Change For Cano

Robinson Cano has made a decision this week that has the whole Yankee nation talking. Robinson Cano has decided to change his number from 22 to 24, sparking rumours that Roger Clemens is on his way back to New York. Clemens used to wear the number 22 for the Yankees, up untill his 'retirement' in 2003.

However the Yankee organization did not ask Cano to give up the number, it was a decision made by Cano for serveral reasons:

1) He would love Clemens to be a Yankee, and he woud love to be a team mate. So if Clemens decideds to come back to the Bronx his jersey will be there.

2) Robinson Cano was named after Jackie Robinson, Jackie Robinsons jersey (Number 42) was retired by MLB so Cano was unable to take that number on coming to the Yankees. Now he is taking 24 a reverse of Robinson's number to pay tribute.

Who knows what meaning is behind this? if any?

Jeff Samardzija

The mystery surrounding Jeff is finally over, the will be wont he sign with the Cubs, the will he or wont he enter the NFL draft is finally over. Jeff signed a 5 year 8 million deal with the Cubs on Friday to secure his future in the MLB.

Jeff started out well as a right handed pitcher finishing second in the Big East Conference in both ERA (2.95) and opponents' batting average (.209), and being named a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball magazine.

Jeff is one of the few people who have a choice which professional sport to go into, and many thought he would enter the 2007 NFL draft after he was selected as one of the three finalists for the Fred Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the nation's top wide receiver.

However Jeff saw his future in the MLB with the Cubs and now he is signed up he will start the season most probably at Class A Daytona.

Welcome to the Cubs Jeff.

CF? Anybody? No?

So the big question this week as the Cubs go on caravan tour answearing questions about the Cubs in 07 is: Who will be roaming CF on opening day for the Cubs? When Lou was asked could be give a answear? the answear is no. Simply because nobody knows who will be roaming the open gap. Checking the roster on Cubs.com if you revert your eyes to CF a nice patch of green will meet them, no player names at all. So who are the contenders for the CF space?

Soriano: A Very very very long shot, its so unlikerly that Soriano will be the starting CF come opening day as i write this i wonder why bother adding his name to the list!

Jones: Jones has been looking for a trade and the Cubs have been looking into granting him just that. If he stays then he might just be the starting CF. I think he is one of the front runners for the Job at this moment in time, although i think and hope he will be traded in the near future.

Pie: The minor league prospect has been penciled in as the most likely to take the field on opening day, he is a bit anxious at the plate for a starter in the bigs, and he often swings at pitches that he really shouldnt be doing as a minor leaguer let alone a starter. Saying that, he is young and he has a lot of ability, he has a above average defense, and with some tips from the hitting coach he could well be the man. I dont think he will be a starter come opening day, but when it comes to the last game of the season i expect to see him in CF. His speed is also another thing going for him, last year he swiped 32 bases. He is a winner, 3 of the teams he has been on has won championships, and if his team is winning then Pie is happy even if he mayby is not doing to well at the plate himself.

Church: How can someone who is not even a Cub be a contender? well really in all reality he isnt, the Cubs have been linked through rumours, but we are yet to hear (and i dont expect to) anything on this trade. If we were to get him i would love to see him out there on opening day.

So there are the contenders, if you are asking me now who i think it will be, my answear will be PIE. Mayby Hack Wilson can get his Cleets on again? hey :)

Hello, Again!

For the secound time today i am having to update the blog thanks to the Yankees picking up momentum in the wheeling and dealing area. The Yankees today decided to resign Utility infielder Miguel Cairo instead of bringing in Mark Loretta who they have been looking at over the past few weeks.

This move is likely to be accepted whole heartedly by the Yankee base, Cairo is both popular with Torre and the Yankee players.

The deal is worth 750,000 for one year, and it is rumoured that Cairo may even platoon at first with newly signed Doug Mientkiewicz.

I personally am very happy about this signing, another clever move by Cashman and the Yankees, the team is really shaping up well for the 2007 season.

Welcome back Cairo.

Welcome Doug Mientkiewicz

Just a quick little post to welcome Doug Mientkiewicz to the New York Yankees. The Yankees announced the signing of Mientkiewicz to a 1 year 1.5 million deal ending the rumours of who would platoon first base with Josh Phelps and Andy Phillips. Although Doug is by no means a offensive superstar he has a good ability to get the ball into the outfield and hit for a decent average, he also doesnt hit into too many DP's. The main reason the Yankees put there faith in Doug is for his defensive capabilities, the gold glover from 2001 will be a upgrade from Giambi and Phillips who shared 1st last season.

Doug is no stranger to New York after spending 2005 playing 1st for the Mets, he also was a influential figure in the 2004 Boston Red Sox championship team. Doug wont be coming into a hostile locker room tho, the Yankee players understand that Doug can help them win, and he has many friends in the locker room, including Ex team mates Damon and Rodriguez.

