Girardi may have to bypass Hughes for Huff in rotation

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 2- There may be no hesitation about it. Phil Hughes may have seen his last days as a starter in the pitching rotation of the New York Yankees, though manager Joe Girardi late Monday afternoon would not commit to making that decision. The stretch run, for a wild card spot and another good outing out of the bullpen from David Huff could spell the end for Hughes.

The logical move is to insert Huff, the left hander to assume a role down the stretch. After a long rain delay in the Yankees 9-1 win over the White Sox, Huff allowed 1-run in 5.21 innings, on five hits, striking out three and walking none.

It was the longest relief outing of his career, and ironic that he took over for starter Phil Hughes who pitched to four batters before the rain stopped play in the top of the second inning.

“I haven’t made any changes, I just walked in here,” said Girardi in his post game meeting with the media, moments after the Yankees took the first of three games from Chicago in the Bronx.

The manager seems impatient answering the same questions during this now, and important stretch run that sees his team three games away from an AL wild card post season spot. A few weeks ago, when the Yankees hopes for post season baseball appeared to be minimal, Girardi had to constantly avoid the same questions about when Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter would be returning to his lineup.

But, the reality is, good pitching from the starting rotation is essential for baseball to be played in the Bronx next month. And for the Yankees to get there, Huff, claimed off waivers from Cleveland on May 25th, deserves the opportunity to help them get there.

He has been reliable when coming out of the pen, and Monday showed he may be capable. With the inconsistency of Hughes, who could be in his last days as a Yankee, Huff becomes the guy Girardi has on his mind down the stretch.

“I haven’t made any decisions on changing the rotation,” said Girardi.

However, if Huff was told to prepare for a start, he would be ready in the next few days. Hughes would be slated to probably pitch again today (Wednesday) against the White Sox. If so, that would move CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, and Andy Pettitte, back a day and enables, the struggling Hiroki Kuroda to keep his regular turn Sunday afternoon against the first place Red Sox.

Kuroda is still scheduled to start Wednesday night, though that could change and Hughes said he would be available and ready to go if Girardi wanted to bring him back.

Huff, in the meantime is going with the flow. He has become what a baseball team during the course of a long season says is, the pleasant and unexpected surprise. He tossed 62 pitches Monday, his fewest ever in a game where he has pitched at least 5.2 innings.

“If I’m in the bullpen I’m pretty relaxed,” he said. “And as a starter it’s the same.” 

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

       

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Roadway of Tears

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Roadway of Tears: Why was Young Mother Murdered on New England Thruway? By David Greene   BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 2- A young mother fleeing her deranged ex...

Roadway of Tears

Why was Young Mother Murdered on New England Thruway?

By David Greene

 

BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 2- A young mother fleeing her deranged ex-boyfriend was brutally and savagely stabbed to death as she lay injured and trapped inside an overturned vehicle.

 

Police were called to the Pelham Parkway entrance of the I-95 / New England Thruway interchange at just before 4 a.m. on Wednesday, August 28, for reports of an overturned vehicle.

 

Katherine German, 20, of Van Nest was discovered inside the bloody vehicle, she had been stabbed several times in the neck, torso and face with a kitchen knife and was declared dead at the scene.

 

Cops quickly took ex-boyfriend and livery taxi driver Dionis Espinal, 31, into custody. Espinal and German had a 2-month old daughter together, but court documents show German had an order of protection against Espinal, since a May 26 assault.

 

Espinal, an employee of the Kiss Car Service on Webster Avenue, had apparently spotted German and her new boyfriend as they exited the Paradise Motel on Boston Road.

 

The couple fled in a Honda Pilot SUV, and Espinal gave chase in a Toyota Camry, one of the new outer-borough taxis, at speeds of upwards of 90-miles-per-hour. Espinal rear ended the SUV, which then flipped over a concrete divider and rested on a jogging path between Pelham Bay Park and Co-op City.

 

Investigators say Espinal then calmly walked over to the SUV, climbed into the vehicle through the passenger side window and preceded to stab German to death as she lay injured and trapped in the passenger seat.

 

German's new boyfriend Jose Jimenez, 28, of Yonkers refused medical attention at the scene for minor bruises and abrasions. Espinal was taken to the 45th Precinct for questioning and was subsequently charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon.

 

Espinal entered a plea of not-guilty and was being held without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 3.

 

The victims heartbroken mother Fernanda Rivera, 41,claimed Espinal knew German's day-to-day activities, apparently by accessing her cell-phone. Rivera told reporter's, "He hit her. He sent her to the hospital," and now the young mother is dead.  

Bronx News Sports: Can't Afford to Lose

Bronx News Sports: Can't Afford to Lose: Orioles Top Yanks After a 7-Run 7th Inning By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 2- The six-game home winning streak of the Yankees en...

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Can't Afford to Lose

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Can't Afford to Lose: Orioles Top Yanks After a 7-Run 7th Inning By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 2- The six-game home winning streak of the Yankees en...

Can't Afford to Lose

Orioles Top Yanks After a 7-Run 7th Inning

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 2- The six-game home winning streak of the Yankees ended on Sunday afternoon as the Orioles, with a seven-run outburst in the seventh, came from behind to defeat New York, 7-3.

The Yankee loss also ended another streak. In 2013, the Yankees were 32-0 in games in which they led by at least three runs. The Yankees were ahead by a score of 3-0 until Baltimore’s high scoring seventh inning.

Yankee starter Andy Pettitte, who did not figure in the decision, was 16-2 over the Orioles in the last 11 years and did not suffer a loss to them in his last 12 starts.

The left-hander blanked Baltimore during the first six frames, yielding only five hits and not walking a batter. The damage began in the seventh against Pettitte and continued through the following three relief pitchers.

After the game, Baltimore center fielder Adam Jones spoke with high praise on behalf of Pettitte, “He [Andy Pettitte] is who he is. He’s still very impressive. He still has plus stuff. He knows what he’s doing. I wish I had seen him from 1996-2005 [Pettitte’s prime]. When we saw him leave the game, nobody was sad. A change of scenery was good.”

The first two Baltimore batters singled in the top of the seventh off Pettitte and the veteran hurler was then removed, after 93 pitches, by manager Joe Girardi for reliever Shawn Kelley.

The new hurler gave no relief to the Yanks as he surrendered a single to catcher Matt Wieters and a home run to J.J. Hardy, his 24th of the season.

Situational lefty Boone Logan then entered the game and gave up a single and a walk to the two Oriole batters he faced.

Both runners scored as did Adam Jones, who blasted his 28th homer of 2013 off the next Yankees pitcher, Joba Chamberlain. The inning mercifully ended for the Yankees after two batters were retired, but not before seven Baltimore runs were scored.

Orioles skipper Buck Showalter was hopeful the big inning will be an impetus to success throughout the month, “Scoring seven runs in one inning, we hope it bodes well for a good September because we’re going to need it. It’s a good way to start the month.”

Girardi, whose bullpen had a 1.05 ERA during the past two weeks, was disappointed by its rare failure on Sunday, “They’re not going to be perfect, but it is surprising. Today, they just didn’t come through.”

Wei-Yin Chen, the Orioles starter, gave up three runs in his four innings on the mound. In contrast to the Yankees relievers in the game, the four Baltimore pen men, Kevin Gausman, Francisco Rodriguez, Tommy Hunter and Darren O’ Day, shut down the Yankees batters for five frames.

The Chicago White Sox return to Yankee Stadium on Monday for a three game series that will begin with a Labor Day matinee. In the opener, Phil Hughes (4-13) will start for the Yanks against Jose Quintana (7-4) for Chicago.

Fordham Rolls Over Rams

Fordham Rolls Over Rams

College Football Kicks Off in the Bronx

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, AUGUST 30- The earliest season football opening game since intercollegiate football began at Fordham in 1882 took place on Thursday night at Jack Coffey Field on Fordham’s Bronx campus. The Rams of Fordham welcomed the Rams of Rhode Island for the 12th meeting of a rivalry that started 101 years ago.

The two young squads appear to be moving in opposite directions. URI entered the contest with a 13-game losing streak while the Rams in 2012 made the second greatest improvement in NCAA football mobbing from a 1-10 mark in 2011 to a winning, 6-5, record in 2012 under first year head coach Joe Moorhead.

The stronger offensive performances that have come under the coaching of its star quarterback of the 1990’s were still in effect during the inaugural game of the 2013 season. For the second straight season Fordham scored more than 50 points in its opening game. The most recent contest before the two openers in which the Fordham Rams totaled more than 50 points was on September 6, 2003, also against Rhode Island.

Fordham’s quarterback Mike Nebrich began the scoring attack with a 29-yard touchdown pass to Sam Ajala at 10:08 in the first quarter. The two juniors connected again in the final quarter for a 64 yard touchdown. The two TD passes caught by Ajala equaled the output of his previous two seasons at Fordham.

Less than two minutes after his touchdown pass of the game, (8:14), the fleet Fordham quarterback rushed 32 yards for the second Rams touchdown. The extra points kicked by Brooklyn native Michael Marando gave Fordham a 14-0 advantage that was never overcome.

Nebrich also found last season’s First Team All-Patriot League wide receiver Brian Wetzel for two touchdown receptions. They combined for a 4-yard touchdown in the second period and for a 49 yard touchdown in the third quarter.

The inexperienced signal caller for Fordham showed his capabilities as he connected on 17 of 25 passes for 267 yards. He threw for four touchdowns without an interception.

Nebrich only played three games in 2012, after transferring from the University of Connecticut, before suffering an injury that ended his season.

Fordham sophomore JQ Bowers intercepted a pass of URI quarterback Bob Bentsen and carried it for a touchdown in the third quarter.

A freshman, Kendall Pearcey, scored the final points of the contest on a 16-yard run with 1:27 on the clock. Interestingly, the Bronx college student-athlete graduated from Steinbrenner High School in Lutz, Florida.

After the contest concluded, the team gathered in jubilation to ring the Victory Bell and sing the Fordham Fight Song. These two traditional activities take place on campus after every Fordham football win.

Fordham will remain in the Bronx to prepare for its next opponent, Villanova. The two will compete at the Rose Hill campus on Saturday, September 7, at 6 pm.