YANKEES 2012: AN EPILOGUE

The entire season, beginning with with Spring Training and ending with Jayson Nix's pop out, has been marred with extreme highs, cavernous lows, rumors, blame, regret and disappointment.  There are hundreds of articles which have been written serving as a postmortem which speak about the disappointing offense, Alex Rodriguez and the hurdles that the Yankees will have to face in the future with injuries.

This article is not about disappointment.  This article is about the dedication of Yankees fans, a hundred years of tradition and the will and commitment by the Yankees, these fans and New Yorkers to persevere and look ahead.  Never forget what this team stands for, what being a true fan means and what this logo stands for.

(Modeled after Walt Whitman's "Pioneers! O Pioneers!")

Come, my sad-faced children,

Follow well in order, get your weapons ready;

Have you your bats? Have you your ready gloves?

Pride! Oh Yankees!

For we cannot tarry here,

We must march, my friends, we must bear the brunt of scars, wounds;

We, the dedicated, unwavering masses, all the stars on us depend,

Fans! Oh Yankees!

Oh you youths, pinstriped youths,

So impatient, full of action, numbers adorned and cheering,

I see yours, bold and blue, numbers 2, 7, 3, 4, 24 and forever, thousands:

Pride! Oh Yankees!

All the past we leave behind, the loss, the finality, the fourth and final games;

We debouch upon a newer, mightier force, varied team, the lineup,

Fresh and strong the world we seize, world of winning, the march,

Fans! Oh Yankees!

We detachments steady throwing,

Down the spring, summer, fall, up the races,

Conquering, winning, daring, forging ahead, the unknown ways,

Pride! Oh Yankees!

We Tigers felling,

We the piercing, vexing Rangers, tyrant Red Sox, piercing deep the "Devil Rays",

We the surface broad expanding, we the series winners and sweeping,

Fans! Oh Yankees!

From the East, from the West,

Central, South, North we race in, with the Blue Blood intervein'd;

All the hands of fellow fans, hats adorned, clasping, all American, all National;

Pride! Oh Yankees!

Raise the mighty Trophy,

Waving high the delicate Pennant, over all the bright-eyed watchers, bow your heads all,

Raise the fanged and warlike hurlers, stern, impressive, dominant, weapons that strike;

Fans! Oh Yankees!

See, my friends, resolute fans,

By those swarms upon our rear, we must never yield or falter,

Ages back in ghostly millions, smiling there behind us urging,

Pride! Oh Yankees!

On and on, the Rows there, Murderers,

With stadiums ever waiting, the seats quickly filled, seas of cheer,

Through the battle, through defeat, slugging yet and never failing,

Fans! Oh Yankees!

O to hurt advancing on!

Are there some of us to droop and die? Has the hour come?

Then upon the march we fittest die, soon and sure the gaps are filled,

Pride! Oh Yankees!

All the pulses of the games,

Falling in, they beat for us, with the calls to be called play after play,

Working single or together, steady moving to the first, second, third and home,

Fans! Oh Yankees!

Life's involved and varied games,

All the forms and shows, all the players at their work,

All the stops and ups, all the outfield and infield with their catches,

Pride! Oh Yankees!

Has the end descended?

Was the road of glory so toilsome? Did they stop, discouraged? Heads hung low along the way?

Yet a passing season I yield you, those supposed "champions", oblivious to us,

Fans! Oh Yankees!

Till with sound of trumpet, crack of wood, stick,

One closer, He who stops short,

Far, far off the day-break call-there! How loud and clear I hear them to the wind;

Swift! To the return of the beginning of our journey! Spring to your places, Yankees!!

O Pride.

In other words, The future is out there and it can be ours. We need to continue our journey through it all, life and game. It's a rough road but it's right there in front of us.  The world was built with hard work, heart and guts that's how we must build the future.



--Fox Luu, BYB Guest Writer



Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

BRYCE HARPER NEEDS TO LEARN FROM A REAL LEADER

Bryce Harper made history Wednesday in the Nationals' game against the Marlins when he hit two home runs, surpassing Mickey Mantle's record (13) for home runs by a teenager, read HERE.  He is two away from tying Ken Griffey, Jr. for third most all-time.  While these achievements are noteworthy themselves, he also helped Washington snap a five-game losing streak.

