REAL TALK OF A DEFENSIVE UPGRADE AT THIRD FOR THE YANKEES

Can someone check the calendar? Because it’s July, and somehow we’re still having the same “Yankees need to upgrade the infield” conversation we had back in March. At this point, it’s not just a roster flaw—it’s a running gag. The front office knows it. The fans know it. Your grandma probably knows it. But instead of fixing it, the Yankees are stuck in this weird holding pattern, trying to squeeze the last few drops of usefulness out of DJ LeMahieu and giving Oswald Peraza just enough playing time to keep his baseball instincts from evaporating.

It’s a sad state of affairs when the media is doing a better job identifying this team’s needs than the decision-makers in the Bronx. Honestly, just let Peraza play consistently already. Yeah, his bat hasn’t exploded yet, but that comes with reps. Give him a real shot—sink or swim. Worst case? He hits like Austin Wells, who somehow still punches in every day despite an OPS that screams “bench me.” I swear, if I have to watch Wells flail through one more lifeless at-bat, I’m filing a formal complaint. .217 and counting. It’s pathetic.

Now the rumor mill is cranking again, and here comes a familiar name: Ke’Bryan Hayes. The Pirates third baseman is back on the Yankees' radar, and I’ll admit—it’s intriguing. Defensively, he’s a freak. Human vacuum cleaner at third. Gold Glover.

 

Leads all third basemen in Defensive Runs Saved. If defense wins championships, this dude’s a cornerstone.

But then you look at his bat... yikes. His OPS is hanging out in the basement with Austin Wells’ batting average. You can't ignore that. The Yankees already have enough offensive black holes—do they really need another?

Still, you can’t deny Hayes fits a real need. He’d shore up the left side of the infield like concrete, and there’s a sweet sentimental angle too—his dad is Charlie Hayes, the same Charlie who caught the final out of the ’96 World Series. That’s baseball poetry. Between Ke’Bryan and Cody Bellinger, this could be a “sons of Yankees legends” summer revival tour.

The Pirates might bite if the Yankees dangle enough juicy prospects. The question is—does Cashman have the stones to make a real move? Or are we just going to keep patching holes and praying for miracles? Or do we just stay?

Yankees fans are out here watching the same broken record spin on repeat. It’s time for action. Time to stop pretending the infield is “fine.” It’s not. Make the trade. Shake things up. And for the love of Mo, stop playing Austin Wells. 

REAL TALK! WE HAVE A NEW NAME TO REPLACE DJ LEMAHIEU

What I feared would happen, did happen and it is unfortunate. It didn't take long for another injury bug to bite DJ LeMahieu. Only the second at-bat of spring and he has a calf injury. I swear if he didn't have bad luck, he would have no luck at all.

 I have been worried that the Yankees would rely on DJ to be healthy and just go into the season with the plan that he would be the everyday third basemen, read LATEST BOONE BABBLE MEANS THE YANKEES HAVE PICKED THEIR THIRD BASEMAN. We knew it was risky given his injury history and here we are. So now what? That's a really good question.

The media is all over this competition between Oswald Peraza and Oswaldo Cabrera, but I'm not sold on either of this for an everyday option until DJ comes back. We don't know how long that will be and history shows that could be a LONG time. This is what I wanted to avoid. No offense to either of these guys, but I don't see Cabrera as an every day guy for us, he's more of a bench player and Peraza just isn't ready.

We've seen Cabrera and we know what his strengths and weaknesses are. Peraza on the other hand, he doesn't have the same amount of experience, and he's also out of minor league options. I think Peraza has a lot of potential, I'm just concerned with his plate discipline. He hasn't learned that patience at the plate is a virtue, he has a low 6.4% walk rate and high 29.6% chase rate. He's shown progress with the bat early in camp with a .333 BA, but that is a small sample size so far. We all know how fast that can change in a long season. I like how he's looked so far but.....have we seen enough to go all in?

