THE YANKEES NEED ANDREW CHAFIN!

Remember back in early January when we couldn’t stop talking about the Yankees and Andrew Chafin? It was everywhere—rumors, speculation, excitement. And then… poof. Silence. Like it never happened.

Fast forward to this weekend, and suddenly, there’s buzz about how Matt Moore would be a great fit for the Yankees. That’s when it hit me—what the hell happened to Andrew Chafin? One minute, he was a hot topic, and the next, it was like he vanished into thin air.

MLB insider Bob Nightengale had reported that the Yankees were in discussions with Chafin’s camp. But was that just another classic Nightengale “clickbait special”? Feels like it. Look, the Yankees could definitely use another lefty, even after signing Tim Hill. I have no clue how this will shake out. We all know they were all-in on Tanner Scott before the Dodgers swooped in and stole him.

So, where do the Yankees go from here? In my opinion, it’s time to circle back to Chafin. Or, if you’ve been reading Bleeding Yankee Blue, maybe Matt Moore is the guy (Read MATT MOORE? WHAT HAPPENED TO ANDREW CHAFIN?. Meanwhile, On Tap Sports Net thinks Chafin would be a great fit for the Cubs, writing:

“The veteran lefty is another option for the team to pursue and pair with a solid combo in Porter Hodge and Ryan Pressly. Splitting his 2024 season with the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers, Chafin finished with a solid 3.53 ERA. If he can accept a minimal commitment, the Cubs should be calling for his services.”

Bottom line? The Chafin chatter has gone way too quiet. Stay tuned—this story isn’t over yet, is it?

MATT MOORE? WHAT HAPPENED TO ANDREW CHAFIN?

The New York Yankees are putting the final touches on their roster, and when it comes to the bullpen, they've made some serious upgrades—at least on paper. The biggest splash? Snagging Devin Williams from the Brewers. That’s an elite arm added to the mix. They also made a smart move by re-signing Tim Hill, who was fantastic in the second half of last season. Bringing him back was a no-brainer.

But are the Yankees done bolstering the pen? Probably not. For months, there’s been talk about them targeting Andrew Chafin. At this point, though, it feels like a myth—like Bigfoot or a reliable internet connection at Yankee Stadium. We keep hearing the rumors, and yet… nothing. This is why I hate writing about speculation—it’s like chasing a ghost.

But wait! There’s a new rumor. (Because of course there is.) Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report predicts that the Yankees might pivot and go after another left-handed arm: Matt Moore.

Here’s the deal with Moore: He was lights-out as a reliever in 2022 and 2023, rocking a 2.20 ERA. Last year? Not so much. He got roughed up a few times, giving up homers at an alarming rate (2.0 HR/9). But he’s still probably the best lefty reliever left on the market.

Will the Yankees pull the trigger? Who knows. Spring training is right around the corner, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone keeps hinting that they’re moving forward with what they’ve got. But then again, we were all convinced Chafin was a done deal… until he wasn’t, read HERE.

Bottom line? Matt Moore could be a great pickup if the Yankees can help him harness his home-field success and translate it to the road. Will they go for it? 

Stay tuned. Because if there’s one thing the Yankees do better than making bullpen moves, it’s keeping us all guessing. I fall for it every time.

HOLDING OUT FOR A "HIRO"!

Can Kuroda be New York’s “Hiro” again? He was one of baseball’s best pitchers for the first three-quarters of the season last year, and sported an excellent ERA of 2.33 in mid-August. This site lauded his abilities loudly. Naturally, Hiroki ran into a wall directly thereafter, losing 7 of his next 8 starts with a horrible ERA of 6.56.

What happened? Should Yankee Blue Bloods be concerned about signing him again for $16 million? Is he a bust waiting to blow up in the Front Office’s face?

Short answer? No. The Bronx was wise to bring Kuroda back. He remains a fine pitcher who seems to have simply run into a ton of bad luck during the final quarter of the season last year.

We know this by how badly his BABIP blew up over his final 8 starts. For those unfamiliar with sabermetrics, BABIP means Batting Average on Balls In Play. This stat is very useful on determining how lucky or unlucky a pitcher is. We used it before when analyzing the performance of Matt Moore last year, for example.

