JOBA DOWN AND OUT

Dumb Move Joba

Tough break for the Yankees and us fans. Joba Chamberlain suffered an open dislocation of his right ankle while jumping on a trampoline with his son for some strange reason. He had surgery last night and will most likely be done for the year.  Or maybe his career in Pinstripes.

What were you thinking Joba?  Just when you were looking good!  If you are suppose to play basketball do you think a trampoline is OK?  I am just dumbfounded!

YANKEE DOODLE ANDY PART III ?!?!?!?!

March 16, 2012 – The New York Yankees today announced they have re-signed LHP Andy Pettitte to a one-year minor-league contract, with an invitation to Major League spring training.

Pettitte, 39, owns a career record of 240-138 (.635) with a 3.88 ERA (3,055.1 IP, 1,317 ER) in 479 starts over 16 Major League seasons with the Yankees (1995-2003 and ‘07-10) and Houston Astros (2004-06).

Originally selected by the Yankees in the 22nd round of the 1990 First-Year Player Draft, Pettitte has pitched 13 seasons with the club, going 203-112 with a 3.98 ERA (2,535.2 IP, 1,122 ER) and 1,823 strikeouts in 405 games (396 starts). In franchise history, he ranks second in strikeouts and starts, third in wins, fourth in innings pitched and eighth in appearances (405). He has appeared in eight career World Series (seven as a Yankee), winning championships with the Yankees in 1996, ‘98, ’99, 2000 and ‘09.

Pettitte is the all-time winningest pitcher in postseason history, going 19-10 with a 3.83 ERA in 42 career starts. He also ranks first all time in postseason starts and innings pitched (263.0), and is tied for second with 173 strikeouts.

FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE GO TO YANKEES.COM

SPECIAL GUEST BLOGGER Juan Lopez --- Utility Yankees

Throughout the history of the Yankees there have been many great Superstars, many Hall of Famers, from position players to bench players. There have also been many great "utility players," men that have been asked to play one position today, another tomorrow, but which have done so quite well.

Many of these utility players have had to do with the success of those Yankee teams, and to this day continue to do so. They have no set position, although they can play a base better than others maybe because that particular base is the one that they have mastered, having played it for most of the careers. Others, well they can play wherever they are asked to, and do so professionally.

Today we think of Nunez, yesterday a Randy Velarde, and it's not only within the Yankees, it's throughout all of Major League Baseball.

For now, I will only mention our Yankees, but again, I have to tip my cap to them, and admit that they are as essential to winning a championship, as the Stars are, only that sometimes it's overlooked.

With this being said, many of you that have followed our Yankees for decades, who comes to mind that you recognize as a "great" utility man, a man that did not affect their club's efficiency with their play, but that instead helped in winning wherever they were put to play?

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Hip Hip Jorge!!!!

Why waste my time writing a tribute to the future Yankee Legend Jorge Posada when BtB's own Dan McCourt (aka Knuckles) did such a fine job.  Check it out!!

Help yourselves

http://sopastrike.com/strike/

Jose Campos The Inside Scoop

Here is the inside scoop on Jose Campos whom we received from Seattle in the Pineda/Montero deal.  I would like to thank our friends at Prospect Instinct.

Looking to unearth a prospect diamond in the minor league baseball rough?  Well, then Baseball Instinct has a scoop for you.  When the Mariners signed a 16 year old, hard throwing Venezuelan pitcher away from the St. Louis Cardinals in 2009, it was essentially a non-event in the greater baseball landscape.  He then remained in the Venezuelan summer league for two years while getting his US visa squared away.  So it was difficult to get a read on what kind of talent the Mariners had.  To further complicate things, there is some confusion as to his actual name.  On some prospect lists you will find him listed as Jose Campos, but on others you may find him as Vincente Campos.  This has caused some people to wrongly assume that these were two different players. Up until now he has remained shrouded in obscurity.  Please let me introduce you to Jose Vincente Campos, a Northwest League pitcher that needs to be on your radar.                          ...................................  more

Special Guest Blogger Juan Lopez aka Johnnyyankee

That's the way it is with the Yankees. It's been two years now that we have become more less spenders than we have always been known to be, and all are asking what's is wrong with Brian Cashman's check book, or better yet, the H brother's one. No free agent signings, nothing to improve the ball club as we have always been known to do, just staying passive.

