GET INVOLVED IN THE RUNYON 5K RUN AT YANKEE STADIUM!

We do this every year at Bleeding Yankee Blue and it's for an incredible cause.  It's the Runyon 5k run at Yankee Stadium and this year will be the 7th annual run.  I just wanted to take a second and promote it... 

 "Sunday, November 15, 2015, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation will hold the 7th Annual Runyon 5K at Yankee Stadium – and 100% of funds raised by participants will directly support innovative cancer research by brilliant early career scientists.

The course winds through the ballpark’s concourses and ramps, and up stairs between levels. Participants will have the opportunity to take two laps around the warning track that circles the field, appear on the centerfield video board, and meet scientists funded by Damon Runyon.

Additionally, this year the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation will kick off the event with a Kids Fun Run – allowing children between the ages of five and 12 years old to take one lap around the warning track before the 5K begins....

Registration will open in August at runyon5k.org. Participants can register for $40 through September 15th. The entry fee will increase to $50 from September 16th through October 15th, and to $60 from October 16th through November 5th or when capacity (4,000) is reached. The entry fee for the Kids Fun Run is $25. For additional registration details, visit www.runyon5k.org or email runyon5k@damonrunyon.org ."

As you may or may not know, Bleeding Yankee Blue has a terrific relationship with the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, and we are happy to promote this event every year.  Last year we spoke to Ambassador Brett Gardner about it:

Brett Gardner: They are a wonderful non-profit that is doing amazing work in the area of research to help end cancer. 100% of the funds raised go directly to research... I think all of us know someone who has battled and we need to work together and find a cure. My wife Jessica and I, spend time visiting with children and their families at the various children's hospitals. In fact, we were just at Maria Fareri Children's Hospital. We also are very active in the support of the Ronald McDonald House. We see far to many children with cancer and it does truly affect the entire family."

A few years ago, we also spoke with Roy White about it because he too was involved in the program:

Roy White: "... It is a great cause because everyone has someone close to them who has been affected. It is a great event they put on at Yankee Stadium so it was a win, win and a no brainer."

Mickey Rivers and Ron Blomberg also worked with us in promoting the program.  We are lucky to be apart of such a great program!
 
So, be sure to check out the website and if you have the chops to run it, or you just want to raise money for cancer research or have your kids participate in this year's Fun Run, sign up and go for it.  

Bleeding Yankee Blue supports this cause! It's an important one!




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THE BEST I'VE EVER SEEN

As the season winds down, many of my colleagues here at BYB have written their tributes to Derek Jeter.  Our captain is hanging up his cleats and our great staff will share their memories and thoughts much more eloquently than I could ever hope to do.

(In Photo: Mel Stottlemyre)
I’ve been a Yankees fan all of my life.  My earliest memories are of players like Celerino Sanchez, Jim Mason, Ron Blomberg (who I had the honor of interviewing a couple of seasons ago), Mike Kekich, Mel Stottlemyre (the player), Doc Medich and many others of the CBS ownership era. 

Yeah, those were pretty bad teams.

My favorite Yankees squads – with all due respect to the “Core four + Bernie” – were the 1977-1978 teams that won back-to-back championships.  Guys like Chris Chambliss, Willie Randolph, Ron Guidry, Mickey Rivers, Roy White, Bucky Dent, Brian Doyle, and Graig Nettles will always be among my favorites.

In fact, my favorite player was on those teams.  Thurman Munson will always define to me what the ultimate ballplayer should be.  His grit, intellect, ability, and heart were the epitome of what defines greatness on the field.  I admired his work ethic and his ability to do his job day-in and day-out without needing validation from the media (sorry Reggie and Rickey).

While Munson will forever be in the top spot of Yankees I’ve seen play, as I look back through players I most admired ( Mattingly, Bernie, Mo, Jorge, etc) only one other stands out (to me) in combining all those great characteristics that Thurman had: Derek Jeter.

Derek has been a little flashier off the field, but on it he encompasses all that Munson was.  Certainly his work ethic has always been second to none, and as far as intellect; I’ve never seen a smarter, “headier” player.  Other than the difference in the position he plays, Jeter is Munson-reincarnate to me.   Both were the ultimate professionals that led their teams to world championships, and both did so while keeping their private lives (for the most part) away from the field.

Where Munson’s teams had Reggie Jackson’s constant need for attention, Jeter’s had Alex Rodriguez not trying very hard to avoid off-field drama.  Yet both, somehow, managed to avoid the hurricanes their teammates attracted.  

