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Blog Posts in 2016
Ruling Upholds Tort Reform Laws that Limit Damages for Rape Victim
Dec 19, 2016 • Nicholas DiCello
Imagine that you have a 15-year-old daughter. You send her to church – a place that should be considered safe, a place where one may seek guidance within the walls of its protective sanctuary. Imagine ...
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Ohio's Wrongful Death Statute: The Basics
Dec 19, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
Wrongful death litigation is a recourse for individuals who have lost loved ones through the fault of another. The laws that define wrongful death and determine its application are detailed in Chapter ...
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The Costs of Failing to Comply with Safety Standards and Regulations
Dec 14, 2016 • Nick DiCello
Safety standards and regulations are put in place for a reason and complying with them may seem like common sense, but corners are often cut, rules are ignored and even deliberately violated, ...
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Attorneys at Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP Named 2017 "Super Lawyers" and "Rising Stars"
Dec 2, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
We are pleased to announce that all six partners and three associates at Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP were selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2017 edition of Super Lawyers. Super Lawyers ...
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Listeria Threat Prompts Kellogg to Recall Eggo Waffles
Sep 20, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
Kellogg Co. has issued a recall of about 10,000 cases of Eggo Waffles due to concerns over listeria. Fear of listeria contamination has led Kellogg Co. to recall about 10,000 cases of its Eggo ...
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Manufacturer and Staffing Agency to Pay $1.4M in Back Wages
Aug 22, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
Often we hear of situations where companies have neglected to pay their employees overtime. Not only does this deprive hard working individuals of their salary, it undermines the many law-abiding ...
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Spangenberg Lawyers Voted Among "The Best Lawyers in America" 2017
Aug 15, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
We are pleased to announce that five of our attorneys were selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2017 edition of The Best Lawyers in America , including a Lawyer of the Year designation ! Best ...
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Multiple Burns Received from TriStar's Power Pressure Cooker XL
Aug 11, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
Advertised as a newer and faster way to cook your meals, the Power Pressure Cooker XL by TriStar Products has gained much attention recently, but not because of its efficiency. The "as seen on TV" ...
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The Repercussions of Falling in a Nursing Home
Aug 10, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
Nursing homes and assisted living facilities are an important part of care for aging and infirm people. They assist seniors with daily activities, administer health care services, and help families ...
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Product Liability vs. Medical Malpractice
Aug 1, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE WHEN THINGS GO WRONG WITH A MEDICAL DEVICE OR DRUG? THE PRODUCT'S MANUFACTURER OR THE DOCTOR WHO USED IT? The line between product liability and medical malpractice claims can be ...
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Cinemark Wants Victims of Aurora Massacre to Pay the Cost
Jul 29, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
Recall if you will the devastating massacre that occurred during a midnight premiere of the Batman film "The Dark Knight Rises" in a movie theater located in Aurora, Colorado. On July 20, 2012, James ...
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Volkswagen or Hoaxwagen? Company Cheats on Diesel Emission Tests
Jul 13, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
A Federal Judge, the Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California state legislators announced that the German automaker Volkswagen AG (VW) ...
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Jury Returns $5.6 Million for Failure of Emergency Room Doctor to Order Spinal MRI
Jul 6, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP trial attorneys William Hawal and Stuart Scott recently secured a $5.6 million jury verdict in a case that sent a strong message about the safety our community's ...
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Exercise Proven to Reduce Risk of Developing 13 Different Types of Cancer
Jul 6, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
Next to heart disease, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. Although there has yet to be a documented cure, there are ways to help reduce your risk of developing cancer, including ...
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Staying Safe in the Sun: Detecting Skin Cancer
Jul 5, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
Summer is here, which means outdoor fun. Spending time outside, especially during the summer, can amount to a lot of sunlight exposure. Vitamin D is certainly important, but too much sunlight and ...
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National Fireworks Safety Month: 5 Tips To Help Keep Everyone Safe this Summer
Jun 27, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
Independence Day is an exciting time to celebrate not only our country's freedom, but also to celebrate with family and friends. Fourth of July celebrations often involve fireworks, which can cause ...
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Generic Drug Manufacturers Still Immune from Lawsuits: Change to FDA Regulations Stalled Again
Jun 21, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
You're at the pharmacy filling a prescription. The pharmacist asks, "Generic okay?" Without giving it a second thought, you say, "Sure," (like we all do) and you're on your way. Not so fast. If you ...
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How To Dispose of Unused Medicines
Jun 10, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
Often there are unused prescription drugs in our cabinet that have either served their purpose or expired. For whichever reason, it can be confusing to know exactly what to do with these leftover ...
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Announcing the Winners of the Video PSA College Scholarship Contest
Jun 1, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP is proud to announce the winners of our 2016 Video PSA College Scholarship Contest, which invited students to create an original Public Service Announcement video on ...
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Jury Returns Verdict of $4.58 Million for Denial of Lifesaving Medications
May 31, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP trial attorneys Nicholas A. DiCello and Peter H. Weinberger recently handled a case in which the jury returned a verdict of $4.58 million , sending a strong message ...
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New FDA Regulations on E-Cigarettes
May 17, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
Last week, the United States Food and Drug Administration announced new regulations for e-cigarettes. Prior to this, e-cigarettes were unregulated. The new rules will cover e-cigarettes, cigars, and ...
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How Does the FDA Regulate Prescription Drugs?
May 12, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
The First Steps The first step for a company seeking approval to sell a new drug is to perform laboratory and animal tests to learn how the drug works, and whether or not it will be safe enough for ...
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Medical Errors Considered Third Leading Cause of Death
May 9, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
In a study published in BMJ earlier this week, researchers have determined that medical errors should be considered the third leading cause of death in the United States. Researchers believe that the ...
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Talc Powder Trial Results in $55 Million Verdict
May 5, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
A jury in St. Louis ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $55 million in a talc powder verdict. The plaintiff is a woman who used the company's talc-containing products as a means for feminine hygiene and ...
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IVC Filter Dangers
May 2, 2016 • Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP
When a person develops a serious condition known as deep vein thrombosis, they must take action right away. Deep vein thrombosis is when a blood clot forms in the vein. If this blood clot moves, it ...
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Welcome to the Tutes & Tips party! This is your chance to link up your best tutorials, tips, room redos, furniture rehabs, home decor crafts, and recipes. Don't forget that I'd love to feature you on Instagram! Use the hashtag: #homestorieslinkparty when you post on IG and I'll choose a few to feature each week. 🙂
I know a lot of you had littles (and not-so-littles) return to school this week so perhaps you had some more time to create! I'm excited to see what you came up with! If you are new around here, a special welcome to you! Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the party guidelines before linking up:
- Please link up your original work. Round-ups are fantastic–I'm a fan of them! However, this party is about your tutorials and your tips.
- I (try to) do a feature post each week. By linking up, you give me permission to use one of your photos with a link back and strong direction to visit your site for the tutorial or tip. I also may use your photo in a collage for social media.
- Please link back to me in each post that you link up.
- Share the love! Pin some projects you like and visit each other.

subset: commoncrawl


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80 Money Saving Tips
Comments Off on 80 Money Saving Tips
1Pay yourself first – the most important tip on my list of money saving tips simply because it's the only way to actually build savings. Pay yourself first because as you know, waiting to save what's left just doesn't work. Why? Because there's never anything left to put into savings. Set aside a portion of your pay for savings and… Read more »


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Greetings from La-La Land!
As of this very moment, Natasha's joining the mile-high club somewhere over the Pacific, and within mere hours she'll be cuddling Koalas and saying stuff like g'day mate. Doncha love it when a plan comes together? Me, too! (Shout out to the minions in my web who helped make it happen!)
All we need now is the final piece of the puzzle--namely, the phone call from Damien's office awarding me the job. Should I wear a suit my first day? Or shall I go with something more feminine? Decisions, decisions!
Meanwhile, I've been catching up on my TiVo'd programs, and let's just say I'm shocked and appalled by the current round of "celebrity" reality shows. I mean, come on, people. Seriously? Denise Richards…the Kardashians…Dina Lohan? Why so many hours dedicated to chicks with nothing going on but their alleged hotness?
At least Paula Abdul has a life. A scary one, to be sure, but a life. Y'know, awards shows, Home Shopping Network appearances, American Idol…unlike an episode with Denise where the highlight is watching her make love to a stripper pole in front of her gal pals.
And don't get me started on "Brooke Knows Best." At first, I was like, Brooke who and what makes her an authority? Then I tuned in. Oh, puh-leeze…Brooke HOGAN. Here's where I learned what happens when your ex-wrestler dad splits from your mom and your brother's thrown in the slammer. You get your own reality show, complete with a Miami condo, a rooftop hot tub, and a killer view! (Hm. Maybe Brooke DOES know best.)
All I can say is, when are the cable channels gonna wake up and discover the queen of reality should be…me?
Stay tuned…


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|Overall Width
|71.0 in 1810.0 mm
|Sweeping Width
|59.0 in 1510.0 mm
|Brush Diameter
|26.0 in 660.0 mm
|Required Hydraulics
|Standard Flow Standard Flow
|31.0 in 793.0 mm
|59.0 in 1490.0 mm
|947.0 lb 430.0 kg
|Required Hydraulic Flow
|30-83 L/min (8-22 gpm) 30-83 L/min (8-22 gpm)
|Optimal Hydraulic Pressure
|145-227 bar (2100-3300 psi) 145-227 bar (2100-3300 psi)
|Motor Displacement
|24.0 in³ 393.0 cm³
|Brush Speed at Maximum Flow
|190 rpm 190 rpm
|Hopper Capacity
|14.9 ft³ 0.42 m³
|Gutter Brush Weight
|88.0 lb 40.0 kg
|Drive Method
|Direct Drive Direct Drive
Ideal for cleaning and removing dirt, rock, snow and other debris from streets, parking lots, driveways, sidewalks and factory floors.
