Derek Jeter is a hero on the field and a role model off of it posted by Colin Linneweber

Legendary Yankees captain Derek Jeter went 5-5 and recorded his 3,000th career hit with a third inning home run to lead New York to a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays Saturday afternoon in the Bronx.

Jeter, the 28th player in baseball history to reach the 3,000 hit plateau and, at 37 years and 13 days old, the fourth youngest to do so, even managed to slap the game-winning single in the eight inning.

"If I had tried to write it and given it to somebody, I wouldn't have even bought it, to be quite honest with you," Jeter said to ESPN.com. "It is just one of those special days. I've been lying to you guys for a long time saying I wasn't nervous and there is no pressure. There was a lot of pressure to do it here."

Jeter, a twelve-time All Star selection who Sports Illustrated named their 2009 Sportsman of the Year, made his Major League debut as a shortstop in 1995.

The following season, Jeter captured the Rookie of the Year Award and helped the Yankees win their first World Series championship since the 1978 season.

The 1996 campaign ultimately proved to jumpstart the team’s late-1990s dynasty that saw the Bombers triumph in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

Despite the five crowns and innumerous accolades amassed playing in the media capital of the world, Derek Jeter has always remained the personification of class and professionalism on the diamond and the definition of a role model off the field.

Jeter, the only ballplayer to win both the All-Star Game and World Series MVP in the same year in 2000, has also scored with more women than Warren Beatty, George Clooney and Dylan McKay combined.

Yankees look to fill Pettitte’s shoes in rotation posted by David

Following Andy Pettitte’s retirement announcement last week, the New York Yankees are left with a big hole in their starting rotation.  CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes, and A.J. Burnett are the team’s top three starters, while the last two spots are up for grabs.  Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre are options for Joe Girardi, but their limited experience in The Show may hurt their chances, as the Bronx Bombers tend to go with more established pitchers.  That leaves Freddy García (35) and Bartolo Colón (37), both of whom will try to prove they are not washed-up.

García won 12 games last season for the White Sox, but his 4.64 ERA is more indicative of the type of year he had.  I went to Chicago one weekend and actually saw him give up seven earned runs in just 2.1 innings of work against the Marlins.  The ChiSox eventually lost the game 13-0 in front of their home fans.  García surrendered three home runs in that game and 23 overall in only 157 innings pitched, numbers that are unlikely to improve if he makes half his starts at New Yankee Stadium.

Once a great pitcher, Colón has battled injuries over the last several years and didn’t pitch in the big leagues last season.  Since winning the Cy Young Award in 2005, Colón has accumulated just 14 wins, topping out at six in 2007.

The starting pitching challenges for Girardi don’t end there, as it’s anyone’s guess what kind of season Burnett will have.  In 2009 – his first year in pinstripes – Burnett posted a respectable 4.04 ERA to go with a 13-9 won-loss record.  In 2010, his ERA jumped to 5.26 while his record fell to 10-15.  He also led the majors in hit-batsmen, with 19 – the most batters a Yankee pitcher has hit in the last 100 years.

Edgar Martínez’s case for Cooperstown posted by David

One of the most talented hitters of the nineties did not receive enough votes for induction to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, but I’m hoping Edgar Martínez does not have to wait too much longer.  I don’t expect him to be elected in 2011 because too many voters don’t think a Designated Hitter is a full-time player.  (Martínez came up as a third baseman, but injuries forced him to become Seattle’s regular DH in 1995.)  In my opinion, if a poor defensive player can make it to Cooperstown based on his offensive contributions, then someone who does not play a defensive position should be able to do the same.

Martínez’s career stats include a .312 batting average, .418 on-base percentage, .515 slugging percentage, 2,247 hits, 309 home runs, and 1,261 RBIs.  His best season came in 1995, when he slugged .628 while leading the AL in batting average (.356), OBP (.479), OPS (1.107), doubles (52), and runs (121).  Despite his monster year, Martínez still finished third in the MVP race.  Fifteen years later, he remains the only designated hitter ever to win a batting title.

