JUDGE IS THE BIG LEAGUE CHEW POSTER CHILD, BUT THERE WERE OTHERS

If you were a baseball-loving kid growing up, chances are you stuffed your cheek with a wad of Big League Chew and strutted around like you just got called up to the majors. It was sticky, it was stringy, and it was awesome. No tobacco, just pure sugar-fueled swagger—and maybe a little drool if you really committed to the bit.

These days, though? Rumor has it gum’s getting banned in some youth leagues. Why? Choking hazards. Yes, we’ve apparently reached a point in society where bubblegum is too dangerous for baseball. America: home of the brave, unless that bravery involves chewing grape gum in the outfield. We’ve gone soft, folks.

But thank the baseball gods, Aaron Judge is here to bring back a little edge—and a whole lot of nostalgia.

In a move that hits harder than one of his moonshots to center field, Judge will be featured on a pouch of Big League Chew. Starting this month, you’ll see his face on the Grand Slam Grape flavor at places like Dick’s Sporting Goods and Costco. It’s a full-circle moment for the Yankees captain—and for every one of us who thought we were hot stuff with gum in our cheeks and dirt on our uniforms.

Judge called it “surreal” in the press release. “Big League Chew has always been more than gum — it’s a part of the game,” he said. “I chewed it as a kid, and now being on the pouch is surreal.” Surreal, yes—but also incredibly well-deserved.

And because Judge doesn’t just hit homers—he gives back—a portion of the proceeds will go to his All Rise Foundation, which helps empower young people to become leaders on and off the field. Gum with a mission? We’re in.

But I found an interesting piece of info that isn't accurate (I don't think at least.) It was reported by Delilah Bourque on New York Yankees on SI that Judge is the first MLB player ever. But that's simply not true.  Back in 2013, Matt Kemp and Cole Hamels were on pouches of Big League Chew. Maybe because it's an actual partnership with MLB, rather than PLB Sports, who knows.  While my memory is sometimes foggy, I do remember the pouch, and so while it's not a big deal, it is a big deal for Judge and the Yankees. It's cool.

Now let’s rewind to how this glorious gum came to be. Picture it: 1977. A quirky left-handed pitcher named Rob Nelson, playing for the Portland Mavericks (aka baseball’s most chaotic underdog team), has an idea. What if players had a fun, chewable alternative to tobacco that still looked the part?

Rob Nelson

With help from future film director Todd Field (then a batboy) and Yankees pitcher Jim Bouton, they cooked up Big League Chew—literally in the bullpen. By 1980, it hit stores with its signature foil pouch and cartoon ballplayer, and the rest is bubble-blowing history.

Since then, Big League Chew has sold over a billion pouches, earned a spot in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and remained the go-to gum for anyone who wants to feel like a slugger—without the nicotine habit.

Now, with Aaron Judge leading the charge, the gum is getting a second wind. Maybe kids will start chewing again (safely, of course). Maybe grape will become the flavor of champions. Maybe—just maybe—we’ll all remember that baseball is supposed to be fun.

So go ahead, grab a pouch. Blow a bubble. Feel like a kid again. And give a nod to Judge, the face of a new era in gum-chewing greatness.

--Alvin Izzo
BYB Yankee History Contributor

THERE'S A SNAG IN THE SONNY GRAY TRADE

We are 21 days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training and Sonny Gray is still a Yankee, surprisingly. The trade we've heard is going to happen hasn't yet. The Red's and Yankees have agreed on the package for the trade, but it sounds like the Red's are looking for a little more before the deal is final. So, what's the holdup?

Neither team has commented on the close to done deal that would send Gray to the Reds in exchange for second-base prospect Shed Long and a compensatory draft pick. The Reds and Yankees are in agreement with their negotiation....but now the Reds want to negotiate with Gray.

At the end of the season Gray is set to become a free agent. If the Reds are going to send a draft pick and their seventh best prospect who could be MLB ready as early as next season, they want a longer commitment from Gray, so they are trying to negotiate an extension. Jon Heyman tweeted the details over the weekend.

