Exploring the Infield

Now that the final member of the 2009 Championship Team has found a team, and the 2010 Yankees have finally just about taken shape, this can finally be explored. In a series of blogposts, I will explore different areas of the 2010 New York Yankees. Here is the first post, talking about the infield.

Nothing much has changed here. Teixeria, Cano, Jeter, Arod, make for one of the most solid infield's in all of baseball. Teixeria and Jeter getting Gold Gloves in the offseason, as well as Silver Sluggers. Jeter has already passed Lou Gehrig as the All Time Yankees hit leader on 9-11-09 with 2,722 hits. He is slowly climbing up on MLB's All-Time hits leader. He's currently 49th. He needs two more hits to tie Luke Appling who is 48. He should have that Opening Day in Fenway.

What can I say about Mark Teixeria, the Yankees' 2008-2009 surprise offseason pickup? To be honest, I did not think the Yankees were going to get him up until the hour before it was announced, and he was one of the major contributers to the Yankees' Championship run. He tied for hitting the most Home Runs in the AL, and having the highest fielding percentage among all AL firstbasemen (.997). Look for a repeat in 2010 with Teixeria.

Where to start with Arod? It seems like everyday with him is a circus, with his ups and downs in pinstripes. After being here six years, he finally earned his pinstripes. Being the player we all knew he could be, coming up big in big situations in the playoffs. Look for him and Teixeria to battle it out in Home Runs.

Cano, Cano. One name, two times, four syllables, three things to talk about. One: Now that his bff Melky has gone to Atlanta, how will it affect his overall performance on and off the field? Expect more, expect less? Who knows? Two: His fielding significantly improved since 2008. In matter of fact, even contributing to the final out of the 2009 World Series, can we expect an Teixeria-like fielding percentage in 2010? Three: His batting. Still needs work. He has a habit of doing the world famous one pitch-one out at bat. He really needs to stop doing that. Robbie also has improved in big situations, he even got a pie in 2009 from AJ Burnett. If Robbie can pull it all together in 2010, he may win some personal hardware in 2010.

Reaction to the little bit of the game I caught on XM Radio today

Today was crazy, but I was able to catch some of today's action via XM Radio. In the 2nd inning, the Yankees were up by 2, with 11 hits already. However turned off game (turned off car), and then caught the 7th inning. The Twins announcers brought up a point that I didnt want to hear. From the 2 run, 11 hit lead back in the second, the Yankees were 1 for 10 with RISP. Apparently the offseason didn't fix not knowing that concept.

It's only a matter of time before the dreaded GIDP makes its appearance...

IT'S HERE!

Ahhhhhh. Yay some baseball is finally here. I couldn't have waited any longer for this day to come. Sadly, I couldn't see or hear the game, because I was in school, but I got updates on my phone haha. One word: A-ROD. A homerun baby. That's what I'm talking about. A 6-1 win over Toronto. It seemed like a pretty good game. Well, the game is going to be on YES tommorow so I can see the end when I come home from school. Woohoo. Let's Go Yankees!

Here we go!

Tomorrow! The day we've all been waiting for. The first spring training game. Thank god, it means that this horrible winter is over, well winter has been over for me for two weeks now, ever since pitchers and catchers reported, but now the fun begins.

Who is ready for some Grapefruit League action? Starting tomorrow!

Welcoming Mi!

Hey..it's Mis2 and I look forward to this Blog opportunity and experience. I have never done this, so PATIENCE.

Let's get a few thing sout of the way so we can focus on the start of SpringTraining and the first Spring game on the 26th. AROD aired now it is Mis2 turn...

Personally (no never met the guy...more an issue with how he portrays himself and the open mouth insert foot disease he suffers from) I can't stand the guy. NOW WAIT...as a Yankee fan "I support Mr. ALex Rodriguez 100% andlook forward to the best season EVER!" I will give him the credit for addressing the issue, admitting something and trying his hardest to do whateveryone told him was the best thing to do. I refrain comment and opinion for private discussion as this is a public board and like the good NYer I am I publically support every Yankee wholeheartedly!! Npow I just want it behind us and let's move on.

As a girl baseball fan I love my Melky..he's my baby so treat him right...love my Robbie...

NOW as a non-gender specific baseball fan, I RESPECT the hell out of Jeter (have you ever read HIS autobiography? Forget him, I want his parents to come spend a week at my house and help me raise my kids.) I respect and love Posada, Mariano, like Pettitte, love Molina (hmm that may be a girl fan love...nope definately baseball love), TINO and BERNIE!!!

I consider myself Old School..and no I am NOT that old. I just feel like I have an older generation view of the game. My father is VERY old School in his views of the game and "purist" in views. Respect and class, hard work and dedication. My father took me to atleast one Yankee game a year...and THIS was love...my father was a NY Giants fan (now an SF fan) and roots anything BUT Yankees. I love Mattingly, Dave and Reggie, and my deepest darkest Yankee secret is that Rickey Henderson was always my FAVORITE (even after he went to the A's).

