One of the best times of the year is upon us, Opening Day! It's been a long and relatively quiet winter for the New York Yankees. That can be seen as a blessing or a curse depending on who you ask. No major free agent additions as we've seen in years past but some notable trades made the team stronger. Again, depending on who you ask, the additions of Starlin Castro from the Cubs and Aroldis Chapman from the Reds can be seen as a negative.

I expect the same sort of reaction when trying to predict what the Yankees will give us in 2016. They can be really really good or really really bad. Personally, I don't know what to expect. I can see it be as good as the first four months of the 2015 season where they were cruising to an 7 game lead on the July 31 trade deadline or I can see the lifeless group that gave up the last two months. Many analysts and experts are saying much of the same.

The Good:

Everyone plays to the back of their baseball cards. Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner get on base, steal the next and score a batter or two later. Mark Teixeira continues from where he left off in midst of a MVP caliber season. Alex Rodriguez proves that last season was no fluke and he can hit another 30 Home Runs and drive in 90-100 RBIs. Carlos Beltran provides the clutch hitting and productivity he was carrying the Yankees with in August and September. Brian McCann continues to be one of the best hitting catchers in the game. After a shaky first season in pinstripes, he rebounded well for '15 and was consistent threat in the middle of the lineup. Something that will be asked of him once again in '16. Chase Headley figures out what went wrong last year and does the exact opposite. His defense was the real eye opener last season, by far the worst of his career. Better defense should be on the menu, with that better approaches to the plate in the batters box and better results. Starlin Castro is the stud the Yankees think he is and adds stability to a second base position that has been struggling since Robinson Cano left for Seattle. Didi Gregorius showed he was a force at the bottom of the lineup and at shortstop once he made some adjustments to his game during the year. Him and Starlin provide a new youthful dynamic double play combo that should excite Yankee fans everywhere.

The rotation of Masahiro Tanaka , Luis Severino, Michael Pineda, Nathan Eovaldi , and CC Sabathia can be the absolute best in baseball. Yes, in baseball! Tanaka goes out and pitches like the ace he was in the first season he was here before he injured his elbow, not many people are going to touch his stuff. Sevy has the ability to be just as electric, if not more. At 21, he seems ready to be a power arm reliable of handling the ball in big situations. Big Mike much like Sevy has electric stuff. Mothers Day last year he struck out 16 and for a period of time he was untouchable and was the ace of the staff. With not of the "ace" burden on his shoulders he can go out and just pitch. When he does, oh boy it's a site to see. Nasty Nate dazzled in first year in the Bronx winning 14 games before his injury. His stuff is filthy and is the hardest thrower in the rotation. If he can bring that same poise he had last season into 2016, expect a big year.  Sabathia is the 5th starter and just needs to be a reliable get me to the 6th inning kind of pitcher. His best days are behind him but he can contribute and he had a solid September after getting a knee brace to help him stabilize his delivery.

The three headed monster at the end of the bullpen with Chapman, Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances will leave everyone in awe in what they're witnessing. 100 strikeouts by each, dominance across the board and they will lead the Yanks into the postseason with a great chance of winning.

The Bad:

You saw what happened in August and September last year. That could very well end up being the 2016 Yankees. Injuries and old age finally catch up and it'll be a long season in the Bronx. Every night was so frustrating to watch those final two months. The Yankees are putting a lot of stock into a lot of question marks, we can only hope that this isn't the case.

Final Prediction:

92-70 1st place in the American League East and a trip to the ALCS.

OR

83-79 3rd place in the American League East.

My gut leans to the latter.

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Andrew Miller, Aroldis Chapman, Brett Gardner, Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran, CC Sabathia, Dellin Betances, Jacoby Ellsbury, Luis Severino, Mark Teixeira, Michael Pineda, Starlin Castro

As we head into the last week of Feburary we're met with the arrivals of position players at Spring Training. Yesterday a notable arrival came without the usual pop and circumstance that has been accustomed in the past. Alex Rodriguez arrived to camp fresh off a successful comeback season.

