Positive Captain

The Yanks will face the Red Sox tonight in the rubber match of the series. The Red Sox won by one run in the bottom of the ninth in the first game, and the Yankees won by one run in the second. This series is no different than most Yankee-Red Sox series..exciting, suspenseful games. This game is so crucial for the Yanks. They are currently tied for first place with the Orioles, with Tampa Bay two games behind. The Orioles swept the Rays in a 3-2 win today. They are currently .5 games ahead of the Yankees. That is why it is so crucial for the Yanks to win this rubber game against the Red Sox. With a win, the Bombers will be tied again with the O's.

The Yankee offense has picked up since their road trip to Tampa Bay and Baltimore. Granderson who was in a nasty slump has certainly shown signs of life again, hitting two home runs in last night's game against the Sox. He went yard in the 4th inning, scoring their first run, and then he hit a two run shot in the 7th. Robinson Cano homered in the 4th inning as well. Even though the Yankees are hitting home runs, they are getting more run support with the guys on base. Jeter got on base, as did A-Rod, which Cano and Granderson followed up with homers. The Yanks cannot rely just on home runs. They need to get guys on base, and keep up with their RBI's.

Derek Jeter left the game after he hurt his ankle after running down the line to get to first base. Jeter exited the game, against his wishes. Talk about a captain! Jeter is that positive face of this team. He is such a role model for his teammates and is the epitome of class. Jeter is in the lineup tonight as the DH. He has had an unbelievable season. The captain has 194 hits, 15 home runs, 52 RBI's, and a .324 average (3rd highest in the AL). Jeter's 1,845th hit against the White Sox in late August placed him ahead of Craig Biggio in 23th place on baseball's all-time runs list. In the same game, he hit his fourth hit of the night and 3,255th of his career, which tied him with Eddie Murray for 11th on the all-time hits list.

Phil Hughes (14-12, 4.13 ERA) is up for the Yankees against F. Doubront (10-8, 5.21 ERA) with Boston tonight. Doubront has been struggling as of late. He has given up at least four earned runs in his last five outings and has failed to pitch more than five innings or throw 100 pitches in any of them. Hughes has had his highs and lows. He has been very inconsistent for the Yanks. When he does perform well, he really performs well. Against the Red Sox in 2012, Hughes is 2-1 with a 2.19 ERA, last facing them on August 17, when he gave up for runs (all unearned) over seven innings in a 6-4 Yankees win.

Both the Yankees and the Orioles have very challenging schedules ahead. The Yanks face Tampa Bay in a three game series starting on Friday, while the Orioles are going up against the A's. The Yanks then face the Blue Jays, and Oakland. Hopefully the Bombers can stay strong, keep up their steady offense, and have success on the mound. As always, go Yanks!

New York State of Mind

So the Yankees split their series with the Orioles, now it's on to Boston. The Yanks are back in first place the AL East, but still, a very close race. Baltimore is one game behind and Tampa Bay is two behind. The Rays and Orioles are going head to head in a three game set starting tonight. It is CRUCIAL that the Yanks win this series against the Sox. This is their chance to take advantage of a struggling team and have a secure lead in the AL East.

In their last game against the Orioles, the Yanks won 13-3, with their offense exploding. Not only did the Yanks escape Baltimore with their lead intact, Curtis Granderson worked his way out of a frustrating slump. Granderson came off the bench to hit his 35th home run and drive in five runs. The Bronx Bombers dominated this game, only allowing the Orioles to score three runs in the fourth inning. Robinson Cano started it off in the first with a single, scoring Jeter. The Yanks scored 4 innings in the fourth and continued the outstanding offense scoring 9 more runs, with 2 home runs, 1 from Granderson and 1 from Jeter. Overall, it was a great series for the Bombers. They did win 2 games out of 4 but the third game was a tight race. Mark Teixeira was called out at first, after hustling down the line and sliding in for their last chance at scoring a run to tie, and possibly win the game. Teixeira was indeed safe at first, yet the umpires insisted he was out. The game was over. Days later, umpires agreed that it was a bad call, but nothing was pursued. The Yanks rallied in that game, showing their offensive ability, despite their latest troubles.

Before this series with Baltimore several players were struggling, and in some cases were still struggling through that series. Nick Swisher, as well as Curtis Granderson are in frustrating slumps. Like mentioned above, in the last game against the Orioles, Grandy showed signs of life.

Derek Jeter has been the all star of this team. What a captain he has been!

In order to win this series against the Red Sox the Yankees must be able to hit, drive in runs, have solid pitching, and not commit defensive errors. One of the ways the Yanks succeeded in the 4th game with the O's was the amount of RBI's. Granderson had 5 RBI's alone. The Yanks can deliver home runs but they have to be able to drive in runs and not only rely on the big hits.

Tonight's pitching matchup is Hiroki Kuroda (13-10, 3.14 ERA) for the Yankees against John Lester (9-11, 4.99 ERA) for the Red Sox.

Baltimore is taking on the Rays in a 3 game series. This is a crucial set for the Yanks as both the Orioles and the Rays are within two games of them. Who do you want to see win that series?

As always, Let's go Yanks!

Pinstripes Destiny

I can't believe the Yankees, who were once ten games ahead in the AL East are now tied for first place. The Yanks were unstoppable at one point, in such a good position, but as the weeks went on they slipped and are currently in a slump that can cost them a playoff spot. In my previous post I mentioned that I truly believe they are in a small slump that they will overcome in the series with the Rays, but so far it's not happening. Last night the Yanks offense started them off and gave Freddy Garcia a 2-0 lead to work with but it wasn't big enough. Garcia allowed five runs in five innings. The Yankees could not produce any offense after Cano's home run in the first inning. It is obvious that their offense is suffering, as well as their pitching. When they do have great pitching, like with CC Sabathia on Monday night, they couldn't deliver offensively, and when they start off with some offense to take the lead, the pitching can't keep up. It's a lose-lose situation. On top of the Yanks struggling, the Orioles are soaring, beating Toronto 10-0 last night. Tampa Bay is only 1.5 games behind both the Yankees and the Orioles. It is crucial that the Yankees win tonight. They are 10-14 right now.

