Highbridge News: Phenomenal Start for Yankee Rookie Yangervis Solar...

Highbridge News: Phenomenal Start for Yankee Rookie Yangervis Solar...: Phenomenal Start for Yankee Rookie Yangervis Solarte By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 10- -The cycle of life can be seen...

Phenomenal Start for Yankee Rookie Yangervis Solarte

Phenomenal Start for Yankee Rookie Yangervis Solarte

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 10--The cycle of life can be seen in this year’s Yankee infield. One individual is about to depart while another is about to begin a life. Yankee captain Derek Jeter’s playing career in Major League Baseball (MLB) will end at the conclusion of this season while Yangervis Solarte made his debut in the majors last week.

The absence of Jeter will be noticed and commented upon throughout the nation. 

On the other hand, Solarte began as a Yankee with little notice. At the age of 18, the Venezuelan signed a contract with the Minnesota Twins as a non-drafted free agent. In six minor league seasons, Solarte saw limited playing time.

In the winter of 2011, he was signed as a minor league free agent by the Texas Rangers. In two full seasons at the Rangers’ Triple A affiliate in Round Rock, Solarte batted an impressive .340 and .323 in respective seasons. His combined minor league batting average was .286 in 672 games. 

The 26 year-old signed with the Yankees in January of this year as a minor league free agent. At the conclusion of the 2014 Spring Training, Solarte was moved to the Yankees roster in place of Eduardo Nuñez, who was traded to the Twins this week. Solarte earned his promotion by batting .429 (18 for 42) and driving in nine runs in 24 games. 

Solarte made his major league debut on April 2 as a pinch hitter for Kelly Johnson. His first start in the majors on the following day was an auspicious occasion as he batted 3 for 3 and drew a walk in four trips to the plate. His was not perfect at the plate in his next two road games but hit safely twice in each. This achievement made him the first Yankee since Joe DiMaggio in 1936 with at least two hits in each of his first three starts in the majors. 

In his four starts on the Yankees first road trip of the season, he hit safely 8 times in 15 at bats and drove in five runs.

The Yankee Stadium Opening Day start at third in front of a full house did not awe the neophyte major leaguer. He walked in his first trip to the plate and scored the first Yankee run of the afternoon. In his next at bat, he drove in a run with a single.

The rookie continued his hot batting in Tuesday afternoon’s humiliating 14-5 loss to Baltimore. He doubled home a run in the fourth, and in his next at bat, doubled again. According to Elias, Solarte is the first major leaguer since 1900 to hit, at least, six doubles in his first seven games.the two hits raised Solarte’s hitting streak to six games.

After Tuesday’s game, Yankee skipper Joe Girardi remarked, “I like what I see. He’s certainly taken advantage of this opportunity. We’re going to keep running him out there.”

The name of former Yankee third baseman Alex Rodriguez is not being currently heard at Yankee Stadium.

Highbridge News: Tanaka has arrived in the Bronx

Highbridge News: Tanaka has arrived in the Bronx: Tanaka has arrived in the Bronx  Pitching Phenom Lives Up to the Hype By Rich Mancuso BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 10-  The slider, fas...

Tanaka has arrived in the Bronx

Tanaka has arrived in the Bronx 

Pitching Phenom Lives Up to the Hype

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 10- The slider, fastball, and change up came as advertised from Masahiro Tanaka and were on display for the first time in the Bronx Wednesday night. And for almost seven innings, Tanaka had the Baltimore Orioles knowing that the New York Yankees right-hander from Japan had arrived.

Nelson Cruz also knows that well, two of the 10-strikeout victims, courtesy of a nasty slider Tanaka throws that hit the dirt. The fastball also contributed to the swings, and looks at the plate that Cruz and the Orioles will see again.

It was Tanaka as advertised, and there will be more to come. The Yankees early season bullpen issues are more of an issue for manager Joe Girardi. 

Tanaka was asked about his first two starts and the early runs. He gave up a first inning home run in his first start, to Melky Cabrera up in Toronto. Wednesday night, the Orioles scored three runs in the second inning.

