DAVID WELLS, AARON JUDGE & CHANNELING BABE RUTH!

The Yankees kicked off the 2025 season like they were shot out of a cannon. Scratch that—more like they brought the cannon and started launching baseballs into orbit like it was their full-time job. And honestly? It was glorious.

From the jump, Yankee bats weren’t just hot—they were volcanic. I lost count of the home runs somewhere between my third slice of pizza and the fifth souvenir ball flying into the seats. It was a festival of dingers, and nobody was enjoying it more than... Russell Wilson? I loved what Wilson tweeted a few weeks back.

By the way, Wilson is now fully living his best New York sports life being with the football Giants. He took to Twitter during the homer-fest and posted:

“So sweet! The Great Bambino is smiling!”

Now that is elite-level fan energy. Wilson is out here referencing Babe Ruth like he’s quoting scripture. The man is in it. And honestly? Same. The Bambino might actually be smiling, somewhere up in baseball heaven, puffing a cigar and watching Aaron Judge go full Paul Bunyan with the bat.

Because let’s talk about Judge for a second. The guy isn’t playing baseball; he’s putting on a power-hitting clinic. Six home runs in his first seven games—including a grand slam—because when you’re Aaron Judge, you don’t “go deep,” you go galactic.

And he’s doing it his way.

While some Yankees players have been experimenting with the so-called "torpedo bats" (which sound more like something out of Star Wars than the MLB rulebook), Judge wants no part of that.

“I’m not hopping on the bat trend,” he said, casually after launching another moonshot.

And to drive the point home—literally—he went out the next day and crushed another homer in his very first at-bat. Four homers in the Yankees’ first three games. No Yankee has ever done that before. Not even Ruth. Not even Reggie. Not even Alfonso Soriano in his "I’ll hit the first pitch I see into the East River" days. I kid, I kid.

 

The numbers are absurd. Judge is batting .379 with six home runs and 17 RBIs through just seven games. This after putting up a ridiculous .322 average with 58 homers and 144 RBIs last season, on his way to winning his second AL MVP in three years.

At this point, Judge isn’t chasing Ruth—he’s walking right alongside him. Fun fact: both hit 321 home runs in their first 1,000 games with the Yankees. That’s not a stat, that’s folklore. Judge is becoming a living legend, and if you’re watching this era of Yankee baseball, you are witnessing something genuinely special.

If you know me, you know how much I LOVED being a part of this series on Babe Ruth and the Called Shot. Check it out! https://t.co/qMVX2Mn88P

— Brian Brenberg (@BrianBrenberg) April 3, 2025

Speaking of Ruth, there’s a must-watch FOX documentary out now about The Called Shot and it is hosted by one of our favorite BYB contributors, Mike O'Hara! 

Apparently, Babe Ruth calling his shot has been debated since the 1932 World Series when Babe Ruth (supposedly) pointed to the stands before blasting a home run off the Cubs. It’s baseball’s version of Bigfoot, but with pinstripes and hot dogs.

I caught David Wells talking about it during one of the shows on FOX—still one of the most entertaining voices in the game—and he swears Ruth did it. “No doubt in my mind,” he said. 

Technically? Ruth was probably pointing at the Cubs dugout with some good ol’ fashioned Bronx attitude, not the bleachers. But who cares? Bill Dickey, Ruth’s teammate, once told the Washington Post:

“So we just made an agreement not to bother straightening out the facts.”

Translation: the truth is boring. The myth is better.

Back in 1992, the Babe Ruth Museum asked fans if they believed in the Called Shot. 85% said yes. That tells you everything you need to know about baseball fans—we’re romantics with great taste in legends.

For what it’s worth, I don’t think Ruth literally called his shot. I think he taunted, then obliterated. But hey, semantics. Ball left the park either way.

Fast forward to 2025, and while Babe Ruth may be a myth, Aaron Judge is pure reality.

Now let’s clear up two things:

1. Torpedo bats? Fake news. Despite what Dave Portnoy might be yelling from a rooftop somewhere, Judge isn’t using anything fishy.

2. Judge’s power? 100% certified real.

“What I’ve done the past couple of seasons speaks for itself,” Judge told MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch.

