Kuzul

Well, that was unexpected.

For weeks leading up to MLB’s trade deadline, the Yanks were mostly quiet. Once the Cliff Lee deal fell through, the only names being thrown around were bats off the bench and middle relief help.

Well, the Yanks got their bench bat in Austin Kearns. And they paid the Indians $1.4M to rent Kerry Wood for the rest of the season.

But the one guy who came completely out of nowhere (and has the most potential to improve the team) was Lance Berkman.

Even before the 2009 World Series, I’m sure the Yankees Brass knew that they weren’t going to resign Hideki Matsui. Once the Japanese Iron Man, Matsui’s body began to fail.

His knees couldn’t handle the outfield, and he underwent extended slumps at the plate as a result of those wonky knees.

He ended up having six RBI in Game 6 of the World Series, winning him WS MVP honors, but that performance didn’t change the fact that Matsui was in the decline.

The Yanks cold-heartedly let Matsui go and replaced him with the former Yankee and OBP Machine Nick Johnson. I admit it freely: I loved the signing.

I appreciated Matsui for everything he brought to the Yanks—class, pride, a World Series title—but the idea of Johnson’s .426 2009 OBP plugged into the #2 spot in the lineup was thrilling.

He was an injury risk, sure, but the Yanks would protect Nick by keeping him off the field and making him a True DH. Alas, even that didn’t help.

After only 24 games, a period in which he batted a paltry .167 but still OBP’d at a .388 clip, Johnson went down with yet another injury and is likely done for the year.

Removing Johnson left a gaping hole from the Yankee lineup. That void has not been properly filled all year.

Check out the different DHs the Yankees have used in 2010, with the number of games at that “position” listed in parentheses:

Jorge Posada (24) Nick Johnson (19) Juan Miranda (10) Marcus Thames (10) Alex Rodriguez (9) Nick Swisher (8) Mark Teixeira (6) Derek Jeter (5) Robinson Cano (1) Colin Curtis (1)

The addition of a full-time DH creates allows the 38-year-old Jorge Posada to get a full day off when he takes a break from catching. And it allows the Yanks to avoid those less ineffective DH options in Miranda, Thames, and, yes, even Colin Curtis.

The Yankees hope Lance Berkman will be the Nick Johnson they never had. Berkman will slide right into that No. 2 hole in the lineup and be the team’s everyday DH. Berkman, like Johnson, is also known for his ability to take pitches and work walks.

Despite his less-than-stellar 2010 season so far, he had ranked fourth in the National League in bases on ball.

But of course the question remains: Which Lance Berkman will show up?

Will it be the feared and respected slugger who carried the Houston offense over the last decade, or will it be the washed-up shell of an All Star that Berkman presented in 2010? (The Yanks have experienced that “shell of a former All Star” before.)

Berkman swears that the move to the Bronx will reinvigorate him. We will see. But as an owner of Berkman in my fantasy keeper league, I still remember when Berkman was great.

Heck, he finished 5th in MVP voting as recently as 2008. And he had solid stretches in 2009—hitting .300 with 7 HR during the season’s final 23 games. He’s only 34 and will see good pitches with the protection of Tex and A-Rod behind him.

I’ll be rooting for him—and not just because I’m still stupidly counting on him in my fantasy league.

He alone has the opportunity to make this Yankee team significantly better. Given that they’re already the best team in baseball, that’s a scary-good thought.

___________________

From the FanTake Blog: Mr. Blogtober

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Friday night, the New York Yankees are at Tropicana Field to face the Tampa Bay Rays, and it will be a true battle of the young guns on the mound.

Since pitching and defense will dictate the outcomes of all three games, the match-ups on the mound will set the tone. Let’s look at the Friday night’s pitchers.

Ironically, both the Rays and the Yankees have their “young guns” squaring off. Both players are 24 years old, both stand at 6’5 feet, and both are right-handed pitchers.

Tampa Bay Rays: Wade Davis (8-9)

Davis didn’t look very good this season, after losing all five of his starts in the month of June. Davis’ June numbers included an ERA of 6.0, and batters were hitting just shy of .270 against him.

Since the start of July, Davis has looked like a different pitcher. He has gone unbeaten. Over his last three starts, he has posted an ERA of 2.11. For the month of July, Davis has pitched 25 innings, faced 110 batters and allowed nine earned runs, six walks and 12 strikeouts. Eleven of those 12 strikeouts were in his last three starts and a monthly ERA of 3.12. That is pretty impressive stuff.

