Long Winter

After a 6-1 loss in Texas it set in the season is really over.

It kinds of reminds me of 2001 when Seattle won 116 games and were not suppose to win the series but did.

Texas had big hits and great pitching. The Yanks looked flat and looked like they did not want it.Phil Hughes, who I thought had a big game in him, came up with nothing. Except for Cano and Mariano no one had a big series even Jeter and A Rod. Jeter hit .231 and that kind of said it all.

The Yanks were 13-17 in September and after beating the Twins it came back into the Texas series when the team did not hit in big spots.

Who will be back what will the 2011 Yanks look like well that for another day.

It's going to a long hard winter.

Still Alive

After two rough games and three bad loses in a row the Yanks are still alive--just barely--with a 7-2 win at the Stadium.

What a game! CC just had enough to get by the hard hitting Rangers to force a game 6in Texas. I thought they had a shot today and the Bombers came though big. The bats came alive a little even though Texas had more hits. The Yanks came away with a and are alive for one more game.

Phil Hughes, who pitched bad his last time out, will be on full rest and pitched good against Texas this year.One game at a time.

One more then Cliff Lee. It does not look good but at least there is a shot.

Big Win For Yankees

One of the big Yankee wins of all time

I told a buddy of mine when a pitcher has an over-5.00 ERZ against your team this is a guy to watch because he could have a big game.

CJ Wilson did for almost 8 innings. Then the Yanks woke up.

CC did not have it and Texas was up 5-0.

Robinson Cano came through with a big homer then after Brett Gardner got on with his speed the Yankees bats came to life.

After a bunch of big hits 6-5 Yankee win.

If the Yanks lost game one it would have shifted the balance to Texas. Who knows... baseball changes every day but one thing is certain: with the Yankee comeback it exposed the Texas bullpen which besides their closer is not that great.

It was a big win as the Yanks took game one.

Playoffs & Pitching

(Above: fans wait out Friday's eventual rain-out at Fenway Park)

As most Yankee fans hope, you want to win the division. This week it was up and down and as of Saturday it still is.

Do the Yanks go full force to try to win the flag and get home field or play it safe and rest people to get them ready to go on the road? It should be decided by this weekend.

I would set up the rotation for the first round CC game one, Pettitte game two, Hughes game three, CC back for game four on short rest. And then Andy on full rest if there is a game five.

Also take one more position player and leave on the the pitchers like Vazquez or Burnett off the first round roster. We will know by Sunday.

Playing It Safe

The Yanks with a big win on Friday night in Baltimore as they get ready for the big showdown in the Bronx with Tampa on Monday night.

Nick Swisher out of the lineup last night and it looked like Manager Joe Girardi was playing it safe in Tampa last week sitting out some regulars and not pitching Mariano on back to back days. The Yanks are back in first and looks like they will be in the post season.

But if the Yanks are the wild card they won't have the home field advantage and that extra game. Who knows if that is the way to go.

But maybe with a veteran team and players need to be rested it might be.

Trading Deadline

It's the trade deadline day and for the Yanks it could be a very busy day.

They've already acquired outfielder Austin Kearns (above) from Cleveland and will likely pick up Lance Berkman from Houston today.

The Yanks can not stand still. Tampa, who I feel is the best team in the AL along with the Yanks, is right on their backs and it looks like they'll be teams one and two in the league jockeying for postion for first. It look like they will both make
the postseason but whoever finishes first will have the home field advantage.

Who knows...Maybe the Yanks should have tried to get Cliff Lee or maybe another pitcher. Who knows...today can make or break some teams chances and as Yankee fans we hope Brian Cashman made all the right moves but the next two months will tell.

Yankees-Tampa Bay Rivalry

The Yankees over the Years have had many Rivalries. The Yankees and Red Sox still the best.

In the 70s the Orioles and Kansas City. Even in post season the Dodgers and with interleauge play The Mets. This year you can put Tampa in that mode.

Yes the Yanks and Rays got intense a few years ago with a fight in pre season and with The Steinbrenner Family from Tampa that has speared it up a bit. And most of all this year The Yanks and Rays have the best records in baseball and it is going to be a close race all summer long. Tampa has a great young team and I hope as
a baseball fan they can keep there free agents at the end of the year. They could be good for a long time.

And by October who knows they could be playing for the Pennant.

So Long Boss

So long boss

As a Yankee fan you would hope this day would never come. It did today as we got the word of the passing of George M Steinbrenner.

