Yup. And, you can read all about it at TheJetsBlog.com – in case you’re not already aware of that fine blog.

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This should help…

Only semi-Yankees related, because of who he faced in his big league debut, but, what a heart-tugger from the Japan Times -

The father of Masumi Kuwata, a former pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants, died Sunday in a residential fire in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, police said.

The body of Taiji Kuwata, 67, was recovered from the burned-out site of his home, they said.

Kuwata, 41, identified the body at a hospital.

“I have confirmed it was my father,” he said. “I’m really sorry for my father’s death. I wanted to play catch with him one more time.”

After his contract with the Giants ran out following the 2006 season, Kuwata signed with Major League Baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates. He made his major league debut against the New York Yankees in 2007 before retiring from pro baseball in 2008.

…I wanted to play catch with him one more time…

Damn. This stuff gets me, every time.

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O.K., this clip is old. But, since it’s a soaker day in the heart of Yankeeland today, I thought sharing it might be a nice baseball fix.

Granted, the aluminum bat “ping” takes something away from the experience of watching this one. But, the sounds of the birds chirping just before the pitch is thrown and the background of the one guy, alone, sitting in the seats, somewhat offset the “ping” inclusion. And, of course, there’s the flip…good stuff.

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Via the Daily News –

Derek Jeter got parades up the Canyon of Heroes for helping the Yankees win five World Series titles since 1996. Howie Spira may have played a bigger role in the Yankees’ success, and what did he get?

Bupkis.

“George Steinbrenner ruined my health, my life and my reputation. My life is a living hell,” says Spira, a short, slight man with a gray pallor who favors dark, natty suits. “I have no friends, no life and no future. Everything is complete emptiness, loneliness and misery. Everyone hates me.”

Spira is looking for his own Dostoyevsky, a writer who can turn his grim existence into a book, maybe even turn his miserable biography into a movie. He’s met with plenty of writers and agents, but he says nobody wants to touch the project – nobody wants to cross the monolith that is the New York Yankees.

“They get scared of George and his sons,” Spira says. “Or they want the perks that come from hanging around the Yankees – the tickets and memorabilia and the mystique.”

He says he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and can no longer work. He lives with his parents in the Bronx, relying on disability checks and Medicaid. He suffers from a variety of maladies and spends his days shuffling between pharmacies and doctor’s appointments.

“Will somebody please come forward and help me tell my story?” Spira asks. “I go through my own private hell every minute of every day and every night because of George Steinbrenner.”

Let’s review: Spira ran up a betting tab where he owed the mob $100,000. Spira borrowed $15,000 from Dave Winfield at loan shark rates. Spira approached George Steinbrenner and brokered a deal where he got $40,000 for dirt on Dave Winfield. Spira tried to extort more money from Steinbrenner – which led to the latter contacting the FBI. And, George Steinbrenner ruined Howie Spira’s life and reputation.

O.K., everybody got that?

It’s the classic “1+1+1+1=0″ story. Amazing that no one wants to jump on this one, eh?

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Fonzie Forever has published their list of “The Top 50 New York Yankees Prospects” (last Friday). It’s a good read – check it out, if you haven’t already.

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Via the AP – with a H/T to BBTF -

Former Major League All-Star Jose Offerman threw a punch at an umpire during an argument in a Dominican Winter League game Saturday night, the second time in 2 1/2 years that he’s attacked someone on a baseball field.

Offerman, manager of the Licey Tigers, appeared to hit first base umpire Daniel Rayburn in the face or neck with his fist during a heated discussion in a game against the Cibao Giants. Rayburn fell to the ground.

Offerman was detained by stadium security and taken to a police station to wait until the end of the game to see if Rayburn would press charges.

Here’s the video:

Where’s the Yankees connection? Well, Yankees minor leaguer and 2009 World Series Champoinship ring owner, Juan Miranda, is on the Licey Tigers. So, he had a “ring” side seat for this one. (Wow, two rings in less than four months for Juan!)

I wonder if the league officials had Juan Miranda meet with Offerman afterwards…you know…to read him his rights? Yup, all three of them…

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This tale is not Yankees related. But, it’s just so “tender” that I had to pass it along…

Click here to hear it.

It’s as corny as a turd found swimming in a port-a-potty outside of an picnic area in Iowa. And, it’s laced with merchandising undertones. But, I hey, that’s minor league baseball at its best, no?