Davis is suddenly throwing with a lot more confidence. Davis is not afraid to throw hard because he is locating the ball much better.

Davis faces a potent Yankees lineup who have seen him before. This works in the Yankees favor because Davis is not new, and they have hit him successfully.

Davis needs to be careful with Cano, Gardner, Granderson, Thames, A-Rod, and Jeter because all have multiple hits in the few at-bats they have had against him.

New York Yankees: Phil Hughes (12-3)

Unlike Davis, Phil Hughes started out the season on fire. Hughes was an 2010 All-Star and his name was frequent in Cy Young discussions.

He was the Yankees most reliable pitcher through the month of May. As they say, all good things must come to an end, or in Hughes’ case, back down to baseball-reality.

Hughes got a lot of help via the Yankees hitters, who seemed to always score a lot of runs when he is on the mound. This masked a few mediocre starts and redefined them as great. It was not that Hughes didn’t look solid, he completely did, but his struggles started earlier than the numbers or newspaper headlines might read.

Hughes has been slowly declining, as his ERA is rising.

His OBA has consistently dropped in each start since the end of May. July has been ugly for the youngster. In 23 innings, Hughes has faced 90 batters, and allowed 15 earned runs, issued five walks, all with an ERA of 5.79. He has struck out 15, but in his last two starts, he only has five in total.

Hughes cannot seem to locate his fastball, and his curveball has turned flat. There has been no marked improvement, but he wins games because luckily, the team scores runs.

Hughes does have the advantage of not having to face the Rays’ BJ Upton who crushes his pitches, as Upton is on the DL. Look for Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena to stir up some hits as they have has success against Hughes whether he is hot or not.

Prediction:

Davis has found what Hughes has lost, so I expect both teams bats to dictate in this matchup. Looking ahead, Hughes has the brighter future. But, for this game, I have to go with the Rays. 

Score: Rays beat the Yankees 9-5.

Hughes and Davis: No decision.

Read More At Lady Loves Pinstripes……

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New York Yankees CC Sabathia had a rare loss in his old stomping ground Tuesday night, falling 4-1 to the Cleveland Indians.

The Yankees are in first place, with a margin of only two games before they get caught.

This added a lot of pressure on an already erratic AJ Burnett. It was mandatory that Burnett put the team in a winning position.

Burnett surpassed all that was required, as he dominated the Indians batters. Burnett’s teammates helped make sure he had a chance to shine again and the Yankees won 8-0.

Another factor in the Yankees success is using David Robertson in the eighth inning.

It is no secret where the Yankees biggest weakness lies—in the bullpen.

With Alfredo Aceves on the DL since May, the Yankee bullpen has become a total mess. Chan-ho Park, Joba Chamberlain, and Boone Logan are not reliable at all and it has spelled trouble whenever they were called on.

Robertson was right in the mix, with a bad beginning to 2010.

The timing could not have been more perfect for Robertson to get find his form again.

Robertson thrived as the eighth inning guy even under the lights of the 2009 World Series. Translation: The pressure does not bother Robertson.

Skipper Joe Girardi realizes that he can count on Robertson to get the outs needed with no regrets.

Robertson’s small role has made the biggest difference since the All-Star break.

Still, the bullpen is the biggest roadblock for the Yankees. Most Yankees fans take comfort in the idea that Hughes will join Robertson once Andy Pettitte gets off the DL in a few weeks.

For now, the Yankees will head to Tampa following the fourth game against the Indians. Friday night starts a three-game set at Tropicana Field against the second place Rays.

This weekend series will be a literal battle royale for first place in the AL East. Both teams have their work cut out for them, as both are on fire right now.

Whichever team wins will purely be based on who played better defense and how each starting pitcher sets the tone.

Why?

Simply because both ball-clubs have proved they can hit the heck out of the ball, but if a pitcher is throwing heaters it will be considerably harder to accomplish.

This might be the most important series of 2010 thus far, because the Rays are just two games behind the Yankees in the standings.

Please check out Lady Loves Pinstripes, as the next three posts will break down each game pitching matchups.

*First pitch is at 7:10pm this Friday night, but Yankees have to win the last game against the Indians tonight…but trust me, this weekend will be some damn good baseball.

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It has been reported that New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman has been shopping around relief pitcher Chan Ho Park.

My question is, what teams are interested in Park, and what does he bring to a team?

The 37-year-old right-handed pitcher doesn’t offer much promise to any team he joins. This season, in 32 innings pitched, Park has given up seven home runs, 37 hits, waked nine, and surprisingly struck out 26 batters total.