Had he left the game as is, we may have viewed him as the poised superstar and wunderkind that he's been advertised as.  Instead, when he grounded into a double play in the bottom of the ninth inning in Florida, he angrily threw his helmet on the ground, which almost struck umpire C.B. Bucknor, and was immediately ejected.  Harper then had the nerve to walk back to Bucknor, get in his face and question him.

A Nationals assistant coach was forced to come between them until manager Davey Johnson took to the field and defused the situation.

After the game, Johnson spoke about the incident (Read HERE) and his post-game discussion with the rookie outfielder:

"Bryce couldn't control his emotions again. I had a little chat with him. He'll get over it. He's just a hundred-percenter. He expects great things out of himself. He breaks bats, throws his helmet, and he's just got to stop it. Can't afford to be losing him in a ballgame with that. He'll learn. He's young. He'll learn."

Harper told reporters afterwards:

"I just need to stop getting pissed off and just live with it. I just need to grow up in that mentality a little bit. Try not to bash stuff in and things that I've always done my whole life. Those need to change."

In the interests of objective journalism, it should be noted that the call was extremely close, although on replay, Harper was, in fact, out, and the correct call was made.  Also, Bucknor is regarded as one of the worst, if not, the worst umpire in baseball.  Despite over 15 years' experience in both leagues, he is routinely named the worst:

• In a 2003 Sports Illustrated survey of 550 active major league players, Bucknor was voted as the worst umpire in MLB, with 20.7% of the vote. 
• In an updated 2006 SI survey, Bucknor was again voted MLB's worst umpire, with 21% of the players' votes.

• Most recently, a 2010 ESPN survey of 100 active players (taken after Jim Joyce's blown call that cost the Detroit's Armando Galarraga a perfect game), Bucknor was once again named the worst umpire in baseball (while Joyce was named the best).

By the way, it wasn't Harper's first childish temper tantrum:

• May 11: In a game against the Reds, Harper went 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts. In his 4th at bat, wherein he grounded out, he disappeared into the clubhouse and reemerged with a bloodied face after going berserk with a bat.  His lacerations required 11 stitches.

• July 15: After Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen had something to say to umpiring officials about the amount of pine tar on his bat, Harper felt the need to point a (clean) bat at Guillen during his at-bat.  Despite going 0-for-4 that day, the Nationals won behind Stephen Strasburg.

• July 16: Harper snaps a bat over his knee after a fly out.

• August 5: Harper breaks a bat over home plate after a strikeout.  A piece of the bat hits the home plate umpire, for which Harper apologizes.

• August 20: Harper breaks another bat over home plate.

In his entire 18-season career, Derek Jeter, the shortstop for the Yankees, the team's captain and a future guaranteed Hall of Famer, has NEVER BEEN EJECTED.  He is poised, dignified and humble.  If Harper wants to last more than 5 years in this game, he needs to take a page out of Derek Jeter's playbook.  He needs to learn humility and civility, otherwise, he will be the talented young phenom that no one wants to work with.  Think it only affects his performance?  Umpires, who I agree are already flawed, will remember his attitude when making those close calls.  The Harper jerseys could start really seeing some slumping sales.  Most importantly, his trade stock will go down, something that is not written about enough.  He will be "all dressed up", with nowhere to go.

The key to longevity and to hitting over .320 at age 38 in your 18th season is dedication to the craft, not yourself. If Harper does not begin to put his team ahead of himself, drag his head out from between his own legs and cut the childish crap, he will deteriorate. Derek Jeter is not just another player, he is a role model for leadership. Harper needs to find the right person to emulate and learn from.  A good start would be ruling out the most undesirable candidate: himself.



--Fox Luu, BYB Guest Writer
 Twitter: @foxthechicken



Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

WHY ROBINSON CANO IS OUR FUTURE CAPTAIN

When the topic of Derek Jeter is discussed within baseball or even sports, there is little to zero argument, at least amongst educated sports fans, regarding the following:

1. Derek Jeter is a guaranteed future Hall-of-Famer and will be nominated the first year he is eligible.
2. He is among the greatest active players, if not, the greatest active player in his position.
3. He is one of the greatest hitters of all time.

