WHY BERNIE WILLIAMS STILL SWINGS FOR THE FENCES

(Photo credit : Bill Menzel)

This past Saturday night I had the privilege to attend the annual charity gala for the Hillside Food Outreach. I was a guest of one of Bleeding Yankee Blue’s faithful readers, Doc Haveron. This amazing organization helps our less fortunate neighbors in Westchester and Putnam Counties in New York and Fairfield County in Connecticut. This charity is special to one of our Yankee heroes, Bernie Williams. And let me tell you, Bernie isn’t just a famous face...Bernie is involved! And if it's important enough for Bernie, it should be important to the rest of us as well.

Of course Bernie brought along some of his friends such as former Yankees’, Jim Leyritz, Charlie Hayes, Hensley Meulens, Scott Kamieniecki, Chad Curtis, Roberto Kelly and Ralph Branca. This year’s guest of honor was Dodgers manager Don Mattingly.

(Photo credit : Bill Menzel)

WFAN’s Sweeny Murti hosted a little chat between Bernie and Donnie. The former teammates traded stories and talked about the respect each had for the other. Bernie admitted to being in awe the first time he met Mattingly (much like me.) Mattingly talked about Bernie’s laid-back approach to the game.

(Photo credit : Bill Menzel)

He also talked about what it's like managing the Dodgers and having Kelly and Meulens, who both are coaches for the San Francisco Giants, in the opposing dugout. (Meulens jokes around and Roberto Kelly is so focused, he doesn’t acknowledge Mattingly). I could’ve listened to the stories for hours. As a fan of all these guys when I was a kid, this was a dream come true. Even my wife who isn’t much of a baseball fan thought the whole experience was pretty great.

But back to the Cause. At the event, we we’re introduced to two people who have benefited from Hillside. These are people who live right in our communities and are struggling to make ends meet. With the help of others, Hillside makes sure these people don’t go hungry. For more information or to donate yourself, you can visit: http://hillsidefoodoutreach.org

(In Photo: Charlie Hayes, Lem Allen, Hensley Meulens)

The gala was a great night for an even greater cause. I was honored to have been a part of it. Kudos to Bernie and to Hillside Outreach. Still swinging for the fences while making us all open our eyes, and our wallets to help others in need.

-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer
bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com

WHY ANY KIND OF BASEBALL IS FUN

(Photo: Lem Allen)
Recently I took my family to a Short-Season, NY-Penn league between the Hudson Valley Renegades (Rays) and the Vermont Lake Monsters (Athletics). It really brought me back to why I love this game. First off, Dutchess Stadium may be no frills, but it's a wonderful place to see a ballgame. There are box seats, which seem to be roomier than anything I’ve sat in at either Yankee Stadium. Even the metal bleachers have backs and the last row is no more than 50 feet from the field. It brought me back to when I played as a kid, dreaming of getting just 1 at-bat in the big ballpark in the Bronx.

The game was a little sloppy, but these guys are what, 18, 19, 20 at the most? However they all played hard. No one dogged it. They all ran hard to first; every time. Watching these guys made me wonder where some of our professionals pick up their bad habits? I actually bumped into a couple players walking through the concourse. Most of them had baby faces and were all trying to live out their boyhood dreams.

When all was said and done, my hometown Renegades pulled out a 6-5 victory and remained in third place behind the Staten Island Yankees and the Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets). Oddest part for me was the left-handed, first basemen wearing number 23. Jeff Malm doesn’t appear to be much of a hitter, but he played decent defense. I grew up loving Don Mattingly and I wondered if Malm did too.I was engrossed in the game; loving every minute of it. My kids, however, couldn’t get enough of the alternate entertainment. Between innings they do an excellent job of putting on a show and really making it fun for the whole family. On the way home, both of my kids said they had “a really fun time, but the game was boring”. A win for Dad?

Will any of these kids make the “Show”? I’d like to think so, I mean Josh Hamilton and Evan Longoria have both passed through here. Only time will tell.

-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer
bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com




Please comment and 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.

WHO WILL WIN THE FIRST ANNUAL BEEB AWARD?

We're gonna do something different here at Bleeding Yankee Blue.  We're seeking your vote for something that not one of my staff members knows about... except for me... because I'm king of the castle and I do what I want...

For the first time in BYB history, we are going to give a BYB writer an award based on reader votes.  It's called the BEEB Award and it's given to the writer that brought quality, satisfaction, information and energy to their posts in the year of 2013, according to you, the reader.

We have several writers here and all have offered excellent work in 2013. I'm proud of that.  All of our writers write differently; a different flair, a very individual creation every time.  Each have given their all and their time, and while they all deserve some type of award in my mind, much like they do in Pathmark, giving a cashier, an "Employee of the week" nod, We are giving away a BEEB.  It's the highest honor for a writer at Bleeding Yankee Blue... and I am happy to put this vote into action.

Here's what you, the readers, need to do.  Think.  Think about who you enjoyed reading the most in 2013.  Was it Jeana Bellezza and her piece about a proposal? Read A YANKEE PROPOSAL....SORT OF
or could it be Chad R MacDonald and his pieces about his daily attire? Read JERSEY BOY. Think it over.

Erica Morales wrote some good ones too.  How about her recent one on Jorge Posada? DREAMS DO COME TRUE. Maybe Suzie Pinstripe intrigued you with her piece titled: REGARDING CHAMPIONS...

Steve Skinner is a guest writer for us, but wrote a whole series about the Yankees Mount Olympus.  His most recent one is THE YANKEES MOUNT OLYMPUS: DEREK JETER.  Maybe Mike O'Hara had you entertained this year. He wrote a good one featuring Rich Gossage called BYB, THE GOOSE & MY DOG.

Ike Dimitriadis was full of energy and put together some quality pieces this year. Here's one titled WOULD BABE RUTH HAD SURVIVED THE PEDs ERA? Oh and who could forget Rudy Laurens reviewing Alex Rodriguez and the "slap" heard 'round the world. Read REVIEWING THE AROD "SLAP" YEARS LATER.

There are even the guys that write less, but still write for BYB when their schedules allow it.  Lem Allen with his in-depth interview with his grandfather titled: THE MAN THAT MADE ME A YANKEE FAN: THE FULL STORY, and Douglas Solomon writes once in a while and is always full of statistics. How about his piece titled AN INTERESTING TAKE ON THE YANKEES GETTING RID OF AROD.

The point is, we have unique writers and all bring a special flair to the pages of Bleeding Yankee Blue.  This year, our first year, we are giving away the BEEB, the highest honor, but it must be voted on by the readers of BYB.

So, I hand you the keys.  Vote. You will see the poll on the home page of BYB in the upper right. Vote for the writer that you feel is most deserving of the BEEB award. Once the vote concludes, we will present the award to the winner and they will write an acceptance piece thanking you.

If you need a full body of work of each writer,  you may click on their names below, and you'll be brought to their specific pages.

• Lem Allen
• Jeana Bellezza
• Ike Dimitriadis
• Rudy Laurens 
• Chad R MacDonald
• Erica Morales
• Mike O'Hara
• Suzie Pinstripe
• Steve Skinner
• Douglas Solomon

Read them, think long and hard, and vote.  Vote for your favorite BYB writer of 2013.  Vote to give one our writers the BEEB.

RULES for the writers are simple; There is no self promoting to get votes whatsoever. You cannot campaign for yourself. You MAY, promote this post, but that's it. For the readers, you may vote as much as you'd like, but  I really want you thinking it over. It's important to me.

Good luck to the writers. Thank you to the readers. 

Thank you to all the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers for continued success.  You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in the history of Yankees fandom.  Thanks for reading, sharing and enjoying. Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.

YANKEE NUGGETS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMM

Yeah...for some strange reason, C+C Music Factory was on my Ipod. Sometimes songs get on there that I probably loaded from my old CDs.  I'm not going to lie, it's fun to hear these old songs and sure, somehow I work them into my BYB titles...I'm sad.

Ryota Igarashi: The Yankees claimed the right hander pitcher from the Blue Jays yesterday.  You can read about it HERE. Igarashi was just designated for assignment by the Jays on Sunday.  He was 5-2 with a 5.74 ERA for the Mets in the 2010 and 2011 season.  In Triple A for the Blue Jays this season he was 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA. He'll report to Yankees Triple A.

David Robertson: We wrote on Monday (Read in TEN DAYS AWAY FOR BRETT GARDNER) that David Robertson was to throw catch and we'd give you an update on that session.  Robertson felt no pain. Don't forget, DRob had a strained oblique and was on the 15 day DL, but then he needed a few "extra" days...the Yankees didn't want to force it.  Well... good news now I suppose.  So, when do we activate David Robertson? I can't wait to get this guy back.