In my pantheon of Yankees greats – that I’ve seen play – Munson and Jeter stand alone.  While they come from different eras- and played different positions-they are to me the two greatest players of my lifetime.

Both came to play with the same passion for the game on a daily basis and both had the ability to raise the talent of those that played alongside them.

I look forward to the next time I walk through Monument Park and can see the numbers of both of them in their rightful spots alongside the immortals.

    

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


 
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BRETT GARDNER EXCLUSIVE: A RUNYON 5K RUN INTERVIEW

Since the birth of Bleeding Yankee Blue, we have done our best to make our audience aware of the great work that the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation has done for cancer awareness and research.  We have jumped in to let people know about the Runyon 5k Run held at Yankee Stadium, an event that is in it's 6th year this year and takes place tomorrow, August 3rd at the stadium. BYB is very lucky to interview some of the official starters for this amazing event.  They are gentlemen like Roy White, Ron Blomberg and Mickey Rivers, former Yankees and people that have taken time out of their schedules to bring awareness to an amazing cause.  As Roy White told us in our interview with him 3 years ago:

 ( Photo By:JAMES PETROZELLO. In Photo: Roy White; Lorraine Egan, executive director of the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation; Alan Leventhal, Damon Runyon board chairman; and Tom Werner, chairman of the Boston Red Sox.)

Roy White: "... It is a great cause because everyone has someone close to them who has been affected. It is a great event they put on at Yankee Stadium so it was a win, win and a no brainer."

True... and it is.

Well, Bleeding Yankee Blue is very lucky once again, because we have a special treat for all of you.  It was announced back in June that Brett Gardner was named the Official Ambassador of this year's Runyon 5k Run at Yankee Stadium, the second time for him.   The red hot New York Yankee with alot of heart and dedication on the field was chosen because not only does he believe in the cause, but he knows his celebrity can bring more attention to it.  In short, he's doing something noble and appreciative. 

I share with you now, our interview with New York Yankee, Brett Gardner.  Thank you Brett for talking to Bleeding Yankee Blue!  

Enjoy this Ladies and Gentlemen... I certainly did:

BYB: So, you were named the Official Ambassador for the Runyon 5K run at Yankee Stadium. How important is this honor for you?

Brett Gardner: This is my second year as the Ambassador for the Runyon 5K. I am honored and humbled that they asked me back!  They are a wonderful non-profit that is doing amazing work in the area of research to help end cancer. 100% of the funds raised go directly to research.

BYB: That is great that they had you back.  How important is cancer research and a cure for cancer to you personally?

Brett Gardner: I think all of us know someone who has battled and we need to work together and find a cure. My wife Jessica and I, spend time visiting with children and their families at the various children's hospitals. In fact, we were just at Maria Fareri Children's Hospital. We also are very active in the support of the Ronald McDonald House. We see far to many children with cancer and it does truly affect the entire family.

BYB:  Let's talk so baseball. How does being locked up for the next few years with the Yankees help you relax more and just concentrate on being the best player you can be?

Brett Gardner:  For me, it was a matter of making the decision obviously based on numbers and what I was comfortable with, but also a big part of my decision was I felt like by signing that contract, it gave me the best chance to stay in New York and hopefully finish my career in New York.  Signing the contract gave me the best opportunity to do that.

BYB: How important is it for a team to have a guy like Derek Jeter in the clubhouse?

Brett Gardner: He's our captain. He is first class and the best there is. A true champion and consummate professional.  He's such a positive force in our clubhouse and a true leader, a teacher.  It's an honor and a privilege to play on the same team with him.

BYB: You are in good company with the Runyon Foundation by the way. Joe DiMaggio was on the Board of Directors for Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and Mickey Mantle was an active fundraiser as well. How important is it to be part of such a great cause with such leaders like Joe and Mickey?

Brett Gardner: That's incredible to hear!  The Damon Runyon 5k is very special and they do wonderful research work to end cancer.

BYB: For anyone hesitant about registering to run in the future, but aren't sure they'll be successful, what kind encouragement can you give them?

Brett Gardner: Sign up! It's a fun day and a person can walk, run or walk & run.  It's for a great cause & Yankee Stadium is just beautiful!

So true! Thank you, Brett Gardner for taking the time... and keep your hot streak going! We're all pulling for you! 

A special thanks to Rachel Klein and Kathy Jacobson for making this all possible for Bleeding Yankee Blue. You are true professionals! BYB appreciates the relationship we have with you both!

