IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN BOSTON...

 ...when Clay Buchholz is pitching at least. What do I mean? This...

Great piece by Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports yesterday (HERE) about the overwhelming controversy or lack there of (depending on how you feel about a spitter), when it comes to Buchholz and his glistening arm. According to Passan, sources have spoken:  "Two veteran pitchers and one source close to the Red Sox told Yahoo! Sports that about 90 percent of major league pitchers use some form of spray-on sunscreen – almost always BullFrog brand – that when combined with powdered rosin gives them a far superior grip on the ball.
 
'Sunscreen and rosin could be used as foundation for houses,' one American League pitcher said. 'Produces a tack, glue-like substance that engineers would be jealous of.'"

Could Buchholz be one of those pitchers? Hey, maybe.  One things for sure, that arm is shiny as hell.  Now look, that accusation by those "sources" is kind of a big deal... if it's true.  I don't like cheating, let's be honest, but when it comes to the old days of "real" baseball, you might find this weird, but I have a different opinion on it all.  I don't care... to a certain extent. But let me explain what that mean. First off, there are rules right? So we need to follow them if we are pro baseball players. If a rule states for instance that you can't use a foreign substance and sunscreen and rosin makes a "real good" foreign substance, that's a pretty big problem, don't you think?

Now Buchholz is not a dumb guy.  He can easily come forward and say, "Hey, I wear sunscreen, I don't want to get burned in the sun! (even in night games?) How was I supposed to know that accidentally mixing sunscreen and rosin was affecting my pitching?" All Major League Baseball needs to do is come back with "Well, it did and you're fined."  That would be it. Now look, again, is Buchholz doing that like Passan suggests he "could be" doing? We don't know yet, but again, I just keep going back to that glistening arm.

But look, think about the whole situation, meaning, look at all the great cons of the past. How about when Joe Niekro scuffed the ball years ago and got caught when he was with the Twins? Cheating, clearly.  Look at Joel Peralta with the Rays last year when he had pine tar on his ball and was suspended for 8 games. Cheating, clearly. Read HERE.

I would even go as far as complain about Jose Valverde and his saliva trick on the ball last year that was caught on tape. Considered cheating, but and you're not going to believe this... I've softened on my stance on saliva on the ball. Yes, it's true. Actual spit on a baseball never hurt anyone. That's "old" school and it's my opinion, that if your not being obvious, give it a shot. I almost feel like that's part of the game. Pitchers lick their fingers, you know what I mean?

 (In Photo: Gaylord Perry)
I have a much bigger problem with Crisco, or Vaseline or yes,  even sunscreen. These substances would have been purposely brought onto the field for a very unique use. I say if you're gonna loogy on the ball...just don't get caught, don't make it obvious. That's the difference in my strange mind.

So what should happen? A fine for Buchholz and we move on, especially if we find out it's true.  What can you do? Sure, I'd like him to come clean officially, but will he?  Look, Buchholz is a good pitcher, he probably didn't need to doctor the ball, but it appears that he may have and if Passan's sources are telling the truth, Buchholz needs to answer some questions, don't you think?

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HOW THE YANKEES STACK UP: THE BULLPEN

Our "How the Yankees Stack up" Series was very successful and we appreciate your interest in it.   We've examined: Catcher, 1st base, 2nd base, Shortstop, 3rd base, Left field, Centerfield and Right field and the Starting Rotation. Now... we go to the Bullpen:

Yankees Bullpen

The Yankees bullpen was right in the middle of the pack in 2012.  They ranked 14th in Major League Baseball and 7th in the American League with a 3.43 ERA.  In fact, they ranked seventh or eighth in the AL in wins (24), games (156), opponents’ batting average (.241), and WHIP (1.27).

The bottom line is that last season they were very average, but a deeper look reveals some signs that 2013 could be a better year.

In the AL, only the Rangers and Rays were better than the Yankees in walks allowed out of the ‘pen.  One thing that will drive any manager batty is a reliever coming into the game and walking hitters.  The Yankees were among the best at not letting that happen.

(In Photo: Boone Logan)
Next, the Yankees were the best in the AL in Holds with 87.  When the Yankees relievers came into games with the lead they seldom gave it up.  Leading the way were David Robertson (30) and Boone Logan (23).  Both should be back with the club in 2013.

Last season the Yankees relievers were strong against the first batters they faced.  They ranked fourth in the AL , allowing a paltry .223 batting average against those hitters.  That means Manager Joe Girardi could depend on his bullpen to shut down momentum when they stepped to the mound.  Both Robertson (13th) and Clay Rapada (5th) were among the American League’s best against the first batters they saw.

 Finally, there is what I call the “Joba Chamberlain factor”.

