WHY YOU NEED TO GIVE AJ SOME CREDIT

“We did a lot of nice little things today, and that’s why we won.” --Joe Girardi

AJ Burnett deserves a standing ovation. Not because he was amazing yesterday... he wasn't, but because he received his 4th win of the season and has proven that he can be a leader on the Yankees. AJ has quieted the doubters Ladies and Gentlemen and I have no doubt that he will continue. The difference this year compared to others is confidence. AJ trusts his stuff. Yes, his curveball wasn't working for him, but he still did what he needed to do to get things done...again, not truly dominant, but he definitely helped keep the Yankees in the game. In years past, AJ has lost his mojo during the year and by September, there was struggle. But something's different... AJ is a new man this year thanks to Larry Rothschild and the Pyramid of Pitching Dominance, so expect AJ to have a good year. After all, he's overdue. Today AJ allowed 4 runs and 9 hits. He didn't walk anyone today and struck out 4. Not great, but not bad either.(photo:AP)

The best part of today was small ball and sacrifice. Yes, you know I'm a fan of that. No homers today. Wow. 7 Yankees had hits today and all of them were singles. Tex had a double... that was the only extra base hit for the Yanks. It's so weird if you think about it because this is a team that's been cranking out home runs every game this season. The Yankees hits today were built on patience. Waiting for the right pitch, not to crank out, but instead to put in play and hopefully get a run in. Today they did that and it's something I've been looking for them to do all season.

The play of the game came in the sixth inning. Russell Martin threw down to third to cut down Juan Rivera trying to steal. He got him and the best part was it completed a double play... AJ K'ed Encarnacion seconds earlier. It was heads up, no doubt.(photo: Daily News)
The Three Headed Monster appeared today and came to the rescue. There were no signs of trouble for them. The 7th, 8th and 9th were a piece of cake and Joba, Soriano and Mo are back.

Overall, nothing spectacular today, just good baseball. At the end of the day, the Yankees win and that makes me smile, but more importantly, we've tied the series and next we need to take the series. That, of course is the key. That, of course will get us to our goal in October... another championship.

Final Score: Yankees 5 - Blue Jays 4.

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WHY I HAVE A PETTITTE THEORY

(photo: Getty)
Bob Klapisch, a well respected sports writer seems to get me steamed almost every morning. After all, it's his job and he gets me reading. Yesterday's headline in the Bergen Record "NO DODGING THIS MOUND OF TROUBLE: After CC, not much to depend on". Come on Bob. Seriously?

Ok, Yes, I'm a Yankee fan, I believe in my Yankees, that's probably why I get pissed. Reading on, there are some interesting points about the Yankees rotation and what follows in the bullpen, say RaSo for instance, but ultimately, the Yankees have this hand of cards to work with and while CC is our ace, there are lots of promising things happening. It's funny, so many have been praising the Yankees for going cheap and getting back big rewards with Colon and Garcia. No question, We have no idea when they'll breakdown and Hughes is the Mystery man right now, but the last thing I need after those first 2 losses to Chicago is to open the paper to see Klapisch tell me the Yankee's World is falling apart. My God, we won last night and everything's fine. He sounds like a Red Sox fan, pissed and angry after a few missteps.

Look,we're the New York Yankees, believe it or not, we're allowed to lose a game. We win more anyway.

So, what needs to happen? Well, for starters, our starters need to go 7 consistently. Colon went 8 last night, and I'm loving it. Then, we need to get Soriano right. If it means beating the attitude out of him, do it boys. I wrote WHY A BAD ATTITUDE IS POISON back in February and I stand by it. Soriano has one. Soriano, ironically lost the game for New York last night. To me, he should be hugging it out and taking lumps. In fact, I'd like to knock the chip off his shoulder and remind him the Bronx will eat him alive and kick him out on his ass if he doesn't follow suit. But, the reality is, we have him and he's talented, he just needs to get right. Clearly he doesn't read BYB, because he's not following the Pyramid of Pitching Dominance. With mechanic analysis comes confidence, when the confidence comes, any doubt leaves and focus takes over. RaSo, follow the pyramid, shut up and pitch and all your troubles will go away. Hey, maybe people will even like you.Nick Swisher. My boy's slumping hard, no doubt we miss his bat and if he can snap out of it, we will be back on track. I tend to think that Swisher is much more productive in the 2 hole and I am hoping someone sneaks into Girardi's office, breaks out the binder, and changes the lineup card. I think it can jump start him. Anyone agree?

