Last Month at Fenway...

Tonight, the Yankees open the most important series of their season in Boston. New York is below the Red Sox in the AL East standings by 4 games, but is only down 2 in the Wildcard race. Masahiro Tanaka takes the ball for the Bombers against Eduardo Rodriguez in a battle that has the potential to reinvigorate their dead rivalry.

A little over a month ago, the Yankees traveled to Boston with much lower stakes. They had just traded their best hitter and two best relief pitchers, and were working on building towards the future. Their biggest headline at the time was that Alex Rodriguez had just announced that the upcoming Friday night game in Yankee Stadium against Tampa Bay would be his last. In retrospect, that news feels ancient after the youth movement extravaganza that has taken place since.

But leading up to that Fenway series, one Yankee fan was arguably more excited than the others (hint: me). My family had planned our annual summer vacation around this series and getting to go to Fenway Park for the first time! The trip consisted of two nights in Boston and the remaining 4 in Cape Cod before we eventually headed home. I had never been to Beantown in my life, so getting to explore parts of the city during those few days was really exciting. I might hate their teams with a fiery passion, but I have nothing against the city itself.

On Tuesday, August 9th, we began our Fenway Park experience by joining in one of the stadium tours. We had tried to sign up for the pre-game tour, but since that was already filled we instead opted for the hourly tour. While it was disappointing not to be able to go on the warning track, we were more than content with what we were given on this adventure. 

As we strolled past all of the empty red seats, I could've sworn I traded glances with Red Sox president Dave Dombrowski. He probably didn't like that I was decked out in my road Yankees uniform, but I frankly couldn't care less. 

I had made it a life's goal to go to Fenway sporting nothing but blue and navy. I'm not even technically an adult yet, and that mission has been accomplished.

Here's a pretty neat shot I took of the famous seat marked red after Ted William's 502 foot home run in 1946. The tape measure shot was the longest ever recorded in Fenway's history, so it's only fair that every fan can clearly see where it landed.

We also got to take in the view from the Green Monster. I can't say I ever really thought the view would be worth paying an exorbitant amount of money to sit atop the enormous left field wall, but I was surprised by how picturesque it was. The above picture is my attempt to share this with you.

On the lower level, fans are greeted by this plaque and jersey honoring Boston after the horrific bombing at the Boston Marathon in 2013. You would be hard pressed to ever catch me rooting for anything Boston-related, but it was hard not to sympathize with their community after the tragedy.

Before long, game-time was approaching and the teams started taking batting practice. In between the tour and the game, we had to leave and re-enter the stadium. We stayed for 2 nights at the Buckminster Hotel, which is less than a 5 minute walk from the stadium and is known for several historic events; mostly for being the building where the Black Sox scandal was originally organized in 1919.

The lines outside Fenway were crazy long, but we met a bunch of pleasant people during that time. A majority of them were wearing Red Sox apparel, but only a couple we talked to were actually fans of the team. It wasn't casual fans either. We even met Blue Jays fans wearing red and navy... I didn't get that.

A-Rod didn't play in our game, but I was glad we got to watch him take batting practice and some grounders at the hot corner. I've loved Rodriguez and hated him over the years, but in the end I felt bad for how he was pushed out. I think he's done a lot of good things in the clubhouse since his season long suspension, and a lot of the fanbase was beginning to see that. 

The view from our seats was really phenomenal, outside of the big obstruction in the way. It didn't end up getting in the way of things that much, but it would've been nicer without it.

Boy, a lot has changed since this picture was taken of Larry Rothschild, Gary Sanchez, and Luis Severino. Sanchez had just been called up at this point and did not yet begin mashing like he eventually would. Luis Severino had just come off some excellent relief outings, and was set to return to the rotation.

It wasn't a good one for Sevy. Rick Porcello dominated Yankee bats for eight innings, but Severino couldn't outlast the 5th inning. He was tagged for 5 runs on 7 hits, and it was tough to watch. So tough, in fact, that I had to get up and get ice cream to relief the pain. 

In the 9th inning, the Yankees were down 3 runs and were able to walk in a run against Craig Kimbrel with 2 outs. The score was 5-3 when Mark Teixeira struck out to end the game. The final was 5-3, Boston. I went to three Yankee games this season, and they lost all three. Next year.

Despite the loss and the tough performance from one of my favorite pitchers, it was so much fun getting to go to perhaps the most famous baseball stadium in the world. It was a change of pace from the modernistic Yankee Stadium. In Fenway, you can be uncomfortable with obstructions in your way and still find ways to have a great time. That's what baseball is all about.

With that said, go Yankees. Let's take this series and snatch up a Wild Card, once and for all.

A Letter to the Hall of Fame

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I started watching baseball in September of 2004. Not long after my eyes were initially glued to the record books, I watched the superstars just before my time testify against the Federal Grand Jury in regards to their acknowledged steroid use. Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Rafael Palmeiro famously denied their usage of performance enhancing drugs, and I didn’t know how to react.

Several years later, my Dad took me to the Baseball Hall of Fame for the first time. It was here where I first felt the connection between the generations of history and the countless numbers. I walked through the gallery of golden plaques, astonished by the glorified treatment these men were given just for playing a game. We took our trip through time from Babe Ruth to Cal Ripken Jr., and I left Cooperstown with a fresh mindset about the game I cherished above all others.

Over time, the aura of the Hall of Fame has seemed to have lost its touch. I came to the realization that not every inductee was a hero. Ty Cobb, perhaps the most electrifying player of the early 20th century; has been noted as a racist bigot rumored to have committed many violent crimes. He, along with fellow Hall of Famers Tris Speaker and Cap Anson, have been speculated members of the Ku Klux Klan. The class of 1991’s Gaylord Perry made a name for himself by doctoring balls with vaseline in order to gain extra movement on his pitches. Even Whitey Ford, widely regarded as the greatest Yankees starting pitcher, carved the diamond from his wedding ring into baseballs to enhance his grip. 

Steroids did not become a theme in baseball until the late 1980’s, but athletes have searched for an edge for as long as the game has been recorded. Professional baseball hardly existed in 1889 when former pitcher Pud Galvin allegedly was injected with testosterone from living dog and sheep testicles, according to NPR. Amphetamines known as “greenies” were rampantly used among players for decades to give them the energy necessary to perform each day. Everyone from Mike Schmidt to Willie Stargell to the “Say Hey Kid”, Willie Mays have been accused of using them. Schmidt later admitted in his autobiography “Clearing the Bases” that these substances were “widely available in major league clubhouses,” and could easily be obtained with a prescription. Were these players “cheating”, too?

Now, it is important to note that steroids were not banned from the game until 1991, and weren’t even tested for until 2003. McGwire and Sosa became household names in 1998 when they battled for Roger Maris’ single season home run record. Hardly anyone hesitated when a reporter noticed an open bottle of androstenedione in McGwire’s locker (“Andro” was then legal in all professional sports except for the International Olympic Committee). The sport in its entirety turned a blind eye to the player’s exponentially growing bodies because it made the league exciting and generated more revenue than ever before. 