Martínez was a seven-time All-Star, won five Silver Slugger Awards, and had one of the biggest clutch hits in postseason history – a two-run double in the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 5 of the 1995 ALDS that sent the Mariners to their first-ever Championship Series.  Seattle had been trailing the Yankees 5-4 and were three outs away from being eliminated from the playoffs; the turn of events sent the Yanks home instead after having blown a 2-0 series lead.  For the series, Martínez had a Ruthian line of .571/.667/1.000 and 10 RBIs – nine of them coming in the last two games.

Initial Bowl Thoughts posted by Chad

The _______ National Championship:
#1 Billy K vs. #2 Jacob Crass
--The only two ever league champions are in a familiar spot.. back in the league championship.  Bill expected to be an afterthought but his style and slick deals put him back into contention.  He’s a version of the NY Yankees at this stage, always in contention and constantly trading youth for useful veterans.  He then drafts young players every draft... and trades them for useful veterans for the bowl run.  Perhaps, some teams should recognize this and not trade with Billy all the time and constantly “reload” while he constantly goes to the championship.
Billy managed to go 10-3 on the season behind the luxury of his opponents only averaging 100.7 points per game.  The next closest was 106 points per game and in the top 5... 116.4.  That’s 16 points, on average, that Bill had to play with.  Amazing when you really look at the numbers.. for instance take a look at his scores the first 6 weeks of the season.  Bill could very possibly playing in another game if his strength of schedule was not so week.

Crass, on the other hand, lost his first two games and things weren’t looking good.  Then, Brandon Weeden turned it on and Mark Ingram’s inspirational return inspired the team to tear off 5 straight wins before a tie with Chad.  He managed to squeak into the championship and shockingly... gave up 116.4 points per game.  The 2nd lowest amount of the top 5 teams.  I see something here.  His points per game were .1 higher than 3rd and tied with 4th place.  It looks like the schedule makers may have wanted this BCS type showdown and leave out the little non-AQ teams much like we see in the college game today. 
Continue reading "Initial Bowl Thoughts"

Longer series are good for ball posted by David

Postseason sweeps are great if your team comes out victorious, but for the fan who just wants to see a good series because his team is already done for the year, sweeps make October less exciting.  The Phillies and Yankees outplayed their first-round opponents so it was no surprise that the Reds and Twins failed to win a single game, but the other two division series were more fun to watch.  Additionally, the League Championship Series in both the AL and NL will last a minimum of six games, which is how it should be.  A postseason series that features one team in complete control over the other is like a boxing match in which one fighter KO’s the other in the first round, but then fights him again the next night and does it all over again.  A series that goes the distance (or a game shy of it), on the other hand, is good for ball.

How ‘bout that?

How about Cody Ross?  The Giants outfielder hit two home runs against Roy Halladay in Game 1 of the NLCS and added one off Roy Oswalt in Game 2 to provide San Francisco with its only run of the game.  This feat of power against two of the league’s best pitchers comes after Ross hit only three long balls in 33 games after coming over in a trade from the Marlins.  Though closer Brian Wilson has struck out six in 3.1 scoreless innings of work, Ross’s .375/.474/1.063 line as an everyday player makes him the favorite for the series MVP should his team eliminate the two-time defending NL Champs and play in the Fall Classic for the first time since 2002.

Playoff newcomers show the baseball world what they’ve got posted by David

While the fans in Cincinnati, Atlanta, and St. Petersburg may not have appreciated it, nearly every game played so far this postseason has featured a dominant pitching performance.  Roy Halladay no-hit the Reds, Tim Lincecum shut out the Braves on just two hits while striking out 14, and C.J. Wilson and Cliff Lee combined to hold the Rays to one run in 13.1 innings.  Lee displayed his talents during last year’s World Series, earning both of the Phillies’ wins over the Yankees, but Halladay, Lincecum and Wilson were all making their postseason debuts, and not one of them showed any sign of butterflies.

How ‘bout that?