I can't confidently say yes. So who else is out there? Ke'Bryan Hayes in Pittsburgh. I have to admit Michael Kay had an interesting idea on his show back in January, check it out HERE.

"Ke'Bryan Hayes is a defensive magician at third base," Kay said on Jan. 15. "His hitting is not what it should be, but he's obviously not happy in Pittsburgh. I talked to Charlie when the Yankees were in Pittsburgh a couple of years ago, and he was like scratching his head about some of the things they do in Pittsburgh with the hitters. Whatever the case may be, if I'm the Yankees, I'm calling the Pirates and go, 'What do you want?'"

Rumor has it, his father former MLB player himself, Charlie Hayes is not satisfied with his progression in Pittsburgh. Kay is right, Hayes hitting is not what is should be but maybe the Yankees can help him find his swing. He's defensively sound at third, so this could be a low risk high reward scenario. Maybe. Another plus for Hayes, he's affordable. He's owed $70 million between now and when he becomes a free agent in 2030. That's a long time of team control. It can't hurt for Brian Cashman to pick up the phone and just start the conversation.

At this point, the Yankees need to consider all alternatives, especially new blood. I wish things were different with DJ, he used to be a good hitter and an impact player for our team. We can't rely on ANYONE anymore and then hope things work out for the best. We can't wait around for DJ to be healthy again.....be smart Yankees.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

GIANTS WIN & A WORLD SERIES FOR THE AGES

We're Yankee fans here, and any series with the Yankees is amazing. This Royals, Giants series was pretty damn terrific though. Hugh props to many of the guys that did big things, but tonight it was all about Pablo Sandoval and Madison Bumgarner.  Simply amazing.

Tonight, the Giants won the World Series.  It was a tough fight.  The fans were totally into it in Kansas City and I give them a standing O for being so engaged.

The players played their hearts out... and the announcers were mildly annoying, but in the end, the best team won. That's right... I'm kind of over Erin Andrews too.

There isn't much more to say other than watching Sandoval catch that foul ball fly reminded me of Charlie Hayes in 1996.  And now...it's officially the off season and so, the Yankees will move forward and Yankee fans will look forward to any moves we're about to make.

I tip my cap to both the Royals and the Giants. You played the way the game should be played... with passion.

Congrats to the city of San Francisco... you have an incredible club.

Final: Giants 3 - Royals 2

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THE YANKEES HAVE WHAT IT TAKES IN 2013

We're all familiar with the expression "things look good on paper." I'm sure you heard that a million times. Well, in this case what seems to be on the Yankees paper may not seem so bad!  I know to many out there we look like we are headed down a long road come Monday when we open the 2013 season against Boston Red Sox. They don't look that good either, but that's another post for another day. 

The question becomes... Can the Yankees make the playoffs? The truth is... it's very possible. Yes, I say that knowingly we are starting the season with very important players to the line up that are on the DL.  But, this is not the time to count out our Boys... far from it folks. It's something we should be used to every year. Think about it... We weren't supposed to win the division last year either!  The Red Sox were favored to win the AL East and more, but we all know how that went.

We can go back to 1996 too. We had no shot then, but we proved the experts wrong that year. I remember the famous final catch by Charlie Hayes that sealed the deal. Truth be told, you can't predict baseball. No team has ever been handed the commissioner's trophy for making blockbuster moves in the off-season. That's a valid point... remember that.  If they did, there would be a motorcade in Toronto right now.  It's like that old cliche, "It's why you play the games." It's true and it's all 162 of them to be exact.  It's not going to be the last time that so-called "baseball experts" have the Yankees pinned to dwell the cellar in the standings. Another good point... and very true.

The Manager: We need to remember who commandeers the ship, the skipper Joe Girardi. I know, some can be objective to his managerial style. I heard it all. The binder remarks, the "over managing" strategy.  But are we forgetting that with the exception of 2008, we have made the postseason every year since. 2009. We have won our 27th title. In 2010 and 2012, we got as far as the ALCS under his tenure. Look, he doesn't have it easy when it comes to running this team, but it's my opinion that he did a heck of a job last year, and while he faces the same challenges now, he will find a way to hold this team together all the way through it. It's what good managers do. He has been a big part of the Yankees playoff hopes all this time, but hey, we only notice what the 9 players on the field are doing. Right?