The Reds have been interested in Gray all off season, and maybe the connection with new pitching coach Derek Johnson will make this negotiation with Gray easier. Obviously delaying free agency isn't something players are interested in doing. If Gray went to the Reds with no extension and had an incredible bounce back season he might get a big payday from another team. In that case, the Reds lose a top prospect and a draft pick for a one-year rental if they can't sign Gray in the off season. They are already concerned about attracting pitching as it is.

But the Reds have been making upgrades with one-year rentals all winter. Other recent additions include Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig, Tanner Roark, and Alex Wood. If the Reds can add Gray to the rotation he would be the third notable pitching addition to the rotation since the Reds acquired Roark from the Nationals and Wood from the Dodgers in other deals last month.

I think negotiating an extension with a player is always hard, but maybe the Reds have reason to be confident here because of the connection with his old pitching coach. This could be a win-win scenario here for the Reds. If they can negotiate another year or two with Gray and he has a bounce back season with them it will be good trade for both sides.

Gray said he wants to "play somewhere you're wanted" and it's clear the Reds want Gray, and reconnecting with Johnson could be the best thing for him. Here's to hoping that we hear some good news at the end of this long holiday weekend.

It's time to move on and get this deal done, best of luck to you Sonny.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

WHAT THE FRIEDMAN DID THE DODGERS DO?

That’s the headline from local Los Angeles sportswriter Vincent Bonsignore after learning Dodgers ace Zach Greinke announced Friday that he would be joining the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Greinke will earn $206 million over six years in Arizona—at $34.42 million a year he becomes one of the highest paid players in baseball. For comparison, Dodgers’ phenom Clayton Kershaw will get $30.7 million a year through 2020.

The loss of Greinke in the rotation is a shock and a huge blow to the Dodgers organization. He led the majors with a 1.44 ERA last season and along with Kershaw was part of the toughest pitching duo in all of baseball.

And Greinke donning a Diamondback uniform will be particularly hard for Dodger faithful. The Diamondbacks are in the same division which means Dodger hitters will see a lot of the dominating right hander over the next six years. There’s also a weird rivalry between the two teams. You may remember a couple years back Diamondbacks brass pissed off most of Los Angeles after they made Dodgers fans sitting in club seats change their attire to Dbacks gear—a practice they’ve continued this last year. The Dodgers also contributed to the tension by celebrating their 2013 NL West championship in the Diamondbacks outfield pool.

The loss of Greinke combined with previous trades of gold glover Dee Gordon and outfielder Matt Kemp has L.A. fans and sports media questioning Andrew Friedman’s decisions in the front office. While the loss of Greinke hurts, the Dodgers were right to get rid of Kemp who was a constant source of dysfunction in the clubhouse. But Friedman has his challenges ahead of him. He needs to add more arms to the starting rotation and the bullpen, and fill holes at second base and the outfield. With all the deep pockets the Dodgers have, they’re starting the off season on a very down note.


   
--Alexis Garcia, BYB's "Eye on MLB" Columnist &
Los Angeles Dodger fan
Twitter:  @heylexyg



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MEET THE BYB FAMILY: INTERVIEW WITH ALEXIS GARCIA

We continue our MEET THE FAMILY Series today with another one of my favorite writers, Alexis Garcia.

Alexis started writing for Bleeding Yankee Blue last year, and while her schedule is busy, she always finds a way to deliver something great.  Alexis handles the MLB beat focusing more on MLB as a whole rather than just the Yankees.  That's because ultimately, she's a Dodgers fan.  But Alexis and I are friends, and she's a dynamic writer and so, I wanted her to write for us.

So, without any more hesitation, I bring you my interview with Alexis.  I hope all you readers enjoy this, and be sure to read our other interviews with the BYB crew as well:

• Meet Erica
• Meet Ike
• Meet Jeana
• Meet O'Hara
• Meet Steve
• Meet Suzie

Now, I want you to meet Alexis:

BYB: Alexis, I know you for a long time. Why are you so passionate about baseball?

