STUNNED!

Yanks Shut Out by Tigers; Fall to 0-2 in ALCS

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, October 15- The Yanks now have their work cut out for them after being shut out by the Tigers, 3-0, to fall to 0-2 in the ALCS. The two teams will now travel to Detroit to play games three and four and, if necessary, game five. If the Yankees fail to win two of the three, their season will end. If they manage the near impossible task on the road, the two clubs will return to the Bronx to play game seven in Yankee Stadium next Saturday night.

As most of the post-season contests in which the Yankees have played this year, the starting pitchers easily handled the opposing hitters they faced. Hiroki Kuroda pitched with short rest, three days between starts, for the first time in his career in the majors.

The hurler from Japan must not have found the effort too taxing as he retired the first 15 Tiger batters. He fanned seven of the first nine he faced. Jhonny Peralta’s single to lead off the sixth ended Kuroda’s bid for a perfect game and no-hitter.

The first run of the game was scored in the top of the seventh. Quinton Berry doubled and crossed the plate after a single to right by Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera.

After striking out two batters to begin the eighth, four straight singles and a walk led to two runs. Kuroda left the game after 7.2 innings with 11 K’s and five hits. Although all three runs scored were allotted to Kuroda, relief pitchers Boone Logan and Joba Chamberlain each yielded a single that drove in a run.

Starter Anibal Sanchez and those who followed him to the mound collectively kept the Yanks scoreless. The righty gave up three scattered hits in seven frames. Mark Teixeira doubled with two out in the first. Nick Swisher singled with two gone in the second. Raúl Ibañez led off the fourth with a single.

The only other base hit for the Yanks was a single with two out in the ninth.

Detroit’s veteran skipper Jim Leyland commented on the two starters, “I think that both starting pitchers were absolutely terrific.”

According to the batting of the Yanks in the post-season, the name Bronx Bombers is outdated. Although Alex Rodriguez has received the brunt of the jeers from the fans in attendance for obtaining 3 hits in 23 at bats including 12 strikeouts without a run batted in the first seven post-season games, he is not alone in lack of success.

Robinson Cano has two hits in 32 at bats. He has been without a hit in his last 26 at bats, a single post-season record. Nick Swisher has four hits in 26 at bats. In 26 at bats, Curtis granderson has hit safely on three times. He has fanned 13 times. Russell Martin has hit safely five times in 26 ay bats. Eric Chavez has yet to get a hit in 11 times at bat.

The Yanks and Tigers will move to Comerica Park in Detroit for the next two or three games, depending on whether or not the Tigers can sweep the series. The difficulty will be intensified by the absence of Yankees captain Derek Jeter. The injured shortstop was batting .333 in the 2012 post-season.

To make matters worse, Tiger ace Justin Verlander will start in game #3 against Phil Hughes.

Jeter is Done for the Season!

Yankees say they will move on

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, October 14- Now the question is can the New York Yankees survive and win their ALCS series with the Detroit Tigers with the loss of their captain Derek Jeter? It is an answer the Yankees will have to answer on the field with game two in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium Sunday afternoon.

The Yankees say they will move on, the same way they did when all-time saves leader Mariano Rivera went down for the season with a freak torn knee injury earlier this season. It has been a season of adversity, injuries to a pitching staff and position player at one time or another.

But this is Jeter, the captain, and he is hard to replace. Jayson Nix will replace Jeter at shortstop and Eduardo Nunez was added to the roster. The manager, Joe Girardi knows this is the most difficult dilemma to deal with as the Yankees try to even the series Sunday before heading to Detroit for what is hoped to be three more games.

“Just like Mo said, ‘we have to move on,’” commented Yankees manager Joe Girardi when asked about the impact on losing Jeter, the reference to what Rivera said to the team when he went down with his injury back on May 3^rd shagging fly balls in the outfield at Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City.

But it is hard to move on without a player like Jeter, especially this time of year as the Yankees try to move another step to their 28^th world championship.

“Is it a big loss? Yes,” said Yankees General Manger Brian Cashman. “Is it something that’s going to stop us from dreaming about achieving our goal, no,” he said.

And perhaps the loss of Jeter won’t stop their goal. But Nix is not Jeter on the field, neither is Nunez. Girardi was asked about possibly utilizing the slumping Alex Rodriguez at short. “No I wouldn’t do that,” he said. “It’s just been too long.”

To hear Cashman say that Jeter will “No longer be a player for us this year,” is hard to comprehend but a broken ankle, that will take three months to recover, is that huge loss for the Yankees and perhaps for the game of baseball. They said Jeter will be well enough to be ready for spring training in February.

