WHY REAL MEN CRY

Jorge Posada has been a great New York Yankee and that means something... he's never let down the true fan base and while this season was frustrating, the playoffs was his for the taking and me personally, I loved every minute of it, because it wasn't a great player fizzling, it was fizzling player shining. If there was a way to go out on a high note, Jorge did. I'm proud of him.

Jorge was never supposed to be a superstar catcher, but he was many a season. Sure, there were down seasons but 4 rings later this guy has transformed into a Yankee icon. The Core Four truly had a great run and after Andy Pettitte retired and now Jorge Posada's possible career in pinstripes coming to an end, well, it looks like we may be saying goodbye to our hero.Look, anyone who reads Bleeding Yankee Blue knows how much I love and appreciate Jorge Posada. I didn't like the way he was squeezed out and I watched the poor guy get pushed to the back of the line throughout the season. It could have been done differently, although, I understand, that's business.

I wrote AN OPEN LETTER TO JORGE POSADA because after everything that went on, his changing role and the reality that the Yankees needed to move forward, as did Jorge, I wanted to express my emotion. Well, that emotion came full circle watching my hero get choked up after Game 5 of the ALDS. Jorge cried, and guess what...good for him. Real men cry.



Look, this is a guy that gave his heart and soul to the New York Yankees and it had ended, while on a personal high note because successful in the ALDS, it ended on a low note for the Yankees as a team. Team is all that Jorge thought about. At that moment, as far as he knew, his tenure in pinstripes is over. He's probably not coming back to the Bronx, a place he's called home for 17 years. It's saying goodbye and so, Jorge cried. Look, I totally get it. I cry when my son wins a heat in a swim meet, or when my other guy gets a winning hit. I cry when I watch Rudy, or when the Yankees win the World Series. It's a life thing...success, the thrill of victory, or in his case the agony of defeat.

No one knows what will happen to Jorge Posada, but his future with the Yankees is certain, no, not as a player, put perhaps a coach or an advisor or maybe he'll just stay away for awhile reflecting, but expect something big to happen, when we least expect it...perhaps a number retiring, or a Jorge Posada Appreciation day. One things for sure, Jorge will never be forgotten. With the future of the Yankees catching looking bright in Jesus Montero and Austin Romine and hopefully the return of Russell Martin the Yankees will be OK. And guess what, so with Jorge Posada. No doubt Poe will go down as a Yankee legend for if anything, his incredible drive and heart as a member of the New York Yankees. He is truly Bleeding Yankee Blue and as a fellow peer, meaning, he and I are the same age, I say this, "You played your guts out Jorge. Now's your time. Walk into the sunset and remember all the great times, and most of all, thank you."

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WHY ANDY PETTITTE IS BACK

"Unless God works a miracle and gives me that desire... I don't see any chance," --Andy Pettitte said of a comeback.

Will Andy Pettitte come back? Kind of. He's not going to be a surprise rotation add, but Andy will be at Yankee Stadium today to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Andy Pettitte is a staple in Yankees postseason play and I miss the guy. I love Pettitte, I wish the guy could pitch forever.
I snagged this quote from the Bergen Record: "'Standing right here, you miss it. You'd love to be out there whenever you get around the environment," Pettitte told reporters on the field Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium."

According to Pete Caldera "Pettitte made it a point to not watch much baseball this year, but he got caught up in all the wild regular season finishes. "So, that gets you excited for (the playoffs), sure.'"
The Yankees also invited Andy's wife Laura to sing the National Anthem before the game today.

Take a look at Andy Pettitte's Post season numbers over the years on both the Yankees and the Astros:

19-10, 3.83 ERA, 42 G, 263 IP, 173 K

Looking forward to seeing you Andy...Welcome home.

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: TODD ZEILE

I'm a Yankee fan. I love the team, I love the YES Network gang, Kimberly Jones, Jack Curry, Ken Singleton and the like, and I love the Stadium. But I also love baseball. Before I was a Yankee fan, I was a baseball fan and today, I consider myself a student of the game, constantly researching players and records. It's real fun to me.One guy's career that I've followed is Todd Zeile. Mr. Zeile played for the Cardinals, the Mets, and even the Yankees among several others. Not only was he a stand up guy, giving Bleeding Yankee Blue an interview, he also gave us some pretty interesting and surprising answers to our questions. It was a pleasure to talk with Todd Zeile, and we're are pleased to release Bleeding Yankee Blue interview with him for all of you. Enjoy!
BYB: You started your baseball career as a catcher with the Cardinals. At the time, Joe Torre was the manager and it’s been reported that he thought you were a true talent and wanted you more utilized so he suggested you play first or third base. First off, is this true, and secondly, describe your relationship with Joe Torre then and now?