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How about this for a flashback? In May of 2005, USA Today ranked the position of Yankees G.M. as the 7th worst job to have in all sports, overall. In the feature, they posted a nice timeline of Yankees G.M.’s since 1973 (when Big Stein bought the team). Here it is, with the Cashman line updated by me:

• 1973 Lee MacPhail, GM Holdover from Michael Burke/CBS era.
• 1974-77 Gabe Paul, president Architect of 1977-78 championship teams.
• 1978-79 Al Rosen, president, and Cedric Tallis, vice president/GM Add Bob Lemon, with an asterisk. In July 1978, Steinbrenner announced manager Lemon would succeed Tallis as GM in 1980 when Billy Martin returned to the dugout. When Martin came back early (June 1979), Lemon held the GM title without the power for five months.
• 1980 Gene Michael, vice president/GM Stepped down to become manager in 1981.
• 1981-83 Cedric Tallis, executive VP, and Bill Bergesch, VP/baseball operations GM title eliminated, for 2½ years.
• 1983 Murray Cook, VP/GM Named in June 1983, demoted following April.
• 1984 Bill Bergesch, VP/baseball operations, and Clyde King, GM Bergesch left Steinbrenner to become Cincinnati GM in October; Marge Schott bought controlling interest of the Reds in December.
• 1985-86 Clyde King, vice president/GM Steinbrenner’s trusted, longtime adviser.
• 1987 Woody Woodward, vice president/GM Worked two years as King’s No. 2 before replacing him. Quit after a year, joined Phillies a week later.
• 1988 Lou Piniella, vice president/GM Manager bounced upstairs when Martin was hired for fifth time. Stepped down in May, replaced Martin in dugout in June.
• 1988 Bob Quinn, vice president/GM Promoted from VP/baseball administration in June.
• 1989 Syd Thrift, senior vice president/ baseball operations Hired in March, resigned in August.
• 1989 Bob Quinn, vice president/GM Regained lost duties in August, left in October to take Reds GM job.
• 1990 Harding Peterson, vice president/GM, and George Bradley, vice president for player personnel Peterson demoted by Steinbrenner on the day before Boss’ suspension in August.
• 1990-95 Gene Michael, vice president/GM Lasted 5½ years; Steinbrenner was suspended 2½ of them. Helped rebuild Yankees into contenders.
• 1996-97 Bob Watson, vice president/GM Put finishing touches on 1996 championship team, trading for Tino Martinez and Joe Girardi.
• 1998-present Brian Cashman, senior vice president/GM. (1998-99: GM; 2000: vice president/GM; 2001-present: senior VP/GM) Six World Series appearances in twelve years.

Now, I would agree, in the 1980′s, it was no fun being the Yankees G.M. – for sure. But, today? I would suggest that things have changed – especially since, say, 2006 or 2007, with “The Boss” being out of the picture. In fact, I would bet that most of the G.M.’s in baseball would love a chance to be in charge of the Yankees and be able to operate with a payroll that’s in the ballpark of $200 million each season.

So, that’s leads to this question: Is the position of “Yankees G.M.” now one of the ten best in all of sports to have? What do you think?

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Via the Miami Herald -

Kim Kardashian is a popular girl.

On Thursday night, the reality TV star and entrepreneur hosted the 17th anniversary bash for Ocean Drive Magazine at Delano.

Kardashian said she felt honored on being chosen for the cover.

“I have always looked at Ocean Drive and seen the sophistication and glamour of Miami, and I am framing this cover!”

Before heading to the poolside soiree, the brunette beauty and her brother Robert dined at Blue Door with Ocean Drive’s CEO Jason Binn and his wife, Hailey.

Later they mingled with friends Michael and Shakira Caine, Mike and Alicia Piazza, Alonzo and Tracy Mourning, Scottie Pippen and Julio Iglesias Jr.

Although the party was presented by Stoli and Landshark liquors, our spies say the 29-year-old cover girl didn’t touch an ounce of alcohol.

But we heard plenty of other celebs were getting buzzed.

The paps were all over scene stealer A-Rod, who arrived just as the party was getting hot. The Yankees player kept a low profile and refused to pose for a pic with Kardashian, who didn’t seem to mind.

Good judgment call here by A-Rod. But, I wonder, if the photo-op had been with Kardashian’s step-father, Bruce Jenner, dressed in drag…then…maybe…that would have been a whole ‘nother challenge for Alex…? (Yes, I’m just kidding here – playing off a reference that I saw, somewhere, somewhat recently, either in a sitcom or a movie that referred to Jenner as a scary looking lady…or something like that. I can’t remember exactly where it was – I just recall it was funny when I saw it.)

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Via the AP –

George Steinbrenner is looking forward to the start of the upcoming baseball season.

“I am. Aren’t you?” the 79-year-old New York Yankees owner said with a smile on Friday.

Steinbrenner spent four hours in his office at the team’s complex in Florida, where individual spring training game tickets went on sale. About 150 fans were in line when ticket windows opened.

The Yankees’ 2009 World Series championship trophy, which was taken to Steinbrenner’s home for him to see earlier this week, was on display outside the ballpark.

Steinbrenner said the Yankees are in position for what could be another “special” season this year, and that he is “feeling good.”

A group of former players taking part in a Yankees fantasy camp — including David Wells, Lee Mazzilli and Mickey Rivers — spent time with Steinbrenner in his office.

Steinbrenner uses a wheelchair because of bad knees and has made few public appearances since turning over control of the team to his son Hal last year. He attended the first two games of last year’s World Series against Philadelphia but watched the Game 6 clincher from his home in Tampa.

I never knew that Boomer Wells, Lee Maz and Mick the Quick were Talosians?

In any event, no matter how it was pulled off, I’m glad that the Boss had a nice day in Tampa today and was able to throw a few quotes out to the media…as I suspect, someday, soon, that won’t be remotely possible.

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Via Now Magazine –

One of the worst kept celebrity love secrets is out in the open: Madonna and A-Rod are back on.

But then, did anyone – including A Rod’s last girlfriend, actress Kate Hudson – ever really believe their relationship was off?

Several US sources who’ve spoken to have confirmed that Madonna and New York Yankees baseball player Alex Rodriguez, 34, have always maintained close contact, especially since his split with Kate, 30, last month.

He’s even been bragging to pals about his ‘special bond’ with Madonna.

‘It’s an open secret around anyone who knows Alex and Madonna that they’re still sweet on each other,’ says Now’s source.

‘He’s infatuated with her – always has been.’

The 51-year-old queen of pop has branded 22-year-old Brazilian model Jesus ‘clingy and boring’. She has a history with A-Rod – she turned to him after her marriage to Guy Ritchie, 41, fell apart.

Kate Hudson was reported to have given A-Rod his marching orders because ‘his heart belongs to Madonna’, even though the singer has never admitted to being involved in a relationship with him.

This is partly because he was going through a messy divorce with Cynthia Rodriguez for much of 2008.

‘Alex was worried about the damage a romance with Madonna would do to his reputation,’ says our source.

‘She obviously didn’t want the attention either, first and foremost because of her split with Guy. But another part of it was the thrill she got from sneaking Alex in and out of her New York apartment.’

At this point, A-Rod and Madonna should start doing Miller Lite Beer commercials together like Billy Martin and George Steinbrenner used to do…you know…that ends with one of them saying “Not again!”

It will be interesting to see if that little favorite of the cameras during the 2009 post-season, Kate Hudson, goes from Iris Gaines to Alex Forrest now that A-Rodonna is back on again…

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Via the Post –

The Yankees reportedly viewed young Cuban fireballer Aroldis Chapman as a luxury that wouldn’t figure in their plans until 2011 at the earliest, a perception that led the 21-year-old to sign with the Cincinnati Reds.

In an MLB.com story documenting the courtship of Chapman, Mark Sheldon writes, “Many teams, such as the Red Sox and Yankees, were indicating to (agent Randy) Hendricks they viewed Chapman as mostly a luxury. Boston, which had recently signed free agent John Lackey, already had a stocked pitching staff. So did the Yankees. Clubs like these viewed Chapman as part of their big league plans — in 2011 or ’12.

“The Reds presented themselves as a younger club that could provide a chance for Chapman to pitch in the Majors in 2010.”

You mean Scranton/Wilkes-Barre ain’t the big leagues? Oh…no…don’t tell Kei Igawa.

Well, no matter what the reason, I still think the Yankees made the right call…passing on Chapman.

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Via the Cutoff Man blog -

Hey, remember when the Detroit Tigers supposedly traded Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson to cut payroll?

Now Detroit is reportedly only a completed physical away from signing Houston Astros free agent closer Jose Valverde for two years at $14 million with an option for a third season at $9 million.

And Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated had a tweet Thursday night saying that the “Tigers could be in play for (Johnny) Damon.”

Damon, 36, just completed a four-year deal with the New York Yankees that paid him $13 million each year. He probably can’t expect anything like that, but won’t come cheap if Detroit is indeed interested.

It sure does need a proven leadoff hitter, though. And Damon’s career .363 batting average, .412 on-base percentage and .961 on-base and slugging percentage at Comerica Park are his best in all three categories at any American League ballpark.

Sure, he has a pop-gun arm. But he can play any outfield position and would be insurance if rookie Austin Jackson, who was obtained from the Yankees in the Curtis Granderson trade, isn’t ready to start in center.

Damon has 2,425 career hits, and he looked pretty good hitting .364 in New York’s World Series win last season.

