Posted by: Patrick
We've finally made it: March 31, 2008. Opening Day. Blue Jays at Yankees. Roy Halladay vs. Chien-Ming Wang. A new season begins. The final season at The Stadium. Seamus will be covering today's game. Welcome to the 2008 season and thank you for visiting YanksBlog.com.
03/31: On The Sports Docket Tonight
Posted by: Patrick
I'll be live with Ethan "The Kwass" Kwassman and Steven “Aceman” Ackerman on The Sports Docket tonight at 8:30 PM ET. The show starts at 8:00 PM. We'll be talking... what else... Yankees baseball.
03/30: 2008 AL East Predictions
Posted by: James
Well, I wanted to throw my hat in the ring about the AL East this year as well. Things didn't work out so well last year but I didn't count on Beckett returning to form so quickly. In any case, here's where I think things will stand 6 months from now in the AL East:
New York: 94 - 68
Boston: 92 - 70
Toronto: 84 - 78
Tampa Bay: 76 - 86
Baltimore: 69 - 93
New York: 94 - 68
Boston: 92 - 70
Toronto: 84 - 78
Tampa Bay: 76 - 86
Baltimore: 69 - 93
Posted by: Patrick
Tyler Kepner of the Times has a great article and voice assisted slide show covering some of the secrets of Yankee Stadium - areas of the park that fans generally don't get to see.
Among them, a painting on a beam in the seat repair shop, depicting Yankee captains Derek Jeter, Thurman Munson and Lou Gehrig with Gehrig weeping.
Via Ben.
Among them, a painting on a beam in the seat repair shop, depicting Yankee captains Derek Jeter, Thurman Munson and Lou Gehrig with Gehrig weeping.
[Yankees adviser, Ray] Negron, who has worked for the Yankees since 1973, said Gehrig’s widow once told him the room was a refuge for her husband when a degenerative nerve disease was ravaging his body. When Gehrig needed privacy, he would retreat to that room. His wife would wait by a side door, just up a ramp beside the old bullpen, and take him home.
Via Ben.
Posted by: Patrick
Peter Abraham has posted his blog interview with Brian Cashman. I think this is my favorite question and answer:
Chris asked: When you’re dealing with a player agent or a GM, and he tells you that he’s got such-and-such an offer on the table from another team. How do you know that’s the truth? Is there a way to verify it, or do you go on the honor principle?
Brian Cashman: “If you’re dealing with an agent, I can’t verify it until after the fact. Every time I close out a negotiation with somebody with a signing or if that player eventually signs with somebody else, I will talk. What agents will typically do or say is, ‘Hey, I got the following offer from the following club.’ I write everything down and I crosscheck that information after and I keep a list of who tells the truth and who doesn’t tell the truth and here are the examples. I’ll call out the agents on it. I’ll say, ‘I found out you lied to me. I talked to Joe Blow and they said that’s not true and you said it was and I’m just letting you know I take notes to this stuff. Now I know that you’re a bulls***ter.’ Or it builds your credibility. If somebody says they got this and for five years every time I crosscheck the guy’s never been wrong, he’s always told the truth, then he goes up the credibility scale. He’ll be more believable down the line to me when we’re negotiating. General managers have different ways than other clubs when they present things. You have your scouts; we all have our connections in other organizations to tend to find out and verify whether they’re down the tracks with a particular trade. But in terms of potential players or free agents, there’s nothing you can do. You have to fly blind.”
Brian Cashman: “If you’re dealing with an agent, I can’t verify it until after the fact. Every time I close out a negotiation with somebody with a signing or if that player eventually signs with somebody else, I will talk. What agents will typically do or say is, ‘Hey, I got the following offer from the following club.’ I write everything down and I crosscheck that information after and I keep a list of who tells the truth and who doesn’t tell the truth and here are the examples. I’ll call out the agents on it. I’ll say, ‘I found out you lied to me. I talked to Joe Blow and they said that’s not true and you said it was and I’m just letting you know I take notes to this stuff. Now I know that you’re a bulls***ter.’ Or it builds your credibility. If somebody says they got this and for five years every time I crosscheck the guy’s never been wrong, he’s always told the truth, then he goes up the credibility scale. He’ll be more believable down the line to me when we’re negotiating. General managers have different ways than other clubs when they present things. You have your scouts; we all have our connections in other organizations to tend to find out and verify whether they’re down the tracks with a particular trade. But in terms of potential players or free agents, there’s nothing you can do. You have to fly blind.”
