I think I’ve mentioned this before, but, in any event, this is the summer that my 6-year old son has really gotten into baseball. Playing T-ball for the first time has helped with this development. And, it’s had some interesting results…

The first thing is that, now, he can’t get enough Yankees games on TV. He watches them all the time. He watches the night games after dinner until it’s time for him to go to bed. And, during the day, he’s watching them via the YES Encore broadcast or On Demand via FiOS. On top of that, I got him the 2009 World Series DVD collection and he watches those games when he’s caught up with all the games on replay. As such, he’s very well versed in Yankees players. The ones who have really caught his fancy, for different reasons, are Pettitte, Posada, Cano, Jeter, Gardner and Swisher.

This is all very cool – especially when I come home from work and he greets me at the door to tell me the score in the Yankees game and what’s happened so far, or, when we watch games together and he asks me lots of questions about the team and Yankee Stadium.

And, there are other fun/crazy things that sometimes catch his attention. When the Yankees recently played the Dodgers, he thought that Manny Ramirez was “very luck to get to wear a number as high as ninety-nine.” (Hey, when you’re six, those types of things are cool, I suppose. It’s probably why Manny took the number…thinking like a 6-year old.)

But, we have another thing going on in my house now that ties back to his new baseball awareness…

As I once shared, one of my son’s kindergarten classmates, and his buddy, is a Red Sox fan. And, this kid has taught my son all about the Red Sox. Fenway Park, and the Boston players. (You had to see my face the day he came home from school and asked me to tell him more about “the Green Monster and Big Papi”!)

Now, even though my son is six, we have a “guy relationship” – meaning we bust each other’s chops as much as possible. We needle each other pretty good. It’s my fault. I started it and he figured out this is what dudes do, etc. Related, he’s been using his new baseball knowledge, especially about the Yankees and Red Sox, to stick it to me whenever he can…and in front of anyone at any time.

How?

He’s telling people that his favorite team is the Red Sox and that Kevin Youkilis is his favorite player.

Yeah, I know…he’s just doing it to make me react. Nonetheless, I do react. At first, I told him that Youkilis has a big light-bulb head like Squidward from SpongeBob and is ugly.

Don’t get me wrong, I know that Youkilis is a grinder and a team-first player and that we’d probably love him if he were a Yankee. But, I felt like I had to counteract him on this, somehow…and I thought a SpongeBob reference might connect here.

Lately, I’ve been telling him that I just don’t want to hear it – and, if he keeps saying it that he better be prepared to get some funny looks because the Red Sox are not popular in our neck of the woods.

Now, I’m thinking “Maybe I should take him to a Yankees-Sox game at the Stadium, to let him see how the Red Sox fans act and get treated there?”

Ah, you see, he’s still getting to me. Why am I still thinking about this? I know he’s just doing this to push my buttons. You should see the look in his eye and the smile on his face when he says it. The sparkle and grin is the same as when he was four and he would tell me that I ate stinky diapers for dinner – thinking that he was being funny and trying to get under my skin.

Maybe I should just do something really stupid, to give him something new to tease me about, so he’ll start using that for ammo and move off the Red Sox fan routine?

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Given the way Phil Hughes has been pitching lately, and the fact that only a fool would trust Javy Vazquez to pitch in a big game, and the good or bad nature of A.J. Burnett, it makes sense to me…

First, via Ken Rosenthal on Sunday -

The Yankees, Dodgers and Cardinals were among the clubs with a scout in attendance at Cliff Lee’s start in Detroit on Sunday afternoon.

It marked the second straight start by Lee that the Yankees scouted.

Rival clubs believe the Yankees are pursuing Lee ahead of the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, although it’s possible the Yankees are scouting Lee in preparation for his upcoming free agency.

And, via Jon Paul Morosi today –

With the All-Star break approaching, the Rangers, Twins, Yankees and Mets are among the teams having the most active conversations with the Mariners about left-hander Cliff Lee, major league sources told FOXSports.com on Monday.

The Dodgers have also been involved in talks with the Mariners, sources say; a Dodgers scout was in attendance at Lee’s start in Detroit on Sunday.

The Cardinals, Phillies and Tigers had talent evaluators on hand at Lee’s last start, but they don’t appear to be among the most serious suitors.

The Tigers are interested in Lee for an obvious reason: They have the worst rotation ERA of any winning team in the majors.

