The Return of Alex Rodriguez: Are Yankees fans ready to Forg1v3?

(Rodriguez photo Credit: Getty Images/Jonathan Daniel)

By: Cyndi Riegger
Twitter: @Label_Whore_Art

With a somewhat harsh reality settling in for Yankee fans, a post Core
Four season starts in 2015. The thought of what the team is currently
capable of is the subject of some worry. For most, the thought of what
it means to be without beloved captain, Derek Jeter, is sending folks
into a “The sky is falling” type of mentality and giving life to the
idea that hope is lost for the team unless Brian Cashman makes some
important moves in the offseason.

The start of the 2015 season also means the return of one of baseballs
most notorious headline grabbers: Alex Rodriguez.

His eminent return is receiving mixed reviews, as one would expect
given the reason he had to leave baseball to begin with (For those of
you who have been living under a rock, Rodriguez was suspended the
entire 2014 season due to his involvement in a Bio-genesis scandal). A
theme of perhaps offering forgiveness, as per a timely shirt designed
by Bleacher Creature extraordinaire, Vinny Milano aka Bald Vinny, that
emulates The Captain's Jordan “Re2pect” campaign; is making its way
around social media.

(Bald Vinny t-shirt photo is courtesy of Vinny Milano's Twitter: @baldvinny)

Rodriguez's t-shirt simply reads “Forg1v3”, which it sounds like most
fans are prepared to at least try to do next season. But, what does
this mean for the Yankees?

Already, the once star third baseman's age and physical condition has
come into question. The effectiveness that a 39 year old could
possibly have in the physically demanding position of playing 3rd base
and the possibility of A-Rod spending some time at 1st base to relieve
a frequently injured and ailing Mark Teixeira.. Via a report by Bryan
Hoch on MLB.com, it was said Manager Joe Girardi has run the idea by
Rodriguez. It, however, did not mention Rodriguez's reaction or
readiness to do so.

Still, with the 2014 Yankees season over, the return of Alex Rodriguez
could serve as some sort of comfort for those missing a more familiar
name and face on the roster. With big names like Jeter, Rivera,
Pettite and Posada now gone, thus ending an era for the team, perhaps
a newly invigorated Rodriguez might be what the team needs.

At 39 and having missed an entire season of play, Rodriguez's at bat
presence is sure to have suffered, though given his work ethic which
no matter what scandal he has been involved in, has always been
reported as remaining at a high level; this Yankee fan is certain it
has been worked on at length in his time away. With any luck, A-Rod
can be reconditioned in Tampa next Spring and Bronx ready by Opening
Day.

Til then, Brian Cashman has some work ahead of him to hopefully
rebuild the team known for its love of championships and with any
luck, they'll see one in 2015 with an enthusiastic and focused Alex
Rodriguez perhaps leading the charge.

The Captain Derek Jeter, "Walks Off" With His Final RBI Walkoff Win EVER at Yankee Stadium, Before Closing Out His Final Game EVER in Style, at Fenway Park.

by: Dana P. (E.I.C.)

September 25th, 2014 was probably one of the most painful, heartbreaking days, any TRUE Yankee fan has come to experience. Watching our captain hang up the hat, at his last game EVER played at Yankee Stadium, just truly is so hard to put into words. We all knew for a while that this day was coming, but I didn't let it hit me in full force until Thursday night. 

The first set of tears ran down my face while John and Suzyn were talking during the pregame on WFAN; then watching Jeter walk out on the field in the first inning for the last time, is when it got me even more. But it hit me even harder in the 9th.....I broke down.

No one knew how the game would end. We didn't know if he was going to be pulled off the field in the 7th, 8th, or 9th. We didn't even know if he would be pulled at all. Predictions were being thrown all over the place by many fans, and even former Yankee great like Mariano Rivera. I myself thought he would be pulled off the field in the 9th, similar to Mo being taken out in the 8th inning last year, with a PROPER farewell to "The Sandman." But I don't think ANYONE could've predicted the game would end the way it did. 

Of course, David Robertson blew the save as the Yanks were up 5-2. Adam Jones hit a two-run homer off Robertson, and Steve Pearce hit a bases-empty shot to tie the score. I have seen on Twitter and other social media networks, a few (dumb) Yankee fans saying that Robertson did this on purpose. He purposely BLEW the save to give Jeter one last at-bat. So my question is, what would've happened if he DIDN'T get a hit? Did anyone think about what would've happened in the top of the 9th IF Baltimore didn't fire back to tie up the game? What would've happened after the 3rd out, if the Yankees WON the game? It would've been just a regular win that meant nothing. Their playoff spot is gone and the Orioles have already clinched. Did anyone stop to think what would've happened if Jeter did NOT get that RBI to win the game? What was going to happen if we went into extra innings? How would it have ended properly with respect to the FINAL game ever at Yankee Stadium, for The Captain? 

