Thursday, November 27, 2014

BYB, OUR BASEBALL LIFE & THANKSGIVING


Like you, we love our baseball here at Bleeding Yankee Blue. We love the game, we love the dramatic twists and watching our favorite players. I have always wondered about the behind the scenes details and lives that we, as fans never get to see. Our favorite players are just like us. They have families, hectic schedules, and their lives are very focused around baseball on and off the field.

(In Photo: Lory Ankiel)
Lory Ankiel is wife to Rick Ankiel who retired earlier this season from the great game of baseball. He started off his career as a major league pitcher for the St Louis Cardinals.


Overtime, he converted to an outfielder. Like many professional baseball players, he has had to move his family around and dealt with last minute trades and picking up and moving in no time flat. It can be a strain on the family when that happens...

Today, on Thanksgiving, we want to expand from the BYB family a bit....even the Yankee family... we're expanding to the baseball family today.  After all, Thanksgiving is about being with family, isn't it? We want you all to get to know the Ankiel family and specifically, Lory Ankiel and her incredible venture.

Last week, an organization called Our Baseball Life did their first Twitter chat with the fans! It was there that we were introduced. Brandon McCarthy's wife Amanda McCarthy was also a co-host of the chat and we here at BYB were lucky enough to share some of their time. I had the pleasure of chatting with Lory Ankiel this week, the founder of Our Baseball Life, and she gave BYB a new perspective on all of these things, namely family... and baseball.

I hope you enjoy this interview on Thanksgiving.  Enjoy... and thanks Lory for the time to chat with us!


BYB: What is Our Baseball Life? What families work on this with you?

Lory Ankiel: Our Baseball Life is an online resource website for professional baseball families. When players are traded or sign with a new team, they can log on to the site and find all the info they need for their new city. Ive been working on it solo since 2010. I am now expanding to other sports with wives of other professional athletes as the directors of their respective sports.


BYB: How did you come up with the idea for Our Baseball Life and what kinds of resources do you provide?

Lory Ankiel: My husband, Rick was traded at the deadline in 2010. He left the next morning and I was left behind pregnant, with our 2 big dogs to pack up and get all our stuff to Atlanta without any idea about where to live, how to get around the city or stadium. It was then I knew their had to be a better way, so the idea was born.


BYB: My dad is a big Mets fan and when Rick played for the Mets back in 2013, he was pretty excited. Before he landed in New York, your family lived in some other big cities. Obviously you know what it's like to move. What was your most challenging move and how did your family manage to transition?

Lory Ankiel: Being traded at the deadline with no idea it was coming was definitely hard, but the move to NY was also difficult as I then had 2 little guys and the subway stairs and strollers don’t mix.

So when Rick was gone I had to drive everywhere and you know how driving around NY can be!

Luckily, we landed in a great location in Long Island City and we settled right in.


BYB: Family is very important to us at BYB and now the holidays are here. What do the Ankiels do on Thanksgiving? If you cook, what is on the menu?

Lory Ankiel: We eat! I love watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade every morning while we get all the food prepared.  We usually eat pretty early, usually around 2pm and football is always on of course. We have traditional menu items, turkey, potatoes, ham. Rick’s mom makes the best cheesecake you’ve ever tasted so I'm excited to dive into that!


BYB: You have two sons. What kind of family activities do you like to do with the boys?

Lory Ankiel: They LOVE baseball, so we are constantly playing in the living room. They also love to be outside so anything that involves the sunshine is usually where you’ll find us.

BYB: Finally Lory, have you ever read Bleeding Yankee Blue? If so, what do you think?

Lory AnkielI really like it! It really seems like you are pretty positive and have a lot to offer Yankee fans who want to keep up with their team year round!  Keep up the great work!

Thank you Lory for taking the time to give us an inside look at your life and give us a better understanding of what it's like to transition in the constantly changing world of baseball.

Your family is now a part of our BYB family! Call us anytime! We appreciate the Ankiels!

Oh, and for our BYB Audience, be sure to follow Our Baseball Life on Twitter: @ourbaseballlife.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!


 
 --Jeana Bellezza, BYB Senior Writer and Editor
Twitter: @NyPrincessJ


 




Wednesday, November 26, 2014

BRENNAN BOESCH JUST FOUND A GIG


Just wanted to give you info on former Yankee Brennan Boesch.  Hardball Talk's Aaron Gleeman writes some good news for the Boesch family.  The dude found a job.