In 2015 Alex played a pivotal part of the Yankees success. he also played into their late season downfall. At 40 years old, A-Rod showed signs of a man who sat out an entire season due to suspension and someone who had two surgically repaired hips. Nonetheless Alex delivered a solid season and put 33 home runs while being the offensive force in the middle of the lineup we had been accustomed to since his arrival to the Bronx in 2004. Alex turns 41 in July, has two years remaining on his legendary contract and is 27 homers shy of tying Babe Ruth on the All-Time HR list. When asked about reflecting on 2015 Alex said:

“I kind of went back and studied the season a little bit, and one of the things (was) I started my (training) process November, December, January. Really (significant) workloads for me, kind of prepping for spring training. I ran out of gas in August. My energy kind of picked up again in September, I just stunk. August, I was fatigued a little bit. September, I felt great and played poorly. So one of the things I’ve adjusted going into 2016 is to kind of pace myself a little bit more and use spring training as a ramping instead of coming here ready to go Day 1, which I did last year.”

I think if we get anything near the performance we did last year, we'd all be happy and take it. Assuming Alex and his fellow teammate Mark Teixeira  stay healthy, it'll provide the Yanks with the same 3-4 punch that provided an 8 game lead as late as July 31st.

Alex will once again serve as the teams DH. Manager Joe Girardi reiterated he has no plans to use Alex in the field. After two hip surgeries, why take the chance. The Yankees have made moves to add infield depth. They are talking about getting their Second Basemen Starlin Castro and Rob Refsynder some reps at Third Base. Castro could also serve as the back up Shortstop. Starting Third Baseman Chase Headley is the backup First Baseman should Teixeira need some time off or goes down with an injury. This should provide for some very interesting lineups this season.

As for Alex, I expect a similar if not slightly less productive season to the one we saw in 2015. I will go with a .265 AVG 27 HR 73 RBI. Nothing spectatcular but productive for someone finishing the season at 41 years of age. The drama appears to be a thing of the past for Alex so I expect the focus to be there but ultimately, he is past his prime, he's closer to 50 than 30 and he didn't have last season off. Let's hope for the best for A-Rod. At least for the remaining 2 years and 60-70 million left on his deal.

 

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Chase Headley, Joe Girardi, Mark Teixeira, Rob Refsnyder, Spring Training, Starlin Castro

It's been two weeks since the Yankees were eliminated at the hands of the Houston Astros in the Wild Card Playoff game and it still hurts.

This Yankee team that no one gave a shot at winning before the season started far exceeded expectations. By the end of July it looked like the Yanks would coast into October, except three things happened that derailed the entire season. Mark Teixeria went down with a season ending injury hurting the offense. Nathan Eovaldi ultimately went down for the remainder of the season hurting the starting rotation and the bullpen. The Yankees got old very quickly.

Teixeria was on his way to a 40 home run 115 RBI season when he fouled a ball off his shin and fractured his shin. Eovaldi was 14-2 and on his way to 200 innings when he went down with a forearm strain and he threw the balance of the pitching off its rocker. It put trusted pitcher Adam Warren back into the rotation, which was ok because he excelled during his stint in the rotation earlier in the year BUT it left a gapping hole in the bullpen. The 2-3 innings Warren would solidify in case a game was close or within reach now went to young inexperienced kids and boy did the Yankees pay for having to go that route. The Yanks lost countless games down the stretch because their starters just couldn't give them enough length. When they did, the offense was non-existent causing there to be more pressure on the lineup to produce. This formula was the demise of the 2015 Yankees.

So much could be said of how manager Joe Girardi handled the bullpen down the stretch in the final month and a half of the season but the REAL cause for concern is the lineup. The lineup that produced 20 runs in Atlanta, two potential Comeback Players of the Year in Teixeria and Alex Rodriguez, the future first baseman in Greg Bird, and a 7 game lead in the A.L. East on July 29th could only muster up 3 hits against the Astros. They went 1-7 in the final 8 games of the overall season. Pitiful, pathetic and embarrassing.

I'm not sure where the Yankees go from here but the answer to me is crystal clear. Get younger, get hungry, get rid of the old. Look around the MLB LCS's going on. All young teams going around. Out are the days of the high priced payrolls, In are the young and hungry want to make a name of themselves kinda players. This is what the Yankees should be aiming for. The new core is ready to be unleashed, Bird, Luis Severino, Rob Refsynder, Aaron Judge, Dellin Betances are just some of the homegrown talent waiting to make this THEIR team. I'd say make this happen sooner rather than later.




