EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: JACK CURRY

I've had my share of being star struck in my lifetime. meeting Joe Torre after the 1996 win was in my mind, one of the top 5 moments ever. But there are others. Being able to interview Jack Curry, someone whom I've admired for a while now is up there as well. The whole YES gang is terrific; Along with Curry, Bob Lorenz, Kimberly Jones, David Cone, Ken Singleton, Michael Kay, Paul O'Neill and John Flaherty do it better than any other sports people out there.

Jack Curry is tops in that group and of course, that passion he has stems all the way back to childhood. You remember when you were a kid, we all tried to make a newspaper, writing about sports or news, or whatever, handwriting it and then drawing pictures in boxes on several pages, then secured it with staples. Well, Jack probably did that too, but then followed through and became an actual sports news guy and now a top sports analyst. He's a huge success and had a drive for that success. Luckily for me, I got to interview one of my idols and Bleeding Yankee Blue is bringing it to you, as an Exclusive. So enjoy it...here's Jack Curry.
BYB: Growing up, were you always a sports fan and more specifically a baseball fan and is this the career path you dreamed of?

Jack Curry: I liked every sport as a kid and played whatever was in season, but baseball was, by far, my favorite sport. I played it in high school and attended one practice at Fordham University before I gave up on playing. It just seemed like it would be too time-consuming to be a backup outfielder (if that). But I still play in the New York-Boston media games at Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park and I still get pretty excited about a game of Wiffle ball.

When I was 12, I started a newspaper at my elementary school. I was fortunate to have a teacher who understood my passion for writing and for sports and he helped me produce these little newspapers. I loved the idea of reporting and writing on things that were happening around the school so, in some ways, I kind of knew what I wanted to do with my life by the time I was in the seventh grade.

BYB: You were with the New York Times as their national baseball correspondent. Tell us how that came about?

Jack Curry: During college, I worked for The Jersey Journal for three summers. About a year after I graduated from Fordham, I was hired by The New York Times. I started at the bottom. I had to prove to them that I deserved a chance to write. Eventually, I began covering some college sports and then I became the New Jersey Nets' beat writer for one season. I took over the Yankees' beat in the middle of the 1991 season and stayed on that position through the 1997 season. From 1998 until 2009, I was a National Baseball Writer at The Times. I loved my years at The Times. I got to cover the Yankees during their dynastic period and got to travel to places like Cuba, Japan, Venezuela, Colombia and Puerto Rico to cover baseball.

BYB: I hope you realize that since you came to YES there is a much different energy. You and Lorenz are appointment television because of your complete analysis. How did that develop and is it because of your passion of the game?

Jack Curry: It's nice of you to compliment us on the energy you see. Bob Lorenz is as selfless as anyone I've ever worked with. He wants the people around him to do well and he works to make that happen. I think the reason we provide thorough analysis is because we study the games and the story lines and work with Jared Boshnack, our producer and another team player, to present this information to the viewer. All three of us have a passion for the game and for our jobs.

BYB: We wrote JACK CURRY: NEW YORK BAD ASS because we felt as though you needed "Props". What was your reaction the first time you saw it?

Jack Curry: When I saw the "Bad Ass" headline on your blog, I laughed. Not sure how many times I've been called a bad ass in my life, but I can assure you that I wouldn't need more than five fingers to recount those times.

BYB: What advice can you give young people that have a dream in becoming a baseball analyst like you?

Jack Curry: If you want to become a baseball analyst or a sports writer, the path to those positions is like the path to any other job. You have to work at it. It sounds like a cliche, but it's true. If you want to be a sports writer and you're not even working for your college newspaper, you're already adversely impacting you future. My advice to someone who wants to get into the news media business, whether it's TV or newspapers, is to try and focus in on what type of job you'd like to have. Once you answer that question, you need to do everything you can to get an internship in that field and network with other professionals. Make yourself stand out. Companies will make room for someone who shows he is exceptional at what he does.

BYB: If you had to name 1 player on the Yankees that was most impressive, approachable and kind, who would it be and why?

Jack Curry: In more than 20 years of covering the Yankees, I've developed a working relationship with a lot of different players. If I had to pick one player who was always a pleasure to deal with, it would be David Cone. Interestingly enough, we're now colleagues at YES. If David's baseball career hadn't worked out, he talked about how he wanted to be a sports writer. What I liked about David was that he gave thoughtful answers and didn't act as if every interview needed to be conducted as if there was a 30-second play clock over his head. They were conversations, not interviews. He didn't dismiss questions or issues. He embraced them. Cone was so approachable that his willingness to talk to players ended up helping his teammates. Since Cone was willing to deal with reporters and was very good at it, other players were allowed to avoid interviews.