Anyway, during the earlier part of Kuroda’s campaign, he posted a BABIP of .282. Over his last 8 starts it ballooned to .405. That is a substantial increase of 123 points!

What this means is Hiroki fell victim to more missed plays behind him on defense; more hard hits on mistake pitches; more grounders with eyes, etc etc etc. In short, all the good luck he’d had during his successful days of the season turned rotten.

Now this is not to say that Kuroda counts solely on luck as a pitcher. His velocity did not decrease at all during the entirety of the season. His fastball remained in the 91-93 mph range, even seeing an uptick in velocity in his final starts. Therefore his velocity is not an issue.

There also seems to be no basis for concern regarding his age. Yes, Kuroda is 38, but the Yankees have enjoyed plenty of success from older pitchers in the past. Please refer to Mike Mussina, David Wells, and some guy by the name of Andy Pettitte.

Surfing the web for opinions from baseball pundits, the general consensus is Kuroda may has well have been named “Hiroki Hard Luck” for the back portion of last season. That shouldn’t surprise anyone as that very much describes the entire team. Bats went cold, bullpens imploded, and the Yankees ran into teams steamrolling into the playoffs.

It’s tough to feel good about yourself when you score 25 runs over three games and STILL get beaten by the Red Sox. But remember, those runs would have beaten anyone else. Easily. It’s unfair to lay blame at Kuroda’s cleats when he carried the team on his back for as long as he did. He wasn’t the only one slumping, after all.

Considering all these factors, the Bronx was smart to hang on to Hiroki. It seems very likely Kuroda will return to consistently winning ways. CC Sabathia is widely expected to rebound, Ivan Nova has found his way, and Michael Pineda appears ready to take the mound at last.

It’s a good bet that Kuroda will once again be a “Hiro” in New York. And this year, he won’t be alone.



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


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GOING LONG-ORIA

Tonight the Yankees faced the Tampa Bay Rays in a Divisional Match up they absolutely had to have. Adding icing to the revenge cake was the chance to finally beat Matt Moore. Now would be the time, as Moore was showing weakness.

It didn’t start well. In the second, Tampa chipped away at Andy Pettitte, who seemed to have less command than usual. The Rays knocked RBI singles and sac flies in the second to make it 3-0 Tampa. Evan Longoria would knock a homer the next inning to get it to 4-0 Rays, his second RBI of the night.

Then a whole lot of nothing until the sixth. Brignac got a single after 18 futile at bats. Gardner walked. Nix walked. And the Yankees had something cooking.

With the bases loaded for Robinson Cano, Matt Moore faltered. One wild pitch later and Brignac scored. Life breathed into the Stadium. Two successive sacrifices by Cano and Hafner brought the score to 4-3. Unfortunately, Wells, as has been his wont of late, ended the inning with a limp ground out.

In the eighth inning, Longoria struck yet again, with a two run dinger this time. Yunel Escobar followed that with a two run dinger of his own, putting the Rays firmly in the driver’s seat at 8-3.

In the ninth, Zoilo Almonte replaced Wells and got his first MLB hit. That was pretty much the only bright spot in the back half of the game. Evan Longoria beat the Yankees all by himself.

So. Opinions? Nothing fit for print if you want candid honesty. I watched this game with my infant son, and were it not for his presence there would have been a lot of swearing and stomping around the house.

The Yankees needed this win, but fell short again. They had that rally in the sixth but then quit after that. The wheels are long off this automobile. The patched meant to hold the team together for the first couple of months have fallen away. Management desperately needs to make a move.

A season starting with such miraculous hope is already sinking away into the depths. Hiroki Kuroda is pitching well. Brett Gardner is hitting well. That’s it, Yankee fans. Expect some major moves very soon.

Here’s a picture of my kid to make you feel better.

 Final: Rays: 8 - Yankees: 3


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


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INSIDE MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL NOW

A good baseball fan knows their team inside and out. But they don’t stop there. They have to know what else is going on throughout the entire MLB. Here are a few players to watch:

Domonic Brown is simply on fire lately. The Phillies outfielder has been a wrecking crew all by himself these last two weeks. He has racked up 10 homers, 20 RBIs, and boasts a slash line of .396/.439/1.038. If he continues this white hot performance he will drag Philadelphia into the post season all by himself. Pitchers need be very wary of Brown.

