RETURN OF THE JEDI

Actually,  it should be the return of all of the "Jedis"... plural!  The Yankees were back tonight and so was CC Sabathia.  CC is clearly not the pitcher he once was, but the guy is still so damn good.  This is what we know... and we've been saying this about Sabathia for a few years now;  He's a slow starter.  He warms up as the season goes, but for some reason, it's taking alittle longer than many of us are used to.  Tonight, I'm happy to see CC pitching, getting the victory and getting over the hump.  Most importantly, we ended the losing streak.

Sabathia pitched 7.1 innings, he gave up 6 hits and only 1 run.  The Monster struck out 10 tonight.  I will take that every start.  The Red Sox only scored 1 run all night.  That means David Robertson and Mariano Rivera also held a tough hitting Sox team. Very good so far.  How was the hitting? I'm glad you asked...

Jayson Nix singled in a returning Mark Teixeira in the 2nd inning.  That was quickly followed by Ichiro Suzuki singling in Vernon Wells.

Later on on the 5th, it was Kevin Youkilis who singled in Ichiro Suzuki. Then in the 7th, Brett Gardner singled in Ichiro again.

Those are your 4 runs.  Sure, no monster home runs, but a win is a win and sometimes after a slump, it's the little things that get a team moving.

Final Score: Yankees 4 - Red Sox 1.

Finally, I just want to say thanks to all the great Bleeding Yankee Blue readers.  We are here to serve you and feel like we have some pretty great writers and give you some decent and entertaining content.  We work hard, we do this for nothing and we do it for the love of our team and because we love to write and selfishly... we love to be read.  I received some very kind Tweets today from some of our readers and I wanted to share them:

If you're a Yankee fan and you're not following this guy ...Well you're missing out @bleednyankeeblu
— Phil Privitera (@lehighYankee) May 31, 2013

 

#ff @bleednyankeeblu: a Yankees blog written by the fans, 4 the fans. No bias, No B.S.
— Kalind Patel (@NYCKNP) May 31, 2013

Many thanks guys. Spread the word because word of mouth and social networks are key these days. Oh and most importantly... keep clicking and reading BYB because we love it!

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YANKEES DEMOTE IVAN NOVA

Technically, the Yankees demoted Ivan Nova to make room for Mark Teixeira and Kevin Youkilis.  Nova wasn't the only one, Vidal Nuno went down too.  Many had speculated, including me that David Adams might have to go down, but I'm thrilled they are keeping him up.  You can read about the recent move HERE on SI.com, but the bottom line is when players are added, players have to go, and Nova and Nuno went.

Hey, last time Ivan Nova went down he came back and kept on winning, maybe that can happen again.

Go Yanks... beat the Sox... let's turn it around now.

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CALL IN THE CAVALRY!

We’ve enjoyed a bunch of ballplayers that probably played alittle over their head this season so far. I think that's a fair assessment.  Nothing wrong with players pushing hard to get to a common goal, a championship, but when the Mets swept us, a harsh reality set in… that party is over.  

Chad MacDonald wrote a brilliant piece (and recap) in THE YANKEES REALITY CHECK. Click it, read it, comment and think about it for a moment.  I too wanted to add my own thoughts, some may be similar, some will be different and that’s what makes Bleeding Yankee Blue unique…our writers have different opinions, but we all love our Yankees.

The Mets came in and they swept us, and the timing couldn’t be more right. Think about it. It’s almost like Brian Cashman was in a back room somewhere with his protractor and telescope trying to work out when exactly the walking injured would join us again.  Mark Teixeira and Kevin Youkilis are apparently ready and suddenly, questions are raised about what happens to guys like Lyle Overday and David Adams. Read TEIXEIRA, YOUKILIS & THE YANKEE LOG JAM. Another great piece. This one by Ike Dimitriadis with a whole lot of questions too.  It got a ton of buzz yesterday because many of us are concerned.  Who to trade, who to send down and who to release.  Many questions, but the only ones who have the answers are Brian Cashman and "the Steinbrener gang." Now, we all know that anything they do is wrong, that’s what makes the Yankee fans great. We all have difference opinions on our personnel and we always think our ideas are better for the team than they do.  But back to Ike's piece... it had a simple message, something has to be done, someone has to be moved, especially with Tex and Youk coming back.

