DIAMONDBACKS ARE DANGLING JUSTIN UPTON... I'M IN

I want Giancarlo Stanton in pinstripes. That is crystal clear if you've been reading BYB and especially if you have read GIANCARLO MANIA & THE YANKEE YOUTH CONTRADICTION from today. But look... in the case that "zero chance" means "zero chance" of the Marlins moving Stanton as Ken Rosenthal said he heard from a baseball source, read HERE, there is some good news believe it or not.

While we still need a right fielder and while Nick Swisher is officially a Cleveland Indian, the word on the street is the Arizona Diamondbacks want to unload an outfielder. Guess what?  Justin Upton is available and this is according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com, read that Tweet HERE.

Look, not sure how much there is to this story and to be honest, I don't even know if the D'Backs would engage in trade talks with the Yankees. They should though. Justin Upton, much like Stanton is a great right field option for the Yankees. Upton's also only 25 years old and  he has power and is athletic.  If a trade can be made for a guy like Upton, or Stanton, that's where we're at, meaning, we're not going to spend big money on a free agent at this point, so a trade is the best way to go.  We have talent and we can definitely make a move for someone like Upton, be it roster guys and prospects.  Maybe even a third team could get involved.

Interesting nugget this evening... I'll keep looking into it for you and if we hear anything, of course we'll let you know, right here at Bleeding Yankee Blue.

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RED SOX LOOKING AT MORE FORMER YANKEES

 (In Photo: Javier Vazquez)
First Bobby Abreu (Read BOBBY ABREU COULD SIGN WITH THE RED SOX?), now Javier Vazquez...seriously.

According to Victor Ramos of Solo Beisbol HERE, and translation below, the Red Sox checked out Vazquez who is looking to get back to a contender in the major leagues.

"EXCLUSIVE INFO << --- On Friday will be the "scouts" of the # RedSox and # Nationals Javier Vazquez seeing right at # SolaMorales."

You have to appreciate what the Red Sox are doing.  It's more about former Yankee players.  They signed some big free agents and now are filling the holes with veteran experience.  Who knows what will happen to Vazquez. It has been reported however that the Sox are unlikely to sign Abreu and the "look in" was merely for "background work", whatever that means... read HERE.

I appreciate the aggressiveness of the Sox right now...it's much more than the Yanks, you have to admit.

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GIANCARLO MANIA & THE YANKEE YOUTH CONTRADICTION

All I've heard about over the past 6 to 7 years is how great our Yankee farm hands are "going to be." I hear about how we as fans need to have high hopes for these kids in our farm, and you know what, we do...we definitely do. It takes a lot of hard work to get to the major leagues and being in the minors is just a step to the big time. I understand the work and the commitment.  But God forbid I even suggest the Yankees pursue a stud like Giancarlo Stanton, suddenly I read "experts" on Twitter say that the Yankees "don't have the farm system to make that type of deal. Really?  You're talking out of both sides of your mouth, you really are.

My take on this is simple, it's not our jobs to know who the Yankees should deal for Stanton, that's Brian Cashman's job and trust me, he's feverishly working out a package right now as you read this, especially if he knows the Mariners are trying to get Stanton as well. You can read that report HERE.  To be honest, if Cashman's not working the phones, he should be fired.  It's players like Giancarlo Stanton that you push for in pinstripes.

Now I know all about the Mariners and their farm system and that it's supposedly better than the Yankees... whatever.  My point is this... Cashman will offer what he thinks is right and when it comes down to getting Giancarlo Stanton in return, a 23 year old stud with power, AND right handed, AND a right fielder, you make it happen, SOMEHOW.

(In Photo: Slade Heathcott)
People can tell me "Well, you can't get rid of Tyler Austin or Slade Heathcott, they are the future of the Yankees..." OK, you may be right, in fact, you are right... but getting Stanton in pinstripes is also the future of the Yankees.  Know it, learn it, do it.  You don't play to win in 2015, you play to win NOW... in 2013. Guess what? It's 2013.

Now Brian Cashman has stated he is not done this off season, that was music to my ears. When he said that, quoted here in this MLB.com piece (HERE),  I immediately thought about the buzz surrounding Giancarlo Stanton and the timing of all of this and the words Cashman chose so wisely.    He said "I think patience is a virtue, and it's something we've learned can be used effectively... It's a harder road to walk, but sometimes it's not the worst road to walk. Sometimes you've got to wait for the right time and the right place to strike." Wow... sounds like something's coming down the pike... or at least it does to me.  Cashman's good like that, he makes these subtle hints as if to not show his hand, but still be honest enough that something is in the works.  This makes sense.

As far as I'm concerned, you work with the Marlins and you help them to help you. You give the Marlins whatever they like within reason, be it Slade Heathcott, Jose Campos, Dellin Betances, Mark Montgomery, Pat Venditte and on and on.  There is somehow a top 5 combination to score Stanton and then, you don't look back. 

(In Photo: Mark Montgomery)
And fine,  you can sit here, reading me right now and bitching to the computer screen saying "Don't give up" Heathcott or "Montgomery? You're nuts!" Well, you made my argument for me,  the farm system is good, good enough that you're not willing to part with them. I'm tell you, guys like Stanton don't come around too often. You give up what you can and hold onto the guys you believe in.

Sure, there's a report out that suggests the Marlins have back tracked a bit. And the chances of trading Stanton is "as close to zero as you can be", Read HERE. Sure, but not to sound naive, but there's always a chance...this is baseball, this is a business. Couple that with Stanton being fed up and trust me, if a deal can get done, a deal will get done.

The Yankees youth is talented ladies and gentleman. Talented enough to make it to the pros with the Yankees OR talented enough to be traded to Miami. That's where Cashman and his brilliant shell game comes in. He does it better than anyone and trust me, if he's not reaching out to the Marlins and being persistent even after the Marlins say "No", well, then I don't want him handling my players. That's my bottom line.

Come on Yanks... let's get this deal done... What the hell are we doing here?

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DEREK JETER WILL BE BACK & BETTER THAN EVER

Aging.  It’s the one thing that is inevitable for all of us.  It’s also the one word that is used most often when describing our New York Yankees, and it is the one thing that our captain Derek Jeter continues to defy.

More than one source in the media has implied that Jeter’s ankle injury, which caused his 2012 season to come to a crashing halt, would linger well into 2013 because of his age (he’s 38).    People that old, they say, take longer to recover.

They don’t know Derek Jeter.

This isn’t the first time people have predicted Derek’s demise. After his 2010, .270 season is started. Then,  in 2011, the Yankees shortstop and face of the franchise was hitting .260 as June came to a close.  The “slump” was well-documented and undertones of Father Time finally getting the best of Jeter were popping up everywhere.  Just when it seemed he was succumbing to the years, July arrived with a re-birth, predicted I might add, but none other than this website, Bleeding Yankee Blue. Read WHY JETER IS THE ULTIMATE NEW YORK YANKEE about that.

On July 9th, 2011 Derek Jeter joined the 3000-hit club with a 5 for 5 performance (including a home run), and from that point on there was no turning back.  He hit .292 that month, .387 in August, and closed out the regular season by hitting .303 in September.  By the end of the year his average stood at .297.

It would appear that Jeet was not yet ready to call it a career, and he still isn’t.

Prior to the injury that occurred in Game One of the ALCS, Jeter was having one of his best seasons.  He finished 2012 hitting .316 with 15 HR and 99 runs scored, and he led the league in hits with 216.  Rather than slowing down in the twilight of his career, it seems that Derek is still hitting his stride.

On December 3rd, Jeter uncharacteristically took to the media to insist that he’ll be ready for Opening Day.  Given his work ethic and history of proving the critics wrong, one cannot argue with what the captain is telling us.

Derek Jeter, the greatest shortstop in the history of the New York Yankees,   is not yet ready to close the final chapter of his hall of fame career.  As he has said, the road back is a long process but if there is anyone that can endure and overcome such an ordeal, it is the Yankee great.

I, for one, fully expect that on April 1st I will see the pinstriped number 2 take his familiar spot at shortstop on our hallowed grounds in the Bronx as we begin the 2013 campaign against our rivals from Boston.

After watching Derek Jeter for 18 seasons, I have no reason to doubt anything he says he can do.


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

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REMEMBER SCOTT PROCTOR? HE'S STILL WORKING

The San Francisco Giants have signed Scott Proctor to a minor league deal.  That is being reported by TC Palm, read HERE.

Proctor said of the deal: “It’s an honor to play for an organization that has such a winning tradition... (San Francisco) focuses on the fundamentals that I believe in and to get a chance to play for an organization that does it the right way is quite an opportunity for me.”  Well, good for him.

Man, it feels like just yesterday I wrote about Proctor signing another deal.  I went back just to see when it was.  I found it, it was WHY SCOTT PROCTOR'S MOVED ON. That piece was from January 2012 and he signed on to play in Korea.  Well, he's back, there you go.

I love keeping you all up to date on former Yankees.  Next I'm going to write about Felix Heredia.  I hear he opened a deli in Brooklyn with Wayne Tolleson... I'm kidding.

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DID THE YANKEES TAKE A BIG RISK?

I'm a Yankee fan... I find the question of whether or not the Yankees taking a "big risk" this off season to be wildly ridiculous but I also respect Jim Bowden of ESPN. He's the guy who posed the question, read HERE, and has a list of which teams did exactly that this off season.  Look, my take on "risks" is easy, assume every signing a "risk."  You don't truly know who will perform in a positive way all season long... it's a silly question, and it's just something to chat about because the off season has been quiet the past 10 days. 

The only reason why I even bring it up is because of course, the New York Yankees are on that list.  In a nutshell, Bowden is suggesting that the Yankees should have never let Nick Swisher and Russell Martin walk and shouldn't have signed Ichiro Suzuki and Kevin Youkilis in their places.  Well... um... no kidding Jim, but what's done is done.

Look, the way I see this, in any free agent market, players go for the money.  It's not in every case, but it's in alot of cases.  Nick Swisher was in the first Free Agent off-season ever, he had to "go big" and it was evident that the Yankees were not going to play that game.  Swish was wined and dined by Cleveland, he's an Ohio boy and guess what, the timing was right for him.  The Yankees on the other hand had made it clear they were going cheaper, and while they were looking for a power right fielder, Nick Swisher clearly didn't fit their mold anymore.  So yes, they're taking a risk, but how do we know that Ichiro Suzuki platooning all three outfield spots and the Yankees possibly signing another right fielder with alittle pop (which is what Cashman wants to do if you read Feinsand's Tweet from last week) a bad thing? For all we know it could be the perfect fit for the Yanks. And for the record, I don't consider Ichiro a risk... I consider him skilled. He's also an upgrade to Swisher in the outfield, minus the power.

The Russell Martin thing puzzles me and always will.  Usually players want to go to a contender and Martin seemed happy in New York, but he darted for Pittsburgh and the rest of Yankeeland were standing on at the bus stop with mud all over their faces. Maybe one day we'll learn what happened.  I suspect the Yanks didn't want to give him what he wanted.  Maybe I missed it... who knows.

Hey it happens, and it's baseball... but a risk?  How do we know Austin Romine or Francisco Cervelli aren't going to have great breakout seasons?  We don't know.

Youk... yeah, he's the biggest risk out there... but he's also the biggest gamer I've ever seen and I look forward to rolling the dice on him.  I think he'll be a nice fit in New York.

I don't know, I appreciate Jim Bowden a lot, but this is a guess. We don't know if the Yankees will fail because of non-movement on Swisher and Martin.  I guess it's obvious that it's a risk... but it's also baseball, a business and the Yankees know the moves they need to make that are within their comfort zone, that's all.

In fairness, Bowden also looked at the Reds and the Tigers with analysis on risks.

Enjoy your Wednesday.

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THINK POSITIVE, NOT PERFECT

Okay, it’s a new year, with new possibilities, right?  Then why is this article Hartnett: 2013 Brings Uncertainty For Aging Yankees plaguing the Twitter feed?  I am absolutely disturbed by this read. I mean, I am trying to stay optimistic and I agree with Casey when he wrote BANGING THE GIANCARLO DRUM, that we may have to think about a Giancarlo Stanton deal to spice up the lineup and outfield. And sure,  I think we need to give Austin Romine a chance.  I think we need to see what Derek Jeter does before we cast him to another position.  We are certainly not done.  We are certainly not wasting a year in hopes of “growing younger in 2014.”

I don’t know about you, but I’ve closed the book on my bad feelings for the 2012 season.  When the NY Football Giants failed to clinch a spot in this year’s playoffs, I originally said, “Oh, here we go again, another NY team falling prey to its own worst enemy—the team itself.”  And then, I stepped back and decided that this is not the path I want to take this year.  No- I need to think positive not perfect.  We, as fans, need to take on this mindset. 

Earlier this week I wrote about believing...2013: YANKEE WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR.  I really do feel this is true; we need to believe and along that path we need to stay positive and focused.  We are not going to be perfect in 2013, but we are going to be in it and we are going to play hard, just like we always do. 

“Baseball is such a game of hope.  Anything can happen—and often does—usually in the most tension-filled times,” coined Peter. G. Doumit in his book What I Know about Baseball is What I Know about Life.  Again, it may not be perfect, but if you have that mantra in your gut, there has to be more than just talk about aging players, luxury taxes, and on base percentages.  Hartnett discussed the idea of sending our aging “horses” out to pasture.  That is just ridiculous.  How can we even start the season if we are surrounded by such negativity?

Tony La Russa, the famed manager who now holds a position in Major League Baseball’s front office said “It’s why you play the games,” in reference to how in the heck Pablo Sandoval hit three home runs in the first game of the 2012 World Series.  The article, appropriately titled, “In baseball, anything can happen” written by Tom Haudricourt (HERE) from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is short and to the point:  “Because you just never know what will happen.”

You don’t know when your players will peak or fall.  You don’t know when something you have been working on in practice will just click at the right time.  And to start the year off with such negativity, is no good for anyone- the same is true for teams who have shopped ‘til they dropped this off-season.  They can get cocky and overly positive with the possibility of winning.  I will tell you what, I hope Toronto knows what they are doing, or maybe I don’t frankly.  They may sell more tickets to Rogers Centre, but can they produce?  Will former Mets shine or flake out?  Honestly, I can’t worry about the "Joneses" or in this case the "Anthopouloses."  I only worry about the "Cashmans" and what will happen next.  But, for now, I am going to just think positive, not perfect and settle in for a warm winter’s nap—less than 90 days to spring training folks!  



Let’s Get Ready to Rumble!!

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




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A LOOK AT UNIFORMS PAST AND PRESENT

Team uniforms are their calling cards. They present a united front against any team you face. They are your identifier on the team. When you put on a team uniform, it shows that you have accepted to play, win or loss, as a unit. You are no longer an individual when you have on that uniform.

I’m not really into fashion, but a good team uniform goes a long way to boosting morale and building reputation. I mean, when you think of Yankees pinstripes, you think of all the amazing ball players that have worn it and all the accomplishments they have made. Some uniforms are iconic. While other miss the mark completely.

There are some uniforms that take a dip into the seriously ugly. It makes you wonder what the organization was thinking when they gave the okay for them. I’ve come up with a list of five such uniforms. In no particular order, I present to you what I believe to be some of the ugliest and most bizarre baseball uniforms. I want to pick just one jersey that was the biggest eyesore from this promotion but it’s just too difficult.

1. Houston Astros - Last season, when he Astros unveiled their Colt .45’s throwback, complete with a revolver across the chest, I overlooked it. Surely, they could only get better, right? Wrong! Their 1979 uniforms were far worse. 

The top half was white and the bottom was orange and yellow stripes. It reminded me of “Rainbow Brite.” To make matters worse, they wore their current batting helmets with these jerseys.

2. New York Mets - In 1999 the MLB wanted to take a look into the future. They called it “Turn Ahead The Clocks.” It was a short-lived promotion and rightfully so. I remember seeing the “Mercury Mets” jersey’s in New York City often and praying the fad would end quickly. 

3. Tampa Bay Rays - Some teams were not old enough to have throwback uniforms in 2012, but that was not about to stop the Rays. They came up with a fake 1970’s uniform with powder blue pants. I enjoy their enthusiasm but they missed the mark completely on this. The uniform reminded me of something you would buy for a newborn baby boy.

4. Miami Marlins - When the Marlins unveiled their new fountain, I hoped it was a big joke. And then I took note of their new uniform and my heart broke a little for them. The rainbow letters and Marlin fish across the top of the M is pretty bad. But the four different color options (white, silver, black and red) put it over the top. It makes it feel like they were trying to connect to the Hispanic community of Miami by having their uniforms remind them of a fiesta! The white one isn’t entirely bad, I suppose.

5. Atlanta Braves - I will round out my list by talking about the Braves. I already find their uniform historically inaccurate. The tomahawk with the feathers they wear coupled with the Tomahawk chop that their fans do in the stadium is pretty much as bad as it gets in my opinion. It’s a serious misrepresentation of the story about Native Americans. But now they have changed their batting practice hats to those they wore in between 1967 and 1989, the one with a native american wearing feathers in his hair, and in mid battle cry.

I feel lucky that I am a Yankees fan. Our uniform is one of those iconic ones I mentioned earlier. Very few major league teams can say the same. 

--Erica Morales, BYB Writer
Twitter: @e_morales1804




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THIS ROBERTO CLEMENTE STORY MAKES YOU THINK

This is a 1973 Topps baseball card of Tom Walker.  It probably means nothing to you, other than maybe some of you have it in your "commons" baseball card collection like I do.  But there is a very interesting story involving Tom Walker and I heard the story for the first time when I read about Neil Walker, the 2nd baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates chat about it HERE when he said: "I owe everything in my career, really, my whole life to Roberto Clemente... If not for him, I wouldn't be here today. I'd sure love to make him proud now."  Confused yet? Don't be. The next part of this story is outstanding. 

On the anniversary of Roberto Clemente's death, I went online and read David Brown's piece in Yahoo Sports (full piece HERE),

In Brown's piece, he writes: "...did you also know that Neil Walker, the Pirates second baseman today, might not be here if not for Clemente?

Among those interviewed in the video — along with the likes of countryman Orlando Cepeda and teammate Steve Blass — was Tom Walker, a friend of Clemente's who played with him in winter ball, and who wanted to help Clemente get supplies to Nicaragua on New Year's Eve 1972:
 

'Forty years later, I think of a man that, probably, saved my life,' Tom Walker said. 'He said, ‘No, you need to go back and enjoy the evening.’ And I can’t help but think about that now. I’ve had four wonderful children and, it turns out that one of them is the second baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates. And if you look at the right-field wall (at PNC Park), it’s the Clemente Wall. It’s got his number, 21, and I’m sure that my son Neil comes out of the dugout and goes out to second base … he’s got to see that wall everyday.'" 

Wow...think about that.  Neil Walker was born in 1985 and currently plays a solid second base for the Pittsburgh Pirates, ironically, Roberto Clemente's former team.  Life is intertwined sometimes. Sometimes you need to be kind to one person so kindness comes back your way.  That's what makes to the world go 'round, don't it?

I tip my cap to the Clemente family who had a very special athlete, father and humanitarian in Roberto Clemente. He was doing good to better others lives when he lost his own in that terrible plane crash.  

I also salute the Walker's as well.  Today I pulled that Walker 1973 baseball card out of my commons pile.  It's now in my personal collection where it will stay after reading this story.  

Kind of makes you think, don't it?

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BYB: FROM THE OUTSIDE, LOOKING IN

It seems like a million years ago that Bleeding Yankee Blue asked me to join their staff of writers. A young, fresh and optimistic group of writers with a new blog hoping to make their mark in the world of online sports media, I jumped at the chance. As the first woman on staff, I was assigned the task of giving a female perspective to a topic that is normally only seriously discussed by men- Yankees Baseball.

A few dozen blog posts and a couple of exclusive interviews later, I found myself in the precarious position of having to rearrange my priorities. As a wife, a mother, a professional and someone experiencing health problems, I needed some time off and BYB graciously accepted my request to take some time away from the blog.

In the meantime, watching this blog grow into a website and flourish...it's been a real pleasure to watch. From exclusive interviews to breaking news, I saw the blog increase its fan base and even gain some celebrity endorsements. The first time that I saw Laura Posada donning the BYB shirt blew me away. In my mind, these guys had made it, and I couldn’t have been happier for the team as I watched them work and grow into the reputable online media source that they have become today.

Not too long ago, in his infinite wisdom, Casey had approached me once again. Sensing that my “period of enlightenment” was drawing to a close, he asked me if I was still interested in being part of the team. I jumped at the chance once again. And so, I’ve blown the dust off of my laptop, and here I sit, hoping to contribute once again in some way to this project that is close to my heart and the hearts of so many Yankee fans.

This off season has proven, if not anything, that people come, and people go. Players that we thought had become woven into the fabric of the New York Yankees, such as Nick Swisher and Raul Ibanez, are now gone and with other teams. One thing that I have learned, though…whether you’re a fan, or a writer- when it comes to BYB, you are always a member of this great family, and once you’re family, nothing can change that. Friends, amigos, comrades till the end, we are a group of fans that hold dear a place in our hearts for other fans of this great game. Say what you want about the team, but Yankees fans are truly the best fans on Earth and we will go out of our way to prove it to you.

From the outside, looking in, I have seen a shift in the way things are done in online media. I’ve seen loyalty, dedication, and hard work on the part of each and every writer that belongs to Bleeding Yankee Blue. I’ve seen a team of writers grow and develop into the most reliable source of Yankees news that’s out there. I’ve seen fan support grow and hold the site up to the spotlight that it so richly deserves. I was, and am still very proud to be a part of it, and I hope that you are all proud of it too.

In other words... I'm back and I can't wait to dig into the batter's box.



--Christy Lee, BYB Features Writer

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BLEEDING YANKEE BLUE SAYS HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It's about to be a New Year! This means many things, but it especially means we turn the page and start a new.  There have been some great things that happened this year in my life that I'm proud of.  There are many things that make me realize that a new year may also be good.  Overall though, I'm happy and hopefully you are too.

We here at Bleeding Yankee Blue had a nice year. We built an audience, we kept our audience happy (hopefully) and hopefully, we brought you some good opinion, good news and made you laugh alittle.  We try not to be tight asses here.  We try to have fun, but sometimes our frustration comes out. At the end of the day though, we hope we entertained you.

We talked a lot about the Yankees, we rooted hard, we even got alittle pissed off once in a while but we never have ever walked away from our team and lost our focus. Bottom line, we love the pinstripes because no matter what team is out there, led by our Captain, they are the best damn team alive.  They are our New York Yankees! 2012 wasn't as bad as we think, but 2013 will be better for our club and you need to believe that. I know I do in my heart...


I never imagined that writing down my thoughts about my baseball team would turn into something big.  I really just needed an outlet. That's what BYB was supposed to be.  But then one friend sent it to another and suddenly, BYB was outside the "circle" and before you know it, you guys happened.  BYB accomplished alot, not by being arrogant, not by loading you with stats, but instead by being real. You've accepted that, you look for us in the morning when you're having your coffee and you look to us to bring you different opinions you don't find elsewhere.  We make you think, we make you smile and we me make you realize that while baseball is a business... it's also a game you can enjoy with your family once in a while.  It's an outlet... like BYB is.

So how did it all happen? You, your friends, your relatives, cousins,  my parents, even my dentist found Bleeding Yankee Blue. Some searched for us and some stumbled onto us... but we built a family here and that's what we're all about... Life... Love... Yankees.  

There are a variety of things to look for here.  We speak honestly about our New York Yankees and the other great players in Major League Baseball and you look for that. Some just come to us to check out the stories about Kate Upton.  Some just like to laugh so they look for our fake TEXT EXCHANGES.  Some need to get baseball news.  Others just like to comment.  In the end though, you all come here at some point to read something on Bleeding Yankee Blue.  It's great and I absolutely hope you tell a friend.

This website would not be possible without you guys and of course our terrific writers.  We have the best and they are underrated.  Jeana Bellezza, Jesse Schindler, Erica Morales, Suzie Pinstripe, Lem Allen and Chris Kram do incredible work because they want to, not because they have to.  They love their team and they love your feedback with every piece they write.  Come the New Year, we'll have regular pieces from others like Steve Skinner, Ike Dimitriadis and Christy Lee too.  It's a new year, we have new focus and even a new look! BYB is still here, and we are happy to serve. 

So Happy New Year to the best damn readers ever...You!  If you've read us since the beginning, you've been with us for a wild ride!  If you are just finding us now, we want you to stay, but most importantly, if you like what you see... pass it around, tell a friend, email a link, share one, print it out and post it on your fridge. Do whatever you do, because it working, it's the secret to our success.  It's wild to think about, but that's how it all happened.

2013 will bring great things for the Yankees. I picture a healthy Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.  It seemed like almost like a bad joke the way Mariano started off the season with that horrible injury and then Jeet bookended it with an injury of his own.  Hopefully they come back healthy, they kick some ass and lead the charge toward #28 in 2013.

I look forward to seeing Giancarlo Stanton in pinstripes. I know, I know, the chances are slim... but think about the timing of all of this. Think about how quiet the Yankees have been this off season. Now think about the Marlins suddenly listening to offers for Stanton. Now... think about Cashman saying they wanted a right fielder with power before a left handed DH like Raul Ibanez... now think about Giancarlo Stanton in pinstripes in 2013.

Plus, 2013 will bring great things for guys like Joba Chamberlain, Ichiro Suzuki, Robinson Cano, Mark Teixieira, Kevin Youkilis and the rest. Damn... is it baseball season yet?  I can't wait.

In closing, I just want to let you know how grateful I am to have you all as loyal readers.  I always had thoughts I wanted to get off my chest when it came to baseball.  Now these thoughts are being read and I am at ease.  I know there are days you love to read us and I know there are days you sense my sarcasm, or humor, sadness or frustration, and in the end, you still come back.  That's a testament to our great writers and your loyalty.  Sure, BYB is a product that we will always tinker with, but that's because we want to improve it and make it better, for you. After all, you deserve it.

So thanks for always being there, thanks for reading and let's make 2013 a great year for the Yankees, for Bleeding Yankee Blue and for your family.

In the end, my wife and I will start 2013 off on a high note...


We're going to see "This is 40". We'll go the the theater, we'll laugh our ass off about how funny Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann are together and we'll tell each other about 10 times throughout the film how we remind each other of them... Yeah, it's true... besides Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos...

Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann would definitely be the "Celebrities most likely to play us in the movie" people. Come on... I know you play that game too.

Happy New Year... thanks for being loyal and good luck to everyone in 2013...


Life... Love... Yankees!

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THE ROYALS ADD VETERANS TO THEIR KIDS

(In Photo: Miguel Tejada)
Two notable signings I wanted to point out to you made by the Kansas City Royals.

(In Photo: Endy Chavez)
It's being reported that they have signed outfielder Endy Chavez to a deal. That is coming from Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.com, read his Tweet HERE. The deal is a minor league deal.

They also have just signed Miguel Tejada to a 1 year (minor league) deal, worth $1.1 million if he makes the team.  That report comes from Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes, HERE. He writes (translated in English): "Miguel Tejada and #Royals agree to minor league deal. If you make the team, would earn $ 1.1 million. KC has not put on roster now."

Both players can definitely contribute if they make the big club.

Don't forget, they just traded for Wade Davis and James Shields a few weeks ago.  Read  KANSAS CITY ROYALS TRADE FOR SHIELDS IS "BIG". I like what the Royals are doing...sprinkling alittle veteran help in with their youngsters... nothing wrong with that.

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.