WHY THE 2012 YANKEES WILL LOOK DIFFERENT: PART 1

Should he stay or should he go? That is the question. Here is one man’s bitter opinion:
Brian Cashman: 13 Playoff appearances, 11 Division winners, 6 AL Pennants, 4 World Titles in 14 years. Well, you can’t argue with success. Cash seems to do well under the New York pressure and even though the checkbook is huge it's often the cheaper, less publicized
moves that pay off. Cash stays as long as he’s willing to master the circus.

Joe Girardi: The Yanks are 384-264 with 1 World Title in Girardi’s 4 seasons at the helm. Joe has done a decent job but there are times where he seems to over-manage. He seems to rely more on his binder and less on the flow of the game; which is strange for a former catcher. Girardi has shown he can handle the New York media but I wonder who is handling the egos in the clubhouse. Maybe it's time for a change…Luis Ayala: 2-2, 2.09 ERA in 52 games. Ayala was wasn’t too bad. He’s serviceable out of the bullpen; a place where good pitching is hard to come by. My gut was to let him go, it seemed like runners were always scoring on him, but after analyzing the numbers he fared quite well
with runners in scoring position. I have little doubt but to bring him back.

AJ Burnett: 11-11, 5.15 ERA, 173 Ks in 33 games. Do I really need to say it? As inconsistent as he was this year, it was actually an improvement over 2010. He’s the victim of his own mind. He can throw good stuff when he wants. It's all mental for this guy. Maybe the pressure is too much. He’s signed through 2013 so it doesn’t matter that I’d dump him quicker than it takes to say AJ.
(Photo: Getty)
Joba Chamberlain: 2-0, 2.83 ERA in 27 games. He was just starting to get it together before he got hurt. Clearly the Joba rules messed this kid up. I say trade him while he still get some value. He’s probably only worth a few prospects, but maybe he could have the same success
as his buddy Ian Kennedy is having elsewhere.

Bartolo Colon: 8-10, 4.00 ERA, 135 Ks in 29 games. At 38, Bartolo pitched better than anyone would have expected, and I thank him for his service and everything he did for the Yanks this year, but if the last 2 months are any indication, I wonder if there’s any gas left in the tank or is it time to head off to the scrap yard.Pedro Feliciano: He lost the entire season to injury. He’s signed for 2012 with a team option for 2013. Right now there’s no guarantee he’ll throw next year either. Looks like Hal will be eating this $8 million.

Freddy Garcia: 12-8, 3.62 ERA, 96 Ks in 26 games. Another guy with zero expectations but delivered mightily. While he is less overpowering than he used to be, he knows how to pitch and still be effective. The Yanks would be crazy not to give him another chance. He was quite the bargain at $1.5 million. Maybe he gets a bump next year!

Phil Hughes: 5-5, 5.79 ERA, 47 Ks in 17 games. While 2011 was another year of highs, lows, and injury; Hughes may not be the starter the Yanks thought he’d be. But as he showed late in the season he might be a bullpen threat. Casey even wrote about it with WHY THE PEN IS WHERE HUGHES BELONGS. I say trade him while he still has some value or
keep him and leave him in the pen.

Boone Logan: 5-3, 3.46 ERA in 64 games. I’m sorry but to be the only lefty in the bullpen you need to be a little more dominating. He gave up more hits than innings pitched and lefties had an OPS of .789. That’s way too high for the only lefty in the bullpen. There’s got to
be something better out there.
Damaso Marte: Marte is 2-6 with a 6.02 ERA in the 4 years he’s been here. He continues to be hampered by the injury bug, there’s nothing that says he’ll ever get back and be effective. The team holds an option for 2012 which should be declined without question.

Sergio Mitre: 11.81 ERA in 4 games. Why did he come back? And what is Girardi’s love affair with this guy. I wouldn’t even trust him to pitch peanuts in the stands. Get rid of him...now.

Hector Noesi: 2-2, 4.47 ERA in 30 games. I see a lot of promise in this guy. Over the last 2 seasons he’s been quite effective at Trenton and Scranton. Even at the major league level he had glimpses of effectiveness. If given the chance he could turn out to be a great # 2
or #3 starter in the rotation.

