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Results tagged ' New York '
The bitter end
The Yankees made all kinds of history in the American League Championship Series. Unfortunately for them, it was the type of history they didn't want to be making. For the first time since 1976, the Yankees were swept in a four-game postseason series, thus ending their run for what could have been their 28th World Series title.
The Detroit Tigers have clotheslined the Yanks to the canvas on their chase for 28.
There's always blame to go around when the postseason ends prematurely, but most of it lies on the lack of production at the plate. The Yankee offense went about as frozen as a cooler in Antarctica, batting .188 overall for the playoffs and a miserable .196 with runners in scoring position.
Any self-respecting manager or coach would say those numbers will just not get the job done in October, and obviously it didn't for the Yankees.
Up until CC Sabathia's rough Game 4 outing, the pitching was certainly a bright spot for the Bronx Bombers in the ALCS. As a matter of fact, every pitcher (save for Sabathia this evening) turned in a quality performance. Phil Hughes left Game 3 early, but David Phelps and the bullpen piggy-backed him, and the Tigers only scored two runs – the Yankee offense flaking and falling 2-1.
It's clear pitching wasn't the problem this postseason. The bats just died.
Now with the off-season on the horizon, the Yankee front office has a number of decisions to make. The hitters have around 4-5 months to think about what happened in 2012, but will some of them be back in pinstripes in 2013?
Let's start with the giant elephant in the room.
Alex Rodriguez
A-Rod was once again the center of October attention – and again, not in a good way.
After being benched in Game 5 of the ALDS for batting .125, Rodriguez only saw seven at-bats in the ALCS. He finished with an overall BA of .130 with no homers, no RBIs, and 12 strikeouts.
Aside from 2009, A-Rod has been a non-factor in the postseason.
What really caught everyone by surprise were his antics in the dugout during the ALCS, sending the ball boy to give two women (reportedly models) sitting in the stands a baseball with his phone number on it. His act garnered all kinds of media attention, and may have led to his benching in the ALCS. He only played in six of the Yanks' nine postseason games.
Then, out of nowhere, speculation and trade rumors came up about the Yankees possibly moving Rodriguez to the Miami Marlins. General Manager Brian Cashman quickly squashed the rumors as bunk, but later several sources claimed the possible deal wasn't as false as Cashman initially said it was.
During his postgame interview Rodriguez didn't indicate that he wants to leave New York – and he does have a no-trade clause in his contract, although according to sources he told his close friends he'd approve a deal to be traded, if it meant going to another big-market team.
"I will be back," he said after tonight's loss. "I have a lot to prove. I've never thought about going to another team. My focus is on staying here. Let's make that very, very clear."
If A-Rod opts to stay, it will be a tough road moving forward for the Yankees. Rodriguez has been plagued by injuries these last few seasons, his offensive numbers have steadily declined, and as evidenced by this October, he struggles in the postseason – to the point where they're paying him, a key player, to sit on the bench in important games.
The way I see it, if the Yankees can move A-Rod and receive decent, younger players in exchange for him, jump at the chance. Rodriguez is 37 and will be 38 next year – and he is under contract for another five years.
Bottom line: if you can get out of it, get out of it, Yanks.
Nick Swisher
Unlike Rodriguez, Nick Swisher is a free agent. He durably played in 148 games this season and hit 24 home runs, knocked in 93 runs, and batted a respectable .272 for the season.
Sadly for Swisher, once the postseason begins everyone forgets about those solid numbers.
Swisher absolutely tanked in the playoffs, batting .167 with no homers, just two RBIs, and 10 strikeouts. He came up short in several key spots in the ALDS and ALCS, and wasn't his normal self before Game 2; not even facing the crowd in right field while warming up. He also missed a ball in the lights in Game 1, which in turn helped lead to the Yankees' loss.
Yankee beat writer Bryan Hoch at one point tweeted, "The Yankee faithful have seen enough of Swisher, I'm afraid."
I'm afraid he may be correct.
Although Swisher did hint that he does in fact want to return to the Yankees, there's a good chance it might not happen. He will certainly find another team willing to take him on if he doesn't come back to the Bronx, because he offers such a strong, positive presence wherever he goes – and his success reflects that.
It's just unfortunate that in what could have been his last game at Yankee Stadium, the fan-favorite was booed and jeered off the field – an ungracious way to bow out, if it was indeed his last game in pinstripes.
Other Free Agents & Decisions
- Hiroki Kuroda. The righty from Japan signed a one-year deal during the off-season and won 16 games – and probably would have won more had he received better run support. If I'm Brian Cashman, I'd certainly try to return Kuroda. He earned it.
- Andy Pettitte. I'll be the first to admit, I was at first a little unhappy when Pettitte decided to come out of retirement (in my personal view, I feel he went back on his retirement, a la Roger Clemens and Brett Favre). However, when he was struck in the leg by that come-backer, and he was sidelined for the majority of the season, I felt bad for him, because I know he wanted to pay dividends for the Yankees, and he didn't exactly get the chance to. I could see him returning for 2013 but ultimately it'll be a decision he makes over the winter. If he does come back, I'd expect him to come back for a cheap price.
- Rafael Soriano. The man who filled in so nicely for Mariano Rivera this year can opt out of his contract and attempt to test the open market for more money. If so, the Yankees will have to decide whether or not to pursue him in free agency. But will they have to if…
- Mariano Rivera returns? Rivera is a free agent and reportedly made a decision about retirement following 2012, but after his season-ending knee injury in May he told the world he will be back. I can't imagine him being with another team other than the Yankees, especially if 2013 is his final year.
- Eric Chavez and Andruw Jones. The way I see it, the Yankees have to get younger. Chavez and Jones are both past their prime; their best playing days behind them. I covered a high school football game last week, and as it was, I happened to catch up with the school's baseball coach – also a Yankee fan. He raised a legitimate question: "Where's our versions of (Bryce) Harper, (Mike) Trout, and (Manny) Machado?" I answered him, "Playing for the Seattle Mariners," referencing Jesus Montero. The Yankees have to breed their younger guys better – and they can't do that clinging to the older guys.
- Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain. Both made their respective debuts in 2007, and both were touted to be the future aces of the Yankees. Six years later, neither has lived up to the hype; both with injury-ravaged careers and mediocre-to-subpar numbers. The Yankees are facing a tough decision with Hughes and Chamberlain. I could see them bringing one back and not the other, but right now I couldn't tell you which would stay and which would go.
- Raul Ibanez. About as clutch as clutch can be in the postseason, Ibanez is now a free agent. However, he's also 40 years old. If he does return, I can't see him coming back for a lot of money; he'd have to sign back for an inexpensive price. Looking at it objectively though, he may have earned himself another contract, simply by his late-inning October heroics. It's just another decision the Yanks will be faced with.
- Ichiro. Although he'll turn 39 on Monday – and this kind of goes against my plea to develop younger players – Ichiro this year proved he can still field, hit, and run just fine. If it were up to me, I'd try to get him back. It'll be interesting to see if the Yankees make him an offer to play next year, and if they do, what type of money they'll offer him. I'd imagine it'd only be a one-year deal. Anywhere between $7-9 million, perhaps?
- Derek Lowe. No I don't expect him back. He was a rental.
- Jayson Nix. He's a maybe. We'll have to wait and see.
There are also a number of free agents on the open market; potential players from other teams the Yankees can pursue. I'm anticipating a busy off-season, given the number of possible moves the Yankees can make. I'm also anxious to see what happens, considering Cashman and the front office are hoping to keep the payroll under $189 million.
As per the end of every season, I'd like to thank the loyal readers of Yankee Yapping! I know 2012 didn't end with a World Series Championship like we wanted, but it was still a fun year for baseball and the Yankees.
Be sure to keep up with YY during the off-season. I'm sure I'll have stories, and analysis and highlights of what's happening as the hot stove cooks. Also be sure to follow me on Twitter (@AJ_Martelli) and keep up with YY on Facebook (#ShamelessPlug)
Thanks again, everyone. And Go Yankees!
In peril and fading fast
Funny, how in a matter of 48 hours, everything changes. On Friday Yankee Universe was in a state of euphoria. Fast forward to now and Yankee Universe is in a state of flux.
The Yankees had no times to rest after ousting the Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS, but still celebrated with happiness and champagne in the clubhouse. The good feeling of moving on to the last round before the World Series was short-lived however, given the circumstances surrounding the first two games of the American League Championship Series.
New York dropped Game 1 of the ALCS on Saturday night, even after staging an incredible game-tying comeback in the ninth inning, and then proceeded to drop Game 2 yesterday without plating a run.
Just like that, the Yankees are down 0-2 in a best-of-seven, heading into the Motor City.
There are several reasons – well, culprits – for the Yanks' deficit. It's difficult to single out just one player, or one event in which the Yankees squandered a chance to take a lead or win an ALCS game. Therefore, it's only fitting to place the blame on all those who deserve it – basically all of the Yankee hitters that are guilty of folding in key spots.
Nick Swisher
On Saturday in the top of the 12th, the game tied 4-4, Nick Swisher misplayed a ball struck by Delmon Young in right field. Miguel Cabrera scored as a result and later in the frame Don Kelly came to the plate on a single by Andy Dirks.
The miscue proved to be the difference in the game, the Yankees losing Game 1, 6-4.
The situation may have been forgivable had it not cost the Yankees the game – and if Swisher wasn't batting .154 with eight strikeouts, no homers, and one RBI for the playoffs. What added a fair amount of fuel to the fire was the fact that later in the inning the Yankees' worst nightmare manifested itself, Derek Jeter suffering a postseason-ending ankle fracture.
Swisher didn't help his cause, not only barely acknowledging the bleacher creatures before Game 2, but also claiming the fans blamed him for Jeter's injury.
"I missed that ball in the lights and the next thing you know I'm the reason that Jeter got hurt. It's kind of frustrating. They were saying it was my fault."
Nobody can rightfully blame Swisher for Jeter's injury; it wasn't his fault, and injuries in baseball can never be predicted. However, Swisher shouldn't make excuses or in any way call out the fans. The media jumped all over it, saying he blamed the fans for his current trifles.
