Why Sunday Was Little Relief With Tanaka

If Sunday was Tanaka injured, who can wait to see him when he is healthy again? Don’t wait up.

For what it is worth, Tanaka’s start on Sunday afternoon against Toronto was still perplexing. The only value it produced was a first hand look for the Yankees to see exactly what they have in Tanaka. Examining what MIGHT be manageable regarding his partial UCL tear next season. It is true that as an organization you can never know exactly what condition a player is really in until they’re in the heat of Major League competition. For reasons that are largely inexplicable, no throwing program, bullpen session, or Minor league rehab start can fully simulate that experience. So it was on Sunday afternoon, with 5.1 innings pitched, 1 earned run, five hits, no walks, five strike outs, and a lone hit batsman. Not bad for a man walking a path few have traveled. A path that will still end in the same place, the operating room.  

With fortune on their side Sunday, the Yankees breathed a sigh of relief. Tanaka over 70 pitches reported no unexpected discomfort, nor displayed any abnormalities in his pitching mechanics. In truth given his prognosis, Tanaka's outing Sunday did not provide any comfort. In modern baseball there is exactly ONE pitcher that has managed to endure this injury over multiple seasons successfully, the formidable Adam Wainwright. The cost for Waino was missing the end of 2010, and all of the Cardinals 2011 Championship season. Tanaka is walking the same high wirer, and the Yankees do not have much of an insurance policy to fall back upon. It is the reality of a partial UCL tear.

At present, the Yankees anticipate the strong possibility for a second Tanaka outing before the seasons ends on Sunday in Boston. By definition this plan exemplifies the Yankees pressing their luck. No different than one stretching their fortune by telling their dealer to “hit me” after drawing 20 in Black Jack. Tanaka’s injury makes one clear demand: It is not a matter of IF he will have surgery, but WHEN. If the Yankees manage to hit 21 going forward, they will cobble together an additional two seasons of very protected starts. If the club busts, they will be looking for Tanaka’s replacement by the spring. With Tanaka having only limited ammunition in his arsenal before surgery is necessary, which all superior medical knowledge corroborates, wasting him on games that do not translate into a championship is an utter waste.

*Image product of Corey Sipkin/New York Daily News

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Reflections of a 15 Year Old Umpire, Ejecting An Adult

         When I was 14, I became a little league umpire. Throughout high school, it provided the perfect employment for a young baseball fan, with a desire to work hard, use their extensive knowledge of the game, and take advantage of having no fear of crowds. Looking back it was an awesome experience, and definitely NOT without its growing pains. Its fair to say that a little league coach or parent can make Billy Martin look like Buddha. No matter how little you fear crowds, or extensive your purview of the game may be at that age, nothing properly prepares you to face an adult aggressor. Especially one who is aggravated over an outside strike.
         Over those years, players, parents, and coaches entered and left the league regularly, as did the umpires. Yet over four years, there were always a few special cases. A select few individuals that developed an infamous reputation for crossing the line from genuine dedication, to aggravated assault. These folks were known by everybody, you simply could not miss them. Rather, you could never truly be out of ear shot. Unfortunate for every wonderful coach, parent, or league official, there were occasionally those who flirted with court issued restraining orders. These are the people that force politicians to write and pass legislation on adult conduct at youth sporting events.
        One afternoon, as part of the standard operating two-man umpiring team, I was covering the second of a Sunday afternoon triple-header on the bases. My fellow umpire that afternoon, whom we will call Matt, had this game behind the plate. In attendance we had one of the aforementioned infamous characters, who had developed an astounding reputation for umpire abuse. I had never really let him get to me during my time as blue. There were definite benefits to a booming voice, and consistent strike zone (not that it always helped). Though that afternoon this gentleman, whom we will call Mr. X, was in vintage form. As an assistant coach, he always had a favorable vantage point to ride an umpire. With all the courage and bravery it takes to bully a teenage umpire, that afternoon Mr. X tangoed over the line. While I do not clearly recall exactly what the magic words were, Matt in command of the plate called for time. He rose from his crouch, removed the mask from his face, took once step to his right to where Mr. X was standing on the other side of the batting cage, and emphatically motioned for his ejection. I can only describe Mr. X’s description as stunned. Perfectly, honestly, totally stunned. Matt had just ejected an adult coach, at least 30 years his senior from a little league baseball game. To my knowledge, it was the first time Mr. X was politely asked to leave. After that moment of shock wore from Mr. X’s face, as well as everyone else’s in attendance, protocol took over. X stood back, picking up his personal belongings, and left the complex. Should he not have complied, league protocol would have dictated that he receive a police escort (they really didn’t mess around with any ambiguity in these matters). 
        Later that day at the conclusion of the triple header marathon, the league commissioner came to Matt and myself to hear our report of the incident. Once we had informed of our version of events, Matt walked off to discard his gear. The commissioner (who looked and acted like a far more wholesome version of Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone) took a deep breath, and in words that I may never forget said to himself, “Man, that kid’s got...” Yes Mr. Commissioner, he certainly did.
        I suppose what was most important about that afternoon was that Mr. X’s reputation had finally caught up with him. I don’t really ever remember seeing him again, except perhaps providing transportation for his son. The league did the right thing, they addressed an unacceptable situation, and trusted the judgment of their young umpire. This experience is one of the most poignant reasons I believe all ball players should umpire at some point. Not simply to learn the game further, but to truly understand and appreciate the challenge making the right call, AND the reality of maintaining proper order, while maintaining a positive playing environment. Atop all of those wonderful and high quality experiences, it does provide the occasional opportunity to gather your courage, and dispatch an overgrown bully. THAT is an experience that is truly invaluable in the development of an individual, despite how unpleasant it is at the time. 
       With the departure of Derek Jeter, I, like many, find themselves reflecting on their best baseball memories over a lifetime. This Friday, a beautiful Fall Ball afternoon, I felt the need to share this one with you. I haven’t seen Matt in many years, but I can bet my last dollar on one fact, he’s got….

                                           (It was dramatic, but perhaps not THIS dramatic)

*Photo product and courtesy of AP H. Rumph, Jr.

