Blog Archives

Nobody in Yankeeland has been analyzed half as much as Alex Rodriguez has been this year. But just when you thought the horse couldn’t take another lash, Tom Verducci arrives with an insightful, behind-the-scenes profile of Rodriguez. There are especially good quotes from Jason Giambi. Check it out.

“We were dead,” said Rodriguez, whose 34th homer made it 3-2. “This is as tired as I’ve seen this group in probably three years. A.J. Burnett was dominating us, about as much as we’ve been dominated all year.”
(Don Amore, Hartford Courant)

Man, was anyone else fired-up watching that game last night? After the bullpen blew two games on Sunday, I was in rare form as A.J. Burnett dominated the Bombers through the first five innings–cursing, kvetching, and shouting loud enough to drive Emily from the couch. Burnett had his fastball and his breaking ball working and he simply overpowered the Yanks who didn’t arrive in their hotel ’til the wee hours of the a.m. The team got a jolt of life when Johnny Damon was ejected for arguing balls and strikes after Hideki Matsui was called out on a check swing in the fifth.

The Jays held what seemed like a commanding 3-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth when Burnett could not finish off Bobby Abreu with two men out. Abreu worked a full count and then slapped a single up the middle. Then Alex Rodriguez planted a 1-0 fastball over the wall in left center field and the Bombers were on the board. Suddenly Burnett lost his groove. Jason Giambi walked on five pitches, Burnett balked him over to second and then walked Jorge Posada. However, he got Robinson Cano to pop a fastball up to shortstop to get out of the inning. As good as his stuff is, you have to wonder about Burnett’s mental toughness. I was calling him everything in the book from where I was sitting.

Godzilla Matsui singled sharply to center to start the seventh but was retired when Melky Cabrera hit into a 6-4-3 double play. But Aaron Guiel–who replaced Damon in center and made a fine sliding catch to boot–dunked a 1-2 curve ball into left for a double. Burnett fell behind Derek Jeter 3-0 before the Yankee captain crushed a home run over the wall in left center field, putting the Yankees ahead for good. It was only the second time that Jeter has swung at a 3-0 pitch since 2002 (the other time came in his final at bat on Sunday night). Hot damn and go figure, right?

The Yanks added three in the ninth (with Bernie Williams doing his best Albert Belle routine) before Posada waved at ball four with the bases loaded to end the inning. As it turns out, they would need all the insurance they could get as Troy Glaus lined a three-run dinger off Octavio Dotel in the bottom of the ninth. More moaning in the Bronx. The only reason I wasn’t more upset was that I had called Glaus’ dinger two innings earlier. It took four Yankee relievers to seal the deal, but when all was said and done, the Yanks had a 7-6 victory, and saw their magic number for clinching the AL East cut to three games.

Gary Sheffield had a thorough tutorial at first base yesterday afternoon and it looks like we’ll see him at first base, if not in Toronto, then later this week or this weekend down in Tampa. According to Tyler Kepner in the New York Times:

Sheffield has spoken recently with Fred McGriff, a former teammate who lives near him in Florida. McGriff reinforced the message that the position change would benefit Sheffield.

“This is a blessing in disguise for you, and you don’t even know it yet,” Sheffield said McGriff told him. “It just enhances your value.”

Sheff will face Ron Guidry in a live bp session today. Yo, I’m just licking my chops to see that man hit again, aren’t you?

The Yanks and Sox each won a game yesterday as the Bombers magic number was reduced to four. If the Yanks sweep today’s so-called double header, they will clinch the AL East (Cliff will be in the house for the second game). Josh Beckett survived a second inning jam, while Chien-Ming Wang was not particularly sharp as Boston beat New York 5-2 in the afternoon game. And though Randy Johnson wasn’t brilliant either in the night game, the Yanks pulled out a 7-5 victory. (Johnson vs. Tavarez was some kind of fugly starting match-up, eh? Like Lee Van Cleef goes to Jurassic Park.) Derek Jeter had singles in each game, extending his hitting streak to 25.

I was at the matinee with my cousin and we sat in the rattle-your-jewlery seats, three rows behind home plate, where people are more interested in anything and everything but watching the game. Look, there’s Spike Lee. Oh my god, is that Adam Sandler and Kevin James? There is a sign that reads “No Cell Phones,” that is completely ignored. Oy. These seats are mostly populated by well-healed clowns dressed-down in fancy t-shirts and ripped jeans, sandals and designer baseball caps. Two rows in front of us sat the film producer Brian Grazer with his son, and a thin, blond man. The back of Grazer’s neck looked like a piece of old leather–years of tanning by the pool. His hair was spikey, and he wore a black iozid shirt. His son wore a Che Guevara t-shirt. Grazer spent much of time on his cell phone and he was gone by the seventh inning. Two women behind us, with lungs that’d put Ethel Merman to shame, carried on at length about bridal showers, driving directions and how overpaid ball players are. “I don’t even mind that they are so loud,” my cousin said, “but at least they could be interesting.”

