I GUESS WE NEED A TIME MACHINE...

This might be the dumbest non-nugget of the past 24 hours... and it comes from Jon Heyman among others:

Here's Heyman:

"Brandon Phillips will be a National if his deal can be completed, and there's no reason he shouldn't approve a trade to a contending team with a manager he loves in Dusty Baker. But he's turned down opportunities to leave the Reds before (the Yankees two years ago)."

Why does anyone care about what did or didn't happen 2 years ago? Why? More importantly, I'm not sure what's worse, Heyman throwing that non-nugget out there, or RAB doing a full story about it. There are other things to write about. These folks are better than that.

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HOMER'S ODYSSEY: BAILEY BRONX BUZZ BLAZING

Trade winds have picked up more power than the Polar Vortex in New York these days. Homer Bailey is the latest nom du jour. The interwebz are ablaze with Bailey buzz. 

"We’re not trading (Homer Bailey.) We’re trying to sign him." 

That was Reds GM Walt Jocketty regarding this whole situation. But that was last month. Specifically, it was last December 11th. But much has changed in a very short amount of time.

Since then, the Yankees have turned down Cincinnati’s Brandon Phillips offer. Adding to the mix, Bailey is up for arbitration on January 14th, and the Reds are notorious for avoiding talks of this kind with players. Now, Cincinnati is considering moving salary to re-sign Bronson Arroyo. Bailey could be on the move.

The 27 year old Bailey would be far more desirable a starter than Bronson Arroyo, still languishing in the Free Agent Pool. For starters, the potential for development is much greater in Bailey. He is nine years younger than the 36 year old Arroyo, and an experienced young arm to go with Ivan Nova would fill a great need in the Yankees’ rotation.

Money-wise, Arroyo would be looking for something in the range of 2 years for $20-25 million. Bailey would be cheaper of course, and as he’s eligible for Free Agency in 2015, a good year from him would seem to be in the cards.

When it comes to their stats, Arroyo and Bailey are almost even. Bronson had an ERA of 3.79 last season, and went 14-12. Homer is comparable, with a better ERA of 3.49, his career best, and going 11-12.

Homer Bailey would appear to be the better deal from these angles. He’s younger, cheaper, due for a good year, and comparable in ability to Bronson Arroyo. Not to mention he has thrown two MLB no-hitters, one on July 2nd of last year, against the San Francisco Giants.

What this will probably cost the Bronx to get Bailey is Brett Gardner. His name was included in the failed Phillips deal, and the Reds still covet him. While this writer would prefer to hold on to Brett, the addition of Bailey would be a boon for the Yankees’ rotation. And it’s not like New York can’t spare any outfielders, after all.

For the most part, these trade rumors are just, well, rumors. But there might be some meat to this one. This site will keep an eye on things, so keep an eye on us. BYB readers are the most well informed Yankee fans for a reason.

To be continued?


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


Thank you to all the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers for continued success.  You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in the history of Yankees fandom.  Thanks for reading, sharing and enjoying. Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.

BRETT GARDNER FOR BRANDON PHILLIPS TRADE REJECTED!

Many love Brett Gardner.  Many would rather see Ichiro Suzuki be traded instead.  I am not one of those people because I am an Ichiro fan.  That being said, it makes sense to me that more teams are interested in Brett Gardner because he's younger, a lead off guy and plays well defensively in the outfield.  He has a better trade value. I'm not telling you anything you don't already know... it's obvious.

People are been asking me my opinion about whether or not Brett will be traded.  I believe he will be. I base that on the fact that the Yankees usually tell the public what they won't do, only to do it later.  They stated they wouldn't trade Brett, but I believe if the personnel on the other end is what they need and want, they will.  It's business.

I've been asked about the Brandon Phillips rumor all week.  Him, playing second base for the Yankees and whether or not Brett would be traded to the Reds for him. It was quiet, until tonight.  Tonight, there is a nugget.  Check it out. According to CBSSports.com,

"...the Reds offered Phillips to the Yankees for Brett Gardner, but were rejected. At some point before the offer was made, Phillips asked the Reds to open up his contract to add more money. Phillips does have a no-trade clause.

 Yankees GM Brian Cashman told reporters at the Winter Meetings he has no intention of trading Gardner but will listen to offers out of due diligence. The team does have some interest in Phillips according to Heyman, but obviously at a lower price. New York needs a second baseman following the defection of Robinson Cano and Gardner is more easily tradeable following the Jacoby Ellsbury signing."

So that's the update and now we'll see if perhaps the Yankees can still try to obtain Phillips for maybe a different player. But look... I'm going to bed... wake me if something happens.