In the second inning, Jeter got his 200^th career post season hit with a single. Later, in that 12^th inning, when things fell apart for the Yankees, he made that play ranging toward second base, one that he has done so well over the years.

This time, he had to be helped off the field. And many of the 47,122 who remained on a long Saturday night, into a Sunday morning of baseball were silent. The captain was down and told Girardi, “No, don’t carry me.”

They chanted “Derek Jeter, Derek Jeter.” He heard them. And his teammates consoled him as he was helped to be immediately examined. That left ankle, that has been hindered one way or another this season could no longer take the punishment of wear and tear, though this fracture reportedly was in a different area.

Now without their captain, the Yankees will have to do this, themselves. Not that Jeter has been banging the ball all over the field, but he always seems to ignite a rally, get on base, and make the big play.  Five championship rings in the same uniform are enough to state the value of Derek Jeter, especially in October.

Jeter did not have a reaction when he was examined and told by team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad that he could no longer play. He was in the same room with Cashman, Joe Torre, his former manager who he played for on four world championship teams, Reggie Jackson, and former teammate Tino Martinez.

Twice with two-run home runs in the ninth inning, including one from Raul Ibanez, maybe the new “Mr. October” off Joe Valverde, it appeared this was going to be another one of those great October nights in the Bronx when the Yankees tied the important first game in a best of seven series.

However, the loss of Jeter now makes it that more difficult for the New York Yankees. They say the loss of their captain will be overcome. They will play for Jeter and are inspired to win that championship for their leader.

“It’s a tough moment for all of us because of what he means to our team,” said Ibanez.

And an obstacle that Cashman and the Yankees will know how to deal with in this season of adversity that continues at the most important time of October baseball.

“The job is to overcome every obstacle that comes our way,” said Cashman. “We have one team standing in our way to get to the World Series.” And one player short of that goal, the most important part of their quest to get there again.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

New York Yankees Dynasty Banner (Google Affiliate Ad)New Era Men New York Yankees Custom 5950 Fitted Hat (Drjays.com (Google Affiliate Ad)

Comic Con Artist By Dixon, Franklin W. (Google Affiliate Ad) Comic Con 2005 Cotton Tee T-Shirt (Google Affiliate Ad) Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture By Salkowitz, Rob (Google Affiliate Ad) Vampire Hunter D: American Wasteland (Google Affiliate Ad)

--> Back to School Sale! 4G LTE GalaxyS III 16GB only $199.99 while supplies last! Free Shipping Limited Time Only, While Supplies Last! Free DROID Charge by Samsung, plus Free Shipping

 

30% OFF Sitewide with code: YOUROCK Sale 70% off 

HERE WE GO AGAIN!

Bring on the Tigers

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, October 13- There is one difference for the New York Yankees when they open the best of seven American League Championship Series tonight in the Bronx- CC Sabathia, who pitched the complete game division series win Friday night against Baltimore, won’t start the opening game.

And for the Yankees, who advanced to their 15^th ALCS, Sabathia is a key if the series should go the full route. Because not having Sabathia pitch game one against Detroit means it’s probable the Yankees ace will get two starts instead of a possible three.

However, this is Sabathia, and these are the Yankees. Anything is possible after a remarkable and low scoring series with the Orioles.

“He’s our ace,” said manager Joe Girardi about the complete game and 8/2-3 innings that won game one of the Baltimore series.  “That’s the bottom line. He’s done an unbelievable job since coming here. But that was vintage CC.”

Girardi said there was no question about Sabathia clinching and completing the deciding game. “He was going. It was his game,” he said. So many times we have heard Girardi refer to his ace that way, even when Sabathia struggled at times during the season.

Ask the Yankees. They know how valuable Sabathia is. After game one in Baltimore there were no signs of fatigue. Friday night it was the same. He became the second Yankee to throw a complete game in a ALDS game, the first being David Wells, and 17/2 innings tossed surpassed David Cone in a division series.

“He usually gets better as the game goes along and he has a way of stepping it up. I have a ton of confidence in CC even when I knew he was going through his struggles. I knew he would get it right. I felt good about sending him out there.”

Girardi was referring to the eighth inning. The Orioles had their opportunity with the bases loaded. It was Sabathia’s fourth straight quality outing, the last two why New York moves on and Baltimore goes away now until April.

There are no days off in between series, and no pitching rotation has been set by Girardi for the Tigers. Just Andy Pettitte for game one and the game two start Sunday night in the Bronx will be announced by Girardi Friday afternoon. Confidence with Pettitte who has won more post season games for a pitcher, coming out of retirement to be where the Yankees are now

Sabathia will probably get a start in game four, with the travel and off day Monday. But the way Sabathia threw the ball in the two games against Baltimore, the feeling is he could go sooner.