How about Félix Hernández?  Despite a 13-12 record, King Felix deserves the American League Cy Young Award for his outstanding season on the mound.  He led the majors in ERA (2.27) and finished just one strikeout behind Jered Weaver’s 233 and one inning pitched shy of Halladay’s 250.2 – both of which led all big league pitchers.  The Venezuelan workhorse threw six innings or more in 32 of 34 starts, allowing three earned runs or fewer in 30 of them.  Had he played for any team other than the Mariners, whose lack of offense cost all of their pitchers, Hernández would almost certainly have won 20 games or more.

How about Danny Valencia?  Following a promotion to the big leagues in June, the Twins’ third baseman hit .311 with seven home runs and 40 RBIs in 85 games. Valencia was most productive during the month of September, hitting five homers and driving in 17 runs in 22 games.  Had he spent the entire season in the big leagues, Valencia would be a strong candidate for the AL Rookie of the Year; as is he will probably be voted third behind Neftali Feliz and Austin Jackson.  Minnesota fans, however, should be happy to have a promising young hitter who will occupy the hot corner for years to come.

Hard work pays off for career minor leaguers posted by David

Reds rookie Mike Leake went from Arizona State to the majors without throwing a pitch in the minor leagues.  Stephen Strasburg spent two months split between Double-A and Triple-A before making his big league debut in front of the entire baseball world.  The rise to the top does not come so easily – or at all – for others who share the dream of playing in The Show.  Two such players are John Lindsey, who was drafted way back in 1995, and Max St-Pierre, who had played 978 games in the minors – nearly all of them as a catcher – before getting called up this month to the Dodgers and Tigers, respectively.  Lindsey had played for five different organizations and even tried independent ball in 2005.  St-Pierre had spent 14 seasons in the minors, including 13 in the Tigers organization, and was one of the Toledo Mud Hens' backstops in 2010.  He probably did not expect the promotion after starting the year at Double-A.  It’s always exciting for any minor leaguer to find out he's going up to the big leagues, but for a 33-year-old first baseman and a 30-year-old catcher going up for the first time, it has got to be the greatest feeling in the world.

How 'bout that?

How about Troy Tulowitzki?  The Rockies shortstop is having a September to remember, launching 14 home runs, slugging a ridiculous .884, putting together four multi-homer games, and collecting 34 RBIs.  If he can drive in 10 runs in Colorado's last nine games, Tulo will finish with 100 RBIs despite spending six weeks on the DL in June and July.  Along with Carlos Gonzalez, Tulowitzki is leading the Rockies in their hunt for another Rocktober.

ChiSox Top Yanks, 9-4 posted by Richard Kagan

The Chicago White Sox scored in bunches to put away the New York Yankees 9-4 on Friday night in Chicago.  The Sox put up two 4 run innings to take control of the game.

The White Sox came out early and scored 4 runs in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by A.J. Pierzynski's double which scored two runs.  The Sox also got a nice performance from pitcher Freddy Garcia (11-5) who kept the Yanks off balance all night.  Garcia went 7 innings and ate up some innings.  The bullpen has been battered, and reliever E. Threets possibly re-injured himself and had to be taken out of the game.  Both Matt Thornton and JJ Putz are on the DL.

The Sox needed this win badly.  Tomorrow they face C.C. Sabathia, one of the best starting pitchers in the league.

John Danks (12-8) is scheduled to pitch for the Sox who need a great outing from him tomorrow.  If the Sox are going to stay in this AL Central chase, they need to continue to win games.  And, even though Sabathia is the mound, the White Sox need to show that they will find a way to get to him and make him throw a lot of pitches.  The more pitches he throws, the greater a chance to make a mistake on a pitch.

Buyer or Seller? posted by David

With the Dog Days of August about to begin, now is the time for teams to decide whether they are buyers or sellers – that is, whether they should mortgage their future and go for it this year or trade away their veterans for up-and-coming prospects.  “Going for it” says to a team’s fans that the organization thinks it has a legitimate chance to win it all, but a more conservative approach can send just as strong a message.  While a middle-of-the-pack team may have to acknowledge that this isn’t the year, going out and building for the future – as long as it is not the distant future – can usually be taken to mean that the front office is willing to sacrifice an outside shot at the playoffs in order to increase its chances of winning in the long term.  Buyer or seller, every GM will be busy until tomorrow’s trade deadline.

