I THOUGHT...WHAT WOULD ANDY PETTITTE DO?

BYB Headquarters is up and running and it's amazing what technology can do for business these days. While I wasn't able to do much, I was able to communicate on Twitter when needed and at least I was able to let you guys know I'd be out of pocket for a bit. You guys are like my second family after all. Several hours later, it's safe to say that all is well at BYB. The kids are accounted for and flooding in my basement is the least of my worries right now. The big thing here is we're still able to crank out posts for you guys, and if you have power, hopefully you can read us. Maybe it will take your mind off of thing. Yes, it's true, the whole time I was holding down the Fort with my wife, I thought "What would Andy Pettitte do?"Pathetic? Yes, but when your team is up against the ropes, my team being my family, I knew I had to turn it around kind of like Andy Pettitte every time the Yankees were down 2-0 in a playoff or any time he lifted the team after a tough loss the night before. Yes, I sound dramatic, don't I? Well, you don't really want to hear about me, you want to hear about the Yankees on this blog, so I'm doing my best. Humor me.

Down in the dumps and worried trees would crash though my windows and I'd wake up with my house on the Yellow brick road, I thought about Andy Pettitte. I need to stay calm, get the kids in a safe environment and make sure I knew where the radio and flashlight was. My wife and I went to bed and at 2am it felt like the roof was about to fly off. Did you guys hear the wind last night? Did I panic? No, actually alittle. But, I knew I had a job to do... like Andy Pettitte did so many times before. I circled the wagons once again, made sure all was well in the house and laid back down with my flashlight on my chest. All I needed was a Cowboy hat to rest over my eyes and I would have felt like the ultimate bad ass. Bottom line, Dads and moms do what they need to do to keep things safe. We did that last night.

Today, we won. Andy Pettitte would have won and it's that drive and confidence that he's had all those years that really impressed me and translated to us. To be truthful, it's the adrenaline that keeps you going. I can remember the stare and the performances Pettitte gave us and it holds true, he would grind it out and he would win and keep his Yankee family safe... with a win.Now that it appears Hurricane Irene is leaving New York, let's not bitch and moan about all she tried to do. Let's be the better team. Let's wave goodbye, say nice try and then let's move on, like champions. Ladies and Gentlemen, it was a nasty hurricane, but it wasn't going to beat us... after all, we knew we could beat it.

I hope everyone was able to stay safe... now let's play ball.

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WE'RE HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES

Hurricane Irene has hit and BYB Headquarters is temporarily closed. As part of our vow to you, we will get back to work as soon as we can, but of course, family comes first. In the meantime, here are some of my favorite posts on Bleeding Yankee Blue...enjoy:

EXCLUSIVE: WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT PHIL RIZZUTO

WHY MANTLE & MARIS ARE STILL INTRIGUING TODAY

WHAT CASHMAN WAS REALLY SAYING

WHY I SMELL A TREND

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: KIMBERLY JONES

WHY GOD MADE YOGI A YANKEE

WHAT GARDNER TRUMPS CRAWFORD

WHY IT'S MONTERO'S TURN

WHY JETER IS EPIC FOR 1 GOOD REASON

QUEST FOR TURKEY LEGS!

2000's MOST EXCITING PLAYER: CANO OR SORIANO?

WHY IT'S JUST BASEBALL SUZYN

WHY THE 2011 AL MVP PLAYS IN THE BRONX

WHY G.G.S. IS A.O.K

EXCLUSIVE INTERVEW: HIGH SOCKS FOR HOPE

Back soon.

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WHY HURRICANE IRENE IS A BITCH

I just found out the Yankee game is rained out, according to Brett Gardner on Facebook of all people. Love that. The Yankees and their fans were hoping to turn around AJ Burnett's horrendous pitching performance last night. Hopefully, eventually, we can get back to baseball, get a win and all will be forgotten.

But in all seriousness, while winning is the name of the game, safety is the real focus right now. Many Yankee players have families along the East Coast and some are not with them in Baltimore so it's got to freak them out a bit. Get a check list, make sure you have a plan and keep yourself surrounded by family.

Me being on the East coast, my family and I had to get everything prepared in case of an emergency. I reached for my flashlight this morning to find that the batteries were dead. I told my kids 1000 times to never use the flashlights in case there's an emergency. Well, there's an emergency, no flashlight. Luckily we had an extra hidden away. Sump pump and backup are ready, we have food and water and now we wait, hell, maybe we even pop in the DVD of the 2009 World Series or something before the power goes out. It's a weird day, the calm before the storm.

When baseball resumes, some day, I'm assuming Ivan Nova will be set to go for the Yankees against the Orioles Zack Britton. Nova needs to come up big, and perhaps get his 14th win. Hopefully he can.

Destruction is bound to happen today, so just be safe, don't be a hero. Think first, act second and make sure everyone is accounted for. True, we all love baseball, but family is first... Good Luck.Keep checking here and I'll try to give you updates when I can. My buddy Charles wished me well today and jokingly I wrote him "Family in the car ready to go, looking for Wi-fi for my BYB readers!" He liked that. I kid, but seriously, I'll keep you in the loop on the Yankees and everything every chance I get, if I can of course. Trust me though, I won't be getting into harms way. I love you guys, but not that much.

I may be the head of Bleeding Yankee Blue, but do you think I'm an idiot? Don't answer that.

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WHY RUSSELL MARTIN IS A GAMER

What else do you expect from a guy like Russell Martin? He is craving the next contest against the Red Sox. Every Yankees player knows there's only one first place team in the American League East and that's the Yankees.

Russell Martin spoke to RDS in an extensive interview and you can read the whole thing HERE. That being said, what stood out for me were 3 important things; his excitement of the rivalry against the evil Red Sox, Jesus Montero as well as his charity work.

Here is some of the highlights of that interview:

RDS: How will the Yankees want to react the next time that they face Red Sox at the end of August?

Martin: We didn't have all of our elements on the field last time we faced the Yankees, A-Rod was out. It's important have all your players on the field when facing the Sox. We will have the same approach as we always take upon starting a series against the Sox or any other team. Before every series we have video, graphics and statistics we use in order to know which of their hitters are hot or not in the last week or so. Then we can adjust on who we need to watch for. My job is to control our pitching staff and have them as prepared as they can be, and I take to that job with dedication. Graphics will show the tendencies of a position player or a pitcher when it comes time to face them. Every little hint or statistic counts against any team you face in order to be as well prepared as possible. We have two more series against the Red Sox. As a team we will be prepared. It will be a tight race to the finish for first, but we will be ready. We are a competitive team every inning.

RDS: What do you think about the potential of Jesus Montero joining the Yankees? Do you see it like a threat for your situation or a good addition for the team?

Martin: I haven't though about it!

RDS: What has your role been in the community?

Martin: I have been a part of various charity events in the last couple months here in New York. A lot of the players have their own charity events that we take part in, and www.yankeesunite.com and Hope Week meant a lot to me. I think its important to be giving back in local communities and the world, whatever your beliefs. I give back to www.onedrop.org to help get clean and drinkable water to people in need all around the world. Giving back has brought joy in my life. It's important for me to help good causes.

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WHY BURNETT SEALED HIS FATE

(Photo: Patrick Smith/AP)
It was the biggest game of his life. AJ Burnett needed to prove to the Yankees, the fans and the world that he was the guy that was worth his $82.5 million and pitch his heart out. Against the last place Orioles in Camden Yards, a park where there is usually more Yankee fans than Orioles fans, it was obvious for AJ, no pressure, just pitch and get the win. Obviously, after a quick 6 run deficit at 2 innings, the man crumbled before our eyes and now the writings on the wall... AJ will soon be gone. Read about the full mess HERE.