“I was trying to back up a little bit and tried to be aggressive with fastballs and that didn’t work,” commented Sabathia about the only inning where tension was evident in the Bronx at the Stadium.

He said about the deciding game on the mound, “Right now this ranks at the top. Pitching a game like, this having a chance to win a championship every year, the organization puts together, that’s, all you can ask for with a team.”

“It’s what I came here for. It’s what I play the game for. Getting the ball for saving the season whether its game one or game 15. I feel I have to win every game. I go out, put pressure on myself to perform well. I expect it.”

The Orioles never went away. Girardi, still feeling the effects on the passing of his father did not field many questions about what is next. The Tigers have their ace also, Justin Verlander, who also won’t be available for game one.

“It seems like when you manage the New York Yankees every series is like managing the World Series,” he said. But he has Sabathia, a difference whether it is the first game, the middle one, or the last.

Sabathia said, there is a long way to go, and he looks for three or four more starts this post season. There could be one more, pending how far this Yankees team will advance with the World Series one step away.

They have CC Sabathia, and to them getting to and winning the World Series is what it is about.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring 786@aol.com

New York Yankees Dynasty Banner (Google Affiliate Ad)New Era Men New York Yankees Custom 5950 Fitted Hat (Drjays.com (Google Affiliate Ad)

Comic Con Artist By Dixon, Franklin W. (Google Affiliate Ad) Comic Con 2005 Cotton Tee T-Shirt (Google Affiliate Ad) Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture By Salkowitz, Rob (Google Affiliate Ad) Vampire Hunter D: American Wasteland (Google Affiliate Ad)

--> Back to School Sale! 4G LTE GalaxyS III 16GB only $199.99 while supplies last! Free Shipping Limited Time Only, While Supplies Last! Free DROID Charge by Samsung, plus Free Shipping

 

30% OFF Sitewide with code: YOUROCK Sale 70% off 

Do or Die

Yanks need to Beat Birds After Yesterday’s Marathon Loss

 

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, October 11- The close competition between the Orioles and the Yankees continued on Thursday night. In a 13-inning encounter that lasted four hours and 31, minutes, the pitching of the Birds held the Yanks in check. Each club now has two victories. The winner of Friday night’s contest will move to the ALCS and the season of the loser will end.

The pitchers of each team, especially the relief corps, were in command throughout the game. Zeroes were posted on the scoreboard in 23 of the 26 half-innings. Each squad only managed to obtain multiple hits, 2, once during the lengthy game,

Both starters, lefty Joe Saunders for the O’s and righty Phil Hughes for the Yanks, only gave up one run during their stints on the mound. As has been the weakness for Hughes all year, he gave up a four bagger that scored the only run off him. On a 1-2 pitch, left fielder Nate McLouth hit a hanging slider into right field to lead off the fifth. After the homer, Hughes struck out the side to end the frame. Hughes gave up four hits and three walks in 6.2 innings, but the home run put up the only score off Hughes.

Yankees skipper Joe Girardi complimented his starter, “With the exception of a few [2] lead-off walks, he threw an outstanding game.”

Despite only being 2-2 after four games, Yankees starters have been effective. The four starters have compiled an excellent 2.35 ERA.

Girardi spoke of the outstanding pitchers of both teams during the first four games, “You’re seeing some real good pitching in these four games with the exception of one inning. It’s really been difficult to come up with hits.”

Saunders, also, gave up a single run. The Yankees scored a run in the top of the sixth on a ground ball out by Robinson Cano. Derek Jeter led off the inning with a double. He moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Ichiro Suzuki. Mark Teixeira waked before Cano’s run scoring ground out to second.

The Yanks had another opportunity in the eight as Suzuki and Teixeira led off the inning with singles. They remained stranded on base as the next three batters were retired. The Yanks failed to hit successfully with runners in scoring position in nine attempts during the contest.

The final run of the game, in the Baltimore 13^th, came on two doubles off rookie David Phelps. Another rookie, Manny Machado, doubled to lead-off. With one out, J. J. Hardy doubled over Suzuki’s head in left to score Machado. Hardy commented, “We had a lot of opportunities. It was nice to come through.”

The 2012 percentages came through again for the Orioles. The have won 17 of 20 extra-inning games and 31 of 41 one-run contests.

The Yankees ace, C.C. Sabathia, will start in the final game of the ALDS. Jadon hammel will strat for Baltimore. They were the starters in game one.

