Tagged: Yankees
12/9 Hot Stove – Winter Meetings Day Three
It’s day three of the Winter Meetings and after surviving three long days there have been a few surprises. The first surprise being that the Yankees were able to obtain a young, affordable, power-hitting centerfielder without parting with any player who had a significant impact on their championship-winning club.
This is a shift in the old Yankees philosophy of just picking up big-name free agents. The Yankees now do more than just spend. They identify a need and fill it! Pronto!
As for the other team in New York, there has been little buzz. The Mets are a team desperate to improve in many areas, yet to improve in any area. The aggressiveness they showed last winter would come in handy this offseason.
Some people around here thought Randy Wolf would be a good fit for the Mets. They didn’t get it done, and now one of my favorite players to chat with has a three-year deal to pitch in Milwaukee.
Just as they were before the trade deadline, Roy Halladay trade rumors are swirling here in Indy, but surprisingly there has been no substantial rumors involving Adrian Gonzalez. Padres new GM Jed Hoyer is either extremely discreet or he has decided to keep the face of the franchise in place.
Last surprise, after three days of eating steaks, my cholesterol is still under 200! Gotta run. Almost time for dinner. I’m thinking steak. Again. – Matt Yallof
11/18 Hot Stove – The HOT Corner with Hazel Mae
Here’s What’s HOT……Doc on the Block.
Congratulations to Mike Scioscia and Jim Tracy, two skippers who lead their teams through difficult situations to a great and successful season. Hats off to you gentlemen.
Hope you’ll tune in at 6pm Eastern, where in the Insider Segment, I’ll be sitting down with Sports Illustrated Senior Writer, and MLB Network’s own Jon Heyman to discuss some potential trades.
The biggest trade commodity out there is Roy Halladay, from my hometown Toronto Blue Jays.
Toronto’s rookie GM Alex Anthopoulos said he was open to the idea of trading Halladay in the AL East, something former GM J.P. Ricciardi was adamant about averting.
The interesting twist in this development is that the biggest suitors out there for the former CY Young winner are the Yankees and Red Sox. Halladay has always been a “Yankee Killer,” and would do wonders for a Red Sox team that has lost their starting pitching depth due to injuries and trades.
For the Yankees, the addition of Halladay to a stacked staff that already includes C.C. and A.J. could potentially be lethal to all of baseball.
The tug-of-war over Halladay might just be another chapter in the already heated Red Sox/Yankees rivalry. And you know the MLB Network will be there as this battle unfolds.
Halladay is a fierce competitor and his timeline for winning a championship might not be aligned with the Blue Jays plans for building a championship team.
Do I want Roy Halladay, possibly the best player ever to wear a Toronto uniform, to win a championship elsewhere?
NO, but can a trade for Halladay help this young Jays team be more competitive when they’re ready to put up a fight against the heavyweights in the AL East?
I don’t know, but I do know growing up a Jays’ fan, I’d hate to face Doc in Game 7 of the ALCS, that would be painful…especially in anything other than a Toronto uniform.
Till next time, eh? – Hazel Mae
Click here to watch our segment on Roy Halladay from Wednesday night.
11/6 MLB Tonight – World Series Victory Parade
I hope fans everywhere, not just Yankees fans, got a chance to watch our coverage of the World Series Victory Parade today. Having the MLB Network cover the entire World Series Ticker-tape Parade is a brilliant idea, and now will become a staple of our complete MLB coverage.
All season we have breakdowns of 5th starters and utility infielders, from “30 in 30”, to the X’s and O’s, and breaking down double plays in Studio 42. Through all that, we forget that these guys out on the field are human. Seeing them out on the street, riding floats down the Canyon of Heroes in downtown Manhattan, really humanizes theses athletes, and reminds us that they are still big kids out there playing a fun game.
Today they shed the Pinstripes and dress like regular Joe’s. All of them are out there in their own skin showing off their fashion sense, wearing jeans, with scarf’s, hats, and gloves, sharing the moment with their families, smiling and waving to a sea of people who love them.
Fans in Kansas City, Cincinnati, and Seattle should see the scene. It’s a part of baseball that shouldn’t be only enjoyed by the winning fans in the winning city.
The celebration on the field is awesome stuff, and the players share the taste of Champagne with the fans along the fences. But there is no doubt celebrating downtown, with the confetti, with the streets filled with a Million fans, is unlike any experience, in sports, and beyond.
As a player going into the Word Series, you dream about what winning the World Series might looks like. I’m sure Alex Rodriguez has dreamed about squeezing the final out, and rushing to celebrate with that ball wrapped tightly in his glove. No one knows how that moment will play out, but being propped above the masses, celebrating in confetti on a sunny day, is what winning the World Series look like. It’s a moment to celebrate with everyone who went along for the World Series ride.