03/30: Jeter Bruises Pinky
Posted by: Patrick
Peter Abraham reports that Derek Jeter bruised his right pinky finger during batting practice on Sunday. Joe Girardi expects that he'll be in the opening day lineup.
Posted by: Patrick
From George King:
Seeing that Scott Patterson was upset about being sent out, Hawkins headed for Patterson's locker. Hawkins knew Patterson was almost perfect in eight games (one hit, no runs in 71/3 innings) and figured he needed some encouragement.
"I told him to go to his room and have some drinks and charge it to my room, 901," Hawkins said.
Patterson didn't run up Hawkins' room service bill but appreciated the support.
"That was awesome, I probably needed that at that point," said Patterson, who will open the season at Scranton-Wilkes Barre.
"I told him to go to his room and have some drinks and charge it to my room, 901," Hawkins said.
Patterson didn't run up Hawkins' room service bill but appreciated the support.
"That was awesome, I probably needed that at that point," said Patterson, who will open the season at Scranton-Wilkes Barre.
03/29: Pettitte on DL; Roster Set
Posted by: Patrick
Andy Pettitte will start the season on the DL, but is expected to start against the Devil Rays on Saturday, April 6 - the fifth game of the season.
Peter Abraham has the Yankees opening day roster:
Lineup
LF - Johnny Damon
SS - Derek Jeter
RF - Bobby Abreu
3B - Alex Rodriguez
1B - Jason Giambi
C - Jorge Posada
DH - Hideki Matsui
2B - Robinson Cano
CF - Melky Cabrera
Bench
C - Jose Molina
1B/LF/RF - Shelley Duncan
1B/3B - Morgan Ensberg
1B/2B/3B/SS - Wilson Betemit
Starters
Chien-Ming Wang
Mike Mussina
Phil Hughes
Ian Kennedy
Relievers
Mariano Rivera
Joba Chamberlain
LaTroy Hawkins
Kyle Farnsworth
Billy Traber
Ross Ohlendorf
Brian Bruney
Jon Albaladejo
60-day disabled list
Andrew Brackman
Humberto Sanchez
Carl Pavano
15-day disabled list
Andy Pettitte
Jeff Karstens
Sean Henn
Peter Abraham has the Yankees opening day roster:
Lineup
LF - Johnny Damon
SS - Derek Jeter
RF - Bobby Abreu
3B - Alex Rodriguez
1B - Jason Giambi
C - Jorge Posada
DH - Hideki Matsui
2B - Robinson Cano
CF - Melky Cabrera
Bench
C - Jose Molina
1B/LF/RF - Shelley Duncan
1B/3B - Morgan Ensberg
1B/2B/3B/SS - Wilson Betemit
Starters
Chien-Ming Wang
Mike Mussina
Phil Hughes
Ian Kennedy
Relievers
Mariano Rivera
Joba Chamberlain
LaTroy Hawkins
Kyle Farnsworth
Billy Traber
Ross Ohlendorf
Brian Bruney
Jon Albaladejo
60-day disabled list
Andrew Brackman
Humberto Sanchez
Carl Pavano
15-day disabled list
Andy Pettitte
Jeff Karstens
Sean Henn
Posted by: Patrick
Hideki Matsui's wedding yesterday earned Matsui $2,000 in winnings from Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu. You see, the three of them had entered into a bet over who would get married first. Jeter received a one year handicap and Abreu received a six month handicap. Upon arriving at the clubhouse, both Jeter and Abreu were surprised by the news. But, both of them have conceded to Godzilla, saying that they won't be getting married within that time frame.
Humorously, it seems like Hideki may have been betting on what was a sure thing. "Sometimes you should have all the information before you make a bet," Joe Girardi is quoted as saying, by Bryan Hoch. Read more from Kat O'Brien, Peter Abraham, Tyler Kepner and Pete Caldera.
Humorously, it seems like Hideki may have been betting on what was a sure thing. "Sometimes you should have all the information before you make a bet," Joe Girardi is quoted as saying, by Bryan Hoch. Read more from Kat O'Brien, Peter Abraham, Tyler Kepner and Pete Caldera.
Posted by: Patrick
From Ed Price:
Via Ben.
The Yankees have told people they plan to carry Morgan Ensberg. So assuming a lineup with Johnny Damon in left field, Hideki Matsui as designated hitter and Jason Giambi at first base ("He's going to play a lot of first base," manager Joe Girardi said today), the bench would be Ensberg, backup catcher Jose Molina, infielder Wilson Betemit and Shelley Duncan. That makes Betemit the only reserve middle infielder.
Via Ben.