Results tagged ‘ Phil Hughes ’
Yankees-Red Sox: Weekend Preview
About this time last year, the New York Yankees were not in the best shape. They had yet to hit their stride and were en route to going 0-8 in their first eight games vs. the Boston Red Sox. The Bronx Bombers eventually got it going, took over the American League East, and the rest is history.
This season things have begun differently.
On April 4, the Yanks and Red Sox opened the 2010 MLB season. Boston managed to rally back from a 5-1 deficit and beat the Yankees in the first game. The next two games belonged to New York however, as the Yanks bounced back from the heartbreaking Opening Night loss and took the series from the Red Sox, two games to one.
Tonight the rivalry heats up again at Fenway Park and the odds are looking to be in the Yankees’ favor. Since the last time they met, the Bombers have elevated their season record to 19-8, winning every series they have played this year except one. The Red Sox have been a different story, going 15-14 through the first 29 games this year.
Both teams are in significantly different places right now.
This weekend, more pressure is on the Red Sox to keep winning than the Yankees, even though both squads are on four-game winning streaks. If the Yankees were to sweep the Red Sox or take two games out of three, Boston will be put so far behind in the rearview mirror they would need a racecar to catch up.
At press time, they are 6 1/2 games out of first place and sitting in fourth place in the AL East standings. Meanwhile, the Yanks are 11 games above .500, have won seven of their last nine games, and are 1 ½ games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in second place.
Obviously the Yankees are better off than Boston, at least at this point.
Josh Beckett will look to keep Boston on their winning streak this evening. The Boston ace is not having an easy year so far, owning a record of 1-0 with a bloated 6.31 ERA. His last time out against the Yankees, he was lit up for five runs and eight hits over just 4 2/3 innings.
It always seems to be “feast or famine” for the Yanks against Beckett. Throughout his career, the right-hander has both dominated the Yankees and been dominated by the Yankees. His last time out vs. New York he was touched up, even though the Boston offense bailed him out of it and captured the win.
Opposing Beckett will be 23 year-old Phil Hughes. The youngster will be gunning for his fourth win of 2010 and will be looking for his first career win against the Red Sox. Lifetime vs. Boston, Hughes is 0-2 with a 7.62 ERA.
Making his third career start against the Red Sox, the Yankees’ number five starter is coming off a brilliant game against the White Sox in which he scattered four hits over seven innings of scoreless work. If Hughes were to win tonight, he would become the fourth Yankee starter to have recorded four wins this season.
On Saturday afternoon the Yankees will turn to their ace, CC Sabathia. The big man has a 5-5 lifetime record with a 3.62 ERA in 12 career starts against the Red Sox. Last season, Sabathia pitched a number of big games against the Yanks’ archrivals, and showcased electric stuff in all of his starts vs. Boston.
In fact, on Aug. 8 last season, Sabathia worked 6 2/3 innings of no-hit ball until Jacoby Ellsbury spoiled it with a two-out single. Sabathia tossed 7 2/3 innings that day and gave up no runs on just two hits. He walked two batters and struck out a season-high nine.
The Yankees went on to win that game 5-0 behind Sabathia’s gem.
Matching up against Sabathia is Clay Buchholz, who ironically enough faced him in that same game last August. Despite Boston’s struggles this year, Buchholz has been relatively consistent. The 25 year-old righty is 3-2 this season with an ERA of 2.97.
Opponents are hitting .261 against Buchholz this year and he has given up three earned runs or fewer in three of his four starts this year. However, he is 0-1 with a 5.74 ERA in his career against the Yankees, indicating that he has a rough time when he is under the bright lights of the greatest rivalry in sports.
Against an ace like Sabathia and with the way hitters like Robinson Cano and Nick Swisher have been swinging the bat lately, Buchholz may be in for a long afternoon on Saturday. But if he pitches the way he is capable of pitching and is on top of things as he can be, the Yankees could fall down on a hard day.
On Sunday night the weekend series will wrap up.
Boston will send 26 year-old left-hander Jon Lester to the mound in the series finale. So far this season, Lester is 2-2 with a 3.93 ERA.
His last start against the Yanks came on April 6 and he did not dazzle anyone. Lester tossed five innings the last time he faced New York and gave up four earned runs on five hits. He walked three batters and struck out four.
Lester has to be careful with some of the Yankee hitters. Alex Rodriguez has taken him deep twice in his career along with hitting a double. Derek Jeter owns a lifetime batting average over .300 against Lester and Mark Teixeira also has a homer off the Boston hurler.
A.J. Burnett will take the hill for the Yankees, hoping to notch his fifth win of 2010. Although he did not enjoy much success against the Red Sox last season, Burnett still holds a lifetime record of 5-2 with a 4.30 ERA in 13 career starts vs. Boston.
This season Burnett has started a lot more effectively, has an ERA under two at 1.99, and worked on getting his breaking ball back to dominant status. In his last start vs. Baltimore at home, Burnett puzzled the Orioles with his curveball for one unearned run over 7 1/3 innings. He struck out eight batters along the way.
If Burnett brings that kind of game with him, the BoSox are in trouble.
While the season is quite young and the division winner will not be determined for a good long time, the pressure is on for Boston. They must heed the words of a sage Yankee, who once said, “It gets dark early out there.”
This of course means that if the Red Sox do not rise to the challenge and hit their stride, it could quickly become a two-team race for the AL East–Tampa Bay and New York.
Also seen at Bleacher Report
Vazquez To Be Skipped, Girardi Made the Right Move
To borrow a line from Spike Lee: Joe Girardi, you did the right thing.
Before the New York Yankees’ 4-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles last night, the Yankee skipper announced that Javier Vazquez would skip his next turn in the rotation. Vazquez’s next start would have come Friday night in Boston against the Red Sox but because of his inability to pitch effectively, he has been bumped.
With an off-day on Thursday, the Yankees will start Phil Hughes on normal rest Friday in Vazquez’s place. They will then use CC Sabathia on Saturday afternoon and pitch A.J. Burnett on Sunday night.
Heading to Detroit after the series in Boston, Vazquez will make his next start on Monday night against the Tigers.
Vazquez has only made one start this season that has been worth anything. On April 20 he notched his only win of 2010, a game in which he scattered six hits and three runs over 5 1/3 innings of work against the Oakland Athletics. In that start he walked three batters and struck out six.
Other than that game, Vazquez has basically been a ghost.
In his other four starts this season, Vazquez is 0-3 and the Yankees did not win any of those four games. Right now opponents are hitting .337 against the Yankees’ number four starter and his ERA is currently at an inflated 9.78.
The Yankees have only lost eight games this year. Half of those losses came on days Vazquez pitched.