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Tags: Aaron Judge, Adam Warren, Alex Rodriguez, Dellin Betances, Greg Bird, Joe Girardi, Luis Severino, Mark Teixeira, Nathan Eovaldi, Rob Refsnyder, Yankees

The Yankees are in! Postseason baseball returns to the Bronx for the first time since 2012. It's been a hell of a roller coaster since then, as the Yanks said goodbye to some iconic players. Mariano Rivera in 2013 and Derek Jeter in 2014. They almost said goodbye to Alex Rodriguez for good both years but in 2015 he found the fountain of youth and became a clutch everyday 30 home run hitter. Now with a new group of players, the Bombers find their way to Tuesday night's Wild Card game at Yankee Stadium.

This team by NOOO means is going into the Postseason with any momentum or anything that makes you believe they will get far this October. They finished 3 games behind where I thought they would.  But I did predict the Yanks would get into October by making the Wild Card. I wasn't too off with my other predictions on how our main players would finish.

THIS Yankee team that takes the field on Tuesday will have more question marks going into that ONE game than it did going into the season. How does Masahiro Tanaka pitch with the season on the line? Who starts at second base? Who's Joe Girardi bringing into the game from the bullpen? How can Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury get out of their second half funk? How much more does Alex Rodriguez have left in the tank? There's more but you get the point. I'm really worried about this team and I'm afraid I know what fate awaits us on Tuesday night.

The Yanks will play the Houston Astros to determine who goes on to play the defending American League Champion Kansas City Royals in the ALDS. It was the one team I didn't want them to face because of their ace Dallas Keuchel. He's shut the Yankees down everytime he's face them and he neutralizes the lefty bats in the lineup, especially at Yankee Stadium, something we don't need in this sudden death situation. Any lefty getting thrown at the Yankees will be successful. Girardi has admitted such this past week.

To be honest, ANYONE taking the mound would've been successful against the Yanks this past week. A week that saw them go 1-6 needing to win only TWO games to clinch the Wild Card and Home Field Advantage in that sudden death game. A week that saw Girardi make some of the most baffling moves of his tenure here in the Bronx. That is what scares me as a fan.

Now to the positive. Last year saw BOTH Wild Card winners catch fire and go to the World Series. There's not reason to think the Yankees can't do the same. The One Game Playoff has proven to be the momentum swing that every team looks for come this time of the year. Tanaka gets the ball and I believe he can be the $175 million ace. I believe the bats of A-Rod, Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran still have a little magic left in them. I believe that Girardi can bring in Justin Wilson, Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller in the late innings and secure a victory. I've seen it so many times this year. Why not again Tuesday night to an Astros team that is young, inexperienced in a big stage and is worn down. It can happen.

The 2000 Yankees stumbled into the Postseason losing 15 of their last 18 games and they went on to win the World Series for the 3rd year in a row. Not saying we're winning the World Series.....yet, but I am saying anything can happen to change the misfortunes of the present and turn them into a steamrolling truck all the way to the end. I'm just happy we have Postseason baseball back in the Bronx. It belongs here.

Prediction: Yankees lose due lack of urgency in the lineup and they're not able to get the "big hit" when they need it. It'll be close, but after 2-3 missed opportunities, it's time to pack up and head home.




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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Andrew Miller, Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran, Dellin Betances, Derek Jeter, Houston Astros, Joe Girardi, Justin Wilson, Mariano Rivera, New Yankee Stadium, QUITE FRANKLY

The Yankees season may come down to how they get through this 10-game homestand that started Friday night. In order to make it to October, they have to get through the A.L. East and that's what the next 10 games will be all about.

The Yankees got off to a stellar start by beating the Tampa Bay Rays 5-2 at Yankee Stadium. In the process they gained a game on the Toronto Blue Jays. Something they haven't been able to do lately. 

Luis Severino pitched into the 7th inning and recorded his 3rd victory of the year. He lowered his ERA to 2.04. Showing poise on the mound and possibly auditioning for a spot in the playoff rotation, he gave the Yankees just what they needed. He threw a gem giving up just one run in his longest outing of the year. 

Alex Rodriguez, Greg Bird and Brian McCann all homered in the win. A-Rod was the first one to go deep in Friday night and the Yankees will need more of that down the stretch in order to regain control of the division. Alex has slowed down a bit here in the 2nd half but a couple off days seemed to do the trick.

The 10-game homestand ends with a 4-game set with the Jays so every game counts at this point. Day 1 is in the books and the Yanks show they mean business and are coming to claim the division crown. 

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Brian McCann, Greg Bird, Luis Severino, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Yankee Stadium, Yankees

Last night saw the latest highlight of Alex Rodriguez' comeback season. After going 0 for 3 in his first three plate appearances A-Rod belted a 1-0 fastball into the bullpen in right centerfield and put the Yankees ahead 5-4 in the 7th.