How ‘bout that?

How about Buster Posey?  The 22-year-old rookie has been on fire since taking over as the Giants’ starting catcher when Bengie Molina was traded to the Rangers.  Though his 21-game hitting streak came to an end on Thursday, Posey has helped San Francisco go 17-8 in the month of July, in the process taking the lead in the Wild Card race.  It won’t be easy to edge Jason Heyward and Stephen Strasburg, but Posey has a legitimate chance to claim the National League Rookie of the Year award.

How about José Bautista?  Bautista leads the power-happy Blue Jays with 75 RBI and a .585 slugging percentage (teammate Vernon Wells, who is second, has driven in 55 and slugged .515), but more impressively, leads the majors in homers.  The journeyman played for Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh before finding a home in Toronto, and while he has always shown some pop, the Dominican native’s previous career highs were 16 homers (2006), 63 RBI (2007), and a .420 slugging percentage (2006).

A-Rod On The Verge for 600th HR posted by Richard Kagan

Alex Rodriguez of the NY Yankees is a great home run hitter. Period.  Ok, he used performance enhancing drugs when he played for Texas 8 or 9 years ago.  Well, a lot of time has passed since then, and A-Rod is still hitting Homers.  He will hit his 600th possibly today at home.  If not today, maybe tomorrow.  But he will hit it.  And,  some years down the line, he will be on the verge of hitting his 700th.  If he is clean, he is randomly tested by MLB, he should be given a pass. 

People should know that this is one great slugger.  He has predetermined ability to hit the ball out of the park. He hits big homers in big spots for the Yanks.  You need a slam, call A-Rod, you need to tie the game in the late innings, bring up A-Rod.  The fans, have finally embraced him. 

The rivalry with Derek Jeter is over.  They both respect each other.  Most likely, both will make the Hall of Fame, I suspect Jeter will make it on the first ballot.  But we're jumping ahead of ourselves.

A-Rod will be the youngest player to reach the 600 milestone.  He may be the the youngest to reach 700.  People should know that he will be chasing big numbers for the rest of his career.  It is time for the fans and media to get used to it.

New York Yankees Offseason: Catcher Russell Martin Agrees to One-year Deal (Yahoo! Contributor

The New York Yankees announced Tuesday that they avoided arbitration with catcher Russell Martin, who agreed to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract. In 125 games (118 starts) last season--his first in pinstripes--Martin batted .237 with 18 home runs and 65 RBIs. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Happy Birthday to Former Yankees Announcer Bill White: A Fan Remembers (Yahoo! Contributor Net

Bill White was a New York Yankees announcer on television and radio from 1971 through 1989--the first African-American to become a play-by-play announcer. As a fan of those Yankee teams, as well as the current version, I fondly remember White and his banter in the booth with the... [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

New York Yankees Offseason: Starter Hiroki Kuroda Officially a Yankee, Signs One-year Deal (Ya

The New York Yankees have finalized their acquisition of right-handed starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda, signing him to a one-year, $10 million deal, the team announced Thursday afternoon. As a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2011, Kuroda, 36, went 13-16 with a 3.07 ERA over 32... [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Top 5 Catchers of the 2000’s: A Fan’s Opinion (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Here is my list of the top five catchers of the 2000's: Jorge Posada (2000-09 New York Yankees) - Finished the decade with a .283 batting average, hitting 208 homers while driving in 819 runs. Jorge had eight seasons of 20+ homers and 80+ RBI's. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

New York Yankees Offseason: Catcher Russell Martin Agrees to One-year Deal (Yahoo! Contributor

The New York Yankees announced Tuesday that they avoided arbitration with catcher Russell Martin, who agreed to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract. In 125 games (118 starts) last season--his first in pinstripes--Martin batted .237 with 18 home runs and 65 RBIs. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports