YANKEE FANS KNOW THAT FEELING OF "BELIEVING" VERY WELL

Pete Alonso of the Mets couldn't hit himself out of a paper bag for weeks.  So you knew it was only a matter of time for him to get a big hit in a big moment last night... and good for him.

For me, I'm not a Mets fan. I don't have any feeling for them good or bad. For me, they are just the Mets.  That's how it's been for a long, long time.  When Derek Jeter made that remark about the team recently, it just made sense for me. They ARE just the Mets. I don't particularly root for them, I don't boo them... I just watch them.  And that's about it.  

Last night, I was leaning Brewers just because of the fact that I long for the 80's, the Robin Yount, Gorman Thomas, Paul Molitor days. It was nostalgic for me. Plus, my kid's a Christian Yelich fan so it just made sense.  But to be honest, I went to bed not really caring who won, but I do have to say, it was a good game.

But the moment that Alonso had made us all bring us to those great moments in baseball. It is what makes baseball truly great. A home run when a team needed it most, the moment, the feeling, the triumph, the defeat on the other side. It was baseball at its best.  Happily, as Yankee fans, we have had many of those and they all made us feel incredible... especially during big games.

CBS News writes:

"At least we didn't get swept."

Jim Leyritz remembers saying that out loud when the Yankees' sixth-inning rally in Game 4 of the 1996 World Series still left them trailing 6-3, only nine outs away from going down three games to one to the Atlanta Braves....Two innings later, Leyritz changed Yankees' fortunes and pinstriped history with one swing, a game-tying, three-run home run off Braves closer Mark Wohlers. The Bombers would go on to win the game in extra innings, tying the series."

And how about the true team effort of Yankees in 2001 when the Yanks needed them most. Cronkite News writes:

"Those three nights included President George W. Bush delivering a perfect strike for the first pitch before Game 3, Tino Martinez and Scott Brosius hitting two-run home runs in the 9th inning off Diamondbacks closer Byung-Hyun Kim in back-to-back games, Derek Jeter walking off Game 4 in the 12th, earning his title Mr. November, and the rookie Alfonso Soriano delivering a walk-off hit in Game 5 for the 3-2 New York series lead over Arizona."

The home runs when we need them most is vital to the fabric of the game of baseball and so great for the true baseball fan.  Last night was fantastic for Mets fans. It was important for Alonso, and we all felt it for a few minutes.  Life for the true Met fan was glorious.   But what happens next...

While the big home run is incredible, it depends on WHEN it takes place.  As all Yankee fans know, losing the 2001 World Series was a heartbreaker. The Yankee homers came at the right time and in bunches... but it wasn't enough.  In fact, a bigger moment came for the Diamondbacks against the greatest closer of all time when Luis Gonzalez hit that blooper to win the game.  Another moment in time that for the true baseball historian is just incredible.  For the Yankee fan, it was gut wrenching.  

For Leyritz, he would have several of those home run moments. The one in 1995 against the Mariners was incredible, but we didn't win that series.  Obviously 1998 Scott Brosius was on fire against the Padres, and in that World Series those moments were significant, we WON that.  But again... it's WHEN these moments happen that allow teams and their fans to truly love and appreciate being a fan.

 

Pete Alonso did something great last night. It should not be dismissed. But the Phillies are no slouch. The big question for the Mets is can the use that momentum to keep going, or was the highlight, as great as it was, only be a highlight that sits on a shelf, like Aaron Boone's homer against the Red Sox.  Something that we recall, but years later doesn't mean much.   It's a question every team clawing toward the World Series needs to think about.

I love big moments in baseball... we've had plenty as Yankee fans.  But it's how a team keeps going that is vital for the makeup of that team and what truly makes them a champion.  Mets fans are happy today. I respect that.  What I don't respect is the trash talk, rudeness, slapping down of Phillies fans before they even show up.   You are only as good as the game you played. When a new day comes, a new game comes.  The Phillies are not about the roll over. Mets fans need to take the homer, praise Pete, applaud the team, but then reset.  

Oh... and stop praising Grimace.  How about you root for your team instead of rooting for a false vibe?  That's the problem with Mets fans... they don't "believe in their team"... they believe in something fabricated to help them through the brutal fandom they've dealt with all these years.  That's no way to be a fan.

