Yankee Addicts http://www.yankeeaddicts.com Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:03:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Forget Cy Young, CC Sabathia Is the AL MVP http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/forget-cy-young-cc-sabathia-is-the-al-mvp/ http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/forget-cy-young-cc-sabathia-is-the-al-mvp/#comments Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:03:14 +0000 Dan Hanzus http://bleacherreport.com/articles/449691-forget-cy-young-cc-sabathia-is-the-al-mvp One of the more annoying aspects of 21st century baseball fandom has come by way of the dreaded stat geek.

You probably think I'm going down the route of "The RBI is the only stat that matters", "VORP is only for loners and dudes who really hate the Discovery Channel", or some other get-off-my-lawn type rant, but you'd be mistaken.

I'm actually all in on much of the new statistical analysis that has taken baseball by storm in the past decade. Anything that helps you understand the game better has to be considered a good thing.

I just wish stat geeks weren't so obnoxious about it all.

Having successfully tarnished the image of oldie-but-goodies like batting average, saves and runs batted in, the geeks are now on a crusade to diminish the significance of the win.

Seriously. The win.

You have to admire their gusto, going after the very thing that the idea of sport revolves around. It's almost as if people have forgotten the wise nice man with really poor clock-management skills who taught us the one indisputable fact that drives the engine of competition...

"YOU PLAY. TO WIN. THE GAME."

CC Sabathia took the A's behind the woodshed—whatever the hell a woodshed is—on Thursday, allowing just one hit over eight innings to collect his 19th win of the season. Those 19 victories stand against just five losses, and his ERA sits at a tidy 3.02.

You would think numbers like that—all within the prism of being the unquestioned ace of the best team in baseball—would make Sabathia the hands down favorite in the American League Cy Young race.

But the stat geeks say otherwise, and they may even make fun of your educational background as they do.

The geek is convinced that Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez has been the AL's best pitcher in 2010. They say his mediocre 10-10 record is purely the product of playing for a last-place team, and that if Hernandez and Sabathia switched places, it would be King Felix who would be knocking on the door of his first 2o-win season.

That these statements are 100 percent true is beside the point. It's like me saying, "If I were a world-class tennis player with a bottomless bank account and astounding bone structure, it'd be me and not Andy Roddick watching Brooklyn Decker get out of the shower in the morning."

Again, this would (probably) be true. And part of me wants to die after crystallizing the limitations of my life simply to prove a point on this stupid blog. But ultimately it's just an example of how ridiculous it is to disparage what Sabathia has done this season just because he's better setup for success than King Felix.

Now to get the geeks really fired up, I'm about to take it a step further. I'd like to make the case that in addition to the Cy Young award, Sabathia is the American League's MVP in 2010.

Don't scoff. Think about it. Even without Josh Hamilton putting up monster numbers, the Rangers are beating out the weak competition in the AL West. Miguel Cabrera is a bona fide stud, but his team will be lucky to break 80 wins. Robinson Cano has enjoyed a breakout season in the Bronx, but it's safe to say the Yankees were still a playoff team even if he didn't make the leap.

Sabathia, meanwhile, is the one constant on a Yankee rotation being held together by spit and the last shreds of Javier Vazquez's dignity. Without their ace, are the Yankees even a 90-win team this season? Do they win 80?

He's been the rock, the slump buster, the very definition of what an ace is supposed to be. He is, in so many ways, the most valuable player.

Don't let the geeks tell you otherwise.

Dan Hanzus writes the Yankees blog River & Sunset and can be reached via e-mail at dhanzus@gmail.com. Follow Dan on Twitter @danhanzus .

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

]]> One of the more annoying aspects of 21st century baseball fandom has come by way of the dreaded stat geek.

You probably think I'm going down the route of "The RBI is the only stat that matters", "VORP is only for loners and dudes who really hate the Discovery Channel", or some other get-off-my-lawn type rant, but you'd be mistaken.

I'm actually all in on much of the new statistical analysis that has taken baseball by storm in the past decade. Anything that helps you understand the game better has to be considered a good thing.

I just wish stat geeks weren't so obnoxious about it all.

Having successfully tarnished the image of oldie-but-goodies like batting average, saves and runs batted in, the geeks are now on a crusade to diminish the significance of the win.

Seriously. The win.

You have to admire their gusto, going after the very thing that the idea of sport revolves around. It's almost as if people have forgotten the wise nice man with really poor clock-management skills who taught us the one indisputable fact that drives the engine of competition...

"YOU PLAY. TO WIN. THE GAME."

CC Sabathia took the A's behind the woodshed—whatever the hell a woodshed is—on Thursday, allowing just one hit over eight innings to collect his 19th win of the season. Those 19 victories stand against just five losses, and his ERA sits at a tidy 3.02.