Utility Brooms have the ability to sweep and collect light debris on smooth surfaces in both forward or reverse.
Large hopper capacity allows greater productivity with longer sweeping cycles. Wide bucket opening with bolt-on, replaceable cutting edge permits fast, efficient dumping.
Rubber boots on front and sides of broom aid in containing debris and airborne contaminants during sweeping.
Standard broom material is made of replaceable polypropylene and steel wire sections. Optional replacement brushes include all polypropylene and all steel wire.
An optional water sprinkler kit is available which helps reduce the amount of airborne dust during your sweeping operations.


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Are you thinking about remodeling your home? Home improvement projects range from knocking down walls and upgrading finishes to upgrading your existing features and adding square footage.
Here are some tips that will come in handy for home improvement:
Assess Your Home
You need to determine the current state of your home and the things you would like to add to it.
Go around your home and come up with a list of wishes and necessities that you want. Your wish list should include things like upgrading your kitchen counters to granite, while a necessary list item could be fixing your leaky pipes that need immediate replacement.
If your plumbing pipes and bathroom faucets are in a poor state, you should think about replacing them immediately to avert bigger problems.
Seek Inspiration
From looking at magazines to visiting your favorite paint store, you need to start seeking inspiration. You should not wait until you feel a strong DIY nudge to fix an issue. To avoid stress later on, you need to plan for everything ahead of time.
How Long Will You Be In Your Home?
Are you planning to sell your home later this year? Then your budget for improvement will differ from that of your neighbor who just recently moved in. To get the highest return on investment, you should upgrade the parts that interest buyers: porch, bathroom, and kitchen. If you are not sure what to remodel and what to leave for later, you should get in touch with a home repair contractor for advice.
Prepare a Budget
Do you have a set budget in place? It may be hard to find extra money for renovations, but you should not be discouraged, Understandably, money matters make most people anxious, but d, you need to take a few months to plan your budget.
You need to take your time when planning a budget to price out labor and material, as well as plan for how long you want the project to take.
Ask for Help
How many DIY projects can you complete on your own? You need to start early if you want other people to chip in on your project. You cannot expect your friends and family members to drop everything at the last minute without any prior notice. Consider seeking out your 'backup' friends in case your closest friends are no help at all.
Look for the Proper Permits
Does your home improvement project require plumbing, electricity, as well as other structural trades that need permits? You should hire a professional contractor if you do not know the permits you need.
Communicate With Your Partner
Do you have a clear idea of what your project involves? Your DIY partner should also know his/her role in the project if you want everything to go smoothly. When every person involved knows his/her role, there will be less finger pointing, which will take the pressure off you.
Be Flexible
Even if you want your kitchen-remodeling project to be finished in 8 weeks, it might take longer due to unforeseen circumstances. The same thing applies to resources and your budget. Therefore, you need to be more flexible when planning and factor in some extra money and time. Doing so will prevent you from being stressed when things do not go according to plan.
Take Safety Precautions
Each home improvement project requires a level of safety to prevent injury to yourself or others. This means that you need to follow the instructions on the tools used for the project. Moreover, you should read any tutorials that will be helpful in keeping everyone safe.
Author Bio:
Jim Thompson is a super-connector with Towering SEO and OutreachMama who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, and networking. He is a professional writer who has been in the business for 5 years. He has hands on experience with cars, tech, and relationship advice, among other things. Because of how quickly he can turn articles around, he is able to take on multiple projects at once. His writing experience spans from SEO articles to technical guides and everything in between.


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Tomás Volunteering Story: Do Good, Feel Good
Tomás O Caoimh has always been used to having a busy schedule but when he found himself with some time on his hands he decided to embrace the opportunity. His first port of call was the Kerry Volunteer Centre. "I had always known the Kerry Volunteer Centre was there, just from passing the door or seeing it in the paper but this was the first time I contacted them," Tomás who is currently out on disability leave explained. "In the past, I would have been involved in the Simon Community and St Vincent De Paul when I was in college I was always interested in volunteering and I had some time on my hands," he added.
Tomás has been volunteering as a Befriender/ Companion with the Kerry Parents & Friends group in Tralee since Christmas. It's a role that proves just how important the small things can be. "We meet up twice a week for an hour, hour and a half, we read the paper together, go on walks, go to the Meadowlands for a coffee. It's great, I really enjoy it, especially now I have the time," Tomás suggested.
In addition to his Befriender role Tomás has also got involved with the Tralee Branch of Amnesty International over the last month or two, reigniting a long held passion for human rights. "We meet once a month to discuss the mail out from Amnesty International Headquarters, and to highlight the various campaigns and letters we will concentrate on", Tomás explained.
Between meetings, when he has a spare moment Tomás check in regularly with the Amnesty International website and sends out mail with regards the ongoing campaigns. It takes just a couple of hours a week but for Tomás and the other Amnesty International volunteers in Tralee the work is vital.
Returning to volunteering in the last few months has given Tomás a new lease of life: "I have the time to give and volunteering gives you a lot of self fulfilment and a good boost to your self esteem." And for him the best route into volunteering is through the Kerry Volunteer Centre: "I would recommend anyone to go to the Volunteer Centre first, you can find out what is available and also what's involved in the various roles."
"The volunteer opportunities are like a job listing, you can find out in advance what is involved in the role and what they might expect from you," he added. For Tomás the secret to volunteering success is working it around your availability: "I try to go for a walk myself in the mornings but I have two or three hours spare most afternoon s so I tend to fit in the volunteering around that. It works for me. "
Tags: Volunteer Managers Active Citizenship Volunteers Volunteering Opportunities


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Tagged: Derek Jeter
In ink with Jeter
Imagine you're a sports writer. And you're sitting in your newsroom at your desk on a busy Saturday, typing away feverishly at your keyboard to meet deadline.
Then your phone goes off. A notification from Twitter.
What would your reaction be? Mine was "No way! Really?"
Really. And thank you to Gershon Rabinowitz for bringing it to my attention.
At first I just thought it was maybe an amateur writer who happened to get a book deal and pulled an excerpt from Yankee Yapping's October, 2014 piece The Boone Identity: Remembering the Radical 2003 Yankees-Red Sox Saga.
Then I looked into it. The author is Danny Peary, who is not only a renowned sports writer, but a famous film critic. Along with yours truly, there are passages from a number of other authors, writers, reporters, journalists, pundits and analysts in his book "Baseball Immortal: Derek Jeter: A Career in Quotes."
Moreover, Jeter himself, his fellow Yankees, his longtime manager Joe Torre and countless others are quoted. Among the notable sports journalists cited: Buster Olney, Michael Kay, Tyler Kepner and Bill Madden. Former teammates of Jeter's are also in the book. To name a few: David Wells, Alex Rodriguez, Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada and Chili Davis — whose quote was fantastic:
"Hanging out with him sucks, because all the women flock to him."
It's honestly an honor. To have my name in ink and in the same collection of pages with so many who have spent time with Jeter, interviewed him and know him personally is very nice.
However, Peary gave the credit to MLB.com. While I'm currently working for the Poughkeepsie Journal, a Gannett newspaper, one day I'd love to work for MLB.com — as that's been well documented in Yankee Yapping over the years.
Nevertheless, I appreciate him using my words.
Being quoted in the Jeter book ranks just above being cited on the Wikipedia page of Joe Panik, the San Francisco Giants' second baseman.
To read that story on Panik from September, click here.
To order "Baseball Immortal: Derek Jeter: A Career in Quotes" click here. I have not read the entire book yet, but according to what the consumers on Amazon.com are saying, it's worthy of a read and a smash hit.
Writes reader Cory Gann, who gave it five stars out of a possible five:
"Number one baseball book to read if you're a Yankee fan and if you're not, too. For all baseball fans! (even Reds fans)."
Yes, even Reds fans. I am going to guess he lives in Cincinnati. Gann continues his rave review:
"The concept is as fun as the information in the book itself. It's one of those 'I'll just read one more quote' kind of books where you read one more, and then the next and then the next, and so on.
"The layout draws your eyes to the quotable quotes, as you get a real measure of the person as well as the Yankee star. This format will undoubtedly be copied, but probably not as well."
I think Peary should send me a free, autographed copy. But hey, that's just me.
Twitter: @YankeeYapping, @AJ_Martelli, @AJM_PoJoSports
Bernie Williams Night brings about joy, dynastic memories
There was a nostalgic feeling in the air. The old lions of the Yankee Dynasty of the late 1990s – many of the key players – were on hand.
It brought me back to the days of my childhood and I relished every minute of it.
Bernie Williams Night last Sunday was one of the most amazing and invigorating experiences I've had as a Yankee fan. I'd say it was on the same level as the World Series ring ceremony I attended in 2010.
I felt the need to be there, given my past history with this great man.
The great number 51 at long last took his rightful spot in Monument Park behind the wall in centerfield, where he patrolled for 15 years in pinstripes.
Obviously I could go on and on forever talking about Williams' accomplishments as a New York Yankee. Instead of that, however, I'll muse about and share some pictures from his special night.
Thank you Bernie
Even before stepping foot into the ballpark, you just knew this night was going to be all about number 51.
Stopping to capture a moment from 1998
While walking to my seat, I happened to stumble across this picture in the concourse of Williams high-fiving third base coach Willie Randolph in a home run trot. Even though I've seen it before, having been to the stadium countless times, I had to pause and capture a picture. What with it being his night, I felt it necessary.
Little did I know Randolph would later appear as part of the pregame festivities.
On a side note, in 1998 Williams high-fived Randolph 26 times during the regular season and three more times in the postseason, rounding third in home run trots.
The memento
All fans received this neat collectible card after making their way through the turnstiles.
The dignitaries
They brought the good guys.
Roy White, Williams' first base coach for a huge chunk of his career. He was there.
