Tag Archives: World Series

Cashman, Yankees Look Forward to Spring Training…Already.

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 10/23/10

The words on his hat were sobering.

Just a half hour after the New York Yankees stunningly lost to theTexas Rangers in Game 6 of the 2010 ALCS, General Manager, Brian Cashman was seen sporting a cap that read, “Spring Training,” and featured a Yankees logo.

Symbolically, the hat represented a positive look forward to the 2011 season and the franchise’s next opportunity to capture their 28th World Series Championship.  But where did the hat come from so quickly?  It was a curious, pre-meditated decision to have that hat on-hand, to wear at that particular moment – a choice that had some Yankees fans wondering if their team was mentally into last night’s elimination game, or had already waived the white flag and were ready for a vacation.

It’s a moot point now.  The 2010 Yankees season came to an end last night, deep in the heart of Texas.  There will be no parade down the Canyon of Heroes this year.  To ensure the Yankees are back in the hunt in 2011, Cashman will have to remove his controversial Spring Training headgear and put on his General Manager’s hat for the next 3 months in order to re-stock his pinstriped roster with younger, and hungrier talent.

For sure, the Yankees will look to sign Cliff Lee away from the Rangers, and possibly woo the speedy Carl Crawford away from the Tampa Bay Rays, but interesting decisions will have to be made internally as well.

It will start with the future of Manager, Joe Girardi.  Cashman acknowledged he wants the skipper back in 2011, but admitted he had not confirmed the sentiment with ownership yet.

The future of the “Core 4” is in question too.  Captain, Derek Jeter is at the end of his 10-year deal, and will no doubt command a big contract to end his career with the Bombers.  Likewise, Closer, Mariano Rivera is a free agent, and at the age of 40, is still pitching as well as he ever has.  Standing at his locker last night, Andy Pettitte was indecisive about his plans for next season, admitting his desire to spend more time with his family.  Finally, Catcher, Jorge Posada is likely to be pushed for playing time by top catching prospect, Jesus Montero.

The 2011 Yankees will no doubt look different from the team that came just 6 victories away from a World Series title in 2010.  One thing is certain, whatever combination of superstars take the field in the Bronx next year, Cashman will make sure they contend for a title.

World Series hats tend to be more fashionable than Spring Training caps anyway.

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It’s Dinner Time, Are the New York Yankees Ready to Eat?

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 10/22/10

How are the New York Yankees going to eat this Texas-sized elephant that stands before them?  If the Bronx Bombers are going to capture their second consecutive Title, and twenty-eighth in franchise history, they’ll have to do it one bite at a time.

The mission statement consistently reads: World Series Championship or bust, but this is no time to think about a confetti-littered Canyon of Heroes.  Instead, the Yankees must rally around a more immediate goal, winning tonight’s ALCS Game 6.

Nothing more, nothing less.

After falling behind the Rangers 3-1 in the series, Manger, Joe Girardi addressed his squad, urging them to believe in the old cliché of “one game at a time.”  He reminded his pinstriped audience that they had won multiple games in a row many times before, but that it always started with a single victory.

With that said, the Yankees pulled themselves up off the canvas on Wednesday afternoon, wobbled towards the center of the ring, and threw a series of haymakers at the suddenly mighty Texas Rangers, winning the game 7-2, and sending the series back to Texas.

Their first bite of the elephant went down smoothly.

As the Yankees prepare to chew on another piece tonight, it’s important they ignore the man waiting in the room reserved for Saturday night, Cliff Lee, an elephant unto himself.  However, Game 7 doesn’t happen without a victory in Game 6, a task the Yankees are well equipped to complete with Phil Hughes pitching on regular rest, and a suddenly rejuvenated line up.  Standing in their way tonight is Game 2’s winner, Colby Lewis, backed by a hungry and formidable Rangers line up.

There’s no doubt, the task is a daunting one, but the Yankees would not have boarded a plane to Arlington, TX if they didn’t believe it was one they could accomplish.  They stand just six wins away from their 28th World Series Championship, including one with the seemingly unbeatable Lee.