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Bean Balls And The Baseball Just War Doctrine

       Yankees batters have taken a considerable beating this week, with five hit batters in total. It is frustrating to watch, and truly infuriating, though not entirely for the reasons many would think. It is most frustrating when umpires issue warnings, and handcuff players from handling the issue properly, among themselves. From the beginning of baseball history, teams have taken it upon themselves to protect their hit batters, often by throwing at the other team in retaliation. Despite how some perceive this act, the rules which dictate intentionally throwing at batters is universal understood, and accepted among players. It is the Just War Doctrine of Baseball, the vaunted unwritten rules of the game which dictate a teams response, that can be equal to, and never exceed what they absorbed. It is a limitation that allows teams to respond, but not escalate confrontation. In short, it is an eye for an eye. Largely these rules have worked well, and teams are scrupulous in upholding them. The problem is when umpires decide to insert themselves prematurely into the situation.

        Most times when a batter is hit, a player from the pitchers team is hit shortly thereafter, and the situation is resolved. Then there are those times when an umpire is compelled to begin issuing warnings, and preemptively declare that the next pitcher to hit a batter will be ejected. Umpire warnings are often grossly misused, and seriously degrade the ability of pitchers to pitch effectively. To pitch effectively, pitchers MUST be able to throw on the inside corner of home plate. Warnings almost entirely rip that ability from them.

                           (Yankees third baseman Chase Headley taking one for the team.)

       The art of pitching is deeply psychological. It is the great battle of dominance between hitter and pitcher to establish who controls the plate, struggling for the power to approach the at-bat as they wish. Pitchers want to keep a batter from standing too close to the dish, so they can pitch to the outside corner effectively. A batter will want to stand closer to plate so their swing can better reach the outside corner. Then there are those times when a pitcher WANTS the baseball to either hit, or just miss the batter to create discomfort. As a pitcher, the LAST thing you want a batter to feel in the box is COMFORTABLE. When a batter is comfortable, they stand a far greater probability of getting on base. Roger Clemens called this inside pitch a “bow-tie,” a pitch thrown up and inside, yet missing. It is a time honored approach for pitchers because the results are undeniable. No matter how outwardly tough and un phased a hitter may appear, they NEVER forget a baseball narrowly missing their upper body. No one EVER wants to repeat it, and will make clear adjustments to avoid it. When a warning is issued, pitchers are far more hesitant to pitch on the inside corner, because accidents happen. Even without any intent of harm, a pitch can hit a batter. It is an occupational hazard. Regardless of intent, after a warning is issued a pitcher who hits a batter is ejected. It is a major advantage to the batter, who can anticipate almost every pitch for the remainder of the game focusing on the outside corner.

        Given how well players usually uphold their unwritten rules, and how much umpire warnings hamper the remainder of the games, it is inexcusable that umpires interject their authority in most scenarios. Clearly there are times when an umpire must become involved when he feels a dangerous situation is developing, and no one is suggesting otherwise. Yet, you cannot remove a pitchers ability to pitch inside. Pitching inside is directly correlated to Major League success, and no one should have it taken away from them. Even after a week in which Chase Headley was hit twice, the Yankees in all candor would still say they would rather take care of the situation between teams, and would be confident they could resolve it to their mutual satisfaction, without escalating the problem. 

* Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images

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Sunday Should NOT Be Tanaka Time

    It is inexplicable that on Sunday Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka is tentatively scheduled to start against the Toronto Blue Jays. It is his first start since July 8th against Cleveland, when after his start an MRI revealed a partial tear of his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right arm. He was placed on the disabled list on July 9th, and has remained there since. When you consider the reality of where the Yankees are in the standings, and the medical prognosis of pitchers with a UCL tear, there is no way to justify his throwing a meaningful pitch until spring training next year.
    Following his diagnosis in July, Tanaka began his rehabilitation in the middle of August, following his initial prescribed period of rest, the first step of his non-surgical treatment. After nearly a month of rehab activities, including a throwing program, bullpen sessions, and a recent rehab start against Yankees minor leaguer's, Tanaka’s return is set for Sunday. Even with a minor tear in his UCL, Tanaka and the Yankees have avoided surgery thus far. Surgery has not been recommended, but largely thought inevitable considering the average reaction of pitchers with similar injuries. Throughout the rehab process, Tanaka has not reported any unusual pain or discomfort in his pitching arm. Nor has he been observed in any unexpected discomfort, nor displaying abnormalities in his pitching mechanics. That being said, the foremost medical authorities do not give him much hope of avoiding surgery indefinitely.
    According to Johns Hopkins Medical Center, UCL repair surgery, best known to baseball fans as “Tommy John Surgery,” pitchers with a UCL tear choosing rehabilitation instead of surgery do not often produce a favorable outcome for sufficient healing in the long term. Most times exercising the non-surgical option are for patients who are not constantly using their arm for strenuous purposes. Those patients goals are generally limited to regaining functional mobility, and pain relief. Clearly Tanaka requires a healing outcome that vastly surpasses standard functionality.
    Should Tanaka be forced to undertake Tommy John surgery, the process of post surgical rehabilitation for pitchers averages seven months before they’re cleared to return to the mound, and resume full pitching activity. Once a pitcher is cleared to return to mound throwing, Major League pitchers average an additional three to five months of throwing programs and minor league rehab starts. All told, most clubs envision a full 12 month period of recovery before a pitcher will return to the trenches. 
    What is most troubling about the future of Tanaka's throwing arm is how he developed the injury initially. Most UCL tears are the product of the repeated motion necessary for pitching. During surgery, it is often revealed that the tear being repaired shows damage indicative of a wear and tear on the tendon. As opposed to a clean and complete separation, often the product of a single event. This is problematic given Tanaka’s reputation for endurance. During his time in Japan, Tanaka was legendary for his endurance on the mound, often pitching deep into games. One of the major changes he has undergone in his workload while pitching for the Yankees is his transition from pitching once a week (in his case, every Tuesday) in Japan, to a five man rotation, with four days rest in the U.S. Over the course of a full regular season, Tanaka will go from making roughly 24 starts, to a projected 35. If averaging his seven innings per start from 2014, Tanaka would pitch nearly an additional 80 regular season innings. If you consider a potential full World Series run, consisting of 5 to 7 additional starts, the tally may run as high as 115 to 130 additional innings overall. Such an increase is a profound change from a physiological perspective, and has clear ramifications for his remaining time in the Bronx. If Tanaka’s prognosis suggests eventual surgery, and his injury was most likely caused by a repeated pitching motion which further exacerbates his tear, would it not make the most sense to save as many bullets in his arm as possible? Is it really worth throwing ANY innings during a start in September that will not contribute to a playoff birth? It begs the question of why the Yankees are allowing his return now.
    It is difficult to fathom why the Yankees are so supportive of Tanaka’s return to the mound at this time, given the Yankees appear destined to miss the playoffs in 2014. It is also contrary to their usual organizational stance to protect their pitchers under all circumstances, let alone when the games being played will not result in their ultimate goal of a championship. Without a doubt, Tanaka was the Yankees best pitcher prior to being sidelined. In 2014, Tanaka’s first MLB season, he was both a leading AL Cy Yong Award candidate, and potential AL Rookie of the Year candidate. In 18 starts, Tanaka pitched 129.1 innings, producing a 12-4 record, with a 2.51 ERA. He allowed 111 hits, 19 walks, 135 strike outs, and an outstanding 1.0005 WHIP. It is impossible to deny the lure of having such a dominant pitcher return for the Yankees, but not given the aforementioned circumstances, where his number of pitches appear finite before surgery becomes necessary. While the Yankees motives are bizarre regarding his return this season, Tanaka’s are hardly an enigma.
    Tanaka’s desire to return this season is far easier to gauge. As a highly successful competitor, it has been torture for him being away from the game. As a young man of 25 years, he is entering the prime of his career, and clearly wants to take advantage of being the ace for New York. Though since it appears that at some point surgery will be necessary for Tanaka, he must be protected from himself. Should Tanaka re-injure himself, the Yankees are fully culpable for the folly. The Yankees are proceeding with the belief that if his tear is not greatly exacerbated over time, and he has nominal strength and range of motion for pitching, Tanaka’s greatest obstacle will be his ability to manage the discomfort associated with a UCL tear. They’re proceeding on the assumption of the best-case scenario, and it is unusually cavalier decision making for the Yankees, as they’re are otherwise shrewd in these matters (Joba Rules anyone?).
    Tanaka turns 26 on November 1st, and is emerging into the prime of his career. The Yankees are planning on many strong years ahead for Tanaka as their ace. Tanaka must be protected in all respects, and primarily from himself. In all pragmatism, 2015 and beyond are far more important than the remainder of 2014, which makes the logic of his return so unusual. It is impossible to conceive that the Yankees genuinely believe Tanaka is healthy. The best medical research available suggests that surgery at some point will become necessary, and that there is a limit to how much longer he can endure without it. Even though it is not known exactly how long it may be before surgery will be necessary, there is absolutely no reason to risk the encounter at all this season. Avoid holding your breath on Sunday, over five or six innings you may pass out.