Park’s 5.57 ERA is not ideal, but what makes Yankee fans cringe is Park gives up big hits in important situations. This obviously resonates more in fans’ heads.

It is so uncomfortable when Park comes running out from the bullpen and the Yankees have given him plenty of chances to prove himself.

Park also holds the No. 32 spot on the all-time hit batsmen list, with 135 to date.

Joba Chamberlain, who is even less reliable, joins Park in adding to the mess. Joba gets more leeway because his struggles are partially the organization’s fault for the way they have selfishly handled the youngster.

Unlike Joba from 2007, the 2010 version cannot locate his pitches. Joba’s velocity is still in the mid to high 90s and his command is not terrible.

It seems to be that Joba’s fastball lands right over a batter’s sweet spot, which is why his walk-rate might seem down. Hitters are actually taking the pitches and making contact successfully.

Joba can be fixed once he gets his confidence back, which might take some time. The Yankees have to continue to take responsibility for this situation because they babied him too much.

That is why the Yankees need to grab bullpen help, more than adding another starting pitcher.

This Saturday, July 31, marks trade deadline and you can be sure the Yankees will be shopping. My pick is Houston Astros hurler Brett Meyers, who can also pitch in long relief, which is great until starting pitcher Andy Pettitte returns to the rotation.

Pettitte’s replacement, Sergio Mitre, is not the long-term answer or the short-term, but Girardi continuously uses Mitre any chance he can get.

Mitre’s success is co-dependent on a strong bullpen with the idea of getting the ball to Mariano Rivera. This cannot work with Park hogging a spot or being anywhere near a pitching mound.

Finding a team who will take Park must include the Yankees eating all $1.2 million owed to him this season. I would even pay the other team just to get Park out of the Bronx, pronto.

This won’t pose a problem, as the Yankees cannot win without a change in the bullpen—someone to complement Phil Hughes down the stretch, as Hughes has a 165-170 innings limit, but he can’t take it all on himself.

These next four days will show what teams have up their sleeve. I would be shocked if the Yankees just sat back and watched the 2010 season slip away.

The general consensus is getting rid of Chan Ho-Park needs to be done, even if the Yankees give him away.

Visit Lady Loves Pinstripes to read more…

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The New York Yankees finished the weekend taking three of four games from the Kansas City Royals.

The Yankees continue to lead the majors, and the AL East, with a 62-35 record.

The Tampa Bay Rays are just three games behind, which leaves little room for error. The ailing Boston Red Sox trail by eight and better not make the gap any bigger.

This scenario dictates nothing except that the Yankees are playing very good baseball right now.

Still, the Yankees recently lost pitcher Andy Pettitte for four to six weeks. Along with a struggling group of middle relievers, this is not an October-ready team.

Without Pettitte, losing out on pitcher Cliff Lee, due to being given the run around by the Seattle Mariners, stings even more.

Leave all the talk swarming around Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Dan Haren coming to the Yankees. That too is now over, with Haren going to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim because the Yankees said no when Joba Chamberlain became part of the deal.

That is the second time the Yankees name was in the mix to spark a bidding war amongst suitors.

So, what remain are Houston Astros Roy Oswalt and Chicago Cubs Ted Lilly. They are the only two creditable starters left before the July 31 trade deadline.

Oswalt has made it clear he wants to play for the St. Louis Cardinals. Also, teams will hesitate with Oswalt’s salary in 2010 having more than $5 million left, plus $16 million for next year, and he refuses to let go his $16 million option for 2012. I’m pretty sure most teams will pass and positive the Yankees already did.

Next up is Cubs and former Yankee pitcher Ted Lilly, who is in the final year of his contract and is owed around $5 million. That has a lot more appeal, but still Lilly’s value is hindered playing on the crappy Cubs. It would seem Lilly is better off staying in the NL, as his career stats indicate better success. Lilly is not the answer for the Yankees; we don’t need another Vazquez mess coming from the NL.

This doesn’t leave much, making this team far seem from perfect.

The idea behind obtaining a starter works because it takes pressure off CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, and Javier Vazquez, until Pettitte gets back.

Also, according to skipper Joe Girardi and GM Brian Cashman, Phil Hughes’s 170 +/- innings limit is mandatory, so he is bullpen bound no matter what. This idea is fine with me, but if Pettitte is still on DL when the time comes it could be an issue.

