Kuzul

It was 9-0 in the fifth inning.

Everything was looking in favor of the Red Sox on Saturday after they had chased Freddy Garcia in the second inning and forced Joe Girardi to go to the bullpen.

The “it was” phrase is a common phrase uttered a lot in Boston.

Like, it was 3-2 in the 1986 World Series. And it was 5-2 in the eighth inning of the 2003 ALCS.

On Saturday, it was 9-0 Red Sox heading into the sixth inning.

Mark Teixeira homers off of Boston starter Felix Doubront to make it 9-1.

It’s still a steep hill to climb, but in Fenway, you can never count out a loaded offense, especially the Yankees.

In the seventh inning, the momentum changed in the entire game.

Off Vicente Padilla, Nick Swisher smashes a grand slam over the Green Monster, which cut it from 9-1 to 9-5.

With that one swing, the Yankees had a pulse, and Boston knew they were in deep trouble.

Three batters later, Teixiera cranks out his second home run of the game, a three-run shot off Matt Albers over the Green Monster, and it was 9-8.

From 9-0 to 9-8 in a matter of two innings. The Red Sox couldn’t stop the bleeding, because the Yankees were far from done.

In the top of the eighth, Swisher cranks a double over the head of Cody Ross, which scored two and gave the Yankees the lead at 10-9.

Teixeira, already having a monster game, hits a two-run ground run double that made it 12-9.

Two batters later, Russell Martin hits a two-run double over Ross’ head to make it 14-9.

Derek Jeter’s infield single made it 15-9, and that’s where it held for the rest of the game.

The Yankees looked like they would get smoked out of the ballpark on Saturday, and then all it took was two huge innings.

A seven-run seventh inning and a seven-run eighth inning and Red Sox Nation went from having a great time to watching a live nightmare before their eyes.

The Boston bullpen is the major culprit of this one, as they wasted a solid performance by their starter Doubront.

The Red Sox bullpen allowed 12 hits, 14 runs, walked four and allowed two home runs.

Former Yankee and current Red Sox reliever Alfredo Aceves took the loss and had his ERA soar all the way up to 24.00

The Boston bullpen has been downright dreadful in 2012 and in Saturday’s game, it really got exposed on national TV.

For both Swisher and Teixeira, what a breakout game to have.

Swisher goes 3-for-6 with six RBI and the grand slam. Texieira also goes 3-for-6 with six RBI and the  two huge home runs.

Jeter continues his hot April by going 3-for-4 and bumped his average up to .382.

Garcia, as expected, pitched a lousy game and got bailed out by his offense.

As soon as Andy Pettitte is ready to get called up to the majors, Garcia will not have a spot in the Yankees rotation anymore.

Nobody was expecting this type of comeback by the Yankees after falling behind 9-0, but this is one of the most historic comeback victories that only adds to the rivalry.

The Yankees have done this so many times to the Red Sox.

The one-game playoff in 1978 that saw Bucky Dent hit the homer over the monster.

The three-run eighth inning rally off Pedro Martinez in the 2003 ALCS, followed by Aaron Boone’s home run in the 11th off Tim Wakefield.

Starting 0-9 head-to-head in 2009 and winning 10-of-11 against Boston to win the A.L. East.

The Boston Massacre of 1978 and again in 2006.

You can now add April 21, 2012, into the history books as another chapter of the Yankees-Red Sox feud and rivalry with this historic comeback victory.

The Yankees have already won the series by taking the first two games. On ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball, led by C.C. Sabathia, the Yankees will attempt the sweep.

Stay tuned, Yankees Universe.

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For those who cannot survive on Top 40 rankings alone, here is a compilation of the next 40 outfielders to target in mixed- and league-specific drafts.

41. Carlos Lee, Astros
Skinny: Lee posted better numbers in hits, triples, RBI, steals, walks and batting average last year, compared to 2010. The biggest omission of the Top 40 outfielders.

42. Andre Ethier, Dodgers
Skinny: Coming off a sluggish campaign, Ethier is a good bet for modest across-the-board improvements in 2012. Targets: 17 HRs, 72 RBI, 69 runs, 1 steal and .292 average.

43. Jeff Francoeur, Royals
Skinny: This pedestrian ranking is based on the assumption Francoeur won’t collect 601 at-bats again, while vying for space in the Royals’ crowded outfield.

44. Nick Swisher, Yankees
Skinny: Fantasy owners will appreciate Swisher’s latest comfort zone in the draft’s latter rounds. Targets: 22 HRs, 86 RBIs, 77 runs, .257 average.