Barry Bonds was well on his way to becoming one of baseball’s all time greats until he grew jealous of the limelight McGwire and Sosa shared. He supposedly began using steroids in response to their record breaking seasons, and wound up hitting the most home runs of all time. 

Flash forward to today, where there are at least seven players on the upcoming 2016 Hall of Fame ballot who have previously been associated with performance enhancing drugs (PED’s). McGwire will be eligible for induction for the 10th time, having never received over 23 of the 75 percent necessary. Sosa, Bonds, and Roger Clemens have also been denied the past three years. 

Former All Stars Mike Piazza and Jeff Bagwell, who are entering their fourth and sixth years on the ballot, respectively; have even been shut out solely based on suspicion of drug use. Bagwell was known for his intense weight lifting regimen during his career, and Piazza knowingly took a drug to improve a back acne issue (talk about humiliating). This information has been enough to keep them out of the Hall thus far, which is not fair on any level. Meanwhile, David Ortiz announced his impending retirement following the 2016 season on Wednesday. “Big Papi” would be a lock for Cooperstown if not for a shady report released by the New York Times in 2009 that claimed he was one of over 100 players who tested positive for PED’s. Without physical verified proof that they cheated, they should not be punished in any way. Isn’t one of our country’s most powerful principles “innocent until proven guilty”?

The Hall of Fame has maintained a firm stance on its issue of integrity, which creates a roadblock for suspicious cases. The Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) states on the Hall’s website that a player shall be voted based upon his “record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played”. However, it is contradictory of Major League Baseball to shun these athletes from its history considering their ignorance of the doping issue. All of the players who used PED’s, whether they did it to break records or simply make the team, helped baseball recover from the disastrous 1994 strike and rebuild its fanbase. We are all somewhat accountable for allowing the Steroid Era to occur, yet we continue to play the blame game and cannot take responsibility.

Baseball’s all time hits leader, Pete Rose, has been banished from the sport for over 25 years for betting on the outcomes of games while managing the Cincinnati Reds. Rose has maintained a positive relationship with fans over this time, and many feel that he has paid his dues despite breaking baseball’s cardinal sin. Commissioner Rob Manfred met with him this past summer to discuss the possibility of reinstatement and plans to decide his fate at some point this offseason. Forgiving him of his faults and acknowledging his tremendous on-field abilities would prove to fans that the sport is capable of moving forward.

Advancing beyond Rose’s crimes would not only benefit the state of baseball today, but would start a forgiveness movement critical to the future of the Hall of Fame. If the accusations against current members are true and there are already cheaters inducted, it would not be fair to outlaw the superstars from the past generation. I don’t condone cheating, but I do think justice needs to be served. Baseball made a mistake, and thus, cannot pretend that one of its most profitable eras never existed.

It’s a similar situation to people who, in order to recover from a difficult breakup, choose to delete every picture and disregard the entire period of their life. It helps quicken the healing process initially, but in most cases they cannot hold onto the burden forever. Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, and Roger Clemens are human after all. Humans are prone to mistakes, especially when fame takes over. They felt pressured to keep pace with the rest of their opponents, which sparked a rippling effect that was not contained until drug testing policies were tightened.

If and when I decide to have my own kids one day, I will take them to the Hall of Fame. Just like any of their favorite superhero movies, there are going to be heroes and villains. I will be proud to point out Ken Griffey Jr., Derek Jeter, and Chipper Jones and tell them about how they chose to play the game the way it was meant to be played. Yet, I will also wish to show them the hits and home run leaders, and explain what they did wrong in order to teach them an important lesson. 

You may say that keeping them out would teach that lesson automatically. You may be right. Would inducting Bonds, Clemens, Sosa, McGwire, Palmeiro, Rodriguez, and Rose hurt baseball’s sanctity at first? Most likely, yes. People will continue to debate the purity of the game; which records should count; and how to penalize their actions for the rest of its existence, but the sport itself should not be allowed to pick a side. Not after they let this mess unfurl right before their own eyes. Let’s remember: the Hall of Fame is a museum, not a cathedral. The BBWAA, as well as the Hall itself, should not have the final say of what is right or wrong.

Oh the Times, they are a Changin'

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Hey guys, Drew back here. I hope you all enjoyed my take on which members of the Hall of Fame are overrated on Tuesday. It sparked more debate than any of my prior Ten for Tuesday posts, which is exactly what I had hoped for. The entire purpose of the weekly series is to inspire debate among my readers, and I've had a lot of fun putting the projects together; it certainly gives me something to look forward to.

If you read my blog, I'm going to assume you read Night Owl Cards as well. If you don't, you would be doing yourself a disservice. Greg is twice the writer I'll ever be, and I know I've improved from my days as a teenager in this community. He created his blog in 2008, around the same time I did. We have witnessed countless people phasing in and out of the hobby; more blogs disappearing by the day. But we've both (he especially) been able to maintain our interest in not only the hobby itself but in writing as well throughout the course of almost seven full years.

Last Sunday, Greg wrote about something that has peaked my interest ever since. He said that only two players in the Dodgers' 2008 Topps set have remained with the team up until now; Clayton Kershaw and Andre Ethier. From there, I was influenced into figuring out how many players have stayed with the same team since the birth of this blog. I technically started with Weebly in the summer of 2008, until I carried over my posts to Blogger that winter, but I will refer to the summer as the beginning point of this timeline.

This is what I was able to come up with:

American League

Baltimore Orioles - Adam Jones
Boston Red Sox - David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Clay Buchholz
New York Yankees - Alex Rodriguez, Brett Gardner*
Tampa Bay Rays - Evan Longoria*
Toronto Blue Jays - Jose Bautista

Chicago White Sox - John Danks, Alexei Ramirez*
Cleveland Indians - None
Detroit Tigers - Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander
Kansas City Royals - Alex Gordon, Luke Hochevar
Minnesota Twins - Joe Mauer, Glen Perkins

Houston Astros - None
Los Angeles Angels - Jered Weaver, Erick Aybar
Oakland Athletics - None
Seattle Mariners - Felix Hernandez
Texas Rangers - Matt Harrison*

* = Rookie in 2008

Total: 20 Players

National League

Atlanta Braves - None
Miami Marlins - None
New York Mets - David Wright, Daniel Murphy*, Jon Niese*, Bobby Parnell*
Philadelphia Phillies - Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Cole Hamels, Carlos Ruiz
Washington Nationals - Ryan Zimmerman

Chicago Cubs - None
Cincinnati Reds - Johnny Cueto*, Jay Bruce*, Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Homer Bailey
Milwaukee Brewers - Ryan Braun
Pittsburgh Pirates - None
St. Louis Cardinals - Yadier Molina, Adam Wainwright, Jaime Garcia*