So, if Johnny signs to play in Motown, in a way, does this make the Yankees big trade, after the season, to now be Austin Jackson, Phil Coke, Ian Kennedy and Johnny Damon for Curtis Granderson?

Yeah, I know, no matter where Damon goes, he’s off the team and therefore you could make the above assumption nonetheless. But, then again, if the Tigers don’t move Granderson and his contract, then maybe they can’t get Damon – so, there are some connecting lines here that make this interesting…more so than if Johnny goes to the Braves, say…

But, then, if Damon goes to Atlanta, can we then say that the Yankees traded Melky Cabrera, Mike Dunn, Arodys Vizcaino and Johnny Damon for Javier Vazquez and Boone Logan?

So, how do you like either of those trades if, indeed, Damon had been part of what the Yankees gave up? Seems like a lot to give up, no?

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Huge hat tip to Ad Rants for the heads-up on these.

Hey, they don’t call them Mass Holes for nuttin’ do they? (Although, I did laugh out loud when I saw the father and daughter exchange in the first clip below.) I wonder what the reaction would be if Yankeeland had something like these spots referencing the Red Sox Nation? John Henry and Larry Lucchino would probably go into a massive spasm…

For what it’s worth, at least they went after the Rays too – albeit with a slightly softer approach.

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The last 29 months for the Yankees crosstown rivals, the New York Mets, has been…well…interesting.

First, there was the monster collapse of 2007. Then, there was the ill-timed firing of Willie Randolph in the middle of the night the following season. And, that was followed by another tragic collapse at the end of the season.

Further, last season, it was reported that the owner of the Mets lost somewhere between $500 and $700 million in the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme. And, there was the whole mess during the season where Omar Minaya made some crazy claims about reporter Adam Rubin. Oh, and, of course, who can forget that the Mets opened a brand new ballpark in 2009, that came complete with a naming issue, by limping to a 70-92 record with a team payroll of $149,373,987 (which was the second highest in baseball last year).

And, now, the Mets have the breaking and intense dispute over Carlos Beltran’s recent knee operation.

Did I miss anything else in there? Maybe I did? Nonetheless, what I did reference sure seems like enough “stuff” for a period of less than 900 days.

Without a doubt, the Mets have come a loooong way from where they ended 2006. At that point, they were a first place team who just missed going to the World Series. And, I’m sure, after Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS, no one would have predicted the slide that the Mets organization was about to take over the next 29 months.

Basically, if you looked up “downhill” in the dictionary, you would see a picture of the Mets organization over the last three baseball seasons.

Just how does that happen? And, how does it happen so quickly?

Could it ever happen, that fast, and that bad, in Yankeeland as well? As much as I like to say “Never!” here…can we? After all, no one saw it coming in Metsville, at least not as bad as its been…I would assume. Again, what a mess. Yikes.

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Via the Post -

Johnny Damon’s free-falling salary demands will not get the Yankees back in the hunt for the left fielder, but the Braves are still pursuing the free agent, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s David O’Brien.

The belief was that after Atlanta acquired Melky Cabrera in the Javier Vazquez trade they would not be adding another outfielder. But with Damon now possibly getting a deal similar to the one Bobby Abreu got from the Angels last year — one year, $5 million — Atlanta could steal him. The Yankees have claimed that their budget allows them $2 million to sign a left fielder.

And according to ESPNDeportes.com’s Enrique Rojas, Cabrera and the Braves avoided arbitration today by signing a one-year, $3.1 million contract.

It will be interesting to see the reaction in Yankeeland, from the fans, if Damon does sign with the Braves for only one year and five million – and then the difference between him returning to the Yankees for 2010 was just three additional million bucks that the Yankees would not add to their payroll (beyond their supposed budget).

Say what you want about Johnny Damon. He’s older. He can’t throw. His defense has declined, etc. But, he’s proven that he can handle New York, he has a swing that’s tailor made for the new Yankee Stadium, and he’s capable of being a huge factor in a big post-season game.

I can think of a lot of things that are worse than going over budget by less than one percent and having Johnny Damon play left field for you with Brett Gardner as a back-up and defensive caddy.

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Below are Brett Gardner’s big league stats from 2009:

AB     R 2B 3B HR SB   BA  OBP  SLG
248   48  6  6  3 26 .270 .345 .379

Now, just for the fun of it, let’s double those counting numbers and round up on the ratios. This gives us the following:

AB     R 2B 3B HR SB   BA  OBP  SLG
496   96 12 12  6 52 .270 .350 .380

O.K., let’s label the above line and call it “Double Up To A Full Season.” Next, let’s look at Brett Gardner’s 2009 stats over the last month of the season:

AB    R 2B 3B HR SB   BA  OBP  SLG
48   12  2  0  0  6 .250 .308 .292

And, again, just for fun, let’s take those counting numbers and multiply them by ten and round up the ratios. This gives us the following:

AB    R 2B 3B HR SB   BA  OBP  SLG
480 120 20  0  0 60 .250 .300 .290

Let’s label this line, above, and call it “Last Month Prorated To A Full Season.”