“A home run feels great,” Rodriguez said. “A grand slam feels pretty awesome. … I said in Spring Training, there were going to be some ups and downs. The last two weeks are pretty good examples of some downs, but it’s also important to keep perspective when you’re doing great or when you’re struggling.”

We all knew A-Rod would come back down to earth eventually. He's already exceeded expectations. So what's there to lose? Right now..the division. With The Toronto Blue Jays hot on the Yankees trail in the A.L. East, every game is important. Every at-bat is crucial.

The Blue Jays were taking care of business last night in Philly when Alex came up to the plate in the 7th with the bases loaded and the Yanks down 4-1. Talk about pressure. The man was once renowned for failing in clutch situations. This season, Alex has been the unsung hero more often than not. It was these same Minnesota Twins he slugged THREE Home Runs against last month and single-handily kept the Yanks in the game, which eventually led to a Yankee victory.

The Grand Slam was A-Rod's 25th on the season and 25th Grand Slam of his career. It was his first HR since his 40th birthday on July 27th. He was due. You sensed that all he needed was to be put in a situation where the Yankees needed him the most. I was at the game last night, I sensed it before he even came out to the on deck circle. It was just time. I looked over to my friend and said, Alex is due, if he comes up with men on, he's going to come thro. And he did...in a big way. With everyone in Yankee Stadium behind him and chanting "Let's go A-Rod" , he hit one into the Bronx night. The place went crazy and stayed didn't calm down until Alex came out for a curtain call.

“What’s bothered me is when you have poor at-bats and when you chase, when you’re not being productive and helping the team win,” Rodriguez said. “I think when you hit a lot of home runs, they come in bunches. Sometimes there’s droughts. I just went through one. … I’ve been stinking up the joint here for about three weeks now. That one felt good.”

It certainly did Alex. So much so that the Yankees official Twitter posted a pic of Alex with the caption #BAEROD. Now that everyone is in FULL support of #13 what else is in stored for A-Rod for the rest of this season? We're gonna need him down the stretch if we're getting to October. In a season of redemption, Alex has everything he needs to be New York's NO. 1 beloved athlete.




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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Toronto Blue Jays, twin, Yankee Stadium, Yankees

A-Rod breaks his slump with his 25th Grand Slam of his career and puts the Yankees ahead for good to defeat the Twins

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Yankees

Congratulations to Alex Rodriguez on becoming the 2nd Yankee ever to reach the 3,000 hit Milestone!

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Yankees

The Yankees have played terrible baseball in the opening week of the season. At 1-4 it's very easy to see how bad this team can be. If it weren't for a few miscuses by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 8th inning on Wednesday night, the Yanks could be 0-5. Yikes!

What I've seen is a team that is making mental mistakes left and right resulting in errors on the field, pitches getting left over the strikezone and runners getting picked off the bases at an alarming rate. Some of these mental mistakes are just inexcusable. You can not get picked off at first base in just about every game. Where is the focus of the team? New shortstop Didi Gregorius got thrown out on Opening Day trying to steal 3rd base to end the 8th inning with Mark Teixeria at the plate having a chance to get the Yankees back in the game. Inexcusable!

19 innings on Friday night meant MANY squandered chances at winning the game in extra innings but continous mental errors and lack of focus denied the Yankees of a classic victory in the wee hours of the morning. Stephen Drew and Gregorius had countless opportunities to win the game with runners in scoring position and failed to send EVERYONE home. Granted Chase Headley, Teixera both homered when the Yankees needed them most and Carlos Beltran came through with a clutch double in the late late innings, it's the lesser impactful hitters in the lineup who came up short. Everyone was swinging for the fences when all was needed was a hit or a sac fly. Boston won on a sac fly in the 19th btw. 

“We have to play better,” Headley said. “It’s as simple as that. We’re better than that. We have to get it cleared up.”

The sentiment resides all throughout the clubhouse. As I've stated, this Yankee team can be and should be MUCH better than this but most people outside of the Bronx will tell you, this IS what the Yankees are. Right now, it's hard to refute that point but it's 5 games in. Everyone will go through bad streaks like this throughout the season

“I think we’re a much better team that how we’ve played,” Joe Girardi said. “If you were to play at this pace the whole year, you wouldn’t have many wins. And I think we’re much better than this.”