The seats were spectacular (and they were free thanks to the generosity of another cousin), but the atmosphere was repulsive. I felt like I could use a shower when it was all said and done.

The highlight of the game for us came when Jim Kaat threw out the first pitch. Accompanied by his three grandchildren (two boys and a little girl), Kaat watched a video tribute and then tossed a ball to Mike Myers. His granddaughter, wearing a pink Yankee cap almost bigger than her entire body, ran off the field and slapped somebody five by the Yankee dugout. She threw her arms around her grandfather as he held her in his arms during the National Anthem and in that moment it was clear why Kaat is leaving the game. Some things are just more important than baseball.

Two mo’ today. Let’s go Yankees!

LICKSHOT GUEST SPOT

As the Red Sox prepare for another late-season, AL East showdown with the Yankees, Hub heartthrob and longtime Idiot Johnny Damon sat down with Bronx Banter correspondent Jacob Luft for an exclusive one-on-one interview.

BB: Johnny, It’s been about 10 months since you turned down the Yankees’ offer in free agency and decided to stay with the Red Sox. Any regrets?

JD: Absolutely not. What we have here and what we’ve built here the past couple of years, winning the World Series in 2004 and finally overtaking the Yankees in the East last year … it’s just too special. This group of guys, we’ve been through a lot together and management has done a great job of keeping this core together.

BB: How close did you come to donning the pinstripes?

JD: I mean, I thought about it. You have to. Business is business and their offer was pretty strong. Pedro went through the same thing when the Mets came calling last year, and Derek Lowe almost went to the Dodgers after ’04. But at the end of the day, John Henry and [Boston GM] Theo [Epstein] came to the same conclusion that, as with those guys, they knew I would be too difficult to replace and came through with the years and money I wanted.

BB: C’mon Johnny. We all know you couldn’t handle losing those locks of yours.

JD: [Laughs] Yeah, you got me. That was definitely a factor. But I’d like to think there’s a little Vanity Smurf in all of us.

BB: You mentioned Derek. With Curt Schilling and Pedro taking turns on the DL, how big have the contributions from Derek and Bronson Arroyo and rookie starter Jonathan Papelbon been in keeping the Red Sox in the hunt?

JD: They’ve been huge. What can you say about Arroyo? The guy would be an ace anywhere else, especially for any middling NL Central team. Plus he signed a team-friendly contract to stay here and be a part of this. Papelbon is the real deal. His arsenal makes him perfectly suited for the rotation. Cla Meredith is unorthodox but has done a fine job as the closer. And Derek, ever since we shored up our infield defense [the Orlando Cabrera-Nomar Garciaparra trade in 2004] he’s been lights out.

BB: That left side of your infield, with rookies Hanley Ramirez and Andy Marte. How tough is it to hit a ball past them?

JD: It’s like a brick wall over there with those two guys. I doubt the Red Sox have ever had a better defensive shortstop than Hanley. In fact, we’re planning on interrupting a game during our next homestand to honor him with a plaque saying, “Best Defensive Shortstop in Red Sox history.”

BB: Didn’t you do that already? Maybe I’m confusing that with “Best Fourth Outfielder/Pinch-Runner Dave Roberts Day.”

JD: Maybe so. I can’t really keep track with all the hype surrounding this team. I mean, every day there’s another book that comes out about us. Somebody out there must be buying all this junk or else they wouldn’t keep writing them.

BB: Who is the MVP, Manny Ramirez or Big Papi?

JD: Well A-Rod was in the mix there until recently when he went down with those heart palpitations. I hope he’s OK. Yankee fans need to give him a break. As for the MVP, it’s tough because Papi gets the big hits but he wouldn’t have the chance if Manny wasn’t protecting him. It’s totally a Mantle-Maris thing. I hope they split the award.

BB: In hindsight, how disastrous would it have been if the Red Sox had not backed off of the Josh Beckett trade talks? He ended up with the Yankees, where he has floundered against the tough AL lineups.

JD: Well that trade would have cost us Hanley, who looks like he might be the next Barry Larkin. I’ll be shocked if Derek Jeter ever wins a Gold Glove again. Besides, have you heard of this kid Anibal Sanchez? He’ll be in the rotation next year for sure. Beckett is a nice talent and maybe he’ll turn into the ace the Yankees thought they were getting when they traded Wang and Cano for him, but he’s still got some learning to do, and we’ve handled him pretty well so far.