BYB: My son wants to know, is what you do the best job in the world?

Jack Curry: Tell your son it's a very cool job, but Derek Jeter has a cooler job. Seriously, I love being an analyst at YES. I get to talk about baseball. Your son is right. Very cool.

BYB: Do you ever read Bleeding Yankee Blue? If so, what do you think?

Jack Curry: Ever since your called me a "Bad Ass," I've been checking out Bleeding Yankee Blue. Keep up the solid work.

Jack, I can't thank you enough for doing this interview with us. You are truly great at what you do and you bring sports analysis to another level because like I've said, you actually know what you're talking about and you never talk down to the fans. You deserve everything good that comes your way. The best to you!

Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: DANTE BICHETTE JR.

We here at Bleeding Yankee Blue have tried to give you things that the other blogs don't. One of the big things that make us unique are our interviews with former Yankee players as well as stars like Kimberly Jones. Well, It's my pleasure to offer an interview with one of our favorite "new" Yankees and down to earth guy, Dante Bichette Jr.

Dante is the future of the New York Yankees and when we were able to secure an interview with him, we were psyched. So here it is, our BYB Exclusive with Dante Bichette Jr. Enjoy!


BYB: First of all, congratulations on the Gulf Coast League MVP this season and your GCL Championship. How satisfied are you with your first year?

Dante Bichette Jr: My first year in pro ball was an awesome experience. I was lucky enough to go to the team I wanted to go to and lucky enough to have a crazy good Gulf Coast League team. One thing that made the jump from high school to pro ball such a great experience was having the coolest combination of coaching staff and management that I have ever played for.

BYB: What's it like to be drafted by the biggest sports franchise in the world, the New York Yankees, as compared to say, a smaller, less successful franchise?

Dante Bichette Jr: Being drafted to a franchise that just wins and wins is a great thing. The way to have the most fun in this game is to have success and win. I was on two winning teams this year, and will have two rings! That is something I feel like I could only have done being a Yankee.

BYB: Can you try and explain to Yankee fans what the draft process is like? Is it similar to the NFL draft, etc?

Dante Bichette Jr: I have never watched another draft other than mine so I cannot compare. But I can say it is basically a year of interviewing for a shot at a dream job, except you don't really know who your future employer will be until you are actually chosen.

(In Photo: Jesus Montero)
BYB: When you look up at the Yankees roster at the Major League level and see Montero and Romine making names for themselves, can you see yourself doing the same thing soon?

Dante Bichette Jr: It has been my dream since I was a little kid to be doing what they are doing. I think that if I keep putting in hard work consistently and making adjustments when I need to make them, and if God keeps me safe then I can definitely see myself there when it is my time.

(In Photo: Dante Bichette Sr)
BYB: Growing up as the son of a celebrated ballplayer, Dante Bichette Sr, what was it like growing up watching your dad play?

Dante Bichette Jr: I remember some things here and there. One thing I remember vividly was when my dad took me out to hit at Fenway Park. That was a pretty awesome experience.

BYB: Who are some of the other players you looked up to?

Dante Bichette Jr: My favorite player now is Derek Jeter. I love how you knew who just walked in the clubhouse when he showed up at our facility to rehab earlier this year. Of course, I like how he plays when he's on the field but I really admire his quiet confidence when he goes about his business.

BYB: What will you be doing during the off season to continue your development?

Dante Bichette Jr: This off season I will be hitting the gym hard to try and get my strength up. I have a pretty good routine of ground balls, hitting with my dad, running and throwing that I will be doing as well.
BYB: Growing up, who was 1 baseball player, besides your father, that you admired and wanted to emulate?

Dante Bichette Jr: I thought Barry Bonds was the man growing up. He was in the same division as my dad so it was easy to watch him. I was too young at the time to realize any controversy surrounding him, but I just knew he was a beast.

BYB: Have you ever read Bleeding Yankee Blue?

Dante Bichette Jr: As a rule, I don't read anything that has to do with me, but I have run across a few things from Bleeding Yankee Blue that have been tweeted to me.

BYB: We here have written about you extensively and are excited that you're part of the Yankees. Any kind words you'd like to say to the readers of our site?

Dante Bichette Jr: It's great to know people are rooting for me. I appreciate it a lot! Hopefully I will continue to give you reasons to be excited about me.

Dante Bichette Jr reminds me alot like Derek Jeter. Proud to be wearing the pinstripes and eager to please, he works hard and knows that nothing is handed to you in life. He has a good head on his shoulders and that clearly stems from an upbringing of tremendous parenting.

