Yankees Turn the Page: Top 5 Reasons This Trip to Fenway Won’t be Déjà Vu

The calendar reads June 9, and the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are once again prepared to battle over a three game series.

New York will certainly be looking for payback after a Fenway sweep the last time around from April 24-26, and come in playing much more consistent baseball.

Terry Francona’s Sox are far from slumping, however, and should pose as challenging an opponent as is always expected of them—especially in a home ball park they seemingly never lose in.

This time around, the Yankees are determined to prevent a repeat of recent history. Luckily for them, there are at least five reasons why they can begin to calm their nerves.

The countdown will run readers through a quick list of extenuating circumstances from the first Fenway series that should no longer be factors over the next few days.

Any feedback and suggestions are always welcomed and requested, especially from the always confident members of Red Sox Nation. Enjoy the list, and I hope to talk to all of you soon.

5. The Presence of CC Sabathia

While the Red Sox have been able to deploy Josh Beckett and Jon Lester a combined four times in five games against New York this year, the Yankees have yet to release ace CC Sabathia into the rivalry.

Boston will not miss Sabathia during this trip, and will likely have a much tougher time scoring runs. A matchup with Brad Penny should also benefit the Yankees, and could provide a nice end to the three-game set.

Even is Sabathia has faced Boston in their April series, they would still be seeing an entirely different pitcher on Thursday night.

He was 1-3 with a 4.85 ERA on May 2, but has since gone 4-0 with a stellar ERA—returning to the dominant pitcher New York thought they had signed this offseason.

Sabathia was coaxed into the Bronx to win games exactly like this one, and Boston should provide the first test as to whether or not the Yankees made the right decision.

4. Red Sox No Longer Aided By “The Streak”

The last time New York visited Fenway Park, Boston was in the midst of one of the more impressive win streaks in recent memory.

They had just finished winning seven games in a row before the Yankees arrived, and stretched the overall streak to 11 before it was said and done.

Momentum and confidence are as important to baseball as balls and strikes, and winning does wonders for a team’s overall play. Instead of wondering who is going to deliver a clutch hit, each player begins to expect it to occur.

Boston has recently lost two of three against the Texas Rangers coming into the series—a team New York has handled rather easily thus far this season.

By no means are the Red Sox lacking in confidence or swagger, but there is a stark difference between a seven-game win streak and losing a series at home.

3. No Jon Lester:

The Red Sox are not armed with their talented young lefthander for the series with New York, and the Yankees could not be happier.

The hard throwing southpaw is 3-0 with a 2.02 ERA and 1.12 WHIP over the last two seasons against them. Lester also boasts a remarkable 41:8 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 35 2/3 IP.

In 2009 alone, the Red Sox are 2-0 in Lester’s starts against the Yankees, and he managed to shut down their lineup even without his best stuff for the majority of the games.

To further emphasize the relief of avoiding Lester, he is currently 16-2 with a 3.30 ERA in his career at home.

When coupling his tremendous home success with the Red Sox 18-8 record in Fenway in 2009, it will be comforting to instead stare out at Tim Wakefield or Brad Penny.

2. The Cooling of the “Jason Bay Factor”

Shortly after the last Yankees-Red Sox series in Fenway, Jason Bay peaked at a .523 OBP and .359 AVG on April 28.

Bay hit the biggest home run of the 2009 rivalry to this date—a two out home run off of Yankees closer Mariano Rivera. It clearly shook New York’s confidence, and provided the fuel needed to finish the April massacre.

The Red Sox slugger remained hot for many more weeks, but has since cooled drastically on the heels on the Yankees return to New England.

Bay is just 19-for-86 since May 14, which calculated to an anemic .221 batting average. His power numbers have sustained themselves throughout the decline, eerily similar to Teixeira’s April struggles.

The Yankees will be facing a lineup without a healthy David Ortiz and a struggling Jason Bay, which should help to somewhat reduce the potency of an always dangerous Red Sox offensive attack.

