Yankees Awake to See May 1: Players Feel Differing Emotions

As the clock struck midnight on Friday morning, the calendar had officially flipped over to the month of May.

The Yankees awoke from a fulfilling night’s sleep, basking in the positivity of their recent three-game winning streak.

Currently sitting at 12-10 in the standings, New York has climbed back into striking distance of the leaders in the American League East.

The team’s record is rather remarkable considering the turmoil and misfortune that suffocated the Bronx during March and April.

The Yankees have won 54.5 percent of their games, on pace to finish 88-74 over a full 162-game season.

Virtually identical to New York’s 2008 finish of 89-73, it has done so without the luxury of even one at bat from Alex Rodriguez.

It seems more impressive when reflecting on the additional losses of Xavier Nady and Brian Bruney to elbow injuries, as well as the incompetence of the Yankees bullpen and high-priced free agent acquisitions. Chien-Ming Wang did not quite succeed as a No. 2 starter this season either.

Mark Teixeira, Damaso Marte, and Wang feared becoming the stars of their own version of Groundhog Day, unable to escape the nightmare of a never-ending April.

Many other Yankees, including Robinson Cano, Nick Swisher, and Melky Cabrera, would have leaped at the opportunity to avoid the arrival of May 1.

Swisher and Cano combined for 12 HR, 35 RBI, 21 BB, and 39 R in just 22 April games. Cano had added 34 hits and a .366 AVG to his list of accolades.

Cabrera, on the other hand, has entirely rejuvenated his Yankee career. In hitting .327 with 4 HR, he has won back the starting center field job in the Bronx, and subsequently rediscovered his confidence and swagger.

While assuming the reasonable statistical comebacks of Teixeira, Burnett, and Sabathia, it is easy to see why Yankees fans have reason for optimism and hope.

The ultimate success of Wang, A-Rod, and the bullpen are still in doubt. The simple return of A-Rod to the lineup, however, should help the team’s overall lineup depth. Teixeira should also feel more comfortable and assured at the plate with legitimate protection behind him.

If “April showers bring May flowers,” then perhaps the Yankees will be purged of their troubles; once again able to perform at the highest of levels.

May will almost certainly “come in like a lion” in terms of scheduled opponents, as the month’s first seven games are against the Angels, Red Sox, and Rays. A three-game series with the World Champion Phillies also looms later in the month.

The Yankees will be tested early and often in the season’s second month, but can feel very fortunate to be in their current position.

April “showered” the Bronx with controversy, injuries, underperformance, boos, and even a strange wind current dilemma.

I’m sure those players sad to see May’s arrival will be willing to sacrifice for the good of the team. I, for one, am not waiting until Cinco de Mayo on May 5 to start celebrating.

One Down, 103 to Go: The Boston Steroid Story Left Untold

Alex Rodriguez was the ‘victim’ of a vendetta against the New York Yankees, as well as yet another book intended to ridicule the star slugger.

I put ‘victim’ in quotes because any professional athlete who knowingly takes illegal substances to artificially impact his or her performance is not truly a victim.

Regardless, it appears that a soon-to-be released book about A-Rod is being constructed by SI’s Selena Roberts. In many ways, she benefited the most by ensuring that he was left holding the smoking gun. Her selfish agenda gave her the incentive to leak A-Rod’s name and his alone.

The Alex Rodriguez saga has inspired me to take a peak into the mystery surrounding what players’ positive steroid test results from 2003 are being left undiscovered.

It was intriguing to focus on The Boston Red Sox, a team that has been left out of the discussion while their biggest rivals are constantly targeted.

These are some of the key people surrounding Boston’s untold steroid story:

1. Senator George Mitchell:

Hired by Major League Baseball to unearth the magnitude of the steroid issue across the league, Mitchell was also a current Director for the Boston Red Sox.

Five prominent Yankees were ironically released in The Mitchell Report, including Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Gary Sheffield, Jason Giambi and Chuck Knoblauch.

The only prominent Red Sox named were former players Mo Vaughn and Clemens, conveniently only linked to performance enhancers following their departures from Boston.

