Today’s news is powered by vintage Peter Frampton:
- Hal Bodley touts Jeter for MVP:
The MVP Award should go to the player whose leadership and value has contributed to his team’s success more than any other individual. Jeter has been that player for the Yankees as they storm to another AL East title.
There may be teammates who have higher batting averages, hit more homers, driven in more runs, but no one has been more valuable to the Yankees this season.
- Don Zimmer appreciates Jeter:
“He might go down, when it’s all over, as the all-time Yankee,” Zimmer said by phone Sunday of Jeter, who got the lion’s share of his hits after rubbing the crusty old coach’s head and tummy for luck. “He’s right up there with ’em now and anyone who said he was slowing down or losing range or whatever don’t know what kind of man he is. It’s no surprise he’s gotten where he is with the hits. The guy plays. He’s played hurt more days than people will ever know – the kind of hurt other players would be thrilled to take the day off.”
Watching Jeter basking in the adulation of the Yankee Stadium crowds, Zimmer could not help thinking back to that first spring training with Torre in 1996. At the time, there was some debate among the Yankee hierarchy as to whether Jeter was ready to take over as the shortstop. As a hedge, the Yankees had kept their ’95 shortstop, veteran Tony Fernandez, around and were working him in at second base while they evaluated Jeter.
“I remember Clyde King (George Steinbrenner’s longtime special scout) coming into camp and saying Jeter’s not ready to be the shortstop after watching him for just two days,” Zimmer said. “Joe and I just smiled. By then we’d seen plenty to convince us that this kid was gonna be special. He had great hands, a good arm and was a hit machine the way he could ‘inside-out’ the ball. More than that, though, it was the way he carried himself. He was a baby then, but he acted like a seasoned veteran. Nothing fazed him.
- The team makes some personnel moves:
The Yankees can tell from looking at Freddy Guzman’s career statistics that he knows how to run. With an eye toward October, they’d like the chance to see it up close.
New York on Monday promoted the 28-year-old speedster from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, signing him to a big league contract and adding him to the active roster.
“Freddy is another option to pinch-run for us, play outfield defense, play an outfield spot for us,” manager Joe Girardi said. “He’s got great speed and, in some late situations, there’s a chance that you’re going to see him in there.”
In a corresponding move, right-hander Anthony Claggett was designated for assignment to create room for Guzman on the 40-man roster.
- There’s a new record for homers at the home park:
The Yankee Stadium record for home runs in a season has been broken with eight games to spare.
Los Angeles Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero hit the 216th home run in 73 games at the new $1.5 billion ballpark, one more than the high set at the previous stadium in 2004.
- The Yankee Bowl?
- Dave Pagan turns 60 today. Pagan was a cup of coffee pitcher over four seasons with the Yanks, before being included in the ten-player deal with the Orioles in June of ’76.
- Gaylord Perry turns 71 today. Perry made eight starts and two relief appearances for the 2001 1980 Bombers.
- On this date in 1961, the Yankees set a new American League record for most homers in a season (222), as they split a doubleheader in Detroit, winning 11 – 1 and losing 4 – 2. Circuit blows by Bill Skowron and Yogi Berra in the opener help Whitey Ford win his 24th and increase New York’s homer total to 222. This breaks the old mark set by the 1947 Giants and tied by the 1956 Reds. Norm Cash and Steve Boros homer in the nitecap to back Ron Kline’s 7-hitter.
- On this date in 1985, the Yankees trade minor league pitcher Jim Deshaies and two other minor leaguers to be named later to the Astros for 40-year-old Joe Niekro, reuniting the Niekro brothers as teammates for the first time since 1974 with the Braves.
- On this date last year, Mariano Rivera passes Lee Smith for second on the all-time save list behind Trevor Hoffman as the Yankees top the Pale Hose 4-2.
yeah I remember Gaylord Perry's stint with the Yanks back in '01...he and Soriano were real tight
Great to see Girardi outmanage Scioscia, especially in a game where the Yankees were at a distinct disadvantage because of the starter. Scioscia is widely, and rightly, seen as the best manager in the game. But I wouldn't be surprised to look up within a few years and see Girardi snag that title. He already knows how to get maximum value from the bullpen. Now it's just a matter of tweaking the in-game strategy. But after how he learned to go with the feedback for his lineups, I have little doubt he'll do the same with tactical decisions.
Jeter bunting is still a problem. But I'd love to see all the mediots actually show some brass nuts and call him out on the percentages in-person rather than simply talking big on their blogs.
[1]
argh..... obviously a typo .... how I typed 2001 when I meant 1980 I don't know! :-)
[3] haha I was just bustin' ya, but ya never know...maybe the Yanks could've used a well rested Perry during one of those games in Arizona.
I know the rule has loopholes, but how can Guzman be allowed on the PS roster if he was not added to the 40-man roster until after Sept. 1? Doesn't he have to replace an injured position player?
[5] I am sure they can use Nady as the loophole. Not 100% sure about the mechanics, though. But does it really matter? Its not like anyone in the MLB offices really cares about this stuff, or they would have lambasted the Angels in 2002 and closed the loophole immediately.
Peter Frampton-how nostalgic.
If Chone had caught that ball, then Girardi would have been accused of over-managing. As it is, Gardner made him look like a genius. It's funny cause the Angels usually make the Yankees look like old lumbering clods. Nice to see some snappy small ball, Jeter's bunt aside. That's just annoying.
[5] As I understand it, as long as he's in the organization, he can be considered for the postseason roster. I guess he would take Nady's "spot." I doubt that he'll make the roster anyway, since the Yanks will probably carry 12 pitchers.
[2] Uhmm...no comment :)
FWIW, Guzman was acquired on the 31st which was the last day he would be eligible for postseason play. If he makes the roster, it would be quite a shrewd move on Cashman's part.
[6]
"No one puts Nady in the corner ..."
rip Patrick Swayze ....
"This year, I think it's something different about those guys," he said. "It's a fire, some kind of fire, I see in those guys. It's totally different."
--Torii Hunter on the 2009 Yankees.
[12] I wonder if that fire can be quantified. Perhaps Torii could bring a thermometer with him to the next game so we can at least get a temperature? Maybe that would be dangerous, though it could be worth it for a potentially revealing stat.
2010 schedule out- we both open and close the season with a series at Boston. Ugh.
[13] I don't think it's the fire as much as Jeter, Cano, Cabrera & Posada etc, improving on last year.
I'm curious to see what happens if the Yankees show guttiness, grittiness, heart, or whatever intangible one uses to quantify the unquantifiable, and they get their butts handed to them in the first round of the playoffs... Again.
[15] So much depends on pitching, they could be on fire, gutty, gritty, etc and still lose if the pitchers cough it up.
[16] The pitching as a whole has been performing fairly consistent over the years.
R/G, ERA+
09: 4.69, 103
08: 4.49, 104
07: 4.80, 99
06: 4.73, 102
05: 4.87, 93
04: 4.99, 96
03: 4.39, 109
The Yanks, as constructed, will have to slug their way to another title.