Yanks are Sitting Pretty

Beat Boston to Continue Command of First

(Photo by Gary Quintal)

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 20- More than 330,000 fans came to Yankee Stadium during the most recent seven game homestand of the Yankees. Many fans took advantage of summer vacations to spend some time at the great ballpark in the Bronx.

The first four games were contests between the Texas Rangers, leaders of the American League West, and the Yanks, leaders of the American League East. Fans could have been witnessing a preview of the ALCS. The battle between the two American League powerhouses was centered upon which of the two clubs would finish the 2012 season with the best record in the league, thus capturing home field advantage in the American League Championship Series.

The two clubs entered the series with identical won/loss marks, 67-47. The Yanks clinched the four-game series by winning the first three contests while holding the Rangers to a total of four runs. Yankees starters David Phelps, Hiroki Kuroda and Freddy Garcia each won one contest.

The Texas offense came to life in the final game on Thursday by scoring 10 runs on 16 hits. The 10-6 victory allowed the Rangers to leave the Bronx without having been swept.

Although the Yanks gave up 10 runs on Thursday, manager Joe Girardi reflected on the team’s fine work, “We pitched pretty well. We swung the bats pretty well. We played pretty good baseball. We’re in the race for the best record.”

After the Rangers limped out of town on Thursday night, the Boston Red Sox began their second three-day visit within a month. The three sell-out crowds were treated to some interesting baseball between the arch-rivals in the American League East.

The Yanks, more than any other club in the majors, have lived and died by the home run. On Friday, their season high of five homers provided them with a 6-4 victory over the Red Sox. On Saturday, the only run scored by New York was by a solo home run by Curtis Granderson. The single run was not sufficient as Boston won by a score of 4-1.

The multi-homer hitter for the Yankees on Sunday night was not the usual suspect. Icharo Suzuki homered in consecutive at bats to the delight of the full house. He followed the two four baggers with an infield single. Much less surprising was that Derek Jeter hit safely in his first three at bats. The three hits raised his career total to 3,251, one below Napoleon Lajoie, who is in 12^th place. The four Yankee runs were scored by the two future Hall of Famers, Jeter and Suzuki. Each crossed the plate twice during the game.

Hiroki Kuroda held Boston scoreless for 6.1 innings before surrendering a solo home run to Adrian Gonzalez. That homer was the only run given up By Kuroda in his eight innings on the mound. The 4-1 win was the ninth in his last 11 decisions.

The Yanks are still leading the race in the A.L. East, but the final outcome has not been decided. Tampa, in second place, has won 11 of its last 13 and Baltimore, in the third place, has won 11 of 15. The Yanks will face the Rays in six additional games and will play Baltimore on seven more occasions. The Yankees have kept pace with their challengers, winning 9 of their last 12 contests. The home games were not only a financial success, but were beneficial to the pennant race for New York as the Yanks won five of the seven games played.

The ability of the Yankees to win on the road as effectively as they do at Yankee Stadium will also be a factor in the race for the American East title as 16 of the club’s next 22 games will be played on the road.

The answer to where the Yankees will place as the regular season concludes may be a little clearer to discern on August 27 when the Yanks return to the Bronx after a six game road trip.

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Will DOT Plan Cause a Headache for Riverdale?

Riverdale Report

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 20- On Tuesday night August 14th There was a special meeting of the Traffic & Transportation Committee of Community Board 8 to see a proposal by the DOT on how they were going to make the Broadway corridor safer from West 242nd Street to the city line with Yonkers. 

The proposal was sent to the Community Board by DOT for the members of the committee to view and then have comments ready at the meeting. Being a member of the committee I received the proposal on August 7th from the community board office, and in order not to create a conflict of interest I could not mention it to anyone outside of the committee. I could therefore not do any reporting on the proposal by DOT until after the August 14th meeting, which is what I am doing. I was surprised to see in the Thursday August 9th edition of the Riverdale Press a story about the DOT proposal, saying that it was obtained by The Press, and giving some exact details that were in the proposal. I received a call from a newspaper reporter for the Riverdale Review asking me to see the proposal, and asking how the competing local newspaper got the report, also saying that DOT told her they only gave the proposal to the community board. I said that I could not show or talk about the DOT proposal until the August 14th meeting, that I did not know how the competing newspaper obtained the report, and that she should ask the Community Board 8 chairperson Mr. Robert Fanuzzi how the paper obtained the DOT proposal since he has announced in the past that the media should only go through him for any requests for community board information or for answers to questions about the board.