Some sources believe that Seattle, which has scored the fewest runs in the American League this year, will prioritize hitting over pitching in any package for Lee. Others believe that Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik will pick the most talented group, regardless of position.

Either way, sources say the Mariners prefer close-to-the-majors talent to Class A prospects.

Source for both items.

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Via the AP -

Alex Rodriguez is scheduled to attend a fundraiser for a foundation that educates youth about the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs.

Rodriguez vowed to work with the Taylor Hooton Foundation when he admitted to steroid use last year. The organization honors the memory of a 17-year-old baseball player who committed suicide in 2003. Doctors believe Taylor Hooton became depressed after he stopped using steroids.

The foundation announced Tuesday that Rodriguez and some of his teammates will attend a reception after the Aug. 19 game against the Tigers as part of the fundraiser at Yankee Stadium.

Rodriguez and pitcher Andy Pettitte, who has admitted taking human growth hormone, are providing signed items for sponsors.

Nice to see the Yankees, and Alex, taking part in this effort.

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Via Jerry Spar –

In an attempt to get All-Star votes for first baseman Kevin Youkilis, the Red Sox struck an agreement with the Reds to encourage both teams’ fans to vote for Youklis and Reds first baseman Joey Votto. Youkilis grew up in Cincinnati and was a two-time All-American at the University of Cincinnati.

Mark Sheldon at MLB.com reports that the Reds will wear T-shirts during batting practice Wednesday at New York’s Citi Field that read: “Vote Votto-Youkilis.”

“We told the Red Sox that if you do this for us, we’ll let you have a full month to think that you won the 1975 World Series in six games,” joked Reds assistant director of media relations Jamie Ramsey.

Both Votto, who leads the National League with 21 home runs, and Youkilis, batting .299 with 17 homers, were passed over for the initial All-Star selections despite clearly having the qualifications. Fans can vote until 4 p.m. Thursday to select the final member of each team. As of Monday, Votto was leading the “Final Vote” over Padres reliever Heath Bell, Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, Braves reliever Billy Wagner and Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. Youkilis trailed Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher, with White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko, Twins outfielder Delmon Young and Rangers third baseman Michael Young also in the running.

Now, if Youkilis does get the nod over Swisher, and then he wins the game for the A.L., and if the Reds and Red Sox meet in the World Series this year, well, then, won’t Cincy being seeing “Red” over their call to strike up this deal?

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Here are the “D.H.” numbers (to-date) – for every A.L. team, to give perspective:

Rk	 PA	HR	RBI	BB	SO   BA	   OBP	SLG
1   TEX	 321	15	71	17	34  .322  .361	.532
2   BOS	 324	17	59	49	71  .255  .367	.517
3   BAL	 304	13	34	29	60  .281  .359	.517
4   MIN	 307	13	50	46	62  .257  .368	.471
5   KCR	 315	13	44	24	63  .274  .346	.473
6   DET	 323	5	31	31	45  .272  .345	.425
7   NYY	 322	9	35	46	71  .244  .361	.407
8   CLE	 313	11	36	29	66  .239  .329	.412
9   OAK	 310	4	32	30	73  .250  .319	.370
10  CHW	 301	9	31	25	45  .224  .296	.382
11  TBR	 309	7	46	25	73  .241  .304	.371
12  TOR	 321	9	36	24	83  .207  .268	.361
13  LAA	 312	7	32	34	72  .208  .296	.325
14  SEA	 308	9	29	20	64  .194  .254	.313
    TOT	4390	141	566	429     882  .248  .327	.419

Clearly, the Yankees D.H. this season has not hit for a lot of power or has driven in many runs. But, at least they’ve been reaching base 36% of the time.

What do you think seeing these numbers? Are you satisfied with what the Yankees are getting from their “D.H.” slot this season?

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Via Ian O’Connor -

“LeBron James is going to be a Knick,” Brian Cashman, ace free-agent recruiter, said Monday after hearing the Stoudemire news . “I’m convinced of it. New York is the place that will allow him to be the player and person he wants to be, and it’s coming together. Just listen to me, LeBron James will be a Knick.”

Cashman was called because he’s a leading scholar in the field of courting free agents and, when necessary, overpaying them. Stoudemire’s history of knee and eye injuries inspired some to suggest he deserved four guaranteed years instead of five and a total package south of the $100 million he scored.