And he's right. What he's doing is absurd. He's already rewriting the history books—and he’s doing it while carrying the most legendary franchise in sports. The Yankees are launching bombs like it’s 1927 all over again, and Judge is the one swinging the sledgehammer.

Yes, the pitching needs some work (and yes, I’d like to see someone other than Anthony Volpe field a routine grounder cleanly). But when this offense is clicking, it's like watching The Avengers assemble every night—with Aaron Judge playing the role of Thor, hammer and all.

So, here's to Yankee bombs, Babe Ruth smiles, and Russell Wilson fully leaning into his inner baseball nerd. It’s all just... fun. And in a sport built on drama, nostalgia, and raw power, fun is the secret sauce.

Now if we could just get a little better defense and a manager who doesn’t treat the bullpen like a game of spin-the-bottle, we’d be set.

But hey, Ruth didn’t need perfection. He just needed a bat—and a little belief.

So do we.

HALL OF FAME 2020 COULD BE A ONE-MAN SHOW

I don't understand how some people can say baseball is boring. There's so much strategy and I love how things can change in a game faster than you can blink. All of the walk off home runs or the unbelievable plays and the pitchers duels keep me interested. Then there's also just the human interest side of it. We all have our favorite players, Mariano Rivera was mine. I loved watching him play and I loved watching him get inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame this weekend. But have we just seen the most interesting Hall of Fame class for years to come?

It's been fun to watch all of these new names be added to Cooperstown recently. In the last 6 years, the Hall has been working overtime making new bronze plaques for their 29 new additions. That's more guys added to the Hall in the last decade without including the 17 Negro Leaguers that were inducted back in 2006. So, can the trend continue?

It doesn't look likely. According to baseball reference HERE the 2020 potential Hall of Fame Ballots there could be fewer bronze plaques being made not only for next season, but for a few years to come. Looking ahead to next year's first year eligible players include: Bobby Abreu, Jason Giambi, Cliff Lee, Josh Beckett, Eric Chavez, Alfonso Soriano, Adam Dunn, Paul Konerko and Derek Jeter.

The biggest name on the list goes without saying, and that's Derek Jeter. The rest of the guys on the list for the first time were all good players, but even media outlets like Newsday are wondering.....could Derek Jeter be the only one inducted into Cooperstown next year? Could it be unanimous? Rivera was the first to get a unanimous vote, could Jeter be the second?

The first year ballots are not as exciting as recent years so that theoretically opens the door for players returning to the ballot to possibly earn extra votes. But would they get enough votes? The player with the highest votes from last year is Mr. Controversial Curt Schilling with 64.7% of the votes. After some stupid and racist comments back in 2015 and 2016 that hurt his votes he has won back a surprising number of votes the last couple of years which has inched him closer to the needed 75% to be voted in.

So whether you like Schilling or not, the smaller pool of eligible players may help him get voted into Cooperstown. His eventual election into Hall of Fame looks like it is getting more likely. He may not get in next year, but he may get in by 2021 which is his ninth year on the ballot.

The upcoming first year players through 2023 look pretty uninteresting compared to recent years. We could see very small classes for the foreseeable future. Is Jeter the only inductee next season? It will be interesting to see how many votes Jeter does get, and if anyone else shares the stage with him.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

TORRES OUT! HIGGY IS SO IN!

Photo: Getty Images

Devastating blow to the Yankees with the DL move for Gleyber Torres.  Kind of sucks.

ESPN writes:

Photo: SI.com

"Gleyber Torres was placed on the 10-day disabled list Wednesday afternoon after an MRI revealed he had a right hip strain. Torres will officially begin the DL stint during the Yankees' off day Thursday, as team officials continue to talk through making a corresponding roster move ahead of a three-city road trip starting Friday in Toronto.

The injury, which forced Torres out of Wednesday's 6-2 win over the Atlanta Braves, was initially believed to be an aggravation of some "tightness" that had nagged Torres earlier this week. 

'We're hoping it's a short stint,' Yankees manager Aaron Boone said."