Posada, yes, he's older, but his bat is still there. He's hitting home runs, which I'll never turn away, but baseball's about more than home runs. Jorge will get there, but it's about studying and talking it out with Long. Be patient freaks, Jorge will snap out if it. He has too much heart to let it slip away.

Back to Pitching. No doubt I like what I see, many disagree though. AJ and CC are making me happy and the vets Colon and Garcia are humming along, so far. It's the story of the Yankees season if it lasts. Ivan Nova is still learning and that takes time, but he's improved and he has the positive big brother AJ helping him along.

So, Bob Klapisch...what are you talking about? Are you suggesting we go pick up a pitcher? That's understandable, especially with Phil Hughes season possibly over. Besides, there's plenty of theories floating out there, such as trading the farm for Felix Hernandez or even getting Andy Pettitte back. Um.. Yeah, that's right, I dropped Pettitte's name. I'm not afraid to. Why? Because the reality is Andy Pettitte is not sitting on his couch with his hand in his pants watching highlights from the 1998 World Series. No, no. Andy Pettitte is training. And many suggest, Andy Pettitte will be back this year. Will it make all the rotation fears go away? Alittle, but more importantly, Yankeeland will be overjoyed and an overjoyed Yankee base brings the best out of the Yankees. (photo: Getty)
Look, the reality is we have a bunch of veterans mixed in with some pitching youth. Hell, we may even see Millwood or Silva this year. It's a great combination for winning a championship. Then, if you bring back a mentor and leader like Pettitte, your world just got brighter. Do you really think it's over for Andy? I used to, but I'm not so sure anymore. What would happen if the pitching we had right now lasted until June and we kept on top the AL East or at worst 2 games out of first. A Pettitte addition would bring us over the top and take us to the playoffs. Interesting theory, I like it and Ladies and Gentlemen, it's not mine, but it's out there and it is possible. Google Pettitte, you'll see what the fans are talking about. There's one thing I know about rumors, they are usually true. Let's hope so, that, my friends would be a wonderful reunion in the Bronx.

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WHY MY YANKEES ARE CLICKING

There's something to be said about the way a team operates together and for the New York Yankees, lately, the formula is being executed perfectly.

This April start looks great so far, minus yesterday's loss to the White Sox. Players that aren't hitting are usually being picked up by players who are. The long ball is exciting to watch, especially if it's happening at the right time, and it is. Plus, the pitching has been a truly pleasant surprise, despite hiccups by Phil Hughes and Ivan Nova.When things were in a holding pattern during the winter, what were the biggest concerns...do you remember? Well, for starters, everyone was down on Joba and everyone had written off AJ. Patience and Yankee fans don't mix and at the time, say December, we were all over these guys without giving them the opportunity to work out the kinks. Luckily, the Zen Master Larry Rothschild showed up and found some mechanical flaws that Dave Eiland or even the pitchers themselves didn't see. That right there reinvented Joba and AJ and so far, so good.Garcia and Colon. Sounds like a law firm, but it's not. We signed these two to minor league deals and bitched about why we needed these "losers" in the first place. Remember? Clearly, these two veterans are not losers and they are proving it every appearance they make. It's a story in the making if these guys can push this hard still say, come September, and right now, they are really demonstrating pride and heart every time they're handed the ball.

You need to give Tony Pena credit when it comes to Colon. He managed Colon in the Dominican Winter League and saw something he liked...heart. He knew Colon had something left and begged the Yanks to give him a shot. They did and life is good right now. Pena, a former catcher himself, is truly a baseball man, and he's respected in all of baseball. It was a good move the Yankees made and thank God for Pena.The Captain. It was evident to the New York sports media that Jeter was an old man and they just used words like "sad" and "pathetic" when describing our guy. These are the same sports media that praised him before 2010. Like I've stated so many times...shame on them. No one in New York ever factors in a slump. Automatically it's assumed that all sports athletes are Supermen and their stats stick and stay with them, no matter what. Derek Jeter needs more respect, not from the fans, we love him, but from the New York sports media that wrote this guy off. Fact: Jeter will decline over time. Not a Fact: he's done. Back off the Cap.
Russell Martin. At the time, I was thrilled about Martin coming to the Bronx, but there were a ton of question marks and Cashman was under pressure to explain himself. Why would we sign an injury prone catcher? That was the question. Well, no one expected Russell Martin to look like a leader on the Yankees. He is. He appears to have needed a scenery change and the hits keep coming. Let's not forget that he's also learning a whole new pitching staff which he's done so fr with ease. It's a True Hollywood Story if he keeps this up. Cashman deserves a lot of credit here. I call it Cashman's "Diamond in the Rough". Martin, much like Swisher was in 2009, is a surprise...for the better.