                                                                   Only a fool...

                                                            Doubts his experience.

*Photo's courtesy of The New York Post, and elnuevoherald.com, respectively.

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Joe Girardi's Mandate To Lead

As a fan, it is always difficult to watch your team fade away in the standings when in the home stretch of a pennant race. What is even more difficult to digest is when that team fades away with one tough and grueling loss after the other. The Yankees in the final two months of the season have followed one hard fought, one run loss after another. The affect of losing in that manner is hard for fans, but it is even more difficult in the clubhouse. Joe Girardi, despite these demoralizing defeats, has done an overwhelming job keeping the team prepared, and completely focused for every game. Even in the face of the Yankees missing the playoffs in consecutive years, the first time in two decades, Joe Girardi has demonstrated that he is the manager of the future.

In a landscape created and molded by the late George Steinbrenner, patience with managerial failure has seldom been tolerated, regardless of the circumstances. In the case of Joe Girardi, it is impossible to believe he is part of the problem. In fact, there is every reason to believe he is part of the future solution. The past two months of the season is a perfect example of why Joe Girardi must be part of the Yankees future. The idea that he has managed to keep the club together, in the face of the most difficult losses a team can endure is proof enough. Certainly the Yankees have a strong veteran presence in their clubhouse, who take their careers, and each game seriously. Yet, it is human nature to begin taking the foot off the peddle, and allowing themselves to coast to what is the inevitable end of their 2014 campaign. Under Girardi’s leadership, the team has shown itself to give full, consistent effort every night, even though those efforts appear futile. Atop that, he has managed to squeeze every drop out of a patch-work rotation, and countless injuries at every position.

It is not mere coincidence that the Yankees have given full effort, despite the impending end of their season. Girardi is the figure leading the way every night, and clearly has the pulse and confidence of his team. Lesser managers have lost their club under less dire circumstances, and Girardi has successfully avoided that at every turn. In baseball when evaluating managers, you can never discount what is the major determining factor of the effectiveness of a manager, their unwavering, and unyielding command of the clubhouse. The Yankees could never have managed to fight so hard in this race, despite overwhelming odds, without that command. To the end, Girardi deserves far greater accolades than 2014 will produce. It is a sign that as the head of on-field operations, he is a figure that can be counted on to harvest the full effort and focus of his team, regardless of where they sit in the standings, and the time of year.

There are other points that can be made to support Girardi’s continued role with the Yankees, including, but not limited to, his undeniable ability to work with both young players, and veterans. In addition to having a strong grasp of organizational planning, and creating a strong clubhouse fabric. All of these qualities the Yankees will need in the face of major personnel changes during the upcoming off season. There will also be a player power-vacuum that will ensue with the departure of Derek Jeter. Though most importantly, he continues to motivate, and prepare his team exceptionally well, when every player in the clubhouse must know their efforts will not result in a playoff birth this year. A manager of that caliber is very rare, and the Yankees are fortunate enough to already have him sitting on their bench.

It is a law of nature that every manager looks like a genius when they’re winning. Yet, it is when those same managers consistently find a way to keep their team focused and hungry even when the chips are down, that tells a GM not to begin their search for a replacement. How could they? They’re irreplaceable.

                                               (A stern chin, and stoic look inspires confidence)

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Life After Jeter Starts With Michael Pineda

Today after 20 years, every Yankees fan is forced with the fact there is actually a future after Derek Jeter. For many fans, there has always been a permeating feeling that if Jeter was at shortstop, the dynasty glory will live on. That fantasy ends in only a matter of a weeks. So what's the plan? If the Yankees aren't to be doomed with a repeat of 1980's incompetency, and a future decade dominated from Queens, they need a true number one. It all starts with Michael Pineda.

Pitching, Pitching, Pitching:

If you can actually believe it, the Yankees have a future worth excitement when it comes to their guns in their projected rotation of the next few years. In 2014, the Yankees knew nothing but injury to their starting staff. It was only through the pithy, and far sighted acquisitions on the part of GM Brian Cashman that the club remained in marketable contention. This is not a sustainable practice, and the first piece to guarantee it does not continue is Michael Pineda. A situation that makes even the biggest homer hoard their season ticket deposits.