Big baseball weekend coming.  Go Yanks!  Let's get some.  Oh... and to the Mets, the Phillies... good luck.

BOONE HAS TO GO WITH HIS GUT WHEN IT COMES TO CLOSING OUT GAMES

Aroldis Chapman is still and will always be my closer in the modern era of the New York Yankees. That being said, the dude's got problems... and going on an 11 game winning streak, and Zach Britton now out, Aaron Boone has to earn his money now and really and truly manage.

The New York Post writes:

"With Zack Britton all but announcing he was done for the season with a sprained elbow (more clarity on that is expected early next week), the Yankees are already down one elite reliever late in the season.

After Aroldis Chapman failed to close out a game again, Tuesday in Atlanta, manager Aaron Boone acknowledged the team would have “to figure it out” when it comes to finishing games.

The manager wasn’t ready to make — or at least make public — any decision regarding his closer in the immediate aftermath of yet another tense victory, but Chapman’s status will continue to be a topic for discussion as long as he pitches like he has lately.

His velocity was down again Tuesday and he walked two batters — the same number he retired before getting pulled for Wandy Peralta, who got Freddie Freeman to fly out with the bases loaded to end the Yankees’ 11th straight win.

Even before his recent problems, Chapman would have entered October surrounded by question marks, given that he has allowed crippling homers that helped end both of the Yankees’ past two postseasons — one to Tampa Bay’s Mike Brosseau in last year’s ALDS and the infamous game-winning home run by Houston’s Jose Altuve in the 2019 ALCS."

Chapman is 1 save away from 300.  Not easy to do and we should root for him to get that, but in the meantime, Boone needs to piece it together because, after all... that's his job. The Yanks have a bunch of guys in that pen that probably deserve a place on that stage and like Chapman's most recent scare, Boone's gonna have to go with his gut to figure out the best strategy going into the ninth.

Chapman's gonna want the ball... you gotta love that, but there will be times where he may not complete the job.  I mean, think about this... Mariano Rivera only blew 4 save opportunities in the post season ever. He also had 215 regular game saves when he blew his save against Luis Gonzalez against the Diamondbacks. You wanna talk devastating? That was. Now look... I know Mariano is sacred, he didn't get the job done in the biggest stage ever, Game 7 of the World Series after 9/11. And so my point is simply, closers aren't perfect. Closers make mistakes. You have to almost applaud Chapman for how far he's come in his career. Mariano blew a save and it was "OK, he'll get him tomorrow." Chapman blows a save and people panic. Don't panic... let the manager manage. Let the closer figure it out.

Let Boone do his job and figure out his personnel when Chapman can't do his... which is human nature... you can't be perfect all the time. Chapman will figure it out... and so will Boone. We need to have faith. We have some good kids in that pen that wanna make a splash and deserve a shot. It will get fixed. I really believe it.

MR. NOVEMBER

 #ThankYouCaptain via #BYB

I'm from Arizona. I'm not exactly a Yankee fan.

Everybody is talking about Derek Jeter’s highlights; his walk off home run last night, the dive, the flip, five championship rings.  I want to write about a ring he didn’t get.

In 2001, the Arizona Diamondbacks became world champions.  At the time the Yankees had won the “Fall  Classic” 26 times, while my snakes had only existed for four years.

9/11 evoked strong emotions from me during that series but I was a hometown boy and at the time a bit of a Yankee hater.  No one was walking away with our trophy.

But during that series, before the bloop single by Luis Gonzalez in Game 7 and the great pitching by Randy Johnson, and Curt Schilling, there was Game 4.

The clock struck midnight in extra innings and November had arrived, significant because the series had never been played that late.  Just weeks before the stadiums in New York City were used to house dead bodies, victims of the greatest act of terrorism America and the world had ever seen.

The Yankees were down two games to one and the game was do or die.  The situation in some ways mirrored what New Yorkers and many across the country were feeling.

To many, America was down and out.   NYC had surely been knocked down. Baseball can sometimes reflect life and I like many felt it did that night.  I remember Jeter’s at-bat in the bottom of the 10th for two reasons, because I was in shock and because I couldn’t be angry about the end result.  Number 2’s 3-2 walk-off homerun lifted New York and lifted a nation.

Down at the end of the game the boys picked themselves up and their leader, their shortstop sent them home and evened the series.  The crowd at old Yankee stadium popped like Hulk Hogan had just come out to punch the Iron Sheik.