The Good Lord is looking out for my New York Yankees and things are clicking. Yes, there are some minor concerns, when are there not? But right now the Yankees have something real good. A mix of great veterans and youngsters that will keep the line moving as we get to another World Championship. I can already smell it.

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WHY YOU CAN'T WIN IF YOU DON'T HIT

(Photo: Getty)
You always know it was a shutout when you click on Yankees highlights and the first video you see are the Yankees getting off a double play to end the White Sox 9th so they can get up to bat. Unfortunately, that was really it. The Yanks were blanked and there is no way around it, once again, there's a pitcher they are not familiar with and suddenly, no Girardi binder is going to be able to save them.

You tip your hat to Philip Humber and we come back tomorrow and kick some ass. Not much more you can say it, because there isn't anything to say.
(photo: Getty)
Alright wait, alittle credit goes to AJ Burnett who pitched really well. Yes, he let up 1 run, pitchers do that from time to time, but he kept the runs to a minimum so his team could get the runs back. Tonight, the Yankees didn't. It was wasted effort again by a Yankee starter, this time AJ, but kudos to him for pitching well.(photo: Getty)
2 other highlights would have to be the Gardner grab in the 6th inning... a real nice catch and to Alex Rodriguez for breaking up Humber's no-hit bid with a single going into the 7th. Seriously, that's it. Final Score tonight White Sox 2 - Yankees 0. Fans, don't get uptight, it's 1 game and Humber pitched a beaut. We simply have to move on. Tomorrow, we come out swinging... the Yankee way.

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WHY MARIANO'S HUMAN

"The Yankees had this one going their way until the 9th inning." --Ken SingletonIt's true. AJ Burnett was three outs away from being 4-0 and I never ever expected the 9th inning to happen like it did for Mariano tonight. Usually in that spot, he comes in and shuts down the Jays, but Mo's not a robot, we forget that. He's a human being and even human beings have bad nights.
(photo: Getty)
But let's not get ahead of ourselves yet. Overall, AJ pitched pretty good tonight. His pitches were working for him and he didn't lose his composure when, for example, Bautista cranked out that 1st inning home run or when there were men on base. I would even suggest to you, that with the bases loaded and 1 out in the 6th, I was shouting at Girardi to just let AJ pitch even though he was up to 105 pitches. Clearly, Girardi made the right decision at that moment bringing in Robertson, which is why he's the manager and I'm wearing my smelly Reggie shirt writing this post for you, but I felt good about AJ tonight and I would have let him try and get out of it.The hits were nice tonight and you really can't complain about the offense. Tex, Jeter and Granderson. We are hitting and we are scoring and that is great, especially for a confidence high AJ Burnett. It feeds him. I like it.

Once again, the Three Headed Monster appeared but this time Mariano had some trouble. Yes, it was a heartbreak tonight, everything seemed to click and you tend to forget how Mariano is a person because the guy is so automatic and gets out there and 90% of the time he does his job, but tonight, he didn't have it. Look, you have to just accept it. It's not the end of the world. Yes, it sucks, but we need to regroup and come back hard tomorrow. Mariano will tell you that. All those guys would.(photo: Getty)
Final score tonight Blue Jays 6 - Yankees 5. And another game tomorrow, that's why baseball is so great. There isn't a week between games to drown in your sorrows. If you lose, you can't wait to get out there and win and if you win, you can't wait to keep winning. 162 of those... yeah, it's the best sport in the world.