It all starts, and potentially ends, with tonight’s Game 6, the next bite of the elephant on their plate.

Hope they’re hungry.

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Surprise, Surprise! CC Sabathia To The Rescue!

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 9/29/10

No surprise.  Another year, another playoff appearance for the Yankees.

Last night, the New York Yankees clinched a playoff berth for the fifteenth time in sixteen seasons, defeating Toronto 6-1.  A subdued, business-like on-field celebration was followed by a reserved, yet champagne-soaked party in the clubhouse at Rogers Centre.

The low-key festivities came as no surprise; the Yankees always act like they’ve been there before…because, well, they have.

It also should come as no surprise when CC Sabathia is the man called upon to toe the rubber for Game 1 of the 2010 American League Division Series next week.  Sabathia has been a horse for the Yankees in 2010, posting a 21-7 record and a 3.18 ERA.  More importantly, he has won every big game he’s been asked to win this season.

“CC’s pretty much been doing that the whole year,” said Derek Jeter.  “When we need him to step up for a big game, he’s been coming through for us.  We couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Well, perhaps there is one other thing they could ask of him.

Sabathia helped lead the Yankees to their 27th World Series Championship in 2009, his first season with the club.  Another October brings the same hefty expectations.  The Yankees will rely heavily on their ace to navigate them through a potentially turbulent post season, anchoring an otherwise shaky pitching staff along the way.

He played the part well on Tuesday night, going 8 2/3 and only surrendering 1 run on 3 hits.  He will be asked to give more of the same over the next four weeks, deep into October and early November.

If CC Sabathia can deliver, the Yankees have a shot to be the last team standing, celebrating their franchise’s 28th World Series Title, acting like they’ve been there before.

It’s a scenario that would surprise no one.

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“The Boss” Takes Final Bow His Way, In The Spotlight

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 7/13/10

“The Boss” did it again, one last time.

As the baseball world prepares for tonight’s 81st All-Star Game in Anaheim, George M. Steinbrenner III grabbed the headlines for the final time.  He passed away, early this morning, at his Tampa home.  He had just turned 80 years-old on the fourth of July.

Bob Sheppard, the legendary Yankees Public Address Announcer, died this past Sunday.  “The Voice of God” never wanted to be the story, he just wanted to introduce it before it happened.

By contrast, Steinbrenner relished the spotlight.  He was bombastic, relentless, and focused.  He took great pleasure in owning the back pages.  After all, he often had the best product, in the biggest city, and wanted everyone to know it.

Reporters would wait for him and hang on his every word.  A colorful quote from George Steinbrenner was priceless, and he knew just what people wanted to hear.

His 37-year reign atop the Yankees organization saw his club win 11 American League Championships and 7 World Series, including the final one played during his remarkable life, this past season.  In 1973, he headed a group of investors who purchased the franchise for just $10 million.  He proceeded to build the team into a billion dollar operation over the next four decades.

It wasn’t always champagne and championship rings along the way for Steinbrenner.  His fickle personality created tremendous tension around his employees, including his managers who always seemed to be on notice.  He changed managers 20 times in his first 23 years as owner, including five separate stints for Billy Martin.  He also fired Yogi Berra just three weeks into the 1985 season, creating animosity that kept Berra away from the Bronx for 14 years.

He was suspended from baseball twice, once in 1974 for his involvement in a President Nixon campaign finance scandal, and again in 1990 when he paid a man named Howard Spira for “dirt” on his own player, Dave Winfield.

Upon his return to baseball in the mid-nineties, a calmer Steinbrenner helped stabilize the franchise.  He hired Joe Torre as manager, developed young, home-grown stars in Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte, and won 4 World Series titles in 5 years from 1996-2000.

At all times, Steinbrenner’s passion for winning superseded everything.  He was once, famously quoted as saying, “Winning is the most important thing in my life, after breathing.  Breathing first, winning next.”

“The Boss” had tremendous financial resources that teams in other markets didn’t enjoy, but he routinely pumped that money back into his team.  Many chastised Steinbrenner for his free spending, but ultimately, he operated within the rules of the sport and raised the competitive bar throughout baseball.