You would think numbers like that—all within the prism of being the unquestioned ace of the best team in baseball—would make Sabathia the hands down favorite in the American League Cy Young race.

But the stat geeks say otherwise, and they may even make fun of your educational background as they do.

The geek is convinced that Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez has been the AL's best pitcher in 2010. They say his mediocre 10-10 record is purely the product of playing for a last-place team, and that if Hernandez and Sabathia switched places, it would be King Felix who would be knocking on the door of his first 2o-win season.

That these statements are 100 percent true is beside the point. It's like me saying, "If I were a world-class tennis player with a bottomless bank account and astounding bone structure, it'd be me and not Andy Roddick watching Brooklyn Decker get out of the shower in the morning."

Again, this would (probably) be true. And part of me wants to die after crystallizing the limitations of my life simply to prove a point on this stupid blog. But ultimately it's just an example of how ridiculous it is to disparage what Sabathia has done this season just because he's better setup for success than King Felix.

Now to get the geeks really fired up, I'm about to take it a step further. I'd like to make the case that in addition to the Cy Young award, Sabathia is the American League's MVP in 2010.

Don't scoff. Think about it. Even without Josh Hamilton putting up monster numbers, the Rangers are beating out the weak competition in the AL West. Miguel Cabrera is a bona fide stud, but his team will be lucky to break 80 wins. Robinson Cano has enjoyed a breakout season in the Bronx, but it's safe to say the Yankees were still a playoff team even if he didn't make the leap.

Sabathia, meanwhile, is the one constant on a Yankee rotation being held together by spit and the last shreds of Javier Vazquez's dignity. Without their ace, are the Yankees even a 90-win team this season? Do they win 80?

He's been the rock, the slump buster, the very definition of what an ace is supposed to be. He is, in so many ways, the most valuable player.

Don't let the geeks tell you otherwise.

Dan Hanzus writes the Yankees blog River & Sunset and can be reached via e-mail at dhanzus@gmail.com. Follow Dan on Twitter @danhanzus .

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/forget-cy-young-cc-sabathia-is-the-al-mvp/feed/ 0 2010 World Series: To Get The Crown You Got To Be Around In October http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/2010-world-series-to-get-the-crown-you-got-to-be-around-in-october/ http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/2010-world-series-to-get-the-crown-you-got-to-be-around-in-october/#comments Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:12:33 +0000 Kate Conroy http://bleacherreport.com/articles/449501-2010-world-series-to-get-the-crown-you-got-to-be-around-in-october The 2010 MLB season has not disappointed, as competition is fierce but so is disappointment.

For playoff staples, like the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals things could not have gone any worse. As they say, ‘When it rains, it pours’ and both the above two ball clubs will be noticeably absent. The presence of the Red Sox and Cardinals will be deeply missed, a true heartbreak for all fans of baseball.

So, which American League teams are in contention?

Legitimately, no team has clinched anything just yet and that needs to remain the mindset.

Any baseball fan that witnessed the 2007 New York Mets lose 14 of 17 games, followed by losing the NL East and a spot in the playoffs. Say what you want about presumptions, but nothing is ever guaranteed and it only comes off as arrogant.

One team that looks sure to clinch is the Texas Rangers. Rangers have zero competition in the AL West. Unless a Mets-like implosion is on the horizon, it’s the Rangers' division to lose.

The remaining two divisions are all off to the races, literally.

In the AL Central the Chicago White Sox picked up Manny Ramirez attempting to gain on the division-leading Minnesota Twins. The usually competitive Detroit Tigers have fallen out of the postseason talks, which gives the White Sox some breathing room to try.

Same old story in the AL East, except the Tampa Bay Rays are the new Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox have been hit with an injury bug that hasn’t let up all season. Considering the situation up in Bean-town, Skipper Terry Francona should be the manager of the year for keeping his team in the hunt for so long.

As for the Rays, the New York Yankees will fight them till the end for the division. This is by far the tightest battle in baseball, but the wild card looks to be coming out of the AL East so both teams will most likely be in October.

PREDICTIONS:

AL EAST: New York Yankees

AL WEST: Texas Rangers

AL CENTRAL: Chicago White Sox

WILD CARD: Tampa Bay Rays

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

]]> The 2010 MLB season has not disappointed, as competition is fierce but so is disappointment.

For playoff staples, like the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals things could not have gone any worse. As they say, ‘When it rains, it pours’ and both the above two ball clubs will be noticeably absent. The presence of the Red Sox and Cardinals will be deeply missed, a true heartbreak for all fans of baseball.

So, which American League teams are in contention?

Legitimately, no team has clinched anything just yet and that needs to remain the mindset.