Up until last night, no one saw any frustration or panic in the clubhouse, especially from Joe Girardi. He has remained calm, which would have the most positive effect on his players. Last night, Girardi was ejected by umpire Tony Randazzo over a third strike call. How can players not feel the pressure? After leading the AL east by ten games and now being tied for first place? The Yankees seem to be in a better place, both offensively and defensively when they relax and don't try too hard. As long as they see patience and get good vibes from the staff and Girardi, they should all calm down and work collectively together to play better.

"Since the divisional format was introduced in 1969, the Yankees have made the playoffs all 15 times they entered September with a division lead. They have essentially a month’s worth of games remaining to make sure this is not the season when a September swoon costs them a playoff spot." (NY Times)

Tonight's pitching matchup is Hiroki Kuroda (12-10, 3.04 ERA) vs. M. Moore (10-8, 3.58 ERA). Kuroda has been struggling for the Yankees. Last week Kuroda lost to the Orioles 6-1, following a loss to the Indians the week before. Hopefully he will get his confidence back up and start pitching like he is capable of to help give the Yankees a win in Tampa Bay. As always, go Yankees!

Time to Step it Up

It's going to be a tough week for the Yankees. They are currently in the middle of a series with the Rays in Tampa, have a four game set with the Orioles in Baltimore, and then go to Boston to face the Red Sox. With the Orioles now 1 game behind them, and the Rays 2.5 games behind, the Yankees NEED to play their "A" game to shut both teams out. Injuries are definitely going to play a huge factor in these series. While Alex Rodriguez returned to the team in game one of the Yankees-Rays series yesterday and looked good, Mark Teixeira and Granderson have been out for small injuries. Andy Pettitte is making slight improvements and the team hopes he will throw off the mound in a bullpen session in Baltimore this weekend. Granderson pinch hit in yesterday's game against the Rays in the ninth inning to try to get the win, but couldn't deliver. Granderson is in the lineup tonight. Mark Teixeira (strained calf) is expected to return at the end of this week or early next week.

The Yankees seem to be in a slump offensively. While CC Sabathia dealt last night and struck out four, and only allowed eight hits, the offense could not deliver to overpower the Rays. A-Rod had his first hit during his first game back, while the rest of the offense came from Eric Chavez, Russell Martin, and Raul Ibanez. In order for the Yankees to score and to start winning games again, they need to be able to score runners. They are leaving too many men on base, while other teams like Tampa Bay are taking advantage of that. Good pitching can only get a team so far. While Sabathia did his job (the game was tied at 3 when he exited), David Robertson gave up a hit to Gimenez, and Roberts scored, giving the Rays a 4-3 lead. The Yanks could not deliver.

The return of Granderson and Teixeira might be their answer. Once they come back, Nova and Pettitte will still be on the DL, with a very strong possibility that they might return within a few weeks. On the Joe Girardi show, Michael Kay asked the status of Brett Gardner and whether or not he would be activated this season if the team needs him. Girardi said right now they are not planning on activating him but that might change if they really do decide that they need him for the remaining of the season. Andruw Jones, who was a strong force for the Yanks a couple of weeks ago has been struggling of late. Nick Swisher also is struggling after having a great month in July and early August. The Yankees really miss Teixeira at first base. It is very difficult to fill his shoes defensively, even though Nick Swisher (who has played first most of the time Teixeira has been out) is good.

Tonight's pitching matchup is Freddy Garcia (7-5, 4.90 ERA) vs. A. Cobb (8-8, 4.39 ERA). While steady, Garcia has not continually been successful on the mound but with the injury to Nova and Pettitte he has gotten many more starts. He has gotten the job done lately, but now the Yankees offense has to help him and score runs. As always, go Yanks!

Yankees - Blue Jays Preview

The Yankees are going into this series against the Blue Jays pretty confident. The Yanks have won eight straight home games against Toronto. The Blue Jays are struggling, to say the least. They have lost seven straight and are in last place in the AL East.

New York (74-53) has outscored Toronto 48-20 with a 13-4 edge in homers during this run at home in the series. The Blue Jays (56-70) are losers of seven straight for the first time since a nine-game skid from May 19-27, 2009, and 14 games under .500 for the first time since Sept. 25, 2009.

The pitching matchup for Monday's game is Phelps (3-4, 2.69 ERA) against Alvarez (7-11,4.84 ERA). Phelps is starting in place of Ivan Nova, who was placed on the 15 day DL list due to shoulder inflammation. Alvarez is 0-0 with a 5.25 ERA in two career starts against the Yankees. It will be interesting to see the matchup between Alvarez and Curtis Granderson who is for 3 for 5 against him. Tomorrow's probable starters are Hughes vs. Happ.

Derek Jeter and Nick Swisher have been sparking the Yankee offense recently. Swisher capped a strong weekend with three hits in a 4-2 victory Sunday at Cleveland. He went 7 for 11 as the Yankees took two out of three games. Swisher is hitting .378 over his last 19 games.

The Blue Jays are still without Jose Bautista, who re-injured the wrist that he was originally placed on the DL for. Adam Lind, who was not scheduled to return until next week due to a back injury, will be back in the lineup since July 25th.

