Infield Out

What's wrong with this picture? It was 2009, when the Yankees got huge contributions from Jorge Posada, Melky Cabrera, Hideki Matsui, and AJ Burnett on the way to a World Series Championship. It wasn't that long ago was it?

And it featured arguably the greatest infield of all-time. Now three-fourths of them are out, and you have to wonder if they will ever be on the field at the same time again.

After a gruesome injury in last year's ALCS, Derek Jeter has been on lockdown rehab and appears ready to rejoin the lineup before opening day.

Alex Rodriguez had a gruesome injury to his pride with his miserable performance in last year's ALCS, but then it was compounded with offseason hip surgery that will sideline him indefinitely. Initial reports were that he'd be gone half the season, but as has been said on many different occasions, he may have played his last game in pinstripes.

Now Mark Teixeira is sidelined with a wrist injury suffered while practicing with the Team USA World Baseball Classic team. Speculation is that he'll be gone 8-10 weeks.

That leaves the steady guy who mans second base. Robinson Cano is one of the most valuable properties in baseball, and will be requiring the Yankees or someone else to pay him as such at season's end. He does it offensively and defensively, with a swing like Bonds and an arm like Trillo.

But Cano's shaking off cobwebs too after going three-for-forty in the 2012 postseason. If A-Rod hadn't drawn all the fire, Cano would have been some easy target practice.

With the Yankees lineup in shambles, is it possible they could let Cano go at or before season's end? Anything is possible.

The four-man unit had their moment in the sun with the 2009 title, but for all their hype as a prolific quartet they only won the one. Now it looks like their time is done.

When It All Crumbled: The 2012 Tipping Point

It was shortly after Midnight, Sunday morning October 14th. A freak play in the 12th inning cost the Yankees their shortstop, leadoff hitter, and captain. More importantly they lost their rudder - and their soul.

The Yankees bats were barely alive before Derek Jeter went down, and flatlined after. Hiroki Kuroda pitched his ass off the next day, but he was playing alongside The Walking Dead, in a sneak preview of the season premiere later Sunday evening.

Joe Girardi didn't have any answers. All the magic moves he made all season suddenly collapsed. And where was the on-field leadership going to come from?

Robinson Cano? Too nonchalant.

Mark Teixeira? Too humble.

Ichiro Suzuki? Claims he doesn't speak English. And if he did...

Alex Rodriguez? Marginalized.

People talking without speaking. People hearing without listening... And no one dared disturb the sounds of silence.

Because they all took their silent cues from one man.

If Jeter had been lost like Mariano Rivera, in May, the team could have (and ultimately would have) found their way. Leaders would have been born after the shock wore off. But on October 14th the Yankees went into shock, and by October 18th they weren't yet out of it. Which of course meant they were out of it.

Do you think, do you really think the Alex Rodriguez circus would have taken off like this if Jeter was physically there to counsel Girardi in Detroit? No way.

And let's give some credit to the Tigers as well. There wasn't just a team that got swept away, there was an excellent team that did the sweeping.

Jets In The Greene, Yankees Singing The Blues

In Week 6, the Jets finally found their identity in a 35-9 win over the Colts. All you need to do is read Shonn Greene's stat line: 32 carries, 161 yards, 3 TD. I don't know if it was his season wakeup call that was late, or his offensive line's, but it's hard to argue with the results. What have you done for me lately? Quite a bit, thank you.

The Jets combined for 252 rush yards including a 61-yard "jet" by Joe McKnight, who injured his ankle on the play, and now Jets nation sweats another Monday MRI.

The run game set up the pass game, which is the way it's supposed to work. Mark Sanchez's totals were way down, but he had a couple of nice TD strikes to the Hill boys. And Tim Tebow completed a brilliantly-designed 23-yard pass out of punt formation on 4th and 11.

So despite the Jets' bipolar start, they are an even 3-3 along with the rest of the AFC East.

