TONY GWYNN JR's RETURN WAS TRULY TOUCHING

Nearly ten days after his father’s death, Tony Gwynn Jr. returned to the Philadelphia Phillies lineup Tuesday night and received a standing ovation from the crowd at Citizens Bank Park.

Gwynn Jr.—who entered the game as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the eighth—held back tears as fans showed their love and respect for his family and father, Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, who died from cancer on June 16. It was Gwynn Jr.’s first at-bat since June 13.

The heartwarming moment was punctuated by the thoughtfulness of Marlins catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who walked to the pitcher’s mound to give Tony Jr. time alone at the plate to gather his emotions.






In his post game interview, Gwynn Jr. expressed his love for baseball fans for showing support for his family. “It was really hard,” Gwynn Jr. told reporters. “Really hard. I was fortunate enough to get two balls to regroup a little bit, but I’ve never been through anything like that before. Under these circumstances, it was even tougher, but like I said it was much appreciated.”





The standing O was one of those stirring moments that reminds you why baseball is so special. Tony Gwynn was not only an exceptional hitter, but was also an exceptional person who loved the game and his fans. And in this difficult time, baseball fans are returning the love for him and his family.

--Alexis Garcia, BYB's "Eye on MLB" Columnist
Twitter:  @heylexyg



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WOW. AJ PIERZYNSKI WENT TO BEANTOWN

I thought the Red Sox would re-sign Jarrod Saltalamacchia. But I guess not.  

According to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, AJ Pierzynski just signed a deal to go to the Sox.  

aj pierzynski, red sox agree to a deal
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 3, 2013

Wow.  I didn't see that one coming.  Now personally, I don't care. I've heard Pierzynski is a cancer in the clubhouse. Sure, it's a rumor, but rumors are sometimes said because there's a hint of truth to it. That being said, he's been on plenty of great teams in the past so he must be doing something right.

Just wanted to keep my BYB freaks in the loop this morning. Don't go punching a Red Sox fan, it's no biggie, but it is news. 

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WHO WANTS BRIAN MCCANN? DON'T SAY BOSTON...

It's so early in the offseason that it is very unlikely that a big name such as Brian McCann could be on the move right now, but he is definitely already getting interest....and he is showing some too. He's checking in with teams so I am not taking anything seriously yet. The Yankees are in the mix, but so are some of the most powerful teams in the American League. Here is the latest.

The Texas Rangers are said to be extremely interested in McCann even though they just signed Geovany Soto to a $3.05 million deal. They have called him the starting catcher so far, but if McCann wanted to sign there he would still be a good fit for them. His power numbers and home runs would help their struggling offense, something that contributed to them not making it further into the postseason. At this point, both sides seem to still be interested despite the signing of Soto.

The Red Sox are also another option. It certainly doesn't sit well with me because the last thing I was is to see that lineup get another great power hitter that we could use.....but it could happen. The Red Sox decided not to make a qualifying offer to their own catcher, Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Maybe the Red Sox don't have as much faith in him after all. They did use his backup, David Ross in the last three games of the World Series. If that isn't enough speculation, McCann's agent is already laying the groundwork with this:

"Certainly Boston is a city that Brian likes, and he has always respected the organization and the front office," said B.B. Abbott, managing partner at Jet Sports Management. "Obviously, the coaching staff and clubhouse unity is attractive. He has also always been fascinated with the fan base, their support of the Red Sox and the history of the organization. Boston would certainly be a place that would be a consideration for Brian."

To speculate even more, David Ross and McCann are good friends, and have played together in Atlanta. Could they reunite in Boston? I hope not. Read more about this HERE.

What about the Yankees? We could use a good offensive catcher. We spent all of 2013 trying to piece together combinations of backup catchers and rookies looking for some magic. McCann could be the magic we are looking for. He could do wonders with the short porch in right and he calls a great game. We need leadership now that Jorge Posada is enjoying his retirement and we let Russell Martin walk away last season. Can we afford to do it again this year? Brian Cashman seems to know that we can't, but will he finally get a deal done? Here is what he had to say about signing a catcher:

"We definitely have catchers that can, without a doubt, control the defensive side of the game," general manager Brian Cashman said. "The upside of the offensive side is obviously something we can do better on. We will certainly explore the options on the catching market, but we do have catchers."