BB: So has Vernon Wells.

JD: Yeah, Vernon told me the other day he’s going to buy Beckett a Rolex for Christmas to thank him for all the gopher balls he’s thrown him.

BB: What do you want for Christmas?

JD: Another ring. We got one two years ago but last year we fell to the White Sox in seven games in the ALCS. We have a veteran group here that has been together a long time and knows how to win. It’s a good thing the front office never carried out those elaborate plans for overhauling the ballclub. Sometimes, it’s just better to stick with what works and not to outsmart yourself.

BB: Thanks for your time, Johnny. Just for the record, I think you would have enjoyed being a Yankee. I know the fans here in the Bronx would have loved it. Instead we’re stuck with Coco Crisp.

JD: [Laughs] I’m not touching that one.

Jacob Luft is the baseball editor for SI.com and, as you can tell, an aspiring fiction writer.

Man, I didn’t think they were even going to play last night. Neither, apparently, did Joe Torre, who scratched Chien-Ming Wang, and kept Johnny Damon and Bobby Abreu out of the starting line-up and off the slick outfield surface. It rained all day long in New York, but the waterworks stopped shortly before five o’clock. Jeff Kartsens got the nod instead and wasn’t especially sharp, giving up two long balls to Rocco Baldelli in the early going. The rain started up again by the end of the fourth inning, and the Rays held a 4-1 lead going into the bottom of the fifth, three precious outs from an official game.

But the Yanks rallied to tie the score, propelled by RBI hits from Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano. Two innings later, Cano broke the tie with a two out single to left and Alex Rodriguez added a two run base hit through the right side of infield. Darrell Rasner pitched the final four innings, and did a wonderful job getting ahead of hitters. He allowed just one hit and stuck out five. Oh, and Godziller Matsui homered for the first time since May. Final score: Yanks 7, Rays 4.

With the win the Yankees’ magic number is now six (Boston beat the O’s in Baltimore last night). About the only drag for the Yanks was when Jorge Posada was plunked in the elbow during the seventh inning. Posada was removed from the game. While it does not appear to be serious, he will be checked-out today to make sure that everything is copasetic. Ol’ Snuffleupagus Fasano could see a lot of burn this weekend. Speaking of which, click here to buy one of those dope Sal’s Pals t-shirts.

Finally, Gary Sheffield continues to get closer…scary, ain’t it?

There is some sad news to report on this rainy afternoon in New York. Jim Kaat is retiring. Tonight and tomorrow will be his final two broadcasts for the Yankees. While I had heard that Kaat might call it quits at the end of the year, all of sudden, he’s going to be gone. I don’t exactly know why he’s leaving before the end of the season. I can only speculate that Kaat didn’t want to call attention to himself as everyone around him was gearing up for the playoffs. Regardless, Kaat deserves a long, loud ovation from Yankee fans near and far for the steady and insightful work he’s provided over the years.

Man, I’m not ready to see him go and I’ve been feeling upset about it all morning long. I haven’t always agreed with Kaat’s analysis, but I have never had anything but the utmost respect for his professionalism, his eloquence and his willingness to speak his mind. He is a terrific storyteller, has an easy-going sense of humor, and has been a wonderfully measured prescence in the Yankee Universe. I remember my uncle spotting him in a bank on the Upper West Side during his stint with the Yanks at the end of his playing career, and I’ve always thought of him as a guy who appreciated New York City, and come to think of him as one of our (adopted) own. Richard Sandomir has a piece on Kitty today in the Times. The YES Network will have a tribute to Kaat up on their website later this afternoon, or perhaps this evening.

Kitty, you haven’t even left yet and I’m missing you already. But here is wishing Kaat the best of times with his grandchildren and on the golf course down in Florida.

I can’t recall the last time I was at the Stadium when things were as relaxed as they were last night. The announced paid attendance was over 52,000, but there were far less who actually turned out to watch the Bombers plow past the hapless D-Rays, 8-4. Truth be told, it wasn’t a particularly exciting game. The pace was American League East Sluggish as the starting pitching for both sides was mediocre. However, there were some highlights: Derek Jeter’s first inning single, which extended his hitting streak to 22 straight; Robinson Cano’s five RBI, and Alex Rodriguez’s drive that landed half-way up the black seats in dead center. Rodriguez had three hits on the night, and helped keep a first inning rally moving by taking out shortstop Ben Zobrist with a hard, but clean slide. Jason Giambi had two hits and though Godzilla Matsui went hitless, he just got under a pitch in his first at bat and lined out hard to left later in the game.

The Yankees’ magic number was reduced to seven as the Red Sox were blanked in Baltimore last night, 4-0.

