ROC RIGGIO IS THE REAL THING!

Let’s take a minute to talk about a guy who’s turning heads, lighting up the stat sheet, and making Yankees brass look smarter than they probably are: Roc Riggio. Yes, that Roc Riggio — the same guy I told you about the second the Yankees drafted him in the 4th round back in July 2023. I said then, and I quote:

"If you don't know him, know this… you will love him. He’s about as hardnosed as it gets."
I stand by that. Hell, I double down on it now.

Riggio is currently torching minor league pitching like it personally insulted him. The lefty-swinging second baseman — ranked 24th in the Yankees system — isn’t just improving this season. He’s going scorched-earth. In just 27 games in 2025, he’s already got 11 home runs, including four bombs in five games at Double-A. Pitchers are looking confused. Scouts are buzzing. And Yankee fans? We might finally have something cooking in the farm system.

It’s not just the power, either. Roc’s approach is sharper. He’s laying off junk. Seeing the ball better. Hitting the ball harder. His OPS has skyrocketed, and he's making more consistent, violent contact — the kind that makes you glance at the radar gun just to see if the ball left a vapor trail.

Now, yes — the glove needs a little work. He’s a second baseman who’s still finding his rhythm defensively, and we’re not about to crown him Roberto Alomar. But with the Yankees desperately trying to patch holes from within, Riggio’s bat might be too loud to ignore. A September call-up? Maybe. Trade bait? Possibly. Either way, he’s getting harder and harder to stash.

What makes Riggio such a gem isn’t just the talent — it’s the edge. He’s got that fiery, come-at-me attitude that old-school fans worship and the modern game tries to sanitize. He taunts. He grinds. He plays with a chip on both shoulders. In an era when players are afraid to even raise their voice, Roc is out here playing like it's a bar fight in the bottom of the 9th. I love it. We need it.

I said it when he was just a college sophomore: this dude is built different. I just hope — pray — the Yankees don’t ruin him. Don’t mess with his mojo. Don’t over-coach him. Just let the kid be himself. Because if they do? If they let him grow and give him a shot?

Roc Riggio won’t just be a name you remember.
He’ll be the name you chant in October...one day for sure.

LEADERSHIP IS CC SABATHIA!

There's no one better in a baseball clubhouse than CC Sabathia.  He's simply the best.

I got to know the guy briefly in the infancy of Bleeding Yankee Blue. His family is wonderful. Amber is the greatest and of course when you combine the 2 of them, that power couple can do no wrong. Values and strength run through that household.

Great article this morning in NJ.com about CC Sabathia and how he not only developed into a brand new pitcher, but he's truly a leader when it comes to the New York Yankees. But he had to learn about it first. It started with the Indians believe it or not. And in the end... it came down to respect for one another.  Check this out...

NJ.com writes: "'I came in after the first inning … and I was kind of flustered,' Sabathia recalled Friday before the Yankees’ 5-2 loss to the Indians. 'Robbie (Alomar) could see that I was flustered and he was like, ‘Hey, don’t shake off the rest of the game. I’m calling the pitches from second base. Just go out and do your thing.’ It worked out.' Sure did, and this Alomar-to-Sabathia encounter also was a lesson on leadership...

'I was on an older team coming up that first year,' Sabathia said. 'They all treated me like a little brother … 

Sabathia didn’t just appreciate being treated with respect as a young player. He filed that away and made sure that he did the same once he became a veteran who was looked up to by younger teammates."

And that the essence of a baseball clubhouse.  In the end, you all want to win. But you teach the youngsters, and lead by example.  That was a long time ago for Sabathia, but he carried that with him.

Now, fast forward to the Yankee clubhouse today. CC is surrounded by many youngsters.  All with concerns, mistakes under their belt, questions for our fearless leader. And you know what? He's developed into a mentor... and a leader helping them find their successes, but helping this team win as well.

I can't say enough good things about this dude. If the Yankees can win it all this season, so much of it has to do with CC. He may not be 22-3 at the end of the year, but he will be there every step of the way to make sure these kids aren't losing their path to greatness.

Respect. It goes a long way.  But CC is the guy that can keep it organized, revved up and structured.
I am proud of him as a person, and love him as a New York Yankee.

Bravo, my friend... keep leading.

