i’m baaaaccccck!

So it’s been a while since my last post. I’ve been pretty busy with work (I’m working two jobs and so far they have been pretty back to back; 8-4 at one, 5-9 at the other). Not to mention I’ve been to a couple games since my last post.

I have been keeping up with the Yankees even though I haven’t been posting. Since I’m sure all of you have been too, I won’t bore you with old headlines, just a few recent ones.

As I said just a few sentences earlier, I’ve been to a few games since my last post. The most current game I attended was Tuesday July 1st, 2008 against the Rangers. I was present for Alex Rodriguez tying Jimmie Foxx on the all-time home run list. That was pretty amazing. (Note: Alex didn’t waste much time passing Foxx on the all-time list either). It was also the game that Jeter got off. That was pretty sucky in my opinion. I was also pretty ticked that Girardi (who - if you read this blog once in a blue moon - is not my favorite person) didn’t put Jeter in to pinch hit for Bettimette until the bottom of the 9th inning with 2 outs and Johnny at bat. But I digress…

I also found this article on the no hits, no problem for Dodgers pretty interesting. This game never ceases to amaze me. It’s probably why I love it so much. And lastly, here is a quick article about Johnny Damon, who got hurt in the loss to Boston on July 4th. He left the game after crashing into the fence trying to stop Youkilis’ triple.

Hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July weekend!

Just What We Needed to Hear After a Loss

After last nights loss, most of you will be happy to know that Alex Rodriguez could make his first appearance since going on the 15-day DL sooner than anyone thought. If everything goes as planned, A-Rod could be rejoining the Yankees on the field down in Tampa, Florida on Wednesday at Tropicana Field.

Apparently when he isn’t in the Major Leagues, Ian Kennedy can pitch an almost perfect game. He gave up one hit over 7 1/3 innings on Tuesday, in his first Minor League start of the season. He pitched the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees to a 4-0 win over the Charlotte Knights.

When Joba took the mound yesterday, coming in to a 3-2 ball game, Yankee fans knew something was off. Even Chamberlain agreed during a post-game interview that he felt something was out of whack. Showing sports fans around the world that he is only human, Joba added insult to injury with his first career blown save and his second Major League loss. Even so, I think every Yankee fan can agree that Joba will bounce back just fine.

School is OUT for the Summer!

Since I’m done with school until August, I figured you all deserved 2 blogs in a row, so here goes nothing!

Wang is First in AL to Get 6 Wins

“Against Seattle, a team he was nearly perfect against last May 5 in retiring his first 22 batters, Wang tossed five scoreless innings before Ichiro Suzuki manufactured Seattle’s lone run in the sixth. Ichiro singled and then stole a pair of bases before coming home on Raul Ibanez’s infield groundout.”

“Since Wang made his last start, on Sunday at Cleveland, no Yankees pitcher had been able to go at least six innings while allowing three runs or fewer. Wang drew attention to the mound with one out in the fifth inning for a potential problem on his pitching hand, calling catcher Jose Molina out to the mound, but he remained in the game.”

“The Yankees took advantage of some sloppy Mariners defense, which committed four errors through the first three innings. Facing Mariners left-hander Erik Bedard, Derek Jeter reached on an error by shortstop Rafael Betancourt, moved up on a Bobby Abreu single and then scored on Hideki Matsui’s RBI single to left.”

“The run was the 1,391st of Jeter’s career, giving him sole possession of fourth place on the Yankees’ all-time list, and the single extended Matsui’s hitting streak to 12 games.”

“New York tacked on two more in the second. Morgan Ensberg reached on an error by third baseman Adrian Beltre and moved to second when he was caught stealing but second baseman Jose Lopez dropped the ball. Cabrera brought Ensberg and Alberto Gonzalez home on two-run double to left, staking the Yankees to a 3-0 lead.”

It should also be said that “Chien-Ming Wang gave the Yankees what they have so sorely needed in recent days — a quality start from a quality pitcher.”

Source

Also - 2 more articles I thought you all might be interested in reading.

