Boo Hughes

Hughes allows

three home runs

in Orioles win

over Yankees

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, April 14- Phil Hughes did not have command of his fastball and the Baltimore Orioles took advantage. Hughes allowed three solo home runs in the second, third and fourth innings and never looked back as the Orioles defeated New York 5-3.

Baltimore took the middle game of three that concludes in the Bronx Sunday night after dropping game one of the series Friday evening.

When Hughes has problems with command of the fastball, the results have been consistent, especially when pitching at home. The right hander allowed 9 hits and five earned runs in 3-1/3 innings, and has allowed one home run in 31 of his last 42 starts at Yankee Stadium.

“One of those days and that’s what happens when you put balls over the plate,” said Hughes about the home runs balls allowed to Ryan Flaherty, Nick Markakis and Nolan Reimold. It was his second straight loss to open the season, and very reminiscent of his slow start of last year.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi saw similar command issues from Hughes last April. However with a revamped Yankees lineup that is hindered with injuries, the starters are expected to go some innings. New York is 1-5 this early season when their opponent scores first.

“He’ll get back at it and we’ll get him back on track,” said Girardi about his right hander.

The Orioles stopped a New York four-game winning streak after a late inning opening game loss of the series Friday night. Manager Buck Showwalter saw a struggling Flaherty, 1-for-18, before the home run, get the offense going with the long ball in the second inning.

“They don’t dwell on past things,” good or bad,” said Showalter about the resiliency of his club. “That’s one of the characteristics of our club.” Jason Hammel (2-1), 6.0 innings, 8 hits and three runs earned his second win of the season and Jim Johnson picked up his fifth save retiring all three Yankees at bat.

“He got a big out with Gardner (Brett), with Cano (Robinson) coming up,” commented Showalter. “To close out games on the road in the AL East is a tough, tough, thing to do. Jimmy has been impressive.”

David Phelps, Joba Chamberlain and David Robertson pitched six innings of scoreless ball and gave up two hits and combined to strike out seven.

Said Phelps about getting the first strike with his curve ball, a pitch that was ineffective, last week in a relief outing at Detroit, "My curve ball was best since spring training. Getting strike one was something I could not do in my first two outings and that got me ahead real well.”

Cano recorded his fourth straight multi-hit game, 2-for-5, and was inserted at shortstop in the ninth inning, his first position other than second base in his career and he was not surprised

“We were ready to do that in Detroit last week,” said Cano about making some plays at short, a position usually occupied by the injured Derek Jeter. “I was ready.” Cano, who played a limited time at short in the minors, also had the opportunity with Eduardo Nunez day-to-day after getting hit by a pitch to his right wrist Friday night.

Ring786@aol.com

Yanks Beat Orioles

The Hits Keep Coming

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, April 13-,The Yanks gained their fourth straight victory with a 5-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles to tie the Red Sox for first place in the American League East. The two teams most commentators thought would finish the season at the bottom of the standings are currently on top.

Two strange and rare plays were most responsible for the outcome of the contest. With the score tied at two in the seventh, Francisco Cervelli, Kevin Youkilis, and Travis Hafner reached base via walks. The bases were loaded and two men were out when Vernon Wells stepped to the plate. He connected and drove the ball deep to center where Adam Jones misjudged the ball and it dropped from his glove. The three runners crossed the plate to give the Yanks a 5-2 advantage.

The Orioles began the next frame, Sabathia’s final inning, with singles by Steve Pearce and Alexi Casilla To the surprise of everyone in attendance, the line drive by the game’s lead-off batter, Nick.Markakis, ended in a 4-6-5-6-5-3-4 triple play. Two of the Yankees infielders involved spoke humorously of the play.

Third baseman Kevin Youkils said, “That was a lot of fun. You’re not going to see another triple play turned like that. It was special.” First baseman Lyle Overbay joked, “We practiced that in Spring Training last week.”

The recipient of that fielding gem, Yanks starter CC Sabathia expressed his feelings, “Anytime you get a triple play, it fires you up. It was a great play. That’s [the play] that bailed me out.”

Interestingly, Sabathia was on the mound when the Yankee infielders achieved their most recent triple play, April 22, 2010. The Yanks previous triple play before that one occurred on June 3, 1968.

With or without that play, the Yankees starter pitched outstandingly. In eight innings on the mound, he gave up only two runs, one earned and struck out nine batters without surrendering a walk.

Youkilis led the Bombers with three hits, a run batted in and a run scored, He has hit safely in all his nine games since joining the club. The last Yankee to better that feat was Joe Buzas with 10 in 1945.

Andy Pettitte’s bad back has altered the Yankees rotation for the next two games against Baltimore. Phil Hughes will start on Saturday against Jason Hammel for the Orioles.

Crack Crew Members Charged with Murders

BRONX, NEW YORK, April 12-Additional charges against 12 alleged members of drug trafficking crews based in the vicinity of Allerton Avenue Co-ops and the Parkside Houses in the Bronx.