45. Logan Morrison, Marlins
Skinny: Better plate discipline could easily vault the 24-year-old Morrison into the Top 40, sooner than later. Targets: 24 HRs, 75 RBI, 59 runs, 4 steals, .268 average.

46. Josh Willingham, Twins
Skinny: An underrated two-category force, look for Willingham to take a slight dip in HRs and RBIs…but raise his average to approximately.265.

47. Carlos Quentin, Padres
Skinny: Quentin may never replicate his MVP-caliber season from 2008 (36/100/.288), but he’s still a reasonable play for 25 HRs, 82 RBI and .261 average.

48. Austin Jackson, Tigers
Skinny: It’s rare to find a two-category machine at this point in the countdown. Assuming he bats leadoff for most of 2012, A-Jax could tally 100 runs and 30 steals.

49. Martin Prado, Braves
Skinny: Prado is a respectable four-category contributor to those who have forgotten the 15-HR/100-runs/.300 expectations of last March.

50. Brennan Boesch, Tigers
Skinny: The planets may be aligned for Boesch to finally enjoy a season of relatively good health and fruitful fantasy numbers: Targets: 17 HRs, 70 RBI, 82 runs, 6 steals, .287 average.

51. Matt Joyce, Rays
Skinny: A productive player with some inescapable red flags from last year: two months of sub-.200 hitting…and three months of two homers or less.

52. Peter Bourjos, Angels
Skinny: Bourjos should be a four-category factor this year (excluding RBI)…assuming he logs 500 at-bats for the Angels.

53. Angel Pagan, Giants
Skinny: Like Bourjos, Pagan should be a four-category success in roto and head-to-head leagues, and bonus…30 steals is now the baseline of reasonable expectations.

54. Alex Rios, White Sox
Skinny: Rios may not register stats worthy of the 54th outfielder. But his age (31) and intriguing physical tools will nonetheless prompt fantasy GMs to take a later-round flier on the former star.

55. Brandon Belt, Giants
Skinny: Forget last year’s pedestrian stats (9 HRs, 18 RBI, 21 runs, .225 BA). Belt has the tools and superb minor-league track record to be a four-category factor in his second season.

56. Colby Rasmus, Blue Jays
Skinny: It’s time for Rasmus to take a big leap in his development, while avoiding the wild highs and lows of seasons past. Targets: 22 HRs, 67 RBI, 84 runs, 9 steals, .274 average.

57. Emilio Bonifacio, Marlins
Skinny: A two-category whirlwind (runs, steals) who needs to prove last year’s .296 BA wasn’t a fluke.

58. Dexter Fowler, Rockies
Skinny: A potential National League clone of Austin Jackson, Fowler might approach 90 runs and 25-30 steals for the hot-and-cold Rockies.

59. Mitch Moreland, Rangers
Skinny: Moreland’s hearty supporters might find fault with this conservative ranking. But for 2012, Moreland’s upside likely doesn’t extend past 21 HRs and 67 RBI.

60. Jason Kubel, Diamondbacks
Skinny: With 140 games and 500 at-bats, Kubel can recapture his 20-HR mojo from 2008-10. But that may be a tall order, given the Diamondbacks’ packed outfield and absence of a DH during National League play.

61. Lucas Duda, Mets
Skinny: Duda has the physical tools to be a four-category contributor in his age-26 season. Targets: 16 HRs, 58 RBI, 59 runs, .284 average.

62. Alfonso Soriano, Cubs
Skinny: Soriano makes for a productive fifth or sixth outfielder in 12-team leagues, especially for owners in need of 20-plus homers and 80 RBI.

63. J.D. Martinez, Astros
Skinny: A .342 hitter in the minors, Martinez has the skill set to be a four-category factor in his second MLB season. This leap-of-faith ranking will look even better in May.

64. Michael Brantley, Indians
Skinny: Brantley posted across-the-board gains in his second MLB season (7 HRs, 46 RBI, 63 runs, 13 steals, .266 average). Expect another season of modest improvement.

65. Vernon Wells, Angels
Skinny: With this outfield ranking, fantasy owners probably wouldn’t mind a repeat of Wells’ 2011 numbers (25 HRs, 66 RBI, 60 runs, 9 steals)—minus the deflating .218 average.

