Yankees lose to Rangers 2-4, Jeter moves to seventh

The Yankees came into Monday's game needing a win after having dropped two out of three games to the Toronto Blue Jays. The Texas Rangers put their ace on the mound, Yu Darvish, to face the Yankees' David Phelps. Brett Gardner hit solo homeruns in the third and fifth innings, his first game with more than one. The Rangers managed to get four runs and won the game 4-2. Derek Jeter passed Carl Yastrzemski for seventh place on the all-time hits list. He is now close to the top five, the next player being Honus Wagner, ten hits away.

Yankees win in 14 innings

Recently, the Yankees acquired Chase Headley, a third baseman from the San Diego Padres. The Padres received Yangervis Solarte and prospect Rafael De Paula. Headley got to Yankee Stadium later than the start of the game, but early enough to enter in the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers. In his first at-bat he struck out, and he failed to get a hit in the eleventh or twelfth innings, grounding out twice. In the fourteenth inning he stepped to the plate with runners on first and third with one out in a tied 1-1 game. He hit a single to the outfield, scoring Brian Roberts from third. The Yankees won 2-1 in fourteen innings.

The One Year Anniversary of Musings of a Yankees Fan

Even though I haven't written a post for about two months (I will start posting with regularity again), the first anniversary of Musings of a Yankees Fan was on June 2. I would like to thank all of my readers, and anyone who has ever taken the time to comment or click on a link to one of my posts.

Masahiro Tanaka is the Yankees' Best Player

Over the course of the past few months, Masahiro Tanaka has established himself as the best player on the Yankees, if not the entire MLB. Up to this point he has certainly justified the Yankees' investment. He has a record of 8-1, with an AL best 2.06 ERA. He also has more strikeouts than hits and walks combined, averaging more than one per inning. He has become the Yankees' ace, their most dependable player this season so far.

Yankees 2014 Season Preview: Right Field

Today, I am completing the outfield. The previous six parts in this series were center field, left field, shortstop, third base, second base, and first base.

Starter: Carlos Beltran
Carlos Beltran was acquired last offseason from the St. Louis Cardinals. He is a veteran player and has a .333 average in the postseason. He brings about twenty homeruns with a batting average of around .300. He should be an everyday starter unless he gets injured.

Backup: Ichiro
Ichiro will be a backup this year and will probably play in less than 100 games. He is in one of his last years as a player, but he still can provide speed at times. Last year, he stole twenty bases with an average of .262.  Ichiro will mostly backup around the outfield.

I will cover the pitchers in my next post.

Yankees 2014 Season Preview: Center Field

The five previous parts in this series were first base, second base, third base, shortstop, and left field. Today I will continue to move across the outfield.

Starter: Jacoby Ellsbury
Recently acquired from the Boston Red Sox, Jacoby Ellsbury was one of the biggest transactions of last offseason. He has had some injuries throughout his career, limiting him to 74 games in 2012. His best year came in 2011, with a .321 batting average, 32 homeruns, and 39 steals. None of his other seasons have been close to that, but at least he has shown promise.

Backup: Brett Gardner
As mentioned in a previous post, Brett Gardner brings good speed and fielding to the Yankees' outfield. He has also had good OBP numbers in the past.

I will finish the outfield next time with right field.

Yankees 2014 Season Preview: Left Field

Previously in this series, I have covered first base, second base, third base, and shortstop. Today, I will start with the outfield.

Starter: Brett Gardner
Brett Gardner is a valuable player because of his ability to both steal bases and get on base. He led the AL in steals in 2011 with 49 and in triples with 10 in 2013. His defensive skills are also quite good, providing the Yankees with a solid presence in left field.

Backup: Alfonso Soriano
Even though Alfonso Soriano will mostly play DH, he will also backup in left field. He experienced a string of good hitting after coming from the Chicago Cubs last season. He hit 34 homeruns last year, and is a good bet to get at least 20 this year. He also provided 18 stolen bases with a .255 average.  

Next I will move to center field.

How do you think the Yankees will do this season? Tell me in the comments below.

Yankees 2014 Season Preview: Shortstop

Today I will cover the final infield position, shortstop.

Starter: Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter is attempting to return from injury to have a great final season before retirement. This will be hard to do as he only played in seventeen games last season. He will try to produce, but staying healthy is his first concern.

Backup: Dean Anna
Dean Anna is a rookie that was traded from the Padres. He played extremely well in the Pacific Coast League, batting .331 with a .410 OBP. These marks were among the top in the league. If he can produce at close to this level for the Yankees, he will solidify his place as the shortstop of the future.