Eleven of the 12 defendants are charged with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and possessing, brandishing, and discharging firearms in connection with and in furtherance of the charged crack cocaine conspiracy. In connection with the crack cocaine conspiracy, ARMANI CUMMINGS is charged with the January 2010 murder of Lequan Jones and the June 2010 murder of Carl Copeland, both of whom were shot in the Bronx. BRYAN RHODES is also charged with Copeland’s murder. JOSE MUNOZ is charged with the December 2011 murder of Shameek Young, who was shot in the Bronx. In addition, JESSIE MCCOLLUM is charged with a non-fatal, drug-related shooting in the Bronx on that same day. MUNOZ is also charged with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, participation in a Hobbs Act robbery, and his use of a firearm in connection with and in furtherance of it.

Nine of the defendants are already in custody in connection with charges contained in previous indictments related to this prosecution, which led to the arrests of 63 individuals and was the result of a coordinated operation involving federal, state, and local law enforcement officers. Two of the defendants were released on bail following their arrests in December 2011. One of the defendants remains at large. The defendants will be arraigned today in Manhattan federal court before U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero on the charges in the Superseding Indictment at 2:00 p.m.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “The charges in this indictment once again put the nexus between drugs, guns, and fatal violence into stark relief. Through patient and painstaking work, the investigators and prosecutors targeted violent drug operations, charged drug crimes at first, and eventually were able to charge drug-related murders, shootings, and other violent crimes which might have gone otherwise unaddressed. The law enforcement drumbeat will continue until we clean up the streets of our communities once and for all.”

FBI Assistant Director in Charge George Venizelos said: “The link between drug trafficking and gun violence could not be better illustrated than with this investigation. The defendants, initially charged with narcotics offenses, now stand charged with crimes of violence, including three fatal shootings. Policing drug trafficking reduces the threat of gun violence. That is the reason the FBI and the NYPD work these cases.”

NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said: “The charges announced today make clear the nexus between illicit drugs and violence, including murder, as well as the risk faced by police officers who work undercover to provide a modicum of safety to law abiding residents of public housing. I commend the NYPD detectives and the prosecutors in U.S. Attorney’s office for their thorough investigation.”

As alleged in the superseding indictment returned Wednesday and other documents filed in Manhattan federal court:

From 2006 through February 20, 2013, undercover officers with the NYPD made hundreds of purchases of crack cocaine from drug dealers in the Allerton Avenue Co-ops and Parkside Houses. During the buys, officers were able to purchase significant street level quantities of crack. In addition, members of the drug trafficking organization used firearms, threats of violence, and violence to secure and enforce their drug territory. This included the 2010 murder of Lequan Jones, the 2010 murder of Carl Copeland, and the 2011 murder of Shameek Young, all of which occurred in the Bronx. During the incident involving the fatal shooting of Young, an innocent bystander was shot and critically wounded.

A chart containing the ages, residency information, and charges against the defendants, as well as the maximum penalties they face is below.

Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the NYPD. He added that the investigation is continuining.

The prosecution of this case is being overseen by the Office’s Violent Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Sini and Hadassa Waxman are in charge of the prosecution.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Albanymania Cuomo vs. Silver

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Albanymania Cuomo vs. Silver: 100PERCENT By Robert Press BRONX, NEW YORK, April 11- Before I get into the headline, Wrestlemania 29 may be history, but more wre...

Albanymania Cuomo vs. Silver

100PERCENT

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, April 11- Before I get into the headline, Wrestlemania 29 may be history, but more wrestling matches will happen Saturday night as ECPW returns to St. Francis Xavier School in the Bronx. You can go to my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com to see the full card and where to purchase your tickets to the Smacker-down in the Bronx. Check the March archive section on the left for ECPW Wrestling.

Speaking of battles, it seems that something may be going on in Albany between Andrew “The Bully” Cuomo and Sheldon “The Meek Shall Inherit the World” Silver. With the latest round of State Assembly corruption charges it looks like the perfect opportunity for “Bully Cuomo” to help rid the Assembly of Speaker Silver as is being reported. Cuomo denies that he is trying to replace Silver with an upstate Democrat.

Speaking of speakers, a spokesperson for City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is saying that a special interest group with close ties to current Public Advocate and candidate for mayor Bill DeBlasio, is gearing up a million dollar advertising campaign against Speaker Quinn. The subject of the ads is on overturning term limits. Deblasio's camp fired back with a claim of not knowing anything about the ads, and “nothing undermined our Democratic system more than when Speaker Quinn overturned term limits”.