Arizona Diamondbacks - None
Colorado Rockies - Troy Tulowitzki, Jorge de la Rosa
Los Angeles Dodgers - Andre Ethier, Clayton Kershaw*, A.J. Ellis*
San Diego Padres - Will Venable*
San Francisco Giants - Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Sergio Romo

* = Rookie in 2008

Total: 27 Players

47 Players. 13 of which, rookies. We aren't even talking about a decade of time passing by, and only 47 Major League players have stayed on their respective teams. There are 30 teams in the league, with 25 men on each team's Active Roster. That alone makes 750 total players, not to mention all of those who have been called up and sent down within that period. Only 36 of the 47 listed have played their entire professional career with one organization. It was Miguel Cabrera's first year after being traded from the Marlins to the Tigers in 2008. Alex Rodriguez's name wasn't completely obliterated, and he came off of a 2007 MVP Award and enormous contract extension. Tim Lincecum was on his way to his first of two Cy Young Awards. That old, washed up Phillies team we see today won the World Series. Oh, how times have changed.

No wonder why baseball is no longer the powerhouse it once was compared to other sports. Ever since the dawn of free agency in baseball in the 1970's, players have constantly been on the move. One of my best friends has always followed the game, but after missing most of the news from the past offseason, he was so confused from all of the player movement. How are kids supposed to grow up and love a particular team in a day of age where baseball rosters change as frequently as college rosters?

Growing up, I always wanted the newest pinstripe jersey of whoever the Yankees would sign over each winter. Looking back, a majority of those jerseys were of players who made pit stops in New York before traveling elsewhere, which meant I constantly had to get to know a new team and buy new jerseys. I know it's part of what you sign up for being a Yankees fan in particular, especially ever since the late George Steinbrenner took the helm in 1973. But clearly, my Bombers aren't the only team that makes you feel like the new kid at school every Opening Day.

It's difficult to think of a way to go about fixing this dilemma. It appears that the business revolving around the game is in too deep, and that it would take a substantial amount of energy and effort to market players who are always in flux. With the Core Four retired, Alex Rodriguez is now the longest tenured Yankee, and I have to be honest, it can be boring to root for them at times. My favorite players now come from all over the league, because I have since learned not to grow too attached to anyone on my own team in fear of losing them to the next team willing to cough up hundreds of millions of dollars on them. My huge Robinson Cano and Nick Swisher collections now collecting dust can attest to this fear, without question.

It's really sad. I love watching old documentaries and hearing about those "classic" teams; the ones where people could rattle off the entire Dodgers and Yankees rosters, position by position; without worrying about accidentally naming someone who is no longer a part of the organization. But, they make me jealous. Very jealous.

I know it's an old school opinion and approach to a game that is trying so hard to adapt to newer technology and innovations; but I still wish something could be done. At least we've had Yadier Molina and Chase Utley to count on being donned in red.

What do you all think? Has free agency negatively affected your interest in your team?

See Ya!

2015 MLB Award Predictions

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Hey guys, Drew back here. This is it; the grand finale to my 2015 Season Preview! I've had an absolute blast reviewing each team and making my predictions for the playoffs and World Series, and I hope you've enjoyed reading them. I know I'm not Buster Olney or any of the high profile sports writers, but I'm going to college to improve at sports writing and it really is great practice and extra experience that may help put me over the top one day. The final piece to this puzzle is my choices for each of the 5 major awards in both leagues: MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, and Manager of the Year. Some of these awards give you a good chance to correctly predict, but there are certainly some choices that may be way off track. We'll begin with the American League, but first, if you haven't seen any of the rest of my Season Preview, be sure to give it a look:

AL East          NL East

AL Central          NL Central

AL West          NL West

Playoffs & World Series

American League

MVP - Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels

It's a truly comforting feeling to know that Derek Jeter left baseball last year with a few excellent young role models that may be able to one day be revered in the same way. Trout, Andrew McCutchen, Clayton Kershaw, and Giancarlo Stanton appear to have the potential to be future ambassadors for the game much like guys like Jeter, Ripken Jr., and Gwynn have in the past. Let's not forget that they are arguably the four best players in the game as well. It's amazing that the widely accepted "Best Player in Baseball" is overrated; he won his first MVP Award in his worst of 3 big league seasons. He will be working on improving on lowering his strikeout rate in 2015, which should result in somewhat of a bounce back year.

Other Predicted Finalists: Jose Abreu (Chicago - AL), Miguel Cabrera (Detroit)

Cabrera still can not be counted out, although I did predict a regression for his Tigers in 2015. I kept both Cabrera, Abreu, and the National League's Carlos Gomez in my fantasy league I play with my friends, and I have a lot of confidence in them. Abreu may not hit for as much power as he did last year, but he seems to be a natural talent with fantastic overall upside.

Dark Horse: Josh Donaldson (Toronto)

I mentioned in my AL East preview that I could have chosen any of the three Blue Jays sluggers (Bautista, Encarnacion, or Donaldson) for this position. However, I can't wait to see Donaldson's first year in Toronto, as he has become one of my favorite all around third basemen in the game, on and off the field. It can be argued that Bautista and Encarnacion have hit their peak already, but Donaldson still may have room to improve. Watch out.

Cy Young - Chris Sale, Chicago White Sox

Sale has gotten off to a rocky start in 2015, fracturing his right foot a month ago. He is going to be ready to pitch the 5th game of the Sox season, although he would've been the undisputed Opening Day starter after his past contributions to the team. Health is a primary factor for the unorthodox lefty, but I think he will pitch enough to take this award rather easily.

Other Predicted Finalists: Felix Hernandez (Seattle), David Price (Detroit)

King Felix is starting to get to that age where we have seen some of baseball's top starters decline. Justin Verlander, Tim Lincecum, and C.C. Sabathia have not aged gracefully, and some may question how much longer he will be at the top of his game given the massive workload he's compiled thus far. I predicted the Mariners to go to the World Series though, so clearly I don't believe those talks one bit. Price is a good bet also for the Cy in a contract season, but his value could be hurt if he's traded.

Dark Horse: Masahiro Tanaka (New York - AL)

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Everyone is worried about this guy. Tanaka is returning from a UCL injury in his pitching elbow that could have required Tommy John Surgery, and any poor movement could potentially bring his 2015 campaign to a close. But he has been absolutely electric during Spring Training, showing signs of his brilliant rookie season, and until he does get hurt I think he's as good as any of the aforementioned pitchers.

Rookie of the Year - Rusney Castillo, Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox will have to clear up their outfield mess in order for this prediction to come true, but I believe Rusney's performance may have the ability to do that on its own. Mookie Betts is no longer eligible for this award, or else he would be the favorite, but I think Castillo will be vital to their 2015 success.