The Yankees are going in as the favorite due to the record they have against the Blue Jays and how they have been performing but they do need to do certain things to win this home stand. First, Phelps needs to have a good game. He needs to deliver and keep the threatening Blue Jays offense to a minimum. Second, the Yanks need to continue to hit and run the bases as well as they have been doing. They have been producing more hits and RBI's and not only relying on home runs. Of course, home runs don't hurt! With both of those things, their defense also has to be on target. A game with good offense and pitching, but no defense and a lot of errors can certainly hurt them, and any other team. As always, go Yanks!

A Lot on the Line

With each game becoming more and more important, each team is striving to win more to ensure a spot in the playoffs. The Yankees are in first place in the AL East with a 73-52 record, but the Rays and Orioles are right behind them. The Rays were on a winning streak but the Oakland A's just beat them, by the skin of their teeth last night in a 5-4 win. Tampa Bay is now 3.5 games behind the Yankees, and the Orioles are 5 games behind. The closest the Rays were was earlier in the week when they were two games behind the Yankees (when they got swept by the White Sox). It is more important now than ever for the Yankees to hold onto their lead, and increase it when they can. CC Sabathia was activated from the DL last night and started against the Indians. He held them to one run and the Yankees won 3-1. In a loss to the White Sox, Ivan Nova injured his shoulder and was placed on the 15 day DL due to inflammation in his rotator cuff. Other than that, the Yanks have not seen any really bad injuries as of late that would prohibit them from performing their best. Considering who the Yankees lost for a long period of time, including the all time great closer, Rivera, they have performed very well. The Yanks have lost four of their great players, Andy Pettitte, Alex Rodriguez, Brett Gardner, and most importantly, their closer, Mariano Rivera, but with all the great players down, the Yankees have gotten the job done. Their record is superb, their offense has been great, their pitching has been stable, and the guys that have stepped up in the absence of ARod and Brett Gardner have been awesome. Both Pettitte, who fractured his left fibula, played catch on Friday and had no ill feeling and ARod, who fractured his left fibula, will be evaluated on Monday. An October return is possible, depending on what the doctors say on Monday.

Let's just talk about Jeter the Great for a second! In the past 27 games, since July 25th, his batting average is .381 (45 for 118) with six home runs and 16 RBI's. Three of the home runs have been hit in consecutive games, which is a first for Jeter.

Nick Swisher is also having a very productive season. This season his average is .273 with 19 home runs and 72 RBI's. Nick homered to right center in the seventh inning last night to give the Yanks a 3-1 lead, and the win.

Today's pitching matchup for the second game against the Indians is H. Kuroda (12-8, 2.96 ERA) against J. Masterson (9-11, 4.73 ERA). While both teams were on a losing streak (Yankees - 3, Indians - 9), the Yankees managed to pull through with CC on the mound dealing and great base running, along with Nick Swisher's home run. Let's see if the Yanks can come out with another win. Of course, let's go Yankees!

Tight Race

The race in the AL East is on. It is the most competitive right now with the Yankees (72-50) leading but Tampa Bay (68-54) is right behind them, and Baltimore (66-56) is six games behind. This is such a crucial time for the Yanks to continue to win, because one loss can put them in jeopardy of losing that first place spot. Teams like the Rays and Orioles are too good to slip behind. Tampa Bay has a five game winning streak and they are playing some of their best baseball right now. The Yankees have a tough schedule coming up with two more games against the White Sox, a series with the Indians, who are playing very well, and then they play the Blue Jays, and the Orioles. The White Sox are leading the AL Central with a record of 66-55, and came back last night to beat the Yanks. It was all Yankees until the fifth inning, when Chicago scored five runs. The Yankees and the White Sox battled it out in the fifth when the Yanks tied it and then took the lead to make it 6-5 but then Beckham homered to right and tied the game once again. From then on, it went downhill for the Yankees. Chicago scored three more runs, winning the game 9-6.

The White Sox scored five runs off of Garcia and Joba Chamberlain was booed off the mound when he gave up a leadoff home run to tie the game. "He has to be more consistent, he has to help us." Girardi said of Chamberlain. (nypost.com)

Derek Jeter has been a key to the Yankees success lately. He homered on Monday against the White Sox, and went 4 for 5 to raise his average to .398. "He just continues to have big days for us," Joe Girardi said. "That's what he's doing. It is pretty amazing." (ESPN.com)

Ivan Nova (11-6,, 4.76 ERA) is on the mound for the Yankees tonight against Liriano (4-10, 5.22 ERA). Nova has been inconsistent but he has shown signs of improvement over his last couple of outings. The Yankees need to get more wins on the board in order to stay in first place with a nice lead above Tampa Bay and the Orioles. Hopefully they can deliver. Of course, let's go Yankees!

Raining Yankees

The Red Sox got off to a slippery start against the Yankees on Friday night. The rain started coming down as soon as the game started, and everyone kept a watchful eye on the weather. There was lightening in the sky and lightening in the stadium, Yankee lightening! Nick Swisher started it off in the first inning with a long home run to left. His home run was followed by Curtis Granderson's homer to right. But wait! The Yanks weren't done there. Russell Martin went yard in the second inning as well, making it 3-0 Yankees. The Red Sox had seen enough. The third inning was all Red Sox as Ciriaco grounded tho shortstop and Aviles scored. It was 3-1 Yankees. Pedroia stepped in and homered to left, and Ciriaco and Ellsbury scored. The Red Sox had taken the lead and it was 4-3.

But wait, we all know the Yankees don't quit without putting up a fight! Phil Hughes, Robertson, and Soriano shut down the Red Sox. It was all Yankees after the third inning. Derek Jeter homered to left to tie the game, Jayson Nix singled to right, to score McGehee, and in the seventh inning Nick Swisher homered (yes, again!) to right center. The final score was 6-4 Yankees. What a game it was!

This was the 12th time that Nick Swisher hit a home run from both, the right and the left side in one game. The only other switch hitter that has done that more is Mark Teixeira with 13 times. Mark Teixeira is out of the lineup today for two straight days due to inflammation in his left wrist. The Teixeira - Padilla rivalry will have to wait until the next series. There is a possibility that he could play tomorrow.