Of course, Cashman didn’t want to pay CC Sabathia $161 million over seven years. He did what he had to do after the 2008 season because the Yankees had missed the playoffs for the first time in forever, and because he needed Sabathia as much as the Knicks needed Stoudemire.

“In free agency, it’s not about cutting the best deal, it’s about securing the player,” Cashman said. “I gave CC an extra year and an out after three years because we needed him. We couldn’t afford to lose him. He was the most vital piece to our entire game plan in free agency.”

“You don’t get a gold star for saving money on a deal; your goal is to win championships,” Cashman said. “You can’t enter the free-agent market as a buyer hoping to beat the other teams by one dollar. You can’t mess around and lose the player.”

…You don’t get a gold star for saving money on a deal; your goal is to win championships…

If I’m Johnny Damon, reading this, I’m texting Cashman a photo of Nick Johnson, right, about, now…

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Normally I struggle to stay awake for those dreaded Yankee games that start at 10:00 p.m. in NYC.  Yet for whatever reason last night I was completely wired and just couldn’t fall asleep.  Fortunately for me, my insomnia coincided with a road trip to the Pacific time zone and I got to see the Yanks beat Oakland 3-1.

Sure, one could be a Debbie Downer and point out that, once again, the Yankee lineup was punchless against a once-dominant but now pedestrian Ben Sheets.  But instead of focusing on the negative I’m far more excited about Javy Vazquez’s continued improvement.  After last night’s performance (7 3 1 1 2 2), Javy has compiled a 6-4 record in his last 10 starts (65 IP) with a 3.05 ERA and 0.98 WHIP.

With last night’s win, the Yanks won their 51st game of the season, went to 20 games over .500 and now lead the division by 2 games over Tampa and 2.5 over the Red Sox.  Four-time All-Star CC Sabathia (10-3, 3.33) squares off against first-timer Trevor Cahill (8-2, 2.74) in what should be a pretty decent pitcher’s duel.

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My Yankee baseball experience is more a matter of  YES watching than a live in person spectator experience, W.B. Mason ads thus become part of the daily trails and tribulations of the Bronx Bombers.  Up until this year I always gave the W.B. Mason ads a passing grade, but this year, no way.  The ads make no sense, what are they selling, office supplies at reasonable prices or Green Mountain coffee pitched by an unattractive crew of  graveyard shift blue collar workers.   I don’t know who sold the company this ad campaign, but at least in my opinion, it doesn’t work.

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Just for the record, there were some games last season, too, where Derek Jeter started the game and was not the lead-off batter in the line-up:

.

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Yes, it’s time again for the WasWatching.com Yankees Mid-Season Report Card! But, first, here are the Yankees Mid-Season Overall Team Grades, since we started doing this, in the seasons prior to this one:

2005: C+
2006: B-
2007: D
2008: C
2009: B-

O.K., so, what will New York’s Mid-Season Overall Team Grade be for 2010?

(more…)

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The 2010 season has featured a lot of surprises. The success of Brett Gardner has to be near the top. He had a decent season last year, where he hit .270 with 26 stolen bases in 108 games. He posted a 93 OPS+ which for a number 9 hitter isn’t awful. All things considered, he was very good last year.

This year, he has been one of the best players in the American League, a borderline All Star. He dipped a bit in May but came roaring back in June, hitting .383 with an on base percentage close to .500. For the most part, he has put up great numbers from month to month:

April- .323/.397/.385
May- .286/.367/.375
June- .383/.472/.533

Last weekend, he accomplished the rare feat of hitting a grand slam and an inside the park home run in back to back games. He also stole home on Opening Night in Boston, his first of 24 stolen bases this year. Yes, Brett Gardner has had quite the 2010 season.

The most surprising number has to be his OPS+. It’s 130. That’s higher than Joe Mauer. And Nick Markakis. And Victor Martinez. And Ian Kinsler. And many others. Perhaps most surprisingly, that’s higher than Mark Teixiera AND Alex Rodriguez.

Yes, it’s July 5th, and Brett Gardner has a higher OPS+ than Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira. Who saw that coming?

Gardner debuted almost exactly two years ago. He hit just .228 in limited action that year. Tonight, Brett Gardner hits leadoff as the Yankees take on Oakland out west. He has certainly come a long way.

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Man was it hot. So hot, I literally got a sun burn in the shade. So hot, that I knew there’d be extra innings when I first got to the park.

Hughes absolutely stunk. I don’t even want to talk about him.