So we have catchers...but we need to look. You can read more about the Yankees interest in McCann HERE. This is just another example of Cashman and his poker face. I just hope this year we don't let another one get away. The Yankees salary cap will play a key role in this because if he wants a multi-million dollar deal over an extended period of time the Yankees may pass again.

Will the Yankees have something exciting waiting for us under the Christmas tree this year? I hope so. Last year we got nothing. It's November and I am already hoping that Santa brings us something good this year. If McCann goes to Boston I will also become violently ill. It's early though, so stay tuned. If anything changes with McCann you know we will fill you in right here at Bleeding Yankee Blue.





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


  

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THE YANKEE CATCHER SCENARIO

(In Photo: Brian McCann)

What’s to make of the catchers the Yankees currently have on our roster?  There's Chris Stewart, Francisco Cervelli, Austin Romine.  If you want to throw JR Murphy's name into that mix, go ahead…there are big things ahead for this kid!  But it's likely in 2014 Murphy will be starting his season in Scranton.  However, I wouldn't doubt the kid will get an invite to Tampa in the spring. 

 (In Photo: Chris Stewart)

 My question is, are those 4 enough?  Do they really qualify as true front runners to win the starting job at catcher this season?  I do think they deserve to audition for it, but with Cervelli getting injured and later getting suspended, the question remains; Will he be ready? Not only does Cervelli have to prove his worth again, but he has to win the fans back. After openly admitting to his involvement with the Biogenesis clinic, he’s got a lot to prove.

Chris Stewart carried the work load most of the year, but his offense was rough.  Look, Stewie is just a better back-up than he is a starter . That’s a fact. His everyday use may have really slowed him down. In 109 games in 2013, Stewart struck out 49 times.  He hit .211 with 4 HRs. Yes, the numbers could have been worse, but they could also be more productive. If Stewart is to get another call due to injury, he needs to be better prepared for the call.  Especially with the offensive being so shaky this season.  We need to be productive all over that lineup, and that is something I hope he works on in the off-season. 

Austin Romine is still new to the majors. He could use some more seasoning before being truly Bronx ready…and that’s my opinion.  Austin has always had a high strikeout ratio. In 60 games in 2013, he struck out 39 times.  He hit .207 with 1 HR.  He definitely needs some retooling at the plate.  He is definitely talented defensively though.  Again, we are in need of production. I can only expect Austin starting the 2014 season in the minors as there will only be room for 2 catchers. In that time, he can work on his batting and improvise on it to be better and ready should the call come. 

There's always the chance to explore in the free agency market to get a catcher too, in fact, I expect it.  One name you’ve heard is Brian McCann.   Brian is pretty much the prized catcher to get off that list.  He hit .256 with 20 HRs in 2013. I always say that power hitters playing in Yankees Stadium can really use the short wall dimensions to their advantage. McCann can probably hit more long balls there with his strong swing. That’s just my take though. You may disagree.  Rumors are swirling that the Yankees are "probably" going to give McCann a look and an offer.  If the Yanks want to get a catcher with a pretty good bat, this may be the guy. He only 29 and has proven to be a good ball player. 

How about Jarrod Saltalamacchia?  Yes, I said it, and I will say it again. Jarrod Saltalamacchia. He is having a good year in Boston and is a part of the charge in the post-season. He hit .273 and had 14 HRs in the regular season.  He shared catching duties with David Ross. The Yankees could acquire a decent player and maybe on the cheap as well, who knows?  He is earning $4.5 million this year.  It may cost a little north of that to reel him in, but it won't impact the bank necessarily. Another factor to make my case is Jarrod is he is only 28 years old and I am for the youth movement!  

These are 2 guys I think would be viable options if the Yankees are to go shopping for a catcher in the off-season. But, we could also see them not look any further than what we have already on the Yankees depth chart for catching.  In time we will know how the Yankees front office will address the need for a reliable catcher. I’m hoping we go big this off-season, because there is no question that letting Russell Martin walk hurt us in the backstop department.

