Showing posts with label american league. Show all posts
Showing posts with label american league. Show all posts
11.11.2009
Jeter, Teixeira win Gold Gloves
Derek Jeter (shortstop) and Mark Teixeira (first base) have won American League Gold Gloves at their positions. Notice in the story that these guys didn't get $25,000 tips; turns out their owner already pays them a decent wage.
9.23.2009
Yankees in playoffs, take series from Angels
The Yankees edged into the playoffs yesterday when Texas lost, then topped the Los Angeles Angels 6-5 on the fast feet of Brett Gardner, who ran home on an Alex Rodriguez sacrifice fly.
Today, the Yankees beat the Angels again, this time holding off a small comeback to win 3-2. That gives New York the series victory, a reassuring sign after the slides of late (and the recent lackluster performance by the Yankees in the playoffs against the Angels).
That means that all that's left for the Yankees is the division. New York looks to hold off Boston, while in the Central Detroit competes against Minnesota. Los Angeles is holding off Texas's last gasps in the West.
The Yankees are 6.5 games up on the Red Sox headed into Boston's game at Kansas City tonight (where the BoSox have already lost two). After another Royals-Sox bout tomorrow, the Red Sox come to the Bronx for a three-game set this weekend, with Boston's last chance to make a run at the division.
In today's game A.J. Burnett helped everyone calm down by pitching into the sixth with 11 strikeouts and only two earned runs. It was only his second win since July as the Yankees try to line up reliable starters behind CC Sabathia.
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Today, the Yankees beat the Angels again, this time holding off a small comeback to win 3-2. That gives New York the series victory, a reassuring sign after the slides of late (and the recent lackluster performance by the Yankees in the playoffs against the Angels).
That means that all that's left for the Yankees is the division. New York looks to hold off Boston, while in the Central Detroit competes against Minnesota. Los Angeles is holding off Texas's last gasps in the West.
The Yankees are 6.5 games up on the Red Sox headed into Boston's game at Kansas City tonight (where the BoSox have already lost two). After another Royals-Sox bout tomorrow, the Red Sox come to the Bronx for a three-game set this weekend, with Boston's last chance to make a run at the division.
In today's game A.J. Burnett helped everyone calm down by pitching into the sixth with 11 strikeouts and only two earned runs. It was only his second win since July as the Yankees try to line up reliable starters behind CC Sabathia.
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8.31.2009
A NYY column: The reason behind their success
On why captain Derek Jeter is the reason the Yankees are earning their pinstripes this year.Early in the New York Yankees’ 8-3 win over the Chicago White Sox this Sunday, the television commentators were engaged in their usual banter. They talked about all the jersey numbers the Yankees organization has retired, about Jorge Posada anchoring the plate, about Joe Girardi’s managing style, and, of course, the favorite topic whenever the Yankees play on a major network: Mr. Derek Jeter.
"Jeter" is one of those names imagined, bred, and birthed for sports, meant to be yelled as a one-word epithet, in gloating or in hatred. He’s been a player for the Yankees for 15 years, the captain seven years, an irreplaceable contributor every year.
Early in the New York victory on Sunday, though, Jeter was showing why he’s more than all that this year. Simply put, "Numbah Two," Derek Jeter, has been the main reason for the Yankees success this season.
His resurgence over the summer, in particular, has marked the return of the Bronx Bombers as real contenders.
Consider the bottom of the third inning in Sunday’s game. The score was closer then — with New York down 2-1. Jeter stepped into the batter’s box, complete with the usual repertoire of wriggling and shifting that does Broadway proud. Before his lurching legs were even planted, he was swinging at the first pitch — a liner over the infield’s heads that landed in the outfield grass with the nearest fielder 50 feet away.
The single looked routine, and even unimpressive. Such a hit is nothing compared to the slap-shot doubles that come off Johnny Damon’s bat, the sweeping perfection of Alex Rodriguez’s home run stroke, or the loose, hip-swinging cut of hard-hitting Robinson Cano. But Jeter was on first. And one pitch later, he was on home plate, having completed his job as the leadoff batter.
That was exactly how it was supposed to work; Jeter did his job, then Damon did his — scoring them both with a rightfield homer.
The single was Jeter’s second hit of the night. He led off the Yankees’ half of the first frame with a double, on which he was also able to score, thanks to a sacrifice fly from the number three batter, Mark Teixeira.
After Jeter returned to the dugout in the third inning, having accounted for enough runs to tie the game, neither team scored for three innings. (The game might have ended with that one-run margin if not for a five-run explosion by New York in the seventh.) Jeter hadn’t been just a strong leadoff man; his runs were almost it for the home team.
Sunday’s win was exemplary of the types of games Jeter has been having all season — especially this summer — and the positive effect his performance has had on the team.
Remember, this is a lineup with troves of All-Stars, former MVPs, Cy Young winners, and would-be-the-top-player-on-any-other-team guys. It’s easy to forget how good Jeter is, how solid he’s been throughout the years, how important he is to this New York team.
People can be quick to dismiss the Yankees, with their millions invested in the payroll and their 26 World Series championships. They’re expected to be good, to win — but it’s not like the Babe or Joltin’ Joe are actually in that clubhouse anymore. Each Yankees generation has to prove itself, to overcome its hurdles of the times, to be just as good as the uniforms it wears.
That task has never been hard for Jeter. He entered the league as a hot prospect in 1995 (1996 was his first full season) and promptly won four championships in the next five seasons. He’s a lifetime .317 hitter, averaging 111 runs, 193 hits, 75 runs batted in, 16 homers and 21 steals a season. He fields at a .976 clip and is knocking down Yankees and league records systematically. And he’s also known for his standing in the community, his excellent attitude, his good-guy image, and his ability to never let frivolity affect the way he handles his life, or slip into his status as a Yankee. He is a professional, as a player and more, with little to tarnish his legacy. But he is also aging. Critics have enjoyed the last couple years, when they’ve been able to talk down his ability as a fielder. Old, old, they say. Still playing that spot on the field because he’s Jeter. A flea on the back of four championships, not the legs that made them.
Jeter, in his usual Jeter way, hasn’t rebutted any claims, staying silent instead. Yankees manager Joe Girardi backed his shortstop, then gave him a vote of confidence that met accusations head-on — he moved Jeter to the leadoff spot in the lineup, where he’d have to leg out infield singles and steal second on hard-thrown fastballs. That’s not an assignment for an old, slow player.
Jeter has piled up 23 steals so far this season (he’s had more in only three seasons). And although he has only 60 runs batted in as he hits from the No. 1 spot, he’s stacked up 93 runs already (ninth in Major League Baseball). His best statistic: a hot .335 batting average, which is fifth out of all American League players and seventh overall. (If it holds, it will be Jeter’s fourth-best batting average in 15 years in the majors.)
But forget his numbers — look at the Yankees. It’s a cliche that a team should perform as its captain does, but that’s exactly what’s happened in the Bronx this year.
For years, Jeter has been good, but not awesome. As the sprightly shortstop on the 1990s’ victory train (his first five full seasons), he batted around .323 and had 199 hits, 120 runs and 81 RBI a season. But in the last few years, as the Yankees have fallen short of their ultimate goal for nearly a decade, it’s been .312, 192 hits, 108 runs and 74 RBI (not including this season).
The Yankees have followed suit, being good, but not great. This New York team of the past couple years is the first one in a while to make its fans nervous — and legitimately so. The front office spends and spends; the "Bombers" choke and choke (or, bad pun: bomb and bomb). They can’t come back from a deficit; Rodriguez is horrid in the clutch; they’re absorbing double-digit losses.
The worst, of course, has been the early playoff losses — or last year, when there were no playoffs at all. That may have been added motivation for Mr. Derek Jeter.
This year, he’s on pace to break all his season averages. That includes a .357 batting average in July, and .374 in August. Some are saying he should be the American League MVP — but I won’t get into that here.
The point is that now, for the Yankees, anything can happen.
New York has had 11 walk-off wins this year, and a load of come-from-behind victories. Rodriguez has actually driven in runs when the Yankees are behind, and late in the game, too.
The Bombers have ripped through their schedule and racked up 82 wins (soon to be 89 in just one week — you read it here first) — four more than their closest challenger, the National League’s Los Angeles Dodgers (conveniently managed by ex-Yankees manager Joe Torre).
Go ahead, critics, complain about the Yankees again — they are finally as good as their paychecks and their pinstripes.
Top of the fourth, Sunday: Jeter spears a line drive. A little while later, he fields another ball and does "the Jeter" — a move named after the man who (may have invented and definitely) perfected it: snaring a grounder, planting, and flipping the ball, mid-air, to first, all in one motion, without a pause.
He may be slower; he is 35. But he’s also making the plays when he needs to, and hitting how he needs to, and getting his team to where it needs to be.
He’s as good as the lauding pundits say, as good as the paychecks read, as good as the pinstripes demand.
All the way this year, Jeter. It’s time for Numbah Two to get Number 27.
8.30.2009
Sox sweep
The Yankees swept the White Sox today with another drubbing, this time an 8-3 win to top a weekend in which New York outscored Chicago 23-5.
With starter Joba Chamberlain only going three innings as the Yankees increase his workload to that of a fulling starting pitcher again, the bullpen had a creative afternoon, with five pitchers combining to close the last six innings.
Chicago held New York to a 3-2 lead from the third inning on, until the bottom of the seventh, when the Yankees exploded for five runs. The rally was capped by Mark Teixeira, who hit a towering home run (his 32nd of the season) to score three. Teixeira now leads the American League with 101 RBIs.
The win was New York's 82nd, and the Yankees sport no signs of slowing up as they head into Baltimore and Toronto for the next week.
I'll have more to say about the New York's season as a whole in my next post, but for now, how 'bout them Yankees?
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With starter Joba Chamberlain only going three innings as the Yankees increase his workload to that of a fulling starting pitcher again, the bullpen had a creative afternoon, with five pitchers combining to close the last six innings.
Chicago held New York to a 3-2 lead from the third inning on, until the bottom of the seventh, when the Yankees exploded for five runs. The rally was capped by Mark Teixeira, who hit a towering home run (his 32nd of the season) to score three. Teixeira now leads the American League with 101 RBIs.
The win was New York's 82nd, and the Yankees sport no signs of slowing up as they head into Baltimore and Toronto for the next week.
I'll have more to say about the New York's season as a whole in my next post, but for now, how 'bout them Yankees?
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8.23.2009
No. 15
CC Sabathia and Josh Beckett both have 14 wins, leading the American League. They face off in Fenway Park tonight to wrap up the Yankees-Red Sox series. One of them may walk away with the 15th win, but one thing's for sure: it's going to be a good game.
Meanwhile, Mark Teixeira's 92 RBI put him behind only Justin Morneau in the American League in that category.
Meanwhile, Mark Teixeira's 92 RBI put him behind only Justin Morneau in the American League in that category.
7.24.2009
24-7 (and 10)
The Yankees beat the Oakland Athletics 6-3 Thursday night on Mark Teixeira's 24th home run of the season, making it New York's 7th win in a row, with CC Sabathia becoming the first Yankee to 10 wins as he notched a W.
Teixeira is now in a three-way tie for the home run lead in the American League (never mind that Albert Pujols and his 34 homers in the National League). New York is 2-and-a-half games up in the American League East.
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Teixeira is now in a three-way tie for the home run lead in the American League (never mind that Albert Pujols and his 34 homers in the National League). New York is 2-and-a-half games up in the American League East.
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7.18.2009
Pitching, in good form
CC Sabathia tossed a shutout through seven innings today to lead the Yankees past the Detroit Tigers 2-1. Sabathia has the best ERA of all New York starters (3.66) and is the first one to nine wins (9-6).
Melky Cabrera legged out a key single that allowed New York to win the game by a run, which is ironic since his spot on the team has been on and off with speedster Brett Gardner.
Meanwhile, Derek Jeter is third in the American League with a .325 batting average, and Mark Teixeira is third in homers (22) and fourth RBIs (66).
Boston dropped a game today, bringing the Yankees within two of the division leaders.
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Melky Cabrera legged out a key single that allowed New York to win the game by a run, which is ironic since his spot on the team has been on and off with speedster Brett Gardner.
Meanwhile, Derek Jeter is third in the American League with a .325 batting average, and Mark Teixeira is third in homers (22) and fourth RBIs (66).
Boston dropped a game today, bringing the Yankees within two of the division leaders.
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7.07.2009
HR-less win shows Yankees' balance
The Yankees topped the Twins 10-2 tonight with nary a homer, once again showing New York's ability to win with a balanced attack.
Ace CC Sabathia led the defense, allowing only one run over seven innings (with just three Ks), and every Yankees starter had a hit. Over the night, the Bombers patched together 16 hits, including a 4-for-6 night by Mark Teixeira and a triple-led 3-for-5 round by Brett Gardner.
The famed Minnesota onslaught, meanwhile, saw sluggers Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer both go 0-for-3.
On the season, the Yankees aren't really stacking the statistics categories, either. Mariano Rivera's 21 saves are third in the American League, and Teixeira's 20 homers and 62 RBIs are in the top five, but no other Yankees are leading in major statistical categories.
Instead, the team is using a balanced attack. In my tally of the top three Yankees in batting average, homers, and RBIs, I have seven different guys sharing the honors. The four starting pitchers that have been tossing regularly for the Yankees have virtually the same ERAs and win-loss totals. And when players hit the DL or take a night off, the bench players (such as catcher Francisco Cervelli) are hitting, too.
The Yanks were 17-17 when they came into their last series against the Twins, a four-gamer that they swept en route to their current 49-34 record. They needed a few walk-offs in that series; I'm not sure they'll need any this time.
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Ace CC Sabathia led the defense, allowing only one run over seven innings (with just three Ks), and every Yankees starter had a hit. Over the night, the Bombers patched together 16 hits, including a 4-for-6 night by Mark Teixeira and a triple-led 3-for-5 round by Brett Gardner.
The famed Minnesota onslaught, meanwhile, saw sluggers Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer both go 0-for-3.
On the season, the Yankees aren't really stacking the statistics categories, either. Mariano Rivera's 21 saves are third in the American League, and Teixeira's 20 homers and 62 RBIs are in the top five, but no other Yankees are leading in major statistical categories.
Instead, the team is using a balanced attack. In my tally of the top three Yankees in batting average, homers, and RBIs, I have seven different guys sharing the honors. The four starting pitchers that have been tossing regularly for the Yankees have virtually the same ERAs and win-loss totals. And when players hit the DL or take a night off, the bench players (such as catcher Francisco Cervelli) are hitting, too.
The Yanks were 17-17 when they came into their last series against the Twins, a four-gamer that they swept en route to their current 49-34 record. They needed a few walk-offs in that series; I'm not sure they'll need any this time.
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Swish and a bang
The Yankees are off to another hot start, prompting me out of my July 4th blogging hiatus to find something new to say about my favorite yo-yoing New Yorkers.
First, a few observations: Whenever I'm working on the sports desk at my illustrious intern position at the MetroWest Daily News, the Red Sox always seem to be winning. A lot. Argh.
Second, although I am a fan who generally trusts management decisions for my favorite teams, the Yankees have started to irk me lately, especially with the choice of the final starter (with Chien-Ming Wang out) and the eighth-inning setup man. Today, the Yanks announced they were starting top-notch receiver Alfredo Aceves in place of Wang, even though Phil Hughes has done a great job in the starting role earlier this season. (Hughes may be a little rusty, but don't tell me never-started Aceves isn't.)
And finally, the reason for my swish-and-bang headline: The Yankees are currently winning 5-1, and I am quite pleased. Nick Swisher scared the Twinsies into walking him, forcing a run, and every member of the Yankees has a hit so far through five innings (except, alas, Alex Rodriguez).
New York is just a game back of the Red Sox, and the Bombers hold down the second-best record in the American League (third-best in MLB).
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First, a few observations: Whenever I'm working on the sports desk at my illustrious intern position at the MetroWest Daily News, the Red Sox always seem to be winning. A lot. Argh.
Second, although I am a fan who generally trusts management decisions for my favorite teams, the Yankees have started to irk me lately, especially with the choice of the final starter (with Chien-Ming Wang out) and the eighth-inning setup man. Today, the Yanks announced they were starting top-notch receiver Alfredo Aceves in place of Wang, even though Phil Hughes has done a great job in the starting role earlier this season. (Hughes may be a little rusty, but don't tell me never-started Aceves isn't.)
And finally, the reason for my swish-and-bang headline: The Yankees are currently winning 5-1, and I am quite pleased. Nick Swisher scared the Twinsies into walking him, forcing a run, and every member of the Yankees has a hit so far through five innings (except, alas, Alex Rodriguez).
New York is just a game back of the Red Sox, and the Bombers hold down the second-best record in the American League (third-best in MLB).
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7.01.2009
Huh. That was easy.
Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera combined for yet another win-save combo (their 60th) as the Yankees moved past Seattle 4-2 on the back of home runs by Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera and Alex Rodriguez.
Next up, New York welcomes Toronto in a hot matchup in the searing-hot American League East. The Yankees (44-32) are two and a half games back from the Red Sox (48-30), two and a half in front of the Rays (44-36) and four and a half in front of the Blue Jays (42-38). Boston and New York have the top two records, respectively, in the American League.
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Next up, New York welcomes Toronto in a hot matchup in the searing-hot American League East. The Yankees (44-32) are two and a half games back from the Red Sox (48-30), two and a half in front of the Rays (44-36) and four and a half in front of the Blue Jays (42-38). Boston and New York have the top two records, respectively, in the American League.
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6.08.2009
Numbah 2
"Now batting for the Yankees: Numbah 2, Derek Je-tah."
Derek Jeter brought his legs to the ballpark today, turning double plays and scooping up grounders like it's 1996. He followed up his sparkling fielding with his first hit of the night in the eighth, a lining home run to right. The captain is batting .306 this season and may not even be peaking yet, the way his numbers have been rising throughout the season.
Mariano Rivera sealed the win with his 14th save in 15 tries, closing out the 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Meanwhile, Mark Teixeira continues to scale the home run and RBI charts. His home run tonight put him in the lead for American League home runs, at 18, and he's four back on the League lead for RBIs.
Next up: A-Rod's continued resurgence. He missed a month, but he's been great in 2003, 2005, and 2007. He's due.
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Derek Jeter brought his legs to the ballpark today, turning double plays and scooping up grounders like it's 1996. He followed up his sparkling fielding with his first hit of the night in the eighth, a lining home run to right. The captain is batting .306 this season and may not even be peaking yet, the way his numbers have been rising throughout the season.
Mariano Rivera sealed the win with his 14th save in 15 tries, closing out the 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Meanwhile, Mark Teixeira continues to scale the home run and RBI charts. His home run tonight put him in the lead for American League home runs, at 18, and he's four back on the League lead for RBIs.
Next up: A-Rod's continued resurgence. He missed a month, but he's been great in 2003, 2005, and 2007. He's due.
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6.04.2009
Yankees 8, Rangers 6
The Yankees topped the Rangers 8-6 today to take back the top spot in the American League (although they're tied with the Red Sox this time).
Melky Cabrera hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to complete the Yankee comeback. New York was down 5-1 on another rough start by Chien-Ming Wang but came back thanks to a timely hit from Mark Teixeira.
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Melky Cabrera hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to complete the Yankee comeback. New York was down 5-1 on another rough start by Chien-Ming Wang but came back thanks to a timely hit from Mark Teixeira.
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6.03.2009
Yawn...Yankees win
It's become commonplace, these Yankees winning again. Tonight it was a 12-3 takedown of the Texas Rangers (oh, yes, the team with the best record in the American League).
And now the Yankees have the best record in the American League: 31-21.
They're 10 games over .500; last season they weren't 10 games over .500 until 100 games into the season.
Leading the way is none other than stalwart Derek Jeter, who has shaken the April rust off to sprint up the batting charts. Numbah 2 had three hits tonight and now leads the team with a .319 batting average. He also has 10 stolen bases (team-leading), 25 RBI, and seven home runs (he had 11 all of last year). Sure, his stats may not be as gaudy as, say Mark Teixeira's (44 RBI, 16 home runs), but Jeter's been getting on base plenty from the leadoff hole, and he's led the latest Yankees tear. The shortstop is batting .500 over the last seven games.
Enough with Jeter, though. Tonight, everybody got involved. Jorge Posada, who seemed content that the Yankees had broken the errorless streak (he flubbed a throw in the fourth inning to end it) came through for a three-run homer, and Hideki Matsui added a three-run blast of his own. Robinson Cano added two hits, and a whole pile of other Bombers contributed runs, single hits and RBI.
New York left eight runners on base (after stranding nine last night), yet they still won by nine runs. Something's going right here.
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And now the Yankees have the best record in the American League: 31-21.
They're 10 games over .500; last season they weren't 10 games over .500 until 100 games into the season.
Leading the way is none other than stalwart Derek Jeter, who has shaken the April rust off to sprint up the batting charts. Numbah 2 had three hits tonight and now leads the team with a .319 batting average. He also has 10 stolen bases (team-leading), 25 RBI, and seven home runs (he had 11 all of last year). Sure, his stats may not be as gaudy as, say Mark Teixeira's (44 RBI, 16 home runs), but Jeter's been getting on base plenty from the leadoff hole, and he's led the latest Yankees tear. The shortstop is batting .500 over the last seven games.
Enough with Jeter, though. Tonight, everybody got involved. Jorge Posada, who seemed content that the Yankees had broken the errorless streak (he flubbed a throw in the fourth inning to end it) came through for a three-run homer, and Hideki Matsui added a three-run blast of his own. Robinson Cano added two hits, and a whole pile of other Bombers contributed runs, single hits and RBI.
New York left eight runners on base (after stranding nine last night), yet they still won by nine runs. Something's going right here.
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5.31.2009
Tex? Good. Gardner? Errr....
Mark Teixeira did his job again today, driving in four runs with a double and a homer, but some shoddy play by the Yanks with runners on base (I'm thinking Brett Gardner at the plate) doomed the Bombers to a 5-4 walk-off loss to the Tribe.
Gardner was up in the top of the ninth with a speedy teammate on second, but all he could do was hit a bouncer that set up a double play from the next batter.
Chien-Ming Wang gave another solid relief performance, tossing three perfect innings, and the top three Yankee batters all went 2-for-4 (although there was quite a dispute over one play at first that could have easily been another Derek Jeter hit). But New York never got rolling, and it was more entertaining watching the seagulls fly in and stroll around the field than sit through all nine innings of this game.
New York can grab another W tomorrow before heading back to the Bronx and facing the American League-leading Texas Rangers. I hope Melky's back by then; they need his hot bat.
(Notes: Tex's home run ties him for the home run lead in the American League; the Yankees tied the Major League record for games without an error with 17 straight, which equals the Red Sox's 2006 mark.)
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Gardner was up in the top of the ninth with a speedy teammate on second, but all he could do was hit a bouncer that set up a double play from the next batter.
Chien-Ming Wang gave another solid relief performance, tossing three perfect innings, and the top three Yankee batters all went 2-for-4 (although there was quite a dispute over one play at first that could have easily been another Derek Jeter hit). But New York never got rolling, and it was more entertaining watching the seagulls fly in and stroll around the field than sit through all nine innings of this game.
New York can grab another W tomorrow before heading back to the Bronx and facing the American League-leading Texas Rangers. I hope Melky's back by then; they need his hot bat.
(Notes: Tex's home run ties him for the home run lead in the American League; the Yankees tied the Major League record for games without an error with 17 straight, which equals the Red Sox's 2006 mark.)
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