We truly appreciate Dante interviewing with us here at Bleeding Yankee Blue. Our Senior Writer, Mikey Blue gave me the assist on this interview with Dante. Thank you Mikey.

One more thing to Dante Bichette Jr...go get'um kid, we're all rooting for you and can't wait to see you in the pros!

--Mikey Blue, BYB Senior Writer
Email: DonnieBaseball2323@gmail.com
Twitter: @MikeyBlu23

Please comment and let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

WHY BLEEDING YANKEE BLUE HAS OUR ALL-TIME LIST FOR YOU

I just wanted to take a moment and post for you Bleeding Yankee Blue's Top Ten most read pieces by you guys... of all time. These are not chosen by me, these are chosen and read by you and tallied by our server. I thought it would be neat to show you what's the most read ever in the history of our site. Some of new, some of older, but it's cool just the same. The list goes from 10 to 1 and 1 is the most read of all time. Enjoy and feel free to pass it around.

And Freaks...Thanks again for reading us.

10. SWISH AND SHEEN EXCHANGE TEXTS: PART 2 (March 9, 2011)

9. WHY SAVE 602 SHOULD BE RIVERA TO POSADA (September 12, 2011)8. EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: KIMBERLY JONES (June 14, 2011)

7. WHY THIS PHOTO OF POSADA & MONTERO SPEAKS VOLUMES (September 6, 2011)

6. BYB YANKEE TRADE RUMORS: PART 5 (July 30, 2011)
5. EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: SCOTT BROSIUS (July 18, 2011)

4. WHY CRUCIFYING BURNETT NEEDS TO STOP (August 3, 2011)

3. SWISH AND SHEEN EXCHANGE TEXTS (March 7, 2011)

2. WHY WE LOVE (OR HATE) ALEX (January 27, 2011)1. WHY MARTIN'S A FACTOR (March 6, 2011)

Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: TODD ZEILE

I'm a Yankee fan. I love the team, I love the YES Network gang, Kimberly Jones, Jack Curry, Ken Singleton and the like, and I love the Stadium. But I also love baseball. Before I was a Yankee fan, I was a baseball fan and today, I consider myself a student of the game, constantly researching players and records. It's real fun to me.One guy's career that I've followed is Todd Zeile. Mr. Zeile played for the Cardinals, the Mets, and even the Yankees among several others. Not only was he a stand up guy, giving Bleeding Yankee Blue an interview, he also gave us some pretty interesting and surprising answers to our questions. It was a pleasure to talk with Todd Zeile, and we're are pleased to release Bleeding Yankee Blue interview with him for all of you. Enjoy!
BYB: You started your baseball career as a catcher with the Cardinals. At the time, Joe Torre was the manager and it’s been reported that he thought you were a true talent and wanted you more utilized so he suggested you play first or third base. First off, is this true, and secondly, describe your relationship with Joe Torre then and now?

Todd Zeile: I was a catcher from 8 years old and moved in my second year in the big leagues. Joe did have some influence on the decision, but the organization wanted to let Terry Pendleton walk and figured they could keep my bat in the lineup for more games and fill two positions with me at third and Tom Pagnozzi behind the plate. I wasn't happy at the time, and Joe and I butted heads about it, but it's hard to argue after 2000 more games in the infield. Joe taught me more about how to play the game than anyone else in my professional career, and I consider him a very close friend today.BYB: You were with the Mets in 2000 with Al Leiter. Tell me about the World Series that year and what is was like playing at Yankee Stadium against your cross town rivals?

Todd Zeile: The 2000 Subway Series was the highlight of my career and eternally linked me to the city that is like home to me. I always loved playing at Yankee Stadium. There is nothing like the energy of that World Series, on that stage, with that city relishing every moment. Obviously, I wish the results were different, but the series was much closer and more hard fought than a 5 game series would represent. We had chances to win every game, and I'm proud to have played in it and played well!

BYB: You came to the Yankees in 2003, what was it like to be reunited with Torre and explain the feel of the clubhouse?

Todd Zeile: I came to the Yankees in 2003 specifically out of my relationship with Joe, and looked forward to a great experience. Unfortunately, Nick Johnson got hurt before spring training, negating a trade that was supposed to happen. That would have given me an opportunity for 450 plus at bats if it did happen. Instead, I fell into a platoon role with my good buddy Robin Ventura, and never really adapted to a limited playing schedule. I think it hurt both Robin and myself since neither of us had ever played on a part time basis.

BYB: Who did you latch onto with the 2003 team and why?

Todd Zeile: Robin Ventura and I were already close from our time with the Mets, but I became friends and am still friends with a few of the other guys. Jason Giambi's awesome. Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte helped me hone in on my golf skills on the road. The team was filled with classy guys and great players.