Gene "Stick" Michael, who became the Yankees' General Manager the same year Williams made his Major League Baseball debut, 1991. He was there.
Joe Torre, Williams' only manager throughout his career. He was there.
Randolph, and former teammates Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, Paul O'Neill, Tino Martinez. They were all there.
David Cone, Williams' teammate from 1995-2000 and Yankee Yapping shout out artist. He was there.
The great closer, Mariano Rivera, made the drive in from New Rochelle.
And the Yankees saved the biggest surprise for last.
The return of the Captain
I still kick myself to this day. Sure the tickets were criminally expensive. Of course they would be. It was Derek Jeter's last game at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 25 of last year.
The price of admission would have been worth it given the way that game ended. Jeter heroically, as he had done many times before, won the game with a clutch hit.
Understandably, I was disappointed I wasn't there to witness it live. And I was saddened I would never see Jeter at Yankee Stadium again.
But lo and behold, the last guest at Bernie Williams night was Jeter. The captain incarnate. Admittedly, I did not think Jeter would make an appearance so soon after retiring, for that very reason – it was too soon. Jeter always struck me as the type who would wait awhile to return to big ballpark in the Bronx for a special night of this kind.
But, I was wrong. Not only was Jeter there, he strutted out like he owned the place. With the top couple buttons of his shirt unbuttoned underneath his sport coat, he looked like a million bucks.
What made it better, I thought, was the comment from a fan behind me, once Jeter was announced:
"Suit 'em up!!!!!" the fan yelled, loud enough for everyone within a 10-mile radius to hear.
Not a bad idea, considering his heir at shortstop, Didi Gregorius, had six errors on the season entering Saturday night's game against the Athletics in Oakland.
Overall it was such a wonderful, indescribable feeling, seeing Jeter at the game. I may not have been there for his last hurrah, but I can say I was there when he made his triumphant return to New York to pay respect to his old friend.
The speech
It was outstanding; maybe the best speech from any of the players that have been honored since 2013, when the Yankees reintroduced retiring numbers and nailing plaques to the hallowed Monument Park walls.
He was sure to thank everyone and spoke directly from the heart.
The game
Williams tossed out the honorary first pitch – a pretty good throw – to boisterous cheers from the crowd.
Unfortunately no magic from number 51 rubbed off on the Yankees. The visiting Texas Rangers had their way with starter Chris Capuano. Texas touched him up for three runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings. Capuano finished with four strikeouts and didn't walk a batter – but also didn't impress anyone.
The Yanks only plated two runs, both of which came off the bat of catcher Brian McCann. In the bottom of the first McCann singled home Chase Headley and Alex Rodriguez, but that was all the offense the Yankees could muster.
The trend
It continued. You know the trend I'm talking about.
The Yankees losing on special days. At the end of 2013, the San Francisco Giants beat the Yankees on a day the pinstripers exalted their own Mariano Rivera.
Tino Martinez, Goose Gossage and Paul O'Neill suffered the same fate in 2014. They were honored with heartwarming pregame ceremonies and Monument Park plaques, but the team just could not finish the job. The Yankees lost each of those games, most of the time without putting up an offensive fight.
The trend was bucked on Aug. 23 of last year when Joe Torre had his day. The Yanks put an end to the special day losing streak, beating the Chicago White Sox 5-3.
But on Sept. 7 – Jeter's big day – they went right back to losing. The Kansas City Royals came in and put up two runs.
Two. The same number Jeter wore on his back his entire career. And the same amount of runs it took the Royals to beat the Bronx Bombers. It ended 2-0.
With special days lined up for Jorge Posada (Aug. 22 vs. Cleveland), Andy Pettitte (Aug. 23 vs. Cleveland) and Willie Randolph (June 20 vs. Detroit, also Old Timers' Day), the Yankees at least have the chance to turn the tables.
But the offense will have to wake up in order for that to happen.
The Yankees have been outscored 29-9 on special days from Rivera's day in 2013 up to Williams' day last weekend.
The final thought
Was it disappointing the Yankees lost on Bernie Williams Night?
No doubt. It would have been nice to see a win.
Is it the end of the world for the 2015 Yankees as we know it?
Not at all.
The Yankees are lucky. Fortunate in the sense that the American League Eastern Division is so poor, that even with a record that barely hangs above .500, they're in first place. The Boston Red Sox, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Rays all have problems.
Each team is struggling, and into the month of June it'll be interesting to see which team – if any – heats up and pulls ahead in the race.
In the meantime, as I sat in the bleachers and watched the Rangers beat the Yankees after Williams' nice ceremony, I had this image in my head.
Almost a clear vision.
I pictured the old Yankees who were in attendance. Jeter, O'Neill, Martinez, Cone, Williams, Pettitte, Rivera, Posada and even Torre. All of the dynasty players and their skipper, I imagined, in a luxury suite, watching the current Yankees.
Watching the current Yankees, and laughing. Laughing at how bad they are. Snickering to one another and saying,
"Can you believe they can't beat these guys? We would've won this game in the first inning."
Which is true. They certainly would have beaten the Rangers down. The Rangers came in at 20-23, and the Yankees of my youth generally never lost to a team of that below .500 caliber.
Then again, the dynasty Yankees could likely have taken down the 2015 Yankees, had they been matched up against one another. In fact, they probably could have beaten any team currently in the league.
They were that good. It was nice to relive those glory days for a night.
The Boone Identity: Remembering the Radical 2003 Yankees-Red Sox Saga
If you're a Yankee fan, Oct. 16 holds a warm place in your heart. The memory of a mighty swing by Aaron Boone in the 11th inning of Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series to crush the dreams of Red Sox Nation has held up, and will continue to hold up forever more.
In honor of the 11th anniversary of this profound piece of Yankee history, this writer is going to take you on a ride back to the past and muse about the goings-on of the 2003 Yankees-Red Sox saga; perhaps point some things out that didn't necessarily meet the eye to the average fan.
Join me, will you?
The background
It took a long time before the Yanks and BoSox reached the climactic Boone game. A really long time, in fact. The two hated rivals had faced each other 25 times in '03 leading up to Game 7 of the ALCS. Their 26th meeting in the decisive game was historic, in the sense that no two teams – in any sport – had faced each other more times in a single season.
But so much more happened before Game 7.
In squaring off against each other so many times, the Yankees and Red Sox had generated some disdain for one another. Earlier in the season on July 7 in the Bronx, Pedro Martinez, Boston's ace, had plunked both Alfonso Soriano and Derek Jeter – bean balls that were so intense they sent the two hitters at the top of the Yankees' batting order to the hospital.
Jeter was hammered on his right hand while Soriano suffered a shot on his left hand. The after effects of the HBPs were so great that, after more than two weeks later, both hitters felt the pain of Martinez's missed location; the captain's hand was still swollen and Fonsy felt some aches just by checking his swing.
Roger Clemens, the Yankee ace, in return struck Red Sox first baseman and team ringleader Kevin Millar with a pitch. Millar, a colorful and outspoken player who had urged his team to "Cowboy Up," would later express anger towards Clemens for the Yankees act of retaliation.
The late Yankee owner George Steinbrenner even got in on battle. The Boss was asked if Martinez was headhunting; throwing at the Yankees with intent. His response:
"I can't answer that. But if he was, he'll regret it."
Steinbrenner had every reason to be suspicious about whether or not the hit-by-pitches were deliberate. In the past, 2001 to be exact, Martinez told the Boston Globe,
"I'm starting to hate talking about the Yankees. The questions are stupid. They're wasting my time. It's getting kind of old … I don't believe in damn curses. Wake up the damn Bambino and have me face him. I'll drill him in the ass, pardon the word."
Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino then got his jab in, giving the Yankees a moniker in homage to the Star Wars franchise. He dubbed the Bronx Bombers "The Evil Empire." Yankee Universe happily (or at least sarcastically) welcomed the nickname.
So was Jeter Darth Vader? Sure, that makes sense.
How we got there
The physical and verbal blows during the regular season were only the beginning, laying the groundwork for what was to come in the playoffs. The Yankees finished 2003 with a record of 101-61, six games ahead of Boston for the AL East. The 95-67 Red Sox captured the AL Wild Card – keep in mind that in '03 there was no play-in game; the BoSox were automatically in the eight-team postseason tournament without having to fight their way in the door.
Most fans may not remember that the '03 Yankees-Red Sox ALCS clash wouldn't have happened if the Oakland A's didn't collapse. In the ALDS the A's handed Boston a 5-4 loss in Game 1; Oakland winning in the 12th on a walk-off bunt single by catcher Ramon Hernandez. Game 2 wasn't any better for the Red Sox, as the A's poured it on and beat Boston 5-1 – Oakland was only one win away from the next round.
Yet, maybe in the spirit of some foreshadowing, the Red Sox fought back.
Boston won Game 3, 2-0. They then took Game 4 by a count of 5-4, and completed the comeback with a 4-3 win in Game 5. The Yankees were already waiting for the winner of the Boston-Oakland series, having disposed of the Minnesota Twins in four games to reach the League Championship Series; the Yanks outscoring the Twins 16-6 in their divisional round.
The rally vs. the A's and the thrashing of the Twins set the New York-Boston rivalry up for an epic showdown. Yes, the Baseball gods had done it again.
Players on both sides knew the World Series was not just at stake, but bragging rights were up for grabs and in a lot of ways, the ending or the continuation of Curse of the Bambino was on the line.
"Everyone says, 'we played them towards the end of the year, does it get any bigger than that?' Well, yeah it does. And this is it," Jeter told MLB before the ALCS.
The Red Sox took Game 1, beating the Yankees 5-2. However, the first salvo seemed to be fired in the seventh inning when reliever Jeff Nelson hit Red Sox big man David Ortiz with a pitch. The Yanks went on to take Game 2 with a 6-2 win, but in terms of the HBP battle, Boston punched back.
