On the day before the Red Sox take on the Yankees in a four game series to cap off the first half of the season, the team has to be happy with the position they’re in. Just over two weeks ago on June 15th, Boston was 31-33. That record had the team in last place, 7.5 games out of first, and members of the Boston media were clamoring for trades to be made.Fast forward to today.The Sox have gone 11-6 since then, and are finally out of the cellar in ...
We've all been anticipating the Philadelphia Phillies will become sellers this month and have a fire sale of the team.They already traded Jim Thome to the Baltimore Orioles and Chad Qualls to the New York Yankees. Hunter Pence, Shane Victorino and Cole Hamels have all been discussed as being on the block and could be dealt by July 31.A lot of different writers on B/R have written about why the Yankees need to pursue Hamels—especially since both CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte are on the disabled list.On Wednesday, Buster Olney ...
What a difference a year makes. Last year, on July 4, 2012, Derek Jeter was playing in his first game after a rare stint on the disabled list. His batting average stood at an unimpressive .256 and even with the inevitable 3,000th hit just days away, his season possessed little to get excited about. Fast forward to the present and the Captain stands at .298, 14 points below his career average. Not great, but certainly not embarrassing for any major leaguer. However, one has to take into consideration the ...
The New York Yankees signed three international prospects on July 2, all of which have the potential to be quality players when they progress through the team's farm system.The first prospect signed was Yancarlos Baez, a 6'2", 165-pound shortstop with speed that is well above-average. He's a switch-hitter with good bat speed and is just 16 years old, so his power just profiles as gap-to-gap at this point.With Derek Jeter looking like he may play a few more seasons, there's a possibility that Baez could be nearly ready to take ...
He burst onto the MLB scene for the New York Yankees in 2011, winning 16 games and throwing for a respectable 3.70 ERA in his first full major league season. As a 24-year-old Ivan Nova displayed confidence, poise under pressure, and consistency in establishing himself within the Yankee rotation.The question now is not whether he can remain in the rotation, but rather can he move up in it? Is Nova ready to thrust himself further into the spotlight and become the Bombers' No. 2 starter behind ace CC Sabathia?If one ...
It's July 4th, and even though the Yankees aren't quite halfway through their season (they've played 80 games), Independence Day generally marks the midway point of a team's schedule. The Yankees have been on a tear for more than a month, opening up a five game lead in the American League East powered by strong starting pitching and the lineup's propensity to hit home runs. The team sits at 48-32, but how have each of the squad's 25 players fared? Here are grades for each Yankee's 2012 performances.Begin Slideshow
The 2012 season has thus far been a successful one in New York, where both major league clubs approach the All-Star breaks at or near the top of their respective divisions. While many probably expected to see the Yankees in first place with their combination of quality pitching and an elite offense, I doubt anyone expected the young, inexperienced Mets to make any kind of statement.However, what these two very different teams have in common is this; there is absolutely no chance they would be in the position they are ...
The New York Yankees and marquee trades are synonymous. This franchise just knows how to make waves with a key acquisition. This season will be no different, we think. The only thing that differs is the big spending will move away from big bats into the realm of big arms, or at least it should. I join Ian Casselberry to break down all the rumors and trade innuendos occurring at the moment. Injuries and inconsistency make pitching a priority of the highest order for the perennial World Series hopefuls. Here ...
Here's an honest question: Has anybody even noticed Joba Chamberlain's absence this season?It doesn't feel like anybody has. That's probably because Chamberlain hasn't thrown a pitch since last June, and the Yankees have fared pretty well without him this season. The fact that they've had to deal with more recent pitching injuries such as Michael Pineda's shoulder, Mariano Rivera's ACL and Andy Pettitte's ankle has definitely helped overshadow Chamberlain's own recovery.Check that. It should read "recoveries." Chamberlain hasn't pitched in over a year, in part because of Tommy John surgery ...
Throughout history, baseball has watched several memorable moments unfold on Independence Day. This day has seen 25-inning pitching duels like the one between Rube Waddell and Cy Young in 1905. It has also paid tribute to no-hitters, like the one Detroit Tigers hurler George Mullin tossed in 1912. And it has also seen great men reach milestone strikeout records like Nolan Ryan’s 3,000th K in 1980. The New York Yankees have also had a rich tradition of brilliant performances on America's birthday. Thus, as we celebrate July 4th, I will ...