He's always been a fan-favorite, but there's already been plenty of chatter about whether or not Swisher will return next year. If he doesn't turn things around in Game 3 and moving forward, his leave will not be very gracious; Swisher might bow out of the Bronx in a not-so-endearing fashion.
Curtis Granderson
In the final game of the ALDS on Friday Curtis Granderson lifted a solo home run to help put the Orioles away. Many Yankee fans probably thought the round-tripper was the end of his terrible funk, considering he struck out nine times in the Division Series with a batting average of .158.
If the fans thought that, they were wrong.
Granderson hasn't yet recorded a base hit in the ALCS, and added five more strikeouts in seven at-bats. His BA has sunk to a measly .115 and his on-base percentage is a joke: .207.
While I was covering a high school football game on Friday, I happened to be standing on the sidelines next to the school's baseball coach. Before the football game began we were discussing Granderson's batting stance and mechanics. The coach mentioned that Granderson's stance and his swing look incredibly awkward, and he's always trying to uppercut the ball.
This writer can't argue. Looking at each of his strikeouts this postseason, he's whiffing on breaking balls in the dirt, swinging under them; almost as if he's trying swing a nine iron, and horribly missing the tee. His swing isn't level and it's costing him.
His offensive neurosis is inexplicable but in a lot of ways isn't surprising. Granderson homered 43 times during the regular season and knocked in 106 runs. But if you sum up his home run and RBI total, it doesn't even add up to the number of times he struck out this season: 195.
Bottom line, when he hits, he hits. When he misses, boy does he miss. And he has been missing a lot lately – the wrong time to go ice cold.
Robinson Cano
Another classic case of a hitter going from juggernaut to jugger-not.
Robinson Cano set a career-high in home runs in 2012 with 33 and finished the year with a solid .313 batting average. He closed out the regular season with a bang, homering twice while knocking in six in a 14-2 win over the Red Sox – a nice hitting show to end the year.
Too bad it was curtains for Cano's hitting show once the postseason began.
The Yankees' second baseman is batting a mind-boggling .063 this postseason with no hits thus far in the ALCS. Instead of lifting the ball he has been beating it into the ground for easy outs, mostly pulling it to the right side for the first baseman to make unassisted plays.
Unlike Granderson, Cano's offensive slump has been surprising. He has always had an easy, effortless, and otherwise sweet swing. It seems as though he's been swinging late at pitches he normally hits, fouling them off then missing them altogether.
If the Yankees want to win, he needs to straighten himself out. Cano has been the best hitter on the team throughout the year – and when your best hitter isn't hitting, winning is rare. Trailing by two games in the ALCS, Cano must come alive, because .063 just will not cut it.
Alex Rodriguez
Notorious for being a poor producer in the month of October, minus 2009, it doesn't come as a shock that Alex Rodriguez is struggling as much as he is. It seems as if every key spot which requires the Yankees to score a run comes down to A-Rod – and in each of those spots, he fails.
Unfortunately, with every failure comes boos and jeers from the Yankee faithful.
Rodriguez struck out nine times in the ALDS and tacked on three more Ks in the first two ALCS games. Not that it's saying much, but his batting average (.130) is at least better than Granderson's and Cano's. He hasn't doubled, tripled, homered, or driven in any runs this postseason.
At this point, it's a safe bet to say it's a mental issue with Rodriguez. Even at his worst times, he has never been this bad.
Is he pressing and trying to do too much in every trip to the plate? Yes.
Is he really this bad, though? I don't know.
In Game 5 of the ALDS Rodriguez was benched – which I saw mostly as a "mental health day," hoping he'd take the day off and come back with a vengeance. It proved to be ineffective as it was, because he went right back to not hitting when the ALCS started.
At this point, I don't know what the answer is for A-Rod. Hitting Coach Kevin Long can only do so much, and extra batting practice can only go so far. Rodriguez's swings are some of the weakest hacks I've seen him take.
My advice would be to get him to a psychiatrist. Or maybe just give him a hug and hope for the best.
Other Problems
- Derek Jeter is out for the remainder of the playoffs. It comes as a huge blow to the Yankees, being that the Captain was one of the only players actually hitting. Jeter left the postseason with a .333 BA, a double, a triple, and two RBIs. His ankle fracture will take three months to recover from, and he won't be with the team in Detroit. The Captain will be in Charlotte, NC seeing a specialist for his injured ankle.
- Second base umpire Jeff Nelson made a costly mistake in Game 2 yesterday, calling Omar Infante safe when he was obviously out, trying to get back to the base. The blown call proved to be a game-changer because the Tigers, clinging to a small, 1-0 lead in the inning, went on to score two runs following the blunder. Not that Nelson should be blamed for the Yankees' dead offense, but different scenarios are possible with a 1-0 lead and a 3-0 lead in the late innings – just ask Raul Ibanez.
- RoboCop…errm…Justin Verlander is starting Game 3. Verlander, the reigning Cy Young Award winner and AL MVP doesn't exactly have his work cut out for him; not that he ever really does, considering how dominant he always is. Facing a nearly extinct Yankee offense without Jeter, Verlander and the Tigers must feel invincible going into tomorrow night's game.
- The Yankees stranded 12 runners on base in just three instances in Game 1, leaving the bases loaded three times. With that, they made postseason history. And no, not in the good way.
On the Bright Side?
- CC Sabathia will start Game 4. Even if the Yankees drop Game 3 tomorrow, it's possible they salvage a game in this ALCS, what with the big ace on the hill in Game 4.
- June 3. Phil Hughes pitched a complete game, four-hit shutout in Detroit, the Yankees winning 5-1 – a victory over Verlander. He'll match up again with Verlander tomorrow night; the history on the Yankees' side.
- The starting pitching overall this postseason. All four of the Yankee starters have gone out and given the team a chance to win. In fact, every start has been a quality start. The problem lies in run support, as the root of the losing problem stems from the non-existent offense.
Nothing has really fallen the Yankees' way over the first two ALCS games. Perhaps losing Game 2 will be a wake-up call, and the bats will come alive; the offense finally breaking out and scoring some runs for the battling starting pitchers.
Maybe Joe Girardi needs to call an angry meeting. Maybe A-Rod needs therapy. Maybe Brian Cashman needs to storm the clubhouse and recreate the scene from Moneyball that portrays A's General Manager Billy Beane lighting a fire under his players, calling them out on their dead bats.
Something needs to happen. Or else this could very well be the end of the 2012 Yankees.
Yanks oust O's, now out for RAWR-demption
It wasn't the Twins, but the Yankees still won.
Coming into the 2012 playoffs, the Yankees were 0-5 against teams not named the Minnesota Twins in the American League Division Series. Finally, they got over the hump; eliminated a team other than Minnesota with a 3-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles last night to advance to the American League Championship Series.
Although they did leap the ALDS hurdle, it will only get more difficult for the Bombers from here. Waiting for them in the ALCS are none other than the Detroit Tigers – the team that not only beat them in five games in last year's ALDS, but booted them in four in the first round of the 2006 postseason.
The Yankees have a lot going for them in the ALCS, but at the same time, a lot is working against them.
- The possibility of only facing Justin Verlander once. It took five games for the Tigers to finish off the Oakland A's in the ALDS, and the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and MVP pitched twice. In a best-case-scenario, they deal with Verlander once and be done with it.
- Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher, and Derek Jeter's numbers vs. Detroit's Game 1 starter, Doug Fister. Teixeira has a homer and four RBIs in 12 at-bats lifetime off Fister, while Swisher holds a homer and two RBIs over his head. Jeter owns a .385 batting average with two RBIs off him. If they can swing the bats the way they have in the past off Fister, they might be able to take some wind out of the Tigers' sails, right from the start.
- Andy Pettitte starting Game 1. It kind of goes with the "taking the wind of out the Tigers' sails" motif. Pettitte is battle-tested in the postseason, and if he takes the ball tonight and gives the Yankees quality, there's a good chance the Bombers can get a quick, 1-0 series lead. Pettitte always affords them a chance to win.
- June 3. Phil Hughes, who hasn't been consistent this year to say the least, pitched his way to a complete game, four-hit victory in Detroit. Hughes only allowed one earned run to the lead the Yanks to their 5-1 win – and it's worth noting he outdueled Verlander for that win. The long ball was a problem for Hughes this season (35 homers allowed, second most in the majors), but if he turns in a performance like he did in Game 4 of the ALDS, it's good news for New York.
- CC Sabathia and a rested bullpen. Sabathia really strutted his stuff in the ALDS – especially in the clinching game last night, going the distance. Not only did he give the Yankees an extreme amount of confidence going forward, but he rested a rather taxed bullpen, what with two ALDS games going beyond nine innings.
- The Tigers' bullpen. Jose Valverde blew a key save to keep the Oakland A's alive, and is notorious for flirting with disaster. In a close, late-game situation the Yankees can easily capitalize on his mistakes. Valverde saved 35 games for Detroit during the regular season, but he's not exactly Mariano Rivera, or even Rafael Soriano.
- Obviously, the way the Yankees have been swinging the bats. Offensively, the Yankees had about one inning in the ALDS – the ninth inning of Game 1 – in which the bats were clicking on all cylinders. Other than that one frame, the Bombers have been (to put it mildly) struggling at the plate. Swisher, Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson, Ichiro, and, well…virtually everyone might benefit from some extra batting practice.
- The psyche of Alex Rodriguez. It's no secret when it comes to the postseason, A-Rod is constantly being thrown under the microscope; then being ragged on for folding at the plate. Outside of the 2009 playoffs, it's not unfair to say Rodriguez has been an October goat. In the four games he played in the ALDS A-Rod was 2-for-16 with no homers, no RBIs, and the stat that sticks out like a sore thumb: nine strikeouts. He was benched for the deciding game because of his poor performance in the ALDS, but he has an opportunity to channel his inner 2009 and put it behind him. In my opinion, it's a mental issue – one that he must get over in order to be successful.
- The King with three crowns. Miguel Cabrera, for his entire career, has never been an easy out for the Yankees; in fact, he's a Yankee killer. And if you're talking about the all-time champion Yankee killers – players like Ken Griffey, Jr., Edgar Martinez, Manny Ramirez, and David Ortiz – Cabrera must be mentioned in the same breath. It's going to be quite the task pitching to him, and the guy behind him, big Prince Fielder. The poisonous 1-2 punch in the heart of the Tigers' batting order will undoubtedly pose the biggest offensive threat and potentially supply the Tigers with plenty of offense.
- Verlander. Kind of tough to ignore the giant elephant in the room. Verlander may not have had the best season numerically vs. the Yankees, but he's still one of the most feared pitchers in the American League. Like Sabathia he closed out the ALDS with a brilliant complete game gem. I'd like to see what it'd be like if he matched up with Sabathia in the ALCS; a showcase of virtuosos and a pitcher's duel would be my bet.
- Postseason history vs. Detroit. The Yankees were able to get over beating a team not named the Minnesota Twins in the ALDS, but now can they get over a team that has twice eliminated them in October?
Well, now that I mention it…
The last time the Yankees faced a team in the ALCS that had twice eliminated them in the ALDS: the Angels, in 2009. They were able to get over the halo hurdle in six games, then go on to claim the World Series. If the Yankees are lucky, history will repeat itself.
But they have to tame the Tigers if they want it to.
Before the ALDS, my cousin C.J. from Baltimore (yeah, I know about the A.J. – C.J. thing, heard it a million times) wrote me a little message on Facebook:
"Here come the O's, buddy. Gonna be a good series!"
I responded, "Definitely! O's have a fire in them, but it'll be tough to cool off Robinson Cano. May the best team win."
Obviously it wasn't tough for them to Cool off Cano, but the Yanks still won. I wrote back last night,
"Good series, cuz. O's battled like warriors, came up just short. Hope the Yankees can knock off the Tigers now!"
C.J., the class act he is, replied, "Aw man, what a classic series. Already can't wait for next year. Best of luck to you guys!"
I'd just like to thank C.J. for being (in a way) a gracious loser; not making me, a Yankee fan, feel bad about winning the ALDS, him being an O's fan – and even going as far as wishing me luck (as a fan) in the next round.
Thanks again, Ceej. And it was a classic series. I hope the Yankees and O's meet again in the playoffs next year. I'm up for another series.
If it's not the Twins, can the Yankees win?
Last year the Yankees were ousted from the playoffs at the hands of the Detroit Tigers, losing the deciding Game Five on Oct. 6. This year will be a much different story, considering the American League Division Series won't even begin until Oct. 7 – 2012 already a longer postseason than 2011 for the Bronx Broskis.
By the end of tonight's all-or-nothing Wild Card play-in game the Yanks will know where they're headed for the first two games of the ALDS: they'll either be getting on a plane set on course for Texas to play the Rangers, or they'll be heading to Baltimore to face the Orioles.
Before they square off with their first round opponents, there's an ALDS history lesson that needs to be taught. In 2001, the Yanks eliminated the Oakland A's in five games. Since then have had an easy time with one particular team in the first round of the playoffs, but haven't had much luck against virtually anyone else.
2002 ALDS: Yankees booted by the Los Angeles Angels, three games to one. Loss
2003 ALDS: Yankees defeated the Minnesota Twins, three games to one. Win
2004 ALDS: Yankees duplicated '03, beating the Minnesota Twins, three games to one. Win
2005 ALDS: Yankees once again booted by the LA Angels, this time three games to two. Loss
2006 ALDS: Yankees eliminated by the Detroit Tigers, three games to one. Loss
2007 ALDS: Yankees forced to an early exit at the hands of the Cleveland Indians, three games to one. Loss
2008: Didn't make playoffs
2009 ALDS: Yankees sweep the Minnesota Twins, three games to none. Win
2010 ALDS: Yankees once again broom the Minnesota Twins, three games to none. Win
2011 ALDS: Yankees eliminated by the Tigers, three games to two. Loss
Obviously there's a pattern here. The Yankees have no problem beating teams in the ALDS – teams that are only named Minnesota Twins, that is. The Angels, Tigers, and Indians have crushed the Yankees' dreams in the ALDS, so it begs the question that's been on my mind since last October:
If it's not the Twins, can the Yankees win?
Either way, New York has a great deal of experience playing each of its potential 2012 first round opponents. This writer has been asked who he'd rather see the Yankees play in this year's ALDS: the Rangers or Orioles. I'm not quite sure because the way I see it, there are pros and cons of facing either team.
Texas Rangers
- The Rangers played incredibly sloppy baseball to close out the 2012 regular season, committing three errors on the way to a one-sided 12-5 loss to the Oakland A's on Wednesday, blowing the AL West in the process– and it didn't start there. Texas lost seven of its last 10 regular season games.
- No Cliff Lee this time. If it wasn't enough for Lee to hand the Yanks their only two losses in the 2009 World Series, he came back for seconds in the 2010 American League Championship Series; dominating the Bombers in a crucial Game Three with a masterful 13-strikeout performance. He was a huge part of the Rangers' past success vs. New York – and he'll be a non-factor this postseason. Speaking of past success…
- Past success in the ALDS vs. Texas. The Yankees played the Rangers in the ALDS in 1996, 1998, and in 1999 – and knocked them out all three years while twice sweeping them ('98 and '99). Although the Rangers knocked the Yanks out in the second round of the playoffs in 2010, the Yanks have never had a problem with them in the first round. Numerically in fact, the Yankees are 9-1 vs. Texas in ALDS play.
- The first two games will be played in Arlington. Along with the changes made to the Wild Card, MLB changed the rules in terms of home field advantage. Instead of the team with home field advantage playing the first two games at home, then going on the road for two, then coming home for a Game Five (if necessary), the team with HFA starts on the road for two games, then comes home for the final three (games four and five of course, if necessary). Therefore, the Yankees will have to play the first two ALDS games in Texas, which is a difficult Stadium to win at.
- Facing Yu Darvish. The Yanks won't have to worry about the young man from Japan in Game One of the ALDS if the Rangers take the Wild Card, as he'll be starting the winner-take-all game vs. Baltimore tonight. However, if the Yankees do happen to cross paths with him, they should keep Tuesday, April 24 in mind: the night Darvish shut them down with an 8.1-inning, 10-strikeout masterpiece to lead the Rangers to a 2-0 win. His name might not be Cliff Lee, but Darvish was a virtuoso that night; reminiscent of a Lee performance.
- Pitching to Josh Hamilton. In the 2010 ALCS Hamilton punished the Yankees, clubbing four home runs, driving in seven, and batting .350. He went on to win the ALCS MVP, and later the American League MVP. His batting average for 2012 may not have been the highest of his career (.285) but Hamilton still smacked 43 homers and batted in 128 runs. He is one of the most dangerous hitters in the big leagues – and obviously he's more dangerous playing in October, when it matters.
Baltimore Orioles
- Familiarity. The Yankees are no strangers to Camden Yards, having played nine games there this year. Yankee fans flock down from New York to root for the team, sometimes giving Oriole Park the feel of Yankee Stadium. And in case you're wondering, six of the Yanks' nine wins vs. Baltimore this year were road victories.
- The Orioles' postseason drought. Baltimore hasn't danced in October since 1997 – and their last taste of playoff baseball ended on a sour note: the Indians beating them in the ALCS. It'll be interesting to see just how the Orioles respond when all eyes are on them this October.
- The absence of longtime Yankee nemesis Nick Markakis. The 28-year-old outfielder – also a career .295 hitter – was struck by a pitch on his thumb on Sept. 8, fracturing the bone and thus ending his season. With Baltimore boasting such a potent offensive lineup with the likes of Mark Reynolds, Adam Jones, J.J. Hardy, and Matt Wieters, Markakis is one less problem for the Yankee pitching staff to worry about.
- Inexperience on the part of the Orioles' third baseman. Manny Machado was called up from the Double-A Bowie Baysox on Aug. 9. He's done a fine job on offense in his infantile career, with seven homers and 26 RBIs. But on Monday, some shoddy defense at third cost his team a game vs. Tampa Bay – a game the Orioles needed to win in order to stay in contention with the Yankees for the AL East. If Machado falls through the cracks on defense, it might cost the O's in the playoffs, the same way it did vs. the Rays.
- The Orioles knew how to win in extra innings this year. Baltimore posted 16 extra-inning victories in 2012, and won nine games that lasted 12 innings or longer. Some of their dramatics included a 15-inning win, a 17-inning win, and an 18-inning win this year. For the Yankees, playing only nine innings is key, given the O's dominance in extra frames.
- Pitching to Mark Reynolds. The Orioles' first baseman smacked 23 home runs this year – and seven of those 23 were off Yankee pitchers. Reynolds posted a .294 average vs. the Yankees in 2012 and knocked in 14 runs against New York. All season long Reynolds has been a thorn in the Yanks' side, and he has a chance to continue it in the playoffs.
- Jim Johnson at the end of the game. Baltimore's closer nailed down 51 saves this year in 54 save opps. Up until Tuesday, the Yankees were 0-for-58 when trailing after eight innings. Johnson is not a pitcher the Yankees would ideally want to be facing in a late, close game. Johnson was 3-for-3 in saves vs. New York this year.
- Resiliency on the Orioles' part. Case in point: Thursday, Sept. 6. At Camden Yards, the Yankees fell behind early and trailed the O's 6-1 after seven innings. New York rallied for five runs in the top of the eighth to tie it at six – only for Baltimore to answer with a four-run bottom half of the eighth. When it looked as if the momentum swung the Yankees' way, the Orioles made sure to show the Bombers they possess the ability to battle back. Baltimore went on to win, 10-6.
As always, there are upsides and downsides of playing any postseason opponent. I'm not one to make predictions, but ESPN is: and 11 of 28 analysts in Bristol, Conn. say the Yankees will be going to the Fall Classic – and six of those 11 have the Yankees winning it all.
This writer can only hope those six are right.
It's only too bad the Twins aren't playing for the Wild Card this year. I know the Yankees would be rooting hard for them – and I think, given the history, I'd say the Yankees' odds of winning the first round would be pretty favorable.
But it's not the case. It's not the Twins and if the Yanks want World Series number 28 this season, they'll have to do what good teams do: find ways to win.
End of the Year Awards
The Yankees were winless, in fact 0-for-58 this year, when trailing after eight innings entering play last night. They couldn't have picked a better time to change that in game number 161 of the regular season; needing a victory to remain a game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles in first place.
Thanks to the timely hitting and clutch offense of Raul Ibanez, the Bronx Bombers put on a drama show, beating the last place Boston Red Sox 4-3 in a bona fide thriller. The Yanks' win now sets up these possible scenarios for today:
- A Yankee win over Boston: New York takes the AL East.
- A Yankee loss to Boston and an Orioles loss to Tampa Bay: New York takes the AL East.
- A Yankee loss to Boston and an Orioles win over Tampa Bay: a New York vs. Baltimore game at Camden Yards on Thursday to determine the AL East winner and the second Wild Card team.
What's more, pending the outcome of the Oakland A's/Texas Rangers game this afternoon, the Yankees have a chance to enter the postseason with the best record in the American League. If the A's beat the Rangers – and the Yanks win tonight – they'll go into October as the top seed, having won the most games of any team in the AL.
While we'll all have to play the waiting game for division winners and playoff seeds, it's that time of the year to hand out end-of-the season awards. There are a number of Yankees who have stood out this year, and they deserve to be recognized in one way or another. So without any further ado, here are the 2012 Yankee Yapping awards!
Most Valuable Player
Winner: Derek Jeter
It always seems that just when you think the Yankee Captain is done, he just adds more to his mind-bogglingly illustrious career. Last year he made history, clubbing a home run for his 3,000th hit – a nice, astronomical number to go along with his five World Series titles, seven pennants, his '96 AL Rookie of the Year, his 2000 World Series MVP, his 2000 All-Star Game MVP…you get the picture.
On Sept. 14, as part of a 19-game hitting streak, Jeter put another notch on his accomplishment belt, passing the legendary Willie Mays on baseball's all-time hits list, Jeter now in 10th place all by himself.
Jeter will finish this season with a batting average above .300 and he currently has 215 hits, which leads the majors. He's also at double digits in home runs (15), and if he scores a run tonight, he'll have 100 runs scored, as he currently sits at 99 for the year.
With more history made this season and a fine offensive campaign, Jeter has earned arguably the most prestigious accolade of his career: the Yankee Yapping MVP. Congrats, Derek!
Best Season from a Newcomer
Winner: Raul Ibanez
After last night, it's only fitting Raul Ibanez claims this distinction.
I'll be the first to admit, when Ibanez was signed by the Yankees basically on a dime, I was confused. A 40-year-old designated hitter who was chosen over Johnny Damon?
It didn't make sense to me at the time. In fact, I dubbed him, "Grandpa Ibanez."
The joke was on me, because grandpa showed me – and everyone – that he still has a lot of baseball life left in him; with 91 hits, 62 RBIs, and 19 homers – none more important than his blast in the ninth inning of last night's game.
Not only did Ibanez prove his worth at the plate, but for an aged player signed to be a primary DH, he did a nice job playing left field for Brett Gardner, who sat out most of the year with injuries. Ibanez showed, despite his age, he was worth the signing.
And for that, Raul, we thank you. Congrats on a great season.
Walk-off Hero
Winner: Russell Martin
All season long, Russell Martin was thrown under the microscope for hitting below .200. But all the chatter and criticism probably motivated him to swing the bat better, because look at him now: hitting .210 with a career-high 21 home runs.
All of his long balls were meaningful, but two stand out in my mind.
On Sunday June 10, Martin came up to the plate in the ninth inning against Jon Rauch of the Mets. Tied 4-4, Martin launched a ball deep in the air to left field for a solo, walk-off home run, giving the Yanks a 5-4 win to complete a weekend sweep of the Mets.
Then on Friday Sept. 21, he duplicated the feat vs. the Oakland A's.
Knotted at one in the bottom of the 10th, Martin lifted what turned out to be another game-winning home run off Oakland reliever Sean Doolittle to push the Yanks past the A's 2-1 in a crucial game the Bombers needed.
With a flair for the dramatic, Martin got it done. Congrats on not only persevering in terms of your batting average, but also saving the day with some power (twice) this year, Russell.
Ace of the Year
Co-Winners: CC Sabathia & Hiroki Kuroda
Considering the fact CC Sabathia spent time on the disabled list this year, it almost surprised me that he finished with the numbers he did. His 2012 totals aren't what you'd expect from an ace, but nonetheless, 15 wins with only seven losses and an ERA of 3.38 isn't too shabby.
What helped put Sabathia in the running for this award was that, despite his DL stints this year, he still logged 200 innings and struck out 197 batters. Plus, having struggled mightily throughout the month of September, Sabathia turned it around to finish strong, striking out 29 batters over his final three outings of the season – going 2-0 over those three games with the Yanks winning all three of them.
And then there's the guy who piggy-backed him.
Although his 15-11 record isn't exactly indicative of a standout year, Hiroki Kuroda did a fantastic job this season – better than his record indicates. Basically being thrown into the role of ace in Sabathia's absence, Kuroda pitched extremely well, albeit he didn't receive the type of run support I'm sure he would've hoped for.
Kuroda pitched 212.2 innings – and obviously that total will go up tonight, as he's starting this evening's game. Opponents are only hitting .249 against him, and he's given up less than a hit per inning going into his final start (198 hits allowed).
There's no doubt Kuroda proved his value through his impressive pitching this year, and teamed up with Sabathia to make a pretty fearsome 1-2 punch. Congrats on the award, fellas.
Reliever of the Year
Winner: Rafael Soriano
The Yankee clubhouse was said to have the feel of a morgue on May 3 when Mariano Rivera blew his knee out shagging fly balls in Kansas City during batting practice. The great Rivera was carted off the field and diagnosed with a torn ACL, his season over and the Yankees unsure of his future.
Superman lost his cape. Or, Thor lost his hammer.
Manager Joe Girardi tried plugging David Robertson into the closer role, only for him to blow his first chance at a save. As it turned out, Robertson wasn't the right fit for the closer role, and in fact, scuffled in a lot of his appearances throughout the year; currently with a 2-7 record.
Enter the man whom I call "the silent assassin," Rafael Soriano.
In 46 save opps this season, Soriano has nailed down 42 – quite impressive for a reliever who wasn't the closer for a full year. When Rivera went down, Soriano stepped up in a huge way, a way the Yankees needed.
Without him, there's no telling where the Yankees would be right now; perhaps eliminated from playoff contention, without his spectacular ability to finish off opponents in the final inning.
Congrats on a wonderful season, Rafael. You won Yankee Yapping Reliever of the Year.
Slugger of the Year Award
Winner: Robinson Cano
It seems as if the Yankees' second baseman has made his whole life baseball. Aside from maybe Derek Jeter, personally, I don't think there's a player who works harder than Robinson Cano. In my mind, he's one of the best all-around players in the game today.
Cano went through a couple of dry spells this year at the plate, but that didn't stop him from hitting .308 with 31 homers and 88 RBIs. He clubbed a pair of grand slams this year and kept the Yankees in many games with his clutch hitting and flashy defense.
On Monday Cano smacked his latest home run, a moon shot that caromed off the Mohegan Sun sports bar over the center field wall at Yankee Stadium. Prior to the game Cano's cousin (also a ballplayer, who actually played for the Hudson Valley Renegades – the team I interned for in 2010 and covered this year) was tweeting.
He posted, "Add 'ya heard!' to the end of all your tweets."
I tweeted to him, "Robinson Cano will hit a homer tonight. YA HEARD!" He replied simply with "!!!"
Sure enough, I called that shot. I had to point that out after it happened.
Overall Cano had yet another remarkable season. There are only more good things to come in his career, and at this point in time, he's the best hitter on the team. Congrats, Robinson!
Home Run Champion
Winner: Curtis Granderson
For the second consecutive season, Curtis Granderson has smacked 40 home runs or more, this year currently with 41 dingers. When it comes to hitting for power, Granderson sure knows what the heck he's doing, and has emerged as one of the premiere power hitters in the AL.
On April 19 this season, Granderson proved that.
In a game at home vs. the Minnesota Twins, he cracked three homers in the first four innings, becoming at the time only the 12th player in MLB history to go yard three times in a single game. On the strength of his power surge, the Yanks went on to beat the Twinkies, 7-6.
Although he can hit for power, Granderson must improve on his average stroke. Going into tonight's 162nd game, Granderson is only batting a measly .230 at the plate – hitting for average probably being the only facet of the game he seems to struggle with.
But this isn't the "Batting Average Champion" award. It's the Home Run Champion award. And Curtis, you've earned it. Congrats!
Best Trade Deadline Pickup/Earned a 2013 Contract
Winner: Ichiro
The Yankees added two pieces before the trade deadline passed. One being a small pickup, Casey McGehee – a utility man a lot of fans probably forgot about, by now. But there's no way anyone forgot about the second player the Yanks traded for.
Ichiro joined the team on July 23 and since then has basically not stopped hitting. He brought 12 years of excellence with the Seattle Mariners when he was swapped, and has reached base safely 77 times (72 hits, five walks) in the 66 games he's played in pinstripes. He has also ignited the team on the base paths, stealing 13 bags.
Something tells me Ichiro is going to perform well in October, in what will be his first postseason since 2001. And although he's somewhat up there in age, 38 (he'll turn 39 on Oct. 22), I feel he deserves a chance to come back to the Yankees and play in pinstripes in 2013.
Ichiro is a lot like Jeter: ageless. It doesn't matter how old he is because his numbers have never really seen a steady decline; he is always close to 200 hits a year.
For his experience and veteran know-how, the man from Japan – in my humble opinion – earned another season in the Bronx, and was a solid acquisition over the summer.
Domo arigato, Mr. Suzuki. Congrats!
Well there you have it. Congrats to all the 2012 Yankee Yapping award winners, and make sure to check back here at the Yankee Yapping blog throughout the playoffs. I'll be posting previews, recaps, and I'll be writing about anything newsworthy this October.
Also check out the YY Facebook page and my Twitter for postseason news, updates, and of course my witty observations!
The Grand Tour
With the Texas Rangers' win over the Los Angeles Angels tonight, the Yankees have officially clinched a spot in the postseason this year, but they will go in knowing full well it took almost all 162 games to get into the party.
This afternoon was an indication of that.
Tied with Baltimore for the AL East lead entering play today, the Bronx Bombers weren't helping themselves when they trailed the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1 after five innings; Phil Hughes pitching about as poorly as it gets in a hugely important game.
Thankfully for him, the offense bailed him out.
The Yanks pieced together an epic rally, shredding away at the Jays' four run lead, scoring one run in the sixth, three in the seventh, and two in the eighth and ninth innings for a necessary 9-6 victory.
Unfortunately for the Yanks, the Orioles also won their game this afternoon, beating the Red Sox 6-3 at home, and thus leaving the AL East in a stalemate going into the final three games of the 2012 regular season.
While the Yankees staged their comeback on the road, I spent the better part of my day at their home – Yankee Stadium. My friends and I were fortunate enough to take a tour of the ballpark, a trip I've wanted to go on for a long time.
We even took the tour with Ichiro's brother!
Just kidding. But he looked almost exactly identical to him.
The first stop on the tour was the Yankee museum inside the Stadium. Our tour guide, a nice guy by the name of Tim, showed us the new Mickey Mantle exhibit. He then told some neat stories (most of which I already knew about) highlighting Mantle's career.
For instance, during the 1951 World Series Mantle tore all the cartilage in his knee chasing down a fly ball struck by Willie Mays of the Giants – one of the multiple injuries Mantle suffered over the course of his legendary career.
I first learned of that story in the movie 61*
From the museum, we journeyed to Monument Park, behind the center field wall. I've been to Monument Park a number of times, and never knew the story behind the door.
According to Tim, there originally was no door linking the Yankee bullpen to Monument Park. Mariano Rivera made a special request for a door to be put in – all because of his pre-appearance ritual. Before every time Rivera runs in from the bullpen, he goes into Monument Park and rubs Babe Ruth's monument.
Don't ask me why. For luck, I suppose? Like he needs it…
At any rate, it was a nice little factoid; nothing I knew about before. I also bent over and picked up a rock from behind the Monument wall, and discreetly put it in my pocket for keeping. I'm not sure if was allowed to do that or not…
But I won't tell if you don't. I just wanted to keep a piece of the day – and Yankee Stadium – for myself.
After our tour of Monument Park concluded, we made our way to the Yankee dugout, which in my opinion was the best and most fun part of the tour. We were allowed to snap pictures and make all the funny poses we wanted. My friends and I actually came up with a small running joke for this picture:
I was told I could be "Ellen Page's boyfriend." Don't ask.
We then decided to pretend we were in the middle of a heated game, and posed as if the Yankees crushed a walk-off home run. We made sure to take full advantage of the dugout photo-ops.
I've always dreamt what it was like to be in the Yankees' dugout – and it was pretty cool knowing that, in only a matter of hours, the entire team would be back and buzzing; right in the same spot I was in, as the Yanks come home to host Boston tomorrow, Tuesday, and Wednesday to close out the year.
Before we left, I sat down and slid my rear end across the entire bench, then declared,
"Derek Jeter always sits on this bench. And now I did, too."
The two security guards laughed hysterically at my shenanigan.
We were then taken into the clubhouse, but with one small caveat: no pictures allowed. The organization feels the clubhouse is the Yankee players' personal space, and snapping photos inside that personal space isn't right.
I have to agree – if I was in their shoes, I wouldn't want people coming in and taking pictures of my locker and my personal belongings which it holds.
Some things I did take notice of, albeit I don't have pictures – and some clubhouse facts from Tim:
- Boone Logan has a Yankee lawn gnome in his locker.
- Jayson Nix had a bottle of what looked like prescription pills in his locker. And an iPhone charger.
- For most of the season, Derek Jeter has two lockers: one for his baseball equipment and one for fan mail and gifts from his sponsors. In fact, Tim said, "If they could fit a Ford truck into this clubhouse, they would, and it would be right in that locker with the rest of Jeter's stuff."
- With all the September call-ups, Francisco Cervelli is using Jeter's second locker, for now.
- David Aardsma, who was just activated, didn't have a name/number plate above his locker. That was to be expected, however. He hasn't pitched at Yankee Stadium yet.
- Ichiro's locker is the same locker Hideki Matsui used.
- The visiting clubhouse is "big and nice, but not as big and nice as the Yankees' clubhouse."
- When leaving the new Stadium, the players don't have to leave from the outside of the building – unlike the old Stadium.
The elevator from the clubhouse took us right up into the Great Hall where the tour started, and Tim gave everyone a little souvenir: a Yankee Stadium tour keychain. My friends and I then took a walk over to the Hard Rock Café for some lunch, which surprisingly was very affordable and not overly pricey. (My friend Alicia over at Ballparks on a Budget would appreciate it!)
We watched the Yanks take the win over the Jays as we ate, and before we left, we basically got a little bonus. It turns out part of the frieze from the old Stadium is now sitting outside Heritage Field. We went over and took some photos with it, and I placed my hand on it; kind of touched it with my heart, in a way.
As much as I like the new Stadium, I truly enjoyed the original House that Ruth built. And it felt only right to pay homage to a relic.
Overall, it was one of the best and most fun days of my life.
Was I the happiest kid in New York today?
Yes. But then again, I was probably the happiest kid alive.
Something to hang our hats on
Tonight Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale dominated the Yankees, and for as crummy and as inconsistent as Phil Hughes has been this year, he didn't pitch poorly. Hughes, allowing just two runs in a solid seven innings pitched, came up on the short end of the stick – as did the Yankees, losing 2-1 and getting swept in three games at the hands of the pale hose.
The best part of this trip to Chicago for the Yankees, aside from leaving: Derek Jeter, who homered in all three losing efforts. It marked the first time in the captain's career he went deep in three straight games.
Thankfully for the Yankees, they will not play the White Sox again during the regular season. However if the two teams meet in October, Chicago can head into the series with a positive mindset, knowing they took five of seven games from New York this season.
If you saw my tweet from earlier tonight, the White Sox scare me.
But the Yankees can concern themselves with the postseason when the time comes, and for now worry about fending off the Tampa Bay Rays – who have pulled to within three games of the AL East lead. That once comfortable nine-game division gap has thinned and the Rays now have a chance to swipe the East from the Yanks.
Better pitching and series wins are what the Yankees need to put first and foremost in their minds down the stretch and into September.
For tonight, though, I'd like to make reference to something that not a lot of people really know about; perhaps it's my way of dealing with the recent sweep and being at the mercy of the White Sox.
If you follow football, which is rapidly approaching, you know that the New York Giants won the Super Bowl in February, beating the New England Patriots, 21-17. Their last game before the Super Bowl, as most fans know, took place in San Francisco. The Giants beat the 49ers in the NFC Championship game on a game-winning field goal booted through the uprights by Lawrence Tynes.
What most people don't know is that Kyle Williams – San Francisco's punt returner who fumbled the ball, setting up the Giants' game-winner – is the son of White Sox General Manager Kenny Williams.
That's right. The White Sox GM's son was the goat of the NFC Title game.
Chicago may have completed its little sweep of New York tonight, but if you ask me, the NFC Championship game is proof of why Chicago is called the "second city" and New York is number one – which they've proven 27 times in baseball and most recently in football.
It may not be much, but hey, it's something to hang our hats on.
Makin' Moves
Despite going 2-5 on their recent road trip which included a sweep at the hands of the suddenly "Moneyball" Oakland Athletics team, the Yankees still possess the best record in baseball at 59-39 and continue to sit atop the AL East, looking eight games down at the Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays, and 10 1/2 games down at the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox.
A number of things have happened in Yankees Universe and the baseball world in general these past couple of days. Therefore in the spirit of old-fashioned blogging, I figured I would give some thoughts, opine on some topics, and even throw in a story or two – just for old time's sake.
Ichiro Joins the Yankees
Before Monday's series opener vs. the Mariners huge news broke via the Twitter wire: the Yankees had acquired Ichiro Suzuki from the Mariners in exchange for minor league pitchers D.J. Mitchell and Danny Farquhar.
Just like that, Ichiro is a Yankee.
The news came as a shock to most Yankee fans, as well as me, seeing as how Ichiro spent his entire MLB career with the Mariners. Not only that, but the move was on no one's radar; nobody saw it coming. It was obviously a trade General Manager Brian Cashman kept under wraps until it became official.
The first notion that entered everyone's mind was the jersey number. Throughout his career Ichiro has always worn number 51, a number that has meant a lot to the Yankees – being that Bernie Williams wore it for 16 years in pinstripes.
To everyone's relief, Ichiro chose to take 31, respecting Williams and the jersey number. Unfortunately Dave Winfield didn't seem to take too kindly to Ichiro taking 31.
Right on, Dave.
In his first three games as a Yankee, Ichiro has collected three hits and has stolen a base. He hit eighth in the batting order in his first two games, and led off yesterday, showing his versatility in the lineup. Plug him in anywhere and he can still hit.
This was a good move for the Yankees. With Brett Gardner's season over and Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones signed to be designated hitters and fourth outfielders, the trade makes sense. The Mariners organization is becoming tailor-made for young players and the veteran Ichiro, 38, didn't feel he fit in with them – hence why he requested the trade.
Hats off to the Mariners not only granting his wish, but commenting on how he deserves to a chance to win a title before his career ends. It's obvious Seattle isn't going anywhere this season while the Yankees, now with Ichiro's help, could potentially go very far.
After the final out was made in yesterday's 5-2 win over the M's, Ichiro waved goodbye from right field to the Mariners faithful. The fans seemed heartbroken at the thought of their golden boy for so many years leaving town.
The sight of it all made me sad. I couldn't help but remember the way I felt when Joe Torre managed his last game in October, 2007. When someone has meant so much to a franchise, I know first-hand that it's extremely difficult to see them leave.
Alex Rodriguez out 6-8 Weeks
On Tuesday night in Seattle, Alex Rodriguez was beaned on the left hand during an at-bat in the eighth inning – the third HBP in the game (Ichiro and Derek Jeter had previously been plunked). Rodriguez fell to the dirt in agonizing pain and left the game.
Afterward it became known that A-Rod has a broken hand and will miss 6-8 weeks; the Yanks are hoping to have him back by the middle of September.
Losing A-Rod is a blow, but perhaps it's better the Yankees lost him now as opposed to a time when they really needed him. For example, if this injury occurred in 2005 or 2007 when Rodriguez put the team on his back and carried it, the Yanks would be in serious trouble.
Thank God we live in the year 2012.
Because now there are several players who are capable of coming up in big spots to bring the runs home, like Mark Teixeira, Curtis Granderson, and Robinson Cano, among others. Not to mention in '05 and '07 the Yanks were constantly battling for first place, locked in a dogfight with the Red Sox for the division.
Obviously that's not the case this year.
Although taking Rodriguez's bat out of the lineup basically takes an offensive threat and a presence out of the Yankees' arsenal, there's more than enough power to compensate for it. As far as defense is concerned, Ramiro Pena was called up to fill A-Rod's roster spot and will obviously see time at third base along with Eric Chavez and yesterday's hero, Jayson Nix.
There's also speculation the Yankees might go after Chase Headley, the Padres' third baseman, before the trade deadline on Tuesday. Headley, 28, is hitting .267 this year with 12 homers and 51 RBIs.
A-Rod looked devastated after the game; he was clearly not just in physical pain from the HBP and the fracture, but emotional pain as well. It was apparent the news of him missing more time due to another injury impacted his psyche and left him in disbelief, as evidenced by his words when he met with the press.
"It's difficult; tough break," he said, masked in a shell-shocked expression. "I never thought 'fracture' but it was. Tough blow. Tough blow."
Rivalry Renewed
The Boston Red Sox will visit Yankee Stadium for the first time this season tomorrow night, as the Bombers and BoSox get set for a three-game weekend series. The last time these teams met, the Yankees took three of four from the Sox in Beantown.
The Red Sox are coming off a losing series to the Texas Rangers while the Yanks (as it's known) just took two of three from the Mariners. Aaron Cook (2-3, 3.50) will start for Boston tomorrow night while the Yanks will counter with Phil Hughes (9-8, 4.09 ERA).
Saturday afternoon in a match-up of aces, CC Sabathia (10-3, 3.30 ERA) will toe the rubber, facing off with Jon Lester (5-8, 5.46 ERA). Finally on Sunday night, 10-game winner Hiroki Kuroda will gun for win number 11 – while Boston has not yet listed a starter for the finale.
MLB posed an excellent question a couple days ago:
Has the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry lost its luster?
Right now, I think it's almost dormant. With Bobby Valentine shooting off his big mouth about Derek Jeter over the off-season, I thought for sure the rivalry would be ignited and something would happen this year; perhaps the boiling of some bad blood.
So far, however, nothing. But I suppose it's not necessary when the Red Sox are AL East cellar dwellers and not pushing for first place at all. If Boston was in the pennant race, there might be more of a competitive element thrown into the mix.
Yet, it is clear that the days of A-Rod and Jason Varitek duking it out are long gone; Curt Schilling wanting to "make 55,000 people from New York shut up" is surely passé. It could take awhile – maybe even a number of years – before the Yankees and Red Sox go back to where they were in 2003, 2004, and even 2005.
Then again, you never know. It only takes one bean ball to start a fire.
Some Encouragement from Sandberg
As promised, I'll throw in a little story to close this one.
The last time I blogged, I wrote about my experience covering the Hudson Valley Renegades, as most readers probably know by now, the same team I interned for. I wound up covering them again last Friday after I saw "The Dark Knight Rises" (go see that movie if you haven't yet done so).
Escaping damage in the ninth inning and with some eighth inning heroics, the Renegades beat the Aberdeen Ironbirds 3-2 – the Ironbirds being a farm team of the Baltimore Orioles, for the record.
After the game I went from the press box to the clubhouse and interviewed Jared Sandberg, the Renegades' skipper, former Tampa Bay Devil Ray, and nephew of Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg.
Tampa Bay Rays' 2011 first round draft pick Taylor Guerrieri once again started, and Sandberg actually noticed that I had been there for Guerrieri's previous start.
"You were here the last time Taylor pitched (against Mahoning Valley) weren't you?" he asked me after the interview.
"Yes," I answered.
Jokingly he looked at me and asked, "Oh, so you only cover the games Taylor pitches?"
I let out a chuckle and said, "Well, we're a newsweekly with so many coverage areas, so there are a lot of games and only so many we can get to every week."
Sandberg answered, "Oh, I understand. I was just kidding. Which paper are you with again?"
The Examiner," I replied.
"Oh, I saw that article from last week!" he exclaimed. Frightened, I had no idea what he was going to say next.
"That was really well-written and very nicely done; nice spread – and the pictures came out great, too."
I thanked him and told my editor about it. He was happy Sandberg saw it and basically said, "Now the pressure's on us. He might expect great articles from now on."
Honestly though, I am having a great time covering this team. They are performing extremely well, and are in first place in their division in the New York-Penn League, ahead of the likes of the Brooklyn Cyclones and Staten Island Yankees.
I'm looking forward to covering more of their games and I'm anxious to see how they are going to finish. When I interned for them in 2010, they ended at 39-36, missing the playoffs. At 24-13 right now, it looks as if they will indeed eclipse their 2010 record and go who knows where.
Hopefully to a League title.
A Minor Assignment
Yesterday afternoon was almost awesome for the Yankees, in their series finale vs. the Los Angeles Angels. But what's that old saying? "Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades."
With the tying run on second base, the potential winning run on first base, and two outs in the ninth, Alex Rodriguez had a chance to channel his inner 2007 and walk off the Yankee Stadium field a hero. Instead he came up short, popping the ball up behind first base; the cowhide falling into waiting glove of Albert Pujols for a 10-8 loss.
Nonetheless, the Yankees still own the best record in baseball at 54-34, and remain in first place in the AL East, a cool eight games ahead of the second place Baltimore Orioles.
While the Yankees were taking two games out of three from the Angels this weekend, I had the opportunity to cover the same minor league team I interned for in 2010, the Hudson Valley Renegades, who are connected to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Since the high school sports scene is obviously voided for summer vacation, my editor thought it might be fun for me to cover some Renegades games, just to give me some work and a chance to cover some professional baseball.
Saturday evening I made my way to up Dutchess Stadium, much like I did every game day two years ago, to cover the Renegades' game vs. the Mahoning Valley Scrappers – a minor league team affiliated with the Cleveland Indians.
It was a different feeling on the way to the ballpark, however, knowing I'd be sitting up in the press box rather than setting up for the game and handling all the oftentimes unpleasant tasks interns have to do. Like this…
When I walked into the Stadium, it felt surreal. Not having been there in two years and having so many memories – and all those memories coming back to me in that moment – was a little overwhelming. All of the players (including Robinson Cano's cousin Burt Reynolds) and interns who were there in 2010 have moved on; it was so strange looking around and not seeing all the familiar faces.
Wearing my press pass, I made my way up to the breezeway, past the luxury boxes and into the press box, where a number of MiLB personnel and beat writers were.
A group of them were conversing about the recent draft, and speculating about which players were going to make an impact in the future. They also shared with each other some stories about traveling, going from city to city following their respective teams. It was a little intimidating for me, knowing these reporters are the real deal; not that I'm not the real deal, but they are writers that get to experience professional baseball on a daily basis.
I guess it was only natural to feel intimidated; me being just a fresh, relatively new high school sports reporter who was given an assignment – they being writers with years of experience in the business. I'll admit I was nervous – nervous, but not scared. Believe it or not, a Tweet from one of my former co-workers at the Renegades put my mind at ease.
Thanks, Dan.
The other writers eventually left though, and took seats down the left field line in a designated area for press members. I elected to remain in the press box with another reporter, the official scorer, and the girl who runs the Renegades' Twitter page. The group of us shared a lot of laughs and banter throughout the game.
Before the game started, I kind of soaked it in; took in the view.
The Renegades led off the bottom of the first with a home run from their center fielder Joey Rickard. They then took a 2-0 lead after two innings when their left fielder, DeShun Dixon, led off the bottom of the second with a home run.
Dixon would knock in a run on an RBI single in the third after an RBI single off the bat of Renegades' shortstop Ryan Dunn (Yes, Ryan Dunn. I'm aware he shares the same name as Bam Margera's late friend).
Leading 4-0 heading into the fourth, the Scrappers put up two runs on back-to-back RBI doubles off reliever Brandon Henderson. Renegades' starter, 19-year-old Taylor Guerrieri – who was Tampa Bay's top pick out of Columbia, S.C. a year ago – left the game after three innings, using up a lot of his pitches.
Following the back-to-back RBI doubles, the 'Gades bent but didn't break. They held the score until the seventh when second baseman Tommy Coyle blasted a two-run homer, the Renegades' third round-tripper of the night.
Trailing 6-2, the Scrappers threatened in the ninth. Mahoning Valley loaded the bases with nobody out, but again, the Renegades refused to fold. Reliever Ryan Garton induced a 6-4-3 double play, which allowed a run to come home, before notching the last out.
Final score: Renegades 6, Scrappers 3
It marked the Renegades' eighth win at home this year, and they are only a game out of first place in their division behind the Brooklyn Cyclones, the Mets' farm team.
I left the press box and went to the clubhouse where I caught up with Jared Sandberg, the Renegades' manager, ex-Devil Ray, and nephew of famed Chicago Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg. I had to ask him what makes his team so good when they're playing at home.
"We get the last at-bats, we make it exciting, and we get the chance to put on a show for the home crowd," he said.
"The crowd comes out and supports us every night, with 4,000-plus, and it's fun to play in front of a big crowd. They get behind us and it's good energy."
I then questioned him about the home runs, seeing as how a power surge led to the win. He admitted the long ball raised his eyebrows.
"We haven't hit many homers this year, so it was a little bit of a surprise," he said.
"It was also good to see because guys aren't trying to hit home runs and they're hitting home runs. Any time Joey Rickard can lead off the game with a homer and give us that boost, that's nice, and then DeShun Dixon hits a two-run homer with a flick of the bat. Then obviously Tommy Coyle's late home run gave us some breathing room."
With the top pick on the mound, and a decent job from the relief corps, I inquired about how well the Renegades' pitching has been anchoring the team.
"The pitching is keeping our season going in the right direction," Sandberg said.
"We can lean on the pitchers right now because they're throwing strikes and competing extremely well. The team is playing relaxed but we're going out there competing every night and that's what a manager wants."
Overall I was extremely satisfied with how it went. My editor thought I did a great job with the story, and I hope this is just serving as a warm-up; the start of what I pray is a long career covering pro baseball.
Perhaps I'll be one of those beat writers in the press box, talking about the new draft picks and sharing stories about life on the road, covering pro baseball teams.
Maybe someday. Until then, I have this story: getting the chance to cover a pro baseball game for the first time.
Bottom line: I loved it.
Yankees Are Swinging, Red Sox Must Rise
This week Spiderman once again webbed his way onto the big screen and into our hearts. In just about two weeks' time, Batman will yet again make everyone say "oooohhhh" and "aaaahhhh" when "The Dark Knight Rises" hits theaters.
While Spiderman and Batman will be squaring off against their sworn enemies – the Lizard and Bane, respectively – the Yankees will do battle this weekend against their primary foes, the Boston Red Sox. The Yanks will travel into enemy territory tomorrow and play four games (including a doubleheader on Saturday; making up a rainout from April 22) in three days.
The Yankees are standing about as tall as the caped crusader on top of a Gotham City skyscraper at press time; 49-32, in first place, five games ahead of the second place Baltimore Orioles in the AL East. The Red Sox on the other hand look more like a defeated Joker, at 42-40 in fourth place in the east.
Tomorrow night Hiroki Kuroda (8-7, 3.17 ERA) will put on his cape and cowl, to do battle with one of New York's fiercest adversaries, Josh Beckett (4-7, 4.06 ERA). Kuroda has only faced the Red Sox once in his career – and it was a losing effort – but did not see many of Boston's current hitters in that game.
However, two hitters Kuroda must look out for are Adrian Gonzalez and Cody Ross. Gonzalez is .261 lifetime off Kuroda with two homers and five RBIs. Ross is just as pesky, as he is .263 in his career with a homer and four RBIs against him.
Beckett has to watch out for Robinson Cano, who currently owns a .302 lifetime BA against him with two homers and 10 RBIs. Curtis Granderson has also punished Beckett in the past, hitting .241 with three home runs and four RBIs.
If they want to escape tomorrow night with a win, the Yanks have to step up. Despite his poor numbers on Cano and Granderson, last year Beckett puzzled the Yankees, going 4-0 with a 1.85 ERA against the Bronx Bombers.
Although it hasn't been formally announced yet, Phil Hughes (9-6, 4.29 ERA) will throw on his cape and start one of Saturday's games, coming off his spectacular winning performance on Sunday over the Chicago White Sox. Hughes will likely go head-to-head with Franklin Morales (1-1, 2.50 ERA).
Hughes is in a groove right now, but does not have good career numbers against Boston (2-5, 6.65 ERA). He must be on the lookout for David Ortiz, who yesterday clubbed his 400th career home run. Two of those 400 came off Hughes, and he's knocked in seven runs off the 26-year-old righty – all while possessing a lifetime .471 batting average against him.
The Yankees haven't seen much of Morales, but Russell Martin does have an RBI on him.
Freddy Garcia (2-2, 5.94 ERA), almost playing the role of Robin filling in for Batman – helping fill the rotation void for a hobbled Andy Pettitte and an injured CC Sabathia – is slated to start the other game of the doubleheader.
Last time Garcia toed the rubber in Boston, it wasn't pretty. At least not to begin with.
The Red Sox put a hurting on him, lighting him up for five runs in just 1.2 innings pitched on April 21. With some super-duper heroics, the Yankee offense bailed him out though, rallying from a huge deficit to beat the Red Sox, 15-9.
Felix Doubront (8-4, 4.42 ERA) started Boston's losing effort on April 21, and will probably face Garcia again. Doubront has to beware of Granderson: he homered off Doubront last time and drove in two.
Who knows? Maybe Garcia vs. Doubront II will be another roller coaster ride; one that would put butterflies in the stomach of the Incredible Hulk.
Finally on Sunday night Ivan Nova (9-3, 4.05 ERA) will suit up to take on lefty Jon Lester (5-5, 4.33 ERA). Nova will look to get back in the win column on the road, having suffered his first loss away from Yankee Stadium since June 3, 2011 on Tuesday at the Rays.
No Red Sox hitter has numbers against Nova that jump out, except Dustin Pedroia, who has a .600 BA vs. the 25-year-old righty and two RBIs. Lucky for Nova and the Yanks, Pedroia has been ruled out for this weekend's series with a thumb injury.
Lester meanwhile needs to be careful with several Yankee hitters. Granderson, Derek Jeter, Andruw Jones, Nick Swisher, and Mark Teixeira have each homered off Lester in their respective careers. I wouldn't be surprised to see Jayson Nix in the lineup Sunday, as he sports a .333 average against Lester with two homers and five RBIs.
When facing the Yankees Lester must feel like Lex Luthor, trying to beat Superman. But his biggest form of kryptonite has to be the Yankee third baseman.
Alex Rodriguez has three homers lifetime off Boston's southpaw, with six RBIs. A-Rod has a chance to add to that total and hurt the Red Sox ace even more to close out the series.
Like Spiderman, the Yankees are swinging. But the Red Sox need to be more like Batman – and rise – if they wish to keep their postseason hopes and dreams alive.
And this weekend could be their only chance.
If the Yankees were to unleash a Boston Massacre, and sweep these four games in three days, it would put the Red Sox in a position where they would need to do nothing but win after the All-Star break.


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The Doctor of Philosophy, Theological Studies (Ph.D.) allows you to obtain your degree while remaining within your life or career context. This terminal degree provides Christian education for teachers and researchers in theological colleges and universities, and scholarly enhancement for those serving the Renewal movement worldwide. Students explore both the academic and spiritual aspects of biblical studies, history and theology to enhance their studies and research acumen. Graduates are prepared to contribute to the wider conversation of the theological academy from a Renewal perspective.
Length: 48 credit hours (This does not include comprehensive exams and dissertation.) Students typically complete this degree in five to seven years. Students have a maximum of seven years from the date of entry to fulfill all degree requirements, and they must maintain an active registration status throughout this period. Students may begin the program in the fall or spring semester.
Format: The Ph.D. program is offered through a combination of intensive on-campus residencies and online coursework. Students complete pre- and post-residency assignments at home while interacting with faculty and peers online throughout the semester. While the program does not require students to relocate to Virginia Beach, students will attend a two-week residency each semester. Ph.D. students are required to attend a total of 24 weeks of residency over the course of the program.
Important Links: Faculty | Apply Now | Tuition | Financial Aid | Residency Details | Ph.D. FAQ
Features: The Ph.D. is available in four concentrations.
If you're searching for seminary Ph.D. programs in Virginia, such as a Doctor of Philosophy, Theological Studies (Ph.D.) program, contact us today. Our doctorate-level seminary programs are convenient and allow you to develop your career and spirit without disrupting your current life path.
Program Outcomes
Graduates of this program will:
Engage with Renewal methodology and application in biblical studies, history or theology.
Publish original research in biblical studies, Christian history or Renewal theology.
Apply advanced academic research methods and approaches, with special reference to Theological Studies.
Develop familiarity with instructional planning, learner needs, teaching strategies, technological media and assessment techniques.
Core Courses
RTCH 700 Renewal Studies and the Academy
RTCH 703 Advanced Research Methodologies
RTCH 774 Research Based Pedagogy
Concentration Core Courses
RTCH 701 Renewal Theological Method
RTCH 713 The Theory and Art of Historiography
RTCH 751 Interpreting Scripture
RTCH 781 Guided Research in Biblical Studies, History, or Theology
RTCH 782 Guided Readings in Biblical Studies, History, or Theology
Elective Courses
The Ph.D. in Theological Studies is an elective-driven program. The Ph.D. program coordinator and advisors assist students in selecting courses. Electives offered in the past few years include:
RTCH 711 Christian History in Pneumatological Perspective 1
RTCH 712 Christian History in Pneumatological Perspective 2
RTCH 715 Systematic Theology
RTCH 720 Contemporary Theologies
RTCH 739 Theology in World Context
RTCH 746 Pneumatology: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
RTCH 764 The Miraculous in the Biblical Tradition
RTCH 768 Eastern Christianity
RTCH 770 Theological German
RTCH 785 Nature and Grace in the 12th Century
RTCH 785 Renewal and Politics
RTCH 785a Post-Exilic Prophets
RTCH 785a Renewal Biblical Hermeneutics
RTCH 785b Early Christian Spirituality
RTCH 785b Special Studies: Book of Acts
RTCH 785b African American Renewal History
RTCH 785c Charismatic Movement Today
RTCH 785c Hermeneutical Philosophy
Qualifying Examinations
Upon completion of all coursework and requirements, students will complete written and oral exams. Students must have a 3.25 GPA to qualify. Exams are administered on-site at Regent University.
Candidates for the Ph.D. degree must present an acceptable dissertation that demonstrates competence in their field and original research. After passing the qualifying exams, students enroll in dissertation research (1 credit hour per semester) until completion of the program. Once complete, students will present an oral defense of the dissertation to their dissertation committee, invited guests and the public.

subset: commoncrawl


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According to family members, Eddie Hood, first district school board member, was hospitalized with bacterial meningitis while on vacation in Pensacola, Fla. He is currently in the intensive care unit there and hopefully can soon be transported to NMMC for further treatment.
"Eddie is a vital part of our school board and has served as chairman of the board for many of those years," said Teresa McNeece, Itawamba County school superintendent. "He is very professional in the manner in which he runs the school board meetings and we all wish him a full recovery and are anticipating his return to service soon as the First District school board representative," she said.
The Itawamba County Times


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Hello, The Artist here.
There has been quiet a bit of discussions around the Spotify business module and the streaming of music on the other side of the pond since the company launched its service in the US. I have touched in it before in this post where I showed what kind of money independent artists are making (or rather a good guess at what they are making) from Spotify.
Today I captured a link from @musicthinktank twitter feed, called "How do we benefit from streaming? Can we?", that again got me a bit upset with Spotify's business module.
The quote from Spotify that got me most upset was this one:
Spotify does not sell streams, but access to music. Users pay for this access either via a subscription fee or with their ear time via the ad-supported service [just like commercial radio] – they do not pay per stream. In other words, Spotify is not a unit based business and it does not make sense to look at revenues from Spotify from a per stream or other music unit-based point of view. Instead, one must look at the overall revenues that Spotify is generating, and how these revenues grow over time.
Spotify is generating serious revenues for rights holders, labels, publishers and the artists that they represent. We have paid over $100m to rights holders since our launch, and the overwhelming majority of our label partners are thrilled with the revenues we're returning to them. Spotify is now the second single largest source of digital music revenue for labels in Europe, according to IFPI.
So what they are saying is that they don't pay per stream. Does that mean that some artists, depending on what deal their label have with Spotify, get paid even if their songs are not played at all? It is of course BS.
Spotify counts the number of streams per song, we all know that. There is no other way to know what songs are popular and what song should make their charts. Tunecore has written this in their FAQ about Spotify:
"For songs streamed, Spotify has deals with necessary rightsholders in all of its launch countries. Together with them, Spotify has agreed upon a royalty based on how frequently your music is played. Each stream earns you a share of Spotify's advertising revenue. The actual amount varies and depends on the ratio of advertising revenue and your percentage of the total number of streams at Spotify in a given month."
Clearly the number of streams count.
The fact that they have some strange agreements with the big labels is something different. I love the service Spotify is offering but I hate how they have jumped up in the lap of the old thinking record industry. Why are they so secretive about the business module? Why not simply disclose how it works? There is only one reason for hiding it and that is because it is not a fair deal to the artists and it would hurt the Spotify brand (and their share holders = the big labels that owns 18% of Spotify) if it came out how it really works. However it does not look too good now either.
We live in a data world. The easiest and most fair deal would be to simply pay per stream. If you are popular you will make more money. If you advertise and promote the artist well they get more streams. Easy to count, easy to understand and straight forward.
Some might say it is not that easy with a subscription module since some people only play 50 songs per month and others 500 or more so the pay per stream would be different for these two types of users. However if you put it all into one big pot each month and then divide it by the number to total streams you would still get it right even if the pay per stream would be a little different each month depending on how active the users would be. This is what Tunecore statement says but not what Spotify themselves say. Confusing!
I´m pretty sure my perspective is too simple and that there are a number of other parameters and legal issues behind all of this but I´m also sure there is a better business module to be found that does not have to hide in the dark and that is much more fair to the artists who actually make the music.


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With Rex Grossman being benched in favor of John Beck after throwing 4 interceptions (and none of the flukey batted ball variety) yesterday against the Eagles, overwhelming speculation is that Beck will be named the new Redskins starting QB next week in Carolina when they face the Panthers.
Beck took over for Grossman in the 4th Quarter, and led two drives. On the first drive, the Skins got within distance for long field Graham Gano FG attempt, but a delay of game penalty pushed them too far back and the Skins had to punt. On the second drive the Skins went 80 yards and scored.
That was the first time Beck saw any regular season action since 2007, so we may as well get busy braking down his performance yesterday.
Drive #1:
– (0:00) Fred Davis comes across the formation at the snap and tries to get a block on Darryl Tapp, but doesn't get much of him and goes to the ground. With Tapp bearing down on him, Beck calmly waits for Davis to get back up, and floats a nice ball to Davis, who runs for a first down. Nice poise for Beck on his first play in a meaningful game since 2007.
– (0:27) Nice playcall here by the Skins – roll everyone right, throw back to the left to the running back. And it was there, but Beck simply misses him. Bad throw.
– (0:40) Beck shows off the wheels here. He's able to turn the corner on the athletic Jason Babin, then cuts back inside to avoid Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Impressive. That's definitely not something you'll ever see from Rex Grossman.
– (0:54) Bad throw again. Had Jabar Gaffney on a crosser and missed him. Should have been a nice gain.
– (1:10) The Eagles send a couple blitzers right down the A gap (in Beck's face), and it looks to me like the Skins did a decent enough job picking it up. Beck unloaded the ball in the dirt in haste near Fred Davis, incomplete. This is probably an appropriate place to note that whenever FOX showed a replay I included it, but unlike CBS (who is great with replays), FOX's TV crew kinda sucks. Would have been good to get another look at this play, and others.
– (1:19) Great job here by Beck on 3rd and long. He steps up into a clean throwing window, and delivers a sharp ball to Santana Moss for the 1st down. Looks to have a nice quick release, too.
– (2:03) Oof. Good read by Beck here, but Ryan Torain drops the pass. Skins are probably looking at 1st down somewhere around the 15 is Torain makes the easy play here.
– (2:12) Checkdown to Donte Stallworth. Difficult to see what else he had/didn't have downfield.
– (2:29) This isn't a terrible ball by Beck, but it might be a TD if it's a little more to the inside. Nice play Rodgers-Cromartie breaking it up.
(Second drive after the jump)
Drive #2:
– (0:00) For some reason, FOX is showing a replay of the Eagles gunner on punt coverage being blocked instead of live action on the field, but it looks like Beck misses Davis on a quick hitter.
– (0:14) Easy pitch and catch to Jabar Gaffney.
– (0:30) Beck almost gets Roy Helu killed here. Not sure he even saw Brian Rolle breaking on the pattern.
– (0:55) OK, mixed thoughts on this one. On the one hand, Beck does a nice job going through his reads, and finds an open Donte Stallworth way downfield. He throws from his own 22, and the ball comes down at the Eagles 20. 58 yards in the air. He's able to step into the throw a little, but we're not talking about full body torque here. Impressive arm strength. But the ball placement is bad, and Stallworth has to wait for it as Nate Allen bears down on him. Obviously, it's a bad drop by Stallworth. Some things to like here from Beck, but I'll bet he wishes he had this one back.
– (1:14) – Screen to Moss. Routine.
– (1:33) – Really like this throw by Beck. The Eagles blitz, the Skins can't pick it up, and Beck has no time. He floats a perfect ball over the DE in coverage to the RB for a nice 7 yard gain before getting hit. Well done.
– (1:42) – This is just ugly. Won't get too deep into this play.
– (2:17) – Ignore Brian Billick's commentary here. Beck's elbow clearly hits Chris Chester (and not on the follow-through as Billick suggests in his half-backpedal), thus the errant throw.
– (2:56) – Pressure play on 4th and long, and Beck calmly finds Stallworth open in a hole in the zone. Nicely done.
– (3:35) – I don't know if it was a "wobbler" as Sam Rosen suggests here (tough to tell), but it's perfect ball placement from Beck to Terrence Austin. Great throw.
– (4:12) – Well, we already knew Beck could run. He sells the pass nicely, and runs in for the easy score on the draw.
Beck's stats on the day, in 1 quarter of playing catch-up:
2 drives – 8 for 15 for 117, 0 TD, 0 INT. 2 rushes for 14 yards and a TD.
My take: I think Beck showed enough that he'll start next week. The Redskins need to control the clock, run the football, and get good decision making from their QB. Rex Grossman simply isn't making good decisions. There are some things to be encouraged about from Beck's play on the game tape. Live arm, wheels, and from his albeit limited small sample size here, he didn't seem to make any poor judgement throws. Seems like a no-brainer to me.
You can follow Jimmy on twitter at @Jimmy_Beast.


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An intracranial hemorrhage is a type of bleeding that occurs inside the skull (cranium).
Bleeding around or within the brain itself is known as a cerebral hemorrhage (or intracerebral hemorrhage). Bleeding caused by a blood vessel in the brain that has leaked or ruptured (torn) is called a hemorrhagic stroke. (All bleeding within the skull is referred to as intracranial hemorrhage.)
Hemorrhages that occur within the skull or brain generally happen suddenly, from either external or internal causes. A hemorrhage can rapidly cause brain damage and can be life-threatening.
Since the brain cannot store oxygen, it relies upon a series of blood vessels to supply oxygen and nutrients. The pooling of blood from an intracranial hemorrhage or cerebral hemorrhage puts pressure on the brain and deprives it of oxygen.
When a hemorrhage or stroke interrupts blood flow around or inside the brain, depriving it of oxygen for more than three or four minutes, the brain cells die. Furthermore, the affected nerve cells and the related functions they control are damaged.
Stroke is the leading cause of disability and the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States. Intracranial hemorrhage accounts for approximately 10% of all strokes in the United States.
Intracranial hemorrhage can strike people of any age, depending upon the cause. Although cerebral hemorrhage and hemorrhagic stroke are most commonly associated with older adults, they can also occur in children (pediatric stroke).
Intracranial hemorrhage has a number of causes, including:
Besides depriving the brain of oxygen and killing brain cells, bleeding inside the brain also prevents nerve cells from communicating with the parts of the body and the functions they control. This results in a loss of memory, speech, or movement in the affected area.
Depending on the location of the hemorrhage and the extent of damage, the lasting effects of the intracranial hemorrhage can include:
Diagnosis generally includes:
Other tests may include:
Any type of bleeding inside the skull or brain is a medical emergency. It is important to get the person to a hospital emergency room immediately to determine the cause of the bleeding and begin medical treatment.
If a stroke has occurred, the cause (bleeding or blood clot) must be determined so that the appropriate treatment can be started. Prompt medical treatment can minimize damage to the brain, thereby improving the patient's chance of recovery.
Surgery may be necessary in the following situations:
Other treatments may include:
The goals of long-term treatment are to help the patient regain the functions necessary for daily living, as much and as soon as possible, and to prevent future intracranial hemorrhages. Rehabilitation and recovery time vary according to each individual's condition and the extent of rehabilitation possible.
Long-term rehabilitation treatment may include:
A patient who remains in a coma or has been severely paralyzed after an intracranial or cerebral hemorrhage may need long-term nursing home care.
For patients who regain consciousness after the initial episode, rehabilitative therapy may lead to substantial recovery, particularly in patients whose general health is otherwise good.
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This information is provided by the Cleveland Clinic and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition. This document was last reviewed on: 7/4/2013…#14480
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