Mr. Swish Goes to Washington

The 2009 World Champion New York Yankees were welcomed to the White House yesterday by President Obama and presented the Commander-in-Chief with a #27 jersey. I guess Reggie wasn't willing to unretire #44 for a day, not even for the President.

(All photos courtesy of Associated Press)

A Little Heartbreak Before The Joy

The House that Ruth Built... In ruins.



It will surely be a sobering experience for some as they walk past the ruins of the original Yankee Stadium and make their way into the new one. At least the Yankees christened the new Stadium the same way they christened the original in 1923; with a championship. It's time for the new place to continue the legacy and for new memories to be created.


(Photos courtesy of AP)

Heading Home

The defending World Champions finally return home to New York on Tuesday after a successful 4-2 road trip against Boston and Tampa Bay. Tuesday should prove to be an exciting day as the Yankees raise their 27th championship flag, receive their World Series rings, and welcome new additions like Curtis Granderson to the Bronx.

(Photo courtesy of Associated Press)

The Yankees and Red Sox are a "Disgrace" to Baseball?

In a recent interview with the Bergen Record, veteran umpire Joe West ripped into the Yankees and Red Sox for the typically slow pace of their ballgames.

The Yankees and Red Sox are notorious for their epic, nine-inning marathons and four hour affairs. As a result, West stated, "It's pathetic and embarrassing. They take too long to play." He went on to say that this issue is "a disgrace to baseball."


Yes, the Yankees and Red Sox are a disgrace to baseball, according to a longtime Major League umpire. The same Yankees and Red Sox that provide the game of baseball with hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue (the Yankees, in fact, brought in $441 million in 2009, $173 million more than the second-place New York Mets). The same Yankees and Red Sox who consistently provide the best television ratings for networks and make up more back page headlines than the rest of Major League Baseball. Yes, the very same Yankees and Red Sox who quite literally represent and define baseball in America thanks to the long, historic, and heated nature of their decades-old rivalry. What would baseball be without these two teams?

Since 1995, either the Yankees or the Red Sox have made the postseason every single year. During that span, the Red Sox accrued two championships (2004 and 2007) while the Yankees won the Fall Classic five times (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009). During that same time frame, only the Florida Marlins became World Series champions more than once (1997 and 2003). For Joe West to come out and publicly criticize the two teams that have made baseball what it is today in such a way is absolutely ludicrous.


Boston and New York play long games because they are and have been the two best teams in baseball over the past decade. Both lineups are full, from top to bottom, of players who see more pitches per plate appearance than the rest of the league. Last season, the league average for pitches per plate appearance was 3.84; the Red Sox were ten points higher at 3.94. The Yankees and Red Sox also ranked first and second, respectively, in walks AND on base percentage. The Yankees scored the most runs in baseball last year while the Red Sox were third. And let's not forget that the Yankees and Red Sox play more primetime, nationally-televised games than the other M.L. teams and ad revenue and longer commercial breaks has quite a lot to do with the pace of games as well. Do you think all this might have something to do with the fact that they play long games?

Mariano Rivera was asked about West's comments and responded, ""It's incredible. If he has places to go, let him do something else. What does he want us to do, swing at balls?"

Mo sums things up pretty nicely with that quote, I think. As for me, I'm going to have to agree with Jonathan Papelbon for the first and probably last time in my life; during spring training, Papelbon asked WEEI.com, "Have you ever gone to watch a movie and thought, 'Man, this movie is so good I wish it would have never ended?' That's like a Red Sox-Yankees game. Why would you want it to end?"

(Photos courtesy of Yahoo! Sports)

Meet Your 2010 New York Yankees!

Easter evening is Opening Night, and the World Champion New York Yankees will be taking on the archrival Red Sox at Fenway Park. After a long winter, baseball is back, and back with a vengeance.

Spring Training treated the Yankees well, and despite a few nicks here and there (especially this past week), the team will start the season relatively unscathed.

So who is breaking camp with the 2010 Yankees?

Take a look!

Starting Pitchers

















CC Sabathia, the ace of the staff, will start Sunday evening's grand opening in Boston against Josh Beckett. A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte remain integral, proven pitchers at the top of the rotation, and former Yankee Javier Vazquez is back via a trade with Atlanta. One of the only true competitions in Spring Training this year was the fight for the fifth starter role, with Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Alfredo Aceves, and Sergio Mitre the leading candidates. In the end, manager Joe Girardi chose Hughes and sent the remaining three candidates to the bullpen.



Bullpen






















Alfredo Aceves and Sergio Mitre are two considerations for long men out of the bullpen at this point, having lost the fight for the fifth starter role to Phil Hughes. Chan Ho Park, a late addition to the team during Spring Training, will also be on hand, as well as the Yankees' only lefty out of the 'pen, Damaso Marte. Joba Chamberlain and David Robertson are likely to battle it out over the set-up man spot in front of the great and incomparable Mariano Rivera.


Infield






















The starting infield for the 2010 New York Yankees is exactly the same as the previous season; Jorge Posada, Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez, and Captain Derek Jeter are the starters, meaning the Yankees literally have an All-Star at every infield position. Ramiro Pena will be the utility infielder, and following the departure of Jose Molina, Francisco Cervelli is the new back-up catcher.



Outfield














While most of the 2010 team looks much the same as the 2009 World Champion Yankees, the outfield is where you spot the real differences. Gone are Melky Cabrera and Johnny Damon, replaced now by Curtis Granderson and Randy Winn. Brett Gardner will be the left fielder, Granderson's in center, and Nick Swisher will patrol right. Winn remains a backup, along with former Yankee Marcus Thames, who was the last man to be named to the Opening Day roster.



Designated Hitter




2009 World Series MVP Hideki Matsui is a member of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim now, so the Yankees brought in their old farmhand, Nick Johnson, for DH duties. Johnson will primarily DH but can also fill in quite capably for Teixeira when Girardi needs to give his regular first baseman a rest.

So there you are. What do you think of the 2010 Opening Day roster?

(All photos courtesy of mlb.com)