WHY CAN'T THE YANKEES BE MORE LIKE THE ROYALS?

As I sit here almost a month into fall and long for the Yankees to be in the 2014 Postseason, I am lifted by the energy and determination of the Kansas City Royals.  I ask myself this poignant question, "Why can't the Yankees be more like the Royals?"

Let's start with their energy.  "There’s just an amazing energy in the city. Everybody loves an underdog," stated Matt Baldwin, the designer of Baldwin Denim and Collection, sold at Barney's New York and loved by celebrities like Jay Z.  His original KC powder blue hat is the hottest selling item since the team blew passed the Oakland A's and Los Angeles Angels and now are up two games in their first ALCS appearance since 1985.  But what about the energy on the field.

According to ESPN, "The fun thing about Kansas City's outfield defense is that its greatness isn't hidden in defensive metrics that are difficult to understand or process. We can see it -- game after game, play after play."  Guys like Alex Gordon, Norichika Aoki, Lorenzo Cain, Jarrod Dyson, and Josh Willingham have been getting it done.  And what about pitching?  They have that covered too with James Shields, Yordano Ventura and closer Greg Holland lighting it up.  I am also impressed with the hustle and drive of infielders Omar Infante, Alcides Escobar, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas.  And not to be out done, but Billy Butler is showing he still has it too.  He even stole a base to get the team this far.

I think the most important part of the team is the chemistry of these guys together.  They exude grit and determination.  They play hard and they play to win.  Perhaps they are modeling some of George Brett's gritty play that got him into the Hall of Fame with over 90% of the vote.  Brett, the team's vice president of baseball operations, exudes polish and prestige and gave the All Star Game an extra lift when the Royals hosted the iconic game a couple of years ago.

Whatever it is, the Royals are making more than headlines, they are making fans across the country with their prime time, late inning wins against formidable teams like the A's, Angels and now the Orioles.  And they are doing it with hustle, determination and the will to just win.  Charging outfielders making spectacular plays, hard throwing pitching and an equal combination of small and long ball hitting from everyone on the team make up a team who has a real chance at the top prize of baseball come late October. "Once I got over here, though, these guys embraced me with open arms. The chemistry has been great from my teammates and I'm having a blast right now. To be on this run is a lot of fun," stated Cain in an interview USA Today.

As the Royals get ready to host the Orioles in their house, I sit here shaking my head and say "why can't it be us?"  I am hopeful for the Royals, not just because I want the Orioles to lose, (Sorry @SupermanRob2914) but because I believe in their style of play- the "All-In" nature of the team that I long for in our 2015 Yankees. I hope they are watching because this is what they need to do in order to contend next year.

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Senior Staff Writer
Twitter: @suzieprof






You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!

WILLINGHAM'S NOT MOVING RIGHT NOW

There was chatter about Josh Willingham weeks ago starting with Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record who floated the idea.  He's a name with a bat that could help the Yankees, although Yankee fans are not too jazzed about Willingham right now because he's batting .222 for the Twins.

The rumor of Willingham has continued and the Yankee run scoring woes only provide more interest in the bat of Josh.  But now, there is talk that the Twins aren't interested in move Willingham... not right now at least.

According to Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press:

Person with direct knowledge: Appears Josh Willingham is staying put (for now) with #mntwins. August waiver deal always possible.
— Mike Berardino (@MikeBerardino) July 31, 2014

So, with the deadline being today, could the Yankees just try and fill the void with a bat, be it Alex Rios or other, or do they wait for the waiver wire and pick up a big bat like Willingham then?  Maybe even someone else, right? Hey, when it comes to the waiver wire, usually there can be some fascinating names out there.  We'll have to wait and see.

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook! 

MARLON BYRD TO THE YANKEES IS POSSIBLE

I am not so sure Marlon Byrd is a good choice for the Yankees, but they could use an extra bat, so of course, anyone who knows how to hit these days is always in the mix, especially with the trade deadline being tomorrow.  According to Jayson Stark, the Yankees like him, maybe... but maybe not because of that damn option:

Source says #Mariners are "out" on Marlon Byrd. Still some legs to rumblings linking Byrd & #Yankees but Yankees wary of 2016 vesting option
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) July 30, 2014

Look, maybe Byrd is the guy, or maybe like Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record suggested weeks ago, Maybe Josh Willingham is a better option, although, as of late... he's not doing so well.  There's always the argument that a change of scenery for any player could be a good thing. 