A bad week certainly puts a lot of doubt in people's mind, especially when the offense is sporting a .193 average at the plate. The best part of the young season is the emergence of Alex Rodriguez as the most reliable hitter. Who would've thought that?  Alex has looked good all spring and has continued it during the the opening week. He even saw time at first base yesterday, how bout that?!

The Yanks send Masahiro Tanaka to the hill tonight to salvage the final game of this aweful series against the Red Sox. All eyes will be on Tanaka as he rebounds from a poor Opening Day start. All breaths will be held as they will be anytime he takes the mound this season as we all hope his right elbow holds up and doesnt require season ending Tommy John surgery. If the Yanks keep playing at this pace, thet might as well send him under the knife now. Let's hope this was just one really bad week.

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Tags: #TanakaTime, Alex Rodriguez, Boston Red Sox, Carlos Beltran, Chase Headley, Didi Gregorius, Mark Teixeira, Masahiro Tanaka, Stephen Dreew, Toronto Blue Jays

Sometimes our curiosity just gets the best of us. For better or worst we cant control the fact that we love controversy and we love seeing something that is out of the norm. As long as it's not us on the end. In this case, you clicked on this article because the name in the headline has controversy all over it.

Alex Rodriguez is no stranger to the spotlight, negative or positive. So here we are in the middle of March and A-Rod so far seems to be avoiding the spotlight. Such a polarizing figure, yet A-Rod seems to be on the backburner of baseball related questions surrounding the Yankees. With questions surrounding seemingly the entire team, A-Rod's productive spring has lead to eyes focusing on the pitching staff and other hitters in the lineup.

Major injuries to other overpaid under-performing superstars CC Sabathia, Carlos Beltran, and Mark Teixeira have gained much of the focus so far this spring. Mix that in with the $155 million investment in Masahiro Tanaka's right elbow and Alex flies under the radar...for now. That's because he's hitting at a .300 clip and so far so good defense in the limited time he's been at third base.

In his tv interviews he's been saying the right things, saying he feels like he's a rookie again, he's been humbled, he can't wait to play for the greatest fans in the world at Yankee Stadium and he feels great playing with his teammates.

"Some of the things that he told us still is some of the best advice I’ve ever gotten as a hitter, just as far as professional baseball went." Yankees prospect Greg Bird on A-Rod

If this can continue all year long, the Yankees will be happy. Will the fans be happy? I would. If he hits .300 and contributes to a winning team then no need for headlines and controversy. Although many people will bring that to the table no matter what just because its..well Alex Rodriguez.

There are a lot of what-if's this season for the Yankees. Alex is just one of many what-if's. He is so polarizing that you have to watch, you have to buy tickets to see just what he's gonna do. Whether you want him to fail or succeed, there is no denying that all eyes will be on A-Rod all season. The best thing he can do is be a reliable option on offense. The Yankees need offense in the worst way. Alex won't hit 50 homeruns anymore, but if he's got 15-20 in him and can drive in 70-90 runs this year no one will complain.

Opening Day is 19 days away and I'll reserve final comment on A-Rod once we get there and I'll see how Alex finishes up his spring.

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Carlos Beltran, CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, Masahiro Tanaka, Spring Training, Yankee Stadium, Yankees

A sight Yankees fans haven't seen in quite some time. Both men played in an instrumental part of the 2009 World Championship but in 2015 both will have to be "productive" and healthy for the Yankees to have a shot at October glory.

 Alex Rodriguez has had a good spring, better than most expected while CC Sabathia had a decent outing last night in his spring debut.


“I haven’t been around much the last two years, so it’s hard to think about how these guys feel and what they’re doing. But I know CC’s always a big part of what we do, and he’s part of our DNA. And I thought the ball exploded out of his hand today just from third base.”  - Alex on Sabathia

Sabathia said he’s not worried about whether he gets the ball on Opening Day. He’s done it 11 times in his career and said he’s focusing on making sure he’s available in September (and for Game 1 of a playoff series).

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia, Spring Training, Yankees

It has been a couple days since the Yankees finally reclaimed their position as the best team in baseball and won their 27th World Championship. Although, somewhere on the streets of New York, people are still celebrating.

Why not, it took 9 years to return to the top of the mountain. For most cities, that's nothing, but in New York, it's an eternity, if you're a Yankees fan. People are still spending their hard earned money on World Series Championship merchandise. Soon enough, the money spent as a result of winning the World Series will be enough to pay for the 2009 Yankee payroll.

Now that most of the dust has settled and most of the celebrating is over, it's time to reflect on this season. There's a lot you can write about this season but not enough space here. You can write about big moments this year all the way to spring training but I'm not going to do that. What I am going to do is say, congratulations to the 2009 New York Yankees for winning their 27th World Championship and say thank you. As a fan who follows the team on a day-to-day basis and fights with the Yankee-haters of the world, I say thank you. I always knew you were the best team in baseball, I said it all year, but I guess it takes a piece of hardware and a parade down Broadway to shut certain people up. For that,I say thank you.

Johnny Damon had one of the greatest at-bats in World Series history in Game 4, in the top of the 9th. Then stole 2nd AND 3rd on the same play! Alex Rodriguez then continued his month of clutch hitting and drove in the winning run of that game. If he wasn't a real Yankee before, he is now. A bunch of clutch hits, homeruns and a World Series ring does that for you. CC Sabathia was everything you ever wanted this year. He stepped up when the Yanks needed him most. Even on short rest, even against the Angels. Mark Teixeria didn't hit much in the postseason but he got a couple big hits, homeruns to be exact. His defense all year long reminded us of the good old days when Tino used to dive and pick 'em like no other. AJ Burnett was great, then he was bad, then he was great, then he was bad. Right now, because of his greatness in Game 2 of the World Series with his team down 1-0 and in danger of going 2-0 going to Philly, he pitched the g ame of his life. He is now a World Champion.

Because of the pies in the face, because of the Championship belt given to the MVP of every Yankee win this year, because of GM Brian Cashman and manager Joe Girardi believing in their youth, and heck, even because of Kate Hudson, the New York Yankees are once again Champions of the World! 2009 was a special year for so many reasons....for that, I say thank you.

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Tags: AJ Burnett, Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte, Baseball, CC Sabathia, Derek Jeter, Hideki Matsui, Mark Teixeira, World Series, Yankees

Whatever you did, whatever you've said..it worked! Thank you Kate Hudson! Alex Rodriguez is a new man, and NOW is a TRUE Yankee!

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Kate Hudson, Yankees

Today, we await a game that EVERYONE in New York will be watching. Today, we take in the game we witnessed last night. Today, the New York Yankees can become World Champions.

Last night in Game 4, CC Sabathia took the mound on 3 days rest and he pitched good. He kept us in the game and left in the 7th inning with the lead. Granted Chase Utley hit his 3rd HR of this World Series off of him, but the Yanks still led 4-3. Joba Chamberlain was lights out until that 2 strike pitch to Pedro Feliz. Feliz hit a ball into the left field stands to tie the game at 4, with 2 outs in the 8th. But then, DESTINY made an appearance in the 9th.

Phillies closer Brad Lidge got Hideki Matsui and Derek Jeter for the 1st 2 outs, then got to a 1-2 count on Johnny Damon. Damon then put together one of the best Yankee at-bats of the season. He got the count to 3-2 and proceded to foul off pitch after pitch from Lidge. (This sounds alot like Paul O'Neill's at-bat against the Mets' Armando Benitez in Game 1 of the 2000 World Series. That game, because of O'Neill's at-bat, got the rally going for the Yanks to tie the game and eventually win. They later went on to the win the World Series.) Back to Damon, he got a hit to left field. Then stole 2nd and stole 3rd because no one was covering 3rd as a result of the infield shift given to Mark Teixeria. Tex gets hit with a pitch and Alex Rodriguez gets a hit to score Damon and the Yankees took off.

A-Rod has been amazing in the clutch this October and if they are able to finish the Phils off, Alex will be a World Champion. Something that has elluded him his entire career. Now, he is 1 win away from further cementing his legacy. He was brought in to the Bronx in '04 to win a championship every year. Not easy to do, but if the Yanks do win this series, A-Rod will be a BIG reason why.

Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada did their part to help the Yankees win Game 4 last night, just like they've done for the last 4 Yankee World Championships. Is there time for another one? You bet ya!

AJ Burnett takes the ball tonight on 3 days rest with the chance to win the World Series. This is why they shelled out $80 million for him last offseason. CC has held up his end of the agreement, now AJ needs to. If he doesn't, then old reliable Andy Pettitte will be waiting in the wings on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium against Pedro Martinez.

Today, will be the day the Yankees win the World Series. Today, the Yankees become World Champions!