Girardi had no choice but to skip Vazquez. His numbers this season are so poor and every team he has faced has decimated him, even the weakest ball clubs. The Chicago White Sox, who have the lowest team batting average in the majors with .227, feasted off Vazquez this past Saturday and touched him up for five earned runs over just three innings.
It’s obvious that something is not right with this picture.
Although Boston is not playing well at the moment (as they are currently sitting in fourth place in the American League Eastern Division standings) it was wise for Girardi to pass on him pitching at Fenway Park. If Vazquez were to go out and get Boston massacred, his confidence level would drop even further than it is now.
It’s not like he hasn’t lost big time to the Red Sox before (insert 2004 ALCS reference).
Last night on Daily News Live (a program in which all the New York Daily News writers sit and discuss sports) the reporters brought up the idea of trading Vazquez back to the National League for another pitcher. One writer suggested dealing him to the New York Mets for Jenrry Mejia, a 20 year-old righty from the Dominican Republic.
Mejia is a reliever for the Mets, so I’m not sure if this move would solve the Yankees’ problem. His numbers are not bad; he is 0-1 but has an ERA of 0.90. Plus, he has only given up one earned run in the 10 innings he has pitched this year.
I suppose if they actually went ahead with this idea, they could move Joba Chamberlain back to the rotation and plug Mejia into his bullpen spot. But Chamberlain is too unpredictable, even in the bullpen. Plus, the Yankees will most likely not give up on Vazquez so soon.
However, the off-season move that sent Melky Cabrera to the Atlanta Braves and brought Vazquez to New York is so far looking like a terrible one. At this point, Brian Cashman might not admit he made a mistake in making the trade. His faith in Vazquez might not be gone just yet, and he probably still feels the scuffling pitcher can turn it around.
In the past, Cashman has been known to believe in a lot of the deals he makes.
But if the season reaches (let’s say) July and Vazquez is not performing, he might be gone before he had the chance to unpack his bags. Just as Girardi had no choice but to skip over Vazquez’s turn in the rotation, Cashman might have no choice but to trade him away because of his ineffectiveness.
Adios Vazquez. Hello some other pitcher who can get the job done.
Yankees Take Series From Chicago, Squish White Sox
Talk about a squadoosh.
The New York Yankees pounded the Chicago White Sox 12-3 in the rubber game of their three-game weekend series this afternoon. The Bronx Bombers have now won seven of their first eight series this season and dating back to 2009, the Yankees have now won 14 of their last 17 series at Yankee Stadium.
Brett Gardner did a nice job of filling in for the injured Curtis Granderson, who yesterday strained his groin running from second base to third. Granderson was placed on the 15-day disabled list and according to manager Joe Girardi will “be out for at least a month.”
But in Granderson’s absence, Gardner did just fine going 2-for-4 with a solo home run, two RBIs, a walk, and two runs scored. Girardi said, “Gardner has been playing well and he’s going to need to keep it up because he will be playing centerfield every day for awhile.”
Gardner took White Sox’ starter Mark Buehrle deep to right field in the bottom of the fourth for a solo home run, his first of the year. Earlier on in the first inning, Gardner knocked in the Yanks’ first run with an RBI single to score Robinson Cano.
Up 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Cano did some yard work of his own. With two men on base, the hot-hitting second baseman homered to right field, a three-run blast that put the Yankees up 5-0 and basically put the White Sox away.
“Red-hot Robbie Cano” is now hitting .387 with nine homers and 21 RBIs this year.
The Yankees tacked on two more runs in the sixth to widen their lead to 7-0. Nick Swisher joined the home run party and clubbed a two-run bomb to right field, his second in as many games. Swisher now has four home runs on the year and two at home, where he does not seem to hit many homers.
Last season, Swisher did not hit his second home run at Yankee Stadium until June 7.
In the bottom of the seventh the Yankees exploded for five more runs. Derek Jeter drew a bases loaded walk to score Jorge Posada, and then Nick Johnson cracked a two-run double. Mark Teixeira followed up with a two-run double of his own, giving the Yankees 12 runs on the afternoon.
Teixeira went 4-for-5 at the plate today, erasing his troubled April with a great start to May. It looks like the Yankees’ first baseman is keeping his elbow up more and as a result is getting around on some pitches. He is notorious for hitting well in May, so today might be just a small sample of what’s to come.
In the top of the ninth with two men on base, Paul Konerko crushed a three-run homer to left field to spoil the shutout and give the ChiSox their three runs in the game. It was Konerko’s 12th homer of the year and he leads the majors in that category.
Behind all the Yankee offense today was Phil Hughes, who absolutely puzzled the White Sox hitters. The 23 year-old righty tossed seven strong innings and gave up no runs on four hits. He walked only one batter and struck out six.
(I’ll just say it) Hughes was dealing like he was playing blackjack in Vegas. But in reality, Hughes reminded me today of Roger Clemens. His delivery was very smooth, he was getting ahead of the hitters, and he was mixing his pitches.
There is a reason Sports Illustrated once called Hughes “The Pocket Rocket.”
Although Hughes was throwing a lot of strikes, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen did not think so. In the bottom of the seventh, Guillen got his money’s worth and got thrown out of the game for arguing balls and strikes. Home plate umpire Dan Iassogna called a ball on Gardner, Guillen did not agree, and ultimately got tossed.
Not unusual for a manager like Guillen. However, Hughes was throwing the ball very well, and I’m sure Guillen would be the first one to say it.
With the win, Hughes is now 3-0 this season and he has won all three of the starts he has made. He became the youngest pitcher since his teammate Andy Pettitte to win his first three games of the year. Pettitte won his first three games as a 23 year-old in 1996.
Now with a record of 16-8 this year, the Yankees will remain at home for the next three games and entertain the Baltimore Orioles. The O’s just completed a weekend sweep of the Boston Red Sox despite dropping their previous two out of three to the Yanks at home.
CC Sabathia (3-1, 3.12 ERA) will look to keep the Yankees rolling against Jeremy Guthrie (0-3, 4.70 ERA)
Was Javier Vazquez Worth It?
Last December the New York Yankees made a trade to get a number four starter. Only using three pitchers in the postseason, and unsure of who was going to be the number five man, they got it done.
So long Melky Cabrera. Hello (again) Javier Vazquez.
Boasting a 15-10 record in 2009 with a minuscule 2.87 ERA and 238 strikeouts, some people were happy with the move. I, on the other hand, was not a proponent of this trade from the get go, remembering how poorly he had performed in his first stint in pinstripes.
Vazquez, a member of the Yankees in 2004, was the losing pitcher in Game 7 of the 2004 American League Championship Series, surrendering the infamous grand slam to Johnny Damon–a blast that basically put the Yankees away.