66. Delmon Young, Tigers
Skinny: Fantasy owners shouldn’t expect a homer every five games from Young—his admirable pace with the Tigers last season. But he’s still a respectable four-category contributor.

67. Ben Revere, Twins
Skinny: Revere will be a high late-round priority for owners needing cheap speed, and the fleet-footed Twin is a lock for 42-45 steals in 2012.

68. Juan Pierre, Phillies
Skinny: The 34 year old may be in the twilight of his career, but he’s still a threat for 40 steals and 80 runs when given adequate playing time. An ideal late-round flier.

69. Jason Bay, Mets
Skinny: Bay’s numbers have obviously dipped since that coup de grace season of 2009 with Boston (36 HRs, 119 RBI, 103 runs). But as a healthy Met, he’s still a good play for 16 HRs, 70 RBI and 11 steals.

70. Ryan Raburn, Tigers
Skinny: Opportunity knocks for the OF-eligible Rayburn, who has a clear shot at winning the Tigers’ job at second base and posting numbers of 15 HRs, 58 RBI, 61 runs and .282 average.

71. Jose Tabata, Pirates
Skinny: The next five players in this countdown could all make big jumps in 2012. Tabata is a reasonable candidate for 12 HRs, 34 steals and .279 average.

72. Eric Thames, Blue Jays
Skinny: Thames has down-the-road power potential of 25 HRs and 90 RBI. He could be a last-round gem for upside-loving owners.

73. Jerry Sands, Dodgers
Skinny: Sands would probably rate higher if he had a spot sewn up in the Dodgers’ outfield. Hopefully, owners will have more clarity with Sands in April or May.

74. Lorenzo Cain, Royals
Skinny: Cain was a four-category factor in the minors. Hopefully, that status will transition into big-league success for 2012. A solid late-round flier.

75. Yoenis Cespedes, Athletics
Skinny: You’ve seen the video of Cespedes running, jumping and P90X-ing his way into the hearts of MLB scouts and general managers. But is he ready to play in the bigs?

76. Seth Smith, Athletics
Skinny: It’s hard to guess how Oakland’s outfield situation will shake out by season’s end, but Smith has respectable potential in all five categories. A late-round coup in any format.

77. Travis Snider, Blue Jays
Skinny: A red-hot spring start has fueled the notion that Snider will put it all together in 2012. Here’s the rub: Toronto’s outfield is stacked right now.

78. Yonder Alonso, Padres
Skinny: The Reds took a big gamble on Joey Votto (beyond 2013) when they traded Alonso, a future star at first base, to the Padres. For Alonso, anything above 14 HRs, 63 RBI and .270 BA would be welcome.

79. Mike Carp, Mariners
Skinny: Carp may finally be getting the requisite playing time to become a productive fantasy asset. Targets: 18 HRs and .282 average.

80. Denard Span, Twins
Skinny: The 80th ranking is more ceremonial than a punitive judgment against Span, who tallied 182 runs and 49 steals in 2009-10. With a productive spring, thus erasing last year’s disappointment, Span could vault 14-17 slots before Opening Day.

80a. Bryce Harper, Nationals
Skinny: It might not matter if the Nationals send Harper down for more minor-league seasoning before Opening Day. Fantasy owners won’t hesitate to take a Round 20 flier on one of the most touted hitting prospects of the last 20 years. Expect a June 1 call-up.

80b. Mike Trout, Angels
Skinny: A springtime illness has effectively curtailed Trout’s chances of making the parent club on Opening Day. Nevertheless, he’s a stealth last-round flier and a can’t-miss prospect for the long term.

80c. Alex Presley, Pirates
Skinny: With an outfield of Andrew McCutchen, Tabata and Presley, the Pirates can afford to be patient with Starling Marte. A .291 hitter in the minors, Presley could develop into a four-category factor.

80d. Allen Craig, Cardinals
Skinny: Like so many prospects at this stage of the countdown, Craig’s fantasy potential is directly proportional to the number of at-bats he’ll accrue in his first full season.

80e. Alejandro De Aza, White Sox
Skinny: A poor man’s (or undiscovered) version of Emilio Bonifacio. In the right setting, De Aza could hit .300 and notch 30-35 steals.

Jay Clemons can be reached on Twitter, day or night, at @ATL_JayClemons.

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While the Indians are certainly in need of acquiring a bat, the Yankees are making the right decision by not making Nick Swisher available to them.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports is reporting that the Indians have talked to the Yankees about Swisher. According to Rosenthal, the Indians saw him as a reasonable alternative to Carlos Beltran, assuming he didn’t sign with them.