Next, I will cover the outfield.

Yankees 2014 Season Preview: Third Base

Today I will cover the Yankees' third base situation without Alex Rodriguez.

Starter: Kelly Johnson
As previously covered in my preview on first base and shown in the picture above, Kelly Johnson was signed from the Tampa Bay Rays for one year and $3 million. While not as good offensively as Rodriguez, he should be free of any steroids related distractions. He is an average hitter and should bat around .235 with 12 home runs. Interestingly, he has only played third base in 16 games prior to this year.

Backup: Yangervis Solarte
With Brendan Ryan out to start the season, Yangervis Solarte steps in for his first major league action. Having played in the past for the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers, he earned his spot on the team with a spring training in which he batted .429. The Yankees hope that he can be the third baseman of the future.

Next time I will cover the shortstop position in Derek Jeter's final season.

Yankees 2014 Season Preview: Second Base

Today, I will cover second base.

Starter: Brian Roberts
Brian Roberts was signed during the offseason to replace Robinson Cano. As with other Yankees, his deal is short term, lasting one year and worth $2 million. Roberts is a stopgap player, brought in to fill a hole while the Yankees try to find a second baseman elsewhere. His career high average of .314 is good, but this was achieved almost ten years ago. He has not played over 100 games in the last four seasons.

Backup: Eduardo Nunez
Nunez is an average offensive player, but his defensive statistics leave much to be desired. He has not shown the skills needed to be a starter.

I will cover third base next. How do you think the Yankees' season will go? Tell me in the comments below.

Michael Pineda named fifth starter

Today, Yankees manager Joe Girardi named Michael Pineda to the fifth spot in the rotation. This comes after a spring in which Pineda has been amazing, with an ERA of only 1.20 and more strikeouts than hits allowed. Pineda helps solidify a Yankees rotation that was eighteenth last year in MLB in ERA.

What are your thoughts about the Yankees' upcoming season? Tell me in the comments below.

Yankees 2014 Season Preview: First Base

This is the first of a series of posts to preview the Yankees' upcoming season. I will cover each position separately. Today I begin with first base.

Starter: Mark Teixeira
Mark Teixeira is returning from a wrist injury that kept him out in all but fifteen games of last season. He has had a dismal spring so far, batting .115 with no home runs. At best, he can hit thirty home runs, but this will be hard to reach while trying to get back into playing condition. He also is a good defensive player, winning three gold gloves in his time with the Yankees.

Backup: Kelly Johnson
Kelly Johnson was signed for one year and three million dollars. He is expected to start at third base and will back up Teixeira at first. Previously, he hit .235 with sixteen homeruns for the Tampa Bay Rays. He should provide a veteran presence in the infield.

The next part in the series will cover second base.

MVPs of the Yankees' spring training so far

As we approach the end of spring training, it is time to see which players have been the MVPs so far. On the position player side, there were two choices. Francisco Cerveli has had a great spring with three home runs in 22 at-bats and a batting average of .409. But the honor goes to Yangervis Solarte, who leads the team with six RBI and a .500 batting average. He has had a amazing spring in his attempt to make the Yankees' roster.

On the pitching side, I felt that there should be two awards, one each for starter and reliever. Dellin Betances hasn't given up a run in eight innings this spring while holding opponents to a .072 average. He probably has earned a spot in the bullpen this season. Starting for the Yankees, Michael Piñeda has pitched 4 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts. He has also not given up a run in the two games in which he has appeared.

Who are your spring training MVPs? Tell me in the comments below and check back throught the spring and season for more coverage.

Yankees vs Tigers: Pineda's Return

After not pitching in the major leagues for the past two years, Michael Pineda is trying to make his return. His first spring training outing was against the Detroit Tigers in Tampa. Hiroki Kuroda also pitched and threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings while striking out five. Carlos Beltran hit a two-run home run. Derek Jeter had one of his first good games of the spring with two singles and a walk. Pineda pitched two scoreless innings and struck out four. He only gave up one hit. This should be regarded as a solid first game and will be a baseline to build on for the next few weeks. In my opinion, if Pineda keeps pitching well, he will have the fifth starter spot locked up because of his ability (when healthy) to win games.