If our audience would like more information on the run, or to donate, check out their website at:

http://www.damonrunyon.org/

You can also read Bleeding Yankee Blue's past interviews about the event:

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: ROY WHITE
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: RON BLOMBERG
RUNYON 5K RUN EXCLUSIVE: MICKEY RIVERS

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: BILLY SAMPLE

I love and respect the grind.  I know it's hard to make it to the major leagues and stay there and I admire many of the great ball players past, present and future for being able to make it and stay along as long as they have and will.  When I was growing up, there were many guys that played the game with the same club for a long time.  There were others, that as a Yankee fan, you wanted on your club, be it because of their talent, scrappiness, toughness, whatever it was.  One of those guys that I always admired was Billy Sample. 

Now, full disclosure; Once my first son was born, I made it a mission of mine to send out baseball cards to players present and past to get their autographs. The goal was to give each of my kids a binder full of baseball card autographs when they were old enough to enjoy it and understand the game. It was something I did as a kid, and something I hoped to pass onto them. One of those players was Billy Sample, and for a short time, we wrote letters back and forth to each other.  He answered my questions openly. He was, and is, a great, honest man and we became "friends"... in my head.  Now, years later, we met up again, this time because of a movie he put together called Reunion 108.

I recently wrote A SAMPLE OF BILLY SAMPLE. I wanted to share my recent connection with the BYB audience, an audience that didn't exist when I started my baseball card collection for my children. Now, these days, it nice to tell the stories to our audience, and so, when I asked Billy to do an interview with us, he agreed, and I was thrilled.

So here it is. A great interview with a smart baseball mind, a former pro baseball player, a movie maker and my friend, Mr. Billy Sample. Enjoy this ladies and gentlemen... I sure did:

BYB: Mr. Sample, you played 1 season with the Yankees, 1985. Tell the audience about playing for Billy Martin.

Billy Sample: In my opinion and that of others, Billy was a tremendous tactician, and he played an aggressive, small ball type of game.  Not that he shunned the three run homer, but he would force pressure on the defense by maximizing the smaller parts of the offense.

BYB: What teammates were you close with on that '85 Yankees team and why?

(In Photo: Don Baylor)

Billy Sample: By nature I am not a close, "makes friends" type of person.  I dressed on the side of the room with Andre Robertson, Don Baylor and Ken Griffey Sr., so I probably conversed more with them during the day than most.  

Ken Sr., had a fifteen year old son, who turned out to be a pretty good ballplayer too.

BYB: Yogi Berra was also your manager for 16 games in 1985. What was he like in a setting like that?

Billy Sample: Yogi was and is a super respected person.  Similar to what the public sees, he has a very easy demeanor with an understated humor.

BYB: I followed your career before the Yankees, when you were with the Rangers.  Tell me about your experience in baseball back then in Texas. What is your fondest memory of playing there?

Billy Sample: From Texas, I just remember the heat, oppressive temperatures. It was hard to maintain weight and energy. I believe one year we had forty-three consecutive days of over a hundred degrees.  The newer stadium, with its better infrastructure can shield the players better than the minor league stadium that the team inherited after its move from Washington

BYB: Growing up, who did you idolize in baseball and why?

Billy Sample: I didn't have any baseball idols growing up.  My models were people of whom I had interacted; like teachers, Cub scout leaders, coaches, etc.  I did admire the quiet dignity of Roy White. 

When I was traded to the Yankees, while Roy was in some front office capacity, I called him to my locker one day as he was walking through the clubhouse and told him. He didn't believe me... ha ha.

BYB: You shared a great nugget about Don Zimmer recently and we printed it on Bleeding Yankee Blue. Any other stories you want to share about the great Mr. Zimmer?

Billy Sample: Rangers' management had decided to replace Don Zimmer mid-way through the 1982 season, but as this was happening, Amon Carter, one of the minority owners of the club, died unexpectedly.  Owner Eddie Chiles didn't want the firing of Don to overshadow the homage paid to recently departed part owner, so he asked the manager to stay on through the weekend, even though he had been unofficially fired. Let's just say that press conference after the weekend was priceless.

Post by Reunion 108.

BYB: We recently chatted about the movie "Reunion 108" you put together.  Tell me about it, I'm sure the BYB audience would love to hear about it.

Billy Sample: I wrote a script. It's an edgy, satirical, R-rated comedy with a baseball clubhouse backdrop.  I submitted it to the Hoboken Film Festival and it took top honors in it's category and then I decided to produce it.  The jury is still out on that decision, but it's what I wanted, and now I have the task of getting it into as many theaters as possible and educate the audiences while eliciting quite a few laughs.

BYB: Is making movies something that you always had in the back of your mind, even when you were a major league ballplayer?