The Indians didn’t sign Beltran, but that can’t influence the Yankees’ decision. New York is the biggest of the big-market teams and they are competing for a World Series title every year. For them, the decision to keep Swisher or not comes down to one thing.

Can they get a better overall player than him?

The answer to that is a definitive “no.” Swisher is far and away better than any outfielder on the free agent market. With the exception of Prince Fielder, he’s a better hitter than anyone on the free agent market. Moving him would make no sense. 

In addition to all of that, Swisher is a good guy. He’s popular with fans and players alike, and has been everywhere he’s gone.

But this boils down to one thing: numbers. Look at what he’s done in his three years in pinstripes.

In addition to that, Swisher also plays good defense. At this point, the Yankees can do no better than Swisher in right field. Logically, the Indians know that the options don’t exist on the free agent market. 

According to Rosenthal, “Club (Indians) officials say they are pursuing every hitter on the market who is not named Prince Fielder.”

Any free agent that the Indians could pursue could also be pursued by the Yankees. If the Yankees felt that they could improve on Swisher, they would have gone after someone. 

It’s not that easy to put up the kind of numbers that Swisher has produced, and find it from a switch hitter that plays good defense, let alone someone who’s good in the clubhouse.

The Indians may need another bat, but that’s not New York’s problem. They’re better off keeping Swisher in the Bronx and working to add depth to their pitching rotation. 

Follow @mdixon1985

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When baseball isn’t busy being mired in steroids scandals, it’s a hyper-entertaining sport of men who face off against one another with leather gloves, tight pants, and more superstition than the average human can handle.

That, of course, is the opinion of your average baseball-obsessed super fan (ahem).  To many, baseball is a boring game that requires some sort of stimulant to enjoy.  For some players, it’s no different. Baseball requires a ton of stop-and-go performance, which, despite naysayers, is the No. 1 reason for major injuries.

It’s probably also the No. 1 reason that players make the choice to chew tobacco during games.  With all that standing (and for many, sitting) around, players often choose to let their minds wander with some smokeless tobacco resting in their lower lip or inside their cheek.  

In a sense, you can’t blame them: there are really only three guys playing at a time in baseball, which is truly unlike any other sport.  On the other hand, it’s a little unsettling when you see Tim Lincecum throw in a huge dip after tossing eight shutout innings (not to mention the health risks involved).   

On August 18 of this year’s MLB season, the Colorado Rockies suspended farmhand Mike Jacobs for 50 games when he tested positive for HGH.  Aside from the obvious implication, this story provided us with a perfectly nasty photo (pictured above).

Things can get out of hand (See here: Nyjer Morgan throws his chew at St. Louis’ Chris Carpenter) at times.  With Morgan’s Brewers currently trying to battle back from a 3-2 deficit in the NLCS, we take a look at MLB’s current top 10 most obvious tobacco chewers. 

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It’s so difficult for New York Yankees fans to realize that the Steinbrenners’ team lost to the Detroit Tigers because the Tigers outplayed them.

Fans, egged on by the media, blame Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher and C.C. Sabathia for the end of the Yankees’ season. Almost no one not in Detroit has given the Tigers the credit they deserve.

The Tigers, a gritty, gutsy team, split the first two games at the Yankees ball park. The fact that the first game was suspended by rain changed the series.

Baseball’s best pitcher, Justin Verlander, and the Yankees’ best pitcher, Sabathia, were forced out of the game. Instead of facing each other in the first and fifth games, they started against each other only in Game 3.

The second game, as is often the case in a best-of-five, was the key. The Tigers got to Freddy Garcia for two runs in the first and for two more in the sixth when they knocked him out of the game.

Max Scherzer held the Yankees scoreless through six innings. A shaky Joaquin Benoit and an even shakier Jose Valverde made the ninth inning Detroit run produced by Brandon Inge and Don Kelly stand up when the Yankees scored twice in the ninth.

Despite the poor weather conditions, Valverde retired Robinson Cano to end the game. It wasn’t Cano’s fault that he didn’t win the game; Valverde won the battle—he deserves the credit.

Brandon Inge, Don Kelly, Billy Martin, Mark Lemke and Billy Hatcher (I am not differentiating playoffs and World Series performances) can’t compare to Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Gil Hodges or Jose Canseco with respect to talent, but some major leaguers rise to the occasion.

The Yankees won the fourth game by a big score. They won many games by blowouts during the season, which inflated their statistics.