The Pitching: Now comes the pitching part. I think our pitching is somewhat overlooked in all this. Why? Simple...because we are known as the "Bronx Bombers", not the "Bronx Chuckers". Our rotation isn't in bad shape. I feel confident with the ball being handed to CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Andy Pettitte, Ivan Nova and David Phelps. We've seen what they can do. They give us quality starts and keep us in games and do their best maintaining damage control. Same with the pen. Remember the bridge to Mariano that was Ramiro Mendoza, Mike Stanton and Jeff Nelson? Yeah, that seems so long ago, but we've always maintained the bridge and have always been successful.  Remember Joba Chamberlain, DRob and Rafael Soriano?  My point is, our bullpen can be solid, and I"ll will take my chances.

The Offense: Our offense is where we can really get concerned. In 2012, the Yankees hit a total of 245 home runs. Curtis Granderson was responsible for 43 of them. Mark Teixeira 24, and Alex Rodriguez with 18. With the 3 of them on the DL, you would think the strategy changes greatly for us to score runs in 2013. You're right, it does. To do that the "small ball" game has to come into play and it has to work! We all saw that there was an issue with RISP last year. We hope to see that at least fixed this year. Sure, we won 95 games, but we would have seen 100 + wins if there were less "ducks on the pond."  I know I'm crossing my fingers, but the line up going into this season isn't what we're normally used to. You know what? It doesn't matter, we'll find a way and I still have faith in my team. They will do what they can to put runs on the board.

The Division: It's clear that the Yankees play in the toughest division in all of baseball. Looking back to the off season, knowing the moves Toronto made, it won't be easy.  But, we've learned that anything can happen in baseball. Remember the Phillies getting Cliff Lee in 2011? The media said it was over, the Phillies were the best in baseball.  Wasn't true. It was the St Louis Cardinals that year.

I look at the run Baltimore had last year. Buck Showalter firing up his guys to win with a group of misfits...and it worked.  There's Tampa Bay, who has the pitching with David Price as the ace of the rotation and Fernando Rodney in the closer spot.  But can they be the offensive threat they used to be? Maybe... or maybe not.

Boston, much like New York, made small moves.  They picked up Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino, Jonny Gomes, and Ryan Dempster. They come into 2013 with many question marks as well. But with newly added manager John Farrell, a guy very well-liked in Boston, this could be a guy who can help patch up cracks in their roster. To me, the division is up for grabs, but I'll put money on our guys! I have confidence.

So, with everything I've written, the question still remains. Can the Yankees make the playoffs in 2013? Of course they can.  We all start 0-0 on April 1st, and I know this team can come together to be a contender much like any other team in the league!  We've been down this road before and many times we've seen this ball club overcome adversity. 

Guys like Kevin Youkilis, Vernon Wells, Travis Hafner, Brennan Boesch have a chance to be a big part of it. And you know what? I really don't think they want to waste that opportunity, do you?

Opening Day is tomorrow... Let's get ready to PLAY BALL!

-- Rudy Laurens, BYB Writer
Facebook: House of Champions



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THE MYSTERIOUS WORLD OF BRIAN CASHMAN

I’m now officially confused. 1 week ago, Brian Cashman made a joke about the Free Agent market and it not looking too good... OR, as he put it “It’s kind of like a baby pool. Kids pee in it.”, read HERE.  I understood what he was saying and what he was doing… he was being provocative as to say to the media, “Look, I don’t see a player that we could use, and so, we’re not going there.” OK… fine.

I’ve stated that life goes on in Yankeeland.  We have what we have and we just need to deal with it.  Try out a few guys at first, Juan Rivera, maybe Dan Johnson, move Kevin Youkilis over there, put Ronnier Mustelier at 3^rd. Basically, we do what we need to do and try to figure it all out.  It happens all the time with injuries with teams.  Then something weird happened.   Brian Cashman became nutty…and I say that in the most affectionate way possible.