And to top it all off with Jay-Z performing “Empire State of Mind”, the day was just phenomenal. You even had Hal Steinbrenner, who was put on the spot because he was standing in the front. You could see the urge to bust out dancing, but he stayed composed because he didn’t want his dance moves criticized. You could see that deep down inside, he wanted to strut his stuff.
We are so proud they we’re allowed to bring you this special celebration from here on out, giving all fans across the country a chance to watch a celebration of a team, and a celebration of baseball. – Greg Amsinger
11/4 MLB Tonight – The Leiter Side
We’ve got Game 6 in a few hours, and the key has got to be Andy Pettitte. His success will predicate on his ability to get ahead, and get easy outs on the Phillies hitters.
Cruising early will build his confidence up, while knocking down the Phillies confidence. He’s always been a pitcher who can identify and exploit a hitter’s weakness on the mound, using his slider, cutter, and curve arsenal. Not being at full strength, he’ll need his command of those pitches to be on point.
By attacking the cold hitters, and making good pitches to the hot hitters, he’ll be able to get through the early innings quickly, and stay sharp. On only three days rest, getting off to a good start is essential to his success.
But, if he gets behind the eight ball and has to labor early, it’s going to be trouble. It’s so vital to his success because he needs to be confident out on the mound. With the Phillies facing elimination, every inning he shuts them down will put more and more pressure on the hitters, especially those who are already pressing.
So it’s down to this, Pettitte and Pedro, Game 6, Yankee Stadium.
Our stage is set; is today going to be the last day of summer, or will we travel to one of the greatest destinations in sports, World Series, Game 7, Yankee Stadium? – Al Leiter
11/3 MLB Tonight – The Left Wing
The Phillies have had bullpen issues all season long, so it’s no surprise that going into Game 6, it’s still a danger zone.
Both pitching staffs are thin, but the Yankees have a clear advantage with Marte, Joba, and Rivera closing out games. For the Phillies, it’s not as easy as 1-2-3; it’s more like who in the pen can hold a 1, 2, or 3-run lead.
Going into Game 6, having the messy Phillies pen facing a confident comeback team like the Yankees is a bad situation. But this is nothing new, and the Phillies have made it this far without a lock-down closer to finish off wins.
Charlie Manuel was confident in Brad Lidge before his Game 4 meltdown, and now it seems like Ryan Madson is the guy to step in and put out the fires. We saw last night when Lee ran out of gas who can be relied on. Chan Ho Park did what he had to do, and Madson got the Phillies to a Game 6.
Cliff Lee has been more than what the Phillies hoped for when they traded for him. His consistency has boosted the Phillies entire pitching staff this season.
For the Phillies to get to Game 7, they will have to win around their bullpen. I’m confident in Pedro rising to the big occasion in this tough spot. The Phillies need him to pitch well into the 7th to stay away from the mess in their bullpen. Facing Andy Pettitte on 3-days rest, the Phillies offense should be able to generate a nice cushion for the bullpen to hold in the late innings.
If the offense can provide a safe lead, let’s say 3 runs or more, they can avoid the dreaded situation of having to close out a close game with the back end of that bullpen. -Dan Plesac
10/28 MLB Tonight – Reviewing Instant Replay
This has been on my mind all postseason, and now it’s time to let it out. There is a desperate need for Instant Replay in baseball.
Look at that play in the Bottom 5th with Jimmy Rollins. He caught Cano’s jam shot, and got the double play by doubling off Matsui who didn’t know what hit him. It was a great intelligent play by Rollins that could have been erased by bad umpiring.
Just in this postseason alone, there have been a ton of plays where the umpires have made egregious errors. At home we can see them, all the fans at the game can see them, the players even turn to look at the replays on the Jumbotrons; everyone on the planet but these umpires sees the play and knows what the call should be.
In the ALCS you had two Yankees clearly tagged out at 3rd, Posada and Cano, who was on some other planet, but the umpire missed it. Then two plays with Swisher, the pick off at 2nd and the tag up at 3rd, more missed calls. All it took was a pair of eyes watching the right spot at the right time, which is the essence of umpiring.
We need Instant Replay.
Having one more umpire up in a booth, in front of a T.V. watching the game is the solution. Every MLB game is televised, so it’s just a matter of breaking out of this Stone Age way of thinking that the game isn’t pure unless human error is involved.
Having play go on when there is a clear and obvious error is a stain on the credibility of the umpires, which is a shame. These umpires are great umpires, but their job is extremely tough to do, no matter how many umpires are on the field.
