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March 11 in Yankee History

Dan McCourt — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:05:24 +0000

Johnny Mize and Rube Foster were elected to the Hall of Fame on March 11, 1981. Rube was a star pitcher, manager, and organizer in the Negro Leagues; Johnny finished his career as a part-time first baseman, super sub, and pinch hitter for the Yanks in 1949-1954. Mize was the World Series MVP in 1952, hitting .400 with three home runs in the seven-game series. He played for the Bombers five years, and earned five

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March 10 in Yankee History

Dan McCourt — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:10:41 +0000

The most recent and biggest baseball-related March 10 news for Yankee fans occurred in 1999, as it was that day it was announced that Joe Torre was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The Yanks finished the spring and began the season under interim Manager Don Zimmer, as Joe took care of himself and, thankfully, got well. He returned to the team on May 10, in Boston. In March 10 news affecting future or former Yankee personnel,

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A Southpaw Steps Forward

Dan McCourt — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:53:27 +0000

Well, the Yankee bats came so awake Monday that it took two ballparks in two cities to contain them. And they made some noise Tuesday as well. But the pitchers “dropped the ball” in a 12 -7 loss to the Pirates, the team’s first loss in three games with Pittsburgh. Ace CC Sabathia, throwing mostly hard stuff, surrendered four runs and a team cycle to the first four Pirates hitters, with right fielder Garret Jones

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March 9 in Yankee History

Dan McCourt — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:08:34 +0000

After an injury-plagued and frustrating 1935 season with the Boston Braves during which the elusive managing job he craved eluded his grasp yet again, Babe Ruth had given up. On March 9, 1936, he turned down an offer from the Cincinnati Reds to stage a comeback, an offer that once again hinted at a behind-the-bench opportunity. Former Yankee infielder Randy Velarde was training with the Angels on March 9, 1997, when he tore a ligament

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Wecome Back, Javy

Dan McCourt — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:36:49 +0000

It was hardly what any Yankee fan still reeling from what took place in October 2004 wanted to see. It didn’t help that Jimmy Rollins took Javy Vazquez’s first pitch over the George M. Steinbrenner Field wall in right field in front of a crowd swarming with Phillies fans. And Vazquez was pitching for a team that hadn’t won since its Spring opener five days ago. In that time the Yankees have been swamped by

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March 8 in Yankee History

Dan McCourt — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:06:05 +0000

We felt privileged and lucky to be in Tampa on March 8, 1999, when we heard the sad news that Joe DiMaggio had passed on. Had we been home when we heard it, we would have had nowhere to turn, as the Ballpark in the Bronx was not up to speed yet. Things were handled in a pretty dignified manner at Legends Field, and a painting of Joe was placed in front of his number

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Catch a Buzz

Dan McCourt — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 02:48:13 +0000

This was the advice from the very popular beer guy at Dunedin Stadium where we witnessed the Blue Jays host the Tigers Sunday afternoon. As it turned out, it was a wise move to blow off the three-hour trip to see the Yankees embarrassed by the Twins in Ft. Myers. It was on this day in 1857 that baseball decided that a game would constitute nine innings, not nine runs. Reverse that rule and two

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March 7 in Yankee History

Dan McCourt — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 05:05:25 +0000

The Yankees signed Orlando “el duque” Hernandez on March 7, 1998. He was a starter before the season was out, and won the biggest game of that season’s postseason in Jacobs Field in Cleveland. After an injury-plagued season in Montreal in 2003, he eventually re-signed with New York in the spring in 2004. Not much was expected, but he came through for a decimated staff, saving the season before tiring entering the playoffs. Alas, he

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Waiting for Good Play

Dan McCourt — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:23:30 +0000

Well, the weather in Tampa and the Yankee play continued heading in two different directions Saturday afternoon, as the home-standing pinstripers took it on the chin from the Blue Jays, 9-1. But although the offense continues to struggle, much of the day’s trouble can be tied to one unfortunate bullpen outing.

A.J. Burnett survived a shaky first but allowed two runs in the second.

Starter A.J. Burnett showed a good fastball but didn’t quite have

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March 6 in Yankee History

Dan McCourt — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 05:05:16 +0000

When Babe Ruth signed a three-year deal on March 6, 1922, he more than tripled the yearly salary of teammate Frank “Home Run” Baker, the second-highest on the team. But it was only fair. He had outhomered him in 1921 by better than 7-to-1; The Babe hit 59 to Baker’s eight. Yankee pitcher Pascual Perez was suspended for one year on this day in 1992 for violating baseball’s drug policy. Fans were treated to what would

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