THAT'S NO WAY TO HONOR O'NEILL!

Now before you get crazy, let me state that the actual ceremony for Paul O'Neill was just plain awesome.  There is no better way to honor a Yankee great than at the stadium with 50,000 friends. 

We love Paulie here, and the Yankees did the right thing honoring him. All I'm saying is, I wish a win went along with it. 

The Yankees scored ZERO runs off Indians pitching today.  Brandon McCarthy got his first loss as a Yankee, but once again, he was strong and just in the zone. There is no way better to describe McCarthy.  The dude is a huge success in the Bronx, and I wish him a long tenure here.  I hope that can happen. 
McCarthy went 6.1 innings, giving up 7 hits and 2 runs. You can't kill the guy at all, he was great. The bottom line is this; if your team doesn't score runs, you can't win.

The other run was given up by Chase Whitley. Lefty Rich Hill appeared today as well.  Hill kind of makes me long for Matt Thornton... who makes me long for Boone Logan, or... something like that.  I'm not too sure how I feel about Hill yet. I do know this, I like Whitley in the starting role better. In fact, I would suggest they send him down and let him work in that capacity.   I don't feel like Whitley is comfortable in the relief role. It could be just me... but I feel like it's Joba and Hughes all over again.

The only other highlight besides Paulie's honoring today? Derek Jeter passed Honus Wagner today. Just plain awesome.

Final: Indians 3 - Yankees 0.

We were shut out. All can do is suck it up, go out and get a steak dinner, go to be bed early and come back tomorrow and win.

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BRONX EXPLOSION!

5 runs knocked in in the first inning. 5 more in the 6th inning. Oh, and Esmil Rogers is 2-0.  Not to mention, Derek Jeter is now 6th on the All-Time Hits list, tied with Honus Wagner with 3430. Think about that for a moment.  Honus Wagner is a baseball legend... and Jeet is tied with him for Hits all time.  Pardon my french, but that's fucking unbelievable.

The Yankees exploded in the Bronx tonight! 10 runs total. In the 1st, Carlos Beltran singled knocking in Jeter. Then Chase Headley walked with the bases loaded and another run scored.  Next, Stephen Drew singled, knocking in 1. Martin Prado then singled on a ground ball to second. 2 runs scored on a throwing error.

In the 6th, Carlos Beltran hit a grand slam. Drew then grounded out on a force out. In the process, Francisco Cervelli scored. Those are your 10 and notice the names attached to the explosion tonight; Drew. Prado. Headley. Rogers. There's confidence, there's that jolt... here come the Yankees!

As far as pitching tonight, Rogers went 5 innings giving up 4 hits and only 1 run. The Yankee pen did the best they could tonight, but gave up 5 runs throughout the night. Bottom line though, they held the Indians. Luckily, the Yanks were on fire tonight and able to keep scoring when they needed to. 

Yes, the Yankees won, but that's not the story of the night.  The story of the night is Derek Sanderson Jeter. You have to step back and really put Jeter's accomplishment into perspective here.  Look, for most of my life,  I've loved baseball.  I remember collecting cards as a kid and looking through my cards and holding highlight cards of true baseball legends of decades past.  Honus Wagner. Babe Ruth. Lou Gehrig.  These cards always had black and white pictures. Like this one I own below, a 1976 Topps card.

I remember reading the stats and I remember thinking, "My God, these guys are legends." I said it, never ever thinking that in my lifetime, that players would ever be in the top 5 of the All-time Hits list.  Well, it happened twice. 

The first time was with my childhood hero, Pete Rose... and it happened again with legend Derek Jeter tonight. 

For me, and probably for you, it's the greatest moment in Yankee history, as well as baseball history. For the boy from Kalamazoo who had a dream, he sure did accomplish many in his lifetime.  That's why he's a perfect role model. See it, do it. That's Jeter... simply the greatest and he still hasn't slowed down.  Congrats Derek, that's huge... keep going!

Final: Yankees 10 - Indians 6

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ANOTHER CATCHER WALKS THE PLANK TO PITTSBURGH

Despite having my ear to pavement and eyes on Twitter, the Pirates swiped another catcher from under our noses- a move very Pirate-like for the circa 1887 team once known as the Pittsburgh Alleghenys.  According to folklore, similar to the selling of Babe Ruth, the then Alleghenys hijacked a prospect from the Philadelphia Athletics.  Accused of pirating, the Alleghenys quickly became known as the Pirates, a name that stuck through the years to modern day baseball today.

(In Photo: The Pittburgh Alleghenys)
And just like pirates looking for their booty, Pittsburgh struck again by snatching Yankee Catcher Chris Stewart from us.  Not that I really care- he is mediocre at best, but a formidable back up catcher for any team. 

This is not the first acquisition from the Yankees for the Pirates.  The Bucs picked up 28-year-old right-hander Cody Eppley last week, Russell Martin last year, AJ Burnett the year before and now the latest to fall prey is Stewart.  We have become a nesting ground for the Pirate organization in the last couple of years.  Now, I am not a Pirate fan, but I am also not a Pirate hater either.  I mean, I like vintage teams, I like the ballpark and I like the growing team- particularly now that we have so many ex-Yankees playing for them.

