Yanks vs. O's at the Stadium

After a disappointing West Coast road trip and coming up short against the rival Bo-Sox, the Yankees (60-41) face a division rival in the "new" and "improved" Baltimore Orioles. Luckily, the Bombers can play .500 ball the rest of the season, and still win over 90 games. Buck Showalter's O's only trail the Yanks by 7.5 games in the East, but it still hard to be completely convinced on this Oriole's pitching staff and lineup. At only four games over .500 (53-49), it seems there's a slim chance this O's squad has the tools to go far through the playoff run in October. 


With less then 24 hours before the MLB trade deadline, baseball is the most interesting sport around. Even though the London Olympics have taken over America's television sets, this division series can possibly make or break the Orioles season. 


PITCHING MATCHUPS:
                                   
                                     BAL                                                      NYY
Monday: Miguel Gonzalez (2-2, 4.28) vs. Freddy Garcia (4-4, 5.16)
Tuesday: Chris Tillman (3-1, 1.66) vs. Ivan Nova (10-4, 4.08)
Wednesday: Zach Britton (1-0, 5.74) vs. Phil Hughes (10-8, 4.08)

Yanks vs. Sawx: Round 3

Coming in after an awful road trip in Seattle and Oakland, the Yankees will try to bounce back in a huge weekend series against a recovering Boston Red Sox team. Pitching this year has been up in the air for both teams, and the games this weekend can be high scoring with the inconsistency of locating balls and strikes. Expect high scoring games this series, the bats of either teams will decide the victories. Whether win or lose, nothing beats the greatest rivalry in sports.

PICTHING MATCHUPS:

                                BOS                               NYY
Friday:        Aaron Cook (2-3, 3.50) vs. Phil Hughes (9-8, 4.09)
Saturday:    Jon Lester (5-6, 5.46) vs. CC Sabathia (10-3, 3.30)
Sunday:      Felix Dubront (10-5, 4.54) vs. Hiroki Kuroda (10-7, 3.34)

Ichiro In The Big Apple

I never would have believed in a hundred years that Ichiro Suzuki would join another ball club, especially the NY Yankees. After reading numerous articles on why he was traded, it was very obvious to me that Ichiro wants what everyone wants: a ring. With only a handful of years remaining in his career, this pickup of Suzuki was a steal. Who'd Cashman give up? DJ Mitchel and another scrub? Ichiro was and still is one of the best hitters in the game, and adding his bat in a hitter's ballpark, along with his top-notch defense is a bonus with the loss of Brett Gardner and a healing Nick Swisher.

There's less than one week until the trade deadline on July 31st. Cashman made a move that no one saw coming. The key target players rumored of coming to New York were Justin Upton and Shane Victorino. Although it would have been a nice fit for Victorino in the Bronx, Ichiro is a player that any team cannot give up on.

Ichiro may be batting at the bottom of the lineup, but he understands the sacrifices of winning a championship. He will always stay loyal to Seattle and will never be a true Yankee, but it's an honor to see this guy put on the pinstripes.

Another Bomber Sweeeeeep (Un-tuck the shirts!)

     On the 13th anniversary of David Cone's perfect game and after a day of rain and delays, the Yankees persevered through the weather with a third straight victory and sweep against the Blue Jays 6-0 in seven innings. Just when you think Hiroki Kuroda isn't worth the big money (totally my opinion), his splitter fooled these amateur Blue Jay hitters. It also only made sense for Mark Teixeira to hit a bomb in the opponent's bullpen on Mark Teixeira Figurine Day at the Stadium. Phil Hughes's performance on Monday was excellent, controlling the strike zone with first pitch strikes. After dealing with a nagging injury on the DL, CC delivered a surprising dominating outing. Sabathia's six scoreless innings brought a smile to every fan's face, knowing that their "savior" has returned back to normal and healthy. (By the way, no one has talked about the bullpen...it's been dominating!)