The Yanks are on fire! It's going to be tough to stop them. Lester has a big job to do today. Phelps (3-3, 2.53 ERA) is up against Lester (6-10, 5.20 ERA). Hopefully Phelps can delver a good game and the Yankee offense will pick up right where it left off yesterday. Of course, go Yankees!

Preview: Yankee - Red Sox Series

It's that time again. The Red Sox are coming to the Bronx for a three game series. This series is crucial for the Red Sox as they are fighting for the wild card spot and are currently competing with two of the best teams, besides the Yanks, in the AL East, Baltimore and Tampa Bay. They really have to find their groove and start winning in order to clinch that wild card. How do they do it? First off, they need to shut the Bronx Bombers down. That is going to be a challenge for sure. The Yankees, who are in first place in the AL East couldn't be performing any better right now. They just won 3-4 during the series with the Rangers. Their offense was right on target. With David Ortiz and Middlebrooks on the DL, the Red Sox offense must pick up the slack, not to mention their pitching staff. The Red Sox pitching has been struggling and in order to shut the Yankees down, a team is going to need outstanding pitching.

For the series opener on Friday, it is Phil Hughes (11-10, 4.44 ERA) vs. Morales (3-3, 3.29 ERA). Phil Hughes has had his up's and down's but he was charged with the two most recent losses, prior to the loss to the Rangers yesterday. Although Hughes has been inconsistent, he has shown great potential. I think Phil Hughes is due for a win and I think he's going to get it in the series opener against the Red Sox. Hughes really dealt during his last matchup with the Red Sox on July 27th, earning the win, while Morales struggled against the Yankees on July 7th with a loss. Hughes will want to continue his success against the Sox and try to get this win, while Morales wants to get revenge. It will be a great pitching matchup!

Nick Swisher ha been on fire against the Red Sox this year. He is 11 for 26 (.423) with three home runs, three doubles, and twelve RBI's against the Sox this season. The Red Sox really need to keep an eye on Swisher because one wrong pitch and he can do a lot of damage. Jayson Nix and McGehee have been delivering for the Yanks as well. With A-Rod out, Chavez, Nix, and McGehee have really stepped up to the plate.

I think the series can go either way. The Yankees have been playing very well and have been very consistent (offense), but their pitching needs to become more consistent. The Red Sox are very eager and need to win this series in order to be considered for the wildcard so it will just come down to what team performs and what team doesn't. I really think the way that the Yankees have been playing, they could easily take the entire series, or     2-3. This is my favorite series, by far..Can't wait to see what happens! Of course, go Yanks!

Soaring Over the Blue Jays

The Yanks have arrived! After coming off of a split in Detroit and winning the last two games, the Yankees took on Toronto with confidence. I was hesitant to see Freddy Garcia pitch because of his recent inconsistencies but to my (and a lot of other peoples) surprise, he pitched a great game. Jeter, Suzuki, and Swisher all went 2-5, with Cano 2-4. The team's hitting has been unstoppable and right on target and hopefully it will continue throughout their series with the Blue Jays and continue into their series against the Rangers and the Red Sox.

Today's pitchers are Nova (10-6) and Laffey (3-2). Nova has had some struggles on the mound lately, losing two in a row, but here's hoping to him turning things around to give the Yanks a second win in Toronto. Since joining the Yankees, Ichiro has been right on target, a great addition to the team both offensively and defensively. Suzuki matched a career high with 5 RBI's. He is batting .269 in 17 games since being traded to the Yankees. Mark Teixeira has become much more consistent who homered for the second straight game. Nick Swisher has also been hitting very well, along with Ibanez. In last night's game, Joe Girardi opted to bring Ibanez in to hit for Andruw Jones which was a smart decision, as Raul gave the Yanks a 10-3 lead.

While Bautista is out on the DL, Encarnacion is batting .285, has 29 home runs, 75 RBI's, and 69 runs but has been struggling lately with 1-13 in his last four and he's 1-9 against Nova. The Blue Jays have lost four games in a row and are 13 games behind the Yankees in the AL East.

Let's see if the Yanks can continue their awesome offense and if Nova can turn his game around and help them win the second game of the series. Let's go Yankees!

Tame Those Tigers Once, Tame Them Twice

The Yankees had a tough first couple of games against the Tigers, losing both and ultimately putting their first place standing into jeopardy. Last night we all saw the true Yankee team. They were right on target with their offense and CC Sabathia was dealing very tough pitches. The Yanks started off strong in the first inning. It all started with Eric Chavez, who singled to center to score Nick Swisher. Granderson was looking to leave his slump behind came up to bat and singled to right, which allowed Mark Teixeira to score to make it a 2-0 game. Granderson wasn't done there! He went yard in the third inning with a three run home run which made it 5-0. It was all Yankees throughout the first four innings when Swisher singled to right, scoring Jeter and Teixeira's sac fly to score Jeter to make it 7-0. Who would think the Tigers would come back? Great pitching, great offense for the Yanks..But they did. Boesch singled to center to get Detroit on the board. Before we all knew it, it was 7-3 Yankees. Ichiro reached on an infield single to first and Granderson scored which gave the Yankees an even bigger lead, but the Tigers weren't going to completely back down. The seventh inning was very long. The Tigers picked up four more runs to make it an 8-7 game. After watching their lead diminish the first two games against Detroit and losing I was thinking the same thing was about to happen last night too. The Yanks took over in the eighth and ninth innings, scoring two more runs which ultimately gave them a four run lead, and the final score was 12-8.