As his health declined in recent years, and the power shifted to his sons, Hal and Hank, the winning mantra remained strong.  Steinbrenner demanded perfection from his players, and considered anything short of a championship to be failure.  In 2009, for the final time on Steinbrenner’s watch, the Yankees captured the 27th World Series in franchise history.

It was one last Title for a man who devoted all his energy to winning.

He went out a winner.

“The Boss” did it again, one last time.

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Field Trip Is Perfect Formula for Yankees Success…Again.

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 3/4/10

This past Tuesday, Yankees Manager, Joe Girardi, once again played the role of Pinstriped Scientist, looking to concoct team chemistry, like he successfully did last season.  In 2009, Girardi mixed all the right elements from baseball’s periodic table.  The result: an on-field explosion that carried the Yankees all the way to a World Series Title.

Last season, Girardi conducted a bit of an experiment with his players during Spring Training.  The club traded their bats and pine tar for pool sticks and chalk, and spent the day at a local billiards joint.  The bonding session helped solidify the foundation of the team’s close-knit group, forming relationships that, many claim, set the tone for their Championship run.

If Girardi wants to end this upcoming season the same way he did last season, he figures, he should probably start it the same way too.  It’s a new tradition for the most traditional franchise in professional sports.  This year’s class trip found the Yankees at a Tampa-based arcade for a day filled with video games, skee ball, and pop-a-shot – something that resonated very positively with the players.

The stress-free environment allowed the players to forget the daily rigors of training, trying to earn a roster spot, or just fitting in.  While at the arcade, every player was on even ground.  Royce Ring could hang out with Mariano Rivera.  Ramiro Pena could socialize with Alex Rodriguez.  There were no superstars or bench players inside the arcade, a sense of equality off-the-field that should translate well into on-field team chemistry.

Wednesday afternoon, they started putting the theory to test.  It was back to business as usual at George M. Steinbrenner Field and the Yankees picked up right where they left off last November, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 in their first Spring Training game of the new season.  They even did it in walk-off fashion, as Colin Curtis hit a three-run home run in the 9th inning to secure the win…what, no pie?  It was a first small step towards defending their title, the 27th in franchise history.

Unlike previous camps, 2010 has been relatively smooth.  The drama and non-baseball related storylines have been non-existent.  The only real source of controversy has been over the 5th spot in the pitching rotation, a post to be filled by either Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, or a combination of Chad Gaudin, Sergio Mitre, and Alfredo Aceves.

In addition, the Yankees enter the 2010 season with some familiar faces like Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui gone, and some new additions like Curtis Granderson and Javier Vazquez onboard.  The “Core 4” of Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, and Mariano Rivera will again be at the heart of the Yankee Universe, as they pursue yet another Title.  It would be the sixth career ring for each franchise icon, and the 28th Championship in club history.

First thing’s first, the Yankees have to get through eight long months of baseball before they start planning another trip down the Canyon of Heroes.  Number twenty-eight is the goal this year – the target is once again, literally, on Girardi’s back – he changed uniform numbers.  It’s a responsibility he’s thoroughly prepared for.  He methodically laid the foundation this Tuesday at the arcade, shaking things up and formulating stronger team chemistry.

After last season, he’s got this down to a science.

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A Team Effort, Swisher Enjoys Being a Champion

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 11/10/09

“It’s one of the coolest things…being called a champ,” said the newly crowned Nick Swisher.  “You can’t ever take that away.”

No matter what path his career takes from here, he will forever be a World Champion.  According to Swisher, it is an honor he would not be enjoying without the efforts and contributions of every man to wear the pinstripes in 2009.

Following My Interview with Swisher

“For ten months straight, you work as a team to accomplish great things,” he said.  “This season, we all had the right mindset, and the right group of guys working together.  That’s why we were able to win the whole thing.”

Just hours removed from capturing the 2009 World SeriesTitle, Swisher found himself inside the Steiner SportsCorporate Offices commemorating the achievement.  Along with other members of the 2009 World Champion New York Yankees, Swisher was there, adding his signature to team signed World Series baseballs, photos, jerseys, bats and helmets.

