WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Names are our first identifiers. Before you are in born, your parents choose a name for you as a way to give you a solid identity. You go from "the baby" to "John" or "Emily" or whatever your name may be. They agonize over what to call you. No one wants a name that is too common. They want their little ones to be their own person. Sitting in a classroom at five with 6 other people that share your first name is a nightmare for parents. Don't ask me why, but it is. On the other hand, we don't want to give you a name that is too unique, if that makes sense.

I digress. Names are how we identify a person, or a group of people. Could you think of how different our fandom would be if instead of the Yankees they were named the Minions? Okay, maybe that is a far fetched thought. But what if they never changed their name from the Highlanders to the Yankees? It would have completely changed the face of the organization. Our beloved interlocking NY logo that has become so iconic, wouldn't work as well. You know what I mean.

Recently the Yankees announced that they are retiring Bernie Williams' number. Something that most of us can agree is long over due. I grew up in the Bernie and Core Four Era. My fandom was built around him, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, and Jorge Posada. I couldn't have asked for a better time to grow up in baseball. Legends like those come once in a lifetime, and I am grateful it was my lifetime.

With the announcement of the retirement of his number, the question came up again. You know the one... why is it Core Four? Why is Bernie forgotten? It's a legitimate question from fans that adore and respect what Bernie brought to the team. There is no denying his role in our Dynasty era. Without his contributions, there is no doubt that having reached that many Championships would not have seemed so effortless for the team. But here's the thing, and the following is a wildly unpopular opinion... he's not part of the Core Four. If you continued reading past that last line, and aren't angry at me, let me explain...

Names... they have meaning, right? They are given for a reason. I mean, we wouldn't call Jorge "The Warrior," would we? That is the name given exclusively to Paul O'Neill. And could you imagine the response if anyone else got called The Sandman? What if we start calling our line-up "Murderers Row"? I'm sure a few older fans would have a hard time with that.  A few years ago Michael Kay and Al Leiter called Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau the "M&M Boys." How could they? That's sacred! It was strange and even made BYB writer Jeana Bellezza cringe. You can read that HERE.

While in this case, adding Bernie to the equation would make the legacy better, it still doesn't fit. The "Core Four" is a name given to Mo, Jorge, Jeter, and Andy because they came up in the farm system together. They were key changes made to the team that helped pushed them into the team that dominated in the late 90's. And while, again, Bernie played a huge role in those championships, he didn't come up with them. Plain and simple.

We don't get up in arms about Paulie not being thrown in there. He's our Warrior, and we're okay with that. But did he not contribute to the championship teams? What about Tino Martinez? Or is it different because Bernie was home grown, and played his entire career here? Because then we could argue that Andy's three season in Houston should ban him from being part of the Core Four. You wounded us, Andy. Deeply. Okay, maybe just me... anyway, I've forgiven him.

Here's my thought; Bernie is his own separate entity. He hasn't been forgotten, obviously! If we are still asking why he isn't part of the "Core Four," the memory of his contributions are still alive and well to us all.  There is so much respect and love for Bernie from Yankee fans. It's incredible to see the organization finally do the right thing by him. His retirement ceremony brings a sense of happiness to fans. It's the right thing to do. We've known it for years, we've just been waiting for the Yankees to acknowledge it as well.  But, why can't he be a stand alone player? Why the push to recreate the Core Four? The Fab Five?  I ask you... why?

I absolutely adore Bernie Williams. There will never be another like him. He deserves the honor of being in Monument Park. He gave everything to the organization, and instead of heading off to another team to play, decided he'd rather not play if not in the Bronx. I have a huge amount of respect for him as a player and as a man. And I think he led a career that he is strong enough to stand as his own memorable entity.

Lou Gehrig once remarked that because he hit after Babe Ruth, he was forgettable, and still he is one of the most celebrated Yankees of all time. Why then do we feel the need to shove Bernie into a box in order to preserve his memory?

It was the Core Four, and the incredible Bernie Williams! That's how I see it. 

Congrats, Bernie! It's long overdue.

--Erica Morales BYB Senior Writer 
Twitter: @e_morales1804

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HOME RUN DERBY, THE REPEAT, & I LOVE ALL-STAR BREAK

It's here! IT'S HERE! I cannot begin to explain how much I love All Star Weekend. It makes me all giddy, like a kid on Christmas morning. Except, instead of presents, I get home runs. Actually, that's just as good. Yay, Home Runs!