Today's matchup is between Kuroda (10-8) and Fister (6-7). I think the Yankees success last night definitely had to do with both their pitching and offense, but a key to their success early on in the game is to have shut out pitching. With a team like Detroit with great hitters like Cabrera, Kuroda cannot give them an easy pitch to take advantage of. If their pitching is on point and they continue their great base running and hitting, they will have no problems splitting this series! Let's go Yankees!

Small Setback? Hope so!

It’s been a rocky month so far for the Yankees. Although they’re leading the AL East with a 62-44 record, there is a great deal of competition for that first place spot, as well as for the wild card. It doesn’t take a lot for a team to lose a few games and slip back in the division. I hope that isn’t the case for the Yanks! I truly believe that they will get back on track and have consistent pitching and continue their awesome offense through the rest of August and hold onto first place.

My previous post talked about Ichiro and whether it was a good move for the Yanks or not. I think it was a great, strategic move. Although Suzuki is older, he is an ideal outfielder, which the Yankees needed with Brett Gardner out, and as Kevin Long, the Yankees hitting coach said, Ichiro is one of the best at always getting bat to ball. He extended his hitting streak to eleven yesterday against the Mariners, but it just wasn’t enough for the Yanks to take that game. They lost 1-0. Hiroki Kuroda pitched a great game, but the Yankee offense just couldn’t find it’s groove to overcome that 1-0 lead. Great pitching by both teams.

The Yanks played their best against the Red Sox, but it ultimately came down to two great teams, playing great at the time trying to get a win. The Red Sox are very hungry for any win they can get due to the wild card situation and how good and competitive each team is right now. My favorite game in the Yankee-Red Sox rivalry has to be when Padilla pitches. In both series this season Mark Teixeira got a home run against Padilla and that just makes me so happy! Even though Padilla might be a good pitcher, I don’t like him because of his reputation in the game. I love to see the Yanks get revenge on him, but it’s even better when Teixeira does because of their past! Go Mark!

It was a rough beginning to the three game set against the Orioles but the Yanks stopped them from sweeping and won the third game 12-3. Their offense was really happening that day! Typically a home run team, I am seeing more of the Yanks driving in more runs, especially Nick Swisher. Since coming back from his injuries he has really been hitting long drives and has more RBI’s as a result of it. That is what the Yanks need heading into the later part of the season. They can’t just rely on home runs (even though they do make a HUGE difference!). They have to be able to score more runs by getting base hits, which is what they’re starting to do much better as of late.

The Yanks have taken one out of two games so far in their matchup with the Mariners, and we will see what happens in the rubber game today. Garcia (2-2) will be on the mound for the Yankees, who will be up against Iwakuma (4-5). I have my doubts about Garcia on the mound, but hopefully his performances will improve. I still think Garcia should not be a starter but with Pettitte out, the Yankees really need all the backup for the starting rotation. Will the Yankees pick up and continue their awesome offense to help Garcia or will the inconsistency continue?

Lineup Adjustments

The good news..The Yanks took two out of three games in Seattle and Ichiro Suzuki got comfortable with his new team. The bad news.. A-Rod’s broken hand.   He was hit by a pitch from Felix Hernandez during Tuesday’s game against Seattle. What does this mean for the Yankees? It really couldn’t have come at a worse time. They have a day off today and are getting ready for a three game series against the Red Sox. The Yanks were talking about potential trades before the deadline to replace A-Rod, but Brian Cashman announced that they had found their answer shortly after trade discussions occurred. “Eric Chavez is the solution”, Cashman said. He explained that he is very comfortable with Eric Chavez filling in for A-Rod and that Jayson Nix, who has started to contribute for the Yanks is also a big help. They also called up Ramiro Pena to take a place on the bench in his absence. I don’t think they had a chance with Eduardo Nunez. When he has played third base in the past he has made several errors and during the second half, the most important time in baseball is not the time to test him.

The third baseman expected to be available to the Yankees by the trade deadline are Chone Figgins of the Mariners, Chase Headley of the Padres, Ty Wigginton and Placido Polanco from the Phillies but Cashman is doubtful that the Yanks will need to go there with Chavez, back up Nix, and Ramiro Pena. The Yankees are confident in their farm system which is why Cashman will most likely not take part in a trade deal. He would most likely not be able to strike a deal like he did for Ichiro Suzuki. That was very rare.

As a veteran, Chavez has been injury prone but Cashman expects him to play third every day and to handle it well. He is batting .269 with eight home runs and 20 RBI’s in 64 games this season. 

A-Rod is expected to be out for six-eight weeks. With their hot hitting, and stable pitching I think the Yankees will be able to hold on and remain at the top of both the AL and NL. Let’s go Yanks!

Ichiro Acquisition

After being swept by the Oakland A’s in a four game series, the Yankees were off to Seattle to face the Mariners in their last series of the west coast before returning home. They weren’t just playing Seattle, they were acquiring a Mariner. The Yanks announced the trade of Ichiro just hours before their first game in Seattle on Monday. Before we all knew it, Ichiro appeared in pinstripes on the field and got a very warm welcome from the Mariners fans. What sparked this trade? 

The Yankees were in a bind. They realized Brett Gardner might be out for the remaining season with an elbow injury and although Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones have been great additions to the teams outfield, the staff had concerns about their speed and ages as it got closer to the end of the season. What better timing! Ichiro Suzuki of the Mariners asked to be traded to a contender – well, of course the Yanks are a contender so it seemed to be a perfect fit. The Mariners are in last place in the AL West with a 43-56 record while the Yankees are in first place in the AL East with a 58-39 record. WOW! What a contender for Ichiro to be traded to. The Yanks traded two minor league pitchers, DJ Mitchell and Danny Farquhar for Suzuki. He is currently in his last year of a five year, $90 million contract with the Mariners, but the Yankees will only pay $2.5 million of the remaining. Suzuki has been such a wonderful influence and a great player for the Mariners since he joined the team in 2001, “He deserves a chance to play for a contending team before the end of his magnificent career.”  “The Mariners should certainly not stand in his way,” Chief executive of the Mariners, Howard Lincoln said. Joe Girardi, manager of the NYY was thrilled with the news, stating “It’s a big day for us.”