So a warm welcome once again to Doug Mientkiewicz

2007: The Chicago Cubs

What a difference a day makes, or should that be what a difference a few months make? oh and outgoing cheques for over $300 million with the Cubs logo firmly emblazed in the corner cant be bad either!

One thing is for sure, the players receiving the cheques wont mind and neither will the fans. Is it not time that the Cubs spent big, Passing up on big free agents is one critisism that has been made on the Cubs in the past, but now are they are actually challenging for the NL Central honours?

Lou Piniella replaced age old/tactic old Dusty Baker with the understanding that the Cubs will show there desire and commitment to becoming a winning team. Something which has eluded them as much the treadmill has David Wells. $300 Mill later and desire and commitment have both been firmly ticked of the check list.

The inportant question is can the 'curse' be broken in 2007? or mayby even more inportant is, is there even a curse to be broken? or is this so called 'curse' a phycological barrier needing to be broken down? Mayby a bat with the power of Soriano's will help do such a thing?

The pitching staff has been a problem for the Cubs for a few years now, the ever dependable Prior and Wood, the Cubs can always count on those two.............................. to find some way to make it to the physio table! Mayby they share a secret attribute with the phantom of the Yankees A.K.A Carl Pavano?

For the first time in many years the Cubs are not heading into spring training counting on Prior and Wood , either are they heading into spring training with a abundance of recovering arms fighting there way back from some kind of injury. Zambrano,Lilly,Hill and Marquis, its starting to look rosey in the pitching department!

A lineup with a 40-40 Soriano, power hitters Lee and Ramirez, this Cubs lineup has the potential to beat teams on both sides of the ball. Any team which has the potential to beat you with pitching and offense are going to be dangerous when push comes to shove and its time to book your tickets to the final dance.

The Chicago Cubs have made a commitment to 2007 and for the future.

The Cubs fans as loyal as ever will be positioned as usual come opening day, stands filled. Ivy reflection complimenting the glimmer of hope in every Cubs fans eye. The new found confidence filling the aura of a sunny day at Wrigley. When Soriano takes his stance in the batting circle for the first time the start of something special will be well under way.

You know the feeling you get when you know something positive is going to happen, a sense that the waiting and longing for success will be over very soon? thats the feeling i get when thinking of the Cubs in 2007. It doesnt nessasarily mean that they will win the World Series. But who knows?

Development, achievement and success are possible for anyone who is willing to take a chance. You can be stuck on a 3, the only way to progress is to take a chance and roll the dice again . It could come out bad and you could role a 1 and everything you worked and hoped for comes crashing down or you could role a 6. You dont know untill you take that chance!Jim Hendry rolled that dice, it will be a hell of a slalom untill we see what number that dice settles on.

J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS

At the start of the season the play-offs seemed as far away as a NBA title does for the Knicks in the next 5 years. Here we are January the 3rd 2007 5 days away from a wild card playoff game in Foxburgh between the Jets and the old rival Patriots.

I have no hopes the play-offs absoluterly none, im just still happy to be able to talk about football after the regular season has closed out. The Jets are here and were not gonna go out quiet, the team ethic is there, and we are gonan give it a good go.

How are we going to beat the Pats? simple plug the run and pressure Brady, without the run the Pats will struggle, they still have a awesome QB in Brady but there receiving core is nothing to write home about. Maroney and Dillon is where the trouble will come, plug that up and we have a chance.

Everyone wants to win, the pressure is off the Jets and firmly placed on the Pats shoulders, nothing can keep me away from this game on Sunday, even if it was my wedding day i would have a hand held Tv tucked in my wife to be's veil, thats the delight i have for the Jets achievement this season.

So all i can say is J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS

Im proud of what they have done and all the best, whatever the outcome on Sunday this season will not be forgotten lightly.

Making a Return

Howdy Folks

In between starting Uni and following my Jets to the play-offs i lost track of keeping this up to date.

After a long long absence i have decided to resurect my blog that i love so dear with a few new things, Lately i have developed a facination with the Cubs, even tho i have liked the Cubs since i have started watching baseball i never really considered myself a 'fan' in the typical sense of the word, well now thinking about it i have decided to dedicate some time to talking about the Cubs. Of course this blog is still dedicated to the Yankees, it will also have Cubs news and also mayby a Jet article spalshed in here and there. Being 2007 i wont concentrate on the horror showing in the play-offs, this is a new year and its time to look ahead to the future not back to the past.

So what to say about how the Yankees are forming in 07, all i can say is im happy on deals that have been done and ones that we passed on I.E ZITO (Crazy Money).
First i will say welcome back to Andy Pettite, back to where he belongs, since his absense the yankees have been absent from the World Series so im hoping Andy can help us get back to where we belong.
Another good thing about this Pettite trade is the fact that it enhances our chances of bringing back another Yankee legend in Roger Clemens, give him the money for a year and get him in spring training.

Kei Igawa, i really like this deal, hsi control and his command are going to be major factors in surviving in the unfriendly pitcher surroundings of the AL East, he has some good stuff, his fast ball and his curve aswell as a good change up, not many people are expecting him to do much but i expect a lot for the lad.