Bernie Williams celebrated his 38th birthday from the bench. At one point between innings, the P.A. blared the Beatles tune, “Birthday,” and Bernie waved to the crowd. Joel Sherman spoke with Bernabee, who remains a class act:

Williams admits having to battle the dissatisfaction of devolving from star to spectator. “I’d rather be frustrated about not playing, then accept it and then not be ready when playing time comes,” Williams said. “The frustration tells me I’m ready and I’ll be ready when they need me.”

…”I’m having a lot of fun, man,” Williams said. “I am more mature at accepting administrative decisions. It’s not that I lack fire or don’t feel frustration at times. But I can accept it and not be subversive about it.”

Meanwhile, for the latest on Mariano Rivera, check out Jack Curry’s column this morning in the Times.

And for a glimpse of the future, peep Jim Baumbach’s piece on the Yankees’ top pitching prospect, Phillip Hughes.

“I can’t expect to win a postseason game giving up five runs,” Johnson said. “I got away with one tonight and I’m very grateful.”
(Sam Borden, N.Y. Daily News)

Indeed, Johnson was far from terrific last night, allowing five runs in six innings, but the Yankees bailed him out with six runs in the top of the seventh and Johnson earned the win (the 280th of his fine career), matching his win/loss total from 2005 at 17-10. The final score: Yanks 9, O’s 6. The critical play came when Fernando Tatis, a third baseman playing left field, misplayed Robinson Cano’s fly ball, allowing three runs to score. The Yanks did not look back.

Derek Jeter had two more hits, extending his hitting streak to 21 straight, and is now batting .346. Jeter characteristically remained mum about his chances to win the MVP award, refusing to react to David Ortiz’s recent kvetchfest. Alex Rodriguez returned from a nagging stomach virus and collected three hits of his own, including a home run. Rodriguez ended the night with 101 runs scored for the year, and has scored more than 100 runs in 11 consecutive seasons (oh, and he’s now driven in 100 plus runs ten times in his career). As Emily said when Rodriguez was rounding the bases in the ninth inning, “Rock on, Pukearella.”

The final word in the milestone dept: Joe Torre passed Miller Huggins on the all-time win list for Yankee managers last night. Only Casey and the great Joe McCarthy have won more games for the Bombers. Not bad for a boy from Brooklyn, eh?

The Yanks’ return home tonight with their magic number down to ten. The Devil Rays are in for three, with the Red Sox following this weekend for a four-game set. I’m sure we’ll hear more from the likes of Pete Abraham as the day moves on, but it’s likely that Hideki Matsui will be in the line-up tonight.

Welcome back Godzilla!

It is a bit chillier in Manhattan than it was five years ago to the day. Otherwise, it is a brilliantly sunny day, eerily reminiscent of that fateful morning that altered the city and the country forever. I rode the IRT to work this morning and there was the usual commotion, but there were also some hints of somberness too–a business woman in a black suit, a strapping Jewish kid with a black yarmulke, a gray-haired liberal with a black t-shirt that read, “What Really Happened?” Today is certainly a day to remember those who lost their lives in-and-around 9.11 as well as an opportunity to appreciate the good things we’ve got in our lives.

I sure have plenty to appreciate, that’s for sure. On Saturday, Emily and I took a ride up to Westchester to spend the afternoon with my mom and my step-father. While Em and Tom busied themselves with a project in the back yard, mom and I made a batch of madeleines, the shell-shaped cookies made famous by Proust in “Remberance of Things Past.” They are wonderful tea-time cookies, and must be eaten almost immediately. Even an hour or two after they’ve come out of the oven, they begin to change in nature, going from a light, sponge cake to a heavier, greasier cookie. It’s not even that they are my favorites, I just like the idea of them–the immediacy of it all. And you just can’t have them without a strong cup of tea for dunking.

Here they are fresh out of the oven. That’s my ma, adding some confectionate sugar, the final touch (dig, her beloved Tintin swatch).

And here is the final product, along with a simple plum tart and a strong cup of Earl Grey tea.

A small, good thing, if there ever was one.

A heppy ket.

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The Yanks got smoked down in Baltimore to the tune of 9-4, but didn’t lose any ground in the standings as the Red Sox continued to find new ways to lose last night in Boston. Gilbert Bogie was the one bright spot for the Bombers. Miguel Tejada made a marvelous catch in left field. Otherwise, it was a snoozer. Today gives a late afternoon game, 4:30 start. I kind of dig late afternoon games, particularly because of the way the light moves over the field. It presents a different beauty for fans–and different challenges for the players, subtle as they may be. Especially now that it’s getting to be the autumn, the light is unlike it would have been in April or May. I love it. Maybe you can watch the game eating the last of the good local tomatoes or corn. Should be a relaxing day for a game. The sticks are going to break out. What can I say, but let’s go Yanks, man.

