The Future of Derek Jeter

Speculation and rumors continue to fly concerning Derek Jeter's future within the Yankee organization. This morning, Colin Cowherd, host of The Herd on ESPN Radio, addressed this issue with Hall of Famer, Ozzie Smith. Cowherd mentionioned the rumblings of the possibility of moving Jeter to either 3rd Base or to the outfield by sometime next season. Smith wasn't so sure. From Ozzie's point of view, Jeter still has plenty of good baseball ahead of him, playing at short. I can't argue with him. You see, this speculation that comes out in the form of sports talk radio comes from a lot of people who don't watch the Yankees on a daily basis. My only guess is, given the fact that Jeter will turn 35 on June 26th, sportsfans are assuming that he is on the decline. Don't get me wrong, there is no question that Jeter has lost a step over the course of his career. But in my opinion, he is still one of the most polished players in the game. One key component that will help Jeter remain atleast a decent defensive shortstop came with the the addition of Mark Teixeira. Teixeira's range makes it easier for Cano to shade towards second base, which essentially means Jeter has less ground to cover than in previous years. As for offense, Jeter is anything but on the decline. Offensively, Jeter is on pace to put up similar numbers to his days of when he was 27 and 28.

Jeter's current contract will expire at the end of the 2010 season, and that also has people begging to ask, what will the Yankees do with Derek Jeter? Will he get the Bernie Williams treatment? I don't think so. I look for The Captain to get somewhere in the ballpark of a 3-year deal worth around $45 Million. The Steinbrenners, along with Brian Cashman know how important Derek Jeter is to the success of the New York Yankees. And even if by then he's hitting .280, he won't lack the intangibles that has helped the Yanks win four World Championships during his tenure. Look for Jeter to be in pinstripes for atleast the next five years. Go Yanks!!

Thank You, Mark Teixeira

What a crazy game!! As I watched, what I thought was a game-ending pop-up off of A-Rod's bat last night, it turned into just that. Only instead of the pop-up resulting in a loss, it resulted in a Yankee win. Crazy. But lost in the fact that, Mets 2nd Baseman, Luis Castillo misplayed the measly pop-up to shallow right field, was the base running on the part of Mark Teixeira. Let that be a lesson to all baseball players. The game is not over until the umpire calls the final out. In a play in which most big league ballplayers would jog to second assuming an out, Big Tex took off with the crack of the bat and he would not stop. As he rounded second base, he took Third Base Coach Rob Thompson's signal to round third and head for home. As he crossed home plate and was embraced by Derek Jeter and the rest of his Yankee teammates, he had no clue as to what transpired. All he knew was that he was the winning run. And it was his all-out hustle that did it. As I watched that final play unfold, all I could do was appreciate Mark Teixeira's effort. I wasn't the only one. That play also drew high praise from Alex Rodriguez. A relieved A-Rod stated, "What stands out is Mark Teixeira's hustle, that wins the game. To me that's why he's my MVP of the league right now because he's doing everything. That type of hustle is indicative of what Mark Teixeira brings to our team." I think I'm going to like him being in pinstripes for the remainder of his career. Go Yanks!!

Another Loss to Boston, No Reason to Panic

There is no other way around it. Boston has the Yankees' number. Taking the first seven games from the Yankees, Boston has reason to feel confident about their chances of winning the AL East. I don't blame them. On the flip-side, the Yankees should have no reason to panic. Despite New York's major struggles against the Red Sox, they still find themselves in a position to win on Thursday and tie it up atop the standings in the East. The Yankees still have to be considered a favorite to make the playoffs and winning the division outright, is still a very reasonable expectation. However, with Boston being flat out better in head-to-head battles, it must be of some concern how the Yanks would fare versus Boston in the postseason. I say don't panic. First off, Boston will face CC Sabathia for just the first time tomorrow. If this was the third time that they have faced him and they were 7-0, then I'd be worried. Secondly, Josh Beckett is a stud, but the stuff he had last night was his absolute best. He'll come back down to earth. Also, six out of the first eight games will be played in Boston. The Yankees will get plenty of chances versus Boston at home in August and September. Lastly, it's still early!! There are still over 100 games to be played and a lot can happen during that span. For now, I tip my hat to Boston, for they have simply dominated the early goings of this season series. At the same time, I say, "Hey, we're only a game back! A win tomorrow puts us back in first!" Go Yanks!!

The Struggle Against Boston Continues

Baseball's a weird game. Baseball players are more superstitious in their approach than any other athlete. The Red Sox have apparantly figured out how to approach the Yankees. For the Yankees to lose all of the six games that they have played against Boston is due to more than just a few bad breaks. Baseball is such a mental game and the Yankees just looked plain lost in their 0-7 loss on Tuesday. Having a lineup filled with all-stars, there is absolutely no excuse for a two-hit night. I don't care who the opposing team's pitcher is. The problem with losing their sixth straight versus Boston is that pressure starts to mount. Everyone starts pressing. Instead of making plays naturally, you try to make plays. You play not to win, but rather not to lose. And with every loss, the weight of the pressure gets heavier and heavier. A win is the only solution. Hopefully, the Yanks realize they are still tied for first-place. They need to approach the game as if they're playing in Kansas City. Win on Wednesday and the monkey's off the back. Go Yanks!!