Photo: Getty Images

On one side of the coin, it stinks and you hope he gets back 100%.  A bum hip is nothing to brush off. Meanwhile, our temp catcher is having a pretty good time at the plate and so, that's makes the Torres injury alittle softer of a blow. The New York Post writes:

Photo: Getty Images

"Following a franchise-worst 0-for-22 skid to begin Higashioka’s major league career, the Yankees’ third-string catcher joined the better side of team history Wednesday in The Bronx by becoming the second Yankee to hit three home runs in the first three hits of his career.With a solo shot in a 6-2 win over the Braves, Higashioka joined Alfonso Soriano (1999-2000) as the only players in team history to accomplish the feat. Higashioka also became the first player in the majors to do so since Colorado’s Trevor Story in 2016."

In baseball... good things come to the patient ones.

Get well soon Gleyber.  Welcome to the bigs, Higgy.

A GOOD, YET CONTROVERSIAL RUN WITH NEW BEGINNINGS

You either love Alex Rodriguez or hate him.  There is no in between. I have never been quite fond of the man, but appreciated his talent very much.  Many believe that his talent was artificial for all of his career.  I do not.  But for that run that we know was made up of PEDs, I hated every bit about it, much like I did for Barry Bonds. And yes, I'm speculating, but that's the world MLB has become now.  My honest feeling on these 2 men is that they never needed the extra help. They were special, talented players.  Alex is a very special player... but he just can't play well anymore.

Alex had a press conference today and now the world knows what happens next. He will retire. His last game being August 12th. He will stay a 'Yankee' in an advisory role after that, because let's face it. He may not have common sense, but he does have an incredible baseball mind.  But does it mean exactly? I means after the 12th, he goes home.  His new role begins next Spring Training where he will work with and mentor our minor leaguers.  Ultimately it's a terrific idea and move by the Yankees and Alex Rodriguez.

Look, Alex just wasn't playing and wasn't playing well if he did. The guy was hogging up a roster spot.  Now he can be a mentor to our young players and still be part of the team.  The Yankees didn't like what ARod did with PEDs, but they respect his mind. They respect his drive, and now he will be part of the team in a new role.  It's an important role, one that can help the Yankees move further in the future.

It's been an interesting run, hasn't it?  As Yankee fans, there was some form of excitement when Alex was traded to the Yankees for Alfonso Soriano all those years ago.  But with that signing, there was controversy.  He was the richest player ever... and known as a selfish player and George Steinbrenner appeared to be swindled.  But for me, I knew exactly what the Yankee machine was doing.  They wanted him, the top player in baseball to re-gain the all time Home run title and with that, bring it back to the New York Yankees.  Merchandising... marketing... a Yankee crown an all-time record again.  Yes, that was the plan, but that just didn't pan out.

Instead, we got a guy that was outed for using PEDs by Selena Roberts, an admission on ESPN, and after that, the spotlight was forever on this man until he was then suspended for a full season in 2014 by Bud Selig.

Meanwhile, at the same time, Selig's hugging David Ortiz... a Alex Rodriguez friend, and known PEDs user as well.  Sure, 2003 didn't count under the MLB rules... but you don't get on a PEDs list if you're not using... and I think that's why I started to back ARod alittle more.  No, I'm still not a big Alex fan, but you don't do to one what you wouldn't do to another.  You know what I mean?

Whatever the case, fair or not fair, Alex Rodriguez is a good teammate and always a smart player.  His co-workers liked him always have said so. They've called him "real" and "fun" and had the most incredible work ethic they have ever seen.  He worked hard after his suspension in 2014 to prove to the Yankee fan base that he was sorry, and had a very good 2015.  But not too many people remember that he slowed down considerably in the second half of that season, and now, in 2016, he was reduced to a pretty expensive bench player that doesn't see many at bats.

Many speculated it was over then. That the Yankees would release him, that he should just retire. My buddy suggested that having a year off in 2014 brought a much needed rest to Alex and that's why the first half of 2015 was extraordinary.  Thinking it through... it makes perfect sense, because right now... the guy's got nothing, and the Yankees still need to pay him.