(more…)

The Yanks are in Baltimore for a four-game series this weekend and well, it’s just hard to get juiced about this one, isn’t it? Four-hour games, a boring Orioles team, makes for precious little to say this morning. However, here are some links from around the ‘Net which may be of some interest:

Yankee GM, Brian Cashman talks to Roger Rubin about what we can expect from Hideki Matsui.

Don Amore examines the Yankees starting pitching.

Ed Price tackles the Yankees bullpen, while Jim Baumbach wonders how Kyle Farnsworth will do come October, Peter Abraham covers Brian Bruney, and George King updates Mariano Rivera’s situation.

Earlier this week, Joe Sheehan chimed-in on Alex Rodriguez’s season over at Baseball Prospectus:

Hey, is Alex Rodriguez still a choking scrub unfit to occupy the same infield as Derek Jeter? It’s kind of hard to keep up. I just happened to look today and saw that Rodriguez is 17th in the AL in EqA, 15th in RARP and 17th in VORP among position players. He leads AL third basemen in VORP and will likely hold that ranking until the end of the year. Defense could push Mark Teahen and/or Joe Crede ahead of Rodriguez in overall value, so you can figure he’s one of the two of three best third basemen in the league.
All of this in the worst year of his career.

The level of attention paid to Rodriguez’s slump went beyond all bounds of sanity. Yes, he was probably pressing, but there hasn’t been a player in history who had as much made of an 0-for-22 slump. I can guarantee you that the guy who bats two spots ahead of him in the lineup has never been subjected to the kind of small-minded, gleeful, jealous treatment that Alex Rodriguez endured in August.

Would that he never is, because it was shameful. I can hold this gig for a million years and I will never embarrass myself the way the press did over this issue. It’s the difference between writing about performance and writing about people, and it’s why I can stand behind every critical thing about a baseball player that I’ve ever put down on paper or onto your monitor, because I was never attacking their character or their person, but rather their work product. I have been wrong, but I have always stuck to the performance.

I have to admit that I underestimated the kind of impact that Johnny Damon would have on the Yankees this year. But as the season draws to a conclusion, and Derek Jeter is the thick of the MVP mix, I’ve come to believe that Damon has been almost as important for the Bombers, both in the locker room and on the field. Jeter smiles plenty during the games–he’s always enjoyed himself playing the game–but Damon is downright goofy. His smile is infectious, and along with the broad, carefree grins we see nightly from Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera (and across town from Jose Reyes), I don’t recall the last time a Yankee team seemed this loose, while being completely focused at the same time. As Pete Abraham recently noted, “I’m not sure there are 10 people in the world who enjoy life more than Damon.”

And yet, even if Damon is a flake, he’s also a gamer too. He’s played hurt all year, and you know that his teammates must appreciate that. Earlier this season I was in the Yankee locker room for a Sunday matinee against the Royals. It was get-away day, which means that the players arrive wearing suits. Damon was in the clubhouse early, before most of his teammates had arrived, wearing a stylish tan suit. Before he undressed, I saw him kneeling down in the the corner of the room, picking through a case of cds. After a few minutes, he stood up and groaned in pain–his foot has been killing him all year. He winced and hobbled for a minute as he balanced himself. Nobody was around, none of the reporters were paying attention to him at that moment, and there was no sense that he trying to attract attention to himself. It was just a small moment, but one that indicated that this was one tough dude.

The press absolutely love him. Damon might be the best daily talker the team has had since David Cone. In all, he’s been the perfect tonic for the traditionally tight-assed Yankees. Aditi Kinkhabwala has a piece on Damon today over at SI.com.

Randy Johnson threw six no-hit innings in Kansas City last night as the Yankees clobbered the Royals 8-3. The Red Sox were blown-out at home–and had some salt poured onto their wounds down in Florida to boot–as New York’s lead is back to nine games. Johnson (16-10) absolutely cruised, getting ahead of batters, and then putting them away. He threw only 81 pitches in seven full innings of work, walking two and striking out eight. To be sure, the Big Unit was aided by home plate umpire Charlie Reliford’s more than generous strike zone and an impatient KC lineup. But hey, the Yanks’ll take it.

David DeJesus broke up the no-no with a lead off triple in the seventh, but he was promptly picked-off of third by Jorge Posada. Down 5-0 at the time, I was surprised how DeJesus–who robbed Robinson Cano of a hit and also threw the Yankees’ second baseman out at the plate earlier in the game–could make such a careless play. Good as he is, I suppose this is why the Royals are in last place.