Ivan Nova: 16-4, 3.70 ERA, 98 Ks in 28 games. What a future this kid will have if he keeps this up. He definitely stepped it up this year. He was a big reason why the Yanks won the division this year. Nova was 12-0 in 16 starts from June 10th on. It's clear this kid will be here
for years to come.
Mariano Rivera: 1-2, 1.91 ERA, 44 Saves. He’s 41 and still doing it with just one pitch. The greatest closer ever can stay as long as he wants.

David Robertson: 4-0, 1.08 ERA, 100 Ks in 70 games. How many times did he come in with a runner on 3rd and nobody out and got out of it without giving up a run? He is the bonafide setup guy to Mariano and the heir-apparent for the closer role.CC Sabathia: 19-8, 3.00 ERA, 230 Ks in 33 starts. CC is the ace of this staff and was a workhorse. Maybe he tired during the stretch which led to his less than stellar performance in the playoffs. He’s owed $92 mil over the next 4 years but can opt-out now. After the
A-Rod drama from a few years back, I fully believe CC is opting out. The big question is, then what? I’m thinking with few viable #1 starter options out there, the Yanks will pay and pay big for Sabathia to come back.

Rafael Soriano: 2-3, 4.12 ERA in 42 games. I never liked this signing. Soriano is selfish and does not seem to be happy in the setup role. Bruised egos are a clubhouse cancer. He’s signed through 2013, but has an opt-out clause and I sure hope he uses it.
(Photo: Getty)
Cory Wade: 6-1, 2.04 ERA in 40 games. Wade signed with the Yanks midway through the season after being released by the Rays AAA team. He joined the bullpen and was an instant success. Hopefully Girardi didn’t overuse him and his arm holds up next year and he can become a cornerstone of the Yanks pen.

More is coming... look for Part 2 soon.

-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer
bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com




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WHY ALEX RODRIGUEZ IS NO SCOTT BROSIUS

Clearly I'm still not over the fact that the Yankees season is over. I keep thinking about it. I was on Twitter earlier today and I saw this tweet from David Robertson:
Man. You know, we're fans, so you forget just how human these Yankee players are. All of them played their hearts out. Many were successful, some weren't. DRob was one of the good ones, and for these guys, it's really got to suck.

I was listening to Sports Radio, reading the papers, the Internet and all the talk has been about Alex Rodriguez. Did Alex peak? Are the Yankees paying this guy way too much money? Look, I don't get involved in that crap. If the guy was talented when his agent worked out a monster deal... fine, more power to Alex, but yes, now the pressure is on. Big money translates to big production and yes, when you don't produce, people notice, fans complain. I understand that totally. But with great production in a season comes great production in the playoffs, after all that's what these ballplayers play for, right?

Look, Alex is a great athlete, but Alex clearly isn't himself. Alex used to be a monster. This year he was hammered with injury. It happens. But, explain last year in the playoffs... explain 2007, or 2006, 2005. (Photo: 2010 ALCS)
Last year Alex struck out exactly the same way in the ALCS as he did in this year's ALDS, except this year he swung. There's no denying, Alex is a rich "average" ballplayer right now. He's no Scott Brosius.
Yeah, that's right, I said it. Scotty Bro gave us everything we could have imagined when he was in pinstripes and for more than half the price. And the playoffs? Well, he was always on. Why? because he was having fun and we didn't put him under a microscope like we do Alex.

You see, Scott Brosius was always good, never great, but something happened to this guy in the playoffs, he produced. I was curious so I went back and looked at salary and production in the last 4 years for both Alex Rodriguez and Scott Brosius. I did it in the last 4 years their teams made the playoffs, so naturally, 2008 is not included and instead, 2007 is for Alex. Check this out:

Scott Brosius:

• 1998: .300 AVG / 19 HR / 98 RBI / .371 OBP / 34 2B / Salary: $2.65 Million
• 1999: .247 AVG / 17 HR / 71 RBI / .302 OBP / 26 2B / Salary: $5.25 Million
• 2000: .230 AVG / 16 HR / 64 RBI /.299 OBP / 20 2B / Salary: $5.25 Million
• 2001: .287 AVG / 13 HR / 49 RBI / .343 OBP / 25 2B / Salary: $5.25 Million
  

Alex Rodriguez:

• 2007: .314 AVG / 54 HR / 156 RBI / .422 OBP / 31 2B / Salary: $22,708,525
• 2009: .286 AVG / 30 HR / 100 RBI / .402 OBP / 17 2B / Salary: $33 Million
• 2010: .270 AVG / 30 HR / 125 RBI / .341 OBP / 29 2B / Salary: $33 Million
• 2011: .276 AVG / 16 RBI / 62 RBI / .362 OBP / 21 2B / Salary: $31 Million (played 99 games)