Matt Moore, wunderkind starter for the Tampa Bay Rays, has hit a wall of late. He has lost both of his last two starts. His ERA from those games? An absolutely brutal 15.75. Quite a far cry from his magnificent start to the season.

In a previous article about Moore, during his headier days early in the season, I examined several intangibles contributing to his success. Things like BABIP and LOB%, and how those stats were showing he was benefiting from quite a bit of luck. The chickens have apparently come home to roost for Matt Moore. Nobody listens to me, and I am always right.

RED FLAG, YANKEE FANS!

At first glance, you may pass right over Jarrod Parker. This season he is 5-6 with a 4.68 ERA. Nothing special here, right?

Look again. Three of his wins came in the last 14 days. In that span, he struck out 15 and walked 5, sporting an ERA of 1.77. That get your attention? It should. Especially if you are a Yankee fan. He faces the Bombers on Thursday and the way the boys have struggled at the plate lately, Parker will give them fits. Danger, young Robinson!

Starlin Castro, what is wrong with you? The superstar shortstop from the Cubs seems to be shedding his elite status. His batting average is absolutely plummeting. It is .114 over the last two weeks, dragging his season average down to .250. He has stolen all of one base in that time.

If, like me, you are unfortunate enough to be stuck with this expensive layabout on your fantasy team, NAIL HIM TO THE BENCH! Castro will only hurt you right now. Play anyone else at short in the meantime.

Whatever problems the Kansas City Royals might have, Greg Holland is not one of them. The closer has sandwiched himself between Jim Johnson and our own Mariano Rivera as one of the three guys batters don’t want to see in the ninth inning.

Don’t believe me? That’s fine, Holland’s numbers speak for themselves. The last two weeks have seen him strike out 7 and save 5 games in 6 innings of work. His ERA is 0.00.

And that’s a quick glance around the league. Pay attention to how the Yankees do on Thursday.



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


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CAN MATT DO MOORE?

Not only is Matt Moore 8-0; not only is he unbeaten this season; not only has he just broken the franchise record of 8 straight decisions set by teammate David Price; but Matt Moore is the youngest lefty, at 23, to start the season 8-0 since a 22 year old by the name of Babe Ruth.

So where is this coming from? How did this guy get so good? Let’s take a look at some elements contributing to Moore’s success. First, let’s examine some sabermetrics beyond Moore’s ERA and WHIP.

One telling stat lies in Moore’s BABIP. This stat accounts for how many balls in play against a pitcher get through for hits. If the pitcher has an elite infielder or two behind him, balls will be corralled and plays will be made for outs.

BABIP also accounts for intangibles like luck, and changes in a pitcher’s mechanics, adjustments for delivery, and what have you. BABIP can have enormous effects on a pitcher’s stats. Especially ERA.

The league average for pitchers this season is .292. Moore’s career average BABIP is .275. But this year? It’s .197. That’s a difference of .078. Almost an entire point. The conclusion here is that Moore has been exceptionally lucky this season, and this must be one factor in how he has kept his ERA so low.

Not enough? Let’s examine his LOB%. This stat measures the percentage of runners a pitcher leaves stranded on base. It is calculated using a pitcher’s walks, hits, and runs allowed. What it illustrates is the higher a pitcher’s LOB% is compared to his ERA, the luckier that pitcher is.

Matt Moore’s career low LOB% is 76.8%. This season it is a staggering 91.8%! That is a huge difference of -15%! Moore has gotten himself out of a lot of jams and left a lot of runners on base.

Matt Moore ranks in the top ten of both lowest BABIP and highest LOB%. What this means is he has been exceptionally lucky. One dropped ball here, one missed strike there, and he doesn’t have the impressive start that he has enjoyed.

But…

It cannot be denied that Moore is also exceptionally talented. While he is getting by with a little help from his friends, and escaping unscathed from threatening runners, he IS escaping. He is getting out of trouble when he needs to. He is responding to pressure situations and rising to meet them.