Posada powered the Yanks with two, three-run home runs. In the sixth, Jason Giambi–who had hit the ball hard in his previous at bat–doubled to the gap in right center. Alex Rodriguez followed with a walk and then Posada crushed a dinger to right. In the eighth, Andy Phillips–who had replaced Giambi in the seventh–doubled and Rodriguez walked again. This time, Posada hit one out to dead center, good for his 19th tater of the season (he also has 79 RBIs).

About the only drag for the Yanks was the performance by Kyle Farnsworth, who gave up a couple of runs in the ninth. Fortunately, the Bombers are winning without Mariano Rivera, who isn’t expected to begin throwing a ball around again until tomorrow at the earliest. According to Sam Borden in the News:

“We’ve been winning some games without him but no one is delusional enough to think we can do that in the future,” [manager, Joe] Torre said. “He could go out and pitch right now. What we’re trying to do is alleviate the discomfort. He’s very important to us. The ability to get it all the way well is our priority.”

Meanwhile, the Yankees’ future DH, Godzilla Matsui went 1-3 in his first rehab game since busting his wrist. In all, it was a fine night to be a Yankee fan wouldn’t you say?

Ray Negron knows that he is blessed. In the spring of 1973, when Negron was 16, none other than George Steinbrenner, the Boss himself, caught the teenager tagging an “NY” logo on the outside of Yankee Stadium. Instead of pressing charges, the Boss gave Negron a job as a batboy. Negron has been around the game ever since. He was drafted in the second round by the Pirates in 1975 but couldn’t hit enough to play pro ball so he returned to the Yankees where Billy Martin and Steinbrenner kept him busy. When Reggie Jackson arrived in ’77, Negron became the superduperstar’s personal assistant away from the park. “Reggie used to say that if he was the King of New York, then I was the Prince of the City,” says Negron.

Negron was the one person who was close with Reggie, Billy and George during the most volatile days of the Bronx Zoo, making him a unique figure in Yankee history. After Jackson left New York, Negron tried his hand at acting, and later became a player agent, working first in Japan and then back in the States. He was the only minority GM in the short-lived Senior League in the late eighties. But he’s perhaps most recognizable as an advisor to both Darryl Strawberry and Doc Gooden, the man who helped broker deals to bring the erstwhile Metropolitans to the Bronx in the mid-nineties. Negron’s biological father was a physically abusive alcoholic, and his two younger brothers are addicts as well. Subsequently, he has specialized in drug counseling. Negron worked for John Hart in Cleveland and then Texas as a player liason–he was especially close with Roberto Alomar and Juan Gonzalez–before returning to the Yankees last year.

Negron appreciates how much his chance meeting with the Boss has helped shape his life. He is committed to sharing his success story, speaking often at local schools and hospitals. Last week, Negron released the first in a series of children’s books he plans to write on topics like racism and drug abuse. The first title, The Boy of Steel, is a story about a young cancer patient who enjoys a magical experience at Yankee Stadium. Featuring large color illustrations, it is an ideal gift for any kid who loves the Yankees. Keep it in mind on your holiday shopping list this year. It’s for a good cause, as all the profits will be distributed to various charities.

Pos on Jetes, Klap on Abreu.

“I tell you, I’ve been here a month and a couple of days, and I’ve seen some crazy things,” said Bobby Abreu, who broke a 5-5 tie with a double to deep center. “This team has come back at any time, no matter what.”
(Tyler Kepner, N.Y. Times)

Well, it was just a matter of time, I guess. The Yankees left runners on base in the first six innings last night in Kansas City and had just one run to show for it. They were retired in order in the seventh and then broke out for ten runs against the Royals’ bullpen in the eighth, turning a 5-1 deficit into an 11-5 lead. The final score on “Star Wars” night in KC: Evil Empire 12, Royals 5. Chien-Ming Wang was not great though he did not pitch poorly either (Wang was victimized by a botched double play and a missed call at the plate in the sixth). Luke Hudson was what they like to call “effectively wild.” His hard change-up was particularly sharp and he struck out ten Yankees. He also brushed a few Yankees back. In the third, Hudson knocked Jeter down with a pitch around the shortstop’s noggin; after shooting Hudson a dirty look, Jeter lined the next pitch right back through the box, into the pitcher’s body. You can only dream about stuff like that.

But KC’s bullpen was awful in the eighth and the Yankees pounced. Forty-four pitches were thrown, ten runs scored, and when all was said and done, the Yanks remained nine ahead of Boston, who beat the White Sox in extra innings last night at Fenway Park. The magic number to clinch the division for the Bombers stands at 17. I wonder if Giambi and Damon partied with any Wookiees after the game.

