NOW THAT IS WHAT YANKEE FANS HAVE BEEN WANTING TO SEE

Finally! The Yankee fans got the start from Kuroda we have been waiting for. The final line on Kuroda was 7 innings, 1 run on 4 hits. He got the win as the Yankees beat Baltimore 2-1 tonight. Great job!

The 8th and 9th belonged to David Robinson and Mariano Rivera respectively. Robertson struck out the side, keeping his ERA to 0.00. Forget Houdini - he is becomming the invisable man. As for Mariano - it was Mo being Mo, including 1 broke bat and a game ending endused double play.

The two runs came from a two run homer by Eric Chavez, who also played third, giving A-Rod a 1/2 day off. Chavez is one of the most overlooked players on this team. He is clutch, plays a great 3rd base and never complains about the amount of playing time he sees. He is just glad to get in there and be productive. He is the definition of team player.

Speaking of team players - Andy Pettitte made another minor league start. He said afterward he felt great after throwing appx 90 pitches and although gave up five runs - the start was more about getting his pitch count up. Andy also said that he just wants to get back to NY so he can start helping the team. But followed that up by saying he knows he has one more Trenton start to make. He is not going to fight Cash on that - he is just getting a little antsy. So are we Andy - Yankee fans are as anxious to get you back pitching in the Bronx as you are. Andy's first start in Yankee Stadium is no doubt going to have the electicity of a playoff game. Andy is loved in the Bronx and he will have no doubts about that when he comes home.

Tonights games was what the Yankees needed. Fabulous win by the Bombers!

Once again, GO YANKEES!

YANKEES AND PIE-GATE?

The New England Patriots had spygate. Do the Yankees have pie-gate? Now don’t get me wrong, spygate was about the possibility the Pats were cheating via videotape. Pie-gate is not even close to being something that serious. Actually, it’s kind of funny.

On Friday night, the Yankees went into the bottom of the 9th, score tied. Jeter got on and made his way to 3rd. With nobody out, Jeter was 90 feet from scoring the winning run, A-Rod came up to bat. A long pop fly or base hit The game is over. However what did happen was a wild pitch, Jeter took off from third and slid into home safely. Game over and theeeee Yankees win! So, walk off win – someone is getting pie right? With AJ gone, reporters wondered aloud who would replace AJ as the pie guy? Giradi was quoted as saying “Probably Swish” when asked during Spring Training. It made sense. Nick Swisher said he was all for it, that he loved the tradition and thought it should continue sans AJ. He even contemplated who would sub for him if HE got the walk off. So, pie for Jeter delivered by Swisher, right? Wrong!

Many theories abounded about why no one got Jeter with the walk off pie. They ranged from the tradition left with AJ going to Pittsburgh to it wasn’t really a walk off. I, myself, have my own theory. Everyone knows Jeter likes to be in control in situations, especially those not on the field. For Swisher, he probably thought that Alex would get the fly ball to score Jeter and he hits Alex with the pie (as we know conversely to Jeter, Alex lives for that type of attention). But that damn wild pitch and slide into home changed everything. I’m sure Swisher, in those first monments, didn’t know what to do. For Jeter’s part, he played better than anyone could have. Instead of looking over his shoulder like a nervous cat, he kept his eye on the screen in centerfield during the post game interview, which the interview was being shown on. Using it like a rearview mirror, in the event anyone was going to try to give him a puss full of pie. Smart man. Of course, nothing happened.

Then began the questions by reporters. As Woodward and Bernstein did years prior, they tried to get to the bottom of this potential “cover up”. Swish was quoted as saying “I’m not the guy, it can’t be a position player” TRANSLATION “There was no way I was hitting the captain with a towel full of whipped or shaving cream – I’m no dummy”. But saying that makes Derek look like he is not a team player – and that is even worse than the pie. So, he went with “who me?”. Maybe what he could have said was “We won on a wild pitch, who get’s the pie? Detroit’s pitcher?” and walk away laughing. So, the truth behing pie-gate remains a mystery..