It felt like the end of Return of the Jedi.  I almost expected Ewoks to start dancing with Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.  Derek Jeter was Luke Skywalker with Han Solo’s swagger.  Talk about magic.

Keith Olbermann and the media don’t get it now and probably didn’t get it then.  They’re crapping on Derek Jeter because they think he’s “hurting” the team in 2014?  Really? I wonder if they were watching last night.

The guy’s special.  He’s always there at special times when his team or fans needed him and he’s never given them a reason to be embarrassed.  Mickey Mantle was a heavy drinker and Babe Ruth was a maniac.  Jeter did his job like they did and the worst thing he’s ever done is maybe bang Mariah Carey.  But he did it before Glitter, so what?

Sure the Yankees lost that World Series but they won every home game and fought valiantly.  That’s what Jeter is doing now by continuing to play the position he’s always played in his final season.  He deserves it.

I want to see Jeter go out on his shield, not on the bench.

I remember that early November morning in 2001, shaking my head at a barrel cactus out front.  I didn’t like losing but there wasn’t the bad aftertaste that usually came with defeat.

I felt like Al Pacino in Donnie Brasco:

“If it was gonna be anyone, I'm glad it was him.”




Wolfgang Von Bunt
BYB Staff Writer
Twitter: @WVBunt



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NOT AT YANKEE STADIUM: THINGS I DON'T UNDERSTAND

There are many  things I don't understand. I wish I was all knowing. But in this case, there are a lot of baseball oddities that I am trying to make sense of. I spent the weekend at Chase Field the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks....and let me tell ya, my head is still spinning from some of the things I saw.

I have been to a lot of baseball games over the years. I have been back and forth to the Bronx, and then there is Chase Field here in my own backyard. With just a short drive down the freeway I am there and checking out the scene. As close as I am to the stadium, the differences between what I see here and what I see in New York couldn't be more opposite. It's not even apples and oranges. It's like comparing a kid's toy dump truck and gelato.

To understand what I am talking about you just have to be there and look past the whole "National League vs American League" thing. You have to look deeper at what happens when the cameras are off. Let me tell you....it was weird. On Saturday I went to a night game with BYB friend Dave Goode. We interviewed him in THE VENDOR FROM THE HOUSE THAT RUTH BUILT... and these are some of the things we saw....

First things first here.... The Hot Dog Derby. Yes, you heard me. It's a cute idea for the kids, but wow....what the fans saw on the screen versus what as happening on the field was strange. I know other teams do this but, the Diamondback take kids from three different sections in the stadium and dress them up in a hot dog suits. There is one person racing for team relish, one for team ketchup, and one for mustard. You watch the kids run in place as the animated hot dogs jump up and down on the jumbo tron across popular downtown Phoenix sites until they cross the finish line. As I am watching team relish jump up and down feverishly, ketchup looks like he is skipping yet he wins the race. Go figure. Oh and the prize for team ketchup was everyone sitting in that section won a coupon for a free hot dog from Circle K. Seems odd to me.....

Then came the Legends race. The Diamondbacks send giant bobble head looking "legendary" players and race them halfway around the stadium. The crowd watches to see who gets out of the bullpen gate first as Luis Gonzalez, Randy Johnson, Mark Grace, and Matt Williams will try to trap the other players behind the gate. They hobble halfway around the stadium until one of them crosses the finish line. Then they make their way into the stands and walk through all of the seats. They keep score throughout the year of who has the most wins. Interesting stat here....Grace has never won a race and he spent most of his years on the Cubs. Dave and I were wondering....were we the only ones questioning why the Diamondbacks are clinging so closely to their association with Mark Grace given his recent DUI charges? Hmmmm....

Sunday was just as strange. This time though, I went with my Diamondbacks and Mets loving father. I was curious to see who he was going to be cheering for. Just so happened he was on team Dback as I was cheering on the Mets. I can't believe I just said that, but I did. We saw some more strange games.

The Diamondbacks play a roulette game where they spin this over sized wheel and wherever the "coin" drops in you get a prize. They chose a season ticket holder to play. Cool, right? So they start talking to the guy and they zoom in on him. They ask him how long he has been a season ticket holder and he says "since the very beginning." Awesome, right? Dude was wearing Milwaukee Brewers gear. Really? I don't get that at all....