In the seventh inning last year, the Yankees held a 3.78 ERA and allowed opposing batters a .250 average.  They were 10th in the AL in HR allowed (giving up 19 round trippers) and next to last in the league in inducing double play balls (only the Angels were worse).

With a healthy Joba Chamberlain all that could change.

Last year the Bombers didn’t have Chamberlain until August as he recovered from his much documented broken ankle and Tommy John surgery.  In September the big right hander showed the team what they had been missing.

That month Chamberlain pitched 12.1 innings and allowed just 3 earned runs (2 came on September 2nd in a game against Baltimore), nine hits, and only walked 2 batters.  He held opposing hitters to a .196 batting average and struck out 16.  Even more impressive were his ground ball / fly ball ratio of 1.33 and microscopic WHIP of 0.89.

Joba is slated to be the seventh inning pitcher for the Yankees this season.  With a performance similar to the way he ended 2012, Joe Girardi will not only be able to shorten games for his starters, but it will allow the Yankees manager to  keep other arms in the bullpen fresh.  Last season Boone Logan and Clay Rapada appeared in 80 and 70 games respectively.  The workload took its toll and showed in the results.  Their combined ERA went from a 3.16 prior to the All-Star break to over a 3.50 after.

Whether you like it or not, the polarizing Chamberlain will make a difference.

The rest of the AL East bullpens look like this:

 (In Photo: Esmil Rogers)
Toronto Blue Jays:  The Blue Jays bullpen was the worst in the American League last year with a 4.33 ERA.  They were at the bottom in WHIP (1.35), opponents’ batting average (.253), and HR allowed (70).  In addition, this off season the team lost Brandon Lyon (28 strikeouts in 25 innings, 2.88 ERA)  and Jason Frasor (53 strikeouts in 43 innings, 12 holds) to free agency.  New additions to the bullpen are 27-year-old Esmil Rogers (3.06 ERA with Cleveland in 44 games) and 25-year-old Jeremy Jeffress  (6.75 ERA with KC in 13 games, spent most of season in minor leagues).  This is the one area that the Blue Jays did not significantly improve over last year.

Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles bullpen was one of the best in baseball last season and ranked third in the AL with a 3.00 ERA and held opponents to a .238 batting average.  They return the entire foundation to the ‘pen and again should be near the top of baseball.

Tampa Bay Rays: Like their starting rotation, the Rays bullpen led the AL with a 2.88 ERA.  They also led the league in WHIP (1.08), opponents batting average (.208), HR allowed (40), and hits allowed (354).  37-year-old Joel Peralta led the American League with 37 holds and once again anchors the bridge to closer Fernando Rodney.   There is no reason this crew shouldn’t once again be the class of the AL.

Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox bullpen finished 2012 in the bottom half of baseball as they posted a 3.88 ERA and 1.29 WHIP.  Those numbers ranked them 11th in the AL.  The team signed Koji Uehara this off season and the 37-year-old should provide a nice veteran boost to the squad (he posted a 1.75 ERA in 36 games with the Rangers last season).  Andrew Bailey battled injuries last season but the former A’s closer should have a much improved 2013.  Andrew Miller struck out 51 batters in just over 40 innings pitched and the 27-year-old provides a solid arm from the left side of the mound.

Here’s how we see the AL East bullpens stacking up:

Tampa Bay: The bullpen is just as solid as their front five.  Pitching won’t be a problem for the Rays in 2013.

Baltimore: They have a nice mix of young (3 pitchers 27 or younger) and old (O’Day -30, Ayala – 35) and solid talent.  This squad will be among the best in the AL again.

New York: The Yankees have strengths both from the right side and left side of the mound.  Joba Chamberlain has the chance to make this one of the best bullpens in baseball.

Boston: If they can have a healthy Bailey, and if Uehara does what he did in Texas, this squad will be a strength for the team.

Toronto: The Blue Jays improved in hitting and starting pitching, but the bullpen could weigh them down.

What do you think?  Let us know!

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

 



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VALVERDE'S SPITTER & OTHER ANTICS

I believe in passion on the field and while I don’t necessarily feel like Jose Valerde doesn’t do anything wrong but embarrass himself with his stupid dance at the end of Tiger wins, I do think there’s a double standard when broadcasters give this guy a pass for being a clown, yet some hammer guys like Nick Swisher when he pounded on his chest back when the Yankees beat the Red Sox…a game full of emotion.

Yup, that was John Kruk that did that and I tweeted him to ask him what he thought about Valverde compared to Swisher recently. I’m not sure why, but it was on my mind. I know…I don’t hold a grudge or anything, but I was curious. Needless to say, Kruk's way to big for me, he didn't write me back, whatever.

Baseball is a great game. I was thinking about the passion recently when the world got wind of Jose Valverde's obvious spit into his glove, onto the baseball...the spit seen around the world.  Read HERE. Now clearly he spit, if you watch the video HERE, it's obvious, but I have a theory that you probably won't believe.  I have more of a problem with Valverde dancing like a moron after a Tigers win than I do about a spit ball.  Or, let me rephrase, a spitball that you obviously know is coming.  You know what I mean?  If Valverde snuck that spitter and no one saw him, I wouldn't care.  But spitting out in the opened into a mitt with a ball in it, much like coating your glove with pine tar like Rays pitcher Joel Peralta did the other night, it stupid.

My take on this is simple, many pitchers use "substances" to doctor baseballs, and it's been happening forever.  I say, if you're going to do it, don't be obvious.  If you're obvious, you're stupid.  Valverde was stupid. Peralta was stupid.

(In Photo: Gaylord Perry)

Antics in baseball has always been there and the spitball was big with guys like Gaylord Perry and no one did it better. Bottom line, I love the spitball, I’m not going to lie. Sure, you’re not supposed to throw it, but any time you can get alittle dirt on the ball or pine tar or, dare I say spit, well, I call it baseball, as long as it’s not overdone.

Remember Joe Niekro and the nail file he tossed when the umpires wanted to look a  his hands?  That was when there was no Internet and a lot less cameras than there are now, yet, he got caught.  If Valverde was doing something “under the radar”, 2012 was the wrong place to do it…where’s Doc Brown when you need him?

So what’s my point to all this? I have no problem with these types of antics, I do however think back to that Nick Swisher chest pounding though. Why? Because when a sports broadcaster, and I use that term loosely,  makes an example of our New York Yankees for being passionate in an emotion baseball game between 2 rivals, yet, Jose Valverde gets a pass for his “clown jig”, you really have to question the Yankee hate.  You also have to lump them all together and Valverde would no doubt also be in that “Swisher chest pound” category.  But he won’t be lumped in…because Valverde’s a Detroit Tiger, not a Yankee. And same with the spitting incident for Valverde.  Look at the video again HERE. He's spitting on the ball. Yet, he gets a pass.  Meanwhile, Joel Peralta is suspended for 8 games, read HERE.  What the hell is this about here?

At least stop suggesting it’s “Valverde being Valverde” and start calling it what it is…ridiculous.

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JOE MADDON'S "COOL DAD" ACT IS OLD

(In Photo: Tool)

I find Joe Maddon’s “I’m the cool dad” attitude as the Tampa Bay Rays manager annoying.  Let’s face facts, Davey Johnson is a veteran manager of the game.  No one said he was a God, but there needs to be some kind of level of respect.  That goes for everyone by the way, but Davey’s achieved quite a bit in baseball, he’s a dinosaur and he’s a World Champion and the other night when he had the umpires confiscate Joel Peralta’s glove because he was suspicious that there may be an illegal substance on his glove, Maddon could have argued sure, but then wait. Now, it turned out there was pine tar on the glove and , well, that’s when Daddy Maddon gets all defensive.

Instead of Joe Maddon just saying something simple like “We’ll see what they find” meaning, MLB, who will now examine Peralta’s mitt and it is now being reported that he will be suspended for 8 games, but he will appeal, read HERE. The point is though, Maddon instead got defensive called Johnson's act “cowardly”   What the hell is that?  Joe Maddon aggravates me. I’m tired of the “cool dad” act, the dad that let’s the kids drink in the basement and then denies it so the kids don’t get in trouble. The act is old.  Be a manager, stop trying to be a friend. 

Now I’ve told you here that I’m not opposed to scuffing a ball once in a while.  I call it baseball.  Many disagree with me and I TOTALLY understand your side, so don’t kill me for my opinion. I just feel like this type of crap has been going on for ever in baseball and It’s part of the game.  I also don’t believe you can lump it into the same category as PEDs.  While you can claim the spit ball is cheating, I don’t see it as being in the same category.  I am also not about to get into a debate about PEDs.  This is strictly about doctoring the baseball.  Again, my take on this is simple, alittle spit, alittle smudge never hurt anyone, but if you’re going to coat your mitt with pine tar and spit right on the ball in front of 40,000 cameras and you get caught doing it, tough noogies, you’re an idiot.    

We’ll have a piece about the spit ball and my take on Jose Valverde’s spit seen ‘round the world this weekend. You should check it out…believe it or not, it involves an interesting perspective and Nick Swisher’s involved.