Brosius Combined Postseason numbers:

• 1998-2001: .245 AVG / 8 HR / 30 RBI / 8 2B / 48 H / 19 R / 8 BB / 2 K

Rodriguez Combined Postseason numbers:

• 2007-2011: .273 AVG / 7 HR / 25 RBI / 7 2B / 32 H / 23 R / 22 K /22 BB

Wow. I was shocked to see Alex struck out 22 times in postseason play, not to mention Scott Brosius beats Alex in Home Runs, RBIs, doubles and hits. That's production. Yes, Alex his a higher average, but in the grand scheme of things, that's a pretty big deal. It basically means that Alex just didn't show up. Yeah, during the season, when healthy, Alex really has good numbers, minus this year because of injury, but when the pressure is on, the guy just can't deliver.

Scott Brosius was never the player he was on the Yankees, when he was with the Athletics, but when he put on the pinstripes, the guy transformed into a real fan favorite. While many still love Alex, the big numbers are expected, and in the postseason, there is no doubt, the guy needs to step up. That's why 2009 was so special, everyone thought the guy finally clicked and understood what being a New York Yankee in October meant. Clearly, that rhythm never translated to 2010 and 2011.

Look, I'm just a blogger, I think of ideas and opinions and bring them to you. I also don't hate Alex, I like the guy and I love what he's done for us these year during the season. But clearly he needs to get back to his old self and then when the playoffs start, he needs to tear it up, because, let's face it....when it comes to postseason play, Alex is no Scott Brosius, that's for sure.

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WHY THE YANKEES FELL SHORT

The Yankees started off aggressive in the Motor City. Not knowing what to expect from CC Sabathia tonight, we needed to strike early and we did. Yankees had a 2 -0 by the end of the first, but it was clear that CC Sabathia wasn't doing his best CC impersonation. Instead he was doing his best AJ Burnett. Not good and walks galore.

By the bottom of the 3rd, the game was tied at 2. It was the second time around in the Tigers order and CC clearly didn't have it. Luckily for us, he did what he does best... fake it and get through the innings, not giving up a ton of runs and he kepy his team in it. On the other side Justin Verlander started out not looking great either. But that's what makes baseball great... you never know what's going to happen. In what was billed as a pitching duel, it wasn't. 2 pitchers on short rest, but only one would look good. It wasn't CC. Michael Kay said that the umpire was calling the same game for CC and Justin Verlander. I disagree. Clearly I wanted CC on top, but I tell you what, the strike zone for CC Sabathia was mysteriously small tonight, no doubt. I noticed several pitches that were strikes, were never called strikes for the Yankees. I'm not saying Verlander wasn't throwing them in the zone, he was, but so was CC. Bottom line.

In the 5th, it was clear that CC was laboring. Ramon Santiago put the Tigers in the lead 3-2. Both he and Brandon Inge were 2 for 2. You know, it was strange, Verlander appeared better than CC later, like he had something in reserve, striking out the side in the top of the 5th inning, making Brett Gardner and Russell Martin look silly. To me, I felt terrible. Yes, CC was doing his best dance, but the stuff wasn't there. But say what you will about CC, the guy showed heart and never gave up and never let the runs get out of hand. He did his best under the circumstances, I give him that.In the 6th, Derek Jeter got his second hit of the night. Granderson struck out and was clearly over-matched. He looked like a Little Leaguer up there. ARod struck out and looked ridiculous. To be honest, back to calling balls and strikes, 2 pitches to ARod both were the same pitch, one was a ball, one was a called strike three. I don't get it.(Photo: Getty)
CC Sabathia got knocked out in the bottom of the 6th and Rafael Soriano came in and took care of business. At this point it was 4-2 Tigers and I felt confidence again, my stomach wasn't in knots. I know that if we have stability on the mound, we can get some runs... or can we? We've done nothing since the first inning.