Stay tuned…

-- Rudy Laurens, BYB Writer
Facebook: House of Champions
Twitter: @EPRIYankeefan
 

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BEARDS & BOSTON. IT'S OFFICIAL... THE RED SOX MAKE ME SICK

There I was at the start of an 18-mile race with the wind at my head on Long Beach Island this past Sunday.  And I was proudly wearing my New York Yankee Nike Dry Fit cap that I picked up at the stadium about a month ago- when the Bombers were still playing and there was still hope.  I have to say, however, that right now, right this minute I never hated the Red Sox more.  And I might add, their beards are making me sick!  Followers on Twitter, you all know how I feel because I can’t help but share my passionate emotions each time I tune into Fox and watch the motley crew tug at the tuft of hair on their chinny chin chin.  Just gross! 

I don’t know what’s worse, quite frankly.  Jonny Gomes, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Mike Napoli chewing and spitting in their scraggly beards or the fact that the Sox are up 2-1 in the ALCS.  The beards look like they stink and Salty’s wife said that her husband’s beard reeks.  He promised to shave it off after the post season, which I for one, hope ends for the Sox before the World Series. 

Apparently the Sox players have names for their beards too, which just adds to my frustrations.  “I’ll shave it off when we win the World Series,” said Red Sox catcher David Ross, whose gray-flecked beard is known as “The Wolf.” “That’s when I want to shave it off,” as reported in the Daily News this week.  The Yankees would never act like this.  Besides, we have a policy against unruly facial hair.

The Goose and Gator used to have fights with Boss George to keep a little extra hair.  Their beards are nothing compared to the Sox who have become “Duck Dynasty” on the diamond. 

Honestly, I don’t have the same frustrations for other bearded ball players representing different teams in the post season as I do for the Red Sox.  I mean, honestly, Brian Wilson is just damn cool- the end.  “Ex-Giants closer Brian Wilson might be The Beardfather of baseball’s recent dabbling, considering he jolted fans in 2010 with his long, black beard as San Francisco won the first of two World Series in a three-year span. Giants fans even chanted, “Fear the Beard,” reported the Daily News.

I get that it’s a superstition thing, but I don’t want to feel like I need to take a shower every time I tune into a baseball game because I see sweaty beards flopping in the wind.  It’s bad enough that the Yankees aren’t in the post season, but to have to be subjected to grown men in need of some serious hair care is just too much.  So, yes, I am rooting for the Sox to lose not just because they are our nemesis but because I need relief from the smothering dirty follicles threatening to plague this year’s fall classic. 

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




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YANKEES PUNCHED IN THE GUT

Teams fighting for a goal never truly die.  Sure, losses will happen, and fans become discouraged easily as the team you love so much fights to get to the finish line.  There are winning streaks the bring a spring to a fan's step and there are losses that punch you in the gut, but in the end, that's what makes a fan a fan.  That's what makes baseball the greatest sport of our time.

The Yankees needed to win tonight for many reasons.  The Red Sox needed to lose and we of course needed to move closer to the playoffs in the run of our lives.  But we didn't win and now we fans go to bed angry and hope and maybe even say a prayer that we win tomorrow and the next day.  It's no longer about winning a series for the Yankees. Our backs are against the wall. We must win EVERY game... that's just the way it is.  It didn't happen tonight... IT MUST HAPPEN TOMORROW.

The final tonight was 8-4, Red Sox.  We kept it close as long as we could, but then it fell apart and we couldn't recover.  Hiroki Kuroda went 6 innings, allowed 8 hits and 5 runs.  That would have been enough, but the Sox just kept coming.

In the end, it was Jarrod Saltalamacchia that hit a grand slam that just buried us.  It may not be fair... but it's baseball.  Unfortunately, the Yankees couldn't come back from it.

The Yankee hitting and runs went like this: In the 3rd, Brendan Ryan homered.  In the 6th, Lyle Overbay sacrificed Robinson Cano home.  In the 7th, it was Robinson Cano knocking in 2... Ryan and Chris Stewart. At that point, we were tied.  That's when Salty hit the slam for the Sox and I was punched in the gut...you probably were too.

Final: Red Sox 8 - Yankees 4

These games are exhausting.  We need to start winning consistently. We need a streak.  14 games left... we need to make it to the playoffs... it is now a must.

Go Yanks!

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BLAH IN BEANTOWN!