My suggestion would be to grab Astros pitcher Brett Myers, who is an innings eater and has had success in the bullpen as well. Myers is cheaper, with $3.1 million for 2010, and his numbers are comparable to Oswalt’s this season. Myers has a 2-0 record, with a 1.88 ERA and 19 strikeouts in his four July starts.

With series coming up against the Rays and Red Sox, the reigning champs cannot still believe that Sergio Mitre is going to be the answer. Girardi cannot seem to let go of the fact the Mitre sucks, just like 2009.

The only way to consider Mitre as the choice until Pettitte is active again, is if they have a pitcher like Myers who can go in the fourth or fifth inning and pitch a couple of innings.

This could work out perfectly and something has to be, or else Chan-ho Park and Joba Chamberlain will continue to lose games in the eighth inning.

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Andy Pettitte thinks he can be back on the mound in three weeks.

After watching the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim slaughter the New York Yankees, any encouragement that the team could manage without the Southpaw went right out the window.

Phil Hughes went into the game with a 3-0 career record against the Halos. That was short and sweet after Hughes gave up nine hits, six runs and two home runs over five innings.

It was the icing on the cake on this streak of bad luck the Yankees have had since the start of the second half of the season.

Hughes started the season on fire, but he has been declining over the last month. His velocity is still around the mid to low 90’s, but he continually lacks command of his fastball and in turn not getting strikes.

So, Hughes relied on his cutter again, which has never been completely in control. If the pitch doesn’t cut down, it becomes ineffective and easy to hit. This became a fact with the final score reading 10-2.

The Yankees had a shot to win the game with their bats, but Angels rookie Sean O’Sullivan had a different plan after being called up earlier in the day from Triple-A. He replaced ex-Ray Scott Kazmir, who just went on the DL.

O’Sullivan faced 22 Yankee batters, throwing a total of 85 pitches, over six innings. He struck out four, walked three and allowed the only two runs to score in the first inning.

Nick Swisher smacked a homer in the bottom of the first inning.

Swisher, along with Robinson Cano and Brett Gardner, has been one of the most solid Yankees in 2010. Honestly, without Swisher’s bat the Yankees would not be in first place right now.

That was No. 17 on the season for Swisher, his ninth in the Bronx, which is one more then last season’s total.

Now the Angels are looking to sweep this mini-series. The Halos’ odds are in their favor with Joel Pineiro on the mound. Pineiro has been fabulous this season, and he faces the Yankees’ Javier Vazquez.

Vazquez has been pitching great as of late, but the Yankees have to hit. Even if they get a couple of runs, the Yankee bullpen stinks for the most part.

I wish Joe Girardi would let Joba go two or three innings for a couple of games. Joba did start last year, has four pitches and was dominant in the first three innings in last year’s games.

The team needs to give their pitchers some run support to relieve the pressure, but in this match-up, the bats have to be hot.

My other suggestion would be trying Joba out as the Yankees long reliever. Maybe he could be the Phil Hughes of 2010 and be the vital change needed.

It would be giving Joba responsibility again, but for about four to five games. If the Yankees owe anyone a few chances, Joba’s name would be at the top of the list. He deserves to see if it could work.

See, when the opposing team is the Halos, who have the most successful record against the Yankees since 2001, the Yankee bats cannot afford to go dead.

Might as well pretend your in heaven or hell….whichever works.

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New York Yankees fans first fell in love with Joba Chamberlain in Game Two of the 2007 ALDS, also known as the infamous “bug” game.

Joba was everything and more that night. It was the spirit in his young eyes that does not come around that often.

Yankees Universe went totally crazy for this kid that night, even making losing the game bearable. Joba was the future, an authentic, talented, home-grown player that Yankee fans had been waiting for since 1996.

New York City saw Joba as the long and overdue messiah of our most coveted sports franchise. Finally, fans could be proud again.

Joba became a hero before learning how to be an MLB pitcher. Mind you, Joba hails from a small town in Nebraska, so imagine adjusting to New York. He was thrown into playing under baseball’s biggest spotlight, facing the hard-ass NYC media and the expectations of the Yankees fan-base.

Even though, Joba came-up alongside his rookie buddy Phil Hughes, it was all about Joba. Hughes did not seem to mind being in Joba’s shadow. In turn, Hughes was deemed as the less-talented, so he went out and earned the team’s trust. Which has concluded to be Hughes greatest asset.

Joba had the pressure on his shoulders and the Yankees cut him no break. Joba was going to be a starter, as the Yankees went bananas by treating him like a baby.