The above can be substantiated with statistics, player performance, various titles and championships. What you cannot place a number on is his dedication, professionalism and elite sportsmanship.  He is a true athlete in every sense of the word and is an excellent representative of baseball and the New York Yankees.  He has done so much for the sport and his team without any scandal, blemishes or controversy, except maybe for a few "called" home runs...  remember Jeffrey Maier and the 1996 ALCS? 

(In Photo: Jeffrey Maier's 1996 ALCS catch)

It is because of all this that he was named captain in 2003 and The Boss felt he'd earned the privilege of filling Donnie Baseball's shoes.  Since then, he has served as a leader to all players with whom he has crossed paths and Yankees fans worldwide have placed their complete faith and trust in knowing that, when the Yankees Universe ship is capsizing, The Captain will pave the way to right what is wrong. These are the duties of a team captain and the purpose the position serves. It is why the Yankees, the greatest organization in sports history, is only one of two teams with a captain,  a position that is not recognized by league rules because, in this writer's opinion, it is a title that is earned, not assigned.

Derek Jeter's retirement will go down in history, at least for someone my age, as the saddest retirement in our lives, ranking among those of Michael Jordan, Cal Ripken and, yes, maybe even Brett Favre.  I have no doubt that Derek will remain with the Yankees organization in some capacity, most likely the front office.  I don't see him coaching or managing, not because he isn't a born leader, but simply because his significance to the team is more transcendent.  If the Yankees were a beautiful European sports car and the coach was the steering wheel, Derek Jeter would be the fuel.  I cannot envision the Yankees being the Yankees without him.  The question then becomes, "Who would be the next Yankees captain?"

If Robinson Cano remains the player that he is, something I have absolutely zero doubt he will do, you can literally insert his name into all of the above paragraphs and be satisfied with what comes out on the other side.

Like Jeter, Robbie spent several years in our farm system (3 for Jeter, 4 for Cano), nearly having been traded several times (Robbie was almost traded to the Rangers, read HERE).  He is tested, in that sense. They have both charged right out of the gate, Jeter batting .314 with 183 hits with 78 RBI in his second Major League season and Cano hitting .297 with 155 hits and 62 RBI in his first Major League year. Jeter was the Rookie of the Year and Robbie placed second in voting.  Both are multi-year All-Stars.

Statistics aside, Robinson's talent, professionalism and athleticism make him the prime candidate for the next Yankee captain, if there is to be one.  His personality makes him a fan favorite and he is the best active second baseman in the league.  I would be honored to hail Cano as our captain.  If I'm forced to envision a Yankees future without Derek Jeter on the field or in the lineup, my pain would be lessened by having Cano in his place, especially with our former captain looking on.  The future of the Yankees and its leadership is bright because this team fosters professionalism and history.  I hope that Robinson Cano will lead the way.



--Fox Luu, BYB Guest Writer



Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

WHY DAVID ROBERTSON IS STILL MY KING

Our Houdini, "Mini-Mo" David Robertson, blew the save in the ninth, giving up four runs and a three-run homer to Matt Joyce and the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Yankees, 4 to 1.  David takes his first loss on the season. 

What is the impact of this game?  Well, his ERA jumps to a whopping 2.64, just a bit above Rafael Soriano's.  Where was it before tonight?  ZERO.  He had 13 games, 23 strikeouts, a WHIP of ONE and his opponents were hitting a measly .170 off him.  The Yankees dip to 16-14 and the AL East becomes a little more competitive, with the Red Sox and Orioles losing.  (Yesterday's Rangers-Orioles game was rained out.)

Cue the Bandwagoner Nation...

It is no surprise that fans are looking to David as a possible temporary replacement for Mariano Rivera, who will most likely miss the rest of the season due to his injury.  Between he and Soriano, Robertson is the likely candidate.  There will naturally be comparisons.  I became sick of the "We miss Mo" tweets (not that I don't miss him) and was so disgusted by anyone who had the gall to boo him at the Stadium.  They are clearly not true Yankees fans.  However, if we are comparing, let us compare comprehensively.

In 1997, in Mo's first year as the "true" closer, he had 52 save opportunities and blew NINE of them.  According to Baseball-Reference.com, that year was the highest "Average Leverage Index" he's ever experienced, if you believe in that statistic.  I don't have to tell you what the result of that year was for the Yankees.  It was his lowest save percentage until this year, when he's blown one save (forgot, didn't you?) and is now out with an injury.

What does this mean?  Bandwagoners can ride their happy caravans into town to hitch onto whatever team they decide to next.  David Robertson is clutch.  He is a class act.  He embodies and represents everything the Yankees stand for and can live up to the legacy this team maintains.  Personally, he is among the league of Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada, some of our recent favorites, and he has the talent and potential to professionally reach the ranks of Boomer, Mariano and Roger Clemens.  In 2011, he had a 1.08 ERA after 70 games with 4 wins, a .113 WHIP and held his opponents to a .170 BA with ONE HUNDRED STRIKEOUTS.

The numbers, the man and the name speak out for themselves.  You can boo the bats, boo Joe Girardi or boo the Rays but, if you boo David Robertson, you don't know the Yankees and you don't know baseball.

--Fox Luu, BYB Guest Writer



Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

HEY TEXAS... WHAT CAN DARVISH DO FOR YU?

Being a Yankees fan born and raised in Queens, New York City and now living in Dallas, writing about the Rangers feels like being a Russian matryoshka doll. It offers a unique perspective.
Let's face it: baseball is, compared to the East coast, a relatively new concept in the state of Texas. Being able to see the impact of a major potential transaction of a player like Yu Darvish, arguably the hottest baseball topic today, through the eyes of a baseball fan with a Yankees heart, on what could be called a "budding" Texas baseball team, could be like trying a new restaurant for the first time - you'll either hate it or keep coming back for more.

Let's get the stats out of the way: In seven seasons with the (Japanese) NPB's Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, the young Darvish posted a 93-38 record, with an overall ERA of 1.99. If you're not already impressed, he has recorded 1,250 strikeouts over 167 games and 55 complete games. Ostensibly, the NPB's regular seasons are shorter (anywhere between 130 to 140 games) but his numbers reflect stamina and an aggression that has his pitches averaging 94.67 mph.
There are a number of concerns that Darvish will not be ready for the American majors. You can barely utter his name before someone throws out the name Daisuke Matsuzaka or, as he is best known, Dice-K. Picked up by Boston in 2007, many have considered him somewhat of a disappointment, as Red Sox fans watched his starting job slip away along with his ERA, which fell from a career-best 2.90 in 2008 to a dismal 5.30 through 7 starts. Since undergoing Tommy John surgery on June 10^th, Dice-K has been a non-factor in the Boston rotation. No one can predict the future: if this is to be Darvish's fate, then so be it. In the words of John Sterling and everyone else who quotes him, "You can't predict baseball."As many teams lined up to bid on Darvish like nerds waiting outside a Green Lantern premiere on midnight, many were surprised when the Texas Rangers won first rights with an offering of approximately $51.7 million.

Coming off a disappointing World Series loss for the second year in a row, many Rangers fans are left wondering, "What went wrong?" Fingers immediately point at their starting rotation, which was strong during the regular season but seemed to falter in the postseason, notably a disappointing CJ Wilson, who recorded a loss in all three postseason series: the Division Series, League Championship series and World Series. The potential acquisition of Yu Darvish literally has Rangers fans awaiting with bated breath to see if their team, which started as a Washington, DC expansion in 1961 and moved to Arlington, Texas in 1971, will win their bid by the 4:00pm deadline on January 18, 2012.(In Photo: Ted Williams, Denny Mclain, Curt Flood)
Picture this: April 9, 2012 at the Ballpark in Arlington, starting pitcher Yu Darvish, who would most likely sport his current number 11 jersey, faces the Seattle Mariners' lead off hitter - Ichiro Suzuki - the pride of Japan. Smart Rangers players will see this as the promised land of baseball in the south. Financially, almost every baseball television set in Japan would be tuned in, no matter the time. Darvish/Rangers gear would fly off the shelves, domestically and overseas. Moreover, the star power added to the Rangers could make them comparable to the Los Angeles Angels in their American League West division, whom have acquired their now-Texas hated CJ Wilson and future-Hall of Famer Albert Pujols, who comes off his second World Series win.

Above all else, how does this affect us, the awesome, wonderful, amazing Yankees fan base? If you're like me, you're still looking for a rematch against the Rangers since our elimination in 2010. Texas' increased viability in the American League would make them a worthy contender, as it is this author's opinion that they enjoy the benefit of an easy schedule and a lackluster division, with the Angels fell short of even making the playoffs in 2010-2011 and the A's being an absolute non-factor. The addition of Darvish might be the puzzle piece that the Rangers need that would finally shut their critics up, me, who make statements such as, "Yeah, they're an okay team." Give credit where credit is due; they may have lost both times but the Rangers have become a championship team. If there is a fan out there of the "bigger" teams, the Phillies, Yankees, or Red Sox, that isn't worried about them, they would be highly deluded. I remember a while ago Casey wrote a piece titled WHY A NEW RIVALRY IS EMERGING and with good reason...the Rangers are competitors now.I would love to see Darvish in pinstripes playing in Yankee Stadium alongside CC, Joba, DRob and, the greatest of all time, Mo. However, his addition to the Texas Rangers will mean good things for the Dallas area, Texas sports and baseball in general. The Yankees showed the Rangers that the 2010-2011 ALCS was a thing of the past, winning the regular season series 7-2 (recording two consecutive 12-4 wins). With the addition of Darvish, a 2012 Yankees-Rangers ALCS showdown would be a rematch worthy of prime time viewing. Consider this my Russian nesting doll unveiling: if I'm forced to be a Yankees fan in Dallas, I am determined to be excited about baseball, no matter what.



--Fox Luu, BYB Guest Writer



Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

YANKEE PRIDE IN TEXAS...ALWAYS PROUD

This piece was written by a Bleeding Yankee Blue reader and a loyal one at that. Not only that, a true Yankee fan. I was touched by it, because, it just goes to show, there are Yankee fans everywhere, even Texas, the home of the Rangers. Stay true!

--Casey

I turned 31 this August, which means that, in my entire life, the Yankees have won five championships: 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2009. The earliest I remember watching a baseball game is at six years of age. By that reasoning, so, needless to say, I've also watched the Yankees fail to win a World Series title.

I have some great memories though, memories I'll never forget. I watched Scott Brosius blast a three-run homer in Game 3 of the 1998 World Series and that was me screaming my head off in my apartment in 2009 when Andy Pettitte, Hideki Matsui and Mariano Rivera practically handed us fans Game 6 against the Phillies for number 27.

I was also devastated when David Wells gave up Game 4 of the 2002 ALCS, when the Angels swept the Yankees and went on to win the World Series. Lastly, I, like most of my fellow Yankees fans, sat and watched in disappointment as the Yankees were eliminated on an ARod strikeout for the second year in a row.

The difference this time is that I was watching in Dallas, Texas, where I now live, as opposed to my hometown of the Bronx. I was in Dallas last year, surrounded by front runner and bandwagon Rangers "fans" who bought their t-shirts the day before the game off a roadside vendor. This time, again, the Rangers advance the World Series while the Yankees stay at home and there is no shortage of Yankees jabs. I get to hear about everything from the payroll to the PED controversies. I sit, smile and let them know...wait until next year.

Next year, at Spring Training, I will still be watching. On Opening Day 2012, I will still be watching. I will be watching for every game and every at bat. I will be watching the Yankees make the playoffs again and I will be watching when they enter the World Series and win #28. I will be wearing my Yankees hat and jersey and shirt proud, because it doesn't matter that I live in Texas, I have true Yankee pride. I will be doing all of this no matter where I am, where I live or whom I'm with.

True Yankees pride doesn't stem from numbers, payroll or merchandise. Pride comes from tradition, a legacy and the knowledge that this "thing" is bigger than each individual and greater than the sum of all its parts. Yankees fans need not despair. We can be disappointed and sad that we didn't make it. We can analyze and question why we lost and look for people to blame.

But what you should never do is put your head down. At the end of the day, we are Yankees fans and no one and nothing can ever take that away from us. Especially not a two-week fan.

-- Fox Luu, BYB Guest Writer

Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.