Future hero Boone was beaned by Red Sox starter Derek Lowe and Soriano was plunked by Bronson Arroyo. The ALCS was split 1-1, tensions were at an all-time high, and the teams were beginning to get rather physical.
What's the worst that could happen in Game 3?
And then, everything explodes
The energy level at Fenway Park on Oct. 11, 2003 was off the charts – not that I was there, but listening to the words of the players and examining everything that had led up to Game 3, everyone from the fans to the media was on edge.
What's more, the fact that Clemens and Martinez were on the hill for their respective clubs made it even more enticing. During batting practice, Millar was about as hyped up as an 8-year-old after consuming 50 sugar cubes, enthusiastically saying,
"We got Roger and Martinez, Game 3 split, Championship Series, American League, all eyes on the Sox!"
To this day I wonder if even he knew how jumbled that sounded. Mic'd up, he stood next to Ortiz and yelled,
"You've got to be going with the Sox! This is the Sox Nation! Two thousand and three! And screw that curse!"
Ortiz couldn't help but laugh at Millar's zeal, but a few short innings later, no one was laughing.
In the top of the fourth, Martinez let up an RBI ground rule double to Nick Johnson, which gave the Yankees a 3-2 lead. The very next hitter, outfielder Karim Garcia, took a pitch behind his head which appeared to nick him on the shoulder for another hit-by-pitch.
Soriano came up next and grounded into a 6-4-3 double play, though another Yankee run scored. Leaving the field, Garcia had some choice words for the Red Sox and a heated exchange ensued.
Yankee catcher Jorge Posada, chest protector and shin guards on, came out of the dugout looking like a Roman centurion ready to attack Martinez. The two feisty foes got into some jaw-jacking and a bit of a "pointing battle" – Martinez using his index finger to point at his temple, as if to say to Posada, "I'll hit you there."
The Yankees, in a nutshell, were unhappy with Martinez's antics, and had no problem expressing their grief. Yet somehow the umpires settled matters down.
That is, until the bottom half of the inning.
Clemens delivered a high and tight 1-2 fastball to hothead Manny Ramirez, who believed there was intent behind the pitch – when clearly there wasn't.
Ramirez angrily tried to approach Clemens with the bat in his hand before being subdued by his teammates when the benches cleared. Needless to say all Hell broke loose at Fenway, but the victim of the fracas wound up being a coach, not a player.
Yankee bench coach, the late Don Zimmer (72 at the time) lunged towards Martinez, who grabbed him by the head and force-fed him to the ground. The Yankee trainers were able to help him up and get him back into the dugout free of serious injury, but the ugly incident further proved how the Yankees and Red Sox were at extreme odds.
Eventually the situation calmed, and Clemens fanned Ramirez with a fastball on the outer part of the plate to get the game going again; the players back to their professional ways.
But just when it seemed everything was back to normal, it became a mess again.
An altercation broke out in the Yankee bullpen in right field between Nelson and a Boston grounds crew member, Paul Williams. Garcia, stationed in right field, also sampled the action. He hopped the wall into the 'pen and got involved; a scrum of police officers, security officials, and Yankee relief pitchers creating an unpretty scene.
Days later the Yankees' personnel, notably president Randy Levine, defended the New York relief corps. Meanwhile the Red Sox brass were less than happy, and went to bat for their groundskeeper, explaining that he did nothing wrong. The Yankee side relented, though, and contended Williams had antagonized Nelson, and wanted an apology issued from the Boston side.
Yeah. That never happened.
Once the roller coaster ride finally ended, the Yankees escaped with a 4-3 win and a 2-1 ALCS lead. The reaction by a couple of individuals after Game 3, however, was unlike anything this writer had ever seen in sports – ever.
In terms of the Martinez-Zimmer incident, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg went on the record saying, "If that happened in New York, we would've arrested the perpetrator. Nobody should throw a 70-year-old man to the ground, period."
That would've been quite a sight: the Red Sox ace being cuffed and escorted off the Yankee Stadium diamond by New York's finest.
BoSox skipper Grady Little only had this to say:
"I think we've upgraded it from a battle to a war."
The war raged on. The Red Sox won Game 4, 3-2, to even the series, then the Yankees grabbed Game 5 with a 4-2 win, taking a 3-2 series lead back to the Bronx. The Red Sox raised the eyebrows of the world by beating the Yanks 9-6 in Game 6, overcoming both Andy Pettitte and a raucous Yankee Stadium crowd.
Game 7. Roger and Pedro, again. He we are.
Is this happening?
Before Game 7 took place, Boston sportswriter Howard Bryant caught up with Willie Randolph, a longtime pinstriper who had endured the "Bronx Zoo" era of the late 1970s as a player, and enjoyed the year-by-year success of the dynasty of the '90s as the Yankees' third base coach.
Bryant asked Randolph what he thought about the deciding game. What do you think?
"Listen," Randolph said. "Every single time we've had to beat them, we've beaten them. Tonight's not going to be any different."
But in the early going, it was different – a lot different. Clemens struggled, surrendering a second inning, two-run home run to Trot Nixon. Later in the frame a throwing error by starting third baseman Enrique Wilson allowed Jason Varitek to come in, making it 3-0 Red Sox.
Clemens pitched into the fourth, although "the rocket" was all but gassed by then. Millar backed up some of his talking by sending Clemens's offering into the seats in left field, a solo blast to give the Red Sox a 4-0 lead. Yankee manager Joe Torre had told starter Mike Mussina that he might use him out of the bullpen, which would've been the first time in his MLB career he would've pitched in relief.
A caveat, though: Torre had told "Moose" that, if he were to use him, he'd bring him into the game when nobody was on base. That plan went by the wayside, as Mussina was summoned to mop up a first-and-third, no out mess.
Number 35, cleanup on aisle four.
Mussina was brilliant, striking out Varitek by utilizing his patented knuckle curveball, and followed by getting Johnny Damon to bounce into an unassisted 6-3 double play to skim out of further peril.
After the game Mussina teased Torre, inquiring, "I thought you said you were only bringing me in if there weren't going to be men on base."
Torre quipped back: "I lied."
Jason Giambi, whom the Yankees had acquired after the fall of the dynasty in 2001, kept the Yanks close with two solo home runs off Martinez – a bomb in the fifth and another in the seventh.
The Yankees trimmed the deficit to 4-2 but in the top of the eighth, Ortiz played pepper with the short porch seats, homering off another starter playing the role of reliever that night, David Wells. The solo job (that left Wells in utter disgust, putting it mildly) gave the Red Sox a run right back, making it 5-2 in favor of Boston.
Now Martinez, his pitch count over 100, came out to toss the bottom half of the eighth with a three-run lead, and while most members of Red Sox Nation thought this might ultimately be the year the Curse of the Bambino would be vanquished, some fans back in Beantown were not so convinced.
Baseball historian and Red Sox fan Doris Kearns Goodwin explained:
"When Pedro came back out in the eighth inning, we all started screaming 'No! No! You can't be doing it!' I mean, fans think they know more than the managers – and often we don't – but at that point everybody knew the pitch counts that Pedro would suddenly fall off the cliff, if he were over that pitch count.
"He was way over that pitch count, and so there was this huge sense of dread when he came to that mound."
That dread was well-founded and soon realized.
Jeter pounded a one-out double off the wall in right field. Bernie Williams brought him in with a well-struck single in front of Damon in centerfield, cutting Boston's lead to 5-3. The RBI base hit prompted a mound visit from Little, who shockingly stuck with his ace; Martinez not leaving the mound after the powwow, even with hard-throwing righty Mike Timlin and lefty specialist Alan Embree going double-barreled in the Red Sox bullpen.
Hideki Matsui, a left-handed hitter, was due up next. Embree would have been the obvious choice to match up with Matsui, but Embree could only watch from the 'pen as Matsui ripped a ground-rule double down the line in right field off a tired Martinez, passing the baton to Posada.
The switch-hitting Yankee catcher, batting from the left side, punched a blooper into centerfield, falling in the middle of shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, second baseman Todd Walker and Damon to bring both Williams and Matsui to the plate. Posada reached second base – getting the last laugh off Martinez, thinking back to their chinwag in Game 3 – and Game 7 was tied, 5-5.
Martinez then departed to a Bronx cheer; there was no undoing the damage the Yankees had done. The decision to keep Martinez in the ballgame haunted Red Sox Nation for a year. Fans were outraged at Little for not removing Martinez before the game turned, but Martinez – and others – have defended the move.
"I was just trying to do it," Martinez said. "That's what a lot of people don't understand. Why didn't Pedro give away the ball? Well, they didn't ask me to give away the ball. They asked me if I could face the guys. I said yes! Of course I can! I'm in the middle of the game; I'm here to do this.
"When Grady came out, the simple question was whether I could pitch to Matsui or not. And I said yes."
Former Red Sox favorite Johnny Pesky (for whom the foul pole in right field at Fenway Park is named) also was a proponent of allowing Martinez to stay in the game, and was quoted as saying,
"When he's your best pitcher, and he tells you, 'skipper, I got enough left in my tank' you're not going to take him out."
The fans on the other hand turned their ire on the call, and even went as far as constructing a poem about it, penned by Boston loyalist James Bair:
Why Did You Keep Pedro In?
We couldn't have got there without you.
We were five outs away from a win.
You were the smartest guy in the stadium.
But why did you keep Pedro in?
We don't believe in those curses.
We could care less about old Harry's sin.
But with such a powerful bullpen,
Why did you keep Pedro in?
Oh, Pedro was awesome for seven,
And it looked like he could hang in.
Those two liners showed he'd become shaky—
Why did you keep Pedro in?
Though whacked cold, Johnny Damon kept waving;
The guys always want to stay in.
Of course, Pedro'd say he could blow them away,
But why did you keep Pedro in?
He could have left the hill as a hero—
We'd say Pedro had smoked them again!