Mike Mussina returns tonight, while Hideki Matsui will play in Trenton tomorrow.

While a distinct autumn chill has been felt in New York for much of the past week, Sunday was a reminder that summer isn’t quite over yet. It was a brilliant afternoon, sunny but not hot, and Yankee fans were treated to a 10-1 romp in the park over the Twins. Combined with a Red Sox loss, the Bombers now lead the AL East by nine games. The only Twins run came when Torii Hunter blasted a 3-0 fastball off starter Darrell Rasner in the second inning. Otherwise, Rasner, who has pitched well in the minors this season, had a fine outing in just his second big league start (and his first in pinstripes), allowing just four hits over six innings.

As for the offense, Robbie Cano, Jorge Posada, Alex Rodriguez and Bobby Abreu all had three hits. Rodriguez crushed two home runs–one into the black–and added an RBI single. The Twins’ centerfielder thinks Rodriguez is pretty okay. According to Larry Brooks in the Post:

“They showed every bit of why they got A-Rod. The way he hit the ball today was not even right,” Hunter said after Rodriguez had pounded a solo shot in the fifth to the right-center bleachers and then a three-run blow in the seventh into the black. “It’s not even human. He’s not human.

“Why dwell on the negative? You know what he can do. Why even dwell on what he did? He’s not human, but he’s going to have his slumps. He is one of the best hitters and might be the best hitter on the team.

“If y’all don’t want him, we’ll take him. How about that? If you don’t want A-Rod, we’ll take him. Well, we can’t afford him. Give him to us, and y’all pay the salary.”

Abreu tied a career-high by hitting three doubles. The most impressive came when Abreu led-off the bottom of the seventh and fouled the third pitch of the sequence off his lower leg. Abreu hobbled around the plate and eventually, Joe Torre and trainer, Gene Monahan came out to look him over. Abreu stayed in the game, and after taking ball two, slapped a ball into the gap in right center field. The ball was not that deep but Abreu turned-on-the-jets and beat the throw to second. He slid into the base head first and had to hang on to the base so as not to come off the bag entirely. It reminded me just a little bit of Paul O’Neill’s desperate double in Game 5 of the ALDS back in 1997. The fans appreciated his hustle and gave Abreu a nice ovation as he came out of the game for a pinch-runner. After the game, Torre hoped that Abreu would be fine, adding, “He looked pretty good going from home to second.”

Just about everything the Yankees did yesterday looked pretty good. They even had promising news to report about Hideki Matsui, who will play a rehab game this Wednesday in Trenton. We could see the return of Godzilla as soon as sometime next week. Bam.

I can only imagine what must have been running through a Minnesota Twins fans’ mind last night as they watched Alex Rodriguez hit two homers and a bases loaded RBI single–“This is the guy who is supposed to stink?” Now batting .282 with 29 dingers and 99 RBI, Rodriguez, according to my pal out west, Rich Lederer, “is having one of the best seasons for a bum in recent memory.” Rodriguez had that good look back last night–even when he grounded into a double play his second time up, his frustration inspired confidence, instead of a “here we go again” feeling. Lee Jenkins reports in The New York Times:

“He looks more comfortable,” Manager Joe Torre said. “I’m pleased and everybody else is pleased, too, because he makes a huge difference.”

After Rodriguez’s first home run, the fans at Yankee Stadium begged him for a curtain call, but he did not respond. After his second, in the seventh inning, they begged again. Only when Torre told Rodriguez to acknowledge the cheers did he walk to the top step of the dugout and wave his helmet.

“Unless Joe tells me to go, it’s not in my nature,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t feel comfortable doing that.”

The Yankee third baseman was not the only offensive star–Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu had three hits apeice too, as the Bombers rolled over the Twins, 8-1 on a rainy night in the Bronx. Corey Lidle got ahead of hitters consistently and tossed six shutout innings. Meanwhile, the Twins committed three errors and played a sloppy game.

The rain held off enough for them to get the game in. The swirling winds made virtually every fly ball to the outfield an adventure. Late in the game, Jorge Posada hit a line drive to center field. On the crack of the bat, Torii Hunter turned and ran to the spot where he thought the ball would land (Charles Euchner has a fascinating chapter about how outfielders track fly balls in his book, “The Last Nine Innings”). When he looked up, he discovered that the ball had dropped in behind him by a good 20-30 feet. “Wow,” was all he could say.

It’s actually not raining right now, but the winds are fierce. Not exactly an ideal day for playing ball, forget about sitting in the stands. Both Cliff and I will be at the park tomorrow. Hopefully, the weather will improve some by then.

