In front of an Ebbets Field crowd of 34,479 fans, including President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Whitey Ford lasted only three innings in the opening game of the 1956 World Series. The Brooklyn Dodgers scored all six of their runs off the Yankees' game little left-hander, who was Casey Stengel’s choice to pitch the opener despite everyone’s knowledge that the Dodgers “ate up lefties” in their bandbox ball park. Ford, possibly the best pitcher in the American League, finished the season at 19-6 with a league-leading 2.47 ERA. Speaking to “his ...
Yesterday, Jorge Posada playing second base against the Oakland A's wasn't the first time the New York Yankees have played one of their legends in a weird position. Several other Bombers' greats have been asked to play out of position in Yankees history. Here are eight unusual position changes made by a Yankee, in no specific order.Begin Slideshow
The fact that former Yankee great Whitey Ford failed to complete the first game of the 1955 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers at Yankee Stadium was a negative, but the New York Yankees left-hander still managed to hang on for a 6-5 victory. Facing a powerful Brooklyn batting order in which Duke Snider was the only left-handed hitter, Ford allowed five runs (three of which were earned), nine hits and four walks. It was far from vintage Ford. Brooklyn ace Don Newcombe was worse. He allowed two home runs ...
The New York Yankees hit three grand slams in one game yesterday, a feat never before achieved by any MLB team in the history of the sport. Lost in all the hoopla, however, is the stark reality that the Yankees, despite some recent positive signs, do not have a reliable pitcher in Phil Hughes. While one start does not a season make, when it's this late in the season, and your team is more than likely headed to the playoffs, management likes to know within reason what they can expect from the members ...
With every base hit, Derek Jeter is climbing further up Major League Baseball’s all-time hits leaderboard. Two more hits will tie him with Craig Biggio and three will push him into baseball’s all-time Top 20. Each subsequent base hit is also doing more and more to silence the waves of criticism he faced earlier in the season. The first half of the season could be called anything but standard operating procedure for Jeter. A .260 batting average as a middle infielder will probably get you a job, but it’s hardly ...
Curtis Granderson, who has overcome his demons against left-handed pitchers, has put together the best season of his career thus far and has become a serious and legitimate contender to claim MVP honors in the American League this season. Despite his excellent MVP-caliber season, the likable Yankee center fielder will not, in my opinion, be named the American League MVP. Granderson trails Jose Bautista, Miguel Cabrera and Adrian Gonzales when looking at the top-ten leaders in nearly every offensive category this season. The fact that he plays for the Yankees ...
The Yankees have had a desperate need for left-handed options in the bullpen.Right now, the only option the Yankees have is Boone Logan, who is 3-2 with a 2.78 ERA.The Yankees have been without two of their top left-handers out of the bullpen for most of the season in Damaso Marte and Pedro Feliciano.On Thursday, both Marte and Feliciano took steps with hopes that they can come back for the Yankees in 2011 and possibly pitch at the end of September or even pitch in October.Both players pitched in relief ...
When reviewing the New York Yankees lineup today, it cannot be ignored that the Yankees are approaching a time in the not too distant future where their needs might outstrip their resources. The not too distant future, in true terms, begins in earnest in 2013 and goes into full scale onslaught mode in the year 2014. Between now and then, the Yankees front office will, in effect, have to reinvent a team that is built to win now, into a team that can compete for years to come. The measuring ...
It has taken almost 56 years, but I have just discovered that my friends and I were more upset that the New York Yankees lost the 1955 World Series than they were. Less than two minutes after Gil Hodges caught a low throw from shortstop Pee Wee Reese to retire Elston Howard, the Yankees were in their dressing room at Yankee Stadium. They were a group of players in dishabille, certainly not sad and seemingly relieved that the grueling seven-game Series was finally over. As they prepared to shower and ...
Yesterday, we found out the Yankees put in a waiver claim for Chicago Cubs first basemen Carlos Pena.The teams have 48 hours to work out a deal or Pena gets pulled back off waivers and remains with the team.Right now, it's looking like Pena will be staying with Chicago.According to Bruce Levine of ESPN, Pena talked to Cubs interim GM Randy Bush today and was told he would be pulled back and retained for the rest of 2011.However, Pena hasn't been officially pulled back and the Yankees and Cubs could ...