Any baseball fan that witnessed the 2007 New York Mets lose 14 of 17 games, followed by losing the NL East and a spot in the playoffs. Say what you want about presumptions, but nothing is ever guaranteed and it only comes off as arrogant.

One team that looks sure to clinch is the Texas Rangers. Rangers have zero competition in the AL West. Unless a Mets-like implosion is on the horizon, it’s the Rangers' division to lose.

The remaining two divisions are all off to the races, literally.

In the AL Central the Chicago White Sox picked up Manny Ramirez attempting to gain on the division-leading Minnesota Twins. The usually competitive Detroit Tigers have fallen out of the postseason talks, which gives the White Sox some breathing room to try.

Same old story in the AL East, except the Tampa Bay Rays are the new Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox have been hit with an injury bug that hasn’t let up all season. Considering the situation up in Bean-town, Skipper Terry Francona should be the manager of the year for keeping his team in the hunt for so long.

As for the Rays, the New York Yankees will fight them till the end for the division. This is by far the tightest battle in baseball, but the wild card looks to be coming out of the AL East so both teams will most likely be in October.

PREDICTIONS:

AL EAST: New York Yankees

AL WEST: Texas Rangers

AL CENTRAL: Chicago White Sox

WILD CARD: Tampa Bay Rays

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/2010-world-series-to-get-the-crown-you-got-to-be-around-in-october/feed/ 0 New York Yankees: Jose Tabata Deal Earns Fan Angst, Not Curtis Granderson Trade http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/new-york-yankees-jose-tabata-deal-earns-fan-angst-not-curtis-granderson-trade/ http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/new-york-yankees-jose-tabata-deal-earns-fan-angst-not-curtis-granderson-trade/#comments Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:50:47 +0000 Stephen Meyer http://bleacherreport.com/articles/449384-new-york-yankees-curtis-granderson-trade-anger-should-shift-to-jose-tabata-deal Nothing infuriates a fan base more than watching a young player—formerly a prospect within their team’s system—blossom into stardom in another uniform.

One would tend to think that when rooting for a team like the New York Yankees, this mindset would apply much less frequently—as they often demand a prospect fire sale to bring in the latest available superstar on the market.

That may have been the case when the best prospects to establish themselves in the big leagues outside of New York were Eric Milton, Christian Guzman, Ted Lilly, Jake Westbrook, and Nick Johnson (welcome back).

The fans of the Yankees are now as prospect-conscious as ever, and have many times showed displeasure toward potential deals for former All-Stars because of a young player’s involvement in the deal.

It all started with the Johan Santana sweepstakes in 2007, when Phil Hughes, Robinson Cano, and Joba Chamberlain were all potential targets of the Minnesota Twins organization.

It has now reached the peak with the backlash of the Austin Jackson for Curtis Granderson swap, as well as the now unfair expectations for impressive prospect bat Jesus Montero in Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre.

Jackson, a 23-year-old rookie CF, has shown marvelous outfield range while on pace for 50 extra-base hits, 25+ steals, 100+ runs, and nearly 200 hits. He will now forever be compared to Granderson, who has had a poor inaugural season in pinstripes.

However, the trade most Yankees fans should be putting to task is the one going largely unnoticed. To prepare for the stretch run in 2008, New York gave away young OF prospect Jose Tabata to the Pirates in a deal for Damaso Marte and Xavier Nady.

The Yankees missed the postseason in 2008, Nady was lost for the 2009 season and ultimately not re-signed, and Marte (although a vital World Series contributor) has produced next to nothing over two and a half regular seasons.

Whatever happened to Tabata? He is starting every day as a 22-year-old rookie in Pittsburgh, and has hit .335 with 39 R, 80 H, and 12 SB over his last 60 games. These are on pace for 105 R, 216 H, and 32 SB over a 162-game season—all while displaying very solid outfield range defensively.

Tabata has displayed equal speed and run-scoring ability, better run-producing, and superior average and on-base percentage than Jackson—all while in a much less dangerous lineup at a younger age.

The Yankees may still yet get an All-Star season out of Granderson in the next few years, and the deal has plenty of time to shift momentum from one side to the other. The Tabata deal, however, can only get worse from here on out.

Much can be said for Marte’s ability to tame Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez, and others during his nearly perfect World Series display. It is impossible to ignore its importance, but Marte was only on that 2009 team because of a free agent signing after the 2008 season—one that likely would have occurred regardless of the trade.

All of the raw talent seen in Tabata when the Yankees signed him at 17 years old in 2005 is beginning to come to fruition, and New York fans are left wondering “what if.”

