe Torre said general managers discussed the matter Wednesday on the opening day of their annual meeting.

Some teams have been reluctant to use the larger limit late in the season. They have cited not wanting to disrupt minor league teams in their playoffs, and those decisions have led to big league games in which teams have differing numbers of available players.

“Each team should have equal number of players available every day,” Torre said. “I just think you play the whole season with one set of rules and the most important time of the year, especially for clubs that are in a pennant race, I just don’t think it’s fair for it to be done (with a) different number of roster people.”

Torre said one possibility would be setting a fixed number of players who must be on the active roster for September games.

“We’ve talked about 28. We’ve talked about 30,” he said. “It was talked about at length today.”

Any proposal for change would be subject to bargaining with the Major League Baseball Players Association.

On Pitchers Protection

NDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — At their first meeting since a pair of pitchers were hit on the head by line drives, baseball general managers discussed ways to protect hurlers from injuries in the future.

Major League Baseball staff have said a cap liner with Kevlar, the high-impact material used by military, law enforcement and NFL players for body armor, is among the ideas under consideration.

“If we settle on something that is going to make sense, and obviously the pitcher has to be comfortable with it, we’ll obviously put that in as soon as possible,” MLB executive vice president Joe Torre said Wednesday.

Oakland’s Brandon McCarthy was hit on the head by a line drive in September, causing a skull fracture and brain contusion that required surgery.

Detroit’s Doug Fister was hit on the head by a liner off the bat of San Francisco’s Gregor Blanco during the World Series. Fister was unhurt and stayed in the game.

MLB medical director Dr. Gary Green is to give a report at next month’s winter meetings in Nashville, Tenn. MLB senior vice president Dan Halem has said protective headgear for pitchers could be in place in the minor leagues for next season.

“We’ll talk to our doctors to make sure that they’re comfortable or they’re satisfied this is an advance,” Torre said.

Any change to require protection for big league pitchers would have to be negotiated with the players’ association.

Posted in Misc. News

Leave a Comment

Tags: , , , ,

What do the Yankees qualifying offers mean?

Nov 3

Posted by

Last night was technically the beginning of the Yankees offseason after they made qualifying contracts to three players: Nick Swisher, Hiroki Kuroda and Rafael Soriano. Some fans were wondering, why didn’t they offer Ichiro Suzuki or Russell Martin a qualifying offer? What is  a qualifying offer? What would mean if either three of them didn’t re-sign with the Yankees?

What is a Qualifying Offer?

A new procedure that was in place for the 2012 offseason. A Qualifying offer is a team offering their free agent a contract of 1 year and $13.3 Million. The player on the team has seven days to either accept or decline the offer. If the player accepts the offer then they would be on the team for the 2013 season. If the player declines the offer, they could still re-sign with the team but they would be placed in the free agent market where the other 29 teams can have a chance to offer them a contract. If the player signs elsewhere than with his original team, the original team would be rewarded a first round draft pick.

Why didn’t Ichiro or Russell Martin get an offer?

Ichiro Suzuki and Russell Martin are both terrific players–but both of them didn’t get a qualifying offer for different reasons. Ichiro hasn’t been on the team for the entire 2012 season, meaning he’s not eligible to receive an offer. Russell Martin is a good player, but the Yankees don’t deem him worthy enough of 1 year and $13,3 Million.

Does that mean the Yankees don’t want Martin?

No. All the qualifying offer is saying is Martin shouldn’t get $13.3 Million. The Yankees still want Martin, but they probably would offer him less than what the qualifying offer is.

What are the chances Swisher and Soriano accept the offer?

The chances that both Swisher and Soriano accept the offer is–zero. Both players are looking for multi-year deals and one year on the Yankees won’t cut it. The Yankees could possibly negotiate a contract with Swisher and Soriano, but chances are they both will head onto different teams, rewarding the Yankees two first round draft picks.

Posted in Misc. News

Leave a Comment

Tags: , , , , , ,

Morning Bits: Yankees free agent, Pineda might not return in 2013?, Gardner, Granderson

Nov 3

Posted by

Good morning everyone and Happy Saturday to all. Let’s get with the morning links, shall we? 

– The Yankees started off the Winter offseason with a bang by giving Nick Swisher, Rafael Soriano and Hiroki Kuroda a qualifying offer. The Mets however have started their winter–very silently.

– Pitching coach Larry Rostchild said that he expects Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera and Hiroki Kuroda to return. Michael Pineda–might not return in 2013.

– The Yankees might consider moving Curtis Granderson to LF and move Brett Gardner to CF after Granderson’s fielding has diminished over the last two years.

Posted in Misc. News

2 Comments

Tags: , , , , , ,

Yankees Offseason Notes: Yankees make qualifying offers, Yankees keep Cabral

Nov 2

Posted by

Good evening Yankees fans. Today is one of those days where we ask ourselves–”Is it February yet?” Anyway, onto tonight’s notes that circle around Yankees baseball!