Todd Zeile: I was a catcher from 8 years old and moved in my second year in the big leagues. Joe did have some influence on the decision, but the organization wanted to let Terry Pendleton walk and figured they could keep my bat in the lineup for more games and fill two positions with me at third and Tom Pagnozzi behind the plate. I wasn't happy at the time, and Joe and I butted heads about it, but it's hard to argue after 2000 more games in the infield. Joe taught me more about how to play the game than anyone else in my professional career, and I consider him a very close friend today.BYB: You were with the Mets in 2000 with Al Leiter. Tell me about the World Series that year and what is was like playing at Yankee Stadium against your cross town rivals?

Todd Zeile: The 2000 Subway Series was the highlight of my career and eternally linked me to the city that is like home to me. I always loved playing at Yankee Stadium. There is nothing like the energy of that World Series, on that stage, with that city relishing every moment. Obviously, I wish the results were different, but the series was much closer and more hard fought than a 5 game series would represent. We had chances to win every game, and I'm proud to have played in it and played well!

BYB: You came to the Yankees in 2003, what was it like to be reunited with Torre and explain the feel of the clubhouse?

Todd Zeile: I came to the Yankees in 2003 specifically out of my relationship with Joe, and looked forward to a great experience. Unfortunately, Nick Johnson got hurt before spring training, negating a trade that was supposed to happen. That would have given me an opportunity for 450 plus at bats if it did happen. Instead, I fell into a platoon role with my good buddy Robin Ventura, and never really adapted to a limited playing schedule. I think it hurt both Robin and myself since neither of us had ever played on a part time basis.

BYB: Who did you latch onto with the 2003 team and why?

Todd Zeile: Robin Ventura and I were already close from our time with the Mets, but I became friends and am still friends with a few of the other guys. Jason Giambi's awesome. Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte helped me hone in on my golf skills on the road. The team was filled with classy guys and great players.

BYB: You were released in August 2003 by the Yankees and it’s been reported that you weren’t happy about how the Yankees handled it. Was it just a heat of the moment thing or are you still annoyed by it?
Todd Zeile: I wasn't upset about the way it was handled, I was actually appreciative to be given an opportunity to go somewhere to play every day. I pleaded with Joe to let me go...Robin had been traded and Aaron Boone was playing third at the time. I got a chance to go to Montreal and had a great month plus with a hungry team fighting for a playoff spot.

BYB: If you had to name 1 player in Major League baseball that you admired as a kid, who would it be and why?
Todd Zeile: That's tough...I was a Dodger fan, so I watched them as a kid, and admired Steve Garvey, and emulated his hitting approach. However, I was also a catcher, and Johnny Bench was the best, so I was a little conflicted.

BYB: How about during your career, what player did you have a close relationship with and why?

Todd Zeile: I have a few good friends, but Robin Ventura was my closest player relationship for many reasons....the World Series, 9/11, our families.
BYB: A lot of people don’t know this but you’re married to another famous athlete, Olympic Gold Medalist Julianne McNamara. She was the first American Gymnast to receive a perfect 10.0 Right? How did you 2 meet?

Todd Zeile: Very true....we met at UCLA in my junior year. She had to retire soon after we met in order to try and maintain a relationship with a traveling minor league ballplayer. Her sacrifice and understanding of what it takes to compete at the highest level enabled me to sustain a career, especially with the many strains that 11 teams in 16 years can create.

BYB: Describe what made you decide to go Hollywood. You started a production company called Green Diamond Entertainment. Tell me about how it all came together?

Todd Zeile: Stupidity mixed with Vanity...Kidding! But it has not been an easy ride. I grew up in LA and with my MLB experience, am one degree separated from everybody...including many people that have been very successful in Hollywood. Unfortunately, it took some time, and I paid for an "education", but I have moved on from some early relationships and have some fun projects on the horizon.

BYB: Do you have a project you’d like to promote, maybe a website so people can keep up with what you’re doing these days? Are you on Twitter or Facebook?