Back in pinstripes, Vazquez made his first start of 2010 on April 9. What happened? He picked up right where he left off in ’04 and got rocked. He tossed 5 2/3 innings, was charged with eight earned runs on eight hits, walked three, and struck out five.
Not the way he wanted to start the season, I’m sure.
His second start was a little better, but Vazquez still was not good enough to win. Against the Angels on April 14, he tossed 5 1/3 innings and gave up four earned runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out four. It certainly was not his best start, but it was a step up from his first.
Last Tuesday night in Oakland he got his first W of ’10 beating the Athletics in a 7-3 Yankee win. This time Vazquez made it through 5 1/3 innings, and gave up three runs on six hits. He walked three and fanned six.
Then we came to today…
Just when it seemed Vazquez was heading in an upward direction in terms of his pitching, he backpedaled and collapsed. He did not make it past the fourth frame, only giving the Yanks 3 2/3 innings of work. He served up five runs on five hits, walked three and struck out three. Not to mention he coughed up a three-run lead.
His pitching led to the Yankees’ first series loss of 2010, as they dropped two games out of three this weekend to the Halos. Yes–totally the opposite of cool.
Right now, Vazquez is the weakest link on the Yankee pitching staff. He has not pitched past the sixth inning this season and has given up 20 earned runs in all 20 innings he has thrown. He has failed to locate with his pitches and has been hanging too many breaking balls.
Bobby Abreu was a clear example of that today.
In the third inning, the former Yankee blasted a solo home run to right off Vazquez, a bomb hit off a terribly executed breaking ball. Vazquez threw 78 pitches, 47 of which were strikes.
If you ask me, of those 78 pitches, probably 38 or 39 of them were off-speed. Vazquez has shown no faith in his fastball. It seems he overthrows his fastball too much and subsequently misses the strike zone because of it. He has issued eight walks this season, indicating his location problem.
So far this trade has not paid off and it’s looking like a bad one. I’m not concerned with his numbers from last year, his numbers from 2004, or any other year for that matter. What does matter is 2010 and how unproductive Vazquez’s outings have been.
At this moment, we as Yankee fans have every reason to disapprove of the trade.
His next time out will come at home against one of his former teams, the Chicago White Sox, on Saturday May 1. I am going to give Vazquez a month. If he is still struggling as mightily as he is now by June 1, I am going to go on a search for a starting pitcher to replace him.
I will look far and wide; I will look at every stat from every Yankee minor league hurler, I will glance at every team in baseball who might need Vazquez–while at the same time finding a suitable replacement; a pitcher putting up numbers in accordance to a good number four starter.
Honestly, at this point in the season, the Yankees could probably throw their bat boy out there and he could do better than Vazquez. He is too inconsistent and does not seem to be moving in the same direction of the team. He is the only starter in the rotation with a losing record.
CC Sabathia (2-1), A.J. Burnett (2-0), Andy Pettitte (3-0), Phil Hughes (2-0)
Vazquez is now 1-3.
Before the season began, an analyst said Vazquez has the stuff to be a number two pitcher. While that may or may not be true, he is not showing that right now. He is only showing that he cannot do the job he was brought on board to do.
We’ll see what he is made of. He has until June 1. Then, if he has shown no improvement, I say the Yankees ought to dump him off. It’s not like he is under contract for 2011 as it is.
Other Notes
–Marcus Thames has got nothing on Brett Gardner in left field. He started this afternoon, only to misplay a ball out in left. There are some big guys who can move around pretty well in the outfield (like Nick Swisher)
Thames is a big guy who can’t move around well. If he had caught the fly ball, it would have been a whole different game today. Thames only started because he supposedly “wears down left-handed pitching,” a Scott Kazmir (a lefty) started for the Halos.
Thames did have a hit and a run scored, but that misplayed ball hurt big time.
–The Yankees only have to play the Angels twice more this season: July 20-21 at home in Yankee Stadium. Thank God for getting them out of the way in April! They are too tough to be playing down the stretch.
–As mentioned before, the Yankees are 5-1 in their first six series this season. This past series was their first losing effort. Still, it’s not bad to have won five straight to begin the year. Good start!
–Robinson Cano was hit by a pitch in the second inning. Jorge Posada came up to bat right after Cano and launched a two-run homer.
Message to the 29 other teams in the MLB: you hit the Yankees, they will hit back!
Cano also homered in this game, clubbing his fifth of the year, and he now leads the Yankee team in long balls.
–Mark Teixeira needs to get off the interstate and start getting some hits. He did draw two walks today, but he is supposed to be a big threat to the other team’s pitching. Currently batting .119, he poses no threat right now at all.
Wake up, Tex!
–Speaking of Teixeira , I really don’t know how I feel about him ramming the catcher Friday night. I’m not sure if Teixeira did it because he got hit with a pitch before it happened, but whatever the case, he mowed him down.
It is part of the game and many runners coming hard into home plate do it, but I felt sorry for Bobby Wilson. It’s happened to the Yankees before, in spring training prior to 2008. Elliot Johnson of the Rays broke Francisco Cervelli’s wrist that way.
It’s dangerous! The league should consider regulating collisions somehow, if it’s doable.
Teixeira really got him good (giving Wilson a concussion and an ankle injury) but at least he apologized and felt some remorse for the hit. That is the type of personality Teixeira has, but if I were him, I’d watch out in July. The Angels might want some retribution.
And Justin Tuck better watch out. If the New York Giants need a linebacker or a defensive end, Teixeira might be their man. That hit was football-esque!
–On their day off tomorrow, the Yankees will visit the White House in honor of their 2009 World Series Championship. Message to Joe Girardi: tell Obama to fix the economy, create jobs for hard-working Americans who need work, and that his health care bill is trash and should be thrown away.
I think it’s nice that the President recognizes the nation’s sports titles and invites the Champs to the White House. It’s been happening for years and years; I know Clinton and Bush both did the same thing.
–On Tuesday the Yankees go to Baltimore to play the Orioles for three games. Phil Hughes, CC Sabathia, and A.J. Burnett will start those three games, respectively.
–Right now the Yankees are 12-6, in second place in the AL East, a game behind the Rays who are 14-5.
Hughes Dominant, Comes Close to No-No
When I woke up this morning before school, I opened my dresser drawer. It’s a routine I and most people go through every day. I shuffled through several Yankee tee shirts and came across the one I decided to wear today:
The one that read “Hughes 65″ on the back.
“He’s pitching tonight,” I thought to myself. “I guess I can wear Hughes.”
Little did I know what was in store for Phil Hughes tonight. En route to the Yankees’ 3-1 win over Oakland, the 23 year-old righty flirted with a no-hitter, setting down the A’s one by one until the bottom of the eighth inning.