Hughes to Wear Glasses Upon Return

Posada Won’t Need In-Season Surgery

That’s all for tonight. Let’s hope Mike Mussina (3-3) can get us - and himself - another win tomorrow night! He will pitch against Felix Hernandez (2-1). “Felix Hernandez fired seven shutout innings in his last start against Oakland before running into trouble in the eighth. The 22-year-old right-hander suffered his first loss of the season after allowing four runs in the inning without recording an out to raise his ERA to 2.22. Hernandez struck out 10 Oakland batters in the seven-plus inning outing, increasing his season total to 41 in 46 2/3 innings. Hernandez has worked into the seventh inning in each of his six starts this season. In his only appearance against the Yankees in 2007, Hernandez allowed one run on five hits in seven innings of work for the victory.” [[Source]]

And last but not least, some final scores around the Majors.

Boston is leading Tampa Bay 6-0 in the bottom of the 4th; Twins are leading the Tigers 11-1 in the top of the 9th; the Cubs and the Cardinals are tied 3-3 in the top of the 9th; the Dodgers are leading the Rockies 7-3 in the top of the 6th; the Mets are leading the Diamondbacks 5-2 in the top of the 5th; the Orioles lead the Angels 3-1 in the bottom of the 4th; and Oakland leads Texas 3-2 in the bottom of the 4th.

Until next time…

Something to pass the time

Here are a few articles I think you will find to be quite interesting if you don’t keep up with “Yankee News”.

Alex & His Wife, Cynthia, Welcome a Baby Girl!

Duncan Comes Home; Traber Goes Down

Joba’s Dad in Much Better Condition

A-Rod Possibly Back in 15 Days

Hughes Yet Another Player Added to the DL

Note: Articles goes from old news to more recent.

Also note: Alex and Cynthia released their daughters name a day after the article was written…it is: Ella Alexander Rodriguez! Congratulations to the new parents and to Ella’s big sister, Natasha!

I also thought I’d let everyone know that the Yankees have a lot of potential (but I’m sure you know this!) they just need to get everything in order - ESPECIALLY and MOST IMPORTANTLY the bullpen. With A-Rod and Jorge out of the line-up and now with Hughes added to the DL with them, the Yankees (all of them) need to step up their game. Chien Ming Wang should be his usual 5-0 self tomorrow so I’m not worried. Either way, my fingers are crossed just as hard as yours!

MLB Teams Honor Jackie Robinson By Wearing No. 42

“By proclamation of the Commissioner for the second consecutive year, as Major League Baseball celebrates the anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking its color barrier, any big-league player can wear the late Hall of Famer’s famous No. 42 in action when all 30 teams celebrate the occasion on Tuesday.” (Source 1)

LA Angels dumbass , I mean outfielder, Torri Hunter made quite the controversial statement the other day, regarding Jackie Robinson Day, and the more I thought about it, the more it really irked me. “This is supposed to be an honor, and just a handful of guys wearing the number. Now you’ve got entire teams doing it. I think we’re killing the meaning. It should be special wearing Jackie’s number, not just because it looks cool.”

“What upset Hunter, he says now, was this: The Houston Astros had no black players on their team last April, and yet the entire team wore No. 42.” According to him, “That got it away from, ‘OK, we don’t have any blacks.” He also went on to say that a team roster without black players didn’t represent the progress for which Jackie Robinson stood. (Source 2)

Forgive me if I’m wrong, but isn’t Jackie Robinson Day all about honoring him as a player? Robinson was a man who wanted to break the barriers between black and white, so wouldn’t having both BLACK and WHITE players wearing his number be the best way to honor him?

I also find it hard to believe that Mr. Hunter didn’t do his homework. The Houston Astros - as of 2008 - have 2 African-American players: Cecil Cooper & Michael Bourn. It should be noted that both players will both be wearing No. 42 in Robinson’s honor today.

The LA Angels (Hunter’s team), the LA Dodgers, the New York Mets, the Oakland Athletics, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Texas Rangers, and the Washington Nations will have every player donning No. 42 on their jerseys.

As for the Yankees, only Robinson Cano (who was named after Jackie Robinson), Joe Girardi, Derek Jeter, and Marino Rivera will be sporting the number.