Ok, enough about Mis2...now on to Yankees Baseball 2009!!!

Arod Press Conference

This is going to be my first live event I'm blogging about. I am watching ESPN's (Every sport's persons nightmare) broadcast, since I dont get YESHD, only plain YES and Im not sure if theyre going to have it. Everyone is supposed to be behind him, Jeter, Joba, Teix, Burnett, CC, Pettitte, Posada, Girardi. Going to be interesting.

So far Arod has reported to Tampa, but hasnt stepped up to the mic yet. Be back in a few when action begins.

Edit 1:33 PM: Yes Network is broadcasting it. I'm not stuck with the ESPN broadcast. Loads of press in Tampa.

Edit 1:34 PM: YES just panned to the press, theres at least 150 members of the media there.

Edit: 1:39 PM: No Arod, nine minutes late, Arod himself was reported to camp a little over a half hour ago. YES is saying that Arod may donate something to charity, and that Cashman and Girardi are expected to make a statement. Yankees PR guy is beginning to organize the media. Just showed the clubhouse door, I saw a shadow, wonder who it was...

Edit 1:43 PM: The hold up is that Arod is currently taking his season physical. He is with the team doctor as I am typing this.

Edit: 1:45 PM: YES is running out of commercials to air. I must have seen the same commercial for Yankeeography three times. They even cut back to Mike Francessca.

Edit: 1:48: Here we go, Arod, Girardi, Jeter, Mo, Pettitte, Posada, and company. And the first mention and sighting in a long time of Johnny Damon, who is sitting on the railing.

Edit: 1:50: PR says no cell phones, please be patient, no follow up questions, wow, this is intense. Arod actually looks very calm about this.

Edit 1:52: Hank is there too, wow, they just cut to the players I see Matsui, Wang, and everyone else, IPK, Hughes, Don Hooten (there is going to be a charitable donation apparently).

Edit 1:53: Arod is reading from a paper, I can see on his face, he is being sincere, and this is from the heart. Mo, Pettitte, Jeter, and Posada all have serious looks on their faces.

Edit 1:55: Page 2. His cousin introduced him to this, who is this cousin? Ah, ignorant and young players, this makes more sense now.

Edit: 1:58 Arod said to my teammates, long pause. A simple thank you. Pettitte looks mad.

Edit: 2:08 Electrician is here, got the most of it, but posts are going to be less frequent. And he does seem to be wanting to burst out into tears...

Edit: 2:30 Okay I didn't hear the q/a session, but conclusively, Arod helped himself. In my eyes, its time to let bygones be bygones and lets move on with the 2009 season.

Has this steroid business gone too far?

You hear a lot of odd things on New Jersey Transit trains especially my line, the Northeast Corridor Line. Mainly its things about how your day was, and what Broadway Show are you going to see or how was it? But last night one conversation behind me caused me to listen in. I originally was listening to Coldplay on my Ipod, but stopped when I heard the words Arod and steroids.

I stopped my Ipod and eavesdropped. It was two men talking about the allegations against Arod. It was an interesting conversation to say the least, but one specific topic caught me off guard, "Has this steroid mess gone way too far". One of them brought up the fact that ever since mandatory testing came along, most players if not all have stopped using them, in fear of getting caught, but every year theres always a handful that gets suspended for "usage of illegal substances". And besides, what happens back in 2003, stays in 2003, not to be brought back up six years later in 2009.

The other one said that all he has been hearing lately is all about this steroid mess and Arod. He'd much rather drop the issue with him all together and just let the 2009 season begin as usual. The he said that since someone leaked his name and no one elses, the issue is never going to be brought to rest until the person who leaked his name is sent to jail and fined for all the money he has.

Then the other one chimed in and said none of this would ever have happened if Joe Torre never wrote the book. After that I stopped listening in, because we had reached Penn Station and the City that Never Sleeps. I was going to Marquee yesterday for a party that I only stayed 90 minutes at. But as I was walking there, I was thinking, has this gone too far? From what I've been hearing, all of the sportscasters have been talking about Arod and the steroids. In my opinion this has been blown way out of proportion. Walking down 8th Avenue, you see the Yankees and Mets symbols all over every bar reminding you that you can come and watch the games here. But for how many people has this issue ruined the game for them, knowing that many of the players in the 90's were essentially cheating? For me thats bullshit, if your a fan of the game, you know how hard it is to hit a fastball coming at you at 90+ mph even being on steroids.

All I can say for certain that ESPN agrees with me, I heard this this morning before my grandmother changed the channel that theyre doing a story about the steroids going too far, so at least I know that I'm not the only one who feels that way.


I'm pretty sure that this doesnt make any sense, you got to forgive a girl who just woke up.