AJ's line was 5 innings pitched, he allowed 9 hits, 9 runs, 2 walks and 5 strikeouts. Yes, it's true, Joe Girardi could have came out to the mound and said, "AJ, you allowed 6 runs, we're in a bad hole, give me the ball." But Girardi did the right thing tonight; Girardi did his best "You got us into this mess, you get us out." AJ didn't get us out of the mess. AJ Burnett shit the bed and believe me, if AJ didn't feel the pressure before, he does now. The deterioration of this one decent pitcher has never been more obvious than now. I hate to sound dramatic, but how else do you describe it... the guy can't pitch. Mentally, he can't keep his head in the game. He thinks too much, no focus and it is clear an overhaul is needed.

The Yankees defense was not too good tonight either. It must have been AJ's vibe that translated throw the clubhouse, who knows. There were 4 errors committed by the Yankees tonight. Pathetic.Some of the Yankee offense was supplied by 3 home runs tonight, all solo shots by Jorge Posada, Alex Rodriguez and Nick Swisher who's been on a role as of late. ARod's homer was the first since June 11th. It's been awhile...maybe he can pick it up a bit now that he's back. Other than that, there wasn't much more, just a few other runs. Look it wasn't our night. Every time a pitcher can't hold down the competition, it's hard for a team to pick them up. True, Yesterday in the Bronx, it was a historic comeback hitting 3 Grand Slams and winning 22-9, but if it was that easy, we would have won tonight too. Bottom line, you can't win 162 games, but it's fun to try.

Final Score tonight: Orioles 12 - Yankees 5

A Quick Note: Mike Flanagan, a Baltimore Oriole and pitching great was found dead and it was determined a suicide this week. Read about it HERE. It's a sad story, but I wanted to at least
acknowledge a decent man and a great pitcher and his family is in our prayers.

In closing, with Hurricane Irene hitting the Tri-State area hitting tomorrow afternoon, who really knows if these teams will play, so we'll monitor the situation. BYB Headquarters is also on the East Coast so depending on the weather, we may or may not be able to give you updates and posts as they happen. We shall see. Keep checking BYB. Most importantly, if you're in the line of fire, stay safe.

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BREAKING: DEREK JETER AND MINKA KELLY...OVER

(Photo: Red Five)
Many of the tabloids are going crazy right now because it appears that Derek Jeter and Minka Kelly have broken up after dating for 3 years. Not going to lie, many thought this was the one. Read about it HERE.

People Magazine says "They care about each other and it was amicable, They're still friends," according to a source.

Derek Jeter had dated Mariah Carey, Jessica Biel, Jessica Alba and Scarlett Johansson in the past.

Watch out ladies... here comes Jeter.

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WHY BUCK FALLS SHORT

Buck Showalter. You know the name because you have either admired him in the past or because you remember him bashing Derek Jeter and the Yankees at the beginning of the season. Read it HERE. That was a confident Buck, a different Buck….a winning Buck. Once upon a time, Buck Showalter turned overlooked teams into postseason contenders in a short amount of time, but is this fairytale over? Buck is credited with being a strategic manager who often outsmarts other teams, but what has he done that made him so appealing to the Orioles?

After joining the Yankee coaching staff in 1990, Buck was named manager two years later. By 1994 the Yankees finished first in the American League East despite a short season thanks to the players strike. In 1995 the Yankees finally make the playoffs as the Wild card, which was their first appearance since 1981. Buck left the Yankees in 1996 when they coincidentally won the World Series and repeated their victory in four of the next five seasons.Right after Buck left the Yankees, he was hired by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1996 in preparation for when the team would actually compete in 1998. Buck’s first year in Arizona was disappointing as the team finished 65-97, but his off-season acquisitions of Randy Johnson, Todd Stottlemyre and Steve Finley helped the team win the National League West division title in 1999. After ending his second season on a high note, the 2000 season was disappointing and resulted in the Diamondbacks firing Buck. Once again, the Diamondbacks would go on to win the 2001 World Series, one year after being let go.

