Kuzul

Despite the millions of fans, huge contracts, and celebrity names, baseball is just a game. We have all heard the saying growing up, “It’s just a game.”

That thought often gets lost as players and fans get into games and the competition. Occasionally however, we are reminded how much these great sporting events are just games.

We got a reminder of this yesterday at Yankee Stadium in a game between the Yankees and Cleveland Indians. Never has Yankee Stadium been as quiet as it was yesterday during this moment. A moment that happened in the blink of an eye.

Indians pitcher David Huff threw a pitch to Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod hit a line drive right back up the middle and the worst nightmare of a pitcher and hitter happened next. The speed of the line drive did not allow Huff enough time to react and get out of the way.

The pitcher had just enough time to slightly turn his head just enough to save serious injury or worse. The ball hit Huff on the left side of his head and ricocheted into right field . Huff dropped to the pitchers’ mound face down and motionless.

Continue this story at Double G Sports .

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Derek Sanderson Jeter made his major league debut 15 years ago today, May 29, 1995.

For any fan of the Yankees, and the game of baseball, it has been a great 15 years. We have all gone along for the ride with this great shortstop.

Jeter made his major league debut with the Yankees 15 years ago, when injuries to Tony Fernandez, and Pat Kelly, required the team to call up their young future star.

His debut came against the Seattle Mariners in a 8-7 loss in which Jeter went 0-for-5.

The shortstop we would all grow to love, played in 13 games in 1995 before being demoted back to Triple-A. He batted .234, and committed two errors in his brief appearance.

It was announced that Jeter would be the teams starting shortstop to begin the 1996 season.

By doing so, he became the first Yankees rookie to start at shortstop since Tom Tresh in 1962.

Read more of my Jeter memories at Double G Sports .

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Tonight, my wife and I took the trip up to Montclair State University to meet Yogi Berra at his book signing event. It was a fun event for both of us and something we enjoyed doing together.

The Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center is located on the campus of Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey.

While not an large museum, it consists of many pictures and lots of memorabilia that every baseball fan should check out. While walking through the museum, you will see many great photographs of Yogi and other great former Yankees.

The newest addition to the museum is a Derek Jeter exhibit. In the large glass case honoring the current Yankees shortstop for his 2009 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year award is Jeter’s jersey, cleats and bat.

We got to view these great exhibits while waiting in line for our chance to meet Yogi and have our book signed.

Yogi was set up in a room designed like a baseball stadium. After Yogi Berra signed the cover of his book, “The Yogi Book,” my wife and I got to take a picture with the Yankee great.

For more on this book, visit Double G Sports.

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Everyone around baseball knows the New York Mets are a completely different team when Jose Reyes is on base.

Unfortunately—for much of this season—the star shortstop has not been on base much.

He has struggled to regain his form after returning from injury, Reyes started the season on the disabled list .

Recently, Reyes has said he finally feels healthy and has his legs back.

“I was telling Luis [Castillo], I can’t wait to get on base two or three times a game, because my legs feel so good now,” Reyes said.

Getting on base three times is exactly what he did last night in the Mets 8-0 win over Philadelphia. Reyes was a major part of the offensive production.

Good things happen when Reyes gets on base.

The Mets’ leadoff hitter went 3-for-5 with a triple and two stolen bases last night. He scored a run each time he reached base.

That is what the Mets have been missing lately.

Continue this story at Double G Sports .

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Back on Sunday, May 16, New York Mets manager Jerry Manuel once again moved around his lineup a little bit.

This time, Manuel slotted his left fielder, Jason Bay, into the No. 3 spot.

This move has turned out to be a good one so far.

Bay had been hitting fourth or fifth for most of the year, and his power numbers remained much lower than expected. Since being moved to the three spot, Bay has begun to heat up.

Bay has now played in seven games since the move to the three spot in the Mets lineup. In those seven games, the left fielder is batting exactly .500. He has 13 hits in 26 at-bats from his new lineup position.

This past weekend was a big reason for the successful numbers. The Yankees always seem to bring out the best in Jason Bay, and he continued to hurt them. This past weekend, Bay went 7-for-10 against the Yankees in three games.

Continue this article at Double G Sports .

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It has been a tough week for the New York Yankees. A strange week. A disappointing week. Any way you look at it, this past week left Yankees fans all over the world, and space, concerned.

The Yankees went 2-5 last week, 2-6 if you want to include yesterdays loss on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball . This is not what the Yankees hoped for considering their opponents last week were division rivals Tampa Bay and Boston, followed by the Mets, their cross-town rival.

After playing 13 games in 12 days, the Yankees get a day off today. A much needed breather. The team needs to regroup and get ready for another tough three-game series in Minnesota against the Twins.