All the attention caused a media spectacle, evaluating Joba’s every move. The problem was that Joba’s mistakes were not excused as a rookie with growing pains. The prematurely crowned star’s errors were marked as failures, which was not fair and stunted his growth.

In 2009, the Yankees pushed Joba into the starting position but never let him stay in the game long enough to work his way out of tough situations. It made no sense after watching Joba succeed in the height of competition. This kid had a fist pump that rivaled New York Mets closer K-rod act.

Most MLB closers, other than the great Mariano Rivera who’s humble spirit is rarefied air, get-off on the pressure of the game on the line. K-rod to Braxton to Papelbaum all have that same manner that Joba first had.

Now, the media, fans, and Yankees have tossed Joba in the bullpen after ruining his faith. Joba might not even admit to it, but it is the reason why he is struggling now and Phil Hughes is not.

It was just as obvious that Hughes had the mind-set of a starter, but the Yankees’ determination to mold Joba into what was advantageous for them is what off-set his promise.

Joba has a powerful arm, as he features four pitches: a fastball-slide in the high 90’s, a hard-breaking slider, a change-up that he has not been using as much and a change-up off-speed pitch.

A closer typically needs a hard fastball and a specialty pitch. Joba has forgotten how to command his slider because he worked on an off-speed pitch for left-handed hitters.

It never worked as Joba got rocked as a starter, while Phil Hughes kicked-butt in the bullpen. Joba ended 2009 with a 4.75 ERA and loaded the bases with his high walk-rate. Whenever he struggled, Joe Girardi pulled him. The rationale behind doing that is still a mystery to me.

Currently, Joba is struggling as Rivera’s set-up guy in the eighth inning. I suppose it is difficult for him not to get on the mound that much, while watching Hughes become an All-Star and to see that he was voted most overrated player by an ESPN Magazine poll.

This kid has the goods to be great, I have witnessed it several times in person. The Yankees seem to feel no guilt. Yankee fans have the guts to boo him as he jogs out from the bullpen, and the media has turned on him as well.

What is the right thing to do?

An old saying comes to mind, “If you have nothing nice to say, do not say anything at all.”

Joba Chamberlain deserves to falter, while still hearing cheers by fans in the Bronx and if that is to hard for the “haters” then repeat the quote above.

The Yankees planned to put this kid on a pedestal, and handed him on a silver platter to the arctic NY media by exploiting “The Joba Rules.”

Personally, I like Joba and always have stood by the conclusion that he will fill the shoes of Rivera remarkably well. I mean Sergio Mitre is treated more like a Yankee than Joba, but he is the teacher’s pet.

Look, the point is it is our turn to get this right. Yankee Universe needs to be sensitive to Joba and make him feel necessary again. Just try and remember the kid we saw on the mound the day of the “bug” game.

Read more on my blog…..

Lady Loves Pinstripes.

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After saying good-bye to two prolific men, the New York Yankees ended the weekend placing ace Andy Pettitte on the DL.

Pettitte will be gone for five weeks with a grade one tear in his left hamstring. This digs the dagger even deeper as the Seattle Mariners played the reigning champs like fools by trading Cliff Lee to the Texas Rangers.

The Yankees got used by Seattle, who got more bang for Lee with the Bombers in the mix. Well, nothing good comes from dwelling in the baseball past, but this wound is still fresh after such a long week.

The Angels are in town today for a quick two games in the Bronx. These Halos have a history of reeking havoc on the Yankees, but the reality is these Angels are coming with broken wings.

Losing All-Star 1B Kenny Morales for the season was the biggest blow to a team dealing with a lot of injuries already. The latest victim was SP Ian Kennedy, who Yankee fans might remember. Kennedy was slated to start on tonight against his old buddy Phil Hughes.

With Kennedy on the DL, the Angels have yet to confirm who will take the mound, leaving Wednesday afternoon in question as well.

Yankees Javier Vazquez will take the mound against an Angel pitcher TBA. I have seen both Jared Weaver and Joel Pineiro as the probable pitcher, but both official teams sites list the Angels as TBA.

Either way, Hughes and Vazquez have to be on top of their game more than ever with Pettitte out.  Joe Girardi and GM Brian Cashman have said that Sergio Mitre will fill in for Pettitte.

Mitre has been on the DL since mid-April and has yet to be fully activated. This sounds like a broken record from 2009; Mitre coming off the DL to fill-in for Pettitte.  But, can the Yankees afford a struggling Mitre every fifth game?

