Tex is real MVP

Out if the way #A-Rod!

Tex is the Real MVP

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, JULY 9- You can make a valid statement that Alex Rodriguez is having a comeback year for the New York Yankees with 16 home runs, 47 runs batted in, and a .276 average at the plate. But, Rodriguez went 0-for-4, with two strikeouts Wednesday night in the Bronx in a Yankees 5-4 win over the Oakland Athletics.

It seems for the first time this season, that Rodriguez has hit a bump in the road with one hit in his last 14- at bats, and any talk that he is the first half Most Valuable Player of the Yankees does deserve some recognition.

Mark Teixeira, on the other hand, with two more home runs in the Yankees win, and with outstanding plays at first base, deserves that MVP recognition. And with four games to go before the all-star break and mid point of the season, Teixeira has the numbers to be considered a first half MVP of the American League and Comeback Player of the Year.

Consider at this juncture last season, Teixeira was struggling with a bad wrist that limited his ability to hit for power. The perennial home run hitter signed an eight-year contract with the Yankees in 2009, a deal that extends until the end of next season.

And with the two home runs that went to right-center, the first helping the Yankees tie the score in the fourth inning, and the second in the sixth that gave his team a 4-2 advantage, Teixeira matched his season total of last year at 22, and has a league leading 61 runs batted in.

So there is no doubt that “Tex” has been instrumental in the Yankees offense and resurgence of being that home run team made for Yankee Stadium. The manager, Joe Girardi has said that and more importantly when Teixeira and Rodriguez are locked in, the Yankees are a threat to hit the long ball and drive in runs.

And we all recall, last season, the Yankees were miserable when it came to scoring runs, next to last in the league which eventually caused them to miss the postseason for a second straight year.  

But the power has returned, and so has the defense at first base for Teixeira who made an unassisted double play in the first inning, leaned over the rail over the Yankees dugout in the seventh, and also stopped a double down the line off the bat of Josh Reddick in the eighth inning that could have put runs on the board for Oakland.

So the home runs and the defensive gems of Teixeira, who is headed to the All-Star Game next Tuesday in Cincinnati, were instrumental in the Yankees win and it sets up the rubber game of the three-game series Thursday afternoon before New York heads to Boston for three before the break.

Said Girardi, and the obvious reference about the home runs of Teixeira, “It’s a big part of our game. That’s how we are going to win games. We are designed to do that here. Last year we did not have the success of doing that.”

And because Teixeira could not get a grip on the bat, and with constant pain that requires stints on the disabled list, that power and home run ball had the Yankees as a team sitting in the lower third of the league when it came to the home run ball.

If Teixeira keeps up this pace, it is conceivable that 45 home runs and over 120 RBI would make him a league and team MVP. But he has to remain healthy.

It has changed because Teixeira is healthy, and he had his 18th career multi home run game as a Yankee. It was good enough again to get the Yankees another win that keep their first place lead in the tight Al East division race. 

And it further made it easier to understand why Teixeira is the first half MVP of his team and maybe in the American League.

“Two home runs are nice,” Teixeira said, “But the win is better.” And for the Yankees, a healthy Teixeira in the second half will not hurt their chances and their quest to play October baseball again in the Bronx.   

Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com   Twitter@ Ring786   Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso

#Yankees #Teixeira #Arod #Bronxnews

 

Highbridge News: A Rare Betances Failure

Highbridge News: A Rare Betances Failure: Oh Mo! A Rare Betances Failure, #A-Rod Not Upset about All-Star Snub By Rich Mancuso BRONX, NEW YORK, JULY 8 - It ...

A Rare Betances Failure

Oh Mo!

A Rare Betances Failure,

#A-Rod Not Upset about All-Star Snub

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, JULY 8- It has not happened much, a Dellin Betances failure out of the bullpen for the New York Yankees. There has been that invincibility and similarities to Mariano Rivera who rarely came out of the pen and gave up a tying or go ahead run.

But Rivera had his share of bad moments, and those that went on the wrong side were quickly forgiven, and the Yankees and their fans will always remember how Mariano Rivera rebounded the next night. Betances, who has been unstoppable is beginning to understand those moments now that he has given up two home runs out of the pen in his last two games.

The home run Tuesday night in the Bronx was the difference in the Yankees 4-3 loss to the Oakland Athletics in 11-innings. Brett Lawrie, leading off the inning, got hold of an 0-2 breaking ball that went down the left field line and that was the difference.

This is not supposed to happen. Betances was selected to the roster of the American League All-Star team on Monday night, his second straight year representing the Yankees, and has allowed a run in consecutive games for the first time since last July 27th against Toronto and in a game against Texas days after.