Michael Pineda is the lynch-pin to any future architecture to the Yankees. Despite missing all of 2013, and the vast majority of 2014, Pineda is the portion of the Yankees future that must be a blue-chip. Pineda is not a prospect. He is 25, and debuted brilliantly for Seattle in 2011. Standing at 6'-7”, 265 pounds, his brilliant velocity, precise command of the strike-zone, and with a clear philosophy of dominant pitching in the show, he must evolve to be the Yankees game one starter. As a pitcher entering his mid-twenties, with his cache of talent and refinement, 2015 is Pineda's time, defined. Every pitcher deals with injury, a fact made clear to every professional. Unfortunately, each players ability to remain durable is as unique as their fingerprint. Durability is Pineda's one true obstacle that will separate him between irrelevancy, and a seven year deal worth over $150 million. He and the Yankees share a fait accompli. His 50.0IP/38H/4BB/34K with a 1.80 ERA in 2014 is the clearest example of his potential career ceiling. Even in an age when pitching has roared with dominance, this sample must be taken as evidence of a talent that could contribute invaluably to future championships. It is the first true investment of the next Yankees generation. An investment for the Yankees sake, that must pay dividends.

The Difference:

The largest difference between 2014, and 1994 is the fan base. Not only has there been an entirely new generation of Yankees fans that have only known winning, the commercial infrastructure of the franchise cannot accept any other outcome. With the seats between the bases described as an experience the equivalent of a high-end socialite wedding reception, 80 wins a year is not an outcome that is fathomable. If the Yankees sustain mediocrity for any period of time, the only thing the imperial palace will attract are mosquitoes breeding in pools of water on the warning track. Needless to say, these are high stakes for the new generation of Steinbrenner ownership. While there is so much more that is required for a Yankees future worth witnessing, Michael Pineda is cornerstone one.

Next time, we venture into the wide open field of the future of the everyday player. A name that will need be the pillar of success, that even with divine providence we can only now speculate. 

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Derek Jeter: Beloved Legend, The Unknown Man

It has been nearly 20 years, 3,400 hits, and five championships since we first met Derek Sanderson Jeter. We have watched him at shortstop, batting mostly second in the order, for seven months at a time. His personal bounty includes being the reigning most eligible bachelor in New York City, living a fantastically wealthy young mans life, enjoying the personal gravitas of an established American icon, and sitting atop the Pantheon of the baseball gods. All considered, I don't feel like I know anything about Derek Jeter the man. By design, I am convinced none of us ever will.

In an age of unparalleled access to celebrities by the masses, Jeter has absolutely mastered the art of anonymity in the limelight. The most you can know about Jeter the man, largely falls within here-say, rumors, and the YES Network party line. The only accurate conclusion you can draw is that Jeter is a man who wishes to dominate his privacy. It is a policy I cannot dismiss as trivial, or shortsighted. The price of celebrity success comes with some sacrifice into the realm of personal domaine. Yet, he has managed to have his cake, and eat it too. He is the legendary icon who has ruled one of the greatest cities on earth for a generation, and yet managed to reveal nothing of himself other than what he expressly desired. That is no small accomplishment in a national media landscape that is eternally vigilant. Clearly, Derek studied his Yankee history well, because he is not the first to pull it off.

When you break down Derek's character legacy, he can only be compared (if any comparison is possible) to Joe DiMaggio. Both men clearly had a distinct vision of how they wanted the world to know them. Each clearly defined their profile of concealed public emotion, unflinching professionalism, occluding their declining skills, and were unrelenting in ever wanting to be seen as truly human. DiMaggio was meticulous regarding the company he kept, maintaining unparalleled standards of secrecy with those whom he associated with intimately. Derek Jeter has a famous policy in his home requiring guests to leave their phones in a bucket at the front door. Jeter is also well known for giving signed memorabilia to his one night romantic encounters. Derek is amazingly coy on matters regarding his more high profile engagements. Likewise, DiMaggio was incredibly protective of Marilyn Monroe, long after her passing. In sum, they both set the standard for the Yankees icon, and the American icon. They very efficiently disseminated only what they wanted the public to know. A public relations clinic that many could learn a great deal.

At an early phase in his career, Jeter learned the one part of your life you can never reclaim when lost is your privacy. There is no end great enough to justify its sacrifice, and no bounty can retrieve it. A maxim he has stood fast to. Yet after 20 years, what is most astounding about what Jeter has accomplished in the realm of public relations, is that almost nobody cares about him outside of shortstop. There is seldom stigma associated with success, and there is seldom a story without stigma. Unlike the superstar that has played to Jeter's right for the last decade, Derek has only ever been associated with winning, playing the game "the right way," and making all the savvy professional decisions. In return, he is largely left alone. The Captain, the final number 2, has given every Yankees fan a treasure trove of awesome baseball memories. “The Flip Play,” “Mr. November,” and making Jeffrey Maier a household name in New York and Baltimore, respectively. Though after 20 years, we still have no idea what his actual favorite color is.

A masterful performance.

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Because Fantasy Football Has NOTHING To Do With Section 422

This may have nothing to do with baseball, let alone Yankees baseball. Yet seriously, who doesn't LOVE a new AND original fantasy football team logo? Or shameless self-promotion?

Cheers to the 2011, and 2012 champions of the Florida Football League, the Dallas Big-D Ramblers! (Two stars! Get it?!)

Feel free to share your own in the comment section. I want to see!

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Top Five Yankees Commercials Of All Time

# 5- New Era

Most people reading this have likely found themselves in this situation at least once in their life. In the past decade and half, it has been almost unavoidable. Alec Baldwin and New Era exact perfectly the Yankees attitude. Most long standing Yankees may want to applaud after seeing this commercial.

#4- Visa

Following his occasional ritual of filming commercials to parody highly publicized feuds, The Boss and Derek Jeter came together for this 2002 Visa commercial. It followed a situation where Steinbrenner believed the Captain’s performance was being hindered by over indulgence into the limelight of New York. Needless to say, they buried the hatchet while line dancing.

#3- Adidas

Louis Sojo thought what we were all thinking in 1998, “Hey Coney, why don’t you have a dance?” This Yankees classic really deserves airtime on YES. Like many Yankees fan’s, I too remember the first time I saw Orlando Hernandez’s leg kick . It harkens back to a year when the Yankees just did not lose, and David Cone appalled the cities more colorful residents with his dance moves.