“Yankees closer extraordinaire Mariano Rivera is the last of the players who don the No. 42 on day-to-day basis. Rivera was grandfathered when Selig retired it 11 years ago. When Rivera retires there will be no more.” (Source 1)

[[Source 1]]

[[Source 2]]

Sidenote: If any of you are interested in reading a Q&A with Derek Jeter about Jackie Robinson Day, read this article.

Also, my thoughts and prayers go out to Joba Chamberlain, his father Harlan, and their entire family. For the first time this season, I agree with Girardi on one thing: “He’s got to take care of his dad. When the time is right, he’ll be back. Family comes first, take care of Pops.” [[Source]]

Peace, Love, & Baseball,
Carli

First Series of the Season

First off - I apologize for not posting sooner - I have not had internet for the past 2 days. I just got it back today at 2pm. But a congrat’s goes out to our boys in pinstripes who managed to win the first series of the season 2-1.

Last Home Opener in the Stadium (4/1/0

After a ton of trade talks in the off season - the Yankees opted to keep Alex Rodriguez, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, and Melky Cabrera. All of which were a great idea. But who shined on Tuesday night’s 3-2 victory over the Blue Jays? None other than center fielder himself, Melky Cabrera. Although he didn’t bring the win home completely on his own, he contributed to the win both at bat and in the field.

“Cabrera raced to right-center to track a drive by Lyle Overbay, and reached over his head to catch the ball on the warning track while slamming into the fence. The next hitter, Aaron Hill, sent Cabrera racing in the other direction with a shot toward the gap in left-center. On his horse Cabrera went again, and he made a mid-air grab before flopping on his belly.”

In his first game as the Yankees manager, Joe Girardi said in a post-game interview that “Melky is an exciting player.He brings some dimensions in the outfield to us, and obviously he has improved with the bat. He brings a lot of energy every day, and he’s just pleasant to be around. You see the smile on his face every day when he goes out to the field. He really loves what he’s doing.”

But a smile wasn’t all Melky brought to the game on Opening Night, he also got a rare curtain call after his 2-run home run in the 6th from the sell out crowd of 55,112.

Captain Derek Jeter went on to say, “Melky can hit, and he’s still learning. He’s still young. He’s going to get better. When he first came up, he swung at a lot of pitches. Now he’s becoming more patient. You could see that in his at-bat against Halladay, who is one of the toughest pitchers I’ve ever seen.”

I’d put money on the fact that Jeter, Girardi, or the entire Yankees organization for that matter was extremely happy that Melky was on their team Opening Day and not on somebody else’s.

[[Source]]

First Loss of the Season (4/2/0

Mike Mussina gave his all to keep his teams head above the water into the 5th inning. Moose allowed 4 runs in 5 and 2/3 innings - 3 of which were earned.

“Now in his final year under contract and facing an uncertain future, Mussina has taken on more of a leadership role, helping to mentor some of the club’s young pitchers and providing a sounding board for their inquiries.”

“Happy to have him as half-mentor, half-hurler, the Yankees are still curious as to what Mussina will provide for them, one year after he temporarily lost his spot in the rotation after a string of subpar outings.”

“The 39-year-old right-hander used his curveball as a go-to pitch for most of the evening, but he lost it on occasion as well, such as one flat sixth-inning offering that skimmed Frank Thomas’ jersey.”

Alex Rodriguez blasted a 2-run shot against Burnett, making it his first home run since his MVP season last year and his 519th in total. it should also be noted that his homer was the final pitch of the night for Burnett.

“I hit that ball as good as I can hit it. I was fortunate. You never know with this weather. … [Burnett was] very impressive. A guy that’s throwing up in the mid-90s and is able to throw his curveball for strikes at will, that’s a handful right there.”

“Mussina allowed eight hits, walking two and striking out two before yielding to reliever LaTroy Hawkins, who allowed a run in the seventh in his Yankees debut.”

Moose also said in a post-game interview that “you can’t have it the way it was last night every night; it’s not possible.”

[[Source]]

Yankees Take First Series of the Season (4/3/0

“Two bunts and a bloop were the winning recipe for Joe Girardi’s second victory as Yankees manager. Bobby Abreu’s eighth-inning single to shallow center moved across the go-ahead run in New York’s 3-2 victory over the Blue Jays on Thursday.”