Hughes Dominant in Bullpen Debut

Let the debate begin. Joba Chamberlain has been there. The media and Yankee fans alike, have argued back and forth on what role he is most fit for. Phil Hughes might find himself in a similar situation. That's right, the young righty made his way to the mound in the same manner as future hall of famer, Mariano Rivera does. He began warming up in the 6th inning in preparation for his debut as a Yankee reliever. To the unknown, this wasn't his first rodeo. It took only 11 pitches for Hughes to retire BJ Upton, Carl Crawford, and Evan Longoria in the 7th inning in helping the Yankees beat the Rays 5-3 on Monday. Using a 96 mph fastball and a sharp breaking ball, he induced two groundouts and a strikeout on the three Ray phenoms. Could this be the start of things to come? I wouldn't bet against it. With this performance, it springs thoughts of optimism coming out of the Yankee bullpen. Especially if you start thinking about this staff come, say...October. Think about it. Shall the Yanks reach postseason play, it is a very good possibility that this bullpen could be compiled with the likes of Joba, Hughes, Aceves, Bruney, and of course Mo. That kind of combination could immensely shorten the game for a four-man postseason rotation. I realize this is only the first test for Hughes, the reliever. But with his performance on Monday, it only sheds optimism for the rest of this season. Phil Hughes: starter or reliever? Let the debate begin. Go Yanks!!

Yankees On the Mend

It appears that help is on it's way to the Bronx. As good as this team has been since the return of Alex Rodriguez, they are about to get even better. Like the first-place Yanks need anymore help, right? Coming off of 17 wins in their past 22 games, the Bombers received encouraging news on the progress of Brian Bruney (right elbow) and Xavier Nady (right elbow). On Sunday, Bruney reported no soreness after a 30-pitch throwing session. Bruney will throw another bullpen session in Boston and pending evaluation, he could be back in the bullpen as early as next week. Alfredo Aceves has become a very formidable addition and throwing Bruney into the mix will only help shore up a bullpen that has lacked consistancy throughout the early-goings of this season. And to add to all of that, with Phil Hughes now in the bullpen, the Yankees have the ingredients to have possibly the best bullpen in the league. As for Nady, he also appears to be making progress as he went 1-4 in an extended spring training game on Friday. Nady also successfully made throws from 75 ft. There is no timetable for his return, but getting him back will add depth to an already potent offense.

Bronx Bombers Living Up to Nickname

Speaking of offense, the Yankees' 88 homeruns trails only the 89 hit by the Rangers. The Major League record is 264 by the 1997 Seattle Mariners, whose lineup featured sluggers Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, and Jay Buhner. With the way balls are flying out of Yankee Stadium this year, that record could be well in danger of being broken. The Bombers also presently have 8 players who are on pace to hit atleast 20 homeruns. Talk about a pitcher's nightmare!! Go Yanks!!

Bats Come Alive to Erase Wang's Rough Return

Chien-Ming Wang came out firing on all cylinders. The sinking fastball that helped him win 19 games in both, 2006 and 2007, was in full effect. He opened up the game striking out the dangerous Ian Kinsler, which would be the first of two strikeouts for Wang in the opening frame. The Yankees wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. Johnny Damon, who stepped into the leadoff spot today for the resting Derek Jeter, hammered a 4-seam fastball off of Texas hurler, Brandon McCarthy to put the Bombers up 1-0. The second inning was another success for Wang, as he induced two patented groundouts followed by his third strikeout to end the inning. Things would begin to get rough for Wang in the following three innings, highlighted by Nelson Cruz's two-out solo-blast in the 5th that put the Rangers up 5-1. That shot came on a sinker that stayed up and in, reminiscent of the pitches he threw in April before he was yanked out of the rotation in favor of the young, Phil Hughes. Wang would leave after 4.2 innings. Despite his struggles, Wang's stuff was encouraging. You have to remember, he hasn't started since April and he was also pitching on three-days rest. As Wang gets the stamina back in his arm, he will be fine. The bottom half of the fifth gave the Yankees new life. The Bombers would load up the bases and with no outs Mark Teixeira ripped a bases-clearing double down the third base line. A-Rod followed by plating Teixeira on a single to right field to put the Bombers up 6-5. Ian Kinsler would tie the game in the top of the sixth on a solo home run off of Aceves. But thanks to an eighth inning, two-run shot by Melky Cabrera off of lefthanded flame-thrower, CJ Wilson, the Yanks would go on to win 8-6. All-in-all, a good day in the Bronx. Being able to rest Jeter and Posada, and another efficient effort out of the bullpen coats taking two out of three from a very good Texas team. A good way to head into the four game set versus the defending AL Champs. CC Sabathia will go tomorrow versus the highly touted rookie, David Price for Tampa Bay.