This is the best case scenario; Guys like Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay and David Adams did good things when we needed them, but now the big money players are back and so, those other guys get a rest.  Now, it would be foolish to play Mark Teixeira and Kevin Youkils every single day starting tonight, so in a perfect world, we play them for a few days, ease them in and then bring Overbay back here and there, or, if Adams stays up, bring him back here and there and this way we work everyone in.   Maybe we don’t rush them back because it’s literally May 31^st and not September, but you know what I mean... easing them back is better than making Tex and Youk hit the ground running. Sure,  it's no easy puzzle, but I don’t get paid to solve it. It's just an idea.

One thing we have to put in perspective is the Yankees DO lose games once in a while.  We’ve lost huge ones and insignificant ones, but we have lost them.  We were swept by the Mets, not a division rival, just another team that happens to play in New York.  

I don’t think much of the Subway Series and the last time I truly cared was the 2000 World Series.  The Mets are just another team who had a great 4 games. Tip your cap and move on.  But yes Yankee fans, we’re in a slump.  Slumps happen in baseball but the best thing we can do now is get angry and handle an important team, an important division rival.  The Red Sox need to be beat.  That’s where the standings change and that doesn’t matter if it’s in April or September… these games are important.  

(In Photo: Teixeira with the Thunder)

The most interesting part is guys like Tex and Youk, they know about the rivalry and they’ll be ready.  Guys like Wells, Overbay, Hafner, they’re new to it, so it will be fun for them, but again, the timing is right, they’re cooling off a bit and just in time for the money players to return. 

And while I’m on my rant,  why all the worry about benching Lyle Overbay? Can’t we all just admit we enjoyed it while it lasted? Can't we all admit that he's not going anywhere?  There are so many articles written about “What happens when?” and while it’s a legitimate question, we just need to deal with it.  The Yankees are investing millions in guys like Mark Teixeira.  When Tex his healthy, they’re not just going to bench him. They’re not going to tell him to go out an earn his spot.  They’re going to play him.  You know who gets that? Lyle Overbay.  Overbay will be fine. The Yankees like what he’s done and he’s not going anywhere.  He’ll back up Mark Teixeira as planned, play when Tex needs a day and continue to contribute.

Lyle Overbay has been terrific all season should be applauded. He had an opportunity, he ran with it and has done terrific work for us.  He reminds me in a lot of ways like Raul Ibanez.   

Many found the Ibanez signing ridiculous. Of course that was before he became a superstar in the playoffs last season.  Raul fought the odds and officially became a Yankee last October.  This year, Overbay is proving the doubters wrong, same with Vernon Wells and Travis Hafner by the way.  We really need to give Brian Cashman a lot of credit for seeing potential where us fans just scratched our heads. But there’s more to it. Overbay is handling his role like a champ and most importantly, he knew his role was temporary.  He’ll do what the Yankees need him to do and that goes for Wells and Hafner and Brignac and David Adams and whoever else the Yankees picked up to plug the holes.  In the end, we’re the Yankees, and for some reason everything always works out.   

For right now… for right this second, it’s time to call in the Cavalry though… the Yankees are on a losing streak and need to break it in the biggest test all season, again the evil Red Sox.  The time is now… hopefully they can. You know I’ll be watching every pitch and I know you will be too…

Go Yanks!

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AARON BOONE: WHERE WERE YOU WHEN...

I have a pretty good memory about many things that have taken place in my life. I remember my first day in Kindergarten. I even remember further back when I lived in Miami, Fla. for a few months when I was about 4 years old. There are always events that go down in life and you will remember where you were, what you were wearing, and maybe who you spoke with. It's the famous question, "Where were you when...?"  So I ask, where were you when Aaron Boone hit that home run back in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS? Well, let me share my story with you.

I remember going to work that morning, and all I could think about was the game and what I was hoping would happen. I obviously wanted the Yankees to win.  It was much of the day I was talking with friends and colleagues at work about what should go down, how exhausting this series has been for not just the players but the fans as well. I was hearing it all day from the Red Sox faithful. "It's over!" they said,  "Your team doesn't stand a chance with Pedro Martinez going tonight!"  It went as far as someone saying "Steinbrenner already put Boston's champagne on ice because we celebrate in the Bronx tonight."  The banter came from all ends, my neighbors, my father (who is a Red Sox fan by the way.)  Honestly, I stayed quiet. Not because I was confident, but I was freaking nervous. I was just one month into my married life and my wife thought I was going overboard.  Her "It's just a game, you're only a fan. Calm down" speech was just falling on deaf ears. I was looking forward to this game, but with butterflies in my stomach of course. She was never raised much around sports, so I understood that she clearly didn't understand.  I still think that to this day too by the way.... but hey,  I still love her.