#2- Miller Lite

This commercial is a close runner up to our final selection. As mentioned earlier, this comes from a handful of commercials starring Billy Martin and George Steinbrenner, commemorating their otherwise ridiculous relationship. This Miller Lite commercial is by far the best of all the times they spent together on the small screen. It is not as funny as number three, but there comes a time when a classic just deserves its due.

#1- Adidas

This commercials answers the question every Yankees fan had on their mind, “What the hell is ANSKY?” Adidas created a commercial that is clearly king among men. It had everything. Sweaty and body painted fans. A foul mouthed cabby. A completely believable error that everyone has stumbled into during their life. Simply put, it is a stroke of marketing genius. Its fair to say that sometime in my life, I will name a pet frog ANSKY. Oh wait, I already have. Only in New York.

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Why The Cliff Lee Situation Feels So Familiar

There are times when we must all look to history, or be doomed to repeat it. As injuries have decimated the Yankees original 2014 starting staff, and baseball settles its landscape on the trade market, Cliff Lee appears to be atop many fans wish list for a revamped Yankees rotation as a battle tested ace. Yet, Cliff Lee demonstrates a desturbing historical parallel to the Yankees 2004 persuit of Randy Johnson.

Lee is on a struggling Phillies team (43-55, 5th in the NL East), one that will inevitably be forced to deal many of its stars by the July 31st trade deadline in order to rebuild. Lee is owed an overwhelming amount of money over the next year and a half. Lee's current deal entitles him to $7.5M for the remainder of 2014, $25M for 2015, and a $27.5M option in 2016, with a $12.5M buyout for declining (per Baseball Prospectus' Cot's Contracts). Lee has made a career out of firing bee-bee’s at the Yankees during critical playoff moments, and is also the top flight pitcher that has always been just out of reach for the Yankees in the past. In essence, Cliff Lee is Randy Johnson from 10 years ago.

Some may recall the fixation that began when a Daily News’ article in July 2004 quoted Johnson as saying “I’d play for the Yanks.” In 2004, the pitching needs were very similar to those of the 2014 Yankees. Both are the product of injury and under performance. Yankees fans were clamoring to fit Johnson for pinstripes as an answer to their championship prayers. In fairness, Johnson in 2004 was having a much more memorable season than Lee’s 2014. In fact, Johnson was downright dominant (16-14 W-L/245.2 IP/2.60 ERA/0.90 WHIP/44 BB/290 K). He was the lone figure that made Arizona Diamondbacks (55-111) baseball palatable, albeit once every five days. Ultimately the Yankees were not able to acquire Johnson until the off-season, two months too late for the 04’ campaign. Once the Yankees managed to trade for him, his two year tenure was highly tumultuous. Beginning with a bevy of mechanical problems that affected his velocity and slider command. Johnson also endured an endless string of back ailments that clearly hindered his performance. His time in the Bronx ultimately lead him to be traded back to Arizona during the 2006 off season, to both the relief of Johnson and the Yankees alike.

I bring this vivid example to light because it feels like the situation the Yankees face with Cliff Lee. Like Johnson, Lee was never known for his fondness for playing in the Bronx, or for their fans (A notable incident with Lee’s wife in the stands at Yankee Stadium during the 2010 AL Championship Series did not help), and both have spurned significant Yankee interest during free agency. More pointedly, both come with high prices tags in the form of major contractual obligations, and a potential haul of the few valued prospects in the Yankee system. Lee, like Johnson, is not in the prime of his career, and further stands a realistic probability of re-injury. Lee has been on the DL since May 10th with a pitching elbow strain. Lee is is 35 years old, Johnson was 40.

It is fair to say Cliff Lee is by definition a high risk investment, potentially even greater than Johnson. Not only will the Yankees in all likelihood be forced to grant Philadephia major concessions, they also run the risk of acquiring a player who’s body, mind, and heart appear far from lockstep with the challenge the Yankees face. Granted, Lee has a full no-trade clause, one that Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. would have to convince Lee to waive (Editor's Note: Cliff Lee has a partial no-trade clause to 20 clubs, that includes the Yankees). Even if Amaro manages to do so, the Yankees face the prospect of acquiring a player with little initial desire to be in New York. There is no physical injury that can compare when an athlete, even a professional athlete, is not fully committed to their playing situation. Unfortunately, there is no sabermetric measurement, nor scouting report, that can tell Brian Cashman what he needs to know about Lee’s heart before possibly pulling the trigger on that deal.

As a Yankees fan, I cannot help but recall how dominant Lee has been in big spots, especially against the Yankees. Since 2007, Cliff Lee has been everything on the mound, and more. Though it is no stretch to label any deal for him with the old adage “buyer beware,” no matter the potential great reward it may bring to a Yankees club firmly in need.

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Bleacher Creature Displays Jeter's Most Memorable Farewell Gift

Vinny Milano is better known to Yankees fans as "Bald Vinny." Milano is the Prime Minister of The Bleacher Creatures in section 203 (Previously section 39). He is also a legendary super fan, a star from the YES Network's original run of the YES Network Ultimate Road Trip, and a River Avenue t-shirt vendor. He is also the booming voice that begins the roll call after first pitch ("Heyyyyy!! Jacobyyyyy!!"). Bald Vinny has decided to leave something permanent for The Captain's posterity.

Per his Twitter and Instagram account, Milano has emblazoned a piece of street art on a security shutter, a piece he commissioned portraying Derek Jeter. However you may feel about graffiti as an art form, this is impressive. Leaving my inner art critic at home, the mural does one thing exceptionally well, it precisely fits the tone of the cities fans. More to the point, it embodies how Yankees fans think of their Captain, he is without blemish. Even though it was a bit much on the eye lashes, it is displays like these that make up the intangible sensation Yankees fan feel during game day. An experience that cannot be duplicated or transplanted anywhere else in sports, because it so embodies the generational dedication and passion for New York's top sport, and team. The next time I am on River Avenue, there is a photo-op waiting to happen.

The original stadium may be gone, but it's fans like Bald Vinny, and their unsurpassed zeal for the organization that make a trip to the Bronx unlike any other. Yankees fan may both give and take a lot in the reputation department, but they create an infectious experience that cannot be denied, or diluted.

(Below are links to Vinny Milano's Instagram Site, and his Yankees t-shirt business. Both are worth a click.)

Vinny Milano's Instagram Account with additional photo's of the mural creation.

Bald Vinny's T-Shirt Site. A classic selection! 

