Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Bench Warmer Becomes Home Run Hero

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Bench Warmer Becomes Home Run Hero: By Rich Mancuso BRONX, NEW YORK, April 18- Travis Hafner sat on the bench Wednesday night for more than two hours. Bottom of the eighth at ...

Bench Warmer Becomes Home Run Hero

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, April 18- Travis Hafner sat on the bench Wednesday night for more than two hours. Bottom of the eighth at Yankee Stadium, he gets the nod from Yankees manager Joe Girardi to pinch hit with two outs. And, as Yankees role players have been doing so well, Hafner connected on the first pitch off Arizona right hander David Hernandez.

The home run to right field was a difference as the Yankees came from behind and defeated the Diamondbacks for the second straight night.

Hafner is one of those supposed minor acquisitions that general manager Brian Cashman believed would be beneficial, along with Lyle Overbay and Vernon Wells. And with Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixiera, and Alex Rodriguez disabled with injuries, the role for Hafner is come off the bench, occasional outfield play or inserted as the designated hitter in the lineup.

Pinch hitting is more difficult, as Girardi would say, but Hafner has accepted his role and is ready to contribute when called upon.

“To sit two two-and-a –half hours that has to be tough to do,” commented Girardi about one of his super substitutes that have helped New York win seven of their last eight games.

It was the fourth pinch-hit home run in Hafner’s career, and his fourth of the season. He had 12 all of last year with the Cleveland Indians. The Yankees signed him to a one-year deal in February after spending the last 10-seasons with the Cleveland Indians.

“It’s moments like this that are really special, you remember a long time,” said Hafner about the home run. “Happy to be a part of the team and contribute tonight I was just looking for a good pitch to hit.”

Hafner added, he is enjoying his time with the Yankees and is swinging the bat really well. Time on the bench is not easy, but he knows right now the role is to be ready and he also realizes that when the injured return the playing time may be less.

“Pretty much I am ready the fifth or sixth inning on,” he said. “He, (Girardi) calls your name, be ready. I was looking to be aggressive and get a good pitch to hit and drive and fortunately I got it out.”

Most importantly, he said, “You want to contribute and help the team win.” 

Winning pitcher CC Sabathia, expects more from his former Cleveland teammate because he knows how valuable the veteran is. “When Haf walked in I expected him to do a lot more than what he has done,” said Sabathia. That got a laugh, however the Yankees are more than pleased with the production and contribution.

Said Sabathia, “In this ballpark, with his power all it takes is the right pitch and he got that today.”  

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

No annual contract! Prepaid plans with unliminted text, starting at $35/month

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Jaspers Snap Three-Game Skid

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Jaspers Snap Three-Game Skid: Win Over Army BRONX, NEW YORK, April 18- The Manhattan College baseball team broke a 1-1 tie with one run in the seventh and two in the ei...

Jaspers Snap Three-Game Skid

Win Over Army

BRONX, NEW YORK, April 18- The Manhattan College baseball team broke a 1-1 tie with one run in the seventh and two in the eighth, then held off Army’s ninth-inning rally to post a 4-3 victory over the Black Knights (16-17) at Doubleday Field on Wednesday afternoon. With the win, the Jaspers (16-18) snapped a three-game losing streak.

The Jaspers got on the board first with a run in the top of the second. Joe McClennan (Highland Mills, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch leading off the inning, then moved to second on Brendan Slattery’s (Danbury, Conn.) groundout and scored on a single by Yoandry Galan (Miami, Fla.). Army knotted the game in the bottom of the third when Harold Earls drew a one-out walk and came around on a double by Alex Jensen.

After leaving a runner on base in the fourth and two more in the sixth, Manhattan finally broke the tie with a run in the seventh. Chris Reynolds (Wall, N.J.) started the rally with a single to right before moving to second on a wild pitch. He took third on a Kyle Murphy (Waterbury, Conn.) groundout, then Ramon Ortega (Miami, Fla.) delivered an RBI double to right that put the Jaspers up 2-1.

Manhattan added two more in the top of the eighth. Andrew Gorecki (Smithtown, N.Y.) walked with one out and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After Galan struck out, Nick Camastro (Lagrangeville, N.Y.) delivered an RBI single to left field. He took second on the throw home before stealing third. That stolen base led directly to another Manhattan run, as Camastro came around on an infield single by Reynolds.

However, the Black Knights rallied in the ninth. Andrew Johnson started the inning with a double to left center and Michael Sands followed with a single to left. After pinch hitter Brock Davidson struck out, Justin Reece singled to center field, knocking in Johnson. Reynolds misplayed the ball, though, allowing Sands to score. Reece took second on a wild pitch before John Soldinger (Bay Shore, N.Y.) got Earls to ground to first, preserving a 4-3 victory for the Jaspers.

Reynolds was the only Jasper to have a multi-hit game, going 3-for-4 at the plate with a run scored and an RBI. Camastro went 1-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI out of the leadoff spot. Matt Jordan (Kingston, N.Y.) got the start on the mound and went four innings. He allowed one run and three hits, struck out three and walked three. Kevin Bonanni (Plainview, N.Y.) and Michael Scarinci (Nanuet, N.Y.) each threw a perfect inning of relief, while Michael Martin (Massapequa, N.Y.) (1-4) earned the win after giving up just one hit and striking out two in two shutout innings. Soldinger picked up his first save of the season after yielding two runs (one earned) on three hits while also striking out a pair in the ninth.Seven different Black Knights each had one hit, with Jensen and Johnson contributing doubles. Starting pitcher John Malcolm tossed two innings, surrendering one run on two hits, striking out one and walking three. Patrick Gardner allowed just one hit and one walk in three innings of shutout relief, while Brian Hapeman (0-1) took the loss after yielding one run on three hits in 1.2 innings of work. He also notched a strikeout. Jack Verrill was charged with two runs, two hits and a walk while also picking up a strikeout in 1.1 innings of work, and Gunnar Carroll gave up a hit and a walk and recorded a strikeout in the ninth.

Manhattan (6-6 MAAC) resumes its Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) schedule with a three-game series against Canisius (24-10, 4-5 MAAC) at Van Cortlandt Park this weekend. The Jaspers and Griffs will play a doubleheader on Saturday at 12 p.m., followed by a single game at 12 p.m. on Sunday.

No annual contract! Prepaid plans with unliminted text, starting at $35/month

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Fordham to Honor Baseball Hall of Fame Greats

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Fordham to Honor Baseball Hall of Fame Greats: By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, April 17- The Bronx has been a place of learning, nurturing and growth for many greats in the world of s...

Fordham to Honor Baseball Hall of Fame Greats

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, April 17- The Bronx has been a place of learning, nurturing and growth for many greats in the world of sports. Several of these legendary figures will be honored at Houlihan Park, the sparkling baseball field located on the Rose Hill campus of Fordham University, on Saturday afternoon, April 20. Plaques of the greats will be unveiled by current Fordham baseball coach Kevin Leighton and Fordham alumnus and benefactor James J. Houlihan.

The history of collegiate baseball at Fordham goes back in time to years before the Civil War began. Its first recorded intercollegiate schedule was in 1860, when the club compiled a mark of 40-7. The record of winning seasons continued until 1923, when the team was 14-17. The one aberrational season was followed by 24 straight winning campaigns. Fordham ranks #1 in wins of all Division I programs, with more than 4,000 victories.

Interestingly, Fordham’s first losing season, 1923, was the first year of Jack Coffey’s second reign as coach. He previously was coach from 1909-17. His second stint lasted through 1958. In total, Coffey’s teams were victorious in an astounding number of 1,095 games. Although Curry was a teammate of both Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb in the same season, 1918, he did not join the two in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown; he was inducted in the Fordham Athletic Hall of Fame in its first year of existence, 1971.

Dan Gallagher, the Fordham coach from 1984-2004, led the team to 518 wins, seven league titles and five berths in the NCAA Tournament. The molder of men was recently inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame (ABCA).

Five former Fordham students were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. The first to be inducted, in 1946, was a turn of the twentieth century pitcher, “Big” Ed Walsh. Even in an era when power hitting and high scoring games were frowned upon, Walsh was superior. He hold the mark for the lowest lifetime ERA in the majors.(1.82). According to historians, Walsh was only on campus for two days.

“The Fordham Flash” Frankie Frisch was inducted into the HOF one year after Walsh. Still holding a Fordham Ram record of six hits in a single game, Frisch batted over .300 in the majors for 11 straight years. The great second sacker with the Giants and Cardinals played 19 years in the big leagues.

Two individuals with a lifetime connection to the Brooklyn Dodgers never played a game with the team. Walter o’  Malley was a graduate of the Fordham Law School in 1930. His law degree led to his hiring as the chief legal counsel of the Dodgers in 1947. Three years later, he became the team’s owner. Although he remained in control of the team for nearly 30 years, he is still a figure of contempt by many Brooklynites as the man who removed the team from the borough in 1958.

The second and still current link to the Brooklyn major league franchise Is Vin Scully. Scully became a broadcaster in 1950, after graduating from Fordham. It has become a lifetime job for the deservedly honored broadcaster as the octogenarian in currently in his 64^th year in that position. Scully was inducted into the HOF in 1982.

The fifth recipient of HOF honors was writer John Kieran. Three years after his 1912 graduation from Fordham, he was hired by the New York Times. He rose to become sports editor of the paper.

Esteban Bellan was a student at Fordham, at that time called St. John’s College, in the 1860’s. The Cuban native was the first of his nationality to play professional baseball in the United States.

On the day of the ceremony, Fordham will host George Washington University at 4 pm. The plaques of the greats will be unveiled at 3:30 pm. A barbeque will be held at 2 pm. Those interested in attending all the festivities should call ryan kirwan at 646-312-8223 or email at rkirwan1@fordham.edu.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Bronx Stands with Boston

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Bronx Stands with Boston: Yankees Pay homage Boston (Photos by Gary Quintal) By Rich Mancuso BRONX, NEW YORK, April 17- So many ways Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium ...