Bronx, N.Y., May 16, 2010 — The Yanks already had a series win in their pocket when they took the field against the AL Central first-place Minnesota Twins Sunday afternoon, but that didn’t make the loss of the third game in the set any more palatable. The Bombers have been having their way with the Twins for a few years, and in particular at home wearing the Pinstripes where they had won 10 straight of these in the regular season, plus the two games in last year’s ALDS Continue reading
Author Archives: Dan McCourt
7th Inning Star War
Bronx, N.Y., May 15, 2010 — The Yankees, a team that has had its share of run-ins with Hall of Famer and mlb disciplinarian Frank Robinson, would do well to steer clear of any punishable behavior on May 14. Sixteen years ago on this day, ex-Yankee Dave Winfield supplanted Robinson for 12th place on the career rbi list. Friday night, Alex Rodriguez blasted his way past Robby to move into seventh place on the all-time home run list. I’d suggest the Yanks be on their best behavior in the coming days. Continue reading
Hughes Comes Up Huge
Bronx, N.Y., May 2, 2010 — It would be easy to misunderstand how the Yankees overcame the White Sox in the third of three in Yankee Stadium Sunday afternoon. The Bombers blasted the White Sox, it’s true, running up a 12-0 lead before Mark Melancon allowed a meaningless three-run home run in the ninth inning. They amassed 16 hits, blasted three home runs (none of them of questionable length), and Yankee batters reached base 22 times in eight frames. Continue reading
Let’s Call It a Sycle
Bronx, N.Y., May 1, 2010 — A great night was anticipated Friday in the Bronx. Not only were the seemingly never home Yankees returning to start a brief homestand following a nine-game, 10-day trip, but warm and dry temps were expected as well. It was almost 70 degrees and sunny in the afternoon, so we were confident in one half of the equation. Continue reading
Tex and the Texan
"Wily, gritty, gutsy"--Pick your adjective. It's why Yankee fans are happy when Pettitte is on the mound.
Bronx, N.Y., April 18, 2010 — Five days ago, Andy Pettitte whipped Anaheim in the 2010 Stadium opener featuring a killer curve that netted him six strike outs in the first four innings. It was a different Pettitte who took the mound Sunday, mixing every pitch he had and searching for a few more to get the right combo against a game Texas team out to avoid a sweep.
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Northern Inhospitality
His two hard singles started rallies, and Jorge collected his 1500th career hit today.
Bronx, N.Y., April 17, 2010 — There’s no better way to say it. Ignoring all the pregame reportage regarding the surging Texas Rangers and in particular hurler Scott Feldman, the Yankees couldn’t have treated the second-year hurler more rudely. After he was extended to 23 pitches in the first on a walk and a single, Jorge Posada drilled the young righthander’s first pitch of the second for a long single into right center. None of the following 37 pitches were hit particularly hard, but by the time it took Feldman that many to escape the second frame down 2-0, you knew his day was largely over. Continue reading
Honor Robinson? Can[d]o
Bronx, N.Y., April 16, 2010 — The Yankees took the rubber game of their third straight three-game series Thursday night, beating Anaheim 6-2 in a game that turned listless once Yankee power had taken control. All of major league baseball honored Jackie Robinson this day, the 63rd anniversary of the day that he broke the color barrier in baseball. But the Yankees took it one step further, as their second baseman, who has carried the first name “Robinson” in honor of Jackie his whole life, hit two home runs and drove in three runs against Anaheim lefty Scott Kazmir. Rewarded with the number five spot in the order beginning this season, Robinson Cano has been on fire at the plate.
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Time Loves a Hero
The mutual respect of two of the classiest professionals Yankee fans have ever known shines through.
Bronx, N.Y., April 13, 2010 — The Yankees and their fans celebrated last year’s Championship at the home opener in the Bronx Tuesday afternoon with a 7-5 win over the visiting Anaheim Angels. The team had all-timers Whitey Ford and Yogi Berra on hand to help hand out the rings to the victorious players. With the Championship Number 27 banner blowing in the breeze, Broadway’s Kristin Chenoweth’s rendition of the National Anthem was crowned by a Navy Phantoms flyover, and Bernie Williams tossed out the first pitch. Continue reading
A Southpaw Steps Forward
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 delivering the last three runs on a three-run shot into the two-year-old Tampa Tribune deck beyond George M. Steinbrenner Field’s right field wall. Continue reading
Wecome Back, Javy
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 teams putting crooked numbers on the scoreboard, having been reached for a six-run inning once and two five-run onslaughts. Continue reading