I do know this, never say never about Byrd... except I am! I don't think he's coming to New York. Then again, I said the same thing about a guy named Armando Benitez once...

You remember how that worked out...

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!

JOSH WILLINGHAM IS ON THE RADAR

It appears that if Pete Caldera mentions a guy like Josh Willingham being considered by the Yankees, it's glossed over by the baseball insiders. Until they put it out there themselves and make it there own. Apparently then it's a big deal. But I read everything, and I know who had it first.  I see the game they play, and I'm protective of my guy Caldera.  That's because I know that he personally works his tail off to get the nuggets and doesn't "take". It's independent, and it's inspiring... it's the way these baseball rumors used to be done... not anymore.   Don't know what I'm talking about? Read this...

A few weeks ago I wrote a piece titled BUYING, SELLING & THE NEW YORK YANKEES. In that piece, I pointed out the example Caldera gave about the Yankees looking for a power bat. The name mentioned was Josh Willingham. At the time, Caldera wrote:

"They could deal for a bat with an expiring contract, such as Josh Willingham."

That was written on July 13th and sure, it was obvious, but still, it's a nugget. But... no traction. But guess who came out with that story yesterday?  Your pals and mine... the people at CBSSports.com... and Jon Heyman.

"New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is eyeing Minnesota Twins outfielder Josh Willingham as the July 31 trade deadline looms, according to WFAN and CBSSports.com baseball insider Jon Heyman." 

No, no... it wasn't WFAN OR CBS Sports... it was Pete Caldera.  Where's the credit anymore? Where's the journalism integrity? I guess you can attach "rumor" to it and anything goes? Wow. Disappointing. Are we just interested in "clicks" these days or are these people just thinking they're bigger and better than everyone and they can just steamroll over others? Lack of respect... I think so.

Truth be told, the Yankees ARE eyeing Josh Willingham, and the reality is, 1 more bat, a rental, would probably help us out in the run scoring department... we need a jolt.  But my source on this story is Pete Caldera.

Caldera's a stud. Also, let me mention an important part to this arrticle. Pete didn't know I wrote this, he didn't ask me to write this and has too much pride and confidence in himself and his work to even let this bother him.  Me however... I appreciate good old fashioned hard work. The life of a beat writer ain't easy, but he does it with class and professionalism, and you gotta tip your cap.  Whether Willingham comes to the Bronx is irrelevant here. But important for me personally is who got it first.

Atta boy Pete.

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!

BUYING, SELLING & THE NEW YORK YANKEES

If you don't read Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record, do it.  He puts a lot of stuff into perspective when it comes to the Yankees. He's a smart baseball mind... and he's underrated.

While many of us are freaking out, saying "What are the Yankees going to do to fix the problems of the starting rotation and the big bats?",  and "Why don't we just sell off our team, it's over!" Pete breaks it to you softly and lets you know the truth... according to him.

Pete writes:

"Sellers by the non-waiver trade deadline? Not the Yankees. Not in 2014, the final season for Derek Jeter, who has played exactly one game in 20 seasons in which the Yankees were eliminated from postseason contention. 

Not this year, with 40 home games still to be played at Yankee Stadium in the second half. Not with seats to fill, sponsors to satisfy and YES Network ratings to maintain. Not as long as they’re in shouting distance in an unremarkable AL East, with 39 games remaining against teams within the division. 

Even if Masahiro Tanaka were to undergo Tommy John surgery tomorrow instead of the rehab course that — in the ultimate best-case-scenario – gets him back on a big-league mound by late August, the Yankees would be obliged to press on. Their bullpen is strong and their underachieving lineup is more or less intact.

They have the resources to add pieces without giving up chunks of their farm system, such as buying a contract like Cliff Lee’s. They could deal for a bat with an expiring contract, such as Josh Willingham."

It is interesting and while we're all screaming about what we need to do, buy or sell, Pete brings us back to earth.

Now for my thoughts; Look, I am a firm believer that having 1 more veteran starter in the rotation while we wait for CC Sabathia and Michael Pineda could be key.  The problem is, once you word it that way, and think about what we might have to give up for a starter, be it Lee or someone else, you really have to think; is it worth it? I mean, think about it, bringing up a kid like Shane Greene has worked out, maybe for the better.

(In Photo: Shane Greene)
I mean, let's face it, the reality is Chase Whitley and Greene have been terrific.  Not to mention, David Phelps has become more confident than I have ever seen him, and those 3 alone have done great things recently.