That is the real indicator of how he has performed; he responds well under pressure. I think we can expect to see a lot Moore from Matt.

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


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YANKEES WIN! I LYLE LOVE IT!

John Sterling's home run call tonight was priceless.  When Lyle Overbay homered in the 11th inning tonight, Sterling broke into what he'd been rehearsing in his head all night..."Lyle hits it a mile! I love it! I Lyle Love it!" We can make fun of Sterling all we want, but he's there and he's a staple for us Yankee fans... I welcome it.

Matt Moore pitched for the Rays tonight.  He's tough, we all know he's having a great season. The reality is, if you can get past Moore, you usually have a shot.  Tonight, we did.  Moore went 6 innings, allowed 5 hits and only 1 run.

Vidal Nuno started tonight for the Yanks and pitched 6 as well. He gave up 5 hits and 2 runs. Shawn Kelley followed and gave up the other run.  Then a combination and bridge to Mariano Rivera just shut down the Rays until the Mariano Rivera save. It was Save number 18 as the Mo Tour continues.

The Yankees runs went like this: Travis Hafner struck first and knocked in Brett Gardner in the first. Then, we waiting to strike again... in the 9th inning. That's when Brennan Boesch doubled to score Lyle Overbay.  Brett Gardner then singled knocking in Boesch.

Then, in the 11th, is when it happened.  Lyle Overbay entered the batter's box and cranked a liner to put the Yankees ahead in the Rays' house.  It don't get better than that! That's when Sterling  yelled and said what he said.  It's was funny... it made me happy and it was glorious. Yankees win... the Yankees win!
 
Final tonight: Yankees 4 - Rays 3

I love it...

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THE AL EAST FROM BEAST TO LEAST

Let’s take a look at how the AL East has been shaping up and take a guess at who will win the Division.

1 - The New York Yankees

Surprising everyone except writers at this site, our boys remain in sole possession of First in the AL East. Gone are the predictions of doom and gloom. Gone are the doubts and dread. The Yankees, it appears, are still the Yankees. This despite a continuing slew of injuries to key players.

Veteran players have experienced a career resurgence. Travis Hafner, Vernon Wells, and even Lyle Overbay have proven potent. Bats have heated up. Mistakes have been pounced upon. One player falters and another steps up.

Pitching remains strong. Hiroki Kuroda is cruising. CC Sabathia is steadying after a slow start, which is what he always does. Mariano Rivera doesn’t age, apparently. We are glad he is on our side because he is scary. Actually scary. Like, undead scary.

As the season progresses, the Yankees will have a very good chance to maintain their standing. Stars are beginning to return, with many more in the wings. Guys are going to be fresh.

Prognosis: Excellent.

2 - Boston Red Sox

The Ancient Enemy. They just don’t go away. Here they are again, nipping at the Yankees’ heels in the standings. Lester is a bona fide ace once more. David Ortiz is experiencing a near-Jeterian late-career surge. A new fire burns bright in Fenway Park.

The sentimental side of me is happy to see the Sox doing this well, as long as they don’t do better than the Pinstripers. Regardless of how they make you feel, the stronger the ball team is in Boston,
the better they make the men of the Bronx.

Prognosis: Very Good

3 - Baltimore Orioles

The O’s are legitimate contenders. They are also breathing down the Bombers’ necks and won’t be letting up anytime soon. They will visit the Bronx shortly. That series should not be missed. It feels odd to be wary of Baltimore, but they should not be underestimated ever again.

Jim Johnson is officially an elite closer. His ERA is minuscule, his K rate is solid, and his consistency is very high. This guy has an amazing future ahead of him if he remains healthy. This is bad news for everyone else in the entire League, let alone the division. Keep an eye on him. Both when you can spare them.

Prognosis: Very Good

4 - Tampa Bay Rays

 This team has stumbled out of the gate. The Rays live and die by their pitching and it has been inconsistent this year. Matt Moore will have one great game and then a couple of horrible ones. David Price is nagged by bad luck in one start and left with no run support in another. James Shields is in Kansas City now, so the rotation is not quite as lethal as last season, leaving less room for mistakes.