A sharp come-backer off the bat of Eric Chavez (which caromed off Hughes himself) spoiled a beautiful no-hit bid. Believe me when I tell you, Hughes was dealing like he was playing blackjack in Vegas.
Making only his second start of the year, Hughes pitched 7 1/3 innings, and was charged with one run on that one fateful hit. He walked two batters over the course of his outing and struck out a career-high 10.
Talk about doing work!
Hughes became the second Yankee pitcher this season to come within an eyelash of a no-no. CC Sabathia almost got the job done back on April 10, taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning with two outs against Tampa Bay before losing it.
As for Hughes, his fastball was very live tonight; it was exploding through the strike zone. His breaking ball was un-hittable, dancing all over the place and fooling every Athletic he faced. The youngster certainly brought his best fastball with him tonight, along with his Uncle Charlie…
Well, Hughes’s Uncle Charlie was present in a figurative way. In a literal way, his parents were in attendance tonight. I noticed he was throwing the no-no in the fifth, and when they showed mom and dad in the crowd, I was really pulling for him. It would have been very special for Hughes to have gotten the no-hitter with his parents there.
The Yankee offense supplied Hughes with just enough runs to pick up his second win of 2010. In the top of the fourth, the Yankees scored two of their three runs, breaking the scoreless tie. Alex Rodriguez tripled and subsequently scored on a triple by Robinson Cano.
Jorge Posada then drove in Cano with an RBI groundout to first, giving the Yankees a 2-1 edge. The Yanks’ final run came in the top of the eighth, an RBI single off the bat of Brett Gardner to score Curtis Granderson.
The A’s plated one run in the eighth on the strength of an RBI single by Jake Fox to score Chavez. Joba Chamberlain had taken over for Hughes at that point, but since the base runner was Hughes’s responsibility, meaning he was charged with the run.
Tonight reminded me a lot of May 1, 2007. Hughes made a start in Texas against the Rangers and was on fire, as he was tonight. He took a no-no into the seventh inning, but was forced to leave with a hamstring injury.
Bobby Murcer (God rest his soul) was calling the action in the game. He said, “If Phil Hughes had stayed in the game, he would have undoubtedly pitched a no-hitter.”
I was watching the game too, and I agree. I think he would have done it.
So at the end of the night:
–No no-hitter for Hughes, but he once again came close.
–Hughes is now 2-0 this year.
–Hughes set a career-high in Ks (with 10)
–The Yankees won 3-1.
–The Yankees have now won their first five series of the year.
–The Yankees have won six consecutive games.
–Mariano Rivera recorded his sixth save of the year.
–The Yankees are 11-3 on the year, still in first place in the AL East.
A productive night!!!
Here’s To You, Mr. Robinson
First of all, I’d like to say this has been a crazy week. I have had such a “Yankee hangover” (I guess you could call it). Opening Day took everything out of me; I had absolutely nothing left at the end of the day, I was exhausted.
But at least it wasn’t for nothing. It was one of the best days I can remember.
After the Yankees dropped a 5-3 decision yesterday, they bounced back and beat the Angels 6-2 on Thursday. With the win, the Yanks took the Opening Series from the Angels, two games to one.
Today was not just any ordinary day in baseball. Today, every player on all 30 teams wore the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson, the legendary Brooklyn Dodger who broke the MLB color barrier on this date in 1947.
The tradition of Jackie Robinson day has been a part of Major League Baseball since 2007, yet has lasted since 1997 when the number 42 was universally retired throughout MLB. Every player who was still wearing the number was able to keep wearing it, as they were grandfathered in. In other words, if you had 42, you could keep wearing it, but it was no longer available to any other player.
Only 11 players were wearing 42 at the time it was retired.
Mariano Rivera is the only player out of those 11 who is still playing the game. Hence, he will be the last player to ever wear the number 42. People often ask why Rivera is the only one allowed to wear 42.
Well, there’s your answer.
Before the game tonight, Robinson’s widow Rachel was on hand to throw out the first pitch. I find it so wonderful that she tossed the first pitch from Yankee Stadium. She could have just as easily been in Los Angeles and thrown out the first pitch from Dodgers Stadium.
As for the actual game…
It turned out to be the “Robinson Cano Hitting Show,” if you will. The young second baseman–named after Jackie–put on a home run clinic, belting two long balls out of Yankee Stadium.
Down 1-0 in the bottom of the second, Cano clubbed a screaming line drive to right field. The ball landed in the short porch for a solo homer, and Cano knotted the game at 1-1.
Later in the bottom of the fifth with one man on, Cano was at it again. He smashed yet another home run to right-center field, putting the Yankees up 6-1 at the end of five innings.
Cano now has a team-leading four home runs on the year and nine RBIs.
Derek Jeter also smacked a home run, a solo shot in the bottom of the third. It was Jeter’s second home run of the season, as his first long ball came on Tuesday afternoon in the home opener.
Jeter also knocked Curtis Granderson with an RBI double in the fourth.
Speaking of Granderson, he had quite a day at the plate. The Yanks’ center fielder pounded out two triples in as many at-bats. His first triple in the bottom of the fourth drove in Marcus Thames, which gave the Yankees a 4-1 edge.
I thought it was a good sign that Granderson hit off a good left-handed pitcher on Scott Kazmir. Everybody always complains how Granderson struggles against lefties, so the fact that he got around on a lefty of Kazmir’s caliber is hopefully a sign of improvement for the future.
I also have to hand it to Granderson for making a brilliant outfield assist. He nailed Hideki Matsui at home plate to end the top of the fourth, showing off his stellar defense on the field.
Granderson may have gunned Matsui out at home, but he showed the Yankees what they are missing in the top of the second.
The 2009 World Series MVP smacked a solo homer off his former teammate Phil Hughes, his third home run of the season; a shot that landed in the Yankee bullpen. It was Matsui’s first hit of the series, as he went a combined 0-for-9 in the last two games prior to that at-bat.
If you ask me, Matsui was sending a message. Basically telling the Yankees, “This is what you are missing. And you should have paid me.”
It kind of reminded me of June 2003, when Tino Martinez homered twice off Andy Pettitte as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. The Yankee crowed roared for Martinez and was happy to see their former hero go deep. In Martinez’s words, Pettitte was “a bit flustered after the home run.”
The same thing happened with Matsui tonight.
Thousands of people on hand cheered for Matsui after he went yard, and that same look Pettitte had in 2003 was on Hughes’s face tonight. Hughes looked a bit flustered after Matsui took him deep.
I was honestly happy for him. I miss him as a member of the Yankees. He was so valuable to the team and proved it last year. In fact, on Tuesday at the game during his first at-bat in Yankee Stadium as an Angel, I overheard an interesting comment from one of the Yankee fans.