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WHY PATIENCE DELIVERS RESULTS

(Photo: Getty)
AJ Burnett is 3-0 and Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter hit tonight. So to everyone who assumed AJ Burnett was going to blow it and Derek and Jorge were at the end, ya'll can suck it because my Yankees are back! I wrote WHY IT'S NOT DOOM AND GLOOM about exactly this. Make sure you read it.

The first place Orioles lost tonight and the Yankees proved that winning can happen against anyone. Yes, Buck Showalter is a great manager, but let's face facts, the guys never won anything and for him to talk trash about other teams and other players was a tool to fire-up his guys and it backfired. It fired up the Yankees instead. You can sit here and tell me that the Yanks probably forgot about that stupid Showalter interview. I'm telling you, they kept it in their back pocket and used the negative energy tonight against Buck and company.(Photo: Getty)
Derek Jeter will have a decent series because while he doesn't say a lot, he knows what he needs to do against the O's...hit. Beat Buck. Show Buck you are the Captain and you can get the troops to rally around you and force a win, every time, or at least go down trying.

AJ pitched great tonight. By the 7th, it was clear he was tired, it's only his 3rd start and letting up 2 home runs in that inning was a clear indication that he was gassed. I did however like that Girardi didn't pull him earlier. Maybe he lost binder in the 6th.(photo: Getty)
Alex Rodriguez continues to clobber the ball and we needed that A-Bomb tonight. Thank you Alex. The flu? Hmm. You'd never know it. As far as I'm concerned, you and Cameron can be together for life. Clearly, she is your good luck charm and clearly you are feeling 100%. Good for you, I'm thrilled.

I found it weird tonight to look at the outfield and see G.G.S. so shallow, the whole game. As a former speedy outfielder, I makes more sense to me to run in, than to try and catchup running back on a fly ball. Kay and Leiter were discussing it tonight and I just don't know what to make of it. Do you? Maybe in the next few days, someone will shed some light on it.

And don't look now, but Mariano has his 5th save. Are you kidding me? How nice is that? I'm not going to lie, I missed seeing the Three Headed Monster in full effect tonight, but the reality is, if your starter goes 7, you really don't need them every game. That's OK. Robertson did great in the 7th giving Joba a rest and besides, Looking forward to seeing the Three Headed Monster tomorrow.

Tonight's game Yankees 7- Orioles 4. Way to go New York.

More to come? Not sure. Hughes on the mound tomorrow and all eyes will be on his velocity. Ladies and Gentlemen, don't expect much, but support Phil no matter what. I suspect this velocity thing is a work in progress and Colon will be on call. But don't get down on Phil, he will snap out of it. When? Well, that's another story.

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YANKEES PROJECTIONS 2011: THE STARTING ROTATION

(photo: William Perlman/Star-Ledger)
#1. CC Sabathia: 21 Wins, 3.22 ERA, 232 IP, 208 K's. Since Sabathia joined the Yankeees, he has been worth every penny, going 40-15 with a 3.27 ERA. In the postseason, he has a 5-1 record with a 3.09 ERA, including the 2009 ALCS MVP. But, going into this season there are spreading rumors that the big fella could opt-out of his deal that has him signed through the 2015 season. Personally, I have a feeling he'll opt-out. Whether the Yankees should re-sign him or not if he opts out is an argument for another day. For now, look for Sabathia to have another typical Sabathia type year. He's the clear ace for the Yankees and he'll prove it once more in 2011.

#2. A.J. Burnett: 16-7, 4.12 ERA, 204 IP, 165 K's. Unlike Sabathia, Burnett hasn't earned every penny since joining the Yankees. Combined in 2009 and 2010 he has a 23-24 record with a 4.61 ERA. In the postseason he has a 1-2 record with a 5.67 ERA. Now, those numbers sound like Burnett has been a bust. But not so fast. In the World Series in 2009 against the Philadelphia Phillies, Burnett and the Yankees were down 0-1 and a shaky Burnett was on the hill for game two. In seven innings, Burnett struck out nine Phillies and allowed just one run. And thus, the Yankees were on their way. In 2010, as we all know, he struggled mightily with a 10-15 record and a 5.26 ERA. He had two main excuses that are no longer valid this season. One of those being Jorge Posada being the catcher. We all know their disagreements over the last couple years. But, Posada won't be catching this season. The second being Dave Eiland. Burnett and Eiland have had their troubles last season, probably one of the reasons why Eiland was let go after the 2010 campaign. This time, new pitching coach Larry Rothschild will deal with Burnett, and I think he can straighten him out. Burnett is becoming a more of a ferris wheel pitcher, based on his delivery, than a merry-go-round pitcher. Look for that to be a plus for Burnett, and look for Burnett to have a season like he did in 2009. The best part of Burnett so far this year... he's 2-0.