Loved how there was Send Swisher logos in any direction that you looked. They really are pushing hard for him to make the team, which is great. Must be really hard to watch though if your name is Brett Gardner. He deserves it every bit as much as Swisher does, if not more.

Speaking of Gardner, this game was a gift. That “inside-the-park” home run for Gardner was a routine fly ball to center that was booted. I’m not quite sure how they don’t call that an error. For all those detractors, Tex has finally heated up. Since June 18, he’s hitting .328/.394/.586 in 66 PA with 9 XBH and 15 RBI. This is just in the nick of time as it counters Cano’s poor performance during that stretch.

Lastly, I’m starting to grow bored with the pie in the face routine after walk offs. Every team is doing it this year, we did it last year, it’s time to let it go.

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Phil Hughes has been selected to the 2010 American League All-Star team – as he was voted in on the players’ ballot.

In his first six starts this season, Hughes went 5-0 and had an ERA of 1.38 in 39 innings pitched.

Since that time, in his last nine starts, Hughes has gone 5-2; however, in this span he’s had an ERA of 5.56 in 55 innings pitched.

Does 39 great innings offset 55 putrid innings and warrants an All-Star selection?

Man, this is a joke…and a bad one. And, if I’m Jeff Niemann, Jered Weaver, Felix Hernandez, C.J. Wilson, Colby Lewis or John Danks right now then I’m wondering how Hughes gets selected over me. Shoot, Carl Pavano – and, yes, I can’t believe it – is more deserving of an All-Star selection based on 2010 first half stats than Phil Hughes.

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Speaking of our celebrating our great nation, isn’t it about time the Yankees got this little girl to start singing GBA at the big ballpark in the Bronx?

Isis Noel, age 10, sings God Bless America at the Staten Island Yankees

Ronan Tynan would approve of her work, I would imagine.

To all reading this:  Have a great and safe July 4th today!  And, just a reminder to be alert on the roads. Related, of course, if you’re drinking alcohol at some point today, please don’t drive at the same time or directly thereafter.

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Happy 4th to everyone!

I don’t have time to write a game recap at the moment (I always do the game recaps for Saturdays games at this time on Sunday), as I just got a call from a buddy at work that has an extra ticket to todays game. I will talk about it in the recap for today’s game though.

Feel free to use this as your space to reflect upon the third inning bludgeoning the Yanks gave the Jays. Also, feel free to pray that this start by Hughes doesn’t end up like the last time I was in the house for a Hughes start.

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Have you seen Curtis Granderson’s BA/OBA/SLG line from the All-Star break last year through yesterday’s game? It’s .239/.312/.438 (in 540 PA over 130 games).

Is it time to say Brian Cashman got duped in this deal? I think it’s time to give this one the Ruppert Jones stamp, no? And, guess what, Granderson has two more years on his contract after this season.

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Today is George Steinbrenner’s 80th birthday. So, what better time to share a review of Bill Madden’s recent book “Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball“?

My “Yankees-fandom” started during George Steinbrenner’s first year as owner of the Yankees. Therefore, I grew up following the team in the “Big Stein Era” and only know the “Steinbrenner owned” Yankees. And, since I was a kid, I’ve been reading Bill Madden’s columns – along with having read his book “Damned Yankees” back in the day. As such, I was very much looking forward to reading “Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball.”

This is not the first George Steinbrenner book that I’ve read. Years ago, I read Ed Linn’s “Steinbrenner’s Yankees.” And, recently, I read Peter Golenbock’s “George: The Poor Little Rich Boy Who Built the Yankee Empire.” Yet, despite having read the story of “The Boss” before, I was still extremely entertained reading “Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball.”

In addition, I also learned a few things for the first time reading Madden’s book – such as how Phil Rizzuto used Steinbrenner’s dislike of him as a way of getting out of making west coast road trips and how Randy Levine gained his favor with the Yankees family. I was also shocked to learn how much (then commissioner) Fay Vincent abused his power and railroaded Steinbrenner out of baseball during the whole Howie Spira incident.

One thing that resonated with me while reading the book is that many have a beef with Steinbrenner because they believe that George, in his salad days, was narcissistic, illogical, pompous, impetuous, delusional and pathological. And, that made life terrible for all those who worked for him.

Now, I cannot dispute this – especially after reading Madden’s account (in the book) of how “The Boss” conducted his business.