Alexis Garcia: I think Tom Hanks said it best in A League of Their Own—"If baseball was easy, everyone would do it."  It's the 'hard' that makes it great. I love that it teaches you failure and perseverance. The game also teaches you to be present and that is a skill that carries on through life. As a spectator, it's also a great excuse for day drinking. 

BYB: You played ball yourself. A lot of people don't know that. Tell the BYB audience about your upbringing and where you played.

Alexis Garcia: It all started when I was six years old and my mom accidentally signed me up for Little League instead of Bobbi Sox and I ended up being the only girl on the All-Star team.  After a couple years in rec leagues, I made the jump to travel ball and softball became my life for the next 16 years.  I eventually got a scholarship to play at the University of Texas where we made it to the World Series a couple times. Not bad for starting out as the only girl!

(In Photo: Brett Butler)
BYB: What players did you admire growing up and why?

Alexis Garcia: My favorite players growing up were Brett Butler and Mark Grace. I loved their quiet leadership and their mastery of their respective positions. They weren't the flashiest guys on the field, but they consistently produced and were good ball players.

BYB: Tell the BYB audience about your love for the Dodgers. When did it start for you?

Alexis Garcia: I was born and raised in Los Angeles so it was never really a question—going to games and watching the players was just something my family did together. My first real memory of the Dodgers was Kirk Gibson hitting his famous home run in the 1988 World Series—it was the stuff of legend.  It was also great growing up and having five consecutive Rookie of the Year players! And then we traded Pedro Martinez for Delino DeShields.

BYB: Mike O'Hara, a fellow BYB writer hates the Dodgers.  Can you convince him to give them a shot?

Alexis Garcia: Mike, I would say hating the Dodgers is about 95% of being a Dodgers fan!  Some of my best memories of going to games was jeering that bum Kevin Brown while stuffing Dodger dogs in my face. We have the money, we have the talent, we have the best weather in the country, and yet we still manage to choke in the off-season. We develop some of the best talent in the league only to trade it away for players past their prime.  It is this frustration of constant under-performance that unites all of us Dodgers fans! Also, we have Vin Scully.

BYB: How do you feel about Don Mattingly as the Dodgers Manager and remember, you're answering in Yankee terroitory now...

Alexis Garcia: Look, Mattingly is Donnie Baseball and he is a talented player. But sometimes I feel like he has trouble keeping control of the clubhouse. That's because we do have a lot of egos to manage after all.

That being said, I think the new front office has brought a new attitude to the club and with the trade of Matt Kemp in the off-season, I'd like to see how things go this year. The vibe in Spring Training already seems much improved.

BYB: Tell the audience about your passion for writing and how much fun it's been for you to write for BYB.

Alexis Garcia: Writing is very therapeutic for me and it's awesome to get to shut everything else out every once and a while and write about baseball.  I also love the BYB community because they are passionate about the Yankees and really get the human aspect of the game.  Sabremetrics is great, but this sport is more about people than numbers.

BYB: Name 3 players around the American League that you absolutely love watching and why?

Alexis Garcia: One player close to home that I enjoy watching is Mike Trout. It's incredible to see the numbers he puts up and he's pretty grounded.  I also really like Ichiro Suzuki. 

Again, he's a solid player with a lot of hustle. Lastly, I would have to say the entire Oakland A's team. They are like the dirty hipsters of Major League baseball.  I love watching those weirdos!

BYB: When did you first discover BYB?

Alexis Garcia: I moved to New York a couple years ago and my friend helped me discover it.  It was a great way to get updated on the Yankees scene and I love the passion and knowledge of all the staff and fans.

BYB: You've been with us for a year now? How much are you liking this family and how am I doing as the Chief? Am I a true pain in the ass?

Alexis Garcia: It's great to be part of the BYB family and get to talk and read about baseball. It's a community with a lot of heart. And Robert is the BEST EVER! My check is in the mail, right?

How about a BYB Tank Top? Boom.

Alexis, you're the best and thanks for being apart of our family.

Who's next? Wait and see...




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DAVID ROBERTSON SAYS GOODBYE

David Robertson and his wife Erin will forever be part of the Bleeding Yankee Blue family.