Obviously, this is all tongue and cheek and in my opinion, it really doesn’t matter either way if they continue the walk off pie tradition. So long as the Yankees win, I don’t care how they celebrate.

As I said that night – two rules in life are no one puts baby in a corner and no one hits Derek Jeter with a pie!

HERE COME THE ORIOLES...

It had been a long time since any Orioles game was significant BECAUSE it's the Orioles, yet this is what is happening.

The Orioles and Buck Showalter come into Yankee Stadium for a three game series starting tonight. The Orioles are currently in first place, with a one and half game lead over the Yankees. Obviously, sweeping the series would put a the Yankees in a much better position in the standings, but it goes beyond that.

The Yankees are not just going against the team but also their manager, Buck Showalter. Buck was the manager before the Joe Torre reign. Buck always acts like the girl never asked to the prom. Now that his team is in first, he looks like "How do you like me now" We cannot let him leave having that same look. In addiion, if the Orioles sweep or win this series is puts the Yankees in an even deeper hole in the standings.

Tonights game can clearly set the tone for the series. Kuroda can turn the page on his first few starts. He appeared to have figured some things out his last outing. Hopefully, he can give us that same type of start.

This is not just on Kuroda. Yankee hitters need to get those timely hits that allow the base runners, they are currently stranding, to score.

Let's take this first one from Baltimore abd hopefully getting some momentum towards getting the sweep.

As usual - GO YANKEES!

GARCIA OUT, PHELPS IN - FOR THE YANKEES ROTATION, THE TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGIN'

The Yankees have made some roster moves that will hopefully be the beginning of the changes they need to make.  Freddy Garcia as been moved to the bull pen and Phelps have been given the nod to start in Garcia's spot in the rotation.  At the same time, the Yankees have called DJ Mitchell up from Triple A, sending Cody Epply down.  I like these moves, well kind of.  I think they should release Freddy Garcia all together.  He has lost his focus since they announced Andy Pettitte's return.   Would you really, at this point want Garcia in the game at any time now?  Pissed off doesn't begin to describe how I am sure he feels.  Let's face it the bull pen is most likely the only place in Yankee Stadium Freddy hasn't sat and pouted (have fun Mo).  At this point, he is just simply taking up space for a pitcher who cares.  I would also put Phil Hughes into the bull pen.  Unlike with Freddy, I would sell this to Phil by telling him it's not a demotion, but a move to put him a situation he is better suited for.  Phil is a relief pitcher.  As I said before, to be successful you need to find your strengths and weaknesses and play to your strength.  Hughes' strength is pitching hard for one or two innings, similar to Joba.  So, who takes Phil's spot in the rotation?  DJ Mitchell.  Make Mitchell a starter and recall Epply back up in the pen.


Hopefully Andy Pettite looks to be on target to make his debut around May 10th.  When he comes back, I pick between Mitchell and Phelps as the one to stay and the other goes back down. 


Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi have some tough decisions ahead of them.  It's never easy to make them, I am sure; but the team has the talent in both the minors and here to make this team successful.  The Yankees are talented, gritty, tough and never give up - that is how we have always been and always will be. 


As always - GO YANKEES!!!!

DON'T BLAME CASHMAN...

There were plenty of people calling for Brian Cashman’s head on a platter after it was announced that Michael Pineda would require shoulder surgery and was done for possibly 12 months. Many questioned why Brian didn’t know about this injury before the trade that sent Noesi and Montero to the Mariners. But according to Cash they did everything possible to have discovered any potential problems prior to the trade. The Mariners GM said he was shocked to hear this news (what else was the guy going to say?). I think there was very little Brian Cashman could have done to discover that Pineda was going to break down this early in the season. Hopefully, when Pineda returns next year, he will be the pitcher Brian Cashman and the Yankees had hope he would be.

With that said, Brian Cashman and the Yankees need to make some changes to fix what is clearly broken with regards to the pitching. The usual route the Yankees have taken in the past is to just let struggling pitchers keep going until they can figure out a trade for another big named arm. This is definitely not what they want to do this time.