However, I’ve been working full-time for 26 years now – since graduating college. And, in my estimation, during this time, I’ve had at least 15 different “bosses” – some of whom were (in my opinion) also “narcissistic, illogical, pompous, impetuous, delusional and pathological” and terrible to work under. (Not all were this way, I want to stress. And, many were excellent leaders and a pleasure to follow. But, there were at least four of them that…well…put it this way…if I saw them, today, on the side of the road in the pouring rain with a flat tire, I would not stop to help them…that’s for sure.)

The point here is that, yup, George Steinbrenner was an “ogre” to work for – to many. But, is he alone in this department? In everyday life, many of us have worked for such a person or know someone else who has worked for a “terrible boss.” Look around…”these people” are out there – all around us – and it’s just not George Steinbrenner. In fact, you – the person reading this – may just be, or someday will become, that “terrible boss.” Or, maybe someone close to you is a “Big Stein” in their professional life. Hey, it’s possible. Again, any sundry leader in any particular industry being a tyrant is not a singularity.

In summary, George Steinbrenner is not the first, last, or only maniacal person to run something. He’s just one that millions know about because of his elevated profile and the amount of media following his organization. Related, I have to question why some parties want to skewer Steinbrenner for his business tactics when he’s just one of many who use the same approach? Don’t get be wrong – I am not advocating this particular modus operandi…at all. And, I’m not condoning Steinbrenner’s behavior because he’s not the only “boss” to act questionably.

I’m just wondering why so many have a strong distain for Steinbrenner because he was this way – since he’s not unique in terms of being an abrasive leader. I mean…really…it is that shocking to see a person in charge of something to be an agitating and demanding bully who is willing to trade moral soundness in exchange for getting what they want? When I read the stories of how George Steinbrenner behaved as owner of the Yankees, I’m not shocked. Anyone who has been in the “business world” has probably encountered demanding individuals whose primary focus was on something other than having scruples.

Therefore, what’s the big deal about George Steinbrenner being a despot? It’s sort of like getting yourself in a lather because you just found out that your favorite restaurant is overcharging for drinks and desserts. Hey, it’s just the way the world we live in works…it is what it is…and all that.

Yet, this all said, do not lose sight of the fact that Big Stein is one of the all-time kings when it comes to being charitable. This does lend towards the notion that he’s not 100% all bad. (And, his “sports franchise owner” success record speaks for it self.)

In any event, getting back to “Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball,” I found Madden’s book to be one of the best chronicles of the Yankees, under the Steinbrenner family, ever written. It’s a super read and highly recommended. Actually, it’s a “must read” for all Yankees fans.

If you are a Yankees diehard, and haven’t picked up “Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball” yet, I suggest that you don’t wait any longer to check it out. It’s truly one of the most well-done and interesting Yankees-related books that I’ve ever read.

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Via Bryan Hoch:

For just the fourth time in the past 50 years, the Yankees will reach the All-Star break boasting three pitchers with 10 or more victories, now that Andy Pettitte joined that select group on Saturday.

Pettitte’s six innings of three-run ball against the Blue Jays were enough to log the victory in New York’s 11-3 rout at Yankee Stadium, helping the 38-year-old left-hander join Phil Hughes and CC Sabathia, who each have 10 wins, with double-digit win totals.

Pettitte, Sabathia and Hughes are the first Yankees trio to have 10 or more wins at the All-Star break since 2003, when Pettitte (11), David Wells (11) and Mike Mussina (10) achieved the feat. Pettitte also was part of a similar group in 1998, when David Cone (12), Wells (11) and Pettitte (10) had double-digit wins in the first half.

Dock Ellis, Ed Figueroa and Catfish Hunter each had 10 wins at the break in 1976, and the Elias Sports Bureau notes that 2010′s group is the first trio of teammates with 10 or more wins through 80 games since the 1999 Astros, who had Jose Lima, Shane Reynolds and Mike Hampton pitching well.

1976, 1998 and 2003 were pretty good seasons for the Yankees. If 2010 can match one of those, that would be awesome.

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I had all intentions of watching this one when I got home from work. That is, up until the top of the 11th inning. I couldn’t sit there and watch 10 innings of 1-1 baseball knowing Robertson and Park were gonna spit the bit in the 11th. If I were Dustin Moseley, I would be ready to take this opportunity by the throat, because there’s no non-Mo reliever who’s pitching well right now, and he could end up in a prime spot if he does well.