Billy Sample: No, not at all. I thought about journalism from time to time, but never thought about a movie during my playing days.  I doubt if making a movie even entered my mine before the last five years or so.

BYB: Billy, who was the 1 pitcher that you hated to face the most and why?

Billy Sample: I had trouble with a number of pitchers; Shane Rawley, Dave Stieb, Neal Heaton, Paul Splittorff, Jack Morris, Sammy Stewart. How did I stay in the league? Ha ha.  However, the late Tom Underwood and I both knew that I had trouble with him.   Once I got a cheap infield hit off of him in Baltimore. He with the Orioles and me with the Yankees. We both nodded because that's the only hit I remember getting off of him.  Officially I was 2 for 21 off of him.

BYB: Finally... anything you want to say to Bleeding Yankee Blue?

Billy Sample: Continued success with Bleeding Yankee Blue.

Thank you Mr. Sample, and all the best to you sir.  I would like to help promote Reunion 108 right now ladies and gentlemen.  Billy Sample is on Facebook.

I suggest you reach out to him.  Tell him you want to help him promote his film.  It's takes alot of courage and confidence to step out into a brand new field after baseball, but Mr. Sample is doing it, and I tip my cap.

I truly appreciate Mr. Sample taking the time.  And Billy, if you need anything, you reach out to us at BYB. You are now, officially, part of the Bleeding Yankee Blue family.

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!

BLEEDING YANKEE BLUE = FAMILY

Family. 

It’s a word that the Yankees and former Yankees often use when describing their employment in the organization.

(In Photo: Ron Blomberg)

A little over a year ago I had the privilege of interviewing former Yankee Ron Blomberg.  It was in regards to baseball’s first designated hitter being an honorary chairman of the Damon Runyon 5K run/walk for Cancer Research at Yankee stadium.  Throughout my discussion with him, Blomberg constantly referred to the Yankees as his family.  He spoke of George as a second father, and teammates like Roy White and Mickey Rivers as brothers.

That feeling continues with Yankees generations separated from Blomberg’s version of the team.

In the final home appearance by Mariano Rivera a few nights ago, never was that more apparent than when Andy Pettitte and Derek Jeter strode to the mound to pull their long-time teammate and friend. During post-game interviews, all three alluded to each other as family.

Family.

It’s also a word that aptly describes Bleeding Yankee Blue.

We are a family of die-hard New York Yankee fans sharing our passion via social media. We celebrate every victory together and we share shoulders when lamenting defeats. We’ll defend our team to death against outside critics while at the same time recognizing it’s our God given right to point out what our Bombers could have done better each and every game.

My first experience writing for my friend Casey was a piece about a spring training trip to Florida with my son Matt.

Family.

We at bleedingyankeeblue.com write about it and live it.  We also try as best we can to share it with you our readers.

For just the second time in 18 seasons we won’t be cheering on our team in October.  It’s a tough pill for any of us to swallow given the bar that has been set by our “Core Four”, but it happens.

So, now we re-group and move forward.

Sure we’ll talk about how our pitching staff needs a complete overhaul, and we’ll offer up how different a game will “feel” when we enter the ninth inning with a one or two run lead.

We’ll write about the continued aging of the players that remain, and we’ll complain about the outlandish money Robinson Cano is asking our Yankees to pony up if they want to keep him.

There will certainly be tribute pieces written for Rivera and Pettitte, and articles dissecting the failures of 2013.

That’s the beauty of BYB for a Yankee fan; you’ll get every Yankee topic covered from every possible angle, and we’ll welcome your opinions.

After all, that’s what family is all about.


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

 



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THE WILLIE RANDOLPH YOU HAVEN'T SEEN YET!

(Photo credit:  Ellen Wallop/Yes Network)
Recently I had the opportunity to attend the "CenterStage" taping of Michael Kay interviewing Willie Randolph. Willie Randolph was one of my childhood heroes, so this should not be considered an impartial reporting of the interview. Willie was one of the "original" Yankees from my earliest memories, and we got to hear about his life history, both personal and as a player.

This is an interview definitely worth watching. You'll hear about how Willie grew up in Brooklyn, in an area filled with gang violence, and how baseball was his way out. It's amazing how a kid who grew up surrounded by such violence has become such a positive, funny, likeable person like Willie. Willie shared about growing up as a Mets fan in New York (I know - we were all surprised), and about his admiration of the legacy of the Yankees and what it meant to be part of the Yankees organization.

Willie talked a lot about his interactions with fellow players and managers, people who mentored him like Roy White, Elston Howard, Yogi Berra, and others. You'll hear about his sadness regarding the loss of Thurman Munson, and his disappointment about being let go by the Yankees after the 1988 season.