Suzuki batted eighth in the Yankee lineup for his first two games as a Yankee. On Monday night the Yankees won 4-1 with Ichiro claiming his first base hit with the Yanks. That must have been extra special for him, especially at Safeco field against the Mariners. Tuesday the Yankees lost to the Mariners 4-2. The two teams are battling off in the rubber game this afternoon. Let’s see if the Yankees can remain at the top of the AL, with Texas trailing one win behind them.

The Ichiro trade seems like a no brainer, but the Yankees mentioned the age of Raul Ibanez, 40 and Andruw Jones, 35 as a possible issue towards the end of the season. Suzuki is 38 and although he is fast and has had much success, is his age a concern for the Yanks? Weigh in and let me know your thoughts!

Second Half Surprises

The second half of the season is really bringing a lot of surprises.

The Pirates have probably been the most surprising. They are in second place in the NL East, and they have their pitchers to thank for that, especially AJ Burnett. Do you think the Yankees are kicking themselves? I think it all has to do with the environment. Burnett wasn't doing well with the Yanks last year and it was a gamble to keep him. They did what they thought was best and gave him up and the Pirates are benefiting. Oh well, thats part of the game, you have to take chances. Pittsburgh is 54-40 having won five games in a row. Burnett has remained undefeated at home, most recently with his 5-1 win against the Marlins.

The Nationals are still dominating the NL East with a record of 55-39, the third best in the MLB. It's been a pretty tight race in the NL East with the Braves and the Mets taking turns in the second and third spots. The Phillies finally broke their losing streak, but are still in last place. This is quite a surprise, considering their record in years past.

No surprises in the AL West. Texas has been dominating all season. They have a record of 56-37, right behind the Yankees. Even though Oakland is in third place they have been very good as of late, winning three of their four game set with the Yankees.

Right now the Yankees have the best record. That could change very quickly. Texas is one game behind them and the Nationals are two games behind Texas. It's a very close race at this point in the second half. The Yankees, Rangers, Nationals, Pirates, and the Braves have really shown what they're capable of and it takes one team losing a couple of games to drop down in the rankings. The Yankees must hold on and keep the A's from the sweep or else they could start to dwindle. They're pretty well set in the AL East considering Baltimore is seven games behind and the Red Sox are ten full games behind, at the bottom of the division.

There are lots of promising teams arising in the second half. It'll be an interesting one! What team do you think is the most dominant right now in baseball?

Sweeeep!

The Blue Jays arrived in the Bronx hopeful, but they left discouraged after the Yanks swept the series. They won Monday, 6-3, yesterday, 6-1, and closed out the series today with a 6-0 win.

Phil Hughes got the start on Monday against the Jays. He had a very productive outing, considering he had a one out walk to Bautista in the sixth inning, but the Yankee offense was too much for the Blue Jays to handle. Raul Ibanez, who had been struggling for some time hit his tenth career grand slam in the eighth inning to tie the game. Ibanez has assisted the Yanks to win for the seventh time in nine games, according to ESPN. He has received much more playing time in left field since Brett Gardner was placed on the DL, which has most likely helped his numbers. Robinson Cano increased his hitting streak to 19. Way to go Robbie!

The first inning was crucial for the Yanks. It really set the tone for the entire game. It started out when Swisher singled to right, allowing Jeter to score, making it 1-0. Teixeira homered to left center and Swisher scored making it 3-0. But wait! The Yanks weren't done.. Andruw Jones came up to the plate and singled to right, and scoring was Robbie Cano. 4-0 Yanks and it was only the first inning? You got it! What an inning! The Blue Jays just couldn't catch a break. It started again for the Yankees in the bottom of the fourth. Jayson Nix started the offense off with a double, Russell Martin walked, Dewayne Wise hit a ground rule double to right and Nix scored making it 5-0. In the 6th inning Wise singled to center and Nix scored for the final time, making it 6-0. The game was cut short due to rain after the sixth inning.

The Yankees offense was unstoppable during the whole series but they couldn't have won without their pitchers. CC. Sabathia had just come off the DL and he had an amazing game. Kudos to CC for pitching on a 95 degree night too! Kuroda and Hughes also had very productive outings as well. Cano also ended the series with his career high 23 game hitting streak!

Other news: David Ortiz headed to the DL for injured right achilles tendon. The Red Sox will call Mauro Gomez up to fill his spot.

Tension is Building

The second half is well underway, go time! Injuries could not come at a worse time. Unfortunately, three teams got some bad news on Monday and injuries are hindering some teams' success. David Ortiz suffered a minor heel injury on Monday during the Red Sox game against the White Sox while circling the bases on Adrian Gonzalez's home run. Good news though! The MRI showed no sign of a rupture or tear. Ortiz has not been placed on the DL but will be out for a week and will get a second opinion in Miami this week.

It might be good news for the Red Sox, but the Blue Jays saw Jose Bautista, their leading home run hitter, take one of his huge swings against the Yankees, immediately clutching his wrist after and crouching down in pain. Blue Jays staff said x-rays showed no fracture, which they have further classified as a 'tendon injury' until an MRI is done. Bautista was initially placed on the 15 day DL and would be re-evaluated after the MRI results come back. News just came in that Bautista's MRI didn't show anything except irritation around the wrist. Right now he will take it day by day and the Blue Jays will keep a careful eye on him to evaluate his condition.

First baseman of the Reds, Joey Votto injured his knee while sliding into base and is undergoing surgery for a torn meniscus in his left knee. The Reds will be without him for three to four weeks.