Looking to the other professional sports, the NFL, NBA, NCAA, and NHL all use video replay to get the calls right.
Just using it for the HR calls is a joke, a tease. The number of times they review HR is minuscule compared to the number of calls that are wrong.
This postseason has been defined by missed calls. Do we really need to hear from umpires after the game that all they do is go out there and try to do their best?
I say leave the human element in baseball to the players, and let’s get the calls right. Put an extra umpire in the booth. With an umpire already in the booth, all they will need to do is signal the booth, and a few moments later, the right call will be made.
In the time it takes for the crew of umpires to huddle up, discuss, argue, ponder, and come to a decision, the right call can be made, and the game goes on.
If you want to cut down on delays, limit the number of times a catcher can go to the mound. It seemed like Jose Molina was going out to the mound talking to A.J. Burnett before every pitch in key moments. It was ridiculous.
If the players can have endless time-outs, why can’t the umpires have one?
I can go on and on with more examples, and I know you purists out there have many questions about my theories for improving the game, but hey, we’ve got a game out there in the rain. I’m going to watch the rest of Game 1.
Tune in to our post-game coverage following every World Series game, and don’t forget for two hours leading up to every World Series game is a special edition of MLB Tonight.
-Greg Amsinger
10/27 MLB Tonight – World Series Preview
How difficult is it to get into the World Series, win, and then repeat? Looking back to the Yankees Dynasty of the late 90’s, there was some luck conspiring in their favor to accomplish that feat.
In Game 1 of the ’98 World Series, the Padres had a 3-run lead and what seemed to be an inning ending strike 3 call on Tino Martinez in the 7th. If the call went the Padres way, the outcome of the series could have been quite different. The Padres were the kind of team people seemed to rally behind because of their play, and because of a few of my favorite players, Tony Gwynn, Kevin Brown and Trevor Hoffman. That call would have been a big step to securing their confidence, and securing a win.
But that 2-2 pitch from Mark Langston was called low, and the next pitch was a grand slam into the seats, which changed the series and the course of baseball history.
This was the first hint of that Yankee karma which dominated the baseball world. Looking back we can focus on that moment as a launch pad for the Yankees Dynasty of the late ’90’s.
The Phillies seem to have nothing conspiring in their favor over the last few seasons. It’s hard to look at one moment that changed the luck of the Phillies success because the team has just been awesome. The sustaining drive pushing the Phillies success has been a result of players’ heroics. If you look at their run to the World Series, it makes sense. They took care of the NL East, beat up on the Rockies, beat up on the Dodgers, and now will face the best of the AL. There is no doubt that the Phillies are the best team in the National League.
The ’09 Yankees made it out of a tough AL, but there were some key moments that brought them to the World Series. First there was the blown call in Game 2 of the NLDS. Joe Mauer’s 11th inning drive into the LF corner was called foul, but clearly fair. This swung the game and the series because instead of scoring a go-ahead run, Teixeira’s sinking liner into the LF seats ended up sinking the Twins.
Then there was A-Rod’s game tying HR off Brian Fuentes in Game 2 of the ALCS. He got a fat 2-strike pitch and it just sneaked over the RF fence.
Robinson Cano was either in or out of position, depending on how you look at it, but took care of a grounder up the middle to an Angels rally in Game 6.
These breaks helped launch the Yankee Dynasty in the late 90’s, showing how powerful that Yankee Karma can be carrying an already good team.
In saying all this, Cliff Lee has been the best pitcher this postseason. Sorry A-Rod, but Ryan Howard has been the scariest hitter this post-season. The Phillies have a dynamic lineup, and wildcard going in Game 2 (I can’t wait for Pedro in the Bronx). With all the karma being tossed around, the Phillies will win the World Series, a repeat, and the start of a new dynasty. -Matt Vasgersian
10/23 MLB Tonight – Thursday’s Thriller
Before we move to Game 6, we need to dig deep into the Angels victory last night.
People want a formula that works with regards to keeping your ace in a close game, because last night was a mess.
Aaron Boone said to me, as we were watching Lackey getting pulled, that pitchers usually plead their case with managers on the mound, but yesterday, because of the Fox production staff, you really got to see an extreme closeup of John Lackey just pleading, begging Mike Scioscia not to come to the mound. He was screaming, “Come on Sciosch, This is Mine, This Is Mine,” because he knows that once his skipper makes up his mind, there’s no two ways about it, his decision is made.