But now we have answers... Alex will no longer play for the Yankees after August 12th.  He'll help them build their future.  Many won't get this move, but the reality is, now another kid can come up and take the roster spot he no longer fills.  Moreover, the Yankees will still pay him until his contract runs out next year... and when it does, they will determine what to do next.  This gives the Yankees to justify spending all that money on this guy, instead of cutting him and "eating it."

In a season with a ton of turnover... it all makes sense.  The Yankees are changing... the Yankees are getting younger. The Yankees want to come back and win eventually... but not this season.  This is the turnover season, the re-build, and more will come soon.  But with Alex and Tex and others soon to be off the Yankee books, we can now move forward, with no controversy, with Alex Rodriguez helping with his mind, not with his bat.

There were good times... and very dark times with Alex Rodriguez as a player.  But in the end, he did his job for as long as he could, and yes, sometimes dirty... but in the end, there were fun and exciting moments featuring Alex in pinstripes, and right now, those are the ones I choose to remember.

Alex may not have been a true Yankee, but he was a good Yankee. Unfortunately, sometimes with the  "good" comes the "bad"... and that defines Alex most.

Whatever the case, I wish Alex well in this new role.  It wasn't always pretty, but we won a championship with him carrying us on his shoulders, we had a few exciting moments, and he did the best he could.

But one important part of his Yankee career was this... he finally grew up. I appreciate that. This role proves that and this could be very exciting.

Good luck, friend. It's a good move, a smart one and despite the problems and controversy surrounding you, that's water under the bridge. 

Time to move forward.... let's do this.

I BET YOU CAN'T GUESS WHO IS BACK IN TAMPA....

It's the return of some familiar faces! Anytime I see the name Derek Jeter in the news I do a double take. I miss seeing Jeter on a baseball field. It is still weird not to see him out there playing but he was back in Tampa this week hanging out with the Yankees.

New Photo: Derek Jeter having dinner with some Yankees prospects last night in Tampa #derekjeter #jeter #tampa #sighting #re2pect #yankees

A photo posted by Derek Jeter Diehard Fan ⚾ (@derek_s_jeter) on Feb 16, 2016 at 5:05am PST

Captain's Camp started this week, and what's Captain's Camp without the Captain himself? It was the second year since his retirement that he went down to Tampa to spend time with the Yankees minor league kids. This camp started right after Jeter's retirement and is focused on teaching leaderships skills, integrity and of course a "team first" attitude. Who better to help mentor these kids then the Captain himself and the man who was the face of baseball? What a great way to shape and mold the next Yankee leader in the clubhouse. Just thinking about it gives me the chills!

It just goes to show you that even though he may be retired, he still does have baseball in his blood. It's nice to see him take time to continue to be a positive influence within the organization. Maybe one day, we will see the next great Captain being interviewed by YES Network and he will talk about his experience at this camp. These are the stories I wish we heard more about. The Derek Jeter we watched all the time as a player, is still doing and saying the same things even without wearing a uniform. Retirement has not changed Jeter and that is one reason why I will always admire this man. Baseball needs more men like him and maybe this camp will help inspire that.

I still believe that the next Captain is in the distant future, but if our next leader is in this camp, then I feel even better about the future outlook of this team. Jeter wasn't the only returning retired legend in the group Alfonso Soriano, Darryl Strawberry, CC Sabathia, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte even made appearances to spend time with the kids.

Speaking of Andy Pettitte, he threw batting practice to several players including Aaron Judge who hit a few long balls and impressed him. Pettitte enjoyed his time there so much he is trying to arrange another visit back to camp. When asked if he was coming back as a player though he quickly answered "no" so there will be no third comeback for Andy. Hey,  coming back as a special guest and pitching during training is better than nothing, right? It's nice to see him back involved with the organization, too. You can tell he still has that competitive drive and love for the organization.

It's a blast from the past this week for the minor leaguers. It makes me reminisce about my favorite memories watching the Core Four. I love the nostalgia here it brings back good feelings. Now, let's get Spring Training going!


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





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STARLIN CASTRO WEARS HIS PINSTRIPES!

It's the first images of Starlin Castro wearing his Yankee uniform top, and we have it here for you. Actually, YESNetwork.com put it out after Castro put it on  his Instagram...