It has been a tough week on Sunday Bob Sheppard died now George. Like most Yankees fans there were times you could not stand him and then times you loved him. But what ever you felt about him you had to admire the way he loved the Yankees and the fans of New York.

In spring Traning 1983 I met him at Fort Lauderdale Stadium and he could have
not been nicer to me and the other kids.Ever since then I have been a big George fan. It is a sad day kind of like when a relative dies. It was very hard.

RIP Mr Steinbrenner there will never be another one like you

No Cliff Lee? No Problem.

On Friday Morning it seemed certain the Yanks had Cliff Lee in a trade with Seattle.

No dice as the Mariners got a better deal with Texas.

In most cases the Yanks don't lose out on these deals but on this one they did and I feel it is no big lose. The Yanks are 55-31, playing great, and the the rotation ahas been super over the week. Phil Hughes who won his 11th on Friday night would have to go the bullpen if Lee came to town.

Besides...Lee is the big free agent this winter and you can get him with trading any body just losing a draft pick. Also a lot of Yankee fans like myself feel the Yankees should give top prospect Jesus Montero (pictured above) a shot. He would have been sent to Seattle. Maybe he will be in another deal...who knows. But for now he is still with the Yanks and this was a good man.

Sounds of Silence

Getting shut out twice this week by real good pitchers Clff Lee and Felix Hernadez is one thing but only one run against the Blue Jays to start this past weekend's series is another.

5 hits over 11 innings is not the Bronx Bombers although the bats did come alive later in the weekend. Maybe it is just a weekly slump but it is July and Mark Teixeira is still hitting .230 Jeter is at .280 A Rod has not come alive.
If you look at the team in general Cano is there only .300 plus hitter and has been contestant all year long.

Boston and Tampa Bay are right on the Yanks back it is going to be a tough race but if the bats don't wake up soon it could be rough in the weeks to come with showdowns against both Tampa and Boston.

CC In Command

Around this time last year after a bunch of bad starts CC Sabathia took off and became a Yankee.

Like last year it seems to be happening again this year. After a win against the Mets and 2-1 7 hit victory in Dodger Stadium against Joe Torre and Co CC is now 9-3 and looks in command on the mound.

With AJ Burnett off this year and Vazquez not getting run support. Sabathia has to step up and be the ace like last year. And if Sabathia can take off with a strong second half if could be CY CC lets see.

Andy is Dandy

Every Yankee fan has to like Andy Pettitte. Too bad he had to go to Houston for 3 years. He won his 200th game as a Yankee and is 8-1 on the season. You know his post season record and he is taking it into the regular season this year.

So far so good as no injuries to the starters. The Yanks at 38-23 are off to their best start since 2004 and are in a good race with Tampa and the Bosox and Toronto which wont go away.

I think that is good for baseball when there are a lot of close races. Its a long summer and we are not even at the half way point. It should be good.

Down But Not Out

It is hard to believe with all the early season injury's the Yanks are 21-8.

Curtis Granderson out a month with a pulled hammy. Andy Pettitte to miss next start due to inflammation in his left elbow. Mariano has a stiff left side and is day to day. Nick Johnson who is always hurt has a bad wrist and is heading to the DL. Jorge Posada has a bad right calf from getting hit last week. And now Robinson Cano hit by Becket on the knee is now day to day.

Cano, who is having the best season of his career would hurt the most if has to go on the DL. The Yanks with all there resources have a deep farm system but with all these injuries it still does not matter. They need the core players back as the Yanks face a tough May.

Thanks To Cano The Yankees Look Good

It's May 1st and the Yanks are looking good better than this time last year.

One of the main reasons is Robinson Cano. Our second baseman is out of the shoot with real good batting. He's over .400 with 7 homers and playing great defense. Cano who was almost put in the deal the get A Rod from Texas back in 2004. The Yanks did the right thing a few years ago when they gave him a long term contact at a low rate.

So this year The Cano is coming into his own and looks right at home in the
five hold. If he's healthy this could be the year of Robinson Cano.

Good Start

The Yanks, who started last year slow, are off to there best start since 2003 by winning there first three series of the year. And after CC held Texas in the rain on Friday night The Yanks are in first place.

So far the Yanks are real healthy. Only Chan Ho Park is on the DL. And he should be back in a week.

I thought this years cemetery might not be the same. But so far the clubhouse looks as strong as last year. The team makes it first west coast trip to the west coast trip which is always a challenge.

As a Yankee you hate those late night games on the west coast but if they win it don't matter.

Two Out Of Three Is Never Bad In Boston

It is only the opening series of the year but as a Yankee fan it is always good to take two out of
three in Boston.