“Obviously that is something I need to adjust,” he said through his interpreter. “It’s really hard to make an assessment after two games.” And one veteran scout sitting up in the Yankee Stadium area press box said, “He will adjust. Wish we had him.”

A first inning fastball hit by Delmon Young, a double to the wall in left was the beginning of what will be an adjustment. It was clocked at 90, advertised as it came. But Young got a hold of it and Tanaka, will eventually adjust and learn how to get three easy outs in a Major League Baseball game first inning.

Adam Jones got caught swinging at a third strike, a 14-pitch first inning. Nelson Cruz got fooled and struck out in the second on a Tanaka fastball. Steve Lombordozzi followed with the second hit of the inning, lining a ball that got over the head of Yangervis Solarte at third.

But, Tanaka looked good against Cruz, one of the premiere hitters in baseball, with or without a steroid suspension on his resume. He got Cruz to strike out in the third inning on a slider that was in the dirt, but in that second inning, he continued to get a lesson.

Jonathan Schoop, on a 1-0 pitch, got hold of a slider that landed deep in the second deck out in left for an Orioles 3-0 lead. He would settle down, very identical to that first start up in Toronto. There were 58 pitches, 40 for strikes after three innings. He definitely can dominate, and on four days rest, another adjustment that he says will not be an issue.

“He made a mistake and kept a slider up,” commented Schoop. “I tried to make adjustments as he tried to elevate me, and then he made a mistake.”

However, Tanaka, as everyone knows will not make many mistakes. This is still a learning process of adjusting and learning the hitters here, even in his new home run yard known as Yankee Stadium. He allowed three earned runs and a walk.

“He battled out of tough jams, made pitches when he had to and got better as the night went along,” said Girardi, who added, Tanaka threw the ball okay. In the fifth inning with two on base and with two out, the score knotted at 3-3, on a 2-2 pitch he got Matt Wieters to go after a changeup in the dirt and get out of the inning, his eighth strikeout.

“He is as good as advertised,” claimed Orioles manager Buck Showalter. “

On his 101^st pitch, Tanaka got Young swinging on another slider for his 10^th strikeout and second of the sixth inning. He could have gone longer, but this is a process, now adjusting to the four day rest routine. In other words this is not the accustomed process of taking the mound every fifth day.  

He said, “I understand four days. Also it’s a long season and will go along with it.” 

The Orioles’ Adam Jones said, Tanaka is not facing the same hitters that were in Japan. “We groove, we hack.”

Jones struck out twice and singled in three at bats off Tanaka. He became the second Yankee pitcher to strike out at least eight batters in each of his first two Major League starts. The 10 strikeouts were the most by a Yankees rookie since Ivan Nova on August 4, of 2011 against the White Sox, and most for a rookie at home since 1998 in a game against Texas.

Yes, Tanaka has arrived. The Yankees may have their bullpen issues but a sensation from Japan will eventually go deeper into games. It is part of the adjustment and he comes as advertised.

Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com  Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso  www.newyorksportsexaminer.com

Highbridge News: Rapist

Highbridge News: Rapist: Phony Super Rapes Tenant  By Dan Gesslein BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 3-  Police are asking for the public’s help in trying to catc...

Rapist

Phony Super Rapes Tenant 

By Dan Gesslein

BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 3-  Police are asking for the public’s help in trying to catch a rapist who posed as a building’s super to gain access to his victim.

At around 1:15 a.m. on March 24, a 25-year-old woman heard a knock on her door at her Bedford Park building. Speaking in Spanish, the suspect claimed to be the building’s superintendent and there was a gas leak in the apartment. As the woman opened the door, the suspect pushed his way inside with a handgun. He pistol whipped the woman and raped her. 

The suspect is described as a dark-skinned Hispanic male who is 6 feet tall and weighs 190 pounds.

Anyone with information is urged to call CRIMESTOPPERS at (800) 577-TIPS. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577. 

All calls are confidential.

Highbridge News: Home Invaders Sought

Highbridge News: Home Invaders Sought: Home Invaders Sought Suspects Sought in Cedar Avenue Home Invasion By David Greene BRONX, NEW YORK,  APRIL 2- Investigators...