“I really want Matsui to hit a home run right here,” he said. “I want him to go deep, just to show the Yankees how they should have gone after him and gotten him back.”
It may not have come Tuesday, but tonight, Matsui sent the message.
Howard Kendrick grounded out to first in the top of the sixth, allowing Torii Hunter to score, giving Los Angeles their second run.
On the mound, Hughes pitched effectively. The 24 year-old hurler tossed five-plus innings of work. He scattered two earned runs on three hits, walked five, and struck out six. For his efforts, he earned his first win of 2010.
Overall, I saw a lot of good out of Hughes tonight. For a pitcher who barely spent any time in the starting rotation last season, he did very well. The walks were a little bit of an issue, but his breaking ball was absolutely disgusting. His fastball was dancing all over the place and he showed great movement on each of his pitches.
Hughes is going to win a lot of games he pitches the way he did tonight.
Joba Chamberlain tossed a scoreless 1 1/3 innings in relief tonight, walking one and fanning one along the way. Like Hughes, Chamberlain looked very good and I expect his fine pitching to continue. His fastball wasn’t as live as it was against the Red Sox, but as long as he is getting guys out, everything is fine with me.
Rivera notched his fourth save of the year and once again ended the game. He’s on pace for (I would say) about 45 saves this year. I have a feeling he will reach it. He always does.
It was a very good night for the Yankees. They improved their record to 6-3 and will open up a three-game series against the Texas Rangers this weekend.
CC Sabathia (1-0, 3.46 ERA) will face C.J. Wilson (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Friday night.
Yankees vs. Tigers: Thoughts and Notes
With one week and one day left of spring training baseball, the Yankees are starting to get into regular season form. Saturday afternoon the Bronx Bombers beat the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland by a score of 2-1.
Here’s what I made of it…
A.J. Burnett
Coming into this game A.J. Burnett was 0-1 this spring, not exactly setting the Yankees on fire. I recently wrote a blog about Burnett, calling out his inconsistency and how everyone compared him to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde last season.
Today, he was “Dr. Jekyll-Burnett.”
The Yanks’ number two man tossed 91 pitches over 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball. He only gave up three hits, struck out two, and issued three walks. Not a bad day at the office for Burnett and it was a good sign, considering the Tigers played most of their regulars.
Manager Joe Girardi liked what he saw from Burnett today too; the skipper said he was “mixing his pitches, using the fastball more effectively, and was demonstrating better control than his last few starts.”
Could not have said it better myself. Burnett was also in a good rhythm with Jorge Posada, who was catching him this afternoon. Many people have made issues about the Burnett-Posada battery in the past, but if they work together as nicely as they did today there won’t be many problems.
Overall, Burnett looked great. A smooth and effortless delivery, a good fastball, a great breaking pitch, and everything was working for him. Let’s just hope he pitches like this for the better part of the upcoming season.
Burnett will have one more start this spring before April 6–his first regular season start in Boston vs. the Red Sox.
Former Teams
What was interesting about this game was the scoring. The Yankees scored two runs, both of which were brought on by former Tigers. The Tigers plated one run, which was scored by a former Yankee.
In the top of the first, Curtis Granderson knocked in Posada with a two-out RBI single. Of course Granderson played for the Tigers last season, as did Marcus Thames.
With the game tied at 1-1 in the top of the fourth, Thames took Tigers’ starter Nate Robertson deep to left for a long solo home run, a blast that gave the Yankees the lead they would not relinquish.
I think Thames needed that home run, considering the abysmal spring he is having. Heading into that at-bat, he was only averaging .114 at the plate. Yikes!
As for the Tigers, former Yank Johnny Damon scored in the bottom of the third on an RBI single off the bat of Magglio Ordonez. After Damon hit a two-out double Ordonez drove him in from second with a base hit to right field. I have to give credit to Randy Winn, who nearly made a spectacular outfield assist.
Damon just beat the throw to home plate, which was right on the money. A solid effort and a great throw by Winn, but the former Yankee was called safe at home.
It was just a strange day in terms of the scoring. Not many runs and a former player on each team lent a hand in each run. Crazy!
Joba Chamberlain
As announced on Thursday, Joba Chamberlain will begin the season in the bullpen. Phil Hughes won the fifth starting pitcher’s spot, much to the dismay of many people including Chamberlain.
A good friend of mine called me almost immediately after the Yankees made the decision. I answered my phone and he literally went off about how angry he was how Hughes was named the fifth starter over Chamberlain. His argument was that the Yanks wasted time with the “Joba Rules” and how they treated him last year.
Think about it: they put Chamberlain on six days rest and then had him go out and throw 4 1/3 innings in some instances. They put him through all of that just to make him a reliever again? My friend said,
“He may not have been Roy Halladay right off the bat, but Rome was not built in a day.”
Excellent point. Chamberlain is only 24 years old. If he was 34 years old and not performing at a high level as a starter, then I would say leave him in the bullpen.
I think many people forget what he did in July 25, 2008 against the Red Sox at Fenway. Chamberlain started the game and tossed seven shutout innings against the BoSox, beating the ace of the Red Sox staff, Josh Beckett. Not only did he pick up the win in that game, he only allowed three hits and fanned nine batters.
The capability and talent is there. He just needs a chance to put it to use.
Chamberlain said Hughes did a better job during spring training and earned the spot, but he also said he was disappointed. He has a right to feel that way. Everyone was expecting him to be the fifth guy and I can tell he wanted to be. But I think one thing has to be made clear:
Even though Hughes is starting the year in the rotation, it doesn’t mean Chamberlain won’t be there. If Hughes struggles (the way he has in the past as a starter) Chamberlain could very well be plugged into that spot and get some starts. Nothing is set in stone; it just means Hughes is starting the year in the rotation!
Maybe everything will work out fine. Perhaps Hughes will find his niche in the rotation while Chamberlain finds his in the ‘pen. Just as he has proven to be a dominant starter, Chamberlain can be just as deadly as a reliever.
After all, he did pitch a scoreless ninth inning today and pick up a save.
Other Notes:
–The Tigers’ spring training field is named “Joker Marchant Stadium.” Detroit officially wins the award for silliest Stadium name. Ever.
–David Robertson took over for Burnett and got out of the sixth inning. The more I watch him, the more I like him. He is great!
–Chad Gaudin was released by the Yankees. He made seven starts for the Bronx Bombers last year and the Yanks were 7-0 in those games. I hope he finds a new team, he can really help a ball club the way he helped the Yankees.
–Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher, and Robinson Cano did not make the trip over to Lakeland today.
–Nick Johnson played first base this afternoon. I think it’s good he can play the field, but unfortunately he went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts at the plate. He did draw a walk though.