#14 #14 #14

A photo posted by Starlin Castro (@starlincastro1324) on Dec 16, 2015 at 12:47pm PST

Here's the YES Network report:

"...Castro can be seen with a huge smile on his face as he sports the No. 14 jersey that he'll be wearing next year for New York. He's already had the chance to learn some of the nuances of the game from Alfonso Soriano on the Cubs, and voiced his reverence for Derek Jeter when the two met at the 2012 All-Star Game."

I gotta tell you, I'm pretty excited to see this guy play for us.More importantly, those sneakers appear to be pretty cool too.

Looking good Starlin!

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THE TOP 12 MOMENTS IN YANKEES HISTORY: PART 2

The Yankees are often referred to as the most storied sports franchise in history. They are definitely the most well-known and the one with the longest history of success. There are many moments in its history that defined the organization, flashpoints that many of us – both young and old – remember with fondness and excitement.

We decided that it would be worth taking a stroll down memory lane, and pick out some of the greatest moments in Yankees history. One thing is for sure – you are going to think we missed a few. That is one of the problems with going through such an exercise with such a wildly successful team – there are too many great moments. So, this is our view of the 12 greatest moments in Yankees history. We presented 12-7 to you in our last segment, and here is the top six.

6. Derek Jeter’s Last Game at Yankee Stadium

How can we not include this in our top 12? Is there anyone else in recent memory who had more flair for the dramatic than Derek Jeter did? He has been the iconic rally starter, the one guy you want at the plate when the game was on the line. He is sixth on the all-time list and leads the franchise in total hits with 3465. He has been in the middle of practically every major comeback the Yankees ever needed. Okay, I might be exaggerating a little. Nevertheless, it was only fitting that his last at-bat at Yankees Stadium with the game tied in the bottom of the ninth and a man on second. Seriously, did you think he WOULDN’T get a hit? It was an epic moment to cap off an epic career.

5. Chris Chambliss’ Walkoff Home Run, 1976 A.L. Championship

It was the first time the Yankees had made the playoffs in a dozen years. It was a back-and-forth battle for the entire 5-game series with the Royals. Just when the Yankees seemed to be on the brink of winning, George Brett hit a 3-run home run to tie it in the eighth. Chris Chambliss was on fire for the series, coming to the plate in the bottom of the ninth batting a solid .500. If it was me, I would have pitched around a .500 hitter. Instead, he got a fastball just over belt-high, and the rest is history.

4. The Thurman Munson Memorial Game

If you were a Yankee fan in 1979, there are two dates you will never forget. August 2 was the day we lost our Captain, Thurman Munson, to a tragic plane accident. The other was August 6, the day the Yankees buried the Captain, and went out and won one of the most dramatic games that I can remember. My memory of the game was that the announcers kept going back to stories about Munson. By the 6th inning, the Yankees were down 4-0 against the eventual American League Champion Baltimore Orioles, who had a tremendous team. In the bottom of the 7th, Bobby Murcer hit a 3-run home run on a line drive over the right field wall to bring the Yankees within one. Then, in heroic fashion, Murcer came up again in the bottom of the ninth to hit a walk off base hit and win the game. We didn’t win any championships that year, but this was a game that was deeply emotional for the Yankees and for the fans.

3. The 2001 World Series Walk-off Wins

A walk-off hit is always great. A walk-off hit in the World Series is epic. A walk-off hit in the World Series on consecutive nights is historic. The 2001 Yankees may not have been the greatest team in franchise history, but they were scrappy and they knew how to claw for a win. After dropping the first two in Arizona, they won the third game 2-1 in a hard-fought battle. Game 4 had the Diamondbacks up 3-1 in the bottom of the ninth with two outs when Tino Martinez hit a home run to tie it. In the bottom of the 10th, Mr. November – Derek Jeter – hit a homer over the right field wall to send the Stadium into hysteria and the Series into a 2-2 tie. The very next night, with the Yankees down 2-0 with 2 outs in the ninth, Scott Brosius hit a shot over the left field wall that sent the game into extras. In the 12th inning, with Chuck Knoblauch on second, Alfonso Soriano hit a base hit to right field to bring in the winning run.