The Yankees suck.  What the hell, man?  The Yankees are playing a division rival in the Red Sox this weekend.  Not only is it important, it's necessary to beat them.  Now sure, I understand a slump, but with Andy Pettitte on the mound, I expected results.  I guess I need to face reality... Andy is getting older and now it's evident.  Wow... I never thought I'd say that because I love the guy, but hey, it is what it is...

The Yankees lost 4-2 tonight in Fenway. Pettitte went 6.1 innings. He gave up 4 runs and struck out 4 giving up 2 home runs.  I understand that Phil Hughes gives up alot of home runs, but we need to keep it real for a moment... Andy's been giving up his share lately too.  I wonder what's going on here? Maybe Larry Rothschild need to get into the mix. 

But this isn't about the pitching as much as it is about the run scoring.  The Yankees just can't score or knock in runs.  The pitching gave up 4 runs tonight.  That's a deficit a Yankee club can come back from, but they can't if they forgot how to knock in runs. 

The lack of scoring went like this; In the fourth, Brett Gardner stole 3rd and then, on a throwing error by Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Gardy then scored.  Hardly a clutch play, right? Then in the 5th, Chris Stewart doubled and that scored Lyle Overbay. That's all she wrote ladies and gentlemen... the end.

Final: Red Sox 4 - Yankees 2.

Blah...

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HOW THE YANKEES STACK UP: CATCHER

Much has been made about the Toronto Blue Jays off-season acquisitions.  Many are predicting a rise to the top of the American League East Division for the birds from Canada.  That got me wondering how our Bombers stack up against the others trying to unseat us from the top of the AL East.

This will be the first of several posts breaking down the Yankees.  I’ll take a look at all positions, but today I’ll start with catcher.  Understand this is my take, my opinion, and there certainly will be a variety of opinions out there.  Feel free to give your own thoughts in the comments at the end of the article. 

Catcher

The Yankees are in a state of flux behind the plate.  The Russell Martin years are over and we are now three years removed from the last time Jorge Posada called the dish his own.  On the horizon we have Austin Romine and Gary Sanchez, but they are still “green” and require more seasoning before taking on full-time roles with the big league club.  That leaves us with Francisco Cervelli and Chris Stewart as the most likely to spend time as the team’s backstops.

Cervelli can hit and run.  He has already proven his abilities in those categories (.271 average in 490 AB) , and as of right now is the front-runner to be the starting catcher.  The problem with Cervelli lies on the defensive side.  He has had issues with throwing out runners in the past (only a 20% CS rate).  However, last year at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre he was able to gun down runners at a 30% rate.  Perhaps the 27-year old is coming into his own?

What does the rest of the division have? 

Toronto Blue Jays:  Behind the plate will be  JP Arencibia (.233 avg with 18 HR), Josh Thole (.234)  and Henry Blanco (.188 avg in 21 games)

Baltimore Orioles:  Matt Wieters (.249/23/89) will continue to hold down the fort as the Orioles’ backstop.

Tampa Bay Rays:  Former Yankee Jose Molina (.223 avg), Jose Lobaton (.222) and Chris Gimenez (.260) will all see time for the Rays at catcher.

Boston Red Sox: Jarrod Saltalamacchia (..222 with 25 HR) will continue as the primary backstop for the BoSox.

Here is where I think we stand at catcher:

1. Baltimore (Wieters)
2. Tampa Bay
3. Yankees
4. Boston
5. Toronto 

Tomorrow, we analyze first base.  If you like this post, share it.  Examining all the positions against the rest of the American League East, you'll be surprised how the Yankees stack up!



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





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BLEEDING YANKEE BLUE PLAYER TRACKER #6

Andy Pettitte:  Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.com says that the Yankees believe that Andy Pettitte will return. Read HERE. Pettitte is going through his usual "family or Yankees" off season dance right now, we've seen it before with him, but hopefully he'll be back... we need him.  My personal opinion is the broken ankle set Andy back and he probably feels like he has unfinished business in the Bronx. I hope I'm right.

Shaun Marcum: The Toronto Blue Jays may want Marcum back after he's had a few successful years on the Brewers. Marcum could definitely help the Jays in the AL East. Read about it on Hardball Talk HERE.