1. The Return of Alex Rodriguez

The Yankee lineup that faced the Red Sox in April was struggling, and was forced to battle without their best hitter.

Furthermore, the absence of Alex Rodriguez helped to spiral new acquisition Mark Teixeira into an unimaginable slump.

When the final out was recorded in April’s three-game sweep, “Big Tex” was hitting just .218—representing a virtual automatic out in most games. He was as susceptible to the strikeout as any point in his entire career.

Rodriguez’s return has reenergized the entire lineup, as well as placing a true “fear factor” back into the middle of the batting order.

Since A-Rod’s return on May 8, Teixeira is hitting .374, and now leads the American League with 18 home runs. He has undoubtedly entered the MVP discussion, and truly appears as though he has been reborn in pinstripes.

The domino effect resulting from A-Rod’s return has finally delivered a feeling of self-assurance to the Yankee clubhouse, which should help to erase the current 0-5 head-to-head record from their minds.

What’s In a Name? The Top 10 Player Names in Major League Baseball

10. Cody Ransom (New York Yankees)

There has to be a Yankee on this list, and no name symbolizes the franchise’s offseason efforts better than “Ransom”.

Isn’t that exactly what Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner do to those teams brave enough to compete with them in free agency?

By offering higher salaries or longer contract lengths than others can afford, the Yankees seemingly hold free agents as personal property, forcing an opposing team to cough up a king’s ransom in order to pry him from New York’s grasp.

9. Matt Treanor (Detroit Tigers)

Treanor deserves to be on this list as a result of simply handing his surname to the beautiful volleyball superstar Misty May-Treanor, but he also has a solid baseball name.

Matt’s last name is actually pronounced trainer, and seems very fitting in a dark age of baseball dominated by these “fitness experts.”

If anyone would supply performance-enhancing drugs throughout a locker room, wouldn’t it have to be a Treanor? (This is of course a joke, and has absolutely nothing to do with bringing into question his involvement in the steroids crisis)

8. Josh Outman (Oakland Athletics)

What better name could a pitcher possibly have than “Outman?”

Since April 17, he has certainly been living up to his name. He has pitched to a 3-0 record, 2.38 ERA, and 1.04 WHIP in 45.1 innings.

The Athletics may have found something here, and they sincerely hope that he can be a reliable “out man” for many years to come.

7. Thomas Diamond (Texas Rangers)

Though still waiting for his Major League debut, this Ranger is named after the very field he plays on for the majority of the year.

Diamond is struggling mightily in the minor leagues right now, but it seemed like a near obligation to put him on a list of players intended to capture the essence of a baseball diamond.

6. Homer Bailey (Cincinnati Reds)

Bailey is the sole first name honoree on the list—and deservedly so.

His name symbolizes the element the saved baseball following the strike of 1994, and subsequently has tried to tear it down through syringe-aided blasts.

Unfortunately for Homer, he has surrendered far too many, allowing 12 home runs in just 86 IP at this point of his ML career.

This equates to nearly once every seven innings, and has prevented him from reaching the high expectations that scouts have placed on him.

5. Brandon League (Toronto Blue Jays)

Arguably much more recognizable for his wide array of tattoos and entirely unique eyewear, League also possesses a classic baseball surname.

His presence and mannerisms on the mound may remind fans of Major League’s Rick “Wild Thing” Vaughn, but League has made a nice career for himself pitching out of the Toronto bullpen.

Always graced with electric stuff, League has yet to fine-tune his mechanics and consistency in order to become one of the more untouchable middle relievers in baseball.

4. Prince Fielder (Milwaukee Brewers)

The son of a former Major League superstar, Fielder could have made the list for either his first or last name—which is why he climbed a little higher up toward No. 1.

Though weighing in at 270 pounds at just 5’11”, Fielder is much more agile than you might expect. He has earned his last name with some sparkling plays, but he seems to make nearly as many errors as “web gems.”

Fielder will always be known for his potent bat, however, and is currently on pace for 43 HR, 153 RBI, 100 R, and a .430 OBP.