While one New York team was finding its way, another just two crossed rivers away, looked completely lost.

The Yankees can't hit, and they really haven't the entire postseason. They scored 5 runs in the 9th inning of ALDS Game 1 vs Baltimore and 4 runs in the 9th inning of ALCS Game 1 vs Detroit. In the other 70 innings they've played this postseason, the Yankees have 11 runs.

While A-Rod is the lightning rod, at least he's occasionally hit the ball hard.

It's Robinson Cano who has disappeared from the face of the earth. In the season's last 9 games, he  was absolutely flammable at 24-39 (.615). In the playoffs, he's hitless in his last 26 AB. You just can not figure out baseball, Suzyn.

After another brilliant pitching performance, Hiroki Kuroda could only shake his head at the outcome.

Now the Yankees head 0-2 to Motown without Derek Jeter, and are in desperate need of some run support. They can't count on the level of pitching they've gotten, and it's time for the bats to pick them up.

I think they need to slide Eduardo Nunez right in at the leadoff spot. His bat is live and he's a terror on the bases. Even though he's a butcher in the field at shortstop, it has to be worth the risk at this point.

Game 3 is Tuesday night, Hughes vs Verlander. Haven't we met somewhere before? Oh yes, June 3rd. It was Hughes's only complete game of the year in a 5-1 Yankees win and A-Rod took Verlander (very) deep.

Then there's the more recent August 6th game when Verlander struck out 14 and the Tigers dominated. So there's always that to look forward to.

Yankees & Jets: Separate Worlds As Usual

They are two parts of me, my two sports teams. (The above symbol fits my two children as well, but that's another post for another site.)

They are the sun and the moon, order and chaos, heaven and hell. The New York Yankees and The New York Jets. They don't even really belong together. Most metro New Yorkers are either Yankees/Giants or Mets/Jets.

The New York Yankees are the gold standard. They don't always win, but it's hard to be disappointed with the results: 5 World Series titles in my adult life, and they've made the playoffs every year except one since 1995. But more than that, they make a great team to follow night in night out, year after year.

People talk about the Yankees being rich and buying their way to titles. It's partially true. But throwing money at players doesn't guarantee success. Ask Dan Snyder and the dynasty he's built in Washington.

The Yankees had the foresight to grow Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, and Robinson Cano through their system (as well as Yankee modern legends Bernie Williams and Jorge Posada). It is a top-notch organization in every sense.

Then there's the New York Jets. They last appeared in a Super Bowl a month before my birth. Yes they've had some good years, great players, and some memorable playoff upsets, but they always ultimately implode and break your heart.

Today they were both on at the same time, so I put them on two separate TVs and shuttled between rooms. While I logged miles back and forth, each team's character was revealed.

The Yankees looked like they were done. They weren't playing that poorly but weren't hitting. Was it possible that this was the weekend the Blue Jays decided to be good? Toronto showed slick infield defense, good pitching, and enough hitting. They certainly appeared headed for 3-out-of-4, and looked to be shredding the Yankees' hopes of an AL East title.

The Yankees trailed 5-1 and were giving away the division lead while Baltimore was cruising against Boston Sunday. But the Pinstripes chipped away, scoring in the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th. They sweated through a shaky Rafael Soriano appearance and gutted out a 9-6 win behind an extremely hot Cano (15 for last 24).

The Jets were a disaster. They got destroyed at home by the 49ers 34-0 in a game that wasn't as close as the score indicated. The defense showed a lot of heart to keep it 10-0 until 18 minutes to go. But ultimately Mark Sanchez and the offense were inept, totaling just 145 yards of offense - 100 less than San Francisco rushed for.

And in the ultimate adding injury to insult, Santonio Holmes crumbled down and gave up the ball in the process of grabbing his leg. Carlos Rogers raced the other way for 51 yards and a score.