This nugget got lost in the shuffle of getting ready for the Christmas holiday and the recent moves made in major league baseball, but it's important to bring it to our audience because, truth be told, we have no beef with David Robertson.  We appreciated him in Yankeeland and he and Erin have been nothing of supportive of what we do here at Bleeding Yankee Blue.  They are incredible people with a lovely family and they deserve the best. That's not me kissing ass.  That's me being sincere.  They know that, I hope. 

David's a good egg.  He posted this on Twitter:

New York, I can't even put into words how much I've enjoyed and appreciated my time there. Thank y'all for an incredible 7 years.
— David Robertson (@DRob30) December 11, 2014

Stand up guy.

It falls in line with other great players doing the right thing lately. Saying goodbye to their fans is important. Jimmy Rollins thanked the Philadelphia fans while he was with the Phillies, writing:

That's beautiful.

Matt Kemp said farewell to Dodgertown too:

“It is with a lot of emotion that I say goodbye to the city and the fans who have been there since the beginning of my career. You have given me so much. Your faith and support for the last 9 years through good times and bad, homestands and home runs was showcased through the volume of your cheers and the love for your team. I'm thankful to the Dodgers organization for taking a chance on an Oklahoma kid. I believe we control our paths. The paths we take, control our destiny. I'm excited for the future. God Bless”

Look, Baseball is a business.  The fans know it, but sometimes it's hard to understand why a player leaves.  After all, we pay their salary and we feel like we deserve "ours" once in a while.  We're fans, that's understood.

In the end, life goes on, baseball goes on and we'll see DRob again.  This time though... we need to beat him.  He knows that and so do we.

That's what makes baseball great.  At the end of the day, we still respect the players and the players still respect the fans. Nothing is more true about that, than what your just read.  Gotta love it.

Good luck to DRob and Erin. We loved you guys in New York.  Good luck in Chicago... except of course, when you're playing the Yankees.

Merry Christmas!


 

 
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BYB HOT STOVE: VOLUME VI

Win some, lose some at the Winter Meetings for all MLB teams.  Some teams did better others, but at least we re-signed Chase Headley.  And he said he wants to be here- that's some fire and fervor in our every day third baseman.  Sit down ARod.  Just saying... anyway onto this week's Hot Stove Volume VI.

Cole Hamels is still hanging out there and another two teams have expressed interest.  According to Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo, the Houston Astros and San Francisco Giants have expressed interest in the Phillies franchise pitcher.  They join the likes of the Red Sox, Dodgers, Padres and Rangers.  Much like the decision to roll out Jimmy Rollins who traded in his Phillie Red for Dodger Blue, the Phillies are also shopping Ryan Howard and there is some interest.  The Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles have DH needs and the Phils are willing to eat most of the rest of his contract, so we may see Howard in the AL East.  Hopefully, the Yankees will sit this one out.

By now you all heard that Melky Cabrera is headed to the White Sox who are stacking their team with pickups Jeff Samardzija, David Robertson, Adam LaRoche and Zach Duke.  But their National League counter part, the Cubs, have been up to their heels in trades and rumors.  After picking up stud pitcher Jon Lester, now the Cubs have their eyes set on corner outfielder Colby Rasmus.  CBS Sports Reporter Jon Heyman says that Rasmus has a two-year deal in him.  This is a deal that could happen very soon.

After being posted on Monday, Korean shortstop Jung-ho Kang will be accepting offers ending this Friday at 5:00 p.m. according to Mike Puma of the New York Post.  The 27-year-old short stop hit 39 home runs and batted .354 in the Korea Baseball Organization.  Some critics are saying that these stats don't translate cleanly to Major League Baseball because of the hitter-friendly atmosphere of KBL, but never-the-less the Mets, Giants and Athletics all have an interest in Kang says Ken Rosenthal.  With the signing of Didi Gregorius, the Yankees will probably steer clear of Kang.