Todd Zeile: I am not on Facebook and not a Twitter guy. I know, I'm a dinosaur, but I keep in touch with the people I want to, and know that if I started with social media, I will never stop looking at a computer screen. My 4 kids deserve to have my full attention, especially since they've had to share me with a very demanding profession for such a long time. Having said that, I may have to join the 21st Century soon, as I have been working on some interesting projects with the king of social media - Charlie Sheen. We just shot his Roast for Comedy Central, which will air tonight, 9/19 at 10 pm. It is epic...and will be a huge success. If you watch, you might see a familiar name scroll through the end credits as Co-Executive Producer.

Todd Zeile is the coolest guy out there. I hope everyone enjoyed the interview and just like Scott Brosius, Chuck Knoblauch, Kimberly Jones, Roy White and the other great interviews we've done, Todd is also now part of the Bleeding Yankee Blue family... always welcome. Thanks so much Todd, we appreciate it.

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I THOUGHT...WHAT WOULD ANDY PETTITTE DO?

BYB Headquarters is up and running and it's amazing what technology can do for business these days. While I wasn't able to do much, I was able to communicate on Twitter when needed and at least I was able to let you guys know I'd be out of pocket for a bit. You guys are like my second family after all. Several hours later, it's safe to say that all is well at BYB. The kids are accounted for and flooding in my basement is the least of my worries right now. The big thing here is we're still able to crank out posts for you guys, and if you have power, hopefully you can read us. Maybe it will take your mind off of thing. Yes, it's true, the whole time I was holding down the Fort with my wife, I thought "What would Andy Pettitte do?"Pathetic? Yes, but when your team is up against the ropes, my team being my family, I knew I had to turn it around kind of like Andy Pettitte every time the Yankees were down 2-0 in a playoff or any time he lifted the team after a tough loss the night before. Yes, I sound dramatic, don't I? Well, you don't really want to hear about me, you want to hear about the Yankees on this blog, so I'm doing my best. Humor me.



Down in the dumps and worried trees would crash though my windows and I'd wake up with my house on the Yellow brick road, I thought about Andy Pettitte. I need to stay calm, get the kids in a safe environment and make sure I knew where the radio and flashlight was. My wife and I went to bed and at 2am it felt like the roof was about to fly off. Did you guys hear the wind last night? Did I panic? No, actually alittle. But, I knew I had a job to do... like Andy Pettitte did so many times before. I circled the wagons once again, made sure all was well in the house and laid back down with my flashlight on my chest. All I needed was a Cowboy hat to rest over my eyes and I would have felt like the ultimate bad ass. Bottom line, Dads and moms do what they need to do to keep things safe. We did that last night.



Today, we won. Andy Pettitte would have won and it's that drive and confidence that he's had all those years that really impressed me and translated to us. To be truthful, it's the adrenaline that keeps you going. I can remember the stare and the performances Pettitte gave us and it holds true, he would grind it out and he would win and keep his Yankee family safe... with a win.Now that it appears Hurricane Irene is leaving New York, let's not bitch and moan about all she tried to do. Let's be the better team. Let's wave goodbye, say nice try and then let's move on, like champions. Ladies and Gentlemen, it was a nasty hurricane, but it wasn't going to beat us... after all, we knew we could beat it.



I hope everyone was able to stay safe... now let's play ball.



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WHY BERNIE WILLIAMS SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN

We constantly drop the phrase “Core Four” and even now, after Andy Pettitte hung it up. Yes, it rhythms, but what about Bernie Williams? Have we forgotten one of the true Yankee greats of our time? Why not the Core Five? I hate to ignore this guy, he was so damn good for us and yes, won 4 rings for us.

Bernie Williams was home grown, just like our iconic Four… Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera. True, the others have 5 but at this point, isn’t 4 an accomplishment too?

These 5 guys represented leadership for many years on the New York Yankees and without them, I would suggest the may not have had our Championships. Bernie Williams came up big for us many times in the playoffs, dating back to 1996. Remember the 1996 ALDS against the Texas Rangers where he his .467? Remember the ALCS that year where he cranked out the home run in the 11th to put us ahead of the Orioles and eventually go to the World Series? Derek Jeter made some incredible plays and some major hits including his first and only walk off homer run against the Arizona Diamondbacks? “Mr. November!” was Michal Kay’s home run call as his circled the bases on that chilly night in 2001. Bernie was there for that.

I remember Jorge Posada hitting Pedro Martinez in the 2003 ALCS and tying the game when Hideki Matsui scored? I remember him screaming at the top of his lungs as he stood on second with his fists clinched. Bernie was there. And what can you say about Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera in the post season for all those years?… lights out and guess what? Bernie was there for almost all of it. My point is Bernie Williams is just as iconic as our Core Four and has been apart of the same teams with the same great memories and the fact that on a daily basis we leave him out aggravates me. Put it this way, when your at the stadium, you still see #51 on the backs of many hardcore fans. The Yankees are not giving that number to a player on the Yankees right now either. Why? Because Bernie’s royalty. #51 should and will never be worn again by another New York Yankee just like #2, #20, #42 and #46. Who knows when it will happen, but let’s face facts, the New York Yankees Core Five will all be retired one day in Yankeeland because without these guys, the Yankees would be just another ball club in the late 90’s. Sure, the other guys would have contributed, but the championships would have been eliminated without Bernie and company, no doubt.

So, when you’re chatting with friends and you talk about the recent Yankee greats, try dropping the "Core Five". I guarantee they'll know what you're talking about. After all, Bernie Williams cannot be forgotten.

By the way, Bernie Williams still going hot and heavy, this time with his music. He also has a new website www.bernie51.com. Be sure to check it out.

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WHY THE 2011 AL MVP PLAYS IN THE BRONX

With less than 40 games remaining in the regular season, the debate will kick into full force as to who should be the Most Valuable Player in the American League. 2007 was the last time the award was given to a player in pinstripes. That season, Alex Rodriguez hit 54 home runs, led the American League with 156 RBIs, a slugging percentage of .645 and received 26 of 28 first-place votes en route to his third AL MVP award. Last season Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers won the MVP award with 32 home runs and 100 RBIs. But now let’s take a look at who should be front and center in the discussion for the 2011 American League MVP award. In 123 games played this season, Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson has hit 35 home runs, including an inside the park job Sunday afternoon at Target Field in Minnesota. The Grandyman also has 98 RBIs, 65 total extra base hits and a slugging percentage of .594. All of this with 37 games remaining on the Yankees regular season schedule.

Here is where I will take a different twist on the MVP debate to solidify the vote for Granderson. From the break of spring training, actually, from the time Andy Pettitte announced his retirement and Cliff Lee spurned the Yankees for the Phillies, questions began to surround the Yankees as to who would step up for this team. When the team left Tampa, most thought the issue would be pitching, surprisingly it has not been as big of a concern as once feared. Through the slumps of Teixeira and Swisher and injuries to Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez on the offensive side, one thing has remained consistent…Curtis Granderson has been hot right out of the gate all the way into late August.

So as we sit here, 37 games away from the end of another regular season, we look at what has unfolded: The Captain reach a milestone never-before seen in the Bronx. The back end of the Yankees rotation was mocked by mostly everyone in baseball. The greatest closer ever, Mariano Rivera will move into first place on the all-time saves list. But, I ask you though... who has been more valuable to the Yankees than Curtis Granderson?



Thanks to Granderson's offense and defense, this New York Yankee team sits a half game up in the AL East on the Boston Red Sox. A Red Sox team that was supposed to rival one of the greatest clubs put together in decades. BYB wrote about it here in THE STATE OF THE YANKEES.

If the Most Valuable Player award is to go to a player who is indeed, the MOST valuable to their team and in all likelihood a team in the playoffs, how can it not be Curtis Granderson? If you subscribe to the theory that the MVP award is exactly that, I ask you to think about where this New York Yankees team would be today without Curtis Granderson. To me, the decision is crystal clear, isn't it?







--Justin Slaton, BYB Guest Writer









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WHY LOYALTY & DEDICATION IS THE YANKEE WAY

What's the deal with kids and entitlement? I see is all the time in life and it happens in baseball too. Back in the day, ballplayers like Ron Guidry or Goose Gossage, or even non-Yankee Nolan Ryan fought their way through the ranks of the minor leagues to make a living in the Bigs and then pitched their hearts out for long careers, never giving up and never thinking they were better than the others. They had heart and they had dedication. They did it because that's what people do, they get a job based on talent and they push themselves harder and harder every year to stay on top. You're only as good as your last appearance, so you constantly need to be out there pushing yourself and never giving up, because one day, it's over and the new kids come in.



But I've noticed that when the new kids come in, it's not the same. And sometimes, the quality isn't the same. The attitude definitely isn't the same. True, they worked their way up to get to the Bigs, but many of the "new" kids think that once they're on top, they've made it. But it's only the beginning...not so fast kiddies.



Getting to the top means hard work, loyalty, dedication and you need to constantly stay on top and never flash an ego. Work, work, work. It's life, and once you make it, you can't just sit back and relax and try and change the rules, because, let's face it, the rules are always the same. Kids today feel entitled for what they've done on some minor league stage somewhere, but the big picture is once you make it, you keep your nose to the grindstone and you keep going...hard, in hopes for a long career.

Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera are perfect examples and perfect role models of this too. They share 5 championships and they never flashed their arrogance ever. Many see someone like Ivan Nova as the future Andy Pettitte. It's true, I see flashes of that. Never show ego, always show focus.



I write this because it's more common than you think. You can usually pick out these kids who feel like they are entitled all day long and you won't see them 3 or 4 years from now, because they thought they could stop working, they thought they could change the rules. They hold onto a moment that's long past, but they offer nothing more.



Baseball is a game of failure and so is life and at the end of the day the goal is to make each day count, better than the last. You never give up. That's probably why I love the Yankees, they want nothing less and they cut loose the dead weight and arrogance and guess what... they've won 27 championships doing it. Damn... they must be doing something right, huh?



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WHAT IS A YANKEE GROUPIE? PART 2

THE MALE FAN



Groupie: enthusiastic fan: an enthusiastic fan or supporter of something.

A lot of positive response from BYB fans and Yankee fans alike who got a kick out of Christy Lee’s piece titled WHAT IS A YANKEE GROUPIE? THE FEMALE FAN from last week. Many asked though, why is it only targeting the women? Let’s be honest, everything Christy laid out is true, many women fall into these 3 categories… The Diva, the Cougar, the SuperFan, but the reality is, men have their own titles and categories. Us Yankee fans are a large community with all different personalities and that’s what makes us great. We’re like the Smurfs, except there are a ton of Smurfettes that want Derek Jeter to themselves. So while there are a ton of Yankee women who fall into say the "Cougar" category at the stadium, men have titles too:

"The Frat Boy": This guy usually stays until the last inning but doesn’t watch a moment of the game. He’s usually starts off wearing his Giambi or Munson jersey, not buttoned, and by the end of the night, it's off. He usually has his hat on backwards and that's usually missing or in his back pocket late in the game too. He walks around the stadium all game razzing non-Yankee fans and getting true Yankee fans pumped. He’s the guy that shouts down attractive rival female fans, but the reality is, he wants to bang them and in his intoxicated mind, he thinks his shouting is flirting with those ladies. Fans with kids at the game usually want to hide their kids from this guy, but they end up letting them watch the comedy unfold. Cops will approach these characters at least once if not more, but because they're Yankee fans, they are usually just told to tone it down. The frat boy usually has a seat but never sits in it, he’s just constantly drinking his $10 beer, walking around and yelling “Let’s go Yankees!” They’re alittle embarrassing, yet a staple in the Stadium and it wouldn’t be the same if they weren’t there.

"The Possum": This is the fan that wants to be "The Frat Boy" so badly, but will instead wear his perfect Yankee cap and talk trash about the crappy opposing teams fans to his friends, but won't razz the same fans he's bitching about because he doesn't want any trouble. Quite simply, he's really there to enjoy the game, but is a wanna be tough guy. He also will have a collared shirt under his nicely pressed pinstriped jersey, usually wearing Mussina or Pettitte.

"The Sign Guy": This fan is always at the stadium and comes equipped with a sharpie and poster paper and always has the American Flag for the 7^th inning that he drapes over 15 fans and shares holding it with a Yankee fan he never met before in his life. It doesn’t matter, they’re both there for the same thing, they’re looking for a Yankee win. He’s the guy that comes up with creative ways to get on camera, making signs that say “I play the Michael Kay drinking game” or uses the Captain from Capt. Crunch cereal as the “K” for when CC pitches. He's the guy that would quickly make a sign that reads "Pedroia, say hello to your mother for me" if his original sign with Ortiz's name didn't apply because of a last minute scratch from the lineup. Bottom line, it's all about topical signage at the stadium for this guy, and he's great at it.

