THE BLEEDING YANKEE BLUE NEWSSTAND V

PAPELBON HAS A HEART?: Jonathan Papelbon feels bad for Mariano Rivera? I'm shocked.I didn't think that guy had a heart.  Read HERE.

Look, Mariano has been a fighter and one of the top competitor's of the game for years.  He also happens to be one of the most likable guys I have ever men, as well as if you were to ask anyone who has competed against him over the years. Papelbon happens to be one of those guys who not only admires Mo, but respects him.  Here's what Papelbon said of Mo:

"It's kind of hard to put into words... I've always said that he's the godfather of this role. It's just tough to see your leader, your idol... it's really hard to comprehend."

Wow. I think I may have a whole new respect for Jonathan Papelbon...that is until we meet the Phillies in the World Series.  That being said, it's a touching quote.  

FLAHERTY EATING A BROWNIE... AND IN OTHER TWEETS: That's right, I was confused too, but then I saw the tweet from Bob Lorenz who apparently took a picture of John Flaherty eating what looks like a brownie and I had to laugh. I was suddenly drug into the conversation by Josie (a terrific BYB reader) because I once called Bob Lorenz a bad ass! And there you go... instant BYB Newsstand material.

 Guaranteed you've never seen Flaherty eating a brownie... EVER. Enjoy this.

JETER IS CREEPING TOWARD GWYNN: Just a reminder that Derek Jeter is creeping up the all time hits list.  Currently he has 3136 and almost up to Tony Gwynn and his total of 3141, that's 18th on the list.  Jeter's season so far has been magical and I hope the hits just keep on coming.  Read the full list HERE.
 JUST PLAIN BRILLIANT: Surfing the net, you find alot of things.  This past weekend, I found something quite witty and entertaining.  This guy named Drew Condell put together a piece which appears to be during last years playoffs against the Yankees and Tigers.  It was right about the time when everyone was questioning Al Alburquerque, the Tigers pitcher's, name.  This is not only clever, it's brilliant and Drew has a ton of videos on the net, you need to check them out, I was rolling last night.

BRAVO TO THE METS... WAIT...WHAT? I am a diehard Yankee fan, you know that, but I need to give kudos to the New York Mets for something they did to honor Beastie Boy Adam Yauch, who passed away on Friday due to cancer. Read HERE.  You see, I am a huge Beastie Boys fan but it all started for me when they released Paul's Boutique, probably the most underrated Beastie Boys album of our generation. The entire album was uploaded on YouTube and I found it, it's right here:
On Friday, all 9 New York Mets starters played Beastie Boys music as their walk up songs.Read HERE.  You got to love that.  To Adam Yauch's family, my prayers are with you, Adam and the Beastie Boys have been a soundtrack in my head practically my entire life. Thank you! Rest in Peace.

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WHY CANO SHOULD GET USED TO BEING #3

Let’s take a trip down memory lane. Once upon a time, Robinson Cano used to chase balls in the dirt, and ones that sailed over his head. Generally speaking he swung at almost anything….but not anymore. As the Yankees prepared to enter the 2010 season many questioned if Cano was capable of protecting ARod batting in the number five spot, and he silenced those who doubted him. The Cano that used to be ineffective driving in runners when they were in scoring position was replaced with a clutch hitter that ended the season with 109 RBI’s. Cano did not stop there, in 2011 he brought in 118 RBI’s and he did it in fewer plate appearances. Not impressed yet? Add his 81 extra base hits that give him the second most in the league just behind Jacoby Ellsbury. There is something to be said for a man who can produce these kinds of numbers without being at the top of the order.As hard as it was to watch us falter in the postseason, Cano carried us when other bats went silent and he was the one bright spot for me. I started to daydream about the possibilities for years to come. Some say that the best hitter should be batting in the third position, and maybe this is what made Joe switch the order at the end of the season. It’s always fun to speculate, and while I may not be an expert, I can see the logic of keeping Cano in the number three spot and I think it will give the Yankee offense even more ammunition. Think of the possibilities that can come with a batting order of Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, and Cano, a starting pitcher won’t have a lot of room for mistakes and Yankee fans could have a lot to cheer about.
So what could happen if Cano bats third? There aren’t many moments that I like to reflect on from the ALDS, but there is one that stands out, one that could happen a lot more in 2012. In game 1 of the ALDS Cano took Tigers pitcher Al Albuquerque to deep right field with two outs and the bases loaded, earning him 6 RBI’s by the end of the game. Cano also reached base nine times during the postseason and drove in nine of the team’s 28 runs, it’s crazy to think about. Imagine what he can do in an entire season, and all of the fastballs he could see batting in front of ARod, we could see that sweet swing do even more damage.

I can’t even begin to predict the numbers Cano will produce this season. He surprised all of us in 2010 and he continued to live up to the hype in 2011, but I think the best is yet to come. I think Cano was destined to be our number three hitter, his discipline and swing are going to bring amazing results. I am slightly superstitious when it comes to baseball, so I don’t want to accidentally jinx Cano by throwing out numbers. I will predict this though, the RBI’s, the batting average, and the homeruns are only going to climb higher. Maybe Cano and ARod will be the next unstoppable 3-4 combination, or maybe Granderson and Cano can have their own homerun race. Cano has had his name in the MVP race for the past two seasons, and a move to third in the batting order is only going to bring out more of his abilities. Hopefully if the baseball gods are willing…2012 could finally be the year he owns the titles of MVP and World Champion; it doesn’t get much sweeter than that.

--Jeana Bellezza --BYB Writer and Editor

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