Looks like this trifecta of injuries that all happened very close to each other are turning out to be minor injuries, good news to all the teams involved.

Subway Series Round 2

The Yankees took first Subway Series at Yankee Stadium and swept the Mets. Could the Mets rally and take the second series from the Yanks?

After a 53 minute rain delay on Friday, June 22nd the second Subway Series got underway. It was Jonathan Niese (5-3) against Andy Pettitte (3-3). The Mets were off to a quick lead, scoring five runs in the first inning with just two outs. Ike Davis hit a three run home run, with Turner hitting a two run single. Davis followed Turner's hit with a fly to right that Swisher got a hand on but the ball decided to hop the fence and make it 5-0. The Yanks rallied in the top of the sixth when ARod homered to center and Andruw Jones went yard to left in the seventh inning. It was 5-2, the Yankees were giving the Mets a run for their money. David Wright wasn't going to let that happen! He doubled to deep left center which allowed Quintanilla to score to make it 6-2 Mets. Robinson Cano homered to right center in the eighth which scored Mark Texeira and made it 6-4. The Yanks were catching up, but Francisco came in closed out the game (Mets' 6-4 victory) after calling their crosstown rivals "chickens".

Although making several comments about their crosstown rivals, Francisco apologized and said he didn't mean anything by it. The Mets nicknamed the chicken 'Jerry Seinfeld'.

The starting pitchers were Young and Nova for the second game of the Subway Series. Chris Young is fresh off the DL, recovering from a shoulder injury. Nova, who is 9-2 has been spectacular for the Yanks. This was his fourth start in 13.5 months. The Mets started off strong again with a homer by Nieuwenhuis in the third inning. The Mets continued to soar in the bottom of the fourth when Josh Thole grounded out to first and Hairston scored, Quintanilla to third. It's not going to stop there for the Mets. Young singled to right to score Murphy making it 3-0, Thole to second. The Yanks were not going to take that! Ibanez homered to right and Texeira and Swisher scored tying the game at 3. Eric Chavez homered to left in the seventh to give the Yankees a 4-3 lead. The Yanks held on and kept the Mets at 3 to win the game.

Fans were going to see the best pitchers in the rubber neck matchup of the second Subway Series, CC Sabathia and R.A. Dickey. The Yanks started the scoring off in this game with Mark Teixeira hitting a sacrifice fly to right, allowing Granderson to score in the third inning. Nick Swisher homered to center, also in the third and ARod and Robinson Cano scored making it 4-0 Yankees. The Mets started to rally in the third when Tejada hit sacrifice fly to left, scoring Torres. The Yanks were hungry for a win and it showed! Mark Teixeira grounded into fielder's choice and Granderson scored, and Tex got to second on an error by Tejada. David Wright singled to left and Dickey scored, Tejada went to second. The Mets weren't about to give up either. In the bottom of the sixth Torres singled to right and Turner and Thoele scored, Rottino to third.  Tejada singled to left, Rottino scored, and Torres went to second. The game was tied at 5 in the sixth. Leave it up to Robbie Cano! He homered in the eighth to make it 6-5. The Yanks took the series 2-1 and continue to dominate over the Mets in the Subway Series.

Let's see if the Yanks can keep their winning streak going in their upcoming series against the Indians.

Social Media Increases Ticket Sales

It's safe to say that social media has taken over society, but it also plays a vital role in the way sports fans follow their teams and favorite players. In addition to following their favorite sports teams, fans are also using social media to get to games via Facebook and Twitter. According to Mashable, "one in five fans use social media networks to invite friends to games, according to a recent report by the Sports Business Journal. Nearly 15% of ticket buyers say their purchases have been influenced by Facebook posts." They are not only being notified about tickets by other fans and friends who can't attend games, but by the sports teams themselves. It sounds perfect, right? Log onto Twitter, see a post by your favorite team for tickets, click the link and bam! You have your tickets. But, wait a minute, there is a catch. When purchasing tickets via social media sites in advance, one is going to pay more than if they purchased them other ways or a couple days before the game. Purchasing tickets through Facebook or Twitter hours before a game can cost you! Yes, it is very convenient and a great way to connect with other fans but there may be some repercussions as well.

Check out this infographic for more statistics (Mashable):

No Doubting Teixiera

Mark Teixiera was always known for getting off to a late start in the baseball season, however this season, when he was not performing like he typically did in past seasons, some were skeptical. Teixiera was right on target defensively, but he was not delivering offensively. Kevin Long, Yankee hitting coach was very positive about Teixiera and knew that he would start delivering soon thereafter, similar to A-Rod.

"While last year, 39 home runs but a low batting average wasn't good enough, I think I'd rather hit 39 home runs than 20 or 15. I'd rather drive in 111 runs than 80. I'm going to be more aggressive." -Mark Teixiera (Yankees.com)

A bronchial ailment was also the cause of Teixiera not playing up to his potential. It had been ailing him for at least seven weeks, soon after the start of the season in April. Joe Girardi gave him two days off in order to get him fully healed which seemed to do the trick!

Teixiera came back in full force in the Yankees series against the Oakland A's. In the second game against Oakland on May 26th, Teixiera hit 2 monster home runs to give the Yankees a 9-2 win. The Yanks went on to sweep the A's. Just like Long thought, Teixiera overcame the short slump that he was in and will hopefully continue to play great.

Soaring or Plummeting?

The Baltimore Orioles have thrown everyone for a loop early this season. Baltimore, who ended the 2011 season with a 69-93 record, at the bottom of the AL East is currently 18-9 and in first place in the AL East with a four game winning streak. What are the contributing factors? Well, the Orioles have a fantastic bullpen. Not only is it deep, but it's strong too. They have a great starting rotation which makes having a deep bullpen even better.

Jim Johnson has eight saves this season thus far and has not given up one run this season.

