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Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Playoff Dreams Slippin' Away for Yanks

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Playoff Dreams Slippin' Away for Yanks: Playoff Dreams Slippin' Away for Yanks #Yankees Lose to Rays, 4-3; Playoff Opportunity Diminishes By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK...

Playoff Dreams Slippin' Away for Yanks

Playoff Dreams Slippin' Away for Yanks

#Yankees Lose to Rays, 4-3; Playoff Opportunity Diminishes

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 10-For the Yankees to qualify for the 2014 playoffs, it is necessary that they win almost every game. Unfortunately for them, they are losing nearly every day. The 4-3 defeat on Tuesday night was their third loss in the last four games and their sixth in the last nine.

After the game ended, Yankee skipper Joe Girardi spoke clearly of the meaning of the game’s result, “It leaves us in a pretty big hole. We have to win every day.” The loss put the Yankees 5.5 games behind two teams tied for the second Wild Card spot.

That Chris Archer was the winning pitcher should not come as a great surprise to anyone who has looked at the sophomore major leaguer’s record against the New Yorkers. The 25 year-old has become known as a “Yankee killer” based on his rare degree of success against them.

The game began with the North Carolina native being one of only 13 pitchers whose team won each of his first five starts against the Yankees. The game concluded with him being one of only six pitchers whose team won its first six starts against the Yankees. The most recent to accomplish that feat was Greg Hibbard of the White Sox during 1988-91.
Archer retired the first nine Yankee batters before giving up a home run to Jacoby Ellsbury on his first pitch in the fourth frame. A home run is a rarity for Archer to surrender. It was only his 10th in the 173.2 innings he has pitched this season. He ranks third in the American League in fewest homers given up per 9 innings.

His most difficult inning followed next as the first five Yankees reached base, two of them scoring. After hitting Chase Headley, the lead-off batter in the fifth, with a pitch, the next four Yankee batters (Ichiro Suzuki, Stephen Drew, Chris Young and Ellsbury) singled. The inning ended with a controversial out at the plate and a quick double play.

While many observers in the park believed catcher Ryan Hanigan illegally blocked the plate, Yankee third base coach Rob Thomson accepted the responsibility for sending the runner (Drew) home with no outs and two other runners on base, “It wasn’t a good decision. I should have stopped him.”

While many Yankee fans focus on that one play as the reason for the loss, it should also be known that starter Hiroki Kuroda, in his shortest stint of the year, 3.1 innings, gave up four runs and nine hits. The Yankees also failed to rebound late in the game as 12 of the last 13 Yankee batters were retired.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Yanks/Mets

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Yanks/Mets: Yanks/Mets A play at the plate and two sides of a baseball night in New York By Rich Mancuso BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 10- Much of the...

Yanks/Mets

Yanks/Mets
A play at the plate and two sides of a baseball night in New York

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 10- Much of the Tuesday night post game discussion in the Bronx with New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi centered on a play at home plate in the fifth inning that did not become a run for the Yankees in their loss to Tampa Bay.  A run that further diminished their slim playoff chances could also be blamed on a continued and experimental rule to avoid collisions.

And across the Robert Kennedy Bridge at Citi Field, 10,000 or fewer fans watched the cross-town Mets take the second of three games from the lowly Colorado Rockies.

Take it as it is, but with 17 games remaining for the Mets and 20 for the Yankees, both teams are within five-games for the last wild card in the National and American Leagues. Realistically the chances for October post season baseball in New York are not going to happen.

Then there is the David Wright side of this baseball night. The Mets captain is shut down for the season because of a continued problem of inflammation to the rotator cuff in his left shoulder. Better safe than never is the Mets terminology as they look to have their captain healthy and back to form in 2015.

The hope is, that Wright will avoid surgery. He will undergo a six-week rehabilitation program to strenghten the shoulder. Wright was talking with optimism and perhaps he should have been shut down sooner after injuring the shoulder sliding head first in a game on June 12th.

He disputed the bad numbers at the plate were attributed to the shoulder, though the speculation all along has been a bad shoulder led to a bad David Wright.

Since the All-Star break, Wright did not have the numbers. He hit .238 with seven extra-base hits, no home runs and was trying to pull the ball to no avail.

"I don't know,” Wright said about the shoulder being an impact on the sub par season. "As I've said all along, I'm not one to make excuses. This season has left a sour taste in my mouth. I'm confident that after getting healthy, I'll return to doing what I'm capable of."
And that is what the Mets hope for. Because a healthy and productive David Wright can only make them that much better if they intend to contend next season.

That play at the plate in the Bronx was attributed to a rule that still has the baseball insiders confused.

Rays’ left fielder Matt Joyce threw out Stephen Drew in the fifth inning because catcher Ryan Hanigan blocked Drew who was sliding. Earlier, Major League Baseball issued new guidelines to teams and their umpires  on what the catcher can do under that circumstance.

It was one of many plays this season that continues to cause confusion and needed further clarification. Though at this point, clarified or not, the Yankees needed the call to go their way after Girardi called for the review.

Girardi commented, “Wish the rule was back to normal. If I’m a baserunner I’m going to run him over.  At least the catcher has gear.Think you have to look at it,” he said about making some revisions about a rule that was implemented to prevent concussions via the collision.

“I know they’ve accomplished what they’ve accomplished   but when you are playing for spots, I’m sending my guy home.  In baseball you have to win everyday, that’s the bottom line.”

The Yankees were a half game out of that wild card a month ago. The effort, according to Girardi is still there and he said, “I’m not frustrated because I see what they go through.”

Yet it is frustrating to see the Yankees season dwindle down to a few remaining games and miss the post season a second straight year. But is is more optimistic to know that David Wright will be on a full road to recovery with some rest and proper treatment.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Jeter Says Goodbye

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Jeter Says Goodbye: Still a Class Act (Photos by Gary Quintal) Derek Jeter gives his preliminary goodbye in the Bronx By Rich Mancuso BRONX, NEW YORK, SE...

Jeter Says Goodbye

Still a Class Act
(Photos by Gary Quintal)


Derek Jeter gives his preliminary goodbye in the Bronx


By Rich Mancuso


BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 8- The assumption is Derek Jeter will be on the field at Yankee Stadium for the last time as an active player in three weeks because the Yankees in all probability will miss the postseason for a second straight year. So on Sunday afternoon the Yankees gave him a fitting and preliminary goodbye tribute.


You can say that the Yankees gave him an early 

goodbye retirement party in order to keep fans in the stands and to profit on Jeter commemorative patches, shirts, and anything that sells with his name. The good thing is the Yankees and their fans still have Derek Jeter for another three weeks.


And for the next 21 games, assuming Jeter plays everyday, he will still be here. As he did so many times over an illustrious 20-year career he answered every question. Jeter never turned down an interview for a daily newspaper reporter, or for that matter someone who was not seen often on the Yankees beat writing for a weekly publication.


And as much as we all want Jeter to reevaluate his decision about retiring from the game of baseball, one that that places him among the greats, it will become
more difficult to say goodbye.


Because it is always difficult saying goodbye to a New York sports icon, and Derek Jeter may have been more than that.


“Today you think about it about all the things that are being said, but today I was trying not to think about it,” Jeter said about closure from the game, and that there are still games to played with his team having an outside chance to be that second wild card team.


He added, “Fortunately there is a little more time.” The hope was always that this final season would result in the Yankees going to another postseason and to do it for the Captain.


But the Yankees from the onset of this season have
never been able to resemble a playoff team. As it was again on Jeter’s day, they failed to score runs and were shutout for a second time in three games by the central division leading Kansas City Royals.


Said Jeter about his day after he came off the playing field, “It was awesome, something I will always remember. The Yankee know how to throw big ceremonies. This is a day I will remember forever.”


He thanked the fans on the field and again when he met the media in the Yankees press conference room. Jeter has never been comfortable speaking about this farewell to baseball, but those extended family of fans made it easier.


“Anyone who is here today, anyone who is at home
watching, anyone who has ever been over the course, over the last 20 seasons, thank you very much. You guys have watched me grow up over the last 20 years. I've watched you, too. Some of you guys are getting older, too. I want to thank you for helping me feel like a kid the last 20 years.”


Jeter was surprised by a few of the dignataries that showed up for his day, including another world champion he has associated with over the years, Michael Jordan, who knows something about farewell tours, saying thank you to the hometown fans and about being a good teammate, and leader on numerous championship teams.


“I appreciate it. I did not go into any expectations,” Jeter said. This retirement tour of ballparks has been different from the one Mariano Rivera received last year. Jeter is an everyday player as Rivera continued to become baseball’s all-time closer.


Jordan offered some advice, along with Dave Winfield and another legend, Cal Ripkin Jr. who all have been a part of the Derek Jeter legacy in one way or another.


“He’s prepared for this, he chose to step away from the game,” said Jordan. “His knowledge of the game is strong, he’s going to sit down with his family and think his next step.”


Jeter wants to move on with his life beyond baseball. He will be financially secure enough that could one day keep him in the game of baseball as an owner or in another capacity. Whatever he does, regardless, it will be successful.


On the field an era is coming to an end. The Yankees “Core Four” of Jeter, Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte has come to an end and there may never be another four similar in the years to come.”


“It was very strange kind of a different situation with three weeks left, a unique situation kind of tough to explain,” Jeter said about the ceremonial day in his honor. “At the same time, I am still trying to play a game.”


And at the same time, and as the days dwindle to a precious few it will harder to say goodbye to Derek Jeter.


Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com  Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso  www.newyorksportsexaminer.com


Sunday, September 7, 2014

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Yankee Bats Awaken to Defeat Royals, 6-2

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Yankee Bats Awaken to Defeat Royals, 6-2: Yankee Bats Awaken to Defeat Royals, 6-2 By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 7- Despite announced threats of rain for later in t...