Anyway, here’s your thread to talk about yesterday afternoons tragedy. Try not to jump off a cliff because the Red Sox are only half a game back.

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First, via Mark Zuckerman:

The Nationals have signed veteran right-hander Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez to a minor-league contract, according to two club sources.

Hernandez, the 44-year-old half-brother of Nats starter Livan Hernandez, will report to the organization’s spring complex in Viera, Fla., to begin working out. He may wind up pitching at Class AAA Syracuse at some point this season.

A prize Cuban refugee who signed with the Yankees in 1998 and went on to post a 90-65 record and 4.13 ERA in nine seasons with four different teams, Hernandez has not pitched in the major leagues since 2007, when he went 9-5 with a 3.72 ERA for the Mets. He underwent foot surgery that offseason and then required toe surgery the following year. He wound up pitching eight games in relief for the Rangers’ Class AAA club last summer but was released after Texas officials determined he wouldn’t be promoted.

The Hernandez half-brothers briefly were teammates in Montreal during the spring of 2003, but Orlando tore his rotator cuff before ever throwing a pitch for the Expos. Livan is currently enjoying a nice bounce-back season with the Nationals; after tossing seven innings of one-run ball against the Mets last night, he’s now 6-4 with a 2.98 ERA.

El Duque…now that brings back memories…

And, next, Brian Bruney has landed in an interesting spot as well.

(more…)

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It’s this ugly.

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With today’s extra inning loss to the Blue Jays, the Yankees are now 27-23 in their last 50 games. If you take that winning percentage, and apply it to a full season, that’s an 87-win team.

Last time I checked, winning 87 games doesn’t get the job done in the A.L. East. And, for sure, that win total doesn’t match what one would expect from a team payroll like the Yankees.

And, you can’t just “small sample size” this one away – we’re talking 50 games here (which is close to one-third of a season). Also, check the Yankees schedule over their last 50 games, it hasn’t been all that tough.

Something better happen soon in Yankeeland to get this team playing better baseball – and it better happen soon.

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I’m about to split for the day and will probably be internet-free all weekend so here’s a happy holiday weekend shoutout to you guys.  Enjoy the holiday, the weather, the BBQ, the pool, the beer, the fireworks and whatever else.  Be safe and I’ll see you all again on the flipside.

PS – I’ll be at the game on Sunday afternoon with my girl.  If any of you will be there, swing by Section 213 and give me a shout!  I’ll be a couple of rows down from the concourse, just a few seats off the aisle.  Not too many folks will answer to the call of “MJ”, I’m sure.

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Not counting today’s game, which is in progress at this moment, here is how the Yankees bats have done, as a team, over their last 14 games:

3.9 runs per game
.232/.302/.381 BA/OBA/SLG line in 520 PA

That 520 PA caught my eye…

It means that the Yankees have hit like a “1993 version of Rob Deer” from June 16th through July 1st.

Luckily, the team has gone 7-7 in those 14 games…

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Via Jon Heyman today -

Teams think that with Washington beginning to fall back, the Nats will start to sell, and they have a few interesting pieces, starting with Adam Dunn, Nyjer Morgan, Josh Willingham and Cristian Guzman. “Their pitching is a little younger than their hitting so it’s an interesting situation,” observed one competing GM. Dunn would help a number of teams, and a GM guessed the Yankees or Angels could be a fit. “Could you imagine him at Yankee Stadium?” another observed. The Yankees’ offense has suffered a bit after losing Damon and Hideki Matsui during the offseason and with Nick Johnson out for an undetermined length, so Dunn might look pretty good batting sixth in the Bronx. The Nats like him, so they could even trade Dunn, and then sign him back after the season. Morgan and Willingham would interest a number of teams, though it isn’t certain they’ll be traded.

Me? My opinion on Adam Dunn has not changed in the last two years. Pass.

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With Toronto in town today to play the Yankees, it makes sense to think about the Blue Jays, right?

I have to confess, back in 1977, when the Blue Jays came about, I was sort of into them. It was something about “being a new team” (as they were the first expansion team to come along after I started following baseball closely) and their hat that got my attention. (And, for what it’s worth, the Mariners and their first logo caught my eye too back in ’77 – just not as much as the Jays.) Hey, what can I say, I was 14-years old at the time…

I even had a Blue Jays baseball cap back in 1977 – but I never really wore it, and, in time, the logo “patch” became unglued and then it just became a blue hat with a white front with a mark on it where the patch used to live. (These were the days before baseball caps had their stuff sewn on. Even Yankees caps had the “NY” glued on – until they would start to peel off.)