"The Nerd": Yeah, every game has one, the guy who has the radio earplug in his ear, his faded Yankee cap from the 70’s and a stat book keeping track of the game and listening to the radio play by play at a live sporting event. You really have to respect it because there have been times where if the crowd get’s too loud, he will literally turn to the crowd and "shhhhhh" them like they're in a library. It’s always a bizarre scene, but without these guys at the game, it isn’t really a game now, is it?

Let’s Go Yankees!



NOTE: The photos used in this post were not the actual Groupies described... just die hard Yankee fans.



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WHY IT'S JUST BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR IVAN NOVA

(Photo: Getty)

Ivan Nova needed only one run from his teammates today but to play it safe the offense went out and gave him 3. The "2011 AL Rookie-of-the-Year" was absolutely spectacular today as he pitched 7 innings of shut out ball to help the Yankees take 3-out-of-4 from the Minnesota Twins.



Bouncing back from that rough outing earlier this week in Kansas City, Nova made the pitches when he needed them the most and was in total control from the start. Even when the Yankees did their best imitation of the Bad News Bears in the field, Nova picked up his teammates and shut down any chance of the Twins scoring. Nova mixed up his pitches and had the Twin hitters off balance for most of the afternoon. His final line today was 7 IP's - 5 Hits - 0 ER - 5 K's - 1 BB. The best part? Nova earned his 13th win of 2011 and lowered his ERA to 3.96.



The Yankee's bullpen combination of David Robertson and Mariano Rivera has quickly become the most dominant 8-9 combo in MLB this year. DRob did what DRob does in the 8th. Despite giving up two infield singles, both of which could have been outs, and a walk to Jim Thome, "Houdini" closed the door on any hope the Twins had. And then it was Mo time in the 9th: 1-2-3 went the Twins and Mariano gets his 33rd save of the year.Ivan Nova continues to show amazing composure despite his age. I mentioned it a couple weeks ago in this piece, WHY IVAN NOVA IS JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED. This 2010/2011 Ivan Nova reminds me so much of the 1995/1996 Andy Pettitte. I remember when Pettitte became a full time starter for the Yankees. What stood out for me was the way he handled himself on the mound. It seemed no matter what the game situation was, Pettitte kept his composure and showed so much heart. When you turned on a Yankee game and Pettitte was on the mound, when you looked at him you couldn't tell if the Yankees were up 3-0 or down 7-0. Pettitte literally threw one pitch at a time. That is exactly what Ivan Nova is showing to me now. I believe we are truly watching a pitching phenom develop right before our eyes and it goes way back to how much we've supported Nova here at BYB. This piece, WHY HE'S SUPER NOVA is from March, but it just shows that there were early signs, this kid was bound to have a great year. So, enjoy it Yankee fans, I know I am!

For the first 6 innings today the Yankee bats were pretty much sleeping. They managed to manufacture a run in the 6th inning to break the scoreless game. Even though Nova and the bullpen only needed that one run today, the Bronx Bombers tacked on a couple more in the 7th inning with back-to-back, and a belly-to-belly home runs by the "2011 AL MVP" Curtis Granderson and his shadow, Mark Teixiera. (Photo: AP)

For Grandy it was home run #35 of the year and he is now tied with Jose Bautista of Toronto. And for Tex, it was his 34th HR of the season. Can anyone say Maris & Mantle, 1961? Here at BYB, we began seeing the Maris/Mantle & Granderson/Teixeira similarities early on. Check out

WHY ITS 1961 ALL OVER AGAIN and WHY MANTLE & MARIS ARE STILL INTRIGUING TODAY. Casey's been pounding that drum all year.

Other Game Highlights today:

• In addition to Granderson's inside the park homer, it gives him 98 RBIs on the year and Grandy also stole his 24th base of the year.

• Teixeira's solo blast gives him 95 RBI.

• David Robertson continues to dazzle, particularly against lefty hitters. Robertson pitched an inning striking out two more left handed hitters. Robertson has now faced 96 left handed hitters, striking out 47 of them! Can anyone say CY Young? I can... read WHY DAVID ROBERTSON IS CY YOUNG WORTHY.

• Cano hit his 33rd double of the season. Nice.
  
  

FINAL SCORE: New York Yankees 3 - Minnesota Twins 0.