You cannot plan these things. Maybe in football, or even basketball. But baseball? It doesn't work that way. For any Yankee fan to say that Robertson purposely blew the game is absolutely ubserd. 

A story book ending? Sure. For most. Not for me. This isn't how I wanted to see the game end, as crazy as that sounds. I feel it wasn't appropriate and something else might've been planned if Robertson didn't give up those hits. What was planned, IF there was something planned, we may never know. Whether the game resulted in a win or not, Robertson still ruined the game in my eyes. 

To me it looked like Joe (Girardi) was pondering, and possibly READY to do "something else" before Jones knocked out that 2 run homer. 

Derek Jeter was more known for being the shortstop of the New York Yankees, rather then being their power hitter. Coming thru clutch? Absolutely. He came thru ALL the time for us. But being on that field at shortstop is where his heart was set. Exiting the game with a winning WALKOFF RBI was definelty a way to leave in fashion, how ever I would've preferred to see him leave the game, by leaving shortstop.

(Derek Jeters nephew tipping his hat to his Uncle DJ.)

Derek made it quite clear that Yankee Stadium was the last place he wanted to play shortstop. Girardi put him in the lineup as the DH on Saturday and Sunday for the series in Boston, but requested for a day off on Friday. The guy who nearly blew Jeters final game at Yankee Stadium spoke of Jeter on Friday. 

According to ESPN.go.com

"It doesn't surprise me," said David Robertson, who earned his 39th save. "There's a lot of Yankee fans in the seats tonight and I know that the Red Sox fans love and respect him."

"I don't know if they love him," he said with a grin, "but they respect him."

Jeter left Yankee Stadium with an RBI win, and left BASEBALL with another RBI in Boston, on Sunday. 

The Core Four is gone, and baseball will never be the same again. 

Yankees Core 4 and the end of an amazing ERA

Yankees Core 4 and the end of an amazing ERA

By Frantz Paul 

Photo Credit:cbsSports.com

Well Yankees nation, it’s been a hell of a run we’ve had since 1996. The run I’m talking about is the one involving the core 4 Yankee legends of Mariano Rivera, Andy Petite, Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter. That quartet of greatness has brought Yankees fans across the globe some of the greatest moments in our sporting lives, and we can never repay them for what they brought to Yankees nation. But with the core four almost completely off the playing field with Derek Jeter retiring after this 2014 MLB season, how will we cope and prosper?

The Core 4 And Why Yankees Nation Is Scared… 

As much as the world loves to make a bid deal about the supposed abhorrent amount of money that late great Yankees owner George Steinbrenner spent on players over the years, detractors always fail to mention that the cornerstones of the franchise for the last 20 years were homegrown Yankees. Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter, Andy Petite and Mariano Rivera are all true Yankees to the core and came up with the organization from the outset. With Jeter at shortstop, Petite on the mound, Posada directing traffic, and Rivera shutting the door on batters for years, the core 4 brought the Yankees 5 championships. With those 4 players on the Yankees roster, the Yankees always stood a chance to go deep in the playoffs and bring championships to the Bronx. If there was ever a need for a clutch hit, who was better on an 0-2 count in the playoffs than El Capitan himself Jeter? No one, and all his clutch hits and plays over his career have proved it. Whenever the Yankees needed an Ace to come to the mound and give Jeter and the boys a chance to win, Joe Torre always called on Andy Petite to go deep into the pitch count and make sure he kept rival bats quiet. And crouching behind the batters throwing guys out and quarterbacking the offense was the always-reliable Jorge Posada; who was there for a timely hit when the Yankees needed him. And last but definitely not least is the Hammer of God himself Mariano Rivera. Any man that comes out to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” is a Legend for that alone. But once Mariano touched the mound, opposing batters knew their number was up. In baseball there are 5 tool players meaning an athlete who excels at hitting for average, hitting for power, baserunning skills and speed, throwing ability, and fielding abilities. Those are the ideal position players. And then there are pitchers that have multiple pitches they can beat you with. Mariano is the greatest closer of all-time and he did it with one pitch his entire career, the fastball. They say the true sign of madness is doing something over and over again and expecting a different result. Batters facing Mariano knew what was coming, were ready for it, swung thinking there would be a different result from their prior encounter with Mariano, only to find themselves walking to the dugout with a broken bat and shattered dreams. Of course George spent money to build a powerhouse team on the foundation that was the Core 4, but it all started with them. But now, there’s only one left standing, and Jeter’s run has come to its end. It looks like there may be dark times ahead for the Yankees and there isn’t another Core 4 waiting in the wings to build on.

The Yankees have Yangervis Solarte who is still relatively young at 27 years old and is a really good 3^rd basemen. And they also have their newest ace in Masahiro Tanaka who has taken Major League Baseball by storm and is just 25 years old. Tanaka is still too early in his major league career for us to know if what he’s been doing in the Majors is sustainable. But if what we’ve seen so far is the real deal, then the Yankees have their future ace for years to come. But barring those two and maybe a few guys in the minors, the Yankees future doesn’t seem like an envious one right now.  The Yankees are an older team who are injury prone and just fighting to stay alive in their own division. The Yankees are playing .500 baseball so far this season, and are 5 back in the division behind the Baltimore Orioles. With players like Tanaka, CC Sabathia, Michael Pineda, Ivan Nova and Carlos Beltran on the Disabled List, the Yankees are short on arms and some hitting. Maybe the Yankees will get all those players back at the right time in August, and start making a run for October. But once the season is over, the Yankees organization as a whole has to really take a look at everything from top to bottom and figure out how this team will get back to winning trophies regularly like the fans were used to under the Core 4. 

We will all miss what Jeter, Posada, Petite, and Rivera brought our lives since the mid-90’s. Hopefully the Steinbrenner’s have something players brewing in the minors that’ll propel the organization back into the forefront after some grooming. If not, Yankees Nation should enjoy what we have left of Captain Jeter, and what the other three Core 4 members gave us, and be glad you were part of it. I know I am. 

Follow @LSN_Frantz on Twitter  

Yankee injury update, Yankees are no longer "The Yankees," Derek Jeter, and more.

With only one member of the Core Four left, and very few "original Yankees" left from the farm system, you're looking at a team filled with free agents and minor league guys. The FEW Yankees left from the farm system are; Derek Jeter, Brett Gardner, Alfonso Soriano, David Robertson and Francisco Cervelli.

Brian Cashman has put this team together that was supposed to be built to win a championship this year. Instead, majority of them are on the bench, and its looking like they will be lucky to even land a wild card spot.

Let's take a look at the injuries:

"Ace" pitcher and #1 starter CC Sabathia, has been struggling the entire season. Now he is on the DL til at least July 1st, with a right knee injury.

#3 starting pitching, Ivan Nova has underwent Tommy John surgery and is out the entire season.

#5 starting pitcher, Michael Pineda has had ZERO luck this season. While serving his 10 game suspension, it was announced that he would be on the DL for 3-4 weeks with a strained back muscle.

.......60% of this rotation is done.

Let's also not forget relief pitcher Shawn Kelly, who is out til at least the end of May, with a back issue. Also backup catcher Francisco Cervelli, who's out til at LEAST mid-June, with a right hamstring injury.

Jacoby Ellsbury has been on and off the DL quite a bit this season. But most recently, Carlos Beltran has been placed on the DL for a right elbow injury, which could keep him out for a while.

Wait a second, WHO are all of these guys again? I've been to 6 games at Yankee Stadium this year, and its just, not the same anymore. The vibe is gone. It's really not even fun anymore watching these guys who aren't REAL Yankees. Brain Roberts is absolutely atrocious both on the field and at the plate. Not even Derek Jeter is having that good of a year. He's had quite a few errors, and for the most part, he's been average at the plate. Could this be from all the pressure that it's finally setting in, that this is his final season? Usually, Jeter handles pressure pretty well, from what I see at least.

I'm gonna have to say that the only guys on this team who have truly kept it together so far this season, are Tanaka and Solarte. But these 2 CAN'T hold the entire team together, and lead them into the playoffs, alone.

The front office really needs to reevaluate what they've done here, to avoid making these kind of mistakes again. First I'm gonna say, get a new manager. My pick would be Lou Pinella. Also, maybe they can come to the conclusion that signing old, washed up guys, really DOESN'T always work out in their best interest? Especially those who are SO injury prone......

I love the Yankees. I love this TEAM no matter WHAT. But my heart can barely handle this! 

By:: Dana P. (Blog Owner/Editor in Chief)