Then came "The Bongo Game!" Sounds odd already, right? So the announcer puts on music with a conga beat to it. The jumbo tron will show the drums and they pan the stands looking for someone that looks like they are drumming to the beat. What happened to player trivia?

This one was my favorite....let's play Float or Sink! How do you play, you ask. Let me tell you! So Chase Field is known for their exclusive section in the outfield that has a swimming pool. It comes in very handy down here. So during the game the people in those seats have to guess if the randomly chosen object will "sink" or "float" once thrown in the pool. Winners get a $25 gift card. This weekend they threw a full bottle of ketchup into the pool. My dad guessed it would float. I said sink. The bottle did sink but really....again I ask, what happened to player trivia?!

Another thing to add to the list....I don't understand is WHY every year when the Mets come out here David Wright is on the disabled list? I always buy tickets just so I can watch him because I think he is a good player, and I respect him for the way he plays. Every year though....he's unavailable. Are you allergic to the desert, Wright? If you are, I guess I can't fault you too much but come on!!

But the kicker for me, and not even my dad can explain this one to me....why on earth did the Diamondbacks change their colors? When they first came out here they were looking to make a statement and set this team apart from the rest. The turquoise and purple colors did just that. It was unexpected, and unique. Here we are years later and now they are red and black. Maybe I shouldn't question this because they haven't won since so maybe it is bad luck for them and good luck for me.

Now if someone could just explain the mascot thing to me, I could let all of this go. The mascot's name is Baxter....and he is a cat. A CAT! The team is named after a snake. It is even in the logo and part of their rally sound over the intercom is the rattle sound a snake's tail makes before they attack their pray. So why the cat?! It makes no sense, Arizona....no sense!

Yankee Stadium is like a whole other planet. I now step off of my soap box and return you to your usual, very logical BYB reporting.....

--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Senior Writer and Editor

Twitter: @NyPrincessJ

 

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FONZIE'S STILL THE COOLEST

I hated losing Alfonso Soriano. Hated it. Thought it was a terrible move then, and still think that now. He was productive, exciting, and just loads of fun to watch. He was a key part to the Yankees offense.

And yeah, he has dropped a ball or two. Soriano has led the league in errors from two separate positions. He never would have held on to Second Base even if Robinson Cano was not on his way to claim it. But I didn’t want to lose him.

Bobby Bonds was the first Yankee to hit 30 dingers and steal 30 bags in 1975. Alfonso was the second, in 2002, and he did it the next year as well. Two years in a row. I didn’t want to lose a two-time 30-30 Club member.

(In Photo: Bobby Bonds)
Soriano’s bat made up for any defensive gaffes. It didn’t matter that his favorite candy bar was Butterfinger if he brought power and basepath savvy. Oh yeah, he also set a record in 2003 for lead off homers with 13. Why wouldn’t you hate to lose that?

Detractors will also talk about how much Soriano whiffs. That can’t be denied. Fonzie racks up a lot of Ks. But that’s also the sign of a guy who can put the ball out of the park. Let’s review his dinger history shall we?

Soriano’s first MLB hit was a game winning homer against Tampa in 1999. He followed this by snagging the MVP Award in the 1999 All-Star Futures game with two home runs during that contest.

Were it not for Luis Gonzalez singling off of Mariano in game 7, Soriano wins the Yankees their 27th Championship back in 2001. Remember that? He had the go-ahead home run. He got it off of Curt Schilling, no less. Oh, and that was the same year he came in third for Rookie of the Year.

I. Hated. Losing. Alfonso Soriano.

Now, of course, he’s back. It’s nine years later, and he isn’t quite the same guy we traded away in 2004. But he’s still capable of meeting his career average of .272. He is still capable of swatting dingers. According to his career stats he is probably good for at least a dozen or so until season’s end. He is still a threat on the basepaths.

In short, Fonzie is capable of injecting some heat into the Yankee offense. He is already beginning to. He is more likely to do that than the guy the Yankees traded him for. That guy is still here. Remember him? It’s Alex Rodriguez.

Alfonso is now a respected veteran. He is famously good in the clubhouse. He is just the tonic for the ARod mess. And it’s poetic that Soriano can help the team deal with the issues of the player they traded him away for.