Phil Hughes made his first start of the season at the age of 21. He retired the first nine batters, until “David Eckstein dropped a double down the left-field line leading off the fourth. After a groundout, Alex Rios extended his hitting streak to 23 consecutive games against the Yankees with a run-scoring single to left. Toronto pieced together a second run off Hughes in the fifth inning, as Marco Scutaro walked and moved to third on a Gregg Zaun double. Eckstein followed with a hot shot to third base that Alex Rodriguez deflected but threw too late to get the runner, allowing Scutaro to score. Hughes scattered four hits and threw 87 pitches over six innings, walking one and striking out four.”

It should be noted that Jays’ player Frank Thomas was ejected in the fourth for arguing a called third strike. I actually missed it but my grandfather told me he started jogging to first until the home plate umpire punched him out. Apparently, he argued briefly and then headed to the dugout - and soon after that the clubhouse.

[[Source]]

I should also mention that Joba’s reaction to his strike out of Frank Thomas in the 8th inning on Opening Night made for some good talk-radio hosts on Wednesday morning. Apparently they didn’t like his fist pump - which Derek Jeter is famous for - or his scream of excitement. I think Yankees manager Joe Girardi said it best, “You want emotion in this game. Sometimes people take the emotion the wrong way, that we’re supposed to be just kind of playing. I think emotion is good in this game as long as you’re not showing anyone up.”

Joba himself also made it clear that pitching in the big leagues has not changed him and that if people want to talk about him, so be it.

“I’m Joba Chamberlain, and I pitch for the New York Yankees. I’m going to be me. There’s no getting around it.” That’s his story - and he’s sticking to it.

[[Source]]

Thats all for tonight folks. I will be at the game on Saturday so stay tuned for pictures! Until then…

Peace, Love, & Baseball,
Carli

I’ll let you decide…

Canseco goes after A-Rod in his new book ‘Vindicated’

Since last summer, Jose Canseco had hinted strongly that he would go after Alex Rodriguez in his next book. Now baseball’s unwelcome whistle-blower has followed through on his threat.

Newsday obtained a copy of Canseco’s new book, “Vindicated,” and while Canseco didn’t flat-out accuse A-Rod of using illegal performance-enhancing drugs, he did write that he introduced the Yankees’ third baseman to a steroids dealer — after A-Rod had wondered where a person would go to find steroids if one wanted them.

When first told Tuesday morning that Canseco had leveled accusations against him, Rodriguez asked what Canseco had said in addition to his previous accusations. Told that Canseco had written about introducing him to a known supplier of steroids, Rodriguez said, “I really have absolutely no reaction.”

Canseco also accused A-Rod of coveting Canseco’s former wife, Jessica, before Rodriguez married his wife, Cynthia.

When Rodriguez was told about that, he raised his eyebrows and asked, “He said that in his book?” then said, “I have absolutely no comment.“

In “Vindicated,” the sequel to Canseco’s best-selling 2005 tell-all, “Juiced,” Canseco also wrote that he injected Tigers slugger Magglio Ordonez with steroids while they were teammates with the 2001 White Sox, and he theorizes that Roger Clemens used illegal performance- enhancing drugs, as well.

He also accused baseball steroids investigator George Mitchell of a pro-Red Sox bias in his report, and alleged that legendary “60 Minutes” reporter Mike Wallace asked him about steroids and human growth hormone after a 2005 interview.

Freelance writer Joe Lavin first reported the book’s details on his Web site, joelavin.com, and they were then published by the sports news Web site Deadspin.

Canseco seems to take the most pleasure in taking on A-Rod, who he left out of his first book with the explanation: “I hated the — – .”

According to the new book, in “the latter half of the 1990s” A-Rod came to Canseco’s Florida home and began working out — and ogling Jessica Canseco. At one point, A-Rod asked Canseco, “So, the ‘roids: Do they — – you up?”

“Do I look like I’m — — up?” Canseco wrote of his response.

Later, Canseco wrote, A-Rod “asked me, point-blank, where one would go to get steroids if one wanted them. He was a cautious, cagey guy, Alex. He didn’t say, I want to buy steroids. Can you point me in the right direction? Or more accurately, as far as I’m concerned, he did say it, but not in those exact words.”