Hideki Matsui: Godzilla was added to the Tampa Bay Rays major league roster yesterday and homered in his debut, read HERE. It's going to be interesting to see what he can offer the Rays.  You know I love Matsui and I would have been thrilled to see him back with the Yankees this season, but, so far Brian Cashman looks pretty smart signing Raul Ibanez over Matsui and Johnny Damon.  Ibanez has a .260 AVG with 9 home runs.
 

Lem Allen: Lem was over at Citi Field a few weeks ago, not the watch the Mets as much as he wanted to just wear his BleedingYankeeBlue.com shirt out in Mets-land to piss all the fans off.  Pretty hilarious if you ask me.  Anyway, I love the balls on Lem and it's great advertising for us.  This is a reminder, if you still want a BleedingYankeeBlue.com shirt, just click on BUY NOW on the right side of this page, use Paypal to order, it's so easy.  If you need to send a check or money order, you may. Just send it to our P.O. Box and specify your size, how many you need and where to send the shirt or shirts.  We'll take care of it right away.  Don't forget, for every shirt purchase you make, money goes toward High Socks for Hope, David and Erin Robertson's charity. Do it, you'll be happy when you do.

ORDER A BYB SHIRT NOW, DROB WEARS ONE! Also, 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.

WHY PRECEDENCE HAS BEEN SET

Jorge Posada’s struggles are no secret. And I don’t want to kick a man when he’s down…. But I’m saying it now: Jorge won’t be back in a playing capacity with this organization next year. How do I know? This is the Yankees and we’ve seen this show before.

Exhibit A: Jorge is currently batting .169 (.209 vs. Righties & a whooping .000 vs. Lefties) It's gotten so bad he’s been benched against Lefties.(Photo: Getty)

Exhibit B: Russell Martin is hitting .236 which is on par with the rest of the AL catchers. It doesn’t hurt that Martin is also handling all of the Yankees starters without much issue. Remember Burnett’s issues with Posada last year?

Exhibit C: When the Yankees make a decision that someone is old and expendable, they don’t hide it. When the organization decides someone is “washed up”, they move them to DH and replace them with a younger model. It’s like buying a car or a new electronic gadget.I know you all are saying, “Lem, this is all your opinion” WRONG! Fact: In 2006, Johnny Damon was signed as the new center fielder displacing longtime fan-favorite Bernie Williams. Williams was in the last year of his contract, and the organization determined Bernie was done. 2006
was Bernie’s last year, where he hit .281, 12 HR, 61 RBI.
(In photo: Ken Griffey Sr.)
Isolated case? WRONG! They’ve been doing this for a long, long time.... In 1983, the Yanks had a decent first baseman. Ken Griffey hit .306 and played decent defense. In 1984, Griffey was moved to the outfield and later to DH, only to be replaced by a fresh-faced kid from the cornfields of Indiana waiting to take Griffey’s job. Don Mattingly went on to win the AL batting title in ‘84 and the AL MVP in ’85, while Griffey bounced around the league for another 6 seasons.

Look, I’m a huge fan of Jorge Posada’s. I’ve met him on 2 different occasions and he couldn’t have been nicer. But lets face it, time isn’t on his side and the precedence has been set. I believe he should be a no-doubt Hall of Famer, and at this point might want to consider bowing out gracefully. I thank Jorge for everything he’s done while he’s here, but this is a younger man’s game.

By the way... Jeter, Rivera, A-Rod take notice…..


-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer
bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com


Please comment and 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.

YANKS ARE DUCKS ON THE POND

(Photo: NY Times)

The term "ducks on the pond" was coined back in the 60's by former Washington Senators broadcaster Arch McDonald. The theory is that the runners on base looked like ducks floating on the top of a still pond and that a single shot, or, a hit, would make them scatter, meaning, the base runners would come home. Now, over the past week this term has been lost on the Yankees lineup. Last night, FOX had a stat that the Yankees were something like 2 for their last 30 with Runners in Scoring Position. Makes sense.



How many times in the last week have we seen first and second, nobody out, MY YANKEES DO NOT SCORE. That's basic math, you can't win if you don't score. I'm sure people will say some of the guys are hitting, but it's like the criticisms of A-Rod...the hits are meaningless unless you come up big.Maybe Girardi needs to organize a hunting trip on the next day off. Somebody needs to remind these guys what to do when they see ducks on the pond.


-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer
bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com

(Lem does not condone duck hunting, unless its on Nintendo)

Please comment and 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.

WHY THE YANKEES WILL BE 2012 CHAMPS

The season unofficially begins on Friday, but I’m guaranteeing right now that the 2012 World Champions will be the none other than our New York Yankees!! “But Lem,” you all will protest... “You’re just saying this based on opinion and favoritism.” WRONG... my dear followers, I’m
basing this on cold-hard history.

Since 1949 the Kentucky Wildcats have won the NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship 7 times. In the same year as those first six championships, the New York Yankees have gone on to win the World Series every year – 1949, 1951, 1958, 1978, 1996, and 1998. 2012 is Kentucky’s 7th title, which means the Yankees are destined to win the whole thing again this year!On Monday before the National Championship game, Kentucky coach John Calipari weighed in on this history. He said, "I think the Yankees have to be rooting for us." Well he and his team held up their end of the bargain with a 67-59 win over Kansas. Read HERE.
While I’m the first person to shoot holes in myths and superstitions, I’m also someone who believes history repeating itself. So who am I to argue with 62 years of proven history? Also, wouldn’t it be fitting for the last pitch of Mariano Rivera’s career to be a 28th World Title clincher? That’s poetic justice.

Email me to praise me or call me crazy, bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com. I’m open to both.

--Lem Allen, BYB Contributor

Email me at:bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com

ORDER A BYB SHIRT NOW, DROB WEARS ONE! Also, 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.

WHY REAL MEN WEAR PINK

Technically the 2012 MLB season has started, but for the most part nobody noticed. The real action begins this coming Friday when our Yankees travel to take on the Tampa Bay Rays. But little do most of you know that another very important contest is happening right now. A loyal reader emailed me the other day and told me to check out MLB’s Honorary Bat girl Contest. This is something MLB has been doing for the last few years and it really is a great thing. Each year ladies (and men too) are asked to submit a short essay about how their lives have been affected by breast cancer. Whether it be yourself or someone else in your life who has dealt with this affliction. There will be 30 winners of this contest, one for each team. Each winner will get to be an honorary bat girl, or bat boy on Mother’s Day (or another day if you’re team is on the road) and will get to meet and hang out with her/his heroes. Some ladies, like my wife, could care less, but if you’re reading this then you know how special this prize is and how happy it would make some people.

Now, the link I was sent was for this reader’s friend, Annie G. You can read her story HERE.
What she’s going through right now is terrible and we here at Bleeding Yankee Blue wish her the best and a quick recovery. I’m not petitioning anyone to vote, but if you feel compelled, please do. All Yankee fans are part of a community. It is my belief that other Yankee fans come first and we should help each other out once in a while.On Mother’s Day, MLB will support the fight against Breast Cancer. All players will wear a pink ribbon on their uniform, some go for the pink wristbands, some will use pink bats (which MLB is also selling), some may even sport pink cleats. Heck, I say if there are Red/White/Blue hats for National holidays, how about everyone wears a pink hat on Mothers Day too!! Who’s with me?

Yeah, I hear the crickets too, but it's not a bad idea! So check out that link about, Vote for Annie G. or any of the other Yankee survivors!! It's an important cause and you know how much BYB likes to bring awareness to our readers... this is a big one, help out by voting and making someone's day!

--Lem Allen, BYB Contributor

Email me at:bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com

ORDER A BYB SHIRT NOW!!! Also, 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.

ON THIS DAY IN BYB HISTORY...

88 years ago, March 5, 1926, Big John, my grandfather, was born.

He taught me to bleed Yankee blue. Be sure to read THE MAN THAT MADE ME A YANKEE FAN: THE FULL STORY.

Most of my fondest Yankee memories involve him; His first trip to new Yankee Stadium and his first Old Timers Day in 2009 is probably the best!

Happy Birthday and many more to come!

--Lem Allen, BYB Contributor

Email me at: bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com

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!

WHY POSADA WAS OUR BRIGHT SPOT

(Photo: Getty)
Jorge Posada looked like the guy we love. That, my friends was the major bright spot in the game tonight for the new York Yankees. Yes, I know we lost to the evil Red Sox, but we haven't lost Jorge yet and that to me, that is huge.(Photo: NY Daily News)
There was a devastating moment in the game tonight and it involved Mark Teixeira getting hit on the knee. Immediately, I wanted to retaliate because I feel as though it's always the Yankees getting hit and not the other way around, but then I remembered what BYB's Lem Allen wrote in WHY WE RETALIATE THE YANKEE WAY. The Yankees usually retaliate by winning, not by hitting the opposing team's batters, but unfortunately, tonight we didn't win either and that's disappointing. The good news is Tex will be sore, but will probably be back soon. The X-rays came back negative. It's a contusion and you can all relax, he's going to be OK.

But back to Posada. It was because of Tex being pulled from the game that Posada had to pinch run and play first base. The best part about this was he was thrown into the game and there was no over thinking. There was no hesitation. He HAD to play first and he did... wonderfully.

Posada was in the game tonight both physically and mentally and that was good for his confidence and that allowed him to have 3 hits tonight including a terrific shot to left field to score Gardner in the 9th actually giving the Yankees a shot to win. I felt good for my boy tonight. In the last 16 games, Poe Poe has a .298 average with 5 doubles and 4 RBIs. Maybe, just maybe, he'll get back on the horse. Let's hope so.(Photo: NY Daily News)
Freddy Garcia was terrible tonight and there's nothing we can do about it, he had a bad night. To me, his body language was telling saying he just didn't have it. Look, to be honest, sometimes pitchers just don't have it. What can you do? Luckily, the offense was hitting and scoring and tried to get us back in the game, but Freddy gave up too many runs early and we just couldn't stop the bleeding. I hate to lose to the Red Sox, but bad outings happen, and Freddy had one.

Derek Jeter cranked 2 hits tonight and now only needs 12 more to reach 3000. What a tremendous achievement.

Nick Swisher hit a 2 run double in the fifth which got the Yanks within 3. We need the Bronx Elvis back in full form. I feel like he's clawing back slowly.

Overall, the Yanks tried to climb back but just couldn't beat that S.O.B. Papelbon in the 9th. It was close, but no cigar. Damn.

Final Score tonight: Red Sox 6 - Yankees 4. Tomorrow we try again... tomorrow... we need to win.

Please comment and 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.

O CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN!

#ThankYouCaptain via #BYB

Sunday we say goodbye to El Capitan. And I, for one, am devastated; but probably for different reasons than most of you. Look, Derek is an amazing ballplayer and based on the current state of professional athletes, a role model for kids everywhere. I’m not denying what he’s meant to the game, the Yankees, and fans in general but for me it’s about something deeper.

As stated in many of my other stories, I grew up idolizing Don Mattingly. And throughout most of his career (and my childhood) the Yankees were terrible. He was the only bright spot in a rather bleak era of Yankees lore. So, I get it.

I get the Derek Jeter-mania. For an entire generation of fans Derek Jeter is to them what Don Mattingly was to me. How many kids went to Little League and asked for #2? How many girls do you see wearing a Jeter shirt? Derek Jeter is all they know. Since 1996, Derek Jeter has been the (pretty) face of baseball and the Yankees.

For me, once Mattingly retired I gravitated towards Paul O’Neill, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera. Why? Maybe because those guys played hard. Maybe because those guys, at the time, weren’t the popular choice. Maybe because Jeter has always been a “pretty boy”; an easy choice for fans everywhere. But maybe for me, it was just to be different. Jeter was the obvious successor to the Yankees chain of gloriousness and being an awkward teenager at the time drove me to do the opposite of what everyone else was doing.

I guess that was my anti-establishment phase. Remember, I always took Frank Thomas in the Thomas/Griffey argument.

Flash Forward to 2014, I am a 35-year-old father of 2. All of my heroes from childhood are long-since retired and right now, Derek Jeter is the lone connection to my younger days and now that he’s retiring; once he’s gone so will that connection to those times. Growing old is a part of life, a part I’m having a hard time accepting at the moment. Jeter was never a personal hero but his retirement will leave me with a sense of loss. A sense that time is passing me, all of us, by. Nothing lasts forever.

Wow, it just got dark there for a bit. Sorry about that.

To Derek, thank you. Enjoy your retirement, it’s well deserved. You’ve always done what’s right and played the game hard. You’ve  been a constant for 20 years. We don’t see that much with professional athletes these days. While you’re leaving a select few with gift baskets, I will be left with a sense of loss and despair. Baseball is a child’s game and every child grows up. Now it’s time for me to grow up.

--Lem Allen, BYB Contributor

Email me at: bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com

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!