–As mentioned before, Randy Winn almost made a great outfield assist. Even though he missed it, he still did a great job in right field. He made some nice catches and even doubled up a runner at first after an awesome snag. I’ll give him a lot of credit–he won some battles with the sun and wind today!
–The Tigers have a minor leaguer named Michael Rockett. Deik Scram, Michael Rockett…Jeesh, the Tigers are chuck full of minor leaguers with funny names!
–Chan Ho Park’s nickname is “Chop.” Cool. Even cooler, he worked his way out of a 1st and 3rd, one-out jam in the eighth inning.
–Joel Zumaya of the Tigers struck out the side in the sixth inning. He whiffed Granderson, Winn, and Ramiro Pena. I am officially scared of him again. He has been practically a non-factor these past two seasons, but his fastball hit 99 mph on the speed gun and his curve ball was NASTY. I am not looking forward to facing him this year.
–During the telecast, Michael Kay and Tino Martinez had a discussion about the pies to the face after a walk-off win. Kay said the dynasty teams were “very conservative” and that Paul O’Neill (at first) did not like the pies after the walk-off wins.
Martinez however liked them and said the team did not look like they were having fun the last five-six years. “The pies loosened them up,” Martinez elegantly stated.
I have to side with favorite player during the dynasty (Martinez) and say he was right.
–Tomorrow afternoon the Yankees take on the Tigers yet again, only this time they will play in Tampa at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Yankees vs. Rays: Thoughts and Notes
As we all know, spring training isn’t really about final scores. It’s about warm-ups, getting in shape, and finding rhythm. Today the Rays handed the Yankees their rear ends for the better part of the day and won 12-7 over the Bronx Bombers.
Instead of getting into all kinds of detail about who scored and when, I’m just going to tell you all my thoughts on what I saw today.
· Curtis Granderson
Curtis Granderson failed to reach base today and is still without a hit this spring. He flew out twice against two different left-handed pitchers. One of the knocks against him is his inability to consistently hit lefties, so I’m a little concerned for him. But I have a feeling he’ll find his stride.
We’ll give Granderson a little time. I think his bat will come alive soon and he just has to adjust to the new environment. His defense wasn’t bad, but he did however have a fly ball sail over his head. Better to have it happen now than next month.
· Phil Hughes
In the first inning he gave up a solo homer to Sean Rodriguez (who had a career day at the plate, missing the cycle by a single) Other than that hiccup, Hughes wasn’t bad.
Rodriguez’s home run was the only hit Hughes allowed over the two innings he pitched. He walked one batter and did not record a strikeout. Other than that, Hughes’s changeup was good and there was a lot of movement on it.
I know he wasn’t happy with his performance. But that’s the idea of spring training–to work the kinks out and get ready for the season. Hughes wants to be a starter but he’ll have to fight for it.
If you’re counting statistics, Hughes registered the loss today.
· Joba Chamberlain
I saw nothing today from Joba Chamberlain. He only pitched 1 1/3 innings and gave up a total of five earned runs on three hits. He walked three batters and only fanned one.
Chamberlain was extremely flat today; he left everything up in the zone and most of the hitters he faced feasted off him. I would say 85% of the pitches he threw were up and he missed the other 15%.
Not to make excuses for Chamberlain, but he is just getting over the flu. In fact, when the team went out on their “field trip” to the arcade a few days ago, Chamberlain stayed back because of his ailment.
It’s difficult to do anything when you’re sick, so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt in that respect. Catcher Francisco Cervelli even noted after the outing that Chamberlain looked “a little bit off” and said it was probably because of his flu.
I guess we’ll have to wait and see if Chamberlain can rebound next time out.
· Nick Swisher
Nick Swisher had kind of a rough day.
He was picked off at first on a snap throw in a very sloppy play. He took a secondary lead (although he was so far off the bag, you could’ve called it a tertiary lead) and stumbled trying to get back before he was picked off by Dioner Navarro.
After getting caught napping, Swisher nearly fell into the bullpen trying to run down a fly ball hit by Justin Ruggiano. To me, he looked like a bowling pin out there today. At least he walked in his one at-bat and he looks like he shed some pounds, which is good.
As for the falling and getting picked off–Swisher! Come on, dude!
· Kei Igawa
Sporting a new number (17) Kei Igawa tossed 1 2/3 innings today. And for the first time, I can safely say he did well! Igawa hasn’t had much to feel good about since signing with the Yankees, but today he proved he might just have it.
The Japanese non-roster invitee was perfect, not allowing a hit in his outing. He recorded two strikeouts on the afternoon, including a whiff of Ben Zobrist with a nasty breaking ball. His pitches looked a lot better than they were two years ago.
Igawa will without a doubt be in the minors this year. But if he continues to progress and pitch as he did today, the majors could be in his future.
I was very impressed with him today.
· David Robertson
Pitching the sixth inning, David Robertson had a perfect day. No runs, no hits, no walks, one strikeout. I feel good about him and I think he is going to be a valuable part of the bullpen this season. Robertson had such a good postseason last year. I think that sometimes goes overlooked.
Not to mention he and his family teamed up with Tino Martinez and his family last night. Collectively, the Robertsons and the Martinezs attended a Taylor Swift concert in Florida. I thought that was a neat little factoid Martinez mentioned while calling the game today.
And if you ask me, Martinez needs to call more games on the YES Network. He is more fun to listen to than Michael Kay!
· Jesus Montero
As a late inning defensive replacement, Montero was brought in to replace Cervelli behind the plate. He only had two at-bats. He walked and struck out looking.
Montero was one of my five players to watch this spring and I really feel we’ll see better things from him this month. I didn’t realize until today how big he is! For a 20 year-old kid, he is a monster.
It’ll be fun to watch his growth and development, so keep an eye on him.
· Other Notes
–Tomorrow afternoon at GMS Field, A.J. Burnett will start for the Yankees against the Blue Jays. I believe I heard them say Shaun Marcum will make the start for Toronto.
–Nick Johnson did not start today due to a stiff back. He received heat therapy on his back and his activities were limited. His treatment may continue for the rest of the weekend.
The reason his back stiffened up was because of his shoes, believe it or not. According to the YES Network, Johnson wore regular turf shoes instead of spikes while practicing. Somehow that affected him and he hurt himself.
I don’t understand it either, but he has to be more careful.
–The Yankees are now 1-2 in Grapefruit League play.
Johnny Be Gone
I had heard awhile back (through the hot stove grape vine) that the only way Johnny Damon would be able to return to the Yankees would be if he crawled back on his hands and knees and begged. Obviously he did not proceed to do that and now he is officially gone and not coming back.
Yesterday Damon and the Detroit Tigers cut a one year, $8 million deal.