In a deciding Game 5, journeyman Don Kelly and Delmon Young each hit solo home runs in the first inning to put the Yankees into a hole from which they never escaped. Kelly took advantage of the ball park.

Were those home runs A-Rod’s fault? Were either Teixeira or Swisher to blame?

Sabathia gave up the run that won the ALDS for the Tigers. It was his first relief appearance after 421 starts. When Casey Stengel explained his success to “his writers,” he emphasized that he wouldn’t ask a player to do what he couldn’t do.

Max Scherzer was fantastic. Doug Fister, probably the acquisition that made the Tigers a genuine pennant threat, did well. Benoit and Valverde were excellent.

Verlander didn’t dominate the way he was supposed to, but the Tigers had enough to win. That’s all it takes.

In 2011, it is popular to blame high-priced players, especially Yankees, for their teams’ failures when they have a bad series. That has some validity, but baseball is a team game.

It is impossible to predict a five-game series. When the Yankees lose three out of five games during the season, it is quickly forgotten. When a star slumps, there is usually time for recovery.

That’s not true in the playoffs.

The Tigers were simply the better team. They won. The Yankees didn’t lose.

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Going into Saturday’s game with the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankee Derek Jeter is only nine hits away from 3,000 hits and baseball immortality. 

Once a player reaches his 3,000th hit, he becomes a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame. Derek Jeter is without a doubt one of best Yankees’ of all time, but is having him bat in the leadoff position the best move for the New York Yankees in their quest at another World Series title?

The 36-year-old shortstop is in his 16th season as a Yankee, his production is down and the Yankees find themselves two games out of first place and only a one-game lead in the Wild Card race. It is only June, but the Boston Red Sox are heating up and change might be necessary before it is too late.

Jeter is only batting .256 with two HR and 18 RBI. He also has an OPS .655 which is one of the worst of any leadoff hitter in all of baseball. He has seven stolen bases and has been caught twice, not exactly leadoff material.

The questions seems to be if not Jeter, than who should lead off? The New York Yankees actually have several options, but Manager Joe Girardi is committed to Jeter, and his team is suffering.

Robinson Cano would be a good fit for the leadoff spot and so would Brett Gardener. Cano is currently batting .281 with 12 home runs, 40 RBI and a .829 OPS. Much better than Jeter’s numbers.

Gardener’s numbers are about the same as Jeter’s with a .266 BA and 15 RBI. His OPS is higher at .725, and he has more stolen bases with 13. Speed is very important at the top of the lineup, and Jeter is not the player he once was.

With the season-ending injury to relief pitcher Joba Chamberlain, the Yankees are going to have to score even more runs in order to keep leads. The Yankees need a jolt at the top of their lineup, and if they wish to make another run at the post season, Joe Girardi is going to have to make some very difficult decisions.

DH Jorge Posada is batting a career low .214 and LF Nick Swisher is also having a terrible season with just a .215 BA. Look for both of these players to be out of the starting lineup by the end of July if they can’t turn it around.

Derek Jeter should reach hit number 3,000 during the middle of next week. Stay tuned to ESPN as they will cover most of his at-bats once he reaches hit 2,999.

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With every ground ball, with every out, the yells for Yankees manager Joe Girardi to drop Derek Jeter in the lineup grow louder. Not a day goes by without somebody saying Jeter needs to move out of the two hole and stop being selfish or stubborn or whatever adjective you want to use.

But quite frankly, there’s no reason for Girardi to move Jeter at this point in the season.

Simplest of all, the backlash within the clubhouse would be huge. Let’s not forget, Girardi is already in a difficult situation having to manage players who were once his teammates. When the Yankees first hired Girardi as manager, we knew this was going to be the issue.

Girardi was going to have to deal with two players, Jeter and Jorge Posada, whose skills are diminishing. Girardi made the decision to move Posada out from behind home plate soon after the 2010 season ended. Posada made it clear he didn’t like the decision, but he accepted it.

It’s different with Jeter. At the time Posada moved to DH, the Yankees had their eyes on other options. Aside from in-house candidate Francisco Cervelli, the Yankees also had several top catching prospects, including Jesus Montero and Austin Romine coming to spring training, hoping one of them could win a backup job.

They also added former All-Star catcher Russell Martin and immediately anointed him the starting catcher. Even if Martin’s offense didn’t return, his defense was a huge upgrade over Posada’s. It just so happens that Martin’s offense has returned, making the decision look all the better.