The 7th was nerve racking but there was hope. Posada walked and Martin got hit by a pitch and suddenly Verlander didn't look so good. Of course we needed a base hit for Brett Gardner just to keep the rally going with 2 outs and take the Detroit crowd out of it. Gardy delivered big, 2 RBI double and the game was knotted at 4. I was screaming in my basement at that point, Detroit was silent. But, you know what ticks me off? The announcers sounded sad about it. What the hell is that all about? I thought maybe I'd blow it off,
then Rafael Soriano made a pitch that Delmon Young drove into the right field seats and Brain Anderson, the announcer, was overjoyed. What a dick. At this point, it's 5-4 and I am longing for Suzyn Waldman and John Sterling. I can't stand the way TBS does baseball.

The top of the 8th, Granderson gave one a ride, but it was an out. Cano struck out on a crappy high called third strike. Alex Rodriguez came up and walked. But he looked slow and disoriented the whole at bat. Teixeira came up with 2 outs and a man on first and popped out weakly to Inge. Again Brian Anderson, the announcer sounded thrilled. John Smoltz actually made a comparison of Justin Verlander to hall of famer Nolan Ryan saying he's never seen anything like "this" since Nolan. Are you kidding me? The guys pitching a good game, can't we just we just leave it there?
David Robertson came in in the bottom of the 8th inning. Robertson struck out the first batter but then nails Peralta. It happens.

Then, Valverde came out to try and close out the 9th against the Yankees. Nick Swisher came up and popped out. Unbelievable. One out and Jorge Posada stepped into the box. He's 4-8 at this point. Posada worked a walk. Man on first and 1 out. Running for Posada was Eduardo Nunez and when Russell Martin came up, he gave the pitch a ride, but it was caught in right and Nunez could not advance. 2 outs and Gardy came to the plate. Nunez stole second and now he's in scoring position. Next thing you know, Gardner works a walk and men are on 1st and 2nd for Derek Jeter. The table is set. But there was not joy in Yankeeland... Derek Jeter had struck out.

Final Score: Tigers 5 - Yankees 4

Tomorrow IS do or die.

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WHY IT'S "THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SIGHT THESE EYES HAVE EVER SEEN!"

The Yankees in the playoffs! I stole that line from Ned Beatty who played the role of Rudy Ruettiger’s father in the film Rudy, a film that still makes me cry like a little bitch. I like that line because while it’s simple, yet says so much.

Emotionally, I watched the mountain the Yankees had to climb this year and when you looked at that opening day Pitching rotation, there is no way in hell that you believed that the New York Yankees would win the American League Eastern division. But’s exactly what's happened.

Seeing Jesus Montero and Eduardo Nunez pouring champagne on Robinson Cano is truly extraordinary. Seeing Curtis Granderson and Rafael Soriano smiling ear to ear actually makes me really happy. And thinking about Brian Cashman’s patience rule come into play, it’s almost like he was Biff, using the Delorean to get the Sports Almanac and bringing it back with all the solutions to bring the Yankees yet another postseason berth.

Admit it, you believed in your Yankees, but did you REALLY BELIEVE when Phil Hughes went down and Bartolo Colon suddenly filled the void? Did you believe that Curtis Granderson was going to have a season for the ages? Did you truly believe that DRob would emerge as the greatest 8^th inning guy you’ve ever seen? Yankee fans believe in their team, but you just never know how 25 individuals will come together. When AJ Burnett started falling apart, the bullpen and offense lifted him up. When Rafael Soriano lost his 8^th inning job, he accepted anything to help his team win, and checked his attitude at the door. And when Jorge Posada was called upon to pinch hit, he never complained and he delivered.

These are my New York Yankees. And while they are terrific this season, you have to also give some created to Joe Girardi. Yes, sometimes the Girardi binder pokes in it’s head and tries to lead Joe, but Joe’s less dependant lately, and he’s developed into a pretty damn good manager I’d say. Maybe Manager of the Year and I’m impressed.

One things for sure though, it’s not over. Not only do we need to keep winning, we’ve achieved 2 goals but we need to achieve 3 more:

WINNING THE ALDS: A short series win is more important now because it tests our pitching. We’ve seen the Yankees win plenty of Series’ this season and I’ve always preached that winning every series will get the Yanks to the playoffs, but now we’re going and it starts all over. We need to strike early and often and never lose the focus. We need to play hard until the end of the season and keep momentum going into the playoffs.

WINNING THE ALCS: A slightly longer series but important just the same. The prize is winning the World Series but you can’t do that until you win the ALCS. I believe that when we get through the ALDS, winning the ALCS will happen, again it's momentum. That’s the key.