What would happen if we took the average between the “Double Up To A Full Season” and “Last Month Prorated To A Full Season” number sets here? In that case, we would get the following:

AB    R 2B 3B HR SB   BA  OBP  SLG
488 108 16  6  3 56 .260 .325 .335

This seems like a reasonable projection for Brett Gardner’s stats, in 2010, based on what we know about him, no?

So, this leads to the question much like the one Archie Bunker asked Barney Hefner when he tried to soften the news that Hefner’s dog, Rusty, had a broken leg by painting a worse situation where the dog was killed. After informing Barney that Rusty was indeed alive, and “only” had a broken leg via a car accident, as compared to a fatal injury, Archie said to Hefner: “You could be happy with that, right Barney, a broken leg?”

If Brett Gardner plays full time for the Yankees in 2010 and only posts an OPS of .660 – but does it with 50+ steals and 100+ runs scored, could you be happy with that, if you’re the Yankees or one of their fans?

Hey, there are worse things, no?

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Turns out it’s not the Captain tying the knot later this year in Lon-Guy-Land…

Via NESN.com -

New York radio station WFAN reports that Derek Jeter’s sister, Sharlee Jeter, is to be married at Oheka Castle in Long Island in November, not the Yankees’ captain.

Earlier this week, Jeter was rumored to be tying the knot with girlfriend and Friday Night Lights star Minka Kelly, but WFAN’s Craig Carton says that information was incorrect. Instead, it’s Jeter’s sister, Sharlee, who is to marry rapper Skyzoo.

I wonder if Momma Jeter and Mother Skyzoo will become the Yankees modern day version of Eve Arden and Kaye Ballard? Well, in any event, Derek will probably be at Skyzoo’s bachelor party…whenever it’s held. On your mark, get set…Paparazzi!

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Via mlb.com –

The Yankees donated $500,000 in support of rescue and relief efforts following the tragic earthquake in Haiti, the club announced Wednesday.

The earthquake, which measured a 7.0 on the Richter scale, struck on Tuesday, and the International Red Cross says a third of Haiti’s 9 million people may need emergency aid. There is still no official death count, but President Rene Preval said he believes the death toll is in the thousands.

“The catastrophic event has devastated an entire nation and will have far-reaching effects in the worldwide Haitian community,” the Yankees said in a statement. “The Yankees hope their donation will inspire people throughout the United States to do everything they can to aid the people of Haiti in their time of need.”

If you’re interested in making a donation to the International Committee of the Red Cross’ relief activities in Haiti, click here.

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Forget Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. Forget Ronan Tynan. The Yankees should commission General Larry Platt to write and sing a song for them. The man knows a hook when he hears one…

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Are the Red Sox replacing bats with gloves? It’s a theory that has some merit. There’s always more than one way to get to where you want to be…

…much the way that many believe the Yankees are making up for their defensive issues by having pitchers who strike batters out…

The whole thing is interesting. Bats are easy to predict and identify. But, in all sports, you need defense…and pitching sometimes means defense in baseball. Yet, do we really know how to spot pitchers who can thrive and tell the true value of some defenders?

Seems like the Red Sox and Yankees think they can do this…and time will tell us, at the end of this season, who’s better at working their plan…

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Via Multichannel News –

The New York Yankees won their 27th World Series title in 2009 and YES marked its seventh consecutive year as the most-watched regional sports network in total day, while also donning that crown in primetime.

YES, the TV home of the Bronx Bombers and the National Basketball Association’s New Jersey Nets, notched a 13.9% primetime rise to 82,000 TV households in the New York DMA in 2009 (Dec. 29, 2008 through Dec. 27, 2009), up from 72,000 in 2008, according to Nielsen data.

Gauged across total day (Monday through Sunday from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m.), YES, in running its daypart-winning skein to seven years, scored 10.3% amelioration to 32,000 households last year, from 29,000 in 2008.

In both measures,YES outpaced NESN, the cable TV home of Yankees’ nemesis the Boston Red Sox, as well as the National Hockey League’s Boston Bruins. YES officials, citing Nielsen data, said NESN averaged 76,000 households in primetime and 24,000 in total day during 2009 in the Boston DMA.

YES officials also noted that the RSN experienced year-over-year increases in both primetime and in total day among men 18+, guys 18 to 49 and males 25 to 54.