Swisher marveled at the new product line, referring to select pieces as “bad-ass,” and even requesting some photos for his personal collection.  Feeling nostalgic throughout the signing, he was eager to discuss his first season in the Bronx and the important role team chemistry played in the Championship run.

In 2009, the Yankees made key additions to their roster, bringing in players to round out an already potent group.  Coming to New York, where the team’s objective from day one always includes a parade down the Canyon of Heroes, can be intimidating for many.  Over the last eight title-less seasons, many have come and gone with little success.  The 2009 club was different though.

“This wasn’t about myself, or CC [Sabathia], or AJ [Burnett],” said Swisher.  “This was about everyone.  We needed the whole team on the same page and we all were able to bond together.”

The foundation of their close-knit group can be traced back to February 23, 2009.  That’s when the club united during a much publicized spring training field trip to the pool hall.

“At the time, we had a lot of work to do,” said Swisher.  “We had a season to get ready for and then Skip [Manager Joe Girardi] comes in and tells us to drop everything, we’re going to play pool for the day.  It was big for us.  Everyone bought into it, we had a great time, and we were able to carry that onto the field.”

That’s where the Yankees won an MLB best 103 ball games, including a dominant 57-24 mark within the confines of their new home in the Bronx.  Their success was the perfect blend of old and new.  Though the integration of new personalities like Swisher, Sabathia, Burnett and Teixeira was important, according the Swisher, a lot of the harmony can be attributed to members of the old guard.

“It’s the big four, [Jorge] Posada, [Derek] Jeter, [Andy] Pettitte, and [Mariano] Rivera,” he said.  “They are who the Yankees are.  They represent the team extremely well and are real leaders.  None of them came up to us new guys and said, ‘this is how we do things.’  It’s unspoken.  We all followed their lead and learned from them.”

The Yankees enter this offseason with a few issues to address.  Questions about the futures of Johnny Damon, Andy Pettitte, and World Series MVP, Hideki Matsui all loom.  The core of this roster will remain intact for 2010 when the Yankees try to defend their title – a challenge Swisher is already anxious to take on.

“I can’t wait to go back to war with these guys.”

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Yankees Formula for Success is Easy as Pie

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 10/14/09

The swagger is back in the Bronx.

As the New York Yankees prepare for their American League Championship Series with the Los Angeles Angels, it’s clear, there’s something different about this team.  In the eight seasons immediately following their Subway Series victory in 2000, the New York Yankees morphed into a collection of highly-paid, corporate superstars.  Team chemistry was weak.  Anxiety levels were high.  These days, the Yankees are wearing their ties a little looser and having a little more fun at the ball park.

So what changed?  That’s easy…easy as pie.

In 2009, the most traditional team in all of sports established a new ritual – a good, old fashioned, pie to the face – courtesy of AJ’s Bakery, Co. All pies were hand delivered by Pitcher, AJ Burnett, on cue, to any player to notch a walk-off hit in the Bronx.

Early on, critics scoffed at the amateurish celebration tactic adopted by the business-like Yankees.  Many argued that such a childish act seemed out of place among these men in pinstriped suits, claiming it was not “Yankee-like.”  As irony would have it, a little silliness was exactly what this team needed.

Unlike so many other Yankees teams that have come before them, the 2009 club seems more relaxed, and free from all the stress that comes along with the yearly “World Series victory or bust” mentality.  The additions of free-spirits like Burnett and Nick Swisher have served as the perfect compliment to the older, more business-like core of Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada.

Initially, there was some question as to how a member of that “old guard” would react when greeted with a face full of whipped cream.  That was answered on July 4, 2009 when Posada stole the game from the Blue Jays with a walk off single in the 12th inning.  Like clockwork, the catcher’s postgame interview turned into a pie eating contest, much to the delight of on looking fans.