If trading Jackson for a power-hitting CF with speed was second-guessed so ferociously, then certainly the Tabata trade should be generating a tad more negative buzz from the “Yankees Universe.”

It remains to be seen if Tabata will be figured out by National League pitchers as time moves on, but his current progression is already leaps and bounds above the production seen from the players New York received in return for him in 2008.

The “Jackson vs. Granderson” debate will likely wage on in chat rooms, Twitter conversations, and blog posts all over the tri-state area for years to come. However, the true unrest over trading a young OF prospect for a veteran OF should instead be about Tabata vs. Nady.

Check us out on Twitter at @BR_MLB for all your MLB updates, breaking news, latest stories, trivia, and more.

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

]]> Nothing infuriates a fan base more than watching a young player—formerly a prospect within their team’s system—blossom into stardom in another uniform.

One would tend to think that when rooting for a team like the New York Yankees, this mindset would apply much less frequently—as they often demand a prospect fire sale to bring in the latest available superstar on the market.

That may have been the case when the best prospects to establish themselves in the big leagues outside of New York were Eric Milton, Christian Guzman, Ted Lilly, Jake Westbrook, and Nick Johnson (welcome back).

The fans of the Yankees are now as prospect-conscious as ever, and have many times showed displeasure toward potential deals for former All-Stars because of a young player’s involvement in the deal.

It all started with the Johan Santana sweepstakes in 2007, when Phil Hughes, Robinson Cano, and Joba Chamberlain were all potential targets of the Minnesota Twins organization.

It has now reached the peak with the backlash of the Austin Jackson for Curtis Granderson swap, as well as the now unfair expectations for impressive prospect bat Jesus Montero in Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre.

Jackson, a 23-year-old rookie CF, has shown marvelous outfield range while on pace for 50 extra-base hits, 25+ steals, 100+ runs, and nearly 200 hits. He will now forever be compared to Granderson, who has had a poor inaugural season in pinstripes.

However, the trade most Yankees fans should be putting to task is the one going largely unnoticed. To prepare for the stretch run in 2008, New York gave away young OF prospect Jose Tabata to the Pirates in a deal for Damaso Marte and Xavier Nady.

The Yankees missed the postseason in 2008, Nady was lost for the 2009 season and ultimately not re-signed, and Marte (although a vital World Series contributor) has produced next to nothing over two and a half regular seasons.

Whatever happened to Tabata? He is starting every day as a 22-year-old rookie in Pittsburgh, and has hit .335 with 39 R, 80 H, and 12 SB over his last 60 games. These are on pace for 105 R, 216 H, and 32 SB over a 162-game season—all while displaying very solid outfield range defensively.

Tabata has displayed equal speed and run-scoring ability, better run-producing, and superior average and on-base percentage than Jackson—all while in a much less dangerous lineup at a younger age.

The Yankees may still yet get an All-Star season out of Granderson in the next few years, and the deal has plenty of time to shift momentum from one side to the other. The Tabata deal, however, can only get worse from here on out.

Much can be said for Marte’s ability to tame Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez, and others during his nearly perfect World Series display. It is impossible to ignore its importance, but Marte was only on that 2009 team because of a free agent signing after the 2008 season—one that likely would have occurred regardless of the trade.

All of the raw talent seen in Tabata when the Yankees signed him at 17 years old in 2005 is beginning to come to fruition, and New York fans are left wondering “what if.”

If trading Jackson for a power-hitting CF with speed was second-guessed so ferociously, then certainly the Tabata trade should be generating a tad more negative buzz from the “Yankees Universe.”

It remains to be seen if Tabata will be figured out by National League pitchers as time moves on, but his current progression is already leaps and bounds above the production seen from the players New York received in return for him in 2008.

The “Jackson vs. Granderson” debate will likely wage on in chat rooms, Twitter conversations, and blog posts all over the tri-state area for years to come. However, the true unrest over trading a young OF prospect for a veteran OF should instead be about Tabata vs. Nady.

Check us out on Twitter at @BR_MLB for all your MLB updates, breaking news, latest stories, trivia, and more.

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/new-york-yankees-jose-tabata-deal-earns-fan-angst-not-curtis-granderson-trade/feed/ 0 Alex Rodriguez Leaves Famed Baseball Agent Scott Boras http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/alex-rodriguez-leaves-famed-baseball-agent-scott-boras/ http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/alex-rodriguez-leaves-famed-baseball-agent-scott-boras/#comments Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:23:42 +0000 Jordan Singer http://bleacherreport.com/articles/449359-alex-rodriguez-leaves-famed-baseball-agent-scott-boras Alex Rodriguez has left the man who negotiated his 10-year, $275 million contract.

Rodriguez is not expected to replace Scott Boras with Pittsburgh attorney Jay Reisinger and Washington lawyer Jim Sharp, who helped him with his legal affairs.