These reports about Derrek Lee or Chipper Jones, or Scott Rolen are just mind boggling to me, read DERREK LEE, CHIPPER JONES OR FRED MCGRIFF? for that context.  I mean, it’s like Cashman doesn’t know what he wants to do either. I mean, am I right?  Is it possible that Brian Cashman would actually skip over the Free Agents left over, like Carlos Lee and Aubrey Huff and go straight to retired players and try to convince them to come out of retirement?  Derrek Lee? Chipper Jones? Hey, is Tony Clark available?

(In Photo: Glenallen Hill)
Hey, maybe we sign Glenallen Hill, throw him in the outfield and move Juan Rivera to first.  Jose Canseco is willing to play on the company softball team, maybe he’s available. The whole thing seems ridiculous.

My friend Mike said to me on Twitter this morning “What are the Yankees doing?”  The short answer is… I don’t know. The long answer is they are trying to get their bearings, moving things around, moving money around, saving when they can and most of all, going for the cheap alternative that can hopefully make a big splash quick and then, when their time is up, we send them home.  Sure, none of it makes sense to us, we’re Yankee fans. Many of us grew up with George and we got whatever the hell we wanted.  We’re spoiled, face it.  The hardest thing for us to do is understand this latest stunt by Cashman, and so, we don’t understand it and we become frustrated.

“Off with his head!”, some have screamed or written on Twitter of Brian Cashman.  Some suggest the broken ankle was karma for a crappy off-season.  I say this… let this whole thing play out.  I am pissed just like the rest of you. I don’t get it. But something is actually happening in the process…. The kids are playing and we’re seeing dudes like Zoilo Almonte and Ronnier Mustelier and Melky Mesa make a nice run this spring.  Ultimately, we’re going to see these guys at some point this season, maybe at the start, or later. Ultimately that's what we want anyway right?  So yeah, say we DO sign Derrek Lee temporarily and then Tex comes back.  No doubt we’ll have an injury down the road again from someone else and maybe we'll see Melky Mesa in July.  Then, maybe we make a trade for another veteran, and soon, maybe we bring up Ronnier Mustelier by August.  All I’m saying is, mixing up alittle veteran help with the kids may make for a brilliant formula… a formula for a championship team.

I often think about that 1996 team. A bunch of talent, mixed in with some veterans, some kids, and we won the whole damn thing!  Don’t forget, no one thought we had a chance under “Clueless Joe”, but we did it.  We did it with a guys named Charlie Hayes, and Mariano Duncan.  Old man Cecil Fielder was there and who could forget Luis Sojo.  The point is, we didn’t think those guys could do much either… but we did win it that year!

All I'm saying is, this is the mysterious world of Brian Cashman... but don’t panic yet Yankeeland.  It’s March 12^th, not September 12^th… we’re almost up to Opening Day.  Cash is just getting his team in order.  Let’s wait and see what we have before we get all nutty. Have faith. I know it's hard, but have faith.

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THE SECOND COMING OF DEREK JETER

I don't have to tell you just how devastated I was the night Derek Jeter fell to the ground in the playoffs.  I gasped... we all did.  At that moment, we all saw the writing on the wall.  It was over, our champion was down.

Combine that with this slow off-season and there hasn't been much to get happy about if you're a Yankee fan.  We all feel like the rug has been pulled out from under us ever since Jeter went down.  We're in a weird funk, so much so that I personally didn't even realize just how close we were to Pitchers & Catchers.  It's crazy to me to think that we've been in the month of January trying to blame everyone in Yankeeland for this lousy off season.... then, yesterday we got a truly great piece of news! Derek Jeter was not only taking batting practice, but he was in the field working on his glove work as well.  I mean, are you freaking kidding me?  How exciting is that?

According to the Associated Press (HERE), "Derek Jeter worked out on a baseball field Monday for the first time since breaking his left ankle last October.