Soriano will remain cool under fire and steady the others. He will relieve tension and pressure. He will add power and speed. He will provide insurance for Robbie and Curtis Granderson. He will provide leadership.

The only thing about Fonzie that’s not cool is his bat. He is capable of helping the Yankees make the post-season. I hated losing him, and I am very glad he’s back.

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


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MARIANO HAS LOST WORSE, YET CAME BACK STRONGER

There was a ton of press coverage over that silly Mets walk-off win over Mariano Rivera and the Yankees 2 nights ago.  Why? Is it really that big of a deal? Good for the Mets, they played a clean game and won. Mariano is not a machine. He is human after all.

Now I'll tell you something. Mariano has been down before, but like Sylvester Stallone once said in Rocky Balboa, "It ain't how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward." Sure, mock me for quoting a movie, but it rings very true. Mariano has moved on from the bad loses and have come back stronger.



We lost to the Red Sox in that unbelievable comeback by the Sox back in 2004.  We lost hard to Luis Gonzalez and the Diamondbacks in 2001, a World Series we probably should have won.

But the bottom line is, those dramatic and hard losses are 10 times harder than a simple walk-off by the Mets.

(In Photo: Lucas Duda)
I was asked about Mo yesterday on Dynasty Sports Empire's Morning show. I love  those guys over there and they do a great job.  They asked me simply about Mo and what to make of the guy at 43.  Here is that exchange:



The full interview is HERE.  Bottom line, Mo's human, but Mo is the greatest closer of all time and he always will be.  There will never be anyone better, greatest, tougher and I truly believe that.  I also believe in failing once in a while.  Failing will only being you back to a stronger point later on.  It allows you to push yourself harder the next time.  That's Mariano... simply the best as he walks through his career being challenged every single day.

The Mets won on a walk-off off Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer ever the other night.  Sure, it's news, but it's not earth shattering... it's baseball.... can we just move on now?

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STOP SELLING IT AS DAVID & GOLIATH!

Last night wasn't Luis Gonzalez verses Mariano Rivera in the World Series.  No... it wasn't David verses Goliath either.  It was the great Mariano Rivera verses Lucas Duda in a regular season game in Flushing.  The Mets came out on top.  Well, good for the Mets. Mariano Rivera is NOT a machine.

Mariano Rivera IS human, and if you listen or watch any news report this morning reporting about last night's game, it sounds like it may have been the greatest game you ever watched! It wasn't. It was just a game with a dramatic ending.  Can we move on? Seriously.

Luca Duda got lucky last night. Face it, anyone gets lucky if they can hit off Rivera.  But one thing that's important to know here is, Rivera, while literally a God to everyone in Major League Baseball, does blow it once in a while.  Yes it's rare, but it happens.  It happened last night and you can't cry over it...because Lord knows Mo isn't.

Hiroki Kuroda pitched a gem.  7 innings allowing just 4 hits, 0 runs. DRob handled his appearance with ease as well.  When  Mo came in, he gave up 3 hits and 2 runs and the game ended there.  Oh well.... again, these sports reporters need to end the "David slayed Goliath" rant.  Mo's a good guy, remember?

The Yankees only run game in the 6th, when once again Lyle Overbay was involved in the play and knocked in Brett Gardner.  That was the sole run and that's my recap.  Short, sweet and to the point. the Yankees will move on, the fan should and Mo will.  That's it.

Final: Mets 2 - Yankees 1

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I HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON WITH DEREK JETER!

After years of thinking that Derek Jeter was just a superhero, and that I couldn't possibly relate to anything he does in his life, I have finally discovered something! I really DO have something in common with the captain. It may not be a world series ring, or the ability to make an incredible leaping throw, but we do travel in similar circles.

I remember when DJ3K was finally released on HBO, I was ecstatic. I couldn't wait to watch it. I didn't know HOW I was going to since I don't have HBO at home but I was going to find some way to watch it. It didn't take too long to figure out after I let my dad know about it. He mentioned that he had HBO and it was a done deal. I was excited. It doesn't take much to make me happy, clearly.

There is a part in the documentary where Jeter talks about his childhood and how his dad was a big Detroit Tigers fan. It was "uncool" to like the same team as his dad, or so he said. That led him to the Yankees. My story isn't exactly like that, but it is similar.