Reisinger was the one who negotiated Rodriguez's ordeal with Congress for performance-enhancing drugs. Reisinger also represented Sammy Sosa and Andy Pettitte in their trials.

Rodriguez was seen with Guy Oseary, a Hollywood agent, who has been seen with Rodriguez over the past week. When sources called the offices of Oseary, they were only willing to call him a "manager", not an agent. Oseary was referred to A-Rod by Madonna.

Boras had been with A-Rod since the start of his career as a high-school student out of Miami. Boras has been responsible for the more than $500 million in contract deals. Rodriguez signed with the Texas Rangers with a $252 million dollar, 10 year contract. A-Rod has signed with the Rangers and Yankees for a total of 20-years.

It is not expected that Alex Rodriguez will need an agent while his 10-year deal comes to a close when Rodriguez is 42 (currently the age of 35).

Rodriguez is continuing a great season of work, compiling a .265 average, with 21 homers and 97 RBI. A-Rod also produced his 600th home run of his career, reaching a baseball milestone. Alex Rodriguez is currently on the disabled list with a calf strain. He is expected to come back on Sunday.

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

]]> Alex Rodriguez has left the man who negotiated his 10-year, $275 million contract.

Rodriguez is not expected to replace Scott Boras with Pittsburgh attorney Jay Reisinger and Washington lawyer Jim Sharp, who helped him with his legal affairs.

Reisinger was the one who negotiated Rodriguez's ordeal with Congress for performance-enhancing drugs. Reisinger also represented Sammy Sosa and Andy Pettitte in their trials.

Rodriguez was seen with Guy Oseary, a Hollywood agent, who has been seen with Rodriguez over the past week. When sources called the offices of Oseary, they were only willing to call him a "manager", not an agent. Oseary was referred to A-Rod by Madonna.

Boras had been with A-Rod since the start of his career as a high-school student out of Miami. Boras has been responsible for the more than $500 million in contract deals. Rodriguez signed with the Texas Rangers with a $252 million dollar, 10 year contract. A-Rod has signed with the Rangers and Yankees for a total of 20-years.

It is not expected that Alex Rodriguez will need an agent while his 10-year deal comes to a close when Rodriguez is 42 (currently the age of 35).

Rodriguez is continuing a great season of work, compiling a .265 average, with 21 homers and 97 RBI. A-Rod also produced his 600th home run of his career, reaching a baseball milestone. Alex Rodriguez is currently on the disabled list with a calf strain. He is expected to come back on Sunday.

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/alex-rodriguez-leaves-famed-baseball-agent-scott-boras/feed/ 0 2010 AL Cy Young Award: C.C. Sabathia On Track For His Second Cy Young http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/2010-al-cy-young-award-c-c-sabathia-on-track-for-his-second-cy-young/ http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/2010-al-cy-young-award-c-c-sabathia-on-track-for-his-second-cy-young/#comments Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:57:19 +0000 Asher B. Chancey http://bleacherreport.com/articles/448735-2010-al-cy-young-award-cc-sabathia-on-track-for-his-second-cy-young It may be all over except for the crying.

With eight innings of one-hit ball on Thursday afternoon against the Oakland Athletics, C.C. Sabathia has become the front-runner for the AL Cy Young Award, and he may have even clinched it.

Why?

Well, I'll tell ya.  C.C. Sabathia will be the 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner because . . . 

Begin Slideshow

]]> It may be all over except for the crying.

With eight innings of one-hit ball on Thursday afternoon against the Oakland Athletics, C.C. Sabathia has become the front-runner for the AL Cy Young Award, and he may have even clinched it.

Why?

Well, I'll tell ya.  C.C. Sabathia will be the 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner because . . . 

Begin Slideshow

]]> http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/2010-al-cy-young-award-c-c-sabathia-on-track-for-his-second-cy-young/feed/ 0 New York Yankees Dominant in Day Games http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/new-york-yankees-dominant-in-day-games/ http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/new-york-yankees-dominant-in-day-games/#comments Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:19:02 +0000 Bronx Baseball Daily http://bleacherreport.com/articles/448976-day-game-dominance The Yankees, winners of five straight, are about to embark on a rarity in baseball scheduling: five consecutive day games.

Luckily for the Yankees, they have thrived this season in day games, going 31-16.

The teams collectively hits better during the day, with a team batting average of .283 in day games compared to a .262 clip at night.

