Archive for August, 2011
MLB: What Was the Real Reason Joe Girardi Didn’t »
Anyone who questions Joe Girardi’s desire to win is a fool. From his days as one of the leaders of the 1989 Eastern Division Champion Chicago Cubs to his clutch triple off Greg Maddux in the 1996 World Series to his managing the New York Yankees to the 2009 World Championship, Joe Girardi has been a winner. Joe Girardi is also [...]
Yankees and Struggling AJ Burnett Need to Part Ways »
$16,500,000 is more than the 2011 salaries of New York Yankees All-Stars Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano. Also, it's exactly twice the salary of Curtis Granderson. The only Yankees making more are Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia, and Mark Teixeira. Yet, $16,500,000 is the 2011 salary of AJ Burnett. With a salary like that, you would [...]
Brett Gardner and Other MLB Speedsters Who Are »
We've entered a new era of baseball history over the last few seasons. General managers, advertisers, fans and everybody in between are no longer mesmerized by home runs like they were during the "Steroid Era." People are tired of one-dimensional sluggers like Adam Dunn, David Ortiz, Mark Reynolds, etc., who embarrass themselves in the field or [...]
Surprisingly, an Expected Surge by Derek Jeter in the »
Earlier this season, I will be the first to admit my worries for the fate of shortstop Derek Jeter were elevated. For one, he is my second-favorite athlete in history behind Tiger Woods, so the idea of a preemptive failure was a bit troubling to bear. But more realistically, it looked like his skills were diminishing without return. [...]
MLB Trade Speculation: 3 Pitchers New York Yankees Can »
The New York Yankees are having an amazing year thus far. The Boston Red Sox were supposed to run away with the AL East this year, but the Yankees are right in the mix.However, the Yankees pitching rotation could use a little work. While C.C. Sabathia has been great this season, the rest of the rotation can be very spotty. This rotation [...]
MLB Power Rankings: 25 Craziest Mascots Throughout the »
The first thing to know about minor-league baseball is this: it's not about baseball. Sure, the leagues are training grounds for an organization's future assets, but the decisions that determine success from the player development perspective are made exclusively by big-league front offices.A minor-league GM is a savvy businessman, not a baseball [...]
The New York Yankees and Four Teams Who Get Booed the »
Maybe I'm just spoiled.Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I spent my childhood going to A's and Giants games, watching players like Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Jason Giambi, the Big Three (Mark Mulder, Tim Hudson, Barry Zito), and Kirk Rueter come and go.The stadiums were packed, if frigid, and the fans were always good-natured as long as [...]
Five Strategies to Ensure Postseason Success for the »
Yankees GM Brian Cashman has been on record stating that the Yankees currently have a championship caliber team. However, the common consensus amongst those around the league is that while the Yankees are good, they are not good enough to make it to the World Series—let alone have a shot at winning it.Here are five strategies that may help [...]
Yankees’ Jorge Posada Will Be a Tough Sign for »
Jorge Posada has stated he wants to play one more season beyond 2011. Here's why his 2012 season may not happen, at least not as a member of the Yankees or any other winning team. It's been a long, difficult year for the Yankees and Jorge Posada. His lack of consistent production has gotten him benched twice, both against the Red [...]
New York Yankees: An Exminantion of Mariano »
At this time last week, the New York and national media ran with the classic "Is Mariano Rivera Done?" theme, an almost yearly event that breaks down Rivera's recent weekly troubles. After blowing one save in one game, giving up a home run and the lead in a tied game and allowing a home run in a save in another brought the same crazy talk that [...]