Happy New Year! Things are quiet….

As we usher in the New Year of 2013, things have been quiet in Yankeeland.

There are no hot rumors of trades or signings as we still wonder who will be the Yanks’ catcher and DH in 2013, not to mention who’ll fill out the bench.

A couple aging Hall-of-Famers are coming off major injuries (Jeter, Rivera) and another (?; steroid abuse, Alex) will miss half the year if not more because of an operation.

Meanwhile, there are a couple of free agents still available. None of the major ones really fit the Yankees needs, and with the Yanks cutting back on spending, the $$$ isn’t there for them.

Michael Bourn, Kyle Lohse and Rafael Soriano are still out there. Soriano could be a fit, only because he went 2-1, 2.26 with 42 saves in filling in for the injured Rivera last year. But Soriano probably wouldn’t want to go back to the setup role he was unhappily doing in 2011. But after a strong year, it’s interesting that he opted out and still is unsigned.

Boston has been talking to Adam LaRoche, since the Napoli deal may fall through.

Shaun Marcum and Joe Saunders are out there. So are Jose Valverde and Delmon Young.

Young is a righty bat, which the Yanks could use, and a .284 hitter. He was the ALCS MVP vs. the Yanks last year. Although his 162 g. average is .284-16-89, his OPS+ is just 98 due to a poor BB/K ratio. (27/115).

There is still Scott Hairston. There’s Thome or Berkman.

There’s …. (fill in the blank).

But it appears the Yanks are “dumpster-diving.” Who they pick up between now and the start of spring training (and it’s getting closer), who knows?

As of now, who will  be the C, DH or bench?

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate has gone up 2%… and that’s just from all the NFL coaches and GMs being fired. Black Monday indeed.

 

Giants sweep away Tigers for crown

As I stay at home today with work called off because of Hurricane Sandy, I hope everyone stays safe.

Meanwhile, last night the S.F. Giants won their second title in three years. This time, it was in a sweep. The Giants defeated the Tigers 4-3 in ten innings.

Pablo Sandoval, who tied a record with three HRs in Game One, was named the WS MVP. He hit .500 (8 for 16) for the Series.

In the second, Pence doubled, and Belt tripled to give the Giants a 1-0 lead.

Miguel Cabrera put the Tigers up 2-1 with 2-run HR in the third.

In the sixth, Buster Posey put S.F. up with a 2-run HR, but Delmon Young tied it with a HR of his own in the bottom of the sixth.

Some littleball won the game and the Series for the Giants in the 10th. Ryan Theriot singled, was bunted over to second by Brandon Crawford, and then Marco Scutaro, with two out, singled in Theriot.

The final out was a strikeout of Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera, who watched strike three go by.

Now as for that ring, I wonder if PED users (Melky) shouldn’t get diamonds but should get cubic zirconia instead?

Tough matchup, and errors large and small

The Yankees tonight will have a tough matchup. Nova vs. Verlander. Verlander, of course, won both the CYA and the MVP last year. Nova, meanwhile, has won his last 15 regular season decisions. Will the streak continue?

The Tigers, meanwhile, have their own issues. OF Delmon Young was arrested early this morning while highly inebriated (NY Post) and after assaulting a man in front of a midtown hotel.

A bit of lazy reporting: my hometown newspaper lists last night’s starter for the Yankees’ AAA team as ex-major leaguer Russ Ortiz. Wrong. It was ex-major leaguer Ramon Ortiz. The writer might have seen R. Ortiz and assumed. Rule of reporting: Don’t assume. Get the facts. He may have remembered Russ’ career but not Ramon’s. Still in all, he could have doublechecked. To me, that’s just laziness.

Santo elected to HOF

Ron Santo, who played in Chicago from 1960-1974, was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. Santo played for the Cubs in all but his last season, when he went to the Big Bad Leroy Brown part of town (the South Side of Chicago, where the White Sox reside).

Santo hit 342 career HR, 337 as a 3B. The only players to hit more HR as a 3B were Schmidt, Mathews, Chipper Jones, Nettles, and Matt Williams. Santo’s 337/342 is just above Gary Gaetti’s 332/360. If you are shocked that Gaetti had 360 HR, you aren’t alone. So was I.