You could not deny that his pitch count was high,
Why did you keep Pedro in?
We know there is one consolation:
We know you'll never do it again.
Still the cry rises from Red Sox Nation:
Why did you keep Pedro in?
With each move you had out-managed Torre.
Yankee cheering was growing quite thin.
With such talented benches for backup,
Why did you keep Pedro in?
You made us now root for the Marlins,
And we hardly know how to begin.
You almost upended the Empire,
Why did you keep Pedro in?
You brought new pizzazz to the clubhouse:
The crew found the cowboy within.
You did so much for the guys, but with tears in our eyes,
We say, why did you keep Pedro in?
The question could be asked until the end of time. But it was moot. The game was knotted at five, and the Yankees used the unflappable closer Mariano Rivera for the 9th, 10th, and 11th innings. The stage was set. The question was no longer, "why did Grady leave Pedro in?" Rather it became "how is this saga going to finally end?"
Sleeping on the X-Factor
What probably gets lost in the shuffle was the fact that Boone had come into the game as a pinch-runner during that eventful bottom of the eighth. He took over at third base for Wilson on defense, who was surely not the Yankee fans' favorite player that evening, because remember – he committed that costly error in the third which led to a Boston run.
It's funny to me because, personally, I can recall the "due up" graphic in the middle of the 11th inning, watching in my Yankee pajamas from my bed in Beacon, New York; soon to be a droopy-eyed high school junior the following day, but the exhaustion coming with the excitement of a possible World Series berth. I even said to myself,
"Aaron Boone. Forget it, easy out. The next few guys have to hit, though! Let's win this game!"
Perfectly logical assumption. In 31 postseason at-bats, Boone collected just five hits. The Yankees, however, had a lot more faith in Boone than this scribe did. Before he went into the on-deck circle while knuckleballer Tim Wakefield was warming up, Torre told Boone,
"Just hit a single. It doesn't mean you won't hit a home run."
Randolph then issued the ultimate sign of faith:
"That inning, he came to the dugout and I met him at the top step. I patted him on the back and I said, 'listen. You're my sleeper pick. You're the x-factor of the series.'"
Keith Olbermann – a bright sports pundit and someone for whom I have respect, albeit I disagree with him on plenty of topics – analyzed Boone's at-bat this way:
"The odds were favoring a hitter in a slump. Because a hitter in a slump's timing is already off. A knuckleball pitcher throws your timing off. Put a guy with bad timing, and add more bad timing to him, suddenly he has good timing – it's a zero sum game in terms of timing.
"So you're thinking, who on earth is going to get the base hit for the Yankees? Who can do anything against Tim Wakefield? Boone."
Sure enough, the timing worked out. Everything worked out.
Boone slaughtered Wakefield's first pitch for a home run deep into the New York sky; the ball landing behind the wall in left field to give the Yanks a 6-5 win, sending the Bronx Bombers to their 39th World Series in franchise history. Pandemonium commenced; Yankees Stadium completely erupted, became unglued.
The Red Sox were crushed, the pennant was won, and the Curse of the Bambino was alive and well.
Boone was speechless after clubbing the death blow, and managed just a few words:
"Derek told me the ghosts would show up eventually. And they did."
The Captain verified those words postgame, saying,
"I believe in ghosts, and we got some ghosts in this Stadium!"
Torre went on to admit he thought there was some divine pinstriped intervention, later saying,
"It is weird to me that certain things happen that don't seem logical. Yeah, you have to believe we're getting some help from somewhere."
What's also not well known is that, after the bliss of a love-fest at home plate for Boone and the champagne celebration; after the presentation of the Will Harridge Award, and after Rivera was named ALCS MVP, the Yankee players made a pilgrimage out to Monument Park, donned with championship hats soaked in champagne. Specifically, they made a visit to Babe Ruth's monument.
"Look, he's smiling! He's smiling!" the Yankees gleefully exclaimed, whilst rubbing the forehead of the Great Bambino's likeness on the monument.
The aftermath and the impact of another curse
While Little was quickly fired by the Red Sox and the image of Boone's home run was tattooed on the minds of Red Sox fans everywhere, the Yanks were in the 2003 fall classic, matched up with the Florida Marlins – who Chicago Cubs fans felt had snaked their way in on account of fan interference in the '03 NLCS. The Cubs had been winning 3-0 in the eighth inning of Game 6, and had they held on would've punched their first ticket to the World Series since 1945.
Steve Bartman, a Cubs fan sitting in the front row of the left field stands, accidently reached for a foul ball that was perhaps catchable for left fielder Moises Alou near the wall. Bartman got his hand on it, and the ball took a wrong bounce back into the seats, not going for an out – much to the infuriation of not only Alou, but every Cubs fan in the ballpark. Almost right after the gaffe, the Marlins wound up rallying to score eight runs to win the game, and carried on to win Game 7 by a count of 9-6.
Not unlike the Red Sox and their Curse of the Bambino, the Cubs had the Curse of the Billy Goat hanging over their heads – a long story about a Chicago bar owner, who in 1945 was asked to leave Wrigley Field because the stench of the pet goat he brought to the park was bothering other fans.
He proclaimed, "Them Cubs, they ain't gonna win no more."
Subsequently the Cubs haven't won the World Series since 1908.
I can't help but think how the '03 World Series would've gone had it been Yankees-Cubs, the matchup America wanted to see, instead of Yankees-Marlins – a bland fall classic that ended in a six-game series win for the fish.
Would the Yankees have been able to beat the 1-2 punch of Kerry Wood and Mark Prior? Would they have been able to silence the bat of Sammy Sosa, who just five seasons earlier had smashed 66 home runs, and had hit 40 during the '03 regular season? Would the Curse of the Billy Goat been upheld in the fall classic, the same way the Yanks kept up the Curse of the Bambino in the ALCS?
Would 2003 have been the year of title number 27 in the Bronx, if only the Yankees faced the Cubs and not the pesky Marlins, equipped with the likes of scrappers Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez, Josh Beckett and Juan Pierre?
We'll never know.
To this writer, though, the ALCS was the World Series in 2003. Passion, heat, unmitigated physicality, the will to win intense rivalry games, and excitement that puts you on the edge of your seat – you want nothing more than that as a fan, or at this stage in my life as a journalist.
Hopefully we see it again, in baseball, sometime soon.
And hopefully, again, it's between the Yankees and Red Sox.
SOURCES FOR THIS PIECE: Websites: Baseball Almanac, Baseball Reference.
DVDs: The Boston Red Sox vs. The New York Yankees: The Ultimate Rivalry (2005)
Ken Burns: The Tenth Inning (2010)
End of the Year Awards
This past Sunday the 2014 MLB regular season ended, effectively finishing the Yankees' activity until pitchers and catchers report to Tampa in February.
Fans are already going through so-called "pinstripe withdrawal." However, the radical Royals-Athletics Wild Card game Tuesday night was certainly enough to divert attention off the fact that the Yankees aren't playing and good baseball is still existent now that we're in the month of October.
Yet, this is Yankee Yapping, not Royals or A's Yapping. And the Yankees are about tradition. A tradition since the inception of this blog in 2009 has been the end of the year awards. Not one to break to tradition, this year is not any different. Therefore, YY proudly presents the sixth annual end of the year awards.
It's only fitting to start with a born winner.
Yankee Yapping Lifetime Achievement Award
Winner: Derek Jeter
Proverbs 18:8 says, "The words of a talebearer are like dainty morsels that sink into one's inmost being."
The stories Derek Jeter has told us with his bat and with his glove over the years have not only sank deep into our inmost being, but are a part of us all forever.
Last Thursday Jeter captivated us with one final tale at Yankee Stadium, winning the game in dramatic fashion. It left everyone – everyone being the entire population of the country, because that's who was watching – in disbelief. A 5-2 game became a 5-5 game by way of the baseball gods.
A 5-5 game then became the Yankee Captain's game to win with a sharp single into right field to knock in the deciding run. Add the walk-off base hit in his final game in the Bronx to the laundry list of accomplishments and huge hits Jeter has racked up over the years.
World Series titles, All-Star Games, we can go on all day about how much of a winner Jeter is. But his attitude makes him even more of a winner; his humility and respect for everyone and everything only enhances his heroic image.
Now that he is officially retired from baseball, it'll be interesting to see where life takes the former Yankee shortstop. I'm sure whatever adventures Jeter has in his life post-baseball, he'll appreciate them all with dignity and grace.
His first adventure seems to be a blog for fans to connect with pro athletes entitled The Players Tribune, as announced today. Not a bad project to start right away, in this writer's view.
Congrats on the YY Lifetime Achievement Award and congrats on a legendary career, Derek!
Yankee Yapping Most Valuable Player
Winner: Brett Gardner
I can't count how many times this year I heard, "How crazy is it that Brett Gardner is our best player?"
Numerically Gardner proved it this year, setting career highs in home runs with 17, RBIs with 58, and plate appearances with 636.
For a guy that signed a big extension at the outset of the season, Gardner certainly gave the Yankees hope moving forward; perhaps showing that his best days are yet to come. It also helped that, in a Yankee season riddled with age and injuries, the 31-year-old outfielder could stay on the field, being that played 148 games.
Consistency also helped Gardner win the YY MVP. He was pretty solid overall. As the leadoff hitter for most of the year, he generally was able to get the job done.
Congrats Brett!
Yankee Yapping Ace of the Year
Winner: Hiroki Kuroda
After the Yankees' 5-3 win on Sept. 19 over the Blue Jays – a game Hiroki Kuroda won, getting there by tossing 6 2/3 strong innings – Jeter said, "if we scored any runs for him, he'd have 17, 18 wins."
How can anyone object?
Kuroda went 11-9 this year with a 3.71 ERA, though his record doesn't (at all) reflect the type of season he put together. Not only did he pitch well when Yankee run production was in short supply, he outlasted his fellow starters on the staff in terms of staying healthy.