The margin and the performance were staggering, but beating the 49ers was a dicey proposition to begin with. It's only one loss and the Jets are 2-2, but look well on their way to 8-8. There's nothing good to take away from the drubbing.

The Yankees finish their season with 3 at home against the Red Sox while the O's have to travel to Tampa, so that looks promising. But winning the division may get them a date with these guys:

The Detroit Tigers have all but wrapped up the AL Central with a magic number of 1 over the spiraling White Sox. They've got a huge 1-2 punch in the lineup with Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder (who launched a clutch 8th inning HR today).

Detroit has been a nemesis for the Yankees, knocking them out of the postseason in 2006 and 2011 in the divisional round.

And things don't get any easier for the Jets with the 4-0 Texans coming to town next Monday night. At least they'll have an extra day to figure things out. And if the Jets don't and unravel on national TV, maybe the gods of karma will be kind and the Yankees will be on at the same time.

Yankees Find Newest Hiro, But Can't Shake Birds

All season, Yankees starter HIROki Kuroda has served as the rotation's stopper (14-10, 3.26, over 200 IP). I argue that you could start him in Game 1 of the playoffs over CC.

And last night the real IcHIRO Suzuki stepped up. In a doubleheader vs Toronto that the Yanks needed to sweep, Suzuki did it all: 7-for-8 total at the plate, the super game-winning catch in Game 1 and a 4-hit, 4-steal nightcap, where he drove in the game-winning run to boot.

He didn't look like a guy on the gradual career decline, he looked like they guy who hit .350 four times in his career. In fact since his acquisition from Seattle on July 23, he's hit .317 in Pinstripes. It reminds Yankee fans (or at least this one) of the late-season, late-career surge of Tim Raines who hit 7 HR down the stretch in September 1996.

But there were plenty of heroes on Tuesday. Andy Pettitte (Raines' former teammate) returned from a DL and pitched 5 unblemished innings. David Phelps went deep in the Game 2 start, sparing the bullpen - except for Rafael Soriano who amazingly nailed down Saves #41 & #42. Oh yeah, and Derek Jeter got his 200th hit.

Meanwhile out west, the MLB's feel-good story Orioles did it again. Even Yankee fans appreciate what they're doing, we just wish they'd be battling for the Wild Card instead.

They battled King Felix Hernandez to an 8-inning stalemate, and took the game into the 11th when Adam Jones launched his 30th to break the tie and then they record the final out on a caught stealing.

It was a mind-bending 15th straight extra-inning win. This one only kept me awake until 1:23 AM ET as opposed the 18-inning marathon the night before. The incredible O's did what they had to do, taking their last 4 games on the west coast. And they are 39-20 in the last 2 months.

It's worth pointing out again that for the first time since 1995, there is a much greater significance in winning the division over the wild card.

When The Men In Blue Don't Have A Clue

Being a Major League umpire is a pretty thankless job - nobody disputes that. But there are occasions like Wednesday's Tigers/Yankees game, when Home Plate ump and crew chief Eric Cooper brought it upon himself.

Let's rewind for a second to Monday night, when the Tigers turned a dramatic game-ending DP to take the series opener at Yankee Stadium. The Tigers completed the play despite a vicious takeout slide by the Yankees Brett Gardner, that landed Tigers 2B Carlos Guillen on the disabled list.

Now I am a Yankee fan, but not a Yankee apologist. Gardner's slide, with the game on the line, was a bit overzealous (I refrain from using the "d" word). Yankee broadcaster Michael Kay called it a clean slide live, though you could hear him biting his tongue on the replays.

I recognized right away that with 3 more games in the series, that this situation wasn't resolved. I even tweeted as such at the time. The Tigers, managed by old-school Jim Leyland, sat out the situation on Tuesday as not to involve their ace starter Justin Verlander.

But on Wednesday with Brett Gardner leading off the bottom of the 1st, Tiger starter Jeremy Bonderman returned fire on the very first pitch of the game.