Santo was a 9x All-Star, with 5 Gold Glove awards. His .277 average and 342 HR were established in an era known for its pitching (Carlton, Seaver, Gibson, Koufax, Drysdale, Marichal, Bunning). Santo’s OPS+ was a 125. Four times he finished in the top 10 of MVP voting. He topped 30 HR each year from 1964-1967 and he drove in 100 or more runs four times. He died last year at the age of 70. Santo retired at the age of 34. He battled diabetes his whole life and eventually had both legs amputated.

Of course, as a Cub (before divisional play and the wild card), Santo, like his teammate Ernie Banks, played in no postseason games.

Missing out in the Veterans Committee vote were Jim Kaat, Gil Hodges, Minnie Minoso, and my personal favorite, Allie Reynolds, among others.

So I read today where Brett Favre will listen if the Bears (hurting for a QB with Cutler out) come a’calling. My response, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

I read good things about Yankees prospect Mason Williams today. How some in the organization expect the 20 yr. old OF to rise quickly, and they expect him to start at High-A Tampa. Williams hit .349 with 28 SB at Staten Island this past season, in just 68 games. I will just beat John Sterling to the punch right here with the first “Classical Gas” mention of Mason Williams. (If you don’t know…Classical Gas was a hit instrumental for a musician named Mason Williams in 1968).

So, you are wondering why the Yanks haven’t made a move yet? Try this. The Yanks asked about John Danks from the White Sox. The asking price? Manny Banuelos AND Jesus Montero. For a guy who was 8-12, 4.33, ERA+ 97 last year and who is 54-56, 4.03 ERA+ 111 in his career.

Supposedly the Phils are shopping Polanco. One report has that they were going to trade him for Michael Young of the Rangers last year. The Rangers backed out. Could you imagine Young on the Phils?

Hmmm. Aaron Harang goes to the Dodgers, who got Adam Kennedy last week as a backup inf. Harang was 14-7, 3.64, ERA+ 98 for the Padres in 2011. 95-94, ERA+ 101 (epitome of average?) in his career. Then the Dodgers sign Jerry Hairston, Jr. (.270-5-31, OPS+ 99 for Washington/Milw. this past season). Previous to that, they signed Chris Capuano. I thought they were broke after that McCourt divorce and were for sale?

Rumor is that the Nats have offered C.J. Wilson a six-year deal. They better hope if they get him that his first year in D.C. is better than Jayson Werth’s.

Miami (after Bell and Reyes) is now after Pujols? Since when did they become the Yankees?

Update: Apparently it’s not the Nats who offered the six-year deal to Wilson. I like what SI’s Jon Heyman wrote:

Excellent point by an al exec: “if cj wilson has a legitimate 6 year offer he should just take it.”

The Angels are in on Wilson, which would give them Wilson, Haren, Jered Weaver and Ervin Santana.

Meanwhile,  another tweet from Heyman:

hearing #Marlins boosted offer to pujols to 10 years, matching arod’s in length. they are obvs pushing hard.

Umm….if Pujols isn’t 31 (many suspect he’s older), that 10-year deal could really be a problem.

WS Game 2: Late rally evens series for Rangers.

Better late than never.

Texas scored two in the top of the ninth to win Game 2 and even up the series.

Until they did, it appeared as if Allen Craig might be the “Dusty Rhodes” of this WS.

In 1954, key pinch-hits by Rhodes in the first two games sparked the N.Y. Giants to a sweep of Cleveland. Craig’s PH RBI single was the game winner in Game One, and in Game Two, Craig’s 7th inning PH RBI single broke a scoreless tie.

But Texas won it with two in the 9th. Remember how many times I say you’d kill for a SF? Texas got two of those to win the game. Down 1-0 and facing a two games to none deficit, the Rangers got singles by Kinsler, who stole second, and Andrus. While Kinsler was held at third on Andrus’ single,  Andrus took second on a missed catch error by Pujols. A SF by Hamilton moved up both runners and tied the game. Young’s SF game the Rangers the lead and the game.

NFL News: You may have seen that Bengals’ holdout QB Carson Palmer was dealt to the Raiders for a pair of high draft picks.

Texas 1st AL repeat champ since 1998-2001 Yanks.