Other Predicted Finalists: Aaron Sanchez (Toronto), Andrew Heaney (Los Angeles - AL)

Sanchez was my original pick for the award, but the injury of Marcus Stroman threw that up in the air. He could be a breakout pitcher, without question, however, his role could be as a starter, reliever, or both. Until his place in the Jays pitching staff is secure, I have to give his one to Castillo.

Dark Horse: Alex Meyer (Minnesota)

Minnesota got their hands on one of the best young hurlers around in Meyer, and if he makes his long awaited debut he could provide some added competition to the rest of the rookie pack. He is also possibly the coolest substitute teacher in the country.

Comeback Player of the Year - Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles

"Crush" Davis did about anything but live up to his nickname in 2014. Sure, he still managed to hit 26 balls out of the ballpark, but that's really all he was able to produce after his insane MVP caliber 2013. This year, his suspension for non prescribed Adderall use is up, and he now has a prescription for something similar to use this upcoming year. He's looking sharp in Spring Training, and while I don't see him hit 53 home runs again (or else he would have been my dark horse MVP choice), he should bat much better than .196.

Other Predicted Finalists: Shin-Soo Choo (Texas), Prince Fielder (Texas)

I initially went with Prince for this award, but resorted to Davis as a last second decision. We are yet to see how his neck will play out over the course of a full season, and even despite the injury his performance was beginning to decline as it was. Fielder should have a nice comeback season, and I wouldn't be shocked to see him take this award home in the end, but Davis will be better.

Dark Horse: Alex Rodriguez (New York - AL)

I wanted to get a few extra page views on this one, I guess. Who knows though; A-Rod has looked solid in his work so far. He won't be an everyday player until Teixeira and Beltran go down with injuries as expected, but he will most likely be the Yankees DH every day. I can't stand the drama involved with his name, but he does still have one of the nicest swings in the game, and it could be of some help this year.

Manager of the Year - Lloyd McClendon, Seattle Mariners

Going along with my World Series pick, I have their manager taking the prize here. McClendon helped manage the Mariners to a 16 win improvement in his first year, and he seems to have learned a considerable amount since his initial tenure with the Pirates.

Other Predicted Finalists: John Farrell (Boston), Robin Ventura (Chicago - AL)

Buck Showalter is the best manager in the league, but I still have a hard time seeing Baltimore succeed. Instead, I went with two managers with teams bound to improve in 2015.

Dark Horse: AJ Hinch (Houston)

Hinch wasn't very helpful to the Diamondbacks in his first career stint as manager between 2009 and 2010, but that was half a decade ago. This young Astros team has a lot of potential, and if he moves the pieces well enough he could be in the running for some hardware when the season concludes.

National League

MVP - Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins

Hit in the face? No problem. I believe there is a lot more to this kid's game than we have seen, and as established as he is, let us not forget he is still just 25 years old. He hasn't won this one yet, but this could be the first of many.

Other Predicted Finalists: Andrew McCutchen (Pittsburgh), Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado)

Tulo will have a hard time winning MVP with his team's underwhelming potential, but he's one of those types of players who can turn his entire franchise around. It all comes down to him staying on the field, and having missed 222 games over the past three years, there isn't a strong likelihood of this. But maybe this year he won't face those same problems, and we will see one of the better seasons ever played by a shortstop. By the way, Mr. McCutchen, I love the new hair.

Dark Horse: Bryce Harper (Washington)

May I please have the attention of all of those who have written off this player? Bryce Harper is 22 years old, and has not come close to his "prime" seasons yet. This offseason, he has appeared to have gained at least 20 lbs. of muscle, and looks ripped and ready to go. His downfall is that he plays the game at well over a hundred miles per hour, and while it's exciting to watch, it's dangerous for him in the long run. One of these years, he's going to explode, and it very well may be as early as this year.

Cy Young - Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

There isn't a whole lot else to say about Kershaw, so I'll leave it at that. Until someone gets the nerve to beat him out for this award, he's got the best chance of anyone in this post to add to his trophy room next year.

Other Predicted Finalists: Max Scherzer (Washington), Matt Harvey (New York - NL)

That isn't to say that there aren't any good candidates that could also win. Max Scherzer has looked impressive in Spring Training, and moving to the NL could pay enormous dividends for him. After all, the Nationals are my World Series pick!

Dark Horse: Jordan Zimmermann (Washington)

Speaking of Nationals, Zimmermann is going into a contract year, and although he hasn't quite hit his peak yet, you can tell he's an absolute gamer. He's the type of guy who never wants to be counted out, so it would be more than a fair chance to see him contend for this award as well for the league's best rotation.

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Rookie of the Year - Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs

It really is a crime that this kid may not break the club because of contract issues. But it won't be long before he makes his anticipated MLB debut, and I'd be willing to put money on him hitting at least 25 home runs with a chance at much more. Spring Training statistics aren't something to get in the habit of believing in, but his 9 home runs are something all baseball fans have to take note of. I consider him a lock for this award, but there are some other players that may give him a run for his money.

Other Predicted Finalists: Joc Pederson (Los Angeles - NL), Jorge Soler (Chicago - NL)

Joc Pederson is going to face some pressure filling the shoes of long time franchise player turned rival Matt Kemp, but the ascent of Bryant may help alleviate some of that. He will be playing in the shadow of a prospect people have been hyping up for years, and I wouldn't be surprised if he did just as well in his first year. The Dodgers clearly believe in him, and he's been their best hitter this Spring as well.

Dark Horse: Noah Syndergaard (New York - NL)

If the Mets want to have a 5th pitcher in their franchise history to take home Rookie of the Year honors, they may wish to wait until next year to call up highly coveted righty Noah Syndergaard. "Thor" is scary good, and even he could surpass Bryant and Pederson by year's end if he pitches enough. I would not be surprised to see him in the big leagues for a portion of 2015, but I don't think he will pitch quite the amount necessary to beat out the every day studs. If he does, then he could run the table here as well.

Comeback Player of the Year - Matt Harvey, New York Mets

Well, if it isn't "The Dark Knight". What Kris Bryant is bringing to Spring with his bat, Matt Harvey has brought with his repaired arm. He's allowed 2 earned runs in 14.1 innings, striking out 12 in the process. It was a shame to go without him in baseball last year after he had to have Tommy John Surgery, but he appears to take the world back by storm. People have already been comparing him to Clayton Kershaw, and if anyone is to steal some of the Dodgers lefty's shine, it's him. If you haven't read Harvey's piece on "The Player's Tribune" about his year off recovering from surgery, I highly suggest you do so.

Other Predicted Finalists: Joey Votto (Cincinnati), Carlos Gonzalez (Colorado)

Both of these players have been dangerous in two different ways their entire careers. CarGo and Votto are two of the best all around players in the game when they're on the field, but being on the field has proven to be very difficult in recent years. If either of them can rebound from down 2014 seasons, Matt Harvey may have to watch his back.