#3. Phil Hughes: 17-8, 3.85 ERA, 206 IP, 184 K's. The training wheels are finally off of Phil Hughes, and I emphasize the word "finally." The innings limit is off, and now he can pitch 200 innings without the question of being pulled early after each start. But, there has been a red flag raised about Phil Hughes. Hughes' fastball velocity has dipped substantially, around at 87-89, instead of his usual 92-95. It was like that most of Spring Training, and it was like that in his first start and second start. I don't know if it's from his increase in innings the year (86 in '09 to 176 in 2010), but he needs his fastball velocity to get back to the 92-95 mph mark for him to have a chance to have a good season.
(photo: AP)
#4. Ivan Nova: 13-7, 4.10 ERA, 181 IP, 113 K's. "Super Nova" got his chance in Spring Training to nab one of the two spots open in the Yankees' rotation, and by going 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA, he won the fourth spot easily. Last season, he appeared in the majors for the first time with the Yankees going 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 10 games, seven of those were starts. The only trouble with Nova is he allows an opponents batting average to balloon to .400 the third time around, versus a .196 opponents average the first time, and .246 the second time. That is probably to be expected since Nova is inexperienced. But, with Nova being in his first full season as a starter in the bigs, along with the help of pitching coach Larry Rothschild and his "big brother" Burnett, Nova should get over that hump a bit and pitch better in those situations. Nova should be a good bet at the four spot all season long.
(photo: AP)
#5. Freddy Garcia: 3-5, 5.35 ERA, 12 starts. Although Garcia got out out-dealed by Bartolo Colon in spring training, Garcia was handed the number five spot in the Yankee's rotation in part because he was able to pitch a full season in 2010, in which he went 12-6 with a 4.64 ERA in 28 starts with the Chicago White Sox. Meanwhile, Colon didn't pitch in 2010 at all. And he last pitched in the 2009 season when he went 3-6 with a 4.19 ERA with the White Sox. But, although he may have a couple of good outings, I don't expect Garcia to last long. I think he'll fizzle out by June, and possibly get cut, or at least get demoted to the bullpen. My opinion of course. But with Garcia being a fly ball pitcher, without a very hard fastball, I wouldn't be surprised to see several balls fly out of the park when he's on the hill. We will see.

Have a thought? Give me a shout... comment.




--Jesse Schindler, BYB Guest Writer
My Blog: The Pinstriped Personality



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YANKEES WOMEN: YANKS NO "UNDERDOG" IN 2011

At long last, the 2011 Season, respectfully named Mission:28, has been underway for 1 week. The National Anthem has been sung, the first pitch was thrown, and home runs and pitching are coming along nicely. All winter long, especially after the Cliff Lee fiasco, the media has been portraying the New York Yankees as the underdog of Major League Baseball. We disagree. Here’s why:

(photo: Daily News)

• Sabathia- CC has been good. Yes, his first start wasn't amazing, but his second was great. He looks a little leaner and more precise. His timing seems a little more in sync with his stuff. He looks cool, confident, and ready for battle.

• Joba- Now, I am not the only one who shudders with uncertainty when Joba Chamberlain is called out of the bullpen. Let’s face reality. With all of the pampering he’s had via “The Joba Rules”, he was anything but consistent. Having him as a bridge to Mariano didn’t always pay off, and many times, it's hurt us. But Joba Chamberlain has been pretty lights out. Yes, a little heavier than last year, but Joba is taking the mound and has had a lot more placement to go with the velocity of his pitches. He doesn't seem rattled, and he's been getting the job done. It seems that maybe our big Baby Huey is growing up a little bit, and has a different frame of mind this year.

• Soriano- Forming a two man bridge to Mo is a smart move, and it's working, except for that one bad night against the Twins. That being said, it's a great bridge, Joba lays the framework, and Soriano nails it in.

• Mariano Rivera- When the Sandman enters, we all know what’s coming. Despite the long rants during the off-season about his age, 41 year old Mariano still runs out to the field, and starts the assault, throwing pitches with such precision that one would wonder if he was a surgeon in another life. Carefully, methodically, and exactly, Mo puts the game to bed...still. Mariano Rivera remains at the top of his game.
  
  

• AJ- Burnett's on the way back. 2-0 this yearalready and looks more focused than ever. Many hope the confidence stays and the wins keep on coming for the once lost soul.
  
  

After all the media hype about the Yankee’s lackluster pitching, it has been more than a pleasant surprise to see that it's all coming together like clockwork. But we can’t balk at the hitting, can we?

• Teixeira- Well known for a slow start, he's already logged four “Tex Messages” in 6 games. A very good sign.

• Granderson- He started strong and followed suit. He will show us results of his hard work from the off-season.

(photo: Getty)

• Alex- No slouch, that's for sure. His timing is dead on and he's healthy as a horse.
  
  

The end result at this very moment: The New York Yankees are 4-2. The games are played smart and hard, just like the fans like it. There's balance, determination and confidence. So far, it's a great start and a good indication that things may not always look the same as they do on paper. As my Dad used to say, green isn’t really green unless you take it to the bank. The Yankees deposited their first four wins of the season, and in doing so, laid some of the naysayer’s predictions to rest.

“There's no need to fear…UNDERDOG is here!”

--Christy Lee, BYB Staff Writer

Follow me on Twitter @ChristyLee127







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WHY THE YANKEES CLICK

(photo: Getty)
Today was my kind of game. The ultimate combination of every clicking on a regular basis and our stars came out shining.
First off, what can you say about Yoga's prodigy, AJ Burnett. I just picture the scene in the swamp and Luke's learning all he can from Yoda, except replace Luke with AJ and Yoda with Larry Rothschild. Hopefully, the Bronx Goblin, a great Yankees blog, is on the case with that one. Do you guys take requests?
(photo: Getty)
Anyway, AJ has 2 wins, and to put it into perspective, he has more wins than the Rays (0-6) and evil Red Sox (0-6) combined. Holy crap am I happy right now. Keep that focus AJ and you'll be loved in Yankeeland once again.(photo: Getty)
Andruw Jones showed he still has something left in the tank, a power hitter that literally helped put us ahead today with a double to left field today. That was followed by RBI singles from Russell Martin and Brett Gardner off Francisco Liriano You just have to root for someone like Jones. So many teams took a pass, but Cash saw a bright spot and I trust his instincts on this one.

Brett Gardner reads Bleeding Yankee Blue. You want to know why I know? Because I like running and he stole 2 bases today and fought his way on base with a walk. The grit that this kid delivers can ultimately win ballgames for us. You keep having men on base like Brett Gardner, or a Curtis Granderson and you will always succeed...they WILL come around to score. They set the table and deliver. Trust what I'm telling you, it stems from the basics of Little League and works in the Pros as well.
The Captain's climbing back into form, isn't he, Jeter had 2 hits today and God love him, he inching closer to 3000. That place is going to erupt with happiness the day that happens. Keep going Jeet, we're all rooting for you.

Finally, What can I say, Joba Chamberlain, Rafael Soriano and Mariano Rivera... The Three Headed Monster is kicking ass and taking names and never looking back. I love to watch these guys when they're on, and man oh man, they are SO ON. Look, there's one thing I love in baseball, it's watching nice hitting and fundamentals at work. While I love great pitching, sometimes it's just not as exciting. But when I watch the Three Headed Monster, it's extremely gratifying. 3 totally different personalities in Joba, RaSo and Mo, but the same mission, get the batter out and go home. Years from now, they will be talking about these 3. It's great that in April they are focused and in sync liek they are, but if they keep going the way it' going, my God, it will be historic. Keep it up boys, the fans are giddy.

Final score today, Yankees 4-Twins 3. Boston next Ladies and Gentlemen... Phil's about to lay down the law on Yawkey Way. Let's get some bro.