Albert Pujols is certainly the king of National League bat-wielding, but Fielder has numbers fit for a prince.

3. Jarrod Saltalamacchia (Texas Rangers)

The Texas Rangers get onto the list for a second time, if for no other reason than my complete inability to spell Saltalamacchia without checking reliable websites multiple times.

Aside from his name being so much fun to say, it is enjoyable to imagine a jersey producer attempting to fit all of the letters across the back—let alone spell it correctly.

After all, you can ask the Washington “Natinals” about how easy it is to misspell keys elements of a baseball uniform.

2. Skip Schumaker (St. Louis Cardinals)

Perhaps much higher up the list than many would expect, Skip Schumaker may have my favorite name of all major league players (you will soon learn why he could never be No. 1).

A simply classic baseball name, Skip Schumaker reminds you of a hard-nosed infielder from the early 1900s—as interested in being covered in dirt and blood as he was anything else.

Schumaker is a nice complimentary player, hitting .294 with 16 RBI and a .342 OBP, all while playing exceptional defense in his first season since transitioning to 2B from the outfield. He has committed just one error in 45 games played at the position.

1. Antonio Bastardo (Philadelphia Phillies)

Do I really even need to explain this selection at No. 1 on the list?

“Antonio Bastardo” is a name even the most creative of comedic writers could not recreate if they tried. It sounds like the name of a leading role in an Antonio Banderas spoof movie.

Although his name is rather comical, Bastardo can laugh back at all of the former classmates that mocked him. He is now a Major League pitcher sitting at 2-0 for the defending World Series Champions—that is what I like to call payback.

No one else could possibly end this countdown, but do not overlook his immense talent. At just 23 years old, Bastardo has electric stuff, as evidenced by his 1.18 WHIP in 11 IP.

Bastardo’s Minor League numbers were even more startling, pitching to a 1.90 ERA and 0.89 WHIP in 47.1 innings at a combination of Double-A and Triple-A levels.

The Melky Cabrera Tale: How A Failed Trade Was the Move of the Offseason

A baby-faced ball of energy burst onto the Bronx scene in 2006 and 2007, capturing the hearts of fans eager to find the next homegrown hero.

The player was Yankees CF Melky Cabrera, asked to fill a defensive hole left by an oft-injured and rapidly aging Johnny Damon.

An awkward shot put release was replaced by an intimidating laser arm, and Cabrera completely changed the way opposing teams ran the bases.

In just 247 games in CF during this time, Cabrera generated an impressive 26 outfield assists. He nearly saved as many runs as he was originally expected to drive in at home plate.

The “Melk Man” love affair quickly eroded in 2008, however, as Cabrera instigated many more groans, boos, and expletives than magical moments.

Defensive lapses, a .249 AVG, and an anemic .301 OBP eventually forced New York’s hand.

There were now at least four to five names surfacing as potential starting CFs in the Bronx, and Cabrera’s name was no longer among them.

Speedy youngster Brett Gardner would likely replace him coming out of spring training, and any GM with access to technology could begin courting his services.

Trade proposals subsequently began to flow into Brian Cashman’s cell phone, and one in particular piqued his interest.

The Milwaukee Brewers were on the line, offering 36 year old CF Mike Cameron in exchange for the suddenly lactose intolerant “Melk Man.”

Some fans entertained images of the once Gold Glove caliber defense Cameron played in the past, while others accepted the reality of his age, career .250 AVG, and astronomical strikeout totals.

After a period of flirting and counter-offers regarding the portion of Cameron’s contract that New York would be obligated to pay, the trade interest eventually dissolved.

The Yankees have discovered that not trading away Cabrera may have been the smartest move they made all offseason.

While the calendar only reads June 6, Cabrera has already provided three walk-off hits to go along with a go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning of Thursday’s game.

Cabrera has resurrected his career and the “fan favorite” nature of his play, currently supplying stellar outfield defense while hitting .311 with a .360 OBP.

He helped to stabilize a Yankees lineup without Alex Rodriguez, Xavier Nady, and Jorge Posada, and has clearly risen to the occasion during clutch scenarios.