2. The Night Louisiana Lightning Struck

Ron Guidry was having a tremendous season, and at that point in the season, he was 10-0. Looking for his 11th consecutive win, they were playing the California Angels. I remember this game quite well, as it was on a weekend and my dad let me stay up late to watch it with him. The Yankees jumped out to an early lead, but it was not the score that mattered. Batter after batter, Guidry was striking them out at a record pace. Every strikeout put up a new graphic with the strikeout count. When he passed the franchise record (it was 13 prior to the game), then the march began toward the MLB record. It was 19 at the time, and three pitchers had reached that pinnacle (Nolan Ryan, Steve Carlton, and Tom Seaver). He almost reached it, and even though there was a small sense of disappointment, we still follow the tradition established that night - standing up and cheering whenever one of our guys gets two strikes on a batter.

1. The Purchase of Babe Ruth’s Contract

Babe Ruth was the greatest hitter who ever lived, and who can argue that his joining the Yankees was probably the biggest contributor to the Yankees’ legacy. Following the 1919 season, the Red Sox owner ran into some financial pressure, and sold Ruth’s contract to the Yankees for $100,000. Aside from the Curse of the Bambino, this set off a chain of events that would establish the Yankees legacy of winning for decades later. Ruth’s manager in Boston was a man named Ed Barrow, who was quite bitter at losing Ruth. A year later, he joined the Yankees as the general manager, rejoining the phenom that he helped convert from pitcher to hitter. He quickly bought out contracts of strong players, brought them to the Yankees, and started the streak of World Series wins in the 1920’s. Barrow also brought over a man named Paul Krichell, who served as a coach and talent scout under him. Many consider Paul Krichell to be the greatest baseball scout who ever lived. His discoveries include Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, Phil Rizzuto, and Whitey Ford. When you think about the Yankees’ dominance from the 20’s through the early 60’s, a large part of it came from this.

So there you have it. I am sure there are some moments or accomplishments that you think should have been on the list. I will not argue with you – the Yankees make it tough to narrow down this kind of list. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed the trip down memory lane!

If you just stumbled onto us and didn't see part 1 yet, be sure to read: THE TOP 12 MOMENTS IN YANKEES HISTORY: PART 1.

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






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ALFONSO SORIANO MADE HIS DECISION...

It's being announced that Alfonso Soriano will retire.

According to the Associated Press:

"...he is retiring from the major leagues after a season in which he was released by the New York Yankees in July.

'I've lost the love and passion to play the game,' Soriano said in a radio interview Tuesday in his native Dominican Republic. 'Right now, my family is the most important thing... Although I consider myself in great shape, my mind is not focused on baseball.'" 

Lord knows when your hearts no longer in it... it's hard to come back.

I will miss Soriano.  I never liked the fact that he was traded years ago, but over all, the guy had a pretty good baseball career compiling 412 home runs, most of those came with the Cubs. Really great.  I loved Alfonso's sweet swing.

I'll never forget Sori's homer to put the Yankees in the lead in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series.  It was dramatic.  Too bad we didn't capitalize on it.


Good Luck Sori... you will be missed!

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HANDS OFF ICHIRO, METS!

Steve Kallas has a great piece the CBS site today, and while I appreciate, I would be devastated if Ichiro went to the Mets. It's something being suggested believe it or not.  That being said, we all know that if Ichiro doesn't want to be a part-time player, maybe going to Citi Field could work in his favor. I can't believe I just wrote that...

Kallas writes: "...While he’s not what he used to be, I believe that Ichiro has never received the respect he deserves from the Yankees, from the media and even from most fans. Before the season began, Yankee announcers on the YES Network talked about how Ichiro was being showcased for a possible trade. Even early in the season, the announcers talked about how Ichiro might be traded to another team that needed a center fielder.

At the time, given the makeup of the team and the high level that Ichiro was playing at, I could not believe that the Yankees would trade Ichiro. 

As discussed back then, with an old and/or injury-prone group of outfielders (Carlos Beltran, Jacoby Ellsbury, Brett Gardner and Alfonso Soriano) seemingly ahead of Ichiro, you didn’t have to know much to know that he would get an opportunity to play this past season..."