 

Comic Con Artist By Dixon, Franklin W. (Google Affiliate Ad) Comic Con 2005 Cotton Tee T-Shirt (Google Affiliate Ad) Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture By Salkowitz, Rob (Google Affiliate Ad) Vampire Hunter D: American Wasteland (Google Affiliate Ad)

--> Back to School Sale! 4G LTE GalaxyS III 16GB only $199.99 while supplies last! Free Shipping Limited Time Only, While Supplies Last! Free DROID Charge by Samsung, plus Free Shipping

 

30% OFF Sitewide with code: YOUROCK Sale 70% off 

BOMBS AWAY!

Ibañez Homers Inch Yanks Closer to WS

(Photos by Gary Quintal)

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, October 11- Game 3 of the ALDS was a classic. The definition of the word for this story is taken from the 2012 book written by managerial great Tony La Russa, “The game has to have serious stakes. The competition between the two teams has to be both fierce and equal. The performances of individual players have to be of extremely high caliber. The outcome should be in jeopardy until the final moments. The action has to arrest your attention because of the brilliant, the surprising, or the unique nature of the performances or the personalities.”

The closeness in the competition between the Yanks and Orioles continued at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night when the ALDS shifted from Baltimore to the Bronx. The two clubs split 18 contests during the regular 2012 season. The teams also split the first two games of the ALDS.

Wednesday night’s contest featured an old fashioned pitchers’ duel between Miguel Gonxzalez of Baltimore and Hiroki Kuroda of New York. The rookie hurler for the O’s pitched with confidence and poise for seven innings. Only five batters reached base, all with base hits. His control was outstanding. Seventy percent of his pitches were strikes. No Yankee batter drew a walk, but Gonzalez fanned eight. The only Yankee run off him came in the third frame. Russell Martin doubled and scored on a triple by Derek Jeter.

Although his first appearance in the majors was May 29, Wednesday was his third start at Yankee Stadium. He earned a win in each of his previous outings in the Bronx on July 30 and August 31. He pitched a total of 13.2 innings, surrendering four earned runs for an ERA of 2.63.

Before the game, O’s manager Buck Showalter said of the 28 year old, “The guy does so many things that give himself a chance to be successful…We’re real proud of him.”

Kuroda accomplished what would normally result in a win. He pitched 8.1 innings, a mark he reached only twice in 33 previous starts this season. He also only gave up five hits, but two were crucial, a first pitch solo homer by Ryan Flaherty in the third and a solo first pitch home run by Mario Machado in the fifth. The two rookies showed no fear of playing in the postseason in Yankee Stadium.

In the pre-game press conference, Joe Girardi commented on the native of Japan, “I feel good about him on the mound because I’ve seen what he’s done all year for us.”

The Yanks tied the contest at two with one out in the ninth. Girardi removed the designated hitter, Alex Rodriguez, for pinch hitter Raúl Ibañez. The New York native parked the baseball in the right field seats to electrify the sell-out crowd of 50,497.

After the game, Girardi explained the decision that reporters called a genius move, “It’s a tough move. I just had a gut feeling about a left-hander who’s a low ball hitter. Raúl came up with some clutch hits; he’s been doing it all year. Sometimes you have to do what your gut tells you.”

The game ended in a most spectacular fashion as Ibañez led off the 12th with a walk-off home run. The unbelievable event prompted Yankee starter Kuroda to say, “It seemed like it was something out of cartoon.”

Ibañez whose wife gave birth earlier in the month remarked humbly, “I’m a very blessed man. I have a healthy baby boy; my wife is healthy.” Of the two home runs, he explained, “I was just trying to get a good pitch. I was not trying to do too much. Fortunately, it worked out.”

In game 4, Phil Hughes will start for New York against lefthander Joe Saunders, who was announced as the starter by Showalter in a post-game press conference. If the Yanks win on Thursday they will advance to the ALCS.

"MLB Final Game Ticket Frame - New York Yankees" (Google Affiliate Ad)Wild Sales New York Yankees Wireless Mouse (Google Affiliate Ad)New York Yankees Tailgate Keg (Google Affiliate Ad)

--> Back to School Sale! 4G LTE GalaxyS III 16GB only $199.99 while supplies last! Free Shipping Limited Time Only, While Supplies Last! Free DROID Charge by Samsung, plus Free Shipping

 

30% OFF Sitewide with code: YOUROCK Sale 70% off 

Bring on the Rings?

At the end the Yankees seem to have it all together as they await the next step

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, October 5- The Texas Rangers or the Baltimore Orioles are awaiting the New York Yankees Sunday night as the new wild card format this season has the lower seed teams hosting the higher seed in the divisional series. But, the Yankees don’t care where they go, or who they play.