Bats wise, things have gone South. Like Antarctica south. As in freezing cold. Ice world. We are saying they cannot buy hits in Tampa right now. Will this continue? Hard to say. Certainly any team with David Price and Evan Longoria always has a chance. But the bullpen needs some serious shoring up and somebody is going to need to thaw out the bats.

This does not mean they are to be taken lightly. The Rays up their game against the Yankees. Everyone does, sure, but Moore dominated the Bombers not long ago, and they barely escaped with a win against Price that same series.

As with a wounded beast, approach with caution.

Prognosis: Long Shot

5 - Toronto Blue Jays

Oh, man. If the Rays stumbled out of the gate, the Jays ran into the wall. And then had it fall on them. Followed by the rest of the building. And then a plane crashed on top of them. And the plane was full of lava cactus monsters that squirted acid at their genitalia before burying them in pig feces.

Toronto, what is UP with you? Seriously, this isn’t even funny. The Jays have always been this long suffering city’s best hope for a win in Major League sports. This was really looking like the year too.

The Jays finally have a smart and savvy GM in Alex Anthopoulous after the disaster that was the JP Ricciardi era. He brought in an All Star roster. Expectations were atmospheric. Fans were absolutely ecstatic. That is entirely evaporated now.

After a spate of injuries and massive ERA inflations, it can only be said that combining good players from three bad teams does not make a winner.

Also, Toronto is cursed. The sports gods hate them. Sorry, folks.

Prognosis: Not this year. Next year also not looking good.


And there’s your AL East breakdown, Beasts.

What do you think? Comment and share!


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


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HOW THE YANKEES STACK UP: STARTING ROTATION

We've examined the following here at BYB on how the Yankees will stack up in 2013: Catcher, 1st base, 2nd base, Shortstop, 3rd base, Left field, Centerfield and Right field.  Now, we look at the Starting Rotation...

Starting Rotation

The New York Yankees starters ranked sixth in the American League last season with a 4.04 ERA.  Their 71 wins was second to the Texas Rangers  (72) and their total innings pitched (1001.1) was behind only the Mariners (1002.2).

Overall one could say it was a fairly successful campaign for the starting five, but a closer look reveals a disturbing issue that needs to be addressed in 2013. 

Namely, the starters need to limit the number of long balls they allow.  In 2012 they were the worst in Major League Baseball yielding 143 round-trippers.   They were led by Phil Hughes (35 HR allowed) and Ivan Nova (28), and four of the five starters gave up 20 or more HR.  Even part-time starter Freddy Garcia teed up 18 wall-clearing shots for opposing batters.  In the post-season things weren’t much better as opponents clubbed 6 HR off starting pitchers in 9 games.

Where Manager Joe Girardi was depending upon his offense to provide game-turning long balls, instead his starters were handing them out to opponents like candy at a parade.

There is hope.

Ace CC Sabathia had what many considered to be an “off” year.  Even so, he won 15 games and posted a very respectable 3.38 ERA.  In his three previous seasons as a Yankee, Sabathia averaged 19 wins and a 3.18 ERA - and he had never allowed more than 20 HRs in a season (he gave up 22 in 2012).  Fans should expect a return to form for the southpaw that anchors the rotation.

Hiroki Kuroda was arguably the Yankees best pitcher in 2012.  He led the team in starts, innings pitched and tied for the most wins with Phil Hughes (16).  In July and August of last season, when the team suffered injuries to both Sabathia and Andy Pettitte, Kuroda had a 2.97 ERA and a microscopic 0.95 WHIP over 11 starts.  When the team needed someone to depend on, Hiroki stepped up.  At 38 years old the question will be whether he can maintain the level of play he established in 2012.  Given his calm demeanor, the veteran pitcher should turn in another solid year for our “Bombers”.

Andy Pettitte will have a full off season of preparation for the coming year and that should mean continued success for our beloved left hander.  Last season he led the rotation with a stellar 2.87 ERA but missed significant time (more than 2 months) with an ankle fracture the result of a line drive in a game against the Cleveland Indians.  At 40 years old his days with the Yankees certainly are numbered but given what he showed last season in leading the starters in WHIP (1.14) and holding opponents to a .232 batting average, one has to believe there is still something in the tank.