But Bonderman didn't put one in Gardner's ear. He went for the legs of a guy who makes his living with them (34 Stolen Bases), since Gardner injured Guillen's knee.

Gardner didn't charge the mound, he took his base. The Yankee dugout didn't empty. This was the type of baseball justice that's been going on since the game began. You could almost see Joe Girardi tipping his cap to Jim Leyland that the matter was resolved. Except Umpire Eric Cooper injected himself into the situation by warning both benches.

So now fast forward to the 8th inning, with the Yankees holding a 9-4 lead. AL MVP candidate Miguel Cabrera, who already homered twice in the game stepped in and was plunked in the back by Yankee reliever Chad Gaudin.

Whether Gaudin intended to hit Cabrera or not, the scenario plus the warning made it a no-brainer. Eric Cooper had to eject Chad Gaudin and his manager, Joe Girardi. But he did nothing.

Was Cooper intimidated by the pinstripes? Or the Yankees crowd? Either way, he proved to be a chump for not following through on his own warning. Jim Leyland rode Cooper relentlessly, until Cooper had no choice but to eject him. And Leyland was still pointing the finger, quite righteously, as he took his walk.

So the situation continued to take on a life of its own, and the umpires had lost control of the game. So in the bottom of the 8th, Tigers reliever Enrique Gonzalez threw behind Yankees captain Derek Jeter.

And the Yankees had to sit there and take it, just like the Tigers did in the previous frame. So despite an early warning, the umpires didn't follow through.

Now the Yankees and Tigers play for the final time in 2010 at 1 PM today. Has the bad blood continued to elevate, or is the matter put to bed? Either way, the umpires, the policemen of the game, were invisible as it played out.

The Pinstripe Way

As a die-hard Yankee fan, I have to laugh off the haters out there that claim the Yankees buy championships. Now the Yankee empire is certainly capable of spending big money for free agents, or trading for stars who command bigger salaries.

But it's the cultivation and maturation of players you watch their whole career that makes you so attached to your particular team.

I remember Mariano Rivera coming up as an electric starting pitcher in 1995.

I remember Andy Pettitte, as a 24-year old, beating John Smoltz 1-0 in Game 5 of the '96 Series.

I remember Jorge Posada's solo Home Run at 9:11 PM in game 3 of the 2001 World Series.

And Derek Jeter continues to make memories along with the rest of them.

Now you can make arguments that the Yankees, unlike other teams, have the ability to pay their own stars when they reach a certain level of seniority while other teams don't. That's a more valid argument than the purchasing of pennants, but it's still all about the commitment of the organization to develop their own guys.

EXHIBIT A - Robinson Cano

A born-and-bred Yankee is now in his 6th season, complementing Jeter up the middle at Second Base. He plays slick defense every day, and carries a .308 career average (and rising).

This year he's been moved to the 5th slot in the lineup, so his bat protects A-Rod.

EXHIBIT B - Phil Hughes

The 23-year old "5th" starter was integral as the 8th inning guy last year. Now he's been moved back to his natural role of starting pitcher and is a sensational 5-0, 1.38 ERA in 6 starts.

Hughes was a 1st Round pick by the Yankees, as was...

EXHIBIT C - Joba Chamberlain

He flip-flopped with Hughes and is now the set-up man for Rivera again, a role he burst on the scene to in 2007. He looks to have the stuff and the closer demeanor. He saved two games last week while Mariano was a little sore and tight, and Joba seems like the heir apparent in that role.

EXHIBIT D - Brett Gardner

After the Yanks' 2009 Championship, they waved goodbye to outfielders Johnny Damon and Melky Cabrera (sigh), and made a commitment to a different kind of Yankee.

Gardner's gritty style and speed game (16 SB - 2nd in AL) give the Yankees a different dimension than his slugging predecessors. But he's hitting .333 for good measure.