When we were spending left and right, we were often criticized. We were, according to them, buying championships. If Mr. Big was out there, everyone knew that it would not be long before he was a Yankee.Now that we don't get that super player, or top pitcher, they can't understand what's wrong with the Yankees. So if you are aggressive, you are pummeled, and if you are not you still get pummeled.

When Pujols was signed by the Angels for what eventually will be a big mistake by them, there were no complaints, no one wrote anything about the Angels buying a championship, especially by going after C.J. Wilson also and dishing out hundreds of millions on just these two guys. Had the Steinbrenners done anything of the sort, they would still be getting their butts whipped by the critics.

If I was Cashman and for the sake of everyone's sanity, I would go out and sign Prince Fielder. I would put him at First when the pitcher is a righty and DH Mark. With a left handed pitcher on the mound, I would Dh Fielder and put Mark at first. Yeah, I would do just that, thus getting the best hitter in this year's Free agency, for if one looks at his numbers and age, he would be the top man to sign, not Pujols. Albert's numbers have started to dip and as good as he has been, Prince will for the next few years put up as big, if not bigger numbers than Pujols. With the right field porch of YS, the guy dhing and playing first will finish with over 40 homers. Yeah, why not? He would make a nice Three King's Day since it may already be to late for Santa to bring us Mr. Fielder. By the way, we celebrate Three King's Day in Puerto Rico and in all Latin American countries. Don't throw away your Christmas tree on Dec. 26, for you may find a present come January 6, Three King's Day...

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What Me Worry? Guest Blogger Johnny Lopez aka Johnnyyankee

I used to read MAD Magazine all the time and one of the things Mr. Newman used to say was precisely that, 'What Me worry?" Well, we should not worry if Brian Cashman has not done any dealings, besides securing his Ace and bringing back Freddy for 2012. That we didn't go after Yu, probably the last guy any Yankee fan would think Cashman for sure would outbid anyone, so what? That he may turn out to be the second coming of Koufax, so what? What if he turns out to be the second coming of Igawa? Can't take a chance on something like that, besides Bobby V. liked him, meaning that the Red sox would go after him, but did they?



Some here are speculating that the Cuban Cespedes, the 5 tool player that everyone is salivating on, will eventually be Brian's target, once he clears his paperwork. If not, who cares?


What we really need is for Alex to have his usual great season. People forget that last season he was hurt, but he's the same guy that since he joined us has had great seasons, so if he should come back healthy, we wouldn't need to worry about not signing Pujols, Fielder, nor Cespedes. Also, if Tex learns the art of hitting to the left side, and if Swisher doesn't jump off the gate like he did in 2011, our offense will be set. Really, I won't mention Cano, because the kid is great. Sure, there's space for him to get better, but for now he will be just fine.


Why worry then that no signings have been made by us? That the Angels did and some other teams like the Marlins? So what? Lets worry then that all of the above concerning our hitters come through, and that we get great pitching from CC and Noesi, good pitching from A.J., Hughes and Freddy(?) and that our bullpen is as great as last year, that we don't commit so many errors, and MLB will be the ones that will worry about the Yankees. For now, what me worry?


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CC Opts In! TRICK "or" TREAT?

CC Ya Next Year In Da Bronx!

CC Sabathia has decided against opting out of his current contract with the Yankees, a decision that comes as a surprise to many in the industry. However, CC has recently and often expressed his love for New York and the Yankees organization.  Sabathia thanked the Steinbrenner family and said, “my goal the whole time was to be able to finish my career as a Yankee…I look forward to seeing everybody out at the ballpark next year.”

In December of 2008 Sabathia signed a seven-year, $161 million contract, but had the option to opt out of the last four years of the deal.  As a former Cy Young winner and ALCS MVP, Sabathia was a key piece to the Yankees 2009 World Series team, and has been an All-Star each of the last two seasons.  Sabathia has clearly established himself as one of the most dominant pitchers of the decade.

CC and his wife Amber do a significant amount of charity work in the New York area and together have established the PitCCh In foundation.  The foundation aims to aid in the development of inner-city youth by building their self-esteem through education and athletics.  The foundation will host the CC Challenge, an exciting team race through Manhattan, on the 12th of November.  Visit ccchallenge.com for more details on the event.

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