Game time was here finally and I was in front of my TV.  The pizza was delivered, and I was in my Bernie Williams T-shirt. My wife sat down next to me, she remained quiet. A cloud of silence loomed over my house, not just from my wife, but for a little bit of the game Buck and McCarver were quiet as well. I remember that well.  When the Red Sox drew first blood in the top of the 2nd making it 2-0 Boston, I was numb. It was 3-0 after the Boston's half of that inning.  My wife said she saw my eyes sink. I had my fingers and my toes crossed, and I was doing Hail Mary's hoping the Yankees would answer back those runs. But they didn' t.  Then in the top of the 4th inning, Kevin Millar hit one out and suddenly, it was 4-0 Boston.

By now, I was pacing. No more sitting on the couch! All this and I had to be at work at 4 am the next morning. Then in the bottom of the 5th, Jason Giambi got the first Yankee run. I said to myself, "COME ON A FEW MORE!"  He does it again in the bottom of the 7th and now my thought was that if we come back, Giambi will be the hero of the game for sure.  Then, darkness again as David Ortiz sends one deep in the top of the 8th and the score was 5-2 after 7.5 innings of play.

I told my wife I couldn't look no more. I felt like the season was really winding down for the Yankees, and it was already after 10, and I had just under 6 hours until I had to be at work.  So, I laid in bed.  I went to sleep with the idea that I would have Sox fans rip me good at work the next day. I accepted it.

At 4am,  my alarm went off and I hit the snooze button. First thought was, "How do I avoid these guys at work without having to hear someone say anything to me?" I was ready to go, but not before I turned on the TV and see ESPN. At this point it wasn't in hopes of a comeback. Instead I wanted to see what I was about to get into. What was the final score? To my surprise, the first thing they show on ESPN... was Trot Nixon in the visiting dugout flipping a Gatorade cooler.  I was like "What the hell?"  Then they showed that Grady Little was to be fired.  Then, half awake, I watched over and over as they showed  Aaron Boone's shot in the 11th.  I sat back down and honestly shook.  Maybe it was me being excited or the fact that I had to be quiet since my wife was still asleep. I couldn't believe it... we won!

On my way to work, I heard it all over the radio, and I pulled over to the breakdown lane and let a big yell of excitement!  I can tell you this, work went smoothly that day, and my wife took me by surprise when she said this... "Next time just stay up! You missed an unbelievable moment, and you would have loved it!"

She was right. Since then, I stay up for all 9 innings for every game... I'll never miss an inning again, thanks to Aaron Boone!

Go Yanks!!!

-- Rudy Laurens, BYB Writer
Facebook: House of Champions



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REAL MEN ADMIT MISTAKES

I'm a pretty easy going dude, but sometimes I have to laugh when sports guys with "baseball insider" titles, don't give that "inside of baseball."  I mentioned yesterday how a simple Tweet from Buster Olney stating the obvious... that trading "Joba" was a good idea, was just pure common sense and not the "inside of baseball." Now, I don't dislike Olney, he's a hard working guy, but don't Tweet just to Tweet if your an "insider"... that was my point.  An insider title is important... run with it, don't get lazy. (Read IT WOULDN'T SURPRISE ANYONE, BUSTER. for more on that.)

Enter ESPN's Jim Bowden, who, I playfully ripped back in late March ( DON'T COUNT THE YANKEES OUT LIKE ESPN DID) about a prediction piece he put out for ESPN on where the Yankees will end up this season.  As Jim stated in his prediction piece HERE,

"1. New York Yankees finish last in AL East.
 
It hasn’t happened in 22 years, since the Yankees finished 67-95 and seven games in back of the Milwaukee Brewers, but the Yankees could very easily go from first in 2012 to worst in 2013. And, with the American League’s largest payroll, there is additional pressure to win in addition to their own high standards of success."