15-5. Texas put a hammering on Detroit tonight to win the A.L. pennant. In so doing, they became the first team to repeat as A.L. champs since the Yanks won four in a row from 1998-2001.

Nelson Cruz set a record for a postseason series by hitting his SIXTH HR of the ALCS. 6 HR, 13 RBI in this ALCS. Wow.

Michael Young had 3 hits, 5 RBI tonight. Texas scored 9 in the 3rd when down 2-0 to salt this game away.

Cruz HRs again, but Tigers stay alive.

As I wrote yesterday, just give Nelson Cruz the ALCS MVP trophy, even if the Rangers blow it.

Cruz got his 5th HR of the ALCS in 5 games, and has (I believe) 11 RBI. It wasn’t enough to give Texas the A.L. pennant, however, because they are going back to Texas for Game 6 Saturday after today’s 7-5 Tigers win.

Detroit hit 4 HR today, two by Delmon Young.

If Texas repeats as A.L. Champs, they will be the first A.L. Repeat champ since the 1998-2001 Yankees.

More on Boston: I was sent this video.

Comback players of the year announced: Lance Berkman of St. Louis & Jacoby Ellsbury of Boston.

One time Yankee pitching coach Dave Eiland is being considered by KC.

Game 119. Top of lineup puts Yanks back into a tie for 1st. Meanwhile, elsewhere, Thome gets #600

Members of the LVYFC are in KC for the game. I believe they see tonight’s game and Wed. night’s, with tomorrow being a tour day.

Yanks 72-46, 1/2 game behind Boston in the AL East, 2nd place.
8 1/2 up on the wild card. OPS+111, ERA+ 120
Four games worse than the Pythagorean record.

Gardner LF  .283-5-28  36sb/47att OPS+ 106
Jeter SS .278-4-41  12/16  89   3036 hits
Granderson CF .275-33-94  22/32  150
Teixeira 1B .248-32-87  3/4  124
Cano 2B .304-20-81  8/9  132
Swisher RF .267-14-64  2/4  119
Chavez 3B .293-1-15  0/0  108
Posada DH .237-10-37  0/2  87
Martin C .226-12-46  8/9  86

Burnett P 8-9  4.60  ERA+ 91

The White Sox released Bruney today, Alfonso Soriano and Johnny Damon both cleared waivers (Matsui did earlier).

Word is that Montero and Banuelos could both come up after 9/1 and still be on the postseason roster due to injuries elsewhere.

The Twins sent Delmon Young to the Tigers.

Alex will rehab at SWB Tues & Wed.

Granderson leads the majors in R, the AL in triples and RBI.

Our friends at BBD report that Dellin Betances, like Manny Banuelos before him, has been promoted to AAA.

The Yanks strand two in the first, but after a 1-2-3 by AJ, take the lead in the 2nd. Swisher singles, Posada gets a one-out walk, and Gardner, with two down, singles in a run.  Jeter follows with an RBI single of his own, hit #3037 as he tries to chase down Carew (3053), Henderson (3055) and Biggio (3060). A walk to Granderson loads the bases. Gardner tried to score on a pitch that got away and gets nabbed at the plate. 2-0 Yanks after 1 1/2. With one out in the second, AJ gives up three straight hits, but a CS after the first one helps out AJ.

AJ gives up two singles in the 4th, but gets an inning-ending DP. 2-0 Yanks after four.

You may have seen that Ernie Johnson, ex-Braves pitcher and announcer, died at 87 a few days ago. Johnson was on those Braves teams that beat the Yanks in the 1957 WS and lost to them in 1958.

Yanks get two on, one out in the fifth, but strand the runners. In the bottom of the fifth, after one out, AJ gives up three straight hits. Does he meltdown here again? In 4 1/3, AJ hasn’t given up a run or walk, but he’s given up 8 hits. …. and he walks in a run.

And Cashman defends this guy?

There is a 2-run single. KC takes the lead. Get him out of there. NOW. He gets a DP to get out of it, but still, get him out of there now. Girardi usually leaves AJ in a batter or two too late. Get him out of there now.

The Yanks retake the lead in the sixth. With one out, singles by Posada, Martin and Gardner tie the game. Jeter triples in two (3038) and the Yanks go up 5-3.

