A close loss is always more tough than a blowout. I know that being beaten 13-0 is demoralizing, sure, but a player can always say that the team was having an off night and that no one can win 182 games. But there is something about an extra-innings loss by one run that really sticks with a player; something that lets them know that they could have done this better or not done that.That is precisely what happened with the Yankees tonight in the Bronx. They came so close and ...
Jesus Montero. Wow, where to begin.You may want to begin where most people do when you talk about Jesus Montero, the most coveted New York Yankees prospect in recent memory. Quite possible almost as coveted as Derek Jeter was back over a decade ago.There is so much hype on this guy and he’s barely allowed to drink legally in America. However, maybe the hype that everyone seems to have on Montero isn’t actually hype. Could it be the fact that Montero is really, really good.Well, he’s played four games for ...
There are some intriguing possibilities to consider as we head towards the 2011 MLB postseason. If the season ended today, as they say, we would have upstarts like the Diamondbacks in the mix, teams coming into their own, such as the Brewers, and we would of course have a number of the usual suspects represented as well, specifically the Yankees, Phillies, Red Sox, Braves, Rangers and Tigers.On the outside looking in, but still capable of being a factor, are the Giants and Angels. The Rays and Indians are nominally involved in the ...
It was 1:29 AM on the East Coast, when the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles went into the seventh inning stretch and brought out Teresa Scanlan, Miss America 2011, to sing God Bless America in front of an estimated 500 fans inside Yankee Stadium.The rain was coming down hard in the Bronx as the two teams faced off, because the Yankees needed to get the game in on Tuesday night. Tuesday night became Wednesday morning after a start time of 11:00 PM.Scanlan came out to sing and to the dismay ...
They were a distraction that peeked in through the darkness less than 10 years ago. The 2001 New York Yankees, lifting up a battered city during a cathartic post season run that ended with defeat.The Yankees and the Mets were there in the days following 9/11, meeting rescue workers and their families, offering an ear and, at times, a shoulder to those who needed to let loose. You remember it more in times of extreme tragedy, that sense of community that still exists between a pro sports team and its city. ...
The rules prevent teams in the same division from facing each other in the first round of the playoffs. In the past, for both the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, that rule usually benefited both because they usually were the top teams in the American League. For possibly the first time, not being allowed to play the Red Sox in the first round could make the Yankees road to world championship No. 28 more difficult. The Detroit Tigers and the Texas Rangers have better starting pitching than the ...
The 1961 World Series was closer than mere statistics could ever reveal.The New York Yankees defeated the Cincinnati Reds in five games, which seems to indicate that the Yankees were not highly challenged. Those who saw the 1961 World Series know that some key events allowed the Yankees to win. After each team had won one game, the Reds were leading 2-1 as the Yankees batted in the top of the eighth inning at Crosley Field. Reds knuckleballer Bob Purkey was baffling the Yankees with his stuff. The Reds were ...
Jesus Montero has already burst onto the scene for the New York Yankees, hitting two homers against the Baltimore Orioles in the Bombers' 11-10 win on Labor Day. With Montero's arrival already making noise, one may wonder: If Montero is the real deal, can the Yankees work out a trade for King Felix? I know, I know—the Mariners have said they won't trade Hernandez. But let's debate this, shall we? The Yankees have two of the most highly-touted prospects in the MLB. Montero combined with Eduardo Nunez could be put ...
At this point in the season, the New York Yankees' Ivan Nova has to be seen as the clear front-runner for AL Rookie of the Year. There aren't any legitimate candidates from the pool of position players. Mark Trumbo has amassed 26 homers, but that has come along with a .256 batting average and sub-.300 OBP. Desmond Jennings and Brett Lawrie have been killing the ball since their call-ups, but neither will finish with even half a season of games played.Over on the pitchers side, things aren't much more competitive. ...
About a year ago, Curtis Granderson and Yankees hitting coach made some adjustments to his swing, basically making his swing more compact, allowing him to unleash a quicker bat with more power. Since then, the Yankees' center fielder has been arguably the best player in the American League, improving all facets of his game.For nearly the entire 2011 season, talks of Granderson winning the American League MVP have been murmuring. He has not let up his torrid pace since entering September, forcing voters to seriously consider him for the award. ...