Thank you to all the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers for continued success.  You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in the history of Yankees fandom.  Thanks for reading, sharing and enjoying. Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.

FIRST INFANTE, NOW BRANDON PHILLIPS

I never take these stories too seriously, especially when it comes from Heyman.  Now, don't get me wrong, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com gets alot right, but when it comes to the mild chaos of whether or not Robinson Cano will re-sign in Yankeeland, any story involving a player the Yankees are looking at at second base makes it seem like there's about to be a change in that position. Bottom line, we don't know, and we shouldn't panic.  I did find the idea interesting though...

Heyman writes: "The Yankees, looking to set themselves up in case star second baseman Robinson Cano signs elsewhere, have checked in with the Reds regarding Brandon Phillips and also asked about free-agent second baseman Omar Infante.

Phillips is said to be available in the right trade, but word is, the initial price is way too steep."

And that's the key to the whole piece that makes it a non-story.  The "price is way too steep."  Sure, the idea that the Yanks asked about Phillips is interesting... but there's nothing more to it in my opinion.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share... that is all.

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: CHRIS DICKERSON

Bleeding Yankee Blue tries to reach out to Yankee players past and present.  Sometimes it ain’t easy. Sometimes players get busy, or we get busy and we can’t connect.  Unfortunately we missed Chris Dickerson in pinstripes, but that doesn’t make him the enemy or anything.  Dickerson is one of the good guys. Much like Francisco Cervelli or Laura Posada, there is constant contact with the dude, who admitted he reads BYB, “when it’s about him.” It’s a joke… kind of.

The reality is, Chris Dickerson is a guy we always liked here, and we can tell by our readership that you guys like him as well.  Now, months later he’s a Baltimore Oriole.  That being said, I still needed to chat with him, about baseball and about his foundation he co-founded with baseball peer Jack Cassel.  The foundation is called Players for the Planet and it's about giving back and helping to make smart choices to protect the environment.  Pretty smart idea and I like what it's all about. 

So here it is. Our interview wiith Chris Dickerson.  Enjoy this, I did.

BYB: You came to the Yankees in from the Milwaukee Brewers and became a fan favorite while you were in the Bronx.  What’s the difference between the Yankees clubhouse and the one you're with now, the Baltimore Orioles?

Chris Dickerson: A fan favorite? Interesting! I had no clue, but that's great to hear! There's not much of a difference really. There's ton of talent in both clubhouses with a lot of energetic and charismatic personalities that go about their business each and everyday like true professionals. Both are great atmospheres to be in.

BYB: Tell me what you loved most about the New York Yankee fans?

Chris Dickerson: That's a tough one, honestly I think my love for the Yankee fans is deep rooted. My mom's side of the family is from NY, my grandfather was a NYPD detective for 30 years. My mom was born in Brooklyn and my grandfather took me to my first Yankee game when I was 6, and went every summer I came to visit. They lived in Queens… and no, we never bothered to go see the Mets.

I admire the Yankee fans for their dedication, their passion and involvement in the game. It's a true team of generations much like English football.  The obsession and intense dedication is passed down from generation to generation and have New York families that literally live and die by the Yankees. and of course THE BLEACHER CREATURES!  So awesome!  They provide an experience like no other each and every game and every time I played right or started a game, going through roll call was a truly memorable experience. 

I wish I could have stayed around a bit longer so I could have come up with a better salute, something cool like Gardy or Grandys!

BYB: What's the first thing you notice about playing for a guy like Buck Showalter with the Orioles now?

Chris Dickerson: True player's manager. Dead serious, intense, a wealth of baseball knowledge. Plus, he’s willing to think outside the box and is quite the comedian at times from what I can tell which is great during spring training.

BYB: Describe the day you officially made it to your first pro team, the Cincinnati Reds in 2008. What do you remember most?

Chris Dickerson: A day like that is so vivid and ingrained in your memory, that it's hard not to remember exactly how your heart felt when your manager comes and tells you that you're headed to the big leagues.  It was an ordinary day for me, we had just finished batting practice and I was doing my usual routine that year which was reviewing environmental articles and putting together a business plan/mission statement for Players for the Planet, so I would always be on my laptop and eating my pre-game meal.  The manager, Rick Sweet came into the lounge and yelled at me to "get the hell off your goddamn computer (straight faced)....(smirk) Pack your stuff! Congrats!  You're going to the big leagues" (cue the applause.)

