HERE COMES HECTOR NOESI AND FRIENDS

Hector Noesi was called up when the Yankees expanded the rosters along with 3 others…Greg Golson, Ramiro Pena and George Kontos. Earlier this week I posted THE YANKEES GANG OF 6. That group was the first grouping of call ups this September. I think it’s safe to say so far it’s worked out nicely for Jesus Montero and the Yankees with that call up, huh?

Now, a lot of people forget what Noesi has done for the Yankees this season, but they shouldn’t. This is a kid that has done what’s been asked of him and no doubt, some of the roles he’s played this year have been pretty crappy, but he’s done his best for us and that can’t be overlooked. This season, Noesi is 2-0 with a 3.42 ERA and allowed 47 hits on 47.1 innings pitched. He's stuck out 36 and walk 15, all in 24 games.

Hector Noesi is usually the guy who comes in in the later innings to either mop up or rest the pen. Sometimes he needs to go 3 innings. Sometimes he needs to just come in to end the game. Every single time he’s pitched his heart out. I have to say, many times Hector’s locked it down. My point is, he’s the forgotten man, the guy who needs to hold it together when we can’t afford to do anything else or we’re up 8 runs by the 7th. Noesi deserves huge props no doubt and that’s why the kid’s back. To me, Noesi could be an important pitcher down the stretch. He knows his role, he wants the ball and will be ready when called upon.

Greg Golson has great speed and a cannon. I will never forget last season, it was September and Goldson fired a gun from right field to peg the speedy Carl Crawford trying to slide into third base.

It was probably the only time Carl Crawford was pegged like that and it stuck out in my mind as one of the greatest throws coming out of right field. Look for Golson to be used in the late innings for late inning scoring.

Ramiro Pena. The kid's back after having an appendectomy. He’s the defense and speed if we need it. Pena’s been bouncing around for a few years now back and forth and he’s a bench player, he knows it and he knows he probably won’t get much playing time on the Yankees. Would he on another team? Not sure, but on a Yankee team of stars, forget it. Pena’s definitely an asset though, good choice on a September call-up.

George Kontos has earned his right to play in the pros because he did awesome this year in Scranton Wilkes-Barre. Kontos is a reliever and in 40 appearances, he has a 2.62 ERA. Hey, you know about how I feel about extra help out of the pen, Kontos is it. I doubt he’ll pitch much, but maybe.

Andrew Brackman was also called but, although I don't see this kid having much playing time. Brackman has an ERA over 6.00 and has struggled all season in Scranton. I would imagine, it is more for the major league experience.

As other possible call ups happen, like for instance the talk of Dellin Betances or Manny Banuelos possibly being called up, I'll keep you in the loop here at Bleeding Yankee Blue.

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WHY I CHOOSE LAIRD OVER NUNEZ

(In Photo: Brandon Laird)
I know I’m not in good company when I say that headline out loud, but let’s face it, I can’t stand the errors that Nunez is offering night after night and while it isn’t fair for me to choose Brandon Laird over Eduardo Nunez based merely on minor league numbers, I am and I will because I can.

This isn’t to say I don’t like Nunez. I’ve heard it time and time again, "Nunez can learn to play a better in field" or "Nunez can learn to throw better." OK, When? He’s a major leaguer, it’s not like there’s a more elite league after the Majors; This is it, so the time is now. Show me something. Nunez has a terrific bat and while he filled in for Jeter, he was hitting close to .300. I will give him that, but 12 errors is the team high and Nunez owns that and he hasn’t played all that much before the Jeter fill in role.

(In Photo: Brandon Laird)

On the other side of the coin, when the Yankees got word that Ramiro Pena needed to have his appendix removed (HERE), suddenly they had a roster spot for an infielder, so Brandon Laird was called up. Laird was hitting .266 in Scranton Wilkes Barre and had 10 homers and 21 doubles. The kid's got huge potential and the best part is, he can play almost anywhere. By almost anywhere I mean some key spots, third base, first base and the outfield. Yes, the chatter about Laird has been positive and I’m the first person to buy into it. Remember Brian Gordon? I embraced him, and here comes Laird and I’ll do the same, I'm easy. Why? Because early on, the hype around Laird was big, and hopefully he’ll measure up.

So yes, when errors stack up fast and when errors lose ball games, people are going to start talking. And I’m not saying I’m rooting for that to happen, I’m just saying that’s the only way people will open their eyes.

Girardi is clearly fooled by Nunez’s bat and Girardi told Pete Caldera at the Bergen Record that “He’s earned that” in reference toNunez having A-Rod’s spot at 3^rd while A-Rod recovers from surgery. All I’m saying is, give Nunez a few days off, play Laird and watch him perform, that’s all. Yes, your heart may be set on Nunez, but all I’m saying is I feel like something’s coming. Nunez has dodged a few bullets on errors and pretty soon, I don’t know when, there’s going to be a costly error that will make people say enough’s enough. No, I’m not the Amazing Kreskin, this is a gut thing…. Hopefully I’m wrong….when it comes to this stuff, I like to be wrong.

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WHY HUGHES WAS HUGHES FOR YANKEES

(Photo: New York Times)
I'm not going to lie to you, I was nervous. What I didn't want to see was Phil Hughes implode and more and more questions about the Yankees rotation would surface, especially after Colon not getting out of the first inning 3 days ago and Freddy Garcia getting the loss in his start. Thank God, my worry was all for naught. Phil Hughes was Phil Hughes and that was huge, thank God.

Phil looked like his old self and his velocity was up to almost 93 mph. He allowed 4 hits, 2 runs and walked 2 while striking out 5 in 6 innings. To me, that sounds like Phil Hughes is on his way to truly being Hughes again. Let's hope so, because with CC and Burnett, we could really use a reliable 3rd. No, I'm not putting down Colon or Garcia, when I say that, I'm merely giving you the reality... the Yankees don't need broken down pitchers and while Colon and Garcia were huge in the first half, the second half is more important. Phil Hughes needs to continue what he did today, and by gum, he'll become our reliable number 3 come October.

The hit of the game came from Curtis Granderson for sure in the 4th inning, a 2 run double. Granderson keeps doing what he has been doing all year, being clutch.

Russell Martin had a nice double today and even Ramiro Pena contributed with a sacrifice.

Overall the Yankees did what they needed to do to win today and they definitely contributed to Hughes win. The big story of the day though is Phil Hughes. He's on the road back and full of confidence after this start, no doubt.

Final Score today: Yankees 7 - Blue Jays 2.

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WHY LOSING A-ROD CAN MAKE US STRONGER

Ever since the Yankees Championship win in 2009, Alex Rodriguez not only officially became a New York Yankee to many, but he became a favorite of many. Like I’ve said time and time again, it is my opinion that at that moment of World Championship status, Alex Rodriguez matured greatly and the man learned relax a bit. I think it truly taught him to be himself and not some fictitious figure who was larger than life. Sure, Alex knew he was talented, but so were so many already on the Yankees. Alex thought he had to live up to the hype and when he didn’t and just played ball, it all fell into place. With that, Alex gained new fans, all who continue to root for him to succeed to this day.

That’s why when news came down that he needed surgery on his right knee to repair the torn meniscus (HERE), it was both sad and annoying to me. This is a guy that’s been pretty solid all year, minus the home runs. Now, I would suspect the knee is affecting his home run power. Kevin Long constantly talks about leg power when hitting, and he’s helped many Yankees get over their own humps by re-training them to use their legs more when at bat. Could the knee be contributing to Alex’s lack of power at the plate? Perhaps… just asking.

This surgery will then put Alex out of commission for 4 to 6 weeks and while he’s recovering, we have some searching to do. The big question, who will play third base? Joe Girardi had mentioned that Eduardo Nunez will get the bulk of the playing time, but I needed to go through my own head to think through on if there was someone else:

Yes, it's doubtful we would put someone like Ramiro Pena in that spot for 6 weeks, with lack of power and the errors he’s been offering, but expect him to fill in once in a while. Pena does what Pena does best, bench help.

Eric Chavez clearly would be the guy if he wasn’t nursing his own back, foot and abdominal injuries. Wow, what a shame, Chavez would have been the perfect candidate.