Yankees vs Blue Jays: Yankees look to get over .500

Coming into today's game, the Yankees were 2-2 and wanted to continue their spring training by moving over .500. Their starter was Vidal Nuño, a competitor for the fifth spot in the rotation. He gave up one run in two innings on a home run by Jose Bautista. Carlos Beltran hit his first home run for the Yankees in the third inning. J.R. Murphy also hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning. Bryan Mitchell got the win for the Yankees, pitching two scoreless innings with three hits. Overall, it was a good day for the Yankees as they won 8-2. Michael Pineda is scheduled to pitch on Friday against the Detroit Tigers, and Mark Teixeira will play this week as well.

Second Spring Training Game: Derek Jeter's Debut

Today was the second spring training game, and it was Derek Jeter's debut in what will be his last season. It was the Yankees against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Steinbrenner Field. This game featured Yankees pitcher David Phelps as he tried to compete for a spot in the starting rotation. He allowed one run in two innings and struck out four batters. Jeter went 0-2 with two groundouts. The Yankees eventually lost a game that was close until the eighth inning, 8-2. They now have a record of 0-2 in spring training. Masahiro Tanaka is expected to make his first appearance on Saturaday against the Philadelphia Phillies. This should be an exciting game.

First spring training game less than a week away

After the entire team finally reported to spring training, it will soon be time to start playing exhibition games. The first will be against the Florida State Seminoles in Tampa. This will be the first of twenty-six games in twenty-seven days. There will also be three split squad days with multiple games. Some of the more pressing issues for the Yankees will have to be resolved before the season. A shortstop and third baseman will have to be found in order to solidify the Yankees' infield. Mark Teixeira will return from injury to try to regain his form. The Yankees will look to do better than last year, and the push to a World Series will start soon.

Check back throughout the week for more coverage of spring training.

Pitchers and Catchers report

Yesterday, Yankees pitchers and catchers reported to spring training. This moment has been long expected and it brings the start of spring practice. I am excited to finally see Masahiro Tanaka pitch, even if it is only in exhibition games. Also, new Yankee Brian McCann will be interesting to watch as he interacts with his new teammates. Michael Pineda will try to come back from injury and return to his all-star form. He has not played in the major leagues the last two years and will try to be a solid starter for the Yankees. Pineda is one of four pitchers (along with David Phelps, Adam Warren, and Vidal Nuno) that will try to be the fifth starter in the Yankees' rotation. This and other position battles, including the fight to be the third and second baseman, will make Yankees camp interesting to watch as we approach the season.

3 of 4 conference championship quarterbacks were drafted in MLB

In the AFC and NFC championship games, 75% of the starting quarterbacks were drafted by a MLB team. Super Bowl winner Russell Wilson was the most successful baseball player of the three, playing two years for the Colorado Rockies' minor league teams and recently being taken in the Rule 5 draft by the Texas Rangers. He hit .229 for two low level teams and played second base. Colin Kaepernick was taken in the 43rd round by the Chicago Cubs after playing in high school. He never played a minor league game.

The Montreal Expos drafted Tom Brady as a catcher out of Sierra High School in the 18th round of the 1995 draft. Brady would have had one of the best arms behind the plate in all of baseball. Peyton Manning is the only one of the four quarterbacks who was not drafted.

Goalie mask contains Yankees legends

For the New York Rangers' Stadium Series games goalie Henrik Lundqvist will wear a mask decorated with some of the best players ever to wear pinstripes. In his two games against the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils, he will have a mask featuring Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Lou Gehrig. The helmet design also contains some pinstripes. Finishing off the Yankees theme, Lundqvist will wear pinstriped leg and arm pads. The first game against the Devils is today.

 



Spring Training is almost here! What are your thoughts and predictions? Tell me in the comments below.

Yankees sign Tanaka

After a long negotiation, the Yankees have signed Masahiro Tanaka for $155 million over seven years. With the $20 million posting fee, this total paycheck amounts to $175 million. This could be a landmark moment in Yankees history because Tanaka has the potential to be a superstar. He went 24-0 in the regular season with a 1.27 ERA. No one knows how his success will carry over to the major leagues. He has the talent to win awards, but he may collapse and be a high-priced bust. We will see starting in late March.

Upcoming Yankees Players Milestones

The 2014 season is approaching and some Yankees have milestones to set.

Derek Jeter needs three doubles to tie for 35th on the all-time list. He is also moving his way up the top ten hits list, and he needs three hits to tie for eighth. He will also move to 11th on the all-time runs list to tie Tris Speaker after he records five more.

If Alfonso Soriano hits one more homerun, he will tie Duke Snider for 50th on the all-time list. Hopefully he will continue the good form of hitting that he showed at some times last season.

These chases will help make the 2014 season more exciting, especially if the Yankees fall out of contention early in the year.