Days later, Canseco wrote, he introduced A-Rod to a trainer and illegal PED dealer he identified as “Max.” And, Canseco wrote, he didn’t see A-Rod regularly after that, although when he did, he thought that A-Rod looked “buff.”

Canseco wrote that A-Rod telephoned Jessica Canseco repeatedly. “I’m not a jealous man,” Canseco wrote, “but I could see that A-Rod, a bachelor at that time, was jonesing for my wife.” Jessica Canseco recently made news in Clemens’ case, as Clemens’ accuser, Brian McNamee, recalled Clemens discussing an incident at a Canseco pool party where Jessica Canseco and Roger Clemens’ wife, Debbie, compared their breast enhancements.

Canseco closed the A-Rod section of his book with this passage: “So A-Rod, if you’re reading this book, and if I’m not getting through to you, let’s get clear on one thing: I hate your — – guts.“

Rodriguez said Canseco’s feelings toward him had long been obvious.

Canseco wrote that Clemens telephoned him after the release of the Mitchell Report to complain about McNamee’s accusations, and Canseco offered to help. In the book, Canseco repeated what he told Congress, that Clemens didn’t attend the infamous party at Canseco’s home in Miami.

He flew to Houston and met with Clemens’ attorneys, Canseco wrote — Clemens even picked him up at the airport — and agreed to sign an affidavit that read, “I have played on three teams with Roger Clemens and I have no reason to believe that he has ever used steroids, human growth hormone, or any other performance-enhancing drugs.” Canseco said he was hesitant to sign off on that point.

After watching the Feb. 13 congressional hearing with Clemens, Canseco wrote, “Maybe I’d been right the first time. Maybe he had been juicing. And maybe I’d been wrong to change my mind. But in my heart, during my visit to Houston, I came to believe the guy.”

As for Wallace’s interest in illegal PEDs, Canseco wrote:

“When the cameras stopped rolling, Wallace asked me if we could talk, off-camera. He kept me there for another hour, clearly curious about steroids … He wondered how the steroids and human growth hormones (HGH) might help him, a man in his eighties, live a longer, healthier life … When Wallace was done interrogating me, I could see I had piqued his interest. Whether I’d made a convert of him, I can’t say. Still, I know, I was pretty convincing.

Source

I understand that this article doesn’t really have to do with the game of baseball. But when you personally attack a member of my team - I don’t even care if he is wrong or not, I’m going to defend him. And those that do read this blog will eventually come to know about my love for A-Rod. So…here is my little piece of my mind Jose Canseco.

“Canseco also accused A-Rod of coveting Canseco’s former wife, Jessica, before Rodriguez married his wife, Cynthia.“

Um seriously Jose…get over yourself. How many years ago did this supposed coveting take place?! GET OVER IT! And just in case you forgot buddy, Jessica left your ass!

“When Rodriguez was told about that, he raised his eyebrows and asked, “He said that in his book?” then said, “I have absolutely no comment.“

This is exactly why I love Alex so much. He is a classy player (minus the little ‘opt out’ bit in the off season during the last game of the World Series…but I don’t blame him for that, I blame Scott Boras - aka the dumbass).

“So A-Rod, if you’re reading this book, and if I’m not getting through to you, let’s get clear on one thing: I hate your — – guts.“

Jose don’t you see…he feels the same way.

Also, since supposed coveting of Jose’s ex-wife took place, lets compare Jessica Canseco and Cynthia Rodriguez shall we?

Former playboy model vs. a woman with a Master’s in Psychology? Hmm…which would you choose? Brains or former ‘classy stripper?’ Yeah…I thought so too. Well done Alex!!

Thanks for reading!

Peace, Love, and Baseball,

Carli

Hello world!

Hello ladies and gents. Although this is a personal blog, it will mostly be for baseball season. I will post pictures from the games I go to this season, comment on as many games as time will allow me to, and give insight on pitchers/players/teams around the league. I am a Yankee fan so almost all of the info I post will be related to them (just a fair warning). But I will discuss other teams and players as well. So stay tuned and check back often for updates.

Peace, Love, & Baseball,
Carli