But where’s the replacement for Jeter? So far this season, Girardi has batted Jeter both second and leadoff in the lineup. In seven at-bats leading off, Jeter is hitting .429 this season, as opposed to .148 in 27 at-bats in the second spot.

But for the season, Jeter is only batting .206 with a sad .300 OBP. His ground ball issues have also returned (3.83 GB/FB rate).

When Jeter has been out of the leadoff spot, outfielder Brett Gardner has taken his place. But Gardner isn’t playing much better than Jeter this season. After posting a .383 OBP in 2010 (43 points higher than Jeter’s .340), Gardner is batting just .167 this season and his OBP stands at .265.

Where’s the upgrade over Jeter? Does Gardner have more speed at this point? Absolutely. But speed doesn’t mean anything when you’re not getting on base. On the season, Jeter’s OBP is 35 points higher at .300.

So really, Jeter leading off isn’t hurting the Yankees when their only other option, Gardner, isn’t getting the job done either. And even with Jeter’s down season last year, the worst of his career, he still managed to score more runs (111) than he did in 2009 (109) when the Yankees won the World Series.

The Yankee offense is more than capable of driving in a struggling Jeter when he gets on base.

But what about taking Jeter out of the two hole and dropping him even further in the lineup, to ninth perhaps?

The first thought among Yankee fans is to bat Nick Swisher second behind Gardner.

Well, what is Swisher doing this season? He’s only batting .219 with no home runs and six RBI. Like Gardner, his OBP (.289) is lower than Jeter’s and his GB/FB rate isn’t so slanted towards putting the ball in the air that it can’t tip the other way (16 fly balls, 12 ground balls).

For his career, Swisher has been predominately a fly ball hitter (career 0.59 GB/FB rate), but right now, Swisher isn’t doing enough offensively to really make any big change. Having Mark Teixeira behind him in the lineup might help his numbers, but having Posada batting behind him now isn’t a weakness either.

Teixeira does lead the team with four home runs and 10 RBI, but he’s only batting .182 so far and has just two hits in his last 21 at-bats.

Moving Gardner and Swisher into the first two spots in the lineup and dropping Jeter down isn’t going to make any difference right now. The numbers just don’t support the move.

If Jeter continues to struggle and hit the ball on the ground, while Gardner and Swisher begin to pick it up, Girardi can make the move more easily because he has actual reason. But right now, Girardi isn’t getting enough production to justify the move.

And quite frankly, Jeter deserves the time he’s getting to turn it around.

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Just one week ago Robinson Cano switched agents to Scott Boras, and now we are hearing that Nick Swisher will also switch to the most infamous agent in baseball, according to Joel Sherman of the NY Post.

Swisher, 30, has one year left on a five-year deal that will pay him $9 million in 2011. He also has a club option that the Yankees will most definitely pick up worth $10.25 million for 2012.

This means that when Swisher becomes a free agent he’ll be 32. That’s about how old Jayson Werth is right now (he actually turns 32 in May). Boras will almost definitely be throwing around comparisons between the two players, trying to get Swisher a deal worth north of $100 million as well.

There are obvious differences between Werth and Swisher, but nobody thought Werth would get as much as he ended up getting, so you’d better believe Boras will be expecting a big payday for his new client. With big years in 2011 and 2012, Swisher could be gearing up for a contract worth nearly $100 million.

With Cano set to become a free agent a year after Swisher, the Yankees are going to have to think long and hard about which one they are going to want to keep. At this point it seems highly doubtful that the Yankees will be able to re-sign both of them when they hit free agency.

Related Stories

• November 17, 2010 — Yankees Rumors: All 3 Yanks Outfielders Drawing Interest
• October 20, 2010 — Yankees Still Alive, Trail ALCS 3-2
• October 19, 2010 — Shining A Spotlight on the Yankees Struggling Bats
• October 13, 2010 — Yankees News: Burnett, Swisher, and Thames

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim:

The Angels players, all personally offended by the public’s plea for outside help, will rally behind the return of Kendry Morales and Tim Salmon. 

Torii Hunter, who for so long called for Carl Crawford to become a Halo, will pretend he was happy with the roster all along. 

At the same time owner Arte Moreno will claim that he believed in the players within the organization enough not to spend money on big name free agents. 

The players themselves, however, will only use their anger towards Moreno as motivation to not only win each game but also to slaughter their opponent in any way possible.