Clearly, Buck has been instrumental in forming winning teams even though he has not been around to reap the rewards. It is not surprising why the Orioles offered him the job after firing Dave Trembly last year. The Orioles have since reloaded their team to make them more competitive but what has he done since? If you look at the stats, he hasn’t done anything. Last year at this time the Orioles record was 44-81 and this year they are 49-77. The year has not been the typical re-build for Buck that he is used to, after making a splash in the free-agent pool and building up a talented young pitching rotation, the team has still gone “bust.”

Justin Duchscherer: After being persued by several teams during the offseason (including the Yankees), he signed with Baltimore for a one year deal. Since then, he has spent the entire season on the disabled list with a strained left hip, and was released earlier this month.

Brian Matusz: Just one of the young pitchers with high expectations for the year, Matusz has had a rollercoaster of a year with a 1-6 record and an 8.92ERA.
Jeremy Guthrie: A 5-16 record with a 4.55 ERA. He has also been battling with shoulder problems.

Brad Bergesen: Was sent down for the 4th time in the past two years to work on his mechanics and durability.

Chris Tillman: Also sent down to the AAA affiliate after poor outings.
Pitching has been the major issue of the Orioles all season, and despite call-ups and demotions to the minor leagues the Orioles have not been able to solve their pitching problems.

The Orioles made noticeable improvements to their lineup in the off-season acquiring big names Mark Reynolds and Vladimir Guerrero. While Guerrero still has respectable numbers with a .276BA, his 44 RBI total is not what the Orioles expected. Mark Reynolds is still the same hitter from last year, with “all or nothing results” as he still holds a high strikeout rate (147 so far), and a low batting average (.219) but he is still hitting homeruns, he has hit 27 this season. In addition to a struggling pitching rotation, the Orioles also struggle with scoring runs and are ranked 18th in the league, which is also not a typical Buck Showalter stat.

Buck Showalter has had success in the American League, but this is the American League East, and it is a whole new ballgame. Is Buck a talented manager? Yes, but with numbers like these he won’t be able to compete with the big dogs, and he could find himself walking in Dave Trembly’s shoes. Where is all the trash talk now, Buck?

--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Writer / Associate Editor



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WHY PENA WAS CLAIMED OFF WAIVERS...AND NOTHING HAPPENED

(Photo: Getty)
So, I didn’t feel it necessary to bring you this piece of news because to me, it’s not really news. Carlos Pena was claimed off waivers by the Yankees from the Cubs yesterday but the Cubs have pulled him back. The End.

Look, there really isn’t much more to this story other than the Yankees were interested, the Cubs knew that and Carlos Pena was flattered, other than that, it’s over. Carlos said of the whole ordeal : “It was flattering to see the interest, but it’s even more flattering to see how the Cubs pulled back and retained me.” Fair enough, everyone like to be wanted.

Not many remember this but Carlos Pena was part of the Yankees organization for a short time in 2006. Read HERE. April 19^th to August 15th to be exact. He played 105 games for the AAA affiliate at the time, the Columbus Clippers.

The Yankees thinking was they could use Pena's bat for some DH help. Nice try by Cashman to do this. I was kind of hoping for alittle pitching at the waiver deadline, but what the hell do I know? Let’s not forget, Brian Cashman made a statement to the media earlier in the month stating that he doesn’t see any moves by the waivers deadline. Read about that HERE. Clearly he tried and I like that; He’s a snake, trying to better our team and never showing his hand.

The waivers game is fun. Claiming players off waivers is an interesting little part of the game, because many think that after the trade deadline you can't make moves, this actually allows you to, but it’s not like the team who puts the player on waivers HAS TO unload them at the point of another team claiming them. A negotiation needs to take place and maybe an exchange of players happens, maybe it doesn’t. They have until the end of the month to do this.

In Pena's case, once the Cubs put Pena on waivers, every single National League team had a shot and then every single American League team did as well. That basically means that the Yankees were like the second to last team to have a chance to claim him.