--Mikey Blue, BYB Senior Writer

Email: DonnieBaseball2323@gmail.com

Twitter: @MikeyBlu23





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WHY DAVID ROBERTSON IS CY YOUNG WORTHY

Heading into this year's Spring Training, I think I was like most Yankee fans when it came to David Robertson. We saw glimpses last year of a consistent, powerful pitcher out of the Yankee bullpen but I certainly would not have called him dominant. This season I figured his role would be once again to get out some tough hitters and be part of the bridge that would get us to Rafael Soriano and, eventually, Mariano Rivera. I certainly expected the 2011 D-Rob to be better this year than last but I have to admit, I never expected him to possibly make history.

Do you realize, statistically, David Robertson is having one of the most dominant single season pitching performances in Yankee history? Let that soak in for a minute. One of the greatest statistical pitching performances in New York Yankee history! Now I understand that there is a lot of baseball yet to be played and anything can happen. But at this pace D-Rob will put up numbers that will have many Yankee fans screaming "CY YOUNG!"If D-Rob continues to dominant American League hitters like this, his name will be among the greatest Yankee pitchers of all time: Names like Whitey Ford, Ron Guidry, Andy Pettitte, Catfish Hunter, Mariano Rivera, to name a few.Okay, so let me give you some of DRob's amazing stats so far this season:

• Including last nights game, DRob has appeared in 53 games this season and pitched 49.2 innings. In those 49.2 innings DRob has given up only 31 hits and struck out 74 batters! That breaks down to an average of 13.5 strikeouts per 9 innings. How sick is that? But wait, there's more...

• DRob has given up a total of 7 earned runs and has a 1.27 ERA.

• Of the 31 hits he has given up, only 7 have been extra base hits and, he has yet to give up a HR.

• Opposing hitters are hitting only .175 against him.

• And, he has yet to hit a batter.

Impressive numbers and if you dig a little deeper his stats just keep on giving...

• D-Rob is actually getting more dominant as the 2011 season progresses. I'll break down for you the key stats by months:

• April: In 11 games he faced 37 batters and gave up 9 hits and struck out 12.

• May: In 12 games he faced 44 batters and gave up 7 hits while striking out 23. Opposing batters his just .159 against D-Rob in May.

• June: In 11 games he faced 39 batters and, again, only gave up 7 hits while striking out 17 batters.

• July: In 10 games D-Rob faced 36 batters and gave up just 6 hits while striking out 16.

• August: So far in 9 games this month, he has faced 23 batters and only given up 2 hits. Opposing hitters are only hitting .167 against Robertson in August.

So as you can see DRob is only getting stronger as the season moves forward. More stats that stood out for me were his numbers against right handed hitters & left handed hitters. DRob has shattered the notion that he is simply a righty specialist. In fact, he has faced more left-handed-hitters this year than right-handed. DRob is an equal-opportunity dominant reliever!

• Vs. Right-handed-batters: DRob has faced 83 batter and given up just 16 hits, which comes to a .193 Avg. Of those 83 right handed batters he struck out 28.

• Vs. Left handed hitters: DRob has faced 94 batters while surrendering only 15 hits and striking out 45. Yep, he has almost struck out half of the left handed batters he has faced! Just a reminder, DRob is a right-handed pitcher!

Look, right now David Robertson is a middle reliever so no matter what kind of numbers he finishes with this year chances are he won't win the AL Cy Young. But in my opinion he deserves, at the very least, some consideration. Even some votes from the writers. It is hard to ignore and not reward a guy who is putting up statistics like the ones DRob is compiling as we speak. So here's to you DRob! If I had a vote for the Cy Young award I wouldn't think twice about throwing it your way! Thanks for an incredible season so far and we look forward to you helping us get #28!

DRob is one of BYB's favorite Yankees, not just for his on the field dominance but for the class and compassion he has off the field. For more on Roberstoson including BYB's exclsuive interview with D-Rob, please check out our previous articles:

WHY HITTERS RESPECT DAVID ROBERTSON
HELP ROBERTSON MAKE A DIFFERENCE
WHY ROBERTSON MAKES US PROUD
WHY ROBERTSON DESERVES AN ALL STAR BID
WHY KINDNESS MAKES THE WORLD GO 'ROUND
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: HIGH SOCKS FOR HOPE
WHY ROBERTSON'S AN INSPIRATION
WHY ROBERTSON DESERVES MORE CREDIT
WHY ROBERTSON WILL DOMINATE



--Mikey Blue, BYB Senior Writer
Email: DonnieBaseball2323@gmail.com

Twitter: @MikeyBlu23



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