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July 20th, 1998: A Doubleheader to Remember

16 years ago today, I was 12 years old, and the Yankees were playing host to the Detroit Tigers. It was a single-admission double header at Yankee Stadium, scheduled as a make up game for a previously postponed rain out.

For my family, it was a unique celebration. We were attending the double header to honor my mother's recent remission from cancer after a year long battle. It would turn into a day that none of us would ever forget.

The first pitch for game 1 was scheduled for 4:05 that afternoon. David Wells, amidst his overwhelming 1998 season, started the first game for the Yankees. Despite a strong 6.1 inning start, he would come nowhere close to finishing the contest. The game was tied at three after nine innings, and remained tied until the top of the 17th. A go-ahead single by Joe Randa off of the Yankees Darren Holmes put Detroit ahead 4-3, where they would hold on to win. The last out of the first game was recorded at 10:00 PM, with game 2 scheduled for 10:30.

After a grueling loss that took six hours to play, it was decision time. We asked my Mom, who only recently had been declared in remission, if she wanted to go home. Surely no one could have blamed her for wanting to leave. She would have none of it. She made it clear we were there for the haul.

Hideki Irabu started the second game, which the Yankees would win in a comparatively brief nine innings, by the score of 4-3. It was a hard earned split for every fan still in attendance. The second game ended at 1:15 AM. 

This memory is bitter sweet, as my mother is no longer with us today. Though, even after a charmed life as a baseball fan, that day is my fondest memory of the game, and the old ballpark. Moreover, I cannot put into words how stalwart she was to remain for the entirety of nine consecutive hours of baseball. Especially for a woman who was still experiencing considerable physical discomfort. 

July 20th, 1998 was one of my mother's finest moments, among countless fine moments in her life, and specifically in 1998. It is yet another example that baseball helps heal all wounds. 

The box score for 7/20/1998. Courtesy of baseball-reference.com

                                    (The arrangement is the beautiful work of Rosie's Floral Boutique)

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The Iron Horse And His Silver Tongue

The accomplishments of Lou Gehrig are legendary. The Iron Horse can be remembered for any one of many incredible feat. Though it is his speech on Lou Gehrig Day at Yankee Stadium, on July 4th, 1939 that many recall most. When you truly analyze it, Gehrig's speech is amazingly one of the top ten speeches given in American history. Yet with applause included, he spoke for no more than 30 seconds (Revision Note: Most broadcast's of his speech are historically abbreviated). Clearly he was overcome by the moment. A moment that included an astounding outpouring of affection. As he stood there, he knew there was a very limited time left for him on earth. In all likelihood, he experienced a complex, and intense combination of emotion. Maybe even a great deal more.

Though why are his few words so lasting? So indelible? It can be said that great public speaking is a combination of both brevity, and the ability to move your audience emotionally. In that regard, Gehrig is joined by few. It is possible to believe his speech is as ingrained in the annals of American history as, "[a] day that will live in infamy," or "I have a dream." The first example being America's entrance into World War II. The second are words of an American prophet, who foresaw a greater future for all. Though Gehrig only played baseball. How is it possible to believe his contributions and illness could possibly compare to changing the complexion of the world?

Henry Louis Gehrig was a first generation German-American, a dedicated mama's boy, attended Columbia University, batted fourth in Murderer's Row, he played a record 2,130 consecutive games, and was for all intents and purposes the embodiment of the American dream. A son of immigrants who was self made, and composed of something like iron. Despite so many amazing achievements, the speech is so incredibly memorable and important because it is so human. A great man receiving his due accolades, knowing full well his time is near. Every person who has ever heard his words can feel his pain, his gratitude, and his humility. He demonstrated without any doubt that even a man of iron is still just a man. Legend or not. 

                                                   (Image compliments of cbssports.com)


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Astros WikiLeaks

Now that we have all had a good laugh, and Houston has plenty of egg on its face, what have we learned from this security compromise?

A couple of years ago, I attended a duel interview of Brian Cashman and Theo Epstein, moderated by ESPN Baseball Tonight's Karl Ravech. These two former arch foes could finally share the same stage, as Epstein had recently relocated to the north side of Chicago. They both made two things abundantly clear that were affirmed today; the first, there is only a limited window in which you can make real negotiation progress with another team (often late June through August, and the offseason). The second, absolutely no one is in the business of doing you a favor. If you're the Yankees or the Red Sox, be prepared to pay, because no one has any sympathy for you. 

The third that cannot be denied from today, and by far the funniest thing, many baseball professionals in the front office are hardly what Roger Dawson (Master of Power Negotiation) would call power negotiators. In fact, after reading the leaked Deadspin logs, most of the individuals in the position of making major organizational decisions seem about as savvy as many rivals in my fantasy leagues. On many levels, this is disheartening. You want to visualize a Boiler Room like scene, with guys having removed ties, sweaty shirts, windowless rooms because time has become meaningless, and cell phones surgically attached to their hands. Not so. I am afraid like in any business, some people are far more dynamic and creative than their counterparts, and more successful.

 These are the facts that were confirmed earlier today. All of which are equally entertaining, disturbing, and enlightening. I won't yet indulge in Ichiro's part of this fun mishap, though you can look forward to an upcoming article on the best Yankees trades never made in the last decade. 

What the baseball world is biting at the bit to know now: who is our Julian Assange?

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Yankee Stadium III (2009): The Trophy Wife Of Major League Ballparks

Doesn't the title really say it all? In many regards, the past five and a half seasons have been difficult for most Yankees fans to adjust to. They're welcome to a large, glistening, majestic stadium, that could only host one organization, THE organization, the New York Yankees. Yet, there is an instinctual resistance to this imperial coliseum. Despite all of the wonderful comforts, amenities, and majesty of a remarkable history, it lacks a soul. 

The question that needs to be asked starts many years ago: why was George Steinbrenner so singleminded in building a new ballpark? The answer: he didn't believe he could grow his business in the South Bronx. Originally his desire for increased revenue pointed to a ballpark on the west side of Manhattan. Then The Boss threatened to relocate to New Jersey, and he even investigated a retractable roof palace in Macombs Dam Park, a ballpark that would be almost entirely funded by the city of New York. If not for the legal action of Mayor Bloomberg's first administration, the original agreement would have commenced. The city would have suffered financially for endless years. An absolute quagmire.