Whether or not his investigation was biased can be left to a future spirited debate. One statement that Mitchell did say, however, seemed to be slightly damaging to the Red Sox.

While discussing an acquisition of Brendan Donnelly, Red Sox personnel were concerned with his rumored steroid use. Not for the fact that he was an abuser of performance enhancers, but instead because he “could be a breakdown candidate.”

The Red Sox decided to sign Donnelly as a result of determining that his velocity did not change dramatically over the years. So long as performance did not suffer, they did not concern themselves with what he ingested.

Though on a much smaller scale, this discussion is important to analyze Boston’s mindset regarding steroid users. If they were willing to take risks on middle relievers past their prime, why not turn their heads for a superstar slugger?

2. Nomar Garciaparra:

The first prominent Boston player inevitably a member of the 103 mystery positive tests is former SS Nomar Garciaparra.

When analyzing the stats, Garciaparra is an ideal candidate for steroid abuse. After bursting onto the scene as a rookie in 1996, he enjoyed four of the best seasons that his position had ever seen.

After injuries decimated his 2001 season, Nomar responded strongly in 2002 and 2003. He played 156 games in each season, the most games played of any point of his career. It was thirteen more games played than any year since his rookie year in 1997.

Two of the most publicized benefits from the use of steroids and HGH are healing rapidly from injuries and the energy to recover faster from day to day.

These factors would have enabled Garciaparra to rebound from debilitating injuries, as well as to cope with the daily grind of a Major League season like he did in 2002 and 2003. The experimental tests in question were administered in 2003.

Finally, it is important to remember his 2001 Sports Illustrated cover photo (above). Taken following arguably his best season in which he had 75 extra base hits and hit a robust .372, Garciaparra looks more like an NFL linebacker than a shortstop.

3. Dustin Pedroia

I am completely and entirely just kidding. The current AL MVP and most likeable player in Major League Baseball, Pedroia forever exonerated himself from any steroid speculation after this dance performance:


Pedroia displays more rolls than a bakery, and his undefined body is more than enough evidence that he swallows more donuts than anabolic steroids.

4. David ‘Big Papi’ Ortiz

David Ortiz was signed by the Red Sox in January 2003, after he was released by the Minnesota Twins. This was ‘coincidentally’ both the year of the tests and Big Papi’s miraculous breakout season.

Ortiz could not beat out Jeremy Giambi for the first base job to open the season, yet he suddenly acquired consistent light-tower power that landed him fifth in the MVP race at the end of the season.

Big Papi was playing in his seventh AL season, which seems deep into a career to have such a rapid turnaround. Ortiz had a career high of 20 home runs upon arriving in Boston, and was more than doubling that total by his second year there.

In 2005 and 2006 in particular, Ortiz averaged more home runs per year than he had in his final three Twins seasons combined.

Coupled with a very drastic increase in power numbers starting in 2003, Ortiz began to experience injury problems at a young age.

In the summer of 2006 at only 30 years old, Ortiz suffered from an irregular heartbeat. It is well documented that heart conditions can commonly result from the use of steroids.

Ortiz next was forced to play all of 2007 with a knee injury, and missed a large portion of 2008 while battling a painful wrist injury. Steroid users are more susceptible to injuries of joints and tendons, and Ortiz’s injury history is textbook.

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There are many more examples of Red Sox suspects, stemming from outbursts of anger from Kevin Youkilis and Manny Ramirez. It was interesting to witness a seemingly ‘fun-loving’ man suddenly snap and throw a traveling secretary to the ground.

Jonathan Papelbon is also very muscular and well-built for a closer, and has the tendency to become enraged on the mound. This same ‘mound rage’ was the trademark of Roger Clemens, and later pointed to as hindsight evidence to his use of steroids.

The fact is that there are at least 103 more names being hidden from the public eye. The odds suggest that every team has at least one more steroid user for MLB to uncover.

It only seemed fair to analyze the Boston Red Sox, a team that has floated far under the radar due to the New York Yankees’ selfish hogging of the negative spotlight.