WINNING THE WORLD SERIES: You can’t go to the World Series and lose. We’ve experienced that before and it sucks. The Marlins... the Diamondbacks... those losses still sting. We’ve learned our lesson. The World Series is a must win, and winning it all in our house is always better.

Yes, when the Yankees clinched and Soriano locked it down, followed by the Yankees having alittle celebration, it was in fact "The most beautiful sight these eyes have ever seen." But let’s be honest, it's bigger than that now, seeing them in the playoffs is, and then going further will be as well. I want to have more of that. We’re almost there.

As Jeet says “One game at a time, one game at the time.”

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WHY I KNOW THE YANKEES 2011 ALDS ROSTER

It comes down to who contributed and who didn’t this season. There were some newbie’s who came up in September who provided some pop and there were some that slowed down considerably. Evaluating the whole season and using my gut a bit helped me make my decision and to me, it was pretty simple. This is what I would do if I was the Yankees and had to fill a 25 man roster for the ALDS.

I’m like the Count on Sesame Street. (A lot of Sesame Street references lately. You can see where the other part of my life lies.)

There are the obvious guys of course; Russell Martin, Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5… ha ha ha.For the pitchers, You have to go CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, Mariano Rivera, David Robertson, Rafael Soriano, Cory Wade, Luis Ayala, Boone Logan and the other lefty, Raul Valdes, who in a short batch of appearances, has impressed me. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14… ha ha ha

The outfield clearly has to be Nick Swisher, Curtis Granderson and Brett Gardner. That’s 3 more… 15, 16, 17… ha ha ha

Now comes the tricky part. Who would I choose to fill in the blanks? I know. Well. First off, you need a Designated hitter and since the Yankees have an experienced veteran like Jorge Posada, he’s got to join the party, but, because he can’t hit lefties and Jesus Montero can, we add him. Montero can also be a backup at catcher if need be and Posada can as well. That’s 2 more. 18, 19.

There are 6 spots left and we still need at least 1 more starter. I am choosing Freddy Garcia. It’s bold but based on experience and his ability to get out of trouble, I go with my anchor. 20.

We need alittle speed and we need alittle pop on the bench. Automatically, I need to choose Eduardo Nunez and Eric Chavez. Both have demonstrated they deliver when called upon. 21, 22… ha ha ha. 3 spots left.

I need another bench player no doubt. Someone who can bat or run late in the game to scratch out another run if needed. I’m going with Chris Dickerson. He provides extra speed and can play the outfield. 23.

2 slots left and I need to concentrate on pitching now. Phil Hughes has been suggested as a guy they’d put in the bullpen in the ALDS. But this is my concern, if Hughes has a cranky back, why the hell are we going to do that? With this guys injury record this season, I decline that option. I go with Hector Noesi. Noesi has not only proved himself, he can go a few innings and I consider him my go-to-guy if shit hits the fan. Now I’m up to 24…ha ha ha.

1 slot left and I’m going with the most controversial pick of the post. AJ Burnett. AJ Burnett will be my wild card. AJ is there if a starter gets lit up early, God forbid, or if a starter tweaks his back, kind of like how David Wells did back in 2003. We probably won’t see AJ pitch in the ALDS, but just in case, he’s there. 25. 25 Yankee roster spots filled!

Yeah… it’s not easy and it may not be perfect in your mind, but this is my opinion based on what I’ve seen all season. Yeah, it’s tough because in this series, Andruw Jones didn’t make the cut and Phil Hughes would be staying home too because of injury, but I’m confident this formula would work.

Don’t agree? Tell me why. Comment. Keep it clean too by the way, I’ll respect your roster scenario if you respect mine. Oh and one more thing… LET’S GO YANKEES!