AJ stays for the sixth (ugh). He gets two outs, gives up a single. Logan comes in and picks off the runner for the last out.

AJ 5 2/3, 3 R, 10 H, 1 walk and 2 K.  Not terrible, but not inspiring. ERA actually goes up a tick from 4.60 to 4.61.

The Yanks make it 6-3 in the 7th. Cano singles, two groundouts send him to third, and Jones PH single knocks him in.

Logan gets a K to start the 7th, then yields to Soriano. Groundout, walk, SB, double by Melky plate a run and cuts the Yanks’ lead to 6-4. Soriano then gets a flyout. End of 7, 6-4.

Logan 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 1 K. ERA dips to 2.97. Under 3.00. Good.

Soriano 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 walk, 0 K. ERA up to 4.15.

The Yanks get some insurance in the 8th. With one out, Jeter gets his 3rd hit of the game (3039), SB #13, and a two-out Teixeira single makes it 7-4.

A big game for the top of the lineup. Gardner 2 for 4, 2 RBI; Jeter 3 for 4, 3 RBI. Jeter gets his B.A. over .280. When Jeter got his 3000th hit, he went into to game at .257.    

Robertson for the 8th.  Groundout, K, single, SB. As Sterling accurately points out, why are you stealing down 3 in the 8th?

Robertson 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 72 K in 47 2/3. ERA a ridiculous 1.32.

Mo is up. We’ll see how he rebounds from three straight bad outings.

CONGRATS TO JIM THOME OF THE TWINS! #600 tonight. He hit #599 and #600 on consecutive at bats.

Well, we’ll see how many jump back on the Mariano bandwagon after jumping off so soon. I don’t jump off until I see a month to six weeks of bad outings, not one week. As I said, this time of year… 8/4 to about 8/23… I got in some interesting discussions last week with the gloom and doomers. Sheesh. You’d think the guy earned more respect than having some people give up on him after three bad outings….even at 41. Disgraceful. They call themselves fans of Mo?  

Mo gets a groundout. He gets another. A K. 1-2-3. The Mo we remember.

Mo’s 31st save, #590 of his career. ERA to 2.35.

AJ evens his record. 9-9, 4.61.

Where would Michael Young fit?

While Derek Jeter and Phil Hughes have already started working out at the Yankees spring training complex, there is news elsewhere.

Not happy about being moved from 2B to SS to 3B to DH, then being told he wasn’t on the block when he actually was, Michael Young has requested Texas to trade him.

The 34 year old Young has been a six-time All-Star, has won a Gold Glove and has received MVP consideration four times. He his a .300 hitter with a career OPS+ of 105. Last season he hit .284-21-91, OPS+ 105 for the AL Champ Rangers. Young is worried about playing time now that Texas got Beltre and Napoli.

MLBTR reports that $48 million remains on Young’s contract, and he has a no-trade. There are eight teams that he will give his permission to be dealt to, and one of them is the Yankees. The problem is, where would he play on the Yankees? The Yanks have Cano at 2B, Jeter at SS, Alex at 3B and Posada at DH. You aren’t getting Young to platoon with Posada at DH, especially when Posada is a switch-hitter. Russell Martin is the catcher, and Posada isn’t going back there (my over/under for Posada behind the plate? About 10 to 15 games). MLBTR reports that the eight teams are:

Cardinals, Yankees, Twins, Astros, Rockies, Dodgers, Angels, and Padres. The team has said they are dealing with just those eight teams right now.

Would Texas trade him within their division? The Angels, after losing out on Beltre to the Rangers, could really use Young. Jayson Stark reports that that Young would be willing to consider expanding his eight-team list on a “case-to-case basis.” MLBTR also reports that Jeff Wilson of The Star Telegram hears that the Rangers would be willing to trade Young within the AL West as long as it helps improve the team.

If only Young were a starting pitcher. There isn’t any room on the Yankees now for him as he is, no matter how good he is. The only way to make it work would be to rotate him throughout the infield, with Cano, Jeter and Alex DH-ing or taking off on those days. Young won’t go for that, and I don’t think Jorge would either.

Now if a deal can’t be made for Young straight-up but needs a third party to fill some needs, maybe the Yanks can get involved and get some starting pitching help via a 3-way trade. Hey, it’s some hope…