A lot was talked about how the Yanks lost 80 percent of their starting pitchers to injury, and it was almost overlooked that Kuroda was the 20 percent who remained in the rotation and gave his team a chance to win every time he took the ball.
Kuroda pitched 199 innings this year, almost matching the 201 1/3 he threw last year. In 2013 he scuffled at the end of the season, citing arm fatigue as the reason for his late-season trifles. A year older this year, there was no such scuffle; no tired arm in the dog days.
Addressing the media on Monday, Yankee skipper Joe Girardi said he doesn't know what Kuroda's plans are as of now, and only that he went home for the offseason. It's been rumored he might stay in Japan to finish his career in his native land. There's also word he could retire, given his age: 39 now, 40 on Feb. 10.
If 2014 was the end of Kuroda's time in New York, he gave the Bronx Bombers three serviceable years. And in his last year he went out an ace – at least in this scribe's eyes.
Domo arigato, Mr. Kuroda. Congrats!
Yankee Yapping Rookie of the Year
Winner: Masahiro Tanaka
In a word, it's unfortunate that Masahiro Tanaka didn't pitch his entire rookie season, because he not only may have won the YY ROY, he may have been named AL Rookie of the Year by MLB. He was on pace for probably 20 wins or more and with all due respect to Jose Abreu of the White Sox (the likely winner) Tanaka could've swiped it from under him.
Or at least he'd have given Abreu a run for his money.
Before his partial UCL tear was revealed on July 8 after his start in Cleveland vs. the Indians, Tanaka was pitching like a virtuoso; an artist who had the ability to paint some elaborate and beautiful portraits. Mostly those portraits involved major league hitters looking like a herd of deer in a pair of headlights, as he could fool any hitter with his brilliant splitter.
He missed a big chunk of the summer when he was sidelined, but credit him in fighting back to make two last starts before the end of the season. Tanaka didn't look like a pitcher with a partial UCL tear on Sept. 21, tossing 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball against the Blue Jays. He scattered five hits, didn't allow a walk and struck out four to notch his 13th win of the year.
Yet it was a little disconcerting to not only see Tanaka give up seven runs (five earned) on seven hits in just 1 2/3 innings this past Saturday in Boston, but also hear Girardi say in his presser on Monday that he's worried about Tanaka's health moving into next year.
Totally warranted fear. One has to hope Tanaka's arm makes a full recovery without needing Tommy John surgery, which is always a possibility when dealing with a UCL ailment.
Notwithstanding, I saw Tanaka pitch twice in-person this season. In those two starts he struck out 16 batters, going 1-1 (a 3-1 Yankee win over Toronto on June 17 and an 8-0 loss to the Orioles on June 22). After seeing how strongly the crowd gets behind this young man and the confidence he exudes, it's easy to get excited about whatever the future may hold for Tanaka.
But as for his rookie year, he did a fantastic job. Minus getting hurt, that is.
Domo arigato, Mr. Tanaka. Congrats!
Yankee Yapping Best Trade Deadline Pickups
Co-winners: Chase Headley and Martín Prado
July 31 is always an interesting day in baseball, as GMs across the board are scrambling to add and subtract pieces to their respective team's puzzle. Brian Cashman was a busy man this year, collecting quite a few players to help keep the Yankees glued together.
Chase Headley came over from San Diego on July 22 and made an immediate impact upon arrival. Walking into the Yankee dugout in the middle of the Bombers' game vs. Texas, he greeted all his new teammates with handshakes and salutations.
The game went into the 14th inning and he came up huge, delivering a game-winning single to beat the Rangers 2-1. On Sept. 4 he outdid himself, crushing a walk-off home run to beat the Red Sox 5-4 in the Bronx, capping a huge ninth-inning rally.
Headley also exhibited heart, playing in games after being hit in the face with a fastball on Sept. 11 by Jake McGee of Tampa Bay. Any other player could've packed it in for the season sustaining such an injury, but he kept at it, knowing the Yanks needed his bat and tremendous defense at third base, as they stayed in the thick of it for that second Wild Card spot until the final six days of the regular season.
With Alex Rodriguez expected to return from suspension next year – and Headley now a free agent – there's no telling whether or not he dons the pinstripes again. If not, He finishes his career as a Yankee with six homers, 17 RBIs, and a .262 BA.
Although Headley may not fit into the equation next year, Martín Prado is guaranteed to be back in the Bronx in 2015; under contract until the end of 2016, in fact. He was acquired from Arizona for catching prospect Peter O'Brien nine days after Headley, and didn't really disappoint, collecting 42 hits in 133 at-bats. He ended the year with 16 RBIs with the Yankees, a .316 BA in pinstripes and drove seven balls out of the park.
It's also worth mentioning Prado won a game for the Yankees on Aug. 22 with one swing: a walk-off single to give his new team a 4-3 win over the White Sox, specifically showing he can make a difference at the plate. A utility man, Prado offers skills at basically every position save for pitcher and catcher, so moving forward he'll be a true asset to the team.
Both Headley and Prado fit in fine once they switched sides, thus earning this award.
Congrats fellas!
Yankee Yapping Bring 'Em Back Award
Winner: Brandon McCarthy
Like Headley and Prado, Brandon McCarthy came over in a trade. The Yankees dealt Vidal Nuno to the Diamondbacks and in return received the lanky right-hander. His first tweet in New York – a reference to the classic TV show Seinfeld – and his solid pitching quickly made him a fan-favorite.
Re-mastering his cut fastball, McCarthy won seven games with the Yanks this year and posted an ERA under 3 at 2.89. He filled one of the many holes in the starting rotation, and without question proved he was an important player.
In particular his start against Houston on Aug. 21 comes to mind.
McCarthy basically obliterated the Astros, twirling a complete game shutout. He only allowed four hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out eight. He not only led the Yanks to a 3-0 victory, but wasted no time doing it; making it the quickest game in the history of the new Yankee Stadium at just two hours and seven minutes.
What's more, McCarthy tossed an immaculate inning on Sept. 17 in Tampa Bay, striking out three straight batters on nine pitches – a rarity in baseball.
Yes, immaculate Brandon. Your praises we sing.
If anyone has earned more time in a Yankee uniform, it's McCarthy. He's a veteran; he battled and could be a great middle-of-the-rotation starter next year. In the case he doesn't come back to the Yankees, he'll definitely find a landing spot.
But, the Yankees would be wise to bring him back. Congrats on opening some eyes this year, Brandon!
Yankee Yapping Best Season by a Newcomer
Winner: Jacoby Ellsbury
Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens and Johnny Damon could probably attest that the transition from Boston to New York is a real adjustment. All three thrived in both Beantown and the Big Apple along with countless others who've made the leap from "the nation" to "the empire."
It's nothing new. Since the beginning of time, it's been happening; from Babe Ruth to Kevin Youkilis. When the Yankee front office retooled this past offseason, Jacoby Ellsbury became the latest turncoat.
This year it seemed Ellsbury made a pretty easy transfer, putting up some respectable numbers for his first year in New York: 16 homers, 70 RBIs and a BA of .271. Ellsbury added 39 stolen bases in 44 attempts, 27 doubles, and 71 runs scored.
Good general numbers, sure. Specifically, though, he offered a clutch dynamic, hitting some game-deciding home runs in extra innings away from Yankee Stadium. On May 24 he took a mighty hack in the 10th inning at U.S. Cellular Field to lift the Yankees over the White Sox 4-3. On July 9 he was at it again, helping beat the Indians 5-4 with one swing in the 14th at Progressive Field.
Winning extra inning games on the road has been such a lost art with the Yankees, especially in recent years. Ellsbury helped bring it back this year, a little bit.
Keeping healthy was also a gigantic concern in acquiring Ellsbury last winter, but in playing 149 games he demonstrated that he can stay healthy and be an effective player.
Congrats on a good year, Jacoby. Here's to a lot more!
Yankee Yapping Relievers of the Year Award
Co-winners: David Robertson and Dellin Betances
There was no way I could decide one winner of this award. Both of these guys deserve it.
Last year Mariano Rivera retired, leaving his job open with astronomically high expectations attached to it. David Robertson was named closer, and had a reputation of getting into jams easily, although as setup man he was typically always able to wiggle his way out of danger.
Hence, his nickname "Houdini."
Closers can't exactly live on a reputation of constantly getting into predicaments and skimming their way out; they're supposed to be automatic, which Robertson was anything but entering 2014.
Yet this season Robertson almost washed away that "Houdini" moniker, slamming the door 39 times in 44 save opps, finishing third in the AL in saves. He had his moments of difficulty, but always bounced back with ease.
By the way, he's credited with five blown saves, but four in my book – the baseball gods intervened on Sept. 24 in order to allow Jeter to win the game.
Robertson can walk if the Yankees don't re-sign him, and you can bet he'll receive some good offers from other teams, because he was nothing short of outstanding this year. In my personal opinion, I'd like him to stay in New York. He's a homegrown pinstriper, he's now a proven closer, and he'd be a good guy to keep around moving forward.
Not to mention I like tweeting #AlabamaSlam every time he nails down a save.
Dellin Betances set Robertson up incredibly this year, striking out 135 batters to break a franchise record: most Ks by a reliever in a single season.
The man whose record he broke? The Great Rivera.
Betances's ERA of 1.40 and record of 5-0 further show just how lights out he was. Mixing 90-100 mph fastballs with 80 mph changeups and frazzling hitters around the league, Betances rightfully was an All-Star this year – and something tells me he'll be on another AL All-Star squad in the future.
If Robertson winds up walking this winter Betances would make a fine closer, but for now I like what he did as a setup man in '14. It'd be nice if both relievers were around next year, giving the Yanks a 1-2 punch out of the 'pen and shortening the game by two innings for the starting pitchers.