Dark Horse: Matt Cain (San Francisco)

I would really like to see Cain produce something close to his past statistics next year. The Giants could use a reliable starter to back Madison Bumgarner, especially since so many of their pitchers threw more innings than usual in their championship season. If Cain can come back strong, the Giants may be able to sneak back into the playoffs.

Manager of the Year - Clint Hurdle (Pittsburgh)

Hurdle has won this one before in 2013, and has been a large part of the party occurring in Pittsburgh the past two years. However, they haven't been able to top off the year with a World Series berth, and this could be an intriguing season for them to make a case. He really knows how to identify with this team, and I would love to see him bring the Pirates farther than they've been since before I was born.

Other Predicted Finalists: Joe Maddon (Chicago - NL), Mike Matheny (St. Louis)

Joe Maddon may be slightly overrated in my book, but that doesn't make him a bad manager. I love the enthusiasm and personality he brings to the table; it really feels like he knows how to make his team rally around him. I didn't pick the Cubs to make the playoffs in 2015, but I do expect them to significantly improve, which could give Maddon a shot at this one as well.

Dark Horse: Mike Redmond (Miami)

The Miami Marlins may be the surprise team of 2015 out of the National League, and Mike Redmond will be a huge difference maker of that statement coming true. Even with the expected success of the Nationals, it wouldn't surprise me to see the fish take a stab at a pennant win if all goes as planned.

That will do it for my 2015 MLB Predictions! Thank you to every last one of you readers out there for interacting and checking out what I have to say. As always, please feel free to share your opinions in the comments below; that's what these types of posts are all about! Don't be afraid to disagree, because I certainly may not have all the right answers.

See Ya!

My Take On My Team.

Hey guys, Drew back here. It's been a rough week for myself, along with the millions of other Yankee fans out there. But, I feel like a lot was learned.



First and foremost, I want to congratulate the Tigers on their bye week against New York, and wish them the best of luck in the World Series. I'm a big fan of Justin Verlander and Prince Fielder's, and I think they definitely deserve to get their shot at a ring at some point in their great careers. Miguel Cabrera had a truly remarkable season, and as much as I like Mike Trout more, you can't not give Cabrera the MVP. If Detroit can beat the Giants/Cardinals, he will easily go down with one of the best seasons of the modern era.

The fact of the matter is, the Yankees were not prepared for the postseason at all. How they managed to put enough together to beat the surging Orioles was beyond me, but I definitely noticed a difference in the regular season and postseason Bronx Bombers. The most obvious change was clearly in their hitting approach. Sure, they're known as a power team, but it appeared as if any other way they could've tried to score was thrown out come postseason. They relied on power far too much against superior pitching (Verlander, Fister, Scherzer), and they came up with just about nothing. On a positive note, the pitching was far better than it was during the regular season, although Sabathia was knocked around in the last game quite a bit.

Of course, unless you live under a rock, A-Rod was in the center of the collapse, and even though he definitely played mediocre at best, he was undeserving of ALL the hate. Two of my favorite players, Robinson Cano & Nick Swisher couldn't hit the broad side of a barn through the playoffs. I didn't expect Granderson to do too much, but I didn't expect him to do that little either. Mark Teixeira had a few fielding miscues in Game 4, and didn't fare that well at the plate either, although he performed better than any of the aforementioned players. And nothing could've possibly deflated the team more than the Jeter injury, which may not have happened if Swisher could've came up with the line drive in right center field the inning before.

As much pride as I have in my favorite baseball team, I felt totally embarrassed by their performance. They had a solid year, filled with highs and lows, but typically more highs. We got to witness Boston suffer all season, which certainly was entertaining, and Jeter had a year for the ages, but Rodriguez struggled all season, and the Mariano Rivera injury still makes me cringe to this day. It's hard to see your heroes go down, that's for sure. But, the Yankees franchise has one goal every year, to win the World Series, and well, that didn't happen this year. I personally understand that it's asking for quite a bit to do that, however many people don't realize how much it takes to win it all. They made it to the final four, and choked worse than any postseason team in baseball history. I'm sure many of you found it entertaining, as the Yanks are a love em or you hate them to death sort of team. However, having watched all of the games in the postseason with the exception of the final game, I think it'll take a little while for me to recover from this mess.

Let's face it, the Yankees are old. Jeter, Rivera, and Pettitte are only around because they're Jeter, Rivera, and Pettitte; they sell tickets and jerseys better than any other combination in history. They all may still have some left in the tank, but I don't think it's quite enough to win it all. Alex Rodriguez's better years are behind him, as he struggles to catch up to an 85 mph fastball at this point. Granderson is a strike out clinic, and Swisher has had 3 horrific postseasons in pinstripes. If it weren't for the emergence of Ichiro Suzuki and Raul Ibanez, they would have been royally screwed.

I think the team has a big offseason ahead of them, filled with ridiculous questions that will be asked so many times that Brian Cashman's brain will explode. Personally, I think the first priority is to shop Rodriguez, even if we'll have to eat a lot of the $114 million remaining on his contract. Although he seems like a motivated player and a good teammate, the media has formed him into this clubhouse cancer that really doesn't fit him as well as they think it does. The media has ripped him apart, and possibly impacted his career severely if this ends up being his last semi-hurrah. He wants to stay, and most likely will, but obviously he's not in a very good spot, and if somebody is interested, if I were him I'd highly consider getting out while he's still alive. Nick Swisher won't get the money he wants anywhere after his ineffective postseason play, and I think it'd be smart for Cashman to move on from him and look elsewhere. Josh Hamilton would be an incredible alternative option, although he won't be young by the time his Yankee contract would conclude either. It sounds ridiculous, but if there's any team that can make the move, it's them. Cano has to be resigned, but if the Yankees do pursue Hamilton, Granderson will be done as well. I'd love to bring Ichiro back for a year or two longer, but otherwise, I wouldn't recommend keeping Ibanez, Chavez, and Jones, no matter how big they performed at certain points of the season. This is how I'd like to see the 25 man roster next season, although it may be a bit far fetched:

Lineup:
1. Derek Jeter- 3B- Yes, I wouldn't mind my favorite player at the hot corner next year. Although he isn't experienced there, I believe with his injury he may need to give shortstop a rest and play somewhere that doesn't occupy too much range. Third is where Ripken went, so Jeter can too, right?
2. Ichiro Suzuki- LF- This guy earned himself a spot back after a phenomenal, unexpected postseason. I think he'll take a significant pay cut and head on back next year.
3. Josh Hamilton- RF- Again, big stretch, but after a rough ending to his Rangers days, the Yankees may be able to afford him and add him for 3-4 years. He hits for better contact than Granderson, and hits just as many home runs.
4. Mark Teixeira- 1B
5. Robinson Cano- 2B
6. Russell Martin- C
7. Alfonso Soriano- DH- Soriano has to be dirt cheap at this point, even though he's coming off one of the best seasons he's had in a while. I can see the Yankees alternating Ibanez (if he doesn't retire) and Soriano during the season. Maybe a little far fetched as well, but hey, this doesn't have to be right, does it?
8. Brett Gardner- CF
9. Eduardo Nunez- SS- Not a great fielder, but Teixeira has a good glove at first still and I think the more experience this guy gets, the better. He's already got a very solid bat.

Bench: Austin Romine (C), Raul Ibanez (Possibly), Jayson Nix

Rotation:
1. CC Sabathia
2. Hiroki Kuroda- The Yankees need to resign this guy, because clearly he can pitch in New York. Run support was a major issue for this guy, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't try to give him another year or two in the Bronx.
3. Andy Pettitte- All depends on what he decides, but I'd be happy to have #46 back next year.
4. Phil Hughes
5. Michael Pineda/Ivan Nova- Who knows what to expect from these two. I think (hope) Pineda bounces back, and he could be developed next season. One of these two will be in AAA until an injury occurs, unless Pettitte retires again.

Bullpen:
David Phelps
Joba Chamberlain
Cody Eppley
Boone Logan
Clay Rapada
David Robertson
Mariano Rivera

Yes, no Rafael Soriano. I don't think he's going to pick up his third year player option, because Rivera claims to be coming back next season, and he won't want to be in the middle of a bullpen after the phenomenal year he had.

So, yeah, that's my take on my team, a day following their elimination. It was a good year, but it'll only get worse if they don't start to unload some of the big name stars like Rodriguez and Granderson, who appear to have their best days behind them.

See Ya!

October 1st White Plains Card Show Recap! Part 2!

Hey guys, Drew back here. Luckily enough, the last few days' workloads were not heavy at all, so I've got a little extra time on my hands to catch up. Following my card show review there may be a contest, so stay on the lookout for that! We'll now move on to part 2 of the show review, which will contain all of the other big "hits" I picked up there! Let's get it started...

PART 2:

MY PICKUPS!

We'll start with these two chrome prospects out of 2011 Bowman! I spent quite a bit of time searching through this one vendor's boxes of cards, because he had all sorts of newer inserts/prospect cards/parallels in there for a dollar a card. I took five of them off of his hands, one being the Bowman's Best Cano insert in the previous post. Next I got these 2 rookies, of Giants top prospect Brandon Belt, and Yankees pitching prospect Manny Banuelos. I got the Belt just for the heck of it, and the Banuelos because I didn't have much of him in my Yankees collection. I have a feeling he's going to be a good one!

The other two were out of Topps' newest high end products, Marquee and Triple Threads. Marquee is new to the hobby this year, and reminds me a lot of Stadium Club with the crisp and colorful photography taking up majority of the card. This one was of Reggie Jackson, and is the blue parallel numbered out of 299. As for Triple Threads, well, it's been Topps' most popular high end product for years now, and this year is no different. The cards don't tend to change much in design every year but with the new checklist additions and combinations it's always a risky but fun break. I got the Mark Teixeira gold parallel numbered out of 625, and it's a pretty nice card for sure. 

Next, I broke one pack the entire show, of the new Goodwin Champions product. Why? I have no idea, but I was hoping for something different, and I definitely got just that. First though, I did pull two sweet football rookies, of Cam Newton and Julio Jones! Those ones are going to stay in my collection for a while. Also, a very uncommon player I pulled was Addie Joss, a Hall of Fame pitcher whose 1.89 career ERA is the second greatest of all time! 

Then, Goodwin got weird on me. Here is a memorabilia card of female golfer Natalie Gulbis. See, this card is one of many reasons why I don't pull a whole lot of packs anymore. Then again, the pack did state that it was mixed sports. Well, if anyone is interested in the card, send me an email. 

Moving along to the better stuff, here is a 2008 Donruss Threads autograph of Yankees catching prospect Austin Romine! Romine got a cup of coffee this September, playing in 9 games total. He had 3 hits in 19 at bats, but it was nice to see him up in the big leagues, because I'm sure he'll have a spot within the next couple of years. I bought this card along with the next card for $25 in all, and I think it might be a pretty good gamble.

The other card in that group was this 2006 TriStar Prospects Plus "Farm Hands" autograph of Yankee rookie Dellin Betances! Betances, along with Romine and a few others, got to play this September with the big boys. He pitched in two games, one in which he struggled to the extreme in two thirds of an inning, and the other in which he started and threw 2 scoreless innings. Of course, I have no idea what the future will tell for Betances, but he definitely has the stuff to be a possible fourth or fifth starter very soon. This card isn't overly exciting but it was the best I could do in terms of his already fairly expensive autographs. 

The next four cards were all part of a five card purchase Dad made from my favorite vendor Hunter at the show. He always has a bin sitting around with relics/autographs/vintage all half price, which makes the deals even better. In the past Mike and I have bought some beautiful patches and autographs off of him, and I always like to see him at the shows. The first of the four cards Dad got was this 2003 Upper Deck Yankees Signature Series Dave Righetti autograph! The first thing that caught my eye when I saw this was that Righetti has a beautiful autograph! I never watched much of Rags but he was a solid player throughout the 80's, and it'll go well with the other autographs I already have in the set (Winfield, Mazzilli, Cone, Sieburn). One day I might try to get this entire set. 

Card number 2 was this 2001 Upper Deck Sweet Spot bat card of Alex Rodriguez. A-Rods been nothing but a disappoint this season, and to be honest; with the injuries he's faced in the past couple of years; for the price we paid for him he just hasn't been worth it. I've never been a big fan of his, simply because I've heard many annoying stories about him blowing people off for autographs and charging ridiculous prices for autographs just to add even more money to his insanely huge wallet. So far he's 0 for 10 in this insanely disappointing ALDS, and I really hope he can regain his form tonight to help us stay alive. Nonetheless, it's definitely a cool looking card.

Talk about a card that jumps right out at you! This card looks awesome! Numbered only 1/25 from 2009 Sweet Spot, it's a Vernon Wells 3 color patch with a whole lot of stitching. I just love cards like that. Sure, I'd rather have an entire jersey but when the card companies do patches right, they look outstanding and have an incredible appeal to collectors! This card is tradeable but I'd be looking for something nice for sure.

The last card Dad bought from Hunter was this 2001 Upper Deck Legends Willie Mays bat card! This card is so awesome! It's really cool to own any piece of memorabilia from a player of Mays' caliber, even though this one is awfully small. I love how the bat chip has the baseball seams etched into it, although many people may think it's hurting the pieces even more. Personally, I think it's cool enough that I get to own a piece of Willie Mays' bat, and I want to thank Dad for giving me that opportunity to, as well as for the other cards you bought for me! 