This year brought us an American League team captained by Jose Bautista. Adam Jones, Brian Dozier, Josh Donaldson join him, along with last years champion Yoenis Cespedes. The National league was made up of captain Troy Tulowitzki, Yasiel Puig, Giancarlo Stanton, Todd Frazier, and Justin Morneau. Donaldson, and Tulowitzki both have 20 homers this season, so far.

I wrote last month about the MLB & THE HOME RUN DERBY BRACKETS. It explained that each team would have 5 batters. Top three hitters for each team move onto the second round, with the top hitter getting a BYE in the second round.

In the first round, Bautista hit an impressive 10 home runs earning himself that BYE. But Stanton's 430 foot home run was the most impressive to me. It nearly cleared the stadium. Morneau, who got a warm welcome at Target Field, only hit 2 homers, tying with Frazier in the first round. Frazier beat him in the swing off, advancing into the second round. Donaldson and Cespedes also went into a swing off. Cespedes won with two homers. We also got another chance to watch Robinson Cano's father, Jose Cano pitching in a home run derby. He pitched to Puig. Unfortunately, he couldn't help Puig hit a single homer.

Cespedes gained momentum as the derby progressed. He went on to face Bautista in the third round who only hit 4 homers, after a spectacular 10 homers in the first round. It wasn't enough to beat Cespedes though. In the final round, Cespedes faced Frazier. Cespedes batted first hitting 9 homers. Unfortunately, knowing what he was up against, did not work in Frazier's favor, who only hit 1 homer in the final. Cespedes went on to be the first back to back Home Run Derby winner since 1998-1999, when Ken Griffey, Jr won.

Congratulations to 2014 Home Run Derby King, Yoenis Cespedes! Up next is the All Star Game and the last chance to watch Derek Jeter play in the mid-summer classic. Let's go, American League.

--Erica Morales BYB Senior Writer 
Twitter: @e_morales1804

 
  

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IT'S ABOUT HEART, NOT HOMETOWN: BLEEDING YANKEE BLUENOSER

Two snowmobiles pulled into the gas station as we came out of the coffee shop. Nobody batted an eye as their riders took turns filling the tanks while cars waited patiently behind them. Well, almost nobody. The woman from New York City raised her eyebrows quizzically.

We were in Nova Scotia, my wife and I. We had brought our son to my childhood stomping grounds in the Annapolis Valley for his first Christmas. I had brought us to the local Tim Horton’s coffee shop to experience a bit of Canadiana. The ski-doos were the cherry on top of an ubiquitous sundae of the nation’s rural culture.

"You’re from Nova Scotia? How can YOU be a Yankee fan? You ain’t no real fan. You don’t know nothin’!" 

One wouldn’t expect to find New York Yankee fans in such a locale as this. Especially during the winter. When it comes to sports, when you say “Canada” you are answered with “hockey.” As you should be. Especially in Nova Scotia, where Windsor is widely acknowledged as it’s birthplace.

Hockey is King. Television coverage lives and breathes the sport. The World Junior Hockey Championships take center stage over the holidays. All talk mainly revolves around Team Canada. Hats and jerseys for the squad are everywhere.

Add to this the World Under-17 Championships, taking place right in Nova Scotia; the Spengler Cup in Europe; the NHL Heritage Classic outdoor game, which would set an attendance record for the sport; and a much hyped Original Six matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Rangers on the most holy of Canadian programs, Hockey Night in Canada, and baseball almost never gets a mention.
Almost.

"You don’t know nothin’ about baseball. All you know is hockey, right?"

And yet baseball isn’t that hard to find. Canada has a quietly proud pedigree on the diamond. Jackie Robinson played in Montreal before coming to Brooklyn. Babe Ruth hit his first professional home run in Toronto. Ferguson Jenkins. Larry Walker. Justin Morneau. Russell Martin. Joey Votto.

Baseball Nova Scotia is active year round and gives many kids the opportunity to play the game competitively all over North America. It has yet to produce the same caliber superstars as the province has done for hockey, but the passion for baseball is very real. Nova Scotia is small but it’s heart is very big.

Baseball is on television in Canada every day. The Blue Jays get national coverage, as did the Montreal Expos at one time. Even now, with the frenzy for hockey at it’s thickest, sports stations play classic MLB games in the afternoon. Like the 1977 Yankees World Series. Even after all these years, Reggie Jackson gives you chills. Leave it to Mr. October to casually take center stage during a hockey mad week in a hockey mad country.

"Get a load of this guy! Yeah you might look the part, kid, but you ain’t a real fan. You’re just dressed the part."

The fields where my father and I often had catches are covered with snow. Instead he pulls my son through them in a new sled. Biting cold Nova Scotian winters prevents baseball from gaining greater prevalence. But baseball is a game about heart. If you have the heart, it doesn’t matter what season it is. It doesn’t matter where you come from.

I inherited my love of baseball, and my love for the Yankees. Too old to play hockey well now, I can still catch and throw. And every now and again I can still see the ball just right, and make it go far away. That satisfying smack. That feeling. You know the one, it says that you don’t have to run. There is nothing else like it. Your heart leaps and then glows.

Baseball fans are all over Canada. They have been here for generations, and Nova Scotia is no different. The province is just far enough away, just secluded enough, to have no real MLB home team. The argument could be made for the Blue Jays, and their ball caps do dot the population here and there, but they aren’t all you see. The Montreal Expos are still popular. The Pittsburgh Pirates are here, the old pillboxes popping up from time to time. And the Yankees have a presence too.

The last time I saw my grandfather before leaving for New York City he asked me to send him a Yankee hat from the Stadium. He played ball as a young man. The game was in his blood too. In his heart.

I have cheered for the Yankees all of my life. Because it was common in Nova Scotia for everyone to have their own favorite team, it was natural that everyone got along well regardless of who their team was. Good natured teasing, but nothing nasty. Favorite teams normally were affiliated to your family, not your hometown. You wore your heart on your sleeve when you flew your colors.

"You gotta be kidding me! I’m surprised your hat ain’t pink!" 

During that first trip to the Stadium, I told the wrong guy where I was from. He razzed me relentlessly. According to him, I was a poser. Not authentic. You know his type, every fan-base has guys like him. The louts. The boors. The bullies. Guys like this are who Yankee haters trot out to illustrate that Bombers fans are jerks. You expect treatment like that in Fenway, not at The Stadium.

Of the two of us, he was not the one who waited patiently for twenty years to make their long pilgrimage to the House that Ruth Built. He was mocking a fellow fan, a completely new concept to me. What kind of family was he from? He did not represent the Yankees to me. You need class, at the very least, to wear these Pinstripes right. You need heart.

Heart is not determined by geography. Location is unimportant next to passion. Those from New York are not all necessarily Yankee fans, so therefore Yankee fans do not all necessarily come from New York. How else do you explain Mets fans?

If you ride another Yankee fan simply because they don’t come from New York, then you are the one who is not authentic. If a heart beats Yankee Blue, then that heart can be from anywhere. If that fan has waited all their life for this game, and has travelled from far away, then they have just as much, if not more heart, than you. Mocking them for not being from your neighborhood is… well… Heartless.

Since that day, there have been extra efforts put into making out of town fans feel welcome. The guy with the Yankee hat who can barely speak English gets a smile and a handshake. Anyone in Yankees gear with a map and a lost look about them gets helped out. You don’t know their story, but they have come to New York to be part of the family. They should be treated with respect.

And if they’re from Boston wearing Yankees jerseys? Buy them beer.

Nova Scotia made it’s bones on the sea. Fishing. Shipping. And back in the day, maritime racing. The most famous ship in all of Canada, let alone Nova Scotia, was the schooner named “The Bluenose.” It’s picture is on the dime. It won so many championships, it made Nova Scotia the King of it’s day. Even now, Nova Scotians are known as “Bluenosers.” They are famous for traveling far and wide, and for their hospitality.

So I take this opportunity to reach out to our extended Yankees family members, wherever you are. You are all welcome in New York City. Someday, perhaps, you will attend a game with a Bleeding Yankee Bluenoser.

Or two.


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


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CONTRACT HITMEN

"Hitting is the most important part of the game. It is where the big money is, where much of the status is, and the fan interest." ~ Ted Williams 

Who will hit for the Yankees in 2014? Too many names are in question on the roster. New York is sure to lose some stars. The Free Agent Pool will have to be a factor for the Bronx. As we did with Pitching Fits, when we examined pitchers available in the off-season for the best fits, we will do it again for batters.

To do this, we need to look at who will be staying and who will be going. The Yankees are sure to lose either Robinson Cano or Curtis Granderson. Losing both is also a possibility. Those are two very big bats and two very big holes to plug. And they are just the start.