Within the New York area, YES’s primetime mark was the tops in TV sports, edging ESPN’s 81,000 TV households and the combined 80,000 average of SNY and MSG, according to officials at the RSN. In total day, YES officials said the service outperformed the trio of SNY, MSG and MSG+, which together had 30,000 households.

Not surprisingly, YES’s Yankees telecast led the way. The club’s game averaged a 4.62 household rating, up 9.5% from 2008, to rank as the RSN’s second-best mark with the club, behind a 4.69 average during the 2007 season.

YES’s primetime Yankees telecasts ranked first in the New York DMA on 42 of 45 straight game nights in such demos as men18+, 18-49 and 25-54, as well as adults 18 to 49 and 25 to 54.

The network’s Yankees post-game show ratings jumped 7% year-over-year, while Yankees Batting Practice Today ratings improved by a third.

Elsewhere, the network rang up gains with simulcasts of Mike’d Up: Francesa on the FAN, as well as the radio star’s Football Sunday with Mike Francesa show during the pro football season.

This is pretty amazing news – considering how many laments I have seen in comments left at this blog, through the years, about how other teams have better announcers than the Yankees, and about how the YES Network lacks non-game related original programming, and about how tired fans are seeing the same games played over-and-over again on Yankees Classics in addition to having to watch the same old played-out repeats of Yankeeography and CenterStage.

Then again, on the bright-side, it has been a while since anyone has seen Yogi & a Movie or the White Shadow on YES – and that’s a plus.

What this news does tell me is that, just as you can put a pig in a party dress and it’s still just a pig, on the other end of it, you can hide a huge diamond in a smelly sock and someone will still reach in there to get it…if they know it’s in there.

I guess that’s the beauty of the YES Network – broadcasting Yankees games allows them to do some things poorly, and other things not at all, and they can still do laps around the other RSNs because, no matter what, Yankees fans (and there are a lot of them) want to see their Yankees baseball.

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Via Joel Sherman –

The Yankees are telling agents that they only have $2 million, at most, to spend on a left fielder. They figure Damon, even in a diminishing market, would never drop his demands that low. The Yanks being the Yanks, of course, could always just create extra money in the budget as they did last year when GM Brian Cashman successfully lobbied Hal Steinbrenner to add Andy Pettitte’s $5.5 million base plus makeable incentives to the payroll.

However, Yankees management clearly felt the Yanks needed Pettitte far more for the 2009 season than they need Damon for 2010. In addition, the Yanks were feeling a level of desperation last offseason having failed to qualify for the playoffs in 2008 and with a new stadium about to open in 2009. After having won the World Series, ownership is not quite as compelled to blow up the budget again.

Hal Steinbrenner, after all, has shown a much greater willingness to hold to some financial guidelines than his father, George, did. For example, the Post has learned, the Yanks had a completed trade last July with Milwaukee for Mike Cameron, pending ownership’s blessing to take on the money. But Hal Steinbrenner refused to add the approximately $5.5 million in salary and luxury tax it would have cost for the rest of the season, so the deal was scrapped.

So unless ownership reverses course on the budget, the Yankees will continue to look at a supplementary player for left field rather than Damon. Specifically, the Yanks would like to find someone to start rather than Brett Gardner or serve as a righty-swinging complement to Gardner.

Two mill? That’s Marcus Thames territory. Yikes.

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Via mlb.com –

One of the most significant meetings of Major League Baseball’s owners in years is set to take place this Wednesday and Thursday under the northern shadow of Camelback Mountain.

By invitation of Commissioner Bud Selig, the 30 general managers will be gathering at the Sanctuary, which is owned and operated by Reds president Bob Castellini.

“It’s time that [the GMs] sat in with the owners and consider the things we talk about,” Selig told MLB.com when recently reached by phone in Milwaukee. “I’m always willing to listen. So I’m looking forward to that.”

Selig is scheduled to meet with the GMs as a group on Wednesday, and they will sit in on the first joint owners’ session of the year on Thursday morning.

Richard “Cheech” Marin and Tommy Chong would have loved to be asked to sit in on the “joint owners’ session” too. Hey, if the G.M.’s are invited now, maybe there’s hope for Cheech & Chong in the future?

Seriously, the meeting is to be held at “the Sanctuary”? Will the G.M.’s need an ankh to get in?

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Via Evans Clinchy of NESN.com today -

If you want to be a champion, you’d better be prepared to spend like one. That’s the sad truth about baseball today.

Years from now, when baseball historians look back on the 2009 Yankees, they’ll remember them for the exorbitant amount of money they spent and the historic dividends it paid. By investing $423 million last winter in CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira, the Bronx Bombers all but assured themselves of World Series glory — not just now, but in the years ahead as well.