Here are some individual player statistics of those who fare better during the day than at night:

  • The red-hot Mark Teixeira loves the day this season. He is batting at a higher average of .326 during the day, compared to .228 at night. His on-base percentage during the day is .415, 72 points higher than his .343 at night. He is also slugging .646 in day games, while only slugging .431 at night.
  • The struggling Derek Jeter has significantly better numbers in day games this year, batting .326 compared to his .233 at night.
  • Today's starting pitcher CC Sabathia (18-5, 3.14), who is currently 10-0 at Yankee Stadium this season, boasts a 2.93 ERA during the day, and hitters are only batting .203 against him in day games.
  • The ever inconsistent A.J. Burnett (10-12, 5.15), whose scheduled turn in the rotation would occur Monday, September 6th in game two against Baltimore, has pitched incredibly better during the day this season. Compared to his 5.91 ERA at night, he has a 3.02 ERA during the day. That is difficult to imagine considering the struggles he has gone through all season long. Also, he holds opponents to a .236 average in day games, compared to .298 at night.
  • Phil Hughes (16-6, 4.10), scheduled to start on September 5th against Toronto, has fared slightly better during the day than at night. His ERA during the day is 3.91, a little better than his 4.19 during the day, while also going 6-1 this season during the day (10-5 at night).
  • Jorge Posada bats .316 during the day, while slugging .617, with an OBP of .397 during the day compared to .222, .378, and .348 respectively at night.
  • Brett Gardner’s daytime batting average is .304, while his nighttime batting average is sitting at .275. His OBP is better during the day at .418 compared to .372 at night.

As the Yankees look to extend their five-game winning streak, the daytime isn’t a bad time to do so. Look for the above players to have an impact, considering their success in day games.

 

Related Stories

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

]]> The Yankees, winners of five straight, are about to embark on a rarity in baseball scheduling: five consecutive day games.

Luckily for the Yankees, they have thrived this season in day games, going 31-16.

The teams collectively hits better during the day, with a team batting average of .283 in day games compared to a .262 clip at night.

Here are some individual player statistics of those who fare better during the day than at night:

  • The red-hot Mark Teixeira loves the day this season. He is batting at a higher average of .326 during the day, compared to .228 at night. His on-base percentage during the day is .415, 72 points higher than his .343 at night. He is also slugging .646 in day games, while only slugging .431 at night.
  • The struggling Derek Jeter has significantly better numbers in day games this year, batting .326 compared to his .233 at night.
  • Today's starting pitcher CC Sabathia (18-5, 3.14), who is currently 10-0 at Yankee Stadium this season, boasts a 2.93 ERA during the day, and hitters are only batting .203 against him in day games.
  • The ever inconsistent A.J. Burnett (10-12, 5.15), whose scheduled turn in the rotation would occur Monday, September 6th in game two against Baltimore, has pitched incredibly better during the day this season. Compared to his 5.91 ERA at night, he has a 3.02 ERA during the day. That is difficult to imagine considering the struggles he has gone through all season long. Also, he holds opponents to a .236 average in day games, compared to .298 at night.
  • Phil Hughes (16-6, 4.10), scheduled to start on September 5th against Toronto, has fared slightly better during the day than at night. His ERA during the day is 3.91, a little better than his 4.19 during the day, while also going 6-1 this season during the day (10-5 at night).
  • Jorge Posada bats .316 during the day, while slugging .617, with an OBP of .397 during the day compared to .222, .378, and .348 respectively at night.
  • Brett Gardner’s daytime batting average is .304, while his nighttime batting average is sitting at .275. His OBP is better during the day at .418 compared to .372 at night.

As the Yankees look to extend their five-game winning streak, the daytime isn’t a bad time to do so. Look for the above players to have an impact, considering their success in day games.

 

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]]> http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/new-york-yankees-dominant-in-day-games/feed/ 0 Five Reasons To Believe CC Sabathia Will Win 300 Games http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/five-reasons-to-believe-cc-sabathia-will-win-300-games/ http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/five-reasons-to-believe-cc-sabathia-will-win-300-games/#comments Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:11:00 +0000 Matt Trueblood http://bleacherreport.com/articles/448811-five-reasons-to-believe-cc-sabathia-will-win-300-games In baseball, as in life, predicting the future is exceedingly difficult. Six years ago, when Cubs right-hander Greg Maddux took his long-reserved place in baseball's venerated 300-win club, pundits across the sports talk universe wondered aloud whether another man would ever reach that milestone.

Two years and 363 days later, however, Maddux's longtime teammate Tom Glavine reached the plateau as well. The rumblings grew louder: Tim Kurkjian and Peter Gammons, then the dynamic duo of ESPN baseball coverage, declared the club all but closed for the remainder of baseball eternity.

Less than two years after that, though, Randy Johnson (arguably the most dominant pitcher of the era) knocked down the door and entered the club himself. This time, it was ESPN's Buster Olney leading an even stronger contingent of experts who believed that, given the limitations and constraints of the modern game, no pitcher would ever again reach pitching nirvana.