Whichever way it goes, these guys were rock solid this past year; both worthy of some end-of-the-season recognition. Congrats gentlemen!
Yankee Yapping Titan of Twitter Award
Winner: David Cone
Twitter has become a part of sports culture. Disseminating information about games, quotes from athletes, and the general idea of what's going on around the sports world are all done through the advent of tweeting these days.
I created a Twitter page for Yankee Yapping in November of 2013. Within just one baseball season (and less than a year, to boot) it amassed over 1,200 followers.
(To those who have followed, thank you, by the way!)
It almost came as a shock to me that former Yankee, perfect game pitcher, World Series champ, and current YES broadcaster David Cone followed YY on Twitter. It was pretty cool to think he thought so highly of the blog to follow, let alone mention it during the telecast of a game!
Thank you again, Coney. You deserve an award for recognizing Yankee Yapping!
Yankee Yapping Rooting For You Award
Winner: Don Mattingly
This is an award I dislike giving out, because in October I usually like rooting for the Yankees. Alas, since the Yankees are watching the MLB postseason in front their TVs, it's only right to pick a team to root for this month.
However, I'm not so much pulling for the Los Angeles Dodgers so much as I am former Yankee Don "Donnie Baseball" Mattingly, the Dodgers' current manager.
The beloved Yankee first baseman of the 1980s to the mid-90s missed out on a World Series ring by just one year. Back problems forced Mattingly to retire after 1995, and as we all know 1996 was the start of the Yankee dynasty.
Mattingly, to my knowledge, is the only Yankee player to have his number retired without winning a World Series. For his sake, it would be cool to see him finally get the elusive piece of jewelry he never obtained in New York.
He's got plenty of studs to help him get there; Clayton Kershaw, Yasiel Puig, and Hanley Ramirez to name a few.
As far as other candidates for this award: there's no way I'd root for Joba Chamberlain to win (what would be his second ring) with the Detroit Tigers – and I don't want to see Buck Showalter win it all as the Orioles skipper.
For me, it's got to be Mattingly, who was a Yankee in the purest sense of the word, carrying the team through a number of lean years.
Go Donnie!
Well, that about wraps up the end of the year awards. Be sure to check back with Yankee Yapping throughout the winter for updates, highlights, and stories!
Dear Derek
Sept. 25, 2014
Dear Derek,
I know after yesterday's loss you are disappointed. Elimination from the playoffs, to you, is probably the equivalent of failing a test you've studied extremely hard for. After the game you called it "rough" and "frustrating." This will only be the third time in my life as a true navy blue Yankee fan you and your teammates won't be playing autumn baseball in New York – but trust me, I'm not trying to make you feel bad or drudge up negative feelings.
On the contrary, I'm writing to give you the praise you rightfully deserve, and say thanks.
I can't even really remember my first Yankee game. I was too young; the picture of it in my head is about as fuzzy as a 1950s analog TV. My parents brought me to Yankee Stadium when I was practically in diapers. My earliest memories were just looking out and seeing the Stadium's green grass.
1995, I've always felt, is the season I became a true fan. At eight years old I was overcome with investment in the New York Yankees. '95 also happened to be your first season; and not to mention the year before all the glorious seasons of the Yankee Dynasty.
Although 1995 ended in tragedy at the Kingdome, the feeling of winning the World Series at the end of 1996 almost made me completely forget '95 altogether. Additionally in '96 you were named A.L. Rookie of the Year unanimously, to which you modestly remarked to the New York Times, "Unanimously? I think I had some family helping me out with the voting."
While I'm sure your family – who raised you so well – would've voted for you, you didn't need any help in terms with the voting. Hence, why you beat out James Baldwin of the White Sox by 76 points; 140-64.
Thanks for helping teach me humility.
1998 was arguably the best season the Yanks have had in my lifetime, and '98 also happened to be the year I started playing Little League in Beacon, N.Y. – a city some 70 or so miles north of New York City in the suburbs. Everything about Little League in Beacon was fashioned after the major leagues, from the team names down to the uniforms. God must've had it in for me, because the team I wound up on was the Yankees.
Yeah, Tino Martinez was my favorite at the time, but believe me when I say you and him were basically tied for first.
Anyhow, it was my first year playing organized ball, and I had a rough go of it. If I wasn't striking out I was grounding out. Once in awhile I drew a walk here or there. What's more, I mostly stood out in left field idly; fly balls rarely ever coming my way.
Nonetheless, I learned how to play the position; how to back up throws to third base and how to hit the cutoff man. I never quit. I kept playing the game, even after wanting to give up after a slew of dreadful "0-for" days.
At last in one of the final games of the regular season, against the Indians, I hit a laser shot into centerfield for not only my first base hit, but my first RBI. When I reached base safely I heard the assistant coach say from the dugout,
"Look at that hit! That was like Derek Jeter, right there!"
That comment meant the world to me, at the same time giving me some much-needed encouragement. A season full of woes, I get one nice hit and all of a sudden it earns me a comparison to you. We beat the Indians, if you were wondering, and afterwards, the coaches gave me the game ball, which I still have encased.
It wasn't until just now I realized you hit your first career home run against the big league Indians – perhaps a little baseball parallel between the two of us.
From that point on whether it was in Little League, Babe Ruth League at the high school level, in gym class or just playing ball with the kids in my neighborhood, I always wanted to emulate you; the way you have carried yourself: respectfully, gracefully and dignified – and not just on the field. I've never done drugs or smoked, because I know that's not what Derek Jeter would do.
Thank you for leading by example.
Throughout my years as a Yankee fan I've seen you play live in the pinstripes countless times. I haven't taken those times for granted. Though with each passing year, it seemed, you got better and better as opposed to the majority of other players, whose numbers steadily decline as they grow older.
You truly are a fine bottle of wine, getting better with age, as the old adage goes.
On six separate occasions, you have hit home runs in my presence. Of those six games, the Yankees emerged winners in five of them. The only game I saw in-person, in which you hit a home run and the Yanks lost, was against the Mets on June 29, 2002.
But hey, in the 2000 World/Subway Series – which you were an integral part of winning – you gave me and every other Yankee fan bragging rights forever more in beating the Mets in front of the world on baseball's grandest stage.
Thanks for those bragging rights.
In May of 2010 I graduated from Mercy College in New York with a degree in journalism. It took a lot of hard work to earn that diploma. You've preached your entire career about how hard work pays off, and when I walked across the stage and was handed my degree, I finally understood what you meant.
You were right all along. Thanks for beating the hard work concept into my brain.
A couple months after graduation, in July '10, I had the chance to interview Brian Sweeney, a relief pitcher who (like me) is a Mercy College alumnus. At the time he was pitching for the Seattle Mariners. Sweeney had faced you at the big ballpark in the Bronx just a few weeks prior to my chat with him. He, an opponent, spoke highly of you, saying,
"Obviously Jeter is one of the most celebrated ballplayers on the Yankees. He was a nice challenge."
However, Sweeney did add, "I wish he had gotten into the box a little faster. Maybe he was trying to slow me down? It could just be his routine."
A t-shirt should be made: "Derek Jeter: frustrating opposing pitchers since '95."
Earlier this year, on May 12 to be exact, I covered an event hosted by fellow New York sports captain Eli Manning. The Giants' quarterback and two-time Super Bowl MVP does wonderful work with charity, namely Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Guiding Eyes' annual spring tee-off event came just a week after Eli and his brother Peyton visited you at Yankee Stadium.
Eli had nothing but great things to say about you.
It is my hope that one day I am able to interview you, Derek. Even if I'm one of 100 reporters standing in a media scrum and I only get to ask you one question. I'd gladly welcome a funny response to a question from you, as you've been able to mix in some humor with the press all your life.
If I ever get that interview or that chance to ask you a question in a scrum, thank you in advance.
Tonight, Derek, you leave us – but only in the flesh. Everything you've done in New York, for New York, and for the fans will never be forgotten. In spirit, you'll be with us for all of time. I wish you luck in starting your family and hope you enjoy your life after baseball. You have more than earned your days to sit back, take in the sweet aroma of the roses, and bask in the fruits of your labor.
Hopefully in five years, when you're ticketed for permanent enshrinement in Cooperstown, I'll be covering the joyous occasion and I'll see you there.
Until then, for all the wonderful memories, Derek – thank you.
A.J. Martelli "Yankee Yapping"
The Validation of Cone
Today marked Derek Jeter's final Sunday afternoon game in the Bronx, and The Captain made a nice lasting impression igniting the Yankees with two hits, an RBI and a run scored. Brian McCann was no slouch either, crushing his 21st and 22nd home runs of the season to help power the Bombers to a 5-2 win over Toronto.
Not to fly under the radar, Masahiro Tanaka made his first start since July 8 at Cleveland and pitched like a guy who doesn't have a minor tear in his UCL. The young man from Japan tossed 5 1/3 innings and only let up one run on five hits. He kept the ball around the plate, throwing 48 of his 70 pitches for strikes; no walks and he struck out four.
"He looked exactly the same, which is such an encouraging sign," McCann told Meredith Marakovits of YES after catching Tanaka. "There was no rust, it seemed like. Early on he missed his fastball location a little bit, but other than that he pitched a flawless game."
"Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with how I pitched today," Tanaka said in a postgame presser. "I was able to go pretty strong today, so I'm relieved."
In the bottom of the fifth Brett Gardner drove a liner over the wall in right field to break a 1-1 tie and give the Yanks the lead for good; a bomb that went for his 17th tater of the season. More significantly it went as the Yankee team's 15,000th lifetime home run, the most of any team, ever.
That's right: since 1903, 15,000 home runs off the bats of pinstripers. That's a big number.
A Yankee win is always thrilling, but the most thrilling moment for this writer came before the final out was made. During the telecast, former perfect game pitcher, five-time World Series champ, and current YES color analyst David Cone mentioned Yankee Yapping!