     The Yanks continue to hit the long ball, contributing thirty-eight homers combined from Andruw Jones, Raul Ibanez and their bench. But let's not talk about the big jacks. Some certain #24 playing second base has a 21-game hitting streak going on, batting over .320 with MVP stats since late May. Could Robbie Cano be the 2012 AL MVP? I know everyone is watching the talented rookie Mike Trout in Anaheim, but there's an award for his numbers; It's called the Rookie of the Year. The argument of Trout winning the MVP is the same argument we had last year with Tigers ace Justin Verlander. There already is an award for the MVP of pitchers: The Cy Young Award. 

     Cano (don't ya know) has not been given enough credit this season. Trout is locked as the AL ROY, but not the MVP. Leave that award to the men in their prime, the men who have been in the league for years, earning their stripes and playing time. One year in the majors for a player doesn't deserve MVP recognition, but definitely the potential.

Also, how sweet is it that the Yanks go to play four games in Oakland and three in Seattle as their last West-Coast trip of the season? Let's face it, their six wins out of seven (that's being generous).
Basically the rest of the season is played on the East Coast, and that can only aide the Bombers to more victories.

Un-tuck the shirts Yankee fans! We are 57-34 with a TEN game lead in the division. Get excited, get pumped for October.        The Boys of Summer are here.

P.S.  Just a quick shout out to Jay's third baseman Brett Lawrie: you showed a lot of guts attempting the foul ball catch today. We hope for a speedy recovery for your injury. I respect players with the drive of hard work in them. Lawrie, you sacrificed your body and took one for your team. Tip of the cap to you. Get well soon.




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Yankees All-Star Break Report Card (Pitchers/Management)

Going into Spring Training, the Yanks seemed to have a powerful pitching rotation with the arms of their ace CC Sabathia, phenom Ivan Nova, Phil Hughes, and the newest Yankee, Michael Pineda. Unfortunately, plans did not end up the way it should have. The spring training rotation never pitched together. Pineda hurt his arm, CC got hurt, and the "Comback Kid" Andy Pettitte broke his ankle. This resulted in the lousy return of Freddy Garcia. Somehow, this rotation has kept its composure, and the Bombers are out playing opponents. With the loss of the greatest closer ever in Mo to an ACL injury, the bullpen has stepped up incredibly during these past few months.

REPORT CARD:

PITCHING ROTATION

CC Sabathia: (B+): CC's April always begins with a slow start, and he has kept his composure, bouncing back in May-July with a record of 9-3. Even if this groin injury isn't serious, it is vital for CC to perform at his best for this squad to go deep in the playoffs. The ace is needed for a championship.

Hiroki Kuroda: (B): Kuroda began the season slow, having difficulty locating pitches and finding the plate. Magically, he pitched an incredible June (4-1, 1.98) and seems to have the confidence in attacking batters earlier in the count. Hiroki can be an X factor when his best stuff is present.

Ivan Nova: (A-): In only his third season in the MLB, Nova has shown the stuff he was expected to have. Currently with the losses of CC and Andy, Nova is controlling the pitching staff, going deeper into outings and striking out more hitters. Despite his exceptionally high ERA, his record represents his top-notch season. The future remains bright for SuperNova; let's just hope he's not considered to be sacrificed in trade talks.


Phil Hughes: (B): When at his best, he can be as effective as anyone. But his performances are sometimes up in the air, which makes you question whether or not he can go deeper into games with only two or three pitches. So far, Hughes hasn't been a problem, and hopefully it stays that way.


Andy Pettitte: (B+): Andy's return from retirement saved the Yankees after the loss of Pineda. He proved that a 40-year-old can still perform on baseball's biggest stage. If healthy after his time on the DL come September, Andy will be a huge contributor during the playoff race.