I have to say, this was not completely his fault. For the most part, I blame this move on his agent Scott Boras. According to reports, the Yankees had attempted to negotiate with the left fielder several times with talks eventually stalling out before a deal was reached.
Boras has been known to do these types of things to players in the past. If you remember back to the end of the 2007 season, Alex Rodriguez had an opt-out clause in his contract. Rodriguez, also represented by Boras, chose to opt-out of his contract at the most inopportune time imaginable: in the middle of the World Series.
The Yankees had tried to negotiate with Rodriguez prior to the end of 2007 season, but no deal was made. Rodriguez told the Yanks that he was not interested in working out a new deal in the middle of the season. The Yankees responded by basically telling Rodriguez, “if you opt-out now, we are not chasing after you.”
Unlike Damon, Rodriguez became a free agent and reached out to the Yankees. The team and Rodriguez had a meeting and eventually worked out a new deal. Along with the new contract, Rodriguez distanced himself from Boras because of the ugly press he received for the opt-out move.
Good move, A-Rod. Unfortunately Damon was not as smart. He received ugly press and he allowed Boras to make a deal for him/control his destiny.
I’ll admit, I liked Damon and I will miss him. He was a hard worker, played the game the right way, and really did not make any excuses. The whole time he was in New York, I don’t think I ever heard him make an excuse for a bad game or a failure.
On top of that, he enjoyed many moments of success as a Yankee. Here are five:
5) June 7, 2008– A six hit day
The Yankees played the Royals on a hot Saturday afternoon–should have been an easy win by any Yankee fan’s standards. But it looked like a lost cause at the end of the third inning when Kansas City was winning 5-1.
Never underestimate your opponent, but also never underestimate the Yankee left fielder.
Damon put together a career day at the plate, going 6-for-6 with four RBIs and a run scored as the Yankees battled back. He even drove in the winning run on a walk-off ground rule double in the bottom of the ninth.
The Yankees won the slugfest, 12-11.
The ground-rule double was Damon’s first walk-off hit as a member of the Yankees, and he became the first Yankee since Myril Hoag to have six hits in a game. (Hoag accomplished the feat in 1934).
I would say Damon showed how valuable he can be on that day.
4) Boston Massacre, 2006
It was a really fun weekend to be a Yankee fan.
Heading into a five-game weekend series in Boston on Aug. 18, the American League title was basically up for grabs. We knew that whichever team won this series was the favorite to win the East.
Damon had been blasted when he returned to Boston earlier that season on May 1. Red Sox fans even held up a sign in center field that read “JUDAS DAMON” (the ‘N’ in his last name of course being the interlocking ‘NY’)
But never one to let things bother him, Damon kept his focus on the game. In the first three games of the five game series, he hit two homers, scored eight runs, and drove in eight runs.
Talk about letting your former team know what they are missing. And if you are wondering, the Yankees swept the Red Sox that weekend and went on to win the AL East. The Red Sox did not make the playoffs in ’06.
They had the Yankees to thank for that.
3) Walk-off Against Minnesota
Many people say the series the Yankees played against the Twins in May of last year was the turning point of their Championship season.
Melky Cabrera hit a walk-off single on May 15, Alex Rodriguez smacked a walk-off homer on May 16, and on May 17 it was Damon’s turn to ignite the team.
With two hits already under his belt on the day and the game knotted at two in the bottom of the tenth, Damon crushed a long, solo home run into the right field seats to win the game for the Yankees.
Damon’s walk-off blast marked the first time since 1972 the Yankees won three games in a row in their final at-bat. After the win, Damon proudly proclaimed faith in the team and the Yankees’ ability to win tough games.
He also received a pie in the face from A.J. Burnett, a tradition that occurred after every walk-off Yankee win in 2009.
2) Oct. 7, 2007–Game 3 of the ALDS
Down two games to none and facing elimination in Game Three, “The Boss” George Steinbrenner had issued an edict to then-manager Joe Torre: “Beat Cleveland or you are gone.”
Roger Clemens started the game and quickly let the Yankees fall into a hole. Clemens was forced to an early exit because of a strained hamstring and rookie Phil Hughes took over on the mound. The youngster was able to toss 3 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball, but the Yankees were still down 3-1 by the fifth inning.
Damon then came up to bat with two runners on base and took Indians’ starter Jake Westbrook deep to put the Yankees up 4-3. I had never breathed such a sigh of relief in my life. Damon had practically single-handedly saved Torre’s life as Yankee manager with one swing of the bat.
The Yanks were able to tack on four more runs and win the game by a count of 8-4. Unfortunately the next night in Game Four they were not as lucky and lost 6-4 in Torre’s last game as Yankee skipper.
Yet I cannot forget Damon’s effort in Game Three. He once again showed credibility in the playoffs and came through in the clutch. We Yankees fans had seen how capable he was in the 2004 playoffs and I for one was happy to see it translate in ’07.
In humility, Damon had five words to say after the game:
“We won it for Joe.”
1) Man of Steal: Game Four, 2009 World Series
It was the most epic base-running play I have ever seen in a World Series game.
After giving a warrior-like effort at the plate (a nine-pitch at-bat) and tapping a two-out single off the end of his bat into left field, Damon stood on first base in the ninth inning of a 4-4 game. The Philadelphia Phillies’ infield was playing the over-shift with Mark Teixeira batting from the left side of the plate.
With third baseman Pedro Feliz playing where the shortstop normally would, no one was covering third base. Damon took off like a shot and hustled to second base, the throw down to second being late. In a heads-up move, Damon right away noticed no one covering the bag and bolted to third, basically uncontested, and made it there safely.
You cannot coach that. It was just self-awareness. Damon was awarded with two steals.
Teixeira got hit with a pitch, setting up Alex Rodriguez who knocked in the go-ahead run with a double to left field. The Yankees tacked on two more runs after Rodriguez’s double and went on to win 7-4.
Damon kept the team alive with his valiant effort with two outs in the inning and his great instinct on the base path. I have never seen a player keep his wits about him in such a pressure-laden situation. He maintained his bearings and made a terrific play.
I still feel if Damon had made an out, the Yanks would have lost Game Four.
But that didn’t happen thanks to his intelligence and heads-up steals. Ricky Henderson, eat your heart out!
On behalf of Yankee fans everywhere, THANK YOU Johnny Damon!
You afforded us some wonderful memories and like Hideki Matsui, we will truly miss you. It’s unfortunate how your tenure in New York ended, but at least you helped bring the city another title.
Have fun in Detroit with Austin Jackson.
P.S. We are sorry Scott Boras ruined it for you. Be smart and dump him. Please.
World Series Game 6 and the 27th Title!