Since 2003, Mitre has only pitched a full season once; in 2007, when he played for Girardi as a Marlin and posted a career best 4.65 ERA. Over seven seasons, Mitre has pitched for a total of 388 innings, allowed 232 runs, 47 home-runs, and walked 130 batters.

Not great, but Mitre did post one promising stat with 237 total strike-outs.

It is a stretch, but Mitre can throw strikes if he is not injured.

Girardi can’t seem to get enough of Mitre or any player he managed as a Marlin. Does Skipper Joe realize that this is the big leagues, not little league?

Players are not on an MLB team to play with chances.  Their job is to win.  The duds get weeded out. That is why it is hard to comprehend why Mitre is still in a Yankee uniform.

The Yankees ‘Hughes Rules’ can no longer be in effect because Sabathia and Vazquez need a good third starter. Until AJ Burnett gets on track, Hughes is that guy.

The rules consist of an imposed 170 innings limit, with the idea that Hughes would move to the bullpen around late August. Hughes dominated in that role in 2009, so it would have brought some relief in September. Now that can’t happen, as the Yankees got a reminder that the DL is not just for the Phillies and Red Sox.

Prediction Yankees Vs. Angels:

The Yankees should win both games because A-Rod is on a tear, Jeter is back to life, and Cano and Swisher haven’t slowed down yet. Depending on which Angels show up in New York, the Yankees will either easily take both games, or the teams will spilt in an old school battle.

The Angels have been in a slump, as the hitters seem to be holding bats made of ice. What worries me is that those bats will thaw, and the Angels will get hot again. It is no secret how hot New York City is right now, so it wouldn’t surprise me if the Halos got warm again tonight.

When you’re talking about players like Abreu, Hunter, and Matsui, once they get going watch out. The Angels, when on fire, can hit the hell out of the ball, no matter who is throwing it.

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Of the Yankees’ remaining 74 games of the 2010 regular-season schedule, 13 are against the Tampa Bay Rays. That’s nearly 18% of all remaining games for the Yankees against the rival best team in baseball. The first of those showdowns between the two powerhouses begins today.

For a snapshot of where we are today, July 16, the AL East Standings look like this:

Team………………..W-L..pct..GB
New York Yankees..56-32 .636 –
Tampa Bay Rays….54-34 .614 2.0
Boston Red Sox…..51-38 .573 5.5
Toronto Blue Jays..44-45 .494 12.5
Baltimore Orioles….29-59 .330 27.0

The Yanks and the Rays are currently the only .600 teams in baseball. But with so many head-to-head contests looming that may change. After all, someone has to lose. That’s about the only thing going for the Red Sox right now.

Looking ahead to this first series after the All-Star Break, the pitching match-ups are as follows:

Friday
LHP CC Sabathia (12-3, 3.09 ERA) vs. RHP James Shields (7-9, 4.87)

Saturday
RHP A.J. Burnett (7-7, 4.75) vs. RHP Jeff Niemann (7-2, 2.77)

Sunday
LHP Andy Pettitte (11-2, 2.70) vs. LHP David Price (12-4, 2.42)

Jeez, the Rays have some pretty good pitchers, don’t they? Facing Niemann and Price over the weekend doesn’t look like much fun for the Yankees hitters. It was David Price, after all, who mowed down the best NL hitters in baseball in his start of the All-Star Game earlier in the week. The only match-up here that favors the Yankees is tonight, the Yanks’ ace against the Rays’ worst-performing starter. But even James Shields has his good days, and tonight is no gimme.

The secret to the Yanks’ success for this series? They need to make sure they take Friday night’s game, in what is sure to be an emotional event following the death of longtime owner George Steinbrenner. Then hope that the Good AJ shows up on Saturday or Andy continues his dominance on Sunday. Either of those outcomes doesn’t guarantee a win against the likes of Niemann or Price, but that’s their only hope to walk away with 2 out of 3.

Either way, baseball is back.

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From the FanTake blog: Mr. Blogtober

Follow on Twitter: @Mr_Blogtober

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New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner has died in Tampa, Florida at the age of 80.

Though one of the most despised, controversial, and notorious owners in the long history of Major League Baseball, Steinbrenner must also be remembered as one of the greats, a giant amongst men.

During Steinbrenner’s tenure, the Yankees captured 11 pennants and seven World Series championships. The Yanks also produced a cornucopia of All Stars, and more than a few Hall of Famers.

Amongst the Yankees many accomplishments during the Steinbrenner Era, the team also had a shocking number of managers.

Here are the Top Ten Yankees Managers of the Steinbrenner Era.

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