You add veteran Hiroki Kuoda into the mix, and maybe what Caldera is saying makes a ton a sense here... No selling, just piecing it together to get to the finish line.  While I would much rather be the dominant force going into the second half, I do understand that we spent a ton of money in the off season, so we're kind of in a weird spot with spending.

The bats are a question mark too though.  I mean, the reality is, it's not so much a bat that we need... it's that we need to knock in runners in scoring position.  We have to tools, we have the bats... we don't have the aggressive play to get those runners home. I mean, how about a sacrifice if a man's on third, guys?  You know what I mean?

Pete brings up Josh Willingham... and I know he's just throwing it out there as an example. But Willingham is just more of the same.  Again, we have the tools... let's use them, and you know what? Let Zelous Wheeler shine.  Let Zoilo Almonte shine.  Over time, bring the kids up... sprinkle them, bring some energy and most of all, don't sell, because we're the Yankees... we're contenders.  Yes, we're at .500 at the All-Star break, but we can do this!

I leave you with something Pete said that stuck with me:

"The Yankees weren’t sellers last year at the break, trailing by six games in the division with Mark Teixeira lost, Curtis Granderson out and Derek Jeter making a cameo. Two weeks later and seven games out, the Yanks traded for Alfonso Soriano. 

Historically, of course, the Yankees haven’t had to be sellers." 

And it's not gonna change this year either.  The Yankees will make a run for it, and there is a good chance we make the playoffs... there's a good chance we don't too, but I'll put my money on the Yankee machine getting it together and becoming competitive in the second half...

 We can!

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!

RUMORS IN YANKEELAND: PART 2

Who likes rumors? We do. We like finding them and writing about them. If any of them turn out to be true that makes it even better. The Yankees have made a lot of moves this season. Some of them turned out to be pleasant surprises who have been an anchor to the team. Some have had a relatively short stay. So anything can happen. Who else is out there that could be Bronx bound?

There are some interesting name out there, and one that you may not have heard of. Thanks to some recent success from signings on the international scene I think this draft will have more attention. I guess we have Yu Darvish and Yoenis Cespedes to thank for that. It does make baseball exciting though, and that is even more true when you look at how many fans were following the World Baseball Classic this year.

This year, the Yankees were rumored to have some interest in a top ten international prospect named Leonardo Molina, read that HERE. Supposedly, the Yankees were rumored to be the favorite. We have heard that before though so who knows if it was actually true. I say WAS only because Major League baseball changed their mind yesterday and have decided to cancel the draft until after the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires in 2016, read more on all of this HERE. So who knows what will come of Molina, but if he somehow manages to find his way to New York someday, you heard the speculation here from us!

But back to familiar territory now, If I were a betting woman I would take my money to the nearest casino and bet that the Yankees were going to shop for a right handed bat. You could tell during Wednesday night's game against the New York Mets that the Yankees need more right handed bats because right now lefties are just stacked against them in a never ending line. Once Mark Teixeira and Kevin Youkilis come back that will help, but it may not be enough. So who is available?

Mike Morse: He started off the season swinging a hot bat. Since then he has cooled down a little, and some think that unless the Mariners can turn their season around he may be on the chopping block regardless of him signing with the Mariners in the off season, read more HERE. The Yankees were interested during the off season, but when he wasn't interested in a one year deal, like many other free agents, it never amounted to anything. If the Mariners do fall out he would make a nice addition to the roster. His bat may not be as hot right now but don't let the .254BA fool you. He does have 11HR, 21RBI and he knows how to get on base. Plus add his bat in the lineup and I am sure those home runs will go up. He is also very versatile. He could fill in at first, shortstop and the outfield so it will help give some guys some much needed rest right now. I like the possibility.

Josh Willingham: He is one possibility on a very suspect Minnesota Twins team. The Twins looked like they were keeping pace pretty well in their division for awhile, but have really slipped lately. If they continue to underachieve they could be sellers by the trade deadline, read that HERE. There are a few possibilities on this team including Corey Hart but he has not played yet this year and is still rehabbing from an injury so I feel more confident in Willingham. His .212BA isn't pretty but he does have 9HR and 24RBI on the season. More importantly, if the recovery doesn't go as expected for Curtis Granderson then we have someone else who can play left field.

I do believe that the Yankees are going to focus on a right handed bat, and if one of these guys becomes available then hopefully the Yankees will make the move. As good as we have been, we could be even better with another right handed bat. Stay tuned, and if anything happens you know we will fill you in here at Bleeding Yankee Blue.

--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Senior Writer and Editor
Twitter: @NyPrincessJ



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.