It’s time for Cash to go in a different direction for a solution. The Yankees have the talent they need to have a good starting rotation. He just needs to pull the trigger and make some difficult decisions.

If Cashman can make this work without sacrificing any of the current talent, I will applaud him. I hope he makes the right choices in the next weeks to get this team back on the right track toward the post season.

If I could say anything to Brian Cashman it would be to remember the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Don’t do it Brian – think outside the box this time. I promise you won’t regret it.

SWISHER BEING SWISHER IS JUST FINE BY ME

Once again the Yankees are wrong in the eyes of the talking heads. Specifically former MLB player and ESPN analyst, John Kruck. Who on this past Sunday Night Baseball called out Nick Swisher for what Kruck called excessive celebrating during the come from behind win against the Boston Red Sox the day before. So instead of just giving credit to an incredible win by the Yankees, Kruck and Terry Francona took umbridge with Nick pounding on his chest after hitting a 2 run double. Hypocrite is the first word that came to my mind when I saw this on ESPN.

Let us start with the fact Swisher was NOT showing up the Red Sox pitcher. He was elated that he had contributed more runs to get his team what turned out to be a win. The previous inning, Swish hit a grand slam. When you watch the replay of the home run, you notice Nick didn't do anything but run the bases after the ball went out. He didn't stand there and watch it - like say David Ortiz (right TERRY?).

It really irked me (to say the least) that Nick is getting criticized for being excited. Don't forget this time last year Nick got off to a slow start and those same talking bobble head dolls at ESPN and the like were saying the Yankees should trade Swisher.

Nick Swisher brings fun and energy to the Yankees and the game in general. His smile could light up Yankee Stadium and his kindness and generosity warms your heart.

So if Saturday night in Boston was Swisher being Swisher - that is not only perfectly fine with me - I'll sign up for more. After all, this is a boys game played by men. Let's try not to forget that.

Because Nick is simply Swish-a-lishous

YANKEE FANS - TIME TO PANIC? NO BUT TIME FOR SOME CHANGES...

The Yankees lost their second consecutive game tonight against the Rangers. Phil Hughes started the game and only went 2.2 innings, giving up 5 hits and 4 runs. Unlike the Red Sox game on Saturday where Freddy Garcia had only a slightly worse outing, the Yankees were unable to rally back.

This bad outing by Hughes came on the heels of the news this afternoon that Michael Pineda is finished for at least this year (probably until May 2013). So, now Garcia and Hughes have struggled and Pineda is gone. So now what?

First, Phil Hughes needs to go to the bull pen. He honestly was better in relief. The Yankees and Phil need to face that fact and move him there. Don't get me wrong, I like Phil a lot and want him to do well, but sometimes we need to face what our strengthens and weaknesses are. I don't think you give up on him, just adjust his role on this team. There is nothing wrong with making him a relief pitcher. It's not a sign of failure but a sign of playing to your strength. As for Freddy Garcia - I'm sorry but he does need to go. He is not happy about the potential of losing his spot - so how well will he do if he does. I just don't think he will accept that role in the pen.

Phelps can't take Garcia's next spot because he pitched a couple of innings tonight. Unfortunately, the Yankees are going to have to deal with whatever Garcia gives them in his next rotation spot (probably Sunday against the Tigers). Hopefully, Kuroda has figured some things out after his well pitched game yesterday and can win the games CC and Nova pitch.

That said, the Yankees need to consider calling up DJ Mitchell who is pitching pretty well in Triple A. Make the Mitchell and David Phelps starters (replacing Hughes and Garcia). Yes, it will mean shifting people around - but it can be done. Lastly, we hopefully will also have Andy Pettitte back by mid May (fingers crossed).

Although it is early in the season and the Yankees are not in any real trouble right now - that can change quickly with a losing streak. The Yankees have to figure this out soon and going to your young pitchers may just be the answer. The Yankees have the talent to pull this together.

Pitching aside, the Yankees also need to start getting hits in key situation. The teams are leaving too many runners in scoring position.

It's not time to hit the panic button - but it really is time for changes to me made.