(In Photo: Honus Wagner)
Over the years, the Bucs have had some incredible ball players strutting their stuff in Pittsburgh including Honus Wagner, Dick Groat, Bill Mazeroski, and Willie Stargell. Many other famous players began their career with the Pirates, including Barry Bonds. With the help of such talent, the Pirates made fifteen playoff appearances, winning five World Series titles. Obviously, these wins pale in comparison to the Bombers’ record, but still worth noting. 

As a communication professor, it is also interesting to note that one of my students gave a persuasive speech this fall on why baseball fans should follow the Pirates.  They are certainly making a comeback in recent years and they are an interesting team to watch and follow.  

To say they are #trending would be a little over the top, but hey, they have Yankee in their blood, so I am down with keeping my eye on them. And I guess we all should because you never know who those tricky Pirates will pick up next- Cano, watch your step- you could be next to walk the plank.  

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Opinion Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof




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DEREK JETER FOR MVP? CONSIDER IT

You can’t deny Derek Jeter the opportunity to become the 2012 American League MVP this season.  He has done everything a captain can do for a ball club riddled with injury and struggle.  He has hit well, almost to the point of finding the Fountain of Youth, all because he found new life in what appears to be just being alittle more patient at the plate.  A tiny mechanical thing that he only found by accident when he was rehabbing last season down in Tampa.  Thank God he found it, because it’s making a ton of sports writers who wrote him off in 2010 really eat crow right now… and you know how I love that.  Just to rehash, because I can, this is what many of the headlines read back in 2010:

USA Today (October 2010): For a Yankees Icon, the beginning of the end

Business Insider (June 2011): Derek Jeter is getting old

Yahoo (July 2010): A Declining Derek Jeter on Collision Course with New York Yankees

ESPN (November 2010): Yanks will overpay for Jeter

New York Magazine (April 2011): This is the Derek Jeter Start Yankee Fans Feared

NBC New York (August 2010): The Derek Jeter Slump Hits the front page

New York Times (July 2010): Is a Slump a Reason for Concern?

New York Daily News (April 2011):   Yankees' Derek Jeter looks lost at the plate...

Just the headlines alone give a negative vibe that the end was near for Jeter, even if you read their pieces and it was mildly positive, the headline itself is like a slap at our Captain.  This is what Bleeding Yankee Blue’s headlines were right around that time:

WHY DEREK JETER IS OUR CAPTAIN

THE APPEAL OF DEREK JETER

WHY JETER DESERVES A PAY DAY

Why am I comparing? I'll tell you why... because we never gave up on the captain when everyone else in the media did. That's significant.

Now, as we approach one of Derek Jeter’s best seasons since 2009, (.334 BA in '09), you really have to starting thinking, could this be real life?  Could this 38 year old guy who’s pretty much won every type of individual and team award in his career also tack on a 2012 MVP award? Here are his numbers this season: 195 H / .323 AVG / 15 HR / 53 RBI. Look, It’s true, there are plenty of options, great players also have great seasons.  Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels is killing the ball right now (163 H /.331 AVG / 27 HR / 77 RBI), and many believe he’ll be the guy, but there is also another “little” award he should collect first. 

(In Photo: Derek Jeter, 1996)
It’s called the Rookie of the Year award.  Remember that award? Derek Jeter won it in 1996.   

Miguel Cabrera continues to have a great season (179 H / .328 AVG / 36 HR / 118 RBI), he always does and let’s not forget, this guy is just a great hitter. Sure, he deserves consideration too. 

And Josh Hamilton? Sure, the guy hits the ball well and has terrific numbers (145 H /.298 AVG / 41 HR / 121 RBI), but I have to tell you, it almost seems logical that Derek Jeter be considered ahead of them, and even more so than a guy like Robinson Cano. Why? The reason is simple… The comeback.  I hate to use that term because Jeter hasn’t gone anywhere.  What I mean is Jeter came to life again...hard! All us Yankee fans knew he still “had” it, but finding it took alittle while.  Couple that with Jeter being a classy, clean ballplayer with no scandal attached…not even PEDs Skip Bayless (Read SHAME ON SKIP BAYLESS) and we may be onto something big this year for Jeet.

Look Derek Jeter is currently batting .323, his best average since 2009 when he ended the season with a .334 average. His home runs are up (2012: 15 - 2011: 6), his OPS is up (2012: .817 to 2011: .743) and this is another factor, but a factor that won’t be (and probably shouldn’t be) considered in the voting.  Jeter at this point has 3283 hits in his career and 195 this year.  He’s quickly approaching Pete Rose and his all-time hits record.  He’s tied with Willie Mays (Read HERE) and about to pass guys like Honus Wagner and Stan Musial...legends.  I mean are you freaking kidding me?  We are talking about a living legend right here, right now in Derek Sanderson Jeter.