When the Yankees were in first place a few weeks ago, I wrote a followup piece called  YANKEES IN FIRST... WHERE'S JIM BOWDEN? from May 10th. In it, I simply stated, "I thought predicting in March what could happen during a long season is the most ridiculous prediction of all. Now, we all know, anything can happen." Again, not destroying Bowden in my opinion piece, just stating the facts... I thought his idea was silly.

Well, I've enjoyed this website for many reasons, but finally interacting with these writers has been a true treat for me.  To my surprise, Jim Bowden sent me a note the other night responding to YANKEES IN FIRST... WHERE'S JIM BOWDEN?  It said:

"Right here... wrong and accountable... Go Yankees."

I asked Jim if I could print it and he agreed.  It was short, sweet and honest and a bit gratifying for me.  I know Bleeding Yankee Blue reaches alot of readers, but when the writers bust chops back at me, well,  there is a realness about it that I admire and appreciate.  Put it this way, I've read so many of these guys for years... Jack Curry, Pete Caldera, Ken Davidoff and yes, Buster Olney and Jim Bowden, and the reality is, reading them and interacting with them years later brings a smile to my face.  No, they're not my peers per say, but they are guys that got me interested in this type of gig in the first place...writing, espressing my feelings in words. Allowing people to read me and maybe they even learn something.  It's cool... that's all.

Thanks Jim. Thanks for being honest, thanks for letting me put it out there and thanks for giving us a read. We appreciate it.

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THE YANKEES REALITY CHECK

Well. That was brutal.

The boys faced the Mets last night in the final game of the Subway Series. A series they had already lost. For whatever reason, the pinstriped pitchers chose this week to implode, just as Yankee bats went cold.

But tonight would be different. Last night they faced Dillon Gee, who had 2-6 record and 6.34 ERA. Sure they lose the Series but they would get back on the winning track and face the surging Sox on the right foot. Right?

Wrong. Dillon Gee chose to pitch one of the best games of his career. He went 7.1 innings and rang up 12 Ks. He allowed one run, a solo shot to Robinson Cano, and stranded every other Yankee hitter. His ERA last night was 1.23.

Meanwhile, Mets bats struck almost as early as the previous night. Marlon Byrd swatted a two run dinger in the second. In the 8th, Joba Chamberlain topped 98 mph on his fastball, but was wild. Mets runners advanced to second and third when Austin Romine lost the handle on one. John Buck subsequently slapped a slow roller that scored the Mets’ third run.

So. Disappointing Subway Series. Where to start with what went wrong? Hard to do. David Phelps imploded; Mariano Rivera zapped with authority; Vernon Wells ice cold; Jayson Nix with defensive bobbles; Reid Brignac bringing a good glove but not quite a bat.

It’s easier to talk about the silver linings. Brett Gardner has a seven game hit streak going and was super impressive defensively, you’ve seen his catches. Ivan Nova gave a glimmer of hope in relief during game three; Robinson is still very much a Cano.

And, perhaps it is best the Yankees get slapped now. A wake up call is a good thing. Perhaps we were all strutting a bit much. I know I was. The team is held together with spit and bailing wire. The wheels came off this week in a big way. With a closer look, it’s a wonder they didn’t fall off long ago.

The Mets gave the Yankees a reality check. A wake up call. A slap in the face. A huge warning not to get complacent. The Red Sox arrive tonight to determine the leader of the Division. Let’s hope this splash of cold water brings the Yankees back to life.

Mets sweep the Yankees in the Subway Series. Don’t look away from it. Let it sink in. Let it make you angry. Don’t get complacent again.

Final score tonight: Mets 3 - Yankees 1


 
Chad R. MacDonald
BYB Writer
Facebook: New York Yankees the Home of Champions
My Blog: ChadRants


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IT WOULDN'T SURPRISE ANYONE, BUSTER

A strange and predictable Tweet from Buster Olney... or dare I say obvious. I don't know, maybe I'm too hard on the "baseball insiders", but when it comes to them, I just expect them to bring me "inside baseball", not Tweet obvious crap that I can think about on my own. I mean, I'm a baseball fan, I'm a dad and obviously, I also have a brain in my head, so what I'm about to show you from Buster Olney only will make you think, "Gee, that's all we get?" It may be followed up with... "What, now I have to pay $15 bucks a month to see what else you may write about in the ESPN Insider subscription site?" Anyway...