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Tags: AJ Burnett, Alex Rodriguez, Baseball, CC Sabathia, Derek Jeter, Hideki Matsui, Joba Chamberlain, Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Philadelphia Phillies, World Series, Yankees

I wonder how these next 3 games in Philly will pan out. It's not going to be an easy trip for the Yanks. I have all the confidence in the world in Andy Pettitte in Game 3 tonight, but to be honest...I am scared of that Philly offense.


They are so good top to bottom, that it's hard to relax when they're at the plate. Andy is going to keep us in the game tonight, that I know. It's the bullpen that worries me a bit. You can keep going to Mariano Rivera for 6 outs. Eventually the Phillies will get to him. Yes, they are that good. Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain, our stars of the future have to come up big in the present and lead us to a championship. If they can overcome their subpar October, it provide them with a huge boost in confidence for next year and the years to come.

Tonight, the Yankees go for a 2-1 lead in this World Series. A series with 2 evenly matched teams. Game 3's always are a big game, and tonight is no exception. Alex Rodriguez needs his bat to wake up. Citizen's Bank Ballpark is a hitter's park so hopefully that will help A-Rod. I hope Kate Hudson makes the trip over to Philly. We need some more October magic.

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte, Joba Chamberlain, Mariano Rivera, Phil Hughes, Philadelphia Phillies, World Series, Yankees

I really like this matchup. Both lineups are evenly matched and can go blow for blow with one another. It should be entertaining, but the big difference is the pitching. The Yankees have it, both starting and in the bullpen. Pitching wins championships, and this will be no different. Cliff Lee has gotten knocked around by the Yanks in the past, but if he does hold up, he's still going against CC Sabathia. After Lee, who else can you really rely on? The Yanks have more reliable options in Andy Pettitte and AJ Burnett. The Yanks also have Mariano Rivera in the 'pen to close out as many games as possible. If he has to go 2 innings, he will. 3 innings? He will. Phillies' Brad Lidge is good, but not that good. That's all you need to know there. Advantage Yankees.


World Series Prediction:

Yankees in 6. It will be a good series but ultimately the Yankees are the better all around team and it will show in this series as it has in the previous 2. A-Rod and CC continue to have a great postseason. Meanwhile the depth of the lineup will come through and pick up where Alex cant.

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Tags: AJ Burnett, Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte, CC Sabathia, Mariano Rivera, Philadelphia Phillies, World Series, Yankees

Alex Rodriguez has been playing baseball since May 9th and for the most part this year, it's been all about baseball for A-Rod.

You would have thought that the steroid admission back in Feburary would've haunted Alex and the Yanks all season but it hasn't. As a matter of fact, Alex's hip injury was a blessing in disguise. It took all the attention about Alex's PED use and his steroid supplier of a cousin from DR. By the time A-Rod came back it was all about baseball, how his return to the lineup came at the perfect time. His team was struggling, Mark Teixeria was lost at the plate without his right hand man and the lineup wasn't hitting. Alex was the man who fixed the Yankees with one swing on a Friday night in Baltimore and the Yanks haven't looked back since.

The only thing that is getting Alex attention off the field is Kate Hudson. The two alledgely met in November in Miami and have been "friends" since. She has been spotted at Yankee Stadium on a few occasions and once in the Bombers last road trip in Anahiem. I mean could we really be naive to think they were just friends? I think not. Personally I think Hudson is a better pick up than Madonna and Alex should stick with the 33 year old blond bombshell.

Yesterday the Yankees held a family picnic on the field after the game and Alex's invitees were Kate and his daughters Natasha and Ella. Then finally Rodriguez and Hudson put all the rumors to rest and they smooched for all to see at the Stadium yesterday. Good for them. Not that it's anyone's business but it's good to see them not care about the public opinion and show their affections in public.

As long as the Yanks keep on winning, that's the only thing that will matter to the New York public and media.


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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Baseball, Kate Hudson, Mark Teixeira, Yankee Stadium, Yankees

For everything that was said about Alex Rodriguez over the offseason, he took it as movitation for the 2009 season. So far, you haven't heard a word about A-Rod doing anything crazy or questionable. He has let his play do the the talking. And he's talking in a big way.

He missed the first 5 weeks of the season due to his hip injury, then he comes back and hits the very FIRST pitch he sees this season out for a 3-run HR. Then on his 1st weekend back at home, he hits a game-tying HR in the bottom of the 9th inning against the Twins. He's had many highlights this season, both offensively and defensively. Yesterday was his last.