The Orioles also have great defense as well, with Adam Jones and Nick Markakis. Matt Wieters could potentially be the best catcher in baseball right now, leading the Orioles in home runs (he has seven already this season), 17 RBI's, and .391 for on base percentage.

They recently won 2-3 of their series against the Red Sox and 2-3 against the Yankees, but were just swept by the Rangers.

The Rangers are spectacular right now. They are leading the AL West at 20-10. Their hitting is spectacular, as well as their defense, and pitching. The Rangers have it all right now. Can they maintain their great start to the season? Time will tell!

Most Popular Baseball Team .. On Social Media?

Can you guess what team is the most popular on social media? If you guessed the Yankees, you're right! The most popular baseball team on social media is.. the Yankees! According to prdaily.com, "Among all Major League Baseball teams, the Bronx Bombers have the most Facebook fans with more than 5.3 million people “liking” the team’s page. On Twitter, it has roughly 550,000 followers." (Sebastian, 2012)

According to Banyan Branch, who collected this data, the American league is slightly more popular on social media than the National league. The Yankees have a staggering 5.3 million likes on Facebook, and 550,000 followers on Twitter, followed by the Red Sox with 3.5 Facebook likes and 220,000 Twitter followers. Nick Swisher of the Yankees has the most Twitter followers out of any MLB player, with over 1 million, followed by Brian Wilson of the SF Giants with about 489,000 followers. (Banyan Branch)


The stats for the most active teams on Twitter are pretty surprising. One would think the teams with the most followers and likes, hence being the most popular on social media, would also be the most active team on Twitter. Well, that's not the case here. The Giants are tweeting the most, followed by the Mariners, Blue Jays, Diamondbacks, and the Tigers. (Banyan Branch)


What does it take for a sports figure to have close 1.5 million followers? Nick Swisher is very active on Twitter. He stays in touch with his fans on there, by sharing how he's feeling, relating to his most recent injury, how spring training went, as well as engaging his fans and followers, asking them for their input and comments as well. People enjoy taking part in conversations and sharing their day-to-day lives and opinions as well and the more they are engaged, the more likely they will react.  Brian Wilson is also pretty active on Twitter. In addition to staying active on there and engaging one's followers, they also have a large fan base to begin with.


What does this all mean? Social Media continues to have such a great effect and impact on small businesses, large corporations, individuals, and even sports teams. If a social media strategy is put into place the right way, just like the Yankees have, any company or team can have the followers, likes, and fan base as they do. Congratulations, Yankees!

Happy Opening Week!

Opening week is underway! Even though it's early, teams and players are giving everyone a preview of whats to come. On Thursday, Justin Verlander, the 2011 CY young award winner and AL MVP is off to a great start with his first win this season over the Red Sox. The Mets won 1-0 over the Braves, Phillies over the Pirates, 1-0, Washington Nationals over the Chicago Cubs, 2-1, the Blue Jays over Cleveland, 7-4, and the Dodgers over the Giants, 5-3.

Verlander started the season off just as he ended last season, as most would consider the best pitcher in baseball. He held the Red Sox to two hits, a double by David Ortiz and a single by Ryan Sweeney. Jose Valverdi almost cost the Tigers their first game over the Red Sox when he couldn't come up with the save which tied the game in the bottom of the ninth. Austin Jackson hit a sharp single down the left field line to give Detroit the 3-2 win.

On Friday, in a nail biting game, the Rays won, 7-6 over the Yankees, the Orioles over the Twins, 4-2, St. Louis over Milwaukee, 11-5, Texas over Chicago WS, 3-2, Arizona over the Giants 5-4, Colorado over Houston 5-3, Angels over Kansas, 5-0, Seattle over Oakland, 7-3, the Dodgers over the SD Padres, 6-0. Colby Lewis of the Chicago WS struck out nine, having a great opening day. Ian Kinsler of the Rangers had a leadoff double in the first inning and scored on a sacrifice fly by Josh Hamilton. Then, Kinsler hit a solo homer in the third inning, contributing to the Ranger's 3-2 win.

The Yankee-Rays game was very intense, down to the bottom of the ninth inning when the Rays tied it, 6-6. The Rays were leading the Yankees early on when Sabathia loaded the bases for Pena, who had his first home run and grand slam of the season, scoring Jennings, Longoria, and Rodriguez. The score was 4-0 Rays. In the top of the second, the bases were loaded for the Yankees that started with A-Rods double, and Teixeira being hit by a pitch. Rodriguez scored, followed by Teixeira scoring on a wild pitch by Shields, which got the Yankees on the board. The Yankees were threatening as it was 4-2 at the top of the second. Raul Ibanez had a great opening day, hitting his first home run as a Yankee in the regular season, scoring Rodriguez and Swisher to make it 6-4 Yankees. Longoria hit a home run in the bottom of the third inning to make it a 6-5 game. David Robertson got himself into a little bit of a jam in the bottom of the eighth but managed to pull through and strike out Vogt, Molina, and Joyce. The score remained 6-5 until the bottom of the ninth inning when Mariano Rivera was brought in to save the game. Jennings singled to center, ultimately scoring to tie the game, 6-6. Zobrist tripled, and Longoria and Scott were intentionally walked to load the bases. Pena singled to center and Zobrist scored. The Rays rallied and came back to win 7-6.

Alex Rodriguezs' season is off to a great start, hitting a double and a single in his first two times up at bat. Ibanez also made his mark in his first regular season game as a Yankee, homering to right. Derek Jeter seems to be picking up right where he left off last season, getting the Yanks first hit of the season. Although Yankee hitting was right on target on opening day, CC Sabathia and Mariano Rivera gave away one too many hits and the team's hitting just wasn't enough to get the job done against the Ray's. Let's see what will happen tonight when Hiroki Kuroda makes his first debut as a Yankee against David Price.