Freddy Garcia: (C-): Let's get straight to the point. Consistency is important and Freddy has none. He looses more hitters when ahead in the count, rather than behind. Every Yankee fan is counting down the days when he retires and rides off into the sunset. Two words: complete trash. Can you leave any earlier? Trade deadline would be ideal!

Bullpen: (A-): After the sudden loss of Mariano Rivera and the waiting return of Joba, the bullpen has stepped up incredibly, possibly saving the Yankee's season. There is no sign of struggle from temporary closer Rafael Soriano, set up man David Robertson, or Boone Logan. Other young arms have stepped up in important situations, and depth is always important. Just when you think you have enough pitching, you need more pitching.

Coaching Staff: (A-): With the consistent high expectations of the Steinbrenners and the organization, Joe Girardi has kept his players in shape for the toughest obstacles. Injuries haven't affected attitude or performance. Larry Rothschild has also aided a continuous streaky rotation to stay successful. Even though these hitters are pros, Kevin Long has stepped up, helping the Boys of Summer improve on the swing. With the home runs each game and the strikeouts each game, this Yanks staff will stay intimidating to the other teams.

Brian Cashman: (B+): Although Cashman has the opportunity to toy around with the biggest budget in the history of sports, he has been very conservative with his decisions; signing Ibanez, and re-signing Garcia, Chavez, and Jones. Cashman has stayed away from blockbuster deals so far, and he is going by the solution of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Small pickups of Nix, McDonald, Stewart, and Wise haven't affected the Yanks negatively. Hopefully Cashman will take a stab at the trade deadline, looking for more pitching such as Cliff Lee.

Yankees All-Star Break Report Card (Position Players)

Robinson Cano may have been embarrassed and tormented by Royals fans Monday and Tuesday night, but there is definitely something to cheer about in the Bronx that Kansas City can't : a playoff team. With the best record in the Majors at 52-33, the Yankees are showing depth and perseverance, despite their key injuries of CC Sabathia, Brett Gardner, Joba Chamberlain, and Andy Pettitte. With a seven game lead in the East division, along with the addition of another wild card team in the playoffs, it looks as if the Yanks will have a secured spot as the division winner. The worst case scenario would be representing the wild card, but with their potent bats and pitching, the Bombers are only starting to heat up.

STARTING LINEUP REPORT CARD:

CATCHER

Russell Martin: (D): Martin's bat has been non-existent the whole entire year. Although his defense is among the elite, injuries and slumps have kept him out of the lineup. What happened to the All-Star catcher Russell used to be not so long ago?

INFIELDERS

Robinson Cano: (A-): With a slow start to begin the season, Robbie has seriously been recognized as a potential MVP candidate with his sudden summer explosion of 12 HR's and 28 RBI's in June and July. His batting average has gone up, and his defense is beyond elite.

Derek Jeter: (A): Jeter has had an incredible season so far, with a + .300 BA as a lead-off hitter. At age 38, Jeter has earned and deserved every inning this year as the every day shortstop. The way he performs, Derek could possibly be here for more years to come.

Mark Teixeira: (C): Although Teixeira's defense is superb and seems effortless, his cold streak of April and May has brought its way into July. His bat is not as consistent as it should and has greatly affected the role of the number 3-5 spot in the lineup. Change has to come for Mark sooner than later. His performance cannot stay tolerated any longer. Change is vital.

Alex Rodriguez: (B): His expected power has been non-existent, but A-rod still is recognized with stellar defense and as a new role model in the clubhouse. The pop in his bat may not come back, but it doesn't mean Alex won't be a threat come October.

OUTFIELDERS


Curtis Granderson: (B): Granderson is an all-or-nothing hitter, either striking out or hitting the long ball. Besides his defense and base running, his hitting is a key factor in Yankee victories or losses. With a low batting average, Grandy needs to focus on base hits rather than putting balls in the seats. He is no ordinary number two hitter. He's a slugger. 