In spite of the home runs he allowed, Phil Hughes had a bounce-back year in 2012.  Over 191-plus innings pitched he threw to a 4.19 ERA and rediscovered the fastball many thought he had lost.  The 26-year old (yes, that’s right, he’s still only 26) was signed to a one year $7.15 million contract and will have plenty of incentive to raise the level of his game while reducing the number of home runs he allows.  He is solidly entrenched as the Yankees fourth starter.

The fifth spot in the rotation will be up for grabs during spring training.  The two primary competitors for the job are a pair of 26-year olds – Ivan Nova and David Phelps.

If last season was used to choose between them, Phelps would already have been named to the role.  During the year he held a 3.34 ERA and a respectable 1.19 WHIP (as a starter he was 2 – 2 with a 3.77 ERA).  In 99 1/3 innings, he struck out 96 and walked 38.  When the fifth spot was in turmoil last season, Phelps settled into the role and gave it stability.

Two seasons ago Ivan Nova looked like the right handed version of CC Sabathia.  As a 24-year old he went 16 – 4 with a 3.70 ERA.  Going into 2012, his spot in the rotation was more certain than that of Phil Hughes.

Oh what a difference a year makes.  Last year was a nightmare for the young hurler as he went 12 – 8 with a 5.02 ERA and gave up 194 hits, 56 walks and 28 home runs in a little over 170 innings pitched.  Many called for his demotion to the minor leagues and he wasn’t called upon at all in the post season. 

Nova enters 2013 with a renewed determination to reclaim a spot in the rotation and is one of a small group of players already working out at the Yankees minor league complex in Tampa.  If he can return to his 2011 form, fans can once again look forward to seeing him take the mound every fifth day in the Bronx.

Here’s what the rest of the AL East will offer in the form of rotations:

Toronto Blue Jays: On paper the starting five of RA Dickey, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Brandon Morrow and Ricky Romero certainly looks impressive.  Some things to keep in mind:  How will Dickey handle facing American League lineups every time he steps on the mound (the Yankees were quite successful in the game they faced him)?  Will Josh Johnson manage to stay healthy all season – he’s only pitched more than 200 innings once in his career.  33-year old Mark Buehrle has been the closest thing to a punching bag for the Yankees that they can get.  In his career he is 1 – 5 with a 6.38 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and has allowed 10 HR verses New York.  Morrow and Romero are both excellent young pitchers to bring up the back end.

Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles starters ranked ninth in the AL last season with a 4.42 ERA and allowed the third most home runs (136).  This is a young rotation whose “senior” man is 31-year old Jason Hammel.  He is followed by 28-year old Wei-Yin Chen, 25-year old Chris Tillman, 29-year old Miguel Gonzalez, and 26-year old Brian Matusz.  They combined to go 5 – 4 with a 4.66 ERA against the Yankees (Gonzalez alone was 2 – 0 with a 2.63 ERA).  It is a rotation on the upswing and should keep Baltimore in contention for years to come.

Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays will once again field a strong rotation.  2012 Cy Young award winner David Price continues to only get better, and he is followed by Jeremy Hellickson (10 wins, 3.10 ERA), Matt Moore (11 wins, 3.81 ERA), Alex Cobb (11 wins, 4.03 ERA), and Jeff Niemann (3.08 ERA in 8 starts last year).  They are young (average age is 26.8) and last season led the American League in ERA (3.34) and strikeouts (900).  Frankly, this rotation is the one the rest of the division must keep up with.

Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox rotation is a mixed bag of talent, and it is anyone’s guess as to how it all will turn out.  Jon Lester heads up the starting five and comes off a disappointing 2012 season in which he was 8 – 14 with a career-high 4.82 ERA.  In 2010 Clay Buchholz was 17 – 7 with a 2.33 ERA.  He is 17 – 11 with a 4.02 ERA in the two years since.  26-year old southpaw Felix Doubront shows great promise (11 wins in 2012).  35-year old chicken and beer loving, meatball serving John Lackey will return to the rotation for the first time since 2011 and fans shouldn’t expect much but plenty of souvenirs beyond the outfield wall when he takes the mound.  36-year old Ryan Dempster was signed in the off season by the Red Sox and could prove to be a solid part of the rotation if he can handle the switch to the American League (after an entire career spent in the NL).