MLB expands instant replay

In a landmark decision, MLB has decided to expand instant replay to include most calls. Force, tag, and trap plays will now be reviewable starting this season. Managers will have a challenge, and if the call is overturned they will be awarded a second challenge. A call will only be overturned when there is conclusive evidence. Umpires can review calls without a manager's challenge after the sixth inning. This decision has been many years in the making and I am glad that it had finally arrived.

Masahiro Tanaka Update

The January 24 deadline to sign Masahiro Tanaka is fast approaching, and the Yankees appear to be one of the teams with the best chance to sign him. The Dodgers are the other big competitor, although the Angels have a chance as well. The Yankees also have new money as a result of not having to pay Alex Rodriguez this season.  Adding Tanaka would be a huge upgrade to any pitching staff, and the Yankees are no exception as they ranked 18th in MLB team ERA. Their starting pitching staff was also 16th in Quality Start Percentage (a quality start is recorded when a starting pitcher throws more than six innings and gives up three or fewer runs). Tanaka is expected to receive a contract of over $110 million.

Honus Wagner card sells for $657,200

Last week, a T206 Honus Wagner card was sold at auction for the price of $657,200, $6,000
more than the last T206 of the same condition. The card was graded PSA 2, the third lowest mark on the PSA (a grading company) scale. Wagner cards in better condition have sold for over two million dollars. Wagner cards of varying condition typically come to auction once or twice a year.


The card is known as one of the most valuable in history, and holds many auction records. It was manufactured from 1909-1911. Wagner played for the Louisville Colonels and Pittsburg Pirates and is regarded as one of the best players of his era. He continues to be a force to the modern day through his card.

Alex Rodriguez suspended

After appealing a 211 game suspension, Alex Rodriguez has finally been punished. An arbitrator has ruled that the ban will be reduced to 162 games, a full season. This will prevent him from playing until the 2014 season is over. Rodriguez played in 44 games last year, so when he finally comes back, he will be extremely rusty. He will also be old after turning 39 during the 2014 season. The Yankees should be eager to get rid of him and his large salary for a season. This will open some money for the Yankees to spend on starting pitching or other areas of need.

Rodriguez has said that he will appeal the arbitrator's ruling in court. He hopes that a judge will overturn the ruling.

2014 Hall of Fame Vote

This 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame vote has been revealed with some surprising results. Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, two former Atlanta Braves pitchers, were inducted along with former White Sox player Frank Thomas. Maddox received 97.2% of the 571 ballots cast. Glavine was second with 91.9% while Thomas was inducted with 83.7%. Craig Biggio missed by two votes, finishing at 74.8%. Many players lost votes from last year due to the quality of the players on the ballot, but three players were inducted for the first time since 1999. I was correct in predicting that Maddux and Glavine would be voted in.

Hall of Fame results will be announced Wednesday

As I wrote about a few months ago, there are quite a few Yankees on the Hall of Fame ballot. But, there is a very good chance that none of the former Yankees will cross the 75% threshold of votes needed to become a Hall of Famer.

The 2014 Hall of Fame results will be announced on Wednesday, January 8. After none of the players were inducted last year, at least one is expected to receive the required votes.

If I had a Hall of Fame ballot I would vote for (in alphabetical order by last name) Jeff Bagwell, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Mike Piazza, Tim Raines, and Curt Schilling. Frank Thomas and Larry Walker were the honorable mentions.



Jack Curry, an anchor for YES, posted his Hall of Fame ballot on Twitter. It is a simple piece of paper sent through the mail or faxed. It is amazing to see how a basic thing could lead to a important moment in any players' life.

Who would you induct into the Hall of Fame? Leave a comment below.

History of the Yankees in 25 objects Part 7

You can read part 6 here.

Part 7: Contract for sale of Babe Ruth to the Yankees



As great as Babe Ruth was with the Yankees, he didn't show much of his potential during his time with the Boston Red Sox, batting .322 in his final season. As soon as he was sold to the Yankees, his production picked up. In 1920, his first season with the Yankees, he hit .376 with 54 home runs, almost double his total from the previous season of 29. In his last two years in Boston he had an OBP of .438 compared to .522 in his first two years playing for the Yankees. He won an MVP award in 1923 while hitting .393 with 41 home runs. Ruth was sold for $25,000 and "other valuable considerations", which eventually amounted to $100,000. The $100,000 in 1920 would translate into about $1,200,000 in today's money. This was a steal for the Yankees that would help them for many years.


What has been your favorite object in the series? Leave a comment suggesting new items for me to cover.