Republican candidate for mayor Joe Lhota blasted Speaker Quinn on her handling of member items and how her friends got more discretionary money while others got much less. Lhota says that amounts to it being a “slush fund” that Quinn should not be doing that with taxpayer money, and that he will push to have it evenly divided between all the council members. While I am on the subject of Republicans, Mr. John Geary has been announced as the new Bronx Republican County Leader, replacing the former Bronx Republican County leader Jay Savino soon to be residing at Chez Federal Pen. Geary has been a loyal Republican worker at the Bronx Board of Elections.

Mayor Bloomberg is again pushing for non partisan elections after the past weeks flurry of arrests made by the U.S. Attorney's office here. Bloomberg is on the attack saying that most elected officials are stooges of the political party system. He adds that most of their staffers are only on the job as political payback from helping get their boss elected. This comes from a man who made his campaign manager Howard Wolfson a Deputy Mayor.

There are reports that former Congressman (and once favorite candidate for mayor) Anthony Weiner may be running for citywide office. With $4.3 million still in the bank after spending several hundreds of thousands of dollars on polls, Weiner did an interview and is reported to have contacted former staffers to prepare for his reentry into city politics.

On Saturday the newest Essen Medical Center opened up at 1550 University Avenue. This is the seventh health center opened up by Dr. Sumir Sahgal who said that in 1999 he started his first Bronx clinic at 2015 Grand Concourse. Dr. Sahgal said that 40 new jobs at the University Avenue clinic have been created and that he employs over 120 people in all at 6 locations. The clinics are full service, but Dr Sahgal added that he wants to open up an urgent care facility which he said is also needed in the communities he services You can see more of the opening at my blog under the heading “New Clinic Opens” in the archive section on the lower left side of the blog.

State Senator Gustave Rivera was on had to help open this new clinic, and after I patted down the good senator he told me that there are more sophisticated ways of eavesdropping now. He pointed to a State Senate pin that he wears, and started to laugh. Also on hand for the opening was 15th City Council candidate Yudelka Tapia, and I asked her if she was eying a run for the 86th A.D. now that Nelson Castro has stepped down. Tapia said that it is a sad time for her community to have such a thing go on, and that the community needs to heal. Tapia mentioned that several people have called her to ask her to run for the 86th A.D. seat, but she said that she has not decided yet and is continuing her city council race right now. My advice to my good friend and former Parents Association President Ms. Yudelka Tapia is that you should take up the offer to run for the 86th A.D.. You are currently the 86th A.D. Female District Leader, a former parent leader, community activist, and you Yudelka know what is needed most in the 86th A.D.

Don't forget to check my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com for more on what is in this column, items that may have come in after our deadline, and the many photos of the events covered. 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.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Cleaner politics II

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Cleaner politics II: Wakefield Area News By Mary V. Lauro BRONX, NEW YORK, April 11- It's an old story. The innocent always suffer for the guilty. But ...

Cleaner politics II

Wakefield Area News

By Mary V. Lauro

BRONX, NEW YORK, April 11- It's an old story. The innocent always suffer for the guilty. But if we don't say it, who will? No! We are not going to conclude that all longtime political figures are crooks, but we are going to suggest that most political crooks are longtime political figures. It seems that sleaze, bribery, political malfeasance and sex are more commonly associated with having been elected too often.

But the fault is not only that of the political entrepreneur. It is part of a laziness which envelops us all. Yes! Yes! We make all sorts of noises regarding our veneration of freedom and liberty but the truth is we'd rather be left alone.

Most residents in Wakefield, and we dare say in other communities as well, have not the foggiest notion of whom their elected officials are. Part of that reason is because the district lines are changed every 10 years after the Census. They are not changed to benefit us. They are changed to benefit politicians.

It is a sad fact that in our diverse society, just as they cluster in neighborhoods, citizens tend to vote their own backgrounds. Thus Italians tend to vote for Italians, Jews for Jews, Hispanics for Hispanics and African Americans for African Americans. When district lines are redrawn the political entrepreneurs tend to draw their own lines. Keep in mind that in New York political entrepreneurs swore to Mayor Koch that they would not do so in 2010.

Of course, even with district lines drawn in their favor, a strong favored incumbent can win over a strong opponent, but that is rarely the case. But that is rarely the case. The incumbent is re-elected even though he may be suspected of malfeasance. This is not to say that all elected officials having been elected three or four times are unworthy of their positions. Many are honest capable, caring and effective.

Does that mean that no one else can do their job or that no one else is capable of doing their job? That great and far-sighted American, George Washington, our first president thought two four year terms were enough for a president. Except for Franklin D. Roosevelt, every other president followed that precept. In it is now ingrained in our Constitution.

The political sleaze that was uncovered last week raises once again the price of leaving the number of terms unlimited for an incumbent. Term limits will not got rid of sleaze. It will control it.

That great and far-sighted American our first President, George Washington, thought two, four-year terms were enough for one man. Other than Franklin Delano Roosevelt, no other President has served as long. If two, four-year terms are good enough for our Presidents, why are they not good enough for lesser political entrepreneurs?