Kevin Youkilis shouldn’t be back. The Bombers will probably also let go of Travis Hafner and Mark Reynolds. Lyle Overbay should be hung onto. Alex Rodriguez is a smoking crater of a hot mess. It is hard to believe he will ever wear the Pinstripes again.

Examining Free Agents, certain names stand out. Most names should be discarded. These are the players most logical to pick up:

Ben Zobrist. This guy is capable of playing Second Base and Outfield. He is defensively sound, with a career Fielding Percentage of .983. He hits around and about .270, and can surprise with power. He could potentially reach 20+ homers with the short porch in Right.

Can he replace Robbie or Grandy? Of course not. But he would be a solid option to play either of their positions. He will be expensive, but he should be a priority for the Office to sign up.

Michael Young. This guy’s name just keeps coming up. He was attached to New York several times this season in trade rumors already. Writers at this very site, including myself, have pointed out he would be a good fit.

Young sports a Fielding Percentage of .979, can hit .300, and will be good for 15 or so dingers. As mentioned in Undercover Yankees, he is an impressive player to watch in person. Most importantly, the Hot Corner is thin in the Free Agent Pool. Other than Martin Prado, there is nothing out there. The Yankees need to shore up Third Base. No excuses.

Behind the plate this season, the Yankees used not one, not two, not three, but four catchers. Francisco Cervelli might end up working out, but his injuries and suspension make him a question mark. Austin Romine and JR Murphy are waiting in the wings. Chris Stewart is amazing defensively, but isn’t consistent offensively.

Once the Yankees know what’s going on with Second and Third they should address who will be Catcher. Mike Napoli is going to be available. But he should be approached with caution. These last few years he has been injury prone. The last thing New York needs is another fragile player.

Yes, Napoli is having a good season this year, but his previous campaign was miserable. He would be a gamble, and an expensive one. But it might be worth it to pick him up just to get him to shave that beard off.

Carlos Ruiz is someone to take a hard look at. He is experienced with All Star pitching staffs, is watertight defensively, .995 percentage, and will hit for around a .275 average. The Phillies will want to bring him back, but the Yankees should keep him on the back burner for now.

Other Free Agents that catch our eye include Justin Morneau, Stephen Drew, and Raul Ibanez. Drew is lower priority until we know what is going on with Derek Jeter. He is still The Captain, and deserves the chance to show us he is capable of playing Short. Take a flyer on Drew and bookmark him, just in case.

Morneau has returned to elite form, and regular readers of this site know that we like him. If he can be picked up at a reasonable price, Justin would be a very good addition. Raul Ibanez is already beloved in the Bronx. He has not missed a beat in Seattle.

Other major names in the Free Agent Pool should be ignored. Chase Utley, Jacoby Ellsbury, Shin-Soo Choo, Brian McCann, Hunter Pence, Kendrys Morales, Kelly Johnson, Jason Bay, Carlos Beltran, Nelson Cruz, Corey Hart, and Lance Berkman. All of these names will be expensive and risky. Many of these players are aging, susceptible to extended slumps, and/or injury prone. They should all be avoided.

The real questions are who stays and who goes in the Bronx. As long as the Yankees make sure they have their bases covered, particularly Second and Third, they will be fine.

New York is infamous for contracting hits. This year should be no different.


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


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JUSTIN CASE IT HAPPENS...

I might be a Yankee fan, but I have a nice story about Justin Morneau. I was predisposed to like Justin anyway, as we are both Canadian. How I am a Yankee fan is another long story. Ask me another time.
So anyway, I was felled by a sudden and unexpected illness in the summer of 2007, landing me in a Toronto hospital for two months. Missed all of the summer and a lot of baseball.

A friend of mine got to meet Justin when the Twins were in town, and told him about me. Justin posed for a picture with him, and sent it on to me, with an autograph and a personalized message to get myself back to the ball park.

It was a real spirit lifter, and helped to speed my recovery. He did not do this for a hot chick or a cute kid, Justin took the time for an ugly ass grown man like me whom he has never met. That’s pretty awesome.

It’s been a pleasure to watch Mr Morneau surge back to being the player we all knew he was. He has had some bad breaks these last few years. I am happy he has found success again. I wish him all the best, and a grand road to glory.

Unless he plays the Yankees. Then he can bite me.

Play ball!

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


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CONGRATS TO ANDY PETTITTE

For a long, long time, Whitey Ford was considered the absolute best Yankee pitcher ever.  And you know what? He still is.  Luckily for us, the Yankees have a lot of great players over the years.  Tonight, one of our favorites... one of the Core Four, Mr. Andy Pettitte made history.