So witness the young home-grown Pinstripers who follow in the footsteps of the iconic ones. And that doesn't even count cult-favorite backup catcher Francisco Cervelli.

Maybe 12-15 years from now, Exhibits A through D will comprise the next generation Core Four. And to watch that progression is what being a baseball team's fan is all about.

CG in CF? A No-Brainer

And this coming from the president of the unofficial Melky Cabrera fan club. So the Yankees have addressed a need, upgrading their weakest (offensive) position, without giving up any key players from the major League roster. Yes, they did trade highly-touted AAA CF Austin Jackson, but his greatest upside might be the known quantity they just acquired...Curtis Granderson.

Granderson is a better-than-average center fielder and a force in the lineup. This past year his average dipped to .249 but he still manged 30 HR and 20 SB.

I lived in Michigan in 2007, and got to watch CG on a day-in, day-out basis. He had one of the best offensive years I can recall. As a leadoff man, he hit .302 with 122 Runs scored and was 26-for-27 stealing. That alone would have been enough, but throw in 38 doubles, 23 triples, and 23 HR.

Granderson was a legitimate MVP threat until the pitching blew up, and the Tigers gave up 1st place in their division with a 31-38 finish.

Now that he's in the Bronx, how do the dominoes fall? Some questions will need to be answered, starting with the big one:

Is Jorge Posada a Catcher or a DH?

If he's still a Catcher, then you simply move Melky Cabrera to LF. Then you make the call which World Series hero you cut ties to, Johnny Damon or Hideki Matsui. They're both leaders, they're both clutch, they can both still contribute at the plate, and they're both awful outfielders.

If Posada's a DH, then you'll need to cut ties to both Damon and Matsui. And you either hope that Jose Molina and Francisco Cervelli can do the job without being a complete hole in the lineup, or you'll need to get another backstop. Either way, the offensive upgrade you get from Granderson is negated in this scenario.

I personally think Posada is now a DH, so the Yanks may have just begun to re-tool.

Next question - who bats leadoff? Granderson is a career leadoff hitter. But the Captain, Derek Jeter, probably feels pretty comfortable in that spot.

This is why baseball still has year-round appeal more than any other sport.

Come On A-Rod, Join The Human Race

You can start by breathing, or, blinking, or playing a game of word association. Things you can do without thinking yourself to death.

The Associated Press conducted an interview with the infamous, unauthorized Alex Rodriguez biographer Selena Roberts, after obtaining a copy of the A-Rod book.

The book seems less to do with A-Rod's drug use and misdeeds than his fragile psyche. Those of us that have followed his career, especially since he was traded to the Yankees, are still waiting to meet the real A-Rod.

He clearly is the unusual superstar, that he cares too much about what people perceive of him. Or maybe he's over-compensating because he's an empty soul and not capable of caring. Either way, I'll play pop psychologist and call it "Pageant Syndrome." Like those contests where everything is practiced and choreographed so that the judges (in this case us) hear what the contestants and their handlers think they want to hear.

A-Rod's hired the world's most relentless agent and is surrounded by a PR team - so we don't know if anything coming out of his mouth is genuine. And that's just off the field.

When he's on the field, he's an automaton. Yankee fans haven't embraced him, not just because of his late-season spirals (although that's certainly part of it), but because he's a mechanical man with a robotic personality. New Yorkers want to see you sweat, bleed, get dirty, and they don't mind if you fail. Just so long as you go down fighting.

No wonder A-Rod is obsessed with Derek Jeter - a true Yankee that will be loved not only for what he's done, but what he represents. And Jeter doesn't have to try to please anyone to accomplish it. He just is. Alex can emulate all he wants, but he will never be the genuine article until his own personality emerges.

Go ahead A-Rod, throw your helmet when you're mad. Celebrate openly when you come through in the clutch. Dive into the stands to get an out for your pitcher and your teammates. Just be yourself already. If there's anyone in there.