Now would Jeter want to hear about MVP talk? Hell no.  He just wants to win another ring, as a team. He just wants this Yankee team to win more games than just 1 in a row and instead rally for a winning streak in September.  That’s all he’s thinking about. For Jeter, we all know these individual awards are weird for him and that’s fine, you need to admire that.  Jeter’s a gamer and a team player, but my God, the fact that fans at Yankee stadium aren’t yet chanting “M-V-P” when he walks to the plate is puzzling to me. We need to start drumming up the chatter Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight! Why?

Because while 20 year old Mike Trout has played a terrific season, so has 38 year old Derek Jeter.  Think about it, he’s never slowed down this season, he’s been consistent and has kept that average up all year, there really is no drop off.  Amazing.

Yeah, I’m just rambling and slobbering at this point, we all know the voting wouldn’t even consider a New York Yankee anymore.  They’re done with rewarding us, almost like they think we’ve “Won too much,” but they need to think long and hard about this vote, because love the Yankees or hate them, everyone admires Derek Jeter.  I don’t care if you’re a Red Sox fan or a Padres fan, What’s not to admire? Jeter is the ambassador of Major League Baseball. The classiest guy, and one of the hardest working players out there and at 38, I have to tell you, it’s time he needs to get his. 

 

So yeah, when the fans pile into Yankee stadium tonight against the Rays, let’s start the Derek Jeter “M-V-P" chant… the time is now, we have to start drumming up the hype and help out the Captain… he deserves it. I have no doubt in my mind. Jeter could be the 2012 MVP… Damn that's got a nice ring to it, don’t it?

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WHAT'S IN YOUR JUNK DRAWER?

Back on July 15^th, Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record made me smile.  He did a terrific piece about what every true baseball fan should be doing once in a while. Opening up the junk drawer just to see what types of collectibles, no matter how big or small or expensive or cheap they are. You know, the stuff you've accumulated over the years. Pete's idea for his piece came from the story about the guy in Ohio that found those baseball cards of Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner in his grandfather’s attic…read that story HERE.

Caldera described some of the stuff he found around his apartment, like a matchbook from Rusty Staub’s restaurant (Rusty Staub's on Fifth) that used to be opened back in the 1980’s, a 1980 Yankees Yearbook and an old Abbott & Costello “Who’s on First?” cassette, among other things. I had to laugh.  I own an autographed Rusty Staub menu from the old restaurant somewhere as well as that Abbott & Costello cassette.  But that’s not what I found in my basement.

I have weird stuff that I’ve collected over the years.  I figured I’d share them with you, after all, it’s the beginning of the week, you’re just waking up, you’re having your coffee before work, let's start off light. Check it out:

 

I'm a card collector, but this one seems to have snuck away from my collection and was sitting in a top drawer of my laundry room.  It's a 1956 Topps card of Eddie Robinson, he was with the Yankees from 1954 to 1956 until he was traded to the Kansas City Athletics.  He was a career .268 hitter with 172 homers in 13 seasons.  Anyway... I thought that was interesting. 

 

 This is a pen I bought from at a Newark Bears game a few years back.  I was never good at keeping score while at the ballpark but I gave it shot that day, I didn't have a pencil.  I bailed on it in the 4th, but I kept the pen.

Here's a signed picture of Bo Jackson, someone I really idolized for his talent on the baseball field as well as football field.  The "Bo Knows" days were a phenomenon.  I think I got this signed years later...he was already retired.

This is one of my favorites.  It's an older ceramic Roger Maris bobble head that I bought off a dealer on ebay in the 1990's.  I've always had a thing for Maris and reading the history of how things went down in 1961, and the stress of the Home Run race.  I've always had a soft spot for him. Luckily history happened the way it did for the Maris family.  Anyway, I love this piece.

Look OUT! A 1971 Ken Singleton Topps baseball card.  Love it.  I was born in 1971 and for a while there I was trying to collect every 1971 card so I could complete the set.  That hasn't happened yet, I still have a long way to go. But it's still fun.

Remember Chase Wright? He was going to be the next big thing for the Yankees...or at least the next big thing for the moment. I kept this I guess thinking it may be worth something.  It's from that 2007 season.  It's not worth a thing, but that's OK. I did alittle research and found out Chase still pitches. He's 29 years old these days and plays for the Somerset Patriots. Good for him!

I love this.  This is a 1946 Yankees program and scorecard and inside, the Yankees played the Red Sox.  I got this from a friend a few years ago.  The scorecard is filled in. If you click on the image below, you can just make out some of the players that day for the Yankees...Joe DiMaggio, Phil Rizzuto, Bill Dickey.  It's just a cool, yet frail and old collectible that I stare at from time to time.

So, what do you have in your junk drawer, or basement or closet? Tell us here at BYB, comment! I’d love to hear about it.  Better yet, take pictures of your items and send them to Bleednyankeeblu@gmail.com and we’ll do a piece about it.  Include your name and the city you're from with a picture of something you’ve come across.  I can’t wait to see what you guys have!

And thanks for the idea Pete Caldera, you da man! Enjoy this everyone!

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