  

And in all due respect, Betances can be called untouchable with an ERA of 1.65, with two blown saves in nine opportunities. There are no excuses, even though Betances has been doing extra work with the absence of Andrew Miller, who is expected to come off the disabled list and be ready for game two against Oakland Wednesday night.   

“It doesn’t happen very often but it happened tonight,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.  “It’s a game where there is a human element involved.” The manager was making no excuses about his stopper who has been pretty much perfect in late situations, and has handled right handed hitters and the 0-2 count with minimal difficulty.  

Now with Miller set to return, Betances will in all probability return to his normal eighth inning role and there should be no questions about fatigue and the 43-⅔ innings he has thrown in 38 games, though that was asked because the right-hander has given up home runs in back-to-back appearances for the first time in his career.

“It’s definitely tough when you are ahead in the count,”said Betances about the home run ball. “You have to be able to put guys away and I left that pitch over the plate. He obviously crushed it.”

Girardi will once again mix and match, alternating Miller and Betances in the late innings as situations arise. That was often the case before Miller was put on the DL with a left forearm muscle strain on June 11th.

“It will obviously help,” Girardi said about the return of Miller. And he made no excuses about the home runs balls given up by Betances, except that the past month he has pitched more innings than what was seen in April and May. 

Added Girardi, “Obviously we guard against that and we watched how much he worked. But obviously getting Miller back will help.”

THE REASON GIRARDI LIFTED HIS STARTER:  Nathan Eovaldi was cruising along in a 3-3 game and Girardi lifted his starter in the sixth inning with one-out and nobody on base. And with a 86 pitch count and overall good control, the question was asked why?

The reason was a matter of percentages and the batter was left handed hitter Josh Reddick who had an RBI single off Eovaldi in the first inning. And Reddick hit the ball well in two previous bats off the right hander…

A-ROD CONTENT WITH NOT BEING AN ALL-STAR:  Alex Rodriguez was content at not being selected to the AL All-Star squad, though he expressed his disappointment being bypassed. And there was no nonsense of being bitter, or for that matter he did not mention that it had anything to do with his sitting out all last season because of his suspension from the Biogenisis drug scandal where he was the center of attention. 

“I am not disappointed,” he said meeting with reporters in the Yankees clubhouse Tuesday afternoon. “It would have been fun to go out and represent the American League for sure. But I know that while serving the suspension the time off was good for me.”

And when A-Rod said. “I hope the four days will be, too,” it was an obvious reference that the soon to be 40-year old is starting to tire after having a successful and surprising first half of the season and that some rest was needed.

He went 0-for-4 Tuesday night with a strikeout and his walk in the 10th inning became a potential winning run, though he and Brett Gardner were stranded when Mark Teixiera struck out swinging to end the game.

Rodriguez, who can easily be considered a first half AL Comeback Player Of The Year with his 16 home runs, 47 RBI and ..280 average, used mostly as a designated hitter, once again provided the correct answers and swayed away from controversy.

But, deep down there was that overall expression of a definite certainty he belongs on that roster next Tuesday night in Cincinnati. 

“My goal early on was to make the team,” he said. “I had no idea what to expect. I didn’t know how many at bats I was going to get. I will be watching, I will be cheering and I hope we get home field advantage.”

Rodriguez also said Prince Fielder, who was picked over him was deserving. Though there is a chance if someone gets injured, that he could become a last minute replacement and pick of AL Manager Ned Yost, though chances of that happening are very unlikely.

So throw out a conspiracy that A-Rod was damaged goods when his name was considered for All-Star consideration. He has not said anything wrong since spring training, most of all his stats were credible and deserving enough to be an All Star.

“There are so many great players in the American League and I was a long shot,” he said.  And you get the feeling that A-Rod does not mind being bypassed in order to get some extra rest for the second half.

Easy to understand why four days of rest will benefit a player who is hustling on a daily basis with two bad hips. And A-Rod has said all along, the intent is to get to the postseason again, a goal also for the Yankees who have missed the playoffs two straight years.

A healthy and productive Alex Rodriguez makes more sense for the Yankees in their goals for a return to playing baseball in October.

Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring796@aol.com  Twitter@Ring786  Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso

#Yankees #ARod #AllStarGame #Betances #Bronxnews

Highbridge News: Fuming #Yankees Fizzle

Highbridge News: Fuming #Yankees Fizzle: Fuming #Yankees Fizzle Loney and #Longoria Ensure Tampa Win By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, JULY 6- T h...

Fuming #Yankees Fizzle

Fuming #Yankees Fizzle

Loney and #Longoria Ensure Tampa Win

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, JULY 6- The Tampa Rays snapped a seven game losing streak with an 8-1 victory over the Yanks on Sunday afternoon. The Tampa win also ended the three-game winning streak of the Yanks, but New York is still in first place in the American League East.