Naturally you go and tell every one of your family members and friends, make a mad dash home and pack. Next thing you know, I'm headed to Pittsburgh that night and starting in left field in the lead off spot. My first AB I was so nervous, my back foot and leg were shaking uncontrollably. Luckily I walked and stole second, went to third on the over throw and scored on a Brandon Phillips home run. 2 at bats later, I doubled for my first MLB hit. Welcome to the big leagues!

BYB: Who did you immediately latch onto on the Yankees team in 2011 and why?

Chris Dickerson: Immediately, Curtis Granderson. He has been such a great player and someone I’ve admired for his efforts on and off the field.  He is a true ambassador of the game of baseball and for his community efforts. He’s really accessible and friendly and people typically gravitate towards people who are similar to their own personalities. He just happened to be a helluva lot cooler than I expected and is one of my closest friends today.

BYB:  Growing up, you did you idolize in baseball, Yankee or non-Yankee and why?

Chris Dickerson: Ken Griffey Jr. is definitely the single most influential athlete for me. Probably in any sport. There was no one athlete in any sport that I tried to mimic and replicate more and  I used to go out in the backyard and try to rob home runs over the fence like him, throw like him, run like him, and developed the type of kamikaze outfield play that I have now. I tried to hit like him but that ended up never catching on.  My parents knew this and was the only reason exception to staying up late is to finish watching one of his games or if they went into extra innings on the east coast.  Then, getting the chance to be in the same big league camp with Griffey was surreal and it took me almost 2 years to get enough courage to talk to him.

I did a home run contest for SoCal High School Skills Competition and flipped my hat backwards just like he did in Home run Derbys. After awhile, it was hard to escape because we both have the same build and body type. I played center, hit and threw left handed so opposing teams would wear me out about being a Wanna-be Griffey, even though I hit nothing like him. He's the greatest in my book and I don't think there will ever be a player to have such an impact on an entire generation of players.

BYB: Tell me about your foundation Players for the Planet?

Chris Dickerson: Along with Jack Cassel, I am the co-founder of Players for the Planet. We bring professional athletes together to help inspire cities, communities to build awareness of a growing environmental crisis in America.  I feel like I am at that point in my life where it is time to do something positive, not for myself, not for a select group of people but rather try my hand at the global community. I want to be the one to step up to the plate and make the issue of Global Warming a concern that doesn’t just reside in the back of our minds, but it is brought to the forefront of our reality. Although everyone is aware, I feel there needs to be a sense of urgency among all Americans.   There's so much happening with Players for the Planet right now.

BYB: If there is one thing you can tell kids out there who want to make it to the pros, but are frustrated as they try and climb the ladder?

Chris Dickerson:  Believing in your abilities and giving a FULL commitment to each task is very important. One of my biggest things in the off season is to make visits to my High School baseball team and make sure they know the importance of putting forth their best effort, both in the classroom and on the field.

BYB: Do you read Bleeding Yankee Blue? If so, what do you think?

Chris Dickerson: I do… when I get an awesome article about me tweeted! 

Hey, at least he’s honest, right folks?  To date, and we’ve done a ton of amazing interviews with Yankees and non-Yankees here… this interview with Chris Dickerson may be the most entertaining!  Chris, you’re busy as hell and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time.  You da man! Good luck.

LET'S GET "REAL" BETWEEN PLAYERS & FANS AGAIN

(In Photo: Lou Gehrig playing baseball with kids)

Back when I was a kid, it was a big deal to get an autograph, but nearly impossible because around that time, the 1980’s, something was starting to happen between the players and the fans, a separation.  Now, in this day and age, there is a significant divide, almost like we’re looking at players through cages longing for a moment or signature with them.  Only a few get it and the ones that do today sell them on eBay.  None of this makes sense to me, what the hell happened?

Suzie Pinstripe wrote a brilliant piece titled CONNECTION ISN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE and it opened my eyes and many others to something I’ve started to notice over the years.  Sure, we’re still fans and sure, we still root for our guys like crazy, but if you truly want a piece of signed memorabilia and you’d like to personally witness the event happen, you need to go to a card signing and stand in line for hours and hope you meet the player before being whisked away by his “people” so they can keep the line moving.  I’ve been there, I get it, but there are too many cooks in the kitchen these days. There are too many layers and much less interaction with the players. I long for the "old days."

I love watching the video of the Yankee championships when we’d lock up a World Series of playoff series and the fans would dart onto the field.  Sure it was dangerous as hell, but it was real.  Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record and I specifically remember seeing a guy run out on the field to pat Hank on the back. Remember, that was at the height of Aaron getting threatened because he was black and about to break a white man’s record.   