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WHY CHARACTERS MAKE BASEBALL FUN

I'm an unusual Yankee fan because while I love the corporate image the Yanks present, yet, I've always embraced the funny, entertaining and sometimes crazy characters in baseball.
I think it all started with Reggie Jackson for me. As a kid, he was larger than life and just said all kinds of crap that as a fan, you either loved or hated. I loved it of course. In the 70's, the Bronx Zoo had several characters. Mickey Rivers was another guy I always enjoyed listening to, as well as watch play. I was sad when he went to the Rangers, no doubt.I'm not sure what happened but I guess as Steinbrenner got older, the strictness of the Yanks corporate image was enforced alittle more. I'm really not sure, but players seemed to say and do crazy stuff less.But because I'm a baseball fan, I moved on searching for more fun characters. I started paying plenty of attention to the Tiger's Mark Fidrych. He fascinated me and I loved to watch him talk to the mound, pat it, manicure it and it was just all nutty to me. That fascination ended as fast as his career and then I was consumed by Bill "Spaceman" Lee and his wacky antics. But no, not the evil Red Sox Lee, I hated him. I'm talking about the Expos Lee of the early 80's. He was truly bizarre and I could listen to him talk in interviews for hours. I still can.

As I grew up, the Yankees calmed down. Yes, Billy Martin and Ed Whitson knocking the crap out of each other at bars was always a treat, but for the most part, the Yankees characters vanished for a short time. Players like Danny Pasqua, Mike Pagliarulo showed up. It was a quieter time for the Yanks. The characters on the Yanks almost seemed non-existent. With Mattingly leading the pack, you could see it was strictly baseball. Again, nothing wrong with that, but my mind wondered in in search of more crazy characters.

(photo: William Hotz)
I latched on to crazy Earl Weaver for a short time, who had always been there but he got crazier in the 80's. Him with the umps was great, his nutty interviews were better. Hilarious.

Then suddenly, the Yankees were back with a character. A true character who spoke his mind and did whatever he wanted, without dragging his team into trouble. He was chubby, he liked to party and he loved Babe Ruth... David Wells arrived.
(photo: Daily News)
This guy was the ultimate character and for a while, I'm not afraid to admit, I liked watching Wells be Wells, both off and on the field. The Yanks managed to keep the corporate image all the while Boomer did his thing, so for me, it was the perfect storm.Then AJ Burnett showed up. Now, you're thinking "That dude's a tight ass, what are you talking about?". Hear me out. Can you say pie? 2009 had more pie than I'd ever seen and I loved when I knew it was coming after a comeback win. It really made 2009 fun. You always saw AJ in the shadows ready to pounce. Pie may in fact be one of my favorite moments with the Yankees in recent memory.
(photo: Daily News)
Then of course Nick Swisher, who is probably the coolest character alive. He just has fun, he's comfortable in his skin and still plays a great ballgame. There's nothing bad I can say about the guy. My friend Victor always says, another character in my life always says, "I can do my work and still have fun." Swisher must read Victor's playbook because it works for him. You've got to respect that.At this moment, my favorite baseball characters have to be Burnett, Swish and someone you'd probably guess for sure... Brian Wilson of the San Francisco Giants. Now, have you seen this guy? The beard is ridiculous and genius, he speaks with such great delivery, he should be a comedian on the Sunset strip. Plus he goes out on the field with a confidence and pride for his team. This guy means business and has become a true baseball character. He's hilarious. Expect big marketing and promotion from this guy, ESPN, Giants TV, whatever. There's a talk show with this guys name on it, trust me.So yeah, baseballs my passion, the Yankees are my passion, but baseball characters rule and cannot be ignored. They lighten up a sometimes very competitive game. They bring a human element to the game. They make it fun, and thank God for that.

So while your watching Sportscenter or the YES postgame, seek out your favorite baseball character. They're out there, it just depends what kind of character your looking for. You have one in mind? Tell me who...comment. If we have some great ideas, we will do a follow up and I may use them and include you in my post. How much fun is that? Keep it corporate, but keep it fun, you BYB freaks.