Olney Tweeted this about Joba Chamberlain:

Based on roster surplus and thin relief market, it wouldn't be a surprise at all if NYY swapped Joba Chamberlain sometime before July 31.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) May 29, 2013

Again, did you learn anything you really haven't already kind of thought about on your own?  Do you feel smarter? Are you "inside baseball" now? Probably not.  Yankee fans like Joba, but it's clear the writings on the wall and we all kind of know it.  Joba gets attacked continually by the New York Sports media...anything he does is amplified... much like Alex Rodriguez.  Couple that with that report earlier this year about the Rangers scouting him out (Read HERE) and all arrows point toward the door for Joba.   Should he be traded? Who the hell knows, I'm not going to try and fake it. I do know this, if the Yankees need an extra bat, more catching, more starting pitching, it may not be a bad idea, but that's an educated guess.

Buster Olney means well. I don't want BYB fans ripping on the guy, but welcome to the show Captain Obvious... seriously.

On another subject... the Yanks need to win one tonight... who's with me?

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TEIXEIRA, YOUKILIS & THE YANKEE LOG JAM

With the imminent return of some injured Yankees, including Mark Teixeira and KevinYoukilis, the team faces an interesting dilemma. What in the world will they do with Lyle Overbay and the rest of the Yankees who filled in for them? The Yankees, who were brilliant in replacing injured stars with a mix of rookies and available veterans, now have to figure out the impending logjam that will be their active roster. Let us take a walk around the Yankee lineup.

(In Photo: David Adams) 

The easiest problem to solve will probably be third base. Assuming Kevin Youkilis’ back is completely healthy, he will probably take over at third. David Adams, who has shown signs of a bright future, will probably go to the bench. Again, this assumes that Youkilis is healthy and stays healthy. This is not an easy assumption to make, given recent history. He came to the Yankees with a reputation for being fragile, and he will have missed more than 2/3 of the season by the end of this week. The Yankees need him to be productive, so we will probably see him get regular rest and David Adams may still get lots of playing time. 

The problem getting the most airtime with Yankee announcers is the first base problem. Mark Teixeira is about to return, and Lyle Overbay has not played a position other than first base in the majors. His clutch hitting has gotten the attention of the fans and Yankees management. It has gotten enough attention that the Yankees are rumored to have considered him playing the outfield. He has 60 games played in the outfield in minor league ball, the last time being when he was only 24 years old in 2001. That is a long time. This assumes that he would even want to switch positions. It also assumes that Mark Teixeira is ready to take on every duties at first. This will probably be another case of the injured player getting lots of rest while his substitute fills in. If they want Overbay’s bat in the lineup, they could always play him at designated hitter. Which brings us to the next problem.

 

So, who is going to be the everyday designated hitter? Good question. Travis Hafner has been the almost-everyday DH, and he has not played a field position since 2007. With a .373 OBP and a .869 OPS (as of this writing), his bat would be sorely missed in the lineup. Nevertheless, since he cannot play the field, we may be better off trading him. We are also carrying four potential outfielders in Vernon Wells, Brett Gardner, Ichiro Suzuki, and Brennan Boesch. Boesch is clearly the odd man out, but with two other strong candidates for the DH spot, it is going to get hard to justify the $1.5M the Yankees are paying him. He seems to be a likely candidate for the exit door.

The problem gets worse once some of the other regulars start coming back. Derek Jeter’s return is probably the simplest problem to solve. There is an opportunity cost for Jayson Nix as starter, but he would just resume the backup role he had prior to Jeter’s injury. Curtis Granderson, slated to return in late June or early July, would add to the outfielder/DH logjam. Following on the heels of Granderson’s return, the Yankees expect Alex Rodriguez back after the All-Star break. 

At that point, where do you put Kevin Youkilis? Which all begs the question, in mid-July, of what to do with four premier outfielders, two premier first basemen, two premier third basemen, an everyday designated hitter, and a 25-man roster where the manager likes to carry lots of pitchers (13 as of this writing). Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman have some tough choices to make.

Some have suggested that the Yankees set up a blockbuster trade for some of our replacement players once the regulars return. This seems unlikely to work. If the Yankees were to get some serious talent, the teams that would be giving them up tend to want young, inexpensive talent. The talent we would be giving up is neither young nor inexpensive. If they can pull something off that would really benefit the team – like where we get an ace starter – we will tip our collective hat off to Mr. Cashman. As well, we cannot forget how fragile some of our regulars are, so we will have to keep some of the backups around.

