WHY THE YANKEES NEED THE HUNGER AGAIN

It’s the off-season early for the New York Yankees and all of us Yankee fans are walking around aimlessly with nothing to do. Yes, we could watch the postseason without the Yankees, and yes, I’ve told you numerous times that if baseball is on, I watch, no matter who’s playing.

But let’s face it, this is October and the Yankees aren’t playing, and I don't want to watch. I want to scream like Mark Wahlberg in the Other Guys, I cannot take it. Sometimes I feel like the more we try to do things right, the more we screw them up. The Yankees need that hunger back and the fans are craving it.

The Yankees looked like scrubs out there as I reflect on the ALDS, with the exception of Jorge Posada and Brett Gardner and even Derek Jeter to some extent. Where was the hunger? Where were the bats? I firmly believe that hot teams move forward and it all has to do with momentum. I don't necessarily believe great teams win it all. I think great teams need to be hot to win it all. The Yankees were great with 97 wins going into the ALDS, but they weren't great and hot, plain and simple. Now all we’re doing is sitting in front of our computers, looking at Twitter and bitching at each other.

I long for the days when Steinbrenner would put out a press release, thanking the Yankee fans for their support and apologizing for failing to win it all. Then, weeks later, we’d go out and find the top free agent out there and all would be well in Yankeeland again, we would forget, just for the moment, that we blew it.

Time is running out for some of our icons. Yes, Jorge Posada was close to possibly getting a 5^th ring, but we fell short. Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera are close to retirement; wouldn’t it be nice to get one for championship before they sail into the sunset? It would, for all of us.The pitching rotation will be a priority again this year, just like it is every year and while Cashman preached patience and picked up Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia and had lightening in a bottle, that charade won’t work this winter; fans get impatient, Yankee Brass gets impatient and I expect a big splash. Yes, Cashman needs to agree to a deal, but once that is done, CC Sabathia is next and then after what, who? I'm a fan of Mark Buehrle and I would love to get him, but who else? CJ Wilson? Matt Cain? Yu Darvish? Felix Hernandez?

Look, Felix is my top name after CC Sabathia. I’m not too big on “Pretty Boy” Wilson because I hate his pompous attitude. I’m also not sold on him. Matt Cain, yeah, he good, but we need him to be great. Yu Darvish…we’ve been through that Japanese pitching thing before. Felix Hernandez is the guy and if that means waiting until he’s a free agent, so be it; If it means being creative with you we unload for him, so be it. I have no desire to trade off someone like Jesus Montero for the King. After seeing him hit, it reminded me a hell of a lot like Miguel Cabrera. I can’t part with the guy.

Something needs to be done about Nick Swisher, Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira. Look, no doubt they are pissed that they didn’t deliver and they looked foolish in the ALDS, but let’s face it, they always do. 2009 is long gone, these guys get paid a fortune to perform, bottom line and October is the biggest show on earth, and they need to show up. They didn’t and it’s pathetic. If I’m the Yankees, I pick up Swisher’s option and I’m bringing in a bright young outfielder this spring and have him compete for Swisher’s job. Light a fire under Nick’s ass and let him know, no job is safe.

Alex is Alex and he’s owed a ton of money. You can’t eat his contract and you can’t trade him and the Yankees won’t, they want him to hit 700 and they want him the break the home run record in pinstripes... he’s not going anywhere. I also believe ARod wasn’t healthy and while nerves were a factor in the ALDS, he’s not better yet because of injury. Hopefully a long winter’s nap will heal this guy and in Spring 2012, he’ll be back.

Mark Teixeira seems to shrivel up at the wrong time...October. Not sure what happened to this guy. He’s a great hitter…when he hits, and I would never suggest we cut Tex lose for someone better, because; let’s face it, who’s better? Tex is one of the best defensive first basemen we’ve ever had; he just needs to get his swing tweaked by the King of Swing…Kevin Long. Maybe the pressure gets to Tex, who knows, but something‘s got to happen.

The Yankees hunger is gone while the hunger by the fans grows. We need something drastic, a shakeup… so we can stand up and say, “The Yankees put the best on the field and we will return to win it all.” Because, let’s face it, 1 championship in 11 years is not a dynasty, it’s average.

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WHY THE RED SOX JUST GOT WHACKED

Look, I’m not going to sit here and kick a team while they’re down…well, maybe I will, after all it’s the Red Sox and I am no fan. But I’ve noticed an increase in media sniping of the Sox the past 24 hours and I like it. Yes, a report late last month suggested that the Sox were eating chicken and drinking beer during the final games of the season…DURING THE GAMES. USA Today, among others keeps the story going with the "startling details". Read it HERE.

Then there were reports that Terry Francona couldn’t control his team (read HERE), then suggestions that he was fired, then that he left on his own. And what does Theo Epstein do? Well, one thing he didn’t do was stick around. It appears he's taking the next bus to Chi-town and suddenly, Beantown is crumbling.

Let me tell you... I would never normally write a piece about the Boston Red Sox EVER unless it was needed, and with all the buzz about Theo Epstein jumping a sinking ship, I just wanted to offer a few logical pieces of opinion. It’s probably the nicest back handed compliment you’ll ever read so mark down this moment.

Theo Epstein is a smart man and while he brought the tools he needed to try and bring the Sox their 3 championship in 11 years, he failed, that being said, it was clear his time was up. Let’s not forget, the Yankees won only 1 World Series in 11 years; the Red Sox won 2 with Theo as their GM. Let’s also not forget that he’s a lethal weapon in baseball. In fact, he and Brian Cashman are both in my opinion geniuses and let’s not beat around the bush, having the money to spend, well, that helps a lot too. Theo will do wonders for the Cubs and I can see him helping them win it all, I have no doubt. But it shocked me the way he just left the team behind, all the while showing face like he actually gave a crap about his Sox team. Then, suddenly, he disappeared.

All that said, I’m glad Theo’s gone. He’s good at his job and it hurts the Red Sox badly and helps the Yankees immensely.

Secondly, let me say what isn’t said enough…Terry Francona is the classiest baseball guy around and while I hate the Red Sox winning anything.... even a carnival game, Francona deserved his 2 championships (that kills me to say.) Francona is well respected and I found it terrible that things ended the way it did for him. That too though, at the end of the day, hurts the Red Sox and for that, I thank the baseball Gods. Right now, the Red Sox have nothing but a bunch of overplayed players and controversy surrounding beer drinking while games are being played. Losing clearly is for losers.

All this turmoil will help the Yankees in 2012 and beyond. The Yankees may have lost the playoffs in 2011, but the Sox didn’t even get there and let’s face it, no one likes a loser. If the Sox want to complete, they need a leader, someone who Theo and Terry were before they lost control of their team. Luckily for us, all the reports are positive about the Yankees and Cashman's love for each other and if we can keep Cash, the Yankees are in the drivers seat.

It may be October with no Yankee baseball, but be positive and look beyond. As long as the Yankees keep winning next season and as long as the Red Sox keep crumbling, things will look pretty damn bright, and you can’t argue with that. I like my chances right now. Are you listening Las Vegas? Next time don't make odds in March... remember, a Red Sox / Phillies World Series? Who are you kidding?

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ALEX RODRIGUEZ: REVIEWING OUR PROJECTIONS

ALEX RODRIGUEZ

• Projected: 283 Avg, 37 Hrs, 116 RBI
• 2011: .276 Avg, 16 Hrs, 62 RBI
  

OK, I hate to say it, but with injuries all bets are off. From the word "Go", ARod was locked in it seemed, as he was clobbering the ball all over the place, in Spring Training. But, ARod had a meniscus tear in his knee that he decided to have surgery on July 7 to repair, thus destroying his chances of having an MVP caliber season. Injuries have hindered ARod since he signed his 10-year contract, as he's landed on the DL in each of the last four seasons. You combine that with postseason failures in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, and now 2011, we now have a bunch of angry fans who want him out. But the reality is that we're just going to have to accept the fact that ARod still has six more years left on his ridiculous contract, and with $143 million left on that deal, along with extra salary bonus' after each milestone homer from number 660 until number 763, there is no way the Yankees eat his contract. You can read all of A-Rod's salary info at Baseball Reference.




--Jesse Schindler, BYB Staff Writer




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Humaima Malik on new heights!

After giving an outstanding performance in her debut film ‘Bol’, model-turned-actress is ready to explore new heights in Bollywood.

The actress, who recently took part in Bridal Asia 2011, is currently in India and meeting directors and producers to grab decent Bollywood Projects.

However, the actress has totally made it clear she won’t do any item song at the stage of her career, but is really much interested in doing some reasonable Bollywood project.

We wish Humaima all the best for her Bollywood dreams and I hope she won’t turn out to be the next Veena Malik.