Please comment and let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

WHY MOMENTUM BRINGS VICTORY

The Yankees are the real deal, let's not think otherwise. While we all complained the starting pitching was a mess, no one mentioned the offense was a truly great.(photo: Star-Ledger)
Yesterday, when the Yanks took the field, all eyes were on AJ Burnett. Meanwhile home runs by Alex, Tex and Russell Martin gave us runs so Detroit could only play catchup. "Russell has Muscle" was all I heard from Sterling when Martin cranked his out and I knew then right then, all was right in Yankeeland.AJ Burnett did what he was supposed to do in his first start, pitch and not think, and he did that. And even after the home run by Austin Jackson, he didn't lose his confidence. He kept on throwing. In the 5th is when he ran into trouble and that was expected considering it was AJ's first start of the season. No one expected him to pitch 8 innings, especially after last year. Slow and steady wins the race and AJ will get there soon enough. Baby steps. AJ will be the good pitcher he once was, in the Pyramid of Pitching Dominance, it takes time and all of us know he can do it. What we don't need as Yankee fans are obvious headlines like this from Bob Klapisch who writes: No offense Bob... no kidding. Yankee fans don't want to hear that, we want him going out there, confidence high and chucking it and we want to hear about the NOW. Because if you got too far ahead of yourself, your mind starts racing and you fall apart. One game at a time, as Jeter likes to say. As Yankee fans, we don't need any unnecessary phrasing to make us think our #2 ace is about to fall apart at any minute. I never like that kind of headline. That being said, Klapisch is probably the best out there...much respect.

The Yankees are the real deal Ladies and Gentlemen and if you weren't sure, you should be now. The key to the Yanks are to win each series. Yes, we want them to win every game but winning each series is more important. You do that, you go to the payoffs. So Game 2 looked nice, Yankees 10-Detroit 6. Me likey.

Moving ahead, I feel positive about today's game with Phil Hughes on the mound. Phil is young but Phil is hungry. Phil learns from mistakes and is a sponge to every Yankee move made on the field. Expect him to do well today in his first start. Look for him to change up his pitches, and for him to go 6 innings. If he can, that sweet bullpen will shut the door early. If not, we win the series and that's just as important.

By the way, a quick shout out to Russell Martin, your proving the doubters wrong and I love the grit. Stay healthy my man.

To Alex Rodriguez, a few monster hits in a few games and your on your way to an MVP season. Love it.(photo: Daily News)
Tex, what can I say, you're hot as hell, just don't pitter out on us come October. Love the aggression right now. (photo: Star-Ledger)
Speed was key, Gardner and Granderson stole some bags and Jeter legged out a single. I've said it time and time again, add speed to the mix and you win every time if your offense and pitching is there.

AJ, I doubted you, but love the new you. You are the only one who can turn you around. Roth can help, fans can help, but ultimately, it's you. Do it bro, we're all behind you. Make the fans proud!

1pm game today, be there...I will.

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WHY BUSTER MAKES ME GO BALLISTIC

Two days ago, I received my weekly subscription of ESPN the magazine and it was the baseball preview issue. I was very excited to see how the experts predicted the Bombers would finish this year. After turning to the AL East section, I see something completely outrageous:

The obvious one was he chose the Sox to win the AL East. Big surprise, who hasn't done that?
Then, for the AL Wild Card, he chose the TAMPA BAY RAYS, that's when I vomited in my mouth.

Yes, that's right, the Friggin' Tampa Bay Rays. The team that unloaded half of it's roster and that is clearly in rebuilding mode. The Rays lost the following key players this offseason:

• Starting 1st Baseman: Carlos Pena went to the Cubs
  
• Starting Left Fielder: Carl Crawford went to the Sox
• Starting Shortstop: Jason Bartlett went to the Padres
• Closing Pitcher: Rafael Soriano went to the Yankees
• 3rd starter: Matt Garza went to the Cubs
  

The Rays basically lost the whole middle of their lineup, their closer, and in my opinion their second best starter from last year, David Price was first or course.

So, really Buster Olney? Really? Do you really think the Tampa Bay Rays team they currently have on the field, the team that was downgraded, can beat out the New York Yankees, who won the World Series just 2 years ago and virtually the same core of players, like A-Rod, who's now at full strength, Jeter, who's bound to bounce back to .300 and Tex? Not to mention a hot as hell Cano?

I don't see it. Not even close Buster, come on! Even with the rotation the Yankees have announced today, we still have a better shot than what the Rays have, no doubt.
Do me a favor, don't you be a Yankee hater too, or am I too late?


--Will Cohen, BYB Staff Writer

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