And yet...

New York Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia turned 30 years old just over a month ago, has won 19 games through just 29 starts this season and has a long-term contract in place to pitch for baseball's winningest franchise for another half-decade. He has 155 wins and one Cy Young award so far, and could be the favorite to win a second.

Will Sabathia eventually become the 25th pitcher in the history of the game to win 300 times? Here are five good reasons to think so.

Begin Slideshow

]]> In baseball, as in life, predicting the future is exceedingly difficult. Six years ago, when Cubs right-hander Greg Maddux took his long-reserved place in baseball's venerated 300-win club, pundits across the sports talk universe wondered aloud whether another man would ever reach that milestone.

Two years and 363 days later, however, Maddux's longtime teammate Tom Glavine reached the plateau as well. The rumblings grew louder: Tim Kurkjian and Peter Gammons, then the dynamic duo of ESPN baseball coverage, declared the club all but closed for the remainder of baseball eternity.

Less than two years after that, though, Randy Johnson (arguably the most dominant pitcher of the era) knocked down the door and entered the club himself. This time, it was ESPN's Buster Olney leading an even stronger contingent of experts who believed that, given the limitations and constraints of the modern game, no pitcher would ever again reach pitching nirvana.

And yet...

New York Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia turned 30 years old just over a month ago, has won 19 games through just 29 starts this season and has a long-term contract in place to pitch for baseball's winningest franchise for another half-decade. He has 155 wins and one Cy Young award so far, and could be the favorite to win a second.

Will Sabathia eventually become the 25th pitcher in the history of the game to win 300 times? Here are five good reasons to think so.

Begin Slideshow

]]> http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/five-reasons-to-believe-cc-sabathia-will-win-300-games/feed/ 0 Cliff Lee’s Back Is Bothering Him http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/cliff-lees-back-is-bothering-him/ http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/cliff-lees-back-is-bothering-him/#comments Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:30:58 +0000 Bronx Baseball Daily http://bleacherreport.com/articles/448975-cliff-leersquos-back-is-bothering-him A few weeks ago I wrote a blurb about Cliff Lee and noted how many innings he was throwing and wondered out loud if it would carry over to next season. As it turns out he didn’t even make it that far before the innings total began to affect him as his back has been acting up.

Here’s more via ESPN:

Texas Rangers starter Cliff Lee complained of back discomfort after Tuesday’s start and flew back to Texas to be examined by Keith Meister, the club physician.

Rangers assistant general manager Thad Levine said tests revealed no structural damage and that the issue was muscular. Lee received a trigger point injection, which the club hopes will reduce inflammation and allow him to stay on track.

The fact that his back issues are just muscular is good news for the Yankees and any other teams interested in signing Lee during the offseason.

I would also say that it’s fortunate that the Yankees didn’t land Lee at the trade deadline, but as soon as Texas acquired him they really started piling on his innings total. Although it might not have mattered as Seattle was piling on his innings as well.

From May 28th until August 6th, Lee threw less than eight innings only once and averaged almost eight and a half innings per start. His pitch totals in each game weren’t sky high, but that’s a ton of gearing up, stopping, and starting each game and it does, obviously, take a toll.

Again, there is good news. Hopefully this will be a red flag for Texas and they will take it easy on him from here on out. If they do, because this is a muscular problem and not structural back issues, rest will likely help him out in a big way and if the Yankees do sign him this offseason, he should be fully healthy and ready to go next season.

It’s weird writing this article and being concerned for a potential playoff opponent's ace starter. This is a special case though as Lee is going to be a free agent this offseason and likely the Yankees No. 1 target.

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]]> A few weeks ago I wrote a blurb about Cliff Lee and noted how many innings he was throwing and wondered out loud if it would carry over to next season. As it turns out he didn’t even make it that far before the innings total began to affect him as his back has been acting up.

Here’s more via ESPN:

Texas Rangers starter Cliff Lee complained of back discomfort after Tuesday’s start and flew back to Texas to be examined by Keith Meister, the club physician.

Rangers assistant general manager Thad Levine said tests revealed no structural damage and that the issue was muscular. Lee received a trigger point injection, which the club hopes will reduce inflammation and allow him to stay on track.

The fact that his back issues are just muscular is good news for the Yankees and any other teams interested in signing Lee during the offseason.

I would also say that it’s fortunate that the Yankees didn’t land Lee at the trade deadline, but as soon as Texas acquired him they really started piling on his innings total. Although it might not have mattered as Seattle was piling on his innings as well.

