I'm working on 2 new pieces for Bronx Baseball Daily right now which will cover me well enough for the two weeks I am on vacation. The first piece, and predicated on the Yankees burying the bosox in the Bronx this weekend, will be lambasting the entire boston team and fans for ruining the rivalry. The Yanks did their part in the opening game of the 3 game series last night, winning 6-4 behind a mostly stellar start by Phil Hughes.

Hughes pitched 6 strong innings in his 7 inning start; he gave up four unearned runs in the 2nd although it was his own throwing error -- on what really should have been a double-play, although you can never assume one -- and then shut down the sox the rest of the night. Robertson got the hold for his work in the 8th, Soriano notched another save pitching the ninth.

In between all of that, the Bombers hit 5 solo homeruns - 2 by Swish - and had the big hit, a two-out, rbi single by Nix to hold boston at bay.

Today's game is fox, which means I am blocked out of it; may listen to some on the radio. The finale is a Sunday night affair that I should be able to get to see.

The other piece is going to be a rant on pitch counts, innings limits, righty-lefty specialists and the managers who employ this kind of "cover your ass" mentality when it comes to pitching changes and for GMs the way to "protect their investments. I'll be writing about the "Joba Rules," Tommy John surgery AND Tommy John (he was a real pitcher; he was around this week flapping his gums), and the whole Stephen Strasburg innings limit, potential fiasco for the Nats.

I set a new personal high, and one I hope not to top anytime too soon, by riding my new/old Schwinn approximately 35 miles yesterday to/fro Fridley, MN from Minneapolis. Probably should have only been 30 miles, but between getting lost and the fact that the Lowery Ave. Bridge remains closed I had to do some serious circumventing, etc. on the way out. Funny thing is this is the second time that bridge has done me in; the first time could very well have been on the same exact day a year ago for what that is worth.

After today, I will be down to but 10 scant copies of "A Rose by Any Other Name" on my shelf. If you don't ask now, you will have wasted your entire summer and won't be able to get an inscribed copy from me until fall. If you look for me after Thursday, you will find me a dusty man, or not at all....

Cheers
B.

Leaving town in just over a week and looks like my desert plans are developing. I should probably take a moment and consider the epic dust situation that has early reports and reporters all flamed high. Oh well... It's been dusty and hot before and it will be dusty and hot again; maybe even in the coming weeks. Dust mask you say? Yeah. I'll get on that.

So, starting around this time next week, this blog will be on hia-dust for a fortnight or so. In past years that has meant being totally out of the loop as to what goes on with the Yankees during that stretch. But more recently, my volunteering efforts out on the playa have garnered me some nice perks; perhaps the least of which is internet access, but it does have its valid purposes: mostly to check in with cat-sitters as leaving the gray, furry beast is a hard part of the trip.

That said: I have started to check the standings and important news a couple times during the time frame, but I sure as dust won't be blogging from the Black Rock Desert. I have used the games from the two-week period surrounding the event as a winter life-preserver: I know that there will be about a dozen games I know I didn't watch and they warm my stove during come snow and sleet time.

The Yankees took the second of a 4-game series from the AL-West leading team, The Texas Rangers last night in impressive fashion. The night after Phelps and newly acquired Derek Lowe held the strong-hitting Rangers to two runs in an 8-2 Bomber win, Hiroki Kuroda laid what may have been the best Yankee start this season Texas.

Kuroda took a no-hitter into the 7th; that's the point I told a friend in NY to "tune in now..." I guess he did just in time to see Nix try and fail to get Andrus on a slow roller in the middle of the field that broke up the no-no bid. But no matter- Kuroda re-grouped and threw a shut-out. Swish and Tex went back-to-back in the bottom half of the inning and the Yanks came away with a very fast 3-0 victory.

Meanwhile, the bosox are taking a page from the Bombers' old days and have turned their clubhouse into the Boston Zoo. There is perhaps a mutiny simmering in beantown and as a Yankee fan, not much is sweeter especially when the sawx trail us by 13 games in the loss column and it's mid-August. Currently the Pinstripers have the best record and best run differential in the AL; no team has a bigger lead in their division.

Looks like I will not be so worried about the pennant race when I go on vacation...

Cheers
Brian

While seemingly most of the other writers on Bronx Baseball Daily are of the hand-wringing, "we are doomed" variety, I think I have become more of the Glass-is-Full-scribe. Of course my "Russell Martin needs to GO" piece got bounced (it deserved to even if it was true), but I got on Jeter's bandwagon before other writers and probably same in regard to Raul Ibanez.

So, in keeping with that trend and having re-emerged after missing my piece last week, here's a piece on Freddy Garcia and how he's saving the Yankee bacon in the second half of the 2012 season.

Hail to “The Chief”

Honestly, we never thought it would come to this: from Yankee manager, Joe Girardi, down to the most fair-weather of fans, the expectation that Freddy Garcia would be handed the ball every fifth day in the dog days of August was the stuff of nightmares. But as we wait – impatiently – for the return of Andy Pettitte to the starting five, I feel it imperative to take a moment, or seven hundred and fifty words, and laud some praise on “The Chief” – Freddy Garcia – and be thankful he was waiting in the wings to take that ball from the Skipper and give the Yankees quality starts near every time out.

Here are some numbers that back up how important Garcia has been since his re-instatement to the rotation following Pettitte’s injury; the staff has gone around approximately eight times since the beginning of July. CC Sabathia, while not dominating, is still the Ace and the #1 guy and has backed that up to a 5-0 record over his last eight starts, but I have to admit I was somewhat surprised that his tally is that good-looking.

But during that same stretch that has seen a handful of games sliced from the Yankees lead in the AL-East, Ivan Nova has been 1-4. Phil Hughes has put up a mediocre 3-3 record. Hiroki Kuroda has but a 2-1 mark with four no-decisions during that span including two that he was fairly fortunate not to get saddled with a loss as the Bomber bats have bailed him out; he gave up twelve runs in thirteen combined innings in starts against the Red Sox and the Angels.

Meanwhile, during that same time frame, long-lost Freddy Garcia, with his win on Friday night against the Blue Jays, is 4-3 with a respectable 3.83 ERA; he’s given up three runs or less in seven of those eight starts. I would have to think that if you offered that sample size to most any GM or Manager in MLB for their #5 starter they would take it – joyfully.

But here’s the thing: Freddy Garcia wasn’t even our #5 guy this year; with the additions this past winter of Michael Pineda (we don’t seem to hear a word about his progress), the aforementioned Kuroda and the return of Andy Pettitte, Garcia was the seventh man in a five man rotation. Whether  the affable Bartolo Colon should have been the washed-up, over-the-hill starter Brian Cashman kept or not, Yankee fans really should be pleased with what Garcia has delivered after being pulled out of the mothballs in July.

Yankee fans were calling for Freddy’s release this Spring Training when the seemingly strong additions were made to the staff. When pressed into the rotation to get the season started, Garcia was awful; he had no velocity on his fastball and the rest of his pitches suffered the consequences. Yankee fans with short memories would have packed him off to Pittsburgh to get AJ Burnett back. Garcia was relegated to the last spot in the bullpen.

Not since the days of pitchers getting so deep in Billy Martin’s dog-house and never seeing the mound for extended periods of time do I recall a healthy, Yankee pitcher disappearing like that. Honestly, there were a few times during that time of his exile that I had to check to see if I had missed a story about Freddy Garcia being released, traded or having joined the French Foreign Legion; he was just gone. But unlike some veterans who can remain nameless (Yes, I am writing about Roy Oswalt) Garcia didn’t whine and he didn’t bitch and he didn’t refuse to throw on those occasions that Joe Girardi remembered to call for #36.

And while I don’t really want to open the can of worms about the New York Yankees capping the 2014 team salary at $189M to avoid the luxury tax, it’s a luxury that the Bombers can seemingly afford, and one that we may regret should spots on the squad be filled with prospects over proven, veteran pieces who can step in when injuries strike—those players who have saved the 2012 Yankee season. No other baseball team places that money at the bottom of the roster: the $4M that Cashman scraped together to pay “The Chief” this year was a fine investment to the team’s depth as Freddy Garcia has kept the Yankees in the game when his number gets called – even if he was the seventh guy called.

thanks.

Brian

Having not posted since CC Sabathia's last start, he was about to be taken out, early, from last night's game in Detroit by the time I was able to tune in. What looked like a laugher against the Tigers - an early 7-0 lead - became an 8-3 game with Ichiro's RBI single in the top of the 7th. But I got a little more excitement than I -- or probably Joe Girardi counted on - when the home team mounted an error-abetted comeback in the bottom half of the inning. Robertson relieved CC with two out and gave up four straight hits, albeit a few of them were plays that should have, or could have been made and suddenly it was 8-7 and the Yankees were facing an ugly scene.