The Yankees problems go up and down the roster. Pitching, defense, and clutch hitting are all areas that need improvement. During this tough week, the team has played some sloppy games.

In an odd turn of events, the only two wins the Yankees had last week, both went to Javier Vazquez. Yes, the pitcher that had such a horrible start to the year. Vazquez earned one win in relief and the other in the series opener against the New York Mets. In that game, Vazquez was pitching a gem until injuring his finger while bunting.

Continue this article at Double G Sports.

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Interleague play gets underway today in Major League Baseball.

The New York Mets and New York Yankees get together for the first of two series this season. The Subway Series may have lost some of its luster the past couple seasons, but both teams have a lot riding on this series. 

Starting tonight, the teams will play a three game series at Citi Field.

The Mets, 20-22 overall, have been struggling and have won just three of their past ten games but are 14-8 at home this season.

The Yankees meanwhile are in second place in the American League East with a record of 25-16. They have been in a bit of a slide however, losing six of their last ten and three straight.

The Yankees are just 12-10 away from Yankee Stadium this season.

For the Mets, they may be playing for their managers job. There has been speculation that a bad weekend could force the Mets organization to drop the ax on Jerry Manuel.

The Yankees are trying to get back on the winning track and keep pace with the Tampa Bay Rays. Injuries have gotten the best of both these teams, but nobody is using that as an excuse.

This three game Subway Series is big for both teams.

Continue this Subway Series Preview at Double G Sports.

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The New York Yankees have the second best record in baseball as of today. The only team with a better one is the Tampa Bay Rays.

The two American League East teams start a big two-game series tonight at Yankee Stadium.

How can a two-game series be such a big deal? Well, maybe not so much for the Rays, but it is a big series for the Yankees. Entering the series tonight, the Yankees sit three games behind the Rays in the division.

If the Yankees sweep the two-game set, they pull within a single game. If the Rays sweep the Yankees, that puts New York in a five-game hole. What if they split? Well, then we are right where we started today with the Yankees three games back. At least that is much better than five behind.

What I am saying is, the Yankees MUST win at least one of these two games.

Tampa Bay comes in winning six of its last 10, while the Yankees have won just four of their last 10. The Yankees are 13-4 at home this year, while the Rays have been road warriors, winning 15 of their 19 road games. Tampa Bay also enters with a four-game winning streak.

Continue this preview at Double G Sports .

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Last night’s loss to the Boston Red Sox has to leave a bad taste in the Yankees mouths. With a 5-0 lead after seven innings and Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera lurking in the bullpen, the Yankees likely thought this game was over and they would sweep the short two game series.

Think again. For the second straight night, the Yankees bullpen blew a fairly comfortable lead against the Red Sox. It was not just on the pitchers however. There is plenty of blame that can be tossed around after this game.

Joba Chamberlain

Joba entered the game to start the eighth inning after starter CC Sabathia battled through seven scoreless innings of work. With a 5-0 lead, Chamberlain promptly gave up four runs on four hits to allow the Red Sox to get back in the game. Three of the four runs were earned. He did not strike out a single batter in his inning of work. Five run lead or not, Joba needs to pitch better than this. He needs to learn to treat each game like its a one run game.

Marcus Thames

Yes he had the game winning hit the night before, but last night Thames was one of the big reasons the Yankees lost. Playing right field because the team is short on outfielders right now and Nick Swisher remains day-to-day with an injury. With Mariano Rivera on the mound in the ninth inning, Thames and second baseman Robinson Cano converged on a short fly ball. Thames called off Cano, but while doing so he took his eye off the ball. When he looked back up, the ball was in his lap. The error cost the Yankees and allowed the inning to continue.

Continue this story and see who else can be blamed, visit Double G Sports.

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Jenrry Mejia made the New York Mets’ roster after impressing the coaching staff throughout spring training. But the youngest pitcher to make the Opening Day roster since Dwight Gooden in 1984 is being sent back to the minors, according to an ESPN Source .

With the Mets’ starting rotation currently a mess, the team has decided to send Mejia to the minors to stretch him out and prepare him to return as a starting pitcher. The process will likely be similar to the way it’s done in spring training. Mejia will gradually build his arm strength and stamina until he is ready to go without restrictions.

The decision was apparently made during a closed door meeting of Mets’ staff in Atlanta on Monday.

Mejia will be sent down and the Mets will bring up R.A. Dickey to start against the Washington Nationals on Wednesday.

After Johan Santana and Mike Pelfrey, the Mets’ starting rotation has had many questions. John Maine has been effective lately but his velocity is noticeably down, Oliver Perez has been sent to the bullpen, and Jonathan Niese is nursing a mild right hamstring strain. Niese will miss his start Friday, and Hisanori Takahashi will start in his place.

Continue this article at Double G Sports .

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