As for the DOT proposal, the main theme is to narrow the travel lanes and to make the curb parking lane wider. This according to DOT will slow traffic and make Broadway safer as they have done to other streets around the city. I had several questions including that it looked like DOT was leaving room for a bicycle lane to be put in at a future time (not that I am against bike lanes), where as DOT Bronx Commissioner Connie Moran said that there is no plan to put any bike lane there. I said that the proposal does nothing at West 242^nd Street to stop the deadheading of Westchester buses in the city bus stop forcing the city bus to load and unload in the one (middle) northbound lane while the other lane is for left turns only as shown by an illustration in the proposal. I also had concerns about vehicles crossing over the narrow yellow lane as they went around double parked buses by the sports fields or curves in the road, and was told that it would not happen. Another concern was that the dangerous corner of Broadway and Mosholu Avenue was not addressed by the proposal, and again was told that narrowing the lanes would take care of that. When the vote came to approve the DOT proposal, I abstained because I believe that the DOT proposal does not address all the issues.

You can go to my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com to see this weeks list of events that will be going on at Wave Hill. Wave Hill is a 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River and Palisades.

Tuesday night August 28^th is the date for a “Free Summer Concert In Seton Park” by hit singer Gloria Gayner. The concert is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. (you may want to bring a chair or blanket) and is being sponsored by Senator Jeff Klein as one of his many Summer Concerts being held throughout his district. Seton Park is located at Independence Avenue and West 232^nd street, and the repaving of Independence Avenue has been completed. You can call 800-718-2039 for more information on this or other Summer Concerts by Senator Klein.

If you have any comments about this column or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on my blog you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.

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Free Community Barbecue

100 PERCENT

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 20- On this Saturday August 25th from 1 – 6 p.m. The Committee of 100 Democrats will be hosting our 8th Annual Free Community Barbecue. This year our Free Community Barbecue will take place on East 204th Street between the Grand Concourse and Mosholu Parkway. We will be honoring Congressman Eliot Engel for his distinguished record as an elected official, and Community Board #7 District Manager Fernando Tirado for his outstanding work in the local community. There will be food, lots of different entertainment, and of course speeches by your elected officials or those who may want their jobs.

I thought I could be able to get away from politics for an evening of of exciting Salsa music from an old friend Mr. Willie Colon, but while the concert was a smash hit as usual I could not get away from politics. I was sitting with my good friend and 78th A.D. State Committeeman Richardo “Ricky” Martinez but we were sitting a few rows behind Mr. Martinez's September Primary opponent Assemblyman Jose Rivera. Ricky and I were a part of the Willie Colon for Congress campaign while Rivera was with Willie Colon’s opponent.

Enough politics, as the concert was fantastic, and Willie Colon interjected old stories (even one about the Congressional campaign), and a few jokes during the evening. The highlight of the night however for Mr. Martinez and I was that after the show we were able to go backstage to see our old friend Willie Colon. There were also a couple of other friends from the campaign backstage, and you can go to my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com to see my complete review of the sold out Willie Colon concert at the Lehman College Center for the Performing Arts last Saturday August 18th.

Back to politics, you can go to my blog archive section (under links) for the link to the Board of Elections site where there is a daily update of just who the candidates are for what office or party position in the upcoming September Primary which will tale place on Thursday September 13th this year. We check the site daily as the one or two of the names can change as there are still a few court cases that may have been appealed. In the 77th A.D. there is now only one challenger to incumbent Vanessa Gibson, and in the 80th A.D. Mr. Adam Bermudez was not listed for one day.

Speaking of the 80th A.D. another old friend Ms. Candice Giove now a Crackerjack reporter with the New York Post had a front page story “Sugar Mama” about another Boy Toy of 80th Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera and a non for profit organization that I have a separate article on elsewhere in this paper.

Lastly, as of our deadline WPIX T.V. Channel 11 and Antenna T.V. Channel 114 were still off the air from the Cablevision line up of channels Cablevision is substituting another channel it carries on Channel 11, and has a message (on the other channel) asking viewers to call the Tribune Corporation to get the channels back. We only wonder since it seems Cablevision is seeking more money from the Tribune Corporation will their viewers get a refund (even if it is only pennies) for the time the channels are not being carried. By the way, how come we can not choose from any cable provider (not just satellite or Fios) like we can for telephone or internet service?

If you have any comments about this column or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on my blog you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.

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This Sox! Boston Strikes Back

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 19- The Red Sox evened the weekend series at Yankee Stadium by taking Game #2 on Saturday afternoon, 4-1. Home runs were, of course, hit by each team and again determined the outcome of the contest.

Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-out, two-run homer in the first inning to put the first two runs on the scoreboard. After the conclusion of the game, Boston skipper Bobby Valentine remarked, “He’s been hitting the ball to the warning track here. I think he put a little more pump in his swing.” 

The two runs batted in raised his Major League leading total to 39 since the All-Star break. Gonzalez, with two hits in three official at bats and an intentional walk, continued his torrid offensive production during the second half of the 2012 season.

Gonzalez began the game 2^nd in batting average, 4^th in slugging percentage, and 7^th in on base percentage in the American League since July 13. The first baseman has hit safely in 26 of his last 33 games.