Andy Pettitte passed Whitey for number 1 on the all-time list of strikeouts for the New York yankees.  1,958.  As the Associated Press writes (HERE): "Pettitte struck out Justin Morneau in the fifth inning against Minnesota on Monday night to give him 1,958 for his career. Ford has held the mark since he retired in 1967."

What a tremendous feat for one of of the best ever in pinstripes!  Congrats!

 
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CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR

The Yankees came in to the game with a 1-1/2 game lead in the East, and with an opportunity to extend it by another game as the Orioles fell to the Blue Jays. This time of year, every game counts and the Yankees should be beating up on teams fighting to stay out of last place like the Twins. It did not exactly work out that way.

Phil Hughes showed some great skill tonight in holding down the Twins through the first six innings. Hughes can be feast-or-famine when it comes to his starts, but it's always amazing to me how good he is when he is in "feast" mode. Hughes pitched six and two-thirds innings of two-run ball, striking out four, and holding the Twins to only one extra-base hit.

Nick Swisher started the Yankees offense with a line-drive two-run home run in the top of the fourth. Swisher has been Mr. Clutch of late, with six of his last 12 home runs having put the Yankees in the lead. Clutch is king in the postseason - we are looking forward to more of the same from Swish.

Esmerling Vasquez started the game for the Twins. Honestly, when I saw him listed as the starting pitcher, I was thinking that this game is a slam-dunk. Surprisingly, he was able to hold the Yankees to two runs - both on the aforementioned home run. Where were the Yankees bats tonight? Vasquez seemed to have a good change up tonight, but it makes you wonder how a pitcher coming in with an ERA close to 6 can hold the Yankees to two runs? The Yankees bats have to be able to pound pitchers like this, and take advantage of similar weaknesses in playoff teams.

Russell Martin continued his hot hitting as he hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh for an extra insurance run, putting the Yankees up 3-1. Martin, whose batting average has spent most of the season on the interstate, has been surprisingly productive in clutch situations lately.

Hughes pitched into the 7th inning, but loaded the bases on a set of cheap hits. Ryan Doumit singled, Chris Parmelee walked, and Jamey Carroll reached on an infield single. After striking out Pedro Florimon, Joe Girardi went to the bullpen and Boone Logan was called upon to get the third out. After a wild pitch allowed the first run to score, Logan gave up a double to Denard Span to score two, Ben Revere walked, and Joe Mauer got an RBI single. Logan finally retired Justin Morneau to end the inning. With Logan brought in to face four left-handed hitters, three of them reached and all four runs scored with him on the mound. He is my nominee for Goat of the Game.

Derek Lowe came in to keep the Twins from scoring any more runs. He induced three quiet ground outs to give the Yankees the best chance at a rally. After a rough end of August, Lowe has been looking pretty good, and could be a key part of the Yankees postseason plan.

An honorable mention has to go out to Andruw Jones, who got a pinch-hit home run in the ninth, bringing the tying run to the plate. Jones' hitting has been dreadful lately. It is good to see signs of life from his bat.

The Yankees came in to this game having won 11 of their last 14 games. No team wins all of their games, but it would have been nice to extend their lead. Still, there were many positives to take from this game. Hughes, who is likely the #4 starter on the playoff roster, looked very strong. If Logan had done his job, we would have been celebrating his 17th win. Swisher is still hitting go-ahead home runs, and Russell Martin is suddenly a threat at the plate. Most importantly, they are showing some fight in the ninth inning even when they are down. They still have questions with their bullpen and their hitting, but let's hope this was a road bump - and on to tomorrow!

Final Score: Twins 5, Yankees 4

--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon

My blog is: Shots from Murderer's Row

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THE YANKEES AND THE TRADE DEADLINE

The Non-Waiver Trade Deadline is less the twenty-four hours away and as a Yankee fan, I want the Yankees to make a move here. I know there have been a lot of fans saying that we don’t need to make any big moves, but let’s be honest, no one is going to frown on improvement. And with ARod and Gardy out, and a new injury to Mark Teixeira, we could use another bat in our arsenal. People are suggesting it's time to bring up Russell Branyan or Jack Cust, but I'll tell you what I'm thinking:

Chase Headley: With ARod out, we could use a guy at third base. I like Chavez as much as the next guy but he is accident-prone. And Ramiro Pena has a questionable bat. Headley could take over at 3rd base until ARod comes back. The best thing about Headley is that he is also an outfielder. With the possibility of Nick Swisher not returning next season, Headley could take over right field. He is hitting .265, but Petco is a difficult place to hit. He’d be a nice fit into the Yankees line up and could come alive at a field like Yankee Stadium. The problem, of course is the price tag. It seems the Padres are determined to ask for a King’s Ransom and as Cashman has said on several occasions, the goal is to bring the spending budget down.