The 38-year-old New York Yankees captain fielded 55 grounders on the grass in front of the infield dirt at shortstop at the team’s minor league complex. He also hit in a batting cage. 

'Everything went well,' Jeter said as he drove out of the complex."

Now, truth be told, Jeet could have a cast on his leg and he'll tell you he feels great, so reading a quote from him saying that everything went well almost seems like a throwaway line to me.  I don't care. I DO care that he's on the field and took a bunch of grounders.  That means a lot, trust me.

(In Photo: Matt Diaz)
It's a miracle and to be honest, it let's me forget about us signing guys like Matt Diaz... no offense to Matt Diaz by the way, but you know what I mean.

This is a big moment for Jeter and the Yankees.  You have to assume that Derek will work as hard as possible to get out there on Opening Day.  That's the precedent he has set for years and will put forward again right now.  Jeter knows what it means to be a New York Yankee. This is a guy that will hide an injury to play. Not because he's a selfish player, but because he knows his talent can help the club win.  He also knows the fans, Yankee brass and the world expects it.  It's values like that... combined with dedication, determination and pure blood and guts that make up Derek Jeter's entire career.  There is no one better. That's the damn truth.

Thinking about the lack of energy when it comes to Yankee brass and this off-season gets many of us down, but reading about Jeter yesterday really made me forget about all of it, because at the end of the day, guys who have only heard about Derek but never played with him will see something special if he's leading the charge.  Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, God willing, will all be there ready to go.  They are no spring chickens, that's for sure, but they are leaders that have been doing this since the beginning, as a team... as New York Yankees. They GET the Yankee way of doing things.  Throw in  Jorge Posada as a special instructor and we really have something going.  The Core Four will be back! Sure, only for a little while, but with them comes a different feeling if you're playing as their teammate... it's pride, it's confidence, it's the ability to try harder.  In the end, if these new players see Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera coming back from serious leg injuries like they did and they take the field ready to go... let's just say, no one will want to be left behind!  I no longer see no-name players anymore... now I see the light.  We CAN do this.

The Yankees breed champions.  We've heard it a thousand times, but something happens when you put on the pinstripes.  Don't believe me? Ask no-name Scott Brosius about that.  He was probably the worst Yankee pickup on paper. Yet, he became a huge part of that Yankees run in the late 1990's even winning the MVP in the 1998 Word Series.  Something happens when you put on the pinstripes.  Ask Charlie Hayes about that... how about Shane Spencer... or Hiroki Kuroda.

(In Photo: Russ Canzler)

My point is, who cares that Russ Canzler is joining us this season?  The pinstripes make players shine and with Jeter leading the charge, it is my estimation that new Yankee stars can be born in 2013.

Sure, on paper, we look like an OK club, and if we hit a good losing streak, Yankee brass will get hell, and they know it, but what if we don't? What if we win?  What if we win, not because we're lucky, but because no-name talent believe in themselves enough to scratch out an extra run or 2?  What if these guys we've been sarcastically ripping on actually start to believe they CAN do it all because an iconic legend, Derek Jeter says they should?  And I don't verbally, I mean physically.

When Jeter takes the field after an injury like that, wearing the pinstripes and holding the brim of his hat with a smile on his face, you can't sit there and tell me a player is going to think they CAN'T.  No.  They think they WILL.  Why? Because we have the greatest Captain that has ever graced Yankee Stadium and not only that... he's the best damn Captain in baseball.  We are damn lucky as fans and they are damn lucky as his teammates.  And hey, at the end of the day, the Yankees will do well, as long as our captain stands tall. Trust me on this, with Jeter there... there ain't nothing that can get in our way. I believe that.

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A YANKEE LOVE STORY REVISITED

I wrote this post last year and I'm reprinting it today just to bring alittle smile to people's faces.  This week has been exhausting. I pray for everyone who is dealing with trying to keep their family in order. Hopefully you smile... we could all use it right now. --Casey

On October 26, 1996 I woke up with one thing on my mind, the Yankees had an opportunity to clinch the World Series against the pesky Atlanta Braves in what was Joe Torre’s first year as Yankee manager. It was huge for me, because in that winter of 1995, the headlines creamed Joe Torre calling him “Clueless Joe” and it was George Steinbrenner that believed in Joe, no one else. The fans, well, we just wanted a winning season and at that moment, some of us were disappointed that Buck Showalter had to go, yet others thought we didn’t need him around because they felt he didn’t do enough against the Seattle Mariners in the 1995 playoffs. Me? I wanted change, but at the time I didn’t know what that meant.

My wife and I were still dating and it was about a year in and things were great, and slowly but surely she knew I was a Yankee fan. I tried to keep it cool, not fanatical in front of my babe, but just enough. It was about not overdoing it. As the Yankees advanced to the World Series, the cat was out of the bag, I was over-excited. It was huge, we were about to win it all!

So on that October morning, I remember I needed to get a few items at the store, drinks, food and I was planning my entire day around the Yankee game, a historic event. The last World Series the Yankees were in was 1981 against the Dodgers. This was huge for me, because I was able to attend Game 1 at the stadium. I was just a kid with my dad. The Yankees lost that World Series and I was crushed. Now, on October 26, 1996, I knew it wasn’t going to happen again.

“My family is going to a big Haunted House in New York. We should go with them…It should be fun,” She said. I felt my face getting flushed. I was in a dilemma right now and I didn’t know what to do. Do I fake a stomach ache? Do I say I need to go to work?

“Well the Yankees are on tonight, they could clinch.” I said, worried. “Don’t we have a VCR,? just tape it.” Yes, that’s right, VCR. For those of you that don’t know what that is, here is the official definition.

VCR: Electromechanical device that records, stores on a videotape cassette, and plays back on a TV set recorded images and sound. The first commercial VCRs were marketed by Sony Corp. in 1969. VCRs are used to record broadcast TV programs for later viewing and to play commercially recorded cassettes. They have from two to seven tape heads that read and inscribe video and audio tracks on magnetic tape. Home movies can be made with a camcorder system, a VCR connected to a simple video camera.

I caved. Look, you have to understand, she caught me off guard, she’s drop dead gorgeous and she was right, I just have to tape it bro. So I did. What the hell, we can go up to the Haunted House, knock it out and I’ll be back by the 8^th inning, why not? Piece of cake.

The ride up was nerve racking but I listened to the game in the car. While everyone was talking about fun we were about to have, I was worrying about Cecil Fielder, Derek Jeter and Charlie Hayes and whether or not we were going to win the damn game. We got to the Haunted House and the line was very very long. I shit myself. “My God, I think I just made a bad bad decision,” I thought. “I don’t even like to be scared, what the hell am I doing here?”

The line luckily had televisions throughout the barn we were walking through, so I saw pieces of the game, but it really just sucked to try and pay attention. The sound was down and people are drunk, walking through the line, talking about how great the haunted house will be. Well, it was great, for them. We got in and to tell you the truth, it’s not my cup of tea, people scaring you, midgets with fake chainsaws. I think there was a lady with no head, I’m not sure, but I swore I saw that as I ran out. 

At that point, I was happy. “Let’s go! I need to watch the World Series!” I walked quickly to the car and as I walked in the parking lot, 4 dudes were sitting their car with the door opened and the radio was blasting. Sterling was rattling off play by play with Kay. I realized at that moment, those guys were Yankee fans. I walked over to the car, “Move over,” I said and I sat in the back seat with these guys, I had no idea who they were. Then I heard Sterling scream when Hayes squeezed the foul ball “Hayes, MAKES the Catch!!" 