But back to Maddon and his attitude.  It stinks. Instead of bitching about Davey Johnson, bitch at  your pitcher for blowing it!  Davey Johnson was great, he came out a day later and said quite simply of Joe Maddon that he was a "weird wuss.”  Thems fightin’ words!  That’s a veteran manager telling another manager who thinks he’s God’s gift quite simply “You haven’t won anything yet little man.”  Davey Johnson gets the Hero award of the week. Maddon? Maddon’s the goat.

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AROUND YANKEELAND, AROUND MLB AND KATE UPTON

There is plenty of news going on around the Yankees and Major league baseball that I had to fill you in on. Plus, you need to realize that alot of these stories don't deserve their own post. Naturally, I didn't want to cheat you. This is perfect "waking up and having coffee" reading. Enjoy this and Good Morning on a hot Yankee off day.

Omar Luis Rodriguez: Never heard of that name before? Me neither. The Yankees signed this Cuban 18 year old left handed pitcher to a minor league contract with a $4 million bonus. Back in 2010 he was a bright spot during the World Junior Championship when he beat Team USA. All this comes from Ben Balder of Baseball America and you can read the full report HERE. According to Ben, "Given his age and experience level, Luis would likely report as high as low Class A Charleston, though he still must be able to acquire a visa, so it's not certain when Luis will be able to begin his career." So, are the Yankees gearing up for their future? I'd say so.

Sadder and Sadder for Brien Taylor: Just when you thought being Brien Taylor couldn't suck enough...it can. It's being reported HERE, that he was indicted on 3 counts of distributing crack had appeared in front of a judge and was ordered to stay behind bars. According to reports: "The former No. 1 selection in the Major League Baseball draft now faces a slew of charges involving the possession of and the intent to sell and distribute cocaine." This is a tragedy. Sure, he never made it to superstar status, but this is a perfect case of a kid with hopes and dreams and no direction. I feel for this guy and his family.

ARod's climbing the charts: Alex Rodriguez is now 6th on the all-time list for RBIs. That's fantastic. Right now Alex has 1925 RBIs and he just passed Jimmie Foxx who had 1924. Rodriguez trails Ty Cobb, Stan Musial, Lou Gehrig, Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth and all-time leader Hank Aaron in that category. Way to go kid!

Gibberish: Not sure how many people saw or heard this incident surrounding the Rangers play by play announcer Dave Barnett. I know I'm late to the party with this but you really need to feel for Barnett right now. This seems quite scary. They say a migraine was responsible for the incident but can you imagine your brain just shorting out like this? On Monday during the Rangers, Padres game, Barnett said this in the 8th inning: "the go-ahead run is at fifth on what (Mike) Adams is insisting on calling it a botched robbery. What actually happened was his henchman took piece literally all of." Whoa.  

Look, I'm 40. I feel my body breaking down sometimes, the last thing I want is my mind to short circuit like this. Remember a few years ago when that news reporter spoke gibberish during her news report? Look it's below:

  

All I can say is good luck to Dave and I hope they are able to figure out what happened.

Pine tar re-visited: The other night, Davey Johnson, the Nationals manager asked the umpire to go out to the mound and inspect Tampa Bay Rays set up man Joel Peralta's glove. He was suspicious. It turns out Peralta's glove had a crap load of pine tar on it. My guess is Peralta will be fined. Joe Maddon was pissed at Davey Johnson. Read HERE. Well, you may not believe this, but I have an interesting take that you may not expect.

I don't believe in cheating and I've stated that here a ton of times. I don't believe in PEDs and I don't believe in performance enhancing drugs. But I also don't believe that spit balls and pine tar and alittle scuff of a baseball is cheating either. Now look, clearly spit balls are not allowed in baseball, but I am from the school of old time baseball and what I mean by that is this; if alittle pine tar happens to get on the ball, hey, that's baseball.

Like Gaylord Perry, if some sweat or spit or something else helps the ball move a bit while you're pitching, go for it. If you want to use the old baseball and not ask for a new one, that's cool, go for it, that's baseball. Guys have been doing it for years. I am a believer that it's part of the game. Now, I will also tell you that if your blatantly obvious about it and coat your mitt with pine tar, you're deserve to get caught. Sure, it's a fine line but this is my scenario, my opinion on it, and it's just how I feel. In fact, I have a piece that we'll release this weekend on the recent ordeal surrounding Jose Valverde and his recent spitball accusation, read HERE and watch below:

 

Look for BYB's piece on all of this this weekend.

Kate Upton does it again: What do you want me to say. Kate Upton is everywhere and after the huge success of our last piece titled YANKEES NEW, YANKEES OLD AND KATE UPTON, Why not try it again... it's a Yankees off day after all.

It turns out Kate Upton is on the new cover of GQ and of course they got her to pose provocatively. That's what she does... right? Hey, it's working.