The Blue Jays “thing” didn’t last long for me. I would say it was over with after a few years. And, now, I have no feelings towards them, good or bad. They’re just another team that plays the Yankees – like the White Sox or the A’s.

But, when I do think Blue Jays, I always remember the game where they beat the Yankees back in 1977 by a socre of 19-3.  At the time, that was insane – an expansion team pounding the defending league champ (and eventual World Champion that season).    It was a pretty big deal – as it cut the Yankees lead over the Red Sox to just 2 games with 20 games left to be played.  Somehow, I suspect, Billy Martin got a phone call from Big Stein after that contest…

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Then again, Chris Britton was some sort of code for “A shorter but just as fat Colter Bean” too…

Via the Citizens Voice:

There’s a reason it’s called a “save.”

After going just 4-10 on the road in June, Thursday night’s game had the potential to turn into another loss for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The Yankees gained, lost, then regained the lead and almost lost it again in the bottom of the ninth, but Jonathan Albaladejo came to the rescue, getting the final out for save No. 25 this season, giving the Yankees an 8-6 victory over Pawtucket at McCoy Stadium.

Albaladejo’s most recent save – which he recorded with just two pitches – ties former Red Barons closer Chuck Ricci’s 15-year-old franchise record.

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I heard this news the other day watching the game…and thought it was worth sharing here for those who may have missed it:

This past January, Sophia Lopez was diagnosed with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare and life-threatening blood disease. She was only 7 months old at the time and would need a bone marrow donation. Typically, the best matches are a person’s siblings, but neither of her older brothers were a match, so that meant looking elsewhere. Made more difficult is that she’s of Puerto Rican descent, as Latinos only make up 10 percent of the national bone marrow registry.

Colin Curtis and Francisco Cervelli are teammates on the New York Yankees. Cervelli has volunteered in the past with Project Sunshine, a group that “provides free educational, recreational, and social programs to children and families living with medical challenges.” Curtis, meanwhile, was diagnosed with testicular cancer when he was just 15, but thanks to surgery and blood tests since, he’s a cancer survivor.

On Wednesday, the two teammates joined with Project Sunshine to bring a little light into the lives of pediatric patients at the hematology/oncology unit of Mount Sinai Hospital, and that included visiting with Sophia Lopez. Because of his cancer diagnosis, Curtis was able to relate to what the Lopez family has been going through. He was quoted as saying, “My treatment involved surgery to remove the tumor and parts of the affected veins, and regular blood tests. My parents were very scared. But through the help of so many, I have been cancer-free for 10 years. I hope that little Sophia has the same outcome.” To find out if you can help her, visit GetSwabbed.org.

Just another reason to root for these two players…and a great one too.

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Scout-turned-blogger Frankie Piliere of MLB Fanhouse published a revised list of his top-25 prospects which contemplates the graduations of Steven Strasburg, among others.

As far as the Baby Bombers are concerned, New York placed three players — all catchers — in Piliere’s top-25.  He lists Jesus Montero (Triple-A Scranton) as his #5 prospect, Austin Romine (Double-A Trenton) as his #15 and debuts 2009 international free agent sensation Gary Sanchez (Rookie League) as the #25 prospect based on the upside of his bat.

As most readers of this and other NYY fan sites are familiar with Montero and Romine, I won’t waste bandwidth in rehashing their bios.  Sanchez may be a newer name so I’ll remind everyone that he was rated the #7 prospect in the Yankees system by Baseball America heading into 2010 and was ranked #7 by John Sickels as well.

It’s probably fair to say that Gary Sanchez will be on several prospect lists over the next few months and that’s nothing but good for the Yanks.  You can never have too much pitching or catching depth and it certainly looks like the Yanks have an abundance of catching prospects in their system, especially when you consider 2009 2nd round pick JR Murphy who is considered the team’s best “pure hitter” from last year’s draft.

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Remember his sad story? To be candid, I don’t.  (But,  at the time, I was about six weeks away from getting married and sort of not focusing on baseball.)

But, I just came across this at Misc. Baseball.

Sterling Hitchcock was the best player to come out of that team.    Or, maybe it was Russ Davis?  Looking back at it all now, it seems so long ago…

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