The Red Sox went into this offseason knowing that if they want to compete on that level, they have to spend the big bucks too. And while it may not be a cool $423 mil, the Red Sox have spent handsomely on their 2010 championship quest.

The signings of John Lackey, Mike Cameron, Adrian Beltre and Marco Scutaro add up to just over $120 million in new contracts added in the last month and a half. And while that might not be even in the same universe with the cash the Yankees doled out, it gets the job done just fine in Boston.

The Red Sox were a competitive team in 2009 — they won 95 games and the American League wild card. They weren’t in the market for a complete overhaul this winter — they just needed a few minor tweaks to make their team even better for 2010. It wasn’t about big contracts for huge superstars — the Red Sox just needed deeper pitching, better defense and a complete lineup from one through nine.

You know, everyone is talking about the Yankees and the Red Sox in the A.L. East like it’s a two-team race.

What about the Rays rotation of James Shields, Matt Garza, Jeff Niemann, David Price and Wade Davis? What about Tampa Bay scoring 800 runs last year with Pat Burrell and B.J. Upton not having good years?

If the Rays sign Johnny Damon to be their D.H. this season, and if the Rays can get some decent performances out of their bullpen, they should give the Sox and Yankees a run for their “money” this season – and both Boston and New York, and their fans, should not forget about Tampa Bay.

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Via Greenwichtime.com –

The holiday season recently concluded, but the spirit of giving was alive and well Monday night inside the Hyatt Regency Greenwich ballroom, where more than 900 people opened their wallets and pocketbooks to help raise money for a special cause.

Feelings of generosity and support were in the air as the large crowd enjoyed tasty food and drinks, while paying homage to a man who gave so much to the community — the late and great Mickey Lione Jr.

A Who’s Who of sports and entertainment celebrities were among the crowd that attended the 8th annual Bobby Valentine Celebrity Wine & Food Experience, a popular event that supports the Mickey Lione Jr. Fund.

The organization presents scholarships to premier high school student athletes and supports youth sports in Stamford. Since its inception, the event has awarded scholarships to more than 30 high school athletes from Stamford, Trinity Catholic and Westhill High Schools.

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was one of the many celebrities that took time out from their busy schedule to attend the event.

“If Bobby (Valentine) asks me to do something I will do it for him,” Cashman said. “I love the city of Stamford and the surrounding area. I am happy to be a part of it.”

While the members of the New York Yankees are still relishing their World Series victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, Cashman has been busy shaping the team’s 2010 roster.

“Once you set your playoff roster you do your advanced scouting for the World Series and then you are immediately focused on the 2010 season, Cashman said”

The Yankees showed that they were in touch with the local sports community last season when they reached out to the Westhill High School girls softball team. The Vikings were disqualified from the state tournament due to a controversial technicality and when the Yankees learned of the Vikings hearbreak, Cashman invited the team to attend a Yankee game. The Vikings joined the Yankees on the field for the national anthem prior to their game.

“It was a special moment and I’m glad it happened for them in a year we won the World Series because they were a part of it,” Cashman said. “Our entire season was not only a success on the field, it was about how we interacted with the community.”

…If Bobby (Valentine) asks me to do something I will do it for him…

Really? Would you run right into hell and back, Brian? Uh..oh…I feel a song comin’ on…

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Note – two tales from 2007. First, via the Daily News, back on July 16, 2007:

A Kirkland fan who suffered a near-fatal injury when a man fell on him in the upper deck at Yankee Stadium, breaking the schoolteacher’s neck, will fly home in style today.

Paul Robinson and his family will return home in a private plane chartered by the Yankees. Robinson was discharged Sunday from Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

“Paul is very appreciative that he’ll fly home in a comfortable plane,” said Robinson’s wife, Kathy.

A Yankees fan who witnessed the accident said the man who fell on Robinson had been acting vulgar during the July 8 game against the Los Angeles Angels.

“The guy who fell on this poor man was drunk out of his mind,” said the fan, who requested anonymity. “He was part of a group of about 12 people that came in the third inning. They drank and smoked cigarettes and talked about hot sex the entire time. It was scary to see. This poor man goes to a game thinking he’s going to have a good time and some guy who is out of control nearly kills him.”

Robinson, 53, was in the top tier at Yankee Stadium with his wife and their 13-year-old son, John, when the mystery fan tumbled out of a seat several rows above them.

The fan landed on Robinson, snapping his head forward so hard it broke the vertebra below Robinson’s skull.

The Yankees have asked fans with information about the incident to call the team.

Next, via the Post, today:

A woman who says her back was broken when a 300-pound drunk dropped on top of her at a Mets game should have been looking up, instead of watching the action on the field, the team suggests in court filings.

In papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Mets’ lawyers say Ellen Massey’s “injuries and damages” on opening day in 2007 “were caused in whole or in part or were contributed to by [her] culpable conduct,” and “such alleged damages should be fully or partially diminished by such culpable conduct.”

The filing doesn’t specify what the “culpable conduct” was, but Massey was simply sitting with her two nephews in Shea Stadium’s upper deck watching her beloved Amazin’s take on the hated Philadelphia Phillies when the rotund rooter fell on her from several rows above.

The impact broke one of Massey’s vertebrae, and she needed to have two rods put in her back.

The blame-the-victim defense is one of nine offered up by the Mets as to why they aren’t liable for Massey’s injuries. The team also points the finger at the stadium’s beer vendor and the fan who fell, who filings reveal is a New Jersey man named Timothy Cassidy.

Massey only recently learned the name — she originally sued him as a “John Doe” who “had been acting in a rowdy, boisterous and dangerous manner for a long period of time” before he crashed into her and ran off.

Her suit said stadium personnel and vendors “knew or had reason to know from his behavior that he was already intoxicated,” and it’s because of their negligence that he became “unruly, uncoordinated and fell.”

Cassidy’s lawyer Brian O’Connor insisted his client is not to blame — alleging he was pushed from his seat by another fan named Eric Metzger, who was sitting behind Cassidy and who’d been jawing at him throughout the game.

Metzger allegedly had been giving Cassidy the business for using his BlackBerry during the game.

Metzger “intentionally and with reckless disregard of the safety of others, pushed [Cassidy, causing] him to fall numerous rows and upon [Massey],” O’Connor said in a court filing.

A spokesman for the Mets said, “We’re aware of the litigation and have no further comment.”

So, now we know what happens to you in both Yankeeland and Metsville when a sphincter lands on you. But, we have no idea if anyone in Queens ever had a rubber tallywacker land on their head while attending a game…

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Mark McGwire finally lets the world in on the worst kept secret in baseball history…well, at least, one of them. Related, I just got this press release from the MLB Network:

MLB Network’s Bob Costas will have an exclusive in-depth television interview with Mark McGwire tonight on MLB Network live at 7:00 p.m. ET about McGwire’s admission of using performance enhancing drugs during his career. This is the first television interview granted by McGwire since he admitted using PEDs in a statement earlier today.

Following the exclusive interview, MLB Network’s Matt Vasgersian, Mitch Williams, Joe Magrane, Tom Verducci and Ken Rosenthal will discuss their reactions to the conversation. Costas will provide reaction from location in California and MLB Network’s Harold Reynolds and Peter Gammons will also provide commentary.

Could be an interesting show.

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It’s possible. Check out these numbers.

First, we have “Luck” wins. These are the difference between a team’s actual wins and their “Pythagorean Winning Percentage” wins. Here, we see that the Yankees had the second most “Luck” wins in the A.L. last season.

Next, we have the record for 2009 A.L. teams in games where the margin of victory was 2 runs or less.

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Here we see that the Yankees had the best record in the league in these “close” games. (All those walk-off wins in 2009 helped here, for sure.) But, what is really striking on the above chart is that the difference between the Yankees actual W-L% in these contests and their Pythagorean Winning Percentage (in games where the margin of victory was 2 runs or less.) New York has a difference of 101 points in this view – whereas the next closest team, the Tigers, is at 69 points. (The Mariners have a difference of 68 points here.)

So, were the Yankees the luckiest team in the American League last season?

It’s a pretty close call between them and the Mariners – according to these views. If anything, it would not be a reach to say that New York and Seattle were “1A” and “1B” in terms of being the luckiest teams in the league last season.

In any event, it’s just another reason why 2009 was a magical season for the Yankees – as a lot of things went right for them during the season…and the post-season as well, for that matter. Is this a bad thing? Hey, better lucky than good, right?

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Via the Nashua Telegraph -

Filmmaker Ken Burns is updating his documentary “Baseball” to update the series for 2010.

The Emmy Award-winning film debuted in 1994 and was originally broken into nine segments —one for each inning of a baseball game.

Burns, speaking to the Brattleboro Reformer in Walpole, says he’ll update the film with “The Tenth Inning,” focusing on the player strike in 1994, the New York Yankees dynasty; the role of the game following Sept. 11, 2001; the revival of the Boston Red Sox; and the emergency of Latin American and Asian players in the major leagues; and the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Burns said the film will also feature interviews from longtime Cleveland Indians shortstop Omar Vizquel; Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki; and former Yankees and current Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre.

Lotsa Yankees stuff in there. Cool beans.

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