We did it…I…I really don’t even know what to say. I am truly speechless.
The Yankees defeated the Phillies 7-3 in Game Six of the World Series to capture their 27th World Championship. A wonderful, strong, winning season capped off with a World Title in the first year in our new ballpark.
What a wonderful, wonderful feeling. A feeling we all haven’t had since 2000.
I had been saying from the beginning of the fall classic that the Yankees were probably going to win in six games. Now, I don’t usually like to make predictions, as I have said before, but that was my best guess: Yankees in six.
But let me tell you all a true, almost scary story before Game Six.
I am a senior in College at this point in my life, obviously studying journalism. I attended my sports reporting class last night, mostly discussing the World Series with my fellow students and my professor. Well, after an interesting discussion, class ended.
I got in my car and made my way home to watch the World Series. As I’m driving on the highway, I notice a school bus in front of me. As most of you may or may not remember, all school buses are numbered, all numbers on the back of the bus.
Of all the numbers that there could’ve been, what number was the bus? 27. I am not lying and I am dead serious. 27, right in front of me for quite a few miles up the Taconic State Parkway in New York.
Coincidence? I didn’t think so. This eerie feeling came over me as I was driving; chills went up and down my spine. One thought popped into my mind: “The Yankees are going to do it. I know it. There’s a reason that bus was in front of me.”
When I got home, I just smiled and laughed. The game hadn’t even started yet, but I knew what was going to happen; maybe not the score, maybe not every specific detail, but I swear to God I KNEW the Yankees were NOT losing this game!!!
So eventually the game began and…well…I guess the only way to describe it was the “Hideki Matsui Hitting Show.”
Godzilla knocked in six RBIs in game six, two of which came on a two-run homer in the bottom of the second off the Yankees’ favorite son Pedro Martinez. It was Matsui’s third home run in the World Series and second that came off Martinez.
But Matsui was just getting warmed up.
In the next inning, Godzilla singled to knock in Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon and in the fifth he doubled to score Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira. No one could get Matsui out, it seemed.
And for his efforts in this entire World Series, Matsui was named Most Valuable Player. He deserved it. Three Homers, a .747 batting average, and six RBIs in the clinching game. Yes, I’d say that’s MVP worthy. Domo Arigato, Mr. Matsui!
Congrats Godzilla! (Remember, he also won another prestigious award–the Yankee Yapping Comeback Player of the Year Award!)
Teixeira was responsible for the only other RBI not registered by Matsui, as he singled in the fifth to score Jeter.
And who else was on the mound to close it out but Andy Pettitte, the winningest pitcher in postseason history. Everyone was concerned because Pettitte was pitching on three days rest for this first time since 2006, but those concerns were not well-founded. To be honest, I couldn’t even tell the difference.
The veteran lefty pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up three earned runs on four hits. He walked five and struck out three. His line may not have indicated an overly impressive start, but I think he did great and gave the Bronx Bombers a good chance to win.
And they did, like they usually always do when he pitches. I mean, Pettitte was the winning pitcher when they’ve clinched the ALDS and ALCS this year…what’s one more?
The Phillies scored two of their three runs on an opposite-field homer run by Ryan Howard in the top of the sixth, his first home run in the World Series.
Sorry to say, but too little, too late, Howard.
Jimmy Rollins, who erroneously predicted the Phillies to win the fall classic in five games (and is probably eating his words right now) knocked in the Phillies’ first run with a sacrifice fly in the top of the third.
Well, thanks to some solid bullpen help from Joba Chamberlain and Damaso Marte, the Yankees bridged the gap to Mariano Rivera, who came in to get five outs.
Did he get all five of them? Of course he did! And the Yankees are Champs again!!!
The team dog pile on the infield, a victory lap around the field proudly waving the 2009 Championship flag, and hoisting the Championship Trophy. Doesn’t get any better than that, does it?
I laughed. I cried. I jumped up and down. My heart overjoyed, my fists pumping in the air. I got that feeling; the feeling that comes over a man when he gets exactly what he desires. My phone was blowing up; calls, texts, people clicking the like button on my Facebook status, which read:
A.J. Martelli is in tears of joy :’) THE YANKEES ARE KINGS OF BASEBALL!!!! 27!!!!! “WEEEEEE AREE THE CHAMPIONS, MY FRIEND! WE’LL KEEP ON FIGHTIN’ TILL THE END! NO TIME FOR LOSERS, ‘CAUSE WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS…OF THE WORLD!!!” 2009 was the Year of the Pinstripes. In a perfect world we’d ALL be Yankees! I am so proud of my team. SO proud. It was destiNYY.
Stephen, an old friend of mine from grade school, posted as his status:
“Time for every person in New York to jump on the Yankee bandwagon and say ‘my boys did it.’ I think the only person who has any right to say anything about it is A.J. Martelli. He posts about every game because he lives in blue and white. I hope he gets to see this.”
Oh, I did see it. And it made me feel great, because it is true. Then I turned to my 26 Time World Series jacket, which is now obselete. “Guess I’ll need a new one,” I said with a laugh.
What a way to end this year!
Another thing I’d like to point out was the date. It was on Nov. 4, 2001 that the Yankees’ World Series magic vanished in the Arizona desert. The last night of the Yankee Dynasty of the late ’90s. Since that night, the Yanks had not won a World Title.
That is of course until Nov. 4, 2009. Perhaps the first night of the new Yankee Dynasty.
There was something strange about this night. Seeing that bus with 27 on it, watching Matsui practically single-handedly crush the Phillies’ dreams of repeating as Champions, and winning the title back on the same exact date we lost it nine years ago.
And even the fact that 2009 was the new Yankee Stadium’s first year, and when the original Stadium opened back in 1923, the Yankees won the World Series for the first time.
Not to mention, I checked the Yankee Yapping Facebook fan page to update the status…and at the time the Yankees won the Championship, there were precisely 400…and 27 fans.
Forces were at work, I believe that. This night happened for a reason. There ARE baseball gods and they were working tonight.
It has been a remarkable year; the year of the Yankees. 103 wins during the regular season, 114 overall…this was the only way to end it.
I would like to thank everyone who read my blog, there will be plenty more entries over the off-season, I promise you that. For right now, I would like everyone to ENJOY this!!! A World Series victory was the goal and our team reached it.
I’d also like to thank the 2009 Yankees for the season of a lifetime. I’m sure there will be many people (myself included) who will write about the ’09 Yankees. They are certainly a group of special players, and at one time (in June) I even described them as a “group of warriors that never quit.”
They are warriors and they never did quit. They took it all the way.
It’s been one hell of a ride, my friends. Thanks to all!
GO YANKEES!!! We made it to 27 and victory is ours!!!
A.J. Martelli
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