Jason Giambi was back in the line-up but Mariano Rivera was unavailable and, as Kevin Kernan reports in the Post, the Yankees are holding their breath that their star closer will be okay come October. However, it is possible that both Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield could return before all is said and done. A dizzing proposition, for sure.

At least it’ll just have to do, won’t it? The Yankees were set to swipe the second game last night but an enervated Scott Proctor walked two men and then hung a slider to Craig Monroe who belted a three-run dinger which propelled the Tigers a 5-3 win. The Bombers only managed to get three hits in the entire game. Down 2-0 in the sixth, Sal Fassano was hit by a pitch and he moved to third on a double to the left-center field gap by Melky Cabrera. Derek Jeter followed and doubled them both in. Then he stole third. Jason Giambi was intentionally walked and Alex Rodriguez–who had another rough go of it offensively, though he seems to have steadied himself in the field–tapped a slow grounder to third. Brandon Inge threw Rodriguez out but the go-ahead run scored and that’s how things stood until the ninth.

Having pitched earlier in the day, Mariano Rivera was unavailable, and Kyle Farnsworth’s creaky back prevented Torre from using him as well. Enter Proctor, who also appeared in the first game. Nefi Perez grounded out to start the ninth, but then Proctor walked Inge, and with two men out, he could not put Curtis Granderson–leading the majors in whiffs–away. With a full count, Granderson fouled off two fastballs before Proctor let another heater sail high-and-wide for ball four. Monroe crunched Proctor’s first pitch, a hanging breaking ball, for a homer and Todd Jones retired the Yankees in order in the ninth.

It’s hard to get too steamed about the loss, yet it was regrettable all the same, particularly considering how well Jaret Wright pitched.

“I’m not real happy with it,” Proctor said. “I’ve got to attack guys like I have all year. It’s embarrassing, the two walks. The home run, you’re not happy about, but you can’t walk guys. I’m better than that.”
(Anthony McCarron, N.Y. Daily News)

It is overcast and chilly in New York this morning. Though I’m sure we haven’t seen the very last of warm weather, it feels like October around here today. The Big Unit goes against Jeremy Bonderman in a matinee at the Stadium. Should be a good one.

Let’s Go Yan-Kees.

The Yankees were rained-out last night and will play a two games today–Chien-Ming Wang will start this afternoon, while Jaret Wright goes this evening (the Big Unit will start tomorrow). The Bombers gained a half-a-game on the Red Sox, who lost 2-1 in Oakland last night (now, Beckett starts to pitch well, right?). It was the fifth straight loss for Boston and the 11th in their last 13 games. Manny Ramirez and Willy Mo Pena returned to the east coast to undergo medical testing while David Ortiz will be carefully monitored at Mass General. I hope that Ortiz will pull through and be able to resume his career. The Yankees are thinking about him as well:

“It’s never comforting to know a player has a physical problem, even if we are competing with them for the East,” Joe Torre said. “Certainly I like the fact that he’s not playing but I don’t like the fact that he’s not playing for that reason.”

…”He’s very important in that clubhouse,” said Mike Myers, who also came over from the Sox during the offseason. “You can’t ignore his numbers and all he does for the team. And within the clubhouse when I was there . . . he was one of the best personalities to have.”
(Roger Rubin, N.Y. Daily News)

The Red Sox, however, may be looking toward next year already; according to the Boston Globe, they are reportedly listening to offers for Boomer Wells. Injuries and lousy pitching have simply devastated the Sox.

Meanwhile, while the New York papers continue to harp on the Carl Pavano story, Hideki Matsui will take live batting practice today in the indoor batting cage at Yankee Stadium:

Matsui said he is generally pleased with how he’s progressing. “In terms of being pain-free, that’s something I definitely feel good about,” he said before last night’s Yankee game with Detroit was rained out. “I’m very satisfied.

“I’m still working on my mechanics and little things. That’s kind of where I’m at right now. I’m definitely still being conscious about the wrist when I swing. Eventually I’ll really move on to working on my mechanics thoroughly.”

Matsui said the actual mechanics of his swing aren’t that bad, but he needs to improve his timing.
(Michael Morrissey, N.Y. Post)

Matsui will likely be relegated to DHing when he returns but it now seems as if we’ll see the return of Godzilla before all is said and done this year.

The Red Sox were blanked in Oakland last night and now trail the Yankees by seven games in the AL East. Meanwhile in the Big Apple, as the Yankees prepare for a difficult week, the back page of the tabloids read, “Crash Test Dummy.” Ah, yes, the continuing saga of Carl Pavano. Oh, and there is still more on the struggling Alex Rodriguez, if you still have the stomach for that sort of thing. Cliff will have a preview of the Tigers series later in the day. It should be an exciting week.

Let’s Go Yan-Kees.