On May 20, Torii Hunter will hit a walk-off homerun against the Atlanta Braves, and in the ensuing celebration he will break his leg, much like Morales, only there will be player testimonies that do not add up.  An investigation will follow. 

Brandon Wood, relegated to executive ball-boy, sorry, executive ball-man, will find hope in his new role. 

He will meet the soul of Derek Jeter (Because New York stripped it from him) who will guide him on an out-of-body experience to see how to fix his career.  It may sound ridiculous, but so does his .382 OPS in 81 games last year. 

In around mid-September it will slowly come out that the Angels organization is actually an elaborate 50 year-long police sting to uncover the mob’s involvement in baseball, thus explaining why Crawford and Adrian Beltre kept their distance. 

Also, the organization will be disbanded when said information is leaked by Julian Assange.

Oakland Athletics:

The pitching staff, led by future Tim Hudson, future Mark Mulder, and future Barry Zito will rally around the assumption that if they make the playoffs a movie will be made about their triumphs.

Around July 15, with the A’s in the wild-card hunt, GM Billy Beane will convince Yankee GM Brian Cashman to trade Nick Swisher back to Oakland while eating 90% of his salary. 

Then Swisher will grow his hair back to its appropriate length and use his power stroke and cowboy attitude to make the offense believe in itself for the stretch run. 

Breakout star of 2011 will be 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff who finally loosens up at the plate and stops swinging at pitches buried in the dirt. 

Seriously though, Kouz hits like I’d imagine Macaulay Culkin might swing a bat while he light-heartedly tries to defend his home from inept thieves. 

I might be a little off-topic but whenever Kouzmanoff steps into the batter’s box my heart sinks a little inside. 

It’s like the world is darker, the clouds form above and rain pours down, so yes even God wants to avoid watching his at bats.  But hey his defense his above average, so there’s that. 

The A’s failure to sign Adrian Beltre may seem like a bad thing, and that’s because it is.

Finally, the search for a new ballpark will end when the organization says “to hell with it” and starts playing at a local high school field.  The high school team will take over the Coliseum and attendance will see a slight increase. 

Seattle Mariners:

With Ichiro threatening to return to Japan unless the Mariners avoid last place, the Mariners will avoid last place.  Infielder Chone Figgins, wanting to prove his worth to himself, will enter Spring Training having gained 20 pounds of muscle.

By July 15, he will have hit 40 home runs, bumping the team total to 43.  Ichiro will be overshadowed and will then retire. 

Because of their fabulous third-place finish, Felix Hernandez will not be traded as he will donate over half of each paycheck back to the organization to blow on other mediocre pitchers and washed up outfielders. 

Then, making a sudden and unwarranted “game-changer” the Mariners will unsuccessfully trade for Cliff Lee. 

The Phillies will turn down the offer, but using outside, somewhat legal help the Mariners will quietly acquire Lee and put him in a Vargas jersey because no one knows who that player is anyway.

Once the media catches on, the Seattle organization will cover its ears and, in unison, repeat the phrase “na na na na na na na na I can’t hear you, you words don’t affect us because we have special shields that only we can see.” 

After a few weeks everyone will give up.  The move, however, will not help as Lee is unmotivated and finds a way to injure his right pinky. 

While searching for success, Justin Smoak will toy with the idea of adding a knuckleball to his arsenal, and oh yeah he’s going to become a starting pitcher.  Smoak will fit in nicely in the No. 2 slot in the rotation.   

Texas Rangers:

Coming off of their terrific pennant-winning season in 2010, the Texas Rangers will struggle to replicate their success in 2011 due to Adrian Beltre’s mere presence. 

Beltre will constantly walk around “making it rain” in the face of good ol’ hardworking players like Colby Lewis and C.J. Wilson. 

Michael Young, like Mariners’ SP Justin Smoak, will make the transition from 1B/DH to pitcher as part of a 2011 movement that will be aptly named “Year of the Pitcher, Again.” 

Around June 1, after Beltre’s move to the leadoff spot in order to really “shake things up” as stated by manager Ron Washington, the team will go on a relatively long winning streak, taking two in a row from the Cleveland Indians. 

As part of that same “shake up,” Neftali Feliz will finally be removed from the closer role and put on the gear as the next great catcher. 

Washington will explain the move by saying that it improves the team’s overall “WAR” and reporters will wonder if he knows what that means. 

For the rest of the season fans will call for a replacement to Washington, and finally Nolan Ryan will hold a press conference only to announce his return to the mound, “but only as a closer,” he will explain.  