BYB: You were released in August 2003 by the Yankees and it’s been reported that you weren’t happy about how the Yankees handled it. Was it just a heat of the moment thing or are you still annoyed by it?
Todd Zeile: I wasn't upset about the way it was handled, I was actually appreciative to be given an opportunity to go somewhere to play every day. I pleaded with Joe to let me go...Robin had been traded and Aaron Boone was playing third at the time. I got a chance to go to Montreal and had a great month plus with a hungry team fighting for a playoff spot.

BYB: If you had to name 1 player in Major League baseball that you admired as a kid, who would it be and why?
Todd Zeile: That's tough...I was a Dodger fan, so I watched them as a kid, and admired Steve Garvey, and emulated his hitting approach. However, I was also a catcher, and Johnny Bench was the best, so I was a little conflicted.

BYB: How about during your career, what player did you have a close relationship with and why?

Todd Zeile: I have a few good friends, but Robin Ventura was my closest player relationship for many reasons....the World Series, 9/11, our families.
BYB: A lot of people don’t know this but you’re married to another famous athlete, Olympic Gold Medalist Julianne McNamara. She was the first American Gymnast to receive a perfect 10.0 Right? How did you 2 meet?

Todd Zeile: Very true....we met at UCLA in my junior year. She had to retire soon after we met in order to try and maintain a relationship with a traveling minor league ballplayer. Her sacrifice and understanding of what it takes to compete at the highest level enabled me to sustain a career, especially with the many strains that 11 teams in 16 years can create.

BYB: Describe what made you decide to go Hollywood. You started a production company called Green Diamond Entertainment. Tell me about how it all came together?

Todd Zeile: Stupidity mixed with Vanity...Kidding! But it has not been an easy ride. I grew up in LA and with my MLB experience, am one degree separated from everybody...including many people that have been very successful in Hollywood. Unfortunately, it took some time, and I paid for an "education", but I have moved on from some early relationships and have some fun projects on the horizon.

BYB: Do you have a project you’d like to promote, maybe a website so people can keep up with what you’re doing these days? Are you on Twitter or Facebook?

Todd Zeile: I am not on Facebook and not a Twitter guy. I know, I'm a dinosaur, but I keep in touch with the people I want to, and know that if I started with social media, I will never stop looking at a computer screen. My 4 kids deserve to have my full attention, especially since they've had to share me with a very demanding profession for such a long time. Having said that, I may have to join the 21st Century soon, as I have been working on some interesting projects with the king of social media - Charlie Sheen. We just shot his Roast for Comedy Central, which will air tonight, 9/19 at 10 pm. It is epic...and will be a huge success. If you watch, you might see a familiar name scroll through the end credits as Co-Executive Producer.

Todd Zeile is the coolest guy out there. I hope everyone enjoyed the interview and just like Scott Brosius, Chuck Knoblauch, Kimberly Jones, Roy White and the other great interviews we've done, Todd is also now part of the Bleeding Yankee Blue family... always welcome. Thanks so much Todd, we appreciate it.

Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BYB. WE TURNED 1 BECAUSE OF YOU.

In my wildest dreams, I never thought I would actually have a Yankees blog that anyone would care about. But you readers out there are pretty damn passionate and need your Yankees news and opinion and we love it.

When we started on September 14, 2010, Bleeding Yankee Blue started as a rant page because I was tired of yelling at the TV because of another Yankee loss. Sergio Mitre, the thorn in my side was involved, so you can only imagine why I freaked out. Here’s the first post ever on Bleeding Yankee Blue titled WHY LAST NIGHT WAS IMPORTANT.

Since then we’ve posted 975 posts and we have writers who have developed into personalities and readers look for their work. Some of you think we’re the cat’s meow. Well, we know you are but what am I? This journey has been incredible. What we have built here isn’t because of any of us. It really has more to do with all of you. If you don’t read us, we write for no one. When you read, you send it to a friend who sends it to a friend. You Tweet it, you "Like" it on Facebook. Maybe Google news picks it up, or ESPN picks it up and calls us Intrepid Bloggers and some of you even send us pictures of yourself for Bleeding Yankee Blue’s Fan of the week. It’s pretty damn cool.I still remember our first "BYB Fan of the Week" on a chilly week in February. It was Robert in full Yankee gear and suddenly BYB's Fan of the Week was born. Since then we’ve had a fan of the week, well, every week and the pictures are pouring in, it’s just amazing. Keep it up by the way, just send them to mailto:Bleednyankeeblu@gmail.com

We do Yankee interviews here, many blogs do not. Our first was EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: STEVE KARSAY and since then we’ve interviewed Mickey Rivers, Scott Brosius, Chuck Knoblauch and our favorite gal of all time, Kimberly Jones. We love her.If BYB didn't exist, we would have never got to interview Kimberly Jones. But we do and we did and we're very happy about it. We've even helped bring awareness to David Robertson's charity High Socks for Hope.
On the flip side, people like to rain on our parade too. It’s OK, but the viciuous stuff needs to be checked at the door. Don’t hate, be constructive, that’s all we ask here. Hey, bottom line, we’re still relatively new, we haven’t worked out all the kinks yet and we’re not perfect, but we’re trying our best. You want to hear a funny story? I was on a commuter train maybe a month ago looking at Bleeding Yankee Blue on my phone. Pathetic right? That's not the story though. This is... It was tight quarters. There was a guy standing next to me and said “You read them?” He was looking over my shoulder at my phone. I said “Sure.” He said “9 times out of ten, Casey nails it, every once in a while, he ticks me off.” “Totally”, I said with a smile. What am I going to do, argue with a New Yorker and Yankee fan? Hell no. It was totally bizarre and a moment I'll never forget.

The point is, today we turn 1 and at this moment I have one focus; We will keep moving forward, for you. We vow to keep getting you interesting material, news and opinion as well as personality, something some of the others lack. We’ll try and keep it fresh, we’ll try to keep it fun and the day it doesn’t become fun for me personally, I’m closing shop. But right now, it’s really fun and you make it fun... so thank you.

We’ve had some real great posts over our 1^st year. Christy Lee wrote a truly touching piece called FAMILY RIVALRY & THE LAST WORD that has received tremendous feedback. Christy's like my sis and I'm glad she's in the BYB family.

I love Jesse Schindler’s piece titled WHY ROBERTSON DESERVES MORE CREDIT. He wrote it back in May and since then David Robertson has developed into one of the greatest set up men of all time.

There’s Mikey Blue’s piece titled WHY JORGE'S HEART BEATS STRONG. In our BYB world, we love Jorge Posada and this particular post hit home. Not only did Jorge have a great game in that 9-2 victory, we saw some life from the gritty veteran.

Grant Cederquist wrote WHY THE KIDS ARE GROWING UP and has proven he's one of the best bloggers out there when it comes to the minor league guys.

Jeana Bellezza, a newcomer and my go-to-gal who wrote a piece on Derek Jeter which is my favorite by her titled WHY IT'S MORE THAN 3000, IT'S DESTINY.

Lem Allen is a friend of mine and this one of his was my favorite: WHY IT'S JUST BASEBALL SUZYN.

Will Cohen, my first writer ever wrote WHY DOESN'T CASH LIKE SPENDING CASH? This was his first piece and with it, he became published and had a new passion in life.And Me? Well, I love to write, but if I had to choose, there would be 2; WHY JETER IS EPIC FOR 1 GOOD REASON and AN OPEN LETTER TO JORGE POSADA. They are 2 of my baseball heroes, never to be forgotten.

The point is, we love what we do because you love to read it. So, do me a favor, on our first birthday, today is important to us. So comment today on our blog, use the comment section and take a moment and tell us what you think, you can even wish us a happy birthday. Just take a moment and let us know what you like and don’t like. Keep it clean and have a good time with it. Tell us what you like about our pieces, the writers, me and the site itself. After all, feedback rules and that’s how we know how to improve. You have questions? Ask, we’ll try to answer. All I ask is you keep reading and enjoy it. Also, Word of mouth is key, so if there’s something you like, tell someone about it, after all, the playoffs are right around the corner and this is what we have been writing for all year... the Quest for 28.

And a special personal note to the Bleeding Yankee Blue writers. You do a great job. You approached me and I approached you and a marriage was made. Thank you for being there and thank for you taking this ride with me.

Again, thanks to the BYB readers, it’s been swell and you guys made it happen. We couldn’t do it without you… well, we could, but we’d be 8 writers reading each other’s material and that’s no fun, right?

We received some great notes from many of you, and decided to publish some of them in this post so you can be part of our history. I couldn't get you all in here, but I hope I got most of you. Thank you all. We now move on to our "Quest for 2."

"Bleeding Yankee Blue describes exactly what it's like to be a NY Yankee Fan!"
--Brittany Canal Fulton, Ohio

"I like Bleeding Yankee Blue because it is awesome and one of the best out there, Happy Birthday to you!" --Dana Trentacost

"Happy B-day BYB!!! Keep up the great job!!!" --Kiley

"You bring me the most informative YANKEE information available!"
--Mike, Loxahatchee, Florida

"It's run by true Yankee fans who write their posts from the heart and also appreciate other peoples views." -- Charles, Sydney Australia

"Happy Birthday! Keep the blogs coming~ One year? Went fast." --Debi

"Happy Birthday BYB! Living in Seattle, WA, it's hard to stay current with Pinstripe Pals and BYB has been an awesome resource for game summaries and info on future stars and all things Yankees! Great job!" --Tom, Seattle

"I like Bleeding Yankee Blue because they are informative, honest, and are HOPELESSLY biased towards the NY Yankees!" -- Marianne

"I like Bleeding Yankee Blue because they love and support The Greatest Baseball Team ever. The New York Yankees. Sing it Frankie!" --Judith

Please comment, we use DISQUS. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

JACK CURRY: NEW YORK BAD ASS

Jack Curry is the biggest stud of the Yankee gang, no offense Bob Lorenz, you’re a close second. There’s something about Curry that brings a calming to us Yankee fans when there’s news or information about the New York Yankees that’s coming down the pike. He has the coolest approach to reporting and analysis that the others in baseball just don’t have. Let’s face it, Curry’s the man. In this day and age of Twitter, the guy puts out the info faster than anyone. This is his Twitter handle @JackCurryYES. (send this post to him.) I think he’s actually on Twitter more than anyone, OK, maybe Kim Kardashian has him beat, but you know what I mean.

But what makes Curry rise to the occasion time and time again? He tells it to you straight, something that the others in baseball don’t always do. Plus, here’s an interesting observation… he actually knows what he’s talking about. Plus, there is no skirting around the issue, Curry knows the game of baseball and he knows these Yankee players like he’s been rooming with them in a frat house for years.

Curry’s background lends itself to this; after all, he was a National Baseball Correspondent for the New York Times before moving onto the Yes Network as a commentator and with that background, he brings an energy, good looks and title of “Stud” to us fans, never leaving us in the dark. When he and Lorenz are in the studio after the game, you may think you have the answers going into the post game recap, but you don’t know Jack, pardon the pun, until you hear it from Curry himself.

Yes, this piece is self-serving, we hope one day soon Jack Curry takes the time to speak with Bleeding Yankee Blue, but the thoughts in this post are genuine. Much like our love for Ken Singleton, read THE JOY OF KEN SINGLETON, Kimberly Jones, EXCLUSIVE INTERIVEW: KIMBERLY JONES and Suzyn Waldman, read WHY I NEED TO MEET SUZYN WALDMAN, Curry is a great part of the Yankee family. Hell, maybe Kim Jones can pass on a kind word? What do you say Kim, can you do your magic?

Any way you slice it, Curry’s the man, a great commentator and a New York Bad Ass and Bleeding Yankee Blue thinks the guy brings analysis to another level, and we’re glad you’re there Jack, thanks.

Please comment and let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

WHY I NEED TO MEET SUZYN WALDMAN

It’s a selfish conquest, but important to me none the less. Yes, it’s true, when I finally complete my mission, I’ll get laughed at, picked on and mocked but I don’t care what anyone says… I have the need to meet Suzyn Waldman. Why? Because believe it or not, she is part of Yankees history.

Waldman has been with the Yankees in the booth with John Sterling since 2005 and to be honest, I never thought much of it. But one thing you need to say about Suzyn Waldman, she’s a staple in the Yankee family and has been for years. She’s been doing sports broadcasting for 20 years, and without her around Yankee Stadium, we may never have ever seen Yogi Berra again. What? Wait… you don’t know what I’m talking about? Let me explain.

Yogi Berra, no doubt was one of the greatest Yankees ever, numerous championships and a Hall of Famer. After Yogi Berra and George Steinbrenner had their falling out in 1985 when Yogi was fired as the Yankees Manager, Yogi was pissed because it wasn’t Steinbrenner himself but the GM who gave Berra the message. Berra swore he’d never step foot in Yankee Stadium again, and didn’t for a long long time.

As the story goes, in 1999, Suzyn Waldman was able to get both George and Yogi together for a "sit down". Some real Tony Soprano stuff. The "sit down" was a huge success and Yogi came back on a huge day at Yankee Stadium honoring Yogi. They did it right, Don Larsen threw out the first pitch to Yogi and in Yankee style; David Cone followed that day pitching his perfect game. Bottom line, that chain of events would have never happened without Suzyn Waldman.

Now, you know my feeling about John Sterling and Suzyn together in the both. It’s manageable in my mind but I’ve never loved the duo. Yes, by now, the 2 of them in the booth is a good team, and many of us grow accustomed to them being there, but, let’s not gloss over it. The moment Roger Clemens was in "George’s box" was the day I said loudly, “I have to meet Suzyn Waldman.” No one in any other lifetime could be that excited about Roger Clemens coming back to the Yankees, including Roger Clemens… except of course for Suzyn Waldman. Yes, her excitement was ridiculous, but it was the passion I loved.

Look, she may not be the greatest color commentator in sports, you may not like her, but you need to respect her. Suzyn Waldman has opened doors and mended friendships that no one even knows about. Do you think it would be easy for our favorite Yankees chick Kimberly Jones to just get a job with the Yankees? Suzyn Waldman’s presence before Kim certainly helped. That’s no slap against Kim Jones, she feels the love and she's incredible at what she does. My point is, Suzyn Waldman is a veteran woman in broadcasting and because of her acceptance, more people opened their eyes, more gave other women a chance. You have to love that.

So yes, it’s true, in a sport driven by men; one woman broke through to take a stand and do her job to the best of her ability and helped with a little Yankee history along the way.

Again, you may not care for her style, you may not love her in the booth, but there is no doubt, you need to respect the job she does because… bottom line… no one does it like Suzyn… Goodness gracious… no one.

Please comment and let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in

WE'RE HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES

Hurricane Irene has hit and BYB Headquarters is temporarily closed. As part of our vow to you, we will get back to work as soon as we can, but of course, family comes first. In the meantime, here are some of my favorite posts on Bleeding Yankee Blue...enjoy:



EXCLUSIVE: WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT PHIL RIZZUTO



WHY MANTLE & MARIS ARE STILL INTRIGUING TODAY



WHAT CASHMAN WAS REALLY SAYING



WHY I SMELL A TREND



EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: KIMBERLY JONES



WHY GOD MADE YOGI A YANKEE



WHAT GARDNER TRUMPS CRAWFORD



WHY IT'S MONTERO'S TURN



WHY JETER IS EPIC FOR 1 GOOD REASON



QUEST FOR TURKEY LEGS!



2000's MOST EXCITING PLAYER: CANO OR SORIANO?



WHY IT'S JUST BASEBALL SUZYN



WHY THE 2011 AL MVP PLAYS IN THE BRONX



WHY G.G.S. IS A.O.K



EXCLUSIVE INTERVEW: HIGH SOCKS FOR HOPE



Back soon.



Please comment and let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

WHY SWISHER NEEDS TO STAY IN YANKEELAND

Believe it or not, Nick Swisher is in his last year of his contract and in 2012 he has a team option (HERE). If the Yankees are no longer interested, Swisher could walk away into the sunset and millions of Yankee fans would be devastated. It’s just not fair.

Nick Swisher has done more than any of us thought he would do in the Bronx. Let me back up, I knew he could do it but many didn't. Don’t forget, Nick Swisher is talented and he and Chavez ran Oakland for quite a few years. Ironically, now their both in the Bronx, but the point is, Nick can still hit, he’s got right field locked down and he’s not only become a New York celebrity, he’s a baseball icon at this point. The "Bronx Elvis" has an unbelievable following on Facebook. Because of his incredibly charismatic personality and energy, people flock to him. WE WANT NICK SWISHER TO HOST SNL is in full effect and the more people that join that group, the better. It’s not just a page, it’s an operation run by Beth Hucke who runs a tight ship and is doing her best to get Swisher to host Saturday Night Live. We all believe in her and you should too. Click on the link HERE. Join the group…. Do it. Click HERE. Don’t read past it. Click WE WANT NICK SWISHER TO HOST SNL, then, pass it on to a friend and tell them to join, the more, the merrier. Also, check out this interview with Beth Hucke about the page. Our interview with Beth was our first interview on Bleeding Yankee Blue and since then we’ve been rolling with a lot of great interviews, Kimberly Jones, Mickey Rivers, Steve Karsay, Scott Brosius and Roy White, and the list goes on. The point is, Beth needs our help and we all want Nick to host Saturday Night Live so it’s going to take a grassroots effort to get it done.

I can’t imagine Nick Swisher NOT on the New York Yankees. It just doesn’t seem right to me. To think that when he came over before the 2009 season, it wasn’t hyped as much as say Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett, yet, Swisher took the reigns and made his own hype. (In Photo: Joanna Garcia)

Since then, Swish won a ring in 2009, appeared in the All-Star game in 2010 and married his babe, Joanna Garcia. He’s also the King of New York and to me, having Swisher walk away at the end of this season would just suck beyond belief.

Take a moment, check out WE WANT NICK SWISHER TO HOST SNL. Also check out Swish’s Wishes, Nick’s charity and then of course, check out Joanna Garcia’s official website because she’s absolutely gorgeous. What's my point of this? Get Swish and the Yankees fired up, let them realize how important they are to each other. He can’t leave at the end of the season. Let’s remind him and the Yankee brass just how important this guy is to our team. Oh… and click HERE.

Please comment and let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: HIGH SOCKS FOR HOPE

Living on the East Coast all my life, we have the best of both worlds, we bitch about the humidity in the summer and the nasty snow in the winter. But one thing we don't have is our entire home demolished by dangerous tornadoes. Lately across the United States, there seems to be more and more destruction and more and more people are homeless because of devastating storms rolling through neighborhoods in the middle of the night taking homes, memories and lives away from all of us in just a matter of minutes.

David and Erin Robertson were personally touched by the devastation in the most recent storm that ravaged Tuscaloosa, Alabama on April 27th because Robertson grew up there. Immediately they and Kimberly Jones took a crew to the now leveled area and the look on their faces was eye opening. WATCH IT HERE. They were in shock, much like the families that were torn apart there. They did something that people only talk about doing, they are making a difference.

High Socks for Hope was started immediately, a Foundation to give aid to the people who lost everything they had in the hopes of rebuilding their lives. I get emotional just thinking about this courageous undertaking. Many celebrities want to attach their names to causes and never show up to really do a thing about it. David Robertson is a New York Yankee and pride is attached to that, but celebrity is also attached to it and he knows the importance of his fans and the power he has to bring it to every ones attention, Yankee fan or not. He and Erin are making a difference. I applaud them and I needed to reach out to ask them about it:

BYB: Tell me why High Socks for Hope was started?

David Robertson: High Socks for Hope was started right after the tornadoes hit Alabama on April 27, 2011. Tuscaloosa is my hometown; it is where I was born and raised, went to high school and college. It is a place that will always be home. Seeing it destroyed really affected me. I knew I had to do whatever I could to help fix what had happened. My wife and I discussed several options of what to do and where to donate money, but decided we wanted to make sure we knew where it was going and that 100% of it was going toward relief efforts. We opened the "David and Erin Robertson Foundation" to start collecting donations and then the High Socks website to start raising awareness of the devastation and needs that are present. We also went to Tuscaloosa to view the damage and meet some of the people that were affected by this tragedy.

BYB: Describe your initial reaction when you saw the destruction in Tuscaloosa for the first time?

Erin Robertson: I was shocked to see the devastation. David and I had watched a lot of videos and spoke to a lot of people down there before we visited, but nothing could have prepared us for what we saw. There was debris everywhere and so many houses and buildings were destroyed. It was truly heartbreaking to see.

BYB: What is the ultimate goal of your foundation?

David Robertson: Our goal is to help as many people as possible that were affected by the tornadoes in Tuscaloosa and the surrounding areas. We haven't set any monetary goals because the needs are endless. It will take billions of dollars to fix what was damaged. Our goal is to assist those that are in the most need. There are several families that we work with that are either homeless or struggling to make ends meet, and we are working hard to get those families in a safe place and back on their feet.

BYB: How much have you been able to raise, and is there a goal mind?

Erin Robertson: We have already received several generous donations from so many friends, family members and amazing fans, but there is definitely a long way to go. It will take years to get back what the tornadoes destroyed in just minutes, but we are determined to do everything we can to help.

BYB: Will you and David be part of the rebuilding process?

Erin Robertson: David's schedule makes it difficult to travel, but we will be visiting Tuscaloosa in the off-season to help where we can and make sure all the donations are going to the right places.
BYB: If someone wants to donate to help your cause, what can they do?

David Robertson: There are several ways people can help out. If someone would like to make a tax-deductible donation, they can make checks payable to:

"The David and Erin Robertson Foundation"

and mail checks to:

Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund
PO Box 770001
Cincinnati, OH 45277-0053

People can also purchase a t-shirt from Bald Vinny's store where the proceeds will go towards our fund. Or people can come to an event we host, there is one this Thursday, June 30th at the Hard Rock at Yankee Stadium.

Thank you David and Erin Robertson for taking the time to talk to us and make us aware of what we can do to help.

Please donate to the Robertson's cause and help them help others. Anything is accepted because they want to get Tuscaloosa up and running again. It will take time and it will take everyone’s help. This isn’t a Yankee thing, it’s a life thing and the idea of helping another human being in a time of need is truly heroic, although to David and Erin, that’s probably never crossed their mind. They believe in loving thy neighbor and this is by far the kindest and most important foundation out there right now. We support them at Bleeding Yankee Blue.

We will keep the High Socks for Hope info on our home page so you can donate. The address is there. Send checks to that address. Help any way you can.

Please comment and let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.