At the end of the day, the Yankees will probably mix and match players and put the best team possible on the field. If it were up to yours truly, we would get rid of Hafner and Boesch and rotate the other players in and out. Hafner cannot play the field, and we have other DH options. Boesch just is not putting up the number to justify keeping him around. I would trade them for whatever I could get or release them outright. Nevertheless, we can only guess what the brain trust will do. Whatever happens, it will sure be fun to watch.

--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon
My blog is: Shots from Murderer's Row



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JOE GIRARDI HAS NEVER LOST FAITH

Let's have a moment of honesty here. Just between you and I. One devote Yankee fan to another. Some might see what I am about to say as sacrilege, so bare with me. The Yankees should not be performing as well as they are. There is no logical explanation for how well the team is performing. With our injury outbreak, and our line-up often looking more like "Knockaround Guys," than the stars in pinstripes we are used to, it's unfathomable that we should be playing the way we are. All the "experts" counted us out. With each injury, even a few fans started losing some faith, but do you know who never lost faith? Joe Girardi!

Joe is looked at as a very by the binder kind of guy. It's his thing. He frequently consults it to help figure out what the right move is, statistically. He comes under fire by fans for it often. I'm probably in the minority here, but like it. He is a logical thinker, and I appreciate it. This season, his binder has gotten quite a work-out. With most of our starting line-up taking up residence on the DL, and "The Replacements" out on the field, it's a wonder Joe has gotten the team to do this well so far.

It's common knowledge that Joe likes to play around with the line-up. He considers all match-ups, and is careful to break-up his left handed hitters and pitchers. This season has given him a lot of room to switch up the line-up. Usually the match-ups look great on paper. If you look at the numbers, they should work at least 80% of the time. That's the thing with baseball. You put your best possible players out there and hope they do their job. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't, but you have to believe it will.

That's what Joe does. If nothing else, he has always said that he has faith in his team. He believes that they will do their absolute best. He makes the best plays possible, and hope that the guys perform. This isn't the first season that Joe and his binder have performed close to magic for us. The past few seasons, we were counted out early. And, with the exception of 2008, we have made it to the playoffs every year. Joe is clearly doing something right.

Yea, we just lost four straight games. Yes, it's frustrating. But you know what? We are still doing much better than anyone expected us to do. Whatever Joe is doing, even if it something as small as telling the guys that he believes in them, it's working. The guys are responding to it well and playing their hearts out. You may not like Joe, or you might be like me and adore him, but you have to admit that he does a hell of a job managing the team, with the odds stacked against us.

Erica Morales
BYB Senior Writer
@e_morales1804


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MARIANO HAS LOST WORSE, YET CAME BACK STRONGER

There was a ton of press coverage over that silly Mets walk-off win over Mariano Rivera and the Yankees 2 nights ago.  Why? Is it really that big of a deal? Good for the Mets, they played a clean game and won. Mariano is not a machine. He is human after all.

Now I'll tell you something. Mariano has been down before, but like Sylvester Stallone once said in Rocky Balboa, "It ain't how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward." Sure, mock me for quoting a movie, but it rings very true. Mariano has moved on from the bad loses and have come back stronger.



We lost to the Red Sox in that unbelievable comeback by the Sox back in 2004.  We lost hard to Luis Gonzalez and the Diamondbacks in 2001, a World Series we probably should have won.

But the bottom line is, those dramatic and hard losses are 10 times harder than a simple walk-off by the Mets.

(In Photo: Lucas Duda)
I was asked about Mo yesterday on Dynasty Sports Empire's Morning show. I love  those guys over there and they do a great job.  They asked me simply about Mo and what to make of the guy at 43.  Here is that exchange:



The full interview is HERE.  Bottom line, Mo's human, but Mo is the greatest closer of all time and he always will be.  There will never be anyone better, greatest, tougher and I truly believe that.  I also believe in failing once in a while.  Failing will only being you back to a stronger point later on.  It allows you to push yourself harder the next time.  That's Mariano... simply the best as he walks through his career being challenged every single day.

The Mets won on a walk-off off Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer ever the other night.  Sure, it's news, but it's not earth shattering... it's baseball.... can we just move on now?

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BAFFLED IN THE BRONX

If there is any positive to come out of tonight's game for the New York Sports writers, it's that the Yankees are in a slump, the same slump the Yanks were predicted to be in by guys like Jim Bowden of ESPN and others.  The Yankees forgot how to hit against a Mets team that really has no business being competitive at all, but they are and they are sucking the life out of my club.  Tonight was a clear cut case of Yankeeland in a panic.  If  you read through the Twitter feeds and Facebook comments, it's mass hysteria.  The Yankees have lost 4 in a row and you have to wonder what is going on right now. But one thing you can do yet is blame Joe Girardi or Brian Cashman.  So far this year, those 2 have done wonders and have done so much more than we expected.  No... you can't blame them, blame our team. We're in a slump plain and simple.

Look, when the Yankees lose, everyone freaks out. Tonight for example, when Brennan Boesch went to field a ball literally just making it over the wall in right field, Twitter lit up. "Boesch sucks" and "Why is he feeling for the wall?"  I don't know, I found it to be a pretty decent effort, yet, this comment came up after I merely asked why debate the Boesch stretch, it was close:

@bleednyankeeblu He got about 4" off the ground, but lets not talk about that
— Mark (@yankeefan209) May 30, 2013

Now, not to be a total dick, because I'm not that kind of guy, but Boesch was just inches away from catching that ball. Not too shabby, but when the Yankees are down, all Yankee fans get hysterical and it's amplified big time.  I didn't mean to single out Mark with that tweet above, but we all just need to chill.

For the record, here's a still of Boesch and his jump, clearly not 4 inches off the ground. Sarcastic or not, you trying playing professional ball backing up toward the wall, no easy task. I'm happy to come to Boesch's defense on that one and furthermore, that home run didn't change the game... the Yanks were down by 5 at that point.

And how about this Tweet from Kevin Kernan about Ichiro:

Ichiro, by the way, has nothing left. Done.
— Kevin Kernan (@WheresKernan) May 30, 2013

Look, we all can agree, Ichiro is not having a good season, but done? I remember they all said that about Derek Jeter when he batted .270, but that didn't last.  My point is players slow down, but players, really good players re-adjust and Ichiro will do the same.

But enough about that panic...how about this spectacle we call a game? The Yankees were lifeless tonight all around. David Phelps lasted 0.1 tonight. That's not a typo.  He gave up 4 hits and 5 runs before getting the hook.  Adam Warren followed Preston Claiborne and he gave up 3 additional runs. After that, mop up guy Ivan Nova pitched 5 innings and only gave up 1 run. 

The hitting wasn't great and it broke down like this:

The Yankees didn't strike until the 4th. Brennan Boesch homered in the and it was a solo shot. In the 6th, Boesch came through again singling and Travis Hafner scored. Then Jayson Nix knocked in a run. In the 9th, Robinson Cano knocked in Brett Gardner.  I mean look, in the end, the Yanks made a push, but you can't exactly dig out of a 9 run hole in 1 inning. Not impossible... but doubtful.

Final Score: Mets 9 - Yankees 4.

Look, truth be told, I'm not happy, I'm annoyed, but this is why baseball is such a great game.  As a season unfolds, things happen. Teams win, teams lose, teams slump but if you think about it, the Yankees have been good this season, some of it luck, some of it talent and all of it an exciting journey.  This is the Yankees first slump all season.  It's part of this great game, but now, the Yanks need to get themselves together, think about how to win and go out tomorrow and do it.  That time is now.

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MAYBE "CLOSER" PLANS ARE IN NOVA'S FUTURE

Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record had a good piece titled Yankees' Ivan Nova waits to earn his way back into the rotation. In it, he maps out what Ivan Nova , and many believe will eventually happen with him.  Eventually, people believe, be it by injury or a struggling pitcher, Nova will eventually get back to the starting rotation.  As Caldera says, Nova believes he can, saying, "I know that I’m going to get my chance, and I know what I can do when I get the ball." 

Caldera went on to say: "Last Saturday at Tampa Bay, the right-hander was summoned from the bullpen – his first relief appearance in two years – and earned a victory that also provided a needed lift to his psyche. 'That elevates your confidence a little bit,' Nova said of escaping a self-induced one-out jam in the Yankees’ 4-3 win.

With the bases loaded, Nova struck out James Loney on a hard curveball and retired pinch-hitter Matt Joyce on a grounder. Asked if he’d learned anything about himself that day, Nova said, 'Yeah... Don’t wait to get in trouble [before getting into your rhythm].'"