But the bats responded in the final two frames and put up a twelve spot and hung on 12-8 last night. Not quite pulling names at random for the line-up, but there was a big shake-up. Granderson, who seemingly sets a new Yankee strike-out record every night, was dropped to 6th and responded. Jeter got to be back in the lead-off spot (2-6) and Swisher moved into the vacated two-spot and reached base nearly every time he came to the plate.

I suspect the line-up for today's get-away day game will look a lot like last night's; here's hoping they respond in similar fashion and split the 4-game set.

The above is the preliminary artwork for the next two, "twin" elephants to continue the chain that will eventually cover my left arm, tail to trunk and so on. Not quite sure if I am impressed with the sketch; not sure if the artist got that the elephants will be linked - and with the one already on my bicep. But, if I am going to get the work done before heading to the desert, it will have to be either today or tomorrow (if even possible, schedule-wise) or there won't be sufficient healing time before sunblock can be applied and the fresh ink gets subjected to the brilliant Nevada sun.

Mailing out a few copies of "Rose" today as gifts for a few worthy people; that said: there are still about 10 copies left on the shelf that could be inscribed and mailed (at no extra cost) to the US mailbox of your choice. More info on the book here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007SABVQC/ref=tag_dpp_yt_edpp_rt or here, too: https://www.createspace.com/3527985

Okay, it's early still and I'm tired (always) so back to bed. You go buy a book...

Thanks,

Brian

Planning and preparing for my 11th consecutive trip out to the Black Rock desert in T-3 weeks and was pretty much blown away by an offer of great generosity; an offer I could not refuse especially as it means for the 5th time I won't have to pitch my own tent. I am not lazy per se (editor: yes, he is) but that part of the camping experience isn't my favorite. What makes this great is that I am flying into/out of Minneapolis and traveling extremely lightly, so that a friend (Cowboy-- you know who you are!) will have already erected my tent and placed the essentials in/around it at "my spot" by the time I arrive is just an amazing gift. Thanks!

I still have about a baker's dozen copies of "A Rose by Any Other Name" available with free shipping for signed copies; I'd like to clear off that shelf by the time I leave for the afore-not-exactly-mentioned TTITD; that said: a few of those remaining copies will be gifts. A copy now sits on the library shelf in Upstate New York-- Andes, NY to be specific.

The tales themselves - at least the non-risque ones - continue to be published in the Jerusalem Post every Wednesday along with original illustrations by my friend Meital; you should really check out her very funny, whimsical, sexy posts on her site: http://heymisterimhungry.tumblr.com/ Do it now...


The real CC Sabathia showed up at the big ballpark in the Bronx last night and shut down the Mariners; all his pitches working. His line for the complete game included three earned runs, but the final two of them came in the 9th after the Yankees had staked him to a 6-1 lead. And while Soriano was ready in the bullpen when it became a save situation, Girardi went to the mound only to give the big lefty a pep talk.

Whatever he said worked as CC got the next three guys out quickly and sealed the win. Game two of the weekend series starts in about half an hour and it's King Felix vs. Kuroda for the Yanks. I'll be tuning in soon...

Thanks,
B.

Here is yet another totally, strictly Yankee blog; submitted (late) to BBD:

As I write this piece, the 2012 trade deadline looms a few hours away and the Yankees may strike another deal, but they already made an unexpected splash by picking up future Hall of Famer, Ichiro Suzuki, for two young arms, D.J. Mitchell and Danny Farquhar. The following two months and post-season will tell whether this late-season acquisition was worth all the ink it’s been getting both here and in Japan, but there’s a pretty impressive list of some big names – including a small handful of Hall of Famers – that the Steinbrenner-era Yankees have picked up at the end of the season and the end of their careers in an attempt to get the Bombers over the hump and to squeeze the last bit of productivity from these ageing superstars.

There was some precedence in the pre-Steinbrenner years of similar moves:  Johnny “Big Cat” Mize and Enos “Country” Slaughter are the names that pop to mind. Mize, inducted to the Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee, hit the last of his 359 homeruns in pinstripes in 1953. Slaughter, inducted to the Hall in 1985 also by the Veteran’s Committee, came over to the Yankees in 1954 following more than a decade with the Cards, and was a big part of the champion teams of the mid-to-late 1950’s Yankee teams.