Adam LaRoche: Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo believes that resigning LaRoche this winter has to happen.  LaRoche declined the Nationals qualifying offer last week.  You can read Jim Bowden of ESPN Radio's Tweet HERE.Truth be told, the Red Sox may also be looking at LaRoche for first base as well, read HERE.

Edwin Jackson: Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com believes Jackson may be a good idea for the Balitmore Orioles to give alittle stability to their rotation. Read HERE. Sure, at the end of the day, it's up to the Orioles, not Ghiroli, but you just never know, it's a great idea.

Joakim Soria: The Reds will make a pitch for Soria so they can stabilize their bullpen a bit. The reason is because they are considering making Aroldis Chapman a starter.  Read about it from Ken Rosenthal's Tweet HERE.

Mike Napoli: The Red Sox may reach out to Napoli as a first base option.  The only problem is Napoli prefers to play catcher.  The Sox just signed David Ross, and they already have Jarrod Saltalamacchia so, we'll have to see if anything comes from this.  It's interesting though. Read about it HERE.

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THE YANKEES BATTER THE FADING SOX

 

The Boston Red Sox finally arrived in the city of New York to play the Yankees in the 2012 season.  In a scheduling quirk, the Major League Baseball schedule did not send Boston to New York until July 27th.  The Yankees and Red Sox had squared off six times previously, but tonight's game marked the first time the rivals have competed in Yankee Stadium.

 

The game started with a bang.  Dustin Pedroia homered to left off Phil Hughes. Red Sox up 1-0 in the first.

 

The Yankees scored three runs of their own in the bottom of the first.  Curtis Granderson doubled with one out, Robinson Cano singled, and a 4-6 fielder's choice off the bat of Mark Teixeira scored Granderson.  Off the bat, Teixeira's ground ball looked like a sure double play, but the Red Sox were a tick slow turning the play and Tex really busted it out of the box to beat the relay throw.  The Yankees had tied the game at 1-1.  

Missing the double play proved critical for the Red Sox as Raul Ibanez followed Tex with a line shot home run to right field giving the Yankees a 3-1 lead in the first.

 

Phil Hughes pitched OK, but allowed additional solo home runs to Carl Crawford in the third and Jarrod Saltalamacchia in the fourth inning.  At that point Hughes had allowed as many home runs as he had recorded strikeouts, three of each.  The three home runs allowed brought Hughes' total to 25 home runs allowed in 121.1 innings of work.  However, Hughes really righted the ship and retired 11 of the next 12 batters following the fourth inning homer.  

The Yankees added two runs in the fourth inning on an Ichiro Suzuki single followed by a Russell Martin home run to left.  When Hughes left the game after the seventh, the Yankees held a 6-3 lead and David Robertson came and recorded a scoreless inning of work, allowing only a two out single to left by Pedroia.  

 

The Red Sox went to Mark Melancon in the bottom of the eighth.  He made a real mess of things... allowing a double to Andruw Jones, hitting Eric Chavez with a pitch, yielding a walk to Derek Jeter and finally, and most dramatically, allowing a grand slam home run by Curtis Granderson.  Granderson's blast was his 28th of the year and the 5th grand slam of his career.  The Yankees took a 10-3 lead at that point.

 

Cody Eppley allowed two hits in the ninth but no runs in closing out the night for the Yankees.  In many respects the game was a typical Red Sox-Yankees match up except for one thing.  The game ended in 2 hours and 41 minutes, the quickest finish since Randy Johnson beat the Sox in an ultra quick 1-0 affair.  

 

The final in tonight's game, Yankees 10 - Red Sox 3.  Game two of the series takes place tomorrow afternoon at 4:05 at the Stadium.

 

 

--Frank Gentry, BYB Writer

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WHY BOSTON GOT SERVED HUMBLE PIE

OK, I've been waiting to do this piece for months now. On January 2nd, a NESN.com writer wrote a piece on why the 2011 Red Sox could unseat the 1927 Yankees as the greatest team in the history of Major League Baseball. You can read the comedic gold HERE. Mind you, it was written before 1 pitch was thrown in spring training or even the season itself.

Casey was immediately outraged as well, and wrote WHY BOSTON SUCKS: PART II. Read it.