A BYB WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC RECAP

The World Baseball Classic is over and I have to say that it was incredible! For those who don’t follow, 16 teams from 16 different countries compete for the opportunity to be the best in the world. It is basically the closest thing to the Olympics that we get in baseball.

Pool 1 consisted of Chinese Taipei, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Cuba and 2009’s champions, Japan. Japan came right out of the box and showed why they were the defending champs by becoming the first team to secure their spot in the finals. Their pitching staff gave them a definite edge during these games. Kingdom of the Netherlands showed us some strong hitters.

Curt Smith, Andrelton Simmons, and former Yankee, Andruw Jones, all hit well over .300, helping them secure the second spot in the finals.

Pool 2 was made up of Italy, United States, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic. This pool was possibly the most interesting to watch. On paper, USA was the better team, but Puerto Rico proved why, in baseball, you cannot rely solely on stats. Don’t get me wrong; team USA did well. David Wright broke out, hitting .438 and earning him the name “Captain America.” But it wasn’t enough when they faced the underdog team from Puerto Rico.  

In the finals, Puerto Rico faced Japan, and once again proved that you can’t predict baseball. They faced pitcher Kente Maeda who posted a .60 ERA during the WBC. You read that correctly, .60! The game seemed like an easy win, in favor of Japan. But outstanding plays, like Irving Falu’s Roberto Alomar-esque catch at second base, gave Puerto Rico the edge and the win. For the first time, Japan would not be world champions.  

Dominican Republic faced Kingdom of the Netherlands. There really isn’t much to say about the Dominican team that isn’t about their complete dominance. Moises Sierra’s very Derek Jeter like play to grab the ball in the stands, made me giddy! They were playing to win.  

The Championship round was amazing! The underdog team from Puerto Rico faced the undefeated team from Dominican Republic. Both teams knew that early runs scored could mean a win or loss. In the end, it was Dominican Republic that won. With players like, Yankees own, Robinson Cano hitting over. 500 the entire series, was there really any doubt?  

As a Hispanic American with roots in both Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic, I cannot tell you how happy it made me to see these two teams face off at the championships. Both teams played the entire series with a lot of heart and determination, and should be very proud of what they have accomplished. The Hispanic community is thrilled to have had these two teams represent us. 

Big congratulations to Robinson Cano for winning the WBC MVP and to Tony Pena doing an amazing job with managing these players and being the first team ever to go undefeated at the World Baseball Classic. 

--Erica Morales, BYB Writer
Twitter: @e_morales1804

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WHY HE'S STILL JOHNNY BRAVO

Being a Yankee fan, I was always envious of any team that had Johnny Damon. Before the Red Sox had him, I thought for sure the Yankees were going to snag him. I think it was around the time when he was with the Oakland Athletics. I always loved the way Damon worked, his speed and his grit in the field. It was clear to me he wanted a win more than anyone out there.

When he came to the Yankees, it was beautiful the way it unfolded, taking him away from the evil Red Sox, and the New York sports media rubbed it in the Boston fans faces nicely with terrific headlines, but the reality was, it was quite a few years later and who really knew if Damon would contribute successfully in pinstripes. Well, he did, and I loved him as a New York Yankee and for him to get a championship with us in 2009, it was icing on the cake.

So,2 nights ago when Johnny Damon slid into second base, he stole his 400^th base. 400 isn’t easy. It proves 2 things, he’s old as dirt and has been around for a long time (that’s a bad joke), and he’s still got the speed, a valuable tool in baseball. Stolen bases have always been my thing. I remember growing up in awe of Rickey Henderson and Tim Raines as they dominated back in the 80’s and all I wanted to do in Little League was break the stolen base record and hold up second base like Rickey did. Little did I know that Little League did not compile stolen base stats at the age of 9 back then. It was however fun to compile them in my head. The point is, speed fascinated me because if players like Rickey, or Brett Gardner or Johnny Damon are able to get on base, eventually they could get around to score. I knew that because I did and I learned from the best.

Damon is now on the list of players that have compiled 400 stolen bases and 200 home runs in 1 career. Let's be honest, I didn't know they had such a list but I like that they do. Damon currently has 229 home runs. The list includes players like Joe Morgan, Craig Biggio, Rickey Henderson, Roberto Alomar, Marquis Grissom, Paul Moliter, Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonds. Pretty nice company.

This post is to congratulate a great player and a great Yankee. Congrats Johnny Bravo. Keep going pal, keep going.

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