Cabrera has also performed at the highest of levels against New York’s toughest opponents, hitting 16-for-41 (.390) against the Red Sox, Angels, and Phillies.

Cameron, meanwhile, has failed miserably with runners in scoring position—going just 6-for-40 (.150) with two extra base hits.

Though his overall AVG and OBP are far above his career averages, he is making seven times the salary of Cabrera in 2009.

The Yankees already have a bevy of overpriced and aging outfielders with limited range (Damon, Matsui), and yet another would have prevented the athleticism of Cabrera and Gardner to be implemented.

It would have been especially debilitating as a result of Cameron’s propensity to kill rallies by not making contact.

Cameron is currently on pace for 143 strikeouts, which also destroys any ability for manager Joe Girardi to use the hit and run when he is at the plate.

In contrast, the “Melk Man” is hitting over .300 from both sides of the plate, and is on pace for just 65 strikeouts—proving to be very reliable in the aggressive elements of Girardi’s game plan.

Other offseason moves have come up roses, as C.C. Sabathia has begun to present himself as a true ace, and Mark Teixeira has been the unquestionable offensive MVP of the Yankees through June.

However, it may be maintaining Cabrera that has been as important an offseason move as any that Cashman made during the winter months.

It is a good thing most households in New York City are equipped with refrigerators, because the Melk Man continues to deliver—seemingly on a daily basis.

What A Difference an A-Rod Makes: Teixeira Thanks Lucky Star for Slugger

Yankees 1B Mark Teixeira had heard all of the boos cascading onto the field from every corner of the new Yankee Stadium.

The team was struggling mightily, and so was the man signed to replace Bobby Abreu and Jason Giambi’s production and “fear factor” in the middle of the lineup.

Once the April nightmare finally concluded, Teixeira was left staring at a .200 AVG, 3 HR, and just 10 RBI on the stat sheet.

Former Yankees hero Tino Martinez must have sympathized for the new addition, as he suffered the wrath of identical fan frustration in 1996.

Though he hit .244 with 13 RBI in April 1996, he was also forced to swap places with Yankee captain and hero Don Mattingly.

Needless to say, fans were not quite so eager to accept him into their hearts.

An instant connection was formed between the two slick-fielding first basemen, and Martinez’s experienced advice was just what the doctor ordered for the slumping “Tex.”

"[He told me] just to be yourself, have fun," Teixeira said. "Maybe just seeing him and seeing his smiling face put a little pep in my step, I don't know. It seemed like from that point on, I started seeing the ball real well and putting some good swings on it."

Martinez began to relax Teixeira, allowing the addition of one more key ingredient to set off a chain reaction that left nothing but long balls and Yankee victories in its wake.

Enter the man that everyone loves to hate and hates to admit that they love—Yankees 3B and chemically-assisted superstar Alex Rodriguez.

If Martinez was the baking soda in Teixeira’s eruption of success, then A-Rod was certainly the vinegar.

Since May 9, the day after A-Rod’s return, Teixeira has accumulated 11 HR, 32 RBI, 22 R, and a .379 AVG in just 24 games played.

To truly emphasize how smoldering “Tex” has become, this statistical pace would equate to 74 HR, 216 RBI, and 149 R when stretched over a full season.

A-Rod’s mere presence in the lineup has supplied Tex with better stress reduction than a week of tai chi or yoga techniques, and a chorus of boos have quickly transformed into curtain calls and jersey sales.

New York is 19-7 since A-Rod’s name was once again penciled into the lineup, skyrocketing the team from a distant third place to a first place tie.

While A-Rod’s name will always be the topic of headlines and the answer to trivia questions, it has been Tex who has ignited a fire under a previously inept offensive attack.

A virtual automatic out has now thrown his hat into the American League’s MVP discussion, and the Yankees have rallied around his resurrection.

Additionally, Tex has played nothing short of Gold Glove defense at first, making every check he cashes throughout the season suddenly seem like a discount.