Each walk-off pie – there have been 16 of them so far, including Mark Teixeira’s ALDS Game 2 pastry punch – has served as much more than a show of celebration.  It has developed camaraderie, calmed nerves, and tasted much sweeter than the humble pie they’ve been forced to eat in recent years.

Timely hitting, lights out pitching, and the addition of team-first players like Teixeira and CC Sabathia have all been major reasons this club has succeeded.  Most importantly, this team has been reminded that winning can be fun.  A little whipped cream is all it took to ease the tension of the daily New York baseball rigors.

The 2009 Yankees are all having a blast.  It seems as though this baseball machine is destined to return to glory.  The roster is a perfect blend of experience, youth, and journeymen – all hungry for the same thing: a World Series title, and perhaps some pie for dessert.

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Torch in Sanchez’s Hands Now

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 9/15/09

The torch has been passed.  Now, let’s see how far the kid can run with it.

Prior to making his first professional start, New York Jets rookie Quarterback, Mark Sanchez met up with the only man to ever lead the franchise to a Super Bowl – Joe Namath.  For over forty years now, long-time suffering Jets fans have savored Joe Willie’s performance in Super Bowl III, speaking glowingly about the iconic figure and his positive contribution to an otherwise abysmal team history.  Sunday at Reliant Stadium in Houston, TX, Namath informed Sanchez that it’s time to move on.

“…this isn’t about me anymore.  It’s about you,” he told Sanchez.

With that, a new era of New York Jets football began.  Jets 24, Texans 7.

Sanchez was confident and efficient, throwing for 272 yards including a 30-yard touchdown pass to Chanci Stuckey.  He was masterful under pressure, converting 10 of 18 third downs.  He exhibited great mobility in the pocket, and excellent decision making throughout.  Sanchez’s play, coupled with a pair of big runs from Thomas Jones, and Rex Ryan’s“Ravenous” defensive scheme, left Jets fans giddy at what the future might bring.  His quick start was reminiscent of the way another former New York rookie began his storied career.

Thirteen years ago, with similar poise and passion to what Sanchez displayed yesterday, Derek Jeter wrote the first chapter of his legendary career.  Now the all-time Yankees hits leader, Derek Jeter began his 1996 rookie season in Cleveland with a home run and a pair of dazzling plays at short stop.  The sky was the limit that day, and for over a decade, Jeter has been as good as advertised.

He further solidified his legacy on Friday night by passing Lou Gehrig’s hits total.  On Sunday, the fiery kid from SoCal began writing his own legacy, chasing Broadway Joe along the way.

One game into “Matinee” Mark’s career, he looks up for the challenge…even if it was only one game.

“It isn’t fair to anyone to judge a young quarterback after one game,” Namath said.  “Even if it was a really good game…what I saw was a kid who was ready.”

The kid was ready, and so are Jets fans.

In 1996, the Yankees, with a new manager (Torre) and a new leader(Jeter), built on chemistry carried over from the previous regime to capture the team’s first title in 18 years.  It’s been over forty years without a Jets Super Bowl victory.  Could a new coach (Ryan) and a new leader (Sanchez) do the trick for Gang Green too?  Jets faithful burn for another title run – time will tell if Sanchez can light that fire with his new torch.

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Bernie Williams Did it His Way, Quietly.

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 8/28/09

“Shut Up.  Play.”

Bernie Williams stood there and faced the media with those 3 words quietly displayed on his t-shirt.  It was October of 1996, and Williams wore this shirt in front of his locker throughout the post season.  This subtle reminder personified the Yankees of the mid-90s.

Those Yankees teams never gloated, always acted as if they had “been there before,” and proceeded to win four World Series titles in five years.  To this day, looking back on it, Williams still maintains a humble opinion of his years in pinstripes.

“I played on some unbelievable teams, but I was never concerned about where we ranked all-time or anything like that,” he said.  “I was just glad to be there and be a part of all the winning.”

Williams, looking like he could still slip into his pinstripes, visited the Steiner Sports Corporate headquarters on Thursday and for #51, the autograph session quickly turned into an opportunity for reflection.