Lastly, Justin Upton remains in the news with the Seattle Mariners showing interest for either him or another right field bat.  There is also talk that Upton would make a great San Francisco Giant.  But another force in the NL West vying for Upton too.  Despite signing Matt Kemp, the San Diego Padres "are all over" Upton according to Mark Bowman from MLB.com.  I bet the Pads sign him. Just a hunch.

That's all for Hot Stove this week.  Hoping for more than a Chris Capuano and Chase Headley signing for the Yankees next week.  Stay tuned!

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Senior Staff Writer
Twitter: @suzieprof






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WE NEED TO LAND MATT KEMP NOW!

"I would love to see him land Matt Kemp at no real cost and have Kemp agree to play right field..." 

-Mike O'Hara from DR. CASHMANSTEIN'S MONSTER

If the Yankees are looking for an upgrade from Ichiro, and I would never turn away Ichiro, consider Matt Kemp over someone like Marlon Byrd.  Mike O'Hara mentioned it, and yes, he mentioned trying to get Kemp, if it wasn't going to take alot to get him.  

The point is this; if we're gonna try to get him, no better time than right now.  As Craig Calcaterra of Hardball Talk writes:

"For a guy who, just a few days ago, people were assuming could be dumped to another team, Matt Kemp has been pretty important to the Dodgers of late. On Tuesday night he blasted two homers against the Braves. Last night he hit another homer...Since the All-Star break, Kemp is hitting .436/.522/.744 with three homers, 11 RBI and seven walks."

All I'm saying is, snag him now, give the Dodgers a few pieces, maybe pick up some of that Kemp salary and bring some of that Kemp confidence over to New York... we could use it!  

Now, Ned Colletti said Kemp's "not on the table", but everyone is on the table if the right deal comes about. Cashman's job is to do that... make that deal.

Are you listening, Brian?

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DR. CASHMANSTEIN'S MONSTER

 BEWARE!! Dr. Cashmanstein is out late at night robbing graves in order to use the bodies for spare parts…

Yes, that is just flat out creepy and the thought of it is just unsettling. But in a way that’s kind of what Cashman is doing. The trade market is not too attractive at the moment, and unless you want to sell the farm for a broken down lemon like Cliff Lee…well, you’ll have to be creative.

I will give it to the fairly unpopular Yankee General Manager he is trying. Over the past week or so he has brought in Chase Headley, Brandon McCarthy and other spare parts like Chris Capuano, Jeff Francis and Hill.

(In Photo: Jeff Francis)
Yes, they aren’t names that will make you drop what you are doing and hop the 4 train to the Bronx, but they are low impact moves that may have a big upside. Both Headley and McCarthy have been pretty great since arriving from the NL West holes they were dwelling in. The chance to be in a pennant race and playing on Baseball’s Biggest Stage can be just the thing to restart a player’s engine. Both of these new Yankees have the potential to end up looking like a steal. They have both had success in the past and may thrive in New York…we’ll see.

Hey, can’t be worse than Nuno going every 5 days, and although we all loved Solarte, Headley is an ABSOLUTE defensive stud at the hot corner. With Chase and Ryan (No, I’m not retiring Jeet early, just making a point) at 3rd and Short the Yanks have the equivalent of three top notch NHL goalies on the left side of the infield.

But back to my point about what Cash is doing. I would love to see him land Matt Kemp at no real cost and have Kemp agree to play Right field, but that’s a long shot. And with Tampa still lurking you can FORGET ABOUT DAVID PRICE in pinstripes. But the moves Brian has made look like he is at least thinking like a GM. If he can construct this monster with a gaggle of “We signed who” and “He was great in 2010” type players, I will be happy to congratulate him and admit that my jabs and vote of ZERO confidence in him were premature…but if he fails I say we storm the castle, take him from his laboratory and banish him from the land for evermore!!

Good luck, Dr. Cashmanstein. We’ll be hoping to hear you cry out, “IT’S ALIVE!! IT’S ALIVE!!”

** It was a creepy post, so here’s a creepy song…by a GREAT band! **





--Mike O'Hara, MLB Fan Cave Host, Season 1
   Twitter: @mikeyoh21    
"Paulie was always my favorite player."
 


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