We high-fived each other and I was on my way. I got back in my car and my wife was laughing at me. “Did you know those guys from college or something?” She asked. “No.” I said smiling. “So who were they?” she asked. “Yankee fans, we just won the World Series.” She didn’t get it until we got home and I pressed rewind on the VCR. I watched the last inning. I watched Charlie Hayes catch the last out and I watched the celebration over and over and over again. Wade Boggs was on the horse, the champagne and I cried like a girl for hours by myself. My wife walked in around 2 am and saw me there in the dark watching the whole thing, over and over again. Right then... she got it. She was dating a Yankee fan, a true Yankee fan and she gave me a big hug…before mocking me or course.

I told you this story because every October, I think about it. I’d do absolutely anything for her and that includes going to a haunted house during a clinching World Series game. Yes, baseball matters to me, the Yankees definitely do, but as I’ve said so many times before, my family matters the most. 

Telling all of you this story was important to me. Enjoy it, share it, laugh or cry, whatever you want. One thing's for sure though, my wife is the strongest, greatest person in my world and every day only gets better, even if she thinks I’m a baseball nerd, it’s just the way it is.

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GUESS WHO'S COMING TO OLD TIMERS' DAY?

I wanted to send put this out because it's always fun to see who shows up to Old Timers' Day and who was asked.  For instance, this year there are a few guys that were asked for the very first time.  Those new guys are:

Sterling Hitchcock

Stump Merrill

Gene Monahan

Matt Nokes

Tanyon Sturtze

Believe me, Old Timers' Day is one of the most exciting moments at Yankee Stadium all year.  This year will be the 66th Old Timers' Day and will take place on Sunday, July 1st at 11:15am.

Here the rest of the list in alphabetical order:

Luis Arroyo

Jesse Barfield

Yogi Berra

Ron Blomberg

Dr. Bobby Brown

Homer Bush

Jerry Coleman

David Cone

Bucky Dent

Al Downing

Brian Doyle

Cecil Fielder

Whitey Ford

Oscar Gamble

Jake Gibbs

Joe Girardi

Rich “Goose” Gossage

Ron Guidry

 

Charlie Hayes

Rickey Henderson

Arlene Howard

Helen Hunter

Reggie Jackson

Tommy John

Pat Kelly

Don Larsen

Graeme Lloyd

Hector Lopez

Jill Martin

Tino Martinez

Lee Mazzilli

Diana Munson

Kay Murcer

Paul O’Neill

Joe Pepitone

Lou Piniella

Willie Randolph

Bobby Richardson

Mickey Rivers

Aaron Small

Mel Stottlemyre

Darryl Strawberry

Ralph Terry

Joe Torre

Bob Turley

Roy White

Bernie Williams

There's 1 person missing from this list.  Chuck Knoblauch.  I'm not exactly sure why he wasn't, but Chuck should be asked. This guy's been apart of 3 World Championships and he gave those Yankee teams his blood and guts. Come on Yanks send the invite!

ORDER A BYB SHIRT NOW, DROB WEARS ONE! Also, 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.

MEETING YANKEE ROYALTY: A RED SOX FAN'S TAKE

(Photo Credit: Bill Menzel)
On January 29th this member of Red Sox nation briefly had pinstripes trickling through his veins. To actually be elbow to elbow with the likes of such Yankee players as Charlie Hayes, Roberto Kelly, Don Mattingly, and Bernie Williams was a treat in itself. But to interact
with them, see them sitting at tables with regular people, made it that much better. On this night, these gentlemen took the time out of their busy schedules to enjoy an evening with sports enthusiasts from around the New York and Connecticut area to help Bernie Williams in his cause for the Hillside Food Outreach. (Photo Credit: Bill Menzel)
It’s nice to see the human side of baseball players, and these guys showed that off to a tee. Welcoming photos, handshakes, and even brief discussions is not something you see every day. Often you see a quick scribble of the pen and a toss of the ball back to the welcoming fan. No time for conversation, just business as usual. But here there was laughter, discussion, and just the right amount of humility.

It was my privilege to attend an event to help out others. Even more so, it was an honor to be in the presence of so many Yankees that contributed to baseball history, and to see them as human beings rather than superstars……..even for a Red Sox fan.



--J.L. BYB Guest Writer




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