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As Christmas approaches, fans of the New York Yankees have been left with nothing but coal in their stockings.  This isn’t by any means meant to be a slight on recently acquired catcher Russell Martin whose signing makes for a decent “stocking stuffer.”  It is the big prize though that has so far eluded the Yankees.

Fans of the Bronx Bombers expected their annual free-agent gift to be delivered in the form of Cliff Lee but were left with Ebenezer Scrooge-like feelings when he opted to return to the Philadelphia Phillies.  Now another Yankee target in Kerry Wood follows suit by making his own homecoming.

Around midnight central time, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal broke the news that Wood was returning to the Chicago Cubs.  Wood, 33, has agreed to a two-year pact with the “North Siders” worth $12 million to once again become their closer.  By returning to Wrigley Field, his career has now come full circle, back to a setting in which he made his debut as a 20 year-old rookie phenom.

Winter hopes haven’t come to fruition for Yankees general manager Cashman who has been left out in the cold all offseason.  The rival Boston Red Sox have already delivered two major presents to their fans in Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, something that Yankee fans are usually accustomed to.  Acquiring Martin and oft-injured starter Mark Prior wasn’t what most imagined would be the Yanks’ biggest captures thus far.

A growing number of Yankee fans have begun to question Cashman who will need to dip into his farm system to acquire not only one but two talented starting pitchers if Andy Pettitte decides to hang up his spikes.  Speculation that the enigmatic Carlos Zambrano is on his radar isn’t encouraging and anything short of landing Felix Hernandez or Zach Greinke will only make disgruntled fans’ voices louder.

The public handling of Derek Jeter’s new deal hasn’t helped Cashman’s standing as even outside the greater New York area, fans nationwide felt he insulted the revered Yankees captain.  His comment during negotiations infuriated many non-biased hardball addicts: “We’ve encouraged him to test the market and see if there’s something he would prefer other than this. If he can, fine. That’s the way it works.”

Treating Jeter like an over-the-hill utility man in contract talks infuriated baseball fans nationwide and even the classy shortstop admitted his distaste for Cashman’s methods.

“I was pretty angry about it, but I let that be known,” Jeter said.  “I was angry about it because I was the one that said I didn’t want to do it, that I wasn’t going to (test the market).  To hear the organization tell me to go shop it when I just told you I wasn’t going to, if I’m going to be honest, I was angry about it.  I never wanted to be a free agent.”

The pressure will surely increase on Cashman if he is unable to acquire a dominant starter, make due with an unpopular trade or force unproven young arms into the Yankees rotation.  Cashman whose job is “to play Santa for the Yankees” has a long list in front of him if he is to assemble a team capable of challenging the Red Sox for the AL East, let alone a squad capable of making the World Series. 

Besides a top-tier starter or two, New York is in need of a new setup man in Wood’s absence.  David Robertson had an awful postseason, as he gave up vital runs that led to their 2010 playoff elimination at the hands of the Texas Rangers.  Joba Chamberlain can’t be trusted either as the formerly standout reliever is now seen as an unpredictable question mark.

Some baseball analysts feel that Nick Swisher should be moved after the free-spirited outfielder had yet another poor postseason.  In his two seasons as a Yankee, Swisher complied pitiful playoff averages of .128 and .176 in 2009 and 2010 respectively.  His erratic defense and lack of range also add credence to the thought that New York would be better off without the right fielder.

Instead of focusing on speedy outfielder Carl Crawford, Cashman turned his full attention to the pursuit of Lee, who behind the scenes made little indication that he wanted to come to the Bronx.  With Brett Gardner as the Yankees’ only consistent base-stealer in their lineup, Crawford would have been a welcome addition.  He would have given the Bombers two speedsters capable of swiping 50 bases apiece.

Along with Gardner and Curtis Granderson, Crawford would have made the Yankees outfield one of the most athletic in all of baseball and a long-term heir to Jeter’s spot in the top of the order.  With Crawford snapped up by the Red Sox, Cashman should still consider dealing Swisher and finding a younger, more athletic outfielder to improve New York’s flexibility in not relying on the long ball.

All of this being said, Cashman is still a very shrewd businessman.  He has stockpiled coveted minor league talents to deal away to reshape the Yankees roster into one that is worthy of returning to the Fall Classic.  It will be interesting to see how he goes about addressing his club’s needs as he definitely has his work cut out for him.

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