I think we still need to get some help in the Bullpen but talks of a trade with the Pirates for Gonzalez seems to have some to a stand still, and with Randy looking like he will be headig to Arizona it doesnt look like Linebrink will be wearing Yankee pinstripes next season. Also the 1st base position is a problem at the moment, Doug Mientkiewich is a possibility.

I like what Brian Cashman is doing with the Yankees, the fact that he is stocking the farm system (And a new sight to see was the Yankees farm system rated 6th in baseball almanac) Humberto Sanchez among ohers for the exspendable Sheffield was a genious move in my opinion and signing Juan Miranda was a clever thing to do.

But anyway untill randy is traded and there is something in Yankee land to talk about i bid you farewell.

Yankees @ Inidians 5th July 2006

Final Score- Yankees 11 Indians 3

Could not of been a better night in Cleverlands Jacobs field, the sun was shining to get the game under way, which was a welcome sight after all the rain of late in the Bronx.Jeter lines one into centre field to add to his .341 average in the first inning, and then proceeds to steal 2nd on a Giambi stikeout on some dubious calls by the official behind the plate. A-Rod groundout to 3rd kills any chance of a yankee run in the 1st.Yankees starting pitcher Mike Mussina has been the spark in an otherwise dull pitching rotation this season, and he will be pitching agaisnt a strong Indians lineup including the powerhouse Travis Hafner. 3 up 3 down for Mussina to cap the 1st.Andy Phillips snaps a 0-17 streak with a shot through to left field in the 2nd inning and proceeds to steal 2nd on Martinez who has gained the reputation as a catcher easy to steal on. Yankees take the lead when Cabrera lines one into right centre field to bring Phillips in to score and give the Yankees a 1-0 Lead.Hollandsworth sends one to the right field stands in the bottom of the 3rd to tie the game up, and to pile on the misery for the Yankees, Centre Fielder Jhonny Damon has to leave the game with a Oblique soreness muscle injury.Cabrera smashes the game open with his first major league Grand Slam, Posada,Williams,Phillips and Cabrera come into score to give the Yankees a 5-1 Lead. Followed by a RBI Single by Crossby to bring Cairo in to increase the lead to 6-1. It soon becomes 7-1 when Alex Rodriguez lines one to left centre to bring in Crossby for an RBI.The Yankees who look for retribution after taking a drubbing last night increases there lead to 9-1 after Posada brings Jeter and A-Rod home, also forcing Indians starting pitcher Byrd from the game.The inning finally ends with a Bernie Williams strikeout, but with the damage already being done with the Yankees leading 9-1 going to the bottom of the 4th.Ben Broussard starts the fight back for the Indians with a 2 run blast to centre field to bring the game back to 9-3. But Cairo lines one to right to bring Cabrera home to lengthen the lead to 10-3, followed by a Sacrify Fly by Jeter to cap the scoring with the yankees winning 11-3.The Yankees got a welcome relief pitching display from Kris Wilson whos contract was bought from AA Trenton Thunder only hours before the game, with him pitching 2 scorless innings.The Sandman comes in to close the game out and does just that.Yankees win game 3 of a 4 game set, to bring the series to 2-1 in favour of the Inidians. Mussina picks up win number 10 on the season on the back of some good offensive displays, headed by Melky Cabrera.

A Lack Of Faith!

So the Yankees have been on a bit of a slide, every team will go through one of these during the course of a 162 game season, and i would much rather it come in May than in September. Losing to the Mets was no embarrasment, they are hitting the ball very well laterly and Glavine/Martinez are 2 pitchers that are deffinaterly feeling there stuff at the moment, and then losing to Boston last night was hard to take but things might be on the turn....

Gary Sheffield started a rehab assigment on Monday and straight after the game he announced himself fit and he was heading to Boston, so we could see him in the lineup to wace Wakefield and the Sox tonight, one thing is for sure the outfield of Long, Williams and Cabrera is a far cry from the opening day outfield trio of Matsui, Damon and Sheffield.

Its a strange feeling to sit down and watch the Yankees without expecting them to win, as that is what im doing at the moment, i hope that they can win but i dont expect them to, and it says something when you have more faith in your Number 5 starter over your supposed Ace, the fact that Randy Johnson has looked poor in more outings than i can remember does nothing to raise the confidence of a depleted line-up.

Anyway with Sheff back that should raise the moral around the club house, lets hope so anyway as surely George is not to happy with what he is seeing right now....

My YouTube Collection

Laterly i have made a couple of Yankee video's so i am going to post them here so you can view them if you want, i will probably be making a few more so keep your eyes on this space:

Robinson Cano: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9ypYsU7iao

New York Yankees: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZsXWqI6DYg

The 06 Yankees: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkYoa0pBelM

Derek Jeter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcxfOgGjhrE

Yankees World Series: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmtqgH6-4pk