                                                           (Courtesy of ballparksofbaseball.com)

So we bring ourselves back to the original question: why? Clearly there has been an incredible building craze in baseball - it is the legacy of Bud Selig, along with his utter hypocrisy regarding PED's. How could the Yankees be left out? Following the end of the 2001 season, everything changed. The organization, despite their dominance, knew that only the highest profile everyday players could attract 50,000 fans a night to the South Bronx. As the profile of each player accumulated and became headline news (e.g. A-Rod), a new demographic emerged into the stands. This demographic is wealthy, corporate, and has the highest expectations for every accommodation during a nine inning affair. As such, the gauntlet had been laid, a new ballpark was needed, and it needed to provide EVERYTHING (Lobel's, really?). 

Yet the desire to accommodate this new demand has proven short-sighted. The Yankees had an intangible quality that few other organizations in sports enjoy. Their ballpark, their epicenter, their home, was legendary. Generations of great players, great games, and great fans like Freddy Schuman gave the building unparalleled character. It may have been renovated in the mid-70's, but it was still "The House That Ruth Built" - the same field, the same energy, the same embodiment of greatness. Fenway Park and Wrigley Field certainly personify a golden age of baseball past, but each was a niche player when compared to the original Yankee Stadium. 

Disregarding the fact that the architectural abilities existed to have made any renovation to the old girl, the Yankees traded up. They took the new beauty that looked, acted, and mimicked the original. Even with a championship under its belt, the building doesn't have a soul. I cannot say one way or another that time will solve this dilemma. However, I find it all truly lackluster. Many fans are priced out and forced to sit in restricted airspace. The Bleacher Creatures are no longer on their island but instead pressured to conform. The acoustics of the crowd noise are listless by comparison. A concrete trench that could serve as a moat to keep the peasants out of the empty seats behind home plate is guarded like Buckingham Palace. Worst of all, every opposing team no longer feels the intimidation of the history and majesty of the cathedral. It is all gone.

I only wish I could share with my future children the rush on a Bronx bound 4 train, while looking into the right field opening, directly across the tracks. In the end, it is the little things, after all.

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Uecker Statue in Section 422

As a baseball fan, dedicated scribe, and follower of the great voices of the game, I am overwhelmed that Section 422 has a legendary resident in its Miller Park counterpart, the new statue of Bob Uecker. It is a fitting addition to what are known as "The Uecker Seats" in Milwaukee. While this blog almost exclusively reports on Yankees matters, I seldom pass an opportunity to comment on those who have taken a irreplaceable role in building the game. Broadcasters are one of the pillars of baseball for that reason, they paint the scene onto the canvas of our minds. To that end, Uecker is joined by a select few.

Aside from Uecker being a living legend for his work in the Milwaukee Brewers radio booth, he is Johnny Carson's "Mr. Baseball" as a frequent guest on Carson's Tonight Show. Though for me, he IS Harry Doyle from Major League. A role that showcases the perfect blend of sarcasm, satire, and hilarious passive aggressive commentary only he could deliver.

In the master class of baseball broadcasters, that include the likes of Vin Scully, Red Barber, Mel Allen, Jack Buck, Bob Wolff, and Ernie Harwell (not including a host of well deserving others), Uecker is the master class clown. He is a gentleman who's natural wit and style has the ability to bring levity to a sport that often takes itself far too seriously. Yet despite the humor, he maintains an incredible underlying dignity in his portrayal of the game, and in himself. For that, he is a well celebrated aberration.

Thank you, Mr. Uecker. See you in Section 422.

                                                           (Photo courtesy of kgmi.com)

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Michael Pineda's Lesson on Valor

In life, and baseball, discretion is always the better part of valor. In the case of Michael Pineda, his crime was a lack of discretion. At Fenway Park on Wednesday night, it was almost impossible to believe there was another blotch of pine tar on Michael Pineda, this time on his neck. It's placement was daring, begging the Red Sox to call him out for his attempt to improve his grip on the baseball, despite the age old "unwritten rules" that keep teams from blowing the whistle on each other for accepted gamesmanship.

It was clear that Red Sox manager John Farrell was left without a choice. After Pineda's first performance against Boston on Sunday Night Baseball, with the Yankee Stadium lights, and ESPN cameras gleaming off the pine tar on his right wrist, there was no way Boston could have allowed Pineda to continue unchallenged. If Farrell had not acted, the Red Sox would have faced glaring questions about their competency, if they had not intervened for a second time. The decision to act was not a matter of rivalry, nor a matter of competitive balance, but recourse for disregarding the common baseball courtesy of not placing your opponent in the unnecessary position of facing questions about being asleep at the wheel, for allowing their opponents infraction. Boston is a sports town that is notorious for grilling their teams for even the slightest mishap, and Pineda's sticky neck simply could not be tolerated. Not twice.

The Yankees for their part had their organizational party line well underway during the YES broadcast mid-game studio break. Jack Curry deemed that Pineda had been caught at the "cookie jar" for a second time, a klaxon call that signaled there would be no damage control for Pineda's faux pax. Yankees GM Brian Cashman wanted nothing to do with covering his pitchers lack of discretion, and nor did Girardi. Each had done their part dancing around the first incident 10 days prior. The Yankees were embarrassed, and Pineda alone would answer for his misdeed.

It is no great secret that professional baseball is governed by a host of unwritten rules that allow the game to control itself through unofficial channels. The first of those edicts is the use of discretion. If a pitcher is looking to improve their grip on the baseball during a cold night, keep the pine tar out of sight. Hide it in the glove, deep under the bill of the cap, or discreetly on the belt, but do not make the effort obvious to millions of viewers. Pineda did not just violate that commandment, he commenced with the subtlety of P.T. Barnum.

In the end, the incident will have little impact on the game itself. Pitchers and hitters alike are seeking every advantage, and baseball will largely leave it to the clubs to keep each other in check.  Though there is little question that Michael Pineda's true punishment is not his 10 day league suspension. It is the year long chore of fielding every obligatory question about pine tar after every start, and no longer being given the benefit of the doubt. A harsher lesson than most for a lack of valor.

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New York City: American or National? Neither!

                                                        (New York City, c. 1950)

New York sports radio demigod WFAN earlier today took it upon itself to stoke the fires of one of the most outmoded debates in local sports: Is New York REALLY an American League or National League town? For the un-indoctrinated, this debate emanates from the 1950's, when New York was at its baseball height, with the Giants, Dodgers, and Yankees dominating the game. It was not unusual at that time to believe that given the prevalence of two National League clubs, and the infamous rivalry between the Dodgers and Giants, that New York was in fact a National League town at that time. Though to examine the reality of this debate, its important to have a brief history lesson.