The Yankees knew it was important to pluck Tex from the Red Sox’s grasp this offseason, but no one could have predicted exactly how important.

Early struggles with an injury epidemic left New York in desperate need of a power threat, and David Ortiz’s failures have created a gaping hole in a once horrifying lineup.

We all knew that Tex was far too good to continue to struggle, but it is nice to see his problems fail to linger into the summer months.

Yankees Universe would now like to say something in the direction of GM Brian Cashman that they have not gotten to say very often in recent years.

Thank you.

Andy Far From Dandy: Pettitte Becoming A Less and Less Dependable Yankee

Yankees starter Andy Pettitte was always deemed the model of consistency in New York’s rotation.

Throughout individual games he appeared as though consistency was in fact an infectious disease he was attempting to avoid, but the end result usually involved a Yankees win.

He might completely lose his control from inning to inning, or pitch brilliantly until a 3-4 run sixth inning, but he won with regularity—which is all Yankee fans care to remember.

Pettitte has won 63 percent of his career decisions, and has twice won 20 games. He was confident, reliable, and accountable, never backing down from a challenge or battle with adversity.

It seems as though Pettitte has another fight on his hands, and his unrelenting self-assurance will be stretched to its limits.

Always just one pitch away from ending his career, he has repeatedly stated that he will hang up his cleats in the event that his elbow finally breaks down permanently.

Recent injury struggles have actually involved a balky back, though perhaps it has resulted from an overcompensation to protect the stresses placed on his pitching arm.

In response to the injury, Pettitte conceded “I guess it’s a little bit of old age.” This is the first sign on a man beginning to succumb to the daily aches and pains of a 162-game season.

The Yankees once won because of him, resulting from his uncanny ability to pitch himself out of trouble—always making the perfect pitch in a key situation.

They are instead now winning in spite of him, battering opposing pitchers into submission in order to squeak out a victory.

In seven starts since the calendar turned over to May 1, Pettitte has pitched to a 5.23 ERA and staggering 1.84 WHIP.

In addition, he has recently needed the aid of a GPS system in order to locate home plate, walking 23 hitters in just 41.1 IP.

This equates to a BB/9 ratio of over 5, including games of 4, 4, 5, and 6 walks respectively over that span.

The Yankees have still managed to go 5-2 during Pettitte’s recent struggles, which has significantly limited the whispers of a possible 2009 “swan song.”

When healthy, Pettitte is still a weapon on the mound, evidenced by his 2.96 ERA in the month of April.

He was also 12-7 with a 3.76 ERA through a July 26 gem against Boston in 2008, before arm problems sent his season spiraling down the stretch—he finished just 14-14 with a 4.54 ERA.

The problem is no one knows if Pettitte’s body will ever be the same, or if he can last a full season without further incident.

No. 46 has always been one of the Bronx’s favorite Yankees, and nothing will ever change that.

He has been at the epicenter of countless heroic victories, and has stood behind a microphone to answer any question asked of him—even in the darkest of times.

Pettitte is still the first member of the staff that I want on the mound in October, and there is plenty of time for him to catch a second wind in 2009.

Perhaps a short stint on the disabled list later in the season can keep him fresh for the stretch run.

After all, New York is desperately trying to find ways to utilize both Phil Hughes and Chien-Ming Wang in the Major League rotation.

The Yankees need Pettitte to stop coming up petite in order to make a significant run at October baseball…so here’s to hoping he can turn it around.

Jeter Finds Yet Another Way to Scatter Name Amongst the Game’s Greats

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter has been doing nothing but climbing historic lists since donning the pinstripes for the first time in 1995.

Another milestone was unable to hide from Jeter’s ever-expanding legacy, as he became just the fourth Yankee to surpass 1500 runs scored on Tuesday night against Texas.

The Yankees are a franchise boasting 26 World Series titles, as well as employing 34 Hall of Fame players at one time during their careers.

Any time a player is the “fourth” to do anything in a Yankees uniform, it is always an extraordinary feat worthy of celebration.