A new Yankee killer on the Sox, Pedro Ciriaco, went 4 for 4 in the game. His only previous four hit game came on July 7, his first game on the Red Sox, and was also against the Yankees. The shortstop is batting .517 (15 for 29) in seven games against the Yankees. His “cousins” have helped him raise his batting average this year to .343.

Of the 26-year old who has only played 31 games in the big leagues before joining the Red Sox in July, valentine stated, “It amazes me that with that kind of talent, he hasn’t been utilized before.”

Nick Swisher has become the Yankees biggest offensive weapon against Boston. He went 3 for 4 which raised his batting average against the Red Sox to .480 (16 for 33) this year.

Dustin Pedroia’s double in the eighth increased his consecutive game hitting streak to 13. On the other hand, Derek Jeter’s 13- game hitting streak ended as he went 0 fo3 at the plate.

The only Yankee run in the game was scored in the fourth on Curtis Granderson’s 32^nd homer of the season.

Pitching was really the focus of the game as starters Jon Lester and David Phelps hooked up in a pitching duel. Lester gave up five hits and one run in seven innings to earn the win. Valentine said of the starter, “Another fine performance by a good looking pitcher, confident, aggressive.” Lester is 5-1 in his last six starts in Yankee Stadium.

Boston reliever Craig Breslow got Robinson Cano to hit into a double play to end the eight. Breslow and catcher Ryan Lavarnway ate the first big league battery of Yale graduates.

Former Yankees, Alfredo Aceves pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 25^th save of the season.

Hiroki Kuroda (11-8) and Josh Beckett (5-10) will start the rubber game on Sunday night.

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Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Stormin’ Yanks Bash Sox

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Stormin’ Yanks Bash Sox: (Photo by Gary Quintal) By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, August 18- All but one run for each club was scored via a home run on ...

Stormin’ Yanks Bash Sox

(Photo by Gary Quintal)

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 18- All but one run for each club was scored via a home run on Friday night at Yankee Stadium. The five homers clouted by the Bronx Bombers allowed them to edge the Boston Red Sox, 6-4.

The five long balls of the Yankees raised their total this season to a Major League high of 186. The Yanks, on a good run, have homered in 33 of their last 37 games. They are currently on pace to equal if not surpass their single season mark of 244, achieved in 2009.

Nick Swisher hit the first Yankee homer of the contest with one out in the first. He connected for another solo homer from the other side of the plate with one out in the seventh. This was the 12^th game in Swisher’s career that he accomplished this feat. He is only behind teammate Mark Teixeira, who has homered from both sides of the plate in 13 games.

The very hot Swisher has scored and driven in at least one run in each of his last six games. The streak is the longest by a Yankee since August 30-September 4, 2008 when Alex Rodriguez did the same.

Manager Joe Girardi said of Swisher, “He’s been extremely impressive. He’s done a great job there [batting in the second spot].”

Curtis Granderson (31) and Russell Martin (13) hit back-to-back homers in the second inning.

Derek Jeter led off the fifth with his 250^th homer, surpassing Graig Nettles on the Yankees. The homer was his 10^th of the 2012 season, which gave the Yankees a Major League leading total of 10 players (Robinson Cano, Eric Chavez, Curtis Granderson, Raúl Ibañez, Derek Jeter, Andruw Jones, Russell Martin, Alex Rodriguez, Nick Swisher, and Mark Teixeira) with homers in double digits. The hit also increased Jeter’s consecutive game hitting streak to 13.

Girardi praised the iconic Yankee hero, “He’s [Jeter] an amazing player. How many 38 year olds play 15 games in a row.”

Red Sox starter Franklin Morales gave up four of the home runs in 5.1 innings. In his only other start against the Yanks this year Morales also yielded four homers. Interestingly, in six other starts in 2012, Morales surrendered only one home run.

The Red Sox scored all their four tallies in the third inning. Although none of the four runs were charged to Yankees starter Phil Hughes his throwing error caused them to be scored. Mike Aviles singled to begin the inning. Hughes fielded an easy grounder by Scott Podsednik into center on what appeared to be an easy double play. With one run in and two on base Dustin Pedroia awarded himself three runs batted in with a homer into the left field seats as a present for his 29^th birthday. This was the third game in which Pedroia celebrated his birthday with a home run.

Hughes gave up only two other hits in his seven inning stint. The win ended his two game losing streak.  Girardi was pleased by his performance, “He got ground balls; he didn’t walk people; he got us through seven innings. It was great except for his throw to second.

David Phelps (3-3) and Jon Lester (6-10) will start the second game of the weekend series to be played on Saturday at 4 p.m.

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Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Yankee Pitching Can’t Slow Ranger Bats

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Yankee Pitching Can’t Slow Ranger Bats: (Photos by Ken Carozza) By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, August 17- The Texas Rangers ended their eight-game los...