Some of this is true, but not all of it in my humble opinion.  The conversation about Ichiro being traded was a story that was created by the media, not by the New York Yankees.  As far as "respect", the Yankees like Ichiro, but they can't sign Ellsbury and Beltran for a ton of money and then have them ride the bench and favor Ichiro. Everyone knows that. It doesn't work that way.  Ichiro was in the best position he could be in because of the size of his contract as well as what he was able to offer to the club.  Guess what, 85% of Yankees fans, not the media, the FANS, knew that Ichiro would be playing a heck of a lot this past season because we all knew that Beltran would break down.  He did... and Ichiro was able to come up with 102 hits. Nice work.

But where are we now? Ichiro is no longer a New York Yankee. Could he be again? Damn, I hope so. But, it's also realistic to think that in 2015, Beltran would be healthy. 

While the Yankees would sit Beltran to rest him on certain days, playing Ichiro is something that will happen less.  That being said, Ichiro is a 4th outfielder in baseball these days and offering him a 2 year deal with the Yankees would be smart. Not only for Ichiro to collect 3000 hits, but for the marketing and promotion of the Yankees and their player.  They can throw around the fact that Ichiro is another "living legend" and he'll get 3000 in a Yankee uniform.  That's money in the bank and something the Yankees need to consider when they're negotiating his next contract offer.  Letting Ichiro walk to Queens to accomplish that feat is insane.  We're New York's team, not the Mets.

Kallas goes on: "... the Yankees should sign Ichiro to another two-year deal. He’s likely going to get 3,000 hits (he’s 156 away) in Major League Baseball, a stunning accomplishment for a guy who showed up in America at the age of 27. But the early tea leaves seem to read that the Yankees don’t want him back..." 

The tea leaves. Seriously? Let's be honest, the season just ended for New York. There is no indication that the Yankees DON'T want him back. That tea leaves line is bogus. Don't believe it. Besides, it's too early to suggest that.  Give it a month then let's talk.

More from Kallas about Ichiro and the Mets: "Wouldn’t it be good to have a future Hall of Famer in that locker room? Wouldn’t it be good to have a guy who has played 19 games in the postseason, and has batted .356 with a .400 OBP in those 19 games? As recently as 2012, Ichiro hit .353 with a .389 OBP for the Yankees in the playoffs."

Yes, Steve's right. For the Mets to try and swoop in and snag Ichiro would be smart, but who knows if he'd want to go to Queens. I guess money talks, but I don't see Ichi as that type of guy.  And it is possible ladies and gentlemen, that Ichiro could end up being in the same spot in Queens as he would be in the Bronx...a fourth outfielder.

Here's some truth' No one will take a 40 year outfielder to player full-time for their club. But the Yankees should keep him to pay for 2 more years for Ichi to be their 4th outfielder. It makes perfect sense for the club's sanity when it comes to OBP and for them financially if he can reach 3000 hits. 

Let's hope the Mets didn't read Kallas today.

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YANKEE UPGRADES & DOWNGRADES: PART ONE

The Position Players

In this our year of dwindling hopes and expectations, I thought what better time than to take a look at whether the Yankees have actually upgraded or downgraded with the acquisitions they’ve made.  Given their recent performance on the field, I think I know what overall conclusion I’ll come to, but I’m hoping that I’m wrong.

I’ll start at catcher.

Brian McCann was signed to a five-year deal and replaces Chris Stewart.  Last year Stewart was the epitome of futility at the plate (he hit .211) and behind it (he was second in passed balls with 12).

To date, McCann is hitting .238 with 13 home runs (Stewart had four) and has 8 passed balls while throwing out 43% of runners attempting to steal (Stewart had a 31% rate).  Given the increase in productivity as well as the better threat to throw runners out, I’ll label this acquisition an UPGRADE.

Let’s move to second base....