(Photo credit:  Ellen Wallop/Yes Network)
You'll watch him play it cool about how he was fired as the Mets manager in the 2008 season, and you'll even watch Michael Kay play it not-so-cool as he expressed his disgust on the way the Mets organization fired him.

All in all, this was a great episode of "CenterStage", and you should make it a point to watch. It is set to premier on August 14th, after the Yankees post-game. If you're too young to remember him playing, or you weren't watching during his playing days, you'll become a fan after watching this.

Thanks to the YES Network for the access, we appreciate it!

 

--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon
My blog is: Shots from Murderer's Row



 
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WHO'S THE BEST YANKEE LEAD-OFF GUY?

Undeniably, the leadoff guy of any ball club is key.  And it doesn't truly matter how he gets on base as long as he does, often.  Sure, we would like a hit or even an extra base hit every now and again, absolutely, but that's not essential.  "Plenty of evidence suggests that a talented everyday leadoff hitter can improve a lineup. Veteran outfielder Marlon Byrd said that finding a consistent everyday on-base threat at the top of the order "is the best thing for a lineup," according to an article in The Wall Street Journal last week (HERE).  Teams that have leadoff woes lose more ball games because their heavy hitters later in the lineup can't jack up the RBIs for which they are bred.  By way of illustration, since Jose Reyes departure from the Mets, the organization has .441 winning percentage.  With Reyes, "third baseman David Wright averaged 112 RBIs per season over that span-and only 82 in the four full seasons since (though injuries limited him to 102 games in 2011)," stated the same article. 

So I ask you Yankee fans, who are the best leadoff guys historically for the Yankees?  I have a few favorites who have lead us to winning seasons.  Let's check them out! 

Now, I know that in the early days, before my time, we had some good ones.  I will not overlook them but they did not necessarily play for the Yankees, at least not right away.  According to the ESPN article (HERE) "We're in a golden age for leadoff hitters" the first golden age for this very specific, patient, skillful hitter, was 1965 when we saw the likes of Joe Morgan, Pete Rose and Lou Brock.  A notable Yankee favorite around that time and into the seventies was Roy White, a very calm, collected hitter who set up some greats holding a career OBP of .360.  By the way, in mid-seventies we saw our very own Kenny Singleton take on the role of leadoff hitter for our rival team Baltimore Orioles.  I prefer his role now, much better since he hurt us too much as a great hitter for the Birds. 

I personally loved Mick "the Quick" Rivers who set up the likes of Willie Randolph, Graig Nettles and our very own Mr. October Reggie Jackson.  His average OBP during the 1976-1978 post season was .331 (he hit his best in 1978 post season).  I loved the way he stepped up to the plate and spun the bat in between pitches.  Very entertaining for a 9-year-old to watch. 

According to the same ESPN article,  "If there was a golden era before 2013, it looks like that 1990-1992 period, which featured leadoff hitters such as (Rickey) Henderson, (Paul) Molitor, Lenny Dykstra, Wade Boggs, Tony Phillips, Bip Roberts, Butler, Delino DeShields, Raines, Biggio, Brady Anderson and Devon White."

Probably the most under appreciated leadoff hitter was Rickey Henderson, whose speed and skill upped even his very respectable career OBP, which was one of the best at .401. "I don't think I ever got proper credit about being smart about the game," stated Henderson. During his four year stint with the Yankees in the late eighties, Rickey "Man of Steal" Henderson set a franchise record for steals (326) and he had his career best OBP in 1987 (.423).  He was fast and furious down the line, giving any team he played for an additional advantage in the late innings. I loved to watch him play and set up our Hit Man Donnie Baseball. 

Today, we have two of the finest leadoff batters on our club in Derek Jeter and Brett Gardner (career .382 and .354 respectively).  Incidentally, Jeter's OBP in 2009 was .406. We are fortunate to have both of them playing for us.  Gardner, right now, is one of the best in the league along with Mike Trout, Nate McCloud, Shin-Soo Choo (who started the year for ailing Jose Reyes), Austin Jackson, Alex Gordon, Ian Kinsler, and Carl Crawford.

We can agree, that the leadoff batter who needs to have an OBP of at least .300 to even be considered to hold the helm at the top of the order, gives any team an advantage. And we have looked at some good ones.  But, as always, we are interested in yours as well, so following this article, we will open a poll on this site and ask you to vote for your favorites.  Tell us who you think is the best leadoff hitter for the Yankees since 1965!  We want to know!

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Opinion Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof




Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.