Alex hit 2 HRs in yesterday's 14-8 loss. The 2nd HR put him in the top 10 on the All-Time HR list. He passed Rafael Palmerio to get into the top 10.

A-Rod has quickly put up some good numbers. 17 HR and 50 RBI are solid numbers for someone who missed 5 weeks of the season. His average is also on the incline, he's at .263. Not something you really would be proud of but considering just a few weeks ago he was around .220 then you appreciate the .260 batting average.

He won't be participating in any All-Star Game festivities so he will be getting a 4 day rest which hopefully will help him for the remainder of the summer. It could slow his hot streak down a bit but Alex is a good enough player to start a new one come next weekend.

Alex has been ALL baseball this season and that's the way it should be. Other than the minor Kate Hudson talk Alex hasn't drawn much attention to himself. Hoepfully he keeps it that way and stays focused on the game and on winning championship number 27.


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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Baseball, Yankee Stadium, Yankees

Yankees 8
Angels 14

I'm disgusted. For the second straight day the Yanks blew a 4 run lead. I just don't want to get into specifics because it was that bad. The upside, A-Rod hit 2 more HRs and is continuing his hot streak. He now is in the Top 10 on the All-Time HR list. Another good note was Eric Hinske, he hit 2 HRs yesterday. That's 3 homers in 9 at-bats as a Yankee. That's better then his 1 HR for the Pirates the previous 3 months.



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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Baseball, Eric Hinske, Los Angeles Angels, QuickCap, Yankees

Coming off the the holiday the Yankees find themselves 1 game behind the Boston Red Sox and have won 10 of their last 11. They are playing well all around again, much like their run back in May. The Yankees idlily would like to finish the first half strong and ahead of the Red Sox in the standings. At this rate, that shouldn't be a problem to accomplish.

Here are my thoughts on some of the things going on with the Yanks right now:

Phil Hughes:
This has been the biggest issue lately. What do you with the young 23 year old? I'm grown to liking the phrase "whatever helps the team" and in this case, Hughes is best in the bullpen. He's been lights out since getting there, so keep him there right now. Does he belong in the 8th inning? Well so far, he's done the job in the 8th as we've seen in recent days, so yea give him the ball in the 8th. He can let the ball go around 95, 96 and mixes it up well with a nasty curve. Reminds you of Joba Chamberlain in '07, just without all the flash. The need for Joba was in the 8th inning that season and this season, the need for Hughes is there as well. Let him rock there and see what happens, if he falters t hen you send him to the minors and stretch him out again, that simple.

Chein-Ming Wang:
Boy this guy can't catch a break. It looks like he's headed to the DL for the 2nd time this season just as he's starting to turn things around. It's a shame he's had such a down year but it's better this happens this year when the Yanks have so much depth in the rotation, rather than it happen when he's the top guy in the rotation (oh, wait that happened last year). Point is, this is going to be his down year no matter how you slice it. It's a good thing the Yanks spent all that money on CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett, they're a combined 14-9, nothing spectatular, but better than the likes of Darrel Rasner and Sidney Ponson, the guys the Bombers threw out their last year in Wang's absence. Let Wang get his issues straight no, so when the strecth run comes, he's ready to go.

Alex Rodriguez:
Despite being out for the first 5 weeks of the season, Alex has pretty good numbers in terms of HR and RBI. It appears he has turned the page after having just an awful June. His production means the rest of the lineup will see better pitches to hit. Hideki Matsui has been the beneficial of A-Rod's recent surge. Robinson Cano has been hot also, but can't hit with runners in socring position. Alex has also played expectionally at 3rd base. He is the kind of player that can be hot for weeks and if this is one of those streaks, the AL East is trouble.

Mariano Rivera:
Congrats to him on recording his 500th save last week against the Mets. The best reliever in Major League history notches another milestone under his belt to further cement his place in baseball history. His class and professionalism, mixed with his dominance and consistency easily puts him in a class of his own. Though he has been shaky this season at times, he's still one of the game's best. His presence on the mound and in the lockerroom means so much, as always he is a key contributor in every run of Yankee success.


Time to take over the AL East and run away with it. Ok, that's a little premature but whenever the Yanks ride a streak like this it does get you excited. Good times in the Bronx.


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Tags: AJ Burnett, Alex Rodriguez, Baseball, CC Sabathia, Chein-Ming Wang, Hideki Matsui, Joba Chamberlain, Mariano Rivera, Phil Hughes, Robinson Cano, Yankees