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WHY POSADA'S CLUTCH HIT CLINCHED THE AL EAST

What a day in the Bronx. Heading into last night's game, we knew if the Yankees swept their doubleheader against the Rays, and if the Red Sox lost their game against the Orioles, the Yankees would be American League East Champs. Well, guess what Ladies and Gentleman, they did, along with the help of the Orioles. CC Sabathia got back on track, the offense got some timely hits--especially from Jorge--and some clutch work out of the bullpen helped secure the AL East, their 17th AL East title in franchise history.
Casey here at Bleeding Yankee Blue is obsessed with Jorge and while it didn't always work out his way, I know he's smiling right now. In a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the 8th inning, Jorge Posada pinch hit for Jesus Montero with the bases loaded and two out. And boy, did he come up clutch! He lined a sharp single to right to bring home two for the eventual game winner. What a moment for a guy who has been through a whole ton of crap all season long.
CC Sabathia matched up against possibly the front runner for AL Rookie of the Year in Jeremy Hellickson. CC went 7.1 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits, two walks, with six strikeouts. But, he left the game with the bases loaded in a 2-2 tie, so odds are CC will not get his 20th win this season since he may have to make an abbreviated start in the coming days to align him up for Game One of the ALDS. David Robertson once again came on and got out of a bases loaded jam. Houdini... unbelievable. It took him one pitch to induce a double play off the bat of Ben Zobrist. Robertson throws one pitch and gets the win while Sabathia throws 127 pitches and doesn't get the win. As John Sterling would say, "That's just baseball, Suzyn." Hellickson pitched well in this one too for Tampa as he went 7 innings, allowing just two hits, while walking four and punching out three.

Final Score: Yankees - 4 Rays - 2

The Yankees have gone through a ton of adversity this season and have proved the nay-sayers wrong. It seemed like every so called "expert" picked the Yankees to fall short of the division title. To be honest, this may be the sweetest division title in some time, but it's just one step to the ultimate goal, the Yankees still have much bigger fish to fry. Meanwhile, next goal is the win the best record in the American League. A great team work is never done, is it?

The Yanks will be going for the 'ol four game sweep in three days as Bartolo Colon (8-9, 3.81 ERA) squares off against Jeff Niemann (11-7, 3.95 ERA) tomorrow night.




--Jesse Schindler, BYB Staff Writer




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WHY THE YANKEES PEN IS THE BEST IN BASEBALL

Yeah, it’s early, we haven’t even made the playoffs, yet, with all the home runs by Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira and with all the well pitched games by CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova, many forget a true part of the New York Yankees that make them hum… the bullpen.

I remember the 1998 Yankees team and that bullpen made up of guys like Mike Stanton, Jeff Nelson, Graeme Lloyd, Ramiro Mendoza and Mariano Rivera. Back then, that bridge clearly was the best in baseball, mowing them down every opportunity they had. The passion was clear. I remember Jeff Nelson getting super excited over a strikeout and the calmness of Mariano when he closed out the game was equally awesome. He's exactly the same today. It was that drive that was a huge asset in their World Championship in 1998. Now, years later… I feel like it’s happening again. While the names are different, the mission is the same.

Hector Noesi: Noesi does what he’s told to do and he does it well for a kid. He’s learning more from the Yankee pen than he ever would down in AAA. The experience and talent in the pen is diverse and being on the biggest stage of Yankee Stadium, it's allowed this kid to develop. Noesi gets some crappy assignments sometimes, mop up work or even coming in in blowouts, but his expression is always the same. He’s happy to be there and happy to contribute to this New York Yankees team.

Cory Wade: Wade’s been a surprise, a real good one. With all the worry about his arm getting blown out by Joe Torre when he was pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wade is back and is proving that his injury is a thing of the past. Wade is a terrific addition to our club. This season he’s 6-1 with a 2.06 ERA. Not too shabby pal.

Luis Ayala: A gamer and another guy that has found his niche. Ayala is also a great surprise to me and I consider Wade and he a great mid-game combo. Mix in Boone Logan and you can easily go 5 to 6 innings if needed. I like this kid and I’m happy for him.

Scott Proctor: Proctor is a late addition this year, working his way back to the Yankees where he first started. Many don’t care for Proctor but this guy is tough. Proctor carries an arrogance about him that many pitchers don’t have on the Yankees. It’s almost considered not the "Yankee way." I say Proctor’s arrogance is actually confidence and I’d throw him out there against anyone in a 6^th inning situation. I’m glad Proctor’s back and I hope his contribution is huge down the stretch.

Boone Logan: Not perfect, and has good days and bad days. Lately though, he’s having more good than bad, and this is when we need that lefty most. It’s clear at this point that Brian Cashman is sticking with Boone Logan and we have to grin and bear it and maybe cross our fingers a bit when he comes out.

Rafael Soriano: Something's happened to Soriano when he came off the disabled list… reality happened. With David Robertson clearly taking over Rafael Soriano’s set up role, it was either do what Yankees needed him to do, or whine about it. Soriano choose to work and work he has bridging to Robertson and doing it beautifully and most important, without an attitude. I have seen a transformation in this angry guy that I love. He wants to be there to help his team and it doesn’t matter what the role is, he’s ready.