My dad is a fan of the hometown team. He will watch the Mets, the Yankees, (but he is more of a Mets fan, don't let him tell you differently!) and since Arizona is HIS home (not mine) he is also a Diamondbacks fan. Obviously, we have different feelings about 2001.

If you walked into my dad's garage you would see a poster of Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson. When we went to the 10year anniversary game at Chase field, he wore his old school colors Diamondbacks shirt and I was that fan who went into enemy territory wearing my Yankee gear.

Now that the Yankees and Diamondbacks are playing each other again, the stakes are high. I wish there was a "do-over" button to fix 2001 but since there isn't. Since the Diamondbacks and Yankees only play each other every few years, it's a big deal! Now we are talking about bragging rights. It's a new kind of Subway Series. I am representing the Bronx. I am that transplant New Yorker that lives thousands of miles away, but my heart still lives in New York. You can take the girl out of New York, but you can't take New York out of the girl. My dad says this is his home. He doesn't miss shoveling snow. He will take 8 months of summer where most days you feel like you are going to melt. He can handle the cacti and brown dirt and he can appreciate and follow his Diamondbacks.

Dad, I guess in this case....I am Derek Jeter. I cannot follow your Diamondbacks. You are Mr. Jeter and I understand your love for the Diamondbacks. I just hope you know that the stakes are high for me. Your Luis Gonzalez may have stumped my Mariano Rivera, but now you are in the Bronx again for a new series. Game on! I am pulling for a victory here.

Oh but, I can't forget to say this....thanks for recording DJ3K for me. Now, may the best team win!

--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Writer and EditorTwitter: @NyPrincessJ

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YANKS WILL KEEP PUSHING TO GET "IN SYNC"

It always sucks when our team starts 0-2...especially if you’re a Yankee fan. But now we're 1-2 and believe it or not, before last night... worse had happened in Yankeeland.  Remember how you felt in 2004 when we were swept 4 in a row by the Red Sox in the ALCS?  That feeling hurt like hell.  A few losses in April ain’t nothing compared to 2004.   

Remember Luis Gonzalez prancing around after he hit that liner off of Mariano Rivera in 2001? That stung like hell.  Now compare it to the 1-2 record we have.  It doesn’t rise.  Truth be told, I’m not getting crazy yet… but I’ll get crazy soon if my Yankees don’t start winning consistently.

The Yankees are out of sync, but they are working toward being in sync.  It’s as simple as that.  Sometimes when you have a group of guys unfamiliar with each other, it takes a few games to get going. Baseball has never been an individual sport and so, 9 guys on the field and in a lineup need to work together, strategize and come to a goal… win… together.

(In Photo: Travis Hafner)

The game of ball and the basics of the game from Little League to the pros are identical if you break them down.  You need to get on base. You need your teammates to knock you home and when you’re in the field, you need to not let the other team score. That’s it.  A 10 year old knows it just as well as a pro ball player.  What I saw in the first 2 games this season was just life. I saw a group of guys getting their at bats, getting into a live game and starting to contribute...slowly.  I mean, there is no question that this team is unfamiliar to each other as well as all of us. So, we as fans are still trying to find our way, but we root for the uniform and we hope a player like Brennan Boesch, or Vernon Wells or Travis Hafner understands the importance and does their best.  I trust they will.  And for the record, it started last night... we won Game 3.

I question the lineup, but I know Girardi is feeling his way through this as well. I mean, why not put Ichiro first and Brett Gardner last? Ichiro has a history of getting on base all the time...remember 200 + hits per season for a lot of years. I mean, how many hits does he have in his career? It’s almost automatic in my mind.  Then, use Gardy as a second lead-off guy in the 9 hole.  Whatever it is, I know Joe’s trying to figure it out as well, and he will.

But what we will see in the next several days is us Yankees “feeling” our way through it and we did last night with our veterans and our new guys.  Getting into a routine helps, then, getting in sync starts and I believe that there will be wins and confidence and Yankeeland will soon be happy.  One thing I do know for certain though is the return of Derek Jeter will ignite a fire under everyone's ass. 

I mean, sure, we have Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera and last night it was clear, they are leaders, but there is something about having a Captain there to right the ship… and I believe Jeter is the final piece of the puzzle to get us going in 2013.  Let’s just hope it doesn’t take too long and the Yankees can win consistently without him. Otherwise, we'll be looking at a sinking ship…

Let’s hope not.

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