I think Joe Magrane said it best, “If you’re going to take out your ace, you’ve got to get better.” Darren Oliver has come up big for the Angels, but he is not better than John Lackey, and that move almost cost them their season. Flipping Teixeira around to the right side was not a big enough reason to take Lackey out of the game. Taking Lackey out was huge, that one move could have ended the Angels season.
But Joe Girardi bailed him out by sending A.J. out for the 7th. OK, I get the rationale; 80 pitches, cruising after a rocky 1st, and pitching with a lead, but is a tiring A.J. really the best option? He needed to showcase right there why the Yankees have been the best team during the regular season, and ride Joba, Hughes, and Rivera into the World Series. Instead, A.J. was sent out there to face finely tuned hitters seeing him for the 3rd time. His stuff was shaky and inconstant all night, and he couldn’t get the job done when he finally got a lead. By keeping A.J. in, Girardi turned the back end of the bullpen into a convoluted mess, and bailed out Mike Scioscia.
But we’re not done yet, because Fuentes almost stepped in and bailed out Girardi. There was some high drama in that 9th inning with Fuentes going up against the meat of the Yankee order, and looking at that inning, luck was in the air at the Big A.
Damon smashed a liner, Tex just missed a moon shot, and then A-Rod got the Barry Bonds treatment. Wildness loads the bases, but Swisher popped up a 3-2 pitch, and we have a Game 6.
At this point we’re not looking at a crisp October night; there is some heavy rain on the way to the Bronx. If a rain-out becomes reality, advantage Angels because of the pitching.
If Saturday doesn’t happen, the way Jered Weaver looked last night I won’t be surprised if he steps in for Game 6. John Lackey is gonna pitch on 3-days rest, and a Game 7 is not what the Yankees want.
There’s so much to talk about, so join us at 6 for MLB Tonight. – Greg Amsinger
10/22 MLB Tonight – Thing’s Things
Just like I expected, the Phillies took care of the Dodgers, and are on their way to another World Series.
The Dodgers didn’t have enough starting pitching, their bullpen couldn’t clean up the mess, and it’s goodbye to the Dodgers.
Phillies hitters just pounded the ball, and pounded their way into the Fall Classic.
The Yankees are on their way to meeting up with the Phillies, although it looks like they’re going to have to settle it back in Yankee Stadium.
A-Rod and CC have been unbelievable this October. They put the Yankees on their shoulders and carried them through the best of the AL.
As hot as A-Rod is.
As hot as CC is.
The Angels can’t overcome that, it’s too lethal a combination.
Phillies and Yankees in the series, it’s going to be a battle of two monster teams.
– Mitch Williams
10/21 MLB Tonight – The Hot Corner with Hazel Mae
Here’s What’s HOT……The Angels on the HOT Seat.
After 4 games, the ALCS seems to be in the bag for the Yankees, but for me, this situation is eerily similar to the 2004 ALCS.
The Yankees are showing they were not only the best team in the regular season, but by steamrolling through the playoffs, they have flexed their muscle.
Some see the Angels chances for a comeback slim to none.
I was covering the Red Sox in 2004, and saw first hand how a team left for dead fought back against a mighty Yankees team.
Flashback to August 2004. I first hit the air waves across New England on NESN, and got my first taste of Red Sox Nation. Their reputation as a passionate, knowledgeable, and loyal group, when it came to their “Local 9,” was legendary among sports fans.
But I also learned about the skepticism ingrained in every Red Sox fan, young and old.
When the Red Sox dug that 0-3 hole to their most hated rivals in New York, the refrain remained the same that it’s been for the previous 86 years, “here we go again.”
As the new kid in town, this cynicism was new to me. I watched my hometown Blue Jays win back-to-back World Series titles in ’92 and ’93, so an 86-year curse was unfamiliar territory.
I couldn’t relate to the anguish Red Sox fans endured generation upon generation, seeing World Series titles slip away, or rather between their legs.
This was never more evident to me then prior to Game 4. Long time Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy and I were on the field.
Dan looks at me and asks, “So, what do you think?”
I say, “You never know, If Lowe can get the ball to Petey, we’ve got Schilling on the mound for Game 6, then…
Dan chuckles, “You’re obviously not from around here.”
Then the comeback. Cowboy up, the bloody sock, Caveman slam, on and on, till we’re riding through Boston in duck-boats.
I saw Dan soon after. We didn’t exchange words, but he flashed me a smile, and that was enough validation for me.
I got the chance to personally witness the greatest comeback in baseball history
The Angels can cling to a sliver of confidence in the fact that a comeback is not impossible. Down 3-0 or 3-1 to a daunting Yankee team doesn’t spell doom.
What the Angels can do now is take a page from those ’04 Sox, and play wicked haaad!
-Hazel Mae
MLB Network 