We started the season with Brian Roberts taking over for the richly departed Robinson Cano.  From the outset expectations were low, and Roberts pretty much met those.  He hit .237 and had a .974 fielding percentage.  That represented a significant drop in production from the position and there was only one label that could be given:  DOWNGRADE

When Roberts’ struggles appeared to be more permanent than temporary, GM Brian Cashman acquired Stephen Drew from the Red Sox and the Yankees declared that Drew would be their second baseman even though he had never played the position.

For whatever reason, many in media considered the Drew acquisition to be a much needed upgrade and had been calling for it from the moment the 2014 campaign began.

As a Yankee, Stephen Drew is hitting .154 and has a .947 fielding percentage at second base.  Sorry, but I’m failing to see where the upgrade occurred.  I’m labeling the Drew experiment a DOWNGRADE from Roberts (didn’t think that was even possible).

At third base we started the year with a combination of Yangervis Solarte and Kelly Johnson.  They were taking the hot corner over from the suspended Alex Rodriguez.  Solarte began the season on fire, and for a few brief weeks excitement grew over the possibility of his future in the Bronx.  Johnson, a multi-positional player, hit for a low average and struck out once every four at-bats.  Eventually Solarte cooled off and Johnson never really got going.  By the end of July both were traded elsewhere (Johnson to the Red Sox for Drew, Solarte to the Padres).  As much as I hate to do it, I’ll label this position another DOWNGRADE from Rodriguez to the collection of players that manned the position through July of this season.

At the end of July, the Yankees traded Solarte to the San Diego Padres for Chase Headley.  For a few years the Yankees had admired Headley from a distance, and finally they found the right time and player to land him.

Since coming to the Yankees, Headley has hit .250 and played a flawless third base (he has yet to make an error in the field as a Bomber).  He has also been called upon to play first base in five games and has done it well.  As of right now, the Headley trade can be deemed a success, and I’ll consider it an UPGRADE over Johnson/Solarte.

In the outfield there has been a couple of major pieces added that we need to take a look at.

First, there is Jacoby Ellsbury.  The former Red Sox centerfielder was signed in the offseason by Brian Cashman to a seven-year deal.  While he takes over at center field for Brett Gardner, he really isn’t replacing Gardner.  Instead, the addition of Ellsbury allows “Gardy” to move back to the left field – a spot where three years ago he made himself one of the best. 

As center fielder for the Yankees, Ellsbury has hit .278 and stolen 31 bases.  In the field he has been nearly flawless (one error in 305 chances).   He is hitting .296 with runners in scoring position (RISP), leading the regulars on the team in that category.  Initially slotted to bat at the top of the order, his success coupled with Gardner’s has allowed manager Joe Girardi to put Ellsbury in the heart of the lineup. 

Even though he has an occasional “slump” at the plate, overall Jacoby’s play is solid and he gives the Yankees a much needed spark both in the order and in the field.  He is an UPGRADE over former Yankees star Alfonso Soriano (who played left field until Gardner could move there).

In 2013, Ichiro Suzuki was the primary right fielder for the Yankees, with occasional starts from the likes of Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay, Ben Francisco et al.  Overall Ichiro hit .262 and played decently in the field, but he isn’t what he once was.  This offseason Cashman signed Carlos Beltran to a three-year deal.   At 37, Beltran is not much younger than Suzuki (he’s 40) and certainly not as durable.  He has managed to play in 85 games (of 118) and continues to be bothered by various aches and pains.  When Beltran rests, Ichiro has occupied right field and hit .277.  You’ll never have to worry about Ichiro missing time to injury – he keeps himself prepared to play at any time.

While the potential is there for Beltran to be an upgrade on the position, to date I have to label it as yet another DOWNGRADE as he has not lived up to expectations.  Quite honestly, given his age, he may never be what Cashman envisioned.  His best days are behind him.

Overall, the reviews are mixed as to whether GM Cashman has really upgraded this team.  From an everyday player perspective, it would appear he has not.  The slight upgrades at catcher and third base are more than off-set by downgrades at second base alone.  In our next article, we’ll take a look at the UPGRADES/DOWNGRADES in the pitching staff.

Let us know your opinion!  Do you agree or disagree with our assessment?  We want to hear from you!

    

--Steve Skinner, BYB Senior Writer
Twitter: @oswegos1


 
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