David Robertson: What can you say about this guy? Robertson is a BYB staple for sure, we love him here. He has proven to the world that he may just be the best 8^th inning guy, not only in baseball, but in history. I remember all the talk about Daniel Bard bridging to Jonathon Papelbon and how great that 1,2 punch was. Well, in the time it’s taken for the Red Sox to implode, the DRob, Mariano 1,2 punch has proven they are better. Look for DRob to continue his success now and in the future. I see this kid taking over for Mariano in 3 years and it’s about to get awesome.

Mariano Rivera: The King of Closing, Mariano Rivera is the best ever and it’s about to get better. How the hell do you compile 602 saves in a career? Longevity and talent. Mariano has both and you add heart in and there's no one better. Mariano Rivera has done something so great for not only the Yankees but for baseball, and it cannot and will not ever be denied.

The New York Yankees bullpen… better than the rest? Yes, without a doubt. While there were question marks early involving our Yankees bullpen, there is no question we now get a big pick me up from these guys, some young and some old, but ultimately, the perfect blend of youth and veteran grit. I’d pick these guys over any other bullpen in baseball…how about you?

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WHY MO'S SIMPLY THE BEST

(Photo: AP)
If I told you it was the most satisfying win in 2011 for me personally, would you believe me? Well, it was. This game had everything I wanted, it was like Christmas; Alex Rodriguez is hitting at the right time after an injury plagued season. Curtis Granderson may have broken out of his mini-slump and he's hitting homers again. Mariano Rivera has tied Trevor Hoffman for the most saves ever in Major League history. Oh, and the Yankees came back to win a big game today, just the way I like my Saturday, how about you?
(Photo: AP)
It didn't start well at all. In fact, it was a train wreck and Bartolo Colon was the conductor. My, how the mighty have fallen. This is a guy we were calling the Yankees 2nd ace back in July. This is a guy that I wanted the Yankees to start making merchandise with his name all over it. This guy was on the fast track to a "Rudy-esque" bio pic. But, let's face it... Bartolo Colon is no longer good enough to be in the Yankees rotation ladies and gentlemen. In short spurts, Colon could be valuable in the pen, but his starting days in New York are over. They have to be, because if the Yankees offense didn't explode today, We'd be looking at another loss and it would be all Colon's fault. Luckily, we had a comeback today. Colon went only 4 innings today, and he allowed 6 runs on 7 hits.Alex Rodriguez homered today and not only that, he started a big rally in the 6th inning when he cranked out a 3 run home run. the Yankees scored 4 in that inning. Alex today was 2-4 and according to Marc Carig of the Star Ledger, he felt good: “I definitely feel good, and I definitely feel energized,” Rodriguez said.

Curtis Granderson hit his 40th homer of the year today and he was the big bat of the game. Grandy gave the Yankees the lead in the 7th inning to top off the comeback. It was a 2 run shot over the center field fence.

The combination of Scott Proctor, Aaron Laffey, Hector Noesi and Rafael Soriano shut down the Jays today and did not allow a hit. When momentum takes over a team, you can see it in everyone. Hats off to these guys today, fantastic bullpen. More times than not, the Yankees pen kicks some ass, today was one of those days.

The story of the day goes to Mariano Rivera. Coming in today and getting save 601 was history and just fantastic. Mariano deserves every great thing that happens to him in life. He's an amazing teammate, a terrific pitcher and iconic in not only Yankeeland, but in baseball. Congrats to Mariano for tying the All-time save record. 601. Wow.Finally, Joe Girardi reads BYB. If he didn't he would have put Jorge Posada in to catch Mariano Rivera's 601st save and my theory in WHY SAVE 602 SHOULD BE MARIANO TO POSADA would have been watered down. Luckily, for save 601, Girardi used Russell Martin setting up what will ultimately be my dream come true, having Jorge Posada catch Mariano's 602nd save. Now, tomorrow is the 3rd game of the Blue Jays series in Toronto. Hopefully, Girardi does the right thing and let's David Robertson close out the game if needed so Mariano can close 602 at home. If he was to do that, and Posada caught it... well... let's just say I'll be a happy man.

Final Score: Yankees 7 - Blue Jays 6

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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.