2009 AL East Contenders Bullpen Analysis: Where Do The Yankees Stand?

Rays Bullpen Grade: B

Tampa Bay has unquestionable depth in the middle relief, with JP Howell and deadline acquisition Chad Bradford coming off of the best seasons of their careers. Grant Balfour also exploded onto the scene with 82 strikeouts in only 58.1 IP, as well as a 0.89 WHIP.

Even Dan Wheeler was finally able to put together a solid season in the American League. Wheeler, Bradford, and recent free agent signing Brian Shouse will provide an important veteran presence within a very young pitching staff.

Another interesting dynamic affecting the bullpen is the starting rotation’s tendency to not go deep into games. Scott Kazmir, Matt Garza, and Andy Sonnanstine combined to leave 40 starts before the end of the 6th inning in 2008. Adding a rookie to the rotation in David Price will only add to this problem. That is a lot of extra innings for a bullpen to throw without breaking down.

The Rays also have no dependable option for the 9th inning. If any baseball fans question the importance of the closer role, ask the Philadelphia Phillies if they could have won it all without Brad Lidge last season.

Wheeler was exposed down the stretch in pressure situations, blowing six games from the end of August through October. He was later replaced by rookie David Price in the ALCS, and Price’s move to the starting rotation in 2009 will eliminate their best closer option.

Troy Percival’s age and recent injury history, coupled with Balfour’s nearly 5.00 ERA in the postseason, leave the Rays without a proven stopper at the end of games. Tampa Bay cannot be given a higher bullpen rating than the Sox and Yankees without this necessity. However, if a talented young flamethrower like Balfour finds a way to step up, the Rays will be in good shape.


Red Sox Bullpen Grade: A-

The Red Sox also have the luxury of dependable middle relief, especially with the emergence of Manny Delcarmen. Boston has excellent balance in its bullpen, adding two solid lefties into the equation with Okajima and Javier Lopez. Okajima further adds to their versatility with his ability to frustrate right-handers with his changeup.

The Sox were also able to add Ramon Ramirez this offseason via a trade with the Royals. He is coming off of a breakout year, but it remains to be seen if he can adapt to the daily pressures of Red Sox Nation.

Depending on how Boston fills out the fifth spot in its rotation, they could also be adding two rising stars into the bullpen mix with Masterson and Bowden. Both blessed with electric stuff, these two could become the key wildcards to watch.

What sets Boston far apart from Tampa Bay is that they also possess Jonathan Papelbon, a lights out closer with ice water in his veins. It is an incredible advantage to have the ability to shorten games, and to know that a win is secured before the 9th inning begins in most cases.

Papelbon has recorded 113 saves and only 14 blown saves in his three full seasons as closer. His intensity and mean streak, whether it irritates you or not, is what makes him so effective at his craft.


Yankees Bullpen Grade: B+

When discussing the Yankees bullpen situation, where else can you start but with Mariano Rivera? Some fans worried that he was slowing down after the worst statistical season of his career in 2007.

Rivera responded with arguably his best in 2008, and reclaimed his place atop the closer world. A remarkable 13:1 strikeout to walk ratio and 0.67 WHIP said it all. I for one am completely unconcerned about a recovery from routine arthroscopic surgery. He pitched the year of his life through pain, and will return in great shape thanks to his work ethic.

The Yankees’ issues lie in the middle relief. A strength became a question mark with Joba’s permanent switch into the starting rotation. They will have to rely heavily on Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez, and the re-signed Damaso Marte.

Veras and Ramirez both have fantastic stuff, and can get out left-handed hitters as well as right-handers, which is a key to being a successful reliever. Both do have issues finding the strike zone from time to time, and will have to improve in that area to earn the setup role.

Damaso Marte is an interesting debate. Will he be able to pitch as consistently in 2009 and he did down the stretch in 2008? I am confident that Marte, now comfortable in the bright lights of New York, will build on the mere two runs he allowed in sixteen appearances to finish the season.

The emergence of Brian Bruney and Phil Coke will help to ease the burden. If they can perform anywhere near as well as they did last year, the Yankees will have excellent bullpen depth. Minor leaguers Mark Melancon and Humberto Sanchez could burst onto the scene in the second half if needed, but the winner of the setup role is the true key to the Yankees’ bullpen success in 2009.