Andruw Jones/ Raul Ibanez: (B-): Both Jones and Ibanez have played important roles in the outfield with the loss of Brett Gardner. Andruw's occasional power is shown and Ibanez stays consistent with his bat, taking advantage of the short porch in right field. Both were "freebie" pickups, and luckily they have payed off for the Yanks.....luckily.....

Nick Swisher: (B): Swish has performed under the pressure of possibly moving out of NY by next year, and maybe has convinced Brian Cashman to re-sign him. Even though Swish can make a catch in the outfield a "Top 10" nominee or a complete screw up, his potent bat has surprised many and his loquacious personality is beyond great. He is honored to be wearing pinstripes and it could be time for fans to be honoring him the same way out in right field. He is Swishalicious.

The Yankee's first half of the season ends this weekend with a four game series against the Boston Red Sox in Fenway. Although the Yankees struggle without three aces of their rotation, a great outfielder in Brett Gardner, and the loss of the greatest closer in history, there is no time for sympathy. This series is crucial for the Sox to win with the loss of their Gold Glover Dustin Pedroia, an uprising star in Will Middlebrooks, and with the loss of huge stars in outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford, soon to return from the DL.

Fortunately, this Yankee squad (49-32) stands alone as the top team in all of baseball, regardless of the injuries. The Red Sox (42-40) are surprisingly hanging within the competition between a struggling Rays and Tigers team for a spot as the wild card.

This rivalry introduces another chapter in its history tonight with a hot Hiroki Kuroda and a struggling Josh Beckett. Even though these teams play each other seventeen games out of their last eighty-one, this series should be a steal for Joe Girardi's Bombers. With a Sox lineup of Daniel Nava, Ryan Kalish, Cody Ross, Mike Aviles and Nick Punto, it will sooner than later that Bobby V's Sox will be out of playoff contention, along with the Tigers and Angels taking over the Wild Card spots.

PITCHING MATCHUPS:

            NYY (49-32)                          BOS (42-40)

H. Kuroda (8-7, 3.17 ERA) vs. J. Beckett (4-7, 4.08 ERA)
P. Hughes (9-6, 4.29 ERA)  vs. F. Morales (1-1, 2.51 ERA)
F. Garcia (2-2, 5.94 ERA)   vs. F. Dubront (8-4, 4.42 ERA)
I. Nova (9-3, 4.05 ERA)     vs. J. Lester (5-5, 4.33 ERA)

The 66th Old Timer's Day was a  great ceremony to begin a full day of Yankees baseball...but let's be honest, many of those old timer's had to be told which direction to run. Although Old Timer's Day brings back the many fan favorites such as Bernie, Tino, O'Neill, and Torre, it is somewhat embarrassing to see the expendables (Homer Bush, Aaron Small, Tanyon Sturtze, etc.) in this legendary game. The game began with the pitching match up of the great David Cone against who? Sterling Hitchcock?

My recommendation is to bring back the players who really contributed for seasons and for championships. Not all of these players have to be household names, but they should not qualify for such an honorable role as a Yankee if they only had fifty plate appearances from the bench and pitched ten games in four years.

It will be great to see Jeter, Posada, Pettitte, and even Rivera jogging out in the ceremony in a decade or so. But from now on, I don't want to clap my hands and give credit to the Joe Peppitone's, Oscar Gamble's, and  the Jesse Barfield's. If people don't know who these guys are, then it's time for them to leave the ballpark.

Tino, Bernie, and O'Neill didn't even hit the ball out of the infield today. Instead, we had the privilege to see Pat Kelly drive in runs, and see Mickey Rivers limp around the bases.

Next week, everyone will appreciate the moments of the Old Timer's Day, especially the true die hard fans who witnessed the pride and history of Yankees baseball. Unfortunately, it will be Alzheimer's Day next week for the many old timer's players who have forgotten what occurred today at the stadium.

(By the way, what is the all-time record of the Bombers vs Clippers rivalry?).....