These last two cards were two of my more expensive pickups, the first being a 2009 Upper Deck Icons David Price rookie autograph. While James Shields dominated the Rays pitching categories this season, with an overwhelming 11 complete games, Price is definitely one of the more established pitchers in baseball. To say 2011 was an off year for him definitely makes sense, and was shown last night when he gave up 4 runs and struggled in the Rays loss to the Rangers. Regardless, I'm hoping for a bounce back year out of David next season, and wanted to get this one at a lower price while I had an opportunity to. It's a sweet looking card for sure, although the autograph is on a sticker. 

Finally, I saved this one for last because this guy is good at closing it out! Nothing better than a 2011 Topps Marquee quad relic of Mariano Rivera! I had a choice to make towards the end of the show, either to buy this card of Rivera, without patches, or an A-Rod card with patches. While the A-Rod may carry more overall value over time, I went with the Rivera simply because I'm happier to own it than I would be with the A-Rod. Sometimes its hard to remember that even though we all invest a ton of money into this hobby, you need to find ways to keep yourself happy, and there is nothing better than a beautiful looking card of one of my favorite pitchers in baseball history.

So, that'll do it for today's part of the show review. I sure hope I get to see more of Mariano tonight, perhaps closing out the game for AJ Burnett, bringing the Yankees back in the series? I know, it's unlikely, but it's always good to dream!

See Ya!

My Secondary Collection Choices

Hey everyone, Drew back here. I decided to completely re-design this page and update it so it will be easier for you all to see what I have, what I need, or what I just may want to have of several of my other favorite players who aren't necessarily my mainly collected guys. I wrote how many autographs, game used, and rookies I have of the players, that way you could possibly help me complete a trifecta or just add to what I have. If anyone has anything I would like to help this page out, please email me at yanks1996wsc@gmail.com and we could try to work a deal out. Thanks!

Reggie Jackson (GU: 3, AU: 2 , RC: 0 )

I've always been a fan of Reggie's, ever since I became a true Yankees fan. Sure, he thought he was the straw that stirred the drink, and he had his way with words, but think of him as the older version of our modern Manny Ramirez. I've gotten a lot of his cards already, but I still need his rookie card.

Reggie's Most Wanted: 1969 Topps Rookie Card

Thurman Munson (GU: 2, AU: 0, RC: 1)

I really like Thurman, he was my dad's favorite baseball player when he grew up, and he just seemed like a great leader and player. It's so unfortunate what happened to Thurman, so I'd love to honor him and start to get more of his cards. An auto would be unbelievable but very unlikely.

Munson's Most Wanted: 1975 Topps Regular/Mini

Goose Gossage  (Trifecta Complete)

I already completed the trifecta of Gossage, but I'm still very interested in collecting more of his game used/autograph cards. He was so intimidating on the mound and was one of the first top closers in the game, and with that awesome signature and moustache, I can never go wrong with more Goose!

Goose's Most Wanted: Any Autos/Relics

Mariano Rivera (GU: 2, AU: 1, RC: 1)

I never met the Sandman but people say he's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. With nearly 600 saves and one of the best pitches in baseball history, Mariano will surely be a first ballot Hall of Famer. I have a Rivera signature on a large picture, however, I'd also like to add one on a card at some point.

Rivera's Most Wanted: Any Autograph

Players I've Met

I always have loved meeting players, and normally, if they act kindly and nicely towards me, or at least didn't seem overly angry, I enjoy collecting most of the players I've met. So far, I haven't met one overly annoyed player yet. Here is a mini list of who I've met, my trifecta pieces of theirs that I own (rookie card, game used, auto), and what I want most of each of them:

Baseball:

Roy White- GU: 0, AU: 4, RC: 1, Most Wanted: Any Game Used Relic Card

Brian Bruney- GU: 0, AU: 3, RC: 1, Most Wanted: Any Game Used Relic Card

Al Oliver- GU: 0, AU: 3, RC: 1, Most Wanted: Any Game Used Relic Card

Bill Madlock- GU: 1, AU: 2, RC: 0, Most Wanted: 1974 Topps Rookie Card

Dave Parker- GU: 4, AU: 2, RC: 2, Most Wanted: Any Certified Autograph

Cecil Fielder- GU: 0, AU: 4, RC: 0, Most Wanted: Any Game Used or Rookie Card

Don Mattingly- GU: 7, AU: 3, RC: 3, Most Wanted: Anything I Don't Have (see PC page)

John Montefusco- GU: N/A, AU: 2, RC: 1, Most Wanted: Any Certified Autograph

Dale Murphy- GU: 1, AU: 1, RC: 1, Most Wanted: Another Game Used Relic Card

Scott McGregor- GU: N/A, AU: 2, RC: 0, Most Wanted: 1975 Topps Rookie Card

Ralph Kiner- GU: 1, AU: 1, RC: 0, Most Wanted: 1948 Bowman Rookie Card

Dwight Gooden- GU: 0, AU: 2, RC: 1, Most Wanted: Any Game Used Relic Card

Mel Stottlemyre- GU: 0, AU: 1, RC: 1, Most Wanted: Any Game Used Relic Card

Luis Tiant- GU: 0, AU: 2, RC: 0, Most Wanted: 1965 Topps Rookie Card or Game Used

Ron Blomberg- GU: 0, AU: 1, RC: 0, Most Wanted: 1972 Topps Rookie Card/GU

Steve Garvey- GU: 1, AU: 1, RC: 0, Most Wanted: 1971 Topps Rookie Card

LaMarr Hoyt- GU: N/A, AU: 2, RC: 1, Most Wanted: Completed
Tommy John- GU: 0, AU: 1, RC: 0, Most Wanted: 1964 Topps Rookie Card/GU
Lou Piniella- GU: 0, AU: 1, RC: 0, Most Wanted: 1964 Topps Rookie Card/GU
Ozzie Smith- GU: 0, AU: 1, RC: 1, Most Wanted: Any Game Used Relic Card
Bob Watson- GU: N/A, AU: 1, RC: 0, Most Wanted: 1969 Topps Rookie Card/GU
Ernie Banks- GU: 0, AU: 1, RC: 0, Most Wanted: 1954 Topps Rookie Card/GU
Denny McClain- GU: 0, AU: 1, RC: 0, Most Wanted: 1965 Topps Rookie Card/GU
Mason Williams- GU: N/A, AU: 1, RC: 1, Most Wanted: More Rookie Cards
Gary Sheffield- GU: 3, AU: 1, RC: ?, Most Wanted: More Autographs
Goose Gossage- GU: 2, AU: 4, RC: 3-4, Most Wanted: More Game Used/Autos
Jon Matlack- GU: 0, AU: 2, RC: 0, Most Wanted: 1972 Topps RC/GU
David Robertson- GU: 0, AU: 1, RC: 2, Most Wanted: Any Game Used Relics/Autos
Bobby Shantz- GU: 0, AU: 4, RC: 0, Most Wanted: 1950 Bowman RC/GU
Wade Boggs- GU: 2, AU: 2, RC: 0, Most Wanted: 1983 Topps RC
Andre Dawson- GU: 0, AU: 2, RC: 1, Most Wanted: Any Game Used Relic