Big thank you to Coney for the nod! Best 16 seconds (give or take) in this blog's life.
2olo 2hots
The Yankees are five games away from complete postseason elimination, yet have somehow hung in the AL Wild Card race just enough to have a microscopic chance at a run. Every player on the roster not named Derek Jeter, surely, would love to give The Captain one last go at some autumn baseball in New York.
While it doesn't appear likely at the moment, and Jeter's baseball career will probably end on enemy soil at Fenway Park a week from Sunday, last night the Yanks emerged walk-off winners for the eighth time this year, beating the Blue Jays 3-2.
Tied 2-2 in the ninth, Chris Young led off with a single to centerfield and was promptly lifted for Antoan Richardson. The speedy pinch-runner swiped second and moved to third on a Brett Gardner sac bunt. Chase Headley, who already had two walk-off hits under his belt as a Yankee this year, then delivered the death blow with a sharp liner past Adam Lind at first base for the win.
Headley may have notched the big hit in the ninth – and got to take the "Gardner Gatorade Cooler Challenge" so-to-speak – but the hit everyone buzzed about after the game was Jeter's solo home run in the bottom of the sixth. It marked The Captain's fourth round-tripper of the year, and his first bomb of 2014 at the big ballpark in the Bronx.
The fans were so amped up after Jeter's long liner over the wall in left field that everyone on hand stood cheering, hoping he would come out for a curtain call and tip his cap.
Jeter would modestly say postgame, "Mac (Brian McCann) was in the middle of his at-bat, so I didn't want to disrupt anyone's hitting at the time."
It was quite a nice way to begin Jeter's last career homestand, but he isn't even focused on the finality of it all, and basically said he just wants the Yankees to win out the rest of the way.
"I'm trying not to think about it being the last homestand," Jeter added. "I'm going to go out there and play hard like I've done my entire career until there are no games left."
The Captain might be trying not to think about the end, but in reality, last night we may have seen the final home run of his legendary career. Jeter has had plenty of significant helpings of
"mashed taters" (if you will) in his lifetime; World Series home runs, a home run in 2001 All-Star Game. He's clubbed game-winning homers, and who could forget the pitch he sent into the left field bleachers at Yankee Stadium for his 3,000th hit that beautifully historic July Saturday in 2011.
Perhaps the most ironic aspect of it all: Jeter isn't exactly, and was never, really, a home run hitter. Still, he will finish with 260 homers (barring another home run between now and Sept. 28) and 20 postseason homers – three of which were smacked in the Fall Classic.
Off the top of my head I was able to personally remember six games I've attended over the course of my fandom in which Jeter has homered. All of these homers I've seen Jeter hit live were solo home runs – or "2olo 2hots" – in the Bronx. What's more, each homer tied the game, gave the Yankees a lead, or started them off on a rally.
Indulge me if you will, as I take a stroll down memory lane and share these Jeter home runs I have witnessed firsthand.
June 29, 2002 – vs. the New York Mets
It was a hot day at the beginning of summer '02, as well as the middle game of a Subway Series. Those pesky Mets brought some gusto with them to the Stadium that afternoon, and took a 1-0 lead on Ted Lilly in the first.
But into the box stepped Jeter, batting third that day. The Captain sent Al Leiter's offering deep and gone to knot the time game up 1-1 right away.
Lilly however couldn't keep his team in it. Mike Piazza, Vance Wilson and Mo Vaughn each hit homers of their own, and the Yankees didn't muster much more offense, making this the only game the Yanks lost in which I beheld a Jeter home run.
Final: Mets 11, Yankees 2.
Jeter Home Run Total in 2002: 18
June 21, 2005 – vs. Tampa Bay Devil Rays
This particular game was almost a lost cause. Randy Johnson made the start for the Yanks, and was fully expected to give the Devil Rays hell. That couldn't have been further from what happened, as the likes of Damon Hollins, Jorge Cantu, Carl Crawford and Johnny Gomes turned the Big Unit into a small component.
Believe it or not, the Yankees trailed 10-2 in the fourth inning.
Yet, you can never count them out. Jeter kick started his boys in the sixth inning, knocking a solo homer off Chad Orvella, who was on in relief of washed up Tampa Bay starting pitcher Hideo Nomo.
The Yankees chopped it to 11-7 going into the bottom of the eighth and scored 13 (yes, 13!) runs in the bottom half of the frame, going on to win. Thirteen runs by the Yankees in a single inning of a game was indeed possible at one point in time, although it is hard to believe now, given the foibles of the offense these past two years.
Balls also left the yard that night off the bats of Gary Sheffield (who in fact smacked two homers that night), Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui, and Jorge Posada.
Final: Yankees 20, Devils Rays 11.
Jeter Home Run Total in 2005: 19
Aug. 2, 2006 – vs. Toronto Blue Jays
In a rather delicious dose of irony, Jeter had a chance to get back at Lilly in this game from the June 29, 2002 shellacking by the Mets' hand. The Yankees had traded Lilly to Oakland after '02 and in exchange were presented with Jeff Weaver (with Jeremy Bonderman ticketed for Detroit, because it was a three-way deal)…
But anyway, Jeter came up in the third inning and sent Lilly's delivery out of the park, his eighth homer of '06, to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. They tacked on with more runs later; the additional offense highlighted by a Posada two-run homer in the sixth (also off Lilly) to run away with a win. A lights-out pitching performance by Chien-Ming Wang also contributed to the victory.
Final: Yankees 7, Blue Jays 2.
Jeter Home Run Total in 2006: 14
April 22, 2009 – vs. Oakland A's
Not only was this my first game live at the new Yankee Stadium, it was only the Yankees' sixth game in the new house built by George Steinbrenner and company.
I guess it was only fitting The Captain offered me a fond memory of my first game across the street.
Jeter came up in the fourth inning and smacked a solo shot over the wall in right-center off Jason Anderson; his fourth home run of the young '09 season and his second in the new ballpark. His round-tripper gave the Yankees a 5-4 lead, but they didn't win the game until the 14th inning, when Melky Cabrera sent everyone home happy with a walk-off bomb.
Cabrera also homered in the second inning, as did Matsui; the ball jumping off the bats that blustery day.
Final/14: Yankees 9, A's 7.
Jeter Home Run Total in 2009: 18
May 15, 2009 – vs. Minnesota Twins
Less than a month later I found myself back at the new Yankee Stadium to see the Bombers host the Twins. For the most part it was a battle, the Yanks and Twins trading blows. Justin Morneau homered. Joe Mauer homered. Minnesota led 3-0 going into the bottom of the fifth.
Enter Jeter.
The Captain blasted one off Francisco Liriano, cutting the Twinkies' lead to 3-1. Gardner shocked everyone with an inside-the-park home run in the seventh, and Cabrera came through in the clutch with the game-winning hit, capping a three-run ninth to give the pinstripers a win.
The Yankees would go on to win the following two games against the Twins in walk-off fashion, and beat Minnesota in their final at-bat in Game 2 of the ALDS that October, by way of a Mark Teixeira walk-off homer.
But that night – the night that started it:
Final: Yankees 5, Twins 4.
April 13, 2010 – vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
It was a day of celebration. Euphoria. Happiness. Rings.
A wonderful ceremony took place before the game; the Yankees being honored for what they had accomplished some five months earlier – beating the Philadelphia Phillies in the '09 World Series. Jeter was given his fifth ring, while so many others around him were receiving only their first.
After the touching, sentimental moments the ceremony provided, the Yankees had a game to play. They grabbed an early 1-0 lead over the Halos. In the third inning Jeter came up and took Ervin Santana way out and gone for a solo homer, his first of the '10 season.
Nick Johnson also homered, but how is this for a nod to the days of old:
Yes, Jeter homered. But Andy Pettitte started the game and recorded the win. Mariano Rivera saved Pettitte (his third save of the year to that point), and Posada went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI.
Talk about efficiency from the members of the "Core 4."
Final: Yankees 7, Angels 5.
Jeter Home Run Total in 2010: 10
How nice it was, sharing these special moments Jeter gave me.
What are some The Captain gave you…?


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YNN Austin / Time Warner
Summer Internship - YNN Austin
Fri, May 10, 2013
Apply at your BTT Gateway account.
YNN Austin / Time Warner
Summer Internship - YNN Austin
Job ID: 6879
Deadline: 5/10/2013
We offer opportunities to students who are motivated and eager to learn about broadcast journalism and gain valuable experience in a newsroom environment. The following departments are looking for interns who will help plan, execute and coordinate various aspects of news media.
Video journalism (reporting) - Students will shadow video journalists and learn the basics of reporting, producing, editing, and shooting stories for television broadcast. Prefer students that can work weekends.
Photojournalism – Shadow photojournalists in the field, work with electronic newsgathering, lighting and audio and perform non-linear digital editing.
Sports - Shadow sports reporting staff, write sports, monitor and log sports videos and work on videotape editing.
Graphics - Work closely with television graphic designers. Prefer students that can work Monday - Friday.
Online Content/Web - A unique opportunity to practice your AP-style and work on your own writing style. We are not exactly print, nor magazine, nor TV news style...we're a combination of all three.
Production - Work closely with master control operators and technical directors with video and audio transmission and quality control of on-air content.
Weather - Work closely with meteorologists reporting local weather.
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Candidates for internships MUST:
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• Maintain a professional appearance, be enthusiastic, and have a demonstrated interest in journalism and news.
• Be able to commit to interning approximately 16 hours per week.
• Coursework and previous internship experience in communications, journalism or related field is preferred.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.


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March 17, 2015
When Things Turn Nasty on Social Media
For an elected official, it's a challenge to decide when to block ill-mannered commenters and when to just let them have at you.
January 14, 2014
How Government Leaders Can Stay Out of Social Media Hell
It's all too easy for a public official to make the kind of online mistake that results in ridicule and embarrassment. But it's not that hard to avoid a catastrophe.