Eduardo Nunez was tapped by Girardi and you all know, it's not my first pick to replace Alex as the 3^rd base guy, but who else do we have? If Nunez can cut down on the errors, it will be a good, temporary fix, but me personally, I wouldn’t overuse Nunez in the hot corner if someone like Chavez comes back within those 6 weeks. Why? because Chavez is a veteran who I trust, unless he were to get hurt again. Nunez just needs to stop the errors and sloppy play, but damn, I love his bat.

SB Nation had the story about the Chicago connection and the Yankees talking about bringing in someone like Aramis Ramirez. While the Ramirez trade is appealing, I do wonder if the Cubs would be willing to part with him, and if in fact Ramirez would waive his no-trade clause. Coming to a contender would be a big deal for Ramirez, but he’s been with the Cubs for such a long time, he may not want to mess with his comfort level.

One thing is for sure, Alex’s bat not being the Yankee lineup can disrupt the teams momentum, but we CAN manage without him temporarily...there are options and we have subs. The good news to all of this is when Alex comes back, he’ll be 100% ready to kick ass with 1 month left to go in the season. At that point, both the Red Sox and Rays will be Top the AL East with the Yankees in what for sure will be a bloodbath. But know this, if Alex comes back swinging and healthy, expect a Division win, not a Wild Card, especially if the rest of the Yankees are pitching and hitting as well as they’ve been this year. After all, it’s our Quest for 28… anything less would be a failure.

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WHY IT WASN'T PERFECT, BUT IT WAS A WIN

The Yankees were once again able to continue their winning ways on the road despite a weak lineup going into the game. Manager Joe Girardi had Mark Teixiera, A-Rod, and Russell Martin sit out game one of the double header against the Reds.

Everyone in Yankeeland was scratching their heads before the game, but it was all for not as the Yanks were able to combine some spectacular plays with sloppy plays, clutch hitting, and great pitching in the 4-2 win.
One guy who was happy about the weaker lineup was Jorge Posada. Jorgie continued his hot hitting with a big two run home run, which was the difference of the game, in the sixth inning. Also, Brett Gardner and Robinson Cano kept up their hot hitting. Gardy went 1-4 with an infield single in the third which started the 2-run inning. Robinson Cano added a couple of opposite field singles, including an RBI to raise his average to .297.
Freddy Garcia dominated in this one. He went seven innings, allowed two unearned runs--I'll get to that in a bit--and struck out four to move to 6-6 on the year. He also lowered his ERA to 3.30. He's been a great pickup thus far.

The two unearned runs came in the fifth inning with Ramiro Pena's two errors. First, he made a throwing error at first trying to throw out Ryan Hanigan. His second of the inning came when he tried to throw out Fred Lewis at the plate. He also had another error later in the game when a ground ball went through his legs Bill Buckneresque, but no harm, no foul.Francisco Cervelli also had a tough day, going 0-3 with two strikeouts. His average dipped to .175. He also didn't help out Ramiro Pena in the fifth inning by failing to hold onto the ball in trying to tag out Fred Lewis.
Despite the sloppy play, there were a couple of nice plays in the second inning defensively. First, there was Nick Swisher's leaping catch in right. Freddy Garcia followed it up by snaring a line drive to rob Edgar Renteria of a hit.

It was good game 1 of the Double Header. Look for game 2 recap tonight.

Final Score: Yankees 4 - Reds 2



--Jesse Schindler, BYB Staff Writer




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WHY WE'RE HURTING BUT HITTING

You can sit there and tell me that there is no home run chase going on in the Bronx this year, and I'll tell you you're full of crap. Do you realize that Curtis Granderson has 21 home runs and now so does Mark Teixeira? This may be the most excited I've been about baseball all year. I'm not kidding.(Photo: AP)
In my lifetime, I saw players use some type of drug enhancements to hit enough home runs to beat Roger Maris's 61 home runs in a single season. Both Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa did it in 1998 and then a few years later, Barry Bonds did it. But to me, those guys don't count. Like I've said before, my kids are getting older and they're asking questions. To me, I don't accept cheating in baseball, so when they ask me who the single season home run champ is, it's clear... it's Roger Maris and it always will be Roger Maris. Sorry, but this is Casey's House of Baseball, and that's the way it should be. That being said, I don't suspect wrongdoing with Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson, especially with the new drug testing we do in the MLB, so if a New York Yankee were to break that record clean, while I would be sad for Roger, it would be exciting for the Yankees and Casey's House of Baseball. Plus, I can teach the right way to play the game to my kids.

Tex tonight had 4 RBI's and scored 3 runs. He is on fire and you've got to love it. He's hot as hell.
(Photo: Getty)
But what else happened tonight you ask? Well, don't look now but Ivan Nova is 6-4. Nice record for a guy that we weren't sure about. Tonight he pitched 5.2 innings, gave up 7 hits and 4 runs. I'll take that from Ivan and run with it.There were home runs galore tonight. Robinson Cano cranked out a 3 run shot which was beautiful, plus, a couple home runs tonight for Eduardo Nunez and Ramiro Pena. Look, Pena is the kind of guy that just fills in when needed. He never seems to ever complain about anything, he's just happy to be there. So I'm happy for him.

Nunez on the other hand is on a mission and I love what he's doing right now at the plate. A solo homer tonight and 2 stolen bases. He ended up being 2 for 4. I like that. Hopefully it will translate on the field and his fielding will improve. Also, and not to get off track but just to make a point; Nunez is just so damn likeable. In his post game with Kim Jones, he's just smiling ear to ear. You've got to love that. Good for him.

Streaks are good and the Yankees are on a winning streak right now that makes them look like Champions, champions with injuries by the way. You guys realize that we are done some very important stars right? Derek Jeter, Bartolo Colon, Rafael Soriano, Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Russell Martin. These are players that contribute every time they are on the field, yet, we are still producing and digging deep every time for the win without them. You have to respect it and you have to love what we're doing right now. Let's hope it keeps up. Ladies and Gentlemen, something is in the air. Can you smell it? I smell October.

Final Score tonight: Yankees 12 - Rangers 4. God Bless America, the Yankees are rolling.

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WHY WE NEED TO LOOK AHEAD

February 14th means 2 things to me:

1. Expressing my love to my wife
2. Expressing my love to my ball club.

February 14th is the day that Pitchers and Catchers officially report to Spring Training for the New York Yankees and that's the day I forget about the snow and ice and start looking forward to baseball again, the greatest sport in the world.

I'm thrilled that Cashman put in place alittle veteran energy on the bench by signing Eric Chavez and Ronnie Belliard. Yes, both Chavez and Belliard have signed minor league deals, but I expect both will be on the big club come March 31st along with someone like Ramiro Pena, merely because of speed and because he can play shortstop.

I personally love the fact that veterans are mixed in with youngsters. It's a good mixture of experience and youth and it usually works out well. I know I'm getting way ahead myself assuming Chavez and Belliard will be on the Yankees bench, but I just don't see it any other way.

The pitching obviously is still key and many Yankee fans are panicking. Don't be. Cash did what he could do. He never fell in love with anyone after Cliff Lee but examined everything carefully and took the best options. I trust his judgement and I know something's coming, I just don't know what. Again, expect a good competition for rotation spots and expect some surprises. At the end of the day, I see Mitre as the mop up guy in the bullpen and a Garcia and Nova combination in the back end of the rotation.

And finally, I just want to take a moment and express my sadness, yet excitement for Ol' Reliable, Andy Pettitte. Only Andy knows what his body can do, and if Andy needs to sit this one out, then we as fans, need to respect it. He's fought hard all these years and has always come through. Hell, he even got a base hit in the World Series in 2009. You have to respect the guy.

Andy Pettitte is and will be a Yankee forever, but for now, it's time to turn the page. Spring Trainings right around the corner. Let's move forward... we have a 28th championship to win. After all, players come and go, but our energy is still the same, and now it's time to harness it once again, into another winning season. LET'S GO YANKS!

Finally, look for the Bleeding Yankee Blue's first Fan of the Week on our page Monday morning. For those of you who haven't sent in your picture wearing Yankee Gear, please do so soon, deadline is February 6th... Super Bowl Sunday. Email it to my FB message OR email to BleednYankeeBlu@gmail.com.

Good luck.

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