Two of the Rays offensive standouts, Evan Longoria and James Loney, have found Yankee pitching especially vulnerable to their bats and Yankee Stadium as comfortable as a second home. Third sacker Longoria doubled, singled and walked in five trips to the plate on Sunday, the final game of the three game set.

His double in the first moved David DeJesus to third with one out. The next batter, Loney, singled in both runners. Although the Rays scored six additional runs in the game, the first two were sufficient to ensure the win for Tampa. 

The Tampa skipper remarked, “Those early runs really helped.” Erasmo Ramirez, the Tampa starter, felt the first inning support helped him greatly, “In the first inning you got run support antd then you just have to do your thing. You have to keep the ball down and in the ballpark.”

Longoria’s statistics against the Yankees since his major league debut in 2008 are extremely impressive. He has hit more home runs (28) and driven in more runs (84) against the Yanks than any other player. His home runs (13) and RBI (40) have not been bettered by any visiting player in the current Yankee Stadium. His 62 hits are second only to Nick Markakis (72). 

Although Loney’s 2 RBI single was his only hit in five official at bats on Sunday, his batting average at the current Yankee stadium is .405 (45 for 12), which only follows Justin Morneau (.433) and Kurt Suzuki (.411).In 55 games against the yanks Loney is batting .340 and has an OPS of .857.

The only run scored by the Yankees came on a lead-off home run by Alex Rodriguez in the sixth off starter Erasmo Ramirez, the winning pitcher. A-Rod’s career offensive statistics are growing higher on an almost daily basis. His home run gave him 1,964 runs scored, 3,016 hits, 670 home runs and 2,016 runs batted in. 

The post-game comments of each manager were very different. Kevin Cash of the Rays said, “We really needed that.” Yankees skipper Joe Girardi remarked, “You just need to turn the page.”

#Yankees #Nova #Bronxnews 

Highbridge News: 2nd Straight Walk-off Win for #Yankees

Highbridge News: 2nd Straight Walk-off Win for #Yankees: 2 nd  Straight Walk-off Win for #Yankees By Howard  Goldin Yankee fans at the St adium on July 3 and /or  July 4 enjoyed an excitin...

2nd Straight Walk-off Win for #Yankees

2nd Straight Walk-off Win for #Yankees

By Howard Goldin

Yankee fans at the Stadium on July 3 and/or July 4 enjoyed an exciting game in which their team won the contest in their final inning at bat. 

Michael Pineda helped the Yankees to their third straight victory with an outstanding pitching performance in the July 4 matinee. The right-hander surrendered a double to the final batter he faced, Curt Casali, who led off the eighth frame. Prior to that batter, Pineda had retired the previous 12 straight batters. The Dominican native gave up zero runs for the only the second time in 2015. He held the Blue Jays scoreless in eight innings on May 5.

Pineda exhibited excellent control of his pitches, walking one batter and fanning 10. It was the second game this year in which he struck out at least 10 batters. Pineda is fifth in the American League in strikeouts per nine innings (K/9IP) and is second in MLB in K/BB ratio. Only Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals has a higher ratio of strikeouts to walks. Even though Pineda did not receive the win, he was pleased with the result, “I want to help my team. I’m happy today because we win. I’m focusing on the team.”

The Rays rookie starter, Nathan Karns, also pitched outstandingly in his seven inning stint. The righty equaled Pineda by only yielding five hits and fanning 10 batters, his career high. Yankee skipper Joe Girardisaid of the rookie, “He has been tough on us. He’s pitched pretty well all year long.” 

The two runs off Karns came from singles by the first three Yankees batters, Brett Gardner, Chase Headley and Alex Rodriguez. Rodriguez’s single knocked in his career 2,015 run. The sacrifice fly by the next batter, Mark Teixeira, accounted for the second run in the frame. Teixeira leads the A.L. in RBI with 59.

Despite their excellent performances, neither starting pitcher was involved in the decision. With DellinBetances on the mound for the Yanks, “Yankee killer”James Loney led off the ninth with his second single of the game. Loney has the second highest batting average in the current Yankee Stadium, .411 (44 for 1070. Steven Souza, Jr. flowed with his 15th home run of the 2015 campaign on a 2-2 pitch to knot the score at 2. Yankee receiver John Ryan Murphy said of Betances, “Any time a man gets on base [against Betances] it’s shocking.”

The disappointment for the Yankee fans in the ballpark was short-lived as the Yankees achieved the walk-off win before one out was recorded in the bottom of the same inning. Teixeira led off the frame with a double. He was pinch run for by Jose Pirela. Ramon Flores,who was recalled by AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre o0n the previous day, bunted and Tampa pitcher Brad Boxbarber made a throwing error that gave the Yankees the winning run.

In the final game of the three game set on Sunday afternoon, Ivan Nova will make his third start of the season for the Yanks against rookie Erasmo Ramirez of the Rays.