But more recently, the Yankees picked up sure Hall of Famer, Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez at the end of July, 2008. Perhaps giving up Kyle Farnsworth to get very little in return on the waning Pudge was a lesson as the Yanks really have pressed the pause button on these kinds of moves; Ichiro move notwithstanding. New York gave up quite a bit at the end of June, 2000 when we sent Ricky Ledee and Jake Westbrook to Cleveland for David Justice. But Justice hit .305 with 20 homeruns in that second half and was a good part of that World Champion team.

Daryl Strawberry came aboard after being released by the Giants in 1995 and was a frightening, looming presence coming off the bench for a couple of seasons and would have to be regarded as a rather beneficial late-season pick-up as well. Jose Canseco, on the other hand, came over from Tampa in August 2000 on a waiver-wire deal and contributed six of his tainted 462 career homeruns in pinstripes even though the Yankees did give him a World Series ring.

For a while there was a trend in picking up the discarded first-basemen from rival clubs. Into this category we have George “The Boomer” Scott, who was something of the Big Papi of the late 70s Bosox teams. Scott hit the last of his 271 HRs for a Yankee team that wound up in fourth place. In 2004, late season pick-up, John Olerud, hit .280 for New York, but hurt himself – and the club’s chances – in the ALCS. John Mayberry and Jim Spencer deserve some honorable mention in this category as well.

I have to admit, I had totally forgotten that the Yankees brought back previously banished closer, Goose Gossage, in 1989. Even though I was always much more of a Sparky Lyle man, I seem to have a propensity toward mentioning Goose in my pieces, the one save he contributed to a team that finished under .500 a mere blip and forgettable. Lee Smith, who keeps coming up short for Hall of Fame election despite his 478 saves, came over in August, 1993, got 3 of those saves for the second-place Yankee team and was gone by the next season.

Last, but not least, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one of my all-time personal favorite pitchers, Gaylord Perry. The Yankees picked up the spit-balling, future Hall of Famer for Ken Clay in August, 1980. Perry contributed an average 4-4 record to go along with a 4.44 ERA as the Yankees took the division, but lost to the Royals in the ALCS.

GM Brian Cashman and the New York Yankees are hoping that the move from West to East and from last to first place helps re-ignite Ichiro Suzuki, who in turn helps the team put a World Series ring on the slap-hitter’s finger. Ichiro hit his first Yankee Stadium homerun last night (Monday) and the 100^th of his career and it feels like even though his speed and talents seem to be on the downside, that short porch and his legs could be an element in the 2012 team that helps get the ballclub over the hump and makes up for the loss of Brett Gardner. Time will tell where Ichiro fits with the Yankees and in the storied history; Dave Winfield’s #31 looks pretty good on his back.

I had started writing a piece, ostensibly for Bronx Baseball Daily, about my beliefs that the Yankees will NOT adhere to their stated goal of a payroll of $189M (not a budget cap, but below the luxury-tax threshold) by the 2014 season. And while I was surprised in doing a little research to find out that only 3 players are actually, currently under contract for 2 year hence. Although there's $75M committed to the trio of CC, Tex and A-Rod, which comprises a few teams out there, I really cry BS that the Bombers -- who still need to sign Cano and Granderson long-term among other -- will stick to that goal. But when I dug a little deeper I discovered BBD had already covered that, so I won't repeat.

But the trade for Ichiro opened up another subject and I'll be writing -- hopefully later today -- about some of the superstars and Hall of Famers the Yankees have picked up over the last few decades at the end of the season, the end of their careers. It's an impressive list although I have to admit I had totally forgotten the Yanks brought Goose Gossage back to the fold.

Yanks dropped 2 of 3 over the weekend against the bosox. They're the last place team and dropping a game in the standings at the end of July isn't the worst thing ever, although how they lost the last two-- Soriano and Robertson giving up the game after the team had battled back from deficits in the last frames was pretty painful.

Of course, not like getting swept by LA - being shut out twice in a row - like the Giants suffered over the rivalry weekend. That's gotta hurt...

That's the first artwork by Meital to accompany this week's story, "Hail Mary" in the Jerusalem Post. I am offering a special "clearance" (as in I want to "clear" my shelf to make way for fresh copies) right now on the last dozen copies of "A Rose by Any Other Name" -- I will cover shipping charges on inscribed copies. Send me $14 American and a copy will wing its way to you.

Good summer reading...

Thanks,
Brian