Gleeman writes: "Boesch has agreed to a minor-league contract with the Reds...This year he played at Triple-A for the Angels, hitting .332 with 25 homers and a 1.017 OPS in 95 games, but failed to produce in a brief big-league stint."


Who knows... maybe he makes the big club. Maybe he contributes.  I always liked Boesch... good luck to a good guy.

Side note. I'm such a fan of Gleeman of Hardball Talk, I wish he would follow me. 
Hey Aaron, what do you think?

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BYB HOT STOVE: VOLUME III


What has sparked my interest, as far as the Yankees go, is the idea of a deal with Washington Nationals' starter Gio Gonzalez.  The left-handed starter has one year left on his contract and with an ERA below 4 for 2014, he could be of interest to teams this year.  "Lefties are essential at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees would love CC Sabathia to bounce back and Manny Banuelos to show his potential. But if they don’t, the Yankees aren’t winning without quality left-handed pitching. Not in that ballpark," stated Sweeny Murti who also said that the Nationals would consider anyone on their team if the deal was right.  I like him and I think his youthfulness is an asset for us. You may recall that Gonzalez had an opportunity to work with Jorge Posada in the off season last year.


"Gonzalez called training with Posada a “childhood dream” and an “inspiration.The 29-year-old is alright with me.  Let's make a deal.


I guess we can't talk starting pitching without bringing up the Jon Lester conversation again. Interestingly enough, teams are anxious about what the Yankees and Brian Cashman are thinking. According to the Boston Globe on Sunday, "You don’t think the Red Sox are fretting about the Yankees being the team that swoops in and takes Jon Lester, for all the talk about the Cubs being the competition? Of course everyone is worried about what the Yankees might do."  It could happen or the Bombers could wait it out for Max Scherzer.


We are getting a big name pitcher or we are going to be left out of the playoffs again in 2015.  Scherzer or Lester?  Time will tell, but frankly, the Lester clock is just about up.  "With free agency moving quickly this year, the Yankees probably have to start making decisions on Lester in particular, since he’s already visited Boston, Chicago, and Atlanta, and possibly Toronto in the near future. It appears Lester doesn’t want this process to drag on," according to the Globe.  Peter Gammons also reported that Lester wants a deal before the winter meetings, which are scheduled to start on December 7th.  Lester is also set to meet with the St. Louis Cardinals next week.


According to MASN's Roch Kubatko, the Baltimore Orioles have a real interest in Melky Cabrera if they can't sign Nick Markakis.  "What's the appeal with Cabrera? He's a 30-year-old switch-hitter with a career .339 on-base percentage." I say they have to sign Markakis, but the Orioles feel the outfielder's "power numbers are in decline." The Blue Jays may not want to re-sign Cabrera after signing Russell Martin last week.  He may in fact head to the White Sox who are also reportedly interested in the Melk Man according to CBS Sports.


Finally, according to Ken Rosenthal, the Red Sox and Cubs are both interested in Phillies' ace Cole Hamels.  I say don't count the Yankees out of that conversation as Cashman has a reputation of not revealing his hand and doing a lot of bluffing along the way.  It will certainly be a domino effect once Lester gets signed.  Teams will begin scrambling after that.  The sands in the free-agency hour glass are moving briskly now as far as starting pitching.

That's it for BYB Hot Stove for this week.  Happy Thanksgiving...hoping to have a Yankee deal on the table before next week.




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





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MY KID WON'T PLAY BASEBALL, AND THAT'S OKAY!


Being a big Yankees fan, and an even bigger baseball fan, people kind of expect certain things from me. Like, for some reason, I am expected to make my kid play baseball. Because for some reason, they equate baseball fan to mean the same thing as "tyrant, semi-insane mother, who lives vicariously through her children." 

Let me make something clear, my son loves baseball. He could spit out stats of every player on the Yankees, and a few others. He's followed Nick Swisher's career after pinstripes, and still says that Curtis Granderson is one of his favorite players. He sits through games with me, and watches with as much enthusiasm as I do. BUT... he just has no interest in playing the game. And that's okay.


It's not because he isn't good, or because he doesn't play sports well. The opposite is actually true. He's a switch hitter, and a really good infielder. He's also a damn good catcher. He's actually a really good all around athlete. I'm not saying that because he's my son. I mean, there is a serious sense of pride in that statement, but it is an observation made by his coaches. He's got serious skills. He's a good kid, too. He's an honor roll student, into acting, and reading, drawing and writing. He plays video games, and likes to play every sport, except baseball. I've accepted that. I can't exactly force him. He'll hate playing, and resent me for it. That's not to say that baseball isn't a big part of his life.


When Derek Jeter got hit 3,000, my little guy sat next me. That same season the Yankees hit the Grand Slam Trifecta game, Mariano Rivera broke the saves record, and Jorge Posada clinched the division. To him, that was the greatest baseball season he has ever witnessed. To be fair, he's only ever witnessed one World Series, back in 2009, so he doesn't know what it is like to be spoiled by a Dynasty team. And maybe he is better for it. Because he can take that one season... the season of great moments, and appreciate it in a way that we often forget. We've gotten so used to winning the World Series, that we take those great moments for granted, to an extent.


See, my son, when he goes to basketball on Saturday mornings, while he can be competitive, he's playing for a different reason. He's playing for those moments. The ones that makes memories, and friendships. The ones that make you smile. It's not about the win, although those are nice as well. It's about the experience. Playing a game with some of his best buds. We watch the season, a season like 2011, and consider it a failure because we didn't win the World Series, and maybe to some degree that can be true. But, there is absolutely no denying that it was still an incredible season for the team.

So, my kid doesn't play baseball. Maybe one day he'll decide to put his switching hitting skills to the test on the field. Right now, he is content to play basketball, and some football. But, he understands the heart of the game better than most adults I know, myself included. He understands that the journey can be so much more beautiful than the destination. 




--Erica Morales BYB Senior Writer 
Twitter: @e_morales1804

 

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THE BOSTON BOMBERS?


The Red Sox front office and ownership have never been shy about tossing a subtle jab at anything and everything concerning the New York Yankees. In recent years it has been mostly bluster. Boston has done well for itself in the past decade. They have put it together, stopped blaming imaginary curses and played championship baseball. As Yankee fans all we can do is tip our cap. The thing that has always bothered me is the way the Sox see themselves with respect to the Yanks. How do they figure that this is anything but a good old-fashioned neighborhood rivalry? It certainly is not in terms of overall titles. New York and St. Louis are closer to a rivalry in that sense. No, the Yanks and the Sawks are not Army Navy (A rather close overall record…until recently. GO NAVY!). Boston is a great town and NEW YORK is the best CITY. That’s it. But now that Bean town has won a few they talk like they invented the game.


Cast your mind back just a year ago when the chatter out of Yawkey Way was, “Well, the Yankees spend big routine is so old. They are stuck in the past.” Okay, no crazy argument here. I agree that the formula the club is using seems like the 1980’s and that wasn’t much fun to watch…and making the playoffs was pretty much out of the equation. But I have a question for the holier than thou Boston Red Sox.


What is the difference in what you just did signing the Kung Fu Panda and Hanley “TOO EXPENSIVE” Ramirez? You missed the post season, had a dismal year, threw up the white flag and poked your often-impatient fan base with a stick. So you panicked. You opened the big red purse and overpaid for two players (with more to come if the rumors hold up.) Seems that that is the same ancient thinking you bashed the Bombers for employing. So basically what I am trying to convey is don’t run your mouth and then do the EXACT same thing.


Will Boston be better with their new acquisitions? I’d say, barring injury or Pablo finding lots of chowda and Italian food in the North End, they will be. The Sox still need pitching in a big way and I would have advised them to spend their cash on arms not big bellies and cranky hammies. But hey, I don’t work for the Red Sox.


I think the Yankees need to be disciplined this year. They have players that can do the job. Target Chase Headley and pitching. They don’t need to get Mad Max (Though it’d be nice). Sign McCarthy and Hamels to steady that rotation. It was surprisingly solid last year. We have no idea what we will get from CC, but let’s be positive shall we.

Phase 2 would be phasing out ARod and finding Tex a quiet room to sit in during big spots in the game. Tell him to stay put, shut the door and lock it up until the fans have left the stadium. Tex is lousy. I am not retracting that. We need to purge these guys from the roster…painful as it may be on the wallet.

Phase 3 is to LET THE KIDS PLAY! We need to see what we have on the farm. Some of them ARE ready now! The Yankees can still win the East with the same formula they used in the 1990’s. Invest in pitching, let the farm bare fruit and fill holes with cost effective free agents that know their roles. Let the Sox buy the world up. It tends not to work…

**Save your advice and the pretentious talk, Boston. You ain’t no friend of mine.**




 
 --Mike O'Hara
Senior "Features" Writer
Twitter: @mikeyoh21





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Tuesday, November 25, 2014

CONCERN THAT HEADLEY WON'T RETURN TO THE BRONX


I've stated the obvious. With Pablo Sandoval signing with the Red Sox, the Giants are in need of a 3rd baseman. Well, the Yankees need one too.  That means the Yankees need to act... NOW!  Before Pablo signed, it was logical to think Chase Headley could be bought for 2 years in the Bronx. But not anymore.

It was also smart for Chase to not sign before a big free agent like Pablo did. Now Headley sees the market... and now the Yankees need to re-adjust.  They may not want to... but they must!

Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes something very interesting... and something you may have already read on BYB:

"The Red Sox’s signing of Pablo Sandoval for five years at $95 million likely puts the team Sandoval abandoned, the Giants, in play for Headley, too, and raises Headley’s financial demands. The Yankees began the offseason – perhaps naively – thinking Headley might be secured on a two-year deal... But Sandoval’s deal means Headley gets at least three years, and no one should be surprised if he reaches four years in the $60 million range."


Couple that with news that the Indians are looking at Chase as well. MLB.com says:

"The Indians are among several teams who have shown an interest in free-agent third baseman Chase Headley, according to a source."

Does it all sound crazy? Not to me it doesn't. Chase can demand a pay day and I say, the Yankees need to jump in, regardless of what Hal Steinbrenner thinks he can afford. Sure, we need a shortstop, DRob and Brandon McCarthy... but we also need a 3rd baseman, and while the idea of $60 million and 4 years sounds alittle ridiculous, think about it this way;


ARod will soon be fazed out of the 3rd base role, and a guy like Chase could fit in there nicely, maybe even by the time Dante Bichette Jr is ready to come to the Bigs.  The point is, you don't want to lose out on Chase... he was a good egg in the short amount of time he was in New York, and for me personally... I'd hate to see that end.

So yeah, there is a concern, a big one if you like Headley like I do.  There is also an urgency ladies and gentlemen.  We need Chase... and I feel like we should just bite the bullet and go for it.

Wake up Cash... wake up.


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THE TROY TULOWITZKI SAGA

No, I never said Troy Tulowitzki was "gonna be a Yankee."  What I said was my source said he could be, and that my friends is the problem with the rumor mill. No one reads the stories... they only read the headline.  Then... suddenly, it's fact.


Here's the reality. BYB was the only one on the "Troy Tulowitzki could be Bronx Bound" train the past 3 weeks, and that's because we had a rock solid source who revealed to us that someone in the Colorado Rockies camp said they wanted to present a list of prospects the Yankees had and try to flip Troy for them. Oh yeah... and there was another catch... they were also looking to unload a bunch of Troy's salary with that. BYB reported that, and even expressed that on the surface, that idea from Rox camp was absolutely ridiculous.

We wrote: SOURCE: "TULOWITZKI TO THE YANKEES..." from November 14th.


In it was a text I received from my source that read: " "Troy Tulowitzki  to the Yankees might actually happen.... It's one expensive gamble. Top prospects and alot of salary."

(In Photo: Rob Refsnyder)
From there, BYB was able to confirm the names the Rox wanted: Greg Bird or Rob Refsnyder, a pitcher "MLB Ready", like "Shane Greene", and Luis Severino.  Right there, I found it to be outrageous.  Then I was thinking about "a lot of salary" and whatever that meant, and we stated many times on BYB, that that kind of deal for Troy Tulowitzki was not only suicide... it was madness and NOT happening.

Today,  for some reason, that's news.  Andy Martino of the New York Daily News wrote:

" Tulowitzki’s elite abilities are obvious, but the Yanks are sending clear signals that they have no interest whatsoever in assuming the final six years and $114 million remaining on the shortstop’s contract."

That wasn't a confirmation ladies and gentlemen... it was a "strong indication", or, a guess.

I mean, it's an educated guess. It's also a guess that you and I have already formulated on Facebook and Twitter when we chat about the off season.  The idea of picking up "a whole lot of salary" for a guy with a bad hip probably isn't a good idea. Yet, today, I was asked about my "still thinking Tulo was coming to the Yankees." Really?
I also wrote recently that if the price was right, and maybe we traded away 2 lesser prospects, took on $40 million or less, maybe THEN a deal for Tulo makes better sense.  But Bleeding Yankee Blue in the month of November never stated that we "knew Troy was coming to New York." What is true is that my source got a pretty good whiff that Tulo was about to be shopped from his source in Rockies camp. But don't forget, BYB was unclear if the Rockies ever even presented an offer to the Yankees. We still don't know.


That brings me back to the Martino piece... " Further complicating the situation, rival officials who have spoken with the Rockies in the past two weeks have come away with the impression that Colorado will not trade Tulowitzki...."

That is NOT what my source stated at all!  We know Tulo's trade-able because our source said the Rox were planning a package to trade for, and Tulo was the "prize".  That, my friends is just my source versus Martino's source... not wrong, just different sources... in other words... the rumor game.


Here's more: "... the Yankees remained privately steadfast in the position that they had no interest in assuming another veteran contract -- even if that contract belonged to one of baseball’s best hitters when healthy, and a guy who idolized Jeter, and detoured to New York to watch his hero play this summer."

Here's the thing with that final statement;  I believe the Yankees aren't interested in a big veteran contract any longer, but just read BYB every day for that indication.  We firmly believe that the Yankees are close to done giving long contracts to players, or, when it comes to Tulo, taking on his big salary for a whole lotta years.


If they did, the Yanks would have figured out a way to trade for Elvis Andrus of Texas already, who, at the end of his contract would only be 34 years old.

No, at the price the Rockies would be willing to part with Tulo, it's way too high and not worth the risk.  If the price came down substantially, the Yankees should go for it though, but it would have to be a very, very sweet deal... with the Rockies taking on a whole lot of that Tulo salary.


That's the only way it would work, and that's the only thing we have been stating here at BYB all along when the idea of Tulo "perhaps" coming to the Yankees came about from our source.  Giving up prospects, and taking on a ton of salary these days are NOT what the Yankees want to do... but you don't need Andy Martino of the Daily News to tell you that.  You read BYB ... and you're all very smart baseball fans with common sense.

Oh yeah... and Martino's a "Baseball Insider" too. That title cracks me up.  Aren't we all at this point?

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: JIM LEYRITZ


Jim Leyritz was always a lot of fun to watch over the years.  He was a good Yankee, coming up with some pretty incredible moments when we really needed him.  He was clutch, no question about it.   

October 1995. The ALDS, Game 2 versus the Mariners. A walk off home run in the 15th inning that night. 

October 1999. Game 4 of the World Series...a home run.

And of course, the 1996 home run in Game 4 of the World Series against Mark Wohlers. Yet another.  It started right there for me and continued with some very candid answers to some very personal questions, that included that horrific drunk driving accident in 2007 killing another driver. Jim was later acquitted, but Jim realizes so much more these days and is trying to stay strong, for his family and for others as he moves forward in his life. It was a moment I wanted to ask Jim about and I truly appreciate him opening up about it to our audience today. 


Anyway, we had the pleasure of interviewing Jimmy Leyritz for Bleeding Yankee Blue.  Let me tell you, this is now one of our favorite interviews to date, and it was a pleasure to chat with him.

So here it is... a BYB Exclusive... Jim Leyritz.  Enjoy this... I certainly did...

BYB: Jim, Bring me back to 1996. Game 4. Mark Wohlers on the mound.  I still remember Joe Buck like it was yesterday... "Back, at the track, at the wall... we are tied!"  


I screamed at the top of my lungs that night. What the heck is going through your mind running around the bases?

Jim Leyritz: Honestly, my mind flashed back to 1995 when we won Game 2, then lost 3 in a row. All I was focused on was winning that game and the series. I knew the home run was big. But would be even greater if we won. When we finally did, people could point to that moment as what really started it all! It was a great feeling finishing what we started.


BYB: Who was the toughest pitcher for you and why? 

Jim Leyritz: Randy Johnson in his day. Not as a Yankee but with the Mariners. He was 6'10" and just wild enough to scare you. 


BYB: Tell me about playing for 2 guys I really admire from fan perspective... Buck Showalter and Joe Torre.   What are their styles like as managers? 

Jim Leyritz: Buck Showalter in his first stint was the greatest manager in the game that I have ever seen to this day!  He had to learn and knows now that communication with the players is also pivotal. He didn't have that his first go round. He does now, and that's why things are so good in Baltimore.


Joe Torre was the best manager of people I had seen. He knew how to handle egos, myself included. He also surrounded himself with great people. To this day I have never seen a better combination of manager and bench coach then him and Don Zimmer.


BYB: You once signed a photo for my kid who was born in 2003 in Hackensack Medical Center. Our Dr at the time, Dr. Clachko said he once delivered your child as well. That's when I knew I was a true Yankee fan! Anyway,  here's the question;  What's it like for fans to embrace you as an athlete? Can it be a hassle to deal with the photos and the autographs? 

Jim Leyritz: It's never a hassle for me.  I can see if I was as popular as Jeter was. Then it might be. But I think I have just the right notoriety.  People recognize and respect, but don't go crazy.  Oh, and yes, Dr Clachko did deliver my middle son Dakota.


BYB: Everyone wants to know. You played with Derek Jeter. What's the guy like in the clubhouse. Work ethic, professionalism, leadership...

Jim Leyritz:  He was everything as a ball player you could expect! He reminded me a little of Donnie Baseball.  A great leader by example. 


BYB: I've always been weary of #13. Why that number and why did it work for you? 

Jim Leyritz: Well, Wade Boggs came to New York in 1992 and wanted number 12. Next number available was 13. Then, I had my two best years so number 13 stayed for that reason.

BYB: Growing up, who was your favorite baseball player and why? 


Jim Leyritz: Pete Rose and Johnny Bench. Rose because of his work ethic and drive. He wasn't the best athlete, but worked to make himself a great player.  Johnny because as a kid, he gave me his catchers mitt when I was age 12 and I became a catcher because of that. 


BYB: I love your batting stance.  Explain how it evolved for you... the lean back, the bat twirl.. 

Jim Leyritz: My stance developed because of a broken leg in high school. I was still hitting with a cast on my front foot, so I had to hit with my front leg stiff.  The bat twirl  was from watching Mickey Rivers.


BYB: Serious, yet important question; You were acquitted of DUI manslaughter in a terrible and unfortunate car accident back in 2007.  How do you pick yourself up, be strong for your family, for others, in a situation like that? Is faith involved in your life? 

Jim Leyritz: It was a tragedy and horrible night. Both drivers made poor decisions that night. But I knew that I didn't cause the accident and when I would finally get my day in court, I would prove that. I knew the only mistake I made that night was to have a few drinks and drive. Wearing my seat belt saved my life.

Faith was the only reason I made it through. My three boys gave me the strength to fight, but my faith is what made me not take a plea and the easy way out. I waited 3 grueling years for that outcome.  The jury saw that I did not cause the accident within 45 minutes of deliberating. I had a State Attorney using my name to try to get her elected to become a Judge.  To this day, I know God had a hand in everything that happened.  It taught me never to take one day on this earth for granted. 


BYB: Powerful Jim and thanks for giving us that insight.   Let me get back to baseball.  If you got the call, and a club wanted to talk to you about being a bench coach or hitting coach... do you answer the call, or do you stick with your family and enjoy retirement?

Jim Leyritz:  I would go back to the field now only if it was the Yankees or one of the teams here on the west coast where I would still be with my family the extra 81 days. Teams like the Angels or Padres or Dodgers.  My boys are older now, and most of the time are with their friends. So I would be open to it. 

BYB: Finally, Do you ever read Bleeding Yankee Blue? If so, what do your think? 

Jim Leyritz: Yes I do!  I get notices when articles come out that mention things. It's a great site for Yankee fans to connect!

Jim thanks, and thank you so much for opening up. I know we got some great info that I've never heard about in your life.  Really great and I appreciate you taking the time to speak to the Bleeding Yankee Blue audience.

And to my audience. I hope you enjoyed this interview with Mr. Leyritz.  He was great to speak with us, and now forever part of the BYB family!