Bottom line, nothings happening with Carlos Pena, but it was exciting for 10 minutes.

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WHY GOD MUST BE A YANKEE FAN

(Photo: Getty)
When the Yankees finally took the field today after an 89 minute rain delay, I just had a bad feeling. Not sure why or for what reason but it just felt like it was going to be a long day in the Bronx. And once the game got underway my gut feeling became a reality. Phil Hughes just didn't have it today. When Hughes is bad, he's really bad. There is no gray area with Mr. Hughes. More on his day in a minute...so Hughes is getting knocked around and the thought of the Yankees getting swept at home in late August by the A's got the best of me. So I did what any good Yankee fan would do, I prayed to the man upstairs for a rain out!

I know, it's very bush league of me to do that, but you know I just wanted this series washed away, pardon the pun. There is no way we can get swept at home knee deep in a pennant race by the A's. Well, I believe Garth Brooks said it best in one of his songs, "Some of God's greatest gifts, are unanswered prayers." Thank God, God didn't listen to this knucklehead!

Not only did the Yankees win today, they made history! The New York Yankees became the first team EVER to hit 3 grand slams in one game! It was a game where you had to see it to believe it!

Don't worry fans, if most of you were working or at school this will be an instant YES Classic, so stay tuned. We all know this team is built around the long ball and today, as they say, the proof was in the pudding. The Yanks 5 home runs accounted for 14 of the Yankees 22 runs. Behind these record setting grand slams and another outstanding performance by the bullpen, the Yankees came all the way back from a 7-1 deficit and beat, scratch that, destroyed the Oakland A's 22-9.

Robinson Cano hit the first grand salami in the bottom of the 5th which cut the Oakland lead to one run. Cano had another fantastic day at the plate going 2-4 with 5 RBI and extended his hitting streak to 16 games.

But, believe it or not, despite Cano knocking in 5 runs he was not the player of the game. That honor has to go to Russell Martin. Heading into the the bottom of the 6th the Yanks were down 7-6, until Martin knocked in 4 runs with one swing to give the Yankees a 10-7 lead and they never looked back. Martin had a career day today going 5-5, including that grand slam, a solo HR, and he knocked in 6 runs! The 5 hits and 6 RBI are both career highs. He also walked once so he was, literally, perfect today at the plate. Then it was onto the 8th inning where history was made. "The 2011 AL MVP", Curtis Granderson hit the 3rd grand slam of the day for the Yankees and the rest, as they say, is history!

And how about the Yankee bullpen? Probably the unsung heroes of today's game and really the 2011 season. Phil Hughes just struggled today. He just got flat out knocked around. Hughes only went 2.2 innings allowing 6 earned runs. But despite his awful day on the mound he did not get a loss. After today's game Hughes needs to buy a round of drinks, not only for the offense, but his buddies out of the bullpen. The bullpen kept the A's at bay...again, pardon the pun. They only allowed 3 runs for the rest of the game. The combination of Cory Wade, Hector Noesi, Boone Logan, and Luis Ayala all took the ball from Girardi and gave our offense the opportunity to begin the historic comeback. And what a comeback it was! In a game where the Yankees were actually trailing 7-1, the historic grand slams brought them all the way back, and then some.

Final Score: New York Yankees 22 - Oakland A's 9.

GAME NOTES:

• The Yankees came at bat an incredible 17 times with the bases loaded today.
• The "2011 AL MVP"'s grand slam now gives him 36 home runs and 103 RBI for the season.
• The Captain was the DH today and went 3-6, including his 4th triple of the year. Incredibly, Jeter has come all the way back and is now batting .299!
• Eduardo Nunez, who started for Jeter at SS also had three hits, going 3-5.
• ARod got his first hit and more today since coming off the DL. He went 2-4 and walked twice. He also had three runs scored.
• The Yankees batter around for 4 straight innings today (5th, 6th, 7th, & 8th)
• Boone Logan faced four batters today and struck out all four and he also got the win.
• Posada played 2nd base in the 9th inning. It was the first time in his MLB career he played 2nd. The last time was in the minors in 1991...low A ball! Nice!
  

--Mikey Blue, BYB Senior Writer
Email: DonnieBaseball2323@gmail.com
Twitter: @MikeyBlu23

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WHY BERNIE WILLIAMS SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN

We constantly drop the phrase “Core Four” and even now, after Andy Pettitte hung it up. Yes, it rhythms, but what about Bernie Williams? Have we forgotten one of the true Yankee greats of our time? Why not the Core Five? I hate to ignore this guy, he was so damn good for us and yes, won 4 rings for us.

Bernie Williams was home grown, just like our iconic Four… Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera. True, the others have 5 but at this point, isn’t 4 an accomplishment too?

These 5 guys represented leadership for many years on the New York Yankees and without them, I would suggest the may not have had our Championships. Bernie Williams came up big for us many times in the playoffs, dating back to 1996. Remember the 1996 ALDS against the Texas Rangers where he his .467? Remember the ALCS that year where he cranked out the home run in the 11th to put us ahead of the Orioles and eventually go to the World Series?
Derek Jeter made some incredible plays and some major hits including his first and only walk off homer run against the Arizona Diamondbacks? “Mr. November!” was Michal Kay’s home run call as his circled the bases on that chilly night in 2001. Bernie was there for that.

I remember Jorge Posada hitting Pedro Martinez in the 2003 ALCS and tying the game when Hideki Matsui scored? I remember him screaming at the top of his lungs as he stood on second with his fists clinched. Bernie was there.

And what can you say about Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera in the post season for all those years?… lights out and guess what? Bernie was there for almost all of it. My point is Bernie Williams is just as iconic as our Core Four and has been apart of the same teams with the same great memories and the fact that on a daily basis we leave him out aggravates me.

Put it this way, when your at the stadium, you still see #51 on the backs of many hardcore fans. The Yankees are not giving that number to a player on the Yankees right now either. Why? Because Bernie’s royalty. #51 should and will never be worn again by another New York Yankee just like #2, #20, #42 and #46. Who knows when it will happen, but let’s face facts, the New York Yankees Core Five will all be retired one day in Yankeeland because without these guys, the Yankees would be just another ball club in the late 90’s. Sure, the other guys would have contributed, but the championships would have been eliminated without Bernie and company, no doubt.

So, when you’re chatting with friends and you talk about the recent Yankee greats, try dropping the "Core Five". I guarantee they'll know what you're talking about. After all, Bernie Williams cannot be forgotten.

By the way, Bernie Williams still going hot and heavy, this time with his music. He also has a new website www.bernie51.com. Be sure to check it out.

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THE EXTRA LEFTY THE YANKEES NEVER HAD

Boone Logan is the Yankees lefty specialist. He’s the lone lefty in the Yankees pen who has good days and bad days, mostly bad, but lately decent. That being said, one things for sure in my opinion, Logan can’t do it alone. There are some times where the Yankees could really use another lefty out of the bullpen, yet, things don’t seem to be working out and I’m not sure why.

The lefties the Yankees hoped to be there with the team have amounted to nothing. Let me rephrase that. Damaso Marte, who is expected to pitch in the Gulf Coast League today had an amazing playoff run in 2009. That’s right... 2009! He's been hurt more than he's played. Pedro Feliciano was signed to give us some extra lefty support, but he’s been out with injury too and hopefully this Thursday he’ll also join Marte, that's the word from ESPN at least. Read HERE. Who knows if we’ll see them this season, I doubt it.

It’s not like there weren’t lefties available at the deadline, it’s not like we don’t have lefties in the farm system, they’re around. In fact, for some strange reason, the Yankees never even gave JC Romero a shot when they signed him to a minor league deal. He was later released and signed immediately with the Rockies. The Yankees picked up Aaron Laffey. He came in, pitched in 1 game and was designated for assignment. Hmm. What’s going on here?

Then comes this report suggesting the Brian Cashman doesn’t want to bring up Manny Banuelos this season...read HERE, another lefty who I believe is worth giving a shot. Yes, I understand Cashman’s mentality here, but let’s just see what the kid has, right?

There was talk of Sean Burnett from the Nationals, but that ship has sailed as well. John Grabow from the Cubs? No... nothing.

Now, if fairness, the Yankees bullpen is clearly the best in baseball and they are shutting down the competition. Is that Cashman’s thinking? Is Cashman thinking that because we’re so good out of the pen right now, the need for an extra lefty in the pen to help Boone Logan is not needed? What do you think? Do you think that Boone Logan should be the only lefty out of the bullpen for New York? Should we bring up Manny Banuelos to help? Should have held onto JC Romero? Aaron Laffey? Vote in our poll, I’d love to get your thoughts on this, because, as you can see… I’m confused.

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WHY DEREK JETER'S OUR CAPTAIN

Derek Jeter is hitting. Since coming back from the disabled list, Jeter is batting .355 with 27 RBIs in 42 games. Yes, if you are a true Yankee fan, you knew it would happen eventually and it has. Jeter is literally a few hits away from batting .300, currently at .297 and all I have to ask is, where are all you doubters now?

When the season was coming to a close last year, and they looked at that .270 average, the media had their minds made up. They fabricated a story about how the Derek Jeter of our Yankee dynasty was gone. But they suggested what was left was a shell of himself, a guy that tried, but would never hit .280 again in his career. Look at these headlines which popped up all over the place during the end of 2010 and after the season:

New York Magazine: This is the Derek Jeter Start Yankee Fans Feared

NBC New York: The Derek Jeter Slump Hits the front page

Business Insider: Derek Jeter is getting old

New York Times: Is a Slump a Reason for Concern?

I agreed with the age thing a bit. Age is a bitch and for a ballplayer, it will drain you daily to be out there with the aches and pains. But Jeter knew he needed to go out and re-invent yourself. Plus, you need to understand the dynamic of what was in Jeter’s head. This past winter he was hot and heavy in contract negotiations and on the outside looking it, it was Armageddon. Our Captain was pissed, our Yankees were pissed, fans were pissed that they were pissed… hell, my kid was pissed; “What’s taking so long?” he would ask me. I swear, sometimes I think there’s an actual man in that 9 year old kid body. The point is though, we all wanted our Captain back to lead us.

Couple that with 3000 hanging over his head and over-thinking his swing and it was a lose, lose for Jeet. But, it almost seemed that after his 3000^th hit, something happened. The pressure was off. Derek Jeter was never a loser and never washed up like so many had suggested in 2010 and as I stated it many times on Bleeding Yankee Blue we never believed it. Read WHY IT'S NOT DOOM & GLOOM.

Look, Writers write and bloggers go by their heart. We here are Bleeding Yankee Blue are true fans. We believe, we root and we want our guys to succeed. Sports writers do their job, which is state the obvious and attack our heroes to sell newspapers. They could seem like they're Derek Jeter’s biggest fan one day and the next, on an 0-4 day, they write a headline that reads “Jeter dies quickly, is his end near?” Do they believe it themselves? No, but it’s their job. You need to respect it, even though we hate reading it.

Look at Jorge; Jorge Posada has been getting creamed in the papers but on a good game day, they love him:

Good Day:

New York Daily News: Jorge Posada makes grand statement with six RBI day

Bad Day:

New York Times: For Now, Posada Seems out as Designated Hitter

MLB.com: Light dimming on Posada's bright career

My, how they turn so quickly.

Look, Derek Jeter is not done. Derek Jeter had a rough patch, and I’m a fan and I believe. Guess what? Jeter does too, and he continues to believe in himself and the New York Yankees. There is no doubt this guy will continue to lead our Yankees to another championship. After all, it’s the Yankee way… it’s Jeter’s way. Where are all you doubters now?

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