Momentum has become a major player the last month or weeks of the baseball season. The Yankees have that right now, so similar to what the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals had in 2010, and last year. Their late season surges continued right to a World Series championship.

And, as every baseball or sports fan knows, a New York Yankees season is not complete, or a success, unless they bring a World Series trophy back to the Bronx. They finished with the best record in the American League, decided when they clinched their second straight division title Wednesday night with a sweep over the Boston Red Sox.

Home field advantage for the first two rounds of the post season goes to the Yankees with a 95-67 finish, second best in baseball to the Washington Nationals. Though sweeping the lowly Boston Red Sox to finish off, and scoring 14-runs in their final game, don’t make that a barometer that they will dominate from here on in.

This was the Red Sox. Not the Rangers, Athletics, Tigers, or the Orioles where pitching, with perhaps the exception of the Rangers collapse, won them games this time of year. The Yankees inconsistency of their pitching staff could be their obstacle as to getting a 28^th championship.

“Now the real season starts,” commented Derek Jeter, the Yankees captain who knows something about the meaning of October baseball with five World Series rings.

So, with a September that was one to remember, the Yankees had to fight to the end with Baltimore. The 27-time world champions are confident. Yes, momentum is on their side as the pitching and hitting have come together, as well as a healthy compliment of players off the disabled list.

The season of adversity, one key pitcher or starting player hindered by injuries hurt the Yankees as they struggled and surrendered a 10-game AL east divisional lead to the Orioles.

“This year we had to fight, scratch and claw,” said Nick Swisher who had his struggles and finished with a strong September.

The Yankees at one time or another this season, and Girardi utilized what he could from the roster, saw different players at third, first, in the outfield, at DH, and on the mound.

The losses of pitchers CC Sabathia, Andy Pettitte, Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Brett Gardner, and other role players, for a short or extended period of time had an impact but they overcame the adversity.

That also included losing all-time saves leader Mariano Rivera, with a freak season ending injury in the outfield shagging fly balls prior to a game at Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City. Rafael Sorinao stepped in the closer role, and overall with 42 saves but had the tendency to throw the home run ball in the late going.

Gardner is back and could be on the post season roster, but getting on base and speed came when the Yankees acquired the able Ichiro Suzuki in the second half. Robinson Cano struggled, and the final three weeks the all-star second baseman had the highest hitting percentage in baseball.

The last seven years, New York has won the World Series once, so the obvious dynasty in baseball is a thing of the past with parity an obvious part of the game. However, as was the case with the Giants and Cardinals, pitching wins games this time of year.

“To have the best record and not know where you’re going is strange,” says Yankees manager Joe Girardi. They probably would prefer the Orioles. They split the 18-games between them and scored more runs. The Rangers, though struggling, know how to handle this time of year.

And when it comes to the Yankees and Rangers in October, Girardi is aware that Texas has come up short the last two years in failing to win the World Series, but the Yankees have never done well at the ballpark in Arlington in October baseball games.

The tentative starting rotation in the best- of- five opening round will be Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Pettitte, and Phil Hughes. It looks good, though Hughes has been ineffective in his last three starts and gives up the home run ball. Hughes getting the ball in a game three or four could be detrimental.

“The fact we struggled, we overcame the adversity, I am proud we are at this point,” says Girardi. Driving in the timely run has been the inconsistency and striking out to much, and Curtis Granderson had a team high in strike outs when he was not hitting the home run ball.

Just about every position player is liable to hit the ball out of the park. The Yankees finished 2012 with a club record in round trippers. But we saw something the past few weeks that started to develop.

The Yankees played small ball with the bunt, steal, and that produced some run production that helped them win some close games on the road. They finished four games over .500 away from the Bronx.

The team works out at Yankee Stadium early Friday evening and will watch the wild card game between the Orioles and Rangers. From the Bronx they will have the bags packed and ready to begin the next journey.

The new season begin Sunday evening. The quest with momentum is to bring championship number 28 to the Bronx in a few weeks.

E-Mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com/ Facebook.com/Keep it in the Ring

"MLB Final Game Ticket Frame - New York Yankees" (Google Affiliate Ad)Wild Sales New York Yankees Wireless Mouse (Google Affiliate Ad)New York Yankees Tailgate Keg (Google Affiliate Ad)

--> Back to School Sale! 4G LTE GalaxyS III 16GB only $199.99 while supplies last! Free Shipping Limited Time Only, While Supplies Last! Free DROID Charge by Samsung, plus Free Shipping

 

30% OFF Sitewide with code: YOUROCK Sale 70% off