Despite baseball being the personal possession of New York during the 1950's, the 1950's themselves were the undisputed property of the New York Yankees. In that ten year period, the Yankees won 9 American League Pennants, and 7 World Series titles, including five in a row. At the end of 1957, the Dodgers and Giants moved to Los Angeles, and San Francisco, respectively. A devastating ending to one of the greatest periods in baseball history. Many of the former Giants and Dodgers fans did not follow their original teams once they relocated, and many eventually became Mets fans upon their inception in 1962.

When all three of these teams shared the same city, the role of the clubs themselves were dramatically different than what we have come to expect today. The players themselves were pillars of the communities they played for. Despite being paid more than the average American of the day, almost every ballplayer took up off-season employment in the area. They would genuinely interact with the fans that packed their stadiums, and the teams themselves were for all purposes living embodiments of their corner of New York. Players are no longer prominent members of the communities in which they play. The players, despite having their most dedicating following occur on a regional basis, are major figures of the free world. The days of Willie Mays playing stick-ball with the neighborhood kids in upper Manhattan are long since past, and Yogi Berra is no longer selling suit's. Those qualities undoubtedly created bonds between borough and team that simply no longer exist. Players today are as real to the average New Yorker as their image on Wheaties boxes.

In addition to the teams no longer having the relationship they once did with their cities, Major League Baseball has done everything in its power to make each league androgynous, specifically with the rise of inter-league play on a season long basis. MLB has taken almost every conceivable step to stream line all of their league operations, creating a unified shield, nearly to the point of the American and National League's lacking all identity. With the exception of the designated hitter, the two leagues are indistinguishable, and modern fans have no problem with this. In fact, most fans under 40 would not be able to tell you which league was synonymous with the high strike zone.

As for the preservation of history itself, the last of the great baseball cathedrals in New York were washed away with the piece by piece auction of the original Yankee Stadium. Coogan's Bluff and Flatbush are a housing project, and an overpriced/gentrified piece of real estate. That is what remains of New York's golden age of baseball, and the physical pieces of history that made this debate relevant at the time.

While it may be fun to argue about whether New York is really an American or National League town, it is undeniable that baseball itself has made the distinction irrelevant, because each league is essentially identical. Modern baseball fans no longer think in those terms, including New Yorkers. Why would they? The modern fan wants complete digital access to all Major League Baseball content, instant replay technology that rivals Cheyenne Mountain, a unified strike zone, and more food and beverage options than a U.N. luncheon. Most importantly, modern fans want access to the game at any time, in any place in the world. People that have never broached the western hemisphere are wearing interlocking NY hats, Yasiel Puig jersey's, and pink Buster Posey t-shirts on every continent. You can guarantee that Major League Baseball will do whatever is necessary to cater to the growing global appetite for the game. A game that is a unified product, and where all 30 teams draw fans from every corner of the earth. One game, one league. Whether New York is an American or National League town is a debate that rightly belongs in the annals of baseball history, but has no place in baseball modernity.

                                                          (2014 and beyond...)

*Photo's courtesy of New York City MTA, and Magellan Graphix Santa Barbarra, CA 1994.

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Everyone's A Steinbrenner

Instead of adding another tirade about the Yankees performance on Opening Day, I am going to document a few notable social media overreactions to game one.

CC = Nixon?  Mind blown.

                       

                                                                       Just because.

It's good to see some things never change.

                                                    Everyone's favorite minor celebrity.

                                                         "Generosity is its own form of power." 

                       How he handled being Randy Johnson's personal catcher, I will never know.



In other news, the Yankees play another 161 games this season.

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"The Easiest Part of Any Coach's Job..."

In the summer of 2010, the Yankees off their 27^th World Series title came within a hair of acquiring Cliff Lee from the Seattle Mariners. The deal did not materialize between the Yankees and the Mariners. The reason was Brian Cashman's refusal to part without Eduardo Nunez. It was believed at that time that Nunez would eventually be the shortstop that replaced Derek Jeter. Overlooking the fact that Derek Jeter cannot be truly replaced, it was believed that Nunez could have been that player. In the time since that deal fell-through, Nunez has continually disappointed on both sides of the baseball. In addition to his near ineptitude as a defender on the left side of the infield, his vaunted bat never truly materialized. He showed inadequate power, and a true deficiency in his ability to get on base. Though the most damning of his time in the big-leagues came in 2013, when Jeter was almost entirely on the DL. Nunez had the opportunity to show his talents on a full-time basis, at his natural position of shortstop, and the Yankees found themselves having to acquire Brendan Ryan after September 1^st. It was then that no one could possibly have considered Nunez a realistic alternative for any of the Yankees future plans.

2011, and 2013 were Nunez's largest statistical samples in both games and plate appearances:

2011 Games-112, Plate Appearances- 338: .265/.313/.385/.698

2013 Games-90, Plate Appearances- 336: .260/.307/.372/.679

Nunez's lack of performance was not due to any lack of support on the part of the Yankees. From the time they walked away from the table with Seattle, to when it was extremely clear that Derek Jeter's 2013 season was a wash, they gave Nunez every opportunity to cement the job. Yet at each turn, Nunez fell well short. Even as Nunez was thought to be a sure fire piece going into spring training 2014, on a Yankees team that desperately needs depth on the left side of the infield, he was designated for assignment so that Yangervis Solarte could be placed on the 40 man roster.

In its own way, the move is a relief. The Yankees have been trying to make the situation with Nunez work for so long, and have failed so miserably, it is a comfort to know they have finally moved on and cut their losses. It would make any person familiar with the situation dumbfounded if he maintained his status with Solarte hitting .500 for most of the spring.

It is clear that replacing Jeter at short would be no simple task, even if Nunez had been fully competent. It is now clear that whoever the soul is that has to follow Jeter, no one currently has a clue as to who that might be. No doubt making a very difficult transition far more painful.

                                                                              

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Launching 4/1/2014!

Launching April 1st, 2014: Section 422 will follow all New York Yankees news and events. Section 422 will provide cutting analysis of team decisions and performance, to ignite the conversation our readers are so passionate about.

This site will also feature the Great Ballpark Tour of America, our dedicated expedition to see every MLB stadium. We want to give our readers valuable insight from our experiences, so they may enjoy the journey with us, and have a useful guide so they can more easily do it themselves.

Most importantly, we will seek any topic, story, or analysis that can deepen our readers knowledge, and appreciation for the game and team they love.

We look forward to chatting with you. Follow us on Twitter @section422.