I saved the NESN piece the moment I read it. I knew at the time that this prediction would backfire on them easily and now, the season is over, the Red Sox didn't make the playoffs and, I just have to laugh. Who would dare suggest something so silly? Let's break it down. The piece started off saying: "The Red Sox have won 100 or more games three times in their 110-year existence. They will make it four in 2011."

We all know by now that he was way off in this prediction. The Red Sox finished with a 90-72 record and finished 3rd in the American League East. Meanwhile, the 1927 Yankees finished with an astounding 110-44 record. Can you say, EPIC fail? I can...oh, I did.

Next, the writer showcased the Red Sox lineup which looks like this:

CF. Jacoby Ellsbury- .321/.376/.552/.928 (BA/OBP/SLG/OPS), 32 Hrs, 105 RBI, 39 SBs
2B. Dustin Pedroia- .307/.387/.474/.861, 21 Hrs, 91 RBI, 26 SBsLF. Carl Crawford- .255/.289/.405/.694, 11 Hrs, 56 RBI, 18 SBs
1B. Adrian Gonzalez- .338/.410/.548/.957, 27 Hrs, 117 RBI
3B. Kevin Youkilis- .258/.373/.459/.833, 17 Hrs, 80 RBI
DH. David Ortiz- .309/.398/.554/.953, 29 Hrs, 96 RBI
RF. JD Drew- .222/.315/.302/.617, 4 Hrs, 22 RBI, 81 games
C. Jarrod Saltalamacchia- .235/.288/.450/.737, 16 Hrs, 56 RBI
SS. Marco Scutaro- .299/.358/.423/.781, 7 Hrs, 54 RBI
SS. Jed Lowrie- .252/.303/.382/.685, 6 Hrs, 36 RBI

That lineup looks pretty good, I mean, this team lead the majors in runs scored with 875, that's 8 runs ahead of the Yankees, but they're NOT the 1927 Yankees who scored 976 runs, 131 more runs than the second place Detroit Tigers... astounding. Also keep in mind that the 1927 Yankees had four Hall of Famers, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, and Earle Combs, in their lineup.Speaking of the 1927 Yankees lineup, let's take a look at how each individual fared that season:

CF. Earle Combs- .356/.414/.511/.925, 6 HRs, 64 RBI
SS. Mark Koenig- .285/.320/.382/.702, 3 HRs, 62 RBI
RF. Babe Ruth- .356/.486/.772/1.258, 60 HRs, 164 RBI...WOW
1B. Lou Gehrig- .373/.474/.765/1.240, 47 HRs, 175 RBI... WOW
LF. Bob Meusel- .337/.393/.510/.902, 8 HRs, 103 RBI, 24 SBs
2B. Tony Lazzeri- .309/.383/.482/.866, 18 HRs, 102 RBI, 22 SBs
3B. Joe Dugan- .269/.321/.362/.683, 2 HRs, 43 RBI
C. Pat Collins- .275/.407/.418/.825, 7 HRs, 36 RBI

Pretty good, huh? A couple of things...One, the writer of the NESN piece had us look at the Boston bench. It looks like this:

OF. Mike Cameron- He got DFA'd from the team in late June after hitting .149/.212/.266/.477 in 33 games with the Sox.
OF. Darnell McDonald- He hit .236/.303/.401/.704 in 79 games. Certainly doesn't strike fear to me.
INF. Marco Scutaro- .299/.358/.423/.781 (above)
INF. Jed Lowrie- .252/.303/.382/.685 (above)
C. Jason Varitek- Hit .221/.300/.423/.723 in 68 games, but he's the Captain of the team and wears that "C" on his jersey!

Now, in all fairness, the Red Sox improved their bench with the call up of outfielder Josh Reddick (.280/.327/.457/.784) and trading for utility man Mike Aviles (.317/.340/.436/.775 in 38 games for Boston).

And finally, I just wanted to say this before we conclude this piece. It is very hard, if not impossible, to compare different players performances between two completely different eras, not to mention that that 2011 season hadn't started yet. Baseball was an entirely different game way back when, and a lot of changed. But, the writer for that NESN piece brought it up in the first place, so it's his own fault.

Next we'll try and break down the pitching for you, comparing the 2011 Red Sox and 1927 Yankees. Stay tuned.




--Jesse Schindler, BYB Staff Writer




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