Football:
Joe Klecko- GU: 1, AU: 2, RC: ?, Most Wanted: 1978 Topps Rookie Card (if needed)
Marty Lyons- GU: 0, AU: 1, RC: ?, Most Wanted: 1981 Topps Rookie Card/GU
Abdul Salaam- GU: 0, AU: 1, RC: ?, Most Wanted: 1978 Topps Rookie Card/GU
Mark Gastineau- GU: 0, AU: 1, RC: ?, Most Wanted: 1981 Topps Rookie Card/GU

Former/Current Hudson Valley Renegades

Yes, I collect a minor league team. But this is more than just a horrible single A team to me, it represents my childhood. I used to and still go to games plenty of times a year, and while the game is typically boring, it's always fun to go down there. Considering my baseball team played on the field, and I've been a counselor in training on the field, it's certainly a place I will never forget. Some players that used to be Renegades were Josh Hamilton, Evan Longoria, James Shields, Scott Podsednik, and many more. I will get some things of each of those guys, and I do also really like Hamilton and Longoria more than just I've been on the field that their careers began on. Also, one guy on the current team I met, who signed a card for me at the game, and has a decent shot at the majors, Derek Dietrich, and a guy I saw pitch for them years ago that I will also collect is Jeremy Hellickson.

Renegades Most Wanted: Jeremy Hellickson Game Used Relic

Finally, here are a few autographs that I hope to one day land in my collection:

- Tim Lincecum
- Roy Halladay
- Brian Wilson
- Albert Pujols
- Ryan Howard
- David Wright
- Ichiro Suzuki
- Ryan Braun
- Carlos Gonzalez
- Mike "Giancarlo" Stanton

See Ya!

The 2010 Yankees Position Players Review

Hey guys, Drew back here, and as you all know, the baseball regular season unfortunately ended just yesterday. I'm not gonna sit here and cry about how the Yankees couldn't win the division, because first, I'm not like that, second, they didn't deserve it the way they were playing, and third, I would much rather play the Twins than Texas anyway. So I'm here to judge our position players, and pitchers, I'm gonna give them all grades and stuff, so stay tuned. We'll start with our catchers:

JORGE POSADA: .248, 18 HR, 57 RBI
What an awful year for Posada. He suffered so many injuries and it really seems as if he's falling apart. He played in 120 games, with 383 at bats, and in some games he had his moments, but it really is looking like the beginning of the end for the 39 year old vet. Grade: C-

FRANCISCO CERVELLI: .271, 0 HR, 38 RBI
Wow, I didn't even know that he didn't hit one home run in all of the regular season. He did well as backup, and ended up playing in 93 games this season. He slowed down as the season progressed but overall, Cervy was decent. Grade: C+

MARK TEIXEIRA: .256, 33 HR, 108 RBI
Tex had an awful beginning, but a terrific ending to the 2010 regular season. With close to 100 at bats more in the first half of the season, Mark still hit more home runs after the All Star break. I would've liked to see his average a little higher but he is a great leader and a great fielder as well. Grade: B+

ROBINSON CANO: .319, 29 HR, 109 RBI
Robinson has matured since the departure of outfielder Melky Cabrera into a top notch All Star second baseman. He had an outstanding year and I'm really rooting for him to win MVP, although I do think Josh Hamilton has a better chance. I would rank Cano over Utley next year, and maybe even over Uggla, because I still don't think he's reached his complete potential. An excellent year in every way imaginable for Red Hot Robby. Grade: A+

DEREK JETER: .270, 10 HR, 67 RBI
Derek Jeter? You know he has an edge! Not this year Ford fans. Derek has declined into an un-impressive shortstop who's really aging and losing it. Although I think he'll make some proper adjustments whether he wants to or not during the offseason, I really think the end is also near for our captain, unfortunately. He still will rank above at least half of the shortstops, because he is Derek Jeter, and everyone thinks he's fluking, but I've got news for you. He'll reach 3000 hits next year, he's 36, I think he'll play a good 3-4 more seasons. I hate to see this happen, but Jeter is finally escaping his prime. Grade: C

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: .270, 30 HR, 125 RBI
A-Rod only played in 137 games this year due to injuries, but of course he reached 600 home runs, and he hit 30 and drove in 100 RBI's for the 13th straight season. He is 35, but I see more good seasons out of him. He had a sub-par year, for A-Rod, the man who makes approx. $30 million a year. His RBI total was very impressive, so he was one of the better players this year for the Yankees. Grade: B

The Rest of the Infield: Nunez, Pena, Miranda, Russo, those young guys were decent at best off the bench. Pena and Nunez are good fielders, and Miranda adds a little pop to the bench. Grade: C

BRETT GARDNER: .277, 5 HR, 47 RBI
Gardner is without a doubt in the top 5 most exciting current players to watch right now. He's a great fielder, a solid hitter, and of course, extremely fast. He's fun to watch. But forget his skills, he started the year hot, but cooled off as the year goes on. He still contributed, so all in all, a decent year out of the starting left fielder. Grade: B-

CURTIS GRANDERSON: .247, 24 HR, 67 RBI
Granderson started off horrible, and I was starting to get disappointed of trading prospect Austin Jackson to the Tigers for him. But, take a look at this. Before the All Star break, he was hitting .240 with 7 home runs and only 24 RBI. From the All Star break on, he hit .253 with 17 home runs and 43 RBI. Now that's a strong second half! I hope Grandy carries over this streak into the playoffs and next season! Grade: B

NICK SWISHER: .288, 29 HR, 89 RBI
How is it that the two players I decided to collect will receive the highest grade for batters? Maybe I'm psychic, but I guess I saw big years out of Swisher and Cano in the future. Swisher had an exciting year, one you can consider his best yet. He slimmed down in the offseason and was in great shape, and turned into a better hitter all around, hitting his all time highest batting average in a season. Great job Swish! Grade: A

The Rest of the Bench: Colin Curtis, Greg Golson, 2 young outfielders who made a small impact but did there jobs. Golson's memorable play was throwing out Crawford on catch him out-throw him out double play to end the game in a Yankees win. Austin Kearns was an ok pickup, he hasn't done much yet as a Yankee in the few months he's been around. Lance Berkman was a nice pickup, he's done well off the bench for us, but only as a DH. When he's in the field you'd immediately appreciate Teixeira more as a 1st baseman. And last but not least, Marcus Thames was a nice offseason pickup, as he's hit multiple walk off winners, and has provided a lot of power off the bench. Bench Grade: B-

I'll do the pitchers in the next post. What do you think Yankees fans, Yankees haters, anybody? Feel free to post something like this on your blog, I won't have you arrested or anything.

See Ya!