It is early but the team looks good even with CC giving up all those runs on Sunday night and the pen not looking sharp. What I see is a team that is not the same as last year and has come back twice against one of baseball's best teams.

That looks good to me.

I know it is early but a series win on the road good way to start.

Let's Get It Started

As the Yanks get ready for an Easter night opener in Fenway, this years team has a few injuries but nothing like the start of last year.

Nick Johnson is the teams DH who fouled a ball off his leg on Friday. He could be out for Sunday night . But unlike last year when there was a lot of injuries, A Rod and the the rest of this team looks healthy as camp breaks.

Like most Yankee fans we are still not sure why Damon and Matusi are not here but this team could win more game with Granderson (pictured) in center and Joba back in the pen. Both of those post ions look stronger.

The cemetery could be the big thing but most of the big parts are still here and with the strong staff and pen you like the chances in the tough AL East. This is what we waited for since the clincher last Nov.

Play ball! Lets go Yankees!

Camp Winds Down

With a week away from the opener in Boston, some notes from Tampa.

All Spring it has been kind of quiet. This week it has heated up.

1. Phil Hughes the #5 starter. Most Yankee fans see him as a starter and Joba in the pen.

2. A Rod (above with Brian Cashman) says no to meeting with Federal Investigators about his relationship with Dr Tony Galea. Not good if he has nothing to hide. He should meet with the FBI and get this out of the way and off the back pages.

3. Chad Gaudin released. Kind of surprised here though he could be a great spot starter or one of the pieces out of the pen. I don't like this move.

4. They are only spring games but the team does not look like it is playing good. Not hitting and pitching poorly. Let's see what this week brings as the team heads north.

Fight For Five

Joba has started bad but pitched good in his last outing . Phil Hughes had a few good starts. Until Friday Chad Gaudin was looking good but after getting roughed up by Tampa. He could be out of the 5th spot. Alfred Aceves and Sergio Mitre have pitched well as they all try for the 5th and final spot in the Yankee rotation.

With two weeks till opening night in Boston the Yanks have some time to get their 5th spot.

Early in the season you don't need a fifth starter till the second week of the season. Most Yankee fans feel Joba is better in the pen and Hughes was made to be a starter. So far Javier Vasqez has pitched well and has won the # 4 spot. It looks like there is one spot and five guys still have a shot. We should know more by the end of the week.

Can't Wait For Spring

After another week of shoveling out it is good to see that baseball is on the way.

Just watching the Yanks with there early work outs it is a positive after all the snow.

Unlike last spring with all the A Rod distractions and the team not making the playoffs,
this year it is a lot different. The team in camp are the World Champs. A Rod has the past
behind him and is ready for a big year. We all know Jeter will be a Yankee after this year.

So this year it is just trying it get ready for another big run. Joba and Hughes will vie for the
5th spot. Will Grandreson play center of left? Who will make the team as a backup.
It seems like an real easy spring for Manager Joe Girardi and his staff. But one injury
could set that off. Let the exhibition games begin.

Thank You Johnny Damon

I had mixed feeling when Johnny Damon signed with the Yankees 4 years ago.

But after watching him play for the last 4 seasons I really got to like him. And it seems he wanted to stay. But is it the money or the one year contract they wanted to give him? Anyway.. as the Yankees this week gave Randy Winn a one year 2 million dollar contract Johnnys days in pinstripes were numbered.

The Yankees might even add one more outfielder to platoon in left with Winn and Brett Gardner. The Yanks are trying to get younger and with the trade with Detroit for Granderson they did. And if Brett Gardner plays everyday and succeeds they have.

But don't forget all the clutch hits not only in the World Series and playoffs that Damon got. But he is a clutch and winning player like Matusi and this is one Yankee fan who thinks he will be missed.

Let's Do It Again

Lets do it again

Happy New Year! Its 2010

After one of the greatest seasons in Yankees history its time to talk baseball.

I am real sorry to see Hedeki Matsui leave he was a great Yankee; thanks for the great series. Right now not to sure if Johnny Damon is coming back but the Yanks will need a left fielder. If spring training started today I like the staff. Getting Javier Vazquez back could be good
for his second time around. He has become a more complete pitcher and he wont have to be the ace here.

I was a big Melkey fan but Curtis Granderson is a big upgrade at 29 he is a top fielder and is coming into his own with 30 homers.Nick Johnson will be the DH and spot start. There are still moves to come and I cant wait till pitchers and catchers its not to far away.