“As I’ve grown older, I’ve learned to appreciate all the precious moments I had,” he said.  “I was part of a truly great team and I enjoy sitting back and enjoying those moments.”

Williams played on some of the most successful Yankees teams of all time, and the switch-hitting center fielder had a major role in most of those triumphs. Over the course of his 16-year career – all with the Yankees – Bernie Williams was selected to 5 All-Star Games, won the 1996 ALCS MVP Award, won 4 Gold Gloves for his wizardry in center field, and captured the 1998 Batting Title.  Despite all his personal accolades along the way, Williams insists his greatest memories are team oriented.

“The batting title in 1998 was special, but that whole 1998 team was unbelievable,” he said.  “Those are the things I remember the most…the things we accomplished as a team.”

It is that unassuming personality that has landed Bernie a special place in the hearts of most Yankees fans.  Adulation that was never more evident to Williams than at the final game ever played at the original Yankee Stadium.

“It was awesome to see the fans embrace me the way they did,” he said.  “Especially after being out of the game for a few years.  I was so surprised I got introduced after Yogi!”

Williams was invited back the following April to help initiate the new home of the Yankees.  He appeared in center field, playing “Take me out to the ball game” on his guitar, and highlighted an extraordinary day at the new ball park.

“Playing [the guitar] in center field on Opening Day was weird,” he said.  “It was such a bizarre moment.  I was in Yankee Stadium, with a guitar, playing in front of a full house.  It was such a cool moment.  There was so much electricity that day.  It reminded me of the old Stadium a lot.”

Inside that old Stadium, Bernie Williams cemented his place in Yankees lore, quietly positioning himself in the record books alongside other Yankees center fielders like Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio.

“I have no regrets about my career,” he said.  “I was part of a great team for 16 years.  I am very proud of that, and I did it my way.”

He shut up and just played.

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Another Dark Day for Baseball – Ortiz Linked to PED’s

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 7/30/09

Cowboy Down.

David Ortiz, the face of the 2004 and 2007 World Champion Boston Red Sox, is the latest name connected to the, once anonymous, 2003 performance enhancing drug test, according to a New York Times Report.  Ortiz joins Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, and Sammy Sosa as the most prominent names to come out from that list of 104 names.  Former Red Sox teammate, Manny Ramirez, who already served a 50 game suspensionthis year for his use of PED’s, was also on the 2003 list, according to today’s report

Maybe they were a bunch of “Idiots” after all.

Confirmation of Ortiz’s link to steroids comes as a mild surprise to those who follow the game.  One of the most likable players in the game, prior to 2003, Ortiz’s highest home run total came in 2002 with Minnesota when he finished with just 20 home runs.  The following season, the year he reportedly tested positive, he jumped to 31 home runs.  From 2004-2007, Ortiz blasted 41, 47, 54, & 35 respectively.  Evidence of a hitter “coming into his own,” or did Ortiz have some artificial assistance?

In the two seasons following the release of the Mitchell Report in December 2007, Ortiz’s power numbers have suffered dramatically.  With today’s announcement, his lack of production in recent years appears to be no coincidence, especially to steroid guru, and former Major Leaguer, Jose Canseco.

When asked his thoughts on today’s announcements, Canseco scoffed: “When you tell me something I didn’t already know, I’ll be surprised.”

Though fans have always been suspicious of Ortiz, many who know him personally were blown away by the news.

“This hurts, this really hurts,” former Twins teammate Tori Hunter told ESPN.  “I don’t know what to think about this. I guess you just never know what people do in the dark.”

When confronted by members of the media on Thursday, Ortiz refused to comment on the situation.  What could he say?  With each revelation, fans are numbed to the fact that the entire era is tainted.  It is impossible to decipher who did it and who didn’t simply based on those who have been outed.  Instead, all players are guilty by association.  It’s unfortunate, but it’s the reality.

To paraphrase from the great Jerry Seinfeld, today we learned that back in 2003, Papi was a little sloppy.  There are many responsible for this Major League-sized mess, though.  Ortiz is just the latest superstar caught.

It’s another dark day for baseball.  Another Cowboy down.

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