And this is where it gets interesting.  Read that again: "Don’t wait to get in trouble."  Now think about Mariano Rivera and how he handles he day in-day out routine.  Go in. Pitch hard, Save, go home... and don't wait to get in trouble.  We had written a piece a while back suggesting perhaps Nova's future is the pen.  Perhaps Nova's future with the Yankees is to become the next great Yankees closer.  Sure, it sounds ridiculous now, Nova has been a disaster this season, but what if? What if the Yankees somehow develop this guy into pitching that 1 or 2 innings when it really matters, when the game is on the line in the 9th?

Read "I'M NOT A SMART MAN, BUT I KNOW WHAT LOVE IS" from back in March. It was then that BYB wrote: "Clearly the kid has what it takes to be lights out.  He also has a little bit of swagger about him.  His critics say his cockiness will be his downfall.  I say that his ability combined with his attitude might just make him Closer material. Didn't think you read that right? No? Then let me write it again. I think Ivan Nova can be Closer material.  Remember Mo used to be a starter too. If Pettitte and Rivera can get Nova’s head right, we might have found the heir apparent. Call me silly, call me nuts... but you have to admit, you may even want to call me brilliant."

Now sure, we're not saying this has to happen, but in a world of a struggling Ivan Nova, ideas should be thrown out there.  This is a pretty decent idea... especially with Mariano wrapping it up after this year.  We could mold Nova now and maybe he's got a future someday. You have to admit... at this point, if this plan doesn't work for this kid... I'm not sure what will.

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TAKE THE SUBWAY WITH MEREDITH MARAKOVITS

I came across this on YESNetwork.com yesterday. It's a great little video package of Meredith Marakovits taking the 7 train to Citi Field to catch the Yankees playing the Mets in the Subway Series this year.  It's a clever, smart piece and to be honest, I'd love to see her do more of this all season. Many of us baseball fans get a kick out of the other parks around the country and seeing her doing alittle introduction to each series could be kind of fun, don't you think?


As you know, the Yankees played the Mets in their house for 2 games and lost and now the Mets will go to Yankee Stadium to play there for 2.

We love Meredith here at Bleeding Yankee Blue and we interviewed her. Read EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: MEREDITH MARAKOVITS for more.  Meredith gives it her all as our YES gal. We asked her if she ever thought she'd be doing what she's doing for the Yanks.  She said: "I did, I actually told my parents that when I was in High School. I had the idea this was what I wanted to do. My parents said they wanted me to have a backup plan because it is such a tough industry but I told them the day I have a backup plan is the day I believe I won’t be able to do this." 

Needless to say, she did it ,and I love that quote from her.  Good video Meredith and great work to Joe Auriemma, a YES Network.com Digital producer over there for putting that piece together! I was happy to share it with my audience. Thanks!

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STOP SELLING IT AS DAVID & GOLIATH!

Last night wasn't Luis Gonzalez verses Mariano Rivera in the World Series.  No... it wasn't David verses Goliath either.  It was the great Mariano Rivera verses Lucas Duda in a regular season game in Flushing.  The Mets came out on top.  Well, good for the Mets. Mariano Rivera is NOT a machine.

Mariano Rivera IS human, and if you listen or watch any news report this morning reporting about last night's game, it sounds like it may have been the greatest game you ever watched! It wasn't. It was just a game with a dramatic ending.  Can we move on? Seriously.

Luca Duda got lucky last night. Face it, anyone gets lucky if they can hit off Rivera.  But one thing that's important to know here is, Rivera, while literally a God to everyone in Major League Baseball, does blow it once in a while.  Yes it's rare, but it happens.  It happened last night and you can't cry over it...because Lord knows Mo isn't.

Hiroki Kuroda pitched a gem.  7 innings allowing just 4 hits, 0 runs. DRob handled his appearance with ease as well.  When  Mo came in, he gave up 3 hits and 2 runs and the game ended there.  Oh well.... again, these sports reporters need to end the "David slayed Goliath" rant.  Mo's a good guy, remember?

The Yankees only run game in the 6th, when once again Lyle Overbay was involved in the play and knocked in Brett Gardner.  That was the sole run and that's my recap.  Short, sweet and to the point. the Yankees will move on, the fan should and Mo will.  That's it.

Final: Mets 2 - Yankees 1

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