In the end, he was embraced by that white fan who patted him on the back. I always found that moment to be ironic.  Again, that was real.

It changed though and fans can’t run on the field anymore. Fans can't walk on the field of Yankee stadium out to the monuments to exit the park after the game.  All that is gone.  But what about when Babe Ruth used to just sit with kids and chat it up?  Sure, it was as photo op, but it was still real.  What about my friend Bonnie who used to babysit for Mickey Mantle’s kids when he lived in the suburbs of New Jersey.  And what about when you could just sit there and wait for players to sign a card for you before a game, and the players stuck around and did it... maybe even interacted with you. Remember that?  I told you once before in WHAT YANKEE BASEBALL MEANS TO ME, about when I was a kid and Gary Ward, a new Yankee in 1987 walked up and signed a baseball card for me. 

I became an instant fan, not because he was the next Mickey Mantle, but because he took a moment to interact with the fans.  Gary Ward of all people, and I still cherish that baseball card all these years later.

Times have changed haven’t they? Everyone’s getting a piece, except for the fan.  Am I faulting anyone? No.  It’s big business now, bigger than ever and these are big athletes, but so were Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle.  Hey, you know what I’d like to see happen and maybe even start a trend? I’d like players to just “show up.” Let's get back to these players being real again.   We just saw it with CC Sabathia and his wife Amber were in Hoboken to help rebuild for people who lost everything in Hurricane Sandy.   

You may have heard of the story of Brandon Phillips just showing up at a little league game because one of the players asked him to on Twitter, read HERE.  It’s real…  and our kids will never see this unless the players break away from the structure and big business and just do it because they want to thank the fans.  

So I say, I hope more of these players follow in those footsteps and give it a shot!

Look, we're going to keep banging this drum.  It’s important to the fans and it’s something that’s important to us here at Bleeding Yankee Blue.  Maybe we can open the eyes of some of these players, for the better of the game, after all, it could be fun...it could be real again.

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YANKEE LEGENDS & WIFFLE BALL

If it’s not Little League, it’s wiffle ball, probably one of the greatest yard games ever. The ball doesn’t travel as far as a baseball when you hit it, but there is something about a wiffle ball hit and watching the ball travel that just screams “childhood” all over again.

My son is a baseball animal. It’s all he wants to do. If he’s not playing in an organized game, he’s throwing up a wiffle ball in the backyard and cranking it across the yard. On Christmas, there was a sale at Modell’s, a Yankee sponsor. I bought my kid 12 wiffle balls and a Junk ball bat. When March hit. he got the fever for baseball after a long winter’s nap. He was out there and started cranking them over the fence. He has 1 left. They’re stuck in the evergreen trees, they rolled down the street and into the sewer, and he cranked a few across to the neighbor's yard with what he calls his “power swing.” I just can’t keep up.

Now he has a new thing, baseball stances. You’ve seen the guy on Youtube that imitates the players stances of the Yankees players, right? My son has Robinson Cano down, plus, he can stand there like David Ortiz or even do his best Brandon Phillips. He’s a child baseball scholar at this point. I made a suggestion. Let’s watch video of the greats. We watched Yogi Berra and Reggie Jackson and now he’s trying to perfect them as well. I nicknamed my son “The Show” because as his fall ball league is starting and he’s standing in the batter’s box, he’ll give me a look for a moment and then it’s my chance to figure out what stance he’s doing at that at bat. He’s quizzing me; the freaking kid is quizzing me as I sit in the stands, it’s hilarious.

Yesterday, we were in the backyard hitting wiffle balls. He stood in the worn out dirt spot in the yard and said “Who’s this?” Now, my son is lefty. He stood in the imaginary box, and swung the bat straight through the zone about 3 times and the barrel of the bat pointed at me at the end of each practice swing. He then lifted his back elbow up alittle, the bat was alittle higher than normal and he had some slight movement. His right leg was out a bit and it all looked pretty familiar, but I couldn’t place it. “Who?”, I said. “Paul O’Neill.” I got chills.

I was proud at that moment. Paul O’Neill is probably the most exciting Yankee to watch over the years and being part of 4 World Championship Yankee teams, it hit me, my son has never actually seen Paul O’Neill play. What’s my point? Baseball greats carry over from generation to generation in such a powerful way because, the bottom line is, everybody loves a winner. So, it looks like I’ll be picking up a #21 Jersey this Christmas.

A salute to "The Warrior". Your influence has translated to a 9 year old kid in suburbia USA in 2011. Warrior... meet "The Show."

You can’t beat that... you really can’t.

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