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

1. Tampa Bay: Young and already successful.  They are scary-good.
2. Baltimore: I just have a feeling that this team is on the rise. 
3. New York: A Sabathia bounce-back, healthy Pettitte for a full season, and the competition for the fifth spot will make this an under-the-radar strength for the Yankees.
4. Toronto: A very high-risk, high –reward situation for the Blue Jays.  If all pitch to what their “book value” is, this team will be in the post season.  This team has an “all or nothing” feel to it.
5. Boston: Lester should bounce back, Buchholtz is anyone’s guess, Doubront will improve, Lackey is a waste of money and Dempster could be a hidden gem.  I still see them fifth.

What do you think?  Let us know!


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

 

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YANKEES SCORE JUST ENOUGH IN A HUGE SEESAW WIN

The Yankees’ 10 game lead they had nearly 50 days ago had evaporated following Tuesday’s loss against the Rays. With 27 games left, it is basically a new season for the Yanks as they were tied with the Orioles and 1.5 games up on the Rays. Fortunately, the Yankees got a much needed 6-4 win on Wednesday to avoid the sweep against the Rays while also avoiding waking up on Thursday in second place.

The last time the Yankees scored six runs in a game came on August 27 in a loss to the Blue Jays. That was a long time ago. They scored their six runs in a variety of ways. In the fourth, down 1-0, Alex Rodriguez lined an RBI double down the left field line to drive in the first run against Rays’ starter Matt Moore.

The next batter, Russell Martin, who has batting fifth, ripped a two-run, ground rule double down the right field line to make it 3-1. After the Rays tied it in the fifth on a Ben Zobrist two-run double, Russell Martin hit a long solo homer in the sixth to make it 4-3. Once again, the Yankees could not hold onto the lead as Hiroki Kuroda gave up a solo homer to Luke Scott to knot it at four. Finally, in the seventh, the Yankees averted to small ball…

After Tuesday’s loss, hitting coach Kevin Long said the Yankees would go back to the basics, or small-ball, if you will. Now, personally, I’m not a fan of bunting. You get 27 outs in a game, and those are valuable. You don’t want to give those outs away especially if those outs don’t result in runs. Anyway, in a 4-4 game in the seventh, Jayson Nix dropped down a sac-bunt after the first two batters had reached in the inning. The bunt advanced the runners to second and third, of course, and they ended up scoring on a throwing error by Elliot Johnson that ended up going to the backstop.

Casey called scoring like this a "moment" yesterday in PINIELLA & SINGLETON ARE ONTO SOMETHING.... He wrote: "The last few days I've been talking about "moments"... Something always happens that triggers a team rally and team run. A "moment" breaks a tough losing streak and suddenly, everything changes." Some may call the Rays error was a "moment". We shall see. No doubt Casey will.  On the YES telecast, Lou Piniella called for the contact play with the infield in. I nearly puked because the contact play almost never works. But, sure enough, it worked, though the Yanks got a little lucky on the play. Either way, I’ll take it.

The Yanks were able to hold onto the lead thanks to solid relief job, as usual, by David Robertson and Rafael Soriano. DRob picked up four outs after relieving Boone Logan with two out in the seventh, and Soriano pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to pick up his 36th save of the season.

Hiroki Kuroda started, and he wasn’t effective as usual. He went 6 innings and allowed four runs. He was handed the lead twice and he failed to hold onto it both times, but at least he gave the Yankees a chance to win. He ended up getting the win, however, which now gives him 13 on the season.

Final score 6-4, Yankees

Talk about a huge win, huh? The Yanks’ now re-claim sole-possession of first place following a Blue Jays win against the Orioles. And speaking of the Orioles, the Yankees head up to Baltimore for a huge four game set. David Phelps (3-4, 3.13 ERA) will look to rebound from his six walk nightmare against the Orioles last time out as he opposes Jason Hammel (8-6, 3.54 ERA) who is fresh off the DL. These are basically playoff games, folks, and it would be really nice if the Yankees got hot right about now.




--Jesse Schindler, BYB Lead Staff Writer
Follow me on Twitter @SchindlerJesse


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