From May 28th until August 6th, Lee threw less than eight innings only once and averaged almost eight and a half innings per start. His pitch totals in each game weren’t sky high, but that’s a ton of gearing up, stopping, and starting each game and it does, obviously, take a toll.

Again, there is good news. Hopefully this will be a red flag for Texas and they will take it easy on him from here on out. If they do, because this is a muscular problem and not structural back issues, rest will likely help him out in a big way and if the Yankees do sign him this offseason, he should be fully healthy and ready to go next season.

It’s weird writing this article and being concerned for a potential playoff opponent's ace starter. This is a special case though as Lee is going to be a free agent this offseason and likely the Yankees No. 1 target.

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]]> http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/cliff-lees-back-is-bothering-him/feed/ 0 New York Yankees Trade Rumors: Ted Lilly Staying Put http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/new-york-yankees-trade-rumors-ted-lilly-staying-put/ http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/new-york-yankees-trade-rumors-ted-lilly-staying-put/#comments Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:42:38 +0000 Bronx Baseball Daily http://bleacherreport.com/articles/448701-yankees-trade-rumors-lilly-staying-put Yesterday I passed along a story that the Yankees had won a waiver claim for Ted Lilly and may have been pursuing him even though the trade deadline had passed.

Later on in the day, though, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported that Lilly was interested in signing an extension and staying in Los Angeles with the Dodgers.

Buster Olney of ESPN confirmed the report and added that the Dodgers were interested in seeing Lilly stay in Dodger Blue as well.

Given those reports and the fact that the trade deadline has passed, it seems highly unlikely that the Yankees and Dodgers could make a deal for Lilly. It’s just as well, as the chances of them finding and exploiting a loophole to get Lilly on the postseason roster were unlikely. September trades are possible but almost pointless, as the player cannot play for the team in the playoffs.

So it looks like the Yankees rotation is standing pat as of right now—which isn’t a terrible thing, as they are probably a week and a half to two weeks away from getting Andy Pettitte back.

 

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]]> Yesterday I passed along a story that the Yankees had won a waiver claim for Ted Lilly and may have been pursuing him even though the trade deadline had passed.

Later on in the day, though, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported that Lilly was interested in signing an extension and staying in Los Angeles with the Dodgers.

Buster Olney of ESPN confirmed the report and added that the Dodgers were interested in seeing Lilly stay in Dodger Blue as well.

Given those reports and the fact that the trade deadline has passed, it seems highly unlikely that the Yankees and Dodgers could make a deal for Lilly. It’s just as well, as the chances of them finding and exploiting a loophole to get Lilly on the postseason roster were unlikely. September trades are possible but almost pointless, as the player cannot play for the team in the playoffs.

So it looks like the Yankees rotation is standing pat as of right now—which isn’t a terrible thing, as they are probably a week and a half to two weeks away from getting Andy Pettitte back.

 

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]]> http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/new-york-yankees-trade-rumors-ted-lilly-staying-put/feed/ 0 New York Yankees Notes: Vazquez, Pettitte, Jeter, Aceves, Venditte http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/new-york-yankees-notes-vazquez-pettitte-jeter-aceves-venditte/ http://www.yankeeaddicts.com/news/fan-news/new-york-yankees-notes-vazquez-pettitte-jeter-aceves-venditte/#comments Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:14:01 +0000 Bronx Baseball Daily http://bleacherreport.com/articles/448700-yankees-notes-vazquez-pettitte-jeter-aceves-venditte
The Yankees go for a four-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics tonight and their sixth win overall and have their best man on the job, CC Sabathia.

Here are some notes:

If you’ll notice, I was not among the many media outlets panicking about the Yankees rotation.

Yes, it was bad.

Awful actually, but Vazquez looks like he may have put his issues behind him and A.J. Burnett had a good outing last night. If those two can find some form of consistency and Pettitte comes back, the Yankees rotation will be a strength again.

That’s not to say that their issues are behind them, but many people were coming just short of proclaiming the Yankees season dead.

If you’ll remember, they dealt with rotation issues down the stretch last season and overcame that as the pitching was a strength in the playoffs.

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]]>
The Yankees go for a four-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics tonight and their sixth win overall and have their best man on the job, CC Sabathia.

Here are some notes:

If you’ll notice, I was not among the many media outlets panicking about the Yankees rotation.

Yes, it was bad.

Awful actually, but Vazquez looks like he may have put his issues behind him and A.J. Burnett had a good outing last night. If those two can find some form of consistency and Pettitte comes back, the Yankees rotation will be a strength again.

That’s not to say that their issues are behind them, but many people were coming just short of proclaiming the Yankees season dead.

If you’ll remember, they dealt with rotation issues down the stretch last season and overcame that as the pitching was a strength in the playoffs.

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