This occasion is no different, as Jeter joins only Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Mickey Mantle in rarified Bronx air.

In true Jeter fashion, he would not score his 1500th run in a moment that did not require it.

He would instead score the go-ahead run in the most emotional of moments, supplying New York with a lead that it would never relinquish.

Aided by a clean, hard slide by an angered Mark Teixeira at second base, Jeter was able to cross home plate and into the history books for what seems like the 100th time.

To save time and effort, baseball historians have been provided with a “Derek Jeter” rubber stamp—making it easier to add his name to any recently achieved milestone list.

Though clearly benefiting from some of the most potent lineups in team history, Jeter was able to accomplish the feat in just 2035 games played.

Excluding the 2003 season, in which Jeter dislocated his shoulder and was forced to miss 43 games, he scored 110+ runs in nine straight seasons.

This streak included four seasons of 120 or more runs scored, something the great Rickey Henderson could only do two times in 25 Hall of Fame seasons.

Henderson is often considered the greatest baserunner of all time, which helps to underscore Jeter’s impressive run-scoring abilities as a Yankee.

Other milestones such as 3000 career hits are simply inevitable for Jeter, and he will become just the first Yankee to ever reach the magic number.

Jeter will soon be No. 1 on the Yankees all-time hits list, passing Lou Gehrig who sits at 2721.

He will be a surefire first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee, and will deserve every vote that he receives. He is a class act and a role model for children during a dark era in Major League Baseball.

Congratulations Jeter, and we will all look forward to being there for your next milestone’s celebration.

The Yankees FINALLY Return Joba Chamberlain to an Eighth Inning Role

The great Joba Chamberlain debate has raged on for years, rivaling other conundrums of past and present history.

Coke or Pepsi? Boxers or briefs? Paper or plastic? To be or not to be?

The “bullpen or starting rotation” question may never be settled with regards to Chamberlain’s ultimate future, but last night’s effort may have helped New York arrive at a temporary decision.

Chamberlain was sent out to pitch the eighth inning of a close game on Monday night, trying to preserve a victory for a Yankees starter who pitched magnificently over the first seven.

Haunting nightmares of a 2007 ALDS gone bad were revisited by the arrival of the same midges that once shook the confidence of the Yankees reliever.

This time the bugs did not travel alone, as a flock of seagulls blanketed the outfield grass like an eerie sequel to Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds.

Chamberlain was able to maintain his composure this time around, determined to not repeat his October meltdown.

He proceeded to effortlessly coast through the inning 1-2-3, like he had done so many times before in setting up for Mariano Rivera. Does this sound familiar?

The eighth inning has always been Chamberlain’s personal sanctuary—a place as comfortable and relaxing to him as a Tempur-Pedic mattress.

The Yankees had finally seen all that they needed to see.

Their talented young hurler was best cut out for a setup role, especially if the team could get such rock-solid pitching out of its starters.

The starter who put New York in a winning position on this day, however, was in fact Chamberlain himself.

Will Chamberlain be a starter or setup man for the Yankees in 2009? The answer that manager Joe Girardi would like to hear is “both.”

In going eight innings while allowing just two runs on four hits, Chamberlain was able to perform admirably in early innings, while also preventing the underbelly of the Yankees bullpen from being exposed.

The most impressive statistic of the evening shows that he recorded 20 of his 24 outs via a groundball or strikeout.

For a power pitcher who likes to throw fastballs up in the zone, allowing just four balls to be caught outside of the infield truly epitomizes his dominance.

Chamberlain followed up two very disappointing starts with possibly his best of the season, which has inevitably caused the emergence of yet another pitching query.

Which two of Phil Hughes, Chien-Ming Wang, and Chamberlain will occupy the final two rotation spots once we reach the All-Star break?

This question may not be answered for quite some time, but the Yankees thoroughly enjoy having to address it.

After all, wouldn’t every team love to have the “problem” of having to choose between three successful young starters?

Chamberlain looked calm and collected in his return to the eighth inning on Monday.

However, it appears that he will only get there again in the near future if he also pitches the first seven.