– The Yankees announced today that they have made qualifying offers to Nick Swisher, Hiroki Kuroda and Rafael Soriano. The bigger question here is–why didn’t the Yankees make an offer to Ichiro Suzuki or Russell Martin? Do they plan on letting them go? We’ll find out more as the “Off-Season Saga” continues. (BTW, the Yankees would get a draft compensation pick if either of the three sign elsewhere).

– Speaking of Russell Martin, the Yankees did not make him a qualifying offer. Martin can still sign with the Yankees but they won’t get compensation for him if he goes to another team.

– The Yankees also announced that they plan on keeping Rule 5 pitcher Cesar Cabral for the offseason. They want him to come back to Spring Training and compete for the job in the bullpen. Last season, Clay Rapada beat out Cabral for the job (mostly because Cabral fractured the tip of his elbow) but this season Cabral would have to make the team or he gets sent back. A loophole however is if Cabral makes the team, he doesn’t have to spend the whole year on the team. He can be optioned to the minor leagues at any point during the season.

– And finally, Michael Pineda–might miss the entire 2013 season. There’s no information as of yet but tune into MLB Tonight on MLBNetwork to find out why. (And for those who hate the Red Sox, David Ortiz might be out the entire season as well). MLB Tonight airs at 6pm. Check your cable provider for which channel.

Posted in Misc. News

8 Comments

Tags: , , , , , ,

2012 Yankees Keep Em’ Or Dump Em’ Results (So Far)

Oct 27

Posted by

Last Saturday, I posted a Keep Em’ or Dump Em’ article where you voted who you wanted to keep or who you wanted to dump. The results…weren’t very surprising. Let’s break down who you’d strongly keep and who you’d strongly throw away.

Keep Em’

David Robertson (96.83%): David Robertson wasn’t as good as he was in 2011, but he was still very effective in 2012. Let the good pitching keep on going, D-Rob.

CC Sabathia (95.59%): CC Sabathia coming back in 2013? No brainer. He’s the ace. The workhorse. He’s CC. Enough said.

Derek Jeter (95.33%): It’s not a surprise that fans would want to keep Derek Jeter after a great 2012 season but after his ankle injury where he had surgery, going into the future you wonder if Jeter can continue to play SS or if he might have to go to the DH Spot.

Hiroki Kuroda (94.12%): For his first year in the American League East, Kuroda did a good job. If Ichiro re-signs with the Yankees, Kuroda would have to be a no-brainer to follow.

Brett Gardner (93.55%): So Brett Gardner proved that you don’t have to play in order to be extremely valuable to the Yankees. After seeing Cirque Du Left Field in 2012, Yankees fans can’t wait to get their speedy outfielder back into playing shape and defending LF like we know he can.

David Phelps (91.18%): In his first rookie year with the Yankees, Phelps was back and forth from the bullpen to the starting rotation. For a first year–he did good. Would be great to see him get a shot in the rotation in 2013.

Andy Pettitte (91.04%): Andy sure was dandy in 2012, so there’s no question why he’s on the Keep Em’ list. I’d bring back Andy too. Who cares if Andy’s 40 years old? He still pitches like he’s 25!

Boone Logan (90.63%): Boone Logan being in the category where players were to be strongly kept surprised me just a tad bit. But hey. Boone Logan was good in 2012. Can he do it all over again in 2013?

Ichiro Suzuki (90%): Ichiro was a mid season trade for the Yankees. A mid season trade that made Brian Cashman look like a pure genius after a plethora of failure trades (hint, hint: Javier Vasquez, Curtis Granderson, A.J Burnett). Ichiro might come back to the Yankees next season–if you guys were the GM and not Cashman. Honestly, I’d like Ichiro back to. No doubt about it.

Eduardo Nunez (89.93%): Eduardo Nunez is (almost) the perfect back up shortstop. He can run and he can hit. Why he’s not perfect? He can’t field. Hopefully Winter Ball will help him in 2013.

Dump Em’

Freddy Garcia (95.59%): Look at the number of people that don’t want Freddy Garcia. I can’t explain that any further.

Andruw Jones (91.94%): After the terrible 2012 season he had, I can see why Yankees fans wouldn’t want him back in 2013. He says he wants to keep playing. Unfortunately, it’s not with this team.

Nick Swisher (85%): Nick Swisher had a good 2012 regular season but consistent playoff failures according to Yankees fans could be what ultimately sends Nick Swisher and his smiling face–out the door.

Derek Lowe (80%): Derek Lowe could be a great starting pitcher (or bullpen) pitcher for any team–but according to fans, it won’t be with the Yankees.

Alex Rodriguez (70%): Let’s admit it. A-Rod’s contract could possibly be the worst contract in baseball history. He’s deteriorating…and the Yankees still have to give him $110 Million dollars in the next 5 years.  Does any team want A-Rod? Going once? Going twice?

* Not all players from the poll are listed. Just the ones that fans strongly wanted to keep and wanted to get rid of.

Posted in No Category, Personal Opinion, Polls

4 Comments

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

← Older Posts
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 15,439 other followers