Ty Wigginton: definitely another option. With him being in the last year of his $8 million dollar contract, the price is right. He goes into free agency as of 2013 with a team option. His contract is unrestricted though so he wouldn’t necessarily play for the Yankees next season if he does choose to play. Wigginton could take over third or share the position with Eric Chavez until ARod comes back. He would be more of a “Band-Aid” fix instead of a long-term solution though and that worries me. Cashman has never seemed like a “Band-Aid” fix kind of guy.

Justin Morneau: Another guy I have had my eye on is Justin Morneau. He is only hitting .260. But he has 13 homers and 46 RBI’s. The biggest obstacle I see with Morneau is his contract. $19 million still left through to next season, no one sees this actually happening, but with Tex hurt and with no one thinking the Yankees would sign Ichiro with his $17 million dollar price tag (Except BYB), anything is possible.  Like I said about Chase Headley, Cashman is looking to lower the spending budget though. He has a .322 OBP, .457 SLG and .996 fielding percentage. Of course there is the fact that he is a first baseman. But with Teixeria getting pulled out tonight, he might be just what we need.

The truth is, the Yankees need a bat. Getting Ichiro was a great move by the organization. With Alex out now for six to eight weeks, we could always beef up a bit, we can get guys that could play third base but also be moved when they need to. Here comes the trade deadline...get ready.

--Erica Morales, BYB Writer



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WHY YOU CAN'T TAINT THE MANTLE & MARIS LEGACY

Is there too much candy making its way up into the YES broadcast booth at Yankee stadium? Maybe Paul O’Neill left a candy stash laying around. Michael Kay and Al Leiter keep talking about the M&M boys and I keep looking for images of them to appear on my television….but for some reason, all I see are Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. Surely they must be confused, did they forget what network they work for? Someone call a doctor! The sugar high is confusing them and it might be time for a detox. Maybe there is another explanation, but right now it is the only thing that makes sense!

After hearing about these “M&M boys” for days now, I had a sudden urge to see the great Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris again so I went to the one place I knew I would find them again…..in my DVD collection. What are they doing there? Well, they are giving the rest of my baseball collection something to aspire to. After putting in my copy of “61”, I finally got to see the REAL “M&M boys.” Maybe someone needs to send Kay and Leiter a copy of the movie so they can do some research. I mean, Morneau and Mauer don’t even LOOK like the “M&M boys” let alone play like Mantle and Maris. Why are we tainting Yankee history this way? There are only one "M&M boys"!There is one thing that all four of them have in common….their dreams. You see, in 1961 Mantle and Maris were chasing (or not chasing as they claimed) after the Babe Ruth’s home run record. Those boys had some power and created quite the “love/hate” relationship amongst fans who were cheering for their personal favorite, while mocking the other. Similarly, Mauer and Morneau are chasing their own dreams…..the dream to stay healthy and prove that their 2011 season was just a bad nightmare! Morneau wasn’t able to connect his bat with the ball…. somehow his head made more contact (ouch) and he spent last year recovering from a concussion. Mauer only played in 82 games last year due to complications with his knees. Only 52 of those were behind the plate while the other 30 starts were in the outfield and at first base. There is also a love/hate relationship associated with them, but this time it is a “love to hate” ON the Twins and reminisce about the previous year’s dominance the Yankees have had.

So….how are these two like Mantle and Maris? I don’t see the comparison! The longevity, production, and power in their young careers cannot compare to what the greats have done. It is a nice comparison and I am sure they thank you for it….but some of us Yankee fans like the original version just the way it is.So Michael Kay and Al Leiter I beg of you….please lay off of the "M&M" term. This sugar high has me a little worried. Maybe we should give you some healthy snacks. After careful analysis, I can only conclude that you are talking about M&M's as in the candy. In this case, Mantle and Maris are the “classic” hard shell candy that we have enjoyed for years and Mauer and Morneau are like the new pretzel "M&Ms", still trying to make a name for themselves, but not in the record books yet. Please, I beg you... don’t mess with the original.

--Jeana Bellezza --BYB Writer and Editor

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